Sunday, September 6, 2015

YOP Week #10 but nothing much to show for it..........

I can't help myself, I am just wanting to be Ms. Domestic all of a sudden and the handwork has gone to pot!  In fact, I'm not even going to post this to the YOP group because they would snicker.  But that being said I am feeling great about what I have accomplished.  The rear end of my Tahoe is almost full with "stuff" for the thrift store and I have an ongoing shopping bag near the door and when it gets full......out it goes to the car!  Ta Da!
Yesterday, I made the blueberry custard pie with streusel on top and OMG is it ever good.  I never really liked straight blueberry pie that well but this is a whole different story!  Yummo!

I had a little help when it came time to make the streusel............whoa there little one!  She's a lot quicker than her mistress!
This is with the streusel on top. It's not as pretty but who cares when it tastes SO GOOD!  It's actually very easy to make too.
After the pie, I made the Barilla Penne Pasta with Italian Sausage and can I just say that the smell alone is worth making it.  Nothing like a cozy evening at home with the smells of a hearty dinner cooking on the stove to look forward to.  I really do have a wonderful life and good food is a big part of it.  This is not expensive to make and it is healthy too.  You really can "have it all"!
Now that your mouth is watering I have a not so fun picture to show you...........I looked out the window and there was a praying mantis hiding under my hummingbird feeder just waiting for an unsuspecting hummer!  I love them and they are very beneficial insects but NOT when they get near my hummers.  They kill them so I chased it away and off he flew.  I hope not to bother the hummers!
I think they knew it was there because I didn't see them all day but today they're back and I keep an eye out for the mantis!
There was football on yesterday!  I thought there would be some today but so far nada.  Yay!  It's football season...Fall is beginning even if it is in the 90's here.....ugh!  This was the BYU vs. Nebraska game and it was a good one!  BYU won in the last few seconds of the game!
Last night I watched Cedar Cove on Hallmark and then switched to PBS where I watched Dr. Blake and then they had a new one one; Miss Fisher murder mysteries.  It's really good too.  Hallmark has their own mystery channel but I don't get that one.
  I did do a little cross stitch while I watched t.v.
I hope you're enjoying your Labor Day weekend!
Happy Trails!







Friday, September 4, 2015

Friday Favorites



During the week I run across different blogs, books, projects, recipes...you name it.  So, I thought I would share them with you at the end of the week.  The weekend is upon us and what better way to be inspired or motivated or find a little reward for all your hard work this past week.

#1 - I found this wonderful blog on Pinterest when I was looking at one of my pins on cleaning which led me to "a friend of a friend of a friend" sort of scenario.  But it brought me to Jennifer's blog, The Craft Patch  and she has done the greatest thing for all of us.   She routinely tests pins on Pinterest!
They either work or they don't and she does a "show and tell" on each one she tests.  I tried one of her successful ones and she was right!  Not only are they all listed in one section so you don't have to search all over her blog for them but she also has one specifically for recipes. 
I usually clean with vinegar but she had one where you use 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 Dawn detergent so I tried it and I just kicked my cleaning solution up a notch!  Thank you, Jennifer!  Next I'm trying her "approved" grout cleaner.  She also has so much on her blog, sewing, knitting, landscaping, before and afters.....you name it!  Have fun but get a cuppa before you visit as there is so much there you'll be sitting there for awhile!
#2.  I was over visiting Heidi at Apron History    
( can I just say I love her blog and her house!  She is so "neat and clean" in her housekeeping and that is what I am striving for.....only holding onto things I really love or need).  Anyway, I digress, but in one of her posts she mentioned a favorite book by Jane Brockett.  I want that book and all books by her.  There are 3 she has written and here they are!



 Ms. Brocket is from England and you know what an Anglophile I am!  I can't wait to peruse those pages!  Thank you, Heidi!

#3 - New fabric line from Windham Fabrics coming out this month called Storybook Vacation which I can't wait to get my hands on!

Melissa over at Oh How Sweet has sewn a darling little zippered bag using it..........


"Next month, Windham Fabrics is releasing Storybook Vacation by Whistler Studios.  It’s an adorable collection of repro-like prints that are all about the idyllic scenes of a beach vacation.  These prints are so sweet and really allow for some great fussy cutting.  I thought this collection would be perfect for the simple patchwork zipper pouch pattern from Amy Sinibaldi‘s book, Sweetly Stitched Handmades."
Please visit her blog as she has the cutest things with tutorials for many of them.  It just so happens I have Amy's book already.  Now, I just need to get my hands on that fabric! LOL!  Melissa,  you did a gorgeous job on that pouch!

#4 - Recipes to try this week.  I have some blueberries to use up (hopefully they are not spoiled yet) and Alicia Paulson
made this scrumptious looking blueberry custard pie...it looks yummy and it's not even baked yet in that photo!
12Pie2
Also, I'm in the mood for some Italian....food that is! LOL!  Barilla Pasta
has wonderful recipes on it's website and I might even have made this one before as all their recipes are so good!  This is Penne pasta with Italian Sausage.
Penne with Italian Sausage
Those are my Friday Favorites for this week.  I have lots of "favorites" so I don't think I'll run out anytime soon! LOL!  Enjoy!  What are your plans for the Labor Day weekend? 
Happy Trails!

 

Thursday, September 3, 2015

I missed Wednesday!

Where did Wednesday go?  I missed it but I got lots done for a day that I missed (blogging that is)! LOL!   There were some sad moments yesterday like when I "frogged"  my sweater...yes, I know....very sad but it's for the best.  I am on such a cleaning and organizing "jag" that it is all that is on my mind.  When I should be paying attention to my knitting I am thinking of what I'm going to do next.  So, I am not going to work on anything too complicated...just some "brain-dead" handwork like crocheting granny squares or something that I can't mess up after hours and hours of work.
So, on my breaks, I looked at this..........I love this one but I have no pale yellow or blue....this is a "planned" granny square blanket using pre-chosen colors...some day
I really like the "classic" granny square too made from scraps which is what I should do as I don't need to be ordering any yarn...or do I?
This one's a charmer...so "cottagy" and every 3rd row is red!
I adore the edging on this one.......gorgeous!
Oh, but look at this one with the green and teal borders......and 4 little squares inside a bigger square....a must have/do.....
Oh, pink!  Love it!  I have never really gone "pink" anything but it screams vintage and oh how I love me some vintage.
and then there's the solid granny squares which I have already done some of these and maybe I should continue on.........
In fact, this is the one from Sandra over at Cherry Heart 
that I was emulating.  She has great tutorials and patterns too.
And last but not least the tutorial for these granny squares is over at The Patchwork Heart  which is another wonderful blog for crocheting. 
Of course, one can't forget Lucy over at Attic 24  who just came out with a new kit with instructions and yarn for about $35.00 not counting shipping and she has other kits available too. 
What do you think?  Is it the looking or the planning or the doing or the finished product you enjoy most?  If you don't crochet are you tempted to learn?  I love it all but my housework gets in the way! LOL!
Happy Trails!

YESTERDAY I:
cleaned up a paper mess that Miss Peeps scattered all over
watered outside
painted 2 coat on South side of shed
cleaned up the house
cleaned the tub
picked,folded, hung and washed a load of laundry
vacuumed kitchen and laundry room
washed kitchen and laundry room floors
put some items in the car for the Thrift  Store
watched the last evening of Live Big Blue on PBS from Monterey Bay!  Wonderful!
made laundry detergent
See....I really did clean my floors....they're very old and splitting in areas and have some permanent discoloring in spots and nails coming up but they must have been good floors to last this long!
 laundry room......
 and look what I discovered in my cleaning...shelf paper I didn't know I had!  Hip! Hip! Hooray!
Adios Amigos!  Later Alligator!  After while crocodile......

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Typical Tuesday!

I almost forgot to blog!  I don't have a lot but I'm trying to blog something every day and of course my "progress list"...lol.
Yesterday , I got up early and got all the garbages emptied and relined and the garbage out to the street. I then made a list and went to Walmart.  I didn't have a lot to get just staples ie. coffee, dogfood etc.  I did get some candles though and tart warmers.  I couldn't resist as they had the Fall scents in................
 I'm slowly getting all the linens washed and dried (on the line in the basement).  I just need to wash the mattress pads and I should be ready to put some back on the beds and I'll be back to normal wash schedule.  I do like to clean in the Fall better than Spring.
 I made a homemade pizza Sunday night using my homemade bread dough.  It turned out really good but it could have used some green pepper or something green...I do love my vegetables.


I'm starting to light candles around the house even though it's in the 90's.  The house is closed up for the AC so I just pretend it's cold out...lol!  I usually don't use candles during the summer months.

I finished the body of the Christmas present I was working on and now need to stuff it so meanwhile I need something to pick up and knit on my breaks so I dragged out that WIP I told you about and since this is for me I can show you!  It's my first sweater that I started last Fall and then got caught up in Christmas present making and it got lost in the mayhem.  I'm learning to take notes so I know where I left off etc.  You might remember it.  It's a Mary Maxim pattern with no buttons or button holes but I imagine you could belt it if you wanted to.  I'm using a black tweed yarn that is very soft and I enjoy knitting with it.  I'll let you know what yarn it is..it might be on my Ravelry page but I have more skeins tucked away with labels so not a problem.  I just don't have it in front of me right now.   The collar is done at the top and the sweater part is increasing as I knit downward.  It's supposed to be an "easy" knit for a fist time sweater knitter so I hope they're right!
 YESTERDAY I:
went grocery shopping
put it all away
cleaned both litter boxes
emptied garbages and got it out and back in later
went to the library
did laundry
knitted section #2 of Christmas present
watered plants outside
did some clearing and organizing in the family room and kitchen
changed the sheets on my bed
blogged
and in the evening I joined a couple crochet squares and watched Big Blue Live from Monterey Bay, CA. I highly recommend.....it's wonderful and it's on tonight again and tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. on PBS starring sea otters, whales, seals......awesome!
Happy Trails!