Christmas Stocking Makeover

Christmas is just around the corner and  a friend needed my help in updating her Christmas stocking.  She recently had a new baby girl so she needed to add a stocking for her. She already had stockings but was not happy with the monogram, the names were different sizes and placement was not centered and one was blank.

I took all four stocking and made a red velveteen cuff to spruce them up and get all the names the same size and centered.  Before getting started I cut the hanger off the stocking to reduce the bulk in the seam allowance for the new hanger.  

I measured the width of the stocking and cut my velveteen fabric and a piece of red cotton for the lining 16" wide and 6" tall.  I sewed the two long ends together wrong sides facing, press seam flat and opened it up again.  I found the center on the velveteen fabric side and measured 4" from the bottom fold in order to find the placement for the monogram.   After monogramming the names with gold, I folded the right sides together and sewed the two ends together to form a tube.  I turned the tube wrong sides together to form a cuff with monogram centered on the front and the seam in the back.

I placed the cuff inside the purchased stocking with the right side of stocking cuff facing the wrong side of the inside stocking.  I made a hanger by cutting a piece of velveteen 6" x 2" and folded it in half then folded the raw edges inside and one last fold and stitched it down.  I stitched around the stocking and inserted the folded hanger inside the left side with the raw edges hanging out.  I trimmed the edges and did an overlock stitch to tidy up the edges.  

I turned the cuff over onto the stocking top and the redesign was complete.

Monogrammed just the velveteen part of the stocking cuff.

 The old stocking top is covered by the new cuff redesign!

Monogrammed in the center and bigger, much better!

 This was the old top with the original monogram....a bit small and out of place!

All four stocking redesigned and ready to be hung by the chimney with care!

Ruby 9 Projects!

WOW...It has been a busy few weeks.  Ruby 9 (that's ME)  has been busy creating all sorts of things.

I was lucky and some of my daughter's friends from the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders requested gifts for their game day group gifts.  I made all my daughter's group gifts the three years she cheered for the Cowboys.  I made a variety of gifts but the flatiron/curler travel case was a favorite along with a custom carrier for their Dancing Girl Pictures they sign for fans.

Making gifts for her group led to them asking for the same gift for their group!  This makes me happy because I now know they enjoyed their gifts Amelia gave them.  A previous group member, Jasmine, ordered eight of the flatiron/curler travel cases for her group, she is still using her case I made two years ago.   They were presented to them by Jasmine on Breast Cancer Awareness game day.  The fact that they were PINK made it even more special for that particular game.  I love the picture they took after receiving their gift, lots of smiles, but the cupcakes could be another reason for that big smile!  ;)

I made 11 group gifts for DCC Jessica Allison.  Her DCC group gift request was a picture holder similar to the one I made my daughter's group several years ago.  The picture is larger now so I had to alter my original design.  I was pleased with the results and the girls loved them.  The word spread fast and before long I had another order for the picture travel case, I made 14 more!  Hopefully they will all enjoy the case to carry their autograph pictures in style!

I have also made several of the flatiron/curler cases in school fabric.  LSU, Ohio State and Arkansas are the schools being represented at the moment.  Hopefully more orders for their favorite team will be coming in soon!

 Matching back sac with monogram to match the travel case.

A special gift for a friend who recently had her baby.   The gift was a banner I monogrammed the babies name on and hung it on a long strand of pearls.  She loved it and it is hanging in Alayna's room!

It's all in the details...

Little pink ruffle pants and a matching bow was another special request.  Another satisfied customer for Ruby 9!

Ruby 9 has so many ideas, not enough time in the day!

"You don't have to be GREAT to start,

But you have to start to be GREAT!"

Ruby 9 ....busy Lady!

Well, Ruby 9, my alter ego has been a busy Lady recently.  I started this little business to occupy some of my time that was spent sitting around feeling sorry for myself!  YES....I am admitting to having a pity party every now and then.  I have missed having kids to tend to and I guess I thought I would get use to feeling unneeded at some point but it didn't happen.  I decided to take matters into my own hands and reinvent myself.  Ruby 9 is my new personality and she's ready to make STUFF!

I have had a variety of requests recently.  I have made little girl ruffle pants, baby name banners, covered pillows, tutu's as well as making several of my custom made travel iron/curler bags I created!

It has been so much fun as well as tiring at times but so rewarding.  My old hands need a good hot soak after some of the days I have put in cutting and sewing but it's been worth every ache and pain!

I am so blessed with a talent God gave me and I plan to use it and enjoy every minute.

"Just call on Me.  I guarantee I will answer you.  I will make you strong and brave." Psalms 138:3

I asked and He delivered, I am feeling strong and brave again.

Go make your day AWESOME and thanks for dropping by!

Flowers, Butterflies and Birds

The summer is slowing coming to an end.  I always hated this time of year because it meant the kids would be returning to school.  Now that they are both in college and live away from home the seasons are based on my flowers not on the school calendar.  I planted my sunflowers and zinnias April 5, 2014 and the first sunflower appeared June 5!  Most of the sunflowers are dead but the tall stems are still hanging on and the birds are enjoying the dried sunflower pods with all the seeds.  The zinnias are still thriving and attracting butterflies and bees.

I spotted a beautiful butterfly enjoying my flowers a few days ago.  My mom, who died in 2009 loved butterflies.  I can't help but think "Angels Among Us" when I spot one and think of my mom.

The birds are enjoying the seeds on the dried sunflowers.  The cardinal is my favorite and I have several that visit daily.  My hummingbirds are still in full force.  I have two feeders and they visit them both all day.  I refresh their sugar water about every three days.   They visit the zinnias and my other flowers as well.

I will hate to see the flowers go because that means summer is ending, hummingbirds will fly to wherever they go and I will have to wait until next year to plant again.  The stems of the sunflowers will be cut down and the birds won't have a hiding place.  The seasons change and time moves on.

Thankful for God's little creatures! 

Charlie Bones....We will miss you!

Today my son's bearded dragon died.  We have had Charlie for 9 years and he's been an interesting pet for sure.   I took him several months ago to check on a lump that appeared on his chest area. The vet gave him a series of shots over a months time in hopes it would reduce the mass.  After the shots didn't help there wasn't much left to do.  She informed me that lizards do not heal well after having surgery and with his age he probably wouldn't ever be the same.

We loved Charlie each day for the last 9 years and today he decided it was time to leave us.  My animal family is getting smaller each day.  Two years ago I had three dogs, a rabbit and a bearded dragon.  Today, Lily the golden/retriever is our only pet.  She is 12 and not doing well with her ACL being torn a few weeks ago.  Taking one day at a time and enjoying the time we have with her.

Each time I have to say goodbye to a pet they take a piece of my heart with them!  They become so much a part of the family and I hate to see them go.

 Charlie looking scary....just a shedding stage!

 Charlie the gentle dragon!

Shedding stages!

Charlie, we will miss you!

You were definitely a unique pet!

Sunflower Choir Singing!

April 5, 2014 I planted the first seeds in my sunflower patch and on June 5, 2014 I had my first sunflower show her beautiful face.  It's hard to believe such a little seed can produce such a beautiful plant.
My choir idea for the patch is working just like I imagined.  The tall faces are in the center and they gradually get shorter.  My zinnias are on the front row on both sides. Guess they are the kids of the choir.

I planted several type sunflower seeds and they all have a unique quality about them, just like people!  I look forward to seeing what new faces I have in my choir each day. The birds, rabbits and squirrels are enjoying the hiding places the flowers provide.  I even have a bean stalk growing in the middle of my choir.  I imagine it goes to heaven....wouldn't that be a special treat to slip up to heaven and visit and sneak back down!  A girl can dream!

I am already planning a bigger choir next summer but until then I will enjoy my little piece of Heaven right now!

Goodbyes are never easy!

I had to say goodbye to my sweet dachshund Sadie June 20, 2014.  She would of been 14 years old November 3.  My animal family is getting smaller each year.  I had to say goodbye to Audrey, my brown dachshund two summers ago and Taffy, my rabbit a year ago and now Sadie.

It broke my heart to see Sadie's health decline.  I  found out in April her heart was enlarged on a visit to the emergency vet after she passed out.  I thought for sure I had lost her that night but I was blessed to have her for two more months.  She was on two heart medicines but the last week of her life she stopped wanting to eat.  I offered her anything she might like, chicken, rice, bread and cheese, which was her favorite.  She refused it all the last two days she was here with me.  My vet said the test results were showing her little body was starting to shut down.

I had to decide when it was time to let her go.  Her breathing was heavy and she had lost so much weight. I held her all morning and told her how special she was and what joy she had brought to me and the whole family.  She already knew how special she was without me telling her.  She was the alpha and we all did what Sadie wanted.  My son and I brought Sadie to the vet and said our goodbyes.  I left a piece of my heart there that day.

Lily, our lab/retriever is still here with us.  She's 12 years old and has her own set of problems.  Her hips are weak and she has a torn ACL.  I will pamper her for as long as I am blessed to have her.  We have Charlie the bearded dragon as well.  He's not well either so we take one day at a time and count our blessings for the time we have with our animals.

They all have a piece of my heart!