simple Analogy

Skinny Beverage

A few years ago, we went to Cancun for a family vacation.  Aaahhhhh!  Such good memories.

One of the things I brought back with me was a new appreciation for flavored water.  I'm not talking about those artificially flavored waters that taste like chemicals.  YUCK!  I'm talking about naturally flavored water.

Each day by the pool, they would have fresh fruit out for us and ice cold waters flavored with an assortment of fruits and vegetables.  VEGETABLES?  Yes, vegetables.  Our favorite was the cucumber water!

Here's how . . .

Fill a pitcher half full of ice.

Peel and slice half a cucumber and put on top of ice.

Fill pitcher with water.

Stir and let sit for ten minutes (at least).

Pour in a tall glass with lots of ice.

Enjoy!

There are several variations.  Instead of the cucumbers, substitute the following:  sliced strawberries and kiwi, anise (I didn't care for this one, but if you like anise, go for it!), lime, or oranges (my second favorite).  You can leave the fruit or veggies in the pitcher and keep refreshing the water all day for a never empty pitcher.

This will make you WANT to drink water.  And, not only is this a great beverage, it is also sugar-free, fat-free, and on any diet! 

Think Pink

This spring I am drawn to shoes!  Normally I buy my new pair of flip flops for the spring/summer and that's about it, but this year there are great shoes out there.  I saw these shoes last week when shopping with my mom and they were on sale.  I really loved them, but decided to look around a little more.  After a week of looking, I went right back and bought them.  And even better than just being on sale, they were 25 percent off the sale price.  Woo hoo! 

Of course then I needed some jewelry.  I found a necklace and bracelet, except it had a HUGE pendant.  Did a little surgery and now it's perfect.  Great for throwing some color into a blah outfit!  While shopping for the jewelry, I also found another pair of shoes - champagne metallic.  I don't buy shoes all that often, but two pairs in one day?  The boys were with me and said I was going to break the budget with all the shoes!  Hey!  I don't need the guilt!  I really want these shoes!!!

So with pink on my brain, it got me to thinking about my Tante (Aunt) Bobbi.  She has been battling cancer, and we just received her yearly update letter.  She is an inspiration.  Five years ago after doing radiation/chemo the doctors didn't give her much hope.  She is a fighter and has researched and researched this disease.  She drastically changed her diet (all vegan), and adopted a whole new regimen and way of life.  I do not mean to make it sound too simple, because it isn't.  It has been very hard, but she has seen great benefits.

The thing I admire about her most is her spunk.  Many people would have been beaten down and depressed with all the things she does to keep herself going.  Yet, she still has that sparkle of life that is so characteristic of her.  The fun and the humor are still there.  She has been a great influence on the whole family and her friends.  Keep going Tante Bobbi!  We're rooting and praying for you!  A flower from my garden just for you.

I have two friends, Amy McGee and Rebekah Pool, that have family members who have been affected by cancer.  They are joining the Breast Cancer 3 Day (benefitting Susan G. Komen for the Cure) this year in Arizona and are in training right now.   They will walk sixty miles in three days.  One of them has health issues of her own, but is working through them and looking forward to the walk.  I signed up to sponsor them a few weeks ago.  If you or a loved one has been touched by cancer, please consider joining in the cause either by walking or sponsoring.  More information.  You can sponsor Amy or Rebekah here by clicking the donate now button.

Tribute to the Troops

I'm not into politics!  So don't worry!

Last week was the anniversary of sending our troops to war.

Landon likes to set up battle formations with his bucket-o-soldiers.  We must have a gazillion of those little men.  He enjoys looking at maps of the strategies used in the Civil War and all the wars following.  His desire is to be an FBI agent, but no matter what he ends up doing when he is grown, I know he will be able to use his love for strategy.

One morning I walked by the playroom, and there he was setting up his men.  The light was coming through the blinds and making shadows and it looked really cool.  I grabbed my camera and had a photo shoot.

This was one of my first pictures.

It was ok, but it just wasn't showing the shadows like I was seeing them.  Now, you know that I am in the experimentation mode with photography, so I decided to try out my different flash settings.  Look what I ended up with!!!  That is exactly what I was seeing.  Dark shadows from the men.  Lighter shadows from the blinds.

This is my tribute for the troops.  Thanks and keep up the good work!

On To Other Things

Don't you just love the mailman?  Well, if he brings me nothing but bills I don't care for him too much - or if he comes really late.  I guess I'm kind of fickle, but for the most part I like him.  Last week I loved him though.

He brought me this beautiful fabric,

this new magazine,

and a letter from my nieces in Ohio.

I love my new fabric!  It's so springy/summery and has inspired me with some ideas.  It was a little lighter than it looked online, but that's ok.  I got a half a yard of each color, and 2 yards of the pink/orange.  Plenty to play with.

The new Food Magazine has great stuff in it.  Last week I made the Basic Risotto (oh, yum!), Proscuitto-Wrapped Chicken, and Chicken Gumbo (minus the okra).  This week I am going to make the tostadas, rice, and penne.  I love new cookbooks!

I made a pointy kitty (free pattern!) for my niece's birthday a few weeks ago.  She wrote me a thank you letter all by herself.  She just turned five, so this was a major accomplishment.  She really liked her kitty, and mom says she carries it around with her.  Yea!  I love it when my handmade gifts are appreciated, specially with my nieces.  With me not having girls, sometimes I'm not sure whether they will like it.  I didn't have to worry about this one though.  Even her two bigger sisters liked it.  They also wrote a letter requesting me to make them a stuffed animal for their birthdays.  You got it girls! 

You did good last week!  Thank you Mr. Mailman!

Eclectic

Yesterday I said that my messed up skirt was not even eclectic.  So what does that word actually mean?  People are using it everywhere and for all things.  In my mind it means putting stuff together that doesn't really go together.

So in an eclectic furniture store, mismatched is hip.

In an eclectic gallery, a malformed sculpture is art.

In an eclectic home, chaotic decor is modern.

In an eclectic mind, absurd thoughts are forward thinking or even scientific.

My definition also says that even though "eclectic" doesn't really go together, it all works together to form a great result.  So that's why I can't call my skirt eclectic . . . it didn't form a great result.

Can you tell that I'm grieving over my skirt?  Ok, maybe not that strong, but I promise I won't mention it next time!

P.S.  My assistant did the photography for me yesterday . . . Landon.

The Flop

We all flop once in a while, but this one was so discouraging.  I couldn't even tell you about it last week because I was so frustrated.

I have been sewing for a few years.  I am pretty good at reading and following patterns.  I have made several skirts for the nieces, so I thought it was time to make a skirt for myself.  What better time than Easter?  I ordered some of the new Amy Butler line and a pattern.  When it arrived I was pleased with how easy the directions were for the skirt. 

A little info about me.  I do not like to wear skirts with a lot of elastic.  They make me look WIDE, and who needs that!  This skirt has a flat waistband in the front and elastic in the back.  The picture of the back of the skirt looked great on the models.  Not too bunchy.  I thought it would be a good compromise.  I've never done a zipper and am a little afraid of that.  (I have to learn!)

Before I cut into my good fabric, I decided that I'd try one out with free fabric - aka my mom's stash.  The skirt has 8 panels and a waistband.  Cut it out, sewed it up in a very reasonable amount of time, tried it on.  Whoa!  Great front - very pleased. 

Turned around in the mirror.  Ugh!  The back was a little too bunchy. 

 

I almost could leave one whole panel out, but not quite.  The hips would have been a little snug.

So, I did some thinking. I would cut the front panels in my size and just four panels for the back, but those I would cut a size bigger.  That would give me not so much bunch in the back, but some room for the hips.  The fabric that I would be using had a repeating pattern.  I knew that might be tricky, but I thought I'd figured that out.

I laid out my good fabric , cut out the panels, and sewed them together.  When I opened up the panels to the right side the width was just right, but the design was screwed up!!!

 

I tired to fix it by ripping the seams and sewing them in a different combo, but nothing worked.  Of course I didn't have enough fabric left to cut new panels that would work, so I threw it all on the ironing board and left the room in disgust.

Sometimes something that doesn't work out just right can still be used and is considered art.  Like a painting where the brush is dropped onto the canvas.  It can add an extra dimension or add to the complexity of the finished product. But, this one doesn't even look eclectic.  It just looks wrong.  Yea, I can salvage the fabric and use it in other projects, but it's not the same.  I hate it when I screw up.  And especially because I had grand plans for wearing that skirt A LOT!

OK, so I'm not giving up, but I will have to go to the fabric store and get some NON-REPEATING DESIGN FABRIC!

Easter

He is risen!

You Are Loved  (music and lyrics by Hope's Call)

You are loved beyond your failures
You are loved beyond your past
The hope that you’ve imagined
Is now reality at last
You are loved with no conditions
You are loved with no remorse
The scars of your forgiveness
Are engraved upon the Lord
You are loved

Happy Easter!

Spring Break - Friday

Good Friday.  Remembering.

My sewing was a FLOP!    I was trying to sew an Easter skirt for me.  Didn't work.  (I'll tell you more about it next week.)  So, I have to rethink my Easter outfit.  Phooey!

.

Spring Break - Thursday

Slept in.

Staying home.

Surfing - the web  . . . not the other kind.   Check out Simple Sparrow.  I love her style.  (A picture just came to my mind.  Ha!  Can you see me surfing?  Miss not-an-athletic-bone-in-my-body!  The closest I've come to that is boogie boarding in Hawaii on my honeymoon with my very athletic husband.  I couldn't steer the thing and ended up in the rocks with scrapes and bruises.)

Sewing.

Sick - not me, Noah.

Spring Break - Tuesday & Wednesday

TUESDAY - Boys and dad are doing a cowboy movie night.

That's my cue to have a girl's night out with my mom.  Shopping, shopping, shopping at a REAL mall!  I don't know the last time I actually shopped at a the mall.

Wednesday - More shopping, but this time it's for the boys.  They can wear out clothes faster than anyone!