Goodies in the Mail!

First of all, please forgive the quality of the photos. My good camera has a dead battery and I couldn't wait to post this so I took the photos with my iphone.

My sweet friend, Cyndi, from the blog Bluebird Swing, read about my Rowenta dying and since she got two new irons for Christmas she graciously sent me one of them. And it's another Rowenta! I love it! She is such a sweetheart. Lots of good things and friends can come from cyberspace.






Yesterday, I checked the mail and I found a large envelope on my porch. I couldn't for the life of me think of what it could be. I hadn't ordered anything. I knew Cyndi was sending me an iron, but I was pretty sure the iron wouldn't fit in an envelope, no matter how large. I had completely forgotten that I was to receive mug rugs from the Mug Rug Swap. I was so excited about getting mine made AND mailed on time that I completely forgot that I would be getting some too.

Anyway, Nicke (don't know if she has a blog yet) made me two adorable mug rugs! I love them so much. I love the "toaster" saying on the one and I love owls. I didn't make any specifications about my likes when I signed up for the swap. However, she really got my tastes right. She sent me some teas and favorite things that she puts in her mugs. Thank you, Nicke, so much!

What a great day this has been because of these two lovely ladies and of course the mail man. I am off to iron freshly laundered fabric with my new Rowenta.

Happy Sewing,Ironing or whatever you are doing today!
Susan

A New Addition and Changing Times

I think it is incredible how God can pull one back on the correct path, no matter how hard one tries to go their own way. I shared with you last time that I had to go back to work cutting hair. My husband had lost his job and my ex was still in between jobs and unable to pay his full child support. Well, my friend owns a nice salon here in town and I went to work there. I didn't get the walkins/callins like I was promised and I ended up sitting in the salon for hours and days at a time doing nothing and making no money. I gave it 2 months and made about $1.50 an hour. And what I did make I had to spend on tools, clothes and shoes for work. Not good considering I was away from my girls, who are still homeschooling. Things have improved and I am now back on my correct path. George got new job and he and I both decided I should go back to where my passion lies and teach sewing and get back to designing quilt patterns. I am so happy and I feel like the weight of the world is off of my shoulders.

Now to my new addition. Joann's had Accuquilt Go Cutters on sale last week for 50% off and I used my income tax refund money to get one. I think it will come in handy. I will probably use it to cut quilt kits for my Etsy Store. I can't wait to start playing with it.

Well, my friends, that is my latest news. I will be around a lot more from now on.

Happy Sewing!!
Susan

My Finished Mug Rugs

I finished my mug rugs for the swap. Although, I have plenty of fabric in my studio, I found this Debbie Mumm collection and I thought it would be perfect. I think they turned out sew cute.

Happy Sewing!
Susan

In Mourning

Yes, I'm in mourning. Before you get too concerned let me assure you that everyone I love is alive and well. My Rowenta iron with the steam tank has....well... it has died. Yes, died. I was fortunate enough to find it at a thrift store a few years ago and I got a lot of good use out of it, but it finally quit working. As most sewers know the iron is second to the sewing machine in most important tools. I was actually in the middle of a project when it died and it was after 9:00 at night. I ran to Target to replace it but was short on cash. I found an iron on sale for $7.99. Yay! Wrong! Got it home and it spilled water all over my project and it didnt even heat up. Note to self: never buy and iron for less than $10.00.

I haven't been blogging too much lately. I am now a working mom to five girls. I have gone back to cutting hair. I have been a licensed hair stylist for 27 years but havent worked as such for many years. I am now in a situation where I need to work to help support my girls. It is taking some time getting used to stretching myself so thin. I have mommy guilt, like so many other moms do and I really miss my sewing time. I am still homeschooling the girls. Thankfully, you can homeschool at anytime and I am very grateful for the online classes my girls are taking.

My husband, the girls and I are getting adusted to our new city. The girls love our church. My oldest daughter and I are singing in the praise team and doing solos and duets. We are all in the chior now and George is going to be playing guitar in the praise team too. My hubby was laid off and is job hunting again, but will hopefully have a new one soon. All and all, things are ok and we are all glad we made the move.

I am heading to the studio to work on my mug rug for the swap. I am sure my sewing machine has missed me.

I pray you are all well.
Happy Sewing!
Susan

New Year, New Start

Happy New Year, my friends! I hope you are all well and happy. We had a nice Christmas and are looking forward to a new start. I have a lot to share but the keyboard on my laptop has been out of order for a few months. I hope to get it fixed soon.

I am joining this swap and I wanted to share it with you. Soon I will post some photos of gifts I made for Christmas. Until then, you might want to check out this swap. Mug Rug Swap

Happy Sewing,
Susan

My New Sewing Studio!!

My pattern cabinets that I painted blue. They hold so much stuff.




I love this corner!


Cutting table #1



Cutting table #2



My sewing tin collection.


I love these plastic drawers for all the sewing feet, tools and little things that we sewers need. They are all labeled and it is so easy to find things.



This is the foyer closet right outside the studio. I use this shoe holder to organize my scraps by color.


Ta Da! I'm finally unveiling my new studio. I need to make this post short because a good friend is coming to town to spend a few days sewing with me. I am so blessed to have such a nice room to work. I will be working on gifts for my girls and helping my friend make a tote back for her little dog.

The studio is what was the formal living room, which we would have never used. I am so lucky to have two full sized cutting tables. I really found I needed more cutting table space than sewing table space. I have a Grand Quilter that I use when I quilt, an embroidery machine and a serger. I also have about 10 computerized Brother machines that I use for my students. They are all alike and it makes teaching easier. I hope you enjoying seeing my favorite room in the house. I am off to sew.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Oh...and my knee is much better. Yay!

Happy Sewing!!
Susan

More Hand Quilting and a Busted Knee

Here is the matching quilt for my Rooster quilt. Normally, I would be happy that I have had time to hand quilt, however, the reason I could get this quilted is that my knee went out on me Monday afternoon. It is a reacurring injury and it came back at a terrible time. Monday I woke up early (I wake up early all the time now, because George has to go into his new job early)I cleaned the house from top to bottom, grocery shopped with the very "talkative" eight year old in tow, completed the paper work to join the local homeschool support group and made beef stew and cornbread...all by 3:00 in the afternoon. Silly me, reported my extremely productive day to my friends on Facebook. A friend of mine actually made a comment about my blue stretchy suit with the big red S on my chest. I was feeling kind of super womanish...til I was putting the stew on the table a dinner and all of the sudden, that excruciating pain shot through my knee and I knew I was done. I have been in bed every since. I tried to walk a little on Tuesday and it was the same painful experience. So, I have been following my hubby's instructions and have stayed in bed. This "bed sentence" is particularly difficult since I have a good friend traveling four hours to spend the weekend with me. I am going to help her re-learn how to sew. She was so helpful during our move and I wanted everything to be special for her. We really can't postpone the trip because she and her husband are missionaries in Astonia and she is only in Florida on furlough. I haven't even told her about my knee. I am just praying that it miraculously mends in time. They are coming tomorrow and I will be giving orders to my girls from bed today. I need some things from the store, so I may venture out and have them push me in a wheel chair. Doesn't that sound like an adventure?? I will let you know how it all turns out. In the mean time, please pray for quick healing of my knee.

Happy Sewing!
Susan