February 2009 – Page 2

Oh, That Monica.

73 Comments / February 8, 2009 February 22, 2011 / Holidays, Sewing

Once upon a time, THE Happy Zombie posted a pattern for some little Pennie Pockets. Pretty soon, they started popping up all over, because this is what happens in ZombieLand. Monica pours the kool-aid and we all drink it. I knew, as soon as I had my first sip that I’d been had. I started hallucinating and equations were flashing before my eyes:

Pennie Pockets + Hearts from Needlebooks + Crochet from Valentine Cards =

Monica’s pattern is so easy and fun and fast. I changed the little triangle on the front and used wool felt so that it would be easier to do the crochet along the edge. I punched holes every 1/2 inch and just started crocheting. I think it took longer to do the machine embroidered little hearts than it did to do the crochet.

I’m lucky enough to have an embroidery machine, but if you don’t have one, you could just as easily do some hand embroidered hearts. There are some really cute Pennie Pockets in the Pennie Pocket flickr pool that have hand embroidered names on them.

These little pockets are addictive too. I had lots of fun trying them in lots of different fabrics and colors, with different combinations of those conversation hearts. (Btw, if you do have an embroidery machine, those hearts are available at Embroidery Library.)

Now, what to fill them with???

XOXO,
Anna

February Recipe Box Swap

36 Comments / February 5, 2009 February 22, 2011 / Bunnies, Quilting, Recipes

Oh well, once again, it’s the first Thursday of the month so that means it’s time for another recipe box swap.

Our hostess, Randi, at I Have to Say, has chosen Fun Foods as our theme this month. In my book,

Fun = Easy.

For fun and easy, I have one Go To snack … but wait, how many of you remember THIS commercial? (And while we’re sidetracked here, can someone please tell me how to embed a video into a wordpress blog? I’ve done it before, but I can’t seem to make it work. ???)

I’ve always loved that commercial. It’s one of my favorites — that’s one of the few old commercials I can actually remember (and now, through the magic of YouTube, I can re-live my childhood commercial experience — woohoo!)

Rice Krispy Treats are one of my very favorite FUN foods. Kellog’s Cereal company feels the same way, because if you go to their website, you’ll find lots of fun things to do with Rice Krispy treats. (And, apparently Judy and I think alike too, because she has posted a recipe for Scotcharoos — Rice Krispy Treats on steriods.)

And, because the hardest part about making Rice Krispy Treats is throwing flour all over yourself, I wanted to show you another of my favorite fun foods that you’ve probably already seen.

The Pear Bunny Salad. MeMum used to make this little salad for us all the time when we were little. It’s so simple to make. Put a pear half on a piece of lettuce. Add a cottage cheese tail, raisin eyes, almond slice ears, and a red hot nose. The cottage cheese and pear are a perfect compliment and one bite sends me instantly back to my childhood.

So. A little weekend sewing coming up. I hope you have some fun plans too — and if not, make some Rice Krispy Treats and turn it into a fun weekend!

XOXO,
Anna

That’s Amore

45 Comments / February 3, 2009 February 22, 2011 / Chat

Did you all have a good weekend? It sounds like those of you in southern England are having a very exciting time with all of your new fallen snow. I love the snow, so I’m so excited for all of you to be having so much fun!

We had a pretty quiet weekend. On Saturday evening, the yearly auction to benefit the school that my children went to was held. It’s a VERY posh, formal affair — so posh, I never get to go. By the time you buy tickets for two, rent a tux and buy a new gown, you could easily be approaching four figures. Maybe someday when I don’t need a new roof, counter tops, …. well, you get the picture. There will always be something, so it won’t happen.

Anyway, for the last 5 or 6 years, it’s been our (MeMum and I) tradition to sneak in, before the affair and ogle the fabulous decor. They have a different theme every year. It used to be children’s book themes (Very Hungry Caterpillar, Where the Wild Things Are (my favorite year, how I wish I had pictures), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, etc.) but they seem to be getting away from those themes. This year, the theme was “That’s Amore” and the decor had a wine/Italian theme.

They made the entrance look like you were going through a wine cellar. This is actually the high school locker room, but you’d NEVER know it. It’s one thing to have a restaurant or business permanently decorated like this, but to bring it all in for one evening is something else. The decor is so over-the-top and it’s really fun to see. For example, where on earth did they get all those wine kegs in the middle of nowhere with no wineries in sight???

After you walk through the “wine cellar” you enter the “ballroom/dining room”. There are always chandeliers hanging above each table. They always sell these after the event every year (That’s where I got the chandelier for the dungeon last year — for some reason I didn’t blog it and now those pictures are gone with the hard drive crash. ;-(. )

They serve a multi-course meal and just look at all those glasses — one water goblet and 3 wine glasses. (These pictures are a little deceiving — it was actually pretty dark. I set my camera on a pedestal and slowed the shutter speed way down to allow extra light in.)

I thought the tables were just beautiful this year. Each chair had a black and white feather boa hanging on it. And I’ll bet SweetiePie would have drooled over the tablecloths — they reminded me of the black and white prints she used in her wedding. I’m guessing there were between 20 and 25 large round tables.

You’d be pretty hard pressed to guess that this is an auditorium. The door in the picture above is the only thing that gives it away. I’m always very intrigued by the fabrics and pictures that they hang on the walls. And see the display above with the pictures and that ladder? The black trellis thing on the walls is FULL of little tea light candles. I think there were at least four of them in the room with ladders standing ready — I’m sure they planned to light those candels just before everyone arrived.

And last, but not least, the flowers. The flower arrangements were just gorgeous. Those are all real flowers. I think they were my favorite part.

I think they were selling those after the event too LOL. Must eek out every penny for the cause!

So, That’s Amore, a little sewing and a few movies (Doubt and Grand Torino — both big thumbs up, although Grand Torino has really bad language, so beware) made up my big weekend. Any excitement in your neck of the woods???

XOXO,
Anna

Month: February 2009

Fun = Easy.