Feel Good Friday!

 

 pinterest via tumbler via.....

I can't believe it! The sun decided to come back to the Pacific Northwest! We have sun! It's a miracle! Okay, maybe not a miracle, but it's pretty awesome.

 Speaking of awesome, check out this piece by xperimentl. Power to the stitchers! We shall take over the world one embroidery hoop at a time! PS-While you checking out her other amazing embroidered pieces, look at her gingerbread house. TO. DIE.FOR!

Speaking of stitchy goodness, have you gone over to Feeling Stitchy lately? They are having an awesome stitch-a-long! The pattern this month is so adorable! It's a gnome from the wonderful mimilove.

It's hard to believe that this is edible. Andiespecialitysweets not only has this lovely necklace in their shops but dozens of other beautiful creations. Just absolutely stunning craftsmanship!

Have you ever heard of photobombing? Well, animals are experts at it!

There ya go, my little rays of sunshine. I'm heading outside while there is still a little bit of sun left. Yeah summer!  Have a wonderful weekend!

For every minute you are angry,
you lose 60 seconds of happiness.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

10 Happy Things

Right now, at this very moment, I am giddy. I'm happy, smiling, laughing and I haven't even had a cocktail! Because I'm a list person and because you need to know-here are 10 things that make me happy at this very moment.

OMP. Seriously everybody, I love this man so much. How do I know that he is my soul mate? I was just outside and I yelled, "Hey! Look out the window!" I then proceeded to show him my best robot. He counteracted with an even better version of the robot and  threw in a pop and lock. True love? I think so.

My pups. Three little furry children, running around, encouraging each other to do bad things. They are too cute for me to punish them, so, I guess I just have to live with the monsters I created. I mean, c'mon-have you seen their faces? They are cute!

My friends. I really wish I could express in words how much I adore them. They lift my spirits. There are no better people in the world than my friends. I wish they were all right in front of me so I could give them hugs and kisses. I don't ever distinguish between "real life" friends and "internet" friends. They are all the same and all hold a special place in my heart and soul.

The sun shining. For the love of all things holy! It has been rainy and cold here in the Pacific Northwest. I mean COLD! So, when the sun comes out , it is a cause for celebration. Who cares if it is only going to last for a minute or two-basking in it is heaven. 

Big hair. My hair is HUGE today! HUGE! I look like a Dolly Parton wig who was in a bar fight and lost and I am loving it! Maybe I'll throw on some bad 70's music, a little red lip gloss and shake my money maker. Hmmmm....I'm wondering if I can feather my hair.

The Beckys. I have lots of Beckys or versions of Beckys in my life. I met them both through my blog and the stitching community...and can you believe they live close to each other and they have become friends too? I like referring to the Beckys as the Beckys cause they remind me of the Coreys (from great 80's movies) only, they are girls, don't have drug problems and were never vampire hunters-that I know of. Every time I need a lift, the Beckys are there for me. When I say I look fat, they tell me that my curves could stop traffic. When I feel like my stitching is stinking, they tell me that it's fab and if I whine too much, they tell me to snap out of it.

Our two resident crows. We have a male and female crow who have taken up residence at our house, on our garage. They hang out, tell us when something or someone is coming and love to hide peanuts from the squirrels. They never bother us or the pups and I expect to find them lounging in the chairs, demanding cocktails any day now.

My garden. There is nothing more satisfying than growing your own food. It just taste better. Getting your hands dirty and growing something from seed is amazing. I hope that each year we can continue to expand our little farmette.

Stitching. Embroidery is like therapy to me. It eases my mind, releases my tension and makes it so I don't become Smashy Pam. I wish I could explain how wonderful the feeling is to create something, give it to someone and see the smile on their face. Stitching helps me preserve my history and reminds me where I need to move on to.

Finally, YOU! You all make me happy. Now don't think I'm just saying that to finish this list. I really mean it. I can't believe people even read this silly blog, let alone follow it. I'm glad that I get to make people laugh, help them create and bring out a smile. You bring me so much joy and I really want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Gah, I'm sure I could go on and on, but I have probably given you a cavity by now. Besides, OMP and I are having a robot-off. I'm planning on bringing the big guns out-the hula hoop! Yeah Boy! That's how I roll! 

Tie One On Tuesday

Did I ever tell you how much I love a good BBQ? Cooking out on the grill makes me very happy. Even when it's rainy and cold, or as I like to call it-a typical Pacific Northwest day, you can find OMP and myself out by the grill.

The most important part of grilling is the marinade or the sauce you will use for your yummy food. Well, guess what? Booze can help you with that! Is there anything a cocktails won't do?

Typically, OMP will throw a few steaks in a nice beer bath to not only tenderize them but also to give them a wonderful flavor. I always go with a nice cheap beer for a marinade, but you can go fancy. Here is a nice marinade for your favorite cut of steak.

Beer marinade:
1 can or bottle of beer (this can go up if you have more steaks)
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon of your favorite BBQ sauce
Seasoning salts
 Let the steaks sit for at least 8 hours-grill to perfection

Now, if you want something a little more fancy and from the islands, I suggest Lime Rum Chicken

Lime Rum Chicken:
1/ 2 cup dark rum
2 tablespoons lime juice-MUST BE FRESH!
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Garlic-minced to taste
1 tablespoon minced ginger
Combine the above and submerge chicken breast. Let stand for at least 4 hours in a covered dish. Cook those yummy breast up!

Last but not least, a little booze for your pig. This pork recipe will have people begging at your doorstep for just one bite!

Bourbon pork tenderloin:
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup bourbon
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup canola oil
Garlic to taste
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
Combine the above ingredients and let the pork marinate for at least twelve hours.

Remember that with sweeter alcohol, go with something spicy or citrus to take that edge off. Alcohol like whiskey, bourbon and even vodka you need to go with a sweeter mixture. Either way, your grilling will be out of this world and  people will bow at your feet. They may even offer you a major award.

Scrappy Dog Sunday!

This is my Lola. She is the original scrappy dog.  She just happens to have me wrapped around her little paw.


She can be sweet and loving

Or she can be a beast...by the way, you are getting a sneak peak into our Christmas card-I'm calling it the season of sharing and love.

Most of the time, she is just Lola.

And that's fine with me.

In a Jam

One of the best things about my garden is the abundance of berries,  I have a ton of them. The worst thing about my garden is the abundance of berries They seem to go to waste every year. Well, this year I decided, no more! I will do something with all those berries! Sure, I could just freeze them or put them in some sort of muffin, but really-that's kind of blah. So, I decided to make freezer jam-one, because I'm too lazy about canning and two, it's the easiest thing in the world to do and quick!

I made two batches, one with raspberries and one with strawberries. I searched through a lot of recipes and the majority of them were about the same. The one problem that you may run into is the large amount of sugar for the jam.  There are recipes with less sugar and I may try them next time.

Strawberry Jam
1 package of fruit pectin
2 cups crushed strawberries
4 cups sugar
Combine sugar and berries into a bowl. Mix well and let sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine 3/4 cup water to one package of pectin. Stir until dissolved. Continue to stir until mixture comes to a full boil. Let boil for 1 minute-still stirring constantly
Combine the pectin with the sugar/berry mixture. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
Pour into canning jars, leaving 1/2 inch space at the top for expansion
Put lid on tight and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.
It will last in your refrigerator for 3 weeks or in the freezer for 1 year.

For Raspberry Jam
1 package pectin

3 cups crushed berries
5 1/4 cups of sugar
Follow directions above.

Like I said, to the taste, right out of the jar, this jam will be very sweet but once it is combined with bread, scones or muffins, the sweetness tones down and will compliment anything you spread it on. This jam makes a wonderful gift and everyone will think that you spent hours on it, but we all know the secret!

Another thing to remember, the more ripe the berry, the sweeter and less firm the jam.

You can decorate the lids with stickers or bits of scrap fabric. Freezer jam makes an excellent gift and one of the best things, especially in the summer time, is that you hardly have to use your stove. Nice, cool and easy! 

Feel Good Friday!

 Weheartit.com

It's Friday and I am one happy camper! I got music blasting in the background and I am ready to enjoy the weekend!

I love ice cream! This one might be too cute to eat. Who am I kidding, I would still eat it. PixieFey does an excellent job of stitching up this adorable little cone. You can stitch your own with this free pattern.

I love blogs that have party ideas. Birthday Girl is one of those blogs. So many great ideas and beautiful pictures.

I am obsessed with funky manicures. I really want some nail strips. I don't care if every 8 year old is wearing them, I must have them and I just know that my nails would look fab. 

via pinterest

I'm not sure who this kitty belongs to but I'm pretty sure they are brilliant.

Okay my little love kitties. I am gonna roll on out to the backyard and enjoy the family. OMP has my fruity cocktail made. Now if I can just get him out of that cabana boy outfit. WINK!

Blessed is he who has learned to laugh at himself
for he shall never cease to be entertained.
-John Boswell

Light the Way

I have been crafting like a mad woman lately! I have a goal to do 41 crafts for the 41 years I lived and have until my next birthday to do it. That's almost a craft a week. Can I do it? Eh, maybe....

Anyhoo, I decided to make these lights for my backyard. They are so easy and at night they light up the whole backyard.

Wanna know what's even better than making these for my backyard? Along with Craftster, I did a video. You can clap, it's that cool.



If you are curious as to what they look like at night, here ya go.