Empty Spools

I can still remember the thrill of emptying my first spool of thread.  I was a junior in high school and was sewing on my trusty Kenmore sewing machine that I had purchased with money earned as a checker at Ream's grocery store in American Fork.  I can't remember what I was sewing but I do remember it was a spool of white thread.

Fancy Nancy's sister, Carolyn

My older sister, Carolyn, is a fabulous seamstress and had already sewn several complicated outfits that fit like a glove during her high school years.  My attempts at clothing construction were discouraging.  Things never seemed to fit properly and, after putting that much time and effort in to a project, it seemed a waste to see it hang in my closet.  The last thing you want is to have your outfit scream 'Homemade' and mine felt like they were giant billboards for all that can go wrong with trying to sew your own clothes.

A Fancy Nancy apron

In my defense, I never had a sewing teacher who took the time to teach me how to adjust a pattern to insure a good fit.  My junior high home economics teacher was just plain grumpy and seemed bothered by the idea of teaching 'tweens' how to sew (or any other subject) and my high school teacher gravitated towards the girls who were willing to brown nose.

A Fancy Nancy sewing friend

I soon found my interests redirected to sewing anything that wasn't clothing.  Over the years I have sewn through just about every craft phase that has come along.  Geese, bunnies, cloth dolls, doll clothes, pillows, costumes, curtains, receiving blankets, blessing outfits, quilts, aprons and so on.  I always joked that it was the one thing I did that stayed done - unlike cooking and cleaning.  I just loved the feeling of taking a piece of fabric, a pattern and thread and creating something unique to me.  I even sewed to earn money while Mr. W. was in school.

Fancy Nancy's kitty

I have accumulated enough fabric and patterns for several lifetimes and continue to find time to put my foot to the pedal (sewing that is).  After all of these years and all of the many hours of sewing, I confess that I still get excited when I've emptied another spool.  To me it represents the creative process and the sense of accomplishment of finishing something that in some small part speaks to the creative side of me.

As you can tell from the picture, this year has been a busy year.  I can't wait to share some of my finished projects but right now I've got to run . . . my sewing machine is calling to me.

Fancy Nancy aka Material Girl with three of her creations
(and yes, that is a house costume -
my grandson wanted to go as HIS house -
his family was renting the basement apartment
and so the 'front' of his house
is really the back of the house).
I get extra Grandma Points for figuring out
 how to make that costume!

Mother Nature

(zinnias + butterfly bush = best friends supporting each other)

Don't you love how Mother Nature

arranges flowers?

Life Questions ? ? ? ? ?

Have you ever run across a picture that triggers a thousand questions and memories?

Well, I ran across this picture last week and here are some of the questions that crossed my mind.

1.  Why does my brother, Mark, look possessed/on parole?

2.  Where or where did that skinny body of mine go?

3.  Why does Mr. W. look like he is drugged and ready to be kidnapped by a cult?

4.  Who in the decorating world convinced us that 'earth tones' (a nice way of saying rust, gold and weird olive green), particularly in floral patterns, was 'IN'?

5.  Why were Mr. W. and I so proud of our Korean ripoff Polo shirts that my brother, Ray, brought back from his mission?  (The fact that they were $5 and a blend should have tipped us off.)

6.  When did we realize that ModPodging pictures of anything on fake panelling was no longer in style?  (Was it ever in style?)

7.  How did my little guy, Ryan (on Mr. W.'s lap), grow up so fast?


8.  Why didn't someone check me for anemia?


9.  Why did mom keep a brass horn hanging on the wall by the sliding glass door?  Was Little Boy Blue visiting?  (You know - Little Boy Blue come blow your horn, the sheep are in the meadow, the cows in the corn . . .)

and most importantly . . . .

10.  Why does Mark have the only piece of cake?
* An apology to Ralph Lauren for putting a teeny tiny dent in his multi-million/billion dollar fashion dynasty by purchasing Polo knockoffs.  It would appear that he has recovered nicely.