Sew Good Friends

Christmas Gifts in a Hurry!

2010-08-29T09:54:00.000-07:00

It is awfully hard to believe that fall will soon be nipping at our toes & that Christmas 2010 is breathing down our necks already! I am sitting here at my keyboard thinking of the wonderful summer that is slipping away. Our grandboys came to live with us in May, so my summer has been filled with swimming, trips, movies, fairs & all sorts of adventures. With a 6-yr-old & an 11-yr-old in the house, this has been a lively place full of cooking, washing, toys & lots of laughs. Okay, so no sewing or writing has been on my calendar.....now that the boys are back in school, I have Christmas gift projects all over my sewingroom & on the brain. This Farmer's Market Bag is my first Christmas gift creation. I have a girlfriend whom I always go to the local Farmer's Market with during the summer. When I saw this fabric at a quilt store in Indiana while visiting another friend, Char, I grabbed 2 yds. of it, knowing immediately what I was going to make with it....a shopping bag for my Farmer's Market pal & one for me. Next summer, we will be the envy of the fresh fruits & vegetables crowd.I found the perfect pattern for free at this blog: http://terryatkinson.typepad.com/atkinsondesigns/2008/11/fat-sack.html Terry Atkinson has a very unique way of constructing the corners that really apeals to me, & the reinforced bottom makes this a strong bag. The only thing that I did differently from her tutorial is that I chose to line my bags for even more strength & body. When my friend opens her Christmas package, she will get a flashback of our great summer outings together!

Peter Cottontail

2010-04-02T06:17:00.000-07:00

Here comes Peter Cottontail

Hoppin' down the bunny trail,

Hippity hoppin', Easter's on its way

Bringin' ev'ry girl and boy

A basketful of Easter joy

Things to make your Easter bright and gay

He's got jelly beans for Tommy

Colored eggs for sister Sue

There's an orchid for your mommy

And an Easter bonnet too. Oh!

Here' comes Peter Cottontail

Hoppin' down the bunny trail

Hippity hoppity Happy Easter Day

Here comes Peter Cottontail

Hoppin' down the bunny trail,

Hippity hoppin', Easter's on its way

Bringin' ev'ry girl and boy

A basketful of Easter joy

Things to make your Easter bright and gay

You'll wake up on Easter morning

And you'll know that he was there

When you find those choc'late bunnies

That he's hiding ev’rywhere, Oh!

Here' comes Peter Cottontail

Hoppin' down the bunny trail

Hippity hoppity Happy Easter Day.

Butterfinger Dessert

2010-03-25T15:23:00.000-07:00

Butterfinger Dessert

2 1 cup crushed soda crackers

1 stick margarine

2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding

3 cups milk

1 qt. vanilla ice cream

9 oz. whipped topping

4 bars crushed Butterfingers

This dessert is made by layering the ingredients in a 9x13 pan. First, mix crushed crackers (save 1/3 for topping) and melted margarine. Press this evenly into the bottom of the pan. Second, mix instant pudding, milk and softened vanilla ice cream. Spread this evenly over crust. Freeze. Third, spread whipped topping over the ice cream layer. Fourth, sprinkle saved topping and crushed Butterfinger bars on top. Freeze.

Take out 10 minutes before serving Cut into squares.

Downey Quilts Finished

2010-03-23T14:46:00.000-07:00

Here is Char's Kid Quilt that she made for the Downey project......bright & perky!This is Carla's quilt top....very nice!

Canning Jars

2010-03-20T11:22:00.000-07:00

I cannot resist painting canning jars. There is just something about them that makes me feel warm, cozy and loved. Some other times I feel like this are when I bake cookies, curl up under a quilt and/or wear an apron.

Spring Tomorrow?

2010-03-20T11:11:00.000-07:00

I am so ready for spring to start tomorrow. This morning, I woke up to snow, and it's still snowing......all of the grass is covered now. What a long, hard winter this has been!Dh bought, cut and split a lot of wood to keep us warm in SW MO. Our driveway looked like thisfor about 2 months and only the 4-wheel drive could make it in and out. Finally, it dried up just enough to have it rebuilt..$$$$.. This is a beautiful site!

Tutorial for Downeys Quilts for Kids

2010-03-18T06:28:00.000-07:00

http://tobycatcreations.blogspot.com

Go here to see the tutorial...thank you for visiting.....

Quilt for a Cause

2010-03-15T08:07:00.000-07:00

Create the Downy Heart Quilt

http://www.quiltsforkids.org/volunteer/

http://www.quiltsforkids.org/

The Downy Fabric Soft Company is asking for volunteers to make children's quilts for hospitalized kids. You can request a free quilt kit including a pattern or provide your own fabrics & patterns.

My friends received these kits in the mail. Downy asks that finished quilts be returned in 4 weeks.

The Perfect Pan!

2010-03-03T07:56:00.000-08:00

Look at these perfect brownies......I made them with a Pillsbury box mix and the Perfect Brownie Pan found at https://www.bestbrowniepan.com/ I probably would not have bought this pan for myself, assuming that it wouldn't work and that it would end in my cabinet of bad ideas....lol.....however, a wonderful friend sent it to me as a gift, and this pan is truly amazing!

My friend's dh baked cornbread and brownies with the same results. She and I highly reccomend this pan!

Happy Again

2010-02-16T06:19:00.000-08:00

It's true.....I am happy......not with the weather, not with everything going on in the world & certainly not with cleaning house....but with ME! I can truly get up in the morning & say to myself, "Everything is going to be okay......just look at all the beautiful colors to choose from!"

I have not mentioned this before on my blog, but I lost a child...a wonderful, beautiful person, a young man & father....a friend. Finally after almost 3 years, I feel peaceful again......I can hear the birds sing, see the sunshine & hear the music ........I can remember him without catching my breath & crying.

It feels wonderful to be happy again......Jana

I SPY BAGS

2009-08-11T08:55:00.000-07:00

What Could Be More Fun Than an

I Spy Bag?

I used the free pattern from http://ajpadilla.com/patterns/reduce-reuse-recycle/i-spy-bag but you can do an Internet search & find several patterns & even In the Hoop embroidery machine patterns. I started out to make 2 for the grandboys for Christmas. Now, I have made at least 1 1/2 dozen for gifts.......great for young & old alike.

I am back!

2009-08-10T07:48:00.000-07:00

I feel like this flamingo with my head down......it has been way too long since I posted....forgive me for that, but I just had to take a break.....I am back now.....Jana

Look What $52.00 Will Buy These Days!

2009-04-25T10:28:00.000-07:00

I got all of these groceries for $$52.00.....a whole blueberry pie in the white box......can you see the carton of eggs by the pie.....a whole pineapple, sweet potatoes, lemons, pears, apples, lettuce, cabbage, 4 steaks, a big bag of chicken breasts, a big bag of chicken strips, French fries, rice, pancake mix, tortillas, ground meat, carrots, peppers, onions, a pizza, a bag of potatoes, a carton of milk, cheese, a canteloupe, BBQ Beef, weiners, a can of peaches & more....amazing!

One of the area churches sponsors a program called, Angel Food, a food co-op for any community members who would like to pool their money & buy food at wholesale prices. The food is delivered once a month.....it is on a sign up & pay for ahead of time basis. You can buy as many shares as you want......believe me.....I am signed up & paid for next month......I am hooked!

Please, look around in your community for food co-ops sponsored by local churches. You will welcome you to participate, & you can stretch those $$$ this way.

We Know Cookbook Author!

2009-04-03T06:22:00.000-07:00

When Barb Proctor writes a new book, it makes me hungry!

I just received her latest collection of recipes,

Favorite Foods From Finney's and Friends II
A collection of 600 plus recipes gathered by Barbara Proctor.

These are Barb's recipes as well as her Mom, Grandma & friends.
I cannot wait to try Grandma's Lemon Pie on pg 207...it's a country beauty!

Barb has graciously given us a complimentary Soup & Salad recipe from the book. It sounds yummy & springy fresh to me......what a great pot luck dish or a a picnic pleaser.

Alumni Pasta Salad
16 oz. Pkg. Spiral pasta, cooked
3/4 cup green onion, chopped
1/2 cup radishes, sliced
1 small cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup grated carrot
2 cups broccoli, broken in small pieces
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
1 cup sliced black olives, optional
1/2 bottle Ranch dressing
1 tsp. Dill weed.
Cook pasta & let cool slightly. Add veggies, dressing & dill weed. Mix all together & refrigerate.
You can add any fresh vegetables that you like....& you can add ham. If salad is dry, add more dressing.
Barb says that this is the best pasta salad she has ever eaten.

To receive an autographed copy of Favorite Foods from Finney's & Friends, send $12.50 + $3.50 shipping...
Barb Proctor
952 SW 60th Lane
Jasper, MO 64755

or contact the author personally proctorosa@hughes.net 417-394-3195

Archives are worth reading!

2009-03-27T10:36:00.000-07:00

Don't miss even one of my accumulated opinions, observations, ideas, patterns & country recipes.....visit the archives....it could change your life.......just kidding!

4 Dozen & Stopping

2009-03-27T10:18:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to stock up on Easter eggs. This free pattern & tutorial is offered at http://retro-mama.blogspot.com/2009/03/easter-is-in-air.html Be warned, though, I could not stop at 1! They are habit-forming.....

Save $$...eat cereal for patterns!

2009-03-27T09:21:00.000-07:00

One of my daughters lived in Kansas City while going to school...I was amazed on one of my visits by the colorful statues of cows, downtown. Really, I could not take my eyes off the painted creatures, & I wanted desperately to touch each one. I could not pick a favorite. I just had to recreate my own gaudy, little herd. Since 3-dimensional art is not my forte', 2-dimensional was my only hope. I thought of turning to paper & paints but settled on fabric & scissors instead.

In no time I had my very own parade of cows....oh, how I plowed through my stash! I selected 9 bright & cheery prints that reminded me of the KC bovine. I drew an outline & used a cereal box to cut a template (I cannot draw cows, but that did not slow me down....lol....!). I varied the position of the tails here & there for artistic-variety. The little appliqued quilt top satisfied my appetite for beef.......sorry, I cannot share the patten, because I threw the template in the trash.....one parade was enough for me, but you are welcome to copy the idea....could be cows, horses, chickens, paper dolls....imagination is your only limit. Do you have an empty cereal box....that is the real question....feed your dh cereal tonight.....tell him that you're saving money on quilting patterns...it will help him swallow it!

Hear the Rooster Crow

2009-03-27T09:11:00.001-07:00

March Cupcake Applique

2009-03-09T08:15:00.000-07:00

http://www.scribd.com/share/upload/9874936/1pplco44wa9qcx9fwcyz
The free March-themed cupcake applique is ready to share.....click on the link to find it...enjoy!

Country Cooking Recipe

2009-03-08T09:17:00.001-07:00

Crust is the key to a good pie. It must be flaky.

After 38 years of pie-baking, this is my crust recipe. If I have used it to bake 1 pie....I have used to bake a thousand.

2 2/3 cups all-purpose white flour (any brand)

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. of sugar (optional)

1 cup white Crisco shortening

Just enough cold water to make a rollable dough

Mix flour, sugar & salt. Add 1 cup Crisco, taking a knife & cutting into the flour until there are several chunks of shortening instead of a big lump.

Mix at low speed until the chunks are even more broken up.

Do not mix much as mixing makes a tough crust.

Starting with 1/2 cup cold water, mix, adding more water a little bit at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Do not mix much as mixing makes a tough crust.
Roll out on floured surface.

This makes a 2-crust cobbler, a large 2-crust pie or 2 single crusts.

February Cupcake Pattern

2009-02-24T07:48:00.001-08:00

Click on link for PDF of pattern.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/12785046/February-Cupcake

Share the Featherweight Spirit!

2009-01-29T07:43:00.000-08:00

Often, I try to put faces to the original owners of the old Singer Featherweights. More importantly, I think about how determined they must have been to buy these units from the door-to-door salemen during the Depression era when money was so scarce. Yet the women who opened their doors to these salesmen were looking for a way to make a difference...looking for a way to make things better. How far we have moved from the sound, personal values of homemaking.

I just read a newspaper article saying that women are allergic to sewing machines. When did this happen? My mother, rest her soul, would be shocked. When I needed something, she made it, revived it, or invented it. The sewing machine was an important tool to her.

Have we moved so far away from practicing the skills of effective nesting that the domestic arts have been lost to the young of our species? Are we not baking from scratch, airing pillows in the sunshine, recycling hand-me-downs & whipping up curtains anymore. Please say, "It ain't so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Soon, if we do not correct this trend. there will be no more after-school cookies & milk! Maybe we are just trading our sewing machines, kitchen mixers & dust mops for discontentment & frayed nerves....buying Prozac instead of thread, vanilla & furniture polish......no wonder the discount stores are discontinuing sewing counters for expansion of pharmacy departments....shrinking the baking aisles making more room for the frozen entrees.....

Call me out-of-touch, but could it be that we are looking to feather our nests by turning away from the very personal & ingenuous touches that make a home a place of nurturing comfort?

If you are reading this, then obviously, you understand homemaking, but that alone is not enough to save our future.....

You must pass it on or pay it foward......how ever you want to look at it....teach someone to sew or bake today! Transfer the Spirit of the Singer Featherweight today!

What a Silly Girl I Am....

2009-01-15T09:51:00.000-08:00

When I was little kid, I wanted a monkey....my mama said, "No, it will get on the table & throw mashed potatoes!" There was a lady down the road who had 3 monkeys & I dreamed about the fun I would have if I owned one, so I was disappointed & held a grudge for awhile.
Later, I begged for a parakeet which my mama finally allowed against her better judgement because she had vetoed the monkey, I suspect...turned out that Tweety Bird learned to say, "Kiss me," & "What cha doin?," & he never shut up.....over & over & over for at least 10 years. Ironically, this loud repetition got on my nerves more than Mama's.
I also asked her for a red parasol that was hanging over the Woolsworth toy counter....it was 98 cents which was a sum of money in those days. Mama said, "No, it will break." I wanted it so badly that I asked Daddy when Mama was listening. He innocently bought it for me, she was aggravated, & it broke the second day I had it. I was sorry that I had wasted a wish on it.
Over the years of my childhood, I asked for a great many things....some Mama would get for me & some she wouldn't for one reason or another. Of the wished for things I did get, some turned out to be great & some turned out to be not-so-good.
My point is that I don't always know what is good for me.....maybe none of us do until we experience it.
As an adult, I pretty much get what I want. The problem is that I have become no one to hold a grudge against but myself....oh, I could put blame on dh, but he is usually so innocent & oblivious of trivia that I don't have the heart to bother him......he's a pretty good guy.
A few years ago, I wanted a horse...poor man built a stable & hurt his back......I got the horse, & it nearly drug him off on the first day as it was running away...by this time, dh was determined that I would get a horse because he had built the stable....for the next 5 years, my horse was more of a never-ending-task done in all extremes of weather....looking back on it, I cannot imagine how I ever thought that owning a horse would be endless trailrides with Roy Rogers.
I have learned to approach my whims with caution & dismiss most of them, but my latest desire & there is always a new one, is most persistent...lol....I want a dog....I don't need a dog.....I already have the smartest Yellow Lab in Missouri, but I dream of having a Boston Terrible, like my daughter's . It doesn't make any sense even to me.....I am retired, kids raised, foot-loose-&-fancy-free...nothing expected of me.....I cannot justify all of the hassles that would come with a Boston pup. It would not be worth the strain on my marriage just to hold it in my lap while I watch reruns of Bonanza.
I demand of myself to consider several things........ is a Boston Tornado ever still....NO!!! Is it ever satisfied....NOT That I Have Observed!!! Does it tear the most valued possessions up in rapid succession......CONSTANTLY!!! Is it cuddly....Only if it is very tired from doing all of the naughty things it can think of to get attention!

Luckily, I am older & wiser & know that most of the things that I think I want are not really what I need & can be very long-lived. Obviously, this is one of those dreams....so, I will enjoy the sweet Boston Pies of others, & I will look at Boston Terrors on You Tube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY2WMyCR46M

Make Do Sewing Cabinet

2009-01-11T20:59:00.000-08:00

I found this jewelry cabinet at a flea market for almost nothing......the top edge is scraped a little, but it makes a very good sewing cabinet.

Cuppa for a Quilter

2009-01-08T09:22:00.000-08:00

Pattern by House on Hill Road

One of our great SGF members pointed out this clever Coffee Cozy Pattern. It is free & well worth a look at http://houseonhillroad.typepad.com/my_weblog/tutorials/

It reminded me of an idea I have seen for a quilter's gift or a favor.

Cuppa for a Quilter
You need a disposable coffee cup with lid & stirrer.
Coffee chains will sometimes sell you their cups or you can buy nice ones at discount stores.
Fill each cup with pattern & supplies to make a quilt block or even tuck in a gift card! Put the lid on the cup, stick in the stirrer & add a cute tag.

Are Your Drawers Full?

2009-01-06T13:14:00.000-08:00

Blast the Blasted UFOs

Creative people like us can think up more things than we can do & ideas tumble over each other like building blocks. Our enthusiasms are as liquids, borders always changing....it could be the weather, the seasons, holidays, or the neighbor that just had a baby that reverses the directions of our

We can be raring to go one minute & wondering why the next. Shops full of fabrics & patterns bring out our wild sides! Our creative thoughts cause us to buy cowboy prints when we don't even like westerns. Store displays call our names & beg for attention until our brain cells jumble, causing us to grab up Fat Quarters & linen towels like cookies at a party. $ale$ are like a nectar to bees......& as we travel in packs by cars & buses, we buy in frenzies! Let's face it.....we sewing ladies have our drawers full of.......................................

Unfinished Objects....UFOs !

This is the year to do something about it.

Let's take.........................

Attitude......We didn't make all of those UFOs in one day, so we can't finish them in one day.
Change......It's okay for us to make potholders instead tablerunners.

Toss........We need to give it up....throw it out.......pass it on........or finish it!
Imagination.......This time, let us be more creative with new ideas for the old projects.
Organize.........We must put every UFO in it's own plastic, see-through bag.
Now.........All of us will spend 15 min. a day, everyday, on a UFO.

In 2009, we vow to Empty our Drawers!

Throw in the Towel

2009-01-06T07:10:00.000-08:00

Sunday.....Monday.....Tuesday.....Wednesday......Thursday......Friday........Saturday...
Go to church....do the wash.....iron the clothes....mend the tears.....buy the groceries.....clean the house.....bake the bread.... kitchen towels embroidered in redwork with these practical reminders hung by my grandma's sink.....stitches worn away....holes here & there....and I loved them, battle-scars & all.
I forgot about Grandma's towels when I started housekeeping....life was moving too fast for the old order... mass-produced terry cloth in colors of avocado green & tangerine orange were the rage! Time flew by...work got done, kids got raised......& it wasn't until this past year that I remembered these comforting towels & started throwing them in with wedding & house warming gifts. I turn to my embroidery machine when I want to whip up a set fast!
Here are 2 towels with a modified twist that I made for my daughter who loves to travel.

(The threads have not yet been clipped in this picture.)

The days of the week in Italian.... Sunday - lunedì, Monday - martedì, Tuesday - mercoledì,

Wednesday - giovedì, Thursday - venerdì, Friday - sabato, Saturday- domenica

The days of the week in French... Sunday - Dimanche, Monday - Lundi, Tuesday - Mardi,

Wednesday - Mercredi, Thursday-Jeudi, Friday - Vendredi, Saturday - Samedi

(Actually, the week starts with Monday in these countries, & the days are not capitalized.)

Flannel Salad

2009-01-05T11:02:00.001-08:00

WHAT IS THIS???

Needing to prewash small pieces of flannel this morning, I reached for IT in my sewing room. You may recognize IT as a salad spinner advertised long ago on infomercials & sold at discount stores right by the salad shooters. Now, they mostly sit on shelves by the blenders, food processors, specialty coffee makers, rice cookers, crockpots, electric knives, cookie presses, bun warmers & everything else that waits to be used once in a blue moon. I bought my never-been-used-model at a garage sale for $1.00. My dh was doubtful that I needed it, but it was just a buck....

to some it is an unappreciated gadget , a space-waster, but to me......to me........it is a small washing machine for fat quarters, charms, squares, strips, etc.

Here is how it works.
1. I set the double baskets in the sink, throw in the fabric & wet through & through with hot water, maybe adding a little laundry detergent.

2. I put lid on & let a stream of water flow into the basket, & I agitate by rotating back & forth .... be sure to take the lid off & work out any extra soap before spinning.
Tip: I separate lights from darks.
3. I replace the lid & rotate the handle fast & spin, spin, spin.........the fabric works to the sides of the basket similar to an actual spin cycle.

I dry the fabric in any way I want.......here it is just spread around here & there to dry.

Couldn't be easier!

Before you buy a salad spinner.....ask around....

someone you know has one & will gladly give it to you.

My Favorite Cocoa Mix

2009-01-05T08:12:00.000-08:00

Rich Hot Chocolate Mix
13 oz. malted milk
22 oz. powdered coffee creamer
4 lbs. powdered milk
32 oz. powdered sugar
56 oz. chocolate milk mix
2 lbs. miniature marshmallows

Here's a Thought to Ponder!

2009-01-05T08:05:00.001-08:00

Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food
manufactured in plants

Country Cooking Recipe

2009-01-03T07:30:00.000-08:00

Lemon Pie for Dieters & Sugar Watchers

3 small pkgs (9 oz. total) sugar-free, cook & serve vanilla pudding

1 small pkg (3 oz.) sugar-free lemon gelatin

2 1/3 cups water & 1/3 cup lemon juice

8-inch reduced fat graham crust

1 1/2 cups reduced fat whipped topping

Combine the dry pudding & gelatin powders with the water & lemon juice.Cook & stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Cook until thickened.Remove from heat & cool slightly.Pour into crust & refrigerate 2-3 hours to set.Spread with whipped topping & serve in small pieces.....this is a rich pie.

I made this pie last night & even my dh said that it was very good for a diet pie. It is a bright yellow color with a slightly rubbery texture, but it is suprisingly creamy & satisfying.

Free Cupcake Pattern

2009-01-01T20:33:00.000-08:00

Link to free printable cupcake pattern

http://www.scribd.com/doc/9668012/January-Cupcake

Link to basic tea towel tote instructions

http://www.scribd.com/doc/9668030/Tea-Towel-Tote

Join Me Here!

2009-01-01T08:02:00.000-08:00

You are invited to join me this brand new year, 2009, to celebrate life....to enjoy homemaking....to be creative....& to get ready for CHRISTMAS 2009!

My kids have all left the nest & are flying on their own......there is very little that I can buy them that will put giggly smiles on their faces.....

My friends are all my age & already have most things that they need.....in fact, my friends & I are in the Lighten the Load stage of life!

Then, there is also the age-old consideration.........!

There are 5 solutions to apply:

1) Stop exchanging gifts.

2) Be more & more creative!

3) Buy only a few small things.

4) Give carefully selected gift cards.

5) Give money.......

# 1 is not an option for me....giving is my greatest joy in life & Christmas is my favorite time to share........& a tree is not a tree at my house until it has a few gaily wrapped gifts underneath the boughs for the ones I love.
A combination of #s 2, 3, 4 & 5 work for me... giving money is sometimes appropriate if presented in unique ways, & a gift card to someone's favorite haunt can be a nice when placed inside something special...for instance: under the wrapper of a giant chocolate bar, tucked in the pocket of an apron, slipped in a menu from the restaurant, taped in a pizza box, added to the layers of a fabric sandwich, etc.....you get my drift. I shop, but I do it all year like an eagle, swooping down on bargains, sales & clearances, stretching my money like a rubber band!
....but, #2 is my very favorite approach!!! There are quidelines here, though.......make it useful & or fun, flat & or small, consumable or edible & make it for each receiver's personality......for instance, Grandpa fishes, Mama sews, Brother golfs, Frank watches TV & Cindy is only 3....lol !
This year, I am going to remind my readers periodically to be making gifts, gathering gifts & planning ahead for Christmas 2009. You can expect to see things I have made, ideas, tutorials & patterns, MAKING this Christmas the most loving of all!

What's that you say? Oh, you don't have friends & family to make for....well start looking for lonely neighbors, children's charities, hospitals, etc. that will welcome your efforts.

Your will be bigger for it!

Mitten Ornie Pattern

2008-09-22T07:49:00.000-07:00

Visit the disdressed Blog at http://disdressed.blogspot.com/2006/12/at-last-mitten-ornament-pattern.html to find the pattern for the mitten ornies.

They are so fast & easy to make....great to stick a $ in for a little gift.

Country Cooking Recipe

2008-09-08T13:28:00.001-07:00

Good punch recipes are hard to find.....

Here is one that I use in the fall

& get compliments every time.

This is a great Fall Punch
(half this recipe for a small batch).
12 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate (thawed)
12 oz. frozen lemonade concentrate (thawed)
4 cups white grape juice
2 liters 7-Up
Ice

When Is Toilet Paper Not TP?

2008-09-08T12:44:00.000-07:00

When is not TP?

When it's a PUMPKIN!!!

Even though I still want to hide in thoughts of summer,
I can't deny that signs of fall are popping up everywhere. It is time for me to pull down the 4th of July banner from my door & put up autumn fare inside & out. Here is the cutest little & easy idea to make up in a flash! You only need 1 roll of TP, 1 FQ & 1 F8th.......you'll soon have a whole pumpkin patch!
http://documents.scribd.com/docs/z1qns03xf4vd09bagxp.pdf

Look here for a tutorial.

Tea Towels Like Grandma's

2008-09-08T06:59:00.000-07:00

Long before the terrycloth, mass-produced kitchen towels that now flood the market, were Grandma's soft cotton towels......the one-of-a-kind work cloths made lovingly by her own hands. That was back when kitchens smelled of warm sugar cookies, hot apple pies, freshly baked bread & lots of real soap & starch. How easily modern women have replaced Grandma's old-kitchen values with pre-packaged whatever.......& stamped terrycloth.

The time has come to take back Grandma's individuality, country charm & joy of homemaking! Let's start by making a few of these homey towels that color our kitchens with love!

I have prepared a tutorial for you at: http://documents.scribd.com/docs/yhrq0i829leqvnqjoad.pdf I would love to see pics of what you create....send those to jdahmen@ckt.net, & I will post them to the blog.

Show us your aprons, please.

2008-07-10T08:14:00.000-07:00

We want to see aprons that you have made.....send pics to jdahmen@ckt.net .
Catch my drip.....lol.......?

Grandma's Apron is back!

2008-07-10T07:57:00.000-07:00

What goes around comes around, & I am smitten with that old "apron fever." What a homey, nostalgic & comforting thing to make with all of those repo prints that I love & hoard so much.
I want to wear them, give them, decorate with them & learn about their history! I want to catch a glimpse of the pioneer spirit that inspired them....I want to touch the lives of the children who were nurtured by them...I want to feel the hearts of the women whose tears were wiped by them. NOTHING makes a country kitchen warmer than a bevy of aprons!

GRANDMA'S APRON
The principle use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, but along with that, it served as a holder for removing hot pans from the oven; it was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.
From the chicken-coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.
When company came, those old aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids; and when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.
Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove. Chips and kindling-wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.
From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.
In the fall, it was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees. When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.
When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out on the porch and waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields for dinner.
It will be a long time before anyone invents something that will replace that old-time apron that served so many purposes. ...Author Unknown

Magical FQ Pattern for Slow Turtlles

2008-07-10T06:59:00.000-07:00

Simple projects that look impressive always captivate me.

This magical bag pattern can be found at http://quiltsmart.com/ Each bag is made from 2 FQs & 1 piece of iron on interfacing. The pattern comes with 2 sheets of interfacing, preprinted for simple construction. The website says that the first bag takes 30 min. to make but after that, the next bags take only 17 min. each...in theory, I should be able to make 4 of these cuties during "Days of Our Lives" each afternoon...it probably still takes me 30 min. each even after making these 4 for the 4th of July, but if I would pull the plug, I could probably do it in 15 (but then that is the story of the days of my life.....HAaaaaaa)!

The pattern with the 2 sheets sells for $12.95, & I debated buying it for that price. My daughter talked me into it, because I picked it up so many times. What I found out is that the genius of this pattern is priceless....I would never have come up with it on my own.......& it is one of those addictive projects that gives back much more joy than the $s given.

The website sells additional printed interfacing sheets for $3.50 each, but you know me.....I started using plain, iron on interfacing of similar weight. The quilt shop in Derby, KS had 2 Halloween themed bags made for display, & how cute they were! I made the ones pictured above for July 4th.....carried one for a purse & gave the other 3 as holiday gifts.

I have at least a doz. cut out & ready to make in all seasons & holidays.......let's see....that should take 204 min........but will be more like 360+ min. for me...... I am not one to hurry...lol!

Can You Can It?

2008-06-07T11:23:00.000-07:00

You can always can it! Grandma did.

I have a really bad case of jar fever. I applique, piece, fussy-cut, paper piece & machine embroidery them on everything....

draw , trace , cut, find free patterns on the Internet....

put them on potholders, quilts, post cards, tea towels, table runners....

refrigerator magnets, purses, & clothes.

There's just something about jars that makes me see !!!!

Country Cooking Recipe

2008-06-07T10:29:00.000-07:00

ONE STEWEDCHICKEN

FEEDS A CROWD

1 8oz pkg stuffing prepared by pkg directions.

Spread into greased, 13x9 dish & top with a deboned, chopped, stewed, chick'n.

Melt 1/2 cup butter & blend in 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 teasp salt & dash pepper.

Add 4 cups cool chick'n broth (may be liquid from stewed chicken) & cook while stiring until thickened.

Stir a small amount into 3 slightly beaten eggs & return this to hot mixture.

Pour over chick'n.

Bake 325 for aprox 45 min or until knife inserted comes out clean.

Let stand 5min. Cut & serve.

Gravy or a sauce can be used if wanted.

Add a garden salad &/or veggie....great meal for 6-8 servings.

2008-06-07T09:54:00.000-07:00

A Few Truths about Sewing
Fusible interfacings always fuse to the iron.
If you need 6 buttons, you will find 5 in your button box.
Whenever the construction process is going well, the bobbin thread runs out.

A lost needle will be found by son, husband or brother-in-law, while walking around barefoot.
Pinking shears get dull just by looking at them.
Matching edges don't.
As ye sew, so shall ye rip .

FQ Pillowcases Coming in....

2008-05-23T15:05:00.000-07:00

Dorcas

Fat Quarter Challenge

2008-05-20T07:46:00.000-07:00

Raise your hand if you love to buy Fat Quarters..... not only do I love to buy them, but I am drawn to them... not only am I drawn to them, but I don't want to cut into one after I get it home! I collect them, sort them, show them, arrange them...rearrange them, dream about projects, & think, "Someday, when I have enough I will make something...." I may buy a FQ just because it reminds me of someone..... dh would like these, daughter would like this pile, I can't live without this stack, these remind of Ma on Little House on the Prairie, etc., etc., etc. I never run out of reasons to justify buying FQs or clever ways to organize them... my dh & girls even put them in my stocking...lol! I have FQ Fever so bad that sometimes, I even make my own FQs! I know that may be hard to believe, but it is so true! I confess. I count & multiply Fat Quarters like a fabric Queen Midas. "Only will I use them if I can find a project worthy." I think I have found such a pattern at the Quiltershome Magazine site! It is too good not to share. Follow this link & scroll 1/2-way down the page & find a cute, cute, free Fat Quarter pillowcase pattern..... it takes 4 FQs to make one pillowcase. http://quiltershomemag.com/freepattern/ I challenge you... make one, send a pic to me at jdahmen@ckt.net & I will post it on the blog with your first name.

You must promise to only use FQs from your stash......HAaaaaaaaa! Who will know!

Clothesline Communication Obsolete

2008-05-17T09:53:00.000-07:00

Modern technology has created numerous moral dilemmas....... for instance, communication started getting way too invasive when telephones became commonplace in American homes. Everyone started asking outright, "What are you doing?" The art of lying immediately took hold!
I don't know about you, but if I'm sitting on the couch watching Gone with the Wind for the umpteenth time in my pajamas & eating chocolate ice cream out of the carton, that question just rubs me the wrong way..... what am I to do? Do I lie, try to make it sound better than it is, tell the truth, jump up & get busy, so that reality changes....? There in lies the social dilemma.
Did you know that the modern washer & dryer set has caused the most invasive confusion? It has rendered backyard clotheslines obsolete. Nosey neighbors, private eyes & mother-in-laws can no longer be in the know quietly.....they now have to ask............

At one time, the activity of a household could be judged, with some accuracy, by what was hanging on the clothesline .....what a family's activities were, what the head of the household did for a living, how many kids were on board, etc., etc......it was all hung out to dry for the world to see! A line of drying clothes was a damp array that told of occupations, hobbies, children, shopping habits (you know, fancy panties or plain...) , troubles & joys. (It was even used by the Underground Railroad to post hidden messages.) Well, all of that is gone forever.....it has been replaced with My Space, My Page, My Blog, My Internet Diary..... if technology is so advanced, why can't there be a virtual, holographic clothesline projected into each & every backyard...... we could all just program in messages for the neighborhood without ever leaving our keyboards! We could start rumors, sway opinions, stretch the facts....oh wait, we can still do that......never mind!

Speedy, Snack Bag Totes

2008-05-04T08:45:00.000-07:00

To make these, you will need: plain potholders with the loops at the top (Some dept. stores sell these generic potholders 2/a $.), any sorts of embellishments or none, 6 snack-size baggies per tote, pieces of ribbon or bias tape, & buttons with a shanks.

The picture is self-explanatory on constructing these handy little totes.

Let your imagination go wild..... I have even used my embroidery machine to put professional-looking names on them.

They can be used for pills, sewing kits, crayons, art supplies, candies, money, tiny tools, fishing items, etc. These can be made masculine or feminine...

What great stocking stuffers they could be!

Can you cry under water?

2008-05-03T14:53:00.000-07:00

The Dole Nutrition Institute just came out with the results of an expensive study. They claim, as fact, that 94% of the rats tested prefer sugar over coccaine... http://www.dolenutrition.com/currentissue.aspx?nlid=1126

I don't know how this proves much of anything, but........ "Maybe," I say, "rats just have their heads on straight. Maybe, they know the emotionally-healing-value of having a Snicker Bar for lunch just once, instead of choosing a salad. Maybe, they understand, the fine art of Eating Dessert First!"

Can you cry under water? I don't know, but I have shed many a tear in the shower, & it wasn't because I got soap in my eye.

I was just so busy being a wife, mom, school teacher, etc., etc. that there was no time penciled-in for crying, so I learned the skill of speed-crying.

First, you have to let everything that's gone wrong since the last time you cried pile up in no particular order. Next, when the water hits your face, cry like there's no tomorrow.... if anyone hears you, it will sound like singing. When the shower is over, dry off & step out as if nothing has happened.

Speed-crying is therapeutic... it gives no time for prioritizing... no time to list from the worst to least.... no pity-party in other words. You just cry & go!

Figuring out all of the particulars can be dangerous.... you might actually find something to be depressed about.... non-prioritizing, speed-crying is definitely the way to go.
Prioritizing, in general, ages a person. Babies focus on eating & comfort... Teenagers focus on image & entertainment... Adults focus on paychecks & responsibilities... Retirees tend to focus on health & summing up an era... in other words, every stage of life has its own priorities that define us. Knowing this gives power over aging... "I am is now dictated by how I set my priorities each day."

Hey! This explains mid-life crisis! One day, someone wakes up & is unhappy with their priorities....

You want to be 16 again..... rethink your day! Make fun in the sun the priority.... not whether your bed is made or not.... lol! Take a day off from being a grown-up.

I have sugestions for the committee choosing the next 3 RAT TESTS:

For starters, see how many rats prefer pushing a little beachball around as opposed to running on a tiny mouse treadmill ... second, hold their faces under water & step on their toes to see if they actually can cry under water... third, after telling them that their cheese supply is low, their mouse hole has been plastered over, a new cat is in the house, & their youngest is missing, observe them to see what percentage cry now or wait for the shower....

there's a good chance that the speed-cryers are still smiling & have

Snicker Bars on their breath!

There's a prize involved?

2008-04-22T08:55:00.000-07:00

I have that don't use it up, because then I won't have it mentality with the added bonus of , if I throw it away I'll need it, seasoning. What a curse! Sears never had as much inventory as I do!
I hoard everything, kidding myself into thinking I am thinning things down. I am a great rationalizer. I tell myself, "I may need the kids' old bobby socks to make snow babies someday." (In reality, I don't even like snowmen made out of socks... never have....)
I just read an article on how to minimize your sewing clutter by using up what you have & then refraining from stockpiling. The author is either a start-one-project-then-finish-it-before-even-thinking-about-another kind of gal, a vacuum while wearing grandmother's pearls girl, a person who does not form attachments easily, or a fake-sewer.... you know, a woman who says she sews, but in truth, only made a set of throw pillows for a flowered couch 2 years ago & then put the scraps in her yearly garage sale. (I don't dislike any of these types of women, but I just don't let them in my house to see stashes sticking out of every nook & cranny!) Yes, if you want to eat at my house, you must have at least 3 bulging closets to qualify.
You might think with all of this surplus, I would never cross the threshold of another retail shop for the next 10 years. Apparently, that is not the case, because I am drawn to quilt shops with an animal magnetism! Will this vicious circle never end?
If it was really as simple as start project... finish project.... plan project.... buy only what is needed... start project... finish project... you can see where this in going. I would have no clutter issue in the first place to resolve. I have always heard that the one who dies with the most fabric wins... wins what? If it's not more then count me out!

2008-04-21T16:59:00.000-07:00

Dorothy was right on track when she said, "There's no place like home." I must add to this that there is nothing like a 3000-mile road trip to make you appreciate your space. Just as I felt a desperate need to get away from home, I felt a greater tug to get back. I missed you friends in cyberspace!
So here I am to "blah, blah, blah" once again.Always remember that listening is optional. HAaaaaaaaaaa!
My poor girls have always had to listen to The World According to Mom show. Though they have learned to tune me down over the years, they could never quite tune me out. I managed to somewhat brainwash them with my opinions much like dust seeps through a cracked window. They never saw it coming.... one day, they woke up & swoosh, they were me.... well not quite, but........................ I can sometimes hear myself as they talk..................... not all the time, but my insights are definitely in their brains & pop out on occasion! (They just cannot keep my wisdom contained though they try & try....lol!)

Anyway, here's hoping that as I compute my thoughts to you once again, that you can be convinced to have more fun, eat dessert first, & live life always on the sunny side.

Country Cooking Recipe

2008-04-06T19:52:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, I cooked 18 quarts of chili for my younger daughter's Christian Legal Society at the University of Tulsa. The Law School hosted its annual chili competition. The Tulsa law firms & campus organizations enter as contestants. There were 31 entries this year. We didn't win, but our chili was great!

CLS Chili (Small Batch)

2 lbs. ground chuck, salt as desired

1 onion, 1 small can jalapeño peppers

2 Tbls. chili powder, 2 Tbls. cumin

tomato sauce & water for desired consistency

The theme for the booth was The Ten Condiments of Chili!

Watermelon YoYos

2008-04-06T16:56:00.000-07:00

These are fun to stitch!
Use red & green fabric. These were made with the Clover Extra-large & Large-size Circle YoYo Makers. Tack a red-large yoyo on top of a green extra-large yoyo. Add black seed beads for the perfect touch. Use these to embellish totes, shirts, canvas shoes or whatever.

YoYo Makers by Clover can be purchased at quilt shops, fabric stores or various sewing supply stores online... https://www.shopatron.com/index/181.0.4815.22025.0.0.0

Orphan Placemat Project

2008-04-02T20:16:00.000-07:00

What a great make-up bag!

Keep your eyes open for orphan placemats on $ale for little of nothing... plastic placemats work well as water resistant bags... cloth placemats can be quite elegant.

If you would like to embellish or embroider this project, do that before step 1.

1. Fold the placemat in half & apply a zipper, joining the 2 short ends together. (If you have never used a zipper to join pieces together in a straight-line opening, you will find this to be a piece of cake!)
2. Open the zipper & turn the bag-to-be, inside-out.

3. Sew each end to the bag closed, catching the zipper ends neatly.

4. Miter the corners to give your bag a definite bottom or do not miter the corners to leave the bag flat. (Miter means to flatten each bottom corner & sew the corners off straight leaving the appearance of 2 triangles inside the bag.)

5. Now, turn the bag outside-in, & the project is finished.

These make super gifts!

Writers' Block

2008-04-02T09:30:00.000-07:00

I have found myself at a loss for words.....probably that feared Writers' Block that plaques all opinionated people at one time or another. I dare not ask dh for help as he would never let me hear the end of it. No doubt he would mark this auspicious day on his calendar... I get mad even thinking about it.
It is definitely time for a break ... so with that, I will turn tail on April 8, grab my new swimsuit & head for Arizona... please, please revisit my blog after April 18th for much-stuff-needed-to-know topics & lots of laughs.

The Real Recipe

2008-04-01T14:24:00.000-07:00

The Chemist's Recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies

The following recipie for chocolate chip cookies appeared in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN, Jun 19, 1995, p. 100). It was attributed to Jeannene Ackerman of Witco Corp.
Ingredients:
532.35 cm3 gluten
4.9 cm3 NaHCO3
4.9 cm3 refined halite
236.6 cm3 partially hydrogenated tallow triglyceride
177.45 cm3 crystalline C12H22O11
177.45 cm3 unrefined C12H22O11
4.9 cm3 methyl ether of protocatechuic aldehyde
Two calcium carbonate-encapsulated avian albumen-coated protein
473.2 cm3 theobroma cacao
236.6 cm3 de-encapsulated legume meats (sieve size #10) To a 2-L jacketed round reactor vessel (reactor #1) with an overall heat-transfer coefficient of about 100 Btu/F-ft2-hr add one, two, and three with constant agitation.
In a second 2-L reactor vessel with a radial flow impeller operating at 100 rpm add four, five, six, and seven until the mixture is homogeneous.
To reactor #2 add eight followed by three equal portions of the homogeneous mixture in reactor #1. Additionally, add nine and ten slowly with constant agitation. Care must be taken at this point in the reaction to control any temperature rise that may be the result of an exothermic reaction.
Using a screw extrude attached to a #4 nodulizer place the mixture piece-meal on a 316SS sheet (300 x 600 mm). Heat in a 460K oven for a period of time that is in agreement with Frank & Johnston's first order rate expression (see JACOS, 21, 55), or until golden brown.
Once the reaction is complete, place the sheet on a 25 deg. C heat-transfer table allowing the product to come to equilibrium.

Spring into Machine Embroidery

2008-04-01T07:05:00.000-07:00

Machine embroidery & spring work together well. There are so many great flower designs that can be put on dish towels to brighten up the kitchen. These make inexpensive gifts & party favors as well. The simplest item can become an inspiring treasure!

What is a flour sack?

2008-03-31T09:43:00.000-07:00

The Flour Sack by Colleen B. Hubert

When girls' dresses were made from flour sacks... In that long ago time when things were saved,

When roads were graveled and barrels were staved, When worn-out clothing was used as rags,

And there were no plastic wrap or bags, And the well and the pump were way out back,

A versatile item, was the flour sack. Pillsbury's Best, Mother's and Gold Medal, too

Stamped their names proudly in purple and blue. The string sewn on top was pulled and kept -

The flour emptied and spills were swept. The bag was folded and stored in a sack

That durable, practical flour sack. The sack could be filled with feathers and down,

For a pillow, or t'would make a nice sleeping gown. It could carry a book and be a school bag,

Or become a mail sack slung over a nag. It made a very convenient pack,

That adaptable, cotton flour sack. Bleached and sewn, it was dutifully worn

As bibs, diapers, or kerchief adorned. It was made into skirts, blouses and slips,

And Mom braided rugs from one hundred strips. She made ruffled curtains for the house or shack

From that humble but treasured flour sack! As a strainer for milk or apple juice,

To wave men in, it was a very good use; As a sling for a sprained wrist or a break,

To help Mother roll up a jelly cake, As a window shade or to stuff a crack,

We used a sturdy, common flour sack! As dish towels, embroidered or not,

They covered up dough, helped pass pans so hot, Tied up dishes for neighbors in need,

And for men out in the field to seed; They dried dishes from pan, not rack

That absorbent, handy flour sack! We polished and cleaned stove and table,

Scoured and scrubbed from cellar to gable, We dusted the bureau and oak bed post,

Made costumes for October (a scary ghost), And a parachute for a cat named Jack,

From that lowly, useful old flour sack! So now my friends, when they ask you

As curious youngsters often do, “Before plastic wrap, Elmer's Glue

And paper towels, what did you do?” Tell them loudly and with pride don't lack,

“Grandmother had that wonderful flour sack!”

Suit Yourself

2008-03-26T08:19:00.000-07:00

Here is a riddle for you: My hips are wider than my waist, my waist is larger than my hips, I have a bust that would split a tent & 2 pickles are my legs? What am I?

(I am a 56-yr-old woman being forced to buy a new swimsuit.)

Anxiety & stress are the emotions that come to mind when I think of shopping for a swimsuit. I have worn the same one for most of my married life to avoid going to the store. There is NOTHING like this experience to expose the flaws, both real & imagined, that drive me crazy! Just the thought of it breaks me out in a cold sweat.
I just skimmed an unhelpful article about "The Suit That Suits You." Apparently, the right swimsuit can make a woman look chic, comfortable & confident in or out of the water... no more "ride ups," wedgies, or unsightly readjustments when exiting a pool... just a matter of knowing what to minimize, enhance or conceal...
This has to be a thin person's joke. It calls to match body type to a description on this list:

Inverted Triangle: Shoulders &/or bust are wider than hips.
Rectangle: Same hip & shoulder width without a defined waist.
Triangle: Hips are wider than shoulders &/or bust.
Circle: Waist is larger than bust & hips.

Star: Entire body is of equal proportions from chin down.

Well, sheesh, all of the above apply to my shape! I must be an Inverted-Triangle-Rectangle-Triangle(again)-Circle-Star-Body-Shape! It never mentioned that a girl like this is out of luck & that any suit on the rack will sink to the bottom.
Instead, there was a note of hope... find a style that will be seen all at one time; thus blending the wearer, unobserved, into the crowd... avoid blossomed suits that make eyes bounce from flower to flower like a bee, hanging for a long look. (Oh, man...what a slam on my old suit!)
The article left me with only 2 possible outs... buy enough of a suit to cover myself & ACCESSORIZE! (shapely necklines,empire waists, princess seams, high backs, wide straps, side stripes, skirts, boy-cut legs, industrial bust support, dark colors, ruching, draping, & shirring at the waist ... cover-ups, sandals, hats, sunglasses, beach totes, towels, flamboyant embellishments, large lawn chairs & my 2 personal favorites... camouflage & a fake-ID)
Obviously, bikinis should be left to the young & wearing a one-piece makes it easier to keep on - as long as ties are avoided... but what is there left for me? I'll tell you what! As Maxine says, "I don't skinny dip.... I chunky dunk."
I just have to swallow pride & step up to the skinny, little girl at the ca$h register. "Please," I will say, "put it in your smallest sack... just mash it up if you have to & don't worry about the wrinkles... I certainly won't."

Pirates of the Sewing World

2008-03-25T07:10:00.001-07:00

What do these 2 pictures have in common?

I just read something that compared quilters to pirates... it made me smile. It may be true... lol! Quilters, as well as, embroidery enthusiasts, knitters, crocheters, paper crafters, etc. do not sail the seas looking for loot, but instead, fill trunks with bounties of ideas & treasures, following maps from one quilt shop to the next, coveting projects of fellow crafters, thumbing magazine pages, reflecting on history, & surfing the Internet. Quilters are like sponges always thirsting for something new... & always sure it can be made a better way!

If indeed, handwork junkies are pirates of sorts, it started with generations of women before 2008.... when patterns & homemaking ideas were passed by word of mouth, written letters, crudely penciled diagrams & templates cut from newspaper. In colonial times, women thought of patterns as community property... it was neglectful not to pass them from old to young! In the age of prairie women, it was a matter of survival to spread them... in the Retro-years, sharing was taken for granted... Now, in the 21st century, it is taboo to even discuss sharing patterns because of copyright infringement issues.
Of course, the creators, manufacturers & sellers of patterns & craft articles are due respect & just revenues.... this cannot be bypassed or denied either morally or lawfully. Modern day patterns are works of love & art with striking pictures, detailed instructions, convenient templates & handy hints contained in sleeves of resealable plastic or published in expensive printed forums. Quilt shops are amazingly comfortable & inspiring islands offering not-inexpensive-stages for women to gather, enjoy & gleen from storehouses of products. All of thi$, quilter$ are happily, willingly $ enjoyingly $upporting...
but oh, brother... please continue giving crafters a generous break! Afterall, there is such a fine line between pirating & traditional-sharing... educating-novices & infringing... stealing & being creative... making one & making enough for local craft fairs... etc., etc., etc. It all boggles the minds of stitchers!
Thank goodness that the gray oceans of the Granny Pirates are broad.... how many prisons it would take to house the crafting-bootleggers if they were all hauled in! With that being said, "Mums still the word, sewingrooms with shades pulled are still the places, & yes, patterns & ideas are still never shared in the 21st Century." However, just in case a sewing granny is lurking about, "The only way to keep an idea or pattern off the radar is never to make it or show it even one time!"

Country Cooking Recipe

2008-03-24T08:07:00.000-07:00

STRAWBERRY DAIQUIRI CAKE 1 Box of Strawberry Cake Mix 1 (14oz.) Can of Sweetened Condensed Milk 1 (14oz.) Container of Cool Whip 1 Container Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri Mix thawed and drained 1 large container of Frozen Strawberries, drained well

Bake Cake according to the box, after cake bakes, let cool 10 minutes. Turn cake out on cooling racks or however you prefer and let cool cake cool completely. Split cake in half with sewing thread. Put the bottom half back into pan and lay the strawberries on top.

Stir the sweetened condensed milk and daiquiri mix together and then fold in the cool whip. This is your icing. Put half on the strawberries and then your top cake on, put the rest of your icing on and refrigerate. This cake gets better & better, so it may be made ahead. You may decorate with more strawberries.

Support Crafters & Artisans

2008-03-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

I have always had tense passages in my life when I run short of time, energy, or expertise. This is when I look to the handiwork & talent of others...

I love to support my fellow-crafters if I can't make it myself.

What greater way is there to promote handcrafted than to buy it? Buying handmade reconnects with the past, & it certainly feels good to the spirit. It is highly possible that handmade may lower blood pressure.
Yes, I believe that buying handmade is better for everyone concerned. It is communicating to someone that he/she is deserving of one-of-a-kind, made-with-care & carefully selected gifts. It conjures up the warmth of the pioneer spirit, the melodies of Woody Guthrie, & the love of family. Supporting crafters is better for the environment than buying into the harmful environmental repercussions of mass-manufacturing contributing to global warming, pollution, & ulcers from stress. Every handcrafted product strikes a ding against global demise & tension.
Large American retailers & chain stores brainwash & inundate us with the status quo... the same products over & over, slickly packaged, & staged for consumers to easily snap-up the bait. This serves a purpose in that it is convenient to quickly buy deodorant, underwear, plastic wrap, cereal, toothbrushes, over-the-counter meds, socks, trashcans, dog food, etc, etc, etc... consistently under 1 roof. It just makes sense to buy routinely consumed blah, blah, blah in this way... when you use it up... you need it again... go get it... end of story... get on with your life... but wait... is it absolutely necessary that the same curtains, placemats, pillowcases & decorating items be in every household? Where is the creativity & personal expression in that?
Handcrafted is always the result of skill & craftsmanship that is so blaringly absent in large-scale manufacturing. The supply & demand-follow-the-leader-manufacturer-retailer-consumer relationship is a necessary evil but falls short when it comes to tender sharing.

Handmade makes for better gift-giving.

Save the mundane for consumable items.

Unique, one-of-a-kind presents say, "I care enough to honor this occasion with a token that is only for you." This is the ultimate expression of thoughtful friendship, honor, &/or love. It is like saying, "You are special enough in thought, word or deed to warrant my going the extra mile... I thought about your individuality & spent time on just YOU! Yes, I acknowledge you as worthy of my undivided attention."

It is prudent to buy selectively from chain stores, rounding out packages of handmade fair with M&Ms, screwdrivers, measuring spoons or whatever else is not easily made... & Gift card$ are the greatest things since sliced bread. Give them when someone will benefit more from extra $$$ to spend or will find great fun in a $hopping spree... but always find creative, interesting ways to present that plastic buying power.

My point in a nutshell is,

"Make your own or support your local crafters, artisans, & small shops. It will make you feel better, & it will convey goodwill all the way around!"

6-Pocket Tote

2008-03-18T20:29:00.000-07:00

In April, dh & I are taking a road trip to Arizona... I am so excited by the prospect of flea markets, museums, rock shops & quilt shops between Missouri & there. I am already getting our things ready to go.

Here is my new trip-purse with a Southwest flavor.

I purchased the print from a Hancock Store that was going out of business last year, & it was just perfect for what I had in mind. After searching through bag patterns that I have collected, I selected this 6-Pocket Tote.

It is a free pattern at http://ftp.gotfabric.com/projects/0106tote.php .

I stayed fairly close to the instructions except for adding pockets on the inside, a few buttons & a velcro closure. My bag is constructed with heavy batting & machine quilting for extra strength. I also made straps instead of using webbing as the pattern suggests.

The turquoise pin is attached for a little extra color.

Now, I just need to load it with trip $$$ !

Jarring Thoughts

2008-03-18T07:50:00.001-07:00

What ever happened to the great American basket.... you know, the one that wives used as a collecting tool... no respectable, pioneer woman would have kept house without a basket or an apron..... the baskets were long gone by the time my mother was raising me.... I do know that my grandmother used one as I still have it, hanging from my ceiling... it has a nice patena from years of hard use, but it has not seen an honest day's work in almost a century!

I recollect that my mom did use jars, jars & more jars... ball jars, mason jars, pickle jars... Growing up, these jars were actually hoarded, & it was an unspoken truth that the wife with the most jars was by far the best homemaker in the county! I remember women borrowing jars from each other in a pinch, & an accountability talley was kept on the wall. I would have been afraid to take a jar without asking Mama first, & I had to have a darn good reason before being awarded one... after all, a sound home depended on these containers.
The definition of a jar is simple, straightfoward, uncomplicated & mundane... a cylindrical glass with a threaded mouth & no handles or frills, & they were once found in abundance in all American homes as a recycled commodity. It seems like I still actually have a few of those around somewhere.... maybe under the sink...
When I was a kid, jars were used in relationship to food & liquid storage... a fruit jar, mayonaise jar, canning jar... but it has never just been about food as I recall, but more about managing a household.
Perhaps the most & maybe even the first mass-recycled object in our society, the quart jar made a passable depression era-workingman's-thermos if wrapped generously in newspaper to insulate cold or heat. With its simple design it lent itself for everything from icebox storage containers, measuring, canning, extra glasses, collecting bugs, storing money, sorting nails, sprouting seeds, dispensing medicines, selling moonshine, all the way to the infamous, though unpopular term, slop jar.
Humor me & consider the possibility that with the disappearances of the baskets, aprons, & then the jars, the quality of homelife has suffered progressively serious blows? Can a healthy home be a realilty if there is nothing concrete for gatherering, storing, preserving, working, & holding on to.... ?
The recent, stingy economic trend of manufacturing jars from cheap plastics or reducing them to foil pouches has been linked, in theory, to the fall of American, domestic values... it is possible that quality family homemaking has been pushed down a slippery slope due to fewer glass jars coming into a household & being made available for canning. It may be that the rapid disappearance of the glass jar has indeed been the final death-blow to the natural cycle of women growing, gathering & preserving to feed their families. The domino effect of this might be that women now have more free time to spend away from the home, taking the focus away from the main things... nurturing, comforting activities that produce safe, quiet nests to rear healthy families that in turn will begat more happy families.
Clearly, we are now womenfolk with more "me" time on our hands. Appliances for every job, shortcuts for every process & grocery stores stocked full. We think of containers as throw-away, & more & more jars are being found on flea market shelves as collectibles. Comically, we make the obsolete jars that have survived into flower vases, decorate them, create quilts in jars, present gifts in jars, & fill job jars with slips of paper tasks to be performed by the dhs & children of our households so as to appear impartial in assigning tasks.
Entire books have been written on collecting jars, creating gifts in jars, & some articles have addressed the sociological implications of democratically assigning chores through the fairness of the job jar distribution system. An Internet search on "job jar" will result in several computer programs for $ale that do away with the physical jar entirely & replace it with printed job strips being spewed forth in a democratic order!
I don't remember political correctness when my mom told me to do something.... it was just a chore... it had to be done... I had to do it... & if I complained, I was smacked (which really cut down on the complaining....lol!) Are we raising kids to actually believe that work is just a choice, & that all work has to be fair, or it is invalid?
It is much too late to revive the basket for practical purposes, the aprons as uniforms of honor, or the jars as primary containers, but give me a break.... how about everyone holding up their end of the deal & getting the jobs done that will make this America strong again? I admit that baskets, aprons, & jars may be more symbollic in the scheme of things than actually responsible for good results, but let us all consider for a moment that the responsibilities are still very real......parenting, homemaking, decent values, & work ethics can still be taught effectively in new & improved kitchens... in fact, education still starts at the kitchen table.

Italian DOW

2008-03-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

These DOW towels are machine embroidered with the days in Italian.

Sew Power...

2008-03-17T08:31:00.000-07:00

Unless you're going to spend March in a warm climate, it can be the drab tail end of winter doldrums. Gas prices have put most trips to Florida on the back burner....
but if you sew, you have the power to turn up the heat in your own home. It is as simple as sewing something new!
Are you tired of those dining room curtains... start some new ones... add color to the couch with fresh pillows... change the look of a room... create a beach bag for the kids... springy placemats for the table... capri pants for yourself... get the creative juices flowing with bright colors, cool cottons, & a variety of threads... the sewing table is your oyster... or something like that...

Projects can be as simple as tying strips of cloth or fibers onto a pair of flip flops.

You have the power to change your world, Girls.....

SEW POWER!

St. Pat's

2008-03-17T07:32:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day to Ya!

Country Cooking Recipe

2008-03-14T13:06:00.000-07:00

Lemon Chicken

4 boneless chicken breasts, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 tsp pepper, 2 tablespoons butter or oil, 1 cup chicken broth, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1/4 cup green onions (Optional: thin lemon slices cut in half &/or brown sugar to taste with a generous splash of soy sauce)

Stir together flour & pepper. Generously coat chicken with this dry mixture. Cook chicken in butter or oil over medium heat for 4 to 6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, turning once.

Mix broth, lemon juice, & cornstarch & optional ingredients (except lemons) if desired. Add to cooked chicken. Cook & stir until thickened & bubbly then stir for 2 minutes more. Stir in green onions. If desired, top chicken with lemon slices. Spoon sauce. over chicken. Serve with rice. Makes 4 servings.

Hold the Lemon!

2008-03-14T12:28:00.000-07:00

I love lemons.... few calories, tangy taste, the color of sunshine ...a real pick me up in a drink ... . I enjoy the zip of a lemon!
At restaurants, I always order lemon, "...tea with lemon, please... water with lemon, please... " My dh even orders lemon so that I can have his......... what a guy!
It turns out that a lemon can be a real lemon if it is not handled right.
I was stunned by this video..... from now on, I will say, "Hold the lemon.... I brought my own!"

My younger daughter's opinion on this: "I think bacteria is good for you. I can't say I've ever had food poisoning or anything like that, and I use a lemon in my tea or water at every restaurant I go to. "

How to Fold a Shirt

2008-03-13T09:09:00.000-07:00

This how-to-video will change your life!

Mother's Day Brag Bag

2008-03-13T08:41:00.000-07:00

This is a free pattern from SEW NEWS. You can download it here. http://www.sewnews.com/pdf/0408bragBag-spread.pdf

Hand Embroidery Fever

2008-03-10T22:08:00.000-07:00

I am so excited....... the hand embroidery craze has hit me big time! I have spent days researching & collecting the knowledge & tools needed. In the pic above, I have taken a flour sack towel, added a print corner, & put it on my light box to trace an embroidery pattern.

I have 7 of these towels ready for embroidery.... what fun!

What time is it, really?

2008-03-10T20:26:00.000-07:00

Twice each year, I live in a house divided by DST which is a great deal like PMS due to the depression & head-bloating it causes. (I would like to find the man who decided this plan was such a good idea!)

As far as I can see, Daylight Savings Time causes nothing but bi-annual, marital confusion. Dh changes the clocks he thinks he is in charge of the night before. I, on the other hand, am perfectly content to pretend that nothing is going to happen. The clocks he assumes that I know I am responsible for... do not forward or fall back. This results in our home being divided into different time zones.

Not knowing what time it is can turn a gentle, kind man into an irritable, old worry wart. How strange it is that 1 hour either way can determine a man's disposition... apparently, dh does not transpose well, or he just cannot keep things straight. He cannot figure out & remember which clocks in which rooms are 1 hour ahead, 1 hour behind, or just right on the money! It is a simple matter of memorizing & transposing. Bless his heart, he just can't do it.

It is simple... as simple as knowing your right from your left. In our bed for instance, if I face dh's clock, I can see the new time according to the unknown man who implemented DST as a mandated change. If I turn my head to the right, I can see my which is actually, in my opinion, the real time.

I must admit, that I finally even get myself confused. What time is it, really? It's time to synchronize my clocks to the ones around me... it's just not worth the fight!

Dance the Dance

2008-03-08T07:53:00.000-08:00

Not everyone wants to be embraced.... but who cares? Hug them anyway! People do not always know or do the things that are good for them.... they resist help. That's why girlfriends are so important. A good girlfriend will rush in where no man wants to tread....lol!

Girlfriends will feed you when you're sad, clean your house when the rug is pulled out from under you, keep your kids while you get away, shoosh you when you need it, cut you slack when you don't deserve it, & take you where you want to go. They are priceless treasures!

Women with friends are rich... so how do you cultivate these jewels?

You have to be one to have one, or something like that... !

Grab someone by the hand & if you don't dance well with them, swing your partner & go a turn with someone else. If that works well, then try one dance to your tune, one dance to theirs & one more to a tune that neither of you have heard before. If you are both still stepping high after all that, you have yourself a friend!

Glamour Gloves

2008-03-06T19:34:00.000-08:00

Who says that housework has to be dull? Make these quick Rubber Gloves & put some pizzazz in your kitchen! Buy a pair of rubber gloves.... I have seen them in white, pink, blue & of course the standard yellow.

Pick a perky fabric. Cut a 6-inch strip WOF (approx. 44-inches). Fold this strip in half lengthwise with WST. Press.

Run the long, raw edge through your serger. Then cut the serged strip in half giving you 2 strips that are approx. 22-inches each. (A FQ works well for this....just cut (2) 6-inch wide strips instead of 1 long.)

Join the 2 ends of each strip by running them through the sergers. Then gather each ring to the size of the arm opening by basting along the serged edge & pulling the end threads to form a ruffle. (Some sergers can be used for gathering as well.)

Pin this ruffle in place with the folded, pressed edge pointed away from the hand. Stitch with the latex facing up with a non-slip foot or by placing a strip of paper over the latex as you run this through the machine... just tear the paper away when finished. You can also use a piece of rick rack instead of paper & it leaves you with a nice trim. Do not be too concerned if the stitch threads are not perfect & even on the inside... sewing through the latex can be a small hassle... no one will notice but you!

These make great gifts, stocking stuffers, door prizes, etc.

(FQ...Fat Quarter, WOF...Width of Fabric, WST...Wrong Sides Together)

Country Cooking Recipe

2008-03-06T06:08:00.000-08:00

Easy & Delicious Sugar Cookies

2 3/4 cups flour, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1 cup butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp. vanilla

Combine flour, baking soda, & baking powder. Set aside.
Cream butter & sugar until smooth. Beat in egg & vanilla. Gradually blend in dry ingredients.

Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and put on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes at 375' until golden.

Make It Simple

2008-03-05T13:10:00.000-08:00

Lynda
A quick & easy fabric basket for Easter eggs or anything else. Lynda has a blog at http://whimsicalprims.blogspot.com/
Cut 2 contrasting pieces of fabric, 30cm x 15cm. Stitch RST along the length of the rectangle on both sides forming a tube... turn inside out. Stitch together, defining the outside/inside of the bag. (A French Seam could be used to hide the raw edges.)
Turn the body of the bag inside out... pin the bottom straight across... stitch closed & miter the corners to form a base. Turn bag right side out. Fold over a top lip showing a border of the lining on the outside of the bag. Add a handle made with a strip of fabric with 4 buttons... one on inside & one outside on both ends. Add yo yos or other embellishments as desired.

Jana (These bags were made basically the same way, but with placemats. One placemat makes one bag... an extra placemat can be cut to make 3 handles. Appliqued eggs & rick rack were used as embellishments.)

Birthing Without Drugs!

2008-03-04T06:50:00.000-08:00

I never thought I would say this, but, "Birthing is a breeze!"
When I first started quilting, I thought that I had to bind every project or I really wasn't quilting. I could not have been more wrong!
In my inexperience, I had no idea that a new quilt can have a painless, no fuss, vaginal birth with no doctor present or insurance needed. Of course, an older woman (a mentor), set me straight on the joys of birthing. She soon had me comfortingly birthing without drugs ...lol! As you can see in the above example pic, it makes a quick, clean, finished edge on any quilt project, large or small. Now, I find myself as the older woman passing this ageless quilting technique down to fresh generations of quilters.
In a few words, simply sandwich your pieces front-to-back including batting & backing (or just a backing for lighter blanket-type projects). Stitch around project, leaving a small opening only large enough for turning....

think of this opening as the vagina of the quilt world!
Now, just turn inside out, punching corners from the inside to make them crisp. At this point, press &/or stitch close to edge making the outside of the quilt even & straight all the way around. Heal the opening neatly, then tack or quilt to finish your work for presentation.

What would a birthingroom be without a video camera these days?

Here is an actual birthing that I found on You Tube with the midwives standing around... there is an air of anticipation & then the joy audibly heard as once again a new quilt is naturally born!

embed

Country Cooking Recipe

2008-03-03T17:50:00.000-08:00

Peanut Butter Sheet Cake It snowed off & on all day..... I kept thinking about this cake recipe... finally, my will power was broken, & I whipped one up for supper...... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! My dh ate so much that he made himself sick.... my silly boy!

2 cups flour 2 cups sugar 1tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup oil 1 1/2 sticks butter 1/2 cup peanut butter 1 cup water

2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 cup buttermilk

Mix dry ingred. in large bowl & set aside. Bring oil, butter, peanut butter & water to a boil. Pour immediately over dry ingred. & mix well. Add eggs, vanilla & buttermilk, blending well.

Pour batter into a prepared sheet cake pan. & bake at 350' for approx. 18-20 min. or until done in center.

Frost warm cake with a mixture of 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa, 1/4 cup peanut butter, & a small amount of milk.

To leave the cocoa out, adjust your ingred. to get a desired consistency.

Hey! Hey! Hey!

2008-03-03T14:29:00.000-08:00

St. Paddy Bears Laurel

Free Crossword Puzzle

2008-03-03T10:55:00.000-08:00

Everyone likes a puzzle!

Here is a crossword just for you!

Print it out & enjoy.

If you need help, reread posts prior to today...........

Puzzle: http://documents.scribd.com/docs/2gf10iz9fdww7gf6js9c.pdf

Answers: http://www.scribd.com/full/2209423?access_key=key-2aoj5gqh42senp5ixmsq

Green with Hope

2008-03-02T09:24:00.001-08:00

When asked what my favorite color is, I answer, "All colors." I sincerely mean that, but I must confess that green has never been at the top of my list, even though it is the color of & I would be poor without it!!!
On the pro side, it is in the rainbow, Grandma's jello, frogs, grass, leafy veggies, shamrocks, eyes, beans, blue/yellow mixed together, & it means, "Go." On the con side, it is the color of envy which is not the prettiest shade of people, inexperience which is useless, & the color of a sick fish which is said to be green around the gills!
Some of my friends are making March potholders ( Barb, Trudie, Nina, Dorcas) , & I must say that while black may be the universal color of despair, white of purity, yellow of cowardness & red of danger... green is striking. It looks fresh, crisp, springy, & bright... after rethinking green, I believe that the saying should be, "Green with Hope!" I believe that hope should be colored green with the ideas of new, young, rebirth..... HOPE!

Aunt Martha's Towels

2008-02-28T09:31:00.000-08:00

I worked a full-time job for 28 years, had dh, 3 kiddos, church, cooking, washing, shopping, cleaning, & I made everyone's clothes including dh's shirts. Somehow, everything got done, & I don't even remember if it was tiresome... surely, I was tired, but why can't I remember that part? What has happened to me....... I no longer leave the house for work, the kids are raised, the housework is much less, ... but I can't get anything done!
Lately, (when I am not too tired to think), I wonder about Aunt Martha... did she actually have a day of the week set aside for each chore?
Monday: Wash Day Tuesday: Ironing Day Wednesday: Sewing Day Thursday: Market Day Friday: Cleaning Day Saturday: Baking Day Sunday: Day of Rest
She was one smart cookie when she started that DOW Towel brainwashing campaign. Overnight, it turned every cookstove into a notice board & instilled a sense of order & responsibility into American homes!
That settles it.... I am going to stitch a set of those vintage towels & post one everyday of the week like a chore notice.... I am going to start today while I watch, "Days of Our Lives" on TV & sip a Coca Cola!

Rosie Goes Pink!

2008-02-27T20:21:00.001-08:00

Rosie from Alberta Canadasays, "If you ever want to be lifted up just slap on a pink wig... your spirits soar and you GLOW...hahahaha!"

From Pillow Sham to Tote

2008-02-26T06:31:00.001-08:00

Here is a tote made out of a pillow sham......it is so easy!Most of the finish work has been done by the manufacturer of the pillow sham. I stay on the lookout for these shams at reasonable prices...find them at $ Stores, flea markets, department stores, & quilty shops. The quilty shops usually sell a matching quilt & pillow sham seperately, but sometimes the quilts get sold first, & the shams are discounted for clearance...... the sham used for the tote pictured was $2.50.... you cannot beat that for a bargain!

Take the pillow sham & cut 3 or less inches (depending on the design of the sham) off of the two long sides... these 2 stips will be used for the handles... Serge the raw edges of the strips & what is remaining of the pillow sham. Turn the serged edges of the strips to the wrong sides & fasten down by machine stitching or hand stitching....if you like, blanket stitch the turned edges with embroidery floss for a nice finished look.
Take the remaining piece of the sham & fold it RST (right-sides-together) long sides together & stitch the sides closed... pinch the bottom corners flat (seam to middle of bag bottom) & stitch straight across.... the triangle formed should = approx. 1 1/2-inch from point to stitching line... I call this mitering.....it will give the tote a slightly-defined bottom.
Attach handles to outside of bag using buttons... I use the nicest buttons on the outside & small plain buttons on the inside to make the attachment points stronger, & it makes a nice finish too. Then use velcro or a snap for closure... again, I use buttons on the outside for decoration & strength, especially if you are using a snap.

Lasagna Cook & Sew

2008-02-25T11:19:00.000-08:00

Cook It...

Sew It...(Mary_America)

This quilt, by Mary, looks like a pan of the real stuff!

( Mary, if you are reading, let me know, & I will give you specific credit.)

Lasagna is good any way you want it... there are 100's of recipes... traditional... quick & easy... on the box... secret ingredients... just like Mom's, or choose your on way! It is such a versatile dish... make ahead, freeze, cook later. What a great thing to have laid back in case of unexpected company!
It even has a quilt technique named after it...... The Lasagna Quilt... just by name, it sounds interesting. When I first heard about it, I knew that I am destined to make one, so I searched for a pattern. Come to find out, just like the casserole, there are lots of formulas. It's basically various 2 1/2-inch to 3 1/2-inch strips, sewn together & joined horizontally with a couple of borders sewn vertically. Any color scheme or scrap-hodge-podge will do. There are no hard & fast rules for construction.... just do your own thing.

Flamingo Attributes

2008-02-24T08:03:00.000-08:00

What do Flamingos have that we all need? Could it be ....... strength to stand on one leg in case a foot is knocked out from under us ......patience to stand still as a lawn ornament in the face of adversity... a voice to be reckoned with, but the sense to sit down when it's time to be quiet... the ability to keep our heads above water, the desire to be monogamous, an inner-fire that continues to burn when lights have gone out around us.... & enough courage to be flamboyant in an uptight world.
In reality, flamingos are very social birds living in groups, called pats. They make nasal honking, grunting, a growling sounds, & their eyes are actually larger than their brains! They are also defenseless. Having noted these facts, the flamingo is the Greta Garbo of the bird world with legs longer than its body...it is their beauty & wild color that screams, "Bold!"
Perhaps it is their total package & their ability to stick together, giving them the fortitude to beat the odds . We could all do with a little of their collective, charming humility & a lot of their confidence....whether it is in tones, presentations, approaches, or demeanors.... are any shrinking violets in the flamingo world... not that can be noticed!

2008-02-21T09:04:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's me.......I wear wigs all the time when I am away from home because my hair, over a period of many years, has become very thin.........the pink hair belongs to me & it is just a creative phase I am going through right now......HAaaaaaa! I am just a wild teenager at heart....my sister-in-law, whom I loved dearly, had cancer & lost part of her face..........this experience taught me that thin hair is nothing but a minor inconvenience........if a wig could have solved her problems, she would have been sailing through........ bless her heart!
I am expressive in my wigs......I have a doz. different ones & wear whichever suits me when I go out.....my dh, family & friends love this about me, & I hope that I am a positive role model for others who have physical shortcomings...I have no time in my life for worrying about negatives........what is the old saying, "If life gives you lemons....make lemonade!" That's me..........Jana

Happy Campers are generally happy!

2008-02-21T08:15:00.000-08:00

Someone on the SGF List reminded me of how important it is to get along with others.....Being a happy camper takes humility. Often, it is putting the ideas of others before your own. Happy camping is more than just giving in....the feeling that someone has infringed upon rights must be replaced with, "This is what has been decided as a group." If you can't roll with the punches, then you need to move on. Working & playing well with others is something all babies must learn.... it does not come naturally... sometimes, adults are babies too...lol.

Rick Rack Challenge

2008-02-21T08:09:00.000-08:00

Lynda

Washcloth Baby Bib

2008-02-20T08:32:00.001-08:00

Warning: You can't make just 1!

What an easy, instant success pattern!

1 washcloth + 1 cup + binding = bib

Go to http://www.patternbee.com/MENU.html & look at all of their patterns. This one is under Free Stuff at http://www.patternbee.com/FREE6.html .

Did you know this?

2008-02-19T09:51:00.000-08:00

Comparing Brown & White Eggs

The following info & so much more can be found at http://www.publix.com/wellness/notes/Display.do?id=Food_Guide&childId=Eggs

"The color of the egg’s shell is a reflection of the breed of hen. Breeds with white feathers and ear lobes, such as White Leghorns, lay white eggs. Those with red feathers or ear lobes lay brown eggs. White eggs are in high demand among most American buyers, but in certain parts of the country, particularly New England, brown shells are preferred. Breeds that lay brown eggs include the Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire, and Plymouth Rock varieties."

Live Your Life in Color

2008-02-19T07:45:00.000-08:00

I have always flown by the seat of my pants when it comes to using color......even though an artist (or maybe because), I have never liked to talk about the color wheel..."it just seems too round." I have always done my own thing. Yes, I understand that red, yellow, & blue are the primary colors. I know that purple, green, & orange are secondary colors, & that all hues & shades in between come from these basics, but I never give color theory a thought when painting or sewing. I just PLAY!

If I like it, I use it ....if it looks good together, it's in ......if it needs a perk, I go wild ......you get the picture. I paint like this, I sew like this, & I certainly live like this. I am one fast chick when it comes to color! Color is simple. "Live your life in color....don't labor over color... and, of course, avoid round....HAaaaaaaaa!"

Rick Rack Challenges Coming In!!!

2008-02-18T05:44:00.001-08:00

Margaret Char

Rick Rack Challenge

2008-02-17T12:35:00.000-08:00

Email me at jdahmen@ckt.net with a pic of your latest project using rick rack as a trim & I will post it on the blog. Here is a darling sweatshirt jacket that one of the SGF members, Candy, embellished for her granddaughter.

Rick Rack

2008-02-17T11:04:00.000-08:00

The open compound word, Rick Rack, is derived from the French word ric rac. In the 1800's, ric rac named an edging crocheters tediously made with hooks & threads...the popular pattern made a wavy edging which was all the rage.

It was such an enduring hit that sometime during the Industrial Revolution, it became a manufactured product which Americans labeled Rick Rack. It continued to be steadily consumed, & collectors of sewing notions still find it in original packaging dating back to the beginning of production. The festive trim could be applied easily, & for a part of the mid 20th century, homemakers energized a revival of the rick rack frenzy, & it was used on everything including my clothes...lol. It packed a wavy-punch for 15 cents! Due to overuse & the availibilty of more modern trims, its popularity waned, but rick rack never disappeared from store shelves entirely.

Once again, rick rack, by the yard or by the package, is luring sewers with nostalgic appeal in larger widths, brighter colors & more glitz. Boldly, it is applied to aprons, towels, clothing, quilts, applique' work, pillowcases, totes... & it's flying off store shelves.

Great for Gifts

2008-02-16T19:28:00.000-08:00

My embroidery machine brings me such joy..... it is like painting with thread & every aspect of the process relaxes me. I am not convinced that it matters what brand you have or whether it is a Big Dog or a Little Dog. I just know that it is a pleasure to own one. It makes putting cute gifts together a snap!

A Saucer for Every Cup

2008-02-16T08:12:00.000-08:00

A saucer & teacup put you in automatic sipping mode, the savoring of a hot drink from thin china. I mean ...not pottery.....but bone china .....this one thing instantly transforms you back to simple when a schedule was not needed....a wrist watch was not worn.......& everyone had time for a mannerly visit.
Now-a-days, we chug-a-lug from a big mug....lidded, on-the-go fortification, insulated to preserve heat between gulps ..tough enough to survive a dishwasher.............. We've no time to sit in one place....no time for hours of idle conversation.....got to hit the pavement....make progress...keep pushing...get out of my way ..etc., etc., etc. It is exhausting even to think about the curse of the mug on our society!

Sadly, (watercolor by Jana) real teacups along with all their living lessons are stuck in the dark behind cabinet doors , stored in the cellar at Grandma's house, seen only as forgotten what-nots on dusty shelves & bannished to flea markets across America.

I suppose the thick, heavy, ugly mug was a natural middle point somewhere between the settling of this country & the modern day unsettling... once people became quagmired in the vast void of in-between, they lost site of either shore, & the clunky mug became the norm not only for beverages but as a symbol of behavior in general.
Maybe some still remember the teacup & its lessons in social graces, but children know little of this. Perhaps this is the time to dig those old family tea sets out of hiding..... the resurgence of manners & the declining of altercations in this country might be amazing. It might go down in history as the Teacup Reformation when etiquette, gentleness, patience, love for one another & the sugar cookie prevailed. Maybe, it is time to have a nation-wide tea party! Just make sure that you have a saucer for every cup.

Country Cooking Recipe

2008-02-15T06:23:00.000-08:00

A recipe so easy yet so fancy!

Green Bean Bundles

Several cans of whole green beans or cooked fresh beans & strips of bacon cut in half cross-wise. Drain cans & lay beans out on a layer of paper towels, blotting to remove excess moisture. Carefully gather the beans into serving-size bundles & wrap each with bacon strip securing with a wooden toothpick. Arrange in a baking dish. Bake at 350' loosely covered for approx. 15 min.... check to see if bacon is beginning to cook .....remove cover & continue baking a few more min. until bacon browns slightly.....serve with spatula so the bundles stay intact. This may be prepared the day before, refrigerated & taken out to cook the next day.

Flea Market Wreath

2008-02-14T21:16:00.000-08:00

Use wire to create a wreath of flea market treasures. Try displaying it on the floor, a shelf, or a chair......a wreath can be enjoyed as an accent anywhere...no need to hang it!

Betsy's Goat

2008-02-14T20:37:00.000-08:00

My friend, Bets, in Arkansas raises pet goats. I can understand why if they all smile like this one....he must know that the weekend is coming!