What Could Be Worst Than a Fire?

You will not believe what happened to me this last week. We had a small fire in our house and my fabric stash caught on fire. I lost about 1/3 of the stash to the fire and about 1/3 of the stash to smoke damage. I am just devastated. I can’t believe that my precious fabric that took me 25 years to collect is gone. I lost all my Peanut prints, my Disney prints, most of my cottons and rayons, my collection of fabric for sleepers and most of the embroidery blanks I have purchased over the years. They are all destroyed. The only thing really left is the fleece and flannel stored outside of the closet and some larger pieces stored in a separate closet. My yarn stash ended up having the most smoke damage out of everything though. I believe I can wash some of the fabric but the yarn is just a goner. The husband tried to cheer me up by saying that this was good thing, that I could now go shopping for more fabric but right now I just don’t have the heart to shop for fabric or to joke around about fabric shopping.

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The second thing you will not believe is how the fire started. When the fire inspector came and saw my boxes of fabric, he just shook his head. He said he had only seen a fire that started this way once before in his 17 year career. The cause of the fire was the fact that I boxed flannel with its rough surface next to rayon with its smooth surface and then in a cardboard box. Something had forced the two fabrics to rub together. He said probably just the weight settling from the other boxes on top is what caused the movement. When the fabrics rubbed together, they sparked. This set the cardboard box on fire and the rest it history, including my stash.

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As much as I am totally upset, saddened and devastated, please do not send me any fabric. All I can say about all of this is that it is a good thing April 1st only comes once a year!

I put a Curse on You, You evil Fabric Sale you!

Joann’s last sale featured some basic sewing supplies I was running low on, so I decided to take a journey to the sale. Before we left, the husband handed me an emailed coupon for 20% off my purchase including all regular and sales prices. Excited at the thought of saving even more on the supplies I needed, we headed for the store.

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When we got to the store, my list of needed supplies was quickly put in my pocket as the first rack of fabric was all leftover holiday prints 60% off. 60% off was a great price but then add my 20% off on top of that and I was in sale heaven! I quickly filled the cart with bolts and bolts of wonderful fabric which included holiday Snoopy and Mickey Mouse in both cottons and fleeces. After the cart was too heavy to push, I made my way to the cutting tables to have it cut.

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On the way to the cutting tables, I passed the licensed prints, at 40% off for the sale. You can do the math, 40% sale plus 20% coupon. How much more can I fit in the cart? How much more can I fit in the trunk of the car? How much more can I fit in the stash? Without answering these important questions, several more bolts of precious fabric made its way to the cutting table with me.

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After spending a fair amount of time at the cutting table, the husband, who is a real trooper, reminded me of the list of supplies that we really came for. It did not take long to pick those up and then we were off to the registers.

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After ringing up my piles of fabric and needed supplies, the young man behind the register handed me a coupon for 30% my total purchases for next week. The husband about burst into tears and I started to plan my trip to Joann’s next week to shop the sales again.

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And yes I do have to keep reminding the husband that if the apocalypse happens in the near future that I will always be able to trade fabric for food. If it wasn’t for that, I’m unsure he would let me continue to purchase more and more fabric for the stash.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

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Christmas time around the world and for the different religious beliefs means lots of different things to lots of different people. But in my experience, everyone does similar things around the holiday’s no matter where you live or what you believe.

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It usually involves traveling somewhere to spend time with friends, family and loved ones. Church, School and Work Holiday celebrations and parties. Enjoying all of the yummy foods and treats that seem to be everywhere you look this time of year. Looking at all the pretty lights and decorations. Trying to figure out that perfect gift for that perfect someone.

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I’m normally very busy at work during the holiday season so I don’t have a lot of time for Christmas sewing or crafts but I do what I can, when I can.

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For past Christmas seasons I have made new Holiday Table Runners, Tablecloths, Place mats and Napkins for the big family Christmas dinner at my house. One year I made a bunch of Toll Painted Snowmen as party gifts for one of our Christmas Parties. And other years I have made a new Christmas Shirt or Sweater to wear around the Holidays. One year I even made a festive Holiday Apron, so that I could wear it while I was making the several hundred Frosted Sugar Cookies I make every year to give away.

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This year I enjoyed making a few fun creations from the Christmas Things to Stitch and Sew book and it was also fun to follow along on Nancy Zieman’s 12 days of Christmas Blog Posts.

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What fun Christmas sewing and crafts did you get done this year? Share your thoughts in the comments! I’d love to hear about it!

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Wishing you all a Happy and Joyous Holiday Season and Peace on Earth and Goodwill toward Men and Women!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

I know that a lot of my readers are not in the United States of America, but for those that are,

I hope you all have a blessed, bountiful, wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!

Happy Easter!

Here is wishing you all a Good Friday, a Great Earth Day,

and a Happy, Hoppy, Easter!

The Night Before Easter ‘Twas the night before Easter. All was calm and laid back. Fred, the mouse in the kitchen, snarfed down a late snack. The eggs were all dyed but still drippy and sticky… To be honest, they looked just a little bit icky. There were big jelly beans, chocolate bunnies and such, And as Fred stuffed his face, he sighed, “This is too much!” Phil and Rose were in bed watching late night TV, While munching saltines with low-sodium Brie. Then a sudden commotion rang out in the night. It shook Phil and Rose, really gave them a fright. Phil’s hair stood on end, and his eyes bugged out big… Rose whipped off the covers and knocked off her wig. They lunged to the window, yanked open the blinds… What they saw was amazing; it boggled their minds: Across the night sky, with a noise like the dickens, Soared a minivan drawn by eight overgrown chickens! At the wheel sat a bunny — cute, fuzzy and fat – In designer blue jeans and a Panama hat. Like a speeding space shuttle, those chickens they flew, As the van driver called to each hen in his crew: “Now, Ashley! Now, Sheila! Now, Kelsey and Bo! On Bethany, Liza! On Daphne, on Flo!” The van made its landing lickety-split … Nearly wiped out the shrubs and the barbecue pit! Then up on the roof, much to Phil’s consternation, They squawked of egg prices and space navigation. They made so much noise that Phil started to stammer, “If you guys don’t shut up, we’ll get thrown in the slammer!” Fuzzy hopped down the chimney, amidst all this racket, And emerged from the fireplace, adjusting his jacket. This bunny was chic, he had class, he had flair .. Not your average bozo, not your typical hare. His ears were enormous; his huge overbite Was right under a nose like a pink neon light. His manner was smooth, he was hip, he was cool; This floppy-eared bunny was no fuzzy fool. “While I’m here,” he smiled, “Everybody relaxes … I’m not selling storm windows, won’t audit your taxes. I’m just here to bring you some fun and delight. Eat, drink, and be merry! Let’s party tonight!” So they sipped diet soda and swapped silly jokes, Those birds and their bunny just being plain folks. Then flop-ears said, “Hey, friends, we’ve had quite a ball, But my chickens and I are now due in St. Paul!” He crossed both his eyes. Then he wiggled one ear, And he yelled to his chicken team, “We’re outta here!” As the minivan rose in the 3 a.m. sky, He called out, “Later, Phil! And to you, Rose, good-bye!” As he sped out of sight, his two friends heard him say, “Happy Easter to all! Have a beautiful day!” Author Unknown

Merry Christmas 2010!

Here is wishing you a most Joyous Holiday Season, a Very Merry Christmas, Bodhi Day (Rohatsu), Chanukah/Hannukah, Id al-Adha, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, Yule, and any others I missed! I know that I have international readership and if I did miss yours please let me know what it is called by leaving me a comment and telling me when and how you celebrate your Christmas, Yule-Time, Yule-Tide, Winter Solstice, Winter Festival, etc. in your country.

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I would like to take this time to thank you for reading my blog this past year and I hope that it in some way gave you inspiration to do something creative. I really only started it as a personal journal for myself to keep notes of different things I had done in the past and what worked and didn’t work and maybe help someone else out along the way.

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I very much hope that it has done at least that for you.

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I know that we are all busy this time of year for the Holiday’s and the last thing on most people’s checklist to do is read a blog, but I would like to thank you again for taking the time to read mine when you can.

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I would hope that if you would like to see something covered or even if you don’t like something on here you would let me know in the comments so I can try to do a better job in the coming New Year!

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-Lanita

Happy Independence Day!

I would just like to wish everyone out there in the blogosphere a happy, safe and sane 4th of July! I will be spending my 4th with family and friends and I sincerely hope all of you will be able to do the same!

Have a slice of Apple or Cherry pie for me!

And no blowing off any body parts with illegal fireworks!

It’s a little hard to sew, crochet or craft when you are missing some fingers.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

As the new year begins, everyone is excited for the fresh start and of course making some new year’s resolutions. I don’t normally set any NEW new year’s resolutions. I just renew the same ones from the last year that I broke, which are the same ones from the year before which are the same ones from the year before that… This year besides renewing the same old resolutions from past years, I am going to add a new sewing resolution to the list.

While reading another blog, the writer said that she considered herself a beginner seamstress because there are so many sewing techniques she has not tried to conquer. This got me to thinking, with everything I have done, there are many things I’ve never done or even tried to do. Yes, I am pretty good at making all my sloper patterns, but I have never tried a zipper, regular or invisible, in a dress. I have never attempted a tailored jacket. I have never made a quilt. I have always wanted to try making stuffed animals, but have just never gave it a go. With my new love of amigurumi, the desire to sew stuffed animals has greatly lessened I will admit. I have everything I need to create any of these projects already. There is plenty of fabric in the stash and lots of sewing supplies in the closet. I even have the patterns for most of these projects. So, this years new year’s sewing resolution is to try new sewing techniques.

That is a pretty big resolution. My first step will be just to sort through patterns and books and write a list of things I want to learn and try. Then I will plan each project and try to set some time limits. If the time limits pressure me too much, I will just ignore them. I hate to sew under pressure. It takes all the fun out of sewing. Hopefully, by the end of the year, I will have a few new sewing techniques mastered.

So, wish me luck as I start my new year’s resolutions! And a very Happy New Year to you all!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Here is wishing you a most Joyous Holiday Season, a Very Merry Christmas, Bodhi Day (Rohatsu), Chanukah/Hannukah, Id al-Adha, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, Yule, and any others I missed along with a very Happy New Year!

I would like to take this time to thank you for reading my silly blog this past year. I really only started it as a personal journal for myself to keep notes of different things I had done in the past and what worked and didn’t work and maybe help someone else out along the way.

I very much hope that it has done that for you.

My readership has continued to grow in leaps and bounds this year and I thank you for that. When I first started this blog I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why anyone would want to read my ramblings but as time has went on and I see just how many are reading it I have tried to make it more interesting for people to read and to have fairly regular updates.

I would hope that if you would like to see something covered or even if you don’t like something on here you would let me know in the comments so I can try to do a better job in the coming New Year!

-Lanita