Dec 29, 2013

Hanging Towel with added Flare

Easy Hanging Towel
With my sewing supplies in WI, while I was there I was determined to bring something back with me to Mexico  so I could sew,  (even though I know I have to hand sew.) I went through my sewing bin for all I need to make my Hanging Towel I don't have one on my stove here, I miss my towel not falling off when I'm cooking.






While digging I found a finished towel  that was already stamped.
My wonderful sister bought a stamp with my trademark.
Now I have the pattern, the towel (material), the fat-quarters, pins, needles, thread, scissors (forgot a thimble).  I'll heal.....




Dec 23, 2013

Holiday Travels

I honestly had no intentions of traveling during this holiday season.  Bill and I haven't spent Christmas together in 5 years and I was excited that this year it would be just the two of us. I got word that my Mother had a severed nerve in her neck and had to have it operated on ASAP.  I bought a one-ticket on Saturday, and then on Tuesday I flew into Chicago, from Cabo.  It was 81 degrees when I left out of SJD, to walk out of ORD into 28 degrees... Burr!
Mom's surgery was on Thursday, she did awesome through the entire process, pre-surgery, surgery and recovery.  They kept her overnight.  That night we had a lovely ice storm.  When I woke up the next morning everything was encased in ice... yah, just gotta love that Mid-western weather.


I braved the icy roads to pick Mother up from the hospital (her driveway was actually the worst of it).  I was in her hospital room when the Nurse went over the do's and don'ts... the look on Mother's face when the Nurse informed her she's not to drive for a month, was priceless... you just can't keep the woman down.  I did get her home safely.  My Mother's Sister, Aunt Junie and I tended to her that whole day; she was getting tired of being fussed over.  Realizing she is going to be just fine and with Aunt Junie there to dog watch her, I bought a one-way ticket out of MKE back to Cabo, to spend Christmas with Bill.
Shopiere, WI
I left Mother's house on Saturday to go up to my Sister's in WI because of a snowstorm that was coming in that night.  Yesterday we woke up to eight or so inches of fresh white powder.  So beautiful, all the trees, first iced then the snow over it, well it's just breathe taking, taking the picture through a car window.... outside, not so much.


I fly out of MKE tomorrow morning; I will be spending Christmas with Bill, in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico... 

Merry Christmas and Safe Travels!

Update on my plan to leave the frozen tundra:  The flight out of WI was delayed because a water line on the plane was frozen, go figure when I arrived at MKE, it was -2.  With the flight delayed in WI, I missed my connecting flight to Cabo.  I would have stayed in WI for Christmas with my family, but they refused to pull the luggage off of the plane, I had to follow my luggage.  I fly Delta when ever possible, in all my travels I prefer this airline above all, and now I know why.  After getting to ATL, Delta who could not get me to Cabo until 4 days later, got me a flight out the next morning on a different airline, gave me a very nice room at a close by hotel for the night and food vouchers.  I flew out the next morning and arrived in Cabo on Christmas Day. Go Delta.

Dec 15, 2013

Organizing Blog

I'm not a very organized person. I know where everything is, I remember where I put things....  they are just not organized.  I've decided to (try to) organize my blog to make it easier for friends and followers.

With that in mind I'm re-posting a recipe from March 2012, so that it can put into my Recipe Box.  This Recipe is a big hit with my family.  I, personally eat very little pork, and absolutely NO processed meats.... ok, occasionally a brat, I'm from WI, what can I say..... so when I make this for myself, I make it very differently.  (See healthier variation at bottom of recipe)
Biscuit Egg Muffins
What you need to make  these the healthiest, easiest, and yummiest.
1.  Frozen biscuits (no preservatives)
2.  Sausage (1/2 lb lean) 
3.  Eggs (6)
4.  Shredded Cheese (1/2 cup)
*Bake at 400' for 12 minutes

Fry sausage, drain fat.  Break into small pieces.  I pulled bacon out of the freezer and cut into small pieces.

  
Thaw biscuits. Split in half. Use 1/2 biscuit per muffin. 
Spray muffin tin with Pam. Oil hands, I used olive oil, and spread the biscuit dough into the bottom of the muffin tin and a little up the sides.
Sprinkle sausage or bacon bits over biscuit dough.

Beat eggs, DO NOT add any water or milk. 

Salt lightly (there's sodium in the biscuits/sausage) and pepper.
Pour over sausage, leaving at least 1/8 inch from top.
Sprinkle with cheese. "DON'T FORGET THE CHEESE! CHEESE ON EVERYTHING!" just a little Wisconsin humor.

Bake at 400' for 12 minutes. Cool slightly, serve with fresh fruit.  
To reheat after frozen, remove from freezer, place in paper towel, and cook 2 minutes.

I guarantee, Oos, Ahhs and yummy noises at the breakfast table.
for a Healthier variation.

Dec 12, 2013

Santa Craft Stick Ormament

I'm having so much fun designing and making these stick ornaments. I'm trying to keep them simple, but with details.  

We will be spending Christmas in Cabo, this year.  With that in mind, we will not be having a traditional Christmas Tree, because with that comes all the trimmings, the expense, then what to do with all you have acquired........ Well at least we'll have 3 ornaments.








Santa Craft Stick Ornament
Supplies you need:
 Craft Stick (shown is a pre-colored stick)
Paint - red, black, facial, light pink, white, gold
Foam - red, white, black
Twist tie - striped for wire (glasses)
Brown paper from bag
Ribbon - 1 white pom pom
Glue, scissors, paint brush, toothpick


Instructions
1 If stick is not pre-colored red, Paint stick red, dry
2 Cut shoes, shoe band, beard, hat, hatband, arms, mittens.
3 Paint face, with facial color, dry paint again, dry.
4 Paint on face, pink cheeks, spot of red for lips, two black dots for eyes (with toothpick), white eyebrows above the eyes, paint black strip for belt, dry. Measure how far down the beard would be, and paint two gold dots for buttons, and with toothpick paint gold buckle on black belt, dry.
5 Strip paper off twist tie to expose wire inside. Using small stick (I used end of paint brush), leave small length of wire and wrap once, leave very small amount of wire and wrap around stick, again, making small pair of glasses.  Using a toothpick, glue wire where it doubles in the wrap to ensure strength.  Set aside.
6 Glue hatband on hat, fold over and glue, then glue pom pom to tip of hat.
7  Glue on hat, beard, make sure the mouth hole goes over the red spot on face, glue on shoes. Using a scissors, scrap a line down the middle of shoes to make it look like two shoes.  Paint black line for legs.
8 Adjust glasses on face, glue on sides of stick, dry, then secure on back of stick by gluing  both wire ends to stick.
9 Crumple brown paper to make a bag, tie with ribbon at top of bag.  Glue mittens to arms, then glue arms onto stick.
10 Glue paper bag to back of stick, pull right arm around to the back of stick to hold top of bag, and left arm around to hold bag in the front of stick. Glue arms in place.
11 Cut and tie small ribbon, glue to back of stick.






FYI:  I went to trouble to make a pdf file, if anyone would like one for the craft collection, please email me at cgammeter@yahoo.com and I will be happy to email.
Thanks for Stopping by,
Happy Crafting!

Dec 5, 2013

Cabo Sunsets

The sunsets here are so beautiful.  It's hard to truly capture an entire sunset with just one photo.  I discovered a button on my pse (Photoshop Element), Photomerge panorama.  I love this element. It is so cool to load your photos, watch the program take your photos, match up where each one left off, for one extremely large photo.  Of course I had to resize this for the post, but it's 53 inches long, that would make an awesome poster.


This photo is actually 9 photos put together by the Photomerge.  I stood on the porch of our condo and just moved a little bit in each photo.




The sky was so beautiful on this side of the building that I ran quickly down to the deck above the pool, on the west side and took 4 photos for this beautiful Photomerge panorama.



Simply Gorgeous!
Fyi:  I DID NOT enhance any of the photos.

Linked to: Monday Create With Joy

Nov 27, 2013

Elf Craft Stick Ornament

I love Christmas time... the lights, the trees, the decorations, the music.....the food...I can not wait to see how they celebrate Christmas in Cabo.  We stay in downtown Cabo; we do not have a vehicle so we walk everywhere.  I discovered a craft store about ten blocks away, they have the cheapest crafts supplies I ever seen.  For all the supplies I bought, the foam (8 sheets), the paint's (7 small jars), the paint brushes (2), the ribbon (3 yards), the Christmas decorative pieces (2), the pack pom poms, a pack of jingle bells, the sharpie marker, the glue;  I spent under $10 usd.  I manage to find everything I needed to make my craft stick ornaments...except felt, as it turns out the color foam works better for me.
Trying to take picture of my Elf hanging from a tree is a trick, downtown Cabo is mostly dust and concrete, with very tall palm trees. I found a little park three blocks down, two blocks up, with trees.  Yes, the people watching me take pictures of this little guy think I am crazy....  My Elf is little more detailed then my Christmas Bear Craft Stick Ornament, but he is fun to make.

Elf Craft Stick Ornament
What you need:
Craft stick (if pre-colored green, no need to repaint)
Paint - green, flesh color, red and white, black
Foam - green red, brown, flesh color
Decorative object: ie, small package, garland, small golden balls 
in center of flower 
Ribbon
Glue, Scissors, Paint brush, toothpick 



1 Paint stick green,
2 Draw line on bottom center.  Cut and glue on shoes, draw line down center of shoes.
3 Paint face and neck.
4 Cut out ears, hat, hat band, collar, hair, arms and mittens.  Glue hat band to hat. Glue mittens to arms.
5 Glue on ears, paint red checks and red neck line. Paint white checks.
6 Cut small gold balls off decorative objects glue onto tips shoes and tip of hat.
7 With toothpick, dot eyes and draw smile.
8 Glue on collar.
9 Glue hair, hat, and arms onto stick.
10 Small package came off of decorative object. Glue package below collar.
11 Pull arms around small package and glue.
12 Cut and tie small ribbon, glue to back of stick.

I've made three so far.... I was thinking an entire tree with just Elves would be so adorable....just not sure we will be able to have a Christmas Tree here in Cabo..... this year.





FYI:  I went to trouble to make a pdf file, if anyone would like one for the craft collection, please email me at cgammeter@yahoo.com and I will be happy to email.


















Other Variations of Elf



Happy Crafting
And Happy Holidays!

Nov 23, 2013

Christmas Bear Craft Stick Ornament

I love spending Christmas with my daughter and the grandchildren. Every year before my trip I would spend endless hours searching websites and blogs for fun Christmas crafts to share with the kids.  After doing crafts with the kids and they are in bed, My Daughter and I get busy with some craft of our own.
Time for Cocktails and Crafts!  Our favorite late evening crafting is making these craft stick ornaments.

Credits:
The Snowman and the North Pole sign from Squidoo
The Penguin from Better Homes and Gardens, The Reindeer from Craft Ideas.
The Christmas Bear is Mine.
To add to the collection, I been working on the 
Christmas Bear Craft Stick Ornament 
He's so easy to make:
Here's what you need:
Craft Stick
Brown paint
Brown foam, red foam, white foam
Black paint or marker
Pom Pom
Red ribbon
Scissors, glue, toothpick, paint brush.

         

1  Paint stick brown
2  Cut diamond shape for face, glue on stick about an inch down.
3  With black paint, dot eyes and draw nose
4  Cut shapes for hat, ears, and arms
5  Glue ears, wait for it to dry.
6  Glue hat band, fold hat down and glue, then glue to top of stick. Glue Pom Pom to tip of hat.
Tie red ribbon around neck.
7  Glue arms, wait to dry,glue garland on stick, fold arms to center and glue.  Glue ribbon to back of stick to hang.

 


He really is so darn cute.  People here in Cabo think I'm nuts running around looking for trees to hang him from for a photo. 


FYI:  I went to trouble to make a pdf file, if anyone would like one for the craft collection, please email me at cgammeter@yahoo.com and I will be happy to email.








Nov 12, 2013

Mother's Cranberry Bread

This recipe has been in Mother's recipe box for as long as I can remember.  Mother bakes this bread every Thanksgiving holiday.  It's the best cranberry bread, ever.  Not being home for Thanksgiving so much anymore, I bake it myself, only I add mini dark chocolate chips to the recipe.

Mother's Cranberry Bread
Bake at 350 for 50 minutes
Makes 1 loaf.

2 cups sifted flour
1/2 cup orange juice
3/4 cup sugar
3 T. melted butter
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 T. hot water
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries halved
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 T grated orange rind
*optional - 3/4 cup mini dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt into a large bowl.
2. Beat egg lightly in a small bowl; stir in orange rind
and juice, butter and hot water. add to dry ingredients; mix thoroughly.
Fold in cranberries,nuts, 
and chips. Turn batter into a well-greased 9x5x3-inch pan.
3. Bake 50 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, remove from pan; cool on wire rack.


Nov 9, 2013

Lethal Holiday Cocktail

In honor of my temporary holiday header, I would like share an awesome holiday cocktail.   I named it Lethal because they taste so good you don't notice how much you've drank.

Lethal Holiday Cocktail
Ingredients:
·         1/2 Oz. Cointreau
·         1 Oz.  Vodka
·         5 Oz. Cranberry Juice 
·         Squeeze Lime Juice Fresh


Mixing instructions: Place all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled glass. Option: To garnish, float a frozen cranberry in glass.

To the holidays!


Linked to: Wednesday handy man crafty woman

Jul 25, 2013

Posting

You know, of course that I haven't posted since before Christmas, and yet my stats show that I had:

Pageviews last month
6,745

That amazes me! 

I really haven't done much crafting, that's why I haven't posted.  I moved back to NC in Jan to work out my 10 year relationship , and just got back to NC again, after a 2 month trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where my boyfriend is taking part in building a golf course. (Cabo is Awesome).
I'll get back to it, then start posting, again.  Meanwhile.....
Happy Crafting Friends