It's Always Something

 I had me a nice factory set up Friday night to work on a special project for a young Mommy to be. While the embroidery machine worked away I was busy on the regular sewing machine.

 I knew I wouldn't have any of the grands until next week, this was the prefect opportunity to spread out and get a lot off my To Do list

 Fabric and projects had even taken over the stove top.

 Another friend who I had shared what I was working on with ask if I could do the same for her Grand. Sure, bring it on over shouldn't take but a skinny minute for the basics. I will work on the cuteness later.

 Just as I was humming along at a steady pace I ran out of thread on the last letter I needed for one of the projects. GRRR OK, put that aside until I can hit the fabric store in the AM for more thread. Moving on....

The next project was saved on my EXPENSIVE usb stick. All of the downloading, designing, resizing, foldering, saving, and transferring had been done. All that was left was to insert the stick and be on my way to yet more cuteness. It was not to be....:( For some reason beyond my understanding my stick was dead as a door nail. Back to the PC. What the heck I will just use a generic usb stick and be on my way again. NOT!!! Seems the only compatible sticks for the OVERPRICED software that will work has to be Bernina brand. I gave up and went to bed :(

I thought my bad luck had finally run it's course after the CRAZY spring and summer we have had, guess not. After breakfast with some buddies Saturday morning I made the long drive down to my favorite quilt/dealer shop in the rain.

After explaining the problem one of the ladies jumped right on a machine to help me out with the misbehaving usb stick. In her professional opinion the stick is broke, none of them had ever seem that happen. Go figure! Ha

By the time I made it back home and regrouped it was time to head back out for our annual pumpkin patch trip. I never made it back to my sewing factory yesterday but today.......Just as soon as Karsyn's Birthday party is over I hope to finish up what should have been completed Friday night!

I am off the hook for Sunday dinner this week as we were all together yesterday afternoon as well as we girls will have a morning together at the spa with Karsyn and her little buddy's. We do love our family time but there is no need to over do it! Ha

Padding the Pantry

 Kara and I went to the grocery today for milk, banana's, and flour tortilla's. The store had an unadvertised special on Earl Grey tea, BOGO, no way could I pass on that deal so in the buggy 6 boxes went. At the checkout counter there was a clearance buggy, the diapers caught my eye. WoHoo they were marked down to $7.00 a package!! SOLD!!! Regular price is $16.99

Kara took a nap today!!! I mean a real nap, as in she slept for over two hours. Holy cow, the kid hasn't napped like that since she was a baby. When DD came by to pick her up Kara was still asleep, we both grabed for the camera at the same time to document the event!! Ha

I broke my own rules for "Queen of the Pantry Insurance" challenge today with the extra purchase of tea and diapers, both deals were just too good for a frugal gal to pass up on. Total spent $30.12, total saved $29.37

Six boxes of tea seem like too much? Na, I drink at least one cup of tea each day. In the summer iced tea with hot tea some mornings or evenings. In the winter hot tea, might be morning, noon, or night. There are only 20 bags per box, that's less that a month's worth of tea per box. The best used by date is May 2016, I can tell you it will be long gone by then. Now we were not out of tea, far from it but BOGO on tea comes around just a few times a year so I stocked up.

Diapers...With Mason in diapers full time, Karsyn part time, Kara hit or miss (more miss than hit), and a new grand on its way we go through a whole lot of diapers. This is not the brand I really like but at 1/2 price I can "Make Do"!!

Finding too good to pass up sales are one of the drawbacks of No/Low spend or pantry challenges sometimes. I would rather do a little cheating now on good deals than pass it up just to crow about how little I did spend for the month. Ha

This is the season for stocking up on so many things for the holiday's and beyond. If your looking to build your pantry keep your eyes open for the unadvertised sales, weekly sales flyer, and coupons. You can score big on baking supplies before and even after Christmas. Our grocery was stocking turkey's and hams today as Kara and I wondered around the store. I will hold out until the rock bottom prices on both are run then stuff the freezer with what I know we will use before the Easter sales. We love turkey and ham, with a family our size they give me a whole lotta bang for my buck. Sunday dinner of ham over the winter is a treat, using up the leftovers and that ham bone for even more meals is where the real bang for the buck comes in. Turkey is another family favorite. We are not too much into casseroles and other dishes using leftover turkey but turkey sandwiches for a few days is even better than the big family meal IMO. Which reminds me I need to start working on the freezers to make room!!

Anybody else finding good deals at the grocery? Are you having any luck building up the pantry from your regular weekly grocery budget?

First Pillar (pillow)

 I might need to explain this Southern phrase. "The Lord don't like ugly" has nothing to do with how someone looks on the outside. It's all about what people say or do, it's about the ugly on the inside that comes out. I got to witness ugly today while waiting in line at the post office. I hate long lines as much as anyone else but I don't show my rump in public. The lady way back in the line was just plain UGLY!!

I played around with some of the fabric this afternoon that I picked up last month while in the mountains. Not sure yet what I will do with these 16 patch blocks. Its a mixture of "Chloe's closet" by Moda, "Storybook" by Windham Fabrics, along with other cute 1930 retro fabrics. Might just hang on to this quilt for around the house, not sure if anyone else would LOVE the fabric as much as I do!

My motor is running in low gear today. I think I have a vacation hangover! Ha This morning was spent running around town on errands, YUCK! Then working with the big girls on our calenders that are filling up fast for the next 3 month's. I am trying hard to keep all the holiday "doings" down to just doing what we really love. I hate being so crazy busy that we can't just relax and enjoy the season. Seems so early to be thinking along those lines until I looked at that calender!!

Pantry happenings? Not much going on other than eating from the pantry. Last weeks spending was a big fat ZERO!!! $100.00 savings from last week went in the mason jar, this weeks $100.00 has been reloaded into my zippy wallet. Kara and I will make a grocery run this week for milk, eggs and whatever fruit she wants. I have held off on any baking until I have her tomorrow as she LOVES helping in the kitchen, it's a messy job but worth the extra clean up.

Has anyone been able to do any stocking up yet this month? Remember the goal is at least two weeks worth of all meals put back as your pantry insurance. Off for now AJ the Beagle is ready for her dinner.

Lots of Goodies

 I couldn't pass up at least one quilt store on our trip. They had the funniest quilt hanging of Southern Sayings that came from their self published book "Southern Pillow Sayings" . I spent part of today working on one of the pillows, hope to finish it tomorrow!

 My travel buddy surprised me with this little jewel.

 How clever is this, an old door knob with a pipe and note holder added to create a recipe card holder.

 Not a very good photo of a new Christmas wreath and garland. I am thinking it might go in the new powder room.

 This tea set was one of those weak moments in time! Surely we all have them time from time right? I fell in LOVE with this tea pot at the Tea Plantation. What good is a tea pot without tea mugs? Might as well go for broke and get tea spoons and a used tea bag holder (I have no idea what it's called) 

 A few packs of assorted tea bags from the plantation

 A cute baby quilt pattern and retro child's apron pattern book

 What can I say, I am a sucker for books! So far it's a really interesting story.

 I should have ironed this table runner.....moving on. This is a burlap lined runner with knit stockings on each end. DD#1 wants one just like it but with white mittens for a winter table runner. Sew easy to do once I find a nice weight burlap fabric.

The BEST package of all is were are expecting again!!!! Yepeeee. DD#3 and her hubby will be putting another baby in our arms June 2nd 2014!! Kara and Karsyn both say it's a little girl. What will you name the new baby girls? Karsyn likes "Girl", Kara likes "New Baby". Tyler thinks we have more little girls than we need already!! Mason could care less as long as everyone just leaves him the heck alone. Ha

Pretty nice bag of goodies don't you think? Of course I am sure we can all agree a new baby is the best surprise of all. DD had her first Dr appointment yesterday, all is good thus far. They will watch her iron levels closely to try and avoid all the problems she had at the end of her pregnancy with Kara. She will be seeing ONE Dr during this pregnancy instead of being passed around in a group practice it insure she has better care. We of course are over the moon excited to add another pair of dirty hand prints to the walls, one more set of footsteps among the herd, and more wet hugs and kisses.

I haven't forgot about the Pantry Insurance challenge! Other than eating out during our getaway I have stuck to the Queen of the pantry rules. Purchase only dairy, eggs, and fresh fruit, Keep the spending as low as you can go buy eating from the pantry. I will update how last week turned out tomorrow. Maybe by then I will be back to reality and back on track!! Ha

I'm Back

 One of the many places we spent some time was historic downtown Summerville, SC. So many sweet shops, a wonderful farmers market, and food.....we ate more than we should have!! She crab soup and fried green tomatoes, oh my!!!

 Another favorite was the Tea Plantation tour. The buddy I was traveling with is also a huge tea fan, we couldn't pass up seeing where the only United States tea is grown and processed

 Talk about a beautiful driveway

 This was our ride around the tea plantation.

 The bus looked a whole lot nicer on the inside!

 Our last stop before heading home was to take a dirt road to see the Angel Tree.

 We were blow away by it's size and beauty

I am NOT a shopper. But somehow all these bags ended up coming home with me! Ha Once I get unpacked I will share with you some of my finds.

 

Well it's been a long time away from blogging for me! Our motel charged $10.00 a day to have Internet access even though hubby is a Diamond member :( I wasn't in the mood to get on the phone and argue with someone who doesn't speak English so I just said to heck with it. I was spending enough (more than I should) on other things.

 

We had a wonderful time in Charleston this past weekend attending the Wedding of a dear friends DD. What a treat to witness a young couple begin their new life together and get to catch up with so many old friends we haven't seen in ages. So much to see and do in the short amount of time that we had. I can tell you we crammed a WHOLE lot of livin in those few days!! We were up and ready to rock by 7:00am each day, our heads didn't hit the pillow until after midnight each evening.

 

Now it's back to reality. Catch up the laundry, housework, mail stacked a mile high, and the grands!! I had Kara yesterday morning while Mommy went to a Dr appointment. She ran right into my arms for a big hug "Nanny I misses you too much" Aww I misses her too.

 

I will try to get back on the blogging track tonight. Need to share photo's of the treasures I brought home and grocery budget from last week. Off for now to meet up with Mason man, gotta get me some more sloppy toddler kisses.

The Old South

Shopping anyone? How about the market in downtown Charleston?

Or maybe a carriage ride around town?

Tiny little grocery, oh so cute.

Beautiful old homes that I could never afford to buy

How about a creepy prison tour after dark? Double Yuck

A carriage ride is a great way to see a whole lot in a little time and a whole lot less effort!

Where in the world have you gone too now? One of the jewels of the south..... Charleston, SC. One of my BFF's Daughters is getting married this weekend. SOOO excited. Their family has been a part of our own family for close to 20 years, I feel like one of our own DD's is walking down that isle today. Such a happy day for she and that lucky young man who has the good sense to begin a new life with one of the sweetest girls ever. Oh ya the other super happy thing is we are NOT paying for the wedding! Ha Hugs to you Val, if the pantry gets too bare after the last checks are written you know I'm here for you! Ha

Off for another day of adventures before witnessing the blessings of the evening with so many old friends.

Happy Birthday to ME

 Before I share my Birthday prizes I wanted to post a photo of this weeks blog candy winners gift. Rhonda you are the winner of this homemade Halloween table runner!!! Rhonda send me your address so I can get your gift in the mail.

 Karsyn's BD spa wraps were completed before I could move on to my special for me gift. Sew happy to have one more thing marked off the To Do list done

 Hubby ask what I wanted for my BD this year......Want to guess what it is?

 This handsome electric pressure cooker that was on a heck of a good sale from Williams Sonoma. Regular price $189.00, sale price $99.00. I can't wait to play around with this new tool. I stink at remembering to cook beans ahead of time for recipes thus I grab a can and go. Maybe I will do better with cooking dry beans once I master this thing.

 Yesterday was D Day to finish my for me BD gift. Remember the "Cake Walk blocks" I have been working on over the past month? Well that very special quilt was being created for ME. I was short 3 blocks when I sat down yesterday morning determined to at least get the top completed. I still need to go back and work on embellishing a block or two but I wanted to move on to the borders.

 I added 5 borders! I couldn't decide on just one or two, or even three so I went for broke and added them all

I am going to send this quilt out to a free arm quilter. After adding all the borders it's just too darn big for me to FMQ on my little machine. Once it's back from the quilter I am going to cut the final border into scallops then bind it in the blue gigham. I just might let this be Nanny's traveling quilt, the Birthday boy or girl each month can have a turn with it.

It has been a FULL week and it's only Wednesday, UGH I still need to finish cleaning up dinner dishes from my family BD meal tonight as our big girls and I don't have the same level of what we consider a tidy kitchen. Sweeping and mopping will have to wait until tomorrow as I am beat.

This Birthday Girl is on her way for a good nights sleep. Congrats again Rhonda!!