The Little Girls

In 1998, this group went to New York City. Deborah embroidered shirts for all of us that said, "The Little Girls do The big Apple". Wearing those fab shirts, we got to talk to Al Roker on the TODAY show. It was one of our finest moments...

A recent fab moment was when Deb, who lives in Nashville, was home for a whole week. We managed to get together for a lovely dinner at Granite City...

My sisters Deena and Deb on one side of the table...

Ronda, me and Kim on the other side...

Deb always brings embroidered gifts for EVERYBODY -- on this occasion, I gave her a gift -- of a fabulous recycled wool vest that I bought at the Discovery Shop...
I love, love, love the way this artist did the button details.

Deb actually went JUNKIN' with me during this visit. I believe it might have been her FIRST TIME...!!

Anyway -- she is BIGTIME into houndstooth right now -- and recycling all-things-wool. So I can hardly wait to see what she comes up with.

Happy Birthday Marion!

Happy Birthday, Marion! We have taken some awesome trips. I often think you and I discovered New York City....still one of my favorite places to go. And we loved Sedona, Arizona -- even though I never got the hang of meditation. Remember our drive down the Oregon coast? Visits in both Canada and Iowa. The best road trip I ever took was our time in upstate New York -- remember lunch at the CIA?

Today, on your birthday, I'm going to post some pics from our most recent trip -- the HOTTEST DAY OF THE YEAR in Chicago...

Actually, this picture is from an earlier trip to Chicago -- it was the first time I took pictures of the Hey Rita tote to tell the story of my travels...here, in Lord & Taylor's...she fit right in with the mink coats...

And we always visit museums....I can't leave the Art Institute without seeing American Gothic...


This is us, eating breakfast at the James Hotel. OH MY GOD...The things I've learned with you, my friend. EVEN THOUGH YOU ALREADY KNEW ABOUT POPOVERS....The presentation at the James was so sophisticated -- brought hot, to the table, in a little stainless steel pot...

Yes, it was a life-changer...

You just NEVER know what's gonna happen on any given day, y'know?? During our Chicago vacation -- they were filming the "Transformers" movie downtown. Everything looked all tore up -- like a bomb had gone off. There was crew everywhere...the movie hasn't come out yet...

Here's a picture of you -- walking in beautiful downtown Chicago. You are hard to keep up with on a normal day -- but when it got to 100 degrees...yikes...SLOW DOWN, BABE...

Last week, it was 20 degrees BELOW zero here in Iowa. I know it wasn't that cold in Canada -- but I understand why you went to Florida!!

Happy Birthday, Marion! You live in the moment better than anybody I know...and I hope there is a delicious chocolate cake on your plate today. In honor of your birthday -- I'm going to make popovers -- AND I can hardly wait to see where we go in 2011...

Lillian's name for me...rhymes with??

Oh, yeah, I'm loving the Grandma thing. Every time I see Lilly, I'm pointing to myself, saying, "Grandma Rita"....say "G-r-a-n-d-m-a"...hoping she will finally speak that magical word...

But Lillian's vocabulary consists of -- "Mommy", "Daddy", and "Sophie".


Recently -- we had Lilly for FOUR WHOLE days and nights.

And for the first time, Lilly gave me a "name". On Day Two of her visit -- John said, "did you hear that? She was trying to get your attention, she said, 'MaMu." She said it twice. He was so delighted.

I said, "what did she call me?" He replied, "MaMu. That's how she says Grandma......MaMu. It rhymes with Shamu."...

I looked at him -- then at Lilly -- and said, "apparently, Grandpa has given up on the idea of ever having sex with Grandma again..."

Without skipping a beat -- Also looking right at Lilly, John said, "Grandma is mistaken. Because Shamu is a sleek, very beautiful killer whale -- considered by many to be the thinnest, most desirable mammal in the ocean..."

Nice try, buddy..

But I just can't get the Shamu reference out of my head...

And this name thing is important....so I'm gonna hold out for "Grandma Rita"...

Snowblowers

Last year, John bought a new snowblower. It's a really nice one, with a big motor an electric start, etc. Cost wise, it is the equivalent to a pretty nice embroidery machine. He loves it...

This has been a big snow year here in Iowa. The first snow came before Christmas -- and the ground has been covered ever since -- with two actual "blizzards" that caused school cancelations. And John has LOVED being able to use his new snowblower to clear a path to our cars...

Really. John is retired now -- and in the winter -- he misses being able to golf. Getting bundled to go outside and walk up and down, repeatedly, and over and over again...well, he LOVES IT...AND we have both been delighted that he has this useful new machine...
Even with the winter we've had, it struck me the other day that he's probably had about four actual "sessions" with his new snowblower.

All I'm saying is -- think how much MORE USE WE WOMEN GET out of our sewing/ embroidery machines and sergers. But I know you...you feel guilty spending the money, and you say to yourself, "if I spent that much money, I'd have to sew every single day..."

FORGET THE GUILT. Pretend you are a guy and you need a new snowblower.

Because, dog-gone it. You've worked hard and YOU DESERVE IT.

Whether you use your machines every single day or four times a year -- when it's time to do a project -- you should get the BEST ONE YOU CAN AFFORD.

Deborah's Embroidered Gifts

My sister Deborah enjoys machine embroidery the way I love chocolate...
And EVERY TIME she comes to visit, she has a bag full of things she's made to give away as gifts...wherever she goes, she has a GIFT for whoever she meets...

On this trip -- beautiful kitchen towels...I got to take my pick...and was delighted with the peacock feather design! Growing up, we always had a pair of peacocks living on the farm. People used to stop their cars because a peacock calling her husband in for dinner sounds like a woman screaming in a high pitch -- "heeellllpppp"..

This year, Deb also brought a Christmas pillowcase...I love the clever way she added length to the pillowcase by adding a different color fabric at the CLOSED end -- as well as at the cuff end...(hey -- sometimes a piece of fabric just ain't long enough!)..


although I also loved the modern designs...and this color teal is my new thing...

Kim picked the traditional flower design -- I got the peacock feathers. There I am, in that vintage apron again...Someday I'm gonna have to write a blog about it...

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, DEB. How are my Expo lady designs comin' along??

Life Is Not A Dress Size

On June 1, 2006, I realized I'd accidentally gained 100 pounds. That day, I stepped on John's treadmill and walked for 3 minutes. I also became conscious about what I was eating. Three years later -- by June 2009 -- I was walking 3 miles a day on my own Horizon treadmill and I'd lost 100 pounds. Here's a picture of me at the 2009 Sew Expo with the Ya Ya Stalkers..(Judy & Chris)


(if I had realized this was the THINNEST I WOULD EVER BE -- I would have taken WAY MORE pictures!!)

During those three years -- I almost never talked about losing weight. Honestly -- as a topic of conversation -- dieting is right up there with NBA basketball or cleaning products.

However, I'm writing this post because I hope it will be therapeutic to tell you that for the last year or so -- I've been gaining the weight back. Bummer.

Weight is like that. You can do everything right, work like hell to lose it -- and THINK it's gone forever -- but the minute you relax, it's back with a vengeance....Like a Republican Congress...

(KIDDING...just kidding...some of my best friends are Republicans. Please don't email me...)

I'm just sayin'. I'm back at it. Walking on my treadmill every day...Trying to be conscious about what I eat...

And I'll be fine. One reason I know this for sure is that I accidentally allowed somebody to take a picture of me in March 2006...

OH MY GOD. There are exactly 3 pictures of Fat Rita...this is one of 'em....and it is inspiring.

So -- altho I am doin' it -- I still won't be talkin' about it.

Cuz as a topic of conversation -- it is still B - O - R - I - N - G...

the Hey Rita TOTE

I just wrote a post for the Sewing & Stitchery Expo blog about our "totebag challenge". So, of course, this is a great opportunity for me to reflect back on the last year with my Hey Rita tote...cuz that girl gets around!!

Jan Potter gave me the Hey Rita tote in 2009


Here I am, with Jan and Bonne Swett -- the Inspired2Sew team...at the 2010 show. Hey Rita was having her first birthday on that day...


she has been ALL OVER THE COUNTRY....in New York City several times...
Here, posing with Ann Sagawa at Rockefeller Center...

Many of you wrote to tell me you saw her ON THE TODAY SHOW...

She was in Geneseo, New York...


On the beach in Galveston, Texas...
She should have her own frequent flyer account...here, in the Memphis airport..

She's been out to dinner with the biggest names in sewing!!

AND now -- her designer -- Jan Potter and Bonne Swett -- have THEIR OWN TOTEBAG pattern.

Now that I'm thinking about it -- maybe I should have a birthday party for the Hey Rita tote...she'll be 2 years old at this year's show...

AND her birthmother, Jan Potter -- thinks I should make popovers for everybody who comes to her party.

I'm tellin' ya -- that girl is trouble...

Christmas Pajamas

Maybe I forgot to tell you that I sewed "Christmas pajamas" this year? Well...actually, I only worried about pajamas for the GIRLS in my family...and, of course, they all started at the thrift store. For me, Emily and Lillian -- I mostly ADDED red & white striped ribbing to existing pajamas I bought for a quarter...(yes, I am THAT cheap)...
It actually started with a wonderful red flannel nightgown I found for myself....then, I found a green velour snuggler for Emily...and Santa pajamas for Lillian...

Here, Lilly is opening her gift from us -- a Radio Flyer wagon...

Then, Emily is opening her gift from me -- remember the sewing machine I bought during my meeting with Mr. Bernina in Cedar Rapids, Iowa??

I'll let you know how Emily's sewing lessons go. At least now -- I won't have to HAUL MY MACHINE in the car when I visit them in Wisconsin.

P.S...Elliott had such a good time making fun of Emily's Snoopy Snuggler, I'm pretty sure these pictures will be the first and LAST time she wears it...

Remember the important word, people...

N - E - X - T....

Austin, Lexi and POPOVERS

It was a rare treat to have my sister Deb, and two of her grandchildren -- Lexi and Austin -- join us for New Year's day dinner...

When they got here, I put them right to work...making the POPOVERS...

Using the King Arthur flour recipe you see on the right side of this blog, of course...notice my apron (it'll be a post one day)...

They helped me set the table -- with Aunt Rozella's silver...

Their popovers were SPECTACULAR...and it was delightful for me to introduce our guests to something they've never had before...



The next day, Deb went shopping with Austin & Lexi and they bought a popover pan! Since she was staying for a whole week (while their parents took a vacation) -- the kids made popovers THREE TIMES. Before the week was over, Deb had to buy TWO popover pans so she could take one home to Nashville...

GOOD JOB, Austin & Lexi. Aunt Rita is very proud of you.

P.S. their parents came home from their vacation...and were greeted by a batch of hot popovers just coming out of the oven!!

Vera napkins

Under the constant topic of "Rita's ability to find and buy linen treasures to fill her house"...here's a picture of some never-used napkins that were in a BIG BOX at an auction. Every set had 8 napkins -- and none of them had ever been washed.

We use napkins every day -- so this was QUITE A NICE BONUS. I especially love the yellow flowered napkins. They say "VERA" on the corner...


I know VERA is very collectible stuff...but I don't really know why. Anybody have any more information?

White doggie Christmas Dress

You know thrift store shopping is my hobby. For me -- it's a treasure hunt, a sport, a creative adventure. It's all those things...and do you remember this gem? With the tags still on it -- three little applique white dogs on the hem...SOO ADORABLE. I was so sure Lillian would love it...WHAT A GREAT FIND!!

The little dogs have Christmas holly collars...

There's a pink fabric behind the box pleats in the front. The only problem is, Lilly wears a size 2T, and this little number is only a size 12 months...

NO PROBLEM. I cut the sides open and added a pink pleated fabric...(using a pink t-shirt from my stash).


OF COURSE -- I had the perfect little white/pink/red striped turtleneck to wear under this little jumper...with a pair of red & white striped tights...

HOW CUTE WILL SHE BE??

You already know how this worked out...SHE HATED IT....

This morning, as I was sorting some Christmas pictures, it struck me all over again how much expectation we put on Christmas...we clean, bake, decorate, sew...This is the one time all year we make potato bologna or 20 dozen cookies...we try to carry on the family traditions and we want to create perfect holiday memories.....I wanted Lilly to be delighted with this little dress. And her reaction was quite the opposite.

But I've got to tell you -- when things DON'T work out -- sometimes that becomes the memory. For some reason -- this picture IS my Christmas 2011. And I'm sure there's a lesson...

Like -- maybe all our Christmas expectations and effort put a lot of pressure on the other people in our family...?