A quiet day on the Homestead

Not much to report on the home front. Wednesday was uneventful, a welcome respite from frenetic excitement and stress....

Lydia had her pre-ACT testing yesterday morning. (I don't recall your class doing this, it must be something new.) She thought it was really difficult, which is probably is for the 8th graders. From what I read in the announcement, the test is really meant to be taken by 10th graders as prep for the real ACT testing in 11th grade. Can't quite figure out why Edina is having the 8th grade take it....

Confirmation class last night. Nothing new. Dad and I ate at home, he watched that stupid program "America's Got Talent" (a misnomer if I ever heard one, these contestants suck!), while I took a bath.

Dad's off at CTC for another recording session today, supposedly the last of two to finish up the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe music for the Christmas show. He's going to check on the comp ticket policy to see if he can't come up with a set of four tickets for all of us to see the show when you come home.

I've got a long day at work, reviewing more sales contracts and sitting through more meetings. Nothing too interesting, and yet it makes the day go by quickly.

On a fun note: I brought in that oriental embroidered grocery bag that I made for Alden, to get it mailed off finally, and one of the ladies in Sales fell in love with it - she ordered one for a birthday present to her sister, $30. To be finished this weekend. So yippee! I've got a bit more cash in my pocket, and a project to keep me occupied for a couple hours.

I'm glad to hear that you've decided to participate in the Cornell competition - do you need to come up with both a short and a long program, or can you just do your short? Let me know asap which dresses you want me to mail out to you (and if you need more tights!).

I was doing a bit more pattern browsing last night, trying to come up with new ways to use up my stash and play around with my embroidery machine at the same time.

Remember that wool gauze fabric that I shrunk and felted about a year ago? It's kind of a dark magenta or plum color. Since it's felted, the cut edges won't ravel and I don't have to hem it.

I thought it would be fun to use in the shawl collared jacket in view C (love all those vertical tucks for shaping), but skip the tucked sleeves (too fussy) and use the plain sleeves in view B.

Since there are only two back darts and no center back seam on view C, the back would make a perfect "canvas" for a big embroidery motif - I could finally stitch out one of those complicated paisley designs! Maybe even embellish it with some tiny beads or pearls. And do a matching mini paisley on each sleeve cuff, just for fun. What thinkest thou?

I was thinking of a motif like this for the back. There are some matching tiny motifs, some small enough that you could even make covered buttons out of them. I can just imagine this kind of design with a sprinking of gold beads and pearls scattered in the background.

Sure would look like a very expensive, designer jacket - and made from some old, old fabric I bought about 7 years ago for $1 a yard! Not a bad bargain, only for the cost of my labor and some thread!

So many projects, so little time! Alas, the lament of my life!

Hugs,

Mom