Moving On

Earlier this Spring the family and I were in a Bar and Grill listening to my nephew. (He is one awesomely talented dude for sure.) For fun I ordered a chocolate martini and fell in love. It was soo good that I was licking the chocolate off the glass when the drink was gone – oldest daughter even videotaped me doing it. We were destressing and relaxing after a very stressful two weeks.

Then on Mother’s Day the girls splurged and got me all the makings of the chocolate martini so I could make my own. I messed around mixing this and that and finally when the supplies were almost gone found the perfect recipe. It even has a little foam top even with the reduced fat milk.  Here it is:

Godiva Chocolate Liquer – 1 ounce

Vanilla Vodka – 1 ounce

Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup – 2 Tablespoons

Milk (I use Lactaid Lactose Free Reduced Fat Milk and it works the best for me) About a cup

Put some ice in your shaker, then pour the above ingredients in. Shake vigorously for a few minutes, strain into your martini glass.

Total Calories: 382  Total Carbs: 48g

(I looked the calories and carb info at drinksmixer.com, hersheys.com and fatsecret.com)

You can decorate the glass by dribbling chocolate syrup in a swirl around the inside and also adding some chocolate shavings. But, for me I like it plain, that makes the mixing and fixing faster. Also I like it better with the syrup mixed in with the rest of it instead of just using it for decoration.  By the way, older daughter gave me a set of martini glasses that she decorated and painted for chocolate martins – unfortunately, I did not use one for this photo. Sorry daughter.

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(no it is not a kitty or a burp baby!)

So I decided to treat myself this spring with a new sewing machine. It took a lot of gumption to work up to it and THEN I had to tell hubby. It was a really round about way that this discussion took place and really not something I should post in public. (And NO it not rated XXXX. It is just a wife should not disclose strategies on talking to hubbies about spending money.)

The sewing machine I was looking at was not quite the top of the line, but I was willing to settle for this one. But somehow, someway, I ended up with the top of the line anyway. It is a Bernina 830. Can anybody relate? It took a week to work up to the top of the line in my thinking but it goes something like this: 1)this is probably the last sewing machine I will ever get, at least for a while, 2) I really want to be able to use that huge, large, giant hoop, 3) I really, really, really don’t want to regret NOT getting the top of the line when I was able to. Three reasons are enough, right?

So here it is, Big Martha as she is named:

You can see I have already started using her. And I have found several issues.

She DOES NOT RIP OUT SEAM? Like really, as much as I paid for her she should be able to undo my mistakes!

She DOES NOT READ MY MIND!For some reason I thought she should be able to read my mind and know that I did not want her to try and sew through that safety pin there. But alas, she did anyway, or at least she tried.

She will sew crooked seams if I let her, she will not secure the ends of the seams unless I tell her to, and she makes a funny raspberry sound at me every time I start her up in the morning.

BUT she does some awesome things! I push a button and she will cut my threads. No more searching under the quilt I am working on to cut the bobbin thread! She will thread her own needle! A little arm comes down and brings the thread around and pokes it through the needle. It is so cool I could sit and watch it do that again and again. Even hubby thinks that is something cool. I can also wind a bobbin without having to un-thread the whole machine. The bobbin winding apparatus is separate from the needle threading part. She has a long harp (the length between the needle and the arm of the machine where you have to pack the quilt into.) I was able to work on this 93 inch square quilt without having to struggle with getting a section  of the quilt to the needle. I could go on and on but you can get my drift. I am loving me this machine.

Even Clio likes her. She inspected her all over when she got the chance and finds her quilt acceptable.

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I have not mentioned the new sewing machine I got – -it is a super, super machine. Actually it is an embroidery machine as well as sewing machine and I have fallen in love with it.

BUT, it takes a different type of feet than all my other sewing machines that I have ever had. AND today I could not find the one that is going to be my main man. I looked high and low for it. You can probably guess where this is going. Yep, I had to go out to the street to dig in the trash to see if it was there. Of course, all the neighbors chose that time to drive by. There had not been a car on the street until I stuck my head into that trash can. Thank goodness there was not much garbage in the trash can or I would still be there digging in it. But, I found the foot after just a few minutes. The foot is expensive so I just did not want to blow it off and get another one.

But this makes me think. How many people in our lives have we mislaid or inadvertently tossed away? Do we just keep the ones who are expensive or hard to replace? Or do we make an effort even when there is nothing in it for us? What about those people who “cost” us time and much energy to keep in our lives? the ones who seem to be so needy? We all know somebody like that – who is needy. They need support and attention or they get real out of shape. They might need constant verification that they are important to use and that we approve of them. Or what about those people who are so busy in their lives but want to be friends. They are hard to be friends with because it has to be on their schedule and their time line. Do we forget to make an effort to be friends with people like these or do we inadvertently toss them in the garbage and move on? Just a thought. As for me, guess I will just have to keep the name of trash digger as I liketo go back and get those people out of the trash that I inadvertently tossed away.

Oh here is the foot that was so much trouble to me today – You can see part of the quilt that I am just finishing up.

admin Life, sewing and crafts stuff

The day before Memorial Day, Fort Hood opens up to let families visit the cemeteries that are on the range that is part of the base. There are quite a few of them as the army took over a LOT of property through the years. (We’ll save that issue for another post.) Hubby’s family gets together and goes to each one that has family buried in them. They try to clean and take care of the graves. I go along when I can. But, I just don’t do HEAT very well. Generally the tempatures are in the hight 90′s for these occasions and there is NO SHADE to be found at any of the cemeteries.

After the rounds are made we all congregate to have a family get-together and of course EAT! This year I made some Reese’s Pieces cupcakes. I really outdid myself on these. They were so good, I could not resist them. They are made with a chocolate cake mix and peanut butter icing. To make the peanut butter icing, you just add peanut butter to your decorating icing. I made a double batch of icing (2 lbs of pwd. sugar) and added about two thirds of a large jar of peanut butter. But be sure to leave the mixer out to add in the peanut butter. It really gets stiff. I finally added about a half cup of water to loosen it up some. But, I warn you! These things are good so be sure you have people to share them with or you will end up eating way too many! LOL

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Today is Memorial Day when we remember our veterans that have died in the service of our country. Because of their sacrifice, we are able to live in a free country today. But, lets not just remember the vets who sacrificed their lives but how about the vets who contributed a part of their lives? It’s not easy to leave home and family and many men did that. They came home changed men and some of them were never able to hold down jobs orlive “normal” lives again. These men need to be remembered and thanked also. For some of them, what they were required to do to help keep us free was more than their minds could handle but they served willingly anyway.

So to all vets out there living and dead THANK YOU!

A special thank you to my father, two uncles, one brother in law, two brothers, and two nephews, and two sons in law. All who have served in some capacity. My father was killed in the service and my uncles served in WW2. My father who was killed in an airplane crash served in the Air Force and was part of the Berlin Airlift.

I made a Quick Page to commemorate our veterans. Below is how I used the Quick Page. You may download it by clicking on the image. To use a Quick Page, open it in your graphic program and then add the photo behind the cutout. Than add your own text to the tag.

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No, I am not referring to myself, thought indeed I am a work in progress as are all of us.  LOL

I have been working on a crazy quilt since last December. It is a hand project that had a couple of false starts, but then go going real well. It is mostly embroidery work and ribbon work. Last night I finished up a doily area. This area has several large ribbon flowers and leaves and a doily background. I will be adding a page to my blog with pics of the whole thing and progress reports.

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Just had to share with you what I was doing yesterday. I have wanted to try this for ages, but finally got my act together and did it yesterday. I took an empty cat litter bag, cut the top and bottom off it and opened it up. Then washed it and hung it up to dry. They yesterday, I sewed this tote with it.

I used bias tape every where I sewed a seam except for the handles to keep it from tearing from the holes I was punching into it with the sewing machine. Plus, I used a zip zag stitch. I have not given it a test run yet to see how it holds up, but we have to go to WalMart soon, so I might try it then.

admin sewing and crafts stuff

**Why is it that when I drive five miles over the speed limit people still get mad at me for being in the left lane, even though there are people driving five miles under the speed limit in the right lane?

**Why is it that no matter how careful I am I cannot sew a straight seam? Yet I am a profession seamstress?

**Why is it that when I need more than five squares of TP, there are only four squares left on the roll?

**Why is it that when I want to cuddle with my cats they want nothing to do with me, but when they want to cuddle they will not take no for an answer?

**Why is it when I wish I had lots of time for sewing, there was not much for me to sew, but now that hubby is home full time and I don’t have as much time, I have dozens of projects calling for attention?

**Why is it when the house is clean and the sewing room is clean no one comes over, but when all is at the messiest, people just can’t stay away?

**Why is it when my closet is clean I can’t find anything to wear, but when it was all disorganized and a mess, I had no problem finding something?

**Why is it the Postman always rings the bell twice? (He does for our house at least.)

**Why is it Texas is in drought and we are hurting for rain, but the Mississippi is in flood, many homes have been destroyed and many states are facing emergency issue with too much water?

**Why is it only the stink bugs want to come inside and not the ones the cats would have fun with?

**Why is it that now hubby wants to run the roads but would not leave the house when the girls were little and I really could have used some “road” time? (Now I am the one that does not want to leave the house.)

**Why is it I have 50 spools of thread but none of them are the color I need?

**Why is it now that I have pretty colors on my walls, hubby does not want me to finish up the decorating and put stuff up on the walls?

**Why is it that with all these complaints, I still feel pretty happy and content with my life and really enjoy what the days bring?

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This spring my daughter and I created and made two quilts for APAC (Association for a Pet Adoption Center) here in Temple. They are being raffled off to raise money to build a no-kill animal shelter. These quilts were so much fun to make. Of course part of the fun was being able to collaborate with my daughter and work on a project with her, but I even enjoyed all the work that went into the quilts. One is a cat quilt, the other is a doggie quilt. We did not want to be considered biased or anything, but I will divulge that the cat quilt got finished first. You may purchase your raffle tickets by going to:

http://www.myhappytails.org/Dog-or-Cat-Quilt-Raffle.html

There is a PayPal button there. If you live out of town and win the quilt, I will personally be sure it gets mailed to you or delivered to you at no extra cost to you. So, see there is no excuse not to purchase a ticket!

The drawing is to be held on September 17, so see you can come back and purchase tickets several times – LOL

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I must have used up all my energy  yesterday when I cleaned up my clothes closet. But, boy was it worth it. I can actually find what I want to wear! Plus I got my sock drawer organized and in a bigger drawer. Wow, it really made a lot of difference. So I feel its OK to vegetate a little today.

Oh and I also got a tutorial written yesterday for a quilt class – actually I was the student, the teacher asked me to write this as I figured out a better way to put the quilt together after we made all the embroidery pieces. It was a challenging quilt – the embroidery part that is. Each square had to be hooped at least four times and each time we had to be sure to get it centered right or else the flowers would not align up correctly. Here is a photo or two of it.

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