GOODBYE 2015, IT'S BEEN REAL...

...and hello 2016.  To all my fellow bloggers, sewers and PeriCrafters

SHAKING MY HEAD...

... the new

website has me shaking my head!!!  Either I don't know what I'm doing, or the website is hard to maneuver.  I just want to delineate and look at the "NEW PATTERNS", not all 9,000 listed on the site.

Am I the only one have a hard time maneuvering the new site???

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS...

...

As I reminisce on happy Christmas' past, and take the time to reflect on the enormous blessing of Christmas present, my pray today more than ever before is for PEACE ON EARTH AND GOOD WILL TOWARD ALL MEN not just today but in the year to come...

FRIDAY BIRTHDAY WEAR...

...

Not quite enough candles on my virtual cake, but it was such a lovely day.  Received ALL but ONE of my most important birthday calls (poor thing - he forgot!).  The first call was from my MaMa, and we talked about the day of my birth!  I learn something new every time we have this discussion.  Today I learned my birth weight, and how the mid-wife weighed me - (yes, mid-wife), interesting.  And I thanked my MaMa for birthing me!

WORK WEAR FRIDAY:  Jacket:  Simplicity A1738 -  Made in a pontederoma knit.  An easy Wardrobe Staple believe me!  I need to make another one in a bright color.  Didn't like this jacket when I first made it, but LOVE it now and get so much wear out of it. (Just grab it - throw it on and go.   Skirt:  Colette Mable Patterns - Mable of course - Made in a polka-dot pontederoma knit.  Needed to add red as my pop of color today for a school picture.

 

 

 

 

 

Believe me, I thank God for living to see another brand new year and celebrating yet another birthday. 

TELLER AT THE BANK TODAY:  "Happy Birthday"!
ME:  How did you know?
TELLER:  I'm looking at your information.
ME:  Oh, why thank you!
TELLER:  I hope I look as good as you when I turn that age.
ME:  (Crickets... realizing she actually knew my age) (Big smile, realizing it was indeed a compliment) I hope you do too hun-ty!!!!

SERIOUSLY WRAPPED UP IN MY LOVE...

...I wanted to make something nice for my Baby Doll Alondra, not a Christmas present per se, but rather something to wrap her up in a little bit in her Mama's love on chilly days.  As mentioned before, I made McCall's 6209     

poncho/wrap/coat (or whatever you want to call it) for myself  twice last winter and seriously LOVE both of them to pieces.  I remember asking my daughter if she's like a poncho. She answered, "no, not really" because she just didn't think she'd wear it.  But again this year these things are trending and she is seeing more and more of them being worn.  Besides, I sort of insisted she have one and purchased this loose weave wool blend from Hancock's in the summer while it was DIRT CHEAP with this pattern and her in mind.  (Mama always knows best!.)

Really, I love this one just as much as two that I made for myself.  If it wasn't earmarked for my daughter I'd change my mind and keep it for my selfish self (haha).  Here's the trio that I mailed to her earlier this week.

I hope she knows that she is ALWAYS seriously wrapped up in my love...

#SEWING LIFE...

... a whole lot of things happen in my sewing life, for instance:

• Patching a pillow sham for a friend
• Replacing a zipper in a pair of pants; hemming pants,
• and of course you also know I delve into an occasional pattern or two -  constructing garments for my daughter and myself.

But every now and then a little excitement comes out of my sewing room. Recently I had the pleasure of making a custom skirt for this young lady.  I'm just loving her festive Retro Vibe.

Photograph courtesy of Mandy Shuttleworth

 

Her name is Ren and she is part of a local group called Roxy's Vixens.

 Photograph courtesy of Mandy Shuttleworth

The group recently participated in an event where they sang carols on Carroll Street down in downtown Perry, Georgia - how Christmas-y.  You can check out their Facebook page here.  Ren gave me an opportunity to step outside the usual realm of my sewing life.  Hopefully I'll get to do that more, and more in the upcoming year...

LINDA'S TIPS...

...I love a machine with one-step buttonhole capabilities - which most machines have now,

that is until I want to make a buttonhole that is over One (1) Inch in size - which is sometimes the case (like with a jacket or on a coat). I have been known to FORCE a 1 1/8 inch button into this foot with pretty good results.
 
But, there are times when I want to use big ornate buttons - what then???  During times like that I am FORCED to make a bound buttonhole - which I am capable of doing.  I have made some pretty decent bound buttonholes (if I might say so myself)  but most times I'm lazy and just do not want to take the extra time to make them.

This week I'm working on another

McCall's 6209

McCall's 6209, this time for my Daughter which does not involve buttons but does incorporate four 2" buttonhole openings to accommodate the self tie belt.  I decided to make the buttonhole openings freehand on my machine without the buttonhole foot - which was a first for me, but I thought what the heck!

Don't laugh at the slightly crooked lines drawn on my stabilizer

A little hard staying on the lines, but I double stitched each buttonhole

This shows the right side of the buttonhole on this tweedy wool blend fabric

The double stitched buttonhole is sturdy, and just the right size to accommodate the 2" self tie belt.

  Many of you have probably already done this before, but I thought I'd share just in case there's someone who hasn't.
What method do you use to make over sized buttonholes???

SECOND WATERFALL CARDIGAN OF THE MONTH...

...I decided that before I filed this pattern back in the drawer,

McCall's 7262

I'd go ahead and make one I'd planned for my Darling Daughter.  I pushed the envelope on this second waterfall cardigan and used a light weight stripped knit from Hancock's (mmmmmm!).  I did manage to get the side seams matched; and thankfully the buttonholes went in much easier than with the one I made earlier.

Turned out not too bad for a pattern that isn't actually suitable for stripes.  Hope my Baby Girl likes it!!!!

#WORKWEAR WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY...

...a couple of days ago on Facebook someone pulled up a picture of a cape I made last winter - since a lot of people really "liked" it  I decided to wear it today this week:  first because there was a little chill factor going on  at 37 degrees, and secondly because I LOVE IT! Both pieces of today's WORKWEAR are throwbacks from last winter. Here's the pattern combination that was worn on Wednesday:

McCall's 6209 & 7014

My falling madly in love with the designs that two other bloggers (Tasha & Michelle) made prompted me making the pieces.  I just knew the cape was ME when I first laid eyes on Tasha's, and it was such a good thing that I was able to find some wool herringbone tweed in my stash to make a jumper similar to the the one Michelle made for her daughter - I think I would have had a complete come-a-part if I hadn't.  I JUST HAD-TO-HAVE that dress!  When I first wore it the thing that made me feel so good was when a co-worker said, "I saw a dress just like that at the Ralph Lauren store this weekend, did you get it there?"  JACKPOT! for me as far as I was concerned!

Wednesday was a very good work wear day, so on Thursday I decided the cape deserved a replay.

McCall's 5978 & McCall's 6654

 

This time paired with my "snow flake" knit pencil skirt and a racer cut cowl neck racer cut top (which was frankenpatterned because I was HIGHLY obsessed with having at the time- need to make more for sure) cardi twin set I made way back in the day.

I just love a comfortable, non-restricted work wear day, since I'm moving non-stop interacting with 69 students during the course of the day...

#THE SEWING GOURMET...

...when temperatures start to turn chilly and I need some good comfort food, believe it or not -the first thing I think of is not CHILI...it's SOUP.  Yes, good old Vegetable Beef Soup.  I usually make it using a nice chuck roast that I cut into cubes myself (per my MaMa because now a days stew beef is  trimmed far too lean to make a good really good stock - and she's right).  But this time I made soup using regular old cubed steak.  Inexpensive but, for me usually tough no matter how I cook it, but it works really well in a soup.   I thought it was an interesting recipe when I first found it  and have made it numerous times so I thought I'd share here.  Hope you will try and enjoy.

STEAK SOUP

A quick and easy meal to prepare and delicious

Drained Canned or frozen vegetables may be used instead of fresh

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 pound of Cube Steak, cut into 2" cubes (can substitute sirloin steak, or beef stew if you like)

1 Large Onion, chopped

1 Cup Carrots, diced

1 Cup Celery, diced

1 Cup Sliced Okra (Hey, I'm from the South - gotta have it, but you can leave it out if you like)

3 Cans Low-Sodium Beef Broth, OR (2 tubes of Knorr Homestyle Stock dissolved in 3 1/2 Cups of Water)

2 Bay Leaves

1 151/2 Ounce  can Diced Tomatoes, with juice

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

1 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning

1 Tsp. Granulated Garlic Powder

1 Tsp. Seasoned Salt

Freshly Ground Pepper to taste

Salt to taste

In a large pot, heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add half the steak and cook, stirring frequently, until well browned on all sides.  Remove steak with a slotted spoon.  Repeat with another Tablespoon of Olive oil and the remaining steak, removing steak from pot once the meat is browned.

Reduce heat to medium-low and add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of Olive to the pot.  Add the onion and saute about 5 minutes.  Add carrots and salt and continue sauteing another 3 minutes.  Add ALL remaining ingredients and cooked steak to the pot, and stir to combine.  Bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pot to dislodge any brown bits from cooking the steak.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

I serve with shell pasta that has been cooked on the side - not in the soup and drained, and Corn Muffins on the side so it looks something like this

What's one of your "go to" comfort foods for chilly days????

#IT'S A WRAP...

...#IT'S A WRAP - my coat that is.  While muslins,  and horsehair interfacing, and padstitching  and underlining, were flying all over my sewing room for five whole weeks, this fall scene was sort of what I was envisioning.  I had wanted  a plaid coat for a full year, and it was finally coming to life.  I really wanted more of a woodsy fall back drop; but it's hard enough to schedule busy peoples time - let alone get them to go traipsing off to the forest just to take you a picture of you.  So I settled for this grassy area next to the back parking lot at work.

We finally had a brisk 36 degree morning so I jumped at the chance to wear my new creation.  I even pulled out my Fedora today in honor of my sew friend Andrea at Sew to Fit.   This is not a scowl on my face trust me - the sun had me.  I LOVE the way the coat fits, I really do - no tugging, no pulling but just enough roominess for comfortable wear.

There - here's just a little smile for you!  My lining of choice for winter coats is crepe back satin.  Love the stuff - it makes my coats look rich and luxurious inside.  Of course I incorporated a jump hem in the construction of the lining - so there's no pulling and my interfaced hem lies in placevgood and flat.

I did my very  best in matching this uneven plaid.  But try as I might there are some places that just didn't quite work out but I pressed on and kept it moving.  Regardless, I incorporated my very best effort in the construction of the coat.

Isn't "walking away" a traditional pose at the end of a photo shoot?  I thought so...

#BLOGLIKECRAZY: WHAT'S GOING ON NOW...

...as you know, my #BlogLikeCrazy challenge was officially over on November 30th.  I must say that the last week of the challenge was the toughest of all, BUT I was DETERMINED to see it through to the very end - and I did!  The thing that helped me most was my Editorial Calendar.  I'd heard of editorial calendars before, and even considered using one but never did.  But for this challenge I thought it wise to take the advice of the challenge organizer, Javacia H. Browser of See Jane Write to put one to work.  And work it did...

My calendar ended up looking a hot mess, but it helped me through 30 days of posting.

On December 1st, the day after the challenged ended, I really wanted to write a blog post because not posting made me feel like something was missing like a long lost friend - so I resisted the urge.  I've even had several people ask "if I was planning on posting EVERY DAY even after the challenge was over".  After that question you could hear the sound of crickets in the room.  Really!, I do love my blog, but I doubt very seriously that I could keep up that pace for very long.

I am one of 8 people that took and finished the challenge and we were all mentioned on the host's blog today - you can also read about the other 7 challenge completers.

Faye of Faye’s Sewing Adventure

Faye Lewis started sewing in junior high and it was tough, but she kept at it for 15 years. Then she stopped. Being a business owner was taking up all her time. “But after several years of searching for a creative outlet, it was God who whispered in my ear ‘Why don’t you start sewing again!'” Faye says. Sewing has been her passion again ever since. Now after blogging every day for 30 days, we’re hoping writing will become a passion of hers too. Follow her sewing and blogging adventures at fayessewingadventure.blogspot.com.

#BloggingLikeCrazy was so much fun and a lot of work.  I'd really like to thank the ladies who helped me by doing interviews and guest posts, and of course I'd like to thank you for stopping in and reading here...

#BLOGLIKECRAZY DAY 30: LINDA'S TIPS, PRETTY PATTERN WEIGHTS...

...I first saw pattern weights similar to these listed on an Esty Store -list price about $25.00 for 6 of them.  Although I don't consider myself a very crafty person, I thought I could easily make a set for much less.  So back in 2011 I thought I'd give it a try and sure enough it was an easy project!  You can read my initial post as well as see a pictorial of how I made them HERE. 

Of course I had to add LOTS of Pink and was able to find plenty of colorful grosgrain ribbon for the project.

Works excellent for straight cutting...

#BLOGLIKECRAZY DAY 29: LINDA'S TIPS...

...first of all, I cannot believe that it's the 29th of the month!  Time has flown, Thanksgiving is already past history - so that means that Christmas will be tomorrow - Right? (lol).

Today I decided to work on another waterfall cardigan since the pattern was already out. 

McCall's 7262

I had already planned on make one for my Darling Daughter using this light weight gray and black stripped sweater knit from Hancock's.

Numerous markings needed to be made (dots and other construction indicators) for the pattern.  I just did not feel like making tailor tacks today (lazzzy, I know), so I decided to use my colorful tiny adhesive dots to mark instead.  I find using them very helpful when marking knits.   

The adhesive dots stick just long enough for me to get the job done, and saves me a WHOLE lot of time with marking.  When I posted the tip on Instagram a commenter added that pieces of masking tape work for marking as well.  After she added masking tape I then though about using painter's tape. All of these are easily removable, won't cause any damage to the fabric at all and speed the marking time up..

Thought I'd post this just in case it would be helpful to someone else.
DO YOU HAVE ANY HANDY MARKING TIPS???

#BLOGLIKECRAZY DAY 28: CASCADE OR WATERFALL...

...some call this design cascading; some call it waterfall when referring to draping effect of the front panels.  I prefer waterfall because it sounds more romantic.

MCCALL'S 7262

 My client chose this mid-weight gray and black sweater knit from Hancock's that raveled off in small chunks rather than in shedding strings - not her fault - neither of us knew it was going to be like that.  Sewing through 2 layers turned out to be quite bulky, however; and caused a little stress when sergering - but it had to be serged.

All went well during construction,  only 4 pattern pieces. The hardest part of the project was putting in the button holes - uggh, gave me a real FIT!, thank goodness there were only 3 of them.  After many practice runs I had to end up pulling out an older sewing machine to complete the buttonholes.

The front bands went on effortlessly compared to others of this type that I have made.  All in all this was a nice 2 day project for me, and I think I'll be making it again for my daughter while I still have the pattern out.

HAVE YOU MADE ONE OF THE DRAPED NECK (CASCADING/WATERFALL DESIGNS) YET???

#BLOGLIKECRAZY DAY 27: ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES....

...in the midst of trying to keep up with my 30 day blog challenge, there is some sewing going on here at Casa Lewis.  I guess I'd call this a bit of stash busting - I've made two knit pencil skirts from remnants of other projects. You do know that a #2 pencil skirt is just my style - and I love wearing them with booties or boots during the fall/winter season.

#2 pencil skirts, essential pencil skirts call then whatever you like, but a good knit pencil skirt fits my style every day of the week. I got to thinking about all the possible outfits that I could compose from these two simple skirts.  I love mixing and matching outfits, as well as adding vibrant pops of color.  I pulled a few jackets and sweaters out of the closet to see what would work with my skirts and sort of pre-plan a few outfits for the upcoming weeks.  This is what I came up with thus far:

These sweaters and jackets will work equally as well with the stripped skirt  -  so there are endless possibilities from working with just a few pieces.

WHAT IS YOUR PROCESS FOR EXTENDING YOUR WARDROBE??? 

#BLOGLIKECRAZY DAY 26: SO THANKFUL EVERY DAY...

...

It is such a wonderful season of the year.  The time that we set aside time to give thanks for all that God has done for us and given us.  I try my best to remember to take a moment EVERYDAY to pause and give thanks for my family and friends, my home, my job and my health.

Wishing you and your family a safe and loving Thanksgiving Day!

#BLOGLIKECRAZY DAY 25: A MONTH OF FIRSTS...

 ...if you've been kind enough to tag along with me during my 30 Day #BLOGLIKECRAZY Challenge, you've notice that I've done several "FIRSTS":  my first series of INTERVIEWS, and now, the first of several GUEST POSTS.  It's been an adventure doing some of the things I've wanted to do for a long, long time; and finally stepping out on FAITH to ASK blogging friends to assist me.

On that note, I want to say a great big "THANK YOU" to the ladies who took time from their busy schedules to help me.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart of hearts...

Sew Crafty Chemist - Nakisha Smith

Hello! I'm Nakisha and I blog over at sewcraftychemist.blogspot.com. I'm a 'self-taught' sewer who has become absolutely addicted to this craft since I got my first machine in January of 2013. I cannot believe it's been almost 3 years and I have enjoyed the journey immensely.

I almost exclusively sew garments for myself but can be persuaded to sew for my daughter. My absolute favorite items to sew are pants and jackets and I've started coming around to skirts and dresses. I have over 550 patterns in the stash and untold fabric yardage.  Some of my favorite patterns are Vogue 9032, McCall's 6886 and 6996, and Simplicity 2369. 

If you follow me on IG you know that I am almost always wearing something handmade. I sew a lot and have nearly 250 projects recorded on Pattern Review!  Whew! I also have three closets that are mine, all mine. My family doesn't know that that isn't normal. Shhhh. Don't tell them!!

I am really active in the sewing community mostly because - addicted!!! I have had so much fun participating in contests and challenges - 2nd place in the Fabric Mart challenge last year! 1st place for PRs fitted blouse contest last year! 2nd place in this year's Wardrobe contest on PR! And now a Top 50 blogger for BurdaStyle!  It really helps me stretch myself and go outside of my comfort zone. And really, I get a lot out of just participating. Any sort of a win is a bonus. 

For the next few months you can find me once per month or so on the Fabric Mart blog. In those posts, I will try to show any fitting and construction steps that I think may be interesting; vs just showing the finished garment. 

I am often asked if I do tutorials or anything on my blog. Unfortunately, I don't. I will try to help answer questions when I can but I am just not the teacher type! The technical aspect of sewing comes naturally to me and I have a tough time explaining things to others. I do have a list of tips that I tell newbies who want to get started sewing!

Here are my beginner tips:

*First, it's just fabric. Really. Try to not to let the wadders get to you because EVERYONE has them. Even the really accomplished sewers!

*Be confident.  Can you do this? OF COURSE! Will you do it perfectly the first time? Probably not. Is that ok? YES!!

*Read the pattern instructions BEFORE you start the project. You may need to research techniques and it'll be much simpler if you're prepared before you get stuck on something. YouTube is invaluable.

*Fit your tissue paper. It's quick and simple. Fit for Real People, while the photos are outdated, is easy to understand and covers many fitting issues!

*Be amazed by your iron! AMAZED!!!!! The pressing of a seam completely changes the look of the item. And please press your knits! 

*Use like-RTW items to help you! I have used many RTW garments to understand certain aspects of construction!

*Practice. I know. I know. But you'll be more confident when you tackle the real thing! This goes for everything from sewing straight seams to buttonholes to welt pockets!

*Lastly, recognize your own progress.

One thing I like to do is compare remakes of patterns. Butterick 5678 (now OOP) is one of my TNTs. When I began sewing, one of the things I wanted to make so badly was a buttonfront shirt. In 2013, just a couple months after learning to sew, I attempted the pattern. About a year later I sewed it again without the atrocious collar stitching :-p. This year, I sewed it again, feeling fully confident with my (expensive!) Italian cotton shirting. 

What you don't see in version 2 is that I have snaps inserted between the buttons at the bust because I had MAJOR gaping! :) 

Comparisons like this really boosts my confidence as I tackle more complicated garments! 

Thank you for allowing me to share a little bit about myself and my sewing journey with you! I hope you find the 'sewing life' to be as fascinating as I do!

#BLOGLIKECRAZY DAY 24: #THE SEWING GOURMENT THROWS NO SHADE PATTY LABELLE...

UPDATE: 2 1/2 Teaspoons of Vanilla instead of Tablespoons
...that's right, I certainly would NEVER throw shade at grand diva Patty LaBelle.  I am always a big supporter of business owning sisters, and have always LOVED me some Patty LaBelle.  By now everyone has heard all about the Patty pies that Walmart cannot keep on the shelves.  This sister has it going on in the pie marketing arena, the pies have even been highlighted on the national news.  I'm no marketing expert, of course, but releasing the pies right at the beginning of  the Thanksgiving Season was GENUS!

You go on now Ms. Patty!  But I had to laugh out loud when I first heard about Patty's pie because our Sweet Potato Pies are called Aunt Pat's Pies.  The pie recipe that we use was developed by my expert pie baking sister, Patricia (Patty) Clark.   
 

My favorite picture of my baby sister Pat from her junior high school days.

AUNT PAT’S SWEET POTATO PIE

Pre-Heat oven to 350 degrees

NOTE:  Thaw pie crusts ahead of time

NOTE: AUNT PAT SAYS THAT THIS RECIPE IS FOR 2 REGULAR SIZED PIES 

5 TO 6 Medium to Large Sweet Potatoes

(You know, they say that North Carolina has the best sweet potatoes, and I agree)

1 Cup Sugar

2 sticks Margarine or Butter, at room temperature

3 Eggs, at room temperature

2- 1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla

½ Teaspoons Nutmeg, and ¼ Teaspoon Allspice OR use ¾ Teaspoon of Cinnamon

2 or 3 Regular Pie Crusts (I think Pet-Ritz are the best)

========================================================================

Scrub and wash then boil sweet potatoes whole in their skins in large pot of water until fork tender.

Pour off water, cool potatoes and then peel.

Place potatoes in a large mixing bowl, add butter and sugar.  Mix with electric mixer until mixture is a smooth consistency.  NOTE:  SOME POTATOES ARE STRINGY,  If potato strings get hooked around mixer beaters, remove them so they won’t get back into the pie mixture.  Beat until no strings appear around the beaters.

This is the time to taste the potato mixture for sweetness.  If the mixture is not sweet enough, add more sugar ¼ cup to ½ cup at a time until it is sweet enough for you.  If you manage to get the mixture  a little too sweet, don’t worry about it, because when you add the eggs some of the sweetness will be taken away.

Add 3 large room temperature eggs, 2 ½ teaspoons of Vanilla, Spices or Spice.  Continue beating the mixture until eggs and spices are well incorporated.  If you think the mixture is too soupie at this point, add 1 Tablespoon of Flour to the mixture to thicken.

Poke holes in bottom of pie crust.  Bake crusts just until lightly browned – DO NOT BURN!!!

Pour potato mixture into browned pie crusts. Place pies on a large cookie sheet.  Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow pies to cool thoroughly before slicing.    ENJOY!!!

Our Patty Pies hot out of the oven ready to enjoy!
We love them.  Wish we'd had the wherewithal to put these wonderful pies on the market!

#BLOGLIKECRAZY DAY 23: SOCIAL MEDIA - ENTERTAINMENT OR FULL-TIME JOB...

...  I have learned so much about social media platforms this year, but there is still just as much to be learned.  My teenage students are amazed whenever I join in on their social media conversations.  They say "whattttt!" when I say oh yes, and I  ALSO have a blog.  (Although we cannot follow each other until after they graduate.)   I do enjoy social media because it sort of opens the world to me and puts me in touch with so many new people.  With all the beeping and whistling of notifications, I often have to ask myself - is social media entertainment for me, or is keeping up with all of it becoming a FULL-TIME JOB???.

I find myself involved in:

INSTAGRAM  I came late to the party buy I've actually fallen deeply in love with Instagram!.  Although I basically post (is it called posting there too?) sewing related content  I THINK  I've built quite a "presence" there as #TheSewingGourmet (lol). Posting my gourment cuisine has been so much fun.  It's sort of funny when follower's try to invite themselves to dinner after I post one of my dishes.  But the most impressive thing happened when another sewing blogger asking for one of my self created recipes by Instagram message.  I was so flattered.   So my IG posts document my sewing projects as well as the foodie side of me.

.

PINTEREST  And I can't say enough about the sewing inspiration, helpful hints and tips and recipes that I've found on Pinterest.  It's a virtual gold mime of categorized information.   I really need to organize my Pinterest boards but that's another story for another day.  Guess what my most re-pinned pins are?

• turn your barbecue grill into a smoker http://bbq.about.com/od/rib1/ss/aa011009a.htm#step4 , and 
• phyllo chicken pot pie  http://www.tasteloveandnourish.com/2014/02/03/phyllo-chicken-pot-pie/.

I don't spend half the amount of time as I use to here, but I love knowing where to find my information when I need it - on one of my 105 Boards- that's where.  My plan is to connect my blog to Pinterest even more in the days to come.

FACEBOOK  Who isn't on Facebook?, it's an all time fav of many, I know.  It's quick, it keeps you updated on all the goings and comings of friend's and associates, and some people also use it to promote not only their blogs but their businesses as well.  I must admit that FB and IG has messed me up a bit with their "like/love" buttons.  It's so quick to just "like"  something and keep it moving or have the option of  commenting if you want to.



TWITTER  For some reason I've had a bit of a learning challenge in dealing with Twitter.  Working with it has not come as easy as working with the other platforms for me.  For one thing, I can't remember my password!, and when I request a reset the link always leads me to a non-working reset page, huh?  I have; however, discovered that I can use it easily from my Android so I have just recently started tweeting.  Hopefully I'll get more use from it in the days to come.

Now, PERISCOPE - now that's  a whole nother ball game.  I'm still a bit startled whenever I hear my phone whistle during the course of the day - and night for that matter.  When I hear it, I can't help wonder "who's live", even if I can't watch at the moment.  Although I've not done my first "scope" I am quite a watcher and follower (Is that a form of lurking?).  It could be my sewing teacher from Houston, Texas; or the Bridal Couturier from Augusta, Georgia; or the Fashion Designer from Charlotte, North Carolina who just made her FIRST winter coat in just 7 days when it too me a full month to make mine.  There's just no telling who it might be.  Oh my goodness, of all the social media platforms - right now this is my FAVORITE!  I've had to learn to scale down on Periscope early in the game.  As not to get pulled down the "rabbit hole" as I initially did with Pinterest, I've decided that I just don't have to watch every suggested scope - I'd never get ANY work done if I did.

And last, but certainly not least my baby, my blog FAYE'S SEWING ADVENTURE!  As you can imagine, this blog ranks first on my list of my social media involvement.  I've nurtured this platform since February 10, 2007 (almost 9 years).  Who would have thought it would have held my interest for that long?  It seems like only yesterday that I discovered sewing blogs and  said "oh, I want one of those".  I've learned so much about blogging and and have really worked on this thing.   It has grown and even evolved just a bit, and is a wonderful method of chronicling my sewing progress.   Oh, but I do have lots and lots of  plans for expansion one step at a time.  I really appreciate your tuning in to watch and read because you actually help me to grow!  

What is your social media platform of choice, and why...