Addicted!!

Oh my goodness! I am not really sure how I came across my newest addiction. I think I saw it on a few blogs. Just the word. Nothing else. I needed to know what it was. I Googled it. Now I am ADDICTED!!

Have you been to Pinterest yet? Oh my goodness I could spend all day on there looking at all of the pin boards. I have found some amazing recipes, awesome sewing tutorials, and just some awesome cuteness. I started a wedding album with cute ideas ... you know for when my girls get married.

If you are on Pinterest already let me know and I will add you. I seriously think I might need an intervention ...

Other than my new addiction there is not one exciting thing happening in my part of the world. I mean unless you think them totally repaving my neighborhood. My car is parked 4 blocks away as we can't drive on the street. I am working on table pieces for a wedding .... I guess that is exciting. lol I am getting paid a little which is always nice.

I am off to sew

Summer Sewing

So I was laid off again this past June. No big deal  as I was number 2 on the recall list (I was recalled this week). I normally have summers off anyways so getting laid off just meant that I would receive unemployment this year. Which has proven to be very handy as I had no idea how I was going to pay for anything.

Anyways ... with all of my free time I have been sewing, sewing, sewing, and sewing. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE sewing? It makes me so happy inside. :)

The Princess has all sorts of cute dresses ...

I love this fabric!!

 Alice 

 

             Ariel                   

Minnie Mouse

  Snow White

She has her very own line of Princess dresses to wear. :) Man I am so glad that God blessed me with another daughter. I love sewing for my kids but she makes sewing that much more fun. 

My favorite project so far this summer has been the Mickey Mouse quilt. (Do you see a theme here yet?)

I am on a major Disney kick. I love Disney. I want to go to Disneyland like yesterday! It makes me feel all happy inside like sewing does. So I had this crazy idea to make a rainbow colored Mickey Mouse head quilt. I get so excited when I picture something in my head and it turns out even better. :) 

Doesn't this just scream Disney World of Color? I want to take this to Disneyland and sit right in front of the castle and have a picnic. I still can't believe that God has given me such an amazing talent. This was a picture in my head. It was colored fabric on bolts in a store. It is now a quilt to cuddle under, have a picnic on, smile while you watch fireworks or your favorite Disney movie. I feel so blessed to be able to create and sew. 

The Princess needs me :) She is standing here talking her sweet baby talk. Here is my plug for myself ... If you  like any of the things I have made you can purchase them in my Etsy (<---- You know you want to visit) shop. I also do custom orders :) In fact today I will be making 35 table cloths for a wedding that is 10 days away. 

No time for a quote today.

Fall & Baby B

Baby B will be dedicated Thanksgiving weekend. I decided that she needed a cute picture for the day. So we took a little trip out to a friends house to take some.

 

Who would of guessed that a 3 1/2 month old would love the leaves so much. 

 

 She was not very happy that we wouldn't let her eat them.

 She made a dive for them and got a few. Which had us laughing.

After many attempts for her to sit on her own and keep the leaves out of her mouth we got a cute picture.

This girl is just just melts my heart. All of my kids do but you know what I mean. I wish I had more time to write but we have a busy day ahead of us. I have a nice line up of sewing jobs. (YAY!! Go Me!) I might actually get my sewing business off the ground.

Smiling ...

Finished up the outfit I started last night for my sweet little Dani. I am so thrilled with how it turned out. I purchased this fabric over a year ago. I had no reason to buy it. I saw it and fell in love with it. I have admit that I have a fabric addiction and no I am not taking steps to find help. LOL I purchased this fabric in the pink/brown combo and in a blue/brown combo. She will have an outfit made out of both. :)

Top is reversible. The jean pockets are lined with the umbrella fabric. I can't wait until she arrives and can fit into the outfits I am making her. :)

Sweet Little Blessings (S.L.B)

I am sure I have mentioned before that I love to sew. When I was a little girl and teenager I would dream up cute things to make. Sadly I did not have a sewing machine or anyone willing to teach me how to sew. I think it was around 8 years ago I decided to take matters into my own hands. I took the tax return and purchased a sewing machine. I went to the library and got books to teach myself how to sew. I also used my best internet friend Google :)

Sewing to me is not just a fun thing to do. It is healing to me. When I see fabric I start a design process in my head and have to get it out. Once I start on a project I can't stop. It is an addiction to me.

My passion for sewing has inspired me to want to teach others. I currently taking business classes through the college so that I can start my own business. :) Someday I would like a big studio where students can come and learn how to sew. Clothing, quilts, fun little crafty items ... you get the idea. It will be a fun place to come to and hang out and learn. Not like the quilting shops here in town. They are stuffy, snobby, and act as though they are better than anyone else.
In the mean time I am working on teaching private in home lessons. All the student supplies is fabric I bring the rest.

I am also hoping to make a little money selling the things that I make. :) When I first started sewing it seemed logical to me to start with clothes. I thought it was great ... until I made my first quilt. I lost interest in making clothes ... expect for the jammie pants I make us all every Christmas. Now that I am expecting a sweet little blessing I have jumped back on the clothing wagon. I haven't given up the quilting. :) I have 3 quilts waiting to be finished ... they are on hold as the fabric I need to finish them is so new I can't find it.

I thought I would share some of the outfits I have been working on. I seriously am not a girly girl and neither are Mini-me and Turtle ... Sweet Little Danielle (Dani) is going to be girly girl for all of us. LOL It is hard to find patterns in newborn size so I am making most everything in 3-6 months at this point.

Peasant Dress
This is so much cuter in person
and I imagine it will be cuter on
a baby then the hanger :)

The first pair of shoes I've ever made.
I could use some practice :)
They are so tiny and cute

I whipped this pretty little number up today
Reversible Pinafore Top
Matching ruffle pants

This is the other side of the top
Obviously the letter "D" is for her name

Teaching Mini-me how to sew :)
This is the peasant dress she is working on
She might harm me for posting this picture
I am very proud of her ...
she has never sewn and is doing great so far
She loves zebra print and thinks Dani should also lol

A sneak peak The fabrics for Sweet Dani's next outfit
Ugh I can't wait to finish it ...
it's half way done on my living room floor.


A burp cloth
I am not sure I like very much
Need to work on this a little more

I will probably be starting a business/sewing blog soon. I am looking for a graphic designer to create my logo/branding items. Then the fun can really begin. My goal is to make enough money between private lessons and selling my items that I only have to work part time at my current job starting in the fall. I've really been praying about this ... so far all of the doors on this journey have been wide open. :)

Follow your passion, and success will follow you. ~Terri Guillemets

A Quickie ...

Just a quick post to say I am still alive.
My Dr. and I agreed that half days at work would be the best thing for me.
Work however didn't like the idea ... it's been an interesting few days.
Had to get the union involved.
Have a meeting Wed. to clarify things.
Getting weekly shots of progesterone to keep me from contracting ... well to relax my uterus.
Side affects ... headache the day after and so very tired for 2 days.

The Coach hmm well he actually called and checked on me after I left to very long messages about how he needs to grow up and be responsible.

My Faith in God has been restored over the last few weeks. Seriously I can't say Thank you Jesus enough the last few days. I know struggles will still come my way but I am ready for the battles. :)

Hope to post more tomorrow. Working on getting my business going and need feedback ... hoping some of my lurkers will come out and help. I will need my regular readers help also. :) I am way excited about my new adventure I am taking on.

Night :)

Prayer is not merely an occasional impulse to which we respond when we are in trouble: prayer is a life attitude. ~Walter A. Mueller

Good News and randomness

I am just going to start off with this being home alone on New Years Eve was not a good idea at all. The flood gates are open and I can't get them to stop. :(

The good news is that the mortgage company postponed the auction on the house until Feb. 2. It bought me the much needed month that I need. Now I sit and wait to see if they will accept working on a short sale. If they do then I will have more time to come up with money and find a place to move to. If they don't then I still have a month and I am way happy about that. :) I have done my share of happy crying and sobbing out of relief today.

The crying that is happening now is out of pure confusion, frustration, sadness, hurt, and a stupid secret that honestly feels like it is suffocating me and might just kill me. :( I can't even share here yet. The two people that I want to tell the most I can't tell. Well I can tell them but I am scared. I know that there is a 99% chance that when I tell one of them I may lose my friendship with them forever :( (No this has nothing to do with an affair or anyone sleeping with anyone else) The person will eventually talk to me after a few days I am sure but I live with this person and she is going to be upset.

Both of these people I love more than I can ever explain. They are my best friends and have been by my side when I needed them. I know best friends wouldn't stop talking to you cause of this secret but the first best friend and I are complicated. What I have to say will crush them.

I want to tell the first person face to face but they don't live near me. I don't have the time to go to them and I hate to ask them to come to me when I will be breaking their heart in a sense.

Stupid secret is really bringing me down right now. To the point that I can't even leave my room today. :( I haven't sewn at all and that was what I had planned all week. I was excited and now I am just a big fat crying mess.

And where I really want to be is with that first person. I was invited. I was told to go by others but I can't. The secret would eat at me the entire time and I wouldn't enjoy myself. And I don't want to ruin their night.

*sigh* I know I have made no sense to anyone but I needed to get that out. Sooner than later I will be writing about the secret.

Ok I am going to force myself to put on some clothes, go eat some food and sew. I will not let this secret and this depression hold me in this room.

Happy New year ....

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day. ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

The wait has begun

I signed all the paperwork today to do a short sale on the house. I signed some in the office this morning when I went to the meeting with the company that wants to purchase the house. Then they brought a realtor over for me to sign all of that paperwork.
As we sat at my kitchen table signing paperwork I was ok at first. Then it hit me and I found myself holding back the tears. Fake smile planted on my face and saying "uh huh" "I understand" "OK" "I know exactly what this means". *sigh*

The good things I got out of today where that if we can stop the auction it is possible that it could take 6 months to a year before the "short sale" is actually final. So I will have time to get enough money and find a place to live. If the auction can't be stopped it is possible that the bank will be the ones that buy the house at foreclosure ... two things can happen then. They either offer me money to leave sooner or I was told that they can take a month or more to serve me the paperwork to leave the property.

Really I just need a a little time and money. Of course I don't want to lose my home of 10 years but at the same time I am ready to let it go. It has been such a stress to me fighting for it this past year.

So now I sit and wait and wonder what will happen. I checked the site that shows that my house is up for auction this evening and it currently has a bid. A higher bid than the company that wants to purchase it put in today for the short sale. So I am not holding my breath that the mortgage company will stop the foreclosure.

I will get through this. I am sure that a lot more tears will be shed and I will probably lose some sleep over the next few days but I will survive. I may not know anything until Monday when the house is supposed to go up for auction. I was told it is possible to pull the house even in the middle of bidding.

As for the rest of my life ... Today was very nice minus the house drama lol. A very nice friend of mine gifted me with some money. She knew my sewing machine had broke and that I couldn't afford to fix it but I did anyways cause sewing means so much to me. In return I surprised her with a rice bag. I made a visit to the fabric store where I used my gift card my daughter got me for Christmas to purchase the rest of the supplies I need to finish the lap quilt I am working on.

All of my kids will be gone for New Years Eve so I have decided that I will finish sewing up the quilt. Probably play the Wii for a bit and go to bed shortly after midnight. :) This will be my very first New Years alone so I am a little nervous but excited at the same time. Its a big night to be alone on. No one will be here to kiss me at midnight ... not like that has happened in years lol but I have had friends or kids to hug before. I am sure I will cry ... I always do. Don't know why ... guess I am just an emotional person that way. :)

I am off to waste some time playing games on the internet cause I can. :) Thank you again for the kind compliments. Opening up is so hard for me as there is the fear of rejection, hurt, and many other things but I am learning that by not opening up I am missing out on letting people help me and comfort me and just be there to listen when I need it. :)

OH OH and not my good news but I have to share cause I am excited. While I was on the phone today with my mom my step dad said something to her I couldn't hear. I then hear her exclaim very loudly in my ear. "PRAISE THE LORD! Thank you Jesus!" I love my mom. My step dad had just gotten a phone call from his old job that he was laid off from over a year ago asking him to come back to work TOMORROW morning. So awesome for my mom and step dad as they have been really struggling with him finding a permanent job. My mom has been working at a mall kiosk trying to make a little money for them. I am beyond happy that things are turning around for them. It also gives me a little more faith and hope. :)

Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish. ~John Quincy Adams

How about a Giveaway?

I spent my weekend whipping up this super cute apron. I was going to sell it on Etsy but I like things to be perfect if I am going to sell them. I feel this has a few flaws in it ... nothing anyone else would notice just me. As much as I love this apron I just won't use it. I've decided that one of my readers should have it. :)

All you have to do is leave me a comment with your favorite summer recipe. It can be a main dish, side dish, dessert, or beverage. My house gets way to warm to actually use the oven so crock pot recipes are a huge hit with me. Anything frozen makes the kids super happy. Once I see your comment you will be entered into the drawing. That simple! Don't have a good recipe or just want an extra chance at winning? Simple ... just tweet about this post. :) Winner will be determined by a random number generator. Oh I guess I should mention you have until Saturday night 9 pm Pacific Time to enter. That way I can ship out the apron before I leave for Hawaii. :)

Thank you to the lovely Turtle for letting me take pictures.

There is no sight on earth more appealing than the sight of a woman making dinner for someone she loves. ~Thomas Wolfe

Saturday Snippets

Not sure I will ever get to sleep in. Even though I am not working anymore I am still up at 530 thanks to the sun in my window. I try to fall back to sleep but usually toss and turn for a few hours and give up. Three days of the week I have been tanning to get a good base for Hawaii. I decided that since I can't sleep past 8 I may as well take advantage of the Happy Hour tan time in the mornings. $1 a tan ... really can't beat that. After I go tanning I have been walking about 2 miles. Trying to get the running thing in there when I can but I thought I had a stress fracture so I took it easy for awhile.

Today I am sad that I am not walking. Mini-me and I decided that we needed haircuts before Hawaii. Have to look cute ya know ;) Mini-me got about 8 inches cut off today. I think she is in a little bit of shock. I kept my length but had layers done again as it was just to straight and flat for me to do anything with. Aren't you all glad you are reading my lameness today. ;)

Now I am just sitting here waiting for Mini-Me to get back from a massage (her friends pitched in and got her a full body massage for her 18th B-day). We are going to watch the K-9 competition when she gets home. We have a friend that does K-9 patrol and they will be competing. Should be fun to watch the dogs in action.

Besides that my weekend is pretty lame. I've blocked out that tomorrow is Fathers Day. In fact I forgot until about ten minutes ago when I realized that is why my Ex wanted the kids.


I will be doing some sewing and trying to get things listed on Etsy. I know I don't have a ton of readers but I am tossing around the idea of having a contest. The winner would get a cute item made by me. :)

Man oh man I missed writing. So glad I have time to do this again. Only to be interrupted again when we leave for Hawaii .... In 10 days we will be on our way.

I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions. ~James Michener

One Week

Wishing I had more time to write. One more week of work. One more week of school. Then I am jobless and homework free. I can then write daily again. I know that I need a job but not having one and being able to write daily and sew whenever I want makes me so excited.

I already have plans on what I am going to sew. Plans on what I want to write about. Cleaning will happen also as my house is a complete mess from not having enough time to tend to it properly.

Sad that I have to stop typing now so that I can go get my day started. Excited because that means I am one day closer to the things I mentioned above.

This was just a lame update from me. :)

The Future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is. ~C.S. Lewis

She's Crafty! (Again)

Have I mentioned how much I love to sew? I love when I make something new and it turns out better than I imagined or when I finish a project that I set aside because life distracted me. Last weekend and today I made some time sew. I feel so calm right now. Sewing and creating brings me so much joy and peace to my heart.

Of course I have to share pictures :) The newest project that I made was a crayon roll for two of my coworkers little girls. :) They came out so stinking cute ... I had another coworker ask if I would make some for her nieces.

Cute Cows

Cute Kitties

Today I finished up the quilt I started for my mom back in November. It was supposed to be her Christmas present but I ran out of time and then I set it aside because I was frustrated with not having enough fabric for the border. She will be here in 19 days and I plan on surprising her with it by having it on the bed that she will be sleeping in. I am so excited!! The reason I went with a Red, Blue and Cream theme is her birthday is on the 4th of July.

Quilt for Mom

Two more quilts to finish and I will be a very happy camper. I also have a few tote bags that I started and never finished that have been calling my name from the fabric closet. It will be a nice summer sewing.

Follow your passion, and success will follow you. ~Arthur Buddhold

I'm Avoiding ...

*Sigh* I have to admit I am avoiding things tonight. I know this is not a good way to deal with things but this is me. I avoid things when I am not ready to deal with them.

I do 4 different things that I can think of when I am avoiding ...
1) Clean
2) Sew
3) Drink a beer (or two and usually do #4 also)
4) Crawl into my bed with my laptop and pout

I really wanted and should of cleaned the house but it felt overwhelming to me tonight. Which would have led to me doing 3 & 4 and I am avoiding those things also. So I chose to do some sewing. Which really is a healing thing for me to do. I really can't begin to explain how sewing makes me feel.

As I was sitting in Church yesterday I was having a hard time concentrating. I mean like I feel a bit guilty that I could not pay attention at all. I admit that I was sketching out a quilt idea on the bulletin they gave me. My mind was every where but at Church ... I also designed an entire outfit for Turtle (she is 11) while I sat there. This is also where I had the epiphany about my "relationships" with Mr. Bend and The Jeans. Maybe God was trying to tell me something in his own way?? Maybe I just had a moment of ADD ... Hmm who really knows. ;)

Anyways I am avoiding and I am ok with that right now. I know that I can only avoid for so long and then I must deal with the situation and I will deal with it.

I will also post later this week what I have been sewing the last two days ... Just another idea I came up with while I was in Church.

To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom. ~Bertrand Russell

She's Crafty!

Have to love days like today ... I had a fight with the Ex when he came to get the kids and then I got stood up by Mr. Bend (will explain more about him later). So I was angry and I have nothing for dinner cause I was supposed to have a date. Mini-me never goes to the Exs house and she had plans with her boyfriend cause I was supposed to go out. :( Lame lame lame!! I decided to go to Target get some house supplies. Came home made a salad and put on my jammies.

Mini-me was a laptop hog ... something about school work that is due tomorrow. She has Senior-itis and waits until the last minute to do any homework. I think she lives in sweatpants now also. LOL Since she wouldn't let me use my laptop I decided I needed a fix.

Oh yes a fix is what I needed ... I have a major addiction. I wish I could say it was just an addiction to sewing but sadly I can't. Fabric, ribbon, buttons, thread ... anything to do with sewing. I can say that this addiction is at least healthy for me. ;) Not really on the wallet but I will not be dying anytime from sewing. I am glad that sewing does not turn my lungs black or cause cirrhosis of liver ... yes my sense of humor is very warped. Sewing actually makes me feel so much better and tonight it really did. I needed some instant gratification ... sex would of worked just as well but I am not doing that these days. ;) Normally I work on a quilt or a tote bag. I actually have like 5 projects going on right now. I told Mini-me this weekend I wouldn't start a new project until I finished all of the other ones. When she saw me getting out new fabric and the cutting mat she gave me the 3rd degree. LOL She is a Mini-me afterall ;) I told her to be patient and see what I was doing.

In about 15 minutes (cutting, ironing and sewing) I had myself a very cute purse sized tissue holder. :) I will probably give it to someone at work tomorrow. In reality I should be listing it in my Etsy shop and trying to make some money. Mini-me wants me to make them and sell them with my totes.

So there you go my secret addiction is out. Hi my name is Shannon and I have a sewing addiction. You can support my habit by telling me how cute my stuff is and how you want one. Hee hee