100!

This is blog 100! 

so I have decided to name 100 happy things!

So in no particular order 100 happy thoughts. :)

1. my entire family
2. special Google days
3. the way my ugg boots keep my toes cozy
4. sushi rolls with cream cheese and salmon
5. curly poodle hair
6. burts bees chapstick
7. hot coco with marshmallows
8. fresh snow
9. betsey johnson jewelry on sale
10. freshly brushed teeth always feel so good
11. bobbi pins- they can be used for everything.
12. highlighters - i like classic yellow
13. pretty smelling lotion 
14. that softballs are called optic yellow
15. Krusty Pups! yum
16. Maple scones - boarder days style
17. lemonade on a hot day
18. beer at the pyramid brewery 
19. a banana that is still green
20. jeopardy games with my husband
21. Sunday naps
22. Starbucks red cups
23. first daffodils of spring
24. parades
25. E-A-S-T-E-R-N Eastern Eagles GO-FIGHT-WIN
26. chocolate oranges at Christmas
27. sparkling diamonds
28. saving up for a big purchase and buying it
29. airports - i like them for some reason
30. amazon.com - its my all time favorite
31. new mascara
32. baby name website that generate funny options
33. sticky notes
34. koosh balls
35. red robin honey mustard
36. running in to a friend unexpectedly that you actually want to see
37. Dallas cowboys
38. free things like coffee on your birthday
39. parks and recreation - the show
40. happy hours
41. getting a dream catalog in the mail where the pictures are pretty but u will never buy anything
42. a perfectly ripe pear 
43. door chants on the first day of recruitment
44. matching outfits 
45. new shoes
46. changing fall colors
47. getting an A on a paper
48. getting surprise crafts to decorate my desk with
49. etsy.com
50. wine
51. vintage furniture upcycled
52. yankee candles
53. FABRIC! 
54. creating something that was once just a vision in my mind
55. a yummy piece of pie
56. a Sunday school class of laughing kids
57. a good hair day
58. a hot black dress
59. the Sandlot
60. Lew and Clark cuddled together
61. babies in tutus
62. a kid making their first hoop
63. wordfued
64. WRPA conferences
65. a clean bill of health
66. clam chowder
67. watching seaguls eat fries
68. nice hotel rooms
69. lazy rainy day
70. sleeping in front of the fire place with the Christmas tree on
71. family meals
72. a day on the lake
73. mariners games on clear Seattle days
74. a pretty manicure
75. wedding vows
76. bachlorette weekends
77. driving around new neighborhoods looking at houses
78. walks around deep lake
79. poodle skirts
80. championship tee shirts
81. kids jumping rope double dutch
82. camp sealth
83. ferry rides
84. getting take out
85. Hurricane Ridge
86. fresh flowers
87. people who write emails complimenting staff
88. winning dollar bets
89. iced grande no room white mocha americono
90. reaching a goal
91. saving a dollar
92. cheese samples at the grocery store
93. compliments on curly hair
94. seeing a play
95. finishing a project
96. having a clean house
97. trying a new recipe with great success
98. a perfect cheeseburger
99. collecting inspiration - (hence my pinterest addiction)
100. Keeping in touch with my most cherished friends

so happy 100! to me. That list really didn't take very long. Another quilt post coming soon. I am working on quilt 10 of the year!!!  Goal is 11! lots to do.

why i like babys being born

Ready to be gifted this quilt started with an attraction to some pretty cute fabric picked up on a whim with a certain baby in mind.

I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with the six fabric choices I had made. I would like to decribe them as modernish-vintage- kid-but not to baby. Together they all look great and bottom line is I had to have that animal print!!

The fabric features a random collection of some pretty cool animals. Giraffes, lamas, camels, penguins, elephants and more. But of course I had to add one more.

A poodle! My favorite animal and quilting buddies.

Clark wasn't so sure why I wanted him to move. I kept getting the sweet little head tilt.

Making this quilt I wanted a little vintage feel, so I decided to quilt it by following the seems on either side creating a great boxed effect. I love the way the back looks too!

My new machine was a life saver! the Machine still needs a name, but the first time using the walking foot and I adored it. Made the stitching during the quilting stage so much easier. I now understand why the walking foot hype is so big in the blog world.

Lastly, the poodles were sad to see the quilt go, but it found a great home and is just waiting for baby Richardson to arrive some time around Christmas.

I must say, people having babys is the best for someone who likes to make quilts. So hints to all my friends who read this....make a baby so i can make more cute quilts!

Today

Just a preview. By the end of the night these stacks will be a gift for a little boy who will soon be born!

Is it Christmas Yet?

 Normally, I would not show off a future Christmas present, but I just cant help it. I finished this lap quilt this weekend and just had to share! Its bright, cheery and festive. The fabric is the Flurry by Kate Spain for Moda and the quilt was made with a layer cake. Very simple design, very happy I purchased the fabric during a Christmas in July Sale! Saved so much! total quilt cost me around $45 to make! Which is very good!

 The person this is for loves snowflakes, so I choose the red snowflake print for the back!

 I used a solid green for the binding and I really like how it worked out. Oh and I finally put my tag on before I made my quilt sandwich! Proud of myself for remembering. Anyway, I am happy with it and had to share!

Lewie would also like to point out that he was a good dog and watched from the couch instead of laying on the quilt while I made it!

Love A Lamp

One day about a month ago i stumbled upon this blog post...

http://hodgepodge-babselou.blogspot.com/2010/01/midas-touch-another-thrift-lamp.html

ever since that day I have wanted to fill some of the empty space on my end tables with a old lamp that look brand new.

A lamp that when I looked at it, it would instantly make me smile. A lamp that instantly make me smile can not be found at ikea, or at target. However, those store do tend to try hard with there low prices and sometime creative colors.

Anyway, I was in Spokane and on a random little trip to find a boutique fabric store, which was of course closed, Trish and I ran in to a little funky store where i found this lamp...

Pretty huh? OK its down right dated and ugly. But look at its cool shape!!! Never mind that odd extra tall lampshade, that can be replaced! After all, look at this price!

The lamp functioned well, and even came with a light bulb! The shape of it reminds me of a genie lamp.

The lamp even had a button so I don't have to reach up in to the shade to turn it on! Another plus!

OK so this is what I did to make it pretty....

I first had to find a new lamp shade. The first one I tried was to small, but this one I think worked great with the proportions.

Next, I taped up the eclectic part and took the lamp outside and found a semi sunny spot without weeds to place the lamp on

.

Next I shook up the spray paint! and......

 

Sprayed about 2 coats quickly! Totally loving the color!

After it dried I put the lamp shade on and put the lamp in its new home!

The purple looks a lot darker dried, but still more purple than these pictures make it appeared.

I debated adding a little silver trim to the lamp shade but I am glad I didn't. I like the simplicity of it. It keeps your eye on the shape of the lamp.

The glossy paint came out perfect!

And now my lamp lives happily in its new home!

 Cost of this project:

Lamp: $5

Lamp shade at target size large: $14.97

Purple Glass Spray paint (found at home depot) 3.98

Total for my new one of a kind lamp: $23.95

UNDER $25 FOR A COOL LAMP!  

BEFORE                                              AFTER

I just love this lamp!

grumpy side of the morning

Do you ever wake up start your day and just feel stranded in the grump funk. that was me this morning, Nothing could have made me in a better mood, not my poodles, not my husband, not even starbucks (realizing this I didnt stop and stuck to office coffee). I really dont have a reason to be such a grump, but i am..So i an effort to cheer myself up and get out of the grumpy side of the morning and on to the happy side of the morning I am going to make a list of  little things that make me smile....

1. my voicemail light not being on when i get in to work
2. string cheese
3. old houses that are kept up and charming
4. "down in the muddy muddy, children of the lord" part of the rise and shine song
5. someecards.com
6. conversations with little kids
7. playing tag
8. getting my hair washed at the salon
9. winning words with friends
10. driving a golf cart
11. key lime pie martini on a hot day
12. when people find poodle things for me
13. hearing songs by the Steve miller band in unexpected places like the grocery store
14. fabric with amazing prints
15. sunrise that makes my mountain look pink
16. ferry rides
17. curly hair compliments
18. my g.love Pandora station
19.finishing projects
20. wine with friends

ok...now i think i am coming out of my funk...here is a morning recipe that would also help u get out of a funk...yummm

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/quiche/detail.aspx

It freezes great! and will make your tummy smile! I think i am gonna make a few tonight..yummm

New Wife Cooking

So your married now and well your husband needs to eat a little less subway and a little more at home with you. Now we both know and agree it is not 1940 but there is still something inside that might happen every week or once a month when we feel we should cook dinner.. How are you gonna pull this off...a birdy told me you are a nacho expert. Well not really a birdy but facebook did. So I am here to rescue you! well kind of,  Here are 3 recipes that are so easy. You could copy them down and tape them inside your cupboard for an easy peasy yummy dinner...


the first homemade pesto..


What you need:
a blender or food processor
2 cups fresh basil
1hand full of walnuts or pin nuts (walnuts are cheaper)
some garlic
olive oil
whole wheat noodles
Parmesan cheese


First - wash the basil
second - cut out the stem parts of the leaves.
third - boil water for noodles
fourth - put basil and a table spoon size splash of olive oil in the blender
fifth - blend basil and add olive oil till you get the consistency you would like. It will be very pasty at first.
sixth - add noodles to water
seventh - blend in your handful of nuts and a little bit garlic
eight - strain noodles when they are done
ninth - serve up noodles with some of your yummy sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan


yummmm!


Next we have a cold stormy day meal that does take a little time but it is SOOOO worth the effort! These are homeade noodles my favorite thing ever. I like them best made in to a simple chicken noodle soup.


what you need:
Rolling pin
pizza cutter
large pot
2 cups flour - white or wheat or you can do a mixture
2 Eggs beaten
2 table spoons of oil
5 tablespoons of water
1/2 table spoon of salt
some chicken broth - i usually buy the sodium free kind in a huge can. You need a least two huge cans


I a huge bowl combine the flour and salt. Than mix in the water, oil and beaten eggs. Stir for a while until dough can be formed in to a ball. Wrap dough in plastic and let it sit at room temperature for an hour. Now go for a run, vacuum, look at etsy, or dogs that need homes. Whatever. After your hour is up get out a huge pot and dump your broth in to it and set it on high so it can get to a boil. While your waiting for that to boil flour your counter and roll out your dough hafe the ball at a time. Little tip, you can freeze your rolling pin because the dough wont stick to cold as bad, and also flour it as you go. When it is thinned out use your pizza cutter and cut long noodles as wide or thin as your would like. Than set aside on a towel and do the other half. Usually my broth is ready about this time and since I am impatient I usually start dropping them in. So turn your broth down a little so it is not at a high boil but a lower one and drop the noodles in to the pot stirring occasionally. After all the noodles are in occasionally stir. Than after a while check on them, feel free to turn it down a little and put a lid on them. They will cook right up for a yummy dinner.


ps. you could also bake a few chicken breasts and chop them up and mix them in to the soup...yummmm


on my third memorized menu item is even simpler. you only need 3 things


a cup
orange juice
champagne


first - get out the cup - wine glass, keg cup, flute, whatever..
second - pour champagne into glass about 3/4 of the way
third - pour in a splash of orange juice
fourth - drink
fifth - smile


Now i hope this inspired you to go put on an apron and cook up some yummies..if not here are so go to websites for you...


http://www.smittenkitten.com/
http://www.allrecipies.com/
http://www.bakerella.com/