Almost There: Ready for Retirement

Not really ready to retire, but ready to get different job and I am retiring from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. But, I do want to continue to work because I do love people and being out in the world. I want a job doing something I love and it isn't working with offenders I love flowers, dirt, antiques, vintage, fashion, beautiful homegoods, sewing, and I BELIEVE I can find a job working with some of these things listed. I found a place by my house called Pandora's Box and it is like walking up to Heaven and then entering Heaven. It has a beautiful GARDEN outside, with varities of flowers that you cannot buy anywhere else, except on the Internet. Then you enter the STORE and your world changes. You are greeted by friendly people and then you see THINGS. Old and beautiful THINGS!!!!!!!!! It is in Frankston, Texas; located on Highway 155. You just have to stop. Well, if you see it, you will stop anyway. It just makes you feel better to drive by.

Christmas in the Country

Hardwork, that is what it's really about, but when you see the results it is a wonderful feeling. I stand back and look at the tree and all the wrapped presents. The real country look that I went for was actually accomplished by using fresh rosemary tied to my packages with thin jute and string. It was actually my daughter Megan's idea and now the house smells wonderful from the rosemary and the fireplace. There just can't be a more comfortable feeling than sitting and staring at the fire as it burns. Christmas music playing softly in the background and my husband and I sitting here after searching through the woods for pine to start the fire with. We actaully bought our wood from a neighbor that sells it for a living. All the hard work is really worth it as we sit and look upon the fire blazing as we hear the rain pelting down on our tin roof. The tree that we cut down and chose is really perfect. It is a longneedle pine that grows native here in East Texas. We found it in our very own woods and even though there is a rather sad feeling about cutting it, my husband will use it again to put into the lake for the Crappie to spawn in. I finished the handmade Christmas stocking made out of muslin and embroidered in red. I have to say that my favorite thing about Christmas is all the sewing that I enjoy doing, especially using natural muslin. I love to applique and had a blast appliqueing the stocking and the tree skirt. I ordered all white candles this year and of course they were fragrance ones. I have fresh holly on the tables and yaupon with red berries in all the vases. You just can't have enough yaupon! We have two trees, one by the T.V. and one in the living room with all the gifts around it. Can't wait for the kids to get here and smell the pecan pies that are baking in the oven. Taking a break for a minute and just enjoying our surroundings as I pick up my new Country Homes and Interiors Magazine British Edition. As I reach for my hot cup of tea, I take a moment to thank God for all the wonderful things that He has given us and the things that He has done for us.

Natural Remedies

We have honeysuckle growing wild everywhere and I know that this is straight from God. I just found out that this wonderful flower that cascades over fences and pergolas is great for treating coughs and sore throats. The flowers are rich in salicylic acid, which has painkilling properties, which I found in James Wong, GROW YOUR OWN DRUGS. Use as gargling or soothing syrup. Pick the flowers and place in a jar. Cover with runny honey, screw the lid on and leave for a fortnight, then strain off the flowers and leave in the fridge. It is wonderful and very good for you. I just couldn't believe how well it works.

The Red Leather Purse

It was a hot sunny day in East Texas. We were on our way to visit my Aunt. Well, not really my aunt, but we call everyone "Aunt" in Texas. Little did I know that this day would change my life. It really was an uneventful day, except for the fact that my so called aunt gave me a cute "Red Leather Purse". It was l962 and the the purse is vintage now, which makes this story even better. It wasn't really about the purse, although it truly was adorable, but it was about what was inside the purse. I opened the purse when it was given to me and it was filled with colored embroidery threads. Me being just a child, it was like walking into Toys "R" Us nowdays. The different colors were so vivid they hurt your eyes. There was probably almost every color made at that time. And, the needles were included in a little pouch on the inside of the unbelieveable purse. When my aunt asked if I wanted it, I had to control myself to keep from snatching it from her. All I could say was thank you so much as I grasped it to me, not knowing at the time what was inside. It had belonged to my mother's real aunt, Mildred Holland. When I did push the litle metal clasp to the side and it popped open, I could not believe what a treasure I had. I was probably speechless for the first and last time in my life. As soon as we arrived home, I laid out everyone thread on my bed and began to untangle all of it. Since that day embroidery thread makes my heart beat faster. I breathe a little different when I touch it. My mom began to teach me that day how to embroidery. I loved to sew flowers over and over and that is what I still do. It is my passion and then I incorporated quilting with it. This has gotten me through alot of things in my life: waiting for babies to be born, living in Mexico, a horrible divorce, my daughter's surgery, hours of flying in our private planes, yeas of sitting watching games, cheerleading, piano lessons, dance lesson, and much more. Since that day, I have not left home without that purse or another bigger one now, with something inside to work on and lots of colored threads. My daughters also do not leave home without a beautiful tote filled with magazines and all kinds of other things to work on. I really don't know what life would be like for me, if this wonderful lady had not given me her mom's little red purse. It was just meant to be. And I thank God for this hot summer day that changed my life forever!!!!

Applique

As I sit in my bed drinking Dunkin Donut coffee (the best by the way), far better than Starbuck's, which I have spent a freaking fortune on, and I want my money back), I just laid my book down Julie and Julia. Her cooking endeavors are so much like my life of sewing. At one time, I had thousands of books on sewing, quilting, embroidering, but with every move, I realized I might have a problem. The movers never got mad about the heavy Ethan Allen furniture, the authentic slot machine, or my antique pieces, but the boxes of sewing books pissed them off royally. See, I use to live in the Valley and Monterrey, Mexico, and that is where I began my trek to sew. I was first a legal secretary, and I would wake up on Saturdays and feel completely useless from all the socializing and drinking, so I would get my 4 year old up and we would go looking for fabric and sewing books. I was trained by the best: Good Houskeeping, Butterick's Ready Set Sew, and the l940's Complete Book of Needle Arts. I have had treadle sewing machines, Singer, Berninas, and now I have a Janome. It is truly Heaven!!! And, I have the new book, Vintage Notions by Amy Barickman. I am in sewing book Heaven with this one. I didn't need it, but that never stopped me before. I also have a storage room for sewing books that won't fit in the house, but it is within walking distance of my house so no problem. Now, my 4 year old is 36 and I am still sewing and I have made so many projects. The latest being for my 27 year olds wedding. And, I have to thank Aimee, and I don't know her last name, or rather remember it, but I trained under her in Chicago. She taught me Applique and she was the absolute best and I have won many awards for my appliqueing. She is and will always be my hero. I tried to find out her name, but couldn't find it. I know she is Amish and if anyone knows it, please let me know. Until then, I will keep on living in my sewing Heaven with my cup of coffee and my fabrics strewn everywhere!!!!!!

Florals, Stripes, Rosemary, Quilts, Pots, Thread: My Mind After Coffee

It is somewhat cooler and our hibiscus plants are going crazy. Especially the white one. It is soooo hard to find white hibiscus. If you live somewhere and you have white ones, please let me know. I am working on muslin: Love muslin, with flowers sewn (handsewn by the way) on it. I have them everywhere. Wooden vintage signs, herbs in old pots, flower quilts, dried rose petals, and old wooden drawers for keeping anything and everything. I work off of an old antique desk and I catch myself wondering who worked off this before. It is a replica of Nepolian's desk. It is so beautiful and the way I ended up with it was: I was working as an assistant to a wonderful interior designer and she found this desk and made me drive to Dallas and pick it up and I let my salary go towards it for awhile, believe me. But, it was one of the best purchases I have ever made. It just makes you feel better working on something like that. Gotta get busy. Today I am working on old seed boxes. I love everything I do except, my other job at the prison, but I am retiring next November and I am living for that right now. Going to the country this afternoon to pick dried seed pods. I am land in the country and we just go there to walk it and that is all the inspiration you really need. Until next time: Seed boxes, muslin, sachets, clay pots, vintage fabrics, twine, bread bags, red thread, I really need to quit drinking coffee.