Sew Retro

I am in the mood to sew up something pretty, like a new dress.  I have a couple other projects in the works that are already cut out and waiting to be sewn together, like a diaper bag for my daughter-in-law and a beach bag for me, but I'm just itching for a new dress.  I will keep you posted on my creative dilemma.

Wedding Creations

A couple of weeks ago my cousin's daughter got married with an outdoor wedding down by the river.  It was a scorcher of a day and thunderstorms threatened but they held off just long enough and while it was hot, the shade of the trees near the water helped.


I had the honor of creating her wedding cake.  Since the wedding was an informal outdoor setting, she wanted to incorporate nature into the design.  The original design was to have butterflies cascading down the tiers of the cake but she wanted the butterflies to be all the same color which proved to be difficult to find.  We found sets of multi-colored but very few single color sets.  Her colors were butter yellow and midnight blue and we could only find solid blue butterflies in the larger size.  So we opted for small yellow flowers cascading down the sides and two of the larger butterflies on the top.  I think it turned out pretty well, what do you think? 

Hot Corn Dip

I saw this recipe on Pinterest a while back and thought I would try it out.  I am always looking for new things to cook because, like they say, variety is the spice of life.  It was really simple to make and I'm all for easy, quick meals.  This isn't really a meal, its more like an appetizer so it's something that would be great to fix for a party or for a covered dish affair.  Hubby and I had it tonight while dinner was cooking and he was very impressed with my mad kitchen skills.

I didn't have any Montery Jack cheese so I substituted a Montery Colby mix which worked out well.  If you don't like chipotle peppers you can adjust the amount of that also but personally I loved it.  You should give it a try, I think you will like it.  Get the recipe here.

Exhausting Week, Heat, Vacating, Shopping

Shew, last week was exhausting!  As I've posted earlier, we are having a heat wave with lots of storms and power outages.  No air conditioning can take a lot out of a girl.  But, to celebrate the holiday, my love and I had planned on a short getaway to a local attraction, Natural Bridge.  This was a much needed getaway that we had planned several weeks back before the high temperatures set in.  We usually like to scope out the area before we go somewhere to get a general idea of what we'd like to do while we are there.  This time was no exception and we were looking forward to several activities in the area, but, alas, it just wasn't possible.  With all of the power outages in our state, of course our hotel was without power and they cancelled our reservation.  I was totally bummed because I had so been looking forward to some quality alone time with my man.  Being that he was just as bummed as I, we decided to be spontaneous and instead we took off for Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.


It was terribly hot there, I'm talking miserable, unbearable heat with lots of tourists and vacationers sucking up what little air there was.  We did stay at a nice hotel with an indoor and outdoor pool, which was a blessing in all of that heat.  Plus, we did a little shopping while there.  How do you get your man to want to shop with you?  You take them out into an over crowded, asphalted area in 100 degree weather and lead them into an air conditioned store. Brilliant!


I scored big time in the shoe department and came home with several pairs. A girl can never have too many pairs of shoes, don't you agree?  So, here are my shoe finds from our little diverted getaway.  What do you think?

A cute little pair of Tommy Hilfiger wedge espadrilles with a  fabric strap that ties at the ankle.  I love these and they are hubby's favorite too!

Mootsies Tootsies strappy leather sandal wedge espadrille in a mustard yellow

These wedges are a little lighter shade of mustard yellow from Wanted.  They have a cute little bow on the front and have a very 1940s feel to me.

A cute fabric polka dotted wedge espadrille from Ellen Tracy.  These have a zipper in the back and are very comfortable. 

A lacy pair of cream colored oxfords

A floral wedge from Rampage.  These are a little less comfy but I will sacrifice for fashion.

I also came home with a couple purses, some belts, and a couple rugs for our bathroom.  Overall, we had a very nice time, enjoyed each others company, and spent way too much money -- I blame the heat.  hehehe  So, its back to work for me, got to pay for my shoe shopping habit.  I would still like to spend a few days at Natural Bridge so hopefully that will happen soon.  I'm already looking and planning for our next little getaway.

We're Having A Heat Wave

Virginia, among other states, has declared a state of emergency.  Record high temperatures have moved in.  I'm talking like 105 degrees.  It is hot, hot, hot!  Then came the vicious storms where at least 13 people have died and over 3 million customers are without power, including me.  The utility crews are working around the clock to untangle downed tree limbs and power lines.  Other crews are traveling as far away as Florida and Texas to help but it could takes days or even a week to repair, just from the sheer magnitude of destruction that the storms have caused.  Cellphone and internet service has been spotty at best and we are being urged to conserve water.  


We have tried to save the food in our refrigerator and freezer but it has become a lost cause.  We made a trip to our local grocery store a few days ago and all of the refrigerated and frozen foods had been pulled from the shelves.


This heat is especially dangerous for children and the elderly so everyone please be safe and try to stay cool.  It's times like these that really make you appreciate those days gone by and the simple life.  I really miss my modern air conditioning!