Making A Wall Jewelry Hanger

In my previous post, I talked a bit about making a homemade Christmas.  This is one of the projects my daughter in law and I are working on.

It's a jewelry hanger for the wall, made out of a picture frame, plastic canvas, and clear plastic bulliton board pins.  While this one is plastic, the ones we're working on now are made out of wood.  You can hang necklaces or bracelets from the pins, and earrings or broaches go through the plastic canvas, making them handy for choosing your jewelry for the day, or keeping certain collections together in one spot.  This hangs on the wall like a regular picture frame.

To make one of these, first get a plain plastic or wooden picture frame.  You'll want to measure the bottom first, and I've found 1" increments work well, offset 1/2" from each side.  For setting the pins into a plastic frame, heat the metal part of the pin briefly in a flame, (a candle flame works very well for this), then gently push it into the plastic.  The plastic should melt slightly around the pin.  If it doesn't go all the way in the first time, take the pin out while it's still warm and reheat in the candle flame. 

For a wooden frame, sometimes you can just push the pin all the way in, and sometimes it takes a little coaxing with a small hammer.  Once the pins are in, if they're poking out on the back, take a pair of wire cutters and clip of the sharp points.

Next, flip the frame over and cut the plastic canvas to fit inside the frame.  Using hot glue, glue the plastic canvas into the frame (so it can't be seen from the front). 

You can add picture hanger hardware to the back as well if desired.  The larger the picture frame, the more jewelry it will hold.  These are so nice and handy, and they are simple to make.  Since frames come in an endless variety, you can make them as dressy or as plain as you like, just make sure there's a flat area to hold the pins.  Plastic canvas also comes in a variety of colors, so you can create something to color-coordinate with a particular color scheme. 

Since these are fairly flat, they are also pretty easy to wrap and ship.  Enjoy!  :)

Ah, The Holidays Are Upon Us Once More :)

And with them, the frenzy of the holiday season.

My home is a little different than most during this time however.  I usually do a mostly homemade Christmas, and it usually starts in August lol, so I'm a little late this year.  The tradition started when I was a single mom with 3 kids at home, fresh out of a women's shelter, and we had so little for the holidays it was painful to even think about.  To give you an idea, $10 for the materials to make enough Christmas ornaments to cover an entire 6' tree was extravegent.  I did manage to cover the tree that year though, with the help of a Dollar General (for a string of lights and garland), and a Walmart for 3-pronged clear, red and green beads, pipe cleaners and a small skein of gold ribbon for candy cane and wreath homemade ornaments.  (The candy canes looked a lot like these ).  The tree ended up looking beautiful and sparkled, not the Charlie Brown tree I was afraid I was going to end up with. 

From those humble beginnings, the tradition grew.  One year I made baked goods for presents, another year I made homemade candles, and many years I put my needleworking skills to use, making special things for the people I care about most.  One of the things I've noticed, doing these things over the years, is how much I enjoy doing it now.  When I start on a project for someone, I know I'll spend hours reflecting on happy memories of that person while I'm making that special gift for them.  And lets face it--getting a cheezy present I can "afford" from a mass retailer just doesn't mean the same thing.  I can't imagine how many hours I've put into making things for others, hours of effort and loving attention, smiles at imagining them enjoying the fruits of my efforts.  It makes the holidays much less an excercise in obligation (fighting the holiday crowds, spending money I don't have in an effort to impress) and much more an excercise in the loving devotion to that person to spend hours or days, sometimes much longer, just to put a smile on their face and remind them of my love for them. 

I would not mind having an almost entirely homemade Christmas every year.  They are special, and the time people put into them are sooooo beyond price.  They are an expression of love and devotion to others.   It is a reminder of the "Reason for the Season". 

A Full House :)

My chickens have come home to roost--literally!  With a tough economy and a little lack of planning, one by one 3 of my 4 adult kids has migrated home, adding a new wife and 2 babies to the mix as well. 

I see it as a great blessing!  I have friends who have shared with me that one or more of their children have moved home, and while they love their kids, they seem to have a lot of underlying worry or stress with the situation, and it seems to be such a hardship for them.  I don't know why my situation is so different, but I suspect it has to do with family structure and perspective.  Let me explain.

I run a Matriarchy, a long and archaic term which basically means I'm the unquestioned head of the household, the boss, the big cheeze, the rule setter, and ultimately, the person responsible for making the household run smoothly, both financially and socially.  That's established before anyone moves back home, that there are still rules, and they will be respected or people will be finding alternative living situations.  Being a single mom for over 15 years, I'm used to running the show.  But we've had some transitions as well.  My kids (including my daughter-in-law) are free to come to me with ideas on how to improve the way things are run or changes they'd like to see, we have a civilized and respectful discussion, I ask a lot of questions, and if it sounds like something that's workable, we start approaching the other "occupiers" to get their thoughts and opinions.  If we can get everyone on board and figure out what everyone's role is in making it happen, it works well. 

What does that look like?  Well, currently we have 6 people stuffed into a 3 bedroom apartment, W. & J. (my two adult bachelors) in one bedroom, R., H., and O. (my married son, his beautiful wife, and their 4 month old son) in another bedroom, and I have my own bedroom.  However, we have some changes coming about shortly.  My daughter S., who is currently in rehab, is projected to be coming home sometime after January, which is also when W. is headed to boot camp (go MARINES!).  That means either we need to get a home with another bedroom OR someone's getting evicted, and that's the way I presented the issue to the kids.  R., who seems to have endless energy sometimes, has been helping motivate people to create better employment situations for themselves, is doing the same for himself, and has located a 4 bedroom house that would suit us well (3 bedrooms on the main floor and a master suite/family room that would work well for his family in the basement), and we will be going to look at it next week.  The amazing thing is that everyone is on board with this and is pulling in the same direction, and barring any great obstacles, we should be calling a new residence home very soon.

Another way this functions well is we have 2 vehicles in the family, 1 working and 1 not so much.  (The property we're looking at has a 2 car garage--perfect for working on vehicles, a 2-car driveway, and on-street parking for an additional 6 vehicles).   We also have 2 bicycles in good working order, so the way this works currently is that W., who owns the running truck, uses his vehicle to work and get to his other events, and several times a week ferries someone else to appointments they have to attend.  In the meantime, at least 1 of the bikes is in constant use, the other one is in occasional use, and everyone walks when needed.  It's also a great motivator, with the weather turning colder, for everyone to work on getting their own vehicles, and once we're moved, R. and W. plan to put a torque converter in the other vehicle so it can go into service for the family.  As more vehicles are added to the family portfolio, strength and options will also be added. 

As a family, we're also making a lot of "one-pot" dinners that will feed everyone.  We take turns, of course, and have enjoyed spaghetti and linguini as well as homemade potato and bean soups.  I think the biggest downside is I may have to invest in a much bigger soup pot!  These are meals that can be cooked in great quantities for very little cost, are nutritious and hearty.  (The goal is that everyone enjoys the meal and no one walks away hungry). 

I think one of the biggest reasons this is all working is we truly enjoy each other's company, and while differences of opinion are present, they are managed in a civilized and loving manner.  We're all working together to maintain and improve both our individual and collective situation, and we're having a lot of fun, laughing and carrying on along the way.  There's nothing like a contest of who can remember the most famous quotes or who can think up the most creative idea for building a skyscraper to entertain everyone (sans computer, tv, and cell phones).  It has the joy of a perpetual family get together.  Life is good, family is great, and all things are possible, even in challenging times and circumstances.  :)

Life's Changes

Ah, how life changes.  The seasons change, days get shorter, the leaves on the trees change colors and begin to accumulate in piles on the ground, jackets come out of the closets, and a chill begins to creep into the wind, a sign of things to come.

Another season in my life has changed also.  Yesterday another one of my children moved back home with me, bringing his beautiful wife and two very young sons with him, and the house was filled with the sounds of happy 2-year-old babbling once again, as well as "No, don't TOUCH that!" lol.  The insistant demands and cooing of a 2 month old also graced my home, and at the end of the day, lullibies were sung to the new arrivals, something I thought were long since passed.

My artistic workspace has also undergone a drastic change.  Where once it occupied large parts of my living room and dining room, about 75% of it has migrated to Grandma Pat's bedroom, much to the displeasure of the resident Navy Mascot, also known as Miss Cleo.  Miss Cleo, who is one of the rare felines that I know of to have survived a stroke and resides in my bedroom (as she is unable to defend herself against the 2 other cats in the house), has seen major changes in her world, and is none too happy about it.  Her cat tree now resides beside Grandma's computer desk, and she will be supervising my computer work from this point on.  The bed has been raised 6" (so I could drastically increase the storage space under it), and she is adjusting to the extra height she now much leap to gain her favorite curling-up spot. She is not at all pleased with the new sounds of new little people, positioning herself on my pillow, tightly curled up around my head when I took a short nap, and alarmed when the new sounds invaded her world when a crying baby was admitted to the room.  She approached the source of the new sounds with both caution and alarm, sniffing the new creature's leg as he squirmed and carried on, then retreating quickly to the run I left her under the bed, choosing to have nothing to do with the new arrival after that.  At this early hour, she is currently on her newly elevated perch, in a position where she can both observe my working, something new to her, as well as keeping a sharp eye on the door, least that small creature invade her space again.  :)

As for me, I feel energized and a renewed hope for the future, a sense of purpose I haven't had in a long time. My career was raising 5 children, and even with professional successes, nothing was more rewarding or more satisfying than contributing to my children's lives and watching their growth and development over the years.  I am thankful that my son decided that I had something worthwhile still to offer to his children as well, and although the new circumstances will present it's own new challenges, it also presents the potential for great rewards for everyone involved.

For now, my family is looking to the lessons of family from the turn of the 20th century, when economic times were not easy, and several generations living under the same roof were common.  In diaries and domestic literature from the time, we noted some of the strengths of those living arrangements, such as shared expenses being much lower (back then, homes were usually bought for cash after saving for years), and youngsters having the benefit of many adults to look to for guidance and attention.  There are many instances in memoirs of growing up with grandparents and even aunts and uncles in the household, and the special memories of who would fix breakfast and tell stories early in the morning, or who would share what life skills such as a favorite hobby with youngsters, as well as the added eyes watching out for the children, and the additional close adult associates from which to choose to share the monumental issues of childhood.  Even though I'm sure these are idealized remembrances, we are aspiring to use this as our modern model to build on the strengths of my family as it is now, and perhaps even to build something very rare and special for the upcoming generation.  We shall see how that works out, and I'm sure I'll share more of this new journey here.  :)

Ways To Be Thrifty

Heya :)

Times don't seem to have gotten better lately, and I'm often reminded of pieces of wisdom my dad, who went through the Great Depression, imparted to his children.  Little things like "Don't pay someone else to do things that you can do," or "Never buy a car on credit."  Of course, I've added to this as I've grown and matured, and I strive to share some of that wisdom here.  :)

With the changing of the weather, I've started doing the prep work for candle making.  I've got the large pot out that I use to heat water to melt the wax in spent candles, which I'll then put into plastic yogurt containers until I get the candle maker out.  I've already filled 2 of those containers with beautiful fragrant pink wax from a candle set I got a couple years ago that has finally been used up.  I also have a third container filled with clear green candle gel from last Christmas's candles.  I specifically time working on these projects to coincide with the cooler weather, and have not had to turn on the heat in the house at all, since working on these projects adds heat to the living areas, just enough to take the chill off. 

I've also devoted a lot of time lately dusting, cleaning and putting away things that are not childproof.  The reason for this is I will be further consolidating my household with my son, his wife, a newborn and a two year old next month.  They will be moving down from Seattle, and we will be getting a 5-6 bedroom house in an older section of town so we can establish what my son laughingly calls a M.A.D. house, or a Mother-And-Decendents home.  This is an old strategy from days gone past, where several generations would live in the same residence for a time.  In the past, this allowed new couples the opportunity to financially contribute to the household, but at a much lower rate than living on their home, so they could save up the money for a car or home of their own.  This was also when you had to have a minimum of 25% downpayment to even talk to a bank about a mortgage.  There were also added benefits of built-in babysitters in the older generations, good advice from many sources, expanded social circles and contacts, and children that had many eyes on them.  And this doesn't even begin to discuss the sharing of resources (respectfully, of course), such as tool sets, vehicles, cooking utensils, etc.  No need to have several sets for several households if it's all consolidated into one. 

I'm looking forward to the combining of households.  I'll get to know my daughter-in-law better, my grandsons, and share quality time with them on a regular basis.  I'll also be able to teach them about things I know about (where they're willing, of course), and overall just lend a hand in the busy and hectic business of raising 2 active boys.  I'll also be able to save up so I can travel more, and be free to leave without having to find a cat-sitter or plant-sitter.  Even though I'll be the elder in the home, I see my role as more of a supporting member of the household.  It's going to take time, work, compromise and understanding to make things work out smoothly and to everyone's satisfaction, but I'm confident we can do this and that it'll work out well.  :)

Well, that's all I have for now.  Have a great day :)

Inundated...

I haven't written a blog in a while--sorry about that for anyone that looks forward to them.  I've been inundated with numerous crisis and I've found it difficult to find or see the positive things I like to write about. 

I have a couple of artist's projects in the works at the moment.  I've taken stills of Kensington Tower in downtown Omaha, which is a historical building that doesn't get a lot of attention.  It's got some wonderful architectoral details that I'll be making study sketches and then paintings of before I attempt the entire building.  I've also been taking stills of flowers for sketching/painting, especially on arbors, and that's another project I'll be working toward.  One of my long term goals is to do a continuing series of paintings of architecture I've found interesting, which will probably consist of mostly classic/art deco in large urban settings, and farm related buildings and scenes denoting the aging or timelessness of the agricultural enterprise.  The other long term goal is to paint flowers, since they are so beautiful but also so fleeting, never staying long but certainly making an impression in their short timespan.  I have been collecting photos of flowers against buildings lately, with different brick/stone/siding backgrounds, so that I can paint them later. 

For a little bit of background, I come from a very talented and artistic family.  On my mother's side, we have a long line of engineers and domestic engineers who were very artistically inclined.  On my father's side, my aunt was an oil on canvas artist who recently left us, and my cousin is greatly gifted in photography.  There is a great deal of people mechanically inclined or minorly artistically inclined on that side also, too many to mention here.  I was raised working with my hands and training them to accomplish what I could see in my head--I really have to thank my mom for teaching me and hanging in there with me when I threw projects across rooms or buried them in my closet for months out of frustration.  I was not an easy kid to raise, and she deserved far more recognition than she received during her lifetime for putting up with me.  I also have 5 incredibly talented progeny, who cover the spectrum from stained glass to woodworking to sketching to welding and metal arts. 

Well, that's it for today.  :)

Salads, Gardens, and the Good Life

Salad: 1) a usually cold dish consisting of vegetables, as lettuce, tomoatoes, and cucumbers, covered with a dressing and sometimes containing seafood, meat or eggs.  2)  any of various dishes consisting of foods, as meat, seafood, eggs, pasta, or fruit, prepared singly or combined, usually cut up, mixed with a dressing, and served cold.  3)  any herb or green vegetable, as lettuce, used for salads or eaten raw.

I've been freeing my mind from what I thought salads should be or what I was taught they should be, and I've been expanding on the concept of viewing a salad as a greens-based dish served cold with the addition of different ingredients to enhance or round out the flavor.  That's all very sophisticated upper-crust speak for I'm experimenting with adding different things to see how tasty I can make them lol. 



There are a couple reasons for this.  The first is I am highly allergic to eggs, which limits my overall diet signifigantly, and there are eggs in a lot of salad dressings.  I have a very limited selection when it comes to "safe" dressings, and they're usually along the line of a clear vinegrette or clear italian.  The other reason is that my leaf lettuce container has grown to the point where I can begin taking dime-to-quarter sized leaves out of it, if nothing else than to begin thinning it out a little.  It's a good thing, and only took about 10 days to get there.  I know thinning the leaves will be delicious lol, as well as giving the incoming growth more room for bigger leaf development.  About 10% of the salad I had today was from the planter pictured above.

Let me tell you about the salad I made, in the hopes it inspires you to try your own version or begin playing with different salad ideas.  I picked as many single leaves out of my little garden as I could, which all told would have made about 3-4 complete bites.  I rinsed them off, mostly to dislodge any critters that like snacking on them as much as I do, since I know they are not contaminated with e-coli or pesticides.  Then I added a handful of iceburg lettuce based premixed salad that I have in the fridge until the leaf lettuce fully comes in.  To this base of ingredients I added about half a can of canned mandarine oranges and some muenster cheeze that I had diced very small.  I'm sure I could have added just about any canned or dried fruit and cubed just about any firm cheeze, these are simply what I had on hand and suited my taste today.  I drizzled on about 1 tablespoon of italian dressing, just enough to give it a little tangy without overpowering the sweet of the oranges, the notes of the cheeze, and complimenting the tender freshness of the leaf lettuce.  I must admit the salad did not last long lol, and it was delicious :)



Update on my balcony garden. 

I have leaf lettuce in the barrel planter, which is really a cheap foam dressed up to look nice, but I'm good with that because I've found over the years the foam helps insulate the plant roots from the extremes in summer weather that Nebraska is known for, principly it gets HOT here lol.  In the pot behind the lettuce is my yellow squash, which are happily showing their 2nd and 3rd leaf sets, which means they're off to a great start.  Yellow squash, as with most squashes, are typically a "hill" plant, but I put them in a pot because I know they can sit on the table I have on the balcony and throw their vines happily this way and that, and I will simply wind them around the pot as they grow.  The biggest advantage to this is that the squash themselves won't be coming into contact with dirt, so they'll be less likely to pick up funguses and molds.  Critters might still be an issue, and I'll watch to see how that develops.  The white planter on the side is about a 2' long foam planter, and it's got a row of beans and a row of petunia seeds in it.  I'm not having any luck with the petunia seeds I bought this year, so I may end up just planting another row of about half a dozen more beans in it.  There's also a Mother-In-Law's Tongue plant snuck in there for it's summer vacation out on the balcony.  The little green pot in the foreground of the second picture is full of bell peppers, and I'm watching it carefully.  I've already thinned it out once, but it may need to be thinned again if the plants get to big.  There's also a tomato in a pot not shown, which was a quick adaptation after I accidently ripped open one of my topsy-turvys from last year and had to find a fast substitute.

Speaking of topsy turvys, in this picture you see the two I have, the one in the foreground being planted with a couple of zuccinis and the one in the background being planted with a medium tomato.  Yes, that is a wind chime in between them, and that is a lounger set under the hanging houseplants that are also on their summer vacation lol.  I did not see anything in the rules that said I couldn't relax once in a while lol. 

Come to think about it, eating a salad on the lounger, enjoying the gentle breeze beneath my quickly growing balcony garden, it seems to me this might be a good example of the good life.  Enjoy!  :)

Living By The Three G's

I found an article in a magazine I read often, and it stressed living by the Three G's: being Grateful, being Generous, and being Gracious.  I've developed myself to where I try to live more and more by these principles over the years, and while I still have my temper tantrums and bad moments, I'm amazed looking back over the years at how far I've come.

Being Grateful

Grateful - 1) warmly or deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received; thankful.  2) espressing or actuated by gratitude.  3) pleasing to the mind or senses, agreeable or welcome, refreshing. 

It doesn't take a lot to be grateful-what I've found it is mostly takes an attitude shift.  I also use the word Thankful interchangeably with Grateful, as it seems to work well for me.  "I'm thankful the sun came out today."  "I'm thankful for the rain that feeds the the flowers so I can take beautiful pictures of them."  "I'm grateful for all the good and decent people in my life."  "I'm grateful that my circumstances are not worse than they are or have been."  "I'm grateful for my modest standard of living."  And on and on.  I've found if I can concentrate on the things that are right in my life and that I really am grateful for rather than the things that are not going the way I'd like them to, overall I'm just a happier person, just on this one attitude.  I'm not going to try to kid anyone, this has taken years of practice and reminding myself to be grateful, but it's been well worth it in the long run for me.

Generous - 1) liveral in giving or sharing; unselfish.  2) free from meanness or smallness of mind or charactor, magnanimous.  3) large; abundant; ample.

It doesn't take a lot of to be generous either, and again it can be much more about attitude than anything else.  Most people immediately think being generous is all about giving stuff or money away, but being generous can also be when someone is facing difficulties and challenges in their life and just need someone to vent to, or being generous by noticing someone is wearing a nice looking peice of clothing and telling them you like it, for example.  It can also be lending a hand when someone's moving, just to help carry boxes or pack them, or it can be about spending time volunteering.  Notice in the definition above that it doesn't say anything about material items!  Being generous creates it's own dividends also, whether it's making someone else's day, or building a reputation of being a go-to person or being known for your kindness, etc.  These are things that can't be bought, they're intangible and are difficult to measure.  Again, it's taken me a lot of practice to develop this trait over the years, but it has been well worth it for me.

Gracious - 1) pleasantly kind, benevolent, and courteous.  2) characterized by good taste, comfort, ease, or luxury.  3) indulgent or beneficent in a pleasantly condescending way, especially to inferiors.  4) merciful or compassionate.  5) fortunate or happy.

Gracious is an old fashioned sort of word I learned during the time in my childhood that I lived in Atlanta.  I listened to my Grandmother's relatives talking about being gracious, but really didn't understand the concept at the time.  I've tried to develop being kind and courteous, as well as indulgent, which is not at all old fashioned.  It takes little time and effort to remember to say please and thank you, but in doing so you elevate the person you address this way, showing they are deserving of your common courtesy and respect.  Being indulgent by listening to a story someone is interested in sharing with you is enriching to both parties, for the storyteller by sharing something in their life or experience, and for the listener by receiving this gift.  It is a basic building block of civilized relationships and allows for the respect and common decency every person is entitled to in my opinion. 

So these are a few of the pillars I've built my life on, and they aren't the expectations I have for others, although I certainly recognize it when I come across it, rather they are the standards I've set for myself, and they seem to be higher than the norm these days.  I hadn't really thought about it until I ran across this article however, and the reason I'm writing my own is to pass it on in some small way.  Enjoy!  :)

Business and Getting Orgainized, Part One

Today is a day I've been putting off for a while.  It's the day I start organizing my shop (at Horsefeather Nuggest on Etsy.com).  I have almost 100 listings on it now, and have plans to expand that to at least 240 listings by midsummer, so I need to standardize a lot of the things I've just been doing from the seat of my pants, starting with my item descriptions. 

At first I was engulfed in the creative process.  What do I want to make?  What colors, materials, styles, etc. do I want to work with, what do I want to design and bring to fruition?  What speaks to me artistically?  What do I find new and exciting in other people's work, and what do I find excruciatingly boring and uninspired?  What part of my artistic ability do I find worthy of bringing to the public?  I was busy answering these questions, practicing my creations, refining my ideas, testing their practicality and appeal.  And I've finally settled on some styles and creations which suit me.

Now that I have that part of my business settled somewhat, it's time to make things like titles consistent, both so clients can more easily find and interpret what it is that I'm making for them, and so that I can more easily determine what in the world I've made and listed in the first place.  For example, I have 3 basic styles of chain maille inspired earrings in 11 color variations in the section of my shop labled "In Blue And Green".  This is the section inspired by ocean colors, the rich blues and vibrant greens of the oceans and other bodies of water I've been exposed to in my lifetime, with the accent of silver to represent the reflection of the sun off the waves, or the foam on the water's surface, as well as the color of the bubbles observed when under water. 

I can't begin to explain how tedious I find this effort of organization lol.  While I know it's needed to provide consistency and a better working platform for me, it's still not something I look forward to, and I approach the task reluctantly at best.  It'll be one of the first things I farm out as I inlarge and expand my shop, i.e. the clerical duties.  But, I have to be more organized so I can more quickly decide what's still needed to be made, so I can make it and list it (according to my newly standardized organizational protochols), so I can more quickly decide what still needs to be made, etc.  It seems to go in an unending circle lol. 

Ah, well, they say no rest for the weary.  I'll just have to keep chipping away at it, because after I get all my titles standardized, it'll be time to move on to the descriptions........

Choices, first version

Choices.  We all have them, we make them daily, some won't matter much, and some will be life changing.  I don't often ruminate on such deep, profound subjects publically, preferring to stick to upbeat and light hearted articles that encourage people and give them a moment of pleasure or at least don't add to the daily burdens we all face.  Today is an exception to that trend.

I've been quiet for a few weeks now as far as blogging is concerned.  It isn't that I haven't had anything to say, it's more like I haven't had a lot that's positive or upbeat to say.  You see, I'm dealing with a teenager who has a drug addiction, and she's currently on a fast downhill slide that's going to get worse before it gets better.  I've watched her burn bridges, and restrained myself from trying to rebuild them for her, knowing that if I do, she'll just burn them again.  I've watched her roll down the track like a locomotive, seeing in the distance the mountain she's going to run into called reality, knowing that she's been gathering speed to rush to her destiny, and not being able to jump in the way to soften the collision that's coming.  While these are very poetic ways of describing the personal issues I'm dealing with, they in no way describe the chaos and heartbreak, and I'm not going to describe that here. 

Choices.  I'm choosing to reject the "omg, why is this happening to me/my daughter/my family, insert term here," mentality.  It can't happen to me or my family?  Why not?  Unless you're a hermit, the choices of others affect you too, and not everyone makes the best choices.  Please don't feel sorry for me, I am not wallowing in self-pity or denial.  I'll get through this, and I have a lot of my own choices to make.  Please don't feel sorry for my daughter either.  She was fully warned and walked into this with the knowledge she needed to avoid the consequences she's going to have to face now, the fruit of her own choices, and she's going to have to work hard to regain what she's in the process of losing, i.e. she's going to have to build her own bridges back up.  I'll be behind her, cheering her on, handing her the hammer and nails, maybe even cutting the wood, but she's going to have to do the heavy lifting by herself, no one else can do it for her. 

Choices.  I chose today to walk a mile to the grocery store, even though my legs objected.  I chose to walk at a pace that gave me shin splints, painful cramps in the muscles on the outside of the legs.  I chose to ignore the shin splints and keep walking at a rapid pace, because someday those doggoned shin splints will quit if I keep making my legs work.  I chose to make the walk with a perpetual smile on my face and enjoying the journey, even though there's a lot on my mind and I certainly had excuses not to smile if I chose not to.  I chose to buy about 35 pounds worth of groceries, knowing I was going to have to walk them a mile back home, stooped over and looking at the sidewalk for the most part.  The shin splints went away on the way home, apparently if I'm carrying that much I'm either not walking quite fast enough for them to develop or the extra weight mitigates them, something I'll have to keep in mind for future outings.  I chose to observe the sidewalk the entire walk home, because interesting things sometimes appear even on the sidewalk. 

Choices.  I'm choosing to write this article, even though it breaks some of the rules I've set for myself on writing articles.  A younger friend of mine encouraged me to write about what I'm dealing with, thinking perhaps it might be of assistance to someone else.  I'm also choosing to stay as upbeat and positive as I possibly can under the circumstances, knowing that mine also might get worse before they get better.

Choices.  I chose to apply for a good job today that will mean a 4 1/2 mile walk home every evening until I'm able to save up enough money to either buy a car or fix my truck.  I'll be able to ride the bus to work every day, but by the time I get out of work, the buses will have stopped running.  I'm choosing to be positive about the possibility of getting this job however, knowing it will give me more financial tools than I've had in a while, and also knowing that I'm capable of making the walk home, and that I'll be in better shape for doing it.  I'm sure tylenol will be a close friend for a little while while I'm getting used to it though lol.

Choices.  I've been choosing to improve my home environment recently, because it is one thing I have control over.  Spring cleaning is in full force, and I light big scented candles daily now because of their soothing effect on me while I'm working.  I choose to make long term plans for myself when the short term is unpredictable. 

Choices.  Today, for me, it's all about choices.  I look forward to the day when the choices I've made lead to the opportunity for a brighter tomorrow.

Mother's Day Giving :)

I found myself in the position this week of helping my daughter in law with the issue of a Mother's Day present for her mom.  She was concerned that she didn't have much of a budget (with a toddler and one in the oven, that's perfectly understandable), but she wanted to make sure her mom knew she was appreciated.  So she asked me for suggestions.  Wow, talk about an honor that she trusted me enough to ask, and pressure for me to deliver lol.

After some discussion, and considering they live across the country from each other, she decided that a t-shirt with her son's (her mom's only grandchild at this point) handprints all over it in fabric paint.  It's not an expensive present, but it's priceless, because any parent or grandparent knows that babies don't stay babies for very long.  I found very reasonably priced fabric paints on ebay from this seller, who was very helpful and prompt with shipping, and who included at no charge a piece of cardboard for testing the colors at no charge.  I sent my daughter in law the link so she could choose colors, then ordered the lot of 10 and had them sent to her.  I also suggested that she would need a piece of cardboard to put in the t-shirt to keep the colors from bleeding through to the other side, as well as paper plates to put the colors in, and for easy clean up afterwards, since my 18-month grandson is very active and not at all concerned with being neat and clean lol.  I'm waiting to see how it turns out.  :)

In working retail and in nursery departments for many years, I've also run across other inexpensive but lovely ideas.  I remember one person in to buy several flats of bedding plants and flowers, and she explained that her family tradition was that everyone went to her widowed mother's home for the holiday and spent the time enjoying her company, cooking for her and planting her flower beds for her for the summer.  I thought that was a great idea, because it was not expensive, not hard, but since her mother had gotten on in years, saved her some work as well as giving her a gift that lasted all season, much longer than just taking her out to dinner.  Another family I know of would pool their resources and purchase a couple of large ceramic pots for their mother's driveway (after some years she had a row of beautiful pots down both sides), and would dual plant them all with flowers and an edible plant so their mom wouldn't have to bend over a garden. 

As for me, all I ever asked for on holidays and for my birthday was a clean home and well behaived kids lol.  I'm not sure how many times I actually got that, but we had some interesting adventures along the way.  I would often take the kids to a state park for a day outing, or even to our lovely scenic downtown area where we would be tourists for the day.  We often took a lot of pictures, which are priceless today. 

To all the mothers and grandmothers reading this, Happy Mother's Day :)

Additional Info For Previous Postings :)

I have been busy!  Making dresses, sprouting plants, making and selling jewelry and aprons, and time to blog seems to have gotten away from me in the last week.  But I was reminded of some things I typically do to make my projects a little easier, and I'd like to share some of them with you :)

With sewing, I do a few things differently.  I buy multi-sized patterns, and cut out all of the pattern pieces so that all the sizes can be used, in case the next time I need the pattern I need a different size.  That way I'm not buying a pattern for my daughter's size and one for mine.  That presents another problem though, and that is cutting the fabric in the right size without cutting the pattern.  I pin the pattern to the fabric a little bit into the pattern, not right at the edge, and with a little practice, have become pretty good at cutting the fabric underneath the correct lines on the fabric.  It takes a little time and practice to get reasonably good at doing it this way, but when I'm done, I still have a multi-sized pattern.  I also store my patterns in manilla files rather than trying to get all the pattern pieces back into the envelope.  I have patterns from my mother and grandmother, and over the years the tissue has suffered considerable wear being taken out, used, and reinserted into the envelopes.  So I put all the pattern pieces, instructions, and original envelope into a manilla file that can simply be opened, and I make note on the file tab of the pattern make, number, sizes, and what sort of garment it is.  If I'm in the process of choosing a pattern for a project, it's as simple as flipping the file open and looking at the pic on the envelope inside so I can make a decision.  It takes up a lot less storage space in my file cabinet also :)

I have also been working with the plants.  One of the things that is very important is not letting potting mix dry out, as it is very difficult to get it to absorb water again once it dries out, and it's not kind to the seedlings roots if it dries out either.  I start seeds in yogurt containers (reduce, reuse, recycle), but then I put them in waterproof trays with about an inch of water sitting in the bottom.  This keeps the potting soil moist through the bottom, but doesn't waterlog the seeds.  Once the seedlings have sprouted to their first set of primary leaves, I transfer them to cardboard boxes lined with plastic wrap or plastic bags, and start introducing fertilizer to their water to promote strong root systems.  I use a commercial fertilizer (Miracle-Gro), and in the spring there are often larger garden size containers avalible.  I use the small scoop end (included in the fertilizer package) to a gallon of water, which is a little on the light side but prevents fertilizer burn.  Once a week I mix up fertilizer and soak the seedlings in my sink for 15 minutes in about an inch of water, then 2 more times a week I water the seedlings from the top with plain water just enough to keep the soil moist.  I currently have 21 bush beans and 5 bell peppers sprouted, and they just moved outside because the evening lows are supposed to stay above 40 degrees.  They are still in partial shade with good indirect light exposure, but I will move them into more direct sunlight next week, after they've gotten used to being outside. 

On business, I am to the point of working to find a very part time photographer for my jewelry listings.  I am an ok photographer, but not a great one, and I don't have high-end photography equipment or the desire to acquire it.  I have also gotten to the point where I can put a couple weeks or a month's worth of production into one photo shoot day, and plan on doing the listings for that production the next month.  I have a son (in Seattle) who is willing to acqire the photography equipment, software, and devote the time to working on photographs, but if that were not the case, I also have a local community college that offers photography classes, and I'd be able to contact them and offer a bi-weekly or monthly photo shoot at a reasonable cost to me, which would also help them increase their professional portfolios as they're completing their education.  This relieves me of two days of production time every couple of weeks being frustrated in working with photographs also, which lets me concentrate on what I do best--design and make jewelry, and at a reasonable cost. 

Ok, that's all I have today.  Enjoy :)

The Beans Are Sprouting--Just In Time For A Snowstorm lol

Ahhhh, it's Nebraska.

I have 12 bean plants, snug in their yogurt containers, happily sprouted, 5 of them with at least their first set of secondary leaves on (a good sign of whether they'll continue to survive), and the other 7 that have at least initially broken through the soil, just in time for a late season Nebraska snowstorm!  They are not in any sort of danger, sitting happily on the heated side of my sliding glass balcony door (which is the coolest place in the living room, around 65 degrees), and they'll go back out when it's warm enough for them again.  I think I forgot to mention, since it's second nature to me, that they are sitting in a box that I've cut down to just above the top of the containers and lined with some plastic wrap, although in years past I've also used a plastic grocery bag for the same job, which made bringing them in (or moving them anywhere for that matter) very easy. 

This does not include the 16 containers sitting in my kitchen by the way, waiting for them to sprout or show some sign of life, 10 of which I planted today.  I chose my kitchen counter because it's close to the sprayer in the sink, which makes it easy for me to give the little ones a quick (and gentle) drink, and also ensures that they are closely monitored, since they sit on the same counter where I add milk to my coffee.  Several times a day, as I'm doing other things, I can monitor them to make sure they aren't drying out, to see if anything is peeking through the soil (which will get them moved to the tray by the window at the moment, or outside when it gets reasonable again in a day or two).  As I've moved them to the "sprouted" box, I've gotten more yogurt containers out and planted more, so there's a continuing rotation going of the plants being newly planted, sprouting, sitting in the sunlight and "hardening" (getting used to the conditions they'll face outside, which are not nearly as nice as they are on my kitchen counter).  I have to move them to at least partial sunlight as soon as they sprout, also a consideration, since my kitchen has absolutely no sunlight, and it is the sunlight that powers their growth once they are sprouted. 

I have in total now 29 yogurt containers planted with 2 bean seeds each, 12 sprouted, and 5 with their first set of real leaves on them.  I will only need 6 plants for my personal use, but the package of seeds I bought was 1 oz., and doesn't seem quite half empty yet lol.  I have one pot planted with bell pepper seeds, but I haven't seen any of them come up yet, and I have yet to start on the tomato or petunia seeds.  I may have to find yogurt on sale soon so I have more containers! 

In a way, I'm happy the weather is so unhappy outside.  The tray of seedlings sits a couple of feet away from my desk, and it's nice to be able to look over and check on their progress, which can be remarkable even through a single day, since they can go from just barely peeking through the soil to standing almost straight up and showing their baby leaves in that time, under the right conditions.  I would not be surprised if I have 7 of them showing their leaves by tomorrow.  Yep, spring is here and humming along nicely, even in spite of a late season Nebraska snowstorm :)

Time Out For Summer Dresses :)

I love dresses, especially in the summertime.  Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of dresses to wear personally.  I have some issues with my body not fitting off the rack dresses well, and I don't like wearing a sack in pretty colors lol.  But I did learn how to sew relatively well in my youth, I watched Project Runway with concerted interest (both admiring and appalled by some of the "fashions" and sewing errors shown on that program), and I do have a few very nice summer dress patterns.  That takes me to time issues, or more accurately lack of time issues, since I'm running two online businesses which take the majority of my time. 

Today I'm taking a time out and working on a couple of summer dresses for myself.  It is April, the weather is wonderful, and I would happily be outside in a pretty summer dress, if only I had a nice one to wear!  I have one that's been on the project table for a ridiculous amount of time (I was supposed to wear it to a wedding last year, if that gives you an idea), and it's getting done up to setting the zipper today.  (I would set the zipper, but it seems to have run off on me, and I will either have to dedicate some serious time to looking for it or buy another one lol).  I also found in my fabric stash some beautiful flowered fabric with peonies on it, one of my dad's favorite flowers before he passed away.  I have a couple more fabrics that would look wonderful, but I don't want to get ahead of myself, because I don't know when I'll have the time to take a time out again.  Hopefully by this weekend I'll have at least 2 pretty dresses to run around in, wrought from my own hands, tailored to fit my body well, that I can really enjoy.  :)

The Seductive Nature Of The Spring Growing Season

I love being seduced!

Before someone takes that wrong, I should probably explain.  I'm talking about the spring growing season and how very easy it is to start out with small plans which grow bigger and bigger as the enthusiasm grows.  Sorry if you were looking for something else lol. 

I am in the middle of just such a season.  I started out with the relatively modest plans (for me anyway) of putting bush beans in my long planters behind my petunias and growing tomatos in my topsy turvys. 

This is a picture of my petunias from last year, and yes, those are solar lights also.  They light my balcony very nicely until the wee hours with the amount of light they get, they don't attract bugs, and I don't have to run wires all over the place to have light in that area.  I have 2 of these on a 25' balcony, and it's a good thing :)

But I digress.  From 3 petunias and 3 bush beans, plus 2 solar lights, per planter and 3 topsy turvy's planted with tomatos.  Those were my big plans for the season, besides putting my houseplants out.  *sigh*  Some years I'm so niave.....

I live in an apartment complex with 185 units, and it is laid out very nicely.  There has been talk of putting a community garden in for years, and this year it is happening.  I've been involved in a community garden before, City Sprouts in Omaha.  They're an urban garden built on 3 empty lot with the idea of inviting the community to learn and participate in growing their own food rather than being so dependent on what's available and affordable in the grocery store.  I lived a block away from the initial site when they were forming up years ago, and being an overgrown farm kid, would often wander down to get my hands dirty for a few hours, towing my kids along with me.  They learned a lot, and I enjoyed the fellowship with other people gardening even though I had 4 raised beds myself as well.  I also worked at Mulhall's Nursery for a season, learning more along the way, especially about container gardening, which was something I wasn't very familiar with until that time.

Our apartment garden is scheduled to be planted the last weekend in May, which is a little late in the growing season for us.  I suppose I'm not too surprised, as the two event coordinators in charge of the project have no gardening experience.  I give them a lot of credit for being willing to take on this challenge, but they are going to get a little unexpected help.  Since I bought a full packet of bush bean seeds, and will only use at most 6 plants personally, I've been putting the rest in starters so they already have some growth by the time the garden is planted.  I'm using yogurt containers that I use a knife to cut an X in the bottom of, fill it with older potting soil from pots I've had (it's nutrient poor at this point, but still lighter than the clay soil we naturally have, and with some supplimental light fertilizing, will do nicely for giving these plants a good head start).  Needless to say, I have lost one entire counter in my galley kitchen, and my outdoor table in the balcony will soon be covered in yogurt containers filled with beans.  Oh, and peppers, since I decided I want to grow a couple bell peppers too while I was looking at seeds, and I can grow those in a pot.  I'll still start my leftovers and donate them to the community garden though, or if they don't want them, there's enough neighbors with patio gardens that I'm sure I'll be able to find good homes for all of them.  (That also means you'll be seeing recipes for what I do with this produce later, when I start making them lol).  I also got petunia seeds, but I'm sure I'll have too many of those, so they'll also all get started and given away, and I got a packet of tomato seeds, which I'll also have the same issue with.  The reason I'll start all the seeds and give them away is a lot of seeds have a great germination (sprouting) rate the year the packets come out, but if you save them for the next year, the rate goes down, sometimes drastically, and I'd rather get the most of the potential out of the seeds, which means planting them all this year.  All the seeds I bought cost me less than $5, and with the savings of not buying these things at the store even with the few plants I'll keep for myself will more than make up for the initial cost of the seeds and cover all the ones I'll be giving away (except for the petunias, which I grow simply because they're pretty and local pollinator bugs and hummingbirds like them, and they will withstand the heat and very dry weather a Nebraska summer has). 

I will probably end up going out and looking at seeds again before long, just to see if I've missed anything.  And I will probably bring more home, some to keep and some to share.  I may lose more than one counter in my kitchen, because I plant them and keep them there so I can keep an eye on them until there's a good sprout, which is when they get moved out to the balcony, only being moved in if it gets too cold, until it's time for them to go to their new homes. 

This is a great time for a seduction, and I love being seduced like this!  Enjoy :)

Green Spring Cleaning Revisited

It is a beautiful spring day in Nebraska, so what am I doing?  More spring cleaning, of course. I was reminded as I was working on chores that I do some things in a very green way, and thought I'd share them here.

I don't want to pick on paper towels.  They are great for messes that you just want to pick up and throw away, the things with a high "ewwwwww" factor.  But for general cleaning, I use rags recycled from other sources.  What can you turn into rags?  Well, try old t-shirts that have seen better days.  Old sheets that are too worn for service anymore can either be rags or torn into strips for attaching plants in the garden to cages or trellises.  Dress shirts that are no longer in style can also be turned into rags (or quilt blocks), as well as children's clothing that have stains or too much wear, etc.  The wonderful thing about using rags is you have the option of throwing them in the laundry so they can be reused or just throwing them away if they are too dirty guilt-free, because they've already been recycled.  They are also great for using in the garage, to clean up bikes, motercycles, lawn mowers, just about anything greasy, just don't let dirty rags in the garage sit for any length of time (they can spontaniously combust under certain conditions). 

This is also the time of year when people used to drag their rugs outside, hang them on the clothesline and beat them until there was no more dust.  Even today with vacuming them, there is usually still dust deep in the fibers, and giving them a good beating will help extend the life of the rug.  Wait, you don't have a clothesline?  Why not?  With warmer weather, it's an excellent time to forgo the dryer for the clothesline, and there's nothing more luxurious than climbing between sheets that have been kissed by the sun all afternoon (assuming you don't have allergies).  The only energy you'll use on a clothesline is the energy you expend carrying the basket out to the line, and that's pretty easy on the wallet.  My mother used to have a clothespin hanger made out of a regular clothes hanger and a couple pieces of scrap material, sewn together to create a large pocket and slit about 1/3 of the way down the front to allow for easy access to the pins. 

This is also the time of year that I empty my wicker baskets and give them a good rinse, just to banish the dust that gathers on them.  If they have cloth liners, the liners do a turn in the laundry.  It's ok to rinse wicker, as long as you don't let the baskets sit in water and allow about 24 hours to let them dry.  The first couple of times you do it you may notice some of the stain running off of them--which is ok, that adds to the aged or patinaed appearance.  You can do the same with wicker furnature, but those are best taken outside and rinsed off with a garden hose, again giving them about 24 hours to dry.  You can also redo baskets if they color isn't right for your new decorating scheme with a can of spray paint in your new colors.  Baskets used to be handed down through the generations, and with good care, a basket can last a very long time.

Ok, my break time is over, so it's back to work for me.  Enjoy the day!  :)

Peregrine Falcon Sighting--A First For Me :)

I was priviledged to experience a first for me yesterday.  I looked out my sliding glass door as I routinely do, and noticed some movement in a tree in our apartment courtyard.  It's not unusual for birds from wild canaries to crows to the occasional red tailed hawk to hang out in our courtyard--it's a large green area where the kids play football or catch.  But I noticed this bird did not have the silluette of any of the regular birds we have around here.  I finally was able to identify it as having the body shape of a peregrine falcon, the ferarri of the raptor world.  I've seen them on nature shows and even at a couple of educational raptor events locally, and I knew that they've been reintroducing them to the Omaha area for at least the last 20 years or so, both in the downtown area (where they have a falcon camera feed when there are eggs in the nest on top of one of the skyscrapers), and at the Raptor Center about 10 miles from me, but I've never seen one just hanging out in the wild, especially not in my apartment complex.  It had apparently caught a groundsquirrel and was working on it's breakfast when I noticed it, and I don't think it was used to people, as it would stop and guard it's catch everytime someone appeared within about 30 yards of it. 

Peregrine falcons are considered an endangered species, and there's more information on them here peregrine falcon info  They are considered one of the fastest birds in the world, in a dive having been recorded going almost 70 mph.  They've been trained by raptor handlers for centuries, and were almost wiped out by widespread use of DDT in the 60's. 

And I got to see one in my neighborhood.  Coolness :)

Time For Gardening :)

We're past April 1st, so it's time to start the seedlings for my garden.  Since I live in an apartment and have a balcony rather than on the garden level, I do a lot of container gardening, which I've found challenging but also rewarding.

I have a couple topsy turvys that I'll put tomato plants in, and I'll buy the plants at the grocery store rather than starting them from seed, because sometimes I have problems with fungus when I start them from seed.  I usually plant one with a full-sized tomato and the other with cherry or grape tomatos, and they've done well so far, although I need to get used to assessing them and pruning them upside down lol.  I might invest in a couple more, because I'd like to see how yellow squash and zuccini do in them also--always problem crops in a container for me.  They are fairly easy to use, just follow the directions on the package and remember to water them every day.  If you don't water them, the soil gets rock hard and the water has a hard time penetrating it.

Today I'm starting bush beans.  To give you an idea of the "green" factor, I'm starting them in yogurt containers that I usually save for water when I'm painting.  I have an abundance of them, and cutting an "x" in the bottom with a utility knife is pretty easy so the water can drain.  I fill them with a quality potting mix, use a pencil to tap a hole about 1" deep, and put 2 seeds in each one.  These will later be thinned to the strongest one when they have 4 leaves on them, and is insurance in case one of the seeds doesn't sprout.  I put the yogurt cups in a tray that will hold at least 1" of water in the bottom, and set aside.  When I see sprouts, I'll move them to a sunny area so they can continue to develop.  They'll go in 2 styrofoam planters I have when the danger of frost has passed, to share the space with petunias.  I like the styrofoam planters because they insulate the soil in the drastic hot and cold of the Nebraska climate.  (I often have petunias last well beyond frost in these as they hold their heat very well).  Putting petunias in the same space will attract pollinating critters, and I've even seen humming birds dropping by for a nip at sunset.  Attracting pollinating critters is important, since the flowers need to be pollinated before they will produce a bean, tomato or other crop.  I'll also put petunias in several hanging baskets, again to attract pollinating critters. 

The first step is done.  Hello spring!  :)

One Of Those Days...

It's been one of those days today.  I'm sitting at my computer writing this blog and ignoring the bead mess on my work table 10' away lol.  And what a mess!  At this point I would be happy to be able to say I spilled hundreds of tiny foil lined rochelle beads--I didn't.  I'd even be happy to say I spilled a thousand of them.  These tiny, precious beads that add such beatiful accents to the jewelry I make I spilled several thousand of, and will need my magnifying glasses to pick them all up.  Well, I suppose it could be worse.

In the meantime, I have been working with my crock pot again, since it's been cool and rainy for a week.  (I want to mention here that I feel for the people in Florida, which was visited with tornados both yesterday and today, and for the people in the New Englad area, where a Nor'easter is coming in). Our dreary weather here is not a complaint, just an opportunity to take off one perspective (the one who would like sun to go bike riding in), and put on another one (the one that celebrates cool weather because the crock pot can come out).  In the last 24 hours I've been cooking pork rib tips, relatively inexpensive cuts of pork that don't lend themselves easily to a lot of dishes.  I bought $13 worth and threw it all in the crock pot yesterday.  Today they are ready to come out and be shredded, either to be packed (1 cup shredded/chopped meat to 2 cups broth) and put in the freezer for wonderful bean soups, or the meat to be shredded and mixed with bbq sauce for sandwiches. 

Ah, well, I suppose I should get back to my jewelry project and picking up beads.  I have chain maille links to make today, and a wonderful lime green and cobalt blue necklace to finish up.  And oh, pick up all those beads too lol.

Great Business And Great Friends :)

I've been busy making aprons, and I'm in the process of listing a few of them now. 

I love making aprons.  I use a "non-pattern pattern" that I was taught as a child, and which I have plans to write down, copyright and sell at some point.  For the pattern I use my ironing board, a ruler and a straight edge.  Making these make me happy, and hearing about how happy they make others, or how well made they are, and getting more and more happy customer feedbacks, make my day.  I am really enjoying this part of my business.
I hear about a lot of people going to work in their pajamas.  I'm not quite that informal, as I've found my attitude towards working is not serious enough when I try that.  I have things to do, projects to plan and execute, photos to take and edit, listings to create, research to do, bills to pay, marketing plans to work on, sales data to study, etc.  While I write often about my roots and how they influence what I'm doing today, I am running a "real" business, with all the responsibilities.  Now, I will work in leggings or my favorite loungers, (which I won't wear out of the house lol), but that's more a comfort/flexibility issue, since I do a lot of standing at the ironing board, or getting down on my hands and knees to arrange things for photos, and until I've lost the next set of 20 pounds on my goal list, doing that in jeans isn't going to be comfortable.  I do believe in dressing for success :)

I have great friends too :)  Most of them are also busy, and a few of them also work from their homes.  We'll talk in im's, but with some basic rules, like being afk is not an issue, conversations can take hours or be ongoing that would normally only take a few moments, and schedules are very flexible.  It's how we stay connected, and we do it with the understanding that the businesses have to come first.  If we don't hear from someone for a few hours in the middle of a conversation, it's not cause to panic or get hurt feelings--they just got busy, and I do the same from time to time.  We also give each other important business world feedback, such as finding a new venue for expression (blogging), solving business issues, support in customer service areas, etc.  Even my friends that aren't working from home or running their own businesses understand and work with the "rules", which is wonderful. 
Ok, I've spent enough time writing today.  Time for me to get back to work :)

Ah The Wonders Of Cinnamon

It's once again a cold and snowy day in Omaha--no better time than to cook or bake!  :)  I was reminded about how many of the simple things I take for granted because I was taught at a young age just aren't common knowledge anymore.  For example, they've begun selling a cinnamon/sugar mixture in the grocery stores I've noticed, which is great for some baking and for cinnamon toast for breakfast.  I've been making the same thing myself for many years, and for a whole lot cheaper than what I've seen it being sold for.  I took a shaker container that used to hold dried minced onion and holds about 1 1/2 cups, washed it, filled it with sugar and added 4-6 tablespoons of cinnamon to it.  I shake it thoroughly so the cinnamon is mixed throughout, and I've just created what they sell in the stores for less than $.50. 

I've heard a lot of good things about cinnamon lately, about how it may have a lot of health benefits, but I've always enjoyed cooking with it.  Today, for example, I've been making something like apple crisps but without the topping, and using granny apples.  Granny apples are the apples that have sat around or overwintered long enough that they've lost a little of their moisture, just enough for the skins to be slightly wrinkled.  They're still good to eat, but are better baked than raw at that point.  So for baking my crispless apple crisps I took a one pint Corelle cassarole dish and greased it, then cored and sliced 2 Johnathon apples that had grannied.  I loosely layered them in the baking dish, sprinkling each layer generously with my cinnamon/sugar mixture,  and put them in the oven at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.  At 35 minutes I opened the oven, took a fork and gently pushed down on the apple slices (the purpose for this is so the wonderful apple juice/cinnamon/sugar mixture thats bubbling in the bottom of the cassarole dish reaches all the apple slices), and put it back in the oven for another 15 minutes.  After it comes out of the oven, it will need to sit for a few minutes to cool and to allow the sugar mixture to thicken, 15 minutes should do nicely.  Baked apples with sugar and cinnamon, what a wonderful snow day treat, and my whole house smells wonderful too :)

Springtime in Nebraska

Well, it seems springtime in Nebraska has finally come, along with it's weather extremes of 70 degrees and tornado watches one day and snow the next.  It's also time for me to wrap up some of my strictly cold weather projects, such as candle making or major ironing (mostly the projects that add heat to the household, which is very helpful in cold weather but not so much when the air conditioning gets turned on).

It's also time for me to break out a very simple but yummy recipe.  I love sno cones and have an ice shaver, but I can't always find the syrup to go on them, so I came up with a good substitute that's fast and simple.  The nice thing is I can make it anytime, and in just about any flavor. 

Sno Cone Syrup

1 cup water
1 1/2 cups sugar
unsweetened powdered drink mix, such as Kool Aide

Combine water and sugar in small saucepan.  Heat over med. heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is completely dissolved.  (Do not boil!).  Remove from heat and stir in drink mix.  Cool and put in squirt bottle.  Unused syrup can be refrigerated.  Enjoy :)

Warm Weather Cooking :)

It is warming up, which reminds me it's time to switch my cooking style to more casual dishes which require little to no actual cooking.  While I know these are modern times, I tend to take my cooking cues from some "farmhouse" cooking wisdom.  Farm wives of old, during the heat of the summer months and often without air conditioning, avoided cooking (and adding heat to the household) unless absolutely needed.  Cold meals and things that could be cooked outdoors on a grill were often served instead of hot meals, and cooking was left for cooler or rainy days whenever possible, or Sundays, which were considered feast days and days of rest.

Unfortunately I can no longer make one of my favorite cold dishes because of my allergy to eggs (and mayo, which is mostly eggs), but I'll include it here.

Appitizer/Sanwich Filling (Mayo Style)

Meat or Protein, approx. 5 oz. or 1/2 cup, drained (see note 1)
3 Tablespoons mayo or Miracle Whip (adjust more or less to moisten all other ingredients).
2 Tablespoons mustard of your choice (see note 2)
2 Tablespoons dill pickle relish

Combine all ingredients in a metal or glass mixing bowl, mixing well with a fork until moistened.  Serve as sandwich filling, or on crackers for appitizers. 

For fancier appitizers, serve on specialty crackers, topped with a touch of shredded cheeze, diced cooked tomatos marinated in oil and vinegar or seasonings of your choice, or a black olive, whole or sliced.  You can also sprinkled with paprika or add a sprig of parsley.

Note 1.  My personal favorite for the meat or protein is canned tuna, but I have also used with great success sardines, potted (canned) ham, canned chicken, diced cooked chicken (usually a leftover breast or filet), finely diced cooked ham (also usually a leftover), canned salmon, and diced hard boiled eggs (2). 
Note 2.  I started out using regular yellow mustard, but over the years found that brown and dijon works well also.

Since I'm now allergic to eggs, chicken and mayo, I've been playing with some new variations of the same basic idea I outlined above, just without the eggs, chicken and mayo lol.  This is what I've come up with so far for flavorful, practical egg-free appitizer/sandwich filling.

Appitizer/Sandwich Filling (Egg/Chicken Free Style)

Meat or Protein, 5 oz. or approx 1/2 cup, drained (see note 3).
2-3 Tablespoons Oil-Based Salad Dressing, such as Italian, Vinegrette, or Olive Oil and Cracked Pepper
2 Tablespoons dill pickle relish (optional)

Combine in a metal or glass mixing bowl as in the first recipe, also serving or garnishing as in the first recipe.

Note 3.  I have tried this with tuna so far, but have plans to try it with the other non-egg/chicken meats listed above.

A Day Trip In The City :)

My 16 year old daughter and I had business downtown today, so after we had finished we decided to spend some time at Omaha's Historic Old Market district.  (For more information on the Old Market, click here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Market_(Omaha,_Nebraska  This is the original Omaha warehouse district that has been converted into an artist's community, upscale urban apartments, shopping and great resturaunts.  It was a beautiful day for an outing, with temps close to 70 degrees.  We had lunch at Spaghetti Works, dining on the patio outside so we could observe St. Patrick's Day revelers traveling from bar to bar, collecting bead necklaces and drinks.  I was thrilled to find that our server was very knowledgeable about the ingredients in their Italian dishes, as I have some food allergies that can create signifigant issues.  After enjoying our lunch (and quality time, which is rare with a 16 year old lol), we wandered over to Overland Sheepskin Company, one of my all time favorite shops for leather goods, then Souq Ltd., one of the original boutiques located in The Passageway, specializing in items from Arabia.  We wandered through a couple of the artisan galleries in The Passageway, and finally over to Goldsmith Silversmith, which makes fine unique and custom designer jewelry.  Enjoying the beautiful weather, experiencing walking on the original brick streets and eclectic community vibe, listening to partiers on balconies and patios cheering and celebrating St. Patrick's Day, catching up with my daughter, it was a great day, and I don't feel a bit guilty about playing hooky from my work today :)  

Springtime Errands :)

I went out and ran errands yesterday, since it was an order's out day.  Spring is in the air, it was in the mid-50's, there was a breeze but not too hard, life was good :)  I noticed blades of green in the thatch of grass, and the buds are swelling.  Soon the forsythia should be in full bloom in their cheerful, bright yellow.  And---I saw people on bikes.

Now, I wasn't thinking of bikes, although I have been a bit disappointed that the one I had decided that shifting when it felt like it was a good idea, which made it terribly challenging to ride.  But seeing person after person on bikes struck a chord in me--I wanted to be riding too!  And it was such a beautiful day for it, so....

After running my errands, it was off to Walmart for me, a 2 mile walk.  I found a men's mountain bike in the brightest of oranges (I usually ride men's bikes, they're more comfortable for my long frame, and orange was my most favorite color as a teenager), at a good price, and rode it home.  Until I get my truck running again, which is still a little ways off, this becomes my personal mode of transportation, which makes things much easier.  I'm also very excited, since I have not personally had a brand-new off the shelf bike since I was a child, usually using my kid's bikes or getting them second hand.  The hardest part of riding it came when I got home and lugged it up 3 flights of stairs to my apartment, so I can etch it with identifying marks. 

The kids' reactions were priceless, as they've never seen me get myself a new bike either.  They've admired it, looked it over carefully, and at least one of my kids has asked if they had any more like it, which means he's considering getting one for himself.

It'll be nice riding around, getting things done much faster than I was, and enjoying the journey.  My abs are very unhappy with me now, but I don't mind, they needed some spring excercise as it was.  Yes, yesterday was a good day :)

Back To Fudge Making :)

My neice, on hearing that I had made fudge for my household, talked me into making a batch for her family also.  Who can resist a 9 year old?  So last night I made another batch of fudge, and today I've packed it, written out a nice old fashioned note card (does anyone else still send notecards anymore?), and followed the time honored tradition of copying the recipe onto recipe cards to send off with the goodies, along with a couple of hints on how to make it if it goes wrong lol.  I've shared the recipe at the bottom of this post also :)

I remember when it was tradition for the "Welcome Wagon" to arrive when a new family moved into the neighborhood.  The neighborhood committee would put together a basket with home baked goods, a sign of welcome to the newcomers.  When someone was ill or when someone passed on, the mourning household would receive gifts of food from neighbors, friends and more distant relatives.  Exchanging foods, the stuff of life, was recognized as a caring gesture, the unsaid expression of the sentiment "We're glad you're a part of our lives," and the generous sharing of one family's bounty with another.  Recipe cards were also often shared.  This passing on of not only foods but also the knowledge of how to make them was a treasured tradition, given and received as special gifts from one person to another. 

I'm glad to be able to recall and share in this old tradition today with my neice :)  Here's the recipe.  :)

Old Fashioned Fudge
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Grease 8" square baking pan.  Set aside.
2. Combine sugar, cocoa, and milk in a medium saucepan.  Stir to blend, then bring to a boil over med. high heat, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat and simmer.  Do not stir.
3. Place candy thermometer in pan and cook until temp. reaches 238 degrees F (or soft ball stage).
4. Remove from heat.  Add butter and vanilla.  Beat with a spoon until fudge starts to lose it's sheen.
5. Pour into prepared pan and let cool.  Cut into squares.

*If fudge hardens before it's poured, it can be reheated until liquid over med. heat.  Without adding more ingredients, repeat steps 4 and 5.

Winter Reminds Us...

Winter is reminding the Midwest that she has not retired for the season yet.  As the winter storm bears down that will bring low temperatures and even lower wind chills as well as more of the white stuff, I have gotten my ice blue beads (the same color of the ice on a glacier when a piece has sheared off recently) and my silver chains and findings out, and they are what I will be working with for the next few days while I'm drinking my coffee or tea in my warm home :)

I love the materials I'm working with, and they are so appropriate to the current weather.  Large aqua/ice blue seed beads, some of them foil lined so they shine like fresh snow in the sunlight (something we aren't likely to see for a couple of days), tiny rochelle beads, all foil lined, large frosted beads to add accent and drama to the creations, medium beads with embedded foil accents to create interest, silver chains which are also wonderful winter colors, and silver wire from which to make the chain maille links with which to marry the elements to create beautiful jewelry for my website at http://www.etsy.com/shop/HorsefeatherNuggets?ref=si_shop .  This is the place where the jewelry will be listed as soon as the pieces are finished and I have enough natural light to take pictures of them.  :)

Busy Busy Day...

Today is not a fun day for me--it's a heavy work day.  I have a to-do list that would choke a horse, a weekend to clean up after, listings that have to be done for my online shops and projects on deadlines that have to be finished.  It's not a day where I'm anticipating having any spare time at all, especially not any time to relax.  However...

I did take 5 frivilous minutes and write a thank you note to one of my adult sons that's living with me (until he's got all the paperwork done to go into the Marines).  Why?  He's seen how busy I am, and has been doing little things around the house for me today without my asking him to.  A load of dishes has been done, lunch was magically fixed, and he understood when we were having a conversation that I was working with numbers and couldn't talk with him for a few moments until I got the numbers recorded, because he wanted to throw numbers at me too.  This is also the kid I'm most likely to get in a yelling match with lol.  So, I wrote him a simple note that said "Every little thing you do for the household helps me out in ways you can't imagine.  I wanted to let you know I noticed and I really appreciate the help."  In purple pen, on a 3 x 5" card.  I'm not always good at letting my kids know that I appreciate them, but today I took 5 minutes out of a very busy day.  Just thought I'd share :)

Crock Pot Roast For Dinner Tonight

I have been a fan of crock pot cooking for over 30 years, and one of my favorite dishes is roast with all the trimmings.  Using my crock pot has saved me many, many hours over a hot stove, and has also saved me tons of power, since it's temperature controlled and so little of the heat is lost to the air like it is on a stove.  It's also very forgiving for new cooks (which I was at one time), very rarely burning anything.  But I digress...

Tonight's dinner is an inexpensive beef roast, slow cooked with 3 large cubed potatos, 2 chopped carrots, 2 chopped celery stalks and 1 large diced onion, started last night and allowed to slow cook all day today.  About an hour before I plan on serving it, I'll add seasoned salt to taste.  There's a lot of versitility to this dish, as you can leave things out or add things (my favorite is cabbage, but any "cold weather" vegetable would work), and in an 8-12 quart crock pot, there's enough to fill whomever is in the house (usually 3-5 peeps with bottomless stomaches), plus put some away in the freezer for a quick microwave meal.  I also pulled off several pints of beef broth and froze it for soup stock later on, since I'm allergic to some of the commercial brands.  I also control how much fat is in it, (not much usually), it's a good source of veggies that those with better educations than I say we need more of, and how much salt goes in is also in my control (since I also have a salt restricted diet). 

I think the best part of serving crock pot roast is the reaction I get from those who partake.  I don't think I've ever had a complaint in the years I've served it.  Everyone eats well, everyone seems content (and full) after the meal, and as a bonus, it slows everyone down to really eat and enjoy the meal.  I'm looking forward to not only eating this treat tonight, but also seeing the people I care most about well fed and content.  :)

Making Fudge

I did something special a couple of days ago.  I made a batch of old fashioned fudge.  Now, old fashioned fudge only takes a few ingredients, but it also takes large amounts of patience (waiting for the candy thermometer to rise to the correct temp), diligence (stirring constantly until it boils so it doesn't scorch), and discipline (pour it too soon and it remains gooey, but pour it too late, and it becomes crumbs).  There's both a skill and a real art in making it, but mine turned out well (after I had to reheat it because at first it was crumbly lol). 

I remember my mom teaching me how to approach making candies.  (This is the same person that taught me how to make aprons--see earlier post here  http://midwestartistsjourney.blogspot.com/2011_02_01_archive.html ).  Making candy wasn't something that was going to be ready quickly, and it was going to be infuriatingly slow at times, but it was always special when it came out right.  I learned that with most, it was better to make them in the wintertime when the air was a little drier, because some candies are sensitive to moisture in the air, plus you don't want to put that much heat into the air if you're trying to keep the house cool.  I also learned that you become a very popular person if you've got a batch of homemade candies and let the neighbors or your friends know about it lol.  But I digress.....

My home filled with the smell of cooking cocoa, which brought my daughter out of her room to see where the wonderful smell was coming from.  She took a look at the gooey batch slowly bubbling on the stove, and asked me to let her know when it was done.  After she left the kitchen, I smiled to myself.  She's enjoyed quite a bit of that batch since I made it, and she will be back when it's gone, asking if I'm going to make more, and that's when I'll have her help me make the next batch, and teach her about patience, discipline and diligence.  Thank you Mom, for teaching me, so I can pass it on to the next generation :)

Orders Out On A Beautiful Spring Day

Today was another "orders out" day, and what a beautiful spring day!  I walked about a mile to a local gas station to get lunch--not good for my diet or my wallet, but oh so satisfying lol.  I rarely indulge in a sub sandwich and chips since my cholesterol is so high, and pop is a big no-no with my weight and my kidney issues, but today was my indulgence day, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Temps in the low 50's, so I sat outside to eat, and watched a red-tailed hawk (also known as a chicken hawk) cruising the thermals above a nearby parking lot.  They are so graceful in flight, but also a reminder of one of the reasons my cats are strictly indoor animals.

I noticed someone else out walking too, actually several someones, but this one gent caught my attention for some reason.  He was walking around on this beautiful day mostly looking at his feet, only glancing up to cross the street.  It struck me as a little sad, because usually when I'm out and about I'm looking around me and especially up, because the entire universe is out there, and I'm usually happier exploring that with my eyes than the ground beneath my feet, although there's some interesting things there occasionally too.  The gentleman I observed didn't look like he was looking at much, more like he was depressed.  I hope he finds a reason to look up soon.

The postmistress I talked with later remembered me enough to ask if I was out on my bike today, which was so nice.  I love being remembered for things other than the mischief I occasionally get into lol.  So we chatted about bicycles and blogs for a bit, until her next customer came along.  It was just a fun, casual little conversation, but it's nice interactions with others that sometimes can make or break your entire day, and I'm grateful for them.  I try to go out of my way to make sure when others interact with me, they have had a nice experience.  There's already so much not-so-nice things in the world, and people just don't treat others well anymore, so I try to be a little different.  For example, a city bus passed me when I was out walking, and he looked at me and slowed down as though he were preparing to stop, even though I was between bus stops.  I grinned, shook my head no, and waved, to which he also grinned and waved as he sped up again.  It was a 10 second interaction, but I felt good because he was prepared to do me a favor, and I'm sure he felt good that it was recognized and appreciated.  You never know the impact you may have when you show someone a kindness--it might be the only thing that goes right in their day, and then it's like gold. 

To finish off my walk, I went to the grocery store and got about 20 pounds of groceries to carry the mile home.  That's about how much weight I've lost in the last 4 months or so, and it felt soooooo good that I was able to put it down when I got in the door, rather than continuing to carry it around involuntarily.  I have quite a few more pounds that have their eviction notices, but I'm happy to celebrate the 20 that have departed so far.

That's about all I have for today.  Enjoy :)