Jun 24, 2017 - It is a spectacular day here in Chicago! So needed after the rainy weekend. A gift :) But...I feel a sore throat coming on, ugh. My acupuncturist's partner is a phenomenal herbalist and he makes what I call a potion, it's actually a tonic, called Cold and Flu Tonic. With the first sign of a sore throat, I begin taking a swig every few hours. You can find it HERE. It's quite potent, but works so well. Karen sent a message after yesterday's post on Stephen Burrows and said that she has, of all things, a Stephen Burrows pattern. I had no idea! So, I decided to take a look, and here's what I found; The shapes are quite basic, but now that you have seen what he did with them, the possibilities are endless for chopping up and color play. You can find all of these patterns HERE on Etsy. I did find a few on Ebay as well, but not as much of a selection as there was on Etsy. I purchased the pattern below. I like the wrap top, but what really interested me was the cut of the skirt. Looking forward to making it up. The shape of this pattern works well with how he drew his skirts. Look at the center illustration below, and then the 3rd piece from the left, the skirt with the red circle on the hip. Take note of how the skirt fits through the hips, but is flared at the hemline. Love this. I met up with a friend yesterday and she was wearing a fabulous pin. The leaves of the flower are leather that has been stitched. The swirly stamens are plastic wire. I plan to copy this as I loved it. While I was in Kalamazoo, one of the ladies had this little caddy sitting beside her machine. The front side had 6 little pockets, perfect for your seam ripper, a pen, scissors, and a needle can be stuck into the cloth. The backside had a large pocket where she stored her phone. I am going to make one up today and I'll have a tutorial for you on Thursday. Such a great little item, especially for me as I have everything laid out so haphazardly on my sewing table. Last winter I worked with a massage therapist who really believes in the power of essential oils. She encouraged me to begin using 3 oils at night, I use the Vitamin E oil on my feet and legs, the serenity oil on my forearms, and the breathe oil on my chest. What a difference it makes in how I sleep at night. On the occasion that I fall asleep before I apply the oils, I don't sleep as well. Then, the next morning, I'll remember that I forgot to apply the oil. The vitamin E oil I purchase from my local drugstore. The doTerra oils can be found at various sites. Just a little something I thought I would share as I think that a good night's rest is one of the best things in the world! Do you have a fun tip, or something that makes your life a little better, or easier? Let me know. I would love to feature it on the blog. If for some reason you can't leave a message, you are always welcome to email me at se*****@***** :) Have a wonderful day! Rhonda
