Continuing to be Sew Excited....

Get inspired! Make a plan! See what fabric you have, then buy the fabric you need!



Scan a photo and make an enlarged copy. Tape large paper to wall, the set up Opache projector. Draw out design to the correct size of 44x 35.

Retrace lines with Sharpe, the make tissue paper pattern by tracing over the design.

Cut out and sew the 4 major background pieces. Next, start adding the rest layer by layer. Press on to the set completion date.

Remember to take a few pictures of the finished project!

Can't wait to show the finished work.

Sew excited.....

I'm working away on a new project. Wish I could show you my source of inspiration, but that would ruin the surprise. Sorry, you'll just have to waite for me to post a picture soon.
I can tell you this much, it is another quilt (which will probably become a wall hanging) but it's not for an infant. However, I my eyes it is for a youngin. ;) I do however have 4 quilts mapped out for Kiss Goodnight, with fabric for two of them. I just got so inspired that I couldn't wait to do this one.

From A Little Girl to A Living Dolls

About 2 years ago, I decided to make my granddaughter some Disney Princess Dress-Ups. I made her Ariel for Halloween and the rest, for when we went to visit them. Sarah said, "I love Cinalalla!" So that was the first one I made. I really enjoyed sewing the outfits. Last Christmas, I made her matching dresses, for her American Girl doll. So, I guess you could say that my dolls come in all sizes.

This year at Champions for Life Kids Camp, we had a Tea Party with a special guest.... Cinderella, who came and taught the girls how to be a princess. She taught about keeping a castle clean, using their manners by remembering to say "Please", "Thank you", "I'm sorry", and "Please forgive me". Cinderella instructed the girls on how to properly drink from a crystal glass and how to curtsy.
Imagine my excitement when I was able to make Cinderella's dress. I started by getting a picture of Cinderella so I knew just what needed to be done.
Then I purchased the same fabric that I used for Sarah's dress. I used 3 different sewing patterns to get the right look for the dress. I even did the scalloped edge petticoat.

Well, here's the finished results.
What do you think? I think she'll sweep Prince Charming off his feet.

A Happy Heart & a Lot of Thanks!!!!!!!

This is the 6th year that I have happily chosen to spend my summer vacation being a Camper Buddy at Champions for Life Kids' Camp. What's special about this camp is that it "continues to bring HOPE and encouragement to children caught in the web of abuse". Please visit http://www.visionhope.org/ for more information and a direct link to Champions for Life Kid's Camp. CFL is a camp for the neglected, abandon and abuse kids in the Foster Care System.


Champions for Life Kids Camp

We have many activities for the kids, horseback riding, kayaking, archery, swimming, technical tree climbing, wood shop and more. We have several special events which include "CARNIVAL DAY, EVERY BODY'S BIRTHDAY PARTY, BEAUTY SHOP, PHOTO STUDIO" and the yearly favorite the "MUD WALK".

Our cabins

As Camper Buddies, each cabin chooses a theme and decorates accordingly. In the past, my cabin themes have been:

"Cinderella" (From cinders to a Princess)

"You Grow Girl" (Encouraged to grow in God's ways)

"Beach Theme" (Walk in Jesus foot prints)

"Flamingo" (Finding Love And Mercy In Needing God Only)

"Princess". (I am a Princess! My Father is the King of Kings!)

With each theme, I use scriptures to reinforce who they are in Jesus. I also try to have a different theme as there are 8 girl cabins and 8 boy cabins.

Back in December, my daughter Amy and I went to Frankenmuth, Mi. for her birthday. We wandered through the shops and one in particular caught our attending, "Here comes Treble".Visit www.frankenmuth-riverplace.com/StoreDirectory. It was a unique shop dedicated to music. Past the Beatles & Elvis was counter with jewelry. What girl doesn't like jewelry? Any way, there was a bracelet, earrings & a necklace that caught my eye. They had a guitar pick that read "Pick Jesus."(the bracelets also had real guitar strings) I was so excited!!! "That's it!" I told Amy. "That's the theme for camp!" I thought some more and came up with "JESUS ROCKS". I like the colors of silver, purple and black. So, needless to say, after Christmas, I bought silver & purple garlands and black letters to spell out "Jesus Rocks." I also bought the "Pick Jesus" guitar string bracelets for both the girls and Camper Buddies in our cabin.

Mind you, I had some help with the theme. Amy wasn't going to be able to attend camp this year as she is expecting her second child. If you're interested, you can follow her blog :http://www.coffeewiththemrs.com/ Any way, she found some really great decorations on line...cardboard guitar forms, silver & purple stars, curtains made of cardboard records, inflatable microphones and inflatable guitars She also help me design t-shirts for the girls.

Unbeknown to me, Amy did just a little bit more. She researched and found out that Kerusso made the t-shirts we had seen at "Here comes Treble". She sent them an e-mail with a request and all the links to her blog and Vision Hope and CFL Camp. They contacted her back and said they were interested in the camp and in her request. Here's the kicker,the company is in Arkansas and Amy got that e-mail about two days before I was leaving for camp. Amy didn't hesitate to reply back with the camps address and my name and asked if they could have it there by Thursday July 16th. So off to camp I went, having faith that I would get the shirts. It was Thursday @ 12:25 pm when I saw the Fedex truck pull up to the Lodge. I was as excited as a kid on Christmas. Mind you, Thursday is the "Beauty Shop," "Photo Studio," & "Every Body's Birthday."When the kids get back to their cabins, their Birthday gifts are waiting on their beds. We also had a pile of mail, but what the girls saw, was the big box on my bed. "Who's that for?" What's in it?" Well, I told them that someone in Arkansas had heard about them and our cabin theme and wanted to send them something special. "Open it up" "Please"!!!!!

Here's a picture of what was in the box.

True to their word, Kerusso delivered not only shirts, but Witness Bands for our cabin. Please visit www.kerusso.com and see what other wonderful t-shirts, gear & jewerly they have. I'd like to thank Jason Anzalone for his help.

Jason,

You made the girls in Cabin #5 very happy!!!! I couldn't believe the scripture on the t-shirt as it was one that we had for our theme. Once again, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!!!!!

Take a walk in my garden

It sould have come with a warning label!

It's 8:33 pm and I should be working on the banner for CFL camp, but here I sit writting. Usually when I'm sewing, I watch a TV program or pop in a DVD or Video and this evening was no exception. As I have to return the DVDs from Hollywood Video on Thursday, I decided to watch the last one.

Movies today come with a rating, but I think they should also come with warning labels. What's that you may ask? Well, they tell us what they believe is age appropriate, but they don't warn us on what it heart appropriate. As I was working away and watching the movie, I should have know how it would end. Any movie involving a family and a dog usually pulls at the hear strings. Marley & Me did just that...pulled at my heart strings so hard, that my eyes sprung a leak and my heart broke again. Mind you, it was a good movie, but it was hard on my heart. I never had a Golden Retriever, but the movie called to mind, the Cockapoo, "Harrison", the Carin Terrier, "Chester" and of the Bedling Terrier, "Crackers". Very loving and affectionate dogs, that now are only memories.
So, as I said in the opening of the blog, the movie should have come with a warning label. Something like "Rated PG" "WARNING: Will pull on your heart! Kleenex Recommended"!
If nothing else, I've warned you. Now I'd better get back to the banner.

Flash of Lighting and a Flashlight

Last Wednesday was rough for me. I had one of those headaches that just wouldn't go away no matter what I did. Finally at 10 pm, I had relief. Thursday I still did not feel quit up to par, but I went to work anyway, enduring until 1:30. I just wanting to lay down for a while. So that's what I did, drove home, parked the car, went in and laid down.

Then the rain came. John checked in on me when he got home, then went out on the porch and watched the storm. I was content to stay in bed for a little while longer. I eventually came down stairs and turned on the TV. Then I heard that old familiar noise. You know the one....the buzzzzz, crackle, buzzzzz of the transformer and then the lights go off. Oh well I thought, I join John on the porch. He told me how he watched the leaves fly off in troves from the tree across the street. "By the way", he said, "as it was pouring, I noticed that you left your car windows open so I closed them."

The rain passed and the lights where still off. I told John that I didn't feel good when I came home and didn't even think to close the windows, as I went to my car to see how wet it got. Oh my gosh!!!! There was about 1" on water on the floor, even in the cup holders. John got old towels and we started to clean up the mess. There was so much water.....then I remember the Shamwow's my parents gave us. What a life saver. It was amazing how much water they soak up. Unfortunately my Bible was soaked through about 1". So, now the car is somewhat dry and we finally decided to try Sonic to eat (in John's car). Upon returning home, I pulled out a book that I had been meaning to read. I sat in my wicker rocker on the front porch and started reading. Along about 9:35pm, the sun had set and it was getting hard to read, but the story was getting good. Oh well, there's nothing to do but go to bed.....prop up some pillows and get a flashlight and read.

I felt like a little kid who was suppose to be sleeping but just had to read. I finally turn the light off at about 11:30. I proud to say that I read 8 chapters. Makes me wonder if, just from time to time, I should just act like there's not electricity and just sit and read.