Hi everyone,
I have Mae’s dress finished and she was anxious to show it off. She said she wanted to take pictures in her new chair… (which I’m hoping to get painted soon!) …and certainly did her fair share of squirming around in it, saying, “Take one of me doing this” or “Do you think this will look good?” or “Make sure you get in real close so they can see my new brown eyes!”
I think we get the point, Mae… you like your new dress!
This is what I’ve gotten done since the last time we met…
I made a sweet cream tulle slip with 2 layers so it’s nice and poufy! It has an elastic waistband and just slips up Mae’s legs… her tummy is a bit oversized at the bottom and just under her chest, it’s thinner. So the elastic kind of rides in between both areas. The nice thing is… if you like a little bit of slip hanging out below her dress, just pull the slip down lower on her belly and it will peek out. If you don’t want her slip to show, just push it up a bit.
The next thing you’ll notice is the silk ribbon bows have been tied and centered on the front of the lace collar.
Now here is Mae showing you all her poses!
The slip is just the right fullness to hold out her dress well.
“Well,” Mae asked, “what do you think?” (That’s a question Mae told me was for all the Sofa Sisters! :o)
I did find a piece of rosey pink leather that I think I’ll try and make her a pair of shoes from. It’s been so long, I’m a little nervous about making them… I hope I haven’t forgotten how I made them before.
A few of you noticed my manicure when I showed how to sew on the snaps. I hadn’t planned it that way, but it sure worked out perfectly with the close-up pictures. It had been a couple of months since I had polished my nails and decided Saturday evening it was time! Polishing my nails made my hands feel pretty! :o) Thanks ladies!
I also wanted to add a couple of thank you’s to Marilyn and Dorothy in PA… for the nice things you shared about me. When I said I was sad because my sewing was interrupted or I didn’t have time to make all I wanted to make, I’ve just had to give up that dream and go with the flow. Sometimes I have time to sew and other times I just don’t. Sure, I’d love to sew 8 hours a day like I see some ladies doing, but my life is not theirs and their life is not mine. I did have that kind of time several years ago and you’d think now, with my kids gone, I would have MORE time, but I just don’t. Things I have to do these days are not the same as they were a while back. That’s just the way it is.
I remember when I was SO excited to open up my Etsy shop back in 2012, I think! It was the night before and I was so excited to have a few things ready to get listed. My mom fell and broke her kneecap that afternoon and ended up coming to our house for 6 weeks while she recuperated. It was just one of those things that didn’t go according to my plan…
Now I just do what I can, when I can, as often as I can! I LOVE to sew and it is my happy place, so when it gets interrupted or shortened , it does make me sad… sad that what I had planned was thwarted… but usually just for a while.
Dorothy, the young lady you were referring to, was Sara… Alba and Edgar’s daughter. (From Colombia, South America) She was 9 years old they came here as students. They were here 5 years. She is in college back in Colombia and a beautiful young lady! We did lots of fun things together… making corn casserole and sewing with scraps and baking cupcakes for the first time… and many other things.
Okay, now I’m not sad… I am very happy to have all of you in life and that’s something that brings a big smile to my face! :o)
If you were wondering what “big blue slide” Marilyn was talking about… I’ll show you that post… it was my second post back in 2014!
My Biggest Alterations Job Ever!
Well, I better get to bed!
I’ll see you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Mae’s dress turned out just perfectly, Jeanne! I have a feeling it’s going to take a lot of cookie bribes to get it off her again when the time comes.
As to her shoes, maybe you could look back in your blogs and reread what you wrote about making shoes for her the last couple of times; it could refresh your memory, and I’m sure you’ll have no trouble. I don’t blog, but I do keep a sewing journal, and write in it about the more unusual or special of my sewing projects (if I wrote them all in it, I’d be on volume 5 by now, instead of finishing the first one!). Some things, such as this prototype of my little purse I just finished, and the cases for the travel-size pillows, I can refer back to when I make the next one, and just reading thru projects I did years ago helps me remember how I did things, or why I did them this way instead of that way.
Rosemary, I had to giggle about offering to share pictures of your finished quilts, not finished quilts, sort of finished ones, ones in ziplock bags, etc. SAME!!! I think I mentioned a while back, I found at least nine unfinished quilts in my sewing room, and I’m sure there’s at least one or two more in there! I have gotten two of them quilted but they are still waiting to be bound. However, I did finish some t-shirts I started many years ago when I was still teaching at Stretch & Sew; I had used them as class demos, and that was back in the early 80s!! So maybe there’s a Little hope for me getting finished some day!! LOL
I could probably send a few pictures, too, to help Jeanne during her busy times. I have pictures of my 80th birthday, or I could send pictures of sewing projects, or my dolls modeling things I made (although you might have seen those already, I don’t know). If nothing else, we will keep the discussions going!
and my response, YES, SAME. Moving my sewing stuff was a shocking experience and now I have it stuffed upstairs, but somewhat better filed. Perhaps a hot summer days project. Waaay too much fabric and Unfinished projects.
Oh, how perfectly sweet little Mae looks in her new dress, Jeanne! I love it!❤️. The slip is perfect for her, and yes, does hold the dress out so nicely! I love the bows too, and see that you cut them shorter, which probably was the plan all along.
How old would you say Mae is supposed to be? That would help determine what kind of shoes she would be wearing.( if that’s any help)
Whose life always goes to plan, Jeanne? For sure, not mine! We all get in the dumps now and then, and it is perfectly normal. When you look back to all the good things that have happened to you or the good that you do, it sure does give us an uplift that we need. Thank you Marilyn, for bringing this to our attention! My dolls are my “happy place”, as they are for most of us. When I share pictures of them, I hope they give you the lift that they give to me! In fact, when all of you share the pictures of things in your life to us, it gives all of us a lift that we need, and brings us closer together.
Jeanne, we are with you through thick and thin!💕
Am I glad I mentioned the slide. In college, I worked in the theater and we had some unwieldy projects, so I related to this one, but I’d forgotten how huge your project was. Thanks for the link. I recalled some yellow or orange and I really recalled the craziness of someone thinking you could/would/should take this on, but I’d forgotten the whole blowing up, letting air out, find another leak, sew it up, blow it up process.
You’ve come through one medical issue (yours, George’s, other’s) and house issue after another, and you never give up. The blog gives us a lot more than sewing projects. You have demonstrated time and again that the impossible is possible, and, at the same time, your design and sewing ability continues to develop. I read (and proofread) another blog where the writer sometimes makes ageist statements and I try to discourage them. This blog reminds us that problems happen, but at least very often we overcome them. The sewing is nice, but the overcoming and accomplishing is even more important.
Isn’t it funny what we remember? Some of us will be remembering Reuben’s sling 10 years from now, and most of us will remember Sara and would love to see a picture of her now and know her major. And Mae’s hem is just beautiful.
I vividly remembered that project of Jeanne’s with the blow-up slide. I doubt I would have taken it on and I’m a big one for not throwing things away.. It was pretty amazing what she accomplished.
Dear Jeanne, all of us stilling on your sofa are a group you have made with your blog. We are all here for you and each other. The older we get the more our world changes, some for good and some for problems. We pray for you and your family and for each other too, when needed, and check on each other every week. All of this is because of your blog and we are so glad you created this.
Little Mae is sweeter than ever, I really love this outfit, you never fail to make beauty. I look forward to seeing the shoes and other things you add.
It was fun to see the slide again, I had forgotten about it, and just thinking about all the things people have giving you to fix, and you always come through.
Praying for you and George’s surgery.
Oh, that dress turned out so cute! My Mae looked at me with her big brown eyes and said, “Hey, isn’t it time you got me out of this Christmas dress, and got me something pink and pretty?” I told her we’d just have to wait and see.
Jeanne, you know you have a wonderful bunch of ladies here who can always find something to chat about when you get too busy to sew. And while I don’t usually add much to the conversation, I’m always here, at the end of the sofa, listening… I’m much the same in person, too, even when I’m with family.
Good morning dear ones. I hope everyone is feeling good. We have sunshine.
Mae’s dress is adorable and she is the most enthusiastic model!
I love everything about this dress. Jeanne, did you use this fabric from a former piece of clothing? or did you just purchase a snippet? It is a perfectly scaled print!
Yes shoes. See how it goes, give it a try.
Gosh I understand that delving back into complicated projects and creating better results. Too many examples in life, from figure skating elements, to sewing 104 drunkards path blocks. It is not always the case of doing something over and over and becoming stellar, but more about continuing the same focus. So, make those cutie shoes Jeanne. No rushing.
I hope you share the prototype of your little purse, Charlotte. I am glad we are on the same page with sewing adventures. I just bought a second jelly roll last evening to make a …. START a new quilt. Hubbs does not even ask when he sees a purchase from an obvious sewing shop.
wow I went back to look at the repair of that bouncy house, Jeanne. Well done.
Sometimes we look back at amazing crazy stuff we have done and wonder how we did that!! Jeanne, this one is a good memory!
2014, this was when I was so busy taking a massive life diversion caring for both of my parents full time. I am glad to read that post, and I always think of repairs like that as “surgery” which is something I am interested in, repairs.
Thank you for sharing that post again, Jeanne. well done. I just repaired two braided rugs using my mom’s Singer 316G which is a beast of a machine. I had to manually lift up the entire presser foot to get the rug underneath! I did not break a single needle!
I always use my old needles for crusty projects.
Well, it is a sunny day, and I am going to try to be peppy today,
I am so grateful for all of you. Today is “craft and chat” in my new neighborhood but I am going to be a no-show. ….it is fun, the people are nice but I do not really like sitting on my butt for two hours. … maybe next week.
Oh, Mae looks darling in her latest design paradise. Great photos too. She’s such a fashionista.
I have a sweet Meadow doll, Ady. She is the same size as Mae, but looks a bit different and actually has a couple of teeth. So cute. Anyway, I also have her brother. They are twins actually. I would love to see boy outfits made. You know, a romper with straps and shorts bottom with some kind of a shirt. Maybe a sweater or jacket too. And he has no undies either and could use some boxers. He’s never had any clothes and would greatly appreciate some. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything made for the boys. I know that Jeanne likes to make dresses, but maybe some time in the future she might make something for a boy doll? And my poor little guy has not ever been given a name. It needs to be an “A” name to go with his sister Ady. Something a bit unusual would be nice. Any ideas out there?
Sun’s coming out, and I think we’re going to hit somewhere in the 70’s again. I went out to check the weedy yard yesterday and discovered that my tiny yellow daffodils are blooming in a pot. I saved the bulbs from some I bought at Trader Joe’s last year and put them in the pot and voila, there they are blooming away. 🙂
It’s magic!
Joy, what a poor little boy! How about at least giving him a name, how about Andy, sounds good with Ady, just add one n and you have it.
How about Augie for a boy’s name? That was just the first “A” name I thought of. 🙂
Oh, thank you Sissy and Theresa. I’ll put both names on my list. 🙂
How about Aidan for your boy. I love the name and it goes good with Ady.
Oh, I like that too. Thanks, Barbara. 🙂
Mae looks absolutely adorable in her cute outfit. I love everything about her dress including the look on her face as she’s posing in the chair too.
As wonderful as it is to belong to the sofa sisters, we have always enjoyed seeing what you are working on and what you have to say. There are just times in life with unseen obligations, that seem to take over our time. Jeannie, you have to do what you have to do in the time that you have. We all understand that.
Everyone, have a great day! I may actually relax today! I had only a few things to take care of.
So, will the cast come off next week? Hope so. Thinking of you trying to use your left hand. How you can even type beats me. Take care.
Hi Joy,
I speak into my phone which I still make errors in what I’m saying, but at least I can communicate.
The cast comes off in two weeks from today. When I’m in bed at night and it’s itching and irritating me, I keep telling myself to call the surgeon and tell him I’m taking this off! I’m going to have my husband cut it off. But that’s frustration talking and I’m looking forward to having a normal hand. What I had done is called a proximal row carpectomy. The surgeon removes three small bones on the top of my wrist because they were very arthritic.
Thank you joy for asking about the cast.
All this on top of having a kidney stone!
Oh, I thought that the wrist surgery was more than enough. The kidney stone sounds well, awful! So sorry.
As to the cast, when my dad had one for a broken wrist at 94, he pretty much had it off by himself. Hopefully, you can hold out a bit longer although, I would probably be claustrophobic and be trying to remove it myself too. Haven’t heard of your surgery, only carpal tunnel. I’m sure it will be great when the cast comes off. Be thinking of you and hoping that the time flies by quickly.
Jeanne, I sent you an email with photos of the fabrics we talked about.
I love little Mae’s dress and the ribbons at the neckline are so cute.
I think this is a quote from Beatle John Lennon, but I’m sure he got it from somewhere else but he once said “Life is what happens when you are making other plans.” I know it sure explains mine and I guess I have gotten to the age where any life is good if I can still have time with my family.
It has been nearly six months since I’ve spent any real time in my sewing room doing what makes me feel totally content. The day that my son told me that his wife no longer wanted to be a wife and mother after fifteen years of marriage knocked the starch out of me and I guess I went into survival mode. I love my daughter-in-law and never saw this coming since she and Sean always seemed so compatible. That is why it’s been determined that something from her childhood has come back to haunt her. She is now seeing a trauma therapist and it seems to be helping but then she decides to leave town for a weekend with a girlfriend over Valentine’s weekend sending my son and the grandkids into another tailspin.
Since my son is out here working every day and we go to lunch together, it is his time to vent about what is happening at home. Trying to keep his head above water through all this while remaining compassionate toward my daughter-in-law is exhausting but I truly believe that you are put where you are needed most and my family seems to definitely be where I’m needed most since life for us has never been easy no matter what we did. We once took in the adopted daughter of David’s ex-wife because she was abusing her. She was between Andrea and Sean in age. Her thanks to us was to go to school and tell the counselor we were abusing our children. Thankfully we live in a small town where everyone knew us so all that was put to rest pretty quickly, but that served to make her angrier. She had been doing that with her mother and that was why she was in CPS custody so she tended to look on it like a game.
We got custody of David’s adopted son from his first marriage when he was seven because she was abusing him. He’s fifty now and still nurses grudges from when he was seven and his mother told him he was coming to live with us for a year to get “his problems straightened out” and then he would come back to live with her. Since his goal in life was to get her to love him, when he found out she had lied to him he totally rejected us and everything we had to offer him, which made for a difficult ride from then on. We’re still praying for him to see the light but he just takes advantage of our love and concern for him every way he can.
So I basically live my life doing a lot of praying for others and for strength for myself and being grateful for the many blessing in my life like having two great children that love us as we love them, having amazing grandchildren and watching them grow into amazing people and having a man of faith who has been standing beside me for 46 years keeping me from crumbling when life becomes more difficult than I would like, especially at this age.
One big blessing that I have seen lately is that after my last chiro appointment I was actually able to walk with far less difficulty and am seeing a light at the end of that tunnel. I don’t know exactly what she did since it didn’t seem like she’d done anything different but it’s like all the things that were causing the problem have pretty much gone away. You can bet I’m sending up thanks for that.
But I think the biggest blessing in my life is that no matter what has happened in my life I have always been able to remain positive. Faith in God has been there for me from the beginning when I was going to church by myself while the rest of my family was saying “there goes Goody Two-Shoes off to church again”. When you have to stand strong against a family that should be in your corner you come to realize that you have the strength to stand against anything that is out there in life.
So sorry to hear about your son’s wife. Hopefully, your son can plan something fun for the kids left home that weekend. Something special. Maybe remembering that will help the kids anyway.
After all that has happened in the past, I think you have a remarkably great attitude on life and the future. Keep up that positive mode. 🙂
Thanks, Joy. We’ve been thinking about taking Sean and the grandkids to Brookwood for lunch in the cafe. I mentioned that David and I ate there on Valentine’s Day last year. The cafe is in the Brookwood Community for adults with disabilities of all kinds. The cafe is lovely and the food is great.
That sounds great and maybe the kids want to stop at the dollar store as well? Seems like kids love all of the fun stuff there. 🙂
Dear Jeanne, I still remember Sara and the stories you told about spending time with her. She was a lovely young lady. She truly touched your heart and through you talking about her, she touched our hearts as well. I think of her sometimes and I always wish her well.
Prayers continue for you and George and Reuben.
I too loved hearing the stories about Jeanne and Sara’s adventures in baking and sewing. I have a friend whose daughter adopted a Chinese baby many years ago. Every time I see a picture of Lian and Ten Ping it reminds me of her. She was adopted when she was a little over one and is now 18 and a senior in high school. I have watched her grow up through my friend’s Facebook page. She has grown into a beautiful and amazing young woman who had opportunities and took advantage of every one of them, much like Sara did living here.