You gals inspired me! Plus I needed to clean my bathroom.

I use "strange" items for curtains....this is a dresser scarf and I use tension rods so I can adjust the height to whatever I'm hanging.  I had a feed sack there but it needed to be washed so I hung this dresser scarf in it's place.

Here's a shutter shelf over my toilet and of course my Dick and Jane picture....both gotten at the thrift store!

Here's a little table I have in my bathroom.

I LOVE FRIDAYS......all of them!

I try to order my pictures and my comments but it seems I goof it up no matter how hard I try so if it sounds confusing it's because it is!  I splurged and bought 2 new books and a new magazine.  This issue of Quilt has a gorgeous pumpkin throw size quilt that I ADORE!!!!  It is bright and colorful and when I get some money ahead I will be making it!  Tonight is football....Philadelphia Eagles and the Cincinnati Bengals...I get lots of handwork done during these games but sometimes I miss good plays or stitches or both.  Have a great Friday!

I went grocery shopping today and if I haven't shared with you...I am trying to take better care of myself.  First I quit smoking and I am still on the patch but it's working.  Then I started taking good care of my skin by getting some good skin products.   I got that Reader's Digest book on Living a Long Life and started reading that.  It said that people who ate whole-grain cereal every day were 17% less likely to die over the next several years from ANY cause, and 20% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease so it was a no-brainer!  I went and researched on the internet and most people voted for Fiber One cereal by General Mills so I bought a box with 51% of the daily requirement for fiber.  Then there was a display of another NEW high-fiber whole-grain cereal that had a mail-in rebate of the total cost of the cereal!  So, if you want to add fiber to your diet for FREE!!!!!  Go buy Kellogg's Fiber Plus.  I came home and had a bowl of Fiber One and it was delicious but I haven't tried the other yet.Now, the other area is exercise and I was exercising by walking 3 miles a day but it has been so hot here all summer that I gave up!  In the North, I would walk whenever and if it was cold I just dressed warm but here it is TOO HOT...and you can only take off so many clothes without getting arrested and even nude you wouldn't be cool in this heat.  So, I will walk again as soon as it cools off but meanwhile I saw this exercise "kit" and decided to try it.  There's the exercise band, Richard Simmons with his great music and the neatest thing is this food mover calculator thingy which I haven't investigated yet but looks very interesting!

I usually drink Dunkin' Donuts coffee and I love it but today I saw this Dunkin' TURBO and with all the things I plan on doing I think I better start drinking this TURBO version!

I ordered these the other day and they arrived in the  mail today!  I'm SO EXCITED!!!!  The one DVD is for kids to learn to build...(I'm just an older version)...I want to learn to build things and have for a long time.  Mostly just to fix things around the house or remodel if I get REALLY good! I figured this is a good place to start. The other DVD is by the West sisters who have a whole series of DVD's about homestead skills.  There are ones on cooking, gardening, quilting etc.  I'll let you know how I do! 

Quilt Guild today....so fun and inspiring!

New school clothes!

Aren't these pretty?  See the cherry one in the back and the lady bugs?

One of the gals at guild brought a whole bunch of cockscomb from her garden and you can dry them later and after they're dry you shake them upside down into a little bag and the seeds will fall out and you can plant them the next year.  Anyone want to trade for different colors?  I'd love some orange and yellow ones. 

Here's the rug kit....and no I didn't get that far yet...she gets it started for you...I'll let you know how it goes!  Good way to use up scraps and I think some call them "toothbrush" rugs too and you can use a toothbrush  instead of the wooden needle this kit came with.

Yesterday I spent all day getting ready for guild but I never got my material quilted.  I got it laid out and pinned but that's okay.  There were many who didn't sew their tote bag today either and I have the directions so I can make it at home.  It was so fun though to see what others were working on and had made since our last get-together.  One of my friends had accidentally  taken home a bag of mine from our last "shop hop" trip so I got that today...like a new purchase but it was already paid for!  I also stopped at our local quilt shop to get some thread and she had these little rug kits that a gal in Mountain Home puts together so of course I HAD to pick up one of those!  Plus....I got some new "school clothes"!  I get them even though I am not going back to school but I am constantly learning so I figure that counts.  There's no place to shop here so I buy online and one of my items came today!  It was 95 today so it better cool off so I can wear my new threads!

Progress....I think?

Yesterday I sewed an envelope pillow case for a 16 " square pillow form which I don't have yet and got one pillow wrap for the pillow almost done but then I found out I didn't have to have it ready until 8/26 so I painted today.  Then I realized I was supposed to pre-quilt some material for a LARGE bag to make Wednesday at quilt guild and although I had the material I had no batting and the quilt shop is closed on Monday....oh boy.  But the paint looks nice and the I'm liking the pillow wrap and I had a great weekend!

Finally finished the baby quilt!

The quilt guild I belong to makes baby quilts for the area pregnancy center and I finally finished this one to take to guild on Wednesday.  I try to make at least one a month.  In the winter we also make knitted hats for cancer patients.  I don't knit so I use one of those "spool thingies" which works and it's great to do while watching t.v.  Now I have to go sew pillow wraps for the class/demo I'm giving next month for another sewing group I belong to.

A little shopping therapy.......does a girl good!

Well...okay....it's not like a "real haul" or anything but it got me out of the house and I didn't spend too much.  Most was from the dollar store....underwear in bright colors and some guys t-shirts so when it cools off I can use them to layer.  I found a finance/bill organizer with a band to hold them all in.  Each month has an envelope for the bills and a space to write them down with due date and amount paid etc. (if you've been reading my blog I have been working on "finances").  The colored striped package is multicolored  STARS!!!  I have my own chore chart and I am going to be giving myself STARS when I get my priorities done and when I have a certain amount of STARS I am going to reward myself....great idea huh?  Yes...I am nurturing my inner child.  The votives are apple/cinnamon and the white board is exactly that!  A white board with a marker but wait....that's not all....it's MAGNETIZED!  Isn't that cool.....(it doesn't take much to impress me OR to make me happy).  I put it on my frig so I can write down grocery items when I run out or I'm thinking about them while cooking.  I might have to get another one....I could put it on my metal desk for listing those priorities OR I could put one on the side of my car so when I'm out and about but in a store....people could leave me notes when they see my car in a lot....hmmmm....maybe not such a good idea.  We have a new gift store in town...well, it's been there almost a year but I just went in today so it was new to me!  She had some neat things but pretty much all of it was outside my budget but I did buy some "Wood Wick "melties" and a refill bottle for my empty scent diffusers....all in apple scent as usual....I am SO wanting FALL to come.....SOON....it was 105 here today and the heat index?  Well....I just can't talk about it anymore.

Fall must be coming....I'm storing up food!

Ahhhh....comfort food!  Fall is coming, the leaves are falling from the trees (only because of the high temps and no rain), the squirrels ARE gathering nuts and I have the ac running, curtains drawn and candles burning....it's Fall in my little world!

For years I have made cornbread in muffin tins with the cupcake liners and when you peeled off the liner half of the cornbread went with it.  FINALLY....I tried making it in a pan....DUH!  So much easier...now there's actually something to put that butter on!

Dessert is on the way!  The strawberries are hulled, rinsed and draining.  I don't remember having to "hull" strawberries when I was younger but then they weren't the size of apples either!

This is torn up angle food cake on the bottom covered with a combo of whipped topping, sugar and cream cheese

Ta Dah!   These are fresh strawberries tossed with a strawberry glaze.

This is Gunline coffee....I usually drink only 1 cup of coffee in the  morning and then water the rest of the day but even taking my vitamins I've had an afternoon slump.  I'm hoping this will take care of it!  I found this recipe on www.allrecipes.com and the original recipe makes 80 servings....I just made one to see if I'd like it and I do!  It's a nice pick me up made with real instant coffee but I also have some decaf on hand in case I want one in the evening.

More reading material......

This is my present reading material....I give more details of each on the right side of my blog...what are YOU reading right now?  You ARE reading aren't you?

This is the premier issue of this magazine and it is wonderful!  I may have to subscribe!  Along with forest ranger, hermit, cowgirl and long-haul truck driver....I also wanted to be a PIONEER!!!!!  I wanted to be Lewis and Clark all by myself or Daniel Boone who they wrote about in this issue.  Are you ever too old to be a pioneer?  If you like being self-sufficient or would like to learn this is the magazine for you!  Great writers, great articles and great photos.  Take a look....at news stands everywhere or request it.  It is published by Harris Publications.   I found it at Wally World.

Ok...I used to do Ebay and need to get back to it!  Here's a start!

Ok.....I'm staying BUSY!!!!

I know many of you may hate ironing but to me it is like meditating.....calming, soothing and VERY relaxing and sometimes I can actually solve a problem or do some great thinking while I am ironing....washing dishes is about the same, and hanging clothes outside and digging in the dirt and folding fresh clothes off the line or out of the dryer.  My best thing to do where I really shut out the world and would get "in the zone" as they like to say was when I was riding my horses but alas...they're gone and I have none to ride but oh do I remember that feeling.

I could blog all day....but "my girls" are wanting din-din...forget about me....it's all about them!

I made this picture over 30 years ago for my Mother.  Since she is gone it is back in my hands.  I am wanting to hang it on my new yellow hallway wall but could not find my drywall hooks OR my Command hangers,,,,DARN!  BTW I never noticed it had dogwood flowers on it....my Mom LOVED cardinals and at the time she was not living in AR but she moved here and now I am here and that is the state flower I think...if not it should be!  Anyway...coincidence?

Here is the fireplace DVD I got on clearance with an aquarium one. Of course on the DVD it is an actual fire with movement and snaps and crackles.  It has music or not, snaps and crackles or not and you can pick just one or have them change over time to other fireplaces.  I think this is "the nuts" except with heat advisories out for our area this is not one I will be watching right now but I can't wait until the "snow flies" for this one!  I have a real fireplace but it is in the family room.  I can now have a fireplace in my bedroom!  Check out www.screendreamsdvd.com     You will not regret it....ahhhhh

I got this and the fireplace DVD on clearance and LOVE them!  This has like 8 different scenes, you can pick one or have them change over time, there is music or sound effects or both.  Very calming and I always wanted an aquarium but this is no work involved and no heartbreak when the fish die!  BTW my cat REALLY likes this one!

I don't know about you but when I am dealing with any issue of any kind I try to "work it out" by "working it off".  I am definitely not "focused" right now but I keep moving and doing mundane tasks until I am "okay" or as good as I'm going to get! Ha! Ha!  So...here are some the mundanes I did today.

I have WAY too many projects going on!!!

I made up this little notebook to try and stay on top of just one area of my life and projects.   Hopefully, it will help me remember which material is for what project!?!?  It may take me a while to figure it all out and some material I may always wonder about.

OH....so pretty!!!!  New material!!!!  Now that's gotta make a girl feel good!  I have a class to teach (long story) on a sewing project I've never done (a little misunderstanding somewhere along the line) so I found the pattern and got some material and need to get going on it so I have a "finished  item" to show and can demonstrate my knowledge and mastery of the topic (choke).  How DO I get myself into these things?

Trying to organize bills and budget.....I didn't pay them but they're organized!  There was a money program  on Oprah one day that stated that no more than 35% of your income should go to housing and the cost of living there, 15% to transportation, and 25% to the rest of your life.  You should be saving 10% of your income and only have 15% monthly debt.  You can check her website at www.oprah.com for details.   Easy for Oprah!  I'll check MY numbers tomorrow...enough for today.

Here he is again...evidently wanting me to focus on my Brocante Home Housekeeper's Planner which is actually not a bad idea!

The Roaming Gnome is bossier than he is helpful!  He just stands around with his hands in his pockets and stares at me reminding me subliminally of all my unfinished projects...pick up a paintbrush bro!

Okay....where are those people that complain about being "bored"?  I would be more than willing to SHARE with them because I have never been bored in my life!  I could live 9 lives, like a cat, and STILL never get it all done!  I have too many interests is the problem on top of the fact that there are things that HAVE to be done if I want to keep the neighbors, the government and the IRS away from my door.  I do love my life but servants would be nice.

My sweet tooth was calling.......

All my BEST recipes are in here!  Mary Englebreit...no less!  I think this was my first ME item I ever got.....LOVE!!!!!

Ingredients at the ready!

My trusty Kitchen Aide mixer creaming the butter and sugar.

Fresh out of the oven....need to cut into squares while still warm.

Ta Dah!  All ready to eat!

These are my Jan Hagen cookies that I have made for over 30 years I think....one of my fav's.  If anyone out there knows who the heck Jan Hagen is I would be interested....I have no idea who she is or where I got this recipe!   But if anyone wants to make them, here follows the recipe:

Jan Hagen Cookies

1 C butter
1 C sugar
1 egg yolk
1 egg white
2 C flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I always use pecans...another fav)

Cream butter and sugar together.  Add egg yolk and mix. Sift flour and cinnamon together and gradually add to mixture.  Spread dough on a cookie sheet ( my cookie sheets are HUGE so it only covers about half but any port in a storm you know....if you have a regular sized cookie sheet like any normal person would it will work just fine).  Brush on a film of egg white.  Sprinkle on the nuts and bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes.  Cut into squares while hot and let cool.  (If you don't cut them while hot you will never get them out of there without a big mess on your hands....guess I how I know that.)

Do you love "before and afters" like I do?

This is the "before " picture and I know it doesn't look that bad but it was....in fact it took 2 coats of white because I realized after I got going that they had never sealed the ceiling!  AHHH!!!!  What were they thinking!  Of course I washed it first but I kept wondering why the paint was coming off....it wasn't paint it was drywall skim coat or whatever they call it. 

See how much better it looks!  It really does...trust me on this one!  And I washed the light and even was able to fit a CFL bulb in there.

Okay....here is a better before and after/side-by-side picture....that wall is really mint green,,,,BOY!  Do I ever need a new camera or is it my pc?  I think it's the pc although it's fairly new too!

This is my new YELLOW wall.....I thought it would be more a cream yellow and actually it looks that way in the picture but it is more a lemon soufle color and now I am thinking maybe I should have gone more golden.....hmmmm?  And the whitish glow is evidently from the sunshine coming in across the room....it really looks better in person....really.  AND...it feels clean, looks clean and just knowing it is clean is a motivation in itself!

     I ran out of batteries on my camera so was delayed in posting but it is just as well since I did not have the "after" until this morning! LOL!  I am painting my hallway ceiling and walls but can only manage to do a little at a time since I have 50 BILLION other projects going at the same time but I was determined to get something slapped on those walls!  I always us TSP (trisodium phosphate) to wash the walls and ceiling first.  It cuts through grease and grime and literally dulls up the surface a bit so new paint adheres really well and since these walls and ceilings have not been done since the house was built some 30 or more years ago you can imagine how badly they needed it.  I painted 2 coats of ceiling white on the ceiling after washing and  "cutting in" and I used this new ceiling paint that goes on pinkish/purplish so you can tell where you've painted and also when it is dry it turns white so you can tell when you can recoat....not worth it.  It's actually sort of a pain.  The only thing that was nice was the new lids they come with.  This was Dutch Boy paint I got at Walmart and the lids are screw on and off and a pour lip and no drip spout!  That was worth the price of admission right there!  I had to put 2 coats on the ceiling because I don't think they ever sealed it!!!!  What were they thinking???  I will keep you up to date on this project as it keeps me motivated if I know I have to answer to my blog friends! LOL! 

Sorry I haven't been here......

That little knome has been a little high maintenance but I think he's settling in and his traveling days are over....he's decided to stay here.  One of his cousins is taking over for him at Travelocity so you'll probably be seeing a lot more of him around here.

Maenwhile, life has been very exciting and emotionally charged for me lately.  I came in contact with my Father's family who I never knew.  I really never knew my Father either because my parents divorced when I was 18 months old.  He has since passed and I never even had seen a picture of him but once and it disappeared under mysterious circumstances.  Anyway my new family is SO NICE....they are just delightful, so kind and receptive and welcoming and I hope to meet them all some day.   AND.....I found out (this is pretty exciting for an only child)...that I have 2 half-brothers too!  One has already passed away but there is one still living out in California and I have his phone number but I'm a little hesitant to call since I am sure he doesn't know about me and surprises at our age could send you to the hospital!  LOL!  But here is a picture of my father, the only picture I have....pardon the candlestick in front of him.  He is SO handsome!  I think he looks like George Clooney!!!!

You'll NEVER guess who stopped by yesterday!?!?!?!?

Do you believe it????  The Roaming Knome from Travelocity!!!!!  I heard a knock at the door and there he was!  We visited awhile and then had a light supper and he retired early.   All that traveling around the world I imagine does tire one out.  He didn't mention how long he's staying but I have a feeling he likes it here so we'll see.   I need to go the grocery store...does anyone know what knomes like to eat?  Any special dietary requirements? 

Moving right along......

I forgot to take the BEFORE picture!  So I had to take it after I placed it in the oven...almost melted my camera!  I LOVE before and afters and hope you do too!  I will try and do more of them especially decorating and cleaning and landscaping! 

YUMMO!  As Rachel Ray would say.   Actually, I haven't eaten a bite of this YET!!!!  But I have made this before and there is not a quicker, faster, more delicious, easier, warm from the oven over ice cream dessert on the face of the planet!  See if you don't agree.....here follows the recipe...I make a small pan but you can double for a regular rectangular pan and you can change the fruit or pie filling and the cake mix flavor:  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Into a 8 x 8 inch pan or 9 x 9...whatever....I put a regular size can of pie cherries with the juice, then I sprinkle over that 1/2 box of yellow cake mix, then I cut a stick of butter into 16 pats and place it on top of the cake mix in the pan, then I sprinkle on 1/2 cup chopped pecans and pop it in the oven for 45 minutes!  I feel like Samantha on Bewitched!  Too cool and tastes divine!

 

 

 

 

 

Okay....I'm reading more books!  I went to the public library and got the first 2.   I finished Anne of Green Gables book #6 and tonight will start book #7 Rainbow Valley.  I have the whole set in paperback. I couldn't sleep last night ...VERY rare for me....uh oh...is this old age?  Anyway...I tossed and turned and finally gave up and started reading Into The Wild which is the true story of Christopher Johnson McCandless who walked into the Alaskan wilderness and met his maker at a very young age.  I could not put the book down!  I read half of it last night,,,very well written and it was made into a movie so I'd like to see that after I finish the book.  I've been reading Sylvia for years and her prophecy book was written in 2004 so she was RIGHT ON in a lot of her predictions and more to come!  

Cleaning.....it's too hot to do anything else.

Summer in Arkansas is like Winter up North....you close the curtains to keep out the heat as opposed to the cold, all the windows are shut because you have the AC on 24/7 and so I light candles too!  Just like Winter in the North....too cozy!  Of course, the heat from the candles is probably not too energy efficient but it smells GREAT!!!

This is the salad that I made this morning in my Lock n' Lock ....after all these years I have finally learned from the great chefs of the world to prep in the a.m. so by evening when I am exhausted, either my dinner is ready or it is so "prepped" that I can just throw it together with little or no effort!  Tonight is leftover stuffed pasta shells with shrimp accompanied by this great looking salad!  The shells were Bertolli frozen dinner and I was going to have garlic bread with it but I made tomato bread for lunch ( little french bread slices with tomato slices and parmesan on top under the broiler) so I don't need any more carbs for today.

This is just one of my collection of Lock n' Locks...way better than Tupperware which if you have arthritis like I do is impossible to work with...in fact I'm thinking maybe Tupperware caused my arthritis...LOL!  Just joking Tupperware Corporation....don't sue me but I LOVE Lock n' Lock....easy on the hands, quick and I DO SWEAR my food keeps way longer in this stuff!  You can get it at Walmart and also more sets and options and deals on QVC.

This is my linen closet...I know....you're not impressed...I really should have taken a Before and After....trust me....it looks much better now.

Ok..usually my Sundays are R n' R days but I couldn't STAND my linoleum floors anymore so I vacuumed the laundry room, kitchen and family room and washed them all and the rugs that adorn them....WHEW!  My dogs and cat shed more than is normal and the cat throws up and until just recently the dog that I SAVED and wasn't house trained just got with the program...FINALLY!!!!!   I won't even tell you what the carpeting looks like.  Did I tell you I abhor carpeting with a capital "A"!