Happy Thursday ... All Winners Found!

Happy Thursday everyone ... hope you're having a great day. I heard back from Mindy, so all of the packages to the giveaway winners will be mailed out tomorrow. If you would kindly e-mail me when you get yours, I sure would appreciate it. 

On today's agenda ... some sewing and crocheting. I started the recliner cover for Mr. S. using some Vanna yarn I found in my stash that was the perfect color. I'm just making it really simple, as I don't want something too girly or pretty for Mr. S. and his "man cave"  ..... ha ha! 

I am also going to try to work on a quilt ... that is my new sewing "thing" and I am slowly but surely getting into it. I have four, yes FOUR, baby blankets I need to make, and there is no way I could do four crocheted blankets before all of these babies are born. So I decided I would just sew the blankets instead, and am trying my hand at quilting. So far I love the process of putting the quilt top together, but am not so fond of the actual "quilting" part, because I'm not very good at it yet. As with anything else, I'm sure it will get better the more I practice. If you would like to see my first completed quilt, you can check it out on my sewing blog here.

Giveaway winners, I sure hope you enjoy your stitch markers. I use mine for when I crochet in the round, and also use one to hold my place when I put a project away in my bag. It is so much prettier than the safety pin I used to use!

Have a great Thursday  :)

Mindy, Where are you?

Okay, so I've heard from everyone who won the stitch markers except Mindy. I want to get these mailed on Friday, so Mindy, you have until then to send an e-mail to me (azbelle3@yahoo.com) with your address.

If I don't hear from you by then, I know someone who would like them, so she will get them instead.

Hope everyone is having a good week!

Thanks for Your Help ..... and Winners!

Thanks so much for all of your suggestions for my recliner chair covers. After much thought, I have decided that I will do BOTH... I will sew some, and I will also crochet some (although they won't be lacy doilies, Mr. S. says that it is too girly for him!!)  I might even make pillows to match, you never know. I will show you what I make in a future post.

I promised you a giveaway, so here it is. Awhile back I made some crochet stitch markers; I made 5 pairs, and there were 5 comments to my post, so ALL of you are winners!! Woo hoo! 

So Stitchy McFloss, lesadora and Mindy, please send me an e-mail (azbelle3@yahoo.com) with your mailing address. Pammy Sue and Glor, I already have your addresses.  I will just randomly pick which ones go to which person.

Thanks again for all your help ladies, and congratulations!

Happy Monday ... and Opinions Wanted

Hope you're having a good day so far. I need to clean the house, but instead, here I am on the computer.... funny how that works, huh?!!

We've been keeping pretty busy around here. Our tenants moved into our old house this past weekend, so we are finally done making trips back and forth to get that house ready. Both Mr. S. and I are happy that is all done, as we can now concentrate on the new house. On Saturday, we picked up the new furniture we ordered from La Z Boy a few months ago ... it looks so good! Once the rooms are all done I will share pictures with you.

Speaking of the new furniture, Mr. S. got himself a nice recliner chair, and I want to make washable covers for the arms and headrest area. I haven't decided yet if I will just buy some home decorator weight fabric and sew them, or if I should just crochet them instead. What are your thoughts?? Any suggestions on patterns I should use if I crochet them, or should I just wing it?

I learned that they used to call these covers "antimacassars" and they were usually lacy/doily type things... I can remember my grandmother having them on her furniture. They were so called because the men used macassar oil in their hair and it would leave stains on the fabric, so the antimacassar was born! Learn something new every day, huh?

I would like your opinion on this, and to show my appreciation, I will do a little giveaway for those who comment on this post. I won't tell you what it will be, but I will tell you that if you crochet, it will be something that you can use.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Hey Grandpa, What's For Supper?

Does anybody else remember that bit from Hee Haw?? My Dad used to watch that show religiously.... you can take the boy out of West Virginia....

Anyway, thought I would share another yummy recipe with you today. Oh wait, before I do that, I have to tell you that last night I made Pammy Sue's Baked Spaghetti ... I have no words... it was that good!  You MUST try it.That woman can cook.  :)

Today I have another cole slaw recipe for you. You know I would not steer you wrong when it comes to cole slaw.... remember Granny's Cole Slaw??? Oh so good.

Tonight I am making BBQ chicken (using my Mom's recipe for homemade BBQ sauce that I just pour over chicken in the crockpot and let it cook all day), saffron rice (easy, comes in a package) and this Asian Slaw. I know, Asian Slaw with BBQ chicken?? Doesn't sound right, does it? Trust me, it doesn't matter what you serve it with, it is delicious. Oh and for dessert, fresh strawberries over butter pound cake with whipped topping. My mouth is watering as I type this... I can't wait for dinner!

Alright, enough gabbing already, here is the recipe:

ASIAN SLAW

Ingredients:

4 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup shredded carrots
1 small onion, finely chopped (I use red)
Pinch of salt and pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 1/4 tsp. Asian sesame seed oil
1/2 tsp. sriracha (also known as Red Rooster Sauce)
1/4 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds (optional)

1.  Toss cabbage, carrots, onion and salt in a large bowl. Season with pepper.

2.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mayonnaise, sesame oil, sriracha, and sugar until smooth. Taste; add a pinch of salt if needed.

3.  Pour dressing over shredded vegetables and toss to combine. Serve slaw immediately, or chill for a few hours, tossing again before serving. Finish with a shower of sesame seeds, if desired.


The sriracha gives it a bit of a kick, so if you don't want yours too spicy, you can cut that back to 1/4 teaspoon. I usually just buy one bag of the shredded cabbage and carrots mixed together to make it easier on myself. I always make it in the morning and let it sit in the fridge all day, covered.  Mr. S. would have me make this every day if he could. Well, maybe he'd switch it up; one day Granny's Cole Slaw and one day this one!

I hope you give this a try. Okay, I'm off to do more sewing.  

My New Craft/Sewing Room

My craft/sewing room is finally finished and organized and I am absolutely in love with it. If you'd like to see more, you'll have to go here, because I am too lazy busy to re-post all of those photos!

There are some great organization ideas; my favorite one is towards the bottom of the post (hanging closet organizers). I was just thinking that it would be a great way to store yarn in a closet too, in addition to fabric.

I would not have this fabulous room without the help of my wonderful sister-in-law Becky. She is amazing at organizing a room ... she should definitely do it for a living! Thanks again Becky, you rock! 

I Figured it Out!

I don't know WHY I didn't figure this out sooner!!!

It's the shampoo I use in the shower!


When I wash my hair, the shampoo runs down my whole body, and (duh!) printed very clearly on the shampoo label is this warning...

"FOR EXTRA VOLUME AND BODY."



No WONDER I have been gaining weight!!!

Well!

I have gotten rid of that shampoo and I am going to start using Dawn dish soap instead.



Their label reads, "DISSOLVES FAT THAT IS OTHERWISE DIFFICULT TO REMOVE."



Problem solved!


Ha! Ha!  Thought that was too funny not to share!