Groovy Cafe Aprons

Finally a new post! I know what you are saying! Sorry it has been a bit. These things take time something of which I seem to have less and less. Also, I finally have two new aprons finished. I designed and pieced these together while I was on my little adventure but did not actually sew them until today. All the elements have to be right before I sew you know. These are my groovy cafe aprons. I spotted the beads first which gave me inspiration and then looked for material to match. I placed 70's music in the CD player, turned it up loud and went to work. I think they turned out great!

I photographed these on my mannequin and while you can see the design and style great on this size 2 dummy, you really cannot get a good feel for the length and cut. Big I helped me by taking some shots of these cuties on my more voluptuous hips. Cafe aprons are supposed to be worn low. This is my favorite style and I feel quite sassy when wearing one. So eat your vegetables and do not make me whack your knuckles with the back of my wooden spoon.

These two aprons are for sale for $20.00 each. I am placing them here first to allow my readers first shot. If you are interested, e-mail me. I'll leave them up for a couple of weeks and then put them on Etsy. Even if you are not interested in purchasing one, at least leave me a comment and let me know what you think. Your opinion is valuable to me. Big C's girlfriend stopped by last evening and had a little fit over them. I can just see college girls waitressing in these can't you?

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

I Got My Spice Back

I'm Baaaaaaack! Sorry peeps for being away from my blog so long. I totally needed a break. I took a personal vacation and by that I mean --- I ran away from home alone for four days. For me personally, having an identity outside of being a wife, mother, daughter, teacher, sister, or librarian is extremely important. In the busyness of life, it is easy to lose your identity and forget who you are as an individual. In essence, I needed to find myself. I had began to notice I was never called by name....mom, hon, sis, uh, bark, Rosie.....what happened to Dana (which is my first name BTW). Dana had all but disappeared. Swallowed into the vortex of domestic bliss. Wrapped tightly in my winter cocoon. Anyway, I'm home! Refreshed, renewed, reinvigorated, recharged! You might say, "I got my spice back!" I have been distracted since my return by minor inconveniences that surfaced while I was away, but they seem to be taking care of themselves so no worries in that area. While gone, I was able to piece together a couple of cafe aprons. They are groovy and I'll be showing them just as soon as I get the finishing touches applied, so stay tuned.

Thanks for sticking with me and reading, Rosie.

Highlights Of My Escape!

Spring is in bloom and I am forevermore grateful! I thought it would never get here. The older I get the longer the winter becomes. It was nice to see the Bradford Pear trees in their spring glory. BEAU-TI-FUL!

Now before you look at this next picture please know it has been a loooooonnnngggg time since I've had a luxurious bubble bath. Do you think I got carried away? Just asking. For a while I thought the headlines in our local paper might read: "Abnormal woman found alone in rustic log cabin overtaken by bath bubbles. Hysterical shrieks of laughter was heard by the neighboring cabin who immediately contacted the front desk. When asked by housekeeping what the heck happened - all the woman could utter was - Uh, it's been along time since I've had a bubble bath. She was then handed a mop and bucket." When it got to the point I couldn't breath because the suds were higher than my head, I dug my way into the next room looking for my camera! Think about this scenario, what if I had slipped, fell and broke my ankle looking for the stupid camera. "Naked woman lying covered in a mountain of bubbles with broke ankle and camera found alone laughing hysterically in log cabin." And why exactly, I ask you, were my first thoughts of taking a picture? Maybe I've ate too much chocolate this week.

Who is this cutie? This would be Jadyn, my young old friend's adopted daughter from China. We had the opportunity to spend a little time together Sunday afternoon and it was delightful. This is one smart and charming three year old and for a split second my ovaries ached.

Cheese!

I've had the opportunity to put together some aprons too. Yes! I brought my sewing machine. I told you I'm abnormal. Haven't quite got them together yet, but will post them in a few days.

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

When Irish Eyes Are A Smilin'

I am daft. I completely forgot about it being St. Patrick's Day! No wonder people were staring at me today so bolding wearing PURPLE! I am out of the loop right now folks. Anyway, a big salute to my fellow Irishmen and my great-great grandfather Patrick Hagan who migrated from Ireland in 1944. You can read about him here. As a side note - Hagan Hall that is pictured in this old newspaper article has burned to the ground. How unfortunate we live among those who want to destroy history.

Top O' the evenin' to ya then! And Remember: "There are only three kind of men who can't understand women - young men, old men, and men of middle age."

Run Baby Run!

Rosie ran away from home for a few days! Be back soon.

Vintage Thingies Thursday - McCoy Pottery and Holly Hobbie

Here I am running behind as usual. I've had issues this week. Issues I say! Issues with parents, issues with kids, issues with pets, issues with work, issues with men, issues with doctors, issues with friends....................................................Wait a minute (stopping to look at the date on the calendar). Issues with HORMONES!

I am forcing myself to take a break from all of the above and share some vintage thingies. It will make me feel better and hopefully brighten your day too. Plus, to make you feel even more wonderful visit Colorado Lady to see her vintage shamrock hanky that has everyone so stirred up. She is taunting all vintage thingie lovers with that hanky and I think she might be defiling a written vintage thingie code somewhere. I am going to look into the issue!

Let's talk the real McCoy - Pottery that is. This McCoy Pottery tea pot, sugar and creamer set was a birthday gift to my mother from her sister-in-love in the 1950's. She never used it. It set in her china cabinet for years. I finally just demanded it for myself and now it sets unused in my china cabinet. It is in mint condition. Not a scratch, dent or chip to be seen! I dig the ivy leaves and vine design.

You can see McCoy on the bottom of each piece but it is particularly pretty on the teapot.

Holly Hobbies! Everyone that had a Holly Hobbie figurine in the 1970's please raise your hand. These were given to me by my much older brother's girlfriend. Say what you will about Holly Hobbie, but the artwork on these are beautiful and well, I personally love them.



And then there is vintage little old me. Here I am adorned for the 1976 Annual 5th Grade Beauty Pageant. All girls were required to participate. My mother made my dress. The cape and cumberbun were attached. The picture has faded over the years so the little bluebird print fabric does not show very well. Because my school was celebrating our country's bicentennial, all the girls had to represent a state. We sang "Fifty-Nifty United States" and shouted out our state. I was North and South Dakota. Miss Skinny Butt Jackie won. I was so devastated I never participated in another pageant again even though I was begged several times. That was a joke folks! No one has ever begged be to be IN a beauty pageant.

Thanks for visiting and reading, Rosie.

True Confession - I Am Terrified Of The "D Word"

Please do not say the “d word” around me. I cannot even type the “d word” because I shutter with fear and trepidation at those seven conjoined letters and what they represent. For a large percentage of my youth whenever the “d word” was mentioned, I grew sick to my stomach, crawled into the depths of my closet and resided there for several days praying my parents would grow irresponsible and forget about me. Unfortunately, because they were responsible adults regarding my teeth, the Republicans, they would eventually find me and drag me kicking and screaming to the “d word.” These same responsible parents also allowed me to watch the Dustin Hoffman movie “Marathon Man.” If you have seen that movie, you know of what I speak. Did they really expect to raise a normal daughter?

A “d word” visit is the worst possible type of torture invented unto man. Flatten my breast for a mammogram or insert a cold steel spectrum any day of the week but please, do not place me in a chair, turn me upside and force me to unhinge my jaw bones to scrape my teeth with tiny sharp stainless steel tools or worse yet, drill holes in my teeth with a Black and Decker mini drill.

Dr. Q was my “d word” many years ago. He now lives in “d word” hell where there is much gnashing of teeth. I am sure he is happy. He was known through Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee as an evil man who took great pleasure in administering pain to good people. Anyone who was unfortunate enough to visit his medieval chambers was purposely greeted with a sly grin and laugh, strapped to a reclining chair, draped with a chain and drool cloth, strategically placed under a drill arm within easy site of the tool tray, then left to wait thirty minutes to anticipate all the fun only to endure being straddled by a 6’ 7” giant who strained his neck muscles by seeing how much pressure he could apply (all said without taking a breath).

I still have nightmares about going to the “d word.” Seriously! At least once a month since I was a child I wake up in a cold sweat having dreamed my teeth are loose and falling out and have to make a trip to the “d word.” Even in my dreams I am reassuring myself it is just a dream and for love of all that is holy, “Wake Up!” All this has caused me to become obsessive compulsive regarding my teeth. Truly, I brush my teeth at least four times per day, sometimes five just for reassurance. I carry a toothbrush, toothpaste and dental floss everywhere I go. I take the mantra “brush and floss after every meal” literally. People stop me in public and ask me about my teeth so they can see the panic on my face just for grins.

What does all this mean to my children? Well first, they hear the phrase “brush your teeth” about ten times per day. Sometimes, when I cannot think of anything else to say, I say “brush your teeth” just in case. Despite my affliction, I have managed to get my kids to the “d word” on a regular basis. I searched the world over until I found a sweet Mr. Rogers type “d word”. One who speaks softly, has soft hands and keeps his tools hidden until the last minute so as not to ignite fear into the hearts of my sons. Moreover, do you know my nasty, rotten children have never had one cavity. Not one! They have never gone under the drill! How unfair is that?

I am convinced that Dr. Q faked my cavities for kicks and money. My much older brother says the same thing so that makes it a fact. We have had many in depth conversations about this area of our childhood and credit Dr. Q with most of our psychotic spells. Oh, I know what you are thinking. Find a “d word” that puts you to sleep while doing procedures. Hear me laughing hysterically and saying, “I DON’T THINK SO!" I have seen that Seinfeld episode thank you very much.

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Serious.Life Magazine

I wanted you to know about this publication I’m a part of called Serious.Life Magazine. They just published the March issue today, and I am in their Blog Directory. They also published a photo of my boys, so I am very excited. It’s a very high quality magazine… you’ll really like it. The magazine includes a lot of great content from bloggers you’ll appreciate, as well as great features, photos and other content. The magazine is owned and published by a family who have seven kids, three adopted and one who has Leukemia (http://www.riggsfamilyblog.com/). The magazine gives away a bunch of ads to charities and ministries. Besides great articles on interesting people, there is a lot about family, adoption, personal finance, spiritual life, humor… all sorts of “life” topics. Again, the subscription is FREE, and I know you’ll enjoy the magazine, so take a minute to check it out and sign up to get future issues. http://www.seriouslifemagazine.com/

Adoption Is Not For Sissies! Part Two

I have a childhood friend who adopted a little girl from China about three years ago. She blogged her family’s story from the beginning and their story was and continues to be a wonderful blessing to others and me. I knew nothing about adoption before following her story. I know much more now, but I still have many questions. Recently, I e-mailed her and said, "Hey, what do you think about doing this, if I have questions, others do too. Let me use my blog as a platform to share what you know." I do not pretend to be “the blog where you go to find information regarding adoption,” there are many more well written blogs in the sphere that already exist. However, every life touches another life in some way. What may reach someone through one avenue, may not reach another. Divine appointments are what I call them. My goal is to reach one person but one person may be the catalyst for ten others; thus, my series on “Adoption Is Not For Sissies." If you missed Part One, you can catchup here. I apologize to my friend that Part Two is later than intended.

God directed you to China to adopt. What did you do next? Make me knowledgeable.

If you feel led to adopt internationally, you must be willing to do your homework. There are decisions to be made that should not be attempted until you do your research. I love researching what is “out there” and this task provided me with hours of “fun”!

What did you research first?

Choosing an adoption agency should be your first priority. Here are some factors to consider when looking for an agency:

Do they have an international or domestic program?
Do I want to work with a local agency, or am I willing to work with an
out-of-state agency?
Do they sponsor a country from where I would consider adoption?
Are they reputable?
What are others saying about that agency?
Request an information packet from that agency.
Are their clients happy with the services they provide?
Are their fees comparable to other agencies?
How long have they been in business?
How old is the specific program in which you are interested?
How many children are successfully adopted through their program?

Research, research, research is the name of the game. The best information that you can possibly get is from others who have adopted through that agency. If you do not know anyone, ask the agency for some references. Of course, expect to receive only the most positive people with agency references. I narrowed down my top three agencies and requested information from each agency. It is a laboring process to choose an agency and many people choose too quickly with later regrets. Do not make that choice without filling yourself with information and knowledge.

An agency has been chosen. Now what do I do, young old friend?

After you reach a decision about an agency, the fun really begins! International adoption is about paperwork! Lots and lots of paperwork! Honestly, the paperwork can be extremely overwhelming. It seems endless at times. One thing that may surprise you about adoption is how your life suddenly becomes an open book to your agency. This is their job; but wow, it can seem intrusive. You must lay your life uncensored on the table. You will be fingerprinted for FBI clearance in some cases, you must disclose any background information that you feel may surface, no matter how minor. You must give your agency information about your health, including weight! YIKES! And your finances are not protected either. You must disclose savings, checking, retirement accounts, investments, net worth, debt, and the list goes on. Your life suddenly becomes public to your social worker and your agency. Your social worker is charged with the responsibility of making sure you are able to support and raise this child appropriately. They are required to submit a home study conducted in a series of three interviews and one home visit. They will interview other members of your family and check to see you have adequate space to add another child to your household. Their recommendation is what you will need to say whether you can adopt. While your social worker is working to complete your home study, you will be working on other documents that will be used to complete your file. Some of these include: medical forms for each member of the family, certified copies of birth certificates, marriage/divorce certificates, letters from employers verifying income, income tax return copies, immigration forms, shot records for pets, police clearance letters, FBI clearance (in some cases), USCIS clearance (in all cases) and that is just a few. See what I mean by overwhelming at times?

I found that if you break the paperwork down into groups, it makes it much more manageable and you do not feel you are standing at the base of a mountain wondering if you will ever get to the top. Your social worker will be there to hold your hand every step of the way. You will find that your social worker will be a huge blessing to your life and to the process. The social worker will become your closest contact, your best friend, be a wealth of information, and aid you in bringing your child home.

The wonderful day will eventually arrive when you have everything you need for your file to be complete. You or your agency will submit your paperwork to the proper authorities and it will finally be out of your hands and on its way to wherever it is supposed to be! This is when the wait really begins. The wait times vary from program to program, be sure to consider this factor when you are deciding from where to adopt.

The wait is the hardest part of the whole process – much harder, you will find, than the mountain of paperwork!

Once you are matched with a child, who is called a referral, you will find yourself in the home stretch. It is a HUGE relief to be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Soon after that time, you will travel to bring your child home. Oh what a feeling that will be. The sweetest feeling imaginable! And suddenly, you find that all the paperwork, stress, tears, laughter, waiting, emotional roller coaster rides, and general nervousness will all disappear in a matter of seconds when your sweet child is placed in your arms. What a day of rejoicing that will be!

To be continued………………………………

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Vintage Thingies Thursday - Spice Set and More

A GREAT BIG THANK YOU to everyone who entered my giveaway last week. I posted the winners on Monday, so be sure to link here to see who won.

I so enjoy participating in Vintage Thingies Thursday hosted by Colorado Lady. You ladies are the greatest and have such beautiful things to share. It makes my heart feel all warm and cozy knowing yesteryear's items are still kept and cherished.

Beas's Blabber site inspired me to photograph my set of 1940 spice jars. These were also given to me from my Aunt Audrey's estate. They always set in her Hoosier cabinet and whenever I went to her house, I would admire them. They still have their original lead lids and a few of them still have the label on the back. I love them!

I need to do a Google search on the Dove Brand Spices and see what information I can find regarding these babies. The label also says the Frank Tea & Spice Co. Does anyone know anything about them?

I would be lying if I said I have never spent too much money on a needless vintage thing. Case in point..............this canister set. Have you ever just seen something and felt the overwhelming desire that you MUST have it. You girls are probably way more self-disciplined in this area than myself, right?

And then there is this enamel pot. I had never seen an enamel pot with red/white checked border. This unique item caught my eye in an old antique store (barn really) in Sevier County, Tennessee. It was a "must have" purchase since my kitchen is red/white themed. After I purchased it, the store clerk told me her son had bought it at an estate auction in California. I choose to believe this once resided in Cary Grant's kitchen. A woman can dream can't she?

Thanks for looking and I hope you enjoy visiting me as much as I enjoy visiting you.

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Hold Me, Daddy!

A Quick Update and Giveaway Winners!

First let me share a quick follow-up note from yesterday's post regarding my Dad's doctor visit. His EKG showed that his heart is strong enough for the more powerful chemo meds and he was able to take a treatment today. That is good news. The bad news --- stronger chemo meds mean life threatening side effects. Moreover, the oncologist reports we can only hope for partial remission with this treatment. So my dad finds himself in a situation where the treatment is worse than the disease. You know what? Our faith does not rest in the oncologists hands, or the chemo, or any other treatment that is deemed necessary. Our faith rests in the knowledge that Dad is in the hand's of the Great Physician. We boldly stand before His throne and ask for healing. The wonderful thing is, He will heal. It may not be an earthly physical healing, it may be a spiritual eternal healing, but peace is ours because it is a complete win-win healing. However, even with the peace I have, I ask you to pray for my mental and physical health as we begin a different phase with this disease. I need to be stable and strong to help my parents through this time. Pray for mild side effects for my Dad. Pray for my Mom's physical strength to remain intact. Thanks friends! You mean so much to me.

Okay, stop crying! Now is the time for the fun part of blogging! Giveaway!

I used my sophisticated random generator to create a list and assign numbers. Notebook paper and ink pen. You work with what you have folks!

Numbers were placed in Oscar's doggie bowl which I then placed on my bed for whatever reason. Do you like my comforter by the way?

On command, Oscar drew two random numbers.

My walls are not lime green, they just look like in these photos.

That trick was nothing folks --- really!

Oh goodness that is shocking green! I promise it does not really look like that!

Also, pardon my atrocious handwriting. That is why I type most everything.



Lucky #13 for the faux pearl necklace matched.........Lady Jane's Emporium!

Lucky #6 for the apron matched.......Snow White!

Congratulations ladies! An e-mail is coming your way!

Thanks for praying, playing and reading, Rosie.

WadYaSayDude?

It has been a while since I updated on my Dad's cancer battle. Sorry. I have had several people ask me recently about this subject, so now is probably a good time to share what is happening. First a quick catch-up for newbees.

My dad was diagnosed with lung cancer in January 2008. He endured five rounds of chemo from January through May and found he was in remission. We celebrated his 80th B-day in August with a big-birthday-bash. In September 2008, scans showed active cancer growth. Not good news. Since September he has endured six more rounds of chemo. His condition remained status-quo through much of this time but recent scans show some new growth. Very discouraging news after all the chemo. His oncologist has recommended a new chemo drug but first Dad needed an EKG to see if his heart was strong enough to handle this more powerful drug. We will know the EKG results tomorrow morning and if all goes well, he will begin a new round of chemo. I should know more details tomorrow evening and may do a quick update then. Thank you to all who have been holding my Dad and Mom in prayer. It means so much to our family. We feel very blessed and surrounded by God's supernatural peace. I know I've said that many times, but there is simply no other way for me to explain what we experience on a daily basis.

My sister-in-love, Young, will be flying to her native home Seoul, Korea, this week for a month long visit with her family. She has not been "home" in ten years. We are excited for her. My much older brother will not be traveling at this time for he is not comfortable leaving the States with our Dad sick. My sis is a great help to me and my family and will be sorely missed during her sabbatical. If it crosses your mind, please pray for her safety as she travels.

Big C went on a blind date last week. He spent seven hours with a young lady he had never met. This is completely out of character for my quiet, reflective son. He had heard only wonderful things about this young lady and was told they had much in common. They did speak by phone a few days prior to the date and talked for a marathon 1 hour and 17 minutes. The sum of Big I's phone conversation minutes in his 19 years on the planet add up to slightly over 15 minutes. We marked this historical event on the calendar in red and feel it should become a national holiday. Anyway, at one point during the "date", I demanded that MDH call and check to see if they had eloped. That was the only scenario besides death that I could put together for his absence with this young woman. What little information I can pull from Big C is all went well and they plan to get together again. The good news is that the guy who set them up is MDH's cousin and he works with her mother. I should hear much more information tomorrow evening through the grapevine. I'll keep you posted. He is doing well with his college classes, by the way, and especially likes his cool Speech teacher. While Prob and Stats is not a problem for him, Intro to Theatre is giving him a little trouble. It is a subjective class and Big C is more of a literal thinker. English II and History II are "no big deal."

At twelve years old, Big I is now two inches taller than Big C. Big C says he is learning to accept reality. Big I is now playing rhythm guitar for his youth group's praise band. This from a little boy who would not sing "Jesus Loves Me" for a crowd bigger than Mom, Dad and Brother. Not that he is shy in any way, shape or form, he just was never a "performer". Until recently. He is so comfortable behind a guitar that it becomes part of him. When you watch him it is as though he was born knowing how to play. His instructor has told us that the only thing that will hold Big I back, is Big I. He has the knowledge and ability to do anything he wants on the guitar. Who knew? My Dad is thrilled! Not only that, he has inspired my much older brother to take bass guitar lessons. Again, my Dad is thrilled!

We are slowly trudging through school. The stretch between Christmas break and spring break is brutal. Gloomy winter days dampen our motivation for learning; however, we are diligently plowing through Spelling, Language, Creative Writing and Math. Science and History has been put aside for a bit; although, in Language we are going through the steps of writing a research paper on Pearl Harbor. I know that is a hard concept for traditional schoolers to understand being that the government pounds into the brains of this nation's parents their idea of a great education curriculum. And who am I, the little peon that I am, to argue. Don't even get me started! But just let me say that when this nation's kids can graduate from high-school with a reading comprehension beyond 6th grade, can perform basic math applications without using a calculator and can look me in the eye and carry on a conversation without saying, "wadyasaydude" then come talk to me. When they can spell the words antemeridian and antediluvian, know their definition and use them in context for daily conversation, then I might let the idea of government education drift swiftly through my mind. Until then, do not tell me homeschooling is bad. Big I is twelve years old and does have, what I call the pre-teen idiot factor, in that he watches Sponge Bob and repeats of Drake and Josh, listens to his iPod and knows how to text message, so he is "normal" by society standards. Plus, he has a twisted sense of humor just like his dear mother. I would smack him sometimes if I could quit laughing long enough.

I have not been sewing lately which bothers me. I have some gorgeous prints and some sweet bead trim I am itching to put together. It is on my "to do list" and I will eventually get to it so stay tuned.

Oakie, doakie then! There you have an update in my rockin' little world. By the way, just in case you do not have your speakers on, I have some great music linked to this site. My music taste are eclectic so you never know to what I might be listening.

Thanks for reading, Rosie.