Wednesday Wisdom

AND THANK YOU for all the good wishes for my mother. She is fine, just a little vertigo, and I'm putting in 3 different eye drops 4 times a day. Yep fine, just getting older and all her parts are wearing out..hearing, smelling, seeing, walking, thinking... yep this getting old is not for sissies.

Its going to be a busy day

Today my mother has to go in for cataract surgery. She is NOT looking forward to this and is pretty freaked out... and after looking at all these pictures on line.. I'm freaked too. YUCK-O. Man I tell you it sucks getting old!
So... ewwww
Let's talk about something WONDERFUL...
I realize I haven't shown picture of my cute little (big) hunk of love...
Here is Carson in all his glory.
They had these pictures taken by Heather of TenderShootZ,
THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL PICTURES She really is talented.....
And here Carson last week when they introduced a little cereal. yum, ok that was for the spoon...already a "i want to do it myself MOM!" kind of guy
I miss being there
but thankful for pictures!

Beautiful Bedrooms with Pillows Galore

I just love a beautiful, clean bedroom
With TONS of pillows on the bed
but, come on.... do bedrooms always look this way???

This is our bedroom, although it never looks like this, only when company is coming.
I mean 5am comes pretty early and it's a lucky day when I pull the covers up l... so ... this is what the room really looks like when I leave in the morning. Oh yeah and don't mind the black out curtains, Mr. Produce goes to bed at 8pm and gets up at 4am.
So my burning question of the day is...
If you love pillows, and lots of them on your bed... do you have to PUT THEM ON YOUR BED EVERY SINGLE DAY???
(or am I just a slacker??)

you know, maybe its a good idea to take a picture of your room because I didn't really realize it looked like this.... I mean the beautiful dark brown Matisse shams... just blend into the headboard... and the crazy quilt squares that MY grandmother made and I made into black velvet pillows.... look small and lost. WOW ... this has been an eye opener. I do have about 4 more crazy quilt pillows .. but I don't think they look quite right? what do you think?? comments anyone??

Things I've added to our home.

First of all I've been a lucky girl lately.
I won this beautiful necklace from Charmingly Adorned by Angie. She really has quite a selection of great jewelry at great prices. I quickly took it out of the box and wore it the same day!!! Thanks Angie.

We also have a new addition to our home. From Mr. Produce's family home, we are now the proud caretakers of the old family radio. Yes it's seen better days, but 1. It works and 2. It still has the original owners manual and warranty and receipt. Too bad Montgomery Wards is out of business!!

Food Fun Friday- Home Made Salsa

When I saw this recipe over at iheartnaptime... I KNEW I would be making this soon.

Restaurant Style Salsa- adapted from The Pioneer Women

Iingredients

• 1 can (28 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes With Juice
• 2 cans (10 Ounce) Rotel (diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies) Original or Mild
• ¼ cups Chopped Onion
• 1 clove Garlic, Minced
• ¼ teaspoons Sugar
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• ½ cups Cilantro (more To Taste!)
• ½ whole Lime Juice
• 
  
• If you like your salsa spicy throw in:
• 1/2 to 1 Jalapeño, Quartered And Sliced Thin
• 1/8 tsp ground cumin

Preparation Instructions

Combine whole tomatoes, Rotel, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you’d like—I do about 10 to 15 pulses. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.

Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour. Serve with tortilla chips or cheese nachos

My Notes:
I put everything in the blender... the last thing I put in the blender was that large can of tomatoes (24oz) and there wasn't enough room so I left out about half the can.
It is delicious, well Mr. Produce says it is, I don't like tomatoes... but I did put 3 HEAPING spoon fulls into the guacamole and it tasted GREAT. It was not too spicy!

and what is that I see in the background??????
yes, my fist harvesting of lavender!!! Summer MUST be here!!!

recipe found here

Blogville- Gorgeously Green

Gorgeously Green
This is an interesting one...full of information about going green... not really my strong suit...so guess that's why I find all the information here great. She's just written a book.

I'm finding all sorts of useful information that I can and want to use. Again I'm not really a go green type of person, but I do realize that there are times we can be of good steward to the earth and our environment
I do love one of her motto's:
It's official: In these tough times, clueless is out-- and crafty is in!!
love this little opening paragraph: I created Gorgeously Green for time and budget challenged women like me. I bet you anything that I face many of the same day-to-day struggles that you do – I’m just a regular kind of girl, who is simply trying to live a little more gorgeously. Don’t get put off by the whole “Green” thing because you think its too hard, or just for women who have the time and money to float around baking organic, vegan cupcakes, while deciding what to plant in their massive gardens. ....

SHE EVEN did a TV segment about vinegar (yea vinegar!) see all her TV segments here

As you can gather she is a very popular, sought after gal. I know I'm learning quite a lot from her.

Wednesday Wisdom

Instead of complaining that the rosebush is full of thorns, be happy that the thornbush has roses.

German proverb

An Evening Filled with Creative Fun

So last Thursday I featured Skip To My Lou (her pleated pouch tutorial here)
She has a great tutorial on a little zippered bag! I had a ball making several.. and I hope to make SEVERAL HUNDRED more, ok maybe not a hundred.. but these are so cute and fun and useful and I think I'll make them early for Christmas gifts and Mothers day gifts for my neighbors... you know me when I get on a roll (can you say 5 different flower tutorials!!!!!)
I am not going to post a tutorial because Skip to my Lou does such a GREAT JOB .....
and.... she has a pattern you can download, thank you very much!
ok raise your hand if you want a pleated pouch for Christmas!

Vinegar..... did you know???

I was reading about all the amazing things Vinegar can do.
But ... really? come on So I tried one of them... (welll actually a couple of them but only one I took pictures of)
I sprayed Vinegar on the weeds in between the bricks... as you can see by the pictures (of which I forgot to take before pictures...)
So yeah, it worked. Although not as good as Round-Up. (guess next time I won't just spray, I will POUR)
I also poured vinegar in a baggie and put the baggie full of vinegar over my grimy shower head and left it for a few (8) hours, I came back, took a brush to the shower head and all the grim came off...

There are lots of other things that Vinegar is GREAT at doing. Have you tried any of these?

• To clean and disinfect baby toys add a good-sized splash of white distilled vinegar to soapy water.
• Fabric softener and static cling reducer - use as you would liquid fabric softener.
• Absorb unpleasant odors by setting a container (shallow bowl) of vinegar throughout the house.
• Conditions dry hair. Shampoo, then rinse hair with a mixture of one cup apple cider vinegar and two cups water. Vinegar adds highlights to brunette hair, restores the acid mantel, and removes soap film and sebum oil.
• Soothe sunburn with a spray of white distilled vinegar, repeating as often as you like. Ice-cold white distilled vinegar will feel even better, and may prevent blistering and peeling.
• Create your own window cleaning solution by combining 1/2 cup non-sudsy ammonia, 1 cup white distilled vinegar, and 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a gallon of water.
• To remove a label, decal, or price tag, cover with a cloth soaked in white distilled vinegar. Leave the cloth on overnight and the label should slide off.
• For stained and smelly plastic food containers, wipe them with a cloth dampened with white distilled vinegar.
• Get stained white socks and dingy dishcloths white again. Add 1 cup white distilled vinegar to a large pot of water, bring it to a rolling boil and drop in the articles. Let soak overnight.
• Remove perspiration odor and stains on clothing, as well as those left by deodorants, by spraying full-strength white distilled vinegar on underarm and collar areas before tossing them into the washing machine.
• Get cleaner laundry! Add about 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar to the last rinse. The acid in white distilled vinegar is too mild to harm fabrics, yet strong enough to dissolve the alkalies in soaps and detergents. Besides removing soap, white distilled vinegar prevents yellowing, acts as a fabric softener and static cling reducer, and attacks mold and mildew.
• Kill weeds and grass growing in unwanted places by pouring full-strength white distilled vinegar on them. This works especially well in crevices and cracks of walkways and driveways.
  
• Preserve cut flowers and liven droopy ones by adding 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar to a quart of water in a vase.
• Wash fresh vegetables with a mixture of 1 tablespoon of white distilled vinegar in 1 ½ quarts of water.
• Stop insect stings and bites from itching by dabbing them with a cotton ball saturated with undiluted white distilled vinegar.
• Get rid of foot odor by washing feet well with antiseptic soap daily, then soaking them in undiluted cider vinegar for 10 minutes or so. Remember that cotton socks aid odor control more effectively than wool ones.
• Make nail polish last longer. Wipe fingernails with cotton balls dipped in white distilled vinegar before putting on nail polish.
• Keep car windows frost-free overnight in winter by coating them with a solution of 3 parts white distilled vinegar to 1 part water.
• Loosen chewing gum stuck to carpeting or upholstery by soaking it in white distilled vinegar
• Remove pet odors. After cleaning, cover the area with baking soda. Let it stand overnight. The next day vacuum up the baking soda and wash the area with white distilled vinegar. Rinse and let dry.
• Remove skunk odors by wiping down the animal with a 50-50 solution of white distilled vinegar and water, followed by a plain-water rinse. Repeat if necessary.
  
• Make onion odors disappear from your hands by rubbing with white distilled vinegar.
• Add moistness and taste to any chocolate cake—homemade or from a box—with a spoonful of white distilled vinegar.
• If you’ve added too much salt to a recipe, add a spoonful of white distilled vinegar and sugar to try correcting the taste.
• clean a coffeemaker- fill the reservoir with 1 part white vinegar 2 parts water and brew.

And so many more. I'm going to start buying it in bulk. and Yes it does smell for the first few seconds.. but the smell goes away really fast!!!
never thought I'd say it but I heart vinegar.

We've got a couple of Winners here folks! and a Birthday Girl

drum roll please- using random.org...
The winner for the towels and spreader...chosen from the way cool and intelligent followers... Result: 49...JODIE from Everything Vintage btw she has a fantastic blog full of wonderful wonderful things and ideas and thoughts... along with humor.... she is one gal that knows how to have a good time. THANKS for being my follower!!

And now for the beautiful silver frame... Result: 3
Sue from Sue's News, Views and Muse
She is a great Blog friend- and also a very talented writer, witty and wise poet, motivational speaker, total supportive mom and grandmother to her ever expanding family... and is striving to be the next judge on SYTYCdance!

And remember I'm also sending you guys some 'random' flowers I have made, hoping you can use them for your craftyness...
I want to thank everyone for their support of my lil ole blog. I hope you'll come back often and enjoy what I put out there.. just trying to keep you updated on my life and letting you know the interesting things I find out there in blogland... and Mr. Produce thanks you for your support on Food Fun Friday with all new and interesting recipies!!!

And Also Not To Be Over-Shadowed.... Today is Kieri's Birthday! she turns 24, She is the baby of the family! She is a recent College Graduate from the Department of Geology. She has found a great job in the field of GIS and engineering and works long hours and travels 3weeks out of a month! She has a cat, Sam.. who after getting run over has finally calmed down. (he was the total Tom Cat...AND HE DIDN'T DIE...even after all his innerds were rearranged). She also has a German Shepard, Hilo (or is it Helo?) Another high strung animal, which is funny because Kieri is NOT high strung, so they don't get it from her. We love her very much, and are so proud of all that she has been able to accomplish... and frankly love being around her because she is so easy going and relaxed that she makes you feel like home. I miss you... (can we come and live with you in San Diego?)
love your smirk

Food Fun Friday- Real Vanilla Frosting

I am a frosting connoisseur.

We went to a wedding last weekend that served cupcakes, yum yum so guess I was in the mood for MORE...

I found an interesting recipe for Vanilla frosting...using a real vanilla bean.

It's actually REALLY easy. I made cupcakes with yellow cake mix but this would have tasted even better with a spice cake or gingerbread!

(oh and I cut the recipe in half.. except for using the WHOLE inside of the vanilla bean)

Real Vanilla Bean Frosting

4 sticks of softened butter

4 C powdered sugar

1/2 to the inside of a vanilla bean (leave out if you want pure white... but defeats the whole purpose of Real Vanilla frosting)



Beat icing for 5=7 minutes

here's a picture of me scraping the 'stuff' out of the middle of the bean.

and here they are .. and yes there are little flakes but I think it adds to the beauty. I got rave reviews from everyone I gave them to (you don't think I would eat them all MYSELF do you?)
anddddddd don't forget to sign up for my 200th post giveaway here

Come on the odds are GOOD.

Blogville- Skip to my Lou

Skip to my Lou
is one of the best craft blogs out there...

She has lots of ideas, lots of downloads, lots of articles are mostly kids crafts but so many things are useful! This week is craft camp... lots of things to make during the summer...
and well here is a short list of cool things I found on her gigantar blog:

Painting with chocolate for National Candy Month!

Marshmallow Shooters from Make It Do (got your attention on this one eh?)
...and parties, and craft and recipes and papercrafts and MORE

Her handmade gift section is my favorite:
I'm currently working on her: Zippered purse...
because now that I've exhausted the handmade FLOWER tutorials... I'm thinking about starting on making bags, and purses and such!!!

but I digress....
ok YOU WILL TOO after you check out Skip to my Lou and all the craftyness she has
to offer!

AND REMEMBER TO LEAVE A COMMENT HERE TO BE ENTERED IN MY 200TH POST GIVEAWAY. AND AN EXTRA PRIZE FOR ONE OF MY FOLLOWERS.... follow follow me!

Wednesday Wisdom

AND don't forget to enter my Contest, go here

ANOTHER flower tutorial and by far the easiest!

First of all THANKS so much for the comment/luv. WOW thanks for helping me celebrate my 200th blog post,( don't forget to enter here) You made my day! It's so cool being greeted by such genuine good wishes ... way cool... so for your crafting pleasure ( I just couldn't wait until next week) I give you...

ANOTHER FLOWER TUTORIAL

And its an easy one too. All it really is glue-fold-twist. There are no mistakes!

You start with a backing material (like felt, or heavy muslin). You can use either a clear tacky glue (like the one pictured) or a glue gun (easy& fast but you have to be careful not to burn your fingers like me!) Use a strip of fabric in the color and style you want. The heavier the fabric, the bulkier the flower. The strip of fabric should be 2inches or less by about 12 to 30inches depending how big you want your flower. Fold the 2inches in half and press.

Make a knot at the end of the strip. This will be the center of the flower
with the knot between your thumb and forefinger, wrap the 'tail' piece around it. make a twist...
this is the twist and fold part, twist and fold.. this is just the little bud part and its easier to start in your hand rather than glue the knot and then twist and fold.
dollop of glue on your stabilizing fabric..
put your 'bud' on the glue, and here you begin the glue-fold-twist. You are folding the flower fabric and twisting the stabilizing fabric. One also might even roll the flower fabric.
glue, fold, twist You do NOT have to have a solid line of glue, you are just tacking it down as often as needed.
glue (over the knot tail) fold, twist
you have been twisting (the stabilizing fabric) in a circle. When you have the size flower you want you will need to cut the end off of the flower fabric...
glue twist AND TUCK the end under the flower
And there is your flower,
when the glue is dry, cut off the excess stabilizing fabric
Make all different sizes!
and colors
and get really carried away
and even embellish the middle of the flowers...
and then glue some together in your favorite colors (turquoise and brown) and make a necklace~ for ONE OF YOUR WINNERS
So don't forget to enter my 200th blog post contest here
Thanks for coming! hope it was fun to learn ANOTHER fabric flower!