Nice Day in Del Mar

We spent most of the day with my cousin and her husband at the farmer's market in Del Mar (San Diego). The traffic was hideous getting down there and we're only a few miles north, but it was bumper to bumper all the way! My daughter and I have been spending alot of time together since she's moved back home, which is very cool. She's a great kid and little does she know I enjoy every minute with her! Anyway, my cousin started a cheesecake business last year and has been doing pretty good at getting her name out there and filling orders. Today was her first at a farmer's market and so we stopped by for moral support, but she looked like she didn't need any, she was selling her mini cheesecakes like "hotcakes"! In the mean time my daughter has been interested in starting her own business selling handmade purses. So she was very interested on how my cousin works her business at different venues. It was a very interesting day, there were alot of nice people there selling there wares and easy to talk to and get to know. Looks like I'll be hanging out at various farmer's markets in the near future.

Make-up Bag

Okay, here is my Amy B. make up bag that I finished up over the weekend and already using. It really comes in handy, although I don't use it for makeup. Well, except for lipstick, I also store my checkbook, bluetooth, and anything else small that will get lost in my big bag. Very convenient, although it was a bit fiddly to make and I'm not happy with the right end corner, I clipped out as much bulk as I could, but the corner didn't lay straight as I would like it to. I have another tote bag in the works, and a few others planned in my head that I am anxious to sew.

More on Amy Butler

This weekend we (my dd and I) went to Joann's on Friday and then again on Sunday. We've been wanting to buy the book "In Stitches" by Amy Butler for quite some time and I was ready to order it at Amazon. Well, we were joking around while at Joann's that would if it was there we would snap it right up, sure enough as we looked at the unorganized stash of books on the counter, there was Amy's book. So we bought it and now my dd is already making the apron! (I didn't even know she wore an apron) The book is great, I can see many gifts I can make in the future -- if I can ever get the chance. It seems like I buy the books, patterns and fabrics and my dd is whipping them up! Anywho, it's great fun to share something I love with my child, even though it took 21 years, she's re-inspired me, as well as all the blogs I read online. It's a been a real a treat to do something that I know how to do or think I'm good at with others.

Finished Curtains!

I wish I could see these on the kitchen window that they are meant to be on, I really couldn't take a decent picture, so a closet photo will have to do, excuse the mess, I tried to crop out as much as I could. My daughter delivered them to her friend (and former room mate) yesterday. She loved them! She sent me a wonderful thank you card and mentioned that my daughter and I should go into business together selling our "hand-sewn wares". I love that! It was mind-boggling making them, no pattern, no sketch, just kind of pictured in my mind what she said she wanted. It didn't take long to sew them up once I sat down at the sewing machine. See I can sew, but I'm bit of a proscrastinator!

Okay now I'm off to finish Amy Butler's stash & dash bag that I started yesterday. It's good practice for attaching zippers, which I haven't sewn in a long time. Not since I use to sew little dresses for my daughter. I also have another totebag in the works. I'm currently using my big bag I made a few months ago. It's so much nicer and lighter to carry around than that little black, leather wanna-be I was using, ugh!

Summer Cleaning

Yeah, since I've been taking alot of vacation days off and only working my part-time hours, it's been really nice. I'm getting a lot of projects done or started around the house and I'm feeling real good about that. Although, I'm driving my family nuts. I don't think we ever "spring cleaned" so now it's about time! I've been on a mission, our outside looks great, we have a gardener and he takes care of that, but if you walked inside you would see a very disorganized house! So I've decided that I'm going to tackle it alone since my dh is very busy with his work and my daughter has other things going on in her life. Once I get rid of all the junk, stuff, or should we call it clutter, then I will start painting and making changes. I've already started with our office and it's looking better. I should have taken a "before" picture. Now, that all the old shelves are out with all it's stuff, there will be nice shelves and my desk. This was a closet, but we ripped everything out when we turned this bedroom into an office, we already have a large desk on one side of the room where we share the work area. But soon I'll have my own desk area when I finish the job.

I have sewing projects to share, but haven't had a chance to take pics, so stay tuned . . . .

Moving continues ....

Yes, we're still moving my daughter back home. I never realized how much "stuff" she has! Oh wow, what have I created? Anyway, it's okay, it's made me think about what we have and what we don't need and should be tossed. So I've been throwing out alot of garbage, or what looks like garbage to me and also donating boxes of clothing and household goods to the AmVets. I guess I should have done this years ago when she was in high school, but life can be busy and the last thing I think about is "spring cleaning". We still have boxes and piles of bags stacked around the house, but not as bad as last week. Yes, eventually it will be nice and neat around here again.

This morning I managed to work on those curtains I mentioned a week ago. I thought about them all week and all I wanted to do was get going on them, but between going to work and then heading to the gym every day, there is not much time left in the day to sew. Oh, lets not forget the decluttering I'm currently doing. Here is a picture of the ruffles I sewed, which is laid across the curtain fabric. It's a start, anyway. Excuse the poor quality of the photo, I used my cell phone and then text it too my daughter at work. She liked them, she wants curtains made for her next. This afternoon we have company coming over for a bbq, so I doubt I will get much done today. I need to organize the kitchen, the kitchen table is a disaster. I feel like such a slob lately, very frustrating. I'm glad I have Monday off, I have an extra day this weekend to clean house!

Another Monday

Today is my day off and time to rest from a very busy weekend. Friday I was at an inservice on physical education and we spent most of the time outside playing group games, which it was getting pretty warm. I was exhausted by the time it was all over, but I went to the gym anyway because I knew I wouldn't be able to go on Saturday or Sunday.

Our daughter is in the process of moving back home this month, so we moved most of her furniture and stuff on Saturday. Her roommate was home and she wanted to make some kitchen curtains, eventually, but is busy like everyone else. I saw the fabrics and trims and I, for some reason, volunteered to make them for her. My dh is like "why?" Just because, no reason, because the fabric is different and I want to see how it will turn out. Anyway, her roommate is off to Michigan for the week and we'll surprise her with finished curtains when she returns. I already have the tab tops sewn.

In the meantime, our house looks like it exploded! I don't know where she got all this stuff, but we have some serious donating to do. We have boxes everywhere, except in the master bedroom and sewing room, thank goodness. I have so many summer projects to do around the house, it's just as well I won't be subbing this summer.

Father's Day

It will be 7 years next month since my Dad passed away and it's hard to believe it's been that long. I know later in life I wasn't as close to my Dad as I would like to have been. I moved away after high school and later married. In the meantime my parents divorced and he remarried -- very long story, but you get the idea. It was my younger years at home that we were very close, sometimes life makes many turns and I have my regrets, but I'll never forget my Dad and the good times I shared with my two brothers when we were growing up. Those are the memories I'll keep in my heart forever. Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Not a very good scan from a slide. Besides my memories, I also have tons of slides than my Dad left behind. Lots of pictures of my brothers and I when we were young. Very fun to look back and reminisce.

My Monday Off

Today I took another vacation day, I requested to take off Monday's for this month. I just wanted a little bit longer weekend than normal. I'm taking a couple of more days off next month, too. We didn't plan a vacation this year, hopefully next year, so I'm going to enjoy longer weekends instead.

Besides sleeping in a little bit this morning and sipping my coffee while online, it has been a busy day. I did a load of laundry, submitted my Avon order, and read a few blogs. Then off to to the library to pick up some books I ordered, run to the bank, and then to the gym. Came home and made a large pitcher of Iced Passion Tea. I'm not really a iced tea person, but my daughter brought home lots of Tazo teas and makes iced tea regularly. It's very good.

The books I checked out are "Outdoor Kitchens" by Better Homes and Gardens (I can dream, can't I?), "Flea Market Make-overs" by BJ Berti, and "Embroidery Techniques & Patterns" by Marle-Noelle Bayard (beautiful photographs and detailed stitches). I haven't had a chance to looked at these books, but I will try to write about them soon.

Well, my day is not over yet and the sun is shining, it's beautiful outside, I have some gardening to do before it's time to cook dinner. Actually, it's really watering of plants. There's alot of gardening to do, but I don't know if I'm going to do it or hire someone to do it. That's another story.

Woohoo, she's a college grad!

I've been absent for the past few weeks because it has been a whirlwind month for us. Our beautiful daughter graduated last Thursday from Cal State Long Beach and it is a been a big event for us! We couldn't have been more proud to see her walk up the stage to receive her diploma! It is a day that we will always remember and keep in our hearts.

We had a party for her on Saturday and in spite of the "June gloom" weather we all had a great time. I wish I could explain the emotions I felt to see her happy that day with her family, friends, co-workers, and those that have known her since whe was a "little one", just to see her so happy, laughing and enjoying the day was worth everything! Even spending the day before with her shopping for food, drinks, decorations, the cake, and having lunch together -- I can see she was looking forward to this special day that she so deserved!

Graduation Time

Well, looks like I've neglected my blog again. It's been a busy couple of weeks. Our daughter will be graduating college at the end of the month (hurray!) and moving back home soon. So I've been scrambling trying to make room for the four years of stuff she's accumulated since living in the dorms and then sharing a condo with roommates. I know she should be cleaning her own room, but right now she has no time (and a little stressed) and I want it done! Besides going to graduation, we are also hosting a bbq/grad party for her, so time is running short and there is alot to do! Yikes!

In the meantime, I have managed to sew and embroider a little bit. I made a large totebag compared to those little ones, but I'm not sure it will suit me. Maybe too big. I'm going to continue with making bags because I'm having fun, but evenutally when life slows down a little I want to make a few tops for myself. I have found some cute patterns and would like to get back into garment making. It's been a long time since I've sewn clothes for myself, but I think it's time to do some serious sewing again.