Tutorial Tuesday

This weekend, while sunning at the pool and looking at 6-7 magazines, I noticed one item being shown throughout, a ribbon necklace. They were on models and stars, in advertisements and shown in the fashion section as a must have for the fall and winter season. Saucy Sprinkles has a quick, easy and inexpensive tutorial for just such a necklace. I also noticed there were many different styles and colors of the same general idea. So go crazy and make it your personality. Wouldn't this make a fun and creative Christmas or birthday gift?

http://www.saucysprinkles.com/2009/08/fauxthropologie.html

Recipe Monday

I am sorry for the lack of photos over the last week and this one. My son borrowed our camera and took it with him to Charleston to visit his sister. He left it there. I have to get her to ship it but her schedule is so crazy with classes, internship and working that she has not been able to get to the post office. Maybe this week.

This recipe is the very best Sloppy Joe recipe I have ever eaten. I think it is the soup that gives it just a bit of different flavor. I have been making this for about 8 years. Let me know if you try it.

Sloppy Joe

2 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped small
2 1/2 tablespoon, Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon mustard
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use the low-fat, low-sodium)

Fry meat with onion. Drain and add salt and pepper to taste. Add remaining ingredients and simmer. Serve on hamburger buns. Makes 8-10 sandwiches.

This can also be put in a sprayed Crock-pot to simmer for no more than three hours.

I serve with slaw and some type of potato and fruit.

Thankful Thursday

IS IT HOT IN HERE OR AM I HAVING ANOTHER HOT FLASH?

I am thankful today to fine out I am not going crazy but instead am going into menopause! Yes, that is right. The difficulty with sleeping, the morose feelings, hot flashes, the tingling and numbness around my chin and mouth, yep even that, is caused from an estrogen deficiency! Bless my husband and pray for him! He has never, ever been married to a weepy, low-energy, moody woman. This should be fun. I am sure there will be more to follow... In the mean time I plan to make the very best of this new phase in my life. I just saw an advertisement for a menopause medicine and the first line said, "Are your menopausal hot flashes contributing to global warming?" Hysterical!

Fabulous Fabric!

Have you seen this new fabric line? It is Lantern Bloom by Laura Gunn for Michael Miller. I love the design and colors. My daughter's bedroom is done in this exact shade of purple, blue and orange and it is very hard to find fabric that pulls all those colors together. We both fell in love with this fabric and I am ordering some to make pillows for her bed and her chair.

http://www.sewmamasew.com/ has the entire line for sale, along with some other great fabric.

What do you think about this fabric line? Is it too modern or just right? The only design I am not crazy about is the polka dot fabric. The bird cage fabric is my favorite but I like the hanging vines and the mosaic tiles alot.

Tutorial Tuesday

RIBBON KEY FOB

J Caroline Creative has a free and easy tutorial to make these adorable Ribbon Key Fobs. These would make great gifts for teachers, co-workers, or even a new teen driver. I always like to have a few generic gifts on hand during the holidays and this would definitely be a great one to have stocked. It would work as a nice addition to a stocking, as well.

http://tinyurl.com/2d2wvb

Recipe Monday

Our family loves appetizers and we love cheese. When you can put the two of those together, it makes us very happy. The following recipe was given to me by a high school friend (yes, while I was in high school) in 1982. It is a staple at any holiday get-together and is an easy one take to a party.

Cheese and Nut Roll

1- 3 ounce package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1- 8 ounce box Velveeta cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
dash or two of Worcestershire sauce
dash or two (or three if you like spicy) hot Tabasco sauce
1/2 cup chopped pecans
paprika
chili powder

Mix both cheeses, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce. Work it till soft. You may use a mixer on low or it is easiest to use your hands. Form into a ball.

On aluminum foil or wax paper, sprinkle the nuts in a line and shake the paprika and chili powder over the nuts until well covered. Roll the cheese into a log, with the dimensions about the size of a half-dollar coin. Roll the log in the nuts and spices until covered all around. Use the same paper to wrap the cheese log in and refrigerate until firm, at least a few hours but best if left overnight. Serve with an assortment of crackers.

Amy Butler Birdie Sling Bag Completed

I had a very relaxing weekend. Yesterday I slept in, went out to lunch with my son and husband and to run a few errands and back home to piddle about in the house. And yes, I did get some sewing done!


I finished the Birdie Sling bag for my daughter. I really like the combination of the two fabrics and think it will work great for fall. Hanna wanted a bag big enough to put a couple of college textbooks, a notebook and her purse items. This bag is large and roomy with four large pockets. Next time I make this pattern I will add a magnetic snap or a big button for closing the top. It does not call for one but I always like a bag to fasten. Other than that I think this is the easiest Amy Butler pattern I have made. I did change one thing: it called for the outer fabric to have interfacing but I was using a very heavy home dec fabric and chose not to. I used linen for the lining and used an iron-on fleece for the interfacing. It gave the bag plenty of support.

Inside of the bag. I used linen and the handle and band fabric to make the pockets.