Taking a little break---Have a happy 4th!

Designer Bent Creek

stitched by me 2011

Taking a break from blogging this week. Vacay starts tomorrow at 5pm!  Then many things lined up to do spontaneously, my favorite thing to do. So I hope you all have a great 4th.

God bless you and your families.

See ya after the 4th sometime.....

Jennifer

Confessions on Thrifty Thursday

I don't know if you agree, but WHERE did this year fly by to????  July 1st is tomorrow??? OMG!

When I walk out, I realize as my glasses fog up that it's hot, Georgia weather, but it seems time is flying by faster than usual.  I confess, sometimes, time is flying here. 

I haven't gotten alot of stitching done this week at all but did finally put together a simple, large panel I got for 99cents---yes, a thrifty find on the Bay of Good and Evil, from the Williamsburg collection. I think someone was cleaning out their fabbies. They also sent a stained muslin to back it but I used some fabbie I had from another trip last year (Boston) to back it. Stuffed it with an entire bag of stuffing and makes a good blend in the family room/ keeping room.

It's Abbie Approved.

And the few stitches I put in Ann Hill, are shameful but maybe a few.....I confess the Anthony trial has taken my eyes too much instead of staying on the linen.......{{{eyes down}}}

there are too many WOW factors in this trial. And as a women's advocate/child advocate, I'm watching this trial hoping that justice for Caylee will be served.

Thank goodness it's almost over, so stitching can get on track.  Whew! What a case.

But I think I'm officially ready for the 4th events on Monday with this new red pedi. I confess.......it was a real treat!  A splurge but not a thrifty thing to do on Thursday.

I also confess that I finally broke down and got a "wooden tool" from the Amy's website. It looked perfect for helping me tuck in those extra hanging fibers behind my work. I have another one that I keep losing and it's smaller but I think this bigger one I can keep up with better. When I get it, I will post a pic. ;)

The afternoon will be filled with people who are doing some work on our house so you know how that goes.

Yesterday, princess, sweet Abbie chased a guy up the stairs at his heels, hubbie said.

I had errands after work and was late. He fed her pizza.....ALOT of pizza and this morning she greeting me wagging her tail, jumping in my lap and smelling of GROSS.

Yes, she had PooPants Syndrome. This happens with dogs that have "pants" occasionally and it's gross.

So she and I headed straight downstairs to give her  a bath of which she really does love.

So all is happy at the homestead on this Thursday.

Hope your day is filled with sweet things instead of  bits of poo. :o

Till later,

Jennifer

Mountainside Freedom

Ever since I can remember, the 4th of July meant barbeque cookouts, celebrating freedom in this country, hot weather and fireworks!!  Always fireworks! I can only remember a couple that I didn't go see in my life.

Each year, I can appreciate freedom in this country and realize we are so blessed here in the USA.

Anyone that really knows my heart, knows for sure that I love the mountains.

 The patriotic song we are all so familiar with, America (My Country 'Tis of Thee) was first sung publicly in Boston, MA on a July 4th.

There are many verses that go with this melody.

Mountainside Freedom

designed by Feathers in the Nest

copyright 2011

colors suggested are:

Dark blue----Gentle Art---Uniform Blue

White/ or natural---Crescent Colors-- Snowball or Ecru

lighter blue--Gentle Art---Dungarees

red---Gentle Art---mulberry

fabric of choice

The words to this tune, were written in 1832 by Reverend S. F. Smith while the composer of the original melody is still unknown, but thought to be Henry Carey. There are six verses which are full of beautiful language that describes our country's plethora of natural inspirations.

I love them all, and besides the first verse which is the most popular sung in the US, one I cherish is:

We love thy inland seas,

Thy grove and giant trees,

Thy rolling plains;

Thy river's mighty sweep

The mystic canyons deep,

Thy mountains, wild and steep--

All though domains.

I hope wherever you are today, whether, moutainous, inland, near river's or canyons that you enjoy the day and the beauty of your area.

I know I look out our windows and feel so blessed to be surrounded by the mountains!

My childhood dream to live near the mountains one day, came true. My dream to visit other beautiful areas of this country is my hope.

Orange Cake requested by the Birthday Guy

This evening is about the first chance I've had to cook this birthday cake, requested specifically by Body Guard. His birthday was Thursday and he wanted me to make an Orange Cake but I couldn't that day so............

This is the first time I cooked an Orange Cake so I got help from Duncan Hines for the base of the cake and then played with other stuff in the pantry to make it look PURDY and taste GOOOOOOOOD!

This slice started with the basic Orange cake mix.

from the Dutch oven

I changed up the box additives, less water a bit, and more oil so it would not be dry.

The layers turned out well.

While they were cooking, I got out some PEECANS and put in a bag to crush them with the end of a very old knife sharpener, which looks like a weapon but it's not.  ;)

Cheaper to buy the halves and crush at home and it's also a great stress management option for me. 

Then, I took a bowl and put this cream cheese frosting in it.

Then I pile it in with the nuts, about 2 cups crushed. (PEECANS, I mean.....that sounded kinda painful..)

AND, I definitely, would use 2 cans for this cake when frosting next time as I ran out for the side of it.

Then I put some Mandarin Oranges to the side, because I was too lazy to go to town to get an orange to slice and this is what I had in the pantry.....

Stir the frosting and the PEECANS and try not to taste it, but of course I had to.

took the cooled layers and started playing then.

Then I had a flashback to the Aqua-color, Eazybake oven in the late 60's with the lightbulb.......ok, I know that's crazy.

started with this, adding some dried cranberries on top.

Then finished with the second layer

And it does have alot of calories probably but gotta have fun on birthdays.

And the birthday guy was happy and pleased.

Probably not too healthy for the week, but this was his birthday request for a cake.

 I just kinda did my own thing with it.

And while we were eating our cake and saw how happy he was, I said, "Is it good enough for me to go order all the stitching stash I want?" and giggled.......and he gave me this look........and grunted slightly.

Dang it!

He didn't want me to tell how old he is now, but I can tell you that we have been getting AARP magazines for about 4 years now.....LOL

Stay cool!

A Very Cool Stitching Site if you like tutorials and threads!

While I'm procrastinating this morning of the chores I NEED to be doing, and sipping my Earl Grey decaf tea, digesting my brunch and vitamins, I just want to show you a couple of eye candy sites. I haven't ordered from these, just wondered if you all have used this thread before?  What do you think about it?  Aren't the colors pretty?  Silk is always pretty to me!

click   HERE

Amy Mitten Designs website, the threads, Smooth Operator--silks


AND looks like she is going to be adding ONLINE TUTORIALS for stitchers!!! YEAH!!!!!!

I thought I favorited the scissors I liked yesterday but I guess I didn't ;(  when I find it I will share. They are beautiful. I think I went from a shoe addiction to a scissor addiction.

Miss Abigail has a hard life, doesn't she?  Yes, she watches TV?  Do your pets   furbabies watch TV?

She's really quite the character because she has her own little routine, thinks she needs to got to bed in the guest room at night, comes down stairs for her TREAT and then sits like this if the TV is on. Sits straight up and watches it. She does tend to fall asleep during the news though.......

Abbie is one little happy camper today.

A Quiet Saturday for a change

Almost every Saturday for the past month has been a busy one. Today, just did alot of reading and reflecting. Just got to have a day like this occasionally. My stitching mojo today was low. So, no TV, just good dinner and conversation, catching up with friends and remembering to count my blessings.

Tomorrow we plan to work in BG's office area. He has some new shelving and this was soooo needed!

After a big breakfast we will get started on it together in the morning. 

But me? I'll be in MY office area across the way sorting and donating, and a bit of cleaning and the dreaded laundry piles from the laundry room too. Seems Sunday afternoons have become cleaning days. 

Today we did finally get a pet gate up at the top of the stairs for Miss Abbie. She was begining to frequently sleep in the guest room at night and by early morning, coming down for breakfast like she is a guest.

I did cruise some websites and found some really cool new scissors out.  Tempting to get, maybe one day.

I may be looking at doing another giveaway, and if so, it will be a new pair of scissors, so stay tuned! I don't think anyone can have enough scissors, right? ;)

I did get published a blog book, new volume from the past 6 months. I really enjoy doing that from time to time and it's a great way to store memories and journal entries, pics. Just go to Cutest Blog on the Block for information on how you can publish your blog in a book.

Hope your weekend is going well. Summer is definitely among us here with the humidity at high levels in North Georgia.

Till later,

Jennifer