The Obsessed Stitcher & Her Mobile Phone

I feel like I need to apologise for the amount of Stitching I've been babbling about this past week! But take a look at that picture...isn't my obsession warranted? OK, maybe don't answer that. I think it's warranted. Tail Feathers has me desperate to get back to it and now that two of the three pieces are done I just sit and stare at them with a great deal of pleasure. I love them. Acutally, what really gets me is that scalloped edge around the tree. I could just look at that all day long LOL. I'm awaiting a parcel of fabric to do the applique on the 3rd piece and then create the full block.

But then there is this little pile..and the picture only shows part of it. But you get the idea. At the end of the couch there is this growing little pile of stuff, so that I don't have to get up too often once I've committed to a bit more time stitching! I think this is most evidenced by the mug (my favourite, from Retreat back in April) and the two phones! Dh was away Thursday night up in northern Victoria, so where I would normally ignore the mobile, it joined my pile too.

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In an attempt to be more interesting to the non-stitching world, I discovered a new trick to get more life out of my mobile phone battery. It had gone from lasting a week to lasting barely 2 days, so it has been constantly dying on me. Very frustrating. This began happening after I had been charging the phone and it had not fully charged before Dh unplugged it to charge his own phone. I've always been very careful to fully drain my battery and then fully recharge it to keep the longest battery life possible....even though they say the new types of batteries don't have a memory. I'm here to tell you, they're wrong.

When I was at my BIL's the other day, one of his employees suggested that I should drain the battery (easy done!), take it out and place it in a plastic bag (or wrap it in cling wrap, as I did) and put it in the freezer overnight. Apparently this erases the empty-full memory that it has and allows you to fully charge it again.

I did this Thursday night and charged it back up yesterday morning. I still have a full battery!!! I am in hope that it has indeed worked. I'll let you know.

Mid-Year Clean Up

I'm not so much a Spring Clean-er, but rather a Whenever-I-Have-The-Inspiration-Clean-er. I'd been looking at my pantry for months thinking "I must get to that". Finally, thanks to some inspiration from Meredith at Like Merchant Ships I found the inspiration and desire I needed to delve into this dark little corner of my kitchen. Meredith had posted about her pantry dilemma here and then posted over the next day or two to reveal her progress.

On Tuesday, Miss Mischief and I completely emptied out the pantry. Mr Busy, in his usual intelligent manner, asked if I was going to leave everything on the bench now. "Oh yes, it's far more convenient to have everything out at my fingertips" I replied sarcastically. And then I gave him 'the look' that says: that was a pretty silly thing to say buddy. He merely giggled. Must get to cutting his hair.....

I shooed him out and cleaned the shelves and floor. Then we started putting everything back in. Tidily. Taking time to consider why I put things where I do. Thinking that I don't want to throw everyone off-kilter, or forget what I'd done with something. But I do have a wheat-free spot on the shelf now. I got rid of o-o-o-o-l-d ingredients and some things that had been stored in there for no reason other than Dh didn't want to get rid of those items and I didn't like them so refused to use them any longer. There's nothing worse than ugliness in the kitchen and I'm too old to persevere with things I hate. I think I've gotten to the age where I pursue things I love.

Do you know, I now have space on the very top shelf (not pictured). All the light globes and batteries are in a container. All the candles are in a container. The potatoes are on a SHELF!!!!!! Usually they stay in their bag on the floor amongst the rubble that congregates there.

Then because one cupboard is not enough of a clean-up we attacked Miss Mischief's wardrobe. On the promise that once it was done we would visit Savers (a huge 2nd hand shop) to replenish anything we would now see was lacking, she began. To my delight and slight horror, Miss Mischief turfed a huge garbage bag FULL of clothes. She only had half her clothes left. All things that fit and she likes. You know what? We don't need to go to Savers. She has plenty of clothes ~ she just couldn't find them amongst the things she didn't wear anymore.

The clothes have gone to a good home. My children joyfully thought we should be rid of the bag immediately and a trip to their Uncle and Aunt's place is always met with joy and enthusiasm. An employee of my BIL's has two girls and happily took the bag home with her yesterday.

Savvy Spending and Fabulous Finds

Over the school holidays I have more time to spend popping on and off the computer for moments here and 1/2 hour there. It's amazing where your clicking can take you, and boy have I found some great things over the last week.

I've mentioned Altered Cutlery just in this last week. Lis is not a prolific poster, but she's a South Australian lass with some great Slow Cooker recipes. I'm about to get into some menu planning so I'm going to be sitting here with her blog in front of me. My new copy of 'Nigella Express' will be dog-eared by the time I'm done too.

Just yesterday I got online out of desperation, looking for the Moda 'Patissiere' range of fabrics. Specifically jelly rolls, honey buns and charm packs so I can make my Tail Feathers quilt. I was feeling a little sad at the idea of not being able to use 'Patissiere' so I went looking for Aussie suppliers. Well...what a site I found. Provincial Patch has a great selection of patchwork and quilting fabric and sells online at a fraction of the price of retail stores or other websites. They use Paypal, or if you're an Aussie, you can send through an email order and pay direct into their bank account. I am excitedly awaiting my shipment to arrive in the next couple of working days. Kerri tells me they had set aside some 'Patissiere' range products just for Natatlie's quilt.

If you're interested in dressing your specific figure shape, the Inside Out Style blog will be a great source of information. I've spent far too long reading back over past posts. What intrigued me most is that Imogen's definition of an hourglass figure comes with two different definitions, actually. There is the X and the 8....depending on whether you carry your weight lower on your thighs, or up on your hips. Imogen is also a fellow Melbournian and willingly answers reader questions on her blog.

When you're reading through an image consultant's blog and she keeps reiterating that one should invest in really good, well-fitted undergarments, it begs the question. What is the right undergarment for me? Ahhhh...as women everywhere know, being fitted is not always all it's cracked up to be. Especially when you go to a professional fitter and even they get it wrong. Yep...I could get onto a rant about this one! A girl could then be forgiven for going on a little virtual shopping tour without the trauma of going to a big shopping centre and having to say "No, I'm just browsing thank you" a million times over. If you're a fan of any of the brands Triumph own (eg. Triumph, Bendon, Lovable, Elle MacPherson etc) then you'll find some significant savings at Indulge Fashion. I'm talking savings of 30%. So if you're an Aussie, again, this might be worth a peek at. I've not used this site...but the savings made me think I would!

What's your favourite online find...for cheap shopping or freebie information and stuff?

One Stitch at a Time

Miss Mischief is part way through a stitchery and is doing a magnificent job. I forced....errrr....encouraged her to use her own money. She doesn't like to spend paper money, believing that to be a gift in itself. But I promised her this is what money is for ~ spending it on something you absolutely adore. So she bought some threads and a frame and whilst she was doing her choosing I traced the design onto some calico with the lightbox at the shop. She's in little-girl heaven.

Meanwhile, I've finished my stitching from Saturday's Sewing Day. It's very cute. I daresay I shall sew on the borders and frame this, rather than making it into yet another pin-cushion. A girl can only do with so many and I have one that I love and works well already.

I also remembered to ask about Pattern 1 of a 10 part block of the month that I've not-so-patiently been waiting on! Now that the rain has cleared I'm going to nick back and pick up the threads. For all my one and a half boxes of embroidery threads I don't have any of the ones I need! I have, however, done the tracing and ironed on the stabliser fabric. I can't wait to get started. On a day like today perhaps another 'Little House on the Prairie' episode is in order?!

I love Natalie Lymer's designs. A touch of whimsy with a splash of variegated thread here and there seems to catch my attention every time. Why try to resist?

Anyone for Dessert?

PomPom asked what's for dessert after reading yesterday's post. Rather than answer her in 'comments' I thought I'd answer here.

There is actually a good reason why I never post what we're having for dessert. It's because I don't make it. I grew up in a home where we always had dessert. For me it was the reward for having struggled through a meal I, most often, didn't enjoy. Food was not something I was terribly interested in, in the era where vegies were boiled to mush and meat was grilled to a crisp. Dessert back then was tinned fruit or jelly or custard or fruit salad...usually served with ice cream. As you can see, it was pretty simple fare and not something that took large amounts of time or effort. Coming from that background, you'd think I'd be all gung-ho about having dessert!

In my own home we have dessert when we have visitors. It depends on how I feel and who the people are, as to whether I declare the visitors at the table friends or family. We don't do dessert for family and we have some friends that could fall into either category thanks to a distant family marriage! When my parents come to stay, it's usually when we're busy out and about or doing something so they often fall out of 'visitor' status too. Poor things!

On a day to day basis, I don't do desserts for a few quite significant reasons:

1. It's time consuming. Usually I'm in the middle of a couple of different things and conversations in the midst of dinner preparations and I just wilt at the thought of adding to that busyness at that time of the day.
2. It's not so healthy. Desserts are filled with sugar. Better to fill them up with vegies I think, than a bowl full of things we're only meant to eat 'sometimes'.
3. It's expensive. Really, it just adds to the cost of the meal and when you're on a fairly tight food budget it is better not to add to that burden either.

Before Dh was self employed the children used to have a small serve of yoghurt for their dessert. A 1kg tub lasted two days ~ a cost of $5-$6 every two days was worth dispensing with when all we were earning toilet paper and laundry detergent! The Food Nazi within also decided that spending money on foods that added nothing positive nutritionally was not what I wanted to do for my family.

By now you're wondering what we do if people are still hungry after dinner and all the food is gone. Dh often has a couple of sandwiches. The kids are welcome to eat fresh fruit. IF we have something home baked in the cupboard they might be allowed to have a portion of whatever is there. If they haven't already overdone it through the day, that is.

Holiday Menus and Other Kitchen Plans

I was going to walk first thing this morning before Dh left for work. In the daylight. Hmph...it rained. I know we need the rain but it would've been perfectly alright for the rain to have stopped before 7am and started after I got home!

My plan for the first day of holidays is to do some supermarket shopping, pick up Miss Sunshine from a sleepover and then go shopping for a birthday present....for the sleepover she's off to tomorrow night. Just as well for all her friends she'll have a night at home in between!

To that end, some menu planning has been done:

Monday: Beef Pie with gluten free pastry, vegies
Tuesday: Herbed Fish, vegies
Wednesday: Chicken braised with honey & vinegar, vegies
Thursday: Lasagna (will double it and freeze half)
Friday: Homemade Pizza
Saturday: Jacket Potatoes and Coleslaw
Sunday: Roast Chicken, vegies

I also have a growing list of items I'd like to have prepared and in the freezer for those inevitable nights when I get home and I just really can't be bothered thinking about dinner.

• Bolognaise pasta sauce
• Meatloaf
• Buttermilk Polenta Crumbed Chicken
• Orange Crumbed Chicken
• Forbidden City Chicken
• Teriyaki Chicken
• Sausage Rolls
• Vegetable Patties
• Hamburger Patties
• Bacon Wrapped Chicken

It seems to be that there's a lot of chicken on that list, doesn't it. Don't worry...I'll intersperse it with other things! I also came across a blog called Altered Cutlery, with lots of slow cooker recipes on it. Recipes that seem to suit the Aussie palate, given that the author is South Australian. I'm going to dig through her recipes over the next week and find things that we'll enjoy. The nights when life is hectic are made so much simpler when I've thought ahead and put something in the crock pot. Last week Miss Mischief prepared vegies while I dealt with the meat and then we just threw it all in.

A Stitch in Time

I've just returned from my Stitching Day, held at a church in Our Town. Ahhhh what a lovely way to end a busy school term ~ to just sit and stitch all day long. I was placed at a table with two ladies from my Quilt Class so it was lovely to catch up with them. Amazingly I was also placed right next to my Aunt!!!! I had no idea she was going to be there. The Quilt Shop owner knows us both and had no idea we were related! So we spent a lovely day catching up on family news between all the other bits of chatter between the ladies at our table. I've looked at my accomplishment for an entire day of stitching and decided it's a bit pathetic, volume wise. My excuse? I make tiny stitches so there are more than if I made large stitches. Nevertheless I will take it out with me tonight and continue on.

I'm already looking forward to 'Quilt til You Wilt' in a few weeks time.