cottage at turtle creek

to keep blogging or not

2012-02-05T11:05:00.001-05:00

i often wonder if anyone reads my blog

do you?

should i keep blogging...

these are the questions i am pondering today

if you are here

welcome

say hi :)

invites are all ready....

2012-02-02T12:07:00.000-05:00

all addressed and ready to go

for my sister's bridal shower

a month away

so much to do

but not really until the day or two before

until then

planning still to be done

which games to play?

final decisions of decor

planning.

i love it!

happy national embroidery month!

2012-02-01T21:52:00.001-05:00

february is national embroidery month!

i thought i would share part of this christmas stocking

i am in the middle of working on for my husband

it is almost done.

it's this month's goal to get this one done

then start on mine!

happy stitching everyone

well it was a ghost hunt....but i found quilts!

2012-01-22T21:50:00.001-05:00

last night my husband and i joined our friend kristy for a fun night

of ghost hunting at the straight farmhouse in garden city michigan

i personally didn't find anything scary or feel anything, except some chills

which may have had to do with too much water that i drank,,,,

imagine my surprise and glee in the room that was set up like a dining room

finding these old quilts on the wall!

i had made a quilt similar to the one shown below for a pastor

at my old church in florida for all the parishioners to sign

such an awesome thing to give as a gift really!

i loved that they had this old quilt frame bar just rolled up with a treasure rolled along with it

i had one of those when i lived in florida

in one of the upper rooms was a really neat sewing room with all sorts of things

garments and accessories. i wish i would have gotten more photos of the notions and things

in that room, maybe next time!

revamping

2012-01-15T17:48:00.002-05:00

ok so after some careful and long thought on this i will be remodeling this blog

and some of it's contents.

adding some art work ...which i need to

talking about lots of things...

categories to come are going to be fun..

so bare with me those who stop by

i hope you will like what i come up with

and thank you for reading and being here!

are you on pinterest?

2012-01-06T23:50:00.001-05:00

seriously

cool

site!

i found this photo on there today and i LOVE it!

i wish i had stairs to paint this onto.

i need a constant reminder it seems to "stay the course"

follow me if you like http://pinterest.com/marybyberg/

i have become a junkie...but it is so fun!

organization

2012-01-04T03:04:00.002-05:00

i know i have been absent from blogging...christmas and new years took me away from

it all.

not that i did anything major, just busy with a few things.

i love the new year...take down all the decorations and clean

i love to clean

and i love to organize

i remember as a kid i would constantly be organizing something

or cleaning

i was itching to take down the decorations two days after christmas

growing up we always left them up until the epiphany

my husband likes them up at least until the 2nd of january

so what's a gal to do..

why organize the fridge of course.

i mostly always is anyway but hey a little cleaning and fine tuning

could not hurt right?

i have to tell you the day i did this i also did 6 loads of laundry at the laundry mat

2 hours done...i wish i had my own machines but for now getting 6 loads done in 2 hours is awesome.

i also did some grocery shopping. and i decided , just toss the things in the fridge that needed to be kept cold and leave the clothes in the spare room and put them away later...what was the rush

yeah that lasted all of 45 minutes until i could not stand not having it all taken care of...

so yep first the clothes got hung up, folded into their appropriate homes and drawers

then i tackled the fridge...out came the bags of veggies and goodies and i dug out my awesome tupperware fridge smart containers and got to cleaning and chopping ....ahh only an hour to do all the clothing and food chores but i loved the results.

just makes it all so much easier.

so whats on the agenda next for cleaning and organizing?

well the tree and all ornaments and decorations are down and put away

i do believe it might be books and magazines to be gone through

then i will purge the arts and crafts area.

sounds like a plan to me.

have yourself....

2011-12-24T02:59:00.001-05:00

whatever you celebrate

this time of year

may you have yourself

a very peaceful time

thursday thoughts....

2011-12-16T05:06:00.000-05:00

majestic

and calming

whatever wednesday

2011-12-15T00:53:00.002-05:00

whatever.

it's been one of those kind of months well, for nearly a month now actually

lots of things brewing in my head

things happening with some outside forces that i am finding

are not actually what i thought.

learning things about me.

whatever.

it's all good ...or at least going to be

i no longer feel like the sharks are circling the boat waiting

for me to fall in

nope...i have the sharks in their proper tanks, knowing they can eat their chum

and leave me alone.

no time for chum eaters anymore.

so yeah whatever

so what i lost it a little at the store today with my husband

i know i am horrible about making decisions

he is worse.

and honestly i hate shopping.

all i wanted was a straight answer

and i got all kinds of stupid stuff

so yep i kinda lost it.

thats all better now

he finally made a decision. of course after circling the store three times

it's not rocket science, did you want a thermal shirt or not.

it's a yes or no. good lord.

and yeah, whatever

the day is over.

thank goodness.

tired tuesday

2011-12-13T21:00:00.003-05:00

i woke up tired today

have you ever done that ?

i haven't been sleeping well at all the past month or so

stress ...not really

in the past i could easily blame it on stress

worrying about money, things beyond my control

but lately. no i cannot figure it out.

and it's annoying.

so yep woke up tired. on the couch where i fell asleep again (insert eye roll here)

slugged my way to the shower, got ready to go to my eye doctor appointment

picked out some cool new glasses

said "oh yeah thanks" when the doctor said "oh face it honey your eyes are tired you are getting older"

lady doctor, very funny, and she is right.

i think my brain and eyes are over stimulated at night

using the computer, falling asleep with the tv on.

i need to make one of my resolutions to shut off electronics by 11

and sleep in my bed. not the horribly uncomfortable couch.

tomorrow's post ....not sure what it will be yet.

stay tuned

monday confessional

2011-12-12T17:55:00.001-05:00

i have a confession to make

i cannot make jello

i have tried

many times

it turns out so bad.

thought that might make some of you giggle

it's that time of year....

2011-12-09T00:16:00.003-05:00

christmas is right around the corner....yep 16 days away

am i worried i have NO idea what to get my husband...nope

or worried i might not have enough money to get the few gifts i am

giving...nope.

i have other things on my mind, the snow is about to fall

most likely within the next few hours for a pretty good measurable amount here

for the first time this season.

the other thing on my mind is this coming spring's garden!

yay!!!

oh stop laughing, a girl has to have something to look forward to right?

this past summer i did very little planting, i never got around to it

and honestly i was happy i didn't it was so hot and humid

we never even sat out at our new patio table.

not one outdoor meal

chickens that we are we sat in the comforts of the cool air conditioned

little mobile home we live in.

even now as i listen to the furnace hum away i have visions of organic dirt

and possibly dare i say a little compost bin!

the year before i made an awesome raised garden bed and picked my own lettuce every

night for supper for two months ...yum!

that has since been dismantled(the wood frame was falling apart) and i have the bench it was based on as an extra seat for outside.

so i am starting to think what do i want to grow.....

green leaf lettuce for sure~fast growing and we eat tons of it

sugar snap peas~honestly they never make it in the house, its like garden candy!

various herbs for cooking

tomatoes of some variety~roma's perhaps

oh the list goes on and on

as you can imagine.

several years ago i got this book for christmas...i think it's high time i start reading it!

sam the lazy beagle near "slim shady" the arborvitae we planted this past spring

you can barely make out the daffodils and jonquils that are growing. mom said those are bulbs from my grandma's house :)

we now have mulch around the base of slim shady and the area there along my neighbors trailer i have free reign to plant what i want there :)

several years ago mark gave me one of these million bells plants

it was a hanging plant and i LOVED IT!

this year i made the mistake of getting petunia's that i was constantly dead-heading

honestly i just let them go and ignored them after a while.

i have since taken them out of the planters and put them in the ground under the neighbors back stairs...they are still blooming. so that is where they will remain!

and do you remember this little guy?

i called him puss. he was a kitty that came to sleep every single day on the ledge of the porch in the growth of the morning glory i had planted.

he didn't come around this year :(

and the morning glory did not grow hardly at all.

that is on the for sure list for this coming year!

so yeah, i have a space about 42 feet long by 12 feet wide to create my outdoor oasis.

i am sick of hiding indoors during the warm time of year!

my christmas list

2011-11-29T11:11:00.003-05:00

resistance bands....seriously the best invention ever for at-home exercising. you know for those on a budget and no room for a tread mill.

a new sketchbook...my other two are nearly full of new ideas.

it's time for new.

a gift certificate to the quilt store

i am getting back to what i love to do

enough of beads for a while

star wars chop sticks

because i am a nerd, the yoda ones please :)

new firm foam for my couch

a subscription to mary jane's farm magazine

a subscription to food network magazine

tuesday randoms

2011-11-29T00:19:00.005-05:00

sinus infections are horrible. i barely remember anything that happened last week.
puffs with lotion can be a girl's best friend during sinus infection time
i have lots of stamps to use, beware
someone placed a rose in my arborvitae tree today in my front yard...weird
i would like to bake, but i don't because i know i would eat it all. so i don't bake. at all.
i want to go on vacation to disney world. right now.
i have had my christmas tree up for two weeks already
i love to watch 'the walking dead' and 'american horror story'
i love to play board games
there are 6 beagle dog ornaments on my christmas tree
apple cinnamon tea is awesome
being left out of things is hurtful
i rarely sleep in my bed. usually falling asleep on the couch ~insomnia yay!
my couch cushions need replacing, great couch , horrible foam
i want to learn to scuba dive, throw pottery and blow glass
i have two sketch books full of new quilt ideas
i love books
i have been published several times for creative writing
i miss my grandparents~they were all very influential in my life
there should be a do-over for at least one or two things in your life
i am a bit anxious for my sister's wedding. i have never been a maid of honor.
i plan on painting my nails like candy canes for this season. freak i know.
i know santa...or at least the man who is playing santa this season at work
i am thinking of running away....just for a day, to the movies or lunch. hahaha
that is all for now :)

it's green and good!

2011-11-26T20:52:00.002-05:00

i like to poke around on the net looking at cooking blogs

and check this one out from linda wagner

she posted about a green smoothie for weight loss

holy moly this is so easy and good.

so check it out

first i added this stuff~i deviated a bit from her recipe but it is so easy

1/2 cup frozen mango

1/2 cup frozen peaches

handful of spinach

about 1/2 cup cold water

one banana

and a 1/4 cup orange juice
then just hit pulse...then blend ...then liquefy you know until its all liquid like and smells luscious

and viola! here it is....next to some yummy clementines of course ;)

what a nice snack treat tonight...i think next time i might add a bit more spinach and an extra banana , oh or maybe pineapple....oh the possibilities are endless!

oh yeah and some ice...to make it super cold!

it's on time!

2011-11-23T08:36:00.002-05:00

it's on time!

what you may ask

the flight of a loved one?

the winning lotto ticket?

oh no

no, it's the dreaded

yet oddly ontime

sinus infection of the fall season

let the bells ring

at the cash register

as i load up on tissue

medicine

and orange juice (not to be taken with meds though)

and by my side...my beloved

yet, quite gross to use

BUT IT WORKS

neti pot.

the pressure is intense with this one.

ugh

just another thing i do

2011-11-15T08:24:00.003-05:00

i was asked to help out a friend's future daughter in law

last year with making her wedding bouquet and attendants flowers

they were on a tight budget

and who isn't these days

i was not able to attend the wedding

but from the looks of things

everything turned out just wonderful

ever have one of those moments?

2011-11-13T07:26:00.002-05:00

in the past month i have had several things happen

that have made me question nearly everything

everything i do, think, believe in, and basically how i live

it's not a fun feeling at all

it leaves you confused

questioning even the simplest things, like which bread to purchase

to some pretty heavy decisions, use your imagination with this one(too many to mention)

it leaves you hurt

thinking one thing and suddenly realizing , no that was all a myth

it leaves you mad

mad enough to stand up for yourself

not let them see you sweat(or try your hardest not to)

mad enough to stick to your guns

take action to make things better for yourself

and you know what

it makes you realize that yes, these are the things i like and want and believe in

and if someone is bothered by that

that is their issue, not mine.

time to put my plans into action.

back to being me again.

sad anniversary

2011-11-10T09:10:00.001-05:00

if you live in michigan like i do and were around back when the edmund fitzgerald sank

you remember the sorrow and disbelief in this tragic event

there is a good little article about it in the detroit free press go here to read it

i remember , as a 12 year old, thinking how in the world could a lake have waves as big

as what they said took this ship down

i did not understand the power of it

then i lived on a sailboat for 10 years and understood

water is tranquil and very powerful

mother nature has her moments

and on november 11, 1975 she had a moment that effected more than those 29 men.

i think this was the event that started my obsession with shipwrecks

have you ever been to the great lakes shipwreck museum?

it's a very cool place....and cool being the optimal word

even in the middle of summer it can be cold not only the air but the water

you can see the museum here

monday randoms....

2011-11-07T06:46:00.003-05:00

what if that asteroid comes a little closer than they are talking about? will bruce willis go drill for the nukes can blow it up?(yeah i have seen armageddon a little too much)

the warm air this morning really makes me want to go somewhere, to be alone for a while to get my thoughts together~i will just have to make being here and now work for that.

i have a stockpile of peanut butter, they are forecasting the cost will rise as much as 30% in the next month or so~and my husband considers peanut butter a daily staple in his life.

i was bad and let my fall mum plants die. although one is starting to bloom again, even though we have had a hard freeze already~weird.

i talk to my dog while i cook~i consider him my 'captive audience'

i got to see two of my very favorite customers at work this weekend(and if you are reading this you know who you are!)

i am going to try my hand at braised short ribs this week~i had them only once and they were heavenly

my husband's holiday work party is going to be pretty fancy this year~five bucks he wears jeans and some silly tshirt(insert eye roll here) oh my casual husband, we so need to shop

i am stressing out about what to put into my family's gift baskets, even though my wonderful co-worker said to me "do what you can, put in what you know they love and let it just be"~she is so wise.

yes, sometimes i let my phone go to voicemail~not often but sometimes i just have to....ugh

i would LOVE to make the entire thanksgiving dinner this year, but i will most likely get assigned the salad...once again.(but i will rock that salad like there is no tomorrow) still just once i would like to do this.

i got sucked into the whole kim kardashian wedding show, and honestly can relate to her 'getting caught up in it all and not knowing how to get out of it' ~i have been there and until you have you will not know the feeling. it's a horrible feeling and sometimes you really don't know what to do until it's too late. trust me, chug a lugging champagne alone in the bridal room wishing someone, anyone would come in and say 'is this really what you want to do' is sometimes the ONLY thing you want to hear(note:this was a mistake marriage~and now over~from years ago that i rarely talk about)

i love the series 'the walking dead', 'toddlers and tiaras', and 'days of our lives' i have been watching days off and on since 1972.

my sister is getting married this spring, and i am her matron of honor~i am still surprised she asked me to have such and important part of the wedding, i thought i would just be taking care of all the behind the scene stuff~however, very excited to be part of this fun event!

i have lost 15 pounds since the beginning of summer

i really want to go to disney world with my husband.

enjoy your monday everyone :)

i just cannot do it....

2011-11-04T22:41:00.003-04:00

i don't have it....i really don't

what you might ask...

the ability to please everyone.

all my life i have tried to make everyone happy

often times sacrificing my beliefs and wants

to make others happy

it has recently hit me like a ton of bricks

that i cannot do this

i am running around chasing my own tail so to speak

wanting to make everyone happy

and why...i have no idea

i really do not know when this started

or why

the only person you can make happy is yourself

time to make myself happy

perfect time for....

2011-11-03T10:20:00.002-04:00

i have had a very busy october

as you can see from the lack of posting

so many things going on, and mostly none doing personally with me

just things i had to be a part of or take care of

however, i am back now. in the land of blogging , thank goodness.

i was thinking the other day ~does anyone read this? who cares if i post or not?

then i realized, wait a minute i read it, and i care.

and in that thinking i realized that there is no perfect time for anything

as often one tends to think there should be.

there is only time, and you must make the best of it.

i have this composition book that i have started to make lists in

from short term to do , long term to do, christmas card lists, etc

it has helped

and i am giving myself timelines and so far sticking to them quite well.

the biggest thing i am having a hard time with is actually sleeping in my bed

i stay up to late and fall asleep watching tv.

and the dog is now spoiled with me being near him in the living room and wanders in the middle of the night if i am not in the living room on those rare occasions when i actually sleeping in the bed...and he then comes and makes little noises to wake me up...brat dog!

so tonight is the perfect night (haha get it perfect night) to try my new experiment....take one of his pet beds and put it on the floor next to my side of the bed.

that is just one of the things on my to do list for today....my imperfect day of doing the things

that are perfectly fine for me to do

art retreat project!

2011-10-19T18:56:00.003-04:00

this past weekend a group of talented folks got together to join lynn krawczyk in her new

class Remnants Collage.

this is mine.....

i have lots of little things i pick up here and there for future art projects

i went with one theme in mind and came up with another, which normally happens with me

some people brought tubs and tubs of fabric and goodies

i went a little more minimalistic on this one and brought just one little tote bag.

i am very happy with my results.

may i present "imperfect perfection"

for the above pieces i chose a compass and a cool little amber bottle filled with beads

we all need to focus these days and beading seems to be what i normally am

focused on

i was trying to find a quote from a book i was reading

and could not find the perfect one...then i was thinking

there is no perfect anything, except in our own minds

as what we perceive to be just that.

so i did this little embroidery on top of some hand-dyed silk velvet

attached some porcelain broken doll figures and another cool bottle

filled with fresh water pearls and tiny shells

a somewhat decent shot of the final project

all ready to hang

it's that time of year again

2011-10-06T17:22:00.002-04:00

fall weather has begun

time to put the pretty quilt on the bed

i made this quilt over about 4 years

from collecting all the pattern pieces ,

which was published bi-monthly then

now you can get the whole pattern for a heck of a lot cheaper

i collected fabrics for 3 years for this

mostly all batiks and hand dyed

happy birthday grandma

2011-10-02T02:14:00.005-04:00

this is my grandmother

my mom's mom

on the occasion of her 60th wedding anniversary

back in the late 80's

this is the anniversary of her birthday

103 years ago she came into this world

she was my mentor for so many things

she taught me to sew

to cook and clean

and garden

and love red rose tea

she knew when something was wrong

she always knew when something was right

she told me if i snuck too many cucumbers from the pickling mixture

i would get sick...and i did

and would give us kids a little dixie cup of sugar and her paring knife and let us have an amazingly lovely fresh snack of rhubarb from her garden

and made it seem perfectly normal that prunes and prune juice were ok to have

for a snack(i still like them too)

she had this funny habit of wrapping everyone's christmas gifts in various

food boxes for christmas, it was always a contest to see who could get the best gift in a cereal box

and the gifts we mostly always homemade

nightgowns being on the top of the list for us girls

flannel and warm

with that familar scent of powder that she used when you opened the box

and she made something for all us kids...all 30 plus of her grandkids and great grandkids

every spring the kids from the catholic school across the street

would use her statue of mary for may crowning

i loved that flower crown

and going to church with her

she let me sneak peeks at the brides when she was her church's caterer

showed me the value of keeping all your sewing supplies neat and organized

would sit with me in the dark of night on the back porch

listening to the crickets, while the ballgame would be in the background on the transistor

radio that grandpa was listening to

we would talk all the time about what was going to happen

on 'guiding light'

when that show ended it felt like i said goodbye to her all over again

she sent me a little book about being important and loved

when i was forbidden to go on my senior trip

i still have it

she would always sign her birthday and christmas cards to me with her last name

she always kept records in a spiral notebook

just like i do

she would always know things

unspoken understanding

unconditional love

i miss her

each and every day

happy birthday grandma

you have been gone for 18 years now

however,

i know you are still around

quietly observing

2011-09-27T22:49:00.002-04:00

i know i have been missing from this blog

busy with life and work, funny how those get in the way

when you let them

i have been around, just not much to say right now

but never fear i will be back

and yapping about something soon

in the meantime

i am quietly observing

life

family

friends

and

a host of other things

where were you?

2011-09-09T21:37:00.004-04:00

i remember growing up and adults always talking about where they were when

president kennedy was shot

when i was younger i thought , i wonder if anything like that will ever happen

in my lifetime where i will talk about where i was when something that monumental happened

then it did happen

the day the world changed

the day that everything we knew as normal was now not normal

the events of 9/11 touched nearly everyone in a different and unique way

the range of emotions i felt that day was incredible, as most were feeling the same i suspect too

from denial to grief to anger and fear

how could someone or someones plan such a horrible thing

it still baffles me

i don't talk about it much, i keep most of my feelings of this to myself

but i will say

i was in california, thousands of miles from my family and friends

working very early in the morning there.

i thought my boss was joking when he told me what happened.

people kept coming in to the store asking where our yellow ribbons were and flags

and i had one lady ask me why we did not have a section set up for this kind of thing

REALLY? no one plans for ribbons and flags to mark this kind of thing.

and all i could think of was, i want to go home.

not to my home in california.

no, to my home in michigan

to my family and friends

suddenly i knew i was not supposed to be where i was

it took me several months to finally make that happen

but i came home.

and it made it better.

questions

2011-09-02T07:21:00.002-04:00

so last night for some odd reason, my creative block seemed to melt away

i was suddenly flooded with lots of ideas for art quilts and some other creative ventures

i am very thankful for this

as most of the summer has been a total wasteland of just working and coming home

ignoring my sewing machine and all art supplies

that was starting to make me think of getting rid of what i love and that is a sure sign of

i need to get my butt in gear and think creatively again

so i have all these ideas now, written down because if i don't i simply will not remember them

ahhh the very late 40's are so fun for remembering things(but that's a whole other post)

well, now with all these ideas i am seeing a few styles that i tend to work in

one is whimsical, the other more realistic but with a twist to a whimsy side i think

does one have to remain loyal to one style ...like i mean ONLY one?

i know alot of people who do...and i know others who have a nice mix of a few styles

frankly i am driving myself a little nutty thinking i might have to stick with one style

and why am i thinking i HAVE to do this...jeesh i have no idea

so i guess if i had to i would describe my work as whimsical reality

what do you think?

cherry berry chiller

2011-09-02T00:53:00.004-04:00

have you tried this yet?

in a word

delish!

i stopped and got a small one today

and honestly the small was a perfect size

it has a great berry taste with the

hint of cherry that makes this

very yummy

try one today!

perhaps the best speech in a movie

2011-09-01T01:39:00.003-04:00

i love the movie jaws

it's no secret to anyone who really knows me

i don't know why this movie resonates with me so much

but it does

in my opinion i think the speech that the brilliant robert shaw

delivered about the true story of the sinking of the u.s.s. indianapolis

is one of the most memorable moments in a movie ever.

i read a few books about the actual sinking and the horrific ordeal

those men endured. it is not a pretty story, but it is a story that

needed to be told.

ironically i was never allowed to see jaws in the theater when i was younger

i did, however, finally see it on the big screen a few years ago

at our local movie theater that shows old and classic movies

and i was so excited...and still after all these years closed my eyes during the

same scene i always have and will keep my eyes closed.

but it was brilliant to see it on the big screen. it was magic.

it was jaws.

and heck yes i would love a chance to swim with sharks.

frightened of fritters

2011-08-28T19:30:00.004-04:00

so i have been wanting to make zucchini fritters for a while

the recipes looked easy enough

and i had the day off so i thought plenty of time to do this.

in actuality its a very quick thing to make...

however, sam was mocking me from his nap spot on the couch.

little turkey, he did come running as soon as they were done.

so first of all you take about 3 medium zucchini and shred them, put in a colander and sprinkle salt on them, let drain for about 10 minutes(you want most of the moisture out of the zucchini)

then put in a bowl with 1/2C flour, three scallions chopped fine, one egg, dash of pepper, and mix well. now i have to tell you at this point i thought i was doing something wrong as it looked like runny paste with green bits...but it was right..
then you place into a hot frying pan with a small amount of oil, cook until brown on each side

about 3 minutes or so
look at all that yummy brown goodness!

take out of the pan and place onto a paper towel to absorb any oil.

and that's it.

seriously.

simple and delicious.

why was i so scared to try these? i am thinking of next time adding some carrots to them!

looking forward to....

2011-08-28T14:54:00.005-04:00

i am looking forward to seeing what this healthy living is going to keep doing to and for me

so far 8 pounds down this month, finding i am no longer looking at food the way i always have

and craving good whole food.

i am discovering i do not really like chocolate!

soon the holidays will be here and i hope to be very busy creating things for my customers!

i am looking forward to making my bedroom and more inviting place

somewhat of a tranquil retreat

right now it is really not feeling that way

i need to make some pretty accessories and a new quilt for the bed it think

helping my sister with her wedding plans

celebrating my two year anniversary with my husband

finding grey nail polish

i do believe that will be my color of the season

speaking of seasons...fall is my favorite

harvest times, cider mills, halloween...

foggy mornings with the season change

and fresh yummy apples!

pulled pork, homemade pickles and an important question!

2011-08-20T17:33:00.002-04:00

here in the detroit area it is that time of year again for the annual woodward dream cruise

where all sorts of car enthusiasts come out to parade up and down woodward avenue

the town where my sister and her boyfriend live in has their parade on friday night , and she always has a party to celebrate it....

last night on the menu:

pulled chicken and pulled pork

10 different bbq's sauces they made themselves

several different pickles they also made themselves

some amazing mac n cheese

coleslaw, baked beans, a yummy watermelon salad

and for dessert an assortment of ice cream sandwiches to die for!

one of her clients she has also loaned her a very awesome slushy machine!

there was margarita for the adults

and raspberry/kiwi for the kids (i had that one)

you know they are serious foodies if they make their own pickles and bbq sauce!

and then...towards the end of the night...he got down on one knee and popped the big question we had all been waiting for.....

and she said yes!

let the planning begin!!!

congratulations marsha and kevin

great party and great start to a wonderful life together!

well i did it...

2011-08-13T19:18:00.003-04:00

now my garbage cans are full!

i cleaned the spare room, the kitchen cabinet of doom

and produced 6 bags of trash

honestly ....i have no idea why i was hanging onto some of the stuff i had

out it goes. out, out, out.

this feels good.

now i have more room for pantry stock, i have a small cabinet i keep things in and needed more room for stocking up for the winter months.

i have found my silks...small pieces for crazy quilting

found a cool christmas wallhanging i forgot about

and speaking of christmas, i now have a shelf for holiday stuff

and the cool chest of drawers i got from my friend liz's garage sale a few years ago

is now organized ~

gift giving drawer, polymer clay drawer, scarf drawer, holiday supply drawer and so on

so cathartic to do this. i have been holding onto some of these things for years

now its time to let them go

and the things they represented...

ahhhhh

a normal day off....

2011-08-12T21:49:00.004-04:00

so another week that the hubby and i have the same day off, just today

tomorrow is all mine...and cleaning day

so today we did what we do...wandered....

and watched 'days of our lives', mark just would not believe me that maggie survived her shooting...silly man they aren't getting rid of her. others yes but not maggie.

we went to 'just baked' and picked up two cupcakes for dessert later

i highly recommend the fat elvis~banana cake with a dollup of peanut butter then dipped in chocolate ganache. mark got their cupcake version of a snowcap.

when i asked how it was, he grinned with chocolate all over his face like a toddler.

i guess that was a good selection for him!

we hit up the market where i did get the last loaf of hillbilly bread

i love this bread. i love bread....but this one in particular is delish.

when i got home i found my necklace i won from lisa leonard designs had arrived!

i picked out this one with our names and wedding date on it

beside the ring bearer pillow we had made this is the only thing i have with our wedding date on it...she is super talented and i love all her stuff she makes

(click on her name to get to her website)

oh and these coupons were waiting in our mailbox for us too

mark was very excited about these

and well here he is

jimmy hendrix was playing at the place we had lunch

foxy lady

he had to do the wayne's world version of it

so silly.

he won our dog sammy a stuffed elephant at the crane game

sam doesn't play with toys

i never see him move them, but mysteriously they appear where he is

after we got home we found elly(we named the elephant)

under sam's paw on his bed while he took a nap.

we also took a little drive

mark had called me yesterday exclaiming i HAD to go check out a garage sale that had a shimmery pink christmas tree for sale at it.

of course i chose to stay home and finish reading "the help" and not go in search of a tacky but intriguing tree.

the sale was apparently just yesterday.

dang it.

i told my sister this and she said that we were trying to put the trash into white trash

i told her no we are putting the tres into trailor

hahaha

anyway on our little drive we happened upon this interesting looking house

so cool looking...it's for sale too!

we did enjoy those cupcakes later tonight

after our pizza dinner.

yum.

tomorrow's post...what i threw out

and how much room i made in the spare bedroom!

i want to hang this sign in my yard....

2011-08-11T23:32:00.003-04:00

honestly i do want to hang this sign in my yard

i live in an average mobile home park

homes are close to each other

but i do have a decent size yard

and the neighbors are nice , for the most part

sure we have the weird guy next door who likes to sit outside

with his tv dinner, on his dining room chair in his shorts (yes that are torn in many areas eww), no shirt(and he needs to wear one), talking to himself and his trees....yes this is going to be another post because he is just too much

and you will see why when i make that post.

and the guys on the corner who are never home and very quiet

which is a great change, the guy who used to live there would play his music so loud it would

shake pictures off of my wall, and i could not hear my tv that i was sitting 5 feet away from.

but i have to tell you

the one across the street

nice lady...lovely in fact

is waiting for me

every time i walk outside the door

every time i walk the dog

every time i come home from work

my husband doesn't even come out and see me as much as she does.

i get it, she is bored.

she quit her job

she just has her and her dog

who is a buddy for my dog

and she does let me use her washer and dryer on occasion

but i am feeling like a prisoner in my own home

the weather is getting much nicer out

i want to sit outside...have dinner outside

weed the garden without disturbance.

i don't want to be mean or rude

but seriously i am finding it hard to find a

nice way to say i just want to be alone right now.

any suggestions?

the problem is.....

2011-08-10T19:16:00.002-04:00

the problem is with changing gears and having your creative venture and life venture go in a way

that it is currently not in....is that you find yourself with LOTS of things you just simply do not need anymore.

do you ever find yourself with piles of stuff people have given you because they thought it would help your art....or they thought you could make something out of it because they could not bear to throw it in the trash?

good lord i have lots of this right now

i am all for re- purposing something and making it work, but there just comes a time where you cannot do a thing with what is before you.

this is not to say i am not grateful to the little goodies that have been given to me, i have used lots of them. however, i must keep in mind~this was going to go in their trash bin at some point too...so do not feel BAD if you now want to toss it into the great waste basket in the corner of the room.....just do it.

so yep...as i go through things here at the house, and quite frankly in my head...out things go

i do not need to hang onto those oh-so-interesting severed doll parts, the many items in that mysterious box in the closet that holds things from eyeglass holders to labels from bottles.

out you go mystery box...you served your purpose, now that time is over...

ahhh this feels so good!

from my head to my note pad....

2011-08-07T21:26:00.002-04:00

do you ever have one of those really really long periods of time

where you feel you are in a creative rut so big that it is indeed the

size of the grand canyon?

well, yes that is where i have been for months now

but in a brief message from my friend kristy one day

where i was talking about my rut i was in and that i felt i was

on the verge of something good but just could not get there

she told me "write it down"

simple right?

i mean really , just write it down.

so i did.

and the ideas are starting to trickle...and almost flow.

write it down

if you write it...the ideas do come.

thank you kristy!

first pickings

2011-08-02T09:39:00.002-04:00

YUMMY!

the first pickings of the tomatoes are here

i have them growing in a container with sugar snap peas and dill

the dill never made it up this year, but the peas never make it in the house

so good right off the vines

i think a tasty salad just might be in order tonight

for supper

my debt ceiling is leaky

2011-08-01T23:24:00.003-04:00

have you ever watched suze orman and gotten totally freaked out? i do...i know i know stop watching but seriously she has some good points. and i must take some of the points and put them to good use now.

time to start good habits and break the old ones.

ok so tonight i thought, you know that husband of yours is going to loose the overtime

he has been able to get most of the summer.....you better start to buckle down again.

well, yeah. let me tell you. i took all of his bills, added them up~did not have a heart attack(i should have though) then compared our monthly expenses with that...added all that up.

can i just say i WAS about to have an anxiety attack before i added all the numbers up, i am not going to now. oh trust me, i should. but it is a do-able fix on all this.

he is not going to open anymore credit lines, i have warned him too much debt looks bad on a credit report too, i should know. i am trying to make at least $10 over the amounts due if not double when i can.

it's not going to be easy. at all.

however, i know i can do this, and get it all taken care of.

thank goodness i am used to this type of thriftiness that i am about to venture into again.

i don't like it, but i am used to it.

i can make a dollar stretch to it's limits.

we don't go on trips, even though we are supposed to this fall with the whole family, that might have to be shelved for us...time will tell.

we never buy anything too extravagant.

this running to the drive thru cos i am too tired and hot to cook is stopping immediately, i love to cook and do it well, i need to start doing this again,,,even though it is truly hellish temperatures lately...but we have a grill and i am pretty handy at that thing.

time to buckle down again, while we have still some time to save a bit before things get really tight again.

don't get me wrong we are not destitute or anything like that, i just know it's time to patch our leaky debt ceiling...

be careful when buying shimmery tulle

2011-07-31T08:52:00.004-04:00

ok , so yesterday my mom and sister and i went to a very nice fabric store

we were in the bridal section just poking around, let me tell you they have some NICE stuff

they were just rolling a new piece that was a whopping $209 per yard

it was beautiful, so shimmery and pretty

the sales lady who was assigned to that area was very nice and helping everyone

we were just browsing around

all was good

until

i saw some shimmery tulle that i was telling my sister about and i DARED to take it from the bottom of the cutting table

suddenly a lady none of us had ever seen comes rushing over and grabs it out of my hand

telling me that they do NOT like customers to just feel free to take whatever they want, the proceeded to put it on the cutting table with her hand on it , as if it was going to run away.

i told her "well, i am so very sorry i touched this tulle, i really WAS going to purchase some"

then she vanished. like the fabric shops own little security fairy.

the girl assigned to the area gave me an apologetic look

i wanted to find the security fairy and tell her to relax it was only $2.50 a yard.

there didn't seem to be a problem when we were looking at the $209 a yard stuff.

RELAX little security lady...your shimmery tulle is safe once again.

keep cool!

2011-07-23T21:56:00.001-04:00

indeed the dog days of summer are upon us here in metro detroit

with record temp's being set this past week

i thought it only fitting that i post this photo

taken a few years ago

outside on of my favorite antique stores in february

keep cool and hydrate!

hello? cable guys?

2011-07-23T07:05:00.002-04:00

i know i have used this image before i love it!

so the other day my neighbor brought over

a new tower computer he built for me

and we were hooking it up to the net

"hit the reset button on the router"

he said

ZAP

nothing will go online

grrr

i called my handy dandy cable guys

routed of course through some third world nation first

then i finally get to talk to the guys a mere 8 miles from me

of course, at 8:45pm i will have to wait until the morning to have someone

actually talk me through it.

which actually turned into after 6pm as i had to work

BUT

within 10 minutes the laptop is back online

the tower unit though not quite yet.

possibly a router issue.

i will have the cable guys check it out.

i am back online now.

and blogging once again.

perhaps its time for a summer heat bracelet giveaway??!!

randoms....

2011-07-20T17:27:00.007-04:00

i would LOVE to have this little sectional couch and ottoman

it is pricey...way pricey but darn if it isn't the perfect size for my living room!

seriously awesome cake

i love how they frosted this one...i have to learn how to do this one!

when i can, i love to give gift baskets

of friends and loved ones favorite things

this christmas i think that is going to be my theme for

gift giving!

i would love to have a girl's weekend

i really have never had one that i can recall

sure there have been art retreats

but to have a weekend when all you do is relax with a bunch of close friends

that would be so awesome

i would really really love to have this arbor

doesn't it look so inviting?

and you know what, it's a pretty simple design actually

hmmm maybe i will build this!

i so want to be in a show of my art work

however, after looking over my quilts and things i have made

i find i have nothing consistant

or what i would put in a show other than a few things

i think the previous post about choosing a new path is really going to effect my art

in a good way. i need to pick what i like and just do it.

i am obsessed with tablescapes!

i love reading susan's blog between naps on the porch

click here

to check out all her awesome ideas

the funny thing about being obsessed with this is

i do not have a dining room table

i have an outdoor one i just got and love

and my only dishes i have are the ones i got at my wedding shower

and they are currently breaking

time to look for some nice dishes

is this not the coolest color of nail polish?

i love to read kenlie's blog and she is always posting what color

she has on.

click here for her blog.

in september, my husband and i will be celebrating our

2nd wedding anniversary

2 year is cotton

i think some nice sheets and making the bedroom more of a sanctuary is in order!

the path you choose

2011-07-19T23:28:00.002-04:00

everyday you are faced with choices

decisions to be made

i have always tried to stay sort of behind the scenes

lending a helping hand to others where i can

even important events in my life

i was more concerned if someone might or might not like what i choose

instead of making the decision that i wanted to

always worried about what someone would think

if i actually did choose the things i really wanted

this is not to say i never choose what i want

i do

just not alot

why? i think it has something to do with my upbringing

i was always taught to help others out, and put my needs aside

to help others

i still do this

to a point

there are times now where i am learning to say no

letting others figure things out on their own

finding out that my opinion counts and i am going to voice it

not in a bad way, but in a more self-assured way

that i admire in so many people

i feel a change coming on

a big change

something good

something great actually

in my art

in my life

i have the next two days off

this is going to be just what i need to map out my plan

so i invite you all to walk the path with me

onto some wonderful things!

etsy site is open for business!

2011-07-18T09:22:00.003-04:00

well, after much time

and frankly procrastination on my part

i have re-opened my etsy site

check it out for lots of pretty things

i have been making

click here and it will take you there!

adventure day

2011-07-16T08:15:00.002-04:00

this is the happy face we see when we come home

our sammy

my husband and i used to go on 'adventure days'

just get in the car and go

well, with gas prices so high and no air conditioning in the car

and it is mid-july

our day wasn't that far this time

even though we did drive around not being able to decide what to do

we even stumbled across a festival not too far away

but after driving around for 20 minutes to find a parking spot we left

however, on the way towards home and eventual lunch

we went to the yummy italian market and picked up some sub buns

let me tell you these are amazing

and now my house still smells like fresh baked bread!

and we could possibly be the only two people in the free world who have never

tried nutella, so we got a little jar of that too

then it was time

for the shake

an m&m shake at steak and shake

haha he used to look at me this way

(he still does but jeesh a gal could get a complex)

for me, i had a diet coke with a shot of cherry syrup

and what else did we do you ask?

came home vegged out in the air conditioning

made meatball subs for dinner and called it a night!

i feel like i owe a thank you....

2011-07-15T00:36:00.002-04:00

a thank you to everyone who reads my blog

so much is going on right now

work is very busy

sadly, not leaving me time for creating

or blogging

or anything really

but i have decided it is time to prioritize

there is no need for me to eat, breath and sleep work

it is, however, necessary for me to devote more time

for me and my art work

so thank you if you kept checking in here

in my absence

i am challenging myself to post everyday now

someone poke me if i fall behind ok??

a new shoe review!

2011-06-30T00:09:00.003-04:00

fitflops have found their way into my heart

check them out

FITFLOPS

i have pretty severe plantar fasciitis in my left foot

so i am always on the look out for good shoes

a few weeks ago i bought a pair of z-coils

i cannot say enough good about them

it was like putting on new feet!

well, while i was at the shop i saw these cute red leather sandals

i HAD to get them, this was even before i put them on

once i slipped my foot into them i was in love.

they have just the right support on your foot

and the way they comfort your feet is amazing.

so thank you for some bracelet sales...i have some new shoes :)

ahhh no more dog smell

2011-06-22T22:21:00.003-04:00

i have a dog

however, i do not want my house to smell like i have a dog

i cannot stand the stinky smell of lazy dog...and trust me i have a lazy dog

i found this carpet freshener from glade and it is amazing!

no more old dog stink

it is fresh smelling and works very well

plus it keeps your vacuum bag smelling good too

try it!

happy father's day

2011-06-19T09:42:00.002-04:00

happy father's day

to my dad

you are the rock of the family

always there to listen

and to give advice

if we want it or not

you taught me how to do so much

listen to others

have a strong opinion

use a level and drill

and have a strange ability to make things

just by looking at them

i might not have always been the easiest

of your children to raise or understand

but time works in mysterious ways

and we are more alike now than ever i feel

thank you for your sense of humor

your ability to know when to keep my mouth shut

the knowledge of most handyman skills

and how to properly grill a steak

happy father's day dad

i love you

xoxo

(photo is of my husband and my dad on my wedding day)

dear mr rainn wilson....

2011-06-16T13:39:00.005-04:00

dear mr. rainn wilson,

i have been a fan of yours for quite some time now.

however, your recent comment on your twitter page

that "Vancouver is now the Detroit of Canada."

that cuts a bit, mr. wilson.

do you know that the riots from the '84 tigers was 27 years ago?

and the riots of '67 ...well i am certain you know your math, but just in case that would be 44 years ago.

we are a proud city, trying daily to struggle through lifes tragedies and triumphs,

as most cities are.

we bounce back, sometimes quickly ~other times not so quick from tough times

but we do bounce back

there are so many wonderful things about detroit, and thanks to people like you

most times we are remembered for the bad things

not remembered for the good.

perhaps you should rephrase your "tweet"

and learn a little about the motor city and all it has to offer

take in a tiger game, come enjoy our fabulous restaurants

our opera house is amazing, as well as dozens of other venues

with world class entertainment, and so much more too numerous to mention here

on this little blog.

and in case you did not know this (i suspect you do, however)

many of your fellow actors like our city quite well, and as far

as i know , there has not been a riot in their presence at all.

thank you.

be still my heart

2011-06-02T20:43:00.002-04:00

is this not the coolest organizer ever?

i have seen them smaller for scrapbooking supplies

but this is

AWESOME!

oh the organizing i can do with this..

buttons, beads, ribbon,

patterns, fabrics, projects waiting patiently to be made

be still my heart.

you can find this and MUCH more here http://www.clipitup.com

summertime fun!

2011-05-28T07:59:00.003-04:00

yes !!!!!

i will make this shark melon at some point this summer

you are forewarned!

5

2011-05-27T08:17:00.003-04:00

so yesterday, my husband and i did something we rarely do anymore

we went on a date!

what does the number 5 have to do with that? i will get to that in a minute or two....

while enjoying a delish lunch at baja fresh we talked about how much rain we have had here in metro detroit...trust me its been alot. thankfully, none of the terrible and deadly tornadoes that are happening so we have to count our blessings there!

we visited pier one...i love that store and haven't been in there in a while

its always interesting to me to see his taste in things vs. mine and still we are pretty on target

with liking the same things.

i am in search of some decent outdoor dinner plates and such. they did have some awesome red check plates with black ants painting on them, but they were dessert size and ceramic. i think plastic is in order for this year.

the highlight of the day was going to the movies!

a real grown up movie~you know as opposed to an "adult" movie haha

we saw the new pirates of the caribbean movie!!!!

i loved it...so much better than #3 and i think perhaps my favorite of all

and you just know there will be another one

they left a few story lines open ...if you go STAY until after the credits :)

while we were there we noticed the poster for the new disney 'cars 2' movie

that was our first date 5 years ago!

and its being released nearly 5 years to the day of our first date ...how cool is that!

so yes we will be going to see that

to celebrate 5 years together....

sure there have been up's and down's...mostly up's which is good...very good!

there has been new jobs

making a house a home

having a little addition to our family~our beagle sam

a wedding~people are still talking about how much fun that one was!

our fun honeymoon, yes with the dog....he needed to see mackinac island and the cabin too!

learning from each other

laughing nearly all the time

making up silly songs about nearly everyone we know

talking things through...yeah sometimes this doesn't always happen..ahem

looking forward to many more 5 years to celebrate.....

what have you celebrated lately?

book review time

2011-05-26T04:24:00.002-04:00

i bought this book last summer

and finally started reading it this past month

as said in the previous post ~loser i know right?

i must say i love joe coomer

if you have never read any of his books

treat yourself to a book of his

they are not sicky sweet

nor a huge love story

more like a life story

they are books that leave you wanting more

wanting to know what happened next

that's how it is with 'one vacant chair'

it tells a story about a family who deals with the death of a grandmother

initially...but then as you read further you discover

the life of a cafeteria worker who devoted her life to her ailing mother

and her niece, just separated from her husband wanting to forgive him for cheating

but cannot

their journey together to spread ashes i not only a therapeutic one for both ladies

but a realization that life is not always as it appears

when i finished this book i felt so relieved for one of them...

wanting more from the other

i won't give away what happens, though

it is so worth the read!

what is frustrating is that joe coomer books are hard to find

at traditional book stores, amazon is your best bet to find him

i started out with 'beachcombing for a shipwrecked god'

and that got me hooked!

and i totally blame my friend martha for this

she introduced me to his books several years ago

thank you martha

xoxox

finally back!

2011-05-26T04:19:00.002-04:00

well blog readers i am finally back!

i wasn't gone really , still at my computer

checking emails and such , however it appears that blogger had some updates

and was no longer compatible with internet explorer, which of course i did not know

until i finally posted to a comment on facebook to a blog i read

so i updated to google chrome and viola! it works now!!!

beware i have nearly a month of stuff stored up to talk about

PLUS new art work i have actually been able to get done~very happy about this one

it's amazing how fast your day can go and time slip away after finally being back at work after 18 months of not working a traditional job!

hope all is well with everyone who reads my blog

random tuesday

2011-05-10T11:59:00.003-04:00

this little sign was from my folks last year for my birthday, dad picked it out

all the black lettering is gone now from the weather i like it tone on tone like this

it sits on my refinished desk now.

and the straus family creamery jar, is from a market in california~very yummy chocolate milk!

wavy petunia's now hang off the porch overhang, scored a deal at home depot

only $5.99 each!

i bought this book last summer...just now reading it.

loser i know

made the hubby some geniune sun tea
it makes him happy

finally done with a pretty little knitted blanket for

a sweet little baby in florida

and finally done with my curb rescued desk!

i love it, so nice to sit at outside and work

sam is deep in thought

emmett came for a visit yesterday

deep in thought here too

or plotting a coup

one of "those" weeks....

2011-05-07T00:31:00.003-04:00

you know the kind right?

the kind where you experience every emotion

ever known to mankind

yep, that has been my week

my past few weeks actually

our dear friend annie lost her battle with cancer

and the emotional farewell took place

tuesday

my husband had a horrible week at work

and decided to use me as his not so kind sounding board

which caused me to hang up the phone on him the other day

he has since apologized profusely to me for his outburst

the fundraiser banquet that i was doing the centerpieces for

turned out great!

unfortunately, one of my aunt's became ill and had to be taken

to the hospital

mom rode along in the ambulance

dad and i stayed behind to finish off the evening

good thing too, he and i both one different overnight stays at hotels

and other goodies

and my aunt is doing better, just keeping her in there to

keep an eye on her heart.

today my husband and i decided we needed the day for just us

so a lunch out that did not involve ordering off a menu board

or handed to us in a paper bag

we then headed to plymouth for the bead shop and tea shop

little did we know it was the beginning of the "green" street fair!

what fun!!!

we saw lots of cool things, getting ideas for future gifts

he got to sit in the new 2012 ford focus which made him very happy

picked up the tea we like and some beads i needed too

so, now that all my previous commitments are done and over

thank the good lord

i can get back to the artwork at hand

which i did just that this evening

finally finishing a baby blanket i was knitting for my dear friends april and erich's

baby macie noel

now i get to start another for baby nora, the newest addition to my best friend rita's clan

and of course back to a quilt and more bracelets!

i am back to blogging on a regular basis now!

just one of the tables i did for last night's dinner

and now she rests

2011-05-02T21:55:00.001-04:00

our dear annie has lost her long battle with cancer

may she find peace with the angels in heaven

watch over me annie, you always knew what was best

i shall miss you

xoxo

busy week!

2011-04-23T07:42:00.002-04:00

when i found myself with a spare minute or two i tried to finish

knitting a baby blanket for my dear friends in florida

however, the dog is jealous of the yarn(weirdo dog)

and likes to flail himself upon the projects of the moment.

working on the centerpieces for a fundraisers in may

not bad for dollar store items

i had a decent budget and i am making it stretch as much as i can!

finally finished a cute baby quilt for a customer of mine

i love the way this turned out

i had made one previous for her just in black and white

with a big red heart in the middle

but i really like how this one came out

and oh yeah, we had snow on monday

and since then rain and thunderstorms

mother nature is angry these days

treasures from the past

2011-04-17T07:48:00.003-04:00

while at my parent's the other day

unearthing things for my mom, she had me go through some cookbooks

to see which ones i wanted.

well of course i wanted my old nancy drew cookbook!

after all, it holds the clues to good cooking

they recently had some work done to their roof

which was needed to fix a leak that dripped onto the shelf that held some old

teapots and vases.

mom gave me this little pitcher

cute isn't it?

i remember my grandma using them at the church hall

she and my grandpa catered at.

i will treasure it, and serve lemonade this summer out of it

clean sweep

2011-04-16T00:02:00.002-04:00

i woke up an hour after i fell asleep tonight

why you ask?

who knows, but the first thing that came to my mind was

girl, you need to sweep the kitchen floor and vaccuum

who thinks that first thing when waking up

and an hour after you fall asleep

a little o.c.d. sneaking in i see

i have been so busy trying to get things done

it seems i have left some things around the house slip out of my hands

and i don't like to do that.

i live in a small mobile home, and when something is out of place

or not done...oh boy i can tell.

i might just have to sweep that floor before i go back to sleep again.

that is, if i can sleep......

wish me well!

they take my breath away

2011-04-12T10:47:00.004-04:00

i am not a shoe hound... in fact i think i have maybe six pair, three of which are tennis shoes... two that could pass as dress shoes... and a pair of soloman hiking boots

but good lordy when i saw these online i nearly squealed with glee aren't they cute as heck?

i want them! everyone tells me how comfy doc martin's are too...

this might be a save my pennies kind of thing for sure

inspiration

2011-04-08T06:11:00.003-04:00

i know this place like the back of my hand

the excitement on peoples faces when they step off the ferry

onto the island

first time visitors anxious to see everything they can

the returning ones knowing the magic this island holds

and smiling, as if to greet an old friend

the gentle clip clop of the horses as they go by

the whir of bicycles

strollers of happy babies with their parents and siblings enjoying the sun

the sweet scent of fudge wandering through the air

flowers in bloom

at night gentle guitar music coming from the park

as you walk by discovering a whole different island at night

crickets softly singing to you as you drift off to sleep

with the windows open and the curtains dancing in the wind

waving goodnight to you

as you dream of tomorrow and what you might discover

the history that the island holds

famous movies filmed here

private memories held dear

everyone has their own special story

about this place and what it means to them

and sometimes we keep some of those

so close to our heart

only we visit them

mackinac island is a constant source of inspiration for me

i am currently developing a series of art quilts

based on my photo's from visits to this fantastic place.

i don't know if i will meet my first deadline

and if i don't , that just means it's meant to wait

until the time is right

happy birthday nora

2011-04-06T17:33:00.004-04:00

on a quiet spring morning

you came into the world

loved by so many

now completing a family

it is said

that when God wants something

special done

he sends a baby

and then

he waits

i cannot wait to see

what a lovely young lady

you will become

welcome to the world

little nora

congratulations to the entire clarke family

on their new member

xoxo

they joyously rang the bell

2011-04-05T21:32:00.004-04:00

i was a guest at a lovely wedding this past weekend

abbie was a beautiful bride

will was a handsome groom

the vows were renewed in an old chapel

close friends and family attended

this intimate part of the wedding

this is a girl who i have known since the day she was born

i have watched her grow into a stunning woman

so grateful that i was a part of their special day

love and much happiness to you

abbie and will

xoxo

crack in the box.....

2011-04-04T07:15:00.003-04:00

do you ever see this package in the notions area of your local (or not so local anymore) fabric store and wonder ...what the HECK is that? well....let me tell you it's the best thing i have ever found to condition your thread it's thread heaven my friend lynn calls it my personal crack. and it is. i have at least 4 boxes of it around on my design table, i finally tossed my very first one i got over 5 years ago. there was still some left but it was dirty and, well, i felt it was time to put it out of its misery. the thing that is so nice about this is, it conditions your thread like beeswax does without leaving the residue that wax does. it does not change the color of your thread or fabric, and whatever is in there feels good on your fingers too. i use it for all my hand sewing and beading and it works on all threads which is awesome! so now you know what the heck is in that little blue box

the constant change

2011-04-01T04:18:00.003-04:00

you know the old adage?

nothing is constant but change.

it's true

we are not the same people we were years ago, or even last week

sure there are parts of us that remain the same

but each and every day something happens

that moves and forms us to change

it could be something as simple as the snow finally going away

or suddenly coming back

or making a child smile when they are upset

or it could be a death of a loved one

a birth of a new child

a marriage of two souls

or the ending of a union

change....it's everywhere

and it's with everything

so i have this basket.....

2011-03-28T00:31:00.002-04:00

kinda cool shape...a bunch of bath product came in it that i won at a bridal shower. i thought well heck, lets line it and use it for something fun. i knew i wanted some sort of feet on the bottom, so i used big wooden buttons i had. poked holes with an awl and the buttons are tied inside with dmc floss, all 6 strands and the buttons do have a dab of hot glue on them too for extra security.

you can see the holes and tying going on here on the inside bottom. i had a very heavy piece of cardboard that i cut to size to give it a bit more stability inside , and tied the buttons to the cardboard.

next i cut 4 layers of batting for the inside bottom for cushion

using a dabble of hot glue between the two layers to secure them

what i used to line this was simply a long rectangle of fabric that i hemmed on the edges

found the center and worked out to the edges from there

the flaps and inner lining parts are secured down with hot glue also

then using the same wooden buttons as i used on the bottom i secured those to the flaps for a little added look to it.

now it's ready for yarn, or magazines, or a plant inside, or for whatever i find a use for it!

grabaroo glove review

2011-03-26T06:01:00.004-04:00

sounds like a song right?

nope just the greatest gloves i have ever found for sewing

i have tried some that i got from my machine dealer

basically some heavy cotton knit gloves with gripper dots on them

which are really warm when you wear them for more than ten minutes

i then tried out 'machingers' quilting gloves

those were nice, kind of a nice hand massage feeling while you wore them

however, they never really fit around your fingers too well which i found annoying

they got warm after a while too, and i feel that the wrist elastic

should have lasted more than six uses.

i will use these for an emergency back up pair.

then i found THE glove.

grabaroos!

these gloves are amazing, not only do they have the perfect gripe

for free motion sewing (and i do a ton of that)

they are lightweight, very breathable,

my hands do not get hot wearing them at all

the wrist elastic is holding up just fine

and it is pretty easy to change out the bobbins with these on

not a good feature in the others

check out their site, they make them for more than sewing needs

check out your local quilt shop for them or get them from their site

i got mine at guildcrafters in berkley ,michigan

how i spent my weekend....

2011-03-20T23:46:00.003-04:00

this weekend the art group i am in had it's annual retreat
most times we meet more into the winter but we decided on this weekend a while ago
and i am so glad we did~the snow was all gone, we got to see the super moon, and enjoy the spring air

and lots of creating....

of course i worked on some orders for my bracelets and stock to sell

this jar was nearly empty before i got a surprise package from my dear friend , tracy.
her and her mom had cleaned out their bead stash and gifted me with lots of treasures!

it's the jar i toss miss matched, limited amounts of and orphan beads...

i love pouring it out to see what treasures i can find...its amazing what shows up there!

these are some of the pretty ones i finished this weekend...

for the life of me i have no idea why i forgot all my black, white and crystal beads....i started on the orange one reallllllly late saturday night...

and finished it sunday morning....new bracelet pictures will be up soon...lots of creating to do this week!

time for spring cleaning!

2011-03-08T02:28:00.002-05:00

spring is quickly approaching!

i am very excited about this, for many reasons really

i have decided to clean up my facebook page a bit, my personal and fan page, i know this will take a little bit of time but i will get it together

i am going to be adding pages to this blog, and get the things together for my website to finally get done

my etsy shop is in need of a makeover, and frankly i am trying to decide if i want to continue it. never having one sale through there, makes me wonder if i want to keep it or not. most likely i will , i just need to concentrate on marketing myself more

now in the real world.....

at some point this summer i am sure we will be putting new carpet in here, however, until my dog gets used to me working again and stops leaving me little evidence of his protesting me being gone i will keep cleaning this ugly blue carpet. poor dog, i spoiled him by being with him nearly 24/7 for the past 18 months!

time to clean up the spare bedroom, get rid of things i have not used in 6 months or more. i like to stick to that rule: if i have not used it in the past 6 months or am going to use it...out it MUST go.

the living room is a bit out of hand right now, i have piles of magazines and books sitting around. and yarns, and bags, and stuff. i have a tiny mobile home this is bugging me that its messy.

kitchen...oh lord the kitchen. mostly its all good, however i have an issue with the fridge, clean that out and wash. i like to do that at least every 4 months. the lazy susan cabinet is gross...i have lots of little things on the bottom shelf that need to GO....like the cheap stand mixer we won at a holiday party that i hate...the chopper someone gave me for a shower gift that broke after one use....oh it goes on and on under there.

and really is there a good storage space for pizza stones...where am i going to put that and the stoneware jelly roll pan i just HAD to have from pampered chef. i think i have used the jelly roll pan NEVER in three years. gads.

lots more little things inside but i will not bore you with that...

now onto the great outdoors....

porch cleanup started last week when we had some warm weather, the pile of leaves finally unthawed behind the grill, swept and tossed out most of the boxes that i just toss out there. i have two cool shelves that i rescued from the trash that i have to paint and hang, along with finally finishing the desk i started to redo last year, i do have to hunt down one more knob for the drawers of course only one i need and they discontinued them at home depot. figures.

garden planning is in my mind...that needs to get down on paper and get some seeds going, hence why that spare room needs cleaning i will start seeds in there and get a jump on things.

remember last summer when i posted about unearthing the patio stones? yep those suckers are going to be dug up, put pea gravel down and then place the stones back in. i am thinking that will be very pretty.

i have a few more things in mind for outside, and it will happen for sure. everything takes a bit of time. and well all the snow needs to GO AWAY for good for most of it to happen.

find art in everyday things

2011-03-06T01:47:00.000-05:00

we have a winner!!!!

2011-03-04T18:10:00.002-05:00

congratulations to:

robin!!!!

hey robin, you are the winner of a bracelet of your choice of colors

made just for you!

congrats!!!!

thank you to each and every one of you for your comments

and to keep the celebration going for this month

and that spring is coming

all bracelets are on sale this month for only

$45!!!!!

that includes shipping....a savings of $10!

email me at turtlecreekquilts@yahoo.com

or contact me via facebook for ordering!

thanks again everyone!

xoxox

mary

happy 1 year blogiversary!

2011-02-28T15:53:00.004-05:00

well chickens

it's been a whole year here at blogspot for me!

i know my blog is read...i have over 4000 hits on the counter

even though i don't get a whole lot of comments.

lurkers are fine...encouraged even.

however

today

you might not want to lurk!

to celebrate my one year anniversary

i am going to giveaway a fabulous bracelet of your choice of colors

yep thats right a give away!!!!

what do you need to do you ask?

just leave me a comment

(make sure your contact information is on there when you do,

so i know how to get ahold of you!)

tell me your favorite movie ever...

ready?

go post!

and good luck everyone!

xo, mary

(winner will be drawn at random on march 4th!!!!)

altered book

2011-02-22T21:29:00.003-05:00

it's still a work in progress....started a while ago.
you know those projects you start and cannot finish, because it hasn't ended yet?
this is one of those projects.

taking an average book, gluing pages together to form thick ones, sewing, binding, painting and a whole lot more things to make this my book.

it's been a fun project so far, and honestly it was shoved in the back of my art shelf for a long time.
i think it's time to start working on it again.

it's time.

this page is a salute to books. i love them. i always wanted to have my name on the summer reading list of the kids who read 20 or more during the hot and humid months. i got close a few years. i am always on the hunt for a good book.

ah my baseball page....i love jim edmonds. he just retired. i have my memories of him playing.
i saw him play in st. louis, detroit and chicago....i will miss him.

this is part of my family page. my grandparent's wedding photo, a real pressed pansy inside the spyglass i picked at my mom's house. grandma loved pansies.....they are missed every single day.

this is the last page of the book...so not finished as you can see. an altoids tin glued into a cubby hole of pages...waiting to hold a treasure...pages waiting to be painted and journal on!

marriage of the traveling cold

2011-02-17T12:10:00.003-05:00

so yeah, i got my husband's cold now.
it rarely happens really , that we pass along colds to each other....this one is a doosey.
i was in the middle of my day yesterday and my ears started itching, for me this is the FIRST sign of something that is trying to get me....then the day progressed and halfway through an evening meeting i thought my head would explode and the sniffles and sneezing began....and stayed

he is feeling very good now, so this is a fast moving thing...i am loaded up with vitamin c

these are seriously the best tissues ever...the vicks helps open your sinus passages big time

and possibly the best tablets to take. the nighttime ones really do help dry things up so you can sleep....i might have to take those during the day today.

i need to get better...i have work, a bridal shower, more work, and many things going on....

please cold go go go away.

sadness

2011-02-15T22:32:00.002-05:00

a woman who has been like a second mom to me is fighting for her life

she has waged a long and exhausting battle with this horrible disease of cancer

i know some people think it is inappropriate to post about personal and emotional things
on blogs. but this is my blog. this is how i feel.

god speed dear one. you have lived your life to the fullest and we are all richer for knowing you.

please keep all those suffering in your thoughts and prayers.

how to spend valentine's day with a sick husband....

2011-02-14T14:35:00.003-05:00

happy valentine's day everyone...or happy monday...or happy let the great thaw begin!
my hubby has a horrid cold, he even called in sick to work, which really trust me takes and act of congress to happen.

medicine and water had be administered by 5:30am and he was asleep for yet another 6 hours , add that to the 8 he already slept..after a shower and more meds he should hopefully be feeling better.

i decided to go to lunch with my best friend rita, we had a hilarious conversation during lunch and alot of laughs....

now i am back home, checking emails, listening to the occasional sniffle and cough coming from the lazy boy...(chair that is ...haha) and about to start on a pretty cool quilt i am working on.

then later...make a light dinner for him and head to knit group..he is sick with a cold, maybe chicken soup?

pray this cold does not jump ship to me!

the littlest random act of kindness

2011-02-05T23:12:00.004-05:00

this is a true story of what happened to me today

i was at marshall's, poking around for bargains

when i looked ahead of me and there was a little girl standing in the aisle

she waved a little wave at me and said "hi!"

i said "hi! how are you?"

her grandma was standing just to the side of her in the other aisle and smiled at me

the little girl said "i am 3 and i will be 4 soon!"

i said "well, that is something to be happy about for sure!"

she said " i like your hair"

i said "i like your boots, they are pink and i like pink"

she said " i have to hug you now"

i said "ok!"

(of course i looked at her grandma, and she nodded an ok to me)

the little girl then said "ok have a nice day!"

i said "ok i will, and you keep being a sweet little lady"

she said "oh wait, i am supposed to give you another hug!"

so she did.

the grandmother whispered to me as they walked by

that she randomly picks people and hugs them

i don't think it was random

it was a message of hello

sometimes it is the littlest things or the littlest ones

that deliver what we need

busy busy busy

2011-02-04T13:53:00.003-05:00

i am trying to figure out what has happened

i loathe the month of january

first off it seems like it takes FOREVER for it to end

plus its cold

and just plain draining on me.

lots going on.

family health issues

lack of money

the cold

the snow

the lack of ambition

the cold

wait i said that one already

i am so over january and glad it is over too!

now that it is february it seems like a lightswitch has been flipped

things are getting better

not warmer yet but it is coming

and why do i know this...because spring training starts soon for baseball

i have a few things on my plate right now as far as little jobs

yay!

and alot of design opportunity that is right here at my feet

so time to stop procrastinating and get busy

and of course

blog again

i have miss blogging

time to get at it again!

indian summer

2011-01-25T11:25:00.002-05:00

indian summer

***

i made this pretty wallhanging a few years ago

it was during a class with laura cater-woods

it was nearly indian summer when i started this

i just layed the fabrics down and let them be where they wanted to be

adding fresh water pearls and various beads

and highlighting with metallic threads

late night inspiration

2011-01-24T01:53:00.005-05:00

i know

weird right?

to put stamps on my sewing machine

not really though.

i love bette davis, what a fearless wonder she was

as well as katherine hepburn who did what she wanted and broke so many rules

and well yoda...we all know about him

i look at them as sort of my triple threat of inspiration and if i slack off

any of them might actually come out of the stamp and slap my hands

no, not really slap my hands...but that did either make you laugh or ask

what the hell is she on?

most nights lately i have had interrupted sleep

sometimes for minutes at a time

and others like tonight hours at a time

its not the kind of awake time that you want to go start a project

or work on something exhisting

it's the type that you surf around on the web and look at

pretty pictures of quilts

gardens yet to be planted

and watch endless reruns of 'the nanny' or whatever movie happens to be on

this is my night tonight.

hoarding, buried alive is on...i won't watch that, it makes me too nuts to watch it

real housewives of atlanta is on..nah that does not interest me

however i do like real housewives of beverly hills....go figure weird i know

bad girls club...nope, they try too hard

everyone knows it was better when the out of control tanisha was on anyway

ohhhhh sweet! jerseylicious is on! NOT jersey shore but the ever fun and insane

adventures of the whacky crew at the gatsby salon.

ok, back to the post at hand...sorry my fake a.d.d. kicked in

it's been a rough few weeks,

dealing with the incredible cold we are having

some serious health issues with family and friends

trying to juggle what little money we have right now

to pay bills and keep the heat on

it's been a not good start to the new year

but i am optimistic, as ever

this too shall pass, right?

i had been severely ignoring all things fabric

immersing myself in the beads and bracelets

and forgetting what i really love to do

and during a discussion with my dear friend mary

i realized that i do not need to sacrifice one for the other

they can live in harmony

as my little studio area intended them too

so, while at my mom's birthday brunch today

i decided to wander across the street to the quilt shop

as in the previous post you will see the cute fabric i got

and it's so good to wander around there a while

just to get some inspiration and see what is new

i tend to forget i need this once in a while

the most i have been getting out lately is

my weekly knitting group and the once a month

grocery store trips.

and yes, the occasional run through the salvation army store

to see what treasures i can find.

i even unearthed a little wall hanging i started cutting out in the fall

now i have to study it to see what i really intended it to be!

i found an altered book i want to finish

and am almost done with a cool tote bag i started last week

finally demystifying continuous bias tape making with that project!

ok off to find some more inspiration....

a few fabric goodies

2011-01-23T23:01:00.002-05:00

have you ever used 'magic sizing'?

it's a wonderful thing.

ever have the pesky fabric

that would not iron out

no matter what?

you need to try magic sizing, you will be happy.

isn't this the coolest fabric?

i picked it up today at the quilt shop

only a fat quarter...but that is all i will need for a little

valentine present i am making

and what's this going to be?

super hero capes for two special little girls

yay!

i'm a picker....and proud

2011-01-21T00:20:00.003-05:00

cool multi shelf unit that will go above the stove

little shelf unit...this might stay black, but needs some cleaning for sure
you can see the desk nearly done underneath it!

the really cool wood, looks like a basket, ottoman

have you seen "american pickers" on the history channel?

i love it.

these guys go around the country picking through others stuff

finding treasures and great deals.

well i am a picker too, have been for years.

i remember when i moved back to michigan after living in florida

my niece and i would go out the day before trash day and look for goodies

our biggest score was a beautiful papasan chair with the pad in great condition

for her....she was so excited.

whenever i take a drive i always look for good stuff.

on a drive out to dixboro one day, my husband and i happened on this house

where the couple was tossing tons of stuff out. this is where i scored the desk i am

in the middle of working on...almost done. as soon as the winter months are over i can

finish the final coats of everything and its so pretty!

we were heading out there just before christmas again, and just as he said 'keep your eye open, never know what we will find' then WHAMO...the coolest little miniature doll swing that looked just like the swing in my grandparents yard...you bet i turned the car around and tossed it in the back seat!

i think that will go in the back of the yard near the bush where nothing grows...sort of a memorial garden to them. without plants.

a few weeks ago mark came home from work, grinning and told me to close my eyes...now mind you this could be nearly anything he has for me...from a candy bar to well who knows right?

so he brings in this AWESOME square ottoman...in perfect(nearly) condition. it looks like a huge basket with a padded seat on top that opens for storage. this thing has never been used. the only thing wrong with it, the muslin fabric on the seat is a bit dirty from dust and stuff...no biggie i have a staple gun and fabric ...so we shall see what that turns into soon! and it holds nearly 10 or more blankets! BONUS!

every once in a while in our mobile home park you can find good stuff too....like lately, at this house a man recently passed, and they are cleaning it out, my friend martha and i have been getting awesome stuff on the way home from knitting....she got a great vintage wood wine box two weeks ago...i found this nifty little multi shelf unit i think i will put in the kitchen above the stove.

this week there was the cutest little shelf with tiny little rungs all over the edge. so yeah grabbed that too....nothing a little paint won't help, although i might keep it black...the house has this cottage white, taupe and black theme going on.

so remember next time you toss something out and it mysteriously vanishes

before the trash man gets there to whisk it away to a landfill

it has become someone elses treasure!

FREEZE YOUR ASSETS OFF SALE!

2011-01-13T15:33:00.004-05:00

hey all in blogging land!

thought i would let you all know i am having a sale on

the bracelets i have been making!

if you click on "my etsy" on the right hand side of the page here

it will direct you to my etsy shop

where right now, for a limited time

enjoy FREE shipping in the 50 united states

and a low low low price of only

$35 per bracelet!

stop by today and order yours!

special orders are always welcomed and INCLUDED in this sale!!!

xoxo

mary

deal of the century

2011-01-06T13:40:00.003-05:00

we have a great salvation army thrift store near my house

and i like to go in with a small amount of money

to see what treasures i can find

today i went and found my mother's wedding china pattern!

*noritake winddrift*

we got to use her setting for four at thanksgiving

i have never eaten off of them before, there was always more than four of us

and at the time they got married she only got a 4 piece set on account of the price

for them in 1962

so i called her right away to tell her what i found

53 pieces for $75 BUT marked half off!

she called dad...dad said GET THEM FOR HER!

they are so funny.

so here is what she is getting

11 dinner plates

8 cups, 10 saucers

3 dessert bowls

gravy boat with attached platter

2 serving platters

10 salad plates

8 bread and butter plates

all for the low price of $39 and some change with tax

now here is the bargain price
at replacements.com the price for all those would have been

$567.79 plus tax and shipping

now she has a complete 12 piece set..we can all eat on these now!

and i found tons of other things to go with her set...yay ebay!

cha ching...love a bargain!

coleslaw and pulled pork...or how i started my new year

2011-01-06T04:30:00.002-05:00

you know those days

the ones you want some comfort food

the kind you cook for hours and eat for days?

yep that is exactly how my new year started!

i ventured off to my local kroger and found not only

were the pork shoulders on sale but they had a great looking one

that was calling my name

so out came the crockpot

seriously if you think a plastic wrapped pork should isn't really that big

unwrap it and watch it just fit into the biggest crockpot i own

7 1/2 pounds and there was not alot of wiggle room

also, one small bone in the whole thing

which yielded lots of meat.

so all i do with the pork is simply this:

place it in the crockpot, fatty side up(there is mostly always a fatty side)

season with salt, pepper and a little bit of garlic powder

slow cook on low for ten hours

then another 4 hours on warm

falls apart like tissue in the rain

once all is cooked, pour out the juices

pull apart with forks and mix in at least a half bottle of

sweet baby ray's bbq sauce

that's all i do to it.

you cannot, however, have pulled pork without having coleslaw

i like to make my own sauce

cole slaw recipe

1 or 2 pkg cole slaw mix(or shred cabbage yourself)

i was lazy this day and got it preshredded

1 1/4 C mayo

1/3 C sugar

1/4C cider vinegar

1/2 t seasoning salt

whisk all ingredients together, or you can place it all in a jar and shake the heck out of it

then pour over cabbage mix

stir and chill for at least an hour.

*side note on this one...do NOT use the whole amount for just one package

it will look like soup. trust me.

just pour a little bit then wait an hour...if you need more add as needed.

ahhh...here is the pork, just pulled and sauced up

i bet you are wondering , just how many meals does a 7 1/2 pound pork shoulder make?

well, let me tell you

so far : 8 pulled pork sandwiches

9 pulled pork soft tacos

1 large pizza (awesome!)

and a big quart bag full to the brim left over in the freezer!

ok so yeah the pizza was sooooo good

here is that recipe:

1 pkg pizza dough

(one of my local markets sells the best frozen dough ever)

sweet baby ray's bbq sauce

pulled pork

shredded mozzarella cheese

prep dough per directions on the package

place on pizza stone

drizzle on the bbq sauce

add a thin layer of cheese

add pulled pork

then another thicker layer of cheese

brush edges of dough with olive oil

bake for 13 minutes at 400 on pizza stone

then carefully slide off the stone onto the rack

and bake for another 3-4 minutes(gets your bottom of the crust nice and yummy)

carefully slide back onto the stone and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing!

optional items for the pizza that would be awesome: red onion, bacon, ham

(you can never have enough pork)

happy new year...and so long 2010

2011-01-01T00:16:00.003-05:00

happy new year to all!

i will admit i was asleep before midnight

then well then all the booms and shots that ring out at midnight

woke me up.

what a whimp huh?

i vaguely remember my husband kissing me goodnight

somewhere around 10:45ish maybe?

and now, i am wide awake at 12:20am...he is sound asleep

we are party animals i tell ya.

that's how exciting our night was

we had a few invites out tonight

and decided to decline all

i had first grand plans for a romantic dinner

and perhaps a movie

then well, i have been battling an annoying cough and got a good deal

on some pork butt, so it was slow roasted pulled pork dinner

goofy movies with the red wings game in between, they lost :(

i don't recall anytime that i went out for new years

i know when i lived in florida, we would have gatherings on the docks

at the marina i lived at

and when i was younger i was always babysitting for someone

so yeah its just really another night for me.

i decided not to make resolutions this year, but rather

make conscious lifestyle changes

to look at things with a more positive outlook, live a healthier way,

visualize some awesome things for me,

and take more time for myself.

i was talking to my dad today about resolutions

he said he is making a resolution to not make a resolution

i think that is a wise decision

i , for one, am glad to see the end of 2010

so much happened

a few deaths, several births

job losses, money woes, family problems for everyone it seemed

it just appeared to me that it was a rough year for everyone

so with the new year upon us

i am confident

that things will now be turning to a positive for everyone

keeping my fingers crossed and looking at things with a new vision

happy new year everyone

and so long 2010

xoxo ~mary

1905 salad

2010-12-31T06:24:00.003-05:00

when i lived in florida

i would often go to st. augustine

perhaps one of my most favorite cities in the world

thus far, of course

one day while strolling historic st. george street

which is closed to motorized traffic

i stumbled upon

columbia restaurant

let me tell you

that quickly became a favorite haunt of mine

authentic cuban sandwiches and the most awesome salad ever

i am not including a photo for this one

as i have no good ones of it!

here is the recipe:

4 cups iceburg lettuce , broken into 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 pieces ( i substitute it with romaine lettuce)

1 ripe tomato cut into 8ths

1/2 C ham julienned

1/2 C swiss cheese julienned

1/2 C pimiento stuffed green olives(i leave these out , don't care for them)

2 C 1905 dressing (recipe below for that)

1/2 C romano cheese ~grated

1 to 2 tablespoons of worcestershire sauce, according to your taste (i add 2)

1 to 2 tablespoons of lemon juice , according to your taste (i add 1)

now toss lettuce, tomato, ham , cheese and olives together in a large bowl.

just before serving add the 1905 dressing, cheese, worcestershire sauce and lemon juice

1905 dressing recipe

1/2 C extra virgin olive oil(they use spanish olive oil)

4 cloves garlic~minced

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/8 C white wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

mix olive oil, garlic and oregano in bowl with whisk. stir in vinegar gradually beating to form an imulsion the salt and pepper to taste. for best results prepare dressing 1 to 2 days ahead of time.

now i must add something here to the dressing

at the columbia they mix the salad and dressing right in front of you

which is very cool

however, when making this at home i did find i liked the dressing made ahead of time

and on a side note to that

you can use good seasons italian dressing mix

prepare as directed on the dressing packet

and add 2 tablespoons of worchestershire sauce to the mix

it is really similar and you don't have to worry about having

all those extra ingredients on hand

enjoy!

8th grade reunion and christmas ramblings

2010-12-28T21:59:00.004-05:00

such a fun night we had

i got word that my small 8th grade class from st. mary elementary was planning a reunion

about two weeks ago...i was in!

i couldn't wait to see my friends i had spent most of my childhood with

catching up with my friend mary on the phone yesterday before the gathering was fun

then when i got there mary ellen was there first along with her husband and our friend pat!

what fun it was to see everyone again

we were a small class, about 65 or so and we had 24 of us there to reconnect!

some had changed alot but most of us looked the same as we did

so many years ago

we come from all walks of life

we connect as friends and classmates

and we are planning to have more gatherings in the future

class of 1977 we are awesome!

and i have been away from the computer for a while

spending time at my parent's house with their very old computer

really did not make for a good blogging time

so i spent time with them and friends

here are some highlights of this christmas and some of my favorite things

the advent candles at st. matthew's advent tea

my skinny tree

i need some more ornaments but its cute i think

my best friend rita and i at the christmas tea

we clean up good...haha

mom and dad took mark and i on a ride to rochester

all their downtown businesses are decorated like this so pretty!

i had never ever been to downtown rochester in my life

its not that far from where i grew up either, shame on me

now i must explain the can of spam

my niece andrea came over a few days before christmas

we went for chinese food and of course my dad likes to tell stories

so he explained to her why you have to fry spam to have

a good spam sandwich

so i had to get him a can for christmas!
so yes we had a nice christmas
visited with friends old and new
our dog got spoiled rotten

and i am tired.

merry christmas

2010-12-23T11:00:00.001-05:00

wishing you and yours

a very merry christmas

trying to get that feeling

2010-12-20T10:42:00.005-05:00

i know it's the holidays
and one is told they should be filled with the spirit of christmas
what is that really?

for years i had someone who did not like the holiday at all
we did very little to celebrate , and i never came home for it
i lived in florida at the time
after years of living as if something doesn't matter or is not important
it kind of seeps into your psyche and does not leave for a long time
if ever.

i want to like it again
i want to love the holiday's again
i know deep down i really do
why else would i tear up with certain songs
and remembering the past christmas's

i grew up in a household that literally looks like santa and his elves
had come to decorate.
always two trees, tons of presents, stockings filled to the rim
nearly every room on the lower level decorated

i have always loved to see how others decorate
i have an aunt who even decorates her bathrooms
which i think is awesome

i was privileged enough one year to help decorate
meadowbrook hall
well one of the rooms anyway, different florists in the area
took a room each and transformed them
it is a magical place to go to and see
click here to go see the mansion

for years and years i watched my grandmothers make goodies for everyone
my maternal grandmother always made all the girls nightgowns or aprons
and was infamous for wrapping out gifts in cereal boxes and other discarded
wrappings...i think she was on the cutting edge of recycling
and we have a huge family ! over 25 first cousins on both sides!
for those years i watched, how they carefully orchestrated it all
and made sure everyone got at least one thing.

it's been ten plus years since i lived in a christmas-less house
i think it's time to bring a little of it back
i am taking baby steps in this
a small slender tree with some ornaments
(i lost most of what i had in a flood in my shed two years ago now they are kept inside)
for the first time some lights outside
and a black bear manger scene on my small electric fireplace

i could go banana's and have the whole tiny mobile home
looking like santa's winter wonderland
but i think that would make me itchy
put me on christmas overload

so it's minimal decorating this year
and onto mom and dad's
where the north pole really does exist

it's nearly time to fill my christmas spirit back up
enough of the past
on with the future

monday favorite

2010-12-20T00:08:00.003-05:00

this is my dog sam
he is a loving little boy
who , oddly enough, does not bark or howl
i have heard him bark once or twice
and only howl once
in his sleep he often has little whimper and growl
conversations with whoever is in that dream with him

sam is a rescue dog from the michigan humane society
my husband and i wanted a dog, and we saw a beagle we really liked
and i went back to get her , and she had been adopted
i went into the puppy room, and here was this little boy
looking so incredibly scared
he had just been in the adoption center for two hours when i saw him
our eyes locked and he started crying at me
i had to hold him and see how he was

the volunteer placed us into a room and he sat on his but with his
front paws around my neck, hugging me the whole time
and crying
i had to get him
i called my friend lynn, who heard him crying in the background
and said "you HAVE to get him"
thank you lynn for adopting him for us

it was time to pick up my husband from work when we got all the paperwork done
so i went to get him, sam in tow
with no warning as to what i had done
they instantly fell in love
he is very much a daddy's dog

sam loves the snow
he turns from his laid back 8 year old self
into a puppy again
running and jumping around
right now he is nursing a sore hip from running and jumping onto the couch
too fast from coming in from the snow
poor guy, he is doing ok though and should be jumping up on the couch
by himself in no time.

here he is....watching his dog buddy across the street.
her name is lucy ~she is a caramel colored beagle, sam loves her.

mrs. miller

2010-12-17T10:34:00.003-05:00

mrs. miller lived next door to me
when i was a little girl
she was the nice old lady neighbor
who always had something funny to tell me

she had a poodle named pepper
every night she would fry up pepper
a hamburger patty
a very spoiled dog indeed

when my sister was born
mrs. miller started taking me to the movies
wednesday afternoons were spent in front of the silver screen
i suspect wednesday's were senior day's
i recall it was not that much money to go

she took me to some fabulous films

***
i never had seen a smarty pants actress until i saw tatum o'neal
star in paper moon with her dad
***
its when i found robert shaw facinating
when he starred with robert redford in the sting
***
she drew the line at the exorcist...which i am glad she did i would have freaked out
sadly we never did get to godspell, i would have loved to have seen that on the big screen

the most memorable film she took me to was cabaret
i was skimming the cable channels the other night and it was on
i never watch the whole thing anymore just bits and pieces
but i will always remember that movie
so many emotions
the music and dancing
the drama
joel grey, jennifer's dad, who is great in this film
liza
i mean really it's liza for goodness sake!

i freaked my husband out by knowing all the words to the song too

thank you mrs. miller for taking a shy little girl under your comforting wing and
taking her away , even for just a few hours
to a magical land that she know holds dear

hi hoooooo

2010-12-15T23:37:00.003-05:00

i swear i am all of these rolled into one
i try REALLY hard not to be that last dwarf

and can i just say my skin is like i am 13 again
breakouts, dry patches, oil slicks.
it's a treat i tell ya.

they forgot one dwarf...insomnia dwarf
that one i think i am for sure.
all i want is one good night sleep.

perhaps instead of the hi ho its off to work i go song
i shall sing twisted sister, we're not gonna take it
just a thought

winter is finally here

2010-12-15T00:51:00.002-05:00

winter finally came to michigan

with a vengence i might add

school has been cancelled for two days now

the salt that is spread is not working

because of the bitter cold

which makes driving less than pleasant

i had to go to knitting group last night

it took me forever to go 4 miles!

the overpasses were all ice covered

traffic lights were on short cycle

fun times

there were only 5 of us there this time

however, we had a great time

and the new place we meet at has a fireplace

which of course we plant out behinds right near

the computer tech guy will be here in the morning

yay!

i can pull up some websites and of course this blog and google

very weird

i am getting good at using my phone to check email and facebook

however, it will be nice to have a fully operational

internet connection again!

maybe he can tell me why i cannot download the latest version of

itunes too!

this time away from the internet has let me get lots done

and make lists of things to do in the future

so not all bad at all

i finally finished my last order of the year!

and now i can start my gifts that i am making

i was getting a little worried i would not get to them!

but the designs are all layed out, written down,and plotted in my head.

progress!

ok so here is hoping for a quick fix with the internet connection tomorrow!

i shall return!

internet down!

2010-12-10T11:49:00.002-05:00

so last night in my searching the web for some silly recipe
my explorer keep crapping out on me
switched firefox, same thing
bummer
called the cable company , they tried everything to help get it going
its something in the connectivity between the laptop and the modem
i can get google up and search for images and sites. however it will not connect to the sites
grr
and i can operate my blog...because its part of google i am assuming.
so i might be blogging while i am not able to even check email
i have to do that via my phone...super annoying but oh well
so if you need me for anything and you have my number you know what to do
other wise i will be back eventually :(