I haven't forgotten all my blogging friends, and I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. I wish I could say I've been away drinking fruity cocktails while lounging on a sandy beach. The truth of the matter is that I can't seem to shake this flu, cold, virus, whatever. It started about 3 weeks ago and it will not leave! I'm giving it the weekend then if I'm not getting better, I'm going to the doctor.
I will visit and catch up with you all gradually. In the meantime, my cup of herbal tea awaits me...
Update from last night: I actually called off work today and I haven't called off sick in years!
This post is for all my fellow seamstresses. I know you all buy fabric because you plan on doing something with it "someday." While you are making these purchases your supply is getting bigger, and bigger, and bigger. But, when you are about to make a new project that requires more than a few scraps, what do you do? You walk right past your already purchased fabric and head out for some new fabric for the project. Come on, admit it! I know you all do it! Well, I'm here to tell you that my "someday" has finally arrived for my biggest "someday" purchase.
What you are look at is about 25 yards of good quality decorator fabric. Back when I worked at JoAnn's we would get awesome discounts. Our everyday discount was 15% off of everything including coupons, sale prices, and clearance items. About five times a year they would have double discount day and we would get 30% off of everything! Double discount day is always during the best sales of the year.
Anyway, this fabric was already 50% off (one of their killer sales), minus my 30% double discount and I got a bargain! I loved all three of these colors together and knew that someday I'd use it. Of course I didn't stop at the fabric, you see decorator trims too.
I've already designed the curtains from the striped fabric, which will be embellished with a buttoned valance. I also see a wall organizer, covered boxes, and whatever else I can think of. These will be good projects to work on while I'm putting my room together. Of course, I'm still sewing on the dining room table for now.
So, how big is your "someday" fabric stash?
Sewing machine used on the photo is from my "The Sewing Room Graphic/Clipart Kit" that can be purchased from my Etsy shop here, or as an instant download from my website here.
How would you like to arrive at work to find this note from your boss? We have two snake rooms at the clinic and this one is right next to the break room. We probably have 60 to 70 snakes that vary from about 12 inches to about 10 feet long. Occasionally one tries to escape during cleaning time.
We did find the snake later that day, and it was not a poisonous one.
I would like to wish all my readers, my family, and especially my husband a Happy Valentine's Day! I got lucky when I met Brian. He is the best Valentine! These are two of my favorite photos.
As a gift for my readers, I'd like you to have the above quick page. Obviously yours will have transparent windows to put your own images behind. This is a 4 x 6 size, 300 DPI, PNG image for a perfect and crisp printout. You can print them from your home computer or upload them to your favorite photo processing center.
You can pick yours up at my website here, or at 4-Shared here.
Enjoy!
Wavy line along bottom edge is from my Edges Template Kit available at my Etsy shop.
Thought it was time to share one of my favorite family recipes. We made this one tonight and it's delicious, healthy, and couldn't be easier. And have I ever mentioned how much I love my crockpot?
This recipe will feed a lot, but we like to make a lot of it because we can eat it for a couple of days. As you can see, this recipe is easy enough to cut in half.
Crockpot Chicken
5# boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 large potatoes, peeled & cut into 3/4" pieces
1 bag of baby carrots
2 cups fresh mushrooms
2 cups frozen mixed veggies
4 cans of 98% fat free cream of celery soup
2 tsps garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
Cut chicken in half and place at the bottom of crockpot. Place remaining ingredients (except the frozen mixed veggies) on top of the chicken. Give a quick mix but leave the chicken along the bottom. Cover and cook on low for 7 or 8 hours. Throw in the frozen veggies during the last hour.
Construction has begun in my future studio! Punkie is probably not happy about it. She once had a king sized bed to lounge on, and now, she has a little pet bed that sits on top of my big box of beads. She does occasionally find her way to our bed but I think she misses the giant bed in her room, which is soon going to be my room.
I just can't wait til it's all done!!! I do have a lot of things I can do while I wait. I can make curtains, storage containers, and my studio sign. I wonder how long it's going to take me to wrap all my fabric onto the comic book backing boards? Should I rethink the open fabric storage?
Are you tired of owls yet? This guy arrived at the clinic last night. DNR found it injured and brought it in. We'll see what we can do for the little guy. Isn't he just the cutest?
It's an Eastern Screech Owl. I've seen lots of the grey ones, but this is the first rust colored one I've seen. A lot of people mistaken them for babies because they are so tiny. If you ever try to handle one, you'll soon find out that this adult owl has a strong beak and sharp talons!
Soon spring will get here, and we'll be getting in all the orphaned babies from birds and bunnies, to foxes and deer! One thing about my job, I never know what I'm going to see from day to day.
Since we I've had to share our sad news recently about Howard (our great horned owl), and the most recent snowy owl, I thought it was a good time to show you one of our many success stories. Above are photos of a barn owl that fell out of a tree during a windstorm. He didn't stay with us very long because we released him as soon as he could fly and hunt.
Baby owls (owlets) are actually quite funny looking. If you ever get the opportunity to touch one, you will be amazed at how soft they are. They seriously are the softest things you'll ever feel.
Isn't hard to believe that the funny, furry little thing with the heart shaped head could grow to become so beautiful?
As many of my readers know, I've been taking the road to good health very seriously. I've been exercising 4 to 5 days a week, eating so much better, and have even lost 5 pounds! I've probably lost a little more but I wasn't brave enough to get on the scale until a couple weeks into the program.
I've also been taking vitamins and supplements. Several years ago I took them all regularly and I swear I was in much better health and felt a lot better. So I've been taking them once again.
The ones I take everyday:
Women's Multi - Hopefully this will make up for what I miss in my foods.
CoQ10 - My personal FAVORITE. This is actually an enzyme that your own body produces. As we age, our bodies don't produce this as much. It's an immunity booster and it rebuilds your important cells. I will never go without taking this one again!
B12 - Little energy booster
Potassium - Helps with those late night muscle cramps in my old legs
Calcium - Just started taking this. My dentists advises.
Vitamin C - Hopefully it will help keep away all those colds!
I hope you don't mind but I'll be sharing some good health tips from time to time.
Even though my sewing room is weeks away from completion, I decided to make a little something for when it's ready. Anyone who knows me will know that a sewing room of mine would not be complete without a couple of black cat pincushions. So that's what I finished today. They are actually from a McCall's pattern that I've had for a few years and they match the sewing machine cover I made back then.
UPDATES:
Jade Plant - Didn't make it. I don't know why? Maybe if I started with a small plant instead of a piece of a plant? Oh well, the flower pot will make a cute pencil holder in my sewing room.
Snowy Owl - DNR made us euthanize :(
My updates suck this week!
