My first completed embroidery projects

Let's just say, I really, REALLY,  need me some bifocals!! My neck is not thrilled with the way I hold my head when I am trying to see what I am doing. LOL

I picked and easy peasy transfer as my first, then I went totally insane...I have no idea what I was thinking when I planned the second one. LOL

Since I am road trippin' and staying and eating and sewing with friends, I needed a hostess giftee or two. They HAD to be handmade by me. Okay, they didn't  have to, but I did it anyway.
I made some homemade jam this week, so I am wrapping the jam in some red-worked tea towels.
Not too bad for my first  two projects......I hope they think so too!!

My friend Amy loves dachshunds.

My friend Karen loves Minions. LOL

The weenie dog was pretty easy...it still took me forever, but I think it looks really good.

Ahhhh, the minion. I was actually looking for a good chicken outline. Finding nothing, I wondered what the heck I was going to do.....then it hit me....Karen loves the Movie Despicable Me.  I printed up a color book page, I tried to trace the image....I ended up free handing most of the details because of visibility issues.
It's quite clear that I don't know how to be a dainty sewista. LOL 
The emblem in the middle is a little muddled. 
Oh well, might as well jump in, head first, screamin' your head off, right?!

I am still pretty proud of myself!! New skills rock!!! Now give me that Dress Me Up! quilt pattern and let me at it!!!!

L A or bust!!

My friend Denise and I are going down to lala land to the big giant quilt show in Long Beach.
This trip will be full of firsts!!
Our first road trip together!!
Meeting some blogger buddies that have felt like friends for-ev-er!
Our first trip to The Long Beach International Quilt Show.
Hangin in the OC (maybe we'll see the real housewives, eh?)
Going to M and L fabrics!!! Can you say: goodbye money?
Look out Karen, Amy and SoCal........here we come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
just sayin......

Plum Jam

What a day!!! I soooooo need to shower and peel off a few layers of sweat! LOL

It was jam making day!!

Please follow basic canning instructions from the Ball jar site, okay!! I don't want anyone getting sick. 

Bacteria is bad....just sayin.

My recipe as follows:

4 pounds of pitted plums...you can mix and match all the different kinds..washed and coarsely chopped

1 large apple (granny smith if you can find it) - grated

4 cups of sugar

big pinch of salt

a big squirt of lemon or lime juice

1/4 cup of water

Prep all you canning supplies:

My utensils all clean and dry

Pots at the ready, water a simmerin'

lids keeping warm

clean and sterilized jars keeping a toasty 180ºf  in the oven

I don't have enough room to keep them in a pot of hot water on the cook top

Plums washed
My tree is soooooooo full of little bitty plums!

el yummo!!!

chopping time

Put all your ingredients in a heavy duty pot. Bring to a hard boil as quickly as possible. Stir a lot to keep the fruit from sticking to the bottom. As you see pink foam develop, skim it off and toss it.

Boil on a pretty high heat until it reaches about 220ºf or 30-35 minutes

Ladle  into jars and process according to the canning site (about 10 minutes at a full boil)

Let cool. 

Label and store. 

Any with lids that didn't seal,  put in the fridge and eat. 

You can even share with a neighbor!!

Yes, some are upside down. I learned that somewhere........does it help?  I don't know, it's just an odd little habit. Trust me, after they boil for awhile, you don't mess with em too much and you just set them down however. LOL

***update***

I had one jar that wasn't full enough to process and I ate a little bit this morning on toast...... yyyuuummmmmmmm

Gelled nicely

Pardon me while I chew......

Friday Night Sew In

Once again, big plans, but a houseful of people and and accessories that wouldn't co-operate, I only got one item finished. The other will just take a half an hour this morning...will post a follow-up when it's done!!
My partner in the Aloha Apron Swap will soooooooooo know this is for her!

I call it: wHooooo's your Tiki?

one side

the other side with the fabrics reversed. 

Let's play catch-up

First off, thanks for all those that played in my giveaway!
I will be going to the post office tomorrow.....I have a few things to mail and I want to go all on one day.

Second, it's been 71 hours and no Maureen (13) so I will be doing a new post or a redrawing for the Subversive Seamstress book. Sorry Maureen......I even waited an extra day!


Tonight is the FNSI...Friday Night Sew In (there's a link in my sidebar...I think)
I will be finishing up a apron for a swap and some little sewn goodies to go with it!
Also, my mil wants a few more tissue holders for her peeps and I have some fabric prepped for that.

I am in a mug rug swap so if I get finished with my aprons and stuff, I will be designing that as well.

I just need to make a to-sew list and stick to the schedule! LOL  I am a great planner and a slow doer. ;-)

Just because this is pictureless, let's feature a blast from the past.....
My kids circa a few years back, in the Christmas Parade! I'm guessing about 2007

 My boy is now almost a brown belt now! He's the one in the back center of the frame.

the Dot (green stripes) in the Nightmare Before Christmas

(yes, I did all the dang dresses and there is one jack in there too!!)

Just a reminder that Christmas crafting time is upon us...sooooo if you want it done by Christmas, better get your booty movin!

PROJECT RUNWAY...NEXT WEEK EEEEEEEEEEEEE

20 Designers get whittled down to15 by the end of the first episode! Such drama.

Is it too much drama? I would do these kinds of shows differently. How? No one goes home the first show. 

I want to get to know the contestants; discover my favorites; bond even. I want to get a feel for how the people are going to be before Heidi tells them they are 'auf' and gives them the kiss-kiss of death.

I am slowly going through all the mini videos of this new batch of contestants. So far, I am liking the white haired one (maybe because she looks a lot like moi...I don't know) And there is one guy with a name that HAS to be fake.........seriously.....Gunnar Deathrage....he is about the most unscary person in the entire cast.

Well, back to watching their casting videos and wondering what they will be like when the pressure starts to get to them......

EEEEeeeeeeeeee I can hardly stand it!!

Read more here!

http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/19415/project-runway-announces-season-9-designers?utm_source=email&utm_medium=eletter&utm_content=20110719-blouse-hem&utm_campaign=threads 

**ONE WHOLE YEAR ALREADY**

To meeeeeeeeeeeee!

Watch for another giveaway when I hit 100 followers!

It'll be epic......at least to me!! 

oooo looooooookkkkkk

I learned to center my post title today!!!

Happy blogoversary indeed!!