Serge-A-Thon and Q-Tip Head

Hey Everybody!!!!

I have a fun new video for you -- FINALLY -- since my computer got fixed AGAIN by some guy with a name so strange I couldn't even interpret what the spelling might be.  It was down until last night, so the fast internet hasn't done me any good at all insofar as my Blog and Youtube channel.

Meet my friends, Deb and Diana:

And below are a few bad quality pics from the Serge-A-Thon.  With lights up above one's head, one can expect lots of dark shadows on one's face!

This is my new friend, Robin from Lubbock, TX.  I heard that her husband rented her a whole house for her longarm and other machines.  She knows me from my Youtube videos.

I was REALLY impressed with the set-up of this classroom.  46 women and each one had plenty of room for their machine and accessories and notebook and bags of sample fabrics.

Very well done!

Every woman had the exact same machine:  Ovation

It is the latest, greatest invention of a Cover Stitch/Serger combo.  I prefer, of course, a separate cover stitch machine, and I have two of them, so I knew I wouldn't be interested in this.  I just wanted to take the class with Deb and Diana.

Deb sat next to Robin.

It was so very nice to get to know her.  Wish I had had more time to spend with her.  She came up to me at the end of class today, and she gave me the warmest hug.  I was so touched.

And this lady is Linda.  She works for B-Sew Inn.  I liked her a lot even though she was working really hard to get me to buy a new machine.  I almost WOULD have bought one just for her, BUT I really didn't need it or want it.  I told her I might buy a new embroidery machine someday.

I wish I had snapped a picture of the outfits Linda wore the next two days.  She has the PRETTIEST clothes!

Diana and I sat next to each other, and we are holding up the very first sample stitches we made on Day #1.

And I called myself "Teacher's Pet".

We probably don't want to KNOW what the teacher ACTUALLY called me, lol.  She did threaten to put me in Time Out!

This is Sue Green Baker.  You can see she isn't the youngest woman in the world, but you sure couldn't tell it by her presentation and personality.  She was an EXCELLENT teacher with an amazing ability to maintain CONTROL of 46 women in one room.

I was constantly impressed with this lovely lady.  She rides a Harley, cooks and has some kind of little race car that she drives 40 MPH and spins around in a circle and parks in some space. She said she only does that at some special track.

Do you see those scissors hanging from her neck?

You can see the little "holster" they are in.  The REASON for the little holster is to keep her from jamming the entire scissor up to the handle INTO HER BELLY - AGAIN!  She was bending over to pick something up (I think is what she said), and the scissor stabbed her.  OUCH!!!

Diana left from the class to go back to Texas.  She just let me know awhile ago that she is safe and sound at home.  Deb is still here.  She is going back home tomorrow.  Don't know when I'm leaving yet.  This class was fun, but we were all very tired by the end of it today.

Bedtime here.

Be back soon.

Hugs, Joy

WATCH OUT all Cartoon Artists!

Yep!

I'm learning something new AGAIN.  You KNOW how I love to learn new things.  I've been cleaning house since I got here on Thursday, and I swear the dust bunnies come out at night and crawl all over everything in this house!

I must say, however, that it is a wonder I'm even still alive.

I woke up this morning and started the percolator.  I had to go out in the garage to get something out of my car, and the garage door was WIDE OPEN!  It had been wide open all night long.  AND, the door into my house was unlocked.

I guess no robbers, kidnappers or murderers were in the neighborhood last night, THANK GOD!

OF COURSE, I figured it out!
All that dust snuck into the open garage door and crawled under the crack of the door into my house!

BUT,
that isn't what I wanted to tell you.

Craftsy classes were on sale for 50% off, and I HAD to check to see if there was anything new I didn't already own that had to do with sewing or quilting.  Since I have ALL the sewing and fitting classes already, I decided to try something new.

I chose two really fun classes.  IF I can actually LEARN what these ladies are teaching, I may be able to draw my OWN ClipArt one of these days!  How fun would that be.

Now, be kind and don't laugh too hard at my goofy drawings.  REMEMBER, this is my very first lesson.  I had to order a bunch of stuff to draw and color with, and it won't be here for a few days.  I just used what I had.  I received colored pencils from Margaret and Tammy for Christmas, BUT -- OF COURSE -- they aren't the right kind.  You have to have the $60 a box kind, and that is only for 36 of them.  You have to have some weird pencil and a special sharpener and a smudger and expensive paper that weighs 70 pounds!  (That can't be right.)  It says "70 pounds" on the tablet.

Anyway, here is my first lesson:

The paper I drew on is actually 140 pounds!!!

It is VERY WHITE, but for some reason, I could not get a decent photograph of it.  Ick.

Won't keep you.

It is a BRAND NEW WEEK!  Lots of rain on the way, but I hope that is going to change.  Deb and Diana arrive Wednesday night, and our Serger classes at B-Sew Inn start Thursday morning.

Have a nice one my friends.

Hugs, Joy

Video and a Salad Storm

I am at my other house now, and I have SUPER FAST internet!

YAY!
































I made a new video in which I talk about various, non-important bits of trivia.  Here it is if you are interested:

I told you in the video that I would PROVE to you I really did get attacked by a giant salad.

Here is my front porch after the storm:

Now, don't you feel bad for thinking I was exaggerating!!!

I did not have time to clean all that up before I left there.  I'm hoping my husband decides it is just WRONG for our house to be covered with "salad", and he goes out this weekend and cleans that all up.

Be back soon!

Hugs, Joy

Family Brunch

Dropping by for just a FAST minute.

Was busy all weekend with a baby shower for Terry's daughter and then sewing at Terry's and then brunch on Sunday at my house.

Terry and some other ladies planned the shower, and it was the nicest one I've been to.  Food and cake and games and gifts to the ceiling!

Here's the only pic I snapped because this is the crib quilt that was part of the entire bedding set Terry made her daughter, Katie.

Terry DID wear shoes to the event, however, she was wearing brand new kitten heels, and they had rubbed a blister on her ankle, so she is bare footed in this pic.

It was a LOVELY weekend.  Not a single thing went wrong except Terry had to be drug out of church by our sisters to get her here before the eggs blew up in the oven!

Here is a VERY SHORT video showing you the yummy muffins.  I intended to make a longer video, but my muffin was calling to me and Doug needed Hot Sauce.

I am starting a new Saf-T-Pockets jacket today.  Different pattern.  I will show you how it turns out.

And to the lady that asked me "how to make facings", I will do a short video on that for you soon.

Hugs, Joy

Have You Been Clapping?

A new video for you with a fabulous sewing notion.  Most of you probably know about it, but I bet the beginners don't.  This should be as common as scissors and pins in your sewing notion drawer!

Several of you asked me about the blouse I was wearing in the last video.

Here are a couple pics of it.  One is before I added the buttons.  I had a hard time deciding if I SHOULD or SHOULDN'T put the buttons on.

I COPIED this Marfy #3339 pattern with my Sure-fit Designs Dress Kit.  I don't wear dresses, so I made a blouse.  I think it is a darling pattern!


If you belong to Pattern Review, you can see a real pretty black and white version of this dress that a lady made.  The lady added bust darts UNDER her bust in her version.  I guess I need to read her review and find out why.

So I have lots of pictures for you of A LITTLE SOMETHING jacket #4.  I am really loving it EXCEPT for the funky way the points at the bottom always want to turn out.  Decided to just ignore it.  I also took some stills of my new blouse that matches the jacket in case Glenda wants them for Sure-fit Designs.

REMEMBER, I copied this Vogue pattern with my Sure-fit Designs to come up with this new blouse, BUT I changed the neckline.  No zipper in mine as I made it button up the front.

AND,
since I purchased five yards of this Nicole Miller fabric from JoAnn's, I decided to make Jacket #4 out of it.

AND, I am now making a maxi skirt with the floral fabric.  Deb made a 3-piece outfit, so I decided I could not be out-done, lol.  Hers is WAY fancier than mine.  Maybe she will send me a picture of it on her that I can show you.

Gotta get.  Time to fix supper for my WONDERFUL, FABULOUS, ADORABLE husband.  He was so cute this morning.  He said he was leaving, so I ran to kiss him goodbye.  He kissed me quick and turned to leave.  I made a sad face and stood there.

He turned around and said, "What's wrong?"

I said, "That wasn't a very good kiss."

He turned around and pulled me close, and then he kissed me over and over and over!

Then he looked at me and said, "Is THAT good enough?"

I was smiling from ear to ear, so he decided he could probably leave then.

Be back soon.  I'll show you my new skirt tomorrow.

Hugs, Joy

Jacket #3, SFD Vogue Copy and Souptij

Good Monday evening my friends.

I have garments to show you and a video.  I'll start with the video, and then I'll show you some pictures.  You won't know about Souptij if you don't watch the video.

That was "A Little Something" Jacket #3 BEFORE I put pockets on it.  It has issues in the back.  If I look in the mirror sideways, the lower, center back sticks out away from my body, instead of hanging straight down. 

I decided that MUST BE because I needed a larger round back correction.

There are also diagonal drag lines under the arms.  That COULD be because of the shoulder angle, BUT when I hold the paper pattern up to my shoulder drawing, it looks fine.  I'm not understanding that.  It, obviously, had not been pressed.  I knew I was going to have to wash it, so pressed it real good afterward.

After I took the picture above, I decided I wanted pockets in this jacket.  It was quite an effort for something that sounds so simple.  It took me hours.  This is what I came up with.

And, you can see that I am wearing the finished SFD COPY of the Vogue pattern that had the colored side pieces.  I think I did a pretty good job.  Glenda's video on how to eliminate the side seam was VERY helpful because I would have had it off-grain. 

Here is another view of the inserts at the side.

And a close-up of the pocket with gathers on the top and a binding as well as my new blouse which is actually the "muslin".  I may try it again with solid black inserts.  I've given up on the style with the band at the bottom.  I've decided that would just make my hips look wider.  Besides, I need to get on with my life!

I am almost done with Jacket #4.  I have to build the pockets and put them on.  I'll show you, of course, as soon as I get it done.

Be back soon.

Hugs, Joy

The Altar in Your Home

I feel bad combining this morning's awesome sermon with my new blouse, but it is Sunday, and I have to share with you an AMAZING sermon that I wish every single parent in America could hear again and again.

Do you know what the Altar IN YOUR HOME is?

I was a little surprised, but when Matthew said what it was, my heart lept in my chest, and I said to myself, "OF COURSE!"

And the fact is that in most every home -- at least, all the ones I know of -- this "altar" has been completely done away with.  Even Christian homes.  NOT in this one, however, because I will never quit the tradition of serving meals at the FAMILY TABLE where everybody in the house eats TOGETHER.  We discuss current events, our day's activities, our hopes and our dreams and whatever else comes to mind.

I cannot IMAGINE my husband coming into the kitchen, picking up his plate with the food on it that I have prepared, and going into another room to eat it.  I tell you the truth!  When he RETURNED to the kitchen, his wife would be G O N E !

When our girls were growing up, we had EVERY SINGLE NIGHTLY MEAL -- a home-cooked meal -- at our dinner table without a TV on.  Of course, there weren't cell phones yet.  Some nights we did go out to dinner, but we STILL sat at the same table, together.  Actually, that is the one thing my daughter speaks fondly of to this day.

Several years ago my granddaughter asked me if she could invite a friend to bring with her down here to our lake house.  I told her she could.  Her friend came up to me before she left, and she said, "I want to THANK YOU!"

I said, "What for?"

She said, "For having dinner at the table and all of us eating together."

I asked if she did that at her house.  She said her family NEVER, EVER ate at the table.  She said her brother seldom ever came out of his room.  And one of the saddest stories in the world is the state of that family today.

Jerry and I do sit at the bar in our kitchen with the nightly news on when we are alone, but if I want to TALK, I simply pick up the remote control and hit the OFF button.  If, however, company is here or family is here, the TV is not on.  We sit at the table.  Jerry or I say grace, and we continue talking and sharing and enjoying each other's company.

I totally AGREE with Matthew that the redemption of this nation's values HAS TO BEGIN AT HOME.  Families have to bond and be loyal to one another.  Parents have to TRAIN their children how to be respectful, responsible human beings -- how to be Godly parents -- how to be trustworthy, hard-working employees.  If parents don't LIVE IT and TEACH IT, how on earth can they expect their children ever to do it!?

And the "family altar", of course, is the DINNER TABLE.

So that is such an AWESOME sermon, I believe I will wait until tomorrow to tell you about my finalized COPY of "that blouse".  I have pictures to show you.

I'll be back then.

Hugs, Joy

Good Saturday Evening and Video to TJ

I sewed all day long.  First, I added pockets to my turquoise jacket which you will see soon in a video, but without the pockets.  I THOUGHT it would be so simple to just add pockets.  Turned out to be quite an undertaking.  I did get them done, and I do like them a lot.  I'll take a pic tomorrow.  It is in the wash tonight.

Most of you have probably already seen the following video, but I'll put it up in case you haven't.  It has a message to my daughter.  My family isn't really "into" my Blog or my videos.  They make fun of me and say it isn't really me.  Even Jerry says that.  So, I guess it is a make believe world I have created that I enjoy being in because the people in it seem to like me.  Can't say that for most of my family -- sadly.      

Speaking of my daughter, she just sent me the most hilarious email about something she did today.  It totally sounds like something HER MOTHER would do!

She and her husband were at some garage sale.  They go to them a lot.  I guess her husband wandered over to look at some rugs that were hanging on a wall.  They are covering their patio and buying things for it.  She decided at some point to walk over to where her husband was -- by the rugs.  His back was to her, so she walked up and wrapped her arms around him, hugged him tight and rubbed her chest up against his back.

All of a sudden A COMPLETE STRANGER turned around and was nose to nose with her!

She was HORRIFIED!

He was HORRIFIED!

Tammy said, "Oh my God, You are NOT my husband!  I am so sorry!"

She walked as fast as she could without running to find the RIGHT husband.  She couldn't find him anywhere.  She finally got the courage to go back inside the garage, and that SAME GUY comes toward her and points to a lady and says, "I'm with her!"

She said she and her REAL husband have been laughing about it all day.

I better go.  Clothes to fold, and my jacket should be ready for the dryer.

Be back soon.

Hugs, Joy

Surprise Video for You

You will get a kick out of this little video I made this morning at Terry's house.

I do NOT know WHY it is so skinny!  I took it with my cell phone, and I probably need to change the settings.  Any advice on the subject will be greatly appreciated.

Without further ado, here it is:

So, if you haven't tried it yet, I highly recommend it.  This was the VERY FIRST GLASS I ever had!
Unfortunately, it will not be my last.  Actually, I have a glass of it right here next to me on my nightstand.  I just told Terry that if I'm awake at 2 AM, I will be calling her.  I read somewhere that decaf coffee STILL has caffeine in it.

Terry and some friends are all riding their motorcycles to Fort Worth tomorrow to some race.  That is one thing we do not have in common.  I would much rather stay home and sew.  I have to catch up with Deb on new clothes for our class.

Diana just texted me and said she is bringing a cape and sheers to cut the back of my hair for me.  I'll have to film it so I can do it unless she is going to come live with me.

I almost finished a new jacket today.  I will show it to you tomorrow to see what you think.  SOMETHING is strange across the back shoulder area, but I haven't figured out what yet.  This is jacket #3.  Maybe I will get it right by jacket #4.

Off to watch some more of Louise's fitting video.

Hugs, Joy

Video for SFD'ers and New Sewing Notions

Hey Everybody!

Watch for tree limbs from my house coming your way.  It is SO WINDY here, you can hardly hold yourself up to walk.  It is cold because of the wind, but I still see girls in short shorts and flip flops.

I MUST say -- because I want the world to know -- that there STILL IS SUCH A THING as polite, friendly young people!

Jerry and I went to eat lunch at Panda Express (Chinese).  Like I said, it was SUPER WINDY.  It was blowing so hard that I could not open the door to the restaurant.  (Jerry is always 10 steps behind me.)  Two pretty young girls (18 to 20ish) walked over to the door from inside the restaurant, and they pushed it open for me.  They were both wearing dresses and their hair was clean and combed, their teeth clean, their skin tattoo-free and noses free of objects hanging from them.  They even  said "please" and "thank you" to the guys serving the food behind the counter!

Such a breath of FRESH AIR!  I thanked both girls for being so helpful and friendly to me.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if someone would figure out how to clone THEM!

I have been asked many times to give tips on organization.  I was in the middle or organizing a task this morning, so I decided to make a video and take some pics.

Here is the video.  Notice those fun sewing notions in my hand.

For my Sure-fit Designs friends out there, here are some pics for you.

First:  This is what my BLUEPRINT looks like.  It is the basic TOP pattern with two adjustments in it:  The sway back and the round back.  Notice how I had to swivel the back waist dart after the sway back adjustment.

Here is how I mark the COPIES of that blueprint:

The COPIES will be used to make STYLES with.  I should NEVER, NEVER, NEVER cut up my Blueprints.  If I do, I will just have to draw some more.  Always make a copy, and then use the copy to change the style.  The copies have the 5/8" seam allowance ALREADY in them.

And here is the pattern I found at Vogue yesterday that really resembles the top I am TRYING to make.  I thought, at first, it was princess seams, but I guess not.  There is a bust dart still in the pattern.  Only problem with that is, it doesn't go into the not-there-anymore side seam.  Ugh!  I will figure this out.

I am going to publish this so I can get back to my task of changing ONE of the THREE copies to the new design.

I will, of course, keep you posted.

Hugs, Joy

Gassed Gophers and Great Tutorial

Hello Everyone!

It really is TRUE, my friends.  At this very moment, my husband is GASSING THE GOPHERS, or they could be moles.  Since we have never been face-to-face with one of the little diggers, we do not really know.

I thought my husband was KIDDING when he said he was going to gas them with carbon monoxide, but he wasn't.  I took pictures.

That is the back of our company van.  Jerry wasn't able to connect to my car.  (Thank you to the nice reader who suggested blurring number and tag.)

Below you can see the hose going down into one of the gopher's holes.

I told Jerry that Mr. Gopher probably grabbed Mrs. Gopher and the kids and ran over to the neighbor's yard which is where they actually live.  We have paid $900 two summers in a row to get rid of these varmints, but the neighbors don't get rid of theirs.  Hence, they keep coming back over here.   

Please note that our yard was just SCALPED to get all the dead winter grass off of it.  I PROMISE, it will look a whole lot better real soon, ESPECIALLY if the pesky gophers quit digging holes and building hills in it.

I made a video today.  Here it is if you care to watch me wave a spoon around and drool over ice cream.

At the end I refer to a really great set of tutorials by Louise Cutting.

Here is a picture of the web page showing the class.  It is over two hours long.  I haven't finished watching all the tips yet, but I have already learned several I never saw before.  AWESOME!

Going back to our other home tomorrow.  The one with the snail's pace internet speed.  I could make three videos a day here and easily get them uploaded in just minutes.  Probably a good thing the internet is slow at my other house.  I'd never get any work done because I would just sit and talk to my internet friends all day long.

Be back soon.

Hugs, Joy

Sunday and Back Home in Edmond

It has been a lovely day. 

We started the morning watching Matthew Hagee preach a wonderful sermon EXCEPT for the twirling tornado behind him on the big screen.  TO ME, it was VERY distracting.  It is a fairly new thing they do at Cornerstone Church.  It is a great tool for helping you remember the sermon.  The first one I saw was the four horses.  It was fine because the horses weren't flying around in circles the entire sermon.

Matthew talked about REBUILDING after destruction.  Hence, the tornado.  We Christians MUST do what we can to help rebuild America to the ONE NATION UNDER GOD that it was founded to be by our CHRISTIAN forefathers.  God didn't tell the schools to teach our children the Ten Commandments.  God told fathers and mothers to TRAIN UP THEIR CHILDREN.

We see every single day the results of Godless homes.  Beautiful young people who can't read -- can't write -- can't think -- can't solve a simple problem -- and have NO IDEA who they were created by or WHY they were created at all.

Sad, sad, sad.  I want to climb up on my rooftop and SCREAM to the world that I KNOW the answer to all the problems in our nation.

PEOPLE NEED THE LORD!!!

Of course, nobody would hear me, and it would certainly not be politically correct.  I couldn't care less about being politically correct, but people will ignore the truth for that insane reason.  The Bible says, "Only a fool says there is no God", whether it be politically correct or not.  What needs correction in America is our Government!

On the drive up here, we listened to Joel Osteen.  He is Mr. Super-Positive and Upbeat as you probably know.  He was talking about the supernatural protection we have under the wings of God.

He always has the best illustrations.  He talked about a bird that had been burned to death in a fire.  It was very strange, because the large bird's charred wings were completely outstretched flat on the ground.  As whoever it was watched the bird, its wings started to move.  Out from under the wings walked three baby birds -- alive and well.  Joel said that no matter HOW HOT THE FIRE GETS, we are ALWAYS under the protection of our mighty God.



I know!  Doesn't seem that way for all those Christians beheaded across the world.  Doesn't seem that way for children abused and abandoned and worse.  Some things, we just cannot understand right now.  The Bible says we see through a glass darkly.  Right now, it is very dark.

I'll be back soon.  This is the FAST internet house.  (For those of you who don't know, we have two homes because we have a business in two towns.)  Not sure what project I will do next, but I sure will let you know.

Hugs, Joy