Monarch Post

I sewed me some Valentine's Day luv...

I feel like I'm always driving lately...

two more Dr appts this week, still working on my bum foot...

kid chaffeuring, ballet ( two nights a week), a baseball tryout,  fabric stores, etc.

You know how it goes, I'm sure.

 

But today I got to drive to a favorite happy place of mine and drop off

my freshly sewn Valentine hearts :D

It's been pretty gray and dismal weather wise lately.

And gray just isn't my favorite color, you know?

But I finished up my hearts and they are cheery.

And so is the sweet children's and mom's shop I sell them at...

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But my computer is uploading s.l.o.w.l.y again tonight.

So I will love you and leave you with lots of cheery photos

(and less words).

for a February day.

The white hearts are from a recycled bedspread.

And the flowery ones are made from a thrifted pinecone hill pajama top.

The polka dots and paisley are new fabrics.

The beads were from a vintage necklace.

 

I took lots of photos, because it was fun : D

 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

and now for the shop... stinkin adorable today!

 

*ALL TUCKED IN*

There.

Are you cheerier now...?

Good.

Mission accomplished ;)

 

XO!

blessed day

Today was the best day.

It was wonderful to have a day at home ALL day in my studio.

But last weekend was not so wonderful.

Sophey had the stomach flu all Friday night, so major sleep deprivation on my end.

Oh, and a giant snowstorm with Corbyn driving home in it from the other end of Utah.

(Just to throw in a little extra excitement for me.)

And Mike has been in Europe the last two weeks...

so it's been me pulling all the shifts around here for quite awhile.

But today... no sick kids... no Dr appts... no drama...

until homework time, but that's another story.

AND I slept nine hours straight last night!

Hoorah!

 

I had  TIME

a fresh mind

and fabric

and candles

and quiet

and new scissors,

cutting crisply.

Happy heart day.

I've almost finished seven hanging hearts for Valentine's sales.

When I found this paisley at Hobby Lobby last week I was so excited to use it.

LOVE IT!

So far I've made hearts, a sock monkey skirt, and dress with it.

And then I made another dress.

They are looking very cute (if I do say so myself :)

I looked at the quote I have glued on my sewing machine today,

and I thought ya... I am so there today.

I sewed a lot of seams

but the day felt seamless

and lovely

and can I dare say holy?

It really was somehow...

It really was.

XOK.

all over the place

Nice opening photo, huh? The kitchen counter has looked like a pharmacy for awhile.

The Hendersons have been very busy sharing the gifts of the season... colds, and strep.

We are all so darn thoughtful that way...

Lots of prescriptions, coughing, couch-laying, going on here the last three weeks...

I think we're all about over it.

I hate seeing everyone miserable, including myself.

One day when I felt too bad to do anything but sit on the couch and read, I read some Bible devotionals.

I ran across this verse from Romans 8:28 and the devotional by author Ann Kiemel Anderson.

This is the part that struck me:

"In ALL things God works for the good" (caps mine) the rejection in one's childhood, alcoholic parents. the birth of a handicapped child. a husband leaving home for another woman. illness. no matter what life may have in store.. absolutely ANYTHING ... will turn into blessing if we love God.

It's sticking with me, that verse...

If I hadn't gotten sick,

I wouldn't have sat there reading that day,

and I wouldn't have learned just what I needed to learn...

that in ALL things God works for the good!

I think it's my new favorite verse...

I'm going to hang onto it

and remember it

and be mindful of the power

of those words.

We had a break in the germs during Thanksgiving.

We stayed home. I cooked.

Mike cleaned and hung Xmas lights outside.

I always forget to take photos...

(took a photo of the cute new sign we hung in the dining room though).

too busy making sure all the food gets put on the table

and too busy getting everyone there while it's hot.

 

But I remembered just in time to catch this after-

"THE FLANNEL BRIGADE"!

All those good guys of mine (new son-in-law included), manhandling the dirty dishes.

YAY!!

******************************

Sunday afternoon we went to JoAnns to buy fleece to make xmas stockings for the local food pantry.

It was a ZOO.

I spent 1 1/2 hrs waiting to get fabric cut and another 40 minutes in the checkout line.

TWO CHECKOUT CLERKS WERE WORKING... !!

TWO!!!

I don't do black Friday- ever.

But this wasn't Friday, and it was still bad.

But I got fleece for $2.99 a yard. 

And that will make lots of stockings for kids who need one.

Sophey bought the fleece in the photos above to make pj pants.

She hasn't made a project that big before.

Right now it's a good blankie.

(And I'm learning to take photos at night without a flash).

(Um, really just beginning to learn...)

We spend more time in the living room in the winter.

I like candles at night... and the stereo.

Except for Winston.

He has learned to ride the family room couch like a true cowboy.

COWDOG?

I took the first photo above and then said, "SMILE GUYS"!

They did!

This dog kills me... kiiills me.

In other big news, the accessorizing fashionista here cleaned her bedroom....

and discovered her long lost pink Vans...

We have so many more accessorizing options now.

 

I've been serging

and sewing more heart ornaments for my shop.

I'm liking the white ones.

 I designed a child's apron pattern too and made the first one.

You know, I hate to iron...

why don't I hate it when I sew?

 

 

 

'60s vintage fabric on the bottom ruffle.

LOVE IT. And I DIG IT too :)

I've been busy making all sorts of things in RED.

I still have plans to finally have an Etsy shop again...

I just don't want to jinx myself anymore by saying when it will be stocked!

Everytime I do, there is some big crisis

and then it never happens.

But it will be gorgeous and RED and for a great CAUSE... when I get there!!

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

Oh, and if you like and still want to make a really great pecan

pie for the holidays, I found an A+ recipe.

I made it for Thanksgiving.

Yummy.

It really beats the Karo syrup versions.

(In my opinion).

GO HERE !