Dusting It Off, Picking It up, Starting All Over Again!

Remember when I used to post here?

I wrote about food, family, friends and stitching stuff?

I'm back.

But I am going to throw in politics now. 

I hear ya groaning. It's not for everyone. But...

I was raised in the legendary, smoke filled, back rooms of the Democratic Party. 
My first words were "Bote Kennky!" which I repeated on cue as my Daddy took me around our staunchly Republican county in northwestern North Carolina while he campaigned for local, state and national candidates. I was less than a year old when I joined President Kennedy's campaign!

This evening as childhood friend of mine asked if I could give her a statement and share some pictures from yesterday's Women's March. She lives in our hometown and writes for the local paper. I marched in Raleigh, NC where I live now.

Here's what I wrote for her:

There are so many reasons to participate in events like the Women's March NC. I marched to honor my wonderful Grandmothers, Holbrook and Porter, who taught me to always be truthful and guided me to think for myself and be strong in my beliefs. I also marched to protest for rights of those who are and will be marginalized by our state and national governments' policies — women, LGBTQ, minorities, immigrants and the disabled. I am terrified by most of President Trump’s choices for his cabinet. They hold strong beliefs against people I hold dear. I have marched before, attended a few of the Moral Monday rallies and will continue to do so. Nothing is ever solved by marching but much can be learned from one's fellow marchers and from the folk who address the gathering. It is exhilarating and comforting to be immersed in a group that wants to affect the world through their words and works.

(Not me - just some nice ladies we met along the way.)

I have always been quick to say what is on my mind. I have always stood up for myself and others.

But I have also kept quiet out of a sense of decorum,
out of fear,
out of ignorance.

No more.

I will NOT sit still and let others suffer.

I will speak out.
I will act out.

I will still post stuff about food, family, friends and stitching stuff.

Fabulous Friday! Computers suck.

I have been writing, saving and thinking up new blog entries.

My computer hates me though. 

It's long overdue for a tune - up.

Fingers crossed that my daughter's super smart boyfriend can attend to this on Sunday.

I'm having trouble loading pictures amongst other aggravating factors.

Tomorrow I am headed to Greensboro where I will scoop up my pal, Becky. 

We're headed to the Queen City - Charlotte, NC.

I've dubbed it the "Becky's Take IKEA Trip."

No boys allowed. 

We plan to shop IKEA and hit a few Thrift Shops in the surrounding area.

 Becky and I always find the best stuff. 

I know you are all jealous of our couture style.

We plan to shop and shop and talk and shop and shop. 

Might eat some foods too.     

Have a super weekend folks!

And if you see us headed your way - 

LOOK OUT!

We are women on a mission!

 See our game faces?

It's on!

  

 

What Have You Been Doing?

I have days that I feel as if I have been so busy but that produce little in the way of "getting things done."
How about you?

I often find myself doing what I want to do rather than what I "need" to be doing.

Lately I have been re-inspired to embroider and cross-stitch.

It is so much more fun than doing the laundry or dusting.

 

I made this one up.

It's a fire in honor of our first ever Fire-Pit party back in December.

I'll show you when it's finished.

 

This is a Kristy Kizzee design. I won

Zombie Cross-Stitch kit by Erika Kern and Kristy Kizzee!

I'm stitching it with waste canvas on black fabric that will soon (hopefully) be a shirt for BillHubby.

I'm taking poetic license with the colors. I just started stitching again and didn't have all the absolute exact DMC flosses. And there's no way BillHubby is goin around 

with a blonde on his shirt!

Kristy's etsy shop - Bombastitch

The Fabulous mr x stitch's review of the kit I won!

The last couple of weeks have been stressful so I escaped into an old habit.

Backtracking a wee bit - in First Grade I determined that my crayons at school and those of my best friend should be arranged thusly - yellow, orange, blue, purple, red, green, brown and black.

I do not know why. 

I still arrange things in this order.

Since 1964!

Anyway, my doodles are most often a design surrounded by progressively bigger outlines of said doodle. If I use crayons or colored pencils or markers I always start with yellow and so on. (Oh please, someone analyze this for me!)

So this flower was born.

When I finished it the other day I felt so happy and cleansed of all 

that had been plaguing my brain.

I leave you with, as Jon Stewart says, 

"your moment of zen." 

Is there anything more peaceful than tired kittehs curled up for a nap?

Kitteh Kitteh Lovey and Stanley

P.S. Coming soon! Blogiversary and new etsy shop items!

P.P.S. Please go check out Jodi's Blog and her fab Giveaway!!!

New Stuff, Old Stuff - Cyber-Monday Link-up

New Stuff in my etsy shop.

"Old" stuff in my eBay store.

Who ventured out on Black Friday?

Not me. 

No way. No how.

I have seriously stayed at home on that day of madness ever since I left retail sales some 15 years ago.

Hats off to those of you brave enough to wait in line and shuffle through all the stuff and people.

What did you get?

I am trying to get ready for Cyber-Monday.

There are a few new items in my etsy shop, Sew In Stitches, with more to come as I finish sewing and picture taking. 

I sure wish the pictures were as easy as the sewing.

 I made these bibs for our granddaughter and a friend's grandson.

You can order one (or more) for your special baby by choosing your fabric, font and thread color.  Then I create a custom listing!  

These are the fabrics available.

 

For the first time in ages I have some vintage items listed in my eBay store under my eBay name, singers_mom.
I am donating 15% of all proceeds to the 
Family Violence & Rape Crisis Services of Chatham County, NC.

I opened my eBay account long before the notion of Sew In Stitches was born. Has anyone else ever changed their eBay ID and store name?  I am seriously considering it in order to unify everything under the Sew In Stitches name. Opinions?

What are you doing for Cyber-Monday?

Are you setting up shop?

Adding to yours?

The more folks that see our stuff, the more stuff we sell!

Please link your shop, store, items for sale or blog here.

Giveaways around BloggieLand and a Winner!!

 While it's 100+ according to the Heat Index I have been busy staying inside and sewing!

I really do not like hot weather.

Here's one cutie little apron I made.  Reversible and child size with a fabric rose hair clip.

I love the precious Japanese fabric with those bunnies!!

  

 

Sunday I tried to play "catch up" on my bloggie reading.  Wow.  I was way behind.  And I still didn't finish but some Sunday afternoons just beg me to take a nap ;)

As I perused the vacations pics, the fun projects and all the latest bloggie news I found a few GiveAways that I thought you might want to enter.  Then again, if you don't enter my chances are better. heehee

First up - Angie of Mama Lusco Handmade is home from vacation with pictures!! 

Beware - some are of a hot country singer! 

She is giving away this adorable headband.

It's reversible too!

Next, I visited Elizabeth at Thoughts from an Evil Overlord.  Don't be skeert!  She really isn't evil.  As a matter of fact she's really sweet and loves to read.  She reviews books and often has an extra to give away. This time it's The Island by Elin Hilderbrand.

Finally, our friends over at Craft Gossip are having an amazing giveaway!

They are offering 3 Etsy shopping sprees 

(each to a maximum value of $100). 

They will also pay for shipping.

I am entering so here's my "Wish List!"

 

From Lisa and her adorable the hemline shop I am in love with this Lady in Red Bag! 

  Not very glamorous but I could use of the these cone thread holders from zipperstop.

 vintagegoodness has this fab Hawaiian cat that I neeeeeeeed. 

 

This sah-weet camera is in Found Eclectic's shop.

This oh so orange charm pack could be mine from Pleasant Home.

 

Local designer Sachi Ivy made these beauties!!

thlvintage has these bindings that I really, really need!

So there ya have it!  My wish list is done. 

Go look around at the fabulous etsy shops and make your own.

Maybe we can both win!!!

Oh yeah, my GiveAway!  I went back to the first method I used here in Bloggie land - our trusty drink shaker maker.

 

All the names went in and

Mindy is our winner!!!!!!!!

Thanks for stopping by! 

Hope you have a fab week!

Boston Terrier Love and a Giveaway!!

 

Most of you know, we are owned by Petey the Boston Terrier.

He has owned me for nearly 13 years.  As you can imagine I have collected many a Boston Terrier knick knack valuable junque item.

Recently, CSN Stores contacted me.  This outfit has 200+ stores!!!!  They sell barstools and all sorts of Furniture, Home Decor, Housewares, Outdoor Stuff (grills to games to furniture,) Baby and Kid stuff,  Shoes, Bags and Luggage, Health and Fitness things, Pet supplies and goodies and Office and School supplies!  Seriously, I still haven't looked at every store.  There is soooooo much stuff!

The nice folks at CSN like my blog. They gave me a couple of exciting and fun options. I could have an item to review or I could have a giveaway.  Welllll, I had never shopped with CSN before. I knew little about them.  I proposed a compromise so that I could honestly evaluate their services and give you, my sweet readers, a prize too.  Could I would review a product and have a Give Away? 

Why yes, you may!

Let me tell ya, I spent hours looking at the fabulous products they carry in their stores.  All of it was great looking and reasonably priced too.  I decided to treat myself to this little guy!

He's a Boston Terrier puppy and he's Purple!!  

How could I pass him up?

I placed my order and swift as a European Swallow (or was it an African Swallow? Laden or unladen? But I digress.)  This sweet pillow was delivered fast!  Safely packed and on my doorstep in a matter of days.

I took him around to meet my other precious stuffed animals and dollies.

 

Here he is with Jordan's Bear. Bear was Jordan's constant companion for many a year since 25 years ago.  Bear is hoping to be passed to a Grand son but for now he is chillin with the precious Build-a-Bear that Kat gave me.  They both think this "Petey" pillow is cute and that his color is a perfect blend for the bedroom.

Petey The Pillow (as I have named him) decided that sitting with the ladies is where he wants to be.  There are many more adorable, petite pillows in this collection.  You could create a whole menagerie!

And if all my ramblings aren't enough fun this gets funner!  

(Yeah, I said "funner.")

I have a $40 "Shopping Spree" to award to one of you, my wonderful readers.  You can use it in any of CSN's 200+ stores online.  (They also accept all the major credit cards and PayPal plus a couple of "Bill Me later options" if you want to spend a little more.)

How may you win you ask?

Leave a comment on this blog.

Easy huh?

Extra entries - Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry. Thank you.

• #1 Go to CSN Stores for a look around. 

Come back here and tell me what you would use your $40 to purchase.

• #2 Follow my Blog or remind me that you already follow me.

• #3 Tell a friend about this giveaway.  Ask them to comment that you sent them here.  You'll get an extra entry.  And if they become a follower of my blog - you get another entry.

• #4 Grab my button for your blog.

You have until my Blogiversary, Saturday, March 13th, Midnight Eastern Standard Time to enter.  I will draw a name on Sunday, March 14th and announce the winner!

Stay tuned because I have all kinds of Give Aways planned for my One Year Blogiversay!

Now I think I'll join Petey the Boston Terrier in his favorite activity.

Where Have I been?

I can not believe I haven't blogged since way before Hallowe'en!   Yet, I can believe it.

I have been lurking around the interwebs, reading your blogs, commenting and doing all sorts of "stuff."

Quick recap of the last month (with a little sad stuff -sorry.)

Bill and I went to the Annual Cul-De-Sac Hallowe'en Party in the neighborhood where I raised the kids.  

We were Zombies complete with ragged cloths.  Sometimes sacrifices must be made in the name of Hallowe'en costumes ;)  Remind me to tell you about our Zombie obsession sometime.

The Party is always fun.  We gather for a pot-luck set up in the cul-de-sac.  We put a table up with bowls and bowls of our combined candies.  We eat, watch the parade of kids and parents and just have fun! 

I contributed a Brain Cake this year that was featured on this blog by Rosie after I asked her about making fondant.

[Sad stuff warning] My Mom's best friend, "Butch" died on Hallowe'en so I was off to the foothills for her visitation and funeral.  Butch and Mom had been best pals since they met in 1956. Her daughter Jackie, my brother and I were always thick as thieves.

While it was sad, it was wonderful to re-connect with Jackie, her husband and daughter and all the cousins.  There were people that I hadn't seen in 20 or 30 years.  That part was great.  Now we are facebook friends so keeping in touch will be easier.  Jackie's daughter is expecting me to spill the beans on some of the nonsense we got in to as kids ;)

I have been babysitting the most adorable 2 year old a couple of days a week.  Her mom is an excellent book keeper and needs a few days out of her home office to visit clients.  More on Sophia (with pics) another day.

My son and Grandson dropped by for a couple of days too.  I love having 4 year old Harrison Ford here.

Ain't he a cutie?

He even smiles on cue!  (Sorry bad pic cause Grandma was laughin')

In my grief stage I have turned to hand stitching.  There is something very comforting about the rhythm and quiet of sewing by hand.   Got a couple of little coaster sets done for my etsy shop.

Also "built" a light box so I could take better pics.  Bill sort of snickered at it but I didn't see him - the professional photographer/videographer - "build" me one!  hmmph!

I fell very behind in my "have to do" sewing.  Lucky for me I have very patient customers.  They are friends too and I am trying to catch up.

The Annie and Apron swaps put together by the wonderful Marcel of Aunt Pitty Pat's were fun.  (Again, I was the slowest/latest one in exchanging stuff!) 


Here's the Annie I sent to Australia!

 Before or really "in the middle."

 
Here's the Annie that came from Australia! (Along with many other goodies!) Isn't she darling!?!

[Sad stuff again]  Bill's job quest has been trying his patience.  Being laid off after 15 years is enough of an ego blow but add to that the tight job market with his highly specialized skills and he is frustrated. 

Petey is no worse than he was when we saw the Vet.  Sleeps more than he used to but he has always been cat-like ;)

Speaking of cats.  I have lured in adopted a feral cat.  She is now trusting enough to come when called - as much as any cat will.  She sleeps inside at night, lets me pick her up now (after a finger chomping that was totally my impatient self's fault,) knows how to use and does use the litter box and rubs up on Petey then runs when he realizes she is there and gives a "barffk!"

I call her Kitteh Kitteh but she needs a real name.

Thank you for for checking in with me here and by e-mail and by phone.  Friends are the best remedy for what ails me and I appreciate each and every one of you!

Now I gotta go do something or another!