Hello, New Machine! Bye, Bye, School.

It's been a busy few days!  The garden is growing and we ate our first cucumber off the vine yesterday.  (This is it's buddy who we're going to eat next... YUM!)

Also had a few visitors in the garden:

Today itself was a busy day.  I drove to Opelika to pick up my brand new sewing machine.  I was so excited.  I threw the kids in the car and took off first thing this morning after sending Cameron off to his last day of school.  The Brother dealership there in Opelika is fantastic and even gave me an impromptu class on my machine.  During my quick introduction to the machine, the kids melted down and we had to book it out of there before we were banned forever. 

     Drove home and made it in time to celebrate Cam's last day at school and take a few pictures of the kids by the school's eagle mascot, whom we have dubbed, "The Pigeon".  Just because it gets a rise out of Cam and it's now become a game to argue about whether it's a pigeon, eagle, or chicken.

Scarlett meeting "The Pigeon"

     After meeting with the school mascot, we hurried home before it started to rain.  Didn't rain for too long, which made me happy because I was dying to use my new machine, but didn't feel like having it fried by lightning.
     The new addition to the family (Brother NS40):

     As usual, learning a something new brought a lot of highs a lot of lows, and more than it's fair share of aches and pains.  I was terrified of breaking it and can honestly say that I was more gentle with this machine than I was with quite a few of my cars.  Funny how many times I got frustrated with the machine, only to find out that it wasn't the equiment, but the OPERATOR.  Yeah, I've got a ways to go... but I'm thrilled and can definitely see the machine's potential.

     My first project was a nightgown for Scarlett.  I've been trying to start this thing for a good week and a half, but kept getting foiled by the lack of tracing material for the pattern.  The pattern for this came in a book with other patterns drawn out on top of it.  I couldn't just cut it out or the other patterns would be worthless, so I hunted for, and finally found (thanks again, Opelika store!) some tracing material so I could get to work and play with my new toy.

   It certainly isn't the fanciest thing ever, but I plan on adding embellishments later.  By the time I got to this point, my patience was fried and I just wanted to curl up into a ball and weep to a Coldplay soundtrack.

Scarlett's nightgown (a work in progress):

     Yup, it's a little plain... a little hospital gown-y.  Needs a little more "fun" and a little less "nursing home".  However, I'm viewing it as a work in progress.