What I Did on my Summer Vacation

 

Summer has waned, I am not sure where it went but it flew by so fast I felt a breeze. I didn't plant one flower in the yard or window box because I knew I wouldn't be here to tend to them. I had grand thoughts of making a post about each of the things I did over the summer over the next couple of weeks. Nah, not gonna happen. Here in one post is "What I Did on My Summer Vacation"

Our overseas kiddos came home in late spring and that started our whirlwind. We went to a ballgame. They were appropriately decked out in home town team gear.

We had fun at the annual parish carnival.

We went to the zoo. Some petted the animals, some did not. The carousel was NOT a big hit.

Next up was the first of many trips up and down this highway. You can't imagine how long Mississippi can get. I was sure it grew by a few hundred miles.

I snuck away and attended Wendy Schoen's La Broderie Bayou. That was fun. I need to finish this project so she can wear it next spring.

Next up was the aquarium.

I did sew a teeny bit at the beginning of summer. I sewed pom pom trim on Peanut's nursery drapes for his momma. Here the nursery awaits.

Wrote and submitted an article to Sew Beautiful. Then....

in a flurry of excitement, our newest little Prince arrived. The pace of the next ten days slowed considerably as we rocked and snuggled as well as helping to take care of his momma. The oeverseas bunch left for now.

Mimi returned home to spend the next few weeks planted in a chair, feverishly stitching a christening gown. I truly thought the moss would grow over the chair and me! 250 hours were spent in that chair or at the sewing machine. Not really sure why this one took so much longer but every minute and every stitch was worth it.

Just a teeny sneak peak. Look for more later. Next up, the overseas crowd returns and we hit the highway again.

The gown was finished just in time for the portraits. I think we all worked just as hard for the "photo shoot" as I did stitching the gown. We were exhausted! So what do girls do when they need to regroup and refresh?

They go to tea! What better way to relax?

Princess was all over the tea concept. Having tea party. Her tea of course was milk, don't contaminate her cup with real tea! The biggest hit? Clotted cream which she thought was a higher form of butter. Princess loves herself some butter.

More snuggles with this little guy.

A highlight of the trip was a street car ride! All of the kids had a thrill with that.

What is summer without a little pool time? Even the newest babe had a little pool party.

Since Princess wasn't here with us for her birthday, we had a belated celebration in the park, in the rain. No one seemed to care. We had cake, she had none. We opened gifts, she wouldn't hear of it. We sang Happy Birthday, she cried. After the formalities, we let her loose in the park and she was all smiles and excitement. From one ride to the next. Forget that party stuff, give her a slide.

All of the family came together to celebrate Peanut's baptism. Having all of my kiddos there was icing on the cake.

Having your Gada officiate at your baptism is even more special. A truly blessed day.

The after party was just as wonderful. Can you tell we are a partying bunch? Gada's tell tale golf tan doesn't hide the fact that this little Peanut has a strong family resemblance to his Gada.

Back up the highway we came. Now to pack up the house for another big project.

Renovation and new flooring. What a job that is. And is still not finished I might add.

In between the song of saws, drills and hammers there were more trips to the park.

The Magic House was a big hit. I highly recommend it as it is one of the country's premier children's museums.

I sewed a teeny bit in between

I must have sat on, laid on and evaluated 100 sofas. My quads hurt me the next day.

There was an entire day and a half devoted to fabric selection. Who knew this process was so involved? Not me!

Time to pack again.

A little of this, no singing of this though; 

some (ok quite a few) of these.

Blew my lace budget here.

Watched an awesome glass blowing demo, 

saw some lace making. 

We quickly visited Torcello, and the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. I would think that the numerous tourists would love to see the inside, these people are crowded around the doorway for another reason. We stumbled across a late summer wedding taking place on this sparsely populated island. 

Before we leave romantic Venezia we had the opportunity to sit and watch the parade for the 600+ year old Regatta. Time to board the train for the overseas kid's home, the City of Mosaics. 

The view out their kitchen window. I wish I had remembered to take a photo at night. Breathtaking.

We walked over 30 miles that week seeing all the Unesco Heritage sites in Ravenna. One more beautiful than the last. Which I am sure precipitated a visit to

here. No, this is not a Throwback Thursday photo. Hospitals in Italy are a throwback to the 60's! A glitch in our trip, but all is well. 

Time for the real reason for our trip, Princess's first day of school. Growing up too fast. Children start school at three. Mimi wasn't ready.

One last lunch at one of the many cafes and time to fly back home.

We arrived home the night before this sweet Peanut came to stay at Mimi's house. Mommy and Daddy had a wedding to attend. Mimi was all to happy to babysit.

Even though a sweet boy was here, there is no rest for the weary. Construction continues but we are closing in on completion. Floors are in, carpet is installed upstairs, furniture is back where it came from. On to making drapes and praying for an early arrival of new furniture for the living room.

Peanut and his Mama were with us for a week, sadly it was time for them to return home as well. They left and wayward son returned home for a weekend. The only visit we are missing is oldest daughter. Hint, hint. 

So that is what I did with my summer, what did you do with yours? It is officially fall here. Getting ready for a Gail Doane class with my local SAGA chapter. Time has flown this year, the rest of the year promises to be just as busy. My sewing room is cleaned up, mostly, time to get in there. Too many ideas, not enough time.

Birthday "Becky"

Faithful reader I am attempting to play catch up. I realized I had never posted about the birthday outfit for Princess. Now that you mention it, there is a whole lot I haven't posted about during this crazy summer. All of that aside, here is the little shorts set I made for Princess' 3rd birthday.

Children's Corner Becky

I used Children's Corner "Becky" for the shorts set. The fit was great when worn as intended. Princess has an annoying habit of shoving her pants, shorts, bloomers and panties down below her tummy. When she does this, it makes it appear as if the shirt is too short. Its not. Fabric is from Nashville Cottons.

Gigi Designs

The embroidery design is from Gigi Designs. Stitches up great. She likes to "blow out" the candle.

Sweet gingham seersucker collar and shorts with fun purple buttons. Her favorite color right now.

Why a picture of the bows over the side slits? Because it took as long to make those bows as it did the entire outfit. I am not good at turn cord. No amount of special tools help me.

She doesn't do well with the whole birthday party present and cake thing. Cries when you sing Happy Birthday, wouldn't open gifts with everyone there but oh man, let her loose in a park with slides and she is after it. It didn't matter that we did the slides, swings and climbing in the rain. She loved it. Just don't sing Happy Birthday.

This is what you get when you try to party. Is that not the most pitiful thing you ever saw? Never fear, as I said, once we got to the rides and slides she was a happy camper.

A Little "Happy"

A box containing advance copies arrived today. I didn't expect that, so it was a little "happy."  It isn't on newsstands yet so I will refrain from giving away the farm.

Thanks for letting me toot my own horn.

I have more to share with you from our incredibly crazy summer. How did summer speed by so fast? Zoom! Gone!

Right now this incredibly bad phone photo explains so much. I haven't forgotten you.

Life is Good

What else can be said? Life doesn't get much better than this. 

Celebrating the Day I Changed My Name

There are moments in life when you know your world is forever changed. The day you graduate from high school or college, the day you marry, when your children are born etc. You get the drift. Then there are days that change your life in ways you never imagined. I've changed my name before; when I married, became a parent and then when this little princess was born. My name became "Mimi" three years ago today. I knew I longed for grandchildren but I had no idea the effect it would have on my life. Any grandparent out there knows what I mean. You think you know before hand, you don't know.

I love my children, don't get me wrong. I love being their mom and wouldn't trade it for the world. That being said to become a grandparent is something that can't be explained. I am not really sure what it is that tilts the earth on its axis but man oh man, does it ever! I felt like I had waited so long for grandchildren that I might be a little let down. That perhaps it wasn't going to be all I had built it up in my mind to be. This was not the case! It was that and more. Much more.

She has grown up so fast and has been joined by two precious little boys since then.  First her baby brother and most recently by a cousin. I lamented I would never have any grandchildren and now there have been three in three years! I wouldn't have it any other way.

She talks a blue streak, has an attitude a mile wide, is smarter than the average bear, loves cake, pahcorn (popcorn), Dora and Cinallela (Cinderella), would rather read a book than do anything else, hates her hands being dirty and has logged more miles on an airplane in her short life than most people do in a lifetime.  She runs the show, no doubt about it! She has more adults wrapped around her little finger than the law should allow.

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl! I love my new name, Mimi.

Stitchin' While Doing the Texas Two-Step

Have you ever wanted to learn to smock? Do you admire beautiful embroideries from by-gone eras? Do you love to sew for children but your garments have that “homemade look”? Do you read sewing blogs and wonder to what the terms pin stitch, faggoting, hemstitch and featherstitch refer? Would you like to broaden your sewing skills? Come join the Smocking Arts Guild ofAmerica (SAGA™) at its annual convention in Frisco, Texas October 23^rd-27^th and you will have a discover your hidden talents!

When you hear the word convention, think fun, exciting and educational classes!  Each class has been evaluated and approved by a SAGA selection committee so you can be assured that you will be taught proper technique and execution allowing you to expand your sewing skills. From pattern drafting for children, mastering the peter pan collar, designing your own smocked ornament, learning how to shadow embroider, working on pulled thread, tackling the pea hole hemstitch, mastering your pleater, stitching an elaborate Elizabethan Panel, or simply perfecting your smocking, there is something for everyone taught at all levels!

Are you ready to challenge yourself to improve your stitching? Join the SAGA Artisan Program and work toward attaining the level of apprentice, artisan or master in four different areas of expertise – smocking, embroidery, fine machine sewing and fine hand sewing. There will be an informational meeting of the Artisan Program at convention to explain the process and classes you take can count toward achieving the necessary levels. 

Interested in helping your community with a service project using your stitching? Come and learn about the SAGA Wee Care Program™, and get inspired by the talents of our members who donate hand smocked and embroidered gowns and bonnets to local hospitals for neonatal units and bereavement programs. 

Don’t know anyone? Don’t worry - ladies who stitch are friendly, helpful and love to have fun. So join the SAGA convention, learn a new technique, participate in the doll clothing contest and yes, even learn to Two-Step!

SAGA has chapters through out the United States and a chapter in Mexico and Australia! Local chapters meet monthly, bring teachers for seminars and participate in the WeeCare Program™. If there is no chapter located near you, you can still become involved through the members at large program. For more information, check out the SAGA website at www.smocking.org!

A New Man in the House

Another arrival has come to stay as well. When traveling to my daughter's she asked that I bring my iron because hers was really carpy. She was not lying! Carpy doesn't begin to describe it. I am not sure it ever got really, really warm; let alone hot.

I decided being the good mom that I am (and wanting those linen daygowns ironed after I left) to gift her with my Reliable Velocity iron. It is a great iron. I have blogged about it before, here. Also too, I will admit I had been wanting a later generation Velocity with the auto-shutoff override. So you see, my reasons weren't 100% altruistic. (Hey don't judge me, she got a great iron in the deal!)  SO of course I had to have an iron. I went looking and found the man of my dreams.

Meet Bubba. The Reliable J490 IronMaven. (Please, what a sissy name for this thing.) Is that a behemoth or what? I will admit I was a tad frightened when I took it out of the box and found wrenches, litmus strips and alarm bells listed in the info. After reading the manual; yes, all of it, I told you I was scared; I tested my water, filled the tank and turned that buddy on. WHOA NELLY! It will shoot steam half way across the room! No lie. I may have to get a separate table for it, it is huge! I'm afraid if I get one of those holders for the end of ironing board it will tip the entire thing over.

I will get over my fear. Hopefully, no lace or fabric victims will occur in the process. I have wanted one of these type of irons for a long time. I am hopeful it won't let me down.

Where in the World is Southern Matriarch?

In the sewing room! For two and half days I have traced, erased, retraced, wadded up, restarted, traced again and finally settled on a design for the new family gown for Baby Peanut and his future siblings. I don't know what made me think I could do this while I was away awaiting Baby Peanut's birth. I am a pretty good multi-tasker but for this process I need head space. I realized last night that in those two and half days I hadn't even had the TV on and very little music playing.  And heaven knows I needed a printer! If I find an image I want to adapt, I end up resizing it in multiple sizes with my all in one printer/copier/scanner. I certainly got in my "steps" the past few days, up and down the stairs between the printer and my sewing room.

The need for the physical space to spread out is also a must. Well that is the case all the time, but stencils, rulers, paper, pens, pencils, lightbox, tracing paper, etc. etc etc. take up a lot of room.  All that aside, the design is done and this morning blue pen will meet fabric.

So that is where I have been. As I said, I will spend a good bit of my time today tracing onto fabric and getting ready to stitch. This evening I will take a break to have the obligatory grilled meat and watch some fireworks. Happy 4th of July faithful reader.

May your burger be just right, the breeze cool and the fireworks aplenty. We are blessed to live in a great country. Celebrate that with those you love. My daughter who lives abroad wrote a great post about it. It is amazing the perspective you have when you live elsewhere.