Shelba

No. 838 The Fortunate Hammer

The Fortunate Hammer. 

She is pretty.  She is blonde. She is The Fortunate Hammer. 

She is No. 838 and she has huge blue eyes that close when she reclines. 

Oh, Fortunate Hammer, where have you been all my life?  The answer:  at a dollar store in southern Mississippi. 

So what does one do with The Fortunate Hammer?  Well, you want to be hit with The Fortunate Hammer because it is brings you luck and makes good things happen.  For example, this month, Mary-Mia was hit twice with The Fortunate Hammer.  Last month, Karen was smacked upside the head with The Fortunate Hammer.  Jen Ex is soon due to get whooped on by The Fortunate Hammer.  And next month, The Pomegranate Duo, Elsie Elsewhere will be bludgeoned by The Fortunate Hammer. 

You WANT to be beaten with The Fortunate Hammer.  As Martha Stewart says, "It is a good thing." 

The lovely Zorba will demonstrate. 

I'm smitten with The Fortunate Hammer.  I think that The Fortunate Hammer will be a regular here at The Bionic Valentine.  Perhaps she needs to make monthly appearances just so she can pummel all those that are expecting referrals. 

If you have a  request for The Fortunate Hammer, feel free to submit it.  She will gladly beat the crap out you. 

Ready

I am going home on Saturday and I'm ready to get back to my normal life.  Ready to have my house back, to hang out with Ray, to be able to take Zorba to classes, and to see my dogs.  It has been good being here.  Zorba had some special time with her grandparents and uncle and her language has come a long way.  But it is time for us to go.  I wish my parents lived closer so that Zorba could have this all the time. 

I didn't sew at all today.  I just didn't feel like it.  I'm feeling kind of blue today.  I feel overwhelmed, but such is life.  I'm sure I'll snap out of it by tomorrow.

I took these in China last year. 

Bib and Changing Pad

This is a bib changing pad combo that I made for somebody in particular.  It was the first changing pad I've ever made.  I don't know if I will make more of them, but this one was fun to make.  I made some mistakes along the way, but I like it.  It is compact enough that one could shove it in your bag. 

Some of you have mentioned that you don't like ties on bibs and I can relate to that because Zorba is not one to sit still to tie a bib on.  So I'm rethinking the bibs with ties.   Thank you for the feedback! 

Bib Block and Rudy the Real Estate Jerk

I ought to be bibbing it up, but I just don't feel like it.  I did partially finish a bib that will be sent off on Monday to a special new baby, but other than that I can't get in the sewing spirit.  I do think I'm going to make less bibs that tie, as a commenter reminded me that they are a pain.  I prefer bibs that snap or velcro too, so I think that perhaps that is what I need to stick to. 

I got all creative and saw an interesting pair of men's swimtrunks on sale at Walmart and bought a pair thinking that they would make cute bibs.  Only the shorts are made of rayon, which is oh so slippery on the sewing machine.  So the bib is kind of lumpy and wonky.  My mom says it is butt ugly and I suppose she is right.  I'm thinking that it might be a waste of time to finish it.  We'll see.  I'll post pictures either way. 

I met with another real estate agent and she suggested selling the house for what I originally thought.  She charges more than the rude guy (I'm going to call him Rudy).  Rudy charges 4% and the nice real estate agent charges the standard rate.  So what do we do?  Do I go with the woman who appreciates the house and thinks that it deserves a bigger price tag?  Or do I go for extra profit and go with the guy who jerked out on me in college?  I don't know.  Must think about this. 

Wednesday's Bibs

Side A

Side B

Smaller Bib (same as the larger one above)

Still working on catching up on returning emails.  Still in Mississippi. 

Monday Morning Bibs

Side A

Side B

I'm not doing too good with the bias tape at the moment and it is frustrating. 

I'm behind in emails, so if I haven't replied yet, I will by tonight.   

Confession

Want to know something embarrassing about me?  I always get a tear in my eye when I listen to PDiddy's I'll Be Missing You song.  Yeah, I shed a tear for Biggie every time I hear it.  Pitiful, but true. 

The song (I have 2 versions) is on my Ipod and tonight while I was working in the rental house yard, I was swaying and crying for PDiddy's lost bud.    Oh, my. 

Skele-Bib

I found this fabric at the thrift store in my parent's town.   

The other side.

Okay, now for something not bib related.....

One of the reasons I'm here in Mississippi is to sell our rental house.  So the other day I met with a real estate agent and when we were shaking hands he said to me, "I know you." 

He looked familiar, but I couldn't place him, so helped me out.  We were in a play together in college.  "Ohhhh yeah.  I remember now, I said,"  And I do. I was always reading.  I was obsessed with Sylvia Plath at the time and wore A LOT of black.  One day, I was back stage, reading as usual, when he came back and stared at me.  When I finally looked up at him he said to me (with a lot of contempt), "Are you a lesbian?"   

He probably doesn't remember being rude to me.  I'm not saying that I take offense to people thinking I'm a lesbian, because I could care less about that, but he was so nasty, rude, and disrespectful.  I doubt he remembers acting like this towards me, probably because he did it on such a regular basis.

Anyway, he was nice yesterday.  He wants to sell my house, so of course he was nice.  And he is now a grown man with a wife and child and that happened a long time ago, so I'm not going to hold my memory against him.  My friend Mary said I should have told him, "My wife and I own this house....and we READ a lot.  Because you know, that is what  us lesbians do.  We read a lot." 

I'm not certain we're going to use him or not.  He wants us to ask $10,000 less than what we want.  He came up with this because a house down the way sold for that.  This house is the same size as my house.  But if you put two houses side by side, should they sell for the same just because they are the same size?  Or do you take into consideration the condition of the homes?  Because I feel like he is not taking into consideration how nice our house is.  We've completely renovated it.  It is cute as hell.  And the house that he sold down the street was ugly as hell.  Maybe I'm being unrealistic, I don't know.  BUT, in this town, there aren't any houses for sale in the price range that I'm thinking of.  They are all $30,000 more than the number I have in my head.  We'll see. 

More Toddler Bibs

This fabric was in my Mom's stash.  The bibs are the same, one side is light and the other dark.  They are reversible!  I need to get Zorba to model these for me, so you can see how big they are.  They are large and in charge, yo. 

Yeah, so you're probably getting sick of seeing bibs, but that is all I've got right now. 

And More Bibs

This is the front and the back of the bib.  The back is a very pale blue.  I got the fabric for a $1 a yard at the Walmart by parent's house.  I love $1 a yard. 

This bib is bigger than the first tiny bib I made.  I like this size much better than the teeny tiny one.   

My Self Portrait Challenge entry will be going up later today, btw.   Or at least I hope it will be going up later today.