Rita's Sew Fun

Painted Luggage

2012-01-28T04:00:00.000-08:00

Yes, I paint my luggage...

Actually, it's one of my FAVORITE THINGS TO DO...
Other people watch the dozens of black bags go around and around the airport carousel... wondering which one is theirs...because THEY ALL LOOK ALIKE...

But my suitcases are always VERY EASY TO FIND -- and I'm the first person out on the curb, looking for my ride...

My bags have been to many, many airports over the years...including Memphis...

Reno, Cincinnati, Seattle, Chantilly, Kansas City...

NO AIRLINE could ever lose my bags...there simply is no excuse...I have the AIRPORT CODE painted right on the bag...

Sometimes, I do the EMBROIDERY on a piece of fabric -- and then glue it on the bag before I Mod Podge the whole bag...

Mod Podge is the key to success. You have to use it to seal the luggage fabric -- otherwise, the paint just soaks in...

Once the sealer dries -- I use any kind of paint. In this case, white paint and yellow paint -- then I decorated on top -- using more paint -- or felt tip markers...

THIS SUITCASE was written up in Designs in Machine Embroidery magazine! I did all the embroidery on fabric, then cut it to fit the shapes needed for the luggage...

When your design is complete -- put MORE MOD Podge on -- to seal everything. Believe me -- the paint job will hold up long after the wheels are busted.

Sadly, last year, two of these bags were destroyed by the rough handling. Ugh. One had the handle ripped off...another lost a wheel...

Treating them with the respect they deserve, like a worn out American Flag, or a treasured Lazy Boy recliner -- I had a little funeral and burned them...

Now I'm on the hunt to find another rolling duffel that is worthy...

And the next time I'm writing about painted luggage -- it will be to unveil my NEW BAG...!!

My 'GO TO" dinners

2012-01-27T04:00:00.000-08:00

The other day, it was snowing HEAVILY -- and Emily called to tell me they were on their way to our house.

I did the first thing every mother in America does -- I asked, "are you hungry?"

Sometimes -- I have days to prepare and plan the perfect meal...

But more often than not, I get very short notice. And when I need to do something in a HURRY... I have a few "go to" meals.

For that reason -- I always have Italian bread in the freezer. Wrapped in a napkin, a frozen loaf will thaw in the microwave in just a few minutes...then I slice it and can go in several different directions.

With a jar of spaghetti sauce, cheese & pepperoni or sausage...I could make a very quick PIZZA...

Really. I can have that on the table in about 15 minutes...

OR -- with mayo, ham and cheese -- popped under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly.. and it's a hot ham & cheese sub...PERFECT.

OR -- I could slap together a Mufaletta sandwich. I usually have the olive mix in my refrigerator -- and the rest is easy. Ham, hard salami & provolone. Yumm-o...

Sometimes, tho -- there's a BIG crowd coming. You just NEVER KNOW when you might have to feed some hungry men...and for me -- the quickest thing and the biggest bang for my time is spaghetti!!

For one thing -- I ALWAYS have it on hand...

First -- put a pot of water on to get it boiling -- then look in the frig to see what I have. My go-to-pasta dish is Carbonara, using leftovers. (If you are a REAL Italian -- you might want to stop reading right now...)

But here's my interpretation...

As I boil the whole box of spaghetti -- I fry off 4 strips of bacon -- very crispy...(set it aside).

Then I chop up what I have in the frig -- and saute it in some of the bacon drippings:

4 green onions (tops & all)
1/2 c. leftover steamed broccoli (could be green beans or peas)
4 slices of hard salami (or ham, or leftover breakfast sausage)
half a tomato, cut into bits (or some cherry tomatoes, cut in half)
some sliced black olives
2 garlic cloves, minced

When the spaghetti is cooked -- I drain it. Then, some olive oil into the hot spaghetti pot...and I combine the hot spaghetti and the sauted lefltovers -- toss it all with 2 beaten eggs and 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese. The last thing is the crispy bacon...and if I have it -- some fresh parsley.

DELICIOUS...

And I swear to you -- it took me longer to write about it than it took me to actually COOK IT.

In less than 20 minutes, you can have a very large, colorful bowl of delicious food on the table...and it's a little bit different every time I make it.

Project Runway ALL STARS

2012-01-26T04:00:00.000-08:00

Okay -- I keep forgetting to blog about the Project Runway ALL STARS.

It's on Thursday nights (tonight), on the Lifetime network, and I am QUITE enjoying it.

Just when I thought I was missing Tim Gunn -- it turns out he's on another show everyday -- the ABC afternoon show called "The Revolution" (I think). Hey -- I did try to watch Tim's new show, but I kept falling asleep. Apparently -- I'm still mourning the loss of my soap operas... I'm just not ready....it's still too soon.

Back to Project Runway ALLSTARS. The first challenge was the Dollar Store and the crazy Elisha went home -- which was not a surprise.

The second challenge was to make a gown suitable for the opera. Of course, there is a lot of pressure for Austin Scarlett to knock it out of the park...and he WAS the winner. But I thought Michael should have won it...and Sweet Pea went home for making a Laura Ingalls Wilder dress. I could have told her that prints are NOT A GOOD IDEA for the opera...(it's a long story)...

Which brings us up to the third challenge. Make something for Miss Piggy to wear to her movie premiere. THIS WILL BE FUN.

Oh no...wait...Here's how it's going to work -- the dress would walk the runway on a regular model -- but will be "altered" to fit Miss Piggy for her event.

Okay -- maybe it's just me -- but why, then, bother to bring Miss Piggy into it at all? What's the point, really? We NEVER GOT TO SEE the winning garment on the pig...

Speaking of the winning garment -- I think it should have been Rami. Everything about his outfit was spot on. Great color, wonderful personality...perfect for Miss Piggy and her movie premiere...

But -- NO -- they gave the win to Michael. Which I think is totally because he SHOULD HAVE won last week -- but nobody could stand to put Austin Scarlett in second place for an opera gown.

What Michael did for Miss Piggy was a very tight sheath dress -- with a gigantic bow in front. I cannot imagine how uncomfortable a pig will be in a short, tight dress...no -- wait -- I actually CAN IMAGINE that...

Normally, I would put up a picture of the WINNING dress -- but the Lifetime website didn't even bother to post one. Instead, they have a picture of Michael, holding his fist up in victory...

Anyway -- for this challenge -- they sent Gordana home. Even though Miss Piggy would have looked WAY BETTER in her dress than she will look in Michael's...

But then, I forget -- it really wasn't about the pig...

Watching Amy's Boys

2012-01-25T04:00:00.000-08:00

Amy & Bill were going to be in Las Vegas for a week. And their three boys are in school -- so it would be good if they could find somebody to "stay at the house" and watch the boys...

In this Thanksgiving picture, you see Amy with her youngest, Cash -- and Garrett -- with his newly renovated black violin..
I volunteered to take a few days -- as these three boys happen to be some of my very favorite people. I set a jigsaw puzzle up on the kitchen table...which we worked on in the evenings and in the mornings, before school....Garrett is a MAD puzzler...

HOWEVER....Amy forgot to tell me that this was wacky-week at school. Every day, they were supposed to "dress up" in some goofy way...

Okay...I wasn't in charge on PAJAMA DAY...somebody else got that easy gig...

On my first day on the job, the boys cheerfully got out of bed and made themselves breakfast...then they told me it was "dress like your favorite character in a book" day.

WHAT??

Cale already had something figured out, and I found a Ninja outfit for young Cash...but Garrett was at a loss....

Feeling bad, I offered, "you could just dress normally and then make up a book character..." He gave me a quizzical look, and I said, "hon -- no teacher has read every single book..." But he didn't go for it. As he walked out the door, he said, "not everybody participates, Aunt Rita..."

However -- THE NEXT DAY -- I am way more prepared. This is the day they are supposed to "wear the outfit that depicts the JOB you want to have when you grow up". Okay. This time, we had time to plan. Garrett loves animals...so he decided on being a zookeeper. He had a few stuffed animals -- and my contribution was a wonderful Fedora. WHICH Garrett made a headband for...that said, "zookeeper"....

He looked smashing in the hat, don't you think?

AND we managed to get the whole 500-piece puzzle put together before their parents came home.

Farro Family Aprons

2012-01-24T04:00:00.001-08:00

During the Christmas holidays -- there was A LOT OF COOKING...Lillian, in one of her dozen little velvet dresses -- making cookies. She is really concentrating -- but the dress is mostly safe because, of course, she has her own little apron!!

Grandma has her own apron, too...(and my favorite necklace -- a gift from Lilly & Emily)...

The cookies are of the refrigerator-tube-variety. But that's not really the point of this activity...

It's more about having a conversation while you are doing something together...making cookies, putting stickers on the windows, watching a snow storm...making sure you are wearing just the right accessories...

When Lilly comes here, she knows exactly where her apron is hanging...
And her first choice of activity is always -- CUPCAKES!!

This isn't such a great picture -- but Lilly is sooo excited -- her little fists are moving at hyper-speed...as she presents the finished cupcakes to Grandpa...

At her own house in Wisconsin, she has a different little apron -- which also hangs on it's own hook...

Because I'm a big believer in hanging aprons on hooks in kitchens...I have several full-size aprons on this hook at all times...One of them was a gift from Mary Mulari for my 50th birthday...one is a wrap apron from the 1930's that I bought at an antique store (while shopping with Mary)...

Mary Mulari is a big part of the Farro Family apron story. Here, with John -- who is wearing his favorite "butchering apron" -- also a gift from Mary.

It's reversible -- one side is a golf fabric...

So -- my best winter-activity-advice is to GO THROUGH YOUR STASH...and make a bunch of aprons while you're snowed in. (remember -- if you can't get to the fabric store -- you could use old t-shirts for one side). Giving anybody an apron is such a practical, appreciated gift -- and what I love about it is that every time they wear the apron, they'll think about you.

If you don't have a pattern you like -- be sure to check out Mary Mulari's website --

Parker's Aunt Rita Adventure

2012-01-23T04:00:00.000-08:00

One of the great joys of my life is that I have S0 MANY WONDERFUL GREAT-NIECES and NEPHEWS. And I am a very lucky Great-Aunt because lots of them live close enough for me to occasionally take them on Aunt Rita Adventures.

My adventures can be anything under the sun...and some are better than others. In many ways, they are like the Forrest Gump movie and that box of chocolates...

The very best thing about these events is that they are a GREAT EXCUSE for me to attend a completely fun, entertaining activity...with no redeeming knowledge or benefit whatsoever.

Case in point -- recently I saw an ad for an event at the Waterfront Convention Center. A "magician" was going to perform. Ron Royals -- he was billed as "an illusionist".

WHAT FUN!! All I have to do is figure out who's next in the Aunt-Rita-Adventure-lineup.

PARKER!!

Yippee kayee. Parker is 14 years old -- PERFECT....here's my favorite picture of him at Christmas, with his Mom, Nicole...

When I went to pick him up -- I gave him the keys to my car. He very recently got his learner's permit -- so I thought this would be a memorable part of our adventure. And it was. In a very good way. Parker was a careful and considerate driver -- with a good sense of the "middle of the road" and an excellent awareness of the speed limits, etc.

He chose Red Robin for our pre-show dinner. I didn't tell him what the actual "event" was until he pulled into the convention center parking lot.

The dinner was delicious, the magic show was entertaining -- and the kid is terrific.
Parker is a bright young man, who loves sports, is active on all kinds of team activities, AND he got a 4.0 GPA last semester...(which he just about always does).

It was such a pleasure for me to spend a little one-on-one time with Parker and talk about stuff. Nothing major. Our family....how it seems like just yesterday I was teaching my own boys how to drive...Now Elliott is in the Army and Ross travels all the time...

Gee...it all goes so fast... In a blink of an eye, little kids grow up and want to borrow the car....

I have a small picture of Parker in a magnet frame on my refrigerator. He's a year old baby, with an odd blonde curl of hair over his left ear. Could that picture really be hanging there for 14 years already??

The first full understandable sentence Parker spoke aloud...

"My name is Parker Martin Kearney and I come in peace."

Grace & My Best Uncle

2012-01-21T04:00:00.000-08:00

The best Christmas gift I received this year came from my Uncle Melvin.

My mother's younger brother -- he has always been everybody's favorite Uncle. When we were growing up -- he was a fun loving young man who came into the room with a big smile -- and actually had CONVERSATIONS with us kids. Looking back at it -- it is stunning to me that he took so much time and was always interested in what we were doing.

I mean -- WHO DOES THAT?

He'd show up at our house (six kids, remember?) -- with a brown paper bag full of Hersey bars. Then he'd play baseball with us in the front yard...

When my brother Calvin was nine years old, he spent a long time in the hospital having surgery on his ear. When he came home -- Uncle Melvin had BUILT HIM A CAR. We called it the "jeep" -- it was burgundy and had a gas engine -- and we drove it all over the farm...for years...

Really...who does that??

This year -- on Christmas Day, Uncle Melvin gave me a CD he had made -- which was a snippit our family from the 1950's -- when he was the only guy in the county with a home movie camera.

He's spent the last year -- watching hours and hours of those old home movies -- and then moving the images to today's digital technology. He made and delivered 32 CD's to various people and families...

For example, he sent a CD to a woman (now 65 years old and living in Florida) -- who is the daughter of a man Uncle Melvin knew from his Navy days. In the 50's -- they vacationed together and the movies show a young family camping and horsing around for the camera. Uncle Melvin's friend died when he was only 49 years old. When that Florida woman got the CD, showing her as a young girl, with her Dad...Well -- you can imagine.

I mean -- WHO DOES THAT??

When Uncle Melvin walked into my house for our New Year's Dinner -- he was wearing a blue and green plaid shirt. Just like the man in the picture. "Grace" -- remember?

Because John was ALSO WEARING a blue and green plaid shirt -- I decided to set up a photo moment...with John on one side and Uncle Melvin on the other....Kathy is holding the picture...

In their blue/green plaid shirts -- my husband John and my Uncle Melvin....

If saying "Grace" is about being thankful for your blessings...I am....because they are...

STELLA awards

2012-01-20T04:00:00.000-08:00

For some reason -- blogger will not let me load pictures. And, as you can imagine, I ALWAYS START WITH A FEW PICTURES...

So, just as I was puzzling what worthwhile thing I could put up for today's blog -- I received this forwarded email from my clubber Linda -- WHO IS IN SUNNY ARIZONA...

Thanks, Lin!! I LOVE IT...

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

It's time again for the annual 'Stella Awards'!

For those unfamiliar with these awards, they are named after 81-year-old Stella Liebeck who spilled hot coffee on herself and successfully sued the McDonald's in New Mexico, where she purchased coffee.

You remember, she took the lid off the coffee and put it between her knees while she was driving. Who would ever think one could get burned doing that, right?

That's right; these are awards for the most outlandish lawsuits and verdicts in the U.S.

You know, the kinds of cases that make you scratch your head.

So keep your head scratcher handy.

Here are the Stellas for this past year --

*SEVENTH PLACE*

Kathleen Robertson of Austin, Texas was awarded $80,000 by a jury of her peers after breaking her ankle tripping over a toddler who was running inside a furniture store. The store owners were understandably surprised by the verdict, considering the running toddler was her own son ...

Start scratching!

* SIXTH PLACE *

Carl Truman, 19, of Los Angeles , California won $74,000 plus medical expenses when his neighbour ran over his hand with a Honda Accord. Truman apparently didn't notice there was someone at the wheel of the car when he was trying to steal his neighbour's hubcaps.

Scratch some more ...

* FIFTH PLACE *

Terrence Dickson, of Bristol , Pennsylvania , who was leaving a house he had just burglarized by way of the garage. Unfortunately for Dickson, the automatic garage door opener malfunctioned and he could not get the garage door to open. Worse, he couldn't re-enter the house because the door connecting the garage to the house locked when Dickson pulled it shut. Forced to sit for eight, count 'em, EIGHT days and survive on a case of Pepsi and a large bag of dry dog food, he sued the homeowner's insurance company claiming undue mental anguish. Amazingly, the jury said the insurance company must pay Dickson $500,000 for his anguish. We should all have this kind of anguish. Keep scratching.

There are more...

Double hand scratching after this one ...

*FOURTH PLACE*

Jerry Williams, of Little Rock, Arkansas, garnered 4th Place in the Stella's when he was awarded $14,500 plus medical expenses after being bitten on the butt by his next door neighbour's beagle - even though the beagle was on a chain in its owner's fenced yard. Williams did not get as much as he asked for because the jury believed the beagle might have been provoked at the time of the butt bite because Williams had climbed over the fence into the yard and repeatedly shot
the dog with a pellet gun.

Pick a new spot to scratch; you're getting a bald spot ...

* THIRD PLACE *

Amber Carson of Lancaster, Pennsylvania because a jury ordered a Philadelphia restaurant to pay her $113,500 after she slipped on a spilled soft drink and broke her tailbone. The reason the soft drink was on the floor: Ms Carson had thrown it at her boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during an argument. What ever happened to people being responsible for their own actions?

Only two more so ease up on the scratching...

*SECOND PLACE*

Kara Walton, of Claymont, Delaware sued the owner of a night club in a nearby city because she fell from the bathroom window to the floor, knocking out her two front teeth. Even though Ms. Walton was trying to sneak through the ladies room window to avoid paying the $3.50 cover charge, the jury said the night club had to pay her $12,000 ... oh, yeah, plus dental expenses. Go figure.

OK. Here we go!!

* FIRST PLACE *

This year's runaway First Place Stella Award winner was: Mrs Merv Grazinski, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, who purchased a new 32-foot Winnebago motor home. On her first trip home, from a football game, having driven on to the freeway, she set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the driver's seat to go to the back of the Winnebago to make herself a sandwich. Not surprisingly, the motor home left the freeway, crashed and overturned. Also not surprisingly, Mrs Grazinski sued Winnebago for not putting in the owner's manual that she couldn't actually leave the driver's seat while the cruise control was set. The Oklahoma jury awarded her, are you sitting down? $1,750,000 PLUS a new motor home. Winnebago actually changed their manuals as a result of this suit, just in case Mrs. Grazinski has any relatives who might also buy a motor home.

Sigh.

Blue Jean Repair

2012-01-19T04:00:00.000-08:00

The men in my life HATE buying new jeans. When Elliot was a teenager -- he had a favorite pair of jeans that I mended more than 30 times...I wonder if he still has them.

John is the same way...and his jeans always get worn and stringy at the bottom...

So here's how I repair them. First -- I cut off the ragged hem...

Then, right sides together, I stitch on a 2" piece of t-shirt fabric...

I turn the knit fabric into the inside of the jeans and top-stitch in the ditch...

On the inside, I cut away the excess knit fabric.

THERE IT IS...I didn't really change the LENGTH much -- but there are no more raggedy bottom pant legs.

These jeans could last John for another 10 or 12 years...yes...I'm kidding...

Christmas Coverlet Style show

2012-01-18T04:00:00.000-08:00

One of the highlights of Christmas 2011 was the Christmas Coverlet party for Ronda's grandchildren. It started with my compulsive thrift shopping...when Christmas Coverlets became my passion.

Here's the thing I really loved -- EVERY ONE IS DIFFERENT. I mean -- what are the chances. I probably bought 50 of them...and NO TWO were alike...

There are gingerbread men...

Many featured Santa Claus...

Or snowmen...

There were animal theme coverlets -- one had a Christmas grizzly bear in a tree -- or adorable dogs or cats...in this case -- birds...

My personal favorite -- NEW YORK CITY street scene...

Flower designs, or holly, or wreaths...
Many variations of a Christmas tree design...

A "Nutcracker" theme for Lillian's room...

WOW!! These are just a few pictures I took before packing away Christmas. I already have a good start on NEXT year -- but I will STOP buying them now...because even I cannot use a dozen Christmas coverlets.

The thing that fascinated me was that no two were alike. EVER. Really. I know that isn't possible...every single Christmas coverlet in the world cannot be a one-of-a-kind...but that's what it felt like.

Just like people....or snowflakes...

New Year's Day

2012-01-17T04:00:00.001-08:00

Every year, on January 1, we eat the same meal. Fresh pork, mashed potatoes and sauerkraut. This is a Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania tradition -- and it does not matter if you are Irish, Polish or Italian, English, African-American, Dutch or French -- you eat this meal. It brings you good luck -- something about pigs "rooting ahead"....and so far, it's working.

I love setting the table with Aunt Rozella's silver...Spring Glory...

And of course, I love using the good china...Coaching Scenes...

This year -- I invited Uncle Melvin and his wife Kathy. The menu is: Pork roast, mashed potatoes, sauerkraut, homemade chunky applesauce, a big relish tray and POPOVERS. Yumm-o. Kathy is bringing a Rum Cake...

The meal was FABULOUS. The star is a very large fresh pork shoulder roast. After two hours, the temp was up to 140, so I poured off the fat and surrounded the roast with two large jars of Frank's sauerkraut. My mother-in-law always cut an apple in quarters and nestled it into the kraut -- so I do that, too. (I pick it out and throw it away before serving the kraut).

Uncle Melvin and Kathy have never had popovers...and THAT IS ALWAYS SO MUCH FUN.

When they walked in the door -- I had just put the popovers in the oven. Kathy and I watched them raise up like it was a TELEVISION SHOW. They were perfect. Really wonderful with this meal...

Kathy's run cake was TO DIE FOR. It was sooo rich and moist. With a pecan crunch on the top...the perfect ending to my holiday over-eating!!

The very next day -- I got on the treadmill and walked for 2 miles. I enjoyed the holidays but IT'S OVER NOW.

I am quite sure eating fresh pork with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut is why I have such good luck...so I'm very optimistic about 2012...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Quilt Cuff

2012-01-16T04:00:00.001-08:00

I've had several questions since I wrote about Ross's duvet cover -- particularly about the "quilt cuff".

At a later date -- I will post pictures in this blog of a few of my vintage "quilt cuffs". I first learned about them when I was doing research for my book, "Dress Your Dream Bed". And I have always thought they make SUCH PERFECT SENSE -- they should be making a big comeback.

Here's the thing -- the quilt cuff is something EXTRA that I made out of the TWO PILLOW SHAMS that came with the duvet cover. Sorry...I forgot to say that.

I have NEVER been a fan of the pillow shams that come with the "bed in a bag". Let's be honest -- you put a $5 Walmart pillow in it -- and if anybody really sleeps in that bed -- they toss those two pillows on the floor when they go to bed.

But the great thing was that those two shams provided me with more than enough matching fabric to make the quilt cuff...

And the purpose of the cuff, of course, is to catch all of the grime that comes from pulling your covers up at night. If you do it right -- the cuff will be the only thing you ever touch -- thus, protecting your quilt or, in this case, the wool batt.

It's such a wonderful idea, it should be packed in every bed-in-a-bag...instead of the two worthless pillow shams...

Ross's Wool Batt BRIDGE duvet

2012-01-14T04:00:00.001-08:00

One of my BEST SEWING PROJECTS this winter was Ross's new wool batt. Remember the great bridge picture graphic on the duvet cover I bought from Target? And I ordered the fabulous wool batt from my friend Bill Batchelder who owns Bemidji Woolen in Bemidji, Minnesota.

But it's not as easy as just putting the batt inside the cover. To keep it from lumping up -- I sewed "ties" to both the batt and the cover...of course, I use strips of t-shirt fabric. PERFECT. It's soft and strong...and you can "untie" it if you need to...

I chose to put color-coded ties at the top of the duvet -- so that if Ross EVER decides to take the duvet off to be laundered (I'll probably be long dead before it happens) -- he'll know how to put it back together.

A very important element of this project is a "quilt cuff". And the point of the cuff is that it can be taken off to launder...My Great-Aunt Glad told me that when she was a girl, it was her job to sew the cuff on, using a long running stitch. That's definitely how I'm going to attach MY OWN quilt cuff...but Ross would NEVER wash the cuff if I did that...

Yes, I sew -- but No, I don't like buttonholes. I have a sewing machine that makes the perfect buttonhole every single time -- but mostly, I hate the measuring...the PLACEMENT takes so much time....and I just don't do it often enough to be any good at it...

I considered velcro...but it adds so much stiffness...

Big safety pins? Good option, but ugly...

Really -- nothing beats good old fashioned buttons and buttonholes...ugh...

THEN -- IT STRUCK -- RITALUCK!! No kidding...during a trip to the Goodwill store -- I found a black cotton duvet cover. WHICH ALREADY HAD PERFECTLY SPACED buttons and buttonholes all along the bottom. I LOVE MY LIFE...

And, just in case I need more than six buttons -- I found a gray spring coat -- with BIG flat buttons -- and all those beautiful matching buttonholes -- for only 25 cents!! YES -- it was QUARTER DAY!!

I'll just cut down the front of the coat and use the buttons on one side and the buttonholes on the other side...I'm pretty sure I can do SIX BUTTONS AND BUTTONHOLES -- all perfectly placed -- by just ironing the coat strip on with some stitch witchery!!

Yes, I am blessed...this is what the finished quilt cuff looks like...on the top of the duvet...
You can see how I added the recycled strip of buttons and matching buttonholes...

I did a little hand sewing to secure the strip with the buttons (after first ironing it into position with some Stitch Witchery)...

On the front of the duvet -- I added some hidden buttons -- using the tab and flat buttons off the rain coat...

Hopefully, the quilt cuff will be easy enough for Ross to take off and wash (occasionally) -- doing it's job -- which is to save the duvet from 90% of the grime and slobber...

When it was done -- I put the duvet on the bed in guest room so that Ross could sleep under it for a few nights before he went back to Minnesota...

OF COURSE -- I decided Ross's new wool batt duvet should have it's own travel bag...AND I had this wonderful stretchy knit fabric...I inserted a piece of t-shirt knit that said, "Do Something -- NOW"....just because I thought it was funny...

I put a double drawstring in the top of the big oversize bag...and Ross was READY TO GO...

NOW I need to get started on my own new wool batt duvet...

Ronda's Support Group

2012-01-13T04:00:00.000-08:00

My sister Ronda has an addictive personality...

For many years, she "collected pigs". Every room in her house became overrun with all-things-pig...There were pig curtains, pig rugs, pig ottomans, pig towels, stuffed pigs, painted pigs, glass pigs -- well, you get the idea.

We had just about come to terms with her pig collecting mania -- and there were times when I actually thought it had run it's course -- when we realized she had transferred that collecting addiction from her love of pigs to her love of nativities....

And I AM NOT KIDDING...

So -- the pigs go into hibernation during the Christmas holidays to make room for the hundreds of nativities....

This one has dolls who are about a foot tall...

Her most expensive nativity...special wood....hand carved....From Bethlehem, no doubt...(I'm pretty sure Joseph did it himself)...

Some sets have their own special lighting...

Or significance...this one came from Alaska -- where Ronda & Dean lived while serving in the Air Force...

Of course, her Fisher Price set inspired me to get one for Lillian's room...

This glass set takes up the whole top of her dining room buffet...

Always a sucker for Precious Moments...

Or anything welded out of metal...

Every shelf is full of miniature nativities...

The night of our party -- Ronda gave each grandchild a small nativity...

I thought you'd enjoy a picture tour of Ronda's nativities -- which is just a small fraction of her collection. She has nativity sweaters, there are nativities in every room of the house -- AND in the yard...it is quite something...

I'm pretty much done making fun of her this year....but it did occur to me that maybe Ronda isn't the only one with this problem.

And maybe she could be helped...if only she could find the right support group...

Although, I couldn't find anything on the internet...there's every kind of support group for addictive behavior...drinking AA, Al-Anon, eating, TOPS, Weight Watchers, gamblers have Gamblers Anonymous, sex addicts have "Charlie Sheen's Posse"...well -- you get the idea...

People who are compelled to collect nativities could be called???

We simply need a catchy title...

Disney On Ice

2012-01-12T04:00:00.000-08:00

When Mary was here for her December visit -- I got tickets for "Disney on Ice". Mary had never met Emily or Lillian and I wanted the four of us to have a "girl's night".

I made dinner reservations at "Jumer's" -- a fancy local restaurant. They ramp it up for the holidays -- decorations, music -- there's a grand piano -- it's a pretty fancy place...

OF COURSE I had the perfect little dress for Lilly -- with ice skaters embroidered on the front...

AND Ruby Red shoes that she just loved wearing...

Emily did a great job of getting Lilly amped up for the evening...it was clear they'd been talking "Disney on Ice" for days...The show was at 7:00 -- our fancy dinner at Jumer's was 5:00...

The four of us sat down at the white-tablecloth-linen-napkin table. We're reading the menus as Lilly was looking all around. The room has a huge lofted ceiling, with large wood beams. There are real taxidermy animal heads everywhere...heavy velvet curtains and leather booths. Lilly is sitting in a blue leather wing-backed chair....taking it all in...

As I was watching her...she seemed puzzled. Then, she leaned over to me and whispered, "Grandma -- is this Disney on Ice?"

I still laugh whenever I think about that moment. How their little brains work...if you're not yet 3 years old -- how can you imagine what "Disney on Ice" looks like?? Had she been looking around for Micky Mouse all that time??

This is a picture of Lilly making friends with a child-size nutcracker...

Lilly was exactly the right age for "Disney on Ice". After we actually got there -- she was not disappointed. She waved at the characters and clapped in all the right places. She was DELIGHTED when Rapunzel skated her number with the Prince...(Tangled is her favorite movie and she's watched it a hundred times...)

My camera quit working...so I'm still waiting for Emily to send me some decent pictures!

It was the PERFECT girl's night out...and one of my best 2011 memories.

Muscatine Christmas Walk

2012-01-11T04:00:00.000-08:00

When Mary was visiting Iowa this year -- she presented seminars at Neal's Sewing in Muscatine, Iowa...
Muscatine, Iowa is also known as "Pearl City" -- because of the industry that prospered there for a hundred years -- making buttons out of Mississippi clam shells.

Muscatine sits right on the Mississippi river...

And, in a stroke of Ritaluck -- the day Mary was in town was their December "Christmas Walk"

So many little towns do these events during the holidays...the stores all decorate, there was music on the street, and bands...lots of high school singers...it's a wonderful place to take small children, just to walk along the street, enjoy some hot chocolate and see your neighbors...

This display was in front of a local bank...

Thank you, Muscatine, Iowa!

If you live in or near a small town like Muscatine, Iowa...please TAKE PART in their events -- whatever they are. And SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL merchants.

Yea or Nay for Project Runway Allstars?

2012-01-10T04:00:00.001-08:00

I've gotta tell you -- I miss Tim Gunn. The editor-as-mentor woman didn't really bring much to the party.

And I was a little underwhelmed during their initial runway show. Which was supposed to be a "recent" garment...and none of them were memorable. I was especially disappointed in Kenley's blue prom gown....what are you doing, hon?

During the final runway show -- they almost didn't show Mila's outfit. I had to go to the Lifetime website to see what she really did...and you should, too. Because it was VERY INTERESTING...and I think it was pants. But the editing of the style show was awful.

I still love Mondo and would have given him the win. But I worry about him -- because I thought he looked AWFUL. What was with the loose, baggy tank top he was wearing? C'mon, Mondo -- it's time to cheer up. I mean -- YOU'RE BACK ON A REALITY SHOW -- RIGHT? How bad can things be??

But it does make you wonder. What does happen AFTER the show? Because it's television, after all, and we think being on a show like this and being able to showcase your talent will make such a huge difference in your life. But maybe after it's over, Mondo and all the rest of them went home and the phone never rang...

Now I'm wondering...

Sending Elisa home was certainly a NO BRAINER. For crying out loud -- what language does she speak? She goes on and on and on...pointless, nonsensical talking...the words all sound like English...but the way she puts them together makes it all incomprehensible.

Gibberish...which is a very good word that could also be used to describe her designs...and WHY WOULD THEY BRING HER ON TO THE ALL STAR SHOW??

Hey -- Maybe the fact that they brought Elisa BACK means every other designer who was ever on the show GOT A REAL JOB??

Time to REASSESS

2012-01-09T04:00:00.002-08:00

As a rule, I am not a fan of New Year's Resolutions. I don't remember ever making one that mattered...

But I do think January is a great time to RE-ASSESS.

Everything.

Big things -- like car insurance. We've had the same carrier for 40 years. It was going up ANOTHER $200 a year for 2012. So John called and had a "reassessment". Guess what? It went from $2800/year down to $1580! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? I guess that was well worth asking a few questions, eh??

Little things -- like where I keep my "good dishes". During the holidays, when I get them out for almost every meal -- I realized that putting the stack of good plates BEHIND the seldom used soup tureen makes NO SENSE. So I switched them around and now the plates are MUCH EASIER TO GET TO...

Kids are way better at this than adults are. Lillian skipped through her "dinosaur" stage in about 4 months -- then she was OVER IT -- and on to Disney Princesses....

Whereas, my Ronda has spent many years working in her kitchen on Christmas Day to cook a big turkey/ham dinner -- when her family would much rather eat cookies and pizza and play with their new stuff...

"Glee" isn't my favorite television show anymore...so I need to reassess Tuesday nights...

The blender on the top of my island still has the sticker on it, even though I never did get into those healthy shakes like I intended. I haven't used it since 2008. It needs to go to the back of the pantry...

It was a sad day when I realized I no longer needed a mini-van. After years of driving my two boys to and from baseball practices and activities, and hauling all the stuff necessary to run a fabric store -- They grew up and I started working from home...so a compact car would be fine from now on...

The MOMENT Elliott moved out of the house, John turned his bedroom into a Man Cave...with his computer, television, Lazy Boy....well, you can imagine...

You name it -- and it NEEDS TO BE REASSESSED. The appliances in your house, the bra size you've been buying for the last 20 years, who does the grocery shopping at your house, whether or not you can throw away the old VCR...

Technology?? Don't even get me started about the TELEPHONE or high speed internet...ugh...If you don't frequently reassess those two things, you are bleeding money...

So, even though I don't do New Year's Resolutions -- I'm trying to get better at reassessing. Hey -- once you get started -- it's fun...and it's a VERY FREEING THING....

My bedroom has a wallpaper border. ('nuff said)...

War Horse

2012-01-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

John and I are not "movie" people. Our next generation -- Elliott, Emily and Ross watch LOTS OF MOVIES. It's hard to rent a movie when they visit -- because they have SEEN everything by the time it comes out on video.

John & I attend one movie a year -- with our friends Kim & Sue -- always on New Year's Eve. True Grit last year -- and Julia & Julie the year before that...

So it was very odd for John to attend THREE movies in one week! He went to see the Sherlock Holmes movie with Ross, and the three of us went to see War Horse on the last day of Ross's holiday visit...(the E team had already gone back to Wisconsin)...

It ended up being a wonderful, memorable day in many ways.

The funny thing is -- I almost didn't go because my cousin Linda HATED the movie. But I decided not to pass her negative review on to my guys -- since I figured this day wasn't really about the movie...

As it happened -- it did end up being about the movie. We went out for dinner after seeing War Horse -- and the movie sparked some very interesting discussions. Ross recently returned from a trip to Hungary. After watching War Horse -- we talked about World War I -- how this war was supposed to end "royalty" in Europe...and my Grandpa Dodds, who fought in that war -- and how little I know about him...

But I am lucky to have somebody I can ask these questions...my mother's brother...my favorite Uncle Melvin. He was coming to our house for New Year's Day dinner. Although Ross can't be there -- he had a LIST OF QUESTIONS...

Oh, yeah -- War Horse was an excellent movie. But don't take my word for it -- go see for yourself!!

I loved the movie -- and I will not spoil it for you. But there were several lines I'll remember -- because they really made me think. The long suffering wife, when talking about her husband -- told her son that his father came back from his war with medals for bravery -- for "saving his mates". But he threw them away and never spoke of that time.

The son had no idea who his father was -- and he said, "I would have been so proud". His Mum replied, "think how brave it was of him not to be proud"...

The Christmas Nightgowns

2012-01-06T04:00:00.000-08:00

Okay -- so you already know that many brand new "Nick & Nora" nightgowns turned up at the Salvation Army. I added some zebra sleeves and cut one down to fit Lillian. Mommy & Me nightgowns seemed like a great Christmas gift...(brand new, with the tags on 'em -- they cost $2 each)...
As it turned out, the fabric from these nightgowns became the inspiration for Christmas 2011...

For example, it suddenly occurred to me that with a few sewing tweeks -- I could transform the ugly little sleeper Lillian's baby doll was wearing into a LOOK-A-LIKE nightgown!!

In this picture, the girls (altho fully dressed at the time) -- are wearing their 2011 Christmas nightgowns...Emily, Lillian, the baby doll...and....can you see what else I did??

YES, OF COURSE -- I made a nightgown for Sophie, too!!

Here, Sophie is posing with the babydoll...

Sophie's outfit was a last-minute inspiration when I was at Walgreen's on Christmas Eve. Checking out, I saw a little doggie t-shirt and it HIT ME. But I didn't have much time and I'm not smart enough to figure out how to make a doggie dress -- so I had to buy the t-shirt for a base.

I paid $7.99 for Sophie's t-shirt!! So it officially cost more than all the adult nightgowns put together!

Yes, I know. I am incredibly cheap. In the next picture -- you can see MY NIGHTGOWN...which started as a knit zebra dress....I used the 2011 inspiration fabric to make square sleeves....then put it on the yoke....and as an insert in the front....

I didn't get a picture of me wearing it. Yet.

Gheesh...I LOVE TO SEW!!

Iowa Caucus & Reality TV

2012-01-05T04:00:00.002-08:00

On this blog, I almost NEVER talk about politics. Or my weight. Or religion...

HOWEVER -- I do live in Iowa. And I got a lot of emails about the Iowa Caucuses. It is always amazing to me that my quiet, boring little State is given all this power. Honestly...once every four years -- we pull the wool over everybody's eyes and act like we're "all that".

The politicians roll in here for a year beforehand -- spending MILLIONS AND MILLIONS of dollars. They buy hotel rooms, rent buses and cars and meeting spaces...money is spent on restaurant meals, offices, signs, newspaper ads, direct mail pieces, television commercials...

Hey -- come to think of it -- maybe we're not as dumb as we look...??

You really should be thanking us for sparing you the likes of Rick Perry and Michelle Bachmann..

And you're scratching your head, asking yourself, "Who's Rick Santorum?" That's what Mitt Romney wants to know...because he spent about $12 million in Iowa, whereas Mr. Santorum spent maybe 80 bucks. That means the 8 vote victory cost Mr. Romney -- how much??

hummm...

Now that the caucus fun is over -- whatever shall we do with ourselves??

Hey -- I know -- REALITY TELEVISION!!

THERE'S A NEW SHOW STARTING TONIGHT!!!

Do you ever wonder what happens to the designers who DO NOT WIN Project Runway??
Even when they WERE THE BEST DESIGNERS -- WHO CAN FORGET MONDO'S collection?

WELL -- GUESS WHAT??

THERE IS A NEW GUILTY PLEASURE -- Project Runway All Stars!!

IT STARTS TONIGHT -- ON LIFETIME!!

Some of my favorite designers are BAAAACK!! Mondo, Kenly, Kara, Sweet P. -- and the MOST FABULOUS PROJECT RUNWAY DESIGNER OF ALL TIME -- AUSTIN SCARLETT!!

I'll be watching...even without Heidi. Cuz I'm thinking maybe I was losing patience with Michael Kors and Nina Garcia...so this could be a totally wonderful development.

I AM SO EXCITED. This show is coming at just the right time...it's like a breath of fresh air during a cold winter of overblown politicians and boring re-runs...

Stay tuned....

Special Baby Doll Carry-Bed

2012-01-04T04:00:00.000-08:00

I bought this doll-baby-carry-bed thing...remember? But it wasn't big enough for Lillian's new doll...

She looked ridiculous!

Then-- at a thrift store -- I found a Pottery Barn crib quilt for $2!! I could make a bigger bed -- AND a quilt, too. this is gonna be fun!! I think I'll add some zebra handles and trim...just to give it that Grandma Rita touch...

HEY -- THE NEW BED IS A PERFECT FIT. BECAUSE THIS GRANDMA SEWS!! The little red dress (with zebra trim) says "Baby's First Christmas"..

The little baby doll carry bed turned out fabulous!! I had enough extra fabric from the crib quilt to make a little quilt for the baby doll...

You've seen the baby doll, and the clothes,...AND HER OWN SUITCASE now the bed...

Nope. I'm not done yet. I've gone too far. It's just possible I'm crossing some line here....You'll see soon enough...

Vintage Train Case

2012-01-03T04:00:00.001-08:00

Okay -- for reasons completely unbeknown to me -- dozens of brand new "Nick & Nora" nightgowns kept turning up at my local Salvation Army. Perfect, eh? My first thought was to add long sleeves to make it "winter" -- and cut one down to child-size so Lillian and her Mom could have "look-alike-Christmas-nightgowns"...
Then, on the day Mary and I were shopping at the antique mall (on her way to the airport)...

I found the PERFECT LITTLE TRAIN CASE -- to house Lillian's new doll baby wardrobe...
Because I have made dresses, and pants, and skirts, and tops, and ponchos...well, you can imagine, eh?
In a fit of CREATIVE THINKING -- I gave the train case to my cousin Linda so she could paint Lillian's name on it. Here's a picture of Linda with Mary, during our Tuesday breakfast. I also gave her Lilly's nightgown -- thinking it would provide some inspiration for the trim, etc.

OH MY GOD...you cannot believe what she did to the little traincase. She did a FABULOUS JOB...it is SOOO PERFECT...I just know Lillian is going to LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT...

Oh, yeah -- this is going to be a WONDERFUL GIFT for Lillian's third Christmas. The baby doll, the doll clothes, the doll bed, and now this fabulous little train case. AND she's also getting a nightgown just like her Mom's!!

I LOVE CHRISTMAS...

Antique MALL Treasure

2012-01-02T04:00:00.001-08:00

As luck would have it -- there is a really big, junky antique "mall" on the way to the airport. Mary's plane wasn't leaving until the afternoon -- so we had about one hour to kick around for some treasure...

Some booths are a little hard to shop in...
I have my favorite booths -- even though I have enough vintage linens to start my own B&B...

Mary can't possibly need another apron, do you think?

You NEVER know what you'll find here...this was an acrylic painting -- and, even though you may not be able to see it -- it was three-dimensional. (by that, I mean her boobs were sticking out...)

Mary found her favorite type of apple cutter...

This vendor went out of her way, decorating for Christmas...

We had a LOT OF TERRITORY to cover and not much time to do it...

I saw this wonderful plaque...speaking of the "Sisterhood"...

Here's the verse:

Somebody to tease, Somebody to scold,
Somebody more dear, And precious than gold;
Somebody to share Each worry and bliss.
Somebody I love -- My wonderful Sis!

This particular cross-stitch ended up under my Christmas tree -- as a gift for John. This year, he put up his 46 year old American Flyer train and Lillian loved it. The verse says, "If all else fails, ask Grandpa"....

Mary found a bag of vintage clothespins!! AWESOME...

And in my next post -- you'll see MY BEST FIND OF THE DAY...

Judy's Sew & Tell

2011-12-31T04:00:00.000-08:00

Here it is again -- one of my favorite days of the year...the annual BREAKFAST REUNION with the Rita's Sew Fun crew....me, Mary, Phyllis, Ronda and Judy.

We always look forward to Judy's "Sew & Tell"...she started off with some small quilts this year...

AND she has branched out -- making jewelry out of old Scrabble tiles!! WE ALL GOT OUR INITIAL...what a great necklace...and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to play Scrabble...

Judy also made coasters for me and Mary out of our old fashioned Ya Ya Sister embroidery designs...

Remember our cross-hatch alphabet? PERFECT for monogramming bed linens...

AND -- JUDY KNITS, TOO...are you kidding me??

She brought little socks, and hats...

AND more quilts....

Judy is to a sewing machine what Norman Rockwell was to paint...

She is so creative, and so prolific...and her body of work is STUNNING...

These pictures, of course, are just a fraction of what she's created this year. Judy's brain is working all the time -- moving on to the next creation. Her energy is contagious...and it is obvious that sewing brings joy into Judy's life -- and joy is one of those things you MUST SHARE...

So that's going to be my New Year's Resolution. Be joyful. Sew more. Share with others. Quit eating Snickers...

Mary's Famous LeClaire Store...

2011-12-30T04:00:00.000-08:00

Can you figure out, from this "inside" picture -- what Mary's favorite LeClaire business is all about??
Here she is -- walking in -- is it ringing any bells yet?

That's right -- it's the Kernel Cody's Popcorn Shop. Is it coming back to you yet?

THAT'S RIGHT -- President Obama's visit to this shop last summer was big news. Well, it was big news in LeClaire, Iowa at least...

So Mary had to buy some of this unique popcorn to take home for her husband, Doug...it would have been SO MUCH FUN to get a picture of Mary, coming out the same door as President Obama...with two bags of popcorn...

But I did get a picture of her inside the store -- buying her popcorn...

She decided on the "LeClaire Mix"...
Which, allegedly, is the same variety that President Obama bought for the crew on his bus...
Did Doug enjoy the popcorn, Mary?

MM, me and the Goodwill store...

2011-12-29T04:00:00.000-08:00

Of course, it is NOT possible for Mary to visit Iowa without doing our fair share of THRIFTING..

On this day -- we start our treasure hunt at the Bettendorf Goodwill store...
Mary has to check out which color is "half price" this week. (Tuesdays, that color is only a quarter!)...

I find a velvet leopard print SANTA! REALLY?? And I love my new cobalt blue coffee thermos...

Mary found some shoes in her size...

I bought YET ANOTHER black and white sweater...

Mary took a pass on this jacket...

And she keeps trying to find A HAT SHE CAN WEAR...

If you saw us do our Ya Ya show last year -- you know she made ME a special hat out of a size "G" bra cup..... Mary has a fascination with hats...

I keep saying it...STEP AWAY FROM THE HATS, BABE...but it has been hard to discourage her...she seems SO DETERMINED...

What can I say?? Because Mary is to a hat what Rita is to a string bikini...

Rita's Sew Fun Annual MM Breakfast

2011-12-28T04:00:00.000-08:00

I first met Mary Mulari when I owned my store -- "Rita's Sew Fun". Yes -- that is the name of this blog. I love when things come full circle...

Once a year -- my old crew gets together for our "annual reunion breakfast" -- and we usually do it when Mary is in town. Can you guess the restaurant we picked?

Here's another clue...

My favorite thing on the menu!! "Eggs in a basket" -- this was the first thing I learned to cook as a child. Eggs fried in a hole I created in a slice of white bread...yummo...YES -- IT'S THE CRACKER BARRELL...

Mary, Judy, me, Phyllis and Ronda...

Judy brings GIFTS SHE'S MADE for all of us...it's a lot of pressure...and every year...HER SEWING IS A BLOG POST ALL BY ITSELF...

This is the best picture I have of Ronda and Phyllis...

We talk, we laugh, we try to do an annual catch-up. Last year, Mary brought pictures of her wedding...We always do a little "sew and tell". And it is wonderful for us to see what the others are working on. Ronda has settled into a sewing groove that is all about making BLANKETS...she loves, loves, loves, shopping for flannel -- then picking out the exact right patterns for whoever is going to receive the gift. She has a ready supply of baby blankets -- and all her grandchildren have received the PERFECT personalized blanket...which (hopefully) they will treasure for years.

Phyllis has always been our serious FITTING person...and she sews every day, for herself and LOTS of other people. She's the one to call if you have a hard-to-fit wedding party and she actually seems to ENJOY making little flower girl dresses, etc. Some of my favorite clothes of my life were made by Phyllis Krogman...she is the master seamstress.

Then there's Judy. OH MY GOD. The woman is a phenom...she sews, she embroiders, she knits...there clearly are not enough hours in the day. After battling a horrible cancer -- Judy has come back with a roaring energy and whenever I spend time with her, I am inspired. To sew more -- THAT'S FOR SURE -- but after what she's been through, I admire her determination to give back, to be creative, to do what she loves -- which is really how you treasure each moment.... and make it matter...

Well -- I just can't say enough about this crew. And I am so lucky to have them in my life...

Muscatine, Iowa

2011-12-27T04:00:00.000-08:00

During Mary's December visit -- she had a gig in Muscatine, Iowa. Just a few towns down the river...one of my favorite sewing machine shops...Neal's Sew & Vac...

They have the world's largest collection of toy sewing machines (that is my claim, not theirs -- but I think it could be true!)...

And one of the most gifted sewing machine repair guys in the industry....my friend Jerry...

And the always well-dressed Jeff...on this day, sporting actual "knickers"

Jeanette had a SOLD OUT audience for Mary's two presentations...

Including my book clubber -- Sandy -- who drove down from Davenport to attend...

Mary had a great time...she had lots of last minute gift ideas to share with the ladies of the Pearl City...(Muscatine is known for making those pearl buttons out of clam shells...)

It is another beautiful little Iowa town...

And I had a ball shopping while Mary was working. My trunk was FULL OF TREASURE by the time she was done. Then - we enjoyed a fabulous supper at the "Woodfire Grill".

Awesome day!! Neal's is the BEST...for 2012 -- if you are lucky enough to have an independent sewing machine dealership in your town -- BE SURE TO SUPPORT THEM!!

Portable North Pole

2011-12-26T04:00:00.001-08:00

I don't exactly know how to publish this...but it is a really fun website -- "Portable North Pole" -- where you can make a video of Santa talking to YOUR child.

This year I made one for Ross and Elliott. But, of course, the MOST FUN was seeing Lillian's face when she watched "her" video with Santa talking directly to her...

I kept trying to "share" this thing the week before Christmas...but could never quite get it right. I think the hyperlink will take you to the right page -- just push the play button and you'll see what I mean.

http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/watch/mqQpRwFbuLtnBHYq44fLgpA

Lilly kept kissing the computer screen....this guy is GOOD!!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T04:00:00.000-08:00

Okay -- I don't usually post on Sunday's. But I'm making an exception today because IT IS CHRISTMAS...

And if you're reading this -- maybe your day sucked. At least a little bit.

Christmas is a time for families...I get that. And we all have this vision in our head of the PERFECT FAMILY CHRISTMAS...which puts a lot of pressure on everybody...

And the truth is -- nobody has a perfect family. If they were really being honest -- every family would admit to their share of problems. Hey -- maybe the key to real happiness is to NEVER be honest...! On this blog, you will only read the completely Pollyannaed version of my family...

My point is -- everybody is dealing with something. People are lonely....there are husbands who are unfaithful, wives who are depressed (or vice versa)... bad jobs, no jobs, thoughtless co-workers, bullies at school, children with behavior problems, sickness, drug addiction, economic problems, bad mortgages, houses that aren't worth what you paid, a cancer diagnosis, children who never call except when they want something, weight gain, diets that don't work, too much drinking, somebody you love is in and out of jail, your son is having babies with the wrong woman, you have rheumatoid arthritis and four surgeries to go through -- (oh oh -- I told Val I'd quit writing about her in this blog)...

But you get my point.

I thought about what I could write here that would make you feel better...and I realized I was way overestimating my powers....lol...

Cuz, hey -- Christmas OFTEN SUCKS.

Because of EVERYTHING we put on "Christmas" -- I actually think it is the most-likely-to-suck-day-of-the-year...

If you are feeling sad, or alone or hurt today -- I am giving you permission to have ONE BAD DAY. You can eat whatever you want to eat...Snickers can be your main meal....go buy dinner at the mini-mart. My local Casey's has awesome pizza -- and they'll be open until 6:00. Veg out in front of the television...and here's my best recommendation. LIFETIME and Lifetime Movie Network -- are both running marathon Christmas movies ALL DAY LONG. They'll be sad...bound to be tear-jerkers....which is exactly what you need. Just go with it. Let the snot run down your face...you deserve an all-day-pity-party...

Then -- roll out of bed tomorrow morning and GET OVER IT. Pull up your big girl pants and do something that matters.

The best part is -- YOU get to decide what that is...

It is important to remember that Christmas is just ONE DAY, babe. That's all it is. ONE DAY. And SURE -- on this day -- somebody, somewhere, is having the very BEST day of their life...

But tomorrow it could be YOUR TURN...

And you are not alone...

LeClaire Shopping

2011-12-24T04:00:00.000-08:00

"Christmas in LeClaire" was a wonderful way to get into the spirit of Christmas..

Mary -- going into one of our favorite shops...(with a lot of vintage linens)

The stores are all small and unique...At "Vignettes" -- they had a table full of cashmere scarves...

Every color or pattern you could imagine...

And some pretty hot slippers, too!!

Really -- the scarves were all 100% cashmere....and the best part?

THEY ONLY COST $15....

Some of the little shops have new things, others have only hand-made items..there's a garden shop, and on this weekend, a craft sale at the community center...

besides the American Pickers -- there are several other antique stores...

YOU'D LOVE LECLAIRE, Iowa. If you are EVER driving on Interstate 80 -- LeClaire is the last Iowa exit. So pull off the interstate...take a little break....and enjoy a wonderful small town...

Call me and WE'LL DO LUNCH!!

Christmas in LeClaire

2011-12-23T04:00:00.000-08:00

Mary's December visit often coincides with "Christmas in LeClaire". A charming little river town -- LeClaire goes ALL OUT one weekend in December...I mean -- there are horse carriages...

And local merchants DRESSED UP IN CHRISTMAS COSTUMES...

I'm not sure what this costume was all about -- but I just knew it would be a great picture...AND it just might be my favorite picture of 2011!! It was a beautiful day...

And, of course, I had to drive by our local MOST FAMOUS location -- the American Pickers -- Frank and Tom -- have their shop in LeClaire on a back street...

LeClaire goes ALL OUT this time of year -- and I'd just like to say THANK YOU. Because it AIN'T EASY in today's world to do business against Walmart and the big box stores...so next time you're driving through a town like LeClaire...slow down...and give them a second look...you might be surprised!!

I almost forgot to show you what we BOUGHT...

The boys are TWO!!

2011-12-22T04:00:00.000-08:00

In 2009 -- my sister Deena had TWO GRANDSONS born on Thanksgiving weekend. I cannot believe how fast these two years have gone...it was time for their second birthday party.

I got a great picture of the two young Moms taking a picture...Brenda on the left and Kelcy on the right...watching their toddlers blowing out the candles...
I probably should have been taking a picture of the boys, eh? Kelcy did a stellar job on the cake. Of course -- it was Thomas Train!!

Deena with Mason...

Then with Clayton...

Here's a rare picture of Avery EATING...(that's a private family joke)...

The next time you see her -- she will be rocking out her new BELLE dress from Grandma Deena. Really...it's amazing...you won't believe it...

Girls are so much more fun to shop for. I'M JUST SAYIN'

Christmas Flash Mob

2011-12-21T04:00:00.000-08:00

I've gotta say I enjoy "flash mobs". My friend Linda P. sent me this - -and I thought it would be a nice Christmas card for you...

Just remember...in a few days -- it will be ALL OVER...!! (Only you know if that's a good thing or a bad thing...)

Changing Traditions

2011-12-20T04:00:00.001-08:00

Christmas has a DAUNTING amount of "traditions" -- old and new. And mega-cooking has always been a BIG PART OF IT. My friend Kathy makes nut rolls EVERY SUNDAY before Christmas. My friend Sue does a potato sausage every year. For many years, my sister Deena baked 10,000 cookies. When I was growing up, Mom made five look-alike dresses for me and my sisters...

Putting Lillian in a special Christmas dress, decorated with little white dogs, could have easily become a Christmas "tradition" for me...but -- if you remember last year -- you know that didn't work out as well as I hoped...

I'm just sayin' you have to be flexible....and decide what traditions are working for your family...and what traditions are nothing BUT WORK for you....and may not be appreciated anyway...

For many years -- the Christmas EVE soup supper was a big part of our tradition -- chili and oyster stew. My sister Ronda hosted that evening for many years -- we enjoyed playing the gift game...it was lovely. But, our children grew up, got married and started having children of their own -- the young families have to include their "in-laws".....

This year I'm going to RETHINK some Christmas traditions. Instead of being sad that we don't do what we used to do...and trying too hard to hang on to the way things 'USED TO BE"....

I'm gonna SHAKE IT UP...

First of all -- I'm not going to make a big sit-down dinner. My friend Val does what she calls "the nosh" -- and I think that's a great idea. I'll make the ham I love in advance -- some good crusty rolls for anytime sandwiches....that crescent roll veggie pizza thing is good cold...they love the Green Salad (pistachio pudding and cream cheese!)...

If we're not married to a big meal on Christmas Day -- we'll be free to visit some of the little people in the neighborhood...Last year -- Ross was trying to teach Mason his circus trick (oh yeah, Mom Kelcy was thrilled!)...
It was fun for Ross, who doesn't get home much, to see his cousins' kids -- and see what Santa brought them for Christmas..

To check in and see the NEW BABIES...this year, Mason has a little sister -- the always happy, smiling MYLA...
I don't know how it happened -- but in this picture -- not one person is looking at the camera...

Nicole looks almost shell-shocked. And maybe that's the affect Christmas has on lots of people...it's sooo much work....

So I'm trying to keep the JOY in it...by deciding IN ADVANCE which traditions are worth keeping and which ones should be let go...

Bye bye big sit-down Christmas dinner...hello Christmas pajamas??

Italian Wedding Soup

2011-12-19T04:00:00.000-08:00

In the winter -- I love to make soups. It just feels like home to me...I love the process, the warmth...the soup spoons...well, you get the idea. And EVERYBODY should have at least one soup they're really confident about making...

One of my "go to" soups is an Italian Wedding Soup. It starts like ALL MY SOUPS...I chop onions, celery and carrots... saute them...

Then add 10 c. of chicken stock (I usually use soup base).

My meatballs are very simple...

1/2 lb. hamburger
1/2 lb. hot sausage
1 small diced onion
1/2 c. instant rice

Drop the meatballs into the simmering soup. They poach in about 15 minutes...but, of course, if your soup is on low, or in a crockpot, they just get better and better.

The LAST thing you add to the soup before serving is a box of chopped frozen spinach. The spinach cooks in just 10 minutes -- and if you put it in sooner -- it disintegrates...

The meatballs are soft and yummy...

John likes to add Parmesan cheese to this soup -- or a few drops of Tobasco -- and some crusty garlic bread is always a good idea...

And a REALLY SPECIAL MUG!!

THANKS, RHONDA!! When John finally went to check the mail the other day -- there was this surprise waiting for me. How beautiful is this mug??

I LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT...It has become my favorite new thing...and it is almost big enough to be a soup mug!!

Coal Cracker Kids

2011-12-17T04:00:00.000-08:00

This time -- I really did get some pictures of the Pennsylvania kids wearing their Coal Cracker outfits....

They had some beautiful weather for Thanksgiving...
The little velvet dress fit Maddie perfectly....

And to jazz it up for Dominic and Sam -- I decided to add a vest...altho, note the zebra sleeves...

This is my favorite picture of the six of them...
Six adorable little Coal Crackers -- that's for sure!!

For Christmas -- I'm sending a special gift for their fathers...

Baby Doll Clothes

2011-12-16T04:00:00.000-08:00

There might be somebody out there who is having more fun sewing Christmas presents than I am having...BUT I DON'T KNOW WHO!!

Of course, I am sewing for Lillian...AND, I am combining my thrift store treasure-hunt...which makes it a double-whammy of joy for me!!

It started with a brand new baby-doll...cute, but a really boring outfit....THEN, I decided to make EXTRA CLOTHES....

I also decided that everything I used would have to be OUT OF MY STASH -- or something I bought on "quarter day" at the Goodwill store.

That left me with a bushel of stuff to start with...

LET THE SEWING BEGIN!!

Here's the first outfit...OF COURSE it would be a zebra poncho with a hot pink ruffled skirt...(5 min. of sewing)...

These two little outfits were next...hot pink and orange velour...the pants were so easy..

The little red dress started off with a onsie that says "Baby's First Christmas"...

I thought separates would be best...so this is a top AND a ruffled skirt...

Oh-Oh...the little carry-thing I bought at the Cracker Barrel is too small for Lilly's babydoll.

WHATEVER SHALL I DO ABOUT THAT???

Stay tuned, people...this party is just getting started!!

Fisher-Price Little People Nativity

2011-12-15T04:00:00.001-08:00

My sister Ronda -- here with some of her grandkids -- sitting around the little table that holds their favorite nativity -- the Fisher-Price Little People nativity...with the angel that plays music...every little kid LOVES this nativity...
Ronda is a world-class collector of nativities. She has hundreds of them on display at Christmas...inside, outside, in her kitchen, bedroom, halls, shelves, on the tree, life-size and miniature...

But THIS is the one the little kids love. And here's my Christmas Buying Tip...GET IT FROM AMAZON. It costs $35 and you get FREE SHIPPING...

Which is a HUGE bargain. I found one locally -- but then spent $20 to ship it!!

DUH, RITA!!

GO AMAZON...

Christmas Coverlet Party

2011-12-14T04:00:00.001-08:00

Last year, I bought several woven Christmas coverlets. They seem practical -- like something anybody could use. Valerie loved the one I gave her -- and my friend Sue actually told me she was LOOKING FOR ONE...as I headed for the trunk of my car, I asked, "would you prefer a snowman, Santa or Christmas tree?"

Well -- these things became somewhat of an obsession for me...

AND -- as it turns out -- they are like snowflakes. No two are alike. After four days of non-stop thrifting with Mary -- I had a pretty big collection of these things...YIKES!!

Whatever shall I do with all these Christmas coverlets?

Hummm...When I was babysitting at Amy's house last month, her boys took great pride in showing me how they made their beds... Wouldn't it be fun for them to have a Christmas coverlet on their bed??

Yippee!! I LOVE IT!! Just the little excuse I need for a pre-Christmas P A R T Y...I called my sister Ronda. I have a great assortment of Christmas coverlets -- and she has a great assortment of GRANDCHILDREN...

She has a much bigger house -- ALREADY DECORATED (this is a huge detail) -- so we decided the party would be at her house....(Okay -- I begged her...)

I sent out an invitation to the kids (mothers optional). On Monday afternoon -- they all got off the bus at their Grandma's house...

We gift-wrapped the coverlets so the kids couldn't see which one they were getting...We played that white-elephant-game -- where you pick a package, but can steal from somebody who picked before you...

Sadly, this is my best picture of the kids AFTER they opened their coverlets...but -- you get the idea!!

This is my favorite picture of Parker. Note the nativity in the background...Ronda has maybe 1000 nativities set up at her house. That was a pretty good reason to have the party THERE...Parker was making some funny faces...I told him I wanted a picture of "sarcasm"...

As we were doing our "craft" activity (more about that later), Parker said we should all "make this face"...and we did our best to look goofy...

It was easy...

Cuz we're all pretty goofy...

Hey -- GOOD JOB, US...

Mary's visit -- Day One

2011-12-13T04:00:00.000-08:00

Thursday -- we went to breakfast with the clubbers. We decided to go to our usual place -- the not-too-exciting HyVee grocery store. It's where we meet every Tuesday morning at 9:00. Linda P., Sandy and me on one side of the table...

Linda K. and Mary on the other side...note Mary's interesting scarf...(there IS a video coming, people!)...
Mary LOVED the bright green scarf...remember that Linda P. is addicted to making these scarves...and will soon be starting her own support group in Sun City...
Our best 2011 Group shot...

It's not really about the food. Our weekly ritual is more about doing the "download". Whatever is happening in our lives -- good or bad. Happy or sad. Annoying or thrilling. We discuss holiday plans, grandmothering, cooking, sewing -- well -- you know what I mean...

You have seen many of our "sew & tells". HEY -- we are a VERY creative group...and the best thing about us is that we truly APPRECIATE the work that goes into the projects. Just about everything we make is intended to be a gift for somebody, of course...

Mary brought one of her new patterns for us -- and I'll post pictures of the finished projects one of these days...

AFTER the breakfast -- Mary, Linda K., and I went THRIFTING. It was our day to hit the Davenport stores....the Salvation Army has a HUGE store on Brady Street -- and we also went to the DAV (Disabled American Veterans)...

My trunk was FULL at the end of the day. Mary found a cashmere sweater for $2...I got various puzzles and a silk jacket for Sew Expo (do NOT tell Carrie I bought another jacket)...

We got home by 5:00 -- just in time for John to take us to the Pizza Ranch for supper!!

YES, INDEED, IT WAS THE PERFECT DAY...and a good start to the annual December Mary Mulari visit...

"Close Your Eyes"

2011-12-12T04:00:00.000-08:00

The best traditions start organically...on their own...before you even know that's what you're doing...

My thrift shopping is out of control. It's my comfort zone...my treasure hunt...my therapy...I do it every week. It is an addiction I refuse to apologize for. As you well know, when Lillian was born -- she became my mission. I love, love, love shopping for her...

And, since I would never dream of gift-wrapping 25 thrift-gifts -- I always say the same thing when I'm showing her the latest treasure...."close your eyes"...and, since she was a baby, she'd actually DO THAT...waiting for Grandma Rita's big TA DA MOMENT...when I say, "OPEN YOUR EYES, LILLY"...

Of course, being delighted to shop for a girl -- I love to shop for various zebra striped outfits -- many of her TA DA moments are about clothes...

But -- whatever she was "into" at any given moment ended up a "close your eyes" moment as well -- in this case -- dinosaurs....

ALWAYS, always, always, back to clothes, tho...

Emily & Lillian came down to Iowa for Disney on Ice. On their way back to Wisconsin (they'd stayed at the other Grandma's house) -- they stopped by my house to say Good-Bye. As we walked into the house, she said to me, "Close my eyes, Grandma?"

OF COURSE, LILLIAN....and there just happened to be a mountain of treasure waiting for her. The thing she was most delighted about was a Santa Claus coverlet for her room. There were also several velvet dresses....another silver pair of shoes...a Fisher Price nativity...a little set of 12 Christmas board books...well, you get the idea.

This time -- there were also some gifts for her to take back to Daddy in Wisconsin. He's got some time off -- so I sent him a Christmas coverlet, and a few jigsaw puzzles.

She was more excited about GIVING these gifts to her Daddy than she was about receiving things for herself -- and she talked about it all the way home (4 hour drive.)

Emily reported that Lilly grabbed the bag with the Daddy gifts, dragged it into the house and said, "Daddy -- close your eyes"...

Buy THIS game!!

2011-12-10T04:00:00.000-08:00

The other day, I mentioned the game Catch Phrase -- and I got some emails. So it occurred to me that as we rocket down the road to Christmas -- it's time for you to think about HAVING THE RIGHT GAME for your holiday parties. I recommend CATCH PHRASE...

When our family first started playing this game -- maybe ten years ago -- this is what the box looked like...

Then, Hasbro came up with the "electronic" version...EVEN BETTER...

Here's what the current "electronic" box looks like...and it's a $30 game -- available at Walmart, K-Mart, Target, Amazon...

And it is the BEST GAME you can play with a large group of people of different ages. It moves fast -- you don't need to be a history buff or a trivia expert -- there are very few rules to remember -- and NO LITTLE PIECES to get misplaced.

When I sent the Coal Cracker outfits to Pennsylvania -- I tucked a "Catch Phrase" game into the box. I buy a new version every year or so -- and love to give this game as a gift...

The report from Pennsylvania was that they LOVED IT. I knew that group would enjoy a rousing, competitive game...

When you play, there are two teams -- and the number of people doesn't really matter. If you have a LARGE group -- sit everybody around a table, and give a paper plate to every-other-person so they can remember WHAT TEAM THEY'RE ON...

Here's how good this game is...

Last week, at breakfast club -- Linda brought in her Catch Phrase game to the restaurant so Sandy could borrow it.

Since there were four of us -- two Catch Phrase virgins and two veterans -- we decided to play a quick round to demonstrate how it works...

There weren't many other people in the joint...BUT -- there was one couple across the room -- and as they were leaving, they stopped at our table and said, "what's the name of the game? We've GOT TO GET IT before Christmas."..

Catch Phrase.

That's the name of the game, people...you can thank me later....

Turkey Notes, Part #2

2011-12-09T04:00:00.000-08:00

After Thanksgiving, when you read my post about "Turkey Notes" -- you may have pictured a large happy family, sitting around the dining room table, coming up with creative ideas and enjoying the time they were spending together.

Not quite. Although everything I told you is 100% TRUE -- Here's the REST of the story...(Gee -- I miss Paul Harvey)...

Yes, Amy and Kay do go to a lot of work to set up our "Turkey Note" activity. Kay brings tons of stickers and scrapbooking supplies -- including a little "picture printer"...

But -- NOBODY WANTS TO DO IT. We act like Amy is trying to pull our teeth out. People don't want to have their picture taken...small kids pitch fits...adults turn their heads or cover their faces...there is ACTUAL POUTING....

Then -- NOBODY can think of a rhyme. Writing a poem is a complete alien activity. Something we NEVER do in our daily lives...we are no good at it...so we pitch fits and whine some more... it takes A LOT OF COAXING to get any level of participation...

This year, Amy's son, Cale, 10, asked, (yes, whining...) "Why do we have to do turkey notes, Mom?"

And she was thinking about his question...

After dinner -- exasperated, Amy asked, "So -- should I continue to insist on doing this? Why should I make everybody miserable year after year?"

Why indeed?

I suggested Amy bring out her substantial collection of "Turkey Albums" from earlier years. It took a little time to find them...but then...

We all sat at that dining room table -- leafing through the past albums -- which captured our families on this ONE SPECIAL day of a year. The pictures and the ridiculous turkey note verses told a big story. Many stories, as a matter of fact.

In 2009, Amy was babysitting a relative's beloved dog -- and we spent the day searching the property because the dog was GONE. (he was found ten days later, no worse for wear). But none of us would have remembered that funny story if it hadn't been for the silly turkey notes...

A few years ago, I weighed over 300 pounds...yikes...I hardly recognized myself.

2006 was our last Thanksgiving with Ambrose. He was only seven when he died of leukemia... and all of us who loved that little boy opened those Turkey note albums, hoping to see a picture of him...

So that's why you do it, Amy. Even when we bitch and moan. You do it because you know that time is a fleeting thing. And life is full of changes -- good and bad. It's about happy and sad and knowing that nothing stays the same...not ever...and you never know who will or won't be at next year's Thanksgiving dinner.

Any time the whining starts to get to you -- remember that one day -- you will be my age and your boys will be grown men showing old turkey note albums to their children, telling them about these "good old days" and what a great time they had making turkey notes...

Famous Picture

2011-12-08T04:00:00.000-08:00

Of all the things in my house -- this little hutch is one of my favorites. My Uncle Wayne made it out of barnboard...and it is perfect. In this picture, it's holding a collection of blue Harker dishes. The first one I got came from my Grandma Dodds...

And -- on the top shelf -- "Grace" by Eric Enstrom. I don't actually know how long this picture has been hanging in my kitchen...but it was in this spot long before I got the hutch...
EVERY CHILD who has ever been in this house sooner or later points to that picture and says, "Uncle John"...Well, except for Lillian. Last week, she pointed to the picture and said, "Grandpa".

I used to think it was a painting -- but it's a very famous photograph, "Grace" by Eric Enstrom, done in 1914 in Minnesota. Click on this link to read the history of this famous photo.

The picture touches me -- because I think it shows a contented man with a grateful heart. A wonderful subliminal message to have watching over you...

When I recently found another copy of "Grace" in a thrift shop -- I bought it -- thinking I'd give it to Ross for Christmas.

Then, of course, I visited his apartment...

And realized HE ALREADY HAD ONE...hanging right above his kitchen table....

As it turns out -- I GAVE IT TO HIM. I'm telling you -- I am a PATHETIC shopper. I turn every birthday into the movie Groundhog Day because I buy the same presents over and over. Elliott complained when I gave him a rolling duffel three years in a row for his birthday...

When Ross was living in Pennsylvania, I sent him a Catch Phrase game -- and he told me I'd already given him two Catch Phrase games.

Maybe three is my magic number...

I've got to start writing this stuff down...ugh...

MORE RITA LUCK

2011-12-07T04:00:00.001-08:00

Okay -- once I decided to make a new wool bat for Ross -- I needed to figure out a duvet cover. Of course I could make one....but nothing really popped out at the fabric stores. Masculine bedding is tough. He's too old for sports themed bedding -- isn't he??

So, I cruised the internet...there are a bizillion websites....and most of what I saw that would work for a 35 year old guy was boring, denim, plaid or WORSE -- poly-cotton...

Until I got to the Target website!! OH MY GOD....Here it is....drumroll....YES!! A 100% cotton duvet cover with a fabulous graphic picture of a bridge. It was $79 -- and I was SOLD!!

Then -- still cruising the Target website -- it suddenly occurred to me that I should MAKE A NEW DUVET FOR MY OWN BED. Because my bedroom is due for a re-do -- and the wool batt we currently use is too small...and I hate to admit it -- but I have a wallpaper BORDER in that room...(what were we thinking in the 80's?)...

Maybe I can find something inspiring enough to make me want to tackle that room...

HERE COMES MY AMAZING RITALUCK...!!

HAVE YOU ALREADY GUESSED??

THAT'S RIGHT....IT'S A MISSONI duvet cover....!!

HOLY COW!! I HAVE THE BEST LUCK EVER...This is simply too good to be true. And it was ON SALE -- WITH FREE SHIPPING.

I started dancing around in my living room...I am in heaven.

The Missoni duvet arrived first -- and the quality of the cotton is superb. I am completely delighted and ALL EXCITED about my complete bedroom make-over. New paint -- new window treatments -- it's LONG OVERDUE...

Of course -- there will be pictures!!

And I'm pretty sure I get to paint a large graphic design on my ceiling...

Modeling Memphis

2011-12-06T04:00:00.000-08:00

Okay -- you've heard about my "Coal Cracker" shirt project. The mission was to take six boring t-shirts and turn them into fun outfits for the Pennsylvania Farro grandchildren...

I'm making two size four dresses...but am not sure if I got the right fit. NOT TO WORRY -- BECAUSE I HAVE MEMPHIS...Who is always DELIGHTED to model any outfit I'm working on -- even if it isn't for her. This little black velour dress -- now made special with some fringe and the Coal Cracker words...I am delighted...

For the next picture, I said, "smile, hon..."...AND SHE DID!!

We were on such a roll -- I tried the next dress on -- and she LOVED ALL THE FRINGE...

Then I said, "now, burn around, hon...AND SHE DID....
I was inspired by a dress Nicole wore on the X Factor -- with two colors -- and fringe down both sides. I LOVED IT...

John's brother Jerry & his wife Linda are having their whole gang for Thanksgiving -- from Utah, Virginia, etc. I sent the package in plenty of time...I CAN HARDLY WAIT TO SEE THE PICTURES...

(remember -- the last time I made swim coverups for the little kids -- the only picture I got was the adult DADDYS wearing the coverups...)

I also put a "Catch Phrase" game in the box. And I am LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PICTURES...

BEST Halloween Costume

2011-12-05T04:00:00.000-08:00

Mary has been here for her annual December visit -- and we had A VERY BUSY time. Yesterday, on our way to the airport -- we stopped at my sister Deena's house so Mary could say hi and meet MORE CHILDREN!! My little grand-nephew Mason did just the right thing...as soon as he saw me -- he came flying across the room to jump up in my arms!!

SPECIAL BONUS POINTS, KIDDO!!

My creative niece, Kelcy -- is a FABULOUS photographer -- and she went all out at Halloween to create a unique costume for Mason, 2...
YES -- THAT IS A wagon-turned-into-Thomas-Train!!

And the cutest little conductor you EVER MET...Clearly, Mason should have WON THE COSTUME CONTEST in our little town. But NOOOOOO....instead -- some kid wearing a stocking over his head won the prize. Meanwhile Kelcy had to beat kids off the cardboard train...cuz THEY ALL WANTED A RIDE....

She felt Mason should have at least won "Fan Favorite"...!!

Our other trick-or-treaters came from my niece Amy...Cale is wearing the fabulous jester hat I made for him...
Garrett and Cash were content with vampire make-up
But the BIG WINNERS at our house were Landon and Memphis. The rule here is -- the last trick-or-treaters of the night get ALL THE LEFTOVER CANDY...there was so much left, the plastic handle on Mem's pumpkin broke...

Timing is everything, people...

Turkey Notes, Part #1

2011-12-03T04:00:00.000-08:00

As it happens -- my niece Amy owns Thanksgiving. When I was growing up, my Aunt Rozella owned Thanksgiving. Hey -- in every family -- somebody's gotta do it!!

Amy does a great job -- and she welcomes MANY FAMILIES into her home for Thanksgiving. Even though we all contribute something...clearly, most of the work is done by her...

Amy goes to a LOT OF TROUBLE to set up a craft activity for all the little kids after dinner. Her other favorite Aunt -- Aunt Kaye -- brings a large selection of scrapbooking supplies to help make "Turkey Notes"...

Amy takes a picture of everybody who comes to her dinner (the crowd changes every year). Then she prints the photos -- and we try to come up something pertinent to THAT YEAR with our "turkey note".

When you look up "turkey notes" on the internet -- every single reference is to Davenport, Iowa. Apparently, it's a local custom. Actually -- I have long suspected turkey notes were a creation of Bill Wundrum, a wonderful local columnist who writes local stories...

Inspired by Bill Wundrum -- Amy has put her own spin on turkey notes. She makes a small album for every year, using the pages we've made -- and our little poems are supposed to have something to do with that particular Thanksgiving.

One year, her brother Cory (quite a hunter) wrote, "Thanksgiving Day, 2005, I saw six squirrels that were alive. Until I got out of bed...then I shot them dead..."

Cousin Kim wrote: "I hate to write this turkey note...I think I'd rather slit my throat"...

Like many families -- we are less than creative...

Amy's turkey note this year was about the fact that her turkey didn't get done in time...and she was forced to drink wine...if it happens next year, she'll start drinking beer...

This year, here I am with Amy and Nicole. (both Nicole and I are trying to stand BEHIND Amy...turns out Nicole was quicker than me...)

Here's my turkey note to go with the picture:

"Thanksgiving Day Two Thousand Eleven,
Dinner at Amy's house was going to be heaven...
I am thankful for nieces who are thoughtful and kind...
Because I forgot to have a girl of my own -- I was out of my mind..."

Bemidji Wool Batt

2011-12-02T04:00:00.001-08:00

Okay -- there still might be time for you to make a wool batt for a Christmas present for somebody you love. I wish I would've thought of this sooner -- but it only really occurred to me when I was visiting Ross. He recently purchased a BRAND NEW MATTRESS...and his bed was actually MADE. I was very impressed. But the very old, ancient wool batt had a big vertical tear in the 75-year-old-fabric...

Of course, my brain instantly went to how I could FIX IT FOR HIM....But that would involve him bringing it down to Iowa, and he isn't going to do that. Then -- it hit me like a brick -- I could MAKE A BRAND NEW WOOL BATT for his brand new bed. So I called my friends at Bemidji Woolen Mills -- 888-751-5166. If you click here -- you'll go to their website...

I ordered a brand new wool batt for Ross's bed...Queen size, 3 1/2 pounds of wool, covered in cheesecloth, for only $93.00

So I am very excited to have an actual Christmas project to sew for Ross...although, I will have to wait and see if it actually FITS into his life. With Ross, it's always taking a chance. Because once he decides he likes something -- HE HATES CHANGE.

The good news is that I have learned to not take it personal... Because if Ross loves this old, soft, comfy wool batt he has on his bed -- that's fine with me, too.

Like so many other wonderful things in my life -- I learned about wool batt from Mary Mulari. So when I was writing my book, "Dress Your Dream Bed" -- I wrote about wool batt versus down...and it was quite an education.

I never could sleep under a down comforter -- because I'd get clammy and sweaty in about 20 minutes. Although I like wool blankets -- they are scratchy -- and make for heavy bedding...

But wool batt is a completely different animal. It comes from Bemidji covered in cheesecloth -- so I'll make a more permanent covering out of two white sheets...and hand-tie at intervals...

Ten years ago, my sister Ronda and I made many wool batt comforters. Her daughter Amy recently sent her large king size comforter back to Bemidji to be "recarded". (They use the same carding machine they've been using since 1904...and I believe the cost was $40 or $50.)

Amy says, "I used to be a big down comforter girl -- but depending on the weather, I would get sweaty -- and it was way too warm for my husband, Bill. And the down would get clumpy. Whereas the wool batt is a consistent layer -- it never feels heavy and we both sleep comfortably under it all year long. We just love it."

So -- order your wool batt today! When I called 888-751-5166 to order Ross's batt -- the owner of the company -- Bill Batchelder -- answered the phone!!

Talk about MADE IN AMERICA??!!

TELL HIM RITA SENT YOU...

Congratulations, Taylor Swift!!

2011-12-01T04:00:00.000-08:00

Hey -- Thanksgiving 2011 will be remembered by a lot of people for a lot of different reasons. Here's a picture of me and Lilly that morning, in our leopard print outfits. It's become a tradition...and I buy LOTS OF leopard so she'll have her pick of ensembles...this little vest is ADORABLE....and the purse was a fabulous touch...

Lilly looked like a country western star -- all glammed up. And, you've gotta admit -- our little blondie looks a lot like....

TAYLOR SWIFT!! Who had just won YET ANOTHER music award...and no matter how many they give her -- she looks shocked and amazed EVERY SINGLE TIME...

So -- when I told Lillian she looked like Taylor Swift -- this is what she came up with...

Yes...it is hilarious....and if you don't believe me -- here's the video...

Yes, people....that's right. You can see the truth now. This blog exists solely for my own entertainment...

Mary's December Visit

2011-11-30T04:00:00.000-08:00

Today, Mary is coming for her annual December visit. So the other day, Carrie helped me do the after-Thanksgiving-cleaning...and we started to break out "Mugs & Rugs"-- my own speed version of Christmas decorating.

At some point during her visit -- we'll have to get a tour of the Blackhawk Hotel. The remodel wasn't QUITE done last year when Mary visited...

I'll pick Mary up at the Moline airport. Mary often needs one more flight to maintain HER GOLD STATUS with the airline...
Last year -- we had to go directly from the airport TO THE LOCAL KINKO'S because I had to fax my final changes for the 2011 registration brochure for the Sewing & Stitchery Expo...

AND Mary was also on a deadline -- so she was using another Kinko's work station...

Carrie helped me get the guest room ready for Mary. Line-dried sheets, of course...and a special appliqued winter bed quilt...

This year, Mary is doing seminars on Friday in Muscatine for Neal's Sewing. So maybe we'll see you there!

Or -- at the book club breakfast....or the Rita's Sew Fun Reunion luncheon.....or at the local Goodwill store or Salvation Army Thrift shop....then, too, there's a Christmas tour of the John Deere mansion....the Blackhawk Hotel is going to be ALL DECKED OUT for it's first Christmas after the extensive $42 million remodel...

NO END TO THE FUN, PEOPLE...!!

The "B" Turkey

2011-11-29T04:00:00.001-08:00

There are so many things about Thanksgiving that are special. To start with -- I just love the word. It really is about taking one day to be grateful...

Then, of course, there's the MEAL. I don't care what part of the country you live in -- or what your ethnic background is -- if you celebrate Thanksgiving -- YOU ARE EATING TURKEY.

Last year, I cooked a small turkey to take up to Amy's house. Because there are so many people -- all bringing wonderful side dishes --

I decided a second turkey was the best thing I could do. Because it would be a bad thing to run out of turkey on Thanksgiving...and you just can't have enough white meat for turkey sandwiches...

This year -- John & I arrived early -- Amy's house looked fabulous. As people started to arrive, the island was loaded with food -- corn pudding, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, wild rice, cold salads, a gorgeous ham, relish trays...but Amy's VERY LARGE BEAUTIFUL turkey wasn't done.

Imagine the panic....but.....OH -- THAT'S RIGHT -- My "B" turkey is sitting on the counter, wrapped in foil and well rested...

With 25+ hungry people in her house, Amy turned to her husband and said, with a big smile on her face, "Bill -- carve Aunt Rita's turkey "...

I felt wonderful! Like my minor-league son had just been told he was being called up to the Big Leagues. Suddenly, the "B" turkey has moved up to the A TEAM...

I'd put my 12 pound turkey in a 350 oven at 8:00 that morning, and it was cooked to 165 degrees by 10:00. I was shocked by how fast it got done. So I wrapped it in foil and it was well rested -- moist and delicious. You'll just have to take my word for it -- because I did not get a picture. Which often happens with the "B" team...

However -- I DID get a picture of Amy's beautiful BIG turkey later on that day. When it finally came out of the oven -- one hour after we were done eating...

So -- next year, if you're going to somebody else's house for Thanksgiving -- do what I did. Roast a small turkey -- for that "just in case" situation!! Be the turkey-insurance-provider.

Ross as an adult...

2011-11-28T04:00:00.002-08:00

Maybe no parent ever really sees their child as an "adult". My two boys are in their 30's -- and I still find myself telling them how to dress for the weather...

Ross is a cameraman for a wildlife documentary company. He travels ALL THE TIME. He's been to almost every state in the Union -- including several trips to Alaska. He was in South Africa last month on a big game hunt. Anyway -- he doesn't spend much time in his apartment. And when I visited last year, it was still stacked with cardboard boxes that had not been opened for ten years...

After the Original Sewing & Quilt Expo in Minneapolis, I drove 3 hours to visit Ross and was DELIGHTED to discover that he finally has real furniture...

I loved his yellow chrome dinette set...with the Farro Family picture hanging above the table...(all the kids think this classic is Uncle John)...

For crying out loud -- HE HAS BOTH A COFFEE TABLE AND A SOFA...!!

We went to visit Ross's friends -- Shawn and Melissa -- with their three children...who Ross talks about all the time. He spends many holidays with them -- and whenever he goes to their house, he stops to pick up ice cream for the kids...

For the last two years -- Melissa has been in charge of Ross's birthday cake...chocolate cake with peanut butter icing...

Ross thinks the world of these kids...and they seem to be pretty big fans of his, too...
I had a nice visit with Ross. Hey -- I finally understand that it's not my job to buy curtains to replace the sheet hanging at his window....because that sheet is a CHOICE he made and I need to respect that...

But he can be a man of very few words...and he truly believes I am stupid. Or maybe senile...

Here's a typical conversation between us...

Me: So, when is your next trip?
Ross: Tuesday (he loves one-word-answers)
Me: Where are you going? (trying to have a REAL conversation)
Ross: Hungary
Me: (thinking it's a town in Idaho or Nebraska)...Where is Hungary?
Ross: (long pause...) Still in Europe, Mom...

Janome Mini's

2011-11-26T04:00:00.001-08:00

Okay -- NOW THAT I GOT MINE -- I can tell you that the Janome mini is on sale at Hancock Fabrics for $39.99. WHA?? My friend Jolly assures me it is the PERFECT little starter sewing machine...and I was lusting after it -- WHEN I SAW IT IN THE HANCOCK AD this week...

Of course -- we like to refer to this phenomenon as "Ritaluck". And I am pleased to tell you that the sale is good for at least a week -- maybe until December 3.

I actually had TWO crazy sisters go to town on Black Friday -- and they BOTH called me from Hancock Fabrics to make sure I got my mini.

Thank you, Deena -- Thank you, Ronda! Of course, I decided to get TWO mini's...just in case. Because maybe Lilly will need to have one at my house and one at her house...

Black Friday Shopping

2011-11-25T04:00:00.000-08:00

Everybody has their own "holiday traditions" -- and Black Friday shopping is A BIG ONE. This is a picture of Elliott, last year, looking over the Thanksgiving Day ADS in the local newspaper...

He and Emily start out at Midnight...and for maximum benefit -- they split up so they can hit
TWO stores at one time. Maybe he'll go to Best Buy and she will start at Walmart...

They have their shopping strategy and communicate via texting on their cellphones....from the moment they leave the house, they have a master plan and know EXACTLY what they're shopping.

The other day, there was a Menard's commercial about their Black Friday specials -- one of them was about a special hot price on some Rubbermaid...?? I said, "I can't believe anybody would stand in the cold to save money on plasticware..." Elliott said, "That's Menard's for you, Mom -- they're not even trying."

My tradition has become spending a quiet day with Lilly. I'll cook the turkey carcass off the bone and make some turkey soup. I'm pretty sure we'll be baking some cupcakes...

If I'm smart about it -- THAT will become our new Black Friday tradition!!

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T04:00:00.000-08:00

Because John CANNOT STOP BUYING FROZEN TURKEYS -- even when we are invited OUT for Thanksgiving dinner -- I still cook a turkey. Our local grocery store, HyVee, has a deal where if you buy some $2.99/lb ham -- you get a turkey for free. Even though I was in Minnesota when the ad came out -- I KNEW he would not be able to resist buying another turkey...

These pictures are from Thanksgiving 2010...and here's John, getting the turkey ready to go up to Amy's house...
That morning, Lilly woke up and sat in my lap with Sophie for an hour or so...I love those quiet moments...

My niece Amy, the hostess for Thanksgiving -- wearing an apron I gave her...

And Lilly -- in her Thanksgiving leopard outfit -- her usual misery when I put a new outfit on her...

In a perfect world -- you would not be reading this blog on Thanksgiving Day. You would be far too busy visiting with your large loving family, enjoying the delicious food, eating and laughing and catching up...I hope that's what happened in your life today.

But maybe -- just maybe -- your holiday was less than Norman-Rockwell-perfect. You feel lonely -- or somebody hurt your feelings -- and you are already dreading Christmas.

Close your eyes, breath deep, and think of something nice you can do for another person this holiday season. Somebody who is not expecting it. An Aunt in a nursing home, or a cousin you've lost track of. Or maybe somebody you are NOT related to...Write a card, plan a surprise outing, deliver a meal. Be kind to a complete stranger. Do it anonymously. Cook a meal for the homeless shelter, take gifts to the local nursing home. Whatever. Forget about yourself and think about other people. Do one unexpected kind thing every day between now and Christmas...

You have the power to make a difference in another person's life...and maybe that's the point...

As I'm writing this, I realize it sounded a little too-Oprah-life-class-101. But, hey -- the truth is -- she made the world a better place...

And YOU CAN, TOO...

FUDGE RECIPE

2011-11-23T04:00:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. If you are invited to GO OUT -- just do it!! And if you want to take something WONDERFUL TO EAT -- make this fudge. I never met anybody who didn't love it...

Years ago -- I got a microwave fudge recipe from Nancy Zieman -- which used a whole stick of butter. Then I saw Rachael Ray on the Oprah show -- she used the same recipe on the can of sweetened condensed milk -- which didn't use any butter at all. So here's what I've come to...

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (try different flavors -- like peanut butter chips)
1 14-oz can condensed milk
1/4 cup (4 tbsp) butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt

Preparation:
1. Prepare an 8x8 pan by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips, condensed milk, and butter. Microwave in one-minute increments until melted, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Stir to ensure all the chocolate is melted, then add the vanilla and salt. Stir until the candy is smooth and well-mixed.Add nuts at this point (I ADD LOTS OF WALNUTS)
4. Pour the fudge into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer.
5. Place the fudge in the refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours. Once set, cut into 1-inch squares and serve at room temperature. Store excess fudge in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

I AM SO DELIGHTED to be thinking about microwave fudge. WHAT A GREAT BLOG POST, EH?

Thanks, Jackie, for reminding me of some very good times! In 2006 -- we were fudge-making-fools...and yes, the combo of milk chocolate and peanut butter chips was my favorite!!

HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING, Jackie. I'm delighted the Iowa contingent is coming to see you in Oklahoma...I've loaned Linda my Garmin...and they should be there any minute!!

Tuesday Mornings

2011-11-22T04:00:00.000-08:00

You have no idea how much I look forward to my Tuesday breakfasts...with my clubbers. They ALWAYS have something interesting to talk about or to share. On this day -- I wanted to show them my little "Coal Cracker" outfits...
The t-shirts turned into adorable little dresses...with LOTS of t-shirt fringe, of course...

Adorable little Lydia will look fabulous in her zebra stripe velour Coal Cracker jumper...

In the parking lot -- I had MORE STUFF TO SHOW THEM...I had purchased a bunch of that two-way stretchy ruffled fabric...

As Linda took this picture -- the three of us look like we're transacting an illegal drug deal...

Speaking of Linda -- she told me in no uncertain terms that I CANNOT PUT HER PICTURE on the blog anymore. She doesn't like the way she looks...and neither does my Aunt Ada...So THEY ARE both whining and complaining about how they look and they are making it real clear that I SHOULD NOT USE THEIR PICTURES ON THIS BLOG...

Frankly, I think they'd both look better if they just smiled next time...

Thanks, Jolly!

2011-11-21T04:00:00.000-08:00

One of the best things about the Minneapolis Original Sewing and Quilt Expo was getting the chance to visit with friends -- like Jolly and Rhonda -- sitting here in the front row of the theater -- getting ready for the Midwest Ya Ya Sister show...

Jolly was telling me that she bought a little sewing machine for her FOUR YEAR OLD granddaughter. I thought that was really much too young for a sewing machine...

But then again -- Lilly is going to be three on her next birthday -- and she is already VERY coordinated...

Jolly recommended the Janome "mini". It sells for about $50 -- and is VERY lightweight, with just a few simple stitches (straight and zig zag) -- but the important part -- the bobbin case -- is REAL. It is not a toy. It's an actual sewing machine that is very lightweight, and only goes at one predictable speed...

I got excited to think that maybe -- by the time she's four -- Lilly could be making THIS...Jolly's granddaughter and her first quilt. She was SO PROUD...I love the picture -- with just her smiling eyes and her feet showing...
Of course -- I had to LEAVE MY BOOTH to go on the hunt for a Janome mini. Jolly has been a sewing teacher for many years. When we met she was organizing a big sewing program in Wisconsin. (she was Mary Mulari's friend first) So I take her recommendation very seriously...and she has been happy with the Janome mini.

Let me repeat -- IT IS A REAL SEWING MACHINE -- with a real bobbin case and a real sewing machine needle (always Schmetz, of course)...So if you buy it as a gift for your little one -- it will require ADULT SUPERVISION...

Wow. it just keeps getting better and better, eh?

Heart of a Home

2011-11-19T04:00:00.000-08:00

Our house is very small by today's standards -- and I love every single room. There is only ONE eating area...the 60" round oak table in our kitchen. I bought the table in 1973 at an antique sale with my friend Kathy. I paid $150 and in today's market, I think it's probably worth about $150...

The light above this table is quite a big deal. Because it's the first thing you see when you come in the kitchen door. And we eat at this table every single day. And every holiday meal happens right here...family games...the light matters...

We've had only two lights above the table. The first one was a $50 capize shell light -- the cheapest thing I could find when we were building the house. It lasted for about 25 years...

I bought a copper chandelier at an auction -- it was fabulous -- or so I thought. But the worthless little bulbs didn't give off much light -- and they kept POPPING...Because it is hard for me to admit I was wrong, that light hung over the table for about five years...but it was clearly time for a change.

I got smart this time -- and took pictures of prospective light candidates with my phone -- then I sent them to John so he could approve...(he never got over complaining about the copper fiasco)...

I found this light at Menard's...They said it needed to be ordered. But John bought it without telling me. Several days later, when I was at a birthday party at Amy's house -- he hung it up to surprise me.

The first thing I do whenever I walk into my house is to flip the switch for this light...and I IMMEDIATELY saw the fabulous new chandelier...

The minute I hit the light switch....I KNEW I was going to love the new chandelier. It is perfect...the light points DOWN, like it should. And I love the Tiffany nature of the light. It reminds me of a wonderful book I just read -- "Clara and Mr. Tiffany"....

It was the story of Clara Driscoll -- the woman who probably came up with the idea of making lamp shades out of leaded glass. During her time at Tiffany studios, married women could not have jobs. The book is about New York City at the turn of the century, as well as the story of the Tiffany family. I LOVED IT...

And I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my new Tiffany-like chandelier...it will be in all my 2011 Holiday Pictures!!

Typical Junkin' Day

2011-11-18T04:00:00.000-08:00

As you can imagine -- Bert and I have a regular "route" when it comes to our Saturday junkets...

If there's an auction in DeWitt, that's always our first pick. Otherwise, we might choose a small town and do a little day-trippin'. One of our favorite towns is Clinton, Iowa. There are several resale shops, a couple of antique malls -- well, it's OUR KIND OF TOWN...

This Victorian mansion on 2nd Street used to be a B&B, then it was a Day Spa -- now it has become an antique mall...

As soon as you walk in the front door -- there is an impressive staircase...and antiques in every room...

Upstairs, there was this sweet little wool coat. Such fine fabric -- the little pearl buttons were so special. Yes, at $14, I was tempted...but it did feel itchy...Lilly would cry for a week...I can barely get her into a velour shirt...wool is out of the question...

However -- THIS IS SOMETHING to consider! I loved the jacket -- and after looking around for a few minutes, Bert found the perfect hat...the braiding detail is really incredible. I sometimes wonder how they made these fabulous garments 50 years ago, before the invention of modern day computer sewing machines...it was AWESOME...

But, looking at the whole ensemble, I can see that Bert was wrong to encourage me...

Puyallup Fairgrounds

2011-11-17T04:00:00.000-08:00

If you're from the Pacific Northwest -- you know rain is always a possibility...this is a picture I took from the Expo Runway -- looking down on set-up day...

It rained off and on that day -- but there's a lot of blacktop -- so the inconvenience was minimal...And -- like many of you -- I LOVE THE SHOW so much -- a little rain would never discourage me.

And I ALSO LOVE THE Puyallup Fairgrounds...I look forward to those four days all year long. Because of the Sewing & Stitchery Expo -- I think of this place as nothing but good karma. My time there has always been about sewing, and sharing, learning and laughing...

So you can imagine how stunned I was to learn that the Puyallup Fairgrounds had once been known as "Camp Harmony". During 1942, when thousands of Japanese families were being removed from Seattle -- they were temporarily housed in the Puyallup Fairgrounds....

Because the accommodations were mostly livestock barns or hastily built barracks -- and there was no blacktop at the time -- the camp was soggy and full of mud...

Wow.

Amazing. I thought I knew something about that place -- but I was wrong. And maybe we can never know everything there is to know...about a place, or a building, a house a relative or even the people we marry. Because there is always "history"...some of it known, some of it long forgotten.

I started to learn about the history of the Puyallup Fairgrounds as I was listening to this book in my car -- "Hotel on the corner of Bitter and Sweet"...

Written by Jamie Ford -- it's really two books. One story takes place in 1942 -- and the other takes place in 1986 -- after the discovery of hundreds of suitcases in the basement of the Panama hotel. Japanese families left their belongings in the hotel -- not knowing they'd become a dusty time-capsule....because the families would never get back to retrieve their belongings...

The book is about fictional characters who lived in a very real time -- and I wondered how many of the facts in the book were true. Here's what the internet said about "Camp Harmony"...

The Puyallup Assembly Center was located in a small rural community about 25 miles south of Seattle famous for its farms and daffodils. The assembly center was built on the grounds and surrounding acres of the Western Washington State Fair so in addition to the stables, racetrack and outbuildings there was a rollercoaster.

Within a month the fairgrounds were transformed into a camp large enough to house more than 7,000 inmates. Barracks filled every available space -- parking lots, beneath the grandstand, within the circle of the racetrack. The camp was divided into four distinct and separate areas complete with living quarters, mess halls and other facilities:

Here's an aerial shot of what the camp looked like...
I'm just sayin' -- WHO KNEW??

I'm not judging...1942 was a horrible, frightening time. At Camp Harmony, the Japanese families set up schools and government...they had sports activities and even 4-H for the children. Many of the men enlisted in the Army and went on to fight the Germans and became the most decorated American unit in the European theater.

All I'm saying is that I was shocked to learn that my beloved Puyallup fairgrounds played such a major role in history.

Just like life -- there's more to it than the sewing, eh?

Fun Kid Baking Idea

2011-11-16T04:00:00.000-08:00

Yes, this is a superfluous picture of Lilly wearing a new outfit -- with a necklace accessory...I'm sure necklaces for children is a really terrible idea -- but it certainly is cute as all get out...

Wearing another necklace -- Lilly took her little apron off the hook and it was clear we had to BAKE SOMETHING. I decided on ice-cream cone cupcakes...

They are a lot easier to eat than paper-lined cupcakes. And if you have the right pan (deep enough to hold the cones) -- it's VERY EASY...

We should have put in more cake batter...they they would have looked more like an ice cream cones. Lilly decided to eat the first one she frosted...

Here's another tip -- I put some crumpled up aluminum foil into the pan to hold the cones in place...

Lilly, in her little apron, with a pan of regular cupcakes...she was SO DELIGHTED to give everybody a cupcake for the next two days. She took some to her Nana's house...and shared them with Memphis and Landon...

Yep. Canned frosting and sprinkles...that's all I'm sayin'....

Burnt Toast

2011-11-15T04:00:00.000-08:00

It's going to be Thanksgiving in the blink of an eye...and here is Linda P. -- one of my Sewing Sister/Book Clubbers who last year made us all some seasonal napkins as a gift...

The other day -- she sent me another gift. This time as an email story...here it is...

When I was a kid, my mum liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my mum placed a plate of eggs, sausage, and extremely burned toast in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his toast, smile at my mum and ask me how my day was at school.

I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember hearing my mum apologize to my dad for burning the toast. And I'll never forget what he said: "Honey, I love burned toast.."

Later that night, I went to kiss Dad good night and I asked him if he really liked his toast burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your mum put in a long hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides... a burnt toast never hurt anyone!"

You know, life is full of imperfect things... and imperfect people. I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else. What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each others faults and choosing to celebrate each others differences, is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

So...please pass me the toast. And yes, the burned one will do just fine! And please pass this along to someone who has enriched your life... I just did!

Life is too short to wake up with regrets... Love the people who treat you right and forget about the ones who don't.

ENJOY LIFE NOW - IT HAS AN EXPIRATION DATE!

Lilly's October visit

2011-11-14T04:00:00.000-08:00

After being buckled in her car seat for four hours -- Lilly gets out of the van and starts to RUN DOWN THE YARD.

Grandma and Grandpa look forward to a running-jumping-hug from Lilly.... And the first thing she wants to do is see the chickens.

She is SO HAPPY to be out of her car seat...and Sophie is always delighted to be here, too...

Every time we see her -- she's doing something new. Walking, talking, thinking, making up her mind about political parties, learning new faces...

Save Now

And since it's been awhile since they visited -- her room was CHOCK FULL of new outfits. Many little outfits, several pair of jeans, five jackets, one fake fur leopard coats, six pair of pajamas, hats, gloves, boots, shoes...Oh, yeah...Grandma Rita is a thrift-shopping FOOL...

The best news is that Memphis and Lillian wear the same size. THANK GOD. Memphis came over earlier in the week and tried on all the clothes. I'd hold up two dresses, and Memphis would decide which one Lilly would get and which one was for her. Memphis LOVES to try on clothes -- Lilly acts like every new outfit is made out of cactus.

It is so fascinating to me how every child -- from such a young age -- has their own point of view. What they like or don't like....

My Credo...

2011-11-12T04:00:00.000-08:00

For me, the key to happiness is learning to embrace the random, chance way things happen.

Maybe it's about living my life as a cliche. "Always look for the silver lining"

"If you get a lemon and make lemonade"...

We were six kids, growing up on a farm in Iowa. Our parents took ONE vacation without us (I have no idea where they went) and Aunt Glad came to our house to babysit. One evening, she asked if we'd like a bowl of ice cream before bed. Yahoo! We joyfully crowded around the table with our bowls in front of us -- but when she opened the box of ice cream, there was a large serving spoon frozen in place.

We all gasped...this was not right....our Mom would be yelling at somebody...who would've left the spoon in the box...??

When Aunt Glad calmly said, "Look -- there's the serving spoon. How convenient."

Here's the funny thing. My sister Ronda and I recently discussed this -- and it is shocking that we BOTH remember that moment. One insignificant little thing that happened 50 years ago.

Maybe we remember it because Mom wasn't very good at the lemonade thing. She had a picture in her head of the way things were going to go -- and if it didn't happen that way -- she had a bad day.

We all have a vision in our head...the way things are supposed to go. My example is Jack Dawson (Leo DiCaprio) in the Titanic movie. He WON a ticket to board the ship in a card game. The guy who lost that ticket believed it was his bad luck. Of course, Leo thought it was his LUCKY DAY...

But the unsinkable Titanic did the unthinkable. It sank.

So, at the end of the day -- who was the lucky guy?

When he was 19 years old, my son Elliott got fired from a job. It seemed like a very bad thing at the time. The next week, he got a job in a warehouse -- where he met Emily. So if that bad thing hadn't happened ??

Well, you get my point.

Here's the stool that sits next to my chair. I read it every single day. And it helps me.

As you can see, on a normal day -- my laptop sits on to pof the stool. Which is kind of a franken-puter right now. I needed to hook up a different keyboard...the wires are to my external hard drive -- so I DON'T LOSE ANYTHING...ugh...
Under the stool, I have reference books and how-to manuals for my printers, phones, etc...

I cannot tell you how many times I say these words..."Most days, you can't tell your good luck from your bad..."

A Special Day

2011-11-11T04:00:00.000-08:00

Today is November 11, 2011. So at the top of my documents today, the computer is saying "11/11/11". All the digits are the same...double elevens...

I don't know why the world isn't making a bigger deal out of this. The double digits have some significance for two of my favorite guys. My husband Ross and our son Elliott...

Because it is the only time this will happen in my lifetime....I actually had to write down the years to try to figure this thing out. Let me see...there are only 12 months in a year, and 30 days in a month (or so)...so the double digit days were...

1/1/11 or 1/11/11
2/2/22 or 2/22/22
3/3/33
4/4/44
5/5/55
6/6/66
7/7/77
8/8/88
9/9/99
10/10/10
11/11/11
12/12/12

Okay -- so it happens once every hundred years. Wow. I am NOT a numbers person. But my husband John has an interesting date thing with his birthday. He was born 8/22/44. so every time the year is a double digit, so was he. He was 11 on 8/22/55...and then he was 22 on 8/22/66....and he was 33 on 8/22/77...and he was 44 on 8/22/88...then 55 on 8/22/99. (But on 8/22/2011 -- John was 67 years old.)

AND, throughout his childhood -- our son Elliott had a lot of trouble sleeping. Although he has come to terms with his insomnia -- one of the things he did, every night, for years and years...was look for 11.11 on his digital clock...

He had to see those numbers before he could go to sleep. Yes, I know...OCD is a terrible thing...

I'm just saying I'd like to wish all of you a special ELEVENS day. Somebody should have done a better job of naming it...

Halloween Candy & Special Occasions

2011-11-10T04:00:00.000-08:00

A month before Halloween -- John and I were in a grocery store and he put three bags of Halloween candy in our cart. I turned to him and said, "hello -- have we met? My name is Rita Farro and I can't have candy in my house..."

John had ONE JOB during the month of October...to keep me out of the Halloween candy. I have no idea where he hid it -- so he did good. The rule is -- the last group of trick-or-treaters gets ALL THE LEFTOVERS...

And it was Landon & Memphis. Landon here in his costume...no -- wait -- you can't really see him...because he's camouflaged...
Memphis was the cutest Jessie from Toy Story....note the cool boots...

Since we only had six trick-or-treaters -- so Landon and Memphis got about three pounds of candy EACH...
Landon likes to take pictures with my camera. So he snapped a few that night while we were visiting. Here's his "mirror shot". I love seeing things from a child's point of view...
Nicole happened to mention that she was down to only 5 forks at her house...THAT WILL NEVER DO...The minute she made the remark -- I brought out a box of vintage silverplate -- which is what I use every single day. I love the weight of the old silverware...
And I love, love, love this picture of Memphis' little hands....touching their new silverware...

Nicole said she will use it whenever the whole family is able to sit at the table for a meal. Now -- THAT's a special occasion in today's world.

Kiss Me, I'm a Coal Cracker

2011-11-09T04:00:00.000-08:00

If you live in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania -- this will make perfect sense to you:
During our recent visit, I bought six of these shirts -- which cleaned out the brand new county visitor's bureau...My plan was to "redo" them to make outfits for our grand-nieces and nephews...
And I plan to send them back for a THANKSGIVING PICTURE...they all go to Linda & Jerry's house. Matt's daughter Maddie will be there from Salt Lake City...Cora, Lydia and Sam will be coming from Virginia...Dom and Marc from Philadelphia...
So that's six little outfits -- between the sizes of 6 mo. - size 5...I just happened to have the perfect little zebra jumper for baby Lydia...

One large size t-shirt will be made into a dress for Maddie. I was inspired by a turquoise dress Nicole wore on "The X Factor" -- it had fringes down both sides...I CAN DO THAT...

Oh, yeah -- THIS IS GOING TO BE FUN...

EXCITING WEEKEND SHOW PLANS

2011-11-08T04:00:00.000-08:00

As you know -- I've been working with Rhonda Pierce of Schmetz Needles to teach at some of the Original Sewing & Quilting Expos -- in Chantilly and Kansas City -- and THIS WEEKEND -- November 10,11 & 12 -- MINNEAPOLIS.

Mary Mulari and I will be doing our Ya Ya Sister Act this weekend in Minneapolis. Mary will also be presenting several workshops about Designer Sweatshirts...her newest apron ideas...AND I'll be doing my Life Is Not A Dress Size.

AND we will present our BRAND NEW EVENING EVENT. Lots of quick gift ideas for the special people in your life...and I'm taking ONE NEW IDEA Mary has never seen. She doesn't even know it yet...

If you go to Schmetz Needles blog you'll see a slide show Rhonda put together.

AND if you have any restaurant recommendations for Minneapolis -- please feel free to SEND THEM TO ME. We get soo hungry working in the booth all day -- and I HAVE A CAR AND A GARMIN...

STOP BY THE SCHMETZ BOOTH this weekend to say hello.

Amy's Witch Costume

2011-11-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

My 10-year old grandnephew, Cale, called on Wednesday to ask if I could make a "jester hat" for him.

Nooooo problem...

His Mom, Amy, came to pick it up on Friday. It looks great on her...

She mentioned that she was going to a "witches party" that night. Her girlfriend has a big party every year -- only women are invited -- and everybody MUST dress up as a witch. There is a lot of pressure to REALLY DRESS UP LIKE A WITCH...and so far, all Amy had was a hat and a pair of children's striped leggings...

Here's a picture of her in the ABSOLUTELY SMASHING black tube dress I whipped up for her. I am not kidding -- it only took ten minutes to sew -- and she looked like the most elegant witch you can imagine.

I made it long -- with one slit so she could walk in it...she already had a black velvet shrug (from her husband's grandmother -- it is stunning)...

These pictures don't do it justice. I am hoping better photos will follow...But it sure does look like a fun party, eh? I LOVE THE IDEA OF A WITCHES PARTY...

And, oh, just in case you think we forgot about the CHILDREN...here's a picture of Cale in his jester hat. I'm pretty sure the girl next to him is a boy in costume. Otherwise -- what would be the point??
Oh, yes...Halloween...

I am still hoping for a few more costumes to check in so I can post pictures...but the important thing is that EVERYBODY HAD A GOOD TIME...and I didn't eat too many Snickers...

John had ONLY ONE JOB last week -- keep the candy HIDDEN from me.

Garrett's violin

2011-11-05T04:00:00.000-07:00

This is such a great story for me to be telling you...

Remember a few months ago, when I took two of my grand-nephews, Garrett and Landon -- to a DIY Art place? For part of their "Aunt Rita Adventure" -- they were allowed to spend $2 at a garage sale. Garrett bought a violin with one string...here's a picture of him, that day, driving home...he was plucking away...making a little music, even...

As it happens, I dropped him off that afternoon at his Grandpa's house. His grandfather is very musical -- and has always played the guitar. The minute Garrett walked in the house, his Grandfather asked, "do you want me to fix your violin?"

Fast forward....

Two months later -- this is a picture of Garrett with his RENOVATED violin. Rescued, with new strings, and a bow -- Garrett and his Grandpa booth look very pleased...

AND his Grandpa has bought himself a violin -- so he can learn how to play this winter in Florida.

When he returns in the spring -- he's going to give Garrett lessons...

And I could not be more delighted with the value Garret got that day...from his $2 garage sale purchase.

Good job, buddy!!

St. Charles Visit

2011-11-04T04:00:00.000-07:00

During our visit to St. Louis -- I had some time to explore on my own. I always love that. And on this day -- I discovered scenic St. Charles, Missouri...

It had the sweetest little downtown I have ever seen -- with lots of quaint shops, brick paved streets, well kept public parks...

Interesting restaurants with lots of outdoor eating areas...

As I'm walking along -- this sign stopped me in my tracks. I cannot remember the last time I was in a town/village/city that actually maintained PUBLIC REST ROOMS...

I followed the signs -- to this pathway under a gazebo...

SURE ENOUGH -- a spotlessly clean PUBLIC REST ROOM...

There were also dozens of charming little shops -- with interesting merchandise...

I bought Mary Mulari's birthday present in St. Charles. There were several antique malls, and I found some books for Lilly, a few vintage aprons. My usual assortment of treasure. Although I can't remember everything I bought -- I do know that when we got home, I had to make two trips to empty the trunk of my car.

Thanks for the cheerful public Rest Rooms, St. Charles, Missouri!! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!

Ya Ya Minneapolis

2011-11-03T04:00:00.001-07:00

This fall, I have been traveling with Rhonda Pierce of Schmetz Needles to teach at some of the Original Sewing & Quilting Expos -- in Chantilly and Kansas City -- and November 10,11 & 12 -- MINNEAPOLIS.

That's when Mary Mulari and I will be doing our Ya Ya Sister Act in Minneapolis. Mary will also be presenting several workshops about Designer Sweatshirts...her newest apron ideas...AND I'll be doing my Life Is Not A Dress Size.

AND we are busy putting together our BRAND NEW EVENING EVENT. Lots of quick gift ideas for the special people in your life...and I'm taking ONE NEW IDEA Mary has never seen. She doesn't even know it yet...

To get an idea about the Original Sewing & Quilt Shows -- You MUST go to Schmetz Needles blog to see a slide show Rhonda put together. There are some of the amazing projects. (including an embroidered SCREEN DOOR)...

Of course, my favorite picture in the slide show is of me eating BBQ ribs in KC...

You can download the free design for the OSQE dancing ladies...

AND stop by the Schmetz Needles booth to have your picture taken -- and be eligible for a BIG PRIZE...

Here's a picture of me, after presenting "Life Is Not A Dress Size" -- with one of my beautiful models...

Wearing an embroidered ruana...

And there are LOTS MORE IDEAS where this came from!!

So -- if you're in the vicinity -- be sure to come to Minneapolis November 10,11, & 12 -- to say HEY to me and Mary Mulari and hundreds of our closest sewing friends...we'll be hanging out in the Schmetz Needles booth!!

Mary Mulari Rocks St. Louis ASG

2011-11-02T04:00:00.000-07:00

This is a pretty good picture of the audience at Mary's recent St. Louis ASG event...
I went to her afternoon seminar -- to pick up a few new sewing ideas...

This is a completely random shot of me taking a picture of me in a mirror...I really love doing this...

At the luncheon that day -- WHAT A GREAT TURNOUT...

Mary posed for a picture with the Hey Rita tote. That girl GETS AROUND...

It was a wonderful day in St. Louis. If your sewing guild would like to have an interesting, entertaining sewing speaker who is full of ideas and stylish projects --

CONTACT MARY MULARI...marym@marymulari.com

Linda's Upcycle Collagel

2011-11-01T04:00:00.001-07:00

Okay -- so maybe this blog post went up last Sunday. But, remember, I DON'T BLOG ON SUNDAY...or at least, I'm not supposed to...lol...

And I intended for it go be posted on Tuesday -- my book clubber day...because it's about them...again...

Last week, Aunt Ada joined us for breakfast. She's a little miffed in this picture because when we saw her coming in, I thought it would be funny to move to another booth...where she wouldn't see us right away. I was wrong...(this is a private joke only Jackie will understand)...

In the next photo -- you can see Linda showing her latest collage creation...these are SOOO interesting...can you see what she used??

She cut up a vintage magazine to decoupage the strips around the wooden frame...and there's some antique keys, bits of jewelry...and.....what's that....??

Any guesses?

Take a really close look...that's right....you guessed it!!

DRYER LINT!! No kidding...the gray fluffy stuff is dryer lint!!

Yes, it's true. My cousin Linda is very easily entertained.

Her mother -- not so much....

2010 Halloween Favorite

2011-10-31T04:00:00.001-07:00

One year -- many years ago -- my friend Lorna and I dressed up as witches and ran around the auditorium of Virgil Grissom Elementary. Our costumes were so good -- even our own children did not recognize us.

Sadly -- none of our children remember this happening...

I only wish I had TAKEN PICTURES. When my boys were growing up -- I was terrible about taking pictures. So that means I have no real evidence to prove I DID dress up. I DID cook a hot meal every single day. I DID bake cookies and serve as the room mother...

Ugh. I digress.

What I wanted to write about this morning was HALLOWEEN...

Last year, my niece Nicole called to see if I might be able to conjure up a pirate wench costume...She works at a bank -- and they were going with a Buccaneer theme...

NO PROBLEM. A little digging in my basement produced the perfect long skirt, trimmed with colorful embroidery -- a white blouse with the perfect elastic - for that sexy-wench look...and some red fabric to wrap around her hips and head to complete the look!!

This year -- I got to help with Elizabeth's Strawberry shortcake costume, Cale's jester hat, and Amy's witches costume.

OH MY GOD...I am really awesome at this!! And every costume has it's own sewing story...

Trust me -- pictures WILL follow. Because I am SO MUCH SMARTER NOW than I was 25 years ago!!

John & Sport Coats

2011-10-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

The day we're packing our bags to go to St. Louis, John said, "where's the sport coat I wore to the last reunion?"

The last reunion was two years ago. AND he forgot to pack a sport coat that time, too. But when we arrived in St. Louis -- I went shopping and bought him a beautiful navy blue sport coat at a thrift store. He looked great.

However -- fast forward. Two years later, we're headed to his Navy reunion again -- and John needs a sport coat.

Apparently -- in 2009, he left it hanging in the hotel room closet...

Remember that Mary was also in St. Louis that weekend? OF COURSE we had to go thrift store shopping...

You know Mary -- I just can't keep her out of those places...

AND -- this time -- we have a mission! To find a nice sport coat for John. Check. Steel blue. Pierre Cardin...perfect in every way. Silk and worsted wool...

$7.50.

Oh, yeah. I am the master.

Or, maybe -- just maybe -- John forgot his sport coat accidentally on purpose?? Knowing that having a real bonafide thrift store mission would simply MAKE MY DAY??

nah...he just hates wearing sport coats...

The Project Runway Winner

2011-10-28T04:00:00.001-07:00

Okay -- maybe I shouldn't be blogging about the Project Runway Finale. Because the truth is -- I kept dozing off...

Come to think of it -- that could be part of the problem...

At the end of a fairly boring hour and a half...I watched Kimberly, Joshua, Viktor and Anya present their collections.

When Heidi said, "There are no losers here today. But only one of you can be the winner..." I thought Viktor was going to get the win. His printed garments were fabulous -- the t-shirt with the glass pieces hanging all over -- and the white jacket he made will be one of the "most memorable" garments EVER.

But, NOOOOO...I was wrong. Viktor was actually the second one to be called "out".

So then I knew the winner would be Joshua. Anya sent ten caftans with plunging necklines and raw hems down the runway. For crying out loud -- Anya can't possibly win this thing...

Joshua's collection had the look they always go for...and his use of plastics and neoprene was interesting...and he did edit his bedazzling.

AND THE WINNER IS.....

Anya.

Holly Cow.

I can't be a hater though -- because Anya is, without a doubt, the nicest person who was ever cast on Project Runway. There was a crazy moment backstage, right before the Runway show -- when Kimberly couldn't find her kit...she had no needle and thread...no pins...nothing. And even though Anya was also crazy with her last minute details -- she was aware of Kimberly's meltdown -- and went over to give her whatever she needed out of her kit.

So Anya wins. And I'm thinking if I add a turtleneck -- I just might like wearing one of Anya's caftans...

Fall Leaves

2011-10-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

On our way back from Pennsylvania -- the leaves were stunning. Maybe the most beautiful fall color I've ever seen...

Really. The trees were amazing. I mean -- if you decided right now, this minute, that you wanted to paint every leaf in the woods -- it would take a lifetime to do even a single tree. But Mother Nature can do an entire state overnight...

They were beautiful. But if you've seen one tree, you've seen them all. And every time I fell asleep...John would yell, "Rita! LOOK! See that one??"

It happened to be the weekend that Penn State played Iowa. Apparently, the Iowa coach doesn't like to fly....because we kept getting behind his camper...with the vanity plates.

It was a big sighting for us...GO HAWKEYES...

Sadly, Iowa lost. Penn State 13/Iowa 3. Bummer...

Sock Monkey Farro

2011-10-26T04:00:00.000-07:00

So -- we're visiting John's Pennsylvania relatives....what fun thing can I do for five young grand-nieces and nephews who have never met me?

I KNOW -- I'LL THROW A SOCK MONKEY PARTY...!!

First thing -- go to the grocery store, pick up a sheet cake and nest a little mini-sock monkey in the middle...(yes, I know it would have been better to take the picture BEFORE we ate the cake)...

I had the car chock full of various sock monkey stuff....and I cleared the kids out of the room. I needed five minutes to set the Sock Monkey Party up...
Lydia picked her favorite monkey out of the pile immediately...

There were monkey board games, finger puppet shows...

Sam sat his new sock monkey buddy in the window so he could watch him eat cake...

Cora could hardly wait to set up her official Sock Monkey tea party...
OH, YEAH, it was a wonderful little party. With WAY TOO MUCH SUGAR...and the cutest little kids you ever met...

I hope they had as much fun as I did...

Book Clubbers KNIT

2011-10-25T04:00:00.001-07:00

In this picture, Sandy is wearing a scarf she made...

Which was SO UNIQUE -- and we all loved the varigated nature of the yarn -- and it looks so complicated...but Sandy kept telling us it was actually REALLY EASY...

Because of the way the yarn is manufactured....pretty odd, eh?

HEY -- My book clubbers are VERY COMPETITIVE.

Sandy wears her scarf to breakfast one week -- and the VERY next week the three of them are wearing scarves that they made since LAST WEEK...

I am the only one WHO DOES NOT knit...so I was inordinately impressed with their creations...in such a short period of time, too!!

GREAT JOB, GIRLS. And today -- I AM BRINGING a sew-n-tell of my own. About time, eh? I've been doing so much travel this fall -- I haven't been holding up my end of INSPIRATIONAL PROJECTS...but that's about to change...today is my big reveal.

Prepare to be amazed!!

Missoni

2011-10-24T04:00:00.000-07:00

After the initial MISSONI MELTDOWN of Target -- I was delighted to take my Missoni purchases to the next bookclub. Just to show off...

I love ALL MY MISSONI -- but my very favorite thing is definitely THE SUITCASE....Oh My God!!! It is beyond cool. The Missoni stripes are stunning. It is officially a "carry-on" bag -- with four of those roller/swivel wheels. So you don't drag it behind you -- it simply pushes along, swiveling and moving at ease...

I thought my Missoni suitcase would be an excellent centerpiece for our luncheon...and I love this picture of my cousin Linda...

A few days later -- the Missoni bag joined me and the Hey Rita tote on an ACTUAL TRIP...

You'll have to stay tuned for a report on how she did on her maiden voyage...but take a good look at the bag on the bottom. One of my favorite rolling duffels -- the airlines poked a big hole in it...so this was her final trip...bummer.

Hey -- WAIT -- now I get to go shopping for a NEW DUFFEL!!

Which, of course, I'll have to DECORATE....

Oh, yeah, it's a good day...

Happy Birthday, Ross!!

2011-10-23T04:00:00.001-07:00

Today our son Ross is 34 years old. He is a full grown adult who's lived away for a long time. So I rarely get to bake him the Farro Family Birthday Cake...(which is a chocolate cake mix with PEANUT BUTTER ICING)...

So -- I've made it my mission to find Ross a "mother" wherever he lives -- and I leave it up to her to bake his birthday cake. In Pennsylvania, Kathy Keefer took on that job...and in Minnesota, Melissa has been baking his cakes...

Thanks, Melissa & Sean, for making Ross a member of your family. We miss him -- but are happy he's in good hands.

And, just in case you're new to my blog -- I'm again posting his short -- "Honest Work".

Ross wrote the screenplay, and it won first place at a film festival -- and he is the star.

Happy Birthday, Ross -- from your biggest fan!!

I thought you'd get a kick out of this picture.

Lillian says Happy Birthday to her favorite Uncle Ross...

Pennsylvania Visit

2011-10-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

John and I went to Pennsylvania to visit his family. It was a beautiful fall drive...the leaves were turning and the scenery was stunning.

A rare picture of John and his brother Jerry...

Who is married to Linda -- and they suddenly have SIX grandchildren. I mean -- Cora, pictured here, is the oldest...(four? right?)

During our visit, Joel & Tran brought their two kids and Heather and Jerry brought their three -- so it was a full house. (the young moms, with their babies...)

I am telling you -- I'M ALL ABOUT THE BABIES....oh my goodness....such blessings...

I think this is the best picture I ever took of "male bonding"...

Because I was hoping to see Jerry & Linda's grandchildren...and I knew this would be a rare visit -- I wanted to do something memorable for the kids...that'll be another post...

Project Runway

2011-10-21T04:00:00.001-07:00

Last week I didn't blog about Project Runway because I was in Kansas City. It was several days before I was able to watch the entire episode where Laura got sent packing...and she had it coming. Anya's three garments were the most impressive.

Hey -- what do you think of the odd "After-show" Lifetime is doing? What is that about? Watching that last night reminded me of the boring "Models" show they did for a couple of years. I am SOO GLAD we've gone back to the original system -- where the models are not allowed to speak. Really. That works for me...

This week was the first part of a two-week finale...

Four designers are left -- Kimberly, Anya, Joshua and Viktor. I've thought all along that the judges were all rooting for Anya. And I have certainly come to LOVE her. She has a unique point of view, and most weeks, I'd put her in the top group just because of the outfit she herself is wearing. Not to mention the stunning haircut and earrings. Anya is, indeed, one of the most memorable designers Project Runway has had in a very long time.

But who are we kidding? It's so clear that Viktor is the winner. He has a point of view and never fails to send complete collections down the runway. I could pick out a Viktor jacket from across the room...

The episode opened up with Tim visiting the final four in their homes. When he got to Trinidad -- Anya didn't have a single thing even on the DRAWING BOARD...

Okay -- here's where her complete lack of background starts to show. In the beginning, I made snide comments on this blog about there being a Trinidadian cleaning woman at Parsons coming into the space after hours to do Anya's sewing for her...

Now, I realize what a quick learner Anya was. And she is so personable, EVERY OTHER designer helped her out. Laura, Becky -- even Joshua helped Anya figure things out. On her Governor's island challenge -- she had Bert to help her bring those three looks to the runway.

But now that she's all by herself in Trinidad -- hummm...clearly, she's feeling in over her head...

At the end of the episode, Viktor was the clear winner. His three looks were fabulous. But Anya was the clear loser. Her three looks were lackluster...poorly sewn...one zipper actually popped out during the fitting...ugh...

But the judges could NOT send her home. So next week, we get to see all four designers collections walk the runway.

Okay. I get it. I love Anya, too. And she is VERY POPULAR with the audience. So I know why the judges are letting her show at Bryant Park. But based on the three looks she put up last night -- I'm not expecting much....and I will be shocked if Viktor doesn't win. (channeling Mondo...)

However -- maybe now that Anya is back in New York, she'll buy doughnuts for the Parsons cleaning staff and they'll do some late night sewing on her lifeless collection.

Mississippi River Distillery

2011-10-20T04:00:00.000-07:00

I belong to a local business group -- the Quad City PR Network. They have monthly meetings with excellent speakers and I always learn something.

Last month -- they had their meeting in the always beautiful LeClaire, Iowa. At the Mississippi River Distillery. This is SO FASCINATING to me.

Ryan Burchette (here -- giving the tour) was the meteoroligist for the local NBC affiliate. Then he and his engineer brother decided to do something that hasn't been done since the days of prohibition...They woke up one morning and said, "Let's make some vodka!"

Getting the tour of their facility -- and learning about their marketing -- was fascinating. They buy the corn from local farmers....and they've "named" their booze. "River Pilot Vodka" and "River Rose Gin". They have a beautiful tasting room -- with a stunning river view...

I'm telling you -- these marketing classes can be exhausting events...

They have lots of wall space -- and it would be expensive to buy art. So they decided to turn their building into a gallery. So a different artist hangs a new exhibition every six weeks. And there is a "gallery opening"...

Which would include, of course, another gin taste test....

GENIUS, people -- simply GENIUS...

I didn't buy any art....but by all accounts -- the vodka is EXCELLENT...

Yes...it's true...I love my job....

Ricky's Pit BBQ

2011-10-19T04:00:00.003-07:00

Life is about so many things. Friends, family, conversations, hobbies, art, appreciating the finer things in life. Say, for example -- DELICIOUS FOOD.

During our recent visit to Kansas City -- thanks to a friend named VIRGINIA -- Rhonda Pierce and I actually got to eat some REAL KC BBQ...

Virginia told us this is her favorite place for BBQ. And Rhonda and I were looking for a exactly that...you know -- the place where the LOCALS eat...that downhome REAL Kansas City experience...and here it is. Ricky's BBQ -- 3801 Leavenworth Rd, Kansas City, Kansas 66104.

Because Virginia KNOWS EVERYBODY -- she brought the owner out so we could meet him. She took this great picture of me and Rhonda visiting with Ricky...his story was so interesting, I tried to get a little video interview...

Here's Ricky telling his story --

Because the three of us were so hungry by the time we got there -- and we immediately started stuffing our mouths full of BBQ...we didn't even realize that there were NO KNIVES on our table until we were about 20 minutes into our feast!!

It was a joy to meet you, Ricky -- and thanks for taking the time to visit with us and let me tell your story. YOUR BBQ IS AMAZING...