Frantic Friday

I have been vacuuming, dusting, putting things away, washing, changing sheets in guest rooms, ironing and other exciting tasks all day long.  Jerry has been on his way home for 3 hours.  The traffic is terrific since it is a holiday weekend, and Jerry never plans for that even though his wife -- who ALWAYS plans for that -- reminded him at least ten times!  Anyway, another 15 minutes is last I heard.  I decided if I come in and talk to you for awhile, the time will go by really fast.

And I need to add that I was doing all that work preparing for Jerry's brother to come for three days, and AFTER I did all that hard work, he decided he wasn't coming after all.  At least, my house is clean and my guest room are all ready!

I have been making jewelry -- taking apart jewelry -- making it again -- taking it apart again.  I have a problem making things look like I did NOT make them.

Then I see jewelry on TV that people wear -- or in the magazines -- and I think mine looks pretty good.  I think ANYTHING GOES is the rule for jewelry.

We are going down to the marina cafe right around the curve and down the road a bit for dinner.  I sure hope the place isn't packed with holiday visitors.  Of course, the people that own the marina feel the complete opposite, lol.

Here's a picture of the earrings I made to go with my daisy blouse.



















I discovered that ORANGE beads are as rare as hen's teeth!  These are seed beads.  I only wanted a tiny bit of orange anyway.










Here is the blouse, in case you didn't see it yesterday:

Gotta run downstairs to be ready to meet Jerry at the door.

I always do that if I can.

Have a majorly wonderful weekend.

Hugs, Joy

Sure-fit Designs Maxi and Cutting Line Designs Jacket and Top

I actually did a short video of all three of my latest creations.

#1:  The Royal Blue Jacket, Cutting Line Designs "A New Dimension

Don't you LOVE my doggy?!

#2:  The Daisy Top, Cutting Line Designs "Anything but Ordinary"

It looks like I'm crying.  Good grief!  Could You Tube pick a more awful shot.  I am showing you how the tab at the shoulder unbuttons.  I'm really happy with it, lol.

NOTE:  I picked a terrible place to do this video.  The camera is focusing on those red baskets on the quilt, and you can't even tell there are DAISIES all over my blouse.  You can see them below.

Here are a few stills of ABO:

The daisy fabric is from Gorgeous Fabrics.  It seems to have faded already from dark navy to dusty navy.  Oh, well, it matches my dusty house covered with dog hair from my "non-shedding" dog.

#3:  The Sure-fit Designs Maxi Dress

And I DO hope my head isn't cut off in the whole thing.  At least, the dress shows.  Another lovely pose chosen by You Tube.  I look like a wind-up doll!

Here are a few stills of this dress.  I really like it.  I am making jewelry now that makes it look NOT dressy.  I don't like "dressy" on me.  I figure some clunky colored beads will tone it down.  Either that or it will look like I am really bad at making jewelry!

 I am showing you the side vent here.

Sure didn't do a very good job of that did I?

The earrings look fancy, but they are NOT.  They are just plastic beads.

I may try a belt with this.  I doubt it will look good, however, as it will fall into the cavern above my big belly and emphasize the part I'm trying to cover up.

You should have seen me when I was young.  Sometime I'm going to dig out a picture.  I USED to have a waist!  I remember working out at the gym and how embarrassed I would be that someone might SEE when the girl measured my waist and it was 25 inches.  For some INSANE reason, I thought it was supposed to be 18 inches.  I would be really excited if I could get it down to 32 inches right now so I could be 42 - 32 - 41.

I better get back on my DESM diet.

ACTUALLY, that would only make my bust and hips smaller, and the loss of inches on my waist wouldn't even show.

I'm going to work tomorrow.  I was there on Monday and smelled something horrible in the kitchen next to my office.  The aroma was drifting into my space, and it was gagful!

I asked the two darling new girls to come SMELL for me.  They did.  We got near the refrigerator which is only used by me.  I opened it to see if something croaked and rotted inside.  No!  It was empty.

THEN -- UNFORTUNATELY -- I noticed the corner of what I thought was a piece of paper sticking out under the frig behind the open door.  I stuck the toe of my flip flop on it and pulled it out.

I could not have been more SHOCKED if I had been struck by lightning!!!  Ask the new girls.  One of them has scratches on her arm, and I probably scared the other one nearly to death when I jumped up in the air -- screamed -- and ran out of the room!

The "paper" was a flat sticky trap someone had slid under the frig and it had a dead mouse stuck on it.

GROSS - GROSS - GROSS!

My scream brought everyone else into the room.  I'm sure they thought I was the biggest goof ever.  Tim came in and bravely walked over and picked the thing up and removed it.

Anyway, I will be much happier to be there tomorrow -- mouse free and rotten smell free.

Hugs, Joy

Hello on Monday

Good evening everyone.  I don't have a single thing to say to you tonight, but there isn't anything fun to look at on line tonight in the "sewing" or "jewelry-making" categories.  I've watched so many tutorials, I have to wait for someone to make some more.

Guess I could learn a new skill.  Hmmmmmmmmmmmm...  Wonder what I could learn to do.  I could start a crochet project, but what I can do is laughable compared to what my daughter and Phylly can do.  They both knit.

I will be so excited when I get my birthday scarf from my daughter so I can show it to you.  I can't believe she made it!  I watched her work on it one night, and I just could not figure out the movements of the needles.  She can even go backwards for a ways and then start again.

Phylly made me a scarf last Christmas.  It is really pretty, and I love it.  It is totally different than the one Tammy, my daughter, made. Actually, the one Tammy made could be a shawl.  It is the same color as my new royal blue jacket.

I cut out another Louise Cutting pattern this afternoon when I got home from work.  Phylly and I are taking all of her classes when we go to the EXPO in Fort Worth in October.  I want to be wearing her things when we go to her class.  I'll show you a picture tomorrow when I get it more together.

It appears I am now taking special requests for videos as my friend, Margaret, (not the one with the colander on her head) asked me to take a video of Jerry getting in and out of his new truck.  I did take the video tonight, but the sound on my phone decided to go on strike.  I have LEARNED that you can go on Google and ask any question in the world and get some kind of answer.  I googled "can't get sound with my Iphone videos", and a whole list of cures came up.  One of them was to blow into the hole you put the charger into.  I actually did that, and it WORKED!

There is one slight problem, however.  BEFORE I figured out you are supposed to blow into your phone as though it were a whistle, I got the bright idea to delete all of the photos off the phone because they were taking up over 2 GB of storage.  I thought maybe that was why the sound wasn't working.  Yes, I downloaded all the pics to my computer first.  When I click on the video of Jerry getting in and out of his truck, I get an error message saying I have to download QuickTime or the videos won't play.  I'll mess with that some more tomorrow, or just get a new video

SOOOOOOOOOO, hold on Margaret!  I'll get your video.

Jerry watches so many of those Alaska, Mountain Men, Naked People Starving, Ice People, etc. shows on TV that I think I could actually go hunting and know what to do.  I just watched some guy pluck all the feathers off a goose, remove the poor thing's innards, and then cook it in boiling water to eat in the solid ice surroundings inside a tent.

Yummo -- if you are CRAZY!

We watched some show called "Fat Guys Outdoors" (OSLT) last night. Three fat guys were in the Colorado woods for an ENTIRE WEEK. Their teacher -- trainer -- guide guy was able to feed them ONE NASTY FAT GRUB and TWO SMALL FISH.  That was it for the entire week!  I told Jerry they need to find a new leader for that game before they have fat guys dropping dead from starvation!

On second thought, maybe that is why they have to be FAT before they get invited to go with that guy!  They won't get to eat for a week.

Guess it is time for bed.  Maybe I'll have a new blouse to show you tomorrow, and maybe I'll press my new jacket and put it on, and maybe I'll finish my maxi dress.  Maybe.

Have a TERRIFIC Tuesday and have I told you lately how much I appreciate your comments?  Truly, they brighten my day so much.

Hugs, Joy

Blessings on Sunday and New Jacket

The sermon today was about Surviving the Storm by Rev. John Hagee.  Especially, the fiery trials of life.  He talked about how even if your life is as happy as can be today and all is well, all can change in a single second -- one phone call -- one slip and fall -- one spark igniting -- and suddenly you are going through a fiery trial.

I have been asking God for weeks, "What about those Christians in Iraq, Lord?!  Why aren't you rescuing them?  WHERE are their angels?  Why isn't the Holy Spirit in them stronger than the evil spirit in those barbarians who are killing them?  Why?  Why?  Why?

It is so hard to understand.

The desciples taught us in the New Testament about how we can stand on the Word and the promises of God, and we can overcome the devil and command a mountain to move, and we can have what we say. BUT, all those desciples of Christ died terrible deaths.  Why?

I don't understand, and it doesn't matter that I don't understand, because I know "we see through a glass darkly" right now as the Bible says.

I DO want to know what -- if anything -- I can do about it.  I pray every day for those Christian people in Iraq and Syria, and I pray that God will send millions of angels and will destroy every single warrior from ISIS.  I pray that God will defend and protect Israel.  I hate that America is like it is right now and doesn't make a strong stand for Israel or those innocent people being tortured for no reason at all other than their belief in God.

I pray that a strong Godly man rises up to take the helm of this ship called America before it totally sinks into the slime of sin and degradation of so-called political correctness and the refusal to recognize that our Constitution was founded on Bible principles and allowed for Separation OF Church and State -- NOT Separation FROM Church and State!

Anyway, Hagee's sermon is in there somewhere.

After church, I finished my royal blue jacket.  It is Louise Cutting's pattern called A New Dimension.  As with all of her patterns, I made a Small, and I had to keep taking it in.  She really likes a LOT of ease in her patterns.

Here is a picture taken of the jacket DIRECTLY OUT OF THE DRIER.  It has not been pressed.  I wanted Phylly to see it because we had sort of a contest today to see if either one of us could finish something.  I'm not sure if she did or not.  This jacket has to be pressed, but then it is ready to wear.

The button is SILVER, not gold.  Strange.

Gotta go.

I have to go back to work tomorrow and deal with some issues there.  It will be good to see everyone.  I really do enjoy being there, and I have to stop myself from standing around and talking to everyone all day long.

Have a MARVELOUS week my friends, and may God bless you all with health and happiness.

Hugs, Joy

How To Make A Helmet and How To Properly Dismount a Truck Seat

Don't you LOVE IT when you learn something new?

I know I do.

Today's post is rich with good tips I know you will want to always remember.

Here is Tip #1:

Say you have a really HUGE dying tree in your backyard.  You are a 68-year old woman named Margaret with a husband who won't ever step outside to help you.  For SOME reason, you have lots of money to take vacations, but you don't have money for paying a professional to remove dead trees.  Your neighbor complains that your dead tree is falling on his fence and breaking it, and you realize that you have to do SOMETHING.

You already HAVE an electric chain saw because you have been picking up broken limbs all over the yard for years and burning them in your little fire pit.

Your back patio is COVERED with them because you are gone on vacation a lot and don't really have time to cut them up and burn them.

You already HAVE a ladder.

You decide you can climb up the tree and use your chainsaw to cut the HUGE branches down -- and you ASSUME the branches will magically fall into YOUR yard even though they are hanging over the neighbor's yard.

The ONLY thing you don't have is a helmet, and you think you should probably have one for "just in case".

Now PAY ATTENTION, dear reader, because I'm going to tell you what to do.

You go in your kitchen and you find a hard plastic lime green collander.

Then you go in your bathroom, and you take the thick rug toilet seat cover off the toilet seat.

Then you go into your bedroom closet and you find a bright pink scarf.

Are you starting to figure it out???

You put the toilet seat rug INTO the lime green collander.  Then you poke the bright pink scarf points down into the holes in the collander so you can tie the "helmet" under your chin so it won't fall off when a giant limb falls and hits you in the head.

And you think I am making this up, don't you?????????????????

Fortunately, Margaret actually ASKED me to take her picture.

Check it out:

When Jerry and I got home from the restaurant last night, we found Margaret up in the tree all by herself cutting the giant branch with her electric chainsaw.  I could NOT believe my eyes.  We had already told her we would help her when we got home from dinner, but she wanted to do it before we got home.  If we had not gotten there when we did, there is no telling what could have happened.  Look at the circle around the two deep cuts she had already made.

Jerry is rushing to put his new saw together as fast as he can.  He is BEGGING Margaret to get down out of the tree.  LOOK AT OUR FENCE!  It is barely standing as it is.  We are here at this house right now waiting for the fence company to put a new one in, but they won't be here for another week.

Jerry worked and worked until he was exhausted.  He finally told Margaret she was going to HAVE to get the tree guy to come out and do it, or our fence would be completely obliterated.

I called the tree guy, Brian, first thing this morning.  He was here in a few hours to look at it.  He gave Margaret an extremely good price -- only $350.00 -- to cut it down and leave the branches in her yard -- at her request.  I told Margaret I would pay for it myself if she didn't have the money.  She said, "Oh, no, I can pay for it with my credit card."  Thank Goodness!  That near-catastrophe is over.

Now, here is Tip #2:

I SUPPOSE it is possible that all of my readers already know this tip, but just in case, it is of the utmost importance that I tell it to you.

You know Jerry has a new truck.

We got in the new truck this morning to go to the dentist where we both had an appointment at 9:00.  We drove back into our driveway about 11:00.  Jerry always wants me to get out of the truck in the driveway because it is a very tight squeeze once inside the garage.

I am still in my seat on the passenger side.  I open the door and Jerry says, "Joy, I need to tell you something, and I hope you will understand."

I say, "Okay, what is it?"

He says, "You notice that top-stitching on the edge of the seat?"

"Yes", I say.

He says, "Well, if you keep on sliding your butt off that seat, it is going to wear the top-stitching down.  I have seen this happen in other people's cars."

"Oh, really?", says me.

"Yes!  What I need you to do is grab hold of the handle above the door and LIFT YOUR BUTT UP before you slide over that top-stitching."

I KID YOU NOT!!!!

I just cracked up at him because it is SO LIKE HIM!  And people think I AM THE PICKY ONE in this duo.  I proceeded to grab the handle and hike my butt up in the air and step out onto the driveway.  I then told him to sit still while I grabbed my cell phone and snapped this picture.

Jerry is like this whenever something is new.

When the girls were little, we bought new couches for our living room.  They had bullet-proof velvet of some sort on them.  The salesman poked an ink pen through a sample to show us you couldn't tear the fabric, and it had some kind of stain preventative on it.

NEVERTHELESS, when we got the couches home, my husband informed the girls that they were to be sure to have their SKIN COVERED UP before lying or sitting on the couches so their body oil wouldn't rub off on the new couch fabric.

My daughter, Tammy, came over this afternoon, and I was telling her about Jerry and the top-stitching. She said, "OMG!  Remember when we got those couches and Dad wouldn't let us get our skin on them?!"

We laughed and laughed.

Amazingly, Brian, the tree cutter downer guy came this afternoon and cut the tree down.  Margaret wanted it all left in her yard so she can clean it up herself.  You won't believe the mess.

Here is what is left of our fence, and this means we can't leave Jackie out in the yard alone.

 And here is Margaret's back yard now.

At least, she won't be climbing that tree anymore!

Anyway, I am happy to share these two awesome, useful tips with you today.  I have to go though.  Jackie wants out and I'm not leaving her alone.

Hugs, Joy

Play Day and New Truck Story

Whew!  Did we JUST have a weekend???

This was a fast and busy one.  I don't think I accomplished anything once Phylly left on Saturday at 12:30. She helped me so much with my maxi dress.  I had to rip out some stitches, and with contacts in AND a pair of reading glasses on top, I could NOT see the white thread buried in the white waffle stitches of the fabric.

Phylly took OFF her glasses and said, "Give that to me."  She ripped all that stitching out with no glasses!

Jackie goes bonkers whenever Phylly is here.

I WISH I had a video camera set up when she arrived.  I was in the back of the house, and Phylly came in the unlocked front door.

She was standing there on the wood floor when Jackie came FLYING FULL SPEED out of the back of the house.

When Jackie hit the wood floor, she slid clear across the room and nearly knocked Phylly down.

Phylly said Jackie stopped JUST as she got to where she was.

Here is Phylly spoiling my dog.

Jerry arrived right after noon, and we had plans to go look at trucks. I had been begging him for months to PLEASE buy a new truck.  His truck is 12 years old and has 125,000 miles on it.

PLUS, the air conditioner vent on my side is frozen and I can't turn it to blow away from my face.  That is a VERY SERIOUS problem, don't you agree?  He didn't.

So Phylly went home and Jerry and I headed out for the DREADED truck shopping event.  I HATE shopping for vehicles because of the salesmen and the dealerships.  They STALK you, and once they catch you, you are like a spider in their web.

FORTUNATELY, a darling 20 something black man flagged us down.  His name is Douglas.

We were driving down the looooooooong row of trucks, and Douglas was on foot trying to catch up with us.  I felt terrible for him because it was 100 degrees out there.  I asked Jerry to stop and AT LEAST tell him he didn't need help.  Jerry said he should be able to figure that out.  Jerry kept driving and Douglas stepped up his pace to a trot.  Jerry STILL would not stop.  We got to the end of the row, and there was no place to turn around, so Jerry had to BACK the whole way out of the long row we had driven down.  We passed poor Douglas on the way who had ALMOST reached us.  I INSISTED that Jerry stop and talk to him.

Jerry stopped.  Douglas said, "Is there ANYTHING I can help you with, Sir?"  Jerry said, "No!"  Douglas said he would be more than happy to show Jerry exactly what he was looking for and could save him some time.  Jerry said, "No!"

I poked Jerry in the ribs from the passenger seat and said, "LET HIM HELP YOU!!!"

Jerry told him he just wanted to look around by himself, and Jerry took off for the next row of trucks which was way in the back on a big dirt hill.  Poor Douglas!  I was watching him.  He walked all the way back to the main building and he got a golf cart!  Cracked me up.  I thought he was cute, so he wasn't bothering me, and I wanted to help him for his hard work and persistence.

I told Jerry, "He is coming after you in a golf cart!"

He followed us all the way to the back of the lot where dozens of new Ram trucks were parked side by side.  I was THRILLED he was there because I wanted a ride in the golf cart to the bathroom.

Douglas was ADORABLE.  Said he was looking for a girlfriend, but he couldn't find one who could cook.  I told him, "Good luck with that!"

He talked about his Mom and his sister.  He said his Mom sewed all the time and she made him pants because he is so tall.  We talked like we had known each other forever.

HOURS and HOURS later, Jerry and I chose the truck we liked the best.

THEN came the worst, most horrible, yukky part.  The part where you go inside -- sit in a chair at a desk -- tell the salesman, "Yes, I'll have a bottle of water", -- and then they play the "let me talk to my Manager" game -- and the salesman goes back and forth and back and forth and back and forth to talk to some mysterious HIDDEN Manager.

Now, I have played this game MANY times in the past, and I know all about it.  I tell the salesman right up front that I DON'T WANT TO PLAY!  The salesman always thinks I'm in the way and Jerry is in charge, so they ignore me.

Now Jerry is COMPLETELY and totally aware that we are going to walk out at some point, and he knows I'm going to get up and he is going to follow me.  It is like "good cop - bad cop".  They FORGET that Jerry would have run them down before talking to them, and I was the one who was nice to them.

They ignore me UNTIL I stand up, get my purse and my husband, and we WALK OUT!

Yep.  Have done it many times.

Poor Douglas!  He had spent over 7 hours with us, and we were WALKING OUT!  He was in a panic.  I KNEW we would buy the truck, and he would make his commission, but poor Douglas didn't know it.

We hadn't walked 10 steps outside into the parking lot when the mysterious Manager came RUNNING out hollering, "Jerry and Joy, PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZE don't leave!"

I thought he was going to cry.  His face was all red.

Anyway, I'll spare you any more details.  We bought the truck, and Douglas was happy, and we are happy.

Here is a picture of Jerry's new truck:

It has all the bells and whistles invented to date.  Jerry is so happy, he keeps coming over and hugging me!

Gotta go.  He will be home soon.  I think we need to take the new truck to Olive Garden for spaghetti.  And, no, I didn't get my maxi dress done.  I am putting buttonholes and buttons on the blouse though.

Hugs, Joy

Video of My Day w/Friends and New Blouse

This is Friday and I have gone from one house to the other today.  I will be here for at least a week -- maybe longer -- and Jerry will be coming to join me tomorrow.

I met Phylly and Margaret for lunch today which I talk about in the video, but here is a picture I asked the waitress to take.  We are trying to get our arms around each other but the seating positions aren't cooperating!

That is Phylly behind me and across from us is our dear friend, Margaret.  Margaret's son is a Senator here in Oklahoma.  She knocked on my front door one day to ask me where I got the curtain covering the large glass on my front door.  I grabbed her and pulled her inside and we started talking like we had known each other since childhood.  I made a curtain to cover up the large glass insert in her front door, and it is still there, but she has moved.  Fortunately, she is only a mile away.

And here is the video where I tell you all about my day and show you the blouse I whipped up in 3 hours today.

And Jackie is already in bed.

I didn't have the doggie gate because I forgot to grab it from my other house, so I have just closed the door to her room.  She doesn't seem to mind.  She is SOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD!

I am in my jammies and on my way to a recliner.

Have a FABULOUS weekend my friends.  I understand it will be a cool 100 degrees here tomorrow.

Thank God for Air Conditioning!












Hugs, Joy

Birthday Gifts Made and Received with Video

This was a really good day for so many reasons.

Things at our store our rockin' and rollin' along just great since I hired the two new girls.  We all really like them because they learn fast and work hard.  A business is only as good as its employees, and we are very blessed to have the VERY BEST!  Some have been with us over 10 years.

So, I'm really happy about that, BUT I'm also happy because I got a surprise package from Phylly today for my birthday.  She always surprises me with the most useful and thoughtful things.  I made a video to show you what she sent me, but I start out showing you a necklace and earrings I made as a gift for someone else.

It is just five minutes because this is where the internet upload speed is so slow that by the time your video is uploaded, you have forgotten what is on it!

Oh, I do remember you can see the huge spot on my cheek.  It was a tiny red spot until I had it lazered a few days ago for the 4TH time!  It looks worse for several days, but in a few weeks, it should be totally gone.  As painful as the lazer treatment was, it BETTER go away!

Yesterday was my sister Janice's birthday.  I have tried to call her twice, emailed her, and sent her a card that she can't open for some reason, so let me say here just in case she happens to check my blog:

 I did already send her some special request jewelry.  Can't remember now if I've showed it to you or not.  Oh yeah, it was the silver, purple and red lariat necklace and two bracelets.

Better go.  Preparing to go back to my other house to complete some unfinished business there and, of course, to see my friends.  Jerry will be joining me in a few days. 

HOORAY for really fast internet there!  

Hugs, Joy

Lazer, Bugs and My Latest SFD Dress

I'm here.  Just a bit tired these days.  I'm thinking my hormones may have dropped down another few degrees on the hormonometer.  I can go to sleep at 9 PM and sleep until 7 PM and when I get up, I feel like I would rather go back to bed than conquer the day.  That HARDLY EVER happens to me.  I am usually on full battery power all the time unless I'm sleeping.

Then again it COULD BE the allergy meds I keep popping to stop my nose from dripping and my chest from coughing.  I hear the ragweed is horrendous in these parts, so that may be the problem.  The pills take care of the blowing-coughing-sneezing, but then I am half asleep.

Jerry and I had to go to The Skin Clinic this morning.  He had to see about a recurring spot on his nose.  I had to see the Lazer Lady, Peggy, to have the little spot on my cheek REtreated for the 4th time.  She had the lazer SO HOT today, I felt like I had been put face down on a hot grill when she got done with me.  My eyes had been crying underneath the protective pads, and I didn't even know it.  Whether it goes completely away or not, I don't think I will return for any more of that torture!

After that, I asked if we could go over to the car lot where a truck was that we had been looking at.  We only went when the place was closed, so we had not been able to open the doors to look inside.  I HAVE to check out the cup holders before I buy any vehicle.  So we drove over to the lot where the trucks were all lined up in a looooooooooong row.  I noticed just before we got there that a GIANT ugly grasshopper was on the hood of our car right outside my side of the window.

I KID YOU NOT!  That grasshopper had one leg up in the air waving it around!

Fortunately, I was able to get this picture.

We drove into the gate and wound our way down into the very back of the lot where the trucks were all lined up.  We WERE going to get out of the car and see if the doors were unlocked on the Blue Jean Metallic truck that we liked so we could look inside, BUT

Just as I went to open my door, I noticed a THOUSAND or more grasshoppers all over the cement.

They were everywhere we looked!  HUGE grasshoppers totally covered the entire area where all the trucks were parked.  They must have eaten all their children.  I read that grasshoppers actually will do that.

I guess the grasshopper on my hood was the GREETER grasshopper welcoming me to Grasshopperville.

Jerry and I decided we did not want to be attacked by huge grasshoppers, so we just turned around and headed out of that place.  YUK!

Phylly wanted to see a picture of what I am working on, so I took this very short video.  This dress is NOT DONE -- not even close.  It is just basted together to check the fit.

Since I took this short video yesterday, I have moved the bust dart down one inch -- taken it in under the arms -- and I have lots more to do.  You certainly can get the idea though.  WHY a Maxi?  I don't know.  I figure if I get tired of it as a Maxi, I can always shorten it to knee length, and if I get tired of it that way, I can shorten it to blouse length.  I may be wearing this one until I'm 90!

Gotta go.

Need to call the store to see if they can live without me today.  I came home from the doctor with Jerry so he could get his own vehicle, and neither one of us has budged since we got here an hour ago.  Sure is nice to be the boss at times like this.

Hugs, Joy

EXPO Classes Finally Announced! Are You Going?

Hey everyone!

Did you have a nice day?  I'm not sure I accomplished much today, but I enjoyed whatever I didn't get done.

You know that laundry that has been on my closet floor since last Saturday?

Well, I sorted it into a pile of darks and a pile of lights, and then I decided to wash all the new fabric I bought when I was at Helen Enox Fabrics with Phylly a few weeks ago, so the two piles are still waiting for my attention.  Fortunately, my husband never notices stuff like that.


I did receive about six new hard plastic containers from JoAnn's that I put beads in, and I spent a few hours cutting apart new beads and putting them into their little compartments.

HOPEFULLY, when I find a pattern for a piece of jewelry, I will have beads in every size known to man now!

It seems every time I see something I want to make on You Tube or Craftsy, it takes 50 of the ONE BEAD ON EARTH I do not already have.

Jackie got in really bad trouble this morning.  For SOME REASON she decided to tear apart the Shefflera (?) plant that was on the patio in a little basket awaiting transplanting into the big new pot I had waiting for it.  I hope dogs can't die from eating leaves on plants because she seems to love shredding them.  Don't know if she swallows any of them or not.

Her beautiful dark black hair is starting to look like salt and pepper in places.  I was so hoping she would not turn silver/gray as one of our other dogs did a long time ago.

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!  I almost forgot the most exciting part!

Phylly and I had an hour-long conversation via the speakers on our cell phones today as we planned what classes we want to take at the Original Sewing and Quilt Expo in Fort Worth, TX in October.

Are any of you going to it????????????????

We really like Louise Cutting, so we will take all three of her classes.  Wish she had more!  We will take Linda Lee's classes too.  I've already forgotten what else we are taking.  It is three days of classes and shopping.  Phylly and I know several of the teachers, and we always love to say hi to them.  I really like Kathy Ruddy, but that lady is SOOOOOOOOOOOOO unorganized.  By the time she FINDS everything she lost and she answers 100 questions, the class is over!  She FINALLY begins her class, but all the ladies have to rush off to the next class.

I made reservations for a suite at some hotel that has special rates for the event.  Unfortunately, it is a mile away from the EXPO.

I really like it when the EXPO is in the hotel so you don't have to drive back and forth, and you can go up to your room any time the mood strikes you -- or when you have purchased so much you can hardly lift it off the floor!

I have actually DRUG bags behind me and HEAVED them into the elevator!  One time, Phylly and I were making trips out to the car several times a day to put bags in it so we could go back and buy some more.

It is definitely some kind of incurable condition.

I better get.  Phylly is going to call soon so we can be the FIRST to order our classes.  Some of them can only take 20 people.  Jerry is ready for TV.

Hugs, Joy

Terrific Tuesday!

This week has been SO LOVELY.  Those of you who go to a place of business for your job understand that there is an ATMOSPHERE there.  It can be a friendly, inviting atmosphere, or a dark and gloomy one.

I was dreading going back to work because NOBODY wants the boss in their face all the time.  Believe me, I don't like it any more than the employees do, but when the Office Manager is leaving for an extended period of time -- 6 to 9 weeks -- maybe longer -- I have no choice but to return and grab the reins again.

It was really HARD for me to let go of the reins years ago in 2008 when Jerry first got sick.  Any woman who has to choose between her job and her husband, will always choose her husband.  How could she NOT do that?

So now, I am back, and all is well, and I am SO HAPPY, I am actually ENJOYING getting up and going to the office in the morning.

Heaven -- and all of you -- KNOW I have at least a hundred new blouses to wear.  Might as well wear them to work, and I am.

I have found that I haven't made matching jewelry for most of them, but maybe I can do some of that on the weekends.  BUT -- as I asked Candi before I left the store today -- WHEN do the employees do their wash???  I poured all of the hamper contents out onto the closet floor on Saturday, and they are STILL laying there -- or are they "lying" there?  I never did understand that one!

When I was young and 30 pounds lighter, I would work until after dark every day getting all the tasks done. These days, I like to sit right here in this chair with my feet UP and the laptop OPEN while I talk to all my blog friends.

And LOOK who wants to say high to all my friends:

She needs a bath and a haircut, but isn't she just ADORABLE?

I FINALLY found a pink collar that fits her.  One was too small -- one was too big -- and this one is just right.  No sparkles or studs, but at least, it is pink.  Maybe Jerry will quit calling her "he"!

Time to fix dinner.  I'm going to see if Jerry feels like driving 20 miles so I can test drive a truck I want him to buy.  His truck is ancient, but he says it is his FAVORITE kind of truck.  "Paid For"

Have a perfectly WONDERFUL rest of this week!  I plan to.

Hugs, Joy

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yep.

64 years ago today, I was born Joy Marie Clingerman in Youngstown, Ohio.  When I was three years old, my parents moved to Phoenix, Arizona so my father could find work.  When I was 17 years old, my father again moved because of work to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  When I was 25 years old, I met Jerry, and we have been married now for 39 years.

I received the best present in the whole wide world today -- seriously.

I had been SO WORRIED about something -- which is why you haven't heard from me in awhile -- and I was dreading going to work at our store today because I thought something terrible was going to happen.  I tried to handle it ahead of time by talking to some key people about what MIGHT happen because I wanted them to know it was the complete opposite of what I wanted.  They all felt like I did.

Please, please, please don't let it happen.

Jerry came up to me this morning as I was sitting on the bed putting my jewelry on, and he took my hands.

He could just see how upset I was.  He said, "Let's pray about it, Joy."

He prayed the sweetest prayer, and I swear, God must have sent angels out on an EMERGENCY FLIGHT to prepare the events of today.

Everything went so smoothly, I could NOT have dreamt it.  Hugs, and smiles and "I love you's", and where fear and dread had been -- peace flooded over and filled the space.

What was the best present ever?  Peace of mind.  I am SO thankful!

Jerry took me shopping yesterday.  He insisted that he take me to buy me something for my birthday.  I couldn't think of a single thing I wanted, but as it turned out, I saw a Fossil watch that I really loved, and Jerry bought it for me.  He took me to Logan's for a steak dinner, and then back home where I shared the leftovers with a VERY EXCITED big, fluffy, black dog.  It was a very nice day except for the turmoil going on inside of me -- which now, thank God, is gone.  Being a boss is so hard.  I would never CHOOSE to be one; but when you own the business, you have no choice.

I've got a meeting in the morning at 9 AM, and that means I need to get some chores done tonight.

I'll be back soon.


Hugs, Joy