Friday, January 29, 2010

Laundry Soap

I have been reading about others making their own laundry detergent.  It is suppose to be a thrifty way to do laundry.....that word, "thrifty" caught my eye.  :)
I decided to try the dry recipe....less work....and I don't have a front loading machine, so I can use powder.



I mixed up a double batch....tested it out....I think it is cleaning good....haven't had anything really nasty to test it on yet though.
The little chopper worked great for the bar soap.....until I got to the 7th batch....it was a little too much for that cheap little chopper.  Next time around I will use the grater.  I won't be making more for a long, long time though.....a little bit goes a long way.
Just so you don't think I have huge hording issues (making 7 batches), I sent a jar home with my daughter....with instructions to only use 1-2 Tbsps per load.  I am sure she will let me know what she thinks of it soon.
1 bar soap (I used Dove)
1 cup Borax
1 cup Super Washing Soda


Monday, January 25, 2010

The View From My Window

There is no view from the front...the blowing snow has covered the windows.  A Minnesota blizzard has canceled school....two in this house were happy to sleep in this morning.
Friendie is with me today.....and may be here until the blizzard lets up. 
We could take him home in the Suburban later....but this may be a good excuse for a sleep over!  :)





We can see the lakeshore from the house, but nothing beyond that. 
I actually enjoy an ocassional blizzard. :)

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Arizona


We had a great time with our friends in Arizona.  When we got to the condo, we found these pool towels sitting in our rooms....


it sums up our mini vacation.

Now the reason for going was for the guys to run the P.F. Chang's Rock N Roll Marathon....they ran the half....that is 13.1 miles if any of you out there need to know.  :)
We went into Phoenix for the guys to go to the Expo and pick up their race packets.  Now, that isn't very exciting for us non-running types, but the guys stopped at Quiltz on our way back....they scored a point with us that day.

The next day we took a little road trip to Sedona, with a stop in Jerome (a little hippie town) on our way.  We enjoyed the sites.
The guys scored another point when they stopped at Quilter's Store Sedona.  We did a little shopping and admired the quilt that was featured in Quilt Sampler Magazine....found on page 125 if you are curious.  :)




The rock formations were impressive in Sedona.


The guys ran their race on Sunday and then hurried back to the condo for the Viking/Cowboy football game.  I sat out by the pool with a good book and still heard our rowdy fans through the patio door.  :)  They brought along their jerseys and even some purple lights to hang from a plant in our room.....there was much celebrating going on!

No quilt shops on Sunday, but we did go to the bookstore.....because I wanted to buy a couple books.
I am sure you know who these are for.  :)


There was a little rain on Monday, but that didn't stop us from using the hot pool or grilling chicken outdoors.
We did spend a couple hours at Runner's World....but the guys (who are ever so thoughtful) took us to The Quilted Apple for a little shopping.  They even found a comfy sofa and some reading material there.



We enjoyed our three quilt shop stops.

Now to make the projects I brought home with me!

Notice the Walnut Litter?  I didn't haul that back on the airplane....but I learned that is what the crushed walnuts are that are used to fill pin cushions.  I had to chuckle because it was called Lizard Litter in Arizona....and back in Minnesota I found it in the bird section of the pet store.

It was a fun trip.   The guys were a hoot....going a little overboard in their compliments and manners (opening our doors at every stop)....finding us quilt shops on the internet and GPS......and letting us pick out a special little souviner.....

I can harldy wait for our trip to Door County in July!!!!

Haiti

I want to share a link with you.  My daughter's friend, Rhyan, is working in an orphanage in Haiti.  She shares from her heart on her blog.  She is back at the orphanage for her third work experience....and arrived 3 days before the earthquake.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Sometimes You Just Can't Wait

The past few mornings I have been eager for my morning cup/pot of coffee.....so I have been brewing it in my French Press.  It really makes a smooth cup....and if I don't have to share....it is just the right amount.  I just didn't want to wait.



I have also been feeling a little anxious about being away from my computer for 5 days while we are in Arizona.  I need to leave our laptop at home for our youngest daughter to use.....she may need it for a school assignment
I went out yesterday and purchased a little Netbook....my new traveling companion.  I was gifted money for  Christmas...so I thought it was a good choice....besides....how can I be away from my  Blog friends for 5 whole days?????
Sometimes you just can't wait!




Tuesday, January 12, 2010

What To Pack???

We are preparing for 5 days in Arizona.  No kids....No Friendie.
 Today my Friendie came with his Oatie Pie for breakfast!  Now normally I would not let him eat that circle of sugar with no nutrional value for breakfast....but he was so excited about it....and he isn't feeling good...and I am a big softie.  :)



After some Grammie time...and I rocked him to sleep...I decided I should put together something to work on if I have some down time while we are away.
So far, this is all I have ready....a very small project.
Will a small scissors be confiscated at the airport?

Saturday, January 9, 2010

The Old House

This is a painting that hangs in my hallway.  We commissioned an artist to paint a portrait of our home when we lived in North Dakota.  The house is located in the Georgraphical Center Of North America (Rugby, ND).  The very first time I ever drove through Rugby, on my way to my sister and brother-in-law's farm, I admired this house.  Each additional trip I would ask my husband to alert me when we were getting close to "the house".  Sixteen years ago, when we moved to Rugby, the house sat empty....but was not for sale.  Four years later the owner of the house died.  We contacted the family and made an offer on the house.....without ever seeing the inside!  Yep....we did....some thought we were crazy....maybe we were.  Our offer was accepted and we became the owners of one of the lovliest old homes in North Dakota.  Now....the house had been "updated"....so we had to do something about that....so all the carpets were removed (and they were glued down)....the floors and staircase were all restored.  Some wallpaper had to be put up to cover some of the more serious plaster flaws, but other than that....lots and lots of paint....inside and out.  The very first morning that I woke up in that house....it felt like home.
We got to enjoy our little piece of history for four years.....now all I have is my painting in the hallway....and some wonderful memories.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Yep.....Good Friends



I just knew Little Ruthie and I were going to become good friends!
I did end up putting a small piece of guide tape on the needle plate to help me maintain a quarter inch stitch....I am use to using a quarter inch foot.
Now I need to get serious and get my fabric cut so I can make some Cheese & Crackers with Lori.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

She Is Here.....And She Is Lovely!

I found my Christmas Featherweight.  I was so excited when UPS delivered her today....but it is -40 degree wind-chill right now, so I had to let her sit and warm up for over an hour.  While I waited, I read my manual and took a photo.


I am very pleased with the condition of the machine considering how old she is.  I have been corresponding with the previous owner this past week while I waited for the machine to arrive.  I asked her for the history of the machine.  She sent me a detailed account....which I will share at the end of this post for anyone who may want to read it.
If you decide to read it, you will see the original owner's name was Ruthie....so that is why I have decided to call my featherweight, Little Ruthie.  :)

I learned first thing that you need to be careful that you do not overfill the bobbin....good thing I only wound one of the six that came with the machine.  :)
I closed my eyes and said a silent prayer that the stitches would be quilt worthy.....

I believe this little sweetie is going to become a very good friend!

The following is a copy of the email I received from the previous owner....who is moving to Europe soon....thus the need to part with her machine.

Oh, that's great! Here's the history: Her name was Ruthie Evelyn Hammack Wright and she lived at Levelland, Texas. She bought the machine just around Christmastime 1946 and she kept the machine until 1973 when she gifted it to me, Jeannie Wright, at age 13 (ooohh....now you know how old I am! LOL). She sewed all the family clothing on it and was she ever a seamstress! She also made all the quilt tops, aprons, and mending on it. They left the farm the next year and moved to Las Vegas, NM and then to Amarillo, Texas (until 1954); in 1955 they went to Roswell, NM and stayed there until 1960 and then went to Northern California -- my grandfather, by then, was working construction on the freeways and they moved a lot, so they lived in a small trailer and this machine went with them (it was only a 14' trailer) and she sewed all the grandkids a new wardrobe of 7 outfits every single summer so they could begin school -- all my dresses were LINED! There were 4 grandchildren--she just kept sewing everything until she gave me the machine. I was in 4H and she made it my 13th birthday present (I was the only grandchild who sewed) and she sent the machine on a greyhound bus from Marysville to Hobbs, New Mexico (we had just moved in the summer from Los Angeles to Hobbs), where I did all my sewing on it. I kept it all those years, and the machine went with me back to LA when I went to school at UCLA (1977), then back to Hobbs, NM (1981), then Roswell (1997-yes, THE Roswell--alien country--)and then here to Lubbock (which is my childhood home). So, it's traveled a lot, but lovingly packed in the car every time -- I am so sad to see it go out of my family, but my daughter is not geared to sew and I know you will give it a lovely home! I just made my last (award winning, by the way) quilt on it in January 2009. Have fun with it and know that it's a workhorse! I'm glad you have her! Jeannie

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Cold Goodness

We like to make ice cream in the winter....


with simple ingredients.....

and plenty of fluffy snow.....

and good old-fashioned arm power.  :)

Sunday, January 3, 2010

What Kind Of Grandparents Are We????

Friendie would say we are GREAT.....his parents might not agree.

We got our little grandson a drum set for Christmas.  He LOVES drums.....and I can't even take him into our laundry room because he has a major tantrum when he has to quit playing the drum set our son has in there.  He had been using my Advent candles as drum sticks all month.....something had to be done!  :)