Candy Dance Craft Festival- Genoa, Nevada

Well me and 5 other Red and Pink Hat friends went up to Carson City, Nevada for a three day weekend. We went up there for a fun festival that is held nearby and is called The Candy Dance. The festival was in a small town called Genoa. I guess it started years ago as a fundraiser for the town. They would make their homemade candy to help fund the town dance. They still sale the candy and have the town dance but it has turned into a huge festival with lots and lots of crafts and home made items.

We left Friday around noon and drove the 3 1/2 hours to Carson City. We drove by and checked out where the festival was going to be held before we went to our hotel. We saw a lot of the vendors getting ready and putting up their tents and wares. We checked into our hotel and unpacked a little bit. We then went to a really nice BBQ restaurant for dinner before we went back to the hotel for the night. A few of the ladies decided to try their luck at gambling but I choose to go to my room and watch t.v. Gambling really isn't something that I enjoy doing and besides I was saving my money for the craft fair.

Saturday we got up early and went to the Candy Dance Craft Festival. It was the largest craft fair that I have ever been to. We spent the better part of the whole day there and didn't even get through half of the booths. I saw quite a few things that I would have liked to purchase but contained myself somewhat! I did splurge for this lovely bracelet made out of antique spoons made of silver. My spoons were from 1935 and also had a really beautiful pink crystal bead in the center. I also picked up a few wooden blocks for a future craft project I have planned. A purse that was on sale from $35 down to $7 also went home with me.

We then went to a fabric store and I bought quite a few pieces of fabrics that I hadn't seen elsewhere. I picked up a couple of pieces to make aprons for my mom and sisters for Christmas. I also got some fabric for two of my nieces who are going to try and make their own aprons.

We went again the next day to the same fabric store on our way out of town. I again picked up a few pieces of fabric that was unusual and not what you usually see around our fabric stores. I also got some feathers and silk flowers to embellish another hat with.

On the way home we drove back through Lake Tahoe. The lake is so beautiful and calm looking. It was a beautiful three shades of blue. It was so serene looking and I would have loved to have been able to stop and enjoy the beauty of it a little longer but we needed to get back on the road.

I think everyone had a really good time although we were all extremely tired and sore from all of the walking. We got back home around 4:00 pm and had time to relax a little before having to unpack and worry about dirty laundry and what's for dinner.

I hope we are able to go back to the Candy Dance again. I will make sure I'm well rested in advance and have a full pocketbook so I can once again enjoy myself.

Physical Preparation for Sewing- Circa 1949

From Singer Sewing Book that was published in 1949.

When you sew, make yourself as attractive as possible. Go through a beauty ritual of orderliness. Have on a clean dress. Be sure your hands are clean, fingernails smooth --a nail file and pumice will help. Always avoid hangnails. Keep a little bag full of French chalk near your sewing machine where you can pick it up and dust your fingers at intervals. This not only absorbs the moisture on your fingers, but helps to keep your work clean. Have your hair in order, powder and lipstick put on with care. Looking attractive is a very important part of sewing, because if you are making something for yourself, you will try it on at intervals in front of your mirror, and you can hope for better results when you look your best.

Again, sewing must be approached with the idea that you are going to enjoy it, and if you are constantly fearful that a visitor will drop in or your husband come home and you will not look neatly put together, you will not enjoy your sewing as you should. Therefore, “spruce up” at the beginning so that you are free to enjoy every part of any sewing you do.

Can you believe it? I'd hate for them to know that sometimes when I know all I'm gonna do is sew all day long I stay in my P.J.'s and don't even put on my makeup!!

My Most Recent Embarassing Moment!

Well it all started out with going out with my girlfriend for a nice afternoon of fun. We all deserve to take a day off to just have some fun. We hadn't gotten to see each other much since she started back to work and we needed to do some catching up.

We started the morning off and had a lovely time at our monthly Quilt Block of the Month earlier in the morning. Then we headed up the road to have a lovely tea at a beautiful tea house. We enjoyed ourselves for 1 1/2 hours over our delicious food and lovely tea. The conversation was nice and we were just truly enjoying some quality friendship time.

We then went to a local quilt shop that I had previously found my last time up at this town. My girlfriend hadn't been there before so we went and had a look. The store had some lovely fabric and notions and it was all displayed around vintage items and old quilts in an old restored building.

We then decided to go check out the local thrift store and then an antique store that was just down the street. That was nice too. There was some interesting things to look at and I found a few bargains. So we decided to try our luck up the road at another antique and thrift store we had been too on another adventure.

We got back in my car and I thought I heard the sound of ripping fabric. I got out and touched my backside. No the seam of my pants was still there. I must be hearing things. I go to get back in and then there was the unmistakable noise of tearing fabric. I get back out and ask her how bad it is. It can't be that bad can it?

Well it was worse than that!! The whole left side of my pants was ripped open with the whole left side of my behind showing. Not the seam but along the edge of the pocket. It ripped from almost the waistband til almost the thigh!! Oh no!! I don't want to go home yet. I want to shop more. Then we started laughing. Only me!! Only I could rip it that good. I decided that if I could laugh about it than people could just laugh with me and not at me.

I knew I had a small blanket in the trunk so my friend got that out for me. I just tied it around my waist and went into the store. I told the lady at the counter that I was going into the dressing room and if I found something that would fit I would be wearing it to the cash register! And I did!!

After that we ended up going to another couple of stores and found all kinds of treasures and goodies that we just couldn't go home without. It was a day that could have ended early but because I decided to have a sense of humor about the event, and my friend was gracious enough to go along with me, we ended up being gone for most of the day and having a wonderful time!

Flirty Vacation Apron

I participated in the Second Flirty Apron Swap that was hosted by Shawnee. The theme was where I wished I could have gone on my summer vacation. We had to list a couple of places we would like to go for our secret swap partner to choose from.

I said I would like to go either to Italy (again- please!!) or to Paris. Either place would be a great and wonderful experience. It also asked you to tell about the colors you like and anything else you would like your swap partner to know about you. I also said I loved all things girlie, pink and feminine. I also love old and vintage things.

My swap partner made me the cutest apron out of pink gingham and a cute floral on a white background. It looks very vintage which is something I love. She had also sewed little appliqued flowers around the waistband. It turned out really nice. She sent me a recipe for some French Chocolates and a wonderful book that takes place in France. Now I just have to take the time to sit down with some cappuccino and delve into the wonderful book!

Purses, Tote Bags and More Purses

My daughter Heather and I started our own little internet business selling purses and tote bags. Hippie Sacks Hawaii is the name of our website. Heather recently came to visit me from Hawaii to get a few more purses and tote bags sewn so we would have some extra in our inventory since they were flying out of the shop so fast the first 2 weeks. Her visit home was for 9 days.

We sewed all week long. We sewed in the early morning , we sewed in the daytime, we sewed in the evening, we sewed in the wee hours of the night. We really sewed!! We started referring to the sewing room as the dungeon and the sweat shop.

We managed to accomplish quite a bit though. I think we made about 40 bags or so in all. We managed to have some fun though while she was here and did take a little time out to get pedicures and have some play time with baby Connor. Heather loves her one and only little nephew. She has decided she wants to be called Auntie Boo.

So if the website keeps going well maybe she'll just have to visit us more often!!

The Sewing Machine- A Girl's Best Friend

The Sewing Machine- A girl's best friend! When you need a break from sewing you can always watch this cute little video about sewing machines.