Fantastically Carved Pumpkins!

We were able to make it to an exhibition of 

exceptional pumpkin carvers. 

Here's a few we saw :)

Unbelievable!

I WON... Yippee?...I Think I'm Scared :/

OK, Not sure if I actually won? 

I collect data for NCP,

 a Joint Venture with Nielsen Ratings.

You collect points by doing this,

 then you get to pick a gift from their catalog.

When I started I think I was saving for a pots and pan set.

At the end of the 1st year I didn't have enough for that set so I let them roll over thinking I'd get them the next year. They weren't offered in the new catalog - figures!

Hmm, find something else I wanted, 

cuz I didn't like the pots and pans set they now had - figures!

OK how about a fancy smancy (OK'd by my sons) monitor, 

sure why not, couldn't find anything else.

At the end of the 2nd year I didn't have enough for the monitor so I let them roll over hoping I'd get it the next year. It wasn't offered in the new catalog - figures!

Here we go again! 

Didn't realize the hardest thing was to save too many points and find something I wanted before a new catalog came out. All the things that required lower points were things I already had or didn't want or couldn't use. Geesh!

So again I went to look in the new catalog to see what I would be aiming for this year that I wouldn't be able to get. Lo and behold I about fell out of my chair! I had so many I could choose anything I wanted. I hadn't payed attention but when you hit a certain point goal your collection points would double each time you transmitted. Evidently I had hit some the end of the previous year and the beginning of that year.

The most expensive item they had was a propane BBQ, check - received one for Christmas, no thank you.

Then there was this sewing machine!

I have wanted a sewing machine for at least 35+ years.

I filled out the forms, watched as my points zoomed down to 25 and sat there.

It couldn't be that easy could it?

No shipping fees?

In 2 weeks a Brother Project Runway Sewing with Style Sewing Machine was delivered to my door!

Unbelievable!

Here she is in all her glory!

That was about 3 months ago.

I couldn't wait to get her - so tired of sewing everything by hand.

To take that photo was the only time she has seen light.....

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

She looks so, so............is that even a sewing machine????

Can you be scared of a sewing machine?

Last time I owned a sewing machine it looked like this

In fact I happened upon an old photo when looking for one of my 2 first born and happened to see it back in the corner. Unfortunately it is in it's case, but you can see what I mean

 What the sewing machine looked like in Home Ec

One similar to my Mom's. 

The one I actually learned on

Those are the 3 types of sewing machines I've used -

I wasn't expecting one looking like a robot :/

YES, I read the booklets!

They are greek! 

I will take a deep breath

I will re-read the booklets

I will take the machine out of the box

I will learn how to make a bobbin

I will learn how to thread it

I will decipher the hieroglyphics

But not today!!