Good Tuesday Evening from Edmond, OK

Hey everyone!

Here we are nearly half way through another week.  They truly do fly by.  We have had some issues this week including somebody running into a pole and knocking out our electricity at the store for most of Monday.

I had an employee give notice and nearly send me into major trauma, but I was able to talk her into staying.

Jackie got sick after eating part of a turtle, and we had to take her to the vet.  I think I told you that one.  She is fine now.

We have this new black, furry, totally adorable puppy that we can't resist picking up and hugging the guts out of 20 times a day.

Our next door neighbor called and said her back yard was a flood zone due to our water sprinklers, so we had to call a guy to come service those today.

But OTHER than all of that, all is well.

I finished the binding on the two quilts I brought here.  Josie's quilt is so cute, and she is sleeping on it in front of my feet right now.

And here is Mom's lighthouse quilt.

No biggy to anyone but, hopefully, my Mother.  She LOVES lighthouses as she grew up in Boston, Massachusetts near the ocean.

We head back home to our "real" home tomorrow morning.  I am anxious to get back to work at our store now that Jerry is safe and sound and able to do all things through Christ who strengthens him!
(Phil. 4:13)

I just snapped this pic.

Must be bedtime!

Hugs, Joy

God is LOVE and Jackie Meets Josie

Today is Sunday, so church this morning.


Pastor Hagee, Sr. preached on "God is Love".  It is one of those sermons that really confuses my heart and mind.

Of course, I KNOW God IS love.  He doesn't pick and choose who He loves and who He likes just a little and who He hates.  God IS love, so He loves everyone.

Can he hate?

Oh, YES!  Definitely!

He HATES sin.  He cannot allow it in His kingdom.  There HAD to be a sacrifice for it, or none of us would ever be able to enter God's presence.  Hence, Jesus.  Jesus came to be the ultimate sacrifice for us all.  It is the saddest thing in the whole universe that a man or a woman would not understand and accept that truth.

The thing I don't understand is ME.  I have always thought that I -- as a Christian -- should stay away from people who knowingly and willingly sin.  ESPECIALLY, those that call themselves "Christians".  I'm real good at pointing out everyone's sins too.  Only problem is, people always got the idea that I was saying I was perfect, and they were horrible sinners.  I did not mean it that way at all.

Can someone sin just a little bit?  Can someone else sin a big bit?  Can someone else commit the most horrible sin that you could never be in their presence again?  Can someone sin so horrendously that God, Himself, rejects them and won't love them anymore?

And WHERE does one draw the line as to which sinner they will associate with and which one they won't????  Obviously, NONE of us is ever perfect and without sin.

The way I explained it to my children and grandchildren -- not that they ever listened -- was that YOU WILL BE LIKE THE PEOPLE YOU ASSOCIATE WITH.  Do NOT date someone who is not qualified to be a self-disciplined, loving, honorable, Christian Father or Mother, because you will marry someone you date!  It is a whole lot easier for the sinner to pull DOWN the Christian than for a Christian to pull UP the sinner.  I have seen it too -- so many, many times.  It breaks your heart.

To me there seems to be DEGREES of sin.  For instance:  Things I struggle with personally are talking about other people (gossip), driving a bit over the speed limit, exaggerating a point or an event, or over-reacting to something to the point I hurt someone's feelings (usually an employee).

A horrible sin that other people commit in MY OPINION would be abortion; marriage between two men or two women; murder; rape; selling drugs; satan worship; lying; adultery; etc.  How many people do I know personally that allow their own children to live in sin right in their own homes?  A lot!

According to all the sermons I have heard, there is no degree of sin to God.  Sin is sin.  I have a hard time sorting that out in my mind.  But God -- because of Jesus -- forgives ALL sin, no matter how awful or how seemingly UNforgivable.  Hagee says God knew everything you were going to do before you ever did it, and he loved you anyway.

I can't start to understand it all, but I understand this much.  God loves you and God loves me, and because of Jesus, we will all be right there in the same City where He lives someday, and we can ASK HIM OURSELVES to clear up all the confusion in our minds.  I really have a feeling that we will just KNOW.  How else could all of us who can't get along here on Earth, suddenly live in perfect peace when we get there?  Our minds will HAVE to be transformed.

The thing is, there are people in my family that I don't associate with because of their life style choices.  One is a constant (what is the word?) liar.  One is a serious drug user and distributor.  They use filthy language and can be violent.  Not only do I not want to be in their life, they FOR SURE don't want to be in mine.  I love them though.  I seriously love them.  I pray for them.  And after a sermon like today's, I wonder if I shouldn't be in their life ANYWAY just so they know someone loves them.  It is very confusing to me.

Hopefully, you can find today's sermon in there SOMEwhere!

ANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNND, now!

I have a little video for you of the day Jackie met Josie.  It was just this past Monday.  We are head-over-heels in love with the little fluff ball, and so is Jackie.

And here are some stills of my first chance to hold Josie.

Jackie wasn't wanting to share Josie with any of us.  She seemed to know right away that this was HER gift and not ours, lol.

 Jackie wanted her back.  They have been inseparable except for a closed door since Josie arrived.

 I better go fix some supper for the master.

Hugs, Joy

Doggy Days!

Good Heavens!

SOMEONE should have told me that puppies have more energy than wild bulls!  It is amazing the torment Jackie will take from Josie.  Josie has the SHARPEST little teeth, and she bites Jackie's legs over and over.  Jackie jumps around like she is on hot coals.  Unbelievable patience with her SUPPOSED "friend" that Jerry insisted she have.  

Took both girls to a new vet today.  LOVED HER.  She said, "Hello, I am Dr. So-and-So, but you can call me Nicole."  She looked 18, but said she was 35.  She said people tell her how young she looks all the time.  She was lovely to our babies.  If we could live in just one town, I would go to her all the time.

Phylly and Margaret came over today, but I was so WORN OUT from being up last night with a sick Jackie, that I didn't even THINK of taking a picture today.  Jackie hasn't been feeling good for about 3 days.  We thought it was probably a little milk I had given her, but that would not last this long.  

Jerry found a dead turtle in our yard about a week ago that Jackie had gnawed on and killed.  Part of her shell was missing.  Thank goodness, I did not find that.  The vet said Jackie could have salmonella from that.  Jackie got pills and Josie got a shot.  Josie acted like she ADORES getting shots and couldn't care less.  Jackie did NOT appreciate the thermometer put you-know-where!

Here they are now.  Worn out and ready for bed!  This is as far apart as they get from each other. 

Last night, Jackie's head was ON TOP OF Josie as though she was her pillow.  So cute!

Had fun with my friends today.  We shortened Phylly's skirts.  WISH I had thought to take a pic of the new much shorter lengths.  Who knew Phylly has legs!!!

That's all for tonight my friends.  

Hugs, Joy

Great News!

Just a quick post to let you know the FABULOUS news that Jerry is completely, totally cancer free at the six-month point after the end of chemotherapy.

We give God all the glory, of course.

Jerry goes back in 3 months for a check-up and 6 months for the next PET scan.

This was a crazy day.  Too tired to talk tonight, and you know that is REALLY TIRED for me!

 And keep in mind we have a new puppy.  She keeps us jumping!

Margaret is coming over tomorrow, and Phylly is coming Saturday.

I'll be back soon!

Hugs, Joy

Jojo and Van Maur

Hey Ladies!

There are a whole bunch of me to say "hi" today.  Wish you all could have been with us yesterday as Margaret and I did a walk-through of the brand new Van Maur store that took over the former Sears space at Quail Springs Mall. 

I quit liking to go to malls YEARS ago.  Always the same old stuff.  Half the lights don't work, the fitting rooms are messy and cramped.  If you can even FIND a clerk at J C Penney, you should get some kind of medal, never mind having a clerk to actually HELP you!  And OUTSIDE the stores in the walkway area, I fear for my life!  Young people that look like they stepped out of a horror movie! (Not ALL of them, of course.)

Now, this store is brand new.  Just had it's grand opening this past weekend.  But STILL!  It is unlike any other store I have ever been in.  

As you know, if you've known me over five minutes, I LOVE color and I love florals.  This store has color all over the place -- blue carpet in one room, pink in another, red in another, turquoise in another -- and beautiful floral pictures all over.  I could move into the bathroom, and be very happy! I told Margaret we are going to pack wine, crackers and cheese in our purses for the next visit and go sit outside the Ladie's room and have a picnic!  

The dressing rooms are beautiful.  Large.  Every one has a shelf and a 3-way mirror.  In the picture above, I am standing outside the dressing rooms where there are 2 3-way mirrors side-by-side.

This is outside a dressing room area. 

And this is the BATHROOM!!!

This is what you walk into off the above room.  LOVE the wallpaper.  I think one of my bathrooms at home actually has wallpaper just like that.  Love the floor too.  There are purse hooks and paper towel dispensers on the side of EVERY cabinet.

And here is a pink room.  Love the white lattice on the wall and the FLOWERS!

A flower painting!  Loved every one of them.  Wish I had photographed more of them.

And GUESS WHAT we both bought???

OF COURSE,

We HAD to have new winter purses.  Mine purple, and Margaret's blue.  Yummy!

And WHO do you think took that picture of Margaret and me?

Her name is Susan.  Isn't she ADORABLE!?  She helped us so much and treated us like we were her friends.  I asked if I could take her picture for my blog, and she POSED for me!  

How DARLING is that sweater!

And my MOST, VERY FAVORITIST-OF-ALL thing about this store is the mirrors!

Look behind Susan. You can see the post that holds the roof up is a floor to ceiling -- all four sides -- mirror!  They are everywhere.  That will sell more things to this girl than any other feature. Obviously, a woman was involved in this venture.  In fact, Susan told me that her FIRST sale was to an elderly woman.  The woman said, "Will you ship this purse to my home?"  Susan said, "What is your name?"  The lady said, "Mrs. Maur".  YIKES!  No pressure there.

And last -- but not least -- is our new baby.  The baby's name is Josie, and we call her Jojo.  I actually have a great granddaughter with that nickname, but that had nothing to do with Josie's name.  Her name is Josephine.  I never see the gg, as you know, so fitting that I have a new puppy to fill my arms.

Here is Jojo in Margaret's arms.

She said, "WHY can't they stay this little?"

The answer to that is she would be carried off by an eagle or a coyote in our back yard!

And here is Jackie, and that is how it has been since Jojo arrived.  Jackie is constantly by her side. Night #1, we had Jojo in the large topless cage we used for Jackie.  Jackie loved it.  Jojo HATES it.  She howled all night.  

Night #2 -- last night -- we put her in the laundry with Jackie and the toys, and they slept peacefully all night long.  So did we!

Better get this rear in gear!

Have a WONDERFUL day.  We find out results of Jerry's PET scan this afternoon.  Praise God for a good report!

Hugs, Joy

More EXPO Pics and Sunday Sermon

Phylly had to leave before church this morning, so Jerry and I arrived after the music to hear Hagee, Sr. talking about Israel and the Anti-Christ and all the awfulness going on in our beloved America.  It truly is "as Sodom and Gomorrah" in America.  ABSOLUTELY INSANE what you aren't allowed to say because of so-called "polital correctness".

I call it "political crap", but....

You can't say anything about an Indian or an African American -- MOST of whom couldn't point out Africa on a globe, never mind have been there -- or marriage between a man and a woman, or homosexuality or religion or HEAVEN FORBID, you should mention the "J" word:  Jesus!

I'll tell you something, GOD has something to say about all of that, and He isn't changing it for ANY government!!!!   And Jesus happens to be His firstborn son who gave his life for all these sorry politicians, AND God gets really pissed off when people don't accept that fact!

Hagee's sermon is in there SOMEwhere.

EXPO CONTINUES:

And I have been EXPO-crazy for the last week.  I have more pictures to show you from our trip.  It takes quite awhile to get everything unpacked, put away, uploaded, downloaded, etc.

ANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNND!,

I have the BEST TIP EVER for you today.

You know those little suction cup things that plug into the back of your 10X mirror?  My mirror has 3 of them on the back.

I remembered at the hotel to take my mirror off the sucky cups and pack it, but my last-minute check of left-behinds found all 3 sucky cups still attached to the hotel mirror.


I pulled all 3 of them off -- announced to Phylly that I had everything -- and we left the room for the last time. When we got to Phylly's car, I opened up the back door, and I tossed the 3 sucky cups into a bag.

 I didn't pay attention to WHICH bag.  I just knew it was one of mine.

So we drive two hours back to my house.  We hauled all the bags and totes and suitcases into my house. Phylly moved into "her" room here at my house, and I began pulling things out of bags to put them away.  I got down to the bottom of one of the bags, and there were TWO of my 3 sucky cups.  I shook the bag. Nothing!  I looked on the floor -- on the counter -- in Phylly's car -- all over the path I walked into the house.  Nothing!

I was SO UPSET WITH MYSELF!  That mirror is really heavy, and 2 sucky cups were NOT going to hold it up.  Phylly and I went BACK out to her car and searched in, under, around, through and on top of.

NO sucky cup.

Phylly told me you could buy the things at Lowe's, so I decided to just GIVE UP and go to Lowe's and HOPE the sucky cups there fit the back of my mirror.

This morning came.  Phylly, Jerry and I were all in the kitchen building our breakfast.  Phylly was already sitting at the bar.  I was looking for something to give Jackie for a treat.  I remembered I had some ham in the meat/cheese drawer of my refrigerator.  I pulled the drawer out.  In the front of the drawer was the package of cheese sticks I had taken to our hotel

GUESS WHAT WAS STUCK TO THE INSIDE OF THE PACKAGE on top of a cheese stick?

Of course!  My third sucky cup.  I was the only one who could see it at that point.  I let out a loud yelp that probably frightened the neighbors.  Phylly asked WHAT ON EARTH the problem was.  I motioned for her to come over.  She got up off her barstool and walked to the frig where she saw what I was looking at.  We cracked up laughing!

So the Tip of the Day is:  If you lose something and have looked everywhere, open the drawer in your frig and check the package of cheese sticks!

















And I told you I would show you a picture of the rest of Phylly's Louise Cutting ensemble that she sewed for the EXPO.  This was so much prettier than the pictures show.  The peach-colored garments are all linen, so very wrinkly.  Her fabrics came from Gorgeous Fabrics.com.

Here she is lovin' on my Jackie in the other two garments she made.  They all mix and match.  I MUST do that!

Jackie would SO go home with her if I would let her.  Phylly thinks dogs are SUPPOSED to dig holes and get muddy and chew on stuff and chase cats.

LOL!

When Phylly and I got here yesterday, the cats were out in the driveway.  Phylly asked, "Does Jackie chase the cats?"

"Oh, nooooooooooooooooooo", says me.  "She never does that."

When Phylly was leaving this morning, I let Jackie out of the back yard fence to run over to Phylly and say goodbye.  The two cats were nearby.  Jackie went into a FLYING RUN and chased Bootsy clear across the driveway and straight UP A TREE!!! Jackie was trying to climb the tree after her.  I couldn't believe it!



Here is a short video of Phylly and I going off to school the first day of EXPO.  Our friend, Margaret, had asked me what I was wearing because she sees all the things I sew.  I made this video for her, but you can watch it too if you would like to see our garments in motion.

My flowery blouse was made with Sure-fit Designs.

And here is a still if you are not a video fan. 

I WISH I had taken a close-up of the shirt and the jacket.  The stitching on the collar of the shirt and the top-stitching on the jacket are SUPERB!  

AND WOULD YOU BELIEVE, Linda Lee, her very own self, came up behind me in line when I was buying a burger.  I didn't know she was there.  She asked Phylly what pants I was wearing and if I made them.  She said I did a GREAT job fitting them!  YAY!  I guess I actually did learn something from the last five years of classes.

That's it.

END of EXPO.

Now, I'm heading BACK to our other house in Edmond.  Jerry has his 6-month Petscan Tuesday, and if all is well, we will be picking up Jackie's half sister who is six weeks old and darling.  We have named her Josie.

May God bless you all with a perfectly MARVELOUS week ahead.

Hugs, Joy

HERE IT IS! Our Expo Shopping Spree

I promised I would show you all the things we bought at EXPO in Fort Worth.

We came home early today instead of going back to the EXPO for more classes.  We were both so tired and ready to go home.  I'm a 3-day vacation type of person.

Jerry and I went on a 7-day cruise for our 25th wedding anniversary.  By the 3rd day, I was ready to swim ashore -- look for the nearest airport and fly home!

We made a video JUST FOR YOU today.

Here it is:

Jerry just arrived in our bedroom, so it's lights out.

He was watching a football game upstairs, and he isn't too happy with how it turned out.

Phylly is already in bed.

I'll try to get back tomorrow.

Hugs, Joy

EXPO Surprises

It is the end of Day 2 at the Fort Worth EXPO.  Phylly and I are sitting in "our" living room -- in our pj's -- each of us on our computers.

We have been snapping pictures of each other on our cell phones, but none of the pictures are in focus.  I'm going to share them with you anyway, just so you will know what we have been up to.

We arrived Wednesday afternoon about 2:00.  IF the MapQuest directions had been RIGHT, we would have been here even earlier.  The directions said to turn .1 mile and turn right after the Pizza place.  We drove for 3 miles, and when we had passed more than one Walgreens and CVS pharmacy on each side of the road, we decided that we had gone WAY PAST .1 mile and the supposed Pizza place.

Being extremely advanced women drivers, we KNEW to stop and make a phone call before we drove 21 miles the wrong way as my husband has done before.  Sure enough.  We were on N. Beach Street which was 3 miles past the road we were to turn on.

The nicest hotel lady I have EVER talked to -- her name was Roma -- very sweetly directed us to the hotel.  The problem was there was NO Pizza place and the road we were supposed to turn on had NO street sign.

We finally arrived in this two-bedroom suite.  It is quite old, but it doesn't smell bad.  When the dog across the hall isn't barking, it is very quiet, and we like it.  The beds are comfy, and the shower is DIVINE!  I almost decided to lie back in the tub and enjoy the shower the rest of the morning, but I didn't.

Here is Phylly unloading her things off the wheely-dealy.  Remember, I said the pics are all fuzzy. When I get back home, I can download the ones from my camera.

Thursday -- yesterday -- I was the co-pilot and Phylly was the driver.  We had a little over 9 miles to drive to downtown Fort Worth.  The directions AGAIN, were terrible.  Not only MapQuest directions, but directions from the EXPO people.  It is a miracle we ever found the place! 

Again, we asked for directions from a very nice man by the building with the horses.  We had underground parking very close to the entrance.  Nice!  We did a little shopping, but mostly, we took classes.  

Phylly and I could probably have taught the classes we took, but always nice to get a refresher course.  Especially from Louise Cutting.

THIS is the SURPISE part of EXPO:

Ladies kept coming up to me and saying, "Don't I know you?"  "Aren't you that lady with the blog?"

The first one was Doris.  I asked her to sit next to Phylly and me on the front row of some class we were in.  I was SO SURPRISED that anyone there knew me.

A little while later, another lady came up to me and said, "You are that blog lady!"  

And later, another lady came up, and another, and another.  

By the end of today - Friday - at least ten ladies have come up to me and told me they knew me from my blog.  I wish Phylly had snapped a pic of me with each of them, but we didn't think of it.  PLUS, the ladies may not have wanted to be in my blog.  I sure did enjoy meeting them though!  I told them I wished I had put more make-up on or a fancy dress or something!

So HELLO Doris, Carol, Ellen, Robin and all the other very nice ladies I met.  Sorry I can't remember all your names.  I can see your faces in my mind!  Thank you SO MUCH for saying "HI" to me.

Phylly drove the death-defying, bumper-to-bumper track back to our hotel yesterday after the EXPO.  I was SO VERY, VERY, VERY glad that she was doing the driving.  She had a killer headache from an icicle cold room and something coming down from the ceiling at one of the booths.

She took some Tylenol for her headache when we got back to the hotel, and we learned there was a Zio's Restaurant very close to our hotel.  We headed there for dinner.  Dinner wasn't any big deal, but DESSERT was something else.

Phylly was very bad and ordered the 20-layer dark chocolate cake:

I, of course, stuck to my strick DESM diet and ordered the very healthy FRUIT pie.

It had some kind of vanilla-wine sauce on top of it under that ice cream.  It was A W E S O M E !!!!! I wanted to lick the dish, but I refrained so Phylly wouldn't crawl under the table like my husband usually wants to do when we are in a restaurant, and I ooh and aah over the food.

Today - Friday - Phylly and I had most of the afternoon to shop the booths in the exhibition hall.

There were NO mirrors!

How are you supposed to "try on" fabric without any mirrors???

This is Louise Cuttings booth.  She is the LOVELIEST person as all my sewing buds know, and I asked her HOW I was supposed to tell if her fabric looked good on us without any mirrors.  She said, "The mirrors always break."  She told me to just take the bolt into the bathroom and check it out.

SO NICE!!!!

And just before I snapped this picture I literally SHOVED Phylly in there and ORDERED her to stand next to Louise.  You can see it on her face!

I told Louise that Phylly and I had found another way to "make" a mirror:

Yes, I bought that one.

Yes, I bought the pink jelly beans too.

And we didn't like this one on Phylly.  The print is too big for her tinyness.

Tomorrow - Saturday - we may or may not return to the EXPO for three more classes.  THEN we will head back to my Kingston , OK house.

When we are safely back in my sewing room, I will show you all the goodies we purchased.

Before I close, I have to show you this picture.  The pretty tall skinny model is Rhonda.  She reminded me SO MUCH of Jeannie, Jerry's first wife, I felt like I knew her.  She looked amazing in everything they put on her.

Some of you may recognize the other lady.  I won't put her name here because I don't want this to come up if someone googles her name.  Phylly and I were just BLOWN AWAY by her outfit.  Check out those BOOTS!

I told Phylly it looked like she had just driven in on a Harley -- thrown off her helmet -- and dashed to the stage -- FORGETTING what she had on.  This lady is usually the picture of perfection.  I was just shocked when I saw her today.

And that is all I have to say for now.

Except for a few small glitches, it has been a perfect little vacation.

Come back tomorrow and see our haul!

Hugs, Joy and Phylly

I LOVE This Combo SFD/LC Skirt!

Hi friends!!!

I have enjoyed reading all your comments and suggestions SO MUCH!

I just finished the prettiest skirt I have ever owned.  I am so proud of me and how I have learned to put linings in things.  I actually sewed lingerie fabric into this one.  An attached slip.  LOVE IT!  I may make a dozen of these.  Anything I can wear boots with makes me happy because my ankles swell, and nobody can tell inside tall black boots.  Not only that, I can wear something pretty on my feet instead of flip-flops!




This started out to be Cutting Line Design's Relax A Little skirt.  I think Phylly is making that top right now. We have both made the skirt before.  Mine was black.

I did not like all of that fullness at the bottom.

I still wanted the waistband with elastic inside.

I wanted 4 gores.

I wanted the length.

I wanted the really cool one-piece pocket.

I just wanted less fullness at the bottom.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, I pulled out my Sure-fit Designs Dress Kit, and I made myself a brand new skirt pattern.

I'll show you what I did for you SFD fanatics out there.

FIRST, I drew a regular skirt pattern with the SFD Master Pattern from the Dress Kit.

DON'T LAUGH!  My patterns never, ever look like Glenda's.  I don't know HOW she gets hers so perfect.

Glenda gives directions in the Dress Kit booklet about how to make a gored skirt.  The one she described was still too full for my liking, so I just made mine smaller.  See the green diagonal lines?  That shows where I added half an inch to the 6 seam edges, which you double because all of that above is just 1/2 of a skirt, for a total of 6" extra width at the hem.

And here are some pictures.

The red top was still wadded up in the tote bag I brought back from our other house, and it looks like it.

I wondered if I gathered up one side of the blouse to make a diagonal hemline if it would look better. I can't really tell. 

Here are the two side-by-side.  What do you think???  Diagonal or straight?

Here's the back:

And you remember the black top I just made.  It goes with this skirt too.  YAY!

And there is my sweetheart, Jackie.  She wanted to get in the picture, as usual.  She just had a DRASTIC haircut.  I told the groomer I wanted her very long hair to be ONE-HALF the length it was.  I went to pick her up and almost fainted!  Her hair is 1/2 inch long!  She is still gorgeous.  She had ribeye steak for her snack tonight.  She is all smiles!

Gotta go.  Hubby wants to watch a movie.  I may whip up another one of these skirts tomorrow.  I really like it!

Hug, Joy

Two Great Sewing Tips

Some of you have commented on how much you like it when I give you tips.

I just happened to be using two of my VERY FAVORITE sewing tips today, so I decided to turn the camera on and share them with you.

For those who sew and care to know, here they are:

I finished the black top.

It is cute, and I like it, but I want one that is fuller and longer for my black skirt.

I will make black top #2 tomorrow.

The sleeves are supposed to be gathered, but not nearly as much as I have done it.  If I was going to go to all the trouble of putting gathers, I wanted them to SHOW.

Bedtime here in the woods.  SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO quiet and so dark and so peaceful!  Makes for a great night's sleep.  Jackie is already sound down.

I'll be back soon.

Hugs, Joy

Saturday

Goodness!  It has been five days since I have posted.

I've been in a bit of a funk for some reason.

MAYBE it is because I quit drinking caffeine and have reduced my coffee-pot-a-day of coffee to just one cup of DECAF.

Well, maybe a cup and a half of decaf.

And I probably should confess that my coffee cup is more like a tankard.

But STILL, I have not had any caffeine except for traces left behind in the decaffed version.  I haven't noticed anything drastic such as an all-day headache, and I have had NO acid reflux!  That is the best part, for sure.  I would drink hot tea like Phylly does, but it tears up my tummy worse than coffee does.

I've been busy though.  I spent two whole afternoons making a bracelet for my GORGEOUS daughter-in-law.  Wonder if I have a picture somewhere to show you.  I'll check in a minute.  This bracelet is quit intricate, and I had to special-order the little bugle beads in the center of each link.  Seems like no matter WHAT pattern I choose, it will have one or two beads that I do not have.

The pattern for this is called Picket Fence.

Here is the one I made several weeks ago when I did NOT have the right beads for the center diamond shape.  I like the colors, but it is kind of collapsible because I used the wrong beads in the center.

Here is a picture of Hollie sitting next to my Army Man -- her husband -- my grandson -- and, of course, I squeezed my big butt in that picture.  It's a wonder the swing didn't fall down!

After I finished Hollie's birthday bracelet, I tried a another new pattern.  Don't remember the name of this one, but it wraps around your wrist THREE times.  Unfortunately, I made it quite a bit too long for me.  I love it, but it is really too long.  If Hollie likes it, I will give her this one too.  Her wrist - believe it or not -- is one inch bigger around than mine.  My wrist is the only thing that is still tiny on my body!

I did not have a single copper-colored clasp in my two boxes of clasps, so I had to MAKE this one myself. I am quite proud of it.  I had already put a gold magnetic clasp on this bracelet, and I had to CUT IT off!  I was so afraid I would destroy the bracelet, but all I had to destroy was the gold magnetic clasp.  This copper one looks a million times better.

This bracelet is 21 inches long!  My wrist is 5 1/2" around.  Way too long for me.  Darn!

Phylly has informed me that she is way too busy to read my blog these days, so she probably won't even see this, but JIC she stops by, she said she couldn't remember seeing a picture of what I did with the blue flowers.  COULD BE because she doesn't read my blog, lol.  I'm pretty sure I showed you this.  Remember the matching bracelet I made to go with it?  Of course, I'm sure none of you have anything better to do than keep a mental note of all the stuff I show you on my blog!

And Carol Ann asked me what pattern I used to make this skirt, and later a black one.  It just DAWNED on my lightning fast brain that these two skirts are still PACKED somewhere in a box that I brought back from our other house.  STOP THE TRAIN while I go look for them! O-=

WHEW!  They were in this bag folded into small blobs.

Isn't it amazing how you can do that to knit, and it barely shows the wrinkles?  Neither one has been hemmed yet, so I will start that as soon as I say goodbye to you.  It is a little puzzling why one seems to be much longer than the other.

The pattern?  Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.  Let me think.

It is New Look 6288.  I made view A.  I took my skirts in on each side from below the hip to the floor as I think the pattern is a bit full at the bottom although it doesn't look like it in the picture.

NOW, I better get those skirts hemmed if I ever hope to wear them.  Fortunately, Jerry is watching a football game in the next room so he can check the hems for me.  Some of the pins fell out in route.


Have a nice weekend, and I'll be back soon.

Hugs, Joy