I'm going to a SLEEPOVER!!!

WHOO HOO!!!  Debbie's havin' a PAR-TAY!!!  That trash talkin' DIVA has had 100,000 peoples o'er there looking at her and lapping up the wisdom she imparts...
uh-uhm.
The TRASH she talks. Oh... what PURRRRRRFECT trash it is!!! And - better than that?  It's a Pajama Party!!!  How fun, right?!!? Well...

Ain't no red.neck girl in her right mind gonna be caught out paperin' houses and makin' pizza runs while somebody else drives ('cause I'm CERTAINLY not old enough) in her Spongebob Jammies, so I'm bustin' out the special nightgown - I'll do the trash talkin' diva proud!!!  And if we have to corral any of the inmates we can just use some of my night dress - ain't duct tape grand? Oh!!!  And this'll be great when I'm out playin' in the yard... uh huh Malisa, I'm on to you!!!  Do I REALLY have to come back in?  Geesh...

That Debbie set down some house rules... do you think she's going to make me sign anything upon entry?

1. No dancing on the furniture...that includes the Twist, Mashed Potatoes, Jerk, Iron Horse, and the Cabbage Patch! (Oh Oh!!!  Can we do the Chicken Dance! na na na na na na na na na na na na - you didn't list THAT one...)
   
2. No smoking in the bathroom...I don't care if everybody else is doing it! If everybody else was running naked in the streets, would you do that too? (Uhmmmm... depends on which side of the road the chicken's on.)
   
3. No prank phone calling...unless I'm the one doing the dialing! Hello...you got Prince Albert in a can?(Yes... I'm calling for Aaron Thetires...)
   
4. No opening the windows for boys to sneak in and NO sneaking out to meet guys...bring 'em in the front door...just let me get the curlers outta my hair first and some lipstick on! (Oh... I used my lipstick to write on somebody's forehead... I can't help it that they went to sleep first!!!)
   
5. No gossiping...I don't care if you can see through Gussie's gown...pretend you don't! Here! Here!!!  (Did you hear?  Debbie said no gossiping...can you believe her?)
   
6. Finally...no toilet papering the neighbor's house. I gotta live in this town after you go home! (I've gotta few rolls of charmin... and I live South of her by a few miles... and toilet paper always ALWAYS looks better when mixed with some duct tape...) 

I even rolled out some of my speeeecial duct tape for Debbie's par-tay!!!  Bring it on girls and boys... I like me a good pillow fight!!! You'll probably win, I get laughing too hard... especially after drinking some of the Hot Dr. Pepper that's gonna be there.  tee-hee-hee-hee

And look at what she has laid out at her par-tay!  I'm thinking... if I wear the mask and don the gown - top it with THIS

then I'll have the purrrrrrrrrrfect New Years Eve outfit!!!  Add in some of those barbi slippers with the little fluffy things on the toes... I am such the fashion diva! Yep.

Games and Music and Food and Cat Daddy and crazy hair-styles... oh my oh my - it's gonna be fun!!!
She SAID I could bring my friends - so you wanna go? huh? huh?  Please do... just RSVP over here with the Trash Talkin' Guru herself!!! (And let me know if you need a ride... I can get my hands on a hot lookin' John Deere if I need to.) HA!

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide...hee-hee
;-) Robelyn

Please say a lil' Prayer...

UPDATE! UPDATE!!!  READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE AND HERE!!!

One of our own, Angelique - Six in One Hand, needs our special thoughts and prayers today...

Prayer is a triumph, in whatever form.  ~Mirakel Reves

I'll be Home for Christmas...

Well, I don't know where I'm going to be for Christmas... but I was home this week-end!  My fav.o.rite shopping spot... my Mama's house (5 finger discounts are the greatest, aren't they?)!  Seriously - I spied several things that need to come to my house... think she'd notice?  I've cropped all items of interest out so that she doesn't have photographic proof that she once owned certain items.

Glittery sparkly greenery everywhere in the house!

Now - my Mom and I are polar opposites in the decorating department.  She is normal - I am not.  She is traditional in her design and decor...I am not... give me the SLIGHTEST of slightest chances to show off her house and I am ALL over it. When I saw that The Nester and Southern Hospitality were hosting a Tour of Holiday homes - I jumped!

Welcome to My Mama's House!!!

 Formal Living Room...
And, just so you know...that's not my Mama, that's her owner, Posie. hee-hee

With age has come my love for red - and THAT I get from her (mirror, mirror on the wall...).  Just in a different way... she does traditional red with her toile and plaid and transferware dishes and and and... I go all out with some serious bohemian/vintagy style (or would that be red.neck?) - needless to say, her house makes WAY more sense.  LOL

Right off of the Entry...

This manger scene has been 'round for...I don't know how long.  And...for I don't know how long...it has ALWAYS been displayed in the dry sink that my Grandfather made (You will see LOTS of furniture and toys courtesy of his mastermind!)!  Here's a lil' FYI for you though...see the wise guy up in the very tippy top left?  See the tiniest bit of gold in his "hat"?  Well...I don't know how long ago...we had gold "dingly ball" trim layin' around and he REALLY needed a hat - so I'm fairly certain that is some version of 1970's harvest gold pom pom trim!

Top of the piano in the Formal Living Room...

My Mom is a  Choir Director/Pianist/Organist/Vocalist so I have ALWAYS grown up around a piano (or under it...depended on how much trouble I was gettin' in to during a service...) so the top of her piano gets the "OFFICIAL" treatment each Christmas!  One year there was a guest singer at our church and he was practicing at our house with my Mom before the service...well...when I was growing up the Christmas tree always sat at the end of the piano.  THAT year my older brother, myself and my little brother all sat in stunned disbelief (kinda like 3 monkeys on a limb) for roughly 15 minutes watching our Christmas tree tremble and shake and vibrate and dance 'round - I swear it moved 10' over to the right... that man had the biggest, boomiest (and tree shakin') voice I've ever heard...to this day. So, needless to say, each year that I see her piano all "Christmased" up I laugh...I make sure it's a big shaky, trembly laugh in his honor.

 

Dining Room...

This is where all the fun happens...and she's a pretty good cook too!  Did you know that you can cook a full on Christmas dinner without burning the house down?  I find that extremely impressive...

China Cabinet...

Inside of the China Cabinet...

My Grandfather made this GORGEOUS china cabinet for my Grandmother - it is soooooooooooo pretty!  And my Grandmother collected up "Father Christmas" figurines, ornaments...anything really... so my Mom has the hutch FULL of Santa's Merrymint!!!

And since we're in the dining room...

This here's a Christmas Cactus!  For YEARS my Grandmother would give my Mom a Christmas cactus and she would always have one too!  When my Grandmother passed away my Mom drug hers home with her... and here it is!  The crazy thing ONLY blooms when everyone in our family is coming home... and it doesn't seem to matter if it's Christmas or not!!!  I've seen this thing FULL of blooms at EASTER AND in AUGUST!!!  Not kidding!!! I guess my Grandmother is giving my Mom a heads up that she's gonna be invaded by her critters 'cause there are some flowers on here... huh.

Winter Wonderland in the dining room...

THIS is some of my Grandfather's handiwork!  He made lots of intricate toys...I have a few myself, but not a Santa sleigh... dang.  I think I missed cropping this photo... think she will notice if he drives his sleigh to my house?

 

Kitchen Table...

I have two things to say about this.

A.  Even the CAT has a Christmas dish and

B. I see the perfect spot for a bowl of lime green slime...

 

Shelves over the Buffet Cabinet in the Kitchen...

On top of the Buffet Cabinet in the Kitchen...

Sleigh bells ring, are you listenin'? No really, are you listenin'?  They are much more pleasing to the ears than fire alarms...

Next up?

The Mantle in the Den...

This Angel card was the first Christmas card my Mom got... and she was ALMOST one when she got it 'cause the whole world celebrates her birthday a week after Christmas!  Thank You for celebrating with her...her 40 somethin' anniversary of turning 21... (don't tell her I just told you that.)! She ALWAYS smiled from the top of our Christmas tree (the Angel, not my mother...)!

And this was my Grandfather's!  Do you think that horse is thinkin' "I did not sign up for this" or do you think he's happy to be pullin' along the Christmas tree?

Doctors Cart in the den... my Grandfather made that too!!!

I couldn't get a whole picture of the den for you 'cause my VERY OWN Santy Claus (my StepDad) was trying to take a nap... and I didn't want him to hang me from the mantle with care.  I guess I'll just show you that when you come to visit!  Believe me, my Mom's house is worth the trip (and she's got GREAT stuff...I'll offer you my discount...hee-hee (don't tell her I said that either.))! For me, Christmas is not only about celebrating the birth of our Savior, but about Family - the time spent with Family and the times TO BE spent with Family.  My Mom's house is full of praise and worship... memories and family...laughter and tears...and JOY - great JOY.

I'm going to load some more pictures up on my flickr page here in just a lil' bit, so if you need to see more - come visit me there!  In the meantime, go visit the Nesting Place and Southern Hospitality- there are SEW many beautiful homes on their Holiday Home Tours, you could get lost for days!!!  And SEW inspirational - Each and Every one of them!!!  For now?  Merry Christmas - from my Mom's house to Yours!!!

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide...hee-hee

;-) Robelyn

say CHEEEEEEEEEEEEESE

With Christmas right around the corner (please don't tell me how many days... my "to make" list is still long and mighty and I'm in denial. Leave me there.) we are all doin' maybe just a little bit of scramblin' around to find that PURRRRFECT something for that PURRRRRFECT someone! Well - do you have that PURRRRRFECT photographer that you need something for?  Here's an idea for you!!!

Take an old camera of your choosing, (I chose this one at Troy and Rod's sale last month) whip your drill out of it's holster and get to drillin' two holes on the top...make sure and have a small bit AND - safety tip - place a small piece of tape (I of course used duct tape...) where you are going to drill your two holes so that your bit doesn't wander aimlessly along the top of the camera!  (This does happen...trust me... I tip my hat to the makers of band aids.)

Next (after you have applied bandaid to open wound (mine has Scooby Doo on it)) grab some rusty wire and wrap it a few times around a small bottle, marker... pretty much anything... 'til you get as many "photo loops" as you want!  I don't know if "photo loops" is an actual term - but it seems to hold in this conversation so I'm wrappin' with it.

 

When you're done "photo loopin", trim the ends of wire and poke it in your drilled holes, stick a photo in - VOILA!  You can say you're the big CHEEEEEEEEESE of photo holder makin'! *snicker* Isn't the picture classic?  That's the grin I get when I'm all angelic and stuff... like when I'm pulling something way cool out of a dumpster....

And - if THAT doesn't work for you because you don't have a camera layin' around (and time on your hands due to sewing machine malfunction) you can grab a candleholder and a spring...

I had this brass candle holder layin' around, shot it with some white spray paint (luuuuuuuuv that stuff!!!), threaded a spring on it (after I cut the concrete piece off - I think the spring was something for industrial lighting?) and VOILA!

Yet ANOTHER photo holder!!!  This is good if you are like me and not allowed to play with fire. I think these would be super fun as place settings on your Christmas table!  Dig up some old family photos of each person attending your grand PAR-TAY, paint up some candle holders and place on your salad plate (or charger if doing a buffet) - add a spring and some greenery, snow...beads, ribbons...endless ENDLESS options! What a wonderful way to share your Christmas memories (and not start a fire...that happens - I'm just sayin'.)!

I'm happy to report that my Christmas shopping list got a little bit of a jump start this morning... luckily for me the ReStore, a couple of garage sales and a few thrift stores yielded Christmas treasures PERFECT for the gifts I still have yet to make (denial...leave me there!)... and a few treasures that are the perfect gifts all on their own!   And Etsy has certainly contributed to shortening my list... have you shopped there yet for the "hard to buy" for? Euwwwwwww La La - there are some talented artists out in this big world! The Resident Teen? The "taller than me" cutie pie (who's still my baby but HE'S in denial on THAT one) has requested electronics that leave me scratching my head and looking really "not smart" in the game and electronic stores - I will probably be the last minute mother... I'm going to have to find somebody technical to go in THOSE PLACES for me just so I don't get laughed at by the teenagers who own the video game and electronic stores.  LOLOLOL Whatcha' know about Ipods, Wii System games and... I don't even know how to pronounce the other things?

How's your Christmas shopping and/or gift making going?

Have a Happy Week-End!!!
Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide... hee-hee
;-) Robelyn

MERRYmint!

 After my hours and hours at the Sewing Machine Hospital your very own red.neck was melancholy; dejected, depressed, despondent and feeling dispirited, downcast, downhearted, heartsick, inconsolable; careworn, sad, unhappy, woebegone; bawling, crying, groaning, howling, keening, moaning, yammering; bleeding, suffering; black, bleak, cheerless, comfortless, dark, darkening, desolate, dismal, dreary, funereal, gloomy, glum, gray (also grey), joyless, low, miserable, moody, morbid, morose, pathetic, pessimistic, piteous, saturnine, somber (or sombre), sullen and wretched...

I walk in to my bare, blank, devoid, stark, void, barren, hollow, available, clear, free, open; unfilled, unfurnished (by a sewing machine); unattended, uninhabited, unoccupied; abandoned, deserted, emptied, forsaken, vacated; depleted, drained and lacking in machinery laboooooooooooratory......

to find THIS laid out on my new most awesomest chair ever!!! Duct Tape to cheer me up?  You betcha!!!  And THEN!!!  I open it up...

And there sits my very own Santy Claus!!!  Mine!  For me!!! And so... I felt some instant Christmas Cheer and some...

MerryMint!!!  Guess who sent me some of my very own "merrymint" on the bluest of darkest of dimmest of sewing machine days (and she couldn't have timed it ANY better)?

THEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Lovely Anne!!!  Thank You Anne - from the bottom of my red.neck frown to the tippy top of my red.neck smile!!!

You took my frown and turned it UP.SIDE.DOWN.  (yeah, I know that was sew bad...)

Speakin' of - day TWO of the sewing machine dilemnas.....
I have three machines...yes, all three of them were down.  I don't THINK I'm hard on machines... but I guess I shouldn't go a-thinkin' huh?  LOL  In my defense, one of them was for parts only... (and I have a fourth stashed - it just holds too many threads and looks very intimidating.  seriously. it looks at me and I run for cover under the first duct tape roll I find.)  I have the "workhorse" up and goin' thanks to the great "Dr. D." the singer GURU (I think he even has a stethoscope of some sort....) -  but alas, I am mourning the temporary loss of my Montgomery Ward 1950's / 60's machine(s) until I find a really good machinist - or ANOTHER "parts only" machine.  Please observe a moment of silence with me...

All of you had such wonderful ideas on how to keep myself busy!!!  Thank You sew much!  I can't wait to show you what I ended up doing (besides looking through the Thesaurus...HA!)!  It involved a drill, some springs, some Merriment, wuz wishin' for some of Mindy's nog, a hammer and....

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide... hee-hee
;-) Robelyn

Thank You Anne!!! Oh, and I should also mention...I wasn't really groaning, howling, keening, moaning, yammering and/or bleeding... it just sounded like it fit the whole situation...LOLOL

EGADS!!!!!!!

I think my sewing machine has the Swine Flu - - - - - - - - ALL OF THEM!!!  What do I do while they are at the doctor?!!?  The surgeon?!!?  THE I.C.U. UNIT - - - - - - - - HOPEFULLY NOT THE GRAVEYARD!!!

I'm keeping vigil...I'll get back to you on this crisis...
What should I do in the meantime? I'm open to suggestions...


Feelin' Lost, Lonely and Blue while Comin' to you LIVE from the Sewing Machine Hospital...
;-(   Robelyn

On the 5th Day of December...

My adventures took meeeeeee...
Toooooooooo Poetry.  Texas that Is. East of Dallas.
(oops, wrong song...sorry 'bout that.)

On the 5th Day of December Christmas while innnnnnn Poetry...
I hung out with Minnnnndy.

On the 5th Day of December Christmas while innnnnn Poetry...
I laughed with David and I hung out with Minnnnndy.

On the 5th Day of December Christmas while innnnnn Poetry...
I got a big fat jar, I laughed with David and I hung out with Minnnnndy.

On the 5th Day of December Christmas while innnnnn Poetry...
I met Mindy's Mom and Kelly, I got a big fat jar, I laughed with David and I hung out with Minnnnndy.

On the 5th Day of December Christmas while innnnnn Poetry...
I saw the coolest stuff ever, I met Mindy's Mom and Kelly, I got a big fat jar, I laughed with David and I hung out with Minnnnndy.

On the 5th Day of December Christmas while innnnnn Poetry...
I met MALisa, I saw the coolest stuff ever, I met Mindy's Mom and Kelly, I got a big fat jar, I laughed with David and I hung out with Minnnnndy.

On the 5th Day of December Christmas while innnnnn Poetry...
I drug home the most awesomest chair, I met MALisa, I saw the coolest stuff ever, I met Mindy's Mom and Kelly, I got a big fat jar, I laughed with David and I hung out with Minnnnndy.

On the 5th Day of December Christmas while innnnnn Poetry...
I tried to rustle up some feed store animals, I drug home the most awesomest chair, I met MALisa, I saw the coolest stuff ever, I met Mindy's Mom and Kelly, I got a big fat jar, I laughed with David and I hung out with Minnnnndy.

WHEW!  I gots to sit down for a second...oh!  It could be 'cause...

I drank some of Mindy's eggnog, then tried to rustle up some feed store animals, drug home the most awesomest chair, met MALisa, saw the COOLEST stuff ever, Mom and Kelly, fat jar - laughed AT David AND with him and I hung out with Minnnnnnnnnnndy.

On the 5th Day of December Christmas while innnnnn Poetry...
We left Poetry and went to Terrell, not before I drank some of Mindy's egg *hiccup* nog, then tried to rustle up some feed store animals, most awesomest chair, MALisa, cool stuff, Mom and Kelly, fat jar - laughed AT David AND with him and I hung out with Minnnnnnnnnnndy.

On the 5th Day of December Christmas while innnnnn Poetry - no. Terrell...
Mindy took me to Jrne, but not before the eggnog *hiccup*, rustlin' of feed store animals, luvin' the chair, MALisa, cool stuff, Mom and Kelly, fat jar - David's a riot and I hung out with Minnnnnnnnnnndy.

On the 5th Day of December Christmas while innnnnn Poetry - no. Terrell...
I met Mayron when Mindy took me to Jrne (Mayron and Jrne need to be added to your "must go see immediately list" for sure!!!), but not before *hiccup* the eggnog, rustlin' of feed store animals, luvin' the chair, MALisa, cool stuff, Mom and Kelly, fat jar - David's a riot and I hung out with Minnnnnnnnnnndy.

On the 5th Day of December Christmas while innnnnn Poetry - no. Terrell...
I hung out with Minnnnndy (can we do that again soon S'il vous plait?)...............I met Mayron when Mindy took me to Jrne (Mayron and Jrne need to be added to your "must go see immediately list" for sure!!!), but not before the eggnog, *hiccup* rustlin' of feed store animals, luvin' the chair, MALisa, cool stuff, Mom and Kelly, fat jar - David's a riot (and he takes GREAT photos - go visit him!) and I hung out with Minnnnnnnnnnndy who is a BLAST and SEW much fun!!!

hee-hee That's All Folks!  No really... I'm curtsian' and grinnin' at you and you and you!... but I've lost my voice after beltin' out these chords for ya while standing *hiccup* on my most awesomest chair and my arms are a lil' tired from hangin'... I'm gonna get down now before the eggnog kicks in...

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide... hee-hee
;-) Robelyn