Walker Texas Ranger

Check out my burger. He let go!!!! oh my little walker TR.... I love you.

Craft "embroidery lesson"

The new issue of Craft(hard copy)has a very handy embroidery lesson. It includes 11 different stitch descriptions and photos. I have been flirting with embroidery for a few months. I did this little hat patch for burger that was inspired by some of his favorite little birds in his Peter Rabbit books. (I added the worm in the mouth) this was pre-Craft lesson and then I did this little rendition of Richard Scarry's Loly Worm two weeks later. I tried to experiment with all the stitches but I believe I left A few out.

BUCKETandSHOVEL! or Getting ready for spring planting

We got our first bucket with shovel combo and what a hit! Not only was it a blast at the park we were instantly popular with the older cool kids. All of this is spring training for the garden. I have been cruising some spots looking for heirloom tomato seed packages and came across the You grow Girl site which is awesome. Also for those central Texans The Natural Gardner site is terrific.They have a monthly to do list that helps you stay on top of your garden chores year round
http://www.naturalgardeneraustin.com/

Pin cushions

I recently came a cross this great pin cushion tutorial from How About Orange

These are my renditions.

Jim Henson was pure Genius

I remember as a child loving Sesame Street ,The Muppet Show, and Fraggle Rock. What child of the 70's or 80's, raised in the good ole USofA can say otherwise? But now that I am MATURE and living thru the eyes of my burger I must say that the creativity involved in these works by Jim Henson is inspiring. We just recently updated our Henson collection with Old Shcool Vol 2. I was thrilled to find it included the "Echo" song which was a duet featuring the fabulous Mandeline Khan and Grover. Here is my muppet inspired monster and a picture of maddy amd grover( I tried to updload video of the song but no luck here is the link to you tube)

Nested crayon pouch altered

I was forwarded the caryonn pouch tutorial from Nested sometime ago, but only recently had the idea to change the pattern to fit paint brushes,markers,scissors or what craft you, for my budding artist nieces.So i designed two different ones to be age appropriate. The larger of the 2 can hold tall paint brushes, scissors,and even a small sketch book. I lined the inside with some recycled dickies remnants so it could stand up to her oil paint brushes. I also made a smaller wallet size for myself to hold my ipod nano and tape adapter and so chapstick and my most important cards

birthday cards

I made some new cards for my sis and niece for their birthdays.
They are so fun I love using my scrap box for inspiration the flower is reminiscent of my Christmas cards and the heart was a homeless felt ornament leftover

built by you skirt

I made this new green corduroy skirt from the Sew You book by built by wendy
http://www.builtbywendy.com/
this is my third skirt from the pattern for her A line skirt I added the pockets and lined them with the lining peeping over the front and shortened it a bit.

the ropers

new years resolutions

Well yesterday was January First
and I cooked up a mess of greens and black eyed peas.
Daddy bear smoked three racks of ribs
so we had an impromptu new years gathering.
Auntie Jill gave burger his first pair of ropers
the recipe for the greens follows


mixed greens

• 2 lbs greens (I used collards and mustards)
• 1 ham hock
  
• one large onion minced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
  
• vinegar
• 1/4 c juice from canned japalenos
• 1/3 c sugar
• kosher salt / pepper to taste
• 1/4 lb thick cut panchetta diced
  
• 1-2 c chix stock

• Boil then simmer ham hock in 6 cups water for at least 30 minutes
• clean your greens!!!!!!!! fill the sink with water and then put in the greens allow to soak and rise to top of sink leave for 15 minutes or so letting all the grit and such settle in the bottom of sink carefully remove greens and remove all the stems from the leafs
• place leaves in pot with ham hock (big leafs first)
• let simmer for at least 45 min to 1 hour
• test tenderness at 45 min with sharp knife
• in large sauce pan cook panchetta and add onions brown it up
• add garlic after 10 or 15 min
• deglaze with 1 c chix stock
• remove and drain greens from pot likker chop greens into edible pieces
• reserve the likker(yummy cooking juice )
• add greens to panchetta pan
• on low heat add sugar,salt ,pepper japoleno juice and as much pot likker as you want
• let simmer for another 20 min or so while your corn bread cooks