Music

November 9, 2009

Music

My days don't 'go' unless there is music. Chores and project making is much more enjoyable when I am grooving to the beats.
I like to purchase the 'album' rather than just the songs. I need the full artistic experience of the album cover, the sleeve, the thank you's and such.
Yeah, I like music a lot.



I purchased INXS: Kick , last week.
I owned it on tape when it came out in 1987. I wore it out a long time ago.
I purchased it used at my favorite record store, Graywhale. ( $4.99! Actually it was an extra dollar off because I am a Graywhale Card holder ). I am receiving no money to say this. I just really like my record store. I spend a lot of time there.

Anyway, I had a super huge crush on Michael Hutchence.



I think these dolls might make cute gifts for the little children in my life.
I like projects where there are a million different ways to create it and it is made with stuff I usually have in my collection of crafterplethoria. (Don't look 'crafterplethoria' up in the dictionary. It's not there. I just made it up right now).

I found the cute dolls in this magazine.

It is Stampington & Company; Summer 2009

My nice and handsome husband made dinner.

This is Chris and I get to contribute to the blog again. I made a dish that we have now named "Simple Simon Hamburger Patties and Rice."

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef, 85% or more lean

2 cans cream of celery soup, I use one can of regular and one can reduced fat

1 1/2 soup cans water

Instant rice

Black pepper and garlic salt to taste.

Take ground beef and form small patties. Season patties with black pepper and garlic salt and cook in frying pan until no longer pink in center. Remove patties from pan and drain fat. Return patties to pan.

Combine cream of celery soup with water. Pour celery soup over patties and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until ready to serve. While soup is heating, cook rice according to directions on box. Serve rice on plates, topped with hamburger patties and celery soup.

Chris' dinner was very yummy.

Last year at this time I was finished with most of my holiday gifts.

I haven't sewn or crafted a gift yet. I'm having a difficult time deciding what to make this year.

Oh well, it will come to me soon.

Happy New Week!

P.S. If you click on my photo's they get super big.

Thrifted Goodies and A Super Awesome Sweater

November 7, 2009

Thrifted Goodies and A Super Awesome Sweater

I stopped by my local thrift store yesterday. Sometimes it is a hit and sometimes it is a miss.
(As all Thrifter's well know).
Yesterday was a very big hit.




Two ironstone platters and a beautiful bowl.
I rarely pass up purchasing white platters even though I have more than a dozen of them.
They are useful for so many things. It is also great to have a pretty platter on hand for a hostess gift piled with cookies.


I found two great books.
The two next photo's are from A Young Boy's Treasury of Thing-to-do, published 1946.
The second book is titled Christmas in Scandinavia, published 1977.
Notice on the Paper Bag Mask instructions it states that "One of the nicest things about this mask is that it is so comfortable". Personally I have never found wearing paper bag on my head very comfortable.

An Old Man Disguise.
I rotated this photo once too many. Tilt you heads please.

I purchased this army green sweater intending to shrink it and make it into a sweater bag.
It would make a super cool bag indeed.
I think I will wear it for a bit first. It looks so cool on although it is very, very scratchy.
It may be Royal Military issued. I would like to think it is.
Notice the grommeted place for a soldiers name tag.

Here is a photo of the tag. If you know anything about this sweater or have an ideas, let me know please.

Today I worked on necessary projects.

Freya does not hang her sweaters on hangers - ever. Sweaters usually hang on hooks.

I made a hang loop out of velvet ribbon hand sewn to where the manufactures tag once was.

(Sorry. Another side photo. Tilt your heads to the opposite side now please).

Hanging sweaters.

It is a beautiful day in my neighborhood.

Well wishes to everyone this wonderful fall day.

Sweater Bag # 4

November 5, 2009

Sweater Bag # 4

I've had one of those 'mean reds' days ala Holly Golightly.
A day where you are down but don't know the reason why.

It was soothing to sew.



Sweater Bag #4. It was nice to finish a project today. That always cheers me up.
It turned out quite pretty, although not exactly how I had envisioned it in my brain.

I think the liner inside out looks revealing. (You are not supposed to see what is underneath).

Oliver and Freya are off school tomorrow.

We have a Happy Friday planned.

I hope everyone has a Happy Friday planned too.

Or just 'wing it'.

Winging it is a bunch of fun too.

A Day Of Joy Is A Thing Of Beauty

November 4, 2009

A Day Of Joy Is A Thing Of Beauty

Joyous news about Oliver and Freya.
Freya is Student of the Month for Cooperation.
Oliver is Top Dog* for the quarter.
*Top Dog is awarded quarterly to one student per class, per grade.



The amazingly studious students showing their stupendous awards. Super!
Oliver and Freya, Papa and I are very, one billion very, proud of you. Good Job!



Freya looks up to her big brother.
Oliver teaches Freya, plays with her and loves her enormously.
Mostly they treat each other with respect. Mostly

Freya and I went to the park this late-afternoon again. The weather is so warm (60+ degrees) and perfect. I am neglecting my chores and playing ever night instead.

Pure joy.

More pure unfiltered joy.

I got a bit of sewing in.

To joyously top the day off, Chris cooked plain old delicious spaghetti.

I hope a whole lot of you had a joyous day too.

After School Oliver, Freya and I Went To The Park

November 3, 2009

After School Oliver, Freya and I Went To The Park

As the title of this post mentions, we went to our local park this late-afternoon. The park is a ten minute child's pace walk from my home.
I love our park. A lot.



A football game. (Soccer to wimps).




Another football game.




Oliver upside down. He did this for a long time. That is why his face is beet red.



Freya swinging. This is Freya's favorite thing to do at any park.





Oliver twisting down the twisty slide.




I take my sewing every where I go.
Sweater Bag #3 is the best bag I have ever owned.
It fits all of my sewing, my notion tin, a blanket, water for the kids and I, plus a lamp, a coat rack and a mirror large enough to see my whole face at once.




I'm working on Sweater Bag #4.



I listened to J.Lo while blogging tonight.
Say what you will about her but J.Lo can cut a dance groove here and there.



I then listened to one of the best albums of all time. My favorite Beatles album is the White Album with Abbey Road close, close behind.

Wow I was chatty tonight.
I have special and exciting news to share tomorrow about Oliver and Freya. Come by tomorrow and say "Hi".

A Dinner Party With The Cartys: Those Cartys Really Know How To Party

November 1, 2009

A Dinner Party With The Cartys : Those Cartys Know How To Party

It was a really good day. The weather was sunny and warm at 60 degrees
Our long time friends and their twin sons came for dinner and Harry Potter Scene It II.



We listened to Raising Sand/Robert Plant and Alison Krauss while we prepared.
Raising Sand is the best album of 2007 . If you haven't heard it, you must. It has a heavy sound that is perfect for autumn. T-Bone Burnett produced it and it is brilliant. Yes!

Chris made his delicious and delightful Taco Soup for the second day in a row. He served his super amazing cornbread also.
Chris is going to pop in now and give you these recipes.

Hello, followers and friends of Camille's blog. The taco soup recipe is one of the first recipes I ever downloaded and printed. It has been a hit ever since. I have made it so many times, I can do it from memory. Not that it is difficult. The recipe can be found here:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Taco-Soup-III/Detail.aspx

I always like to double the recipe so there are plenty of left-overs. It tastes better the next day. Also, a word of warning: If you do not tolerate spicy, hot foods well, be sure to choose the diced tomatoes with MILD chilies. Your stomach and mouth will thank you.

Here is the recipe for the cornbread:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Golden-Sweet-Cornbread/Detail.aspx

Thank you for letting me share my cooking and recipes with you

Taco Soup and cornbread.

The noisy table.


Ryan the librarian and Sheryl the mathematician. (Dylan played the piano and Destry is the singer in the band). (It just fit).

The teams

Ryan and Destry

Sheryl, Dylan and borrowed Ethan. (Nephew)
Oliver and Chris

Freya and I.

If you are familiar with the Scene It games you will know what I mean when I say three out of four of us made it to 'All Play To Win'. Oliver and Chris won by answering the three rounds of questions.

Oh how I love Scene It! They need an The Office Scene It, American and British version.

The end of a perfect day.

Putting the dishes away.

These winter scene dishes are one of my favorite thrift store finds. ($10 for the set of six).(Really).

I'm happy to pull them out to use for the season.

Happy Monday everyone.

A Dinner Party

November 1, 2009

A Dinner Party

Welcome November.

What better way to celebrate a new month than by hosting a dinner party with dear friends.

Tonight Chris is making his mind boggling, awesomely delicious Taco Soup.

Dinner is to be followed with some extreme Happy Potter Scene It play. It should be intense.

This will be the second day in a row my sweet husband makes Taco Soup. He made it last night to take to my parents for our annual Halloween Trick or Treats party. We have been meeting up with my little brother and my little sister plus their small brood of children and spouses for Trick or Treats for the last 10 years.

I am fortunate that my extended family lives within 45 minutes of each other.

Chris will share his Taco Soup recipe later tonight and I'll post some photo's of our dinner party.

Come check by later, please.