Just 3 Things - #46

Finally, finally we are experiencing a bit of fall. The temperatures have cooled and it is nice to be outside. I think I heard the weather girl on a local news channel say that Wednesday was the first day since late May that didn't have temperatures above the 80s. That is a HOT summer!

- What I've Been Working On -

I'm still stitching away on the 'sets' I'm creating for Christmas gifts. The eldest granddaughter gave me a little feedback on what she thought she would use in the way of totes, bags, or pouches and I tried to follow her suggestions. She's not one who wants her name or monogram on everything. So, I sometimes question her true southern roots. 

She said she didn't really need a big tote bag. So, I did her something a little bit different - a small modified duffle. She also didn't really want the traditional bandana print and asked if I could use a leopard print bandana. I do love her suggestion that she passed along in regard to bandana choices. 

The duffle is about 15" x 6' x 4" and would hold curling irons, or loads of cosmetics, or any variety of items. I added handles and a decorative black strip around the top. All of this set is lined with red bandanas.

Small Quilted Duffle with Handles

I did an open-wide box pouch. It is one of my favorite medium sized zip pouches. I had done one for another granddaughter and I love the triangular shape and I think it will hold loads of stuff. 

Open-Wide Box Pouch

I also did a foam-quilted simple zip pouch. It is a traditional simple size and shape at 7 1/2" x 10" and the quilted foam gives it plenty of structure. I probably should have added a D ring so that a wristlet could be clipped onto it but it will work for a storage pouch or a clutch purse like it is.

Quilted Zip Pouch

For the smalls, I did a zip coin purse that is 4" x 5" and a pouch that is just the size to hold an ID or bank card. For the two smallest ones I added a D ring so they can be added to a wristlet, a keychain, or clipped on a larger bag. 

Coin Purse (side 1)

Zip Coin Purse (side two)

Folding Card Pouch

I like the little card pouch and will probably try that again as a gift. I need to do a bit of adjusting to suit my idea but It really did turn out cute. Since I was adapting a tutorial that left the edges raw, I didn't monogram it.  I think it would be really cute with a monogram, though. I love how each item turned out! I hope she does.

- What I've Been Loving -

I made a couple of casseroles this week that I haven't stirred up in a while and both were quite satisfying. The first is one that my Mama made when I was a young girl. So, in a way it is comfort food. 

Cheesy Mixed Vegetable Casserole

Ingredients:

2 cans mixed vegetables

1 1/2 cups cubed processed cheese

2 tablespoons butter

Topping Ingredients:

1 sleeve of Ritz crackers

4-6 tablespoons butter

Directions:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and add cheese cubes. Stir till they are blended together.
• Fold together mixed vegetables and spread into a baking dish.
• Crush crackers.
• Melt 4-6 tablespoons of butter and pour over cracker crumbles. Stir to cat the cracker crumbles.
• Spread cracker mixture over vegetable mixture and bake until bubbling and heated through. Cracker topping will brown slightly and crisp.

This is tasty as a side dish or all alone! It was grocery day; so, we had fried chicken and this veggie casserole for a super easy dinner.

The other casserole is French Onion Beef Bake. It is really a tasty dish and one of the Mister's favorites. 

French Onion Beef Bake

I'm sure I have followed the recipe precisely at times but I've also done variations. For example, this time I didn't have bow tie pasta and I used simple egg noodles instead. I've also used a pouch of French Onion Soup Mix and a container of sour cream instead of the purchased dip. The dish is delicious no matter how you stir it up! I'm loving a change of pace and some delicious recipes to welcome in fall.

- What I've Been Reading -

I abandoned a book before finishing it this week. I cannot remember when I did this last. Such a rarity. However, I just wasn't keeping up with the characters and didn't see the story line going anywhere. So, I DNF (I think that is the current slang term for did not finish.) and moved on to something vastly different. I'm currently reading Pitch by Pitch by Bob Gibson. I think I selected this one because I recall Tim McCarver as a broadcast announcer and McCarver was Gibson's catcher. I think one has to be a baseball fan to enjoy this one. I also listened to an NPR author interview with Gibson that was interesting and entertaining. 

I'm probably going to work on some of my go-tos for a few days - wreath sashes and bag tags. I may stitch up a few more Christmas ornaments. They are just so fun and satisfying to complete because the embroidery looks so beautiful on that felt. The Mister laughed at me when a new packet of felt was delivered and I told him what I was planning to do with it. He seems to think some of my frivolous ideas are not worthy, I think. We shall be enjoying the cooler temperatures and hoping that your weekend is nice, too!

Just 3 Things | #45

I've had sort of a slow week in regard to having completed projects. I had a doctor checkup appointment and I was called into volunteer duty for the cemetery a couple of times. Then, I waited on a zipper shipment only to discover that I had ordered the wrong size. Then, waited again. I am also waiting on a new kind of heat erasable fabric marker. I found that the white ones from the set I had before just don't do as well as I'd like. Maybe I am old with failing eyesight but I know I'm not the only one. So, I am trying a new kind. I'll report later on how I like it.

- What I've Been Working On -

One thing I did work on this week, though, is some more Christmas ornaments. I found that I absolutely love the way so many of my designs look when stitched on that stiff felt. I was joking last week with the concept that everybody on my list will get an embroidered ornament for Christmas, but I think that will be an actuality. 

I am personalizing each one on the back side and adding the year. I don't know if I will make this a tradition or not but it never hurts to put a year on an ornament because we all loose track of time as we age.

I've looked into getting an ornament bundle or two but for now, I'm just using the bag tag options I have and adapting them in different ways. I've expanded the size a bit so that the ornament is a little larger than the typical bag tag. I've chosen a couple of designs and adapted them by leaving parts off and adding parts of a different design. I am just experimenting and having fun creating.

I think if somebody came in and gave a look at my sewing machine screen during my creation process they might be really confused at what I'm layering. A couple of good examples are the saxophone ornament and the lamb ornament. 

I pulled the saxophone from a design that included music notes. Since the design has easy stops to change thread color, that made it easy for me to skip colors and move to get just the sax. Then, I added a bow from a a design for monogram wreath frames. The machine lets me rotate the design a bit as well as skip colors. Next, I added a large bag tag outline as a final layer to finish the edges and stitch around the hole. So, the sax now looks like a cute little gift all wrapped up for Christmas.

I centered up the smallest sized lamb inside a monogram frame with a different scalloped edge. Then, I layered the volleyball bag tag design and skipped to the white stitching to get the outline for the hole. So, three different designs all layered atop one another and used the machine features to get just the look I wanted. For the back side, I just floated a different piece of the felt on another hoop and used the built-in fonts to spell out the name and year. Stitched those, and pinned or 'floated' the finished piece on the bottom of the hoop. Once the placement stitch for the outline was stitched, I just cut away the top layer with the 'picture' design and cut away the bottom layer with the name/year stitching. Then, ran the last finishing stitch. The two pieces of felt are stitched together back to back that way and there is no messy unfinished side. Plus, the two layers of stiff felt are such a good thickness that will hold up well year after year. The stitching really does take some time but that is part of the gift, in my opinion. My time and love are included in each unique one. I have seven completed, making me almost half done!

- What I've Been Loving -

We went to a local county fair this past weekend. A couple of our grands were exhibiting heifers in the livestock show. We saw a lot of old friends around the showring and made some new acquaintances as well. The boys did a really good job of showing the heifers - probably the best that they have done so far this year. This experience really seemed to showcase how much work and dedication they have invested into a project and how it has expanded their horizons.

What I think I liked best is that we could see their growth as showmen, participants, and competitors grow with each lap around the ring. The judge for the junior show was a special kind of person. She took time to visit with the youngsters and give them pointers. Then, when the guys returned to the ring for subsequent classes, she commented on how she saw that they had improved. Positive encouragement!

The show staff was all so helpful and friendly to us and to the children. The facilities are new and improved and so clean and welcoming. Most importantly, though, the children had a fun time and really seemed to learn and engage with the activity while they were there. 

It is fun to watch the next generation learning and getting similar experiences that we had as youngsters and their parents had as youngsters, too. As adults, we sometimes don't realize all the things we know and skills we developed over the years and when we watch our children and grandchildren it reminds us of what it was like to try to incorporate all the things into the experience.

I find that I often need to remind myself that these kinds of opportunities are what made up the whole package of who I became. These experiences also make me hope that these children will build on them and eventually look back to see that it was a wonderful opportunity that most folks miss out on or never have offered to them. I've loved watching the children grow.

- What I've Been Reading -

I read Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner this week. It is about a family in the spotlight that is shattered for a time by a poor choice. More importantly, it focuses on how each member of the family moves forward afterward. 

I think what I liked about it most is that each and every character has foibles and faults but still moves forward in a positive direction after reflection and the way they have an influence over one another. After all, whether we like it or not, our family does tend to influence us.

I can't let the week go by without mentioning the weather. My Daddy would be so proud! It is still so very hot here. We are a bit past half-way through September and still experiencing high ninety degree temperatures. Never in my life do I remember having this before. Yep, I am starting to sound like a little old man sitting around at the country store! I hope your weekend is filled with cool fun and relaxation. See you next week!

Just 3 Things | #44

The Mister spent some time indoors this week and I was thankful. It is still so very hot outside that I am concerned that he will overheat when he is out there for long stretches. I do sometimes sort of like it when he acts like an old guy and kicks back in the recliner to watch seventy year old westerns! (Gunsmoke premiered on television on September 10, 1955, and ran for twenty years. It is one of the Mister's favorites.)

- What I've Been Working On -

I decided this week to try something a little different with my sewing and embroidering. I was awaiting the arrival of a supply shipment of foam stabilizer for stitching up another tote bag and some zippers in colors and sizes that I ran out of. So, I cruised through the interwebs and noticed that some folks were stitching up Christmas ornaments. Eureka! What a great idea! I have been gifting an ornament to the grandchildren each year for a while. So, I decided I might give a go at stitching one up. In my mind that would be similar to creating a bag tag. 

I have been reading where folks are using a stiff felt for bag tags and decided I would put that knowledge to work for creating an ornament or two. 

Let me just say, I am thrilled! Like a bag tag, making an ornament that is decorated on both sides is a bit of a thought process and takes some wiggling. The thing is, though, the stitching on that stiff felt turns out absolutely beautifully. 

I used the baseball bag tag design I had purchased. I started by stitching out the recipient's name and the year on a piece of felt. In this case, I used orange because he was a part of Team Tennessee this summer for the World Series. That became the back side of the ornament.

On the front side I stitched out the bag tag as it was designed and added my favorite baseball player's number.

Where the split ring would generally go for a key ring or bag tag, I just ran a piece of cording and tied a bit of coordinating ribbon onto it. Each ornament is somewhere between four and five inches in diameter. 

I'm already dreaming of more ideas for ornaments and perusing what designs are available! Here are some I am considering or maybe these or these. I'm thinking I could applique fabrics onto the felt to change things up. Of course, the perfect, preciseness of the stitching might not be there with another fabric appliqued onto the felt but it is just the right thickness and stiffness to make pretty ornaments!

This may be the year of the ornaments. You get a hand-stitched ornament! And YOU get an ornament! And YOU get an ornament!

- What I've Been Reading -

I just finished reading Carol Burnett's book about her relationship with her daughter who was lost to cancer. In some ways it was heart-wrenching and in some ways it was enlightening. Burnett shares the painful struggle her family and daughter, Carrie, experienced through her teenage drug addiction. She also shares stories of Carrie's successes as an adult and hard-fought battle with cancer ending with death at the young age of thirty-eight. 

The thing I walked away with most from the pages of that book is an affirmation that parenting is never easy. Burnett's family had far fewer financial worries than ours but they still had the difficult parts of growing up and becoming independent. It also drives home how a parent's job of being the guide for their children is never an easy one. Finally, it also emphasized to me that even though our roles evolve over the years as parents and children, we still have a strong bond of love and hope. 

Even though I finished reading the book a day or so ago, I thought about it again today when I was reading The Good List for the week from The New York Times. The author shares one more thing at the end of the list about how a woman wrote her husband a letter each year for their anniversary. The woman claimed that she learned of a father who wrote to his child each year on her birthday. Wouldn't that be a beautiful gift? What a keepsake to have throughout ones life. 

- What I've Been Loving -

A friend or two has stopped by during the past few days and we always welcome a friendly face around here! One was the Mister's cousin who is an entrepreneur with a lighting business who worked for years at the local electric company and he had stopped to pick up sausage from the Mister. I was working on my own bandana tote and he peeked over my shoulder and said, "What are you working on? It really looks interesting." I explained that I was creating a tote that I had seen online and he wanted to know what I would charge to make one for his wife. I jokingly told him that I didn't think anybody would be able to afford a bag made by me because it was slow going and lots of thinking and sewing. Remember, it was my first tote and I was still deep into the learning phase. Yet, I loved his reaction to what I was creating.

I've progressed and made a couple more totes as gifts for the granddaughters and then used the leftover bandanas to make them a 'set' for Christmas. One of the granddaughters was snooping on her mom's phone and saw one of the sets and told her mother that she really liked it. I loved hearing that reaction. So, at least I am on the right track for gifts for one member of the family anyway.

Then, another friend stopped by a couple of days ago and she noticed all of the totes, zip pouches, and wreath sashes that I've got laid out in the basement bedroom. She was amazed and immediately gravitated toward the totes. I loved her reaction to the things I had fun creating! She asked me if I was going to sell them and I gave her the same reply - I would have to charge more than I think folks would be willing to pay. I did ponder about how I could make the creation process simpler and tried my ideas by creating a tote for one of the granddaughters. After all, we have seven granddaughters. 

I realized the process was still pretty labor intensive and thought some more before creating a tote for another granddaughter. I've been thinking and watching videos and reading since then. I've got an idea or two for improving my method and plan to start the fourth tote next week. Ironically, the Mister had another friend stop in yesterday and he noticed my tote hanging on a dining room chair. He asked the Mister if I might be interested in making one for his wife. Here is the thing. We have ten grandchildren and I have set a goal for myself to create gifts for all of them for Christmas. Then, we also gift their parents. So, that makes a total of eighteen family gifts and that doesn't include gifts for extended family and friends and so on. Plus, I have only been retired for a couple of years. I have a variety of things I like to do with my time and, yes, one is sewing and machine embroidery. I worked hard for most of my life and am enjoying the days where I choose what I do and whether I complete a task or not. If I go into the business of creating these totes, I will be back at it full time, I fear. Even if I only took a few orders, I would be working on a daily basis and I'm not sure that there is a large enough profit margin that could be made for the work input. Unlike when I was younger, I am not looking for a way to earn extra money and stay at home with my children. Oh, we could use the extra money, don't get me wrong. However, we are making ends meet right now and I am enjoying the opportunity to just play and putter and create gifts for family. I love my time spent with my new sewing and embroidery machine. It keeps me learning and doing and trying things. So, am I being selfish to just say no to folks who would like to pay for my creations?

I hope it is cooler wherever you are than it is right here. We are off this weekend to a local fair to watch some of the grandchildren exhibit their cattle.

Just 3 Things | #43

Come on fall! It is September. I am tired of hot weather. I am ready for some cooler temperatures! Everything outside is dry, dusty, and crunchy around here. The Mister cuts the grass with a mask on and still comes in looking like he has been wandering in the dust bowl. Plus, it has just been excessively HOT. I know that I get this way at the turn of the season each year but this one really does seem to have been a really hot summer.

- What I've Been Working On -

I've been stitching and embroidering this week. I am focusing on crafting Christmas gifts for our family. The bandana totes will make a good gift and will serve as ready-made wrapping, I think. I got a tote bag finished this week and I did a boxy pouch that I've been wanting to try for a while. Then, today I worked on a little coin purse. I ordered some shorter zippers and some magnetic closure snaps. So, I wanted to try those out. I've saved several ideas and tutorials. So, following my philosophy for the week of just diving right in, I picked one and went to work. 

One side has a monogram and the other side has a pocket with the magnetic closure. It zips at the top to keep coins, cards, cash, or any number of small items secure. I put a D ring on one side so that it could be clipped to a key ring and I made a little wrist key fob out of a scrap of fabric. 

I like the little outside pocket but I'm not sure how secure things will be in it with that magnetic closure. I stitched the magnets into the tab that folds over the top and into the outside pocket lining. So, the magnet holds but not super-securely. Since I had been working on one granddaughter's tote, I made this little coin purse out of the same coordinating fabrics I used for the tote bag - brown T bandana and pink with boots, hats, and horse shoes. This granddaughter loves her boots and is a fan of pink. So, this will suit her well. 

- What I've Been Reading -

Besides reading and watching several tutorials and blog posts to build my confidence for stitching up a couple of different types of pouches, I have also done a bit of reading on the book I started last week. The Letter by Kathryn Hughes. I don't take as much time for reading when I am enthusiastic about my stitching projects! This is a good book, however, and I am about half-way through it. 

- What I've Been Loving -

The Mister wanted a deli sandwich the other night. So, we ordered a delivery. I wanted something lighter than a sandwich and didn't really want pasta that the local restaurant offers either. So, I gave one of their featured salads a try. It was fabulous! The greens were fresh and light like I wanted. It also had blue cheese crumbles, caramelized walnuts, cherry tomatoes, green apple slices, and grilled chicken on it. I loved the flavor blend so much that I created my own from ingredients in our fridge a couple of times since. One night I added some mandarin orange slices and the other night I added some dried cranberries to the mix. The Mister turned up his nose when I added the apple slices to the one I was mixing and raised his eyebrows when I added pecans. The nutty, crunchy, tartness added to the sweetness of the fruit and the heartiness of the chicken and blue cheese really hit the spot. It was quite tasty and I highly recommend tossing it all together like that!

We have really been focused on counting our blessings and lifting others up this week. Our family lost my great aunt and my mother's sister last week. Then, this week a cousin's husband passed. All three folks had been suffering with different types of dementia but it is still hard to lose a loved one. Then, a dear friend of ours who we grew up with and went to school with as youngsters let us know that her husband had a second stroke this past week. I called and chatted with our friend today and she voiced what we all feel at times like these saying, "I just wasn't prepared for all of this. We watch others in such situations and wonder what we would do but nothing can really prepare us for the reality of it." We will continue to be lifting these folks up in the coming days and will also continue pondering different ways to help our friend. 

Just 3 Things | #42

I wish I could be more like Dolly. Don't we all? I think we are all mourning the loss of her and her goodness. Here in Tennessee we sort of feel like we lost one of the best parts of our entire state. She was a ray of sunshine, a philanthropist on another level, and a talented storyteller and performer. May she rest in peace.

- What I've Been Working On -

After catching up on some housekeeping chores, I've been working on stitching up gifts again this week. When I purchase an embroidery design, I try to consider different ways I might use it. I look at so many things but one of them is the number of different sizes that are available with the purchase. I'm always thinking that I might use a larger size but haven't really had a need to thus far. Then, this week I tried out one of the designs that came in a larger size. Again, I learned so much. The number one thing I learned is that a solid design like this really takes a LOT of time.

The design I stitched in a couple of sizes is a simple pumpkin with a leaf. I stitched the smallest size onto a thin gingham fabric with an iron-on stabilizer added as well as a couple of layers of tear away stabilizer. It stitched up nicely. There were a couple of thread problems when stitching the leaf veining, though. I guess it was just the heavy duty stitch concentration that caused the thread issue. The smaller one will eventually become a wreath sash with the pumpkin on one end and a monogram on the other. Then, I stitched the largest version onto a heavier weight upholstery fabric with a couple of layers of cut away stabilizer behind it. This version will eventually become a table runner with the pumpkin stitched on either end. Again, on one end the leaf veining caused some thread issues and I had to rethread my machine. Again, the design stitched up nicely. Neither is perfect, however. On the smaller version, the outline of the pumpkin on the right hand side is a bit off. On the larger version, the outline of one of the pumpkin sections is just a wee bit off. Both are still beautiful in my eyes and I am excited to give each as a gift!

- What I've Been Watching -

We haven't really been watching much this week. I started a series from Amazon Prime called Heart Guy. I think what I'm enjoying about the show is the people dynamics. The main character's dynamics with his quirky family and the dynamics with his coworkers. 

I really like watching something where there is representation of what people are really like. Oh, there is some rather exaggerated quirkiness and that just seems to add to the humor of the situations depicted. 

I also watched an episode of Reacher recently. I forget how violent this show is. I'm sure that some of that violence is a reality in this world but I'm so thankful it is not in mine. It is always rewarding when a program shows the good guy winning and I think that is what is the attraction in this program for me. Plus, I like the main character and how he breaks down things in life to their most simplistic base. This is a program that I do nothing other than watch when it is on because I would miss so many clues and vital pieces that make up the story. He is a noticer and I am always impressed by that in people. 

- What I've Been Reading -

After finishing my last book authored by Kathryn Hughes, I decided to dive into The Secret, also by her. I guess I just wasn't ready to let go of the concept that past events and the back story of those contribute to the present day. I did really enjoy The Letter and the concept of how the letter really did seem to bring people together in the end. I'm just barely into this one, so I cannot say whether I love it or not or whether it is a good follow up after reading Hughes's first book. Maybe I can report more deeply about it next week. 

I got my hair cut a little differently last week and I'm still trying to decide if that was a wise choice or not. After wearing it in a fairly single layer for a while, I asked the hair dresser to add a bit of breeziness to it and add more layers as I showed her a photo that I liked. Usually when I get a new shearing, I immediately either really love it or really hate it. This is a first for me. I guess time will really tell. Of course, it seems that no matter how I have my hair cut and styled, it seems to sort of gravitate back toward the same look. I guess I just know one way to style my own hair and that is how it will be no matter what. Have a breezy, layered weekend!

Just 3 Things | #41

I'm trying to get back on track for a Friday post of J3T this week. When I started writing this sort of post, I was adapting an idea by Marian Parsons of Miss Mustard Seed fame. I knew that I had a hodge podge of ideas from time to time that I could just throw together as a post, none of which were really important enough to garner their own individual post but just ideas I wanted to capture. I liked Marian's categories and figured I could adapt to make them work for me if I kept it to a good old 1,2,3 format. Some weeks it is easy and some weeks I have to think about it. But, by and large, three things seems to work for me.

- What I've Been Working On-

This week I was a bit tired from galivanting round to watch the grandchildren exhibit their sheep and weathering through the unbelievably hot temperatures during the Tennessee State Fair. So, I didn't tackle a big project. I'd had a little bit of a hiccup last week when my sewing machine was bunching up the thread making a huge mess of a project that I was working on. So, I knew I was going to have to do some troubleshooting. I'd spent some time reading up to find out what might be causing the problem and I'd watched a few short tutorials and figured out that I might need to look for some sort of dust gathering in the machine and change out the needle again. I learned that some people change to a new needle with every single new project. I don't really believe that is necessary but maybe I could be wrong. I feel like I am alright to make three or four little zip pouches before changing out the needle. I did think it was time for a new needle and changed that out. 

Following the instructions from another source, I decided to really examine my machine and look for where dust might have gathered. I noticed a teeny tiny little bit of lint in my bobbin case.  I took a cotton swab with some machine oil on it and gathered up a teeny tiny little ball of lint that was about the size of a small piece of broken pencil lead. I had a hard time even finding that and had my reading glasses on as I was peering into the innards of my machine. That must have been the problem because I had no issues with the first item I stitched. I guess the mechanics that allows for clean, precise stitching also causes it to mis-stitch at times. I don't like having to troubleshoot but I do like the work the machine does. So, I'm trying not to get frustrated when each attempt I make doesn't turn out perfectly. In addition to completing and sending off some bag tags for one of the granddaughters, I worked on making some other gifts for holiday giving.

Embroidery for a Fall Wreath Sash

This week I have stitched up several gifts. I'm making wreath sashes for some of my relatives. I think the gals will appreciate them and it will be a different sort of gift than what they might get from anybody else. I tried out some new purchases - a new font, a new generic leaves and bow, a new turkey. I started with the closest match I could get to the colors described by the creator on the turkey. Then, I tweaked him a little bit. I didn't really like the green colors used in the fan and wings of the bird. So, I changed it up a little bit when I changed fabrics for the next gift. Then, I'll change it just a bit more for the next time. I don't think I will be making loads of things with this turkey, though because it takes quite a while to stitch out and uses lots of color changes. He does stitch out beautifully, though, in any color!

More Embroidery for a Fall Wreath Sash

One thing is for certain, I really like the new font I tried. It was part of a combination that I purchased from Blue Willow Embroidery. My next attempt at a wreath sash is definitely going to include the pumpkin that the font came alongside. I can see it looking pretty in several different colors as well. I look forward to having it on a wreath sash but I think it would be pretty on napkins, placemats, and more. 

In addition to the fall themed wreath sashes, I did a few with summer patriotic themes. I think a reversible wreath sash with a summer concept on one side and a fall or winter one would be a gift I'd really feel good about getting and that is the sort of gift I like to give.

- What I've Been Loving -

Thursday morning of this week we awoke to a thunderstorm. It was rattling the windows and we even had a lightning strike somewhere near enough to us to knock the power out briefly. In addition to the thunder rolling through and the downpour of rain, we also had some marble-sized hail bouncing around on the roof and the porch. It was quite the alarm clock. 

The best thing about the rain moving through - well, besides the fact that we got some moisture that was much-needed - is that the temperature cooled off. That meant it was not sweltering and for the second time this month the Mister has put chicken on the smoker to prepare us a delicious meal. 

Oh, we don't eat the entire chicken in a meal. We have leftovers and that is the best part. One day we have the chicken fresh off the grill and I add a few vegetables to the mix and it is a wonderful meat and three sort of meal. Then, the Mister will debone the chicken and we've enjoyed pulled chicken bar-b-que sandwiches. I've made a little batch of chicken salad. We've eaten some of the cut up chicken on a salad. It really is fabulous. I love that it is delicious, clean eating but I also love the fact that we have a good ingredient for another meal or two and that means less thinking and effort on my part. Win! Win! So, does that mean that this 'loving' section is sharing that I'm loving the Mister or that I'm loving the smoked chicken? Both! For sure!

- What I've Been Reading -

As I mentioned in my post about writing letters yesterday, I'm currently reading The Letter by Kathryn Hughes. I love the concept of this idea. A letter was written in one era but didn't get to the intended recipient. Instead it was opened and read by another person during a later era. I like that we get information about why and how and when the letter was originally written. I like that somebody else winds up reading the letter and it impacts their life. I guess I just like to think about how a letter really does make an impact even when it reaches the intended recipient. 

In the classroom, I often had students write letters as part of an assignment. Sometimes I would have them write to a character in a book or to the author. At other times I would have them write a letter to another student sharing information about a book they were reading. We would write letters at the beginning of the year where they were telling me things I needed to know about themselves so that I could be a better teacher for them. We would write letters to our future selves as a way to think about the future and make goals and plans for later in the year or for the next year. We would write letters later in the year to future students telling them what to expect in the class and I would share those letters at the beginning of the following year to new students. 

I guess I just like the idea of capturing ideas and thoughts and expressions and revisiting them and a letter is really a good way to do that. I'm enjoying this book and by reading it and some of the other things that relate to letter writing that I've stumbled across this week, I am inspired to write more letters!

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Summer is hanging on around here and we are not rushing it away. We wouldn't mind if the temperatures stay out of the ninety degree realm though. I guess that when it gets that hot, I'll just have to stay inside and do a bit of letter writing. What about you?

Just 3 Things | #39

I know I often talk about the weather here and I guess I inherited that from my Daddy. When one lives on a farm, though, weather plays a big role in most everything that goes on. It has rained here more days during the past three weeks or more than it has been dry. Whoever heard of having green grass that begs to be mowed more than once per week in July and August!?! The rain has also stalled hay harvest. The Mister is on edge wondering just when he might get to cut and rake and bale and all the things and steps required to put hay in the barn and mow off our front field. I just looked at the weather app on my phone.

No less than 35% rain predicted in the 10-Day forecast.

- What I've Been Watching -

I've been reading and watching tutorials online like never before. I have so many ideas for using my new sewing machine and I see so many wonderful ideas. I am loving that I can find a tutorial for crafting most anything and stitching most anything up just by reading and looking at photos and watching video tutorials. 

Gone are the days when one simply looked at the diagrams that came with a package for creating or assembling something. Gone are the static tissue paper patterns that tear easily and have unclear drawings to follow for sewing. These days I just perform and online search and there are multiple tutorials right at my fingertips. I love that I can have clear photographed pictures showing me what to do, or I can watch a video, rewind, pause, and watch it again to learn how to assemble something that I am stitching up. 

For all the times that people fuss about technology, I just want to stand up and cheer that we do have such technology right at our fingertips to teach us how to do something new. Now, that doesn't mean I get things right on the first try each time. That doesn't mean I fully understand something after reading, watching, rewinding, and watching again. Yet, the opportunity that provides for me as a learner and a crafter and a sewist is absolutely fabulous! I shared a couple or three tutorials I used in making a cute tote bag this week. However, please know that I have watched and saved three or four more different ones before and during the process of me attempting to make just that tote bag. An example that I didn't share is this one where I learned to make a cool end to a zipper tab. 

- What I've Been Reading -

Besides reading tutorials, I've also been reading an interesting novel this week. It is one of Reese's Book Club Picks.

 The Club by Ellery Lloyd was advertised as, "a murder mystery set at an exclusive celebrity resort." However, as I am reading it, I can see personalities similar to folks I know or have encountered and I certainly have not been to an exclusive celebrity resort. I'm about half way through and it is really an engaging read. 

- What I've Been Working On -

I spent a couple of days working on my big project for the week - a Bandana Tote Bag. It was so rewarding to see this coming together and turning out like my vision. I learned so many different things in the process and learned about new products that I didn't know existed and techniques that I would never have dreamt of on my own. 

I already have gathered a stash of bandanas to make more bags and pouches using this inexpensive fabric. Of course, one of the things I learned is that there are bandanas that don't really look like bandanas. I had seen patriotic ones before but there are also animal prints, camo prints, cute variety prints, and traditional bandanas in a multitude of colors. So, I think I could make a different bag each week and never use the same sort of bandana even if I used one color or print for the outer side and a different one for the lining. Some of these different varieties of bandanas are more expensive than the typical one-dollar-handkerchief but I found loads available right in my price range and fully intend to create something cute and wonderful with as many as possible!

If the sun is shining where you are, I hope you are making hay in it! Have a good weekend.

Just 3 Things | # 38

 Last week to the Mister and me to Laurel, Mississippi. That's a bit further than four hours from home sweet home. The eldest grandson's baseball team was playing in the Diamond Youth Baseball World Series. We had a great time and the team did well. We enjoyed getting to know some of the players' parents and grandparents, spending time with our own grandchildren, and watching a lot of good baseball. We stayed in a Drury Inn in Meridian, Mississippi. I highly recommend them. The room was clean, spacious, private, and restful. They provided a full hot breakfast each morning and a meal each evening that was delicious as well. Popcorn was available from a movie theater style machine each day and they also provided drinks. They cheered our team on each day as they left for the baseball field and asked about their games when we returned. I learned that I am not the care-free traveler that I once was, though. While I enjoyed the trip and the opportunity and the amenities immensely, I am really, really glad to be home!

- What I've Been Watching -

A few of the baseball games were broadcast on YouTube. I quickly sent out the link to all the friends and family left at home. They sent screenshots and messages telling me that they could see us on the broadcast. They also sent screen captures of Harris. My son and daughter-in-law said that there were loads of photos sent to them showing people's television screens as well. What a fun thing to experience!

Harris on the big screen

On the first day of the series it rained. The game before ours suffered a rain delay. That made our game start late. So, we worried that we were in for another week of rain and delays interfering with baseball much like we experienced in the state playoff. However, the skies cleared and the temperatures rose and it was a HOT week.

The Mister weathering a shower

We truly enjoyed visiting with the ball players, their families, and watching a lot of baseball. It was exciting to watch the guys shine as players and work like a well-oiled team. There was a three-way tie going up to the championship game. Our team, Team Tennessee beat South Carolina, Virginia, and Seminary, Mississippi. Then, beat Georgia before experiencing a loss to North Carolina. Tennessee drew the bye to get into the championship game. Georgia defeated North Carolina to get to the championship game. Then, Georgia became the champions and Tennessee the runner-up. 

Harris on the mound

Harris batting

I might be a bit biased, but I believe Harris really played well. The Mister said his pitching was top-notch. I think Harris was really most pleased that he hit four homeruns during the series.

It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for all of us. Memories were made. Friendships were developed. New places and spaces were explored. Lots of fun was had by all.

- What I've Been Reading -

I spent a lot of time using the GPS feature on my phone last week. I also spent a good bit of time reading about the state of Mississippi. I knew very little about that area of the world before last week. I now know that Mississippi is home to six national forests that cover over one million acres. So, over half of Mississippi's acreage is covered in forests. That certainly made a difference in cell phone reception while we were in Laurel at the ball park. Fewer cell towers are located in the national forests, so reception was a bit spotty.

The part of Mississippi we were in seemed to have far more poverty than the middle Tennessee area where we are from. I learned that it does have a high poverty rate but is much batter now than it was in the past. The federal government bought up millions of acres of severely eroded timberland and abandoned farms in the 1930s and reforested it to restore the landscape. So, part of The New Deal which helped to create TVA and The Great Smoky Mountains National Park also had a big role in Mississippi by establishing those six national forests.

I learned that Howard Industries is the largest employment bas in Laurel and Meridian, Mississippi. They manufacture lots of things, including transformers and industrial equipment. They also have a big logistical, trade, warehousing, and transportation presence in the area. Meridian is also home to a U.S. Naval Air Station. So, there is a large military base there as well. 

I learned a lot about Mississippi with my searches and readings. I also had a chance to continue reading Road Trip by Mary Kay Andrews.

- What I've Been Working On -

Honestly, what I've been working on this week is trying to get my feet back under me. It has been so long since I've done any traveling, I just sort of felt like I had the rug pulled from under me when we got home. Of course, I have been working on getting caught up on laundry, watering and trying to save my poor parched flowers, and unpacking and putting things away.

I've spent some time reading about projects for stitching and gathering ideas for projects. I've begun planning next steps and gathering supplies. So, in a day or so I will be back at the sewing machine designing and creating and smiling with awe at all the things my new machine will do.

It is great to travel and see our magnificent world and we are so thankful to have the opportunity to spend time with family and experience such wonderful opportunities. We are ever grateful for our and their health and the opportunities that we have provided for us. While I'm a bit tired from such a long trip, I'm already looking forward to the next adventures - volleyball games, cattle shows, sheep shows, band half-time performances, and lots more!

Just 3 Things | #37

Last week I was out of pocket and enjoying being a grandparent. So, I just didn't get around to creating a Just 3 Things post. I sort of started out in the hole this week due to the rainouts of the state baseball tournament that took me out of town and had me sitting round waiting for the skies to clear and finally getting to see Harris's team capture the state title. I got home after midnight on Monday - well, actually on Tuesday's wee hours. I can recall that there was a day once a long time ago when keeping such hours was really not even a hiccup for me. This week did not have that day!

- What I've Been Working On -

I felt like winning a state championship as a baseball team was a big deal. So, I wanted to do something for the team beyond assisting with fundraising. I remembered that when Bryan went to a World Series as a kid the boys exchanged pins. It was a far bigger thing than we were prepared for at the time. I thought maybe we could have pins made for the boys to swap. So, I asked if that was still a 'thing' or not. It turns out that tradition is still there and the boys do indeed swap pins and the state league provided a big bag of pins for the boys to swap. So, I decided I would embroider a towel for them that could hold all the pins they get at the swap. 

Diamond Youth Baseball Team Tennessee 2026 Towels

I shopped online for some towels and found that orange is a bit of a difficult color to discern with online shopping. I landed on an 18x26" pinstriped orange and white kitchen towel and ordered a couple bundles. 

I first did an example, pictured above to show Coach Bryan what it might look like. I explained that, obviously, I would not put a bow on the boy's towels. I also explained that I would use a bolder, more masculine font for the guys. He gave me the green light. So, after my towels arrived, I set up the design on my new sewing machine and started the creation process.

My favorite player's towel

So, that is what I've been working on for the past couple of days. I found out today that my creations have the approval of at least two of the mothers. I sent a message to my daughter-in-law with the picture of all the team towels as well as the photo of Linley's. I explained that I had some extra towels and asked if she had ideas for what else I could do with them. She was monitoring some of the team as they were working a fundraiser and one of the other player's mother said she thought it would be a good idea to make a 'Mama Towel' for the mothers!

- What I've Been Reading -

I've just deleted several offers of bargain Kindle editions all this week. I'm struggling to stay awake when I sit down and get still and I'm nodding off in bed before I even get a chapter read. It certainly isn't the quality of the writing or the book that I've chosen.  I think it is just fatigue from multiple road trips and enduring the July heat and humidity and all the rain. (Whoever heard of such a wet July before?!)

I chose one of my favorite authors for this week and, honestly, I'm just savoring it a bit. I'm taking my time and I'm even going back and reading a page or two at times just to make sure I don't miss anything. Two sisters who are seeking to uncover a long hidden family truth take a road trip from Savannah, Georgia to Ireland in search of information which might authenticate a portrait that has hung in their family's homes for years. 

Road Trip by Mary Kay Andrews

I was hooked from the first page - maybe even from the cover. (We had sheep when my children were young. I have a red headed sister. My sister and I are almost polar opposites.) I'm about halfway through this one and I like the characters and the journey that they are on.

- What I'm Loving -

Back in the spring the Mister and part of the grands brought an old water trough down and put it at the basement entrance right in front of the retaining wall. They filled it with dirt and I sowed some Zinnia seeds in it in hopes of having a cutting garden right outside the door. For some reason the Zinnias have not prospered. Did I not water enough? Was the soil too rich? Did the critters do too much damage? I don't know but I only have a few spindly stems of Zinnias in that trough. 

I also sprinkled a few seeds into the two sixteen inch pots I have sitting in front of the window of my office/sewing room as well. Those seeds have flourished and look so cheerful as I am looking out my window. For the past couple of days I have also had a visitor. A beautiful hummingbird has found those Zinnias. Then, just on the other side of the driveway, a doe is also making a regular sashay through.

Sometimes, when I step outside she will look up at me and pause for a bit. Then, she goes right back to grazing. I don't like that the squirrels and chipmunks and even the deer seem to want to nibble on my flowers and have prevented us from having a vegetable garden in the back yard but I must admit, they are beautiful creatures to watch when they are so close. I'm loving that.