"Well, how nice....."

Lorene had some great projects lined up and we got busy right away.  Everyone was busy, busy, busy!

Betty always has a smile on her pretty face...

 

Janice worked on making bias for the first time.  And she said she couldn't.  HA!  We don't believe you anymore, Jis!

 

Diane made some lovely dresses for her twin granddaughters.

 Robin is studying pretty dern hard...

And Nancy is happy because she already knows her stuff!!  Go girl!

Lorene is busy all the time - helping us, teaching us...  Wait - she's playing on her cool new phone!  I want that little skirt sitting on her lap.  She teased me with it the whole time!

Some of the ladies worked on the Beverly Belle Top by Izzy and Ivy, Ava by Mod Kid Boutique, and Claire by Portabellopixie Boutique.  Lorene carries all of these patterns and lots more in her shop!  Betty made the cutest bag out of laminated cotton (I gotta have some of that stuff!!  Uh hem, Lorene...).  Look at some of the sweet outfits my fellow sewing buddies created:

I finished up a few outfits that I had started, completed a top and capri pant set, and made a little purse to match an outfit that is nearly complete.  Lorene showed us how to make pin tucks.  Pure fun, I tell ya!

As much fun as we had, the retreat wasn't without accident.  Yes, Janice was nearly burned to death!  Ok, not really.  She burned her finger on the bias tape maker and I have proof.   Kind of.

Never fear, Linda came to the rescue and Janice is OKAY!  Whew, I was really sweatin' it for a while.  "Don't go to the light, Janice - not yet!"

Thanks for stopping by to hear me reminisce about the retreat!  I'll be back soon to share some other fun going's on's!

Mona Pin It

I'm baaaaaack!

No, I haven't been gone that long.  I intended on posting when I came home from the retreat, but life happened!  Then, a whole week just vanished!  The retreat was awesome, lovely, productive, relaxing, fun, refreshing.... get the idea?  Really, I don't know how they keep getting better, but they do!

I rolled in to Mineola early on Friday as did a few other ladies, we unloaded, (I grabbed MY spot - like anyone cared or even wanted it!), and we were off to have lunch at our usual burger spot.  It is just a few blocks from the house and the weather was awesome so we walked.

As always, Linda and Bill treated us all like princesses and I believe I gained a few pounds.  But, Linda's cooking is worth it!  Just a few of the goodies she made for us:

Is your mouth watering?  Here are a few pictures of their lovely home.  I always feel so relaxed and well... at home!

Friday's weather was beautiful!  Then, Friday night after dinner I started coughing.  Mind you, I was just getting over some sinus issues.  Well, here comes another cold front and by 2:00 a.m. there was snow!  What the what?  So, I had the beginnings of a sinus infection... again.  (I love my doctor and a good Z-pack!)

 

And on the way home Sunday this is what I saw:

Only in Texas... in March!

I'll be back soon to share some of the great things we did on our retreat!

Mona Pin It

I'll be back soon, ya hear!

By the time you read this, I will be on my way to my fourth sewing retreat!  Woo hoo!  Don't get me wrong, I will miss the family very much, but... I gotta sew people!  I mean, SEW!  24-7 kinda sewing!  And, if you read this post, you'll understand why.  

This time, I'm better prepared.  Usually, I get there, visit with the retreat owners Bill and Linda, stake out my bed, get all my goodies laid out and in order at my sewing spot (yes, I'm territorial that way), rummage through all the cool new things Lorene has brought for us, purchase a new pattern  or two and some fabric, etc. (well, duh!), read through the new pattern (several times as I am pattern-challenged), cut out the pattern, cut out the pieces, and then begin sewing! By this time the other ladies are finishing up completed smocked dresses and the like!

Lorene has lots of great projects and techniques planned for us and I tried to pick projects that will incorporate what she'll be teaching us.  It is wonderful to try new techniques or ones that I'm to chicken to do on my own as Lorene is there to help us.  She is a wealth of sewing experience and inspiration!

I have already cut the pieces and bagged them up with the notions, thread, ribbons, etc.  I may even do some pre-sewing to get a jump on some of it so hopefully I can have several projects completed when I come home.  I seem to be the world's slowest seamstress, so maybe that will help!

Here are some of the fabrics I will be using.  I'll be sewing two top and Capri sets, a skirt and appliqued t-shirt, and finishing up a few skirts and tops.  Well, aren't I optimistic?!!

It's going to be fun, fun, fun!  (My non-sewing, even non-crafty friends, heaven forbid think I'm a dork.  Whatevah!)  I'll be heading out early Friday morning and will post when I get back!  Have a great weekend!

Happy Sewing!


Mona Pin It

Glitter, glitter - everywhere!!

We took the day off and went to my dad's in the country today for some outdoor fun.  The weather was just beautiful.  Really, I could live with that kind of weather all year long!  Anyway, usually when we visit my dad, my seven year old son loves to go for a ride on the riding lawn mower - fun, right?  

But my dad called in a favor and asked a buddy of his to bring over a 4-wheeler for us to play with.  It is actually the 4-wheeler he bought from my dad a few years ago.  We even broke out the tractor and riding lawn mower.  Hey, we're city folk and we'll ride whatever we can get away with.  We would have loved to ride the horses just down the road, but since the owner was home (and I don't know him!), he probably wouldn't have appreciated it!  

We also saw some llamas!  "Where are the llama photos?" you ask?  Well, I left the CF card at home.  A little hint - the camera won't STORE photos without the storage card!!

I know my dad was happy to see the kids having so much fun, but he was probably a nervous wreck by the time we left.  He was worried one of them would get hurt.  But, all was good!

Here are a few more photos of the eggs I glittered the other day.  I opted to paint the papier mache eggs and glitter them rather than making sugar eggs this year.  Those are so fun to do, but I wanted to be able to keep these year after year.

Then, as my glitter-fever progressed, I fancied up these little wooden bird houses as well.  They are about 4 inches tall and were so easy to do.  I hope I can find more where these came from.  They would be perfect for just about any time of the year! 

I just LOVE them and they fit so perfectly in my kitchen.  But, I've decided to give these to two lovely ladies this weekend! More on that tomorrow...

See you then,

Mona Pin It