Everything Old is New Again

What do you think
this denium vest, probably from the 90's

and this denium valance from the same era

might equal?

This purse, of course.

I cut up the vest and just barely had enough (with a little creative piecing) for the outside and strap.

This is supposed to be the front, according to the pattern.

But, I really like this side too!

This was a tie on the back of the vest, that I had just taken off and set aside.

Then I decided to try it here and I loved it.

You know me by now, I love to use every little scrap

and I did!

I had to piece the front and back, so I put the piece right in the middle and made mock French Seams, so it looks like it was on purpose. Well, at least I think sew.

As for the denium valance I showed you above, it was perfect for the lining.

But I had enough  of the vest to make divided pockets for both sides.
It is always so difficult to show the inside of a purse.

Mr. SS was impressed, but just doesn't get why I would make a purse from a vest.

I tried to explain my excitement for making something new out of something old.

(And...using up every little scrap)

I snapped the pictures a couple of days ago when we were having beautiful sunny weather. The tree is a fruitless plum, that we really had to trim back when me moved the RV small cottage a few weeks ago. I was really excited to see all the blossoms. I was worried it might go into shock.

Anyway, it is just outside my studio door and all I had to do was stand on the step and hang the purse up for pictures.

I am linking up with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

for Metamorphis Monday

God is Good!!

Life is Good!!



What To Do??

Three o'clock in the afternoon and it's close to 80 degrees outside. I should be washing windows, working in my garden or at the very least sewing, but I have spring fever and decide to sit outside

with my Kindle.

I had only read a page when I heard giggles and these three were climbing onto the trampoline and chasing each other round and round.
They were running and bouncing so fast, I could hardly snap a picture.
Love those giggles.

Then big brother, Jack started pushing Brooke on the swing.

And Brooke pushed Jack.

Then baby sister Emmy pushed Brooke.
None of them seemed to notice me with the camera, sitting in front of my door,

until I saw this sweet face looking at me  as I was looking through my camera lens.

"Hey, you lookin' at me?"

Well, no window washing, gardening, sewing or Kindle reading for me on this beautiful afternoon, but a little dose of grandkid giggles is the best way to spend an afternoon of sunshine.
Once again, I am reminded that I am sew blessed.


God is Good!!
Life is Good!!

Just In Case...

you  think I didn't do anything this month except Valentines things, thought I'd  show you a few of my other projects.

A special order for a Ladybug purse for a sweet little girl.

It turned out so cute I may make a couple more.

I changed my regular "bling" button for a teensy ladybug button I just happened to have.

A long time coming...I finally finished A Tisket A Tasket . It was a free pattern offered by Bunny Hill Designs and Strawberry Patches  made kits for the blocks. I appliqued the blocks with a hand blanket stitch.

It took me a whole year to hand quilt. I'm soooo slow, but am happy with the way it turned out.

Neither picture is very good...same old story, but maybe if you click on one you can see more detail.

One of my granddaughters will get this one.

A friend asked me to make these for her Great Grandson due in march.

Cutest little fun Monkeys with chenile on the front and of course the softest Minkee on the back.

Then I made these two pillows for a friend. I think the embroidery was done by her sister.

I'm ashamed to say, it took me a year for these too. Well, not to make, only a day for that, but a year to get to them.  She had given them to me before our move and I finally came across them.

Better late than never. Sorry Ruth, but you know me...

I also not only got all my blades for my Dresden Plate quilt cut, but turned and pressed.

I'm ready to make my cute plates so I can start appliqueing them to the background.

That's for next time.

God is Good!!

Life is Good!!



Yep, Another Birthday

Ten year old Kobi

 is my middle son's daughter.Her birthday wish was to me was to go to Olive Garden for lunch and earrings. Sorry I didn't get a picture of the earrings. They are Disney little silver hearts surrounding a pink stone.I picked her up from school at 12:00 noon and off we went  for a lunch of Alfredo Pasta, Salad and Bread Sticks for her and my very favorite Pasta Fagoili Soup.

I often call her my "brown eyed girl" because she is the only one of my 7 granddaughters with brown eyes and dark hair.

She just got her glasses, but they certainly don't hide those beautiful eyes.

What I wouldn't do to have those eyebrows and lips.

The most beautiful part of her though, is her loving sweet heart.

Happy Birthday, my brown eyed girl!!

God is Good!!

Life is Good!!



Happy Valentine's Day

Saturday Mr. SS surprised me with these.  He never can remember the exact date of Valentine's Day, but he knew it was close from all the Valentine making that has been going on around here.

He really is SEW SWEET.

I had the sweetest day ever yesterday with 8 of my 10 grandkids.

I'll be sewing the day away today, and baking something sweet.

Wishing you a SWEET day too.

God is Good!!

Life is Good!!



A Winner

I put the names in my cute little Dollar Tree box and had one of the grands draw the winner's name.

Nancy is a regular poster and follower of my blog. She lives here and has been a regular at Strawberry Patches where I worked for many years. I have known this very sweet lady for a long time and recently reconnected with her through my blog and running in to her at our favorite hangout.

Congratulations, Nancy.

This is what you won. Besides the wrist clutch and flower clip, I threw in a few things I found recently at Michaels: Cupcake papers, a pen, notepad and emery board...all matchy, matchey.

There's also a couple of cookie cutters and a bag of chocolates. What would a Valentine's Giveaway be with out chocolates?

It's all bagged up and ready to deliver to you.

Great that my delivery is local and  I don't need to mail it.

I'll e-mail you my phone number and I can run your goodies over to you.

Sorry it took me so long to get this posted.  I wasn't able to get on line much last week. My DIL, Olivia went to sixth grade camp with the oldest Drew for the whole week. I watched and transported the 5 younger ones for her and my son. Also fixed meals and helped with homework. 7:30 am - 7:00pm.

It was never more obvious, why the Lord gives us children when we are young.

This 65 yr. old Mamaw was one tired puppy by Friday night. But...

a couple of days and I'm ready to go again.

Two of the other grands will be here in a few minutes to spend the day and night. Tomorrow is a school holiday, so we are going to have some cousin fun with the other six.

One more Valentine post tomorrow night.  Whatever will I post about after that?? I'm sure you have all seen enough red and white on my blog to last until next year.



God is Good!!

Life is Good!!

Scrapping and A Giveaway!!

Some of you may see the title and think "Oh my! She's doing Scrapbooks now!"

Well, I have done that too, but this "Scrapping" is what I started a few months back with fabric.

I don't have a lot of storage in my RV small cottage, and I had 2 baskets full of scraps left from the
Girlie Girl Purses I make to sell.

So I found a few things that work perfectly with the scraps I have from those purses.

When I started my Valentine and red and white marathon, I bought these fabrics:

 from which I got 6 of

these:

Then using my new love of " Scrapping",

I made this for my granddaughter, Madi.

I made 7 of these petal flower hairclips, one for each for my granddaughters.

Two more zippered wrist clutches and three more petal flower hair clips.

There is nothing left except a few skinny little pieces and a 10"square of the red polka dot

I have plans for that square I'll show later.

Now for the giveaway.

I somehow let several milestones pass...2 yr. Anniversary of my blog, 100 followers, and 200 posts.

All of these would have been a good reason to have a giveaway.

BUT since I am on this Valentine's Marathon, let's just call it a Valentine Giveaway.

I'll start with one of the Zipper clutch bags and a hair clip.  I promise to add some more goodies before I send it out.

All you have to do is leave me a comment here before Friday, February10th. I will draw from a hat Friday night.

Of course if you want to become a follower or mention it on your blog, you will get an extra entry, but just a comment will be more than welcome.

This pile of fabrics may not thrill you, but you can't imagine how excited I am that I had time a couple of nights ago to get all the ends of my blades sewn for my Dresden Plate quilt.

I have two plates sewn together and because I made a bunch extra there are

240 of those darling little blades ready to turn.

Good TV watching work.

One more thing...The other Zipper clutch and hair clip from above will be in  my Etsy store tomorrow.




God is Good!!
Life is Good!!

A Birthday for Mr. SS

With 10 grand kids, and 3 sons and their wives, we are always celebrating some one's birthday.

We have a birthday (or multiples) in every month except May.

We always have the family celebration for Mr. SS on Super Bowl Sunday, because the family is always together.  We call it our "Family Holiday" and you can read about it and it's origins here.

But since yesterday was  Mr. SS's real birthday, I wanted to do something special, as he will have his cake on Sunday.  He really didn't want to go out to eat. Even though he just turned 65, this man of mine still works so hard. He is remodeling a friend's bathroom and is pretty tired in the evenings.

Many ask me what Mr. SS stands for. Well it stands for MR. SEW SWEET, of course, and he lives up to that name every day, but today, I was thinking about his age, and how he still works so hard at taking care of us and still takes time to play with the kids and attend all of their activities that he can.  He tries to help out my son around here and jumps into any project I need him for. He loves the Lord and loves his family with all his heart.

So...I decided that Mr. SS also stands for SO SPECIAL too. I am so blessed.

SO SPECIAL, that I decided to make him one of his favorite meals. I don't make it often anymore because, let's face it, it is a little more work than spaghetti, and the grands don't like it. AND...it makes soooo much.

But it freezes well, so that's what I made.

Lasagna

Yes, he really did eat that much. (Well, I had a small portion of that.)

Any of you that know him, knows he is a big eater.

(But somehow he keeps his athletic physic...makes me so mad.)

Then he sat around saying how full he was, but how good it tasted.

 Just as we were finishing dinner we heard a knock at the door and this precious group serenaded him with " Happy Birthday" as only kids can do.

A little story about the Lasagna. (I know, my stories are never "little") Then I will give you the recipe.

We were in our first year at Long Beach City College when we started dating.  I was living in a small duplex near the bay with my high school friend, Kathy.  She had just started dating someone too, and we decided to cook dinner for them.  I really don't know where we found the recipe, because neither of our Moms made it,

but luckily it was a good one. After all, we wanted to impress... I have tweaked it a bit since, but here goes:

Lasagna

1 1/2 lb ground beef

2 Sweet Italian Sausages

2 pkg. Lawry's Spaghetti Sauce Mix

1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp. Pepper

1/2 tsp. Lawry's Seasoned Salt

Brown meat and add seasonings.

Then add:

4-14 oz. cans chopped tomatoes.

2-8oz. cans tomato sauce and

Simmer for 1 and 1/2 hrs.

You will also need:

l lb. Lasagna Noodles

2 Tbs. Cottage or Ricotta Cheese

1 lb. Mozzarella Cheese grated

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese.

Cook noodles and layer in baking dish (I have an extra deep corningware dish. A 9X13 is not big enough)

in this order:

Sauce

Noodles

Mozzarella Cheese

Cottage Cheese

Repeat two more times ending with sauce

Sprinkle top with Mozzarella and Parmesan

Bake 45 min. at 350 degrees.

I like to make this ahead and freeze in smaller pans too.

I'm not finished with Valentines yet. Check back for a giveaway and cute little tutorial.

I am linking withDesigns by Gollum for Foodie Friday

and

My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday

Visit each for great recipes and ideas.

God is Good!!

Life is Good!!