Blessings

After reading my friend Suzanne's blog the last two days, I decided to steal  adopt her idea of the Gratitude Jar for the New Year. I'm calling my version a Blessings Jar and since my vintage Mason Jar is full of coins, I grabbed this one off the shelf. I too am putting it right next to my sewing machine where I can write down a blessing...or two every day.

(I may have to get a bigger jar)

God has blessed me with a wonderful family and so many friends that my jar could already be full. Thank you family and friends.

Those blessings include my blogland friends...all of you who take the time to read and comment here.

Some of you I have met and some I know only through our blogs, but you all mean a lot to me.

Thank you for being a friend.

Happy New Year

May it bring many blessings to all of you.

Merry Christmas

Even though we weren't all together for the first time ever, I wanted my Christmas post to include all of my "10"

Here are four from our Christmas Eve in Tehachapi.

Kyle, Madi, Kobi and Cade

And the six that escaped to  Lake Tahoe.

Drew, Lexi, Camy, Jack, Brooke and Emmy

Like all of you, I have been busy with Christmas preparations and haven't posted a lot. One of the things I didn't get around to posting was my Christmas Mug Rug. I found this on Pinterest...of course... and used some fabrics I grabbed out of my stash of Christmas fabrics when I got the ones for Emmy's bib.

I have decided Mug Rugs are an instant gratification project like the bibs.

Starting in January, I am going to do one each month for the year and share with you.

http://thecraftyquilter.com/2012/11/holiday-mug-rug-tutorial/

Something I haven't done since moving into our RV small cottage:

I made Green Pepper Jelly.

For many years (a long time ago) my friends and I did a Christmas Bazaar every year at one of our homes.

A lady named Ruth Baker sold Green Pepper Jelly and Apicot Turnovers (the best). People came from all around for her Pepper Jelly and turnovers.

A few years ago, my  friend Ruth (another Ruth) and I decided to make Green Pepper Jelly. Since she was no longer selling her jelly, we called Ruth Baker to see if she would share her recipe.

She was very gracious and shared.

Since then she has passed away, but I don't think she would mind if I shared it here. Hopefully, her daughter Pat won't mind either. Pat sometimes reads my blog and if you are reading this, Pat...in honor of your mom...

Ruth Baker's

Green Pepper Jelly

                                                                                                                                                                                                    

3 Green Bell Peppers

3 Jalapeno Peppers

6 cups sugar

1 1/2 cup Vinegar

6 oz. Certo

4-6 drops of Green food coloring

Seed and remove veins from all peppers

Chop into large pieces.

Place 1/2 pieces in blender with 1/2 cup vinegar. Chop (I like a few little chunks, so I don't puree, but you can if you want) Pour into large pan.

Repeat with the remainder of peppers and 1/2 cup vinegar.

Rinse blender with remaining 1/2 cup vinegar and pour into pan.

Add 6 cups of sugar, stir and bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 6 minutes.

Remove and let stand for one minute.

Add Certo and food coloring. Stir and skim off foam

(mine usually doesn't have much foam)

Pour immediately into jelly jars and seal.

I simmer mine in a water bath for 10 minutes to insure a good seal.

Makes about 7-8 1/2 pint jars.

This is delicious spooned over cream cheese with crackers.

Merry Christmas to all!!

God is Good!!

Life is Good!!

Emmy and The Christmas Bib

After finishing those 7 Christmas skirts, I wanted to do something fun and fast.

So of course I decided a bib would give me instant satisfaction.

Last night I went out to the cold storeroom and rummaged through my bin of Christmas fabrics and found the perfect fabrics for a Snowman Bib for Emmy.

I took dinner down to my family tonight and decided to take Emmy's bib to her.

She loved it and said "Thank you, Mamaw for the Santa Claus bib" When I told her it wasn't Santa, but it was a snowman, she gave me the "I know Santa when I see him" look, so I didn't argue.

When it comes to dinner, you don't want her to wait too long. Is it any wonder, she gets her plate first.

Whew!! Finally dinner is served.

She is a good eater, cleaned her plate and was the first to get dessert.

God is Good!!

Life is Good!!

Day of Silence

This was sent to me by a blogger friend. It expressed some of the feelings and prayers that have been going through my mind, so I join others in posting this today.

This is the biggest size I could get to load, so hope you can click to enlarge.

I don't think any of us who watched on Friday haven't already been praying for all those left behind in this terrible, sad tragedy.

God is Good!!
Life is Good!!

Away in a Manger

Last year right after Christmas, I bought this bitty Nativity set at a half off sale.
Since I live in a RV small cottage, everything has to be in miniature form for display as I don't have much shelf space.  I love the childlike faces and thought my my grands would like it.
It came boxed like this.

I set it out on my mantle which also holds my bitty tree.
It just looked kind of lost and  I knew I needed a Creche. I looked on line, but everything was too large, expensive and would take too long to get. I needed it NOW.
What was I thinking...looking on line when my personal, very own carpenter was in the shop working on something for my friend Suzanne for Strawberry Patches. After all...he is my personal, very own carpenter. I do loan him out once in a while (we have to eat, you know)
But this was important.
I printed off something I sorta liked and headed out to the shop. I told him I wanted a Creche and it needed to be rustic.
Now if you new Mr.SS, you would know, he doesn't do rustic willingly. He cuts meticulously, sands forever and paints or stains to a brilliant shine. Rustic...not so much.

An hour later. and I'm not kidding you, I walked out to the shop to remind him I wanted rustic and he had just finished this.

He even distressed the edges. It's stained and I probably would have said to leave it natural. But I love it. It is just what I had in mind. It is rough, distressed and yes...rustic.
Okay, my personal very own carpenter, Mr. SS,can do rustic.

I didn't have any straw, but added some Excelsior left from fall decorating.
Did I tell you...I LOVE IT!!
It is my very favorite decoration this year.

I finished the last skirt on Wednesday night.
This is my biggest girl, Madi's skirt.

We have been to kid's Christmas activities every night this week and tomorrow we go down south for a gymnastics competition for 6 yr. old Jack. 

Hope to get some pictures.

I am taking pictures with my new 4s iphone now. They are a lot clearer and lighter than with my point and shoot.

But I'm still learning. All the Nativity shots were upside down, so I struggled with that but I'm getting faster at resizing them with Pic Monkey. 

Christmas shopping is almost done. What to get an 18 year old boy??

I start baking this week and hope to do a little more Christmas sewing.

I'm feeling pretty relaxed and am going to enjoy the next week and focus on

what Christmas is really about...the birth of my Jesus.

Hope all of you are getting things wrapped up so you too can relax and enjoy the season.

God is Good!!

Life is Good!!

Testing...Testing

OH MY GOSH!!

Do you have any idea how frustrated I have been that I couldn't post pictures. Well, if it ever happens to you, come to me and thanks to some pretty terrific people who helped me, I will be able to help you.

Starting with my friend Suzanne who suggested  Pic Monkey. That didn't solve the problem, because I still didn't know what I was doing.  But then Denise gave me Helen's blog which  led me to the way to fix the problem. YAH!!!

So all week, while I was feeling frustrated over my blog malfunction, I sewed, and sewed and sewed some more.

It's Christmas dress time again in my sewing studio. But this year the girls wanted skirts. I really wanted to do taffeta plaid this year and was thinking along the traditional red and green tartan plaid. But when I saw this, I knew this bright colored plaid with lots of sparkle was going to make my "7" smile.

When I got it home look what I discovered on the end of the bolt...yes, I bought the whole bolt.

Can you see it? The plaid taffeta is named "SEW SWEET" Isn't that perfect.

I also picked a really sparkly sheer red for the underskirt and tie.

I used the last skirt I made for Strawberry Patches as inspiration. I didn't need a pattern because I could cut on the lines of the plaid. With the girls waist and length measurements, I just started cutting on the lines.

I cut, and cut, and cut. Then I ruffled, and ruffled and ruffled...

until I had five of these, all in different sizes of course. The three larger ones aren't quite as full.

The taffeta has so much body, it looks like it has petticoats underneath.

My two teenage(Oh my! It hurts my heart to say that) girls are getting a little different version.

Their's is a pattern and fitted at the waist with a zipper instead of elastic.

Then they will have a ruffle only at the bottom...well, I will post a picture (now that I can) of those when they are done. My goal is to be done by Sunday night.

I apologize for being MIA for so long and will get back to posting and visiting you, my friends, after the last skirt is on it's hanger.

God is Good!!

Life is Good!!



Help!!

I can't post pictures. When I try, I get a prompt that my Picasa  Web Album is at 100% and that I have to purchase more space. Does anyone who is reading my blog know about this. Or have you experienced the same thing. I went to the links on the prompt and one of them said I had only used 57%. I tried reading about others who have asked this question, but could not find an answer.

It's a good thing my last post had no pictures, but I want to post pictures and am feeling so frustrated right now.

I am working on Christmas skirts for my girls so may have to wait until they are done to look any further in to this unless someone has an idea of what I can do or how I can contact someone to help.

Again...HELP!, if you can. I'd love to hear from you.

God is Good!!

Life is Good!!