Monday, November 7, 2016

ALMOST THERE.....


Well I am continuing to press on even though my blogging has become sooo scarce these days you might wonder why.  I do try and visit when I get the chance, and wonder (truly!) what is going on with you all, but I have had to just be SOOO busy TRYING to get things done.  I am ALMOST there....so soon I will be back with regular visiting and posting.

But for now I am going to back up about a week or so and show you some pretty cute trick or treaters.  I actually kind of miss the days of seeing all the little cuties in their costumes, and even kind of miss passing out the candy at the door, but life does move on I guess.  NO trick or treaters in this senior park, but honestly if anyone ventured in I bet they'd do better then they think.  Anyway, all of my kids sent pics of my grandkids who ALL had a wonderously marvelous time.  Let me show you....

ACTUALLY ONLY A COUPLE OF THESE ARE MINE, THE OTHER 3 ARE MY OLDEST SISTERS GRANDKIDS WHO TRICK OR TREAT EVERY YEAR WITH MY GRANDS.  FROM LEFT TO RIGHT THEY ARE MY GRANDDAUGHTER LINDSEY WHO WAS A VAMPIRE (she went along with the little ones!) AND THEN BUDDY WHO IS MY SISTER'S YOUNGEST GRANDCHILD...THEN THE SKELETON IS OUR CODY, AND PRINCESS LEA IS MY SISTER'S MIDDLE GRANDCHILD, AND CODY'S BEST FRIEND, AND THEN THE FINAL ONE IS MY SISTER'S OLDEST GRAND DAUGHTER JACKIE.


AMD THEN THIS CUTE BUNCH ARE THE SAN DIEGO GRANDS,,,,MY YOUNGEST SON'S GROUP


AND THEN MEL'S LITTLE GROUP WENT AS THEIR FAVORITE CHARACTERS FROM PAW PATROL
Moving on then lets see....I have officially finished up ALL of the PJ's with the exception of putting the elastic in a few of them...I think I have shown you all but the oldest 3.  Let me show you....


OK THESE ARE LINDSEY'S.....HER'S COME WITH A LONG COMPLICATED STORY, BUT I WILL SPARE YOU, LOL.  BOTTOM LINE THIS IS A KNIT FABRIC THAT I HAD BOUGHT WITHOUT REALLY KNOWING WHAT I'D DO WITH IT, WHICH IS VERY VERY UNUSUAL FOR ME.  I DON'T USUALLY BUY SOMETHING WITHOUT KNOWING FOR SURE WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH IT....ANYWAY, SUPER COMFY AND SOFT,  I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TO MAKE LONG SLEEVES FOR THE TOP, BUT THE SHORT ARE REALLY PRETTY CUTE.

NOW THESE ARE 10 YEAR OLD JD'S AND 3 YEAR OLD VINNY'S....10 YEAR OLD JD IS ALREADY 5'4" AND BIG ENOUGH TO NEED A MEN'S SMALL.  

NOW THESE ARE ALSO LINDSEY'S....SHE USUALLY WEARS SHORTS TO SLEEP IN SO I HAD SOME LEFT OVERS SO I MADE HER UP SOME....THE SHIRT I DID NOT MAKE TO GO WITH THIS, AND THERE IS ONE TO MATCH THAT IS COMING...BUT THE FABRIC ISN'T HERE YET.

THIS IS 12 (almost 13 grandma!) YEAR OLD JEFFIES WHO WASN'T SURE HE WANTED CHRISTMAS JAMMIES THIS YEAR.  THIS WAS MY COMPROMISE.  FESTIVE, BUT STILL MORE GROWN UP, LOL

THEN THIS NIGHTSHIRT IS ALMOST 12 YEAR OLD CAPRI'S....SHE DOESN'T LIKE PJ'S SO I MADE HER THIS INSTEAD...THAT'S HER 7 YEAR OLD SISTER'S TELLA'S NEXT TO HERS, I AM CONSIDERING MAKING HER A LITTLE PAIR OF SHORTS TO WEAR UNDER HER NIGHTSHIRT TOO, BUT MIGHT NOT HAVE TIME.

JUST CLOSER LOOK AT NIGHTSHIRT....

OK, now let me move on to my fabric garland.  This is something I saw on a tutorial WEEKS AND WEEKS ago and just had it in my head that I wanted to make.  I LOVED it.  I bought myself a bundle of fat coordinating Christmas quarters, and some heat and bond ultra (5 yards...thinking this would leave me PLENTY for left overs to keep on hand.....it wasn't near enough!) and FINALLY got around to making it last Friday.  Let me just say this......It was WAY WAY WAY more work then I thought it might be.  WAY!!!!  They always make everything look quick, easy and perfect on those tutorials, lol.  Well, it WAS easy....Super easy!  But it was also sooo tedious and slow and time consuming. Not sure if I could make myself make another or not, and good thing I didn't promise to make any for anyone else either, lol.  Maybe in another year or so, lol.  I burnt several of my fingers on the hot glue too.  Why I continue to do things with hot glue when I honestly just don't do well, I can't be sure.  But I made it!  And I just loved how it came out....All 14 ft. of it!! I thought it was overkill for our tree.  But this Sat. was the designated day for us to put our tree up.  I think I have explained why we are doing this sooo early, so I won't say it again, but that was on our list Sat morning and we got right on it.  I was living for the moment to put the new garland on.  Well.....(you knew this was coming didn't you?!) it was a disaster!  It was no where near big enough first of all, and then you couldn't see it the way I had envisioned.  I was somewhat hysterical.  My goodness WHAT was I going to do with it.  And it was FAR from cheap, and hadn't taken me HOURS to make! Hubby kept assuring me we'd find a place, and finally it occurred to me.. IF we could figure out a way to attach it, I think it would look pretty good on our mantle.  And it did!  I loved it!  I doubled it up, looped it just right, and we attached it with some simple tacs.  Easy peasy....Let me show you all of this....

EACH OF THE LOOPS ARE DOUBLE SIDED GLUED TOGETHER WITH A PRODUCT CALL HEAT AND BOND ULTRA...  YOU CUT THEM WITH A PINKING BLADE ON A ROTARY CUTTER ON A CUTTING MAT.  I LOVE THE LITTLE SCALLOPED EDGES.  HERE IS THE LINK TO THE TUTORIAL I USED JUST IN CASE ANYONE IS INTERESTED...    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa_JTbdqNC8

HUBBY HOLDING IT UP FOR A LOOK

TA DA!!  lol  THERE IT IS!  HONESTLY I REALLY LIKE IT HERE.  WITH THE COLOR IN THE GARLAND, AND THE COLOR OF THE STONE ON THE FIREPLACE, YOU CAN REALLY SEE IT WELL.

JUST A LITTLE CLOSER LOOK.  YOU CAN SEE WHERE I PUT THE NEW FABRIC CHRISTMAS TREE I MADE TOO.  IT MATCHES PRETTY WELL.  OBVIOUSLY, HAD I KNOW I WAS NOT GOING TO PUT THIS ON THE TREE, I COULD HAVE MADE IT A LOT SHORTER, BUT THEN AGAIN I REALLY LIKE IT DOUBLED UP THIS WAY

SO THERE IS IT WITH OUR TREE AND FIREPLACE,  THAT'S ALL THE INDOOR DECORATIONS WE PUT UP THIS WEEK-END.  WE WILL FINISH UP NEXT WEEK-END.  AND THEN THE ONE AFTER THAT WE HAVE A BIRTHDAY PARTY, AND WILL HAVE TO GET THE BEDS READY AND THE GROCERY SHOPPING DONE AS MEL AND HER FAMILY WILL BE HERE THEN THAT NEXT MONDAY.  JUST TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY!  I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THEM ALL!
All I really have left to do is to make the tree skirts, and run the ribbons through the banners, and make a little Christmas outfit for Claire (still waiting on the fabric for this), make Lindsey's other top, (again, fabric not here) make a little outfit for the birthday party (it's for my sister's granddaughter), and get the elastic in some of the pj's!  NOT bad if you had seen my whole original list, lol.  Though I need to get my hair done, my nails done, my eyes examined, and get a birthday present for my oldest son, grocery shop for a weeks company, and I'd really like to shop and find myself a new top or too.  No time to sit back and relax yet, lol.  Truthfully though if ANY of these items don't get done (with the exception of the elastic in PJ's and the tree skirts, I am OK with it.  I got most of the important stuff done.  And I do have two weeks, lol.  I made up one of the tree skirts this morning.  The easy one of course, lol.  Melody just wanted a plain circular fur one....to match the Christmas stockings I made her last year.  Let me show you....though there is not much to see.

WOULD NEVER BE MY CHOICE....THOUGH IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE SNOW....

CLOSER LOOK AT FUR
When I finish here I should have enough time to finish up all the elastic on the pj's and pre-shrink the fabric for my niece's gift, and put the pattern together before it's time to get dinner.  Tomorrow I hope to get a good start on another tree skirt before I head out to get my hair done.  Busy week in front of me.

Hope you are all doing well.  I am going to do a little visiting before I get started on anything else as well.  Wishing you all God's very best in blessings, Debbie

OH, I wanted to mention that after we finished with out decorating on Sat. we went and saw the new Mel Gibson movie, Hacksaw Ridge... It was SOOOOOO good.  I'd recommend it highly.  However, it is VERY graphic and bloody if that bothers you.  I will leave you with a couple of pics...

3 YEAR OLD LUKE AT THE DENTIST THIS MORNING,,,DON'T YA WISH YOU COULD BE THAT HAPPY TO BE AT THE DENTIST!

COULDN'T DECIDE WHICH OF THESE WERE CUTER, SO POSTED THEM BOTH
MY GIRL MELODY ON HER WAY OUT THE DOOR FOR THEIR CHRISTMAS CARD PICS THIS MORNING....HOW I MISS THIS FACE!  CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HER!
AND THESE 3 WHO HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED NOT TO MOVE....LOL





6 comments:

  1. I'll have to go back and read about the early Cmas decor. I can't believe you have so much done in your sewing, such great work and such cute PJ's. Bet Mel's family Cmas pictures were great! Happy week!

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  2. You are a powerhouse! I am in awe of everything you have accomplished. The pajama sets are all fantastic. I knownthe grands look forward to them and I don't care how old they are...they do! The garland is wonderful and what you did with it was inspired...looks so good there. Pace yourself now...

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  3. Like Vee, I am in awe! You accomplish more in a week than I do in a month...or two or three months! And you do it all so well!

    The picture of the grands who were not supposed to move gave me a chuckle! :) So cute!!

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  4. Your Christmas decorations look wonderful and all those pj's! My goodness, you have been a whirlwind, but they are all so cute. I have not been on the computer or blog as much lately either. I have missed staying in touch of you. Maybe after the new year we can all settle down and refocus. Love those grand kid pictures.

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  5. Wow you have been so busy. Your house looks lovely. I love all the kids dressed up.
    What nice pictures you have of all of them. I bet you are glad to have them coming.
    Have a wonderful rest of the week.

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  6. I love the garland on your fireplace...gorgeous! I can't believe all the stuff you make. It's all so beautiful. Your grandson sitting in the dentist chair is so adorable and your daughter is gorgeous.

    Hope you have a great day!!

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I am so glad that you would take the time to comment on my thoughts and feelings, it is such a blessing to me!