~The Dust Has Settled~

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!  Our son and his family (they live in Omaha) arrived mid afternoon on Thanksgiving day, our two daughters and their families also came and, while the turkey was baking, we had time to sit around and talk for a few hours before putting the rest of the dishes in the oven.  We have our dinner in the evening as our youngest daughter and her family go to her mother-in-law's for the noon dinner.  Works out great as there is plenty of time to get the meal ready.

Our dining table isn't large enough to seat everyone, so the younger ones sit in the hallway at the card table for their meal.

Mr. Dufus, J.W. thinks he's too old to sit with the younger ones and there's not enough room for him at the table so we compromise by letting him sit at my desk, which is near the dining table.

It is such a blessing for me to have all our children here with us enjoying a wonderful meal, having great conversations, laughing much, talking about our families and the "old" days.

When the out-of-state cousin comes to visit, the other families come over every day to take advantage of their time with us.  The toy closet is in the long hall and this is where they can spread out and play.

I love it when the older boys take time to play with the baby of the family.  I don't think that the 'little boy' in them is gone yet and they enjoy being able to play and act silly.  The older boys, who are brothers, even wanted to spend the night on Friday so I had to find enough blankets and such to make them pallets in my sewing room.

The kids are more dressed up on this day as my daughter-in-law took family pictures on Saturday.  It was quite an ordeal as we wanted outdoor shots but it was cold and raw, so the photo shoots had to be done in short sessions allowing everyone to come inside and warm up.  The Christmas tree is already up, which has never happened before but I'll tell you more about it tomorrow.

My son and his family left for home on Sunday.  It was a busy weekend full of great times and wonderful memories but I think everyone was tired and worn out, ready to get back to their own homes and rest.  Our home is quiet again and the dust is settling.  It is taking me a couple of days to recuperate but it is always so worth it.  I am thankful that my children are able to come home and look forward to spending precious time together.  Now it's time to start decorating the house and getting my Christmas shopping started!

Have a blessed day ~

~A Thanksgiving Blessing ~

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food, 

For love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

           ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I pray your Thanksgiving holiday is full of God's richest blessings ~

~All Because I Love You~

This is my little granddaughter, who is lovingly referred to as "Monkey".  Several months ago, she called and asked me if I would make her a bandana skirt.  In case you missed it, you can read about the tutorial for the skirt HERE.  It was easy enough and I not only made one but THREE of them for her.

 As you can see, she was way beyond delighted, which she always is with each and every gift she receives.  I love the fact that she doesn't take her gifts, especially handmade ones, for granted.  Whatever she gets, you'd think that it was the bestest gift in the whole wide world  and I like it that way.  Well, she called me recently asking for another handmade item.  This time it is for a bridal gown for her Barbie doll!

For Halloween, her mama created a bride's dress for her out of the underskirt (what's that thing called??) of a bride's dress that she got from the thrift store.  Pretty darn good creation from someone who taught herself to sew!!  Anyway...long story short.  She saw one for a Barbie doll at an arts/craft show...she thought they needed matching dresses....it was too much money...got an idea to ask Mammer to make one and here we are.  She is always so sweet when she asks me and, since they were providing all the material and pattern, I couldn't turn her down.  Mind you...I haven't made Barbie clothes in probably 20 years or so and I never made a bride's dress!!!

With everything in hand, I started putting this little baby together.  It wasn't easy working with lace and I used alot of "fray check" to keep that and the satin type material from fraying and getting in the way of the Velcro.

Looks kinda freaky with the arms sticking out like this, doesn't it?  I don't have a Barbie doll on hand to model the dress but, thankfully, I was able to stand it up due to the tulle underskirt.

Hard to see in this photo, but the arms and shoulder area are not lined.  I'm hoping she'll be really careful taking it on and off.  If the lace gets torn up, I may have to make another one and use a real lightweight lining underneath to preserve the lace.  Thankfully, I've got some fabric leftover.

This is the veil.  The lace trim had rather stiff edging.  That's why it stands out like it does.  If it doesn't lay well on the doll, I may have to look for some different type of lace.  The halo that you see is made from a tiny braid trim that I sewed to the tulle.

Again, the freaky looking arms from the back side!  Sheesh, a kid could have nightmares with this thing standing alone on a shelf.  Not a good idea.  By the way, the train is attached with snaps at the waist.

The back of the dress in all its glory with a beautiful long train...every bride's dream!!  I had to hurry up and get this project done since they will be here for Thanksgiving next week.  We'll see how it fits then.

I think I'm going to have to get me a Barbie doll for modeling purposes.  Cuz guess what this little girl is getting for Christmas??  Yep, you guessed it.  I've already got a pattern to make her a few dresses for her Barbie doll AND I'm going to make some American Girl dresses as I think Santa is bringing her an American Girl type doll.  But sshhhhh...don't tell!  I've got to get busy with my Christmas projects.  I've also got three stick horses to make for my young grandchildren.  I'll show you the finished products once they are done.  Busy, busy, busy.....

Have a glorious day ~

~Hitting the Jackpot!~

No, I didn't win the lottery.  No, I didn't go to the casinos.  Nope, I don't do those kinda things.  Just in case you were wondering.  My little furball, Banjo, had to go to the groomer and I had some time to kill...lucky me!  So, I drove up to the big college town and did some browsing at an antique mall.  Not looking for anything in particular.  Just looking but hoping that something would jump out at me.

And I found not one, not two...but four little items I just couldn't resist.  An old wooden stool, a large crocheted piece and two beautiful, dainty hankies.  So, in my world, I hit the jackpot!!

This old stool looks like it was pieced together and repurposed.  You can see some screw heads that aren't attached to anything and also places were support pieces were removed.  Kinda sloppy job, huh?

You can also see the holes where screws were used to attach the seat to the legs.  There's a bit of a stain on the far side but look at that lovely, rustic, old finish!!  And I love the worn areas of the seat where many a bottom has rested on it....maybe belonging to watchful little eyes in grandma's kitchen while she was kneading some bread dough for dinner or putting together a batch of cookies?

This little baby stands about 28 inches tall and I knew right away that would make a perfect side table next to one of the loveseats in my living room.  Sloppy or not, I am in love with it.  I need to clean it up a bit, do a little patch work and then repaint it keeping the rustic charm.  Not bad for ten bucks, huh?

For some time now, I have been looking for a square, crocheted tablecloth small enough to cover my breakfast table. I didn't have any specific measurements, just a picture in my head.  I don't know what this pattern is called but I love it.  Does anyone know the name?

 If you look real hard, you can see a couple of stains and what look like rust spots.  Other than that, it is in perfect condition.

Here it is on my breakfast table before washing it.  I'm not a fan of pristine white, so I am going to tea stain it.  I couldn't have asked for a more perfect fit!  It was only fifteen dollars.  I thought it was a real steal.

These two  little hankies caught my eye while I was sorting through a stack of linens looking for doilies and such.

The fabric is so lightweight and the stitching so delicate.  And the baby blue color....I couldn't resist.  I can't imagine a lady using it for anything except dabbing her nose or wiping away a few tears.  This definitely wouldn't pass the 'blow your nose' test, would it?

I had thought about framing it but since the design doesn't go all the way around the piece, I thought otherwise.  I think I will gather up several more hankies (may need to do more shopping...darn!), create a 'quilted' star pattern and then frame it.  Guess I'll have to add it to my project list and when it's done, I'll show you what I am talking about.

It's hard to see in the pictures I took, but this little beauty is a pretty light green.  For sure, I am going to frame this one.  It is going in my sewing room, which has the colors of sage green, pink and cream.

I'm in heaven with the delicate stitching on this one and, for sure, it is going to get framed.  I'm thinking about placing it on top of some osnaburg or burlap for contrast.  With or without glass?  What do you think?

I'm pleased as punch about my finds as I haven't done any real antique hunting in a while.  It made my day!  Do you go antique shopping?  If so, what treasures have you found lately?

Hope you are having a marvelous Monday ~

~I Will Remember~

Veteran's Day has come and gone and I am ashamed to admit that I did not say thank you or even remember to acknowledge this day set aside to honor our soldiers.  But today I came across a beautiful post from Cindy at Oakview Cottage who got the post from Gracie at Gracie Jewellry.  It reminded me that we should honor and remember our soldiers each and every day not just one particular day a year.    This is quite humbling and gives us so many reasons to be thankful.  Thank you, ladies, for sharing.

WHEN A SOLDIER COMES HOME

When a soldier comes home, he finds it hard....

...to listen to his son whine about being bored.

....to keep a straight face when people complain about potholes.

...to be tolerant of people who complain about the hassle of getting ready for work.

...to be understanding when a co-worker complains about a bad night's sleep.

...to be silent when people pray to God for a new car.

...to control his panic when his wife tells him he needs to drive slower.

...to be compassionate when a businessman expresses a fear of flying.

....to keep from laughing when anxious parents say they're afraid to send their kids off to summer camp.

....to keep from ridiculing someone who complains about hot weather.

....to control his frustration when a colleague gripes about his coffee being cold.

...to remain calm when his daughter complains about having to walk the dog.

....to be civil to people who complain about their jobs.

....to just walk away when someone says they only get two weeks of vacation a year.

....to be forgiving when someone says how hard it is to have a new baby in the house.

The only thing harder than being a Soldier...

Is loving one.

Lord, I pray that you protect and bless those who have chosen to serve our country near and far.  Also for those who serve in other countries.  I pray that you protect and bless their loved ones while they are carrying out their military duties.  Thank you, soldiers, whatever branch you may represent, for serving near and far, for the sacrifices that you make.  God bless you!

Have a blessed day ~