My Newest Obsession

I discovered the cutest little quilt store in downtown Mckinney, Texas. It is bright cheery and the ladies that work there are so nice. It is called Happiness is... Quilting. No, I am not really what you call a quilter, but I seem to have a thing for fabric. especially really different, vintage cute, beautiful colorfull fabric. I have machine quilted one quilt top in my life and it is still just that, a quilt top. My goal this year is to find someone to finish it off for me. I actually stumbled upon this beautiful quilt store a few weeks ago when I was hunting for the store that used to be there, an antique store where I bought my bedroom furniture. Since I have a love for fabric and this little project I decided to start a few weeks ago as well, I wondered in and found some beautiful fabrics that really excited me. (See pictures of fabric below, yep I bought all of them from Happiness is ... Quilting) Well last saturday they had a yo-yo making demo going on. I always wanted to learn how to make fabirc yo-yos and had tried to make one on my own a few weeks ago but it seemed so time consuming. the thought of folding down the sides before stitching just drove me crazy. Well low and behold there is a template out now to make fabric yo-yos and cuts down on the time to make one dramatically. It is such a cool little gizmo and not only do they have your regular circle yo-yo templates they now also make hearts and flowers.

So now I find myself at night with needle and template in hand making fabric yo-yo's with the small circle and the small flower template . Not sure yet what I will do with them but they are so darn cute and so easy to make while I am watching TV.

you know I bet I may be driving back to McKinney, Tx for a 4rth time this month to buy some more of these templates. I think I want the large circle and the extra large circle template to try my hand at making a quilt. You think i willbe able to make one of these soon?

I take Heather Ales Challenge

Another Silver Bella, Heather Ales, posted a fun tag and I decided to take her up on it. So below are my answers to her fun tag post.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE: Yes, I get asked this question often. My easy answer is my dad didn’t understand my Mom’s name when he met her. The long answer I was named after my Mom after my Dad’s mistake. My Dad misunderstood what my mom’s name was when he was introduced to her while he was on Military Patrol at a dairy festival in Louisiana. When he called to ask her out on a date he asked for Va-lee-ta instead of Velta Lee. He inverted the “Lee” from her middle name and the “ta” from her first name. Of course one of my Mom’s 7 sister’s answered the phone when he called asking for “Va-lee-ta” and this Aunt gave my dad a hard time until she admitted he had the right house and just asked for my mom by a wrong name. My Mom liked the name so much she decided if she married him and she ever had a girl her first daughter would be named this name, she just had to figure out a way to spell it. So I was born the year of the original version of the movie “Lolita”. I only recently had to explain to my Mom what the movie Lolita was about. LOL. But she liked the way it was spelled and to the “lita” part to come up with my name Valita. So I am named after my mom by my dad’s mistake. LOL.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Last week. I was just frustrated about something. My feelings were hurt. I really do not cry that often these days.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Printed yes, script no.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE LUNCH MEAT? Ok I know I will get some groans here but I have to be honest it is SPAM. I think it comes from the 3 years I spent in Hawaii as a child. They eat Spam with everything there. My favorite was a recipe for spam wontons by brother brought home from school when we lived there. I just wish I could find that recipe somewhere at my Mom’s house.

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? No. I want one or two and would love to meet my Mr. Right and start a family soon, but I am thinking of other options as a single woman to still become a Mom. I would adopt in a heart beat if it wasn’t so expensive.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I would certainly hope so.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? It is a genetic trait in my family. If you do not use it you will go down in flames at any family reunion or family get together.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes, but with the way they have been feeling over the last year I wish I didn’t still have them. One is hurting right now and has been for a month or so. It pretty much stays inflamed.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? No. I do not think I will. I do not consider myself a fearful person but I will take a pass on bungee jumping.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CEREAL? Special K with yogurt and strawberries, but I still love me some Captain Crunch plain and Peanut Butter dry as a splurge on occasion.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Nope. I am a lazy tier. I think that is why I buy slip on sneakers now I think.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Yes, I think working in a predominately male environment for the last 7 years sure has helped and I have a very strong Mother. She had to become strong since she spent many of her married years alone taking care of the house while my Dad was out to sea and then my Dad passed away when I was 18 years old. She had made me very strong. Maybe that is why I am still single?

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ICE CREAM? White Chocolate with Almonds is my favorite but I can’t seem to find it anywhere anymore. Blue Bell used to sale it. Blueberry is also my favorite.

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? If they have strong eyes. Do they look people me the eyes when they speak to me or do they look all around while they talk to me.

15. RED OR PINK? Pink, but my bedroom is red and gold right now.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVOURITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Being Overweight.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My Dad. He passed away when I was 18 while I was still at that age where he and I just didn’t get each other. As an adult it would be so different between us now. I sure would like to see him play with my niece and nephew. I see a lot of my dad in my brother and how my brother interacts with his children.

18. WHAT COLOUR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? None, I am in bed right now.

19. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Ramen Noodle Soup with yes Spam and green onions in it. Again back from my days living in Hawaii.

20. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Whoever is singing on Jay Leno.

21 IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOUR WOULD YOU BE? Funny you ask this because I was just staring at the box of 120 crayons at Wal-mart last Friday trying to come up with a reason to buy a box. I just felt like I needed an excuse. Funny Huh. I just love Crayons. Purple Heart or Vivid Violet. Check this site out for cool information about Crayon names - http://www.crayola.com/colorcensus/history/chronology.cfm

22. FAVOURITE SMELLS? Plumaria. It reminds me of living in Hawaii and the years I spent climbing the Plumaria trees, picking the flowers to make and sale leis to people on the Navy Base. Honey suckle and the ocean. I love the smell of he beach and the salt air.

23. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? A guy from work who won’t be a co worker much longer.

24. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? I haven’t met her in person yet but I can’t wait until I do in November or sooner hopefully.

25. FAVOURITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Ice Skating if that is really a sport if not Football.

26. HAIR COLOUR? brown

27. EYE COLOUR? All Colors as my Doctors have said I have every color in the rainbow in my eye but they are mostly blue green and change so some days they look grey, some days aqua blue, and some days bright green,

28. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Yes, most of the time.

29. FAVOURITE FOOD? Mexican, Sushi, Seafood and Cajun food only the way one of my Aunt’s or Mom makes it. Good ole fashioned true Cajun food, not like in these restaurants.

30. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Romantic Happy Endings

31. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? I think it was called I wed, me on Lifetime. It was a cute romantic movie with of course a Happy Ending

32. WHAT COLOUR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? White

33. SUMMER OR WINTER? Both but if I lived near the ocean beach again it would be summer all the way.

34. HUGS OR KISSES? If it is someone I really love kisses all the way.

35. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? The Lipstick Jungle which I have heard will be made into a series this fall.

36. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Dell Logo. Came free with the pc at work. I do not need one at home.

37. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? All I remember is Design Star on HGTV.

38. FAVOURITE SOUND? Laughter

39. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles, the old days

40. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? St Petersburg Russia years ago

41. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Cajun Country, LA 42. WHAT SUPERPOWER WOULD YOU LIKE? To be able to fly. I would fly to the beach daily.

A Sneek Peak at a Special Project

I just fell in love with these yummy Michael Miller fabrics the other day so I am making them all up into one creative project for a friend. The vintage kitty cat/boo Halloween fabric is also very adorable and I am working on a special project that all of these will also be made into. My camera phone pictures don't do any of these fabrics justice to be honest.

Flea Market Finds

I haven't sat down and created anything just yet but I sure have been busy buying stuff. UGH! Oh well it has been fun. Here are a few of my latest finds. I bought all of the ribbon and a vintage glass mason jar for $9.75. It is about 40 unopened packs of all different color of seam binding, some ric rack, some lace seam tape and some packs of bias tape. I just love the quilted butterfly. The tool box I bought at an antique store for $7.50. I am going to paint it white and decoupage on it and keep it out on my new craft table filled with glue, paint and such. I also bought my mom a vintage sewing machine table. She saw the table and thought maybe she could put her very old Singer Golden touch, touch and sew sewing machine in it and low and behold that was the exact machine in it plus all the parts and the book! I got the price down from $65 to $55.00. The machine collapses all the way down in the table. I also bought a vintage song book for $2.00 but I think my mom still has that with her right now.

I am working on a surprise gift for someone. I will post some a sneak peek tomorrow.

My Vacation Week

I took this past week off from work to spend time with my niece and nephew. Dumb me didn't take any pictures all week but I sure had fun playing with them. My neice was going to spend 3 nights and 4 days with me but in the end she only managed 2 days and 2 nights. She is 7 1/2 and at 10pm on Monday evening she started crying and come to find out she just wanted to go home so I called her Mommy and she came and picked her up. My mom and I then went antique shopping on Tuesday after a quick trip to the Doctor's. On wed she drove my car to her next Dr's appt only to find out the Dr. wanted to admit her to the hospital. He didn't like all her pains and what her heart sounded like. She is still in the hospital and hopefully will come home tomorrow. I couldn't take her to the Dr on wed because I had to wait for my new furniture. I gave in and bought a new luxerious pillowtop high profile mattress and boxer spring. I now have to crawl up into bed and I love it! My new craft table and bar stools also showed up. On thursday afternoon I picked up my almost 4 yr old nephew to spend a few nights with me he also only lasted 2 nights. He was so cute though and said "I want to stay 4 days all the way to my pinkie!". Last night he goes "it's at my pinkie now. I want to go home" It was late so I convinced him to get in bed where upon he fell asleep. Now I spoke to both Mommy and Daddy so they knew he wanted to go home. My brother asked for me to get him in bed and see if he would fall asleep, and my SIL was ready to come get him after she was done scrapping, but by the time she was on her way he was asleep so I talked her out of coming.

Then I was blessed upong taking him home where upon both my niece and nephew and my SIL helped me clean my car. My SIL helped me steam clean the fllor board carpets since earlier that week my mom spilt shrimp juice on the floor. Can you say STIIINKKK in 90 degrees weather? Now my car in 4 yr old terms is "clean and shiny" except the engine since he didn't get to look at the engine like he wanted to. LOL.

I did hit some great finds antique shopping. I bought a 1 gallon baggie of vintage rick rack, seam binding and bias tape for $3.00. I will post a pic tomorrow. Then I was saddened to go to the store I always visitied to buy vintage seam binding on the roll for around $2 and $4.75 a roll depnding on how many yards was on the roll only to find out she was now selling the vintage seam binding by the yard! It was marked $.75 a yard! Not cool at all! Then I hit the jack pot in someone else's area in the same store a roll of navy vintage seam binding for $2.75 for the roll. I didn't have Navy so I snatched it up! The lady who checked me out was shocked I had found the roll in the store for $2.75. She tried to sale it to me for $.75 a yard. I was very happy for my finds this past week. I will post pics tomorrow. For now I am going to bed in my luxerious bed! Ahhhhh.