Zippy Pouches Finished for Friday!

It's been a while since I've done much sewing. Just seems like I've had everything else in the world to do and yet I haven't accomplished much(except GREASE) this summer. Spinning my wheels, maybe.

Despite that, I did finish up some zippy pouches that were meant to be used for PIF & FB chain craft gifts this week. I threw away at least two of these while they were in progress...zippers are hard for me, y'all! I also got bent out of shape over the fact that my pouches weren't coming out perfectly...but then I realized that if I try to make the perfect zippy pouch, the recipients will get zilch from me because 1. nothing handmade is ever going to be perfect and 2. even if they were perfect I'm waaay critical of myself and so they still wouldn't be perfect. I think I need therapy.

Here they are...excuse the crappy photography. I hope the recipients enjoy their less than perfect but made with love anyway zippy pouches!





...this last one is my favorite...I love that bird print.

Grease is the word ...OR... How I Spent My Summer Vacation

My Facebook friends are undoubtedly sick and tired of my Grease postings, so if any of you happen to stop by, feel free to roll your eyes and move along.

I have always been a big fan of musicals. If it involves singing and dancing, I love it. Many of my favorite movies are adaptations of musicals.

The first live musical play I remember seeing(besides those shows at theme parks)was Little Abner my Sophomore year of high school. I was totally and completely caught up in it. The music, the dancing and the fact that it was all being done by kids I knew and walked the halls with daily was fascinating to me. And I wanted to be a part of it.

The next year the musical was Hello Dolly. I went to auditions...and then I left without trying....mortified to actually have to speak and sing in front of "people", I chickened out. Despite the fact that I was a very outgoing kid who would enter talent shows and beg for speaking parts in school plays, as a teenager, I became "backwards" as my Grandmother might say...extremely shy when it came to having to talk to or in front of people outside of my small circle of friends. I watched Hello Dolly from the audience, secretly wishing to be up on the stage singing and dancing.

In college, I went to two auditions, only to chicken out again. I actually made it up onto the stage for Bye Bye Birdie. They told me to sing and I said "I can't do that" and walked away. What did I think I was going to have to do at an audition for a MUSICAL? Sheesh.

That last audition was nearly 15 years ago. We have a very active community theater and whenever I'd hear of auditions for the latest Summer musicals, I'd always want to to go, but never would.

This summer, the theater advertised auditions for Grease. With the encouragement of a friend and my sister(who both also went to auditions). I made up my mind that I was going to audition for this play if it killed me. I was thinking "I'm 40 dang it...I can do this! I've wanted to do this since I was 16 years old and now I'm tired of worrying about embarrassing myself or what people think!"

So, I did it! I went with my sister and my friend Emily, took a number(37) and auditioned. I was terrified...but I DID IT! I felt silly reading the part of a high school student(I read w/some of the girls as both Jan and Marty) but I DID IT! I sang a wobbly, nerved out version of Happy Birthday for my audition...but I DID IT! And I survived. And I even enjoyed it! Call me corny, but I cried a little on the way home. I was just so proud of myself for FINALLY having the courage to go through with something I'd wanted to do for so long.

I got a part in the chorus(which was all I wanted...just let me sing and dance)as a teacher. Frankly, I wouldn't have cared if I didn't get a part, it was such a personal accomplishment for me to go through with an audition!

But I did get a part and I had a great time! It took up a lot of my summer vacation, but it was worth every minute! I met so many wonderful people, made some great new friends and I got to spend most of the summer with my sister. There were a couple of times when I thought "WHY did I want to do this???" like when I found out I had to wear a slip on stage in front of the entire town. However, the good far outweighed the bad! And being onstage with an audience...it was exhilarating...even for plain old Delores in the Chorus. I can't imagine what it must be like for the lead actors! So much fun...I regret not going through with it all those years ago!

And that's how I spent my summer vacation.

The performances were last weekend and I miss it so much! I miss the rehearsals and I miss the friends that I made there. I miss singing and dancing every other night! I can't stop singing the songs and frequently catch myself singing "Born to Hand Jive Baby!" At 5:30p.m. during the week, I still feel like I should be out at the Glema Mahr Center warming up my voice and dancing.

A few photos...
...new friends...That's my sister Jackie wearing our mother's wedding dress! I made my outfit...the teachers were all dressed Hawaiian style for the "Moonlight in the Tropics" prom scene.
My lil sis again (on the right) was a featured singer. She was a backup singer for the song Grease, which opened the show.
My hair was HUGE that night....and this is how it got so big!
My fellow Rydell high teacher. Shelley's hair is even bigger than mine...it was fantastic!
Opening scene/Alma Matter
Beauty School Drop Out
That's my sis in the hairdryer on the left(me pushing her)
Next summer? South Pacific!

Song for Saturday Morning

Chris Isaak is one of my favorite artists. Songwriter, singer, musician, actor...is there anything this guy can't do?

Sad thing is, he's performing at the Ryman in Nashville next month...and I'm not going. I'll just heave a big sigh, watch this video, and pretend I'm there...

Finished for Friday...Groovy Elephant

I would love to be able to say that I've whipped up four or five aprons and other goodies for my empty Etsy shop this week, but nope. I did, however, finish one little sewing project!

I've been wanting to try making another toy since I made these two. This particular doll only uses two pattern pieces, so I thought it'd be easier. And it was...for the most part.
The pattern I used is Simplicity 2613, which shows the toys done up using 30's repro prints, and they are darling. I didn't want to cut into any of my 30's prints for a first time project, so instead, I used a thrifted sheet that I found for .25 at St. Vincent DePaul. My mom bought these same sheets in the 70's...probably at Kmart or Sears since those are the two main stores I remember shopping at as a kid.Believe it or not, I had the most trouble with the felt eyes. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out how to get them on neatly. I tried sewing them on...you can't see it but I made a mess of them. Next time, I think I'll just use fabric glue and embroider the eyelashes only...or use safety eyes...or buttons.

I have a giraffe cut out to try next and hopefully this WILL be the week that I get some more things finished.

With this new puppy in the house, it's hard to get anything done! I feel like I spend 3/4 of my day following her around making sure she isn't peeing/pooping/chewing! But it's so worth it...Mark and I are in love with this dog! I've been given advice from several friends saying to think of her kennel as a crib...so today, baby's going in the crib for a while so I can get something done!

Vintage BBQ Aprons

For this week's Vintage Thingies Thursday, I wanted to share more of my vintage apron collection. These are two I'm quite proud of! BBQ aprons for the fellas!

I've had this one a while, and I may have shared it before...so think of this as a return engagement! It was only with slight reluctance that I handed over 25 bucks in exchange for this apron at a local 4H flea market. At the time, it was the first vintage man's apron that I'd come across and I decided I couldn't live without it. The chef's head is a pocket. Still lovin' it!Last Monday I was at another flea market in the area and found this set that included not only the 50's graphic style illustration that I love so much, but a matching chef's hat! And it was a bargain compared to the first apron...only 12.50 for the set!I tried to get Mark to model these for me, but he declined.

Wanna see more fun vintage thingies? Head HERE!

Meet Mya

A few posts ago, I mentioned that I had seen a sweet little puppy face on Petfinder.com ...WELL, turns out we were able to adopt that face(and the puppy attatched to it)! We brought her home Saturday, and she's been a wonderful addition to our family of furballs!We got Mya through an animal rescue organization. She was a stray who was picked up and taken to a local shelter. She was adopted but was returned to the shelter when the first owner couldn't get her potty trained. Later, she was placed on petfinder.com by the rescue orginization and we were lucky enough to find her.She's one of the sweetest dogs I've ever met. She LOVES to play but is pretty laid back most of the time. The four cats aren't thrilled that she's living with us, but everyone seems to be slowly adjusting to the new addition. Potty training is going slowly...I'm guessing w/her background, she never had much structure or practice w/it. She's about 6 months old, so still a pup, and I believe she'll get it eventually. She's smart too! She's already pretty good w/sit and we're working on down. Probably should have started with "come" and "stay", huh.

Finished for Friday...or...Oh Look, More Aprons!

I know, I know...I posted about aprons for Vintage Thingies Thursday. But these aren't vintage aprons, these are aprons that I whipped up just this week! Now that I'm back to blogging, I wanted to start participating in Finished for Friday once again. I figure it'll keep me on my toes w/crafting and whatnot.

These two aprons are the firsts of my summer sewing projects.

This one I finished up on Sunday night for my Sister's Mom in Law, Debbie. I thought it would go nicely with her blue kitchen. These aren't my normal style of prints, but I think it turned out nicely. The fabrics really grew on me as I worked with them...the rose print has an almost cottage feel, dontcha think?I was in a blue mood(har har har) this week with my fabric choices... This fabric, however, I did love right away. I finished this apron up on Thursday. It has been a while since I used bias tape on anything. Dear Lord! I forgot that stuff can be the devil to work with! Here's a close up of the print...and my experiment with the neckstrap...
OK, I finished this one a looooong time ago, but I love it. So I'm gonna show it off too...I hope you will indulge me. I love how fabulous fabric can make the simplest of apron styles into something special. This one will eventually hit the Etsy shop...when I have enough stuff to restock it.
And one more thing...we get to bring Mya (Claire) home on Saturday! We are so excited about this furry little addition to our family!

Vintage Thingie Thursday--Vintage Aprons

I love adding to my vintage apron collection. As much as I love making aprons, I love finding vintage ones even more! It's fun to imagine the women who wore these aprons and the circumstances in which they might have worn them. And I'm drawn to the whimsical and sweetness of the fabrics used in these vintage beauties, even though there are gorgeous, fun and funky fabrics widely available today. I suppose it's the nostalgia of a vintage apron(heck, vintage anything)that gets me.

These are two of my more recent vintage apron finds.

This one is even more adorable in person. The print is little clowns/men holding umbrellas and giant raindrops. I love the shades of gray and brown w/the big orange border. SO sweet!And this. Swoon! Cobbler aprons are my favorite style...even though they aren't so figure flattering on me! I don't know why I'm drawn to these more, there's just something a little extra sassy about a cobbler apron!Earlier this week, I scored two more FABULOUS vintage aprons(one is for the fellas). I'll be sharing them next week!

Head over to Coloradolady's blog for more Vintage Thingies Thursday.

FINALLY!

Summer break arrived this week! It was way overdue thanks to the 2009 Ice Storm of Death that we suffered through this past Winter. But it's here and I am so looking forward to it! My plans for the summer include:

1. Rehearsal for Grease(I'm in our community theater production of Grease!!! Did I tell you?)
2. Reading
3. Catching up on Movies/DVR'd things
4. Sewing
5. Catching up on some things that need to be done around the house.
6. Maybe a few day trips for shopping/antique malls/flea markets
   

Now I know that doesn't sound very exciting, but last summer I went to Europe, and that was enough excitement to last me years! Besides, we start back to school on August 4th! Yikes! So only a few weeks of actual summer to enjoy this year and the less I'm doing, the longer it'll seem, right?

The most exciting thing going on this summer??? We're getting a puppy!! Yay! I am so excited...I've wanted a dog forever! I love dogs, and growing up, we always had dogs around the house of every shape size and mixed breed! And even though he only had maybe two dogs growing up, Mark loves any and all animals.

We've worried about having a dog in the same house with 2, then 3, then 4 cats. But we've finally decided(after 21 years) that we have plenty of room in our home(and hearts) for one more set of paws...and there are sooo many dogs out there looking for homes that it was time for us to do our part to help them! I've been scouring Petfinder non stop and have made a few contacts that didn't work out...but have kept up the search and now I have an appointment to meet up with this little sweetie on Monday. Her name is Mya...she's another rescue dog that I saw on petfinder.com. Her info is here. I'm praying that we pass the application process and home visit and that Mya passes the "cat test" so that we can adopt her.

Turning Twenty Finished!

Yay!!! I finished up my first Turning Twenty quilt top last Monday. I can tell you, it won't be my last. I love this pattern! Even though I used 10 fabrics instead of 20, I'm so please w/the way it turned out! Very forgiving and relatively quick to go together...if sneak cat attacks can be prevented during what I call the "laying it out on the floor" phase, that is.The fabrics I used are the absolutely gorgeous Mendocino line from Heather Ross(all but the gold print)! I'm hoping to find someone locally who can quilt this for me. These fabrics were too expensive and are too lovely for me to go trying it on my own! Besides, straight line machine quilting is the only type I've ever tried, and I think this needs something a bit free form.

Next on my project list:

• A blouse that I started WEEKS ago...it was getting difficult, so I stopped. Time to re-start.
  
• An apron for my Aunt Betty using some pretty yellow & purple 40's fabrics.
• Aprons for my empty Etsy shop.
• Another Turning 20 using batiks!
  
• A tiered batik skirt(am I becoming batik obsessed?).
• And speaking of skirts, I really want to make a skirt like this one from Lily Pulitzer. Of course I'd love to just buy it, but it's 158.00!! For. a. skirt! If there's anyone out there still reading this blog(I know, I rarely update)who might know, please tell me where I can find a pattern/tutorial similar to this lovely skirt...

Don't Forget...

I wish we didn't have to wear our "testing" T shirts on Apron Day! An apron needs a cute skirt and top for public wear! But I'm tying mine on w/my jeans and t shirt anyway!

Mini Hawaiian Roll Sandwiches

Need something quick and easy to take to a family/church gathering? You must try these mini sandwiches...they are deeeeelicious!

Assemble sandwiches:
24 Hawaiian Rolls
1 lb of ham, thinly sliced
3/4-1 lb swiss cheese (I bought 1 lb and had some leftover)

To assemble sandwiches faster, slice the entire package of rolls at once to make the top and bottom layer and simply cut them when they come out of the oven. Add ham and cheese.

Mix together
1/2 cup melted butter
1 TBS dry mustard
1-2 TBS onion flakes, depending on your taste
1-2 TBS poppy seeds, depending
3/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Drizzle a little of the mixture over the ham and cheese layer before placing top layer of roll. Drizzle remaining mixture over the rolls. Bake at 350 until cheese is melted. Best when warm, but not bad cold either!

Lars

Went with my family to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville on Monday. I did my third drop for The Toy Society while we were there.

I wasn't planning on dropping Lars after I first made him because I thought he was too ugly and strange for The Toy Society. Monday morning as I was getting ready to meet up w/the folks, Lars sorta called out to me from my sewing desk. Perhaps it had something to do with being so close to the children's hospital at Vandy...

"Please let me join the Toy Society!" he said
"I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!"

I couldn't argue w/that! SO.... my brother Shea and I meandered over to Children's Hospital while Dad was checking in. I left Lars at the koi pond in the garden area. I'm hoping that he will make a child very happy!

Check out the The Toy Society...and if you are the crafty type, please consider joining in the merriment and making a toy to drop!