Piddlin' Perfected

Catching Up with You...

2012-02-14T10:00:00.000-08:00

Okay, I know you haven't seen anything going on here lately. But I have lots of excuses...it was the 33rd anniversary for the big guy and me and it was my birthday (as well as the birthday of a gadzillion of my friends and I had to help them celebrate), it was Super Bowl, it was Groundhog's Day, and now it's Valentines. Whew...no wonder I haven't been here posting. I've been busy fixing snacks like the individual 7-Layer Dip (see above) that I served in little jars during the Super Bowl game. That was fun, you get all 7 layers to yourself and there's no one taking all the avacado and cheese and leaving you the beans in the bottom.

And we took a little trip to San Antonio to celebrate our anniversary and my birthday (they are a day apart) and we had a great time. Went to a Spurs game and to lunch at a fabulous steak house that's rated #2 in the state according to Texas Monthly magazine. It's Bohannon's and it's located downtown directly across from the Majestic Theater. We stayed downtown and I loved being able to walk to the Riverwalk and points beyond. Here's a little shot of our dessert--a chocolate creme brulee that could knock your socks off...and the dish after we scraped it clean. Notice the two spoons...it was shared...although reluctantly!

And here's a shot of our view of the basketball game from the cheap seats we had wwaayy up there near the ceiling. That's what happens when you don't plan ahead and buy good tickets for that sweet husband of yours that's hung around putting up with you for a third of a century.

Speaking of that husband, we actually have big plans for Valentine's tonight. We're staying home and roasting weiners on the patio. Oh yes, we are known for our romance! It's one of our favorite things to do and, luckily, we live where we can eat on the patio year-round.

Whatever your plans for this day of love, I hope you do it with a happy heart. Happy Valentine's to You!

Merry Christmas to You and Yours

2011-12-24T11:45:00.000-08:00

Well, I nearly did it again: let the entire holiday season pass without one post. I have just a tiny window of opportunity today, Christmas Eve, to get this done and to send you a little season's greeting. Family is home, the house is ready, St. Wayne has his chili on the stove, and my heart is finally in the right place. No more rushing around trying to "get ready." If it's not done by now, I'm scratching it off the list. I've learned over the years, nobody knows the intentions I have, so they won't be missed if they don't get done. Right? It's a freeing thing to know!I do think I've learned something new this year. I put the tree up and decorated the house early in November so that when we returned home after spending Thanksgiving away, it was all done. I felt that I had extra time to get the shopping and wrapping done and it extended the seasonal feel. I always think I just get it all decorated and then it's time to start taking it down. I never feel that I get enough time between my tree and me. I'm happy with that this year. I've really enjoyed the extra time when the house is quiet and the lights are twinkling in the dark. My favorite time to enjoy the season and the memories of Christmas past...just me and my tree.So pooh on the people who make fun of me for getting a head start, you do it your way and I'll do it my way. Whatever works, right?Here are some pictures of the way I decked the halls this year, starting with the antique sled that holds the tree and a newly acquired tree topper, a crown:

Here are the Santas that greet me with "Judi, we love you this munch," every morning. This year, I've moved them to the entryway because that's the only room where I've included red. And they're fun greeters to everyone that walks in the door!

I had my annual Cookie Swap that's pretty much been a tradition at my house for 40 years and this is the centerpiece and party favors/place cards. And the decorated light fixture above.

I'm so glad I had a few minutes to let you know that I wish you well and I hope you have a Christmas full of love, memories, and sweet blessings. Enjoy!

Pear Wafers and Cheese

2011-10-20T13:24:00.000-07:00

Invite guests in to toast Fall and serve this delicious appetizer. It's unusal and fun and more nutritious than ordinary crackers. And not only does this novel hors o'euvres tastes delicious, it brings a welcoming aroma throughout your whole house. Inviting and delicious. But first, before you dive right into the preparation of these pear wafers, there are two special types of equipment you MUST have. If you don't have a mandoline for slicing pears very thinly, pick one up at the grocery store for under $10. Now, if you're really into thin slices, you can spend megabucks on one of these in a specialty store. The choice is yours, but you have to have THIN slices of pears. And the next thing you need is a pair of Silpat liners for your baking sheets. These are from France, available at a specialty store, and a must-have for this recipe. Parchment won't do. It's Silpat or don't even try this. The pear slices will stick to anything else. Trust me on that one. The liners are expensive but can be used over and over for baking cookies, candies, and all sorts of things and, in my opinion, are definitely worth the investment.

Okay, once you have the right stuff, you're ready to go...Preheat your oven to 225 degrees.In a small sauce pan, heat 1/2 cup of water, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 Tbls. lemon juice. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.Slice the unpeeled pears (your choice of good pears, firm, but not too firm) paper thin. Just run it right over the mandoline blade and when you get to the middle of the pear, your slices will contain a slice of the pear stem (those are my favorites!). Dip each slice in sugar water, shake off excess water, and place in a single later, untouching, on the Silpat liner. Place in the oven and bake for 4 hours. Store in a tin to retain the crispness.

Before baking...

After baking...I serve pear wafers with Boursin Cheese Spread. It's a mild, peppery cheese that is easily found in the specialty cheese section of your favorite grocery store. If you can't find it, here's a quick and simple recipe:8 ounces of cream cheese, softened,4 ounces farmers cheese,2 large cloves of garlic,1/2 cup finely minced chives,1/2 cup finely minced parsley,lots of freshly ground pepper,salt to taste.Mash garlic and add to chives and parsley. Mix with cheeses in a mixer. Season with a little salt and alot of pepper. Chill. Bring to room temperature for serving.

Pumpkin Charlotte

2011-10-19T16:37:00.000-07:00

Here's the recipe I promised when I posted last. It's the easiest and tastiest recipe I make for the Fall. I think you'll love it.

Pumpkin Charlotte

2 3-oz. pkgs. (24 total) ladyfingers*, split
2 cups whipping cream
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 4-serving-size pkgs. instant vanilla pudding
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 15-oz. can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 cup milk

Chill a mixing bowl and beaters. For the crust, line the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan with the ladyfingers, cutting to fill all spaces. trim bottoms of the remaining ladyfingers slightly to stand in the pan, then place them, round side out, against the inside of the pan. Set aside.

Cream cheese filling:
In the chilled bowl, beat 1-3/4 cups whipping cream and powdered sugar till soft peaks form; reserve 1/2 cup. Beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar till combined. Fold into the whipping cream mixture.

Pumpking filling:
Stir together pudding mixes, cinnamon, ginger, and pie spice. Add pumpkin and milk; beat till thick. Fold in reserved 1/2 cup whipped cream.

Spread the cream cheese filling evenly onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Carefully spread the pumpkin layer over that. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

To serve, remove sides from the pan, place charlotte on a platter. Beat remaining 1/4 cup whipping cream to soft peaks (add additional powdered sugar to taste) and spoon on top. If desired sprinkle with additional pumpkin pie spice. (I sprinkle with a few chopped pecans or walnuts.)

*ladyfingers are finger-shaped sponge cake found in the produce section or in the freezer section at the grocery store. (Do not use the crisp, cookie like ladyfingers.)

Enjoy!

Putting Out the Pumpkins

2011-10-08T12:20:00.000-07:00

It's time for Fall touches and I usually put those out the first of September. Huffing and puffing and sweating the whole time, just knowing that fall weather will kick in at any minute. Well, looking at pumpkins at least makes me feel a tiny bit cooler in this hot and humid spot in South Texas. There's really not much difference in the temperature between August and September down here, but it's just the idea that August is gone!

I fringed this table cover just a bit more so that's it's smaller. I like this look better. I decided to keep the light colored one where it was and put the black one on the kitchen table. The girls were coming over for dessert and cards, so I had the right incentive to get it all done.

This 3-tiered stand on the kitchen counter is something I bought back in April. It's big and holds lots of stuff. I decided to fill it with gourds and fall-colored fruit. I had to promise St. Wayne an apple pie when the Granny Smith's start to look bad. But for now, I like the bright colors mixed in. There's even a little bottle with three white roses on the top tier, but because I'm not the best photographer, you probably can't tell.

For the kitchen table, I bought an orange, pumpkin-shaped basket and placed white roses in it. Filled an old wooden dough bowl with tiny pumpkin-shaped potpourri for fragrance, added a candle and a few gourds, and called it a day. Whatever is on the kitchen table has to be simple and self-contained so it can be moved...either for a quick card game or those rare dinners at the table.

The dessert you see in the last picture is a Pumpkin Charlotte. It's an easy, no-bake, impressive dessert. Looks like you've worked for days on it...and that's my kind of recipe. I'll share it in my next post. I also have an easy and very unusual hors doeuvres that is fun to make. And not only is it tasty but it makes your whole house smell like Fall...

Until next time...

Monogrammed Table Cover

2011-09-23T12:37:00.001-07:00

Just a quick post to show you Wednesday's project done over at Debby's from Debby's Gracious Home. This is simply a big square of burlap that she put an "S" on. She also monogrammed a black piece in a taupe "S".

I brought it home and cut and fringed it. I wanted you to see it before I bring out the pumpkins. Now the big question is do I use this color or the black one? I'll go work on it, decide, and then I'll be back.

And I have big plans for using this for Christmas, too. Can't you just picture mercury glass on top? Jingle bells, jingle bells...

A Very Productive Day

2011-09-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was monogram day! I spent the entire afternoon at Debby's office discovering all the wonderful things her new embroidery machine can do. The above picture is an amazing contraption that produces incredible results!

The next photo is her little "cheat sheet" to remind her of the things not to do. I quickly understood why this is essential. Some items have to be inserted upside down and others right side up. And then you decide if the monogram needs to be upside down or right side up. The operator really has to focus or an expensive mistake could easily be made. Luckily, none were made yesterday and that's especially good since it was all my stuff! But that's why Debby invited me over...to practice. She issued a disclaimer right off the bat, "If I screw this up, I'm not replacing it!" I totally understood it was complimentary monogramming at my own risk!

We started with a set of six Pottery Barn napkins that was a birthday gift from Brian and Myriam. (I didn't tell her that part...didn't want to make her nervous!) I thought numbers would be fun on those as these are my favorite napkins that I use alot. Her first reaction was, "I've never done numbers...I don't know about that!" By the time she'd done all six, she was a pro. They are more trouble than a monogram, though, because you have to set up each one individually, and with a letter you use the same set-up and just insert the next napkin and embroidery the same letter. But, I couldn't be more pleased with my new numbered napkins.

And then we got really adventuresome and monogrammed a small handbag I've had for quite sometime. It was pretty cute to begin with, but adorable now!

The black napkins with the stripe are now casual and cute. I can use these indoors and out. There were ten of those and took quite awhile to finish.

But the biggest thrill of the day was a set of eight pale green napkins with a channel stitch that I've always liked. But with a silver Christmas tree embroidered on them, I adore them. I don't care much for the standard Christmas napkins because the colors are never right for me, so I've never bought any. These now fill the bill. My color with my choice of silver tree...wonderful! The only drawback to these is the time it takes for each one. It's quite an intricate design and takes about 20 minutes each. But Christmas is still far away, right?

Isn't this wonderful? Now I'm really looking forward to Christmas!

Thanks, Debby! It was an incredibly fun day and you've made my table look terrific. I appreciate all the time you took on my projects. You are such a wonderful and generous friend and I wish you much success and much profit with this new "sidekick" of yours!

Napkins, Napkins, Napkins

2011-09-13T07:20:00.000-07:00

I spent the last few days washing, starching, and ironing every napkin I own. My friend and fellow blogger, Debby over at Debby's Gracious Home offered to "practice" monogramming on her new monogram machine anything I needed monogrammed. Well, she's offered the wrong girl. I could keep her busy til the end of time because I love anything monogrammed.

When I pulled out my napkin basket, I found a mess. After I use cloth napkins, I wash, fold, and put them away in my linen closet. So when it's time to set the table for company coming, I usually pull out my basket, decide I don't want to go to the trouble or I don't have enough time to iron, and decide paper will do nicely. Therefore, I don't use the napkins I love.

When I surveyed the contents of my napkin basket, I found napkins on the bottom I forgot I had...and some I'd never used. So I pulled them all out, washed them in separate loads, and got them cleaned and organized. I'm so proud. This is my collection. This is the way they look now without any embroidery on them.

I have indoor napkins and outdoor napkins that are just itching to be "embellished"! I now have to decide if I want an initial or some little symbol stitched on them. Some of my favorite napkins are the large white ones with a knife and fork embroidered on them. They came from Wisteria's Outlet store in Dallas. My friend Cathie found them while shopping one day and called to say I needed eight of them and I thought I did, too. I adore them because I love anything silverware related. So I'll be headed over to Debby's one day this week to make this collection even more wonderful.

Look for a post about the results real soon!

2011-08-31T10:09:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick and easy way to create a showstopper dessert. Bake a chocolate cake--and I'm including my favorite recipe from Debby over at Debby's Gracious Home plus instructions for a fabulous ganache to glaze.

The first thing you do is visit your local grocery store and buy some white roses. Cut the stems very short and insert into a tiny bottle or juice glass. I wrapped it with parchment and secured with a rubber band. (This part will be hidden.)

Pour the glaze over the cake. It's going to drip down onto the platter. Don't worry about that...all the more chocolate that's "finger-lickin' good"!

Then place the roses--or flowers of your choice--into the center of the cake.

Then sit back and soak up the "oohs and aahs"!

CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CAKE

1 package any variety chocolate cake mix
1 package chocolate flavored instant pudding (4 ounces)
1-1/2 cup minature semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water

Beat all ingredients except the chocolate chips until well mixed. Then stir in the chips. Spoon into a prepared bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool 10 minutes and remove from pan. Glaze with ganache or dust with powdered sugar.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

This easy glaze only requires two ingredients: heavy cream and chocolate chips.
Bring your cream to a boil and remove from the heat. Pour over a bowl of chocolate chips. Let rest for a few minutes and then whisk until smooth. You can add vanilla or any flavoring you like, but mix the cream and chocolate first, then add whatever you'd like to experiment with. Just be careful and add it in tiny increments.

Enjoy!

Summertime and The Living is Easy...

2011-08-23T09:48:00.000-07:00

Okay, if you've been looking for posts, you haven't found any. I've been busy doing everything but that. It's hot in South Texas and oh so dry. So I've taken every excuse I could find to leave town and pursue fun elsewhere.

We did take a few trips to the beach while my friend Cathie was here for Memorial Day, and while my cousin Sandy was here for 4th of July. Both were fun visits with late night talks and lots of catching up.

During the last week of July, we took a roadtrip to Breckenridge, Colorado to cool off. Highs of 80 and lows of mid-40s. My kinda place to be in July! We rode a train to the top of Pike's Peak, shopped, ate, giggled, and shopped and ate some more. We took my son and daughter-in-law, which is always fun.

A really fun thing that came up unexpectedly was a mini-reunion of my classmates from high school. We've reconnected via Facebook and someone suggested meeting for lunch in historic Waxahachie, which is just down the highway from my hometown Lancaster. I got an email telling me about it and saying they wished I could join them, but with 375 miles between us, they understood. Haha...they don't know me very well. I booked a room at the Hampton Inn and made plans to be there. I just hate missing out on a good time!

It was so much fun...just the girls. Most of us hadn't seen each other but for brief periods at reunions since we graduated 43 years ago...but the funny thing is, we were able to pick up right where we left off. There were fourteen of us. We had a great group in high school. We were good friends, some of us since the first grade. It was WONDERFUL seeing everybody and being together. We'll do it again, soon. Yea Facebook!

I'll try to get back in the groove soon and post more frequently. Just don't try to hold me to it!

Summer Snack Basket

2011-06-24T08:49:00.000-07:00

Here's a shot of my favorite summer snack. Fresh cherries, crackers, cashews, and a little string cheese. I'd actually rather have this than breakfast or lunch. So simple and the flavors all meld together to make one seriously tasty one-woman party!

The past two summers we've spent time in the northwest corner of the country. Taking planes, autos, boats, and trains we wound our way around the coast of Washington and Oregon, taking full advantage of the cool, crisp air coming off the Pacific. But the one part that sticks in my mind was the "Fruit Loop" around Mt. Hood. We drove around the mountain on a scenic loop that was peppered with hundreds of fresh fruit stands. I think we stopped at nearly every one of them. And out there, their "fruit stands" consist of not only the freshest produce, but baked goods, honey and even art. Just about anything somebody might be in the market for. But, for us, it made for some really great snacking along the way.

And that's when I fell madly in love with fresh cherries. And we even saw them growing on the trees! If it wasn't for those pesky pits to dispose of, cherries would be my favorite food. I lean toward Rainers, but I'll settle for Bing that I can get at my local grocery store...and be darn happy most of the summer. In fact, that's probably my favorite thing about summer is the fresh fruit available and oh is it so tasty...

To dress this snack up so St. Wayne will think it's a meal, I use my little wire produce baskets I've had a hundred years, line them with natural parchment and start filling. To keep consumption of the crackers and nuts at a minimum, I use regular cupcake liners for the crackers and mini liners for the nuts.

Try it, the presentation will convince you it's fun to eat and when you're finished snacking on that fabulous combination of flavors, you're totally satisfied. Light, fun and just a little party in a basket!

Monograms and More...

2011-06-15T12:02:00.000-07:00

In February of 2010 my friend Cathie's daughter, Julie, got married. When I designed the wedding invitations, I started with a design of the couple's monogram. From there we printed it onto a tag to embellish the satin ribbon tying the invitation. This is a scan of the finished design.

Now that the happy couple are expecting a daughter in September, Julie's busy nesting. She posted a picture on Facebook several weeks ago of a project she'd finished for their master bedroom. She covered her plain headboard with quilt batting and a drop cloth. They are very inexpensive, have a wonderful nubby texture, and are available for next to nothing in Walmart's paint department. And the bonus is you get a huge piece of fabric to work with. Here's a picture of the headboard with the new covering...

Well, her monogram instantly came to my mind when I saw the headboard. So I suggested she let me cut a long strip of leftover drop cloth I had from an earlier project of my own, hem the sides, and transfer the monogram onto the fabric. She liked that idea so when her mom came to visit a few weeks ago, we got it done. I ended up having to go over it with a black sharpie marker because we wanted it a rich, deep black and the transfer came out with a green tint to it.

The above picture is of her and Dave's finished bedroom and the picture below is a close-up. I think it looks terrific! She just wrapped the monogramed strip around the headboard and pinned it into place. That way, if she ever gets tired of it, she can take it off. Good job, Julie!

Sprng Has Left Me Sprung...

2011-06-08T11:46:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed I haven't been around. It's been an emotional Spring as our family has suffered the loss of my sister-in-law, Syd to a massive stroke in April. She left behind two incredible children in their twenties and lots of friends and family who will sorely miss her. Her beautiful send-off was planned by her daughter, son, and daughter-in-law and was such a wonderful tribute to her. She would have been so proud to know the church was packed with friends who had wonderful things to say about her. We all have sweet memories of Syd. She's pictured above with a quilt she made me a couple of years ago that I cherish and keep displayed in my living room.

We have also had lots of houseguests...seven waves of company in a six week period. All glorious visits from people we love, but it's kept me busy cooking and cleaning and running to the grocery store. We really like nothing better than our family and friends coming to visit and always look forward to the next wave. That's what happens when you live this close to the beach!

One really outstandingly happy thing to tell you about...I'VE RETIRED! No more wedding invitations to assemble all night long to meet a deadline, no more page after page of addresses to calligraph onto envelopes, no more sales taxes to file and pay, so many "no more"s! I'm excited to do lunch any time I want to and I'm especially excited about naps! Ah, daytime naps are such luxuries...

I hope you have a wonderful Summer and I hope I'll find it fun and refreshing and full of all kinds of inspiration to piddle with to help fill this new found time. Stay tuned, I'll keep you posted!

If You Can..

2011-04-02T17:06:00.000-07:00

If you can start the day without caffeine;
If you can get going without pep pills;
If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains;
If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles;
If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it;
If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time;
If you can forgive a friend's lack of consideration;
If you can overlook it when those you love take it out on you when,
through no fault of your own, something goes wrong;
If you can take criticism and blame without resentment;
If you can ignore a friend's limited education and never correct him;
If you can resist treating a rich friend better than a poor friend;
If you can face the world without lies and deceit;
If you can conquer tension without medical help;
If you can relax without liquor;
If you can sleep without the aid of drugs;
If you can honestly say that deep in your heart you have no prejudice
against creed or color, religion or politics; then, my friend, you are
almost as good as your dog.

The above quote is sooo true! And it can be said about my little grandogger, CoCo. She has spent the past week with us while her mom and dad were on a cruise. She's had a great time, chasing squirrels, keeping the birds in order, and just generally making sure all is well in the backyard.

She's usually here for a two-day visit, three max, so she didn't pace herself. She came on like gangbusters when she got here last Saturday afternoon. And by Tuesday night, she was exhausted. She's perpetual motion, never stopping from sunup until sundown. She makes me tired just watching from inside the patio doors.

Is that the sweetest little face? I can't say I'm really a "dog person." I don't stop on the street and put strays in my car, but I like dogs...in small doses. But I think dogs are lots of trouble if done properly and I'm not willing to get into it. Alot of my family and friends don't understand that. Especially my sister who is the most devoted animal lover I've ever known. I have to admit, though, I've really enjoyed having this little four-legged squirrel posse here to pet and rub her tummy on those rare occasions she lies still long enough. She is a sweetheart.

And tomorrow she goes home. Back to where life is a bowl of cherries and her mom and dad adore her and fulfill her every wish and whimper. And I'll get back to doing just what I want when I want without any consideration of a poor little pup to put back in the kennel for a few hours so I can go have lunch with the girls, play cards, or go out to eat with St. Wayne. I've actually done very little of that this week just because I hate to call her in from the yard to that lonely little "cage." I think I mind it more than she does. She happily takes a nap while she's inprisoned but when I get back and once that door is opened, she's a black streak through the house and I'd better have the back door standing open when she gets back there or it's crying and carrying on like you wouldn't believe.

CoCo, it's been fun. I've so enjoyed having you here. Come back real soon...you're always welcome. love, Grandma

Quick and Easy Little Books

2011-03-24T17:14:00.000-07:00

Some dear, really dear, friends of ours have offered the use of their ultimately located condo for my family to use for a week this summer. We can't wait. So, I wanted to offer them something for the new condo that they couldn't buy anywhere else. This is a guest book for friends and family to leave comments about how much they enjoyed their stay. They'll always have a record of the fun times that have taken place there.

It's something that's quick and easy and fun to do. I set up lines on my computer and printed 50 or so pages. Lined pages (instead of blank, unlined pages) are much easier and less intimidating to use for most people. I only printed on one side, so if they wanted to draw something or add a photo that didn't fit on the lines, they could always use the back. Then I took the pages to my local printer to have them trimmed and two holes drilled.

Then I found some heavy-weight stock to use as the cover, punched a few holes, tied a cabinet door handle on with ribbon and, viola! it's a fun, oddly bound book. You can decorate the cover anyway you like. I have to admit, this is my first elk. I found the image to trace by typing in "elk silhouette" on Google images. A piece of cake.

This is another one I made several years ago for our family history as written by my Aunt Faye. This cover was made from corrugated cardboard. So simple and fun to do. Now go make a couple of these...it doesn't have to be a guest book, they could include family recipes, favorite photos of a special occasion, or anything else your heart desires. Go on, quit wasting time surfin' the internet and do some productive piddlin'...take a picture and send me a sample of what you've created!

More Inspiration

2011-03-11T09:50:00.000-08:00

Here is a book by Sarah Lugg, The Handcrafted Wedding. You don't have to be planning a wedding to find inspiration here. She is the mother of all hang tags and I've admired her work for years. In fact I have had a print of her tags hanging in my bathroom for over eight years. I've removed the print from the frame and scanned it so you can see her tag art.

Being in the wedding business, I buy lots of books pertaining to weddings. Mainly to steal, um, I mean cultivate ideas that I can offer my brides. This one is a beauty. Lots of interesting ideas if you're looking for something different.

It was published in 2003 and it looks like they've changed the cover, but it is available on Amazon. Check it out...it's sweet.

Tag Art

2011-03-08T10:21:00.001-08:00

Last Thursday, Debby from The Gracious Home, came over to my studio and we spent a little while piddlin' with mailing tags. She takes lots of time and has just that special little something she wants to put on hers and it turns out exquisive. Go to the sidebar and click on her link to see a photo of hers in a post she did today. Me? I'm quick and dirty. I actually didn't complete anything while she was here because I was letting everything simmer. At least that's my story. I think I might have been just a tad bit intimidated by her deliberate creation. I'm more of a "quick and dirty" kind of girl.

So a few days later, with the millions of pieces of emphemera still out on the worktable, I sat down again. This is what I finished with. A dozen of the cutest things I ever saw. First thing I did was download and printed some old photos I had. There's one of my parents kissing at the flagpole, several girlfriends as children, even some old and odd photos I had on my computer from other projects. Then I glued the photo to the tag and added "stuff." And this is what I came up with...ta da...

You can click on the picture to enlarge and see the detail. I think my favorite one is on the center row with the sealing wax.

Haven't decided yet how I'll use them...maybe gifts or even framed in a shadowbox. Who knows...but it sure was a fun way to kill a couple of hours. Just a warning: This is a dangerous piddlin' project...once you get started, you don't want to stop.

This Rainy Saturday Morning

2011-03-05T09:35:00.000-08:00

My dear friend, Debby, over at Debby's Gracious Home sent me this sign. If you haven't been to her blog, you can find the link on my sidebar because I'm not cool enough to figure out how to link you right here. Anyway, I can't imagine why she thought of me when she saw this sign...

Okay, it's a well-known fact that I work in my jammies when I get the chance. And for some reason, I can really move and get things accomplished when I do. However, I've been fully clothed since early hours on this rainy morning. St. Wayne made us omelets, we're listening to Willie Nelson and John Prine on the stereo, and we have no where to be and no one to see. This would be the perfect jammie day, but on the other hand, I really try not to do it when he's home and especially on Saturday, because the day is so full of possibilities I want to be ready to run should one of us think of a movie to see or a great place for lunch.

So...whatever the day holds for you, here's hoping it contains a litle joy. And if that joy comes while in your p.j.'s...that's just fine and dandy. Enjoy!

Lettuce Make Place Cards!

2011-03-02T07:49:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick, easy, and inexpensive idea for place cards for that dinner party you have planned in the back of your mind.

First step, when you're buying groceries, toss a head of romaine lettuce in your cart. When you get home, chop off the bottom of the stalk about three inches up. Romaine works the best because its leaves are tight and the stalk is small.

Next dab it, cut side down, on a paper towel to remove as much moisture as you can. Ink it on a rubber stamp pad and stamp away, as you would any rubber stamp. The result is a sweet little image of a rose. This is a sample of gold roses I stamped on card stock.

Following the directions drawn on the sample, cut out a square and then with an exacto blade, cut around the top of the rose.

Score down the horizontal middle, on the left and the right of the stamped rose, leaving the rose unscored. Write the names of your dinner guest in the lower right corner, fold on the score and the rose pops up.

Take the time to make place cards for your next dinner. They make a guest feel welcome and who doesn't love seeing their name flourished? Give it a try...your guests will be impressed!

More Inspiration from Betty

2011-02-17T06:56:00.000-08:00

This morning as I was putting the tatooed love lady back where she belongs, up on the board on my studio wall, something else from Betty Locke caught my eye. This could be my all-time favorite from Betty and thought you might like to see it, too.

She used a large piece of watercolor paper and again, thinking of the size and shape of the envelope, sketched my name in large happy letters and drew lots of bubbles. Then she cut away the background on the top portion of the letters using an exacto knife and added bright splashes of color. She scored and folded what little was left on each side and made it a fold-over card to fit inside a No. 10 (business size) envelope, leaving my name to "pop" up when folded.

On the inside she wrote a short note. Then, needless to say, the envelope matches with her same wonderful style. Can you imagine my thrill when I received this in the mail?

Betty has inspired me for years and years and there's nothing more exciting than an envelope from Betty. I hope she inspires you to get out your watercolors and exacto knife. Scan what you come up with and send it to me at the email address on the right. I'd love to see your creations!

Leftover Love

2011-02-15T07:05:00.000-08:00

Let me introduce you to a little illustration I have hanging in my studio. I think of her as the Tatooed Love Lady and she hangs on my wall and greets me everyday. Yesterday she was gone when I came in. Today she's back and looking just a tad tired.

I sure hope she was buzzing all around you yesterday! Love is what we live for...from the full blown, take-your-breath-away, romantic love to the sweet smile of a child's face...and everything in between. I truly hope love was very apparent to you yesterday and is everyday.

The Tatooed Love Lady was drawn and painted and sent to me about ten years ago by my friend and mentor, Betty Locke, who lives on beautiful Victoria Island in Canada.

Create Your Own Cream Puff

2011-02-14T14:38:00.001-08:00

Way back when Jesus was just a boy, I learned how to make cream puff pastry. It's one of the easiest and most impressive desserts you can make. As a Valentine treat, I baked a dozen cream puffs and put together a "Create Your Own Cream Puff" bar. The simple recipe follows at the end of this post.

Then because I'm a quick and easy kind of girl, I spoon vanilla ice cream into balls and pop onto a cookie sheet to flash freeze, mix up some instant vanilla pudding, and whip some whipping cream. I heated hot fudge sauce and carmel topping and arranged everything in little bowls for guests to decide how they want to create their own cream puff.

It's easy, delish, and fun to do. I think you should try it. Let me know how it goes over at your house...

Cream Puffs
1 cup water
1 stick butter
1 cup flour
4 eggs

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Heat water and butter to rolling boil. Stir in flour. Sir vigorously over low heat about one minute or until mixture forms a ball. Remove from the heat. Beat in eggs, all at one time; continue beating until smootgh. Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls three inches apart onto an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until puffed and golden. Cool away from draft. Cut off tops. Pull out any filaments of soft dough. Carefully fill puffs with your choice of filling. Replace tops; top with desired topping. Can be refrigerated until serving time and can be made well in advance and stored in a large ziploc baggie.

A Variety of Valentines

2011-02-11T13:49:00.000-08:00

If you're the handmade valentines kind of person, you have to consider those people who are not fluffy pink and red heart types...the nonmushy kind. Here is an easy alternative for you. Just cut a heart out of corrugated cardboard, spruce it up a little with an additional tag and you're good to go. Absolutely no mush here.

And then there are the sweet little pink heart types that are so easy to please. The next photo shows a watercolor heart with space for a message. Here's how you do it:

Take a piece of watercolor paper and cut it to fit your envelope. Remember from the previous post...you always start with the envelope. Then lightly pencil the shape of a heart. It doesn't have to be a perfect heart, in fact I think they're more charming when the sides don't match. Then add a piece of PostIt tape diagonally across the heart. PostIt tape comes on a roll and it's removable. If you don't have any or can't find it, use the sticky part of a PostIt note. Just make sure it sticks very well so your watercolor doesn't bleed underneath. Then watercolor your heart with a color of your choice. Let it dry. (That's an important step!) Remove the tape and add your own little short message across the heart.

These are also sweet for hang tags on gifts with the addition of a litle ribbon.

Whatever you do...enjoy your upcoming Love Day!

The Envelope Please

2011-02-07T08:06:00.000-08:00

Okay, you have a week to get your heart-shaped cookies baked and your Valentines made. Better get going...

Let's start with the envelope. If you're making handmade valentines, you must start with the envelope. Believe me when I tell you it's easier to adjust the size of what goes in than to hunt high and low for the perfect size envelope. And I speak from experience! Remember you can always click on the picture to enlarge.

You'll need a waterproof, permanent pen to letter with if you use watercolors, but if you don't have one and don't want to make a run to your nearest Michael's or Hobby Lobby, just use colored pencils. Pretty much the same look, if you don't look too closely. Draw your letters in a block fashion as I did with "Kenzie" or add a little flourish as I did with "Liz." Then go back and color in the letters with blocks, polka dots, or the animal prints. If it makes you more comfortable or if you have a limited number of envelopes and you can't waste any, lightly outline in pencil what you want to do. Then, as you can tell, I use lots of dots and lines to make it pop.

On the one for St. Wayne, the first thing I did was watercolor a big heart or at least part of a heart. Or you could do lots of tiny hearts in the background. The key is to let it dry. Take a walk or take a nap, but let it dry (that's hard part for me!) Just have fun with it and don't be afraid. You can do it and be so proud, and the recipient will be really impressed. Everyone likes to see his/her name in "fancy letters."

And then to further embellish this vessel of delivery for your innermost heartfelt romantic thoughts...line your envelope. The possibilities are endless here. You can use decorative scrapbook paper, wrapping paper, or a picture from a magazine. Open the flap and put it face down. Roughly measure from just below the adhesive on the inside of the flap to about and inch or so below the opening and across for the width. Cut your liner paper accordingly and add a line from a glue stick across the top, to be placed just below the adhesive on the envelope flap, let it dry, and you're good to go!

Okay, the pressure's on...7 days left!

A Bull in a China Closet

2011-02-06T21:01:00.000-08:00

St. Wayne's mother, Gertrude had a great collection of Candlewick and I inherited it when she passed away. It's all in a cabinet in our kitchen eating area. A few years ago when we remodeled the kitchen, I decided it could look alot more dramatic if I put black foam core in the background and added rope lighting. And it does look great until the lights burn out, which is about once a year.

The top picture is of the cabinet in the dark. You can't see anything inside. The second picture is St. Wayne up on a ladder replacing the lights. It makes me so nervous for him to be on a ladder in the first place, not to mention up there handling that delicate crystal. Each piece has to be moved out so he can get to the back to lay the rope, and then all put back in again. It's just "clink, clink, clink" the whole time and I can't stand to watch. In his defense, he's very careful and I've probably broken more pieces than he ever has, but I just can't watch it. So I decided I would snap some pictures while he was working and that seemed to help ease my nerves.

The final picture is back to normal and lighted...with no broken pieces! Isn't it gorgeous? If you're not familiar with Candlewick, it is simple, clear glass that has the little bubbles or dots on the edge and the way it catches the light inside the cabinet, it reminds me of ice sculpture. It makes me happy to look at it. I cherish the collection and I use it alot because it goes with everything. And the best part is it reminds me of my mother-in-law who collected it while she and Wayne's dad Al were newlyweds living in Chicago.

Ahhh, everything's back in its place and now I can relax and enjoy how it looks again! Thanks, St. Wayne, for being so prompt when those lights burn out...

Breakfast with Lori

2011-02-03T09:11:00.000-08:00

This picture was sent to me this morning by my friend Lori up near Austin. It's what her kids had for breakfast.

Every little kid should have a mom like Lori. She's totally devoted to them and puts lots of energy, fun, and love into everyday for her family. I've never seen anyone like her.

She's one of my all time favorite people. She's young enough to be my daughter. From the first day we met, we've been able to sit and talk forever about our favorite subjects: paper, ribbon, hole-punchers, good and easy recipes, and giving parties. We are such kindred spirits, we must of have been great friends in another life.

For the past three years, she's been able to arrange leaving her sweet family, hubs and daughter and son, and come down to attend "Move Over, Martha!" and stays at my house through Sunday morning. It's such a sweet time for me and we talk nonstop about things that bore the paint off the wall for everyone else.

And her husband Richard is the best. He stays home and takes care of the kids while she's away and once even took them camping. How many men would do that alone? Richard's love of camping brings him to the beach with the guys sometimes and in his attempt to teach Lori to appreciate the finer aspects of camping, he brought her to the beach last summer. But, now here's where husbands everywhere can learn a trick, he brought her back to the Omni Hotel downtown to sleep every night. Thus, she now loves "camping"! What a guy...

And their kids are adorable...Blaire is in first grade and would really prefer staying home to going to school because there are much better art supplies at home. And Case hasn't started school yet, so he gets a full day of fun with mom.

Thanks for the picture, Lori. Every little kid should be so lucky to spend a snow day with you!

Jammie Day

2011-02-02T12:42:00.000-08:00

It's long after noon and I'm still in my jammies. The weather is frightful outside and so unlike South Texas so I found my flannel pajamas so good and warm this morning, I never took them off and got dressed. To equalize the feeling of being a pitiful slob, I decided I'd better get something major accomplished so I tackled my hall linen closet. It's a great closet with lots of deep shelves and holds alot of stuff, as you can see.

The first photo is the result of lots of hard work today and shows the completed project after two trips to The Container Store (I've been planning this for quite some time) and half a million dollars despite the Elfa baskets being 20% off. I do feel calm and serene when I stand there and look and no longer open the door with fear and trepidation. In fact I might just leave that door open for awhile.

All the baskets are now labeled and I found a place for the vacuum cleaner bags and the little footstool nobody can ever find. Irma, my sweet housekeeper is going to be so happy when she gets here tomorrow.

I nearly didn't show you the before picture, but thought you might want to compare just to justify a day in my jammies...that second photo is pretty scary, huh?

Now...one closet down and four to go. Yea spring cleaning!

Treasures Found in Fred'burg

2011-01-27T11:40:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, St. Wayne and I celebrated our anniversary and my birthday by spending 3 days in Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country. It's about 200 miles from where we live so we feel we've been somewhere without having to drive all day. If you don't know Fredericksburg (from this point on I'll refer to it as "Fred'burg" just because I get tired of typing that long name), do yourself a favor and put it on your list of places to know.

It's simply charming and historic, full of quaint B&B's, fabulous shops, bakeries, good restaurants, and lots of live music. And the men like it because it's right down the road from the legendary Luckenbach. It's about an hour west of San Antonio so it's easy to get to.

Here are a few treasures I picked up while shopping...a big heart made of metal, a fork and a spoon with magnets, a heart-shaped boxwood wreath, 3 bars of soap, and several sets of notecards. I could have loaded up much more had there not been some serious self-constrained going on. I'm on the verge of starting spring cleaning, and I really tried to keep that in mind as I looked.

So, maybe you should put Fred'burg on your list of places to visit in the spring when the bluebonnets start to bloom!

Rewriting Your Life Story

2011-01-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

Are you one of those people who feel cheated in life? Can you pinpoint exactly when your rotten attitude started? Maybe you had an unhappy childhood or an unfortunate incident that colored your outlook. Well friends and neighbors, here's how you can change all that.

Rewrite the whole dang story! That's right. I'm about to show you how to change that miserable childhood to a happy one. If I could charge for this, I could retire in Tahiti tomorrow!

Take a photo that depicts that "troubled" time in your life. My sample above is with that pesky brother of mine. This particular picture was taken when I was four and he was seven. It was probably the last time he was ever nice to me. And I'm sure as soon as my Dad laid the camera down he took a sharp turn and sent me flying. But...this picture looks pretty sweet, huh? Enough about him, let's get back to me.

The first thing you need to do is find an old book you no longer want to read and a can of spray paint. I chose white paint and sprayed the book all over and even the pages (you want the pages to stick together....heaven forbid someone wants to open the book to read the sad, sordid story).

Then you make up a title for you new book...something wonderful and flattering. Print it onto plain ole printer paper and then cut it to fit the front of your book and, using Mod Podge, apply it as the cover of the painted book. Allow it to dry and you have just reinvented your life story!

I took it a step further and added some berries and a bird, sat it on a pedestal, covered it with a cloche, and made it a centerpiece for the kitchen table during my birthday month.

You could also apply this fun idea to a birthday gift for a friend or a coffee table book for your dog...rewriting their puppy days, embellishing them...whatever the case may be. Just go with it and you'll think of your own ideas!

Now, I feel compelled to add a footnote here. My mother never played favorites and there were evenutally two more kids born into our family who lightened my load a little because my older brother had others to pick on. My childhood was actually idyllic as not only did I have two loving parents in the house with us, I had two doting grandparents just next door. If you've read earlier posts, you know that already and know they were a huge part of my life. So I actually have no complaints about my life story which really makes me feel bad for people who do. So I'm here to help any way I can, and this just might make you feel a little better. And if it's a brother that gave you trouble, I feel your pain...

Amongst My Favorites

2011-01-18T11:25:00.000-08:00

Now that January is here and all the Christms stuff is gone, my house looks a little bare. This is when I like to pull out my favorite things. Here is a plate holder that my friend Dr. Dan made for me several years ago. It's an engineering masterpiece made of thin dowels.

I have the perfect place on my cooktop peninsula (not an island because it's connected to the wall) to keep this. It stores 8 large plates and 8 small plates. I love just reaching for a small plate when I'm making a snack or sandwich and not having to open the cabinet door. Is that the ultimate in laziness?

And it adds a dash of color that I can change out on a whim if I find some different small plates to store on the top row.

Don't you just love this? It's truly one of my favorite things. Thanks Dr. Dan!

I Did It Again!

2011-01-07T13:24:00.001-08:00

Last year I didn't post the entire month of December, and by golly, it happened again this year. I won't bore you with whining and tell you I had way too much work to do before I could put my Christmas together or tell you I was flat of my back in bed with a high fever...it just happened. I got caught up with so much stuff that some things went undone. I actually fantasized about things I could post about, but it never happened. But, then again, you were probably too busy with your stuff to even check to see if I had posted, so all is well.

Here are a few pictures of Christmas at my house. A litle late, but nevertheless, a new post, right?

I have always wanted to do a tree with no Christmas color and this year I did it. It all started with my friend Cathie finding mercury glass ornaments half off at Mary Kate's in Dallas at their after Christmas sale. She bought me a dozen of them and then all through the season I added to them. When I started to put it all together I was amazed at the amount of decoration I have sans red and green. It amounted to a whole house full.

Christmas was pretty serene at our house, no red/green screaming at me and overstimulating me and adding to the frenzy I find myself in every year. It was pretty peaceful and my favorite part was turning off all the lights but the twinkles on the tree and enjoying the peace and quiet everynight from the couch as I turned off the day and relaxed before going to bed. Ahhh...

Reindeer Sighting

2010-11-09T12:27:00.001-08:00

Flying reindeer are my favorite Christmas doodles. I learned these from my favorite calligrapher in the whole world, Betty Locke from Canada. After admiring her water color and calligraphy for years, I was fortunate enough to take classes from her on two separate occasions. I'd take another in a heartbeat if I could just get her down to Texas.

In the summer of '09 St. Wayne and I went up to Victoria Island where she and her husband Duncan live and actually had lunch with them. But, unlucky for me, no time for a class. I adore everthing Betty does and she has such a fun, whimsical style. You might google her and see for yourself. She's fabulous.

But back to Rudolph...it's one thing I learned from her that anyone can do. These little reindeer have graced many a Christmas envelope for me over the years and, if you start right now, they can for you, too. It takes a little practice and the right tools, but you can do it!

I use a 1/2" flat watercolor brush, or you can actually draw the rectangle and the triangle. But the flat brush is just one horizontal stroke and a pivot for the head. Then draw on the tail, antlers and the flying legs. The finishing touch is a red nose. Get your supplies out and have a fun afternoon getting familiar with Rudolph!

One More Tag Printing Technique

2010-10-26T20:48:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'd like to promise this is the last time I post about little tags, but I can't. You know I love them and I keep discovering ways to use them. But this post is a "tease" because it's such a good idea, it will be part of the show at "Move Over, Martha!" a week from Saturday.

You may recall seeing an earlier post about printing on tags, but this technique allows you to be even more versatile with your tiny things.

That's right friends, learning this method of printing on little tiny things with your ink jet printer is just one of the many things you'll learn on November 6. I'll show you several new and fresh ideas to make your holiday easier and more fun. But that's not all...I'll show you how to make a darling, personalized gift for a friend for less than $5...that alone is worth the price of admission! Which, by the way is $65 and what tickets we have left are available at Four Chicks in the Park in Lamar Park and Stitch It! on Alameda.

Don't be left out, get your tickets now...come out and support Habitat for Humanity. See you November 6th!

An Abbreviated Family Reunion

2010-10-19T18:51:00.000-07:00

St. Wayne and I put 1,050 miles on ole Pearl this past weekend going to see these people. We had so much fun. They're alot more fun and entertaining than they look.

Let me introduce you to my Aunt Faye and Uncle Troy. They've been married 52 years and are as much in love as ever. They take care of each other, laugh at each other's jokes, mow yards together (they each have their own riding mower), and find ways to stay out of their recliners.

They have a daughter Sandy who's married to another Troy who didn't make it to the reunion. I've never met him...it's a little suspicious. They all say he's really nice, though. She drove about five hours from Orangefield, Texas. Her daughter Alicia, a very good citizen of the world, was far, far away at college, but was able to skipe in for a hello. Sandy has a huge heart, she works in the church office and drives the school bus...and she's a great cook.

Her son is Jason. He's tall and fishes, hunts, and crochets...hats and things. He eats the whole time he's at his Granny's. I told him it's okay, that's what you're supposed to do.

Then there's Sandy's brother, Troy. Yep, another one. To avoid confusion, we've always called him "Bubba"...Cousin Bubba. He's funny and full of energy and works at about 14 different jobs then comes to the lake to help his dad build docks and things on the weekends.

His wife is Sherry. Sort of quiet but fits right in with this crazy crowd. She works for an ambulance chaser in the big city. And I think she keeps Bubba in line.

Their oldest child is Andrea. She makes me laugh. She has a quirky sense of humor and what's not to love about that? She's going to college. She's in the process of deciding what she wants to be. (In the meantime, she's entertaining.)

Then there's Travis. He's his dad's right-hand man. He goes to college and keeps up with his dad on the job. He's the kind that can fix anything...and I think they said he's planning to be a dentist, so that's good. Uncle Troy said he was 50 years too late for him.

And then there's Cody. With twinkly green eyes. He likes to eat, too. Sorta like Jason. He fishes and puts out trot lines.

We spent the entire day with them at Lake Fork last Saturday and laughed and ate and told stories. It did my soul good. It was wonderful to reconnect with them and get to know their kids. It makes me feel like I have family again. It's been twelve years since we've seen each other and I'm betting it won't be another twelve.

Oh, the screwey drawing is because we forgot to take pictures. I was just sick when I realized we'd missed out on a Kodak moment, so I took the liberty of drawing them as I remember them. They're a pretty cute group, huh? And they all have long legs (for real).

Thanks, guys, for a great time! Your Cousin Judi and Cousin Wayne love you!

It's That Time Again...

2010-10-05T12:02:00.001-07:00

It's hard to believe that it's been a year since we presented "Move Over, Martha!" benefiting Habitat for Humanity. But it has--it's now time for our 3rd annual fundraiser!

Tickets are on sale now for this fun, entertaining little seminar/luncheon about entertaining at home for the holidays. On Saturday, November 6, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 100 ladies will gather at First United Methodist Church on the bayfront and get geared up for the upcoming holidays. You don't want to miss it!

Buy your tickets today at either Four Chicks in the Park or Stitch It! and see ideas for holiday entertaining presented by Kathy Dewbre, Gary Homan, Carmen Dy, and me. And keep in mind, all but $5 goes directly to our local Habitat for Humanity.

Jan's Fan

2010-09-12T21:26:00.000-07:00

My friend Jan lives in Dripping Springs. A small town about 20 minutes from Austin. She lives in a fabulous house up on a hill at the highest point of "Drippin," as the locals call it. And since Jan's lived there about four years, that's what she calls it, too.

When I need creative inspiration or my brain seems stagnant, I sneak away and spend a day or two with her. I've know Jan since 1992 when she came into my shop to order rehearsal dinner invitations for her son. Over time we became fast friends. I have learned so many things from her through the years. She has style and class and terrific ideas.

That's where I was Wednesday and Thursday of last week. Sometimes I just feel that I need something new to look...just to get the creative juices flowing again. She always has fresh ideas. She is a fabulous cook and the best party planner under the sun. Her presentations are over the top and one just never passes up an invitations to Jan's. (And sometimes one doesn't even WAIT for an invitation, one just invites herself, like I did last week.)

Leaving here on Wednesday morning at 6:30, I was in her driveway by 10:15. We took off to Austin, picked up our entertainment for the day...her daughter Andrea, and made our 12:30 lunch reservations at Bess's with time to spare. Bess's happens to be Sandra Bullock's restaurant on Sixth Street and Pecan. She didn't know we were coming, so she wasn't there, but the food was fabulous and the atmosphere was stellar. Even without her, it was wonderful...and besides, she now has that baby to take care of...

We then drove to Marble Falls to shop, finding inspirational displays at The Mews and finding great disappointment that my favorite kitchen store, Zoo-La-La, is out of business. We drowned our sorrow in the bottom of a pie pan at The Bluebonnet Cafe...making it there just in time for "Pie Happy Hour"! My kind of happy hour...

After many miles and lots of calorie-burning giggles, we dropped Andrea back at her house, drove back to Drippin', and grabbed a rocking chair on Jan's back porch just in time to watch a few rain clouds roll in.

The next morning Jan followed me in her car to a little junk/antique shop in Elgin, a little town east of Austin. Had a quick bite of barbecue, which is what Elgin is famous for...much more so than junk/antiques, we discovered. From there we took the back country roads to Geronimo, a tiny, tiny town full of antique stores. We both thoroughly enjoyed the ride through the lush, green countryside to get to Geronimo. It was sort of on the way home for me and just a giant loop for Jan.

I spent a total of $27...$10 on a tray and $17 on a wire basket, but the inspiration was priceless. And I came home with a bag full of books and magazines that she thought might offer me something new to discover.

So thanks, Jan and Andrea, for the laughs, the good company, the fabulous food, and always being up for an adventure! It does the soul good!

Little Stool Makeover

2010-09-12T20:44:00.000-07:00

My friend Colleen is coming for a visit in a couple of weeks and I'm in high gear getting ready for her. I find houseguests provide a great incentive to get things in shape...like all those "temporary" piles that develop in my guest room get cleaned up and put away and my linen closet gets organized again...those sorts of things that I need a little push to get done.

I was walking through the garage last weekend and found this stool that she'd given me on one of my visits to her house. I have a thing for little stools and seem to have them all over my house. She'd found this one at a garage sale and thought I'd like to redo it. It was covered in some type of nautical polyester rope in blue and white and if I lived on a houseboat like the ones we saw in Seattle a couple of months ago, I'd be good to go, but it doesn't really go with my decor. So, it's been sitting in the garage along with another gadzillion projects waiting to be done and I figured I'd better hurry up and get it done before she gets here.

The square base is wonderful and sturdy with barley twist legs so, of course, the first thing I do is remove the rope seat and spray it with black satin paint. I spray anything that stands still long enough with that stuff and I always like it better. Then I asked St. Wayne to glue the joints just to give it a little more sturdiness. I left it to set for the week.

This afternoon, I dug out a package of left over drop cloth from last year when I made pillow and table runners. Remember those? I had plenty left over, so I cut out six strips, folded them in half, sewed them, then turned them right side out and pressed them with the iron. I then wove them across the bottom and stapled them underneath. That provided a base to attach a pillow. I lettered "No. 12" (because I have a thing for numbered things, too) and scanned it, ran a transfer sheet through my ink jet printer and ironed the transfer onto the cushion top. Sewed it up, stuffed it with polyfil, and glued the finished sides to the woven strips...and there you have it. I'm really happy with how it turned out...and it really didn't take that much time and cost about nothing. And we just won't tell Colleen it took about two years to get it done!

Tiny Tags

2010-09-03T14:04:00.000-07:00

There are times you'll want to print on something other than a 8.5 X 11 inch sheet of paper in your computer printer. I'm always wanting to print on something small...like the tags in the first picture. I use these for gift tags, labels for boxes and baskets, and mailing labels. Well, I have a trick I use that might make your life easier...you can thank me later.

The second photo shows the blank tags ready to be printed and the secret ingredient...Post-it tape.

First, I choose the font, color, and size I would like to print on my tag and then type it up with lots of space around it as shown in the third picture.

Then I use a Post-it Labeling and Cover-up Tape to secure each tag OVER the words that were just typed and printed. You have to secure it and make sure there are no little edges sticking up because you want it to go through your printer again without coming apart. In the next photo, I show you what it looks like all taped up with the Post-it tape holding the tags in place.

Then I send the same piece of paper through the printer with the tags taped up and cross my fingers. It makes a little noise and scares me a little...but knock on wood...I've never had a problem losing anything in my printer.

You remove the tape and your little tag is ready to go. The Post-it tape is available at Staples Office Supply. We don't have a Staples locally, but you can order online. It's wonderful tape and easily removed after it's done its job.

If you have trouble understanding the process, email me and I'll walk you through it. Good luck, practice on one tag at a time at first and then, hopefully, it will open up a whole new way of printing all sorts of things...luggage tags, postcards, placecards...the possibilities are endless. Manipulate your printer at your own risk and practice until you become fearless like me and are willing to try anything. Don't blame me if you have to buy a new printer...afterall they're pretty inexpensive. Just kidding...it's always worked for me and if you secure the tape so nothing catches as it's going over the rollers, you really shouldn't have any problem.

Views from my Lunch Spot

2010-09-01T19:46:00.000-07:00

About once a week I take my lunch down to the bayfront. Today I took my camera. I'm a firm believer in taking advantage of where you live and finding spots to love. Needless to say, my favorite thing about Corpus Christi is the bayfront and the energy down there. I especially love Wednesdays because there is a regatta in the afternoon. There's nothing I love better than watching those boats dance with the wind on the bay.

The top photo is the view where I ate a sandwich then I drove over to the second spot to have my cupcake for dessert. Even though my thermometer on my dash read 96 degrees, just knowing it's September, makes it feel different.

I was a little early for the races today. Some Wednesday in the near future, I'll talk St. Wayne into dinner on the water and we'll snap some pictures of the boats in action.

What's the view like where you have lunch?

Last Day of Summer in Judi World

2010-08-31T16:43:00.000-07:00

I know it's not officially the last day of summer, but in my world, it is. The last day of August...I've been waiting three months for this!

St. Wayne and I spent eight days in July in Oregon and Washington this year and last. It has changed my view of the world. I used to think those pictures in magazines of summer parties in the yard were either staged in a studio, airbrushed, or a figment of someone's imagination. In Oregon and Washington, one really could have an outdoor party in the summertime. In fact while we were there, we spent several nights at our friends' Jennifer and Peter's house in Vancouver where we ate every meal al fresco on their patio and slept without air conditioning (and under down comforters). We come back home to South Texas asking why do we live here where it's hotter than it ever needs to be???

The picture above is our backyard. The squirrels think we placed that table and chandelier under the trees just for them because we hardly step outside the back door after May. But now that September is tomorrow, I just might spend a little time out there, if the squirrels will allow it. Okay, in actuality, I won't even attempt it until October and maybe not until November. But in my mind, I know I could if I wanted to...if I were naked...if the water sprinkler was on...if I had a cool drink in my hand...ah...come on crisp fall days...I'm ready for you!

Wedding Wrap

2010-08-18T05:28:00.000-07:00

Here's wrapped gift we gave as a wedding present last month. It was easy and quick and pretty. I used wallpaper...the kind that has a very deeply embossed texture and is paintable. It has a name, but I never get it right. You can find it anywhere paint and wallpaper are sold. I got this on a roll at Home Depot or Lowe's once on clearance and it cost $10. It's lasted forever...so make sure you like it.

It's very thick so it makes really pretty creases and folds. I then wrapped double-faced white satin ribbon around it and tied a bow. I then added another piece of ribbon on top of that and tied another bow. Then I hot-glued a silk gerber daisy and a couple of leaves to the top to cover all the knots and attached an enclosure card. It turned out sweet and pretty...just like the wedding Laura and Andy planned so meticulously...right down to Andy singing her a love song. A stellar evening!

Easy and Delicious Desserts

2010-08-14T13:59:00.000-07:00

Here are two dessert recipes. The first is a Lemon Tart. At least that's what I call it. It's a Lemon Squares recipe that was given to me by my friend Jeannie Talley many years ago and has always been a favorite. I prefer to bake it in two smaller tart pans. If I use a round pan I call a Lemon Tart and if I use a square tart pan it is called Lemon Squares. So you do it the way you want. It always comes out delicious no matter what the shape. And the good thing is I usually have all the ingredients on hand.

The second is a Cream Puff Pie. Again, the original recipe calls for a 9 X 13" cake pan and is called a Cream Puff Cake, but I like to make two smaller ones in spring form (cheesecake pans) and call them pies. Besides, "Cream Puff Pie" is more fun to say. And that way I can serve one and give one away. If you like cream puffs, this is the dessert for you. It's probably my family's favorite of all time. It's a little more involved, but I promise, so worth the effort. This one came from a tea room in Salado.

Lemon Tart

Crust:
1 cup butter
2 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Mix together and press into the bottom of two pans. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Filling:
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
7 tablespoons lemon juice

Beat together and pour over baked crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Let cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar. (For this cute little finishing touch, lay a plastic fork and spoon on top before sprinkling with powdered sugar.)

Cream Puff Pie

For the cream puff:
1 cup water
1 stick butter
1 cup flour
4 eggs

Boil water and butter. Remove from heat and add flour and mix well with an electric mixer until ball forms. Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Spoon mexture into two 8 or 9" spring form pans that have been sprayed with Baker's Joy. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. (If it's puffed up really high, smash it down with the back of a spoon.)

For the filling:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cup milk
2 large packages instant vanilla pudding
1 8-ounce tub Cool Whip
1 jar Smuckers Hard Shell Chocolate (found with ice cream toppings)

Beat cream cheese slowly and add milk, beating until smooth. Add the two packages of vanilla pudding mix and beat for one minute. Let mixture stand approximately 15 minutes. (It will be very thick.) Spoon into crust. Spread Cool Whip over the pudding mixture and then dribble entire jar of hard shell chocolate on top. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

So there you have it...cool, refreshing desserts for the last draggin' hot days of summer. Enjoy!

A New Facebook Friend

2010-07-19T04:35:00.001-07:00

In 1957 I was asked to be a candlelighter in my Aunt Rita's wedding. I remember being thrilled that she'd found a job for me. I was worried because, at seven years old, I was beyond the age of a flower girl and that was before Martha Stewart invited junior bridesmaids. I was so happy I would be a part of her wedding when she married Uncle Ed.

I wanted to be a part of anything that involved Rita. She was one of those people who could have been written up in Reader's Digest's "Most Unforgettable Character." She was lots of fun, the life of the party, and always had a twinkle in her eye. She made everything an adventure...so I figured this wedding would be, too.

In my memory, there were thousands of candles and, as you can see from the picture above, there were hurricane covers on the candles on the pew markers that had to be removed, candle lit, and then replaced. I was so afraid of dropping and shattering the glass, and out of the corner of my eye I could see that my fellow candlelighter, who was eleven and much taller and faster, was way ahead of me. And I remember playing with her when I would go to church with my grandmother and always thought her name was Karen.

A few weeks ago I received a message on facebook asking if I was related to Rita. The woman had seen my picture and thought I resembled my aunt, and because Rita and I had the same maiden name, she thought there might be a connection. I've never heard or thought that I looked like my adored aunt, so I was thrilled. She explained that she was Uncle Ed's neice. After exchanging a few emails, we discovered we were both candlelighters in their wedding! She was totally surprised when I told her I had a picture of us in action. The pictures above were in with lots of others from my grandmother that I somehow inherited.

We lost Rita years ago from breast cancer. She was so young and full of life it's hard to understand. But I have such fond memories of her. Thank you, Cheryl Kincaid, for prompting me to pull out these photos and remember a beloved aunt. It's just one more great Facebook connection with a story!

Manly Wrap

2010-07-09T08:49:00.001-07:00

There's nothing I love more than a beautifully wrapped gift. It's the thrill of anticipation while admiring the beauty of perfectly creased corners and the ribbons and the tags...oh I love it all!

Back in May my son Brian had a birthday and even though his idea of a perfectly wrapped gift is a picture of a president wrapped up in a small wad of currency, I did find him a little gift to go along with the aforementioned bill.

After finding some houndstooth wrap in my paper closet, I wrapped the box and tied it with black satin ribbon. It was nice, but just nice. I wanted it to look stellar...after all he's my only son and he has only one birthday a year.

I found these cigar label stickers I'd bought from Kate Jones Gifts in Rockport a few months ago and found one to coordinate with the colors I was using and slapped it at the bottom across the ribbon and...tada...I loved how masculine it looked. So now I'm all over the idea of unusual stickers to add the finishing touch on a gift wrap.

If you want to see some really beautiful wrapping ideas, go to this blog...one of my favorites:
www.agiftwrappedlife.blogspot.com
Enjoy!

Where in the World Have I Been?

2010-07-07T19:48:00.000-07:00

Wow...where does the time go? I can't believe I took such a long break from this blog. I didn't really intend to, but it suddenly wasn't a priority for me because since early Spring we've had lots of houseguests, weekend roadtrips, and that pesky stuff that always gets in the way of fun--work!

And I can't say I haven't been piddlin'...simply because I always piddle. But I haven't taken pictures of much. There are a few things I could tell you about, and I will. But I really need to know you're out there. Nobody ever leaves comments and I feel lonely...very lonely. So if there's anyone still around, let me know and we'll get back in the groove.

I've been told leaving comments is difficult, but other blogs have them, so it can be done. I know you have to set up some type of account in order to do that. I have a Google account with a password and the whole ball of wax just so I can leave comments at the many blogs I visit. And, believe me, if I can figure it out, so can you...or call in some little people to help...they always know their way around Computerville. So, do what you have to do, but let me know you're with me. If nothing else, send me an email at invitickles@stx.rr.com or find me on Facebook. Just say hello so I know I'm not all alone on this side of the keyboard.

So...you have an assignment! And I'll get started on this end...

Happy Easter!

2010-03-31T21:48:00.001-07:00

It's Springtime and that means Easter and that means Bunnies! Here's my favorite bunny who lives inside the wreath on my front door.

Mine is made of heavy watercolor paper to withstand the elements outside. Our humidity tends to make his ears curl a bit (same thing it does to my hair/hare) but I think that just adds to his cute character.

I've included a pattern for you to enlarge and trace onto the paper of your choice and a copy of the tag you can add to the ribbon around his neck. I used scallop scissors to soften his look and give him a little frill.

So this should get you started and then you can add your own creative touches.

Happy Easter Everyone!

Girly Letters

2010-03-29T12:45:00.001-07:00

It's equal time for little girls after my last post of animal letters for boys. Here are some lettering ideas with a feminine flair. Again, I drew the letters with a permanent pen and colored them in with colored pencils.

I've also shown in the above photo, how the luggage tags are packaged. I find them at Office Max or Staples Office Supplies, neither of which we have in our town, so when I do find them, I stock up. These make sweet tiny gifts to tuck into a birthday card or hang tags for wrapped gifts.

Animal Letters

2010-03-16T10:15:00.000-07:00

Here's a fun little gift. These are luggage tags I made for a dear friend's twin grandsons that I will be meeting for the first time today. I've been invited to a "Sip and See", but I'm hoping it's a "Sip and Squeeze"! The only thing I love better than squeezing a baby is squeezing two babies.

I've been told babies need tags on their diaper bags for when they're spending the day at "mother's day out" so I siezed the perfect opportunity for piddlin' a little on this rainy morning. The top and bottom samples are made into laminated tags with a little kit you can get at an office supply store.

The middle sample is done on white paper stock and then glued to colored stock. I will add that to a gift later. All the letters were done with permanent markers and then colored with colored pencils. I added lines and dots just to jazz it up a little. So pack up your markers and pencils and piddle around in the jungle...

International Day of Women

2010-03-09T09:06:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, March 8, was the International Day of Women or Donna Day (and that's pronounced "don-ya") and a small group of us women celebrated in style.

I was invited to a luncheon and my contribution was to be the party favors. Much more fun for a piddler than making a salad. I thought I'd show you a quick and inexpensive favor that you can adapt to Easter or any spring occasion. Remember you can click on the picture to enlarge and see the details.

Using a 2-dozen egg carton tray, I cut it into 6-egg sections with an exacto knife. I wanted to use the hinged carton but when I looked in my local grocery store, I couldn't find one plain without advertising stamped on it for less than $2.99 and I needed six so I thought that was a little too expensive. So I went to an egg company where they sell large numbers of eggs and picked up a couple of 2-dozen egg trays. They are easily carved into the size you need.

After lining it with a few strands of Easter grass, I filled each section with all kinds of treasures...an assortment of chocolates, a tiny baby chick inside a plastic egg, and a tiny little accordian book I'd made with quotes about women. I then placed the whole thing in a cellophane corsage bag and tied it with a ribbon and added a name tag and a daisy. Everything was color coordinated and looked fresh and spring-like...just the look I was after.

I'm still looking for inexpensive small hinged cartons to use as gift-wrap. I can just see a tiny gift tucked inside and then wrapped with a beautiful ribbon and a gorgeous silk flower hot-glued on top. It'd be great as a graduation gift for a very studious grad with a gift certificate for a favorite book store with a hang tag on top that said, "for our favorite egg-head"...or a wedding gift with a tag that read, "for a couple of good eggs." Okay, Judi, stop now. Just let your imagination run wild!

Pauline, The Dancing Queen

2010-03-03T05:41:00.000-08:00

There was an ad in the paper last week about a Czech Polka Fest. St. Wayne and I had no plans for Saturday afternoon lunch, so we thought we'd check it out. We're so glad we did!

We got there about two o'clock and walked into the Sokol Hall which is huge. It's very unlike what you'd expect from the outside. There were people everywhere...some standing in line to buy plate lunches of sausage, or chicken noodle soup, or barbecue...and some at the bar to buy beer or soft drinks. There was a band complete with a tuba and an accordian and polka music filled the air of the huge hall.

After choosing our lunch and beverage of choice, we made our way to the last two seats at a long table full of people. Little did we know at that point who we'd chosen to sit beside. As fate would have it, we were in for a treat!

I tossed a bag of kolaches we'd purchased to take home on the table as we were getting seated and one of the ladies announced to the entire table, "Oh look, she bought us all kolaches." That should have been my first clue that we were seated in the rowdy section. It was definitely a party atmosphere and we couldn't decide what we were enjoying more, eating the lunch, listening to the music, or watching the dancers. It was definitely sensory overload!

When the next song started, the couple next to me got up to dance. When they walked away I read the back of their vests. We were seated with the king and queen! I'd never really dined with royalty before, so I was pretty excited. At the end of the song as they were coming back to the table, I checked out their attire. Red, red, and more red. He in red pants and a red vest, she in a red skirt and a red vest, and red boots! The backs of their vest had embroideried "Queen 1995" and "King 1995." They were so cute!

When they sat down, I leaned in and whispered, "So what does it mean to be queen?" I quickly learned they were from the big city and their Czech chapter, which has 1,000 members, nominated three couples as queen and king, and they were chosen. All year, they travel with other couples to cities all over Texas to dance the afternoon away.

She went on to tell me she and King Robert had been married 54 years and let me know "that's a long time to be with one man." During the course of the afternoon she also expounded on his "selective hearing." I laughed all afternoon listening to her talk about King Robert. She loves to dance and never gets tired, in fact, she gets "ansy" when she's not on the dancefloor. The King does get tired more easily than she does but that's okay because she'll dance with other husbands...because their wives get tired, too. It all works to her advantage and she sat out very few songs during the afternoon. And when she wasn't dancing, she was entertaining me.

Before we left we exchanged email addresses so I could send her my kolache recipe. I hesitated to tell her that I, of German descent, made kolaches. She wants the recipe because it's easy and although she used to help her grandmother make them, she thinks they're too much trouble. I don't know if she'll take the time away from dancing to make them, but I'm sending the recipe to her all the same.

I'm so glad we went "out of the box" and did something unusual on Saturday. I would have missed getting to know a thoroughly delightful couple. Here's to our new royal friends...Queen Pauline and King Robert...may you have many more years of dancing and laughter!

Make It a Banner Valentine's

2010-02-13T08:52:00.001-08:00

Here's a fun way to express your sentiment for whatever holiday is coming up...a festive little banner. This one was made in just a few minutes by cutting out hearts and running them through a crimper. You can get crimpers of all sizes at the craft stores or you could use one of those little tools for squeezing out the last bit of paint in a tube. I have both and either works fine. Then I cut out tags from black card stock and letter "LOVE" in white ink and tie them on wire with ribbon. I wrapped some white wire around a thin dowel to make the spiral look and then stretched it to the length I needed.

Quick and easy...and you can adapt it to birthdays by lettering the birthday celebrant's name and do one for every kid in the family. I have one I did years ago that has "NOEL" lettered on craft colored hang tags with black folded stars tied on the wire with old twill tape...it's old as the hills and I hang it every year and still love it. It has a real "vintage" look.

So play and piddle and add a festive banner to your holidays!

Piddlin' Around with Somebody's Heart

2010-02-11T23:30:00.000-08:00

Here's a litte heart box you can use for giving little tiny valentine treasures. If you click on the pattern, you should be able to enlarge and print it. Then go to a craft store and buy a few sheets of scrapbooking paper in a heavy, card stock weight and cut and paste away. I found this in Las Vegas the very first time I went. We stayed at the Stardust Hotel...that should tell you how long ago it was...and as I was walking through the lobby, I passed an Ethel M Chocolate store. Oh my. And this little box caught my eye. I promptly went in an bought the little box of chocolates solely for the pattern. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I've tweaked it just a bit to suit my needs and I know Ethel would want you to have it. It's easy and quick and will fit on a 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper. You can add embellishment...raffia or ribbon and stuff it with crinkle cut paper and it just looks so festive and sweet.

Hurry...you just have a few days to get these done for everyone on your list so I'm making this short and sweet because you don't have any more time to read! Go...chop chop...get 'er done...!!

Oh...and Happy Valentine's from my heart to yours!

Presentation at the Garden Club

2010-02-03T12:04:00.000-08:00

I had a fun morning. I was asked to present a program at the Ocean Drive Garden Club meeting. Their theme for the year is "going green" so I gave them some ideas for doing an edible centerpiece and an edible gift of fruit. The pictures above will give you an idea of the finished products.

When doing the centerpiece, I started with a piece of corrugated cardboard that can be bought on a big roll from your local paper supplier. I always have a roll hanging from the rafters in my garage and I use it for all sorts of things, from shelf liners in my kitchen to a valance over the window in my studio. I love the stuff...it's inexpensive and I like the way it looks. I've even made invitations out of it...and embellished gift wrap.

For this centerpiece, I took a small piece of cardboard and rounded the corners. I used fresh, colorful veggies and just arranged them on top and then added black beans around the outer edges under the vegetables for a finishing touch. This centerpiece cost about $14.

For the fruit arrangement, I cut a short strip of the corrugated cardboard to fit all around the bottom of a cardboard box that I'd cut. I scalloped one side and then glued that on to the box with hot glue. Unbleached parchment lined the box and then I just piled the fruit in. I like to add unexpected little snacks in unusual containers in with the fruit. I put peanuts in the shell into a tiny paper sack and tied the top with rafia. I added strawberries in a little wire basket, and cherries in a clay pot. Chocolates went into another paper sack. The entire fruit gift cost about $23.

The garden ladies were a fun and appreciative group. It was a great way to spend my morning and I enjoyed meeting some new people and seeing some friends I hadn't seen in awhile. I was also able to promote next fall's "Move Over, Martha!" our fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity. They very graciously offered to help us sell tickets come November. I'll be taking them up on that offer!

Three More...

2010-01-26T15:07:00.000-08:00

Just as I clicked "publish post", I received another email. One just in and two overlooked! I swear it's so much fun to get these continuous emails!

Sue let her husband go to the grocery store. He thinks she spends too much money when she goes. She also put four things on Ebay and donated the money she made to the Red Cross and Casa.

Bill gave money to a Baptist Men's group helping in Haiti and the Relay for Life in Port Aransas in memory of three people we've lost to cancer.

And Carole says what she did to scatter joy was to get out of bed...after all when you are 70 it is a joyous occasion to wake up and realize you are alive another day.

Okay...I'll keep you posted as more come in...

And the Scattering Continues...

2010-01-26T13:15:00.000-08:00

My mother always said if you do something nice for someone and you talk about it, it doesn't count. I didn't argue with Sweet Fern very often, but i have to with that. I think sharing these stories encourages others to think of ways to pay it forward. And I don't know about you, but I like to think there's a lot more of "being nice" going on out there than we hear about on the news. I also think everybody that participated in Little Judi's birthday wish has thoroughly enjoyed it. At least they have according to the emails and notes I've been getting.

And just imagine how the people who were on the receiving end of this little project enjoyed it!

Now some people have remained very quiet and I haven't heard a peep out of them...but there's still time. And I'm just assuming they're a little slow reporting in. Yeah, that's what I'm thinking...

Pam helped her favorite checker at her neighborhood grocery store when she spotted her stranded with a stalled car in the parking lot...even though it made her late for bridge!

Donna unexpectedly spent three days last weekend in a hospice center in Houston as a family member took a turn for the worse in a battle with cancer. When she took a shower in the family facility, she noticed they were out of shower caps and toothbrushes. She provided a fresh supply of those needed items in partial payment for the love and support she and her family felt while there.

Nell made a special lunch and invited two young mothers from her church to join her in her new home.

Julie helped a friend plan a luncheon and then planned a night out for her family because it had been since Thanksgiving that they were all together at the same time. And in true Julie fashion, she helped spread the word about the "scatter joy" idea and created a chain reaction from people I don't even know. Todd talked about it on his radio show. And Pam wants to have it printed in her church newsletter, hoping the idea of celebrating birthdays this way will spread.

A friend of Julie's in California paid for someone's dinner behind her in line at Taco Cabana.

Mary Ann gave six tickets to a young mother to take her family to see The Wizard of Oz play.

Kiley and her college roommate bought supplies to make Valentines for the Children's Hospital in Lubbock.

Hartlee bought lunch for a girl with no money at school.

Kathy took her elderly widowed aunt to lunch and spent the afternoon with her.

Barbara has invited two blocks of neighbors to her house this coming weekend for cookies and punch so they can welcome new neighbors and get reacquainted with old ones...and she included Rick the mailman!

Janet invited our tennis group over for a 5-course dinner party and as party favors, gave each of us a blooming plant to give away. Debby helped her with that delicious undertaking and brought the beautiful roses in the huge apothacary jar you see at the top of this post for me to bring home.

Caroline made her sister a full-sized breakfast then went to the grocery store where they were collecting donations for Haiti and wrote a check.

Now that brings us to St. Wayne. He's quite the clever guy and always puts lots of thought into everything he does. He apparently planned this for some time. He bought twenty $3 scratch-off lottery tickets and attached a note to each one that said, "Today is Judi's birthday and I'm helping her scatter a little joy. Call or text her and wish her a happy day. Good luck!" Now the man drives 180 miles roundtrip to get to work every day so all the way up and all the way back he scattered lottery tickets with my phone number! I started getting calls at 7:25 Friday morning from people saying odd things. Some were in English and some were in other languages! I was puzzled but I knew he had to be behind it. And I got texts...which my phone plan doesn't allow for, so he'll be paying for that. The interesting thing is...nobody mentioned how much money they won with those scratch-offs. I did read in the paper yesterday some man in Sinton won $3,000 with a scratch-off, so I like to think that was one of Wayne's.

For now, that's all the kind acts I have to tell you about, but I'll let you know when I hear more. I sincerely hope I didn't forget someone. On Friday, calls were coming in one after another and I tried to jot them down. So if I forget just how kind you were, shoot me an email so I can let everyone know.

It was such a fun thing that continued to blossom, and I guarantee, you all made it one birthday I'll never forget! Thanks from the bottom of my heart...

"The heart that gives, gathers."

Marianne Moore

Scattering Joy...Chapter 2

2010-01-25T18:51:00.001-08:00

It's really funny how some people really got into this and some people didn't at all. One family took it and ran. Lori took donuts to the nursery workers at her Friday bible study and her 5 year-old daughter Blaire hosted a play date and served pink cupcakes to all her friends who came. Her husband Richard took a friend to lunch, and their two year-old Case, well, he got through the whole day without biting anybody!

Mary might have gotten the prize for creativity as she started the day by putting her neighbor's trash container away and then drove to a butcher shop and carefully picked out six really nice rib eyes and delivered them to fire station #11 for their Friday night meal. Gotta love somebody who thinks of those unsung heroes!

Sara hosted a house concert for her singing friend from California to give her exposure to the Austin crowd. She planned and executed the whole event, paying close attention to every detail.

Barbara kept her cool when a client was 45 minutes late for a cut and color when it's about the umpteenth time it's happened with this client.

Cindy gave a friend whose husband recently died a movie gift card for her and her kids so they could have a night out. She also spent the day helping two "at risk" high school students look for and apply to colleges.

Sandy packed a friend's kitchen who had to move right after surgery.

My Aunt Mattie and her husband taped the sermon at her church for shut-ins.

Laurel paid for breakfast for the person in the car behind her at the Whatburger drive-through and helped a woman she met get in touch with the Women's Shelter so she can leave an abusive husband. She also helped her pay a utility bill, filled her car up with gas, and got her in touch with an attorney to help with some legal problems.

And my 4th grade teacher friend Barbara danced during a halftime show of a high school basketball game all in the name of entertainment.

Rhonda says she spent all day Friday scattering joy in little ways and sent me the flowers pictured above as her final act of kindness. Another beautiful surprise delivery.

Tomorrow I'll tell you how thoughtful others were including St. Wayne and how he helped scatter joy all over South Texas...and I mean that literally!

Til then...

2010-01-25T18:49:00.000-08:00

Birthday Fun

2010-01-24T17:07:00.000-08:00

Well, that birthday that I've been dreading has come and gone and I really don't feel any different...except my heart may be pumped up a little more than it was, thanks to all my generous friends and family.

If you've read the previous post, you'll know what I'm talking about. If not, we'll give you a minute to go back and get caught up to speed.

A few people were so excited about what they were going to do, they called before Friday to tell me their plans. I got some wonderful messages on voicemail. And some just couldn't wait until Friday. Cathie and Sharon donated coats to the homeless on Wednesday and decided it would be fun to treat the recipients to lunch so they put $5 bills in each pocket.

Friday was a fun day from start to finish and the calls about kind deeds started coming in early. Lisa in Bastrop called to say she had already been up and to the grocery store and put an envelope with $60 in the hands of her favorite sacker...a young man who is deaf and could use the extra money.

I checked the emails and Facebook messages and found out Kim sent a check to our local Women's Shelter, Tommy gave his wife a back and neck rub and made her favorite pancake breakfast, then wrote a check to the Red Cross for the Haiti Relief Fund. Annie and Eric also mailed a check to the Red Cross.

Sylvia called to say it was also her late dad's birthday and to celebrate she mailed a check to the Palmer Home for Children in Columbus, Mississippi. She went on to say what a wonderful place it is for children up to the age of 21 who can't live with their parents for one reason or another.

The doorbell rang before I could get out of my jammies and I opened the door to the beautiful bouquet you see above. What a fun surprise that was. Who doesn't love receiving flowers?

I went to lunch with Susan who left a $10 tip on a $20 lunch. She also gave a woman carrying a baby into a washateria $10 to help with her laundry. And gave a small blooming plant to a woman walking down the street of public housing.

Andrea babysat for a baby with special needs so her foster mom could slip away to the grocery store and enjoy a coffee break at Starbucks.

Debby donated six big bags of dog food to the local dog fostering program.

My Aunt Faye called and said she was taking a senior citizen out to dinner...I think that was her way of getting out of cooking for her husband on Friday night...but hey, it works.

I'll post tomorrow about the reports I got Friday night. Some of them made me laugh and some put lumps in my throat...and I think they'll affect you the same way. I was overwhelmed with all the emails I was getting. As I was reading one, another was coming in. Stay tuned to learn about the kind hearted people I know...

Birthday Time!

2010-01-15T00:44:00.000-08:00

My inner child, Little Judi, and I are sending an announcement to family and friends for my birthday. There's a picture of her at 6 years of age on the front. I've always toyed with the idea of a birthday announcement before the big event because I'm always disappointed when people say, "Oh it was your birthday? I missed it." Excuse me, why isn't January 22 circled in red on every calendar across the country? I've never figured that out.

When I was a child growing up in the Dallas area, sometimes my birthday fell on a day of snow and ice. I distinctly remember my 5th birthday standing at the frosted window all day looking for cars to turn into our icy driveway. It made my mother cry, but i was so sure somebody would brave the weather to don a paper hat. But, it never happened. I was crushed. I think that must have been my turning point.

Every year I love my birthday. I hum "happy birthday to you" all day long and I let everyone know it's coming. I've even been known to bake my own cake. There's not much chance of anyone forgetting my birthday. So the announcement makes alot of sense.

This year I was inspired by my friend Sherry. Let me tell you the story about Sherry's 40th birthday this past summer. Her son Jack was born with Down's Syndrome. Being the "take charge" girl she is, she started Rise School in Corpus Christi for children with special needs. When her birthday rolled around, her friends sent out an announcement asking for $40 donations to help the school. They ended up raising over $40,000! When I received my card, it put a huge lump in my throat. I thought to myself, "This will be one birthday Sherry never forgets."

So with that inspiration, I decided I'd ask my friends to "pay it forward" on my next birthday. Well, the time is here. I'll be turning 60 next Friday, January 22. So you have a few days to decide what you'd like to do to celebrate with me and Little Judi. The inside of the little announcement says:

Despite her youthful appearance,

she'll be 60 years old January 22nd

and she needs your help to celebrate.

She wants no party, no gifts...

just 60 family and friends to

Scatter Joy.

Her birthday wish

is for the world to be a happier place

and this is where you come in.

On Friday, January 22nd

perform a random act of kindness...

go out and make someone's day!

It can be in a big way or a small way...

but she wants to hear about it.

Leave a comment here or email her at invitickles@stx.rr.com and let her know what you did on January 22 to Scatter Joy. She'll love you for it!

After mailing out a big stack of these, I've decided to blog about it and maybe you could help me spread the word. Even though I always love and appreciate a sweet little wrapped gift, I really don't need anything...and there's so many people out there in need of a lift in their day. So, think of Little Judi next Friday and help her put a smile on someone's face!

Easy Kolaches

2010-01-06T22:09:00.001-08:00

Unusually cold weather is headed our way and it makes me want to bake. I thought I'd share a great recipe for kolaches or pigs in the blanket. The bread is just a tad sweet and also makes great dinner rolls. You just layer seven ingredients into a stand mixer and go from there.

I gave these for Christmas gifts to a couple of friends, packing a dozen into a cute little brown box. And I let St. Wayne take several dozen to work. But I have to tell you, it's hard to turn loose of these little jewels because they make a great, quick breakfast when you're on the run and they're really handy and delicious to have on hand when we have houseguests.

My favorite thing is to bake these with someone as a group effort. This recipe came from my friend Jan in Dripping Spring, Texas. She came down and stayed a few days last fall and brought all the ingredients to make four batches. We made every kind imaginable that day and we were pooped! But there were enough in my freezer to last a long while. And I must tell you, you'll make a mess. Flour everywhere! But there's something theraputic about sitting around the table making these with your friends or family. Even St. Wayne helps me wrap the sausages because he knows he'll be rewarded in the end with a freezer full of his favorite breakfast snacks.

It's not a quick thing because it makes a lot of dough...it's a time-consuming endeavor, but so worth the effort.

Let me know what you think of these...just remember to keep your hands coated with flour because the dough is very sticky! Enjoy!

Kolaches

3 cups evaporated milk, heated

1-1/2 sticks butter, melted

3/4 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon salt (yes, that's not a typo)

3 egg yolks

7 cups flour

3 Tablespoons dry yeast

(I put the evaporated milk and butter in a large glass measuring cup and microwave for 3 minutes to heat the milk and melt the butter all in one step)

Place ingredients in a stand mixer in the order listed above. Mix slowly with a dough hook and then scrape down the sides. Mix on medium speed for ten minutes.

Cover the dough in the bowl with a towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for one hour.

Flour hands well as the dough is very sticky. (I keep a small bowl of flour nearby and dip my hands each time I tear a portion of the dough.) Tear small portions (about the size of a golf ball) of the dough and stretch and shape into balls, and place on a pan sprayed with Baker's Joy or lined with parchment. Allow about an inch between for rising (it's okay if they touch when risen). Make a cavity using your thumb or the bottom of a small shot glass for the fruit or cheese fillings. Spoon fruit pie filling or one of the cheese mixtures below into cavity and top with crumb topping. For pigs in the blanket, wrap sausages. (I use Ekrich "original," fully-cooked, sausages.) Let rise again while oven preheats. Bake 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees.

Yields about 4-5 dozen, depending on size.

Crumb Topping

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

3-4 Tablespoons butter

Cream Cheese Topping

16 ounces cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

Cheese Topping

24 ounces cottage cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup dry tapioca

Concerns for Twenty-Ten

2010-01-06T21:03:00.001-08:00

I'm just a little uneasy about the coming new year. I just found out L.L. Bean no longer sells my favorite jeans, Paul Mitchell has quit making my hair product, and Merle Norman has discontinued my favorite shade of lipstick. It's just too much to take all at once. I'm worried...

I Hope You Enjoyed Your Holidays This Much...

2010-01-03T15:37:00.001-08:00

Where did December go? I'm so embarrassed that I never posted at all. I had "post on blog" on every list I made, so I can't figure out what happened.

This photo is of the top of my tv cabinet and these little santas greeted me every morning during Christmas with a chorus of "Hey Judi...we love you this much!"

And on some mornings they'd say, "Hey Judi, if you don't quit eating those Christmas cookies, you're going to be this wide!"

I do love them up there. They make me smile. The photo really doesn't do them justice. They're too cute.

But now they're up in the rafters of the garage where the rest of Christmas is...safe and sound for another year. If you're still interested...I will be posting again soon.

Places Everyone!

2009-11-25T09:38:00.000-08:00

Okay...it's almost Thanksgiving. Today is my favorite day of the year. I spend all day in the kitchen getting ready for tomorrow and I get my table set.

This is the first time in about five years that I've had the meal here at our house. Being a banker, my daughter-in-law usually has to work the Friday after, so we travel to Houston to have dinner with them. Last year St. Wayne and I took off on a roadtrip to Memphis and had Thanksgiving dinner at the Peabody Hotel with the ducks. It was lots of fun, lots of money, and lots of people we didn't know. My favorite part of the whole meal? Duck shaped butter pats! Everything was quite elegant and delicious with a vast array of choices.

But now we're back to casual at home. My favorite place in all the world. We'll have nine around the table tomorrow. Here it is all set and ready to go. I had a difficult decision with the placecards. Here were my choices. I ended up going with the leaves because I figured I could do the punched flatware any time. Leaves are for fall. At least that's what they tell us. We don't have fall leaves down here in South Texas...just wind-blown palm fronds. We have seen fall leaves on our travels and crave them and would love to live somewhere we could enjoy that. But for now we'll just punch them out of gold and copper metal sheets and pretend we picked them up from the yard. The fun part about the punched flatware is you have left over punches of spoons, forks, and knives for confetti. It's the cutest punch ever and by All Night Media. I've had it forever, but you might be able to find one.

Whereever you are this year...enjoy yourself and your loved ones. Happy Thanksgiving!

A Fabricfic Idea with Drop Cloths

2009-11-22T17:49:00.000-08:00

I recently discovered inexpensive drop cloths in the paint department of Wal-Mart. They cost a whoppin' $8.97 and you get 9'x6' with every side hemmed. That's a lot of fabric and the best part is it looks like linen or hopsacking...nubby and textured in a natural, neutral color. I've made a ton of pillows and several table runners from one package.

The first thing you have to do is find pillow forms and cut the drop cloth the same shape plus two inches. So if your pillow form is 12"x12", you cut a square 14"x14" for the front and then cut two pieces of the hemmed edge 14"x8.5" for the back. Then match the right sides together, overlapping the back two pieces so that when it's sewn together, you can easily slip the pillow form in. Or you could just cut two 14"x14" pieces for the front and the back, sew all sides together leaving 6 inches, turn it right side out, cram the form inside the 6 inch slit, and then handstitch the opening. But I'm always looking for a quick shortcut, so I prefer to not handstitch.

Before I sew anything together, I iron a design on the front square. I'm going to include some copyright-free designs I copied from an art book I have, so feel free to save them and use them. I use Avery's t-shirt transfer sheets and they easily print on my inkjet printer.

Here are a few pictures of my pillows and table runner. I traced around a dinner plate to pencil the sewing line for the rounded ends on the table runner, but you can design the ends any way you like. Experiment with this idea and see just how much time you piddle away!

Bee Happy in the Kitchen

2009-11-18T13:52:00.000-08:00

Copies of Debby Brock's cookbook "Bee Happy in the Kitchen" were sold Saturday during Move Over, Martha! and the profit of each book went to Habitat for Humanity. We sold quite a few cookbooks. It has come to our attention that some of the books were misprinted. The pages are out of order or missing.

If you bought one of these books, please check it. If there's a problem, email me and Debby will see to it you get you a new book.

My email address is invitickles@stx.rr.com

We apologize for any inconvenience...but the printer is working on this little problem.

Still Floating

2009-11-18T13:06:00.000-08:00

Move Over, Martha! has come and gone and we're all still standing. You haven't heard much out of me in the past few weeks because every thought has been consumed with this event. Brides were put off, dinners were uncooked, a husband was neglected, everything got pushed aside until after November 14.

It all started when our family got involved with Habitat for Humanity in 2007 and we wanted to do more. So I sent out an email to the ten members of my "tennis group" asking for their help in presenting Move Over, Martha! and they all responded with a resounding "Yes, I'll help!" And this amazing event was born.

It takes a $65 ticket to get in the door and then we sell raffle tickets for fabulous door prizes donated by local retailers and then we have a live auction. The generosity of the ladies in that audience is overwhelming. The women who attend really open their hearts and their checkbooks.

Presenting this event takes a lot of time and energy...and my friends that help generously give of their time, talent, and money. The feeling afterwards makes it all worthwhile. Saturday night after all the dust settled, my heart felt twice its normal size. If I could only bottle that feeling and sell it, we'd not need another fundraiser. I could be personally responsible for supporting Habitat for Humanity!

This year, we had four homeowners who attended and they really seemed to enjoy themselves. They and their families are now living in and paying for their own homes. They put in 500+ hours of "sweat equity" helping build homes for other families before qualifying for their own. I love that they were there. It's incredible when you can see and meet the folks who benefit most from the effort put forth on behalf of Habitat for Humanity.

To those of you who bought a ticket and joined us Saturday...Thank You for your support of this worthy cause. And if you didn't make it this year, put it on your calendar for next year. The second Saturday of November...and we'll see you then!

Update on the Family Jewels

2009-10-17T21:17:00.000-07:00

Back in August I told you about the little marble hearts that my Granddaddy had made and how I wanted to let my cousins know that I was willing to share my stash when I found out not everybody in the family had one. What a kind and noble thing to do, don't you think? Well, I sure think so.

During my formative years, I was surrounded by nothing but brothers and boy cousins. The picture above shows Christmas at Grandmomma and Granddaddy's circa 1959 or 1960. You can see all the stinkin' boys. This picture was actually taken before any of the Luther girls this story is about were even born. I guess I'm just throwing in this photo because I have it and I think a post with a picture is much more interesting. And it shows what a fun, jovial family I was surrounded by! You can click on the shot and enlarge it to clearly see how much Christmas fun this group was having.

Santa must have delivered everything I asked for...at least according to my silly grin. And there is an ever-so-slight smile on Grandmomma's face...she was probably thinking, "Surely, after these blasted pictures are done, they'll all pack up their kids and get out of here." The rest of the family looks like they've had all the holiday excitement they can stand. Isn't that hysterical?

And by the way, don't you think my Grandmother was one trendy chick? Look at that Christmas tree. Not that traditional and boring green tree I bet your grandmother had. I never knew she was so with it! I do remember in later years she had an aluminum tree complete with the multi-colored revolving light wheel. Remember those?

But back to the girls...I heard from my cousin Sandy, my sister Joyce, my cousin Tina, and my cousin Diane. They have all received their hearts by now and are hopefully enjoying the sentimental little treasures. One cousin I didn't hear from is Madeline. But I did hear through the family grapevine that she typed up a long comment after reading the post, but couldn't get it to go through. Such a disappointment. I guess I'll just always wonder what she had to say. I also heard she has three hearts of her own. I don't know why I had six, she had three, and none of the other girls had any. I know Granddaddy didn't play favorites, so maybe he just forgot who he'd given what to...

I received more comments and emails about that post than any post I've done yet. I even heard from one person who volunteered to join the family just to have a heart. Of course, at that point, she'd not seen that picture! Despite the dour faces, we really did have fun when we got together. We laughed at ourselves and each other, unwrapped lots of fun gifts, and always had those stellar meals my grandmother and aunts put on the table.

It was good to be back in touch with my "little cousins" and my "little sister." And sweet to think it was a heart from Granddaddy that prompted us. I just wonder why we're all too busy to stay in touch...and I'm just as guilty as the next relative.

And, Madeline, you could always go to my profile and find my email address if you're out there! Guilt trips...isn't that what families are for?!

"Move Over, Martha!"

2009-10-13T20:48:00.000-07:00

Tickets go on sale tomorrow for "Move Over, Martha!" It's a four-hour seminar and luncheon about entertaining at home for the holidays benefiting Habitat for Humanity.

Gary Homan, Debby Brock, and I will present easy and original ideas to duplicate whether entertaining weekend guests or planning an elaborate party. We guarantee this event will get you pumped for the upcoming holidays!

Mark your calendar now to attend on Saturday, November 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Corpus Christi at 900 South Shoreline...in the Fellowship Hall overlooking our beautiful bayfront.

Tickets are $65 per person and will include morning muffins with tea and coffee, lunch, a chance to win door prizes, and a live auction. Rafffle tickets for great prizes donated by local businesses (including two round-trip tickets from Southwest Airlines) will be sold at the door and you must be present to win...which means your chances of winning are greater.

We will sell only 100 tickets and they are available at the following locations:

Four Chicks in the Park, 22 Lamar Park Center

Stitch It!, 4333B South Alameda

Or by calling me at 361.854.8484

I'd love to see your smiling face in the audience to help us raise oddles and gobs of money for Habitat for Humanity...hope to see you there!

When the Stars Come Out

2009-10-07T20:44:00.000-07:00

These are easy-to-make, three dimensional stars that look great hanging on a wrapped package. With all the wonderful scrapbook papers available you have lots of options to choose from for the perfect star to match your wrap. Trace the shape of a 5-point star onto card stock. Score it with a bone folder right through the middle of each point. You'll end up with 5 score lines.

Then cut it out and fold and crease each scored point making a "mountain" on the top and a "valley" below the center. That will cause the star to pop and create a 3-D look. You might have to manipulate it a little to make it work, but when you do, it's a great looking little embellishment. You can punch a tiny hole in one point and attach a name tag with twine or metallic thread.

I have to warn you...once you start making them, you can't stop. You can string some together and make a garland...apply glitter to make them sparkle...just let your imagination run wild. Start now and by Christmas, you'll have enough for all your packages and some to hang on the tree! A perfect piddlin' project...

Where Have I Been???

2009-09-29T05:20:00.000-07:00

If I disappear for long periods of time, you can rest assured I'm working hard to make brides happy. I've had a very busy August and September with my real job, which is making custom wedding invitations. It's what I love to do, it keeps me off the street, and it puts money in my pocket...which is basically what every real job should do.

Here's a sampling of invitations some of my fall brides have chosen. Hopefully these will convince their guests to join them on their special day. Lots of vellum and ribbon, some understated elegance, and one with a little fiesta flair. I've enjoyed the variety of the past few months as it would get pretty monotonous tying those bows in the same way for every invitation I work on.

So, know I haven't forgotten about blogging. It's just that at times I have to put those sweet brides first! I'll be back soon!

Bonus Brothers

2009-09-17T12:45:00.000-07:00

In my opinion there are two types of people in this world...the lucky ones that have great and loving brothers and the rest of us. I used to feel cheated and a little bit ticked off that I didn't hit the jackpot when brothers were being passed out, but over the years, I've come to realize that God put other guys in my life to compensate.

One of those was Woody. He was married to my dear friend for almost 30 years and we lost him recently. He'll be sorely missed by all who knew him. Because all who knew him...well, they really knew him. Woody was one of those people who didn't care if you liked him or not. It was up to you and it didn't matter one iota to him. I was put off by that when I first met him. It took me awhile to get with his program, but once I did I found it refreshing. So many people put on their best face and you're locked into a relationship when you find out they're not what you thought. Not Woody...you knew what you were getting into from the very beginning.

For the longest time he pretty much ignored me when I was at his house. Sometimes I'd move in for 3 days and he wouldn't go anywhere with us or join in any of our conversations. He'd just sit and read and occasionally voice his opinion about something and really just tolerated our giggles and non-stop chatter. But somewhere along the way we decided we liked each other.

One year I was there for my birthday and he told me as he was leaving for work that morning that he'd take us anywhere I wanted to go for a birthday dinner that night. After considering all the stellar eating establishments in Dallas, it would be Keller's. Keller's is an old hamburger/beer joint complete with carhops. It's been there as long as I can remember and one of my favorite places to eat when I go back. Not only do they have great burgers and cold beer, but it's the best place ever to people watch. And thus began a long-standing tradition. But the catch with Woody was everybody had to eat the same thing so the ordering with the carhop was uncomplicated. So we all had a number 5 and tots with a cold beer. Lucky for us all that's everybody's favorite anyway!

Four days after he left this world, as a salute to Woody, seven of us piled into his car and we went to Keller's for lunch. And you bet it was number 5's and tots with cold beer all around. Here's to my bonus brother, Woody, and years of great memories...we're gonna miss you!

A Labor Day Find

2009-09-13T21:55:00.000-07:00

We spent Labor Day weekend in Houston with our son and daughter-in-law. On Saturday we went down Westheimer in the Montrose section of town for lunch and a little shopping. I wasn't looking for anything in particular, but came across this lonely little chest of drawers in a vintage shop. I don't often find a piece of furniture that really calls my name, but this one did. And the best part, it was on sale. It sat in my garage all week because it weights about a gadzillion pounds and I knew I had to have help moving it. And besides, I didn't have a clue where I'd put it. But you know what they say, "If you really love a piece, buy it and you'll find a place for it."

I decided we'd better take the drawers out until I found its final resting spot. St. Wayne gets testy when I make him move heavy furniture. So here's the spot. It's next to my chaise in our bedroom. I thought it was the perfect place. After my piddlin' around all afternoon lining the 16 drawers with scented drawer liners, it's all set to be loaded. It will really provide lots of storage. But I think it's a powerful feeling to have a whole empty chest, so I might wait awhile to fill those little drawers. It's just good to finally have it in place for when I'm ready. A little bit shabby and a little bit chic...I love the combination of painted with a natural wood top. Yeah, I feel a little more piddlin' time coming for filling all those little drawers!

A "Chair"ished Collection

2009-09-04T10:03:00.000-07:00

"There's always a chair with your name on it at our house!" We live in Corpus Christi and we're ten minutes from the bay and thirty minutes from the gulf. In the past thirty years of living that near the beach, we've had our share of house guests.

Some time back I started collecting miniature chairs and I pick one to suite your personality when you let me know you're coming for an overnight visit. I hang a tiny tag on it with your name and put it on a tray along with a note pad and pencil, some snacks, magazines, and anything else I think you should have upon your arrival. The bonus is when my guests leave, they always leave something in their chair to remember them and the fun we've had.

Some of the items left behind include little notes, wine corks, and guitar picks. I even once found a tiny handcrafted mallet to remember the crab dinner we shared.

It's a fun collection and I have trouble resisting cute little chairs I find in the most interesting places. So come on now, make your reservations, and come see the chair I've picked for you!

White Chocolate Popcorn

2009-08-23T20:15:00.000-07:00

This week is going to be one busy week. With all sorts of deadlines facing me, I know I won't have any piddlin' time, so I'm giving you one of my favorite recipes. It's quick and delicious and, I'm sure, good for you. Ha! It's a great gift idea. I learned of this when my friend Debby gave me a beautiful Christmas apothecary jar filled with White Chocolate Popcorn a couple of Christmases ago. Not only was the jar spectacular, but the contents were delicious, too.

I made a batch today and have packaged it in little cello bags tied with ribbons. I thought I'd photograph the steps so you can see how easy it is. Okay, here we go.

You'll need the following: a bag of white chocolate chips, 6 small, single serving packages (or 3 large packages) of microwave popcorn, and a large bowl. Pop all the corn and place in the bowl. Melt the chocolate. (I use the microwave for about a minute, then check it after 20 second intervals, but an absolutely foolproof method is with a heating pad. Just place it on the pad and fold it over for about 30 minutes. It's perfectly melted every time and no chance of scorching it.)

Pour the melted chocolate over the popped corn and stir with a big spoon. Just stir and stir. Although you may feel you're not getting it covered, you are. Then turn it out on to a piece of parchment and let it air dry to allow the chocolate to harden. Break it apart and package. It's so easy and delicious.

Here's wishing you a good week. I'll be back when time allows!

Storing Stuff

2009-08-20T07:16:00.000-07:00

When you have as much stuff as I've accumulated over the past 25 years, you have no choice but to organize it. About six months ago, it finally got to me and I had to de-clutter. Click on these photos to enlarge and see the "after" and be glad I've spared you the "before." You may be thinking that it's still pretty cluttered, but believe me when I say it could be much worse.

The wire shelves on the left are deep so they hold lots of books and organizers. These came from Office Depot and were not expensive.

The picture on the right shows my ribbon racks. Those are rain gutters from Home Depot, sprayed black and screwed to the wall. It keeps my ribbon in view but neat and tidy.

The little drawers on the left of the ribbon racks are from Ikea (you see them everywhere), again sprayed black and labeled with a chalk marker. I like knowing what's in every little drawer without having to search. I have about 50 of those little drawers and they hide all the little things. The cabinet below is an old file cabinet that belonged at one time to a retired insurance man and and it held legal-size insurance files. It's very deep and holds a ton of stuff.

Once when St. Wayne and I were having a serious discussion about our finances, he was explaining where I needed to go to find insurance information, investments, and all those important things one would need if ever faced with the sudden demise of one's spouse. After all his instructions, all I could offer was, "Should I die first and you need them, the extensive collection of hole punches is in the insurance cabinet, far right side, third drawer down."

It's definitely the down side of being a one-woman show in business for yourself...that pesky subject of lack of benefits. Sometimes, at my age, I wonder if I should have gotten a real job years ago so that I could now enjoy a great big fat retirement package. But, then, I sit real still till that thought passes. And then I get up and open a drawer with adorable little hang tags or pull open the box that houses my vast assortment of watercolors, and I begin to piddle...

Piddlin' Place

2009-08-19T09:46:00.000-07:00

My favorite place to piddle is my studio...because that's where all my stuff happens to be. Working from home is a great pleasure and I feel very fortunate to be able to do that. But it does present its own set of problems. I've learned over time, that you have to set boundaries, or it can consume you 24/7. So I have french doors that I close when the shop is not open. I can't even hear the phone ring from other parts of the house.

My studio used to be an unused living room off the entryway. And because of its location, I really try to keep it tidy and presentable to anyone walking in my door.

I keep pretty regular hours...Tuesday through Friday, 9ish to 4ish. Mondays I play cards with the girls and do domestic things. I try to be available to my customers during my regular hours unless I'm running to the printer or I'm invited to lunch. Or Target's having a good sale...

The tour starts off at my computer desk. I bought the desk top at Ikea and put it atop filing cabinets. I ordered the center organizer from Ballard's Designs and then my clever and handy husband, St. Wayne, built the rest. We designed it to optimize the space of the desktop and provide spots for all my necessities.

The shelves above give me a world of storage. I love anything wire, so I use lots of antique gym baskets to store stuff and I am such a freak I had to cover my books up there with wrapping paper. It just looks prettier. Nothing uglier than a phone book.

Overall, I'm happy with this set up. It's functional and not too hard on the eyes. In the next part of the tour I'll show you where I keep my stuff...stay tuned...

Granddaddy's Hearts

2009-08-18T06:08:00.000-07:00

My grandparents moved in next door when I was five years old. Much to my mother's chagrin, I might add. Who wants her in-laws within rock-throwing distance? But I was in heaven. I was the only granddaughter for eleven years and Grandmomma doted on me. She handmade everything in my wardrobe...every dress I wore had lots of ruffles and bows and puffy sleeves. (That could be exactly why you'll never find me in a dress today!)

And what a perfect set up it was for a picky eater. Come suppertime, if I didn't like what Fern was serving at the family table, I'd wander down the path to Grandmomma's and check out what was cooking on her stove. Nine times out of ten, I'd like her selection better.

In my mother's defense, I can now understand why it was hard on her, but I couldn't understand at the time. In looking back, I remember a picture window suddenly appearing in my grandparents' kitchen. Not that it was a particularly good look for the kitchen, but it made it much easier for them to know what was going on at our house. As time went by, the path between the houses seemed to grow shorter. As they became elderly, they spent more time at our house and we spent more time at theirs.

Some of my favorite memories involve Sunday evenings on their big porch with my aunts, uncles, and cousins dropping by. I always looked most forward to my Aunt Rita showing up in her big car with a big bag of Dilly Bars from the Dairy Queen. I just couldn't believe that she and Uncle Ed had so much money they could afford to treat everybody to a Dilly Bar! Man...I wanted to be that rich when I grew up.

My Granddaddy was a much loved character. He always made us laugh and we could hear him sneeze from our house. He had an accident as a teenager that left him with a broken hip. One leg was much shorter than the other and left him in chronic pain. I never knew this until he was gone...all I knew was that he wore really funny looking shoes and walked with a terrible limp. He was a marble man who worked for The Vermont Marble Company in Dallas. He would spend hours in his garage making things like bookends and lamps with leftovers from the factory.

The picture above shows six little hearts I've had for years that he made. The interesting thing about these little works of art is that he used the end of a safety pin to fashion a jump ring so they could be worn on a chain. I've always loved these hearts and thought everybody in the family had an assortment of these. In talking with my cousin Sandy the other day, I've discovered they don't. So I'm offering these to my fellow Luther Girls...sister Joyce, and cousins Sandy, Tina, Diane, and Madeline. So let me hear from you girls...first come, first choice. They range in size from an inch to an inch and a half.

I think Granddaddy would be proud to know I'm sharing the fruits of his talent...here's to family memories of a simpler time!

Mail Art Continued

2009-08-17T14:12:00.000-07:00

Oops! I didn't get to finish what I wanted to say. Sorry about that. So where was I?

Oh yes...get out your water colors and add a little sizzle to your summer scene. And who says the stamp has to go in the upper right hand corner? It's going to get to where it's going if you put the right amount of postage on it...so just put it anywhere you think it fits.

So give the mailman or mailwoman a thrill with your artwork. And I'll bet the recipient will tear into your envelope before the rest of the mail, too.

Have fun with your mail!

Mail Art

2009-08-17T13:58:00.000-07:00

Dress your mail for summer. Never send a dull and boring envelope again. By using a waterproof marker to draw...I like Micron Pigma permanent pens from Michael's...

you can embellish your envelope with your own brand of fun.

As you can see, you can produce a fun masterpiece using nothing but squiggle, circles, and dots and then you're ready for the next step...

Get

Getting the Kinks Out

2009-08-14T07:25:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for the emails I've gotten. For some reason, you can't comment in the regular way. I'll have to ask my consultant what we can do to fix that. So in the meantime, if you have something to say, please do. You'll just have to email me at the address in my profile.

Your notes were all so encouraging! I appreciate that. What would I do without all of you dear peeps of mine?! And now I have another fear looming in the background...what if all I want to do is blog? That's what I'm really afraid of. And blogging won't give me spending money...won't pay the bills...

I'm really looking forward to the interaction of this blog. Since closing my store front and moving to my home studio, I have to admit I'm lonely. I really miss having you drop by and chat or running into you at the place next door. Even though I love being here at the house, I do miss getting out because of all of you I encountered everyday. And I miss people working with me. I miss birthday celebrations (not to mention the cakes!) and just interaction with somebody besides Martha Stewart and Oprah...you know Oprah is always my four o'clock appointment. So thanks for being out there and thanks for letting me know you're out there.

I've also been told I need to be sassier. And I agree...I warned you it was a little dry. It will pick up as I go along, I'm sure. A new book called "Blogging for Bliss" by Tara Frey just came out and I got it yesterday. It has all sorts of tips and suggestions from other online bloggers that have me excited about this whole thing. That book's really gotten me pumped up!

I want to give you an excuse to PLAY! I want you to find time everyday for a little joy. And for me, joy is getting my "stuff" out and just playing. Whether it's a pan of watercolors (and they can be from the grocery store for a couple of bucks) or a new recipe or a note to a friend...just find a little while to escape and piddle. You have my permission...now give yourself permission!

Also I want to let you know that you can click on the photos in this blog and they will enlarge so you an see the detail. Like how dirty my kitchen table is...or the fingerprints on my fridge...you know, important stuff like that.

So thank you, thank you...it's like a conversation and I really want you to feel free to jump in with me!

Bordering on Boredom

2009-08-13T21:29:00.000-07:00

We remodeled our kitchen last Spring. One of my favorite changes was a wallpaper border that I painted over with chalkboard paint. I'd grown a little bored with the chickens encircling the eating area...although they were pretty cute perched in different little chairs...I figured enough already!

Being a calligrapher, I bought a chalk marker from my local craft store and lettered different quotes all the way around the room. The chalk marker requires a little elbow grease to remove, but it's much smoother to apply and stays. You can actually rub against it, and unlike chalk, it won't smudge.

I change the quotes when the mood strikes and even do little drawings from time to time. It's always a topic of conversation with dinner guests and my friends and family contribute food-related quotes in the hope of seeing theirs on the wall.

Does Anybody Outgrow It?

2009-08-12T18:31:00.000-07:00

Does anybody love getting a birthday card with money in it more than I do? I love that. On St. Wayne's last birthday, our friend Cathie sent him a birthday card with a gift card to the Marble Slab. It was so much fun! It was affordable for anybody, and a really fun treat for us...of course I wormed my way into celebrating with him.

Here's a little card I sent today with a $20 bill in it to my nephew. Not much, but hey, a cheap thrill is still a cheap thrill. I love the new stamps available right now and hopefully you can see it's stacked letters spelling "celebrate."

Now if you're reading this and saying, "she never sends me a $20 bill in a birthday card," I have a really hard time keeping up with birthdays. But I could surprise you someday, just don't expect it and we're good. Just don't depend on it, either.

Go to the post office and pick out your stamps and decorate that envelope to match. Just piddle around with and you might be surprised what you'll come up with.

Many Thanks

2009-08-11T13:53:00.000-07:00

I have to say "thanks" to Colleen. She's my technologically advanced friend who knows how to do everything, especially those things pertaining to computers. And believe me when I say, if not for her, you wouldn't be reading this blog right now.

Little did I know how much I'd learn from her when I sat down across from her in study hall in 1964. She was wearing the coolest shade of nail polish of anybody in school. And when I asked her the name of the shade and she said, "Coffee," I knew she was sophisticated. The rest of us girls picked out colors like "Candy Stripes" and "Pouting Pink"...but not the new girl from the big city...no siree...she was naturally drawn to names like "Coffee."

We've been through lots together in the past 45 years...boyfriends, weddings, divorces and near divorces, baby boys, deaths of our parents, life's ups and downs in general. I've always been able to count on her...she's always there when I need her. She one of the most unselfish people I've ever known. And I appeciate her...and our friendship. Thanks Colleen!

Piddlin'...an Art Form

2009-08-04T12:27:00.000-07:00

I've been a piddler for as long as I can remember. The nature of my business for the past 25 years, producing custom invitations, has always presented lots of deadlines. To keep my sanity, when I can, I steal away a little time to piddle.

Piddlin' was learned at a very young age and I admit I've become quite good at it. And I take great pride in it. I can waste time like you wouldn't believe and have such a good time doing so. The purpose of this blog is to encourage you to piddle and enjoy the process.

I'll be back to share some ideas for playin' and piddlin'...so stay tuned!