Tinkerbell, Red Glitter and Disney on Ice

Baby shoes, little girl shoes, little boy shoes -- they are one of the reasons I enjoy thrifting. Remember Lillian's little leopard shoes for her first Thanksgiving in 2009?  She was positively thrilled with them  (as I remember...)

My great-niece, Myla, has already outgrown her first pair of zebra cowboy boots. I have found wonderful little shoe treasures -- black patent leather boots for babies...embroidered Princess slippers...a light up pair of Buzz Lightyear for baby Oliver the other day...

Here are the ruby red glitter shoes Lillian wore to her very first Disney on Ice last year...

So, imagine my delight when I found a pair of white and blue Tinkerbell sandals for Lillian. She LOVES THEM and wants to wear them all the time.  But it's getting cold now -- so I told her she could wear them with socks...

In the car the other day, she was sitting behind me in her toddler seat, admiring her Tinkerbell sandals.

She said, "Grandma, how did Tinkerbell get on my shoes?"

Me: "The people in China did it.  They do our manufacturing for us."

Lilly: No, Grandma. I mean -- how does Tinkerbell stay on my shoes?

Me: They sew her on, hon.

Lilly: Grandma -- you think everybody knows how to sew. BUT EVERYBODY DOES NOT.

North Scott Banner/Dress

Remember last summer when I made a banner for my class reunion? I had a great time -- shopping for "North Scott" t-shirts to cut up to applique onto the banner...

AND then make my extra-special, signature FRINGE...

As it happens, I found this wonderful gray J. Crew dress on QUARTER day at the Goodwill. I KNEW it would come in handy one day...

It was very easy job to cut around the already-reycled-one-time North Scott designs --to use them AGAIN on this dress...

It's a soft sweatshirt fleece -- the PERFECT thing for getting out of the shower -- or just lounging around the house...

Lucky for me -- I have MANY FRIENDS and NIECES who have graduated from North Scott. So, even though it's not my size -- it will find a very good home!!

Typical Fall Auction

On a recent BEAUTIFUL Fall Saturday -- Bert and I did a little day trippin' down to Muscatine, Iowa. It's a pretty drive -- one hour south along the Mississippi River.

Once a month or so -- (Schroeder Auctioneers have a sale in a nearly abandoned Mall. On this particular Saturday -- they had a TON OF STUFF from various estates. Holy Cow. Appliances, furniture, pictures, linens, dolls, old toys, original artwork, outdoor stuff, tools, and a gazilion Christmas decorations.
  
I paid $7.50 for these two iron pans. I'll let you know how the Abbleskeever turns out...(my German Grandma called that dish Ferden)...

And EVEN THOUGH I am in love with my new Kuerig coffee maker -- I still use my Bunn very day -- and could not resist buying this one (as a back-up) for only $5.00...

Of course, "condition" is everything...which is why I did not bid on this Strawberry Shortcake lunchpail. Otherwise -- I would have bought it for Carrie. She has ALWAYS loved Strawberry Shortcake...

And WHO KNEW somebody made a plaster cast of a little girl with blonde pigtails reading a book who looks just like our 3-year old Lillian. EVEN SHE thinks it's her...it was in a whole big box-o-treasure -- for $2.50.

Because I already have WAY TOO MUCH SILVERWARE at my house -- I was determined NOT to bring home yet another lovely set of silverplate. However -- since they had so many sets at this auction -- most of them went for under $10 -- and IT WAS REALLY HARD FOR ME...

In this last picture -- you can see Bert, checking out her Steif Cinnamon Bear -- and MY CHRISTMAS treasure is also on that table...

Yes, people -- you are about to experience a stroke of Ritaluck...

Three Leopard Outfits

I keep telling Emily what a beautiful young pregnant woman she is...AND, of course, I am always delighted when she plays my sewing games.  Even though I am aware that brown velvet with a leopard print is a real challenge to Emily's taste level...lol...she was a VERY good sport about it.

During the initial "fitting" -- I discovered the pants were too big in the leg...easy fix...

This is Lilly and me on Thanksgiving morning. My best picture of her little velvet jacket...it was SO ADORABLE...and she felt sooo completely dressed up. Because she spent the night, we'd been cooking all morning...and at this point, we were just waiting for her parents to arrive so we could EAT TURKEY...

THANK GOD I did insist on THIS ONE PICTURE of the three of us before dinner. You can see the turkey on the table...we were moments away from sitting down to eat. Lillian had set the table --choosing the tablecloth and napkins all by herself.  Aunt Rozella's silver is in place...and we're about to get gravy GREASE all over our leopard frocks...

Oh, yeah -- like most really good moments in life -- it was just a nanosecond.

The marriage of VELVET and Leopard...

Sewing IS art. For me -- it's always been the thing that lights me up AND the thing that relaxes me. It's all about being creative. Making something with my own two hands. And isn't that what art is about?
What I love most about sewing is that it's such a unique hobby...it's different things to different people. Some of my sewing sisters love to quilt, others enjoy designing their own patterns or making intricate tailored garments...
For me -- at Thanksgiving -- it becomes all about the recycled LEOPARD.  and VELVET. I've been teaching Lillian about how special velvet fabric is...her little outfit started out with a brown velvet bodice and layers of beige that swirled around when she spins...

Then -- AS RITALUCK would have it -- for Emily, I found a brown velvet one-piece jumpsuit at the local Goodwill store. ON QUARTER DAY. Unbelievable to me that nobody beat me to this bargain...it's tht wonderful, soft, stretchy, washable velvet...

Since Emily is 8 months pregnant, a jumpsuit is out of the question...but I knew all I had to do was CUT IT APART...

PERFECTION. I simply added a casing in the top of the pants -- and they became the PERFECT maternity pants...

The REAL FUN was cutting apart a leopard blouse to create the maternity part for the brown velvet bodice...Emily liked it layered over black silk....and it was her idea to gather the side seams up a bit so the black silk would show...STUNNING...

JUST WAIT until you see what I did with Lilly's dress. YES, I KNOW -- LIFE DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS...

Happy Thanksgiving

The reality is that most of my regular readers will be too busy today to read this blog. I get that. They're actually going to read this post DAYS after recovering from their Tri-to-phan-turkey coma...

If you're in the middle of a hectic day and just came here from sheer habit for a little break -- HAPPY THANKSGIVING. Take a deep breath. It's easy to get caught up in wanting everything to be perfect. Your goal is to have the most beautiful table, the moist turkey, the perfect gravy, the delicious pies...it's always more work than it should be. But none of that matters at the end of the day...

It's about the people, people...

Appreciate your people. For who they are. For what they bring. Say some encouraging words...You never know if or when you might be saying the words they remember 40 years from now...Let them know you are proud. If not proud -- at least hopeful. Kiss all the kids on the head. Tell them they are kind and smart and important...

While every single thing you do today may not be appreciated -- Thanksgiving is one of those days that often remembers better than it lives...

But, hey -- if you're reading this blog because your Thanksgiving sucks and you don't have anything better to do -- BUCK UP. You're not alone. Sometimes our people disappoint us. That's life. Remember -- the very BEST thing about Thanksgiving is that it is JUST ONE DAY. That's all it is. Read a book, take a nap, walk on the treadmill -- SEW A T-SHIRT DRESS. Make yourself a whole pan of fudge. Find the recipe on Pinterest. If you are reading this blog -- you have some comptuter skills. Start on my Pinterest boards -- I know the fudge is there...

And don't forget Cable Television!! Holy Cow -- get out the Kleenex and watch the sappy Christmas movies on the Hallmark channel.  HGTV has a marathon of the Property Brothers. I LOVE THEM. My personal favorite mini-series of the year -- the Hatfields and McCoys -- is the HISTORY channel marathon. PERFECT. It's about two families fueding -- and a lot of people kill each other. Ít could make you feel better about your own people...  The message from the History channel is that YOU ARE NOT ALONE.  EVERY FAMILY HAS ISSUES.

Thanks for reading my blog today. If you got run over by a turkey -- remember -- Thanksgiving is JUST ONE DAY...

Pinterest Picks

Yes, I'm spending WAY TOO MUCH time on Pinterest. But the best part for me is when I get one of those DUH!!! moments. Like -- why didn't I ever think about doing this?

BRILLIANT....Use a celery stick for a fishing pole -- peanut butter -- and pick up a little Goldfish. What a fun way to snack...

AND who doesn't have one of those big, clunky entertainment centers sitting in the basement?? WHAT a great re-purpose!!

AND HOW MUCH FUN IS THIS?? Dip a plastic spoon in melted chocolate -- enough to set a marshmallow. After it's cooled -- dip the whole thing in choclate AGAIN. Then, decorate with sprinkles. YIKES. CRAZY GOOD IDEA...

And THIS is my newest board cover on my "Style" Board. I am in love. It's a Donnybrook fake fur FACES coat from the 1980's. And why did I make it my board cover??

Could there be a STORY BEHIND THIS COAT??? Stay tuned...
Hey -- Happy Thanksgiving. If you are wishing you were somewhere else right this minute -- TAKE A TRIP ON PINTEREST. Oh My God. SUCH entertainment!! Start creating your own boards. Whatever your favorite things are. Make a bucket list. Places you want to go -- things you want to do -- people you want to meet.

Really...Pinterest is way more fun than any Calgon bath ever thought about being...

Good News/Bad News

The BAD news is that Hostess Bakery -- the home of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and WONDER bread -- has gone belly up. Kaput. Done. Closed their doors. Turned off their ovens. There are so many troubling aspects to this disturbing turn of events...

For one thing -- THEIR PRODUCT IS SO POPULAR. We eat them by the millions -- we crave them, we love them!! Hey -- if we were having a bad day -- TWINKIES WAS THERE FOR US...
 How could one of the most popular, recognized brands in America disappear from our lives??  WE DESERVE BETTER.  What went wrong?

So many things....the company was owned by a hedge fund.  That's never good.  Beat-down union workers are hard pressed to agree to yet another pay cut...and who can blame them.  American companies are forced to use artifically-inflated high-priced sugar -- thanks to our crazy sugar tarriffs that only protect a few rich families in the south...

The MINUTE we heard they would soon be unavailable - we mobbed the stores. Grocery aisles were emptied of their Wonder Bread products overight. People were stocking up on Twinkies so they could freeze them -- or maybe sell them on the black market -- I wonder if they'll be worth thousands on Ebay soon...

Yes, it's a black day for America. Such a sad passing. How are we supposed to deal with this loss...??

Then I saw the good news. THE McRib IS BACK...

Thank you, McDonald's. Yes, Virginia -- there is a Santa Claus...

ZEN Saturday

My idea of a perfect ZEN Saturday is to kick around at a country auction with my friend Bert...

It's relaxing -- we sometimes find treasure -- or at least fill our cars with junk...

Thanks, Linda -- for sending Zen Teachings to me.  You ARE the Zen Master.  The Iowa Budda...our own personal Dahli Lama...

You always make me think.  Or laugh out loud.  Both worthwhile, good things...

ZEN Teachings

1. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me for the path is narrow. In fact, just leave me alone. 2. Sex is like air. It's not important unless you aren't getting any.

3. No one is listening until you fart.

4. Always remember you're unique. Just like everyone else.

5. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.

6. If you think nobody cares whether you're alive or dead, try missing a couple of mortgage payments.

7. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

8. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

9. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.

10. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably well worth it.

11. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.

12. Some days you are the bug; some days you are the wind shield.

13. Don't worry; it only seems kinky the first time.

14. Good judgment comes from bad experience and most of that comes from bad judgment. 15. A closed mouth gathers no foot.

16. There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.

17. Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving.

18. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

19. We are born naked, wet and hungry, and get slapped on our ass. then things just get worse.

20. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night......

Another one of life's little treasures...

This week's BEST video

I am tryig to get my Blogging Mo Jo back...and I was inspired at the Original Sewing & Quilt Expo show. It is always such a pleasure to spend the whole day with really CREATIVE women. I LOVED IT...HEY -- if you're in the area of Chicagoland -- you can still GO TO THE SHOW...it goes on today AND Saturday...Visit their website for more information. Until I get my pictures downloaded -- I wanted to provide you with a chuckle. THANKS to Linda Boothman -- who shared this on Facebook. And Martha Pullen put it on her page with the comment that she couldn't stop laughing. Hey -- I've SEEN Martha dance -- this little guy is probably her grandson...

Tinley Park Original Sewing & Quilt Expo

I AM SO EXCITED...today I get to attend the Original Sewing & Quilt Expo in Tinley Park, Illinois. If you're going to be there -- call me and we'll do lunch.  No -- wait -- I'm going to have lunch with my friend Rhonda Pierce...

Last Fall, Mary and I Ya'd Ya'd our way around the country, teaching at the Original Sewing and Quilt Expo's....

We had a GREAT time in Minneapolis...

One of the BIG hits of the show was our spin on the Irish Reading Shawl...which is such a great gift -- and so cozy to wear if you're reading in bed...

I love, love, love the flat sham I made out of Ross's high school t-shirts. One of these days, I might actually let him put it on his bed...

This purple wrap was made out of a prom dress....our wraps were such a hit -- we decided to put together an ENTIRE SHOW -- called All Wrapped Up...NO KIDDING...

SO -- WHEN AND WHERE, EH?? To Be Announced, people....but it will be ONE DAY SOON....at a wonderful sewing show NEAR YOU....I hope...

Thanksgiving Leopard

It's just a week away...THANKSGIVING 2012. Wow. Time flies when you're having fun, eh?

For Lillian's First Thanksgiving -- 2009 -- she wore a little leopard outfit I had for her...


I didn't know at the time that I was establishing A TRADITION...

I just think babies look adorable in animal prints...

But, clearly -- THE 2009 LEOPARD PRINT WAS JUST THE BEGINNING...In 2010 -- I modified a plain pair of brown pants...added a leopard print on the bottom...

Her first year walking...

Last year -- her leopard was so sophisticated!!  At 2 1/2, she did an amazing Taylor Swift imitation...

Oh, yeah, I am loving the Thanksgiving leopard tradition.

And this year -- THERE WILL BE A LITTLE SEWING TWIST...stay tuned...

Grandpa Schroder

Thanks for your comments and emails about the Honor Flight film. We really should have built that WW II memorial sooner than we did. But the truth is -- those WW II vets were just not a demanding bunch.
Maybe that's why we consider them the "greatest generation". Because they were so quiet and unassuming. They did not serve for thanks. Or for money. They left this country as innocent young boys -- sent off to a bloody war in a foreign land that seemed to have no reason and no end. Then -- when they came home -- they put their duffle bag in the attic or basement -- picked up their life where they left off -- and never spoke of their time in the war.
My Dad was a navigator on a B-26 and I never had a single conversation with him about what he did during World War II.
So I never got a chance to say this...Thank-you for your service, Dad...
If you still have your father -- and he is a veteran -- ask him about his service. And thank him for me...
To read about the flight of one local veteran -- Norm Schroder -- I am sending you over to his granddaughter's blog. My niece, Kelcy, is a wonderful photographer...and the picture she took of her grandpa as he got off the Honor Flight is one of those Kodak moments For sure. Good job, all...
Yes. I am proud to be an American...

Veteran's Day

Today is Veteran's Day. That means different things for different people. No matter who you are, or what your family's connection is with the U.S. Military -- this is the day we honor them. I think one of the best ways we're doing that right now is with the Honor Flights. They happen all over the country -- this little video explains it better than my words ever could...
Tomorrow I'm going to share the picture Kelcy took of her Grandpa, returning from his Honor Flight...

THANKS for the emails!!

Wow...I am so sorry I missed FIVE DAYS of blogging!! Thanks for your concern and emails...but please don't worry. I AM FINE...just a little under the weather. I'm sure it will pass...and my life will be BLOGGABLE again...soon...

The REST of the story...

Sorry for the big blogging break. Some days, I'm so busy living my life I don't have time to blog about it...and, as you can imagine, that's NOT really a good thing...

But I appreciate your concern -- I am glad you missed me -- and thanks for the emails!!  I will try to do better...

I did leave you hanging at the auction -- and the Louis Vuitton duffle bag...and my Twilight Zone moment...here it is...

When I saw that bag on that table full of junk -- I immediately thought about Stacy Louck. She is married to my nephew Mitchell, and she LOVES, LOVES, LOVES designer bags. When we went to New York City, she was ALL ABOUT the designer bags.
 
In their new house, Mitchell had to build a special shelf in the closet for Stacy's designer bags.

So, when I saw the bag, I said to Bert, "I wish Stacy was here -- she would know if it was real."...and we went about our auction business...

About an hour later, somebody came up behind me and said, "Hi Aunt Rita"".... AND IT WAS STACY...I could almost hear the Twilight musi...Do-do-do-do..
.
Because -- here's the thing -- I have NEVER seen Stacy at an auction in DeWitt. So it was a scary moment...I was completely stunned...

They said it was a rainy Saturday, and they were just kicking around town when Mitchell said he thought there was an auction in DeWitt. So they just came on a whim...HOLY COW...I was so excited!! I took them over to the other building, where the Louis Vuitton duffle was hiding under the rubble...

I tried to look it up on my smart phone...but we really didn't know how to tell if it was real or fake. Mitchell decided to bid anyway...and his last bid was $80. Another woman bid $90 -- and Mitchell just couldn't pull the trigger on $100 for a possible fake bag...so he let it go.

The good news is that in all the excitement about the Vuitton duffle -- nobody noticed the other two LARGE rolling duffles buried on that table. One navy blue and another black -- greatt for painting!! Everything is perfect on them -- clean, with sturdy zippers...bags like this usually sell for $50-100 each. And, of course, I bought TWO OF THEM FOR $2.50. YES, PEOPLE -- LIFE IS GOOD...

The BAD news is that I was so busy in the bag building -- I missed the SELLING OF THE SEWING MACHINES.  Darn.  The Bernina 1080 went for $225 -- and the other three (two basic Brother sewing machines, and a Singer) -- went for CHEAP.  $25 each!!...ugh...maybe I was SAVED.  I'm pretty sure I would've bought all four of them...lol...

AND -- talk about treasure!! Isn't this the sweetest little love seat you ever saw?? It would be SO PERFECT in Lilly's little room. ( Which I change every-other-month-or-so.) She and I could sit on the pink love seat and read her books...

But when it comes to furniture -- I have to be a little bit selective -- because I just DO NOT HAVE THE ROOM. But it was heartbreaking for me when this unique piece sold for only $7.50. TRAGIC I AM TELLING YOU...ABSOLUTELY TRAGIC...

That's the thing about an auction. You NEVER know what you're going to find...and the key to happiness is just being open-minded.

Earlier in the summer -- we went to a sale that had a big table loaded with jewelry in glass cases. Nobody seemed to know if any of it was real. But this ring really caught my eye. HOLY COW. The stones are huge...and the setting is very unique. I decided to bid on it...and waited for hours....at the end of the day, most of the bidders had gone home...and I bought it for $2.50.

See what I mean?? HOW MUCH FUN IS THAT?? And, for only $2.50, I get to wear it and wonder...is it or isn't it??