Sunday, January 31, 2010

Yeah! It's Sunday!

I think it will be a late night tonight… lots of things to start and finish. Can you believe tomorrow is February?! Lots of new things being listed this week, new projects being started and a grand reopening of the congo I belong too! I will keep you posted as they are unveiled!

This week’s menu:
Sunday – Kielbasa and sauerkraut on rolls and homemade tater wedges.
Monday – Homemade chicken soup and sandwiches.
Tuesday – Leftover soup and sandwiches.
Wednesday – Ham, broccoli and rice bake.
Thursday – Rump roast, potatoes, carrots and biscuits.
Friday – Leftovers or ffy (fend for yourself).
Saturday – Chicken piccata, pasta and garlic bread.

This week I am thankful that my mother taught me to have manners. I am always shocked when I go shopping at the incredible rudeness or lack of consideration that individuals have of the people that surround them. Especially on a Sunday! Grocery aisles are not designed for you to park yourself in the middle of and glare at anyone who dares to go around you. If you accidently (or purposefully for that matter) run into someone with your cart, it’s always nice to say you’re sorry. Even if you don’t mean it! Instead of waiting for the cashier to finish ringing up your groceries so she can then place all 30 of the bags into the cart, how about you help her out by doing that yourself. Unless your arms are broken… and if they aren’t the person waiting behind you could probably arrange to have that happen. Seriously people, even a smile costs nothing to give and will help you face from drooping to your knees when you’re old!

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Rod Pocket Curtain

Time to share!
Well what I worked on today anyway. Today I made rod
more curtains for my bathroom using these instructions. http://www.sewing.org/files/guidelines/8_150_making_rod_pocket_curtains.pdf
So I thought I’d write a little tutorial on how easy they were.
It might inspire you to make some yourself!
First you must choose your fabric. I like color. It makes me happy. So I went with this bright print by Michael Miller. The print will also prevent the neighbors from seeing me in my birthday suit. Believe me when I say I’m doing them a favor. ;)
Once you have chosen your fabric you must wash and dry it.
Yes, you must.
Then comes the ironing…


You can’t have nicely sewn things without a fabulous iron. I’m serious.

After your fabric has been ironed to perfection you will then measure (measure again), then you’ll… nope, measure one more time and then cut your fabric. This is best achieved I believe with a rotary cutter.
Time to iron again!

I remember playing with this nifty little tool when I was young. If you don't own one, get one! It makes your hem lines look perfect! Just measure and press.
For the side hem you will measure an inch and press. Then you'll fold over that inch and press again so it's doubled.


Once you have the your side hems neat and pressed into place I recommend pinning so everything stays put.


Now repeat the same process for the bottom hem and pin.


Topstitch the sides first, removing pins as you go. A magnetic guide helps to keep the stitches straight. Again, if you don't have one, get one! Do the same for the bottom hem.


The next step is to skip back to your ironing board and fold over and iron the upper edge (1/2 inch). From your measurements you will then determine the amount of fabric you will fold over to create the top edge and rod pocket. Measure, iron and pin. Before I started to sew again I made a guideline for the top stitching of my rod pocket using my husband's electrical tape. I measured from the needle to wear the top of the curtain would hit. My magnet guide doesn't function well on the plastic casing. :/
Proceed to topstich the lower edge.


Once your lower edge is stitched, line up the top edge of your curtain panel to your tape guide and begin to sew the rod pocket.


Slow and steady wins the race and ensures a nice straight stitch. Trim your loose threads and iron once again. Just do it...


Insert the rod into the rod pocket and hang.
One panel finished. One more to go!
(Please ignore the walls. It's an old house and I need to repaint.)

Lastly, a bonus picture of Johnna. She thinks she's going in the hot tub, hence the bathing suit. Not tonight baby girl. Mommy has some sewing to do!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

chicalookate

This week's Talented Team Member is chicalookate from my Michigan street team!
(Click on the pictures!)

This handmade shop has beautiful photography.
Cool pocket mirrors!
And fabulous recycled record bowls!
This shop also has journals, cards, coasters and much more!
Check out Kate's shop today at http://www.chicalookate.etsy.com/ !

Monday, January 25, 2010

Monday...

And it’s Monday…
That’s not a bad thing, I’m just still trying to rev my engine to go, go, GO!
I’ve been waking up in the middle of the night for no apparent reason and then not being able to fall back to sleep. Subsequently by this time I’m tired again.
No worries, I’ll just keep drinking coffee until I perk up…

It’s rainy and sort of gloomy today. I like rain… but I like it in the spring when it brings flowers and sweet smells or the summer when it cools off hot days. Everything right now is wet, muddy and cold. Where is our snow?!

We had a pretty relaxing weekend. Johnna is basically back to her old self. Every once in awhile she points to a needle mark and says it hurts and asks for her “Boo-Boo puppy”. This is what she has named a white stuffed dog they gave her in the hospital.

Saturday we watched a new sci-fi flick from Netflix, “City of Ember”. It was a nice family film with some good action parts and quite a few big actors. The kids enjoyed it. :)

Okay, off to gather Joe’s jeans. He had a major growth spurt and grew out of all his brand new jeans! Ebay, here they come!

Have a great day everyone!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Back to business!

Boy... what a week!
Johnna had her Stim test. We are mighty glad that is done and over with! We should have the results sometime this week.

We donated over 15 pounds of soap to Clean the World! This soap will be distributed to Haitians in efforts to help them fight infection and bacteria. We are glad we could contribute even in a small way. :)

I have a lot of projects in various stages of completion so I will be working diligently this week to finish them. The Congo I belong to will be revamping for a new look in two weeks so I have a lot of work to do!

This week's menu:
Sunday - Taco Bell ... because John doesn't want me to cook. :)
Monday - Crock pot buffalo chicken sandwiches and chips.
Tuesday - Spanish rice bake.
Wednesday - Leftovers.
Thursday - Baked fish, wild rice and broccoli & carrots.
Friday - Pizza, salad and something for dessert... having company. :)
Saturday - Alfredo over pasta with grilled chicken and garlic bread.

Today I'm thankful for the compassionate doctors and nurses of Beaumont Hospital. Even though the day was a nightmare (not their fault), they did everything they could to make Johnna happy and comfortable. From blowing bubbles, to making snowmen with Play-Doh, they never stopped trying to make her smile. And a few times they succeeded! LOL!

Have a happy and peaceful Sunday!

Monday, January 18, 2010

Happy MLK day!

Today will be two posts in one. I just wasn’t in the mood to write yesterday…

I had a very busy, but for the most part fun weekend.
Saturday I went to a baby shower. I loved seeing all the sweet, miniature baby things. Not enough to have another one though! LOL! I guess that’s a definite sign you are done. There were a few friends there that I hadn’t seen for quite awhile and it was nice to chat and catch back up. And the cake is always good too!

Saturday night John and I had our first bowling date! It was weird walking out the front door and leaving our kids behind. Jacob was not happy we were leaving him… it will get easier… I hope.
I learned a couple of things from this first date…First if you haven’t bowled for over 5 years you need to take your lighter bowling ball. Owww! My arm hurts! I did get one strike the time I accidently dropped the ball. No, I’m not kidding.
And secondly I can NOT wait until the no smoking ban goes into affect for Michigan. *cough* *gag*… I literally smelled like an ashtray when I got home. Yuck!
Overall we had a good time though. Can’t wait to go back next month!

Sunday was grocery shopping and kicking back. I did do some sewing but I’ll tell you about that later. ;)

This week’s menu:
Sunday – Brats in a roll and fries.
Monday – Tomato soup and tuna sandwiches.
Tuesday – Ham, potato salad and baked beans.
Wednesday – Leftovers.
Thursday – Chicken fajitas and Mexican rice.
Friday – FFY (fend for yourself)
Saturday – Hamburger gravy over white rice and green beans.

This week I am thankful that I’m able to be a stay/work at home mom. I love being able to see my kids learn and grow right before my eyes. It makes me happy to be here to kiss the boo-boos or watch as they dream during an afternoon nap. It has meant some sacrificing but I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Lots to sew today, soap to package for Haiti and of course some cleaning.
Time to get busy!

Friday, January 15, 2010

Helping with soap...

I received this email and I knew immediately that this was my way to contribute to the people of Haiti! If you're not a soap maker you can still contribute by donating monetarily to ship the much needed soap.

Dear soap maker,

A 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides much-needed soap to the third world, "Clean the World," has asked me to mobilize the handmade soap community. The need for soap in Haiti is great.

Without hand washing, the broken sewers, plumbing, and toilets in Haiti will lead to diarrhea-related bacterial infections, which sadly effect children the most and lead to 5 million deaths annually. You can help!

Send your cold process, hot process, or melt-and-pour soap to:
Clean the World c/o Threads of Compassion4625 Old Winter Garden Rd, Unit B7Orlando, FL 32811

The soaps do not need to be labeled in any kind of way (ingredients, type of soap, etc.). Please include a brief note with your contact information explaining that you've donated handmade soap and whether you'd like a receipt for your taxes.

Our contact at Clean the World is co-founder and managing director Paul Till. He can be contacted at
info@cleantheworld.org (although he is very swamped at the moment!)

or from Clean the World's website:
http://www.cleantheworld.org/

PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO OTHER SOAP MAKERS! Thank you.For more information (including a "Donate Soap to Haiti/Clean the World" image and HTML code for your website), please visit:
http://thesoapblog.com/2010/01/14/please-donate-soap-to-haitian-relief-effort.aspx

The Gatherer

I love Queen Anne's Lace!

This artist from www.thenest.etsy.com captured the beauty of it in this lovely vase.

Check out her shop for more fabulous ceramic creations!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Waste deep in projects!

Can you believe the week is nearly half over?!
I won't be posting pictures today because everything is either only half finished or I haven't photographed it yet. I promise to have many pictures next week.
I need to find my get-up-and-go because I'd really like to go back to bed today. Maybe I'll take a nice nap this afternoon. ;)
With that being said I think I should get busy!

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Childish Thoughts

Today's talented team member is Childish Thoughts (http://www.childishthoughts.etsy.com/) from my Cafemom team.
And today is Childish Thoughts 2 year Etsyversary! Congrats and we wish you continued handmade success, Childish Thoughts!
Here you will find handmade crayon rolls with matching totes. They even include crayons and an activity book!
You will also find these beautiful handmade crayon aprons. A must have for any stylish little artist. Visit Childish Thoughts handmade shop today for her anniversary sale!
In other news, I bought some pancakes and sausages on a stick (like a corndog) from Sam's Club this past weekend. It's a quick and easy hot breakfast. My kids LOVE them. Yours might too. ;)
And just a small request... my mother-in-law is going in for some surgery this morning. Any prayers or positive thoughts would be greatly appreciated. :)

Monday, January 11, 2010

Happy Monday!

The weekend was busy and a tad bit painful.
John and I got our H1N1 shots and Jake and Johnna received their boosters. That wasn’t painful part though…

I had big plans to start/finish a few projects and those all flew out the window when I hurt my shoulder. I’m not really sure how I did it… could have been the powerhouse cleaning on Thursday or the way I awkwardly stretched that evening. I sat on the couch this weekend (when I wasn’t doing laundry, grocery shopping and or going to some appointment) with a heating pad placed on my shoulder between my shirt and sweatshirt praying for relief.

It must have worked because I’m feeling much better today! I hope to be productive but it’s much easier when John is here to help me with Jake and Johnna.

Once again, I got a new pair of sexy specs while at the eye doctor on Friday. I’ve had glasses since I was in 5th grade. Oh, you’ve never seen me with glasses on?! This time I plan on wearing them. Hopefully they reduce the amount and severity of my headaches. A girl can hope… They should be ready by the end of this week.

We watched “Angels and Demons” this weekend. It’s a good movie I guess. I thought it might have been a little too similar to “The Davinci Code” in the way it was filmed. Maybe it’s because I read the books and knew what was going to happen.

I’m going to watch “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” later today. I started to watch it last night but the kids needed to go to bed. I think I may have missed the movie before it though… Anyone know the order in which I was supposed to watch these?

Okay, time to be productive!

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Today I am thankful for my computer. Mine helps me communicate with people I'd otherwise never hear from, keeps me organized, gives me the ability to sell my handmade things from the comfort of my home and stay home with my children and can be a great source of entertainment. Where else can you find a game of Pinochle at 3am when you can't sleep?! :)

This weeks menu:
Sunday - Burgers and vege tray.
Monday - Chicken salad lettuce wraps (or croissant).
Tuesday - French dips.
Wednesday - Chicken wings and fries.
Thursday - Homemade mashed potato bowls.
Friday - FFY (fend for yourself).
Saturday - Pizza!

Have a fantastic Sunday everyone!

Saturday, January 9, 2010

The Queen of Re

My plate was overflowing yesterday and I missed posting one of my favorites so I'm doing that today instead of a snapshot.

Okay is this FABULOUS or what?! This resides in the shop of The Queen of Re ( www.thequeenofre.etsy.com ) along with many other vintage treasures. Love it!

Time to clean, cut and sew! Have a wonderful Saturday!

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Gonna go crazy. Wanna come?

I'm slightly overbooked for the next two days...

Today we have cleaning, laundry, organizing, product listing and preparing for Friday's busy day. Mind you, this is all while two little people follow behind me and undo everything I do. Thank goodness it's a pizza night!

Tonight we are supposed to be getting some considerable snow... just in time for Friday's lovely schedule... GREAT!

Starting at 8:30am Friday we have 4 dentists appointments followed by one eye appointment (me) and then two doctors appointments (second H1N1 for the babes) and then just to keep it fun, two more doctors appointments (H1N1 shots for John and I)! Fun, eh?
Oh, and did I also mention John promised the kids to go sledding and play and in the snow? So they'll be asking to do that every 5 minutes throughout the day.

What was I thinking?!!

Okay, I'm off. Wish me luck!

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Scarlett's Skull Dress

I made this dress for little Miss Scarlett yesterday. I think her mama liked it because it was snatched up and safely stowed in her diaper bag before I could tell her how much I was going to charge her for it. ;)

I wasn't thrilled with sewing with knit fabric but it wasn't as bad as I anticipated. I am definitely going to increase the amount of fabric I use for the skirt on the next dress because I didn't achieve the fullness I wanted on this one.

Scarlett is cute to begin with... but in this dress with some cute little leggings... she'll be SUPER cute!

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

BACLORI

This Tuesday's Talented Team Member is from my Michigan street team.

Basement Art Creations - Photography By Lori O'Connor

www.baclori.etsy.com

"Troll Butt" (print)

Reminds me of my friend A.J.'s room. There were trolls everywhere!

Glass tile photo pendants.

Little monkey tells a big tale - note card.

Is this cute or what?!

Visit her shop and show her some love!

Monday, January 4, 2010

Brrrrrrrrrrr!!!!

That pretty much sums up the weekend. Shopping for groceries was painful. The cold wind cut to the bone. We tried to remain inside the house where it was warm, generating some of our own heat playing some 100 pin bowling on the Wii. Oh, and eating. We did a lot of eating...

We did have a fright when a friend's daughter was kidnapped by her ex-boyfriend! Thankfully she has been found. She is recovering from hypothermia but is doing well and should be going home soon.

Overall it was a relaxing weekend. Christmas vacation is officially over and it's back to business!

I decided on a fabric to make some curtains for our kitchen. It's from the Bloom and Grow collection by Riley Blake. It sort of reminds me of the curtains I had in my bedroom when I was a little girl. I think it's cheery and fun. We have new windows but I'm hoping the curtains help in making the kitchen warmer. They'll beautify it for sure!

Well I best get busy...
Lots of things to do today... supplies to be ordered, crocheting to finish, sewing projects to cut out and cleaning to be done. It's Monday after all. ;)

Sunday, January 3, 2010

I can boil water!

This week I am thankful for the ability to follow a recipe and to make delectable meals. Well most of the time... I haven't had anyone die from my cooking yet! I like to try new recipes and make different things. Liver is the only thing that is off limits. Yuck!
My favorite site for new recipes is http://www.allrecipes.com/ . I try to make meals that not only satisfy the body but also the soul. I take requests too!
Fast food has its purpose though. There are definitely nights that I just don't want to cook. Fast food and takeout are not the same. Why? Well price for one... and because I said so. LOL! Oh, and pizza is not fast food. And it always tastes better if someone else makes it. ;)

This week's menu:
Sunday - Irish chicken and dumplings. (We were supposed to have this last night but had takeout ribs instead.)
Monday - Dirty rice and salad.
Tuesday - Teriyaki pork tenderloin, rice and corn.
Wednesday - Chicken strips, tater tots and apple slices.
Thursday - Pizza (takeout).
Friday - Smoked sausage, potatoes, pepper and green bean skillet.
Saturday - Baked Ziti, vege and garlic bread.

Friday, January 1, 2010

Handcrafted Coops

Okay, how is this for a favorite?! Is this cool or what?!
This handmade coop is from http://www.chickencoops.etsy.com/ .
It seriously makes me want to run out and buy some baby chicks and start a little farm in our backyard! And I'm not very fond of chickens... Don't get me wrong, I think they are beautiful birds but they used to scare me when I was little. Mean little peckers...
Nevermind that... The design of this coop is outstanding! And very pleasing to the eye!
I really want one! Now to convince the hubby...