Did you ever have one of those days?

I've been so busy lately. Perhaps you can tell that from the fact that my last post was in April. It's not that I haven't been thinking about adding to this blog, it just never seems to happen. So, even though I should be packing to prepare for my trip to Maryland on Thursday, I've decided to add this instead. My days have been packed full, between work, errands, social plans, etc... So, last night I had a plan. I worked a little later than I intended, stopped by my friend Sandy's house to help her learn a little more about blogging, as if I know so much...yeah, right. She's written a book that will be published in the fall - how cool is that. She's starting a blog about it, partial in the main characters voice. Check it out: http://rabbittrap.blogspot.com, she'll be updating it often. So, back to my evening, which was fine up until this point. I even squeezed in a conversation with a friend on the way from work to Sandy's house.

I had to run to JoAnn's on the way home because I needed thread to complete my evening projects. I had it all planned in my mind....
1. go home
2. get out the sewing machine
3. get my other supplies I needed
4. make these hooded towel creations
5. put everything away
6. wrap the towels in gift wrap, water plants, etc, etc

Total anticipated creative time - 15-20 minutes, tops.

Ha, Ha, Ha. My first clue should have been when I pulled out my purple and yellow thread, I'd so quickly and efficiently purchased and then ran upstairs to get the towels....they were purple and green....uh, oh. It's okay though, the towels are plush enough that the tread won't really show. Okay, still on track.

It's really a very simple idea. Take a regular towel and a regular washcloth. Stitch a seam into the washcloth so it is closed at one end. Pin it on a regular bath towel, so the seam is lined up with the middle of the towel. Stitch them together and viola - a big, comfy, thick hooded towel. I stole the idea from a baby shower I went to once. I give it to almost everyone I know who is expecting. They love them and sometimes ask for new ones when they have a second child.

So, it's okay, I still have a plan. I choose to sew the purple one first - since I actually have the right color thread for this one. I'm stitching away when I decide the pace of the stitching doesn't really feel quite right. So, I stop and take a look a the back of my work....uh, oh. The thread is all tangled along the back and not at all the way it should be, so I cut the thread and rip out about half my stitches. Some of it is salvageable and so I start from my halfway point and continue until the stitching slows down to a crawl and then stops. I go to lift up the foot of the machine and raise the needle when the needle breaks....crap. So, I remove the towel, remove the bottom half of the needle from the machine and unscrew the small bolt that holds the needle in place, at which point the top part of the needle falls down into the base of the machine around the bobbin area....double crap. So, long story short, I have to take the bottom off of the machine (thank God the warranty is long since expired), remove the needle part and put the bottom back on. Here is the offending hardware after the fact.


So, after that I went on my merry way and finished the damned hooded towels, not really enjoying the creative process as much as I was hoping to, but it got done. Some days creativity can be frustrating.

Clay Cafe Addiction

Back in the late '90's we discovered the Clay Cafe. It's a paint your own pottery shop. We discovered it at the beginning of the paint your own pottery craze, which has sustained itself amazingly well. My friend Marcy has a pottery studio, with a great name, Marcy's Clayground. Both of these places are currently in business, if you have the desire to paint your own bowl, plate, toothbrush holder, vase, etc.... So, back to my story...I think that by clinical definition I was "addicted" to the Clay Cafe. The first time we went I painted a vase for my bedroom, it still sits on my dresser today. Here it is in all it's glory....

So, that year I decided to paint everyone's Christmas gift, and while relaxing, it certainly wasn't cheap. Here are some of my other fine creations:

I think my favorites are the strawberry bowl and the first vase. I think I must have gone to the Clay Cafe at least once a week. I highly recommend paint your own pottery as a gift giving option. It is unique and beautiful, truly created with love. I saw lots of kids come in to the Clay Cafe with a parent to paint something for Grandma and Grandpa or Mom or Dad. The ladies in the Clay Cafe were always helpful in picking colors and giving artistic advice and occasionally painting a baby's hand or foot to make a print on a plate. (little babies are not very good at spreading out their hands to make a hand print) It's a great place for a girl's night. Some places even let you bring alcohol with you. Hmm, just typing about it makes me want to paint....

Strawberry Parfaits

Cooking is one of my favorite pasttimes. I love to spend time making elaborate meals, but only if I'm cooking for friends and family. Last weekend, I made food for a baby shower for a friend. I wanted to do something fun and special as a dessert. So, since strawberries are just getting to the point where they are small and sweet, even though they are still California berries, I decided to make Strawberry Parfaits. Now, don't misunderstand me, just because I like making elaborate dishes, doesn't mean I don't take a short cut or two if possible. So, I went to Costco to see if they had some ingredients to use - after all I was making 15 of these things - and Jackpot! I found a huge container of strawberries and a three pack of poundcake loaves. Perfect! I was hoping for a giant container of cool whip, but alas....Costco has lots of cool stuff, but not always everything you are looking for. Of course you can always find stuff you aren't looking for...like a pair of pants, a skort, a carton of my favorite Orbit gum - sweet mint flavor, but that's another story for a shopping blog, which I won't be starting. And two dozen roses for $15.99 - amazing!

So, I had to go the regular store for pudding, milk and coolwhip. I went to Kroger, simply becuase it was on my way home rather than going to my preferred store, Giant Eagle. Once I had everything I needed I headed home to cook up a storm. I found some cool tall glasses at Kroger, so the parfaits looked good, but the "dishes" could be thrown away after. I decided to prep everything and then make the parfaits. I cut up two of the pound cakes, washed and sliced strawberries, thawed the cool whip and made the pudding. I was ready to go:


I tried to make sure that the sides of the cup didn't get all icky as I filled the bottom. I started with pudding, then cake, then strawberries, then cake, cool whip, a few more strawberries and a little pudding for the top. I saved 15 small strawberries to use as a garnish. The morning of the shower I put a dollop of cool whip on the top and added the strawberries. They turned out very pretty and they were delicious. Just looking at these pictures makes me want to make them again. I did freeze the third poundcake, so maybe if you're invited to my house for dinner you'll have a strawberry parfait for dessert.

Yummy!

Scrapbooking - making photographs better, one page at a time

When you start scrapbooking, the way you take pictures changes. You find yourself taking pictures with thoughts of scrapbook page designs in your head. You find yourself taking pictures of signs to show where you were. You find yourself carrying your camera everywhere you go....just in case.

And then, probably by increased picture taking, your pictures improve.....and if you do it right, they are enhanced by how you design the page around them. I enjoy taking all kinds of pictures, but pictures taken at Drummond Island are some of my favorites. I took this picture below in July 2006:

And then, I scrapbooked it:

It's about way more than the pictures though, in scrapbooking, or at least in my version of it your double page layout has to match, or at least coordinate. This layout was slightly difficult, mostly because I couldn't find a page to match the family paper, of which I had only purchased one sheet. Important Lesson.....always buy two pieces of paper, unless you are 100% sure you will only need one.....and then buy two anyways.

auspicious beginnings

Every year at Thanksgiving, my mother insists on putting these "THINGS" on her kitchen windowsill. This year it might be different since she'll have a brand new fancy kitchen - but I'm not getting my hopes up. In case you haven't been able to discern what you are looking at, those are two of the ugliest pine cone and pipe cleaner turkeys ever created. I never promised that all of my creative endeavors would turn out to be successful.... Luckily, I, like most only children have a mother that loves whatever I create, even the most hideous of creations. I think these turkeys date back to circa 1976, Kindergarten creations, no doubt! Hopefully, I've honed my skills considerably since that time.....this blog will tell the tale.

inspiration

So, I've been inspired by my friend, who started a food blog recently. You should check it out at http://sopressata.blogspot.com/, it's quite good - and you might discover a new dish or restaurant or two in the process. I'm additionally impressed with the fact that she is including photos of the food she's prepared - and they look really professional. Okay, enough gushing about the food blog.

I've been thinking about what I would like to have a blog about and here's what I've come up with - I have many creative endeavors, which I indulge in - scrapbooking, cooking, photography, card making, stamping, cross-stitch, knitting, etc....so why not write about some of those, share some photos, release my creativity into the universe. Now, I have great aspirations here, and we'll see if I actually follow through with them. - this could be my only posting.

Until next time.....