If it ain't one thing...

It's another. Yes I said "ain't". I am not an English teacher or making a grab at any literary awards. Remember... real life?

I feel like all I have to blog about, as of late, is bitches. You know, my bitching and moaning about what is not going right in our world. So I apologize for that. Not that I am going to stop, but I am just sayin'.

My brother, his wife, their 3 sons, 1 daugher and newborn baby came for a visit last week. They got here on Wed. And while I love my brother (and his wife more!) and I was really looking forward to their visit, it was EXHAUSTING! I was to tired to visit, as I felt like I was running a bed and breakfast for 10 people everyday. My SIL brought her sewing machine to be fixed, and my brother wanted a new tattoo. (Yes I am a tattoo artist too. Jack of all trades, cuz I am fabulous.) SIL also brought a pair of pants for repair, and a quilt kit she was hoping I could put together. I am really sorry I didn't get to the pants or the quilt. But the sewing machine is in top working order, and my Brother and his wife are both sporting new tattoos.

I had to pull out my super long quilting table to the kitchen, just so there was enough space for the kids to eat. Us grown ups ate in the living room. And oh man the groceries. I am not even going to go into that, except to say it was and extra $200 easy.

The baby (8 weeks old) was very fussy. As he had every right to be! New place, new smells, new people, different water, no crib... I felt so bad for him. He really felt the best when someone was holding him tight and cuddling. My brother kept saying "quit holding the baby, your going to spoil him." Urg... You can't spoil a newborn. At that age they don't cry just because, they cry because they NEED something. I pretty much ignored my brother on that note. Now I miss the baby!

In the middle of all this chaos, I discovered my business website no longer works. See I had this brilliant idea to organize all the files on my hard drive, get rid of all the duplicates and move it all over to the external drive. Well as it happens, when you move all the files around, websites don't know where to find them. And then the most outrageous thing happens, your website doesn't work. So now after all those people went home, I am trying to rebuild from scratch my business site. Have I ever mentioned this is not my favorite thing? I would love to pay someone else to do the web end of this business, but I just can't afford it. I should have some sort of half working site back up by the end of the week.

So now for the topper... The nurses office called here yesterday afternoon, saying "Tori is sick again, and to come get her." I swear she is gong to fail the 4th grade simply because she has missed so many days.

And here are the pictures from the last week...

Gabriel tells my husband all his woes.

All 7, count 'em 7, kids.

One of the new tattoos.

My Uncle Chris and brother Mike

Some of the kids goofing off.

My youngest daughter making the baby feel better.

Well, how about a long month?...

Because that's what it's turning out to be. After all the sickness the first part of the month, I am still on red alert. My kids birthdays are 2 days apart at the end of the month... and now...

My brother, whom I haven't seen in 6 or so years, called me yesterday. He says "what are you having for dinner tomorrow?" hinted around that I should make spaghetti and then announced he and his family will be here for dinner.

Don't get me wrong... I am bouncing off the walls excited. But my house was a wreck... Did I mention I had sick kids? And then there is the whole, where is everyone going to sleep? I have a tiny house and he has 6, yes count 'em 6, kids. He is leaving the oldest home for school reasons. And one of the kids is the brand new baby they had in Dec. The thing that sort of worries me is, he said on the phone he wasn't going to call at all... they were all just going to show up! I would have rang his neck for sure.

Well the house is clean now. Not that it was horrid before, just kind of lived in, and not ready for an extra 6.5 people. All is good. Now I am just waiting. They are still 4 hours away... urg!

Wake me when March roars in.
Missy

Last One For Now... Best Sewing Tips

Sorry ya'll, no decorative photo for this one... I can't seem to find it. This will be the last one for a while. As the knowledge well is running dry already.

Many of us, who have been sewing for any length of time, have come across those small items that have to be turned. I know making small purse handles and tiny prims call for turning (right side out) lots of tubes and corners.

I have seen the special turning tools at the fabric store. Good on whoever developed that product. I truly hope they get rich off their idea. My theory is "the less money I have to spend on other junk, the more money I can spend on fabric". I have used lots of "tools" to turn. The end of Jack-the seam ripper, the pointed end of my snippers, a pencil. Many times it lead to poking through the item, and/or ripping a hole in it. So my new favorite tool for turning is... Drum roll....
A crochet hook. Why? Because I already have those around my house. I have them in different sizes. They are long, straight, sturdy, and most of them have a rounded point on the end, that is not going to poke through my seam. There you have it. Hope that helps.

'Nother Best Sewing Tip...

So it's been a long week, but I think we are back on the track to normal... Tori went back to school today, and it's bright and sunny out. Crossing my fingers for a good day.

Here is another Best Sewing Tip...
Taylor's chalk sucks. At least in my opinion. I have never been able to do what I wanted to do with it. But I tell ya what does work... Artist charcoal. I use a soft lead pencil to mark on light colored fabrics. Dark color fabrics are another challenge all together.

Being from an art background I had these kinds of things laying around my house already. So one day I tried a WHITE charcoal pencil to mark my fabric and it worked like a charm. Well I ran out of that one, so I tried white colored pencil, and it works too. I doubt if you will get a crayola pencil to mark on you fabrics. I have moderately expensive colored pencils, they cost about $2.00 each. You can buy them and charcoal pencils separately at any art store. I use Ticonderoga or Prismacolor. You can sharpen them just like any other pencil, I have an electric sharpener. They make nice, easy to see, clean lines. Totally worth the 2 bucks. Hope that helps.

Been a very long week

Last Mondays was my birthday. (29 again, he he) My daughter and I had eye appointments that day. Got new contacts, that was nice. Tuesday morning she woke up sick as a dog. Missed 3 days of school. High fever, vomiting, general aches and pains all over. Went to the ER on Thur, where her fever broke and we ended up leaving. Friday she went back to school and I hit the Pres. Day sale at Joanns. Then I had a hair appointment that afternoon...

Lord can I just tell you the pain and agony of getting my hair done. I decided I wanted to get my hair permed. Less of a pain in the ass to try to "do" everyday. So I grew my hair out for 2 years. I had some bleaching damage to get rid of. I went into the salon with a very healthy, very long head of hair. My hair dresser was very happy when she saw how good the condition was. But I am guessing by the time we were done, she was happy to see my leave.

First, she had to wash and cut the hair. Layer it out so the curl would look better. And then came the rolling. I swear that poor woman had to put 200 rollers in to my head. She even said her arms were tired when she was done rolling. All said and done (after a horrible painful rinse) it took 5+ hours to get my hair permed. Lord have mercy, I don't ever remember it taking that long before, but I was probably in high school the last time I got my hair permed.

Anyway, Since I couldn't wash my hair or really do anything to it, I hid in my sewing room with my new fabric and worked on a cute tote for my very patient hair dresser. I'll post pictures of my new hair later, but first the bag.

So Many Blogs So little Time

Fuck, I am overwhelmed here. I just found this world of blogging and already I can't keep up. I could spend hours here, reading posts and replies whilst my ass steadily spreads itself into the shape of the chair. My hubby would be so thrilled...NOT!

Anyway, how does everyone keep up? I have found so many awesome blogs just in the last month that I feel torn on who to read, because God knows I can't read everyone. And if I did attempt to read everyone, I would never have time to rant and rave in my own blog. Shit, what is a girl (OK old lady) to do?

OK, I am off to read some more!

INSANE

I am now waiting on hold to get approval from the insurance company to take my oldest DD to the ER!!! She has been very sick for 2 days. Fighting a high fever, it was 103 this afternoon. And she vomited in my kitchen sink. I only started to actually worry when she said her neck hurt. She can't touch her chin to her chest. And she hasn't peed since this morning, that is not good.

Do I want to sit in the ER half the night, and fight with her to get an IV in? No. So won't you people answer the fucking phone, so I can get this over with!!!

Missy

12 Items of Less Bitch

Can someone please explain to me, how it is that I ALWAYS end up picking the most fucked up line in the whole store?

My dear husband called me on my way home and asked me to pick up a loaf of Italian bread for dinner. Sure honey, no problem, that sounds good.

I run into the grocery store, right to the bakery, pick up my bread and head for checkout. This is important because I normally linger in the grocery store, looking for something I might need. Today I needed to get my bread and get the hell out of there.

There were a bunch of lanes open, which is unusual for this store. The express lane had a line crawling down an aisle. So I am looking to see if I have better options... looking, looking, AH HA, there is another express lane down at the end, and I don't see anyone sticking out past the impulse buy racks. So I head down there. 2 people in line, awesome right? Score? NO!

I am only standing there a minute or two when I realize the lady currently checking out has more than 12 items. A LOT MORE. She probably had 12 different jars of baby food alone, plus cereal, juice, tampons and panty liners, and other various assorted items. Oh lets not forget the beer. I am like, 'OK she won't actually take that long.' In all actuality she probably only had 25-30 items.

And then she does it... Pulls out a months worth of WIC checks and tells the cashier what kind of formula she needs. Which of course he has to leave to go get!!! Please do not misunderstand me... I have nothing against WIC. I got WIC for a little while when my oldest daughter was a baby. It's a great program. It is time consuming at the register. If you are using WIC checks you DO NOT belong in the 12 items or less, cash only EXPRESS LANE!

I don't know if I was more irritated by the fact that she was in that line or that she was so happy and playful and acting like nothing was wrong. I mean Jesus man, at least turn around and acknowlege the people behind you... Tell me a lie, say you didn't realize it was express or something! I could handle a lie (in that situation) better than "I just don't give a fuck about how anyone else might be inconvienced by my decision"!!!

When all was said and done, I think I spent half an hour getting 1 loaf of bread. Let me tell you what, that better be the best store bought bread I have ever eaten.

The Worth of a Nickle

Well I am feeling better today. I hate that monthly visit from Aunt Flo! She is a real bitch. Most months I have horrible cramps, which make me sorta crabby. Can I just say yesterday was like hell? The cramps weren't so bad, but I was just feeling overall like shit and wanted to bite everyones head off. Urg... So anyway, I am feeling better, but still not like I am ready to take on the world. At least now my poor hubby doesn't have to fear for his reproductive parts.

Since I am still not feeling whitty and cheerful, I am just going to put up another sewing tip for now.

Best Sewing Tip #4:
I keep a nickle or 2 in my previously mentioned meat tray. I find these better than any flat head screwdriver when it comes to my sewing machine. They are just the right thickness for my screws with no long handle getting in the way. I can get just enough torque to turn the screws I would otherwise not be able to get at. I clean my machine a lot and I am not an idiot. I don't need to pay someone 60 bucks a week to clean it for me. The nickle helps.

Too Irritated to Bitch

Well since I am so annoyed with the world today, (I swear it has nothing to do with me being menstrual, really) I am not going to blog right now... I would be typing until my fingers were numb. Instead I am going to hit you with another Best Sewing Tip. Maybe I will blog later, after my hubby brings me home chocolate on chocolate cupcakes.

OK, Best Sewing Tip #3.
You know it happens... You have a bobbin that you need to unwind for one reason or another. Either it is poorly wound or you need an empty bobbin for another color. Whatever the reason, use your spool pin to hold the bobbin and simply pull the thread and watch it unwind. OK maybe this isn't such a wonderful tip, unless your a dingbat like me who used to try to cut the thread off and/or unwind it in my hands. Hope it helps someone.

Missy

Best sewing tips #2

Time for another installment of my best sewing tips...

I use a foam meat package next to my machine to hold little odds and ends. These are great reusable things as far as I am concerned. Once they have been washed with hot soapy water, you can use them for all sorts of things. They have an edge on them that keep the little things in. They work great for paint, especially when kids are the painters.

Anyway I keep one next to my machine. I love the fact that I can stick little hand sewing needles in it and they stay. So next time you have packaged meat, wash and use the tray. Feel green for the day because you are recycling...

Freedom of Speech

I would like to know if it's in poor taste to hang a small muzzle on my neighbors door? Maybe with a little tag that says "For the couple hours after lunch"?

So... you all know I get up at a very early hour, most mornings. Let's just say waking up at 5:30 am is sleeping in as far as I am concerned! By the time lunch rolls around I have been up and working for 8 hours already. I realize I am an odd bird... a grown up who naps after lunch.

I haven't always needed a nap after lunch. It actually started after I got pregnant with my oldest daughter. I developed hypoglycemia. After I eat, I crash, almost beyond my control, I fade quickly and I NEED a nap. I don't generally eat breakfast because of this, because I need to function. I could probably avoid this whole crash by not eating, which would be good for my weight, but if I wait to long to eat I get a migraine. So I hold out until lunch, eat, and then, usually, I pass the hell out. If I know ahead of time I won't be able to nap, I will eat just a little bit so the overpowering sleepiness isn't so bad. God forbid if I am forced to try to stay awake with a full belly, hell hath no fury, like me in need of a nap.

There isn't much that can keep me awake, or wake me once I am asleep. Any sound that would indicate my kids are in trouble, the phone (sometimes) or someone banging on my door. But there is this one little thing, that oddly enough, not only prevents my from falling asleep, and can wake me from a dead sleep... but leaves me so furious it is hard to define. The dog next door.

Don't misunderstand me... I like my neighbors. They are very nice, friendly and personable people. But that dog makes me nuts!!! She is a small beagle mix with a little yappy annoying bark that is worse than nails on a chalk board. And it never fails, on nice sunny afternoons (after lunch) she is put outside on a lead to bark her little head off. Can I also add that she NEVER stops barking the entire time she is outside. I mean on a beautiful day she can be out there for hours, bark bark bark.

I realize that she is a living being with the right to freedom of speech, so I can't just go strangle her. I would never do that, but I am just saying... How is it that she doesn't drive her owners crazy, and why have they not considered a muzzle? Just for those precious few hours after lunch!