Recently, I applied for a position at Patchwork Interactive as one of their 12 experts - and I was accepted! Whoo-hoo! I don't have all the details on my new duties yet, but I expect to be writing articles and answering questions. The site is for quilters and needleworkers; it's Australian-based, and is very user-friendly, with clean, bright images. Go check it out!
http://www.patchworkinteractive.com.au/
Showing posts with label sew. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sew. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Coffee Cuff
Here are my two original versions of the Coffee Cuff (also called Latte Cozies).
This one fits any size to-go cup. Talk about a win-win-win situation... It keeps your hand cool while drinking hot liquids, and it absorbs the condensation on cold drinks. And it's a fashion statement, too!
Pink pokey-dots with a bright pink fleur button! Just right for a modern girl.
I sell Coffee Cuffs, my original pattern, and kits. There are three fabrics to choose from: the pink fabric above, a blue and brown fabric, and the coffee-theme fabric on the jar below.
Coffee Cuff: $6. Pattern: $5. Kits: $7.
Farm girls drink from mason jars. Ask me how I know!
Here's my recipe for my favorite summer-time drink. It takes just a minute or two to blend and clean up, and the taste is soooo smooth!
COLD MOCHA FRAPPE
6 large ice cubes
2-3 Tbsp instant coffee
2-3 Tbsp hot water
2-3 Tbsp chocolate syrup
2 cups cold milk
Place ice cubes and milk in blender. In a mug, mix together instant coffee and hot water; add chocolate syrup to coffee and stir. Pour coffee-chocolate mixture into blender and whir 20-30 seconds. Pour frappe into mason jar and sip with a straw. Enjoy! Makes about 2-1/2 cups.
This one fits any size to-go cup. Talk about a win-win-win situation... It keeps your hand cool while drinking hot liquids, and it absorbs the condensation on cold drinks. And it's a fashion statement, too!
Pink pokey-dots with a bright pink fleur button! Just right for a modern girl.
I sell Coffee Cuffs, my original pattern, and kits. There are three fabrics to choose from: the pink fabric above, a blue and brown fabric, and the coffee-theme fabric on the jar below.
Coffee Cuff: $6. Pattern: $5. Kits: $7.
Farm girls drink from mason jars. Ask me how I know!
Here's my recipe for my favorite summer-time drink. It takes just a minute or two to blend and clean up, and the taste is soooo smooth!
COLD MOCHA FRAPPE
6 large ice cubes
2-3 Tbsp instant coffee
2-3 Tbsp hot water
2-3 Tbsp chocolate syrup
2 cups cold milk
Place ice cubes and milk in blender. In a mug, mix together instant coffee and hot water; add chocolate syrup to coffee and stir. Pour coffee-chocolate mixture into blender and whir 20-30 seconds. Pour frappe into mason jar and sip with a straw. Enjoy! Makes about 2-1/2 cups.
Stitchin' in the Park
I went to a local park a couple of weeks ago with Michelle, Terry, Mia and Tabby for a free performance of Shakespeare's All's Well That Ends Well put on by MSU Billings. Naturally, I brought a handwork project to work on (my Bible verses quilt), and before I knew it, all four of the little kids from the blanket next to me were in my lap!
The little girl in the dark pink dress (I’m guessing she’s about 3 or 4 years old) kept trying to touch the sharp, pointy end of my needle as I stitched and she finally told me, "I know how to do that. Wanna see?" They were really sweet, curious kids. I wished I'd had small samples they could stitch on!
The little girl in the dark pink dress (I’m guessing she’s about 3 or 4 years old) kept trying to touch the sharp, pointy end of my needle as I stitched and she finally told me, "I know how to do that. Wanna see?" They were really sweet, curious kids. I wished I'd had small samples they could stitch on!
Friday, June 13, 2008
Important Life Questions
Some days I'm very introspective. I did a lot of cleaning today, and I'm always introspective while I'm cleaning.
The same three questions keep popping up for me, as a recurring theme in my life. I'll throw them out here with my answers. Maybe you've thought about them, too.
1. What is your greatest fear in life?
My greatest fear is that people won't like me, or will disapprove of me, or will be disappointed in me. One one level, that impacts every human interaction I have. It makes me shy. It makes me wish I was smarter, or had a better education, or a better sense of humor. On another level, it impacts my relationship with God every single moment. Obviously, I'm not perfect because I'm human, so I already fall far short of His goal, and there's no way to achieve that goal.
2. What would you do if you were told you only had a few months to live?
I would be more bold in the way I live my life. I would give my honest opinion regardless of how other people's impression of me might change. I wouldn't be a wall flower; I'd KNOW others would want a relationship with me. I would study, fast, and pray more often to build my relationship with God; He's the most important thing in my life, but I'm not sure He knows that because I let other things interfere too often.
3. We're all dying, from the moment we're born. Our time here on earth is limited. Knowing THAT, what are you going to do about questions 1 and 2?
That's the big question for me. Time goes so quickly, and we must make the best use of it. I was always a good student, but life is not like school; am I failing Life 101? I have a plan, but sometimes I have to remind myself of it. As much as I'd like it to be, life is not all about sewing or reading. Here's what I've come up with.
- Take a deep breath and be real, every moment of my life, even if taking that chance hurts.
- Re-evaluate my day before I sleep every night.
- Start my days with prayer and Bible study.
- Set aside time to fast and study.
- Be thankful for the time I have.
- Try to make progress on all my goals.
- Realize that each day is a chance for a fresh start - and sometimes you have to start fresh several times in the day.
- Take a deep breath and keep going.
One of my favorite quotes is by Ralph Waldo Emerson and it goes like this:
"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it well and serenely."
Good advice. Enough said.
The same three questions keep popping up for me, as a recurring theme in my life. I'll throw them out here with my answers. Maybe you've thought about them, too.
1. What is your greatest fear in life?
My greatest fear is that people won't like me, or will disapprove of me, or will be disappointed in me. One one level, that impacts every human interaction I have. It makes me shy. It makes me wish I was smarter, or had a better education, or a better sense of humor. On another level, it impacts my relationship with God every single moment. Obviously, I'm not perfect because I'm human, so I already fall far short of His goal, and there's no way to achieve that goal.
2. What would you do if you were told you only had a few months to live?
I would be more bold in the way I live my life. I would give my honest opinion regardless of how other people's impression of me might change. I wouldn't be a wall flower; I'd KNOW others would want a relationship with me. I would study, fast, and pray more often to build my relationship with God; He's the most important thing in my life, but I'm not sure He knows that because I let other things interfere too often.
3. We're all dying, from the moment we're born. Our time here on earth is limited. Knowing THAT, what are you going to do about questions 1 and 2?
That's the big question for me. Time goes so quickly, and we must make the best use of it. I was always a good student, but life is not like school; am I failing Life 101? I have a plan, but sometimes I have to remind myself of it. As much as I'd like it to be, life is not all about sewing or reading. Here's what I've come up with.
- Take a deep breath and be real, every moment of my life, even if taking that chance hurts.
- Re-evaluate my day before I sleep every night.
- Start my days with prayer and Bible study.
- Set aside time to fast and study.
- Be thankful for the time I have.
- Try to make progress on all my goals.
- Realize that each day is a chance for a fresh start - and sometimes you have to start fresh several times in the day.
- Take a deep breath and keep going.
One of my favorite quotes is by Ralph Waldo Emerson and it goes like this:
"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it well and serenely."
Good advice. Enough said.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Bliss and More Bliss
BOO HOO! My camera is sick right now. I'm not sure, but it may need a **complete hysterectomy** so I'll send it in to Kodak and see what they say. When it gets out of the hospital, I'll take pictures of my "finished" studio, which is very messy right now, even though I finally have a place to put everything... I'm creating!
MONDAY WAS BLISS -- Michelle called early to see if I wanted to go do some errands with her and the girls. We started at Michael's Crafts, but since my wallet was empty, I didn't find anything I needed. (The girls each got a CUTE pink foam cowgirl hat, and they've been galloping ever since. Giddyap!!)
Then I asked Michelle to drop me at Borders across the street while she did her shopping. She called me a few hours later to see if I was ready to go home. I hadn't read all the sewing / quilting books and magazines yet, so I told her I'd catch the bus home. Once all the books and magazines were read, I walked around the corner (stopping for lunch at McDonald's) to Barnes and Noble and read all of their sewing / quilting books and magazines.
Denny finally called me about 5:30 to see where I was (he got off work early), and since I was ready for dinner, he came and picked me up. I thoroughly enjoyed my day visiting the books; I think I'll do it again very soon!
Time + books = total bliss
MORE BLISS -- Yesterday, Nadara picked me up and we went shopping for a new sewing machine for her. Hancock's was hosting a sale on Singer student models. These machines sew AND serge -- for $99. They're left-over stock from high school orders, so should be good machines.
After Hancock's we went to Hobby Lobby, which I had never been in before. What a gi-normous store! We checked out the sewing department, of course, and not much else.
Then we hit Joann's where Nadara found the perfect fabric for a sewing hussif. It's got all manner of sewing tools on a happy yellow background. She'll add solids (blue, green and/or red) for the insides of the hussif.
Speaking of hussifs, I finally finished writing up directions for my hussif, and will make them available for sale.
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