A Project for me... Isn't this wonderful????

I was surfing on the web when I came across this stunning apron.

I tell you its fabulous... I just have to have one of these lovely and functional aprons. There is no pattern to purchase, but with my sewing skills and my ability to design my own aprons.. I think I can make this one just by the snap of my fingers :)

Unless one of my sweet bloggie apron loving friends wants to come to my aid and make one for me :o) :o) :o)

I even have some vintage tape measures to use along the bottom edge of this wonderful sewers apron. Heck I just might make a pattern for it and sell it :) No that would not be fair... it was out of someone else's collection. Which if she was smart she would market it!!!!! But I do adore it.

Hummm thinking twice about making a pattern of it with a few changes.

Well for now I am going to copy it like it is and make one for me :) I just love how the scissors and pincushion, thread, and the possible little pouch for buttons are attached to it. ( I really can't tell what the 4th item is) The designer used what looks like bias strips... she added a button and button hole to hold the items in place.. It looks like it is a solid two fabric skirt..but wouldn't that pink be lovely as a huge pocket with different sections to add other sewing items??????

I am so excited I found this lovely little jewel :)

Enjoy this lovely apron my sweet apron lovers!!!!

In fact lets all make one :) I know I am!!!!!

If you make one please let us know here on this post so we can all go and look at your lovely creation!!!!

I will be reading all of the comments on this post.. I will even steal your photo of your apron and add it here too :)

I have received two new awards

I always love it when I receive lovely awards from my bloggie friends. It tells me I am making people happy :o)

Fawn Dear awarded me with this lovely treat. LOL at least she said come by and get my award... there were two of them ...so I snagged both of them. I can spread more love around that way :) Thank you FawnDear :)
and like her, I'm sharing it with three lovely ladies who have lovely smacked all over their blogs.

1. I can not choose its too hard. Sorry... I don't want anyone hurt by choosing one person over the other. I love you all to much to hurt your feelings :o) I know this is probably a cop-out but I really hate to hurt any ones feelings!!!
2. I love every blog that I follow and read. I find that everyone has wonderful things to offer :)
3. I have so many lovely ladies that visit me daily its very hard to choose just three... so if you want please feel free to snag these awards also :)

List six things that make you happy.

1. Making and sewing a new apron pattern, for one of my swap partners.

2. Looking out my upstairs sewing room window right after its snowed and seeing my sweet loving horses with frost around their noses and snow covering their rumps.

3. Getting up each day and blogging to all the wonderful women that I have met on the Internet.

4. LOL this one is a give me!!!!! Of Course my favorite two sweets in life Pepsi and Chocolate :o)

5. I am happy to live in the United States of America... the land of the free and I able to pursue my own happiness without restraint or oppression.

6. Last but not least is my beloved Pitty Pat... she is loving, and always excited to see me. No matter what mood I am in. She begs for my attention all the time. In turn she licks me and if I'm not careful... she french kisses me!!!!! YUCK DOG GERMS... PTTT PTTT Ptttttt!!!!!

So now my little bloggie friends please snag your awards and post them proudly up on your blogs :) Hugs!!!

Thank you again FawnDear for these lovely awards. I am very honored :o)

Starting out the New Year Right!!!

I just wanted to pass along to all of you who are on or are contemplating a diet for your new year's resolution the inherent dangers associated with some types of diets.
Yesterday I was buying a 2 large bags of Purina dog chow at Walmart, for my dogs Tatanka, Fatty Matty, Tigger, and Pitty Pat. I was about to check out when a woman behind me asked if I had a dog. What did she think, that I had an elephant?
Since I had little else to do, on impulse, I told her that no, I didn't have a dog, and that I was starting the Purina Diet again, although I probably shouldn't because I ended up in the hospital last time.
On the bright side though, I'd lost 50 pounds before I wakened in an intensive care ward with tubes coming out of every hole in my body and IVs in both arms.
I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the way it works is to load your pockets with Purina nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry and since the food is nutritionally complete I was going to try it again. (I have to mention here that practically everyone in the line was enthralled with my story by now.)Horrified, she asked if I ended up in intensive care because the dog food had poisoned me.
I told her no; I had stopped in the middle of the parking lot to lick my butt and a car hit me.

Wed Morning Laughs...

I have to tell you these photos crack me up!!!!!!!!!

Reversible Half Apron

This wonderful apron pattern was found at MY LONGEST YEAR.
Run over to her blog and see some of the other wonderful projects created by this awesome seamstress.
Basic Apron Without Ruffled Bottom:
Materials Needed:
2 pieces complementary fabric, 15"x24"
1 strip of fabric for top binding & apron strings, 4"x 55" (or use a measuring tape to determine your desired length - you may have to sew two lengths together)

Right sides of both apron pieces together, sew bottom and sides; clip the corners (figure b.)

Turn right side out and press.
Using your machine's longest stitch, sew a basting stitch 3/8" from the top edge, leaving a long tail of thread at the end.
Pull the top thread carefully, loosely gathering into a slight "ruffle" (figure c.)

Press the fabric strip in half lengthwise. Open and fold the raw sides into the center. Press. Fold closed and press again (figure d.).
Center the fabric binding over the gathered top edge of the apron and pin in place.
Starting at one end of the binding, topstitch the binding closed, stitching close to the bottom edge (figure e.) (Optional) Apron with ruffled bottom:
Fold a 3 1/2" x 36" length of fabric in half lengthwise, wrong sides together.
Using the longest stitch on your machine, sew a basting stitch 3/8" from raw edge.
Pull top thread carefully, slightly ruffling the fabric until it is approx. 23" long.
Place one piece of apron fabric right side up. Line up the raw edge of the ruffle with the raw bottom edge of apron fabric, ruffle pointed toward the inside. The ruffle should start and end 1/4" from the left and right edges of the apron piece (figure f.).
Continue with Step 1 of Basic Apron (above)

Apron tutorial from My Longest Year Blog :)

Its snowing outside my house!!! Again :)

The troops have assembled, and awaiting orders....

Stop Global warming!!!!!

Num Numm Num!!!!

Do you think he sees me?????

Safe from the Scary Monster!!!

I thought I would share some fun snowmen photos with you since it is snowing in Ta Town. I had to get my bad self up this morning and go in to town for Aquatic PT..... nothing like coming out of the pool with soaking wet hair. It was sort of fun being in the warm pool and watching it snow outside. :0)

Copy cat???? Why yes I am :)

One day I was surfing blogs when I click on one of my favorite places to visit.... I happened to stop by Yarnigras... when I noticed she had joined in on an Owl Swap. I thought to myself Hummmmmm this would be fun so of course I had sign up too. Val always finds the best, fun, and creative swaps to be in... Yes!!!!! I Copy Cat-ted her!!!!!.... I join in on a lot of the swaps that Val joins.... She and I seem to have a lot of the same tastes when it comes to fun :) She is always slaying me with something funny that she says ;) My Val is a real Hoot :) Besides She never seems to mind, if I come along for the ride. I am always excited and very happy if I get her as a swap partner :)

Well ladies I searched the web to find the perfect pattern for my little owl :) I found my wonderful pattern on Lolly Chops blog. This pattern was simple with a tutorial.. but I had to search it out on her blog...but it was fun looking at all of her wonderful things she had made. I really enjoyed looking at her softies.

So like Val let me introduce my feathery little friend Bella.

Bella will be soaring off to Utah :) I hope my swap partner loves her :) I really had a great time making her. Bella was my first effort at making a softy :) I used fabrics that I received in Ft Qt swaps and her matching eyes are very very old vintage buttons. :) Doesn't she look so darn cute with her sweet pink bow???

What is it all coming too?????

One day God was looking down at Earth and saw all of the rascally behavior that was going on. So he called one of His angels and sent the angel to Earth for a time. When he returned, he told God, 'Yes, it is bad on Earth; 95% are misbehaving and only 5% are not. God thought for a moment and said, 'Maybe I had better send down a second angel to get another opinion.' So God called another angel and sent him to Earth for a time. When the angel returned he went to God and said, 'Yes, it's true.The Earth is in decline; 95% are misbehaving, but 5% are being good.' God was not pleased. So He decided to e-mail the 5% that were good, because he wanted to encourage them, and give them a little something to help them keep going.

Do you know what the e-mail said?

Okay, I was just wondering, because I didn't get one either.

Can you see me now?????

A Loan for Kermit

A frog goes into a bank and approaches the teller. He can see from her nameplate that her name is Patricia Whack."Miss Whack, I'd like to get a $30,000 loan to take a holiday." Patty looks at the frog in disbelief and asks his name. The frog says his name is Kermit Jagger, his dad is Mick Jagger, and that it's okay, he knows the bank manager.Patty explains that he will need to secure the loan with some collateral. The frog says, "Sure. I have this," and produces a tiny porcelain elephant, about an inch tall, bright pink and perfectly formed. Very confused, Patty explains that she'll have to consult with the bank manager and disappears into a back office.She finds the manager and says, "There's a frog called Kermit Jagger out there who claims to know you and wants to borrow $30,000, and he wants to use this as collateral." She holds up the tiny pink elephant. "I mean, what in the world is this?

"(You're going to love this)

(A masterpiece)

(Wait for it)

The bank manager looks back at her and says..."It's a knickknack, Patty Whack. Give the frog a loan. His old man's a Rolling Stone."

Alcohol does not make you FAT - it makes you LEAN .... against tables, chairs, floors, walls and ugly people.

Who said Poetry is boring?

THESE ARE ENTRIES TO A WASHINGTON POST COMPETITION ASKING FOR A TWO-LINE RHYME WITH THE MOST ROMANTIC FIRST LINE, AND THE LEAST ROMANTIC SECOND LINE:

1. My darling, my lover, my beautiful wife:

Marrying you has screwed up my life.

2.. I see your face when I am dreaming.

That's why I always wake up screaming.

3. Kind, intelligent, loving and hot;

This describes everything you are not.

4. I thought that I could love no other

-- that is until I met your brother.

5. Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, and so are you.

But the roses are wilting, the violets are dead, the sugar bowl's empty and so is your head.

6. I want to feel your sweet embrace;

But don't take that paper bag off your face.

7. I love your smile, your face, and your eyes

Damn, I'm good at telling lies.

8. My love, you take my breath away.

What have you stepped in to smell this way?

9. My feelings for you no words can tell,

Except for maybe 'Go to hell.'

10. What inspired this amorous rhyme?

Two parts vodka, one part lime.

WHO SAID POETRY IS BORING?

My Ideas for my next swap :)

Its never to early to think about what the next swap will be. I decided to take a break from working on my Angel Slippers... since I had so many flakers... I have to tell you it really has taken the wind out of me on how few signed up for the slipper swap and how many actually flaked on it. But oh well my lovely ladies that completed their obligations are not going to be empty handed :) Myself, Nadine and Marie are Angeling my slipper swappers... if you get the chance... give these two lovely ladies the cudo's that they deserve for stepping up to help me out of my bind!!!! Marie doesn't have a blog but if you would like to leave sweet words in the comments of this post I am sure she will see them :)

Ok on with the next idea...

As you know I do post about quilts on my blog once in a while. I am not very good at all the quilting stuff, but I would like to get better. So I had an idea... my idea is to try and get 20 people to sign up for this swap.

I see this as a Quilt Sampler.....We would make 12 8X8 or 10X10 blocks... in any quilt block pattern or with any color cotton fabrics, that you choose. You could crazy patch them, you could paper piece them, you could applique them, you could do red work, what ever style that you choose for your blocks :) Then you would send your finished blocks to the hostess along with XXXX amount of money to re-ship the blocks out. The hostess would separate your blocks and give other people your finished blocks. You would not get yours back.....That way we would insure that everyone got blocks. There would be no extras with this swap. Just the quilt blocks and the required money for shipping. Then each person could finish up the quilt tops and post your finish project on your blog :) We could see how each person puts them together with their own ideas. But the basic blocks would be almost the same :)

Having this amount of blocks.. would allow you with sashing to make a nice sized lap quit.

I don't know about you but I can always use a lap quilt...

Let me know what your thoughts are on this... Of course we would need ample time to make these blocks :)

Shoot some ideas my way please :)

I would love to hear your thoughts on this :)

And then the fight started!!!!!

My wife and I were sitting at a table at my high school reunion, and I kept staring at a drunken lady swigging her drink as she sat alone at a nearby table. My wife asked, "Do you know her?" "Yes," I sighed, "She's my old girlfriend. I understand she took to drinking right after we split up those many years ago, and I hear she hasn't been sober since." "My God!" says my wife, "Who would think a person could go on celebrating that long?" And then the fight started.....

I rear-ended a car this morning. So, there we were alongside the road and slowly the other driver got out of his car. You know how sometimes you just get soooo stressed and little things just seem funny? Yeah, well I couldn't believe it.... He was a DWARF!!! He stormed over to my car, looked up at me, and shouted, "I AM NOT HAPPY!!!" So, I looked down at him and said, "Well, then which one are you?" And then the fight started.....

Help!!!!!!

I have to ask.... is there a Swap-a-holic's anonymous out there some where???? I was not going to join in on anymore swaps... YES..... guess who just signed up for 3 more!!!! What in the heck is wrong with me???? I know I am worse than a crack head... give me a swap ... give me a swap...give me a swap!!!!! I am so bad... I just can't stop myself!!!! I have to have some sort of dead line to do something in!!! What is so up with that??? PRESSURE PRESSURE PRESSURE..... Like we don't have enough of that in our lives already. Does anyone have any answers????? I wanted to start working on my Christmas presents early this year... I am sure everyone has seen my snail. It has been seen up here on my blog for a while now, and it has not moved ......not once!!!!!

I think, I know my own answer to all my questions....I just love getting the surprise package in the mail.... It is awesome seeing all of the creations, and how the other women's minds work when it comes to creating their swaps. I love the color combinations, the fabric choices, the stitching of the garments, the embellishments, choice of patterns.

I should also like to mention the extras that are sent. I love seeing what is put together along with my swap. Some of them are themed swaps... like I received a wonderful fun Snowman apron from Val... everything in it was snowmen related. I loved it!!!! I have received aprons with the extra left over fabric that the apron was made out of. To me that was a wonderful extra :) I have received wonderful little handcrafted items... ornaments, pincushions, altered art, decorated jars, and other containers......

There is so much rotten and disappointing stuff in life right now... a happy package is just what a good seamstress needs right??? Now tell me who would not get addicted to such fun and Whimsey?????

My biggest addiction is apron swaps... yes I do love them and yes I like to wear them ;) I can tell you being in so many swaps .. I have met many wonderful, thoughtful, caring, giving, funny and creative women. I have really enjoyed striking up these new inter-net friendships. I feel like I have known some of these women for years. Its like we fit together like Peanut butter and Jelly, Mickey and Minnie, Donald and Daisy, Mutt and Jeff, Laural and Hardy, Ben and Jerry, Day and Night, Lilo and Stitch, Lady and the tramp, Elvis and Priscilla, .... speaking of Ben and Jerry time for an Ice-cream break :)

Thank you each and everyone of you...

Blessings

to all of you for helping to enrich my life, one day and one stitch at a time:)

Things that make you go Awe!!!!!

This recent photo, supplied by the Detroit Zoo, shows a newborn aardvark, Amani

Finished Swaps

This is a Swap Bot Valentines Day Apron swap apron.. its for our Jen from Lipstick and Laundry was my partner.. so I can not show all of the apron at this time sorry. In fact I would love it if Jennifer would send me better photos.. Mine turned out so bad with my poor lighting in my house at night. It's been too cold here to Photograph outside. I always get better photos when I photograph outside :) So Jenn if you read this please send me better photos :)

Blurred due to such a small piece shown .

The above is a Winter in the Kitchen Apron swap off of Swap-Bot. This apron is also for Jenn from Lipstick and Laundry. It is made with cute little snowmen and the black dotted cotton material. I hope she loves these two aprons.. I really had fun making them for her. It was really hard to letting go of them :)

This was a Valentines day apron swap off of Swap-Bot. This apron was made with this lovely pink heart material with black bias tape and black dotted material for the pocket and waist band. If my partner from there sees her apron before she receives it.. I am sorry to spoil the surprise. But I find not all Swap-Bot swappers look at their partners blogs. I like to look at them :)

This last photo is of my mittens... I was in a handcrafted mitten swap.. only a taste on that too ... sorry :) My partner might blog me :) I don't want to spoil the fun :)

The mittens are made out of fleece with lace embellishments.

As soon as I hear from my partners I will post the entire photo of the completed items. I am sorry the photos are not as good as they should be. Remember my lighting at night is not so hot.

Does anyone have suggestions how to have better lighting so I can take photos at night????? So the Photos are more clear and not so yellow??? I would love any suggestions. I don't have a lot of day light hours. Since I sleep during the day and work at night.

FACTS TO PONDER:

(A) The number of physicians in the U.S. is 700,000
(B) Accidental deaths caused by Physicians per year are 120,000
(C) Accidental deaths per physician is 0.171. Statistics courtesy of U.S. Dept of Health Human Services.
Now think about this: Guns:
(A) The number of gun owners in the U.S. is 80,000,000. (Yes, that's 80 million..)
(B) The number of accidental gun deaths per year, all age groups, is 1,500.
(C) The number of accidental deaths per gun owner is .0000188 Statistics courtesy of the FBI

So, statistically, doctors are approximately 9,000 times more dangerous than gun owners. Remember, "Guns don't kill people, doctors do."

FACT: NOT EVERYONE HAS A GUN,BUT ALMOST EVERYONE HAS AT LEAST ONE DOCTOR.

Please alert your friends to this alarming threat. We must ban doctors before this gets completely out of hand!!!!!

Out of concern for the public at large, we have withheld the statistics on lawyers for fear the shock would cause people to panic and seek medical attention!

A Day at the zoo

I received this video from a friend... I have to tell you it was very fascinating to watch. I would say more about this video...but I do not want to spoil the surprise... so take the time to watch it. Its worth the time it took to view it ;)

Please leave some feed back and tell me what you thought of it ;)

I promised Some Eye Candy :)

Ta Dah!!!!! Ladies here it is some of the eye candy that I promised. If you are looking for your items you sent and its in another group. I am so sorry. But with everyone admiring the items here at home.. they could have gotten shuffled. Sorry!!!! But all the goodies are here except for the Chocolates, hot cocoa, and cookies that I have snarfed down!!! :) >>>>she is rubbing her tummy and licking her lips in a clock wise motion to indicate the groceries were very very very YUMMY!!!! OK so now on with the show :) I am sorry my photos are not the best quality. My camera doesn't take good night photos.. I am sure its because my lighting in my house is dim and awful. The fixtures are still the same ones ....from when the house was built in 1940. So please forgive the poor quality of my night shots!!!!

These are photos of the Christmas Fabrics that I received in swaps. Two of these sets are from my very own swap :) I received two very nice patterns in this swap. As you can see one was a very nice *Apron Pattern* and the other.... was a wonderful *Pot-Holder* Pattern. I can't wait to use them they are so different and fun. I also enjoyed the ribbons, buttons, trims, glues, and all the other wonderful items that were sent...

LIKE THE CHOCOLATE!!!!

I was involved in several handmade Christmas Ornament swaps. Below are some of the swaps I was in . LOL look at the cake mix that The Faerie Wysperer sent me!!! She asked me if I cooked I told her no not anymore.. now that I live alone. She told me how sad she was to hear that.... so to get me back into the cooking spirit ... she sent me some Cake mix and wonderful cup cake papers and toppers ;) Wasn't that sweet of her :)

Isn't this a fantastic handcrafted little snow person she made for me. It is still setting out on my TV.... I keep looking at it wishing I was so talented!!!! I was a very lucky lady to receive such a nice handcrafted Ornament from The Faerie Wysperer:)

I was in another handcrafted swap where we had to make 12 Ornaments and send them to the Hostess. She then collected them all and sent us back out 12 Ornaments. That funny looking brown heart.. has such a wonderful fragrance. I hate to put it away for the year!!! All of these Ornaments are very clever designs. I enjoyed getting them... and look at the photo below the group shot... a frog on the top of this fun Ornament. :)

This photo depicts several swaps I was in. Some of the swap was from Australia...(the two little red stockings and the handmade ornaments) In this swap was yummy Chocolate from other Countries. I would like to point out the wonderful little ornaments... two of them are plum puddings, the others are fabric stars... now aren't these just as cute as they can be!!!! I just adore the mouse pincushion... its sew darn cute!!!! The little white bell and red star was from a jingle bell swap from Swap-Bot. I received lots of wonderful stuff in these swaps :) Thank you ladies.

This little stocking was from a swap on Swap-Bot. This stocking and contents came from Sweden. LOOK more wonderful Chocolate :) The swapper was kind enough to explain about the little angels... it was quite and interesting story. I am sorry I have miss placed that card that told about it...but I will look and when I find it I will post about it here :)

This is one of the Stocking swaps I was in and this stocking came from the Netherlands. LOOK more lovely Chocolate :) The little bell in this photo appears to me to be made out of dyed straw. It is really a unique ornament. A wonderful addition to my handcrafted ornaments.

This was a stocking I received during one of my Christmas Stocking swaps. I was in several Christmas stocking swap this year. All the stockings that I received were very lovely handcrafted items. I look forward to hanging them up next year in my home. :) Oh yes that little red strawberry pincushion was handcrafted also. I also love the materials that I received in these swaps too. It's fun to see what other peoples likes and dislikes are ;)

Here are some other wonderful items received with my many swaps... the little crochet items in the upper right hand corner are little face scrubbers. Isn't that the cleverest idea... The maker stated she made one for each day of the week, so I could have a fresh one each day. Very thoughtful gift :)

I thought I would share some of the Christmas Ornaments that I received this year and last from my family members. If you look to the left on the photograph I will point out the ones that my sister painted for me. She also painted the face on the Snowman in the upper right corner and she made that funny little crazy green frog :) As you probably noticed there are a lot of Po Po ornaments up there.. that's because as some of you know I work for our local Police Dept :)

Here is my yearly Dan Berry Mint Chi Chi wa wa Ornament that I received from my sweet and dear step mom Kathy. I think I now own 3 of them :)

This is the extras I received from Val... I had her as my partner in the Winter in the Kitchen swap off of Swap-Bot. I posted her photo earlier of the apron. But I intend to take my own photo also :) I forgot to mention Val's sweet and kind nature... look she even sent along some Raw-hide bones for the Pitty Pat :) She is munching on one of those right now. Val Pitty Pat says *thank you* with her little doggie grin.

Here is my apron and goodies I received from Val once again from a current Swap-bot swap. Its a Valentine's day Apron swap... I have to tell you the color of the photo is not right... I hope when I take the photo in the day light of the apron you will see how wonderful the color really is :)

I just love the little potholder, memo pad, NOW look really close the Chocolate :) and a wonderful little heart pin she made me :)

WHOOOOOOO LADIES I THINK I AM OUT OF BRAIN POWER AFTER ALL OF THAT!!!!!