Ok... Cooking Really isn't as bad as I thought!!

Today Stephen went to hang out with his friend after church and so....

Alyssa and I spent the day cooking and baking!! We made.....................are you ready for this?? Well, actually I cant tell you yet. I have to give some background info first. I, Lisa Marie Mongiovi, do not Enjoy cooking. I do cook, I can cook, but I dont really enjoy it!! Today, Alyssa has helped change that for me! Her enthusiasm for cooking is addictive! She LOVES cooking!! So we made.......................... here it comes............................... almost there....................................................... drum roll................................ SCONES!! We made Scones.... from scratch... Me! I did! I did it!! Wow!! And they 1. werent burnt, 2. Tasted VERY Yummy!! Wow!! I am so impressed with myself!!

Now that I got that out of my system, now I can go back to sewing!! Phew!!

This is an oops!!

With my Homemade Strawberry Jam!! Yummy!!

Sissy Loved it!! She did good!!

Look I didn't burn the bottoms either!! Yeah!

 I love Butter!! REAL BUTTER!!

This was some REALLY good! I had so much fun Chillin' with my baby girl!!

Scrap Quilt!!

I think quilters around the world have caught the "Scrap Quilt Fever"! Some of this may be new or some of us may have been secret scrap collectors and are just now coming clean!!

I have been working on my postage stamp quilt for over a year!! I have been cutting my scraps into 2" squares and sewing them together! I use them as leaders and enders of all of my other projects so it has been a slow, but steady project. For you non-quilters: leaders and enders means.... when I finish sewing two pieces of fabric together I stick some of my two inch squares under the needle instead of pulling all that thread out and cutting it = waisting thread!! I only waste aprox 1/4 in. of thread between blocks!! Yeah!!

I went ahead and laid out all of my blocks to see how far I was getting... I was shocked at how many I had!! I stopped laying them out when I ran out of room in my sewing room!! I think this quilt is going to turn out so good!!

I have been working on LOTS of Swaps!! Here are some of the blocks that I am working on!

I have signed up for a few more swaps!! I love getting squishy's in the mail!! aka... packages with fabric in them... get it they are squishy!! I have been working ALOT on applique'! Who knew it was so easy?

My next project is this!! A RAG RUG!! I have enlisted my kids! We are going to braid one rug and then I am going to try and crochet a rug!! We will see how they turn out! I need rugs for the garage anyways so even if they turn out horrible I will still be able to use them in the garage!! If they turn out GREAT (which I hope they do) I will be making some "extra's"!! I cant wait to get started!! I have all of these clothes that dont fit me anymore and some of them arent "pass on" worthy!! So I will Re-Purpose them!! Yeah!!

These are some of my inspirations!!

Sewing Projects & Miserable Missouri!!

I have a list going of what projects I'm working on!! My bestie Lisa has me signing up for everything that comes along!! Thanks Lisa :P   I am mid-block on several projects....

Here is some of the stuff that I'm currently working on!! This is a Charity Quilt that Lisa and I made together last year! I had lots of the church members sign it and now I am sending it to Lisa's Pastor who is taking it on a Missions Trip and giving it to a Church in Russia!!

These are some blocks that I got in the mail for the Round Robin! I need to make blocks to compliment and go with these!! And then... I will send all of that to the next quilter who will add a border and off to the next quilter.... and on and on and on!! Isn't that fun??

I went and visited Detto this weekend! I HATE being away from him!! We only have 16 more days till he graduates!! YEAH!! Its snowing again in Missouri... It snowed the morning I left!! It was nice seeing him. We got the whole weekend together!! I flew up on Friday and left on Monday!! Nice LONG weekend!

Can you see the snow?

The landscape was bleak!! I'm sure it's pretty in the Summer though!

Some of the locals call Fort Leonard Wood - Fort Lost in the Woods!! There wasn't even a Wal-Mart there! Now that's pretty desolate!!

This jeep was in the airport!

I liked stepping off the plane in Florida! It was a nice warm 74 degrees!! AAAaahhhhhh!! I'm Home!

The kids and I started our Downy Quilts for Kids!! Here are some pictures of us working! They are doing great!! Next comes some cutting!!?!?!?! Pray for me! After I cut part of my finger off.. I'm a little nervous about showing them how to cut!! Maybe they will just watch this part!

"Why do we have to iron the fabric BEFORE and AFTER we sew it??"

Look... I let them use the Pfaff! It has a built in guide so their seams were perfect everytime!!

Showing Sissy how to use leaders and enders!!

Showing Stephen how to seam rip!! He was not happy about having to rip out what he had just sewn!!

I am the luckiest Woman in the WORLD!! God has blessed me with a wonderful Family!!

Sewing Advice!! Too Cute!!

Advice from a 1949 Singer Sewing Manual

Prepare yourself mentally for sewing. Think about what you are going to do. Never approach sewing with a sigh or lackadaisically. Good results are difficult when indifference predominates.

Never try to sew with a sink full of dirty dishes or beds unmade. When there are urgent housekeeping chores, do these first so your mind is free to enjoy your sewing.

When you sew, make yourself as attractive as possible. Put on a clean dress. Keep a little bag full of French chalk near your sewing machine to dust your fingers at intervals. Have your hair in order, powder and lipstick put on.

If you are constantly fearful that a visitor will drop in or your husband will come home and you will not look neatly put together, you will not enjoy your sewing as you should."

 

I just thought this was too cute!! I'm not an example of this... I have a tea cup in the sink, I have on my p.j.'s, and my hair is in a ponytail, Also... All the make-up is gone for the day!! Sorry!! I think things have changed!!

I had to add this picture! I'm not sure if I ever posted a picture of this quilt!! This is the First Quilt I ever Made!! This is all of Alyssa's Baby Clothes and two of her recieving blankets!! I love looking at it and remembering all of her little outfits!! They were all so cute!!

~The Simple Woman's Daybook~

FOR TODAY

Monday January 18th, 2010...

Outside my window... It's already night!!

I am thinking... I cant wait to see Detto on Friday!!

I am thankful for... My sewing room. I love that I have my very own space to craft in and mess up if needed!

From the learning rooms... No School Today!

From the kitchen... We had Black Beans and Rice for dinner!! YUMMY!!

I am wearing... A white short sleeve, Jeans, and my white fluffy slippers!!

I am creating... A snowman block for the "Quilting Mom's" Block Swap

I am going... Shopping tomorrow!! I cant wait!!

I am reading... Extravagant Grace by Women of Faith!!

I am hoping... That I get everything done this week!!

I am hearing... Sisterchicks Say Ooo La La!!

Around the house... Stephen and Alyssa are in their jammies watching a movie together. They are sitting right next to each other, but "technically" not touching.

One of my favorite things... FABRIC! I love working with soft "pettable" fabric!

A few plans for the rest of the week: Getting my nails & toes done, getting my eyebrows waxed, shopping, Rudy's school thing, Homeschooling, Church, Packing for my trip and then.... GOING TO SEE MY HONEY!!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

This is one of my snowman blocks that I'm working on! He's not done yet, Lisa said he needs a face, but I'm not sure if I want to give him one!?!?!?

BOM and other Stuff!!

I cant believe this week flew by so fast!! I tried to get lots of sewing accomplished, but... It didnt happen that way!! Oh Well!! Here is what I did get accomplished!!

Also, I took the kids to the Lake Eustis Museum of Art ! They were featuring painter/artist Victor Bokas. He work was very creative. Just FYI kids are free and Adult are asked to give a $5 donation!! We spent a little over an hour looking at the paintings and talking about them. Victor Bokas has alot of multi-dimentional hidden in his paintings. In this painting - the watermelon seeds are real watermelon seeds.

You have to look close to see things like this. So me and the kids played a kind of "I-spy" with the paintings to point out all of the neat stuff!!

The is called "Victor's Playhouse"

This is Alyssa explaining why the picture is called Flowers and Fireworks!!

This is a gas can with Corvett's carved? into it!!

We also Volunteered at Camp Thunderbird, but I will do a separate post for that!!

Our Downy Quilts for Kids - Kits came in the mail!! We picked which ones we are going to make and the kids had some friends come over and claim the other kits!! We are planning on doing a SEW-IN and work on the quilts together!! That should be lots of fun!

Making a short sleeve shirt into a Long sleeve shirt!!

I have been inspired lately by a blog that I follow!! This woman can make anything it seems!! Well, I had an idea about adding sleeves to one of Alyssa's favorite shirts.... I searched the internet and couldn't find a tutorial anywhere... So I decided to just make it up as I go!! I took one of Alyssa old turtle-neck shirts that she didn't fit in anymore and This is what I did!!!

The shirt on the Left is her shirt that she LOVES!!

The one on the right is too small!!

I cut the sleeves off and I cut a few inches off of the bottom of the shirt!! I love that I dont have to hem anything!!

I just pinned the sleeve's onto the t-shirt and sewed it on!! I did the same thing with the bottom strip. I think it pulled together the sleeves!!

She loves it!! Now she can wear her shirt for a little longer! It probably wont fit her by the summer so we will get the most out of it! It was already getting a little short (She's really tall), so this helped to lengthen the shirt!! I dont think anyone would even know it was a great re-purposing project!!

My Kids are AMAZING!!

Lately around here the kids have been so.... Well, Amazing! The things they say and do just blow me away! They have started a new "club" called the Explorer Kids Club! They went out in the back yard yesterday (& the neighbors yard) and took pictures and videoed the neighbors frozen pond. They took pictures of the frozen grass and bugs and all kinds of things! I couldnt believe it! They are so cute! When they came inside, Stephen started "editing" their video. I was telling this to Detto and we both didnt know we even had that software. Neither of us know how to edit our video's!! Then... they emailed their new "Episode 1 of Explorer Kids" to their friends and family members!! I was blown away!! I am so blessed!! Today they wanted to wake up at 5 am to video more stuff... I put a stop to the early wake up! I told them that they could get up at 6:30am, but I dont think they need to be outside in the dark!! Sunrise this morning was at 7:19am!! When it came time to get up at 6:30am they both said they wanted to sleep a little longer.... So they didnt get up until our regular wake up time!! If you would like to see their movie, just send me a message and I will be more than happy to email it to you! They would love that!!
Here are some of the pictures they took:

This morning Alyssa decided she wanted to make pancakes.... She LOVES to cook! The cooking gene skipped me!! But Alyssa is so happy with an apron on! Stephen decided that he would be the photographer and I was recruited as the honorary Hot Tea drinker and overseer!! They are too cute!!

Stephen wanted a turn flipping the pancakes!! I love his expression in this photo!

Yesterday was a HUGE Day for me!! I bought a new sewing machine!! Yippy! I got such a great deal! I found a Pfaff in the newspaper! The woman who was sell it had no idea what it was or how to use it. She said it was her Mother-in-laws and she doesnt need another sewing machine in the house. Wow!! I was able to haggle with her and I bought it for only $45!! The same model sold on Ebay yesterday for $300 plus $45 shipping!! THANK YOU LORD!! It runs great! It is an amazing sewing machine!! I am so happy!!

My Brother sewing machine that I bought 8 months ago just stopped working... I mean nothing, nada, zip, none!! I found my warranty papers and I called the repair guy to schedule a time to bring it to him.... The guy walked me through fixing my sewing machine on the PHONE!! He also walked me through fixing my Mother-in-laws machine over the phone!! Ora gave me her cabinet machine and then that wasnt working, but this guy walked me through fixing Ora's machine too!! I now have 3 WORKING SEWING MACHINES!! Here is a picture of my sewing room now!! Yippy!

Also, while my sewing machine was down... I decided to make myself a scarf. My friend Erica has this pretty scarf that she bought. I took one look at it and quoted my Mother "I could make that!". And so I did...

I even added a flower!

Erica's scarf has flowers all over it, but I just added one! Mine is a little LONG, but I can always pull out a few rows!! Thats one thing I love about crocheting!!

Alyssa is wearing a scarf I made for her a few years ago!!