Betsy's mani-pedi party link up

Betsy,  when I saw baby Andie with this polish,  I knew it was perfect for your party!  

My granddaughter Andie and her first time to get her nails done.  

Not sure I completely approve but I do think Andie looks adorable.  

Andie spends a lot of time at a beauty salon,  because her mom owns and works at a big salon.  

Her dad does all the handy man stuff at the salon and he makes sure Andie is all dressed up when they visit the salon as the clients just love to ooh and aah over sweet little Andie. 

I guess most babies don't get their nails done.  

But I've been told that the nail girl used an almost dry brush to color Andie's nails and  that it only took seconds to apply it.  

betsys-mani-pedi-party-2-and-giveaway

Head over to Betsy's really quick if you want to enter

or just go visit Betsy, if you don't know her yet.  

Betsy is a real sweetheart,  a creative mom with 4 wonderful sons,  just go visit and read a few of her posts. 

I promise you will enjoy her great photography and just marvel at all she does.  

Quilts - older and newer

Old

I made this blue jean cathedral window quilt years ago.  I put it one the beds this week and like the way it looks.
But it is very heavy - was very tiresome to sew once it got big.
I don't know how comfortable it would be sleep under either because it is so heavy.

But I do like how it looks on this bed and I see it whenever I walk past this room.  

the back
You cut big denim circles and cotton print squares.  Then they get sewn together
and all the curves get zig-zagged.  

NEW

I finished this one on Wednesday,  a strip quilt for John  and Nina's June Birthday gift.  

It is all machine done and just tied

most of this pretty blue and green fabric was from another blogger,  Jill.
 Thank you, Jill.
 John and Nina are very happy with this quilt.

NEW

this pretty quilt was a Mothers Day gift from Sheena and Bobby.
One of Sheena's clients made it,  I think the quilting is done with a longarm machine.
isn't it pretty?  

embroidered message on the quilt
so sweet!

NEW

Table runner that I just finished on Saturday.
I printed off an internet picture in 2008 of a similar one,  and I think I cut out the pieces for it then too.
just took me 4 years to make it!

Clever Flip Flops and update on Theo

I thought my DIL was a genius when I saw this pair of flip flops that Gavin was wearing.
They have a strap of black elastic attached to the front part,  very simple, and Gavin can keep these on his feet much better than he could if he was just wearing regular flip flops.

But Amanda told me she did not come up with this idea,  that the shoes came with the elastic already on them.  

The elastic just goes around the heel
then lapped over for a loop and machine sewn with a very narrow zig zag.

So even though this idea is from a shoe company,  I am showing it in case anyone  has some toddler shoes that need to stay on better.

Theo is doing OK. ( he was diagnosed with Addisons about a month ago)
He does not have as much energy as he used to and has weaker muscles, especially in his back legs.
He sleeps a lot, even for a dog in the summer.
But he is happy and not in any pain.
 He watched  the grand children play in a wading pool for a little while.
Theo made sure to find the shade and you can see he was panting a little, even though it was not a very hot day.
For now,  we are thankful he is home and still having a good dog's life.

How to downsize a t-shirt

The big story in Oklahoma right now is that our basketball team, The Thunder,  is playing in the NBA finals right now.  

My brother from Texas visited us over the weekend.  

He bought himself a Thunder shirt and also bought shirts for Gavin and Elizabeth.  

but we have a little problem......

the Thunder shirt on the left is the size my brother bought.
the shirt on the right is the size shirt that Gavin and Elizabeth currently wear.

So,  I got busy with a little alteration, it really was easy and quick.
and successful.  

first I laid the smaller shirt (with the sleeves folded under) on top of the bigger shirt.
then just cut off the bottom, sides and sleeves.
I left about an inch on the sides,
2 inches on the bottom.
The neck of the shirt was not changed in any way!

I did this with the Thunder shirt turned wrong side out.
Make sure to check your design, so you don't cut into it if you try this.  

then I cut the sleeves off and open at the sides so I can cut them smaller. 

For size,  I used the smaller shirt as a guide.  I cut off the bottom -seam of the sleeve...

then cut off more at the top  

then just pinned the cut down sleeve back into place.
See - the sleeve hem never changed.
Just machine sew the sleeve back to the shirt.
I also added some zig-zag to finish off the seam but that is optional.

After the sleeves are sewn in,  pin the sides together and machine sew them .  

now,  just turn up the bottom hem
and machine sew it about 1 inch from the bottom and then again at 3/4 inch from the bottom .

close up of the altered sleeve  

20 minutes later
the finished shirt!  

Gavin modeling his Thunder shirt.

it is still a little big but I think it will be a little smaller after a laundry.
the original shirt was a 10-12 youth
Gavin and Elizabeth both are 3T size


Now,  I need to size down Elizabeth's.  Her mom asked me try to make hers into a t-shirt dress.
I'll let you know how it goes.  

Andie is 3 months old today

Baby Andie
she's come a long way from that tiny 5 pounds that she started out as-   she is so sweet and  cute, I can hardly stand it.