It's Official! ~ Blogtoberfest Day 21

My Etsy shop, So Many Memories, is officially open for business!  After closing up shop last April, I've been thinking and rethinking what I want to do.  I don't agree with all the decisions Etsy makes and I especially don't agree with how they announce (or don't announce) the decisions.  But I enjoy what I do and and I especially like being a part of the Etsy community.  I've met some incredibly talented people and been inspired in ways I never dreamed of.

I've begun listing items, and working on new ideas, and obsessing over views, and all that goes with having an online business!  My expectations are more realistic this time around and I'll work hard to keep it that way.

Have you had to rethink a decision or change your expectations?  I would like to hear about it.  We can learn a lot from each other!

Have a fabulous Friday!

Thankful Thursday ~ Blogtoberfest Day 20

Hello dear friends and welcome to another Thankful Thursday.  No matter what your days are like, I believe there is always something to be thankful for, no matter how small.

Earlier this week I had a chocolate craving.  I was craving M&Ms to be exact.  So I went to the store and bought a big bag.  I didn't open it right away after I got home.  It was later in the evening when I settled in to watch a favorite TV show.  By then, I really wanted them and was practically drooling at the thought of the chocolaty goodness.  I opened the bag and poured them in the bowl.  Right away I noticed this white stuff that looked like cake crumbs that covered the candy.  When I picked it up and rubbed it between my fingers, it melted and was greasy like butter.  I don't know what it was and I wasn't going to taste it, so I dumped the bowl of M&Ms in the trash.

Are you wondering yet what I'm thankful for?  I'm thankful that I didn't eat a whole big bag of M&Ms!  I was in just that kind of mood where I would have mindlessly eaten them til they were gone and that's the last thing I needed to do.  By the next day the craving was gone anyway!  See, there's always something to be thankful for, lol !

Beginning Thursday, November 3, Thankful Thursday will become a linky party.  I hope you will join in!

What are you thankful for this week?

Wordless Wednesday ~ Blogtoberfest Day 19

Chesapeake Bay at Point Lookout, Maryland

I'm joining Aquariann's Wordless Wednesday

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Tickle Me Tuesday ~ Blogtoberfest Day 18

I'm joining Sarah at Yes, Teacher for Tickle Me Tuesday.  Why don't you join us?!

iPad case from Studio Waterstone

Earrings from Silver Rose Designs

Hand embroidered wrist cuff from Waterrose

What has been tickling your fancy this week?

Point Lookout ~ Blogtoberfest Day 17

At the southernmost tip of Maryland's western shore is a peninsula formed by the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River.  It's known as Point Lookout.  We spent Sunday walking around the park and enjoying a mildly warm albeit windy day.

This is the Potomac side.  That is a lighthouse on the left and is not in use anymore.

This is the Bay side.  It has much less beach than the river side, but has a couple of fishing piers.

While on the Bay side we found deer tracks

While on the river side we saw deer.

It was fun to come across this while walking on the beach before the tide washed it away.

The park is full of pine trees.  Pine cones covered the ground and reminded us of the time we lived in North Carolina.  I brought a couple of them home, but I might have to go back for more for holiday decorating!

What kind of fun did you have over the weekend?

Have a marvelous Monday!

I Heart Macro ~ Blogtoberfest Day 16

I got a macro extension tube set for my camera, and boy does it take some getting used to!  I took 100 photos of little acorns and got 2 that were okay.  I have to use manual focus and couldn't get the whole acorn to focus at once.  This was my favorite shot.  If it wasn't 1:00 am, I would play a little more!

I'm joining Lori at Studio Waterstone for I Heart Macro.

Why don't you take a look at the incredible macro and close up pictures.

Have a wonderful Sunday!

A Big Apology

The post for today with links to blogging and business tips is currently down.  I'm sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.  If you want any of the links, please contact me and I will be happy to provide it for you.

Thank you,
Annette

A Is For Apron ~ Blogtoberfest Day 14

This apron was so fun to make.  I pulled the fabric from my stash because I thought it was pretty, but I had no idea what I was going to do with it.  So I piled up fabric with similar patterns and colors, vintage hankies, vintage lace of all sizes and vintage buttons.  I wish I had taken a picture of the table!  One by one, I chose each element, and when I was done I saw an apron.

I used four vintage hankies cut in half diagonally and gathered at the waist.  Each one is different and each one is trimmed in beautiful lace.

The ties are white roses, leaves and vines on a sweet pink background.  It is the perfect compliment to the pink roses on front of the apron.

The bottom is trimmed in a double row of gathered vintage lace that has the perfect pink edging.  Vintage mother of pearl buttons line the top edge of the lace.

I waited all week for the sun to shine so I could get some good pictures, but it didn't happen.   I was just too impatient to wait any longer to show you my newest creation!

I'm joining 

My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday

2805 for Potpourri Friday

Thankful Thursday ~ Blogtoberfest Day 13

Hello and welcome back!  I hope your week is going great so far and you have something to be thankful for.  No matter what is going on, there is always something to be grateful for.

Today I'm thankful for my son, Sean.  His birthday was yesterday and we were all together last weekend to help him celebrate.  Sean is and always has been a quiet, gentle soul.  That doesn't mean he didn't get into his fair share of mischief!  He was quite good at that.  He is funny and smart, sometimes cynical, and always a joy to be around.  I don't see him often enough, but am grateful for the times when I can.

I'm also thankful we could all be together.  It's been too long.  I enjoyed seeing my Sweet Pea and letting her help me make Sean's birthday pie.  She's at the age to get excited about birthdays, so we're doing candles and decorations again for her sake.  

I'm also thankful for 

     the beauty of the season

     encouragement from friends

     the last outing for ice cream while it was still warm

     music that brings back memories of falling in love

     not seeing anymore frogs

I have been thinking about making Thankful Thursday a weekly linky party if enough people are interested.  Please let me know if this is something you would be interested in.  It would start the first Thursday in November.

What are you thankful for today?

Wordless Wednesday ~ Blogtoberfest Day 12

From a grocery store bouquet of roses.

I'm joining Aquariann's Wordless Wednesday

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Tickle Me Tuesday ~ Blogtoberfest Day 11

I have a love for all things vintage but especially linens.  I use them in my sewing projects and enjoy seeing how others use them in their projects.  Here's what I found.

Vintage hankie wall hanging

Vintage hankie bunting

Vintage tablecloth bird

Vintage tablecloth purse

I'm linking up with Sarah at Yes, Teacher! for Tickle Me Tuesday.

What's tickling your fancy this week?

Not One But Two Packages On The Porch ~ Blogtoberfest Day 10

Happy Monday, friends!  I had a wonderful weekend with family, celebrating my son's birthday that is this week.  It's been a while since we were all together so it was a fun time.

I told you last week about a package waiting for me on my porch one day.  A couple of days later, there was another one!  Yes, two packages in one week.  I can't tell you how excited I was.  Both of them contained fabric, so how could I not be excited?  I entered two different fabric giveaways and won one of them.  The one I won was hosted by Maureen from Maureen Cracknell Handmade.  One of her sponsors, Moona Fabrics, was giving away some of Anna Maria Horner's Hugs and Kisses fabric from her Loulouthi collection.  This is what I won.

Isn't it just gorgeous?  It's so pretty to look at, I don't know if I can cut it!  I have some ideas about what to do with it, but nothing has been decided yet.  I think I need to just enjoy the cheerful colors for a little longer!

The second box of fabric came from my long time bloggy buddy, Janet, from The Empty Nest.  Janet had a giveaway on her blog for a gift certificate from a fabric shop.  I didn't win, but  Janet chose three lucky ladies to receive some fabric from her personal stash.  I was thrilled that I was one of the three.  If you have seen anything she sews, you will understand my excitement!  There was beautiful decorator fabrics fun juvenile prints, and a princess fabric that screamed Shylee's (my granddaughter) name when I saw it.

Doesn't that just make you want to be a little girl again?  Shylee loved it and thought it was a blanket!  I'll have to figure out something extra special to make her.

I have to say, that was a good week!  I will be sure to share with you whatever these beautiful fabrics turn out to be!

What have you been excited about lately?

I Heart Macro ~ Bobbins ~ Blogtoberfest Day 9

My box of bobbins.  

You will find some incredible macro and close up photography at 

Studio Waterstone's I Heart Macro.

Have a wonderful Sunday!

A Pinterest Recipe ~ Blogtoberfest Day 8

I gave in and jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon and it's been a love/hate relationship ever since!  It is so addicting yet so inspiring.  One of my favorite things to look for while I'm there is recipes.  I have three boards dedicated to food and I start drooling just looking at them.

The first recipe I tried wasn't so great.  We ate it but wouldn't make it again.  However the second one is a keeper.  It's Mexican Chicken Casserole and the recipe is originally from Cooking Light December 1998 and can be found at My Recipes.  It's a great base recipe that you can change up to suit your own taste buds.

1 cup fat free, less sodium chicken broth  

2 (4.5 ounce) cans chopped green chiles, divided

1 3/4 pounds bonless chicken breasts

2 tsp. olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup evaporated skim milk 

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 cup tub style light cream cheese

1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce (I used medium for a kick)

12 (6 inch) corn tortillas 

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese 

1 ounce tortilla chips, crushed (about 6 chips) 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine broth and 1 can of chiles in a large skillet: bring to a boil.  Add cicken: reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until chicken is done, turning chicken once.  Remove chicken from cooking liquid, reserving cooking liquid: cool chicken.  Shred meat with two forks and set aside.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add 1 can of chiles and onion; saute about 3 minutes or until soft.  Add reserved cooking liquid, milk, Monterey Jack, cream cheese, and enchilada sauce; stir well.  Stir in shredded chicken and cook about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Place 4 tortillas in the bottom of a 2 quart casserole sprayed with cooking spray.  spoon 2 cups of chicken mixture over tortillas.  Repeat layers twice, ending with chicken mixture.  Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and chips.  Bake for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated and bubbly.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.  Makes 8 servings

This is how I changed it up: 

 I used regular chicken broth                

 I added 3 minced garlic cloves with the onion                                           

Couldn't find evap. skim milk but found evap 2%

 For the Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese, I just used a Mexican blend

 I used more that 1/2 cup of cheese for the topping

 I used way more than 6 chips but will probably eliminate them next time

 I added about 2 tsp. ground cumin and a couple shakes of dried cilantro when making the sauce

Are you on Pinterest yet?  What is your favorite thing to look for?

Sewing Room Happenings ~ Blogtoberfest Day 7

Happy Friday, dear friends!  I know it may be Saturday for some of you, so wherever you are I hope you're having a wonderful day.  After running errands I will be working in the sewing room.  Here's a sneak peek at a project I started yesterday.  I won't tell you what it is, because I have to save something to show you next week!  Isn't she pretty?

Here's another gift tag.  I'm really enjoying making these.  I've been looking for Christmas cookie cutters to use as patterns for some holiday tags.  Last year when I was ready to make cut-out sugar cookies I couldn't find mine.  I still haven't found them and I haven't found them in stores yet.  In the meantime, these are fun.

And here is a set of lavender sachets.  I really like the gray and yellow color combination.  These are plain and simple and will be sold in a set of three.   They smell so divine!

I've set the target date of October 18th to reopen my Etsy shop.  There is so much to do before then, but I'm panicking excited and trying to stay focused! 

Are you working on anything exciting?  

Thankful Thursday ~ Sunshine ~ Blogtoberfest Day 6

We get caught up in the business of living our day to day lives and sometimes forget to stop and be thankful.  And some days, when it seems like the world is against us, it's really hard to find something positive to focus on.  Every Thursday I share something I'm thankful for no matter how small.

 Found on Pinterest

Today I'm thankful for the sunshine!  After weeks of dreary, gray, dark, wet, gloomy days, the sun is finally shining and I couldn't be more thrilled. My mood lifted just like the gloominess did.  I need the sun!

I'm also thankful for 

     boxes that arrived on my porch (goodies I'll tell you about next week)

     the ability to laugh at myself

     a good night's sleep

     my son's safe travels on a cross country road trip

     

What are you thankful for this week?

Wordless Wednesday ~ Blogtoberfest Day 5

Lancaster, Pa 

 May 11, 2011

I'm joining:

Aquariann's Wordless Wednesday

Tickle Me Tuesday ~ Blogtoberfest Day 4

Since fall temperatures have arrived, I have been forced to let go of summer.  There was no easing in to it.  One day it was 88 degrees and humid, the next it was 58 and breezy.  The positive side of this is that the critters I talked about in my last post, won't be coming out to terrorize me!

These fall items from Etsy are tickling my fancy this week.

needle felting kit

primitive candy corn

tissue garland

I'm joining Sara at Yes Teacher for Tickle Me Tuesday.

What's tickling your fancy this week?

Salamanders, Frogs, And Critters ~ Blogtoberfest Day 3

Friends and family who know me, know that I am afraid of any kind of critter that I can't step on or smash with a fly swatter.  Bugs and spiders don't bother me so much but really I prefer they stay outside where they belong.  If there is a mouse in the house, I'm the one on a chair doing a little dance trying not to be hysterical.

When we lived in Hawaii, the geckos ruled the house, and I was always the one to see them.  I would just freak out and totally lose it.  When Michael was away, the neighbors would come over and do a gecko check for me.  I was so glad when we moved from there!  So imagine my surprise when last summer, I spotted a salamander running across the patio.  I could have died!!  I've lived in Maryland for twenty years and never knew they lived here too.

We also have lots of little green tree frogs.  Until this summer, I never saw one during the day.  They always come out at night and hang out on the kitchen window.  That's fine, because there is glass between the two of us.  Only once did I see one during the day hanging out on the patio.

A couple of weeks ago I got in the car to run errands and as the garage door was closing, a salamander went running into the garage.  I had a minor melt down.  Then I decided I would just start going in and out through the back door.  That was working fine until the day one of the little green frogs decided to come inside with me.  When I realized what happened, I had a major melt down!  I was frozen in place and we stared at each other for a minute til he jumped and I screamed!  I couldn't move but I could reach the phone and I called Michael at work!  He came to my rescue within ten minutes.  Now I keep thinking I'm seeing things out of the corner of my eye!

Did you notice there are no photos today?  That's because I was looking at photos to use and it just creeped me out too much to pick one out!  Yeah, that's how much these critters frighten me!

And in case you're wondering, yes we have the slithering critters too.  We just don't mention the "s" word in our house!

Have a marvelous Monday!

I Heart Macro ~ Blogtoberfest Day 2

Last week's photo was a close up of a rose petal.  These photos are of three of the roses from the bouquet.

I'm joining Studio Waterstone for I Heart Macro.

You won't want to miss the incredible macro and close up photos!

Have a wonderful Sunday!

I'm Doing It Again ~ Blogtoberfest 2011

Call me crazy, because I just signed up to do Blogtoberfest for the third year in a row!  Blogtoberfest is a challenge for those who sign up, to post daily to their blog for the month of October.  The first year, I found it to be just what I needed to get in the groove of blogging consistently.  Last year I blogged for the first two weeks and found it to be a real chore.  We'll see what happens this year!

I started blogging two and a half years ago at the urging of my daughter.  She thought it was the best way to promote the items I make and my Etsy shop.  I'm not a writer and had no idea what to write about.  But I started, and even though I get weary of it sometimes, I enjoy it.  That is the bottom line.  I enjoy it and I've met some incredibly talented, warmhearted, funny, and inspiring women through blogging.

So, I would really like to know.....
1.  Why do you blog?
2.  How often do you blog?
3.  What do you do when you get in a blogging rut?
4.  What advice would you give someone who is thinking about starting a blog?

Let me know in the comments or blog your answers!  I'm truly interested in what you have to say!

Have a wonderful Saturday!

Thankful Thursday A Day Late

Yes, I know it's Friday, but we can be thankful on any day of the week.  Right?  We can be thankful for little things and big things.  We should always be thankful for something!

I don't know who to give credit to for this photo.  If you know, please let me know.

Today I'm thankful for my life.  Doesn't this photo just put it all in perspective?  My life isn't perfect, I'm not always happy, and things seem to go wrong more often than they go right.  But I have a good life.  I have everything I need and a few things I don't.  I have family and friends who love me.  I am not alone.  I am not hungry.  Yes, I'm thankful for all that I have and all that I am.

What are you thankful for today?