I had a nice weekend…and hope you did too… we didn’t do anything special for the Fourth… Rebecca was out of town and Kristoffer was on his own doing something. On Saturday my hubby asked for my help getting his shed stained. We hadn’t done it in 4 years and it was pretty tired looking… We used a semi transparent Redwood stain and now it’s all pretty again… :o)
If you click on my pictures, they will enlarge… (Can you find Reuben?)
My hubby had to stake his tomatoes (on the left) a little higher… he’s 6’4″ and they are at least a foot taller than him… He’s getting a few tomatoes each day and quite a few of the Cherry 100’s, (and the yummiest cucumbers we’ve ever grown!)
I was too pooped to do any sewing on Saturday after we came in, but Sunday afternoon and evening, I worked on another romper, tweaking the pattern to make it better and quicker to put together… there’s usually a more simple way than you think when you make something. This is the beginnings of the second romper… I made the insides neater with a piece of Velcro instead of the way I did it the first time… AND I angled the side seam this time and hope that makes a difference…
I didn’t have any appliques that were small enough so after a meeting I have Monday morning, I’m going to Joann’s and Hobby Lobby to see if I can find something that I like…
Okay, Sally… this is just for you…
I will get the buttons and applique and finish it up and see what kind of a blouse goes with it…
Then there will be flip flops for it and maybe another hat… we’ll see…
I was going to show something on Sunday just for fun since it was the Fourth of July…but I forgot. This was my favorite Red, White and Blue dress I ever made… anyone remember who wore it?
Yes, it was Lian… I came up with this design and think she was absolutely the sweetest thing in it… I still do… :o)
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
The shed looks so nice, now! Lucky you, having all those lovely tomatoes and cucumbers. Drool drool!! I’m envious–but not enough to turn me into a gardener! LOL
The new romper is coming along nicely, and, yes, I can see a difference in how it fits; it seems a little flatter in the front with a little nicer flare to the legs. And I love the back!
I sure do remember Lian’s outfit; I think that was shortly after I’d first subscribed to your blog. I remember wondering if you had Lost. Your. Mind., sewing all those buttons on her dress!! I don’t know that I would have done that! But it certainly made the outfit, that’s for sure!!
We had a nice 4th; Ron wasn’t up to going to church today, but I did bring him some food from the church picnic (after worship service). And, we had FOUR visitors this morning!! (For a little congregation like ours, that’s a lot!) Two were repeats, two were there for the first time. WE had the picnic out in the covered drop-off area of our parking lot–the guys brought out chairs and tables, and hauled them all back in again afterwards. Weather cooperated–sunny and high 70s! Hope everyone else had a good 4th, also!
Happy Fourth of July 2021! Our extended family celebrated the holiday together for the first time since the Covid-19 outbreak. It was wonderful to see everyone and catch up on everything. Your storage shed looks great and I love the update on the romper, especially the back. How cute is that.🥰😍🥰
Fireworks over the Tennessee River, a neighborhood pool party and the best weather for the Fourth in years, it was a great weekend! Your shed looks brand new! I love the photos of Rozen and Stella side by side. These rompers are the perfect outfits for July. Lian’s dress is just beautiful and very patriotic. Looking forward to the second romper!
Your storage shed looks so nice and neat. You and George have such a lovely home and yard. It is well taken care of.
Since we’ve been home, I’ve cleaned out and reorganized many cupboards, drawers and under the sink spaces. I like those areas un-crowded and with appropriate things designated for that space. However, our closet is getting over run with things I’m taking to California. Mainly some of my serving pieces. I truly dislike piles of stuff sitting around!
I’m also going through my dolls, ones I no longer want. My niece offered to sell them at a doll show coming up in the fall. I’d like to keep a few I’ve had for many years and the AMG dolls. The AMG remain my favorite.
Your jean shorts outfit is coming along. The second pair fit a lot better. Your sewing methods and intricate work is admirable. Those RRFF dolls are so tempting to get, especially seeing them in your beautiful outfits.
Hope everyone had a fun 4th of July yesterday and today brings it’s the official holiday.
Dear Jeanne….YES, YES, YES! I am DELIRIOUSLY happy with the new romper. It is SO different from the normal back strap treatment and special, and I had thought it might pull in the slight pooching out of the bib. Charlotte noticed that today as I did. Holy cow!! All my chimes are ringing, if you can’t tell! I am so proud of you for making a total replication of the original. Well done, my friend. Charlotte had a point about Lian’s spectacular outfit. All those buttons to put on, but my goodness, they really made it extra “Jeanne Special”.
The shed looks very very happy with its new coating. What a difference stain/paint can make, and usually a relatively easy transformation to do. Congratulations to you both. As for the super successful tomato plants, I am just speechless. I have a deck planter with a cherry tomato that has been very productive. Still too early for the two plants in my farm water trough. We have to be patient which isn’t our strongest suit.
4th here in Salida was 90 with a little breeze and occasional clouds to break up the intensity. Tons of people all around. About 4, I put Kipper into her thunder shirt which she accepts nicely because I knew there would soon be stray booms and whistles, and that we would be facing about 6 hours of terror for the poor dog. We loaded her into the back of my wagon at 9 and drove up to Poncha Pass to avoid the “horror” of the city display and were there about an hour. This was really late for my hubby who was in his jammies, but he was a good sport to keep us company.
THE GOOD NEWS today is that we have an appointment to meet a 6 year old dog at the shelter this afternoon and Kip, of course, will be with us to test how the mix will go. Keep your fingers crossed. Two hours after I submitted the adoption application, they called me to make the appointment. Sugar got a LOT of applications but I was called first since I have been a long volunteer and donor to the shelter. Please wish us luck. We are so eager to have a new partner for Kip whose anxiety is going ever higher since we lost dear old Chester.
Sounds like Charlotte and Nanette had some good visits, and hope the rest of you had some special fun you haven’t had since over a year ago.
Did everyone see the Ltd Ed RRFF that was released yesterday with a 4 hour window to order, and the edition would be limited to that number of orders that came in? It was a fairy with pink hair, little rhinestone star in the middle of the forehead, fairy outfit. I did not find it at all appealing, but some of you may have.
And Jeanne, I will be making a reply and thank you so much for your caring and prayers.
Happy Day After, ladies!
Dear Sally,
I hope Kip becomes fast friends with your adoption dog possibility. I’m sure a friend is what Kip needs . Hugs from one rescuer/ shelter donor to another.
Yes, hugs to you, too. Sugar and our dog Kipper seem to be doing very nicely. Thank you, Laura.
Scrambled eggs for dogs and kitties? We might have to experiment! Loved “patriotic mice” for the kitties! 😁
Sally, so happy you were able to spend the evening at Poncha Pass, and that Kipper escaped the ruckus back in town. Here, there is a ban on all fireworks because of the extreme fire danger. However, there is an element that feels entitled to disobey that law and shoot off fireworks reserved for commercial venues as well as shooting off their weapon of choice. We really could not believe the amount of booms and bangs going off most of the night. We’re talking LOUD! Everyone has been saying how stressed their pets are as well as the toll it takes on poor wildlife.
Fortunately, most of it was to the south and west, but there were still some who gathered in the cemetery nearby and shot off a lot of illegal fireworks.
So hope the possible adoption works out. It might take Kipper a bit to get used to the newbie, but I’m sure she will be happy to have another companion.
Hi, Joy. Thanks. My hubby gets credit for thinking of driving up to the Pass. We only came back about a half hour too early. I am exhausted after all the Kipper anxiety capers this week. She met Sugar today, a 6 year old corgi/Shepard and they hit it off well. I can almost feel her relief tonight. Vet also started Kip on doggie Prozac today.
I read somewhere that Italy has made and been using “soundless” fireworks. Why can’t we do that here? You’re right. So many animals are terrified by this stuff. And there IS always that “element” as you say, who do what they want when they want. And I will leave that there or I will be starting my soapbox spiel.
Hope you get some rain. We got well over an inch one day this past week. If I had stood out in the street gutters, I could have pretended I was at the beach with the tide coming in! Thanks for your note. BTW, did you buy the fairy doll? How’s your Eira?
Veterans have a hard time with fireworks noise, too, Sally. My husband served in the USMC in Korea, 1952; fireworks never bothered him much in the earlier years of our marriage (we married in 1974), but in recent years, any loud and/or sudden noise does bother him, and particularly fireworks.
I’m glad to hear that Sugar and Kip are getting along well!! Some animals do seem to enjoy having “siblings” to be with!
Charlotte, you are so right about veterans. Our eldest son served in Afghanistan and booms still make him nervous from IED’s.
Yes, I think Kip definitely needed a sidekick. So far, so good.
Well, you sure made the day for Luca, who is sitting here by the computer doing a thumbs up for Stella in that cute renewal. He definitely has not forgotten her. 🙂
I do like the strap detail in the back. Such a fun pattern you have designed. I’m thinking that a sweet flowered shirt would be cute with the shortalls, but really just about anything goes with denim. 🙂
Great job on the barn/shed repaint. Perhaps, you and George would like to join us here in CA to restain our two level deck? Ha ha. I think the only way it will be accomplished is if we actually hire someone to do the work. Neither of us here wants to do it yet again. So much prep work and no water to even help clean it up. I can’t seem to find Reuben? Where’s Waldo is not my best game. 🙂
I remember that flag dress so well. I tried to make something similar until it came to those buttons! I couldn’t even lay them out to look anything nearly as perfect as Jeanne’s, let alone sew them on, so my version as I remember has no buttons. 🙂
Please tell George he is winning in the tomato game! We have a lot of green tomatoes, but none ripe so far and about half of the size as his in height. However, we do have lots of zucchini and patti pan squash if that counts. Other person is fretting that the tomatoes aren’t getting enough sun. The neighbor’s oak tree is now casting a shadow on that raised bed. Next year, if we have any water, we’ll put them in the bed with more sun. It’s getting old to lug the saved shower warm up water all the way down to water the plants. Hope we can hold out until the November rains. 🙂
Around here, I’m almost finished with the 4th of July dresses for my RRFF kids. They have been pleading for me to hurry up!
Hope everyone had a grand 4th.
Thanks to Laura, I finally found Reuben. But, I had to blow up the photo a lot to see him by the hen run. 🙂
I did not find Rueben.☹️ Your shed looks great! I zoomed in on the hens, too. I’m missing out on all the changes as my chicks grow. Hubs moved them out to their coop where they will stay until they are big enough to go out in the chicken run.
Dad and I had a wonderful 4th. The fireworks were on the third and they were practically across the street. We watched them from inside the house. The concussion from the bigger booms made the mugs on the dining room shelves jingle! Yesterday the usual suspects came to watch the parade. Dad could watch from the big picture window. Then we all went out in the country for a dinner feast. By the time we got home I was exhausted.
The only hiccup we’ve had was when I was taking off his boot to wash his leg. There were the biggest ugliest red blisters around his ankle and foot! We went to the ER. They are fracture blisters. Nothing to be concerned about. They wrapped his leg in gauze under the boot because eventually they will break. Then I will need to change the gauze daily.
Julia, it was a joy to hear you had a good 4th with your dad. He must love having you there with him. Never heard of fracture blisters; sounds like you have a lot of loving work on your hands. You both have my prayers.
Your shed really looks nice. It’s always nice when you can cross a “have to” project off your list. I’m still reorganizing but each day my efforts become more obvious. I’ve been working on my study. I put a folding table in the kitchen so I wouldn’t have to risk damaging my kitchen table. Things that have ended up in the study but actually belong elsewhere and things that go back in the study when I’m finished cleaning out are sitting on this table. Hubby says the study is looking great but he’s wondering if the kitchen will recover. I reminded him his two Father’s Day presents are taking up space in there also and need to be moved to the shop. One of them is quite large. I imagine they will still be there while he is out of town this week. Hopefully all the rest of the stuff will be gone or find a new location by the time he returns.
I love the strap treatment on the new romper. It’s one of the things I loved about the one you were copying. Your tweaking has worked well and the new romper should be really cute. Can’t wait to see the finished product. I like the idea of a flowered shirt.
We went to Sean and family’s near Houston last evening for our July 4th celebration. They don’t live in the city limits so after a wonderful dinner of steak and Mexican street corn we took the items bought at the fireworks stand outside. There was some interesting stuff. The kids and their neighbor friends did sparklers and firecrackers and Sean set off the bigger stuff. I love sparklers so I got to do a few of them too. Some of the people in the neighborhood must have spent a ton of money because there were what looked like mini-fireworks displays. Really pretty.
We’ve had so much rain lately and there were several pretty heavy showers in the afternoon so fire was not something we had to worry about. Years ago we lived in the county near where they do now. It was the days of the cedar shake roofs. The homeowners’ associations would not allow for a change in roofing materials. So every year on the 4th of July people made sure to wet down their roofs and the fire department was on stand-by. Finally the HOAs did an about face, realizing the roofs were fire hazards on a good day (not to mention a haven for every kind of insect in nature), and they allowed for other roofing materials. Thankfully.
Sounds like everyone had a pretty nice 4th of July. Skyy reminded us now that the 4th of July celebrations are over we need to remember his birthday is in 22 days. Actually 21 now.
How could I forget to mention Lian’s dress. It is absolutely adorable. It took me a minute to realize the decoration was buttons. How clever but how tedious that must have been, especially trying to get them all lined up perfectly. Great job!!
Impressive is the word for the day.
The shed is impressive…such a great painting job!Did you spray it? It looks so even.
The romper is impressive too..it looks smoother , the angle is good and LOVE the back!
The 4th of July dress on Liam is impressive too….how in the world did you ever get those stars on so perfectly?
We watched the fireworks from a friends deck that is on a high spot….also very impressive to see so many at once. Have a good week!
Kathie, watching the fireworks from your vantage point sounds like so much fun. I love fireworks but we decided to forego the public ones this year in favor of dinner and hanging out with the grandkids while they did their personal fireworks. But my city has what they call the Sealybration next weekend and that ends with fireworks on Sunday evening so I plan on catching those so I don’t totally suffer from fireworks deprivation, since we didn’t get to them last year.
I see Reuben!! He’s visiting with the hens. He’s hoping they lay a lot of eggs so he can have one as well. My dogs and now the kitties love scrambled eggs as a treat.
Your shed looks very nice and neat.
I really love the new romper. I went back to see what Sally’s comments were, and I do agree that if the back of something is interesting that is one more reason I would want it. I can also see posing a doll so that shows.
I remember Lian’s patriotic dress. All those tiny star buttons in a flag shape were very cute.
Didn’t feel like going to the concert and fireworks this year, but the kitties enjoyed playing with their patriotic mice and we watched fireworks on tv.
Dear Jeanne, I do not see Reuben. He must be in camouflage (laugh).
Your “twins” are adorable in their rompers.
How can it be July already? The older I get the faster time goes.
I had a great time at the Madame Alexander Doll Club convention. When I came home, I wanted a Lissy doll so I found one! She needs to be re-strung (not by me though) and she needs some clothing, which I am seeking on ebay.
In two weeks, I will be off the UFDC in Baltimore. More dolly fun!
Hi, Dorothy in PA! What fun to go to these conventions, and I am glad you got a Lissy. I still have mine from childhood but although she is in excellent shape beauty-wise, she needs restringing. Are you going to do it yourself?