Tuesday, May 31, 2011

My Littlest Cowboy

Gosh! Can't believe a week has passed since my dentist rant last week. I do apologize for that and will focus on more fun things from now on.  I did manage to get Jacks birthday "Cowboy" shirt finished while in our Grand Terrace home away from home.
I waited to put the buttons on until we got home because I wanted to look through my 1/2 gallon jar of buttons first before buying some and I found the perfect ones.
We won't tell Jack that I used my "Rosie" to model his shirt. His birthday is tomorrow and sadly I won't be there to see him open it and model it himself.
Yesterday, before we left to come back to Grand Terrace, I got to take Jack here to shop for the rest of his birthday present.
He told me he wanted boots from Boot Barn for his birthday a long time ago and when we walked in he knew right away what he wanted. Quite different from shopping with the girls.
He wanted to wear them after trying them on, but I explained we had to pay for them first and would put them on in the truck.
Well, we no sooner got out the door and he plopped down here and got busy. Oh, and we got boot socks too...didn't know there were special socks, but the label said "Boot Socks"


Four (almost five) year old Jack. He said he couldn't wait to get home, get his Cowboy hat on and ride the horse.
While I was packing to leave, I looked out my door and saw my littlest Cowboy Jack and his daddy. Can't wait for him to see his Cowboy shirt.


Our long weekend was spent working on this.
Can't wait to show you how cute it is becoming.
Mr. SS says it is scary because this little wonder  is looking a lot like our previous house...Hmmmm.

We are now back in Grand Terrace and will be moving back to Riverside tonight for two weeks.
Then back here for the rest of the the summer...or until this job ends.  Of course weekends will still be back home to catch up, spend time with the kids and an occasional fix at my favorite Strawberry Patches.
this week I will get to finish the models for Suzanne, and will show those soon.

Hope you all enjoyed your Memorial Day weekend as much as I did and that you remembered all those in the Armed Forces who serve or have served our Country.



God is Good!!
Life is Good!!


Thursday, May 26, 2011

The Last Thing....

I wanted to hear after 2hrs in the dentist chair was...."Well, I have bad news!"
Okay, I am here, I am being a big girl and not complaining that my mouth has been stretched to the limits, my hands are asleep, I have to go the the bathroom, my hair is messed up, my toes are freezing and you tell me you have bad news.  Really?  I didn't say a word and he had the nerve to ask if I'm okay. I'm speechless!!
"Are you okay?" He asked again. I finally find my voice and ask, "What bad news?" He tells me he found one canal, but couldn't find the other one that shows in the exray and I need to see a specialist. I am totally confused. Isn't that what I'm here for?  Well leave it to me...to have a canal, the dentist can't find. I can't see the "specialist" for three more weeks. About 3 hrs. from arrival, I am sent home with a hole in my mouth, and have to start over in three weeks. I have never had a pain in that tooth until now. Is it any wonder some people avoid the dentist?  Honestly, until the words "Well, I have bad news!", I was doing good. Nothing was painful, didn't feel the novacaine, heard and felt the drill, but not painful at all. I was feeling really excited that one of my required treatments was almost over.  I couldn't wait to go home, pack and head for Riverside, put my head on Mr. SS's  big shoulder and cry.

But before that, I made two stops and both were fun and took my mind off my experience.
First I stopped by my friend Ruth's and looked through a huge box of Vintage buttons she had. A friend of hers was having an estate sale and let her have this box to go through first.  It was amazing...these large card of buttons attached according to size and color...amazing. I love vintage buttons and would like to have all of them to just look at from time to time, but I needed to just pick a few of my favorites. I decided to go for the 30"s  colors. Don't know why, they just spoke to me. I meant to bring them to photo and show you, but forgot. I'll cover that  another time.

Then I headed to Strawberry Patches to pick up some new projecs for models. I always feel better when I walk in there and Suzanne says "Hi Beverly". I got three new cute little girls outfits to make that I'll show you later too.

So I'm feeling much better by now and head for the freeway and my home away from home.

This morning, I got these out (click on the picture so you can read all the cowboy phrases and words...so cute)
to make a short sleeve version without the yokes for
my littlest cowboy for his birthday next week.


Tomorrow after I get home, Jack and I are going to Boot Barn to get boots for his birthday too. I can't wait.

I'll be sewing all day today and all is right in my world again.



God is Good!
Life is Good!

Sunday, May 22, 2011

A Quick Change Tutorial

Back a few weeks when we were getting the yard read for our family Easter, I mentioned to Mr. SS that I had found some oilcloth and wanted to redo a little patio set I had given my son and dil years ago. It had seen better days and I wanted it for a little spot across from the kids playhouse/swing set so I could sit and watch them play.
Well, before I could  gather all the stuff I needed to redo the seats he was painting. So...I didn't get a before picture of what I call the Ice Cream Parlor chairs.
and the Singer treadle machine legs for the table.
But I do have a lovely before picture of the seats for the chairs.
Before I could even pull the staples out of the old seat covers,
Mr. SS was making a top for the table.
So here are the painted chairs and the finished table just waiting for new seats and a tablecloth.
I mark the 2" thick foam for the seats.
and cut it out with an electric knife (no, not the one I use to slice the Easter Ham). This is a garage sale buy that works great for cutting foam.
I use Tacky Glue and hot glue to glue the wood to the foam.
Then I cover it with cotton batting first.
I have my own cute little compressor and staple gun that Mr. SS got me several years ago when I took upholstery classes.  I just can't handle a hand held stapler anymore.
Oops, as you can see by the bike on the ground here, I've got a helper.
Jack was only too happy to come help me hold the seats in place and take a picture or two.

Jack snapped this one of me starting to staple the batting on.
I pull and put pressure on the batting so it kind of rounds out the seat top and makes it easier to staple the Oilcloth, which is a little more stiff.
I start by stapling the four sides
and then work in the fullness in between.

Ta Da!! After cutting a circle for the tablecloth, my part is done too.
Mr. SS and I (and Jack) make a pretty good team.
I added a plant and a cute little chicken and this little spot is perfect.  Just tonight I saw two of the grand kids sitting there having ice cream, so it's not just a grandma spot.

As I was proof reading (I know, if I proof read how come I still make so many typos?) I realized this is sort of a tutorial so that's what I'll call it. Wish I would have shown you how easy it is to make a circle for the tablecloth...well another time.
By the way, oilcloth is great for outdoors and you don't have to hem it which makes it Sew Easy.

for Metamorphosis Monday. Click on the link above or the button on my sidebar to visit her wonderful blog and others who have had a Metamorphosis too.



God is Good!!
Life is Good!!

Saturday, May 21, 2011

My Girlie Girl Bags

A little over a year ago, I designed this little girls purse for my granddaughters. My friend, Suzanne @ Strawberry Patches encouraged  and helped me make it into a pattern to sell. I've shown them here before, but since I made  the bag this week, thought I would show you again.

This week I made 6 of each of these. Suzanne sells the pattern and the purses for me and I am very pleased that they sell well.
This one was from a new fabric line I spotted at Strawberry Patches and just had to try. I find myself  looking at  collections to see if I can put 5-6 fabrics together to make a cute purse.

This one I used all scraps from  birthday dresses and an Easter Dress.  It was so fun knowing I was using something I had on hand.

I have probably made close to a hundred of these and I never get tired of making them. Something about piecing the squares is like piecing a quilt, coordinating the fabric to look good. It is an easy pattern. In the pattern is a larger one too for us big girls. I add pockets inside and out to make it more big girl friendly.
The smaller ones, I love to fill with goodies all little girls love.
It is a good gift and my granddaughters have given one to many of their friends.

If you would be interested in a purse or the pattern to make your own, you can e-mail me. I haven't tried to sell them here before, but since I have never gotten around to setting up an Etsy store, thought I would offer them just this once. The pattern sells for $9.00 and the purses are $20.00.
You can also go to Strawberry Patches for both.


God is Good!!
Life is Good!!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

A Little Break

After a busy week and our visit from that dreaded Flu Bug, Mr. SS and I decided not to go home to Bakersfield for the weekend as we usually do.  We slept in on Sunday and Mr. SS asked if I wanted to take a ride. He drives through downtown Riverside to work everyday and said he had some things to show me.

First he took me here. Even though we passed by several more expensive fancy looking antique stores, he thought I would like this one better. He knows me so well.

It was much larger inside than it looked like from the outside. We spent over an hour walking around. I didn't find  anything I couldn't resist, but really enjoyed looking.

Next he took me to see the Mission Inn. It takes up an entire square block. We couldn't find a parking place, so keep in mind these pictures were taken from our moving car.










We pulled up here next for a late lunch. The Minestrone Soup was the best I've had. It was all brothy and full of cabbage just the way I like it. Mr. SS had Chicken Marsala and the pasta had what they called "Browned Butter" on it. It had the best flavor too. Gonna have to try doing that.

We left the Spaghetti Factory and started home (well, to our home away from home).
He showed me this church.  Universalist Unitarian Church...never heard of that one, but loved the building. Although not Mission style like every thing else we saw in the area.

Even the on and off ramps to the freeways show the Mission influence.

A couple more photos from the car.

Loved the lamposts on this bridge. (These were along the streets everywhere we drove)

Took this one for you Barb.  It was all sectioned off with fences and had "toys" for dogs to run on, under and through. We were going to fast to get other pictures, but it was very impressive. I saw another one of these when I went grocery shopping the next day. I have never seen dog parks anywhere else.


Tuesday, our two weeks stay was up at Rancho Juarupa and we moved to a little town north called Grand Terrace.  It's a small RV Park, but nice, clean and quiet. We will probably stay here for the duration as they won't limit us to a two week stay and because frankly, it's cheaper. No wide open spaces with trees and hills, but...cheaper.

Gotta go. I hear my sewing maching calling my name. I am making some Girlie Girl purses to take into Strawberry Patches when I get home. Haven't made these in a long time, but they go fast.  I'll show you these next time.


God is Good!!
Life is Good!!