Yummy!

I love zucchini and yellow squash, so when I found
this recipe on Pinterest, I just had to try it.  Made
it for my lunch today using only a small zuchinni.
It was to die for and so filling.  It is definitely a
keeper.  You can find the recipe here:
Clean Eating Roasted Summer Squash

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY
  Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Outside my window...It is a chilly, beautiful sunny day!  The
air is crisp and everything looks so bright with the sun
reflecting off of the snow.  It makes me happy just looking
out my window.  So much nicer than dreary gray days we've
been having.

I am thinking...How glad I am my daughter and I anonymously
"Heart Attacked" my friend's home yesterday while she was
 getting her first chemo treatment.  This is her second round
with cancer.

I filled this little container with life savors and chocolate
hearts.  On top of each piece of candy I taped a small
heart.  Then we left it at the door.

We did her front door and the windows on the front of
her house.  I am glad we did it because she came home
so sick (after 5 hours) and this morning was not feeling
well at all.

I am thankful...for my sweet daughter who is celebrating
her 34th birthday today.

What a blessing she has been in my life and to our family.
She is an amazing and talented and deeply spiritual woman
who is always seeking ways to serve others.  She is a devoted
wife and mother to three precious boys.  I am so honored to
be her mother.  Happy Birthday, my dear daughter!

In the kitchen...Fresh Apple Cinnamon Scones are baking
in the oven.  Found this recipe on Pinterest and am
anxious to see how they turn out.  The aroma is Heavenly!
They're done and I just tried them!  YUMMY!

I am wearing...Levis, long-sleeved tee shirt and fleece vest.

I am creating...A Happy Jar where I keep notes of things
that have made me happy during the day

I am going...To my daughter's for dinner tonight.  We will
celebrate with her brother and his daughter Friday.

I am wondering...How I got so lucky to have been blessed
with three amazing and wonderful children.

I am reading..."Footprints in the Sand" by Mary Jane Clark.

I am hoping...To work on an Easter Table Runner I bought
a few years ago and ran across recently.

I am looking forward to...Going for a walk a little later
and enjoying the sunshine.  I have started doing a little
slow jogging recently with my walk.  I jog for about
a minute and then walk.  It's exciting to think I can do
that now that I've lost a bunch of weight.

I am learning...To eat more healthy.  I'm learning to eat
new and different foods that are healthy that I've stayed
away from in the past and am finding I like them!

Around the house...Valentine decorations that need to be
taken down so I can put up St. Patrick's and Easter.

I am pondering...Ways that I can help my two friends
that are fighting cancer for their second time.

A favorite quote for today...This is really not a quote but
the lyrics from a song I love by the Canadian Tenors:

 Because We Believe
Like stars across the sky
We were born to shine,
All of us because we believe.
Once in very life,
There comes a time,
We walk out all alone,
And into the light.
The moment won't last, but then
We remember it again
When we close our eyes.
Like stars across the sky
We were born to shine
All of us here because we believe.
Like stars across the sky,
We were born to shine.

(I truly believe we were born to shine.) 

One of my favorite things...Feeling the sunshine on my face!

A few plans for the rest of the week:
Dinner with my daughter and family tonight
Work tomorrow
Family birthday party here Friday
Work on talk for Sunday
Clean house
Work on Easter stitcheries and table runner

A peek into my day...
Kerri and her favorite stuffed animal, Raja

Open House

I wasn't expecting to wake to snow this morning.  I was so
upset when I looked out my window because my friend,
JoAnn, and I had been planning on driving down to our
favorite quilt shop, Pine Needles, to their Open House.
Several phone calls were made back and forth trying to
decide what to do.  Even got on the computer to check the
hourly forecast and road conditions.

Should we or shouldn't we?  What were the conditions
coming down Sardine Canyon?  Even checked with my
son to see what the freeway was like as I knew he would be
on it.  Apparently, our area was really getting it and once
we drove further south, conditions were better.

Finally, a decision was made, and JoAnn was on her way.
And how happy we were to head out.  Roads were wet
but the skies seemed to be lightning.

Pine Needles recently moved into a new renovated space
and we were so anxious to see everything.  It was
worth the drive.  Their new shop is wonderful and so
open and spacious.  With Holly's permission I snapped
a few pictures:

 

Don't you just love it!

We actually held ourselves down quite well, I thought.
Only bought a few pieces of fabric to go with a project
we are wanting to make.  Oh and a couple of patterns
which I'll share later.

While there my son called to say the roads were clear
and dry and the storm had passed.  By the time we
headed back home, the sun was shining.  So glad we
made the decision to go.

Two Finishes!

I must be on a roll!  Not really.  But, I have finished two small
projects.  Nice change from working on my sewing room,
which by the way, is almost done.  It isn't where I want it
to be, but at least I can get to my work area.

I started this little Schnibbles quilt, "Full House" last year
and had it quilted in the fall.  My goal for January was to
complete the binding.  Didn't quite make it!

It will now go to its new home at my daughter's.

Finished this mini quilt I posted about Feb. 12 this
afternoon.   Can't believe I got it done before the end
of February.

 














Spring must be coming!  Look what I discovered!
We are expecting more snow for the next few days, but
these little sprouts give me hope that Spring really will
come.

Playing Around!

Needed a break from working on my sewing room today---I
think it's getting worse instead of better!  Wish I could just
snap my fingers and everything would be organized.

So, after working VERY hard, decided I'd make a few of
these:

I saw these little ribbon Shamrocks on Pinterest and
found the tutorial here:
http://www.potlucksontheporch.com

Picture isn't the best.  They really do look like Shamrocks.
Thought they would be cute hanging amongst a floral
garland for St. Patrick's Day. Will have to visit the craft
store for more ribbon.  They are really quick and easy
to make --- something I love.

Easily Distracted!

For two days now I have been trying to get my sewing room
cleaned up and organized.  Am I having success?  NO! 
Things are in such disarray from last fall when I was working
on holiday projects, Christmas gifts, then Valentines.
Seems like nothing got put back where it belonged and
everything just kept piling up.

The only thing good, if there is a good thing, is that I am
discovering fabric, patterns, projects, etc., that I had
forgotten I even had.  In a way it is exciting, but at the
same time, frustrating that I have invested so much and
have not completed projects.  I guess this is why I tell
myself I can't buy anything more until I do all that I have.
But, do I listen to myself?  NO!

Today while I was sorting I came across two bags of
fabric I had purchased to make myself a cancer quilt
after I had finished my treatments. (About 6 years ago)
I was going to do a Log Cabin quilt.  Even got a few
blocks made, but then decided I didn't want a big quilt. 
Then I found a pattern by Jo Morten that I liked and started
cutting pieces for it.  They are in a bag waiting to be sewn,
of course. 

While deciding where to put all this brown and pink
fabric, I remembered a darling little quilt in the book
"Simply Charming Scrappy Quilts" that I had just
purchased.  So, being distracted once again, I grabbed
the book and sure enough there it was.  Cleaning and
organizing were put on hold while I cut squares and
rectangles and pieced them together.

It was such fun and so simple to do!  A very
nice distraction!  However, I did tell myself this
was all I could do today as I really needed to
do a little more sorting, etc.  It was not easy to
stop!  But, maybe tomorrow after work and
Visiting Teaching, I can sew these rows together
and if I am lucky I may just have my first little
quilt done for February before the month is over.

Valentine Treats!

This morning my daughter came over and we spent the
better part of the morning making Valentine Treats for
friends, neighbors and co-workers.  All our ideas came
from Pinterest and were so fun and easy to make and so
very yummy!

We made Cupid's Crunch Popcorn. I posted the recipe on
my February 5 post.  We also made Pretzel Buttons:

Pretzel Buttons

Square pretzels
Hershey Hugs (ones that are white with choc. stripes)
M&M's  (We used pink, white, and red)

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil.
Layer pretzels and Hugs.
Bake 200 degrees for 3 minutes or until chocolate
has a shiny appearance.  Remove from oven, press a
M&M into the chocolate.  Cool

Everything is bagged and tagged.  All ready for
delivery.

In The Mail Today

Look what arrived in today's mail!

I really don't need one more project!  OR one more
book!  But, my will power is not that great and I
simply broke down and ordered a copy of this
delightful little book.

I first saw it on Darlene's Blog and the challenge
that was issued to make one "Simply Charming"
quilt every other month.  The idea really appealed
to me, but then I said, "No!  You have too many projects
waiting to be done."  So, thought I would just bask
in the pictures of everyone else's quilts. 

But, wouldn't you know it,  I was on Terry's Blog and
she posted a picture of an adorable red and white nine-
patch she had made from this book and I knew I had
to get this book.  No two ways about it!  I was hooked!

It has the cutest little quilts and I can hardly wait to
make one.  Don't know if I will make the February
deadline because of some other commitments, but
I'm going to try.

Maybe after the family Valentine Party on Saturday
is over and I finish up with the diapers for
http://www.teenytears.blogspot.com/ I can start one.

Valentine Gifts

Valentines is such a fun time of the year.  However, this year
with all the snow and cold weather we have had, it seems
like it has really crept up on me.  But, I have been able to
make and deliver a few gifts to my family so they can enjoy
them.
Made two of these table runners.  This was my first attempt
at paper piecing.  After watching a tutorial on You Tube, I
found it wasn't quite as intimidating as I thought it would
be.  In fact, I enjoyed it so much, I may just have to find
another simple project to do. 

Holiday pillowcases are always fun for family and I'm
hoping they will enjoy these through the month of
February.

Saw this pillow on Pinterest and adapted it to my
liking.  The one I saw had been done on burlap and
did not have borders or stitching.  But, I liked the
idea and did mine on weavers cloth using  1/4 inch
satin ribbon to shape the heart and embroidered the
word "love".

And, what could be more fun for Valentines than a
 little "Heart" pincushion!  Found the pattern here:
Tag-Along Pincushion

Then I made this popcorn to go with a couple of the
gifts and will make more to deliver on Valentines
Day.

Cupid's Crunch Popcorn

2 bags microwave popcorn or 1/2 --2/3 cup popcorn
kernels popped
12 oz. candy melts (Wilton)
2 cups pretzels (broken up--I used the square ones)
1 1/2 cups M & M's ( I used pink, red, white)

Melt candy melts in microwave.  Mix pretzels, popped
popcorn and M&M's together in large bowl. Pour 1/2
of candy melt over.  Mix with rubber spatula.  Two
works well together.  Spread out on cookie sheet lined
with wax paper.  Drizzle remaining chocolate over
and add sprinkles. Once chocolate has cooled and
hardened, break into pieces.  I put 2 cups in a bag, tied
them with ribbon and added a heart tag.  This is really
yummy! 

My friend, JoAnn, came yesterday to play and brought
me this lovely table runner she made me  She has
made six of these and still has hers to complete.  Isn't
it sweet?

Now these are done, I can concentrate on getting
things organized for"Grandma's Valentine Party"
 this Saturday.

And........then before we know it, it will be Easter!