The End of the Show Season

This Saturday is the Christmas Stroll in downtown Georgetown this Saturday. Mama Ds and Annarella Girl will be sharing a booth with Diva Chicks outside the store on 7th st.. We will have a smattering of items outside and the store will be fully stocked. This is it the last show of the Fall. Come see us. Wait until you see the baby cowboots from Mama Ds. They are adorable. What else could a Texas baby need? Diva Chicks has lots of stylish clothes. I love the flowy tops which are so comfortable. And outstanding accessories!

The sluggish economy is still impacting us. People are cautious with their purchases. They are sticking to their budgets. I understand since I am doing the same. So I really appreciate everyone who likes Annarella Girl enough to buy.  You've embraced the new corduroy jumpers and long sleeved onesies. Each purchase is an "ooh, you like me, you really like me." Thanks for the hugs and love.

I'm taking those warm hugs and indulging in a girls week in Florida. A very relaxing way to end my business season and mentally gear up for Christmas when my family gathers here. Somehow the house gets decorated, gifts get bought or made, and fudge appears in the kitchen. (Thanks to my husband who shares most of the work.) This is my favorite time of the year.

How is your holiday season progressing? Are you getting lots of warm hugs? Throwing you one from me.
See you.

Whimpy

Butler is looking at me askance (love being able to use that word.) because I declared that it was too cold for a morning walk. Brrrr! Maybe tomorrow. At least the dog park should have dried up enough to go this afternoon.

I know I have some readers out there, but you are all so silent. What can I do to get more feedback or comments? Do you ever forward my posts to friends? Sometimes I feel pretty lonely out there in cyber space. (whine, whine)

Latest onesie. Skirt is corduroy. I don't have many of the long sleeved ones left. They've been a huge success. Thanaks to all my Annarella Girl customers.

New! Cute Skirt

As promised yesterday, here is the cute corduroy skirt I made for Sofia.

I'm thinking I'll make more in this style with the narrow waistband and ruffled bottom. Watch for them come spring.

Days in Slow Motion

Computer is running slooooow. Seems like I'm spending great amounts of time watching the spinning ball. Or looking out the window at the falling leaves spiraling down. Bear with me, I'm working as fast as I can.

Today the outside lights and decorations are going up. My husband insists on a giant Santa inflatable. (tacky, tacky, tacky, but small kids and the ones who have never grown up, love it.) Butler is very watchful of this great red alien which has invaded his yard. Wait until he sees lighted wonderland in all its glory. It's interesting to observe the changing scene through his eyes.

As I wind my way through the last special orders, (wait til you see the cute, cute corduroy akirt for Sofia) my mind is moving into plans for next year. I'm getting excited to create new color palettes and 2 new spring designs - a jumper and a skirt. Don't you love the tingle of adrenaline as the creative juices flow?

Yesterday was my 45th wedding anniversary. Where has all the time gone? 3 children, 3 children-in-laws, 6 grandchildren, 8 places lived, countless laughs, and many adventures. Good times!

Slowly I'm going forth to enjoy the day. See you tomorrow.

Encouragement

Artist, fellow blogger, Judy Grupp recently posted about rejection. She put out one of her "babies, a manuscript, and had gotten a rejection letter. It happens to almost all creative people sometime in their ccareer and it hurts.

Several of her followers wrote notes of encouragement to her. That is the beauty of blogging. You can put your pain out there and some one is always there to return with a hug, warm words and inspiration to pick yourself up, remove the smarting barbs and try, try again.

Thanks for all my fellow bloggers and artists who keep me going. Stop by Judy Grupp's blog and enjoy her wise words and the supportive comments of her readers.

Thanks

Thanks to all my family and friends. Your support, encouragement and nudges truly keep me going. You are the wind under my wings as I trudge, skip, dance toward my dream.

Thanks to Butler, dog, to bringing a balance to my life. More walking, more fresh air, more loving you are a treasure. (Despite the muddy paw prints this morning.)

 Thanks to Annarella Girl and all who have bought this year. Your smiling faces and kind words are like a giant hug.

I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving. Lots of good food, loving dinner companions and laughter!

(Apologies to those family members that didn't get in the pics. I just didn't have others to share. Love you guys, too!)

Daily Education

Grammy, gran, nana, paw paw, pap pap, grandma, mimi and granpa. we all came to spend a morning at the Providence Classical School in Spring, Texas.. We sat with our knees to our chests in the first grade chairs and listened to singing and recitations. At the end we were treated to excerpts from Handel's "Messiah." Proudly we gazed at the fresh, shiny faces with the shy smiles and inquisative eyes. There is hope for our future if we let these scholar students grow up expanding their learning, curiousity  and humanity. Lets not put any limitations on their potential to become real leaders.

Thanks to all the caring teachers for allowing us to disrupt their day and to enjoy our trip back to school. Yes, there is hope for a better world, and I caught a glimpse today.

and read a thoughtful comment to my Three Words post with wisdom about the IB school my other family of grandchildren attend in Round Rock, Texas. More good news about educating our future leaders.

If you say....

If you say something, it will become true.

The power of affirmation.

So today, I am healthy, wealthy and wise.

Words in Three

What brings success? Hard work, ingenuity and passion. Especially true for creative businesses. Of course it doesn't hurt to add a little luck.

What brings personal success? Respect, responsibility and reason.

I find inspiration in these words. What words bracket your life's sucess?

Friday Wonders

My windows are washed. My world sparkles. After the longest, hottest summer I am still revelling in autumn. Cool mornings, warm afternoons. Leaves falling. Occasional showers. Loving life  in central Texas. Feeling very lucky.

What makes your world sparkle? What makes you dance? What is your inspiration? For me, today, it is the simple appreciation of clean windows. Life is made up of big and small pleasures.

Have a good Friday filled with sparkle.

Coming to Happy

Several post ago I said I was returning to Normal. Now my journey takes down the road to Happy. Here are a few landmarks on my way.

This AM spotted a young deer bounding across the lawns waving his white tail at me.

Can't help smiling at polks dots - especially giggle at multi-colored and multi-sized spots.

Ruffles are happy. Give them a twirl.

Thanksgiving is around the corner. At my house that means fun with family and food. Lots of laughter will be heard in the kitchen. Can't wait.

Sunshine after a bit of rain. Sky is bright blue.

What brings you to Happy? I'm waiting for you. We'll dance and sing to celebrate the small joys in our lives.

What to Think

Most of us are horrified by the news out of Penn State and struggle to make some sense of it. Stop by Brene Brown's blog, ordinary courage, for a short, intelligent look at what we can learn,

Grown-up Thoughts

As a parent, grandparent and senior citizen, my thoughts sometimes turn to the legacy my generation is leaving to the future. I fear we are leaving a mess - too much emphasis on money, too much celebration of mean spirits, a too easy acceptance that the end justifies the means, too many of us telling others how to live their lives while not taking care of our own,  too much empahsis on testing our students and not enough on the value of learning and education. All heavy topics which I ponder on my morning walks.

I can't change the world. After all who would listen? But I am trying to live a better life by example. Keep striving to be a thoughtful person. Listening and learning from the people in my life. Not jumping to quick judgement. Enjoying what I have. Valuing the relationships I am blessed with. (And not worrying over ending a sentence with a preposition!)

I choose peace and love.

Returning to Normal

Who are we kidding? Where is Normal? Did I ever visit it? How do I get back to it?

Aah, Normal. A quaint town with quiet tree-lined streets full of smiling people waving hello, shouting kids riding their bikes with wild abandon and busy unique shops where everyone is treated as a friend.

Aah, Normal. A bustling city where everyone is racing in all directions, cars are honking and weaving through congestion, kids are crying from exhaustion and confusion and all the stores, banks and polticians are conniving to wring out our last cent.

Take your pick.

Peace and prosperity!!!

Characters in the Family Zoo

When Butler and I meet deer on our morning walk, their stately gait makes me think of my daughter. She has a similar stately, graceful stride always with a straight back and pointed toe. I enjoy watching her glide into a room with a stature that demands attention.

I realize that there are certain animals that remind me of members of my family. My father is the soaring, majestic bald eagle. My mother is a red cardinal flying here and there.. My husband is a rhino, commanding attention and filling a room, never ignored.

When Jeff was young he had a split personality - frenetic, funny Tigger or gloomy Eeyore. He has grown into Pooh with muscles. He is a bear with hugs, but very protective when it comes to his family. Pamela is a teal duck. She keeps us all in a row beautifully.

Ty is the owl. He sits above and keeps a sharp eye out, always observing. Allyson is a Siamese cat, sleek, and a soft gray husecat, warm and purring. (I just realized that makes them "the owl and the pussycat" off to sea in a pea green boat. Perfect.)

I almost left out my son-in-law. He is the strong stag to my daughter deer. He is a stalwart companion to her.
And the grandkids....
Sophia - a graceful swan with the wisdom of an owl
Drew - a Jack Russell, full of energy and smart
Ryann - a pink flamingo with dance moves
Ivy - a horse with tenacity
Jack - an inquisative, funny prairie dog
Hudson - young lion

Do you see your friends of family in the animal kingdom?

Cleaning Up

Do you all hate cleaning as much as I do? But I really don't like living in filth. And there is a point at which I can get clutter overload. When I don't have a single space that I frequent, like my sewing room, the kitchen or my bedroom, that doesn't have an uncluttered surface, then I reach clutter overload. After the frenetic pace of getting ready for shows, I've officially reached my limit. Today I'm kicking the dust bunnies to the curb. Rehanging all the fabrics. Catching up on ironing.

Tomorrow the window cleaners are coming. I look forward to being able to see outside again, but I'm fearful how much more dirt I'll be able to see inside. That's the good news, bad news of the day.

Peace and prosperity.

This Little Piggy...

Off to market again. Last day of the First Baptist Christmas Spectacular from 9-3. Having fun seeing old and new customers or as I prefer to think of them, friends. Also meeting some new vendors.

Sneak a peek at Julie Yost of Count It All Joy. She crochets these incredible scarves. Wearable art, truly. Or as she proudly proclaims, "...this ain't your Granny's crochet." She has a website you can visit or a facebook page.

Tomorrow back to "normal" whatever that is. Butler will be so happy! See you then.

A Short Note

Some times it's embarrasing to be a Texan! How many more Republican debates do we have to endure?

New Palette

long skirt front

I love this new palette - dark and rich. Faux patchwork is a bit oriental in feel with its touches of metallic gold.

long skirt back

long sleeve onesie

Can't wait to hear feedbackat the FBC Christmas Spectaculr. Starts at 9:00 tomorrow. Mama D and Annarella Girl are ready!

The To Do List

Last day before set up for First Baptist Church Christmas Spectacular. One thing I've learned form shows is that the better organized one is, the better the show goes; so today is "get it done" day. Here it is night, I'm tired, but the to do list is done. Hooray!!

I'm a circular thinker, a dreamer, maybe even a visionary on my very best days; but the day before an event, either business or personal, I settle down and drop into straight line thinking. Here comes focus and, for me, the rare ability to move steadily and smartly to the goal. My dad was an engineer who had a hard time understanding us dreamers. Many are the times when I wished I had inherited the logic, smart shortcut gene. Without fail if there are several ways to tackle a project, I will always pick the most complicated, convoluted method. Bank on it. But for the one day when time is running out, the to do list is endless, and I must perform; out of nowhere I can enjoy taking the shortest, straightest path to the end. Today is that day, and I've enjoyed exercising that miniscule part of my brain.

Do you think in circles or in straight lines? Are you the befuddled dreamer or the logical engineer?

I'm Dreaming of....

I'm dreaming of a long. steady rain day with a pot of chili simmering on the stove, a pan of cornbread in the oven and an apple crisp cooling on the counter.

What are you dreaming of today?

Two days to go for the First Baptist Church Christmas Spectacular, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. See you there!

Roundabout and Flyovers

How do you know when an area is growing? Roads!!! A couple of years ago Georgetown got its first flyovers. Now you can soar over frontage roads to I35 on your way to Temple, Waco and Dallas. We don't have the spaghetti of big cities but we are on our way. Progress?

This year Georgetown constructed its first roundabout. Its quiet, out of the way in San Gabriel Park. but it's there. Four entrances/exits will take you by the river, to the dump or past the old folks home. Certainly doesn't rival the traffic circle around the Arche de Triomphe, thank you! Not sure if our little circle is forward or retro. Time will tell.

Warning: a political observation. As I'm writing this TV is talking in background. Catches my ear: "Rick Perry - there must be something to him since he has been governor of Texas for 20 some years." Wait a minute, I think that shows how little the folks of Texas will settle for. They apparently are not looking for a leader, just someone to occupy the governor's mansion. Texas' answer to a roundabout flyover.
(Okay, I got that off my chest.)

Have a relaxed Sunday. I'd like a rainy one.

A Bit of Holiday Cheer

Giving my back a rest this morning, so no walk. Butler is dismayed. I thought it was a good time to share a few more things from my holiday line.



Corduroy flower jumper is so cheerful. Shown over a bright pink tee.which I'll be happy to sell with it. 


Red, red , red. So cheerful. For winter chill add white or black leggings.




Elephants, hippos and giraffes, oh my! Fun and sophistication for the baby. Layer over a shirt and leggings for the holidays. Will be a favorite for all seasons.

 It's a holiday season filled with color. Love it!

Pet Peeves

Hi, I'm your guest blogger today, Butler. Mistress Ellie is busy at the sewing machine so I'll be writing in her stead. And while I have the floor I have a few peeves to share.

First, we had to shorten our walk this morning because her back was hurting. Hah! I suspect she was cold and impatient with me sniffing so many trails of night time creatures. Boy, the scents were multiple and pungent on the cold air. I know I wasn't on my best behavior, yanking and pulling. Perhaps I was a bit hard on her aching back.

Second, I don't like when she gets so busy with sewing. It takes away from my ear-rubbing and belly-scratching time. I keep having to nose her to remind her that I want, NEED some loving. Come on.

Third, while I am complaining, what is it with the dried food thing? I don't see my family eating dried pellets. When I'm staring at them as they eat, I'm only asking for equal food treatment. I know I would love hamburgers!!!! Yum, yum, yum!

Gotta run. It's time to chase a squirrel. (Maybe I could teach her how. She needs some fun in her day.) 

Sewing Along

Morning thoughts about sewing. I'm finishing up a special order before putting together final plans for my last big show, FBC Christmas Spectacular, next Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  Always a fun show with lots of cheerful vendors and shopping families.

I like to have lots of choices for my little girls. So the next week is a marathon of sewing, filling out sizes and categories. Blogs will probably be short for the next days. More pics; fewer words.

Tonight is first Thursday without Tim Gunn. How will I survive? I'm disappointed in the choice of winner last week, but maybe that is what the producers wanted. a little controversy. Some times it feels like the TV industry is powered by controversy and has forgotten how to tell a good story.

Enjoy a few pics.

Yipee!!!

Leap up and click my heels....today is Ty's birthday. My last born, a talented painter, a wise man, a compassioante spirit. Love him!!!

Second leap with clicking heels....It's hair cut day. What a treat to take my frowsy gray mane to Bo and walk out coiffed. Hooray!

I'll be back a new woman. (Okay, not new but feeling better.)

What's Next?

October is over. The challenge to blog daily completed. Suprise, I really enjoyed it, so I will continue to post regularly. Can't promise every day, but even your ears and eyes need a rest from my blah, blah, blah once in a while.

I apologise for my lack of good grammer. I wish I could get paid for every sentence I've ended in an infinitive. Or every incomplete sentence. Or each and every misspelling. If paid evenfive cents each, I'd be so rich I'd be lounging on the porch of my beach house eating bonbons while reading a novel.  Instead I plod on making all sorts of errors, and you are kind enough not to point them out.

Warts and all, I'll see you from my walks and sewing room tomorrow.