~Happy New Year!~

Image source

~Never say "Never"~

When I first started seeing people walking about in hideous, brightly-colored, plastic shoes, and found out that this new trend was called "Crocs", I said, "I would never wear those! They are so ugly!" But then, I started liking them. And then they came out with their "Mary Jane" version. Oooh, I could wear those for gardening!

When I was out with my family the day after Christmas, we serendipitously walked into a shoe store that had their Crocs on sale. And guess what? I walked out with a pair (after paying for them, of course)! I can't wait to wear them this summer; obviously holey shoes wouldn't be very great for walking about in the snow! Hehe! I bought mine in black - if the store had had pink in stock, I would have gotten pink!

Photo credit

~2007 Projects~

1. afghan square, 2. coasters, 3. blue bag, 4. brown apron, 5. box bag, 6. coaster, 7. dpn needle case, 8. valentine runner, 9. softies, 10. napkin rings, 11. ripple afghan, 12. tea cozy, 13. knit purse, 14. Mrs B's aprons, 15. zippered clutch, 16. zippered pouches, 17. Monkey Socks, 18. Child's First Sock, 19. Reversible apron, 20. socks

I did not include a few of the smaller projects I completed, or any of my Etsy sales. As you can see, I accomplished a whole lot more with my sewing machine than with my knitting needles!!

~Home~

This morning at 2:30 a.m., we arrived home from a trip to California. We had a wonderful week + stay with my family! It was great to visit with my family!

The day after Christmas, we went to Pismo Beach, which was a fun, relaxing day. We spent some time on the beach and pier, a little bit of time browsing through shops, and then we all got fish and chips at Splash Cafe, which is well-known in the area (though I'd never heard of it!).

There were two pelicans hanging out at the pier. I've never been so close to them before! They were letting people get within five feet to take pictures.





Today has been a very lazy day. I was so tired from travelling all day yesterday. I slept in late, and have slowly been doing things around the house.

I used to joke with a friend, when it was time for me to go grocery shopping, that I needed to go shopping because all I had was condiments in the fridge. Well, there is very little besides condiments in my refrigerator, so I do need to get to the store sometime this evening!

Hope you all had a merry Christmas!

~Merry Christmas!~

Wishing everyone who stops by a wonderful, merry Christmas!

Christmas is a wonderful time to thank the Lord for coming to earth to redeem us from our sins! It is easy in all the hustle and bustle of gift-getting and giving, cookie baking (and eating!), and parties and activities galore to overlook the one Reason we are celebrating Christmas in the first place!

May God richly bless you this Christmas, and in the New Year to come!!!

~Fruit Cake?~

Around the Christmas season, jokes abound about fruit cake. However, people keep making it, so some people must like it!

I think of it as an "old fashioned" Christmas tradition. It appears on the buffet at my grandma's house, cut in bite-size pieces, every Christmas. I usually take a piece or two. It is ok, but not my favorite.

So...
...do you like it?
...do you make it?

Have a great day!

~More secrets~

If your name is "MOM" don't click here:
Link
Well, ok, I know a lot of ladies go by "Mom", don't they? So I'll let anyone except Kevin's mom click that link!

They're in today's mail! Hope they make it in time!

~Listening~

...as I work in the kitchen:




...a thrifted record. I love my turntable...and Julie Andrew's voice...and the lovely crackliness of listening to records!

~Apples for bunnies and a package in the mail~

These two subjects seem disjointed, but they do go together! *Smiles*

A few days ago, I posted about finding rabbit tracks in the snow around our house. Debra from The Bunnies' Bungalow posted a comment, saying that apples will attract the bunnies back.

So today, I cut up two apples and put them out.


But Debra didn't just stop by my blog to tell me how to feed my bunnies. She was also notifying me that I had won a contest on her blog! How exciting!

And her package came in today's mail. There were soooo many goodies in it! Thank you, Debra!!!

~Today~

Just one of those boring, rambling posts ahead...

This morning I went to a Christmas breakfast hosted by one of the church ladies. I had a great time, and was glad that I went. The food and fellowship were great. The table which I sat at had an assortment of ages, but most of the ladies were in their late 70's. One lady was the oldest of 10 kids, another the oldest of 9 girls. She told about how her mother saved money by making their und*rwe@r out of flour sacks, and how they had the name brand on them still, because the lettering was red, and not possible to bleach out. Another lady talked about all the aprons she had out of feedsacks. Later, she referred to someone being "off their trolley." As I said, the fellowship was great. It was fun to hear the ladies reminiscing of their childhood.

This afternoon I worked on a Christmas project. I haven't taken any pictures yet, so I don't have a secret link to post. But I will soon.

I offered my old camera to my two youngest sisters to play with, and my dad said, "Great, now we'll have 400 blurry pictures on the computer". LOL I didn't think of it that way. (My old camera stopped focusing correctly.)

I got my house all picked up and pretty this afternoon. It's nice to have the clutter all put away!

I'm trying to think of something wonderfully funny or amazing or remarkable, but nothing is coming to me right now, so I'll just sign off!

Have a great day!

~Grocery Bags~

I'm just back from the grocery store (Meijer), and I'm tickled pink over the recyclable grocery bags I bought. (Note: it is the small things in life that make me the most excited. Tell me I won a car, and I'd say, "oh, ok". Tell me that I can buy a grocery bag for $.99 and I jump up and down with joy. LOL)

So anyhow, the bags are wonderful! They only cost $.99 apiece, and they appear very sturdy. I purchased three today, and only needed three extra plastic bags for a week's worth of groceries. They hold so much, and they pack into the cart/trunk of my car very nicely. I have been meaning to make myself some shopping bags, because I really don't like bringing home so many plastic bags each week! For one week's groceries, I usually bring home 10 or so plastic bags. I do reuse some of the bags, but most of them end up in the recycle bin. It is just such a waste!



These bags have a hard plastic insert which goes on the bottom so the bag is easy to load. It also has a little tag so the checker can hook it onto the bag holders. Inside, there are two pockets which fold in/out to secure bottles.

Here you can see the bottle holders (I put a bottle of soy milk in the bag, you can tell how deep the bags are too!), and the little tab that slips onto the bag holders.



Next time I go shopping, I plan on buying three more. I think this will be more than enough for my shopping needs. No more plastic bags! Hurrah!!!

~A little walk~

Yesterday was nice out (as in, it was 33*, not snowing, raining, and no wind fiercely blowing), so I took the opportunity and went for a walk. It was nice to be outside and get some fresh air.

If you look at a chart of obesity percentages by state, you can see where your state fits in.It is no surprise to me that Michigan is in the top 10. A good portion of the year the weather is just so yucky, so uninviting to go out in. There really is not much that will entice the Michigander outside during February, and I do think that weather and outside attractions do play a part in one's fitness.

This winter, I'm going to *try* to get outside more. I need the fresh air, if only for a few minutes. That being said, the weather today is not enticing. It is a rainy, slushy, icy mess out there!

Where does your state fall? Do you think you get outside often enough, especially during the winter?

~Rushing, rushing, hurrying, scurrying~

Kevin and I are in our church's choir, and this year's Christmas cantata has a song that goes along the lines of:
Christmas time is rushing, rushing,
hurrying, scurrying,
much to do, no time to do it,
I can't get it all done at Christmas time...

So of course, that is the song that gets stuck in my head! Not the more meaningful, lovely songs. And you know what? Christmas time IS rushing, rushing, hurrying, scurrying!

In an attempt to make some sense of all my "to do's", I've come to Panerea Bread with my laptop. Lists are my friends, so I'm fully prepared to make out my lists! However, I'm taking a look at my lists, and making sure that they only contain the things that I need to do! I'm cutting out any unnecessary items on my list, so that the days leading up to Christmas are not "rushing, rushing, hurrying, scurrying".

Only 15 days till Christmas! I hope you have a peaceful Christmas time!

~Dessert Centerpiece~

Thank you to everyone who gave me great ideas for my dessert centerpiece! I mulled each idea over, and thought about doing many different things! The final decision was Michelle's Double Musky Cake.

Here it is, on the table before dinner:


It was delicious!!! And I think it counts as a "fabulous" dessert for my 101 List. =) Many thanks to Michelle for not only posting the recipe, but for answering my many questions; most of which showed my ignorance when it comes to preparing a dessert like this!

And a "freebie"...here's a pic of Kevin and me:

~Box Bag~

One of the things I've wanted to make for quite a while is a box bag. I found an onlnine tutorial a few weeks ago, which is what I used to make my bag. I didn't follow it completely, but it was a big help to me. I encased the exposed seams with fabric strips.

Here's the fabric I used, by Moda (I love Moda fabrics. Their cotton is so easy to sew with!)



The finished bag:



My new camera arrived. I'm still playing around with it and getting used to the settings. Having a nice camera does not equal good pictures. LOL

~The sun came out!~

Winter Sun, Biei, Hokkaido, Japan

Yesterday the sun came out of the clouds, the first time in a long time. But do not be fooled, just because the sun was out, did not mean it was warm! It was in the low 20's all day! Brrrrr...

I had to go out yesterday, and I wasn't really dressed that warmly. Go figure. I write a blog post on how to dress warmly, and then I don't even follow it. I think I've been in denial about the weather. You know, if I don't dress like it is 20 degrees outside, mabye it really won't feel like 20 degrees. Or something like that. Well, winter is here to stay this time around, I do believe!

It has been snowing off and on since last Saturday. Unfortunately, we didn't get our
leaves raked up before it started snowing, so there are lots of leaves under the snow! Last night when we came home from church, we saw some rabbit tracks, and some tracks that belonged to a smaller critter (mouse, maybe?). I thought about setting out food for the rabbit, but I've left carrots outside before, and it left it alone. Any ideas?

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

~Afternoon fun~

If you aren't my sister whose name starts with "B" please take a look at my latest project:
Link 1
Link 2
Link 3

But if you are my sister whose name starts with "B" or if "B" happens to be in the room, you better not click those links!!! Christmas is coming, you know!

~Just listed~

This apron is made out of vintage apron fabric! I was ecsatic to find this fabric! Remember that aprons make great Christmas and hostess gifts. *Smiles* Visit my shop (link at left) to view more aprons, including a vintage Christmas apron.

~Lunch with a friend~

This afternoon I had lunch with a friend of mine from our church. She served egg salad with crouissant rolls, grapes, and Sun Chips. Yummy! After lunch, I helped her fold, stuff, and stamp their prayer letter (they are missionaries with a mission board which builds churches in America). We had a nice time together!

I'd like to say how special it is to have friends outside of your age bracket. When you are in Kindergarten, you think that the only friends you can have have to be your exact age. But as an adult, it is wise to have friends of all ages! My friend is my mom's age, but we truly enjoy spending time together.

If you are so blessed as to have Titus 2 women in your church, get to know them! Allow them to be in your circle of friends!

~Doing the happy dance~

I'm getting a new camera! I cannot wait! Well, I guess I'll have to! I ordered it from Dell tonight. I hope I get it soon!



According to Consumer Reports, it is the best buy. I'm all for that! *smiles*

Image from Dell.com.

~December already?~

Wow! This year has flown by!

Today...
* a little laundry * a lot of dishes * relaxing reading * cooking and baking * hopping around a few blogs * a few cups of tea *

Ah...a nice cozy, snowy day!

~Snow~

We've had a warmer fall this year, which has meant that we haven't had much snow. The snow we did get, did not stick. This morning we woke up to a white world. I love to wake up and look out the window on fresh snow!

I don't necessarily like the cold that comes along with the snow, but I do admit that snow (freshly fallen) is so beautiful!

~I need your help~

My church is having an adult Christmas dinner, and I've been asked to provide a "dessert centerpiece" for one of the tables. There will be 8 tables, and 8 different ladies making the desserts. The word "centerpiece" is making me a little nervous. My goal is to make something very pretty and yummy but not something that is going to take me hours in the kitchen. I'm not looking to blow everyone's socks off (but, hey, if you can come up with something that is so fabulously easy and knock-down gorgeous at the same time, let me know. I'd be willing to knock a few socks off. *Giggles*)

The tables are round, and a friend has a number of cake stands and tiered plates I can borrow.

~A Unique Dining Experience~

Last night Kevin and I were invited, along with several other couples, to dinner at a couple's house from our church. The invitation was a little mysterious...we were to come with a good sense of humor for a unique dining experience. Hmmmm...

Well, we arrived, and the host and hostess welcomed us warmly. We were seated around the table, and the host and hostess told us that we were to have a relaxing, fun evening, and that they would be serving us. (I was very touched by that--an older couple serving younger couples. What an example! "Older" being relative in this case, somewhere in my parent's age bracket, and no I don't think of my parents as "old". *Grin*)

We were given a menu, with 16 items on one side, and we had to fill out our menu on the other side. We had to put down four choices for each of four courses, not repeating anything. Of course, the menu did not say "roast beef" and "bread" and "fork", etc. It was all in biblical terms -- the roast beef was the prodigal son's feast, for example.

Kevin picked out what he assumed were the silverware for his first course. That way, he would have his silverware for the entire meal. Well, he didn't know that each course would be cleared away before the next course was served! So he got a knife, fork, napkin and toothpick for his first course...and then no silverware to eat with the rest of the meal. LOL

For my first course, I received a roll, dessert (yummy! dessert should always come first! LOL), and rice. Oh, and a napkin. We all had a blast. It was hilarious--at some point in the dinner, everyone had to eat with their fingers. Oh, and it was delicious food! Totally worth digging in to! ;-) There was much laughter as we were served each course. I got a fork with my salad, which was handy. It was also handy that the hostess forgot to collect my fork when she took my salad plate. So I got to eat my next course with my fork. HAHA I was ratted out by our dinner companions mid-way through the next course, but since it was her fault for forgetting she let me keep my fork. Woohoo! ;-)

I think it is safe to say that we all came with a sense of humor, as evidenced by the laughter about the table! It was a very pleasant evening, and while I wouldn't normally be thrilled to eat with my fingers, everyone else was doing it, so why not? *Smiles*

I love it when we are invited over to someones house, and they are the "hostess with the mostest". It provides me with more Titus 2 examples and helps me to see areas which I can improve upon in my own hospitality!

~Long time no post~

I've been busy with "stuff". *smiles*

We put our tree up on Saturday. Each Christmas, my teddy bear friends come out and get to sit under the tree.



My tree isn't fancy with the latest decorating scheme. It is full of special ornaments, each one with a memory! Here's one that my great-grandma made me for Christmas quite a few years ago:



~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jodi wrote an excellent post today, and I wanted to point you over in her direction.

Have a blessed day!

~At least I wasn't the only one...~

I love seeing the searches that get random people to my blog.

Here's one from today:

sweet potato peelings clogged drain

I feel your pain!

LOL

~Happy Thanksgiving~

...a day late! *Smiles*

I hope that my American readers had a very blessed Thanksgiving. And for those reading from other countries, I hope you had a nice day as well. =)

It was just the two of us this year, but as I mentioned in my previous post, I still fixed all the trimmings. After all, leftovers are great to have! I won't have to cook any big meals for several days! LOL

We had a nice, relaxing day. I did spend a lot of time in the kitchen, but it was off and on. In the middle of my dinner preparations, the kitchen drain got clogged. Oh my! I had been doing SO WELL with the dishes, washing up after each dish I prepared. And then all of a sudden, the sink wouldn't drain. Ick. (It was the sweet potato peelings that finished clogging up the drain.) So I did have a nice little pile of dishes after all.

This morning, Kevin went and rented a snake and got the drain unclogged. The sink is draining just fine now! I'm so glad it was a simple fix.

Any Black Friday shoppers out there? I stayed in today. I do not like shopping that much anyhow, and then make it a crowded shopping experience, and I really dislike shopping! When it is so crowded, I can't concentrate on shopping, I'm just trying to maneuver around the crowds. So at 4 a.m. while people were lining up to get into Kohl's...I was sound asleep! *Grin*

However, a few years back, my husband, sisters and I did go out on Black Friday to do some shopping. The mall we went to was not crowded at all, and we had a great time shopping. At Gottschalks, I found a great gift at the jewelry counter, and went up to purchase it. There were two or three ladies behind the counter, doing nothing. Nobody was in line, or even near the jewelry counter. However, they wanted me to take a number. (At this point I was looking around for the hidden camera!!! Surely this was a joke?) I reluctantly stepped back and took a number. I had "99". The gal who had been "helping" me called out, "98...98". What'ya know? Nobody stepped forward! Then she called my number, and I walked back up to the counter. That wasn't my chance to be on a hidden camera show, it was just some workers following the letter of the law. Too bad. LOL

I'm now off to get some sewing done...have a great day!

~Yet another apron!~

This one is for me! I bought the fabric with my birthday money.

I made my own bias tape for this apron, which was a lot of cutting and ironing, but the sewing was so much easier with my bias tape than the store-bought bias tape. Plus, I love the fact that the bias tape has flowers on it, and it coordinates perfectly with the main fabric.

I am just so much in love with this apron! I love polka-dots, and I love pink and brown together!




This will be my first time to participate in the Tie One On challenge. I've thought about it before, but never got around to actually doing it. The theme this time around is "Polka-Dots".

I loved this combination so much that I bought enough fabric to make two aprons...one for me, and one for my shop!

But, no more sewing for me today! I have baking and housework to do! We're having Thanksgiving with just the two of us this year, but I'm still preparing a traditional Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings.

Have a blessed day!

~Handcrafters' Holidays Blog Meme~

I have really enjoyed the Sew, Mama, Sew! blog, and the month of November has been especially fun over there since they have been posting links to tutorials the entire month. I have gotten so many ideas for new projects!

They created a meme for their readers to participate in, so here's mine:

Gifts

Do you have a favorite gift that you love to give?

I have literally made hundreds of cross bookmarks. They fit perfectly into a card, and it makes a nice little surprise for a thank you note or a "thinking of you" note.

If you’re making gifts this year, what are you making? (Post photos if you have some!)

Oh, how I would love to post pictures of some of the gifts I'm giving, but my family reads my blog! I will say though, that one of my sisters is getting something that I'm making from one of the tutorials posted this month over at SMS!

Do you have any good stories about handcrafted gifts you’ve given or received?

Being a handcrafter myself, I rarely get handcrafted gifts. However, a few years back, a lady who had just learned to crochet gave me a little doily that she made. I was really touched by this gift, because she knew that I crocheted doilies as well, and had been making them for years before her. It was so much fun to receive! So don't be afraid to give your handmade items as gifts!

Name one thing on your personal wish list.

I would love to get a subscription to Interweave Knits.

Do you make and sell things that would make fantastic gifts? (Link)

I have a little Etsy shop that I've been stocking with goodies lately! All of my items would make great gifts, but I'm especially pleased with my aprons. This apron was made with fabric and a pattern from SMS.

You can visit my shop by clicking here.

Traditions

What is your favorite family holiday tradition?

I have seven sisters and one brother, which makes for a lot of people (!) but every Christmas, we take all our gifts to my mom's parents, and open everything there. It is a long process, pretty much only one person opening at a time. Everyone gets everyone a gift, no matter the budget they might have. It is so much fun!

What do you love most about the holiday season?

The beautiful music!

What do you like least about the holiday season?

The commercialism!!!

Anyone close to your heart that you’ll be missing this year?

My great grandmother, who passed away last Christmas Eve. She was a wonderful, godly lady!

What is your favorite holiday food?

I love so many of the holiday foods, but one of my very favorites is my grandma's peppernuts (a German specialty-- a tiny, spicy cookie that is crunchy). She knows I like love them, and she usually sends me home with a Ziploc full. Grandmas are the best! *Smiles*

Do you have a great recipe to share?
This is very easy and yummy! You'll need almond bark (either chocolate or vanilla flavored) and then mix together equal amounts of: pretzels, almonds or another favorite nut, and rice chex. Melt your almond bark, and coat your pretzel mix thoroughly. Spread out in a thin layer to harden. After the almond bark is completely hardened, break apart and it's ready to eat!

~Another Apron~

Just for Christmas, just listed in the shop.



I just love the back:



Also, all my fall items are marked half off now. *Smiles*

~Are you a good driver?~

You Passed Your Driver's Test

Congratulations, you got 8/10 correct. You're a good driver - at least, when you want to be.

Are You a Good Driver?

~Friday's Projects~

I happily sewed today away!

Now in my Etsy shop:

Another "flapper" apon, made out of reproduction feedsack material. I just love the thought that it is *possible* that someone made this very apron in the 1930's!



Two more zipper pouch sets...





Next up: some more aprons, including one for Christmas!

~My sewing machine is home again!~

Woohoo! I can't wait to start sewing again!

It's all clean, and there's no lint in it! I'm sure I could have done that but it got the tension adjusted, and it's good to go!

I stopped by the fabric store and got some more fabric. Ahhh...I love that fabric store! =)

~Describe yourself in one word~

*sarcasm* Ahhh, the joy and delight I get from interviews! *end of sarcasm*

I had an interview this afternoon for a position, and that was one of the questions. How in the world do you describe yourself in one word?

The interviewer told me that she didn't know what she would say about herself. Hmmmm.

I said "honest" which is one characteristic that I hope describes me, but I also aspire to other character traits as well.

What would you say about yourself if asked that question? One world only.

~Holiday Shopping Carnival~

I found this great carnival taking place, and couldn't resist. The idea is to list five Christmas gifts that are not the run-of-the-mill, socks-for-dad type gift.

Now, the thing is, my family reads my blog, and if I put down what I'm actually buying, then they won't be surprised on Christmas morning. So these are just some really great ideas! *Grin*

1) My blogging friend Heather has an Etsy shop with zipper bags that are perfect for a number of things, including makeup and small knitting projects. They are gorgeous, and even though I sew, I am highly tempted to purchase one for myself. The best thing is that 100% of the proceeds from her sale are going into their adoption fund. Take a look at her shop here.

2) One of my new favorite CD's is called Higher Ground. If you know someone who enjoys Irish music, this CD is all Christian music, with Irish styling. It is very peaceful and enjoyable to listen to. Click here for ordering information, as well as to hear sound clips from some of the songs.

3) Sometimes it is nice to give your recipients the gift of your time. I found this free gift certificate maker that has quite a few ideas. It is easy to create and print gift certificates from this site. Or, you can get extra-creative and make them yourself! The only thing about giving something like this is that you have to be willing to redeem it. LOL

4) I know all the etiquette experts scorn gift certificates, but really, what's not to love about getting a gift certificate? I will never turn down a gift! *Smiles* If you do choose to give gift certifcates, you can still be creative in the presentation. Perhaps you can create a day's get-away for someone...a gift certificate to a coffee shop; a bookstore, mall, or department store; and a local restaurant. See? Your recipient will get to go have coffee in the morning, have fun shopping till lunch, and then a lunch out. Maybe she's a busy mom? You could throw in babysitting to boot. Now that's a gift that will make her smile!

5) Lastly, please check out my Etsy shop for some gift ideas. I have several hand-tatted heart bookmarks in my store that would be lovely to include with either a book or a gift card to a bookstore. Its delicate, lacy design makes marking any book a pleasure!

Those were my ideas--for more great ideas, head on over to the carnival and check out what others are recommending!

~Friday "hello's"~

Good evening to everyone stopping by!

I had a temp job the last two days, hence my lack of posting. I was so tired last night that I was falling asleep at 7:30, and got into bed at 8. I slept straight through till the alarm went off at 6:30. I practically bounced out of bed!

I just finished reading all my blog subs from bloglines. My goodness, everyone has been a prolific blogger in the last two days!

I made shepherd's pie for dinner tonight. That is probably one of my favorite comfort foods. Mmm. Mashed potatoes and gravy, can't go wrong with that!

Hoping everyone has a great evening/weekend!

~FO: Monkey Socks~

I really love these socks! They were a fun knit. I will definitely make these again!

I was standing in the leaves from this tree:


The leaves are in our yard, the tree is in our neighbor's yard. LOL

~Live from my living room!~

Wow, who knew getting set up with wireless access in our house would be so difficult. Well, I guess the guy at Best Buy knew, because he wanted us to have the Geek Squad come to our house to install everything for us.

But things are working now, and this is great! Woohoo! =)

In other news, I finished my Monkey socks tonight, and they are blocking right now. I've never blocked socks before, but with this pattern, the socks definitely needed blocking. I'll take a picture tomorrow!

The leaves are gorgeous around here, and are starting to fall rapidly. We're pretty close to our first snow-fall. Today it was rain mixed with hail.

Well, I suppose this is enough "this and that". Have a great day!

~I admit, I'm a dork~

(LOL)

Have you ever heard the radio commercials for OnStar? They are actual conversations between OnStar employees and people needing help.

They make me tear up every single time I hear them. I don't even have OnStar!

What can I say, I'm a dork!

~Bloggy Giveaway Winner~

And the winner is...

Nicole Baker

Congratulations, Nicole! Please send me an e-mail with your address, and I'll pop your prize in the mail!

Someone already purchased the similar set of pouches out of my Etsy shop, but I do have a few other things for sale, including some hand tatted bookmarks. And sadly, *sniff, sniff* I won't be able to make anything for a few weeks, because my machine is out for maintenance.

Thank you to everyone who entered my contest!

~It's my birf-day!~

Once Kevin and I were going through a Burger King drive-through, and the gal taking our money had dollar bills pinned to her uniform. Kevin asked her why she had the money pinned to her, and she said,

"It's my birf-day!"...all pleased and happy with herself.

So...

It's my birf-day!

I turned 31 today. Thirty was a good year, and I'm excited to see what the Lord will do in my 31st year! I haven't gone about town with dollar bills pinned to my shirt though! (LOL)

My sweet, darling, handsome, awesome, wonderful, superb husband got me the gift of all gifts: a laptop! I can't wait to be blogging from Starbucks, or for goodness sakes, the couch! =)

I've had a good day so far! Shopping, shopping, shopping! Here are my yarn goodies:

The deep red yarn is for a cabled scarf/hat set. The blue yarn in the front is another skein for my afghan, and the white yarn is mohair, for my scarf. I'm going to give it another go in the yarn that the pattern calls for. I totally love the yarn shop that I went to. They encouraged me to sit down and do my gauge swatch so I could tell what size needles to buy. How awesome is that? And I'm really glad I did too, it took me three different needle sizes before I got the right gauge!

The only downer to my day has been the panicky feeling I get whenever I think of my sewing machine. I dropped it off for maintenance and it is going to take about two weeks for me to get it back. The very next store I went to was my new favorite fabric store. I looked at fabric, I agonized over patterns, and then I walked out of the store. I couldn't bear to buy fabric and not have a way to sew it up! I'll be so happy to get my machine back! Oh, and my scissors too! They were long overdue to be sharpened.

***I'll be back later on to announce the bloggy giveaway contest! Stay tuned!***

~Have a nice day!~

~Happy November!~

Today I'm banning the computer from myself. Well, after I finish this blog entry, that is! This week I have spent entirely too much time in front of the computer screen, and I need to get some things done! So I'm turning it off and leaving it off!

One of the things that has kept me glued to the computer is the Bloggy Giveaways. I can't believe how many giveaways there are! Close to 600, last time I looked!

Well, I'm off...to clean my house, to spend some time in my sewing room, and maybe even curl up with a good book after all my work is done!

Have a great day!

~Soctoberfest Update~

Well, the end of October is here, and I have completed:



...Which does not equal the two pairs that I thought I was going to accomplish this month! However, I'm happy with my progress. The first sock was challenging, in that I had to keep ripping back. I did the heel three times, the gusset twice. The pattern itself wasn't challenging, things just kept going wrong (and I'm super picky--that sometimes works against me).

I've gathered sock yarn here and there, as evidenced by my small collection:

Left to right: Lang Jawoll superwash, Regia Cotton, Tofutsies, and "Pigs in the Mud" by Sunnyside Ellen.

So you see, I have my projects all lined up! The Pigs in the Mud is the newest yarn, but will probably be my next knit.

~Wearing dresses in the winter~

Vogue IV

Awhile back I did a series of posts titled regarding "A week in dresses" (You can read the posts, starting here.) It was spring time, right around Easter. Since then, I have gotten several questions about what to wear in the winter, and I have also noticed that I get a few hits each week from people doing searches for "Wearing dresses and/or skirts in winter", so I thought I'd share some things I've done to keep myself warm during the winter!

Many dear ladies who like wearing dresses think that they cannot wear dresses in the winter time, because they would be too cold. Now, teenage girls in Michigan must not have that compunction. I have seen many teenagers wearing flimsy dresses with flip flops or fashionable sandals; bare-footed, bare-legged. I ask them if their feet don't get cold? "Well, yes, my toes do get cold when I walk through snow." (LOL)

So obviously teenagers are intent on fashion alone and oblivious to the danger of frostbite. What about those who might be a little more sensible?


Mother and Her Child Walking Through the Wintry Snow Pause to Look at a Robin

I am a California girl, transplanted to Michigan. I have weathered three snowy winters, all in dresses! How did I do it?

***I invested in Cuddl Duds. Seriously, you will get your money's worth from these! They are thin, so you can wear them under anything. I hemmed up one pair to just below my knees. I can wear them with dress clothes, when I'm not wearing boots. When I am wearing boots, and won't be removing them (such as when I go grocery shopping), I wear the full length ones. If your skirt is long enough, they do not show.

***Tights are also a good investment. Buy a size larger than you normally wear, and they will last longer. These keep your legs warmer, and you can wear them along with the Cuddl Duds on extremely cold days. Watch sales and clearance racks and you can stock up at the end of the winter. I've seen women with jeans or sweat on under their dresses, but really, if you have tights and Cuddl Duds on, I think it is warmer than pants would be, and it is a much more feminine look.

***A good pair of boots will also help. I only have one pair of boots, and when we bought them, I went for fashion vs. functionality. I wish I had gone for something a little warmer! I am going to be looking for a better pair of boots this winter! If you aren't taking your boots off, wear boot socks, sold in the sock department. These are very thick socks, and are worth the investment!

***In the car: I keep a fleece blanket in the car. I throw it over me to keep myself warm as my husband is apt to open the windows to cool down (I'm serious!).

***Warmer, thicker skirts. Materials like suede, corduroy, and other warm fabrics will trap the heat and help you stay comfortable.

***A long coat. Really, I am surprised at Michiganders. The majority wear waist-length coats most of the winter. I prefer a much longer coat. Again, you can get a coat on clearance at the end of the season, or watch sales. JC Penney is notorious for putting their coats on really good sales throughout the winter season.


An Elegant Hat for Winter Wear with Feathers and Lacy Bows

Also:

***Scarves go a long way in keeping you warm. Wrapped snugly around your neck, and even useful in pulling up over your face if the wind is biting, a nice scarf keeps those chills away.

***Hats also keep you warm. Most of your body heat escapes through your head, anyhow. You can wrap your scarf around your head, wear a coat with a hood, or wear some nice wool hats.

***Mittens and gloves! These are a must! Buy a pair that you can drive with, and always have a pair in your coat. I have a good pair in my church coat, and knit pairs in my other coats.

Here in Michigan, as soon as the thermometer comes back around to 40* after a long cold snap, people are walking around in shorts! I've even been known, on a sunny 30-40* day, to take my coat off because I'm getting hot. So you see, cold is relative!

~Fall Y'all Bloggy Giveaways~

***Contest is now closed***

Once again, I'm participating in the bloggy giveaways hosted at Rocks in My Dryer. Only this time around, Shannon is hosting it at her Bloggy Giveaways site. So, grab a cup of coffee, and head over to join in on the fun! But before you do, please enter in my giveaway!

I just can't get away from polka-dots. They seem so cheery, I suppose! Whatever it is, I definitely have a case for polka-dots. I am made this set of zipper pouches for one lucky winner. They will help you keep your purse organized in style! The smallest one is 4 inches wide with a vinyl pocket on the front, and perfect for all those little things that like to roll around in the bottom of your purse. The larger pouch is about 6 inches wide with a contrasting ribbon trim on the front.



Please visit my Etsy shop. I have a small selection of handmade items for sale, including a pouch set similar to the one I'm giving away.

To enter, please leave a comment! Please note:
1) I am willing to ship anywhere in the whole wide world!
2) If you do not have a blog, you must include your e-mail address in your comment. Otherwise, I will not include your name in the drawing. I have to have a way to contact the winner!
3) Only one entry!
4) Winner will be picked and notified sometime Friday evening (Eastern time).

I will be notifying the winner in three ways: announcing it at the Bloggy Giveaways blog, e-mailing you/commenting on your blog, and announcing it on my own blog. So if you win, there's no chance you'll not find out! *Smiles*

~Concord Grapes~

Oh my goodness! Have you ever had Concord grapes? They are sooooo delicious!!! My husband had a work-related activity one evening a few weeks ago, and it was catered. One of the things they served was Concord grapes. I just never knew grapes could be so good!

I found some at my grocery store last week, and they promptly went into my cart. Not the cheapest fruit I've ever purchased, but they are a delicious treat! They taste exactly like you'd expect a grape scratch 'n sniff sticker to taste like! LOL

Picture found at http://www.concordgrape.org/