Grab a cup of tea....

and get comfortable because we've got some catching up to do.

I've been to the beach with my new camera and I was so surprised at the colors of winter! Who would have thought?





I've also been doing a lot of sewing lately....

See those directions up there? The part where it talks about a 2" cushion? haha...oops! See, I have this wonderful rolling storage bench that I use when I'm sewing, but the hard top is not the least bit comfortable to sit on, which means I needed a cushion. So, I design this very simple seat cushion and off I go to the fabric store to buy a foam pad, but while I was there I decided 2" wasn't thick enough for my tush and I bought a 3" pad instead. Well, someone sort of forgot to change the sewing directions and then when I finished the cushion cover it didn't fit. (knucklehead!) But it turned out so well I simply had to buy the 2" foam to fit it. No way was I ripping out my marvelous sewing.



This is the close-up of my clever little zipper trick for getting the pad inside. Oh, it wasn't difficult to sew at all, but it sure taxed my brain as I was designing it. I have such a hard time visualizing how something will look.

And, yes, I still have the 3" foam, but I'll probably make a floor cushion out of that. It's a family thing that we sit on the floor alot. I don't know why....

Then there was this beautiful quilted fabric that just jumped into my arms as I walked about the store. I guess I'm cured of not being able to figure out how to use fabric because this one also had a definite purpose before I bought it. It's loosely based on Amanda Soule's letter satchel, but since the material was already quilted, I simply bound off the edges with bias tape. I so want to keep it, but I think it's going to my granddaughter instead. Hey, I want to be my granddaughter!

I intended to sew this up last night, but didn't have the right color thread. You gotta love a guy who automatically offers to take you to the fabric store for more thread. Right? Even better is when said guy is at the store, walks up, hands you a button and says, "this is perfect for your project."

And the button is perfect! How cool is that? This satchel was so quick and easy that I made it up before I went to work this morning. I have enough material to make another project but that one is still in the design stage. Again, it's for my granddaughter. Did I mention I want to be her?

You want another must make soup recipe? Another that will blow you away? Try this one.

Sorry about the half eaten soup picture, but at least I remembered before it was all gone. My girlfriend came up with this recipe first and all I said when I tasted it was, "mmmmm, mmmmm, mmmmm!"

Spicy Chicken Rice Soup
4 c vegetable broth (Imagine)
2 c cooked wild rice
1 chicken breast, cooked, diced
1 8oz can Mexican tomato sauce (El Pato)
1 8oz can water chestnuts, diced

Mix everything together in a pan, bring to boiling and add 2 big handfuls of spinach just before serving. Enjoy!

This has a bit of a bite to it (that's what the Leinie is for), but you won't believe how delicious it is. You'll soon be going "mmmm, mmmm, mmmm" too. I promise.

Alright, that's enough from me. I'm coming over to visit the rest of you for a while....and I'm bringing my tea with me. Save me a good spot, won't you?