Downton Abbey...My New Favorite TV Show

I recently did a book review of The Maid of Fairbourne

Hall by Julie Klassen and learned about the way things are

run in a Hall in England. I've been fascinated ever since

that book review and then came upon Downton Abbey on
PBS channel last month. I then found out that the Season 1 

of Downton Abbey was also on Netflix as well. I can 

tell you that on Tuesday we watched all of it in one sitting

while packing all our 72 hour backpacks for emergencies.

(I figure if we're going to watch this we might as well be 

doing something useful at the same time..)

Yes, it's that good and soo addicting. I love the characters 

and can't wait to see Season 2. The costumes are exquisite

and I just can't get enough. The girls love to watch for 

the fashion. I just like that it's somthing different from
what's on tv every night.

Which is another reason I want to get my sewing on!
I've been searching for all types of Edwardian patterns
that I can get my hands on. My favorite is the Gibson
Girl blouse top pattern that can be found on amazon.com

The Cast of Downton Abbey..

The Crawley Sisters of Downton Abbey in Vogue

Click here for the article.

The Crawley Sisters & their mother. 

Thank goodness it's Sunday tomorrow. I always find myself 

counting down the days until Masterpiece Theatre comes on. 

Handing Out Mother's Cookies at Work

Yesterday was a great day at work. My second day and what's
more fun than getting paid to hand out cookies and coupons?
I had so many women taking a sample and leaving the coupon
saying that they'd eat the whole bag if they bought it. Others
just beamed as soon as they saw the Circus Animal cookies
and said that it reminded them of their childhood. I had to take
a picture of it and forward it to my supervisors. Hope they ok
it. I sold out of cookies by my 4:10 pm. and then got my paper
work signed by the manager, cleaned up and then headed home.

Today's going to be even better! I'm going to be passing out
Oreo cookies, Oreo 100th birthday party hats and $1/1 coupons.
I'll be asking shoppers to sample a free Oreo and have a Oreo
licking contest where winners will win a free Oreo 100th Birthday
Sticker. I love my part-time job!

I'll update you later on a picture and what happened. Other than
that I'm going to turn in for an hour then get up to wake the kids
for school. oops, forgot it's Saturday today.. Happy Saturday!

My New Favorite Hobby....Sewing

Yes, my friends..ever since I became a seamstress 

at Beehive Clothing. I walked away wanting to sew

more. So I bought myself a new machine. After 

paying bills, I decided to go with something afford

able and that wasn't going to break down on me. 

I've only had experience on the commercial power

machines and figure the home machines should be

a cinch. So I got on to Craftsy.com bought a few 

courses on sewing dresses, couture techniques,

hand tailoring and more. I'm telling you, it's addicting! 

first one class, then another one! I'm also addicted to

Pinterest and all the lovely DIY, Cooking and Sewing

ideas found on there.

So far I've sewn a plaid scarf (from a pillowcase) off 

a tutorial I found on Pinterest. Now I'm waiting for a 

Vogue pattern arriving any day now for the Couture 

Dress tutorial I signed up for on Craftsy! So excited

about my new hobby, I stocked up on items I might

need for upcoming projects at Walmart this morning.

So I wouldn't have to run to the store for a while.

Here's what I've found fun to make so far from 

Pinterest. I'll update you later on how I did with the

Couture Dress Tutorial and the Starlet Suit Jacket 

Tutorial. Want to check out a free tutorial? They 

have one on how to make Dipped, Dusted & Rolled

Handmade Chocolates. I love that one!

The tutorial is here at Vermillion Rules

My version of The T-Shirt Ruffle Scarf! 

(took me a minute or two to make it!)

My trusty Janome machine. I'm wanting the
Threadbanger machine, but that one sold out
on Amazon.com, so this one will do for now:)

new sewing tools, most of them were .97c ea.
at Walmart.

What are your favorite hobbies?

Latest Updates....

Hi Friends! It's been a while since I've been on here and
alot has happened since I last posted from Salt Lake. I'm
currently back in Portland and working again. This time,
I'm getting my contractor license back up again to be able
to start working and pay off my son's mission coming up
pretty soon. How much? $10k....Yes, my eldest son is
going to be 19 on the 10th this month and getting ready
to put in his papers to serve the Lord. I'm so excited for
him and the road he's chosen to take. I found a little part
time job on the side that's part time and the pay isin't so
bad. I'm sure you're itching to find out...I'm started last
week as a product demonstrator for $12 an hour. That's
not bad, considering people are out there looking for a job.
I thought it was something to do in my spare time while
getting everything set up again for the business.

Last week, we finally received our tax refund and paid
some bills and saved the rest to get re-licensed and all.
I really miss Salt Lake and my old job at Beehive Clothing.
It was a wonderful environment to work in and I made
friendships for a lifetime. Now, I'm on to a new chapter
and new things. On my exit interview with my supervisor,
she gave me some great advice and told me that I can
always come back there someday if the family moves
back to Salt Lake again.

Taking her advice, I'm keeping myself busy these days
with the kids, working and starting the hobbies I've
always wanted to start but kept putting off. (That's on
my next post) Although I was really busy in Salt Lake
working and all, I did shed some 35 pounds when I was
there. When I got there I weighed 300 pounds, coming
back, I finally got the chance to weigh myself and
really glad to see that I now weigh 265. I still am trying
to go down to my weight goal of 180 pounds. That's
another post as well..

How was your week?

 

A Visit to The House of The Lord

I finally got to pay a visit to the temple last Saturday with a 

cousin of mine. [Her dad and my dad are cousins.] We got 

together at work during lunch to walk and talked about 

how she's always going to the temple on the weekends, 

and I thought about how it's been a year or so, that I haven't

gone. So I asked her if I could come along too. 

I've always wanted to get away for an hour to pray and 

meditate on the things that I'm currently struggling with 

and ask for God's blessings in everything I do. Since I've

gone with my cousin, things have been starting to fall in 

place for me, I'm more at peace with where I'm at in 

life and striving to keep moving forward. 

Lani and I are sort of in the same situation right now. 

We're both married mothers, solo parents and so we 

understand each other. Her dh is in the islands and I'm 

still separated with my dh, yet he's in Portland and I'm

here in Salt Lake with the kids. 

She's so strong and has taught me many things about 

being more patient, forgiving and understanding. I'm 

glad that she's in my life right now and hope that some

day I can help her like she's helped me. 

I haven't had many friends like her that are honest and 

strive to live a Christ like life. I wish her the best in all 

that she does and that things may go her way soon. 

We've talked about getting together to get our children's

72 hour kits/backpacks ready for any upcoming emerg

encies and maybe introducing the kids to each other. 

Nesi's got a birthday coming up so I'm planning on

 inviting her and her children to stop by and have

some fun with my kids. While we get some mommy 

time to talk with the other mothers. 

I hope that you may cherish the friendships you have, 

It really helps when you have a network of friends that

are positive and non judgmental to help you get through

the good and bad times in your life. 

Seeing Ami off to Hawaii

My two oldest ones pictured above before my son, Ami heads

off to Hawaii to work with my uncle. I'm so proud that Ami 

has chosen to put in his papers to serve his mission this December. 

A couple of weeks ago he received his Melchizedek priesthood 

along with his bestie, Braxton Tuiono and it was a joyous time 

for both our families. 

My dad thought that it would be great for Ami to meet his 

cousins in Hawaii and work with his uncle to save up for his 

mission. Ami was kinda sad to leave, so am I. But, I believe

this will build his character. I told him it won't be that long. 

His little brother told me last night that his big brother must

be homesick and that we should send him back home. I 

agree, but we'll give him two weeks. If he doesn't like it there 

we can always send him back. I miss him already and hope 

he's making wise choices, helping out at the house and cleaning

up after himself. 

Congrats Luti and hubby!

I'm so beat from the last 3 days. My mother, sister-Meliani and I
got together to make a wedding cake for my cousin Lutimila who
got married today to her sweetheart she's been dating for 7 years.

I got off of work at 11:30 pm last night and stayed up all night til'
this morning baking cakes with my mom, Tia and Meliani getting
ready to prep them for Luti's wedding reception yesterday. We
were debating on whether we should do fondant or buttercream.
Looks like buttercream won this round.

We went with apple spice cake with walnuts and pecans, red
velvet cake with cream cheese filling and buttercream frosting.
Meliani's ideas was for the flowers between the tiers, she was
inspired by Ron Ben Israel's cake designs.

Congrats Lutimila and her hubby!!