New Ironing Board and Giveaway

I finally got around to making my version of the 'big board' ironing board. Mine is 14x47 inches, and it is a big improvement over my little mini ironing board. I got a shelf from Ikea, and covered it with heavy duty foil, then covered that with a layer of cotton batting, which I stapled down so it would be permanent. Then I covered that with a layer of the silver ironing board cloth, which I taped down so that I could change it easily if necessary. I have also read that someone uses freezer paper, and then just keeps replacing that to keep the ironing board from getting nasty looking. I am going to try that as I have a box that I have had forever. I was going to use a 24x48 inch piece of pressed board, but that was very heavy, and this is pretty light so can be removed easily to cut big pieces of fabric. For small pieces, I have a small cutting board that I can just lay on top. At least, that is the plan.
The fat quarters below are a giveaway from Embroidery Treasures. Serena says you can sign up until June 16th by leaving a comment on her blog. It is only open to US residents.

Sand Cranes

I get very excited when we get lucky and the Sand Cranes visit our neighborhood. They are big birds probably at least up to my waist. They were here a couple of months ago with babies (probably about knee high), and my brother and I tried to get pictures but missed them. Today I was on my computer and looked out the window and there they were in my front yard. I grabbed my camera, and ran out, and got several pictures, but unfortunately when I came back in and loaded them on my computer they were all blurry. I had my camera on the wrong setting. Here is a link to see a good picture of a sand crane.

http://tinyurl.com/49lppx

You can click on him down at the bottom left.

Yard

The ridiculous is here, if you want to see the sublime, you have to go to Okperi's Place and see the pictures of her yard. We have been emailing back and forth, and she has requested pictures. Here are 2 of the emails:

From Me Your yard was the final straw. It looked so pretty, that I spent 3 hours working in mine today, and it is looking much better. I kept putting off weeding because I am afraid of critters, and I was waiting for help. It didn't come, and once I got started it wasn't too bad.
Although, the first thing I did was mow, and the first thing I saw near our garbage cans was a rat. Not an auspicious beginning for a chicken.

Here's hers Oh Candace, that is funny, lol. I know it really isn't but it is and I have to laugh. I think I would not work in the yard either if I saw a rat.
I am glad I gave you some inspiration, but if I were you, I would be unhappy that I felt like I had to do something, lol. I am still laughing, you have made my day!
Please post a picture so I can congratulate you on your blog lol.

There are also a couple of gratuitous flower pictures from after our rain today, so the crepe myrtles got a little beat up. And here is also another picture of a critter who stayed still long enough for his portrait to be taken. I pulled lots of weeds today, but there is still a lot of work to be done. It was a good start.

Giveaways

Angela of Soscrappy is having a giveaway for her 100th post. She had a great tutorial for reusable shopping bags, and her giveaway includes one specially made for the winner.
Another new giveawy is going on at Storybook Woods. Clarice is celebrating her 500th post with an altered note-book, and if you haven't visited her blog you are in for a treat, it is a delight to the eyes.

Chili and Inertia

I have been having three extremely lazy days. I get up with intentions of getting lots done, and then the inertia sets in, and I don't git-r-done. As you can see, I have good intentions of finishing my OC, and I have it all organized and ready to go, but there it sits. I am going to use the excuse that I haven't decided on the setting yet, but I think it is mainly a case of laziness. Today, about the only thing I accomplished was an 8 quart pot of chili. In my opinion there are two main things that all cooks who make them think that theirs is the very best. One is lasagna, and the other is chili. I of course think mine is at least one of the best, but I realize that others feel that way about theirs. If you don't already make the best chili in the world, here is how I make mine. Remember, it makes about 8 quarts, but it freezes well. I use ingredients in 'about' measurements, and you should make it to your taste too:
2.5 pounds of hamburger, 2 coursely chopped onions, 5 cloves of minced garlic, about 3 tbsp. of worcestershire sauce, basil fresh or dried to taste, salt, pepper, 5 or so tbsp. of chili powder, 1 small can tomato paste about 6 oz., 1 small can tomato sauce about 8 oz., 1 can stewed tomatoes about 16 oz., 1 large can diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup katsup, 3 large cans kidney beans, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1 soup can water, 1 cup wheat berries (from the health food store)
Brown the beef with the onions and garlic, and add the spices to taste. We prefer ours on the milder side, so if you like spicy add some pepper flakes, and more chili powder. Mix in the mushroom soup, and then add all the other ingredients. Bring to a simmer stirring often, and simmer for about an hour.
I like to serve mine over al dente pasta. Tonight we had mini wagon wheels. The wheat probably sounds strange as an ingredient, but it gives it a nice little popping sort of crunch, and it's good for you. Just don't add it if you have ulcers, as it could be hard on your stomach. My family also thinks I make the best chili, but I trained them to my taste.

Playing with Camera on New Phone

Yesterday, we went to Target for odds and ends, and I played a little with the camera on my new phone. Then, I played a little with the free version of photoshop on my computer. Not up to the big cameras, but not too bad. The yellow flower was actually a pretty bright yellow.

Crazy Big Block Back

Today was another good mail day. I got back my Crazy Big Block from the LA'er, and I am very happy with it. It is on top of the quilt on my sewing room bed. We are going next week to Iowa for my mother's memorial service, and it will be going too, as shortly after my mother passed away my cousin's husband did also, and I will be giving it to her. The backing is an oxford cloth sheet that I got on sale from Land's End, and I'm real happy with how that worked. It was really reasonable as a backing and washed up nice and soft. I'm glad that it came this week, as when I got my Bargello back, it went back out in the next day's mail, and I will be able to enjoy looking at this one for a week before I give it away.

Calidore's Giveaway

Calidore is having a giveaway to celebrate her 700th post. It's a surprise, and there will be 2 winners. Sign up here.

Haircut, Shopping and Mail

Today was a very good day. I started out with a badly needed haircut, which I won't know if that was good until I wash it, so I'm hoping for the best. My DH and I then went across town, using my new GPS phone, to Ikea. This was only our second visit to Ikea, and it was a quick walk thru as my husband got kind of dizzy, but I still enjoyed it. We got some great deals on a large planter and its saucer, which is for my avacado tree grown from a seed by me. For most that is no great accomplishment, but since I have a brown thumb, I am very proud of myself. Little John, the gnome, will accompany the tree to it's new home. I also got a board (shelf) to cover for my new ironing table, some file boxes, and what we originally went for, plastic microwave plate covers to replace the ones that melted when I started my microwave roaring fire.














When we got home, the day got even better, as I had two packages in the mail. First of all, I have been coveting Nicole's Raggedy Old Annie's and so I ordered one about a week and a half ago, she had to make her, and I still received her today. Here she is admiring the contents of my other package, the paraphanalia for my new GPS phone (which worked perfectly twice today, once to Ikea and once back home). I have been ordering my cell phone accessories for years from CellPhoneShop the prices are good, and I like getting mail from Hong Kong. I only ordered it Friday, and it came today, and I got the silicone case, car charger, and outdoor style carrying case for 18.56 total. Everything that I have gotten from them has worked fine.
I know that I am past middle age, but maybe I'm entering my second childhood, because I plan to add more Annies from Nicole, plus I plan to add at least one from Hannies Annies, too. In the second picture, she is resting and cooling off in her new place of honor on the bed in my sewing room. It was a very good day.

P.S. I must say, she is very photogenic.

The Quilting B - Giveaway

Another great giveaway by Bernadette at The Quilting B is going on in celebration of her 100th post. She has wonderful prizes, and you can go to her blog and leave a comment. I've just discovered her blog thanks to Helz at Blue Shadow Pony and I am looking forward to spending some time there, and looking around.