Government Shut Down Hurts Everyone

I'm going to copy and paste the email I received from the White House. Did you know that House Republicans have voted over 40 times to try to sabotage Obama Care? As a nurse, I'm ashamed that I don't know much about Obama Care yet. I know the goal is for every American to have health insurance at a low cost and affordable. What I think, is that there is a lot of fear of the unknown. We should have put this into place 30 years ago, but that didn't happen. Now that tons of people are getting sicker and have chronic diseases, which costs billions of dollars, it's like stepping into an impossible problem. Obama Care isn't going to be perfect. It's an initial attempt to try to bandage an hemorrhaging problem. It's like putting a bandaid on a gunshot wound. It's going to take years to get all the bugs out. I don't understand why the House Republicans are so against it, but they are seriously effing with innocent people, and that's what makes me angry.  Here is the initial letter I received from the White House a few hours ago:

(insert image of White House that didn't copy)

If the United States government shuts down tonight and our economy takes a hit, it will be because House Republicans let it happen.

Right now, there's a bill sitting in the House that funds the government for a few more weeks. It doesn't demand the repeal or delay of the health care law, or deny women access to birth control, or include any other failed, partisan proposals. It funds the government. That's it. And if Republican leadership allowed a simple yes or no vote on this bill -- like the Senate has -- it would get enough support from members of both parties to pass.

Instead, the government that these Republicans were elected to fund will close down and that will hurt our economy. Americans across the country won't be allowed to show up for work. Paychecks could be delayed, meaning some folks will have to cut back on groceries or maybe even not pay a few bills. Businesses will have fewer customers. Veterans won't get services they rely on -- and it will put benefits for seniors at risk.

Even though they've already voted over 40 times to defund or delay the health care law, this group of Republicans in Congress is so obsessed with the idea of sabotaging Obamacare that they're willing to take the economy hostage to do it.

Take a look at how this shutdown will affect millions of Americans -- and then make sure you share it so other folks know, too. (that's the same link from above)

President Obama has said time and time again that he's willing to work with folks on both sides of the aisle to grow our economy and even improve the health care law. But using the threat of government shutdown or defaulting on the bills our country owes is reckless and irresponsible.

In fact, shutting down the government won't stop Obamacare. The Health Insurance Marketplace will still open for business starting tomorrow, without delay.

Washington needs to stop manufacturing crises and focus on the issues that matter: creating jobs and building a strong middle class. Taking our economy over the cliff just to score political points isn't fair to the millions of Americans who show up every day to work and do their jobs. It’s time for Congress to do its job.

Make sure you know exactly who this shutdown is directly affecting and then pass it on.

Thanks,

David

David Simas
Deputy Senior Advisor
The White House
@Simas44 

P.S. -- You'll still be able to sign up for affordable health insurance onHealthCare.gov starting tomorrow, shutdown or no shutdown.

This email was sent to ksmith8@emich.edu.
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Please do not reply to this email. Contact the White House

The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111

What are your thoughts on this? 

worries

Going through the past week's email filled with the blogs that I love, I've noticed that I'm not the only one that feels down. A lot of women feel stressed this week/end. They are women busy with life and dealing with real BS, they are women busy with their families and raising kids, they are women moving into new places and making it their own, they are women who make beautiful things, and they are women that are just down-bc it doesn't seem like they do much that would make their life stressful...oh my mistake, she broke her makeup.

I like following tons of different kinds of blogs. My IG followings are over 1000. I follow people that make a ton of stuff with fabric, whether its quilts, garments, bags, ect. or maybe they are designers or sell fabric. I love looking at them. I also follow a ton of different clothing stores, and make up stores, and vintage stores.I love women that dress like pin ups from the 50s...I follow a lot of them. I follow anyone I find that has pretty pictures. It's easy to talk to people. It would be weird to comment on a bunch of stranger's facebook....but IG is really anonymous, and I like that. An illusion of being social without really being social.

So hopefully next month looks up. I LOVE fall and Halloween.
My days will be filled with substitute teaching.

Have you seen Forgetting Sarah Marshall? First of all, I love Mila Kunis and Jason Segel. Mila because she's so pretty and she's Meg's voice, and Jason because he's awkwardly tall-and I know how that feels by being so small. My guy friends have urges to pick me up and throw me like a baby. The ending is my favorite part. Insert amusing smile. Before he starts to pick himself up from his depression, there's a scene where he's in bed, looks at the clock-it's 2:something PM, and he pulls the covers back on his head. That is how I feel a lot of the time when I am depressed. I just want to sleep, so I don't have to think. I know that something great is going to happen beyond the horizon-like a super awesome vampire musical-but I have to get that to happen somehow. And I'm clueless, stuck, and kinda lost. Plus I've never been active in my life on purpose. I don't understand why someone would run on purpose, if not in extreme danger from a murderer or a snake. Being sore and sweaty are not fun at all. I hate both.

So tomorrow is a new day. If I can get up and walk around the block, I know I can make it to the vampire show. I have to. There is no other choice, besides waiting longer.


PS: Sarah Marshall: my fave part is the psychiatrist song. When I get mad, I yell the same way.

Kashi Sea Salt & Olive Oil Hummus Crisps

Since I'm a BzzAgent, I was recently sent a bag of Kashi Sea Salt & Olive Oil Hummus Crisps to try out in exchange for my honest opinion. I was skeptical that I would enjoy these. I love fresh hummus, but how can you turn hummus into a crisp that actually tastes good without being weird? Kashi does it!

My initial impression of Kashi=Healthy Food. Besides fresh fruits and veggies, most health food doesn't taste so good to me, especially as a finished product out of a bag or box. Ever had a plain Rice Cake? They ingeniously use the word "cake" for a reason, folks. Otherwise it would be called Rice Coaster. I know that a lot of my friends like and buy Kashi products, so I had a little hope that I would like these.

Basic Info
There are 3 flavors: Sea Salt & Olive Oil (the one I received), Caramelized Onion, and Sundried Tomato, Basil & Feta. Each bag is made from air-popped chickpea crisps made without any partially hydrogenated oils (the bad fats), high fructose corn syrup, or artificial anything. Each serving size (27 crisps) contain 120 calories, 3.5g fat, 3g protein, and 6 g of whole grains. What's awesome is there is no saturated or trans fat so all the fat is the good kind of fat that your body requires. Not sure how much protein you should be taking in daily? Check out Kashi's FB page that will calculate your daily required protein intake based on your weight and activity level! I didn't even know how much I should be eating, so I did this quick quiz. It's recommended that Americans get 25-35 g of fiber each day. I love the fact that these Hummus Crisps are so much better for you compared to regular potato chips, that are only made with fat and salt. I feel way better choosing crisps over chips! Nutrition and ingredients are the first thing I look at when picking out a new food product. I don't want to eat something that is worse than what I'm already currently eating!  I feel for the most part, that Kashi is a good company known to have healthy products, so I was excited to try this product.

The Verdict

When I tried the crisps, I was pleasantly surprised.  They have a good flavor, but not over the top.  I could definitely taste the sea salt and other spices/flavors, but it was just right for my taste. The flavors weren't trying to overcompensate for a bland product. The crisps are a little smaller than the size of a round nacho chip as well as a similar texture once you pop one in your mouth.  It's hard to believe they are made from chickpeas! When I was done eating, I didn't feel super dehydrated or like I ate a bunch of grease, like I do after eating normal potato chips. I didn't feel guilt, because their fat was from the good kind of fat that your body needs! I bet the other 2 flavors are just as good and I can't wait to try them out next. The crisps were so good, that I destroyed that bag in about 2 days, and I'm not even a big salted snack eater!

Next time you see these, you should pick up a bag or two! And feel better that it's a better snack that regular potato chips or something coated in orange dust that sticks to your fingers while you're eating them!

Disclosure statement:I am not an expert in dietary nutrition, although I consider myself to be quite knowledgeable about nutrition, being a nurse. My review does not state that this product is "all natural" or contains only "natural" ingredients, or does it claim not to contain any artificial ingredients, please see Kashi's website for that information. I am only basing my review on the taste of the product, not on the Kashi Company or any claims made against the company concerning GMOs.

I'm a BzzAgent and received this product complimentary as part of a campaign.

Tuesday September 10th, 2013

Snazzy title, huh?

Guess what today's national holiday is?  Well, there's a few. So I'll go over the main ones that overlap on the websites I'm checking out.

1.  TV Dinner Day. It was introduced in 1953 by Swanson & Sons and changed the prepackaged meal industry forever. Wanna know the first meal? The first Swanson TV dinner featured Thanksgiving Dinner. The meal came with turkey (and hopefully some gravy), cornmeal dressing, peas and sweet potatoes.  Not exactly what's on *my* table, but for an easy dinner, it passes inspection by me.  The original tray was made out of aluminum and had separate compartments for each food. You had to bake it for 25 minutes.  Because consumer microwaves didn't exist back then.

***I remember when everyone in my family got one around 1985.  I thought we were five minutes from living it up like the Jetson's. Unfortunately, in my opinion, we were closer to flying cars when the amazing microwave came out in the 80s compared to the "electric car" of today.

So each meal cost around 98 cents and they expected to sell around 5,000 their first year.  To their great surprise, they sold over 10 MILLION of them.  If you do your math, that's just short of 10 MILLION DOLLARS in 1953! Of course the TV dinner has evolved since the first year. It has added a dessert compartment, started selling breakfasts in the 60s, the Hungry-Man meals in the 70s, microwavable meals in the 80's (SEE?!!) and in 1986 the original Swanson TV tray was submitted to the by  the Smithsonian Institute into the Museum of American History.  Good stuff.

Thank you Mr Swanson, or I wouldn't be on a consistent diet of Smart Meals & Lean Cuisines!!

2. National Swap Ideas Day.
   This day sounds stupid, was my first thought.  Basically it encourages people to share ideas to help each other out.  It sounds like a painful brainstorming activity in High School that your teacher just randomly decided to do out of the blue, and picked out your group members for you, on the day everyone forgot how to think and communicate. On second thought, this sounds terribly painful to me. This one gets 2 thumbs down.

3. Lace Making Day. I guess this is pretty self explanatory.

4. SEWING MACHINE DAY!!!
   Apparently there are 2 days that this is celebrated on. The other is June 13th. Nobody knows who came up with either day. Makes sense for today, since September is National Sewing Month. I sew on a basic Singer 2932:

5. World Suicide Prevention Day.  Go check out the facebook for today.


Did you know there are actual calendars based on FOOD?! Today is TV Dinner Day, but yesterday Sept 9th was :

Wienerschnitzel Day!!!

Humongous Text is what I get for copying and pasting. This website (AKA my new favorite site) actually goes over each day of the year (and some days have more than one food!) AND THEN links to a recipe of that food! Mmm.

I found out there are also entire months dedicated to specific foods. I bet you're dying to know what's under the September Food List!

National Chicken Month-YUM!
National Honey Month-YUM!
National Mushroom Month-DISGUSTING. BLECH.
National Papaya Month-Yum.
National Potato Month. TRIPLE SUPER YUM.
National Rice Month. yum.
Whole Grains Month. Yum in toast.

So of course after today's September 10th Lesson, I'll leave you with 3 interesting events from This Day In History.

1897. The first drunk driving arrest: On this day in 1897, a 25-year-old London taxi driver named George Smith becomes the first person ever arrested for drunk driving after slamming his cab into a building. Smith later pled guilty and was fined 25 shillings.  In the US the first laws about operating a motor vehicle while impaired with alcohol became legal in New York in 1910.  In 2005, 16,885 people died in alcohol-related crashes and almost 1.4 million people were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

For some reason, I thought cars were invented much later! And the most meaningful to me:

1991. Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was released as a single. I have probably spent hours wondering what Kurt's life would be like today. Go ahead, entertain that though. Would there be another bean? a few new wives? a reality show? the coolest guy alive still?  Go buy Bleach. then Unplugged. then Nevermind. But you should have all 3. Then buy In Utero. You will thank me.

Teen Spirit on LP: Nevermind

And the most surprising to me:

1977. The guillotine falls silent. ? The guillotine is what they used in France to cut off peoples heads starting in The French Revolution. The French thought this was more humane than the other execution methods like hanging or a firing squad.  So a French DECAPITATING MACHINE was built based on machines already in practice in England and Ireland, tested on CADAVERS, and on April 25, 1792 a highwayman became the first French to be executed by this machine. It was named "guillotine" after physician and revolutionary Joseph-Ignace Guillotin won passage of a law requiring all death sentences to be carried out by "means of a machine."

More than 10,000 people lost their heads during the revolution including Louis XVI (16th) and Marie Antoinette (former king and queen of France). In 1981, France outlawed Capital Punishment.

I seriously can't believe that lasted so long! I thought this was a 1700 thing. Not a 1970 thing! Don't know what one looks like? It's a big huge razor blade of death. 

Your head goes over the bucket and you face down until the blade falls and cuts off yer head

Isn't that crazy?! Oh, the things you learn, when you are googling something else!

Wanna know what else happened on Sept 10th?

Level 306 Savory Shores!!!

Have a wonderful September 10th, wherever you are!!! 

Why does time fly?

I don't know what it is, but time has been going by SO FAST.  I am majorly behind in almost everything I have to do in life.  I have it written down, but I surely haven't done most of it. Some of the things I hope to accomplish this month:

Finish Flutter
Quilt a friend's quilt
Send Allison her gift (I SUCK!)
Get the stuff for said gift. Suckage squared.
Send back my shoes and get the right size
"cash in" all my store credit from the various stores I have credit (and show you)
Finish my staple dress
Take Made by Rae's Learn to make a skirt class at Pink Castle Fabrics next week
Go to the meetup tomorrow and not punk out from anxiety
Finish my requirements
Reminisce my allergy test with you 
Find proper vitamins and actually take them

But the main one I want to concentrate on...is lose some weight.

Add to Goals:
Drink 64 oz water minimum
Exercise-walk everyday, and increase daily.
Calculate calories
Journal: diet/exercise
Look up FitBit

I actually had an allergy test done when I was around 10.  If you want to spend a day in Hell, go get yourself one!!  What they do is make you strip your top (which is super embarrassing when you are 10 years old and sitting with your Mom), then make about 40 numbered circles 1-40 (or however many it is) in Sharpie on your back.  Then the Sadist with every allergan known to man comes in, and drops a miniature drop or two of an allergen numbered 1-40 in the corresponding circle on your back. The allergen has a mystery number so you don't have a psychosomatic reaction to something (just kidding, I made this part up), but you won't know what the mystery is after the test.  Believe me, it sounds intriguing before the test, but that's before you find out that you really ARE allergic to something.

 To make sure this is done without any mistakes and to prevent spillage and cross contamination into other allergens to produce a False Positive (or a Super Allergen if you are allergic to both!), the Dropper Nurse will go slowly as possible.  Most likely you WILL be allergic to the first five on your shoulder, then some on your lower back, a couple spots mid back, then a cluster on the other shoulder.  You are told to "lie still for 15 minutes" to absorb the mystery numbered allergens.  If you are extremely allergic, you will have an anaphylactic reaction, and they have epinephrine shots loaded to go to stick in your arm.  If you are "highly allergic" it will start to burn and itch like a new strand of Super Mosquito just bit you.  You can't scratch or you will cross contaminate the test.  If you "highly" allergic to more than 3 things, the test will make you cry.  I advise getting this as an adult, so your Mom doesn't get to tell you "STOP it. and DON"T you dare touch!" about every 35 seconds, alternating and getting more and more pissed at you as the seconds slowly tick by.  If you DO have your Mom come, you will ask "is it over? it is almost time?" more than ALL the "are we there yet?"s combined.  Once your test starts, you are warped into another dimension where a second of time here is really half a day there.  I cried because I was so pissed.  I didn't have allergies, and if I did I didn't know it at the time.

Finally the stupid test was over.  Guess what I was allergic to? Cat dander, dust, and hayfever things and some kind of plants.  Normal allergens that almost everyone has a reaction to.  No food allergies. Nothing important.

I don't understand, if time is a constant, than why does it change in reality?  Does anyone else find this weird? Oh, and does anyone have a FitBit?? or some other techie band that calculates every movement of your day? I think that would really motivate me.

HELP!!! I never know when I get comments on my blog!

I stupidly switched to the G+ version of BLogger, when it was announced that Google Reader was going to be killed. I thought that was the next logical step in the process. Ever since, I do not receive my comments by my email. I've spent hours in the settings trying to set it up right. I hated Captcha and that is one benefit of changing from Blogger. However, most blogs I read, have not made the move, and still have the old Blogger Captcha comments. I'm frustrated because Real People are leaving nice comments, and I was feeling SO lonely, because I thought I have not received a comment in months. G+ will notify me at the bell at the top, when someone follows, but it doesn't notify me when people leave comments, although it's set up that way. i have G+ app on my iPhone. Besides +checking Blogger multiple times a day, there MUST be a better solution! +Allison Kennedy ?

Sweet Fabric/Sewing/Quilting Giveaways

This one is a bit late, but Heather Bailey (HELLOmynameisHeather) is having a month full of giveaways! It started on August 1st, but there is some time left to enter! She is having a big prize on the blog daily, and giving away a $15 GC to the heatherbaileystore.com everyday on Instagram (@heatherbailey) I actually won Day 21 on the instagram contest! Her store is so awesome, and she brings a little piece of heaven to my life!

The second awesome contest is a month full of giveaways by Alison Glass Designs blog. There are multiple awesome people hosting giveaways this month for her new awesome collection that has JUST hit stores. The first blog to host her giveaway was at Olivia Jane Handcrafted, and she is so cute! She made the sweetest skirt featuring Feathers from the Sun Print collection in Flame. I actually won this giveaway!! I was allowed to choose a color from Feathers. I chose teal, and was allowed to choose an embroidery pattern. I chose the Flowers because I could see myself actually using these on something. I don't know how to embroider, but it's literally NEXT on my Must Do List! I feel blessed to be so lucky! Besides the bunch of blogs featuring her new collections and giving away prizes, Alison is have a HUGE giveaway on her blog that will last all month. The grand prize is the total collection of all her fabrics! That's 74 fat quarters of beautiful colorful fabric!!  That's over 16 yards of fabric if my math is right. On October 15th she will pick the lucky winner. Check out her blog and the listings of some awesome bloggers that will be giving away some of her new collections!

Make sure you follow them on Instagram! @heatherbailey @alisonglass and ME: @Karries3
 I have been on IG a lot lately. I've added so many quilters/sewists to check out their work. I love it!

Also there a few more here:

Maureen's Weekly Friday Giveaway: http://www.maureencracknellhandmade.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-fabric-giveaway_23.html. A 40 Fat Quarter Bundle of Sunnyside by Kate Spain from the fat quarter shop. Ends Sunday.

Take 5 Mad Mod bundle and Take 5 book: http://www.quiltersnewsletter.com/blogs/insideqn/2013/08/21/a-take-5-giveaway/. Ends Sunday midnight Mountain Time.

Quilt Trends. Books. http://www.quilttrendsmag.com/giveaways/index.shtml

Angela Walter interview at The Intrepid Thread: http://intrepidthread.blogspot.com/2013/08/friday-fun-day-interview-with-angela.html

AND more Alison Glass at The Fabric Worm http://fabricworm.blogspot.com/2013/08/announcing-fabricworm-giveaway-allison.html

Of course I found more giveaways checking my mail.

Fashionable Fabric giveaway at A Quilting Life: http://www.aquiltinglife.com/2013/08/fashionable-fabrics-giveaway.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AQuiltingLife+%28A+Quilting+Life%29

Big fabric friday at sew Mama sew: http://www.sewmamasew.com/2013/08/free-fabric-friday-73/

Plus a Lily Ashbury giveawy: http://www.sewmamasew.com/2013/08/lily-ashbury-fabric-pattern-giveaway/

Still Without Laptop...

Does anyone else have trouble coming up with what to post on your blog? I'm a sloooww quilter, so what else do I want to post about during the week where I accomplish nothing? Most of the time, I have ideas, but I'm too busy or lazy to write up a post. I don't use my schedule button like I should, I know. I bet it's a God-send to millions of bloggers our there...

Of course the week without my personal laptop, is the week where I could have posted about a million (10) posts. It's how it goes, I guess.

Even though I'm a day late, there was an awesome link up at Ellison Lane Quilts, where everyone linked up their studio/sewing rooms! Some are SO great, with mountains of rainbow fabric calling my name! I'm so jealous. I've actually been meaning to post my sewing area for a few months, but I was so tired yesterday that I forgot to link up and win some awesome prizes. GRrr.

So that will be up on the blog one of these days.

I'm exactly half-way done piecing (sewing together the different fabrics to make a design) a quilt top from a fabric bundle that came with a pattern called "Flutter", that I bought over a year ago from a quilt shop about 30 miles away. It's a spin on the log cabin block. But I am SO OCD. I know that with quilting there are minimal rules...basically you need a 1/4" seam allowance, but there are no rules to creating a quilt. My fabric bundle came with 8 fabrics: 4 solids and 4 prints. I figured out what color/pattern was used in the pattern, and I followed the instructions EXACTLY. I have always been a green grass/blue sky kind of girl. I'm awesome at paint-by-numbers! When I see a pattern of a copy of something, I want to make it Exactly As. I'm so weird! I guess I'm scared of being creative. I really don't know what it is. I know what I like, and I know what I don't like, and i feel that not many things fall in the middle. Of course, this only is reflective of material things. I would like to think I'm a very open-minded person that tolerates almost everyone/everything. For example, I don't like red, orange or yellow very much. I'm a natural redhead, and I know these colors don't look good on me, at all. I tend to stick to blues and gray. I guess this could be a positive thing, because it gives me a chance to *really* grow in the future?

I'm making a surprise for my blog friend, Allison +Allison Kennedy  (Okay, Allison!). She has been kinda down lately, and when I saw the 2 surprise objects back-to-back, I had an awesome idea.  Unfortunately, my car is also being fixed at the SAME time as my laptop, and I have to get materials for my present tomorrow. I want to ship this out by Monday. She loves to show off her awesome fashionably finds from homemade artists and independent designers, and she looks so cute doing it! I think the accessory I'm making for her will be perfect for her. I hope she thinks so too!

September GOALS 
1. Finish up my Staple Dress #theStapleDress by April Rhodes;

*** if I run into trouble, I can join up at the next Southeast Michigan Crafty Meetup (SEMI) at Pink Castle Fabrics, on the 1st Thurs of the month. My teacher Karen (One Girl Circus) will be there to help any problems I have. Which in all honestly, I probably will. I think I should just go to meet new people. I'm at a weird stage in life where all my friends either live too far away, are partying, or starting families. I'm done with partying and my "family" will be all adults next year. Plus I love sewing, and everything seems so nice!

My Staple Dress, so far

1a. Make it to SEMI in September (see #1)

2. Finish Flutter AND quilt it!

3. Check out an Ann Arbor Modern Quilt Guild meeting; (either this Wednesday or Sept 25). I haven't even made an entire quilt yet, and I'm super nervous around new people-especially when I feel incompetent-so this one might wait a few months. This meets the last Wednesday of the month.

5. Sign up for the skirt class or Washi dress class (again at Pink Castle Fabrics) with Rae Hoekstra (Made by Rae)! She's the one who PUBLISHED this pattern. It's super popular! Plus she is super good friends with Karen, my teacher for #theStapleDress!!

Washi Dress. Made by Rae

6. Send out Allison's surprise
7.Try to blog at least twice a week

8. Look for a new NURSING job (this will take some time)

9. Get my hair chopped AND donate to somewhere

HAH! If it only looked like this, then I wouldn't have to do this one:
*I wish I had the original source to this pic*

9. Find something to do with #nordika. I wanted to do my version from Maureen Cracknell's zig-zag pattern she used to do her nordika quilt! A tutorial was supposed to be on Bernina's (i think) website, but so far I haven't seen it. There is another idea I have to make this, but I basically have to make a pattern with math. That is complicated! (i think)

Sweet, beautiful Norkida, Oh how I love thee!!
 By Jeni Baker (In Color Order)
designs for Art Gallery Fabrics
This is my first fabric obsession!

 ***10: Fix my blog buttons. Apparently the code is wrong, and goes to my Photobucket page. WTH. Sometimes these tedious blog things are a pain in the ass. This one I'm working on as soon as I hit Publish!

11. Figure out how to make a Watermark and use it.
12. Clean up my Pinterest page
13. Clean up my blog and make sure everything WORKS.

I really hope to accomplish all of these. Maybe the Modern Quilt Guild can wait awhile though.

The Staple Dress class I took was SO AWESOME. First, it was at my favorite fabric store. I got to take the first class they offered (I think). Learning new skills is so awesome. (sorry, awesome is my go-to exclamation)  I learned how to make a pattern, copy it, cut it out, and make a dress from the pieces.  It's very different from quilting, but at the same time, I'm pressing fabric and using my sewing machine, so some of the basic concepts are the same. I'm just adding to my knowledge base! I love it!

Now I can do basic adjustments to my clothes, such as fitting my measurements and hemming! And I'm talking basic. The Staple Dress pattern is so versatile. You can make a dress with or without pockets, with a straight or dropped hem. From there you can add a collar, change the neckline, or even make it into a tunic. You need to check out the hashtag link #TheStapleDress to Flickr that shows all the awesome dresses that people made!

My teacher was so inspiring! Karen is SO NICE. I was a nervous wreck with my rotary cutter, and I knew at some point there was going to be blood shed, and I was right. I'm just glad I got it out of the way. I was the one who gave Brenda (the owner) to get a first aid kit, haha. Brenda is awesome too. She was super funny when we were the only ones in the store. I can tell she has a really great sense of humor. What's really funny, is the day before my class I found her website from a blog hop that was featuring a kid pattern. I immediately book marked it "READ NOW" because I saw so much info that would be useful for sewing. I didn't realize it was her, until about a week later. If you ever have a chance to take a class from her, DO IT. She is so calm, positive, and caring. She nurtures you through the process. I'm a visual learner, and she adapted her skills to show me, then would watch me do it. I'm lucky because there was only another girl in the class, and I know when word gets out, that there will be a ton of UM girls coming to learn to sew. Karen was able to spend a lot of individual time with me. While we were all working, we would talk and get to know each other. Women that sew, are generally super nice, caring, funny people. So far, I haven't came into drama that I know probably exists, so it's shiny and new to me.  I hope it stays that way forever!

Today's News

So there is something wrong with my laptop.  it was shutting off by itself, so I did some sleuthing on Google, and it's probably some feature built-in that makes it shut off to prevent over-heating.  And I already knew I was having some heating problems with it. I used half a can of air on that bad boy the week before.  It helped for a quick minute. I even unscrewed the case to see if I could look at the fan to see if it worked.  Apparently, I have a model where the fan is built in the back? Anyway, it's behind a bunch of stuff.  On every website that I read, it said that I could only do this (remove the case and look at the junk in the fan) if I felt confident to do so. *I strongly recommend that you feel confident to do this*=was repeating on each and every page...and I was like, Why the hell not? I've removed dozens of staples from some skin graphs off of a junkie's leg before. I've digitally decompacted a few people in my lifetime.  I've even given birth via Caesar's way.  How could I be lacking confidence when all I was going to do was open my computer's shell and have a looksy around and attempt to evaluate my air-can skills?

After I started opening up the shell super carefully, and making an identical mini-diagram/schematic for the loose hardware, I started checking with a few more websites.  Um. It said not to touch any of the sensors or spray air too close/crooked because the liquid would damage the insides.  Damn. Why wasn't this talked about during the confidence warning?  Then I looked up my laptop's model and was very dismayed to see that my fan was hidden in the back, and not visible-just like my old Mercury Cougar's engine block-and that's the time where I started to lose confidence that was quickly being replaced with unsurety and major remorse. So I decided to Abort Mission!! and put my laptop back together so I could turn it on to see if it was worse off than before I started...

...and luckily it was not! That was a big fat sigh of relief because I can't afford a new laptop/computer/iPad right now.  Even though all 3 are on my Wanted List.

TOMORROW IS MY DRESS CLASS. I am so stoked for it!!! However, I have yet to buy then wash any fabric for it! And I have SO MUCH to do before I go tomorrow. I have to be up early for a 9:30 appt, then to JoAnns or Hobby Lobby to pick up some cheapo fabric, then go hang with my Uncle for a bit, then take Ash to her first consultation with a Physical Therapist (her hip hurts her constantly and she might have slight scoliosis! <sad>, then a 5 minute Ortho appt for Ash, then home to wash cheapo fabric, then the SOS to replace her learner's permit that we failed to find after the FIRST time we got it, then to Pink Castle Fabrics by 6!!! I am so excited!!! I also have to pack up my sewing equipment *and I totally just remembered that I forgot to make a cute sewing machine cover! d'oh*, verify receipts before my first appointment, and find some time to wash my cheapo fabric.  If I didn't have so much crap to do today, I would should have went today. BUT, with the world's greatest invention (yes, the internet) I can virtually shop at Joann's and Walmart to compare prices on some needles/notions and pick out some fabric at Joann's! I love the internet.

 I *really* wished that I knew that I was going to have an extra $80 this week last Saturday so I could get some pretty Nordika instead of some cheapo fabric.

Ok, so I wish I could have picked up some Nordika in time for this class. I still might try to sneak and get some tomorrow in between appointments.  That means another 20min trip (each way) to Ann Arbor and back, so it depends on this Chase check if I actually get to do that or not. Otherwise my first staple dress with be cute cheapo fabric, followed by dozens and dozens of glorious dresses made with Art Gallery fabric. I love dreaming about it!

Pink Castle Fabrics and My First Dress!

A few months ago, Pink Castle Fabrics expanded their online store into a REAL store!!! They opened their store in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which is about a 20 minute drive for me from my home.  I was SO excited when I found out about it, because I have been visiting fabric stores in this area, and I haven't found one where I'm overwhelmed with happiness. Now I have a Local Shop where I can visit and check out the fabric in person. There is another big fabric store in Ann Arbor, but it was a giant batik store, and I was super disappointed when I found that out. Instead of bright solids, the fabric looks waterpainted. Not my look at all. I desperately wanted a store where I can learn how to quilt and sew and improve my skills.  You can only get so far by teaching yourself!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE their fabrics.  They have a huge shop of bolts, precuts, and what's really cool is they have Blogger's pick out bundles to sell.  I love going in and checking out all the new bundles that they have just put together!  What I love the most, are the boxes of stray fat quarters and fat eights that haven't made it into a bundle of their own. It's SO awesome to pick through the boxes and find some gems that I otherwise wouldn't have gotten my hands on! (And they are super cheap which is a bonus for me!)  Last week I was able to pick out a FQ (fat quarter) of a newly released line called Briar Rose (by Heather Ross) that everyone is going nuts for.  I only wanted a little piece of the collection to put in my stash and hoard away.  

This is my favorite print: 
Isn't the Mom Bee awesome?!

It is a really good line, but I have a hard enough time deciding what I'm going to do with the collections of fabric I have! My first quilt top I have made has similar colors to Briar Rose, and Nordika (Art Gallery Fabrics) (by Jeni Baker/In Color Order) came out at the same time and I would choose that fabric over ANY fabric every made. Art Gallery Fabrics makes the best fabric I've ever seen and touched. It's so soft!

I actually bought the whole Nordika FQ collection with the coordinating solids and 2 yard of my favorite print, in hopes that will be a dress or a skirt!

Tulip Vines in Licorice

 Isn't this the best?!! It will look great as a dress or skirt all year round in the the summer or winter depending on what I match with it!

Whimsicol Tide Panel

Whimsicol  Mist Panel

I LOVE these Whimsicol Panels!!!! When i learn how to make the Staple Dress, I am definitely going to try to make both of these in the pattern. I have so many plans for this dress!

So this is what I'm going to learn in ten days:

April Rhodes: The Staple Dress

It's going to be a really basic dress pattern so I will be able to learn how to fit a dress to my size, and make the proper adjustments, and I haven't been this excited in a long time!  Plus there are SO many different kind of wonderful dresses that have been popping up everywhere.  You must look at them!