Oh my! I want to win this!

Flower Sugar Giveaway on Retro Mommy's Blog!!

I am posting this from Don's computer so I can't figure out 

how to post the picture from Retro Mommy's blog.

But this is a really great giveaway!!

Head on over there and enter!!!

Merry Christmas from Santa Rosa!

Merry Christmas!!!

We finally got moved in and put up our

Christmas Tree on Wednesday night!!!!

I am posting this from India's computer

because mine is still broken.

While I DID manage to bake 

two batches of cookies-

Peanut Butter Blossoms,

and Cherry Thumbprints,

I conceded defeat on the 

Christmas Jammies issue.

Yes, my girls are wearing 

STORE BOUGHT JAMMIES!!!

Tomorrow is Christmas and I still have

not baked the Spanikopita!

But, we are in our house, 

with a tree,

and some decorations.

And my parents are here with us from Nevada.

Ahnalin and I were angels at the 5:00PM service

at our new church!

Our church does 4 different services on 

Christmas Eve and the 5:00PM service

is specifically designed for young families.

So we were thrilled to be in the little 

play called "Where Is Jesus?"

Both Ahnalin and I managed to behave

"angelically" for the evening, even though

it was a challenge. Heehee!!

After the early service,

the girls went home with my parents, 

so they could get ready for Santa.

I heard that Ahnalin was especially angelic

before bed, preparing 

the cookie plate for Santa,

and not begging to stay up later. 

She was completely asleep by the time Don and I got home

from the 7:00 PM service!

Well, India and I are now snuggled up watching

"White Christmas",

while eating cookies and I am 

having a tiny glass of wine.

I still have to wrap presents 

for the morning.

My biggest present is being here,

in our own cozy house in Santa Rosa.

We are so thankful for this Christmas.

I would never recommend moving

right before Christmas,

especially if your hubby is responsible

for some Christmas services at church.

This has been the hardest move we have ever done,

but I am so very, very grateful.

Exhausted, but grateful. 

I pray that you all have 

a lovely Christmas, 

filled with love,

family,

good food,

music,

happy smells,

and good memories.

I pray that you know you are deeply loved

by our Heavenly Father,

who sent His Only Son

to us.

little, sinful, us. 

But He loves us.

Merry Christmas my friends.

Moving Day and Technical Difficulties

Yesterday was moving day!!

And I have no pictures to prove it.

You see, in the last week, my darling 

and much beloved Mac decided to 

go all wacky on me. 

I would be typing and it would just shut down.

 

And when it was on, programs would just close

for no good reason. 

Don, the Hot Rockin' Hubby, is very good 

with computers, and even he can't figure it out.

So, I believe it is time for my darling Mac to go to 

the spa for a while.

And pictures? 

Well, broken camera too.

Sigh.

Another deep sigh.

So, we picked up the moving truck from Penske

on Friday, which was also the day that India

had a diabetic team meeting in Sacramento.

So, much of my day was spent driving and chatting with doctors.

Which meant that we were up very late packing the truck.

And then Saturday, we still did not get it all done.

And did I mention that it was storming?

And both India and Ahnalin were complete 

emotional wreck. 

Sobbing wrecks.

So, we down to Santa Rosa later than we hoped

and didn't make it to a Christmas party we had hoped to visit.

But, the truck was offloaded rapidly when we got to the house, 

due to help from friends.

After Church today, 

we got back in the van and drove back to Grass Valley

to pack up the odds and ends and clean. 

Yuck. 

But soon we will be headed back to Santa Rosa to live!!!

I am so sorry I have been out of reach lately. 

If you email me, I will get it on my cell phone,

and I am getting messages on Facebook too,

so you can contact me there.

Please continue praying for us in this 

transition.

We hope to get a Christmas Tree on Tuesday night!!!!

And I promise to get pictures up here soon!

 

Love to you all!!

Sivje

Random Silliness And A Dress I Just Don't Love

The move.....

Yes, well. 

How is the move going, you ask.

Well, last Saturday, I cooked our first real,

Mama Made dinner in our new house.

India demanded requested her favorite meal.

And since my baby bird will soon be flying from the nest,

I  agreed and cooked it.

 Oh, and you can see that I did find the 

Christmas china!

So, what is her favorite meal?

Corned Beef and Cabbage with lots of carrots!!!

Have you any concept how well nigh impossible it is

to find corned beef in December????????

Stores laughed at me!

They told me to come back in March! 

But I was not deterred.

Don did not 

whine too much as he drove me to new-to-us store

after new-to-us store looking for a purplish slab of meat.

It was a great dinner and India ate nearly every carrot

over the course of the evening.

Ahnalin decided to make a hat for herself 

out of tin foil, 

and wore it the rest of the evening.

Don loved it!

You see, when we lived in Sonoma County years ago,

there were a few wackos people who

wore tin foil helmets to protect their brains from 

the rays of the aliens who were trying to read their minds.

I am NOT KIDDING here. 

So, now that we are moving back to Sonoma County,

it is particularly hilarious that Ahnalin has joined the 

"Tin foil Helmet Society". 

Rock on baby girl!

( and yes, that is our giant NOT FLAT SCREEN tv in the background, ugly!)

Oh, and did you see the orange chair? 

I am hoping to start on that slipcover this weekend.

This was just too cute for me to pass up.

The living room is starting to look like a living room

and my HRH was enjoying some snuggles

from Ahnalin.

We are still spending the weekdays at my inlaws house

in Nevada County until next week when Ahnalin gets out

of school for the holidays.

So I thought I would show you what we see often here.

My father in law is a physics and math teacher

and he is fascinated by science.

He LOVES it and he is an excellent teacher.

So he is constantly coming up with really cool science

projects for his students.

We get to see them first and they are so cool!

This one was dealing with that glass tube 

and water levels and bell tones.

REALLY COOL!

India just finished up her first semester in college

and was studying for her finals this week.

She decided to to a peel off facial mask while 

she studied and was SO THRILLED

that she managed to peel it all off in one piece!

(I told you this was random!)

And now, on to the dress I really don't like......

So, here is the scoop. 

I got a letter home stating that Ahnalin was to be honored 

again as Student of the Month for her class

as well as a Perfect Attendance award.

And due to the move and packing and customs

and, and, and, and.....

I still had not made her a Christmas dress.

She requested penguins, Santa, long sleeves,

lace and velvet.

She ALSO requested a full skirt, smocking and a big bow.

Well, she got part of the request. 

And I got it done at 3:00 AM this morning.

I had been wanting to try this vintage Vogue Florence Eiseman

pattern for quite some time, and I did not

have a lot of the Santa/penguin fabric in my stash.

So I tried it.

BIG MISTAKE!!

Yes, she would look cute in a burlap sack.

BUT, this dress would look better on a 

child that has a bit more, um, fluff.

And it ended up being so big, it will probably

fit her as a maternity dress in about 20 years.

Classic Ahnalin pose

The individual elements are fine,
and should have made for a better,
more interesting dress.


I made the collar and cuffs out of the dreamiest
chocolate brown velvet,
trimmed in eyelet lace.


Oh, and to those who answered my query on 
Facebook last night,
the answer ended up being 
"To Rickrack" after all.

But all together, I didn't really love it. 

But I got it done and she wore it 
to school today for her assembly.


YAY Ahnalin!
  
We head back up to Santa Rosa today and
get to see the Singing Christmas Tree.

And then Sunday we head back here after church 
for Ahnalin's last week of school.


So much to do.........

Happy Sewing!

Yaya's Apron At YouCanMakeThis.com!

 

At last!

Yaya's Apron is now available on 

Youcanmakethis.com!

The Monkey Girl Bloomer Skirt pattern

has been available for about a year at YCMT.com

and is now happy to share the spotlight with Yaya. 

And........

You can purchase them both at 

Fairytale Frocks and Lollipops 

Each Ebook is $9.95 wherever you purchase them. 

And if you have any questions or want to 

share pictures of your Sivjegoose creations,

I would LOVE to post them!

Now, I have to finish a Christmas dress for a little girl who

will be crowned Student of the Month tomorrow.

Happy Sewing my friends!

The Spirit of Christmas Past

Awwww.......Christmas Memories......

My friend, Laurie, of SewnSo's Sewing Journal,

(also a famous contributor to Sew Beautiful magazine, 

and pattern designer of Brer Rabbit Designs.)

is having a little Linky party!

I have never attended a Linky party, 

so I really hope I am doing this correctly.

This party is all about celebrating home sewn

Christmas garments in our past.

So, I find that I simply must start off my little party

by showing you a picture of me,

in all my silver brace faced glory!!

You see, my wonderful mama

used to sew for me all the time.

But when I learned how to sew, I sewed my own clothes

most of the time, from then on.

This little outfit was something I made for myself 

to wear in a children's Christmas musical that I

helped direct when I was in high school.

Those puffed sleeves come straight out of my passion

for Anne of Green Gables.

And gone are the days of my 22 inch waist.....

sigh...

And then, while this is not the best picture,

it recalls the year I decided that 

India and I should wear matching Black Watch Tartan

wool jumpers. 

Not only did I make them, but I sewed Don a matching vest!

India's blouse was Hart Strings and my blouse was from Macy's

because I was in my "I refuse to sew blouses" phase.

India's buttons were pewter Santa faces and mine

were pewter angels. 

 And these little dresses were from the year

that India sang with two of her little friends

at the Calvary Temple Singing Christmas Tree

in Denver Colorado. 

The song was "Happy Birthday Jesus" 

and they were accompanied by the 

Denver Symphony Orchestra.

Don, aka "Hot Rockin' Hubby",

was the music pastor there

and I sewed the dresses, 

as well as sang in the "tree".

He still misses conducting that wonderful group

of musicians, and India was too little

to realize what a big deal it was. 

The dresses were sewn out of yucky panne' velvet.

And the pattern was a disaster. 

But they were cute!

And because we are moving, 

and I am a lousy organizer of past photos,

I have no idea where any more Christmas pics

are of dresses I sewed for India before

Ahnalin came home.

This was the Christmas Ahnalin was 3.

I smocked her a "Mary De" 

using a smockplate that is also packed

so I can't remember who designed it.

But this picture also shows

where Ahnalin trimmed her own bangs. 

She did a rather creative job and managed

not to jab out her own eye, 

even though I nearly fainted when I saw her hair.

I didn't sew India's outfit but I just love this pic of my 

two beautiful daughters. 

This was also the year I designed and made
Grandma's Brag Purses 

for my mom and mil.

I love how they turned out.

And then this little dress.....

(Carol by Children's Corner)

And this little outfit with penguins embroidered...

And this was last year...

India was chosen to play 

Queen Katharine of Aragon for

the high school Chamber Choir

Madrigal Dinner.

And of course that meant mama

had to sew an authentic 

velvet gown for her.

I mean, I HAD to....

Really!!! 

And Ahnalin's dress was from one of my all time

favorite Alexander Henry fabrics. 

This little outfit was thrown together 

at last minute for Ahnalin to wear the day she

was honored as student of the month in 

Kindergarten.

And yes, since you asked, 

the skirt IS a Monkey Girl Bloomer Skirt!

(She actually wore this outfit to church today too!)

And this is the girls in their 

Christmas jammies on Christmas morning.

Each year I sew them new jammies for

Christmas and last year,

they chose these.

These were the Christmas nightgowns

I made for the girls in 2008.

India chose a smocked style

with poinsettias on the front

and Ahnalin chose rickrack and

an embroidered gingerbread man.

Both were out of the softest white flannel.

And last but definitely not least,

here is Ahnalin in one  of my favorite outfits I have 

EVER SEWN!!

This was a little reversible  A-line

jumper with a matching quilted and

embroidered jacket. 

I CRIED when she was too big for this!

I have not yet even started 

Christmas outfits for this year.

Bad mommy.

The excuse...

THE MOVE!

But I plan to start an outfit for at least

Ahnalin this week. 

Really. 

I promise.....

Thank you peering into my Christmas Memories.

Now pop on over to Laurie's blog

and enjoy the other party participants too.

Happy December and Happy Sewing.

Perfectly Piggy for Madison

Yes! 

We love Olivia the Pig!

And I just finished this little dream dress for

Madison.

She requested a red dress with a smocked

Olivia the Pig on it. 

Well, there is no smock plate for Olivia.

So I smocked it free hand. 

She also requested that Olivia be wearing 

her red formal gown, 

have a pearl necklace and red bows on her ears.

She wanted her name on the front too.

The dress had to be red with red and white

polka dotted piping, a full twirly skirt

and a big bow in the back.

 

The smocking kept washing out with the flash

and the fabric is really a darker red.

Oh, and what pattern did I use to sew the dress?

I didn't use one.

I knew I wanted the smocking to be curved to the waist

and I just drafted a pattern based on Madison's 

measurements.

Oh...can you just see the buttons on the cuffs?

Why yes, those would be Swarovski crystal buttons.

The red crystals on the smocking are as well.

And tulle is sewn to the underskirt to pouf it out!

It looks all crooked but it is actually straight. 

I promise!

Here is the dress I created for Madison last year.

She requested Tinkerbell!

 

And this was the dress I made her in 2008

when she requested pink with princesses.

Happy Birthday Madison!

I hope your day is as lovely and wonderful as you are.

Today I Am Thankful- And Giveaway Winner!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Today I am thankful for:

My family

My Freedom

My friends

My husband's job

The men and woman who

protect and serve our country

Food on the table

My new home (!!!!!!!!)

Cars that work

No hospital visits this month!!

My sewing machine

My computer (Yep!)

Wool socks!

The Ocean

Finding my Christmas china (YAY!!!)

Children that l love (even when they are having a major fit!)

And most of all for my Jesus who

loves me unconditionally,

even when I feel like I 

am being a bad mama.  

(Yes, this is tied to the child having a big fit today)

And without further ado.........

The winner of the Yaya's Christmas Apron is...

Holly M!!

(AKA dhm78)

who said:

I don't know how to twitter, Sivje I can bearly facebook!

Congrats Holly!!!

Please email me your mailing address and what size 

apron you want!!!

Thank you all for entering!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

(oh and I should have also said that I am thankful for my

exclamation point!!!!!!)

First Night In Our New House

Impressive, isn't it!

Ok, not really, but this was our little family Saturday evening

in our new house in Santa Rosa.

We had planned on loading a moving truck

on Saturday morning and driving over

and then unloading.

But a REALLY BIG STORM hit Grass Valley.

So we decided that it would be too much of a mess

to pack the truck in the snow.

So we just took sleeping bags and blow up

mattresses and camped out.

I am not sure what that white spot on the wall is,

but my camera got wet so maybe that

was on the lens.

So, what you see here is the living/ dining room.

The white thing on the side is the banister.

Yes, there is a super cute little orange velvet chair sitting there.

Stay tuned to that because I am 

going to slipcover that soon.

I got it for $14.99 at the Salvation Army Thrift Store 

a few weeks ago. 

I drove around with it in the back of my van for weeks 

until I could unload it at our new house.

Don and the kids are cuddled up watching
"Pete's Dragon", which the girls

ended up hating. Hm. I always liked

that one, but this was the first time they saw it.

Yes, that is my smocking board in the background. 

In the next few days I will be posting pics

of the "Olivia the Pig" smocked dress I am 

making for a client. 

I sat on the floor of our new house smocking.

Bliss!!

What? We all look like drowned rats, you say?

Why yes we do!

Between the snow and pouring rain that day we were 

just glad to be inside in our cozy but empty new home.

My friend Sheri brought us a yummy hot meal

to celebrate our first night in our new home.

It was so good and we were so grateful!

See my new kitchen?

It is not huge and amazing

like my inlaws kitchen, 

but I nearly cried as I unpacked.

It is perfect for the 4 of us!
Perfect!

And since we do not have our beds delivered yet,

Ahnalin asked if she could set up her 

ladybug tent in her room and sleep in that.

Well, why not? 

She had a blast!

So, tomorrow, we pack phase one of the moving van.

We are back and forth all week between Santa Rosa and

Grass Valley.

The final phase of the move will not happen until the middle 

of December because the girls are still in school until then.

I am still busy sewing amidst the packing and moving.

If you have not entered the Yaya's Apron Giveaway yet,

you can do that here.

I will announce the winner Thanksgiving morning!

We appreciate any and all prayers regarding our move

and job stuff. 

Happy Sewing.

Aprons for Christmas -A Giveaway!

Christmas Aprons!

Preparation for the holidays means lots

and lots of time spent in the kitchen.

And so you simply MUST have a darling, 

festive apron!

And, it would be even more fun if your 

little ones have matching aprons!

The Yaya's Apron pattern provides

5 sizes in one Ebook.

Because, little ones get messy!

And don't you think their dollies need aprons to match?

The dolly size fits an 18" doll.

You can even wear an apron over your pajamas

and feel well put together!

(yes, you are seeing Ahnalin in PJs from Target! 

Sigh.... I am busy with customs and packing to move so 

I had to buy her some pjs......)

Last year I  made matching aprons 

for India, Ahnalin, and my niece Emma

for our cookie baking day. 

It was snowing outside and I could not get the girls

out of their jammies,

so they just put the aprons over the top and started baking.

I even embroidered their names on them!

The Yaya's Apron front has a nice open space

for embroidery. 

So, why am I reminding you of 

all the fun things about my Yaya's Apron pattern?

Well.........

I don't want you to forget that you can make your own

Yaya's Aprons for yourself,

your friends, 

your family,

or even to sell.

You can purchase the Ebook

from my Etsy store here

or by clicking on the box at the upper right of my blog.

The Ebook is $9.95 and 

provides a misses (one size fits most) size,

3 children's sizes and a dolly size!

And now for the Giveaway......

How do you get to receive a colorful, 

festive and fun Yaya's Apron 

in the size of your choice from me?

You can have 5 entries, 

so leave a comment for each separately.

1. Leave a comment about your favorite apron memory.

2. Become a follower or tell me if you are one.

3. Become a friend of Sivjegoose on Facebook.

4. Follow me on Twitter and post this giveaway.

5. Post about this giveaway on your blog or on your Facebook page.

The winner will receive a Christmas Yaya's Apron in the size of their choice,

made by me!

I am busy packing for our move, 

and sewing a custom smocked dress for a client so I am going

to give you until Wednesday night to enter.

I will draw the winner and on Thanksgiving morning!!

And next week, I will list some aprons on my Etsy store

if you just want to purchase a Christmas Yaya's Apron.

Happy Sewing Everyone!