The Wednesday Showcase

So many of you enjoyed the Summer Bucket list that I posted yesterday. I'm glad that you did. It's such a great reminder to write things down and make them happen, even the simplest things like going to a special place for ice cream :) Margies is a bit of a Chicago institution. The store originally opened in 1921.

A few years ago, the second location opened maybe about a mile from my house...but I have yet to go. Thanks to my little bucket list writing friend, I will be going soon :) They are known for their ice cream confections that come in a clam shell that's as big as your head!!! Smaller sizes are available! 

They also make their own candy. It's a family owned business that has been around for almost 100 years. Now that's amazing! If by chance you are ever in Chicago, by all means, head to Margies! There's a cute story on their website about people who have ventured in, The Beatles, and even Al Capone! A group of men wearing long black coats walked in one day and requested the booth where the Fab Four (the Beatles) had sat. The waitress was a little leery, turns out, they were the Rolling Stones! 

My Wednesday Showcase posts have been a bit few and far between. I know so many of you enjoy these posts, so slowly but surely, I am getting back on the proverbial horse :)

Today I would like to introduce you to a lovely, and especially elegant lady, Irene of Irene's Studio. She lives in Ontario, Canada where she primarily makes clothes for herself, sometimes things for the home. Like many of us, she prefers not to sew for others, but sometimes...that just happens! I think Irene has been following my blog from just about the beginning, so this post is a long time coming. 

Everything Irene does is amazingly beautiful, and she pays close attention to detail. Pay close attention to the picture in the top right hand corner below. The stripes, plaid, triangles are matched perfectly across the garment. Her bound buttonholes are in the lower right hand picture. They are so well done that they are difficult to see!!!

This was a cute story. Irene made the lovely linen tunic on the left, had scraps, so since it was linen, decided to make tea towels. She had the watermelon motifs on another piece of fabric, so thought it would really dress up her towels. With that, the questions began, should she hand applique, machine applique, or fuse? She almost drove herself crazy. Believe it or not,she actually hand appliqued the watermelon pieces to her towels. In the far right picture, you can see just how beautifully they are made. Just amazing!  

This is one woman who can use a scrap! Love the stripe top on the left. She then took the scraps and used them for sleeves with the black fabric, and finally used the very last bit for a cowl scarf.

Here's another example of her creativity with scraps. That top on the right is killer!!!

A simple sheath dress can be the most elegant garment in your wardrobe, and this is a perfect example. She had originally intended to wear this dress for Easter, but it was too cold, so she saved it for Pentecost Sunday. Hey, the Holy Spirit loves a pretty dress too!!! Love the side pleat, and the hand picked lapped zipper, the perfect couture detail. 

I think it's always fun to see patterns made up. Irene took Vogue 7806 and basically made the exact same jacket as is on the cover. Except...she wanted an especially warm jacket so she underlined it in wool. Check out her lovely catch stitched seams.

Finally, when there's a dog in the story, I just can't resist. 
Irene's story about this gown;

Being eaten by this guy;

Appeared in the August/September 2017/Issue 192 of Threads magazine. The picture of the gown above is after it has been saved from the jaws of her pooch :/ You can see her post on how she repaired the gown HERE. 

No long after Miss Little Bit came to live with us, I had the reconstructive surgery done on my face and jaw. She was especially attached to me from the very beginning, so I was quite worried about leaving her. Once I got back home, she was my constant companion, slept with me, sat with me, would not leave my side, except to eat. One Sunday morning, my husband fed her, I stayed in bed. He shut the door to our bedroom before he left for church. She was so anxious about not being able to get to me that she chewed the back of the rocker on my favorite rocking chair. When my husband got back home, there was a little pile of saw dust on the floor. How could I be upset?!! I had originally thought that I would just sand and stain it, but it's still there. It's become a sweet reminder of all the joy she brought into my life. As upsetting as a destroyed wedding gown must have been initially, I bet it's one of Irene's sweetest memories of her dog :)    

I hope you'll check out Irene's Studio. I think you will love getting to know her.
Rhonda

The Wednesday Showcase

Still trying to get back on track :/

Last Saturday I had the best time as I had the opportunity to spend the day teaching sleeve design. It is such a treat to look out at everyone and see a glimmer of "I got it!" I began the class with my my motto, "everything's easy, you just have to know how to to it." The best part of the day was having people come up and say, "it really is easy. I can do this!" Success!!! :)

Since I'm still trying to get my steam engine rolling, I will only do 1 showcase today, but I know you are going to love getting to know this special lady. Her name is Sally, and you can find her blog, Cashmere Sally HERE. I had the opportunity to meet Sally back in March when she came to the Haute Couture meeting. She told me that many have said that they have a hard time finding her blog. She blogs through the Bloglovin' site, so it's not the typical Blogger or Word Press setup. But, I have made it easy, so once again, just click HERE and you will find all of Sally's wonderful sewing inspiration. 

Sally loves great fabrics, beautiful colors, and fun designs.
I love the Kantha jacket she is wearing below.

I was blown away by the workmanship Sally did on this vest!

Sally used the Saf-T-Pockets T-Shirt Trifecta to create these amazing pieces.
 

Just love how the fleece scarf takes the top...over the top!!!

 
When I met Sally, she was wearing this fabulous jacket. She used Vogue 9275 to create this throw it on and go piece. You can check out her post on this jacket HERE.

I so enjoyed getting to know Sally. She is fun, energetic, and so inspirational. I think that you will also love getting to know her :)

Wishing you a fabulous day! 
Our electricity is supposed to be turned off at some point. I have a feeling it will happen when I am right in the middle of something important ;)

Rhonda

The Wednesday Showcase

Last Saturday, my husband picked me up from the Haute Couture meeting and said, "oh, by the way, Gracie got into something and she really smells." I responded, "and you just left her to run all over the house with that horrible smell and deposit it on everything she touches?!!" He replied, "well, I didn't know what to do." I then asked, "what do you do when you smell?" He said, "I take a bath." Oh, the lovely conversations of a married couple ;) When I walked in the door, I immediately changed my clothes, got the dog, and off we went to the downstairs shower for the next 1 1/2 hours. I got rid of whatever she had rolled in, but OMG!!!, the hair! So today she is off for a formal bath that will rid her of all the excess hair that she has accumulated over the winter. A task that I gladly pay for :)

There are times in our lives that are similar to the months of winter, rather dark, bleak, and at least on the surface, lifeless. As difficult as it can be to go through such a period, I think they are important times of growth. While trees seem dormant during the winter months, they are really just strengthening themselves for the vibrant beauty that will come in the spring. 

This past winter was a time that I needed to be quiet, maybe shed some old bark that I had held on to for far too long, and find the strength I needed to once again bloom. So many of you sent such lovely notes, gently asking if I was okay. While I didn't answer all of your notes(and I apologize for that), they were read and greatly appreciated. 

With the longer days, the trees beginning to bud, the crocuses beginning to bloom, I too feel as though spring is bursting forth in my own life. I feel revived, and ready to take on my next challenge, one which I will share soon. 

One note that I received was from Kathleen Grissom. She does not have a blog, but she is a New York Times best selling author. Wow, now that is an amazing accomplishment! She felt compelled to write because of THIS post. I'll share a piece of her note;

"I am a woman of seventy years. I have many friends, along with myself, who have suffered tremendous pain and I would guess that the cause would be similar to what you have endured. Yes, you are rising from the ashes, but your wings will be stronger than before because they will no longer be restrained from carrying a burden that was never yours to carry." 

Me, being the curious person that I am, decided to check out her website. Oh my, was I ever inspired, and I thought you might be as well :)

Her first book The Kitchen House, is "a tragic story of page-turning suspense, exploring the meaning of family, where love and loyalty prevail."

In the video below, Kathleen talks about how she became inspired to write the book. 



Her second book, Glory Over Everything, loosely tied to her first book, continues the story of Jamie Pyke. "A saga of slavery as textured as it is tense," The Columbus Dispatch.   

I love how Kathleen speaks of her writing, and her inspiration. 

She is currently working on her third novel, which I am especially interested in, due to my American Indian heritage. It's the true story of Mary Crow, a native American who wore a Colt revolver on her studded belt and was not afraid to use it! 

I have not read either of Kathleen's books, but I have ordered the audio version of both, and I am very anxious for them to arrive. You can find her website HERE. I hope you'll pop over and get to know her. I have no idea of whether she sews or not. Kathleen, if by chance you do read this post, let us know!!!

I'll leave you today with the quote that Kathleen read from Harriet Tubman. While most of us will never know what it was like to be a slave, most all of us have been through things in our lives which have enslaved us, maybe for quite some time, and maybe for only a short period. Sometimes it can seem overwhelming to let go of whatever it is that has had a hold on us. What I especially love about this quote is the joy, and the promise that the effort it takes to take that chance, to let go, to move forward, is well worth it.  

A Special Wednesday Showcase/A Tribute

Last Saturday, March 24, 2018, a beautiful, creative part of our worldwide sewing community left this earth, Lorraine of Spotty Dog Social Club. 

I originally "met" her not long after she began blogging. She had begun to follow my blog, and so I did a Wednesday Showcase post, introducing her to all who did not yet know her. In her bio she says that she loves knitting, sewing, her dogs, and her husband, but I'm sure the order should have been changed a bit :).

Over the years, although her style changed, she grew more and more beautiful. Truly the mark of a well lived life. She discovered the patterns of Tina Givens and truly found her unique style. 

Her knitting was something to be envied. 

She also took some of the most beautiful pictures, which were not just pictures, but works of art.

In her quilting, you can see her lovely sense of humor, and her love for all things fun.

She took pride in her work, and wasn't ashamed to admit when she thought the work of her hands was spectacular.

Her love of all things lovely was even expressed in the most intimate of attire.  

Lorraine loved making pajamas, as well as making gifts for Christmas. Great care was given to even the tiniest details, like her sweet labels. 

There are few pictures I love more than those of a girl and her dog. This is Lorraine the day she adopted her sweet dog Nico, who incidentally, got them thrown out of their first day of doggie training!!! Nico, not Lorraine ;)

As I scrolled through her blog, I noticed that in so many of her pictures, Lorraine is looking up. Maybe in some way she knew. In her husband's tribute to her, on the day of her passing, he says, "Tonight there is a new star in the sky, brighter and more beautiful than any other." 

I hope that you will take some time to scroll through Lorraine's blog. I think that you will be inspired by her life, her work, and her beauty. While she left us far too soon, her life was truly an exquisite work of art.
Rhonda 

The Wednesday Showcase

A few nights ago, I watched a fascinating documentary on the Public Broadcasting network entitled, "Unrest." It's the story of filmmaker Jennifer Brea's struggle with chronic fatigue syndrome. For quite some time, she had been told that there was nothing wrong. She went online and found that there are many all over the world who struggle as she does. It was shocking to see how some have been treated in other countries. Many think that it is all in the patient's mind, and so should be treated for mental illness. 

Jennifer shows what her life was like prior to chronic fatigue, and then documents her life now, as well as the life of so many around the world. For her, it all began when she had a very high temperature, over 104 degrees. From that moment on, her life has never been the same. 

As I watched, I thought about the word tomorrow. We put too many things off until tomorrow, a day that does not exist. I highly recommend the documentary. It's streaming now on the PBS Independent Lens site, but only until January 23, 2018. You can find it HERE. 

I had intended to continue with the Wednesday Showcase 2017 roundup today, but I thought that you might be interested in something a little different. 

You may remember that I gave away 3 little sewing caddies during my birthday week. All 3 ladies have written and told me how much they appreciate their new little toys :) Joy of Joyful Expressions sent a picture of her sewing caddy already in use. You can see her lovely studio in the background. She said that she has ordered a pack of 12 plastic frames and will be making them for all of her sewing friends. Lucky friends!!!

If by chance you haven't checked out Joy's blog, be sure to pop over. She does lots of videos, and she always has a story to tell. 

If by chance you missed the tutorial on how to make the sewing caddy, you can find it HERE along with a video. 

During the Christmas holidays, I was out doing a little shopping. I stopped at a light, looked over, and to my surprise, I saw a sewing studio that I didn't even know existed.  

The studio offers classes for adults and children. They also offer parties for adults and children. The picture below if from a birthday party. What fun!

If you are in the Chicago area and looking for a fun place to meet up with some friends and do a little sewing, take a class, or participate in a little crafting, be sure to check out Sew Crafty Studio. They are located on the corner of Clybourn and Ashland in Chicago.  

Maybe a month ago or so, I came across this picture on Facebook. Pretty eye catching!!!

Intrigued, I decided to do a google search. Sew Houston is owned by Yolanda, a previous middle school English teacher. She has had a passion for sewing since she was a child, and always dreamed of having a sewing business. 

At Sew, she offers classes for adults and children, as well as parties. Her motto is, "Creativity never goes out of style." 

Sew Houston is located on the northwest side of town, just off of Hwy. 290. 

I never thought I would see the day that sewing studios would start popping up. Remember though, to keep them in business, we need to get the word out, and use their facilities. 

If you know of other sewing studios in any part of the world, I would love to showcase them. Many of you may be just like me and have no idea that something exists right in your own city. Just leave a message below.  

I thought I would leave you with this today;

Tomorrow

A mystical land where 99% of all human productivity, motivation, and achievement is stored. 

The Wednesday Showcase 2017 Hall of Fame Part 1

Wouldn't it be lovely if everyone could experience one Oscar Winning moment in their lives? A few moments where a huge audience applauds you for a fabulous accomplishment. Most of us will never experience a true Oscar winning moment, but hopefully there will be a few times in our lives where someone takes a moment to say, "Wow, what an incredible job you did!"

For my birthday, my husband took me to Madison,WI. I know that may seem a little strange to many, but I absolutely LOVE Madison. Not once have I had a bad meal, in fact, every restaurant I've tried has had an amazing dish. There is a small theater just off the capitol square called The Bartell. I have loved every play that I have seen there. And what's interesting to me is that I see plays there before they come to Chicago! Fortunately, we were able to see the play that ran in December. It was entitled, Twilight of the Golds. A very thought provoking play about decisions we must now make with the advancements in technology as well as medicine. Not a Christmas story by any stretch of the imagination. It was a very cold night, and the university had already let the students out for their Christmas break, so things were rather quiet. The theater was even quieter as there were only 7 people in the audience. When the play ended, I went up to the director and told her how much I enjoyed the play and added, "we came from Chicago to see the play and it was well worth the drive."(It's a 3 hour drive to Madison from Chicago) Her mouth dropped open, and her eyes grew large. All she could do was udder a quiet thank you. As I walked away, I realized that I could not have given her, as well as the cast a better compliment. A teeny tiny Oscar moment :)

With the beginning of the new year, I like to go back and once again showcase all the lovely bloggers whom we've visited this past year. I like taking the time to say thank you for all you do to add a little extra spice to our lovely world of sewing, fashion, and inspiration. 

2017 began with Nikki of Pin, Cut Sew. She's a mom to 3 very active children, and I have no idea how she does all she does! Since we visited with her last January, she has added a few fun things to her blog. She continues to inspire and encourage all who come in contact with her. 

We also met Beth of Sew DIY. She has a brand new pattern out, and is once again offering a FREE printable 2018 Sewing Calendar. The calendar is a wonderful way to stay organized and motivated. You can download it HERE. Be sure to take a few moments to say thank you!!! Her new pattern, the Lou Box Dress is the perfect casual wear weekend outfit. You can find links to all of her patterns on her blog.

  
Next up was Dana of Deedle and Thread. She not only loves to sew, she also makes the most beautiful pieces of jewelry to compliment her wardrobe. 

We were inspired by Londa of Londa's Creative Threads. She is passionate about sewing and love's nothing more than to share her knowledge. In fact, since we met her, she has begun to offer sewing classes as a fun, birthday party experience. Such a great idea!!! Londa was also featured in a recent issue of Altered Couture. You can read more about it HERE. The garment on the right below is the before picture, and the after you can see in the magazine. Beautiful! 

We traveled to New Jersey and met the super sweet Tomasa of Sew Much Fashion. You may remember her incredibly beautifully fitted pants that she made using the Joyce Murphy pant fitting system. You can read her posts on pant fitting HERE, and HERE. 

Eli Cat of Cat In a Wardrobe, was so much fun to meet, Not only does she love to sew, she has an incredible fashion sense. So her blog is like a sewing and fashion blog all rolled into one! Be sure to pop by and see some of her more recent makes. 

Rather than overload you with the entire year of showcased bloggers, we'll stop here. BTW, that was only January!!! Amazing! I'll be back next week with more from last year that you may have missed. 

If by chance you have a blog, let me know. I would love to see what you do, and showcase your work in 2018 :)

Happy Wednesday!

Rhonda

The Wednesday Showcase

Good Morning All :)
It's a bright, sunny day here in Chicago. Not too chilly, 30 degrees, and getting above freezing a little later today.   

I began the day with a task that made me just a little nervous. The vet who did the second surgery on Gracie told me that I could easily take the stitches out of her ear and remove the stays :/ I decided that rather than take it all out at once, I would just clip the stitches and then work on taking the stays off tomorrow. Well, best laid plans...I clipped the stitches and low and behold, the stay on the back side of her ear popped right up. The stay on the inside of her ear simply fell out. Over and done! Her ear looks amazing and I can see that she is thrilled to have all of that off, and...fingers crossed, over for good. Now I can add veterinarian assistant to my list of abilities ;) Probably not!!!

Last week I introduced you to Wendy of Fashion Over Fifty. She was our featured speaker at the Haute Couture Club of Chicago's Holiday Luncheon. I thought that you might like to take a look at the post she did. You can find it HERE. 

I also thought that I would highlight a few events of the day;

Wendy, on the right in the picture below is our membership chair, membership chair extraordinaire I might add. This year we recognized our long time members with a corsage. Oddly enough, a corsage never seems to go out of style :)
This sweet lady has been a member for over 50 years. And she is not the only one. There are more!!! From the look on her face, you can see just how touched she was to be remembered.

BTW, Wendy blogs at The Couture Counsellor. She's a lawyer by day, and an avid sewist by night. I introduced her to all of you sometime back, but if by chance you missed it, or have not checked out her blog, by all means do so, as I really think you'll enjoy getting to know her.  

        
This is sweet Miss Melba. She is a tiny little woman, but a fireball. She absolutely loves beautiful, well made garments. The coat she is wearing below is one that she made quite a few years ago, and it still looks brand new! I think it is such a wonderful testament to classic, well made garments that have been made using good quality fabric. They last!!! And, they never go out of style. She's a woman after my own heart...no boring linings in her clothes ;)
  

Andrea is another who loves great fabrics. The jacket she is holding is lined in a Dolce and Gabbana silk charmeuse. Absolutely stunning. I'm not sure where she purchased the fabric, maybe while on a vacation. She purchased the silk charmeuse to line the jacket, and the embroidered fabric for a dress. She had just a few bits left over, and of course wanted to use each and every scrap, so she made the shirt she is wearing below. The embroidery was used for the front panels of the shirt, and the silk chameuse for the collar and cuffs. She said that the dress won't be worn all that often, but now that she's made the shirt, she'll get lots of wear out of the jacket. Such a great use of her fabric! 

     

Back in September, we kicked off our year with our very own member, Miss Cennetta of The Mahogany Stylist who did a wonderful presentation on shirt making. Below are a few of her inspiring makes.

One of the things we enjoy doing at the Haute Couture Club is encouraging all to sew. We challenged the members to make shirts, and here are a few of the lovely makes...

The party was so much fun. The shirt challenge was quite the success. We had a wonderful show and tell time. The ladies really pulled out all the stops with their lovely makes. Just such an inspiring day. We even inspired Wendy of Fashion Over Fifty to learn to sew!!!

If by chance you are anywhere near Chicago on May 6, 2018, we would love to have you attend our annual fashion show. It's such an inspiring day. Great to see women who not only make their clothes, but value quality.

If you would like to check out our newsletter, Tailored Tales, you can find HERE.

Happy Wednesday!

Rhonda

The Wednesday Showcase/On Being Fabulous!

Believe it or not, my most difficult birthday was when I turned 20. When I was a child, I dreamed of turning 13, it seemed to me a magical number. I would then be a teenager and my world would explode...parties, pretty dresses, driving, having a fabulous group of friends, even getting a job. The life I envisioned for my teenage years was very much out of a sitcom, Father Knows Best. Of course, no life is a television show, but what I got was far, far from what I dreamed. In fact, life was so difficult that I ended up with stomach ulcers at the age of 15. So when I turned 20, I mourned, I mourned for what I had dreamed, and what now would never be, at least that's what I thought at the time. 

One of my exchange students, being the cocky teenager that he was ;), asked,"Wouldn't you love to be 17 again?" He thought for sure that he had something on me, that I would love to once again be a teenager, like him! Since that 20th birthday, this was the first time that I actually thought about my age. As I thought, I realized that what I have now is SOOOO much better, and my answer was no. He was shocked! "But why, why wouldn't you want to be 17 again?" I replied that my teenage years were far from happy, but more importantly, what I have now, my life and what I can do, I wouldn't trade them for anything. And then I said, "Think about it, if I were 17 again, I wouldn't have you. You can be a challenge at times, but I wouldn't miss having had you come into my life just to go back in time." 

This student is now a grown man with a beautiful wife, a precious baby girl, and another baby on the way. In a recent conversation, we talked about that day, and I asked, "Do you understand now how I felt when you asked me if I would like to be 17 again? Would you possibly trade what you have now...for then?" There was a pause, and he said, "No, not for anything." 

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend a brunch where Angela Missoni was the guest speaker. Talk about WOW!!! She was so lovely and such an inspiration. During the reception, I met a very interesting woman, Wendy Packer of Fashion Over Fifty. Her life story is quite interesting. She began life as a oncology nurse, became a lawyer, and then a mother. She began her blog as she has a passion for everyone, especially women to live life to its fullest. She feels that she has been "called to awaken every woman to the realization that she is full of wondrous beauty everyday she is alive." I love that! 

Since Wendy has had her blog, she has produced 3 fashion shows for Bloomingdale's, featuring models over 50. Her blog is full of wonderful tips, news on events, and fabulous ideas on dressing and pairing wonderful ensembles. 

I love this ensemble, especially the shorter pant style. I initially thought, Oh, I don't know...," 

But I really like how the shorter leg can showcase a great pair of shoes.

As I said, Wendy has produced 3 fashion shows for Bloomingdale's. Here she is in a great another great ensemble. Love the leather pants. Don't be afraid to wear a pair of leather pants!!! It's all about how you wear them and with what they are paired. The draped top softens the pants and adds movement.  

The pants she is wearing here remind me of the Marcy Tilton pattern, Vogue 9035. Love the inspiration of not being afraid to show a little shoulder!

One of the tips I found on Wendy's blog was how to walk the catwalk. Professional runway coach, Mark David Carter makes it look easy! The Haute Couture Club of Chicago will hold our annual show on Sunday May 6, 2018. Walking well is something that we can all do better ;) What struck me is how he takes his time. Take a look...



Now for the best part, at least for me, aaaand if you are a member of the Haute Couture Club of Chicago, and will be attending our holiday party, Wendy will be our featured speaker. She will be sharing her life story, her tips, and fashion encouragement. She is so very excited to be around women who sew. She wishes she could sew, so maybe we'll be able to inspire her a bit too! She would like for everyone to wear their handmade garments as she would like to do a special post on the Ladies of Haute Couture. How exciting is that?!!! 

Be sure to check out Wendy's blog, Fashion Over Fifty. I think you will find her to be quite inspiring. 

When her post is up on the Ladies of Haute Couture, I'll let you know.

Not Dead Yet Style is another blog that showcases women in their middle years. I'm sure most of you know about the blog, but just in case you don't, check it out, and be sure to check out her post, Visible Monday where you can broadcast to the world just how amazing you are!

True enough, my teenage years, and somewhat beyond, were not at all what I had hoped for. I love this quote from Desmond Tutu;

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness.

Morning breaks, and light does come. Embrace who you are and where you are in life. It takes a lot of hard work to live a great life :)  

I will have a very special Sunday Night Reflection's post coming up on December 3rd where I will share a little of my life. I hope that it will be an inspiration.

Now go out and shine!!!!!

Rhonda   

The Wednesday Showcase

A very Happy Wednesday to everyone :) 

In just a bit, I will be off to see the retina specialist for my eye exam. Three years ago I learned that I have moles on my retina and that they had grown. Shocked, I asked what that meant, and the ophthalmologist said, "cancer." What I thought would be the normal eye exam turned into something that I had no idea could even  happen. As it turns out, you can get melanoma in your eyes. As crazy as it sounds, it does happen. When I was originally given the diagnosis, I wrote about it here on the blog, and I was amazed by how many lives this has touched/changed. 

Melanoma in the eyes is treatable, but there is a catch, the closer the mole is to the center of the retina, the more likely you are to lose your eyesight when treated. I have moles in both eyes and in both eyes, the moles are near the center. But, so far, so good :) No cancer, and no treatment. 

When I first learned of the possibility of potentially losing my eyesight, of course I was devastated. But then, I decided that it doesn't mean life is over, it just changes. 
I'll share a little something crazy that I did...
The mountain where my husband and I like to ski, has a wonderful program for handicapped skiers, physical limitations as well as a program for the blind. So, I thought that in the event that I lost my ability to see, I can learn to ski without my eyes. One day, we were coming down a run, and it was especially quiet, so I decided to close my eyes and just experience what it would be like. Different for sure, but I found out that with the help of a guide, I could do it. 

One day, my husband and I were on a lift with a guide and a young man who was blind. When he began to talk about the runs that he likes to do...OMG!!!. Those are runs that makes me panic just to look at them! It's amazing what one can do when we only decide to try.

So, it's Wednesday! Let's meet some fabulously talented ladies :)

First up is Jess of The Sterling Thimble. Rather than me introducing her, I will let her do the honors as she has done a wonderful video on who she is what she likes to do. 




In Jess's video, she says that she doesn't have a lot of time to sew, but when she does, she makes the cutest pieces, like the pajama pants below and the lace trimmed top.

Love the red! This was made for Valentine's Day. What a gorgeous piece for a celebration. You can read more about her journey HERE.

And last, but far from least, check out the incredible handwork for a jacket she is currently working on.

These are handmade buttonholes ladies!!! Incredible!

If you've taken a peek at her video, you know that Jess loves getting to know fellow sewists, so be sure to say hello!

Next up is Linda from Nice Dress, Thanks I Made It. Linda has been enjoying a ready to wear fast since 2015, and addicited to sewing since the 70s.  
The holiday season can get so very hectic, and we can easily lose ourselves in the process of trying to do everything. but Linda came up with an idea to help keep us focused and create something special. So, she created "Designin' December!"

Here's a little of what Designin' December is all about;

"We have all seen something we LOVE, either in the stores, online, or on the runways, but don't actually want to buy it for some reason. So I propose that we sew that garment that we see/want. If you are lucky and already have an exact pattern, either and indie pattern, your own self-drafted pattern, or a big 4 pattern that you can use, great! Whatever it takes, let's make what we see and want!"

The contest runs through December 31, 2017. There are LOTS of prizes to be won. You can read more about it HERE. Such a great incentive to get that special garment put together for the holidays, or just whenever. Linda even has a fun button that you can attach to your blog and let others know you are participating, or to encourage them to join in.

Between Jess's incredible handwork inspiration, and a challenge to get you sewing over the holidays, I think that's quite the inspiration for a Wednesday :)

Have a fabulous day!
Rhonda