I Hate Labels But I LOVE Me Some Lace!

I really do hate labels or labeling people or things but I must label myself.  I have had a "recent" obsession with things that are opposite.  Meaning I am one of "those girls" that likes to put a little good in with the bad....like a little bad boy in my wonderfully awesome hubby....like a little yin with my yang.....like a little sun peaking through on a rainy day.  I have to admit that I don't mind a little bad news mixed with my good news.  I know odd eh?!  LOL  I only say "recent" with the quotation marks because you know that this is something that just does not happen over night, it is something you are born with.  Cue the Lady GaGa music......

I definitely don't take myself as a girly girl at all.  The only day in the past 6 years that I have worn a dress was on my wedding day (and it was black and white polka dots....go figure!).  I have bought one skirt during this time and it still hangs in my closet with the price tags on it.  Wait, I did buy another skirt but it was for the fabric so I took it apart.  But I have this obsession with flowery fabrics and lacy, girly materials.  If I see something that even resembles shabby chic, I have to have it.  When my friend Dawn and I go fabric shopping (often), she knows what "Lisa prints" are and I know what "Dawn prints" are.  She is a very mod type of girl and I can pick out a color or print that I know she will just die for.  See, another yin and yang (love ya Dawn!).  

So that brings me to my point, I have this project that I saw out on Pinterest that I really want to make and can't get out of my mind.  It was a bag made of canvas with a beautiful lace border.  Now that I have my embroidery machine, I have the ability to find that perfect lace, make it myself and add it to that bag....YEAH ME!  So check out my pic below...I am making the lace now!!!

Thanks to Mike over at Sew for Less and his Aqua Lace stabilizer, this is an extremely simple job because this stuff will just dissolve to nothingness when I put it into water.  I love it!  Now for the record, I am not being paid to advertise for Sew for Less or endorse their products, I am just excited about this whole new world and the fun tools that have been opened up to me through embroidery.  Sew for Less is a local store and I support local shopping! :)  Here's to hoping I have a finished bag soon.  Dawn....I may need your help on that bag! LOL

Until next time,
Mamalou

My Pride and Joy!

Before I head off to sleepy town....I need to share one more thing.  This is a video of my 2 year old grandson that I took today.  He is incredibly talented and gifted when it comes to just about everything (grandma sees no wrong of course) but when it comes to basketball, he rocks the world!  His mom's side of the family are ALL incredible basketball players and his Grandpa still coaches so he has been around the sport since he was born. It is just amazing to watch him shoot and dribble so I had to capture him on video.  Keep in mind that he is 2 and just turned 2 on 11/22.  Enjoy!

Mamalou

Judging Others Without Knowing Their Story

I just want to share a post that caught my attention on Facebook last night.  I am not putting this out there to berate anyone, just to bring attention to maybe thinking before you make a judgement call. I won't mention names either because the names are pointless.

One person on Facebook posted "When did it become acceptable for people to wear pajamas in public?".  The responses were incredibly closed-minded and really just nothing short of rude.   Below is an excerpt.

"Did you go to Walmart today too?"
"It is so wrong!!"
"See it all the time, not a fan!!"

Of course I joking stated "ummmm.....last night when I went to QT???  Hey, it was very late and I was tired!  Don't hate! LOL"

Those are typical responses but the following response really got me.

"Isn't it disgusting??? People take no pride in themselves anymore."

Disgusting?  Is it hurting you?  Is someone stepping out in their flannel jammie pants actually causing YOU some type of physical harm?  The last time I checked, it only embarrassed me that I didn't have the energy to get dressed up to go to the store, gas station, convenience store, etc.  I had to comment because this is what is wrong with the world today, so many people judge without ever really knowing the person or their story.  Unless you have walked in that person's shoes, how are you to know what they are experiencing?  My response to that comment follows.

"are you guys serious?  You may need to take a step back and consider that there may be a situation behind why that person is in their jammies before calling them "disgusting".  A new mom that needs a pack of diapers last minute because she ran out.....in my case, a disabled person that just didn't have the strength to put back on her jeans so she left on her comfy jammie pants.  It does not mean necessarily that the person lacks pride, it may just mean that the person lacks strength.  Every person has a story and instead of judging, learn sympathy and maybe even empathy."


The person that had the "disgusting" comment came back with the following....

"I do understand about the people who ghave to go out in an emergency....but I think we were talking about the people trying to make a 'fashion statement'."


I must have missed that piece of the conversation (not) but nice way to clarify your feelings and backtrack your response.   My thoughts are that if we spend a little less time judging others and pretending that we know the reasons they do what they do and maybe for once, help someone in need, we might become a less arrogant society that plots people against their fellow man.  Just making  a general  judgement call makes you look ignorant and the person in the jammie pants.....well, the are comfy if nothing else.  I for one would rather be the latter and be comfy! :)  Oh and also, I make jammie pants for anyone that would like to make a fashion statement so contact me if you would like a pair for your next shopping trip. :)

Until next time,
Mamalou

Stoked and FRUSTRATED

Yes, that was a frustrated all in caps.  Can you imagine.....me yelling?  NEVER!!!  lol  Just kidding.  All joking aside, I made the sale of a lifetime last night.  First let me start with, I made the best chili I have ever made yesterday and our annual tradition of our friends, the Miller's coming over for the first big pot of the new year went off without a hitch.  Jen and I decided to take a little road trip over to Hancock's and see if we could look at some embroidery machines.....cheap, easy to use, did I mention cheap?  Yeah well that was the plan but we got there and then lady at the Bernina counter was well, shall we just say, she was new, very, very new and suggested we come back tomorrow.  She even went a little further and told us to come after 2pm because the morning girl was "new" also....ok then!  On our way out the door, I had a sudden thought (aka "brain fart") that we should just go and take a gander at the machines being sold by Hancock and not just Bernina.  Well low and behold there was a machine and it was actually a Bernette by Bernina.  There was a tag on it marking it from $599.00 to $399.00.  You can imagine my surprise and my thought of cha ching, this might be our lucky night.  Well my buddy Jack went back and looked for us to see if they had a unit available and he came back with good and bad news.  The bad news was that the floor model was the only unit available, the good news was that it was 90% off.....WHAAAATTTT?  Yeah, my thought exactly......$59.00 for an embroidery machine....SOLD, ring it up.  Wait, not so fast, check for all parts....check.  Check for hoop.....check check.  How about software.....nope, nothing there and it says it is optional.  OK, now I am a computer geek and love a good challenge but this one is getting me.  It calls for use of eXplorations Lite software and the machine is the Bernette H79 for Bernina.   I have been searching the internet for 24 hours now and nothing.  I went and visited the Bernina lady today (yes after 2pm thank you very much) and she was extremely helpful but I am still without software and without a way to get images into the machine.  FYI, the machine was a usb port but it is the fat end of the usb if that makes sense and not like I can stick just a normal memory stick in there.  Also, the manual says that the machine's internal memory holds up to 99 designs (40 are pre-loaded).  How do I get the other designs there?  If anyone knows what I am talking about, I would be happy to load pics.

If anyone knows anything about this embroidery machine, please contact me and I will be forever in your debt.

Until next time,

Mamalou

2011 Reflections and Thoughts for 2012

First I have to say that I don't believe in "resolutions".  I think that this is a sure way to set yourself up to fail.  Sure, I want to make changes in my health in 2012.  I want to eat better, exercise more, yadda yadda...don't we all?  That is so vague and I think it is better to hope for peace in our families and that we all have a more prosperous new year than to set a goal that I am going to feel guilty if I am unable to obtain.

With that said I would like to reflect on the past year and the events that have effected me and the people that I love and care for.  First, my Daddy married his equal, his partner, his true love.  THAT makes me so happy to see him and his new wife happy.  It doesn't necessarily make me think that my job here is done because I still know that I am his one and only favorite daughter (his words, not mine...lol).  He is still the first man that I loved but I am happy that he has found true happiness with Peggy.

With that being said, I also had to put closure on my situation with my mom and let go of the pain and heartache that I feel/felt.  I truly now realize that we are just completely different people with completely different morals and beliefs and I have to accept that she is never going to be the storybook mother that we all dream of.  People change and sometimes not for the better and sometimes it is just best to walk away and lick our wounds to heal.  She is not what I want for my life, period, and that is OK to say and stand behind.  When I say I have had enough and I see how the negativity is effecting those around me, I have to stand behind my own decisions and that is just what I have done.  One day it might change but right now I am in the healing phase and the wounds are too fresh to open that door again anytime soon.

Also in the past year, as I have talked about many times, my disabilities have gotten worse.  My psoriatic arthritis and fibromyalgia have been diagnosed but I am in no way close to resolving the issues that burden me daily.  It continues to be a daily struggle that I deal with and as the year drew to a close, I was on my 3rd round of antibiotics due to sinus infections and a horrible cough.  I have come to deal with the issues however and know that even when I feel horrible, life goes on.  I must still try to do things that I need to do and coming to grips with that knowledge that "I can't do everything" has been hard but I don't let it tear me up as I used to.

As we move into 2012, I will continue to learn to delegate and release some of the control of items to other family members.  It does not make me weak, it makes me loved that I have people around me that care about me enough to want to help. I need to accept the help and love without feeling like a lessor individual.  I am still working on that but getting much better.

Also, I have learned that I need to make better choices on the people that I let into my life.  Unfortunately I have made some choices in the past that have not been so great.  Friendships are a give and take and I never intentionally hurt anyone.  I have learned who my true friends are and who really couldn't care less.  I guess it takes an illness to see how strong a friendship really is.  On that same note, I have met some extraordinary people this past year (yeah Dawn, you're in there :)) that have taught me some wonderful things about friendship.

On a closing note, I wish all of my readers a very happy new year and hope that all of your wishes and dreams come true in the upcoming year.  You all deserve the best and don't accept anything less!  Thank you all for reading about my antics and rants and I hope you stay around for more!  Love you all!

Until next time,
Mamalou