Winding Down 2013

Christine and her denim skirt

     Things are winding down in my after school classes.  There was no class on Monday due to the Memorial Day holiday.  In Tuesday's class, Christine did the final touch up on her back slit denim skirt and then almost finished sewing a pillowcase, just some pressing left.  Izzy finished her sport shorts and was going to start on a pillowcase when it was time to clean up.

Izzy and her sport shorts

     In Wednesday's class, Cara and Hayley are working on projects from their Kids Can Sew books while Ellen is working on a blouse for her sister's birthdays gift and Greta is making a large pillow with a flange for her bed.

     It is looking like the three intermediate sewing camps are a go this year while I only have a couple of children for the beginning camps.  Several people have expressed interest but they are slow to commit.

     My husband and I did Bike the Drive on Sunday.  They shut down Lake Shore Drive in Chicago for 15 miles and allow bikes on there.  It was chilly with a light breeze and hazy sunshine so not too bad.  We did the loop one and a half times for a total of 45 miles.  We did it with our road bikes for the first time.  It was good practice to ride around others but not have to worry about cars and especially trucks flying by you.

May Family Time

Bella and her nightshirt

     Here is Bella proudly showing off her new nightshirt.  She was planning on wearing it that night to sleep even though it was almost 80 degrees and it was a flannel nightshirt.  She was just thrilled with it.  The other girls are finishing up their projects also.  I think a few are going to opt to work on pillowcases instead of starting a new project for the final week.

Colton on Mother's Day

     This past weekend we visited our son in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  Our daughter, her husband and their son and our other son joined us.  Unfortunately at the last minute our daughter-in-law wasn't able to make it.  We all arrived in Cedar Rapids late Friday evening.  On Saturday morning we gathered after breakfast.  My daughter and I went to the mall to do some girl things while the boys all hung out at our son's house.  They then joined us for lunch.

     After that we headed to Kirkwood Community College where our son works.  He gave a a tour of the campus.  It is huge and includes working farm fields, a hotel and banquet center, a wind turbine and horse stables.  From there we went to where the driving range is moving to.  We toured the building and then he drove us around the track in one of the semis they have for teaching.  

     When he started working there and was responsible for the truck driving classroom lessons he also earned his truck driving license.  I had never been up in the cab of one of those rigs so it was a lot of fun.

Colton and grandma at the game

     Then we headed to the Kernels minor league baseball game.  They were playing the Kane County Cougars who are part of the Cubs farm system.  The Cougars won but it was a scoreless game until the 7th inning.  We then went back to our son's house where we snacked on some things I had brought.  We played a couple of games of Smart Ass and then headed out for some frozen yogurt before getting some sleep. 

    The next morning my husband and I were to do a 90 minute bike ride.  We awoke to the sound of thunder and rain.  We checked the radar and saw it was going to pass through in about an hour so we slept in a little more.  Packed up our bikes and headed to a paved trail not far from where we were staying.  We had a great ride except for the wet pavement and sandy intersections at road crossings.  Our bikes were covered with sand.  After quickly showering and packing up we all met for brunch.  

     

Colton and godfather/uncle JJ

     We then went back to our son's house, hosed off the bikes really well and spent a little more time visiting before hitting the road to come home.  We all decided we need to do this at least once a year besides keeping up our monthly family dinners.  Family is so important and we just need to make time to connect as often as possible.

More May Sewing Fun 2013

Ellen and her ruffle skirt

     The girls are starting to wrap up their sewing projects.  On Monday I had just Bella and Christine.  Julia I guess has decided to be done with class even though she wasn't quite finished with her skirt.  Bella is almost done with her nightshirt.  Meghan and Katie both missed due to school functions.  Christine joined us on Monday because Izzy was going to miss on Tuesday due to a death in the family.  Christine is making the back slit denim skirt from an embossed denim.

Hayley and her shorts

     Wednesday's group was a little better this past week.  Cara is working on a blouse and Hayley is working on her skirt.  Ellen got the top all cut out for her sister and Greta has all the pieces cut for her pillow.  There should be lots of sewing this afternoon.

     My summer sewing camps are filling nicely although the beginning camp in June still has no one.  All the intermediate camps are a go this year, a first.

Kidscansew.com

     I decided to not go to the ASG conference this summer and instead work on my certification for becoming a window treatment fabricator.  It will involve two more trips to Charlotte NC this year plus a home study course.  I think it will help me have an even better product for my Creations by Celeste business.

   

Sewing Fun May 2013

Christine and her nightshirt

     Things are staring to wind down in my sewing classes.  This past Monday Meghan couldn't come because she had her band concert.  In Tuesday's group Izzy wasn't going to be able to make it because of her band concert and Lauren has decided to take off the last month to spend more time with her brother who is home from college.  Christine joined us on Monday so she wouldn't have to miss class.  Here she is proudly showing off her cat nightshirt.

     Julia is working hard on finishing her two layered skirt but she isn't sure she will be back next week, her other after school activities are keeping her quite busy.  Bella is working on her nightshirt.  She is my youngest student and has really blossomed.  As she was working on her nightshirt she was remarking how she remembered this step from doing her square neck blouse.  So glad to see when the girls are able to apply what they have already done to what they are currently doing.  Katie is happily working on some capris that are so much easier than her tote.
 
     Wednesday's group last week had spring fever.  They were so chatty I had to ask for some quiet so we could concentrate on their projects.  Two of the girls were starting new projects not in the book so they required a bit more attention.  Ellen is making a knit top for one of her sisters and Greta is making a large throw pillow with a flange for her bedroom.  Cara is finishing her blouse and Hayley started her back slit denim skirt.

     I just finished sewing a quick project fro myself that will come in handy this summer.  It is a shrug from a lacy knit fabric.  I had made myself a t-shirt (lined) with the fabric a few years ago and had a large piece left.  It was perfect for a coverup for bare shoulders in chilly restaurants.  I hemmed the sleeves and used fold-over elastic on the opening.  Now I have a pretty 'shawl' that won't fall off.

Pattern for shrug

Finished shrug

Detail of fold-over elastic trim

May 1st and Finally Spring

SPRING!!!

     It seems like spring has finally come to the Chicago area.  Yesterday and today it will be near 80 and I heard the weekend was wonderful in the 70s with sunshine.  We missed it however as we were in Nashville running a race.  This is what our weekend looked like.

PJ and Kate trying to stay dry and warm

     That is my son and daughter-in-law trying to stay dry in the rain.  It rained Friday night into Saturday morning and then all morning with intermittent showers the rest of the day.  On top of that it was only in the low 50s.  A totally miserable day for a run.

Rainy race course

     This was the first year my husband ran in the Country Music marathon/half marathon.  I ran the first time in 2008.  Last year I took second place in my age group in the half marathon.  This year he decided to run the half and I chose to do the full marathon for the first time.  This was his third half ever and only my second full.

    It is a hilly course and the rain did not help things.  He did get a PR though for his half while I was 17+ minutes over what I wanted for the race.  I seriously considered turning off at the half point because I was so wet and cold but decided I had come to do the full and I would finish.

     Around mile 19 I started with calf cramps that became increasingly worse.  I had to walk or stop to stretch often.  I did finish and was able to run over the finish line.

     I have to give a big thumbs up to all the volunteers on the course.  They handed out cups of Gatorade and water with big smiles on their faces and words of encouragement.  The cheerleaders and bands that did come out were great too as well as the spectators and even the police.  One police officer I think was doing more cheering than directing.  He was great.

     The rain finally stopped by about mile 24 for me.  By then I was so soaked and my shoes were so heavy with water it was hard to tell that it had stopped.

A soaked finishing me

     I am glad this wasn't my first marathon, I don't know that I would have done another one if this was my only experience.  Time to rest and recover and get ready for a half in July and then our big race in Miami in November, Miami Man Half Iron Duathlon.

My finishers medal