Old Friend and a New Creation

Kareen Winder, a friend of more than fifty years, came to St. George with her husband Ken who was attending a business conference.  Kareen and I made plans to spend Wednesday afternoon together.  I always have enjoyed my friendship with her, so I decided to make her a "thank you for being my friend" apron.  Tuesday night Walt has bishopric meetings, so I thought I could whip it up while he was gone, easily having it done by bed time.  Now my thinking has always been, wrong as it may be, that when one is doing something nice for someone else usually things fall into place.  Don't ask me where I came up with that theory, but my apron project was proof it Iis wrong.  I started with selection of material not thinking about the quality the pink material versus the perfection of the color match.  I later found out that the material  had too much stretch and became a nightmare sewing the ruffle flounce, taking twice as long as another apron I made out of the same pattern.  Next my needle broke, that often happens, but this time braking the tip down in the casing where I had to dismantle the bottom of the machine to get it out, and I am mechanically challenged.  Wednesday morning I woke up earlier so I could get it done by 11 a.m. when Kareen was coming.  I sewed the entire ruffle on, taking great pains to be very slow, working each stretch carefully under the foot pushing it with my  little implement I devised.  Ah, beautiful, so I took it out from under the foot and the ruffle fell off!  The thread had broke right when I started the seam! I had been so worried over the stretch, I had not noticed the thread was not there.  This was when I could have cryed, but instead I had a good laugh, cranked up the volume on my pandora radio station, and sang a little louder.  What a comedy of errors and all mine.  I then threw perfection out the window and just pushed to get the apron finished.   I called Kareen to bounce the date a half hour later and got it done.  It was all worth it.  She looked cute in my friendship thank you and we went on to spend a great afternoon together.  As usual, the time flew as we caught up on the happenings of our busy lives.  God has blessed me with such wonderful friends. Kareen is and always will be one of them.

Goodbye Boring Purse!

This one is my favorite.

Hello Simplicity Pattern #2676.  A few months ago, I cleaned my closet and sent some old purses to Deseret Industry. As I looked at them in the box, I was struck by the fact they all looked the same.  BORING! Same old color, same basic shape, perhaps a little snap or opening difference.  I have looked at the fun, bright, fashionable purses the girls are using these days, but thought I would not want to switch all the "stuff" from purse to purse, so thus the boring Penny purses.  I am also very particular about the inside of my purses.  They have to have separate compartments  for just keys, cell phone, wallet, chap stick,  and on and on and on.  I have even taken a purse back to the store a week later, because it did not meet my interior standards!  Lucky it was Walmart, so there were no questions.

It took me hours and hours of sewing  to do just the basic purse.  I wanted everything absolutely in the perfect space.  As the inside stays the same, and the outside is what is changed according to the color of the day.  I have had tons of compliments on my new purse-look.  The only comment on my other purses were "is this yours?" when someone moved it.  Cori had a birthday and wanted a purse.  I made hers with handles on the ends.  She puts hers over her head on the opposite shoulder.  It worked out well.  I put magnetic snaps on hers, but on mine I put a velcro closures.

I tried a ruffle.  The pattern did not have one, so I made it up.  I have had more compliments on this look than any.   Blue check is the lining.  I thought it would look good as a contrast to the paisley.  I was surprised when it worked as a purse shell with the paisley on the inside.  Just can't go wrong with these combos.

I diverted from the pattern that called for
pellon.  I wanted my purse to have
a lot of body, so I used plastic canvas
on insides of bottom and sides of purse.

I hang them behind my door for a quick
switch.  So fun!

A Penny Thank You

I wanted to thank all those who served with me in the Stake RS Presidency.  I worked closely with five sisters, so I painted glass bottles starting last November.  These bottles can be used for olive oil, vinegar and oil, or dish soap as I use mine.  It is hard to get a true picture of anything on glass due to the reflection muting the image.  I am adding a thank you note and getting them delivered this week.  A material "thing" or a thank you note can never convey all the gratitude I have for Sister Lund, Gardner, Peterson, Jolly, and Schimbeck. They turned an overwelming calling, as Stake RS President, into a labor of sweet love and joy.

Tetons and Twilight

I decided to try my hand at oil painting.  I have tried acrylic(years ago) and pastel (an absolutely dirty experience), but not oils.  Robin saw them and asked where the mountains were, Tetons I told her.  Where? I told her, I am sure if you looked at the Tetons from every angle, you would find a view that might vaguely resemble my painting.  She laughed hard at that.  My other painting is my first attempt at using dark shades.  I wanted it to look like the twilight time of day.  When my daughters saw it, I told them I called it Twilight.  Nati said, "yeah, it looks like it could be Forks, but where are the vampires?"  Yes, my family is into the Twilight books.

Personalized Christmas Ornaments

This Christmas season I had a first for many years.  My contracts with the SW Utah Public HealthDepartment were not renewed due to cut backs, I was released from my Stake calling, and my new ward calling does not begin until mid January.  Walt and I decided to give our families assorted food storage.  I dry packed 2 /#10 cans of sugar, oatmeal, macaroni, and refried beans.  BORING.   However, I had time to play with Christmas.  I took on the task of painting a personalized glass Christmas ornament for those who are through having children, namely Cori, Brandon, Sheena, and Natalie.  I ended up doing small one for Katy, even though they only have little Ivy.  I set up my work area upstairs with the big tv.   I watched movies, mostly holiday, and some chick flicks.  First, I decided on the theme and most certainly it had to be snowmen representing their family members.  I am good at whimsical snowmen and good at trees, so that set the theme.    After the making my key design, I hand- painted them with a speciality glass paint.  I was surprised at how much time these simple little ornaments took to finish.   I baked them in the oven,  let them cure, and then found the perfect gift box.  A hard card board box that can protect them through the years.