Subtle Changes

midwestliving.com

I think fall is my favorite time of year. (Check back in the Spring and I will might change my mind).

Even though the temps are still teetering on 100 degrees, there are signs that  change is acomin'.

The kids are back in school.

The mornings have taken on a chill.

The leaves are beginning to change  (well, not so much in Bakersfield)

I am wanting to make soup.

Labor Day is this weekend.

Where the sun is in the sky at sundown has changed.

Our table outside was in the shade at dinner time...now completely in the sun. 

How does that happen so quickly?
It's getting light later in the morning and dark earlier in the evening.
The garden is crying out for fall color.

Pinterest  is overcome with pictures of Fall inspirations.

I'm sharing some that I have enjoyed.

creativebreathing.blogspot.com

notjustrockets.com

 

justagirlblog.com

aquieterstorm.tumblr.com

 

sweetsomethingdesign.blogspot.com

seasonsblog.com

And my very favorite.

tsalunsfordthing.blogspot.com

 

 

Well, you get the idea.  If you want to see more fall inspiration, click my Pinterest button on the side bar .  I have almost 100 pins for Thanksgiving and fall. I just can't stop so there may be more by the time you read this.

LOL

 

 

 

God is Good!!

Life is Good!!

Can't Think of a Title

The other day, I was tying a bib on 2yr. old Emmy. It was a watermelon bib that I had made her almost 13 yr. old sister Drew when she was two.  It was all faded and frayed, but still served the purpose.

I asked Emmy's Mom if she still needed bibs and she asked if I could make another watermelon bib as she hated to throw that one out.  

I love making bibs. They are a quick project with instant rewards. It gives me an excuse to use the embroidery part of my machine too. This bib is a lot more modern than Drew's country green and red polka dot.  I used the cute watermelon fabric and a batik I got last year when we were in Riverside.

I even drug out my little basket of specialty buttons that I have probably had since the eighties.

I love peeking in here to try to find just the right embellishment.

I was rewarded with little black seed buttons...perfect for a watermelon bite.

The next time Emmy came up to RV cottage, I got out the bib and gave it to her. She squealed and hugged it to her heart and  said "Ohhhhhh!"  Then she ran, (picture me trying to keep up with her...no, better not) to her house to show her Mom.

"Look what Mamaw made me...it's a Wallowmelon."

It was so cute that we all say "Wallowmelon" now. And when she wears it, we ask her what it is, just to hear her say "Wallowmelon"

Sooooo...a few days later, Olivia came down with this cute little cow and asked if  I would embroider it for a friend of hers who just had a little girl. I have done lots of these in the past with the name and date of birth and a design to fit appropriately for a boy or girl.

I have been having such success with my machine, that I said sure and asked her to pick from the designs I had.

Well...my sweet machine did the lettering perfectly, but when I started the heart, it went all wonky.

I did some ripping and adjusting and finally got the pink heart done, but the white lacy border around the heart did not go where it was supposed to and the rose at the top was way off.

At first I thought I would have to go buy another blanket, but after searching my brain and my embellishment drawer I found a little white braid to put around the heart and some ribbons to make roses and leaves out of.

I used to put these little hand rolled roses on everything and had forgotten about them.

I even like it better with a little dimension instead of the flat embroidery.

Here she is with her heart.

By the way the nursery for this sweet baby is farm animals. I love it.

God is Good!!

Life is Good!!

How Hot Is It??

Thank goodness it has cooled down the last couple of days. We got back to Bakersfield earlier this week to 110 degrees. I'm telling you, I just don't function well when it is soooo hot. Today is better at only near 100.

Hope it not unbearable where you are. I know it has been hot many places across the country.

It's a good thing I got  some sewing done before we left Chino last week, because I have only done one small project since I've been home. I've been playing with my kids and that's about all.

Last week I did get a couple of dresses done though. My sewing area in the Blue and White just works so well.

Remember I showed you the pattern and fabrics.

One for Camy

One for Lexi

I stacked the buttons on both of them again...like I did on the yellow and white top I made from this same pattern.  With just 2 colors, they show up a little better, I think.

When they picked out the fabric at Strawberry Patches I forgot to get a trim for the straps and skirt.

I had plain ribbon, but you know me by now...I can't do plain.

While we were still in Oxnard, I went on line and found a place in Ventura that said they had lots of trims, so Mr. SS drove me down there after work one day and I found this cute pleated ribbon...just what I was looking for.

The girls loved them and will wear them the first day of school next Monday.

We are off to Tehachapi for a little dose of  Warrior Football.

Our grandson, Kyle is a senior and plays center. I'm really teary eyed  just thinking about him being a senior. It seems only yesterday, my sons played Warrior Football.

I guess it's a sign of age when we wonder "Where did time go?"

Wishing you a "cool" weekend.

God is Good!!

Life is Good!!

Life as a Camper

We moved over the weekend to Prado Regional Park in Chino, Ca. We were here a couple of times last year, but didn't have a view of the lake.  Honestly, I am not getting much sewing done.

 Spending time sitting at the table with my coffee, blogging and pinning until the sun reaches me and I can't see my screen.

Then I move to my camp chair and read.

It finally got too warm and I moved inside.  Since I finally got Mr. SS to install the curtain rods for more curtains, I thought I would show you my sewing area in the front of our trailer small cottage.  As you can see...no signs of any projects here.

I'm also very caught up with the Olympics and  spend the afternoon watching those.

(maybe today I will get a little handwork done.)

The whole front of the cottage is devoted to an area for me to create.

Before the remodel, this held only small cabinets across the top and a shelf under the window. Such a waste of space, so Mr. SS filled it with all the elements of a sewing space (with a corner for electronics which you'll see). 

My serger and machine, with lots of drawer space.

Next to my machine is room for an ironing surface that reverses to a cutting board. More drawers all the way across.

Here you see a space for the laptop and printer. (If we live here full time, there is room under the window for my PC tower. The computer keyboard and screen will make it a little crowded, but I'll manage until we get another laptop.

Of course we have to have a TV and open shelves behind for a DVD and CD/ Stereo system, DVR and storage for CDs and DVDs.

Lots of larger cabinets with shelves for all my sewing supplies.

Just for fun, thought I'd show you under the  desk where I put everything when we are on the move. Also a plastic runner so I can sllllliiide from one end to the other on my chair on wheels.

(Still need to work on all the cord issues, but one thing at a time. I got curtain rods up this week.)lol

So...you can see...with  such an organized place to create and sew...I'm getting ready to go outside to sit and read while waiting for my friend MariEllen, (whom you met last year when we were in Long Beach, Ca. ). She is coming for some much needed girl talk and dinner.

P.S.

I just remembered...I wanted to answer a question my friend Suzanne had about our moving around for jobs. 

When we were contractors we did jobs for this same company with our own crew (our three sons)  When we decided to close our business in 2009, Mr. SS let the owner of the company (who is an old HS friend) know that he was available to work where ever they needed him as an employee. Explaining we are mobile and can go any where.

They have a regular crew, but sometimes need extra help to finish up a job.

He's often left alone to finish (kinda like a "Closer" huh?)

The crew down here comes from all over and travel up to an hour and half to get to work (people in this area do that) Since we are mobile, we can get closer to each job.

We  really enjoy the travel and seeing different areas...most of the time.

Seems like there is always more work in the Spring and Summer, so we have been home most Fall and Winters.

Mr. SS gets off at 2:00 so we often joke we are retired when he gets home and just enjoy the camping life.

I'm hoping to convince him to give up his camp chair for a theater chair tonight.

I want to go see "Spring Hopes"  My chances aren't very good...but worth a try.

God is Good!!

Life is Good!!



Sewing Along the Way

Has it only been a month? Yep, we left home a month ago for a job near San Dimas California. Usually we stay in one place a little longer, but we go where we are sent.

Ten days in San Dimas (beautiful Puddingstone Lake),  two weeks in Adelanto, back to San Dimas for two days, off to Oxnard for a week and after wearing out our welcome LOL, (previous reservations) forced us to find another home, so we moved to another RV Park a couple miles closer to Mr. SS's job. Sunday we will head off to parts unknown at this time.

Changing homes so often didn't keep me from my favorite pastime.  As soon as we set up at a new park, my machine comes out from under my desk and I just continue where I left off.

Made this for Drew.  I have had the fabric for sometime. It's from a line Suzanne at Strawberry Patches showcased on her blog some time ago and I just had to have some. Might have had something to do with it being blue and red...maybe.

Anyway, Drew liked it. Since I made it, she has found out she can't wear sleeveless to school, so I may make her something else after I finish a couple more dresses for her sisters.

The pattern is from Serendipity Studios and also comes from Strawberry Patches. I have used this line of patterns several times now and find them great for the pre-teen and teenagers in my family.

I am so glad my girls still like to wear dresses, but made this tunic length because Drew starts Jr. Hi. in the fall and they can't wear dresses to school.  They have gym and don't wear gym clothes, so dresses are out...go figure.

Next s a pattern I have had for a very long time. I originally bought it to make pillowcase dresses out of vintage pillowcases. Never got around to that, but thought it would work great with some cute fabric I got when visiting The Coop in Temecula, Ca. while we were in the San Diego area earlier last spring.

It is a really simple pattern and goes together quickly. I got both dresses out of a yd. of the pink and a quarter yd. of each of the others.  It's cute without it, but I liked adding the red ruffle.

It is just the cutest little print for my two cutest little ones.

I added the red band to the red and white pocket,

and used the red and white for the drawstring tie.

Anytime I can use 3 fabrics instead of one, I'm doing it.

 

This little Hawaiian print top is for my Kobi. It has a shorter curved front which I really liked.  I found the fabric at a cute little quilt shop in San Dimas. Mr. SS went in with me (which normally, I discourage).  But he spotted this fabric and thought it would be cute on our  Hawaiian girl.  Good eye, Papaw.

How do you like my choice of background? Its my floor and when I looked at this picture, I thought it looks like a quilt. Love the hexies, but wouldn't want to attempt all those inside corners.

It has really easy tucks down the front and I used stacked buttons.

The back used a technique for shirring that I had not tried before...really easy too.

Since I have nothing else to do, but sew, I used up all (and I do mean, all) the scraps left from the tote bag I made my cousin. You can see it here.
I had enough for one Girlie Girl Bag, One of my patchwork wristlets and an eyeglasses case.

The pieced and quilted eye glasses case is from a pattern, my friend Diane sent me. She had made it and used a ruffle instead of ric-rac. I liked hers so much, I did the ruffle too. I am sending this to my cousin to match her tote.

I made a potholder to match my trailer towel.

This is the other side. I think it is almost cuter on this side. It is a pinch style.  The pattern is a free download from Pam Kitty Morning's blog.  It's on her side bar.
I'm thinking about adding a Velcro hanger so I can put it next to the towel on my oven door.

Sooo...as soon as I hit post, I am off  to make dresses for Camy and Lexi.  We managed a quick trip to Strawberry Patches while we were home last weekend.
They picked the fabric. Good job girls.  I am using the dress from the pattern I made Kobi's top from. It went together so fast, I think I can get these done almost as quickly.

Sewing Along!!

God is Good!!

Life is Good!!