Where has my weekend gone?

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We went my daughter's brother in law's house. My daughter volunteered me to bring brussel sprouts and cooked apples. Brussel Sprouts, you say? Well, yes, my mother always had brussel sprouts on Thanksgiving. Of course she also had the traditional corn and green beans and such but she loved brussel sprouts so she made them mostly for her and my dad so as it turns out, it has also become a tradition of mine when I cook dinner. My son in law told me that he never liked them until he ate mine. The only secret ingredient is nutmeg and plenty of butter. Another tradation for Thanksgiving is to make my mom's cooked apples. My mother always made them from the dried apples. I tried to do them from fresh one year but they just didn't taste the same so instead of changing the non existent recipe, I learned to just do what mom did. Unfortunately, since I only make these once a year, I never remember how many packages I need and I always end up making way too much. I came home with more than half a pot full.

Since I forgot to bring my camera, trust me when I say, the food was delicious, and the company was pleasant. My daughter's in laws don't feel like inlaws at all. We're lucky to be able to call them all "family".

I have been busier thann I ever expected with my doll clothes business. I have been getting multiple orders every day. I am a little concerned that I may not be able to keep up. I thought that for sure over my 4 day weekend, I would be able to complete all my existing orders and for the most part, I have. I did end up wasting about 4 hours on Friday though. I had made my list on Thursday evening for what I needed to purchase at the fabric store to complete the orders I had in the works. I got to the store at 7 am, pulled a cart and proceeded to gather the items on my list. Then I got the cut counter. I pulled my number and realized that I was over 100 numbers away from what they were on. As I waited for my turn, it became apparent that I would be there a while. Holy cow, there were women with carts of flannel and fleece. I was told the flannel was on sale for $1.50 per yard. I didn't ask about the fleece. Many women were leaving with shopping cars full of cut fabric, some even two carts full. No wonder, by the time I got home, it was 11:30. Had it not been for my coupon only being good until noon that day, I would have put my stuff back and gone another day.

The rest of the weekend has been spent sewing, sewing and more sewing. (Oh, and my Sunday Morning bowling league which I totally stink at lately). I have had to stop taking spepcial requests for orders. Making up a pattern is too time consuming and time is something that I am running short on. The only reason I am not sewing at this very moment is because I completed two special orders today and I need a break.

So, now I am going to watch Desperate Housewives then go to bed so I can get up at 5 and sew for a couple hours before I have to start my real paying job.

See you all next time :)

Happy Thanksgiving

Just a quick post to let everyone know that I am still here! I have been so busy with my doll clothes business that I just haven't had time to post. I am getting about an order a day and most include multiple outfits. I am so glad I have a 4 day weekend coming up...Oh wait, one of those days is Thanksgiving. Thank goodness I am not cooking this year so I will be able to sew part of the day.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

It's finally happening

Back in March, we finished our kitchen. Within a week, we tore up the carpet in our front room and trashed the furniture. All in preparation to lay the new floor in there. Well, Spring left, Summer came and went and Fall arrived. Nothing had been touched in that room or the entry hall. I have lived with roofing paper in my entry for over 7 months and as far as the front room goes, all I can say is I am glad we don't really use that room. Unfortunately, when people (namely my customers for doll clothes) come by, that room is the first thing they see when they come in and for some repeat customers, my excuse of "don't mind the mess, we're remodeling" was getting old.

So anyway, it's finally coming together. Brent has been working so hard, all by himself on this. He and I did the kitchen together but I have been so busy with my doll clothes business that I have not had time to help him. Here's what I'm talking about:

This is a before shot of my front room. I have the worst eye when it comes to color selection for paint. The walls were supposed to be tan and they turned out peach. This mistake was made twice over two paint jobs. Whatever possessed me to get green carpet? We had it when I was a kid and I thought it was so pretty. What possessed me to get green furniture? Well, it looked comfy, I didn't pay attention to the color! By the way, it was not comfy once we got it home.

The walls all got a fresh new coat of paint. This time it's the right color. With the exception of the paint,this is the way the living room looked for 7 months. Tools and furniture I did't know where else to store. This is the entry hall. See the black roofing paper? It's kind of sticky. I lived on this for almost 7 months. He's making progress though. This was one day of work for him alone. Yes, he's slow but at least he has started. This is the finished entry hall. Beautiful, isn't it? Now I have to paint the door and the window trim.
Progress into the front room. This was about 2.5 days worth of work.
This is the hallway to the bedrooms. We only tore the carpet up here a few weeks ago but it's hard on the feet. I can't wait to get this spot done.

Then there are the stairs to the basement. This will be his last part of the project. Although he says it will be done over the weekend, I don't think it will be. It may be another 7 months before the stairs get done.

Looks like we made it!

I'm not a very creative person when it comes to writing. I say this because what I was planning on writing for my subject today has already been written, almost to the exact words that I had in mind. So, rather than repeating myself, If you're curious, you may go back to Nov 5th 2008.

But,I will repeat myself in saying that on this day, 32 years ago, I married the love of my life. My soul mate, my friend. I love you Brent. Thank you for sticking with me all these years.



The odds were against us. It was a month after my 18th birthday and I was a senior in high school. Regardless of the fact that I was pregnant, I graduated high school with honors(except I missed the ceremony because I was in the hospital, having just had our baby girl). We bought our first home just after I turned 20 and two weeks later had our son. By the time I was 23, we had our third child. Things happend quickly for us and we've beat the odds. Life hasn't always been easy but it's always been worth it. Thanks honey, for being there, every step of the way. I love you!

Paisley's new spot

This little cat doesn't like people and will only let me pet her on her terms. She usually spends her days up in my bedroom snuggled into my pillow. Today as I was in my office, I got up to get something from my closet, opened the door that was already ajar, and this was the first thing I saw She blends in so well with all the other fabric. Can you even see her? She's sitting on top of the blue fleece fabric.

Back to Holland

Friday May 21, 1999
Today we went to the cheese market in Alkmaar. There they have the silent bids between 2 or 3 vendores for the cheese. When the bidding is done, the runners put the cheese on the "boats" and strap them over their shoulders and run them to the hand carts. From there, they go to trucks for delivery to the stores. After I finished watching that, I watched a cobbler hand carve a wooden shoe. He did it from a block of wood to a shoe in less than 6 minutes. He knew I was video taping him and I think when he heard me say the time, he was a little dissappointed. Maybe that wasn't his fastest time but I was pretty impressed! As we were each doing our own thing while there, I headed off around the open market to look for some more souveniers. I bought a cute little hand painted silk screen and, oh yes, can't forget the poffertjes. Oh the butter and powdered sugar on top of the warm poffertjes, I can just taste them now (I think I will make some when I am done here.)
On the left, is the poffertjes pan I bought while in Holland. The one on the right is one that you can buy here in the states (Target, Walmart). It's called a pancake puff pan. Similar but deeper so you can fill them with jam or custard or whatever your imagination can concoct.

Anyway, after Alkmaar, we headed to Vollendam. This quaint little fishing village is now quite a tourist town. Here I purchased Kim's windmill and my mom and I got our picture taken together in the typical village costume. Something I will treasure forever!