Girls Night Out

Basement Bags @ The Lakes

The Lakes, a local wedding/party venue, hosted a "Girls Night Out" for brides & bridesmaids last night. The owner invited local businesses to come 'meet & greet' , set up displays, and take orders. Bonus Daughter #1 (on the right, isn't she beautiful!) worked at The Lakes during college, so she helped me set up and take orders. It was our first 'show' ... I really enjoyed it & appreciate so much that Dana was with me. Hubby helped set up the computer with a slide show, which was a big hit, and he printed the banner. We didn't have much notice (and life has been crazy busy this week!) so I didn't have time to really prepare. Still, our display wasn't too bad. We did get tickled at how many people mentioned that they knew someone that sold 'Thirty-one' or how much they loved their 'Vera' bags....I very graciously told them that 'Basement Bags' were much better quality and that we have many more personalization options, not to mention all the 'love' I give every item. Anyway...it was a fun night and now I must get busy because my desk is covered with orders.

Hope you have something wonderful planned for today!

Kissin' cousins

As for blogging...I got nothing.
Just wanted to share these precious CuTees that I just finsihed for cousins Isaac & Nikole. You can still order treats in time for Valentine's Day (Feb. 2 is cutoff).
Hey, Daughters if you are reading, there are boxes of Heart shaped Little Debbie's in the pantry with your name on 'em !
Is it Friday yet?

9 yrs. in the making!

What is significant about this picture, you ask? It shows the completion of the ceiling in the Basement...a project that was started 9 years ago. You see, hubby ran out of tiles (about 4-5 short) & light panels and just never bought the rest and finished the ceiling. We are VERY different when it comes to projects. Whatever I start, I finish (as quickly as possible)...he can have 'projects in progress', as I call them, for y-e-a-r-s and it doesn't bother him one little bit. I have not nagged about it and knew he'd get around it finishing one day. Yesterday while I was at school (yes, school on Saturday...snow make up day) he got the materials and actually finished the ceiling...it looks great. Walls painted, shelves installed, new office furniture, ceiling finished, new carpet...the Basement is all done and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!! Oh, of course if we win the lottery or something all the 'plastic storage thingys' will be replaced with real cabinets, but for now we are good to go!

Whatever you are doing today....

....it has to be better than this! Holes in the ceiling, holes in the walls, vanity in the bedroom (sigh!). Our house is being re-plumbed today...Yea! for new pipes and no more leaks...Boo! for messed up house and mega-thinning of the wallet! I know many normal women would be excited and use this as an excuse to re-decorate the whole house. Another testaments to my 'abnormalness'...I love our house and plan for it to stay the same forever! Well, that WAS the plan. We'll see if those paint guys can match 10 year old hunter green and periwinkle. Ha!

With all this going on my only defense is to stay in the Basement and make cute stuff!

I think we are going back to school tomorrow. After evelen days (weekends included) off, it will be a challenge to do it.

What?

No school this entire week and our Saturday makeup day has also been canceled. It is not for me to question the wisdom of those making the decisions, but five straight days out is a first in my memory. Honestly, every minute of being at home has been pure joy....I was so meant to be June Cleaver or something! Anyway, one day we'll have exams, finish first semester and maybe I'll get in the mood to teach again.

Zeta Tau Alpha

My project today was sorority t-shirts for a former student, Mallory. I've been planning to add sorority items to the website, but just haven't gotten around to making samples. Had to do some research into the type of fabric used for the background letters (tackle twill) and then some digging to find a place to order (Twill USA). Fabric arrived yesterday and the experimenting started this morning. The fact that Mallory is a Zeta (my sorority!) made it all the more fun. Her Dad actually ordered the key fob as a stocking stuffer this past Christmas. I have several sets of Greek letters, traditional & funky...applique & embroidery...monstrous amounts of fabric...sooooo many options. Designs would look great on apparel, towels & other linens, totes, lunch bags, cosmetic bags...really anything from the Basement. If you need sorority/fraternity stuff, please keep me in mind!
Time for a Netflix date with my favorite guy! Happy Weekend.

Optional?

So today was an Optional Teacher Workday in my county. I opted to stay home. I finished these precious burp cloths for a customer in Japan ("Thank You" American Armed Service Families!). Call me lazy, scrutinize my work ethic, accuse me of loving my basement, say I'd rather sew than work...I'm guilty of all. Unfortunately, there probably won't be a choice tomorrow...I'll go kicking and screaming cheerfully back to school and love every minute of it. (hopefully on a two or three hour delay!...lol)

Enough already!

I'm not a big fan of snow in the first place,

yes, it's pretty

and the boys enjoy it,

but it's not exactly how I want to spend my 'Spring Break' if you know what I mean. Oh well, I'll take the extra sewing time any day. Y'all stay safe & warm.

What can you do in 12 hours?

At 10 am the Basement looked like this...a mess! everything piled up in one area

At 10 pm the Basment looked like this...back to normal with NEW CARPET!!!

I totally love it! Can't even tell you how tired we are or how much my back aches. I'm so jealous of people who just 'hire out' this kind of stuff, yet there is something very rewarding to DIY projects. Besides, I'm too cheap...lol. Hannie & Josh came to help have dinner. Seriously, they were great and we enjoying spending time with them! That poor girl is so much like me it's not funny....thank goodness she is smart and pretty!

We are bracing for another snow event and I didn't have time to pick up bread & milk today! Isn't that just the silliest thing?

Y'all stay safe & warm.

Sweet Dreams.

New Tote?

Large Quilted Totes

On Sale - $28.00 (includes monogram)

Lots of colors and patterns available

Get yours here

Fix List

Looking forward to the New Year and getting back to something resembling our 'normal' life. This is what's on my mind and the game plan for the coming year:

• I was a good American and gained 5-7 lbs. during the holidays...that's gotta go!


• Mama is home & getting well...be a better daughter, visit more often (you too, Pa)


• What day is it? feels like Sunday...Church attendance is going to improve


• I am a fretter, especially about everything the girls & their lives...help more, worry less


• Basement Bags had a good year, still feels like just a profitable hobby...keep personal & business finances separate!

Not really calling these 'resolutions', but they certainly are areas of my life that need improvement. What's on your 'fix list' for 2011?