Because…

…it was on sale for $3.99 and

…I absolutely love the big collar and

…I love, love, love the way the collar can wrap around for another look and

…it looked warm and cozy and

…I need something to wear over dresses about 3 Sundays a year and

…because fleece was 50% off at Hancocks

I made this:

Oh wait! You wanted to see my version. Well, if you insist…

but first, let me tell you that I don’t know if I love it or not. Why?

For starters, it’s ginormous!!!!! Yes, that’s a technical term. I guess I should have known it would be when it called for 4 (yep, you read that right!) yards of fabric.

I did love that it was simple to put together and no hemming! The edges are finished with your serger.

But, have you ever tried to cut a pattern out of 4 yards of fleece? Did I mention you have to cut it from a flat piece. That means you have a piece of fabric 72 inches by 144 inches to spread out to cut. That’s my whole living room carpet!!!

I didn’t read the instructions and the jacket went together really easily.

And, before I forget, if you are new to sewing with fleece, check out this post.

Here’s the collar (the reason I bought the pattern):

And a few full pictures:

Join me...

This one is for Jessica and Adriane and anyone else with a machine that doesn't sew as often as they'd like!

Doesn't this look like fun?

And 8 gifts for under $20! A girl's gotta love that!

So, I raided my stash and hit up HL for 9 great fabrics:

Anybody guess my theme???

All I want for Christmas…

(or wanted for Christmas) were tickets to a New Orleans Saints game in the Super Dome.  Well, life happens: my hubby’s schedule is nuts, my sisters and parents are busy people, and—of all things!—the Saints were off to their best start ever making the demand for tickets sky high!  So on Wednesday, Daddy gently informed me that this Christmas wish just wouldn’t happen this year.  But a girl should never give up hope!

Then, on Friday, out of the blue, my baby sister “found” some tickets.  For this weekend’s Saints vs. Panthers game.  Like in just over 48 hours.  Could I get to New Orleans for Sunday at 3?  Uhm, Yeah! (Never mind that NO is a 5 hour drive at it’s quickest, my hubby didn’t get off work until 8:30 Saturday night, and I had a presentation at 9 AM Monday morning!  We’d figure that out later. Ha.)

For the next 2 days, I floated bounced flitted barely made it through everything we had to do:  homework, a swim meet, grocery shopping, laundry, dishes, etc.  Then finally, after sweet talking a supervisor, my hubby got off work an hour early and we hit the road to NO at 7:30 Saturday night.  We swung by my sister’s in Lafayette, grabbed the tickets and then hit my other sister’s in New Orleans around 2 in the morning Sunday morning! 

The entire experience was almost indescribable.  The crowds were nuts.  The fans were diehard.  The traffic was intense. The game was a nail biter. The Drew Brees-Pierre Thomas combination was on fire.  The defense was tough on Jake Delhomme.  The Saints were awesome.  And the Dome was rocking!  The best part:  one of my dearest friends and her family were one section over, Bobby Hebert’s autograph, the tailgating, 30-20 win over Carolina, the way the floor vibrated when every fan in the place chanted “Who Dat!” as the Saints went 8-0 for the first time EVER!!

Enjoy the game through my camera lens!

The Tickets:The Fans:The Tailgating:The Crowds:Bobby Hebert (Did I mention I’ve been a fan a LONG time!):Becca, Me and Jane:  The Crowd: The Offense.  Some Shockey, some Bush, some Colston and a lot of Brees and Thomas:The Defense that rocked the second half! Us:The sidelines: The Final Score.  8-0! The Dome: 

Who Dat!