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Post by craftedbys on Jan 11, 2024 15:30:43 GMT
It is so hard for a sewing/craft room not to become a dumping ground. BTDT.
I am in the process of setting up a new sewing and crafting room. When we moved my dad home in early 2021, we turned my space back into a downstairs master and my sewing and craft stuff got relocated to almost every room in the house and garage.
Dad passed away last June, and I am finally ready to move forward with making a new craft space.
DH had the idea to move our bedroom downstairs and turn our upstairs master bedroom into my craft and sewing space, which gives me a much bigger room to work with.
So now, like you, I have to paint and plan and purge and get things organized.
I am buying some Billy bookcases from Ikea for fabric, stamp, accuquilt, and book storage and turn my kallax into more scrapbook storage.
I think it is true what they say, crafting/quilting/sewing, buying supplies, and organizing supplies are three different hobbies.
I can't wait to see pictures of your finished space!
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Post by craftedbys on Jan 11, 2024 15:20:41 GMT
The saying here is, "If you don't like the weather, wait 4 minutes, and it will change." They aren't wrong. We have been known to cycle through all four seasons in 24 hours or so.
This year is no exception. We have been swinging from mild to cold, rain to clear, or any combination.
Now, the forcasters actually said the forbidden "S" word for Monday, and people are already losing their minds. Which means that by Sunday all the shelves will be stripped of bread and milk for the French Toast festival (iykyk).
We don't care for wintry mix here in the Mid-South. All it does is close schools, make the traffic even more nightmarish, and piss everyone off. And then it disappears right after the morning commute.
And if, by some chance, we do get an accumulation, the number of people who will be without power is insane. (Our local power monopoly has refused to relocate the lines underground for the last 30 years, which is a whole other vent post.)
So I am preparing for the worst for next week (getting out propane burner, saving water, etc) which hopefully will mean we don't get anything.
Stay warm y'all!
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Post by craftedbys on Jan 7, 2024 18:13:28 GMT
Give it time, the perfect name just might pop out of your mouth.
My neice rehomed her cat to us. She had found him abandoned in a cemetery, so she named him Lucky.
His personality was that of that chill friend from college that couch surfs among his friends, just doing his own thing.
One day he wandered into the room and I said "What's up, Jack?" And he gave me this little chin lift that said "'Sup?"
That's how he became Jack to our family.
Of course, I may not be the best person to give advice on naming cats. We once had a cat with an adjective for a name. Seriously.
Seriously, the cat's name was Seriously.
I eventually agreed to add the name Dave as a middle name after the strange looks at the vet when they called out for Seriously XXX.
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Post by craftedbys on Jan 5, 2024 19:04:45 GMT
Not for dead of winter, but for spring, a pair of khaki closed toed linen espidrilles would be adorable.
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Post by craftedbys on Dec 31, 2023 23:26:09 GMT
Things are not looking good for the home team.
I have been feeling tired and run down since Wednesday and kind of achy. I kept taking my temperature, but it was always normal.
By Friday, I had a bit of congestion, and I spent yesterday sneezing. I have never sneezed so much in my life. I am talking 4 or 5 times in a row every few minutes. None of the medicines were helping, and my head felt like it was filled with concrete, but my nose was running like a faucet .
I made an offhand comment that I hadn't had this much sinus issues either time I had covid.
I decided to take a home test last night (was not expired) and it was negative.
This morning, I realized that I really couldn't taste anything and my thought was that 2023 wanted to give me one final kick in the ass on its way out.
So I am staying away from everyone and going to ring in the new year by playing Memphis's favorite game of Fireworks or Gunshots.
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Post by craftedbys on Dec 28, 2023 0:46:42 GMT
My casual commitments:
Stick to my new mantra: Don't put it down, put it away. Hopefully, it will help keep the clutter under control.
To set up and organize my new craft room so that I can actually go in and create something without having to clean, search for supplies, or move things that are not craft related.
To start going through all of the boxes in the garage and storage labeled "To Go Through".
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Post by craftedbys on Dec 26, 2023 15:42:32 GMT
No real misses in our house. Everything was greatly appreciated, including small gifts like Ov Gloves for DH and reusable makeup removing washcloths for DD.
DS bought me the Lego Up house . I can't wait to put it together and put it in my new craft room.
DS and DD gave DH a first edition (US) copy of Mary Poppins, his absolute fav Disney character.
Our bonus kids and grandkid (DDs best friends) gave DH and I a gift with the tag written to Mom and Dad (so sweet!). It was one of those Wonderful Life digital picture frames that everyone can email the frame directly.
The gift with the best reaction was from me to DS (23). He started opening it and started chuckling, and by the time he got it out of the box, it was full on howls of laughter that continued for a while.
The gift was a Mountain Dew Snuggie.
I got it as a gag to go with his Taco Bell Crocs that he bought himself last summer that he absolutely loves.
Best $20 gift ever.
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Post by craftedbys on Dec 20, 2023 20:35:11 GMT
I'm making my own version of a black forest trifle. Dark chocolate cake (made with espresso), cherry filling, chocolate mousse instead of pudding or custard, freah whipped cream, and dark chocolate shavings.
We will have that for Christmas Eve dinner and the rest of the holidays will just be whatever goodies I have made (although none decided on rn).
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Post by craftedbys on Dec 17, 2023 15:12:28 GMT
Welcome back!
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Post by craftedbys on Dec 12, 2023 20:39:15 GMT
Add some cooked penne pasta and a dab of stock or milk to loosen the sauce and serve it as a casserole.
Bonue points for putting it in a baking pan and adding more cheese in top and baking it like mac and cheese.
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Post by craftedbys on Dec 7, 2023 13:54:04 GMT
Some years, an angel we got for our first Christmas tree, some years a big star.
The last few years it has been a black top hat. I picked it up from the Halloween costume clearance aisle and replaced the ribbon with some festive Christmas-y ribbon and a sprig of greenery.
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Post by craftedbys on Dec 4, 2023 18:42:42 GMT
Aloha shirts!
I haven't seen the movie, but Barbie was huge this year.
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Post by craftedbys on Nov 30, 2023 20:28:14 GMT
We used to have our main tree as the collection of all of our memories. Every year DH and I would get an ornament that signified something of that year or some place we traveled (ornaments make the best travel souvenirs).
Once we had kids, they also got an ornament to commemorate something from that year.
I also used to put up a small tree that was decorated with crystal ornaments I bought when we lived overseas.
Then our wonderful cat, who never bothered the Christmas tree, passed away.
Our tree hasn't been the same since.
The cats (plural) we have now wreak havoc with our tree. We now put a stopwatch on it to see how long it takes them to climb it after we get it upright.
The chubby cat likes to climb at least halfway up and try to take a nap. Of course, it isn't easy when her chonkiness makes the branches bend.
The other cats take turns making a running leap into the tree to see who can land the highest. Bonus points if they can knock Bella off her branch.
Needless to say, the feline antics of the last several years have kept our special ornaments in their boxes and plastic ones on the tree.
As for a color scheme, it depends on what color plastic ornaments I pull out and what the destroyed ones are replaced by.
Couple that chaos with the dog we had that would help herself to any candy canes placed low enough for her to reach and you realize there isn't such a thing as a Silent Night in the CraftedbyS household.
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Post by craftedbys on Nov 30, 2023 19:59:15 GMT
I just made a breakfast casserole/baked fritatta for our Thanksgiving meal (it was breakfast instead of a traditional dinner).
I don't usually follow written recipes for lots of dishes, and this is one.
I lightly sauteed onions and peppers (red & yellow) until soft, but not completely done and spoined into the bottom of a greased 9x13 glass pyrex baking dish.
Then I used kitchen shears to cut fresh spinach and put that all over the peppers and onions.
I blended a dozen eggs with a glug of milk and a smaller glug of heavy cream (maybe 1/2 & 1/4 cup respectively) and a healthy shot of hot sauce. Seasoned with some of my favorite spices and gently poured over the veg so as not to disturb them.
I covered and put into the fridge overnight. Next morning, I got out and let warm anout 45 minutes before baking at 350 until almost set.
I topped with lots of shredded cheeae and continued baking until set and cheese was melted.
I made it veggie for my non-meat eating DD. When she is not home I add some chopped ham to the veg.
Any leftovers can be reheated in the microwave.
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Post by craftedbys on Nov 29, 2023 23:16:09 GMT
I would give a houseplant that is easy to care for and safe for pets. I love African voilets and peace lilies, but bamboo is very easy to care for, and the tall, twisty ones are fun.
Or maybe something really fun, like a Lego set. The botanical collection is more than $25, but there are so many fun sets.
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Post by craftedbys on Nov 29, 2023 12:52:38 GMT
St. Jude is our favorite charity, not just because they are local.
The hospital does so much not only to treat children with cancer for FREE, but parents are given transportation, housing, food, etc, at no cost so that they can focus on their sick child without worrying about money.
I know at least 2 children who have been treated at St. Jude (different types of cancer), and both have survived and thrived.
Plus, they are doing amazing research that they share with other hospitals/scientists.
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Post by craftedbys on Nov 24, 2023 17:32:10 GMT
Grating your butter while frozen and keeping it in the freezer until ready to use makes a huge difference.
I discovered yesterday that a finer shred of grated butter makes for a softer texture.
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Post by craftedbys on Nov 24, 2023 17:29:52 GMT
Ham on homemade biscuits. This was breakfast this morning.
Ham with a big pot of Northern (white) beans with a side of mashed potatoes and cornbread.
Tonight, we are having sliced ham with sides of sweet potatoes and some homemade bread.
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Post by craftedbys on Nov 23, 2023 21:17:35 GMT
My dishwasher stopped working yesterday.
Lots of handwashing. Thankfully, I have a very large 2 level drying rack now. SMH
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Post by craftedbys on Nov 23, 2023 1:38:39 GMT
Since it is essentially foods that are simple (so simple a dog and a bird could fix it) my CB Thanksgiving dinner would have:
String cheese Capt'n Crunch with Crunchberries (dry) Cheeto Puffs Dried pineapple Peanut MnMs
So there is fruit, protein, sweet and crunchy. All the bases covered.
Drinks would be Sweet tea, of course. That can be atore bought if we don't want the lil ones using the stove.
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Post by craftedbys on Nov 22, 2023 13:42:27 GMT
Save Eric and Troy!
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Post by craftedbys on Nov 20, 2023 18:15:06 GMT
My favorite special holiday dessert is pecan pie cheesecake. Incredibly decadent, and a very small slice satisfies the dessert stomach.
Trying to figure a way to make a smaller version, maybe for Christmas.
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Post by craftedbys on Nov 19, 2023 19:46:03 GMT
We really aren't doing Thanksgiving at all this year.
My Dad passed away this past June, and I am just not up for making a big meal. My Facebook memories has been full of him helping me make his mother's dressing recipe every year so it is very hard to see.
This year, both DH and DS have to work overnight both Wednesday and Thursday so will be sleeping from about 11ish to 8pm on Thursday.
DD is coming in town Wednesday evening, and if not for her I wouldn't be making any effort for food this coming weekend.
I decided to just have a really big breakfast/brunch together (DH and DS will be in by 7:30am) around 9.
So we are having sausage stuffing balls, baked ham, smoked sausage, homemade biscuits, oven fried potatoes, baked veggie omelet, homemade cinnamon rolls, fresh fruit, and a fruity punch with some sparkling wine added.
DD and I will probably spend the day watching movies.
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Post by craftedbys on Nov 17, 2023 16:06:17 GMT
dewryce *** I have obsessive tendencies as well, I’ll print out these notes and include them in the Thanksgiving section of my recipe binder. Along with a premade grocery store list, timeline of when everything go in the oven or on the stove in relation to when we want to eat, what baking dishes we use for each item, and a calendar starting a couple weeks before that lists what to do by day/week so that I’m not overwhelmed as we get closer to Thanksgiving. Are you my mother? She was like this, but we didn't call her OCD. She was ORGANIZED.
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Post by craftedbys on Nov 16, 2023 22:43:20 GMT
Respect the classics, man.
Chuck Taylor's come in such a wide variety of colors and patterns. I always get compliments on my Chucks. Although full disclosure, snce I have tiny feet, I can get some of the cool kids patterns. The low black leather Chucks would also go with everything.
I hear Tretorns are very trendy now, especially for us GenXers.
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Post by craftedbys on Nov 14, 2023 13:16:50 GMT
The only issues we have ever had with dogs and the Christmas tree was one would get excited and take out anything on the lower branches with her tail, and more than one would help themselves to candy canes.
We ended up putting the candy canes on higher branches, our of reach, or so we thought. The cats were enablers and would knock them off the higher branches for the dog.
Cats and Christmas trees? A WHOLE other thread.
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Post by craftedbys on Nov 13, 2023 23:46:59 GMT
I personally don't care for reheated mashed potatoes (or most foods, TBH) but that is just me.
I know dried potato flakes in a box or bag are an abomination to some people, but if you make with more milk than water and then add all of the extras (cream or cream cheese, lots of butter and salt and pepper) they taste pretty darn good.
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Post by craftedbys on Nov 10, 2023 15:26:45 GMT
My deepest condolences, Don. The love you had for your queen came through in every post. Praying for you and your family.
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Post by craftedbys on Nov 1, 2023 0:56:23 GMT
Burning Feather's Italian beef!
Serve on a sub roll or some type of bread/bun with sauteed peppers and onions and provolone or mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese melted.
It has become our family's Christmas dinner tradition.
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Post by craftedbys on Oct 31, 2023 21:14:10 GMT
Back in the olden days, pre-interwebs, when you mostly had to take the words of professional critics like Siskel & Ebert, DH and I were burned enough times that we are now very skeptical when a movie is "critically acclaimed ".
Other than movies from the MCU, I am not a "I've got to see this in theaters" kind of gal. Plus, many movies are quick to stream now, so it's not like having to wait a year before being released on VHS/DVD.
Can you tell I'm old?!?
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