Monday, February 28, 2011

I Want MY Car Back!

My oil light was on...plus Silas' window wouldn't go all the way up automatically.
Time to take the car in. Don't forget it's free...it's still under warranty.
And they give you nice, clean rental cars to use while they have your car. 
I've had a Cadillac, an Acura, a BMW, a Jaguar and a little red beetle (that was the bestest one). Today I have a Jeep Patriot...it's brand new, only 324 miles on it (well, that's before I got ahold of it).
It's a very nice car...BUT I WANT MY CAR BACK!
My car has a sunroof to enjoy fresh air...my car has a thingy on the steering wheel to change the music channels...and best of all, my car has Albert, my bear co-pilot.  I left Albert in my car thinking it would be a short trip this time...nothing major.  But guess what? Nothing goes as planned.
My car is still at the repair shop...two excuses: my car needs new brake pads and they didn't have them in stock - WHAT?  You take your car to the dealership that you bought your car from, use their service shop, and they don't have brakepads for your car??? AND, they can't find that stupid idiot oil light issue...and need to have the shop supervisor look into the issue as this is the second time I've reported it to them.
Oh, well...they say I'll have my car back tomorrow...I guess I can drive the rental car home.
BUT MAY I PLEASE HAVE MY CAR BACK?

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Shoe Decisions

It seems as if everything I wear is falling apart at the same time...I've thrown away two pairs of leggings (holes) and put three pairs of shoes in the pile for the housecleaners to take to their church charity (rips, holes). I need to replace at least one pair of the black shoes for work and, quite frankly, am a bit tired of the clogs I wear day in, day out. I'd love a pair of cute cutoff boots,but nothing is exciting me. Finally over to my latest shop find..Ruche (think ModCloth, as cute but a bit cheaper for the budget).  I found two pairs of shoes I like alot at a fabulous price...

Which ones should I get?

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Max & Whiskers

Ever had a moment where you craved something when you first saw it?  You said to yourself...got to have it...got to have it...got to have it!
Did I say got to have it way too much?
That's what happened when I saw the Max & Whiskers fabric at Fat Quarter Shop yesterday.  I don't know what is so appealing. Maybe the colors..loving the browns, blues, and oranges reminding me of fall. Maybe it's the cute little doggies and kittens playing about. Maybe it's the geometrical designs..the circles and those stripes...gotta love those stripes!

Then the practical side sets in..I have fabric..I have a lot of fabric...the studio is packed full of fabric...well, maybe not full...but then again I've been told I have my own private store, with fabric and thread and sewing machines and irons...shall I go on? 
But most quilters would understand the fact that you NEVER have enough fabric!

Thinking more...saw this quilt at Moda Bake Shop yesterday...it's too cute. I'm trying to work my brain on how this quilt would look in the Max & Whiskers fabric would look in this pattern? The pattern is easy enough...there would even be enough left over for a second quilt or possible block sharing with others.  Should I use the white or the gray as the background with the prints of the fabric...or maybe go out of the box all the way and use the saffron as the background? I think it would work...but I can't quite decided..what do you think?

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Postage Stamp Quilt Update

I joined up for the Postage Stamp Quilt Along a few weeks back...and, of course, I didn't finish on time.  However, I am determined not to let this become a WIP (Work in Progress) staying on my shelf forever and ever, finally hiding in the big black cabinet so I can't feel guilty about not finished it.  I keep on telling myself it can't  be enjoyed, it's warmth and friendship appreciated and loved if it's not finished...so here I am, determined to finish, no matter how many weeks behind I am and the fact that the quilt along is long finished....

Step #1: Materials Needed
Rachel's instructions were really easy to understand...in basic terms, you have a week to get what you need to complete the quilt...and Fat Quarter Shop gave those participating a DISCOUNT.  A DISCOUNT...now I can't pass that up can I?  Why, I'll save 30% on fabric...doesn't that matter? (I can here Jay saying our checkbook would save 70 % if I never even bought the fabric...but that doesn't matter).
I chose to go outside my comfort box with this and bought fabric not shabby chic:



I decided...this is the fabric I will be using for my Postage Stamp quilt...the light dotted will be the solid squares. And then I had to wait...wait for it to arrive....which it did in it's full glory! YES!

 Isn't it pretty?  Definitely worth waiting for!

Step #2: Leg Work
Rachel's instructs cut down to the basics: make two sets of eight strip steps...the first Dark/Light/Dark/Light/Dark and the second Light/Dark/Light/Dark/Light...so I started...here is the first set of strips....
 I am SOOO happy with these colors...don't they just want to make you smile?
But guess what? I didn't read the directions CORRECTLY on Step #1: Materials Needed. Rachel's directions were, and I quote, "easy, peasy"...but my little eyes spied "Jelly Roll" and only ordered one when it said TWO!
So I'm waiting for a few more strips of fabric to come in...waiting, waiting, waiting (do you hear the words "impatiently" here)...thinking this is only Step 2: Legwork. How many weeks is it going to take me to get to step five?

PS: if you want to join in on the fun with me...or just want a great read...here's the link to Rachel's blog:
http://www.psiquilt.com/2011/01/postage-stamp-quilt-along.html

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Christmas Story Bandages

I have a big OWWIE on my finger from the cutting edge of the tinfoil box...and it hurts worse than a paper cut.
I have a pink Hello Kitty bandage on my finger...it was a choice between Mickey Mouse and Hello Kitty...pink wins out any day over black bandages.
But made me start to think...are there such things as Christmas Story bandages? Would they ever make such a thing? Surely they would, but then again I've never seen any in the stores...
I have the Christmas Story ornaments from Hallmark, even the leg lamp and Ralphie in the Pink Bunny Suit. My daughter hates when I put them on the tree...
I have Ralphie Parker's house...it's sitting out in the front room on the coffee table...it's quite the conversational item when family gets together.
I even have a Pink Bunny Suit complete with the pink bunny feet...that's because Meg sent me a picture of them at Target in Kansas.
Bandages?
I really need them, as many times as I get finger cuts.
You would think they would make them...I would buy them...
*Gasp*
So how do I tell Jay I bought a few boxes of bandages just because they have RalphieParker on them?

We have SNOW!

Living in Southern Orange County, one thing you never expect is snow...you hope, you pray, and you get it on occassion...and this morning is one of those occassions!

The snow will probably not last the day...but thought I'd take a moment today to enjoy the view.


Saturday, February 19, 2011

Dinner Tonight...Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff

It's been a long week of meetings at work.
I came home to a "big leak" at the kitchen sink.
It's raining and cold outside.

 
My co-worker shared the link to this recipe...she said it was comfort food pure and simple.  It seemed easy, especially when I couldn't use the sink for the most of the day until Jay figured out what was wrong at the sink and how to fix it.

 

Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff...courtesy of AllRecipes.com

Ingredients
  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
  • 1/8 cup margarine
  • 1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
  • 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

Directions
  • Put chicken, margarine and dressing mix in slow cooker; mix together and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.
  • Add cream cheese and soup, mix together and cook on high for another 1/2 hour or until heated through and warm.
Thoughts
I'm cheap (or frugal for those who don't want to admit being cheap).  As chicken breasts at the market are very expensive these days, I put a whole chicken in the crockpot (on sale at the market at 89cents/lb) and shred the chicken once done.  I also added in some fresh mushrooms to give it more flavor.
It seems to be something that kids would love (think macaroni and cheese) and very easy for a day with lots going on.  I think I will make it again, but next time add some more flavor...maybe cilantro or chives or even some red peppers...hmm, who knows?

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Weekend Breakfast CoPilots

I have to start the day with breakfast and it's usually and Egg McMuffin (no cheeese), hashbrown and a LARGE diet coke...I know, not the most nutritious of breakfasts, but it works for me.  On the weekends I usually do the same thing as there are two important members of our family who love to go "car"...

Meet Sophie...she's the oldest and the queen of the bunch.  She loves to be petted and have belly rubs. She MUST sit in the front seat....it's hers and she'll climb from the back seat to the front to get into it, no matter what's in the way.  She goes on the car ride not because she loves the ride, but because she loves to go and be near you.
This is Silas..our youngest dog and the only boy of the bunch.  He loves to go in the car...hang his head out the window enjoying the smells. He also knows he'll get a piece of breakfast once we get back home if he behaves.

I've always felt it was important to have the dogs go in the car to various places and enjoy it, not think of it as something I just go in when I visit the vet's office and get shots.  Am I the only person out there who does this with their dogs? Sometimes I think so, as my co-workers don't do it...maybe it's just not the norm these days. However, Sophie and Silas enjoy it, I enjoy it, and the staff at McDonald's always smile when they see the dogs.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

OPI Color of the Day: Big Hair...Big Nails

Many of you know that I love to get my nails done on the weekend...it's my little luxury of life and, besides, I deserve it after working all week long.  Due to our lovely bad economics of the Obama regime, I've definitely cut back on getting it done...averaging every two to three weeks. I've also learned to take my own bottle of OPI polish to the salon to have them done, as I can then do my own topcoat during the week as they chip.
Without further ado, may I present OPI Big Hair...Big Nails:



I picked this color because of the name...Big Hair, Big Nails...somehow reminds me of the big beauty pageants dating back to the 1950's.  This is three coats with no topcoat...but I'm definitely going to put on my CND topcoat later this evening to help guard against those lovely chips.  It's not as orangy as the pictures lead you to believe..more of the pink/coralish tones that's very in vogue these days.
I was too chicken to add the shatter on top of this color...more because of what work will say if I show up with "Shattered" nails. I'll leave that for another holiday.

Friday, February 11, 2011

My Daughter Called Today....

My daughter Annissa is a third-year nursing student at Purdue in Indiana...yup, I'll say it again, Indiana. She chose to go to a school that has lots of snow and temperatures in the teens instead of staying in California where it was over 80 degrees today.
My daughter called just because...that is just the best.  During our conversation she told me she was doing her OR rotation and thought it might be what she wanted to do with her life...amazing...my daughter Annissa an OR nurse.
You go, girl!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

I Did It!

I finally figured this out and started a blog.  What do you think, Kate?