Needle in a Haystack

What's on Your Bucket List for 2012?

2012-01-11T07:59:00.000-08:00

Can you believe we are a third of the way through January already? I know...you may have thought I had fallen off the face of the earth, but I have been busy, busy recuperating from the holidays and pumping out new designs and making several of my patterns available for purchase online. I'm excited to share them with you here in a few days!

I'm one of those odd people that actually loves the month of January. I love the fresh start; the opportunity to reflect on the past year and look forward to the new. I love to put away the Christmas decor and declutter the house. I love to set goals and cross them off my list as they are achieved. I love to try to make life better in the upcoming year than it was in the last.

Each year (and throughout the year) I try to help my kids set new goals as well, but it is not always met with enthusiasm....till this year. I came across an article that talked about "bucket lists". Not just creating bucket lists for life, but writing bucket lists for the upcoming year---a smaller version of all you hope to accomplish before the year "kicks the bucket" so to speak. And not just writing the lists, but making a party out of it. Who doesn't love a party?

That simple change in wording from "setting goals" to writing our "bucket list" for 2012 made all the difference in the interest level of my kids. They thought it was funny and interesting from the get-go, and were eager to fill their paper up. I challenged us all to write as many things on our list as years we were old. My seven year old came up with seven items, my seventeen year old had seventeen. And me? Well, let's just say I had to get creative to come up with at least 29!

Some of my items were reading 10 books that I want to finish before the year's end (each one was a separate item), paying off my medical bills, releasing 12 new patterns, and completing the six classes required to regain my teaching license that I let lapse 11 years ago.

It proved to be a fun challenge, and got us all thinking of what purpose we wanted 2012 to have for our individual lives. I've provided our family bucket list form if you are interested....it's nothing fancy at all, but it's functional and already done for you. I altered an existing template found in Microsoft Word in about 3 minutes, and you are welcome to it.

One item on my list is to have three more "bucket list" parties throughout the year: One in April, one in August before school starts, and one last one in December...all to keep us focused and to provide some accountability for accomplishing our goals before the year kicks the bucket. I'll keep you posted! What's on your bucket list for the year?

Merry Christmas from the Keslers...2011

2011-12-23T09:51:00.000-08:00

It's all here...a new version of the Crazy (non-)Target Lady, a little romance, some Ninja skills and wrapping paper sword fights, some impressive Broadway moves, lots of ugly Christmas sweaters, loads of ridiculous nonsense, plenty of "Jingling" and it all comes together with a big splash at the end. It's Christmas once again with the Keslers!

Wishing you the Warmest of Holidays!

Christmas Gift Exchange Part 4: Treasures that Tell a Story

2011-12-05T09:01:00.001-08:00

I interrupted our Christmas Gift Exchange Themes series to address the Thanksgiving Holiday, but today I am back with the fourth theme that I presented over at Studio 5 last month. This theme touches the hearts of all who have received or given one of these types of gifts, as they are gifts with deep sentimental meaning. The theme?

"Treasures that Tell a Story"
In each of our homes, we have treasures or trinkets that are special to us or that have a story behind them. What a beautiful way to present these items to a family member in the form of a meaningful gift.

*Costume Jewelry:

My niece made these stunning displays for her relatives out of their mother's old jewelry when they passed away. She created the outline of the tree or shape on velvet with necklace chains and filled in with the assorted jewelry using glue like E-6000 and framed it. Aren't they gorgeous?

*Shadow Box Displays: Use trinkets and photos to create one-of-a-kind displays that hold fond memories of loved ones. This is a photo of my parents on their wedding day along with some random pieces of silver that I inherited after they passed away. It hangs above my pantry door, and I love seeing it daily in my kitchen.

*Recipes: Is there a family recipe that has been handed down over the years? What about making up a plate of the yumminess and writing up the recipe to be handed down once again? Pictured here is a version of my Grandma's Chop Suey Candy...(recipe to follow in an upcoming post!)

Recipe books also tell great stories of the meals and recipes that are important to a family. One of my favorite gifts was the year my hubby gathered all of my old, worn, misshapen recipe cards and printed them onto uniform cards and organized them into a binder that now sits proudly on the counter. All who enter my kitchen comment on it, and when they find out my husband did it for me, they are impressed all the more!

*Quilts: When my mother passed away, she had bags and boxes full of sorted and organized fabric scraps that she was sure she would use again someday. My siblings and I couldn't bear to throw them out! So instead, we began using them to create quilts.

We have laughed together as we reminisce about the fabrics we remember having dresses, prom gowns, or doll clothes made out of.

To date, we have made four quilts, and they have truly become treasures that tell many stories. Below is the beginning of the latest quilt we worked on a few months ago. It is always amazing to me how a few scraps of seemingly useless fabric can transform into something beautiful.

Of course, t-shirt quilts tell a terrific story as well, and can make a meaningful treasure. Never underestimate what can be done with old t-shirts!

*Photos: I got a little teary this past Mother's Day when I opened one of my gifts from my hubby. He outdid himself again with a simple, yet sophisticated gift that I love.

He gathered photos of my parents, grandparents, and children, and created a pictorial pedigree chart in Photoshop for me and had it framed. I love that my children can regularly see and remember who their ancestors are.

*Random Belongings: My sister inherited some old records from my parents that she and my other siblings listened to regularly in their youth (apparently, I was too young because I didn't remember them at all.)

She sent them to me after I talked her out of throwing them away, and I added painted clock hands and a battery kit. They have become unique clocks that are a reminder of happy days of my siblings' childhood. Almost any trinket can be turned into a treasure with a little imagination.

Whatever theme you choose, it is sure to leave your family with warm and fond feelings as you make some unique memories over the holiday season!

Tradition: Simple Ways our Family Embraces The Thanksgiving Holiday

2011-11-22T10:23:00.000-08:00

tra•di•tion
trəˈdɪʃ ən[truh-dish-uh n] noun:
the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice.

The holiday season is the birthplace of many traditions that connect us as families and friends. Traditions give us something to look forward to, something to call our own, something to bind us to the crazy people we share bathrooms and living space with (and don't always get along with!).

Due to the fact that my husband often works on Thanksgiving, our family cannot frequently travel long distances to be with extended family. We've found that creating special traditions within our home helps make the day special---even if it's just the six of us eating together once again. This year will be no exception...we will miss celebrating with family and friends as my husband will be on call, but we are grateful for our ties that bind us across the miles.

Our traditions are not fancy or elaborate, but they are our own. Here are a few that we hold dear to our hearts:

1. Preparing the Thanksgiving Feast:

I'll admit, some days when we are in a rush for dinner to get to another activity, I dread those words, "Mom, can I help?" ( It goes so much faster if I don't have helping hands on those days...but I have a hard time turning down anyone who is interested in helping out in the kitchen, right?) Can anyone relate? But for me, Thanksgiving is different. When I just plan on spending much of the morning preparing to gather around the table, I love having the kids in the kitchen with me.

We take our time, we laugh, we learn some cooking tid-bits together, and the preparation of the food is as much of a pleasurable activity as eating it.

2. Expressing Thanks:

We began a simple tradition last year that will be a treasure to add to and to look forward to each November. It's simply our Thanksgiving Table Cloth. (You can see the larger version of it in the photo at the beginning of the post.) I purchased a plain cream-colored tablecloth and fabric markers from Wal-Mart, asked for family participation, and the tradition was born.

Before our meal, each person was invited to write his or her thoughts of gratitude right onto the tablecloth. (It was fun for the kids especially, to break the rules and write on something that Mom normally condemns!)

Looking back, I get a kick out of how life was a year ago....the misspelled words and thoughts of a sweet six year old. I adore her chunky letters and the care with which she wrote her feelings.

The simplicity of a 13 year old boy: food, football, girls.

That's probably on the gratitude list for most men, right?

Thankfulness for a day off... (some things haven't changed)

I'm looking forward to pulling this out again this Wednesday evening so everyone can see what he or she wrote, and prepare to add to it again this Thanksgiving Day.

3. Creating a Thanksgiving Craft:

My girls and I had a great time last year creating these little turkey favors. They are so simple: two knit gloves, a bit of ribbon, glue, googly eyes, and scraps of cardstock and rick-rack. Simple instructions for making them are here.

Aren't they goofy and darling all at the same time? The girls also felt it important to give them very original names...like Bob.

This year, these turkeys and acorns are the plan.

4. Memorable Place Settings:

Did you notice the plates in those pictures? My mother collected plates from a variety of places she visited during her lifetime, and I inherited them when she passed away, along with her glass goblets. We pull these out every Thanksgiving, and wrestle over which place we want to eat on this year. We think of Grandma Wray and it makes the meal that much more special. Something as simple as plates has a way of bringing us together.

5. Of course, Delicious Food!

Each family has their own version of favorite foods to indulge in on Thanksgiving. A few of ours happen to be Sweet Potato Rolls (my littlest has been begging for these for weeks now!) and...

Raspberry Pretzel Jello Salad---one that I first remember having with my sister in law, Connie. My sister ML serves this as well, and we now look forward to it each year.

"Family traditions are like spiritual and emotional cement in the foundation of a happy home. They create fond memories, and these memories bond us together as nothing else can."
Ensign March 1986

What are your Thanksgiving Traditions?

May you each have a bounteous and memorable Thanksgiving!

Christmas Gift Exchange Themes Part 3: My Favorite Things

2011-11-19T10:03:00.000-08:00

We've been talking Christmas Gift exchange themes for the past few weeks, and we are rounding up with the last few themes I recently talked about on Studio 5. Today the theme is "My Favorite Things". I am in love with this particular theme, as it holds such great value for loved ones to share a part of themselves with one another, and it varies enough that families could use it from year to year.

The idea behind this topic is for the givers to give items that are their current favorites. Do you have a new favorite book or CD?

A new hobby? A fabulous recipe you've stumbled upon?

A favorite activity that you'd love to give away tickets to? What a great way to get to know the individuals in the family and to share items and activities that are important to one another!

Christmas Gift Exchange Themes Part 2: As Seen on TV

2011-11-09T23:55:00.000-08:00

In part 1 of my visit to Studio 5 we chatted about "A Recycled Christmas." Now we move onto "As Seen on TV." This exchange theme can get a little crazy, but that's what makes it so fun. Haven't we all wondered how well the Shamwow really works, or if a Snuggie is really as cozy as it's made out to be?

Any guy would love the Tool Bandit, right? This theme gives you permission to buy something completely practical, or utterly ridiculous, and everyone will have a great time! Can you imagine Christmas Day, spending it trying out all these crazy products? I think it would be a hoot!

And fortunately, many of these products are sold at Wal-Mart, Target, or Wal-greens, as well as the internet, so finding them should be fairly easy.

What fun!

Christmas Gift Exchange Themes Part 1: A Recycled Christmas

2011-11-08T10:11:00.000-08:00

With the Christmas Holiday just ahead, many of you have already begun your Christmas shopping and preparations! When it comes to exchanging gifts, what are your traditions? Do you give to everyone in the family? Do you exchange individual or family names? For those who participate in a family gift exchange, the pressure to find just the right gift can be stressful. Where to begin? What to buy? I find I often resort to one of three gifts when I can't figure out what to buy for my chosen individual: a DVD, a gift card, or a game. Any of those gifts are great, but perhaps lacking in a bit of originality on my part!

Last week I had the great opportunity to visit with Brooke and Darin at Studio 5 about how to add a little punch to your family gift exchange by creating a new tradition of choosing a theme on which to base your gift-giving. Having a theme can provide your family with a jumping-off point when it comes to making gift-giving choices, and can enhance and promote originality and creativity. In addition, the yearly themes create great memories as you reminisce about the funny or meaningful items that were exchanged.

In the next few days, I will share with you the four themes we talked about, along with a few more details than I had time or space to share on the show (along with a few that simply slipped my mind while in front of the camera there!)

1. A Recycled Christmas
The struggling economy has touched all of us to some extent, and of course, it is ever-popular right now to "go green". What a perfect theme in which to be frugal and channel your inner ingenuity!

My sister's family recently used this theme (check out how they get into their Christmas themes...matching t-shirts and all!), and included a little poem as a guideline: "Something bottled, something baked, something old that you remake." In addition, they determined that any of the "re-" words would be acceptable: re-cycle, re-purpose, re-furbish, re-use, re-make, and even re-gift!

My sister sewed pajama pants for each of her grandchildren using recycled t-shirts; and created drawstring bags from old t-shirts as well.

One of her daughters received too many bath towels for her wedding, and re-gifted them to a sibling along with a gift card to Bath and Body Works. Others baked delicious goodies for each other.

Of course, your local thrift store is a gold mine when it comes to finding things to repurpose, as well as ksl.com. And don't forget to look in the "free" section there! The saying is true: "One man's trash is another man's treasure!"
Some additional inspiration for you:

*Display Shelves: using an "L" bracket and some old books, create unique display shelves for special trinkets and treasures. Great gift for someone to place in a den or kids' room!

*Message Board: Paint an old frame and spray-glue fabric or scrapbook paper to a section of cardboard that fits the frame.

Place it under the glass, add hooks and wire to the front if desired for hanging notes or photos. Use a dry erase marker for messaging. Darling gift!

*Serving Trays: It is such fun to serve cupcakes and treats on a darling tray. I found this tray at D.I. and could see that it had potential, but needed a little updating.

I simply painted it black and Mod Podged fabric to the bottom surface and sprayed with polyurethane.

You can also paint an old frame (like the blue tray above), add drawer pulls to the edges for handles, and place a fabric or patterned paper panel under the glass. Easy and so cute for serving up a sweet gift!

The internet is chock-full of unique repurposed items to give you inspiration!
Look how cute this pallet-turned-coat rack is:

And I love these suitcase book shelves! How unique!

Welcome Studio 5 Viewers!

2011-11-04T10:55:00.000-07:00

I'm excited today to be chatting with Brooke and Darren over at Studio 5 once again! We'll be talking about Christmas Gift Exchange Traditions and Themes.... should be fun, and more info will follow!

For those of you who may be new to my blog, welcome! Here are the links to a few of the stitchery patterns and freebies you may see on today's show:

Wise Men shown at the top will be available at Pine Needles and My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe within the next week (if you are local), as well as HERE online and HERE for machine embroidery.

The Rejoice design will also be available at Pine Needles and My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe. You can find the hand embroidery pattern online HERE, and the machine embroidery download HERE.

Joyeux Noel Dishtowels: Pine Needles, My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe, You Can Make This, SWAK Embroidery.
Where We Love is Home is a free download found here at You Can Make This!

The Grace pattern is here at Pine Needles.

And HO HO HO is a free pattern found right here on my blog:

Thanks so much for joining me here at Needle in a Haystack! Watch for new patterns and project ideas to come in the next weeks and months!

Simplistic Beauty

2011-11-02T19:24:00.000-07:00

Time goes so quickly, and I am in shock that it is already November! But if you have read my blog before in past Novembers, you'll remember that it is one of my favorite months. I love the simplicity of Thanksgiving, the relief of having Halloween over, and the anticipation of looking forward to the Christmas Holiday!

As I was sorting through photos today I was reminded of some that I have been wanting to share...My cute little neighbor Chelsea that used to babysit my kiddos got married a few months ago, and I got to help with some of the set-up. She had an outdoor reception, and I loved how perfectly down-to-earth and sweet it was.

Everything had a vintage, antiqued feel, and it was charming in its simpleness. Chelsea made the flowers from tissue paper for the table decor and attached them to twigs to place in vases. The vases were placed inside a painted, empty frame over the top of burlap and surrounded with sand dollars. Adorable.

And I am in love with these kitschy little dessert trays made from plates or platters glued onto a candlestick or other type of base. Each one is so unique with its own personality. They served a variety of cookies along with cartons of milk chilled in aluminum tubs.

One thing that caught my attention as we were setting up for the reception was the fact that Chelsea and her new hubby were right there in the mix helping, fixing this and that, and laughing with others who were there to get things ready. I was so impressed that they were cheerfully preparing and that they were even present...that they hadn't stayed away and just showed up to greet people when all the work was done. What lovely people.

And did you notice Chelsea's wedding dress? I asked her mom about it and she mentioned that the traditional dresses were just not her style. When she spotted this one, she fell in love with it immediately and knew that it was just for her. I love a gal who paves her own path and delights in simplistic beauty....and in a gal who is as darling on the inside as she is on the outside.

Welcome All Hallows' Eve -- New Stitchery Design

2011-10-06T07:05:00.001-07:00

It's that time of year again when the ghouls and goblins will soon embark upon us in full force... Welcome the season with a new stitchery pattern from Needle in a Haystack! Bedazzled with glitter and crystals, this new home decor design will glam up any bleak corner of your home. You can find the pattern HERE.

Happy Haunting!

Make a "Sweet" Pin Cushion: Free Project!

2011-09-15T13:49:00.000-07:00

Oh, the "sweetness" of this free pin cushion project! Head on over to get the latest freebie that I just finished up for You Can Make This. The possibilities are endless with this simple-to-put-together craft item. You have complete instructions to make a parfait, a cupcake, or the niftiest little pin cushion that attaches to your wrist. (I am so loving mine since I no longer misplace pins when moving from room to room while trying to work on a project.... it seems as though I can't ever stay in one room for too long before some little child needs me somewhere else. Too often, I leave a trail of pins and fabric throughout the house!)

These pin cushions also make great gifts for the sewers in your life....even if you don't sew yourself! There is a little cutting, a little hand sewing, some stuffing, and gluing. That's it! Perfect for the beginner crafters, and quick and simple for those with more experience.

I think you'll find that it's "sew" simple....enjoy!

Quick Granola Recipe

2011-09-01T01:03:00.000-07:00

Seriously, I am addicted to this stuff. This is my new favorite go-to snack and breakfast food. My sweet friend Christina gave me this recipe before jaunting off to Germany for two years...(Miss you, my friend!) It is so easy and quick to make, and to die for! I think I've made about 8 batches in the last two weeks. (Okay, perhaps a slight exaggeration, but it's pretty close!)

Not only do I love the flavor, but the chewy texture with the crunchy cashews just reels me in. I crave this in my sleep...not even kidding.

Christina serves it warm from the oven with yogurt and fresh fruit (which is heavenly), and my little gal and I also love it like cold cereal in milk. It's one of her new favorite after-school snacks. Let me know what you think!

Quick Granola (This is a small batch...I usually double it)
2 c. quick oats
1/2 c. honey
1/3 c. oil
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
cashews (or any type of nut)

Bake at 400 for 8 minutes (stirring half way through)for a soft, chewy texture. Bake a little longer if you like it crunchy.

This is the basic recipe, but of course you can add sunflower seeds, flax seeds, almonds, wheat germ, coconut, raisins, or anything else you love. Enjoy!

A Tribute to Summer: The Keslers on Studio 5

2011-08-24T21:45:00.000-07:00

Okay, friends! Our local NBC affiliate, Studio 5 has picked up on the Kesler Family... If you are in the Utah viewing area, tune your t.v. to KSL's Studio 5 on Thursday, August 25, as the Kesler's latest video will be featured on the show as a tribute to summer. Come join the fun!

It's Friday!! New Kesler Video...

2011-08-12T16:01:00.000-07:00

Chances are, if you have a teenager, you may be familiar with the popular (or rather, unpopular) version of the song, "Friday"...

Well, the crazy Kesler family who brought you the "Jump" and "Deck the Rooftop" videos now has a new video to Glee's version of "Friday".... A fitting song to kick off the weekend!

Filmed at their recent week-long family reunion, you'll see once again the silliness and fun that permeates the entire clan (2 parents, 7 adult kids, 6 spouses, and twenty-something grandchildren). Watch for the famous belly flop, and notice the two dozing off at the very end---yes, they're truly asleep.

It's Friday!!! Eat your heart out, Rebecca Black.

Family Reunions with the "Cardboard People"

2011-08-08T11:45:00.000-07:00

Summer, as always, has been jam-packed for our family, and there are still a few weeks left to enjoy! Many of you have enjoyed family reunions already, and perhaps some of you still have some to look forward to. Here's a little idea for those of you who may be in charge of your next get-together: Invite some relatives from the past to join you! Sounds a little weird? Not really....read on:

Last summer, my siblings and I were in charge of our extended family reunion for all the aunts, uncles, and cousins on my mother's side. This is one of those events that only happen every other year, and one in which it is tricky knowing how to make it special when you really don't see these people very often, and there is not much time for getting reacquainted. And, we wanted to figure out how to connect us all, being that our grandparents and most of their children (our aunts and uncles) had passed away.....

My sister came up with a fabulous idea for bringing our grandparents to the reunion, and it involved a little help from the Cardboard People at Advanced Graphics.

You've seen the life-sized posters at the theaters and party shops of Harry Potter, Elvis, Luke Skywalker, and a million more. Many of those are manufactured and distributed by some friends of mine that own Advanced Graphics. Not only do they print cardboard cut-outs of famous people, they will customize life-sized cardboard print-outs of your personal pictures for your own event. What fun!

So we sent them a photo of my grandparents, and within a short amount of time, we had in our possession, a life-sized image of them to display at the reunion. (As a side note...the variance in the color that you see in the photo of the cut-out is a result of some lack of clarity in the original photo.)

Needless to say, the poster of our beloved grandparents was the hit of the reunion. My aunt started crying when she first saw their images greeting all of our relatives on the lawn, and of course, before they left, everyone wanted their photos taken with Grandma and Grandpa. It was a hoot!

These two in the photo below won the "Look-alike" Contest...can you see the resemblance to our grandparents in these cousins of mine?

So, the next time you have a get-together, consider inviting some relatives from the past and allowing them to join your party with a little help from the Cardboard People at Advanced Graphics. It is sure to make for some fun memories and some great photo ops!

Corn on the Cob Cupcakes

2011-07-05T14:36:00.001-07:00

I hope everyone had a fantastic 4th! Summer is flying by and I just had to share with you this cutest treat that my darling neighbor Judy brought to me...Don't let these "ears" deceive your eyes! I know...I did a double take too! My kids all had to look twice too, and they thought these were the coolest.

Corn on the Cob Cupcakes...how clever! So I had Judy give me her secrets to this deceptive goodie (and they are VERY simple). All you need is the following for each ear of corn:

* 3 baked yellow or white cupcakes in white cupcake papers
* 1 corn on the cob tray
* 2 corn holders
* white frosting
* yellow Jelly Belly jellybeans for the kernels (I think she used Buttered Popcorn flavor and Lemon)
* one yellow Starburst candy for the pat of butter
* black sugar for the pepper(apparently found on the cake decorating aisle of the craft stores---unfortunately I'm not too familiar with that aisle)

Assemble the cupcakes in the tray, frost, add the Jelly Bellies in rows, and add the pat of butter and black sugar. Insert the holders to each end and there you have a fun, unique, and "corny" summer treat.

Enjoy!

A Father's Lessons from Table Rock Mountain

2011-06-20T13:35:00.000-07:00

I hope you all had wonderful Mother's and Father's Days!! I appreciate all of you friends, followers, and readers so much, and apologize for not being around for a few weeks. Life is interesting at times, isn't it? Sometimes good things (like blogging) have to take a backseat to weightier things like family and health and mental sanity (lol). But I'm back, and excited to be in the blogosphere with you again!

I found a few pictures recently of my dad as I was cleaning out some rooms and boxes. Isn't he so cute? I wish you could all know him. There are a lot of great men in the world but I can say like so many others, that my dad is truly the greatest man I've ever known.

As we celebrated Father's Day yesterday, of course my mind reflected on my dad who has been gone now for almost twelve years. I miss him so much and miss the influence he had on my life and the life of my tiny kids. I wish they could have known him better and longer. The example he set and the lessons he taught me have had great impact on defining who I am. I hope to be like him when I grow up.

This picture of him and me is full of so many memories. This was taken over 20 years ago on a family reunion when we hiked to a place called Table Rock near the Idaho side of the Grand Tetons. That was an adventure and many lessons rolled into one. Before we took this hike, Dad sat us all down and explained his tender feelings and memories about this particular place. As a young boy, he had hiked this same 11 mile hike with his scout troop. The goal back then was for all the boys to carry their lunches to the top of Table Rock and eat together as a troop while enjoying the amazing vista of the Grand Tetons.

Well, Dad being a typical boy, didn't want to be cumbered with lugging his lunch up the trail, so he somehow convinced one of his buddies to carry it for him. He proceeded to race on up the trail and arrived before anyone else in his group. By that time he was famished, and he began growing impatient by the minute, waiting for his troop and his friend to arrive with his lunch. After some time, he decided he would head back down the trail, assuming he would intersect with his friend, then hike back to the top with him where they could eat their lunch together. Unfortunately, however, he somehow missed his buddy and never met up with him. He was so hungry, tired, and frustrated, that he just kept walking down the 11 mile trail until he eventually arrived back at the bottom....lunch-less.

That memory had lingered with my dad throughout his whole life, and had bothered him that he had lacked the integrity to take care of his own responsibilities. Now, at age 65, he wanted to have a do-over. He wanted to carry his own lunch to the top and eat it with his family. Needless to say, we were all engrossed with his story, and eager to participate with our dad to accomplish this goal.

The hike was beautiful and easy in the beginning, yet quickly became quite challenging. The young teenage grandkids forged ahead easily, with a few of my sisters and I hanging out in the middle of the group, and my older siblings and my dad bringing up the rear. It was not an easy hike. Near the end of the trail, there was about a 500 foot long vertical incline of shale rock. Climbing here was difficult as it was so steep and the rocks slid out from under your feet as you climbed. As I struggled up with my sister, I looked back to see how Dad was doing. Tears welled up in my eyes as I saw him lying on his back; my brother-in-law doctor at his side. He yelled up to us with a smile, easing our fears and letting us know that dad was just resting, and that he was okay.

As the tears began to fall--partly in concern for Dad, and partly because I was exhausted and hungry--I wondered if it was really all worth it, just so Dad could eat his lunch at the top of this trail.

One by one, we all labored and strained to climb to the end of the trail at Table Rock. As we would reach the top, other family members who had arrived before us, would watch for us and reach out a hand to help us up the last few feet. Dad was the last to arrive. He climbed slowly and we all watched with anticipation as he made his way up the shale rock incline. As he approached the summit, my brother clasped his hand to help pull him up over the ledge, and the entire family broke into wild applause and cheering. The smile on my dad's face was priceless.

We enjoyed the magnificent view of the Grand Tetons, played in the snow, and ate our lunch as a family on top of that ridge. We felt on top of the world, and life in that moment was perfect.

What lessons Dad taught us all through that experience. (First, of course...to carry our own lunch!) But more importantly to have the integrity to take care of our own responsibilities, and if you mess up, have the integrity to fix it.

The second lesson I gained from this experience was the value of enduring to the end. We all have challenges, we all have trials, we all have crappy experiences to go through that we didn't ask for. But if we can endure and endure them well, the reward will be worth it. The view at the top of Table Rock was breathtaking, and to be there with the people I loved the most made it that much more incredible. It was worth the struggle, as is anything in life that requires hard work.

And the last lesson from this experience was the importance of family. I realized on that trail how much I needed the support, encouragement, and warmth of my family. I needed my dad, and I needed to know he was okay. I needed him and all of my siblings, nieces, and nephews at the top with me to celebrate our accomplishment. I needed to see Dad come up over that ridge so we could feel complete and to know that not one of us had been left behind.

I love my dad immensely, and am so grateful to him for the many lessons I've gained from being his daughter. I have no doubt that he is looking on, cheering me to keep forging ahead when the trail gets steep, reminding me that in the end, the reward will all be worth it.

Wishing you a wonderful week!

I Am a Mother...

2011-05-02T08:19:00.000-07:00

Today begins Studio 5's kickoff of the 10 Day "Motherhood Matters" Challenge. It's all about remembering and celebrating our most honorable and influential job...that of being a mother. If you haven't heard about it, I invite you to take a look. The challenge is simple, yet keeps in the forefront of our minds why we do what we do, and reminds us of how important motherhood is.

In addition, they are offering four printable quotes like the one pictured here for free. What a great and simple gift for a sweet mother or for yourself! I'm excited to get mine framed and displayed.

So, my friends...as we look ahead to Mother's Day and ponder on our own mothers, let's also celebrate our own role, whether we are aunts, cousins, sisters, daughters or mothers. We all have a vital role in the lives of each other.

I am a Mother...

Studio 5: Spring Fling Felt Purse, and Kim and Kris on Rachel Ray!

2011-04-25T11:37:00.000-07:00

My sweet friends and "Wondertwins" Kim and Kris of the DIY Dish, You Can Make This, and SWAK Embroidery, never cease to amaze me! They were on Studio 5 this morning for a short interview, and will be showcased tomorrow on the Rachel Ray Show! I'm so excited for them! I have no idea what they will be showing, as it's all a little tight-lipped, but I'm sure it will be crafty genius.

In addition, Kris showed how to make this little felt purse that I designed for You Can Make This last spring on Studio 5. It works up quickly, is inexpensive to make, and is fun for the little girls and tweens in your world to express their creativity with. Oh, and don't forget...the download is free!

Take a look:

Hope your week is going well! Hugs to you all!

Exciting News! Please Stop by My Store!

2011-04-19T12:14:00.001-07:00

Yes, Needle in a Haystack now has its very own Online Store! New patterns and products are being added weekly, so be sure to check in often. All Mother's Day Patterns and this School Days Pattern are 25% off the regular price from now until the end of May!

Each pattern you see on the site will be shipped directly to your home through the mail and can easily be paid for using your Pay Pal account.

Please stop by to see what's new, and be sure to drop me a line if you have any questions!

Happy Shopping!!

Reach for the Sunshine; Stand Tall

2011-04-04T08:05:00.000-07:00

I love this family. If you've seen any of the crazy music videos on my blog, you may recognize some of these women.

Here we are seated at a restaurant on a recent outing together. I am in the back left and my sister Marva Lu is seated across from me. These other beautiful gals are her daughters and one of her three daughters-in-law. They are darling and hilarious, and simply great people. It is such a joy to be around them.

And is this the cutest baby quilt you've ever seen? Marva Lu made one like this for her daughter Kelsi and gave it to her at her baby shower recently. Kelsi is the baby of the family and having her first little boy here in a few weeks. When she opened this gift from her mom, Kelsi's older sister Annie exclaimed good-naturedly, "Well, we can see who the favorite daughter is!" (After five babies of her own, my sister had never made a baby quilt for Annie quite like this!)

Little did Annie know, but Marva Lu had in the works 6 additional baby quilts similar to this one to give to each of her seven children. She had planned on giving them to her other children in the near future when she was able to finish them. Well, when my other sister Pam heard this comment from Annie, she told Marva Lu that she needed to finish up each of those quilts to give to her other kids at a family gathering they were having in two days, so they would know they were all her favorites!

So like sisters do for each other, the three of us and a friend of Marva Lu's spent all the next day putting the finishing touches on each of those 6 quilts. It was such fun! We felt like we were part of an old-fashioned quilting bee. One by one the quilts got finished and wrapped with festive bows. She was able to give them all to her other daughters and daughters-in-law the following day, and each of them were so surprised.

One of the things Marva Lu loved about this quilt pattern was the cute giraffe of course, but the sentiment of "standing tall". She wanted each of her twenty-something grandchildren to understand what that really means in life. She wrote the sweetest letter to each of her daughters and daughters-in-law beginning with, "To my favorite daughter So-and-so". She then expressed her great love for each of them, and her desires that they teach each of their children this important principle.

She also added in her letter: "Standing tall means to be courageous in decision making, not compromising principles, not violating spiritual values and not shrinking from responsibility. Basically, standing tall is doing what is right. Jesus Christ is our perfect example of one who always stood tall. He is the one who personifies integrity, strength, and courage.

Gordon B. Hinckley said, 'Every one of us needs to STAND TALL and be strong and faithful and walk in the footsteps of the Master.'

Teach those little children to STAND TALL. They can be someone to look up to no matter their height. They can learn to stand tall for righteousness.

May the giraffe always be a reminder to 'stand tall' and 'reach for the sunshine.'."

I love all of that. What a sweet message for each of those children to grow up learning in a day when these pure and simple principles seem to be missing everywhere we turn. What a great message for me. After seeing these quilts, my own daughters were requesting one of their own to hang on their bedroom wall. I'm hoping I can get to it while it still has meaning for them!

This quilt pattern is available through You Can Make This and was designed by my good friend Kris, who is one of the brains behind the DIY Dish. She has simple instructions that even a beginner can follow. And if you need assistance, she is more than happy to help you, and I would be happy to help as well. Just shoot me an email at the address on my side bar. You can find the pattern here, and you can see the twins in crafty action here at their site. They never cease to amaze me.

Wishing you a wonderful week, and plenty of spring sunshine!

Missing "Jim"...

2011-03-25T09:48:00.000-07:00

The skies here in my neck of the woods today are cloudy and gray, heavy with intermittent rain. It is dreary and I want to crawl under a blanket and do nothing but watch movies or read (not happening, by the way). The sky mirrors the mood here in Utah after BYU's defeat to Florida in the Sweet 16 NCAA tournament game last night. Certainly, not the bleakest of events occurring in the world right now, but one in which BYU fans were hoping for a different outcome.

All the "Jimmer" and BYU fans in our house felt a little beat down and sad for the ending of a great run---even with all the setbacks the team had throughout the season. As I checked my emails before bed last night, I noticed my sister had sent my siblings a memoir written by her husband Gary about my dad--also named James who went by "Jim" (pictured above) in his younger days and was a gifted athlete. I mentioned him briefly in my last post, but my brother-in-law's words made me a little misty-eyed as I reflected on this great man who is no longer with us. I wanted to share a few exerpts:

24 March 2011 Thursday

Dear Dad,

We were thinking about you today: basketball, March Madness, hoops, Final Four. BYU is playing Florida tonight. Jimmer Fredette is making Mormons proud; he is quite the scoring machine. Many of your progeny find great joy in getting “jimmered”.

It's not 1948, nor will we be gathering around the radio to hear you play. Great-grandma Wray would get so upset when the commentators would talk about your aggressive plays and fouls. University of California-Berkley lost that final four game; but you played in Madison Square Garden and gave your family bragging rights for decades, that you played on the national sports stage- you, just a farm kid from Idaho. We have the newspaper articles and pictures of you, (sorry you didn't have Air Jordan’s in the 40's); we've heard the stories; for some of us we've seen your athletic prowess. You are gone, but your legacy continues.

You would have loved this BYU season- it would have been so great for you to walk from that little white brick home on Fir St. to the Marriott Center. Not like that first year when BYU had a 0-25 season...it did get you on a mission though; no sense staying in Provo to watch the cougars lose!

There's been a whole nursery of babies born since you and mom left us, but, you know that, don't you. Most of us are trying to do what you taught us, and are teaching our children; and our children are teaching their children. We hope you are proud. We are taking care of your name.

Our faith is strong. Oh sure, there are those little things that try our faith, that keep us relying on God: tsunamis, the economy, earthquakes, floods and famines, potato harvest, etc.

Well, we just wanted to say hello- we thought of you playing in the March Madness tournament. We miss you dad; we miss those reunions where we tried to keep up with you; we miss how you and mom worked as one for our benefit. We miss your competitive spirit. Tonight we will yell and raise our blood pressure for 'the Jimmer'. You are our “Jim”. We miss you dad. We wish you were here.

Love eternally,
Your Posterity

Missing Jim...

Rainbow Jello and Jimmer...What Could be Better to Celebrate the Tip Off of March Madness?

2011-03-17T08:44:00.001-07:00

I love having something to look forward to. It prevents the doldrums of life's daily grind from taking over, doesn't it? Today I'm so looking forward to those two things: Rainbow Jello and Jimmer. Rainbow Jello is a pretty-much-once-a-year-tradition for us, since it takes some prep, and coordinates so nicely with St. Patty's Day. Just not something I get around to much at other times of the year, but definitely something to look forward to in March. I love how it looks, the creaminess from the added yogurt, and the melding of all those rainbow-y flavors. Yes, it's a St. Patty's treat for sure! Visit HERE for the recipe and the how-to's, along with some helpful photos.

And Jimmer? We've been a fan for a while now. Our family had the opportunity to see him play in person last year when he was still a somebody, but not quite the SOMEBODY that he is today. Jimmermania struck our house early this season, and we've loved seeing how he has taken the NCAA by storm.

It helps that basketball is in our family blood---my father played in the forty's in the Final Four for the California Bears as a guard; my hubby was a guard in the eighty's with his high school team that took the state championship his junior year and finished third his senior year; and all four of our tikes have played since they could hold a ball. Our oldest was shooting baskets almost before he could walk. This year all four were on teams...one on the junior high team, the others on city league teams with my two boys playing together. That was the highlight of my week, seeing each of my kids grow and learn on the court. Even my little gals became quite the scrappers and shooters; my littlest one scoring her first basket in her last game (she was the only girl on her co-ed team), and my older daughter scoring the winning points in overtime of her last game. And watching my two boys joke, laugh, pass, assist, and score together on the court was completely heart-warming from a mom's perspective. I am convinced that there are metaphors and plenty of life's lessons that are gained on the court and from participating on a team.

And... it helps that I am a BYU Alum. I couldn't be more proud of my Cougars and the way they have handled the intense media revolving around the highs and lows of their season. They are a class act team, and we're cheering for "Freddy Cougar" (my boy's nickname for Jimmer) and his posse to get further in the brackets than ever before.

So, find something to look forward to today. Make yourself some Rainbow Jello and enjoy the Jimmer Show and the rest of the March Madness entertainment. I'm certain that neither will disappoint!

Basic Hand-Embroidery Stitches

2011-03-09T07:00:00.000-08:00

The website allpeoplequilt.com has some great tutorials and images for learning ten basic hand embroidery stitches: some that are in my own tutorial, as well as a few that are not. Check it out:

Basic Hand-Embroidery Stitches

In addition, they have a myriad of tips, techniques, videos, and FREE project ideas that could keep me busy for decades! My kids have so many team jerseys, along with sports and souvenir T's...I am in love with this t-shirt quilt!

The Value of Being Wrong...

2011-03-07T10:57:00.000-08:00

So much is on my mind this morning, but this quote that I have tacked up in my closet keeps rattling around inside my brain. It's one of those that gives me courage to step out of my comfort zone that is, well...so very safe and comfortable.

"If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with something original."
-Sir Ken Robinson

Do you love that? Being original or creative takes on many forms, doesn't it? Such as how we discipline and teach our children; how we make something enticing for supper; decorating our living space to make it more homey; throwing a birthday party on a budget; keeping the romance alive in marriage; how to get the mundane household tasks done when you'd rather not; how to stretch the dollar; teaching kids responsibility and family unity....the list could go on and on, couldn't it?

When faced with the need to take action, I find that I am often tepid at the risk of making mistakes, dread the possibility of rocking the boat, and have a fear of being wrong which at times paralyzes me so that in fact, I do nothing at all. Do you ever find yourself in that situation? I'm desperately trying to get out of that boat. This quote reminds me of the benefits of taking risks and making mistakes.

I think it's a healthy way of thinking to teach our kids (and ourselves) that mistakes are inevitable and acceptable, and often necessary (think Thomas Edison). The challenge is to learn from them and go forward with our new-found insight. The end result will often be far from where we started, but without a doubt, so much better.

(And do you love the light bulb vases? How darling are they? Finding that photo was my ode to Thomas Edison, and some creative person took some risks to apply something totally original to his invention. How very clever. Love it.)

So best wishes to you all for a courageous week. May we all find a way to take action, get out of our comfort zones, take some risks, and create something original...even if it requires being wrong at some point along the way.

President's Day Holiday Get-Away...???

2011-03-01T14:07:00.000-08:00

It is still snowy and cold here in Utah, and a get-away for our last holiday sounded delightful! Well, I DID "get away" but not in the way you might think, or that I would have preferred. My holiday "get-away" was spent in the hospital having gall bladder surgery. Doesn't that sound grand? Not really, I know. It has been a long and sometimes trying week, but I am glad to be up and around again, and glad to be blogging once again.

I have known for a few years now that I have had gall stones after visiting the doctor after my first horrible attack in the night. I have simply tried living in denial that they existed until the attacks kept increasing in frequency as well as intensity. I mentioned in my last post that our Valentine's dinner was interesting....yes, I spent the night in the E.R. after dinner, almost positive that the docs would remove it right then and there. But since my white blood count was not up, and it did not appear to be an immediate threat to the rest of my body, I was given pain meds and sent home several hours later, and my official date of surgery would be the 21st of February.

So, yes, I survived the surgery, although coming out of anesthesia, apparently my heart raced to 271 beats per minute, then after being given meds to slow it down, dropped to 45 beats per minute. I had a heckuva time getting regulated, evidently. Thankfully, I was still out of it, and don't remember a thing.
Recovery has been slower than I anticipated, mixed with a lot of nausea, pain, and discomfort. Currently, I am still bruised and sore, and unable to dress in anything but sweats. I feel like George Costanza from the days of Seinfeld...("I give up!") It's just better to hear it in Jerry's words:

Ah, that show makes me laugh. Anyway, wanted you all to know I was alive and kicking, and will hopefully get up to speed and creating again here soon. Thanks for hanging in there with me!

Honey Lime Enchiladas and Sweet Rice

2011-02-17T10:49:00.000-08:00

Good morning, friends! I hope you all had a happy and delightful Valentine's Day! It was interesting at our house, to say the least. But! We did have our Sweetheart Dinner, we did learn some fancy manners, and surprisingly, everyone cooperated, (even the teenagers) and we had an enjoyable dinner. (So, yay! Check one off for learning something new at our house!)

I did promise the recipes for our very favorite meal at our house...it's the one that gets requested the most by the most. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pics during the meal, but thought of doing it the next day with those that were left, but that fell through too. So...I borrowed this photo from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

It was interesting as I tried to find the original source for this recipe. It appears to have been passed around the net and tweaked here and there. I first saw it on Good Things Utah prepared by Holly Hanks. She gives credit to Mel's Kitchen Cafe who gives credit to the Sister's Cafe. The buck apparently stops there, but I'm sure it's been passed around at various other places as well. As like most of us, I have tweaked the recipe to our own family's liking, so I hope you enjoy one of our faves!

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

*1/3 c. honey

*1/4 c. lime juice

*2 tsp. chili powder

*2 large cloves garlic or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

*About 2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

*10-12 flour tortillas (I prefer using the uncooked tortillas--once you try them, you'll never go back to pre-cooked tortillas!)

*2 cups shredded cheese (Mexican, cheddar, Monterrey Jack---whatever you have on hand)

*14 oz. of mild green enchilada sauce

*3/4 c. heavy cream

1. In a bowl, combine the honey, lime juice, chili powder, and garlic. Toss in the cooked and shredded chicken; cover and marinate in the refrigerator for about a half hour or so.

2. Cook the raw tortilla shells according to the directions on the package. It only takes a few seconds to brown them. Stack on a plate as they are cooked.

3. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. In another small bowl, combine the enchilada sauce and cream. Pour about 1/2 cup of this mixture in the bottom of the baking pan. Set the rest aside.

4. Remove the chicken mixture from the fridge. Spoon a large spoonful onto one tortilla, creating a line across the center of the tortilla. Top with a large pinch of cheese and roll up the tortilla. Place the enchilada seam side down in the baking pan at one end. Repeat with the remaining tortillas until the pan is full.

5. Pour remaining enchilada sauce and cream over the top of the enchiladas and top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.

Sweet Rice

(I found this recipe at http://www.recipezaar.com/. It is a yummy side dish and also perfect for stuffing into burritos or adding to salads. Remember, it is meant to be sweet...I love it!

*2 T. vegetable oil

*1/2 white chopped onion (I even use onion flakes in a pinch)

*1 1/3 c. white rice

*3 c. chicken broth

*1/3 c. white sugar

1. Pour oil into bottom of pan, add onion and saute until translucent.

2. Add the rice cooking until it is light brown, being careful not to burn.

3. Combine the broth and sugar, letting the sugar dissolve. Stir into rice until combined and bring to a boil.

4. Cover and let cook on low until rice is done, about 25-30 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

I hope you enjoy these family favorites! They are the best, I tell you!

Last-Minute Valentine Gadgets for Your Guy, and Sweetheart Dinner Plans

2011-02-14T09:59:00.001-08:00

So...it's V-day, and I am just getting around to thinking about what I could do for my sweetheart. Not very prepared and well-thought ahead, I know, but I guess it's never really been my style (I try, Cami K! I really try!). I seem to work best under pressure. We've made a pact to not spend much, so that requires some thinking. But I am in LOVE with these manly Valentine gift ideas and graphics over at MyEyeQ. They are clever and free (well, the graphics are), and something I think my guy might actually use and not just chuck tomorrow. I just printed the graphic above and grabbed a pair of pliers at the Dollar Store (no vice grips available, but I figured the pliers would work just as well.) So, check out Sue's blog for a last minute gadget for your guy...

Other activities for the day: The Sweetheart Dinner is on target for tonight. Just hoping the hubby will actually be around, as Monday nights are his night on call for work. It's always a gamble as to whether or not he'll be home. We're keeping fingers crossed, and if not, the kids and I will go forward as planned.

Menu items include Honey-Lime Chicken Enchiladas, Sweet Rice, Green Salad, Jello, and Creamy Cheesecake for dessert. I'll share recipes later on this week...this is one of our family's fave meals!

And...I think for tonight's dinner, we'll be trying a first. With two teenage boys, and one at dating age, I'm thinking we could use a little dinner etiquette instruction!

We'll have a little mini-lesson before eating on the basics : helping to seat your date (little sisters will be proxy); waiting to eat until all have been served; which utensils to use for which food item; where to place your napkin; how to stay at the table until all are finished eating; and of course reviews of you know...no bodily noises at the table (need I say more?). We're all going to dress up in our Sunday best, and hopefully, (fingers still crossed!) we'll all have a festive, enjoyable time together.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

The "No-Sew" Candybox Pillow--(Staples, Hot Glue, Anyone?)

2011-02-11T15:12:00.001-08:00

I had the exciting privilege of participating once again over at Studio 5 the other morning! I demonstrated how to make the Candybox Pillow available exclusively through You Can Make This. For some added creative inspiration, click here to see how others have finished this fun and easy project!

In addition, one of the producers of the show challenged me to come up with a "No-Sew" version of this pillow to share with the viewers who might not sew, but would be interested in creating a similar look.

With the same templates and techniques found in the free download from You Can Make This, some thinking and some easy-to-get supplies, I came up with another version that was surprisingly fun to put together. (Ladies, your hubbies could even make this version for you for Valentine's Day!)

Visit Studio 5 to find out what supplies are needed (chances are you have them lying around your house) and how to create a "No-Sew Candybox Pillow"... It just might surprise you how easy it is!

Have a great weekend!

The Candybox Pillow---Free Project Available at You Can Make This!

2011-02-03T20:23:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to share with you my latest project (don't forget it's FREE!) that's available over at You Can Make This. It was great fun to create and put together. It really is a project that beginners and experienced sewers alike, can make successfully. It only requires some cutting of circles, and a bit of machine sewing. Sewing the flowers and tulle onto the front is not as intimidating as you might imagine---It's actually really fun to see how it all comes together!

My group of fabulous testers have been at it again---giving the project a try before it was released to the general public, just to make sure all the t's were crossed and the i's were dotted. Their feedback was very valuable, and their creations turned out so darling!! Take a quick look:

I love the contrast of this fabric and the stunning red of the heart which was created my my sweet friend, Belinda from Blue Ribbon Designs:

And how sweet and romantic is this pillow from Michelle?

I struggled with what to name this pillow, and one of my testers, Sandy, wrote to me telling me how it reminded her of a box of Valentine's candy. She suggested the name, "Candybox Pillow", and I thought it was so unique and clever. Thank you, Sandy! She decided to hand-sew her flowers into place as she liked a more fluffy appearance.

I was excited to see Christianne's pillow, as she went outside the box to create with non-traditional brown and white fabric. Isn't it chic?

And Tiffany's pillow with the red heart and black and white toile is classic and beautiful.

As you can see, there are so many possibilities, and so many options when choosing your fabric to achieve a variety of looks. Run over to You Can Make This and get your free Candybox Pillow Project, and make something sweet this month!

Peanut Butter Love...Two Irresistible Recipes

2011-02-01T11:49:00.000-08:00

My sister used to have a quote in her kitchen that read, "Everyone needs to believe in something...I believe I'll have another cookie!" And, of course, I have followed in my big sister's footsteps. This should be my first clue as to why I can't seem to whittle my waistline or lose those ever-lingering 15 pounds...I'm in love with cookies and donuts and these peanut butter goodies are no exception. And can you believe, I never even tasted either of these cookies that I can remember until my neighbors introduced them to me about 8 years ago. Tragic, I know. Now they are a household staple.

My kids request either of these two recipes anytime they have the opportunity to choose a homemade goodie, and almost within hours, the entire batch has completely vanished. Of course, that's my kids' fault--I only take a small bite...or maybe two...or a few nibbles...then a few hours later, just a few more. Certainly, I am not responsible for the disappearance of these yummy goodies!

In case you need a peanut butter and chocolate fix, here are my two fave recipes. And beware....they are not for the weak and faint of heart, nor anyone not wanting a temporary clog of the arteries. (These Peanut Butter Bars require an entire jar of peanut butter for their peanut-y goodness. Yowza.) But boy are they worth it!

Peanut Butter Bars

1 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 c. peanut butter
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. flour
2 c. oatmeal

Cream together butter and sugars, add eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients together, and add to the butter mixture. Press into a large (10x15)
jelly roll pan or cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden brown along the edges. Let cool.

Frost with peanut butter (this usually uses up the rest of my peanut butter jar), and then with Chocolate Frosting (recipe below).

Chocolate Frosting

6 T. butter, softened
6 T. cocoa
2 2/3 c. powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2-3 T. milk

Beat butter and cocoa until blended. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk.

Peanut Blossoms

1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. butter
1 c. peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. milk
2 eggs
3 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
Unwrapped Hershey's Chocolate Kisses
1/2 cup sugar set aside

Cream butters and sugars together, then add the rest of the wet ingredients. Mix in the dry ingredients. Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls, then roll in sugar. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes. While still warm, press a chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie and let cool.

Enjoy!!

New Valentine's Project Sneak Peek!

2011-01-28T13:24:00.001-08:00

It's been a busy week here! Just wanted to give you a little sneak peek for a new flirty and romantic Valentine project to come next week---{and it's free!!} I have a fantastic group of testers that are busy working up their own versions to provide you with added inspiration...I can't wait to see how they all turn out. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Tricks for Tea-Dying: Easy Tutorial!

2011-01-18T13:03:00.000-08:00

For some of my stitching projects and home decor designs, I like to create that distressed, antiqued, and aged look on the fabric I use. One of the easiest ways to do that is to tea-dye the fabric. Here is an easy tutorial to help you achieve that same antiqued look:

1. For a mottled and lightly-dyed effect as shown in the design above, simply steep one or two tea bags in a very small pot of boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Remove the bags, then crumple a fat quarter or more of muslin and place it in the pot.

Leave the fabric there for a half hour or so, (leave it longer for a darker color) without moving it around at all. The smallness of the pot seems to keep the tea from distributing through the fabric evenly, so as to get a mottled and splotchy effect. Wring out and let dry naturally, then press to remove wrinkles.

2. Now for my favorite way to tea-dye! To create a darker, stained, tea-dyed effect as shown on this Merry Halloween design, run hot water over a tea bag for a few seconds. Dab the tea bag over muslin that has been placed on a cookie sheet. Repeat as needed.

Dry fabric for approximately 10 minutes in a 200 degree oven, watching closely. Repeat process for darker muslin. You can also squeeze the water-soaked tea bag over the fabric to create a splotchy, stained look. I would recommend dying it this way before you stitch, but it can be done after as well.

Be sure to drop me a line if you have any questions!

Whimsical Wintry Wreath

2011-01-13T05:55:00.001-08:00

It good to be blogging again! It has been an arduous and challenging season of health for me and my family. (Aarrgh!) Hopefully we have all built up plenty of immunities to last us for another decade!

I finally got my Christmas decor down the other day, (woot!) but my front door felt a little drab and lonely missing the festive wreath. I found this little snowman guy that I had forgotten about when putting away my Christmas items, and determined I needed to find him a place in my home during the month of January.

I also spotted a segment on our local daytime show, Studio 5 that showed how to make cute wreaths from rolled up copies of sheet music.

In a moment of creative frenzy, I decided I wanted to pair my snowman guy and these paper rolls to create a new wintry wreath for my door. I found the details here at www.kmckaydesigns.com and went to work.

I made copies of three wintry songs on some ivory paper I had laying around and began rolling.

Now, if you try this wreath, I might suggest a variation from the directions on Kristine McKay's site, as they didn't quite work for me...

Instead of stapling four rolls together, then gluing, I found it easier and faster to simply glue each roll to the next with hot glue, creating the circle and wreath. However, be sure to still pinch the narrow end of the roll flat before gluing (as if it were stapled to another), so that the rolls will nest together as they form the circle. Is that clear as mud???

I also added a cardboard stabilizer on both sides of the completed wreath with hot glue, then glued my little guy right onto the cardboard circle. There was no cost involved in the wreath portion, so I figure that if I get tired of it, or no longer care for it, I can simply tear it from the back of my snowman guy and he will still look just fine. Easy, easy!!! And I think he's kind of cute on the wreath.

A funny thing, however...my son had a friend over and as I was taking him home one afternoon, the two boys commented on the new wreath as we pulled away from the house. When the word "snowman" entered into the conversation, my son's friend did a double-take and said, "That's a snowman? Oh...I thought it was a turkey!" I couldn't fault him as I could see the resemblance from afar with my eyes squinted. Oh, well! At least it's something new to look at, and I had fun putting it together!

Merry January!

It's New Year's Eve...Do You Know Where Your Shoes Are?

2010-12-31T10:41:00.001-08:00

It's New Year's Eve...and at our house, that means a visit from the New Year's Elf. It's a tradition from my childhood that my mother passed down to us from her father.

Simply put your shoes under the Christmas tree (if it is still up---a fake ficus or large plant works too, we have discovered!) and the New Year's Elf will fill the shoes with treats, money, goodies, and trinkets to ring in the New Year.

So, it's New Year's Eve...do you know where your shoes are?
Happy 2011!

When Life Gives You Lemons....Sometimes They're Just Sour.

2010-12-29T12:43:00.000-08:00

I hope that each of you has had a warm and wonderful Christmas season! I feel as though I have been in a cave for the entire month of December, and am looking forward to a new month and a new year!

Three weeks ago, I was looking forward to a month of endless hopes and wishes---crafts and goodies to make with my kids, Christmas-y places I wanted to take them, holiday parties to attend, shopping, wrapping, finding that just-right-gift, and on and on. However, I could sense that I wouldn't be able to do it all, and I wrote my post about slowing down, realizing I would have to pick and choose some things to avoid frantic overload. What I didn't realize at the time was that not only would I have to slow down a bit, but that I would be forced to come to a sudden halt.

Life handed me a big, fat, juicy lemon in the form of flu just days after that post---you know, with all the yuck that comes with it, and to make a long story, short, I didn't improve much after the first 4 or 5 days. After two different trips to the doctor, they finally took x-rays of my chest to discover that I had pneumonia. (Oh, what fun!)

So yes, crafts, cooking, parties, shopping, all the above, went out the window as we resorted to concentrating on survival to get through the holidays. Luckily, I have a husband who was willing to shop, kids who can clean (getting them to actually do it is another story!), a daughter who makes fabulous pancakes for dinner, and a six year old who simply loves me and shows me in the best ways she can. She wrote me this precious note: (I so love this little peek into her sweet and innocent heart.) Notice that "lamonya" is her phonetic-ish spelling of pneumonia.

I've decided that we don't always get to make lemonade out of lemons that life gives us, but sometimes I think that's ok. Those sour times make us appreciate the sweet, and we are filled with greater gratitude for the blessings we sometimes take for granted each day.

Dealing with lemons also humbles us and gets us on our knees in an effort to be nearer to our Savior...something that I sometimes tend to forget when all around me is sugary and blissful.

If we never experience the unpleasant or miserable on occasion, how do we possibly relate in any way to the suffering that our Savior went through to provide us with a remission of sins and to allow us eternal life? Certainly, our suffering will never come close to the agony he experienced on behalf of each of us. But in a small, human way, we can perhaps ponder upon his great love for us, with greater gratitude and humility....that He would be willing to suffer so deeply in order to save us.

And one final thought...the sourness of life's lemons helps small and simple things which follow seem especially sweet. A sweet neighbor called to check up on me after not seeing me at church for two weeks---a simple gesture, but so sweet for me to feel her concern. Another friend basically fed and raised my youngest at her home for an entire week, and made my daughter's holiday break a little brighter. Another neighbor spontaneously dropped by with a pot of soup---a true blessing for me and my family. Other sweet women offered and provided meals, even amidst my prideful objections. (We can handle it, I thought). But these women knew better, and just brought meals and freshly baked bread anyway, and I ended up so grateful that I could rest and not fret about meals for my family. And another sweet friend texted, emailed, and called from 1400 miles away to check up on me daily. All of those acts felt especially sweet to me!

So, this holiday season, as we have celebrated the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, I find I am deeply grateful for his birth and the life he gave on my behalf. I am grateful in a strange way for life's lemons and what I am learning from dealing with them. And I'm learning that it's okay when, sometimes, those lemons are just sour.

Some Crazy Christmas Glee!

2010-12-13T08:38:00.000-08:00

"The family. We are a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together." ~Erma Bombeck

I want to introduce you to some of my family that I absolutely adore. My sister Marva Lu and her hubby have 7 kids---all are now married but one, so with children in-law, they have a posterity of 13 children so far, 19 grandkids, and 3 more on the way, I believe.

This family is crazy. But in all the right ways. They are multi-talented, outgoing, bursting with personality, and completely uninhibited. Those 13 kids are comprised of successful businessmen, doctors, nurses, dance instructors, college athletes, teachers, college students, and the baby of the family---the brains behind this production you're about to see---was a performer at Walt Disney World. (I guess you could say I'm a pretty proud aunt--It's fun to see where they have ended up, and to realize I love the in-laws just as much as my sister's kids.)

They have more fun together than any family I've seen. It's just a party anytime any of them are around, and their enthusiasm is contagious. I love spending time with them. So here is a taste of their crazy Christmas Glee that they are spreading this holiday season. Enjoy!!!

And just in case that wasn't enough glee for you...here's one more video they put together at a family reunion earlier this summer. I told you they were crazy. And I love 'em.

Slowing Down Through Turbulence

2010-12-03T09:28:00.000-08:00

"When stress levels rise, when distress appears, when tragedy strikes, too often we attempt to keep up the same frantic pace or even accelerate, thinking somehow that the more rushed our pace, the better off we will be."

Have you ever felt this way? I do almost daily...with the rigors of raising a family, being a supportive spouse, trying to earn extra income, keeping up with all the home duties, helping with homework, running kids to and fro, keeping appointments...(SIGH). It makes us tired just thinking of it all, doesn't it?

I have had gobs and gobs that I have wanted to share on my blog, just in the last week! I have stacks of designs in their infant stages waiting in folders and boxes to emerge and become something beautiful. I have half-finished projects galore. But when to get to all of that? I'm not sure! As I have pondered this issue of mine, I have been reminded of what a very wise man has said recently:

"It's remarkable how much we can learn about life by studying nature. For example, scientists can look at the rings of trees and make educated guesses about climate and growing conditions hundreds and even thousands of years ago. One of the things we learn from studying the growth of trees is that during seasons when conditions are ideal, trees grow at a normal rate. However, during seasons when growing conditions are not ideal, trees slow down their growth and devote their energy to the basic elements necessary for survival.

Have you ever been in an airplane and experienced turbulence? The most common cause of turbulence is a sudden change in air movement causing the aircraft to pitch, yaw, and roll. While planes are built to withstand far greater turbulence than anything you would encounter on a regular flight, it still may be disconcerting to passengers.

What do you suppose pilots do when they encounter turbulence? A student pilot may think that increasing speed is a good strategy because it will get them through the turbulence faster. But that may be the wrong thing to do. Professional pilots understand that there is an optimum turbulence penetration speed that will minimize the negative effects of turbulence. And most of the time that would mean to reduce your speed. The same principle applies also to speed bumps on a road.

Therefore, it is good advice to slow down a little, steady the course, and focus on the essentials when experiencing adverse conditions." -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

So, I guess as I post this today, I just want you all to know how much I truly appreciate you bothering to read and follow my little blog. I truly value you and am grateful for your support!! I also want you to know that if it goes a week or so and you haven't heard from me...I'm not ignoring you, or quitting, or being irresponsible in my blogging (is there such a thing? lol) or some other crazy thing. I'm just...well, being forced to slow down and take care of the essentials for survival in my little home. And at this time of year, especially, I want to focus on my family and making this a meaningful time full of warm memories.

So please forgive me if I slow down through the turbulence of everyday living now and then. I need to read to my kids. Or hang out with my hubby. Or mop my floor. Or head over to my son's last basketball game of the season. Or fold that mountain of laundry. Or decorate our tree with the kiddos. Or just ponder on my many blessings at this glorious time of year.

Hugs and Christmas Kisses to all!!

Two of My Favorite Holiday Dishes!

2010-11-18T08:11:00.000-08:00

I think I've officially made it official...I am in love with November. I imagine in great part my thoughts of November are laced with happy memories and occasions: My dad's birthday, my parent's anniversary, my husband and son's birthday, and of course, Thanksgiving. I love the simplicity of the holiday---no expected gifts to give, no costumes to conjure up, no massive amounts of candy to buy. Just a beautiful meal intertwined with notions of gratitude and thanks, shared with the ones we love the most. I truly love it.

We recently shared a pre-Thanksgiving dinner with a dear family in our neighborhood who is moving the day before the holiday and will likely be spending Thanksgiving Day traveling. We had all the traditional yummy foods, and I shared two of our family's favorite holiday dishes: My sister's "Raspberry Pretzel Salad" and my dear friend Lara's "Sweet Potato Crescent Rolls". They are both fabulous recipes and I would love to share them with all of you. I promise you won't be disappointed!

Raspberry Pretzel Salad

2 c. smashed but chunky pretzels
3 T. sugar
1/2 c. melted butter

8 oz. cream cheese
1 c. sugar
1 small can (or half of a large one) crushed pineapple
8 oz. Cool Whip Topping

2 small or one large package raspberry Jello
2 c. boiling water
1 package frozen raspberries

Directions:
1. Mix pretzels, 3 T. sugar and melted butter. Bake in a 9 x 13 oblong casserole dish for 5 minutes at 400 degrees.
2. Blend together cream cheese, 1 c. sugar, pineapple, and Cool Whip. Pour mixture over cooled pretzels and refrigerate.
3. Mix Jello with 2 c. boiling water until dissolved and add frozen raspberries. Mix until syrupy.
4. Refrigerate Jello mixture until it is no longer runny, then pour on top of cream cheese mixture and chill until completely set up.
5. Slice into squares and serve. Yummy!!!

Sweet Potato Crescent Rolls (this recipe is actually doubled for feeding a larger crowd. You can half it for a smaller amount of rolls if desired.)

2 c. hot water
1 c. sugar
4 pkgs. active dry yeast (equivalent to 9 teaspoons or approx. 3 tablespoons)

1 29 oz. can Cut Sweet Potatoes, drained and mashed
1 c. butter
2 eggs

3 tsp. salt
9 1/2-10 cups flour

1/2 c. melted butter

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, dissolve sugar in hot water. When water has cooled to a warm temperature, add yeast and allow to foam up a bit.
2. While yeast mixture is sitting, beat together the potatoes, butter, and egg in a mixer.
3. Add the yeast mixture when ready, followed by the salt.
4. Add the flour a few cups at a time to form a stiff dough.
5. Knead until smooth.
6. Place dough in a greased bowl and let rise about an hour until doubled. Punch down and divide into six sections.
7. Roll each section into a circle and slice into several wedges.

8. Brush with butter and roll into a crescent shape starting at the wide end.

9. Place on greased baking sheet and let rise.
10. Bake at 375 degrees for 13-15 minutes, or until golden brown, depending on your oven.

I hope you enjoy planning your meal for the upcoming holiday!! What are your favorite holiday dishes?? I'd love to hear!

Blanket Stitch Tutorial

2010-11-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

The Blanket Stitch is an embroidery stitch that provides a nice edging for blankets, table runners, bibs, burpies, table cloths, appliqued items, and anything else that needs a finished border. It can be embroidered with large stitches, or petite ones, depending on the area that you are edging, making it very versatile for a number of projects.

To Blanket Stitch around the edges of an appliqued section of fabric, simply do the following:

1. Bring the threaded needle up from underneath the fabric (be sure the floss is knotted) to the immediate left of the appliquéd fabric at point A. Pull taut, and hold floss down with your left thumb.

2. With the needle, go back down at point B, and come up again at point C, making sure the needle passes over the top of the floss you are holding with your thumb. Pull taut once again. Repeat.

To Blanket Stitch around the edges of a runner or table cloth, follow the same basic instructions above, but when coming up for the first time, simply bring your needle up at the edge of the fabric (point A). Go back down at point B, then come up from under the fabric at the edge but without catching the fabric in the needle (point C). Again, make sure your needle passes over the top of the extended floss and pull taut. Repeat.

I have a table runner that I stitched and sewed 9 years ago, designed by an incredible embroidery designer, Sandra Workman of Pine Mountain Designs. She is also the owner of Pine Needles of Gardner Village in Utah. She is extremely creative and has a myriad of darling designs that I see everywhere. Anyway...the instructions call for a blanket stitch around the edges of the runner to finish it off (at least as I remember it way back then). Well, for 9 years, I've just displayed this runner without the blanket stitch edging because I've simply not taken the time to finish it, but it has nagged at me all these years.

As I pulled out the runner just the other day to display in my entry way, I decided that this was the year to finish it off. I was tired of being reminded yearly of tasks left unfinished!

My two gals were scheduled for back-to-back haircuts yesterday, and since I can't sit still and be empty-handed for that long anyway, I figured I would make use of the hour I would be waiting there. I grabbed the runner, some floss, a needle, scissors, and away we went!

I finished most of the edging as we all chatted through the haircuts, and I finished the rest of it during my daughter's dance class. What a great feeling to accomplish something in those minutes that could have been wasted by just sitting.

Finally! A finished project just for myself--nothing to sell or give away, and after 9 years, it's finished at last! (Eleventh hour, anyone?)

A Merry Un-Halloween...

2010-11-03T09:06:00.000-07:00

Yes, I breathe a sigh of relief every time November rolls around. The Halloween festivities, parties, costumes, and trick-or-treating are all great fun, yet most of the time stressful too. I must say, I am one happy chick when it is all over. Does that make me a Halloween Scrooge? Hmmm...Perhaps a tiny one. With that said, I leave you some images of our Halloween festivities and gleefully say farewell to Halloween, and give a hearty welcome to November! A Merry Un-Halloween to you!!

Shortly after I posted my last posting about creating the Dorothy costume, my sweet neighbor and friend Dana called to let me know she had a Dorothy dress my little gal could use. (Hooray!!) I hadn't gotten too far on the dress I had started making, so I decided to revamp it a little and make it into an actual dress, rather than a costume to give her for Christmas. (Hopefully, I won't put that off until the eleventh hour!)

And my other little gal (yes she's a SHE) dug through our box of wigs and found my hubby's old football jersey for a completely cost-free costume as well. Gotta love that! (And don't you just love that mullet? It's the best.) I was a bit melancholy however, as my boys were too old and of course too cool for dressing up this year---sad for me to realize that those days of Woody/Puppy/Nerd/Hobo/Goldilocks (yes, your read it right) costumes are now simply memories...

On the Saturday before Halloween, our church had a "Trunk or Treat"---a unique tradition of parking our cars in a parking lot and trick-or-treating at each other's car trunks...(crazy, I know). Anyhoo, my little gal had gotten her fill of candy and as it was cold and rainy that night, she opted to stay home and hand out candy to the trick-or-treaters. She sat perched here on this chair by the door, waiting for the door bell to ring. Each time she'd shut the door after handing out candy, she'd exclaim, "Yes!! This is sooooo much fun!!" Can't argue with that kind of glee.

And our Crazy Halloween Dinner turned out to be great fun once again. Here you can see my son eating his "Wrapped Raven Remains" (chicken enchiladas) and "Goopy Grave Markers" (brownies, ice cream, and topping) with his "Vampire Vengeance" (knife). Ah, good times.

Merry Un-Halloween!

Mod Podge and a Little Glitter to the Rescue: Ruby Slippers in a Flash...and Cheap!

2010-10-28T10:38:00.000-07:00

For those of you who know me well, you may recognize the trait in me that quite often, some of my best work is done in the 11th hour...It's not that I try to procrastinate. Rather, I stew or ponder on things, am busy with a plethora of additional priorities, but finally, when the hour of accountability is here, quick decisions must be made, and I am thrown into action.

My Halloween costumes are no exception! My littlest one wants to be Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz this year. Like many people I know, my budget for costumes that might be worn twice EVER is pretty slim. Okay, really slim. I looked for used ruby slippers on Ebay, but even then after shipping, the costs were near $15 to $20. Not sure of how to spend as little as possible and still meet her desires, I put it on the back burner of my brain and let the notion stew...

As I was cleaning out my daughter's closet the other day, I came across this pair of old Sunday shoes with the toes worn out. I was about to toss them into the garbage when the light went off in my head! These were just the Ugly Duckling version of Ruby Slippers!!!

A trip to the store for red glitter and a little digging in my craft closet for Mod Podge and a foam brush, and I was set. Now mind you, glitter is not for the faint of heart...It was easy as pie, although my house is glittering from end to end with sprinkles of red glitter. Ah, well....it vacuums, right?

Just in case you happen to be needing a last-minute costume like me, I've got your back! The first step of "Ruby Slipper Transformation" is to stuff the shoes with newspaper and paint the shoes with a layer of Mod Podge. Sprinkle the red glitter and let dry. Repeat those steps to add a depth of glittery-ness if desired.

When both layers are dry, clap the shoes together outside to shake off the loose glitter, then spray with a coat of polyurethane if you feel up to it. (Not sure that step is necessary, but I had hopes that it would seal the glitter together, preventing excess glitter from getting more-everywhere than it already was.)

Now, these ruby slippers are more for functionality than fashion. The glitter is chipping away in a few spots, and the bottoms got a little goopy with the Mod Podge, but I figure that they are going to be one-time-wonders for my little gal, and they only cost me the price of glitter: $2.99. Bargain.

Today, my challenge is to put together the Dorothy dress...Again, the Ebay prices and store prices were just way more than I was willing to pay. I thought about just figuring out a dress pattern myself, but here in the eleventh hour, thought better of that notion.

So....I did spend a little on this pattern, BUT, I'm considering this an investment, as the pattern is adorable and will be used again and again. I love the work from this gal, Carla C. I have collaborated with her in the past on various projects through You Can Make This, and her work is always top-notch and so very easy to follow and professional.

I'm banking on whipping it up in a flash. I have three hours until my kiddos are home from school to get it done. My Little Missy is very stressed out about this, and keeps reminding me that she doesn't think it will be done in time because "Halloween is only 3 days away!" She just doesn't know me very well yet, does she? ;)

The Crazy Halloween Dinner Tradition...Revisited

2010-10-06T10:20:00.000-07:00

Last fall, I posted about our family's tradition of the Crazy Halloween Dinner. I had several people contact me for more details, so I thought I'd revisit this post again, but a little earlier in the season. It is such great fun! But BEWARE: After doing it once with your family, you just may be coerced into doing it again and again! Your kiddos and any guestswill love it.

Here is how it works:

As the hostess, begin by planning your menu for the evening. For us it generally consists of regular meal items such as chicken and potatoes, barbecued beef sandwiches, or some type of casserole. But as you can see in the photo above, my niece planned her menu using some unique food choices for the occasion. Either way works great...just don't feel pressure to fix anything out of the ordinary. The food itself is not necessarily the entertaining part of this meal...it is how it's presented that makes it such fun!

So, begin listing your menu items so that you have 12 things on your menu, but these will also include a drink, each of your utensils, and a perhaps a napkin. Here is an example:

1. Spaghetti and Meatballs
2. Green salad and dressing
3. Buttered peas
4. Garlic bread
5. Fresh fruit
6. Jello salad
7. Punch to drink
8. Pumpkin cheesecake for dessert
9. Napkin
10.Fork
11.Knife
12.Spoon

The next step is to get creative and assign a spooky and crazy name that provides a subtle hint as to what each menu item might be. For example, the garlic bread could be called "Tombstones"; the punch could be "Witches Brew"; and the spaghetti and meatballs...well, I'm sure you could come up with something that sounds totally disgusting!

Now create a menu that lists each of the crazy names on them, and a space in which to write the numbers 1, 2, or 3, which will designate which course that item will be served in. You will be serving 3 courses of four food items. (You could also serve 4 courses of three food items if desired.) Be sure to make a master "key" so you can easily remember what each food items are called!

The following is menu and key from a few years ago that you can use if you'd like. Just click to enlarge, and print.

When your guests arrive, give each person a menu and have them choose their food items for each course by numbering them 1, 2, or 3. The fun of this is that your guests won't know exactly what they are ordering, and little will they know that they are ordering their utensils as well! Be sure that each guest's name is on his or her menu, then collect them before you begin serving.

I line up all the menus on my counter, then dish up each person's plate according to what they ordered, then serve one at a time. After everyone is finished with their first course, I take their plates back (and any utensils they had for that course) and serve them their second course and so on. My hubby usually helps, so it goes quite quickly, and everyone is happy to chat for a bit between courses. And, the family who first introduced this tradition to us gave us this tip...that once a person's drink is served, he can keep his cup for refills throughout the rest of dinner. That is usually very appreciated!

Every year, someone inevitably orders their spoon, a knife, a side dish, and a roll for one course, and in the next they have their dessert, a main dish, a napkin, a drink, and no silverware. Yep, a little crazy, but lots of fun! It's especially entertaining when we have another family over to share the surprises with.

Last year, my niece and her husband hosted our dinner, so it was entertaining for me as well, as I didn't have a clue what I was ordering either! They were great hosts and came up with unique new dishes that our family hadn't tried before, which made it extra fun for us all!

The most popular and talked about dish of the night? The "Kitty Litter!" It consisted of vanilla pudding topped with crushed graham crackers and an occasional melted tootsie roll that looked like...well, you know what. Rather disgusting, but delightful for the youngsters at the same time!

Here is Blondie determining which menu items she wanted for each course:

A.W. had to eat his "Ogre Buttocks" (ham) and "Sliced Snail" (pumpkin roll) with a knife:

And by the time Blondie got to this course, she had no silverware!

It was a great night, and filled with some entertaining memories! The Crazy Halloween Dinner is a now a standard tradition in our home. If you give it a try, I would love to hear about your menus and how you made it special for your family.

Ode to Summer....

2010-09-28T13:37:00.001-07:00

Goodbye, Summer. We shall miss your warmth and the happy experiences you provided for us:

S'mores...

Ladder-ball tournaments...

King of the hill... (Let me explain this one. My son back-packed a golf club and 20 balls on a trek to the highest peak in Utah with his scout troop so he could hit them off the peak. Notice his buddy holding onto his belt loop as he swings so he doesn't have a mishap and fly right off the mountain along with his golf balls. Yeah...it's best that mom's don't know these details until they're home again.)

Ice cream treats from Aunti Em's and Uncle Kel's store...

The Pioneer Trek Experience...

Geode treasures...

Hiking Bryce Canyon...

A little jail time...

Target practice at Bryce Canyon...

Broken arms...(okay, not so much)

Father's Day and homemade ties...

The beginning of football season...

Militia men in training...

Thanks for the memories, Summer...

A Totally Wicked Experience!

2010-09-23T12:18:00.000-07:00

(Okay, corny title, I know...but it just fits so well!) Now that it's over, I can truthfully say that being on Studio 5 (a local NBC daytime show) was pretty "wicked", indeed.

But before I tell you about it, if you've not had a chance, be sure to stop by You Can Make This to download your FREE "Wicked" Embroidery Project that was featured on Studio 5. It consists of the Back Stitch only (perfect for beginners or experienced stitchers, alike!), and a little gluing on of some sparkling ebony crystals. Pop it into a frame, and you have a new bit of Halloween decor that features a little festive bling. You can literally finish the whole thing in just a few hours! It was designed to be quick and painless, and fun! I promise, you can do this--even if you've never tried embroidery before.

And the image below shows just the spider embroidered and sewn into a holiday door ornament. You can find the FREE download for the instructions on making this hanger HERE. (And by the way, my 6 year old helped to stitch this particular spider...I did part of it, but she did a big chunk of it and loved it! This is a great activity for the kiddos too!)

So my Studio 5 experience was really terrific, although a bit stressful at the same time! I was kept pretty darn busy with preparing for the show and keeping up with my family, and I admit, the night before the show I had a bit of a meltdown. What in the world had I agreed to? I'm too old for this kind of stress! All I could keep thinking of was those episodes of the Brady Bunch (or some classic show I remember watching) when some character happened to be on the air for the first time, and as soon as the red light from the camera came on, he or she simply stood there frozen in place, paralyzed. (And what spells "Epic Fail" more than submitting yourself to be on live TV????)

Well, after a few conversations with my hubby and my sister, and some deep breaths, they eventually talked me down off the ledge, and I started to relax a little....(Okay, so it wasn't quite that dramatic, but I was having some serious anxiety!)

Of course, I was nervous the morning of the show, but the folks there at Studio 5 were amazing. They were so friendly, and warm, and I instantly felt as though I had new friends in the world. One of the show's producers, Stephanie, that I'm here with in this photo, was especially fabulous.

She has a knack of filling you with confidence and believing in you whole-heartedly. She and I had worked on this segment together over the phone and through emails, but meeting her in person was a treat. She immediately put me at ease as she helped me set up my display and talked me through the last-minute particulars of how the segment would flow.

And then Brooke Walker, the host I worked with was remarkable as well. I have a new-found appreciation for the gifts and talents that talk show hosts/anchors have. She did not skip a beat, and knew just how to propel the conversation to help cover the details of the project I had prepared. I have watched her since with new admiration as she so aptly flows through any segment effortlessly. She is truly a kind and lovely person to work with.

And...there is a point in the segment where she ever-so-kindly rescued me from a little bobble! The one thing in the segment that I didn't prepare for was the stitching demonstration, because , well....I figured I know how to do that, right? Well, I didn't consider having to embroider with my hoop facing away from me and toward the camera. Should have practiced that part, I'm thinking now. I was holding the hoop at an awkward angle and my needle wouldn't go through the fabric with ease, and popped out of my hand. Oh, my. But Brooke found a way for us to laugh about it, and I managed to go forward.

So here is the Studio 5 segment...(just watch with kind eyes, okay? ) And don't forget to get your free download!

A "Wicked" Little Sneak Peek!

2010-09-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

Something "Wicked" this way comes! See a sneak-peek today on Studio 5 and go to You Can Make This for a FREE download of this new project!

Happy Stitching!

Pine Needles...A Favorite Quilt Shop Featured in the "Quilt Sampler", and a Surprise!

2010-09-15T07:59:00.000-07:00

I received a marvelous treat in the mail the other day! A magazine I had been waiting for from a quilt shop that I adore, along with a few fat quarters of festive Halloween fabric for my latest project (news about that to come later!).

First, the magazine is the Fall/Winter 2010 issue of the Quilt Sampler, which, a couple of times a year, features 10 fabulous quilt shops around the country (this issue actually has 11). And, the fun news is that one of my designs and patterns happened to show up in a photo inside the magazine! What a great surprise!

(I'm a lucky gal, as this is the second time a design of mine has appeared in this magazine. The other was a few years ago when the magazine featured The Gathering Place, a shop in Idaho that has carried several of my patterns as well. The design shown was "Spring Flowers" as you can see in the photo below.)

So the issue of the magazine this month features one of my favorite quilt shops of all time: Pine Needles in Historic Gardner Village, near Salt Lake City, Utah. As a quilt shop, it is enchanting to visit...the displays are ever-changing with new designs, fabrics, and patterns gracing the walls and peeking from the nooks and crannies. I am inspired every time I visit! There is a plethora of amazing designs and patterns for quilts, table runners, pin cushions, pillows, aprons, and more, that feature hand-embroidery, cross-stitch, quilting, or punch-needle.

The design, "My Dad" from Needle in a Haystack (me!) is shown in one of the photos that were taken inside the shop and printed in the magazine. I was giddy when I heard the news! You can see it in section 3 below.

But the real reason that Pine Needles will forever hold a special spot in my heart, is because it is the place where Needle in a Haystack got its start. About 8 years ago, I was fiddling with my own embroidery designs, wanting to do more with them, but not sure how or where to break into the market. I happened to have one of my stitched designs with me on an outing to Pine Needles and was looking for some coordinating fabric, when one of the store's managers, Holly, spotted the design in my hand. She asked where I got that pattern, and when she found out I had designed it myself, she encouraged me to write up the directions, offer a sample for the store to display, and bring her the patterns to sell. I was thrilled, and so grateful that someone believed in my designs and was willing to take a chance on them.

Some time down the road from that day, my little company, Needle in a Haystack was born. From that time, Pine Needles has been my best customer for in-store patterns, and one of my biggest cheerleaders. The ladies there are fabulous, and Holly, especially, has become a sweet and supportive friend over the years. Follow this link to learn more about their store and blog, and click here to see Needle in a Haystack patterns that are available through Pine Needles.

So, yes, what a great day to see that Pine Needles was featured in the Quilt Sampler---their cozy, friendly, and trendy store truly deserves it! And what a great day for my little business to be associated with them.

The Happiest Place on Earth! 10 Suggestions for a Magical Experience at Disneyland

2010-08-29T22:46:00.000-07:00

Summer has been jam-packed at my house, as you can see from the sparse amount of posts I have written. With school back in session, however, I'll be posting more regularly again...I'm so excited to show you what's coming up in the stitching world! Lots to look forward to!

But for now, I wanted to share some of our summer fun with you. We returned earlier this year from a fantastic few days at the Happiest Place On Earth! We had such a marvelous time that none of us wanted to leave.

The park is clean, classy, and of course, magical in every way. I am, in no way an expert in all of the ins and outs of Disneyland. However, I am a bit of a guide book junkie whenever we are planning a vacation. My favorite guide book that offered us the most help was The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland, but I also got some good info from Fodor's Disneyland and Southern California with Kids.I have gleaned several things that were beneficial in the planning of our vacation, and I've developed my own opinions about some things we discovered ourselves.

In case you are planning a trip in the near future, and wondering about some Disneyland-ish possibilities in addition to the main attractions, here are 10 of my favorite suggestions for a truly magical experience at Disneyland:

1. Purchase a Unique and One-of-a-Kind Souvenir.

So this is my favorite find at Disneyland this trip! I had read about this little Silhouette Shop on Main Street, and was instantly intrigued with the concept of this personalized souvenir.

The shop itself teeny-tiny with only enough room for a few people at once. The artist has worked for Disney for 30 years; 3 years as a watercolor artist, and 27 as a silhouette artist. I was blown away when I saw her work! She is amazingly talented.

She simply has you sit so she can see your profile, and in a matter of about 30 seconds (I'm not kidding!) she snips, snips, snips your silhouette from 2 sheets of paper while she chats away with you. No drawing or anything. It was the coolest thing to watch! She can do individual silhouettes or layer several profiles if desired like we did. The cost is under $10 per person, and you get not one, but two sets of silhouettes to frame.

I love this little memoir to remind me of how my kiddos looked when we went to Disneyland! If we ever get a chance to go back, I'll be stopping in again for an updated souvenir.

2. Tickle your Tastebuds.

If you have visited Disneyland without stopping at the Dole counter just outside the Tiki Room, you have missed out! They have the most delicious and refreshing pineapple whips, and they are by far the best bargain in the park (well, food-wise, at least).

We returned again on another day for a second helping and enjoyed them just as much! Definitely worth the stop. (And if you see a line forming outside, just go through the gate toward the Tiki Room, and get in line over on that side...we hardly saw anyone over there, and got our treats much faster that way.)

3. Face your Fears.

So three years earlier, my hubby had taken the boys on the Tower of Terror, and swore he was never setting foot on that ride again! For him, it was the worst ever. I was designated as the adult to accompany the kids, and of course was a little hesitant after hearing him describe his *traumatic* experience. However, my boys thought the ride pretty much rocked, so they convinced my Blondie to join us as well, much to her disdain.

My greatest regret of the whole trip was not purchasing this photo. We snapped it on the way out however, and you can see my boys and I actually having a great time on this ride, and poor Blondie not sure what to think! I laugh every time I look at it.

When it was all said and done, and she realized that she had survived this ordeal, she said she was glad that she went, and wanted to do it again, which we did! Despite my hubby's grim description of this ride, the rest of us found it to be one of our favorites...even Blondie. She was glad she had faced that fear. (Me too!)

4. Take a Photo with a Character.

The characters were not our main draw in Disneyland, but by the second day, the girls couldn't help but wait for a few minutes to meet some of the characters and to get their autographs. (We purchased an inexpensive autograph book at a kiosk and a large pen to make it easier for the characters to sign with.) It became a fun game for us to see who we could spot, and to see how short of a time we could wait in line.

Cinderella was the first character we had the chance of meeting over in Disney's California Adventure. Can you see the sheer glee on my little one's face?

5. Torture your Teen.

How often do we have an opportunity to do this? A Small World is the perfect place for some parental revenge. Savor the moment!

6. Channel your Inner Hillbilly.

One of our favorite stops for lunch is the Golden Horseshoe in Frontierland. The food is not unique, but there is plenty of it (we shared meals), and you get to eat while watching a great performance by the very talented Billy Hill and the Hillbillies inside an air-conditioned building.

They are a group of musical performers that are comical and completely entertaining, and keep us laughing through our lunch.

7. Expand your Cultural Horizons.

I had heard about the Aladdin production over in the Hyperion Theater at California Adventures, but had never taken the time before to watch it. I had determined that this was one thing I wanted to experience, and told everyone early on to prepare themselves mentally for this event!

As you can see, my children were thrilled at first to be there, to say the least. However....as with most affairs and kids, they found themselves laughing throughout the play, and in the end, sheepishly admitted that they had enjoyed it. Even my littlest one had a great time.

The show was fantastic--great scenery, great acting, great music, and the Genie was hilarious. He was, of course, my kids' favorite part of the show.

The play is a speedy version of the cartoon story line that we are all familiar with, and really only lasted about 45 minutes. Totally worth it!

8. Visit the Princesses at the Fantasy Faire.

(Well--only if anyone in your family cares about princesses!) However, I wouldn't spend more than 45 minutes in line. We arrived early in the day and were told the line was a 1 1/2 to 2 hour wait. We bailed at that point! Later on (around lunch time) we returned to learn the wait was only 45 minutes (and completely accurate). The girls were desirous to wait that long, so we passed the time eating snacks and chatting with others who were waiting as well. It proved to be one of the girls' very favorite activities of the trip!

The 3 different princesses we met were personable, kind, and darling, to say the least. My girls couldn't stop talking about how much they looked and sounded like the characters in the movies, and how special the princesses made them feel. They totally felt like the 45 minute wait was worth it.

9. Stop at City Hall.

Just inside the main gates and to your left is City Hall. I didn't really know what was there, but when you visit, you can get the kiddos (or yourself) some badges to wear as free souvenirs.

They have some that say, "Happy Birthday", or "1st Visit", or "Honorary Citizen of Disneyland"...and I'm certain they come out with new ones regularly.

10. Give the Monorail a chance.

I had never ridden it before, assuming it to be a waste of my precious time in the park, but the kids expressed interest, so we gave it a try. It proved to be a relaxing and enjoyable break from the hustle and bustle of the park, and gave us a bird's eye view of many of the attractions.

I also stumbled up this fascinating article about what goes on at Disneyland after all the guests leave. Yes, some of the rumors you may have heard are true: feral cats, 300 gardeners, touch ups with gallons of new paint, and the scraping of gum---all things that occur throughout the night inside the gates of Disneyland. And my boys noticed in Disneyland California Adventures that a crew member emptied a trash can near a ride they were waiting in line for, but the bag wasn't even full yet. This article explains Walt Disney's reasoning behind things like this that occur in Disneyland before it even seems necessary. It certainly made me appreciate all that goes into creating the cleanliness and magic that Disneyland is so famous for .
What more can I say? I am in love with Disneyland and everything magical that happens there. And yep....I wanna go back!

Scrumptious Snickers Salad

2010-08-05T16:00:00.000-07:00

On a recent Sunday afternoon when we were all home, I decided to try a new recipe I spotted on a local talk show. It is a crazy combination, which is what intrigued me and motivated me to try it in the first place. But guess what? It is deelish! Almost more of a dessert than a salad--and perfect for entertaining or for a unique potluck item for those summer parties. Ready for the ingredients?

*Cool Whip
*Cream cheese
*Powdered sugar
*Apples
*Frozen Raspberries
*Chopped Snickers Candy Bars (yup! )

Go to this link for the recipe details. The mixture of the crunchy apples and chewy, chocolatey Snicker Bars with the creamy Cool Whip and cream cheese, accented with the raspberries is all to die for! If you try it, let me know what you think. I think you just might dream of this salad.

T-Shirt Give Away Results

2010-08-04T13:05:00.000-07:00

The summer has been crammed full, and I hope to get back to blogging on a more regular basis! For the entire month of July, at least one person in the home was gone during each week ...We started the month with a family vacation, followed by my oldest son on "Trek" (I'll explain in a later post--believe me, it has nothing to do with "Star Trek"), another gone to scout camp the next week, followed by my oldest son again leaving for a scout pack trip, and myself at Girls' Camp for the Young Women in our area. It has been great fun and oh, so busy, and I am grateful to have it behind me!

So now that I can breathe again, I'm excited to share some of my t-shirts with my readers! Let's get right to it. Random.org chose the following two numbers:

Congratulations to comments 8 and 13 which belong to Lori C. and Cami K.! I will get in touch with you both for your t-shirt sizes and preferences. Thanks to all for joining in with my summer fun!

Love to all,

Brian Regan--Live! Enter for a Chance to Win a T-Shirt!

2010-07-19T08:15:00.000-07:00

You know how we sometimes idolize famous people, and have this image--good or bad-- of what they must be like in person? If you've ever met someone famous, that image may be enhanced, or it may be cracked a bit, depending on your experience with them. Well, I'm here to tell you that my family was full of Brian Regan fans before, and our experience of meeting him bumped him even higher on our list of people we admire. He is one of the nicest, friendliest guys out there. We had a fantastic experience watching his performance and meeting him backstage!

For those of you who may be new to my blog, you can go here to learn about my story, and the amazing people out there who were kind enough to vote for a t-shirt design I submitted (thanks again! You're the best!), and why we had the chance to meet him.

My hubby and I are from a little town in Idaho. Oddly enough, Brian Regan had a performance scheduled there. By the time we found out my t-shirt design had won, all of the shows near us had already passed, so we decided it would be fun to return to our old stomping grounds to see him perform.

We were lucky enough to get tickets for the third row, right in front. Here we are waiting for the performance to begin: My Blondie, me, my sister Pam, and my two goofy sons. My hubby is behind the camera.

He had some great warm up acts: his brother Dennis Regan, as well as up and coming comedian, Ryan Hamilton who is also from a tiny town in Idaho. Ryan was recently named one of Rolling Stone magazine's 'Five Comics to Watch'. He made his national TV debut when he appeared on Comedy Central's Live at Gotham followed by NBC's Last Comic Standing as a semi-finalist . Very funny guys.

Here is a photo of Ryan and Brian in the green room at the Idaho performance we attended.

So, Brian's performance was awesome. As I've said before, his humor and expressions are just hilarious to me, and I LOVE that his act is clean---a rarity in the comedy world, I think. What also strikes me funny, is that for his encore, he will come back out and take requests for favorite jokes. He admits that it is a struggle to jump into a joke without a proper segue, and he jokes that comedy is supposed to have an element of surprise to it...something that is awkward when the audience already knows exactly how each joke ends. But he makes it work, and the audience eats it up.

My biggest regret of the whole event? We rushed to arrive there on time with cameras in hand...and I failed to bring extra batteries. From my first photo of the evening, my camera was blinking that I needed to change batteries. Aarrgh!!! How did I overlook such a thing? So I was very frugal with taking photos, knowing I wanted to take one with him when we got to meet him after the show. We also have a Flip video that my boys were using, and after a few minutes, the same thing....no more battery power. I was so annoyed with myself that I had failed to bring extras!

But anyway, meeting Brian Regan was truly a treat. He is one of the nicest, friendliest guys around. He gave me a big hug, and he congratulated me on the win. We chatted briefly about the details of the contest and about visiting Disneyland. He took time to greet each of my kids and my hubby, and to chat with each one individually for a brief moment while he signed autographs and t-shirts. It was such fun! We were able to get a photo taken with him, but sadly, it's a bit of a blur...Ah, well...we have great memories!

As a bonus, I don't know if anyone out there is interested in a t-shirt or not, but I happen to have a few extras, and would love to share them with my fantastic readers! Each shirt is valued at $20, and those that I have are Women's L and Men's M, L, or XL. You can see them HERE:

Two of you great people will each win a t-shirt in a drawing on Tuesday, August 3, so you have two weeks to enter! Please make sure you leave me an email address or a way of contacting you if you do not have a blog. Upon winning, I'll contact you to find out which size and color you'd most like (I can't promise an exact preference, but I'll do my best!)

To enter, you know the drill....

*Leave me a comment

*In an additional comment, let me know if you are already a follower, or if you have become a new follower

*Grab my new button and place it on your side bar, and let me know in another comment where I can find it

*Blog about this give-away and let me know in another comment with a link

Thanks, friends!!! You are truly the best!

Want to Combat Stress or Lose a Few Pounds? Give Hand-Embroidery a Try....

2010-07-04T22:28:00.000-07:00

I was sitting in my dentist's waiting room when I came across a fascinating article entitled, "The Benefits of Slowing Down," from the June 2010 issue of Ladie's Home Journal. The article was all about slowing our speed in this crazy, fast-paced world that we live in, and the benefits of doing so. One section in particular captured my attention, entitled, "Slow Hobbies." Here is what it said:

"No one can knit a scarf or sweater overnight. It takes thousands of stitches, thousands of moments when the only sound is the clicking of needles. Trying to hurry the process just means making mistakes. That's not the frustration of knitting, it's the point. Slow hobbies--knitting, quilting, embroidery, woodwork--require patience and deliberation. In return they calm you, putting you in a contemplative zone that's its own kind of therapy. "The rhythmic, repetitive movements of a hobby like knitting are soothing and distracting," says Katherine Applegate, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist for the Duke University health system. "They seem to lull people."

She advises patients struggling to lose weight to take up sewing and other hands-on crafts to combat stress, which can lead to overeating. Some teachers report that knitting during class calms and focuses kids with ADHD. Even doing a jigsaw puzzle can help. The slow work of a hands-on hobby creates a pace that can soothe the soul." You can read the article in its entirety HERE.

So there you have it...a healthy reason to allow yourself to sit on the couch and spend some time stitching or quilting an item for yourself or a friend. Remember, you can download my free set of embroidery instructions and stitches by clicking HERE, and you can purchase embroidery e-patterns HERE.

Enjoy the summer---get some sun, relax, work on a project, and reduce your stress and your waistline at the same time!

I'm Back!

2010-07-01T09:15:00.000-07:00

I'm finally back in the blogosphere! My computer took a hard hit from a nasty virus (still don't know how it got in), and I have been without my computer for much too long. I am happy to be back and have lots to share with you! Stay tuned!

I Wish I Could Call My Dad...

2010-06-16T20:13:00.000-07:00

As Father's Day approaches this Sunday, my mind can't help but turn to my own dad who has been gone for over 10 years. He was certainly a hero in my eyes...we said at his funeral that if any of us were ever unsure of the right thing to do, we could simply think of what Dad would do, and we'd have our answer.

Of course, he wasn't perfect, but in the things that mattered most, he was pretty darn close. He was full of integrity--never wavering; he honored and revered God, and taught us to do the same; he demonstrated the value of hard work; he knew how to listen and objectively approach our problems; he taught us respect and reverence for our country; he led by his steadfast example; and he loved us.

Like many of you must feel about your dads....I miss him. How many times have I wanted to pick up the phone and ask him a question? Dozens...then I remember, I can't.

My talented brother in law has captured these feelings perfectly in his thoughts about his own son. I appreciate his permission in allowing me to share it here.

May each of you have a wonderful Father's Day as we celebrate the fathers that we have grown up with, the fathers that we married, the fathers that have passed on, and the influence they have all had in shaping our lives. If your Dad is still around, be sure to pick up the phone and call...

My son called today;
He needed some advice
On how to wire the pick-up
To his trailer.

We chatted about resources,
Who to talk to,
Testing tools and time.

He apologized for calling
During my lunch hour;
He thanked me for helping
Him make a plan of action.

It was a good father-son interaction;
An informative phone call.

In between the lines-
Between the talk-
And the pauses
And the brief silences,
I heard him say:
“Love ya, dad,
Thanks for talking with me,
Guiding me, helping me-
I like it when we solve
Problems together”.

“Thanks for loving my mother,
And providing for us.
Thanks for showing me
How to be a man and knowing
About wiring, pick-ups and trailers”.

I heard all those things today,
In a five minute phone call,
From a town in Idaho,
A thousand miles away.

I’ll be gone someday;
He’ll have sons of his own:
Sons that will look to him for
Guidance,
Leadership,
Example.

In the not too distant future,
He won’t be able to chat with me
On a moment's notice.
All too soon he will have to face
The world without a dad.

He’ll have a problem:
Mechanical, financial,
A simple decision;
And
He’ll think about calling me

Then remember…

He can’t…

I wish I could call my Dad

Gary Eckhardt
© 2010 February
Atascadero

A Heart-Felt Gift for the Hero of the House

2010-06-14T08:32:00.000-07:00

Okay, Friends...

Father's Day is less than a week away, and if any of you are like me (I hope you're not), there is a slight chance that you've not found just the right thing for your Man on his big day of the year. Perhaps life is running at full speed, and you just haven't found the time to even focus your mind on the fact that Father's Day is this coming Sunday--(aack!)

Well, if you are wanting to make something from the heart to honor the Hero of the House, you have just enough time to do so. Here are some ideas that will whip up in a few hours and put a smile on your man's face---especially if you and the kids all take part:

"My Dad"

Dad has many roles. Remind him how grateful you are for all he does. Stitch these phrases on an old button-down shirt of his, frame it with a few choice photos and trinkets, and you'll have a keepsake that he will treasure for years to come. Since the embroidery stitches are relatively easy, (back stitch and French knots) even the little ones can make a few stitches with the needle and floss, and feel a part of the process. The "un-perfectness" of it all will make it that more special and heart-felt.

"i Love U"

This simple design will literally take less than an hour to put together, but the impact will be lasting. Create this image with a bit of fabric, transfer web (iron on) paper (found at your local fabric store) and a bit of embroidery floss. Stitch it on a special pillow case for him and have the kids trace and stitch their names along side it; or how about stitching it on a grilling apron; or place in a simple frame as a sweet reminder to display on his desk.

The pillow case I created in the photo was for my son who loves the Steelers. You could easily use a fabric choice that best represents your man (and of course you could sign and stitch your name and the kids' names rather than "mom"!) We purchased a John Deere tractor print to iron on and stitch to an apron for Grandpa. The possiblities are endless!

Both designs are available in downloadable stitchery e-patterns found HERE, and in machine embroidery formats found HERE. And don't forget...if you need a reminder or a lesson on how to embroider any stitches, download the FREE tutorial found HERE.

Enjoy this week as you prepare to make Dad's day special! Please contact me if there is ever a question about one of my designs that I can help you with!

Make a Personalized and Inexpensive Gift for Teacher Appreciation, Graduation, Father's Day, Birthdays, Any Occasion!

2010-06-02T09:10:00.000-07:00

It's such a busy time of year with school ending, graduation activities, Father's Day, and summer fun just around the corner! It's also a time for gift-giving, and I've got an easy, meaningful, and inexpensive gift idea for any time of the year.

Perhaps you've seen the fun that can be created with Wordle at http://www.wordle.net/. It's a creative way to display an array of words, thoughts, ideas, or phrases. I was introduced to Wordle last year, and have had such fun creating some personalized and inexpensive gifts with it. When you go to the website, just play around with it---you can change the fonts, the colors, and the layouts until you are happy with how it looks. And it's free to use! (I've provided a few "Wordle Tips" near the end of this post to help you out!)

For each of these gifts shown, I simply created my "Wordle Cloud" at the website, then after I was happy with how it looked, printed it onto an 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of vellum. I then placed the vellum over the top of an image I had downloaded and printed off of the internet. You can see that for my daughter's kindergarten teacher, I printed a simple apple; for my cutie friend who was graduating, I printed a graduation cap and changed the colors to match her school colors using Photoshop.

I then trimmed both sheets to measure 8" x 10" then inserted them together into an 8" x 10" frame with the vellum sheet over the top of the printed image. (The frame only cost me $3 from Wal-Mart.) I added a little ribbon around it, and voila! Gift complete!

I've also made these gifts for the group of Young Women I work with in my church. We gave each of them a questionnaire to fill out at one of our activities. At a special recognition meeting sometime later, the other leaders and I presented each girl with her own personalized and framed "Wordle" to take home with her unique and special qualities highlighted. They were a hit!

You are welcome to use my questionnaire if you are interested. Simply click on the image to enlarge it, then print as many as you'd like.

Some "Wordle" tips:

-The best way to begin your list of items to put into a "Wordle" document is to first create the list in a word processing document, save it, then copy and paste to the website. That way, if you need or want to start over or change anything, you don't have to re-type all of the words in the space provided at the website. You simply make changes in your word document, then paste it again.

-The more times you type a word on your list, the larger that word will appear in the image. I usually type the person's name at least 4 times, then vary other important words by typing them 2 or 3 times. This creates a more visually interesting appearance by varying the sizes of different words.

-If you have a phrase that contains 2 or more words, such as "football player", do not type it like we normally would with a space between the words. Instead, insert a tilde(with no space) which is the little squiggly line at the far left and top of the keyboard that looks like this: ~ between the words. So "football player" would be typed like this: football~player. Otherwise, the Wordle program shuffles those two words around and separates them.

-There is a FAQs section at the Wordle site that can offer more advanced tips as well!

I hope you have a great time exploring the world of Wordle, and creating one-of-a-kind gifts! I'd love for you to send me photos of what you've created to my email listed on the sidebar!

A Thought for Today about "Enduring"...

2010-05-19T07:45:00.000-07:00

"For the world, enduring may be enough. But enduring well with grace under pressure is required of us. We all feel the world. There is no safe sanctuary into which an individual can retreat except the sanctuary of the committed life, consciously chosen, in which an individual reaches a supposed breaking point but does not break."

~Neal A. Maxwell

Have a wonderful Wednesday...

"Be the Best You" Wellness Challenge...Come Join Me!!

2010-05-13T11:31:00.000-07:00

As women and moms, we have a million and more things to worry about, don't we? Being attentive wives, getting children fed and ready for school, getting them to school, cooking, cleaning, laundry, finances, taxi-ing kids to and from activities, helping with homework, and often contributing to the household income. It can be overwhelming, and life can quickly get out of balance as we sometimes let ourselves be the last item on our extensive list of things to do.

In our lack of self-attention, our health often suffers, our energy lags, weight lingers, and we sometimes feel disconnected to many things spiritual or personal. When we don't feel well and happy about ourselves, it is challenging to put our best foot forward for our families or co-workers. I would imagine many of us had felt this to some degree at one time or another.

Well, I'm so excited to tell you about a "Be the Best You" Wellness Challenge beginning on Monday, May 17, 2010, that addresses some of the needs we have as women to be our best selves. The idea is to motivate ourselves to improve our mind, body, and spirit through 10 goals to be kept each day for three months along with a community of other women (or men!) with the same desires. It is not a diet, but a lifestyle change. The honor system is in place, and points are awarded each day for completion of those 10 goals, then turned in weekly to the Challenge Hostess.

There is a $10 fee to join, with those individuals tallying up the most points at the end of the three months winning back a percentage of the funds collected. Sound fun? While money can be an incentive....the real incentive for me is having a support group to be accountable to, and a challenge placed before me! I'm so excited to participate! I would love for any of you to come join me in this adventure!

Click HERE for more details on how to sign up, and to see what all is involved in the challenge to help us be our best selves. Grab a friend, and let me know if you decide to join, and we'll all hold each other's hands through this challenge for the next three months! (But hurry! Remember the challenge begins next Monday, May 17!)

Hugs to you,

Spring Fling Purse Pattern

2010-05-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

Put a little "spring" in your step with this easy to make and free "Spring Fling Purse" pattern now available over at You Can Make This! It simply requires a little cutting, a little hand-sewing, and a little glueing.

The little girl in your life will love having another tote for her money, lip gloss, and pens. "Spring" on over there to get your own!

The Results are In!!! (squeal!)

2010-05-02T22:35:00.000-07:00

Remember several weeks ago when I posted about this guy,

regarding this t-shirt design,

and this little six year old's hopes of going to "The Happiest Place on Earth"?

Well, our family is in shock, but the results are in from the Brian Regan T-shirt Design Contest, and I guess we are going to Disneyland! Can you believe it?

These last few weeks have been so much fun since we received the news that my design had actually won. Everyone in the family was dumbfounded at first, then completely excited about the whole thing. That little t-shirt design is now part of the official 2010 Brian Regan Tour Shirt. It's so crazy! You can view what they've done with the t-shirts here.

In addition, one of the prizes will be free tickets to a Brian Regan performance, along with backstage passes to meet the guy himself. We are giddy!

To all of you who bothered to vote and then spread the word to others about the voting, MY FAMILY THANKS YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR BRIAN REGAN-LOVING HEARTS!!! YOU ARE THE BEST! It wouldn't have been possible without your help.

I will keep you posted as the events unfold. It will certainly be an exciting adventure.

Thanks once again everyone!

Hugs to all,

Spring Flowers Give Away Winners!

2010-04-30T08:10:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who participated and entered the Spring Flowers Give Away! I always love hearing from you and I am so happy to share some of my projects and patterns. It warmed my heart to see my button on your blogs or to see a posting about this give away. Thank you so much!

I gave everyone a number according to the order of their comments and the other information they supplied, such as being a follower or posting about this give-away, etc. Here is the pool I drew from over at Random.org ...

And our winner for the Spring Flowers Pillow was (drum roll please....) number 9, Carol!

Congratulations! I will be in touch with you so I can send this out to you as soon as possible!

As for the Spring Flowers pattern and embroidery files, there were just a handful of you that expressed interest in either of them, so it is your lucky day! All of you who commented on either a pattern or an embroidery file will be getting one in your email inboxes! Congratulations to Diane H., Rainy Day Farms, Debbie B. (Debbie, will you please contact me--I have no email address or access to you! Thanks!), Simple Southern Happiness, and Shirley C. Thank you for joining in on the fun!

Have a great day, and happy stitching!

Spring Flowers...Three Items Up for Grabs in a Spring Home Decor Give-Away!!

2010-04-22T11:03:00.000-07:00

You know that little thing called "life"? Sometimes it gets in the way of my blogging! I have missed you, but boy, has it been a whirl-wind of excitement around here...family get-aways, brushes with fame, "Lightning" victories, and contest results. Yes, pretty exciting on all accounts, but that will all have to wait for my next posting, so don't go away for too long. I can't wait to share it with you!

For today I am featuring one of my favorite patterns and designs, "Spring Flowers." One of the reasons I am so fond of it is because it represents that new life and rejuvenation that we so look forward to (and desperately need) this time of year (can you believe it snowed here this morning?). Is there anything more hopeful and gorgeous than witnessing those first blossoms of spring that poke up through the snow and the hardened ground? Don't you just love the "popcorn" trees with their tufts of pinks and white? They are my favorite! These are a few of the sights my lens found over the last week...

Anyhoo...the "Spring Flowers" design is available in a downloadable e-book format for hand embroidery, which provides step by step instructions for appliqueing the fabric flowers, as well as detailed directions for completing the pillow as shown.

This design is also available in two styles of digitized files for machine embroidery.

In addition, if you are interested in a fabulous tutorial for learning how to sew a pillow for any design, my sweet friend Kris has created a terrific one using my design here on her blog. Didn't she do a beautiful job?

And the final bit of great news? In celebration of spring, I am giving away three items to three of you lucky readers! The first is this cheery and completed "Spring Flowers" home decor pillow--no assembly required!

I'm also giving away one free hand-embroidery pattern in e-book form, and one digitized version for machine embroidery.

To enter, simply leave me an individual comment for each item you would be interested in winning. I will later group all those interested in the pillow together, all those who would like the hand-embroidery pattern together, and those interested in the digitized version together for three separate drawings.

For extra entries:
1. Become a new follower on my sidebar or continue being one of my great followers!
2. Post about this give-away and provide me with a link, or
3. Grab a button and place it on your site with a link to where I can find it.
4. Be sure to leave me an additional comment for each extra entry above with mention of the item you are hoping for. Whew! I hope that's not too confusing!

And please don't throw tomatoes, but the pillow give-away is limited to USA only for shipping purposes (I know, BOO!), however, the pattern and digitized versions are available to anyone as they will be sent via email.

You have until midnight (Mountain Standard Time - USA) on Wednesday, April 28, 2010 to enter. Winners will be announced on Thursday and items will be sent out shortly after!!!

Good luck, and Happy Spring!

A Little Something for the Easter Archives...

2010-04-09T08:54:00.000-07:00

So it's a bit late (okay--alot late!) for this year, but I was given the yummiest Easter recipe the day before Easter, and it was so delightful, I just had to share it, along with another of my favorites for you to keep in your archives for next year.

The first recipe is for Easter Morning Rolls (don't they look delicious in that photo? My own photos didn't do the recipe justice). What is so fun about them is that after baking, you open them up and they are hollow and empty---just like the tomb was empty after Christ's resurrection. What a great object lesson for the kiddos. It's a wonderfully delicious recipe that you can put together the night before, then pop into the oven on Easter Morning. Ya gotta love those!

The recipe was given to me by my friend Sandee which she found at The Sisters' Cafe: a blog of five sisters that share their wealth of delicious-looking recipes! I can't wait to try more. Needless to say, these Easter Rolls were a hit at our house, and will be a new Easter tradition for our family. Click here to see the recipe and their yummy food photos!

The second recipe is one that my friend Lara gave me years ago called the Ultimate Conference Casserole. It's another make-the-night-before recipe that I love, (and sorry that I don't have a good photo to show you how enticing it is). Combined with the Easter Morning Rolls, our breakfast was simple and stress-free, yet so delicious and enjoyable for everyone. I hope you give them a try!

Ultimate Conference Casserole

16 oz. frozen shredded hash browns
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
12 eggs
1 c. milk
1/2 lb. bacon
1/2 lb. ground sausage
1/4 c. green onion
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Substitutions: mushrooms, ham, chives, peppers, etc.

1. Brown sausage and cook bacon. Save drippings and sauté onions.
2. In a bowl, beat eggs and milk together.
3. Add potatoes, cheese, sausage, bacon, and onions
4. Pour mixture into a 9 x 13 pan.
5. Refrigerate for the next morning's breakfast, or go straight to the oven.
6. Cook at 350 for 1 hour. Serve with ketchup or salsa if desired.

On a final Easter note, our family has a fun tradition that I remember enjoying as a child. Rather than festive Easter Egg Hunts out in the yard or mountains of candy mysteriously delivered by the Easter Bunny, I grew up with jelly bean hunts inside the house. I don't know why my mother began this tradition, but this is what I knew and loved. When she was still alive, she would always hide jelly beans in her house for my kids, which created a tradition that they looked forward to each Easter. So now, they ask every year when we are going to have the jelly bean hunt. I've expanded it to include peanut M & M's, Robin Eggs, and a myriad of additional Easter candy, but we never go a year without it. I think I'd have a mutiny on my hands if I did!

I simply hide the goodies in the nooks and crannies of our kitchen, living, and family rooms. The rules are that anything above your waist is fair game, except for the littlest people--they get to put anything in their baskets they can get their hands on! After a while, all candy is free game for everyone. Yes, my pillows and cushions get knocked off the couches, and picture frames and books get nudged out of place during the frenzy, but it's all pretty innocuous and delightfully fun.

And inevitably at some point in the year when someone does some REALLY good dusting, or pulls a book off of a shelf, or searches through the piano bench for a particular book, they are rewarded with a treat or two that was overlooked at Easter {eew}.

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter with your families! What Easter traditions did you enjoy?

Scattering Sunshine...

2010-04-05T09:50:00.000-07:00

I hope all of you had a great Easter weekend! It has been a busy time at our house with birthday parties, Easter, family activities, and a new spring project I'll be letting you in on a little later. And...we all have a terrible case of Spring Fever, but it has been chilly! I'm hoping the week will bring some sunshine.

Speaking of sunshine, I received the sweetest message a bit ago, and because of the craziness at our house, have not been able to blog about it until now. But on a particularly gloomy day for me, my friend Belinda from Blue Ribbon Designs sent me the Sunshine Blogger Award. That sweet gesture totally brightened an otherwise dreary and sluggish day, and I am so appreciative to her for her kindness! Thank you, Belinda!

I've mentioned Belinda before, but in case you are new to my blog, you must check out her work. She is uber-talented in the field of design and creativity. Her cross-stitch designs are stunning works of art, she is a talented seamstress, and I'm so happy to know her! We have joked that if only we lived next door to each other, we would be the best of friends, and I think it may be possible that we would be hooked at the stitching elbows. She is one of those gems in life that I'm so happy to have had come my way.

So in the tradition of receiving this award, I get to pass this award along to other bloggers who inspire others with positivity and creativity. The rules for accepting the award are:

1. Put the logo on your blog or within your post.
2. Pass the award to 12 bloggers.
3. Link the nominees within your post.
4. Let them know they received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.

So here are my 12 public blogger nominees in alphabetical order (only a few of many I could have chosen!). All have helped me or inspired me in some way, are creative and positive in their posting, have made me laugh out loud, or have somehow brought sunshine into my world:

1. A Little Tipsy
2. Huffaker Happenings
3. JesseKate Designs
4. Kesler Krew
5. Micki's Menagerie
6. No Telling Where We've Been
7. Pied Piper Photography
8. Rainy Day Farm
9. Sneaky Momma Blog Design
10. Susan Heim on Parenting
11. Three Pumpkins Little
12. Twin Stitchers

It's so wonderful to have so many friends in the Blogosphere! Thank you!

Grow Your Own Easter Grass!

2010-03-25T21:28:00.000-07:00

I was so excited last week when my friend Cassie showed me how to grow my own Easter grass! It's so simple, and so much fun. She uses wheat berries, soaks them overnight in water, then places them in a shallow layer over soil in a container or basket. Keeping the soil and the wheat damp (not soaked) with a spray bottle in the first few days until the wheat sprouts is key. She even suggests loosely placing plastic wrap over the top of the baskets to help hold in the moisture. Within just a few days, the wheat sprouts, and in a week's time, it is 4 to 5 inches tall! Cassie has written the details and of this process at her blog, http://cassandradesigns.blogspot.com and has some beautiful photos of wheat grass she has grown.

One thing I did not anticipate when I planted my grass was the curiosity and involvement of my kids in the whole process---even my oldest teenage boy got involved in spraying the wheat regularly along with everyone else. Every time the kids would walk past the basket, they'd give it a spray and were fascinated to see it sprout and grow.

I'm just starting a new batch tonight to have some more containers growing before Easter. This is such a fun, easy, and rewarding project to create a little springtime magic. You will love it!

St. Patty's Day Dinner Menu and Recipes!

2010-03-17T07:37:00.000-07:00

Top o' the mornin' to ye! It's time today for our 2nd annual St. Patty's Day Dinner...one more tradition to accompany our Crazy Halloween and Sweetheart Dinners! Some holidays throughout the year are pretty understated at our house...St. Patty's being one of them, but food is always an easy way to celebrate! A festive, green dinner adds a little pizzazz to the day, and we all have to eat, anyway, right? Might as well make it fun now and then. I have some terrific recipes for you, thanks to some great friends and their blogs!

So what's on the menu this year?

Luck O' the Irish Crock-Pot Turkey Breast (recipe below) I know. Not very Irish, but it works for us.
Blarney Mashed Potatoes (tinted green of course!) and Gravy
Parmesan Roasted Asparagus (recipe here) My kids actually gobbled this down!

Raw Cukes, Celery, Broccoli and Dip
Clover Rolls (Rhoade's rolls snipped in quarters, and three or four quarters baked together in a muffin tin to resemble a clover)
Rainbow Jello Salad (recipe here) My kids' absolute favorite of the meal!

Lime Kool-Aid and Sprite
Shamrock Cheesecake (recipe below)

Crock-Pot Turkey Breast (Thanks to my neighbor, Tammy, for a great and easy recipe!)

1 turkey breast (5-6 lbs), frozen
2 tsp. vegetable oil
salt and black pepper to taste
1 med. onion (I was out, so I used onion powder)
4 garlic cloves (I used garlic powder)

Rinse the turkey and pat it dry with paper towels. Rub the turkey all over with the oil. Sprinkle the breast lightly with salt and pepper.

Place the turkey, meaty side up, into a 5 quart slow cooker.
Peel the onion, cut it into quarters, and place the pieces around the edges of the pot. Peel the garlic cloves and place them around the sides of the cooker. Cover the cooker and cook the breast on low for 9 hours, or until a meat thermometer registers 170 degrees. Remove the breast from the cooker and let it stand at least 10 minutes before slicing (the internal temperature will continue to rise while the bird is standing.)
Discard the vegetables in the cooker. Slice the breast, and serve.

Shamrock Cheesecake

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 can Sweetened condensed milk
1/3 c. Lemon juice (you could use lime as well)
1 tsp. Vanilla
Green food coloring
Graham Cracker Crust

With electric mixer, cream the cream cheese alone first, then add the milk, juice, vanilla, and coloring. Pour mixture over graham cracker crust and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Garnish with graham cracker crumbs and a gold coin if desired.

With the help of the dollar store, we'll be feasting on green dinnerware with easy clean-up. Enjoy your St. Patty's Day! What green traditions do you have in your family?

Brian Regan T-Shirt Design Contest: Please Come Vote...(for me)!!!

2010-03-11T23:05:00.000-08:00

If funny-man Brian Regan, himself, were to autograph your t-shirt at the end of his sold-out, high-energy, hilariously entertaining comedy show, what would he write? It just might be a line from his comedy act that would describe it all:

It's true and it's crazy...I happen to be one of five finalists in a t-shirt design contest at http://www.brianregan.com/ for his 2010 Tour! This is the design that I entered with those thoughts in the back of my brain as I was creating.

The public gets to vote for the winning design, and I would be oh, so grateful to all of you if you could find it in your big hearts to stop over there to give me your vote!

The direct link is here: My design is #1: Shelli Christiansen. And I would triple {heart} you all with sugar and cherries on top if you'd be willing to tweet, text, blog, post on Facebook, or anything else to spread the word! My boys, especially, are my biggest cheerleaders to date, and would appreciate that more than anyone! Read on if you want to hear how I ended up on this crazy adventure...

Who's Brian Regan, you ask? Well, I'll tell you. He is a comedian that our family became enamored with a few years ago. He's brilliantly gifted in finding the humor in the simple experiences of every-day life. On top of that, his act is clean and very family friendly, which has made it possible for my whole crew to enjoy. As I mentioned, my boys, especially, are huge fans. They have everything possibly downloadable of his on their i-pods, and many of his jokes have wormed their way into our family's day-to-day vocabulary.

Can you see why we love this guy?! So a few months ago, we noticed on the Brian Regan website that he was sponsoring a t-shirt design contest. I immediately suggested the idea to my oldest son who is a terrific artist. He was interested, and excited, but struggled getting it put together with school and other activities he was involved in at the time. We had talked so much about it, that I started fiddling with ideas myself and came up with a few designs of my own.

The day before the deadline, with my boys egging me on, I threw together a final draft and FedEx-ed the designs to the contest address. I rolled my eyes on the way home thinking, "there goes twenty bucks on overnight shipping that I'll never see again..." Imagine our great surprise when we checked the website just the other night to see that my design was one of the final five! My little family erupted in cheers, and we were all amazed to discover our great luck!

To vote is easy. Simply click on this link which will take you directly to the contest finalists. My design is #1: Shelli Christiansen. Again, I would be so happy (as would my kids!) for your vote! (My littlest one said to me when we discovered I was a finalist, "Mommy, if we win, can we go to Disneyland?" I had to grin and reply, "Absolutely.") And one of the prizes for winning would be backstage passes to meet Brian himself. The boys would be in heaven for that.

Now a word about my design...you may notice that it is simple and not as flashy as some of the other finalist's designs; like I said earlier, a line from his act that he might write in a message or as part of his autograph.

When I think of Brian Regan, to me, he is a simple, hometown boy with an inner-nerd who has learned to laugh at himself, and that we can easily connect with. You know, he was the little kid playing center field only so he could have a snow cone at the end of the game; the kid whose science fair project was a cup of dirt; the guy who says "Take Luck" at the wrong moment when he jumbles up the phrases, "Take Care," and "Good Luck!"

The brilliance of his humor lies in the simplicity of finding the absurd and hilarity in daily occurrences. Hopefully, my design reflects that simplicity of his humor.

I can't thank you enough for your vote and for spreading the word!

Let's Talk Some Quilting Techniques and Quilt a Free Table Topper for Spring: "I'ts Hip to Be Square!"

2010-03-09T00:16:00.000-08:00

For those of us who grew up during the eighties, that title makes you wanna break out in song, doesn't it?

It's also the name of my latest project over at You Can Make This and it's free! If you're new to quilting and you've wanted to create something but are not quite ready to tackle an entire quilt, this may be just the perfect project for you. It's a 24" square table topper made from a charm pack of fabric (a variety of 5" pre-cut squares). If you can mark and sew straight lines, you can totally do this quilting project. I promise!

With photos and detailed instructions and the help of Quilting 101, I will walk you through the whole process. It will make a great spring-time (or any-time!) addition to your decor, and with so many beautiful charm packs available, you can't go wrong when choosing one.

The Moda fabric lines are my favorite, and you can find some here: And with Moda charm packs, you can easily create two of these toppers from one pack...one for you and one for a friend.

Now a little note about quilting your table topper: When you have completed sewing the top panel and you are ready for the table topper to be quilted (the top panel, batting, and backing layers all sewn together), there are several options. Quilting 101 over at You Can Quilt This is a marvelous resource for some quilting techniques. Two of the most common (and easy) types of quilting with the sewing machine are "Stitching in the Ditch" and "Outline Quilting" as some call it.

"Stitching in the Ditch" involves sewing the three quilt layers together right along the seam lines of the top panel so the new seams are nearly hidden. It works best if you have a walking foot for your machine which prevents the quilt layers from shifting (you can find a walking foot for your machine at your local sewing machine dealer, or check online. I actually purchased one on Ebay). You can see an example of Stitching in the Ditch here in this photo:

With "Outline Stitching," you are sewing quilting seams about 1/4" from the seams of the front panel. This type of quilting adds an additional level of dimension, and also works best with a walking foot.

Another style of quilting that takes a little more practice is "Stippling". One of my testers and friends, Micki, did a beautiful job of stippling her table topper that you can see here.

In fact, I was so impressed with her skills, that I asked her to stipple my table topper that you see in the project. With this type of quilting, you drop the feed dogs of your machine, add the darning foot, and freestyle-sew squiggly or curvy lines. (I'm trying to twist Micki's arm to write up a tutorial for this when she gets some time!) I was so thrilled with the results and the unique look it gave to the topper.

Quilting can be so rewarding when you realize what a beautiful work of art you have created for your home. Give it a try! And if you have any questions about this project, I'd love to help you any way I can. What quilting techniques do you prefer?

"Miracle" - New Embroidery Design and the Inspiration Behind It.

2010-03-05T08:11:00.000-08:00

At one time or another, everyone hopes for a miracle. We hope for that which sometimes feels impossible...unknown...perhaps unrealistic. Yet we still hope and we believe that it can come to pass. Sometimes the heavens answer with a miracle, and sometimes we are left without the miracle we originally desired, but instead, a myriad of tiny other miracles we hadn't even considered. Sometimes we can't easily recognize the gifts and blessings given to us in times of trial, and it is only with our 20/20 hindsight vision that we can see they were, in reality, miracles.

About 14 years ago, my oldest sister Ronda was diagnosed with a brain tumor; A mother of six children, her youngest a teenager; lots of life to still live. She was granted a miracle then, and after surgery and radiation, she was deemed cancer-free. About two years ago, the cancer sneaked up on her again, finding her with yet another brain tumor. She needed another miracle.

After more surgery and more treatments, she is not considered completely cancer-free this time, but feels as though she has been given another miracle still. The cancer is being held at bay, she feels well, is leading a productive life, and is enjoying her children and grandchildren. Her mantra and strength through this new trial has been "Fear not: Believe only," (Luke 8:50, King James Version)

Another sister of mine stumbled upon the movie, "The Blue Butterfly," the true story of a young boy with terminal cancer who desires to capture a Blue Morpho Butterfly from the rainforests of South America. This particular butterfly is revered as a symbol of healing and hope by those inhabitants.

When my sister saw this movie, she immediately wanted to give Ronda something to represent that same hope. She requested me to design something along those same lines. This is the story behind my latest design and pattern.

Last November, we five sisters got together for a sister's weekend and had such a great time together.

We made quilt blocks and hot pads from our mother's stash of fabric, we got pedicures, went to lunch, stayed up late, and laughed the whole time.

We also got to present Ronda with an embroidered dish towel that my sister had stitched with the design I had created. (Being the practical gal that Ronda is, we figured that she'd probably appreciate the usefulness of a dishtowel rather than one more framed piece of art to find a spot for in her house. We were right!) Every time she dries the dishes she can be reminded of our love for her and the miracles she has been blessed with.

This design is a message of faith and optimism for anyone needing a miracle, or needing to recognize a miracle. Although this design was inspired by my sister's situation, it has come to have great meaning for myself. I am learning that for me, part of "believing" is not necessarily believing only in the miracles I hope for, but believing that God knows me, loves me, and will bless me with what I need most. That, in and of itself, is truly a miracle. To "capture" a miracle may be as simple as "noticing" all my blessings and capturing the memory of them in my heart. And when I when I think of life in that way, my eyesight improves and I soon find that tiny miracles occur every day.

This design is available in machine embroidery format here at SWAK Embroidery. The hand-embroidery pattern is available here at You Can Make This.

My Favorite Sugar Cookies

2010-02-24T08:54:00.000-08:00

It feels as though I've gone MIA this last week! I have so much to tell you and so little time (more to come later!). My hubby and I were gone the week before the V-day, so I missed all the Valentine preparation, hoopla, and parties at school. And can you believe? Due to unforeseen circumstances, we still haven't had our Sweetheart Dinner yet! I feel better knowing that my sister who inspired this tradition didn't get to it before Valentine's Day either. I figure I've got a few more days in the month of love, and why not share the love anytime throughout the year... Right?

But I did find that post-Valentine Day celebrations have their perks. I found treats and boxes of chocolates to place at each plate for 50% off. And...did any of you see Michelle's cute mailbox idea for sharing the love over at A Little Tipsy?

Well, I stumbled onto these cuties at Wal-Mart, and couldn't resist buying one for half price. It's such a sweet tradition to leave little love notes for the family in the mailbox, and I figured that I could use it next year, or pull it out sometime when the family is needing a little extra lovin'.

So I made my favorite ever sugar cookies the day after Valentine's Day, inspired in part by my sister's blunder with a new sugar cookie recipe, and in part because I happened to be craving them. Growing up, the sugar cookies we had were typically crumbly and dry, and my mother added nutmeg (nutmeg?)to the dough, which I never liked much. So when my niece gave me this new recipe, I fell in love immediately. And when my Blondie saw the heart-shaped cookies, she proclaimed with a grin and a twinkle in her eye, "Mom, Valentine's Day was so yesterday!" I had to agree, but who can resist sugar cookies any day of the year?

I think I gained 5 pounds in the two days these cookies lasted in our house (which is why I can only make them like twice a year). They are soft and tasty, and super easy to make, but the real hero of the recipe is the cream cheese frosting.

Shelli's Favorite Sugar Cookies:

Cream the following:
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. softened butter (room temperature)
1 c. sour cream

Add:
6 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Roll out, cut, and bake @400° for 5-6 minutes.

Now, two things: Typically, the dough does not need to be refrigerated, but if it feels too sticky, just pop it in the fridge for 1/2 hour or so to firm it up a little. Also, you can see that the baking time is quite short. You may have to experiment with this a bit. My oven requires about 7-8 minutes baking time, and you have to find just the right amount of time so that the cookies remain soft, but not gooey. (Just be prepared for a tiny bit of experimentation to get them how you love them!)

Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. butter (softened)
1 tsp. vanilla
dash of milk

Mmmmm. I may need to make another batch for St. Patrick's Day! Let me know how yours turn out!

The DIY Dish and a Janome Sewing Machine Give-Away!

2010-02-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

My buddies, the Wonder Twins, have done it again! In addition to the successful DIY sites connected with You Can Make This, twin sisters, Kim and Kris have added a new site dedicated to all things crafty and more: The DIY Dish. The site will feature how-to videos running the gamut of the crafting world.

Now that's just part of the good news. The rest is that Janome is sponsoring a give-away of two sewing machines in conjunction with this launch of this site, and you can win! Go here to their site for rules and give-away guidelines. Go now. Run. What are you waiting for?!

A Few Valentine Faves!

2010-02-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

Just have to show you a few of my faves for the upcoming Sweetheart Day! First of all, my friend and former neighbor, Sheryl sent me this photo of the Sweetheart Table Runner that she completed in just an afternoon. Didn't she do a beautiful job? I adore her fabrics, and it looks so elegant on her table. Love it!

Secondly, I got to sew up this darling shelf pillow with this whimsical design that my comrade Kris created. Isn't this just the cutest for your little gal, or for display in a corner of the room?

Thirdly, I am in love with this Rubik's Cube idea from Love Actually and A Little Tipsy.

My boys studied You Tube for hours until they finally cracked the code for solving the Rubik's cube. They spent half the summer having races to solve the cube, and started collecting them. I doubt I'm going to get one made for them for Valentine's Day, and of course, theirs would be, uh, not romantic at all, but it's definitely going into my files of things to do. Who wouldn't love a Rubik's Cube plastered with pics of their friends and favorite activities? I'm sure it would be a favorite amongst their collection.

Happy Valentine's Week to you all! I hope to be hearing all about your sweetheart dinners!

A "Sweet" Hanging Heart that is Sew Easy (and Free!), plus a Printable Note of Friendship!

2010-02-02T11:59:00.000-08:00

Every month, I get the exciting opportunity to create a sewing project for You Can Make This. With the month of love upon us, I couldn't resist the notion of a patchy, heart-shaped pin cushion. Visit the You Can Make This website to download the quick and easy instructions! I forgot to mention that its also FREE!

In addition to using this heart as only a pin cushion, think of the possibilities...
What about a hanging Valentine for one of your kidlets? Take a look at what Micki did for her daughters to hang in their rooms: I love that she embroidered their names on them! Too cute!

Or how about a sweet token for a dear friend? You could certainly have fun embroidering their names on them like Micki did, or simply pin a note to the heart like this:

Click on the image to print a sheet of your own if you'd like! (As a disclaimer, I am not a computer whiz, and for the life of me can't get those columns straight in my Word document, no matter how I try! Sorry!)

Take some inspiration for a hanging heart of your own from these images produced by my team of fabulous testers! I love how unique and different each one is.

Thank you, testers! You are the best! I'd love to see images from the rest of you out there in blogland too!

Have a great day!