Floral On Top Wins!

Phylly told me to start with to put the green on the bottom.

I had 7 votes for floral on top and 4 for green on top.  THANK you for your comments!  I really appreciate them.

I really should make some cute Summer pj's with that fabric.  I would have to go buy more daisies if I do.  I could cut out two big daisies and apply them to a green top as pockets.  Problem is, I only like to sleep in tee shirts.  Cotton would be too itchy on top for me.  Solution:  Use the white knit I just bought when Phylly MADE me go to Hancock's and put pockets on it.  Total cuteness!  Even my sisters should approve of that.

So.  My sisters, as you know, think my frogs and daisies both look like pajamas.  Janice suggested I try denim.  I bought twill, and that is pretty much a denim, I think.  I am wearing them, and every time I get up out of this chair, they have at least ONE THOUSAND new wrinkles!!!

Looks like I made them out of one of those wrinkle dog skins.

Actually, I think my pants have MORE wrinkles than the dog!


The top is a Sure-fit Designs pattern.  I made it while I was babysitting my MIL's house two summers ago.

I really like it:  Bright and White and Print!  My fav.


One more thing, and then I have to dash to the oven and finish the BBQ Chicken for supper.

I bought a new purse.  I don't remember showing it to you.  Here's a pic of it.  BRIGHT, BLACK, WHITE and PRINT!  Never gets old to me.  It is Vera by Brighton.  I ordered it from Zappos, and it was on my porch the next day.  LOVE THAT!

It is a bit large, but it was the last one, and there weren't any smaller ones.  Believe it or not, I have filled it up!

Back to dinner.

I'll show you my green and bright green daisies as soon as I get them assembled.  Thanks again for your help!

Hugs, Joy

Whirlwind Weekend and Which Way Do You Like Best?

First, Phylly came -- then Jerry got home -- then my sister came to spend the night.  Sunday, we watched church and then went to Kingfisher to finish moving out of my MIL's house for the VERY LAST TIME!

I KNOW I took lots of pics and maybe even a video.  I'm going to have to check.  Hold on....

Yes!  I did make a short one.  VERY short actually, since I am down on my knees with Jackie!

ANYWAY,
busy weekend.

I finished the blouse in the above video just in time for Phylly to arrive for our Saturday play day.  Phylly had on her new Louise Cutting pattern blouse, and it is very special because it has buttons from one of Jerry's mother's blouses.

Remember how we sat in the floor and cut buttons off of her old blouses for hours?  These buttons were a PERFECT match.

 We posed together for you to show you both of our blouses:

My blouse is a Sure-fit Designs remake.  I've used the pattern before.  The fit is PERFECT, of course!

I purchased my FIRST border print when I was at JoAnn's the other day.  It didn't turn out as cute as I thought it would, but I did get a compliment on it when I wore it to lunch with Phylly that day.

ANDDDDD!  I got a compliment on my frog blouse at the grocery store the other day!

Phylly cut out pink pants while she was here, and then she wanted to go to Hancock Fabrics.  I KNEW that was a bad idea since I have no more space for fabric, but I couldn't very well tell her, "NO!", could I?  I thought maybe -- by some miracle -- I just MIGHT not find anything I liked that day.  The bad news is I DID find fabric I loved.  The good news is, I didn't buy near as much as Phylly did!

Just a day or two BEFORE our play day, I was bored.  I've been home alone for two weeks, and a girl gets bored when left alone that long.  I was out to lunch, and Hobby Lobby was right next door to where I ate, so I thought to myself:

"I should go into Hobby Lobby and just walk fast up and down the aisles and get some aerobic exercise.  I don't have to buy anything."

And -- really and truly -- that is what I was doing.  I didn't even get a basket.  But as I was walking by the fabric department this really bright fabric just SHOUTED OUT to me, "LOOK OVER HERE!"

I thought it wouldn't hurt anything to just walk in that direction, so I did.

The closer I got, the more I liked this fabric.  You surely know by now that I love BRIGHT colors and PRINTS.

I pulled it off the shelf -- grabbed a matching solid to go with it, and walked over to the cutting table.  It was 30% off, so wasn't too expensive.

When I got home, I washed it and pressed it.  THEN I had to ask Phylly WHICH way I should make it.  The flowers on top or the plain on top?  I decided to take some pics to help me decide.

What do you think?

This will be capris and a blouse.  I will be cutting it out next.  Hopefully, I won't have to wear this one only to bed.

I've got to finish my latest capris.  My sister told me to try denim, so I am.  It is a pretty turquoise.  I'll have them done real soon IF I get off this computer.

Hugs,
Joy

Second Chances

You know how Monopoly has those two little stacks of cards you put on the board.  One of them is called "Chance" -- IF I remember right.

I've decided I need to make up a stack of little cards called "SECOND CHANCE" cards.

When you turn the card over, it will say:

You may recall that I have a great grandchild that I am never allowed to see.  My daughter has been granted the extreme honor of being able to keep her IF and WHEN the other grandparents say she can WITH ONE CAVEAT:   She is NEVER to let me near the child.  That means if the child is at her house, I can't go there. If the child is there for a birthday or a holiday, I can't go there.  My daughter can never bring the child to my house.  

WHAT was my horrible crime, you may ask?  

I simply stated in one of my blogposts that my daughter and I are not allowed to see the child, AND I committed the unpardonable sin of posting pictures of my own great grandchild.  The other grandmother called me -- told me I was a hateful, horrible, vicous, vindictive person.  She told me I had NO RIGHT to post pictures of the child.  And she was furious that I posted "they must hate us" in my blog.  I understand she printed copies of my post that day, and probably following, and she has them in a file or on a bulletin board or maybe she builds bon-fires with them.  Not sure about that.  

Let me just say in case anyone thinks I am totally out-of-touch here.  The REAL reason we have these issues is due to the behavior of the child's Father.  I totally GET that.  Hence, the Mother's parents have custody.

I'm just thinking how nice it would be if that woman had some "Second Chance" cards, and she could give me one so she could see what a really nice Mom and Grandmother I am.  She doesn't have the slightest clue what I'm like.  She has never even met me or seen me.  Just sayin'.   

BUT,that isn't why I need a stack of "Second Chance" cards.

You remember my last post about the Professional Vet?  I told you how awful he treated me when I went to pick up Jackie after her doggy hysterectomy.  Remember the part about how they were OUT of 6-packs of monthly flea/heartworm stuff, and I had to go back and pick it up when it came in?  Well, the girl called me, and I went back in yesterday afternoon to pick up the Round-Up, or whatever it is.  I'm sure that is wrong.

You put it on the dog's neck once a month.

It is two days later.  I walk into the Vet's office.  One girl is behind the counter.  I tell her I am their for Jackie's medicine.  She asks my name.  I tell her.  She starts to put some information in the computer, and suddenly the Vet appears from the next room.  He stands behind the girl and LOOKS at me like he is trying to figure out WHO I am and how he knows me.  

I figured he was getting ready to tell me I was the dumbest customer he ever had.  I looked back at him.

Then he said the most unexpected thing to me:  "How is your husband doing?"

Thoughts raced through my mind trying to figure out how on earth he knew Jerry, and I remembered Jerry had been to him with our cat, Boots, just a few months back.  And I had mentioned to the Vet two days earlier that I usually don't stay in Edmond much, but my husband was having chemotherapy and we were here a lot more because of that.

I responded, "Jerry has had a few really rough weeks, but he doesn't have to have any more chemo treatments, and we just Praise God that he is going to live."

Then -- this very same Vet -- the very one that was so rude to me just two days earlier said THIS to me:

"Are you born again?"

I said, "Yes, I am born-again and Spirit-filled!"

He then came OUT from behind the counter and stood next to me.  He told me his sister died of cancer 2 years ago and she was only 51 years old.  I told him about Jerry's miraculous healing in 2008 and how good God has been to us and how the cancer is all gone in his body.

THEN -- you will NEVER GUESS what he did next!

He asked me to follow him to the corner of the waiting room.  He showed me a table with a stack of different versions of the Bible on it.  He said, "My wife and I have a little ministry.  We give away Bibles to anyone who wants them."

I tell you, my heart melted for this sweet man.  I felt so very bad about myself and my very WRONG opinion of what he was like.  Honestly, he must have just been having a really bad day the day Jackie was there for her surgery.  

It was all I could do to keep from hugging the guy and inviting him and his wife to come over for dinner sometime.

When I opened the door and stepped out into the parking lot, I looked up into the sky, and I said, "You set me up for that, didn't you Lord!?"  

How WONDERFUL that I was allowed a "Second Chance" to know this sweet man.

I've been sewing, and I have pictures, but this is too long already.  More tomorrow.

Hugs, Joy

The "Professional" Vet

I took Jackie for a hysterectomy Tuesday morning.  I don't know the Vet very well where I took her other than Jerry and I left our cats overnight there one time when we almost left town, but didn't.  Jerry took Boots -- our big cat -- to this guy when he got a mysterious hole in his side, and Jerry thought he was nice enough.

But YESTERDAY when I went to pick Jackie up about 3 PM after her surgery, I was shocked at this guy's behavior!

First, I just listened to the girl at the desk as she told me 15 kinds of pills I needed for heart worms, fleas, ticks and other malodies.  I finally narrowed it down to $90 extra for some concoction.  The girl told me if I BOUGHT SIX, I would get TWO FREE.  That sounded good to me.  She went to get the medication.  She returned with ONLY TWO.  She said they were out of the 6-packs, and they would have to order it.  She put the two "FREE" ones in an envelope and said I could take those with me.  THEN she charged me the extra $90 even though they didn't have the stuff.  Whatever.  I guess I couldn't have the "FREE" ones if I didn't pay.

So!  I have in my hand the little envelope with the two "FREE" vials in it, and I have a copy of my bill, and I have a little pamphlet to keep with Jackie's record of treatments.  I asked a few times where Jackie was, but I got no response.  After I paid $320, one of the girls told me she would bring Jackie to me if I would wait in this little room.  She put me in an exam room and closed the door.  Weird!

In a few minutes, the doctor appeared WITHOUT my dog.

Stupid me!  I had the NERVE to ask him, "WHERE is Jackie?"

He SNARLED at me, "If I bring her in here now, you will pay attention to HER and NOT to me!!!

I should have known from that introduction to never open my mouth again.

He started telling me that she was fine and that all went well.

I asked ANOTHER stupid question:  "Has she been able to go potty anywhere today?"

He snarled again, "OF COURSE she has gone out to potty.  Who do you think I am?  I have been in this business a LOOOOONG time, and I KNOW what I'm doing."

I explained that when I take her for grooming they never let her out to go, and I was just wondering if I should let her go BEFORE I put her into my car.  ACTUALLY, I TRIED to say that, but I wasn't allowed to finish my sentence.  He looked at me like I was the biggest moron he had ever met, and indicated that I needed to pay attention to what he was saying to me.

I shut up.

He continued, "I removed Jackie's uterus and her ovaries."

Again, my mouth just opened up and words came out because I forgot for a second I was his prisoner, and he may never give me my dog back, and I said, "Why did you take her ovaries too?"

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!!

I wished at this point that I had brought a body guard with me!

He STARED at me and snarled, "I AM A PROFESSIONAL!  I DIDN'T JUST START DOING THIS YESTERDAY!"

I whimpered:  "I, I, I just thought because when I had MY hysterectomy, I didn't have my ovaries removed, that maybe it didn't have to be done."

He went into a rampage and informed me in his "I'm the Doctor and you are a moron" temperament that if she had her ovaries, she would still have cycles, and she would still bleed all over my carpets every month.

I could not BELIEVE this jerk, and then he did something even more UNBELIEVABLE!

Remember the little envelope with the two "FREE" vials in it?  I had put it and the other papers on the exam table I was standing next to.  He looked at the papers, and he snarled, "WHAT IS THAT!?"  Then he grabbed the envelope off the table right under my nose.  "WHAT IS THIS and HOW DID YOU GET IT?!"

I said it is my "FREE" medication for Jackie.

"WHY is it free?!"  

I felt like a little kid in trouble who was going to get a spanking for taking something that wasn't mine!

I STARTED to explain that the girls out front had given it to me, and they were out of .........

He walked over to the door --  turned the knob and pulled the door open so hard, I'm surprised he didn't knock himself out.  He left the room with the door open, and went around the inside of the building to where the receptionist's desk was.

"WHO waited on Mrs. Bernhardt!?", he yelled.

He suddenly appeared in the doorway with two girls and drug them into the exam room where I was cowering in the corner from fear.

I wanted my dog, and I wanted to RUN out the nearest exit and never go back!

The two girls stood next to each other across from him as he stared them in the face and asked them WHY I had "FREE" medicine and HOW he was supposed to know that I had paid for it and HOW I was supposed to get the other six vials and WHAT INFORMATION had they put in the computer, and ...................  I was still there -- dogless -- on the other side of the room feeling so sorry for those two girls, I wanted to offer them a job for my company.  Beyond belief!

Somehow, I finally got Jackie and left there.  The darling girl that had helped me at first walked out to the car with me to help me with Jackie.  I had to lift Jackie into the car because she was half asleep still.  On the way home she threw up bright yellow stuff in a pile on the towel in the back seat.  Thank goodness I had the towel there.  The towel AND the bright yellow stuff are on their way to the dump to spend the rest of their lives together!  I called the girl at the Vet's to inquire about her throwing up.  They said it wasn't anything to worry about, so I didn't.

I'll tell you one thing, if it HAD been something to worry about, I would have taken her to a different Vet to find out what to do about it.

So Jackie walked around -- if at all -- like a drunk all last evening.  She was better this morning, and almost back to normal tonight.  I'm so glad she doesn't have to go back for a post-op to that jerk.

Back soon with my latest creations.  WARNING!  I bought another print for capris.  It is BRIGHT and BOLD, and I love it.  I may end up with a lot of pajamas before this Summer is through.

Hugs, Joy

Happy Resurrection Day!

Jerry and I weren't together, but I had a very pleasant weekend with my sister.  I invited her to come spend the night yesterday, and she came.  She hadn't met my Jackie yet, but it took Jackie less than a nano-second to fall in love with her.  My sister is really good with animals.  She used to have a giant German Shepherd named Amy.  Amy would do whatever Judy told her to do.  Sit, stay, get in the car, get out of the car, wait, etc.  I had a friend, Mona, who had several big dogs, and they all obeyed her every command.  I've always been SO IMPRESSED by that, and I hope I can get Jackie to obey me like that.

We did listen to Matthew Hagee this morning talk about The Empty Tomb.  Always a wonderful sermon.  A reminder of God's awesome love for us and the choice made by Christ to suffer such pain and agony for us.  He could have called ten thousand angels to get him down off that cruel cross, but he CHOSE to stay there for you and for me.

What LOVE!

I have pics and some new garments to show you.  Maybe tomorrow.  My dog is outside barking at all the neighborhood dogs, and I'm sure the neighbors don't appreciate the communication.  Hold on while I call her in and put her down for the night ................

Here she is!  She did NOT want to come in.  She wanted to play "Grab the ball in my mouth, and every time Mom comes to get me, RUN, RUN, RUN!"

She is just shot by 8 PM every night.  I put her in her "bed", and she falls asleep in seconds.  That is where she is now.  Off in doggy dreamland.  She didn't get much sleep today with Aunt Judy visiting.

LOOK at Jackie with her head on Aunt Judy's chest!!!

Anyway, as I was saying,
I have made some more new clothes.  BOTH of my sisters say my frog outfit looks like pajamas, so I guess I won't be wearing it anywhere but to bed.  )-:  My new outfit was a huge hit with Judy.  She ooed and ahhed over the fabric.  The fabric surely does make a big difference, doesn't it?  No frogs and no daisies.

OH!  I snapped a selfie of Judy and me having my latest favorite meal at Applebee's.  Not a good pic, but you get the idea.  It was a LOVELY day.  Our waiter's name was Cash, and he did an excellent job.  I wish I had brought a chocolate Easter bunny with me so I could have given it to him.  He was so nice.

That is it for today.  Time to go to You Tube and look up some more tutorials on something.  Don't know what yet.  Phylly emailed me and said she gets to come over next Saturday for a play day.  I am REALLY happy about that.  We have so much fun together, as you know!

God bless all my readers.  Have a MARVELOUS week ahead!

Hugs, Joy

The AMAZING Jackie

Not much to talk about this evening.  My day consisted of vacuuming carpets -- going to meet Phylly for lunch at Abuelo's for the yukkiest enchilada I've ever had -- coming back home and shampooing carpets.

Jackie -- my dog -- was so good.  You wouldn't believe it!

I have kept a blanket on the floor in the middle of the den where we watch TV in the evenings ever since the first day she came to us.  All of her toys are on that blanket, and she actually keeps them there.  I knew I was going to shampoo the carpet, and I needed to keep her OFF OF IT until it dried again.  I pulled her blanket with toys on top into the kitchen and put it on the tile floor.

Jackie has stayed on the blanket -- in the kitchen -- with her toys the entire afternoon.  She hasn't gotten on the wet -- now dry -- carpet even one time.  When she comes in from outside, she goes to her blanket or to her food.

AMAZING!  She is such a good doggy.



I have her scheduled for a baby-maker removal next Tuesday.  For some reason, I thought she was only four months old.

When I told the girl at the Vet's her birth date was October 14th, she said, "That would make her SIX months old!"

Scary to think I do the bookkeeping for our stores!









And NO WONDER Jackie is as big as a horse!

And NO WONDER the girl at Petco looked at me funny when I said, "My puppy needs a haircut."  Surely, she isn't full-grown at six months old though.

That means she will get EVEN BIGGER!

 I should be able to put a saddle on her and ride her!

LOOK AT THIS!

I JUST snapped this picture.

The cream colored carpet is what I washed today.  You can see Jackie's blue blanket behind the red couch on the kitchen tile.  Jackie is laying with her nose right NEXT TO the clean carpet even though I am sitting right here a few feet away.  She always stays by her toys, and she keeps them on that blanket.

So adorable!

I've decided to watch Photo Shop Tutorials on You Tube.  I figured there were tutorials on everything else known to man, and there surely should be some on PS.

Last night I found a really great tutorial from a guy that calls himself "Info Puppet".  There is a puppet that talks.  Really cute.  The only thing is, the puppet seems to really like nearly nude women for his tutorials.  I was thankful they did at least have bikinis on!  I'm headin' back there now to see what else I can learn.  Photo Shop is absolutely fantastic software, and I barely know what I'm doing with it.  However, I know a whole lot more than I did when I first bought it.  I really want to know more - more - more!

Hugs,
Joy

Frogs, Daisies, Videos and Jerry Update

I haven't updated the family on Jerry lately.  Actually, he has been doing so good, there wasn't much to talk about, but that was BEFORE this week.

This is the worst week he has had.  And the sad thing is, I'm not even with him.  I just talked to him, and he said he has been in bed all day.  In fact, I woke him up at 6 PM.  Thank God he has had his last chemo treatment.  This one is definitely the roughest, and I suppose it is to be expected.  He is weak and all of his bones ache.  He says he hurts all over.  I told him he was probably glad to be animal-free and wife-free.  He said it was nice to be free of pets, but not of me.  (-:  I feel so bad that I'm not there with him to AT LEAST cook his meals and see that he drinks enough water.

And, you ask, WHY aren't you with him???  Because he INSISTED that he go home (we have two homes 150 miles apart) with his truck full of tools and lawn equipment from moving out of his mother's house in Kingfisher.  There wasn't room in the truck for me or the pets.  Even the front seat was full.  He was feeling good THAT DAY, but things have sure changed.  We close on his mother's house May 1, so he has to be back here with me by then.

And since I am at this house all alone, I have been sewing play clothes for Summer.  You remember the color-blocked blouse from a few days ago, right?  Wellllllllll, I decided I hate all of them.  I just don't like color-blocking like that.  Even the dress that Princess Kate is wearing today looks as though the maker ran out of fabric and patched it with a piece of white fabric.

SOOOOOOOOOO, I decided to use my SFD Dress Kit pattern for a blouse with a bell-shaped sleeve with godet inset.

I made you a video -- and You Tube picked the loveliest expression on my face for the intro!!!  I chose a different image, but it isn't much better.  Don't know what one you will see here.

Here are a few stills if you'd like to skip the video:

And here is the MUSLIN of this outfit that turned out cute too.

Another video another LOVELY face photo chosen by You Tube!

And some stills if you don't care to watch Jackie trying to get in the picture.  I really need to sew something for her to model!

Here are some close-ups of the applique.

I used the fabric I made the pants with to make the daisies.  The green stems are from a green knit fabric.  No raveling.  No satin-stitching!

And HERE is a very good example of WHY I SEW!

This white knit tee is RTW.  You can see in the picture on the left that the shirt hikes up in the front.

Notice in the picture on the right where I am pinching in a bust dart, that the front of the shirt becomes even with the sides.

AND one last thing.

I made a video for my friend who asked HOW I made the pictures of the blouse I was going to make and filled it in with the fabric I was going to use.  A reader left a comment that there is another way to do the same thing.  If I learn it, I will tell it to you.

That is it for today.

Pray with me that my sweet husband recovers quickly to his gorgeous former self.  I can only remember 2 or 3 days in all our married years that he has been sick with a cold or the flu.  This has been hard for him, HOWEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, both of us thank God every minute of every day that the CANCER IS GONE and he will live.

As I said, he is gone from this house, and I have been doing laundry and cleaning up.  As I picked up his shoes next to the bed, I said, "THANK YOU GOD that my husband's shoes are on the floor!"  As I picked his socks up off the floor, I said, "THANK YOU GOD that my husband's socks are on the floor!"  As I removed his jeans from the dryer -- folded them and hung them on hangers -- I said, "THANK YOU GOD that my husband's jeans were dirty and I had the privilege of washing them!"

I must confess.  I used to holler at him and say, "WHY can't you put your shoes in the closet and your socks in the dirty clothes!!!?  Now I look at them, and I almost cry because I'm so happy they are there.  What a difference almost losing the man you love makes in the way you see things.

The sick days will pass, and we will have years to celebrate!

Hugs, Joy

Guess What One I Made???

NONE of them!

I decided I just don't like color blocking -- at least, like those pictures.

I remembered an SFD blouse I made, and I used it instead.

I will put the outfit on tomorrow and take pictures.

Hopefully, I won't decide it looks like pajamas.

I spent way too much time on the blouse to wear it to bed!

Margaret and I went to dinner tonight at Applebee's.

Her eye that got walloped by an umbrella is looking much better.  She told me she didn't like any of the color-blocked blouses.  She said it looked like I ran out of fabric.  I'm so glad I changed directions on that project.

I'll show you tomorrow.

ANDDDDDDDDDDDD,  I have another question, my friends:

WHY didn't someone tell me that dogs -- like children -- get hyperactive and uncontrollable when they stay up past their bedtime???????????

Jackie is usually sound asleep in her "bed" -- which is currently the Laundry Room with a gate at the doorway -- by 8:00.  When I got home from dinner with Margaret, and Jackie had been in her "bed" while we were out, I ASSUMED she had taken a nap.

She was fine, at first.  She wanted outside -- then inside -- then outside -- then inside -- then outside.

Finally, I just left her out there for about 30 minutes.  It got dark, and I let her in.

She was MAJORLY hyperactive.  She could not be still for a second.  I reached for her, and she would bolt and run around and around the rooms of this house in circles.  She would fly by me going 100 miles an hour.  I would reach for her while hollering SIT - STAY - DOWN - STOP and she would just keep going -- around and around she ran -- kitchen to den to living room to hallway to kitchen -- over and over.

She looked like a black whirlwind going by.  I was a little scared.  I thought I might not be able to calm her down.  I was praying she didn't run into me.  She is big enough now to knock me over going that fast!

THEN I got the bright idea -- thankfully, before she destroyed the whole house -- to shake her box of treats and call her.  She came.  I still couldn't hold her, but she followed the treat into her bedroom and I put the gate up real quick.  She huffed and she puffed, and she ate her treat.  In less than a minute, she was out cold on the floor.  She's been asleep ever since.

BUT, I'm tired now.  I certainly am not going to run circles because I AM TIRED, so what is with the dog?!

Back tomorrow.  I'll show you my froggy blouse with crops, and a much calmer dog.

Hugs, Joy

Frog Problems and I Need Your Opinion, PLEASE

I had so much fun making these shorts/capris.  I don't like capri-length, and they aren't really short length, so I don't know WHAT they are.  I like them though.

This is a Simplicity pattern #2188.

Mine are about the same length as the ones on the pattern, so I guess they turned out the same.  The thing is, I SHORTENED mine by 2 inches.  Otherwise, they would be mid-calf on me.  Whatever!  I like them the way they turned out.

I will show you some pictures, BUT please keep in mind that I have been sitting in them most of the afternoon and evening, and my dog INSISTS on being in pictures.  WHY, OH WHY did I train her to pose for me???   She will be lying on the floor napping, and when she sees me get my camera, she immediately runs over to me.

LOOK!  I put my camera on the table and backed up for the camera to snap a pic in 10 seconds, and here came Jackie.

Here she is posing for me waiting for me to take her picture:

She is SO ADORABLE, and you can't tell by the pics, I know.  She OOZES sweetness!

Here are the shorts that I made -- which you have already seen above -- but here they are without a dog attached:

So, now, for the problem I need your opinion on.

I want to make a blouse to go with my new shorts.  Color-Blocking is all the rage now, and I really don't care for 99.9% of it, but I thought I would try to color block a top to go with the shorts.  I doubt I will ever wear the outfit anywhere but at home, but I want to experiment.  Maybe I will buy some more NON-Juvenile fabric and make this again.

I am going to make Silhouette's Sonya blouse again because it has lots of areas for color-blocking.  My problem is I can't make up my mind WHERE I want the frogs and WHERE I want the pink.  I don't want it to appear -- IF anyone was to ever see me in this -- that I am on my way to a Bowling Alley.

I scanned the line drawing of the blouse.
I then scanned both fabrics and plugged them into the blouse.

KEWL, huh???

WHICH version do you like the best, and you can't say "NONE, Lady, you need to grow up and quit wearing frogs when you are 63 years old!!!"

So what do you think????

I'm not sure I like any of them, and I am now thinking about piping in the princess seams and the yoke.

My sister called to remind me that Dancing is on.  It is Disney night.  The darling girl with no legs is crying because her legs don't work right for the waltz.  THANK YOU GOD for my legs -- swollen ankles and all!!!!

Hugs, Joy

Good Friday Evening and Look What I Bought Today

Hello everyone.

Just finished T-Bone steaks for dinner.  Gave Jackie about 6 bites.  I SWEAR, I could make that dog do ANYTHING for a bite of steak.  I had her SIT.  Then I told her to STAY.  Then I walked about six steps away and placed a paper plate on the floor.  Then I took one bite of my finished steak -- never while we eat -- and I put it on the plate.

She ran over to me.


I quickly picked up the piece of meat so she couldn't get it.

She ran back to where she was and sat her butt down.  I told her to STAY again.

Then I put the piece of meat on the paper plate.  She just sat there waiting for me to say COME.  I didn't make her wait too long, but she did wait for my command.  Then she ran over to me and ate her prize.  Then I gave her another and another.

I wanted to give her the T-bone, but I was afraid it would splinter and get stuck in her throat.

Let me see, what else did I do today.

Oh, yes.

I met Phylly at Louie's restaurant where we could barely hear each other without screaming.  Whoever built that restaurant didn't want to waste money on acoustics, evidently.  It is such a nice place except for that.

After that, I went back to Pearle Vision for the THIRD time to get my new glasses.  I am wearing them now, and they keep slipping down my nose like it was a downhill slide.  I suppose I will have to go back for the FOURTH time tomorrow.  AARRGGHH!!!

Then I noticed that Hobby Lobby was across the street from Pearle Vision.

And then a thought jumped right into my mind:  "They carry fabric at Hobby Lobby!"

You won't believe what fabric I purchased.  I thought it was absolutely adorable for a pair of shorts or capris with a matching top.  I'm going to run and take a picture for you.  HOLD ON............

And DON'T LAUGH!

I really LOVE this, and I really am going to wear it.

And I purchased the pink below for the inside of the pockets and the trim on the shorts/capris and top.    And, of course, I ran back to the jewelry department and bought pretty green beads to match.

Hope to have it all done this weekend, but don't hold your breath.

I'm not at all "into frogs", but I love the colors in this, and we do have two ponds on our land.  I can be the Crazy Frog Lady of Stonebrook.  I've been called worse.

Hey!

I just got an idea.  I could take that frog on the Lily Pad and digitize it.  Then I could embroider it onto the solid pink fabric and make a sleeveless top.

By jigs!  I'm going to do it!  Good thing I always bring my dongle.

WHAT is a dongle?  It is a little doohickey that I have to plug into the USB port on my computer so the computer REALIZES that I am not a software thief, and I really did pay thousands of dollars for the embroidery software that I need to digitize this frog.

Jackie, the wonder dog, is down for the night.  We enjoy her so much.  She has more toys than I bought for my grandchildren when they were little!  I spent $175 at Petco today for a grooming kit and the attachments to go with it.  I can see me chasing her all over the back yard trying to cut her hair.  That should be fun!

Time to go.

Enjoy your weekend.  Phylly is coming in the morning, and we are going to Hancock's for our ONE MILLIONTH fitting class!  We really will have to open our own school one day.

Hugs, Joy

You Will NEVER Guess What I Did Yesterday!

You can probably guess that I met Phylly and Margaret at "The Heath Bar" (really The Olive Garden) for lunch.  Poor Margaret had a bright magenta and purple upper cheek from being clobbered by a falling umbrella.  OUCH!

Heath was our waiter, of course, and he was at the top of his game.  I ordered something that wasn't even on the menu, and Heath went in the kitchen and MADE IT HIMSELF so I could have it.  It was awesome too.  I told him it was the best meal I had in my whole life -- and it was.  Shrimp-covered Talapia with breadcrumbs mixed with some deliciousness, fresh asparagus buttered and cooked just right and angel hair pasta with a light buttery-lemon sauce.  YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMEE!

Phylly ate a weird sandwich with gigantic meatballs in it.  I have never liked meatballs, so I wasn't impressed.  Margaret didn't even order a meal, so I shared mine with her.  She agreed it was very good.

When I came home, I told Jerry about Heath, my favorite waiter in the world.

Not the first time he's heard it, of course.

He just rolled his eyes as he always does when I tell him my waiter stories.

Remember the story about the waiter that actually FED ME my very first crab legs because I didn't know what to do with them.  I'm surprised Jerry didn't crawl under the table.  We were very young then -- compared to now anyway!

So, that wasn't anything new or different.  BUT, the day wasn't over.

I came back home, and I started to get into our work computers to fill out the Worker's Compensation report that has to be turned in every month.  No sooner did I get on the server, my daughter, Tammy, called me.  She asked what I was doing and said she wanted to go to a yarn store.  I said, "Come get me, and I'll go with you."  I have been crocheting lately, so I figured I could find SOMETHING to buy at a yarn store.

She picked me up and off we went.  We arrived at a cute little store in the elbow of a shopping strip, and we went in.  Tammy buzzed around like a bumble bee showing me this and that and something else.  I was LOST, of course.  I asked if they had a pattern for a crocheted top I saw in a magazine.  NOPE, they didn't.  I asked if they had a pattern LIKE it.  NOPE, they didn't.  They had mostly knitting patterns.

Then Tammy decided she was going to TEACH me how to knit.  I did not want to learn how to knit.  You know WHY?  Can you guess?

It is my genes -- and Tammy has the same ones.  They are those genes that make you buy every single item related to a hobby and find a place to store it somewhere in your already-full house.  I think I have THIRTEEN sewing machines right now, and I won't even try to guess how many miles of fabric I have.

Anyway, Tammy wanted to show me.  She asked for some knitting needles and some yarn.  She found a table for us to sit at, and the lessons began.

I was TERRIBLE.  I put the little loops on SOOOOOOO TIGHT that we couldn't get the other needle through them.

Tammy cracked up laughing and said she did the exact same thing, at first.

She pulled off all the too-tight loops, and I started again.

I tried to copy what she showed me, but the yarn was falling all over the place and my little circles on the needle were still attached as though I had put Super Glue under each one.

Tammy decided that I was evidently NOT going to be a Rocket Scientist of knitting, so she decided I should start with a potholder -- or was it a dish cloth.  Whatever it is, I managed to mess it up on the third row, and it is now awaiting my teacher's return.

This was really fun and totally new to me.  It is a twirly whirly thing that turns your yarn into a little ball.

Phylly is almost here for lunch today.  I've got to run.  Check back soon, and I just MIGHT have a dish cloth to show you.

Hugs, Joy