~ Aug 2013~ Sew what... We've gotta find a way back! GF Gingerbread House set 5/20!!

[DMGeurts]

Originally Posted by WDWCP96

I can't believe he tore the ear off that quickly! Poor MM! I am glad that he was so happy with it and thank you for sending me a picture of him! It really was no problem getting it and BTW my name is Holly (not Wendy).

OMG Holly - I am sooo sorry... The funny thing is, I had your Dis name right in my head, and I didn't write it because I thought I had it wrong. LOL It was the "W"s in it that threw me off, and made me think "Wendy"... Please forgive my ever aging mind.

D~

[KatMark]

D, just popping in to say goodbye and I'll see you when I get back.

Going to sell the house and move? I dread that move to Florida in three years and packing up.

[WDWCP96]

Originally Posted by DMGeurts

OMG Holly - I am sooo sorry... The funny thing is, I had your Dis name right in my head, and I didn't write it because I thought I had it wrong. LOL It was the "W"s in it that threw me off, and made me think "Wendy"... Please forgive my ever aging mind.

D~

Do not feel bad! Since my DIS is so different from my real name it is understandable and the fact that I never post my real name.

[kittylady1972]

Originally Posted by DMGeurts

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Then, I got a call from the school nurse for V... What is going on??? Seriously - I feel like I have had one of my girls home with me every single day this school year. Her chest was bothering her, and it "hurt to breathe"... but when I got there she was fine. So, I took her home. I noticed I was having sort of the same symptoms - so I assumed we were getting a cold? But today I feel fine, so who knows?

Josh and I were talking about remodeling our kitchen last night... So, I told him just to forget it... I am sick of all the work we have to do to this house yet, and the fact that part of the kitchen floor is sinking... It's an old house, and I am really beginning to see that it's not worth all this effort. So, on a whim - we've decided we want to finish up the current projects and sell. Then I looked around, and thought "there is NO WAY I am going to be able to pack up and move all this STUFF"... But we did go online to see if there are any houses that interest us on the market... Nope - really nothing. But, at least we've decided that we are not going to stay here forever...

D~

I know how you feel about the sick kids. I swear last year the school nurse had my number on speed dial. It hasn't been as bad this year but my oldest son was home today after getting sick last night...and even now he is looking kinda rough. I'm not so sure he'll go to school tomorrow either, but I really hate for him to miss because I know he'll fall behind. He struggles enough when he IS in class!

Wow about your thoughts on moving. I really love our house and can't imagine living anywhere else. We had it built in 2001 and we are always making changes. I SO need a new kitchen floor and we were going to go looking over the weekend...but then I decided I don't want to make ANY changes either right now. Why? Because there's a CHANCE we may rent it out for a while...and move to ENGLAND for a few years!

So can you say Disneyland Paris???

[DMGeurts]

Originally Posted by solana131

I find it fascinating to read about your hair color...I know, I'm weird. I made it 31 years before I ever colored my hair. I always had long, straight, plain brown hair. Then a couple years ago I had a moment....I chopped it off. I mean really chopped it off. She had to use a razor on the back of my neck that's how short I have it now! And I love it. When I chopped it off, she told me I should have some highlights to make the layers stand out. So I did it. That's as far as I've gotten though....I don't dare to get a full color job. I just so afraid that once I do it, I can never go back. Don't you have to go like every few weeks to keep the roots from showing? I have an appointment tomorrow for another trim and highlights. Not sure I can go full blown yet...

Yah - I love my hair short too... I was always long haired until I had Allison, then I chopped it uber short. Now, I am kind of in the middle.

Yep, I would probably have to have my roots touched up at every cut... But that's why I want my color to be as close as I can to my natural color, so it's not quite so obvious when it grows out.

Originally Posted by solana131

And I totally know what you are saying with the moving. We are at that place right now...not because our house is old, but because we want something cheaper. But moving is such a daunting task. And we just did it 3 years ago! And with a young child, keeping your house clean for showings is impossible! Oy...I just want the house fairy to come save me. Maybe we should both apply to HGTV and see what happens

Yah - I am just so sick of this house... There is so much that still needs to be done to it, and it's quite embarassing to have non-family people over because we have so many half finished projects, and so many more that are in dire need... We have several years worth of work to complete before we can even think about selling.

Originally Posted by mommy2mrb

your hair sounds festive D! I usually get highlights a couple times a year and then touch up my roots at home every few weeks.

hope you a V aren't getting sick...my cold keeps switching up on me, was feeling better, but have a sore throat today

one good thing about moving...you really make decisions on what's truly important enough to keep and move! its a good reason to purge

It is a little festive - LOL I hope you are feeling better today Lisa.

Yah - I have SOOO Much to purge, it isn't even funny... I guess I better get started on that, because some day we will move - maybe.

Originally Posted by WDWCP96

MM did receive a surprise in the mail the other day... Wendy (gosh her Dis name slips me right now) picked up an Eeyore for Max... He was so excited to get it. I took a picture of him, and he was just a happy little guy. About an hour later - we noticed that Eeyore was missing an ear already (Eeyore does not have small ears, mind you). I searched the office and the ear was no where to be found. So, I put Eeyore on a high shelf, until MM learns not to eat his Eeyores. This morning, I woke to a large pile of "something questionable" (ahem - vomit) on my office floor... Then I noticed the pink of Eeyore's ear in the pile... Yup - I found it...

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

D~

I can't believe he tore the ear off that quickly! Poor MM! I am glad that he was so happy with it and thank you for sending me a picture of him! It really was no problem getting it and BTW my name is Holly (not Wendy).[/QUOTE]

I know - I couldn't believe it either, I was so mad at him! Eeyore is now up on a shelf - with his other Eeyore.

Originally Posted by Pluto0809

Finally caught up!

I love the new bag. I got lots of attention last week while carrying mine!

I'm so jealous that you are done with your Christmas shopping. I still have so much to do and most of mine has to be mailed. I really need to do a marathon shopping day this weekend. My main problem is my Mom, I never know what to get her. I was hoping to come up with an idea after being with her for a week at Disney but no such luck.

So glad to have you back Ariana! And I am glad you got lots of attention from the bag... When you have a chance I would love a photo with your bag in "action".

I still have one more package to ship to The Netherlands, I've been procrastinating about sending it... Next year, I think we will just send them cash... Seriously - we have spent DOUBLE on shipping their packages over, vs. what even budget to spend on them - and now that we have the little one coming, I am sure our shipping is going to go through the roof!

I hope you are able to find something for your mom.

Originally Posted by WDWCP96

I love the castle/monorail bag! The interior fabric is perfect and the black for the windows is amazing! What did you say the name of it was? That might be a fun fabric to make Mickey heads put out of for our next trip.

Thank you HOLLY! The fabric is called Fairy Frost... It might work very well for Mickey heads.

Originally Posted by Chicago Mo

Hi i'm back!
You need to make a sleeping bag your bags are so awesome! I hope everyone is feeling better!?! LOVE your tree! can't wait to get ours. you have me looking up tree farms around here... unlike the local landscaping place we usually get. I have my candles up and lit already! LOVE LOVE the smells of Christmas! i saw Target has some new Disney items!!!
I'm sure you know?!
i am finally caught up with you and Suzi. Mat leaves tomorrow. Oopsi HERE I COME!!!

So glad to have you back Mo! I think everyone is feeling better now? I hope. I can't wait to see your tree too... I hope you'll take lots of your amazing photos of the process - they will be gorgeous, I am sure!

Originally Posted by KatMark

D, just popping in to say goodbye and I'll see you when I get back.

Going to sell the house and move? I dread that move to Florida in three years and packing up.

Yay!!! So happy for you that the surprise is going off with out a hitch... Gosh, if I was in Mark's shoes - I would be crying and carrying on - no way would I be able to sleep the night before! I am just so excited for you both!

I would totally pack up and move to Florida - in a heart beat.

Originally Posted by WDWCP96

Do not feel bad! Since my DIS is so different from my real name it is understandable and the fact that I never post my real name.

Originally Posted by kittylady1972

I know how you feel about the sick kids. I swear last year the school nurse had my number on speed dial. It hasn't been as bad this year but my oldest son was home today after getting sick last night...and even now he is looking kinda rough. I'm not so sure he'll go to school tomorrow either, but I really hate for him to miss because I know he'll fall behind. He struggles enough when he IS in class!

Wow about your thoughts on moving. I really love our house and can't imagine living anywhere else. We had it built in 2001 and we are always making changes. I SO need a new kitchen floor and we were going to go looking over the weekend...but then I decided I don't want to make ANY changes either right now. Why? Because there's a CHANCE we may rent it out for a while...and move to ENGLAND for a few years!

So can you say Disneyland Paris???

I hope your oldest is feeling better.

I wish I loved our house... Ours is OLD... We did not build it - but we have done some extentive remodeling to it. I can only dream of us building one day... Honest to God - my dream house is a rambler... LOL I just want a nice house with lots of square footage. We figured it out the other night - we would need, at least, a 5 bedroom house - preferably 6. 1 for Josh and I, 1 for each of the girls, either a dedicated office - or a bedroom to become one, and another bedroom or room for my sewing room. Currently, we have a 5 bedroom house, and we could use 6... It would be nice to have a spare bedroom for guests. It sounds like we have a big house right now, but we don't... It is literally 5 bedrooms, an eat in kitchen and a livingroom + 2 bathrooms. That's it. I would LOVE to have an extra family room, and a dedicated diningroom. We do love where we live, and our immediate neighbors... So, I did draw up an addition - unfortunately, I think it's too big for our lot, and I don't think a variance would cover it. Sigh. Oh well, something will work out eventually.

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I finished all of my appliques yesterday.

I work at Target all day today.

I will start final assembly tomororw, and hope to have my newest bag ready by Saturday.

I hope you all have a splendid day!

D~

[Chicago Mo]

Have a better day today D~!!!

[babynala]

Somehow I got way behind on your PTR but I'm all caught up now. Curtis was sick on Friday so, after a trip to the doctor's office, we spent the day on the couch watching Wipeout and drinking Gatorade. The weekend was full with activities for Casey's Girl Scouts and I don't even think I got on the computer on Saturday or Sunday. Not sure what happened Mon, Tue or Wed but I scheduled to be home today and I'm going to try and sew some stuff today. Tomorrow I might venture to the mall and JoAnn's and probably Costco. Yes, my life is soooo exciting.

I know I commented somewhere but I'm glad I was able to see some bigger pictures of you bag and all the details. It looks great and I think the owner of this bag will want to hang it on their chair backwards so everyone can check out the Monorail applique.

Glad A is feeling better but I hope V is OK. Have either of you had any more "breathing issues"? How exciting that you will have a new baby in the family. The stockings will be a great gift, good luck finding the perfect fabric.

Sounds like you will be a busy girl with all your sewing. You might want to draft a pattern when you make that tire cover; I predict a new item in your shop - the Ultimate Tire Cover. That sounds like an overwhelming project but I'm sure you will be successful. I'm sure Josh will be pleased and surprised.

Originally Posted by NiniMorris

I would never put our presents under the tree early...Our Mr Max would open every single one .... especially since we caught Mr D teaching him how to open presents last year...of course only HIS presents got opened... and Max was still a puppy...
Nini

Originally Posted by kittylady1972

Wow about your thoughts on moving. I really love our house and can't imagine living anywhere else. We had it built in 2001 and we are always making changes. I SO need a new kitchen floor and we were going to go looking over the weekend...but then I decided I don't want to make ANY changes either right now. Why? Because there's a CHANCE we may rent it out for a while...and move to ENGLAND for a few years!

So can you say Disneyland Paris???

That would be so exciting.

[miprender]

Finally caught up. We also have had a sick household for the past few weeks.

Originally Posted by mommy2mrb

hope Alli is feeling better....the flu shot won't make her have the stomach flu...totally different type of Flu...

MM is a naughty boy...bummer about the ear and the after effect


and finally photos of megan's room

Love Megan's Room

Originally Posted by DMGeurts

I love how both appliques turned out... The Castle on the front really does have a "dream like" quality to it.




I see a lot more Fairy Frost in my future... It is a beautiful fabric to work with.

D~

Love this bag And I love the MM black fairy frost. I only have a few yards of it but I hoard it like it was made of silver

[nowellsl]

I wanted to let you know I got my bag today, and I love it! It's just beautiful. Were do you get that black fabric? It's perfect for the monorail!

[DMGeurts]

Originally Posted by Chicago Mo

Have a better day today D~!!!

Thanks Mo!

Originally Posted by babynala

Somehow I got way behind on your PTR but I'm all caught up now. Curtis was sick on Friday so, after a trip to the doctor's office, we spent the day on the couch watching Wipeout and drinking Gatorade. The weekend was full with activities for Casey's Girl Scouts and I don't even think I got on the computer on Saturday or Sunday. Not sure what happened Mon, Tue or Wed but I scheduled to be home today and I'm going to try and sew some stuff today. Tomorrow I might venture to the mall and JoAnn's and probably Costco. Yes, my life is soooo exciting.

Oh no, I hope Curtis is feeling better. I also hope you were able to get some items sewn.

Originally Posted by babynala

I know I commented somewhere but I'm glad I was able to see some bigger pictures of you bag and all the details. It looks great and I think the owner of this bag will want to hang it on their chair backwards so everyone can check out the Monorail applique.

LOL Thanks!

Originally Posted by babynala

Glad A is feeling better but I hope V is OK. Have either of you had any more "breathing issues"? How exciting that you will have a new baby in the family. The stockings will be a great gift, good luck finding the perfect fabric.

V is doing better. She hasn't had any more breathing issues, neither have I.

I did find all the perfect fabric for the stockings... Unfortunately Fabric.com just emailed me yesterday, and some of the fabric I ordered was no longer available (I ordered it on Monday... so why I just got notice yesterday - I am not sure?)... So, I am going to have to head over to Etsy to see if I can find it. Grrr...

Originally Posted by babynala

Sounds like you will be a busy girl with all your sewing. You might want to draft a pattern when you make that tire cover; I predict a new item in your shop - the Ultimate Tire Cover. That sounds like an overwhelming project but I'm sure you will be successful. I'm sure Josh will be pleased and surprised.

ROFL... Um... No. LOL That's all I would need to add to my catalog.

Originally Posted by miprender

Finally caught up. We also have had a sick household for the past few weeks.
Love this bag And I love the MM black fairy frost. I only have a few yards of it but I hoard it like it was made of silver

Oh no... I Hope you are feeling better. I am loving all of the FF colors... I just ordered a ton of half yards for applique - I really like it for that.

Originally Posted by nowellsl

I wanted to let you know I got my bag today, and I love it! It's just beautiful. Were do you get that black fabric? It's perfect for the monorail!

YAY!!! Glad you got it and you like it. I've only ordered Fairy Frost from Fabric.com - but they are super low on their supply right now, you might be better off waiting until after Christmas to order, they might have more colors available at that time.

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I had a boring day at Target yesterday... Well, not too boring - lots of holiday shopping, so that keeps me busy - and I like it when it's busy there. But no matter how busy you are - there is always that underlying boredom.

After work, I had to go to the girls' respective schools to pick them up, and one of Alli's friends that lives out by us.. She spent a few hours at our house last night to "work on their pinatas"... for some reason, the pinatas never got worked on. Naughty girls, because they know my rule about no friends on school nights.

I will be in my sewing room this morning. I plan to start my bag assembly. I have to go to town later this morning, as the girls only have a half day of school today. I promised I would give them a ride home, since I have to go get some groceries anyways. Once I come home, I will work on bag assembly again. I don't think I will finish it today, but it will be close - I am thinking it will be tomorrow though.

Josh and I are still lamenting over what we want to do... Whether we want to just give up on our house and sell, or if we want to continue fixing it up. With the way the market is, and the loss we would take on it, we are leaning towards "living here forever" and making the house a bit more user friendly. Our first course of action is to fix the portion of the kitchen floor that is "sinking"... So, right after Christmas, I plan to call our furnace guy to have him move some of our gas lines to the furnace, so that we can get the proper supports into the basement and start jacking the floor back up. This whole process could take us up to a year to complete, because it has to be done very slowly, or it will cause other/more significant problems. We can't do any other work to our house until this is done. Once this is finished, this is where we will have to be final in our decision of what to do. Whether we are selling or adding an addition on to the house. If we are selling, we will put in all new flooring on the main level of the house. If we are staying, we will start to look for a contractor for the addition.

Some of you may remember that last fall (2011), we took down our old garage. Since then we have not had a garage, so the proposed addition will include a new kitchen and garage on the main level, and a new master bedroom suite on the upper level - we have not decided if we want to add a full basement under the kitchen portion, or if we just want to put a crawl space there.

This has been such a frustrating thing to me, just because we really are "stuck"... The only way I could ever let us put an additon on our house, is if we truly are planning to stay here forever, because we would probably never see any of our $$ from this addition - or very little of it. As it is, we will take a total loss on the siding/windows/insulation project we did in 2008-2009.

I am not sure how well this will work, but Josh and I have been working on drawing up plans for the proposed additon to the house... The addition would be added off the south side of the current structure... So, I am going to attempt to add our current idea to photobucket... The drawings show the portion of our house that is existing (there's a whole 'nother wing that isn't shown) and then it also shows our potential addition.



OK - I better get up to my sewing room, I have lots to do today before I go to town.

I hope you all have a wonderful day. Thank you for letting me agonize over this house.

D~ <---- P.S. As of now, our Disney trip is still "on"... That could change, but for the time being - all of the funds for the house project will come out of our main budget and not my sewing funds.

[Chicago Mo]

It looks great! you have a lot to play with!!!
AWESOME your trip is ON! another trip i can stalk!!! YAY!

[WDWCP96]

The plans look good and if you need any advice my DH is an architect and would be happy to answer any questions if you need it. Although it looks like you are doing pretty well on your own.

[ladylyons]

The plans look great!! Hopefully your able to decide which way to go. It is a hard decision to make on if your going to stay and fix things up or if your going to sell and move else where. Glad your trip is still on.

[Luvchefmic]

aw so sorrry so many of the kids have been getting sick Been many many since I had children at home but remember how hard that was Sending good thoughts for fast recoverie s

plans look good for house tough decision though take your time

looking forward to this weekend THOUGHT I had a Christmas party tomorrow & then Sundaythe CP dinner pkg at the Rose & Crown but looked at the dates and realized I got it wrong plans are NEXT weekend just as well pretty exhausted after tonight have worked 11 days straight

think tomorrow will tske my neighbor to DTD and to GF he never saw the gingerbread housr there and then just come home and watch Christmas movies and stay in PJ's till Monday Have a great weekend all

[DMGeurts]

Originally Posted by Chicago Mo

It looks great! you have a lot to play with!!!
AWESOME your trip is ON! another trip i can stalk!!! YAY!

Thank you. Our trip will always be "on" for one date or another... We will go back, for sure.

Originally Posted by WDWCP96

The plans look good and if you need any advice my DH is an architect and would be happy to answer any questions if you need it. Although it looks like you are doing pretty well on your own.

Thanks Holly... We have thought about getting an architect in here to see if we have any other options... I swear we have thought out ways to remodel our current kitchen inside out and upside down - and there is just no way to make it work. Really, our only solution would be an addition. Thanks for your input - and if your DH is super bored and wants to look at it - he is more than welcome... but I know how my DH is when he comes home from work - the last thing he wants to do is more work. LOL

Originally Posted by ladylyons

The plans look great!! Hopefully your able to decide which way to go. It is a hard decision to make on if your going to stay and fix things up or if your going to sell and move else where. Glad your trip is still on.

Thanks! Fortunately, we have time to decide. The sad part, is by the time the addition would be finished - the girls would only be home for a few years... So, then we get to the "is it really necessary" part...

Originally Posted by Luvchefmic

aw so sorrry so many of the kids have been getting sick Been many many since I had children at home but remember how hard that was Sending good thoughts for fast recoverie s

plans look good for house tough decision though take your time

looking forward to this weekend THOUGHT I had a Christmas party tomorrow & then Sundaythe CP dinner pkg at the Rose & Crown but looked at the dates and realized I got it wrong plans are NEXT weekend just as well pretty exhausted after tonight have worked 11 days straight

think tomorrow will tske my neighbor to DTD and to GF he never saw the gingerbread housr there and then just come home and watch Christmas movies and stay in PJ's till Monday Have a great weekend all

Thanks Ruthie. All your plans at WDW sound amazing... I wish I lived by you, and you could take me around to do all the fun stuff too. Someday I will make it to WDW at Christmas time.. I hope to do it with in the next few years.

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I didn't get as much done in my sewing room yesterday as I wanted to... It took me much longer in town than I thought it would. However, I did manage to get most of the bag assembled... I have about a half day of work left on this bag set. I have not decided if I am going to break it up over 2 days, or how I am going to work on it this weekend yet? My issue is, we are in a Winter Storm Warning, starting tonight... I do have a few errands I want to run, and there is the possibility that if I don't get them done today, I won't be able to tomorrow. So, I am thinking that I will actually put off finishing the bag until tomorrow, because it looks like we will be snowed in anyways.

I have a fun project on my mind, and I am not sure if I have mentioned it here yet? Since the announcement of the Little One's arrival, I've had a fun project in my head... I really want to make the new family a set of coordinating Christmas stockings and a tree skirt for next Christmas. I am hoping to work on it through out the year (I would also like to make a set for us, and another set for Josh's dad... but we will see...). For Brian and Myrthe's set, I had a huge idea last night, but I am not sure how it will look. You know how some people (Nini & Marianne) took quilt squares to WDW to have the characters sign, and then made them into autograph quilts? Well, I would like to take the quilt blocks to family gatherings, and have the family members write a little message to Brian, Myrthe & the Wee One that I can incorporate into the tree skirt. I think it would be a great "touch of home" for Brian, because I know he misses the family over the holidays. I told Josh about it, and he said it was a "great idea", but then he just went about what he was doing. So, I am not so sure about it.

This is very similar to the tree skirt I want to do - I am just afraid the signatures might take away from the "crispness" of it? Believe it or not, I have a lot of these fabrics on the way, and a few others that I'd like to incorporate - so the tree skirt I make will look quite similar to this. What do you think? Signatures or no signatures?



Then, I am debating between doing Elf stockings similar to this... Only using the coordinating fabrics from the tree skirt...



Or if I should do more traditional stockings? Similar in shape to this:



I am really leaning towards the Elf stockings, just because Christmas in The Netherlands just seems to be a bit more whimsical - and I think they would be fun.

What would you do?

Of course - like I said above, I would really like to make a tree skirt for us and for Josh's dad & step-mom... and I think it would be fun to tie them all together with the same fabric line, so in a way - it would tie Brian and his new family with us in the States. Is that dorky or kind of neat?

Can you all tell that I am in this enormous holiday spirit? LOL

Then... Ever since Oopsi posted her pictures of her GORGEOUS tree and amazing fireplace mantle/Christmas stocking display... I've really been missing our old house and the holiday decorating that I used to love to do... In our old house, we used to have an open stair case, and every Christmas, I would wrap it in pine garland and hang our stockings from it, but in this house - we have no where to hang stockings. And it's always driven me CRAZY! So, I've been on pinterest for the last day, trying to find some solution - and I have found lots of ideas... I hope to have something to hang our stockings from (short of making Josh build a fireplace - LOL) before Christmas.

You know... Sometimes I just wonder if I ramble too much, and I include too much from my personal life in this PTR? It seems that most people aren't interested my real life updates, vs. when I post pictures of my bags... So, if you all would rather - I can stop updating so much - and only update when I make something new?

Anyways... I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. And if you are getting snow like we are - I hope the snow brings your holiday spirit alive like it always seems to do to me.

D~