Yummy!

I might need a candy thermometer so I can make This. Yummmy! (found via My Paper Crane)

AND! today is the first day of Christmas break!(oh, so many reasons to love being a teacher!)I am celebrating by sitting on the couch for hours.Then, some important Christmas work!(and one niece b-day party)

Swapping Is Fun

(yes, craptastic phone pics were used for this post. Lazy blogger!)
I love them!! For a better look go here! Too bad we couldn't get ALL of them! So many fantastic ornaments!(and look at the cute card, too!) Thank you, Small Fox!!

Happy Me

Making Merry

I've made a few things...and attended a few parties and baked a few things(like a yummy chocolate peppermint cake!-alright, it was dry ... but yummy!)
(pics=paper chain of dictionary pages, glittered paper house from twelve22 , and an ice wreath.)

Christmas Cookies Are Good For Breakfast!

I love Cookie exchanges!!

(what I'm not going to show you is the ugly mess of a lemon tart I just made! It was supposed to be for my dear SIL's bridal shower. Bummer. I think I will be buying cream puffs on the way out.)

Advent

Let the Christmas season begin!!

Thankful Monday

I can hardly believe it is already Thanksgiving week! Yikes! (and woo-hoo!!)

And so...

Today I am thankful for all the people in my life who are so supportive, kind, loving, etc. There are a lot of you! People I work with, am related to, live with, am friends with!! I'm pretty sure I would fail miserably without my family, friends, co-workers, etc!

People to learn from, people to lean on, people to comfort me, people to give me advice, people to fix my mistakes, people to tease me(keeps me humble, people to admire! Amazing people. The list is long & in some way, I think includes everyone I know!
My life is not perfect, of course, whose is. If it was, I wouldn't need all you guys!

Thank you for being part of this life with me.

Flea Market Fancy

Yes. I love giveaways! Especially when they are for fabric by favorite designers!! Flea Market Fancy is a great line! It's out of print & I've joined the masses hoping to inspire a re-print!

First Annual Small Fox Ornament Swap

After having such a great time with the Busy Little Quilting Bee quilt block adventure, I could not resist joining this ornament swap!! The First Annual Small Fox Ornament Swap (Plus I love her blog, she's sweet & makes cute stuff & is a children's librarian--I want to do that when I grow up!) Here are some blurry photos of my contribution.

I'm pretty happy with what I've got going here. Of course, it's way less blurry in person.
There's lots more to share, but I've got pies to bake, a house to tidy, pre-school to plan & party with, family to visit, friends to see, & holidays to prepare for! (and all the unexpecteds of life in between! Those can really get you!)

If I don't say so later...Happy Thanksgiving!!

Handmade Holidays have begun!!

One of my favorite things!! I just wish I had more time to really make things--like everyday!! For now, I settle for thinking about making things everyday. Check out Sew Mama Sew's 3rd run of Handmade Holidays...HERE!!!

Happy Halloween!

Finger pretzels. Yummy.

Hope you had a fun & safe Halloween night!! We sure did!

Sewing Tuesday

I've been meeting a friend to sew together on Tuesdays. Sew what? Christmas gifts & stuff!! --cancelled today 'cause one of my boys was a bit sick, just in case...but he's fine. I really missed it though!! It is one of my favorite days.--refreshing to be productive and have a good visit. (plus I adore her kid!)

Poor me.

But...

Today I did play my first game of football ever in my life! Adults vs. our 5th-8th grade flag football team at our school. It.was....AWSOME!! I'm excited for another at the end of next years season, too! Felt good to run & goof off with the kids! I think I may be sorry tomorrow..worth it!

Rail Fence

Strip piecing is fast! I like fast quilts! Purple is not my favorite color. But...this is for a little girl. Little girls like purple. Pink would've been better. and glitter.

One more Christmas gift done! It isn't pink, but I think she'll like it. (pink is the recipient's favorite color)--I've got a cute idea for matching gifts for my 2 nieces that I'm hoping to get to before Friday...if only my house would clean itself.

I'm working on a really fun Halloween project right now. Fun & nervous actually!! Lots of red felt & no pattern...

Tiny Harvest

This is it. the last offerings of my little garden. There were actually 3 of those little zucchini but, one rotted on the vine and the other rotted on the counter. I was hoping this last one would get bigger for one last loaf of bread. Oh well. I think the pumpkins did well considering our planting procedure. (smashing all the pumpkins left decorating the house in the yard)

Lots of sewing going on, too. But I'll show that off later! Thanks for lookin'!

Binge baking

I tend to bake in binges. Once I start the oven & get out the mixing bowls it's just so easy to keep cooking!

Yesterday, I made a double batch of apple pie filling to freeze. Then, I made apple bread. Yum!! I will be making apple bread again. Soon. The boys loved it! (I thought it was a little dry, they said it was so good they didn't care!-What Nice Boys i have.)

Today, I made a lemon meringue pie. For a very important birthday gift. If I wasn't on my way out the door, I'd really like to bake up a cake and maybe some cookies for the freezer. Mmmmmm.

On my mind today...

I'm currently thinking about 2 things more than anything else...people(good! yay friends & family-I'm conviced I have the best of both! & bad! Boo mean people. boo) and HOLIDAY SEASON!! Hooray!
With Halloween just around the corner and Thanksgiving right after, I've got Christmas on the brain. Big time!! I can hardly wait to dig out my boxes at home & put up the little tree at school. I've been watching Christmas movies & listening to Christmas music for a month now. With all the holidays coming up so quickly, I think it's List Time!! Today's list is:

Gifts To Make

• 2 sock monkeys
• 10 ornaments for a swap!
• 15 ornaments for friends & family
• 2 little skirts with tulle (maybe 3)
• a little Bleu stocking (almost finished)
• fabric bowl
• a set of coasters
• another felt board (so fun last year...I know another little one who needs one!)
• tote bag
• 2 super-hero bath towels (again, maybe 3-I know lots of great litte kids!)
• a set of garden stakes
• fingerless gloves
• 2 pair pajama pants
• little pink bunny hat

Whew! I have a head start...there is a small pile of finished gifts stashed away but, I better keep busy! I think I'll sew today & clean the house next week!

Today I...

Met a bear saw a show at the theater

Administered first aid for a construction accident ("I didn't see that the saw was coming right at me!! I just need to rest.")

Cleaned a kitchen after being served a gourmet meal. (I'm not sure they're up to code but, the waiter was cute.)

Went to the jeweler's. (Fancy!!)

Took an exotic pet for a walk in his custom collar. (from the jewelers)
Did some studying (about bears-which I learned ARE real, but don't live under the stairs)
Played with my friends. (at the zoo, washed bugs out of our hair, discussed theology, danced, made noise, sat down together...)
Had a snack.

And saw some treasures! Then, I went home to plan another week! whew.

Cute and handy!

cottage-needle-book
Originally uploaded by sometimes Julia sews

Made these for a friend. Because she's super-fantastic!!

Pin cushion is from Pretty Little Pincushions. I Love that book! I have it from the library. constantly.

The cottage needle book isa free pattern from the Pattern Bee. www.patternbee.com/MENU.html
Super cute stuff there, too!

Sometimes I Sew Skirts

Here are all the skirts that I've made & have been hanging in my closet. You'd think I wear skirts all the time...but, I don't. I really prefer jeans. I do like to make the occasional skirt, though! (I really wish I had more of that pink&brown stripe--it's so cute & cosy!)

This one, I made two of. Like 2 or 3 years ago. One was too small and one was too big. Now, this one fits perfectly...boo! It's the big one. Maybe, I should go for a walk or something. Ah well. I sewed the hook on it a few weeks ago...now I can wear it to work!

Summer's End

The 10 Year old lost a tooth on the trail while taking a sip from his water! It's been wiggly for a couple months.

The first week of school was a raving success for my pre-school classes AND my boys! Old friends, new friends, field trips, new shoes, fresh school supplies, the comfortable & familiar routine. I do love it. (I think the kids all do, too!)

This week, the summer seems to be giving us one last hurrah! (90 yesterday, 85 today!) So, we headed out to do some family hiking! It was so nice to be out in the woods together! We spotted tons of mushrooms that I photographed so I can identify them later! (I love mushrooms!--It's fun to be able to tell what things are outside!)

I'm excited for the fall & winter seasons AND...The holidays!! I'll take the sun while it's here, but when the rain comes, I'll be ready with blanket and book in hand!

Found it!

I found my camera! Hooray!!--And I didn't even have to clean my house!!


But I did have a house full of kids... who worked on building a fort in the back yard! Rad!!(between playing video games & watching movies. They'll miss the summer so!!)


While I tried to work on lesson plans. If I focused & wrote things down all at once & stayed on task I'd probably be planned for half the year already!! But I did get some practice sheets printed, folders & name cards labeled & uh...thought about stuff. (Stuff like "I really like turquoise" & "birds are nice" & "I wish the library didn't limit book holds to 25!!"--Yep, just like my students.)

I also Baked!!--I made 2 cakes for our church potluck on Sunday & by the time I got there--They were only crumbs!! I was sad. So, i re-made one today YUMMMM!! Chocolate bunt cake with chocolate glaze & sprinkles. I think it looks like a giant donut!!




AND...I finally picked some blackberries. Muffins for breakfast, anyone?

Just words

Because I lost my memory card for my camera. Then, hooray!, I found it! Only now, I can't find my camera! It's around here somewhere. Maybe if I tidy up a bit...

My Summer Vacation

This summer has been full and busy! We've done so many fun things (visit friends, zoo, drive-in, swimming, sleepovers...) A few useful things (huge workday at school, fund-raisers, yard sale...) And some things we did not do nearly enough ( hang at my mom's, have friends over for dinner, freeze pies, go camping...) But, I think I'm satisfied. Maybe this fall and winter things'll slow down just a little...but not likely...these boys keep me hopping.

In crafty news...I really wanted to try batiking fabric this summer. I have a 70's craft book with a couple cute batik dolls in it. I want to make them! School starts in just 2 weeks! That means Back to work for me! I wonder if I can still squeeze it in. Maybe.

I want to rearrange and maybe paint the boys room before school starts, too. It's gotten a little scary in there! And crowded. Time for stuff to go.

AND...I have TWO quilts that are so close to being finished! Oh Summer, where did you go?!

Busy Little Quilting Bee. The end.

So, these are the last blocks for the last person for the Busy Little Quilting Bee. I've completely enjoyed this game!! And I got to make a lot of quilt blocks that were hidden away in my head for later! Like these! I saw a quilt once in a shop made of similar blocks and have wanted to replicate it since...now I have!!

A

And This is my Quilt! It is so perfect!! (ok, plenty of flaws, but I won't mention those!) Just what I envisioned!! I really really hope my nephew loves it!-The back has some skull & cross bone fleece and some red fleece pieced..shoulda had a pic-oh well! I really think it is one of the best I've made!--And I love that 16 different women all over the country had a hand in it! So rad!!

So, that's it. the end of this sewing adventure. Now I'm off to finish the 3 other quilts I have in various states of progress. Hopefully sometime before the end of the decade!(or2)

Sometimes I Mend

Poor Blue Bear. (He's damp and smelly, too. Why do some kids chew fabric? Ew.) Stitches and fresh guts first. Then, a bath for Blue Bear.

My Green Thumb

This is my garden. It is a little weak and meager compared to some of my friends, but I'm so proud of it! I haven't tried for a few years, and I've never had much success. My green thumb is a little wilty. Even so, I've already overcome blossom end rot all by myself! Now I have 2 biggish zucchini in the fridge that I grew!! Yay! They will soon be zucchini bread. How's that for homemade!
Tomatoes! I always have mild success with tomatoes. it makes me happy.
The one in the middle was tiny (3 inches tall) and broken and sad when I planted it. It's the tallest, happiest one. Good job, tomatoes.

My "self-planted" pumpkins are doing all right, too! There are 2 hardball sized baby pumpkins and several very tiny baby ones. The leaves and vines aren't as big as other people's plants, but I'm so proud of mine!

In the box my love built for me, I have happy lettuce, stunted radishes and carrots, used up green onions and (unpictured) stunted kohlrabi. This is the second crop of radishes I've planted this year. I'm gonna try again, but I'm not very hopeful. who cant grow radishes! Me apparently.

There are strawberries back there, too. I thought I'd killed them in June but, there are now happily producing there second crop! (the first was about 10 or so berries one or two at a time that the bugs ate before we could--this crop is about the same minus the bugs).

This is my garden. I will definitely try again next year! maybe my wilty thumb will turn green after all!

This & That

I made another drawstring bag. This one to match my beach bag!-(Thanks friends! It's so perfect I made accessories!) The bag will hold my suit or water shoes. Yay!

And...I'm still working on Christmas gifts. Oh, yes. I said Christmas! It's really just around the corner. Merry! Merry!

Another giveaway!

Here. (Sheree's Alchemy) Sereiously! It's like Christmas!! I'm so excited. If you win, let's share!--And It is another lovely craft blog! I think I'm addicted to other people's projects!

It's hot here!

This week has been crazy hot!!-We broke 100 yesterday and all the chocolate chips melted in my cupboard!
It's supposed to be over 100 today and tomorrow, too! Yikes. I've been making ice as fast as the water will freeze, I put 2 quilts and all the rice bags I could find in the freezer. And we have plans to swim later then, have dinner with friends who have air conditioning AND live on a lake(actually it's BBQ night for our small group, but the timing is perfect!)

But what about dinner tomorrow?? No way am I turning on the stove! How about grilled pizza?


heat up some super hot coals, clean & oil your grill rack.
Roll your dough out thin(1/4 inch)-keep it personal pizza size.(I kept each one on a floured piece of wax paper)
brush one side with olive oil-grill oiled side just a few minutes-keep a close eye, it goes fast-oil the uncooked side of dough.
flip the crust onto a cookie sheet grilled side up.
cover thinly with sauce, cheese and toppings.
carefully slide pizza back onto the grill until bottom of crust is cooked.
move pizza to indirect heat to finish melting the cheese and warming the toppings.
repeat for remaining pizzas
Sooo GOOD! We did this on Friday and Monday and will be having this one more time this week!


Drink lots of water! Stay in the shade! Have a great day!