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To celebrate the arrival of Lakehouse's newest collection, PamKittyMorning
we decorated the store and
cut a fat eighth off of every bolt in the collection.
I'd say that's one beautiful stack of PamKitty goodness!
Wanna win a tower and be the envy of your friends and neighbors?
Um...thought so!
Just tell me what you would do with all that fabric and I will select one lucky winner on Sunday!
It just could be you!
Encourage one another,
A few weeks ago I had the honor of photographing Amanda's baby and one of the headbands we used for her shoot was this curly ribbon bow.
It reminded me that I used to make these all of the time and even taught classes on them. You know, back in the olden days.
So I thought I'd show you how.
Curly Ribbon Bows are unbelievably simple to make and almost fool proof.
Here's what you'll need:
1/4" grosgrain or satin ribbon. I just buy the inexpensive kind by the roll at the craft store. You can mix and match and these are a great way to use up left over ribbon too.
1/4" wooden dowels. I got these at Michael's, ten to the package and precut in twelve inch lengths. You can also purchase the longer dowels from the lumber store and cut them in lengths that fit into your oven. (Yup, you'll be bak'n these puppies).
Hair barretts. These are 2 1/2" long
and I've taken them apart to make attaching the ribbon easier. Just be sure to pay attention how they came apart so you'll know how to put them back together. (Ask me how I know that this is important).
26 gauge wire, also available from the craft store. I use wire to "sew" the ribbon to the barrett since it's strong and easy to use. You will need about 20" of wire for each barrett.
You'll also need binder clips or clothes pins to secure the ribbon to the dowels.
Here's how I make them:
Secure the ribbon to one end of the dowel using a binder clip or clothes pin and wrap the ribbon side by side - not over lapping - until you get to the other end of the dowel. Cut the ribbon from the roll and secure. It takes about nine twelve inch dowels worth of ribbon for one bow.
Place wrapped dowels on cookie sheet and bake in preheated oven at 325 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let them cool completely. The ribbon curls from the heat. There is nothing applied to the ribbon other than heat to make them hold the curl. Think of the dowels as mini curling irons.
Remove the clips and carefully remove the cooled ribbon from the dowels.
Trim the funky ends by cutting the ribbon at angles
then cut into four inch lengths at angles.
Begin by sewing the 20" piece of 26 gauge wire through the two holes at the latch end of the barrett.
Be sure to keep the wire away from the closure part of the barrett and end with the wire on top of the barrett.
Working from the top side of the barrett on the end that you have connected the wire, bundle three 4" pieces of ribbon by stacking them on top of one another and attaching them to the barrett by wrapping them with the wire at the center of each bundle.
Wrap the bundle to the barrett and then wrap again, wrap another bundle to the barrett, then wrap again. One wrap attaches the ribbons to the barrett and one wrap just secures the previous bundle. Pull the wire tight after each wrap.
It takes about nine bundles of three stacked ribbons to cover the top of the barrett.
When you reach the other end of the barrett sew the wire into the hole at the end. Knot to secure and cut away excess wire.
Even out the ribbons (you can slide the wire a bit at this point). Notice all of the ribbon is on the top of the barrett.
With a hot glue gun, glue a small piece of ribbon to cover the wire on the under side so it looks all neat and tidy.
Replace the hinge and tension clip.
The bows can be attached to headbands or clipped directly into the hair - if she's lucky enough to have any.
Encourage one another,
Here's another idea.
The same technique but with with strips of tulle mixed in with the curly ribbon.
It looks like a marshmallow cloud doesn't it?
Monday night as I stopped by Von's to pick up lattes for Tuesday morning I couldn't believe my eyes. There before me was a grocery store, two days before Thanksgiving, with no crowds and no lines.
I took it as a sign. The Turkey Gods were smiling down on me and I was seizing the moment.
I made a mad dash for the fresh turkeys and found the perfect twelve pounder - just right for the two of us.
I made a pass by Jimmy Dean then grabbed two Granny Smiths on the way to Mrs Cubbison.
Before my latte order was brewed I'd gathered and juggled everything I needed to complete my Thanksgiving Day menu. (I felt a little like Rachael Ray when she opens the frig and has to pile everything in her arms for an entire meal before walking to the counter).
No more wondering when I'd find time to grocery shop for the big day. I just had. In less than ten minutes. Without a shopping cart!
So we're good to go. No fuss no muss. Thanksgiving will be simple this year, but with the past two weeks we've had, simple is just what the doctor ordered.
Bring it.
We have so much to be thankful for this year: good health, new body parts that work and a loving family and wonderful friends who call, pray, send e cards and ask how we're doing.
We're doing just fine.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Encourage one another,
Today was one of those days.
You know the kind. The ones where you wonder why you're doing this and not walking on the beach looking for seaglass while sipping peppermint lattes.
Today I raised my voice to the nice gas man who I have waited for for three chilly weeks to come turn on the stores gas just to be told that he wasn't authorized to turn on both of my meters. That I'd need to call again and wait again for him to come back again so I could heat my ever loving store.
Today I vented to the shopping centers property manager about some "issues" I've been having.
Today I missed lunch because I accidentally left my ham sandwich in the car and by the time I discovered it the mayo was beginning to bubble.
So today I couldn't wait to get my sweet recuperating husband fed and bedded down so I could get my PJ's on and snuggle into my favorite chair and watch the Real Housewives while working on my Tutorial Tuesday post.
Just as I started to edit my photos the phone rang. It was Annette calling from Strawberry Patches were she was teaching a class and noticed water rushing from under the baseboards of the wall that joins the fish store next door to ours. She thought I should come down and help man the buckets.
(For those of you who keep track of these things you'll know that it was one year ago this week that our old store was flooded from a burst pipe in our neighbors suite).
So after two hours of mopping up water I'm sorry to announce there will be no Tutorial Tuesday post. Instead I'd like to show you one of the bright spots of my Monday.
Her mommy and auntie were at Strawberry Patches on Saturday buying FOE for headbands and had so much fun making them they were back today for a mini fashion show and more supplies.
This, sweet readers is exactly why I put up with service people who tick me off, shoplifters and neighbors with leaky pipes.
This is what makes it all worthwhile!
Encourage one another,
What do you do when you are presented with a collection of fabric that is so good that you can't decide which ones NOT to buy?
Why, you buy them ALL of course.
That was my dilemma last spring as I viewed Lakehouse's latest release.
This is Pam Kitty Morning by Pam McGinnis
Pam Kitty Morning is playful and cheery (not at all unlike it's creator). I love the bright primary colors, those lollipop daisy dots and of course the strawberry prints.
A visit to Pam's blog is like having morning coffee with a friend - a great creative way to start your day.
Encourage one another,
Anxiety
Empathy
You're driving me bonkers!
Last night I was awakened by a loud noise and as I rolled over to investigate I realized my patient was gone. Bill and his walker were no where to be found.
In the darkness I searched the bedroom and adjoining bath.
No Bill.
Then I walked down the hall to "his" bathroom.
There he was, on. the. floor!
What the heck.
He said he couldn't sleep and tripped on the way to the bathroom.
We have this deal. You don't get up without me being there to assist you. (My husband has never been all that great at doing what I say).
After a bit of struggling we got him up and back to bed. He's fine except for that bruise on his ego.
********************
Nathan will be admitted today to Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford University for open heart surgery on Thursday. He has a wonderful doctor there and I know he will do just great. For Cherene's sake however, I hope Nathan follows directions better than his PaPa Bill.
If you'd like to send Nathan Zingg a get well card you can do so by going here.
Thanks guys. You're the best!
Encourage one another,
AKA Nurse Ratched
I just got my patient to bed and wanted to announce the winners of my Quilt Market give away before I join him.
The winners of seven mini charm packs are:
#30 Ursula who picked Aneela Hoey's A Walk in the Woods and
#86 Pat Proctor who selected Papillon by 3 Sisters
Congratulations ladies. If you'll email me with your mailing addresses I'll get your prizes right out.
Thanks for playing along everyone!
I did something Saturday that I've been trying to do for months.
I caught a shoplifter!
Shortly after we moved into our new store in April I started noticing things missing. Mostly models like baby shoes, diaper covers, onesies, stuff like that. I knew we had a problem and I had an idea of who the perpetrator might be, but I couldn't be sure.
What really ticked me off was that, besides the obvious of losing merchandise, this person was stealing from my customers. I want your shopping experience at Strawberry Patches to be inspiring. I want you to see fabulous ideas that inspire you to try something new, but this person was taking our cute models about as fast as we could get them made!
Saturday as I came out of my office Kara said she thought our shoplifter had been back. I asked what she was wearing, who she was with and which way she went. Kara said she was carrying a big black and white zebra print handbag with a red handle. I remembered seeing that bag in our store many times.
I'd had it. I was off to catch me a thief.
I found the perp and her partner next door in the grocery store walking up and down the aisles without a cart. She was carrying a big zebra striped handbag and he was carrying a package that he had picked from one of the shelves.
I was on them like white on rice.
I followed their every move; my eyes never leaving that package. They went to the chip aisle. I followed. They walked toward to veggies, I watched from the end of the aisle. I hid behind the cereal boxes and watched as he handed off the package and she swiftly swooped it into that big striped handbag. They never missed a step or said a word. The act was well choreographed and I could tell they had danced this dance many times before.
About that time I heard "security to the floor" over the loud speaker and looked up to see an employee responding to the call. I told him what I had just witnessed and the two of us followed the couple to the register. (They had picked up a box of crackers as they were leaving and they stopped to pay). The employee asked me if she was the person and if that was the bag with the booty in it. When I nodded, security asked to look in her bag and pulled out the package her dance partner had handed her.
I looked her in the eye, wagged my finger in her face and told her to never come into Strawberry Patches again! As I turned to leave I could hear the grocery store manager yelling at her. Just as I reached the door the security guard called me back and asked if what he found at the bottom of her big bag was mine. A $65.00 quilt kit! Ummm. Yeah...
Later that afternoon the grocery store manager came over to thank me. She said she had been trying to catch that family of thieves for months. Evidently this young woman works with her mother (who has been in and out of jail) and a couple of brothers (all of whom we have smiled at and welcomed into our store). The manager said everything had been caught by the security cameras and they would be prosecuted.
Now I'm off to get my sweet hubby and bring him home from his hospital stay. I'll be back later tonight with the winners of my little drawing.
Have a wonderful Sunday.
Encourage one another,
