Economical Gifts Now that Give All Year Long..

Site was shared with me today on a group I belong to and I am sharing it here. Hope some of you get some use out of it!

http://www.pfadvice.com/2008/09/15/28-gift-ideas-that-save-money-for-the-recipient/

Melody

Time to Breathe...

I am finding the longer I am out of my casino job & finally feeling a little better than I was most of the month; that I have "time". Finally I am starting to be able to do a few things! These "things" include being able to work on my longtime neglected email lists. They are "longtime" in longevity and "longtime" neglected due to time constraints. So I am going to list the groups I have, all on Yahoogroups, here. If anyone is interested in any of them and needs help for some reason, email me.

Basicsfolks@yahoogroups.com
Basicscooking@yahoogroups.com
VintageKenmoresSew@yahoogroups.com
Sew4SaleSwap@yahoogroups.com
Gramsoldsews_Charity@yahoogroups.com
NorwichCTSharing@yahoogroups.com

I also have Gramsoldsews but with the idea to split and have one group for "charity" grams it became basically obsolete. I just have not had the heart to delete it. Today; I am thinking I am really in the mood to focus on Basicsfolks a little and see if I can get it going again. These groups are all groups I have had as long as fourteen years (longest running one) and the newest a month or so (NorwichCTSharing an alternative group to the local Freecycles). Anyhow; all are welcome.....cross over children.....come into the light! Tee hee....

Melody (riding off on her broom)

Feeling of Accomplishment

Well finally I tackled it... I have put off and put off making these bags because I was not sure of myself or how they would turn out... Plus; I need a block of time to do them when I was in the mood! So finally they are done. Will post pics later. Made the Georgia Bulldog bags for some good friends of mine... Hannah and Megan. Enjoy them girls! They will be in the mail on Monday! I have also got into my dishcloth making mode again. Seems like popcorn eating...can't make just one have to keep going and going and going. So I work them while at the computer and watching TV. I can't sit still...have to be doing doing doing. Next big project is getting baby Casey Dawn's diapers done. Soon! :0

Tonight I am finally feeling a little better. Hopefully; I will stay that way for a while. :)

Melody

Once Upon A Time When I Was Young...

Do you have a sibling who always thinks you don't know what you are talking about and always doubts your memories. As the oldest of the clan I think I should have memories that the youngest does not have because I was there before she was but that is neither here nor there. I remember, before my sister was born, my mother singing another sister to sleep. This sister had been through much and there was much to deal with with her. I remember her singing this song:

Yeah the song does exist and you can listent to the Glenn Miller version of it for free online someplace! :) Actually; more than one place. Not quite how my mother sang it for a lullabye but she did. I decided to look it up because the third generation wearing the name Dawn is no upon us.. First there was the "Dawn" and then Bethany Dawn (my neice), and now baby Casey Dawn (Bethany's new daughter). Perhaps she will want to carry on the tradition of using this for a lullabye for her "Dawn". Later! Enjoy!

Have a great day! Hoping some come to visit and drop me a line!
Melody

Waxing Philosohical Again, Still, More...

I was just thinking. I mean here I sit in the wee hours of the morning when I should be asleep. My sleep pattern is quite the mess lately. But; that is not what I am thinking about! :) I am watching about "cakes" and cake making. An online friend of mine is into "fancy" cake making. At one point I dabbled a bit. So as I sit here thinking I need to "dabble" again and thinking "I can do that" it brings me back to old thoughts. I have always said that children are blank slates when they are born ...pretty much. It is up to us to hold open all the doors we can so they can be all they are meant to be and want to be etc etc. Myself; I had eye issues my whole life and was to my detriment often reminded of that and that I was a girl. Frequently; I was told "you can't do that you are a girl". Or; "you can't do that you don't see well enough". Then there was "you can't do that you get too stressed". :) All that sort of negative(?) feedback I think left it's mark. Now that I can see better than I ever have in my life (thanks Dr. Hornby!) and no thanks to Dr. Shah and his contributions which made the results less than they would have been.. I wonder. How much would I have seen more clearly? How artistic would I have been sooner? I am not getting any younger and find myself often thinking that the things I am doing go back to things I wanted to do always when I was little. I always loved to bake. I always loved designing. Still love designing. When I soap or knit or sew or whatever..I like to make my own designs. So with cakes, as I look at this one or that one now the urges are coming.. I think I can do that but I would... Yeah; don't hold back your kiddos. Don't "stifle" their creativity! :) Not every child can or should do everything they want to do but I think more than ever that it is very important that every child be encouraged to try whatever they would like to try and some things they say they don't want to try.

All that said; this old lady needs to take herself to bed. Been fun chatting... :) See you all soon!

Drop me a line!
Melody (Norwich, CT)

Grammie Mel's Place

Well maybe this blog land will work for me. Now that I have the "newtome" 'puter anything is possible right? This baby is light years ahead of the old Mac. Being a Mac user for fourteen years getting used to the enemy (PC) is different but not so bad and I can do so much more.

So for now; I am posting my pic and info on my "dish/facecloth/doilies" here. Folks use them for different things. It is all up to you! Contact: Tofugrammie@yahoo.com for more information on placing an order. I will have more pics later. Don't wait too long, I have some ready now! Or; I take orders. :)

Also; I sell Watkins Products. If you are interested visit:
http://www.watkinsonline.com/melodygillette/?lgWelmsg=1

I grew up with some Watkins products and swear by them. Do you remember the vanilla or the PetroCarbo Salve? They are going more and more "Fair Trade" items and "organic". If you are interested in any of the products or need help, please contact me: Tofugrammie@yahoo.com

Further; I collect and use Vintage Sewing Machines. Currently I am working a large special order of pre-print 100% cotton flannel classic prefold diapers (like grandma's only printed). If interested in some of those by "order" or what's available now, email: Tofugrammie@yahoo.com

Soon: I will be doing soap again. Remember my Tea Tree Soap and my Frankincense & Myrrh? Not just for the holidays, my personal favorite next to the Pork-E soap! :) Keep watching! The MarbleMantleSoap branch of SoapNSews should be heating up soon!

NorwichCT Join: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NorwichCTSharing/?yguid=170449411
Join: VintageKenmoresSew@yahoogroups.com or Gramsoldsews_Charity@yahoogroups.com
Sew4saleswap@yahoogroups.com
Basicsfolks@yahoogroups.com
BasicsCooking@yahoogroups.com
Colormeflannel@yahoogroups.com (for great fabric buys..tell Dena I sent you!)

Thanks for reading! More pics and links later!

Melody (CT)