Felt Smack Down Submission

Today is the deadline for the Felt Smack Down over at My Life Under the Bus.  This is my Easter Brooch.  It's the first time I've done a felt project and I haven't embroidered since I was a teenager and I embroidered a sunset across the back of a blue workshirt!  Do you remember when that was all the rage 35 years ago?!!!!

I have no grand illusions of winning this contest but entering it has made me feel good about myself and that is my prize!  Here's why:

~ I tried something new, and that was one of my goals

~ I finished something I started

~ I'm a perfectionist and this is far from perfect....I entered it anyway

~ It reminded me of how much I enjoy doing needlework apart from the sewing machine

So win or lose, I'm glad I gave it a shot!  What have you done recently that you're proud of or made you feel good about yourself?

Friday's Fabulous Finds...Pink Baby Girl

A dear friend of mine is having a baby girl this weekend!  Although I've made a couple of things to give her, I couldn't help looking on Etsy to see what kind of baby girl things were available.  Boy oh boy is there a lot of cute and adorable stuff to choose from.  So today's fabulous finds are pink and for babies!

Flapper Beanie with Flower from Totz Hatz

Shabby Boutique Chenille Patchwork Quilt by Attic Wear

4 pc. Crib Set-Fresh Poppies from Mimi and Meg

Handmade Matinee Jacket with Ribbon Roses from Bumble Bee Designs

Strawberry Shortcake Mukluks Booties from Ivory and Moss

Have a fabulous Friday!!!

I've Been Tagged

I was tagged by Devon over at Devon's Quiet Corner to receive this award!  Thank you Devon!!  With this award I'm to list 10 things that make me happy and try to do at least one today.Tag 10 bloggers that brighten my day and they are to link back to my blog and make their own 'Makes Me Happy' list.

So here is my list:

1. Spending time with my granddaughter

2. My husband

3. Sewing

4. My dog Annie

5. Having lunch with friends

6. Blogging and reading great blogs

7. Spring

8. Listening to Bon Jovi

9. Having both kids here at the same time

10. Watching chick flicks

10 Bloggers that brighten my day:

1. My Life Under The Bus

2. Grandma Nina

3. The Empty Nest

4. Grandma's Briefs

5. Audreys Country Crafts

6. Poppy Place PDX

7. 31everything

8. All Things Tangled

9. Sew Gracious

10. Devon's Quiet Corner (technically I'm not supposed to include this one since she tagged me, but this is my blog and I can do what I want to!!!!!)

Mmmmm.....Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles are one of my husband's favorite cookies, so I made him some yesterday on our anniversary.  He was very happy!!  It seems like I've been making these cookies forever.  The traditional snickerdoodle is crispy and has lots of cinnamon.  Mine are soft and chewey and has less cinnamon!

Snickerdoodles

1 cup regular Crisco shortening

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla.  In another bowl, mix together the flour, cream of tartar baking soda and salt.  Add the flour mixture to the shortening mixture and stir until combined.

Roll dough into 1 inch balls.  Roll balls in mixture of 2 Tbs. sugar and 2 tsp. cinnamon (I just make up my own sugar/cinnamon mix). 

Place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. (They will spread out and puff up and then begin to crack.  I take them out once they're cracked and not quite set so they'll be soft instead of crisp)   Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

This is a fun recipe to make with kids.  They love rolling the dough in balls and dropping them in the cinnamon sugar! 

Have a thoroughly enjoyable Thursday!

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom and Thirty One Years of Marriage

Thirty one years ago today my husband and I were married!  There have been a lot of ups and downs, good times and bad times, laughter and tears, give and take.  There have been numerous arguments, make-ups and compromises.  There have been days when going our seperate ways seemed like the only solution.  But more often than not, there have been days when I feel like my heart will burst with all the love I have there just for him...the man I married, the love of my life!

“The most wonderful of all things in life, I believe, is the discovery of another human being with whom one's relationship has a growing depth, beauty, and joy as the years increase. This inner progressiveness of love between two human beings is a most marvelous thing; it cannot be found by looking for it or by passionately wishing for it. It is a sort of divine accident, and the most wonderful of all things in life.”  ~Hugh Walpole, Sr.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!!!!

Mish Mash Monday

Audrey, over at Audrey's Country Crafts, started Mish Mash Monday and I thought it was such a great idea I wanted to do it too!  It's taken awhile to get it started but today is the day!  Mondays will be the day that I tell you all the 'little things' on my mind that don't really fit anywhere else or aren't enough to fill a whole post.

There are so many fantastic giveaways going on and here are two of them I've entered.  The first one is from The Empty Nest and it's for this bright and beautiful tote bag. You can enter to win here.  Be sure to check out her Etsy shop also!

The second giveaway is from Sew Kim and it's this adorable hedgehog pin cushion.

Enter the giveaway here and visit Kim's Etsy shop Sewn Kim.

One of my personal goals for the year is to read more.  I used to read everyday and read book after book after book.  I miss that simple pleasure so I've committed to reading at least one book a month.  This month I'm reading Lewis Carroll's, Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.  I've never read it and I think it's about time!

Another goal is to work on sewing or other crafting everyday.  I was excited to come across the 20 Minute Challenge from MarmaladeRose.  A group of bloggers have committed to crafting at least 20 minutes a day for a year!  Although I haven't officially signed up, I am committed to 20 minutes a day.  I look forward to seeing what I can accomplish.  If you would like to read about the challenge or join the group you can do that at MarmaladeRose.

Lastly, please go visit Audrey's Country Crafts, the blog and the Etsy shop!  You can get lost there for hours!!   And thank you Audrey for featuring my blog on your Mish Mash Monday!!

How did you spend your Monday?  Whatever you did, I hope you had a good day!!

Friday's Fabulous Finds....Couples!

I won another giveaway!  This beautiful photo from Ashley Summer Photography, is all mine!  I chose it because it reminds me of me and my husband! 

Check out Ashley's Etsy shop to see the rest of her awesome photographs!

Since the photo is a couple, I decided to see what other couples I could find on Etsy.  Just look at these fabulous finds!

Perfect Pair from Just Ice Jewelry

Snowman Couple Hearts from D. Lynne Art Dolls

Pocket Mirror - Gaze from Stitchy McYarnpants

Love Gnomes from Sewn Natural

Autumn Kiss set of 6 note cards from Papercut Art by Tina Tarnoff

I hope you've had a fabulous Friday!!!

A Dish Towel Dress, A Scarf and Shylee

Remember the giveaway I had for a custom dish towel dress?  I finally finished it and it will be in the mail to Patty today! 

I have to show you this gorgeous scarf I ordered from Babbidge Patch on Etsy.  The colors caught my eye, and I must say, it's more beautiful than the picture.  And it's so, so  soft....I love it!!!  When you get a chance, please check out the shop.  There are many more beautiful scarves and the cutest hats you've ever seen!

Erin and Shylee have been visiting for the past week and I'm loving it!  Shylee makes me laugh and I never get tired of just watching her.  She is happy and cheerful most of the time, but she can throw a heck of a tantrum too!

Shylee and her mama will be going home Wednesday and then I can focus on getting some more things made for the shop.  I'll also be working on my sewing room and I'll show you some of the progress I've made there. 

I hope you have a terrific Tuesday!

I Won a Contest/Giveaway!!

I was browsing the Etsy forums one day and came across the blog for Creative Apples Photography.  April was having a contest to name the photo of the cupcake with the tape measure.  The prize for the winner was a choice of a print or cards from her shop.  I don't enter contests or giveaways just for the sake of entering...I have to really want the prize to enter.  The second I saw 'The Perfect Rose' I knew I wanted it for my sewing room!   I'm not very good at titles, captions or catchy phrases and I couldn't think of anything.  I thought all the entries were very good, so I decided not to enter.  But, just as I was about to move on to the next blog,  it came to me....Cake Measure.  It's the only title that came to me so I went ahead and entered it and honestly I didn't think about it again!  I was very surprised when I got the email saying I had won!  Now I have this beautiful print to put in my sewing room!

April has some incredible photography in her Etsy shop at Creative Apples.  You can order her prints in just about any size or as a greeting card or notecards.  I hope you take a few minutes and take a peek!

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

Today's quote is a reminder for people like me who procrastinate!  I'm constantly telling myself that I can't sell an item in my Etsy shop if it's waiting to be made in my sewing room!

What is not started today is never finished tomorrow  ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Have a marvelous Monday!

Apple Cider Beef Stew

We eat a lot of soups and stews in the wintertime.  This winter has me looking for new recipes to try on these cold and frosty nights.  I came across this recipe in an issue of Taste of Home Slow Cooker Recipes.  I would have never thought of using apple cider and cinnamon in beef stew, but this is really delicious!

Apple Cider Beef Stew

4 cups frozen vegetables for stew (I couldn't find these so I just cut up potatoes, carrots, celery and onions like I would for regular stew)

1 can (8 oz.) sliced water chestnuts (I would leave this out next time.  We didn't care for the crunch factor in stew)

1 jar (4 oz.) sliced mushrooms drained

2 envelopes brown gravy mix

2 tablespoons onion soup mix

2 teaspoons steak seasoning

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

2 lbs. beef stew meat cut in 1 inch cubes

1 can (14 1/2 oz.) beef broth

1 1/4 cups apple cider OR unsweetened apple juice

1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce

1 bay leaf

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/3 cup cold water

Place the vegetables, water chestnuts and mushrooms in a 5 quart slow cooker.  In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the gravy mix, soup mix, steak seasoning and cinnamon;  add beef, a few pieces at a time.  Shake to coat.  Add to slow cooker.

Combine the broth, cider and tomato sauce;  pour over beef.  Add the bay leaf.  Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until meat is tender.  (Next time I would increase the time if I use fresh veggies.  The potatoes weren't quite done but the meat was tender)

Combine cornstarch and water and stir til smooth;  stir into stew.  Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes or until thickened.  Discard bay leaf before serving.   Makes 12 servings.

Sad News For Bakers

Please join me in remembering a great icon of the entertainment community. The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection and trauma complications from repeated pokes in the belly. He was 71.

Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs. Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California Raisins, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch. The grave site was piled high with flours.

Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy and lovingly described Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded. Doughboy rose quickly in show business, but his later life was filled with turnovers.. He was considered a very smart cookie, but wasted much of his dough on half-baked schemes. Despite being a little flaky at times, he still was a crusty old man and was considered a positive roll model for millions.

Doughboy is survived by his wife Play dough, three children: John Dough, Jane Dough and Dosey Dough, plus they had one in the oven, Sour Dough (thats what you get at 71). He is also survived by his elderly father, Pop Tart.

The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes.

Some e-mails are just worth sharing!  Have a warm and wonderful weekend!

Felt Smack Down, Dish Towel Dress and Lavender Sachet

It's a Felt Smack Down, and we're not talking about your mama's craft felt either!  Patty, over at My Life Under The Bus is having a Felt Smack Down contest.  It is based on the book Felt Wee Folk by Salley Mavor.  In fact, Salley herself will be judging this contest....how exciting is that!!!!!  You can get all the details of the contest over at Patty's blog, My Life Under The Bus, but hurry because space is limited and the deadline to sign up is tomorrow!

I've added some things to my Etsy shop.  Yesterday I listed this fun and whimsical dish towel dress.

Today I listed this lavender sachet.                        

 

 Tonight is the first craft night with my friend!  I'll be working on practicing the stitches in the Felt Wee Folk book for my project.  I actually don't know what I'm going to make yet, but I know it will require embroidery stitches!   

What have you been working on?

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

Most people I know either have or are setting goals for the new year.  I wonder how many of them will reach those goals?  How many of them will forget about them and how many will decide they just can't do what it takes to reach them.  I've been guilty of both in the past.  I have also reached my goals and there's no greater satisfaction than knowing you made it!  Today's quote reminds me of the most necessary tool we need to reach our goals...the right attitude.  What a great reminder.

Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.   ~Thomas Jefferson
 

Have a marvelous Monday!

My Sewing Room...The Embarrassing Truth!

After going to JoAnn's and not finding the fabric I wanted, I came home and spent the rest of the day writing out my goals for 2010.  One of the short term goals is to go to the super JoAnn's this week!  I can go to the big one that is an hour away or the super duper one that is two and a half hours away and see my sweet pea the same day.  Hmmm....decisions, decisions!

This is my sewing room as it looks today!  I am totally embarrassed by showing it to you, but this is necessary to push myself forward! 

If you have followed this blog for awhile, you know I've admitted to being unorganized and undisciplined.  This is the result.  My biggest goal for the year is to get this room organized, arranged and decorated so that it inspires creativity and most importantly productivity!  So, today I bought this.

Because of these pictures

You see, the problem with being unorganized is that you don't know how or where to start to be organized.  The room is overwhelmingly chaotic and I just don't know where to begin .  I tend to get overwhelmed easily and then do nothing.   However, I will work diligently to transform this space and I need you, my bloggy friends, to keep me accountable! 

What are your best tips for getting and/or staying organized?  I will gratefuly accept any advice you have to give!

The First Day of 2010

I truly hope everyone's first day of the new year got off to a great start!  As I talked to friends and read through my favorite blogs, it sounds like today was spent packing up the last bit of Christmas and planning for the year ahead.

I spent today with a new friend.  We became friends early last year and she has been a delight to get to know.  We met for lunch where we had the best ever crab and roasted corn chowder.  While she was good and had a roasted veggie and goat cheese sandwich, I had a fresh from the oven raspberry and white chocolate scone!  Yes, it was to die for!

Next, we went to her new house where I got the grand tour and was properly impressed!  She has a huge, huge space in her basement for doing crafts and I'm sooo jealous!  I have a very nice sized spare bedroom, but compared to her space, it looks like a closet!  More about that later.

For some time now, we've talked about getting together and working on projects.  Today, we decided to meet on Thursday evenings and I'm so excited about it.  I won't be machine sewing but  I do have this project to work on.  I'll talk more about this next week!

I can't wait to start a project from this book. I've ordered it and it should be here next week.  I'll have more on this later, also!

The rest of the day I spent thinking about my goals for 2010.  I need to make some decisions about my business, my Etsy shop and my personal life.  There are so many things I want to learn, do and experience!  I have to admit that it's been a long time since I've been excited about the possiblities a new year brings.  In the past year, I learned a lot about myself and what I am capable of.  Because of that, I'm eager to get started doing and learning more!  I'll probably be sharing some of my hopes and dreams with you in the coming weeks!

What about you?  What are you looking forward to or excited about in the coming year?  Whatever it is, let's encourage and support one another in our endeavors!

And The Winner Is....

Out of 54 entries the number drawn was 12 who happens to be Patty!  Congratulations Patty!  Once Patty lets me know the specifics for her dish towel dress, I'll get it made and post a photo so you all can see.  If you want to read a great blog, check out Patty's blog, My Life Under The Bus.  She is the mother of 4 boys, 2 of them twins, and her posts will make you laugh out loud!!

Thank you all so much for your comments.  I appreciate so much each and every one of you who stops by!

Happy New Year!