Variations on a Sewing Theme

A versatile pattern is really frugal. You buy it once and you can use it over and over. Here is my second version of the tunic pattern:

In this version, I'm putting some of my vintage lace at the neckline and sleeves. I still have to do a little sewing on this, but should have it done by the weekend.

Now, I don't want a whole sloo of tunics just like this...plain with lace...so my next step will be to see if I can fiddle around with the pattern and come up with something different. I think I'd like to try a sweetheart neckline, and maybe some vertical trim rather than horizontal. We'll see!

Oh, the fabric only cost me $3 a yard. I have a store near me called "Fabric 1, 2 and 3 Dollars." Not sure I'd put work into dollar-a-yard fabric (you get what you pay for) but the $3/yard stuff is just as nice as anything that costs twice the price. I only wish they sold knits. I just bought my first Ottobre magazine, and most of the stuff in there involves knits. (If you never heard of Ottobre Magazine, just google it. If you sew, I promise you it's real eye candy!)

Here is a close-up of the sleeve lace--which is also what I'm using at the neckline.

Looky! I got an award!

Robin at Bittersweet Punkin gave me a "You Make Me Smile" award. It's her birthday today, but she gave me a nice present!
Well, Robin (aka Punkin), you make me smile, too! So I'm handing the reward right back atcha--even if you already have it. Two rewards are even better than one, LOL!

I admit to being a bloghopping addict. I love reading about the lives of other 'ordinary' people like me. I think most of you are extraordinary! Extraordinary in your devotion to your families, in your creative talents, in your clever ways to save time and money. I am soooooooo inspired by many blogs! But...I understand that I can only pay this forward to 10 bloggers. So here are my 10:

1. Robin, at Bittersweet Punkin

2. Susan at Blackberry Creek

3. Kim at Daisy Cottage

4. Heather at The 6 Scavos

5. Kelly at According to Kelly

6. Susie Q at Rabbit Run Cottage

7. Maggie at The Erratic Homemaker

8. Shereen at Waiting for Him

9. Jenn at Frugal Upstate

10. Becka at Renaissance

You are all the best! (And for those I could not include, you're the best, too!)

Thanks again, Punkin Pie! And...HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

Sew Crafty Friday

I had this button-down shirt I had worn for a few years. When I took it out of the attic, I noticed there were tears in it. I think something caught it in the wash--maybe a broken zipper? Anyway, I put it on my mannequin to see if I could rescue it. Unfortunately, the tears were in such places as they couldn't be hidden by appliques. And I couldn't cut the shirt for a new shirt. So...I took the biggest piece, which is the back, and cut two rectangles from it. Then I appliqued two maple leaves on it to hide the tears. The dark red one is fleece. The peachy one is leftover fabric from a blouse I made earlier this year. And the red lace? Cut from the neckline of a t-shirt that no longer fits! It measures about 12 x 16 inches. I haven't stuffed it yet. And I might use dimensional paint to make the veins in the leaves...if I get ambitious.
I hope you like my recycled fall pillow! Check out more goodies at "Waiting for Him" (see my sidebar) and join in "Sew Crafty Friday"!

Seven Things Meme

Susie Q over at Rabbit Run Cottage tagged anyone who wants to play for a meme that lists 7 things no one knew about you.

Maybe some of you do know these things, but here goes:

1. I am afraid of spiders and falling down stairs. The other day at work, there was a wolf spider with a HUGE web blocking my way in...so I had to hunt around Dr. A's property until I found something (a hoe, I think) to knock the web out of the way. I will never kill a spider outside--it is their territory--but I sure ain't gonna walk into a web that is 3 feet across with a BIG, GIGANTIC KILLER SPIDER in the middle! (Don't laugh, but I did apologize to it for destroying its beautiful web.)
Stairs...I had to walk down the scariest, highest, steepest cement stairs five days a week for several years, between college and work. It was the way to get down from the raised railroad platform to the street. I never got used to it. If it snowed, I'd get off at the previous station, which was street level, and walk the extra half mile...rather than walk down icy or snowy steps. I learned from a Charlie Brown cartoon that it's called "Climbakaphobia," which I am certain I did not spell right.

2. I went to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City for college. My gym class was bowling in Madison Square Garden. I started out in Fashion Design but couldn't cut it. Damn, I hated draping mannequins (it's how you start when you want to turn a drawing into a real garment)! I switched from Fashion Design to Advertising and Communications and went from a C- student to a dean's list student. Guess I'm better at writing than fashion design.

3. My first job was as an editor on a children's wear trade magazine, Earnshaw's Review. I loved that job! I got to see the cutest kids' outfits and write about them. I was often taken to lunch at wonderful restaurants I could never have afforded otherwise.

4. I think a lot of you know that I write, but did you know my first 12 novels were in the horror/supernatural genre? Wow, I'd love to write a scary book again, but they don't seem to sell like they did back in the 80s. It was a LOT easier to sell a book back then, IMHO. I feel sorry for new kids starting out today. My first book, btw, was influenced by "The Amityville Horror." I had read a two-page spread in the Long Island Press about this house in Amityville that was haunted. So I was inspired to write the first book I ever published. It's called "Ghost House," if you want to know. None of my books are in print now, but sometimes they show up at garage sales or in libraries. Or on eBay.
Once, one of my bils read a book by me and said to my sister..."and I thought (she) was such a nice person!" Well, heck...I AM a nice person! In fact, this list might tell you I'm not only nice, but utterly boring. I just like a good scary book. (I don't like bloody horror movies with no real purpose except to be icky and gorey, though.)

5. I am most proud, though, of the 13th, 14th and 15th books I wrote. They are for middle-grade readers under the collective title "Journey to America." They are about immigrant children, from Ireland, Poland and Cambodia. Alas, like the horror market, the historical children's fiction market also died down. Some of you might remember how the "Dear America" series took up shelves and shelves in bookstores. You are lucky if you can find them now. Forget about my books...although I know they are in a lot of libraries.

6. You can tell by my screen name that I love animals, but did you know I've kept rats as pets? They are the sweetest, cleanest, most loving caged animals on earth. I would give a child a rat way before I'd give her a hamster. Hamsters are nasty and they bite. Rats do NOT bite...unless you stick your finger in their cage and they think it's a tasty treat, LOL!
PS, speaking of animals, my silly animal dream is to have an alpaca farm one day. That is...if I could find someone to hire for the shearing, LOL!

7. My favorite actor is Vincent D'Onofrio. I'm into Vincent the way Susie Q is into Brian Dennehy. Both of them ruggedly handsome in their own unusual ways. I'm with Susie Q--who needs a pretty boy when you have Brian and Vincent?

I'm sorry if I bored you all. Later, I'll post my Sew Crafty Friday project!

Works for Me Wednesday

Want to know a way to use less printer ink? Next time you want to print out only part of a page, highlight what you want to print (just left-click and hold the button down as you drag over the desired passage). Then, when the "print" box pops up, look at the "Print Range" box in the lower left. Click the button next to "selection," then click 'print.' Now your printer will only print what you highlighted.

I learned this the hard way a while back. Clicked on 'print' and came back to find the darn printer had done up roughly 30 pages.


Oh, and don't forget...if you don't need a nice copy, use the 'quick print' option under preferences!

I haven't participated in Works for Me Wednesday in a while, mostly because I'm in awe of the brilliant tips found there each week. You want to see some great ideas? Pay a visit:
http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/shannon/

Looking for a site I lost

Edited: Thanks for the help! Maggie reminded me...it was ebates! Thanks, Maggie!

Okay, a few months ago I switched computers. In the process, I 'lost' some things. Including the name of a rewards site. You know the kind I mean...you click there first, then you click on the site where you want to buy something, and the first site keeps track and gives you a percentage of what you spent? For the life of me, I can't remember what this was called. The only reason I remembered it at all is because I just checked out "Works for Me Wednesday" over at "Rocks in my Dryer" and someone mentioned a rewards site. Can anyone give me some names? I'm sure I'll recognize it when I see it. I know I have something in that account, and with Christmas coming up, I can use it!
Thanks for any help!

Yummy dinner tonight

I'm sitting here savoring Moo Shu Pork, one of my favorite Chinese dishes. And I didn't even have to go out for it. I had a pork tenderloin in the fridge that I'd thawed out last week, but couldn't use. (Being sick one day threw my whole menu off.) So instead of the roast I had planned, I cut it up and browned it, then put it back in the freezer. Today, it came out and was mixed with spices and store bought cole slaw mix. The recipe goes together really fast, and tastes amazing. I think the recipe originates with Taste of Home, which tells you it is user-friendly.

In case you never heard of it, imagine tender, shredded pork with chopped vegetables in an oriental style sauce, all served in a warm tortilla. (They use some kind of pancake in Chinese restaurants, but a flour tortilla does the trick.) I actually got the tortillas at Trader Joe's last night. I had tried the handmade tortillas from there a while back and swore I'd never get the supermarket kind again. So soft and yummy!

Moo Shu comes in many varieties. You could substitute chicken...or maybe some of that leftover turkey you're going to have in a month or two. Take a look at the recipe and adapt it to use up some of your leftovers. I promise...try it, you'll like it!

Farmstands

Mike and I like to take a ride out on the island to hit the farmstands at least once a year. But I have to tell you, it ain't what it used to be. There were a lot more farms when I was first married 27 years ago. They've been closed down one by one to make room for more strip malls or housing developments. Considering how ridiculous property tax is around here, half a wonder the old mom and pop farms have closed.

But there are still a few. The kind I like are the smaller, more family-operated ones. I'd rather buy my locally grown corn and tomatoes from a little guy just trying to make a few bucks than from the huge place across the street (complete with hay rides, a corn maze a pick-your-own pumpkins).

I used to have a farmstand within walking distance of my house, but they sold the property about a year ago. There are many scrapbook pages about pumpkin picking there each year! Places change, people and businesses come and go...but sometimes I wish they wouldn't.

Today I bought corn, tomatoes, cucumbers and the most delicious macoun apple...my favorite! I bought a little scarecrow and a net pumpkin on a stick. Both were very reasonably priced and now decorate my front yard. I passed on the candy apples. I love those, but you don't know when they were made. They could be smushy on the inside and sticky on the outside. I plan to make some soon, anyway. I'm still planning on caramel apples, but somehow I keep forgetting to buy the caramels, LOL!

I hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend, and enjoys the holiday tomorrow!

I won a prize!

First, be sure to scroll down for "Sew Crafty Friday."


Second...I won a prize! I won one of the Day Four prizes from "Blackberry Creek," Susan's blog! It is the prettiest fabric. I know I'm going to get a lot of use out of it. Thanks so much, Susan! I never* win anything, so this has really made my day!

There are a collection of hand-dyed fat quarters in the most gorgeous colors! And a half yard of really cute gardening fabric! Hmmmm...maybe I'll make myself a gardening apron. It might inspire me to finally plant all those danged bulbs I bought. We'll see! All I know is, I'll have a lot of fun with these!



*Well, okay--once I won a 3 foot tall chocolate Easter bunny. But that was so long ago that it was about the same size as my youngest son was back then...and now he is about 5' 8" tall. Honestly, I don't think I'd want to win a 5' 8" tall chocolate Easter bunny!

Thanks again, Susan!

Sew Crafty Friday: Blouse

One thing I love about "Sew Crafty Friday," over at Shereen's Blog, "Waiting for Him" (see sidebar), is that it forces me to work on things that might otherwise hang undone for ages. Trust me on this, I have a LOT of WIPs that hang for ages. But today, I actually finished this blouse!

It is Simplicitly 6715. There are several versions of this top, and pants, too. I like it because there are no buttons or zippers to deal with. I had to alter it a bit because the sleeves were too long and the bust fell in totally the wrong place for my figure. The mannequin made changing the darts quite easy. But all in all, a very easy pattern that I certainly plan to use again.

The lace is from my grandmother's collection. I think I got the fabric at Joanne's.

Don't forget to visit Shereen's blog for more goodies! More important, show something off! Anything 'crafty,' whether it be crochet, embroidery, a scrapbook page...or even the way you decorated for Halloween!

So glad I planned ahead this week

As you know, yesterday I cooked up some ground beef and made two different recipes, which then went into the freezer. I don't do the total OAMC (once a month cooking) thing because I actually like to cook, and I really don't want to have it all done in one Sunday afternoon. Still, to have a few 'ready' meals in the freezer is a great thing.
Today--well, very early this morning--I woke up with one of those killer sinus headaches, a stomach ache and general icky-feelingness. You know what I'm talking about...nothing you take helps. Although I'm feeling better now, I'm really tired. Waaaay too tired to make dinner.
So...I am very, very glad that I had taken meat out of the freezer for this week last Saturday, including a brown sugar meatloaf. Yesterday, while on my cooking spree, I prepared filling for stuffed mushrooms. So, tired as I was, I had a nice dinner ready to go tonight. I just popped the meatloaf in the oven, cleaned and stuffed the mushrooms, and now we're eating a pretty good dinner.
Vegetables are just leftover broccoli au gratin from last night.

So...make your life easier and think ahead. Don't just make up a menu plan...take that meat out of the freezer! While last night was meatless (mac & cheese), tonight was the meatloaf, and we'll be having some kind of pork tenderloin and an Oven stuffer. With Italian style cauliflower, whichever night I want to make it, LOL!

Nicer stuff

If you want to read a vent, scroll down. I was griping about people knocking on your door asking for donations...for things you don't really know about.

But on a better note...I'm doing the freeze ahead thing in the kitchen today. I had bought some ground beef this weekend and I went on line to find some recipes to play with.

I ended up making up one of my own:

"Beef for Enchiladas"
Brown ground beef
Mix in a can of Campbell's Pepper Jack Cheese Soup
Mix in what is left of an opened thing of cream cheese...which would go bad if no one used it. I tend to forget about cream cheese, hiding there in the back of the cheese drawer...

So...this will go into the freezer for use another day in enchiladas. I could make the whole enchilada casserole ahead of time...but I'm working with what I have on hand today, and I don't have tortillas. And just having the ground beef part of it done is half the battle, isn't it?

And a second recipe:

Sloppy Joe Casserole

Brown ground beef with some onion flakes, or real onions (I don't have any on hand.) Mix in a little brown sugar, ketchup, bbq sauce and mustard. I'm not measuring anything. I think this will be a good way to use up some opened bottles of BBQ sauce.

I'll freeze this and later on, I'll mix it with macs or put biscuits on top of it, or something. We'll see. My husband doesn't like sloppy joes because they are...can you guess?...'sloppy.' But something you eat with a knife and fork should be fine.

For the record, we're having macaroni and cheese for dinner. Homemade mac & cheese...and the secret ingredient is a bit of Jarlsberg cheese mixed into the cheddar. Mmmmmmmmm....

Venting a bit today

Those annoying solicitious phone calls are bad enough, but when they come to your door...

Twice this summer, we got finagled into buying magazines for some organization or another. They all start the same way, "I'm just meeting people in the neighborhood to collect points." Yeah, right. By now, though, I can spot anyone with an i.d. tag a mile away. (BTW, I really did get the magazines. I probably overpaid for them big time. But how do you say 'no' after a kid talks to you for twenty minutes?)

So today, these two kids ring my bell. I see the i.d. card. UH-OH. I just came right out and said, 'are you selling magazines?' (Because the next line was going to be, I don't need any more.)

No, he was 'collecting points for a trip abroad.'

Oh, my gosh, get a new line, okay? I can't even afford to take my family out to dinner, and I'm supposed to support some kid who wants to go abroad as part of some organization I have never heard of? And how do points pay for a trip? There's money involved here, somewhere.

BUT...there are other, better ways to get it than begging from strangers! (And it really is begging, isn't it?)

Have a car wash!
Do a bake sale!
Sponsor a crafts fair!
Heck...back in high school, we had something called "Donkey Basketball" that was a great fundraiser!

Hey, sell magazines...but be honest and up front about it!

I said. "NO." I said, "I'm sorry, I can't help you." And I walked away. I was not rude, but I was assertive. I can be the most generous person you've ever met, but dang, I want to really, really know where my money is going. I don't have the time to sit and really look at the card they hand you. For all I know, it says something like: "This is a con, but most people don't read the fine print." Okay, it probably doesn't say that. But then again, who knows?

I'll stick to charities I know and trust, thank you very much.

And for the record...I don't think young people should be going door-to-door in this day and age. Except on Halloween, and only in groups or with a parent!

Sunday sewing stuff

Today I pinned, but did not yet cut out, a tunic top and a jacket for myself. The tunic is in a lavender floral print and the jacket is in burgundy gabardine. I had used my mannequin to alter the patterns to fit me. What I did not do with the jacket, yet, is alter the facings. I have to make the front jacket darts, first...because in the original pattern, the facing has no darts. So now I have to figure out how to change it.

I think I'm going to stick to less structured garments in the future. Maybe that's why I like sewing for kids so much...fewer darts, LOL!

I also cut out the front and back of a knit top for myself. I altered a pattern with a scoop neckline to make a sweetheart neckline. The fabric I had on hand must be something I bought for a short-sleeved top, because, alas, there isn't enough for long sleeves. But...I'm going to look for a lacy knit fabric and make an overlay for the bodice and lacy sleeves.

I almost bought lacy knit fabric from a company on line. The price was quite reasonable, until I got to the shipping. Someone please tell me, why do they base shipping charges on price and not on weight? I didn't order the fabric after all, because the shipping was almost as much as the fabric itself! I'll wait and check out Joanne's next time my husband and I drive to the South Shore. (It's an hour trip from here, and I despise driving. So I only go when he does--we hit Joanne's, have dinner at a chicken place or IHOP, and then go on to Big Lots.)

Anyone start decorating for Halloween yet? I put out my Halloween kitty cats, so far. Looking at this photo, I just realized the plush kitty in the middle is blocking the view of the metal kitty behind him.

Holiday decorating frugalness: five of these cats were cheaply bought at garage sales!

Sew Crafty Friday: Lunch tote

Melody the cat checks out a pattern I made by tracing around one of those 3-part lunch plates.

My daughter likes to take her lunch to work whenever possible. I joke that sometimes I feel I pack lunch more for her now, at her age of 22, than I did when she was little. It's a good way to use up leftovers!

I've been wanting to make a nicer way for her to take lunch than putting everything in a plastic grocery bag. A regularly shaped, rectangular, lunch sack wouldn't work because some days she uses one of those covered plastic plates with 3 sections.

So I traced the plate for the bottom of the bag, adding an extra inch all around--a half inch for seam allowance and a half inch for ease.

Then I measured the circumference and cut a rectangle that long, by about 10 inches high. I made a tube out of this piece, which I then sewed to the base.

I made two pieces like this...one for the lining. I sewed them together. After turning them right side out, I topstitched along the edge, leaving a small opening. I stitched another line parallel to the first, about a half inch away--again, leaving an opening. I threaded a ribbon through the channel to make a draw string bag.

Here is the finished product:

Okay, now hop on over to "Waiting for Him" (see my links list) for more "Sew Crafty Friday" fun!

Girly stuff in a boy's world

I'm living in a testosterone world today. Actually, with a husband and four sons, that's every day...but today more than most. As just about any teenaged boy in America could tell you, today was the day that "Halo 3" was released. My son Nick has been anticipating this for almost a year. I reserved a copy for him back in November. We've had a countdown clock on my desktop, and all I have been hearing is "you won't forget to pick it up, will you"? I went to get it after work. Geesh, the thing came in this huge box with a lifesize replica of "Master Chief's" helmet.

Nicky has liked Halo from day one, and even dressed up as Master Chief for Halloween a few years back. That was an interesting costume to make! (We left out the helmet, thank goodness. I'm not that talented, LOL!)

So, anyway, I needed a touch of girliness today and worked on one of my 17,000 projects. Here is a shot of the collar of a little pair of PJs I'm making...

Garage Sale Bonanza

Wow, did I get lucky with garage sales today! They've been pretty paltry around here this past summer. But today...I must have found eight... plus a church sale! Church sales are the best!

Here is my take:

Plastic snowman snack tray

Christmas basket lined with pretty fabric

A pretty tin that probably once held cookies

A real, but broken, cell phone for the kids at work to play with--and it was only 50 cents. I'll have to write 'toy' on it, or people will think someone dropped it, LOL!

Large metal bunny and egg wreath for next Easter

A humongous oval tray with a Thanksgiving turkey on it--it's plastic but hey, it cost me 15 cents

A pretty gold wire Christmas basket (same garage sale as the turkey platter--for a nickel!)

A big bag of foamie dragonflies and butterflies for crafting

A little stuffed black Halloween kitty cat

A Halloween puppy and a Halloween kitten dressed in pumpkin costumes...all knit!

One of those magic hanger things that let's you hang 5 items in a small space

A 3-ring binder photo album, still in original wrap

A roll of green velvety ribbon

Some little cars for the kids at work

A pasta drying rack

A really nice metal folding table

A meat fork with a red plastic handle

A black Kitchenaid spatula (I dropped my red one without knowing it and my ferrets used it as a chew toy)

And the best thing of all:

A French Tea Set in it's own little cute carrying case. I almost didn't ask the price because I was sure it would be out of my range. I couldn't believe it when the girl said $2!!!

And the original price tag was still on it...for $74!!!!!! The little cardboard things are menus, and the napkins are cloth!

So, what did this great bonanza cost me? Well...I had 11 single dollars when I left home this morning, and came back with 2. Allowing for some quarters, I probably spent less than $12!

Yep, I'm feelin' pretty happy now!

17,000 WIPS

Well, not really. More like 17. I realized I had a lot of things that need to be worked on, and maybe even finished. But, like bills that need to be paid but are forgotten if you don't keep them in one place, I would see my projects in a sort of peripheral vision...kind of floating vaguely in my mind. Do you know what I mean? You're aware that things need to be done, but nothing in particular comes into focus.

So yesterday I made lists of what I need to finish. Putting things in lists helps my poor left brain wrap around what needs to be done. That's so my right brain can get to having fun! And trust me, I'm so right-brain dominant I could live with half my mind, LOL!

I've posted about "My Ta-Da Lists" before. I love that site. I used it to make my list yesterday. Actually, at least 17 lists...one for each project. So, for instance, under "Lavendar PJs," I listed each individual step needed to finish them.

With a list that is broken down into the smallest parts, you suddenly realize there are a lot of things that can be done and gotten out of the way rather quickly. I had already handsewn the zipper in (it's a baby sleeper), so it was just a matter of sewing it in for real. Took just a few minutes...a job that's been hanging in my closet for weeks.

I have a friend who refuses to start a new project unless an old one is finished. What is the fun of that????

BTW...all the tests from my procedure came out benign. They were looking for some virus with a weird name...something pilosis? Well, I don't have it. What I do have is the damned hiatal hernia. So I'd appreciate any info on dealing with that, because it's really, really not fun. Thanks!

Sew Crafty Friday: Knitting

I'm sorry this picture isn't more clear.

I'm not much of a knitter, but when Becka sent me the softest yarn ever in my ShoeBox Swap Box http://sortafrugal.blogspot.com/, I decided to break out the knitting needles to make myself a scarf.

I don't know if you can see the change in stitching a few rows up. It's been so long since I did anything that I don't know what the different patterns are called. Stockinette? Garter? But it was such a pain in the dupa to switch from purling to knitting every row that I decided to just stick with knitting. When I get closer to the end, I'll suffer through a few rows of purling/knitting so it matches. I'm making this short, because I don't like long scarves, anyway. It's going pretty fast, since it's also narrow.

The only thing that I don't like is that the knitting needles are too long and hit the sides of my chair...so I have to sit in the middle of the couch. Do they make short knitting needles?

Please visit "Waiting for Him" (over there in my blog links list) for more crafty yumminess. Better yet, would it kill you to post over there? Come on, we all want to see how creative you are! (Yeah, I'm pushy. And I'm selfish, too--I love to drool over other people's creativity!)

Oh, the indignity!

I mean, really...being a Pineapple or a Prisoner was bad enough...but a lobster? Poor Shadow!



http://sortafrugal.blogspot.com/2006/09/pineapple-puppy.html
http://sortafrugal.blogspot.com/2006/11/halloween-puppy.html

Seriously, though, this dog loves to dress up. Whenever we bring home a new article of clothing for him, he gets really excited. His tail wags so much you can hardly see it. I think he loves the extra attention...as if he doesn't get enough already!

I'm back!

I'm back! They took me in almost right away. I tell you, anesthetic is weird. You feel all ditzy at first then BOOM, your are out like a light. Next thing you know, you are in recovery. I can remember talking to Mike but I don't really know what I was saying.

Okay, so this is what Dr. G found. I have a lot of irritation in my stomach, and he's pretty sure that's caused by the aspirin I take on a regular basis because of my bad sacroiliac joint. So damn, no more aspirin for my back. He suggested I talk to my doctor about going on Celebrex. I have a hiatal hernia. He found a polyp that he removed. He also took some samples to do biopsies, which I'll hear about in a few weeks.

I knew damned well the aspirin, even coated aspirin, was causing me trouble. It sure would be nice if they made meds with no side effects! Especially OTC stuff! I mean, really, these days they say even Tylenol can cause liver damage.

My throat is so sore and my mouth is dry as the dessert. They gave me some gingerale. It didn't help much. Now I'm trying to eat half a sandwich and drinking grape soda. I'm having a hard time choking the sandwich down. The funny thing is that I'm really not hungry at all, so I Gave half to my son and some of my half to the dog. And I thought I'd be starving after fasting since midnight!

So, Dr. G did find something. And my hopes that it was nothing terribly serious seem to have been heard. I'm not even going to think of the biopsy thing. Why borrow trouble? I'm sure it's just routine.

I can't drive today and I can't drink. Gee, shucks, I guess I can't drive over to the liquor store!

BTW, we're having pizza for dinner. I'm going to spend this day relaxing. What a great excuse to do my crafts and veg in front of the computer!

Thanks for thinking about me this morning!

Endiscopy today

I'm going in for my endiscopy in about an hour. I hope they find something...at least, something that's fixable. Nobody wants to hear bad news. But I especially don't want to hear, "we can't see anything. Now you have to do this..."

I hate these damned tests. The worst part to me is fasting. I'm one of those types who has to eat every few hours.

I would have been allowed clear liquids up to 4 hours before the procedure, but I scheduled it for the morning so that would have meant having soup or Italian ice prior to 6:30 a.m., LOL! I stayed up late last night so I could eat something just before midnight, so I didn't wake up until about 9 a.m. Frankly, if my back wasn't killing me I wouldn't be doing too bad. I'm starting to feel a little hungry, but I can deal with it at this point.

In case you don't know, an endiscopy is when they stick a tube down your throat with a camera at the end and look inside your stomach. You have to be asleep for it, which is why I'm fasting. My husband will be driving me.

I will post later on about what the doctor found. For the record, he's the one who found tears in my stomach that were making me deathly ill about 3 years ago...when 2 other doctors and the hospital found nothing. So I really trust him to get to the bottom of this.

I Love Free

A few days before we left for Ohio last month, we were driving around the neighborhood and spotted this desk and etagere on the roadside. Both in perfect condition! Happily, we had my Escape. I had Mike and Nicky lug these into the back of the truck.
The desk is in perfect condition (for the record, the chair comes from my dining room). Mike set it up in the living room for me. So far I've used it to finish some scrapbooking pages. I hope to eventually be inspired enough to do some writing.
I used to have my fabric in boxes in the closet. I had the boxes numbered, and references pages in my family binder so I knew where to find things. Now everything is out in the open where I can see it.
It amazes me what people throw away!
What's the best 'roadside find' you ever came across?

Z is for Zealous

As in, too zealous. Did I really need to start yet another project with so many others in the works? But I was up in the attic today, getting out some fall things, and found this Vermont Teddy Bear up there. And I just got the idea in my head that she needed some clothes. I think a lot of us creative people might be zealous like this...forty WIPs and we get a new idea we just 'have to' start!

So here's the start of her outfit. It's going to have a full skirt and a petticoat...and maybe bloomers if I can figure them out.

To make the pattern, I used exam-table paper left over from the doctor's office where I work. Don't worry, nobody with the flu sat on this...it's the tail end of the roll that isn't long enough to use. I collect these for my pattern altering, tracing and creating. I fitted a piece over Teddy's front and then another over her back. It took some fudging, but I got it right. Actually, the front was too wide for some reason. So I put a pleat there and will sew some little buttons down the front. (She isn't going to be meant for a young child.)

I keep calling her 'she,' but she was wearing a toolbelt so I think it was a boy at first. Then again, she could have been a tool belt diva! Now she wants to retire to a quiet life of lovely clothes and tea with friends.

Oh, and the frugal aspect of this post, since I sometimes remember the blog is called "Sorta Frugal": I paid $3 for her! Can you believe that, for a Vermont Teddy Bear?????? And her outfit will be made with fabric on hand!

Sew Crafty Friday

Here is a pencil roll I made. The yellow fabric has little flowers on it. It's part of the stash I got from my mother's house. I had cut a bodice for a child's jumper out of it, and only had a smallish piece left. The outside is the same yellow fabric, and it has batting inside to make it cushy. I like the red fabric with the gumdrop trees, but have to laugh because 3 of the turtles are upside down. Sure, it's made to go in either direction, but if I'd paid attention I'd have made more turtles upright, LOL!

See how straight the lines for each pencil pocket are? I have to admit cheating...or maybe being resourceful. There was a very small pinstripe throughout the fabric that turned out to be exactly the right distance apart for a pencil!

I have just one more step in that I have to put a ribbon on it for tying it shut. I didn't happen to have the right color ribbon.

Please visit "Waiting for Him" (check my blog links list) for more great crafts--and why don't you show off something of your own, while you're at it?

Y is for Young

I'm still young, right? I mean, despite the arthritis, chronic back pain, ulcer, periomenopause, etc. etc. etc., fifty-one isn't old, is it?

I guess I have to admit to middle age. When we hit 40, my oldest and dearest friend said, "I am NOT middle aged." I used to say, "the middle of what?"

Well, 51 is the middle of 102. So there's no denying it.

It is said kids born these days could easily live to be 125 years old. That's not for me, unless I had the health and mental faculties to enjoy that many years. I don't want to be 90 and confined to a bed with Depends on.

Tuesday morning, I go in for an endiscopy for abdominal pain. It's one of those things were I had a twinge once in a while for a long time, and just chalked it off as typical aches and pains. But in the last month or so, it's almost constant. I don't feel sick at all (to me, sick means you can't eat or you have a headache), it just annoys me. My doc thinks it might be another ulcer, but we're checking. Whatever it is, I hope they fix it.

Then the next step is to see a pain management specialist about my back. What I have is called "Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction." That joint is where the base of your spine (the triangular-shaped bone) meets your pelvic bone. It hurts me almost all the time. Thank God most days it's only on about a level 2 or 3, but once in a while it hits a good 11. I have done everything for this--therapy, meds, shots, even a chiropractor. It has just become part of my life. I'm hoping the specialist will teach me some new 'tricks' to deal with it.

Oh, gripe, gripe, gripe. I really am generally a happy person. I learn something new every day and find beauty in a lot of things. I've gotten into a lot of blogs because I love to oooo and aaaah over the creativity out there, the beautiful babies and children, the generosity.

I just want to oooh and aaaah as if I really were still 31 instead of 51, LOL!

x is for...

xtra tired? Aren' t we all? I think it comes with the territory when you're a mom, no matter how old you are. I seem to take a nap every afternoon to recharge.

I can't think of anything for X! Haven't seen any x-rated movies lately to review--I'm just kidding!

Did you know there is no country in the world that begins with the letter X? If I had a country, I'd name in Xorange...so there'd be an 'X' country and something that rhymes with the word orange.

Sorry this is such a boring post today. Hope everyone out there is doing well!

W is for where we were

It's amazing how we can all remember where we were at watershed moments in history. I was in the second grade when Kennedy was assassinated, and I remember the principal coming over the loudspeaker to tell us. I also remember walking home with my best friend, and how she was crying. I didn't understand what was happening.

For 9/11, I was at home. I had just gotten up and took a look at the TV, where they were playing the film of the first crash...over and over. My first thought was some idiot pilot didn't know what he was doing.
Well, by the second crash, of course, I'm sure we all knew we weren't dealing with idiots. Narrow-minded monsters, but not idiots.
My husband was out on business, which sometimes takes him to the city. First thing was to check where he was--he happened to be on the East End of Long Island that day. Then I checked in with my then-agent, who lives in the city. She was okay.

Nicky came home early from school. He didn't know why he'd been dismissed so I explained it to him. I guess he was about 10 at the time. It shows how different things are--back in 1963, the principal thought nothing of telling grammar school kids the president had been killed. Nowadays, they leave it to the parents--which I think is the right way to do it.

Later, I took Katherine and went to the grocery. The biggest thing we noticed was that the skies were so quiet. There are usually a lot of planes. The only ones we saw were 3 airforce jets flying in formation. That scared Katherine, but I said they were there for our safety.

I'm grateful I didn't lose anyone in any of the horrible incidents. This past summer, I visited the site where the airplane went down in Pennsylvania. They have a printed copy of the exchange that went on. It's terrifying to read. What made me so angry was to see the terrorists saying things like "Allah is good, Allah is merciful." No matter what you want to call God, it is an insult to Him to call Him good and merciful while you are committing the ultimate sin of murder. (Well, as much as God can be insulted, since no one can know His mind.)

The only thing we can hope is that those who died that day, died so quickly they didn't feel anything. I don't even really think we can imagine the fear.

Two small things I remember from that day: a neighborhood kid driving around with his sunroof open, while another kid waved a huge America flag above the car.

And a visit from a strange cat. It was a big, puffy thing like a persian. I was sitting on my front steps and he came up and started rubbing against me. He was all matted and his nails were too long. I got out my pet brush and clippers and groomed him. It was something else to think about instead of the horrors of the day. He stayed for a while, then went on his way. The strange thing is that I never saw him before that...and never saw him again.

God bless everyone we lost that day, and all the people who did their best to help put this country back together again.

V is for...

...very favorites.

Very favorite author: Stephen King. No one can scare you like he does, but a lot of his non-scary stuff is the best writing I've ever come across. "IT," while terrifying, is one of the finest depictions of childhood ever written. The characters in "The Stand" (which I've read at least 8 times) are so real I feel I know them.

Very favorite food: lobster. Boiled and then dipped in melted butter. Too bad it's so darned expensive that I only get it once or twice a year.

Very favorite colors: red, purple and blue.

Very favorite flowers: red roses and purple tulips

Very favorite music: most Broadway stuff and the old standards...Ella rules!

Very favorite pastime: if I had to pick one, I'd put doing word puzzles at the top of the list.

U is for...

Unbelievable! That's how I describe the lovely box that Rebecca sent me as part of the "Shoebox Swap." Here's her blog: http://www.zeahrenaissance.blogspot.com/

And here are my goodies:

Becka had everything wrapped in pretty colors of tissue paper, with a note on each one explaining how it related to the box's theme..."Refreshed." What could be more refreshing than listening to Frankie, sipping Swiss Mocha coffee and either crocheting with the softest yarn ever, or reading a copy of "Cottage Living"?

See, I don't live in a cottage...yet. I live in a high ranch with my four kids and my daughter's boyfriend and various pets. But Mike and I want a little bungalow when we retire, and Becka said I could read the mag and dream of my 'future retirement cottage.'

I also received the cutest Mary Englebreit notecards, a cute mousepad, a delicious smelling candle and an even more delicious smelling roomspray. Hey, Becka...I love the roomspray because it doesn't make me choke like other sprays. It's so light and delicate!

And I confess...I broke out the knitting needles and decided to knit myself a scarf instead of doing crochet. I've been wanting to try my hand at knitting, something I haven't done in ages, and you've inspired me. And...the color of the yarn is a great match for a coat I'm making. Maybe now I'll get off my lazy duff and actually hem the thing...which I started 2 years ago!

The lovely and sweet bloggers who started this fun swap are:

Monica, at http://thehomespunheart.blogspot.com/

And Carrie at http://www.watibg.blogspot.com/

Thanks ladies, it was so much fun. And many, many thanks to you, Rebecca! Hugs and Kisses, too!

T is for...

http://sortafrugal.blogspot.com/2007/06/when-my-son-is-bored-at-work.html

My Third Son. I had to figure out where to put him in here, LOL! James will be 21 on November 1st. That will make him my 3rd adult child. He's in his junior year at college and is studying automotive engineering. I hope that it will give him opportunity to create things with his hands, because he's really good at that.

When Jamie (as we call him) was 7 1/2, he was riding his bike one day and got hit by a car. The bike went one way and landed on the soft grass. My son went the other way and landed on the street. What followed were some of the worst times of our lives. He had a skull fracture, dislocated elbow, dislocated shoulder and broken femur bone. He was in a coma for a few days. We knew from the emergency room he would live, but the femur bone had him in traction for the next six weeks. In the beginning, the damage to his brain (a very bad contusion) kept him in la-la land for a long time. There was talk of possible seizure disorder and personality problems. One doctor said I might have to take him to Delaware for therapy...me, with a 3 year old, a 9 year old and an 11 year old!

But little by little he got better. I kept a journal about his hospital stay. People were so generous, sending him gifts and food. He was the star patient in pediatrics and got special attention...especially when it came to using their Nintendo. By the time he left the hospital...in a body cast, btw...he was completely normal mentally. The kid even learned to walk up and down stairs in his cast!

Once that came off, two months later, he went to physical therapy. The therapist was amazed at his fast progress. My incentive to him was that he could go trick-or-treating if he could make himself strong enough to walk. And he did!

I think sometimes James has doubts about where he's going with his life. But after what he went through, I know he can do anything!

Oh, and btw...there was a lawsuit that's now paying for my son's education at a university!

Sew Crafty Friday

Here is yet another baby dress I made. Since I found my buttonholer, I have been able to finish a few things. The way this is hanging, you can't really tell the shape of the dress, but you can see it from the back view. It's all one piece .

I'm not crazy about the bonnet. I didn't use stiff enough interfacing in the brim and it's too floppy. I cut it out the size to match the dress, but it looks humongous to me.
There's no baby in mind for this just yet. There are matching bloomers, but I have to wait to see what size the elastic will be to finish them off.

The fabric has tiny red roses on it. The lining is white muslin. This was a very easy pattern to sew! It is McCall's 5353.

Please visit "Waiting for Him" and share your own crafty goodness today!

S is for Sonogram

Warning: medical stuff in here!

S for Sonogram. Not the fun kind you have when you're pregnant. Trust me...at 51 my baby days are long behind me.

No, this one started when I had a CAT scan of my stomach because of weird abdominal pain. They found 'something' in my pelvic area and my doctor said I had to have a pelvic sonogram. The doctor called me with the results this morning. I'm happy to say there was only a small cyst and nothing to be concerned about.

I've been hopeful. The last thing I need on top of my stomach problems and chronic back pain is more trouble. So at least I can put this behind me. If I never had another sonogram, I'd be happy. Why do all these tests involve things that are uncomfortable, like drinking a quart of water and holding it in? Well, at least they took me pretty quickly the other day, LOL! And they actually have a bathroom outside the ultrasound room that has a sign on the door that says, "for ultrasound patients ONLY!"

Okay, so the weird pain in my abdomen. It's on my left side, just a bit under my ribcage. I don't feel sick at all. I just ache. I'm having an endiscopy on September 18th. My gastro doc thinks I might have another ulcer.

Oh, great, wonderful. I can't take ibuprofen for my back (and damn, the stuff does work) because it gave me my first ulcer. Now I suppose I'll be told to knock off the coated aspirin I take. Which leaves Tylenol...which does nothing for inflammation.

Well, at least I can still use my heat pads. I hope!

R is for Really Nice Surprise!

Look what I got in the mail from my Pay It Forward swap partner, Betty at "She's So Pretty." The most adorable, cheerful apron ever! You should see the workmanship in this...it's breathtaking. Especially that scalloped hem! And don't you just love the way she embellished the pocket with a vintage handkerchief?

The apron is lined with the same strawberry fabric as the pocket, so it is reversible...but I think I prefer to wear it with that cute pocket showing!

Thanks, Betty! Thanks, thank, thanks for making my day! I loooove it!

Q for Quiet

Here's a picture I took of Sunken Meadow Beach at sunset last night. It's on the North Shore of Long Island. That's the Long Island Sound there...and Connecticut about 14 miles across the water. It sure doesn't look like 14 miles, but the curvature of the Earth fools your eyes.

Despite living on LI all my life, I don't like beaches. At least, not in the daytime. Maybe it is because I'm not a sun worshipper, and I detest crowds. But the beach at night...that's another story. Mike and I took a walk along the boardwalk. Most of the people who'd come to enjoy the holiday were gone by then, and it was so peaceful and quiet.

Looking out at the water, whether it's the Atlantic with its waves or the Sound that barely ripples, I get a sort of weird feeling. I think about how much life is teeming under that water, life you can't even see. Imagine if the waters were as clear as an aquarium! What a cool sight that would be from an airplane, huh?

Maybe the reason I don't like crowds is because I don't like noise. At least, not too much. I have to have a fan or heater or a/c humming in order to fall asleep. But one of my most favorite times of day is the very early morning, before anyone else is up. Even when my kids were little, they knew to give me that bit of quiet time. Weekdays, my husband is up before me, so my quiet time is to sit in bed and read while he's doing his work (his home office is our dining room).

There's enough noise out there for all of us, most of the day. But around 6:30 a.m.--that's quiet time for me.

Unless I'm lucky enough for my husband to ask, like he did last night, 'want to go to the beach?'

P is for Pets!

Meet my current furbabies!

This is Austin the Ferret. He's about 4 years old.

Here is Shadow Dante, dressed up like a prisoner last Halloween. This year, Katherine wants him to have a little cop costume!

These are my pretty kitties. Nutmeg is the black and white one, Melody is the tortoise-shell tabby. Somehow, they managed to fit their fat dupas on the back of a chair to sleep!

And here is my youngest baby, Rocky! He is about five months old. He's chubby and cuddly. Still going through the teething/biting stage, but not too bad about it. He is the first ferret I've ever had who comes when I call him!

All of my furbabies get along great with each other. You should se how happy Shadow gets when I take the ferrets out to play! Shadow is also seriously in love with Nutmeg. No kidding...if a dog and cat could have babies (pittens? kuppies?), they would. What a strange animal that would be!

O for Opinions

I generally keep my opinions to myself, unless I'm talking to my husband or one of my kids. They know how I feel about things like politics. (For the record, I'm just to the right of the middle of the road). I'm just not a confrontational person, and if a friend and I are going to disagree on something, I'd rather just leave certain topics alone. Besides, I'm not good at debate. I don't retain facts very well so even when I believe I'm right...it would be hard to win any argument on almost any topic. In other words, I was never "Captain of the Debate Team," LOL!

Sorta Frugal is a blog about my little ways to try to save money and get myself out of debt. It's about fun things like my crafting or my family. It isn't a political forum. But since I'm talking about opinions here, I'll throw one out to my few and faithful readers, anyway:

Being a child is a right. Being an adult is a privilege.

Parents who dress their kids like miniature adults, or put them into stressful situations (think 'out of control soccer parent yelling on the sidelines') rob their children of their God-given right to childhood. Let kids be kids! It is their right. It is their right to be sweet and innocent, and not have to worry about grownup things.

Oh, my gosh, the pushing adult things on kids starts early, doesn't it? I babysat a four-month-old who had a bib that said, "I'm too sexy for my diaper." Uh...yeah... (Giving the young mother credit, she didn't like it either, but it happened to be what she had clean and ready to use. Me...I'd have ditched it.) I've seen people give young children tastes of alcohol. In yesterday's paper, there was an article that stated there are fourth graders who've already started experimenting with drinking!

What kind of life are you facing when you're doing adult things at nine? Assuming kids today could live to be 100...that's 91 years of adulthood. Ugh. (Frankly, I think even 80 years of adulthood is too much. What's the rush?)

Adulthood is a privilege. When does it start? 18? 21? I don't believe in magic numbers. We all know 40-year-olds who act like pre-teens and eight-year-olds that are already world-weary. It's an individual thing. But I'll end this with a plea: moms and dads, let your kids be kids. Don't let adult things touch them too closely. Childhood is short enough as it is, and oh, so precious!

Sew Crafty Friday...scroll down!

I wrote it yesterday. Put the pictures in today. Published it today...and it came out as if it was published on Thursday. Please scroll down for today's Sew Crafty Friday!

N is for...

Nicky! Better known to his friends as 'Nick.' Nicky is 17 years old and about to enter his junior year at high school. His number one most favorite topic is "Halo," the video game. He even put a counter on my desktop that counts down to when Halo 3 comes out. I already reserved him a copy...almost a year ago! He says he should be able to stay home from school that day (a Tuesday) because he won't be able to concentrate anyway, he'll be so excited. I told him...ha, ha, ha.

Nicky has a great sense of humor. He takes very little seriously. Even as a kid, he hardly ever got upset. Not to say that sometimes he doesn't get snitty. He's a teenager after all. But he's never gone overboard with that whole teen angst thing. Yay! He will actually sit and talk to me...athough it's usually about something unpersonal like Halo, or the military, or some movie, or something funny he saw on line. None of my boys get personal with me...heaven forbid one of them would tell me if he had a girlfriend.

Nick's ambition is to join the Marines. Mom's ambition is that he finds something safer to do with his life, but I'd be proud of him if he did volunteer to defend our country. He could be a ballistics expert...he knows a lot about guns and ammo. Too much. He has a nice Airsoft gun (I have no idea what kind) which shoots soft plastic pellets. I told him as long as he lives here, he ain't getting a real gun. What is it with boys and guns?

Just to let you know he isn't all about guns, he's amazing with animals. You should hear him talk gooey baby talk to our dog, Shadow! He takes Shadow into bed with him every night, and onto the couch with him when he lays down to listen to his MP3 player.

So...that's it about Nicky. I'd post about my cat, Nutmeg...but this is long enough, LOL!

Oh...and lest we forget where this whole ABC Meme started, here's the link again!

http://belladia.typepad.com/bella_dia/encyclopedia_of_me_meme/index.html

Sew Crafty Friday: Tote Bag

This is how I make a fat quarter mini tote bag. I am no expert, LOL--I'm just fudging it. So...you can fudge along with me!

1. Start with two coordinating fat quarters. Actually, for this I used 2 'quarter flats' from Joann's. They measure 18x22 inches.


















2. Cut the pieces in half so you have 2 9x22 inch pieces of each. (I just clip at the 9 inch mark and tear--fabric always tears along the straight grain.)















3. Using one 9x22 inch piece as a pattern, cut a piece of something that will give the tote bag 'body.' I used some leftover quilt batting. It isn't thick, just a little heavier than felt.

4. Baste the batting to the wrong side of your lining fabric, close to the edge. Trim off any excess batting.

(This is folded to show the lining side and the batting side)

5. Fold in half lengthwise, right sides together, and stitch about a half inch from either long side.

6. This part's a little tricky, so I hope I'm clear about it. You want to fold the bottom of the bag to make a point, with the side seam running up the middle. Measure 1 1/2 inches in from the point and mark a line across. Sew across this line. (This is going to make a square bottom on your tote.)

7. Trim away the excess fabric on the point. (Sorry, my camera wouldn't take a clear picture!)

8. Repeat steps 5-7 with your outer fabric. At this point, if you're ambitious, iron your seams flat.

9. Slip the outer layer inside the lining, right sides together. Pin along the top, matching seams. Stitch around the top, with a half inch seam...leaving about 5 or 6 inches open for turning.

10. Trim away about half of the lining and batting seam to reduce bulk. (Don't trim the seam of the outer layer. This 'grading' of the seam will help it lay nicely.)

11. Top stitch along the top, encasing the raw edge.

12. From the remaining fabric, cut 2 strips 2 1/2 inches by 22 inches. Cut a piece of batting the same size.

13. You can baste the batting to the wrong side of one strip. But this time around, I just layered the two fabrics right sides together and put the batting underneath them. I stitched all 3 together with a half-inch seam, leaving one end open for turning. (Actually, I would have been better off basting the batting to the lining...it was a pain trying to get them to turn 'together.')

14. Grade the seams of the handle the same way as step 10. Trim the corners.

15. Turn the strap right side out. Turn in the raw edge.

16. Center the ends of the straps over the side seams and pin. Stitch in place with a strong seam. I used a saddle stitch and made a 'square'.

17. Enjoy! You can probably do this in less than an hour, not having to stop and take pictures and blog about it.

Hope you enjoyed my tutorial and that it was somewhat clear and fun to follow!

Please visit Shereen at "Waiting for Him" (over there on my links list) for more "Sew Crafty Friday" goodies!

M for...

Michael...my favorite boy's name. My husband's name, my son's name, my late fil's name, my late youngest brother's name. My husband and fil are Michael James. My son is Michael William--the William comes from my oldest brother and my late father.

My husband is a safety consultant engineer for a major corporate insurance company. That means he goes to job sites and makes sure the 'insured' is doing all they can to keep their workers safe. His recommendations can either make or break a risk's policy. He knows all about stuff like OSHA. He often works at home on a computer, but his job also takes him to many different places and types of businesses.
Mike, my husband, keeps our yard trim and beautiful. He does most of the really heavy duty housework. He makes a mean pasta sauce.
He looks better at 53 than most guys do at 33. He works out or runs 6/7 days a week. He can bench press nearly 400 pounds.
I'm the animal lover, but he's the one who buys peanuts for the squirrels!

My son is a computer programmer for an educational software company. He's absolutely brilliant. He's the first one to help when help is needed. He's like me...not particularly sociable, but very friendly in the right situation. He's like my dad was...sharp witted, impatient with dumb people, but generous.
Michael is amazing with little kids. They bring out a side of him rarely seen...patience and silly humor. I sure hope he marries and has some of his own someday! (He's only going on 25. I'm in no rush.)

My fil was a good man, a decent guy with a kind sense of humor, very dedicated to his wife and kids. He worked as a construction worker until his retirement, then was involved in everything you could think of. It was a great loss when he died of a heart attack a few years ago.

I already posted about my brother Michael, who died back in 1971. He served in Vietnam. When I was in Ohio, I went over some pictures of him. He was a real cutie with a headful of curly hair. Now I know where my son Nicky gets his curls, LOL!

So that's my letter of the day!

WFMW: K is for Kitchen & L is for Laundry

http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/shannon/2007/08/works-for-me-ju.html

I haven't done a "Works for Me Wednesday" in a while. It just fell into place with the next letters of the alphabet: K & L.

K is for Kitchen: I love my kitchen. It is the heart of the home, IMHO. We don't eat in there... it isn't big enough. But if food is love, then a lot of my love for my family happens there. I love to cook. I don't have a fancy 'working kitchen' with a 12-burner stove, and I don't have an island and I don't have much counter space. I have enough.
I have 4 kids and a husband who were nice enough to take down the ugly wallpaper and paint the place a pretty shade of green. I have a husband who was willing to shell out to replace the hideous Brady Bunch orange counters for clean white ones. And to shell out for a decent floor!

One thing that 'works for me' in there is to keep heavy, but much-used, appliances out on the counter. I used to have to call one of my family members to lug out my Kitchenaid mixer whenever I wanted to use it--which was often. I got smart and traded it out for my much-lighter bread maker. Now the Kitchenaid sits on the counter all the time, on a pretty, vintage, crocheted red-and-white doily. The doily makes it easy to slide the big thing back and forth as I need it. There's another tip: put your heavy countertop toys on a piece of felt, a towel, or a doily to make sliding around easier!

L is for Laundry. I have divided mine up into 2 categories each day. My washer can't really take much more than that...well, the drywell it drains into can't, I mean. The washer is practically new and great. And two loads leaves room for the kids to take care of their own washes. Example: on Mondays, I do lingerie and socks. Tuesdays are for tops and ironing (if I remember to take them right out of the dryer, LOL!) Wednesday is bottoms. Weekends are catchup washes. I will never, ever catch up to all of it, though. But at least we all generally have something clean to wear each day, LOL!

I'm off to work in 10 minutes. Too late to do my morning load of laundry...but I actually did get my kitchen cleaned up!

J is for Job!

I love my job. I have the world's nicest boss. She is, as I said yesterday, from India. She has a great sense of humor, is very kind-hearted and treats me with respect.

I have been a writer and a cashier in my life. Not to mention a few babysitting jobs. I did well as a writer for years, the market changed, I've got writer's block and that's that...for a while. I hope to get back in the groove someday.

You couldn't give me enough money to ever be a cashier again. Most people were pretty nice, but there was the occasional j*ck*a*s who thought it was okay to treat you like dirt.

In the interim, life threw the curveball of a bad back at me. I can't stand or sit for any great length of time. So forget standing at a register, anyway. I am in a bad way financially (which is why I started doing my best to be frugal a few years ago--and the financial situation truly is improving), and I needed to get a job. But what could I do? I couldn't work long hours or do anyting stressful.

Then along came my daughter's friend, who was leaving the job at Dr. A's. I had my doubts, but I decided to take a chance. My first night, there were fifteen patients (in 3 hours!) and I was totally lost. My daughter's friend stopped by and lent me a hand. Sweet kid, huh?

Okay, within 2 days I had the routine down. Now I've been there a year and a half. I only work 3 hours a day and a few days each week. So even if I'm tired, it's such a short time I don't mind. I file, answer the phone, clean and generally help where I can. It is just me and Dr. A. She says thank you every day when I leave. I am thankful for an easy job, a nice boss, and money to take home each week!

Oh...and the perk of free medical advice and stuff like free Claritin!

:)

I for International

I am of German Irish French descent. I can trace my German line back to the late 1600s, the Irish back to the late 1700s and the French about a century ago. My Irish great-great-grandfather was born on the ship coming over from Dublin, Ireland in 1802. I like having multiple nationalities in my background. GG Daniel was married 3 times. I'm descended from the third wife. God bless her, she was barely 20 when she married Danny, who was about 50 with 5 kids from the previous marriages. They had another 6 kids. I like to think that Catherine was a loving wife and mother, and that Danny treated her well.

My husband is pure Italian. So my kids are half that and half mutt like me. It was interesting to meet and marry someone of a single ethnic background, where traditions are purely Italian.

Now my daughter is dating a really nice guy of Puerto-Rican/El Salvadoran descent. So if they ever marry and have kids, my grandchildren will be of Italian, German, Irish, French, Puerto Rican and El Salvadorian descent, LOL!

And on top of all this, I work for an Indian boss. So I'm learning some of their culture and have sampled some of their food. I tell you, I thought Italian weddings were something else. I haven't been to an Indian wedding, but I've seen pictures. So colorful! And the groom rides in on either a white horse...or an elephant! Geesh!

Happy Monday, whatever your ancestry!

H is for Home

As you can probably tell, I had a great time at Mom's in Ohio. It was one of the best visits we ever had. I hope there are at least 20 more...which would take my mom to the age of 104, LOL!

Still, I'm happy to be home. In my own territory. Following my own routine and using my own bathroom. I don't care how comfortable a place is, you are always happier in your own bathroom.

This morning, I put the kitchen back in order. The kids were great about keeping it clean, but I'm really fussy about where things belong and had to redo some out of place items.

My plan for today is to record my coupons and get them into the binder, check out the sales circulars for the groceries and drug stores this week (and coordinate with coupons) and to make up my week's menu. I already took out some taco meat from the freezer and some trimmed chicken to use this week. Don't know what I'll do with the chicken yet, but I'm just going for easy tacos tomorrow night. I'll be back to work for the first time in over a week.

I might hit CVS today. We'll see. I'm hoping the summer stuff has gone down lower than 50%. I already used my $20 ECBs from the Kraft deal a few weeks back--it paid for some things we took on the trip, including a Rachel Ray Everyday Magazine! Now I have to see what new ECBs I can get!

Hope everyone has a great Sunday!

G...for Grandparents

My mother is the last of the grandparents alive. I lost my dad, the kid's grandpa, 20 years ago. Mike's mother passed away about 2 years ago and his dad a few years before that. I'm sorry that my father died before the kids were really old enough to know him. Nicky was born after he died, so he never knew him at all. But they did get many great years with their paternal grandparents, and my mom is doing so well I wouldn't be surprised she lives to be 100.

My maternal grandfather died when I was a baby. He was apparently a really nice man. My mother's mother passed away about 10 years ago. She was almost 97. My father's parents have been gone for many years. It's dad's mother who had all the lace I brought home. (I am home, btw--12 hours in the car and 625 miles later.) I have great memories of their house. It is an old Federal building that had two extensions put on it. There was this big, twisting staircase to the upstairs. There was a massive country kitchen, and behind it some kind of storage area with a staircase that was full of mysteries. Grandpa always had a bowl of candy out--back in the day when candy was a huge treat. And he never said, 'no you can't have that.'

I'm glad I have some great memories of my grandparents. I'm glad my kids will have some, too. Grandparents are so very important to kids, aren't they?

F is for Food, Fabric and Family

Food at Mom's...holy cow. I think I've gained five pounds here in Ohio. Monday we had lasagna. Tuesday we had beef stroganoff. Wednesday we went to a cool restaurant, "Der Dutchman," where I had chicken-fried steak. Hot dogs for dinner that night. Last night we went to a place called the Ohio State Hall of Fame Cafe. I had a prime rib sandwich. (I commented to my son that we sure have been eating a lot of beef this week!) And tonight...speaking of holy cow...my mother made us t-bone steaks on the grill! With salad (tomatoes from her garden) and mini potato pancakes.
After lunch at Der Dutchmann, we went to this Amish place that sells bulk spices, candy and cheese really cheap. There is a little room in the back. It used to sell fabric. Now it sells a few sewing notions, but numerous vintage things, too. I found the cutest little child's tea set in blue and white for $4 and a pretty crystal creamer for a quarter. The prices were so amazing! Everything seems so much cheaper out of New York.
I think the best part of this visit, other than seeing my mother and my aunt Mary, was going through some old lace my mother had in a cabinet downstairs. It was from when my paternal grandmother was alive. I remember she had this cool sewing room, just off the living room, with French doors. My grandmother died before I was married, so it has to be at least 30 years ago. She was in her 90s and hadn't done any sewing in many years. So the lace and doilies I'm bringing home with me are at least 40 years old. Who knew there was such a treasure in my mother's house!
I also got to pick out any and all fabric I wanted from my mother's stash. I found some really cute stuff. Mom says, 'take whatever you want. I'm trying to get rid of it.' She will be 85 in January. I'm thinking she's going to live to be 100, at least. I hope so!
I also hope that my two sisters, my brother and I can all gather whatever of the grandchildren are available and meet next summer to celebrate my mother's 85th year. It has been a long time since we've been together. It's hard to be so far apart...we're in New York, Ohio, Michigan and Georgia!

Greetings from Ohio...and E

I'm visiting my mother in Ohio this week, with my husband and youngest and oldest sons. Our drive here took just under 12 hours yesterday. That's great timing even with stopping twice to eat and twice at rest areas. Somehow, we avoided construction on the highways.

My husband does all the driving. It's a company car and I couldn't drive it if I wanted to...which I don't. We left New York at 4 a.m. Needless to say, he conked out early for bed last night. It's been years since we did this. I can't believe I used to do it with four kids, at least one in a car seat.

I have only one "E" word today. Eggs. My mother makes the best deviled eggs in creation. It's one of those recipes she just throws together...nothing is written down. Aren't all great family recipes like that? I can never duplicate them. Her secret ingredient, of all things, is a pinch of sugar!

Okay, here's my frugal part of this post. I bought one of those Entertainment books of coupons for the Columbus, Ohio area. Because it is last year's book, and expires November 1st of this year, it was really, really, really cheap. But there are coupons for one place we are going this week (Der Dutchmann, a family-style restaurant), so even if my mother uses only that, it more than pays for the book. My mother can peruse it and find any coupons she can use, then pass it on to one of my cousins.

My mother has dial-up (yuck) so it is about 25 times slower than my computer at home. But I will try to blog while I'm here. I don't know what we're doing today. It's pouring rain. I'd like to hit a cool used book store nearby.

D is for...

Daughter. This is my daughter, Katherine. Ain't she gorgeous? Everyone should have such a cool, funny, sweet daughter as this. And watch out...she's hoping to head to police academy one day! If there was such a thing as a cop who walks the beat, all the kids would be calling her 'Officer Kate.' She's got that kind of personality--she won't let a gun and a badge be her strength and courage.

Daughter's Dog. His name is Shadow Dante. He is a chihuahua. He looks demented in this picture. He's such a baby sweetie. My vet says he's more like a labrador in his personality than a chihuahua. He loves all my other animals and everyone in this house...especially Katherine and me. He really likes my husband. But if Mike tries to kiss me, Shadow jumps between us! Is he protecting me, or is he jealous that he's not getting all the attention? I call him "Poopadus" and Katherine calls him "Moon." I never thought I'd love a little dog this much!

Drive. Something I hate to do. I pretty much keep to roughly a 3-mile radius around my house (as in, Target, Michael's and the grocery.) Which is why my husband and son are doing most of the driving tomorrow for the 12-hour trip to grandma's!

Speaking of daughters...Katherine is the one taking care of all my animals when I'm gone!

C is for...

Cold...I'm getting over one today. Good thing, too, since we're taking a drive to my mother's house in Ohio on Monday. That's a 12 hour trip! (My husband and son will do the driving. I don't do highways.)

Crochet...one of my hobbies. I have made afghans, but lately I pretty much stick with things that go together quickly, like dish rags. You can never have enough dish rags, LOL! So much nicer than sponges!

Coupons...I'm an avid couponer. One of my friends called me a "Coupon Monster," once, LOL! I play "The Grocery Game." Check the site out, it's worth it! www.grocerygame.com

I consider couponing not only part of keeping my spending down, but also another hobby. I probably spend an hour or two a week on it. After doing this for about two years, I found a system that works best for me. I keep each circular in it's own plastic 'page protector' in my 3-ring household binder. (Binder! Now there's another word I could have used for B!) I write the date on it and what the source is--Valassis, Smartsource and Proctor & Gamble are the 3 biggies.
My husband gave me a leather-bound folder with a pad in it. In here, I write down the coupons that interest me, by date, and indicate when they expire. I highlight household items with one color highlighter and health and beauty with another. Anything not highlighted is food. As I use the coupons, I cross them off the list.

Yeah, seems like a lot of work. But I love doing it and like I said, it's a hobby, too. Besides, even if I spent 3 hours a week on it, I generally save $40-$50 at the grocery. How many hobbies work out to pay you that much per hour?

I use Grocery Game for my two supermarkets, but my own system of filing my coupons works for CVS and other small stores. Oh! I don't clip the coupons until I actually use them. I find this saves me a lot of time. When I go through and record each week's coupons, I also throw away any pages I don't need...like the ones where you can send away for checks or some cute figurine.

Cooking...my absolute passion. I love, love, love to cook. I am what is known as a 'hobby cook.' So many recipes, so little time! And I'm not talking about anything fancy-shmancy, either. I cook food that 'real' people will eat. So you won't be seeing any sauteed duck tongues with sorrel foam coming from my kitchen! (Anyone who watches Top Chef gets the foam reference...although I liked Marcel!)

Like I said, I'm off to Ohio on Monday. So, no menu plan for the week. I almost feel as if something is missing by not doing one, LOL! Still, I'm thinking of bringing some cilantro to my mom's house and buying the other ingredients for guacamole to make some for us. Can you believe, my mother is 84 and never tasted guacamole before last year?

Enough C's! This is waaaay too long...and not a picture in sight to break up the monotony. Please scroll down to my "B" post for the link to the lovely blogger who started all this ABC fun!

Sew Crafty Friday,and B is for...

Buttons. I need to think about what kind of buttons to put on the little vintage dress. I want something flat, but not plain. Maybe something in white with a flower shape carved into it? The dress is more peachy than pink. I'll have to see what I can find. Speaking of find...my buttonhole attachment was lost, but I found it the other day. Now I can actually finish some things!

I tried to spread the dress out so you can see what a full skirt it has. Don't know if I already posted this...but it's a princess line. Now I'm thinking I need to find a crinoline pattern so the dress poofs out like it should.

For more Sew Crafty Friday fun, click on "Waiting for Him" over there in my links list.

And I have the link to the cool blogger who started all this ABC fun! Here ya go...

http://belladia.typepad.com/bella_dia/2007/07/encylopedia-of-.html

More Bs from me...

Brothers. My oldest brother, who will be 61 in December, lives in Michigan. I had two other brothers, also older than me. Unfortunately, they have both passed away. I really miss them, although I hardly remember the brother I lost 35 years ago. I just know he had a great sense of humor. My middle brother lived in New Mexico. He was the coolest guy--not a mean bone in his body. One of the best trips I ever took in my life, was a trip around New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Arizona in his old VW. I've never seen anything like the Southwest, and I sure with my brother was around to show it off to my kids.

Books. I love books. But I don't hang on to most of them. Books are living things...they shouldn't be left to collect dust on a shelf. I admit to being a big Stephen King fan, and am currently reading "The Shining" for maybe the 100th time. It still scares me, LOL!

Don't ask me where it started...

...but there's an ABC thing going around blogland. If you know who got it going, lmk and I'll give credit where it is due. Basically, you blog about one letter at a time. So I hope to do this between 'real' posts.

A is For Austin, one of my ferrets...

Austin is about 5 years old. He was a Mother's Day gift. He is the sweetest thing on earth.

A is for Author...what I have been in my life. My most recently published works are 3 books for middle-grade readers about immigrant children. If you want to find out more, one of the books is called: "Fiona McGilray's Story: A Voyage from Ireland in 1849." I have not felt much like writing these past few years, but I'm thinking about investing in a cheap laptop and getting back into it. We'll see.

That's all the A's I can think of, LOL!

Sew Crafty Friday: Vintage Dress

My friend (she with the newly adopted baby) was kind enough to let me borrow some of her patterns, including a really cool vintage one from 1954! It's already cut in a size 1, so that's the size of the pinafore I'm making for the baby. I figure she'll either wear it next winter with a sweater, or next spring. Anyhoo, my only problem is that my buttonhole attachment has vanished (it's in this room somewhere, but I can't find it and I've looked!), so I'll only be able to take this up to the buttonhole step. Oh, well, I hope it find it before next winter. I have a lot of projects that need buttons, LOL!

The dress has a princess line, which is just so pretty and girly. I wish little girls still dressed like this!

PS--there is a dark spot on the dress in the photo, but it's not there in real life. Strange trick of the flash, I suppose. The dress is attached to my mannequin, sans sleeves. The sides are not yet sewn, so it's not quite as wide as it looks.

Please visit Sher over at "Waiting for Him" for more crafty friday goodies!

Check out CVS this week

I'm not sure this works everywhere in the country. But in my circular, on page 3, there is a deal that if you buy $20 worth of certain Kraft products (there is a large selection), you get a $20 ECB coupon back! That's $20 you get to spend on anything you want on a future visit to the store. I stocked up on a few things, and even treated the family to Oreo cookies (I rarely buy stuff like that).

You have to sign up to get the ECBs, but it's free (of course) and easy. And the best ECBs are the ones you can spend on anything. I have another $5 one, so now I have $25 to spend. I'm waiting for the summer stuff to go cheaper (sorry, but 25% isn't 'clearance' to me, LOL!) so I'll get a few things for next year. I don't know what else I'll get, though.

(One thing you should know, if you've never done this...ECBs, which stands for Extra Care Bucks,do have expiration dates!)

I hope everyone who reads my blog--all eleven of you, LOL--gets a great deal this week, at CVS or elsewhere!

My 200th post

So I'm gonna do a 'meme.' Courtesy of...http://steppingbygrace.blogspot.com/ (aka Amy).


Four Jobs I've Done In My Life:1. Magazine editor (trade magazines. Loved the children's wear one...hated the plastics industry one).
2. Park counselor--loved it
3. Author
4. Receptionist--my current job. I'm very, very happy there!


Four Countries I've Been To:1. England
2. France
3. Italy
4. Switzerland

Four Places I'd Rather Be Right Now: 1.The fabric store with unlimited cash
2. An ice cream parlor eating a butterscotch sundae
3. A Chinese restaurant
4. Catfish Annie's, my favorite seafood restaurant

:)Four Foods I Like to Eat: 1. Lobster, if only I could afford it; 2.ice cream of almost any kind. 3. really good chocolate and 4.really good steak.

A new swap!

Edited to add (with apologies): USA folks only. Not that I don't love everyone in the world...I just can't afford the shipping!

Betty over at "She's Sew Pretty" told me about the swap her daughter, who is not named Martha but runs a blog called "My Best Friend Calls Me Martha", is having. (I think that might have been a run-on sentence, LOL!) http://mybestfriendcallsmemartha.blogspot.com/2007/07/pay-it-forward.html

You can use the link above or the link over there to the right that says "She's Sew Pretty's Daughter." The pay-it-forward swap idea is simple. The first three people to respond here will get a homemade item from me sometime in the next year. I crochet, I sew and I scrapbook...so who knows what you will receive?

All you have to do is promise to 'Pay It Forward' to three more people who respond to your own blog?

Get it? Easy-Peasy! Good luck!