Three Wild Days!

Giveaway Day for May 2011 hosted by Sew, Mama, Sew, was a grand success for me!  I just want to say a quick "Thank You!" to everyone that entered and made my heart happy!  There were 160 entries, I got about 10 new blog followers (sorry I lost real count) and an Etsy sale!  I also entered countless other giveaways and am anxiously awaiting the results.  I also got some great ideas for color combos for my little wallets (yellow and grey is a definite in the near future, look for it in my shop).  I also learned how to put numbers on my comments so I didn't pull my hair out counting. 

But you don't really care about all that do you?

So with out further ado, here's the lucky winner chosen by Random.org

Lucky Number 17, which would be...

Congrats Helena!  You should have an email from me very soon so I can get shipping info.  I hope you enjoy!

May Giveaway Day!

As many of you who read my blog know, I've started sewing in the past few months.  My sewing projects usually consist of things that are giant dreams that seem to just sit half finished on paper or in my head.  I work with Jenilyn of Grits and Giggles and she introduced me to Sew, Mama, Sew.  As I wandered around there, I found May Giveaway Day.

So I decided to participate. 

Up for grabs is my newest product.  Here we have a lovely little zippered key chain wallet.  It measures about 4.5 inches by 3.5 inches (11.4 cm by 8.9 cm).  It has a clear vinyl window on the front perfect for holding driver's licences, student IDs, library cards and a number of other card sized objects.  It is fully lined in a coordinating color with a divider on the inside to keep money separate from other cards, or your chapstick separate from your trinkets, or whatever else separate from whatever else!  Attached is a 32 mm split ring key ring so it's easy to attach keys, or attach a carabiner to attach to your belt loop or bag.  I carried something like this in college, so it makes a perfect gift for graduates.  These little gems sell for $10 USD in my Etsy shop.  Shown below is my favorite Turquoise and Orange color combo, but they can be made in other combinations, some of which are shown in the last pictures.  

 

    Three Neutrals Set and Other Fabric Choices

To Enter:

Simply leave me a comment saying what color combo you like (or a color combo you'd like to see).  I like blog followers, but it's not necessary for you to win.  Though I will say that this will not be my last giveaway, so check back often.  The giveaway will close at 00:00 (midnight) Eastern Time on May 26.  I will use http://www.random.org/ to pick someone from the list of commenters.  Then check back on Thursday May 26 after noon to see if you won!  I will ship in the US and internationally (on my dime of course!) by Monday, May 30.

And that's it!

God Bless and Good Luck! 

My Theme Song for my Christain Life

Just thought I'd share.  This song comes up so many times everyday in my life.  I love Barlow Girl anyway.  Their lyrics hint at a Christian walk that is not always sunshine and roses, like Jesus never said it would be, but so many Christains seem to think he did. 

Just gotta let those dreams go.  As our lesson in Sunday School said this morning in the Andy Stanley "Faith, Hope and Luck" series:  God never promises to save us from a situation, but he always promises to save us through a situation.  I have an incredible peace about what's going to happen in the next few weeks, months and even years for some things, but for others, I'm holding those dreams.  But He's promised to take care of them.  I'll dream again.

Who Actually Reads My Blog?

I need your help.  I'm thinking of doing a giveaway on my blog, but this would be in vain if no one reads it.  If you've read this post, just put a comment that says, "I read it" and by this I will judge whether or not I should do a giveaway.  Remember, it's your choice whether or not you get a chance to win a goodie!

Beanie Burgers?

So in my long dreamer post, I think I forgot to mention that I love cooking.  I include cooking in the list of things that I really think I'm good at.  I don't get to do this much since I'm on second shift.  I could cook for lunch and refrigerate leftovers, but then Dave just pulls it out of the refrigerator and eats it cold.  This does not do justice to my art.  So I don't usually do it.  I will however make Crock Pot meals.  I have become a Crock Pot Princess. 

But Dave has been on a diet.  He won't eat simple carbs.  So no bread, no noodles, no potatoes.  This limits me.  My maiden name is Patterson, we don't eat unless we have bread and/or potatoes.  So in an effort to make something besides roast beef with carrots and onions, I decided to make chili.

But I don't like my Mama's chili.  It's one of the few things that my Mama makes that I don't like.  But I do love her baked beans.  Boy, do I love her baked beans.  But baked beans have brown sugar, and bacon.  

So...I took the best of both worlds and made Beanie Burger (instead of Beanie Weenie) Chili

You will need:

About 1 lb ground beef

1 good sized Vidalia onion chopped finely (I did this in a food processor)

About 2 tblspns olive oil (for cooking the onion in)

1 big can of Pork 'N' Beans (don't drain, put all the goodness in there)

1 regular sized can kidney beans (drained)

1 regular sized can lima beans (drained)

1 regular sized can big white butter beans (drained)

1 can Rotel tomatoes and green chiles (I only put 1 can for the first go around, I would really like it spicier, so next time I'll put 2)

1 can diced tomatoes for chili (didn't know they made this, but here it is)

About 1/4 cup honey mustard (this gave it some sweet without adding straight sugar)

About 3/4 to 1 cup ketchup (I just added and tasted, if you want it tangier, add more, milder, add less)

Directions:

Brown ground beef like you would for spaghetti or tacos or whatever until it is done.  While this is going on, add all the beans, Rotel and chili seasoned 'maters to the Crock Pot and mix well.  When the ground beef is done, drain in a colander, but don't scrape all the drippings out of the pan.  Put the ground beef in the Crock Pot with the beans.  Throw the chopped onion in the pan with the drippings and add the olive oil.  Sautee the onion until it's mostly clear, then throw that in the Crock Pot too.  Then add your honey mustard and ketchup and mix it all together.  I'll admit, at this point, it doesn't look like the best tasting thing on the planet.  Don't worry, just put the lid on the Crock Pot and turn on low for about 6 hours.  This time can vary since everything in there is already fully cooked, but, of course, the longer you cook it, the better it tastes.  Leftovers can be refrigerated and Dave said it was even better the next day.

A word of warning though.  Consider the vast amout of fiber loaded beans in there.  Don't eat half the Crock Pot full in one night!  It won't end well... 

A Few Dreams Come True!

So this weekend while I was stuck at work unable to make anything from yarn or fabric, I grabbed my scrappy little composition book and started drawing.  I haven't really drawn anything in a long time, so it was refreshing to get back into it.  I started drawing a few of my dreams.  I drew the reversible skirt, the tote bag to match said skirt, and the lunch bag/tote bag that I have made before, but kept forgetting steps (therefore ripping seams) on.  I also wrote out what exactly to do.  This made life SO much easier when I sat down to sew.  I guess this will become the norm for me.  I also drew out the wallet I would like to make, but realize that it was going to take a lot of work, so saved writing the steps down for later. 

I didn't have time to make the tote bag to match the skirt, but I did make the skirt!  I did have a hiccup in the "pattern" where I ended up sewing the thing together in a tube that was half pink half white, but I figured out what I did and fixed it.

Pink on one side...

White with pink trim on the other!

Excuse the darkness of the pictures.  I was just trying to get Dave to snap a few quick ones.  I really love the feel of this skirt.  It's kind of heavy, so you don't feel like you're running around naked, but it's also kind of light so it still feels summery.  I should probably make several more.  I also like the fact that since I made it, there is no altering to be done to it!  Being only 5 feet tall, I'm used to having to tailor clothes, but this really was made especially for me!

I also made the lunch bag/tote bag for Dave's grandmother.  There are some major problems with this pattern that I'm not sure how to fix.  I ended up hand sewing some of the seams together because it just wouldn't fit under my sewing machine.  I think I'm going to keep the basic shape of the bag, I've just got to make some design adjustments.  I also learned that fusible fleece will not fuse to a fabric with stain resistant coatings.  I've just decided not to look at it too closely and hope that she won't see what's wrong either.  

  I even put a keychain stretchy thing on the inside

And now for the "Why My Husband is the Greatest in the World Moment!"

Last night as I was giving myself an afro from running my fingers through my hair in frustration over the bag, Dave was sitting beside me, trying to make me feel better.  He kept telling me basically that the reason why I was frustrated with myself, is because I dream so big.  He said he would never attempt something like I had done and that he was proud of me.  He told me that he didn't tell me enough that he was proud of me.  Then he sat back and laughed for a minute.  I gave him a bit of the "stink eye" and asked what he was laughing about.  He said, "I was just thinking about *Miss Thang.  All she ever talked about was wanting to be a designer.  And here you are doing it."

I still don't think he knows how much that really made my day.

So I've added "Designer" to the list of things that I am.

And I'm gonna keep dreaming!

*Name has been changed to protect my privacy.  Miss Thang was someone who thought she was the stuff.  She looked down on me a lot through middle and high school.  She's one of those who when she found out that I was marrying Dave and that we had built a reasonable nice sized house together that she pooped a brick and almost swallowed her tongue.  Now, not only am I living my dream, I'm living hers too...and she's not.  That's just a little bit spiteful of me, yes, but hey, I can't help the blessings that God gives me!

Where Am I?

So it's been forever and a day since I've blogged.  And I myself am starting to wonder where I went.  After reading an article about blogging, I realized that my blog has no cohesive-ness.  Sure my title is "Musings of a Craft-aholic" but what is my theme.  But then again, what in my life is cohesive?

My friend Jenilyn from the Grits and Giggles blog (go check it out, now ) is a mommy to a beautiful little girl and has tons of great mommy stuff to blog about.  Another blog that I follow Arm Candy for You, has great mommy stories too.  I'm not a mommy.

Other blogs that I find interesting are from college students.  I am no longer a college student.

I am a Med Tech.  I work second shift.  I sleep way too late because of this.  I have an obsessive and expensive love affair with crafting materials that I may not ever use.  I'm a dreamer who imagines a plethora of things that are supposed to work, and do in my head and usually on paper.

I'm a dreamer.

Maybe that's where I go from here.  Though I may not know exactly where I am, I can always look to where I may be going. 

So my dreams for the next week:
--I have plans on making a reversible skirt out of the rather expensive cotton interlock fabric I bought today
--I also want to make a matching reversible tote bag for the skirt.
--I want to make a bag for my grandmother-in-law for Mother's Day.  It will undoubtably be late, but not too late, and since she things I'm all that and a bowl of grits, she'll love it.
--I want to make a wallet to match the bag.
--I want to make a concealed carry purse for my mother in law.  She has no idea about this.  It would  help though if I remembered the hidden zipper while I was at the fabric store.  Making another trip.
--I want to make a concealed carry purse for myself.
--I want to make a duffle bag for myself.  I have bought so much fabric thinking, "Oooh, that would be a pretty bag!" that I just need to stop and take inventory and sell a few things before I do any more.  I actually have a dream for the duffle bag, but I'm not writing it down for fear of someone stealing my idea before it comes to reality.  I know, I'm a skeptic. 
--I want to make wallets and makeup bags and little zip pouches and TONS of other things, I just don't have the time. 
--I want to one day host a giveaway on my blog from my Etsy shop.
--And on top of all this, I want to keep crocheting
--I want to have a successful Etsy shop.  I've always wanted to be successful at something like that.
--I utlimately want to quit my "real job" one day so I can be a stay at home mommy like my mom was and enjoy my kids while the grow up.  This entails becoming wildly successful at said Etsy shop.
--I want to be pretty (doesn't every woman)


That's all I've got, or want to think about, right now.  I guess my blog is changing directions.  I think I'm going to start updating on my dreams, and how they are going.  Maybe one day they'll turn into the dreams that you try to wake up from, but you can't because you're already awake.  Hopefully they won't turn into nightmares.  Hopefully along the way I can offer some hints and tips and freebies and maybe a giveaway and drag y'all into my dreams. 

For now, I'm going close my eyes and hope for the best.