Sew Crafty Friday/Frugal Friday

I'm not sure if Shereen is doing Sew Crafty Friday today, since they moved this week. I sure hope all is well and the move went smoothly! But I'm combining Sew Crafty Friday with Frugal Friday, which is featured over at "Biblical Womanhood." http://biblicalwomanhoodblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/frugal-friday-how-to-live-on-beans-and.html Check it out for some wonderful ideas!

The top photo is a beautiful tea set that I bought at a school tag sale last week. All the pieces are there in perfect condition, in the box. Can you believe I only paid $3 for it? It is now up in my attic and will be the gift I give the little girl I babysit. She's almost 9 and has shown herself to be a kid who takes care of things, so I know she'll enjoy this.
This second photo is of two projects I made yesterday. The weird little triangular things are stuffed with rice. They're for a game called "Five Stones." I'm sorry that I forgot where I got the idea from. Basically, though, you put two squares of fabric together and sew around 3 sides. Stuff it about half full of rice or beans. Instead of sewing straight across the fourth side, you fold it so that the seams match. fThen it makes a sort of triangle. I got the cute Japanese fabric from an etsy shop. This is a great way to use up scraps. I have to admit, I can't really figure out the "Five Stones" game. I guess it's 'cause I'm not a kid.
Not sure who's getting this game, but I'm probably going to make a bag to put these in.
I was also thinking you could do five different colored bean bags and put them in a quart-sized paint can (available at Home Depot). A young child would enjoy trying to toss the bags into the can! Or make multiples of the colors for sorting and matching.
Obviously, the cloth bowl is for Halloween. But I plan to make some up for Christmas, too. I'll try to post a tutorial for it later this week. It's very, very easy to do--think 'giant yo-yo'!

Sew Crafty Friday thoughts

No pictures today. I haven't done much since last week. I plan to hit Joanne's tonight and have a list which includes lining for my jacket, buttons for 2 blouses (40% off!) and some maybe fancy fabric (on sale) to make a 'spooky bride' costume for the little girl I babysit. I won't buy the pattern tonight, though. Butterick is on sale but there isn't anything like a bride costume, or even a dress I can adapt. I don't get it--why aren't they more styles for slightly chubbier girls? It was a problem I also had when Katherine was little. (Katherine's still a big girl, but guess what? So far she's lost almost 35 pounds on Weight Watchers!)

I'm debating if I'll buy any of the 1.99 patterns. I might get one for doll dresses and one for dog coats. But as far as people patterns, well, I look at them and all I see is variations on several themes. I can take the patterns I already have and mess around with them. If I'm going to buy a pattern, even for 1.99, I want something unique!

I'm going to pick up some fat quarters in fall colors, too, for craft projects. I don't get to Joanne's often (it's 40 minutes away and I don't drive that far) so I stock up when I can. Hopefully, after tonight I'll have what I need to finish a few projects!

One other thing I'm working on is my son's afghan. It's been up in the attic because it's been too hot to crochet, but since the weather has cooled down quite a bit I brought it out again.
http://sortafrugal.blogspot.com/2008/02/sew-crafty-friday_15.html I'm determined to finish it by Christmas!

What are you working on? Visit Shereen's blog (see "Waiting for Him" on my sidebar) and see what others are doing. And wish Shereen and her family luck...they're making a big, big move to a new home this weekend!

Whatever Wednesday: Movies

Today's "Whatever Wednesday" topic is movies! I love movies. I don't go out to them often, but I love my DVD player. The last 'in theater' movie I saw was "I Am Legend." I highly recommend it! Will Smith is so very talented, and seems to be a nice guy who loves his family very much. His little guy stars with him in "Pursuit of Happyness." I saw that on DVD and also highly recommend it.

When my husband and I were dating, a million years ago, we went to the movies almost every weekend. I sure do miss drive-in movies! They were so much fun. I couldn't even tell you 80% of the movies we saw. A few stuck in my head over the years. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" was amazing.

Speaking of Jack Nicholson, he stars in my favorite horror movie of all time: "The Shining." While I really, really like the newer TV version, I never get tired of Jack, Shelley Duvall and little Danny Lloyd. I could recite that movie almost by heart and pick out just about every 'goof' in it. It doesn't really scare me any more, but if it's spooky and rainy outside, no movie is better to watch.
BTW, I admit something: I have recorded it on VHS and cut out scenes I don't like. I can't stand when she comes to ask about his work and he starts swearing at her. It isn't scary, but it's just so...mean. Mostly because Wendy just stands there like a hurt puppy. (Her strength comes out later when Jack goes completely nuts and she has to protect herself and Danny. Way to swing a baseball bat, girl!)
The other scene is when Jack goes to check Room 237 and the nekkid lady gets out of the tub...and turns into a rotting old corpse. Nasty! I'm terrible, I know, but I cut those scenes. I don't think the movie misses them, at least not for me. Nekkid, I could care less--nekkid and putrid, well...ewwwww.

Okay, so what else do I like? For Comedy, I'd have say "The Hudsucker Proxy." It totally cracks me up, it's so 'out there.' Briefly, it's a fictitious story about the guy who invented the hula hoop. Full of cute twists and surprises, and very fast-paced.

Romance..."Jane Eyre" with Charlotte Gainesborough and William Hurt. I cry every time Mr. Rochester professes his love to Jane, who finds it hard to believe she is lovable.

I could go on for pages, but I'll end with my utmost favorite movie of all time: "To Kill a Mockingbird." My sister and I always looked forward to showings of it on television. Scout, Jem, Boo Radly and of course, Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck...what a gorgeous creature he was!) are like real people to me. I get choked up when Scout is up in the balcony with the black members of the community, and the man says to her: "Stand up, Miss Jean Louise. Your father is passing." Even though he lost the trial, they know how hard he worked when many would have handed Tom over to a lynch mob without any trial.

If you want to play "Whatever Wednesday," here's the link! http://whatevercomestolauriesmind.blogspot.com/2008/09/whatever-wednesday_17.html

Sew Crafty Friday: Jacket

Here's the jacket I've been working on. Obviously, it needs pressed! The sleeves are actually supposed to have a ruffled lower half, but I feel the fabric is a little too stiff for that to work. So it will be like this. It's a working 'muslin' anyway. If it fits nicely, and I figure out the lining part of it (I've never done a lining before, as I have already mentioned) I plan to make it again in nicer fabric with long sleeves borrowed from another pattern.
I don't think you can tell by the photo, but this is a brown and black herringbone.
I hope to get to Joanne's tonight to buy various buttons, lining fabric and other things I need (including a new seam ripper!) to finish my ongoing fall wardrobe projects.
Yesterday, I pinned a pair of pants from the free Burda patterns site. Don't laugh at me--I used my picnic table! It's outside under one of those net gazebos. My husband uses the dining room table for his work. I usually wait until he's gone and then move things, but I never get to use the whole table because I can't move the computer. But the picnic table is exactly the right size to hold my cutting board! The weather was pleasant enough, but I wish I had thought of this months ago, LOL! I doubt I'll be out there cutting fabric in the winter.

Please check my sidebar and click on "Waiting for Him" to visit Shereen's Blog, where you will find "Sew Crafty Friday."

We're going home...

...to give the Magical Mystery Blogging Tour Bus a rest. I've glanced at gazillions of blogs and still can't find any for certain states. But I sure have seen some wonderful ones that I'd like others to enjoy, too! So for now, I'm going to be writing posts about blogs I like in general. The USA map is still on my bulletin-board, so as I find those elusive 'other states' blogs, we'll take some side trips.

Meantime, enjoy:

http://kandykissesboutique.typepad.com/ --ooey, gooey girliness aplenty!

http://cranberryflats.blogspot.com/ --cute fall decor, cuter kitty-cat, even
cuter baby grandson!

http://www.thissimplelifeofmine.blogspot.com/ --more cute fall stuff!

Thanks for the ideas!

Thanks for all the nice comments on the blouse and the ideas for buttons. I think I'll try my hand at covering buttons for it. Haven't done that in years! I hope to hit Joanne's this weekend, so I'll get the 'kit' while I'm there. I also have to buy lining fabric for the jacket I'm making. Both the blouse and the jacket are at a standstill until I get supplies. Meantime, I have a peasant blouse I can finish and a few projects I can start.

Like I need more projects on my WIP list! Hey, it keeps me off the streets and out of the nuthouse.

I'm feeling better by 95%. Still tired and congested, but well enough that I'm going to work tonight. I've got homemade bread baking in the oven (from "Tammy's Recipes"--it's the Amish White Bread). We're having chicken salad melts with a cucumber salad on the side. The melts are a Paula Deen recipe, so if I like the results I'll let you all know!

Katherine, alas, has my cold now. I wonder how long it will be before Nicky gets it. He tends to catch everything I get!

Sew Crafty Friday

It's time for Sew Crafty Friday at Shereen's blog. http://w8ng4him.blogspot.com/

I'm going to make mine quick. My cold is worse today than yesterday and I'm totally wiped out. This is a blouse I'm making. (Please ignore the trash can on the floor, LOL!) The sleeves will have cuffs in the same fabric as the lower halves.

Opinions, please! I think that brown buttons would get lost on this. I'm not sure I can match that green. What do you think about beige, maybe wooden or wood-like buttons?

Have a good weekend and stay healthy.

Project Runway, etc.

I woke up this morning with a stomach ache, which isn't unusual for me. I also have a sore throat, which is--guess I've got a cold, dang it. I have to call in sick later for work tonight. I hate to do that because it's our busiest time of the year. Well, maybe there will be fewer people tonight because most of them came in over the last week for school physicals.

What is it about waiting until the last minute? And why is it that so few people believe me when I say you've probably got until September 30 or even later to get the physical done? Since last Monday (I mean before Labor Day) we have seen 140 children. This is impressive because a)this office is only open about 15 hours a week, and Dr. A is only there about 2/3 of that and b)90% of those kids were there for physicals.

Okay, next thing: thanks for the comments yesterday. I haven't made the ice cream treats in a while, but I think maybe I need to do so soon! Right now, the extent of my cooking is making homemade noodles this morning for noodle soup. Canned stuff just isn't going to cut it the way I feel so lousy. My noodles are nice and fat, almost like little dumplings. I already have some broth made. So when I finish blogging here, I'm going to eat some soup and then go take a nap.

At least I'm not babysitting today!

NOTE: If you missed last night's Project Runway episode and you're waiting to be surprised by the rerun, read no further! SPOILER ALERT!!!
Or else, scroll down...






Project Runway was a big surprise to me. I just watched the rerun because Mike and I were watching the 2-hour season premiere of "Bones" last night. Leanne won again, and Stella is out. Wow!

So, I need to take back what I said about Leanne being boring. She's such a little mouse, but oh-my-gosh, lately, the mouse is roaring! So she really does have talent--who knew? She deserved to win this week. I didn't like the jacket much, but that dress was gorgeous!

I, personally, would have picked Korto's awesome black and white and yellow dress. (I think I spelled her name wrong. My brain is not working very well right now.)

I don't like Kendall, but she did get me with how much this particular challenge meant to her. Her dress was very pretty. But, like one of the judges said, if it had had that extra layer it would have been the winner.

Now, Stella--there was a sort of surprise. Dang, that girl was starting to grow on me. You know, I almost missed her when the contestants were gathered to meet Diane VF. She really looks nice when she isn't looking freaky.

Alas, although the general idea of the outfit was nice, the execution was blecch. I might have mentioned before that the PR judges seem to tolerate just about anything except: poor execution and dull design. Stella just didn't hit it right either this week or last week. She looked p*ss*d about leaving. I was honestly sorry to see her go, at least at this point.

Is it too early to predict the final 3? I couldn't, at this point, but I really think Korto's going to be one of them!

Whatever Wednesday

I found a fun new blog with carnival called "Whatever Wednesday." Here's the link:
http://whatevercomestolauriesmind.blogspot.com/2008/09/whatever-wednesday.html
The blog is called "Whatever Comes to Mind." This week's "Whatever Wednesday" theme is food. Here is a super easy dessert that's fun for an afterschool snack:

Ice Cream Krispies

1/2 Cup light Karo syrup
1/2 Cup peanut butter
3 Cups Rice Krispies
2 1/2 Cups Vanilla Ice Cream, softened

In a large bowl, combine Karo and peanut butter; stir in cereal. With buttered hands, press mixture into a greased 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Cut in rectangles. Make sandwiches with one scoop of ice cream between two rice layers. Wrap individually and freeze. Makes about a dozen.

I don't remember where I got this recipe from, but it tastes really good. I think it would be great with chocolate ice cream, too. And you could mix in some 'seasonal' M&Ms with the rice for holidays.

Check out Laurie's blog and maybe you can share a 'food' post, too!