HAPPY BIRTHDAY PHYLLY and Another Blouse

Yes, today is Phylly's birthday.

She is younger than I am, but not by much.

She took 3 days off for a little vacation with her daughter, Heather.  They had a totally terrific time.  I asked Phylly to please send me a picture of Heather WITHOUT cutting her head off.  It took two tries, but she did it!

Can you believe how those two tiny people EAT!?

Phylly is starting the Herbalife diet with me.  Margaret is doing it too.  I told Margaret we should have a contest.  She said she loses weight very slow.  Evidently, I do too.  I'm still at 148.  I'm going to have to quit adding that 1/3 banana to my shakes.

I dearly love the days I spend with my daughter, Tammy, so I know how much fun Phylly had.  Heather has a hubby and two sons somewhere, lol.  Work and school I suppose.

And I did finish what I call my "Welt Blouse".  I am taking a Craftsy class about fashion details in sewing.  I have never put a welt in anything before, so I thought I would try it in this blouse.  This is Peggy's Sonya blouse that I have also made with my Sure-fit Designs dress kit.

I LOVE the style, and I've made it about six times.

And, OF COURSE, I made bracelet and earrings to match.

Need to check on Jerry and the dogs.  The weather is VERY COLD.  The dogs seem to love it outside, but I don't know how.  This was Jackie when she came in yesterday.

I'm sure they look like this again as they have been out in the snow for hours.

Have a LOVELY weekend my friends, and HAPPIEST BIRTHDAY EVER my friend, Phylly!  Your gift should be on your desk when you get to work on Monday.

Hugs, Joy

Mission Dress Tutorial

Several of you nice ladies have asked me to demo HOW to make the little dresses Terry and I are making for the Mission in Nicaragua.

If you are interested in making some for the Mission, please email me at joymb@sbcglobal.net, and I will give your email to Terry so she can contact you.

Here is the video I made for you today:

I hope it is clear.

The missionary lady supplies us with seconds tank tops.  The last box we got contained tank tops that ALL had holes in them.  I think the missionaries could do better with the money given to them, but Terry hasn't given me her permission to set them straight yet.

If you need any more information, just let me know.

Hugs, Joy

Demons and Diets (Video)

That is a strange title, isn't it?

My day started out with John Hagee's final sermon on The Three Heavens.  Today, he talked about Demons.  It was enough to make you want to pull up the carpet and crawl under it IF you didn't know the power you have over demons.  Please listen to it if you are at all curious about demons in America today.  Of course, you can go to www.getv.org and find the sermon for 2-22-15.  It will keep you on the edge of your seat!

So after church and after I cut out several more little girl dresses, it was time to make our noon time shake/smoothie.  Several of you have asked me about them, so I made you a video.

Check it out:

As soon as I receive the packet I was required to buy, I will have more knowledge about this stuff.  I will, of course, keep you posted on my progress.  Jerry wants me to lose more weight even if I have to buy a whole new wardrobe.  Maybe.  It might not make me look that skinny if I get back into Size 12 jeans instead of Size 14.  Depends on how many wrinkles form on my face and neck!

For people who HAVE to cook supper for their family, it would be very easy to do a shake for breakfast and one for lunch.  You can have snacks in between.  So far, my snack is always crackers and cheese or nuts.

That is it for today.  The dogs are in the kitchen due to the rain and mud outside.  I must make sure Josie hasn't shredded all the wallpaper or eaten the baseboards!

Hugs, Joy

Big and Little Had a Race

It was a surprisingly warm day today.  I decided after my shake for lunch and several hours of jewelry-making that I should take a walk.  I went into Jerry's office and asked him if he wanted to take a walk with me.  He mumbled something, but I could see he was busy.  He is working on the yearly list of every single item in our stores for property taxes.  I don't know how he stands all the reports he has to do!

I went outside and headed up the rocky road that is a steep incline and is our long driveway in the woods.  One way down the road is DOWNhill, and you have to run to keep from falling forward onto your face.  The other way down the road is UPhill, and it is steep.  I certainly don't want to walk it more than once.

I went up and around and back down and around and by then, I was huffing and puffing.  I figured that was a good enough walk.  I came back into the house and Jerry was standing in the kitchen wanting to know if I was ready to go on a walk!  What?  I was so thrilled he wanted to go -- and I KNOW that Jerry's walks are really slooooooooooooow strolls while looking at everything we come upon.

We headed down our hilly lawn over to the small pond Jerry built.  The dogs could see us from the gated back yard and they started barking and running around like crazy.  Jerry said, "Let's take them with us."

We had never done that before.  I didn't want to put leashes on them, or we would have been PULLED through our walk in a very herky-jerky fashion.  I opened the gate and let them out.  They both ran as fast as they could all over the place, and then they chased  POOR Bootsy, one of our cats, up a tree!  He was up there for hours.  The other cat, Barney, acts like he doesn't even notice the dogs.

Jackie and Josie ran around and around and around in giant circles, but they finally came to where we were and SORT OF walked with us.  I should have put some treats in my pocket.

Off we went on our slooooow walk as the dogs ran way ahead -- came back -- ran ahead -- came back.  We ended up over at the big pond where BOTH dogs decided they wanted to run into the water.  They ran in splashing about, and then they must have realized the water was FREEZING because they both got back out real quick.

Here they are on the dock.  Jerry and I thought they would dive into the pond, but they didn't.  You can see how wet they are from running into the water from the bank.

It was fun, and I enjoyed the walk very much.  The dogs came back home with us.  They KNOW the word treat, so I coaxed them back into the gated yard with bacon-wrapped sweet potatoes I got at Atwoods.  They almost look good enough for me to eat!

And I almost forgot!  I took pictures of the jewelry I made today.  I had purchased hearts to make Valentine jewelry for my friends, but I was so depressed over losing one, that I just put it all in a baggy and put it away.  Now that Valentine's is way past, I decided to make something for myself.  It was fun to make jewelry again after sewing Mission dresses.

These earrings are just earrings.  They don't go with the necklace because the hearts don't match.

I made this necklace to use the larger heart pendant, and then made heartless earrings to go with it.  I really like it.  I think I'll try to find something pink/fuchia to wear with it tomorrow.

Time for our dinner shake.

Have a blessed Sunday.  I always LOVE Sunday morning church from Cornerstone in San Antonio.

Hugs, Joy

Look at Me NOW!

I am being totally giddy today.

Watch my video, and you will see why.

I have to go back downstairs.  I have been up here for over two hours becoming an Herbalife salesperson so I can sell Herbalife to my friend, Margaret.  She was having a hard time getting it.  I can order it for myself now too.  Much easier!

Anyway, when I got home about noon today, Jackie and Josie DASHED into their back yard at the speed of lightning.  I have not given them any food yet.  There was some out there, but it is a week old.  Of course, they eat mud and trees and turtles.  What DIFFERENCE does it make if the food is a week old???

I'll be back soon.

Maybe I'll share a shake with you after while.  Jerry is going to drink them with me.

They are REALLY good although a bit gritty.

Everyone needs some grit these days, although I can't say how "true" it is.

I think maybe it is the same thing as "True Fiber"!






Hugs, Joy

Laughter Needed!

I almost didn't post today because I have been so blue all day long.  Reminds me of the days long ago when I used to sit on the living room floor all alone in the dark listening to Charlie Rich sing sad country tunes.

I'm hoping for a much better day tomorrow.

I did have a few fun moments this afternoon, thank goodness.  It was just yesterday I listened to Joel Osteen talk about how healing LAUGHTER is for your body and your soul, and isn't it the truth!

Usually, I am laughing all the time.  This day just caught me off guard or something.  I start to think about my past friendship, and down I go!

I am a fixer, by nature, and this isn't something I can fix.  That is the worst part about it.  I can't say more because of those who may read this, but I am praying for a miracle.  God knows, and the Bible says that God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we can ask or think.  I shall rest in that tonight.

During my happy moments today, I made a little video to show you what I found that put a smile on my face.

Please don't laugh because I really am going to wear it that way!  Actually, if people laugh at it, maybe it will make me laugh too.

Joel said to watch funny movies.  I can't think of a single movie that I ever saw that was funny.

I know a funny joke though that I heard Joel say:

There was a Russian, an American, and a Blonde.

The Russian said, "We were the first ones to put a rocket in outer space."

The American said, "We were the first ones to put a man on the moon."

The Blonde said, "We are going to be the first ones to put a person on the sun!"

The Russian and the American said, "You can't do that!  You will burn up!!!"

The Blonde said, "We KNOW that!  That's why we are going at night."

I cracked up when I heard it yesterday.

Guess I'll watch my new Craftsy class.  Maybe the teacher will be funny, however, I majorly doubt it.  Most of them put me to sleep.

Be back soon -- happier and skinnier!

Hugs,
Joy

Check THIS Out!

Yesterday, I weighed 150.4.

This morning, I was SHOCKED to see that I now weigh:

I was actually a little nervous that I may be dropping weight TOO FAST!

Remember, I was 154.8 last Friday.  Today, I am 148.  That is over SIX POUNDS!

And for those who asked, I am on Herbalife.  You drink two shakes in place of two meals a day to lose weight.  To maintain your weight, you drink one.  I just drank one today because I thought maybe I was losing too fast.  It tastes SUPER DELICIOUS and I am not hungry.  I am not snacking all day long as I usually did.  I bought a box of Protein Mix and a box of Healthy Meal.  It was $98.  I thought that was a bit much, but it might last a month.  You blend it with frozen fruit and oatmeal.  Tonight, I added 1/2 a banana.  It was the best one yet!

Good heavens!  By this time next week, I may have to go buy new underwear and jeans.  HOW EXCITING!  

No, I really don't want to lose that much.

I have found that being too thin at my age reveals too many wrinkles and sags.  You need SOMETHING to hold your skin out!!!

I took my semi-broken Ellisimo embroidery machine into B-Sew Inn today to be serviced and fixed.  The people there were SO NICE!  I love it when a place of business acts like they are GLAD to have you for a customer.

They don't know me at all in that store.  I haven't been there for 4 years, and the people there are all different.  Nobody made the slightest effort to try to sell me a new machine.  One very nice girl named Kim took me over to a machine LIKE MINE, and she spent 30 minutes showing me all the stuff it does as a regular sewing machine because she heard me mention I had not used it to sew -- just embroider.  She would have showed me much longer, but I had to leave to run more errands.

My machine won't be ready until Friday, so I will have to stay here until then.  Unfortunately, we have problems at our store again, and I have to go back to deal with them -- like it, or not.  It isn't so fun to own a business sometimes.  )-:  I am trying really, really hard to "cast my care on the Lord" as the Bible teaches.  I am getting better at it.  I am trusting that no matter WHAT happens, that something GOOD will come from it, even if it means my returning to work full time. 

It seems I am entering a new season in my life in more ways than just losing my best friend.  I can't imagine many things being harder than that, so hopefully, nothing ahead will be.  

When I look BACK on my life, I remember so many times I was at the very end of my rope, and I didn't think I would EVER be happy again.  Then, out of NOWHERE -- in the most IMPOSSIBLE way -- something or someone WONDERFUL would happen. 

There is NO WAY that Jerry and I would EVER have met!  Our paths would never have crossed except for other people who came into my life.  I know that I know that I know that GOD put us together.  The fact that he did not die from cancer, and he is still here with me, makes all the other issues in my life bearable.    

In ALL things, I will give thanks!  God is good and greatly to be praised!  He has a GOOD plan for my life, and He has a GOOD plan for your life!  I will rest assured of His constant care for me because He said in Hebrews 13:5&6 that HE WILL NEVER LEAVE ME NOR FORSAKE ME!  I sure do need to know that through the next chapter of my life.

Hugs, Joy

BRRRRRRRRRRRRR and My Diet Excitement Abounds!

My goodness!

Who opened up the heavens and dropped all this ice on the ground?

I let Jackie and Josie out this morning.  They tried and tried to BITE the ice, but could not.  Josie tried digging a hole in it, but could not.  They gave up and decided to run around in a hundred circles!  I let them in about 30 minutes later, and they had ice hanging from their chins!

Do NOT feel sorry for them!  They wanted to go BACK OUTSIDE!

And I haven't told you, have I, about my new diet?

My friend Nancy just happened to sell the stuff, but I already was interested in it.  I was afraid it would taste disgusting -- like Ensure -- but she assured me it was delicious.  

I was afraid it would be sickening sweet, but she assured me it wasn't that either.

So HERE is the deal!

I started last Friday about 11:00 a.m. with my very first shake.  Nancy and I each had one.  I ran into my bathroom real fast before I started drinking mine and I weighed.

I weighed 154.8 pounds.

You may recall that it wasn't very long ago that I weighed 146 pounds.  If one doesn't really watch it, those ounces pile back up on you without you even realizing it!

This is Monday -- 3 days later because I weighed in the morning.  Here is the PROOF of what I weighed this morning WITH MY CLOTHES ON!

How AWESOME is that??????????????

I am drinking two shakes a day, and eating just one meal.  Today, I ate breakfast.  Yesterday, I ate breakfast.  Not much of one really.  Today, I just had two pieces of raisin toast.  Yesterday, I had a scrambled egg and one piece of toast.  I'm just not hungry!

My friend, Margaret, came over last night.  I invited her to come over and try a shake with me.  She keeps complaining that she has gained weight, so I thought she might want to join me in this fun way to lose weight.

WELLLLLLLLLLLL, not only did she want to join me, she brought me a gift that made it even more fun.

Check this out!!!

They are coasters that light up and keep changing colors!!!

Margaret was in my new Explorer with me a few weeks ago right after I got it.  When she got in my car, I showed her the ambient lighting inside and how you can choose one of ten colors for it to be.  I just SQUEALED every time the color changed, and Margaret laughed and laughed at me.  When she saw these coasters, she had to buy them for me.

Look here at my coffee this morning:

That was all the same cup on one coaster.  LOVE IT!  Of course, the batteries probably cost a fortune.  There are two watch-type batteries in each coaster.  We shall see.

And this morning I started the next batch of Mission Dresses (as I am calling them).  I have 23 of them to make this time.  I figure if I do at least one a day, and maybe two, I'll be done in 3 weeks.

Actually, since the roads are icy, and I can't go anywhere, I think I'll start another one right away.

Hugs,

Joy

Valentine's Adventures by Joy and Terry

Yes, we have had QUITE the adventure yesterday and today.

Terry -- no big surprise -- is finishing a quilt for someone else.  I love this quilt because it is red/gray/black.  I thought about making one for myself, and then I remembered fabric is $12 a yard these days.  Terry says there is a lot of waste in the pattern she made.

Here is Terry yesterday hurrying to do at least one pantograph row on her quilt before we had to go to dinner with our hubby's.  Jerry's idea.  So sweet.  I started a diet using Herbalife yesterday.  My friend Nancy came over in the morning and we each had a shake.  It was VERY blue!  I had only frozen blueberries to use.  It was quite delicious though.

I have SUDDENLY managed to gain BACK the five pounds I lost last Summer.  I SWEAR!  You have to get on the scale every single day of your life, or you just don't realize the pounds are adding up until you suddenly cannot button your jeans.

Anyway, I wasn't supposed to go out to eat anywhere.  I was supposed to drink another shake last night, but Jerry wanted to take me out, and he wanted Terry and Doug to come.  I decided I would have to start my diet over today, and I did.  I had a shake for breakfast and one for lunch.  I may turn blue by tomorrow because blueberries are the only fruit I have!

BUT!!!

Guess what!?

I wrote down my weight yesterday just before Nancy and I made the shakes.  Today, I am ONE POUND LIGHTER!

So, here is Terry for real this time:

Terry did her one row of roses and squealed with delight as she ran downstairs to dash home to dress for our Valentine date at Fireside Dining.  

You WON'T BELIEVE what happened at Fireside Dining!!!

Well, maybe you will.  You know the CRAZIEST things always happen to me.

We entered and signed in.  There was a 25 minute wait.  We didn't mind as it was only 5:30.  Jerry and Doug stood and Terry and I sat.  Jerry told them his favorite story about how "Joy gets lots of meals FREE because she complains."  

I gave him "the look", but he didn't catch it.  He never does.

We were seated at a nice table, and we ordered our dinners.  They were excellent.  Three prime ribs and one ribeye steak.  We talked and laughed.  Actually, everyone seems to always laugh at me.  I hope I don't develop a complex or something!!! 

We got done with our dinners without any problems at all.  I did NOT complain about anything, I promise!  The waitress, Sabrina, brought two black folders with the bills.  She handed one to Doug and one to Jerry.  Jerry and Doug each placed their credit cards in the folders.  Sabrina came back and took them.

In a few minutes Sabrina returned to our table with the two black folders.  Jerry noticed immediately that the credit card was NOT his!  It was Gary Somebody, and wasn't the same color or kind or anything.  Jerry motioned for the waitress.  He told her that was NOT his credit card.  She argued that it must be, but Jerry insisted it was not.  She said she would TRY to find his.  She took the black folder with Gary's credit card and disappeared.  

Time went by.  MORE time went by.  MORE time went by.  Sabrina stopped by our table for a brief second to say "we are looking".  

I was looking out the window into the parking lot at the cars LEAVING and assuming they had Jerry's credit card in their pocket unbeknownst to them.  I thought I better DO SOMETHING.  I got up to go see what was going on.  I went to the cash register where Mr. and Mrs. Restaurant Owner were shuffling through a stack of receipts for the night.  I announced I wanted to know about our credit card.  They said, "We are looking for it!"  I asked them HOW they were "looking for it" through all the receipts.  Didn't make sense.  They continued to look through all the receipts.

I decided the credit card had LEFT THE BUILDING, never to be seen again by us, so I found a seat, got out my cell phone, and I called the credit card company to put a hold on all charges.  Then we told Mr. and Mrs. Owner that we were going to go ahead and leave.  Mr. Owner promised he would call us if they found the card AND if they didn't.  He also told us there would be NO CHARGE for our meal which was over $60.  

WHAT ARE THE CHANCES!?  Terry said she thought it was SO funny.  I told her I had called ahead to arrange all of that so I could get a FREE meal.

We made the long drive back home and were getting ready for bed when Jerry's phone rang.  It was Mr. Owner.  He had FOUND our credit card.  It was under a serving tray that was on top of another serving tray.  

This morning, Terry came over to finish her friend's quilt.  It took her about four hours.  I made a short video of her coming to the other end:

And here is a VERY HAPPY TERRY with the finished quilt in hand.  Pardon her blurry face.  The camera decided to focus on the quilt because it turned out  SO NICE!

And THENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!

Terry said we had to take a walk.  She is on a diet too, but she is using a different product.  We put on our walking shoes and walked up and down hills and around circles for one whole mile!  I better lose at least one more pound by tomorrow.

Gotta go.  I'm in the middle of a blouse that is too small around my hips, but my hips are are coming down OR ELSE!!!

Happy Valentine's Day

to you and your special someone!

I got the nicest card from Jerry this morning.  It was SO NICE, I asked him if he had read it!

He laughed and said, "Yes, and I mean every word it says!"  

Such happiness everyone should have.

Hugs, Joy

Cut Up Jewelry and Holey Tees

What a strange day this was!

I WAS going into the store to work today.  I came upstairs to clean up my sewing room a bit since it looked like a whirlwind went through throwing bits of fabric and long pieces of thread all over the place.

Yesterday, it was 70 degrees and calm and just perfect weather here.  I just ASSUMED that today would be more of the same.  After all, the sun was shining brightly through my windows.  So I decided to wear my finally-finished sunflower outfit.  I put on the black top and the long sunflower skirt and then that necklace I showed you yesterday.
For some reason, I hated that necklace on me today!  I felt like I was wearing a yellow and red lead pipe around me neck!

I took it upstairs and cut it apart.

Then I made ANOTHER necklace using the same beads and some chain.

I wore it for 15 minutes and decided I hated it too.  I cut it apart.

I then decided to make a BRACELET and forget the necklace all together.

I finally was completely dressed and adorned and headed for my car which was in the garage in the garage where the weather was quite nice.  Then I drove to the gas station because my new car is ALWAYS on empty -- or so it seems.  I opened the door at the gas station, stepped out onto the cement, and I got slammed with a gust of wind that blew my skirt up above my knees and my hair nearly off my head, and it was cold!

If my car hadn't been on empty, I would have jumped back in it and stayed there!

I decided to drive back home and change into ARMOR.  When I got here though, I decided to just forget it.  There certainly are advantages to being the owner of the business.  I spent the rest of today up here in my sewing room finishing the gray skirt with embroidery up the side of it.

Terry came over yesterday afternoon with a huge box of tee shirts for the mission in Nicaragua.  I took two stacks of 12 tee shirts to add skirts to.  Terry's Mom is taking some to do.  Terry, of course, will do some.  Terry and I were VERY disappointed to find that every single tee in this bunch had a hole in it!  Before we can add the skirts, we have to fix the holes, and that is NOT easy.  I spent at least an hour this morning fixing 12 of them.  Terry and I both feel these children deserve the BEST tee shirts -- not the rejects!  We aren't about to send them down there with holes in them.

I need a book to listen to when I'm driving to OKC next week.

Have any of you read/heard a good one lately?










Hugs, Joy

VLOG for 2-10-15 -- What I've Been Doing

I only had a few minutes this morning, so I hurried up and made you a little video to show you what I've been doing.

And I said in the VLOG that I would snap a picture of the yellow bead necklace for you.  It is prettier in person and on.

The beads do NOT light up!  They are solid yellow.   They look real pretty on the black blouse over the sunflower skirt.

Nancy was SO NICE to hang out with this afternoon.  She INSISTED on buying my lunch, and we had steaks!  Very delicious.  Then we did a grand tour of Hobby Lobby where Nancy bought a few things.  I managed to get out of there without buying anything.  I was trying to be good since we were in her car.

Then we went to Walmart to buy a few groceries and some tank tops, and we came back home.

NOW, I have to prepare a return of a bunch of beads I bought to use for my former friend.  Sad.  I had so much fun making things for her because I knew everything she made.  She wore a lot of soft colors, and I don't wear them.  I like bright and bold -- obviously.  (-:

My friend, Nancy, is an EXCELLENT decorator.  If I can ever get my whole house clean on the same day, I think I'll ask her to come help me make some changes around here.

Gotta go.

Be back soon.

Hugs, Joy

Book Signing Rip-Off and Sunday

My favorite morning:  Sunday!

I do NOT know how Matt Hagee leads the music, preaches the Sunday morning message twice, teaches Sunday School and preaches the Sunday night message all in the same day!  They seem to be playing "Musical Song Leaders" at Cornerstone.  My very favorite was that darling Aaron Crabb.  He probably got super famous and will be on America's Idol.

Another guy started leading the singing.  I decided he wasn't too bad, but then he disappeared and another guy with one of those funny skinny beards under his bottom lip started going it while playing a guitar.  Now, he has disappeared.

Matt preached about Samson today and how you can START OUT on the right foot -- doing the right thing -- but you can still end up in a really horrible place because of your decision to get OFF the path God has set for you.  You read about that a lot in the Bible, which is good because I know God still loves me even though I really screw now and then!

You WILL NOT BELIEVE what I did yesterday!

Some of you may remember that my friend, Terry, wrote a little paperback book called "Rag Blankets".  She has made at least 100 of them.  Her little book is very well written and has all the instructions for different size rag blankets.  Not my thing, but for a beginner sewist that wants to make a blanket, it is perfect.

The company that published her little book is SUPPOSED to be helping her sell it.  They got her an interview on a little TV station in Denison, TX a few months ago.  Last week they called her and told her she had a BOOK-SIGNING at Hasting's Bookstore in Sherman, TX.  They didn't give her ANY instructions.  Just, "Be there from 1 to 3 on Saturday."

She went a few days before to put a sign in the window of the bookstore announcing her book-signing so people would know about it.  Terry called me yesterday morning and asked me if I wanted to go with her.  SURE!  OF COURSE!  There IS a fabric store in that town, and the book signing was only two hours.

We walked into the book store about 15 minutes early to set up Terry's table.  I had taken by quilt holder-upper.  A young guy with long hair came up to her and introduced himself.  He was nice enough, but Terry and I about FELL OVER when he made the following announcement:

"We add SIXTY PERCENT to the cost of your books, and that goes to us."

Fortunately, being Terry's friend, I REALIZE it is my solemn duty to tell her my opinion.

I immediately said, "THAT is absurd, Terry,!"

She gave me that "please don't talk anymore" look, and she continued to talk to the guy.

Terry told him that all of her books were already plainly marked with the price of $14.99.

He told her he would just take 60% of that then.

If Terry sold EVERY book she took with her, she would make ZERO dollars!

She told Hasting's she would be there though, so she decided to just grin and bear it.  I helped her set up, and then I went in search of jewelry magazines.

Look how cute she is surrounded by her rag quilts.  They were all for sale too, but nobody seemed to notice.  And if the long-haired guy knew about the quilts being for sale, he would probably mark them up TWO HUNDRED PERCENT!

The long-haired guy made an announcement every once in awhile over the loud speaker.  Instead of saying "Terry Estes is here to autograph her book "Rag Blankets", he said, "Terry Estes is here to autograph her book about "Rags and Quilts".

I was good.  REALLY, I was.  I didn't go find the guy and cut his hair off and strangle him with it.  Instead, I decided to go see how many quilting books and sewing books this store carried.  I walked around and around and around, and I found nothing.  I went and got a clerk.  I asked her WHERE the sewing/quilt books were located.  She pointed me to the aisle they were in.  I sauntered on down that aisle and did a THOROUGH search for sewing/quilt books.  I FOUND NONE!!!!

I went to find the clerk lady again.  I asked her if she could please SHOW ME where the quilt/sewing books were.  I followed her from display to display and aisle to aisle while she muttered that they should be there SOMEwhere.  We found ONE sewing book and ONE 75% off ancient quilt book!!!

NO WONDER nobody was in that store looking for quilt books.  Of course, I marched right back to Terry's table and told her that she was in the WORST bookstore of all time.  She said she had pretty much figured that out.  We wanted to go buy fabric, so Terry allowed us to pack up and leave about 15 minutes early.

We had a really great time after that.  We saved our husband's SO MUCH MONEY!  No kidding!  Jo-Ann's had coupons upon coupons.  Hobby Lobby had coupons.  JC Penney's had a bunch of coupons and a sale.  The weather was so pretty, and the clerks were all in a very good mood.  Terry bought clothes and fabric.  I bought beads and fabric.

I'm embroidering flowers on my skirt because Terry told me I had to.  I need to watch as the thread keeps breaking.  I wonder if it could be that it is 17 years old.

I want to get it done so I can wear it to lunch on Tuesday.

I heard from a friend I haven't seen in a while, and she wants to get together!  Isn't God good to me!!!  Her name is Nancy.  She has the MOST GORGEOUS home.  If I go there, I'll beg her to let me snap a photo or two.






HUGS, Joy

Terry's Quilt and The Shoe Shine Kit Video

Yes, Terry finished her friend's quilt today.  She was VERY happy when she rolled to the other end and sewed her last row of swirls and points into it.

She chose a difficult pantograph, and she sewed it PERFECTLY!

And doesn't she have the PRETTIEST hair!!!

Terry is a very fast learner.  I told her she could sure quilt my next quilt.  She took that as it was intended -- as a high compliment -- because she knows I am VERY picky.

I asked her to hang the quilt up real fast so I could take some pics.  She wanted pics too, so we hung it up.

This is the BACK.  We both loved the pantograph with the print on the back, and the gray thread Terry chose was perfect for it too.

And I totally forgot to show you The Shoe Shine Kit video.

I made it several days ago.

It has a VERY IMPORTANT message if you can stand my jabbering until I get to it.

And GUESS WHAT???????????????

The MOST EXCITING thing has happened.

My new video camera records in a different format than my little pink Sony Cyber-shot.

Every time I uploaded something from the Sony, an error message would come up saying "You are NOT allowed to upload that KIND of video.  The video Police will come and haul you off straight to prison!  Do you want to continue?"

I would always say, "Yes."

When I uploaded this new video of the Shoe Shine Kit, that error message did not come up.  AND, instead of it taking 8 to 10 hours to upload, it only took ONE HOUR!  I was so excited!  That is still way longer than the internet in my other house, but it is way faster than what it used to be here.  I am a happy camper!

Terry and I joined our husbands for lunch in town today.  Then Terry and I went to our store so I could show her the four quilts I have hanging there.  It didn't turn out at all like I thought it would.  I had to rush to the lady's room, and by the time I got back, Terry had shown herself to all the quilts.  Oh, well.  

Gotta go for now.  Have a MARVELOUS weekend, my friends!

Hugs, Joy

Tee Shirt Quilt and Embroidery Adventure

Whew!

Putting a new quilt on the long arm is a TON of work.  It took Terry and I together over an hour.  She is finishing her 2nd pass of the pantograph she chose for this quilt she is making for a friend of hers.  I snapped a quick pic for you:

Her friend will be so excited when she sees this!  Terry says she hopes she never has to make another one.  She doesn't like doing the tee shirts.

And I am so pleased with what I accomplished today.

I decided that I would do some embroidery on this new gray top I made that I didn't really like UNTIL NOW!

Check this out:

 The design on the shoulder wraps around to the back.

Gotta go fix dinner.

Be back soon.

Hugs, Joy

Tuesday's Patience Training Course

Why is it that sometimes the SIMPLEST task turns out to be the HARDEST task.

Something that should take one hour, takes seven hours!

Some of you know I have a very nice Ellisimo embroidery machine.  It is probably considered an antique now as I bought it in 2009, but it is still new to me.

Terry -- as usual -- is making a quilt for someone else.  It is a memory quilt, of sorts, from tee shirts of her friend's children.  Terry added an embroidered block to the quilt showing the names of the three children.  She asked me if I would embroider it for her on my machine because she doesn't have one.  The design had been done on her sister's machine, but one of the names was misspelled.

I think, "SURE!  No problem!  Bring it over, and I'll do it for you."

Terry got here before 2 today, and she left at 6!  We had problem after problem after problem after problem until we were both about to scream.

At one point Terry said, "If this DOES NOT work now, I'm going to cry!"

I said, "If this DOES work now, I'm going to cry!"

I have decided the problem lies in the fact that the design was digitized in a different format than my software uses.  Somehow, the conversion from one style to another style and using a different machine has given the digitizing a brain hemorrhage, or something!

It is 7:24 PM and the final stitches are sewing out.

It has been "one of those days", for sure.

WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE was start all over with this design, and digitized it with my software.  It would have been so much easier.

Here it is FINALLY finished!

Tomorrow, Jerry and I go to The Skin Clinic in the morning.  Then I'm going to work after that.  I'll be back soon though!

Hugs, Joy

Back Home and Magic Cubes

While we were at our other house, I wiped the cobwebs off my Bernina 180 Embroidery Machine and made a label for Nida's Garden.  I really enjoyed it, and I'm so glad I got it done before we left.

Jerry and I got back home in Kingston about 1:30 today.  We were so glad to get here.  The weather was cold but not windy enough to blow your clothes off, like yesterday.

We came in separate cars because the car we planned on selling has not sold yet.  Now, we will try to sell it down here.  Anyway, I am buying Audio Books these days.  I have one teaching me how to speak Spanish -- one by Dave Ramsey and his daughter -- one called "Still Alice" -- and a new one called "The Girl on the Train".

"The Girl on the Train" has over a hundred chapters in it, I think!  It goes on and on and on.  The alcoholic girl in the book reminds me so much of someone in my family.  It confirms what I have known for years.  I listened to the book in my car over the speakers (VERY COOL) until I tired of listening.  I decided to turn the book off and turn the radio on.

A few days ago, I discovered the Joel Osteen station on Serious radio in my new car.  When I turned on the radio, Joel Osteen was talking.  You will NEVER GUESS what words came right out of his mouth and into my ears.

He said (and this is very close to his exact words):

IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT WANT TO BE YOUR FRIEND, 
LET THEM GO.
GOD HAS AN EVEN BETTER FRIEND FOR YOU -- A FRIEND WHO WILL LOVE YOUR PERSONALITY AND EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU!

Can you believe that???

It soothed my sad heart and gave me lots of hope for an even better friendship -- maybe one that will finally last a lifetime.

Now, of course, I do have truly wonderful friends already, but not the kind you talk to every single day of the world via email or Skype or phone.  You know what I mean?  I am working on Margaret, however.  Only problem is, Margaret would rather watch Thunder basketball with Jerry than sew with me.  As sweet as Margaret is though, she might sit and watch me sew for awhile.  Funny thing is, I haven't even felt like sewing lately.

While I was putting away all my sewing paraphernalia, I found this partially finished quilt top I started in 2007:

It is advanced paper-piecing  I pulled it out from under a table at my other house, and I brought it home with me along with a quilt for Terry to make for the babies at church.  The one I brought for Terry is ladybugs.  NOTHING like this one, lol.  I will really feel like I've really accomplished something if I finish this.

This one is called Magic Cubes.  Here is a picture of one in the magazine I got the pattern out of from 2007.  I don't like the way the border corner blocks on the right are different than the corner blocks on the left.  Maybe between Terry and me, we can figure out how to fix that.

I looked at the instructions and wondered HOW ON EARTH I ever understood them to get this far on the quilt.  Not easy!  I'll take more pics as I work on it.

Terry came over this afternoon and we talked for hours.  It felt SO GOOD!  Seems like if the words in me cannot come out, I get depressed.

A lady NEEDS to talk!

Terry is working on the PRETTIEST red/black/gray quilt.  I'll take pics of it for you too.  She is coming over again tomorrow.

Jerry is really tired tonight.  Very unusual.  I think his knee is hurting him a lot, but he never likes to complain.  I handed him 2 Aleve at dinner tonight and asked him to please take them.  I need to go down and check on him.

Be back real soon!

Hugs, Joy

Sunday, Angels and Going Home

Pastor Hagee is still talking about the three heavens.  Today, he told lots of stories about angels.

I know the Bible talks about angels quite a bit, but I really wish God would have told us how to communicate with them -- how to direct them -- or not to.  You know what I mean?

How do you get them to "do their thing"?

Do you ask God to send them to do it?

Do you ask the angels themselves to do it?

Do you ask Jesus to send them and tell them what to do?

Does the Holy Spirit direct them on our behalves?

The reason I am very curious about all of that is all those Christians over there in Syria and other countries.  The Dads -- the Moms -- the teens -- the children -- the babies!!!  They were raped, tortured, beheaded, hung on crosses, had their eyes gouged out and other atrocities I'm sure we can't even imagine.

WHERE were the two angels each of us are assigned according to Pastor Hagee?  Where were they for all of those precious people?  How can a baby pray and ask for anything.  If a baby has two huge angels ministering on its behalf -- where were they!?

Does anyone ever think about stuff like this besides me?

SURE, I totally believe there are angels.  No doubt in my mind.  But, why aren't they protecting the innocent Christians?  I'm going to ask God to answer that question for me.  He did say to ASK!

Have you heard the story about the screaming gun-toting maniac that walked into Hagee's church in the middle of a service one day?  AMAZING!  The guy walked up onto the platform and stood 8' away from Pastor Hagee.  He shot SIX BULLETS right at him!  Hagee did not MOVE!  He did not DUCK!  He stood still and held his Bible.

The screaming man yelled, "I HAVE A GUN!"

Hagee hollered back, "I HAVE A BIBLE!"

The man fired six times, and six times, the bullets went to the side of Hagee and into the wall behind him.  Glen Beck was there a few years ago, and I believe he said he SAW the holes in the wall.

During the service this morning, Hagee played part of a tape.  A lady in that service just happened to have a tape recorder, and she recorded the whole thing.  You could hear the guy screaming, and all six shots being fired.

WHAT AN AWESOME GOD WE SERVE!!!

Today was our actual 40th wedding anniversary.  We just spent the whole day together enjoying each other.  We went to have ribs at Applebee's.  I didn't really want to get out.  The wind is blowing extremely hard today.  You can HEAR it in the chimney and outside the windows.  It PUSHES the cold right through your clothes and your skin.  I hate being out in it.  Jerry wanted to take me out though.  It was sweet.

We will head back to Kingston in the morning.  I haven't seen Terry for over a week, and now that I am going back home, she is leaving!  We both have two homes, and we sure do manage to be away from each other a lot.  I'm looking forward to seeing her again.

THANK YOU ALL for your lovely comments regarding our 40th Anniversary!

Hugs, Joy