Ronda's Sew Expo Jackets

YES, my sisters Ronda and Deb are both coming to the show. Yippee kayee...I am SOO DELIGHTED.

One of the BEST THINGS about having two sisters join me is that I have ENOUGH JACKETS FOR EVERYBODY!!

As it happens -- Deb is a much smaller size than me -- and she'll be embroidering her own Show Jackets -- thank you very much...

BUT Ronda -- although also smaller than me -- is a great candidate for some of my "maybe they're too tight" jacket candidates. She came over to my jacket emporium recently to put together her SHOW CLOTHES...

At Quilt Market in Houston Texas one year -- I paid a lot of money for this black on white jacket...and the sleeves were always too tight...

Ronda LOOKED GREAT in this jacket...and I think she'll be wearing it on Saturday...

THEN -- Deb embroidered this gorgeous lime green jacket -- with the fabulous winter theme sewing machine embroidery...

Oh, yes, it's a little big, Ronda -- BUT THE EMBROIDERY IS STUNNING....

Wow...there's nothing as great as a lined spring jacket -- black silk -- with energetic embroidered flowers ALL OVER...

Her favorite?? THE SEW SISTER silk...Coldwater Creek did the jacket -- Deborah did the embroidery!!

OH, YES -- THIS IS GOING TO BE SO MUCH FUN!!

Time to pack up those suitcases, people....GET TO PUYALLUP....

And if you see these jackets -- and the woman looks a little confused -- maybe even lost -- tell her you are a friend of mine....and take her to the Information Desk in the Pavilion...

Ross's T-shirt project

I am the QUEEN of the recycled t-shirt....and you already know what a kick I get out of t-shirt wisdom...

One day, it just hit me that I should make Ross a new shower curtain -- and maybe I could use some "message" t-shirts to give it that personal touch...

Of course, that was exciting because it gave me SOMETHING NEW TO SHOP FOR during my next thrifting trip...


THIS t-shirt depicts Ross's point of view on many levels...

Imagine my shock to find this old North Scott High School football shirt -- EXACTLY like the one he wore in 1996!!

Are there words?


This shirt says a lot about Ross...
But -- can you even imagine my shock and surprise when I found THIS T-SHIRT -- hanging at the Salvation Army.........!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow. This is a stunning bit of "Ritaluck". Even I could not believe it...I swear on a stack of bibles -- I DID NOT MAKE THIS SHIRT...

Then -- two aisles over -- I found a$2 denim shower curtain with those big grommets at the top...now all I have to do is cut the t-shirts and put it all together...trim it out with some zebra stripes....oh, yes, this is gonna be fun!!

THIS IS GOING TO BE SO MUCH FUN!!

Hey Rita Tote Game

I am ALREADY IN PUYALLUP -- and I am SOO EXCITED about the 2012 Sewing & Stitchery Expo. This is the first year TWO OF MY SISTERS will be coming to the show...and we're going to do a little touristing of the Seattle area for a few days AFTER the show...

DURING the show -- they'll be finding their way around the show -- and looking for the HEY RITA TOTE -- JUST LIKE everybody else!!

Rhonda Pierce will be our official "Facebook Hostess" -- and if you find the Hey Rita tote hanging around -- you should pick it up and take her to the Facebook Place (over in the Showplex -- near the Ticket Booth).

In the last three years, the Hey Rita tote has attended MANY SEWING AND QUILTING SHOWS....she is the unofficial fifth member of our book/breakfast/club...

And she ALWAYS puts a smile on my face...and other people smile when they meet her, too...



She is delighted to have such an important job at this year's show. She understands there's an element of danger...but her best moments have been when she's with me -- living on the wild side. Her philosophy is that a life without risk is not a life worth living...

Surprise Breakfast Club GUESTS

You already know that Tuesday is my day for Breakfast Club...

Every Tuesday morning, at 9:00, the four of us get together to do a weekly review. Although we started out as a monthly "book club" -- there were two things wrong with that. First of all -- once a month wasn't often enough. Secondly -- selecting all those books was too much pressure...lol...

So -- instead of reading -- it's mostly our eating/talking/laughing/sewing club.

Sometimes we have guests...

Mary comes every December...

And my sister Deborah was our special guest in January.

One week later -- Linda P. was in Arizona, Linda K. was in California, so it was just going to be me and Sandy. So I invited my sister Ronda -- and as the three of us were enjoying our breakfast -- two young women walked around the corner. Remember these two??


WHAT A SHOCK!!

It was Deb's daughter, Glennda (from Tennessee) -- and her daughter-in-law, Stacy (who lives here).

WE NEVER WOULD HAVE EXPECTED them to find us in our little corner booth at the HyVee store!!

AND -- imagine my surprise when I realized Glennda was there to deliver the EIGHT JACKETS her mother had embroidered for me!! In less than two weeks...

Wow. She is amazing...and the jackets are STUNNING...

Both Deborah and Ronda will be coming to the 2012 Sew Expo -- SO LOOK FOR THESE JACKETS...

My Sew Expo wardrobe is ALL SET NOW...as a matter of fact, I think I'll have to change clothes every two hours or so...

If I had time -- I'd post close up pictures and we'd have a vote??





Stacy, Ronda (you'll see her at Sew Expo), Glennda and me at HyVee.

WHAT A NICE SURPRISE....I am getting sooo excited!!

Gayle King's New Job

If you live on Planet Earth -- you know that Gayle King is Oprah's best friend.

Oprah is ALWAYS GIVES GAYLE a job. Really...she used to do interviews for Oprah's show. Then she had her own failed talk show (produced by HARPO). Oprah made her the editor of "O" magazine. And also produced a radio talk show. Then, when Oprah started up her own television network -- Gayle, of course, got another talk show on the OWN network.

That's all fine with me. Gayle is a wonderful friend -- Oprah trusts her -- she's funny and articulate and Oprah enjoys having her around. And people should take care of their friends.



"Oprah giving a job to Gayle" seemed like a nice situation for everybody...and who are we kidding? It's been going on for most of Gayle's adult life...

So it was puzzling when Gayle quit her OWN show -- to accept the CBS offer to be one of the anchors for their REWORKED CBS morning show.

Really, Gayle??

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING???

OH MY GOD...CBS?? This can't be good...

I fear for you, babe...

Of course -- I am a devoted "TODAY" show fan. I like the pace of the show...Matt and Al...I'm missing Meredith...but then again, I got over the Katie Couric thing....

I wanted to watch Gayle. So did my friend Valerie. We were curious. The CBS morning show does terrible in the ratings....now they have Gayle King, Charlie Rose and a third nameless brunette...

After a couple of days of making it our "B" show -- Val said it best...

"When I switch from the TODAY show over to the CBS show -- it's like going from color to black and white..."

Val is soooo right...(a girl can never hear that too much!)

But -- here's the big question. When the CBS morning show is canceled -- is Oprah going to give Gayle yet another job??

I'm just sayin'....

Grammy Awards

Jennifer Hudson is amazing. And the Weight Watchers commercial -- where she is singing to her fat self -- is the best advertisement I've ever seen on television.

She was DEFINITELY the highlight of the Grammy Awards this year.

When I'm watching an awards show, I'm usually talking to Valerie during the commercials.

Of course we have opinions about EVERYTHING...and at one point during this year's Grammy Awards -- there was the inevitable long and terrible performance (in a foreign language, I'm almost certain) -- I called her and said, "E-N-C"....

Which is code for...

EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES

Speaking of clothes -- I think I'm the only person in America who loved Fergie's outfit. Really. The minute I saw her -- a big smile came over me. I was tickled down to my toes...I mean -- really...

An orange see-through-lace-tablecloth dress?

With black underwear??

After spending thousands of dollars, and considering dozens of options, Fergie spent 8 hours of primping with a team of styling experts. By the time she walked out of her hotel room, she was thinking to herself..."what can possibly go wrong?"


Oh, yeah, you've gotta love those award shows!!

Jo Jo's Photos

Whenever Memphis comes for a visit -- there WILL be a style show....

Her brother Landon took this picture of her trying on a hat -- which he thought was soo funny...
His laughing annoyed her -- and she threw the hat off -- then he took this picture, and she is saying, in a very exasperated tone, "Jo Jo"...(she has never called him Landon. So of course, now WE ALL call him Jo Jo)...

Jo Jo felt so bad -- he put on a pink Easter hat to make it up to her...

And he took about 30 pictures of this swivel chair in my living room. Which I had recently upholstered with a sweatshirt (on the back) and a sweater for the seat...

If you think THIS looks goofy --

Keep in mind -- this is what the chair looks like without the goofy outfits...

Hey -- a girl's gotta do whatever a girl's gotta do...

Project Runway Broadway Challenge

THE CHALLENGE IS TO SEW A COSTUME for a Broadway play!!

I am soooo happy....I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Broadway. Memphis was the last Broadway show I saw -- and it was incredible.

Remember Lez Miserables, Jackie? Or Phantom of the Oprah, Emily? I walked 50 blocks in the pouring rain to see RENT for the first time....and on our "Sisters trip" to New York City -- we had tickets to "Side Show" and I have worn out three CD's of that fabulous music...with Emily Skinner and Alice Ripley...

Here's the Hey Rita tote right in the middle of the garment district...



The view from our hotel room was absolutely amazing...Hey Rita is hanging out with her new best friend, the Mood tote...

So I love it every time they go shopping at Mood Fabrics...

AND in this picture, Hey Rita is flirting with Swatch -- the Mood dog!!


Yes, I love NEW YORK CITY...some of the best moments of my life were spent with girlfriends, visiting this most fabulous big city. So maybe it's the quality of my friends...Marion, Mary, Kim, Luveta, Jackie, Ann, Ryliss, Eileen, Mary, Linda, Ronda, Janet, Sandy, Carol, Evelyn, Deena, Kim, Kelcy, Deborah, Stacy, Glennda, Ally, Lexi, Marion, Kim, Deena, Mary, Deborah (yes, sometimes we do repeat visits)...

Such fond memories....

Now -- what was I saying about Project Runway and the Broadway challenge??

Let me think...focus....I remember now....Kara went home. Mondo won.

All is right with the world...

I REALLY WANT TO GET BACK TO NEW YORK CITY THIS YEAR....anybody wanna join me??

Marion -- isn't it time for us to visit New York City again? I am completely free in April.

Or May....and June is looking good, too...

CALL ME...

My Inuvik Parka

Mary Mulari sent me this wonderful story about a parka this woman bought at the GOODWILL STORE. You know how I perk up when somebody shares a "thrifting" story. And this one was also about SEWING!

The writer, Jean Cole, did some excellent research on her fabulous vintage parka and I really enjoyed the article....

Here's the link to Jean Cole's story...I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did.

http://www.hometownfocus.us/news/2012-02-03/Features/My_Inuvik_parka_tale.html

Thanks, Mary -- for playing my blogging game AND sharing Jean's most excellent thrift adventure!!

Language

Lillian is going to be three years old soon -- and her grasp of language is fascinating.

During a recent visit -- I made eggs and sausage for breakfast. After a few bites, she said, "this sausage is too spicy for me, Grandma."

Wow. That's major. Just a few weeks ago -- she would have NOT eaten something I made -- but I wouldn't have known what she didn't like about it.

Oh -- yes -- here's a completely random picture of her wearing a little A-line dress I made out of a woman's t-shirt...(two shirts, actually -- note the different sleeves)...

That afternoon, John was sitting at the table, minding his own business -- when Lilly went over to him, poked his stomach, and said, "why is your tummy so full, Grandpa?"

He smiled and said, "I'm just old and fat, honey."

I felt bad for John. Out of the mouths of babes and all that...

Later that night, Lilly was sitting in my lap. She can be a sober child at times -- and she was looking at me earnestly...for a long time...

Finally, I asked, "what?"

She said, "why do you have a mustache, Grandma?"

OKAY, OKAY, OKAY...now I know EXACTLY how Grandpa was feeling....Having children in your life can be brutal.

Gheesh...I wonder how long this annoying honesty is going to last?

*********
Fast forward....three days later -- I was trying on CLOTHES FOR SEW EXPO -- and I started whining about how fat I am.

John (trying to make me feel better) said, "You're not fat, Rita. I'M THE FAT MAN, remember?

You're just the bearded lady...."

Maquoketa Flea Market

It's late January, the house is quiet and there isn't a Christmas ornament hanging anywhere. TIME TO GET BACK TO NORMAL...

I only have a nanosecond of "normal" to enjoy -- because soon I'll be ramping up for the Puyallup Sewing & Stitchery Expo. So I want to make the most of this precious time...

With a rare Sunday to enjoy -- Bert & I spent the day in Maquoketa, Iowa. One of those small towns the world has passed over -- many downtown storefronts have been empty for years. Several times a year -- they have a big Flea Market at the fairgrounds -- and on this particular Sunday it was JUST WHAT WE NEEDED...

Bert drives -- I take the pictures...

The weather has been so mild -- there was a surprising number of outdoor vendors this time...


We see the most interesting stuff....I wish I had room for this small wicker desk...
What is this wire thing for??

I am always drawn to the kitchen booths...

Bert is always attracted to the vintage clothing. The label in this jacket was hand-sewn in...


It's a terrible picture -- but all the hand sewing was just spectacular. I hope you get the idea...
There was a HUGE crowd on this day. You really had to go slow and take your time...NEVER a problem for us...

I decided to buy this book for Ross. He is a huge Cubs fan -- and this might get him in the mood for spring training...

My BIG PURCHASE of the day is actually in this picture...and it was pretty major....

But you'll just have to wait for a later post to see what it was...

Because, like all big purchases, it meant doing A LOT OF WORK once I got it home...and the purchase may or may not work out...

Ugh...

Happy Valentine's Day..

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY.

If things are going right -- I'll spend the day with my Valentine of over 40 years and John and I will be in our respective Lazy Boys by 6:00, watching a Gunsmoke episode...

And believe me -- nothing could make me happier...

But that would be an extremely boring post on this blog...so I decided my Valentine to you would be a little taste of Kelcy's photography. My niece Kelcy is getting better all the time -- and her pictures of children are completely wonderful. I am always impressed...but I've gotta say -- this picture of her own two kiddos really turned out great...

Mason is trying sooo hard to get the lipstick on his little sister...and she could not be more delighted with his efforts...

Kelcy has been trying for several years to get this baby shot...and somebody's adorable little baby girl finally cooperated!!

Please note the yellow crochet blanket. It's that fine attention to detail that makes all the difference, y'know??

And -- hey -- it made my day when Kelcy sent me a text that said "I'm looking for some interesting blankets for my baby pictures"....

That day, I found five in my own home...and the next day -- maybe another five at various thrift stores...

OH YEAH...life is good. And that baby picture is absolutely stunning...

Of course -- Kelcy took my very favorite 2011 picture of Lillian...

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY people....take a picture of somebody you love.