Question of the Week #54

The "Sunday Morning Craftiness" Studio

So yesterday I loaded up a bag with some beading supplies and went to my Mom's for "Sunday Morning Craftiness" (that's what we are calling it anyway, lol). 

One of my mom's many hobbies is quilting and she's really good but as her Parkinson's progresses she has more troubles so she's trying to get some specialty quilts she's always wanted to do crossed off her list before she's back to "grade school level" (her words, not mine, I never progressed above high school level in most areas of sewing, lol). She's currently working on a puffy quilt for one of my brothers for his birthday (July 7th) and we needed to put in a major crafting session since she wants to present it to him on the 4th. It's a king size quilt so even with her previous dexterity she would still have needed help with this large amount of fabric.

I brought my beads so she could work on her project and I mine and when she needed a hand stretching or pinning (about the extent of my skills in quilting) I could just jump up and help out. It's fun because she's got this huge long dining room table and we set up tv trays beside our respective chairs to hold our tools to keep the table from getting too cluttered for the actual projects and she likes to listen to an old time radio program (and I don't mind a bit) and we talk and sip our coffee while crafting.

One of the things we talked about was our "game plan" for Independence Day festivities--- we are having a grill fest and all but one of my siblings and their children will be attending. At last count I have 18 nieces and nephews ranging in age from 24 yrs to 6 1/2 months old. At least 14 of them are going to be in attendance. The weather is supposed to be nice so we've made sure to have the big swim rafts ready and I'm picking up some bubbles for the smaller kids on Thursday and let me tell you, I am really looking forward to all that bubble blowing and wet kid chaos!

I still have a bunch to do though and I am really enjoying getting the opportunity to get a lot of stuff done ahead so most of the entertaining prep work is minimized on the actual day. I know some of you don't celebrate this holiday but it made me wonder what everyone else is doing this week. Holiday prep or not, going out or staying home, I know everyone is doing something...even if it's just resting and recuperating.

and there is this week's question:

What is on your schedule for this week? Bunches? Nothing? Is there something in particular you are looking forward to this week? Care to share?


OK...Looking forward to hearing your answers!

Please remember to submit your suggestions and questions to: spdychevy@gmail.com with Question in the subject line and we'll get your question up here soon!

Happy Monday to all :)

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Surfin' Sunday: Dec 9th, 2012

Ok, so we all know it's "Surfin Sunday" in my house and I go all the places on the internet I've been wanting to go all week (yeah, I even make a list sometimes, lol) instead of working or fb or etsy or... you get the picture :)

Today was pretty fun and I'm wiped out (big surprise ha?) and almost ready to turn over the computer to somebody else for awhile.

First I went over to some blogs I made a list of this week. I got my eyes *full* of lots of great stuff people are writing about, cooking, crafting etc. Here is a partial list:
http://allrecipes.com/

http://homefront.prudentliving.com/prudent-pantry-gifts-in-jars/

http://www.bhg.com/christmas/crafts/handmade-holiday-projects/#page=16

http://mydailyphotojourney.blogspot.com/2012/12/christmas-centerpiece.html#

 but I spent most of my time at http://www.thecraftyblogstalker.com/

There is a whole series of "What can you do with..." craft articles. Wood pallets, pool noodles (known as "floaties" around our house), altoids tins, embroidery hoops and even things to make with old Crystal Light containers. I must admit, I was intrigued by all but especially the Crystal Light containers. I recycle Crystal light containers for many things but it usually just involves taking the label off and either putting my own label on or writing directly on the label-less container with a sharpie and putting the stuff in etc. I use them for holding many small items for camping: strike-anywhere matches, household matchbooks, toothpicks, AAA & AA batteries, plastic silverware, sunglasses cases, mini first aid kits, portable/disposable lidded glasses, small kitchen items (corn on the cob holders), fill them with water & freeze them for the "mini-coolers" and I use them in the studio for crafty stuff, odds & ends, brushes and...well, pretty much anything I can "stuff" in them, label the thing & be done. So I was intrigued as to what other uses they might have. Post was worth the anticipation and the others were just as interesting too.
wood pallets
pool noodles (known as "floaties" around our house)
altoid tins
embroidery hoops
crystal light containers

Then I went over to pinterest and looked at pictures. Y'all know how I like pictures :) and there is a ton on pinterest. Lovely lovely photographs of nature and babies and Christmas and...and...and... oh yeah. Lots of nice pictures :)

Other places of fun I visited were:
Pacific Science Center
Smithsonian Museum Collections
MOG: Museum of Glass (Tacoma)
Royal BC Museum: Thunderbird Park

I want to go back to the Royal BC this coming spring and take the kids. I want to go back so much I'd go without the kids if I had to. I love this place, it's so amazing. And...I want to go see Tut before he leaves North American for good. Had a good time perusing the Smithsonian collections and of course I had to go visit some Chihuly works. Sigh...glass...light...sigh...pretty...

Then I went and looked up this recipe I've been wanting to try: Spiced Apple Cider Vinegar Caramels over at WonkyWonderful.com
I'm excited to try this recipe but not today, I've got something else in the works today so maybe mid-week I'll do it. Gotta remind myself later. This pic will definitely help me remember :)

I also went and looked up my recipe for
Ratatouille
Because I've been thinking about it for a bit and I want to try a modified game version of ratatouille with elk. I'm crazy inventive that way (lol). No...it just sounds good. Since ratatouille can be so labor intensive, I've been thinking about an easy going recipe that the steps can be done somewhat leisurely for people like me. People like me who like to cook but sometimes forget they are cooking and take a nap (sometimes until the next morning).
 I marinated the elk (cube steak, diced) in a basalmic herb mixture overnight (oh shut up, it is *not* overkill! It is not! It just means it's really, really REALLY tenderized now. I just forgot---sh! dang internal editor) and then I threw my diced up summer squash, onions, garlic, zucchini, tomatoes etc with about a quart of water into the crock pot on low for few hours. I let it cool enough to transfer to a strainer and reserved the liquid ---this is where having more than one crockpot comes in handy. As a bonus, I have vegetable broth on the side later for other stuff :)

I have all that done so now I'm going to get off of here and complete the final steps for this and throw it in the casserole dish and pop it in the oven. In theory this is all going to go well and smooth. Get back to you on that one...
I am in SUCH a GOOD mood :)
I LOVE SURFIN' SUNDAYS!!!