Ann The Gran Community

I am a former retail store manager who fell from a ladder and severely broke a hip, which has never completely healed.  The government decided I was too mangled up to work and put me on social security disablility at the age of 59.  Good thing too, 'cause I broke the same hip less than 2 years later (riding a bicycle, of all things) and almost died from a pulmonary embolism following surgery, so I don't get around very well.  I had sewed for my kids when they were little (took an adult ed class), but had found little time after returning to the work force.  After I broke the hip, my hubby bought me a new computerized Singer to help pass the time, and it was Off To The Races!  I believe I darned near wore the thing out with making new outfits for myself, my hubby, and friends and family.  Then for Christmas 2006 I received (hubby again) a Singer Futura CE200 which connected directly to my computer.  It is a combination sewing/embroidery machine, and I was in heaven making all those beautiful designs and having people comment on how talented I was   LOL.  If they only knew, the machine does all the work.  Then one day this year I was reading an ATG post about the Brother PE700 machine.  Well, it just looked fantastic, and I happened to mention it to hubby (again), and within 5 days I had another new machine, which I dearly love.  It makes my Singer feel like an old Studebaker, although the Singer was the more expensive machine.  These days I turn almost every design I see into a refrigerator magnet, using a satin stich applique border, a plain fabric back, and a stick-on magnet.  I have hundreds of these little (beautiful) things, and have begun to think that maybe I could have a twilight career of selling them.  My design stash is enormous, as is my fabric stash, and hubby had to build me a new wraparound desk for my sewing area to accomodate all my toys.  Needless to say, I'm having a ball, and embroidery pretty much rules my life!