Time froze for me the other day while at my beautiful niece Melanie’s house in St. Paul. The kids playing hockey in the driveway, listening to the Belmont Stakes on the tv in the garage, cold Leinenkugel in my hand and it suddenly occurs to me…
I LOVE MINNESOTA!
WHHHATT!!!!!
I know! I know! You’ve always heard trash talk coming out of my mouth about the debilitating humidity, the frigid cold, the scary tornados, and the nasty mosquitos.
But in spite of all it’s shortcomings, and even though I lived out west most of my adult life, I will always call Minnesota my home.
It’s where my people are.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve got lots of people in Oregon. My children and their families, close friends I consider family, and the hundreds of students that I loved throughout the years.
But I really am a “Minnesotian” at heart.
I love all the “ya shore, ya betchas”, the “I saw dat der too and I said, hmmmms” and the of course it wouldn’t be complete without “daboatayas”.
My sister has a place “up nort” and after spraying at least two cans of Deep Woods Off (that we practically had to buy on the black market due to the “skito” epidemic this year) all over my entire body, it was the perfect spot for a photo shoot of my latest refashion for eHow.
Oh ya, I started with this jacket…
and in a few quick and easy steps, turned it into this:
Click here for the tutorial. (And be sure to say that with a Minnesota accent) 🙂
Happy Saturday and try to stay away from dat Lutefisk if ya know what good for ya!
Beth
The Renegade Seamstress 
Very pretty jacket. Great picture all together.
Awwwwwww, you are so nice! Thanks!
Beautiful job! I like the dress, too! I’ve been wanting to make something like that for my daughter-in-law and I think she’ll love that!
Thank you, Daisy! Your daughter in law is a lucky woman to have you for a MIL! Have a wonderful Sunday!
Oh yes, I was going to give you the link to the dress refashion, too:
https://chicenvelopements.wordpress.com/2012/07/14/diy-ten-minute-summer-dress-tutorial/
I can’t express how much I love to receive your blog/ news letter. Each time it shows up in my email I immediately click on you first. Thank you making time to write and share your latest creations. You make my day!
WOW, what a nice comment! Thanks so much for making my day!
Cute! I so love you refashions!!! One question: what type of machine do you use? I’m saving up for a new one and I really need one that can handle denim. My Singer from Walmart just isn’t up to the job.
Thank you, Sandy! I actually use….and you’re not going to believe this……a Singer sewing machine from Wal-Mart. The needle you use makes a huge difference when sewing denim! Be sure to use a 110/16 or a 110/18.
That’s encouraging! Thank you. My husband probably also thanks you, as I’ve been sighing over Janomes. 😉
Me, too!
Yet another great refashion. Love the length of your cute, new jacket. By the way, tea tree oil works wonders as a mosquito repellant. I use it and never get a mosquito bite at all. My husband, daughter, and I were hiking near a mosquito infested river several years ago and they were attacked by those nasty bugs. I didn’t get one bite because of lathering on tea tree oil. They refused to put it on because of the smell. Once the mosquitoes started attacking them, they begged me to put it on them! That was the last time they ever complained about the smell!
Thanks so much! I’ll have to try the tea tree oil for mosquito repellant. I actually like the smell of it. My husband uses tea tree oil shampoo and once in awhile, I’ll use it, too. Love the tingle on my scalp. Have a great weekend!
I feel the same way about Illinois! Every time I talk to one of my people there, the accent comes back 🙂 BTW, your outfit is so cute! Beautiful photos, too!
Thank you, Amy! Once I get about halfway across North Dakota, my accent comes right back. I LOVE it!
The new length is absolutely more flattering! It’s like a modern take on an old classic. Great upcycle!
Thanks so much! I’m going to get so much more use out of this jacket now.
I have the same jacket! This is a cute refashion for it. Thanks!
Just for the record, I’m a Minnesotan (living here) and travel all over the USA for work. I know no one who talks the way you describe. But it’s fun to make fun, like in the movie Fargo.
Hey Jen! I really liked the peplum on the bottom, but it just hit me in the wrong spot. Your thoughts on the Minnesota accent made me smile. I truly believed we didn’t have an accent when I lived there, too. It wasn’t until I moved away I realized there is a great accent and I love it!.
That was such a sweet story and as always you rock the upcycle! Thanks for sharing Beth. 🙂
Oh, I’m so glad you enjoyed my little nostalgic post today. I’m visiting my family this week and having so much fun!
Massive improvement on the original jacket, it looks super cute now!
Thanks so much Li-Lee!
Oh yu betcha, yu gotta luv dat Minnisota gal. She’s dah best rooten tooten cowgirl – doncha know.
Oh now, you have a soooper good time in Scotland and Italy sweetie pie and I can’t wait to see your pictures!
The Lutefisk comment made me laugh. We had some friends from Sweden at our house last weekend and we were talking about Lutefisk and other foods. My husband’s family isn’t from Minnesota, but he used to eat it at Christmas as a kid.
Oh ya, Heather, all my Lutheran friends used to eat da Lutefisk when I was a kid. Thanks for commenting, it really made my day!
Nice transformation. Once I made a darling (yep, darling) vest out of a pair of old genes. I gave it away…so you just have to imagine how it would look. Imagine them upside down (the pieces cut in lengths, so that the waistband is still intact) The waistband becomes the bottom band of the vest. As I said, this was a long time ago, but maybe it can be understood. Sorry about fuzzy details.
Oh yes, I can totally imagine your vest and it sounds quite innovative! During Refashion Runway Season One, Jen from Diary of a Madmama made a jeans jacket from a pair of jeans. It was super cool! Thanks for your nice comment!
Happy trails Beth- Carol and I are off to Scotland and Italy in 4, yes 4, days. Wish me luck keeping up with that woman~ Love you Cathy Date: Sat, 14 Jun 2014 11:28:31 +0000 To: cadiacetis@hotmail.com
Yes, good luck keeping up with that amazing girl! Have fun!
Daboatayas? I live in Wisconsin and can’t figure that out at all.
I love your imagination and fearlessness in refashioning!
Thanks so much, Kathy. My brother lives in Wisconsin, too-in Somerset.
Translation of Daboatayas- The both of you
“Dis card is for daboatayas”. 🙂
My brother in law’s family who came to northern Minnesota from Slovakia a hundred years ago would say that. I LOVE it!
Ha! Gotcha : )
This post made me smile! You’re right about never hearing the accent until you’ve been away awhile (no matter where “home” is, not just Minnesota) and then come back. Or until you record yourself and listen to it 🙂
Such a cute update to the jeans jacket and I love that dress, too – I see the link above and am going there now!
I know I’ve told you this before but you have such a gift of communication! I bet you have the best of friends because you always seem to say the right thing! Thanks for all of your encouragement and nice comments, you are the best!
You’re very kind, but you haven’t seen me first thing in the morning, I am a terrible grump 🙂
Nothing a little coffee can’t cure, I bet.
so much better!…just too cute!…Being from Kentucky…”accents” I know!
Oh yes, I bet there are amazing accents down there!
You look cute in this jacket, wear it proudly!
Thanks so much, Jerri!
Great refashion!! Amazing what one small change does for the shape of the whole jacket! I’ve got a Craft Gossip post scheduled for this evening that links to your tutorial:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-cropped-denim-jacket-refashion/2014/06/16/
—Anne
I always feel so honored when you post my projects on your site. Thanks so much, Anne!
You betcha bygolly yahhhh. Yumpin Yimminny! Cute jacket! From one Oregonian via Minnesota via Washington State…. now in Utah! Wheeeee….. hope you have a great visit!
Oh, ya shore ya betcha Jean, had a great time! 🙂
Yes! Finally something about red carpet fashion awards 2013.
We just moved back to MN after a brief foray into the mountains! My people are here, too!
Love your little jacket (and all your work, really!)
Awwwww, thanks so much. I bet you were glad not to be in MN last winter though.
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Awesome……
Thank you! Connie!