April 21, 2009

WANT A BIT OF A LAUGH?

So you remember my many trials and error's with my photo's right? Yep, well... now you really find out how computer literate I really am! So while I was composing my posts each time... and then I would try to put a photo onto the post! So far so good.... yep... this is sooo embarrasing! I was composing in the edit html area, and so each time I would post a picture that's what was showing up... the html of the pic's! O.K.... this would be the time you start laughing... I know, hallarious right? O.k. now that you've had your laugh... (you can stop now, any time.... I mean it really.... please stop!) I have learned a lesson... my DD happened to do it herself.... and wondered what she had done, but she figured it right out! Go figure....! Seems to me that if she was a bit more concerned about her mother's welfare... she would have come right over when I was having problems and helped me figure it out too! But no, that's o.k..... sigh....
So, those of you who know about as much as I do about these type of things... lesson learned right? Right! Well, if anything, I'm glad I could be of service!
LoL.... have a great day!

April 20, 2009

Pictures Galore...



These are pictures of my grandkids wearing the hats from the cute hats/oneies sets that Kristy in Australia sent. Little Grace didn't want to wear her's so Cameron decided he would. Oh, and that is also the kids mom... my oldest daughter, 2nd oldest child.

And here is a project that I've been working on a bit here and there, when I've been in the mood. It's a Mr/Mrs Snowman... Mrs. is done. I used this pattern and some scraps of sherpa fleece that I had from a quilt I made.




And last but far from all... here are a couple more pictures of my stash of fabric/patterns. The patterns are in the 3 bins on the floor of the closet... that's what I get from working at a fabric store for the years that I did. Plus there are some 30 or more in another basket under another shelf.





O.K. so now that you can see what a mess I have and what it takes to just get into the room sometimes... (granted it's not always... that messy!) you might understand why I need to get rid of a few things and get a few projects done so I can have more room! Take care... don't run out of thread... cause it always happens at night when the fabric stores are closed!

Another Date To Write Down In My Journal....

So, I'm highly motivated to get "MORE EXERCISE" cause this is the only way weight is going to move around and hopefully drop off of me!!! So I used the "gazelle" for 45 minutes on Saturday and went walking today! 3.2 miles... not bad for a couple of mature ladies... lol... I say that because 1.there were 3 of us. and 2. it makes me feel good cause I the "youngster" of the 3. and 3. I'm the one that they ask to hold onto if and when the need arises. 4. we don't need any broken anythings....
Today my friend Karma (such a sweetie) gave me what is called a "pioneer pocket". She makes them every onces't in a while. Basically it is a pocket that you tie around your waste. The pioneer women used them because apparently they didn't have pockets in their skirts and this way they just transferred the pocket with the contents onto the article of clothing that they wore.

O.k. just on a thought... I tried something else with my photo's to see if it would work.... and believe it or not it works!!! I'm sooo excited! So First of all here is a picture of the "pioneer pocket" that Karma gave to me.




O.K. so you people are in trouble..... there's NO stopping me now!!!!

About 2 inches down from the center of the pocket there is an opening... that goes until oh... around 3 inches from the bottom. Plus sewn inside is a piece of elastic... which you can see, it has a snap on it to attach a pair of snips or scissors. Karma and her daughter Sally teach the Quilt in A Day Quilt making... so she says this is the best thing in the world for her. She is always going from person to person helping and all it takes is to put your snips down one time and you can't find them! So, this is what she uses.
You can make your own pattern, as big or as small as you would like... make a general almost tear drop without the top part so narrow... with a back (I noticed she used old denim jeans) and then you make 2 full front parts that you will put good to good and sew a straight stitch up from the bottom middle to where you want to stop... and then again from the area (however large you want the opening to the top edge. Turn right sides out so opening is in the middle, and press. Now if you want too, you can place a narrow piece of elastic into the seam allowance at the top between the layers. This piece of elastic has a snap sewn so that one part of the snap is at the end of the elastic and then around 3/4 of an inch in sew the other part of the snap. This will hold your snips. Then place the front onto the back pin together and sew seam binding all around the lower edges leaving the top free. Now, measure enough seam binding to enable you to tie the pocket around your waist.... And finish it up! You can do all sorts of fun stuff with this. Karma showed me another one she had made herself... she made it into a crazy quilt type block before she sewed it onto the front. It could be a great way to showcase some different decorative stitches... hand or machine!

O.K. as far as my weight... I had a sweet tooth last week and made what is like Yummy Zonkers in the store... or for you who don't know what those are... it's basically a sweetened popcorn not Carmel... but just as good! I pigged out and now of course... I have to suffer the consequence's... Which means that I've gain a couple pounds back that I lost... I want to get past this and onto a better loss record. Guess I need to work harder!

A while back I said that I would post some of my before pictures of my sewing room and well I've straightened (that's a word meaning I did some and not a lot of finding out where things are again!) but it will always need more. It's my room and if DH doesn't like the way it looks... well he just stays away from it... probably a lot safer for him too... We wouldn't want him getting lost in there! I might never find him!







More later...

April 15, 2009

Surprise Posting in the Middle of the Week... Will Wonders Never Cease

All right all you quilters, and fabric junkies... Mrs.Schmenkman is having a 2 year blog anniversary... You need to go check it out! Plus by posting this I get another entry into her give away! Goodie, Goodie.... see I try all sorts of ways to get/find fabric without spending $$$$... Good Luck People!
http://mrsschmenkmanquilts.wordpress.com/2009/04/14/it-is-all-about-the-cotton/#comment-2539
And Congratulations again to Mrs. S... on her lovely COTTON ANNIVERSARY!!!

Will there be cake? Angel Food of course... better for us and all!

April 13, 2009

Taxes, A Day Late and A $ Taxed

This weekend was interesting.... sewing wise I darned a bunch of my DH socks.... nothing like finding a small hole in the toe area and having all the rest just fine. Oh well, now there are a lot more socks in the drawer and no holes! I also managed to get more done on a dress from Jan/Feb I did the side seams and have the back seam stitched so I can press and do the zipper. I also altered a new shirt for one of my DD's... we got her a cute top for her birthday (which was a week ago Sunday) and it was a tad bit too long in the shoulder for her. So, I took that up, and got it back to her b/4 her next birthday came around! Wonders never cease! I did stitch up a couple of DH ties that for some reason had started to come un-stitched... sure shows how things are made doesn't it! That ticks me off that you spend $$$ on stuff and it doesn't take long to start to fall apart! Tomorrow... I will be finishing some alterations on my 2nd to the youngest DD dress. She gave it to me last Fall to alter, and well I got to one of the dresses but not to the other! I also have a pair of pants for one of the SIL's to mend. (I figure if I mention this here then my family has a record that I am planning on doing it!)

Today has been a very busy day, I went walking with a friend (for exercise!!!! are you all impressed?.... I know I was!) and then I was planning on spending some time with my DD Missy and her kids at the train museum..... that got changed to the zoo. We had a lot of fun, we met up with a nephew's wife Sage and 3 of her kids and had a great time! We walked ourselves silly .... yes, I am tired and as soon as I'm done writing.... I'm dragging myself off to bed! We did a lot of walking and animal watching.... (even looked at some of the animals in the cages.... tee heee!) no, it's just that since it was Spring Break in the Salt Lake City area... there were a lot, and I mean aaaaa lottttt of kids and their adult counter parts there! Lots of noise, from the 2 legged animals and the 4 legged kind were really out numbered! At one point my grandson looked at the Cougar and said he looked lonely.... I asked him why he was lonely (we are assuming it was a "he") he said cause he missed his family! A minute later we saw that there was another cougar there, but no babies... so, of course it was lonely! Too Cute!
After returning home..... we were gone from hmmmmm around 11 a.m. til around 4 p.m. (that's when I got home) I threw some food together for dinner and then after having goods times with the kids.... I got to take the tax stuff to our tax guy Don. What a guy... it's always a tad bit hard for me to take the tax stuff in to get it done cause well.... it costs something now doesn't it! Yep... but, I must say... at least it gets done relatively painless and fast! It really saves my DH from all the stress of doing it! I did it years ago, but decided after making a few mistakes (I think that I took the total tax break you could at the time for kids.... (somewhere I thought you could take more $ then I was supposed too...) that's when "we" (DH and I )
decided that taxes were his job! Long story short, he stressed over it every year, and well so that meant the "family" did too.... when dad was doing taxes.... the kids had a habit of disappearing!!! I tried once to lighten up the situation a bit with a couple of raw eggs..... but we won't go into that! Let's just say.... DH was not amused!!! I was.... but he wasn't!!!! He no longer does that taxes anymore.... since it got a bit more technical with the extended family etc... so Don.... "the tax guy".... got them done and said to tell DH... (he doesn't actually call him that... just so you know!.... He knows DH's name!) that we are safe for another year... all taxes are paid.... and everything once again is good in our world of taxes! (That is as soon as I get the signed paper back to him tomorrow...!)

Oh, this being Monday means that it is also "LOSER MONDAY" ..... yep.... don't go there! No loss, no gain!!!! Although, I'm working harder now.... more exercise!

Hope everyone that celebrates Easter had a Wonderful One.
So, one last thing before I stumble off to bed... do you know where you put your thimble?
I forgot to tell you something!!!! Would you believe.... how could I forget? I took my friend Karma to a fabric store on Friday.... I heard that because they are moving the store... they were having a great sale! Tempting I know.... so of course we had to go... she needed something for a quilt back for a cute quilt top that she finished up. One her daughter had started b/4 she passed away. It's so cute, blocks of green, bright yellow, blue, and red and then some blocks that have Clifford the Big Red Dog on them! So we found a cute yellow with some sort of curly cues on it for a border and some Clifford panels that we may piece to work it in for the back! It should be nice. It's a single size so it won't take much fabric. I think she bought some other niceities ..... but I can't remember what! And yes... I did secum to the sale.... I bought about a 3 yard piece of cute fabric... a cotton white sheer w/pink bunnies on it for "next years" Easter outfit for my granddaughter! For Fun!!! It's cute.... plus I bought a 1 yard piece of a Christmas snowman print for doing the edges of some Christmas pillow cases. So, there I finally broke down and bought some fabric. There wasn't really a need to buy it.... yes, it was all "WANT" ...
Take care, have a great week. More later....

April 7, 2009

It's Package Time

For those of you out there who travel thru cyber space a lot... come with me to visit a friend in Australia.... http://loweryourpresserfoot.blogspot.com/ to visit Kristy... what a sweetie! I must tell of the sweetness she sent to my house on Friday. The mail guy (I say guy... cause it's usually very automatic for me to say mailman... which we have had for a long time... but in fact we have also had a mail "lady" or gal too... I assume everyone is a gentleman or lady until proven otherwise, but I do want to stipulate... for the record... that here, I am saying mail guy!!!!) actually got out of the truck!!!! and you know when they do that... (we are in fact considered a rural route... so mail personal drive the route instead of walk) get out of the truck... that something fun is going to happen! Package time!!!!! Yep.... it was package time as Jean's house..... I didn't even know who it was for yet... but I was ready... poor guy! I practically jumped on that package when I opened the door! And mind you, I had to wait til he got back into the truck, cause I was still in my robe.... don't be putting down my robe... it keeps me nice and toasty on these chilly mornings. Terry is our friend!! As in terry cloth! See it's warm, comfy, cuddly... need I say more? He was back in the truck and taking off when I pounced!!! He did glance my way... I was hoping that I didn't really see a shudder out of him, but you know... poor guy probably took one look and that was all he wrote.... get me outta here!!!!! Phewwww, safe at the next mail box! Long story, a tad bit shorter... the package was for me!!!!! Yeah... well sorta! At least it had my name on it! Kristy had sent a package for my two newest grand kids.... she sent these darling little oneies w/hats ... one with a kangaroo on the front with a tiny little tot bag... and a little kangaroo on the tot, plus a stuffed kaga on the front of it, and the other one has a koala bear... on it. Sooo very sweet of her! The card she sent is really neat too! It has these 3 gals with these wonderful dresses on... just neat! Now of course I would post pictures... put as you know... this too is just not happening. Now I tried some more.... I even tried posting pictures that I have posted in the past thinking it had to do with something I did later when I added new pictures from my camera. No such luck... one of these days... we will have sooo many pictures your going to think it's a slide show and your going to say to yourself.... MAKE IT STOPPPPP! But that is not today! Anyways, I wanted to let everyone know what a sweetheart Kristy is and to make sure she knows how much I appreciate her thinking of my littlest grand kids. My DD and I put the hats on them, but Grace (great name hmmm?) kept pulling it off so grand son Cameron put it on him... never one to let a good picture moment (him, not me... I always forget!) Cameron wanted to get in on the act of the pictures too. Everything is fun, when you put kids into the play! Thank you again, Kristy... your the best!

April 6, 2009

Can't Believe I Forgot To Title This Post

After reading so many different blogs... it's hard not to get excited about sewing! Spring Sewing at that! I need to therefore come up with a method to sneak up on my sewing room! It seems when I'm not looking the mess continues to grow! Don't ask me how... something must be germinating or something! Now don't get me wrong... it's not smelly and there aren't hideous things growing.... (as far as I know there aren't!) but you know... every time I go in there, it is harder and harder to find my way into the room! I know that my DH doesn't go in there! (he is probably afraid that he will get lost trying to find his way out again!) Although, he did put his coat in there the other day (zipper needs a new pull on it!) and I didn't get to it this weekend.... so he had to go in again so he could wear it to work this a.m. It was touch and go there for a moment.... but he made it out again! Time to get out the machete and hack my way in.... if you don't hear from me for a while..... send help!!!! Oh, and material.... maybe that will appease whatever has taken over in there!

Oh.... one last post... before I take on this task.... yeah I know.... it's hard but someone has to do it!!!! For my Loser Monday report... I'm at a stand still! No gain, no pain.... and no loss! Hopefully the rest of you are doing better! Oh, and I tried one of the Loser Monday recipes I got from one of the wonderful gals who are part of the group..... (phuwwww that was a mouthful.... and I'm not even eating anything! Yet....!) I tried the Pumpkin/Spice cake Muffins! Really good! But, I forgot who had the recipe on her blog... so I'm sorry not to be able to give her full credit! Super Easy.... too! 1 Spice Cake Mix, 1 15oz can of pumpkin. 1/2 cup of water. Stir until throughly mixed. Bake at temp on box.... I think it was 350 degree's for like 20-25 minutes... (it was the same as it said on the box for muffins/cupcakes) test them with a toothpick... they seem to come out a bit doughy... but if you let them set for a few minutes they solidify and are fine! Yummy!
Take care... and Missy.... if your reading this... I will take care of that project today! Before I get to far into other things! Bye... love to all! Give my fabric.... too.......

April 2, 2009

COMIC RELIEF STORY

O.K. here is a cute story that I just had to pass on... it made me chuckle! And since I didn't do any type of April Fool's Day joke I thought I would just put this out there!

A man walks into a restaurant with a full-grown ostrich behind him. The waitress asks them for their orders.

The man says, 'A hamburger, fries and a coke,' and turns to the ostrich, 'What's yours?'

'I'll have the same,' says the ostrich.

A short time later the waitress returns with the order 'That will be $9.40 please,' and the man reaches into his pocket and pulls out the exact change for payment.

The next day, the man and the ostrich come again and the man says, 'A hamburger, fries and a coke.'

The ostrich says, 'I'll have the same.'

Again the man reaches into his pocket and pays with exact change.

This becomes routine until the two enter again. 'The usual?' asks the waitress.

'No, this is Friday night, so I will have a steak, baked potato and a salad,' says the man.

'Same,' says the ostrich.

Shortly the waitress brings the order and says, 'That will be $32.62.'

Once again the man pulls the exact change out of his pocket and places it on the table..

The waitress cannot hold back her curiosity any longer. 'Excuse me, sir. How do you manage to always come up with the exact change in your pocket every time?'

'Well,' says the man, 'several years ago I was cleaning the attic and found an old lamp. When I rubbed it, a Genie appeared and offered me two wishes. My first wish was that if I ever had to pay for anything, I would just put my hand in my pocket and the right amount of money would always be there.'



'That's brilliant!' says the waitress. 'Most people would ask for a million dollars or something, but you'll always be as rich as you want for as long as you live!'

'That's right. Whether it's a gallon of milk or a Rolls Royce, the exact money is always there,' says the man..

The waitress asks, 'What's with the ostrich?'


The man sighs, pauses and answers, 'My second wish was for a tall chick with a big butt and long legs who agrees with everything I say.

HAPPY DAY AFTER APRIL FOOL'S DAY!