Summer Time...

...And the living is easy!

With the heat we have had, with my health being a bit unstable, I can't really say it's been easy. It has been at least in a slower pace. And I really do like the relaxing evening swims with hubby which is definitely easy living.

I must say, having the house done has made it so much easier. Last year our life looked like this...

What a difference a year makes.

I love, love, love where things are now! In fact everything has improved from the house, to our kids, to the 'Grands'. Life just couldn't be better! A year ago I had no idea where or when things would get better and now that we are here, I can only praise God for all the work he has done.

Now for the hot days to cool down, but that is just around the corner.

I have so much to look forward to. My brother and his family will be coming for a visit soon. In fact this weekend him, his family and my daughter and her family are spending the weekend at Disneyland. I really wanted to go and would have if I had felt better. I love, love, love how they make me a part of their trip by sending me pictures. These are mobile uploads, but for now they will do. Check out the fun they are having.

Spent Friday at Huntington Beach

Buttons loving her new skirt grams made for her.

Bug and Buttons are in the second row.

Cousin Bry and Bug playing

Buttons received a special balloon.

Tower of Terror!

Front row: Bry, Buttons (who looks a bit scared but am told she actually loved it!) and Ash

Second Row: My Bro, Bug and daughter.

Third Row: Behind our daughter is her hubby.

I'm sure the Grands will be calling me tomorrow and telling me all about their trip.

One more week and they will be home from their visit with their dad.

It was so nice of him to allow her to have the kids for this weekend.

Blessing, Always Blessings!

Our Ribbon Skirt

I finally finished the ribbon skirt I wrote about here.

Following her tutorial my daughter and I began making the loops. We used 8 different ribbons of varing width and colors and had 5 of each one to make it around the hem of the skirt. We didn't take a picture of our trial strip. We measured our trial of the 8 strips, divided it by the circumferance of the skirt to know how many we would need.

We used a fabric fusing glue to hold them together.

Next I added the iron on fusible webbing to my hem tape. Silly me used one that was too small and I had to add a second one to compensate for it.

Before I began assembly I pinned each end of the the hem tape to my ironing board. To assure my loops were even I measured down the 1.25" and secured a dowel. I guess you could say I learn the trick of jiggs from my hubby during our remodel.

With all my loops in place

I added another strip of hem tape so to sandwich the loops.

While my row of loops cooled I worked on some of the embellishments on the pockets. I add two hearts to the back pockets and ric rak to the front pockets....

Once the strip was cool it was time to attach it to the skirt.

It is now ready to be sewn.

Before I began sewing I also added some gems to the rivets on the pockets. This was a bit challenging. First I bought a Bedazzler but there pieces would not fit over the rivets. It was suggested to try the Tulip brand but again, though it appeared this system would work our store didn't have any gems large enough nor the colors I wanted. My solution was to use gems for shoes and secure them with a super glue that can withstand water.

When I began sewing I was having a hard with the loops so I decided to press them flat. This worked great although there was now no volume to the loops. The other problem I had was with my sewing machine. Seems it came home broken. I don't know what or if my son did anything to cause this and it could have happened simply by something hitting it but my reverse button was stuck in reverse. Since it was way after business hours I discovered this I had to sew in reverse. I must say my stitching wasn't that bad, only a few places did it swerve.

I was not happy how flat my loops looked and had to figure out a way to puff them back out.

First I misted the loops to get them wet and with the knife sharpener and my iron on steam I managed to remove the crease in each loop. As I was doing this I did wonder if a curling iron would have worked.

All in all this project took me about 4 hours to make.

The next ones should be easier since I learned so many tricks with this one.

5 Q's Friday

I must say first off I feel a bit better today, YAHOO!

Last evening, my daughter and I worked on the ribbon skirt and I am so happy with how it is coming out. It is almost done. It did take a bit longer then plan, but still in a matter of 3 hours we got it assembled and today I will do the sewing part of it and adding some jewels to the rivets for some added bling. Once fully completed I will share the finished product.

Onto Mama M's Five Question Friday.

1. Do you collect anything?

Oh my, do I ever!

Old Dishes

Old Kitchen Gadgets

Hummel's

Dolls

Old Glass

And magnets from our travels

To name just a few. I wouldn't consider myself a hoarder though as each collection is well, ok maybe not well, but relatively organized. I even have a collection of t-shirts from all our travels while raising 3 kids. Goal to someday turn them into memory quilts for each of them.

2. Name 3 celebrities that you find good looking.

Even though he has been a bit of a jerk lately, ok a BIG jerk, Mel Gibson.

Another would Matthew Mcconaughey

Last but definitely not least... Harrison Ford

3.Do you have any scars? If so, what's the story behind it (them?)?

Lets just say I have many. I have one that is shaped like the letter Y that goes in front and behind my ear and down my chin. I have one, no make that two, scars similar to a c-section as they cut into that area a couple times. I have scars from biopsies on my thigh and both arms. All my scars are from having tumors removed.

4. What is a food that you like to eat, but others might think it's gross or weird?

That would be liverwurst. I don't get it much as no one else will eat it and it goes bad before I can finish it.

5. Have you ever seen a tornado in real life?

I didn't actually see one as we were instructed to stay inside and be prepared in case one hit the hotel we were staying in. It was 2004 and we were at the Indy 500. The friends with us decided to venture out in hunt for one though. Being grandparent, we chose to follow directions and stay put since we had a family at home. They on the other hand were bachelor's and loved doing risky things. 12 tornado's touch down that evening. As close as I ever want to get. The next morning we say all the destruction first hand and a few touched down within mere miles of our hotel, not to mention the one that touched down where we were parked at the races. We left the races early due to weather and my lack of ability to walk. I was still using crutches back then while going through therapy to learn how to walk without them.

Now it's your turn. Mama M would love for you to link up to her, so head on over, grab the question, answer them and link back to her.
 

Clickin Away

Before this relapse I was able to do some clickin!

Here are some more of my pictures....

Now if I can just feel better to go out and click some around town.

Maybe this weekend.

5 Q's Friday

I can't believe I have missed so many 5 Q's.

First it was vacation and the Internet where we stayed was unreliable. Then when we got home we were busy with the 'Grands', dance recital, and unpacking and cleaning the trailer. Not to mention I have been under the weather.

With that said...here are Mama M's questions for...




1. What is one food you could eat everyday?

Could, it's more like do...Mexican! Be it Mi Rancho, Del Taco, or our own homemade Chicken Fajitas. I could eat it everyday.

2. Are you working in the career you thought you would be when you were 18?

Not at all. When I was 18 I was in school to be a Dental Assistant. Yep I was a 1977 Bryman Graduate from the then school in San Francisco. At the time I thought it would be a stepping stone to Hygienist. After graduation I worked one year in the field and discovered it was something I didn't really enjoy. So back to school I went for Front Office/Receptionist. However, having a very sick pregnancy forced me to drop out after the first semester. Now we own our own business, Hey Culligan Man! 

3. What is something that you wish you would have done when you were younger and you didn't?

I think we did just about everything we wanted to when we were younger. I do wish I took more pictures back then.

4. What color are your kitchen walls?

Burnt Red.

5. Do you remember what your very first favorite song was?

Oh my! This will really date me...Chubby Checker's and The Twist. Though I was only 3 when it came out, I was the cute little blonde girl getting up and twisting with my older siblings and their friends. I always had so much fun!

Clickin Moms 2010

Seems lately I am late, behind, off the pace, plain lost in our journey.

So what do I do...I imbark a new challenge.

My daughter hooked me up with Clickinmoms and her 2010 Scavenger Hunt.

She even printed me the list and signs.

She's so sweet!

All I can say is WOW!

What a list!

This will be my first time doing something like this and feel it just might be a lot of fun.

I have no idea how many pictures I will actualy capture but I have circled over 60 that I hope to click off. To succeed I will need to take at least 2 or 3, maybe even more, from the list each day to catch up.

Yep, I am already behind.

Wish me luck!

If you want to join in...as I see it...it is never to late to take a plunge.

Go to clickinmoms and start shooting!

You Capture - Let’s Celebrate Independence Day

I had fun with this one.

We were asked to think capture outside the box of the American flag and
 focus on what does America mean to you?

I began with lyrics, clicked a few new pictures, and used others from my archives
to deplict what America means to me.

Feel free to sing along!

This land is your land, this land is my land

From California, to the New York Island;

From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters

This land was made for you and me.

As I was walking a ribbon of highway,

I saw above me an endless skyway:

I saw below me a golden valley:

This land was made for you and me.

 

I've roamed and rambled and I've followed my footsteps

 

 

To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts;

And all around me a voice was sounding:

This land was made for you and me.

The sun comes shining as I was strolling,

The wheat fields waving

and the dust clouds rolling,

The fog was lifting a voice come chanting:

This land was made for you and me.

As I went walking I saw a sign there
And on the sign it said "No Tresspassing."

But on the other side it didn't say nothing,
That side was made for you and me.

In the shadowr of the steeple I saw my people,

By the relief office I seen my people;
As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking,
Is this land made for you and me?

Nobody living can ever stop me,
As I go walking that freedom highway;

Nobody living can ever make me turn back
This land was made for you and me.

Click to see how others shared

what America means to them.

God Bless America!