A love for Pinterest...and a Party

In early February, I hosted a Valentines Day Pinterest Party at Luke's work. Everything at the party came from Pinterest and can be found on this board. 

 Chef Shad pinned the recipes he was going to use and embellished all of the recipes with fabulous touches like heart shaped carrots in the soup and a heart tomato garnish.

 I ordered the wool felt to make these super fun heart garlands from tadaa! Studio Felt on Etsy (find her shop here). She was awesome and got my complicated custom order shipped to me very promptly! Things I learned: Fishing line that will hold thirty pounds can act as its own needle to get through the felt when cut on an angle. If it doesn't go though easily, cut a new angle.

 The template for these super hero suckers can be found here. And the pattern for the butterfly suckers was more or less improvised by me. The nice thing about the butterflies is that you can doodle on them as much or as little as you want.

 I made my own handprint templates in photoshop for time's sake, but the best thing about that one is that it can be created pretty easily with things you have at home.  For the heart card, q-tips are your pain brush and this one takes hardly any paint at all. I made heart templates for the Army Guy valentines with a fun stencil font and lots of fun song lines.

These bookmarks were really fun! I went to Home Depot and asked the paint department if I could have some paint cards. She was so surprised I actually asked and offered me a box to take them home in. I cut them in half and then used one of the cards curved sides as a stencil for cutting curve into the two straight corners.. (My corner rounder was too curvy.)
Anyway, all in all it was a blast! I encourage you to have a Pinterest party of your own and share what you do!

Because Italian is Always Romantic

About two weeks ago, Luke mentioned to me that he'd like us to cook something together. I was a bit surprised but I sure wasn't going to turn down a cooking buddy! I went out and got the ingredients to make lasagna roll-ups and stuffed shells. It was really fun! Because there were two of us it was pretty easy and quick to make enough extra to put in the freezer for later meals, and have dinner that night! 

Here are our stuffed shells.

We put about six in containers and froze them to heat up for a light dinner or lunch.

 And seriously...is there anything more handsome than this beautiful man in the kitchen?

Luke is holding the lasagna rolls. They make for nice easy portioning, but they were a little tricky to eat. Maybe if I had put more egg in the filling to help it set up nice and sturdy.
We finished up the night watching Timothy Green.
This little date night has stayed with us as we have enjoyed the deliciousness in later nights too! We're pretty proud of ourselves!

Spin Me Round

One of my new, and dear, Garden City friends loaned me this BEAUTIFUL spinning wheel made by her father. I could look at it all day, but I didn't. Well I sort of did because as soon as she brought it over I began to learn to spin yarn!! It took a bit but once I got the hang of it I was hooked! It's so rhythmic and fun! I did two single strand spools and then plied them together. That's what you see in the lower left picture.


Here they are in hank and ball form. Or as one of my Facebook friends says: Donut form!
She's right! They look like maple donuts! My favorite!
Any ideas for what to make with this maple donut yarn? It's a liiiittle rough for a right up against the skin chunky cowl.
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Mom Dream

Mom dream last night. I was shopping at a store I'd never seen in Kansas. There was a section of things called Susan. I noted it then kept looking around. Then when I was looking at a trinket toward the front I heard her voice commenting on the Susan section. It was her and we hugged and I cried and she hugged me tighter. I told her that I missed her so much. And then I woke up. Boo.

H 2 the O

Tonight we're talking water.
Remember this:


I showed a local friend this picture and she said no way should our water look like that. Rather ironically, on my way back from my walk today there was a city truck parked out by the corner fire hydrant and the water was running. I've seen people use that hydrant for many things and easy too concerned.


Then there was a knock at the door and a public works service man was at our door wanting to know if I had notice a brown tint to our water. I said "I've got a picture!"
He had quite the laugh and explained to me that because we live in an older neighbor hood and at the end of a pipeline it was fairly common and that all we need to do is call the city and weather pending they will come flush our lines. Seriously?! That easy? Even the water softener man told me we would have brown ish water. Even my handy dandy father in law said some brown is normal with iron in the pipes.
So then for reader benefit I went out and took some pictures so you could see what was getting flushed.





Here you can see the clearer water vs the "brown water."


I feel duped and enlightened all at the same time and maybe it's the placebo effect, but I'm pretty sure our water tastes better all ready!

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What's Your Deal

When it comes to laundry? Growing up, my parents each did their own laundry because...well... My mom didn't do laundry the way my dad preferred. As kids, we were doing our own laundry by the age of 5. It was each man for himself. In Luke's family, as far as he remembers, his mom did all the laundry. Luke had a sweet deal that he could negotiate more Sports watching on TV as long as he was folding laundry.


Which leads us to sorting out our new laundry system. I like to have clean laundry. I don't mind sorting, washing, changing over or drying. I weirdly like to fold sheets and towels. I tolerate folding clothes but I hate ironing clothes. It takes forever and they never seem perfect. I've even gotten a lesson from Mrs. C (someone who has mastered the skill like a ninja) and it still just gets my goat.

Additionally, Luke has taken to wearing a button up shirt every day to act his job. Which means more ironing. If I don't iron then he wears a sweater or vest over to cover up the wrinkles. More laundry.
When I married Luke, the dude wore polos every day. Polos made of nice athletic material that in wrinkles as it air dries.
Do I negotiate for a return of the polos? Do I wash all and tell him I he wants to wear a button up he should iron it? He has enough clothes that if I boycott washing his clothes they'll get stinky in the basket, fester and contaminated everything else so that option is out. Thoughts? What's YOUR laundry system? Has it changed since "the beginning?" How has it evolved?! Even if you don't comment you should email or message me, I'd really like to know!

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Almost Tuesday Tidbits

The 49ers made it to the Super Bowl and boy did it make this guys happy. He wore his 49er red knickers in the golf tournament before the game.


We started watching the game at Luke's work but the golfers had chowed down on all the snacks Chef had put out and I was staaaaarving so when the power went out we headed home.


Where we discovered the 49ers were making a come back! And then had our spirits crushed. In case you have no idea the Ravens won. Luke was sad. Like...really sad.
On a brighter note, I no longer have to wear a visitor sticker when I sub as I have an official badge!


Also, my friend Mary introduced me to a new local restaurant called Pho ______. I honestly can't remember the name. Just the landmark blue wall that helps me find it.


I really enjoyed the lighter, fresher tasting flavors and textures so 4 days later, I took Luke....or he took me. He paid.


His fortune cookie is the top one. He's thrilled. I thought mine was appropriate. I'm going to help him with all kinds of advice. He LOVES my advice.

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Happy Hands. Happy Heart.

I've been on a felt kick lately. I was digging around in my mom's sewing tool box for pinking shears and found this goody!

It's a pinking rotary cutter. AWESOME! So I haaaaad to make hand warmers.

I still got to use my grandmas pinking shears.

I'm telling you. They set me up for life. And these are good tools!

Here they are! 4 heart hand warmers and one "Love Bug". They're stuffed with rice and when microwaved for 30 seconds they hold enough heat to keep my hands warm well through recess.
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A Little Pain and Gain

Today I experience an emotional conflict.


I mourn the loss of this fabulous storage in our laundry room off the kitchen.


Yet, I celebrate because in its place is the little robot machine that will make our water soft. And boy am I thrilled. My hair can stop being gross and my face can stop being one giant pimple. Garden city water is HARD. I didn't understand what hard water was until living here. And it's loaded with iron to boot. (We live in an area with pretty old pipes.)


Our tub as I was trying to empty the water heater of the old stuff in one fell swoop. No one has taken a bath in there. That's the water straight out of the faucet.
Anyway. It may be the placebo effect, but I took a shower tonight before bed and I'm pretty sure there was a huge difference. Now if only I knew where to relocate that storage to.
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Ice Ice Baby

So it snowed yesterday.


And through the night. But it was pretty wet. And everything that hit the sidewalks/roads melted, and then froze. I have a whole new understanding of ice. I planned to spend the morning at one of the 7th/8th grade schools volunteering and as I was pulling in saw students waddling like penguins with their hands out like surfers. My thoughts: "Gimme a break." Folks, I thought to soon. It was that bad. While in the building, the sun came out and so did the snow melter sprinkles. Walking to my car wasn't too bad. When I got to my car, I let my guard down forgetting that my car had provided a nice shade for the ice outside my car door.
I ate it. Full wipe out. On the ground.
I can't believe more of me doesn't hurt. Maybe because I was so caught by surprise. The only thing that hurts (and it really hurts) is my elbow. I conked it. I never realized how much I use my elbows til today.
Also possibly hurt: my ego. I wonder if anyone saw my. I was right the middle of an empty parking lot.
After that, I went home, where I stayed to wait for the rest of the ice to melt.


While I waited, I worked on a border for this quilt.


Why is it that piecing borders is not nearly as satisfying as piecing the main blocks?
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The Latest Plarn Bag

Is made out of plastic grocery bags from SaveMart. 

In an attempt to give the bag more structure, I have made the base rectangular and seamed it to the circular body.

 This bag is easily holding 10 standard size cans of food. I love how durable these things are!

 This is what it looks like without 10 cans in it. 

These bags are the greatest...and THIS one can be found in my ETSY shop here! 

A Swap!

So I've known Derek for a long time! Approximately since this picture was taken! 

 We're both on the bottom row. I'm the second in from the left and he's the third in.
Derek recently posted some sports logo metal work that he had done and of course my initial thought was "AH! Maybe he could make me an 'N'!" Well not only did he make me one...he made 4!!!

I never would have even thought of the relief, but I really like what it's going to add to my N wall! Well I was  so excited for the N's I thought I need to make something for him! So I made this rugged squishy hat that to me just seemed to fit with Derek's active lifestyle! (And short hair cut!)

 As soon as I finished it, I had to put it right in the envelope because I was tempted to keep it!

 Just look how squishy it is! I think I will most definitely be making this hat again and I hope Derek likes it!

Here is my N wall! I'm loving it! I'm also living that more than half of the N's now have stories!

Do I Quilt Like a Chameleon?

There are lots of cows here. I've been saving these quirky farm fabrics for a while and after moving here, I felt like it was time. I'm wondering if doing a farm quilt is my way of transitioning into my new habitat here in Garden City, Kansas. Hence, quilting like a chameleon. 

This quilt is going to Luke's cousins new-ish baby Graham. 

I tried so hard to stay caught up but at least he's not one yet!

The back was pretty fun to piece together with my scraps!

I just love the goofy big eyes on all the animals. I stippled the quilt myself, and used black because I liked the way it mimicked the line drawings around the animals.

I'll be honest, I bought the fabric when I was still playing Farmville on Facebook.  I thought it was a hoot!

I was saving it for something special! I sure hope Graham enjoys it!

 These guys were giving me the stare. This was a farm I found driving by and I borrowed their fence for a few minutes to take my pictures.

The Kitchen

We have a cute little house toward the middle of town here in Garden City. I've been asked for pictures but I'm finding it dificult to use pictures to help ya'll who are far away get a feel for the flow. Here's my attempt thanks to the PhotoSynth app.

Below you see part of our kitchen. Neither Luke or I enjoy pots and pans stacked in a cupboard so Luke put some hooks on boards that match our cupboards and hung them on the wall! I love them! The hutch has been passed down from my moms side of the family, and appropriately I have four generations of rolling pins from my moms side on a interlocking wine rack above the hutch, and to the right of that we have the beautiful quilt by Cindy that goes oh so well with our Fiesta Ware!!

 I've inherited some neat old kitchen tools that I hate to just store. I think neat things like that should be out to see, enjoy and remember. I'm trying to figure out a displaying solution for above the cupboards or something. I've got old measuring cups on the shelves above the chalk board (Where I write food solutions for Luke for inspiration when he's in an eating mode.) I've been playing with different methods for popping the bottoms off wine bottles and my particular love for blue glass has turned into a sort of hanging bottle valence. 
 The laundry room is just off the kitchen. It's here that we have our very first washer and dryer! I enjoy them. A lot. I also enjoy having a shelf for kitchen appliances. This way I can try to be better about putting things away and cleaning off the counter, but at the same time, they're all accessible which means I don't hesitate to get them out and use them. I'm constantly in a battle against clutter. Sometimes I have trouble even realizing it's crept up on me.

Direction

Today marked my first day subbing in Garden City. I was in first grade and now that I'm covered in one big cough-sneeze I once again remember why I enjoy the older ones a bit more. Don't get me wrong it was a pretty smooth day, and I hugely appreciate the guidance in understanding school procedures from the other teachers! I just missed the independence and understanding I experience in the 4th-8th grade piece. And the lack of booger stalactites.
Here in GC the 5th and 6th graders are in middle school and the 7th and 8th graders are in intermediate school. I was so lucky to have a tour of the closest of two intermediate schools from one of the principals. It helped me get a feel for the school, student expectations, mission, and goals. I'm excited because at this point I feel like I have a bit more direction here. Yay.

Prayer Requests: Openness to Gods plan for me here in GC, strength to keep back the tendency toward introvertedness (It doesn't bode well for making friends and keeping them.)

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