Learning to Sow

Need a Little Help from Sewers & Crafters

2011-03-17T11:03:00.002-07:00

I am in need of buying an iron that really works! Right now I am using Black & Deck Steam Xpress. It's OK but I want something better. It doesn't really get wrinkles or creases out of my fabric without having the cloth pretty damp. Since I'm sewing, I need an iron that can stay on all the time. I asking you guys who use their irons for sewing or crafting to please help me out here! Do you have an iron that you can recommend? What is it that you love (and not love) about your iron? How much did it cost you? Have you tried a professional iron? I have gone to amazon and looked at several but when I look how people rated their irons & their experiences, I'm scared! So any help is appreciated. If there is an iron I should stay clear of, please let me know that too!

Here's what I want in a new iron:

Plenty (and I really mean A LOT) of steam with plenty of steam holes
An iron that doesn't spit back
the option of auto off but also leave it on all the time
I want the iron to be able to get out wrinkles and creases (is there an iron that can really do this, I haven't bought one yet)

If you can think of other things I should consider, please let me know.

(Picture from Black & Decker's website.)

First Hike of the Season: Superstition Mountain

2011-03-13T09:28:00.001-07:00

Beginning of Gold Mine Trail

Beautiful Desert: Superstition Mountain

Zdenek waiting for me...I don't believe I'm that slow!

Phoenix in the distance: You can see the smog (:

The only wild flowers we saw today

Zdenek is always prepared! We are trying our new water system out!

Which Direction? Where's the trail?

He's not impressed with us!

I hope he brought me an apple too!

How many Cacti can there be??

Couples Differences

2011-03-10T17:30:00.000-07:00

All couples have similarities and differences. We learn to live with both. But sometimes our differences clash. Still, we learn to cope! Although I have many things that Zdenek and I like together (such as our style) I believe he wishes I would be more like him as far as a someone who was neat about their personal space. We both have areas, which we believe are our personal domain; for example, I cook so the kitchen is part of mine. We both have a room/office that is totally our own. Here’s a glimpse into our areas:

His tool drawers:

My kitchen drawers:

Zdenek has his say with
this drawer to keep peace in
our house!

His office:

My sewing studio:

I know where everything is!

Now, I don’t usually post pictures about my messiness. But I refuse to be fake so I’m doing so. I can clean a house that my mom would be so proud of, just ask my sister! But I can make a mess faster than most kids! I believe this drives my husband nuts somedays. He gets so many bonus points for not pointing it out to me on most days. But just like my messiness can (OK, does) drive him nuts, so does him being so neat drives me nuts. For example, I can be cooking a recipe and have everything I need out on the countertop and the dryer buzzer goes off. I’ll go to take care of the clothes and when I come back to cooking, all the food has been put away! My honey didn’t know what I was doing but thought I just left the stuff out and put it away! IT DRIVES ME CRAZY! But somehow we live with each other in harmony! I just find it fascinating how couples manage life together when we have different ideas, backgrounds and standards. It must be *l*o*v*e*! I wouldn't trade him for the world! I hope he feels the same way; I'm afraid to ask!

Fabric that I Love

2011-03-07T10:55:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you pick a piece of fabric that you love and when you go to show it to your friends they look at you funny. Well, this is one of those pieces that may make you do a double take. I bought it at a discount SAS warehouse in Tucson. If you are my friend, I understand your puzzled look! So, without writing more, here is one of my favorite fabrics:

It was not my intention to use a Halloween theme. I am simply making myself a purse! (The fabric serves as the lining in my purse). I really can’t tell you why it tickles my fancy only that is does. It might just be that I deal with bones for a living. Or it might be the red & white fabric or the time period that it depicts (anybody remembers the skeleton period?). I’m not altogether clear why I like it; just that I do. Have you ever picked up a piece of fabric or an article of clothing and just knew you liked it, no matter what others would say about it or what your choice says about you?

The fabric is Alexander Henry “Midnight Pastoral” . I find that a curious name for this fabric. I wonder what his inspiration was?

Sewing: Peek A Boo bags

2011-03-01T07:57:00.003-07:00

I just finished making these cute bags:

Peek A Boo

I found the tutorial for making these cute bags at Make it Perfect. I could think of a hundred uses for these type bags that I just started sewing. A co-worker is having a baby boy next month and I thought these bags would make a great baby shower gift.

The Process:

Although I'm not a fast sewer, they are easy to make. I'll have to time myself to see how long it takes me. Usually, if I'm making more than one item of the same design, I like to do all the cutting at one time. So it's hard for me to judge how long one bag takes me. I used a thinner clear vinyl than what Toni recommended because it's what I had on hand but when I run out of it I'll purchase thicker vinyl.

Aren't they cute... I'm going to make some for my upcoming trip to Europe. They might help me keep my life organized! Truly, a wishful thought! I also want to try making some with Velcro closure; I'll post my results when I make one.

I want to say a big "Thank You" to Toni at Make it Perfect for sharing with her readers her sewing pattern/tutorial. This makes her an awesome lady! She also has an etsy shop, go check it out and see if she's made something you can't live without! All her items are so cute; I can't wait till I have a new little one in our family (my brother is having a baby soon) to shop in her etsy's shop.

What would you use these bags for?

Recipes made by Smart & Final Smarties using La Romanella Products

2011-02-22T12:26:00.002-07:00

I am a member of Smart & Final's Smarties. Right now, there are 80 members in this group. Recently, several of us were asked to share a recipe with our readers using La Romanella products from Smart & Final. This is so easy for us to do because there are so many products in this line! I posted my recipe last week along with a couple other Smarties. I wanted to share with you their recipe.

My friend Sara Hawkins of SavingForSomeday made a delicious recipe: Spinach Stuffed Shells. She also included a dessert recipe that sounds divine: Roasted Stone Fruit with Honey-Blood Orange Ricotta Creme. Her pictures make you want to be invited for dinner.

My other friend is also named Sara! You can imagine my husband's confusion when I'm talking about Sara!! It's always, " Which Sara!" Well, her blog is SuperSavingSense. Her blog is all about saving MONEY!!! So she created a dish that would taste great, be easy to make with kids and cost conscience. She whipped up Grilled Chicken Pasta with Asparagus. I just love Asparagus!

Please, check out their recipes; they are fantastic.

Just as a reminder....

Smart & Final is giving away a fabulous trip for two to Sonoma Wine Country. Have you checked it out yet? Well, you still have a chance if you haven't. The contest is open until March 8, 2011. You have to be 21 in enter but I don't believe that's a problem for my readers!! What a wonderful getaway! You could go with your honey and have a very romantic time. Another idea is to take a girl friend along. Anyways, click here to enter and GOOD LUCK!! I would be thrilled if one of my readers won!

Smart & Final's La Romanella Facebook Contest

Have a FABULOUS day and make it GREAT!

Smart & Final La Romanella Products, Giveway, and Recipe

2011-02-17T16:44:00.003-07:00

Smart & Final has a wonderful product line:

Here are a few products from La Romanella:

Mediterranean Inspired Cooking
using La Romanella Products
sold at Smart & Final

Smart & Final is having a wonderful Giveaway!

They are promoting their La Romanella products by having an amazing contest/giveaway on Facebook. Enter here for your chance to win a trip for two to Sonoma Wine Country!

Smart & Final sent me a box full of their La Romanella products and asked me if I would like to share a Mediterranean inspired recipe with my friends & followers. Well, of course, I said "yes." It's really wonderful when a company is asking you to try out their products and cook a nice meal for the ones you love! Smart & Final also gave me a $25 gift certificate to buy any additional items for my dinner. Right now they are having a fabulous deal: Buy a bottle of Turning Leaf Wine for $5.99 and get a package of selective varieties (16 ounces) La Romanella Pasta Free! I sure did take advantage of this promotion! (Promotion good through 2/22)

First, I had to investigate what would make a recipe Mediterranean. I checked out this website to get my answers. I was surprised by the wide range of countries that actually made up the Mediterranean area. Mediterranean cuisine is defined by the preparation of food in three regions: North African (particularly Morocco), eastern Mediterranean (Egypt, Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey), and southern Europe (Italy, France, and Spain). As you can see, I could go in many different directions with the recipes!

I browsed the internet to find the perfect recipe that was considered Mediterranean that my husband would enjoy. There are so many to choose from so go and explore! I picked a few recipes that I felt would be easy to prepare with the wonderful ingredients from the La Romanella line. I asked my husband to pick from them. His choice:

Penne Pasta with Blue Cheese and Mushrooms (I modified this recipe to our liking)

1 package of La Romanella Penne Pasta

1 Medium onion - finely chopped

2 Clove of garlic - finely chopped

1 Teaspoon of dried tarragon

1lb. Of mushrooms - sliced

1 Cup of vegetable or chicken stock

8ozs. Of good blue cheese - Gorgonzola

1 Bunch of flat leaf parsley

La Romanella extra virgin olive oil

La Romanella Parmesan to sprinkle

Salt and black pepper to taste

10 Cherry tomatoes: cut lengthwise

1 sweet red pepper

Method

First fry the onions, mushrooms, red pepper and tomatoes in some of the olive oil in a non stick fry pan - on a good heat - making sure they are well browned. This takes about 10 minutes.

Turn down the heat and add the garlic - cook for five minutes stirring as you go.

Now add the stock and tarragon and reduce until sticky. About 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile you can cook the pasta in plenty of salted boiling water for about 8-9 minutes.

Crumble the blue cheese into the sauce - add half the parsley and salt and pepper to taste, giving it a good stir.

Drain the pasta, return to the pan and add the sauce - mix well.

Spoon onto 4 dinner plates.

Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and the rest of the parsley.

This was an easy recipe to make. Although, I really did make a big mess in the kitchen while making it!

P.S. My husband loved it! Worth the mess I made in the kitchen.

Please, go check out Smart & Final's La Romanella line; they have so many great products.

Disclaimer: I was compensated for my time from Collective Bias. All of my opinions are truly mine. I will always share my honest opinions.

Creating a Pseudonym for Your Creativity

2011-02-14T09:31:00.001-07:00

I love that the author is unknown. She was just creating, not worried that her name would not be associated with the quote.

I'm trying not to find myself but relax enough to let whatever creativity flows within me and out to whatever I am doing.

Would I be more relaxed if I didn't place my name on everything I created? Would I take more risk? Would it be easier to create? Would I be more daring?

Sometimes when I make something I find all the reasons I shouldn't give my gift or sell my items. Finding everything that is wrong with an item, I feel I want to remain anonymous.

I love the idea of being unknown at times. I'm going to have to invent myself a pseudonym and see if creating is easier when there is less pressure on me. It may be more liberating and allow me to be more creative and be less critical.

Do you believe you would be more creative if no one knew it was you who created it?

Recent Sewing Projects

2011-02-10T18:11:00.001-07:00

It has been forever since I shared with you what I've been sewing. When I first started this blog, it was supposed to be about sewing and I feel a bit of guilt that I haven't even really talked about sewing. So here are a few things that I've sewn lately...

I loved playing with Paper Dolls when I was little.

I guess I really never outgrew this stage!

I saw a lot of Red & White Flower Prints in Hawaii
and this reminded me of my trip.

I made this when it was really cold outside and I needed
to make something that reminded me that Sunny Days
are ahead.

I have made several of these bags and love them. It's a book
bag that can be used for everything. I use it for traveling
all the time...

... and it's reversible!

I'm thinking of adding these items to my Steer Crazee Etsy Shop. What do you think?

My Biggest Accomplishment This Year: No Cell Phone while Driving

2011-02-06T11:51:00.001-07:00

I wish every blog post could be funny but life just isn't always about being funny; we have many responsibilities that should be taken very seriously and this is one of them.

I made a pledge to myself, husband, family and friends:

I pledge not to use my cell phone while driving.

I turn my phone off so I can't even hear it ring. At first, I left the phone on and just looked to see who was calling. Well, I was just fooling myself into believing this was enough. If the phone rang, I was distracted enough to have no time to react to sudden change in traffic conditions. Now I just turn off my phone.

I had made this decision not to talk or text because recently someone who was on the phone almost hit me and it would have been a very serious car accident. I was so angry at this woman who barely missed me and was not aware of the traffic. What was she talking about that was more important than our lives? I knew I had not one conversation on my phone while driving that was worth endangering someone's life. So I made the decision right at that moment to stop using my phone while driving. Honestly, I feel much better about myself now that I'm not part of the problem anymore. It's a proven fact that texting or talking while driving is dangerous and yet more people than not still carry on down this dangerous path thinking it won't happen to them or that they are in control. Please just check out the many videos on YouTube about texting or talking on cell phones while driving and you will see plenty of the people who thought the same thing. Anyone of them would love to have back that second before they picked up the cell phone while driving to prevent an accident but unfortunately, there is no "do-over" in this situation.

Are you part of the problem? All of us can make plenty of excuses why we need to use the phone in the car. But they are just that: excuses. Don't fool youself with your excuses of why you need to be on that cell phone while driving. How many conversations have you had while driving that were truly urgent enough to put other people in danger...?

When I made my pledge, I thought it would be great to get others to pledge too. So I went on Twitter and Facebook and offered the first person who took this pledge a free steering wheel cover from my Etsy's store. Guess how many pledged? Sadly, not one person. I twitted a few more days about it and again no one took the pledge. Well, the good news is no one lied and said they would and really weren't planning to take this seriouly. But I'm really upset to think that all my friends and family didn't take it. I realize it's an inconvience not to chat/text while driving but driving is our only responsibility while in the driver's seat. How would you feel if a loved one was injured by a driver who was on a cell phone?

If nothing I am writing touches you in a way that makes you want to take this pledge please watch this.....

Winner of Smart & Final's Coffee Giveaway (#MyAmbianceMoment)

2011-02-06T10:55:00.002-07:00

I want to say Thank You to all those wonderful people who left me coffee lovin' comments. My heart is warmed by all of you supporting me on my very first giveaway!

Congratulations to Jodi Rall, you are the winner!

I will be sending you an email, letting you know you have won. Please email me back within two days with your shipping information at learningtosow@gmail.com.

Again, thank you all for helping me spread the word about Smart & Final's new coffee line Ambiance.

I hope you are having an "Ambiance Moment"!

A Great Giveaway: UPS Giveaway

2011-01-31T18:58:00.001-07:00

My friend, Sara, from SavingForSomeday is having a giveaway for an UPS American Express Gift Card for $10.00.

Have you ever used Whrrl? Do you like Social Media, there are many addicts out there! If you never used Whrrl, here's your chance to try a new media and win!

Please, check it out and I hope you win!!

P.S. You have a chance every time you visit UPS and Whrrl about it! The giveaway ends April 2oth...so start sending your packages out by UPS Stores. Check out the way to do it & the rules: SavingforSomeday

Other Places to go for Giveaway!!!

2011-01-31T16:35:00.001-07:00

Here's a few more places you can go to leave comments for a chance to win Smart & Finals Ambiance coffee basket and $150.00 Gift Certificate....

http://www.shuggilippo.com/2011/01/sponsored-giveaway-myambiancemoment.html

http://savingforsomeday.com/my-ambiance-moment-ambiance-coffee-and-a-smart-final-150-gift-card-giveaway/

http://www.supersavingsense.com/2011/01/ambiance-coffee-150-smart-final-gift.html

Wow!!! Now that's a lot of places you can go to win....Please start leaving some coffee lovin' comments to these lovely women!

And of course, enter mine to win too!

Cafe Au Lait...Smart & Final....Ambiance French Vanilla

2011-01-31T15:26:00.002-07:00

It's not to late.....

You can still win some awesome coffee....Smart & Final Ambiance

Plus, added bonus....

$150.00 Gift Certificate to Smart & Final...

Have you tried Smart & Final's new coffee, Ambiance, yet???

If not, YOU need too!

Today, I was fortunate, my coffee maker broke (truly it was one step in the grave already)...but no worries...I drove to Macy's and bought this beautiful, sleek looking, muti-function coffee machine: Cuisinart Brew Central 14 Cup Programmable Coffeemaker!

So, now I'm totally set: Great coffee and a Great Machine....I hope I have company soon to show off!

This is the first thing I made:

Ambiance French Vanilla Cafe Au Lait

Now, It's your turn...share with me...what's your great coffee moment?

Here's the details to enter my giveaway:

• Only one comment per post, please.

• Leave an email address or a way for me to reach you in case you win!

• Giveaway runs from January 19th to midnight February 4,2011.Your comment will be placed in big bowl and on February 5 a random person will pick a winner from the bowl.

Disclosure: Collective Bias compensated me for my time, but all opinions are my own.

GREAT COFFEE GIVEAWAY!

2011-01-23T17:06:00.000-07:00

I have been trying Smart & Final's new coffee, Ambiance, for the past month. Ambiance comes in six varieties and if you want to see what I think of each one, please check out it out here. Now, if you check it out, please no laughing! I shared it with my co-workers and they teased me for the rest of my shift! Apparently, it was very entertaining to them. I am lucky to have a chance to offer you a wonderful giveaway. One lucky reader will get a basket of all six varieties of coffee along with a $150 gift certificate to Smart & Final. All you have to do for today's chance is watch one of my videos and tell me how I did as a reviewer of Ambiance coffee. Just for fun, I found some interesting facts about coffee that I thought would be cool to share:

Coffee & Health

Q: Can caffeine kill you?
A: Health experts say if you were to drink 80 to 100 cups real fast and all at once, it might do the trick. This is not advisable to try at home! So technically, coffee is not going to kill you. You just may be up all night.

Q: Can coffee be good for you?
A: Coffee actually contains important anti-oxidants, which is the way most Americans get their daily fix. Coffee can be beneficial at about 1-2 cups per day. If you can’t handle that amount of caffeine, well you can try black tea instead. If that doesn’t suit you, you can find anti-oxidants in beans, bananas, or corn.

Q: Can caffeine boost the female sex drive?
A: Actually, this study was done on rats and it worked! But, for humans it is not necessarily true. Some people who are not used to drinking coffee may find themselves more excited than usual. I don’t know if it will lead you to this exact issue. You won’t find someone offering a cup of coffee in a bar.

Q: Does coffee relive pain?
A: A small study had shown that 2 cups of coffee alleviated the pain of post-gym muscle pain. Take into consideration that this research was done on those who were not regular coffee drinkers. Those of you who are big drinkers, you may be immune.

Q: Can coffee keep you up at night?
A: Of course, why do you think so many are hooked on coffee? Health experts say you shouldn’t drink coffee up to 6 hours before you plan to retire.

Q: Does Decaf have caffeine?
A: Decaf coffee has an extremely small amount. It would take about 5-7 cups to get the same amount of caffeine in 1 cup of coffee.

Q: How are coffee beans made decaffeinated?
A: The way the caffeine is removed is by steaming the beans until the dissolved caffeine rises to the surface, then an organic solvent is used to wash the caffeine off. The organic solvent is called methylene chloride.

Q: What makes coffee so bitter?
A: It is amazing to find that it is actually the anti-oxidants that make coffee bitter. It is not the caffeine.

Q: What makes a great tasting coffee?
A: It is all in the roasting and brewing. At 400º degrees of the roasting process, the beans begin to release its oil. This oil strengthens the flavor. And as for brewing; it depends on the coffee. But, the longer coffee grounds steep, the more caffeine content you will have. A cup of regular coffee often has more caffeine then a cup of espresso or cappuccino, and the darker the roast the most likely the more caffeine.

I found these fun facts at stumblerz. If you need to know more fun facts check them out.

Here's the rules to my giveaway:

Only one comment per post about this fabulous coffee/GC giveaway. Every time I post about coffee, you can enter for another chance.

Leave an email address or a way for me to reach you in case you win!

Giveaway runs from January 19th to midnight February 4, 2011.Your comment will be placed in a big bowl and on February 5 a random person will be picked a winner from the bowl.

P.S. A great deal right now at Smart & Final: Buy Ambiance coffee and get a dozen of their brand eggs free!

Recipe for Making a Cafe Au Lait using Ambiance Kona Style Coffee from Smart & Final

2011-01-21T08:08:00.012-07:00

Yesterday, I made a video on how to make a specialty coffee drink, Cafe Au Lait, using Ambiance new coffee. I used Ambiance Kona Style coffee but it really doesn't matter which variety you use. I change the type of coffee I use all the time so I'm never bored with the taste.

Well, this really isn't a pretty picture of me! But the coffee drink is geat!

Smart & Final released their new coffee line, Ambiance. There are six varieties:

House Blend : A medium to dark roast

Kona Style: A medium Roast

French Vanilla: A medium Roast

Hazelnut

French Roast: A dark roast

Gourmet Supreme: A mild to medium roast

My favorite coffee from Ambiance is the French Vanilla. A very close second is the Kona Style.

Which coffee do you think you'd like to try?

Leave me a comment for a chance to win all six coffees and $150 gift certificate to Smart & Final.

Every time I write a post about coffee, leave me a comment; it is your chance to win! So start leaving me some coffee lovin’ comments…I will put your name in twice if you tweet about my giveaway with the #MyAmbianceMoment included!

The rules:

• Only one comment per post, please.

• Leave an email address or a way for me to reach you in case you win!

• Giveaway runs from January 19th to midnight February 4, 2011.Your comment will be placed in a big bowl and on February 5 a random person will be picked a winner from the bowl.

• Contest ends February 4, 2011 @ Midnight.

P.S. A great deal right now at Smart & Final: Buy Ambiance coffee and get a dozen of their brand eggs free!

Disclosure: Collective Bias compensated me for my time, but all opinions are my own.

The Six Varieties of Ambiance Coffee from Smart & Final

2011-01-20T14:03:00.001-07:00

Smart & Final's new coffee line, Ambiance, has six varieties:

House Blend

French Roast

Gourmet Supreme

French Vanilla

Hazelnut

Kona Style

I have tried all six styles. Does anyone know which is my favorite? If you guessed the French Vanilla you'd be right!

Which do you think you would like best and why?

Leave me a comment for a chance to win all six coffees and $150 gift certificate to Smart & Final.

The rules:

• Only one comment per post, please.

• Leave an email address or a way for me to reach you in case you win!

• Giveaway runs from January 19th to midnight February 4,2011.Your comment will be placed in big bowl and on February 5 a random person will pick a winner from the bowl.

Disclosure: Collective Bias compensated me for my time, but all opinions are my own.

Ambiance Coffee Giveaway From Smart & Final

2011-01-19T12:38:00.002-07:00

I have been lucky enough to be selected to share with my readers a new brand of coffee, Ambiance from Smart & Final. How lucky am I! I have been drinking coffee every morning for….well, I can’t remember when I started. So I had no problem agreeing to try a new brand.

I was sent six packages of Ambiance coffee to try in order to give an honest opinion. Wow, that’s a lot of coffee to try out in just a few weeks, but I felt like I was up for the challenge.

Let me share with you why you want to stay tuned into my review. I'm giving away a basketful of Ambiance coffee to one of my new coffee groupies! And, if that’s not enough (it would be for me!) there is also a WONDERFUL FABULOUS GIGANTIC $150 gift certificate to Smart & Final. NOW, I got your attention! Money always does!

Here’s the deal….

From January 19th through February 4th, I’ll be posting about my experience drinking Ambiance coffee. I will be posting some videos of what I think of each coffee and I’ll be sharing with you some recipes using brewed coffee and my opinions. Finally, I’ll be sharing some witty coffee facts that you might not know.

Every time I write a post about coffee, leave me a comment; it's your chance to win! So it's up to you how many chances you want to give yourself; it’s like the lotto, the more you play, the more chances to win! So start leaving me some coffee lovin’ comments…because it begins right now!

The rules:

•Only one comment per post, please.

• Leave an email address or a way for me to reach you in case you win!

• Contest ends February 4, 2011 @ Midnight.Your comments will be placed in big bowl and on February 5th a random person will pick a winner from the bowl.

P.S. A great deal right now at Smart & Final: Buy Ambiance coffee and get a dozen of their brand eggs free!

Disclosure: Collective Bias compensated me for my time, but all opinions are my own.

Honoring Christina Taylor Greene

2011-01-11T11:22:00.000-07:00

Our nation suffered a tragedy this weekend when a man shot into a crowd and killed six people and wounded several more. One person who died was Christina Taylor Greene, a nine year old girl. She was a very special person who already had developed a keen sense for wanting to help make our world a better place. Wow, at nine years old. She had already been on her way to her goal by being a member of student council in her school. People (kids) who run for this job do so because they want to see positive change in their environment and believe they can make a difference. She lived her very short life with purpose. To honor her, I propose that we make sure that we live our lives with purpose. We need to make sure that our days matter.

None of us know when our last day of life will be. It's truly a mystery to all of us. Most everyone goes through their day mundanely. What if you knew today was it for you, that you had no tomorrows; what would you do today? Well, most of us take today for granted. What I'm proposing is that you make today a purposeful day.

I'm not saying to do something big, like run for office; what I am saying is take all those small things in our day and make them matter.

I honor Christina by going through my closet and donating cloths I know someone else could use. I honor her by truly taking in my surroundings while walking. I don't want to take for granted the beautiful day that we had. I honor her by remembering those people who honored me with their special gifts, such as a smile.

Give purpose and meaning to what you are doing. Take a few minutes today to remember what you did. If you can't think of anything you did with purpose and meaning, then make sure that tomorrow you live it with these two important qualities that make life worth living.

#Canyoutopthis Winner!!!

2011-01-10T20:59:00.000-07:00

Wow!!! This badge says it all!

Can you tell I was excited to win???? OH YES, I AM!

Becca (Our crazy boys) had a contest.

The theme was "Can You Top This" from Elmers.

What you had to do was create a masterpiece using Elmer's Tri-Fold Display board.

This is my masterpiece:

I bet you're asking, "What did she win?"

Well, I won....

$100.00 Gift Certificate to Wal Mart.

Everyone could use that!

Thanks Becca and Elmers.

P.S. If you are interested in making this table runner, click here!

Cooking with Smart & Final's New Coffee line: Ambiance

2011-01-06T22:17:00.001-07:00

Coffee Marinated Sirloin Steak

I'm trying a new coffee brand from Smart & Final, Ambiance, that is being released to the public this January. One of their new flavors I'm trying is French Roast. It is a dark roast coffee which really isn't my thing but my husband likes it. He travels often so I needed to find another way to use this coffee. I didn't want the coffee to go stale so I decided to try a new recipe that uses brewed coffee in a marinade. Here's the recipe I'm trying: Coffee Marinated Sirloin Steak, where the marinade adds creaminess to the steak. An added bonus – the coffee’s acidity tenderizes the meat as well.

I'm trying it tomorrow night. Since I work during the day, I plan to make the marinade tonight and have my husband add the steak in the afternoon. When I looked through the ingredient list, I was pleasantly surprised because the ingredients (except for the steak) can be found in most households so this would also make a great cost-saving recipe! The only ingredient that you may not have on hand is fresh ginger. When I was running errands today, I stopped at the grocery store and purchased it. Ginger is very inexpensive, the cost for two inches was just 33 cents!

I have been looking for recipes using coffee and the site where I found this recipe is: http://www.brewed-coffee.com/coffee/coffee-marinated-sirloin/. The recipe was originally posted in The Canadian Press.

So, without further chatter from me, here's the recipe:

Coffee Marinated Sirloin

Start to finish: 1 1/2 hours (20 minutes active)

Servings: 4

1 1/2 cups cold coffee
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons honey
1/2-inch chunk fresh ginger
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Four 8-ounce bottom sirloin steaks (or other tender, broiler-friendly cut)
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

In a blender or food processor, combine the coffee, pepper flakes, peanut butter, honey and ginger. Puree until smooth, then taste and season with salt and pepper.

Pour half of the marinade in a baking dish. Set the steaks in the baking dish, then pour the remaining marinade over them. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

When ready to cook, preheat the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the steak, in batches if necessary, and sear until lightly browned, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Transfer the steaks to the prepared baking sheet. For medium-rare, broil for 7 to 8 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer inserted at the thickest part of the steak reads 135 F.

Let the steaks rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Splash of Color

2011-01-06T09:00:00.003-07:00

It's that time of year when I need to add a splash of color around me. It helps me deal with the cold winter days. Yes, I live in a warm climate but winter is winter to everyone! Mine just might not be as cold as yours, but it's still winter to me.

Yesterday, I had to run to Wal Mart for a few items and ran across this beautiful deep color orange rug. I fell in love with it! I really got it for a steal.... $3!!! Now it has a wonderful place in my home. I placed it in front of the stove so I would see it every time I walked in the kitchen. It's a wonderful way to lift up my mood....to sunny!

What helps you make it through the winter?

P.S. The pic really doesn't do justice for the rug...when I look at it, the rug doesn't look like it would go well with the cabinets but it does! You'll just have to visit me and check it out for yourself! Visiting friends is also a wonderful way to deal with the winter blues.

Craft Book Giveway from Apron Memories Blog

2010-12-31T08:39:00.002-07:00

EllynAnne from Apron Memories is having a giveaway! She stumbled upon a book (while browsing through Amazon.com) she found interesting and after researching the author online, she decided she liked what Jodi Kahn (author) was about and actually contacted her to see if she would sponsor giving away her new book, Simply Sublime Gifts to one of her blog readers of Apron Memories.

(picture from Amazon)

EllyAnne blog is about aprons so you can see how this book caught her eye! Look at the cover of Simply Sublime Gifts and you'll see a cute apron. I believe that's all it took for EllyAnne to dig deeper into what this book was all about. I can understand it! I love aprons too and have quite a collection of patterns and articles that could easily fill a whole dresser drawer. So, of course I entered this contest!

Even though I want to win, I want to pass along this giveaway information to you for a chance. I love the idea that you can make easy, practical gifts from items you already have in your home. That's what this book is all about. So please, check it out and sign up. Support bloggers who want to give away a gift!

Elmer's Tri-Fold Display Table Runner (#canyoutopthis)

2010-12-30T19:51:00.004-07:00

Can You Top This??

Doesn’t this sound like a dare?

Becca, from Our Crazy Boys, is having a giveaway/contest and this is the theme... Can you top this?

Well, Becca, you challenged us and I accept the challenge!

She wants us to create a masterpiece using this:

That is the only rule. Use Elmer’s Tri-Fold Display Board. You can use it any way you want. You can cut it, sew it, glue it, burn it....

You get what I’m saying???

It doesn’t need to look like a display board when you’re done.

Here’s the prize: She is giving away 3 $100.00 gift certificates to Wal-Mart. Now she’s totally speaking my language! MONEY, honey!

My passion is sewing. I wanted to incorporate what I know with this board somehow. It took me a while but finally an idea popped into my head... how about this:

A Designer Table Runner

What I love about this runner is it’s practical while at the same time it's beautiful for our home. The display board is the “guts” in this masterpiece. It gives the runner structure. It’s very practical to use on your table because you can put hot dishes right on it; the board insulates the heat from going to the table! Since it’s easy to make, you could make several using different fabrics; you won’t be bored seeing the same thing on your table. Another great idea is to recycle old table cloths or bedspreads into these table runners. In addition, you could take these tri-fold boards from other projects and recycle them for this project too. I love the idea that we can reuse what we already have. A winning situation for our environment and economic times.

Materials Needed:

Elmer’s Tri-Fold Foam Display Board purchased from Wal-Mart ($7.95)

ruler

scissors

fabric: 1 yard (36x44)

sewing machine (I’ll share with you how to make it without one too)

tread (either matching or contrasting to fabric choice)

box cutter knife

pencil or marker

masking tape

iron/ironing board

self healing cutting mat/rotary cutter (optional)

Construction:

1.) Lay board flat with the folds spread in open position with the shiny side facing up. With a pencil/marker using a ruler, mark the board in half lengthwise. Using the line as your guide, cut the board using the box cutters. Because I was a bit of a klutz with

the cutter, I taped the cut edge of the board to make it smooth.

2.) Cut your fabric: 30" wide x 43" long. On one side of the short edge (the width), turn right side of fabric under about 1 inch towards wrong side of fabric. Iron this fold into a nice crease. Now fold your fabric in half (the 30 inch side, making it 15 inches wide by 43 inches long) with right sides of fabric facing each other (so wrong side of fabric is on the outside (pic below). Iron the fabric, making sure there is a nice crease on the folded edge.

3.) Sewing part: This project only requires you to sew two straight lines. Easy Peasy! With your sewing machine (if you're lucky to own one like me), sew one short end and the open side of the outer edge (opposite of the creased edge) with a 1/2" seam allowance. Remember to back stitch a little to secure the thread. After sewing the two seams, clip the edges like in the picture below and iron seams open. Turn fabric right side out and iron it nicely. Now, you are close to being done!!!

If you don't have a sewing machine, don't worry! You can still make it!

Purchase this:

(picture from Joann's Fabric website)

This can be purchased at Joann's Fabric. I'm sure you can find it elsewhere, just Google it. Follow the directions on the back and use it for the two seam closures listed above. It would be good to practice on old scrape material before using on project. Instead of opening the seams like mentioned when sewing, iron the seam to one side of fabric.

4.) Putting it together.
Insert the display board inside the fabric like so:

Now, just take a sewing needle and thread

and sew opening seam close.

Now you're finished!!!!

Place on table and admire your work!!!

P.S. We only used half the board, so now you can make yourself another one!

I thought the boards would also make wonderful place mats using the same technique. If you have kids who like to draw, purchase some caulk board fabric and make either project. They will get a kick out of drawing on it, keeping them busy while you're still preparing dinner. You can also use it as a table teaching tool: have them draw where the plate and utensils should go on the place mats.

What I realized while making this project was that once I started letting my imagination stir, I was able to come up with several projects using the display board so really, I'm already a winner!

Thank You, Becca! I love a good challenge! Bring on the next one....

Easy Menu for New Years Eve

2010-12-28T16:41:00.001-07:00

I plan to have a few people over for New Year's Eve and want to keep it simple. The menu is so easy to prepare with the help of my husband! Because I want to keep it simple, I'm only preparing two of the dishes and plan to purchase a cheese and vegetable platter.

New Year’s Eve Main Dish

The Best Barbecue Wings

The Barbecue Sauce:

1 slice bacon

1 bunch of fresh thyme

extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped (I use more, just cause I like garlic)

2 cups ketchup

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablesp. red or white wine vinegar

1 tablesp. dry mustard

1 teasp. ground cumin

1 teasp. paprika (not the sharp type)

black pepper

First Street Chicken Party Wings, sold in a 4 lb bag for $7.00 (that’s only $1.75 a pound)

Thaw the wings

To make the sauce:

Wrap the bacon around the bunch of thyme and tie with kitchen twine so you have a nice bundle. Heat about 2 tablesp. of oil in a large sauce pan over low to medium heat. Add the thyme and cook slowly for 3 to 4 minutes to render the bacon fat and give the sauce a nice smoky taste. Add the onion and garlic and cook slowly for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Turn heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove bacon bundle.

While sauce in simmering, heat outside grill to medium heat.

Make sure that your grill has a thin coating of oil on the grates to help prevent the wings from sticking to grates. Coat the wings lightly with olive oil, sprinkle salt and pepper on wings and grill for 10 minutes (5minutes each side). Preheat kitchen oven to 375 degrees F.

Take the grilled chicken and place on cookie sheets covered with non-stick foil. Remove 1 cup of sauce from simmering pot and brush wings with this. Place in oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes (until done!)

Place wings on platter and serve with remaining sauce.

Along with this:

BLACK BEAN SALSA

2 cans drained black beans

1/3 cup small diced red pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped purple onion

1/4 cup small chopped unpeeled cucumber

2 tablesp. small diced celery

2 tablesp. minced jalepeno pepper (deseeded)

1 tablesp. chopped fresh basil

2 tablesp. olive oil

2 tablesp. tomato juice (or 1/2 cup salsa)

2 tablesp. red wine vinegar

1 tablesp. lemon juice

1 1/2 teasp. chopped fresh thyme

1/2 teasp. ground cumin

1/2 teasp. chili powder

1/4 teasp. salt

1/4 teasp. pepper

1 crushed clove of garlic

Mission Tortilla Chips (selected varieties, 22 OZ. @ $1.99 at Smart & Final)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes. Check seasonings and adjust to taste. This dish will last one week refrigerated. Prep time: 30 minutes, no cook time!

Enjoy this tasty Sala & chips with Shasta Soda (varieties on sale for $0.59 at Smart and Final) (Limit 10)

What are you planning to serve for your New Year's Eve gathering?

Happy New Year!!!!

Look What I Won!

2010-12-27T20:19:00.005-07:00

I don't want to BRAG!

OK, I WILL!

Remember the post I did last week about an apron giveaway?

Well, I won THAT apron!!!

Just in case you didn't see it....

Shawnee of Apronista promoted this giveaway; she is the queen of aprons!!

Her blog is dedicated to aprons and the women who wear, sew and sell them. Apronista is all about women and their interest in domestic life. Her website is beautiful, sophisticated, and interesting.

This artsy/beautiful apron is the made by Candace, who owns her own company, One Tree Lane USA. Her business is solely dedicated to making aprons. Her signature style includes a cute tassel on every apron. You'll be impressed with her and her business. I always enjoy reading someone's bio; I love to read about the person and how their business came about. Candace, I promise to wear your apron proudly! When dressed in this apron, who wouldn't want to be domesticated!

Thank you for my beautiful prize

Look Who's 28!!!

2010-12-22T09:37:00.001-07:00

My son, Mathew, turned 28 yesterday. It's just so hard for me to believe he's that age. I remember me at that age and it doesn't seem like that long ago...

Mathew and me about 3 years ago visiting wine country in Napa Valley

Mathew with his cousins, AJ and Brittany

Mathew, with his brother, Jason, and Brittany

(This picture was taken about 4 years ago)

My sister thought it would be cool to play a joke on me so

she took this picture of Mathew with his arm in a tattoo sleeve.

I thought it was real and
called him in about
two seconds flat and asked him:

"What the heck were you thinking???"

He asked what I was talking about....

I said, "Your arm looks awfully decorated!"

He says, "Doesn't it look great!?"

He didn't tell me it was a tattoo sleeve for a few minutes....

Then he told me it was my sister's idea!!!

Well, this is one of many things I love about him....

He can make me laugh...

Mathew, Happy Birthday!

P.S. It's not that I don't like tattoos. It's just that one! I know he has a couple but nothing like that one on his arm.

Funniest Christmas Tree

2010-12-19T11:57:00.000-07:00

I just ran across the funniest Christmas tree. It's posted on this blog

http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/

Who would have thought to TP the tree!!!

Have you ever heard of elf magic? Well, I hadn't so after I saw Beckie's blog, I had to check it out at:

http://www.elf-magic.com/

This would make a wonderful tradition to start....

Apron Giveaway!!!

2010-12-19T07:51:00.003-07:00

LOOK WHAT I FOUND!!!

ANOTHER GREAT APRON GIVEAWAY
at Apronista !!!

You could win:

(picture from one-tree-lane)

WOW!

Check it out:

http://apronista.com/2010/12/one-tree-lane-usa-giveaway/

Helping Someone with the help of Smart and Final

2010-12-17T21:41:00.002-07:00

Today, I had the privilege to be a part of something very important. Collective Bias asked me if I wanted to partake in "Sharing & Caring Campaign" at Smart and Final. I take this campaign seriously because I have been a recipient of someone's act of kindness many years ago. I'm thrilled to be able to pass along this kindness to someone in need of a little help.

The person I chose to help out is a co-worker. I can relate to her because I was in her shoes 28 years ago! I was a single mother, just like her. I wanted to provide a good life for my child just like she does. But it’s hard when you have only yourself to rely on and you have someone else who is depending on you. The holiday times are the hardest. When you’re struggling just to pay for the necessities there is little or no money left to give your child a gift. I wanted to make it a little easier so when Collective Bias offered me a $25.00 gift certificate to shop at Smart and Final to participate in bringing holiday cheer to someone in need, I said “YES!”

There are many ways to approach what you purchase when you want to help someone. You could buy something they can enjoy, such as a really good cheesecake. They could serve it when they have company dropping by for the holidays. You could purchase some groceries for them. It’s always nice to have a delicious meal! But what I remember from my early years as a single mom was the need for the very basics. If I could provide some of the basic necessities for my co-worker, she could afford to spend some money on her child for the holidays.

I am fortunate to have more than just one Smart and Final close to my home. This is awesome when you’re out and about and need to shop quickly. I don't have to waste time traveling because I can either go north or south and run into a Smart and Final. If time is an issue, I'm sure you can appreciate this! If you're wondering if you have a Smart and Final close to you, check it out here: Smart and Final.

Now for my experience shopping at Smart and Final: When I thought of this store, the first thing that came to my mind was, “This is the store you go to if you own a business and need large quantities of stuff." Well, my trip today proved me wrong! I found many items for sale in small quantities. They came in different sizes to accommodate a small family or a big business:

Same item: small or large quantities

I also liked that I didn’t have to compromise on my belief of being earth-friendly. I purchased items made of recycled material , items that could be recycled or used more than one time:

Earth Friendly!

More than one use

I found it easy to find the DEALS. Look at the many yellow labels: ALL GOOD DEALS (who doesn't like a sale)! There are rows of yellow stickers! Actually, I was surprised at how many deals I could find. You don’t have to look hard, they're all around you.

I also liked that they sell many store-name products at great prices. This is a great way to get more bang for your buck. It gives me more purchasing power, who doesn't love that!

Many Products are manufactured by Smart and Final

I liked the wide isles which made shopping so much more pleasant. When a cart is coming up the isle in the opposite direction, you don’t have to wonder if you’ll both fit. Plus, look how clean this store is; I could take my mother shopping at this store (my mother who loves to see how clean things are with her white glove test!)

Wide Isles! A real plus if shopping with kids

So, without compromising my earth-friendly creed, believing in purchasing basic necessities to make life a little easier on my co-worker, here’s what I purchased for $25.00:

This is a lot of bang for my buck!

Look at all my savings!!!

The only downside to my shopping experience was rain. I live in the desert where it only rains a few times a year. Oh well, I finally got to use my raincoat!

If you are able to help someone out, please do! I have been so blessed since my younger years, it's so nice to be able to give to someone just like me. Thank you Collective Bias and Smart and Final for giving me a chance to improve someone's holiday.

Happy Holidays to all!

Disclosure: Collective Bias compensated me for my time, but all opinions are my own.

Honey...This post is for you!!!

2010-12-09T19:42:00.000-07:00

My Honey, Zdenek, travels a lot for his job....

We talk often, usually in the evening when our day is almost ending.....

One of the topics that we seem to always talk about....

What did you have for dinner....

Now, I can't say why this is always one of our topics...but it is.

So, Honey, these pics are for you!

Tonight's dinner:

Just in case you're wondering what I'm having for lunch tomorrow....

My favorite standby....

Honey, Thank you for caring about me!

Fall Vacation: Washington DC, Virginia

2010-11-03T07:57:00.001-07:00

Part One of My Journey:

Virginia

We drove down from Washington, D.C. to the beginning of Shenandoah National Park.

Skyline Parkway

This park ends where the Blue Ridge Parkway begins. 469 miles of winding roads through two States (Virginia and North Carolina); it is one of the most spectacular places in America. The weather was so beautiful; cloudy with a temperature around 69 degrees and plenty of humidity (which is a bit chilly when you actually have humidity! Something AZ doesn't have!) Coming from the west, this part of the country looks vastly different. There are rolling hills, green pastures, forest, fruit growing on the side of the roads:

Looking down from the Blue Ridge Parkway

Wild fruit growing on the side of the road

Me!

We took a few small hikes to enjoy the fresh air. It had rained during the night so you can imagine how everything smelled. It had such a wonderful fall smell with all the damp leaves on the ground.

One of the hikes we took was called Fallingwater Cascades Trail. In the description of this hike, it mentions that the trail drops 260 feet below the the trail head and hikers should be prepared to climb that elevation on their return. Really! 260 really isn't that long but I can tell you from my own experience it feels REALLY LONG when climbing up! Here are some pictures from this particular hike:

The beginning of the trail

Walking on the trail: Color Everywhere

The Cascades

Me just being me! Aren't these leaves big?

Fall colors

The reason for visiting!! FALL

Honestly, I didn't want to come home. We had only two days to spend on the parkway which wasn't enough! We only traveled about 200 miles total; driving through the Shenadoah National Park on the Skyline and the first 100 miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway. That leaves me 369 miles to explore when I come back to visit. Believe me, I will be coming back! It's truly one of God's best places!

Next blog post will be:

Part Two: Washington, D.C.

Two Products for Laundry Room

2010-06-17T16:56:00.000-07:00

There are two products that really work for me in my laundry room:

according rack

instaHanger

Both these items get a lot of use in my laundry room. I used to hang my wet wash cloths outside on a wooden rack holder and the wood would (wow!) seep into the cloth and discolor it. I would be so mad about it. The according rack isn't made of wood so I no longer have that problem. Plus, since it's indoors, I no longer have to worry about the wind knocking it over. I love the fact that I can push it close and it's not in my way. I also like the fact that it isn't on the floor taking up valuable space. Altogether, it's makes my "Love It" list of products. I like the 2nd product as much as the first. As I would hang my cloths from the dryer, I would put the hangers on the door knobs. Well, you can only hang so much stuff on those small knobs and I would have to stop hanging to put the already hung cloths in the closet, which isn't near the laundry room. I solved that problem with the instaHanger. I love that it can hold many cloths at once, it's very study on the wall , it closes up and takes no room at all! Who doesn't love that! My husband said that they were pretty easy to install. I can't imagine doing laundry without these two gadgets. I bought them from the Container Store locally but you can also purchase them online. Below the pics are the links to both items. No, they didn't ask me to sell their products! I just want to share what really work's for me. Please, if you have an item that works for you, won't you share it with everyone by leaving me a comment.

Location, Location, Location...

2010-06-16T07:06:00.000-07:00

This is where I want to be today:

Where would you like to be today?

My Progress: Sewing

2010-06-15T10:58:00.000-07:00

My Pillow is Finished!!!

This is the pillow I made for the pillow swap at Modified Mix. I have never made a pillow so I was a little nervous about making one for someone else. When I read about the pillow swap, Jamie, the organizer of this pillow swap, said this was the time to try out any skills you wanted to work on. So I said, "What the heck, not only will I make a pillow, I'll try adding some embroidery to it" and I did! Originally, I had a totally different pillow in mind but when I looked at the many different colors of fabric purchased, I decided against the original design (although, I still plan to make this pillow in the future). However, I did incorporate the back of the pillow just like the one (in the original design) in this picture:

(picture by Moda Bake Shop)

I think I got scared when I saw that the fabric I purchased just wouldn't look right for this pillow so I made up the design of the pillow you see in the first picture.

Here's a look back at the fabric I thought would work (but didn't):

I'm sure that I will do another pillow swap and will become more adventurous with my design. As far as the pillow I made, I wished I had used a dark solid blue for the closure. Even though the dots are the same color as in the outline of the flower (I think it is) it just looks a little weird when I look at the finished pillow. Hopefully, the person who gets this pillow will know it may not be perfect but it certainly was made with love!

Capri pants Rock

2010-06-10T11:01:00.001-07:00

A blogger friend of mine, Sara of Saving for Someday, wrote a blog post about Capri pants; go check it out. I believe most women in their forties that had children can relate to her and most woman's dilemma of what to wear. I certainly relate. I have decided to post a pic of me in capri pants and people don't have to like it. I have seen many worse fashion no-no's then this pic of me. Women can wear them and still not look bad! Here's to all the women who wear them! Cheers!

Mini Vacation:Lake Powell

2010-06-03T21:27:00.002-07:00

This is what I've been up to:

My honey and I went to Lake Powell for some down time! It's been a while since we've gotten away from our homestead so we decided to go camping. It's 280 miles from our house and it took about 4 hours to get there. I love that we traveled through so many different topographic areas. So here are some pictures of our final destination:

Our Home Away From Home!

Sleeping Arrangements

My Honey... Being his usual Neat Freak!

View from our Campsite: Priceless

Morning Coffee....
A Necessity!

Lake Powell Dam

Beautiful Scenery
while Rafting

Causing Ripples in the River

US!

Now all I have to do is unpack, clean up and get ready to start my work week... hey, no problem! Remember, I'm now rested from having downtime!

Monday Mingle May 24, 2010

2010-05-24T12:37:00.000-07:00

May 24, 2010

The questions for May 24, 2010 posted by Jennifer Regan at Eighty MPH Mom

1. What product (under $100) do you wish you could review on your blog because you honestly just love it to death?

2. If you were to be reincarnated as an animal, what animal would it be and why?

3. What is your favorite feature about yourself? Worst?

Take a chance at this Apron Giveway!

2010-05-21T15:14:00.002-07:00

I love aprons! It's no secret as to why I'm always posting about apron giveaways. Aprons have a real purpose in my life. I'm either cooking or cleaning; wearing beautiful aprons not only helps protect my cloths, they also lift my spirits.
My grandmother was the most awesome lady. She wore aprons all the time. So I'm hoping that by wearing one too, she'll rub off on me. Grandma Audrey was the lady I want to become. She wore a dress and looked nice all the time, she never said unkind words, and was just plain NICE. If she had a bad habit, I didn't know about it. I can't say people don't know mine (I'm working on them!) So as you can see, I promote aprons! Here's a very big giveaway! It's about aprons! Please go check out Apron Memories and see everything EllynAnne is giving away. The contest ends May 26th so hurry to be a part of this fabulous giveaway!

Great Website for Cooks

2010-05-20T09:45:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon this tip from a twitter follower, here's a great website for cooks

Convert cups to grams, Fahrenheit °F to Celsius °C etc. - calculator for cooking.

Opps!

2010-05-19T06:43:00.001-07:00

On my last post entry, I wrote that the name of the pillow from Moda Bake shop was BLOOM...well...I musta not had my readying glasses on my face...cause it's not called BLOOM, that is actually Roslyn Mirrington's blog! The pillow is named Aster Manor Pillow. I'm sorry Roslyn that I opps! It's a really nice pillow.

Amy Butler's Fabric with a Moda Bake Shop Pattern

2010-05-18T09:03:00.000-07:00

I LOVE fabric!

It's really not a secret! My husband has known for quite a while.

What do I love about fabric?

EVERYTHING!

The Color
The Texture
The way it feels in my hands
My imagination of what to make with the fabric
The smell of the fabric
The design of the print

So in March, I signed up to be in my first pillow swap over at

Modified Mixed

This brings me to why I'm talking about fabric! I went to one of my favorite fabric/quilting shops. Really, any store that sells fabric is my favorite shop! I needed to pick out fabric for my pillow swap. It's one thing to pick out fabric for yourself but to pick for someone else, it makes you pause. You want to give them the very best. You want them to love it. So I was very choosey. I knew that the pillow I was making was for someone who likes blues and purples. She didn't have any suggestions as far as style. I spent a good hour just looking and feeling the fabric. I narrowed my choices down to 4 bundles of fat quarters. Each one had something I loved about them; whether it was the color or the print. So narrowing it to just one was really hard! It's like a kid in a candy store... so many choices... how does one decide? Well, finally the winner was this beautiful bundle of Amy Butler's fabric from her Love Collection. I love the bold print and the color selection.

Aren't these a beauty:

The fabric has both purple and blue so I hope she likes my choice. Yes, the print is bold. I hope she likes bold! I also picked this fabric because of the type of cotton used to make it. It's just beautiful.

So without further ado! Let me show you the pattern I'm using for my pillow:

This is from Moda Bake Shop.

Roslyn Mirrington made this beautiful pillow, named BLOOM. She was so kind to put a handy dandy tutorial together for people like me! I need women like her so I can sew. I wish I could say that I'm creative but sadly I'm not. I depend on these creative ladies to provide me with ideas and patterns. They have a vision that I don't so I need them! Now, with that being said, I can take their creations and make it my creation with flair! I look forward to see what I come up with. Please come back here in two weeks, I'll have my finished project: "Bloom" pillow made with my wonderful, colorful Amy Butler's fabric.

Sewing Project

2010-05-16T14:19:00.027-07:00

Current Sewing Project:

Lately, I haven't posted much about sewing projects I'm currently working on so here it goes:

I'm still working on The Princess and the Pea Blanket. Here's a picture of what it looks like right now; as you can see I still have some sewing to do!

In the picture above you can see I have a ripple going through the entire quilt top but it can't be fixed. I just have to live with it and hope in the end it won't be too noticeable.

I still need to embroider eyes and mouth to the princess' face and add a ruffle around the edge. Then, I'll sandwich the top quilt, batting, and bottom quilt together.

Here's a picture of the ruffle I'm adding:

I ran into a small problem when creating the ruffle. I never took into consideration that it would be really hard to pull two simple treads to form the ruffle when you have about eight yards of material! Sometimes, I feel like a ignoramus!

Of course, this is what happened to my thread when trying to create the ruffle:

BROKEN THREAD (TEAR, TEAR :( ...)

So, now I'm going to hand baste with embroidery thread and make the ruffle. I hope this works.

The end product is supposed to look like this:

By Angela Yosten at
Moda Bake Shop

Angela Yosten created this fabulous tutortial. I fell in love with this blanket and knew it would be perfect for my friend's first grandchild (who happens to be a girl!)

I also want to mention that there are so many great tutorials and ideas over at the Moda Bake shop . If you haven't checked it out, please do. My new blogger friends who don't sew should too because I plan to choose my next Moda project on their advice and then have my first giveaway! They might just win something they like. So please head over there and give me some ideas!

Another great Video

2010-05-13T15:51:00.001-07:00

I love talented kids! We hear enough about all the bad things kids are up to and I don't like it. Why should we hear about the bad kids (in our news every day) when there are many kids who have accomplished great deeds/talent. Why wouldn't we promote what's right with our kids. I'm promoting what's RIGHT with our kids, if you know a child/teenager doing the right thing, let me know. We need everyone promoting GOOD KIDS.

Video for Monday Mingle

2010-05-13T12:33:00.003-07:00

So I realize today is really Thursday and I'm just getting around to posting my Monday Mingle but I say, better late than never "posted"! As you watch my video, please keep in mind, I will get better at making videos! You have to start somewhere and not be "afraidy cat" so here it goes: Of course, feel free to leave comments on how I could/should improve; I'm a big girl and won't cry!

On The Rocks - Bad Romance - 4/23/10

2010-05-12T09:56:00.003-07:00

This is funny...This is what happens to our little boys...they become teenager who fill their time making us laugh.

javascript:void(0)

Protect Your Little Ones Against Injuries

2010-05-12T09:24:00.005-07:00

I have a safety tip for parents who have small children (really all kids under 10). As you know, I work at a children's hospital so I am privy to see what kind of injuries and accidents affect our kids. Since the beginning of this year, I have seen four kids from this type of injury. Two weeks ago, an 18-month old boy was a victim of this. Unfortunately, it took his life. The culprit is free standing flat screen TV. Kids are able to wiggle/push on a dresser and the TV falls on top them. On lower stands, they can push them off because the flat screen TV is top heavy. The weight of a 42" flat screen plasma TV is about 66 pounds; a one year walking child is about 22 pounds. So, even though 66 pounds doesn't really sound like a heavy item, it's 3 times the child's weight. There is an easy solution to this:

Now, this is just an example of TV safety straps. I went to Amazon and typed in "TV Safety Straps" to find the one above. There are many different types and styles you can choose from depending what your needs are. I know that a little boy would be alive for an item that cost about 20 dollars. Truly, a sad outcome for this family. Please, don't let this happen to yours.

What kinda day are you having???

2010-05-11T10:18:00.001-07:00

SOMETIMES WE NEED TO PUT

LIFE INTO

PERSPECTIVE

New signature for blog!!

2010-05-11T06:15:00.001-07:00

It's always the little things that make me smile! Today, I figured out how to add my signature to a post! Now, I know this is nothing for some of you experienced bloggers but for me it's huge! The fact that I didn't have to ask anyone's advice or call my husband to come help me was such a FREEING experience. It's like when a two year old goes to the toilet all on their own for the first time!!! My prize is that you get to see my signature!!

Who Would Love this Apron

2010-05-09T07:51:00.017-07:00

Kim, over at Calamity Kim is having another one of her famous apron giveaways. RUN, don't Walk, to check this out. You need to check it out today....tomorrow is her drawing. I love her aprons...she is a true artist, who has a flair with fabrics.

I Found Another Awesome Giveaway!

2010-05-08T16:41:00.047-07:00

Amy, over at Dealusional, is having an awesome giveaway. Her giveaway to a lucky winner is a boatload of Newman's Own Organic products. When I made a video for my blog a few days ago, I mentioned that my husband and I had decided to make some changes in our lives. The change is about the food we eat. We sat down and watched a movie titled "Food, Inc." It has changed the way we think about what we eat. The movie opened our eyes about how our food is produced and the unethical practices of both large agricultural corporations and our government. We are choosing to go in the direction of eating organic. This ties in so well with Amy's giveaway: Newman's Own Organic. Being that we are new to organic, we can use all the help from other bloggers to steer us to the right products and this is a great start in that direction. Her giveaway ends Thursday, March 13th with the winner announced March 14th....so hurry!!!

Changes To My Blog....

2010-05-07T21:57:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be nice to change things up a bit on my blog. I need to know do you like the changes or did you like it old way???? I can't decide.

What Happened to Me???

2010-05-06T07:35:00.000-07:00

So, it's been a month since I have written on my blog. What happened?

In one word, family.

Oh my gosh... I don't really know where to begin but I do know I WANT TO COME BACK!!!

FAMILY
Remember this guy???

MATHEW, MY SON

Well, well, well, he surprised me in a BIG way.... can you guess? It was absolutely shocking to me. Well, I won't leave you in suspense any more. Here is Mathew...

with a new WIFE! What a surprise! Mathew called me up while I was working. Here's our conversation: "Mom?"

"Yes, Mathew," I say. He says, "Are you sitting down? Are you in a good mood?" Now, all you moms know this isn't gonna turn out good! I say right away, "Spit it out, just tell me what you did." (as my stomach does the belly flop).

He says, "Well," (long silence) "I got married." I said, "You did what?" (I Couldn't have heard him right, right?) He said it again, "I got married." I said, "Are you in Vegas?" He said he wasn't. I said, "What is her name?" Now, don't you think a mother should have already known the girl's name if her son was planning on marrying the girl? Well, as you can tell, I was taken by complete surprise. This past month I have been taking in what just happened. The idea that:

Mathew got married.
Mathew didn't elope to Vegas but had a small wedding in Alabama without me (his mother!).
I didn't even know her name.
Now, I'm a mother in law to someone.

IT IS A LOT TO THINK ABOUT!

Kim's first video for blogging

2010-05-04T09:46:00.000-07:00

So, Finally, here's my first on line Video...!!!!

Sorry...No Vlogging Posted Today

2010-05-03T20:51:00.000-07:00

This is my first experience trying to post a video to my blog and I'm unsuccessful :( I made a 3-minute video introducing myself to all of you, got it downloaded on my IMAC and then uploaded it to YouTube! That's where my problem remains! It told me that it could take several hours to be posted and I don't even remember what it is named. In addition, this is my first experience with YouTube so I'm not sure if I'll find it when it is finally posted. I'll check back tomorrow and see if I can find it... I'm so sad; I wanted to have my first video made and done so I could only get better from that point... well, I guess one more day won't kill me. Tomorrow, I also plan to post about what has been going on in my life to keep away from here. So, until tomorrow... enjoy the night; here in Arizona, the night is so beautiful; a night to enjoy a walk with my honey...
See ya soon

AAAHHH....Monday

2010-03-22T09:46:00.000-07:00

So it's Monday. I'm sewing and it feels great. I truly need this solace to recover from work. As I have mentioned in my previous post, I work in a children's hospital. I love it. It's easy for me to work with children. It comes naturally to nurture these kids. But it does have a down side. In the past two weeks that I have worked, one child came to our hospital as a full code which means they came to us receiving CPR and life giving care but unfortunately, this child didn't make it. Then this weekend, another child came to us as a near drowning. His mother was able to give CPR continuously until he had a heart beat. I believe this child will make a full recovery but I'm not so sure that the mother will fully recovery from seeing her child face down in the pool and then giving life saving CPR. The look on her face was of a woman who wasn't about to forgive herself taking her eyes off her child and him being found in the pool. It is easy for many hospital employees to judge this family. We see this over and over. But I believe we shouldn't judge. I'm a parent who knows how easy it is to be distracted (maybe even with another child) and still you believe your child is safe in your house. Then you go looking and you can't find them. And then someone finds the child face down in the pool. I don't think we should punish the parent with judging them; they are punished enough with what happened to their child. I plead with parents to do all that can be done to protect children around their swimming pools. Please teach little ones very early on how to swim. Practice with them to make sure that they can swim even if they accidentally fall in the pool. Some kids learn to swim but then panic when they fall in accidentally so they drown. I know this subject is a real downer but I'm passionate about kids. I know that we can't/don't see every thing that kids are doing. So I want parents to protect them in different ways. Teach kids to swim, have a pool gate, have a door alarm so if the door to the pool area opens the alarm goes off. Also, have a pool alarm that stays in the pool and sounds an alarm when something over 10 pounds is in the pool. Please spread my words... I don't want to write a letter of condolence to one of my blogger friends.

OK, enough of my soapbox . Tomorrow, I'll share what I'm working on. So until then, have a happy Monday.

Princess Pea Blanklet

2010-03-19T19:17:00.000-07:00

This is the latest project I am working on that's listed on my "TO DO" sewing list: I'm making the Moda Princess Pea Blanket. Here's a picture from the creator of this very cute blanket, Angela Yoston:

I'll take a picture of the one I'm making later. I couldn't find the honeybun she used so I chose something different from Moda's fabric but just as cute. Also, I used a Jelly Roll. I'll write about it later. Just wanted you know... I'm busy, busy, busy working on my projects.

Wonderful Wedding Anniversary:

2010-03-18T21:45:00.000-07:00

Today was my 6th wedding anniversary. I had an absolutely wonderful day with my husband. We got up around 7am and I made us a breakfast of omelets and fresh French baguette. After a yummy breakfast, we packed up and went for a 3-hour, almost 4-mile hike. Now, let me explain: walking 4 miles really isn't that hard. When we walk around our own neighborhood, it takes me a little less than an hour which is also about 4 miles. So you can imagine what the terrain must have been like for me to take 3 hours to do the same distance. Let me share some pictures; they will tell the story...

I had to be careful around all these prickly cacti!

It would be embarrassing getting them picked out of my butt if I fell on one!

The trail wasn't really marked well; it was very rocky plus it wound up and down that damn mountain. I was really pooped when I got home! The only thing to remedy this was to go straight to the tub for a good soak!

Isn't he a hottie!!!

I had to be careful not to fall on one of these!

This is the type of wild life we have in Arizona

Luckily, we ended our day having dinner at the Roaring Fork restaurant. They made us a wonderful meal. When we arrived at our table, this was waiting for us:

The service, food, and atmosphere gave us one of the best dinning experiences we've had in a long time. It reminded me of our wonderful wedding.

Have a fabulous day!

PS: Three things I'm grateful for:

Hiking Stick
Hiking Boots
My Husband

(Not necessarily in that order!)

If You LOVE Aprons, Coffee, and Granola....Check This Out

2010-03-13T07:21:00.000-07:00

So, Susan at not quite june cleaver is having a giveaway! Have you ever been to her blog? If not, you're in for a treat! She's been away from blogging for a short time but is now coming back strong as ever. I have been popping by her site; watching and waiting to see what she does next. I love what she's doing. When you visit her site, click "meet NQJC". It's refreshing to meet someone you can relate to. She is one of those ladies that I would love to sit down with and have a cup of coffee. I love that I get the feeling she would be real with you. Plus, I would bet she has some interesting funny stories to share. You would have to with having raised six kids, cooked at much as she has and run a business on the side. I like that she shares her good times and her bad times; it makes me feel like she can relate to every other woman on this planet. Please, check out her website, enter her giveaway and support her new upcoming shoppe.

http://www.notquitejunecleaver.com/2010/03/notquitejunecleavers-spring-fling-giveaway-and-so-much-more/

Apron Memories Blog: a Mommyhood In Shades Apron Giveaway!

2010-03-12T07:48:00.000-07:00

There's an apron give away!! Go here: Apron Memories Blog: a Mommyhood In Shades Apron Giveaway!to see what it's all about....I'm hopin it's mine; I love wearing aprons around my house. I have very fond memories of my grandma wearing aprons. My grandma's name was Audra and if there was a lady I would most like to be like, it would be her. She dressed nice, looked nice and I never heard her say anything bad about anyone. She didn't gossip and I loved her spirit.

What a Great Day

2010-03-11T19:15:00.000-07:00

Well, I LOVE progress... today I finished Karin's pajamas. Sometimes I procrastinate, but not today! I even mailed them! Don't they look cute?

My honey is home so I wanted to do something nice for him. He's always doing such nice things for me like making coffee every morning when he is home. Well, today, not only did he make delicious coffee, he went and had my tires rotated! I'm a very lucky woman. I want him to feel just as lucky so today I got the bread machine out....

... and after the lovely bread machine did it's magic, this is what came out.....

My husband is from the Czech Republic. I have been lucky enough to visit his country twice. While there, I got to eat many pastries. The one above is called Kolace. Fortunately, I was able to find a recipe close to what they make in Czech. Mine turn out more like a bread than a pastry but he's happy with my results! Kolache have a sweet surprise in the middle. Mine are I filled with poppy seed filling but you can use jams too.

Treating us to some good old fashion pumpkin bread....YUM!

2010-03-08T18:16:00.000-07:00

Today, I made something yummy! My husband requested my pumpkin bread....so this is how it started...

I love to cook...especially when I get to use this much sugar....

and this much oil.....

in this beautiful kitchen my husband made for me...

And the end results.....

I am sure that the good in pumpkin cancels out the bad in sugar and oil???? Plus, the smile on my husband's face when he sees the bread is worth the extra pounds I'll gain eating a slice (or a few slices)!

My Progress

2010-03-07T09:25:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm working it! I had a goal to complete many unfinished projects by the end of February. I didn't get them all done but I"m happy with my progress. If I look back at the posts about completing them, I still have some to do. However, I have the following projects finished:

1. Bedroom curtains hemmed and rehung.
2. Tote bag for Cindy, my sister.
3. Tote bag for baby shower gift.
4. Muslin made, mailed, and returned for niece's pajama bottoms.
5. Skirt for niece, Karin.

Baby tote bag

So, I need to stay committed for the following:

1. Bedspread needs 2 seams sewn.
2. 2 pairs of PJs.
3. Tablecloth for living room.

I would like to add four more projects:

1. A cloth doll for niece, Laura.
2. Baby blanket for friend's daughter.
3. Blanket for son, Mathew.
4. PJs for me.

Of course, I need to get this done in between ALL the rest of the things women do!!! Piece of cake!!!!

What Mondays Mean to Me (Even though today is Wednesday..)

2010-03-03T07:18:00.000-07:00

I work every weekend. Even though I feel lucky that I like what I do (I work at a great hospital) and have it easy compared to the people who work full time during the week, I'm tuckered out by the end of Sunday night. Come Monday, I make the day about what I like. Sometimes, I don't even make it out of my PJs! Other Mondays (like today) I feel the need to look and feel like a woman! I'm so lucky that I'm at that stage of my life where I am able to indulge myself. My kids are grown and my husband travels during the week so he's not here. So Mondays are totally mine without any guilt. I feel that women give to everyone else but hardly take the time for themselves. Most of the time, even when we are dressing, we think: Will my husband like this, will he notice? Today, I dress for myself. It's not to get noticed for what I'm wearing, it's to look good in MY eyes. I don't know what happened that I stopped dressing. I think that's because in four years, I have gained 20 pounds. Although I would like to lose about 10 of them, that shouldn't stop me from dressing like a woman. I think that I have gotten used to wearing medical uniforms and when I come home, it's into the shower and then into sweet PJs. So today, I decided I needed to feel like a woman: no sweat pants, no jogging outfit, no lounge wear. It's a dress and my hair curled and my toenails painted. I’m not the perfection you would find in a magazine picture. Here’s just me, flaws and all... Feeling like a woman!

My First Sew Along

2010-03-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

I'm excited!!!

I am going to participate in my first sew along. Here's where to go if you want to be a part of the fun. You don't have a know how to sew, pick any project...please join the fun

A Few Facts about Me!

2010-02-28T07:09:00.000-07:00

Over at http://surfsupbuttercup.wordpress.com , Laura wrote 100 things about her. I thought, WOW! I don't know if I could list 100 things about me all at once. So, I'll start off with just a few: Here are 10 things about me.

I have lived in Scottsdale, Arizona for about 8 years and still love it. Before that, I lived in Florida for about 22 years. I was really ready for a change but didn't want to go somewhere cold. So, I traded humid heat for dry heat!

I met my husband in Flagstaff, AZ while I was on a three month assignment. We dated a year and then took the plunge and never looked back. While we come from very different backgrounds (he’s European), we live together with pleasant ease. I can’t say I always understand where he’s coming from with ideas and such but he doesn’t always understand where I’m coming from! I believe it’s partly just being different sexes. Will men really understand women…I don’t think so!

Even though I know it's vain: I hate to admit to myself that I'm 46 years old. In the last six months, I look more like my mom! How did that happen? Ready or not, I have to learn to accept changes in my appearance.

I truly believe I have a good life.

I have two sons; Mathew and Jason. Mathew is 27 years old and Jason is 23. They both live in Florida. Even though they live so far away, they are never far in my mind. I look forward to when they get married and have kids. Right now, they are just working on life.

I work at a children's hospital in radiology. I have an associate’s degree in Radiography and currently work in CAT scan. I love the hospital where I work. I have a really kind and easy going boss. I work three 12-hour shifts on weekends so I have four days off to do whatever I want.

I love sewing!!!! I wanted an outlet that was creative even for someone like me. I can't draw and I'm not creative but I can follow a pattern!!!! I took our guest room and turned it into a sewing studio. It's my paradise.

I also love cooking. I'm glad that people at work don't mind me bringing food to share. I need someone to share all my brownies or I would eat them all, usually in a couple days. I have a really fit and trim husband so I want to look my best.

Also, I'm trying to lower my sugar intake. That's a very hard goal for me. I take after my grandma, she loved chocolate too. Well, really it wouldn’t be a problem if I only loved chocolate but it's all sweet things!

I hated peas all my life. Well, that was until my husband asked me to try fresh peas. I said “Are you kidding me, I HATE peas.” To appease him, I tried one….then another…and another. I LIKE peas!!! Now, I just hate canned peas!

I have been to Hawaii twice! It was just as wonderful the second time as the first. I even tried to get a job there so I wouldn’t have to leave! I don’t know if I could live there a long time but I would sure love to try for a year. This is one of those places that gives me serenity.

A little about me....

2010-02-25T14:14:00.000-07:00

Here we are kayaking for the first time. I'm the leader!!!

My first attempt at snorkeling. Our guide told me that seeing a shark would bring me luck...who came up w/this?? I think that if I spotted a shark, I must be the most unlucky person...

My son Mathew, talking with his cousin, Gabbie. I love how Mathew kneels down to listen to her. He has a special gift w/little ones.

This Might Help Me w/My Blogging....

2010-02-21T12:36:00.000-07:00

Since I started this blog, I have had some issues! I look at many blogs and notice how nicely created the blogs look and have no idea how women have done this. I saw this blogger's bootcamp and wonder if it might help me (it certainly can't hurt me!). I live in the Phoenix area and could easily attend. Has anyone in blogland atttended bootcamp and could comment on what they had learned from the experience. If you're interested, visit the website: http://www.bloggybootcamp.com/feed

When I think of bootcamp, I think there has to be some type of pain involved!

Pillow Factory Alphabet Down Filled Pillow GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2010-02-20T08:38:00.000-07:00

Pillow Factory Alphabet Down Filled Pillow GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

How cool is this.....go and check it out....I did!!!

2010-02-16T18:52:00.000-07:00

Continued Progress!!

It feels so good to report progress. Everyday, I'm sewing. Some days quite a bit others just a few minutes. I'm happy to report that I finished my sister's tote bag! Even better, my husband had a business meeting in Florida so he was able to hand delivered the finished item. My only regret: I forgot to take a photo of the finished project. The design was Amy Butler's Sling Bag. This is the fourth one I've made and I'm onto making the fifth as I type. It's for a baby! I will definitely get a photo of the finished project. But for now...here's a pic of the material I made my sister's bag and a pick of the fabric I'm using for the baby's tote: cute!

Progress.....on my Commitment

2010-02-05T11:26:00.001-07:00

I'm off to a good start! I have finished the skirt for my niece, placed one seam in bedspread, cut out all the material for one tote and all the interfacing for both totes. I saw this skirt as a free pattern and thought....I can make this! Here's a link for anyone who would like to have

the pattern.http://http://www.oliverands.com/downloads/Oliver+SLazyDaysSkirt.pdf .I am happy w/my progress; especially considering that I just bought a new computer (Mac) and I have spent quite a bit of time learning my way around it!

The top picture is a sneak peek of the fabric I'm using for a tote bag. I am making this for a friend's daughter who is having a baby girl due in May. The pattern I'm using is The Sling Bag by Amy Butler. I have made 3 of these totes and have received great feedback; people like this bag. I'm also making one for the my sister, Cindy. I keep promising her one and each time I make one I end up giving it away when I show off the bag. So, as part of my commitment, she is going to get her bag!! No showing it off except on my blog!

Being responsible for finishing projects!!!

2010-01-30T07:07:00.000-07:00

I need to do this.....I have read many blogs that talk about unfinished projects just sitting around waiting to be finished. I really don't want to be one of them! ....So I figured that if I actually wrote it down and post it; I'll be a responsible women that has made a committed decision to finish a few projects by the end of February. Well, it looks good on paper! So here it goes....

By February 28th I would like to have finished:

2 pairs of PJ for nieces, one tote for sister, one tablecloth for living room table, finish skirt for Karin and one tote for baby gift, hem bedroom curtains and finish putting in two seams on bedspread. All in all, I'm very capable of doing this. I just need to be committed!

Here's the place to be this week

2009-12-11T16:17:00.003-07:00

Go take a look here and leave a comment for a chance to win a great prize

Here's the place to be this week

2009-12-11T16:17:00.001-07:00

A chance to win....good enough for me!!`

2009-12-08T10:13:00.000-07:00

Here's the place to be this week.....go check it out....great prizes!!!

2009-07-18T15:06:00.001-07:00

Another chance at a give away

2009-07-18T11:21:00.000-07:00

I was just browsing through some sewing blogs and came across this one,http://belladia.typepad.com/crafty_crow/2009/07/giveaway-monday-apron-patterns-from-pretty-ditty.html and couldn't resist putting my name in the hat. Maybe, I'll be lucky!!! I feel lucky!!!

New Apron

2009-07-14T14:57:00.000-07:00

After getting excited about entering in a give away, I was inspired to sew my niece an apron for her birthday. I plan to make a matching apron for her sister t00! It took me about 1/2 day to sew. You'll probably noticed my mistake right but I decided to leave it and learn again from my mistake!!!! The pocket material should be running vertically to match the lining of my apron but oh well....I doubt a 4 year old will notice or care! She'll be excited to get a package from Auntie Kim!

OH PLEASE!!!! LET IT BE ME WHO WINS!!!

2009-07-08T20:00:00.000-07:00

This is my first give a way that I'm trying to win!!! I am new to the blogging world and very excited to meet new people; especially women who have the passion to sew. You are actually the firstblog I have ever written a response to. I have been sewing for just a little while (about 2 years). Aprons were one of the first projects I made!!!! I hope to post pictures of them soon...I just love aprons...They are so much fun to make and also fun to wear. I have made three so far as presents and everyone adores them. I have enjoyed looking at your blog; seeing all your ideas!!! It makes me want to go to the fabric store, purchase some great material and start sewing another apron!!! You are a great motivator.

2009-07-06T18:25:00.000-07:00

This is where I first learned about bloging. One day I goggled sewing and someone's blog was listed and I opened it.  I was so thrilled to find so many women  passionate about sewing!!  It was like opening a great book.  I can only hope to be accepted into this new world I found.  I am not a great writer but hope that my excitement will help make up for any of my lack of skills.  When I read the blogs from this site, I can't help but feel like I belong.  It's interesting to find so many women around my age who love sewing!!! I would be thrilled to be accepted into this sewing circle and encourage women who feel the same way I do to start here...... I have added my blog site to this list and hope to be listed within a couple weeks....Happy Sewing Everyone  :)

Sewing Projects

2009-07-06T12:30:00.000-07:00

This was my very first sewing project. Well, it's really not my very first one. While in high school, my first experience in sewing was not that pleasant!! But, I have heard that from many women that they too had a bad experience so I don't count it!!! The great news....I still wanted to learn to sew...I just needed to let go of my history with sewing. I don't believe this was a bad start! This blanket was made for my niece and her stroller. It was the perfect size for a toddler.