A few things I forgot to show you the other day.................

I got this cute little basket at the thrift store last week and it looked like someone had put a plant in it because the bottom was all black and dirty.  I threw it in the dishwasher, as I do so many things, and it came out nice and clean but if you look you can also see all the white paint chipping off of it all over the place!  It's clean but will need another paint job to get it to stop peeling.  Not all of my ideas are brilliant.....most are but not all.
I also picked up these 2 plates.....I am into roses...it's come on gradually.  I think it started with Green Fried Tomatoes (the movie where she had all those roses cut out of magazines and cards and pinned on her wall....I loved that! )  and it has grown from there.  Plus, my dear departed Mother loved roses and all my friends across the pond inspire me with roses in their fabric,gardens, and needlework.

 

There was only the 2 and they're old as the finish is crackled with age.....kind of like my face! LOL!  But I love them and I love my face too.....I've earned every "crackle" just like those plates!

And last but not least...this is the bomb, the bees knees etc; and I am enjoying every drop of it!

I didn't realize until I got it home that it is seasonal so run, don't walk to your nearest store that carries it and buy up all you can (unless you shop at the Walmart in Ash Flat, AR.....stay away from that one! ).

It is delicious!  Why did I not know about this?  Probably because it was all bought out by the time I got there, I'm guessing.  Dunkin' Donuts is my very favorite coffee and trust me I've had it all!

I hope you had a great Thursday and got more done than I did....it was "one of those days" for me but I'm going to go knit now and at least I'll see progress in that unless of course I mess it up and have to tear it out....oh no....please not that! LOL!  Take care!  TTYT!

 

I guess I jumped the gun on Fall......97 today! Whew!!!!!!

That's what I get for buying "Fall" items and cooking up some "Fall" grub.  I made Hot Pockers which was my son's name for a dish that most people call a version of calico beans.  This is my favorite crock pot meal and it makes the house smell wonderful!

Here's the recipe...I scanned the recipe card but you wouldn't be able to read it so I'll just retype it here......

Hot Pockers
----------------
1/2 to 1 lb of ground beef
3/4 lb bacon, cut in small pieces
1 C chopped onion
2 cans (1 lb 15 oz size) pork and beans
1 can (1 lb size) kidney beans, drained
1 C ketchup
1/4 C brown sugar
1 tbls liquid smoke
3 tbls white vinegar
1 tsp salt and dash  of pepper

Brown the ground beef and bacon in a skillet and drain off fat.   Place it in the crock pot with all the other ingredients and stir together well. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
This is good served with cornbread and a jello salad.  It's very economical and also freezes well.

BTW.....I tried something new................Mary Jane's Farm product.......Chillover Powder instead of Jello.  It comes in a cute box with 4 packets of Chillover which is a gelatin alternative and there's also recipes that come with it.  It looks, tastes, and acts just like gelatin but it is vegetable based not animal based.  It is actually derived from Agar Agar kanten which is a Red Sea vegetable.  You flavor it yourself and add however much sweetner and what type as you like.  I happened to use some apricot juice I had and a can of fruit cocktail.    It sets up very fast and does not get soupy when it's left out.  It's amazing stuff and the best new product I've tried in a long time.  This is the only way to go folks!  No more Jello for me!   You can purchase this at  Mary Jane's Farm or simply call 888-750-6004 for those in the U.S.   If you're not familiar with Mary Jane, you're in for a treat...her products, her chat room, her books.....it's all wonderful!  She's an organic farm girl out in Idaho and you will love her!

That's all folks....I'm sad to report that I had to close up the house and turn on the AC......I guess I won't be delving into my new Fall wardrobe yet! LOL!  Hope you all had a great Wednesday!

My new Fall wardrobe....................from the Thrift Store! LOL!

A nice corduroy blouse....I LOVE me some corduroy!  And flowers too....looks like those wonderful English flower prints.  I paid no more than $3.00 each for all the clothes I am showing you....a total of $27.00 for my Fall wardrobe!  Below is a soft flannel blouse............love the red!

2 pairs of soft knit slacks with pockets (I have to have pockets!)

These are more summery but it will be warm for awhile yet....they're cotton...

These are 2 blouses that need to be ironed and then a knit one on the top.....

There you have it!  It may not be glamorous but for $27.00 it works for me! LOL!  Hope you had a great Monday!

Once more with feeling.........or should I say pictures! LOL!

I missed last weeks update because I ran out of Google storage and by the time I figured it out and had to "pay the piper" for more storage it was Monday and I figured I would just skip last week and wait until today.  I haven't gotten  much done anyway this week as it was "catch up" from all the time spent watching the Olympics and also it has cooled off and I 'm able to get outside finally and get some chores done out there.  Plus, I am really moving forward on my "moving" project and I've been spending time going through audio tapes, vcr tapes and dvd's and cd's and except for the cd's they are all cleaned and packed away in plastic bins which has left me bookcase real estate which I can always use!  So, yes, the cleaning and organizing bug has hit and I have run with it as it doesn't affect me very often! LOL!
But I did mange to get a few things accomplished on the YOP list and with football looming on the horizon I will be getting more done soon. 
Ok, the table runner is finished...I'm sure your tired of hearing about it and looking at it....I know, I'm slow.

Next up is my felted wool applique quilt blocks which was a WIP when I joined the YOP so I thought I would catch you up to date..........these are the blocks that are done so far.......

There they are...10 blocks done....2 more to go plus the border which is all appliqued too and embroidered.
I did get the next block prepped and cut out.........leaves....just in time for Fall!

I also started and almost finished  (I need to measure and weave in ends but I'm pretty sure it's done) potholder of the double thick variety.  I love this pattern and will be using it again.  It is nice and thick and easy to crochet once you get the gist of it.  After that no pattern needed but the pattern does have plenty of pictures to get you started.

It really is more square than it looks in the picture....honest! LOL!
As for my knitted bathmat,  I haven't worked on it but need to and hopefully this week and also I need to start up the socks again but with the weather so great and so many outdoor projects they may have to wait until Winter....we'll see.  Now, I'm off to see what you all have been accomplishing and also to get re-motivated for the week ahead!  Have a great week everyone!  For the rest of my blogging friends, I'll talk to you again tomorrow!  Enjoy this day of R' n R'!

Finished a couple books this week...................

 

I was really looking forward to this book as I was under the impression it was about "women" farmers but although interesting,  it was all farmers out West (I should have known as the forward was by Mary Jane' s Farm founder and she lives out West).  It was good but most of these women were married so they had a partner and I was really looking to read about women doing it on their own not to take away from the fact that I'm sure they work hard!  There were a couple single gals but I really felt like with the high percentage of women farming these days that it wouldn't have been that hard to find "women" farmers doing it on their own without a man in the background.  I know there have been several in MJ's magazine.  But it was interesting never the less just not what I expected.

The book below was a joke!  I can't remember where I heard about it but it sounded great...a life reinvented as that's what mine is since I retired and it was about a woman who retired from being a librarian for years.

   First of all I thought it was non-fiction but it was fiction but there was no plot, no story just this woman talking about her day-to-day life of travel and arrogance and throwing names around in foreign languages.  She even thought we would be interested what she had to eat at each meal.  It was by far the strangest book I have ever read but I kept thinking it would "kick in" any minute and then it was over and I was sitting in shock that any publisher would touch it with a 10 foot pole!  I thought, it must have been self-published and sure enough......it was!  How did I get a hold of it?  I bought it but I do remember reading something about it or seeing it and again having a totally different impression and certainly didn't expect a self-published book and fiction which means there should be a basic story line of some sort?  I will be sure from now on to see recommendations from some major reviewers before I plunk my money down from now on!  No fool like an old fool! LOL! 
I hope you had a great week and a wonderful weekend ahead!  It's pre-season but it's football and I'm grateful especially having withdrawals from the Olympics....I'm a sports gal can you tell?

It must be my magnetic personality!

Well, it has been quite a week!  It started on Sunday when I couldn't load pictures because I ran out of storage for my blog.  I now pay $2.50 a month to blog so that's fixed.  Then we had a storm....1/4 inch of rain but the lightening hit my t.v. and now that's broke but no fires so that's good.  Then I had problems with my Dish satellite so I spent a day on the phone with them (ok, so not all day...but it felt like it!) then the next day they came out and installed a new Dish Satellite which took the afternoon.  By then, I needed to go to Walmart and get groceries and I've been behind ever since!  The storm woke me up the one night and so I was tired anyway....it was just one of those weeks or 3 days where I could not get anything done.  But hopefully, I'm back on track now and can blog and watch t.v. and get some needlework done too.  I haven't even touched it! BTW....yesterday they said it was cooler so I went outside and started doing some heavy duty landscaping and I thought I was going to have heat stroke!  I came in and it was 97!  They call that "cooler"?  Whoa Nellie!
  Below is my ugly landscaping!   I tried landscape fabric and that did NOT work so I am using newspaper which is more natural and hopefully by the time it "rots" I will have established a "no weed" zone.....most notable Bermuda Grass...one of the Top Ten most noxious weeds known to gardeners!  I would have never started this project had I known that....live and learn!  

 

Below is what I am dealing with......at least some of it died out with the drought.

 But I did manage to take 3 boxes of things to the Thrift Store and I picked up a few things too but not 3 boxes worth.  Mostly, it was my Fall wardrobe! LOL!
 This heavy duty basket.............I can always use good baskets!

 This wallpaper is vinyl and pre-pasted and only .99 a roll....I bought all they had as even if I don't use it as wallpaper it is great for lining drawers or even on table tops as it is vinyl and washable.  It looks like green ticking cloth. 

  I also got this cute little bowl/dish but after I got it home I could read the bottom and it had come with a candle in it at one time so I probably won't use it for baking or eating but it is cute for holding a candle.

That's all for now but I have lots to catch up on in telling you and also visiting and seeing what you all have been up too!  Have a great Thursday!

YOP Sunday Update..............

 

Well, the Olympics are ending tonight and maybe I'll get more done.  I thought I could get a lot of needlework done but I forgot I used up all my multi-tasking abilities when I was younger and now it seems I can only focus on one thing at a time else I mess up! LOL!

I do have an FO..........finally!  My crocheted table runner!

Well...I just got a message from Google that I have used my 1 GB of storage and I have to pay for more.  I went into Picasa and "deleted" a bunch or so I thought
but if I delete too much then there is no blog archive right?  Hmmmm.   I worked on deleting a bunch and kept logging off and back in but it still says I have no storage.  Does anyone know anything about this?  Have you other bloggers paid for storage or how did you manage this "turn of events"?  Until I figure this out I guess there won't be any pictures....sorry.  I hope you're having a better Sunday than I! LOL!

P.S.  I have Google blogspot blogger.

Nancy Jo gets the Gold in Gifting!!!!

Yes she does and here's why!  She even wrapped them!  And it's not my birthday or anything!

and wrote me a really sweet card...............(I'm the one on the right with the blonde hair and the walking stick because I have RA! LOL!)

 

I couldn't have said it better myself, Nancy Jo!

And look what all she sent me.....................a lavender sachet and BUTTONS!  Don't we love us some buttons!

A crochet book that has everything in it........pictures of all kinds of stitches with instructions (no excuses now!), edgings like I want to make and doilies..........it's a great book!

and 2 pamphlets with more patterns....which means more options!

 

yarn for my stash...boucle....I don't have any of this...it's gorgeous................

And 3 fantastic Crochet Today magazines...where have I been?  I've never seen these before....but they have the greatest projects in them....wonderful!

Thank you, Nancy Jo!  You get the Gold Medal in friendship and thoughtfulness too!  I'm going to try and be as good a friend so watch your mailbox!  Also, for the rest of you.....I will be having a drawing when I reach 100 followers and I think I have 91 so it won't be long now!  I'm excited!  Hope you're having a Super Saturday!

Oh, I am such a BAD BLOGGER!!!!

I apologize for not blogging the last couple days.  I am out of sync and it's because I keep thinking I can "do it all" but alas......as you can tell.........I cannot.  I've been preoccupied with the Olympics and when I wasn't I was doing mundane housekeeping that I really didn't think anyone would be very interested in.  But here's a posting which is still not very glamorous..........I'll get back on track once the Olympics are over....won't I???? 
I finally used some beautiful Crab Tree and Evelyn scented drawer paper I've had for years.  I was saving it....for what?  Lining my casket? LOL!  I've been cleaning while keeping my eyes on the t.v. and got to my Mother's dresser which I use for out of season clothes.  It's an old dresser and the drawers stick so I don't use it for every day....too much of a struggle but for out of season clothes it's perfect! 

 

  Isn't this the prettiest print?  Plus, it's scented with their "Summer" scent.  The box it came in is covered in the same paper....it's like 2 presents in one!  You betcha I saved the box! 

 I finally got my next block pattern traced and ironed onto the wool for the appliques.........

 

 Other than that I really haven't gotten anything "fun or glamorous" done.  

But.........I did get a wonderful present(s) in the mail from my blogging buddy Nancy Jo  which I will post about tomorrow!  You won't believe all the lovely things she sent me!  And I didn't even win a drawing!  she's just sweet and generous and I am blessed that she is my friend!  So, I promise to be a better blogger and tune in tomorrow to see what Nancy Jo sent me!  Woo Hoo!  Hope you had a great Friday!

 

An ode to cotton..........or at least praise!

These are dish towels....the ones on the left are over 30 years old and I'm still using them!  One has a little  hole but that's about it.  The ones on the right are about 6 months old and I found them at the Dollar General store for $2.00 each.  What do they have in common?  They're both made of 100% cotton!  The new ones are bigger than the older ones and I also bought dish cloths to match.  I buy a lot of things made with this wonderful fiber.  I have bath towels too that are very old.  The edges are frayed but the majority of the towel is still good.  If I was really fussy I guess I could hem the frayed edges but it doesn't bother me.
This a brief post from me today as this morning I had the annual termite inspection (not me personally but the house) and then I had to take Nitty for an allergy shot she was suffering terribly and the Benadryl just wasn't doing the trick.  The nice thing is that the shot lasts for 6-8 weeks.  I did manage to keep working on my bedroom this afernoon, did some laundry and got to see some Olympics.  I hope you had a great day!  Tomorrow is Wally World and Farmer's Market....busy, busy, busy!

Motivated Monday and the U.K. gets gold in equestrian and I got to see it!!!!!

I might as well just move to the U.K.   they seem to have everything I love....we have so much in common!  They have lovely places to walk everywhere it seems....they encourage and accommodate walking and hiking and they are very "equestrian oriented"!  In fact, I bet they got to see all the Olympic equestrian events!  Plus they have the perfect gardening weather there and I like tea and quaint and cozy.  I'm thinking the U.K. was made for me and my personality.  Hmmm.....I'll have to think about this....I have options!

Meanwhile, back here in the U.S., it was more cleaning and clearing events  and I'm not talking about horse jumps! LOL!

This quilt was on it's way to the Thrift Store when I happened to stop by a friends.  I unloaded her whole car into mine and saved her a trip! LOL!

It's too small for my bed so it must be a twin but it's okay for now but eventually it will be a chair cover.  It's a store quilt, nothing handmade or handed down which makes it more comfortable to use it in whatever way I wish...tablecloth, chair cover, picnic blanket....whatever.  It's colorful and I love it!  I changed all the linens and started dusting and cleaning counter-clockwise around my bedroom. 

Below is an appliqued tea towel that same friend made for me several years back for my birthday.  I use tea towels as dresser scarves, curtains...you name it.  The same goes for cloth napkins. 

I washed windows and hung clean curtains....cloth napkins that I bought at a sale for cheap.  The one thing I like about my Pella crank style windows is that the screens clip in and out from the inside and once I take the screen down and open the window full out, I can wash both sides of the window from inside the house!  Pretty convenient and it's so convenient I tend to wash my windows more often than I ever have with other windows. In addition, I use Invisible Glass window cleaner....no streaks!   I got those clip curtain rings at Target years ago and I use tension rods so no hardware to install and I can adjust the height depending on the cloth I am hanging....easy, peasy!   I'm moving so I am not doing much permanent other than important stuff like the new roof, ac and furnace etc.   

I have more to do but the catalog below came in the mail and I think I may need to take a break now and take a peek! LOL!  Have you ever gotten this catalog?  It's The Stitchery  It is mostly cross stitch and needlepoint and embroidery but lovely, lovely things!  They even have a few clothes and jewelry and now, paint-by-number.  Paint-by-number paintings are really popular in vintage collecting and decorating right now.

They have a website where you can shop online and/or request a catalog just click on the link/name above to check it out.  

I hope you're having a great Monday and I apologize for not visiting and getting around like I usually do.  Hopefully, I'll improve after the Olympics....plus I really do need to get this house on the market!  Once it's sold and I'm moved I will be a better blog friend...I promise! 

Ravelry YOP Update...........

 

Below is my bathmat which is nearly done as the center is finished and I am now working on the edge which will only be about 4 or 5 inches more of knitting.  I shouldn't say "only" as a lot could go wrong between now and then! LOL!  

 

  I did a few more rows of crochet on my Granny Stripe table runner and of course I try not to let the "ends" get away from me so I only do a few rows and then I weave in the ends.  

 The most I did on my wool applique  was to gather the wool for the next block! LOL!  Only 2 blocks to go and then the appliqued and embroidered binding/edging that goes all around it.  

Hope you're having a great Sunday and guess what????  I FINALLY got to see some equestrian on the Olympics today!  YES!!!!!