Friday, July 1, 2011

HAS IT REALLY BEEN ONE YEAR?

July 1st - Oh my, it really has been one full year since I retired from the school district and my job as the administrative assistant to the superintendent and the Board of Education.  The world didn't quit turning and the schools didn't have to all shut down because I wasn't at work.  Retirement will really show you just how important you really are - somewhere between a worker bee and a puff of wind.  I truly thought I would need an adjustment period and go through a feeling of loss of importance.  Actually I never really looked back.  The only real thing I miss is the friendship of my coworkers.  No problem though, there is always Wal-Mart where you eventually see everyone you ever knew right there in the female products isle and Facebook where no secrets or feelings are too sacred to share with everyone.

Now spending time with grand kids, veggie and flower gardening, sewing, scrapbooking, traveling, photographing all kinds of grandma type things, building birdhouses and running endless errands takes up all my time.  I surely did not have time to work this year anyway.  I am truly loving this new season in my life and look forward to every day and the blessings of it.


MILITARY WIFE PURSE

Our oldest daughter Paige is married to Joe who is a career Army guy serving in Ramstein, Germany.  She sent one of Joe's BDU (basic daily uniform,battle dress uniform or something like that.  I'm not really certain the exact meaning.) shirts and asked me if I thought I could make her a purse out of it.  She saw a picture of one on line and thought it was a cute idea.  After looking at the picture I thought surely I could do that.  Well, upon receiving the shirt and enlarging the image on the internet, I realized I might have promised something that could prove much harder than anticipated.  I searched all the pattern books for a similarly cut purse pattern and I could not find anything that seemed right.  When I started taking the shirt and cutting it up and looking for large usable pieces, it occured to me that we needed to have a much larger son-in-law.  Alas, I had to piece quite a few tiny pieces together.  Then she informed me that pink animal print would really make a cute lining.  Being under a stiff timeline - she was coming to Texas for our grandson's police academy graduation in just a couple of weeks - I really didn't have time to shop on line and wait for delivery.  After three hours of scouring Rankin County for pink wild animals, I came across pink zebra print.  Who knew there were pink zebras!

Luckily I made a prototype out of denim and Mississippi State fabric lining.  It turned out really cute, but much larger than I thought she really wanted.  So after rethinking my pattern, I got started piecing and trying to make it as nearly like the picture as I could while using pockets and other unique features of the uniform. 

If you have never really looked at a BDU, it has some really well thought out pockets and placements of velcro to help the soldier get the quickest and easiest use of all the features as possible.  Also, the shirt is contoured to the shape of their bodies which means there are many more seams than in a normal shirt. 

Well, here is what I finally came up with. 



This is the back of the bag. 



This is the front and has the pen/pencil pocket and the large velcro flapped pocket.  Above them are the velcro base strips which will receive Joe's last name patch and his US ARMY patch on the other one. 



This picture shows the lining and the detachable pouch pocket which has a velcro strip on the back that will attach inside the divided lining.  There is a cell phone pocket inside and several other flat pockets with flap closures.  The whole purse closes with a velcro flap which can close both sections or just one. 

Paige really liked the purse and seemed very pleased with the overall plan of the pattern.  Pink zebra print was just exactly what she wanted.  She has gotten quite a few comments back in Germany on base from other Army wives when they have seen it.  They want to know where she got it.  I Made sure she told them that there is not enough tea in China to make me make more of them.  All in all, it really was not so hard once I figured out a pattern.  Next time we need to look for a fluffier soldier and a timeline which is not during gardening season. 

As for myself, I kind of wish I was an Army wife so I could sport one.  It really is a cute idea. 

Oh yes, grandson Nick did graduate from the police academy.  During his second week as assisting officer in training they had their first murder in his district.  He and his partner were the first officers on the scene of a stabbing.  Believe it or not, just a few minutes later the backup officers were able to apprehend the druggie who committed the crime.  We are praying that God will keep his hand of protection on Nick, shower him with wisdom and protect his heart. 

   

2 comments:

Angela McInnis said...

Oh, Nonnie...it's meeeee!! Love the purse and super LOVE the blog...can't wait to read more. Hope to be in your League next year..oh, to have some time to just have breathing room!
Love,
Angela

Nonnie said...

I am flattered you visited me. Thanks for kind words and encouragement. Hurry and join us old birds who are loving the breathing room. Have you submitted some of your stuff for publication in mags? You are talented!!! & so encourage my craft side. Wouldn't we be unbearable together? Poor hubsters!:}
Jan