The Wedding Weekend

MY SON IS GETTING MARRIED THIS WEEKEND!!  So here I am in Key West awaiting the big day. I got here a week early to help out. I am going to need a vacation after this vacation. I started out almost going to the emergency room because I got OFF bug spray in my eyes. I was submerging my head in the bathroom sink filled with water with my eyes open. They burned so bad. So I survived.
I have been doing a ton of planting and transplanting. Digging. Getting cut up and polked from all the yucca and cactus. I look like a pin cushion with scratches. Really nice look with my dress. Oh well, not my day, no worries.

Owls

So what is the word on owls all of a sudden? I see them everywhere. Little chachkeys, trinkets and jewelry.  I had to jump on that band wagon so I created this not so little pendant.  Next time I will stamp Whoo? at the bottom. Or is it hoo? Hoo knew? Anywho....I am cracking myself up. Here is a picture of the little guy.

July in Key West

So my little vacation is almost over. I had a wonderful time but I wish we could have spent more time on the boat. The weather was beautiful but very windy.  Got a lot of wedding things done but some are still pending. I decorated the buckets that the flower girls will be carrying, made the bathroom basket and met with someone for the rehearsal dinner. (still undecided) I also took pictures for the table numbers. No this isn't one of them...

This weekend

Friday morning Summer and Jeff leave for Jeff's brothers wedding in the Bahamas. That means Ray and I have the 3 little darlings until Monday night. What to do all weekend is the question. Friday is Lucy's 7th birthday, we need to celebrate early because I am showing/selling my necklaces at the local yarn shop. Here is what Pam (the owner) sent out in an email:
And, we are most excited to unveil Naughty and Nice Knitting Necklaces by Susan Hall (nailedinny in Ravelry).  These sassy handcrafted necklaces have sterling charms with a naughty or nice knitting message -- such as 'Purl Girl', or Pam's customized charm of 'yarn-love' and many more.  Each silver charm is on a stretchy black cord (which can also be wrapped around your wrist and worn as a bracelet) and is hugged in place by two sterling silver beads.  These make terrific gifts for your knitting friends, and the charm can also be added to your favorite charm bracelet.  Susan will offer a $40 special price for her yarn-love friends (regular price $45).  Susan will be at yarn-love at 7 pm on Friday, and is also happy to customize a charm with your own knitting message.

I am so very excited. Lucy is going to be my little helper.  After Friday we have no plans. This can't be good.

Babs is coming for a visit Monday. We are taking a class at a nursery to make a bird bath. Should be a lot of fun. She is here until Thurs and so are Ray and I. Then it is off to Florida for 10 days to visit the older darlings, recover from the little darlings and firm up wedding plans. 

Today's project

I forgot that yesterday was my mom's birthday. Happy Birthday Rita. She will be gone 4 years Labor Day weekend.
I was awake and out of bed this morning at 3am. Ray is out of town and the tv was still on. Why 3, why not 5. So I started the coffee, checked email, said good morning to a high school friend who was on FB (she doesn't sleep either) and then headed to the basement to start sewing. That has been my newest love. I made to strapless tops/dresses for under $6. I can't decide whether or not to hem them into sun dresses or tops. Maybe one of each. I found the fabric at Joann's and bought a yard of each. Last week I found a pattern online, I modified it and made Lucy a bathing suit cover up out of an old Hershey's tee shirt. The top is rooshed with the top thread being thread and the bobbin being elastic thread. After you sew as many lines of it as you want you take the steam from the iron (don't let it touch the elastic) and it puckers right up.
Check it out...

Biking it

So a few weeks ago my sister in law Alon and her family came to my nephew Jared's 4th annual suicide prevention walk. With her she brought a bike for Lucy. (Lucy's bike broke last summer) Has anyone ever had a bike break?? Exactly! Anyway it was a great bike that Alon sent for Lucy. A mountain bike. There was only one problem, not for me but for Lucy, it was a boy's bike.  There was no way that I could take the bike apart and paint it. Well, I could do that but would NEVER be able to get it back together. So I had a brain storm. See for yourself...............Look what Duck tape can do.

June Already??

Where does all the time go? How does one work full time and get anything done? I guess we find the time. I have been retired for over a year and a half and I wonder where that time went to. I find myself busy doing something or other each day. I started sewing again and found a new love for my machine. I took a rag quilt class and the teacher was awesome, showing me hints and tricks about sewing and cutting out material. I made another quilt for Lucy after the classroom quilt and when it wasn't big enough (I thought I was making a lap quilt) for the bottom of Lucy's bed I made another one and sewed them together. It was really a lot of fun and picking out fabric is fun too. My problem is a little ADD maybe. Everything I see I want to make. My supplies are mounting.
My basement looks like work stations and a craft store. Yarn, knitting needles, crochet hooks and books in one section. A table that doubles as a polymer clay station and glass painting. The other side of the table is where Babs sits when she visits or where I sit to glue gems onto bowls, silverware etc. Hooked onto that table is the sewing table which also doubles as a yarn winder. Then there is the counter top that houses the tee shirt press, silver hammering and texturing and the material cutting. In front of the window is my newest soldering station. You can just imagine the heaven I am in when I walk down the stairs. Not sure which project I will be working on. I have been listening to books on my ipod while I work. Have listened to some really good ones! I will post pictures of the basement mess and some of my projects when I return home. I am sitting on the boat in a little creek with friends from Sodus. We meet up with them whenever they are on the Chesapeake Bay. They are on their way to NY now. (they live aboard their boat and have for the past 2 years) It is a raining cool day but tomorrow is suppose to be a beautiful, hot, 89 degrees, so that is when I will work on my dark, dark tan.
Well that about wraps it up for now.
Susan