Tired of sewing!

*gasp*
Can it be? Did I really type that? Actually, I just needed a little break from it.

I have been sewing lunch bags and market bags non stop since Thursday night. The bumble even hauled my machine and the big fan out to the kitchen to save me from heat exhaustion because it's only 738 degrees with 493% humidity in there compared to 962 degrees and 688% humidity in my sewing room. I so don't love summer. I am literally working in a sweat shop for pennies. It could be worse, it could always be worse, so I will stop my complaining. I picked up some wooden handers at IKEA and instantly saw them decoupaged with a ribbon, so I started on that tonight.
I hope everyone else is enjoying their weekend!
Stay cool.

I Rock!

It's true, I even have a badge!

My blog/Flickr/embroidery friend, Flor from http://unafloresita.blogspot.com/ bestowed me with this great honor yesterday. I was so shocked and happy that I actually squealed when I read it. Flor is so sweet and writes THREE great blogs that I love to read, I would easily nominate her if she wasn't already a badge-wearing Rockin' Girl Blogger. You all know the way these things go, I need to nominate 5 more Rockin' Girl Bloggers.... which is hard because there are so many more that I think rock:

1-http://oldschoolacres.typepad.com/ I found Laurie on Flickr last year while looking for a close-up of a horses face for an embroidery project. She lives on this great farm, with a beautiful family and gorgeous horses. Laurie is kind and sweet & also sews and embroiders which I find funny, it was like we were destined to meet. I also read Lauries posts on feelingstitchy.com

2-http://calamitykim.typepad.com/calamity_kim/ Kim is exhausting! She blogs, sews, and talks at 100MPH and I just love her. I wish I could keep up!

3-http://turkeyfeathers.typepad.com/ Vicki is the blogging anti-Kim of sorts; quiet, serene and peaceful. I love her life, blog, and her projects! This was one of the first crafty blogs that I ever read, needless to say I was hooked. Vicki also sells my favorite vintage embroidery patterns at patternbee.com

4- http://thehappyzombie.com/blog/ Monica is so witty and taunts me with such beautiful photos of fabric porn, her blog is always a favorite stop. I can't wait for her to finish moving to her new house, I wonder what trouble MiMi has gotten into.

5- http://mom-o-matic.blogspot.com/ Lotta doesn't know me but damn is her blog funny! I mean, seriously pee your pants funny on some days.

That's my list. You know I love all you other blogs but I had to pick only 5!

Here's how this game goes:-place the badge on your blog-give credit to Roberta (She started the rockin' blogger awards)-check out the latest list she has on her site-pick 5 rockin' girls of your choice and tag em'

Making a living

Remember William Hung from American Idol auditions a few seasons back? My big daughter, Sammy, got to meet him at a baseball game the other night.

He is such a cute little guy, I can't believe he is still singing "She Bangs" (he also does "Take me out to the ball game") and actually making a living doing it. Good for you William Hung!
While we are on the subject of making a living, my flickr friends may have noticed me crafting like a maniac lately. Well, I am trying to make more of a living......

........ trying desperately to not have to get a second job at night. Private high school is a struggle with one going in this year but in 2 years Gabby will be going too and that is going to kick our asses. Public school is not an option for us, this is what we are chosing and somehow we will get through it.
Selling at Etsy is not going to do it for me, I know this, but it's a start while I get some stock made. I know that people around here would buy this stuff like crazy but they just need to know about it. Hmmmmmmm, I need to figure this out especially because I am not very good at selling myself (that damn self esteem thing).
*sigh*
I'm sorry if you were looking for happy Carol today, instead you got hand-wringing-worried Carol........ she's no fun at all!
Check back tomorrow.
PS- Heads up........I may be changing my blog layout

Yay, it's Friday!

5 happy/grateful/thankful things for this week:
1-The Furminator. If you have pets, you need to try this, it will change your life. It's pricey but worth every cent if you can't stand fur all over your house. It removes mountains of fur from even my not-so-furry cat. http://www.furminator.com/
2-time being on my side during the past few weeks and allowing me to sew a bit.
3-ceiling fans
4-iced coffee
5-my oldest daughter empties the dishwasher everyday without being asked. This is huge!

This is hot off the machine this morning (before 7:00 am!)


Happy Friday!

Carol should

I saw this somewhere a while ago (I have no idea where, sorry!) and it looked like fun. Google your name followed by the word "should" and see what you come up with. You'll be looking for the words immediately following "your name should".


(the blue comments are mine)
Carol should:
1-Go on strike
2-Mentor Sarah (she's doing just fine without me)
3-Be wearing a nice linen “Passage to India” outfit (really?)
4-Take Sharon on (she seems so nice though)
5-Be a robot (somedays I feel like one)
6-Not indulge in name calling (fair enough)
7-Be liable to David (we're married!)
8-Come to terms with being one of those (a what?)
9-Have been fired (that's harsh)
and my favorite…..
10-be a required part of every household’s celebration of the holidays (I think I am already!)


(now Carol really should get back to work before she does get fired!)
Go ahead and try it, you know you want to. Deb, Kim, Laurie, Pauline, Flor, and everyone else reading get to it and let me see your top ten

I feel productive!

I've made a few things this weekend and it feels great!
I've also updated my Etsy shop and I almost have my nerve up to let my real life people in on it. Everytime I make something new for myself or the kids or give a handmade gift, everyone always say "Oh my Gawd, you should have a shop or something!". You guys know, I'm sure you get it all the time. But for me, with that comes some anxiety. What if it's not good enough, what if people hate it, what if it falls apart, what if people pity-purchase from me, what if, what if..... I have zero self confidence. Anyway, there have been a bunch of requests for lunch bags and dish towel totes from people at work and people that they know, so I am trying to load up the shop a bit before I let real life people in. I wish I had more hours in the day.



Last night my baby went to her first real sleep over and she lost a tooth! The Tooth Fairy is very creative at our friend's house. She always leaves the window cracked just a bit no matter what the season and leaves a trail of fairy dust (ultra fine glitter) from the window to the pillow where she leaves the money for the kid who lost the tooth and guumy fish for her twin sister (in this case, all the other girls). I knew that they had this tooth fairy ritual for years now, but what are the chances that my kid would lose a tooth last night??? I have some 'splainin to do, because our tooth fairy doesn't pack any ultra fine dust or gummy fish!

It was a good day!

My sister Debbie has been here for over a week and although we had dinner together twice I felt like we didn't spend any time together.... until yesterday!
We hit the road with her youngest daughter and my middle daughter and set out for a few hours of fun. First stop was IKEA. Man, I love that place. It is literally minutes from my house and I almost never go there. We saw a lot of good ideas for Deb's new sewing room. (I am only slightly envious) Next was lunch and on to The Guilford Craft Fair. The fair was a bit intimidating for us humble crafters. It was more like a bunch of serious "artists" showing off their work and slapping big price tags on it. Don't get me wrong, they deserve whatever price they can get but we were out of our league. It was fun, nonetheless, and I enjoyed the day with us girls.


I even had the time to sew last night.

It seems there may be some people interested in my lunch bags, so I am hoping to dig into my oilcloth stash today and tomorrow. Woohoo!

the happy, grateful, thankful trend.... I'm in

My 10 things in no particular order

1. My family. I know this sounds cliché but I really am thankful for them. There is a large part of my family that I would pick to be in my family over and over again because I really enjoy them.
2. Tivo
3. The way my brain and hands work together, giving me many talents.

4. Being able to see the ocean every day. I would hate it if I couldn’t.
5. Having a really tall husband (my bumble) that can reach almost anything.
6. Not knowing what it’s like to feel bored.
7. Topamax. After 20 years of migraines, I am almost headache-free!
8. I’m pretty sure that my kids will grow up to be good people. *fingers crossed*
9. That it isn’t 90 degrees and humid every day in Connecticut. Blech!
10. That Vicki at patternbee.com goes through the trouble of collecting wonderful vintage embroidery patterns and reproduces them so that we can buy them like new.

It was almost like being there!

My sister Debbie http://debnstuff.blogspot.com/ met up with http://calamitykim.typepad.com/calamity_kim/ for a day of shopping and crafty blogger bonding a few weeks ago. (something is wrong with my computer and I can't embed links anymore!) I must admit, I was a little envious. I'm not at the point in my life where I can really do anything on a whim or that is just for me...... but us moms must pay our dues until one day we become re-liberated and can go back out into the world and do just that. Lucky for me that I have a sweet & generous sister and blog pal that thought of moi and got me all of these goodies!

Some cards and a cute apron with my favorite trim!

Beautiful vintage embroidered items

Fat quarters

and chenille from Kim's stash!

Thank you both! It was almost like being there minus the cupcakes, shopping and fun..... ok, it was nothing like being there but I love my gifts. You were sweet to think of me!
We had a great 4th of July here yesterday despite the crappy weather and just look at this baby

She is the cutest thing!

whadda guy!

I can't say enough about Mr. G, our 8th grade teacher (I know... he looks like a boy!)
He was new to our school this past September, warmly welcomed as the only male teacher. Mr. G. came to us with a master's degree in history, a brief stint as a chef and played minor league baseball until he blew his knee out. The kids really liked him but accused him of showing no emotion at the end of the year when they were all sad about leaving the school. Well, This man proved the kids wrong and gave the speech of his life at Class Night. There wasn't a dry eye in the room including his own. Anyway, his graduation gift to the class and their families was a day at our local minor league baseball arena (where he used to play). We had the entire picnic area, food all day, a great game, hoola hoop contest, run the bases, fire works.... it was a great day.
Whadda guy!