Pajama Day

As I type my title in I'm aware I forgot to put a headline on yesterday's post. Usually a title is the first thing I compose, but it was such an emotional tribute I couldn't think of one to begin and then I forgot to add it at the end. Truth is I still have difficulty with a fitting header, so I leave it titleless for another day.

It's another drizzly day here in central Texas. A good day to stay in pajamas - warm, soft, comfy pajamas. My choice is a tee shirt washed so many times it has become cuddly. Knit pants in varying lengths depending on the temperature. Not an extremely attractive look, but oh so comfortable.

Since I now working at home I could stay in pajamas all dat every day, but I resist that temptation. Mornings I work in pjs while I drink my 2 cups of coffee and eat my yoghurt. Then I clean up, change clothes, and do my household chores. Then back to the sewing room. Somehow just wearing slightly more constructed clothing that I wouldn't be horrified to be seen in makes me feel more businesslike. But today I might just stay in pajamas keeping a cold, rainy day at bay.

Hope you like the latest romper!!! Not a pj but just as comfy for the little ones. Plus the pinks and yellow bring sunshine into my workroom.

A friend has a sick child - not a tummy ache kind of sickness - but cancer. Nikki's cancer is an inoperable brain tumor. Her ordeal started 3 years ago at age 13. She has handled her illness with an incandescent smile and optimism despite the debilitating side effects of chemotherapy and the cancer. She was hospitalized last week when her body systems wanted to shut down, but like the trooper she is, Nikki is fighting back.

Her parents are in the worst nightmare imagineable. I can't begin to imagine how they are feeling or what they are thinking. No one should have to watch their child lie in ICU with machines attached. Cherie and Michael have handled this latest medical emergency with an unbelieveable grace as they have handled every up and down in the last 3 years. They have fought to get the best treament for Nikki. They have been gracious to all the wellwishers even when they are at their most tired. They have remained determined to live a life with more smiles than tears.

They have a multitude of friends who all feel the same. "If we knew how to take away some of their pain, we would. If we could take on Nikki's cancer, we would." But often it is a lonely battle for Cherie, Michael and Nikki. Know that we carry you in our hearts and minds; we are in awe of your courage and will; we look forward to seeing that great Nikki smile soon.

Get well, Nikki!!!

Time to Get in Shape

Can you believe it's February already? Can spring or summer be far away? Yikes!! It must be time to get in shape. I know that resolution was made January 1st, so now it's just a matter of renewing it. This all comes on the heels of the Miss America Pageant of which I only saw the swimsuit competition. I guess they had to work to get those bodies. It also helps that they are so young. But I am nudged to renew my resolution to eat healthy and lose a little weight.

For those of you who have the 10-20-30 pounds to say goodbye to, there is some help on the market. Core 4. According to friends and family who are using it, it is an easy, organic product. Check out the web site to find out more or contact Pamela for information. pskross at yahoo.com.

We owe it to ourselves to be healthy!! We need energy to live our best lives. See you all at the pool soon.

The Exchange at Annarella

Yesterday I had the pleasure of working at the Exchange. The owners, Angie and Carli, were spending their day at a women's retreat. Don't you think that every once in a while we need to take time to breath an enjoy the company of other women without the distractions of everyday life? I was happy to give them the opportunity to take such a break.

Working with me was Lauryl. She's one of those special people that is just a joy to be around. Always optimistic. Very caring. And a great sense of humor. She's fun to work with and fun to watch work. So I realize that I wasn't making a much of a sacrifice to stand in for Angie and Carli. It was really a good deed for me!

And it was a good day. Lots of nice customers came in. They really enjoy shopping at the Exchange. Since it is a consignment store, it provides a guilt-free experience. After all we're helping the environment by recycling while saving money with the great pricing. Plus the inventory is constantly changing as it is dependent on what the consignors bring in. Inventory changes daily.

One customer, yesterday, was excited to find some skirts and pants that were petite. Another found 4 suits for work and only paid $80. One suit still had original tags so had never been worn. (A & C are very careful of the quality of the items they accept - must be clean, unflawed and stylish.) I fell in love with a red Brighton bag for only $44. Several girls came in to look and try on prom dresses. Lauryl and I helped women find the perfect flirty shoes, jewelry to complement outfits and handbags for special or everyday.

If you haven't made a stop at The Echange at Annarella in Georgetown, go for a rewarding and fun shopping experience. By the way they do have men's clothing and vintage. They occupy the space where Annarella was, hence the name, 800 S Austin Ave downtown Georgetown next to the Palace Theater.

And don't forget to check out the sale racks - up to 75% off. Now that is really guilt-free!!!

Beauty Soothes the Beast

Gray days. Isolation. and what else. Gray skies bring on gray thoughts, but pieces of beauty chase them away. Here's some of the beauty in my life today.

Go to "Beautiful/Decay" online magazine to see work by Christopher St. Leger. I love the figure work. What he does with watercolors is so fluid and vibrant. The skaters are remarkable. You can see more of his work by clicking on his name on the sidebar of this blog.

Bright colors. Sometimes I think I may be going too loud. But then I look around and love the saturated hues.

Sometimes I feel like this is all for naught and then I hear from a fan or receive a picture of a little cutie looking adorable in a dress. So I keep going. Besides what else would I be doing with my time and all these fabrics?

What better way to wile away a gray day than to read. I've been loving Gail Tsukiyama. Her writing is so spare yet filled with grace. Set in China she writes about families and relationships. (The exception so far is "Dreaming Water" which dels with terminal illness and how it effects the patient, the caregiver and friends.) I just finished "The Samurai's Garden." I've now read 6 of her novels and have loved each one. If your not familiar with her works, try one and let me know what you think.

My final ray of beauty today is hearing from you all after my extended absence. Thanks for the kind comments. You all bring me smiles and companionship.

Flowers on a gray day

Today is a gray day. Sky is flat and drizzlly. After a couple of weeks of warm, often sunny days, the weatherpeople say we are in for rain and cold. I'm hoping all the moisture will pay off in a glorious wildflower season. Meanwhile I work on some flowers here in the sewing room.

My jumping off vision was to make a top which was similar to the dresses - a mix of fabric colors and patterns, but shorter - to be worn with leggings. In order to make leggings different, Annarella Girlish, I added a crocheted border and a flower. Tried to show the results in yesterday's blog posting but the pictures weren't good. So here I go again with a close up to give a better idea.

Green flower with rose pink center. Lace edging in white. Hope this pic comes a bit closer to capturing the cuteness. Imagine the leggings peeking out under the top which can be seen above.

For the moment I'm tweaking the crocheted flower and edging. Again it's the exercise of bringing the imagined design into the world of reality. That process creates immense joy and/or immense frustration.

More to come on a daily basis!

12 weeks of silence

I'm back!! After twelve weeks of thinking, working, and creating I'm once again going to write. In my mind I have been speaking to you all along. I just haven't gotten the thoughts to the blog. So here goes a little catching up.

Holidays came and went with lots of food, gifts, laughs and love. Kids and grandkids all pitched in to make the days happy. Here's Ryanne doing her best to make us all smile. She's so cute!!!

My workroom has been humming. I've been perfecting a design for a top which goes with embellished capri leggings. And also a romper for the under 2's. This has been a challenge but great fun. It takes some trial and error to move from my vision to the polished reality. Very rewarding when it finally gels.

Romper with shoulder ties and elasticized waist. So bright and summery!

I was hoping to introduce the new fabrics and designs in a show the first week of March. Unfortunately they ran out of room before they got to me on the wait list so I'll wait until the Wilmington Flower Market in May. Or if anybody would like to have a inhome trunk show in March or April let me know.

Top with embellished leggings. Not a great pic but maybe you can get the idea.

More pics and chit chat to come in the days ahead.