Momma MC

Busy Bee Over Here!

2010-03-28T16:18:00.000-06:00

Yep, I've been busy...it has taken me a few weeks to finish this dress! I would work on it for a few minutes, then go work on something else...back to the dress...then to something else again. Today, I finished!

I also made Sedona some bibs in my back-and-forth-to-the-sewing-room moments.

Now, in the few days that are left before Easter, I need to make her some matching socks and Mary Jane booties, and maybe a hair accessory of some kind. Thankfully, I don't need to finish in time to mail them...we will be going to SA to visit for Easter, and I am so excited!

In the time since my last post, I also made a short trip to Arizona. My 89 year old grandmother fell and broke her femur...and ended up not only having it repaired, but she got a new hip too! I had been wanting to get over to visit my parents, and figured that my grandmother's fall was a signal that it was time to go! While I was there, I also got to see my niece Erin, and my great-nephew Taven! He is now 8 months old, and just as cute as he can be!

Now, remember when I told you that I have become obsessed with scrapbooking? It's worse than I thought, and I don't know another word to describe it! Obsessed really seems mild! ;-) It's not just scrapbooking, either. I am crazy about my Cricut, my new MTC software, and am really getting back into drawing and turning those drawings into digital stamps! If you are at all interested in paper crafting, card making and scrapbooking, go take a look at my new blog that I started just for that stuff! As I sew and crochet, I'll be posting here...but the paper crafting stuff will be at Momma MC Designs!

Easter Dress Ingredients

2010-02-28T11:51:00.001-07:00

I bought this adorable Easter egg flower fabric the other day, and plan to make Sedona's first Easter dress with it, and use the eyelet fabric for the pinafore.

I hope it turns out as cute as the picture on the pattern! I'm telling you...making tiny clothes is not as easy as it looks!

Sure, tiny clothes take less fabric, cutting, and time, but have you tried fitting a tiny sleeve on the arm of a sewing machine? I think they need to make sewing machines with tiny arms, JUST for sewing baby and doll clothes! If anyone knows of such a thing, please tell me!

I'll be sure to post photos when I finish...I hope to get started later this week!

LOTS of Pictures!

2010-02-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

I'm staying busy over here, but thought I'd pop in and show you a few of the things I made for my little sweetheart!

I showed you the diaper bag and accessories I made for little Taven...here is the diaper bag I made for Sedona. I also made matching accessories to go with it, but for some reason, I didn't get any pictures...I must have been in a rush.

The front (1st picture) and the back (2nd picture):

I crocheted this little dress and bootie set for her first photos (taken by Grandpa,of course!). This isn't the greatest picture - I was having lighting issues that day - and white is hard for me to photograph on a GOOD day!

Oh! And I made that pink blanket in the above photo too. ;-)

For Christmas, I made her first doll - Butterbean (pattern here - so cute and EASY!), and some soft jingle blocks.

I'm still busy playing in my graphics programs...will have some finished things to show you soon! I have other pictures to share too...need to find them on my drive, and I'll share them next time. Have a great day, all!

Revival!

2010-02-09T08:49:00.005-07:00

Surprised? Yes, I am still alive and kicking! Just been so super busy over the past 6 months or so...our great-nephew and granddaughter were born (which involved LOTS of making stuff), the holidays (traveling!), and I've been trying to get myself back in the creative groove. I've been spending a ton of time on my computer but not online much(more about that later in this post).

So, to catch you all up...our great-nephew, Taven was born July 21, 2009. He is such a cute little guy! He, his mom Erin (my niece) and his grandma Penny (my sister) came to see us in mid September. While they were here, Jeff took some pictures...here are a couple of my favorites! Of course he has grown since then, but he just keeps getting more adorable every day. I'll ask Erin if I can snag some pics from her Facebook, so I can post more recent pictures later.

Our granddaughter Sedona Rayne was born on September 23, 2009. Tons of dark hair and steel blue eyes - we are hoping they stay that color. She is absolutely gorgeous and I fell instantly in love with her! We went to San Antonio when she was born, again for Thanksgiving, and again for Christmas. Now, after having visited them once a month for 3 months in a row, I am having withdrawals. James has been posting videos online for me though - and I watch them over and over. I'm considering getting Web Cams for myself and James & Jackie - something I never thought I would have a need for! Here are a few pictures of my beautiful grand daughter. Just noticed after I published this, that the 3rd picture is a little cut-off...click on it to make it full size! Darn Blogger drives me nuts sometimes!

Now for this revival thing...I'm going to do better about posting here, and just to give you a heads-up, my focus will be changing slightly. Oh, I'll still be crocheting, sewing and embroidering, and I promise to share. However, since my little Sedona came into my life, I have become obsessed with scrapbooking!

I always wanted to scrapbook for my own kids, but by the time I discovered what it was really all about, my boys were teenagers. Just the thought of going through thousands of photos, sorting, and trying to remember exactly what was going on so I could journal...mind-numbing. I decided then that I would scrapbook for my grandkids from the get-go.

So here I am, starting yet another hobby.

I've been designing my own papers, digital "stamps", and cutting files for the Cricut. I may start selling these items at some point in the future...we will see! Right now, I still feel like such a beginner in these areas! I am re-learning my Corel Draw program - used it years ago, and I needed some refreshing, plus the newer version has so many different features. I am, for the first time, really putting some effort into learning PhotoShop, and learning a new program for designing the cutting files. LOTS of information is being absorbed by this old brain. Sometimes I feel like my brain is going to explode. But I'll get there.

I'll be back...and I'll share some pictures of things I've made lately!

Diapers, Booties & Badge Reels

2009-08-19T10:20:00.004-06:00

Good morning to all who are still with me! ;-)

Jaclyn asked about the diapers, so I'll answer here. I'm making AIOs - All-In-Ones for those of you who might be clueless on these acronyms as I was just a few weeks ago! When I bought my snap press from this seller, the pattern was included free of charge. I have also bought a few other patterns, and may try them later, but for now, Jackie and I decided on the One Size.

There are 3 basic layers to the diaper, plus snap-in inserts. I'm using cotton prints and solids for the outer, and diaper microfleece for the inner layer. Sandwiched between is a layer of PUL (Polyurethane Laminate fabric), and they are bound together with FOE (Fold-Over Elastic). The inserts are made of 6 layers of diaper microfleece and diaper flannel.

And yes! I do plan on making cloth wipes too, along with the nursing pads.

Here a few pictures of the other things I've been working on, as promised!

Just a few of the badge reels for my sister and her co-workers. The rest can be seen here.

These are some crocheted mocassins for my great-nephew, Taven.

And a couple pairs of booties for Sedona. These are so fun - I plan to make a lot of these in different color combos.

Have a wonderful day, everyone!

I'm Here!

2009-08-17T08:54:00.004-06:00

Dang! It's been a while, hasn't it? I've been super busy...and no end in sight yet!

Mid-July, James, Jackie and Jadie came to visit for a few days. Jadie decided to stay behind when James and Jackie went home, and we kept her for about 3 weeks. That was fun! And hectic! It's been a very long time since I've had a 10-year old around full time...and I've NEVER had a 10-year old GIRL! LOL It was a learning experience, but we had a great time with her...what a little firecracker! We love you, Jadie!

While Jadie was here, we did a little sewing and miscellaneous crafting. I didn't accomplish a whole lot myself...but Jadie made a bunch of bracelets on her bead loom, and she also made some little burp cloths for her new little sister who will arrive late next month.

As promised, even though I am really late, here is the picture of Taven's diaper bag and all the accessories I made to match. There is a bib, some pee-pee tee-pees, a changing pad and some burp cloths. Erin loved them, and I hope she is getting a lot of use out of this.

I also digitized this little cowboy, and put him on a bib for Taven. Nate - Taven's dad - is a sheriff's deputy, and I thought this was cute. In case the picture isn't real clear, it says "Daddy's Li'l Deputy".

When Jadie went home, I decided I had better get going on the cloth diapers for the grand baby. I had never made one before - never worked with PUL or FOE - so my first one was a disaster. The second one was much better, and they keep getting easier as I go along. So far, I've made 4...with only 32 to go! I want to make 3 dozen, so I have a lot of work to do yet! With the scraps, I'm making nursing pads, and I'll get a picture of them for a later post.

Also been making more baby booties, but I'll have to get a picture of them later today. I still owe Taven a little pair of mocassins, and I have one of them done - will finish the other one this evening, then will get pictures.

Today I need to work on some badge reels. I'll be seeing my sister on Friday, and I promised her I'd take a bunch with me. She's an RN, and keeps me busy with orders from the hospital where she works! I'll get pics when I get them done, too.

Oh!!! And we have a name for the baby!!! Well, at least the first name - they are still undecided on her middle name. Her first name will be Sedona! I love it! If any of you are unfamiliar with her name-sake, just Google Sedona, Arizona. It is one of the most beautiful places in the United States!

Off to work on badge reels...

Jackie's Birthday Gift

2009-07-05T19:31:00.003-06:00

Yesterday was Jackie's birthday, and I know she received her gift, so now I can show you!

I made her this darling little bag with a matching tissue cover and snap wallet. I've been saving my last piece of this gorgeous pink fabric for just the perfect thing, and this was it.

You can click on the photo for a larger view.

I found the pattern for the bag here - it's called the Buttercup Bag, and it was so easy and fast to make! It is just the perfect size for those of us who like to carry a smaller purse. I'll have to make myself one when I get a chance!

Erin's shower is on the 11th, so once that is over, I'll share the things I've made for her and little Taven.

Stinkin' Busy...

2009-07-02T14:04:00.003-06:00

...sewing and crocheting!

My daugter-in-law's birthday is this Saturday (she's a firecracker! LOL)...Erin's baby shower is next Saturday...Jadie's birthday is later this month...

As these events pass, I'll share pictures of what I've been making for everyone. Just don't want to spoil any surprises!

Thought I'd just let you all know that I'm still kicking - just really, really busy!

Have a safe and fun Independence Day!

Diaper Bag In Progress

2009-06-13T10:23:00.004-06:00

Yesterday, I decided to work on the diaper bag I have been planning for my great-nephew-to-be, Taven. I couldn't find a pattern that had all the features I wanted, so I am taking the best ideas from a few patterns and creating my own.

I talked to Erin last night, and told her I'd give her another sneak peek - but this is IT, Erin! No more peeks until your shower! ;-) (Love ya!)

I wanted to incorporate some embroidery, so I digitized my favorite little doggie from the fabric - he turned out wonderfully! I then embroidered him with Taven's name to use as the front pocket.

You can click on the photo for a larger view.

Now, once I find out what my grand-daughter's name will be, I'll be making one for her too...but in PINK!

Back to sewing...see y'all soon!

I'm Back...And Some Answers...

2009-06-12T08:12:00.004-06:00

My dad took the youngest grandkids to Colorado for a camping trip, and it would have been too overwhelming for my mom, so I was in AZ staying with her. It was a very long 12 days, but I am glad I did it. I have much more insight now as to how her days go.

A lot of you will ask me questions in your comments, and I normally answer them in the comment thread. However, I am aware that some don't go back to see my answers! ;-) So, I'll answer some questions from my last post here...

First, Kelly...I am so glad the kids liked their wallets! I loved doing them for you, and it was great to see all of you when you stopped by to pick them up!

Mary...I'm sure I could make some in adult sizes - it would just take some tweaking. Once I get all the baby gifts done, I'll see if I can do that.

Challice and Quilty...I actually used 3 different patterns to create these little sneakers - with tons of tweaking. I will try to write up the final instructions as soon as I can. And yes, Challice, I think a beginner could do it! ;-)

I have a lot of catching up to do around here...among them, laundry, answering emails, and getting my sewing room back in order so I can SEW!

Thanks for all your sweet comments! Jeff says I should stick with the circle, since Converse shoes have circles...but I'm liking the flower idea myself. Have a good weekend, all...I'll be back soon to share some new baby stuff!

Another Surprise Spoiler...

2009-05-27T10:54:00.003-06:00

...but I just can't help myself! Sorry, Erin...but I'm sure that when you see them in person, you will think that they are even cuter than the pictures!

I've been crocheting in the evenings - I can't watch TV without doing something with my hands! I've been making these darling little booties. So far, I have a black pair done for Taven, and a hot pink pair for my grand-DAUGHTER. (I just can't get over the fact that James and Jackie's baby is going to be a GIRL! After raising 3 boys, I am just beside myself with excitement!)

Anyway, here are some pictures.

I am undecided as to whether I should put a circle on the pink pair...I'm considering a heart or flower instead to make them even more girlie. Thoughts?

Now back to sewing...going to try to get Kelly's coloring wallets finished today!

Digitizing Frustration!

2009-05-21T15:26:00.002-06:00

I love my digitizing software - really, I do! But sometimes it befuddles me to no end!

I've been working on this logo for some good friends for a month now. First, I had to draw it in Corel Draw - that took me quite a while. Then, I took into my digitizing software to add the stitches and do all the tweaking I needed to do. All looked great...here is a screenshot:

But dang it! I have test stitched it several times this week (and it takes about an HOUR to stitch!), tweaking more and more in between, and for some reason, I keep getting this gap (see below)! It is perfect on-screen. I have my fabric properly stabilized. I'm frustrated!

Notice that when I stitched it this time, I put pink where some red should be...and I didn't even notice until I was editing this picture. Evidence of my irritation, maybe?

I am the type who wants to learn on my own as much as I can...trial and error, trial and error...until I get perfection. However, I think it's time to contact my digitizing instructor because no matter what I do, I still get that darn gap.

And a little note to Kelly...I have 3 of the coloring wallets done! I've been working on them in between all this digitizing mess. I'll have them done next week, and I'll call you so I can deliver them.

IT'S A GIRL!!!

2009-05-20T16:02:00.002-06:00

I'm going to have a grand-DAUGHTER! I am bouncing off the walls right now!

Must finish all these things I'm working on so I can start sewing and crocheting PINK stuff!

Just had to share...

:-)

Back From San Antonio!

2009-05-13T08:58:00.005-06:00

One trip down, one more to go at the end of this month!

Our eldest son James, married his adorable Jackie last week! It was a sweet little courthouse ceremony, with a cookout "reception" at their house afterwards. Only family and close friends, so it was absolutely perfect!

Just wanted to share some pictures of the cute couple, then I am off to get some sewing done. I have so many things to do, and not enough time! ;-)

At the Alamo...
Talk to you all soon!

Sneaky Peek for Erin

2009-04-28T09:23:00.006-06:00

Sure enough, after my last post, I got a Facebook message from Erin...she IS stalking my blog! LOL

She's a good kind of stalker though - my eldest niece, whom I love very much. And she's expecting my very first great-nephew in July!

Thought I'd tease her a bit and show her one of the things I have made for Baby Taven, and a little sneaky peek of his blanket.

Hope you like them, sweetie! I LOVE making tiny baby stuff! I'm constantly squealing "Look how CUTE this is!", while your Uncle Jeff rolls his eyes and laughs at me. He thinks I'm nuts sometimes...but he agrees that these things are cute, even if he won't openly admit it! ;-)

Busy, Busy!

2009-04-24T13:51:00.006-06:00

I'm sorry I am such a bad blogger lately! I have just been so busy that I'm having a hard time even taking time to breathe!

With so many babies on the way, I've been doing lots of sewing and crocheting. Plus planning a trip to San Antonio for James and Jackelyn's wedding, and another trip to take care of my mom while my dad takes their younger grandkids camping.

I made this little shirt for my friend, Jaclyn, who is expecting her little Liam in just a few days.

I've also been making a lot of things for my niece's baby, but don't want to show them here yet, in case she happens to stop by. :-)

Yesterday, I made these cute little pillowcases for my soon-to-be grandkids, Moss and Jadie. They are Jackelyn's little sweeties, and I can't wait to officially call them my grandbabies!

My blog posts will probably be few and far between for the next couple months - I have lots of places to go, and things to do! But I'll do my best to post as often as I am able.

Whose Big Idea Was This?

2009-04-06T13:41:00.004-06:00

I like popcorn...with lots of butter, and just a little bit of salt. I especially love it at the movie theatre, or freshly popped on the stove. The bagged microwave stuff is okay, but only in a pinch!

I bought one of these huge jars of jelly beans at Costco. My original intent was to take some colorful macro pictures of them, and I still might. Just have to find some extra time, and get the lights out BEFORE I eat all the good ones.

I had never tried a buttered-popcorn-flavored jelly bean until the other day. I put it in my mouth, bit down on it, and immediately spit it in the trash can. It was the most horrid thing I have ever tasted! Even worse than the black licorice ones! Whoever thought of a buttered-popcorn-flavored jelly bean is just crazy, in my opinion. They are all being picked out of the mix and set aside. If Jeff won't eat them, they are going in the trash.

Most of you already know that I don't like bananas, nor anything with an artificial banana flavoring, so it's no surprise that the banana jelly beans are being set aside too. And just look at them! They are even "bruised"! Maybe I could make banana bread with them? Yuck.

There are others that I'm not crazy about (like the above mentioned black licorice), but they aren't quite as offensive to my tongue as the buttered-popcorn-flavor. My favorites are the cinnamon, tangerine and pink grapefruit! YUM!

What's your favorite? Is it buttered-popcorn? If it is, I'll put you on my "crazy" list! Just kidding - I'll love you even if you have weird taste buds! ;-)

Happy Monday!

2009-03-30T08:40:00.004-06:00

So far, Monday is going pretty good for me - hope yours is too! I had a headache all day Sunday, and was not very productive. The wind, dust and pollen that blows around every spring makes me miserable if I'm not careful. I was out in the wind last Wednesday and Thursday...and I paid for it yesterday. For some reason, it always takes a few days to hit me. Darn allergies!

Today is much better though. The wind is still blowing like crazy, but I plan to stay inside today and get some things done. First on my list was to get some laundry started, and draw my winner.

The Random Number Picker chose poster number 3....

MARY!!!! Congrats, girl! Or should I say congrats to Lauren? ;-) I'll send this out no later than tomorrow....

Thanks to all who entered, and have a good Monday!

Tea For Two

2009-03-19T11:10:00.004-06:00

Here's one of the things that has been keeping me busy lately...

Since I didn't have a giveaway last month, I wanted to make something special for this month's giveaway...didn't want to just grab something out of my bin of things with no home!

So, you can enter to win this little tea set! Wouldn't it be great in someone's Easter basket?

Just comment on this post, and you will be entered in the drawing. Be sure to leave me a way to get in touch with you if your contact information isn't available to the public on your Blogger account.

I'll close this drawing on Sunday, March 29 (or when I get up the next morning), then will determine the winner on the 30th. Shipping is on me too, and I will gladly ship internationally.

Good luck, everyone!

88, 66...

2009-03-14T09:58:00.001-06:00

I thought I'd answer Challice's comment/question in my last post. Great question, and I have the actual answer, then I'll tell you all a little fact that I think is interesting. It may not be as interesting to you all, but I think it is.

Nope, I'm not 44, but close! I'm currently 45, but will be 46 before I know it! The grandmother I spoke of is my father's mother, whom I expect to live well into her 90's. If she lives to 100, I won't be surprised!

Here's the little tidbit...

My paternal grandfather was born May 7, 1919. (sadly, he passed on Leap Day, February 29, 2004)

My father, the oldest child, was born on June 7, 1941. His father was exactly 22 years and one month older.

I, the oldest child, was born on July 7, 1963. My father is exactly 22 years and one month older than I am.

I broke the chain, darn it! LOL I'm only 19 years, 2 months and 7 days older than my oldest child. Oh well...

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Shame On Me!

2009-03-13T09:12:00.003-06:00

I am a BAD BLOGGER! Throw a kink in my routine, and it takes me forever to get back in the groove!

I'm back from Arizona - been back for almost 2 weeks now, but have been just a wee bit pre-occupied with all kinds of other things!

Thank you all so much for your emails and concerns about my mom. She is doing much better where her back surgery and walking problems are concerned. Something I've not mentioned before however, is that she also has a form of early-onset dementia, and has been struggling with that for many years (she is only 66 years old). I may go into more detail at a later time, but for now, I'll just leave it at that. The surgery, and complications from it, just made me feel like I needed to be there for both my mom and dad. I also worry about my father, who is a saint and has the patience of Job. They have been married for 47 years. He loves my mom more than anything in this world, and takes such good care of her.

While I was in AZ, I got to see my grandma too! At 88 years old, she is just as beautiful and spunky as ever! I had a couple good laughs when we took her to lunch and shopping. Both my mom and my grandma were using their walkers. As we were walking into the restaurant, I noticed 2 other people using walkers going in the door. We get inside, and there was a "corral" in the corner, just for walkers and wheel chairs. As we were waiting for our food, several other people came in with their walkers and wheelchairs - the corral was overflowing! My dad and I were joking around - saying we were too young to be in that place!

After lunch, we took my grandma to Wal-Mart. I expected that my dad would stay with my mom and I would go with my grandma so we could assist them if they needed any help. Dad and I got out of the Suburban. While I was helping my mother out, my dad went to the cart corral in the parking lot, grabbed a cart and gave it to my grandma...my grandma just took off! I didn't see her again until after we checked out, and she was sitting at the front of the store waiting for us - cart full of bags.

I'll be back...sooner, this time! Have a wonderful weekend!

No Giveaway This Month :(

2009-02-15T09:40:00.003-07:00

So sorry, all! But I'll make it up next month, I promise!

I had planned on starting this month's giveaway tomorrow, but I need to go to Arizona later this week, and will be gone for about 10 or 11 days. By the time I get back, the month will be nearly over.

My mom had back surgery this past Thursday to relieve some terrible pain she has been having in her right hip. There have been some minor complications, and I want to be there to help out when my dad takes her home.

I may or may not make it back here to post before I leave - lots of stuff to do! I will be able to check email while I am in Arizona - though I may not check it often. My parents have dial-up, and after having high speed for so long, dial-up is painfully slow! ;-)

But I'll be back as soon as possible! HUGS to everyone!!!

My Little Sister Is Keeping Me Busy...

2009-02-10T08:48:00.004-07:00

...making badge reels! She's a RN at a hospital in Phoenix, and a few weeks ago, sent me a list of initials that her co-workers wanted on badge reels. And since then, I've been working on them on and off. I was running low on some supplies, but I finally got everything on Saturday, and I finished them up yesterday. They'll be out in the mail today, PJ! XOXO

A New, Much Needed Toy!

2009-02-09T11:04:00.005-07:00

Some of you may remember my, um, complaining (several times) about not having my scanner hooked up. I would love to back-up all of our photos (film) that I have in boxes! I simply had no room for it on my desktop with the monitor, my tablet, printer, and everything else I keep on my desk.

Last weekend, Jeff set me up with a new video card, and two monitors to work with. I honestly had no idea what he meant when he said you could use 2 monitors - just couldn't picture how it would work in my head...but, I must say that I LOVE having 2 monitors! And after having them for a little over a week now, I am feeling pretty spoiled - so spoiled that I don't think I can ever go back! They will come in extremely handy for some webinars I've signed up for next month...I can watch the lessons on one screen, and work on the project in my other screen at the same time. Awesome.

Well, with 2 monitors, I had even less space on my desk! On a trip to Costco this past Saturday, Jeff saw a great deal on an All-In-One wireless printer/scanner/fax/copier, and bought it for me. What a guy...he spoils me so!

I played a little this morning...

Here is a picture of me with my Mom and Dad...1964, I think!

Then, here is one of my favorite photos of Ryan (our youngest) when he was just a little guy...

And here he is now (age 22! YIKES!), with Grey, Michael's dog. I think this is a great picture of him, but I wish he didn't have the Stella in his hand! LOL
I think the scanner will come in quite handy with my embroidery designs too! The stitch-outs will look much nicer!
Have a good Monday!

Creative Messes & Tidy Idleness...

2009-02-05T11:45:00.005-07:00

I completely agree with my tagline! However, there comes a point where one can get so obsessed with the Creative part, that Tidy becomes non-existent! That is where I am today, so once I get this post done, I'm shutting down my computer for a while (to prevent temptation!), turning up my music, and getting my rear in gear to get my house back in order before Jeff comes home from his business trip tomorrow.

My sewing room is strewn with fabric bits and thread - not to mention the piles of fabric that I've cut from, and not folded and put away. The hamper is overflowing. The floors could use a good once-over.

I think that from now on, I had better designate one day a week to do only housework - and not turn my computer on until everything is done! Yeah, that's a good idea...now, which day should it be?

Anyway, I have been playing with my digitizing software - again. Or should that be "still"? I think I have at least a dozen sets in the works, but I finally completed one. I'm going to call this series "Confetti Critters", and this is the Farm set. If you'd like to see the actual stitch-outs, you can go here.

There will be sets to follow in Beach, Backyard, Safari, Pets, Birds and other themes. I based these on some clip art I found - well, all except the Rooster, which I drew myself. A farm is not complete without a chicken or rooster, and I couldn't find anything I liked - so I resorted to my long lost drawing skills (I haven't drawn with any serious purpose since high school, when I took every art class available!). I think he turned out kind of cute, if goofy, and he happens to be Jeff's favorite of them all.

After stitching them out, I found I needed to make a tiny change on the pigs feet. Once I do that, I'll be sending them to my friends who have agreed to test stitch for me.

I am hoping that I can figure out how to add instant download links to my blog. I would love to offer some free designs to all of you who have embroidery machines. I think it would be fun, and you could all be "testers" for me! I'll do some research on that, but if any of you know how to do it, send me some of your knowledge!

Time to shut down for a while, so I can clean up some of my CREATIVE MESSES! Have a great day, everyone! Tomorrow is FRIDAY!!!

January Winnner!

2009-02-02T10:10:00.004-07:00

First, thank you all so much for your sweet words and congratulations on my upcoming grandma-hood! I can't tell you how excited I am! Yes, this baby, and my niece's baby are both going to spoiled rotten to the core. I'm not making things yet though - I want to wait until I know if they will boys, girls, or one of each. THEN, I'll be in a frenzy!

In the meantime, I've been busy making things for some dear friends having babies...Jean, Jaclyn and Mika! Jean already had her little Marco right after Christmas, and I made him a baby blanket...but drats! I didn't get a picture of it! Maybe she will get one for me (hint, hint!). Mika had her little Gennah just over a week ago!

Noreen asked if I was going to be called Grandma. I honestly don't know, but it won't matter to me what my grandbaby chooses to call me. Grandma, Granny, Nana, MeeMaw...I will be happy with any, even if it's something unconventional! ;-)

Now, on to the winner of my Valentine Cards and Sachet Drawing!

The random-number-picker chose post number 10...

Lo and behold, it's my above-mentioned sweet friend, Jaclyn! Congratulations, girlie! I know you enter EACH AND EVERY drawing faithfully, and finally, you win! WOO HOO!!! I'll be sending you an email here in a bit!

I know I still need to share pictures of my scrap afghan (I finished it yesterday!), and I have some other things to share in pictures too...so I'll be back soon!

Have a great week, everyone, and thank you again!

January Giveaway! And a YIPPEE at the end!

2009-01-26T13:16:00.004-07:00

I know it's late in the month, but I waited on purpose, because it's Bloggy Carnival time again! I LOVE these carnivals!

Here is what you can win!

Three "quilted" Valentine cards, complete with envelopes, and 6 matching lavender sachets! Keep the sachets for yourself, and send the cards to your Valentines...or give as matched sets!

To enter, just comment on this post! Be sure to leave a way to contact you if your information isn't available through your Blogger account. YES, I will happily ship internationally!

This giveaway is open until midnight (GMT) Sunday, February 1, 2009. I'll use the random-number-picker-thing to determine the winner on Monday, February 2.

Good luck!

And now to the YIPPEE part!

Regular readers know that Jeff and I have 3 grown boys, ages 26, 24 and 22. Regular readers also know that every now and then I comment how I am patiently waiting for grandbabies.

Well, we found out last night that we are going to be grandparents!!! Once the initial shock wore off (I was TOTALLY NOT expecting James to tell me that Jackelyn was expecting!!!), I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face!

A new chapter in my life is beginning, and I couldn't be happier!

Pre-Occupied...

2009-01-20T13:09:00.003-07:00

...just a little. Well, no...A LOT!

I've been trying to learn my digitizing software. It was now or never, and I have really committed myself to it! Last summer, I digitized logos for Jeff and Brent, but haven't done much else with it until now. Now, I am SERIOUS! :-)

I have a long way to go - digitizing is not an easy task! But I am learning a little something every day, with the hopes that I may actually get really good at it!

You all know I love "cute". So, you can expect most of my designs to be along the "cute and adorable" lines. Here are screenshots of my first two cuties! I still have some perfecting to do before they are completely finished, but when they are, I'll show you the actual stitch-outs.

I hope to have them ready for another test stitching later today.

This is so fun...and addicting!

What's In Store For 2009?

2009-01-08T11:19:00.005-07:00

I'm a bit late, but Happy New Year! Hope it's going well, so far!

The day after Christmas, we went to Albuquerque to shoot a friend's son's wedding. It was FREEZING! I was so glad to come back home to a little warmer weather!

The following week, while Jeff was busy editing photos, I cleaned my sewing room, which was trashed from all the sewing I did before Christmas. That took me 2 days! I also cleaned the extra closet in our bedroom that we use for storage. It was overflowing! A trip to Costco for bins, and a couple hours of re-organizing the closet did wonders. I can close the doors now!

I've also been doing a lot of thinking - so much that I've given myself a headache a few times. Many of you probably have heard of the new CSPIA laws, concerning products for children ages 12 and under. If you haven't heard about it, here are some results from a Google search.

In short, starting February 10, all items intended for children will need to be tested for lead if this law remains as it is currently written. This includes anything you can think of, from clothing and toys, to books, furniture and decor. NOTHING is exempt, including second-hand items! This also includes anything handmade! It could be devastating to many work-at-home parents.

So, my plan at this point is to set the children's items aside on February 9, and wait it out. In the meantime, I'll work on things meant for adults. I'll probably get all my notebooks out, and write up more of my crochet patterns. I'll get busy learning my digitizing software.

And, I'll make things for myself! I never do that - I always end up giving things away, or selling them.

This is a little embroidered insert (bought the file at SWAK), that I am going to turn into a quilted wall-hanging. I haven't quite decided how I want to quilt it though. I'll sew the buttons on after it is quilted, and add tabs to hang on a dowel.

I've also started a queen sized afghan with a bunch of my yarn scraps. I've been working on it each evening, and I'll get a picture of what I've done so far for my next post!

Have a GREAT day! Now, I need to go finish putting all my Christmas stuff away!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T08:53:00.004-07:00

Hope you all have a wonderful day filled with family, friends, good food and great memories!

Things have not slowed much yet! But I expect to be back to posting next week.

Michael came for a visit - it is wonderful having him here. Wish all the boys could have come home, but maybe next year.

Enjoy your day!

Relieved!

2008-12-22T07:38:00.007-07:00

For once, I'm so glad it's Monday! I knew last week that I had enough to do to keep me busy at least through the weekend, and I am finally done!

First, we finished all the candy! I'm running so late this year - I had wanted to share the more difficult recipes with you all, but ran out of time. I hope that next year, I will be a little better prepared (I say that every year!).

These are spiced nuts, and Jeff's Capuccino Caramels. The caramels are probably the most work of all the candy we make, but they are so worth it! I'll share the easy recipe for the nuts at the end of this post - they take about 5 minutes to make and are so good! The "spice" is sweet, not savory.

I also finished up all the gifts I was making! I made 16 Coloring and Sketch Wallets for our younger nieces and nephews, and a few kids of some good friends.

For our teen nieces, and the girls at Jeff's office, I made these little snap wallet and tissue holder sets. I made several in each fabric combination, but couldn't quite get them to stack as nicely as the above coloring/sketch wallets, so just took a picture of one each.

Friday and Saturday, I packaged and mailed 13 boxes! That in itself is so time consuming - making sure I had the right gifts in each box, printing address labels, taping. And, even as careful as I was trying to be, I did forget to put one thing in a box! UGH. I thought my mailman would have a fit, but instead, he was so thankful for the business. I guess they do worry about all the alternative ways to ship these days!

We've been so busy that Jeff and I didn't put a tree up until yesterday! It's a small one though - so the work was minimum. I kept the ornaments to a minimum too - some faux stained glass pieces that the boys and I made when they were small, and some paper photo ornaments they made in school a long, long time ago. I'm surprised they have survived over so many years!

Here's the recipe for the nuts! Enjoy!

Spiced Nuts

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 t. salt

1/2 t. cinnamon

1 T. vanilla

6 T. water

5 c. mixed nuts

Lightly grease a large cookie sheet.

Put nuts in a large bowl, set aside.

In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients except nuts. Stir constantly until mixture comes to a full boil. Boil for 4 minutes. Immediately pour over nuts and mix until coated (work quickly!). Spread on prepared cookie sheet, and let cool for several hours. The coating will be glossy and very sticky, then while cooling will harden and become sugary. Break apart, and store in an airtight container.

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

2008-12-15T10:37:00.004-07:00

As I was about to write this post, that phrase came into my mind ...then I wondered where the heck that phrase came from! Maybe I am just not "with it", but the first time I heard it was when Warren Sapp said it on Dancing With The Stars. So I looked it up, and here is what I found:

"Years ago every Las Vegas casino had a 3 piece chicken dinner with potato and veggie for $1.79. A standard bet back then was $2.00, hence when you won a bet you had enough for a chicken dinner. So now you know the rest of the story. "

Interesting.

Anyway, on to more important things! Like who won the Stocking and Stuffers Drawing! But first, I want to thank ALL of you for entering! Be sure to check back often...I'll continue my giveaways throughout 2009!

On Jeff's way out the door to work this morning, I put the bowl in front of him and told him to draw a slip of paper.

The winner is Chelle! Congratulations, Chelle! I'll be in touch with you today, so we can work out the details for your stocking, and I'll have everything in the mail ASAP!

Thanks again, everyone!

Yummy-ness

2008-12-11T09:08:00.007-07:00

Warning: You may put on a few pounds just reading this post!

We are about 1/2 done with candy, so I'm sharing a few pictures of what we have made so far!

From top, clockwise, are Jeff's Easy Toffee (recipe below), Coconut Pecan Truffles, Peanut Butter Cups, and Vanilla Cream Cheese Fudge (recipe below).

I'll share the recipes for the Coconut Pecan Truffles, and the Peanut Butter Cups later, when I have a little more time (they are kind of "involved"), but here's what the insides look like. Of course, I can't give away the cut pieces, so they became a great accompaniment to my coffee this morning!

If you want to try these two easy recipes, let me know how they turn out!

Jeff's Easy Toffee

Ingredients:

2 c. sugar

1 c. butter (must be butter - not margarine)

3 T. water

8 oz. Hershey Bar, broken into pieces

With butter wrappers, grease a small jelly roll pan (10 x 13).

In a large, deep saucepan, combine the sugar, butter and water. Wear an oven mitt (it will pop!), and stir quickly and constantly with a large whisk over medium-high heat. The mixture will go through stages of thick, thin, and will separate at one point in between. Keep whisking until the mixture is the color of a brown paper bag. Pour immediately in prepared jelly roll pan. Let cool about 5 minutes, then score with a knife into squares. Drop chocolate on top after scoring, and spread as it melts. Let cool completely, then break apart.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Fudge

Ingredients:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

4 c. powdered sugar

1 1/2 t. vanilla

12 oz. white chocolate chips

3/4 c. chopped walnuts

Sprinkles or additional chopped walnuts for topping (optional)

Line a square pan (8 x 8) with foil - butter the foil.

Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler. While the chocolate is melting, mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Add melted chocolate, then fold in nuts. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with your preferred topping. Refrigerate 2 hours. Remove the fudge from the pan, using foil as "handles". Cut into 1" squares.

Back to work for me...have a great day, everyone!

Silly Stuff

2008-12-10T21:02:00.002-07:00

But fun! Check this out! Hee hee!

Making Candy

2008-12-10T15:10:00.004-07:00

For the past couple days, I've been in my kitchen making candy, and I'll be doing the same probably through the weekend. I have a bunch of tins to fill! 26 to be exact, plus a couple buckets that I'll also add cookies to and send to the boys.

I make most of it, but Jeff has two specialties, and I let him take over the kitchen when he's ready to make them. We skipped making candy last year (I don't remember why...we must have been busier than usual, or something), but this is what Jeff and I give our good friends and his co-workers each year. I'll also be mailing some to our parents and siblings and a few out-of-town friends. And the boys, of course! Making candy is a LOT of work, but we love doing it!

Tomorrow, I'll take some pictures of what we've made so far, and I'll share a recipe or two!

Happy Birthday, Jeff!

2008-12-09T09:45:00.004-07:00

Today is Jeff's birthday! He doesn't mind telling his age, so I'll tell you that he is 47!

Jeff is my rock - my anchor. We are complete opposites, so I guess the old saying may be true - opposites DO attract!

Jeff has always been wise beyond his years - I knew this the moment I met him, over 27 years ago. He's always rational and logical in his thoughts, and strives to be fair in his actions. I, on the other hand, often act on impulse and can be emotional. I like to think that we have an equalizing effect on each other - he helps me to think things through, and I help him to show his (somewhat) softer side.

To people who don't really know him, he can seem gruff and intimidating, but once you do get to know him, you love him.

Jeff is intelligent, comical and talented. He has been the greatest husband, and father to our boys, that I could have ever dreamed of. Someday he is going to be an awesome grandpa! He is true, loyal and very giving to his friends and family. Just an all-around great guy, and I couldn't be more thankful!

I love you, Jeff! Happy Birthday!

Toot! Toot!

2008-12-08T09:35:00.006-07:00

May I brag a little about our photography club? Yes? You don't mind? Thanks!

A few months ago, Jeff, myself, and several members of our photo club (Megapixels) submitted photos to a contest, sponsored by our local newspaper. The contest was Capture El Paso. The best of the photos were to be published into a coffee-table book. No one was to know the results until the release of the book.

Well, last Friday the book was released, and there was a book-signing party/award presentation at our Barnes and Noble. It was surprising and FUN!

Jeff won "Most Votes" in the Institutions Chapter ($100) with this photo:

I won "Editor's Choice" in the Plants and Animals Chapter ($50) with this photo:

In total, Jeff has 6 photos published in the book, and I have 3! I only submitted 5 photos, so 60% is darn good! Jeff and the other members submitted quite a few more, so my average was best!

;-) I can tease them about that!

One of our club members, John, won the Grand Prize (a new Rebel XTi), and 2 other members, Brent and Sharo won prizes! Several of our other members have pictures in the book too! Brent has FIFTEEN photos published! Jeff is calling him the "book hog". LOL It is well deserved though - he has a great eye and his work sometimes leaves me speechless!

Overall, we all did FANTASTIC!!!!

Here are some stats Jeff worked up for our club's forum:

960 people submitted photos

Number of pictures in the book - 200
Megapixels members' pictures in the book - 41
20% of the pictures belong to Megapixels members.

Total pictures submitted - 15,016
Megapixels Member submissions - 489
Only 3% of the submissions were from Megapixels members, yet Megapixels members have 20% of the published pictures.

Here are a few pics of the book, and the signing party. And here are some by George, and Sharo (thanks, friends!). Just ignore the pictures of me - I am NOT photogenic and can't stand pictures of myself...skip right over those, okay?

Brent and Jeff signing books:

Most of the gang that was at the party (left to right: George, Sharo, Marco, Alonzo, Jeff, me, Brent):

One of our friends on Jeff's Canon forum said "I hope you partied like rock stars!". We did - at IHOP! ;-)

Congrats to all my fellow Megapixels members - you are awesome, and I'm so proud!

Dreaming of Spring!

2008-12-08T07:56:00.003-07:00

Hope you all had a great weekend! Mine was busy, as usual! Just maybe a bit more busy, since it is getting so close to Christmas. I have a ton of stuff to do, and it seems time is so short! I'll bet we all feel this way.

Today is the first blustery, REALLY cool day we've had here this season, and I'm not liking it at all! I don't like cold! The skies are dark and the leaves are blowing everywhere! I was raised in snowy cold country, but living here in the desert for the last 26+ years, I have become a lizard. If the temp falls below 40 degrees, it might as well be negative 40. I just want to find a sunny rock to sit on...like a lizard! Or, better, I'll just stay inside where it's warm. The only days that I think cold (or snow!) is good, are Christmas Eve and Christmas day! ;-)

My sweet friend, Challice has just the right giveaway for the way I am feeling! She is giving away a great gardening package! Head on over there and enter! It will have you dreaming of Spring too! Good luck!

Don't forget to enter my Stocking & Stuffers giveaway too, if you haven't already!

Stocking & Stuffers Giveaway!

2008-12-04T09:17:00.007-07:00

My December giveaway is here! This is the largest gift I've ever given away, and I'm so excited!

Be sure to read the rules to enter below. They are a bit different this time, and each person can earn up to FIVE entries!

Here is what you can win!

First, I am going to make a stocking from these fabrics:

The stocking will be the same style as the stockings shown in this post. I will have it made at the end of the drawing, except for the cuff. The winner can choose to have the cuff personalized for whomever they like, or leave it unpersonalized, and can also choose a straight or scalloped cuff. But it will remain un-finished until we have a winner....then I will finish it up and have it in the mail with the rest of the goodies within a day or so.

These stockings are BIG - they are about 16" long, and 13" wide at the foot! And I'm going to stuff it full of gifts - all handmade by me. With as much as I'm giving away, it might not all fit IN the stocking, but everything shown will be included! ;-) The total value of this stocking and all the gifts (if I were to list them in my Etsy shops) is over $175! I'm going to add an extra surprise or two, also.

Here's the loot:

I was going to put individual photos and descriptions of each gift in this post, but figured I had better keep it short! However, I put a Set together on Flickr so you can see the individual items, and descriptions - go HERE. The surprise gifts are not shown. They wouldn't be surpises then, would they?

The winner can keep all the gifts for her/himself, or re-gift if you choose! Some of these items would make great last minute gifts, if you find yourself needing some! ;-)

So, here is how to enter! Please read carefully. You can enter once by commenting, or get extra entries - up to five!

1. Comment on this post, and you'll receive ONE ENTRY. As always, be sure to leave a way to contact you if you do not have a blog.

2. Subscribe to my FeedBlitz (in the left column of this page), and you'll receive ONE ENTRY. If you are already subcribed at the time of this post, I have already recorded an entry for you - no need to subscribe again. Note: Please do not subscribe anonymously! Anonymous subcriber's emails do not show on my subscriber list, so I would have no way to know who-is-who, or to contact you if you won. Anonymous subscribers do not get an entry.

3. Post a link to my giveaway on your blog, and you'll receive ONE ENTRY. Please use this link:

http://mommamcblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/stocking-stuffers-giveaway.html

Be sure to post a link to your blog post here in the comments section, or send me an email to let me know you have done this.

4. Do all of the above, and you'll receive TWO EXTRA ENTRIES!

The deadline to enter is 11:59 pm (MT) on December 14, 2008. For this drawing, I'm going to keep a spreadsheet to make things easier on me to keep track. For each of your entries, your name will be entered on a separate line. When the drawing is over, I'll cut out each line, fold them up and put them in a bowl. I'll have Jeff draw a name to determine the winner the morning of December 15.

Shipping is on me too! I will gladly accept International entries, but if you live outside the U.S., and are the winner, please keep in mind that your package may not reach you before Christmas. International shipping times are hard to predict!

Good luck to everyone!

Just Have To Share!

2008-12-03T07:59:00.005-07:00

I'm going to be a Great Auntie!!! Woo Hoo! I'm so excited!

My sweet and gorgeous niece, Erin, is expecting!

Erin and her hubby Nate have been married for about 4 1/2 years now. Erin is a nurse, and Nate recently graduated from the Sherriff's Academy after serving our great country in the Middle East. Here's a pic of them celebrating Nate's graduation at my parents' house (that's my beautiful mom behind them).

Anyway, this baby is going to be spoiled-stinkin'-rotten. Not only by Penny (PJ) and John (my sis and BIL - the grandparents) and my parents, but by ALL of us! My other sister, Robin, and I are already planning things to make!

I told PJ I was a bit jealous though...I wanted to be a Grandma first! LOL Hey, I'm the oldest, and have the oldest kids, so I actually thought I would be first! ;-)

We love you, Erin and Nate! Congratulations!

A New Look

2008-12-01T16:28:00.003-07:00

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! We had a lot of fun in San Antonio! I always love seeing my boys...whether it's just one, or all three at once. I sure miss them!

Right before we left, I decided to give my Gingersnap Boutique shop a makeover. What do you think of my new avatar and banner? It's no secret that my favorite color is pink!

I'm gearing up for my December giveaway...getting everything together and taking pictures. I hope to have it ready to go, and posted here by Friday. It's going to be BIG, and a little different! Everyone will be able to get up to 5 entries. The total package is going to be worth over $150, so don't miss it!

Have a Blessed Thanksgiving!

2008-11-23T19:15:00.005-07:00

I have lots of plans for December! My giveaway is going to be HUGE, so don't miss it! I'll be making candy, and sharing recipes!

I'll be back to posting on December 1 - probably a good 10 pounds heftier. I can't resist stuffing (my biggest Thanksgiving weakness), homemade bread, and PIE! Until then, I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving, surrounded by all those that you love.

Lovely Lauren

2008-11-20T12:49:00.003-07:00

Meet Lauren...one of my favorite little customers! Isn't she gorgeous?

Lauren's mom, Mary, is an awesome photographer, and I love it when she sends me pictures of Lauren wearing the things I make for her. Photography is Mary's hobby, and she is SO good at it! Check out her blog!

Mary has been my internet friend for a several years now. We "met" on eBay! Someday, I just might talk Jeff into taking me to cold Wisconsin so we can meet in person. I don't think I'd have to twist his arm too hard though - he and Mary have become good friends too, through Jeff's photography forum.

We love you, girls! XOXO

Santa Coasters Winner...

2008-11-20T07:25:00.004-07:00

Thanks to all of you for entering my November drawing! I always love your comments - and each one is so appreciated!

I ran the random number picker early today - don't want to get too busy and forget that it is drawing day!

The winner is poster number 14....

Debbie from Made*By*Deb! Congratulations, Debbie! I'll be contacting you later today to get your mailing address!

Once again, thank you so much everyone. I'll have my December drawing in a couple weeks!

Be back later....

Wednesday Again? Already?

2008-11-19T08:22:00.009-07:00

***Today is the last day to enter my November Giveaway! Click HERE to go enter!***

Wow - time really flies when you are busy, doesn't it? This is a busy time of year for all of us. I've been trying to finish up some projects, cleaning up after myself, and getting ready for TWO different trips coming up over the next 10 days.

I love Works For Me Wednesday! Today, I'm going to share my EASY pie crust recipe. Jeff's favorite pie is Lemon Meringue. When we were first married, I made them quite often for him - but they were never pretty. For the life of me, I just could not get my pie crust to roll out without cracking - to the point that it became a puzzle when I put it in the pie plate. After a couple years, I gave up. I started buying frozen pie shells already in the foil pans! They didn't taste as good as homemade, but at least it ended the frustration for me.

Fast forward 15 years or so...

As I was browsing at a craft fair, I stopped at a booth that was selling a locally published cookbook to benefit a charity. I thumbed through it, and a pie crust recipe caught my eye. It used HOT water instead of cold. Desperate to be a pie crust expert, I bought the cookbook JUST for that recipe. I tried it out the following day and, OH. MY. GOODNESS. They were perfect! I didn't feel like throwing a ball of pie crust across the room! Using hot water makes it so much easier to roll without cracking. And it still turns out nice and flaky when baked! Woo hoo!!!

If you struggle with pie crusts, I hope you give this recipe a try! It's peak pie-making season (well, at least it is here!).

Easiest Pie Crust EVER

Makes 3 single crusts

Ingredients:

1 cup Crisco shortening

1/2 cup boiling water

3 cups flour

pinch of salt

Pour boiling water over shortening in large bowl. Stir with a fork until mixture is creamy. Add flour and salt, and mix until well moistened, using hands if needed.

Divide into 3 balls. Roll each ball into a thin round, and place in pie pan. Bake according to your pie recipe.

To add some color to this post, here are a few pictures of some new pins I added to my Momma MC shop...I like posts with pictures! ;-)

Have a great day everyone!

Shutter Finger

2008-11-13T14:32:00.007-07:00

I've been taking and editing photos nearly all day. My shutter finger is cramped! Just kidding - but my wrist is a bit irritated from using my mouse. I'll share a few pictures here, but if you want to see the rest, head on over to my Flickr.

We are going to go see our oldest son in San Antonio for Thanksgiving. Our middle and youngest sons will spend Thanksgiving together in California. I'll miss not having all 3 of them, but such is life sometimes when you have grown kids...they can't always be where *I* want them to be. *sigh*

Jeff and I have never met James' girlfriend and her 2 little ones, but we can't wait to!

I've been making stockings for James, Jackelyn and the kiddos. These are made from the same pattern that my mother made my boys' stockings with, back when they were just little tykes...22 years ago, maybe? They used their stockings until they moved out, and I still hang them up every year whether or not they come home for Christmas. When the boys are MUCH older, and somewhat settled, I'll let them have their stockings that my mom made.

Aren't these coasters adorable? I think I need to make a set to keep for myself!

A bunch of bibs!

Believe it or not, I actually listed some of this stuff today! I only got around to listing in my Gingersnap Boutique Shop though...maybe tomorrow I'll get some in my Momma MC shop!

A Great Baking Tip - WFMW

2008-11-12T07:29:00.002-07:00

It's been a while since I've participated in WFMW! I've missed it a lot, and today will go and check out all the great tips.

With the holidays upon us, many of us will be doing a lot of baking. Jeff and I make a variety of candy, and I like to bake loaves upon loaves of pumpkin, cranberry and banana bread to give away. With the breads, greasing and flouring the pans can be a major pain-in-the-neck! I have a solution though!

In a medium bowl, stir together 2 parts Crisco shortening and 1 part flour (I usually use 2 cups Crisco and 1 cup flour). Mix it with a spoon until it is creamy. Transfer to a container with a tight fitting lid. Refrigerate when not in use, and it will keep up to one year.

When you are baking a cake, muffins, quick breads, etc., use a paper towel to scoop some up and generously coat the inside of your pan. There's no mess, it's fast, easy, and it WORKS! I have used this concoction for over 20 years, and have never had anything stick to the pan after baking.

I hope you give it a try - it will make your baking life much easier!

Don't forget to go enter my November Giveaway!

Free Drawing! Leopard Santa Coasters!

2008-11-11T10:09:00.008-07:00

This drawing is now closed - thank you for your sweet comments!

My sewing and embroidery machines have been working overtime lately! I am in a sewing mood...and I hope it continues so that I can deplete this darn stash of fabric! It's so hard not buying more, but I made a pact with myself and I'm going to stick to it! I've been sewing nearly all day, every day...and crocheting in the evenings (almost done, Mary & Lauren!).

One of the things I made was this darling set of Santa coasters, and you can win them! This is more fabric that I've had for a few years and am finally using!

They remind me of those video clips on the news...where the camera is on the reporter, and people are trying to get in the video! Popping up in front of the reporter, or making faces behind him!

To enter, all you have to do is comment on this post. I'll keep the drawing open until next Wednesday, November 19, and will draw a winner on Thursday the 20th. Shipping is on me too, and YES, I will ship internationally! Be sure to leave me a way to contact you if your email isn't available through your Blogger account, in case you win!

Good luck! Now back to the sewing room....

And The Winner Is...

2008-11-01T11:28:00.003-06:00

Post #20...Eddie & Brenda!

Congratulations! I'll be contacting you later today!

Thanks to all who entered! I'll be having my November drawing soon - I've already chosen my gift to give too, so be sure to come back soon, or to make things easy, subscribe over there on the left! ;-)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2008-10-31T09:14:00.004-06:00

When the boys were little (actually, until they were in their late teens!), Halloween was a big deal around here. It has always been Jeff's favorite time of year - it topped Christmas! He even built a haunted house for the neighborhood kids for several years! The boys agree with him - they still love Halloween, and the last time I talked to them, they were all busy getting their costumes together.

I wish I had my scanner hooked up!!! I'd scan some pictures of the CRAZY costumes we made back then! Maybe by next year, I'll have some room for the scanner here on my desk...

Me, well, I've always been on the fence. Halloween was fun, but being the more creative one in the family, it was a ton of work for me - I always looked forward to November 1. The costumes (I've never once bought a costume - they were always handmade), the decorating (inside AND out), making sure I had enough candy, school parties...you moms know the drill.

Since the boys have all moved out and away, Jeff and I have a new tradition for Halloween. We go out to dinner, then to a movie - Jeff always lets me choose too! We go to the theatre maybe 2 or 3 times a year MAX, but it's always a definite on Halloween. So, this evening, I think I'm going to choose Logan's Roadhouse for dinner - they have yummy bread! ;-) The movie? I'm still undecided, but I think I'll choose The Duchess. It seems like everything else that is showing is either gorey, violent or ridiculous. There are a couple of suspense thrillers too, and though I usually like them, I don't think I'm in that kind of mood. So, The Duchess, it is!

To all of you with little ones, I hope you have a lot of fun! Above all, stay SAFE!

Don't forget to enter my Free Drawing! I'll draw the winner tomorrow!

FREE DRAWING! Journal Cover!

2008-10-27T10:41:00.009-06:00

Well, it's the last week of October, and here is October's free drawing! And it just so happens to be Bloggy Carnival time! Thank you all for your thoughts and ideas! November's drawing will be something for the Holidays, and don't forget that I will have a special drawing in December for subscribers only! So, go sign up over there on the left!

How about a quilted journal cover? The 4x6 memo book is included. There is some "play" in the cover using this spiral bound notebook, and I did that on purpose because the 4x6 composition notebooks are a bit thicker. If you want to use one of those as a refill, it will fit great! I personally like the comp books better...but couldn't find any! They were sold out everywhere I looked. I think I'll try to find an online source - TODAY.

Anyhow, here are some pics:

To enter, all you have to do is comment on this post! Be sure to leave me an email address if yours is not available through your Blogger account - I need to be able to contact you if you win! And as always, I will happily ship internationally!

This drawing will remain open until midnight, October 31. On Saturday, I'll use the random number picker to choose the winner.

GOOD LUCK, and head on over to the Bloggy Carnival to enter to win more great prizes!

Oh MY!

2008-10-27T10:33:00.003-06:00

I just LOVE how these turned out! Since I want to sell these in sets of two, I made a coordinating design to go with the little bear. I think that now, I might have some motivation to start listing this week!

Free drawing coming up!

Your Thoughts, Please!

2008-10-22T14:27:00.007-06:00

I need your help! I want to do my October giveaway soon! But I'm stuck. I have an overflowing bin of things that I've already made, and my sewing/craft room is overflowing with supplies, but I can't decide WHAT to give away next!

So, please tell me what you would like to see in my future giveaways! Something for you? Something for babies or kids? Something Fall or Holiday themed? Let me know!

Today, I played with my digitizing software. Like my machine, I have neglected this software too. I really, truly want to learn to use this, and use it well. Before today, all I have designed were the logos for Jeff and Brent's shirts (photography logos).

I've had an adorable out-of-print Michael Miller fabric for a few years - it's called Baby Bears, and is so hard to find now. I wanted an embroidery design to go with it to use on burp cloths, bibs, and other baby things. Couldn't find one anywhere, so I made one myself. I'd love your thoughts on this too!

Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday! Can't wait to hear your ideas for my future giveaways!!!

Badge Reel Frenzy!

2008-10-21T15:18:00.003-06:00

Nope, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth! I've been playing! I have hardly touched my embroidery machine since I got it in March, but that's changing! I've been an embroidering fool the past couple weeks. I've made some new burp cloths and have experimented on linen, but mostly I've been on a badge reel kick.

My sister wanted me to send her some to sell at the hospital where she works, so to start, I sent her some Halloween designs, and one with her initial "P" on it. You can see those, and some other everyday styles in this picture:

Halloween is so close that I thought I'd stop with those...I'll do more next year. But Christmas is coming up...

Mr. Reindeer looks like he has no eyes, but they ARE there! Next time, I'll do them in black instead of light tan!

Now, I just need to get in the listing mood...sure wish Etsy had a bulk uploader!

Be back soon!!

The Winner!

2008-10-06T15:29:00.005-06:00

Happy Monday!

My parents came to visit on Saturday, and this morning went little bit further east to see some friends. They'll be back here on Wednesday...then will head up to my little sister's house on Friday. Jeff and I are watching their little doxie, Dolly, for them - she is so cute! I think I must get some pictures of her and Dottie together!

Congratulations to TinaJewel! The random number picked you! I'll be in touch to get your mailing address!

Thanks to all who entered!

Win This!

2008-09-28T19:53:00.002-06:00

Whew! What a weekend! I am pooped. But I didn't forget...

It's FREE DRAWING time!

One poster will win this Calla Lily glass tile necklace.

I'll send it packaged in it's pretty little tin, and postage is on me. And YES, I will ship internationally!

All you have to do to enter, is comment on this post - even a simple "hello" will do! Be sure to leave your email addy too if you don't have a Blogger account!

This drawing will be open until 11:59 pm Mountain Time next Sunday, October 5. I'll use the random number picker to choose a winner the following Monday.

Good luck!

Poor, Neglected Blog

2008-09-25T09:04:00.010-06:00

Be sure to read to the end of this post for FREE drawing info!

Oh my...time has been flying by, and I haven't had a chance to post on my blog! I'm sorry blog...I'll try not to neglect you so much.

Truth is, I am engrossed in this Presidential race! I have been able to vote in Presidential Elections since 1984. I have always had a clear vision of who I would vote for, but have always thought that each candidate had something good to offer the country.

However, this year, my contempt for one of the candidates is running high, and I find myself having the cable news channels on all day, every day. I think I am driving Jeff crazy. ;-)

I won't say who I am speaking of - I don't want to start any debates here. And I won't mention politics again - I promise. Just wanted to let you know why I've been absent!

Here are a couple pictures I took while I was at my parents' house. They have a gorgeous piece of property in the middle of the desert - like a little oasis. Bugs, birds, trees and flowers are abundant. Sometimes when I go there, the ladybugs are all over the place. This time, it was grasshoppers - and so many different varieties! Of course, grasshoppers are pests, and no one really likes them, but I had fun taking their pictures!

And here is one from Art In The Park!

I'm late on getting my free drawing up for the month too...so sorry! I promise I will start it no later than Sunday! Then, there will still be another in October! I'm thinking of having a very special Christmas Gift Package drawing in December for FeedBlitz subscribers only, so if you haven't subscribed yet, you can do so over there on the left! <---

Have a good day, everyone!

Friday Fly-By

2008-09-12T07:27:00.004-06:00

I was right...getting all this stuff ready has taken me all week! I still need to frame some prints, and make sure I have everything packed and ready to go, but I'm almost there!

This afternoon, we will go and set up our tent, gridwalls and tables, then bright and early tomorrow, will set up the displays. I enjoy doing these activities with the photo club, but my goodness, they are so much work!

Here are a few of my favorite pendants! PINK is of course one of my favorites!

I've always had a thing for giraffes!

I love Calla Lilies too!

I'll be posting my September giveaway when I get back from my parents' house, so stay tuned!

Have a great weekend, everyone.

This Could Take All Week!

2008-09-08T14:57:00.011-06:00

I now remember why I don't do craft shows any more. They are way too much work! I guess things would be okay if I didn't constantly have new ideas, and have the terrible urge to try everything I think of! I'm a glutten for punishment.

Art In The Park is this coming Saturday and Sunday (as well as the annual picnic for the gas company where Jeff works). Thank goodness it's a photo club activity, and we will all be taking turns manning the booth. I'll be working on these glass tiles until I'm finished, and it could be the wee hours of Saturday before I'm done. Right now, I'm about half way finished putting the photos on the tiles themselves, but I will still need to add a sealer to the backs, add the magnets or bails, put the pendant tiles on their ribbon necklaces, then package them all up! Whew!

Here are the 2 inch tiles I have finished so far.

The 1" x 2" tiles...

The 1" x 1" tiles...some of these will become pendants instead of magnets.

And now, just pretend that this tile has a bail on it, and it is strung onto it's ribbon necklace. This is how I will be packaging these up.

Whatever is left over, whether it's prints, cards, magnets or pendants, they will all be going into Jeff's Etsy shop when I get back from my parents' house.

I'll try to check in later in the week...until then, you'll know what I'm doing!

EDIT: Are any of you fellow Bloggers having trouble with formatting your posts? Or is it just me? I KNOW I didn't change any settings! It's making me crazy...paragraphs won't space right, and I'm having to add the hyperlinks to my photos manually - not to mention some of my photos looking odd! ARGH!!

Success!

2008-09-05T13:38:00.004-06:00

Well, I experimented, and surprise! It turned out great!

It's a journal cover - pieced and quilted, and lined in black and white polka dots. It fits a small 4" x 6" composition notebook. I love it, and will be making lots of these!

Busy Weekend

2008-09-05T09:09:00.008-06:00

Friday greetings!

Thought I'd get a short post in before the weekend starts. We have one week left before Art In The Park, and still have a lot to do to get ready. I need to make a run to Hobby Lobby for a few last minute supplies. And while I'm there, I'll accidently wander over to the fabric department...I love having an excuse to go to Hobby Lobby! ;-)

We are also going to a friend's birthday party tomorrow, so I'm going to put a little something together today for her gift. I'm undecided on what I'm going to make, but if it's anything new or different, I'll be sure to share next week. I do have a lot of ideas that I want to experiment with, but I'm not sure that experimenting with a gift is a good idea! I think I'll see how my day goes.

Have a glorious weekend, everyone! Be safe, and have some fun!

Kissy, Kissy...

Another pic I took of the mystery bugs and ants!

Dottie's Entertainment...And Mine!

2008-09-04T14:40:00.009-06:00

My JRT, Dottie, loves to chase things. She's quick and stealthy - she reminds me of a cat sometimes! Quite often, we find drowned mice (or lizards, or birds) in our pool when we get up in the morning. Occasionally, one will still be alive and swimming around the pool, desperately trying to get a foothold on something so it can get out. Today was one of those mornings.

Dottie loves to keep track of these critters as they swim around the pool, and when they get close to the edge, she puts her nose in and grabs them.

I think I fixed the "enlarge picture" feature...for some reason, photos hosted at Flickr haven't been enlarging when they were clicked on, but I uploaded these to SmugMug, and they seem to be working! Now, if I can just figure out why my paragraphs aren't spacing right without me having to go into HTML mode! ACK!

Don't get me wrong - I am an animal lover, and I feel so sorry for these mice when they are struggling in my pool. However, I don't want them in my house. If they are in my back yard, you can bet they will do all they can to find a way in. I'm thankful that Dottie is a GREAT mouser!

That was Dottie's entertainment for the day...

Now mine...

Once I got all my cleaning out the way, I decided to play with some new supplies I got - badge reels. I started by putting fabric covered buttons on some, then decided I'd try using some flowers and leaves that I crocheted. Whatcha' think?

I've been writing up descriptions for everything I need to list, and am saving them so that when I get back from my parent's house, I am FINALLY going to re-open my Momma MC Etsy shop, and start putting the kid stuff in my Gingersnap Boutique shop. I've been meaning to do it for so long, but I didn't feel any urgency, so I put it off. Well, now I have too much inventory sitting around, and I had better start listing it before Jeff starts tripping over it all!

Bugs & Crafty Stuff

2008-08-26T14:51:00.009-06:00

I'm back, and with pictures, as promised!

I love my macro lens...just wish I was a little better with it! I usually take 50-60 pictures at a time when I find an interesting subject, but out of those 50-60, I end up with very few that are decent! Practice makes perfect, right? I'll just keep practicing!

Here's a little fuzzy caterpillar I found swimming in our pool the other day. I rescued him so I could take his picture and set him free. I walked outside about an hour later, and where was the caterpillar? In the pool AGAIN! I rescued him once more, and haven't seen him since! Click on the pictures if you want to see the larger, more detailed versions!

Here's another one of the itty bitty flies I find every day on my dahlias. They are so colorful, and I love the detail in their wings. This little guy is less than 1/4" long.

Yesterday, I discovered these little white things on the hibiscus. With my naked eye, I couldn't tell what they were, but they were being attacked by a million tiny ants. Enter the trusty macro lens! I'm still not sure what they are, but they look like roly-poly bugs that have been doing their roly-poly-ing in a bowl of flour. Don't they? For all I know, they could be something completely different! Anyone know?

Now for the crafty stuff! I MUST whittle down my fabric stash! I have vowed not to buy any more fabric until I make some kind of dent in what I have. Sachets don't make a big dent, but at least I'm trying! I have this problem...there are so many things that I want to make, that I can't decide what to make! I needed to get something done though, so I decided on the super easy sachets. Tomorrow's another day...maybe I'll throw all my ideas in a hat and go that route to make a decision.

Art In The Park is coming up soon - in less than 3 weeks actually. Along with the usual cards and prints, I'm making glass magnets with some of Jeff's pictures. The hard part is going through all his pictures! There are so many! Here's a few I've finished.

Enjoy the rest of your Tuesday!!!

If you haven't noticed...

2008-08-18T07:50:00.008-06:00

...I'm taking a short break. Things have been a little hectic around here!

Today I'm sitting here without A/C. Our unit went out last Wednesday evening. It's not repairable, but needs replacement. The new one will be installed tomorrow. Thank goodness it's been raining and cooling down each afternoon - otherwise, we would be roasting! Fans are blasting throughout the house, making it quite noisy! It has become "white noise" though...I'm getting used to it!

Actually, it's been raining so much, that we are having a hard time keeping up with the yard! We mow and trim, and within a couple days, it's like a jungle again! My poor little Dottie could get lost out there!

Later in the week, we are taking a short trip, then as soon as we get back, I'll be preparing for Chile Relleno Day! For those of you who are new to my blog, that link is from my old blog, posted last year. We will be having some friends over to enjoy them with us.

Once this week is over, and I am again sitting in a nicely cooled house, I'll be back! I even have pictures to share!

Blessed

2008-08-06T14:21:00.002-06:00

One of our sons called last night, and we talked for over an hour. The conversation was slightly depressing, yet wonderful.

None of our boys are married yet. They are 25 (26 next month), 24 and 22, and all of them live hundreds of miles away. Part of me is thankful that they haven't made the big leap yet, while another part of me is looking forward to having daughters-in-law and grandkids. I know that someday each of them will find the one who will make them happy for the rest of their lives.

Anyway, our son and his girlfriend recently broke up. Although he is a little sad, he is doing great and knows it is for the best.

We started talking about relationships. I said the normal motherly things...told him that when he least expects it, the perfect girl will just show up in his life, that no relationship is 100% perfect, but that each party must give 100% to the relationship, etc. etc. etc. The whole time, I kept wishing he was here so I could give him lots of hugs!

He then told me that his ideal relationship would be just like the one that Jeff and I have, that we have been the perfect examples, and that he was thankful he was lucky enough to be our son. He wants someone who will adopt our motto (and now his motto) of "If it's important to you, it's important to me".

He has no idea how those words filled my heart - and gave me goosebumps! His teenage years were rough, and at times, I think this kid hated our guts for disciplining him and staying on his b*tt all the time.

How rewarding it is to now hear these simple, sweet words from our grown child, said with sincere appreciation.

We are so proud of the young men these boys have become. Each of them have different personalities, but have so much in common. They all have hearts of gold - they are caring, kind, respectful, giving, affectionate and utterly charming. Not to mention HANDSOME! :-)

Some day, a lucky and very special girl will come into each of their lives, making them very lucky men. In the meantime, we'll keep listening when they need to talk. We'll continue being thankful that we, as parents, have now become their friends too, and that they feel comfortable enough to talk to us about their triumphs as well as their troubles.

Jeff and I are blessed, indeed.

Something Different!

2008-08-04T11:22:00.007-06:00

My regular readers know that my first crafty loves are crocheting and sewing. However, they also know that I love to play around with just about any craft! I love trying new techniques, and this weekend, I did just that!

I ordered a kit a couple weeks ago to learn how to make the little glass pendants I've been seeing all over Etsy. I thought they would make great gifts for our sisters, nieces and friends for Christmas. And they will! My first two turned out great! I plan to make a bunch of them, and personalize them for each recipient.

My kit came with traditional Asian-themed papers (cherry blossoms and such), but I didn't use them. No offense to any one, but Asian-themed stuff is just not my taste at all. Luckily, since I am a crafting addict, I have a good supply of scrapbook papers on hand. I found a cute little glittery flower to use on my first one - so cute! Then, when I finished that one, I just had to try the same technique using an actual photograph. We didn't have any 1" square photos around (who does?), so I opted for the eye of our favorite one-eared tiger at our zoo.

What do you think? (Click the picture for a better view)

When I finished these, I went online and ordered a bunch of different sized glass squares, and all the other components I need to make these. I'll be turning some of them into magnets too. I'll be making many of these, and they most likely will be the gift in some of my future giveaways.

Fun, fun, fun!!!

(I really need to get back to sewing...too many distractions lately!) ;-)

Oh - and my new computer will be here today! YAY!!! I'll need to install all my software, and get things organized, but hopefully it won't take me more than a day to get up and running!

Thanks So Much!

2008-08-02T07:47:00.003-06:00

Happy Weekend!

I decided not to post anything else for the week so that my drawing would stay at the top! I *think* there might be a way to sticky a post to the top, but I need to figure out how for next time! I'll be back to posting more this next week!

Thank you to all who entered my drawing, and for the lovely comments! I love giving things away, and those of you who visit often know that I will give something away at least once per month - usually more! I'll have another giveaway in the next couple weeks, so go ahead and subscribe so you won't miss it! <------ Sign up over there on the left!

So, now on to the winner! The random picker chose #66!

Courtney!

I'll be sending you an email today, Courtney! Congratulations!
And again, thank you to ALL who entered!

Bloggy Giveaway Summer Edition

2008-07-28T14:06:00.004-06:00

These Carnivals are so much fun! I hope you like what I have for you this time...

TWO beautiful hand crocheted scarves - one entrant will win both of them. These would make great gifts too.

Both scarves may look a little larger than they actually are, so I am including accurate measurements. I couldn't find a good spot to photograph them, so I put them on my child-size dress form (about a girls size 8!!). Perhaps I need a "me" sized dress form for this kind of stuff! ;-) AND, gosh darn it, my photo skills are a little off today...sorry they are dark! (Can I blame it on this moody computer??)

The first one is a bright chain of flowers. No two flowers are in the exact same color combination. It is 80 inches long, and each flower is about 3.5 inches.

The second one is a cream scalloped design. Classic and elegant! It is 65 inches long and about 3.5 inches wide.

To enter, all you have to do is comment on this post! I will use the random number selector to choose a winner on Saturday, August 2, 2008.

If you do not have a Blogger account, or have your email address hidden, be sure to leave your email addy so I can contact you if you win! And as always, I will ship internationally!

Good luck, and be sure to visit here and enter, enter, enter to win!

Back to Normal?

2008-07-28T10:11:00.003-06:00

Is life ever really "normal"? Well, I hope that this week will find me back to normal - or as normal as life can be!

I finished purging closets and cleaning like a mad woman last week. Just in time for my parents, my sister, and her family to come for a visit over the weekend. What started out as just cleaning and reorganizing the guest room turned out to be an all-out, 2-week-long cleaning frenzy - I even washed windows, which I hate doing. I guess I was just in the mood.

I'll be back on later today with a new giveaway! I just need to get some pictures taken and edited.

Wish me lots of luck though - my computer has been giving me fits. I keep getting errors, and many of my favorite websites won't load. Poor computer is in a funk! However, Jeff ordered a new one for me yesterday. Hopefully I will have it in a week or so, and I'm praying that this one holds out just a little bit longer!

Cute & Colorful

2008-07-18T07:37:00.006-06:00

It's Friday! What a busy week I've had! I can't stop cleaning and organizing. Once I started, I couldn't quit! Another trip to the Discovery Shop is in order, and I have more to offer on FreeCycle too. Isn't this supposed to happen in the spring? Well, I guess I'm a little late, but it feels good to be getting all this done.

I wanted to make sure I posted something today, so I thought that I'd share some of my favorite Etsy finds with you. These are all cute and colorful items to brighten up any sewing or crafting space!

Check them out! There is some awesome talent on Etsy - I love it there. Here are the links to each item:

Painted Light Switch Cover
Animal Town Pins
Flower Pin Cushion
Little Birdie Needle Book
Owl Needle Book
Ironing Board Cover
Playing Spools Artwork
Little House Pin Cushions
Hedgehog Sewing Set
Colorful Sewing Pins
Fawn Sewing Set
Russian Doll Buttons
Little Mouse ACEO
Clay Thimble
Fabric Basket
Button Stacks

Jeff and I have an all day event to attend tomorrow, and Sunday I hope to finish all this cleaning and organizing. Hopefully by Monday, I'll be done and can get back to creating!

Have a fun and safe weekend, everyone!

Trash & Treasure

2008-07-15T07:31:00.008-06:00

(This turned out to be a much longer post than I had planned, so THANK YOU, if you read it all!)

For the past week, I have been on a cleaning and organizing frenzy! I apologize for my absence...I'm just very wrapped up in getting things in order around here.

Since I got the new serger and embroidery machine in March, my other 2 sewing machines have inhabited our dining room table. Plus, all the stuff that goes along with them - patterns, miscellaneous fabrics, specialty feet, pin cushions, my bobbin box, spools of thread, etc. It was a mess, 24/7. It's a good thing that Jeff and I like to eat at the breakfast bar! Thursday and Friday were spent re-configuring my sewing room, so that I could have all of my machines in there. It's such a small room that it was a challenge, but I did it! Now, I can't wait to get back to sewing...but it will have to wait just a little while.

My parents are coming for a short visit next week, and are bringing my 14 YO niece, Korinne and 11 YO nephew, Bronson with them. They are stopping for one night, then taking Korinne and Bronson over to Carlsbad Caverns, then will stop for one more night on their way back. Normally, my parents bring their travel trailer and stay at the campground on Fort Bliss. They really love just going back "home" in the evenings, visiting with their "temporary" neighbors, and it works out great for them. However, this is going to be a short trip, and since it takes a lot more gas to pull a trailer they will be staying here.

Well, I allowed our guest room to become a storage room over the last 6 months (BAD me!), so I'm trying to find new homes for everything that doesn't belong in there. When James moved from Phoenix to San Marcos (on a whim!), he left 6 bins and 3 boxes of stuff here, plus his stereo, TV, guitar, bowling balls, and other miscellaneous things. Those were all in the guest room. I also had a couple bins, several boxes, and an extra TV in that closet - plus a variety of other things that belong to the boys.

I have completely cleaned out that room except for the bed and other furniture/things that belong there.

All the boys' stuff is in bins now - 12 total. Or, at least the stuff that will FIT in bins. They are stacked 4-high in our little sun room, just waiting for them to come and either go through it all, or take it all with them. When will that happen? Who knows!

So, in all this cleaning, I have found a lot of stuff that I just don't need, but isn't trash. Jeff and I took a car load of stuff to the Discovery Shop on Saturday. It's a thrift shop that benefits the Child Crisis Center here in town, and I always try to give the things I don't need to them.

That extra TV? Well, I offered that, and our old lawnmower on FreeCycle. I LOVE FreeCycle! Whenever I have big things that I don't want to haul somewhere, I offer them on FreeCycle. Without fail, someone comes and takes away my trash, and turns it into a treasure for themselves. And giving things away to someone who could really use them is a great feeling! I've given away beds, desks, chairs, and all kinds of things that I had no need for.

If you've never heard of FreeCycle, check out this list. There are over 12,000 of them, so you can narrow the search by adding your city. I keep mine on "No Mail" because they get busy! As you offer things, you also have the option to ask for something you need. I've only offered, but if I ever need something that I don't mind being in used condition, you can bet I'll see if someone has it!

Well, I had better go and get busy again - I still have a lot to tackle! But first, I'll go see what some other people are Tackling on this Tuesday. I'll share pictures of my newly re-arranged sewing room soon. I think I'll have Jeff take pictures with his wide angle lens to get as much in the pictures as possible.

Also, coming up will be more FREE giveaways! The Bloggy Giveaway Carnival starts on July 28, so I'll have something special for that. PLUS, I'm testing a crochet pattern for a friend, and when it is finished, I'll give that away too!

Have a glorious Tuesday!

All In One

2008-07-08T08:53:00.015-06:00

This will be a mixed up post...I'll announce the winner of my Birthday Drawing, share a few pictures, and tell you what I'm going to tackle this Tuesday...all in one!

I hope you all had a safe and fun holiday weekend! My birthday was yesterday, but we celebrated over the weekend. Nothing big...just a trip to the zoo and dinner out. I told Jeff he better not get me anything because he bought me those wonderful new machines and digitizing software a few months back, and now it looks like I might be needing a new computer soon. I'm completely happy with that!

Down to business! We have a winner! The random number picker chose poster number 10...now who could that be?

Bunny B! Congratulations, Bunny! I'll email you today to get your mailing address. Thanks to all of you who entered! Of course, I'll give something away again next month, so please come back and visit me again.

I love zoos. Here, our zoo is nothing spectacular - it's small and they are working on lots of new exhibits, but it is a nicely maintained zoo so I enjoy visiting. Jeff and I went early Sunday morning, hoping that it would still be cool enough for the larger animals to be active. No such luck. They were all being lazy and hiding. However, the birds were cooperative, so that's about all I took pictures of. Here's a few shots - remember, you can click on each picture for a larger view.

A Road Runner! These guys are so skittish and FAST in the wild that I thought I would never be able to get a good shot of one. I had never seen a Road Runner in the zoo aviary before either, so I was surprised to find him there. I have known people who have never been to the Southwest, and who thought that Road Runners didn't really exist. They thought they were only in cartoons! YES, they do exist and they are pretty cool birds!

I don't know what this bird is, but I'm assuming it is some variety of cardinal. I'll ask my dad if he can identify it - he's an avid bird watcher. I thought he was pretty. Update: Dad says it's a Brazilian Red Crested Cardinal. Thanks, Dad!

A dancing White Wing Dove - he seemed to like the camera!

Again, I don't know what this bird was, but he was hilarious! He was about the size of a full grown duck, but had longer legs. As I was walking through the aviary, he walked right beside me. When I stopped, he stopped. When I started walking, he started walking too. I stopped and started many times just to see if he would continue. We couldn't keep from laughing! Silly bird.

A cute Emu...she came right up the fence and posed for the camera.

The turkeys didn't like us taking their picture though...this is how they told us to go away!

Well, since this computer is acting up, I think today my Tuesday Tackle will be to make sure I have everything backed up on my external drive, then do some cleaning up and defragging of my other drives. Better safe than sorry! Have a great day, all!

Happy Birthday, U.S.A.!

2008-07-04T08:27:00.007-06:00

Did any of you watch the HBO series "John Adams" a while back? If you didn't, I highly recommend it. HBO is running it today, from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm (Mountain Time - check your listings). Yes, 9 hours! But it is profound, and if you can possibly record it, you should! I have always known that there were huge sacrifices made for our freedom but this series brought it home for me. What our founding fathers accomplished is amazing. Oh, and the ENDING!!! It is so moving! But you need to watch the whole thing. Really. I'm having Jeff set the DVD recorder right now.

Personal sacrifices have been made throughout our history and continue today. A huge THANK YOU to all who serve, and have served our wonderful country, and their families too.

I also want to shout out a big CONGRATULATIONS to my friend, Gabi! Today, she will become a U.S. Citizen! I'm so happy for you, Gabi! Be sure to check out her awesome camera straps too!

UPDATE: Due to rain, Gabi's ceremony was postponed. :( I hope they don't leave you in limbo for too long, dear friend!

I hope you all have a great day, and have fun watching the fireworks! Be safe!

These are pictures I took, but they have Jeff's watermark on them, because I uploaded them to his site and am too lazy to hook up my external drive today and put them on my Flickr. Don't want anyone thinking I stole them! LOL

WFMW: Cool & Creamy Cucumber Salad

2008-07-02T08:15:00.001-06:00

It's Works For Me Wednesday (WFMW) again! This week, Shannon has a theme going on - recipes with 5 ingredients or less. I have lots of these, but I chose one of my favorites, and I just happened to have the ingredients on-hand so I could make it and take a picture. :-)

I love cucumbers! I am happy to eat them plain, but the sweet, slightly tart dressing on these makes them even better.

Cool & Creamy Cucumber Salad

Ingredients Needed:

1 cup mayonnaise (light mayo works just as well)
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon white vinegar
4 cups sliced cucumbers

In a small bowl, mix the mayo, sugar and vinegar well. Add to cucumbers, coating all slices. Refrigerate for 4 hours before serving, stirring occasionally while chilling. Makes 6-8 servings.

Don't worry too much about the sugar granules when you first mix the dressing - they will dissolve by the time you serve it.

TIP: Add an additional 1/2 - 1 teaspoon vinegar, and the dressing is great for coleslaw!

I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Now, head on over to WFMW and find some more great, easy recipes!

And don't forget to enter my drawing for a FREE Fat Bottom Bag and accessories! Entries will be accepted through Monday, July 7!

July's FREE Drawing

2008-07-01T21:48:00.000-06:00

My birthday is coming up too fast! But instead of dwelling on how old I'm going to be, I want to give one of my readers a gift!

How about a Fat Bottom Bag and matching accessories? The winner will receive:

The Fat Bottom bag, hand crocheted by me in chocolate brown 100% cotton yarn. I've lined it with some wonderful fabric from the Chocolate Lollipop line, including an inner pocket. It closes with a magnetic snap.

The accent flower, also hand crocheted by me. It's attached to a spin-back pin, so you can attach it to the bag as shown, or wear it on a coat, hat, or where ever you like. The button center coordinates perfectly.

A tissue cozy to carry your purse sized tissue packs in another coordinating Chocolate Lollipop fabric. I'll even include an unopened package of tissues for you!

A little card wallet - the perfect size for business cards, credit/debit cards and cash. It closes with a coordinating blue snap.

To enter, all you have to do is comment on this post! Be sure to comment before 11:59 pm on Monday, July 7. On Tuesday, I'll let the Random Number picker choose the winner.

Don't forget to leave your email address if it's not available through your Blogger account. I need to know how to contact you if you win!

Yes! I will ship internationally, and shipping is on me! Good luck!

Sneak Peek

2008-07-01T14:56:00.000-06:00

For once, I'm a little ahead of myself, and I got my pictures for my FREE drawing done a day early! That never happens!

Since I'm so "with it" today, I thought I'd share a little sneak peek with you...

And if you guess what it is, there's even more! Be sure to check back tomorrow! And I just might be early! ;-)

Adios, Hot Shot

2008-07-01T08:47:00.000-06:00

Sentimental Value. Seems I attach myself to too many things that I shouldn't! Most things I sentimentally attach myself to are things from my childhood - things that remind me of my growing up. I attach myself to things that remind me of my own kids growing up. Then sometimes, I attach myself to things that really have nothing to do with any of that!

Jeff's step-father owned a popular pizza parlor/bar in Flagstaff, and Jeff pretty much grew up in that pizza parlor. When his step-dad sold the pizza parlor, they took the pinball machines with them, and set up a game room in their home.

Several years after we were married, his step-dad divvied up the pinball machines, and we were given this one:

Since we've had it, it hasn't worked right. Oh yeah, you can plug it in, and it lights up. You can bat the balls around and pretend to play. But the entire time, it's dinging and donging...just making obnoxious noises! It's loud and extremely annoying. I know next-to-nothing about pinball machines, but Jeff says it's tilted. At first, he thought he would restore it, but as time goes on, he has less and less interest in doing so, and really doesn't think he will ever find the time - he loves his photography hobby much, much more.

But, somehow, I am attached to this pinball machine. It's not an attachment comparable to my mother's hand made sewing box that was given to her for her high school graduation, or the little porcelain cardinals that belonged to my maternal grandmother, or the dolls my paternal grandmother made me, or the handmade lace made by my great-grandmother (I really could go on and on and on). But dang it, I do feel an attachment to it.

EDIT: I guess I need to add that Jeff has no attachment to this machine. How can that be? This is something from HIS childhood! Actually, I think he's just indifferent to it and there are other things from his childhood that mean more.

The time has come to say goodbye to Hot Shot. It takes up a huge corner in our sun room, and I feel bad that it is just sitting there, collecting dust and clutter. Yesterday I tackled cleaning it up. It had been a catch-all and you really couldn't see much of the playing surface. Why do we always pile stuff on any flat surface we can find? Today, I will do some research on selling it. It's probably not worth much, but I'd love for someone to have the chance to restore it and get some fun out of it!

I haven't been to a game arcade in many, many years, but I'll bet you can't play for a quarter any more!

Have a wonderful day, everyone! I will be back tomorrow with my first FREE drawing on this blog! And it's going to be a really nice one, since this is my birthday month!

Happy Birthday, Ryan!

2008-06-30T17:39:00.000-06:00

Twenty two years ago today, I gave birth to my baby boy! I can't believe he is 22!

Last week, I asked him to have his girlfriend take a picture of him and send it to me, but he's a slacker and hasn't done it yet. I'll post a picture as soon as I get one. I want a recent one!

His birthday started out kind of crummy and I hope he is having a better evening. He went out to his car this morning to find his driver's side window shattered. His stereo, iPod and tools were all still in his car, so we figure that it was either an act of random vandalism, or possibly someone hit a large rock and it flew into his window. All fixed up with a new window now, though!

Hope your evening is full of fun and friends, Ryan! Love you and miss you!

Friday Night Feature

2008-06-27T17:28:00.000-06:00

Better late than never, I say! Been busy today building a forum for our photography club to try out. It's easy, but very time consuming!

Anyway...on to my feature for this Friday!

Jeff is a picky eater, but he will usually eat what I make. If he likes it, he'll clean his plate, and sometimes want seconds. If he doesn't, he will eat half of what I put on his plate, and that's it. He is good about eating all his veggies and salad, but I know that those are his least favorite parts of a meal. I think he just eats them as fast as he can to get it over with!

These are the things Jeff likes:

1. Meat (beef)
2. Potatoes
3. Meat (beef) and potatoes
4. Potatoes and meat (beef)
5. Dessert

I've been trying hard to sneak more chicken in his diet, but I have such a hard time with chicken! So, I went online a while back looking for chicken recipes - something different than baked, grilled, roasted, or fried (yum).

I found this recipe for Chicken Spaghetti at The Pioneer Woman. Ree says it's the only casserole that her hubby will eat (his food preferences are much like Jeff's!), so I bookmarked it.

(Many of you may already read this website...I think she has a million readers!)

Well, let me tell you...I became so engrossed in her blog that I completely forgot about that Chicken Spaghetti recipe!

You have to go over there and start reading! She makes me literally LOL every single day! To find out how she met her hubby, start here...at the bottom. Her story will make you laugh and cry.

Then read about her "punks", Charlie (I'm in love with Charlie), the ranch (complete with hunky cowboys), and...Marlboro Man! Heck, just read it all!

Okay, back to the Chicken Spaghetti...I made it tonight, and guess what? Jeff actually liked it enough to tell me to save the leftovers for lunch! WOW. Thanks Ree!!

A Do-Nothing Day

2008-06-25T19:45:00.001-06:00

I rarely have these days, but every once in a while, they are so nice! I did two constructive things today. TWO. I packed Jeff's bag first thing this morning (he had to go out of town for a short business trip), and I looked up a Latin phrase on the internet (I might explain that at a later date).

No laundry. No cooking. No cleaning.

After I got Jeff out the door, I went looking for bugs on my flowers. Jeff bought me a nice macro lens for my birthday last year, and I am just now putting some real effort into learning how to use it - less than two weeks before my NEXT birthday. It's not as easy as I thought it would be, that's for sure. Until just a few weeks ago, I would get frustrated and put it away without making any progress.

When we were on vacation, I used it a lot, and felt like I was actually learning something! Having Jeff by my side, guiding me really helped. He's usually at work when I decide to give it a shot (and get frustrated). It gave me the confidence to keep trudging along, and now I think I'm obsessed with looking for bugs and pretty flowers. Anyway, here's a bug I found this morning (click on it if you want to see the details):

And here's a couple pictures I took while we were on vacation:

I completely ignored all the pictures of my stuff that I still need to edit and went straight to editing the bug pictures. I'll get back to the stuff tomorrow. And I'll get back to the things I need to do. Or at least the laundry and cleaning.

Tomorrow evening is our monthly photography club meeting, and we always have it at a local restaurant, so I won't be cooking. This meeting could prove to be quite interesting, and Jeff is going to miss it! I wish I had one of those little tape recorder things.

This will be only the second meeting Jeff has missed since we joined the club - and both times because he had to be out of town for work. He's president of the club, and ironically, the other meeting he missed was the one where he was elected!

And I completely forgot about WFMW today - sorry. But I think I do have a tip for everyone...

If at all possible, take a Do-Nothing Day once in a while! It's healthy for your psyche!

Photo Day...

2008-06-24T09:21:00.000-06:00

This isn't necessarily "housework", but something that will make me feel much better! I need to get a handle on my inventory, so today, I will be taking and re-taking photos of all the things filling this bin:

These are all things that I need to get listed over in my Etsy shops! I've been putting it off for so long.

One, because we were going on vacation, and I didn't want to list it all, then have to put everything in Edit mode.

Second, since we've been back from vacation, I've had other things to do. There is so much crammed in this bin that it might take me a couple days to get all the photos done and edited, but it WILL get done. And I'll start listing too!

I'll update this post later today...

First, though, I think I'll go see what everyone else is tackling today!

UPDATE: Making progress! I'm about 1/3 done, so I'll share a couple pictures. The rest can be seen at my Flickr site, and I'll keep uploading as I get photos edited.

My favorite coaster set EVER. I gave one of these sets away a while back, and had just enough scraps to make one more set.

Some wash cloths, or dish cloths - they work great as either! Thick, thirsty and SOFT!!!

Rubber Ducky, You're The One

2008-06-20T12:23:00.001-06:00

I've posted about my Ducky bathroom on my old blog before, but now I have an update...

(Just what you want to hear about, right? Rubber duckies? Bathrooms?)

I have this darling shower curtain in our hall/guest bathroom. I fell in love with it immediately when I saw it in the store, and HAD to have it! It's so bright and cheerful - much better than the drab navy blue and black that the boys always insisted on when it was their bathroom!

The vanity in this bathroom looks horrible though, and I've wanted to do something about it for a while - something easier and less costly than ripping it out and putting in a new one. It came to me a couple months ago - a vanity skirt! So, before we went on our vacation, I purchased the fabric, thread, etc. that I would need and knew that when we returned, it would be at the top of my list of things to do.

Yesterday I did all the measuring, cutting and sewing. Today I finished all the embroidery.

Now, all that's left is gathering and attaching the Velcro to it! I'm so excited - the vanity is going to be so much prettier with a fashionable skirt! I think I need to find some bright towels now and embroider duckies on them too! Maybe Target? Hmmm....

Yay For J!

2008-06-20T08:53:00.000-06:00

Every Friday, I plan to feature someone I admire, fun blogs or unique items I have found in internet-land.

Today, let me introduce you to Jennifer, aka "J", aka Jaybird Designs. J lives in Colorado with her hubby, and her absolutely adorable daughter, Heather.

J has been my internet friend for a very long time now! She learned to crochet when she was a young girl, but didn't get really serious about it until a few years ago. And my, my, my...she has really come a long way! She designs lots of cute patterns for kids, and has started branching out and designing things for adults. Check out that cute crocheted cami she's wearing in the photo above!

J has had patterns published in several crochet magazines with even more in the works. She's gearing up to have a booklet published by Leisure Arts, and she self-publishes her patterns too! Her self published patterns can be found at her own website, YCMT, and Etsy, to name just a few. She also helps run My Pink Zebra Boutique! J, how in the world do you find the time for all of this? You go, girl!

I'm not quite old enough to be J's mom, but I DO feel like one proud Momma when I think of how far she has come over the past few years!

Here's a couple more photos of her gorgeous work:

Love ya, J!

Needle Storage & Disposal

2008-06-18T08:51:00.000-06:00

Another fun carnival that I plan to participate in on a regular basis is Works For Me Wednesday (WFMW), brought to you by Shannon over at Rocks In My Dryer. I have loved this carnival for a long time, and look forward to bringing tips to you every Wednesday...as long as I can think of them!

My first WFMW tip is sewing machine needle storage and disposal.

I used to have all my machine needles thrown in a small plastic container, and had to dig around to find the size I needed - often pricking holes in my fingers! One day I decided I had had enough bleeding all over my sewing room, so I went on a hunt for a solution. I bought these stacking cylinder containers at my local Hobby Lobby store, but I think they can probably be found at most crafting stores, or even Wally World. They do go on sale for 50% off fairly often (at HL), so watch for the sales!

I used some adhesive paper, printed a label for each size on my home printer, and started sorting. For loose needles, a magnifying glass might come in handy! ;-) I have recently started buying some specialty needles, and need to print a few more labels, so I have several blank containers (will work on that today!).

Sometimes I'll use a needle for a very short sewing period, and don't want to put it back in the package with the never-used needles. I cut a piece of felt to fit the container, and I place the gently-used needles there for future use.

Needles that are no longer good for use on fabric, but will still work great for sewing on paper and cardstock (I love to make cards with my sewing machine), go into an empty prescription container (left). I use them until they are completely worn out! When they are ready for the trash, I place them in a different prescription container, marked with an X in permanent marker. I throw the entire container away when I have several in there, and know that I have another container to replace it. I can't imagine being a sanitation worker, having to handle our bags of trash, and being cut by a needle or rotary blade. OUCH!

I don't have a photo of how I dispose of my rotary blades, but I just wrap them in a couple layers of duct tape and toss them into the trash. I think I'm going to look into recycling needles and blades. I have no idea if our local metal recycling places will take them, and they wouldn't amount to much, but it's worth investigating.

Have a great day, everyone! I'm off to check out some of today's WFMW posts, then I'm going to try to find my sewing/crafting/crocheting mojo that I seem to have lost while I was relaxing on our vacation. If you find it, let me know!

Messy Desk Cleanup

2008-06-17T13:42:00.000-06:00

I've decided to join in on Tackle It Tuesday over at 5 Minutes For Mom!

Although I try very hard to be organized and tidy, usually I am NOT. Perhaps a small task each Tuesday will help in those areas that I seem to neglect.

Such as my desk. Now, normally I'll let it get much messier than this before I clean it all up - this is somewhat mild! But it was driving me nuts nevertheless.

Jeff and I have our desks sitting side by side, therefore there is a tangled web of cords going everywhere. That drives me nuts too, but maybe I'll save that task for another Tuesday!

Here is my before picture. My camera usually sits where my lens cap is, and the white cord draped over my mouse pad is my camera cord - definitely essential! The items that have no business being there are:

1. Lint roller

2. All my smashed pennies from our recent vacation

3. Book of Coscto coupons

4. My other pair of tennis shoes. I have 2 pair that I wear regularly - one for around the house/getting messy, and the other for wearing in public. :)

5. Notes, notes and more notes - I need to organize these and throw the papers away!

6. My Runaround Bag that I took on vacation, still filled with "stuff"

7. A losing Lotto ticket

8. My dermatologist's business card

9. Tape measure

10. Jar of Mod Podge

11. Tube of sunscreen

12. Sticky dots for making cards

13. Card reader for my embroidery machine that I never use (I prefer the flash drive instead)

Oh - and that yellow and green thing below the card reader is my coaster, in case you were wondering. It gets so hot here in the summer, that our glasses "sweat". I use one of my crocheted coasters inside a plastic lid to keep all the moisture from ruining our furniture. Primitive, I know, but it works!

I have absolutely no idea what those little orange dots are down by my shoes! Maybe it has something to do with the flash, but I didn't notice them until just now! I'll have to ask Jeff.

After a quick dash around the house to put things away, and a good application of Pledge, here is my tidy desk! I hope I can keep it clean at least until next Tuesday! My dermatologist's card is still there...I still need to call him! But, as soon as I do, back in my file it will go.

Now go on over to 5 Minutes For Mom and check out what everyone else is tackling today!

Welcome! Welcome!

2008-06-16T09:07:00.001-06:00

I hope you all enjoy my new look, and get used to my new name!

Why Momma MC? I'll give a short explanation...

About the time that my oldest son entered junior high school, I was nicknamed "Momma MC" by some of his friends (our last name is one that begins with "Mc"). Soon, all of the boys' friends were affectionately following suit. Jeff was "Papa MC". Even today, when I see some of the boys' friends from school, they still greet me with a "Hey there, Momma MC", or simply "Momma", and a hug. It is a name that I have come to love - it means a lot to me.

My Gingersnap Boutique blog is still open in case any new readers would like to catch up. My last free drawing there is still open too - enter before 11:59 pm (MT), June 22!

I'm still working on entering all the information in my sidebars, so keep checking for updates. If any of you would like to exchange blog links, just shoot me an email!