Friday, January 30, 2009

It's Friday!

Friday Fill-in time! See the button on the sidebar.

1. I'd really like to see some sunshine right now.

2. Owwwweeee! is the word you'd most often hear me say if I stubbed my toe.

3. Possession is 9/10 of the law, they say. Is that true? What does it really mean?

4. My daughter adores Captain Jack Sparrow. *yawn*

5. Marshmallows and fire go together like milk and cookies.

6. I just keep on trying, on and on.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching a movie, tomorrow my plans include a haircut and Sunday, I want to talk to my daughter on the phone!

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Uh-O

Today is my birthday. One of the biggies. One of the ones that ends in O. The Big O.

I share my birthday with Jackson Pollock. That ought to explain a few things. I also share it with a niece, who shall remain anonymous.

But just to show that I'm not all that mature, I will share this meme which I saw on the above niece's blog. It includes a hint.

Name your top five celebrity crushes.

1. Robert Downey Jr.

2. Daniel Craig

3. Kevin Costner

4. Patrick Dempsey

5. Phil Keogan

And since it is my birthday, I will also include every male who ever had a recurring roll on The West Wing. I loved that show.

So, happy birthday to me!

Saturday, January 24, 2009

My Sewing Machine


So, on a blog called "Have Sewing Machine, Will Travel," you might wonder if there would be any posts on sewing. Well, yeah! There will be. I thought I would first talk about The Machine.

My first sewing machine was a Brother. I got it for Christmas my junior year of high school. It did straight stitch, zigzag, and a quirky, funky stretch stitch. Since it had zigzag, I could make buttonholes, and I could fake a pretty good hem stitch. I took it to college, moved it to a half a dozen states, sewed for friends and family, did lots of mending, made clothes, works of art, countless curtains, quilts, and costumes. It was with this sewing machine that I gained the motto, "Have sewing machine, will travel!" After 25 years of hard use it literally fell. a. part. Literally. I kid you not.

Fortunately for me, right around this time I was gifted with a substantial amount of money as a sort of pre-inheritance, so I went shopping for the sewing machine of my dreams. A Bernina.

I was hoping to find a good used one, but that was not to be. I was, however, given a really good deal on a new Bernina 1008. This sewing machine is the love of my life. It is my soul mate. It has 16 stitches, 6 feet, a built-in button holer, an open arm. I heart this sewing machine. With it I have taught my daughter to sew, mended dozens of pairs of jeans, replaced several zippers, made clothes, prom dresses, marching band uniforms, color guard flags, receiving blankets, and even machine quilted a quilt. It can do anything I want to do.

And, oh, I have such great plans! More quilts, more curtains, more zippers, more clothes, more fun!

Friday, January 23, 2009

F-F-F-Friday Fill-In

Here is today's Friday Fill-in. Click the button on the side bar!

1. Oh, I am so wishing it were 4 pm!

2. I usually don't like changes, big or little.

3. During breakfast, I read.

4. Single digit temps again this weekend; are you kidding me???

5. Right now I'd like to be on a warm beach. (this seems to be a recurring theme!)

6. My Fiskar paper cutter is my favorite gadget.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to finishing some cards I started last night, tomorrow my plans include making a new waterbed sheet and Sunday, I want to write the letter that I didn't get done last week!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Morning Routine

Every morning before work and on the weekend I do the following:

1. Empty dish drainer and put all dishes away. (If I had a dishwasher, I would empty it and put in any dirty dishes that were in the sink.)

2. Make ice. (Yeah, we don't have an ice maker either. We live in the dark ages but that's ok. I prefer ice cubes to those little crescent shapes that come out of an ice maker anyway.)

3. Take care of my husband's lunch box.

4. Start a load of laundry. Fold and put away anything that didn't get taken care of the night before.

5. Check the dinner menu and do anything needed. (This may include getting something out of the freezer to thaw, finding a hard-to-find item in the pantry, getting out a recipe, making Jell-O, or even putting restaurant coupons, scrip, or dollar bills for a tip in my purse.)

Then on work days I make my lunch and set out everything for my breakfast except for the milk and juice. Then I go shower.

Doing this morning routine gets things organized for the day. It helps my husband to take care of his chores. He will forward laundry if needed, and he does a batch of dishes and cooks dinner most days.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

A Different Tuesday, A Different Ten

This is a different Ten on Tuesday than I did last week. I got this idea from an acquaintence's blog (which I can't find right now.) She just writes a list of ten things, whatever is on her mind.

1. The sky is blue and the sun is shining! Who cares that it was ten degrees BELOW zero when I got to work today?

2. We went to a birthday party for a one year old this weekend. His mom put me to work as soon as I got there. I wouldn't have it any other way.

3. Today is the dawn of a new era. Good, bad, or ugly, it should be interesting!

4. I am going to a card making event on Thursday. I can't wait to get my hands on my stuff and start putting together colors and designs and make some lovely cards.

5. I'm going to make a bunch of Christmas gift tags, too. In January. And get them all cut up and put in my Christmas folder so they will be ready. I used a lot this past Christmas, and I loved them!

6. Saturday I have nothing on my calendar and hopefully no errands so I can just stay home and get a few things done. I'm sure I will have a list long enough for several days: things to organize, things to clean, things to cook, things to make. Sounds like fun!

7. Two states that I have never been to that I would most like to visit are Arizona and Maine.

8. My favorite music to listen to is the duet from The Pearl Fishers by George Bizet. Or "Seven Bridges Road" by The Eagles.

9. In the newest Bond movie he does't say, "Bond. James Bond." Nor, "Shaken, not stirred." Bummer!

10. I was afraid this would turn into a To Do list but I think I did ok!

Friday, January 16, 2009

Friday! WooHoo!

Today I will do a Friday Fill-In! Look for their button on my side bar. I'm all about the buttons!

1. Enough with the Inauguration news on the entertainment shows already . Hint: It's not entertainment! I feel the same way about stories on plastic surgery and grossly obese men.

2. _Financial matters_ cause me to be conflicted.

3. I've been craving _Chinese food_.

4. _Roy's stories_ make me laugh.

5. I wish I could go to _a warm, sunny beach location_ next week.

6. _Spring_ has been on my mind lately.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _being home_, tomorrow my plans include _making homemade pancake syrup_ and Sunday, I want to _write a letter_!

Fun!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Ten on Tuesday

10 Things You are Really Good At from Ten on Tuesday

1. Sewing
2. Cooking
3. Tying bows
4. Planning
5. Writing letters
6. Wrapping presents
7. Putting colors together
8. Embroidery
9. Cribbage
10. Reading

Wow! That was harder than I thought it was going to be. Yikes!

Friday, January 9, 2009

Blogging Tricks

In an effort to jumpstart this blog, I think I will start to do some of the day-of-the-week themed posts like Ten on Tuesday, Friday Five, and Wonky Wednesday. (I may have just made that last one up.) I know there are dozens of these but I'm not sure what they are called or what the rules are, if they have rules. I have noticed that some of them are supposed to be linked back to the host site. I need to do some research and figure it all out. Do you have to belong to a group to do these or do you just elbow your way right in or what?

Then, of course, there are memes. Are there places to find them? Can you make up your own?

To answer these burning questions, I did some research at The Daily Meme. I guess those day-of-the-week themed posts are memes. Who knew?