Decorated Bar

We finally got around to decorating the walls of the basement bar.

It makes it look very cozy and warm now with lots of interesting things to look at.

Here the TV wall has the FatHead on one side and the signage on the other. 

95 percent of the stuff has been collected over the years.

Tom received some new signs for his birthday.

The Tiger street signs are in a prominent place above the bar.

This is our Wall of Fame.

Most of the pictures in the second row had been signed by various favorites.

Tom loves his bar!

Adobe Illustrator

I was cleaning out a box and came across my Computer Graphics assignment book.  I will do a few posts by sharing the assignments and what I did with them.  Here is a background on Adobe Illustrator or in a nutshell a photo can be saved on it and then can be manipulated and then turned into something big like a poster or billboard without losing any content or clarity.  Instead of using pixels like regular photos it rasterizes it so it can be made very large.  It was a program I totally had to learn, I enjoyed it and felt very accomplished after I finished the class with an A-.

The first assignment that I will share we had to make a travel poster. 

First thing we had to do was put down on paper some ideas and draw up a rough draft.

Then find some pictures on the Internet with high resolutions.

Here is the Grand Hotel on Mackinaw Island.

Here is one of the Ferry Boats that goes over to Mackinaw Island

Here is the Mackinaw Bridge.

This is the finished product.

It is one of my favorites in regards to the colors and images in it.

We love the state of Michigan.

I will get this framed sometime and probably put it in our family room in the basement.

It has to end sometime

I have had such a restful week off.  Of course I didn't get EVERYTHING done I wanted to do but here are some things that I found out.

I am a darn good Wii bowler.  Beat the pants off everybody with high games of 203 and 202.  There are many bruised egos at my house now!  (You know who you are!)

Sam is an excellent Scrabble player!  He loves to do multiple words at his turn and can rack up the points.  I was duly impressed.

Kevin picked up the game after only playing once with us helping him.  He was taking after his brother and doing multiple words at each turn.  You Go!

Tom is such a good walking partner.  We had a really nice time walking on both Saturday and Sunday.  Got in almost 6 miles total. (A New Years thing)

I have enjoyed a glass of wine with dinner each night. (Another New Years thing.)

I didn't stress so much and laughed more. (New Years thing)

Now to keep it up after I go back to work.

Here is something I have had on my bulletin board and I would like to share it.

I have always liked it because it makes you think.

Now it is 10:00 p.m. 

Time for bed so I can be fresh for tomorrow!(Another New Year thing).

Fun Pictures Around the House

Here are some images that we did while I was off work this week.

I got a card made for someone who celebrates the same birthday as I do.  She is 87 this month.

Sebastian decided to get into the garland that I took down to put away.

Our dear friend Angie T. gave this to us for Christmas.

I had found a new cross for the religious wall.  It has the Lords Prayer on it.

Here is another interesting cross that we just put up.

This is a little holy water font that one of the boys got in school maybe 1st grade?

Here is a view of the wall.  The rosary hanging down was brought from Italy by Angie T. after is had been blessed by the Pope.  It has beautiful blue beads on it. 

This great piece was given to me by my sister Linda.  She got it from the Carruth Studio.

We probably won't EVER look like that?

We got some pictures and stuff up on the walls in Tom's office.  He sure enjoys his space!

Cat Grass

Since moving my cats no longer go outside but recently I found Sebastian chewing on a dried wreath I have.

I decided to grow some cat grass.

I ordered some online from Minnesota Cat Grass and I got it promptly in no more than 6 days.

Along with it they sent some organic catnip.  I think I about lost my hand when I pulled that out of the bag.  It was a hit.  I did get it out today and my oldest cat Smoke turned young again.  He is a chubby cat and 14 years old, after playing with "the catnip duffel bag" he jumped up on a 24 inch kitchen stool and jumped on the island.  It was truly a miracle!  We hadn't seen that kind of action from him in years!

I didn't get the cat grass planted from the Minnesota Cat Grass people but as I was shopping for Christmas I found that there is a Chia Pet Cat Grass.  It comes with a cute sleeping cat bowl and all the necessary equipment to grow the cat grass.  It was $17.95 which I thought was a bit steep since I have plenty of bowls to put the cat grass in.  The cats don't care if the bowl looks like a cat.  Chia Pet does have a nice little video showing this though, you should check it out, also maybe you can find it cheaper than $17.95.

Again while shopping for Christmas I was at Meijer department store and found some cat grass in a plastic container.  All I had to do was put 2 1/2 cups of warm water with it.  It took about 5 days to germinate and then started growing.  It is really nice to have something green growing in the dead of winter.  Once this stuff takes off it is a very fast grower.

1/1/11

1/2/11

1/1/11 from a different angle.

A few more days and it will be time to let them chew on it and have their greens that they need.

I also will use the Minnesota Cat Grass for a second bowl since there are three cats.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

The old year departed, how swiftly it flew,

'Tis gone, and with rapture we welcome the new.

We trust a bright morning will dawn on your eyes,

And sunbeams unclouded illumine the skies.

Then wake from your slumbers, our serenade hear,

We wish you a Happy, A Happy New Year!

Author Unknown

Overnight Carmel Rolls

This was the first year that I made these and was totally impressed with this recipe.  Not only does it use yeast but also baking powder.  I had not used a yeast recipe that had both before.  They turned out GREAT.  I will use this recipe from now on. 

This Betty Crocker Cookbook that I got this recipe out of I bought the first year we were married.  It is out of print now..  I found another used one on Amazon and picked it up because my original cookbook is falling apart.  It is called Betty Crocker's Baking Classics and has a red cover with a beautiful double layer chocolate cake on the front.. Looking at Amazon right now, there are some new and used ones listed.  It is one of the very best cookbooks I've got, and I recommend that you pick up one. 



Banana Bread

I had 5 bananas just sitting around waiting to become banana bread today.  You know, they were soft and perfect for the mashing.  I looked in my quilters cookbook for a banana bread recipe.  This one was called Best Banana Bread-I didn't think I could go wrong with that one.  It's very good-I didn't put any nuts in it though. 



BEST BANANA BREAD

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup shortening

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

3 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup sour milk

3 very ripe bananas

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Cream together sugar and shortening.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.

Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.  Add dry mixture alternately with sour milk.

and bananas to creamed mixture, beating until well mixed.

Add nuts if desired, reserving 2 T to sprinkle on top of loaves for garnish.

Pour into 2 lightly greased full sized loaf pans.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pans for 15 minutes.

Turn out onto foil and wrap immediately.  



Earthquake!

Earthquake shakes northeast Indiana: wane.com

I was sitting in my studio this morning and at 7:59 it sounded like a huge gust of wind hit the window. Then the floor shook and the cats looked up from their sleep. I looked outside and there was no wind at all and there were no storms in the area. It was very strange, but having felt an earthquake a few years back I decided that must be what it was. It only lasted one to two seconds. About 15 minutes later the news people did come on and say there have been reports coming in.

Here in Northern Indiana we don't get a lot of earthquakes so it is big news. I'm just glad it was no bigger.

Great Stuff

I hope that you like my new banner.  Trying to keep it all fresh for the new year.

I took other pictures of some great stuff I had received.  Two beautiful scarves (I keep being told it is the year of the scarf) and a blingy metallic green bag.  I am crazy about all of these items.  A luggage tag that goes with my blingy bag but can also go with my new set of luggage.  I was told that my husband decided to get me these roller bags after our trip to Detroit for Thanksgiving.  I believe it was after his shoulder was almost dislocated from the socket from my heavy bag that he had to carry.  It is a great set, 3 sizes of roller bags, a garment bag and a carry on.  I guess his pain was my gain.  It was a total surprise.

Book Review-Open House by Elizabeth Berg

As I had mentioned in a previous post, this book was sent to me by my friend Colleen in Georgia as we exchange books that we enjoyed. 

It can be found on Amazon 

This book is a very easy read and since I had the time it took me only six hours at the most to read. 

The book is about a women named Samantha who was 42.  She and her husband had an 11 year old son.  She knew that her marriage was becoming stale and her husband was becoming distant.  She tried to speak to him about going to a counselor and working out their problems but he was not interested in that.  He ended up moving out and the book is about her journey of finding herself and coping with the emotional roller coaster that she had to go through.  Along her journey she met many new people and found a side of herself that she had left behind when she got married and was raising her son.  I enjoyed this book and gave it 7 out of 10 stars. 

Adding to the New Years List

1.  Cleaning out my Inbox-(and keeping it that way).

2.  Finishing Three Quilts

3.  Drinking More Wine (They say a glass a day is good for you!)

4.  The usual-walking more, eating better.

5.  Painting and crafting more. 

6.  Worrying less, stressing less.

TO BE CONTINUED.....

7.  Trying a new recipe each week. (I have really great cookbooks that need to be used.)

8.  Going to bed earlier so I don't sit down to quilt or watch t.v. and fall asleep.  I think I will be more productive at work too, maybe I won't have the 2:30 sleepy time.

MORE TO COME.....

9.  Lastly-being more choosy about what I buy.  Charging less and paying more with cash.

That's enough to put on my plate for a year.  

The calm after the storm

With the holidays over and I have this week off from work I have to say I have not had a lot of "get up and go".  I have had a case of the "Blog Block" too.  I have taken a couple of pretty pictures and hope this gets me started back on the right track again. 

My sister Linda got for me these really pretty bright towels to go in my new kitchen.  I just love them and thank you so much!

My niece Angie also got for me this whisk with the beautiful multi-colored striped handle.  She and I always admire the striped coffee cups on the show "Two and a Half Men".  They look similar to this handle. 

Another niece of mine, Wendy game me this lovely blue bird.  She picked it up on a trip and it is replacing another bird she had gotten me.  I had a cobalt blue bird sitting outside and one night some teenagers were messing around taking things from people yards and replacing them with other things.  My cobalt blue bird was a victim of that bunch of shenanigans.

  The little ones I found on half price after Christmas shelves.  They were too cute to pass up. 

Looking Ahead and Behind

It has been a year since we started the moving process and it has been great.  We have met so many new great people in this year, from the builders of the house, to the neighbors, to the people in town, to the installers of our dish, decorative tiles, flooring, cabinets,the people at church to even the people who bought our old house.  We have had a really fun time. All our friends that helped us move were invaluable.  What is the girl scout song....Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other is gold. 

We have had a graduation party and then Sam move onto college and he became a full time driver along with having a girlfriend. It has all been a new experience and it's all been good.

Tom and I have been on a whirlwind tour this past month.  We have been to parties every weekend either big social gatherings or just with friends.  Kevin mention that "you and Dad have been really social lately".  I guess we have haven't we? and it's been fun.

Our mail has brought surprises too.  I have heard from friends whom I haven't heard from for awhile.  We have gotten pictures in our cards of families we haven't seen before, and my that was really nice to see. We have gotten surprise gift cards, books, planners, we even sadly heard about an old friend passing away. 

My Dear Friend Colleen in Georgia sent this wonderfully useful, pretty planner for me to start the year out.  It is not only a planner but a journal.  She is as much of a book lover as I am.  She and I exchange good books we have discovered so she also included in my package a book by Elizabeth Berg, titled Open House.

The introduction in the planner says it all about books.

"There is not frigate like a book/To take us lands away," wrote Emily Dickinson.  So true!  How often have you been transported to another place and time, introduced to fascinating characters and caught up in their stories simply by opening the pages of a book?  Books can be informative and transformative, a challenge and a comfort.  They can help us see the big picture and immerse us in minute details.  They can recapture history, give us insights into the present, and offer hints about the future.  In short, books are amazing!

And that my Friends is why I like books!

Tom and I have been working hard to get our Christmas Cards out.  It is the best way to let people know about our new address etc.  We ran out of cards, so I have had to make some.

Here is the one I made last night.

I made 5, they are collectors items, since they are limited editions.  Ha!

Another Dear Friend Leah, we always exchange Lang Calendars and it is always fun to see which one I get this year.  I sent her a Dear Friends one that has cats and dogs as we are mutual animal lovers also. This year I received the Country Sampler calendar, which I love.  In my package she also sent a book she found enjoyable.  Dewey-the Library Cat as she is also a book lover. She likes to be organized too, she needs a journal like I received too!

Lastly I have been thinking about the New Year.  I have started compiling a list of things I am going to try to do.  

The first one.....

Empty out and organize my inbox on the computer.  

When they give me a lot of space, I just don't take the time to empty it.

I have 8600 messages, let alone that doesn't count what I have sent!

If they would only give me a small amount of space I would have to empty it out but they are very generous-those techie people.  

My work computer is just as bad until it tells me I have no space left.

As my Mary at works says, "people are liquid-they fill the space they have".

Ain't that the truth!"

Dumb thing I have done this season.

Had packages delivered to my old house.

I rushed to check out and didn't check the correct address.

Apparently I am not used to living here yet.

Good thing we became friends!   

Green and Pink Glass

I unpacked a box of depression glass tonight.

Here are some pretty pieces.

Separated dishes, shot glass, a stopper and salt and pepper shakers.

20 to 25 years ago my Mom and I would go to antique shops and look for interesting pieces of depression glass.

We really had a good time with it.

Close up.

Candy dish with a ladle.

All of the pretty colors.

Quilts in Progress

I have started digging out some projects to work on.

These were patterns from the Kansas City Star in the early 1900.  It was a Sampler Challenge but I only got 3 done.

I am thinking of making a king size quilt for our room.

This I started a long time ago.

It needs another border and then it will be time to quilt it.

This is a CJD memorial quilt.

CJD-Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease

It is appliqued and  unfortunately I have many more hearts to put on it.

I have 3 different things to do, quilting, applique and piecing.

That should keep me busy for the winter.

Pretty little package

I reused some packing paper by ironing it.

Then I stamped the Merry Christmas onto the ribbon.

And then stamped the flower onto the packing paper, then wrapped it.

Things I Love #2

My Camera.

It's a Nikon D-40.

It came with two lenses and a battery charger.

I have not conquered all the controls yet but It goes many places with me. 

It was a very good investment. 

The second thing I love is online shopping.

Today I got the shopping done due to using it.

I especially love Amazon.com.http://www.amazon.com/

As you know I love books.  I acquired an amazon .com card. 

It is my own bookstore at my finger tips. 

I have to watch myself when I browse.

It is too easy to order, that's why I don't watch QVC.

Today was a Good Day

Today was my birthday.

I am not afraid to tell that I turned 51.

It was a cold and snowy and very blustery day, and I decided we should take some family photos to remember and log this day.

They turned out pretty good!

I have had lots of well wishers on facebook and it is much appreciated.

I got a really cool hand sweeper that I had asked for and it is now charging. 

I will have that later as a "Things I Love" segment.

I have gone to party's and have eaten out so much it is almost sinful...but very enjoyable.

Sam got me the Toy Story 3 movie that we sat and watched this morning!

It was fantastic.

Kevin got for me another movie which we didn't watch today, but soon.

All in all it was a great birfday as my Dad used to call it.

This picture is top notch.  It turned out so good!  My 3 guys.

Another family one in front of the Christmas tree.