Clearing out the stash...

I have a lot of fabric. I love fabric and I can't resist a bargain. Every holiday or major sale you will find me searching through the end of bolt or last season fabrics... Two days ago, I found some amazing batik for $2.50 a yard! It's going to be a sweet dress, one day real soon. Oh wait, this post is about clearing the stash, whoops. Anyway...

I got some advice, once upon a time from a long time sewer, who said, "You don't need to buy the most expensive machine out there, but you want to buy the best machine you can afford". So many years ago, when I bought my first Singer, I paid $99 for it, cause it was what I could afford. What a great little machine, too. Two years ago, I bought another Singer, because my Grandma was a Singer sewer and I'm nostalgic about that... But more importantly, it fit my budget and tickled my imagination with features. This year, when contemplating the serger, I researched and pondered and dreamed, and finally decided on a Brother. One, it fit my budget and two, it has an excellent track record for troubles, maintenance and repairs.

Between the two, they have transformed my sewing life completely. I have always sewn, but now... It is so easy and fun to whip up projects that I'm actually working my way through my stash. Yes, it's true. Not that you can see much of a dent yet, but I'm working on it.

I plan to update regularly with my completed projects, but sometimes I give stuff away without taking pictures - - how frustrating is that!

I bought this fabric during one holiday blowout at JoAnn's and it's been sitting in my studio ever since. Now it's become sweet little shorts for vaca! Seriously, 15 minutes from laying out the pattern to trying on the finished shorts.

I think the lips are funny... On shorts...

Well I'm not all that consistent am I?

Looking back I realize I'm not all that consistent a blogger. Do I feel bad about this... No. I figure I'm the only one who ever reads this (even though I frequently write as though thousands are reading it) and if I don't feel deprived in reading it... Then no biggie.

On to more important things. First let me say summer reading programs are the best. As I've said before, I'm an avid reader. My mother read every day and both my sister and I picked up the bug. There have been times when I've stayed away from books, either because of a lack of time or lack of inspiration. But summer reading programs always get me excited. I discovered a website Goodreads.com some time ago and have spent some time on and off looking at booklists and slowly entering the thousands of titles I've read. Most of which I probably won't be able to recall.

I found a group of seasonal readers, with a tremendous list of 'tasks' that challenged me to think outside the box and venture outside my comfort zone for reading. So far in the month of June I've read 7 books and am working on 8. It's amazing. I've discovered authors I thoroughly enjoyed and books I thought I would but didn't. The tasks are interesting and make me think about what I will read. Not to mention the great wealth of information contained on the Goodreads website. If you like books, try the site. Let me know what you think.

Also... I have a new serger (imagine trumpeting sounds here). It is my big present to myself for 2010. I've always wanted one and now that I have it, I know why. It is as amazing and fantastic as you might imagine. I am in search of things to make with it. So far I've learned to make potholders and eyeglass cases from an amazing book by Georgie Melot called Ready, set, serge. She has created this wonderful patterns that enable you to make fun and useful items sewing only with a serger! I've also used it to finish every seam on every garment I've made since I bought it, which is a jacket, dress, two skirts and one shirt. I'm hoping to make a few pairs of shorts and a couple more dresses before the vacation mid-july.

Finally, for today's post anyway, we enjoyed the most spectacular spring this year. Lots of rain, lots of sunny days and the gardens have been stunning. I'm including a picture of a climbing rose I bought on a whim one fine day and it has in three short summers turned into the most beautiful thing. It grows just as it should, up a rusty wire trellis my husband affixed to the garage and is so stunning that the color looks fake. But, I assure you it is real. It began blooming in early May and continued to bloom for 5 weeks. Then, just when I thought it done for the season, it began blooming again today. I don't think it will be the riot of color it was in May, but I'm thankful and in awe that it continues to bloom.

Homemade Gift Ideas #1

I've been busy, creating homemade goodies for Christmas... I'm planning to show several over the next week or so. These are not my own creations, but are so good they are worth sharing again:

First up, I've made dozens of microwave baked potato bags. Have you heard of them? If you give it a try I suspect you will not go back. It's not just the amount of time and energy that you will save, it's the texture of the potato. They emerge from the bag, steamy, moist and so fluffy.

The bags are really simple. There are several instruction sites on the web if you are interested. You can jazz them up or go simple. The most important thing to keep in mind is cotton cotton cotton. Use 100% cotton fabric and batting. I used muslin on the inside and chose from my cotton scraps for the outside. You can even piece the fabrics together if you want to use up smaller scraps. Anyway, if you are looking for a fun, useful, quick, handmade project I highly recommend.

Cooking instructions:
wash potatoes and wrap wet potatoes individually in paper towels. do not prick! place inside bag. place bag inside mircrowave and follow your microwave's directions for potatoes, and go. (my microwave has a potato button, you hit the button for the number of potatoes you are planning to cook and the readout shows 1,2,3 or 4. then it starts automatically, and about 2/3 of the way through it stops and beeps for you to turn the bag over and hit the start button again for the remainder of the cooking time. it takes about 15 minutes for 4 potatoes. your microwave may be different, so please read your instructions.) If you cannot find your instruction book, check online. There are tons of instructions manuals on the net and chances are you can find yours.

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store? What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more? dr. suess

been a while...

Well, it's been a while since I've updated the blog, before today. It was an interesting summer and fall, I must say and it left little time or more accurately, little energy for blogging. Sometimes, when you are in the thick of it, all you can do is be in it. So, the blog has been neglected. And while I write this blog as though lots of people read it, I don't know if they do, and even if they do I really can't imagine anyone being interested in my little dramas or dramadies, as the case may be. So, all in all, I think that enough said about that.

I have been very busy creatively though and have several things to feature on the blog! I have also been re-inspired in the kitchen and have turned soup making into an art (no false modesty here!).

When I have a lot on my plate to consider, mull over, contemplate, or decipher, my creative urge skyrockets. Does that ever happen to you?

Life if change. Growth is optional. Choose wisely.

#1 Meal - Time Saving Tip

My absolute favorite time saving technique is to make ahead one pound packages of browned ground meats, which I freeze in zipper freezer bags.

I start by buying differing kinds of ground meat at the grocery. Ground Turkey, Beef, Chicken, Sausage, doesn't matter. I usually usually make 6 pounds at a time and use two or three different kinds of meat. I use a small food chopper to chop up 1 stalk of celery, 1 large carrot, 1 clove of garlic and one yellow onion per 2 pounds. I brown two pounds at a time cause that's what fits in my skillet. I salt and pepper and include some veggies with each batch. When brown, I drain, then dump it into a huge bowl to wait until all the batches are finished. Mix well, then divide into zipper bags. ONce you fill the bags, squeeze the air out, zip, then smoosh the bag flat cause it stores much better in the freezer this way.

These little bags of wonder make in a hurry dinners! Just think of all the dishes you can make: spaghetti, chili, sloppy joes, omelet filling, pizza topping...

Happy Monday!

I am happy. It's going to be an excellent day!

I'm going to get some stuff done that I've been wanting to for a while and enjoy the tremendous weather at the same time.

This rose is a climbing rose that I bought on a whim. It didn't bloom the first year and I wasn't totally sure what it would look like. When it started to bloom this year, I was stunned. It produces the most amazingly, shockingly pink blooms. The color doesn't seem real, but I assure the picture is accurate. It's started to send shoots up, which we are going to train it to grow on a wire, up the side of the garage, and so while thoroughly enjoying the show this year, I am eagerly anticipating next year.

"Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared." Buddha

I hope your Monday is happy and all that you want it to be.

It's time to find the JOY!

Okay, July has been a tricky month. Highs, lows, celebrations, tragedy, challenges, accomplishments. I've had some trouble gaining my balance, but...

Today is a new day and I'm finding the joy again.

That being said, this blog started out as fun. I intended to use it to document my activities, interests and whatever struck my fancy. Then, it kind of became a task, which I never intended nor wanted.

Since I'm focusing on joy, I've decided not to write about the disappointments or challenges that don't go well and leave it out in the world for all to read. So, I may be editing or deleting some posts as they don't really say who I truly am. They just reflect a moment in time.

"Let other pens dwell on guilt and misery." Jane Austen

I wholeheartedly agree. I believe that life is what you make it and I'm making it beautiful.

This picture is of my oldest clematis. It's been moved three times, but is now in it's permanent home. It is a testiment to learning to adapt. Each time it's had to move, there was a period of adjustment, but each time it successfully rooted, and grew stronger. Did you notice the handcrafted garden teepee? A mother's day gift from my husband and kids. Quite something. This clematis knows it's finally home and has celebrated by growing to adorn the teepee and blooming for weeks.