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

Dearest Santa...revised

Hey Santa

Debbie brought it to my attention that I could potentially be comin' across as a spoilt rich gurl 'cause my list was long...so I'd like to revise just a tad 'cause we both know that ain't true... so please chunk the first one and let's roll off this one here.

I've tried to be good dis here year and it wasn't my fault that I got 15 speeding tickets cuz I thought those cops was tryin' to get me for divin' in that thaar dumpster over yonder and they wanted that stuff back (See? I couldn't possibly be rich 'cause that's a whole heck-of-a-lotta pennies bein' thrown towards the good peeps that like to arrest the red-headed girl.)

 

Anyways, It would be right nice of ya to bring me the following for Christmas:

 

My lawn chair stuck in the neighbor's pear tree, (Seriously, I done paid for that... I just need it back 'cause I ain't got nothin' to sit in while I'm watchin' the bug zapper.)
Two cords of firewood and butane for my torch, (Here's a thought...go green and just wack down the neighbor's pear tree for me - that'll work right fine.)
Three hydraulic jacks, Okay... how about 3 new cinder blocks? Those'll work right fine too.
Four cases of RC Cola, I'm not budgin' off this one, I've got plans.
Five new mud'n tires, Perhaps the spare's not necessary...
Six NASCAR t-shirts, I'm not opposed to Tony's old number (20) as long as it's Tony...so that should cost less.
Seven bumper stickers, They don't have to be sticky, I've got duct tape...used ones work right fine.
Eight moon pies You know you've got 'em - will you share?
Nine goats a ropin', Again, I've got duct tape so we can skip the rope part...
Ten cows a tippin' My neighbor's got cows... just supply the get-away sleigh and muscle for me please
Eleven rolls of duct tape You can't skimp on this one...a girl needs her arsenal...
Twelve shotguns a shootin' Hmmmm....How about.... 12 trips to Bass Pro Shop (I like to make funny faces at the fish in the aquarium...) that way ain't no ammo necessary and the cost of diesel for that sleigh of yours can't be THAT much.

 

And this here dress. It shoooor is purdy... I think it'd look right niiiiiiiiice with my camo boots...

I thank ya from the bottom of my sparklin', peep-toed shoes,

Yo fav.o.rite red.neck.

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

P.S. I'm off to see THEEEE Fantastic Mindy at her Christmas Open House!!!  Come roll with me - it'll be fun!!!  I promise, I'll behave myself...

(I did NOT have my fingers crossed when I typed that.  How could you even THINK such a thing?!)

It's SNOWING!!!

IN CENTRAL TEXAS!!!

THIS NEVER HAPPENS!!! (Well, not often anyways...)

AND SOME OF IT IS EVEN STICKING!!!  Not much, but SOME!!!  And I love this here weed...growing up through pavement and asphalt - right in the middle of winter!  (Only in Texas, huh?)

I'm at work (thus the back alley photos JUST FOR YOU!!!) but I've been playin'...in the snow... And I'm headed back out!!!

Comin' to you LIVE from a SNOWY single-wide (well...the shop, but hey!)... hee-hee
;-) Robelyn