Thriftin' And Craftin'

"Meet Laurie!"

2009-02-23T20:06:00.000-08:00

I finished my scrappy quilt. I named it Laurie after my beloved grandmother that passed away in 2003. I just have to add the label, and I'll be finished. My friend Jacquie, who is quite the amazing quilter sent me a tutorial to help me learn to grid quilt. It wasn't hurt, but pretty time consuming. It was totally worth it though. This quilt makes me smile. It's happy and full of surprises just like my grandma. I hope she's smiling from heaven. The binding has little polka dots all over it. The colors are kind of crazy, but I think they all flow together in perfect harmony. Amandajean at Crazy Mom Quilts helped me learn how to make a scrap quilt quite awhile ago, and I find them so fun. Always a challenge, and always a surprise!

Toodle OO!

C

My Scrappy Quilt

2009-02-13T18:14:00.000-08:00

Iknow you all thought I left blog land forever. Life is nuts, and I just haven't had the time or desire to post for awhile, but I thought you'd all like to see this, so here goes. I pulled out my sewing machine the other day on a a rainy day along with my basket of scraps. This is what I have so far. I'm calling this the "Laurie" quilt in honor of my beloved grandmother. She loved the outdoors, and the earth tones and nature prints remind me of her. I'm going to dedicate it to her on the label. I need to bind it, so I will post photos of the completed project whenever that happens. It measures apx. 48x66". Here's the link to the photo that inspired the color scheme.I'll try to check in every now and then. Toodle-oo!

C

Crock Pot Breakfast-Brilliant!

2008-10-16T10:10:00.000-07:00

photo by Betizuka

ETA: We tried the below mentioned recipe, and it wasn't too great, but the idea is. I'm on a mission to find crockpot breakfasts because it was perfect to wake up and have breakfast. I want to make eggs with onions, peppers, etc, and just make a piece of toast to complete breakfast. I'm going to experiment, and if I come up with a keeper, I'll share it here on my blog. If anyone comes up with something PLEASE share. It really is a heavenly idea.

For the life of me, I don't know why this never dawned on me before. I am flipped over my crockpot, and use it to cook dinners all the time. Not until recently did it EVER occur to me to use it to make breakfasts the night before. I don't like breakfast that much, but I ALWAYS make my kids a hearty breakfast. I know that is a very important time to eat. Without energy, kids will just be limp rags when it comes to focusing and learning. My daughter doesn't like the traditional breakfasts too much, and chooses to eat leftovers such as spaghetti and pizza quite often. As long as it fills her up, I don't care. A light bulb went off the other day when I read that some people use their crockpots the night before to have a hot, and hearty breakfast waiting as soon as everyone awakens. BRILLIANT-I tell ya-BRILLIANT. This will make hubby, kiddos, and mama happy. Can it get better then that? I haven't tried this yet, but here's one that looks very promising off All Recipes.com. I'm adjusting the portion size to 8. That way we'll get two breakfasts out of it. The first time will be hot out of the crockpot, the second, quick heat up in the microwave. I usually have the portions ready in individual bowls, and cover and put in the fridge. In the morning all we have to do, is pop the serving in the microwave. Even serving things up takes precious morning minutes, so I do as much as I can the night before.

1. Slow-Cooker Western Omelet

Let me know if any of you try this, and if you do think I'm brilliant, please don't hesitate to tell me. LOL! Love ya all!

Toodle-oo!

C

Baby Steps and Hopefully Organization will Follow

2008-10-13T08:59:00.000-07:00

photo by aka cretivity

In my never-ending quest to get my life more organized, I was reading some websites to help with organization this weekend. I've decided I really need to get serious about making myself a "realistic" plan I can stick to. This is how I'm going to attempt to learn to schedule my week:

Monday
1.Start a load of laundry (Immediately hang and put away. I've been doing this pretty well for awhile. It's life-changing to not have the laundry monster trying to eat your legs. I try to remember to bring down hangers from upstairs so they will be ready and waiting when the laundry is hot from the dryer. This is a huge time saver for me.)

2. Pay myself first: I started an on-line book club with some close friends again, and am really enjoying reconnecting. Reading is important to me, so I'm scheduling that at the beginning of my day to start the day off right. At the beginning of my reading time, I'm going to get serious about my time with God. I like the devotionals from this siteThey are quick reading but filled with quality and questions to ponder. I'm also reading this-the Bible in a year-I'm using the classic reading plan. I am scheduling an hour every morning for this "refresh me" time.

3.Weekly Home chores: Mopping, sweeping, vacuuming,meal planning, changing sheets, cleaning bathrooms, etc

4.Whatever Flylady has on tap for today.

5.At least 15 minutes of decluttering, that never ends.

6.Straighten up after dinner, make lunches for next day, and hopefully relax til bedtime.

Tuesday:

1.Start Laundry

2."Refresh Me" time (see Monday for details)

3.Grocery Shopping Day (When Needed)

4.Flylady assignment

5. Declutter

6.Straighten up, lunches, relax

Wednesday:

1.Laundry

2.Refresh Me time

3.Flylady

4.Declutter

5. Girl's Day Out (I go out to lunch and thrift shopping with my best bud on this day)

6. straighten up, lunches, relax

Thursday:

1.Laundry

2. Refresh Me Time

Flylady

3. Declutter

4. Errand Day

5.straighten up, lunches, relax

Friday:

1.Laundry

2.Refresh Me time

3.Flylady

4. Declutter Day (dedicate more time to weeding out-up to a few hours)

5.straighten up, lunches, relax

Saturday and Sunday: Come what may, but since the family is home, schedules are pretty much out the window. LOL!

Hubby has a week off in Nov. and coming up with a plan to dejunk a lot of stuff. Our home is small, we just have too much stuff for the space we have. I'm not the "cat lady" with stuff to the ceiling LOL! but I just feel so much happier when things are organized. It's a job and a lifestyle, but I keep plugging away at the dream. I'm not going to beat myself up if I don't meet every task everyday, but at least I have something written down now.

Hopefully this schedule can help some of you too. If you have your own plan or any thoughts or ideas to share, I'd LOVE to hear them. Have a safe week.

Toodle-00

C

2008-10-08T21:26:00.000-07:00

A Ticked-Off American

2008-10-01T09:16:00.000-07:00

Photo by MBell1975

Isat right down and wrote my senators and congressman a letter. I'm not sure if there's been a time in my whole adult life that I have been so disgusted with the lawmakers of my country. I am VERY PROUD of my country, but I am NOT proud of the elected representatives that hold our very livelihoods in their hands. My adorable and very smart friend George used that term to me in an email, and he inspired me to get off my butt and take a stand. My hubby and I are homeowners. We live in a small home that we have definitely outgrown, but we are firm believers in living within our means. We decided to "stay put" because we want to be able to live and have some recreation in our lives, not eat mac and cheese every night. It INFURIATES me that I have to pay for those that did not use such good judgment, and took out loans they knew they'd never be able to pay back. Someone with a Harvard MBA knowingly let them do it just to get a huge commission. Really brilliant managing, huh?

It was obvious that this greed on wall street was going to hit our economy like a ton of bricks. A second grader could have figured it out that you don't give HUGE loans to people who simply can't afford to pay them back. It's just not good business. Well-thank you big fat cats, now ALL of us have taken huge hits to our retirements, our economy is in chaos, the rest of the world is laughing at us. I know we will climb back up with hard work and sacrifice, just like the morals the REAL America is based on. If you agree with my stance, and you'd like to write an email, here is the website to get the info. It is very easy, and can all be done on-line. If we sit back and watch all of this happen without speaking up, nothing will ever change.

Here is the letter I wrote to my senators and congressman: (The actual budget plan is from Dave Ramsey's site, he asks everyone to cut and paste that info. into their own letters.)

I am a great supporter of Dave Ramsey, financial expert. He uses common sense and hard work to be financially sound, and I follow the steps in his books to help me and my family as well. Here is a copy of his plan to help get our GREAT country back on track. Please listen to the wishes of the people. Our hearts are broken that we have to pay so much of our hard earned money to bail out people that were overtaken with greed. I do not have a financial degree, and I knew this was going to happen. It's pretty obvious that loans were given out very frivolously to people who simply could not afford the homes they were buying. I am a homeowner, and I'd love to upgrade to a larger home, but I live within my means, and it infuriates me that I have to pay for someone else's gluttony. Here is the plan I support:

Years of bad decisions and stupid mistakes have created an economic nightmare in this country, but $700 billion in new debt is not the answer. As a tax-paying American citizen, I will not support any congressperson who votes to implement such a policy. Instead, I submit the following three steps:

Common Sense Plan.

I. INSURANCE

A. Insure the subprime bonds/mortgages with an underlying FHA-type insurance. Government-insured and backed loans would have an instant market all over the world, creating immediate and needed liquidity.

B. In order for a company to accept the government-backed insurance, they must do two things:

1. Rewrite any mortgage that is more than three months delinquent to a 6% fixed-rate mortgage.
a. Roll all back payments with no late fees or legal costs into the balance. This brings homeowners current and allows them a chance to keep their homes.
b. Cancel all prepayment penalties to encourage refinancing or the sale of the property to pay off the bad loan. In the event of foreclosure or short sale, the borrower will not be held liable for any deficit balance. FHA does this now, and that encourages mortgage companies to go the extra mile while
working with the borrower�again limiting foreclosures and ruined lives.

2. Cancel ALL golden parachutes of EXISTING and FUTURE CEOs and executive team members as long as the company holds these government-insured bonds/mortgages. This keeps underperforming executives from being paid when they don�t do their jobs.

C. This backstop will cost less than $50 billion�a small fraction of the current proposal.

II. MARK TO MARKET

A. Remove mark to market accounting rules for two years on only subprime Tier III bonds/mortgages. This keeps companies from being forced to artificially mark down bonds/mortgages below the value of the underlying mortgages and real estate.

B. This move creates patience in the market and has an immediate stabilizing effect on failing and ailing banks�and it costs the taxpayer nothing.

III. CAPITAL GAINS TAX

A. Remove the capital gains tax completely. Investors will flood the real estate and stock market in search of tax-free profits, creating tremendous�and immediate�liquidity in the markets. Again, this costs the taxpayer nothing.

B. This move will be seen as a lightning rod politically because many will say it is helping the rich. The truth is the rich will benefit, but it will be their money that stimulates the economy. This will enable all Americans to have more stable jobs and retirement investments that go up instead of down. This is not a time for envy, and it�s not a time for politics. It�s time for all of us, as Americans, to
stand up, speak out, and fix this mess.

I am very hurt and upset by the lawmakers of my country, but I am praying for all of you. Listen to the will of the people and please do the right thing.

A very proud American,

Carla XXXXXXXX

Thanks for letting me vent. I've been very sad, and anxiety ridden about the state of my nation, but today I'm just ticked off, and I decided to let it all out. We WILL prevail, but there had better be some safeguards that this kind of corruption doesn't happen again!

Have a blessed week all! Toodle-oo!

C

It's How You Live....

2008-09-18T21:13:00.000-07:00

I'm not usually into posting videos, but this song touches me to the bottom of my soul. If you're a human being, I promise you this song will speak to you. I'm the first to admit I get very cranky, and overwhelmed, and short with my kids when I could be more patient. So-sit back, LISTEN to the words, and follow the advice. Our lives can change in the blink of an eye. Say what needs to be said NOW! I've got some things to tell my loved ones today too! If you watch this, let me know what you think. It'll be 4 minutes out of your day that will have some meaning I promise. Oh by the way I love all of you guys. You enrich my life more then you know!

I know this is another short and sweet post, but truly this video speaks for itself. If the video needs time to load, let it. I don't think you'll be disappointed. I haven't made it through without crying.

Toodle-oo!

C

PS: On the $5 saving front, I decided to keep tallying up the total number of fives even though I had to use some for car repairs. I still worked hard to save it, and it should count towards my overall savings goal. Yes-that's my final answer Regis! LOL!

I'm Okay!

2008-09-15T10:50:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

All is well. I'm back in school, so are my kids, and soccer season is in full swing.

I got a really yukky cold, and I haven't felt like updating lately. I'm going to try to think of something wonderful soon! LOL!

My $5 savings thing is still going strong, but the numbers have to be adjusted. I had a car crisis, and luckily in one month I had saved $225 in fives!!!! In ONE MONTH. It didn't feel like much of a sacrifice either. Anyway, I used that money to pay for a lot of the car repair. It was more important to do that then borrow from savings. I already have another $100 saved, so I'll probably start the counter from that point, but we'll see. RAINY DAY FUNDS do work! MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ONE!

I'll check in soon!

Toodle-oo!

C

On-A-Budget Deli Roast Beef Sandwiches with cheese Sauce

2008-08-08T11:26:00.000-07:00

photo by elling 008

In an attempt to continue living my frugal lifestyle that I'm so determined to lead, I came up with these sandwiches the other night from shopping the sales and using things I already had on hand. They were very easy, and very yummy, and EVERYONE (did you hear that?), even the picky eaters loved them. Budget friendly, and good? Basically this is a homemade version of Steak-Umms. They taste WAY better, and are a lot cheaper. Here goes! Serves approximately 4-6 (Adjust amount of meat based on your family's appetite!)

Ingredients:

1 lb. sliced deli roast beef (I got this in the meat/slash deli section where they help serve you. It was the meat that was on the best sale, so I bought it, and figured I'd come up with a way to use it!)

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped, optional

sliced mushrooms, optional

seasoning to taste

1 can condensed cheese soup

french rolls

butter and Parmesan cheese

sliced provolone cheese, optional

Directions:

1. Put deli beef slices in food processor, and PULSE it. DO NOT turn it on or you'll liquefy the meat, and that's not good. The point is to chop it into whatever size pieces you like. This made the meat SO tender. If you don't have a food processor, chop the meat with a knife.

2. Saute' meat with onions in a pan until onions are transparent. Season to taste. I'm flipped over Nature's Seasons by Morton (the little girl with the umbrella brand) I use that on almost everything. You can also cook the onions, bell pepper, and mushrooms separately in another pan to use as a topping. I pretty much always cook with onions, so I added them in with the meat. I didn't use bell peppers or mushrooms, but I'm going to next time.

3. Prepare soup according to directions. I added a few drops of Worcestershire Sauce for taste.

4. Lightly spread the french rolls with whatever butter product you use, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. (I use the shaker kind). Go over cheese with a butter knife to help push the cheese into the butter. Spray a pan with Pam spray, and place bread butter side down, over about medium heat. Keep checking bread until the cheese mixture is a golden brown.

5. Fill toasted roll with meat mixture, top with onion mixture, drizzle with cheese sauce. If you don't want cheese sauce add a slice of Provolone cheese, and melt that on the sandwich.

6. We put bowls of cheese sauce on the table, and dipped our sandwiches because we're sauce pigs. We topped it off with some hot chili peppers, and to my son's joy had tator tots and ketchup on the side. A very filling, economical meal. Hope your family likes it too!

I linked this recipe to Grocery Cart Challenge Blog's Recipe Challenge this week. Click the photo to see the other great entries.

Toodle-oo!

C

Use it Soon!

2008-08-04T17:58:00.000-07:00

We're back from our trip to the beach. It is always beautiful, and the weather was unseasonably cool. The days were pretty warm, but it got downright chilly at night. It's only a little over an hour's drive from where we live, so we even came home for one night to check in on our animals and went back the next day. My hubby plays in a band, and he had a gig that night near our house, so we all came home for one night.

I've been pretty productive since we got home. I finished clearing out the dreaded pantry. I started before we left on vacation, but luckily I finished the last of it when we returned home. I went to the discount store and purchased some filing crates. I made a pasta and rice crate, cereal crate, etc. I left enough room in between them so I could slide them in and out to see what's in them. I've decided it is best to "sacrifice" some storage space to leave things in single rows in the pantry. Everytime I try to make more then one layer even using baskets, things get pushed to the back, and they are never seen again. You get more things in, but you'll end up throwing the things in the back away. It killed me to see how many bags of things I tossed, but I wanted to start fresh so I chucked a lot. I also organized the small garage pantry, and cleaned out the fridge and freezer. We have an OLD freezer in the garage that I am going to clear out. I got a note from the electric company that they will pay $50 if you'll call them to pick up out-of-date freezers. They pollute the air, and are big time electricity hogs. I'm thrilled because all it does is freezer burn the food anyway! I wish I could say this darling shabby pantry was mine, but it isn't. Bluebird Becca graciously shared this photo on Flickr.

What does the title of this post have to do with anything, you ask? I came up with an idea during all my pantry cleaning that I thought I'd share. I'm sure the idea isn't new, but it is to me. I put a couple of baskets in my pantry that I call "use it soon" baskets. I put any item that is close to expiring in them. There is a hodgepodge of things, but I'm using them first. You know I'm all about living the "frugal" lifestyle. It just makes my day to be efficient and thrifty. When I go to plan my meals, I check these baskets first. I type in some of the items I find in the ingredients section on All Recipes.com, and pick out a recipe. It's worked great. Tonight I'm cooking this with some ingredients I found in my baskets. No shrimp though because I HATE seafood! YUCK! If you do make this dish, make sure you take the other reviewers advice, and cook the rice separately. I didn't read that until after I made the dish, and the rice was mushy when added at the same time. This dish is filled with flavor though, and I'll make it again with the one change with the rice. I'm making biscuits, and corn on the cob. We're having banana splits for dessert! Do yourself a favor and make this drink too! It sounds weird, but it is YUMMY! We peel the cucumber and slice it lengthwise. Let it "marinate" in the concentrate for 10 minutes then remove the cucumber. When we left it in, we thought it was too strong. 10 minutes, and you get a light hint of the cucumber, and it's perfect. My mom said this would be awesome as a slushie and I agree.

Photo by Waffle Whiffer

I've started being diligent with collecting coupons again. I need to build up my stash, but I'm a firm believer in their ability to save you money. The trick is to buy only the sale items, and don't use a coupon until the item is on sale. When an item is on sale AND you have a coupon, BOY IS IT FUN!!!!! I came across this site, and made myself one of these. Check this lady's site under savings examples, she's MY HERO! I got a store directory at the front of the store, and arranged my coupons in the order of the store's layout. That way I can flip through the pages as I get to that aisle to see if I can match up any coupons with sale items that I NEED. Don't use a coupon just to use a coupon. That is tempting to do, I admit. I might look like a nerd, but if I save money, especially lots of money, I could care a less what other people think. "I'm living like no one else, so later I can live like no one else." Where have I heard that before? LOL! If you want to make one of these binders, I found the baseball card sleeves at Wal-Mart by the checkstand near the Yugio cards. There were 35 sleeves for a little over $5. Once I got going, it didn't take me too long to compile the notebook. I'm going to put my new coupons in my binder while I catch up on my TV shows. I've been bringing my own cloth bags to the store for awhile now, and I found out the store I shop in gives a .06 credit per bag, so I got another .54 cent credit on my receipt yesterday. It doesn't hurt to ask if you bring your own bags.

Before I go, I want to share my fun purchase I got on vacation. My mom, my dd and I usually have a thrift shopping day on our beach vacation. We go to the same ones every time. I didn't find a lot, but I did find some great fabric. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the 40's lady that is painting. Isn't she ADORABLE? I flipped when I found that fabric. I also found an old quilt magazine for .25 that has a quilt I adore. I have started cutting out the fabric. When I get some blocks done, I'll post them. I'm leaving this photo large, so you can click on it, and see the fabric detail. Please excuse the background clutter.

Have a great week-if anyone has a great tip that helps your household run more smoothly, please leave it with your comment. I need all the help I can get! LOL!

C

Get Rich Saving Fives!

2008-07-24T12:29:00.000-07:00

Ifound an article on-line the other day that inspired me like you can't imagine. This is the coolest thing I've read in a really long time. I can't do the article any justice by explaining it so here is the link so you can read it for yourself. Of course you have to MAKE yourself save the $, but WOW, looks like you can do a lot with some little ol' fives.

As you can see I made myself a little widget, so you can all see my progress. I want to save $1000 using the "fives" method. I don't know how long it will take me, but I'm giving it the old college try. You can help keep me honest. I'll update my progress as I go. I put the date I started in the corner, so we can see how long it takes me. Maybe I'll start all over again as soon as I meet my goal. Of course I do not have one five in my wallet at the present time. LOL! Do any of you care to join me? If so, make sure you drop me a note, and let me know you're slaving away with me. Wish me luck. If I have a winning night at Bunco I'm set, usually the prize is a bunch of 5's!

I'm going on vacation to the beach from Sat-Thurs. so you may not hear much from me. I promise I'll check in as soon as I get back. Have a great week, and SAVE THOSE 5's! If you don't have American currency, save whatever your equivalent is. Maybe we'll start a club and call ourselves "The Saving Bloggers" LOL!

Toodle-oo!

C

Code, Code, Code!

2008-07-20T11:18:00.000-07:00

As you can see, I've been changing the look of my blog again! No-safer to say I've been obsessing about my blog again. LOL! (Here is a link to the Flickr photo uploaded by Decor8.) This magazine has SO many inspiring blogs, but I know my financial guru, Dave Ramsey, would frown upon such a large expenditure for a single book, so the bookstore employees get to spend some valuable time with me as I peruse each issue. LOL!

Yesterday I spent almost the whole day at this computer. The family was all taken care of at various events, and that left loads of computer time for me! I'm still a total beginner, but I'm determined to learn what all of these programming codes mean. CSS, HTML, XHTML, Javascript.... The list goes on and on and on. I checked out a stack of books at the library that practically broke my arm. LOL! I'm seriously considering looking into web design classes in future semesters. This is a way to scratch my "creative" itch, and who knows, maybe I'll even make some cash someday. Wouldn't that be nice?

When I first redesigned my template, I followed a tutorial, and I have since learned I probably shouldn't have made it so wide. When I look at my blog on our flatscreen large monitor, it is beautiful with a pretty soft blue background. When I look at it on the old monitor downstairs, it isn't nearly as impressive. I apologize to anyone that views my blog on a smaller monitor. If you have the chance to see it on a large screen one, you'll see what I really had in mind when I redid it. I don't think my little craft slide show works in Explorer, but it does work in Firefox. I may take it off eventually, but we'll see.

I will continue to tweak my Blog template as often as I learn a new code to try. Don't be at all surprised if it slowly changes before your eyes. That is the hope anyway! BTW-I put all the element credits for the amazing creative folks that have helped me design this at the bottom of the blog. Thank God for talented people that share their gifts with the rest of us!

I don't have any other exciting news other then my children attended a music camp all week at church, and both performed in a big concert for us last Friday. As most of you know, my daughter is quite the amazing singer. She lead a band, and my son played the electric guitar with a group of other beginning performers. So fun to see all of those kids following God, and staying out of trouble. I LOVE IT! My daughter also had her first real paid gig last week. My husband is the drummer in a band, and one of the lead singers wasn't available. The other lead requested K to sing co-lead with her! Anyway my daughter learned the songs complete with their harmonies in a few days, and wowed the crowd. The "leader of the band" grinned from ear to ear, and called her over and paid her $100 on the spot. She was thrilled. She's going to put it in the bank! Dave Ramsey would be proud. I hope my children pursue their musical talents. Who knows where God will lead them?

Have a great week everyone! I'll probably be learning computer code.

Toodle-oo!

*C

Spend, Save, Give

2008-07-14T14:41:00.000-07:00

Link to photo

This week I've been preoccupied with financial planning. THANK GOD we are not deeply in debt, and never have been, but I have always yearned for a "plan" to help me know how to best save our money, and not leave our children to deal with financial mistakes that could make their lives miserable after we're gone. Like an answer to a prayer, I came across a blog that my friend Trish posted about on her blog. Simple Mom.net is a wealth of information, and quite possibly life-changing for me as well. I used her Google calendar meal plan, and have my meals planned for a month. A great way to keep on budget! She has extensive information about a famous financial planner named Dave Ramsey. I immediately fell in love with his simple wealth-building plan. It uses common sense just like my parents did and my mom still continues to use. It takes commitment, and luckily we don't have to start at step one. We are a little further down the list. I found his radio show on-line and listened to it, and still continue to be impressed. The book is eternally on hold at the library, so I actually went out and purchased it today. I printed out his seven baby steps from his website and posted them on our fridge.

"...with commitment and discipline we can all live debt free!"

The steps are doable and to the point. It might take some longer then others but with commitment and discipline we can all live debt free. His book is filled with many inspiring stories of people that were drowning in debt that turned their lives around, and don't have to worry anymore. Here is the Amazon link to check out the book He has an incredible riches-to-rags story, so he's made some huge financial mistakes that taught him what not to do. He is Christian and uses scripture in some places that back up Biblical teachings on money. God abhors debt! So do I!

My dad always told us "If you can't pay cash, you can't afford it." He was so right, and luckily I've never fallen into the credit card trap. We are on the right track in many ways, but have a habit of eating out way too much, and not sticking to a strict budget. The debit card makes it easy to buy anything I want, and really that needs to stop. I am a bargain hunter, but I still buy more "fun" things then I should. In Dave Ramsey's world, you make an envelope with a set amount for "fun" stuff. No matter how great a deal you come across, if there isn't enough in the envelope, you ain't gonna get it. That is if you MAKE yourself stick to the plan. Today I saw an Audrey Hepburn book on clearance for $6.98. I tried to rationalize buying it, but I decided that was $7 in the bank toward our long-term savings goal. I walked on, and told Audrey how awesome I thought she was, and how much I wanted that book, but I know she understands. LOL!

Dave's motto throughout the book is "Live like no one else, so later you can live like no one else."

"Live like no one else, so later you can live like no one else."

Think about that statement. Another one of his Daveisms is: "Being in debt is normal, so be weird." I love it. I am not one that worries about keeping up with the Joneses. In fact, I think some of the supposed "well-to-do" folks are big fakes. I KNOW some of them are for sure. I tell my kids a lot of the wealth they flaunt is a big house of cards waiting to come down. One crisis and they could lose it all because there isn't one dime to back it up in their savings account. We may not have all we want, but we have all we need is the way we basically live. I'm excited to put his steps to work, and see how far we can go. I feel like a prayer has been answered for me, and I hope this info. helps some of you too.

I found the little jar photo, and I thought it was too cute. We recycle cans and bottles, and get a nice little chunk of cash. My hubby and I divide the profits between our two kids. They always save some, but now I have a nice formula to use. Dave uses this system with his own kids. An envelope or jar with save, spend, and give marked on them. I want them to save 60% (bank), spend 30%, and give (10%) I want debt to be a dirty word to my kids, because it is.

Before I go, here's the planned menu for the week in case it helps someone else:

Monday: Bratwurst, Baked Beans, Corn on the cob
Tuesday: Tacos, Spanish Rice
Wed: Fast Food Night
Thursday:Lasagna, Salad, Garlic Bread
Friday: Tamale Pie-haven't decided the side yet

Have a great week. Hope some of this info. is as wonderful to you as it is to me!

Toodle-oo!

*C

I Beat the Clock (finished baby quilt), and 17 years of Wedded Bliss (sometimes anyway! LOL!)

2008-07-09T23:41:00.001-07:00

ETA: What's for dinner Friday, July 11? Mini Meat Loaves with cheesy potatoes,crescent rolls,and this strawberry cake for dessert, iced tea or homemade lemonade(both are already made!) I make a few changes to the recipe. I add 1/2 tsp minced garlic, 1 chopped onion, 1 chopped bell pepper, and use a tube of low fat sausage. Because I double the meat, I double the rest of the ingredients as well. We can freeze half, or cook it all and have lots of leftovers-my favorite thing! Hope this helps some of you plan dinner!

I'm pleased to announce that I easily finished the baby quilt before the shower. It was well loved and the only handmade gift the couple received. I soaked the quilt and threw it into the dryer and it got that great crinkly look that most of us love. It really did come out pretty. I know I have tons to learn but I'm proud of my creation. I ended up using a gingham border because that is the only thing I could find that would work. I was worried it would be too busy but luckily it looked great. In the close-ups you can see a purple paisley print. That is special because it came from a dress my daughter had when she was much younger. The father of the baby is my daughter's youth worship team director. They are very close, and he and his wife were touched that my daughter's dress was part of the quilt for their daughter-to-be. We are very excited for them. They are a young couple that are doing lots of good in this world. They will be wonderful parents-I have no doubt.

Last Sunday was my seventeenth wedding anniversary. My hubby sent me flowers. He took a photo of me holding them as proof that I received them. LOL! I couldn't find my make-up bag, so this is my face au natural. My hair ain't lookin' too peppy, but such is life!
He also bought me a nice new watch, and took me out to a very fancy steakhouse for dinner. Our good friends joined us, and surprised us by paying for the dinner. What a nice surprise. The server brought me two gold boxes of chocolate covered strawberries, and all of us shared a lava cake. YUMMMMMMM! If you haven't tried one, you MUST. They are to die for I tell ya. If you can't get to a fancy steakhouse, Applebee's has one that is about the best thing since sliced bread. Try it, and you'll never be the same!

Another wonderful thing happened since my last post. My adorable nephew that lives out of state and just graduated from high school is out visiting. My mom,my aunt, my kids, my brother and sister-in-law and my nephew (that is adorable looking and just as sweet on the inside) all caught a ferry and spent the day at the beach. We shopped, and walked around, and ate lunch together. Once we got to the island, my brother took all the kiddos out on a rented boat to go deep sea fishing. They all caught something. I won't even tell you how much it cost, but I'm sure it's a memory my kids will never forget. I sucked it up, decided not to freak that they were in the middle of the ocean on a boat without me, and let them go. I'm glad I and they survived, and had a great time to boot. LOL! We were pooped, but it was so fun to have everyone together. I don't have any photos to post now, but I might at a later time.

As any of you know that knew me from my digi-scrapping days, I love to use elements but I can't make them to save my life, so I must give credit to two talented element makers for the cute frames. They are freebies by Krista Fring and Kari at this blog Check out this blog if you use digi-scrapping elements. Always make sure to credit the element makers. SO much time goes into their work. I can't believe how generous they are to give so many elements for free. Credit is the least we can do to say thanks.

Have a great week and drop me a note if you stop by. I made a few other crafts this week, but I'll have to get some photos for the next post.

Toodle-oo!

*C

Inspiration Challenge #5-God's Eye

2008-07-01T02:07:00.000-07:00

1. God's eyes, 2. craft shack fun, 3. God's Eye, 4. god's eyes

It is summer camp time and my daughter and her best friend are diligently making friendship bracelets quietly on the couch. This made me think of a post I saw recently on ReadyMade's website. I think this is just precious. A small God's Eye necklace made out of toothpicks and embroidery floss. Here is the link to make one yourself. This got my mind whirring, and I realized this would be a perfect thing for a summer inspiration challenge. If you haven't joined us before, refer to my left sidebar under the slideshow for the "rules."

Quilters could have a heyday with this idea. You can buy some yarn and craft sticks and make these with your kids in big or small form. You can use the shapes and colors to scrapbook a page, or be inspired to take a photo that you've never even thought of before. You know the drill. BE INSPIRED. CREATE something, then link the post here in the Mr. Linky box so the rest of us can ooh and ahh over your amazing talent. It's too fun to see all the ideas. I really hope the rest of you find this as cool as I do. LOL! I'll post another challenge on August 1. Now-GO MAKE SOMETHING!

Toodle-oo!
*C

Racing With the Clock...Baby Quilt

2008-06-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

Are you familiar with the musical "The Pajama Game" made famous by Doris Day in the 50's? If so, do you remember the song "Racing With the Clock"? The musical is about pajama factory employees and the manager is obsessed with how many garments they can crank out in the most efficient time. He wakes up in the morning and sings this catchy little tune. Another reason I'm so familiar with this is because my daughter was in the cast of this musical when she was in first grade. I saw HOURS of rehearsal and the show three times, so I heard this song enough to last me a lifetime. LOL! Well if you have any idea what I'm talking about, that's how I feel right now. I am racing against the clock to finish this baby quilt. (It measures apx. 34x42")

Our sweet friend and his wife are expecting their first, and I just found out their shower is on Wed. YIKES!!!!! I started this months ago. You may recognize it as the Bento Box quilt squares I was working on. When I pulled them out the other day, I didn't like them in the Bento Box layout so I flipped the squares until I got a design I did like. There is kind of a cool stairstep pattern going on with the middle squares that should have been the Bento Box. I worked and worked and machine quilted it with a meander pattern. This time was more stressful then my first quilt. I think I'm WAY out of practice. I really hope no one in their family is an avid quilter. LOL! I'm overall pleased with the result since I still have no "rhythm" going as I quilt. I won't give up. I know another pregnant lady so I think another baby quilt is in order.

I squared the quilt off, and I think it lays a lot better. I found a tutorial on All People Quilt. Com. Just type in squaring off a quilt. All I have to do is bind the edges. I'm going to go look for some lavendar fabric tomorrow. Lavendar with little white polka dots would be perfect! I backed it with the white flower fabric the quilt is resting on in the photo. Not exactly what I wanted to use, but I'm under a real time crunch as you know. I'll post another photo after I get the binding on. I hope my little fingers can sew it on at the speed of light.

I'm going to post another challenge on July 1. I hope some of you are still feeling inspired, and want to play along. They help spark my creative juices so the inspiration pieces are going to keep coming for now!

It is a ridiculous time for me to still be up, so I'm off to get some rest. Wish me luck. Hopefully this baby will be done by Wed. It really did come out pretty after all.

Toodle-oo!
*C

Labor of Love and a whole new blog!

2008-06-19T17:05:00.000-07:00

To clean up the look of my posts, I'm going to move the inspiration challenge Mr. Linky box to the bottom of the current post from now on. I merged all prior participant blog project links into one big box so it will be easier to manage. I hope lots of people will join the inspiration challenge this summer. When it's hot, what better thing to do then be inside with the a/c-- creating! Ah life is good!
OK-I'll say it-"I'm SO proud of myself. I redesigned my blog ALL BY MYSELF!" I bought a shabby blog pack from Shabby Miss Jenn Designs. The link is at the bottom of my blog. That gave me the confidence I needed, and I went to town. I come from a digi-scrapping background so I pulled out my digi-elements that have been asleep for years on my hardrive, and tweaked until I got the look I wanted. The element makers are credited at the bottom of the blog as well. It took me several days, and I may still tweak some things, but all in all I'm smiling right now.

I found a fabulous site called Blogger Buster that has AWESOME tutorials for tweaking the blogger template. That's how I learned to make three columns and evenly space it. I have no prior knowledge of html, but I had a blast figuring it all out. WORK ON A PRACTICE BLOG AT FIRST, AND MAKE SURE YOU COPY AND PASTE YOUR ORIGINAL TEMPLATE SOMEWHERE FOR SAFE KEEPING IN CASE YOU MESS UP! TRUST ME, I'M GLAD I DID THIS!

I'm not going to post a photo because my new beautiful shabby blog is the photo this round. I hope you all like it, and will enjoy spending some time in my little spot on the web. I've neglected the housework too long. I'm going to attempt to straighten some things. Leave me a note if you stop by. I'd love to hear your thoughts on all of my hard work. LOL! Talk soon all!

OOPS before I go-Dawn tagged me, so here goes.

1. What I was doing 10 years ago...

Mostly being a wife and a mommy. My kids were really little then. My son wasn't even a year old yet.

2. Five things on the "to do" list for today

a. clean up my messy room.
b. take a shower.
c. work on a quilt.
d. go to dinner.
e. go night-night.

3. Snacks I enjoy

I'm very bad. My two faves are brownies with buttercream frosting, and Reeses PB Cups, NOT Pieces-those are yucky!

4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire

a. I'd love to help my family and friends with anything they needed. I'm pretty simple, so I'd save a lot, and hopefully my kids would be set for life. I'd buy the things I needed without hesitation. I'd have nice things, but I'd never be the extravagant type.

Toodle-oo!

*C

ETA: For all you Blogger users that like my little slideshow. Here is the link to the tut. It took me a few days to get it to work. I finally realized I had to tweak a few things to get it to work for me. It was a LONG process but I'm so excited that I finally figured it out. You can click on the photo, and it will take you to that post. That's why I like it, because it has a link too. Isn't it great? I'm going to add each challenge to it as it goes by, that's the plan anyway! I used File Avenue to host the Smooth Gallery Files (The program you have to upload to a server that she provides in the tut.) and my photo files. I had to make folders manually, upload the files into them, and make sure they were in the order I downloaded them in. You'll need this info if you decide to make the slideshow. This would have saved me HOURS had I known to do this at first.

Weeds and Forgivness...

2008-06-14T16:51:00.000-07:00

(photo from Dan L Harp Flickr Gallery)

Since I am an English major, and writing is "in" me, indulge me for this post, OK?

I was out in the yard and struck with an epiphany about how weeds are a perfect example of what bitterness can do. For quite awhile I have made it my mission to improve our lawn. We mow it faithfully and do the basic necessary maintenance, but quite frankly it is ugly. We were given the worst soil. It is sandy, and it's hard to get nice grass to grow. The one thing that seems to flourish is weeds. I've been hand digging out dandelions every morning. I hate those yukky sprays. Out of the blue the biggest, ugliest patches of crabgrass took hold. At first I was excited because I thought it was new grass springing up, but nope, ugly crabgrass. I knew it wasn't going to be easy to get it out, but I thought of the work ethic my mom and dad always displayed. Our lawn was beautiful growing up. Both of my parent's had a love of gardening. My father passed away as most of you know, but my mom continues to have a gorgeous yard, front and back.

I thought about how to get that ugly crabgrass out. I got out various garden tools, and went to town. At first it would hardly budge, but little by little I started making some progress. Instead of being disenchanted I started getting hopeful that I would get the ugly green mass out. This is where my analogy comes in. Weeds are ugly, and if left unattended they will overtake all the beautiful grass that we so desire. The weed's roots are deep and hard to budge, but they can be with lots of determination. I still struggle with how I was treated at my prior job. It is very easy for this hate I feel in my heart about these people to rise up and get me in a very negative state. I am an achiever (academically anyway, not so much financially or organizationally LOL!) and to be treated as though I were a stupid-good-for-nothing-so-and-so is new territory for me. I hope I never have to go through that ever again. I thought about those chunks of crabgrass and their deep stubborn roots as myself. As I ripped them out, I thought about how much I don't want those weeds to grow around my heart. Life is too darn short. I thought about my parents and how their patience gave them such a beautiful yard and how their nurturing made me the person that I am. I can get critical of my own children at times, and even though it is out of love, there is a fine line about how much of that is acceptable. I thought about how the lawn takes water, fertilizer, new seeds, and maintenance to thrive. I also thought about how neglecting it will surely result in an eyesore that no one wants to be around, unwelcoming and depressing, just like a bitter person. Really caring for a lawn is a perfect lesson for life. I have successfully yanked out one big chunk of ugly crab grass, and believe me there was sweat on my brow when I went back inside. I am going to dig out some more tomorrow. As I dig I am going to think about ridding myself of the bitter thoughts that continue to plague me to this day. I can rip them out by their deep roots just like that ugly crabgrass.

As I walked back in, I noticed a shriveling weed in the planter that I had zapped with weed killer a few days ago. The point of this is that even when we "kill" the weeds, they are usually there under the surface just waiting to come back. Bitterness kills just like the ugly weeds that take over the lawn if someone isn't waiting there to yank them out. As soon as the bitter thoughts rear their ugly heads, zap them with
some kind ones. Your heart will thank you. Next time you're doing some hard, sweaty yard work, think of the bitterness you need to purge, and rip it out with the weeds. Throw them in the recycle bin, and feel better. Bye bye weeds, we don't want you around here anymore!

This post is dedicated to my father and the late Tim Russert. Both had a work ethic, integrity and kindness not found in many people. They both lived by example. "My father didn't tell me how to live, he lived and let me watch him do it."-Clarence B. Kelland. Happy Father's Day Dad. I'll miss you forever. Both my dad and Tim died from heart disease. This site could help save your or someone you love's life. It's quick and anonymous. If you get dangerous readings, go to the doctor. Sudden heart attacks kill 850 people a day in the United States. More then many other diseases such as cancer and AIDS combined. Take care of yourself. If you smoke-QUIT!!!! Plain and simple, just do it!
(One of my favorite all-time photos. I'm the shortie in blue, with my adorable daddy, and my cousin. We were 16, taken on Thanksgiving 1984-Happy times).

Love,
Toot

Inspirtation Challenge 4-Quilt Hodge Podge

2008-06-13T08:57:00.000-07:00

1. doll quilt, 2. doll quilt quilted!, 3. flock of triangles- finished binding, 4. wip quilted, 5. Vintage King Quilt, 6. flock daylight, 7. my fair lady quilt, 8. Doll Quilt, 9. Fourth Quilt .Close Up., 10. cecelia's quilt, 11. Grandmother's Flower Garden, 12. dresden 01, 13. Paletas Quilt - texture, 14. quilts, 15. Leaf Baby Quilt, 16. Thrifty Quilt

Here we go, another inspiration challenge! It definitely seems that the majority of my blog readers are quilters. Those are the challenges that seem to generate real enthusiasm. I was lucky because Andria O on Flickr already took the time to make this awesome quilt collage. I came across it because my kids, my mom and I went to see a professional production of "My Fair Lady" last night. Beautiful but very long. I love the movie, and I wondered if there was a My Fair Lady Quilt, so I searched and sure enough there was. It is in this collage (2nd row, third from the left). Love the colors.

If you haven't played along before, here are the "rules." Use the photo for inspiration. You DO NOT have to make a quilt. You can use any medium you like, painting, scrapbooking,sewing, etc. Use the colors, the shapes, whatever inspires you in an original project of your choosing. As you go along, update your progress on your blog, and link that SPECIFIC post to the Mr. Linky box at the top of this post. Since so many of you are quilters, I hope to see lots of posts at the top! ANY quilt will do you know. For those of you that don't quilt PLEASE join us, all creativity is art! Next month I'll post another challenge. If you have been playing along, you may post any previous challenge project here as well.

A few personal updates: My mom and a few friends and I have started up our book club again. I get most all of my books exclusively at thrift shops, and the library store. I have also discovered the greatest thing since sliced bread. Our library lets us download full-length audio books for free for two weeks. You can listen to them on your computer for two weeks through their software. After that they automatically expire, so you don't have to worry about turning them in. You can also download them to a personal mp3 player. I listen to them while driving, cleaning the house, doing yardwork. It's great. I get the mandatory chores done, and get to read at the same time. It is a Godsend for busy mommy types like us. I have found most of the books for my book club this way. You can also rent audio books at the library on CD for a small fee if they aren't available for download. It is a great way to treat yourself to some reading time without guilt. Encourage your library to provide this service if they don't have it. It is WONDERFUL! For those of you that like to read, I thought I'd give you a few recommendations. 1.Last month we read The Queen of the Big Time by Adrianna Trigiani. We loved it. She's one of my favorite authors. She writes about extended Italian-American families over several generations. I've read several of her books, and have loved almost every one of them.

2. Our current read is Savannah Blues by Mary Kay Andrews. This is the second book of hers that I have read. She's pretty hilarious, and envelops her readers in southern culture. This novel is obviously set in Savannah. You can just feel the humidity, and taste the southern sweet tea. I'm in the middle of this one, but enjoying it immensely, a great summer read. This is one that the library has as an audio download, so I'm getting to "hear" the south in all its glory! My mom is reading the copy I bought at the thrift store. It's a win-win!

3.Our August read is Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I have already finished this. It is about 465 pages, and I had to read this one. All I can say is WOW! This book is one of those that you'll probably remember your whole life, and refer to it as a life guide. She is a Christian author (which I must admit doesn't usually intrigue me). I am a Christian, but Christian books usually intimidate me. This book retells a Biblical story during the California gold rush. It is a tough topic but she never goes over the line to where it was "too much" to read. It deals with prostitution and asks if there is ever a sin that is too great to be forgiven. It isn't preachy. The main female character can be exasperating for the reader, but I had to keep reminding myself of what she had been through in her life. I do not think you'll be sorry if you read this. I stayed up all night until 4:10am last Sunday to finish it. I can't believe I did that! It was that good. Look at the reviews on Amazon. Over 500, and mostly straight 5-stars. That convinced me to read it. I called my friend and thanked her for choosing it. Michael, the main male character reminded me so much of my father. There was a paragraph in which the described him that brought tears to my eyes, switch the name James for Michael and she was talking about my dad. I miss him SO MUCH!!!! If you read this, leave me a note on my blog, and tell me what you think. I want to read some of her other novels now.
I sprained my ankle so I'm hobbling around, but I'm going to try and work on a quilt I started awhile ago. If I make progress I'll post as I go along. Please join in on the challenge if you get some projects finished. Thanks for being my friends. Now that it's summer, let's enjoy some craft time without all the pressures of the school year.

ETA: Rest in peace Tim. I have sat and cried my eyes out over the loss of Tim Russert. I love news programs, and have been keeping up with the election coverage this year. I hung on Tim's every word. After watching the news coverage about his death, I realize more then ever what an amazing soul we lost today. He was kind to everyone, and the best of the best at what he did. His son just graduated from Boston University, and he wrote him a card when he left for college. All it said was: Study hard, laugh often, hold onto your honor. WOW! If my own children will follow this advice, how proud I will be. I posted this on my fridge. I'm so sad for his family that his son won't have his father for father's day, and that Tim's beloved father won't have his son. What a tragedy. I'm so sorry you won't be here for this historic election Tim, but I know you'll be here in spirit. Rest in peace. Your loyal fans will miss you more then you'll ever know.

Toodle-oo!

C

I'm still alive!

2008-06-10T13:56:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone-

Thanks for checking in with me. Several of you have emailed me to see that I'm OK. I am, and I appreciate you thinking about me. One more day of school for my kids, and we'll have a little break.

I got straight A's again! Woo-Hoo! I worked so hard, and luckily I held onto my 4.0.

I'll update my blog soon with a REAL post. It'll be time for another challenge soon. I'll see what I can dig up, and I'll check in soon!

Toodle-Oo!

C

Inspiration Piece #3-Inspiration Boards

2008-05-09T00:12:00.000-07:00

1. Inspiration board, 2. Completed Inspiration Board - Close Up, 3. painted the inspiration board black, 4. Inspiration Boards {on flickr}, 5. inspiration board (erhh, wall), 6. inspiration-1, 7. Inspiration Board, 8. inspiration board, 9. Inspiration Board in my Studio, 10. above my desk, 11. Amy's Inspiration Board, 12. spring inspiration board, 13. The Posie studio, repainted and reorganized at last!14. Not available15. Not available16. Not available

Inspiration overload! (Click to see the photos bigger, all Flickr links are below the collage.) I love these boards so much. I thought they'd be perfect for our inspiration piece this round. As you can see the center board with Audrey inspired me so much that I made a scrap quilt around it. The post of my quilt is linked in the Mr. Linky box. Feel free to link any past inspiration challenge project here along with the current challenge piece. I can only have one Mr. Linky box at a time, and there is no time limit on the challenge. Work at your own pace, and post them when you're finished. This is all about sparking our creativity, not putting time limits and pressure on ourselves!

If you participate, link the specific post with your project in the Mr. Linky box. It is very easy, just follow the instructions. I have had so much fun looking at the different ideas. In case you haven't played along before, you can be inspired by anything you see to make whatever you want. You don't have to make an inspiration board. Use the colors, pictures, shapes, etc. to spark your creativity. You can draw, scrapbook, sew, quilt, etc. Post your project on your blog, then link it here on mine so everyone can see it. I hope this idea inspires you, and we'll have something else next month. Thanks so much for playing along each month. I have throughly enjoyed meeting new crafty friends, and I have been amazed at the creative ideas. Have fun, and go make some stuff!

Toodle-oo!

C

Look Ma, I Meandered!

2008-05-05T17:58:00.001-07:00

Here is the Mr. Linky box to link posts for any of the inspiration challenges. Challenges are all listed on the right hand sidebar of my blog!

ETA: I can only display one Mr. Linky at a time, so if you finish a prior inspiration challenge, go ahead and link it here too. That way we can all see your hard work, and it won't get buried in an old post. Of course link the current project here as well! I expect us to have more then one link, because a quilt or whatever your inspired project is is a work in progress. Link every step of the way so we can cheer each other on. A quilt can get tedious, but it's so worth it in the end! Can't wait to see what everyone makes! Have fun!

CLICK PHOTOS TO SEE THEM BIGGER! I LEFT THEM LARGE SO YOU CAN SEE THE DETAIL!

Hi everyone!

LOOK! LOOK what I made! Amandajean, you know the awesome quilt-along blogger, gave me some tips about how to make a scrap quilt. SO I found an inspiration piece (as a matter of fact-the piece I used will be part of Inspiration Piece 3 that I will be posting in a few days!) so I could get a basic color scheme to work with. I settled on Breakfast at Tiffany's colors. In case you didn't know, I'm a bit Audrey crazy. I think she was the cutest, and a class act humanitarian to boot. Just LOVE her! I started this for myself, but my mommy saw it, when it was a work in progress, and flipped over it, so it's now going to be my mommy's mother day present from me. I'm pretty sure she'll be happy, and not totally surprised since she keeps hinting that it would be a wonderful mother's day present for her! LOL! Every single piece of this came from my scrap bin. I did what Amandajean told me to do. I found a piece I liked, and sewed it to another piece, and made sure to press each section as I went along. What a HUGE difference it makes. I was so lazy about pressing before, and I won't be again. Pressing changes the size of the pieces, and makes it obvious when a piece is really off grain, and needs to be trimmed. I used all different lengths, but the widths need to match up by either trimming down a big piece or sewing a smaller piece to another piece to make the width big enough to fit. Does that make sense? I laid out the scraps in a basic plan and sewed them together in rows, then sewed those rows together to make the whole top.

I'm pretty jazzed that I free motion quilted the whole quilt using the meandering style. I kept practicing and practicing. I sewed my practice pieces together for my kitty cats, and they think it is so awesome that they now have their own quilt on my bed. LOL! I had a big piece of material from the cheapie section at Wal-Mart that I used for the back. I sewed a few scraps to the edges next to the binding, just to keep my scrappy theme going.

I added a "peeper" around Audrey's photo using this tutorial!

I cut my binding 2 3/4" wide instead of the usual 2 1/2" and sewed the binding on using a 1/2" seam allowance. Last time, the tiny 1/4" seam allowance caused lots of the binding to pull loose on my last quilt, and I didn't want that to happen again. It worked perfectly. I trimmed some of the seam allowance and made sure I didn't cut through any parts I didn't want to, then I blind stitched the binding by hand on the back side of the quilt. As usual there are some things that aren't perfect, but overall I'm pretty darn proud of this quilt. I have learned so much in the last few months, and it's fun to start seeing improvement. Hopefully I'll get better and better. The quilt measures 40x50", a lap quilt size.

I'll be posting our next inspiration challenge in 5 days. Don't forget to join us!

For all of you mommies out there, I hope you have a wonderful, RELAXING Mother's Day!

Toodle-oo!

C

Bento Box Progress 2, and some quilty tutorials!

2008-04-25T20:28:00.000-07:00

Before I get started,here is the Mr. Linky box and notes about inspiration 2. The link for the inspiration challenges are on my righthand sidebar if you need them. Click on 2 for the current challenge. Please don't forget to check out the other participant's links. Some have already linked projects for this challenge. It is so appreciated when we leave each other some encouragement.

ETA: I can only display one Mr. Linky at a time, so if you finish a prior inspiration challenge, go ahead and link it here too. That way we can all see your hard work, and it won't get buried in an old post. Of course link the current project here as well! I expect us to have more then one link, because a quilt or whatever your inspired project is is a work in progress. Link every step of the way so we can cheer each other on. A quilt can get tedious, but it's so worth it in the end! Can't wait to see what everyone makes! Have fun!

Hi all!

I had a nice surprise today. Some of my best friends surprised me and gave me a 40th birthday party at Olive Garden. Each chair had a "40" balloon on it, and I had a funny hat to show that I was the guest of honor. One of my friends gave me a walking stick, Depends, Prune Juice. Ha Ha. She'll get hers in a few years. They also gave me a gift certificate and a few other nice goodies, plus they got my lunch. How fun is that. So nice to know somebody loves me!

Onto my post!
Here's the progress I've made on my Bento Box quilt. I have five more squares to make and I'll start sewing the top together. I have another quilt all basted together with pins. I'm going to get brave and try and meander quilt again. I'll show you pictures once I've made enough headway to share. Wish me luck!

I know lots of us quilt, and some of you are in the learning stages like me. I've kept track of some tuts that have really helped me, and I thought I'd share the links! I also have a little tut to share that I made up myself to help conserve on the expensive fabric sheets. I'll do my tut first then I'll add the other links below it. USE TUT AT YOUR OWN RISK. THIS IS WHAT WORKS IN MY PRINTER. I'LL TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY IF IT DOESN'T WORK ON OTHER PRINTERS. Sorry for the caveat, but I'm into putting the use at your own risk up front and personal. Onto the tut!

As we all know fabric sheets are quite pricey when you have to use several of them. I usually buy mine at Wal-Mart. I haven't found a better price, and I'm really happy with the results. Here are the sheets I use, Colorfast. I don't use the iron on ones, I use the sew-in ones in a bright pink package. If you have a Jo-Anns near you, use their 40% off coupon, and you'd get an even better deal.

Step 1:
Design your label in a photo editing program. I make my labels 4x5" and make sure the new project is set at 300 dpi. I HATE when a project doesn't print clearly because there isn't enough resolution. Save label as a .jpg.

Step 2: Cut up fabric sheet into (4) 4x5 pieces. You will be able to make FOUR labels from one sheet. I used to print a label and throw away the rest because I couldn't figure out how to put the cut sheet through the printer again. This will solve the problem-trust me. DO NOT REMOVE THE PAPER BACKING ON THE FABRIC SHEET. YOU'LL KEEP IT ON UNTIL AFTER YOU'RE DONE PRINTING THE LABEL!

Step 3:
Set your printer to draft or whatever setting uses the LEAST amount of ink. This is just a way to check the size, and have something to line the label up with. Print out the label in draft mode on a plain white sheet of paper. You'll get a very faint print out on the paper. (I'm a huge Audrey fan, and this is a project I'm working on. I'll share when I'm finished!) Here's a photo to see what I'm talking about:

Step 4:
Remove this faint copy from the printer and use double stick tape to put your 4x5 fabric piece over the faint print. FABRIC SIDE UP. YOU WANT TO PRINT DIRECTLY ONTO THE FABRIC SIDE. Hold it up to the window, and you can see exactly how to line it up. If you don't have double stick tape, you can use regular tape, but make sure the tape doesn't cover the printed area, or your ink will be on the tape instead of the label! Here's a photo of this step. It's hard to see, but the fabric label piece is taped over the draft print you made before. Ignore the black shadow on the paper.

Step 5:
Make sure the paper is facing the right direction for printing, and put this fabric covered paper piece back into the printer. With these sheets I set my printer to photo, and plain paper setting, and reprint the same label. DO NOT use draft mode this time. The picture will line up and print out perfectly right onto the fabric label because of the paper template you made. Works like a charm every time. This way I quadruple the amount of labels I get from one sheet. Once the ink dries, I run the label under cold water, then run a hot iron over the fabric piece to set the ink. You can wash these labels in the washer, but you don't use detergent, just a little fabric softener, and you have to air dry them. I'm going to try throwing one in the dryer that is on a quilt. I'm assuming it will come out ok, but I haven't tried that yet! Heres a pic of my completed fabric label. Hope this helps some of you.

Now for a list and a few videos that are teaching me the ropes.
1.Here's a video that shows how to "square up" the back of a quilt although I haven't used it yet. I might the next time, because I could do better in this dept.
REMOVING VIDEO TO HELP BLOG LOADING TIME!
A link that shows a tutorial of the order in which this quilter quilts her quilt sandwiches. It makes so much sense. I've started doing this on the practice pieces I've been working on, and it works SO much better then the way I was quilting. With basically no rhyme or reason.
3.Link that tells about what the judges look for in a quilting competition. I learned a lot of info about properly binding. I have no intention of entering a quilt show YET, but I figure I might as well learn to do things the right way.
4.Here's the last video for this post. I have others to share, but don't want this post to take ten years to load, so I'll post the other videos next time. Crazy Mom Quilts posted a video on how she "meander" quilts. A light bulb went off for me the other day. I realized when I meander quilt, I shouldn't focus on making a shape, I should focus on sewing a line, one solid line that curves and swerves. That's all it is. I was trying to make puzzle pieces, and that was stressful. Just start at the top, and make one meandering line that doesn't stop til I get to the bottom. I still have tons of practice to go, but I've been practicing every day, and I am improving.
REMOVING VIDEO TO HELP BLOG LOADING TIME

I added a live tag board to the side of my blog. Come join my friends and I in our fun word game. There's a link above the tag board that explains how to play.

How are you doing on your Inspiration 2 project? Don't forget to link it to the Mr. Linky box, and look at the other projects people have posted. They are GREAT! Have a great weekend, and go make some stuff!

Toodle-oo!

C

Let's Play A Word Game!

2008-04-23T08:12:00.000-07:00

(Upon further inspection, the last photo I used from Flickr had some words I didn't notice the first time, so let's try this jumbled letter photo instead-Here's the Flickr gallery link)
Before I get started,here is the Mr. Linky box and notes about inspiration 2. The link for the inspiration challenges are on my righthand sidebar if you need them. Click on 2 for the current challenge. Please don't forget to check out the other participant's links. Some have already linked projects for this challenge. It is so appreciated when we leave each other some encouragement.

ETA: I can only display one Mr. Linky at a time, so if you finish a prior inspiration challenge, go ahead and link it here too. That way we can all see your hard work, and it won't get buried in an old post. Of course link the current project here as well! I expect us to have more then one link, because a quilt is a work in progress. Link every step of the way so we can cheer each other on. A quilt can get tedious, but it's so worth it in the end! Can't wait to see what everyone makes! Have fun!

This is one of my favorite games,and I used to play it everyday on a message board on a scrapbooking site I was very active on. It was SO fun. It's super fast, super fun, and anyone will be able to understand it. Here's the scoop!

I am going to post a word on the tagboard I added to the right side of my sidebar.

You can ONLY do ONE of these things at a time. You can ADD, Change, or Drop one letter from the word to make it a new word. Remember you can only do ONE of these things per turn. You CAN'T use proper nouns, or in other words anything that needs to be capitalized. You CAN'T use abbreviations, foreign words,acronyms etc. The word must be found in an English dictionary. We'll use One Look. com as our reference dictionary. You CAN'T repeat a word that has already been used no matter how far back it goes. You can play as many times in a game as you want as long as one or more players has gone after your turn.

Here's an example:

Me: cat
you: cart
someone: part
him: art (p dropped from above word)
her: dart

Do you get it? It's SO FUN, and totally addicting!

It will eventually get to the point that no more words can be made. Whoever gets the last successful word is crowned the winner. The winner is always crowned Queen or King. The winner can start the next game by posting the next starting word. I'm going to crown myself queen since I'm starting the first game!

Since I am the proprietor of this blog, I will make the final decision about a word if there is a question. Someone has to be in charge, right? LOL!

Come join us. It's too fun. If lots of people show interest, we'll keep this going all the time. There are always words to play. The English language is pretty darn vast! If someone posts a word, and it is confusing to read in the tagboard, I will adjust the post and make it more readable.

To sum up the game:
CANS:
Add, Change, or drop ONE letter per turn
You may add or drop an "s" from a word, that counts as two separate words such as cat>cats or Cats>Cat
Needs to be found in English Dictionary
I will make the final decision about whether a word stands or not
If a word is not acceptable, we will go back to the last accepted word and the person that posted it, and start the game from there. If an unacceptable word has been played and others have played after it, all of those words will be voided, and we will go back to the point where the last acceptable word was played.

CAN'TS:
No proper words
No Abbreviations
No acronyms
No foreign words
NO repeated words, no matter how far back the word was played the first time.

If you have ANY questions about how to play, leave me a comment, and I'll answer in the comment section so everyone can see the answer!

Thank you for the fabulous birthday wishes yesterday. I really appreciate it. I had a low key nice day, the perfect kind! Now I can say I'm 40 and fabulous. LOL!

Keep working on your Bento Box Inspiration piece! Jump on over to the word board, and let's play my word game! I'm gonna win! I'm gonna win! (Said like a bratty little kid in braids! LOL!)

Toodle-oo!

C

I'm 40!!!! (In a few hours that is!)

2008-04-21T21:45:00.000-07:00