Sewing Machine!!!!

Ok so this week has been a good one. Don't get me wrong, BUT it has had some downers. Biggest one this week was my HUGE upset at seeing class. I loaded up my supplies, drove off the island and to class. Got my machine set up and running and sat down for the power point and video for the days lesson.

 When I headed back to my machine it did a funny, spazzy thing that after more than 15 years together I have come to know. So I just turned her off and went to visit. When I came back she wouldn't turn on. Gasp.....horror.....sickening feeling crept all over me. (Sorry practicing my fiction writing here. Got to get back in the groove before school starts.) I walked off and did this 3 more times. Nope she would humm but not turn on.

 As any good married lady would do I call Brad, tried to be brave and ended up crying like a baby. He felt bad, tried to calm me down. I took a deep breath and walked back to her. She turned on!!!!!!! But my dear friends she just didn't feel right. To my sewing friends you understand this. Tension was off, ect.

 Took her in Thursday to be serviced. Machine guy called me, well he said the issue is I can't get parts for her anymore. What!?!?!? Tears again. She isn't that old. Thing is she is an embroidery machine and the technology they used on her just isn't what they use today. Tears again. Mark my machine guy started to talk to me about trading her in. Her and I have been through so much, college, babies, we learned to quilt together. I have made countless outfits for the girls, myself, gifts for others. Trade her in!?!?! Slowly though Mark had me listening about the new line of machines I had to look forward to.

Good news is that a special person gave me an early gift and with my trade in value I will getting a new machine. She will more than likely become parts to help save other machines whoes insides are a bit better. I have been quilting and sewing with a Janome Memory Craft 9000' WONDERFUL machine. I will miss her I am sure. I have been reading, pouring over blogs,forums, and emailing loads of people. Here are the two beauties I am looking at.

My sweet companion. I will miss you dear!

Janome Horizon 7700QPC

Isn't she a beauty????

Lots of bells and whistles on her. Many things my current machine already has and many extra comforts that I had been looking at or working with Brad to figure out how we could adapt my current machine to have. She looks almost just like my Janome 9000, buttons are all in the same place and even opens up the same.

The 2nd machine I am looking at is Janome Memory Craft 6600P

She doesn't look like my 9000 but has the same insides. She is the step down from the one above.

Here are the ONLY big differences that I can see, well that effect me.

1. The 6600 does not have a free arm. Now I do have a Viking that I love that has a free arm. Would I get annoyed if I was making something for the girls and had to keep switching from machine to machine. Not sure to tell you the truth.

2.  Touch screen vs buttons. My 9000 is all touch screen. Not sure this is any kind of deal breaker really.

3. 7700 has 250 stitches and the 6600 has oh about 145 something. But that isn't a deal breaker to me either.

4. the 6600 does not have automatic tension. That is something that I am use to having. With 6600 my big learning curve will be learning to play with that knob on the front which is my tension.

So there ya have it. I will test drive them both on Monday and we will see who comes out the winner.

VBS day 4 and 5

VBS ended on a high note for me and the girls. We had so much fun being Zapped this year! What I love the most about it all is what they both came away learning and what I hear them singing and talking about.

here is the last day at VBS.

Beach Vacation 2012 Day 1

Oh we are so excited to be at our time share. I know what you are thinking, time share?  Really?  But yes we do love ours! We have our home base in Galveston and it is a very nice resort with a full kitchen, nice huge bathroom and bedroom. We have the best view too. 5th floor, top floor facing the beach.

How did we get roped into this you might say, well we didn't really we wanted it. About 5 yrs ago we came down for one of those long winded sales thingies so we could earn a free week here. We fell in love. Ever since we have come every summer but 2 and every time it has been worth it. We have had friends and family come and they too enjoy it. What is even more exciting is the price tag isn't bad at all, or we would have NOT done it. Secondly next summer we are headed to Walt Disney World in Florida and our time share has a resort there.  So it won't cost us anything but chump change to have a room beg enough to sleep 6 and stay for a whole week.  Even my father was blow away at the how little it will cost us. 

;o)

Here are some pictures from our first day. As I type this now, Evelyn and her daddy our on the balcony enjoying the view and Gracie is coloring.

 Both of these are views from our balcony looking out towards the beach. This is Galveston

 Aunt Isa and cousin Sofia playing in the water today. They came down with Grammy for a visit and beach time.

 Mine...mine....mine

Evelyn and Sofia enjoying a snack of chips after our time on the beach.

 The girls after a good nap and a yummy dinner. They still look a little tired. We are headed to the pool here in a bit. Hopefully they sleep great tonight!

 

Making sand castles with daddy. Lots of sand!

Do not worry this pale skinned girl is READY for the sun. I was worried about Evelyn today and the sun, but after her nap I noticed what I thought was red was really from the heat and she is already has a little tan going.  SO glad both girls got their daddies skin!!!

VBS day 3

The ROCK!

We learned about how Simon Peter, became Peter and was a Rock. Lots of neat crafts and faith story time with rocks. I got to peek in on my girls a LOT today. They were too cute. I will post pictures later, for now I think we will all take a nap!

 Love this face! Those eyes. Boy I think Brad had better get a gun...or two.

Grace and her buddy Janelle singing the songs in the morning. Too cuties.

Working on her craft today. I think she enjoyed herself.

Yes she knocked down the tower that her friends built. I laughed so hard I almost couldn't keep the camera still.

Ended my day at a board meeting.  But at least I enjoy the people I am on board with and our manager.

Tomorrow is Thursday. Week is almost over, but will be a long one for me. Friday and Saturday I have my lovely scrapbooking ladies over to scrapbook. Need to clean my house and PACK.  YES we are headed to the beach on Sunday.  One whole week of sun, sad, water and keeping Grace's cast dry.  ;o)  Hopefully Brad can get some good shots of the girls while on the beach. Maybe next year we won't have a cast on.

VBS 2012

Well I know I am jumping ahead here, but I will write about the wedding weekend in a bit. Brad is still working on editing them. So you will all just have to wait.

VBS has started at our church and both girls having a lot of fun. They go to music time, games, snack time, crafts and story time. I know that Grace is already learning a lot and I am really enjoying listening to her talk about Jesus at the dinner table.

Here are some photos of our first couple of days.

 Evelyn and her boat. She was very proud of it today.

 Game time. See the pink cast? Grace was really enjoying herself.

 This was the craft today. Love how it turned out.

 Getting ready for the closing prayer.

Evelyn working on her art. She was so good. Makes this mama proud!

Being home....

Grace's recital was so much fun!  I am so proud of her. She sure has a come a long way since she started dancing.

After the recital we headed to Grapevine. Long drive, but we have had a nice lazy Monday.

 Before the recital started. She did a good job picking out her cast to match.

 All done! Cute little mouse. Almost too many flowers for her to hold.

LOVED her tap dance. This is her shaking that itty, bitty, booty


Today we went to downtown Grapevine to see the Gun Fighters. Very cool!

Waiting for the show to start. Evie didn't want to sit in her chair. So pitiful!

 Before we left it was tain time. Grace was controling it all. We all enjoyed it, kind of cool.

 Evelyn waiting for the show, she didn't want to sit in he chair as she calls it.

Grapevines new Gunfighters. It was a neat show! Love this town.

Hot pink lady!

Goodness what a day! This morning I had some lovely friends over and we made a pinterest project! Totally fun and totally organized.

Grace had to get her arm put in a full cast today.  ;o(  She was excited till she learned,:

NO:
1. Swimming
2. No sand. Ummmm we have a beach vacation planned in 2 weeks!!
3. Again no swimming

Here is she is picking out the color of her cast. Not surprised that she was going to pick pink. She is excited about it here.

The beginning of it all. She is a little nervous. I am sure this part hurts a bit getting. Louis was our cast guy. He was fabulous!

Now getting some kind of padding added to the sock tube.

Getting the pink cast put on the hand. She was a little nervous here, but she did great. We laughed and joked with each other the whole time.

First layer is all done. Letting it dry a bit. She complained about it getting hot. I touched it. Man I had no idea the heat it would produce as the cast was drying.













The finished product. Took almost an hour and she is little worn out too, but in good spirits. Lets see how good they are in 3 weeks when she has missed out on all the swimming and ocean time.  ;o) We also blinged it out tonight. But alas this momma was too tired to take pictures. Yes a shock I know. I will get those for tomorrow.

Half-Square Tiriangle Block of the Month

One of my new adventures is to join and complete a quilt following a block of the month. I am very excited about this. This can take a LOT of cutting and sewing, but thanks to Marcia and her Longarm we have found a cool way to get all those half-square triangles and get a lot of them quickly. I will be joining Jeni and her Blog In Color Order. A very neat blog with all kinds of goodies. I am obviously behind but plan to catch up quick. In Jeni's Block of the Month she uses the half-square triangles and well take a look below at what Marcia's Longarm can help you accomplish!

 First we loaded the butter yellow and then in stages we added the other half fabric, face down, and let her machine sew out the pattern.

 This is at home with all the fabrics done. I think I have 6 in all.

And here ya have it. After cutting, I will show that tomorrow, I have 80, YES 80 half-square triangles ready to go. It was a snap!










This has been a SUPER, busy crafty and sewing kind of day. Just the kind I LOVE to have. On top of that I even cooked another pinterest meal for dinner. What's on the agenda for tomorrow you ask?  Well I will cut another section of my HST (half-square triangles). Get them all ironed out and stacked. Then I will try to sew at least 2-3 more rows of my Carousel quilt and I will also be completing a pinterest project for my classroom. Storage, cut and organized!!

Carousel day 3

Did get much done on it today. I worked with layout again.  Then finally called it good enough to start.  I started to measure my blocks and make sure they were sqaure.  Always remeasure I say! Then started piecing the rows together. I was able to get the first two. So you have an idea of what it will look like.  Just 7 more rows to go. HA

You also get to see a part of my sewing/scrapbooking room. Oh and that would be Grace's art work that was in the CCISD art show.  Love that girl!

Crafty kind of day

My cousin is getting married in a week. I bought the girls the cutest dresses, but needed a fabulous bow. I have seen a LOT on esty, but just didn't want to pay that price. So thanks to Allyson and my mom I brought a fancy flower/bow and added to it.  Here is my end result.

 Evelyn modeled well for me today.  Yes I bribed her with candy. But could you say no to that cute face when asked for a piece of candy?