Tolentreasures

We are heading into one of the busiest times of the year. My house and business are a mass of lists, deadlines, appointments... It's enough to make your head swim.   You say, "Who has time to take on anything else?"   And I agree that it sounds overwhelming, however, so many of you that read this sew, knit, crochet, paint, craft, encourage, uplift, you name it. We all have a gift! Share it this season!   Below, I am going to list all my favorite service projects from years past.   What will I do this year? Right now, I have no idea, but I do know that there are a lot of crafting supplies calling my name!   This is the most popular post on my blog, close to 12,000 hits!  Shocked?  I was and am as it continues to grow. Thrilled? Yes! That means that there are all the more people receiving these much needed bags!   http://tolentreasures.blogspot.com/2010/04/w...

Channeling my inner fashionista this month, now I am ready to announce the showing of the   Spring Princess Collection.  Gracelyn would have been our model, but she would not take off the "Belle" dress. So you will have to view the showroom models.  Appearing first is our Spanish matador inspired ensemble. One day in church, a woman handed me a bag of material scraps from dresses that someone had made.  Not one to throw anything away, as most of you know, I hung on to those for a year or so and here they are transformed into our first item in our spring collection.   Our second fashion statement is made from material left over from the window sill cloths at the church and again, fabric that was donated to me. Gold lame' lined with Chantilly lace circle skirt and reversible evening cape our Princess should feel just like Princess Grace Kelly in this 50's inspired grouping.  Continuing in our evening wear is this lovely black and teal sc...

I was laying in the hospital after having my hysterectomy. What a difference a year makes. We worked in the yard all last evening and it was so nice to be out there working and cleaning up. I think that I lost the entire summer last year. My yard never did shape up to it's usual form. Hopefully this year will be better. I finished Kendall's dress yesterday morning. The fabric in these dresses is from material that their mothers had dresses made out of when they were little. I found it in the Big Winter Fabric Clean Up, which by the way is still happening in my sewing room. And isn't this the greatest way to do yard work? Well at least for John is was. I was running the rakes and shovels and I am the one with the blister. I have been wanting these shrubs out for a long time. They were just overgrown and ugly and I thought it was time for a change. While the backhoe was still here, I thought it was the perfect time to get rid of them. Now what to put in there? ...

I was upstairs in my sewing room happily still making messes on my SECOND Saturday in a row with NOTHING planned. Well, I did have that short little jaunt to the church to change the flowers to something a little more "springy" and that quick stop for milk and those cheddar sour cream chips that jumped off the shelf at me. (It has been so long since I had those and they are my favorite) But, back to where it started. John comes to the landing, sans shirt and does that half whistle thing that scares the crap out of me just as the sewing machine comes to a halt. "Do you have a minute to come down here?" he questions. Of course I immediately mentally scanned the house, Did I leave the coffee pot on? the front door open? ice cream melting on the counter, water running in the sink? Nothing. I walk downstairs to see him sitting at the computer with the bank statement in front of him and a guilty look on his face. YESSS ! It is not my fault!!! He picked up the...

Both of my grandsons were at work with their mother and I. Both of them were wound up, kicking balls, throwing balls, running, laughing. We hated to stop their fun, but well, it was getting a little out of hand. We gathered all the balls, we encouraged them to play something else. That actually went better than you would think. Later in the day, Tyler spots a golf ball on my desk. In a perfect, organized world, you would not have a random golf ball on your desk, but that is obviously not my world. Tyler asks for the golf ball. The conversation goes like this. Tyler: Gramma Cathy, can I pullease have that golf ball? (notice how when pleading, please becomes two syllables.) Me: Promise me that you will not throw the golf ball. Tyler: I promise that I will not throw the golf ball. Me: Promise me that you will not kick the golf ball. Tyler: I promise that I will not kick the golf ball. Me: If I see you kicking or throwing the golf ball, I can take it off of you. Tyler: If you...

who needs toys? These two entertained themselves with cardboard tubes, and cardboard boxes. They also managed to pull all the shirts out of the cabinets and jump in them like leaves, but we won't go there, that might not make them appear quite like the little angels that I would like you to believe they are. Another new project. Because of all the time spent in hospitals lately and because my MIL now has a walker, I realized the need for these. There were tons of patterns on the internet for them, apparently many other people have always known there was a need for them. What a great way to use up some of the heavier fabric that I have accumulated. These are walker bags. I hope to make some "manly" ones also. Another fun project, using up fabric and going to a good cause. And last night, we had our get together at the church to make dresses. It went well and I think everyone had a good time. We are planning to do it again. It was fun to see all the designs tha...

First of all, I would like to thank Jenny for the goodies that I received in the mail. How fun to have "new" goodies to sew with. I love matching the fabrics and notions for these little dresses. Not only did this box hold all kinds of possibilities, but many of the fabrics went with ones that I already had also. Thank-you, Thank-you! Thank-you Jenny!!! Jenny's Blog is Jenny Matlock . I have not figured out how to make that a link, but her blog is listed on my sidebar, please check her out, she writes on the greatest topics. Always interesting! Speaking of my computer illiteracy, if anyone can tell me how to make this a nice little link on the side as a tutorial, please email me, I would be very grateful! First step is to pick out a main color and the "decorations" to go with it. The main part of the dress should end of being at least 20 inches long, but can be much longer if you have enough fabric. I used a pillowcase as a guide and did not make any of them ...