OH my goodness I'm so behind! Forgive my lack of posts the past few days. I had a dr's appointment at Stanford for a problem I was having with my vision..... thati s 3 hours away from me and because of the time they needed me there, my friend and I went a day early... so it ended up being a 3 day trip... then I was gifted a "cold" from someone and have been sick the past 2 days. I'm finally up and around...tissue box in hand... and trying to catch up!

This outfit was put together around the hat. It was my delightful Aunt Elaine's hat that I was so honored to receive after she passed. Aunt Elaine was an elegant being who delighted in anything and everything that was proper, elegant and mannerly. She alwayd did things so elegantly and was the gentlest person I every met. Every holiday was perfectly adroned and creative and she did with such ease that is was seamless.... you knew when an event was ther that she would have found a way to make the table settings fun and elegant in some way. SHe had such an ease about you, that if you showed up in a sweat suit so popular in the 80's she would make you feel like you fit right in! Trust me when I say I never showed up like that because she is the one who gave me my family name.. even at my wedding I was called this..... "Miss Mary" which at 66 is still my between the few cousins left in the fam! I was called "Miss Mary" because when I was very little I would wear very frilly dresses and little anklets etc... and if I should get even a smudge on them I would fuss and cry until I got a new dress on. lol This was the delight of my Auntie E because she had many miscarriages before she finally had 2 sons who were "All boy" if you know what I mean. Auntie E loved to fuss over me and she ws so very special to me. When, at the end of her life, she asked for me to do Hospice care for her... and of course I did. I was a retired RN at the time. My Unkle Karl, her husband, was just as elegant as she was and they were both devoted to each other all their lives. Unfortunately, at the end, her dementia caused her not to recognize my poor dear Uncle and she woudl scream in terror about the "stange man in her room" when he appeared. She recognized me though and I spent my time wiht her... I held her hadn with Uncle Karl for her last breath on this side of Heaven So... when my group of Ladies decided to have an Easter Hat parade on this day, I retrieved Auntie Elaines hat from my studio... it is proudly displayed in there all the time as I feel she is with me. SHe would encourage ANYTHING I would do wuth such praise that I know... she would love upcycling. She always dressed stylishly and elegantly and yet in "todays" fashion!

The March monthly drawing winner picked by a Google random number generator is…., Valorie Rossi!!!! Yay!

Good Morning!! I'm obviously a morning person!!! lol It's when my body feels the best and my mind is zipping along at full speed creatively! I'm currently working on this pair of jeans.... I've been auditioning fabric for the side bell inserts and I think the first Pic is the one i am going with... it has the darker background with flowers.... I also am going to tea dye the cuff fabric... it will wrap under the actual hem as well as be 2 1/2 inches on top in case she wants to roll od the hem... she still has color. But I think it needs to be tea dyed to look a bit grungier.... what do you all think???? ALSO... I have more floral and some patches to add to the pants.... and lots more crewel embroidery to do!! I love these pants and wish they were my size... but they will be for sale in the Raid Train on April 25th!!! The left leg has the larger applique and both will have a patchwork bottom that is about 3 inches. I have a lot patches and flowers yet to add.... but this is what I am working on this morning!! Since I am using a thicker "crewel" embroidery thread. I'm also adhering a soft iron on over the embroidery thread on the interior of the upper legs so it will be soft to the wearer's legs. I hope this makes sense!! The knots and stitches felts a little scratchy...also it protects the embroidery stitches from being caught when putting them on and off. This is a product that is usually on the interior of baby outfits when machine embroidering so garment stays soft to their skin.

Okay it's getting close to the end of the month and I'm going to do my Monthly Giveaway! ********* winner! Valori Rossi! I used a random number generator on google and you won!, messaging you for mailing address ******** I will randomly choose a winner from the member list! I'll post the winner and a pic of the goodies they will receive!!! This is some of what the winner will receive! Almost all of the trim is over a yard long.... and look at all the charms you wil receive to put on tassles or purse tags.... Use however you wish! There are also surprise items in the box.... all absolutely free just for being here!! I will pull the winner on the first day of the next month to give those in other countries a fair chance to enter. ALL you have to do is say ME or POST ANY COMMENT IN THIS THREAD and I will add you to a Random number generator!! You may comment as much as you like but names are only counted once for the drawing!. **** Free Shipping for the US....**** If you are in another country and YOU want to pay for the shipping and any Tarriffs, taxes or costs for shipping that may be applied.... you may enter as long as you understand ONLY the product is free.