What day is it?

B got a motorized scooter from Santa. Evidently those elves didn't test it out b/c it doesn't work! We tried everything, and nothing... How do you explain calling the 1-800 # and them sending some new parts via Fed Ex to a 5 yr old? And Santa has a 1-800 #?








Here is G modeling his new helmet and rain boots. His favorite gift of all ... balloons! We could have saved SO much money.










Here's Sissy Christmas Day! She loved all the paper and tissue of course.






And here is little Mallory in her new Pottery Barn chair that Browder requested on her behalf. It didn't take him 5 minutes to get it back to his room along with his and G's chairs. He is a fort-making fool.

Browder's best present was/is a Ms. Pac-Man joystick plug & play game. He and Jeff pretty much fight over it. It has 5 old school Atari type games on it (you know.... Gallaga-msp?). It's just our speed. Who needs Wii when you can play Ms. Pacman?

I've enjoyed my time off tremendously! I've rediscovered things I used to enjoy, like sitting on the couch watching The Today Show, and going to bed at 8:00!! I've done very little sewing ~ just a few things for my kids that had dust on them. I'll be doing a little this week (catching up from last week's don't-need-it-til-after-Christmas stuff). I'm about out of stabilizer and am low on some thread, so I need to stock up while I'm "off" as well. We took all of our Christmas down yesterday, then cleaned the garage and house. The kids are all going to Enterprise Tues. so Jeff & I can go on vacation - back to our house. We plan to paint Browder's room and go eat at Bonefish Grill. That's as far as we've gotten... no big NYE plans as of yet!

I changed my background from the Christmas one. Still playing around with it! I am so confused as to what day it is!? Jeff is off work all week and with Christmas and all that I can't keep up.

This turtleneck was done for a little sister ~ her big brother is playing Upward Basketball next month! How sweet and how cute! I'll have to make G a t-shirt for Browder's soccer games!

Just something I thought of about the snowman patch on the right (because I'm doing it on something now) ~ you can also just use the patch (wavy outline) with any fabric, nix the snowman and do an initial or monogram or whatever! I'm able to cut & paste like that!

Here is G at my mom's house in my dad's old Shriner hat. He is so cute when he's not getting into trouble! If we can just hold on a bit longer and get out of the 2's!!!!!!!!!!!

Random things today...

Isn't this cute wrapping paper? Hobby Lobby - huge roll which has gridlines on the underside and half price of course!! Reminds me of Minnie Mouse? I had some red & white polka dot ribbon I was tying in with the tulle (my other new fave thing) but I can't find it. Hobby Lobby has awesome wrapping paper and a lot of it you can use after Christmas! I got some black & white houndstooth paper a few years ago that is cute w/ hot pink ribbon.







I saw this tree skirt on another blog or website and thought it was the cutest thing!! I'm guessing it's some sort of canvas material with pom poms around and then painted - I'd love some of these for the kids Christmas trees! Maybe I could applique something similar since I can't paint?? Or at least the vehicle parts.

'Red Hawk' in the cheerios! Only a few more days of this crazy elf...

We're heading to Enterprise when we can all get ready, which is why I have no business being on the computer...

No, really.

I think I got 6 calls yesterday for monogramming. Of course I have this problem where I can't say no, so here I am on a Sat. afternoon monogramming. I should be wrapping presents, cooking something, packing for Enterprise, folding the clothes that have been in the dryer all week (they've gone thru the fluff cycle 8 times and I have yet to get them out). I did take the suburban through the car wash earlier and gave it a good vacuum and washed the mats. I don't recommend doing this with tights on. I'm pretty sure I flashed my fanny to a few fellow car washers. That vacuum hose is not long enough for a suburban, so I was leaning and climbing and doing all kinds of things trying to vac the carseats. Plus my hose end had been run over so it was smooshed closed. Anyway my car is clean!

We have Christmas bunko tonight and I'm so excited! I can't remember if I posted about a party we went to last week and got home at 10:40 and the boys were still awake? If I did I stuck my foot in my mouth b/c Jeff & I babysat our niece & nephew last night and when they got here at 11:00 their kids were still awake!! So from now on babysitters get free reign over bedtime b/c it ain't easy when it's not your kids!! Especially anyone trying to put G to bed. You are likely to find him an hour later in the playroom building train tracks. He's a quiet little thing!

I'm getting pretty creative with monograms and appliques (see WPL to the right). I'm doing one now with a big applique T in the middle and the 2 side letters in just thread. I love my Sew What Pro!! Merging is awesome! If you embroider and don't have it, get it at www.sandscomputing.com!! $65!!

Boys Boys Boys

Jeff loves this - Browder with a bow in his hair! He does have some pretty hair. G looks good in a bow too.

Are my children the only ones who wind up in the strangest places around the house? First their card table setup and then I find G laying down on my middle monogramming shelf (which is bear - YEAH!!!).

And here is my little shephard quoting Luke 2:7 at his Christmas program this morning! I got a tear a time or two seeing all of the little children sing about Jesus!! They were all precious! God Bless Kristen for putting all of that together!! Afterwards we had lunch at Pizza Perfect and now all of the kids are asleep (I hope). Little Mal wound up with fever by lunchtime so I'm taking her to the Dr. at 3:30. I'm sure it'll be packed with sick kids looking for the quick remedy before Christmas!!

I'm sewing until 3:15 so hopefully I can get finished before we head out of town Sunday. Enjoying a peppermint twist mocha frap too!

A little QT

I've added a Christmas message to the top of my blog. I know I posted earlier that I hoped not to work much over the next week... call or e-mail me blah blah blah! I've since decided that I REALLY need a break (and my kids need me to take a break!!). I have a few more shirts & a couple of bags to finish up tomorrow and I'm going to finish my shopping, exchanging, wrapping and all that and spend some QT with the family! We'll be traveling Sun-Mon and then you have Christmas Eve and Day, so there will be very little time for any embroidery!! Please contact me after Christmas so I can monogram all of those Christmas gifts!! HA.

We had a little Christmas gathering this afternoon and evidently the boys had one too many M&Ms. Browder was pooped and ready for bed at 7:00. Garrison, on the other hand, was put to bed at 7:00 and at 9:45 I found both lights on (his room and the playroom), poor Browder asleep with the lights on and Garrison (as quiet as a mouse) playing like it was 10:00 in the morning!! He is the craziest child!! I couldn't do anything but laugh, put on a straight face and then demand that he go to bed!!

Merry Christmas!

Still working... but things have slowed down quite a bit! Just finishing up some stuff I've had and have a few things being brought today. We're going to Enterprise Sun-Mon to do Christmas w/ my family and will be back in Mont. the rest of the week! I'm hoping to do very little "work" next week (if any) but please call or e-mail me if you need anything!! I actually have a few things I'd like to do for MY kids!! T-shirts and such that have been collecting dust for 2 months. We're also redoing B's room so I bought fabric for a valance. Not sure what I'm doing with it but will figure out something. Santa is bringing him a bed, so we're planning to paint his room and make it back in to his bedroom so he & G can be separated if they need to! They have been sharing a bed for a while, which is great, but all of the "MOMMY, G is out of the bed (or G has taken his clothes off, or G is hitting me with a book...." every night 10 times is getting old!! We need 2 beds!

Don't you love cleaning chunks out of a crib w/ a spoon?? Yes Mallory threw up this morning. There's nothing like a 7:30 wakeup call of puke all in your baby's hair. She's done OK since then so we'll see!

Upstairs?

I guess this is their version of upstairs?

Countdown to Christmas...

How many days left? We're not quite finished with our shopping and I haven't wrapped a single present. The embroidery is steady this week, but not crazy! Looks like I have about 25 things left to do. Let's just say I'm back to taking naps with the kids, less Starbucks and am feeling normal again! For a few weeks there I felt like I was a human embroidery machine from 1:30 til, well, sometimes 1:30. I was living off Starbucks and as of today, I've gone 2 days without a mocha frappacino! Tomorrow B goes to school and the little ones are going to church for a little shopper's morning out for me so I can make a stocking stuffer run to Target. Only a few more days left of school for the year so I need to cram everything in tomorrow and Wednesday! I can't think of anything to write about so I'm headed to bed. I've sampled a few new things for EB this week! I had a couple of last minute "orders" today and Jeff & I finally got our Christmas cards stuffed and ready to go out tomorrow. Better go make sure "Red Hawk" our elf relocates tonight! He has spent 2 days on top of the DVD player on a Spiderman 4-wheeler. He's having too much fun on that thing!

I found Santa!!

East Chase (or is it Eastchase? I get it and Costco/Cosco so confused - and I call myself a good speller) Anyway, we vote their Santa to be the BEST!! Today was our 3rd trip (Bass Pro twice). This time we went to Eastchase, strolled around a bit and convinced G to go sit in his lap. If you live in Mont. and haven't gone to see him, you must!! A) the girls there were SO NICE and patient, took like 7 pictures, acted silly for the kids, etc. B) He was the sweetest Santa ever!! I think he may be the real deal. As you can see, G didn't actually sit in his lap, but he wasn't screaming crying and actually gave Santa a high five. He was so sweet!! I've never seen Santa get up from his chair or try to warm up to G as much as he did. I want to go see him again!!

I had an adventurous day yesterday. School drop off, Starbucks w/ the girls, a wonderful Holiday Open House, then shopped a tad, ate lunch w/ Jeff at Moe's, got the kids picked up and sent home w/ Jeff. At about 1:20 I headed to Hobby Lobby, but never made it and instead spent the afternoon looking for something to wear to a Christmas party last night. I got home at 5:30!! You know how it goes - when you need something you can't find it! I finally found a holiday-ish top at Steinmart which was my last stop before Jeff sent the search party out to find me.

I've sampled a few new things for EB this evening - a cute Scottie dog, a sweet bunny and a tie (like the men wear) which I put on a little onesie and it is too cute!! I lack sampling a tiger face and a cross with a little lamb. Oh, and I also did a last minute "Santa Baby" embroidery design which I put on a shirt for me since I think Browder might be able to wear my Target Christmas tee from last year. Their shirts must be 200% cotton. Anyway Rachel should have lots of new designs listed soon so keep checking her site (www.embroidery-boutique.com).

My mound of work is shrinking!! I have about 6 shirts to do tonight and tomorrow, then have a small pile to work on next week. I feel like I may get a few last minute gift calls next week, but hope to be DONE on Friday and will most likely take the week of Christmas off. We'll be going to Enterprise to do C'mas w/ my fam., the kids will be out of school and I will enjoy a nice break! I THINK I'm going to take my old machine to Andalusia while I'm in Enterprise and just leave it for a week or so. They have a sewing center which is Brother certified! I've also heard the store itself is awesome, so we'll see what all they have! It is sewing fine, but sounds like a freight train.

Patch it up!!

I think I posted previously that Rachel at EB did the special rectangle patch for me so I could cover up a name on an outfit rather than pick the mongram out. It is so cute ~ I just did it on my niece's (Dharma Trading Co) genie suit (see pic on the right). I have a genie suit for Mallory too so she's getting the patch as well. The font is my new Sunny font which is very cute and whimsical! I just e-mailed Rachel that she needs to list the patch! It is perfect for names (or 'Ho Ho Ho' just came to mind too).

I'm going to complain one more time about certain stores around here and their lack of cashiers. I ran in Michaels today (in the rain) to pick up a $2 pack of picture hanging wire. ONE REGISTER OPEN!! Of course the lady 2 ahead of me has a buggy full of wreathes and all kinds of little things you stick in wreathes - everything is on sale so we're talking a 10 minute wait right there. Finally a guy comes up from the back to open another register and announces "NEXT IN LINE". You know how this goes... a lady comes out of no where and there she is checking out before me. I just don't get it (the cashier part, and the people who don't understand what 'next in line' means)!? I also ran in Linens N Things and they had 2 or 3 registers open and I checked out in 2 minutes. They are going out of business so 3/4 of the store is empty, and yet they have more people working registers than Michael's or Target!? I now know why my Mom did all of her shopping online!

Last night I stayed up until 1:15 working, so tonight I'm going to bed at 9:30. Goodnight! Another day of marathon embroidery tomorrow...

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Today Browder skipped school so we could go to a Happy Birthday Jesus party at our church! It was so much fun and the people who put it together did a spendid job!! When was the last time you used the word splendid? Anyway, it was perfect!! I have been so busy I haven't even thought about a Christmas card until last night, so today I'm literally heading to Chappy's for lunch after the party, glance in the back seat and say to myself, 'they are all dressed decent - it may be now or never', so we swing through the Shakespeare Festival/Museum, hop out and take a pic!! Shoes off, climb on the "rock wall?" and click click!
This is the winner! Try getting 3 kids to look and halfway smile!









Here is sweet Mallory waving (right before she plopped down in the dirt). They all don't necessarily match, but this is as good as it gets!










Here is B making his ornament at the party!











Totally unrelated, here is a shirt I did yesterday with 3 ornaments and it turned out CUTE!!







And last but not least, "Red Hawk", our elf, got really crazy last night and was hanging over my sewing table with thread (or as B calls it fread) everywhere!!


We did put up our tree tonight and decorated the inside of the house. We have that famous tree where the bottom is covered in ornaments because G was hangin away on every branch he could find. Can't wait for Mallory to see it in the morning.


So today was a fun day with the kids! Except for me dragging G out of a kids shoe store after lunch with a load of poop in his diaper. He tried on some alligator rain boots and then refused to leave the store. I went in to look at shoes for Browder and oh my, I don't spend 50 bucks on my own shoes, much less a 5 year old!! I finally got everyone in the car and listened to G screaming, Browder singing Christmas carols and Mallory just yelling out noises all the way to the post office in Pike Road. I had the radio going as well, so it was a lovely drive!! After that I had to get a SB and got the Holiday Peppermint Twist Mocha Frap. It was pretty good! I couldn't drink one every day (like I could a plain mocha frap) but it was tasty. I'm thinking a good stomach virus after drinking a Starbucks is my only hope for breaking my bad habit. You know how when you get sick after eating/drinking something you can't ever eat/drink that thing again? I think that's what it's going to take!


It's 10:23, still working, and still hear one of the boys up? Neither napped today and were both up before 7 this morning..... Garrison just came out and told me good morning.....

Dear Target, Do you know it is Christmas?

I'm thinking I need to call Target or send them a memo that it is CHRISTMAS, and that they need more than 3 people working the registers during the lunch hour, or ANY TIME for that matter! The past few times I've gone, which is about every 3 days, there are (aggravated) people lined up back in the jewelry with 3 registers open. I overheard one guy say today that everyone was on break. Well, make an announcement or march your fanny back there and get them OFF break! I would pay money to be able to get on the intercom just once!!

Will post more later...

Behold the patch!!

Here is a sneak peak of the new present! I also did it in non-Christmas colors to match the striped Target pants (which I may have already said in a prior post). It's 10:45 and I'm eating Spongebob candy leftover from Halloween. Which reminds me of our trip to Costco after church (to eat lunch). I bought one of their mocha freezes for $1.60 thinking I may have found a cheap replacement for my SB. Unfortunately I took one sip and it went straight into the trash. Not good! Jeff watched me as I paid, got the drink, took one sip, and never skipped a beat as I dropped it straight into the trash. Oh well!

To the left is an outfit I just "patched" up for Mallory! This is a brand new Orient Expressed outfit my wonderful friend bought for her daughter. She had it monogrammed and everything, but somehow ordered the wrong size! :( I was able to patch it with a specially designed rectangle vintage edge patch, slapped Mallory's name on there and guess what... SAVED! There are 2 lessons here: a) always double check sizes when you place those orders!! and b) on most outfits, the patch can cover a stain or someone else's monogram in a heartbeat. I used a rectangle here because it was a name. So don't be afraid of monogrammed outfits you see for really cheap at the consignment sale or online!! You can also try to pick out the monogram and some are easy to do, but there are certain fonts which are tight and impossible and you'll probably end up picking a hole in the outfit! Trust me, I've done it! p.s. The font I used is a new one - Sunny! Very cute for all of you anti-curlz moms out there ~ a little different and funky!

Just a note on all of the appliques with the bows - I am no bow expert and have no idea how they might hold up in the wash, so I've safety-pinned them on everything and hope that is OK! You are welcome to stitch it on (or ask me to in advance) if you want it permanently attached! I do put Fray Check on the ends of the ribbon so they should be safe in the wash, but not sure how they might hold their shape? You might want to change out the bow and I figure the safety pin is the best way to do that! No complaints yet... just thought I'd make a note of that!

Is it Christmas yet?

Yesterday... Machine #1 got "fixed" and I picked up machine #2 from the UPS terminal. Machine #1 is basically working, just not snipping thread or threading the needle properly. But, it's fine and will go back to the Dr. after the new year for a more thorough exam. I think I've appliqued 13 shirts & monogrammed 6 towels today. I have one more Santa I need to do, but am about to fall over. I'm not really sure how my brain cells are allowing me to blog. It's been great having the 2 machines (and maybe a little faster?). We "set up" my very crowded (dining room) table last night and today I had both going at the same time. T-shirts I have to watch more carefully and of course, snip fabric and change thread. Towels I can pretty much 'set it and forget it' so I had them going on machine #2. I still have stacks of shirts & bags & stuff to do and will work all afternoon tomorrow after church and lunch (while the kiddies are napping).

I did get the outside of the house decorated Thurs. night since I was machine-less. I got the wreathes on all of the windows/doors, deer in the yard (which were mounted last night surprise surprise). No tree yet but Jeff did put Browder's little tree up in the playroom. Hopefully we can work on the inside tomorrow afternoon too in between monograms. I'll be sure to post some pics of our Martha Stewart-like decorations!! ha

I'm sure there were some things I was supposed to report, but I cannot think of them. Oh, I did sample a very cute present for EB last night - perfect for Christmas or Birthday shirts. I actually went ahead and did one to match the striped Target pants and it turned out really cute! Keep checking her site for the present and all of the other new designs she will be listing soon!

I never did shower today. I took one last night so I guess I'm clean enough. Laura, if you read this, you are not allowed to pick up your stuff unless I'm showered and dressed with makeup on!! :)

Bad news, good news

Well, my machine has died! Not really - the tension is just way out of whack. Good news - I've already ordered a new machine and should have it tomorrow! Jeff & I decided to get another Brother like I have for the time being. However, I ended up getting the PE-750D which has a USB port that will connect my machine to my computer. It's also a Disney machine, which I know nothing about. I may not even use any of the Disney features (designs, etc.), but was told for resale, it's a better buy. Same price as the PE-700 but w/ the Disney capability - and some people LOVE Disney! My new machine will go out on the UPS truck today in Muscle Shoals, and we think that instead of waiting for the truck to come tomorrow afternoon, I can call w/ tracking info and have UPS keep it at the UPS station here in Montgomery and I can go pick it up in the morning (instead of it riding around on the truck all day tomorrow). I literally have baby gifts that HAVE to be done by Sat., so we're talking panic mode around here last night and this morning! I was prepared to drive to Opelika or Andalusia, but neither sewing center had what I wanted! I also have a call in to see if Bill can take a look at my machine (today, if possible). I do want 2 working machines!!

As far as the BMP6, we have decided to wait until after the new year, see how business is, maybe save up a little cash and go from there. I would be sick if I paid several thou for a new machine and then my phone stopped ringing after Christmas!! I think we will eventually get it, but decided it was best not to get such an expensive machine RIGHT NOW just weeks before Christmas! Plus I don't have time to learn a new machine for all of these Christmas orders I currently have!

Soooo... if all goes as planned I will have the new machine tomorrow and will be working around the clock tomorrow and over the weekend to get all of my orders OUT! I'm sorry for the delay and for any inconvenience to anyone!!

***P.S. I also got 2 new Monogram Wizard Plus alpha paks which I've added to my fonts list! One is equivalent to the FISHTAIL font and comes with some beautiful frame motifs. The other pak is 2 or 3 new very cute fonts! Check them out!!

Southern Living At Home

Here is Mallory lurking around while I'm sewing! Santa need not bring her a thing b/c she'd much rather roam the house than play with a single toy! I know you're thinking - she's got a girl so she's sticking a bow in her hair every chance she gets!! Yes, and mostly b/c her bangs are about down to her mouth! Her hair is so fine it doesn't stay in too well, but it's fun!! I've been searching for a cute hairbow holder - Etsy has some cute ones for $22. I'm thinking I can come up with something cute for less than that!?





Here is my Southern Living at Home door bucket. I can't think of the proper name for it (market something maybe?), but I LOVE THIS THING!! I change it out every season and did this lovely arrangement yesterday. I've had it for several years on our front door, which takes all afternoon sun and it has held up wonderfully! My mom did come up today to help me with the kids, and brought hers so we could arrange it for her door! I have a friend who is a SLAH rep if you are interested, please e-mail me!

This is the extent of my Holiday decorations! The reindeer for the yard made it down to the garage and that's as far as they've gotten! I need to keep a tally this year of the number of times they get mounted in the middle of the night! Try explaining that to Browder. I opened the attic last night to get our wreathes down, but never made it up there.

STILL contemplating the machine! In this recession I'm just terrified of such a big purchase!! The recession doesn't seem to be affecting monogramming, but I just can't decide what to do! If I don't get a BMP6 I will most likely get another PE-700. If I decide to go that route I will send mine off to the Brother Hospital in Andalusia to get a physical and overhaul!! I want to have 2 working machines!

On another note, this past week at the beach we had the discussion of what we would do if we could do ANYTHING, for one day? Mine was a no brainer - I'd be a backup singer (one of those who also dances) for Beyonce. Jeff thought this was hilarious? We also used some laundry detergent that had a coupon in it, that EXPIRED in 1991!!!!!!!!!!!! We got a big laugh out of that! It worked.