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Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Breast Cancer Awareness Angels!



Just wanted to share with you these angels that I have up for sale on Ebay. This is a dozen angels that measure about 9 1/2" tall and 5" at the wingspan. I made the wings from a coordinated set of fabrics, all made for the Breast Cancer Awareness. I love the pinks, the flowers, and the little pink bows!!!!! The skirts are made from white crocheted table napkins!

These also come with tags. These tags have wonderful sayings and verses on them about angels!

The set of 12 sells for $36.00 plus cost of the plane ride.

Just click on the picture for all the information!!!

Monday, April 28, 2008

I'm so Blessed!!!!!

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Lea from Farmhouse Blessings has just honored me with this wonderful award! Thank you so much, Lea! YOU have been such a wonderful friend to ME, and I feel humbled that you would think of me in this way!

There are lots of deserving people out there who regularly are giving of themselves in friendship, love, prayers, concern and help. But there are two that come to mind that I want to pass this award on to:

1. Dani from Eagles Wings! I've known Dani for a long time now through groups on Ebay and through her blog. It's been so wonderful to read of her journey growing up, finding the Lord, and all her experiences. She has been such a great help in our Ebay group, Glad Tidings Primitives and Folk Art, and a real testimony of God's provision and faithfulness. So this is for you, Dani!!!!

2. Nancy from Inside Nana's Head has been one of those all around, down to earth, practical, says-it-like-it-is, comical, giving, compassionate, faithful friends. What more could you ask for????? She has been so understanding, giving, and loving towards me, helping me with my crafting and sewing, etc. Thank you, Nancy!!!!

My Daybook Entry for April 28, 2008

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FOR TODAY (April 28, 2008)...

Outside My Window . . .I see a Brown Thrasher feeding her baby at my feeder.

I am thinking... How will I get my trash to the dumpster past the vultures that have made my yard their roost!

I am thankful for... Wonderful, Godly friends I've made through my short time blogging! You are all such an encouragement to me!

From the kitchen... I will have a wonderful squash casserole and homemade bread.

I am wearing... oversized tee shirt, no shoes, baggy pants!

I am creating... A primitive candlemat.

I am going... I hope nowhere. I just want to stay home.

I am reading... A vintage magazine, Modern Day Priscilla, looking for old recipes and sewing ideas.

I am hoping...
To get my workshop somewhat cleaned and straightened up today!

I am hearing... The Cathedrals singing, "The Poet's Song".

Around the house...
I will scrub my kitchen floor, vacuum, and laundry.
One of my favorite things... Zucchinni bread with butter.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week. . . Make more Laundry detergent, cut and sew some quilt blocks, send out a gift package, mow my lawn, teach myself something new on my sewing machine.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...


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I'm so glad to be able to participate with the others in this Notebook entry. You can visit The Simple Woman's blog
HERE!

Sunday, April 27, 2008

My Biggest Beef in Life!

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I'm not the greatest housekeeper. I'm not organized like some of you wonderful homemakers. I get frustrated because I can't find things I know I have. My talents and strong areas are NOT centered in the kitchen, etc.

With that understood up front, you can understand that I need all the help I can get.
I go to all of your blogs, see the beautiful, organized kitchens, no messes in the pictures as you cook --- not even flour on your aprons or on your counters!!!!! After 40 years of trying, I have come to the conclusion that God did NOT gift me in the area of neat kitchens. I CAN cook some mighty good meals, don't get me wrong!
It is the finer art of methodology that gets me every time.

But my lack of skills does not come with without complaints and laying blame on certain things. I do have one BIG beef that has eaten at me ever since my first trip to the grocery store 40 years ago.

Will someone PLEASE tell me how to open a bag of sugar without flinging about a tablespoon of it across the kitchen?????

I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about -- those paper sacks of sugar, neatly folded down several times and glued shut. You get your sugar canister or can out, open it, set it on the counter, You take your sack of sugar, and ever so carefully, begin to open it, knowing that it once again will make a failure out of you and laugh at you, "I told you so, I got you again!" No matter how carefully I try, whenever I pull up on one of those folds, sugar goes flying.

Since the 50's, so much progress has been made in packaging, sealing, presentation of products, etc. But why in the world are we still stuck with paper sacks for sugar that are glued together in such as way as to hide a bomb of sugar, waiting to explode in your kitchen?????

Please tell me how YOU open your sugar sacks!!!!!

Friday, April 25, 2008

Update on my Homemade Laundry Soap!

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A little while ago, I told you all about Lea's recipe for laundry soap and my fun in making it.

You can read about it here!


I thought I would give you an update as to how I like the soap, etc. The first time I washed my laundry, the water in the washing machine was sooooo. . . . . (let's not even go there)!!!!. . . . . dirty, that I had to rinse several times. A good sign or a bad sign???? I did notice, however, that my clothing was soft and brighter. I had rubbed a little of the mix on stained tee shirts, spots on other things, and even used it as a soak for soiled, vintage linens. Worked great as a spot remover.

This week, I just happened to peek into the washing machine during the wash cycle and noticed that the same clothing I had washed a few weeks before was NOT making that awfully dirty, muddy looking wash water. Had my things really collected that much soap residue, etc., over time????? I can't tell you how pleased I am with this stuff!!!!

I also found a new use for it. Buster was really sick last night and did his business (very runny stuff) all over my bedroom carpet at 3:00 am !!!!! Since there was no temporary solution to this horrible problem, I "took the bull by the horns" and cleaned it up best I could. But the smell!!!!!! OK! I'm up anyways, right? So I go get the steam cleaner, but I had no carpet cleaning stuff, no spray, no spot remover, no miracle pet stain remover ----- NOTHING! So, I made a plan.

I filled the machine's little tub thing with HOT water and vinegar. No soapy stuff in the little thingy. Then, I took my trusty laundry soap I had made, and started to put some on the stains, rubbing it in well. Then, I took my trusty machine and began to clean it. I can't tell you how wonderful it did. My carpet looks as good as new (at least where I cleaned it!). And my bedroom smells wonderful!

So, if you haven't tried this soap recipe, please hop over to Lea's Blog, Farmhouse Blessings! for the recipe and the instructions! You won't be sorry!

Mother's Day Giveaway!!!!

You just can't miss this one! I want to win this soooooo badly!




If you click on the picture, it will take you directly to her site at Maple Lane. Thank you for this generous offer, Jan!!!!!

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Check out this great giveaway!

Naomi, from Naomi's Notions is having a great giveaway! These tags are so wonderful, and I'm sure you will find a million uses for them if you win! Go over there and sign up now before you forget!!! And be sure to check out her auctions and other selling sites. Her stuff is just too cool!!!! Just click on the picture to go to her giveaway post!

Unexpected Company!

Ever since the fourth grade when Mrs. France taught us to draw and watercolor birds, I've had this facination with watching birds. I think I would buy birdfeed before I would buy for myself, if it came to having to make the choice. Nothing thrills me more than when a bird does me a huge favor and makes her home in my birdhouses. Sometimes they sit empty, and I wonder what's the problem! Certainly, the rent isn't too high.

Here in Florida, I do get to see some wonderful birds, and to watch an Eagle is one of my most uplifting and exciting times. I've always said, if you find me dead in a car accident on the side of the road with no apparent reason for it happening, I probably saw an eagle or something and just ran off the road as I gazed up in wonder!

But today, as I was looking out into my backyard, all of a sudden this huge visitor decided to make my acquaintance. He just sat there and stared at me, and me at him. He is a red tailed hawk, and not an invited guest to those around me with chickens, etc. And I feared for the little titmice that had just come out of their safe little house. But all the same, he was so beautiful!

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He stayed only a minute, and then flew into the woods. You want to know something? I would rather this guy than those nasty old turkey buzzards that have made their home across the street. Mind you, I'm not partial to who my neighbors are, I don't look down on certain classes of birds --- but these buzzards just HAVE to go! They have decided that I'm not allowed to get my mail and keep guard over my mailbox. They even chased me away!!!! I'm scared to death of these ugly things, believe me!

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Which would you choose????

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Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Daybook

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I'm a day late in posting this. This is supposed to be a Monday thing, but I just had to join in. Couldn't wait for another week to pass!

FOR TODAY (April 22, 2008)...

Outside My Window I see. . . my Sycamore tree has leaves now big enough to cast shade from the afternoon sun.

I am thinking... of all the birds that have found food at my feeder!

I am thankful for... God's provisions for me, just when I need them!

From the kitchen... I am making a pineapple - zucchinni bread.

I am wearing... old tee shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes!

I am creating... A needle keep made from a vintage embroidered napkin.

I am going... Nowhere today.

I am reading... An old favorite. Biography of Amy Carmichael.

I am hoping... All my little titmice come out of their house before it's too hot!

I am hearing... The cries of those little birds as Mom and Dad feed them.

Around the house... I need to pick up after Buster, as he has chewed up some cardboard!

One of my favorite things... A cup of hot tea in the middle of the afternoon.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Cutting angels, grocery shopping, clean the garage, explore in my shed for forgotten treasures I have.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...


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I'm so glad to be able to participate with the others in this Notebook entry. You can visit The Simple Woman's blog
HERE!

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Learning To Trust!

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I'll admit it! I'm not really good in this area of trusting! I don't know why, either. I'm getting older, and as I look back over my whole life, I can't say there has ever been a time that the Lord has failed me. Yes, I've made some crazy, immature, self-centered choices, and I've paid dearly for those. But in God's wonderful forgiveness and grace, He has taken those experiences and turned them all into learning experiences for the future He had planned out for me.

These are hard times! Let's face it. Many of you have experienced set backs due to loss of jobs, income, illness, and other unexpected things we want to call negatives.
During these times, we draw upon every resource we have within us to pull through, and we tend to ask God why what seemed so good at the time and what seemed to come from Him is so suddenly taken away. I've had my dreams washed away like castles in the sand. My plans have gone up in smoke, and my business ventures have crashed down in a million pieces at my feet. And I have questioned God at times as to why He would give me something and then just grab it away from me.

I may never know the reasons why, and you may not, either. But I have come to realize that through it all, He has never failed me, never left my side, and never looked on me in shame. Hosea 6:3 says, "And we shall know, if we follow on to know the Lord." If our goal in life is to simply know HIM, then someday, we shall know. Can you trust Him with that?

It all seemed so right. . .
So Perfect. . .
So God-ordained.
First, a dream. . .
Then, a prayer. . .
And then, it happened.
He heard,
He answered,
He supplied.
I was so sure all I had planned
Would come to pass. . . .someday!

Carefully. . .and prayerfully. . .
I worked,
I followed,
I obeyed. . .

But then, You changed it all, Lord.
And I did not understand.
You did not allow me to finish,
To see the fruit of my labors,
To hold in my hands
The realities of my dreams.

Yet, I will trust,
AS I have trusted in the past.
Your ways are perfect,
Planned in love,
Protected by your promise
That someday. . .sometime. . .
We shall know. . .
If we follow on to know the Lord.
--Cora Eelman

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

I finished my apron!

I finally got a picture of my apron I was working on. Actually, I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out, considering the sewing machine fiasco, and the fact that I have not sewn anything (except a few craft items) since 1961!!!!! I really liked this dresser scarf, and I think I will keep this one as a trophy for overcoming my fears of the sewing machine (and because I didn't like the way I did the ties!!!!!)
I'm NOT giving up! I did buy more material for more aprons, so I'm in this for the long haul. I figure it will be a wonderful way to learn sewing techniques without having to use a lot of material, etc. Here it is ---- my first attempt!

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Monday, April 14, 2008

A Great Giveaway from The Simple Woman!

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You just can't miss this one, Ladies!!!! A great giveaway from
The Simple Woman!


Beautiful products to pamper yourself and to make you feel like a queen! Hurry on over there and don't miss out on your chance to win!

Biscuits --- Second Try!!!

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I just want to thank all of you who responded to my woeful tale about my biscuits. Since I had some left over pot roast from last night, I decided while it was all fresh in my mind to do the biscuits again. I think I took the advice of ALL of you! (except those who told me to use the frozen ones!!!!!) One thing I DID differently was pat the whole pile of dough into a 9 x 13 pan, leaving about 1 inch on either end. I then cut it into squares and separated them just a little (as someone mentioned in their post.) These were then much thicker than last nights little bombs.

I have to tell you, they turned out superb!!!! Very light, but did not fall apart.

Thank you again for making a biscuit maker out of me!!!!

PS: I did find a wonderful site with pictures and all that uses about the same recipe I did. If you are a beginner like me and want to try your hand at making biscuits, the pictures here might encourage you to try it!

CLICK HERE!

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Biscuit Making: Another BUST!

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OK! I admit it! I'm not June Cleaver, Betty Crocker, or Martha Stewart. But I do like to cook, and there are a few things I do quite well and am proud to serve. But biscuits????? I just can't seem to get the hang of it. Maybe if I stuck to the same recipe and made it one thousand times over, then they would turn out like they do at that old country diner or the big truck stop off the interstate.

Something's been going on inside me. Maybe it's that "I'm just as good as anyone else" thing that pops up once in a while, or the fact that I'm getting older and have yet to conquer the basics of fundamental homemaking, like sewing, cleaning, cooking, breadmaking, gardening, etc. I'll be off to the old folks home and won't have a claim to fame in any of these areas!!!!!

I keep going to all of your blogs and see these mouth watering pictures of what you present to your families on a regular basis, and here I am, still smacking little cans of biscuits on the side of my counter (IF I get to them before they explode in my refridgerator!!!!). So. . . .I'm on a quest now to be the best biscuit maker in the USA!

So. . . .I get tons of flour, new baking powder, baking soda, shortening, buttermilk, and a host of other "stuff" that the different recipes call for. My first try???
Buttermilk biscuits! I followed the recipe to a tee! Measured extra carefully.
Did exactly what the recipe said, except it did NOT tell me how big or how thick to make these. What a disappointment. What went IN the oven is what came OUT. Same size, same thickness, but nice and browned. They tasted great, but they did not rise at all!!!!

So. . . .for those of you who would love to tell me what I did wrong, here is the recipe:

2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup buttermilk

Cut shortening into flour. Gradually add buttermilk. Stir to blend thoroughly. Knead dough 10 - 12 times on lightly floured surface. Pinch off small pieces of dough. Shape into biscuits and flatten slightly. Arrange in a generously greased pan.

Bake at 400 degrees 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Please note: I did NOT have self-rising flour, so used 4 tsp of baking powder and 3/4 tsp salt.

This morning, they were delicious with sausage gravy slathered on top! But they were NOT something I would want to show to anyone except BUSTER!

Cora

Friday, April 11, 2008

A Great Giveaway!

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A dear friend of mine, Nancy, from Inside Nana's Head, is having a giveaway! Her tags are just wonderful, but this set is really nice. They would go so perfectly with those aprons everyone is trying to get done this month. They have such a nice, vintage, sewing theme! Please go over there, take a look at al her great stuff, and
Sign Up Here!

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

My Biggest Headache in Life!

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When I was in the 7th grade, Mrs. Morrell was my Home Ec teacher. She was a little old puckered faced crabby lady with crooked pointy fingers, and you had nightmares and anxiety attacks just thinking about her class. It was NOT a fun thing, believe me. To this day, if I think about sewing, I see her face!

And the past few days. . . . .I've seen Mrs. Morrell and her pokey fingers a whole lot!

You see, I REALLY, REALLY want to be able to sew. I want to join all you gals in your swaps and challenges and exchanges and be proud to send you something besides a dishrag or floor mop! And so. . . . .I keep trying.

I've got the apron fever. I want aprons. I bought fabric. I bought patterns. I bought bias tape (whatever for. . .????) I bought a seam ripper. I bought thread.
I bought machine oil, new bobbins, needles, etc., etc., etc.

I sit down to sew. And what do I get? puckered fabric, stitches not right, what looks like chennille on the backside, jammed up stuff with a million gray-black knots, and LOTS of crabbing, complaining, whining, even some tears along with, "Why does this have to happen to me?"

Then I thought, Let's face it. This machine is now 35 years old!!!!! Maybe it is just dying a peaceful death and would like to be left alone. But. . . .I haven't used it that much for it to be dying. And I for SURE can't afford a new one. This WAS a good machine in its day, after all!!!!!

So. . . .by some miracle and a miriad of angels, I still have my little manual that came with the machine and I started reading from the "Congratulations on your purchase of your new Kenmore Sewing Machine!" all the way to "Happy Sewing" on the back cover. I learned a whole lot, believe me.

Did you know you have to clean this thang?????? Oh, I've blown on it once in a while and when I saw some dust bunnies in the bobbin thingy I got those out. But I didn't know I needed a pick and shovel and tweezers and surgeon's tools to clean it!!!! So, that was my first project. I think there was enough greasy dust and lint and hairy looking things in there to make a llama!!!!

Next! Did you know there are different sized needles?????? Wow! I didn't! No wonder mine were breaking all the time. Here I am trying to sew nice quilting weight cotton with a needle meant to sew lightweight hankie stuff!!!!!! So. . . . on my list of things to buy ---- correct needles!

Next! The bobbin! I noticed a page in my trusty old manual that showed how to put the bobbin in the casing with the thread coming out a certain way. I'm not sure I ever did it one way --- I always just plopped it in there and pulled the thread on through that thing. Learned something new there, too! How did I miss that?

Now! On to the oiling! No where in that book did it tell you how often to oil this thing. I know it had been done in 1994. And a few weeks ago, someone told me it might need oiling, so I did get some oil and do it. Ya think??????? But, just to make sure, I did it again, and squirted everything that had an arrow pointing at it in the book. I did realize that last time, I missed oiling two places in the bobbin thing. So maybe THAT will make all the difference. Couldn't hurt, could it!

Ok! Now I pray. I beg for grace and mercy! I knew if this did not work, my dreams of a career as a professional apron maker would be down the drain, the sewing machine would be in the dumpster, and my lip would be so far out a bird could perch on it!

So in goes my practice material. Down goes the foot. And my big toe gently presses that peddle. Oh, THANK YOU, LORD!!!!! That thang just purred like a kitten and the stitches were perfect, no puckers, no pulls, no chennille, and no black, greasy tangles.

So Mrs. Morell???? I CAN SO do it. . . . and I did it ALL BY MYSELF! You can take that old purple gathered skirt I made in your class and stuff it because I WILL make this darn apron if it's the last thing I do and I WILL make a thousand aprons if that's what it takes for me to be able to sew like the rest of these . . . . . .what are they???. . . . . .Apronistas!!!!!!

Monday, April 7, 2008

I Won in a Drawing!

I'm sooooo excited, because I never win anything!!! I didn't even remember that I had signed up for this one! But Hey!!!! I ain't sayin' that I didn't!

The great artists at Humble Arts! were having a drawing, and my name was drawn.

I won a set of Primitive Old Glory Flags from Karin of Countryfolk Keepsakes!

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Be sure to check out Karin's site and all the wonderful artists over there at Humble Art! Thank you all so much for your drawing and for picking little ole ME!

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Glad Tidings Giveaway!

This is just so wonderful and generous of Penny, one of our Glad Tidings Gals, to offer this giveaway on the Glad Tidings Primitives and Folkart Blog!

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CLICK HERE
to check it out. All you have to do is leave a comment to enter to win!

Thank you, Penny!

Making Homemade Laundry Soap

What a day yesterday! You would have been in stitches if you could have watched this process. Today, I am typing with withered up fingers from the soap, but boy, are they clean fingers!!!!

Lea, from Farmhouse Blessings!, has posted a wonderful entry on her blog with instructions on how to make this CHEAP, wonderful laundry soap. The word "CHEAP" was the seller for me, as I hate spending all that money that just goes down the drain -- literally!

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But. . .and here's where I ALWAYS run into problems. . . I HAD to make it better, and bigger, and . . . .

I had seen a recipe for a DRY version of CHEAP laundry soap over on Mary Jane's Farm Forum, so had some of those ingredients on hand, too.

Got my HUGE pot out and decided, there's plenty of room in here for a double batch, so proceeded with that. Got my cauldron boiling, shaved my bars of soap, and dumped that in. Started stirring it up, and it was melting and mixing in nice. Good so far.
Then. . . . . I dumped in the baking soda, the borax. . . . .and since I had it on hand, why not add the washing soda, too? That stuff started foaming up, bubbling like crazy, right to the top of the pot! I pulled that sucker off the eye and started whisking it down as I wondered if my whole house would soon be full of bubbles!!!!!

I managed to get it under control, with much addoo, and stirred and whisked all day and evening. My house smelled wonderful, my stove is spotless from wiping up soap all day, my sink is spotless, and my hands and nails are cleaner than they have ever been.

I poured this brew into a large cat litter container, and I did my first load of laundry today. It is cleaner and fresher than I've had in a long, long time. I have enough for about 64 load of wash (that's a double recipe) and it cost be about $3.00 to make (and I still have dry stuff left to make more). I'm a happy (and clean) camper!

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Quilt Angels Ready!

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Yesterday, I was working on a set of quilt angels, and thought I would make them available to you before listing them on Ebay or Etsy. This is a set of 12 angels, all made from old quilts and quilt tops. They measure about 9 inches high and 5 inches at the wingspan. I've blanket stitched around them with embroidery thread and put matching bows under their chins and on their head. They all have hangers for hanging.

They also come with large sized tags. These tags have been stained to a primmy perfection, looking old and worn. The front has the title to a verse, poem, song, or saying, done in very old collage-style lettering. The back has the saying printed on it.

These will be available until Friday morning, and if they are not sold by then, I will be listing them on Ebay. The cost for the entire set is $36.00, plus $4.60 priority shipping.

Please email me at:
countrypatches@verizon.net
to contact me if you wish to purchase these, and I will send you a Paypal invoice.
I would be glad to answer any questions you might have!

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Apron Update!

I have progressed somewhat with my apron. I was wishing I had a real "seamstress" here to tell me what to do; but since I did not, I "winged" it the best I could.

I just could not figure out what to do with the raw edges on the underside of the two side pieces of the dresser scarf. I just didn't like that. I had sewn down the two pieces, following the sewing line of the fringe. That was fine. But the underside "flaps" left there just didn't cut it for me.

At first, I thought of turning them under and stitching them down. But I did not want another seam showing on the front. Then, I got the bright idea of embroidering a back stitch with embroidery floss around the edge, stitching down the turned edge underneath at the same time. I did one side like this, but hated it. Ripped all that out, washed it to get rid of the little stitching holes, and wondered what to do next.

The only solution I came up with was to use the fusible, iron on hemming stuff. And so I did. Though not a true seamstress's answer, it'll do for me right now.

What would you have done?????

I'm now ready to tackle the waistband.

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All Grown Up!

I can't believe that Buster will be 1 year old in just 8 days. In some ways, it seems like yesterday that I drove down that country driveway to see that cute, little, innocent, playful, loving puppy! In other ways. . . . .it's been the longest year of my life!

I'm used to very calm, sedate, loving, gentle Labs! Breezy, my Lab from years ago, was a quiet, gentle, lazy girl. Nothing like this tornado of destruction I have now.
If it weren't for the fact that he is sooooooo happy, loveable, and attached to me, I think I would have gotten rid of him by now. It's those eyes. . . . . .

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We still have a lot of behavioral issues to work through. And what in the world are we going to do with the anxiety attacks he has when he is not velcroed to my leg? And how can I afford to keep replacing windows when he decides he doesn't like the squirrels in the yard?

Everyone says, "Give him two years. . .he'll settle down!" Well, I've aged 10 years in the past one, and I'm not sure I'll make it another year, but. . . .

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I don't think I could go a day without those slobber kisses and those dreamy eyes!!!!!