I had an entry that was a draft and I hit save, so now it shows up in Dec, and it was a post from October.   sigh.....someday I'll learn how to do this.
I was plugging my phone into the laptop to charge when the mobile center came up and I finally found out how to transfer my pictures from my phone to the computer....duh....now I don't really need a camera, but it will be nice to have one.
My boss told me to leave at 3 today.   I love it when they let us go early.   For so many years I worked until the wee hours of the morning on the last working day of the year to make sure everyone's finances would be entered and correct.  Now that we are on  a new banking system, it updates continuously.  It's wonderful, but I do miss the overtime.  
The grandkids are coming over for a couple of hours tonight.  That' will be fun.
 Once they leave, I'll start working on the rest of the doll clothes.  Now that I have a way to get my pics online, I can start doing my own sewing.  Way excited.......

Saturday October 15

Well, last month I did a lot of sewing.   I made a Burda dress for a friend.  I have to say I didn't like the pattern.  It was for a school chorus/dance team so it looks like a square dancing dress.  The instructions were awful. The measurements on the pattern did not equal what they said they were.   I staystitched the v-neck and when I went to put on the facing it was 4 inches too short.  I had to start over on the bodice.   Let me tell you I was not a happy camper!

Then around the 15th of Sep I started sewing for my friends daughter for her bridesmaids.   The pattern was Butterick B5457.  Above is a pic of the girls in their dresses.  I made 5 of them.  I didn't care for the pattern.  It wasn't so difficult to put together, however, when you put the inner lining to the bodice, it wasnt wide enough.  I didn't have enough fabric to remake it so I had to split it at the bottom of the seams in the princess line and spread it about 1/2 inch on each seam.     I made 1 size 12 and shortened the waist 1inch.  The rest were size 14.  I had

The last Friday of the year......what to do?

Well, to everyone I wish a Happy New Years and hope you have a very safe weekend, especially if you are traveling.  I'm not...thank goodness.
Tonight I am planning on sewing on some more doll clothes and get that project out of the way. 
This weekend I want to get my manequin out and pad her up to match me....poor thing!  That way I have something to try my patterns on.  Should be an interesting feat!  Other than that, not much planned tonight.  (edited to note;  it didn't happen!)

Camera on the way!

I have had two Kodak digital cameras that have disappeared over the last several years.    Well today I went on Ubid.com and was able to snag another one.  It is new and has a case, a cable, a sd card, and a tripod and I got it all for $52.00.   Needless to say, I'm estatic.  Now I can finally record my progress through pictures.  I'm way excited!

Tuesday

I have to admit that it was nice to get back to work.  What is wrong with me?  But it was nice.  Year end is coming quickly and I have a lot to get done.  The day went relatively fast. 
I returned the dolls back to my grand daughter and spent a few minutes visiting with the family.  Came home and heated up some dinner.  Jeff isn't feeling well tonight, so I think he has what I had over the weekend.  Not fun.
I managed to ride my pedals for 45 minutes last night before I went to bed.  I was in bed by 10:30 and awake this morning before 6.  I worked on the afghan until I went to bed.  I consider knitting a part of sewing.....I am about to run out of the purple.  I bought a new skein the other day, and I'll be dang if I didn't get the wrong one.  So now I have to go back to Joann's and get the right one.  So now the knitting is on hold. 
I probably will not do anything tonight except ride the pedals   I have a headache and I think I'll head to bed early.  Feeling lousy is not a good time for me to sew anything.  So much for sewing everyday....but that was just musings and something I'd like to do but it isn't realistic right now.  Once Jeff gets into day school I will be able to justify sewing more often.  right now, it is homework....well not tonight, he is ill......

So here is what I wanted to make last January and never got to.

  It is a Butterick, Connie Crawford.  I heard people have had good luck with her patterns, especially if they are large.  I have a poly/linen blend that is black. I am going to use that as a muslin.  I have lots of it, so if it works, I'll make one and embroider something on the lapel, maybe.

\

Musings over what to do.......

Well,  I have to be frank and admit.....I am not a goal setter.  But I've been thinking a lot and looking at others' blogs and can see where they who have set goals, have accomplished so much more than they who have not.....namely ME!
So what do I need to set goals on........hmmm  let me think...........oh yes, I can certainly come up with a few.
1.  Losing weight.  Isn't that a goal almost everyone who is health conscious sets?  I've been watching my cousin, Cat, who is looking great.   She has "Fat Butt Friday" where she records her weight loss journey each week.  That is a great idea.
2.  Sewing on something each day of the year, even if it is small.
3.  Making a list of what you want to sew on in the week.
4.  Journal logging everyday.  If you do that you can look back and see how productive you are.
5.  Making a budget and sticking to it.
6.  Work on getting out of debt.
7.  Realizing I probably should only pick a few off the list.

Ok, so here goes....
WHAT shall I do today.  I am off from work.   Love November-Jan holidays for sure.
First off, I will take my hubby to work, then meet up with my two friends, Lauri and Joy, to go to Applebee's for lunch.
When I get home, I will put a turkey in the oven so we will have food to take for lunches this week.
Well I am off to get in the shower, fix my hair, and be off to have fun with my friends.

I'm Back, now what?.......
I do need to get that turkey in the oven.  I will at least accomplish that today.
I've been knitting on an afghan for Jeff's friend,  I might pop in Mr. Poppers' Penguins and knit the rest of the evening.  I really don't want to go back to work tomorrow, but alas, the real world calls.....
Yup, I think that's what is on the list for tonight.
I had a marvelous time with my friends.  I have the best friends in the world.  We had a good time, at least I did.  I feel much better.
We were talking about setting goals etc., and my friend Joy showed me her notebook of things she wants to accomplish, but with no specific date beside each thing.  She simply crosses them off when she gets them done and adds more to the list.  I like this idea.  Maybe I can create a page of TO DO things, separate from my main page and keep a list.  I like that idea better than setting goals.  Now, I just have to figure out how to create that list.  hmmm....maybe I need to visit with my cousin, Cat, who is a whiz at blogs.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas to anyone who is looking.  I hope you had a wonderful day.  I have had a great day.  Quiet and relaxing.

Yesterday, my gd and I worked on a skirt for Christmas.  She is 7 and had an idea in her head of what she wanted.   We worked on a skirt that we had planned in October, the two tiered skirt, but when she tried it on she declared it was way too short!  So that pattern was out.
This is what she told me she wanted.  "Grandma, I want my skirt to be red and green plaid(no where could I find that fabric) and I want it to go below my knees, like down here (pointing to mid calf)   I don't want it very full but not really straight."  
So yesterday, we decided to draft our own pattern.  We made an A-line skirt.   She wanted to embroider something Christmasy on it.  I didn't have much but we looked and found some holly and ivy.  She used 3 branches,  then put her name beside it in Blue.   We used a medium weight denim in med blue.    She serged the side seams and then last night at Christmas Eve dinner, I took her waist measurement, then got up this morning and put the elastic in the waist and the hem in.
She ran up and put it on and came down with a white top and a little denim jacket (that was almost too small for her), but it was a pretty close match to color.  She had white textured knee soxs and black dress shoes.  We had her change into her boots, and she looked darling.  I wish I had a picture of it.  I'll try to get one from my daughter and post it.  She was so cute.


I also made doll clothes for her baby dolls.  It was a busy Christmas sewing season.   I made some polar bear candy cane holders (in the hoop projects) that turned out pretty cute and a few lace ornament covers, but abandoned the project to get the presents done.   I should have asked Santa for a cmaera...duh....but didn't think of it.   Oh well....someday I'll have another one so I can share my creations.