Cookbooks

Thankful Thursday feature - Cookbooks.

Yes, I know in away cookbooks are old fashioned. I know that I could go to the internet and pull up a million and one ways to cook chicken, but I just love a good cookbook. I like to flip the pages and see the wonderful dishes that are pictured. (If only my versions could end up that pretty.)

I have fond memories of my mom using her favorite cookbook to bake our favorite Christmas cookies, and weeknight dinners. I learned from my mom to make notes beside the recipes that you try. She would note if her family liked a recipes or not, who liked it more, and if she could possibly substitue ingredients. If you were to look at my cook book you could tell by the splatter stained pages which recipes are used, and which cookbooks are used the most.

The Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book was one of the first ones I received when I got my first apartment. I love it. Since receiving this cookbook I have collected many, many more. When Bo and I go on a trip I usually purchase a local cookbook with local flavor. I made sure that I got one when we went to Hawaii, but most of the recipes are to daunting to make.

Do you have a favorite cookbook?

Bottom Band

This is fourteen hours worth of work! Next, I'll attach this to the skirt and then it's time to start working on the top of the dress. (I placed a red tablecloth under it so you could see it better.)

Graduation Dress Update

I worked on Lizzie's graduation dress last night, but I didn't have time to take pictures. I will post some tonight.

Mary Dee

Today, I have a Children's Corner, Mary Dee, jumper that I made several years ago. I believe it is a size six, and I can't remember what smocking plate I used.

This is the back of the dress. I love that the back crosses. The Scottie Dog buttons are just the finishing touch.
The smocking plate was one of my first picture smocking plate that I have done. I found it pretty easy.

What I learned from this project was when smocking in a dark color for picture smocking. But if you forget you can always color in the white fabric on the plate with a Sharpie that matches the stitching. I'm not kidding you - Sharpies are wonderful sewing tools.

Twins

I fell asleep on Wednesday night early so I decided that I would post two smocked outfits tonight to make up for it. They are boy and girl matching day gowns. I love the fabric, it is just so sweet.

The back of the boys day gown.

Back of the girls day gown. The day gowns together.

Thankful Thursday

In light of this weeks signing of the stimulus package, I thought it would be appropriate if this weeks Thankful Thursday feature would be Dave Ramsey and his Financial Peace University. Because we followed his program Bo and I are debt free except for our house. YEAH!

Before Bo and I got married we went to a mandatory, by our church, marriage counseling. The counselor told us he thought we had it together, but he would still suggest that we go to a financial class together. Our church offered Financial Peace University. I had to eat my words of, “If Dave Ramsey wanted me to be out of debt he would not charge me $90.00 to take his class.”, and we signed up.

I’m thankful that Dave Ramsey gave Bo and I topics to talk about and sometimes he gave us a common enemy. Sometimes when we wanted to do things we knew that Dave would disagree with we would get mad at him instead of each other. Bo and I now have quarterly business meetings. We also learned that we like to eat out a lot, visit Publix, and that Christmas comes the same time each year.

I’m thankful that both Bo and I were open to the ideas that Dave Ramsey expresses, that we also are able to talk to each other about our finances, and that we mostly agree on how we should spend our money. I’m also thankful that Dave has Debt Free Fridays on his radio show. Hearing people scream, “We’re debt free” brings so much hope and joy into my life.

I don’t take anything for granted in the economic market, and I have mentioned to Bo several times I’m so glad that we went to Financial Peace University when we did. I would recommend his program to anyone who is willing to listen.

Adorable

Adorable is the only word that I can think of to describe this diaper shirt. It is a sweet and feminine with small pink flowers and little white smocking at the top. I think I made this about 7 years ago. This has never been tired on by a person, but when my brother and sister-in-laws dog was a puppy she tried it on. I wish I could find that picture.

Happy Presidents Day

Since today is President's Day, I thought that I would share with you my favorite president, Ronald Reagan. I think I like President Reagan mostly because I was a child in the 1980s. I guess I should have some better reason, but I just don't. I find other Presidents very fascinating, and the office totally intrigues me. Who is your favorite president and why?

Since, we have taken everything out of the closet in my sewing room to lay flooring in it, this week I will be sharing smocking projects I have made in the past. This pillow is the first picture smocking I did. I'm hoping the one day I will have a child to use this pillow in their room until then it will stay in the closet.

Valentine's Day Date

Bo and I just enjoyed our Valentine's Day together and this is our date in reverse.

We ended our night by going to a new restaurant in town. Mr. G's was wonderful and we will definitely go back. It is a local Italian and Greek restaurant. Again just wonderful!

Before we went to eat we went to GCO Carpet Store because they are going to remodel and they were having a huge sale. I walked in and fell in love with the rug pictured below. Bo and I have been looking for a rug for our bedroom, but we need an 8x8 rug and that is not a standard size. My boss recommended GCO because the make custom rugs, my new rug will be in a week. The funny think is the salesman told us the P. Diddy Combs has this same carpet in his bedroom except his is wall to wall carpeting and it is featured in one of his videos. By the way the name of this rug is Polar Bear. Bo asked for an extra discount on top of the sales price and they agreed to reduce the price another $37.50.

We started our date with some bowling. A new bowling alley has opened and it is so cool. It reminds me of a more family friendly version of Lucky Strike in the Rio in Las Vegas, which is a super cool bowling alley.

I won the first game and Bo won the next two. We both have decided to start going bowling on a regular basis. My Dad used to bowl every Monday night when I was growing up, and Maw also used to be on a team.

Weekend Smocking

I found these unfinished diaper shirts in my sewing closet. So I decided I would work on them this weekend. My only problem is I have no clue what red DMC floss I used on the green one. This fabric was also used for some Christmas tree skirts. I know what your thinking Christmas diaper shirts, but we live in Alabama and it can be hot at Christmas.

I wanted to share this picture of Hello Kitty with you. I loved Hello Kitty so much when I was a kid. This year I waited a while to buy a calendar, and Books-A-Million had a Hello Kitty one left when they went on sale for $3.00. When I saw that Hello Kitty sews, I had to buy it. Now I'm missing the last week in May in my calendar, but the picture will look great in my sewing room.

Thankful Thursday

Today is my grandmother's, Maw, birthday. So I thought what a better way to wish her a happy birthday than featuring her on Thankful Thursday. I apologize to Maw because this isn't the best picture of her, but as you can imagine since my nephew came a long I mostly have pictures of him.I have very fond memorise of going to Maw's house in Pennsylvania. She would drive my brother and I up and down back mountain roads to see the beauty of her state, take us to see the Amish, teach us how to play numerous card games especially Rummy, and just having loads of fun. Maw is very thoughtful, she send everyone she knows a birthday card, and still sends letters to people. I still actually get a Valentine's Day card from her. Since my brother and I left for college she has bought one book of stamps cut them down the center and sent each of us a half each month for years. The only time during the year that I have to buy stamps is at Christmas when I send cards. Other than that I'm set.

Maw is also very talented. She knits and crochet mostly baby blankets and dish clothes. I have so many dish clothes because they are indestructible. She mad me a baby blanket for my Cabbage Patch Doll when I was a child. Now my parents dog, Betsy, loves it, and it has become her blanket. Pictured above is a blanket Maw entered in the fair. She got honorable mention on it. Thanks again Maw and Happy Birthday.

Sewing

I just don't feel like sewing right now. I think it has to do with the graduation dress I'm making. I also can't get organized at all. I have some daygowns cut out and sewn together. They should be pleated tonight and then I can start on the smocking. Yes, I'm going to smock. Hope to actually show you something tomorrow.

Thankful Thursday

In light of our present economy. I decided that instead of focusing on the negative that seems to be everywhere. I am going to try to find positive things in my life that I'm thankful for, and I'll post about them. They may be large, small, creative or quirky things. Just check back every Thursday to see what they are.

Since this is a sewing blog, my first think I'm thankful for is my sewing machine, a Baby Lock quilters addition. I have in the past complained about her to everyone who would listen. I think Beulah the Baby Lock and I have a better relationship than when we first started. We may actually be friends now. I love that Beulah the Baby Lock has more stitches than I could ever use. I also like that she is computerised. I used to have a Kenmore that I sewed on for many hours, but I really wanted to move up to a fancier machine. Beulah the Baby Lock came into my life after Bo and I were engaged. Right before we got married we had a huge yard sale to sell everything that we had duplicates of. The money from the yard sale went to purchase Beulah the Baby Lock.

How did Beulah the Baby Lock get her name? I usually don't name inanimate objects, but since I planned to spend many hours with my sewing machine I thought I should name her. It took me a while to come up with a name. One day I was driving through Bo's home town and I past a church with the name Beulah. Well I love alliteration and the name just stuck. My sewing machine became know as Beulah the Baby Lock or sometimes just Beulah for short. It is funny to hear Bo ask me how Beulah is doing or if she cooperating. Again, I'm so thankful that I'm able to afford such a nice machine and that I know how to use her (sort of).

What are you thankful for today?