Update on Sunday Activities

Yes, I managed to make some big progress on the Dorothy dress yesterday.  It really was fun to work on a wearable for the first time in awhile.  I still need to sew the zipper in with the machine, add the buttons, and add a couple of hooks at the neckline in the back.  I altered the pattern for the hem treatment and used a bit of eyelet lace to look like a slip under her dress.  The pattern is Simplicity 4139.  Alexandra thinks I’m magic because I was able to make the fabric look like the “real Dorothy” dress!  I know from my older two children that I should enjoy this short time when Alex thinks I can do “magic”. LOL

 

She received her first (preschool) bible at church and proudly stood in front of the congregation at church.  She can be shy sometimes, so I wasn’t sure how she would handle looking out at the crowd.  Alexandra was excited to see her name in “print” in the bulletin and inside the bookcover.  She carried it around all afternoon and we had to read the story of The Good Samaritan at bedtime. 

Today I need to get some business done on the computer and figure out which quilt to load next.  The Iowa City Quilt Guild meeting is tonight, so I’m also going to try and finish my jacket from the Jill Abeloe-Mead workshop.  I’ll post a picture when it is finished.

A Busy Sunday

Alexandra will receive her first bible during the church service today.  They are giving them to all the children who are starting Sunday School for the first time.  She has really been enjoying Sunday School and gave us an interesting version of the story of The Good Samaratan a couple of weeks ago.  The details may not have all been right, but at least we know she has been listening.

After we get home, I want to work on her Dorothy dress for Halloween and see if I can’t get it nearly completed.  I forgot how easy garment sewing was and have really enjoyed making her dress.  The seam allowances seem HUGE, though.

I aso need Craig to check a few of my measurements so I can release the hold on my Unique Patterns order.  This is a place that drafts patterns exactly to your measurements so I won’t have as many fitting issues when I make my garments.  My goal is to do a storyboard for fall and winter clothes and use the SWAP technique to start building a wardrobe that fits and makes sense and get rid of all the clothes that I hate, but wear anyway.  Here is an example of a SWAP wardrobe plan.

Have a great Sunday and enjoy whatever is keeping you busy today.

I’ve been Tagged…

Christine Olson has tagged me to post a “4 things you don’t know about me” list.  I’ve had alot of fun reading hers, but didn’t know how difficult it would be!  I’ve been working on this post for about a month… I just can’t stand that much introspection, I guess.  Enjoy!

4 favorite Crayon colors

Cornflower Blue, Orchid, Hot Magenta, and Outrageous Orange

4 Favorite Sewing/Quilting Tools

• Rotary cutter
• Seam ripper
• Calculator (I’ve been accused of Miki Math so it is really important for me to check my figures all the time!)
• 1/4″ foot

4 things you may not know about me:

• It took me 10 years to get a 4 year degree in Marketing (kids and life kept happening)
• I like to sketch portraits
• When I’m quilting, I always listen to my favorite music or NPR
• I love office supply stores almost as much as a quilt shop

4 jobs I’ve had:

• Worked for my childhood friend’s parents in their print shop.
• Sales Assistant for a pet store located in a Richway store (kind of like a Target) and absolutely HATED the tarantulas we sold.
• Office Manager in a field office for a hand-held computer company (where I met my DH!)
• Market Research Analyst for an appliance manufacturer.

4 television shows I watch:

• Grey’s Anatamy
• Project Runway
• Desperate Housewives
• Brothers & Sisters

4 musicians/groups I love to listen to:

• Saffire: The Uppity Blues Women
• Madeleine Peyroux
• Michael Bublé
• Dave Matthews Band

4 hobbies:

• Sewing and Quilting
• Stained Glass
• Graphic Design
• Researching things on the Internet

4 places I’ve lived:

• Titusvulle, Florida (My Mom and Dad worked at the Space Center)
• West Palm Beach, Florida
• Monterey, California
• Charlotte, North Carolina

4 favorite foods:

• Beef - Steak in particular
• Homemade Tacos
• Swiss Cake Rolls
• Potatoes of any kind

4 websites I visit:

• www.mqresource.com
• www.patternreview.com
• www.secretsof.com
• www.knittinghelp.com 

4 favorite family memories 

• Trying to get the springhorse assembled for my 23-year-old daughter, Amber, for her second Christmas.  I was seperated from my first husband and trying to find the Christmas spirit during a very tough time in my life.  I had moved back in with my Mom and she helped make sure Amber had a good Christmas by buying her a springhorse.  We were trying to be quiet so she wouldn’t come out and see her Santa gift, but we were fighting so hard with the springs to get the thing assembled correctly.  I’m not sure exactly how we managed to get that thing together, but Mom and I ended up rolling on the floor laughing at our efforts until we cried!
• Our first family vacation when we visited the Wisconsin Dells and Noah’s Ark waterpark.
• Visiting my Grandparents and playing with my Grandfather in his backyard when I was a kid.  I miss you, Grandpa.
• Visiting the North Carolina mountains with my son, Ryan.  Any of our trips there together is a favorite memory, but most recently we went and visited Linville Caverns.  Craig, Ryan, Alexandra and I were on that trip.  After going through the caverns, Craig, Alex, and I were exploring the gift shop and Ryan went out to explore the mountain stream.  I went out to find him and let him know we were ready to hit the road and there he was… my strong manly, man son…  hanging out with some butterflies at the edge of the stream.  Gosh, I love that kid!

Hello All!

Hey everyone, welcome to our blog.  I have to admit, I am not an avid blogger (as you can tell since this is my first entry) but I’ll do my best to post when I have something noteworthy to say.  I don’t keep a diary and never journaled so this doesn’t come naturally for me.

 The retreat was a blast and it is great to get together with friends to sew.  Don’t be afraid to plan your own getaway; it really refreshes the mind and soul.  I wonder who that goofy birthday princess is?  It’s a good thing that what happens at Rosie’s stays at Rosie’s….for my sake.

 My daughter called and I think she is close to deciding where and when her wedding will take place.  She is thinking June 2008 in Prairie du Chien where we have our summer home.  If she doesn’t decide soon, it will be more like June 2009.  We’ll be checking out venues this weekend.

 I’m going to close and get at least one hour of sewing in before bed.  I hope you have had at least an hour to create today.

Go Cardinals!

Q: What’s Worse than Shopping for Jeans or a New Bathingsuit?

A: Shopping for new bras with a 4-year-old.

About this picture: We were on our summer vacation.  She put on my swimsuit and said I had to wear hers! It wouldn’t fit my big toe! LOL.

 Alexandra needed some physical play and it was just too hot out today so we went to the local mall to play in the children’s area. 

 She had to take a potty break so we went through Dillard’s and I saw an amazing sale on bras.  We took a look after taking care of her nature call. 

Can I just say that stores should have their air conditioning on high during the hot Iowa summer?  The dressing room was stuffy.  I was trying to hurry so Alex could get back to playing.  Also, the dressing room was in demand by other hot women with children. 

As I was trying on the third bra, I couldn’t get it pulled around to the front because I was working up a sweat.  Alex was dancing around the room and I was sure I was going to hit her with an elbow as I was wrestling with the bra - aka sticky rubber band.  I thought I was doing OK with keeping my cool and not telling her to STOP jumping up and down with a lacy number on her head when she did it… she jumped in front of me, gave me an angelic grin, and poked me in the belly button.  Hard.  I had managed to get stuck half in/half out of bra 5 when she did this.  I didn’t know if I should laugh or yell, so I did a little of both. 

She knew she was being a stinker so she didn’t take it badly.  I guess I got what I deserved for taking time away from her play to shop. 

I promise to get back to quilting so I can post about something more interesting.  Thanks for listening to me ramble.

What will they think of next?

I spent some time today helping a friend with her new Intelliquilter.  I am in such LUST for one of these now!  In the past I thought… I would never want to quilt any way except freehand, but… Wow!  Now I can imagine myself designing a pattern and quilting it with computerized precision.

 Just keep telling myself… get out of debt, don’t go into it deeper.  So, for all you computerized longarm system owners - Enjoy it for me, OK?

We had a nice and quiet evening having my in-laws over for dinner and a visit.  I’m a lucky woman and really do love my in-laws.  Dinner was great and sitting and chatting on the back deck was icing on the cake.

Have a great weekend! Miki

Swimming Lessons

Alexandra is my 4-year-old daughter and she started taking swimming lessons this summer.  She started Level 2 this week and told me that it is a little tricky. 

Isn’t that how it is whenever we have something new to learn.  The urge to expand our knowledge can be strong until we realize it isn’t going to be easy.  Keeping your eye on the goal is the secret to getting through the tough stuff.   Whether it is swimming, quilting, or learning how to run a pattern design company the secret remains the same.

I’m off to work on a customer quilt and tidy up my longarm studio.  More later.