O.K. so it's only December 18, 2008 and I have a few more projects to finish... my DH asked me what else "we" could work on! I kinda laughed and mentioned it seems that the "me" in "we" always gets more than my share of the projects! DH's little sis Caroljean got married last weekend and the "me" in this "we" got her quilt done on Friday.... the night before the wedding! Thanks to my oldest DD in the help with the tie-ing of the quilt! It would have been great to either machine quilt it or have it machine quilted... but it was sooo thick I would have had to kill my self when I was thru and the machine quilting people would have shot me as soon as they got it done... So, safer to tie it! And they loved it so all in all... we did all right! Funny thing, after the wedding (some of the family... my DH's side) stayed to help with the clean up etc... (it was at the home of my BIL, which was very nice of him to do) and I went to go get my coat.... ahem, the coat that was left in the closet was wool... that's the only similarity with my coat that it had going for it! Wrong size, color, style... just not mine!!!! So, one of the host's said Oh, well so and so had a wool coat maybe it was her who took yours by mistake. So, for the rest of the evening and part of the next day I tried to get a hold of a gal that my SIL works with. Finally, I got a hold of her! No such luck, she mentioned someone else! Even gave me a phone number! I got a hold of this new person..... No Such Luck again! By Monday, I figure that if I get a hold of the bride (now hang on.... the bride/groom only took one day together away.... cause they knew Christmas was coming and they both had kids at home!) she would know someone who might have taken it! O.K. so now the ball was in Carol's court! The next day... Tuesday, she calls me back and says.... "I know who ended up with your coat!" She said, this person... sorry I forgot the name, grabbed it as she was going out the door and probably didn't look. Now, I live in Utah, my coat on the other hand is in California!!!! Too Funny! When I told one of my daughters about what happened and that it was found and where... she said, "Oh, mom wouldn't it be fun if your coat could talk and tell about it's adventure!" I just now thought, if the coat could talk, it wouldn't have ended up in California! It would have just said, "Hey Lady, I'm not your coat! Put me back!" It would be fun to write a story about it though!
O.K. well I'm pretty sure that my DIL doesn't read my blog.... she is a pretty busy person.... work and school. She is finishing her Masters!
So, that means I can tell you about what I did last night! I pulled an all-nighter, working on a project for my DIL.... and hopefully I will get it into the mail as soon as I'm done here. I made her a skirt! You know how things go... when you want to finish something, it's never fails... things mess up, my machine would run out of thread, it would tangle up.... then when I put the zipper in it was a bit of a mess.... only when your trying hard to finish! But yes, it's done! Now... onto a couple more projects... I will post pictures a bit later... really I will. I still have pic's of the wedding and the quilt too!
I also need to cut out and sew p.j. pants (matching of course!) for my two little grandson's! And something for my granddaughter (I love saying that!) too!
Gotta go! Oh, DH did work on a project... he cut and smoothed (I will explain that choice of word in a minute) a bunch of wooden blocks for our oldest grandson! O.K. you have to picture this.... my DH made wooden blocks for grandson #1.... I asked if he was going to sand them? His reply was, "No, he needs to toughen up his hands." LoL.... so about an hour later I was into the "workshop" and find him on the floor with each block he is using the cement floor as his sanding machine! He would take a block and rub it on all sides and knocking off the corners a bit so that they would be smooth! Too funny! So much for the tough old grandpa... guess that #1 will have to figure out another way to toughen his hands.... (he's only 3!)
Gotta go..... I know, I said that b/4! But, this time I mean it! We both know that I could go on for..... ever!
Later....
December 18, 2008
December 9, 2008
PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, and CONCERNED CITIZENS:
O.K. everyone... now is the time to help those who work hard for a living!!!!! People who make toys & items for children all over the world (no I'm not talking about Santa Clause! And this is NO Joke!). Please read this article I got from a friend. And take action if you feel so inclined! This is something I feel needs to be addressed!
Help Save Handmade Toys in the USA from the CPSIA
The issue: In 2007, large toy manufacturers who outsource their production to China and other developing countries violated the public's trust. They were selling toys with dangerously high lead content, toys with unsafe small part, toys with improperly secured and easily swallowed small magnets, and toys made from chemicals that made kids sick. Almost every problem toy in 2007 was made in China.The United States Congress rightly recognized that the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) lacked the authority and staffing to prevent dangerous toys from being imported into the US. So, they passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) in August, 2008. Among other things, the CPSIA bans lead and phthalates in toys, mandates third-party testing and certification for all toys and requires toy makers to permanently label each toy with a date and batch number. All of these changes will be fairly easy for large, multinational toy manufacturers to comply with. Large manufacturers who make thousands of units of each toy have very little incremental cost to pay for testing and update their molds to include batch labels. For small American, Canadian, and European toymakers, however, the costs of mandatroy testing will likely drive them out of business.
A toymaker, for example, who makes wooden cars in his garage in Maine to supplement his income cannot afford the $4,000 fee per toy that testing labs are charging to assure compliance with the CPSIA.
A work at home mom in Minnesota who makes dolls to sell at craft fairs must choose either to violate the law or cease operations.
A small toy retailer in Vermont who imports wooden toys from Europe, which has long had stringent toy safety standards, must now pay for testing on every toy they import.
And even the handful of larger toy makers who still employ workers in the United States face increased costs to comply with the CPSIA, even though American-made toys had nothing to do with the toy safety problems of 2007.The CPSIA simply forgot to exclude the class of toys that have earned and kept the public's trust: Toys made in the US, Canada, and Europe. The result, unless the law is modified, is that handmade toys will no longer be legal in the US.If this law had been applied to the food industry, every farmers market in the country would be forced to close while Kraft and Dole prospered.
How You can Help:Please write to your United States Congress Person and Senator to request changes in the CPSIA to save handmade toys. Use our sample letter or write your own. You can find your Congress Person here and Senator here.
Just because one country messed up, the rest should not be blamed and or handicaped!
Thanks for reading!
Help Save Handmade Toys in the USA from the CPSIA
The issue: In 2007, large toy manufacturers who outsource their production to China and other developing countries violated the public's trust. They were selling toys with dangerously high lead content, toys with unsafe small part, toys with improperly secured and easily swallowed small magnets, and toys made from chemicals that made kids sick. Almost every problem toy in 2007 was made in China.The United States Congress rightly recognized that the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) lacked the authority and staffing to prevent dangerous toys from being imported into the US. So, they passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) in August, 2008. Among other things, the CPSIA bans lead and phthalates in toys, mandates third-party testing and certification for all toys and requires toy makers to permanently label each toy with a date and batch number. All of these changes will be fairly easy for large, multinational toy manufacturers to comply with. Large manufacturers who make thousands of units of each toy have very little incremental cost to pay for testing and update their molds to include batch labels. For small American, Canadian, and European toymakers, however, the costs of mandatroy testing will likely drive them out of business.
A toymaker, for example, who makes wooden cars in his garage in Maine to supplement his income cannot afford the $4,000 fee per toy that testing labs are charging to assure compliance with the CPSIA.
A work at home mom in Minnesota who makes dolls to sell at craft fairs must choose either to violate the law or cease operations.
A small toy retailer in Vermont who imports wooden toys from Europe, which has long had stringent toy safety standards, must now pay for testing on every toy they import.
And even the handful of larger toy makers who still employ workers in the United States face increased costs to comply with the CPSIA, even though American-made toys had nothing to do with the toy safety problems of 2007.The CPSIA simply forgot to exclude the class of toys that have earned and kept the public's trust: Toys made in the US, Canada, and Europe. The result, unless the law is modified, is that handmade toys will no longer be legal in the US.If this law had been applied to the food industry, every farmers market in the country would be forced to close while Kraft and Dole prospered.
How You can Help:Please write to your United States Congress Person and Senator to request changes in the CPSIA to save handmade toys. Use our sample letter or write your own. You can find your Congress Person here and Senator here.
Just because one country messed up, the rest should not be blamed and or handicaped!
Thanks for reading!
December 8, 2008
Baby It Snowed Outside & The Saga of My Oven...
How is everyone doing??? I know, I know, such a question during this busy time of year! I must say that if I were to concentrate on the tasks I have to do... I would probably be... worried! Sometimes it's best not to focus on everything all at once! Otherwise it can just be a little overwhelming!
Last night we had the kids and spouses and grand kids over for dinner, (we try to do this every 1st Sunday of the month) and so we had Turkey & Noodles, and also Minestrone Soup. Some of us in the family are not altogether taken with turkey/chicken, so we have to provide an alternative! Yep, of the Turkey & Noodles, there was very little left for leftovers.... (just goes to show that they are a bit of a hit...) where as the Minestrone there was still a bunch left (I mean we still took out about 1/2 of it). The grandson seemed to enjoy the Turkey & Noodles too... even though when we have these get togethers he tends to have a certain lack of concentration on eating in general... (just too much going on for him to have to take time to eat!) And well dessert was a bit of a question mark because my oven has been on the fritz! Don't you just hate that!!!!! I love my oven don't get me wrong! I really enjoy baking/cooking etc... I have a Whirlpool gas range. We bought it 4 years ago.... yeah, I know what your thinking! WoW, and it's already giving up the ghost! Not the total oven/range... just the control panel for the oven. It's a touch pad type that is the problem... actually I'm probably the problem! I will explain: first of all it's the type that have the sensors and pretty easy to use. Nice actually! Around 4-5 months back the touch pad started acting up... if you pushed Bake.... nothing! So, I would touch Start, and then Bake and Wa-la! It would work! So then after a while that way wasn't working any more either. So, I tried something else! I tried Start and then the Temp arrows... to put it where I wanted it to pre-heat and then... once again Wa-La! Now.... No Wa-La at all! Every time there is someone else watching (and no not my husband.... it has to be someone who doesn't live at our house!) it will work! Believe me when the repair guy came I still had to do a lot of talking cause... well he kind of looked at me like..... o.k. lady.... sure! You wanted to take up my time for.... why??? But, at least why he was here I tried the Broil cycle and it wouldn't work.... so he did get the point!
Some of you by now are checking back to see if I've actually gotten to the "main" point yet.... (I'm almost there!) After speaking to the repair guy and he informed us that maybe we should try talking to Whirlpool.... (cause the warranty no longer covers these parts... of course!) I happened to read part of the care and feeding of our Gas Range.... ahem, it says to make sure that if your cleaning the unit; don't spray anything... directly onto the touch pad, spray it onto a cloth and then use it on the touch pad unit! I'm thinking that maybe this is alllllll my fault! Because I missed that point! Well, we spoke to Whirlpool and mentioned that we have several other of their products (they really are a good company!) they decided that they could manage to help us out a bit (50 % off the part) which was soo sweet of them! It saved us around $100.
Here's the point....
Someone asked if we were having dessert... I said, only if we can get the oven to work! If we can I will make Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies! There was some motivation to get the oven to do it's thing... I tried one of the above procedures..... and (you got it!) Wa-La! The oven came on! So anyone out there interested in the recipe for Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies; Here it is!
Used to be you could find regular chocolate chips that were mint flavored... now we have to use Mint M & M's.... and they are making them sooo large now... we chop them up a bit. Works just great!
CHOCOLATE MINT CHIP COOKIES
350 DEGREE OVEN
1/1/2 CUPS BUTTER/MARGARINE
2 CUPS BROWN SUGAR
1 CUP WHITE SUGAR
4 SMALL EGGS OR 3 LARGE
2 TEASPOONS OF VANILLA
2 TEASPOONS OF BAKING SODA
4-5 CUPS OF FLOUR
1 1/2 CUPS OF CRUSHED MINT M & M'S
CREAM BUTTER & SUGARS, ADD EGGS, VANILLA AND MIX WELL. THEN ADD BAKING SODA AND AROUND 4 CUPS OF FLOUR, ONE CUP AT A TIME. MIX WELL AFTER EACH ADDITION. NOW... CHECK THE DOUGH, IT SHOULD HOLD TOGETHER WELL AND NOT STICK TO YOUR FINGERS. IF IT'S STICKY ADD MORE FLOUR, A LITTLE AT A TIME. CHECK DOUGH AGAIN, WITH YOUR FINGERS. IF YOU CAN GRAB A SMALL BALL OF DOUGH AND IT HOLDS TOGETHER NICELY... YOUR READY TO ADD THE CRUSHED MINT M & M'S. MIX WELL AND THEN COOK.
WE USE A COOKIE SCOOP, (A ROUNDED TABLESPOON SIZE) AND COOK FOR 10-12 MINUTES. YOU NEED TO PULL THESE OUT BEFORE THEY LOOK LIKE THEY ARE COMPLETELY COOKED THROUGH... OTHERWISE YOU ARE GOING TO OVER COOK THEM!
ALSO; IF YOU WANT TO MAKE SMALLER COOKIES... SAY TEASPOON SIZE.... COOK FOR AROUND 7-8 MINUTES.
ENJOY
Last night we had the kids and spouses and grand kids over for dinner, (we try to do this every 1st Sunday of the month) and so we had Turkey & Noodles, and also Minestrone Soup. Some of us in the family are not altogether taken with turkey/chicken, so we have to provide an alternative! Yep, of the Turkey & Noodles, there was very little left for leftovers.... (just goes to show that they are a bit of a hit...) where as the Minestrone there was still a bunch left (I mean we still took out about 1/2 of it). The grandson seemed to enjoy the Turkey & Noodles too... even though when we have these get togethers he tends to have a certain lack of concentration on eating in general... (just too much going on for him to have to take time to eat!) And well dessert was a bit of a question mark because my oven has been on the fritz! Don't you just hate that!!!!! I love my oven don't get me wrong! I really enjoy baking/cooking etc... I have a Whirlpool gas range. We bought it 4 years ago.... yeah, I know what your thinking! WoW, and it's already giving up the ghost! Not the total oven/range... just the control panel for the oven. It's a touch pad type that is the problem... actually I'm probably the problem! I will explain: first of all it's the type that have the sensors and pretty easy to use. Nice actually! Around 4-5 months back the touch pad started acting up... if you pushed Bake.... nothing! So, I would touch Start, and then Bake and Wa-la! It would work! So then after a while that way wasn't working any more either. So, I tried something else! I tried Start and then the Temp arrows... to put it where I wanted it to pre-heat and then... once again Wa-La! Now.... No Wa-La at all! Every time there is someone else watching (and no not my husband.... it has to be someone who doesn't live at our house!) it will work! Believe me when the repair guy came I still had to do a lot of talking cause... well he kind of looked at me like..... o.k. lady.... sure! You wanted to take up my time for.... why??? But, at least why he was here I tried the Broil cycle and it wouldn't work.... so he did get the point!
Some of you by now are checking back to see if I've actually gotten to the "main" point yet.... (I'm almost there!) After speaking to the repair guy and he informed us that maybe we should try talking to Whirlpool.... (cause the warranty no longer covers these parts... of course!) I happened to read part of the care and feeding of our Gas Range.... ahem, it says to make sure that if your cleaning the unit; don't spray anything... directly onto the touch pad, spray it onto a cloth and then use it on the touch pad unit! I'm thinking that maybe this is alllllll my fault! Because I missed that point! Well, we spoke to Whirlpool and mentioned that we have several other of their products (they really are a good company!) they decided that they could manage to help us out a bit (50 % off the part) which was soo sweet of them! It saved us around $100.
Here's the point....
Someone asked if we were having dessert... I said, only if we can get the oven to work! If we can I will make Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies! There was some motivation to get the oven to do it's thing... I tried one of the above procedures..... and (you got it!) Wa-La! The oven came on! So anyone out there interested in the recipe for Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies; Here it is!
Used to be you could find regular chocolate chips that were mint flavored... now we have to use Mint M & M's.... and they are making them sooo large now... we chop them up a bit. Works just great!
CHOCOLATE MINT CHIP COOKIES
350 DEGREE OVEN
1/1/2 CUPS BUTTER/MARGARINE
2 CUPS BROWN SUGAR
1 CUP WHITE SUGAR
4 SMALL EGGS OR 3 LARGE
2 TEASPOONS OF VANILLA
2 TEASPOONS OF BAKING SODA
4-5 CUPS OF FLOUR
1 1/2 CUPS OF CRUSHED MINT M & M'S
CREAM BUTTER & SUGARS, ADD EGGS, VANILLA AND MIX WELL. THEN ADD BAKING SODA AND AROUND 4 CUPS OF FLOUR, ONE CUP AT A TIME. MIX WELL AFTER EACH ADDITION. NOW... CHECK THE DOUGH, IT SHOULD HOLD TOGETHER WELL AND NOT STICK TO YOUR FINGERS. IF IT'S STICKY ADD MORE FLOUR, A LITTLE AT A TIME. CHECK DOUGH AGAIN, WITH YOUR FINGERS. IF YOU CAN GRAB A SMALL BALL OF DOUGH AND IT HOLDS TOGETHER NICELY... YOUR READY TO ADD THE CRUSHED MINT M & M'S. MIX WELL AND THEN COOK.
WE USE A COOKIE SCOOP, (A ROUNDED TABLESPOON SIZE) AND COOK FOR 10-12 MINUTES. YOU NEED TO PULL THESE OUT BEFORE THEY LOOK LIKE THEY ARE COMPLETELY COOKED THROUGH... OTHERWISE YOU ARE GOING TO OVER COOK THEM!
ALSO; IF YOU WANT TO MAKE SMALLER COOKIES... SAY TEASPOON SIZE.... COOK FOR AROUND 7-8 MINUTES.
ENJOY
December 1, 2008
GOOD REASONS FOR BUYING FABRIC OR ADDING TO YOUR SELECTION (STASH) OF FABRIC!
Well, here it is December 1st already! Seems time flys when you have projects that you haven't started yet! I know, I know, I've been talking about different things I've got to do for a while... ahem... let's just say that sometimes... I'm all talk! I saw a sign on a church the other day that said "When all is said and done, usually more is said then done!" Yep, that's me! Motivation! That's what I need! And none of the negative type either... you know, like oh, well, just look at the calendar! You have how many gifts you need to make??? Why is it that when I mean well to get things started early it never happens? Lots of questions and not many answers that's for sure!
O.K. after reading Carolyn's http://sewingfantaticdiary.blogspot.com/ and
Kristy's blogs about stashes or at least fabric stockpiles... I dug thru the mess on my idea board and found this: 10 GOOD REASONS FOR BUYING FABRIC!
#1 It insulates the closet where it is kept.
#2 It is less expensive & more fun than psychiatric help.
#3 A sudden increase in the boil weevil population might wipe out the cotton crop for the next ten years! (for those who quilt with cottons)
#4 I'm participating in a contest... the one that dies with the most fabric WINS!
#5 Because I'm worth it!
#6 It's not immoral, illegal, or fattening. It calms the nerves, gratifies the soul & makes me feel good.
#7 Buy it now, before your husband retires & goes with you on all your shopping trips.
#8 It helps keep the economy going. It is our patriotic duty to protect the jobs of cotton farmers, textile workers & quilt & fabric shop staff with cute babies & grandchildren.
#9 It keeps the dust off those previously empty spaces like the dining room table or the living room floor.
#10 It keeps without refrigeration, you don't have to cook to enjoy it. You never have to feed it, burp it, change it, wipe it's nose or walk it!
And if you can think of any others let me know... I'm always ready, willing and able to add to the list!
My family calls my sewing room "Jean's Fabric Store". Which is all fine and dandy... until they want to "buy"... I'm picky when it comes to what they can take and what they can't! Some times it's just easier for them to go to the brick and mortar store. Probably less stress all around too! LoL
Well, it's going on 8 a.m. and I've been up since 4 a.m. so it's time to see about a few other thing! I have gotten 3 loads of laundry washed already! And 2 of them either dried or drying. Now if only my sewing room could get things done in it so quickly!
O.K. after reading Carolyn's http://sewingfantaticdiary.blogspot.com/ and
Kristy's blogs about stashes or at least fabric stockpiles... I dug thru the mess on my idea board and found this: 10 GOOD REASONS FOR BUYING FABRIC!
#1 It insulates the closet where it is kept.
#2 It is less expensive & more fun than psychiatric help.
#3 A sudden increase in the boil weevil population might wipe out the cotton crop for the next ten years! (for those who quilt with cottons)
#4 I'm participating in a contest... the one that dies with the most fabric WINS!
#5 Because I'm worth it!
#6 It's not immoral, illegal, or fattening. It calms the nerves, gratifies the soul & makes me feel good.
#7 Buy it now, before your husband retires & goes with you on all your shopping trips.
#8 It helps keep the economy going. It is our patriotic duty to protect the jobs of cotton farmers, textile workers & quilt & fabric shop staff with cute babies & grandchildren.
#9 It keeps the dust off those previously empty spaces like the dining room table or the living room floor.
#10 It keeps without refrigeration, you don't have to cook to enjoy it. You never have to feed it, burp it, change it, wipe it's nose or walk it!
And if you can think of any others let me know... I'm always ready, willing and able to add to the list!
My family calls my sewing room "Jean's Fabric Store". Which is all fine and dandy... until they want to "buy"... I'm picky when it comes to what they can take and what they can't! Some times it's just easier for them to go to the brick and mortar store. Probably less stress all around too! LoL
Well, it's going on 8 a.m. and I've been up since 4 a.m. so it's time to see about a few other thing! I have gotten 3 loads of laundry washed already! And 2 of them either dried or drying. Now if only my sewing room could get things done in it so quickly!
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