Layouts From the Farm

Here are the layouts I did at the farm---I can't believe that was two weeks ago already. Time is just flying by.

 Journaling: When we were kids, we looked forward to recess at school. Basically, for us that meant playing on the blacktop Church parking lot---no playground for us. We played dodge ball and jump rope until one of the 8^th graders stood on the top step of the school and rang the giant hand bell---signaling that recess was over.

Today, the activities have changed, but recess is still the same---it’s all about hanging with friends. We take trips together, float in the pool, have “Movie Mondays” and monthly cultural outings. The difference these days is that we have no one telling us when recess is over. In fact, every day is one long recess after another!!

 My journaling:

It’s funny that I own two sewing machines---considering I don’t even know how to sew! I got my first Singer when I was 8 years old. Aunt Marie gave it to me for Christmas. I was thrilled. However, I never managed to master it and never created a single thing. I had a brief stint at sewing in the 80’s when I made some simple curtains, straight lines, sheered on a rod. It wasn’t until I started scrapbooking that I decided I needed a sewing machine again. And now that I have it, I rarely use it. In fact, when the bobbin ran out, it was nearly a year before a friend was over and filled it for me. Most of my sewing now is done when we are scrapbooking at the farm---where I use Karolyn’s machine. Still, there’s something about a Singer that makes me feel like I can really sew!

Advice from a Singer sewing manual from 1949.

Prepare yourself mentally for sewing. Good results are difficult when indifference predominates. Never try to sew with a sink full of dirty dishes or beds unmade. When there are urgent housekeeping chores, do these first so your mind is free to enjoy your sewing. When you sew, make yourself as attractive as possible. Put on a clean dress. Have your hair in order, powder and lipstick on. If you are constantly fearful that a visitor will drop in or your husband will come home and you will not look neatly put together, you will not enjoy your sewing.

 I stitched the "sewing" part of the title.

 "Flora of the Mediterranean"

"and you can't fill him up!" Sandy wrote the journaling:
Mitchell and his friends just got back from the party. It’s midnight. There are 7 boys total spending the night. Theya re having a “snack before they watch their movie. This is what they are eating: fried chicken, prinles, leftover Halloween candy (full size candy bars), Parmesan pretzel crisps, and donuts (which were supposed to be their breakfast). I guess I’ll be going to the grocery store tomorrow as they’ve eaten our breakfast, lunch and snack that I had planned for us to eat tomorrow

"when it comes to art, we are just not Museum People"

On our Eads’ girls, Spring Break trip of 2014, we started our Saturday with breakfast at The Plaza Hotel in The Palm Court. The plan was that after breakfast, we were going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I had already bought the tickets through Groupon for a discount from $25.00 to $18.00. We were on quite a tight time schedule. The girls had more shopping that they wanted to do. So, I went on to the museum to scope out the best exhibits. They were to meet me at noon. We had 2 p.m. matinee tickets for Motown. After about an hour at the museum, I had seen everything I wanted to see and realized that there was really nothing that the girls would enjoy. I called them and told them to take their time shopping. We ended up meeting back at the hotel. We went out and shopped a little more before the theater. We are just not art museum people.

 On this layout, "Eads' Girls Spring Break 2014" I made a pocket page for memorabilia and our itinerary.

 "gotta love these photos"

 "Happy Thanksgiving"

 "Happy Thanksgiving"

 This border on the left are actually tags from a set of fall placemats. I loved the color and design.

 I punched medallions and then stitched them down with the sewing machine.

 "professional woman?"

 I used these quotes from Mindy on the page as the journaling.

 I made a pocket to hold several things that I wanted to preserve.

 This is the end page for my family album.

 I've had this quote for a long time and was just waiting for the right time to use it.

This is the title page for my family album. I stitched the buttons down, but let the thread run over the top across the page. I saw that somewhere and filed it in the back of my mind.

 "It all started as a joke" the journaling:

It was just a joke...(told by mom)

Elizabeth was having a friend over after school so Mitchell was picking up Victoria from the bus to allow Elizabeth and her friend more time to play. Greg was off work for the day so he and I (Sandy) went together to pick up Elizabeth and her friend from school. We picked up the girls and were almost home when I received a text from Victoria saying that Mitchell is out with his friends and is not picking her up after all. I tried to call Mitchell to find out what was going on, but he doesn't answer his phone. Now Greg and I are pretty angry at Mitchell and have no choice but to turn around and go back to Elizabeth's school to pick up Victoria as that's where the bus stop is. I continue to text and call Mitchell, all to no avail. Greg is fuming and trying to think of a punishment for Mitchell. Meanwhile, Elizabeth and her friend are sitting in the back seat lamenting about how they aren't going to have much time to play now. We are almost back to Elizabeth's school when Victoria texts me saying that she is now with Mitchell and they are on their way home. I immediately call her to find out what the heck is going on. It turns out that Mitchell was on his way to get Victoria all along. He was just teasing her about being with his friends. He thought it would be a funny joke knowing how worked up she gets about not being picked up on time. He wasn't answering his phone or texts because he was driving and isn't supposed to use his phone. Once again Greg and I turn around and head back home. We are still mad but realize that Mitchell really hadn't done anything wrong, therefore we couldn't really punish him and really couldn't be angry with him either.  We finally arrived home only to have Mitchell and Victoria pull in about 5 minutes behind us. So much for trying to allow Elizabeth and her friend to have more time to play. Sometimes the best laid plans go awry!

 "You are dead to me"---the journaling in Mitchell's words:

Victoria does not like to be picked up late from the bus.  She wants mom waiting for her when the bus pulls into the parking lot.  She gets anxious/nervous if she even thinks that she might be late.  Because mom knows this is an issue for her, she is never late and Victoria hasn't ever had to wait for her...except for once...  One afternoon as mom was on her way to pick Victoria up from the bus, she got a phone call from me (Mitchell).  I had locked my keys in the car at the gas station and needed mom to come and unlock my door. I had to borrow a cell phone from a stranger to call mom, as mine was locked in my car. Mom said, “No problem---I'll be there in ten minutes.”---knowing that this little detour would cause her to be late picking up Victoria from the bus. She called her to let her know what was going on and that she might be a little late. Her response to mom was, "are you kidding me!"  Needless to say, she wasn't happy about this. Anyway, mom got to the gas station and quickly unlocked my door. She hurried off to pick up Victoria. I started forwarding the texts that Victoria has sent to me since mom called her about running a little late.  There were two texts.  The first one says, "How stupid can you be!"--- And the second one says, "You are dead to me!" Victoria is furious at me because I caused mom to be late picking her up. She was mad at mom too. I think her angry texts are hilarious.  Mom arrived at the bus stop and picked up a fuming Victoria---who remained angry for the better part of the afternoon.  All this anger and she was only FIVE MINUTES late getting picked up! 

 "we thee WED"---I made a pocket in the large photo for my mom and dad's marriage license.