Last post for 2008!

It will be a quiet evening in our household tonight. Currently we are filling our very large tub for a relaxing soak, followed by a movie and chocolate covered pretzels, and then we'll kiss into the New Year. Can you tell we don't have kids? :) Anyways, I snapped a photo of my air layering project. After my Mom and I completed surgery on this plant we realized we should have done the rooting higher up. I may have to top this sucker. However, I am not sure how the plant will rebound. Does anyone have a similar experience with this type of plant?

(Hello. I now have a coconut!)

Also, in case anyone is interested I have an Etsy Treasury currently up! I choose an assortment of wonderful linen made items. If I could ever figure out how to save my screen you'd have a picture of the yummy linens, but a link will have to do:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=30270

Have a safe and happy New Year!

PS. Go Penn State!

By the way. What's the proper way to write a post script? P.S. or PS or PS. or Ps. or P.S.- or ps ????

Oh, and one more thing. You still have a few more hours to sign up for the 2009 Calendar Give-a-way! Go to this post and comment!

2009 Calendar Give-a-way

(photo courtesy of littlebrownpen)

I thought I would get back into blogging with a little give-a-way! This year I made an Etsy purchase through littlebrownpen. You might have seen this shop featured on many sites pre-Dec 25 and I have to say this was an incredible investment. I bought the Keep Calm and Carry On Spoof 2009 Calendar PDF along with a few others. Their 3 for $10 deal is awesome. And I just noticed they are having a Post Holiday Sale on some of their Xmas images. Just make sure you have extra ink for your printers before you get started!

(photo courtesy of littlebrownpen)

Everyone has loved this little calendar and I hope one of you will too! So leave a comment by Wednesday Dec 31st and you could ring in the New Year with my last printed copy of this calendar.

I have yet to punch a hole at the top for hanging, but I'll let the winner decide if they want me to do that or not. Everyone is welcome to participate no matter where you live. Just make sure you leave your email (or I can reply to your comment via email) so I can contact you if you are the winner.

Is New Years Eve really 2 days away?!!

Day 8 of Christmas Vacation

Remember just two weeks ago I was looking forward to spending some much needed time with my sewing machine to finish/start some projects? Well, I haven't touch my machine since I've been on vacation. What kind of sorry sewing sap am I? Nonetheless, I have been spending some time with my house plants. I finally got around to making some felt coasters for all my indoor pots. I just used a thick cream colored felted sweater from my stash and cut out circles (as seen above).

My Mom also helped me in trying to save this crazy tall, lanky palm plant. I rescued this plant when it was just 6'' tall from the $.50 Wal-mart plant clearance display. And now it's towering over 6 feet. But you can definitely tell its history from its stem. Times of darkened apartments during/after college are evident by a wonky slimmer trunk, and more fruitful years by its top heaviness. So we tried a propagation method called Air Layering. I'll keep you updated.

I also set up a natural light stand for my indoor plants. I found this microwave cart on the curb this summer. The lights that are attached are full spectrum lights so it mimics natural sunlight allowing the plants to fully complete photosynthesis from artificial means. I moved my still living rosemary plant near by and I have hopes to plant some cilantro and basil in small plants to see what they do. I recently watched a PBS gardening show where one women has a similar set up and does many seeded plantings of basil. She said the basil won't get full and robust as it does outside in the summer, but she picks the seedlings and uses them in her winter cooking. I also found 10 Paper White bulbs on clearance at Lowes for $2 that I planted yesterday.

Here's a look at our Fraiser Fur Christmas tree this year. I better put a Christmas tree skirt on my to-do list. I really love this one made by Amanda. You can see what it looks like under her tree here.

Someone please send me some sewing mojo, would you please? :)

Meme

Things you've already done: bold
Things you want to do: italicize
Things you haven't done and don't want to - leave in plain font


1. started your own blog
2. slept under the stars
3. played in a band
4. visited hawaii
5. watched a meteor shower
6. given more than you can afford to charity
7. been to disneyland/world
8. climbed a mountain
9. held a praying mantis- I think they are the coolest of all bugs.
10. sang a solo
11. bungee jumped
12. visited paris
13. watched a lightning storm at sea
14. taught yourself an art from scratch
15. adopted a child
16. had food poisoning
17. walked to the top of the statue of liberty
18. grown your own vegetables
19. seen the mona lisa in france
20. slept on an overnight train- from Moscow to St. Petersburg, Russia
21. had a pillow fight
22. hitch hiked
23. taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. built a snow fort
25. held a lamb
26. gone skinny dipping
27. run a marathon
28. ridden a gondola in venice
29. seen a total eclipse
30. watched a sunrise or sunset
31. hit a home run
32. been on a cruise
33. seen niagara falls in person
34. visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. seen an amish community
36. taught yourself a new language
37. had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. seen the leaning tower of pisa in person
39. gone rock climbing
40. seen michelangelo's david in person
41. sung karaoke
42. seen old faithful geyser erupt
43. bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. visited africa
45. walked on a beach by moonlight
46. been transported in an ambulance
47. had your portrait painted
48. gone deep sea fishing
49. seen the sistene chapel in person
50. been to the top of the eiffel tower in paris
51. gone scuba diving or snorkelling
52. kissed in the rain
53. played in the mud
54. gone to a drive-in theatre
55. been in a movie
56. visited the great wall of china
57. started a business
58. taken a martial arts class
59. visited russia
60. served at a soup kitchen
61. sold girl scout cookies.
62. gone whale watching
63. gotten flowers for no reason
64. donated blood- but I can't anymore because I lived in N. Ireland for over 3 months! :(
65. gone sky diving
66. visited a nazi concentration camp
67. bounced a cheque
68. flown in a helicopter
69. saved a favorite childhood toy
70. visited the lincoln memorial
71. eaten caviar
72. pieced a quilt
73. stood in Times Square
74. toured the everglades
75. been fired from a job
76. seen the changing of the guard in london
77. broken a bone
78. been on a speeding motorcycle
79. seen the grand canyon in person
80. published a book
81. visited the vatican
82. bought a brand new car
83. walked in jerusalem
84. had your picture in the newspaper
85. read the entire bible
86. visited the white house
87. killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. had chickenpox
89. saved someone’s life
90. sat on a jury
91. met someone famous
92. joined a book club
93. lost a loved one
94. had a baby
95. seen the alamo in person.
96. swum in the great salt lake.
97. been involved in a law suit
98. owned a cell phone
99. been stung by a bee

I am on vacation! The parents arrived a few hours ago. There is still cleaning and laundry sorting to do, but its much more enjoyable when people are here to keep you company. :)

I decided on Prime Rib, mash potatoes, green bean casserole, mac and cheese, biscuits and peach pie for Christmas dinner. Tonight I am making homemade chicken pot pie. I've printed off recipes for homemade pizza crust and sticky buns. Carbs anyone?

I have done some sewing. I tore into my cashmere stash and sewed up some fingerless gloves fashioned from the sleeves. They turned out nice and everyone who received them as gifts really liked them. Now I need to make a pair for myself.

• Let me stop and catch my breath.
• Right.
• I thought I would stop in for a short visit and let you know what I have been up to.
• Xmas gift making is in high gear, which means no pictures.
• It seems I finish most sewing projects around midnight these days. At that time I immediately wrap them up and don't even bother taking photo's.
  
• The sun has forgotten to shine for me. And when it does I am working away from home.
  
• Good news is that Friday is my last day and then I am off until Jan 5. Giddy up!
• I can't decide what my first big sewing projects will be. My red and aqua quilt? My t-shirt project out of my Alabama Stitch book? Attempt clothing again?
• A group of my girl friends decided to do a Christmas present swap and decided the gift had to be either free, thrifted, or handmade. I swear I didn't make the rules, but it works for me! And I got my handmade gift finished this evening. Two days ahead of schedule. :)
• My family is visiting my house during the holidays and I am very excited about that.
  
• Perfect excuse to make really delicious meals. Like peach pie and scones. Pair them with cherry chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk followed with a scoop of ice cream and I'll call that dinner.
  
• I am 99% sure that I will be making prime rib for Christmas dinner. Christmas seems to be the odd holiday when it comes to the menu. I mean, Thanksgiving is always Turkey. Easter is always ham. What are your thoughts on this? What are you having for Christmas?
  

Give-a-way

Head on over to http://www.agiveawayaday.blogspot.com/ to have a chance to win this!

Enjoy your weekend!

This and That

Over Thanksgiving I did some sewing with my sister....

That girl was a wiz on the sewing machine. For not sewing since 8th grade home ec, she did a fantastic job!

We visited with my nieces over Thanksgiving. One conversation about her beat up, worse for wear blankie lead to a trip to JoAnns to pick out fabric for a new blankie that recycles parts of the old one.

A very eclectic collection of prints curated by a 7 year old.

And since baby sister wanted in on the fun she got to choose several prints of her own.

I better get back to my sewing room, so not to disappoint any little girls!