Wee care gowns

Time to work my way back in to the sewing room and what better way to start off then by making a wee care gown.

 As a member of the Smocking Arts Guild of America, making wee care gowns is our chosen community project.  

Many of these gowns are made for babies that to soon are angels.  while some gowns are used for preemies to make life a little more comfortable.

 Our group the Apple Valley Smockers, try to keep a supply on hand at our local hospital.  Sorry these gowns are needed but thankful we have the talent to bring some comfort to families at this sad time.

Just a quick drop in.  I have started a new blog and want to invite you all to join me in this new adventure.
This is a learning curve for me, which is a good thing.  Need to keep learning and trying.
So please join me at noniesparadis

Could you please let me know you are following?

I would love your thoughts.

I love learning to quilt

When I saw this on my friends facebook page I just had to borrow it.

Last Christmas I was able to give two quilts, this year will probably not be as successful, moving got in the way of the quilting.

  I am not sure where the saying came from,  so I do not know how to give credit.

Hope that brings a smile to your face and many hours of Happy Quilting.

A notion I love

             We love our notions

If you love to sew, you know how much we love our notions.  when we find something new to us and it works better then expected then you know how happy I am.

            This is my almost new quilt and press.
I needed something since beginning to quilt and was not to sure if this would do as expected.

   it is wonderful.  My cutting is so much better when using it.  It also has a real plus

It aids in my smocking.

 
   I can block my piece using the padded side of the board.

 You can see a little burp in the pleating and by using the board I am able to steam that out.   Spray with starch and steam let dry on the board before starting the smocking process.

I purchased mine mail order from Jo-Ann Fabrics.  I am sure other places also carry it.   You will wonder how you lived without it.

Organizing paper (ugh)

I like things to be organized, I am just not good at getting them that way.

Paper, is a necessary product in my mind. Every time I am on the computer I am hitting the print button and that leads up to a lot of paper.   Sewing tips, decorating tips, recipes all need to be printed off and saved. 

           Or clipped from magazines

          Which adds up to even more paper.

I had followed the File--Don't pile method
and since moving all the papers in the file cabinet, was taken out and  'Piled' in boxes.  So it all had to be dealt with again.

              This is how I feel!

 so here is the cabinet that needs to be dealt with.

             Here is the book that
             will make it happen.

It is a different way of organizing paper. But it works for me.  It is not a leaf through book but offers a guide to a systematic approach  on how to organize paper.

              A good start

Check amazon if you are interested in this book.  some people are born organized, some of us need help. File don't pile
  

FINDING MY NICHE

I enjoy blogging.  I just didn't have a niche, a focal point to blog from.   Some of the bloggers I follow seem so focused, why could I not be focused?
Then it 'hit' me.  I have so many interest and love to do so much that I was all over the place with postings.
So, I made a list of what I really like to do, what really makes my life better.
I will even number those:

1. My biggest passion is sewing. Something about creating and encouraging others to create that really makes me happy.
2. Cooking, not the chef type stuff but the fun stuff. Including baking, even if mixes are involved.
3. Decorating, I really stumble here. I pretty much set myself when once I said I could make a comfortable home from a cardboard box. Now, I am having to live up to that statement, Okay so it's not real cardboard but close.
4. I am going to add gardening, where I live now, that will involve containers.
5.  Just being me--family, the beautiful valley I live in and oh yes, boating.

so how do you find your niche?  For me it came clear to combine all my loves. Sewing and decorating sure do go together. Cooking food for the picnic to take while we boat and explore the valley will work.

So there I go, I am all set.  Hope you enjoy following along with my venture.