The Love Purse

Almost finished except for the straps

Straps going on

Interior (completely changed)

different options for a closure piece

Close up

Temporary closure

So this is it!  I still need to do some minor adjustments on it but essentially it is done.  I stayed up late the night before Thanksgiving because I was on a roll.  Of course it took a test run on Thanksgiving to determine the additional changes that it needs (closure, duh!, tightening of one of the straps, etc).

Right now I am working on some Christmas items for a holiday bizarre that I was invited to this weekend and then it is time to get house in order for the holidays and do some more sewing.  I want to make my own stockings this year!!!  Wish me luck!

Until next time,

Mamalou

What I learned today.....

This list is in no particular order so just go with it...lol

Will Ferrell is a worse actor than I originally thought. I caught pieces of Land of the Lost and he ruined what was actually one of my favorite shows when I was a kid.

I learned that I should let go of the past.  I can't change the things that I have done, I can only change how I act in the future and hope that I have learned from my mistakes.  The things that I do, make me, me.  Looking forward is so much better than looking back and continually tripping over my own feet.

On that same note, I can't keep beating myself up for mistakes that I made in my past.  I can only hope that people are forgiving.  If forgiveness is never granted, I can only move on alone and cherish the memories.  I only have control over ME and how forgiving I wish to be, no one else.  I am just thankful that God is much more forgiving than most people.

I learned that my aunt Lani is probably more likely my mother and that I have more in common with her than my biological mother.  Funny how much stuff you find that you have in common if you just talk.  I found out that she has the same love of sewing and even sews with a serger like me.  She also told me that they think she has psoriatic arthritis and fibromyalgia just like me.

I learned that my mom's family does NOT hold me accountable for my mom's actions and they just want to see ME.  I have been in fear of seeing them for so long because of my mom did and I shouldn't have been.  Even though I might have been embarrassed for my mom, I didn't do anything to my family and should have been more willing to see them because we have so much wasted time that can't be brought back.  I am fixing that today and meeting my aunts to catch up.  It will be a wonderful Sunday and a weight off of my chest!

I learned that I can serge a pair of pants for my grandson in under an hour from start to finish and they look as good, if not better, than a pair of fleece pants that can be bought in the store.

I learned that Christmas lights make me happy when I see them lit up after Thanksgiving.  Also, Christmas music on the radio AFTER Thanksgiving makes me a little giddy!  Some people in our subdivision go all out and it makes me happy that Christmas is fast approaching.

This is all for now but I am sure I will learn more today!

Until next time,

Mamalou

Making Progress on the Love Purse

I must admit that this bag is harder than I anticipated.  I don't know if it is because it is SO much thinker than I am used to working with or if it is just because the material means so much more to me than just normal fabric I pick up at Joann's.  Probably the 2nd one but I want to get it just right.  Here is what I have so far.

HAHA...Yeah, I know, it doesn't look like much but the bottom and sides are completed and this is just the top part next to the picture of the original sweater.  As I think I said before, it really didn't felt up like I wanted it to so you can see the interfacing from the liner.  Once I sew the edges and turn it, it will be able to be seen better but I just didn't want a limp sweater, thus the interfacing.  Also, since I am not using a pattern and just free-styling what I want, it has definitely taken more time along the way so that I didn't mess anything up.  I did use my new serger for a few areas but it seems that even the serger is not exactly liking the thickness of this piece and I have a feeling I might be finishing the handles in areas by hand.  That is ok and I want to be happy with it.

On another note......did you see the Joann's Black Friday specials????  Fleece for $2.99 per yard???  Flannels for $1.49 a yard?  OK, I am so there with my extra special additional 25% off even sale price stuff till noon.  Dawn, you with me?  Yep, that's what I thought! I think we should go now and get a number because you know we might be waiting until 4pm for them to call #2987...lol.   Now, if I could just get my hands on the Hancock Fabric Friday specials.  Has anyone seen them?  

Until next time,

Mamalou

Physical Age Does not Define your Maturity

I just have to get this down and off of my head and heart because it really bothers me.  When things bother me and I can't talk about them with anyone that will make a difference, I may as well self com-bust!

OK, so we have my grandson's 2nd birthday party today which has been planned for the last couple of months.  My daughter in law asks all of the grandma's (3 of us total, her mom, myself, and my husband's ex) to get together and make cupcakes.  Bless her heart, she thought it would be any easy and smart way to get the cupcakes done in one sitting so that the rest of the time could be spent on the other food items, decorating, etc.  I am friendly with her parents just fine and offered up my house to do the baking but of course there is always one person who can't get along with ANYONE regardless of the issue or even that it isn't about her, it is about our grandson in common.  The excuse used was that she would feel uncomfortable in our home as we SHOULD in hers.  First, I don't feel uncomfortable there and in fact was there earlier the day before.  Walked right in with both of my step-sons, went into the bedroom to get my grandson's clothes, dressed him and went on my way.  In fact, I have been in there quite a few times.  I learned from my step-daughter years ago that no one MAKES you feel uncomfortable, that is you doing it to yourself.

So, even with her feelings of discomfort, I still extended a text invitation directly from me, stating that she was  more than welcome to come and help as this day is about our grandson.  It was ignored just as any text that I send.  Ignored and not responded to even though she knew that she had other plans.  These other plans included paying $50 for a cupcake cake for the birthday boy....more cupcakes.  Now, had WE (daughter in law, her mom and 2 sisters, my husband and myself) not spent at least 3 hours making and decorating 75 cupcakes, this wouldn't have been an issue....but we did.  We bought the cake mix, as well as the eggs, oil, frosting, kit and stuff that she wanted to use to fill the cupcakes and set aside this time weeks ago to do this.  This morning I was up early making the chicken, rice, and the beans for the meal with help from my daughter in law but had we not wasted all of that time last night on the cupcakes......the whole meal could have been completed and packed up ready to go to the party site last night and it wouldn't have been a mad dash.  But it was and it all could have been avoided by stepping out of her shoes for a mere second and into the others helping.  She would have seen how much time and energy was being wasted on something that wasn't needed.  If you choose to pay that much for cupcakes, that is on you but now we have 75 cupcakes left over because she wanted to "make a point".  Point taken but I am sure the point that you were trying to make is probably not the point that I took away from this.

Points I am taking away from this:

• after being married to my hubby for almost 6 years, you WON'T change 
• you ARE still so self absorbed that you don't care about what anyone else has to go through
• you ARE so petty and childish that you need to draw attention to yourself 
• for some reason, EVERYONE is scared of confronting your childlike behavior, but not me
• you ARE immature or you would just suck it up and be a normal for one day out of the year
• you ARE nothing but a trouble making, drama queen or you would have either not done this or let everyone know your individual plan in advance.

In the future, I need to consider everything that I do for you or you are included in.  I never like "what's in it for me" because what I do for others is from me because I want to help, but I do need to consider "how will she use this against me".  When everything I do comes back to bite me, she makes it quite difficult being cordial at all but I have always strived to be.  Example, her mom passes away last year right before Christmas.  I knew that she was away from our grandson for 3 or so weeks so I sent her pictures via text so she could see how he was doing.  I also sent a custom memorial vinyl saying on canvas down to her for the funeral.  Never a thank you by the way for any of it. When I have made an error or let her get under my skin, I have apologized for things I have said, to her face nonetheless, but sadly she interprets that she is perfect and that she has not done anything worthy of an apology.  My God is the only perfect person in my life.   When she had colon cancer, I always made sure that the kids took home food for her when they were over.  No acknowledgment for any of this either.   By my doing these things, she is under the very UNREAL idea that I want to be her friend.  Her kids tell me this. Honestly, I have enough friends but there is absolutely no reason that you need to be such a malicious backstabber to me when I was not involved in your divorce, nor have I ever done wrong by any of your children.  I need to take her for what she is, a miserable, unmarried, lonely woman.  A little less self absorption and a little more self reflection may help in these areas.

I am done venting for now......wow, I actually do feel better!
Mamalou

PS.  the cupcake cake that she purchased was REALLY purchased by us anyway as she was hunting my husband down for the child support check early.  Now maybe if we could get her to actually pay her debts to my husband from the home equity that she has owed him for about 8 years......THAT will have to be for another post!

Saddened

I know that most of my posts recently have been of the crafts that I allow to fill my mind and mostly make me smile but today I have a personal post that makes me extremely sad.  It makes me sad because I am not a bad parent and I know that.  I have never left my son's side, never....while others have walked in and out of his life, important people, family people, people that shouldn't do that shit.  But I have been here, never leaving but not able to make a difference and it sucks. Once an important person leaves you, it causes damage, damage that might not be seen from the outside, but it is there and it rears it ugly head at the worst times.

A parent can give all of the heart-felt advice that they can but it is up to the child to take that advice and run with it.  You can't do it for them but you are forced to watch what happens when they don't take that advice, and you are left to deal with the damage left in the wake. You are forced to watch it like a slow motion car accident that you can do absolutely nothing to stop.

My son did something stupid, and when I say stupid, I mean stupid because that is a word that is rarely in my vocabulary.  Instead of coming clean immediately and admitting his stupid act to the people that mattered most, he tucked it into a small pocket in his gut where I know it was eating him alive.  I know that I have a tendency to run...run from my problems, run from my issues, get defensive and just run for my life.  My relationship with my wonderful husband has taught me not to run.  He had the patience of a saint and has been able to break down walls that no one else ever has and has allowed me to face my demons without the fear that he will leave me.  He is here, for better or for worse, richer or poorer and definitely in sickness and in health...he is here for me and me for him and I know that I don't need to run anywhere but into his arms.  But for a 16 year old that has had people constantly leaving, that is a hard lesson to teach.  His stupid action, tucked away, all from his fear of someone else leaving him caused yet another heart break.  And he is running still, hasn't wanted to go to school for the past two days and deal with face to face.  How do you explain that actions speak louder than words?  I know that he is sorry for his action and I hope that he has learned a valuable lesson from this, but the words "you can trust me" are nothing but words.  You have to show people that they can trust you though your actions and that takes time but wounds can be healed over time from actions, not by simple, plain words.

Until next time,
Mamalou

I Don't REALLY Hate the Holiday "Season"!

Despise is probably more accurate.  I know that people love the Fa La La'ing, the glitter sparkling, the idiot's shopping, the caroler's caroling, the car's trafficing, the mistletoe kissing, the colors, the drinks, the parties, the bell ringing, etc....blah blah blah.  I get it....I just hate the fact that it is TOO DAMN EARLY!  Only in the US (I hope) are we so money minded that we go from Memorial Day directly to Christmas, don't pass go, slow down enough to spook the crap out of the neighbors, but never really even see Thanksgiving for more than an extended weekend to eat too much and SHOP.  I hate that I got in my car last Monday and turned on not one but two radio stations that are already playing nothing but Christmas music.  Why are they forcing so much noise down our throats so early?  Do they know the true meaning behind the holiday?   Do they know that the event that we are celebrating was much quieter?  That a baby was born in a stable with a beautiful bright star leading the way for people to come and see Him. Come let US adore Him?  Quiet, nothing but the animal's stirring. I am going to assume that Jesus himself didn't even scream bloody murder like the kid I saw the other day in Walmart.  It was peaceful and it was quiet, yet every year gets louder and louder, earlier and earlier.  Shoot the messenger if you want but I want to celebrate the event, not the season.  I don't want to hear "this is what I WANT for Christmas".  Do you think that Jesus WANTED to be born in a stable?   Don't you think that there might have been a much more suitable place for the son of God to be born?  Think about this, November 13th, 2000+ years ago, do you think that Mary was hanging lights and throwing tinsel on a tree that is surely going to drop its needles by December 25th?  Kinda doubt it.  And what about "Happy Holiday"?  I am going to bet that even the person who came up with that phrase as to not offend anyone with a "Merry Christmas", didn't think people would begin saying it in September!

Now before you go and call me scrooge or whatever else, YES, I celebrate Christmas.. absofreakinglutely!  It just annoys me that we have made what used to be a month long celebration into a 3 month shopping event and are missing the true meaning.  This is not meant to offend anyone that celebrates Kwanzaa or Hanukkah or any other religious or cultural holiday that may fall in December/January, if anything, thank you.  Thank you for not allowing your celebrations to be littered or watered down by society.

Shutting up now :)
Mamalou

PS.  I have some new Christmas vinyl images going up soon but I think I will wait until after Thanksgiving is over.

What's the Time? It's Time to Get Messy!

OK.....so I guess I had a little old school rap happening in my head as I was mod podging away today.  You know that Pinterest is my best friend (don't take that personally ANYONE).  I have had the worst couple of weeks to date but even when the rest of my body is pretty much shot and hurting horribly, my brain is still functioning and those gerbils are running on their wheel.

Paper, knife, wood, glue, material.....
Yep, that about does it!

Some of the pieces drying and getting ready
for a few more coats

One dried that I did a week ago.  It is ready for a
few more coats of slop

These guys are just sitting here patiently waiting
for their glue bath!

Once they are all done and dried, they will be getting some vinyl sayings applied to them like "Let it Snow", "Feliz Navidad", "Merry Christmas", "Wise Men Came", etc.  I can't wait till they get to that point but I am happy that I have had this much progress so far.  I will be doing a Holiday Bazaar on December 3rd and I think these will make great little inexpensive stocking stuffer or white elephant gifts.  If you are in need of some gifts, please don't hesitate to contact me as I have tons of Christmas and Holiday art and saying and I would love to make something special for you!

Until Later....Dream Big!
Mamalou

My Newest Creation, the "Love Purse"

I am going to have to call this the "Love Purse", not because it has little hearts or even any type of pink on it, but because I am up-cycling an old sweater that I wore the first night my hubby took me out (and a few more times after that).  It is a Tommy Hilfiger wool mixed argyle sweater that I purchased on clearance (of course) and I fell in love with it immediately.  I had lost a large amount of weight and it fit me like a "T".  It no longer fits me but it was not one of the items that I could not bring myself to give up to Good Will as it just held too many memories.  AND, I still have this killer pair of red high heal cowboy boots that look incredible with the sweater so they are like a matched set.  Let me first show you how it looked originally.

This is Miguel, Tara, and I at
her going away party

Now after some cutting and washing.

General "possible" style of finished
purse

Sweater with back and sleeves removed

Fabrics I am using as liners and pockets

I am still working out the different ideas floating around my head but you kind of get the idea.  I can't wait to use a piece of our beginning and change it into something functional instead of just hanging in my closet!  Let me know if you have any thoughts and/or suggestions because I love new ideas!

Until next time....keep dreaming.....

Mamalou