New Phase

Joined Weight Watchers and a gym this week. To say I am overwhelmed would be an understatement. It's a different program than what I've done the last couple times I joined, maybe that's a good thing.

I wish I could call my Dad and tell him, he would be pleased, he was worried about my health. Sigh....

Toodles,
Wendy

Sad...

I don't know what other word to describe what I'm feeling. My beloved Daddy passed away March 20. He was way too young. On a selfish note I am not ready to spend the rest of my life without him. To say I am numb and still not totally understanding how long forever is, would be an understatement. I keep picking up the phone to call him and remember my phone doesn't reach heaven. I thought I had a plan to keep my head up this year and recover from all the losses but this one has knocked me for a loop. I know I need to get to the sewing machine but all I really want to do is sleep, which is better then my usual comfort which has always been food. I just want to sleep and wake up to this being a horrible nightmare that didn't really happen. No such luck I think. I've never had anything knock my happy nature for a real loop but this has. Like I said SAD.... Wendy

I bit the bullet

Well I went and did it!

I changed the title of the blog. I've been mulling it over in my head for quite a while.

You see I LOVE to sew but I also love to cook, craft and decorate. I didn't feel like I could post about those things on a sewing only blog. Given my inability to post on a regular basis I knew having separate blogs was just not feasible for me.

So while I haven't changed the URL to get here I think this better represents who I am. And since it is in fact my blog I took the liberty of making an autonomous decision without consulting anyone else, those of you that know me know I don't do that very often. :o) ROFL

I have a pot of soup on the stove, that is so simple and yummy and I will post the recipe later. I'm hoping it makes me feel a little better, I have this crud everyone is getting. Complete with the fever, headache and congestion. YUCK. Not how I want to spend my weekend off for sure.

H is over at Toni's cutting down a tree that fell that is threatening her fence. Have mentioned how much I love that wonderful man. I wish I was half the person he is but I do keep trying.

Toodles,
Wendy

Happy New Year

To say I'm glad to see 2010 gone might be the single largest understatement I've ever made. On a personal level it has been a trying and faith testing year.

The hardest part being that I have lost a son-in-law and my dear friends husband all in the last year. Of course this finds me struggling with my happy nature.

I still love my job but this year I have helped several families make final arrangements for their loved ones, that have found me grieving with them as well. On one hand I think my compassion is what makes me so good at my job but on the other it is draining me as well.

This has put me in a rather fragile frame of mind and I find my "pitcher" being very empty at this point.

I know it is up to me alone to find a way to refill the pitcher. I have come up with some ideas (I hate the word resolution) to make some changes.

1. Read Bible daily.
2. Prayer each morning and each night.
3. Create and read positive affirmations daily.
4. Spend more quality time with H.
a. Try to do date night at least twice a month.
5. Make time for friends.
6. Eat at least 3 fruits and vegetables each day.
7. Move at least 3 times a week.
a. Walk with Toni.
b. Walk with Jenn.
c. Walk with Janet.
8. Sort and organize my closets. (Could literally take months, I have three overflowing)
a. No purchases without something removed.
b. Begin to phase out black, replacing with brown as a base.
9. Commit to sewing at least 3 times a week.
a. Join 12 Jackets in 12 Months @ Stitchers Guild
b. Put more brown and coordinates for brown in my wardrobe.
10. Make one new piece of jewelry each month.
11. Finish one home decorating project each month.
12. Tackle (and I do say this literally) one room every other month.
13. Read more books, watching less TV.

I know this sounds pretty lofty but I feel like I have to make some major changes or find myself completely burning out in my professional level.

So off now to make some "Grand Plans"

Toodles,
Wendy

Blogspot Designs

In case you haven't checked out Blogspot lately, you should.

They have added some great new backgrounds that even a non computer person like me can figure out.

This new background gave me some the fall feeling I was needing. I'm trying to get some fall decorating done around the house. I'm working on a couple projects that I will post next week.

Toodles,
Wendy

Tickled....

I am so tickled with myself it is just wrong! I can't believe I did this without anyone holding my hand! My three favorite colors in one blog background, gotta' luv it! Thanks to Izzie Grace Blog Backgrounds. Truthfully I needed a little victory this week. More about victories in a minute.

Both "H" & I came down with the what-ever the heck bug it is going around these days. Let's just say I wouldn't wish it on someone I didn't like, let alone my family, friends, or co-workers. I lost 8 pounds in 36 hours but strongly suggest you don't try it for yourself, if you can avoid it. In the process though I missed two days of work, which doesn't make me happy at all. I still LOVE my job!

Speaking of victories....has anyone else ever heard of a "Victory List"? I have no idea where I first heard of it but I got out of the habit and will be re-implementing that into my daily life. It's basically a list of the accomplishments that will bring a smile to your face for those days when you need a pick me up. I will certainly put figuring out how to change my blog background down as one, oh and a month or so ago I saved a little turtle from being squished on the road. You get the idea, so what's on your "Victory List"?

Toodles,

Wendy

My Name Is Wendy & I'm Addicted....

To Decorating Blogs

I won't even estimate how much time I spend reading decorating blogs. My favorites are the thrifty ones because that's my budget as well. Some of these ladies are so incredibly creative it boggles my mind, but it has also changed the way I look at things, especially the larger items I have on hand. For instance how can I redo some of the furniture we already have? I've added several new blogs to my list at the side bar if you care to check them out.

A couple of my most favorites are.....

http://www.thenester.com/
http://www.reinventedkb.com/
http://southernhospitalityblog.com/

I must admit I'm a little overwhelmed though with all the ideas. I think I may need some sort plan for each room, maybe a notebook of some kind. I haven't really done much decorating to the house since we moved in four years ago, for a multiple of reasons, but I suddenly feel an almost desperate need to start. I'll have to give this some thought as I am really on a mission to finally get this house presentable to guests, as well as making it more inviting for us after such long days at work.

Toodles for now,
Wendy

What a difference

What a difference a month or two will make. Let's see what has happened.

-I cut my hair off for locks for love and I love the hair cut I got. If you need an awesome stylist in Longview let me know.
-Howard starts working for the same parent company I work for Tuesday. I will stay in Longview and he will go to Tyler. If he likes it as much as I do, we may have to re-think our housing.
-I joined a gym and have been using the resistence pool until I get some weight off. I'm pretty proud of the fact that of the four days I could go this week, I went three times.
-I misjudged a friendship and it has ended. To say I was disaapointed would be any understatement. It makes me sad but I've apologized repeatedly and I have not gotten a response. Oh the flip side of this Howard and I are spending a lot more time together. Have I mentioned how very much I love this man?

That's it for now,
Toodles,
Wendy

Wonder if I could pull this off and I want this!

I've been reading a blog about a lady in the UK who pledged to spend no new money on clothes for 365 days. That is a long time. While I know I need to embrace that challenge I don't know if its even a possibility for me. I LOVE clothes. Of course I do know how to sew and I could certainly use my stash of fabric to sew some new things. In addition there is a boat load of clothes I'm ready to get rid of and I can use that money for some new things. Her blog is here http://workthatwardrobe.blogspot.com/. It certainly has me thinking. I do need some new cool professional clothes that I won't roast in at graveside services this summer.

I also found this amazing purse. What a fabulous idea. Why oh why didn't I think of that? I need this purse. I bet I could make additional covers for it on the cheap. Here's the link to the website. I looked on ebay and I can get it cheaper there and still earn points. https://www.4miche.com/ver12/index.asp

Toodles,
Wendy

End Of An Era

Last Monday Howard and I had to send our Toffey to the Rainbow Bridge. To say our hearts are broken would be an understatement. We have mutually decided at this time we do not want another furry friend in the house. I'm gone long hours from home and he would have to work his schedule around that. The biggest reason though is that Toffey was a one of kind and neither of us is ready to let go. It wouldn't be fair to another fur baby right now. Hold your fur babies close and be sure you take lots of pictures, we don't have many.
Bye for now...

Big News....

Big News!

I have a new job! I start tomorrow and I'm so excited I'm about to burst. I will be working at a funeral home in family services. It will require me to alter my clothing slightly but I'm excited about it. No more crawling around on a ladder or dragging boxes to the dumpster in good clothes. At this point I'm planning to stay at Catherine's very very part time. Two nights a week until they get someone trained, then I expect to go to once a week. I'll be able to keep my employee discount both there and at Lane Bryant as well.

Clothing needs are both a little more professional and conservative. I have been wanting to really do SWAP for years and I think this will be the perfect timing. The twist this year is that it needs to be representative of a normal week in our lives. I know I'll be wearing a jacket/sweater daily so that will be the biggest change. I'll know more after the first couple weeks but since the time frame for SWAP is extended this year I think it will be quite doable.

41 Things.....

I shamelessly stole this from Patrice's blog. Check her out over at A Day in My World

1. 4 Foods for a deserted island would be shrimp, chocolate, bacon, and cheese. If I could add 3 more it would be pasta, potatoes and tomatoes.
2. I haven't met too many crafts I don't enjoy but I love sewing and beading.
3. I have one sister, a step-sister and step brother.
4. I have 4 GOD children. One amazing little girl and three fabulous boys.
5. I love magazines. I'm afraid to figure up how many I subscribe to or buy at the bookstore.
6. I get my feelings hurt way too easily.
7. I'm way too impulsive.
8. I have NO patience with rude people.
9. I'm good at my job but I don't like it. I've done retail sales for about 22 years. Can we say burnt out.
10. I want to teach school. The little ones please, when they still like their teacher.
11. I've been in 5 car accidents, but I was only driving in 3 of them.
12. I love NASCAR. Go Dave #66! A sponsor would be huge blessing!
13. Both of my parents are divorced and remarried, and they all get along. Thankfully! It makes my life so much easier.
14. I have been thru a tornado.
15. The plane that crashed in PA on 9-11 flew over me when I was visiting family.
16. I love to read Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books, I'm pulling for Ranger btw.
17. I'm allergic to penicillin and codeine.
18. I had my tonsils taken out when I was 39, I don't suggest it.
19. My sister calls me the "Spice Queen" because I have so many, and the man I live with thinks salt and pepper are the only spices anyone should ever need. UGH!
20. We have two grandbabies, a little Miss Priss who is six and a red haired boy, who just turned one year old. We are certainly blessed.
21. If I win the lottery I've always said I would buy an old "Martha Stewart" house and renovate, and adopt two little girls from China.
22. When patience was being passed out I must have been in the bathroom because I have none.
23. I am blessed to have four wonderful, incredible, amazing, have my back thru anything friends. One in Texas, one in Alabama, and two in Ohio.
24. I have a clothes and makeup addiction.
25. I don't like black licorice.
26. I love HGTV. My favorite show is Decorating Cents which is now only in reruns. :o(
27. I watch way too much network TV. Just a few of which are "Grey's Anatomy", "Ugly Betty", "NCIS", and "Desperate Housewives".
28. There are a couple movies I have watched so many times I can recite lines, "Devil Wears Prada", "Sweet Home Alabama", "One Fine Day", and "Legally Blonde", to name a few.
29. I refuse to text.
30. It took an act of Congress to get re-registered to vote. I will definetly exercise my right to vote.
31. I want to travel. On my top 5 list are NYC, Grand Canyon, Great Barrier Reef, Paris, England.
32. I have been on a second job interview that I want desperately. I will happily accept any positive prayers.
33. The job I want is still in sales, in a Funeral Home.
34. I am not a morning person but I can balance my checkbook at 2 am.
35. I have figured out in the last year or so I have OCD, but I'm not sure everyone doesn't have a little of it.
36. I did not attend my 10th or 20th class reunion.
37. I won a Mary Kay trip to Hawaii.
38. I have had surgery on both knees and one shoulder.
39. I took dance lessons from 2 to 16. Jazz, tap, and acrobats.
40. I am on the hunt for a Chatty Cathy doll, I had one as a kid but it disappeared.
41. I'm 41 today!

Preparing for the Big Show...in my world anyway!

It seems I have the sewing bug again. It's about time already I've been looking for it for months. There has been so much sewing activity going on around me and I think it has finally rubbed off.

There is the "ORIGINAL SWAP" (which I refer to as the Big Show because of how much I love it) over at Stitcher's Guild, voting just finished and results are supposed to be posted later today. You can see all the pictures of the completed swaps here Sewing Information

Then there is the Wardrobe contest at Pattern Review. Link to the gallery is Contest Photo Gallery .

And finally there is a new contest just starting at Stitcher's Guild called "June Capsule Contest", talked about here Announcing: June Capsule Contest . Now this contest only requires 4 pieces of clothing and an accessory. Of course I would do a necklace or two.

Hmmm.....could this be the perfect starting point for me? Every year I plan to do the "ORIGINAL SWAP" that Julie at Timmel Fabrics hostesses for us so graciously every year. Yet every year I never seem to get past the planning stages. Could it be the 11 pieces simply overwhelm me to the point of not getting started? What if I did a capsule in June and again in August, using new patterns both times? This would give me a starting point in January for the grand show that Julie puts on.

OK, that does it I've sold myself on the idea. Patterns to be chosen and posted by the end of the week. I'm off to drool over patterns.

Toodles for now....