Success! (and a long overdue Show and Tell)

It's the little things in life that make us happy.  Small obstacles over come that make us smile.  Sometimes these successes even make the family as a whole very happy.

As you know, I have been blessed with a cold.  So I decided on Monday that I would make some chicken noodle soup when I got home...not open the can of Campbell's kind of soup, but cut veggies, cook chicken and simmer kind of soup.  No one in the family complained because Number Two Son also had a cold and the others know when Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.  So if she wants chicken soup and she's cooking, we'll have chicken soup. But what were we going to have with it?  Hmmm.......some biscuits would be really good.......Yikes! Biscuits! For those of you who don't know, I've been struggling with biscuits for a long time.  So as not to belabor a point, just read about my shame here. 

I really liked the idea of biscuits with the soup, but wasn't sure that my current state was a good one for trying to rage this battle. I mean, let's face it, a cold doesn't bring out the best in a person. I was already tired and cranky.  Did I really want to add to my frustration? Then I decided "What the hey" and went for it.  I've tried several different recipes that weren't successful, so I decided I needed to try a new one.  So off I went to the Tasty Kitchen. .

If you've never been there, the Tasty Kitchen is kind of like Ravelry for foodies.  It's a spin off of the Pioneer Woman's blog and is a WONDERFUL resource.  There you will find not only Ree Drummond's recipes, but tons of others.  I wanted something quick and easy.  No yeast rolls, just some simple biscuits.  And there I found a recipe for - get ready, this is so great - Baby's Bottom Biscuits. Seriously?  How can you go wrong with something named Baby's Bottom? They come from Kat and her blog is Kat's in the Kitchen. She makes what I call comfort food and it looks wonderful.  I have a pretty good idea that I will be visiting Kat's Kitchen a lot.

Back to the biscuits.  The recipe was simple and the dough tasted like biscuit dough should taste - Am I the only one who taste dough? And....are you ready?  Can you handle the excitement? Here are the biscuits.......

Fresh from the oven...

With dinner....

And after dinner.

That's right...after dinner there were only two...TWO...biscuits left. And they didn't last long. No hockey pucks were present.  No teeth were broken.  None were used as weapons to knock their siblings, I mean other people out. I was happy.  My husband was happy.  My kids were happy. AND my dentist was happy! FINALLY!  I can make biscuits!  You have no idea how happy this makes me.  No more hanging my head in shame. I am a proud southern cook and I CAN MAKE BISCUITS!  I owe it all to Kat...and a little perseverance...and a good dental plan.....

So Kat has my undying gratitude and I'm off to make more biscuits....maybe a few Cheese Biscuits would be good.....What do you think?

Naughty, Naughty!

Hello all!  I'm afraid I was naughty last month. And no one noticed - whew! I went the whole month and didn't do a Show and Tell/Pay if Forward post?!?!  Shame! I'm going to chalk it up to August being crazy busy and claim vacation.  So for September's Show and Tell......drum roll please......Soule Mama.

Amanda Soule's books available at Amazon.com

I don't know if any of you are familiar with her, but her name is Amanda Blake Soule.  She's an author (three books shown above), a blogger, a homemaker and a Momma...of five, no less. The thing I love about her is that everything she does, her blog and books, are centered around her family.  It's so obvious that they are her priority.

I've written and rewritten this post several times because I have some very strong opinions about motherhood.  It's one of the most important jobs a woman can have and it's something that all of us moms should do with pride.  I went off on several tangents about how society doesn't respect this job as they should (looking down said noses at stay at home moms) and decided that this post was not the place to get on my soapbox. I'll save that for a later date.  Let's just say that Amanda takes great pride in motherhood and being a homemaker extraordinaire. She's the kind of wife/mother I strive to be and wish that I had the time and energy to juggle the necessary job and motherhood without feeling like I'm falling on my face half the time. She reminds me very much of my Sainted Mother and that is a HUGE compliment.  I grew up with clothing sewn by my mother, hand packed lunches, help with homework, a smiling face in the stands/audience at every event and hugs and kisses always at the ready. That is the kind of mom Amanda comes across as.

Amanda has wonderful posts about knitting, sewing, cooking, canning and general homemaking. She suggests great references from books to blogs. She's a good read for those of us who appreciate the finer feminine skills of motherhood, so pop over some time and check her out.

Legal Jargon - Disclaimer - the pictures above are from Amazon.com.  They are copyrighted material.  They are solely the work of Amanda Blake Soule and are her property.  I am not claiming them as my own in any way, shape or form cause I ain't no thief.  Also, Amanda does not know me and this is not a paid endorsement. I'm just sharing the love.  Does that take care of all the legal stuff? Thank you for your time!

I've Got Mail! July's Show and Tell

So I've decided to combine two tasks into one.   And not because I'm lazy (even though I'm feeling a bit lazy), but because they seem to work together perfectly.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I love getting mail.  Email, snail mail, it doesn't matter which.  I just love that little jolt of happiness knowing that I've been on some one's mind enough that they decided to let me know. I think that's part of the reason I love blogging. It makes me feel special and we all need to feel special every once in a while. I remember when I was younger and my Nanny would call me and tell me she had just mailed me a letter.  I would run to the mail box everyday with anticipation.  I think she is part of the reason why I love it so much. What does all this rambling mean, you ask? I received a lovely package in the mail this week!

It came all the way from Australia and contained several lovely items.

This amazing magazine.

A gorgeous handcrafted card.

And a really sweet letter.

(It also had a beautiful little pillow in it to embellish, but you don't get to see it until I decide what I'm going to do with it.)

The magazine is an Australian magazine that has some beautiful patterns in it.  I'm definitely need to improve my knitting skills because there are some items that I'm wanting to make.

Like this gorgeous sweater.  I'm not sure if I'm ready to try this one yet or not. I'm thinking that there could be a knit along in my future...we'll see what the gift giver thinks since she likes this sweater as well.

There were also some wonderful articles about various types of yarns.  The colors are just amazing and I think I'm becoming a bit envious of yarn that is available in Australia and New Zealand. 

Now, you ask, who did I get this lovely package from?  My lovely friend Sandi. It all started because she accidentally purchased a magazine she already had...How many of you out there have done that? Show of hands please....mine is up there too, so don't feel bad. Anyway, instead of taking the magazine back, she had a drawing on her blog for a give away and I was the lucky recipient. How cool is that?  Then she threw a few extras in there!

Sandi is one of the first people I "met" while blogging and she's this month's Show and Tell. We both started blogging about the same time and I've enjoyed sharing this journey with her.  She is a very lovely, talented knitter.

Look how cute this little dress is!  If you go to Sandi's blog, you will see it modeled. It is absolutely adorable.

She's taught herself how to crochet and she's currently working on a granny blanket that is going to be gorgeous! She also made this delightful little hat.

Not only does Sandi knit and crochet, but she makes beautiful cards, journals and book marks.

 

These are just a couple of examples.

If you get a chance, go pop over and visit.  I think she's one of the little hidden gems out there.  She has a wonderful sense of humor and always an encouraging word.  She has definitely enriched my life with her posts, comments and emails.

Legal Jargon - Disclaimer - the pictures above are from Sandi's Blog.  They are solely her work, her photography and her property.  I am not claiming them as my own in any way, shape or form cause I ain't no thief.  Also, Sandi does know me, but this is not a paid endorsement. I'm just sharing the love.  Does that take care of all the legal stuff? Thank you for your time!

PS.  Thank you so much for the wonderful package full of goodies Sandi!  It is greatly appreciated and made my day, week!!!  Lots of hugs coming your way!

Show & Tell Time!

Oh dear, I'm running a little late.  Only a day or so.  I'm just so wrapped up trying to figure out socks, that the days slipped up on me.  Who would of thought one could become obsessed with a knitted tube? *sigh* But now it's time to pay it forward!

Photo credit: http://thequincetree65.blogspot.com/

June's Show and Tell is Sue at The Quince Tree.  Sue is a fellow crocheter and home maker in Worcester, England. I don't know how many followers she has, but I'm sure it's a ton.  She mostly blogs about food and healthy food at that.  Her photos are amazing and having made a couple of her recipes, I can say that the food is pretty dang good too.

Photo credit: http://thequincetree65.blogspot.com

I mean seriously, look at that food?  Doesn't it look amazing?  Yummy?  Hello?!?  Have you left to go scrounge through your kitchen now?  I will admit that the one drawback to her blog is that I'm usually hungry after reading her posts.  There is just something so amazing about these photos that makes my mouth water and my hips quiver with growth as they try to break free from the tight confines of the cloth that contains them from over exposure. I seriously feel like I've gained weight on some days. As I'm writing this, these two lovely items to the right are on her blog along with Nutella Cupcakes...Oh....My...Goodness...Did you hear that?  Sorry, it was my stomach.  Seriously though, the thing that I love about her is that so many of her recipes are truly healthy and made with natural, fresh ingredients, which of course makes them taste better. She also has great tips for stocking a healthy pantry and fridge and some money saving tips as well.  Go check her out.  You will thank me later, but your waistline might not :)


Legal Jargon - Disclaimer - the pictures above are from Sue's Blog.  They are solely her work, her photography and her property.  I am not claiming them as my own in any way, shape or form cause I ain't no thief.  Also, Sue doesn't know me from Adam's house cat so this is not a paid endorsement.  Does that take care of all the legal stuff? Thank you for your time!

Now for a quick sock update.  My first sock is still sitting in my bag waiting for my meeting with my Yarn Girls (Waving - Hey Ladies!)  I think it might be a little disgusted with me, but not nearly as disgusted as I am with it. Car Guy actually caught me scowling at it...Ooops!  My second sock is coming along nicely and I am currently working on the heal flap.  Next comes the heel, which is where everything fell apart last time.  Oh dear!  We'll see how this goes. And while we are here, talking about my socks, I just want to take a moment and thank everyone for their encouragement, sweet emails and virtual lessons.  You guys are so awesome!! I don't know what I'd do without you......except maybe not knit socks? Anyway, you are much appreciated!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!  I'm off to work on my heel flap & eat lunch, cause for some crazy reason, I'm really hungry now.

May Show & Tell and A Little Humor

What the....May? What happened to April? And March for that matter? I REALLY miss how slowly time moved when I was a child. Now everything moves way too fast....Anyway.....It's time for May's Show and Tell.

Something you may or may not know about me is that I like to wear dresses, mostly in the spring and summer.  They are comfortable and usually pretty cool.  And evidently the lady I'm about to introduce you to likes them as well. Her name is Jessica.  Her blog is Green Apples and she sews....

 and sews....

 and sews....

and sews quite well.

I like to sew, I'm just not that good at it. But guess what?!  She also knits....

She does that well too.

I love going to visit Jessica's blog because first of all, I love clothes.  Secondly, everything looks so pretty.  Her details are great and her explanations are easy to understand.  I know the basics of sewing and when I read her blog, I totally understand what she's done. She also tells you all the great things like what fabric she used, what problems she ran into with the pattern and suggestions to make your attempt a little easier. I think she also appeals to the practical side of me in that she makes all this stuff (she's quite prolific) and wears it. She even chronicled a whole trip with the clothes she wore and whether she bought or made them. Everything looks so good on her too.

Stop on by and check her out. She's inspiring me to take the cover off the old Singer...maybe.  This could be dangerous.

Legal Jargon - Disclaimer - the pictures above are from Jessica's Blog.  They are solely her work, her photography and her property.  I am not claiming them as my own in any way, shape or form cause I ain't no thief.  Also, Jessica doesn't know me from Adam's house cat so this is not a paid endorsement.  Does that take care of all the legal stuff? Thank you for your time!

Now for the humor.  I noticed the other day that I had a HUGE spike in my hits.  I couldn't imagine why they literally tripled.  Well, when you title you blog post Happy Hookers, I'm guessing it broadens your appeal to a whole new audience. Hmmmm....I wonder how many disappointed people were out there?  "This is about CROCHET?!?!" I'm guessing this was NOT what they were expecting. Especially since this hooker was making clothing and not taking it off  : )

April's Show and Tell and Why I Hate My Weather Radio

It' so lovely to be getting back into the groove of routine.  I'm finding the older I get, the more I like it.  Does that make me boring??  Never mind, don't answer that.

The blog I'd like to recommend for April's Show and Tell (Pay it Forward) is Jackie at Dog-Daisy Chains.  Some of you may already be acquainted with her blog as she has over 600 followers, but I bet that's not a true representation and she has a lot of regular visitors.
 

Does this look familiar?  It's her banner. I absolutely LOVE her use of color and texture. There is an incredible flow to what she produces and her embroidery is exquisite. There is so much to love....If you'd like to look at some of her artwork - cause that's what it is, you can find her on Flicker and she also has an Etsy store.  Please take a moment to be awed. I definitely was.

Legal Jargon - Disclaimer - the picture above is a copy of the banner of Jackie's Blog.  It is solely her artwork, her photography and her property.  I am not claiming them as mine in any way, shape or form cause I ain't no thief.  Also, Jackie doesn't know me from Adam's house cat so this is not a paid endorsement.  Does that take care of all the legal stuff? Thank you for your time!

Have you ever seen one of these before? It's a weather radio. Now, for those of who don't live the Southern Area of the United States, you may not be aware of the crazy weather we get in the spring.  According to the weather men, there are lots of changes in the temperature and atmospheric pressure.  All I know is that it gets REALLY dark and Mother Nature decides to put on this amazing show of lights, sounds, water, and sometimes wind.  This is not normally a big deal, but sometimes it can get a little hairy.

Picture if you will, a fairly normal Monday evening.  Everyone is tired, as they usually are after a long day.  And since this wasn't a particularly good Monday (not terrible, just not good) everyone is looking forward to the comfort of their beds and a good night's sleep.  All is quiet and well with the world.  It starts raining, then there is some lightening and a little wind. Just as that lovely deep sleep is getting ready to take over the body and releave it of the day's stress - WOOWAAA!  The piercing sound of a siren breaks through the rhythm of the rain. Trying to turn off the alarm clock doesn't make it stop.  It only gets louder and then this strange male voice that is vaguely familiar, but not one normally heard in the bedroom, finally penetrates the fog of the sleeping brain....."This is a warning from the National Weather Service....Severe Thunderstorms and Tornado Watches have been issued for the following  areas.....Seek shelter in a basement or other safe structure.  If you are in a mobile home seek immediate shelter....." Holy Toledo! It's the weather radio letting us know that all hell is about to break loose.  It's amazing that I didn't pee in my bed last night.  The weather radio is a wonderful device and I do recommend them as they have been known to help save lives.  But I'm just wondering how many heart attacks and soiled bed linens they've caused as well.   We slept in the basement for a little bit and then went back to bed.  Just as I was falling back to sleep....WOOOWAA!  Argh! Not again?!?! It finally stopped.  I'm not sure what time.  I just know that when my alarm clock (battery operated, thank you) went off this morning, I was not ready to get up.  Then we had to get ready with no power.  Has anyone ever tried to put makeup on in the semi darkness of dawn?  Not the easiest thing to do. It looks a little wonky.  Fortunately, I wasn't the only one with a wonky face and tired eyes at work today.  I hope to get better sleep tonight....please.

After work, I get to spend time with my "yarn friends."  I'm really looking forward to seeing these lovely ladies and learning more about them and the craft we all love. I hope everyone has a wonderful day and gets to do something fun with yarn  :)

Show and Tell Time!!

Andrea's Paper Pine Cone

In case some of you haven't figured out, I LOVE to laugh.  I think laughter is one of the most WONDERFUL activities in the world.  And a good, almost pee yourself, can't get enough air, tears streaming down your face laugh is the BEST. And every once in a while I find someone who does this for me.  Car Guy is one of those people.  He comes up with stuff that cracks me up and I never know when he's going to roll out these little gems of his.

Well, for March's Pay it Forward, I wanted to share someone else who makes me laugh like this and I don't have to cook for her, clean her house, help with the mortgage payment or sleep with her for that matter....sorry, TMI.  Her name is Andrea and she is The Creative Junkie.  A friend suggested her blog to me and anytime I need a good laugh, I go visit.  I've never personally met Andrea, but her snarky, sarcastic, biting humor is wonderful.  Fair warning, in her own words, she's "prone to letting an expletive or two fly." so if you are the least bit sensitive to four letter words, don't go visit. As I'm not easily offended (because I live with a bunch of guys) I didn't notice until I read a section out loud...oops! Her blog is not a craft blog, despite the name - although she did blog about the beautiful Pine Cone that she made (pictured above). She hits just about every topic in the world and is just as random as I am. She even shared her great wisdom with  What's She's Learned About Facebook. That Facebook post was the first one of her's that I ever read, and I literally did just about pee myself.

So go check her out, say hi and have a good laugh because we all need a good laugh!

February's Pay It Forward or Good Old Fashioned "Show and Tell"

It's so hard for me to believe that February is already here!  It seems we spend so much time rushing the week, wanting the week-end to "Hurry Up and Get Here" and then wonder where the week went.  I guess it's just one of those crazy paradoxes of life.

So it's time to introduce everyone to a "new" blog.  I've probably spent way too much time browsing the blog world and I've come across some really great ones. I think, at the rate I'm going, my list is so long that I might start doing two a month. I do have one question for you.  I've noticed that there are a lot of blogs where people used to post regularly, but aren't anymore.  They have some really neat information contained in them, even if they aren't currently active and some of them have amazing "eye candy." Are you interested in seeing those as well?  I could possibly make those a mid-month "Show-and-Tell."  I would love to hear back from you on this one.

Drum roll please.......

Elaine Thronton's Cosmic Earth Beads

This blog comes to us from Elaine Thornton and is ChatElaine Jewellry.  I don't know Elaine, but we share a love for lamp work beads. It's been a few years since I've made any, but it is a beautiful craft to be involved in and this lady makes some really beautiful beads.  That is some her handy work over there.  Love the swirls!  She also makes some really cute ghosts, angels and Christmas tress. Pop over and take a gander. And if you have a little money to spend, she has an Etsy store too! She also is participating in the "One World One Heart" Blog event.  

The "One World One Heart" Blog event is kind of like a blog world open house.  I just found out about it and am a little disappointed that I didn't know about it sooner because over 1000 bloggers participate from around the world. If a blog is participating in the event, they will be displaying this lovely little badge somewhere on their blog.

"Joyride and The Muse" by Lisa Swifka

This leads me to that other blog that I want to share with you and it belongs to Lisa Swifka at A Whimsical Bohemian.  She is the host of the "One World One Heart" event and also an amazing artist in her own right.  I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE what she is trying to accomplish so I greatly encourage that you pop over to her blog and read about this wonderful event she is hosting. She created this lovely little character to the left, (Joyride is the bird and Muse is the rider) and Lisa is giving them away as a door prize.  Aren't they absolutely quirky and adorable!  Also, before I forget, click HERE and this will take you to a list of blogs that are participating in the "One World One Heart" event. 

I hope you enjoy nosing around with these two beautiful, talented ladies.  Be prepared to sit for a while and be mesmerized. I'll be back to my regular posts soon with the normal wrestling updates and a ta-da moment for the baby blanket.  Have a joyful day!!!

2010 Year in Review and Pay it Forward

First, let me start by saying that I'm not one to dwell in the past.  Full steam ahead - that's me. But I felt compelled to look back briefly because of...well...you.  I started this blog this last year as just a place to put down thoughts, nothing fancy - thus the name - Random Thoughts of a Crazy Woman (I'm a self professed Crazy Woman). It wasn't going to be a great production.  I figured I wouldn't put any pictures in here because I can't take a good picture to save my life.  Just a place to vent, if you will.  I was already a member of Ravelry and from Ravelry, I found Alice and her beautiful crochet. Then, through Alice, I discovered Elizabeth Cat, which led me to Lucy. This all sounds wonderful because, as you all know, these are some very talented, creative women that share their talent and creativity with us - Yay! But I kept finding other creative, talented women - Sandi, Denise, Teresa, Erica, Amanda, and so many more. And from you all, I've received encouragement, humor, inspiration and friendship, none of which I expected.  I went from a Random Thought to 1154 page views last year!  I know, compared to most of you, that's not a lot.  But for me, it's absolutely amazing!  I never expected anyone, other than Car Guy and a few friends, to ever read this or find my life the least bit interesting. I mean, I've had people from Thailand, Slovenia, Russia, and South Africa stop by.  I'm sure some of it's just a fluke, but it still boggles my mind......Thailand?  Really?  But you have listened to me whine, brag and laugh so I won't cry and I can't tell you how much that means to me. It just goes to show when you think no one is listening, someone out there does hear you.

So, because of your support, I am making ONE New Year's Resolution.  This is a pretty big deal because I typically don't make them...I don't like to disappoint myself, so I try to keep life simple. At least once a month, I'm going to post a link to a blog that I find interesting.  If it's a good month, I might post more, but I'm going to start with once a month.  I might know the author of the blog, or it might be one I've stumbled upon while cruising, but I encourage you all to visit and enjoy.  Leave a comment because those make a blogger's day.  Trust me, I know (as I'm sure you do) that your comments will brighten someone's day and that's where the pay it forward comes in.  A kind random comment might help someone get through a really bad day.

This is the banner for Sight of Morning - So pretty!

So, my first suggested blog is The Sight of Morning by Alice. I don't know Alice personally, but she has a wonderful irreverent, self deprecating sense of humor and I thoroughly enjoy her outlook on life. She's one of those ladies that down plays how incredible she is because I don't really think that she knows.  She also has some really beautiful pictures.  Go check her out, tell her how amazing she is and say "Hi." Let me know what you think.

Now I'm going to pack away 2010 and say farewell to the good, the bad and the ugly of it.  I hope that you all have a truly blessed 2011 that brings you much happiness, good will and hope, because we can all use a little hope!