Jungle

First thing every morning I like to look out our upstairs bedroom window down at the garden below. My dad gave us this amazing castor bean plant as a seedling and now it looks like something that belongs in a jungle! This photo is taken through our bedroom window screen so it isn't very clear. It does, however, show how large the leaves are.

Here are two more from ground level.

This plant is over 7 feet (2 m) tall and still growing.

The other thing that is very noticeable in the garden is that the pumpkins are turning orange already!

Enjoy your day,

Judy Ann

Beautiful weddings!

We went to another beautiful wedding this weekend, the third in four weeks. Each wedding has been joyful, fun, moving, and full of hope for a promising future. It's been so amazing to see the special bonds in each family, the love and pride that parents have for their children, gratitude for parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, friends and each other from from the bride and groom, and the love and care all of us feel for the newlyweds. I also love to see the way the families of the bride and groom get to know and appreciate each other, working together to support their children and to throw one heck of a great party! We feel lucky and blessed to be part of these special celebrations!

And special celebrations require special dresses! I stayed up far too late a couple of nights last week to get this 50s-style dress finished. I made it out of an inexpensive piece of linen I found a couple of years ago at a discount fabric store, and used the same pattern as my last dress , but with a different bodice. Linen is wrinkly, but has such nice drape and just feels good, so I don't mind a few wrinkles! The bodice is lined too, which feels really nice to wear.

All the best,

Judy Ann

......

Home again

We've just returned from a wonderful week of holidaying on the Bruce Peninsula. Look at the scenery we had to put up with! This photo is taken in front of the cottage my sister, Mary, and her hubby Greg, own in Lion's Head.

We had some dramatic skies just after a thunder storm.

This photo shows the view looking the other way. Pretty hard to take!

There are many farms in the area too, with old barns, cattle and hay fields.

Here's one of my favourite views!

It's fun and a good change of pace to go away, but I always love to get home again.

Enjoy your day,

Judy Ann

Done!

Today turned out to be a great day for sewing! By mid-afternoon I had the bodice finished and most of the skirt put together. This is what it looked like when I had the top and bottom pinned together:

I used almost every pin in my dish! The dress went together well and then it was on to stitching in the invisible zipper. Well, almost invisible. It's on the left side so it won't be noticeable that is isn't quite perfect. This evening Emily and I watched a movie and I hand-stitched the hem. Whew! Now all it needs is a good pressing:

I think I'll wear it with pearls.

All the best,

Judy Ann

Will I or Won't I?

I've been unexpectedly extra busy over the past few weeks so a dress I've been wanting to make has been in this state for quite some time now:

The Butterick pattern is re-issued from the fifties, which really appeals to me. The fabric is organic cotton from Cloud 9 Fabrics . The dress is all cut out (including lining for the bodice) and tailor-tacked, my machine is threaded, and extra bobbins are wound. If I can just find a few hours each day this week, I should be able to get it done. I'd like to wear it to an upcoming wedding, so I have a deadline! Will I or won't I get it made?

All the best,

Judy Ann