The Sewing Mom

I was tagged by Laura of Laura’s Daily Life to do this interesting alphabet meme.

Rule #1: Copy all the links below and replace a single link under the appropriate letter of the alphabet. If your domain name, or even the title of your blog, starts with an “A,” you’d replace the link under that letter and put the replaced link at the bottom. Also, don’t forget to credit the tagger, or where you got the list from, at the end of the list with a full URL of the post so that a pingback gets generated.

1. A. acowboyswife.com

2. B. bloggingcents.com

3. C. caffeine-overload.com

4. D. DadThing.com

5. E. everythingandanythingblog.com

6. F. forumfinder.net

7. G. GeekMomMashup

8. H. happykeg.com

9. I. ipentimento.com

10. J. juliesjournal.com

11. K. kabalyero.com

12. L. ladylike4.com

13. M. mydailylifeasamom.com

14. N. notjustmama.net

15. O. originalmx5.net

16. P. peapodsquadstuff.com

17. Q. qweddings.com

18. R. rowdigrl.com

19. S. sewingmom.com

20. T. thesocalledme

21. U. utada-online.net

22. V. valmg

23. W. wiredfornoise.com

24. X. xaviermedia.com

25. Y. yimto.com

26. Z. zbudapest.com

Replaced link: shirleysdelight.com

Previous tagger: Laura’s Daily Life - Tag You’re It

Rule #2: You now have to “tag” at least five people and encourage them to participate so that this thing spreads like a virus.

1. Just Shooting the Breeze with Breezie

2. The Nykaza Family

3. The Things in My Head

4. Hoto’s Business Spot

5. Spreading My Wings

Tags: alphabet meme, meme

I was reading blogs this afternoon when I ran across one in particular that I ready fairly regularly. I was heart broken to find out that its author has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer, for the third time.

A very close friend of mine has experienced this same unfortunate occurrence. She first discovered her breast cancer 6 years ago. She went through chemo and radiation treatments. She followed all the doctor recommended courses of treatment. She even had a mastectomy followed by reconstructive surgery to receive silicone breast implants by a plastic surgeon. Finally, she was deemed cancer free after 5 years. Then, in her sixth year, the cancer returned. It was bigger and badder than ever and she has been fighting ever since. Thankfully, she is winning, not the cancer.

I want to ask my readers to please scroll down my right side bar to the pink and white breast cancer button. Clicking on this button helps to fund free mammograms to those who cannot afford them. Mammograms allow for early detection and early detection allows women to defeat this disease. So please, click.

Tags: breast cancer, breast implants, implants, silicone breast implants

I posted yesterday about the dresser I had bought for my daughter and repainted it. I am so thrilled about it, partly because it cost me a total of $62 (including tax), but also because when my husband put it inside my daughter’s closet last night, she thought it was so cool! She completely cleaned up all the clothes that were on her closet floor and sorted through everything as she placed it into the new drawers. She even went so far as to label the drawers!

Unable to be seen in this picture is the inside of her closet to the left and right of the dresser. Both sides are full of clothes hanging on the one single rod. Now I can see what we need to do. I want to put double rods down one side of the dresser for all of her hanging clothes and then shelve it down the other side for her sweatshirts and some of her many stuffed animals. It’s so nice to see it coming together and getting organized.

Tags: closet organizer, organization

I did not make losing weight a New Year’s resolution, but I did make it a goal to start living healthier, eating better and, as an end result, hopefully shed a few pounds. I am pleased to say, that as we near the end of the first month of 2008, I am sticking to my plan and getting closer to reaching my goal

I am definitely eating better, taking in few calories and making better choices about what I eat. I am also living healthier by insuring that I get off the couch (or computer chair) and get some sort of exercise into my days routine. Two things I’ve incorporated have been walking on the treadmill (I did 30 minutes this morning) and doing DDR (Dance Dance Revolution) with my daughter in the evenings, usually for an hour.   I have to tell you, that DDR really burns up the calories!

As a result of my efforts, I’m pleased to say I won’t have to plan a visit to lap-band Houston’s Dr. Collier who’s been performing laparoscopic surgery for over 17 years.  Although, I might consider sending my husband to visit him because he also performs laparo-scopic procedures for reflux disease.  My husband could certainly use some help in that arena!

So, now that we’re entering the second month of the new year, I feel confident that I can keep up my efforts.  By the way, I’ve lost 3 pounds!

Tags: lap-band, lap-band Houston, laparoscopic surgery

I had a rather busy day yesterday, but it was fun and I was quite productive!

I attended my very first sewing class yesterday and the project was a bag made out of strips of fabric.  These strips of fabric are cut and layered on top of each other and then rolled up into what’s called a jelly roll.  If you scroll down a few posts you can see a picture of my jelly roll of fabric in my Blogger Craft Club post.

I was able to complete almost the entire bag.  I have to put the second handle on the bag and then attach the decorative buttons.  Once I’m done, I’ll take a picture and post it.  It’s really cool and I bought some additional fabric while I was at the quilt store so that I can make a second bag.

Stay tuned for pictures of the completed project!

Tags: jelly roll, sewing

There was a time when I did quite a bit of scrapbooking. My scrapbooking led me to begin making my own cards and stationery. I really enjoyed doing this and hand crafted my own Christmas cards several years in a row. I have even been known to give packages of my handmade everyday cards as gifts.

Unfortunately, since we moved, I haven’t found any of my scrapbooking and card making supplies. I know they are here, I just don’t know which box they are in. We still have a number of boxes in our garage that I need to empty, so all of my supplies must be out there. I really do need to find them, there are several items I use regularly that I’ve been missing, like my full size paper cutter.

Since I haven’t been making cards, I also don’t seem to have any stationery to write letters to my friends back in Illinois. Plain paper just won’t cut the mustard. They know me too well and know that I love to craft. I would disappoint them as well as myself if I used plain old paper!

Because I am in need, I found Bumpercards Personalized Stationery on the web and they specialize in custom handmade stationery. They have quite a bit to choose from and I can have it personalized, so I think I’ll look into placing an order. You might want to check them out as well.

Tags: bumpercards.com, personalized stationery, staionery

My daughter has never had a proper dresser. In our previous home, I rebuilt the inside of her closet with double rods and a ton of shelving. This allowed her to hang up most of her clothing and all her pajamas and under garments were folded on shelves. I also, someplace in time, had purchased a cardboard, 4 drawer, storage box that she used for her socks and things.

Since moving, I haven’t done anything with her new closet and she still doesn’t have a dresser. Her current closet has the typical one rod and one shelf with a few hooks along one wall. All of her pajamas and sweatshirts are on the floor and her little cardboard storage box has seen better days. She informed me that she didn’t want a dresser in her room as it would take up valuable space, she wanted one to go inside of her closet. Okay, that meant I could look for anything, as long as it would fit, and it didn’t have to match her bedroom furniture.S

I’ve been on the dresser hunt since this past April. I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on something that was going to be put inside her closet, but everything I was finding that was decent was $175 and up. I really didn’t want to spend that much. Then, it happened, I got lucky.

Last week, I was wondering through an antique store that I’ve been in several times before, while my daughter was at her guitar lesson. The first thing I saw was a tall, narrow, 6 drawer, upright lingerie chest of drawers. It was priced at $125. The hardware on it was a bit more decorative than I would’ve liked, but considering it would be going inside her closet, I didn’t think it mattered so much. Besides, we could always change the hardware.

While still considering that dresser, I continued browsing the store and couldn’t believe it when I ran across a simple, very basic, 5 drawer chest of drawers that was perfect for our purpose. It was priced at $79 and to my amazement, had a sale sign on it and was marked down to $59! I knew right away that I had to have it, unfortunately, I was driving our small car, there was no way I could get it home.

The next day I traded vehicles with my husband and drove our van back to the antique store, where I quickly paid and loaded that dresser up to bring home. My daughter saw it and was not impressed, mainly because it was green. That’s right, it had been painted green. I told her not to worry, that was an easy fix. I found the remains of the paint I had painted my sewing room with and gave it 3 coats of an off white. I have to say, it looks so much better!

Last night, I lined the drawers and it is now ready to be moved into her closet and put to use. The next thing to do will be to redo her closet, giving her double rods and at least one more shelf. It will be nice for my daughter to not have to have her clothes on the floor.

I had all ready started painting when I realized I hadn’t taken a “before” shot, so my daughter snapped this for me and I snapped the after shot.

Tags: storage, tackle it Tuesday

I’m very excited and have been looking forward to today, the first day of the new Blogger Craft Club open to any crafter. I have two projects that I am ready to begin and so I took pictures this morning of my supplies for each one.

The first one is a Jelly Bag. It will be made from strips of fabric that are in the jelly roll you see in the picture. The brown fabric will be used as the lining. I am actually going to a class for this tomorrow morning at the local quilt shop and will make the bag there. I’m a bit nervous because this is the first class I’ve done like this. I need to pack up my sewing machine and supplies so I’ll be ready. That’s my task for today.

This next picture is of the fabric I purchase on Sunday off the Christmas clearance rack. I have been wanting to make a black and white bag and so I was excited when I ran across this fabric. Although it is a poinsettia design, it really doesn’t appear to be Christmas fabric so am anxious to see how this one turns out.

Tags: blogger Craft Club, sewing

I have to say, I had a productive sewing day yesterday, even though I never even turned on my sewing machine.

I made a trip to Joann’s yesterday to stock up on thread and a few other items.  I had been thinking that I wanted to create a black and white bag and I was so surprised to find to find 2 bolts of black and white fabric on the 70% off rack!  I bought both.  I am going to use some black fabric I all ready have to put with it.  I’ve got it ready to be cut and am deciding if I want to do some machine embroidery on the pocket or if I will leave it plain.  I will definitely be taking progress pictures.

I also signed up to take a machine embroidery class for free at the Viking store AND, an embroidery software class.  The lady was so nice when I explained that I had taken the first embroidery class, but on a different machine than the one I now own.  I also haven’t done any machine embroidery in almost a year and have lost some confidence!  She signed me right up and I can’t wait.  I am also looking forward to the software class because I never got to take that class and was trying to learn it on my own.  I did figure out enough to get it to work, but I also know that there is more that I could do if I was shown how to use it.

Before I do those classes though, I will be attending a Jelly Bag class at the quilt shop this Tuesday.  I finished purchasing my supplies for that yesterday as well.  I’m proud of myself for getting out there and getting signed up for these classes, they will only help to improve what I all ready enjoy doing.

Tags: embroidery, sewing, Viking

I’m so happy it’s Friday! We’re going to the Dallas Mavericks basketball game tonight and they’re playing the Lakers, should be quite fun!

Before I go I want to do my favorite meme, Four Foods on Friday hosted by Val. If you haven’t all ready joined in on this meme, for more incentive, Val is now creating a blogroll for those of us who participate on a regular basis. Thanks Val!

Here are this weeks questions:

#1. Bacon. Chewy, crispy or burnt? Personally, I don’t eat bacon. I do like chopped bacon bits on top of a baked potato, but that’s really about the only time I eat bacon.

#2. Mayonnaise or miracle whip? I prefer Mayo, but have been known to use Miracle Whip. I think MW tastes sweeter than mayo.

#3. What green vegetable is used in Italian Wedding soup? Oh, I love this soup, but I’ve never made it myself and haven’t eaten it in a long time. I’m thinking that maybe it’s spinach?

#4. Share a recipe that you use Italian sausage in. I know I have used Italian sausage in the past, I just can’t think of what recipe I used it in. Maybe I need to check with my sister and see what recipe she’s used because it’s probably the same one!

That’s how easy this meme is. Head on over and join in!

Tags: Four Foods on Friday, meme