It seems that the question comes up every few weeks over at PatternReview. 

“How do I make a storyboard?” 

“How do I get pictures in a horizontal row”?

                                                          “I can’t enter this contest because I don’t know how to make a composite picture!”

So here is how I do it.  Consider this a tutorial.  From me.  Will wonders ever cease??!!

Tutorial- Making a composite using PowerPoint

So students, you have decided to enter a contest in PatternReview, or want to put together a collection of photo’s, but don’t know how?  Follow these directions and you should be able to stop pulling your hair out- those bald spots look so unattractive!

Open up Powerpoint.  First make sure you have it!  Open up a blank “slide”.  There are a few ways to do that.  Click on “file”, “new”, then on the far right side “blank presentation”.  Or you can cut out the default text boxes too.

Composite1

Now pictures…For fun I will use photos of my darlings. 

 Go to …

Insert  

Picture  

From File  

Then choose your picture.  Do this again for all the pictures you want to be included on the composite.

 It will begin to look something like this.

Arrange the photo’s.  Preferably creatively!

Just click on them and drag.

 Now it is time to save it.  Click on Save As  then name the file however  you wish.  **important** save the file as a JPEG file!

 Now close PowerPoint and go to wherever you have saved your file.  Hint- It will likely be in your Pictures file in My Documents.  I TRY (but don’t always succeed) to keep my photo’s/blogging files and PR files fairly organized in a way that makes sense to me!

If you double click on the file name/thumbnail it should open up in whatever photo editor you use.  Here I am using the very simple Microsoft Office Picture Manager.
Here you want to do 2 things. 

First.  Crop your photo, which you can do since you saved it as a JPEG-

right??!  If you couldn’t find you composite, you likely didn’t save it as a JPEG. Go back to PowerPoint and do that!

 Then resize the photo to about 450 by 450 pixels or so. Don’t forget to hit “Okay”  or “done” or however your program confirms an action.  (I think you can tell that while I know a bit about computers, my jargon could use some help!)
No screen shot for this one, I think most people know how to resize a photo.  A hint for those who don’t- Usually you can find the resize button in the “edit picture” section of your photo manager!

Now SAVE THE COMPOSITE!  Save it somewhere that makes sense to you and name it something that makes sense to you!

It should look something like this- Of course instead of my daughters and a wedding venue, it will be of fabulous YOU , your patterns and your garments!

Let me know if I missed anything, or if it didn’t work for you.  I should be able to walk you through it.

For all you Anglophones- TomTom, I love you a lot!

Headed off for a few days to Montreal, I thought it prudent to take along a GPS.  Now while I am a techno freak, and love to handle, fondle, and use anything electronic,  I have drawn my line in the sand when it comes to automotive GPS units.

It’s my firm conviction that the world will go to hell in a handbasket if we don’t all know where we are on a map.  And know how to navigate ourselves somewhere with a map.  So many people I speak with admit that they would be in big  trouble if the GPS in their vehicle suddenly quit.  And really, how many of us travel such distances each day that they don’t know how to get where they are going?

I bow down,  humbled before you today because TomTom ( or Aimee as my aunt calls it.  Get it? Aim-me?!)  anyways, TomTom saved my life.  Literally.

Scenerio setup-  I’m headed off to Montreal.   There is some serious fabric shopping PLANNING to to when we are there.  I’m thinking – 600 kilometers on the 401 and some tricky manoeuvring in Montreal trying to find the University where we are staying.  I didn’t want to get lost in Montreal at dusk, so I borrowed Daughter Katelyn’s GPS.

The Trip-  Everything started out okay.  We just had the car looked over- brakes, wheel alignment, couple of new tires- everything was running smooth.  When I got to the other side of Toronto however, the front end developed a shake and a shimmy.  Not the kind you like to see on a dance floor, but the kind that makes one worry.   A lot.

Phone call to the husband.  He suggested I call the mechanic.  The shake was getting worse with every kilometer.  The mechanic suggested I head to an auto shop.  Well Duhh… I could have told you that boys.

Dilemma- where to find  the nearest mechanic.  I looked up at TomTom who, up until that minutes just told me to make the turns that I already knew how to make.  I knew there was a “find help” button, and sure enough, the darn little device found me a mechanic 6 kilometers away.  I would never have found this mechanic on my own.  Never.

I pulled into the bay at the shop, and it only took one look to know what the problem was.  My front drivers side tire only had one -  1- ONE stud (bolty thing for those of you who don’t know what a wheel stud is) holding the tire on.  FOUR of them were missing!  Had I gone another few kilometers down the 401, I would have been minus one wheel in heavy traffic!

The lovely guys at Jim’s Auto Repair in Colbourne, Ontario are stellar.  While they didn’t have any wheel studs to fit, they were able to fix me up enough to get me to Belleville Volkswagon who installed new studs.  The cost – 23 bucks for the wheel studs. Jim’s Auto said “no charge, we were just happy to be able to help you out”
If any of you are in the Colbourne – Belleville Ont area on the 401 and need assistance,  Jims Auto Body get my vote any time!  Thanks so much guys.

Oh, and the rest of my drive- piece of cake.  TomTom didn’t make any mistakes and got me right to my destination.

Counting my blessings that someone really wants me to check out those fabric stores!

I adore this dress. 

I don’t know why, and I am not even going to try to analyze the reasons. 

Well, maybe I will, just a little.  Cute cut, great fabric, adore the solid black band along the side and over the shoulder.   I think I should make it.  I have almost the perfect fabric albiet in a knit, and I am almost positive that this is a woven – silk likely.  The red shoes are a great added touch too! Of course Drew Barrymore is just too cute for words, but no one around here is going to know that I knocked off  got my inspiration from her and Naricso Rodriguez! 

And silly me just offered to manage the RTW and Designer Knock-Off Contest at Patternreview .  As a manager I can’t enter the contest, but I could do this as my own little sew-along during it!

Shoot, now I have to apologize to my new washing machine.  Glad to say, the new LG is working well and looks great in the laundry room!  Happy dance for my repair man who not only checked out the whole thing, but gave me some great tips  for maintanence too.  Tips that I will not bore you with! 
A shot of the laundry room.  And yes, I made the rug hooked tree too. 

And what laundry shot isn’t complete without a view of my wash line, wheat field and bush!  Our crops as far as you can see!

I’m looking forward to having Micaela home for the weekend!  That means I will finally get to fit the final draft of the wedding dress and get to real work.  Either I think this dress is going to be a breeze, or I am getting more complacent with each successive wedding dress- only 60 days until the wedding, and I only have mockups done of Mic’s and my own dress! 

Meanwhile, I was in Fabricland in Stratford a couple of weeks ago, and saw this pattern made up in a yellow.

I know it is not new, but until I saw it with all the lovely visible topstitching, it flew totally under my radar.  I am using a linen blend in (scuffing my feet in embarrasment) black, but (brightening up) I am doing all the topstitching by hand in a great yellow.  
Today’s Postcript…
Even though the entire post has that postscripty feeling!
I found this shot of MyMike and I that was taken shortly after we announced our engagement.  This photo is circa 1980 and we were 21 and 20 years old.  I still remember sewing that outfit! It had a jacket to match.   This weekend (June20) is our – Oh my goodness gracious- 28 wedding anniversary!  Generally we look at each other about halfway through the workday on June 20th in shock  and remembrance.  There are just too many celebrations in our household in May and June, that we totally forget the day that began it all!  Happy Anniversary honey- in case I forget!

Erica and Denis’s amaaazing photographer has posted photos, so I grabbed one to give you a sneak preview.  Since it is raining today- again- (sigh) I will spend the evening putting together my wedding dress notes and writing a proper review.  I promise. 

Check out the photographers website if you get a minute.  The Last Forty Percent  I love the way they write a story to go along with every shoot, whether it is an engagement, wedding, baby,or their amazing boudoir shoots.  If only I had the body for one of those!
They even gave me a shout-out!  If you live in the London, Ontario area- we highly reccommend this vendor!

Phot0- The Last Fory Percent

Not a review so much as a reveal today! 

If I do say so myself, I have some pretty good looking daughters!  And they are so fun to dress up – even as adults.  I have 4 bridesmaid dresses to review.  I think that for this blog, I will review them in one post a few posts, but as a whole, and discuss the similarities and differences.  For the formal PatternReview reviews, I will do three separate reviews for the four dresses, for archival purposes. 

The four dresses  are based on at least 3 different patterns, and I use the word based pretty loosely. 

Let’s look at what they have in common.

1.  They are all eggplant in colour
2. They all use the following fabrics in some way- Eggplant coloured Silk Georgette from Mood in NYC ( with thanks to LindsayT for help in picking it out!), Eggplant coloured lining from Jomar in Philly ( thanks to Karen, Renee, Trina, and Elizabeth for helping out that day), and some way too cool eggplant coloured netting with Loonie sized black flocked dots that we dug up in a little  downstairs store in Toronto.  Not only does it take a village to raise a child, it apparently takes an international conglomorate to dress one for a wedding as well!!
3.  They are all empire styled.   Whoops, not so true.  Miss Laurens actually had a waist. 
4.  They all incorporated ruching of some type.  More on that later.
5.  They all had a waist stay – which, had I thought about it longer, I would have done differently.
6.  They all had an inner corset with boning.
7.  All were strapless.  I tried to change their minds, but they wanted strapless. What’s a mom to do?  The 3 proverbial maiden aunts had bets on as to how many clothing malfuntions there would be- final count – Zero.
8.  All had invisible zippers in the back.
9.  All were worn on blondes.  Okay that was stretching a point!

And they were all different as well.

1.  They all used the netting in different ways, and Micaela’s dress had no netting at all.
2.  One had a crossover bodice.
3.  One had netting at the hem. 
4.  One had netting on a huge bow
5.  One had ruched netting at the waist area.
6.  One had huge flowers all over the bodice
7.  One was ruched vertically.
8.  One was ruched horizantaly.

There.  Tweaked your interest.  No real dress making/design breakdowns today, but some photos for your enjoyment.  Please note that my daughters are certifiably nuts!  Ergo the market photo and the cheesy dance floor pose.  Good thing I love them to pieces!
The first photo shows (left to right) Lauren(19),Micaela (25), and Leah( 22), along with Kent who was a groomsman, and is marrying Micaela in August.  Combine that with the next photo of Katelyn (23) walking down the aisle, and you get an idea of what all 4 bridesmad dresses looked like at least.  If  you care to keep track of ages, Erica the Bride is 26!  Yes that is a lot of kids. 

Sorry, it is too nice out today to sew!  In the last two days I have been busy making flower beds pretty, (thanks for the help Mom!), washing windows, and pressure washing the deck.  With a wedding coming, the whole farm has to look good you know.   Tonight will be time enough for all the handsewing and fiddly work on the dresses.

Today everyone has gone off to Toronto for various Bachlorette and Bachlor parties.  I’m feeling a little like Cinderella here, and a bit more that snubbed that, while Dads were invited, Moms were strictly forbidden to attend.

It’s not like I am a party pooper, heck I can party like a twenty-something!  I’m sure I can!  I even assisted Micaela in constructing a paper mache pinata using 2 round ballons and one long one.  (Yes, the picture in your mind right now is correct!  We had to hide it from my dad, who was over this morning!)   Oh well, Micaela has promised me that I will be invited to hers.  She was astounded that I have never been to one.  They weren’t done when I was young.  The ladies are headed to a hotel in T.O. and have a few games planned, presents to open and then are off to do some Karaoke.  The guys are at a Jays game, followed by paintball and dinner. 

And me? I am home pouting.  And working.  On dresses, those pesky animals of ours, yard work, and various wedding planner type stuff.
 

Miss Erica had her last fitting this morning, as did Bridesmaids Kate and Mic.  Just finishing touches left, and I hope to review those eggplant coloured dresses tomorrow.  MaryPat wanted to know when the wedding is.  May 2nd is the big date, followed 2 days later by My Mike’s 50th birthday.  It feels like only yesterday I baked him that Superman cake for his 25th!!

I love all aspects of wedding planning.  I finished pew bows yesterday, and made up the sweetest wedding card box - container  – “pile of presents, as well.  I took a few minutes this aft to draft up the table numbers.  Miss Erica had said “oh let’s just do plain old numbers!”  No fun there, so I did “plain old numbers” with a twist.   

Here is a quick look at what they are going to look like.  Each table will have a different photo, all taken by a talented local photography team – The Last Forty Percent .

Enough fun for one day.  Time to get back to – ugh – work.

I’ve looked everywhere.  It seems my life has disappeared.  No time to think, no time to write, most importantly – NO TIME TO SEW.  My entire personal, volunteer, and work worlds have completely collided to the point that I quite honestly feel like a chicken with its head cut off.  Do  you ever find yourself ready for tears for no real apparent reason too? 
Time for some square breathing!  This too  will pass.

I promise, promise a bride/bridesmaid/MOB update as soon as my life is in order!!  This was just a “coming up for air”, “letting you all know I am alive and kicking” kinda post!

If it’s good enough for the FiveBlondes, it’s good enough for me!  They have  posted 100 random, little or well known facts about themselves – some things that even I, their own mother,  did not know!  Turnabout is fair play, so here are 100 factoids about me……

 1. I sucked my thumb until second grade.  And then only when my second grade teacher threatened to put a dirty  old glove on the hand of the next kid who stuck their thumb in their mouth.  Guess who that was!  My cousin told me later that day that the secret was to sit on your hand! 

2.  My second grade teachers husband is now one of my collegues!

3.  When I was 16, I dated a 22 year old guy.  He is still a friend of mine!

4. I always said I would marry a “Dutch, Catholic pig farmer”.  And I did!

5. I had warts all over my hands as a child.  I was paranoid that my kids would too.

6.  I wanted twelve sons when I got married.

7.  I ended up with 5 daughters.  Probably 12 daughters if you count my children’s friends!  And I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

8.  I graduated from University with a Diploma of Agriculture when I was 31.  I did it through correspondence. 

9.  When I did that I graduated top of my class. And got an award from the Minister of Agriculture.

10.  My drink of choice is Gin and Tonic.  MMMnnn…

11.  I was 12 when I started sewing.  It was a blue nightgown for 4-H.  I still have the pattern, but not the nightgown.

12.  I started playing guitar when I was 12.  My mom would pick me and a friend up at school, which was 15 miles north of our home, and take us to lessons in the city which was 15 miles south of our home.  She must really have loved us!  Later on my youngest sister and her friend came too.

13.  To pay her back, she made me join the church choir  – playing guitar.  I played for 7 years in that choir, and I still play every Sunday in my current church.

14.  One of my worst habits is to “volun-told” my children.  As in “of course (insert childs name here) would like to serve, babysit, sing, pick up garbage, assist….you.  She would love to. ”  They never “loved to” but generally helped out without too much “mooommm-please ASK US first“!!  By the way- thanks for helping out at the District meeting luncheon last week Kate and Mic.  See, I told you so!

15.  I worry all the time.

16.  I hate to be late for anything.

17. I used to be blonder.  I wish I still was…..

18.   I got fired once!  I was 13 years old, and still think I was gyped. 

19.  When I was 19 I had volunteered to take some kids on an outing, and got a speeding ticket.  I begged the kids not to tell their parents – but they did!

20.  When I was 18, I had my first car accident.  I was coming out of McDonalds, and thought a car was going to turn into the parking lot.  It had its turn signal on, honestly!

21.  My last car accident was 3 years ago when I got sideswiped by a drunk driver.  An hour before the accident I was driving the truck wishing that the old heap would give up the ghost so we could buy a new one.  An hour later it was totalled! 

21.  I never quite know when to use   s  or ’s  or s’.  Otherwise my grammar is quite good.

22.  I hate to cook only because I NEVER have the right ingredients in the house.  Probably because I hate grocery shopping too!

23.  The first time I saw my husband, I told my family that I was going to marry him.

24.  Another bad habit- I procrastinate!

25.  I always live in fear that people don’t like me.

26.  When I was 12 I wanted to become a nun.

27.  As a kid, I would always watch people very closely when they were going up to communion at church.  My priest told our class once that “bad people” would take the host and torture it, so I took it upon myself to make sure everyone put their host in their mouths.  What on earth I would have done if I suspected someone of pocketing it I will never know!

28.  As a kid, I would always put my light under the covers and read ’til all hours.  I still read till very late..

29.  I have ski patrolled for the past 10 years.  I applied to patrol at the Olympics but I think they laughed at my application cause I haven’t heard from them yet!

30.  My best memories as a child involve working  in the barn with my dad. I still like working in the barn – but now with Mike.

31.  When we were kids, we would climb our 100 foot tall elevator for fun and sit at the top.  Our kids never did that! 

32.  I have a not so secret desire to be on The Amazing Race.  If they ever have a Canadian version I am  going to apply. 

33. My favoutite vacation was a trip to Europe with our five daughters.  We traipsed around in a 5 speed-on-the-dash Mercedes Vito van, slept in hostels and had a riot.  They were 11-17 at the time. 

34. I am secretly mad at my husband because he is more photogenic that I am.

35.  When I was 11, I was snowed in at school for 3 days.  The army came to bring us food.

36. If I apply for something, I usually get it. 

37.  For instance. In 1993 I wrote a letter to Canadian Living (a Canadian national woman’s monthly magazine) and less than a week later, they called me and me and the entire family had makeover that was featured in the magazine.

38.  Then a couple of years ago, our local TV station was looking for people for makeovers.  I wrote in, and again got called for a makeover.

39.  Now I am afraid that I never look good enough.

40.  My worst vacation was. No forget it- not going to tell about THAT.

41. Shoot only at 41!  Right after marriage, Mike and I lived on top of a pizza joint.  Basically a slum.

42.  Then we moved to a house trailer. Mike loved it.  Not so much me.

43.  I have had the same computer password since 1982.

44.  I love being tall!  5′10

45. I modelled for about 15 minutes when I was 18.  The shady modelling company skipped out of town in the middle of the night.

46.  I was a School Board Trustee for a term.  I got more votes than the other 2 candidates put together.

47.  I think that I can do pretty well any crafty thing invented.

48.  That is how old I am.  In my head I am 32 or so though.  I get startled when I look in a mirror and see the “real” me.  Can I really be that old?

49.  My girls think that I am over the top.

50.  Probably because I talk to drive through people like they are real.

51.   And like to strike up conversations with “randoms”

52.  I used to sing in a cabaret group.  There were 12 of us.  Then 11….then 8…then just two of us – this guy and me.

53.  I sang with  him alone for 3 years. He thought we were going to be famous.

54.  I knew better.  I just didn’t want to let him down so I basically wasted 3 years of Monday nights.

55.  I “broke up” with him over the phone.  I was so happy.  He was so mad!

56.  I adore my jobs. Both of them. 

57.  I used to write articles for an agricultural newspaper.  I was pretty good.

57.  I never knew that my dad kept a copy of one of my articles in his wallet.

58. I have 3 sisters.  I wish we were closer.  In reality we compete way too much. 

59.  If they knew I wrote that, they would disagree.

60.  I had a brother. He was killed in a car accident when he was 17.

61.  I was always paranoid that the same thing would happen to our girls.

62. I have been told that I have amazing eyes.  By both males and females.

63.  People from my high school years say that I havent’t changed a bit.

64.  Damm them.

65.  I say that I am quiet.  Others disagree.  But I know now that there is such thing as an introvert who forces themselves to have an extrovert personality.

66. Having said that, I have no problems speaking in front of large or small groups.

67.  Once I was called “intimidating” by one person, and “too much of a “yes” person” by another -  ON THE SAME DAY.  Now, how is  that possible??

68.  Every year after I got my driver’s licence my dad got me to buy red roses for my mom – from him.  One for every year of their marriage.

69.   I love to find jobs for people.

70.  My friend and I have decided to walk the Bruce Trail.  All 800 plus kilometres of it.  So far we have 20 K under our belt.  whoops – shoes.

71.  When I am angry, I clean the house with a vengence.

72.  I had 5 children before I turned 30.

73.  I was known as “the fastest castrator in Middlesex County” .  Don’t ask!

74. I flunked my licence the first time I went for it.

75.  I have been offered every job I ever applied for.

76.  I do not have a lot of women friends. 

77.  I wish that the person I am inside my head was the person everyone else sees.  I have a sinking suspicion that is not the case.

78.  I am a good speller.  The only words I tend to screw up are “Yield” (which I type A LOT for my job) and “definitely” (I hope that is correct!)

79.  At my job,  I am the techno go-to person.  Come to think of it, I am at home too!

80.  I had laser eye surgery when I was 40.

81.  I love red roses. I would be sooo happy if my husband brought me home a dozen red roses. 

82.  At our local ski hill, when the girls were teenagers, I had two lists.  One was for “boys the girls were NOT allowed to date” and the other was “boys the Bontje girls were allowed to marry”  Boys always tried to make sure they were not on the first list!

83.  When I was a teenager, someone told me that I looked like Doris Day.  NOT a compliment I am sure! I was 17.  She was OLD!

84.  I don’t only love my girls, I LIKE them too!

85.  My washing machine is over 25 years old.

86.  When I was a kid, my brother would pick me a bunch of Lily’s of the Valley for my birthday.  Today the smell still reminds me of him.

87.  When didn’t want to be found as a child, I would climb our apple tree and sit high up and read a book.  I would usually also have a bowl of sugar and some stalks of rhubarb. Wierd, I know.

88.  I threw a fish at my sister once and now she has  a really big  scar on her leg.  I never said sorry.  Sorry Lynda.

89.  Favourite movie?  Probably “Love Actually” 

90.  Fav book- definitely “The Time Traveller’s Wife”

91.  I hate mushrooms.

92.  In Europe we stayed in a convent for a week.  They brought an extra bed to my room so that Mike could stay with me.  I think that was a first! 

93.  Our second daughter was born at home, after a 20 minute labour.  Mike kept the placenta in a Tupperware bowl in the fridge for a week.

94. My nickname was “The Dragon Lady” when the girls were young.  I was damned if anyone was going to question our choice to have a large family and I  was militant about the girls behaving and sharing when they were little.  One time at the library, the girls were all standing in line waiting to check out their books.  The librarian gave the first daughter 2 cookies.  She promptly turned around and gave one to her sisters.  The librairan patiently gave her another.  She looked at it and gave it to another sister.  It took a few minutes of explaining to the girls that they could each have twocookies.  Perhaps I was tooo militant?

95.  I hate talking on the telephone. 

96.  My favourite TV show – that I can get on our 5 stations- is The Ghost Whisperer.

97.  I blame Mike for a lot of things that are not his doing.  Like – “Well MIKE won’t “let” us get satellite TV”, when really all  I have to do is make a phone call, and we would have it and he wouldn’t care.  I think people call that “copping out”.

98.  Most of the time I am satisfied.

99.   My favourite musical , hands down, is Gypsy.  One of the blondes mentioned that they knew all the words to the songs when they were kids.  WHAT KIND OF MOTHER lets their children watch movies and sing songs about strippers???!!!

100.   Someday i want to take Mike to Venice.  I loved Venice and he has never been.

My bags are packed, I’m ready to go….to Philidelphia and New York City. Yes, just a little weekend getaway of heavy duty FABRIC SHOPPING! Karen twisted my arm to get me to agree to come along- barely got the invite out of her mouth before I said Yes !-and I booked a ticket before she could change her mind!!
It sounds like some of my favourite “yes, I met them in real life” and virtual “I haven’t really met them yet, but they feel like friends” sewing buddies will be spending parts of the weekend with us.
Can you tell that I am a little…a bit…a LOT excited?

There is lots to do before I leave. I was supposed to do a luncheon for 80 people on Sat, but by promising to do the grocery shopping for it, and prepare 50lbs of pork for pulled pork, I was able to pass on the details to some very capable hands. The snow here has reeked havoc with inspections for work, so they are on hold for a week or so, but I have a paper stack of phone calls to make regarding that. The barn never ends, thankfully My Mike and son-in-law Scottyboy, can manage without me once I get the weaning done, and semen scheduled (I never said farming was not without its more base qualities, but you can’t beat the commute! 2 minutes door to door!)

The only downside to travel this weekend is the weather!
Whooh the snow we have received and are still anticipating this week is Cer-a-zy! We live a scant 15 minutes from our local airport, but this trip was better cheaper flying out of Toronto. Now usually if I fly out of the Toronto airport, I just head down the 401 – especially if the flight is an early one. Traffic isn’t too bad early in the morning. With the amount of snow we have been getting, and knowing how treacherous the 401 can be on bad days – been there, done that – got the headaches- I called our local ground transportation service people. That means that I have to be at my pickup location (’bout a half hour drive away), by 1:15 am- for a 7:30 am flight! Oh well, this way I can sleep on the way, and not worry about traffic OR parking!

Karen, et al- here I come!!

See you all soon!

Today’s Postscript…

I haven’t forgotten about you Gwen! Gwen tagged me last week – or was it the week before. I will get around to doing it, but maybe I’ll change it around a bit!