Red and Black

 I love red and black in the winter. That has always been my "signature" color. I have several sweaters and tops for winter in blacks or red. Black is very slimming and I need all the help I can get. 

I had done a post earlier about how coral and turquoise were going to be my colors this fall. And I am still trying to find some things I like in those colors. But now that the new fall Thirty-One catalog is out and I am seeing all the red and black they have added, I am pretty sure that is still going to end up my favorite colors for fall and winter. I was looking on the internet yesterday and found several things that hit my fancy.

I have always loved flannel shirts and the red and black has long been a favorite pattern of mine. 

Fell in love with this coat. I am notorious for not liking to wear a coat in the winter, but I would sooo wear this if I had it. 

This is  a cute little bracelet. 

This is a cute outfit even though I would prefer jeans with no holes or patches. 

Love the sweater, coat and purse. Definitely not a fan of the boots or hat. 

This is a cute scarf and hat set.  

Love the shoes even though I couldn't walk in them. 

I need new tennis shoes this fall. Maybe I should go with some red since I am planning on wearing so much of it. 

These are so comfortable looking. They would be cute with jeans. 

Love the boots.

I am not normally a cardigan person, but I do love argyle. 

A very whimsical pair of Puma's that would also be cute and comfy with jeans. 

I love this sweater. 

And this one. Fair Isle sweaters are my absolute favorites. 

This one is cute. 

And I love this look. 

Wouldn't mind finding one like this. 

In my searching, I found some cute things, some not so cute things and one pair of shoes that was so hideous, I had to show them to you.

Seriously??? Nike high heels. Here's a thought for you Nike....stick to tennis shoes! Just do it!

Very pleased

Back in the spring, Hubby was going to plant some tomatoes and cucumbers. He has a green thumb and just a few plants can yield tons of produce. I have never been a gardener except to ask Hubby to plant me some potatoes. He does the planting, then weeding, the watering, the tending. But this year, I wanted to try my hand at it. I wanted something that I could baby and tend to and grow. So on May 2, 2012, I planted one single solitary watermelon plant and named him Walter. 

Walter has been spoiled and pampered all summer. On those long, dry days with no rain, I diligently stood late in the evening right as the sun was setting and let a steady drizzle from the water hose give Walter his daily dose of moisture, saturating the ground to insure his health and well being. Walter started to grow. When the torrential rains came and threatened to drown my poor little fellow, I went out and aerated the soil around the root to allow for a better drainage so he didn't wash out of the ground. My efforts were rewarded on July 1st, when I went out to check on Walter and spotted my first little watermelon. I was so proud. 

By July 15th, Walter had thrived and multiplied. The vines took on a mind of their own and ventured out of their little bed and and started weaving into the grass, making it hard to weed eat. One particular day before I went out and weeded the grass around Walter's home, I felt like we were living in a jungle of vines and foliage. 

But I diligently continued to cultivate and care for my one solitary little watermelon plant. Yesterday, my efforts were rewarded when Hubby thumped good old Walter's fruit and announced the first three were ripe and ready to pick. So I did the honors and now we have three beautiful melons weighing in at 10 pounds, 13 pounds and 14 pounds. I couldn't be a prouder mama. 

This could be SEW much fun....

I have mentioned before that I want a new sewing machine. Mine bit the dust a couple of years ago and I have never gotten around to replacing it. But I keep seeing fabric I love and things I would like to sew. I have been checking on machines. I am not a big seamstress and the items I make will just involve stitching straight or zig zag lines. Nothing fancy. No button holes or monogramming. I just want to sew simple stuff.

My last machine was a Brother and it was okay, but it had a lot of problems with gathering the material, looping the thread and lots of other things that I never had problems with when I used a Singer. So I am going back to a Singer. I just added this to my Pinterest Christmas Wish List.


Even though I had three years of Home Economics in junior high school and even though I made two dresses, one with sleeves and pockets and a zipper and even though I made a jump suit and a lined skirt and vest, that doesn't mean I know anything about sewing. That was many, many years ago and a lot stuck with me and a lot didn't. So I started reading the details to see if this was the right machine for me. I saw words like "stitching patterns" and "feed cover". There were phrases like "darning or free motion". Then I saw the one word that caught my eye that made me know this was the machine for me. That word was EASY. I'm sold.

It comes with your choice of hard carrying case or soft. I don't plan to ever take it anywhere, but just in case I needed to, I prefer the soft case. Plus it has a cool vintage look to it.



I need to start making plans for what I would sew if I get it. I know pillows are one thing I want to make. Lots and lots of pillows. Some for my couch, some for the kids room, some for the porch swing and some for the holidays.



There are so many beautiful patterns in today's material. And you can even buy quilted material so it looks like you really slaved over your pillow.



I would also like to try my hand at one of these. I have always loved them.



It would even be fun to decorate some pillow with yo yo's.



I'm getting ahead of myself here. I need to get the sewing machine first. Maybe Santa can surprise me this year.

Speaking of.....

My sister sent me a pic yesterday of her new dishtowel. I love it. She picked it up at Kroger. I need to head over to my Kroger and see if they have one. 

I love how she put it on her mixer. Check out her little bean pot she keeps her cutlery in. That is a cute idea. I'm going to have to look for a bean pot now. 

Speaking of dishtowels.....I saw this on E-bay yesterday. I fell in love with it. It looks very vintage, but it is actually a material made in the USA called Moda Fabric. Love this whole display. I have never seen this Pyrex bowl before. It needs to go on my wish list. 

Speaking of Pyrex.....Did you know there are vintage dishes out there called Pyrex England. I did not know that Pyrex was made there, nor did I know that English Pyrex are different patterns than we have in the U.S. 

Speaking of Pyrex England.....I did some research and found out that there is also Pyrex Australia. Wouldn't you love to get your hands on some of these patterns?

Speaking of patterns.....I was visiting www.PatternHutch.com yesterday and saw a pattern for these cute pin cushions made from yo yo's. What a neat idea.

Speaking of yo yo's.....That reminds me that I haven't crafted in awhile and that reminds me that I haven't finished my sisters box. 

(Sis, my grandson Garret and my brother-in-law Dale)

Speaking of my Sister.....I guess her sending me a picture of the dishtowels triggered my guilt over not finishing her box. So I guess I am going to get off here and go work on her box. 

Just for laughs...

Pinterest can be fun for a lot of reasons. But last night I decided to check out the humor category. Here are some that hit my fancy. Hope they make you chuckle today.

Monday Meanderings

I have to post this today because I have a friend who doesn't like to read my blog on the weekend when I talk about getting organized. She says it makes her want to work around the house on her day off. So I waited until today.

I am going to do some shopping around my house this week. Which means I'll be rearranging and reorganizing some of my areas. One thing I want to work on is the top of the kitchen cabinets.Right now it contains items I stuck up there just because I couldn't find any place for them. I thought about putting my Pyrex there, but I am starting to use it so while it would look good up there, it wouldn't be practical. Maybe I could put pieces I bought that I don't really use. I will have to think this through some more.

I hate this counter. We always have snack bowls on the counter and my recipe book basket, but it is getting too cluttered. I don't ever use that little coffee pot, The red canister is one I just picked up at a yard sale and put it there until I can decide what to do with it. But something is going to have to change on that counter. I despise how crowded it is. 

Right now, some of my Pyrex that I am starting to use is on the bottom rack of the wine rack which is at the backside of the table so you can't really see it. I need to find a new place for it. 

I do love this shelf, except for the flowers in the McCoy pitcher. I am over the spring flowers so those will have to go. I may move the pitcher somewhere else. I'll have to wait and look at it without the flowers before I decide. 

My granddaughter Shelby had her birthday party Saturday. We had a great time and I got to spend the evening with my grandchildren. I didn't get to get many pictures because it was too hectic with a game room by the party room. Plus the lighting in the party room was horrible. But I did snag a picture of the cake. 

And a picture of the birthday girl fake yawning while we were singing to her. 

And my two beautiful granddaughters, Alexis and Shelby. 

Hubby and I had a wonderful trip to Gatlinburg Friday. I love stopping at The Village. There are so many quaint shops in there. 

And no trip to Gatlinburg is complete without a visit to the Ole Smoky Candy Kitchen. Of course I had to buy some milk chocolate orange creams. 

Did I tell you our little city is getting a Pizza Hut Express right beside the Food City grocery store. This is a good thing and a bad thing. The good thing is we don't have but two pizza places in Kodak and one I don't like and the other is inconvenient to get to but their delivery time is about 90 minutes. The bad thing is the new Pizza Hut is exactly 3 minutes from my house and Pizza Hut is my favorite Pizza. I think when I order something I may need to walk and get it so I can waylay some of the calories. 

I want to leave you with a little humor this morning. This really made me chuckle.