how to be happy

This illustration by Susan Branch is one of my favs :-)




There are a few things I could add to this list, but it's a good start ;-)
(especially the naps, lol)

Meanwhile, another Shepherd's Bush finish, yippee!!




this one is called Quaker Heart. A lot of fun to stitch, and I'm on a roll with SB again so stay tuned for another finish soon!



What do you think about these boys? Here they were fighting for lap space and Muttley is the winner as you can see, that's Astro under his foot....they were sleeping like this on Easter Sunday...

softly, spring comes

FINALLY! A finish!

This was a kit from Shepherd's Bush called Soft Spring...



Despite the shoulder issues, work has been so stressful that I had to stitch, just to stay sane...



there really is something about picking up the needle and running the thread through the fabric that is soothing to my soul. Better than medications, (tried that, gained weight, which just stressed me out more!), and less fattening than a margarita!



Now, if only I could stitch at work, that would be just perfect!

hello peeps

My hubby really loves Peeps but it's not so much the eating of them, as it is the talking he does to them. They are on the kitchen table and every time he walks past them he says "well Heeeelloooo Peeps", like they are a long lost friend......



It cracks me up!

So anyhoo....Happy Easter my peeps!



I'm in a better frame of mind now, thank you...got a little stitching done and just decided to focus on the good stuff...I saw something written the other day and it made me snap out of it.....

"Be at rest my soul, for the Lord has been good to you"

So anyway, I'll have some stitching to show soon, in the meantime,

here's my Hibiscus tree, which I have managed not to kill yet....



she's actually pretty happy here in the sun room....



she keeps blooming, every day there are new blooms.



we did buy another one similar to this, but more "bush like" for the front porch but if it ends up being happy in the sun room we'll keep it there.

Better go check on what's cookin'. The menu for Easter Sunday is pretty big, had to start way ahead of time. As much as I enjoy cooking and baking, if there ever comes a day when it's just the two of us for a holiday, we're eating OUT!!

Blessings, y'all!

no good, rotten frame of mind

Such happy title, dontcha think? Makes you want to run away from here quick like, right?
Oy. But it's true and I'm sorry, I have to vent! Here's my day, in no particular order....
**my shoulder hurts like h*ll and I haven't even stitched in four days.
not. one. stitch.
**took my 30% off everything coupon to Kohls, prepared to do major damage, but discovered, much to my horror, that absolutely everything I tried on was just wrong. Horribly, horribly wrong. Who designs clothes for "full figured", (ok, FAT), women anyway? (Someday I hope they pay). Meanwhile, I brought home three things, two of which are questionable.
**some gal waltzed out of the dressing room I was using (in between taking things back and forth), leaving both things she tried on LAYING THE FLOOR!! And the hangers on the hook, empty. I was again, horrified...
**someone pooped outside the front door of my workplace. Yes, pooped. And no, it wasn't doggie poo. Guess they couldn't hold it any longer?
**a rookie coworker thinks they know more than everyone there and yet, she makes the same stupid mistakes over and over again and admits, "every day is a new day" to her...so why the constant arguing???
** edited **


OK, rant over, sorry about that...here's something cute....



It's an old Bent Creek kit that I stitched forever ago and just needed to sew the buttons on the corners. Not sure it was done right, but I got tired of seeing it in the closet, waiting, so there it is :-)

Thanks for your thoughts on the angel Hornbook. Found a cute easel at the WalMarts yesterday that I'm going to put her on!

yes, no, maybe?

This little punch needle angel design is from Carriage House Samplings. When I punched it, my plan was to have it made into an hanging ornament. Then, I found this little horn book online and thought it may work out better....



this is just laying on the horn book for now, I'm going to be naughty and glue it down. BUT, what I'm torn about is this....does it need something behind it? Not to protect it from the glue, but to enhance her appeal :-) Like a piece of wool? And if so, should I cut the wool square and then mount it behind the angel, or cut it out along the outline of the angel?

HELP! I need opinions!

And warning....Pug Rear-End shot below....



the picture is a little blurry but I thought it was funny...it's Astro's hind-end




he's been feeling bad, had to go to the vet last week but he's better now :-)

so easy. and yet, so sinful!

Surely most of you already know about this dessert. I am usually behind on this sort of thing. But I figured, if it's new to me, maybe it will be to someone else.

So...I found out about these here, you will also find better pictures there too...it was raining here on the day I made this, no good sunshine for a pic...so there's one picture without flash, one with, both are super crappy pics, but trust me, the brownies are not!




Just get yourself one box of brownie mix (I used the "family" size), one package of chocolate chip cookie mix. Mix them both up as directed, in separate bowls. Spread brownie batter into a buttered 13 x 9 inch pan. Drop cookie dough by rounded spoonfuls onto brownie batter already in pan. Press the dough down a little bit. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes or until done. Let them cool for about an hour. Then top with glaze or frosting.

I used a different glaze than Bakerella did, and it was perfect. Just melt 1 cup chocolate chips and 4 tablespoons butter in the microwave and then stir in 2 tablespoons corn syrup and stir until smooth. Spread over top of brownies and let sit until the glaze is set. You can put it in the fridge to speed up the process.

These were YUMMY! I cut them all up into small bars, took half the pan to work with me and left the other half for my family. To say they were a HUGE hit would be putting it mildly :-)

Now go and make them.... ASAP. Your peeps will love you for it!

PS. I did notice, when I went to buy the mixes for this, that Betty Crocker makes a brownie mix with the cookie dough mix already in the same box, but doing it this other way, it just seemed like they would be thicker, but who knows! These were pretty thick :-)