Grandma and Christmas

This photo is from Gram's surprise 90th b-day party. She was moved to tears to see her nearly 100-year old sister-in-law. :)

Almost caught up to current time. I need to take a few pics of gifts, but I really haven't had time to work on much of anything.

After my niece's birthday party, my son's birthday party and my cousin's baby shower, my amazing grandmother of 92 years passed away from a massive stroke. She waited to fully leave this word until all her grandkids had left the hospital room. While she was completely unconscious, I'm sure she was watching out for us. She passed quietly with only my mom and my aunt in the room. She was dearly loved by many, many people. I had the sincere honor of delivering her euology. Though I did ask for her help to get me through it without messing up or breaking down!

Gram would never have complained or inconvenienced anyone.
She remarkably visited each of our homes for birthday parties and saw the Christmas decorations. She also laughed and cried throughout the baby shower! We have amazing pictures of her glowing face until practically the day before she died! I am waiting for a few electronic pics so I can add them to this page.

This rainbow showed on the way to Grandma's house (and my folks' house) Christmas day.

Holly glasses from Santa. My dh LOVES to decorate and eat the holly shaped cookies. I think that's the only shape we made this year. We had a deal that I only had to decorate anything not holly shaped... LOL - worked for me!
Our tree. Yes, there is a strand of lights out. Of course, this week it is working.

Haven't seen my brother or his wife in quite a long time, but they were able to drive up to attend Gram's funeral. My hubby and me, then my bil and sister, then my sil and brother.

The three kids. Can you tell we are related?!? lol

Our furkids and pink-kids, as one of my friends would say.

Mid December

Getting down to the wire! I still have a bunch of Christmas gifts to finish! I didn't take pics of some of them, but I can sneak some later on at my sister's house. The kids had fun building forts...
birthday party still happened even though birthday boy landed in ER that morning... turns out he had croup. They gave him a breathing treatment and cough medecine. WE followed up with his dr later that week and got more meds for a sinus infection. Or course Mom (me) got it too and I'l STILL coughing!

My own pattern. Made it for my cousin's baby shower. It's based on our great grandmother's quilt from the 30's or 40's.

December

No photos from Thanksgiving, but we did all have fun! Early December had a Tae Kwon Do demonstration at a Mui Thai fight night. The opposit end of the spectrum was the final Christmas pageant at the daycare/preschool our kids attended. DS graduates from kindergarten this year!

Early November

These are actually from two trips out! I can't believe the weather we've had so far this fall!

I remember hiking here as a kid. Everything seems so much smaller now :) A friendly family with a huge dog took this pic for us.

Steelers Game

We bought tickets from a charity auction and went to an early season Steelers game. We had more fun before the game doing all kinds of goofy games! The Steelers did win and we had fun during the game too. The park is amazing - it was our first time there.

Happy Halloween!

It has been an eventful few months! October - started going to a chiropractor and, whew, it hurts for a bit, but I don't wake up stiff anymore and I can bend and twist! I just now started going every other week. The kids and dh still had their busy schedules too.

All the kids walked together with a couple parents. My dd and I made the puppy costume.

hee hee - I can never resist dressing up! My ds is on the left.

One baby pumpkin from our garden. I forgot to take pics when they were carved!

Tutorial - bag handles

I hope someone will find this useful! Although I love making bags, I loathe making the handles. I've tried various methods, bought "tube turners" and tried adapting patterns to make them easier. I finally came up with this. Basically, the tube is sewn wrong sides together. Seam allowance is trimmed (only if necessary!) and another one or two layers are added. The multiple tubes are pressed with the seam open. Then sewn to each other with the seam allowance sides touching. Voila! No turning, no interfacing (usually) necessary!

Pressing the seam allowance. I usually eyeball it to make sure it is centered. Sorry about the gross ironing board cover...

The cut strips need to be two times the width of your trim or top strip, plus two seam allowances because it's folded. My trim was 1/2 inch, co I cut the fabric 1.5 inches.
Stitching trim to the coordinating fabric. You can see the seam allowance peaking out a little. I should have trimmed it better. When I was done sewing, I just pulled any stray threads and no one knows the difference ;-) shhh - don't tell on me.

If the trim or second fabric piece are narrow, a serpentine or honeycomb stitch works great! It the pieces are a little wider, a great stitch is the blind stitch so you can catch the top and the bottom at once. I do both edges, then the back of the handles are attractive too. (no pic of that one here. Camera is on the blink.)

Trim to the length you need and attach to your bag as needed. Enjoy!

A friend of mine bought this fabric and asked me to make several bags for her. In addition to these, there was also a makeup bag and a "travel tray." I've seen the idea a couple places, but didn't have a pattern. I winged it and put my own twist on the style. Next up will be my tutorial on the way I made the handles.

Little gifts 2

...are most appreciated. We gave the workers each a little makeup bag and gift card to TGI Fridays. One of the four said, "No, I can't take tips." But I know how these things work. The gifts were for "their wives." Then, of course he accepted gratiously ;-) Plus, the crew chief had already accepted his, so I wasn't taking no for an answer - LOL. They were all very nice and kept everything very neat. I felt they deserved a gift for all their hard work.

Little gifts

A couple other bags that didn't make it past the door. Sold them to some friends. DD is asking for a strawberry bag for her, but she wants to keep the "fringe." You know, the hangy strings from the cut edge.

New Patio is IN

the loudest helper...
just a little nap...

Our new rose tree - supposed to be hardy to -5 degrees. We'll see...

Corner to the right as you look out the patio door. My baby peach tree. I love these blue pots!

Strike a pose! He insisted on keeping this silly picture. Grass has not yet sprouted and it's gonna be hot this week. We need lots of water.

Looking straight out the patio door.

A little pumpkin. This one has to be 10 lbs already!

An owl from a craft/art show. I wish we had the artist's name. Everyone sees this and wants one.

The other half working hard. Or is that hardly workin'? Patio looks small from this angle, but it's almost 300 sq ft and the glass room is 250-ish - Almost the whole back of the house!

Rain/No rain?

Ugh - Patio was supposed to start yesterday, but with all the rain, it was delayed to this morning. The guys showed up, unloaded everything and then it started raining. Sooooo, they packed up and left. Now the sun is shining and everything in our yard is dry. Go figure.

Makeup bags

Hey LG, fellow Goddess of the Universe! Here are the first of your bags. The picture doesn't do them justice - much prettier in person. I think it's funny I like your purse better than mine now. LOL! Still working on a couple more in a different print. Those should be done this weekend and I can mail them on Monday. Enjoy!

Random Pictures

Some of our new patio furniture. This is a wine bottle rack. Can't really keep full bottles outside, though.
Half of my DH's father's day gift. My friend made the corn hole boards and I painted them, Also made the 8 corn bags to go with the game. I'm still a terrible player!

My baby peach tree. Keeping it in a pot for now. It may eventually go in the ground after the new patio goes in.

More of the new furniture... chaise lounge. I made a total of 9 pillows and 4 placemats. All are out of sun/shade fabric from JoAnn's.

Finally, the bags that I made for myself to take on a business trip. I ended up with orders for a dozen more! Shipped the first one last week. I wish I had time to make them faster! I love this fabric!

Made this little bag from a pattern I found online... can't remember where - sorry! Gave it to my youngest niece as an Easter basket.

This one was donated to a horse rescue agancy for an auction fundraiser. The bidder paid $25 for it. I was super excited! The straps are my own design - I'll post instructions next time I put them together like this. The bag is from recycled jeans. That's what happens to old faithful jeans when they make you sit in paint!

Lots of pictures

...to make up for my absence. A lot has been going on around here.

The inside of a bag I designed myself. Sold this to a co-worker after she admired a bag I made for myself. Pictures of that one later.

Outside of bag

Tassel I made because I couldn't find one to match. I asked the lady at JoAnn's for the shortest piece I was allowed to buy... 4 1/2 inches - LOL. That's enough for 3 tassels!

A little makeup bag I tucked in as a surprise for my friend. She'll find it when she opens the package I shipped.


Here's a quick pic of the climatis in my backyard. We're having a new patio put in and the landscapers are also going to clear out this bed. Not sure if they will be able to save this plant - one of the first we put in 12 years ago when we moved in.