Winter Laundry

Spring is just around the corner. THANK GOD. Like everybody else in North America -- I've had ENOUGH OF WINTER. One of the things I miss the most is hanging my sheets out on the line to dry.

This is a poor picture of some beautiful cotton pillowcases from my collection... very yellowed...maybe they've been in a cedar chest for the last 50 years...

I always start by soaking them in plain water overnight. THEN, I add a heavy dose of Oxyclean for another overnight soak. THEN, I wash them in warm water and rinse at least two times...The last step in the process is ALWAYS to hang the sheets outside on the line and let the sun do it's job.

Oh, yes...bumping into these pictures made me remember how much I miss the smell of line dried sheets and pillowcases...

I do TRY to hang outside, even in the winter -- but it doesn't work great. When the weather is so cold, the sheets just freeze up, and I have to bring them inside to actually get dry anyway...So I have been using the clothes dryer...


BUT NOT FOR MUCH LONGER...pretty soon, John will be out there mowing the grass...and I'll be hanging up a load of sheets
SUNSHINE...and warm weather...I can barely remember...

But, for me, this is all the more reason I love living in Iowa. The long winter makes you really, really appreicate the spring blossoms...

And there is nothing more beutifu in the world than daffodils and tulips...

Restyled t-shirt for Lillian

Even though I want Lillian to love zebra stripes and leopard prints...it would be okay with me if she was a tom boy. So I have trucks and cars for her to play with, as well as the girly-girl stuff.

And I just don't think there's anything cuter than a little girl in blue jeans and a striped shirt...

BUT -- maybe the shirt could use a little ruffle...

And, hey -- shirts are always too short. So a little t-shirt black ruffle on the bottom edge should do the trick.

NOW it's perfect. I think I'll add some lace edging to the little Dinosaur pajamas I found on sale at the mall...

I think it is CRAZY that you can't find little girl dinosaur clothes...What's up with that??

February 8, 2011

This picture was taken in the upper lobby of the Blackhawk Hotel. Sandy, me, my cousin Linda and my Aunt Ada. It was a frosty winter day...February 8 -- Linda's birthday. We took a little tour of the fancy new renovation after our breakfast.
These pictures are for Linda P. -- who decided to LIVE IN ARIZONA this winter. YOU AND DON ARE BOTH BIG WEATHER WUSSES. I belong to a wonderful little book club -- which, technically, has become a weekly "breakfast club". We only have four members -- which is fine -- because it takes two hours for each of us to do our weekly download.

Since it's Linda's birthday -- her Mom took your place, Linda P...

And we had a wonderful time...even though we desperately missed you...and are GREEN with envy that you are having so much fun in the sun.

We hope you miss us, too -- and YOU CAN COME BACK ANY TIME NOW. The weather is lovely. 60 degree days. Beautiful fresh warm spring days. No more snow or pesky icy roads.

Yeah. I'm lyin'...

Stay another month...

Deborah and Robison-Anton

My pictures do NOT do it justice -- but Deborah's newest jenny Haskins embroidered quilt is absolutely stunning. During her recent visit to Iowa, I tried to get some decent pictures...

I do love this picture of Deborah -- surrounded by some of her favorite things -- THREAD! Like all good machine embroiderers -- she has hundreds of spools of thread...and this was just the little bag of RobisonAnton that was left after her vacation-embroidery-projects...
Since her visit, she took her quilt to a professional appraiser. They consider the "stitch count"...


Which I think was over 2 million. (OMG)

THEN, they took pictures, studied the quality of her work -- and came up with an appraisal of $7,650.

Can I can it gain?

OMG

I will be WEARING a lot of Deborah's embroidery "art" at the Sewing & Stitchery Expo this week. So I'll be thinking about her every day, and wishing she could come to the show.

But now that I know what her stuff is worth -- I'm really going to be more careful when I wear it. Especially when I'm eating those warm Fischer scones...with the drippy butter and fresh strawberry jam...

I will be very, very careful!!

FIRST DAY OF THE SHOW

Today is the OPENING DAY of the Sewing & Stitchery Expo in Puyallup, Washington. Here are some pictures from last year's show.

For the last 365 days, I've worked every single day, doing something, to promote the Sewing & Stitchery website. Last year, by the time the show was over, we already knew who we wanted to "get" for 2011. AND WE DID. Nancy Zieman is doing our Friday Night LIVE show -- and Ricky Tims will be on stage for Quilter's Night Out with a beautiful grand piano!!

Every day I work with Joanne Ross (Chair of the show), Ann Sagawa (Education) and Janet York (Operations) to make it the best show it can be. It REALLY DOES TAKE A VILLAGE...

This year -- we launched a new website, we accomplished online registration...and LEARNED MANY LESSONS...

As you are readiing this blog, the four of us are already at the Fairgrounds in Puyallup. We're worried about the weather (one year it snowed -- remember the earthquake?)

This job is like living the movie, "Field of Dreams"...if you build it -- they will come...




And we spend a year building this incredible 4-day consumer sewing show. PLEASE, PLEASE -- COME...!!


Look for me...I'll be wearing some kind of embroidered-show-logo jacket or shirt!!

Lillian's Play Date at Aunt Deena's

My sister Deena has four grandchildren -- Madeline is the oldest. Pictured here playing "dressup" (a girl just can't have too many tutus...)

On the day I took Lillian to Deena's house for a "playdate" -- ALL FOUR kids were there...Madeline is trying to make sure everybody is dressed up...

They were busy...there was so much to do, so many things to play with and fight about...Mason is trying to get away...having the tutu forced over his head didn't seem like much fun, I guess.


Here, Madelline thought if she could only pull it down over his arms...
Lillian LOVED IT. I think. Mostly. More or less.

Madeline in Charge

Madeline really really really wants Mason to wear this hot pink tutu...but he just issn't feeling it...
Madeline's sister, Avery, gets the credit in our family for starting the SOCK MONKEY CRAZE...and she seems to know how to get out of Madeline's way...

Lillian decided to take a break on Kelcy's lap. But she is thinking about all the fun she's missing...

Or -- maybe that look on her face says, "I've been here for days now...what have you people done WITH MY MOMMY???"