Project Overcome Me

An article in my new Threads magazine (March 2011 # 153) caught my attention. The article was about the art of Slow Sewing. I had actually been pondering this theory with my new sewing project and was surprised there is any actual term for it. The idea of slow sewing goes something like this....

• Slowing down is a reward, it's about adding quality to your life.
• Slow sewing is a metal health break, it resets your pressure gauge.
• You step into an environment where you are in control.

If you decide to join the new, old-fashioned way of sewing. Savor the creative experience by .....

• Testing samples and experimenting with new techniques.

With time on your side you will become more confident and competent.

With these ideas in mind I pulled the sewing machine out of the closet and gave it a go. Destry made my a nice craft table out of a piece of plywood and an old ironing board. Now I don't have to "hunch" over the kitchen table while cutting my fabric. I tend to go, go and go until I simply burned out on a project then I move on to my next project and never look back. With my new slow sewing mentality I have given myself permission to stop when I "start" to get tired. This has left me with unfinished projects sitting on my craft table to the past two weeks. The good side is I am not burned out and still really excited to finish my projects.

What new technique am experimenting with you may be wondering? I am excited to announce that I have mastered the Magnetic Snap. These are the easiest and coolest sewing accessory and I fully recommend Googling installation techniques and giving them a go yourself. Easy!

So, What do you think?

As Seen on TV

Have you seen those bumper stickers that read "Kill Your TV" or "TV Sucks Ride Your Bike". When I see those bumper stickers I always get a little emotional. I have been known to actually holler out loud while driving, "Yeah right! You know you are watching "Fringe" at night with the rest of us".

I love TV and have no problem telling everyone I know that I love TV. If it is bad TV, the kind of TV that nobody else is watching then I love it even more. Am I watching Grey's Anatomy? Nope! Am I watching Hoarder Buried Alive? You know it! And I love it! Am I searching Google rite now for a bumper sticker that reads " I Love TV" Oh ya!

I wonder sometimes if my love of TV stems from the time spent with out during my formative younger years. You have to picture a young family of five growing up out in the country with no neighbor kids to play with. When one blustery evening the antenna was blown loose from the roof top. I remember very clearly my mother stating we would not be fixing the TV. Just like that, no more I Love Lucy, Mork and Mindy or hears the heart breaker MASH. My mom remembers those years as the best years of our childhood, we read books from the library and played games with each other. You guys remember UNO?

I remember asking my mom for rainbow suspender and having to tell my teacher that I could not be able to do my home work assignment because we did not have a TV.

Then one day my dad brought home a used TV and somehow we were able to get PBS and it was on. Oh, I love you Reading Rainbow and Mr. Rogers and pranking calling PBS telethon call takers.

Seriously though, what really gets me is the As Seen on TV commercials. I could watch them for hours and am convinced all of those products could save my life. Steam Shark, InStyler Rotating curling iron, Wen Hair Care system, Bare Minerals, I could go on. I never actually buy these products.

This is usually how it goes. Honey, I am thinking of buying the Wen Hair Care system.

Destry, Do you mind if I change the channel?

There are the occasional slip up of course. Like that time of weakness in Walgreen's looking for some last minute stocking stuffers I found my self in the As Seen on TV isle. You know if this don't you? The Emery Cat caught my eye and I just new that Scruffee would love it and I new that he would file his nails just so. I gave Scruffee his new gift for Christmas and was surprised that he did not give it a second look. I thought maybe it had something to do with the fact that I had not place the provided cat nip in the Emery Cat. So I located the suspicious looking baggy and sprinkled the cat nip just so. Well that was all he needed. Now he uses the Emery Cat as a BED! That is rite. I looked over and there he was laying on his new gift like it was a chase lounge. I even took his little paws and pawed at it to help him out. And there you have it. Next up for review The Furminator! Stay tuned.

How to Get to Sesame Meat!

One of our favorite places to eat is Wong's Garden on Woodstock. We often call in our favorite order on the way home from work and swing in to pick it up. The gals in there actually recognize Destry and our regular order by now. What is our favorite thing to eat at Wong's Garden you ask. Well simply, the Spicy Sesame Chicken and Green Beans with Black Bean Sauce. Delicious! If you ever have the urge to try it, watch for the spicy peppers in the chicken. Pick them out, do NOT eat them.

The thing about regular meals at Wong's Garden are the very apparent effect they have on my waist line. Seriously, one can not eat deep fried fairs on a regular basis with out notice. Since I am a regular subscriber the Hungry Girl e-mails I decided after about two years to finally try one of her fabulous recipes. That is right! You heard correctly. "I" tries on of her recipes. I made a grocery list. I went to grocery store. I bought raw chicken breast for the first time. I cut open that package of chicken breast placed it on the "meat" cutting board. Gave it a whack with a meat tenderizer because that is what I have seen on T.V. before. Then I cut that raw chicken with a knife into bite size pieces just like the recipe called for. What recipies did I dare today. HG Sweet and Spicy Sesame Chicken.

http://www.hungry-girl.com/chew/show/1838

I also found a recipe for Green Beans in Black Bean Sauce. http://www.recipesource.com/ethnic/asia/chinese/blackbean-greenbeans02.html

Would I say the Sesame Chicken was a hit. No! I was mortified to serve it to my loving husband. The only reason I did was the hope he may be able to discern exactly what was wrong with it. I think the chicken was a little dry and I possible put to much flour coating on it. I actually saw the raw flour on the pieces when I took it out of the oven. I promptly poured the sauce on it in hopes it would hide the flour and hide the taste of the flour. My hopes were dashed of course. The green beans taste better than the smelled though. Yummm

Destry did not finish his plate because he was still so full from lunch.....Hummmmmm But I did get a big thanks for giving him a break in the kitchen today. Yahhhhhh!

Dessert is in the oven. Yam Flan... Hee Hee Did you know that Pumpkin is seasonal and is not available the super market all year round. Like this time of year. Weird!

Where do you go from here?

A funny thing is happening to me now that I have been married for a few months. Actually I notice it long before now. Now that I am not consumed with wedding planning and the like. I am searching and searching for a project. I am having these wild urges to accomplish something big. Some of project that have crossed my mind are....

• I should become a Master Knitter.
• I can't wait for the weather to break so I can repaint all the eaves of the house and re-glaze all the window glass.
• Read more. By more I mean read all the best seller that I have not read for the past five years. Such a daunting task I don't even know where to start.
• I am convinced that I am an extremely talented jewelry maker and that I can sell my wares on Etsy.com and become famous. Well $300.00 and five bracelets later I am over it.
• Start managing my own blog.

See what I mean. Something is going on here. Before I ordered the Master Knitting program materials I came to my senses and ordered $300.00 worth of jewelery making supplies.

How do I use my creative energy in a productive way that contributes and doesn't take away from the family and home?

That is the question?

1-11-11

January 11, 2011 came and went and I could not help but think of all of the couples that certainly choose this day to get married. There is a sweetness about love and marriage that I feel so luck to be part of at this time in my life. I had an urge to visit my abandoned wedding blog Limoncello and was delighted to be reminded of all the hard work that went in to planning our wedding. As you can see from th pictures it all came together as planned, except for one little surprise. Surprise! Welcome little Olivia to the world. So glad you could make it.

• Meet Olivia, 4 weeks old and international traveler. Likes warm milk and naps. Favorite colors include silver and yellow. Hobbies include shoe shopping and dancing to Michael Jackson music.

• Italian silver leather metallic shoes, check. Sliver rosette handbag, check. Vintage crystal necklace and earrings, check. Lets get married!

• The most delicious Lemon cake with homemade lemon curd filling with fresh blueberries. We got to take home a whole tier for ourselves. Thank you Judie from "Dream Cakes". On top of the coolest vintage amber glass cake plate ever.

• I am truly delighted with how the girls dresses turned out. The pop of color in the photos really works.

• I have to thank everyone for working so hard to make my vision for the reception come together. Looks just like the picture in a previous post doesn't it?

• Elaine made the perfect pocket invited that I had dreamed of.

• Teresa from Teresa Kohl photograph captures the day beautifully all while charming our guest to no end. Special thanks to my cousin Sam Dussel for his photographic contributions. Your talents amaze me.