Apropos Vintage

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This is just so "me". Anyone would know that I was meant to find this at an estate sales a while back. I've loved ribbons and baubles for as long as I can remember, and I think this is the most cool sales sample ever.





What's the best thing about a blog? For me, it's all the reminiscing and pondering I do. When I ran into this old Teen magazine today, I vividly remembered how my sister and I would be sooooo excited to receive this magazine every month when we were teenagers. To read the dating advice and makeup tips in these old periodicals now, my very un-teenager self realizes that it was the most worthless advice ever, lol. On the other hand, the positivity of the magazine for me was definitely how it fueled my hyper imagination during those years, and all my restless dreaming, dreaming about fashion, style, pretty things and boys, boys, boys. :o)

She's so pretty on this cover, but do you think that wherever she is now, that she lets her eyebrows grow a few extra strands again? Wow, we butchered them in those days!





On the inside of this issue, look. I found Delta Burke. Isn't that a sweet bio underneath her picture? For some reason, she seems like a very kind person.





Now this last picture of the day.... it only lets me reminisce about the last 24 hours! I can barely peel potatoes, ha ha, but look how cool the blob of melted chocolate landed on this cracker I made? How very gourmet of me! I think I'll even show DH. On second thought, I better not, I don't want to blow my cover as the worst cook he's ever met, hee hee. Seriously, DH is every girl's dream to happily take over in that department. Please don't think I'm mean about it, because he actually finds it relaxing (can you imagine?) and he is very, very good at it. It's pretty sad when your kids' faces light up when they know HE'S cooking.

If you click on the pic, you can read how silly that cracker concoction came to be born.





I hope you make something adorable this weekend, even if it's a snowman in your front yard.

Why Kids Are So Cute

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I miss the days when my sons were little and scampering all over.... when they would come out with the cutest mispronounciations and mixed-up phrases.

My twin sister's kids are quite a few years behind mine, and she told me that her son came home from school last week and told her that they watched "The Obligation" at school that day. So she asked Tanner what the movie was about, and he said, "Mom.... the obligation.... you know, President Obama?" Ah-ha, the Inauguration. He's such a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed sweet little boy. Yeah, I miss that adorable interaction.

Two things I'll never forget of my own kids were when my oldest son somehow realized that the Easter Bunny wasn't real, and he was quite upset about it. But just a moment later--and I can still even remember the exact spot I was in at our old house--he immediately thought to ask if Santa wasn't real either. I gave him the bad news and he said, "That is such a rip-off!" Some kids kind of shrug it off, some kids react otherwise, but Matt genuinely felt cheated. I guess that's how much fun we had kept Christmas for him. :o)

And then, when Ben was about 3 or 4 years old, I told both of the boys that we had to get in the bedroom because there was a tornado warning. Suddenly Ben came running down the hallway with saltines and a flashlight! That is what he thought were good choices for supplies for the occasion, it was so adorable.

Tonight my mom sold such a precious little sweater she knit for Blythe, that I just had to display it here. I want to keep all of them that she knits! The bottom photo is one that she just finished for Petite Blythe, which is even smaller:












Now it's your turn to take something in your house, even if it's something you're about to throw away, and turn into into something cool!

A New Post!

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Wow, it's been almost two weeks.

At this very moment:

1. I've just about caught myself on everything finally, and I've also made some new things.
2. There are warm fuzzies all over the place from sweet messages from cyberspace.
3. It's one month down, two to go, until my parents return from Arizona~~~~
4. And there is a huge pile of snow outside!

Nighty-night.... and for sweet dreams tonight:

5. Feast your eyes on this work of art by Bekah (she's also fullofbliss on Flickr). This would out-shine just about every other piece of fiber art I've ever seen, it's amazing!

All You Need Is Cute

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You know the Beatles song that goes, "Love, love, love.... love is all you need."

If you replaced every time they said "love" with "cute", I'd agree with the song! Not really of course, but it's such a nice mental picture I think.

Btw, if you don't know already, my dog is like my third baby, and that puppy on the right has the exact passiveness of mine, whenever I have to do something to her she doesn't like. She is just the sweetest little dog I have ever known.

See you soon!

Netty's Been Knitting

I am so crazy about the little sweaters my mom (Netty) knits. I think she gets annoyed that I want to keep them all! Lately she's also been felting them slightly, so they look a little fuzzy too.... they're just a couple inches big, so cute....








It's nice to go to bed for once after watching some good news on TV for a change. The pilot that brought that plane down today in New York is such a stud. What a miracle, too, that he didn't hit the bridge, that those ferries were so readily available, etc. I just know DH would have the same skill and cool-headed reflexes in that emergency; he's proven it more than once to me. He's considered renewing his pilot's license before, and it would be great if he'd do that some day in the near future.

Sweet dreams of cute sweaters and other treasures to you~

Hand-Me-Downs

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I never thought I'd inherit a hand-me-down from my kids. When I was gathering some clothes for Goodwill that no longer fit my sons, I spied this chocolate brown shirt with turquoise pin-stripes (a little difficult to see, it also has nice turquoise snaps down the front). I also spied a turquoise shirt with a cool quilt-stitched beautiful inset applique. I stitched the inset to the back of the brown shirt I liked, and cut out that section so it was now exposed on the brown shirt instead.

For the front of the brown shirt, I cut up a few circles of the same turquoise shirt (I love working with that Modal), felted some green leaves from an old cable cashmere sweater, and added some curly pinky/orange yarn. 45 minutes later and here's my "new" shirt!













I was also tagged today, to list 16 things about myself:


#1 I'm complicated--or maybe everyone is--and think I've been misunderstood a lot in the past.

#2 As a child vacationing in Colorado during several summers, my eyes would sometimes be almost swollen closed from mosquito bites. But a spider bite I got a few years ago was one of the worst things ever.

#3 I could watch "The Sound of Music" over and over. When Maria turns the drapes into cute matching outfits for the kids, and when Scarlett (GWTW) makes her dress also from the drapes, that would've been me I think!

#4 I freak at the mention of eating "contests" like Chubby Bunny, etc. Isn't carefully cutting up our toddlers' food, and promoting the awareness of the Heimlich maneuver ironic, when we "entertain" by cramming food down as fast as we can? Besides, my husband's relative died when he didn't get to a hospital in time after a peanut-eating contest. He didn't choke, but his body couldn't handle so many to digest at once. Cringe. Other than that, I really, really love games, lol.

#5 Even though I was never a Girl Scout, I'm hyper-prepared about certain things. I have things like my we're-all-sleeping-in-the-basement-tonight-cuz-a-tornado-might-be-coming set-up, and "the" bucket in my car at all times. One of my friends would tease me about this. Until last year. We were in Florida, and HER niece was getting sick in my car one night, but my car was nice and fresh the next morning!
My friend proudly showed me the bucket she bought a few days later.

#6 I have that sensory disorder or something. If I have a hair inside my shirt, I can't concentrate till it's gone, and I've had to leave the room from people smacking. And sticky door handles, even my kids know to just be quiet and make them be gone. I'm sure there are hundreds more. I don't like taking pills, but I wish there were a pill for that.

#7 I think the world would be a better place if everyone were a waitress for 6 months, and then a secretary for another 6 months.

#8 I'd like to not go back to more formality per se, but more formal gestures. Like the popularity of small dinner parties for 8, never visiting someone's house empty-handed, the art of conversation, and lots of handwritten letters and cards. I still try to do them when I can even if someone thinks it's stupid.

#9 "Planet Earth" is one of the best series ever made, who'd have believed that a show about nature could be so riveting. My sports- and music-obsessed sons even watch. I wish someone would've warned me about the baby penguin chicks getting lost from their moms.... I had to fast-forward.

#10 My boys' father is a respected friend, and it really hasn't come easy, don't think that. If I hear someone bashing their ex, I'm always praying that they do it in private, because their kids can't NOT be affected by their hero villifying their other hero.

#11 And when I was dating as a single mom years ago, I paid close attention to how they treated the waitress, how they spoke of their mother, and especially how they treated my kids. DH could win Stepfather Of The Year award, so I think my criteria paid off. Mwah!

#12 Even though my house isn't spotless, I can't clean anything without being thorough.

#13 I've learned that everyone's had a unique journey, and it's important to know that each person is passionate about their convictions for very important reasons.

#14 I've never ever heard someone say, "Wow, she has the most beautiful mouse-y brown hair!" Yeah. I dye it.

#15 When no one's looking, I might be watching "The Real Housewives" or siphoning all the Luckies out of the box and leaving all the Charms.

#16 Well, going back to #1, I guess I can't easily give short answers because I like to explain myself!

Nighty-night~

Curtain Call

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Here are three of the girls taking a bow before they leave to meet their new moms:





I know this picture looks kind of silly, just like the poor darlings all fell over sick or something, but they just wanted to rest on the bed of hearts, no worries! I know some shoppers like to see the backs (me for one, lol), and how they're finished, too.





Among much of my stash, I've accumulated quite a collection of ribbons and trims through the years, and I thought these might be good choices for new pins and/or dolls, in consideration of all the pinks and reds of the season.





Isn't life events through the course of a day strange sometimes.... today I learned that a good friend's son just became a father today, so she's a grandmother for the first time. Oh, that newborn delicate smell and tender skin.... I'm so happy for her.

But on this same day, I learned that another friend's husband died after such a horrendous bout with cancer. It was one of the worst ordeals I've ever known. They are both wonderful people, and I just can't imagine what her mind is doing as she puts her head on the pillow tonight. She is first in my prayers, and I hope I can hug her very soon.

It Can't Be :o(

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....time for Matt and Ben to return to college again.

I'm all warm and fuzzy in the heart to see them as such fine young men, but boy do I miss them terribly at times. I know, all parents love their children, and most of us probably want our kids to be smart, talented and nice-looking. But the older you get, the more thrilling it is to hear someone tell you, "I can't believe that Matt helped me with this ______", or "Ben just went out of his way to spend time with ______ when everyone else ignored them." It's them thinking about others that makes me melt.

On a lighter note, do you know how much extra $$$ I have to spend, with all those groceries I do not have to buy for the next couple months??? Yeehaw, I feel like I just got another big raise as Domestic Executive at home! Cool, huh.

Here's something that I've been working on that's warm and fuzzy too. Little girl brooches, just a little taller than 2", and they're fashioned after old ones manufactured in Japan more than half a century ago. After finishing three of them today, I again felt such admiration for their handiwork during those years--with so many of our modern conveniences, tools and supplies--supplies and tools that they surely did not have at their disposal. It's quite remarkable. Today, we have all these wonderful helpers to work with, and I still reject 75% of the finished product, lol, because I don't feel they passed inspection! Their workplaces and factories were so rudimentary, it's just so intriguing. I would love, love, love to take a time machine back to be with them while they made their own tiny doll brooches. And find out for what occasions they were worn, and by who.... women or little girls, for instance?

Meanwhile, here's my take on them (and an actual completed one instead of the many-boo-boo'd Miss Experiment from a couple days back). And they're in my shop tonight:

A Karma Prize?

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Do you think it's possible, lol?

Even though I'm a Christian, I still believe in karma, soooo... do you think that karma can return to you in prize form?

I just had a blog giveaway that I had so much fun with, and since I stumbled upon a great contest on someone else's blog, I wondered if maybe good karma can come back to me for sending Renee that box of stuff, so now it can be my turn to win a prize? Truth is, I never win anything. :o)

But that's just fine. I'll keep joining the fun, and heck, if my life-long losing streak continues, ha ha, I'll still believe in karma (the good kind!), and I'll still post the banner of this beautiful new shop:

To complete the rules for this contest, it was easy to find several things I really like about the shop! I LOVE the curtain opening on the homepage, awesome! For user friendliness and ease of shopping, I really like that the photos are clear/large enough to have an idea of what the items are without needing to go into any particular listing only to find that it's not something you'd collect. But the best part to me is, the most beautifully charming creations made with accessories like vintage Japan little pottery girls! Yummy, yummy, they will satisfy your appetite for cute!

Best wishes for your new site Cathy~

P.S. Click

HERE to go see the treasures for yourself!

Prototype Proliferation

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Here's my latest "baby":




But she's like me and stuffed with many many flaws!!

Still, if you know me well, you know that I have made hundreds of prototypes for different stuff 30+ years now, so I am getting better at easing up on my perfectionism. Maybe the prototype compulsions are diminishing.

Otherwise I wouldn't be able to reveal this doll's blond "locks" just yet, since they look more like a fuzzy set of headphones, don't they. I wouldn't let you see her hastily painted face, and I definitely wouldn't admit what I used for the white sections of her eyes--because I didn't want to wait overnight for my regular paint to dry properly (hint: we used it to correct mistakes when typing years ago... what's a typewriter? asks some obnoxious 20-year-old reading this, just so they can make me feel old. Just kidding!)

Make that New Year's Resolution to pitch all those prototypes of your own self that especially we women keep working on over and over. Do that Pretty Woman thing and go to Neiman Marcus with no make-up and cheap t-shirt like I do sometimes. But make sure you go to the cosmetic counters and other departments and enlist their help to really annoy them! Nordstrom's much more professional staff puts them to shame anyway, love them.

The Reliability Of Technology - Not!

The best thing to do sometimes? Take your cue from the family pet and just go to bed!





My sewing machine wouldn't loop the bobbin thread. Keep in mind this is the sewing machine that I bought recently because I didn't think my other was reliable!
My computer has molasses running through the bandwidth today, grrrrr.
And finally, what should be a no-brainer. I'm unable to add more links (friends) to my blog here...


With my frustration causing me to mentally swear like a madwoman, I feel this furball literally crowding me out of my chair. Always perpetuating her spoiled attitude, I just put the camera way above my head and took this picture of her taking over my space... again. :o)

Simply Better Than Getting A Splinter Out!

First of all a warning to you: Just in case you're easily grossed out, lol, do not scroll down to look at the disgusting job I had today!

Disgusting, but sometimes disgusting turns into clean and nice. :o)

We have a really nice finished bathroom in our basement, and we have lots of company coming for Christmas, so I decided I had to make sure it was in proper working order, because we've not used it whatsoever since moving in. I cleaned everything well, but just double-checked all drains, etc. The bathtub was hopeless! I've unclogged drains before (even 2-foot hairballs, ewwwwwwwww), but I was getting nowhere with this one.

Always hesitant to bug my hubby for help around the house if I can figure it out myself because he works so many hours, I went to my trusty www.doityourself.com. It is the best site ever! There are the most helpful (usually) guys on there, and they offer help for everything, it's wonderful. It is really amazing, check it out sometime. In no time at all, someone told me how to undo that drain plug, but..... this is what was in there! My husband figures that some carpenter cleaned out his drywall mud in that tub, and didn't rinse it properly. Start to finish, I think it took me 2 hours, yes 2 hours!








Meanwhile, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I want to especially thank everyone so sweeeeet about my recent worrying about my son, Ben. I am so relieved it is pretty much all resolved, and now I guess he can go back to being a 19-year-old that doesn't need his mom for anything. :o)

Please see my Etsy shop and Flickr for new dolls I've been working on. I have a really bad self-criticism always going on, and I actually think some of my creations are cute for once~

Many thanks to all the darlings, who know who they are, for supporting my stuff as well!

Best wishes to you for 2009~