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?

Sewing Again

Hello dear readers.  I hope you're having a great day.  It's still gray and gloomy here but the sun is supposed to come out by the end of the week.  I might have to have a party to celebrate!  

I finally made it up to the sewing room and have been working on a new idea for the shop.  One of the many bins in that room is full of small fabric scraps.  You know, the pieces that are too big to throw away but too small for much of anything.  Well, I had the idea to make fabric gift tags.  It would be something that could incorporate  hand stitching and embroidery along with the machine sewing.  This is the first one and it's not quite finished yet.  It still needs the ribbon for hanging!

I'm also working on new sachets.  The sewing room always smells so good when I pull out the lavender.

What are you working on?

I Heart Macro ~ Rose Petal

Earlier in the summer, I had a bouquet of roses that were just gorgeous.  The petals were quite thick and the veins were very obvious.  When they were fully opened, they were 5-6 inches in diameter.  The odd thing about them was the lack of scent.  That is until they died and there was the most heavenly aroma throughout the house.  They also turned from a coral color to a beautiful shade of pinky rose and were just as beautiful as when they were alive.  I'm saving the other pictures for later!

I'm joining Studio Waterstone for I Heart Macro where 

you will find some incredible macro and close up photos each week!

I hope you are having a wonderful Sunday!

Rain Rain Go Away

It's been so gloomy and dreary lately.  The problem with that is it affects my mood in the same way.  I have no energy or motivation and find my self  being very unproductive.  I hope the gloom lifts soon.
  

Thankful Thursday ~ Sunsets

Every Thursday I share something I'm thankful for.  It's not always easy to find the good and positive in a situation, but it helps my attitude when I do.  This week I'm thankful for the beautiful sunset I unexpectedly saw out the window of my sewing room.

My sewing table sits under the window and I have a great view when I'm sewing.  I was sewing away, and I had to get up to get something and this is what I saw out the window.

It took my breath away.  I had to run downstairs and grab the camera and get out to the porch.  We don't usually see this from the living room window because of the porch and trees, and I'm not usually in the sewing room at this time of day.  I think I've missed a lot of breathtaking sunsets!

I'm also thankful for
     being rescued from a frog in the kitchen (another post for another day!)
     a pleasant doctor visit
     Annie dog and her unconditional love
     the phone call from my son

     What are you thankful for today?

Today's sewing tip:  Prewashing the fabric before using it will cut down on shrinkage when you wash the finished item the first time.  

Repurposing A Shirt and A Pair Of Jeans

A couple of weeks ago was my husband's birthday.  I don't know what it's like for you, but for me, I never know what to get him for a gift.  This year was no exception!  I just could not think of anything to get him and he wasn't giving any hints.

Then I thought about the shirts and pants he had given me when he cleaned out his closet.  I was looking through them all and remembered how he likes to have a laundry bag with him when he travels.  And he does do a lot of traveling for work.  So I picked a shirt and a pair of jeans and and came up with a laundry bag.

I cut the shirt straight across right under the arms and straight across at the bottom to cut off the shirt tails.  I left the buttons buttoned and sewed the shirt closed down each side of the buttons.  Next, I cut the legs off the jeans and got out the seam ripper to open the inseam seam.  Using the widest part of both legs, I cut pieces for the top and bottom of the bag.  The last step was to make a casing and insert the cording for the drawstring top.

The best part is he was surprised and very happy with it.  Not only did I come up with the perfect gift, but it didn't cost anything!

I've been forgetting to leave you with a sewing tip at the end of each post to celebrate National Sewing Month.  I remembered today though, so here it is:  If your project requires a lot of cutting straight lines, it is easier to use a rotary cutter and quilters ruler on a self healing mat than it is to use scissors.  The cut is cleaner and straighter doing it that way.  It's also much quicker.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Tickle Me Tuesday ~ Pincushions

Hello again!  I hope your day has been a good one so far.  I am behind already this morning, but that just seems to be the norm anymore.  Does anyone ever really get caught up?

I thought I would continue the theme today with National Sewing Month and show you some pretty fabulous pincushions.  All of them are handmade and can be found on Etsy.

La Maison de Floria

feltmates

VINTAGEhaberdashery

Charming by Nina

What's tickling your fancy today?

I'm joining Yes Teacher for Tickle Me Tuesday

I Heart Macro ~ Peacock Feathers

Peacock feathers on a headband

I'm joining Studio Waterstone for I Heart Macro.

There are some incredible macro and close up photos you won't want to miss,

so go ahead and take a look!

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Thankful Thursday ~ Distractions

There are days it's hard to find something to be thankful for.  When you're having a bad day, week, month or year, it is easy to focus on the negative, to find fault with everyone and everything.  I've had one of those weeks and I've had to force myself to look beyond my circumstances and find the good and the positive.

Today I'm thankful for distractions of any kind.  Playing games on the computer, pinning on pinterest, watching TV, and making and eating cookies have kept me from dwelling on things I can't change.  I didn't get much of anything else done, but that's okay today.  

I'm also thankful for

     the sunshine after days and days of rain

     the beauty of a harvest moon

     the sunroof in my car...I can pretend I have a convertible!

     

What are you thankful for today?

To celebrate National Sewing Month, here is today's sewing tip:   When choosing a thread color, remember that the thread on the spool is darker than it will appear on the fabric.  Choose a spool of thread a shade lighter than your fabric.

     

Have a great Thursday!

The Generation That Saddens Me

The majority of the blog posts I read on Sunday, September 11, were about the terrorist attacks.  Some of them told of where they were and how they heard the news.  Others were about how life has changed since then.  And then there was one from a young adult, probably in the 17-19 year old range, that grabbed my attention like no other.

via

On that day, she was old enough to realize something bad had happened but not old enough to understand the impact.  As a result, she had mixed feelings about the the incident and events that have happened in the last ten years. To her, this was just something else to read about in the history books.  It wasn't personal to her and she wrote of things she can't possibly understand. 

At first, I was shocked at her attitude.  She came across as flippant and disrespectful and that made me angry.  However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized she is part of the first generation that doesn't know what life was like before 9-11.  Her generation and generations to come will see that tragic day as just another day in history.  Their 'normal' is certainly not what our normal was.  

via

This was a real eye opener for me!  My anger melted away and I was left with a sadness for the generations to come.  Generations that won't know what it was like to live without the threat of terrorism, without Homeland Security, without security at every event, airport, public, and government building.  It was just something I had not thought about before.  And it makes me sad.

To celebrate National Sewing Month, I'm ending each post with a sewing tip.  Here is today's tip from Maureen at Maureen Cracknell Handmade:   just give it a shot if it's something you've always wanted to do --it will change your life!

Tickle Me Tuesday ~ Sewing Machines

Since it is National Sewing Month, I thought it would be fun to browse Etsy for vintage sewing machines.  These are some of my favorites.

once upon a time

ojoyvintage

VintageGene

I'm joining Yes Teacher for Tickle Me Tuesday.

In honor of National Sewing Month, I'm sharing a sewing tip at the end of each post.  Here is today's tip.

Clean your sewing machine after each project is finished.  Cleaning out the lint and threads ensures your machine will perform at it's best.  Follow the manufacturer's directions for specific cleaning tips and oiling times.

If you have a sewing tip, I would love to hear from you!

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

I Heart Macro ~ Remembering

One of a dozen roses from a grocery store bouquet.

  I know everyone has a story to tell about where they were, what they thought, and how they felt when they heard the news and saw the images of September 11, 2001.  I don't think any of us will ever forget that day.  The families of the victims will certainly never forget.  So today, I will remember.  Today, I will remember to pray for the families and the survivors of that tragic day.  Today, I will hold my loved ones close and tell them I love them.  Today, I will remember that life is short and I should live as if it were my last.  

God bless you today and every day!

I'm joining Studio Waterstone for  I Heart Macro

Thankful Thursday

Every Thursday I share something I'm thankful for.  It's so easy to get wrapped up in the problems of every day that we sometimes forget that we have something to be thankful for no matter how small.

Today I'm thankful for my husband Michael.  Today is his birthday!  I won't tell you how old he is, but I will tell you I met him shortly before his 21st birthday and we are well on our way to growing old together!

I'm also thankful for:
     safety through the storm
     A God who keeps His promises
     friends who keep me distracted
     buttered popcorn and chick flicks

What are you thankful for today?

In honor of National Sewing Month, I'm sharing a sewing tip at the end of each blog post.  Here is today's tip:

Press the seams of your project as you go.  Whether you press them open or to the side, the finished project will look neater and professional when it's finished.

Do you have a favorite sewing tip?  I would like to hear it and I might just use it in a future post!

   

When a Granddaughter and A Hurricane Change Your Plans

I had grand plans for the month of August.  I was going to focus on sewing and reopen my Etsy shop the first of September.  It didn't happen.  It wasn't for lack of trying though.

The first obstacle was going and spending a few days with my daughter and granddaughter.  Erin had bought a new sofa bed and wanted me to come and try it out!  In the past, I stayed at a hotel when visiting her so I was anxious to try out this new bed.  It would be nice to go and stay more than a night or two.  I stayed a few days and went home and two days later, Erin and Shylee came to spend the weekend with us.  Erin wanted to leave Shylee with me for a week so she could focus on looking for a job since she had enrolled Shylee in preschool.  I agreed to keep her and then one week turned into two weeks.

I started working on a sachet while Shylee was here, but that was all.  And three weeks from August was already gone.  I had another week and I knew I could get something done but it wasn't meant to be.

 Two days after Shylee went home, I was making the trip back up there to see my son!  He was going to leave for a month long vacation and it had already been a month since I had seen him.  If I wanted to see him before he left then I was going to have to meet him for dinner one evening.  The particular day I chose to go up there was the day we had the earthquake.  I'm driving along when the car starts acting funny.  It was kind of like rocking back and forth and felt like the traction control kept coming on.  I had just gotten new tires so I just thought I would  remember to mention it to Michael.  Five minutes later my phone was going nuts with text messages from everybody wanting to know if I was okay because there was an earthquake and did  I feel it.  So THAT was what the rocking car was all about!

I spent the next day recovering from the day trip.  It happened to be the Wednesday before Hurricane Irene hit on Saturday.  The power went out on Saturday night and came back on Monday night.  We had two trees uprooted and one of them took out the neighbors fence.  We were very lucky.  Every yard in our neighborhood experienced down trees or limbs.  Power lines were down everywhere and I've never seen so many trees down at one time.  And they were huge old trees too.  There was flooding in the county and there are still homes and businesses without power.  It was scary and something I don't want to go through again.

Just so you know, there are a lot of photos and some of them were taken through the windshield of the car!

This is the lawn of the community college

I'm hoping to make a few things and reopen my Etsy shop soon.  I'm not making any promises though!

Have a terrific Tuesday!