What a couple of weeks!

Hello again,

Been gone for a week. Wish I had my camera with me right now so I could show you all the cuteness and craftyness that has gone on. But I am upstairs icing my foot. So they will have to wait.

Creative Arts Camp
Once again this year I helped with the sewing focus class at church. I love sewing with those kids. We teach 10 3rd-5th graders how to sew. We make bags or purses and boxer shorts. The girls and guys love it. Last week was the first time that I was able to walk. My goodness that hurt!!! Sew,  (hehe) while sewing I was starting to walk.

Family Reunion
Thursday we left for my husbands family reunion. I always enjoy going and seeing everyone. This year we had a house near the river in New Braunfels. Brad enjoyed some kid free and taking care of me time. He and my sister-in-law both with tubing with the family. They came back well rested to take care of us all.  ;o)

Every year we have washers tournament. I participated, even though it was difficult. It's a family tradition. Both Evelyn and Grace even took turns throwing washers. I didn't win this year, but had fun. I will say that I was VERY sore by that night.

This year I brought a craft for the ladies to do. We made Redneck Wine Glasses. We spent a good 2 hours just chit chatting and working on our glasses. By the end of the evening we had beautiful creations. (pictures will come later I promise!!)

  a few of the glasses I made. Also  few that I made as gifts once we got back in town.  E-6000 Glue. LOVE IT!

This week I headed back to school.  WAHH< yucky, blah!!!  I am teaching a jump start program this year. We are prepping students, giving them 3 weeks of review before we send them off to the next grade level. I am teaching the math section. It is just 4 hours each day, but worth it. Hopefully it is just what these kido's need to start off on the right tract in August.



So now I will go back to watching the Olympics and the suspense of the women's gymnastics team.

GO team USA!!!!!

Back to school.

Well today is one of those days when you enjoy getting it all done, BUT at the same time you just can't believe it is time to get it done.

I went to school today.  (da da dummmmm!)

Yup it was time to get the ole' classroom set up. I will be teaching a jump start program this year. It is for students that completed the grade and are moving one. We are giving them a "jump start" for the next grade level. Sort of a big review in 3 weeks.

I will begin my 10th year of teaching. I can't believe it! So I thought with it being the 10th yr, why not do something different in my room. I have pretty much had the same room arrangement for 9 yrs. What can I say? I am a creature of habit. I like what is comfortable. Since I spend most of my day in that classroom I want it to feel like home.  So I made a change.

I wanted more floor space. A bigger area to gather and learn lessons. A bigger area for my students to play the games and complete activities. I gathered 2 past students whom I LOVE! Some siblings of them, good friends kid and my husband. We knocked her out in just over 2 hours. 

So here is the the new room!!

Standing in the door way. This is looking to the left. Those extra desk will be moved out. Round table for my small groups and my desk behind it.

Still standing in the doorway looking to the center. I created a wall with all my book shelves. I love books!  Can ya tell? Over 800 to be exact. Behind the wall is a nice space. Plenty of room for the large cabinets to open and for people to walk by. This will be come my reward area. Students will earn the right to sit back there during read around the room. See all that space? Isn't is lovely?

Still standing in my door way.  Looking straight back. That stack of pillows is on my couch. Lots of room!!!

I have a weird decoration style. I teach Texas History and love the American Indian unit. So I have 6 large drawings I made of different tribes. All around the room there are rabbit furs, stick weaving's, American Indian art, and various pictures relating to American Indians, Missions and Texas History.  Oh and all my A&M stuff too.  ;o)

I hope I like the desk, always worry about that part. Here is to a new year!

Poor baby

Thursday was a bit scary around here. I got a call from Evelyn's sitter that she had spiked a fever. When she got home it was 101.  YIKES! Evelyn was burning up, super clingy which is not like her at all. So I took her to the doctor. She has a super yucky throat and tonsil. 

Poor Baby

Popsicle are the best medicine for a sore and  hurting throat.

 Enjoying her Popsicle, showing of her tongue. Silly girl.

 I got a purple one mommy. A purple one! Yummy!!

Shrinky Drinks

Remember shrinky dinks? Today while at Michael's getting a great deal on a 10 drawer rolling cart, mom and I thought the kids needed a craft. Evelyn came down with strep throat this week, and mom leaves Saturday. So emotions are high and lots of cranky people. With all that we saw this at Michaels.

This set was TOO cool. We made jewelry out of it all.  We all had fun making them.

 Grace and Nanna posing for a picture.

 This was one of the piece's Evelyn and I worked on together. Evelyn showing me her bird.

 Watching the shrinky dink magic.

 A batch ready to go.

 All curled up!

All Done

Here is one of the rings we made. Too cute!

It was a good way to spend the afternoon. Kept both girls nice a busy!

Restless!!!

Oh I am so restless!! I am ready to be able to drive again!  I really have no project to work on tonight.  I guess I shouldn't have made those thread catchers so fast!  I was suppose to go to my quilt class tonight, but seeing as I have to depend on everyone else to get me places, get my rollerator thing.  UGG. I am not normally a person who ask for everyone to do things for me. I just get up and do it. 

Well right now I can't sew on my blocks for quilts class, I need thread. I am hoping that tomorrow I can talk someone it to taking me to Hobby Lobby or some where to get thread. Couldn't go to class because of the above paragraph AND the thread.  ACKKK!!!!

Just praying that on Thursday Dr. Sands will let me start driving and or putting some pressure on this foot.

Thread catcher

Took a break from quilting tonight.  Couple of reasons.

1. It was just one of those days, ya know?
2. I ran out of white thread!  ACK!!!
3. Brad tried to find the thread I wanted, but it couldn't. Its ok I rather get it any who.
4. I had some other projects I wanted to do.

I found this super cute little fabric basket at  Pink Penguin

Of course I made some changes, based on what I had.

 I found this cool fat quarter. If you look close you will see all kinds of words related to sewing. It is really neat far away too. I thought this would make the perfect thread catcher basket. so I changed up the pattern and instead of quilting a bunch of little squares I just made a band on top of the heavier fabric.

I used  a heavy out door fabric from my stash for the bottom. Hoping that it would give the basket a little more stability. On the right I am basting the finished outside to batting. I liked the idea of adding batting between the layers.








Since Red has so many new functions once I was done I thought why not use some of her decorative stitches?  So I did. Isn't this cute?  When I did the last 2 baskets I used a contrast color so it shows better. I also decided to leave the handles off. I was afraid they would get in the way or they would catch on something.

 cute litte spools. Fitting for a thread catcher basket.

 All done. Pretty sturdy too

Sorry that it is fuzzy. I made three tonight. Easy I only worked for about 2 hours, maybe less.  Too breaks to play with Evelyn. On my last basket I thought it would be nice to have a little of the inside layer trim the top. Gave one to Mom. She is already using it for Nana's stuff.  ;o)

Happy Monday!

Saying goodbye

Yesterday was a long day. I attended an amazing funeral. Brad's Uncle was a volunteer fireman for 62 years!  Uncle Art was a very neat man and he touched many lives over the years. 


Here is a link to an article about him in the Houston Chronicle. Arthur Hewitt

This firetruck that he is picture with was what carried him to his final resting place. Neatest funeral procession I have EVER seen. We were lead through League City by firetruck, ambulances and a HUGE police escort. As we passed fire stations they would have their ladder trucks out and stood at attention. Very moving. At the graveside there was 3 fly by's, taps played, 21 gun salute (he was also a POW in WWII), amazing grace played on the bagpipes, and the fire mans last call over the radio. Very moving.

The patriot guard was also part of the escort. This was as we exited the funeral

Here are some pictures I took with my phone as we arrived at the graveyard.

Later that night we attended a wedding for one of the girls we worked with when we were youth volunteers.  Needless to say I crashed last night and slept hard and long.

This evening we celebrated my father-in-laws birthday. I also got to learn how to make a quick pillow case.  Sew fun and sew easy!  I can't wait to get started on them. They will be nice to have many premade for birthday gifts.  Then all I need to do is run down to Marcia's and have their name put on them.  Not only will they make a perfect personalized gift, but very affordable and useful!!! 

So now I am watching some Big Brother.  Yes I am watching it, I love this show. Can't help myself. Tomorrow no plans other than being around the house and sewing!!!

Oh if you are reading my blog and enjoy it. Could you do me a favor? If you can become a follower!

See ya later!

Fabric!!!!

I had to share this! At the quick fabric stop after lunch I bought the neatest Jelly Roll.

Seaside by Riley Blake click on that link for a good view of all the fabulous fabrics in this collection.

Not sure what I am going to do with it, but something.  The children are too cute in it!


Now I just need a project to do. So for now it will go in my stash till it speaks to me.

Block 2

I got busy today after my nap. Since my sewing room is coming along so well, it is really becoming an even better place to work in.

Tonight I was able to sew both blocks 2 and get to work on block 3.

 Here are both blocks for block 2. They are the "big" blocks. They came together very nice.

 Well for some reason blogger keeps rotating my picture!  ARG! But you still get the idea.  Here is what blocks 3 will look like. This was a lot for me tonight so I had to stop before putting them together.















I feel I have a good system going here. I sew 2 blocks. Then I cut out and sew the HST for the next two blocks, get it all laid out and stop for the night. Not bad for an hour of work. Building my stamina back up.


oops for got to show another reason why I love red!

Look at all this space!!!! I can keep my pattern close, scissors and and my "push" stick for thick seams.

Update in sewing room

Today i got out of the house. Went to Joann's, ate lunch with mom, bead store. A quick stop was also made at a fabric store, YIKES!

Any who after a nap, long one, where I basically passed out from my outing, I came downstairs and little fairies, (mom and Brad) worked in my sewing room!!!

 Very exited that my rulers are hanging on the wall. These are my favorites. Next to the big one, by this weekend will have my quilting design wall hung. It will be above the cutting table.

 Above, my scrapbooking shelves were stacked to create extra space here. Now I have a space to keep projects I am working on.

Right.  See the chair is gone!!  Right now my rolling thing is parked there, but see that plastic stacking shelf?  Well it will go in this spot.


Next to the window will have the peg board installed.

 Brad decided to buy white boards instead. They were a tad cheaper and I can write on them as well. The peg board will be installed and painted this weekend. Just need to fix that cord a little better. Cool thing now is my switch to turn those lights on is now under the table. Very reachable.

 Moved my thread holder and hung it on the wall. Brad hung my painting with a twist paintings and a sweet March of Dimes one that was made for Grace.

Thought I would show you what runs along the top of the wall, where the ceiling meets. These are a bunch of MOD awards, Art work and my Nora Jones concert things. Most of those and the CD's are signed. Kind of our cool wall.









So that is it for now. More to come!!!

What an afternoon!

  OH my what a day!

Pretty sure the girls and mom and I have cabin fever! Evelyn just didn't have a good today. Started out with her getting sick this morning. Followed by cuddles in bed with mommy. That was a nice part of the day! 

Mom and I were just enjoying trashy tv today.  (It was raining all day, flooding and well our lovely ABC 13 didn't even show Good Morning America.  We know it floods around here, we get it!!) One of my addictions when a sneaky little girl came down. she was patting what looked like wet hair.  "I fix it.... I pretty.. uh huu I fix it.  see?"  At first mom and I were apprehensive over what she had done.

1.Knew she had been in the bathroom.
2. Knew she had gotten into something.

I said mom "Smell her hair."  "No way!'" mom said.  So I did. Sweet, and when I touched it, sticky.  Evelyn what did you get into?  The pictures below show her reactions to that. 

SHAMPOO!! Grace just ignored Evelyn while she was in the bathroom making a nice little mess.  She EVEN put some in Grace's hair.  Grace still ignored her.  Goodness!

 No mommy!!!! I fix it!!!!

So my mom did what any of us would do. She picked up little bit and washed her hair.  I did what another good mother that just had foot surgery would do.  I laughed and took pictures of course!

 Evelyn looks a little scared.

 Down she goes!

 While we thought it funny, Evelyn didn't

Stop it Nanna!!!!  Mom is trying to not laugh. 

Mean while the dogs could have cared less.  We had interrupted one of their thousand naps.

 This is Ozzy, my parents Schnauzer

Chanel on the left and Mac on the right. Our cuties

 All cleaned out. Mom  got a little wet during the whole ordeal. See even mom is laughing!

Evelyn was wet too.  What an afternoon!!

Hope your day was as much fun as ours!!!