Could it Be?

Blessed Savior! It is raining! At first I thought I was awakened by thunder, no the sound I must have heard was the sucking noise the ground outside is making. My sidewalks have not been wet in weeks and weeks, except when the sprinkler was misplaced. There are actually small puddles in the street. My yard is the color of dry pasta. What a wonderful respite from this awful heat and drought we have been experiencing.

Another task that I expected to only take a few days turned into 10 days. Painting our master bed and bath. Geez Louis. Not an easy task with one good arm.

I am in this store so much I am considering adding them to the wedding guest list. I have to give a shout out to Strothkamp's. Wonderful, knowledgeable staff and hometown people who know their stuff! I have become a big fan of Benjamin Moore paints over the last couple of years. Those big box stores have gotten the last of my business when it comes to painting. It is so nice to walk in somewhere with a request or question and get an answer instead of a blank stare from a teenager there trying to earn spring break cash. (Not that there is anything wrong with teenagers getting a job or learning on the job.) Room is almost back together. Drapes go up today and the last of the debris taken away.

To top it all off, the bride is home as evidenced by the above boxes. She has two dress fittings this week. The salon shipped her dress to her out of state to save on sales tax. Not usually something that I would bother with, but a savings of more than a few hundred dollars was worth it this time. We need every extra penny. And for those who were concerned, she did find shoes. Not near the bank draining ones I thought she would come home with either.

She is home this week in order to cram as much wedding errands into seven days as possible as well as two bridal showers. It is a challenge with an out of town bride.

I'm sure this will be both of us by next Monday. That is all for now faithful reader. And in honor of the rain...

Invitations-Check!

A simple, or so I thought, task is complete. Except for assembling. I will wait until the bride is home to do that next weekend. Now onto the next. Guest book is ordered. I have to get into the sewing room this week and get started there asap.

I am a little bit devilishly excited, my physical therapist is on vacation this week. Is it bad that I can hardly contain my excitement? I am not even jealous about her laying on a beach somewhere. It means she is not here. That guy pictured above is a paid actor. How do I know that? There is no grinning going on when I am there! So I will take my week of vacation. Don't worry, I'll still do my home program, but there is no need for pain medications involved in what I do at home. And that is several hours this week I have gained back. You wouldn't think three appointments in a week would be a lot, but it seems to take up way more than you would expect. I need the extra time.

When you are in the midst of your daughter's wedding, you can't help but reflect on your own. How many of your 70's friends had this song at their wedding? I lost count. Count myself among those who had it at theirs. I still love it, 34+ years later.

Cooking Up Some Wee Care

Available at Amazon

It is time for the Miracle Bash Auction for  the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children in Huntsville, AL. You can see the previous donations here, and here. I kept telling myself, "I don't have time", "I don't have time." Yesterday I had come to accept that I didn't have time and I would just purchase something to send. Hence the kitchen set above that I found on Amazon. Something overtook me yesterday afternoon though just as I hit "submit" for the Amazon order, "I could make an apron and hat to go with it. I can zip that up." If I were a real friend I would have made an entire chef outfit. I guess my friend will know that I am not that good a friend. Back to the topic at hand. We all know I have a soft spot for Wee Care and a NICU, so I couldn't not at least make something, even if it was small and quick.

Daydream Dolly Boutique

A quick Google search and I found this free pattern. I went stash diving and set to work.

This is the result. I did a couple of things a bit different than called for in the pattern. I pleated the hat top to the brim instead of gathering. So much quicker and I had learned the technique on the kid's sized chef hats I made for my daughter's Junior League chapter last year. I also didn't quilt the oven mitt. Sorry, dolly will just have to move quickly when she takes that pan of cookies out of the oven.
So my contribution doesn't come close to some of the others that have been done. Take a look at Jan's tea party set. So Sweet. 

Kathy T's Pinterest Board

Or Kathy T's gorgeous winter set she "dolly sized" from a Sew Beautiful pattern. She posted it on her Pinterest. 

Then there are my friends Dawn and Rachel who have also made some precious things. I am sure there are more that I missed or don't know about but I do know this will be one well dressed dolly. If you happen to live in Huntsville, I suggest getting a ticket to this year's bash so you can have a chance of taking this awesome Doll and wardrobe home with you, while helping to support their NICU.


So I am off to jump in the shower and go to the post office. Next up, cleaning that sewing room and putting my bedroom and bathroom back together after a quick paint job.

A Little Eye Candy

First posted here

There is no stitching to show you that has come from my hands. I didn't think you wanted to see another shot of the my addressing station on the dining room table so here is a little eye candy. Love this bright shadow work done on organdy. It seems happy.

First posted here,

Another jewel I found was this embroidered pincushion. Love the mother of pearl accent pieces. It is stitched on a piece of damask and you can see where the stitcher has "re-embroidered" the damask design. Just gorgeous.

I needed a break from addressing and searching out inspiring stitches was just the ticket.

And because I have the postman on my mind...

Time for Cake!

It is time to celebrate. Princess has a birthday today. She is two! How did that happen?

It was just yesterday, I am sure of it, that her parents brought her home from the hospital.

We have had so much fun over the past two years. Almost too much fun to be legal.

Didn't we just have the birthday party of the decade? Surely that was just last week.

Needless to say, Christmases are sure a whole lot more fun these days.

She is no longer a baby. She has turned into a full fledged kid! A kid who loves da poooool! To weeee, (aka swing and slide) runs more than she walks and yesterday was telling Mimi and Ga-Da her numbers. It is all whizzing by too fast. Mimi sure misses her girl.

Happy Birthday precious. September can't get here fast enough.

What's Up?

What are you up to these days, faithful reader? We are in the throes of wedding central here.

There has been quite a bit of this going on. It is amazing to me the different choices between the three brides in almost every way, right down to the invitations.

Spent some time strolling down memory lane. Do you know how long it takes to gather pictures when you have to look, sigh, and remember with each box or photo album you open? Also how difficult it is to find pictures of the youngest child by themselves? The bride is very nervous about photos chosen and for what purpose. All I can say is she better be nice to me.

Phone calls to readdress the flowers. The bride thought she was set on what she wanted. She wasn't. 

Chatting with a friend for her plans to host a bridal shower. Great friends are a such a blessing.

Picking up dresses from here. I can only give you a peek. Can't spill all of the beans you know.

I can't praise Town and Country Bridal enough. They have been wonderful both this time and with her older sister in their previous location. It is remarkable when you enter a shop five years later, in a new location and they remember your name and the names of the brides. They were a delight to work with. And such a pretty shop. Always quiet even when they are busy, busy. Trust me this is not always the case. There are some well known bridal salons here in our area that when you enter, it feels like a free for all! Loud, crowded and messy. And we are not talking cheap salons either.

In the midst of all this, there are some sewing plans happening as well. I ordered fabric to match the bride's gown for the flower girl and ring bearer. a.k.a. the Prince and Princess. Some of the most beautiful silk dupioni. Traditionally dupioni has slubs throughout the fabric. It is part of the nature of the fabric. This is the most clear dupioni I have ever seen. In a beautiful soft champagne color. Need to get cracking here! Eleven weeks and counting: deep breath!


I hope you are enjoying some fun where ever you are.