Posting

I have not been able to post or leave comments for other blogger.com users for several days because B-Safe made changes. I can't tell you how thankful I am for a husband who knows about computers! How in the world would I have ever figured it out??

I've been busy sewing Christmas presents (which will not be posted) and these pajamas for Amy. I've got a doll outfit in the works for another swap. I've got several aprons on my mind and in my stash. I even bought fabric to make a quilt, maybe.




Last week Amy & I went to visit Pat, from church. She's been knitting for years and I needed help. The pattern I was using just wasn't working. It turns out it was a mistake in the pattern and not something I was doing wrong. She showed me how to do a few other things also. We really enjoyed visiting with her.

This week we'll be hosting a couple friends while their parents are away. I'm praying for a safe and peaceful time with them.

Question

Why do babyfood jar lids not stay on after first opening? At least, last time I checked they didn't. Anyone have an answer?

Blouse update

Here's the finished product. If I had it to do over again (I guess I could, but don't want to) I'd just raise the center bodice piece more.

Sew Crafty Friday

This week I've been working on this blouse which has a 20" zipper in the back. It turned out fine, even though the zipper was difficult. Next I'm going to add some black eyelet to the neck edge to make it more modest. When I asked dh about it he agreed that it needed somemore fabric there.

This is Amy's digital version of the black eyelet. I thought she's was funny.

Joann had a sale and this is the fabric that called my name. You know I need no more fabric. Thanks to a friend's pattern idea the blouse will be a nice fall addition to the wardrobe.

Happy sewing! Visit Shereen's blog by clicking the Sew Crafty Friday picture to see others' work.

Nebraska bag

I finished this yesterday or maybe it was Sunday, I don't remember. : ( Anyway, it's pretty cute, if I do say so...

Today I started on a blouse I've been wanting to make. I'll post a picture when it's done. It's got a zipper, which I know I can do, but I'm still a bit nervous about it.

Our school books have been stretching my brain this term. I was never very good at or interested in books that were hard to understand. Right now we're reading Fierce Wars and Faithful Loves. I have to listen pretty closely to get what's going on. I can't tell you how thankful I am that Amy is getting it. She can explain it to me. ; ) We're also reading Westward Ho! and Winston Churchill's Birth of Britain, the other two I have difficulty with. I am working at attending well, but my mind wants to be lazy.

Global warming theory

"I have a new theory about global warming, and I'm dead serious about this, so don't you go pooh-poohing it. You know, don't you, that there are 40 million baby boomer women in America, all being taken off their estrogen at the same time? Every room I walk into shoots up thirty degrees. Now think of 40 million women hot flashin'. I know I'm right. Get yourself somethin' to drink, sugar, while I cool down a bit."

--Taken from In Every Flower by Patti Hill

Sew Crafty Friday

Click on the above picture to see what others are sewing this week.

Here's what I've been working on over the last two weeks.

Last fall I started this retro swing coat, but it was way, way too big and I got discouraged, so I put it aside. This fall I decided to take it to a seamstress to finish it for me. When I met with her she looked it over and decided not to do it. :-( But she encouraged me to cut it smaller and finish it myself. So I cut it to the smallest size and finished it, but it's still too big. I think I just need to shorten the sleeves and it would be OK. Maybe I'll get to that yet before summer is officially over. Maybe.

A much more fun project was this apron. It's got an underlayer and an overlayer to which I attached matching pre-pleated ribbon. I did buy the ribbon and the fabric for the underlayer, but the top is from Amy's stash.

Egg Salad

Since I've been on the candida diet I eat a lot of eggs and other proteins. It's nice to have variety instead to the same thing all the time. Here's one way I like my eggs.

Egg salad

2 hardboiled eggs, chopped or mashed or however you like 'em

1 tbs homemade mayo (see here for recipe)

1 tbs avocado dip (see below for recipe)

green onions, chopped

salt to taste

Combine all ingredients. I do not measure the mayo or the dip, I just put in a spoonful of each. Serves one.

Avocado dip/dressing

1 avocado, pitted, peeled

1 tsp garlic, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

pepper

juice of one lemon

1/2 c olive oil

2 green onions

In food processor combine all ingredients except olive oil. Process until smooth. With machine running, slowly add olive oil. The consistency is more like dip, to make dressing add water to desired thickness or thinness. ;-)

Summer projects

Before summer gets away from us, I thought I'd better show a couple of dh's accomplishments for the season. First, he painted the deck. It used to be grey, now it's "warm earth." Amy helped pick the color and I bought the paint. :-) Second, he painted the picnic tables. I picked the paint for those. I wanted something different and cheery. They look pretty good out there.

I really appreciate all dh's hard work!

School beginning

This is what I did on our first day of school-the schedule for the week and for the day. I had planned on getting it done before the first day, but I was on vacation for the last six weeks. : ) But I discovered that doing it the first day helps to avoid lots of changes. We already deleted one book from the list.

Oh, and this is the other thing I did during school. I concentrate so much better while knitting.

Long day

Amy & I made the trip to Z'ville. We ran into a friend at the Hobby Lobby, so we caught up with her. We visited Sweet Meadows where our friends, Katie and daughter Selah (almost two years old) spend their days. Selah is into everything and very cute!

We then went to our friends' house to drop Amy off. I was able to visit with my friend for a bit before heading back to home. (I stopped at Joann to buy a pair of circular knitting needles and one fabric remnant, but please, please don't tell Amy. She's pretty much banned me from buying more fabric.)

DH and I went out on our date once I was home. After eating and running a couple errands we decided to go on our nightly walk. We got just a little bit down the street when it started raining, then pouring. So we ran/walked back home. I figure I got some exercise running part way home. : )

Tomorrow, I get some of the day to myself while dh goes back to pick up Amy. (He's going to visit with his friends, Larry and Jason before getting her.) While they are gone I will probably clean a little and sew a little, or maybe sew a lot. We'll see.

Today's doings

I got up early to go pick up my co-op order. Delivery has normally been in the afternoon, but this month it was in the morning. It's much cooler in the morning, so I was happy.

After I got home I cut up tomatoes for freezing. I cut out a muslin for a blouse I want to make. I'm working on more Nebraska aprons also. I feel like it's been a busy day.

We're headed for Z'ville tomorrow so Amy can go biking with her friend.

Mayonnaise

I use homemade mayo, because there are ingredients in store bought that I'm not supposed to eat like soybean oil, sugar and vinegar, not to mention the preservatives.

Here's the recipe.

1 egg
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp mustard powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup olive oil

1. Beat egg on low speed of blender.
2. Add lemon juice and seasoning.
3. Continue blending, slowly drizzle in olive oil.
4. Blend until smooth.

Refrigerate.

Labor Day

In honor of Labor Day today I spent my time laboring over another apron. ;-) I also ran a few errands and did a little blending. I made mayonnaise and the onion flake "breading" we use on fish, both in the blender. I had wanted to get more green beans ready to freeze, but didn't.

We start school in a week. I think we're ready. That is, we have what we need as far as books. I'm not sure we're mentally ready, but ready or not...