The Simple Woman's Daybook. . .

Outside my window. . .green grass.

I am hearing...little people.

I am thinking. . .of gardens.

I am thankful for. . .my parents helped us move here to Kansas.

I am remembering. . .fun times playing in my backyard.

I am hoping. . .to have fun taking my bra class.

I am creating. . .yet another slip-this time with a lower neck line.

On my mind. . .getting a forever house.

Noticing that. . .I think my sewing skills are getting a little better.

From the kitchen. . .tacos.

One of my favorite things. . .smelly flowers.

A few plans for the rest of the week. . .looking through my new Hot Patterns, starting another blouse, finishing my slip.

What I am reading. . .sewing blogs.

Picture for thought I am sharing. . .

RJ standing, at my favorite fabric store, Needle Nook.

Hot Patterns are hot?

I've been trying hard to get some clothing sewn up since I outgrew most my wardrobe! UHG! Any way, in the process, I tried a free Hot Patterns, pattern from Fabric.com . A lot of people complain about them being hard to understand or do, same as they do about Burda. Well, so far I haven't had any problems with Burda, and didn't have a lick of problems with the Hot Pattern pattern either. *shrugs* I think some of it may be a cultural understanding block, since HP and Burda both have European designers, I don't know. So far though the haven't been that "hard" for me and I'm pretty novice! I really liked the shirt too! Now I see another one I want to try for free too. But, the site also had all the Hot Patterns that they sell on sale! So I ended up buying all of them I wanted since it was such a deep discount. And a little fabric to make some linen pants in too! I can't wait to try them. I'm going to muslin them in gauze first though before cutting into the linen.

Jan at Needle Nook offered a "kids" class for making shrugs from T-shirts, so I enrolled Casey. It only cost 5 dollars, a t-shirt, thread and spool of ribbon. Jan provided jewels for decorating them. They were super easy and super cute too! I can't believe how hard Jan worked for only 5 dollars a girl! I wish my mom's truck was working, I think Casey would really have fun in Jan's sewing day camp. I for sure will be enrolling Lela when she is old enough. Casey did much better then I thought she would, I was very proud of her, and Jan is so patient with the girls and such a good teacher. It's really nice, and fun. Then I enrolled myself for a bra class next month. I can't wait! I need bras badly! And I want something pretty for once! Nothing pretty comes in a I cup. *sigh*

 Tonight I'm taking Casey to a dinner that her little school club is having. Hoping that goes well.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Outside my window. . .sand.

I am hearing...silly game show.

I am thinking. . .about my niece.

I am thankful for. . .a hard working husband.

I am remembering. . .fun times at the park.

I am hoping. . .to buy the house we would be happy in.

I am creating. . .a red blouse.

On my mind. . .the wonderful congregation we belong to.

Noticing that. . .I need to clean the house.

From the kitchen. . .spaghetti and garlic bread.

One of my favorite things. . .outdoors!

A few plans for the rest of the week. . .Finishing up my red blouse, getting some new sewing books and hopefully the zoo again!

What I am reading. . .message boards.

Picture for thought I am sharing. . .

Lela and Belle at the Zoo May 2012

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Outside my window. . .fresh mowed grass.

I am hearing...my girls laughing.

I am thinking. . .I can't believe I finally have my red skirt almost finished.

I am thankful for. . .friends.

I am remembering. . .junior high home economics.

I am hoping. . .to get the whole family well this weekend.

I am creating. . .a new skirt-yet another one.

On my mind. . .maybe getting yet another sewing machine, haha.

Noticing that. . .I'm getting much faster with my sewing.

From the kitchen. . .racos.

One of my favorite things. . .BBQ's.

A few plans for the rest of the week. . .Cleaning the car, buying a sewing machine from Craig's List, painting a used sewing cabinet I bought.

What I am reading. . .discussion boards.

Picture for thought I am sharing. . .

BBQ at the Park. . .

We had a pretty fun weekend. On Saturday we went to Watson Park and had a BBQ. We tried some new hickory charcoal, it was soooo yummy. We had ribs, burgers, dogs, corn on the cob, baked beans, kale, potato salad, and on and on and on. And then s'mores for dessert. It was freezing cold though. It was supposed to be warm, but ended up being cold. Sunday was supposed to be cold, but ended up being VERY warm, brimming on hot! UHG. lol But, all in all we had fun any how. For sure though I will be making picnic table and bench covers soon. I went to Walmart to have a looksy at the dollar fabric, but they no longer sell dollar fabric. Two dollars a yard was the cheapest. Awe well. I will probably go back and get some. Was just disappointed it was no longer only a dollar.

I started on my red skirt. I can't wait to get it finished, shouldn't take me much longer. It's almost done already. I used my new Kia pinking shears to finish the seams. Since I don't have a serger apparently that is how you are supposed to finish the seams, but this is my first time doing it that way. It went well. I hope that helps them really hold up. Next year I swear I am taking the sewing 101 class by Janet. But, this year Belle and RJ are too stuck to me like glue for me to get my money out of it. But, who knows it's only 60 dollars, I may just go for it and then take it a second time when the kids detach themselves from my leg for more then a few seconds. haha I seen a free colette pattern for a blouse, I HAVE to try! As I really really need blouses! So that will be soon as well. I've decided for sure when we get back from vacation, I am taking a bra making course. I have to learn to make my own. I am in real need of more. I bought several last year and some how most came up missing and I seem to only have three now. I don't know what happened to any of the others! And they are so expensive. I am just going to bite the bullet and take the class. I'm thinking in July.

And to feed my sewing addiction, or maybe it's even a bit more SMAD. I bought a new sewing cabinet today off Craig's List. I barely missed one on Saturday missed it by just 20 minutes. But, today I got one for 20 dollars. Came with a working Sew Gem machine. I'm not sure if that's a good machine or not. But, I'm very happy with the cabinet. And that's why I bought it. I want to put my bernina in it.

And then to top it off, I got side tracked on Craig's List, and started looking again in all the areas we may be passing on vacation, and came across a Elna....I was going to wait till next year. But, this one is such a good deal, I'm giving in and buying it now! So I guess I better curb my spending, like NOW! *sigh* And I'm sure I will be going to the local thrift store on vacation as well, as that's one of my favorite things to do too! hahaha I can't wait for Amber to get home from school, I want to spend a day thrifting at least once this summer. That would be so much fun!

Sew Much Fun. . .

I finished another sundress today. But, it was with 20 cents a yard walmart knit. I won't be using it again. It is so fiddly it was a real pain to work with. for sure will be sticking to gauze with this pattern. It was a lot more fun to sew in gauze!

I just heard about these feet to make sewing easier too....I'm seriously considering buying them. They are called Creative Feet. Supposed to help you get less fatigue and such at the sewing machine. But, I never experience fatigue at the machine since RJ barely lets me have more then a few seconds there! haha Still they sound interesting and I may invest in them next year. I still want a Elna though too! haha

I am looking for some red fabric that I put in the wash a few days ago. I plan on making a skirt with it next. I would like to cut it out tonight hopefully. I also bought some more clearance cotton for another skirt from Hancock's. I may make it after the red skirt. Then I HAVE to get started on some blouses! I just need to trace the pattern out, like NOW! *sigh* I need blouses ASAP.

Last weekend we went to the Renascence fair. Had a ton of fun. And for sure need to make some costumes. hahaha I think I'm going to make Lela and Belle easy butterflies, and myself I'm going to use my nursing slip pattern, since one of Mc Call's costume patterns looks exactly like it, for the outer dress, and a online tutorial to make a underdress. Sadly we missed out on Turkey legs though, they sold out! I was so sad. But, we are going to Silver Dollar City next month and I will for sure get one there! Which more good news, I called them because we didn't get our season passes used last year, and they are going to give us ones for this year completely free! Boy were we needing that break! I can't wait to go!

We went out to eat the other night and RJ did the funniest thing ever. He must of been premeditating this for a long time. As soon as Belle's plate was in reach he was fast as lightening snatched two french fries and stuffed them in his mouth before you could say french fry! hahaha It was hilarious then he just looked around like, what are you all looking at, I didn't do anything. haha He knows we usually take stuff like that away from him, so he must of planned next time I'm going to be faster then them and stuff it all in my mouth before they can take it away! haha It was so funny!

A Simple Woman's Daybook

Outside my window. . .beautiful clouds-the most interesting I have seen in a long time-one looks like a upside down volcano, complete with red (the sunset) lava swirling down! Another looks like a banana split, two perfect scoops of ice cream!

I am hearing...beautiful country silence.

I am thinking. . .how glad I am that I got the car all fresh and cleaned.

I am thankful for. . .My step brother paid for us to go to the Renascence Fair this year.

I am remembering. . .crafts I've made in the past.

I am hoping. . .to make some costumes for the girls before the next fair.

I am creating. . .a dress. However, not too sure I like the fabric.

On my mind. . .dinner tomorrow.

Noticing that. . .the laundry finally is caught up!

From the kitchen. . .spaghetti and garlic bread.

One of my favorite things. . .the outdoors!

A few plans for the rest of the week. . .Sewing, grocery shopping with my mom, maybe going to the fro-yo shop.

What I am reading. . .message boards.

Picture for thought I am sharing. . .

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Outside my window. . .blue skies.

I am hearing...dr Phil.

I am thinking. . .I'm getting a lot of sewing done.

I am thankful for. . .a loving family.

I am remembering. . .childhood antics.

I am hoping. . .to get to all the laundry folded, sorted and put away.

I am creating. . .a new dress.

On my mind. . .homeschooling Lela.

Noticing that. . .the house is full of laundry, at least it's clean!

From the kitchen. . .tacos.

One of my favorite things. . .a organized home.

A few plans for the rest of the week. . .getting lace to finish the neckline of my new dress I made, making yet another slip, and another dress.

What I am reading. . .sewing message boards.

Picture for thought I am sharing. . .

Sunny Days Dress. . .

I was able to get a bunch of new shoes at a great sale, I even got a pair of coveted Gabor's! SAS, and Dansko too. My feet will be singing this summer.

I was able to finish a raspberry sun dress I've been planning since last July! haha I need to make a few adjustments but over all, I'm happy with it. And I'm going to make it in tangerine next. I've gained so much weight nothing fits so I have to get crackin'!

Also on the sewing table is a red skirt, a white shrug, yet another slip. And on and on. lol At least I'll have a shoe for every outfit.

My Flylady order came, and we love the dust mop. I think I will have to order two more. Cause Lela and Belle keep fighting over who gets to dust mop. I think it would be a good gift to my dad too....and hmmm probably should buy one as a gift to my mom too! I love it. I also really really like the rubba swisha. It has already removed a lot of the hard water stains. However, I was highly disappointed in the Hey Tom car duster, it's a really really cheap thing made in china. Could of probably done better at dollar tree. And the dusting mitt isn't anything more special then what they sell at dollar tree either. And so far the rags in my opinion are just so-so...I'm thinking the walmart ones in the car section may of been just as good. But, I will wait and give them a fair test first. The feather duster smells to high heaven of moth balls! Hopefully it won't for long, cause I can't stand the odor! Next time I will just get the sheeps wool one from Lehman's. Which that order also came. I just got furniture polish, laundry detergent and magnets for the hard water in the toilet from them. I'm really hoping the magnets work. The water is just so hard here, the toilet looks filthy even though it's cleaned all the time.

At La Leche League they decided since they no longer send out hard copies of the magazine with your membership we could receive a book instead. So I was able to get the brand new cookbook which will save me a few dollars! I was planning on buying it with my Amazon gift certificate from My Points. At least now I can buy another cookbook or more sewing books. I've decided I will get the Colette Sewing book, and Petite Plus, I'm on the fence about Serendipity though. Although I am liking what I have read of it online. I just don't know. I'm also not sure which patterns to buy. It's so hard. I know for sure I want some Hot Pattern Pants, and Petite Plus Shell, but I don't know weather to get Colette blouse pattern, or a Hot Pattern's blouse pattern. The one I want from Colette is very close to a free Hot Pattern's pattern I got from Fabric.com. Except you can use wovens and not just knits, however, it takes 3 times the fabric because of that. The one I want from Hot Patterns is different then any of my other blouses, yet looks simple and easy, and I for sure need some blouses. I like the Petite Plus shell cause it has so many options! Decisions, decisions. I have to narrow it down though. And sadly Anne doesn't carry any of the ones I want right now. Otherwise that would make it easier, getting one of them half price! *sigh*

I also need to make a decision on a new baby hawk, Vince said I could get a Oh Snap...but I am on the fence about what colors to choose! hahaha White, or Espresso. I love my white, and raspberry and orange Kangaroo Pouch. But, I think the Expresso looks really neat too! I need to just take the plunge and pick one and get it over with! haha I need it before vacation for sure! *Sigh*