Arello & Beebug

04/27/2026

The Sewing Witch says, "We're getting there!"

Spring is here, (finally) the weather is warming up and it's time to get some work done in the garage. A couple hours here and there, depending on weather, schedules and body aches and pains are we now have the interior wall we built covered with OSB. Today John asked if I was busy. I'm always busy, but I can make time to work out there if he feels like doing it. We still have the ceiling to do and have decided to insulate the outside walls more before we are done. Still have two windows to install, trim work, painting, fitting room to build and the floor to seal. Progress is progress no matter how small. Now back to sewing!

As always, many blessings.

The Sewing Witch 🧙 🧵 🪡

04/18/2026

04/18/2026

The Sewing Witch and watching an "Ugly Duckling" turn into a Swan

A couple weeks ago I was contacted about alterations for a prom dress. The appointment was made and the family showed up. Mom, dad, older brother and the young lady that was attending her first and only dance of high school, the big one, the Senior Prom. She was shy, insecure and looked like she was absolutely terrified to be here. I reassured her that she would be fine, that I would do the best I could to make her dress be exactly what she envisioned. We talked, I asked her what she wanted done and assured her that I could do as asked and it would be ready in time. Today she came to pick up her dress and a final fitting to make sure all was well. She came out of the room looking confident, standing tall and all smiles. The transformation from the shy, skittish girl I saw weeks ago. She twirled, video chatted with mom and dad and just looked like a princess. It's the moments like these that drive me to do what I do. The transformation from insecure to confident is amazing and I love helping make it happen. I didn't even mind vacuuming sequins off the floor this time. 😂

Thank you to everyone that comes to my door for a bit of magic. Thank you for sending others to me as well. It's all of you out there helping spread the word, that keep me so busy and I deeply appreciate it.

As always, many blessings.

The Sewing Witch 🧙 🧵 🪡

04/16/2026

The Sewing Witch is contemplating a career change.

It is now the month of April. The Easter Bunny has come and gone and it is time for the peeper frogs to sing and flowers to bloom. This also means rain. Lately it has been copious amounts of rain. My front yard has a water feature, my side yard with the clothesline also has a water feature and the grassy part of the driveway is soggy and cannot be driven on for fear of sinking. Walking across it is less than ideal and may result in squishy or loss of shoes. Not warm enough yet to go barefoot, so I recommend treading lightly. I remember the old rhyme from school about April showers bringing May flowers, but unfortunately it is also bringing flooding and mud and impassable roads. I'm wondering if it will ever stop raining or if I'm going to have to trade in my sewing machine for a hammer and lumber. I just need to search out the blueprints for an Ark, calculate cubits into feet and learn where to source gopherwood. I wonder if you can buy it on Etsy? Then I'll need to find an empty field to build it in. Too many trees in my yard. Things to ponder while the thunder booms and lightning flashes.

Hope y'all stay dry!

As always, many blessings.

The Sewing Witch 🧙 🧵 🪡

03/23/2026

The Sewing Witch says, "See you when I get there ma."

Yesterday heaven gained a new angel. Our mother, Patricia Ann Strayer, often known as Pat or Patsy, passed away peacefully surrounded by love. She raised five children, Viola Chapman , Michelle Roberts Oropeza. Peter Strayer, Kathleen Strayer and myself. She taught us to be kind, work hard, take no crap and be good humans. She was constantly accepting strays, whether animal or human, countless gatherings or holidays have included an extra or two because "nobody should spend a holiday alone".

She went to beauty school and was a beautician before she became a mom and our own beautician. Many haircuts and permanents were done in our kitchen and when we got old enough, we did her hair too. Her last good day was spent getting her hair done and eating brownies with Viola and I.

She will be missed greatly by all of us, but her legacy and teachings will live on. One in particular stands out amongst all of them and it means to be prepared.

"It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it."

She did not want a funeral service or "falderal" as she would say. We are respecting her wishes on that. If you would like to honor her, buy a lovely plant and put it in your favorite spot and tell her hello.

This was the song that was running through my head before I got the call that she was gone. Very fitting and appropriate. She did love bluegrass.

https://youtu.be/lFamN-oXRMQ?si=bpUCytZbAj5uPvuA

As always, many blessings

The Sewing Witch 🧙 🧵 🪡

03/08/2026

The Sewing Witch and Daylight Savings Time.

It's that time of year again. The springing ahead on the clocks. It takes very little time to change all of the clocks in the house and car. It takes a week, at least, to reset our own internal clock.

I personally don't understand why we still do it. I know there was a reason ages ago, before the industrial revolution. When farmers still worked from dawn until dusk (at the very least) and didn't have tractors with headlights or barns with milking machines and electric lights. We don't really need to keep doing the whole do-si-do with that hour. We could just stop doing it.

Wasn't there some law or something that some overpaid politicians were going to pass to do away with DST? Whatever happened to that? Did they get distracted by some ridiculous thing like trying to figure out exactly how much methane is produced by a mouse fart? Guess they weren't annoyed enough to get rid of DST. Oh well, guess I need to reset all the clocks again.

Make sure you do it before bed, except your cell phone (it does it all by itself). Don't be late tomorrow for whatever you are doing.

As always, many blessings

The Sewing Witch 🧙 🧵 🪡

01/30/2026

The Sewing Witch's new space is in a holding pattern for now.

I've been asked many times how the new space is progressing. It's cold outside, it's cold inside, there's snow on the ground and we found a leak in the roof. We are up to putting the ceiling and wall panels on, but in order to do that we have to cut them. In order to cut them we have to set up a saw outside. Refer to previous statement of cold and snow. Periodically we go out and check how things are holding up, is the insulation tape still sticking and if the foundation is leaking anywhere. John found a leak in the roof that was dripping near the breaker box. Not good. The breaker box has been covered with plastic so nothing goes zappy zappy. Now we need the snow to go away so we can patch the roof where needed. Good thing we didn't get the ceiling panels on before winter.

We aren't rushing anything, it will be done in due time. I am tired of winter though and want it to stop snowing and being so cold. Even Stitch has had it with this weather.

As always, many blessings.

The Sewing Witch 🧙 🧵 🪡

01/29/2026

We are thrilled that West Michigan Foot and Ankle is working with us to provide foot care to our members. If you would like to make an appointment, please call 231-843-2690.

01/23/2026

The Sewing Witch is most pleased.

Today a customer picked up a pair of pants they had hemmed. Mother in law calls me to tell me that her daughter in law will not give me a 5 star review. She was shocked when she was told this. I was highly recommended, I have several 5 star reviews and she didn't understand. Her daughter in law said she wouldn't give me a 5 star review, because she wants to give me a 10 star review. Her son said the pants looked like they had never been hemmed. They looked like they came from the store.

THIS! This is why I do what I do. Not for reviews, not for praise, not for riches or glory. I do it because it makes me happy to make people happy. The smiles, the laughter, the photos I receive from people that are grateful for someone that takes time to fix things or alter them. I was given a gift, I can use that gift in service of others. That fills my heart, makes me happy and makes life worthwhile.

As always, many blessings.

The Sewing Witch 🧙 🧵 🪡

01/19/2026

The Sewing Witch is taking an evening off.

The current weather has caused my driveway to fill up with snow again after I cleared it Saturday. John took Kearyn to work last night because we didn't think her tiny little shoebox of a car would make it. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't after I navigated the driveway this morning to get to work at Walmart. The decision was made that I would clear the snow after work today so she could hopefully make it tonight. After hours of wrestling the snowblower around the deck and driveway, I'm sore and tired. A hot shower to get warmed up, coffee, rice, hazelnuts and a big piece of pistachio cake later and I'm done for the day. The thought of navigating the stairs is just too daunting. Sometimes I need to remember that I am not invincible. That even if I don't feel old, my body begs to differ. Today, I'm taking time to just be a vegetable. Today I am a cabbage.

Take care out there, stay warm, bundle up and be safe.

As always, many blessings.

The Sewing Witch 🧙 🧵 🪡

01/04/2026

The Sewing Witch is thankful for followers and recommendations!

Last week I invited all of my friends here in Facebook land to follow my page here! The response was amazing! I have over 600 followers, but that is just the icing on the cake. Because of most of you that follow me, have used my mad sewing skills or recommended me to others, I'm looking at 10 years in business! Now that's crazy to me! If you had asked me 10/15/20 years ago, "Would I have thought I would be working my magic for the past 10 years?" I would have said no, it's just a thing I do for fun or to help people out.

Thank you, for kindness, patience, trust and keeping me in business (and sane, I guess, or as sane as I could be).

As always, many blessings.

The Sewing Witch 🧙 🧵 🪡