Contest

Want to win a Silhouette? Well, I do!
Check out this awesome blog and enter to win!
http://littlemissmomma.blogspot.com/2010/12/silhouette-giveaway-humungo-discount.html
Good Luck!

What a Wonderful Holiday!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! We really did. Christmas Eve with Greg's family was one of the nicest holiday's with them ever. Greg's mom was certainly with us! Greg's dad was happy and so pleasant to be with. He even posed for photos with each on of his grandkids. This has never happened!!



Christmas Day was our usual enjoyable morning just the four of us. The girls were fun and happy. Late in the afternoon we went to my sisters for an amazing dinner and wonderful family time.



I am so blessed to have my family. I love each and every one!!

And the award goes to.....

ME! For the worst blogger in Kalamazoo! Life has interrupted this blogger. So, let's see... October I had shoulder surgery. One week later I had a terrible cold. One week later I had a horrible stomach issue that lasted for over a month and involved several doctor visits. In between all that, I had PT (pain and torture) for my shoulder. It still hurts, two months after surgery. I am a very positive person, but this is dragging me down and I'm beginning to think I will never have the range of motion I want. Then of course we had Thanksgiving. I cooked. It was delicious.

Then we cut our Christmas tree. I decorated it. It is beautiful.

My Babies and Me!

Since then I've shopped, baked, wrapped, celebrated a wee much, and worked and worked and worked at the office! My work laptop has decided that it doesn't want to work any more. This is a problem, as my boss doesn't feel the same!! So, needless to say, as much as I'd love to be blogging and catching up on my blog reading, it just isn't going to happen quite yet. Maybe next week. I begin my two week holiday break on December 22nd. I can hardly wait to sleep in!!! :))
Happy Holidays to everyone in blog - land. I hope Santa brings you just what you want this year!

Pin Cushions

I saw this general idea on a blog recently. Again, I am so bad about giving credit where it's due. I'm sorry - I don't remember which blog. But the idea is darling.

I bought a dozen mini jelly jars.



Then I cut a circle out of fabric that was larger than the lid of the jar.
Then I put some fiberfill in the middle of the fabric and put the lid on top.





Then I used some hot glue and I glued the fabric to the rim of the lid, tucking all the fiberfill under the lid.
After that I cut a circle of cardstock to glue over the rough edge on the bottom of the lid. But, I forgot to take a photo of that!
Then I put the lid thru the ring of the jar and pop it on the jar. Stick a few pins in the puffy top and store the rest of the pins in the little jar.





Stinkin' Cute!!

Autumn Decor

My guest bathroom is dressed for fall... This is the frame that I make over for each season/holiday. What do you think? I love it!!

Fabulous Fall

It's been such a beautiful fall!
Here are a few photos of our trip to the cider mill and the pumpkin patch.





I made these adorable mini caramel apple bites.
They were too cute, but the caramel didn't stick to the apple!


Amazing fall colors!




Our visit to Gene the Pumpkin Man!








Allison and Lexie went straight to carving the pumpkins!
They chose the non-traditional carving and I think they
turned out adorable!




Happy Fall!

What's New?

Well, I just had shoulder surgery, that's new. It's a painful recovery, but I'm only on the 4th day and I'm hoping that each day this week is better and better. I have physical therapy tomorrow that I'm really not looking forward to. What I am looking forward to is being pain free!!

Greg has been amazing. He has taken wonderful care of me. I appreciate him so very much.

The other new thing is that I have just become an Independent Consultant for Thirty One Gifts! I'm super excited! My kit should arrive tomorrow and my first party is October 26th. If you've never heard of Thirty-One, you really need to check it out. Here's my website: www.mythirtyone.com/39999. We sell purses and tote bags and gifts and most things can be personalized. The quality is great and the prices are too. I fell in love with the product and had almost every page of the catalog flagged. That's when I decided to do it! If you find something you love, let me know. I can do a book party, web party or regular home party for those that live in the area. If you ever need a gift or know someone that would like Thirty One, please pass my name along. I'm really hoping this will be a successful business!

So that's what's new with me... What's new with you?

Yummy Chicken

Ok - no photos of this yummy chicken because we were starving and it smelled so good. I never even thought to get the camera out! But it was so easy and tasty that I have to share!

Crockpot Chicken

1 whole chicken
salt & pepper
paprika

Ball up three bunches of tin foil. Put these on the bottom of the crockpot. Wash and dry the chicken. Set the chicken on top of the tin foil balls. Salt, pepper and paprika the chicken thoroughly. Cook on high for one hour. Set heat to low and cook for 8-10 hours.

That's it. The house smells like heaven and the chicken falls off the bone. It was moist and oh so tasty! This worked out so well for me. I prepared the chicken the night before and left the crockpot in the fridge. When I got up I put it on high for the hour while I got ready for work. Just before I left the house I turned it to low. When I got home I peeled some potatoes for mashing and fixed some frozen veggies. Done. Easy and Yummy!!
Enjoy!

Thank You

Thank you my blogging friends. I don't really know any of you. But you bring me great joy! Thank you for sharing your paper crafts, your baked goods, your home decorating, your holiday projects, your beading and sewing talents, your funny stories.... all of it. I am amazed and in awe of you. You inspire me and encourage me to be creative, even if you don't know it! So, thank you. I've so enjoyed this gloomy, quiet Saturday morning by visiting many blogs. So, friends in blog-land, you make me happy and I thank you so very much! Now, in between my laundry and cleaning today, my mind will be swirling with all the awesome ideas I saw this morning and I will be so anxious to get to my craft room and play!

Jewelry For Sale

Well, as promised a long time ago, here is the jewelry that I've been making. This is all jewelry that is for sale. My friend and I are going to have it at a salon. I hope I sell it all! Nothing is expensive, everything is under $12. What do you think?

These are called Black Tie and Stormy Day.
The pendents are both made with buttons.


These are fall colored beads. The pendant again is made from three buttons.


This one I named Denim Days. Hard to tell, but blues and browns.


These are just a few of the wire wrapped rings I've been making. I LOVE them. They are like a pretty little silver nest for these super fun beads.


Here we have a cotton candy necklace and an assortment of earrings.


And this is Green with Envy eyeglass chain and Anything Goes glass bead necklace and bracelet.

So, I love to bead, can you tell!! I haven't been in a paper crafting mood lately.
Maybe this fall that will come.

You won't believe what I did today! I got our 6 year old sewing machine out and started to teach myself how to sew. It took me about an hour to get it set up, thread the bobbin, thread the machine, etc. But, I did it and I sewed a few pieces of material together. Next step is to scour the blogs for a very easy sewing project to learn! I'm kind of excited. I needed a new hobby. As my husband said... like I need another hole in my head!

I'm off to make pancakes and sausage for dinner. Breakfast for dinner is my dad's every Sunday night. So, I'll call dad too, since I'm thinking about him.

Leave me a comment on the jewelry.... I'd love some opinions!

It's coming....

FALL IS AROUND THE CORNER!

While getting ready for work this morning I looked out the window and noticed some beautiful red leaves on the tree. On one hand I'm ready. I love the crisp fall weather, wearing jeans and sweatshirts, football games, pumpkins, apples, cider all that goes with fall. On the other hand, I LOVE summer and I feel (like every year) I didn't get to the beach enough, I didn't have enough cookouts, I didn't go get ice cream often enough.... you know the summer stuff! But, since I have absolutely no control over the seasons, I'll be ready for the the cool fall days to roll in. In the meantime, I'll enjoy every last second of summer!

Be watching... I've been making rings! They are too cute and I want to share with you!

A Few of My Favorite Things

So here is my favorite sandwich. So delicious. It's a California Ruben. Easy!

Just butter your bread like you would for a grilled cheese sandwich. Ingredients for mine are turkey, swiss cheese, red onion and coleslaw. Turkey and coleslaw are the main ingredients. Add whatever else you like!

Put the cheese on first (ymmmm melty and goey), then the turkey, then the onion and pile on the coleslaw. Top with another buttered slice of bread and grill until golden brown. Quite tasty with a few potato chips. Now I'm hungry for lunch!!

Another favorite thing of mine is daughter #2. First of all let me say that daughter #1 is also a favorite of mine (I don't want any family feuds here). But, daughter #1 is 19, living on her own, working a full time job, taking some classes and isn't around much. Therefore, not many recent photos of daughter #1, whom I love very much. That said, daughter #2 LOVES the camera!

Isn't she cute? So, daughter #2 just finished drivers training and has her permit. She drives us everywhere. I do wish I had a break peddle on the passenger side of my car. Her daddy surprised her with this.

A cute little black car. It needs some work, but she has been out there every day cleaning and helping dad fix it up! The deal is that dad will drive it to and from work for the next year and let her drive it when we run errands, but it really is her car when she turns 16. Luckly little girl, isn't she?!

And ladies, can I just leave you with my very favorite thing?

Ain't nothing sexier than a man doing housework. Don't you agree? Ok, so he's not dressed too sexy (nice socks there dude), but hey, he's mine and he's cleaning. I'm a happy girl!!