Passionately Pink Apron

Close up of Apron front and pocket details.

This is the apron I made for the Passionately Pink Apron Swap

to benefit Breast Cancer Awareness.

I was really pleased by how it turned out.

I did the detail work at the top and on the pockets

with ribbons and rick rack.

Don't you love the huge flower buttons?

I added smaller buttons in the center to make them match perfectly!!!

Pre-Printed Apron

This is the pre-printed Apron I bought months ago at Hobby Lobby.

(I LOVE that store!!!)

I think it turned out pretty cute!

I left the straps at the waist as wide as possible, instead of doubling them over,

I like them much better that way and would have liked them twice as wide!!!

Strawberry Apron

This is the Strawberry Apron I made for Mike's neice, Haili,

for her Betty Crocker Costume.

I thought it turned out really cute!

Making Aprons

Lately I've been making aprons. I was checking out my daughter's blogs one day and happened upon a blog about Flirty Aprons - I can't think of it's exact name right now - but they were having an apron swap to benefit Breast Cancer Awareness. I have been planning to sew some aprons, I had bought a cute pre-printed version some time ago and brought that with me to CA. Plus I had some adorable apron fabric I had also purchased but never got around to sewing up. All the aprons I already have are still in Texas in storage - so I really do need at least a couple for when I bake or decorate cakes. I also have a sister-in-law who is currently going thru radiation and chemo treatments and she is constantly on my mind. So I decided this apron swap would be a good way to get me started and going again on creative sewing. Before I could start on my "Passionately Pink" Apron for the swap (I had purchased the fabric) Mike and I went on a trip to Idaho (to see my parents) and Utah (to see his family and my son James). While in Utah, one of Mike's neices mentioned that she needed an apron for her Halloween costume and couldn't find what she wanted. It was so coincidental that I was going to be making aprons as soon as we got home, and she needed an apron, so I voluntered to make an apron for her. So these are the 3 different aprons I've made, so far!

I'm BACK!!!!

As you can easily see, I haven't posted anything here in an extremely long time. During the years of my divorcee status - it was very hard for me to think of positive, uplifting things to share. What I really felt like I needed was a group of women who were in similar circumstances to my own. But somehow it just didn't seem right to start or join a group called "Angry Mormon Women" or "Mormon Women Who Are Divorced and Extememly Angry About It" or "Mormon and MAD (Mad About Divorce)". Actually I kind of like that last one!!! Anyway, I felt like my entire life had been totally wasted. I felt like I had followed the teachings and admonitions of my Church and dedicated my life to my husband and children - and suddenly I'm all alone - as if all those years were nothing. Not to mention that I'm now old, with certain health problems, instead of young and beautiful. I had expected to spend these years sewing baby quilts and babysitting Grandchildren, not starting a new life all alone, with nothing to show for 30 years of marriage, no education beyond High School, and no prospects for the future.
Actually, not much has changed, but as they say "Time heals all wounds." and with time I have come to accept at least part of my circumstances with a happier heart. The biggest change is that I have recently married. So, in the days to come, I will share wedding pictures, and some of the things I have been doing with my time. I look forward to being more active here and to keeping in closer touch with friends and family. Love to all of You!!!

Menopause ..... Or ??????

So here is the funny story. My only Sister, Ellen, turned 40 last summer. Since she is 12 years younger than me, I felt it my duty to send several funny cards to commemorate the occasion.
A few months later she called me up and asked what it was like when I went into menopause. I responded that I hadn't gone into menopause yet, I was probably pre-menopausal.
Her response was, "Oh, Oh!"
I told her to tell me what was going on.
Upon hearing her "symptoms" I suggested that it sounded to me like she was pregnant. She said;

"I CAN'T BE PREGNANT !!! . . . . . I'M 40 YEARS OLD !!!"

During the remainder of our conversation, she kept repeating this same phrase. It was really funny !!!
Nine months later . . . this is the result . . . . . . . .


10 lbs 1 oz. (OUCH!!!) 21 1/2 inches long

Daniel Shawn Herbert





He was delivered a week late, by C- Section (DOUBLE OUCH !!!).
He is healthy and happy and Ellen is recovering, slowly, but surely!!!
Grandma Garner (our Mom) is flying out to help tomorrow and I'm so glad for both of them, that they will have this next week together!!! ( And just a little jealous that I can't be there too!)

Huge Congratulations go out to the Entire Family!!!

The really good news is that with older siblings ranging from 4 yrs. old to 16, they will be a huge help to Mom and Dad as they raise this big surprise.
(You can't really call him a little surprise - can you???)

Purple Birthday Cake

This is the adorable Birthday Cake Sharon made for me. My Birthday is in February, so it was purple, like my birthstone!!! This is so cute and simple and would be great for any age girl from 2 or 3 ( if she likes to walk around in Mommy's shoes) - up to adults. When I came home and it was sitting in the center of the table, I was absolutely thrilled!! It was just so FUN !!!! She just bought a pair of the little girl dress up shoes and a couple of strings of purple beads . Simple, sweet, and perfect!!!! (Don is always teasing me about all of my shoes!!!!!)

Don and Sharon

These are my friends, Don and Sharon, who I live with. They are so kind to invite me into their home. They are more than generous. They were originally friends with my parents, before they left Texas and moved back to Emmett, Idaho. After that we became closer. Sharon and I both decorate cakes and we found that it is usually more fun to do big cakes, like wedding cakes, together. We have another friend, Lynn, who we got started doing cakes and the three of us have had some good times together.

Me

I am the most un-photogenic person on the planet and therefore HATE having my picture taken. However, here are a few - so you will know who I am.
This is me with my Grandpa Garner, my Dad's Dad, and his favorite horse, Robin.
I'd guess I'm about 5 here. Grandpa always had candy corn in his pocket, he used it to train his horses, his dogs, and his grand children. It seemed to work quite well for all of the above. I can't see Candy Corn without thinking of him. He died when I was still a newly wed, so he's been gone over 20 years now. I miss him! He was a wonderful man and always good to me.

This is me with my dad, Bert Garner, last May (2007) at my niece, Nicole's, wedding in Denver
Here is me, my Dad, my Mom, Carma Garner, and our friend, Sharon Erland, who traveled all the way from Houston to Denver with me to help me do the wedding cake for my nieces wedding. I also am currently living with Sharon and her husband, Don (not pictured).

Here I am holding my newest grandchild, Samantha, at the hospital the day after she was born.

This is Laurie, Me and Lisa, making silly faces for Bonnie

on Easter Sunday, 2008.

(Is it weird that Laurie and I each chose the same silly face???????)

My Family

This is my family, posted in no particular order.
I was blessed with a total of 6 children, 3 boys and 3 girls. I had 5 miscarriages and my second child died of crib death, so my children are especially precious to me. My Doctor once told me that most women, whose bodies do what mine did, have no children, so I have always felt incredibly lucky and blessed to have each and every one of them.

In chronological order they are:
James is the oldest, but I'm not actually old enough to be his Mom, we adopted him when he was 10 years old.
Laurie is my first born and I was so excited she was a girl because I grew up with 8 brothers and didn't get my only sister until I was 12. My sister, Ellen, was 8 when Laurie was born, so she is closer to Laurie's age than to mine.
Tresa is my second daughter and she died of SIDS at 6 weeks old.
Barry is next, born exactly one month short of 3 years after Laurie.
He is followed by Lisa, 2 months shy of 3 years later.
Scott "brings up the rear", 5 years down the road.