The Mercado Family, and then some

My Family. (L-R, F-B)Mom & Dad, Me, GP, TChoco (sister), Harvey (brother), TSandy (sister), Nyshma (Niece) & Ryan (soon to be Nephew)
GP and I are finally back home after celebrating Christmas with my extended family. It had been over ten years since I had seen my brother and about three since I had seen my parents, so we had some catching up to do. My niece who just recently relocated to NH showed up on Christmas Eve with her fiance and made my sister's wishes come true. It would have been her first Christmas without her baby (who is now a little grown up, ahem!), but thanks to some awesome planning (Nyshma's) and a sneaky cohort (TChoco) was there on schedule in time for the pernil (that's the official Puertorrican holiday feast roast) prepared by grandma. Woo-HOO!
My parents have been married 48 years and I feel so lucky to have been there to celebrate their Anniversary too. Time flies, doesn't it? 48 years, Hello!
My heart is happy and I feel blessed to have spent the holidays with my family. It's hard to coordinate travel and lodging for nine but when it happens, it's just awesome.

It was hard to say goodbye but I so missed being home. There is no place like home and this was my second holiday away from home. I think I am understanding where the phrase "there is no place like home for the Holidays" comes from. I love my family and I will miss them dearly but I am happy to be home, even if it's not quite as toasty as TX...

Hope your holidays were spent with those you love, and that the New Year brings you health, happiness, love and laughter. Happy New Year!!!

The Eleventh Hour

I should have been packing, wrapping things up and getting ready for our trip to TX, but what was I doing? Cutting these kits. I am so bad. I had to finish cutting them, I had to. I wanted to take one with me to make while I was away. LOL! See? I told you I had a good reason for not packing! Now I am off to take the Pepperdog to the Spa (well nobody likes traveling with a smelly dog!) and afterwards, I will get back to work. I'll fill orders and get them to the PO, run errands and THEN start packing.
So much to do, so little time... but I'm happy to have this cutie to come along with me. He's been on my list all year, and I finally cut the kits...at the eleventh hour. Talk about cutting it close, eh? LOL!
You need a great take along project too? I have one of these left and you still have time to get it in today's mail bag. Hurry! =)
You can buy the Joy kits here!

A Ray of Hope

A new discovery in the quest for a cure to Alzheimer's... read about it here:

Baby Steps, a little ray of hope...I'm so happy. =)

Holiday Santa, Done!

The sun did not shine but the rain stopped long enough for me to rush outside and snap a few pictures of my wonderful Holiday Santa.
This is a Cynthia Erekson Design. The pattern has not yet been released but she taught it at weekend workshop I was fortunate enough to have attended.
The face looks bright because of the glare but it is not that bright. The other colors are true. He measures 31" high by 11" wide at the widest poing. Isn't he the cutest guy ever?

Update: The pattern for this Santa has been released it is called Snowflake Santa.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas...

at The Mercado's house. Are you lovin' my Santa? He is almost ready to be "revealed" but it's too dark to take a good pic so it'll have to wait until tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy this little sneak peek of what I painted today.

I spent the day painting with Cynthia Erickson and a group of very happy ladies who all had a crush on Santa Baby... Oh he is a cutie, eh? Nothing soothes the soul like a day of painting fun.

Hope your day was filled with wonderful crafty things. If not, there's always tomorrow. Make the most of the weekend by sneaking in a little holiday project of your own; you can do it!!!

It's a Celebration!

My Facebook page has reached a milestone.
I have over 4000 followers and I think that's a great reason to celebrate, don't you? So in the sprit of Christmas, I am parting with one of my favorite little quilts and shipping it off to the lucky winner. This is not a kit, this is an actual finished Holiday Tree quilt, made by me!

This wonderful little quilt was made with love and much attention to detail. It is flannel on cotton, embellished with handmade polymer clay buttons and comes with it's own little vintage hanger (although I did put a sleeve on it too, I'm good like that, LOL!).

My image is too long for FB so I am posting it here but to enter the giveaway please leave your comment on my Facebook page. If you're not a follower yet just use this link:
Go To Pumpkin Patch Primitives Facebook Page!

I will draw a winner on Sunday. Please remember, to enter the drawing your comment will have to be posted on FB, not here.Thank you to all who read my musings and join in the fun. I truly do appreciate your company. B=)

A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes

GP wanted to go to Walt Disney World after his successful trip to Disneyland last year. I have to say that when I got home after that first trip I thought I would rather die than do it again, but you know how you go through labor and then a few years later you're ready to have another child??? I kind of think that vacationing with my Prince is a little like that. You know it's going to be hard, you know you will want to kill a few people along the way and you still can't get over the twinkle in his eye and the excitement in his hands ... so off you go begging for a favor and hoping that TChoco will say yes to his next master plan.
How lucky for us that her cup runeth over with love and patience to spare, and she once again agreed to be the wingman on this most challenging of adventures. Careful to consider every little detail she planned his trip and all I had to do was follow her lead and watch for bumps in the road. And you must trust me when I say, there were many bumps in the road... but we navigated as best we could and GP had a fun time, only hampered by a terrible cold that hit him two days into his adventure and still lingers three days after arriving home.
Thank you TChoco for your love and patience, and above all, for helping us make GP's dreams come true. XXO
This is TChoco (in her Minnie Mouse sequin ears) w/ GP at the Magic Kingdom. GP says what??? "No pictures!" LOL!

Some Projects Just Go On and On,and On...

Ever find yourself wondering how something so small could ever take so long? Yep, I do too. Take this wool Monthly Mini quilt I started months ago (please don't ask me when. I blogged about it but I am hesitant to search and find out how long it's really been "in progress").

Today I thought I had finally finished the blocks and was ready to set them on the background. Well, two things happened. First, I couldn't find the pattern (I put it in a "safe" place so I wouldn't lose it, don't laugh at me!), and second, well, you tell me what's wrong with my blocks... can you tell me what's wrong with my blocks??? It's the Monthly Mini that wont end! LOL!

PS. My blocks aren't as bright as they appear, that's just a bad pic. Click on the link to the old post about them to take a closer look at some of the blocks. Better pic to follow once I finally finish this; hopefully before I'm on Social Security! HAHAHA

Mystery Quilts, Not for Everyone

Have you ever taken a Mystery Quilt Class? They have them all over the place, online, at local shoppes. I think if you step into any Brick and Mortar shoppe you will find a sign up sheet for one of these classes. Be warned, do not sign up!

I took a Mystery Quilt Class to answer the "Why Mystery Quilts?" question. I have to tell you, I will never, ever, take another one. The Mystery Quilt Class offers the opportunity to meet new people with like interests, allows you to start and finish a quilt top in a day and go home with a completed top, ready to be shipped off for quilting. "What more can you ask for?" you may ask... a pattern that will not make you cringe when you finish it. Ouch!
We chose our fabrics and spent the day chatting, cutting, stitching and pressing, all on a very tight schedule to ensure that we would get the job done and once all the blocks were sewn together I almost gasped in horror.

Yep, I would never recommend taking a mystery class, ever. But I will say this, it's one way to make a a quilt in a day. ;)
BTW some ladies loved their quilt tops, which proves my point...
Mystery Quilts are just not for everyone.
My theory is, the finished quilt top was not displayed because no one would have signed up... which is exactly what I think every time I see a sign up sheet for a Mystery Quilt Class. LOL!
I will show you my MQ top someday but I'm still not confident enough to "own up" to having made that, LOL!

Squeezing In Some Work...

This morning I was up at 5am working. Talk about cutting it close, eh? I decided I would work until 10 am and call it a week. Anyway, I was able to clear the que, pack up the BOM blocks for the Settler's Pride ladies and make up a new kit, woo-HOO. I am so good, HAHAHA.

I cut twelve kits of Ginger Family... I have a thing for Gingerbread, I love them and I really wanted to have this ready to go when I got back. The kits wont ship until I return but if you love it and want one, better go now, I have only five left. They are adorable. Here's a link to the kits so you can read all the details,

Ginger Family Kits HERE!

OK, now I have to go to take a shower, gotta stay on schedule. The countdown to Disney has begun! YIKES!

Living on the Edge

I'm once again taking a leap of faith and taking GP on a Happy Birthday vacation. I know, I know, his BD was in Oct. but after much deliberation and planning we singled this week as being the most likely to be "less crowded" at his chosen destination. As if last year's trip to Disneyland had not been hard enough (it always sounds easier than it really is, and he never seems to realize how hard it is to make HIS vacation fun), this year he wanted to go to

Disney World. Oh yeah, the BIG one. So, off we go on Monday to show him the magic. He is sooo excited and I am so worried. My sister will once again be my wing man; I am so blessed to have an extra set of hands to help me on this adventure. I know I could never do this alone. These trips are not for the weak of body or spirit. They are hard work, they require lots of planning, lots of scheduling and lots of foresight. You have to be aware of GP and what is happening in HIS surroundings at all times.

It's hard to explain but here's a visual, when walking through a crowd, one person must go in front, GP in the middle and one behind him. The person behind him is in charge of blocking people of walking in front of him or bumping him off course, the person in front of GP is in charge of making way for the two others to follow in single file. You must make sure that you don't walk too fast, lest you lose the followers, or two slow causing a pile up... you must find the shortest distance and make the fastest time (Because of the noise and crowd) because the folks behind you can't see anything... UGGG. It is sooo stressful. If you get caught in a mob (aka parade, fireworks, or just people standing around watching the water show)...it can get ugly fast, real fast. We were lucky that by our fourth day we had a system that worked like an assembly line but by them we were exhausted too. These will probably be the longest days of the year for both of us, but more likely than not, they will be the highlight of Gene's.

I swear, if his is not living on the edge, I have no idea what that is!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like ....

Black Friday marks the official start of the Holiday Season in my little world. I give myself permission to whip out the decorations and just go nuts. One thing I do every year regardless of how I am going to decorate my home, is buy ornaments. I will never confess to how many I own because like Longaberger baskets, they should never ever be counted, LOL!

So, today being Black Friday and all, I had to do a little shopping and guess what I bought. Oh yeah, I bought myself two new ornaments I had on my "Wish List". I was sooo good. I only bought the two, they were on sale and they had free shipping; I mean really? What more do you need to put those babies in the cart and run for the checkout? HAHAHA. OK, so I could have logged off or closed the tab but it's Black Friday, you just have to stimulate the economy! LOL!

I just love Pottery Barn! I'll post a pic when they come in.

As if on cue, my Crate and Barrel moose ornaments came in on Wednesday.
I shall blame my sister for my little wooden moose obsession. She gifted me a set of these cuties a few years ago and I check for new additions every single year. They don't make them every year so you have to watch for them because they are all different. They're out for that year and then they "retire" and good luck finding them. This year they issued a new set and as soon as I saw them I was on them like bees on honey. Are they adorable or what? This year's theme was Winter Sports so the little guys are snowboarding, ice fishing, skiing and of course, playing ice hockey. Aren't they cute? I love them. I have a few sets, they make my heart happy.

I also have a thing for Mercury Glass ornaments, these are tiny, about 2".

and oh yes, I heart candy canes

Now I shall sit and wait for my new wooden finial ornaments... Oh, it most certainly is beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here! =)

If you could ask HIM for anything, what would you ask for?

For every letter received, Macy's will donate $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation,

up to $1,000,000.
Help make wishes come true by writing your own letter to Santa!

Like I Said, No Rest for The Weary!

Is it only Tuesday? What is it about Thanksgiving week that is sooo draining? I know! It's the fact that the day after Thanksgiving we are officially IN the Christmas Season. That is definitely it for me anyway. I feel everything needs to be done before Thanksgiving or it will "ruin" the holidays. It's sabotage, I sabotage myself. It's not like anyone cares; but still... it's one of my "quirks", LOL!

Anyway, in keeping with my "pre-holiday" OCD, I HAD to have the studio shelving delivered BEFORE Thanksgiving, (God forbid Santa should come and find all the new fabric on crappy looking shelves, LOL!). So what happens? Yep, they come on a Monday. Don't even get me started on Mondays (someone needs to tell my son that there are worse things than Mondays and he should just cut me some slack already!)...argh!

But after pulling an all nighter, what do I have to show???? I have this, TADA!!!!

And why do I have to go to the gym now? WHY? Because it's on the schedule, that's why! LOL!

Love my new shelves and I think Santa will love them too... hope he doesn't expect a quilt because after all that lifting I just want a nap! HAHAHA.

Hope your little love shack is getting it's holiday makeover too. Nothing says Christmas like a spruced up home. You can do it!!! =)

No Rest For The Weary...

I decided I have to make a Tree Bird Quilt, I just have to. With this little cutie as my goal I am stealing time from my crazy schedule and getting it done. The best way to "steal" time from myself is to carry my project around and that's what I have been doing. I traced and cut these while waiting for GP to get out of the shower...he takes LOOOONG showers, so I was able to get all the leaves cut out and traced, and the rest of the applique traced (onto fusible web). On another short break I got all the other stuff cut out. I think it was while I was waiting for something else. I feel like I spend half of my life waiting, on hold or in line. Is that just me???Oh now I remember, I was watching the news at noon...that's what I was doing. Lunch break!

Anyway, I finally have everything cut and while ironing a shirt I fused on the pennies and the wings. Hey, the iron was hot and I was already there...So this is what I have so far.

Well, almost, because last night while I was watching TV I was able to start the actual stitching... and loo! I have a wing, one wing is done; woo-HOO!

OK so that's not much progress, but will have you know that I am a woman on a mission. I am going to complete this kit this week. I know I will . Then I will have one of these in my studio:
I can't wait to have it up. It's so cute!!!
You can order the patterns to make your own, HERE! Fast, Fun and easy...just what any busy Mom needs, because God knows we have no time.
There is no rest for the weary!

Painting Makes My Heart Happy!

If there is one thing, just one thing you could do for yourself... what would it be?
I would spend the day painting. That's what I would do, and that is exactly what I did yesterday. I spent the day painting this gorgeous cabinet. Mind you, this is a photo taken with my Blackberry so it's kind of blurry and dull but I thought I'd take the pic while I wait for the varnish to dry... multitasking, it's my new thing, LOL~!
This design by Cynthia Erickson. She is an amazing primitive folk artist. I am never disappointed in her Seminars. The actual projects we will work on are revealed the day of the workshop. When you sign up for the class it will say something like "jelly cupboard with maritime scene", and you either take it or leave it. Which is great fun for those of us who can't be bothered with the details like what color is it? What size is it? In the end I have decided that it doesn't matter. It's a day of painting fun. No phones,. no laundry, no cooking...no drama. You go, you paint, come home with a wonderful piece that will blend in somehow, somewhere, in your home. It's just awesome.
So yesterday I drove to the seacoast (Newburyport, MA) for one of the two seminars I signed up for months ago. Oh, I was giddy with excitement and when I walked in and saw this piece I was in heaven. So I spent the day painting and woke up to varnish this baby and later tonight to find it a "spot" in the little love nest.
I gotta tell you, sometimes a day of "ME" time is just what you need to get over the challenges of everyday life. Hope your weekend was fun and that you did something that made your heart happy. If not, we're painting a Santa Dummy Board in December, wanna come? It'll be great fun and I KNOW it will make your heart happy! =)

Sometimes You Need to Talk to The Guy Who Is In Charge!

Can you believe it's that time of the year again? WOW! Seems like just yesterday when GP announced he had talked to HIM, "for the last time" (because he knows that Santa only brings gifts to the "children" and not the teenagers). But as you can clearly see, he has had a change of heart and has decided that those rules do NOT apply to him.

When I asked GP what he wanted for Christmas (again, because WE -not Santa, would be buying him his gifts this year), he informed me that he wanted a computer program. Woo-HOO is what I thought, and then I started searching for said program. Well, it turns out that you can buy a laptop for less than the cost of this program. OUCH! Hmmm.

I need to discuss this w/the big guy (AKA Dad, LOL!). So, I say nothing and decide how I'm going to approach the husband with this "situation", because of course GP has only told me. Anyway, GP drops me another reminder when we go to the Apple store and tells me that "THIS" is not the program that he wants for Xmas, and that the one he wants is only available online because it is a "Full version". But Oh, I am ready with..."GP, we'll have to see if we can buy that one because it's VERY expensive, and we might have to save for it". He looks a little crestfallen but not upset so I think, whew! That wasn't so bad...

OK, now brace for it... GP goes out w/Gino on the Saturday and once again comes home like the cat that swallowed a tweety bird and tells me, "I talked to HIM." and what did Santa say? Yep, you guessed it...he will bring him Final Cut Studio, the full version edition! ARGH!!!!

Note the look on GP's face, that's called Satisfaction...

Yep, sometimes you just have to go straight to the top to get what you need!

A SALE, just because I can!

Did you see my new slide show? Gotta love those Remembrance fabrics.

I heart Brannock & Patek. Their fabrics are just gorgeous.I uploaded the complete collection of Remembrance last night and to celebrate I've decided they should go on sale, woo-HOO! There are forty prints to choose from and at $7.99 you just have to add some to your stash... but hurry, sale ends on Sunday! B=)

See all Remembrance fabrics here!

I'm such a Techie, NOT!

"Tree Bird, a new kit coming soon to Pumpkin Patch Primitives"

So you know my computer is having a hissy fit and I have no intention on putting any more time, energy or resources ($$$) into it. I decided that I needed to go Mac and I did...almost three weeks ago, thankyouverymuch!

Well, while my new baby sits and waits for me to unpack and learn how to use it, life and business must go on. Today I had to post a pic of a kit I have on the cutting table that I will be listing later tonight and I had a Techie "moment". What if I put the little camera card in the little slot on the computer tower, like Sandy does? HMMM. Will it swallow my card? (OH stop it, you know you have that question too but are too chicken to stand up and say so!)...
Well, I'll have you know that it does not swallow the card, it pops up a window and OMG! Your pics are there. HAHAHA. How amazing is that?! Don't laugh at me! I'm trying to teach you something here!!!

OK, OK...so now that the pic is in the computer (and because the computer refuses to do any work on its own), I found a program online that crops, tags and resizes everything. so you can save the image exactly as you want it. TADAAAA. And it only takes 45 minutes to do one image, LOL!!!

OK, so it's not the fastest way, but I just had to show you... I'm so on my way to becoming a bonafide member of Best Buy's Geek Squad, NOT! HAHAHA.

I'm Alive but My Computer is Dying!

I'm Alive! HOORAY!

That was the good news...the bad news is that although I have TONS to tell you, I am a graphic person and I need pictures to tell my stories. If I can't get my pictures up, I just lose my mojo and don't want to share. Yep, I'm like that. No pictures, no story.

And so, there you have it. I am a no show because my computer is sucking the big one and it refuses to let me do anything. I would tell you where and how I got this image but I refuse to incriminate myself so let's just say, "I found myself" online, LOL!

This is a brand new pattern I picked up at market and will soon have in stock...

Oh yes I did, I went to market... Don't even get me started. I had my sister taking pictures left and right and now they are zipped up tight in a folder I cannot access on my computer.

Anyway, I have sooo much to say, and no pictures so I'm leaving now before I have a meltdown.

I just wanted to let you know that I just bought a new computer and as soon as I get it up and

I finally have access to my pictures I have a BOATLOAD of stuff to share.

Oh, and my handsome Prince turned 15. Can you believe it? I can't believe I have survived the past 11 years, I think it's just God's mercy but there you have it... eleven years of Autism and I am still here. Moms with new DX's take note. If it doesn't kill you, it will make you stronger!

I have a story to share..but not without a pic.

OMG! I'm taking GP to Disney. Next week. I feel like I'm about to stand on a ledge and jump. Yep, it's another scary adventure and when my dear friend Michelle (Rocking Chair Stitches) asked me why I was taking him there if I was so terrified, I told her the God's honest truth, because he wants to go and I want to make him happy. So there you go. Send me your prayers 'cause you KNOW I'm going to need them. I have a great pic of GP on his BD. It's on Facebook because I can upload it directly from my phone.

I'll be back soon folks. Please know that I have not deserted you .

My computer is running on fumes, LOL! Big hugs, B=)

Stand Up and Be Counted!

Today is election day folks and regardless of your political views, it's the day when you stand up to be counted. As a woman and mother I can tell you that there is much at stake. It was not that long ago that we as women didn't have a say in what went on in our country. When all you could do to contribute was to whisper in your husband's ear and hope that your voice was heard.

Now we have a voice and we have a say .

We stand up for ourselves and for our childen.

Stand up today and be counted, VOTE!

This has been a public service announcement sponsored by GP's Mom, =)

A Quick Update!

I've been busy. Homechool is back in session, GP is up to his old tricks trying to weasel out of work and watching for the next holiday. I'm up before dawn and finding I need more time to play catch up. Oh, life is good. Busy hands are happy hands is what I say.

But it's not all work and no play around here. Last weekend I paired up with Ms Troublemaker herself, Lynn (Painting Thymes Needfuls), whom I just happened to meet in Blogland (and folks wonder why blogging is so much fun, duh! You meet people without leaving home, hello?!)

Anyway, we went on a Road trip out to the boonies, to a place called Country Mischief...and look what I found... (No, that handsome guy actually lives in my house. The cabinet, the cabinet's what I brought home!) Isn't it the bomb? GP was so happy with his new addition that he actually helped me carry it up to his room, without me having to resort to the "Mom is so old, she needs help" story. And now it's just waiting for a couple of toggles to make sure it doesn't pull the plaster right off the wall. It's wayyyy heavy.

Anyway, I have loads more to share but I'm running low on pictures. I really have to get better at taking pictures. I'll take pics of my new wood Fall decorations and post them soon.

Hope you're having fun too. The weekend is coming up and I'm heading to Rhode Island for another trip to Brown and Hopkins Country Store, OMG! Put that place on your destination list, and bring your spending $$$ because you're not likely to leave empty handed. I'm psyched!

Gotta run, but I'll be back soon! Have fun, B=)

Windows, Done!

Although the outside of my house is still very much in distress, the inside is beginning to look a lot like home. These pics were taken yesterday during the day in the hopes you would a have better view of the finished project. The shades are down to keep the glare out of the pics. But you can see the new twelve over twelve grid, can't you? Aren't they cute?
No painting or staining on the schedule. Still much cleaning to do in the office and the kitchen where everything landed clearing the way for the office windows. OMG! It's so bad it looks like an episode of Hoarders, and NO, there shall be no picture sharing of the "Work in Progress" zones, LOL!
We are now ready for another semester of Homeschooling. The Homeschool Zone is now Open for Business!
Electricians coming in tomorrow to work on the bathroom and the studio... another great big mess. UGH. Home Improvement is not for the faint of heart! More pics as I clear the mess!

Mayhem, Total Mayhem!

I want to blog, I really do. I also want to quilt, to sit and watch TV and I would love to go for a drive on this wonderful sunny day, but look at what's really going on in the Pumpkin Patch... It's mayhem, total mayhem. Day two of the New Windows Saga, now in progress... Day one brought water, mess and drama. Day two is off to a better start...if all goes well, I might have four new windows today and four more to go, LOL!

Eye Contact, Priceless!

As you may or may not know, when GP was young and very much non verbal we thought he was deaf. We didn't know he was autistic, we just thought he couldn't hear because A. He didn't speak and B. He didn't look at us when we called him. Little did I know that was just one of the first signs that something was amiss... Well, GP could hear us just fine. He just didn't want to look at us because eye contact is just not something that autistic children are comfortable with.
To this day, I am constantly reminding GP to "Look at Mom"...

it goes something like this:

Mom, "Gene Paul did you find your belt?"

GP (looking around)"mumble,mumble..."

Mom" Gene Paul, did you find your belt? Eyes to Mom!"

GP, "Yes, I have it on!" (as if I can see it under his untucked shirt, duh!)

And so it goes, it's like a sentence that signifies, "Social interaction is required". It's as if he totally forgets to look at you when he speaks, even when HE initiates the conversation!

It's like "Yes, I was talking to you eventhough I was looking the other way and speaking softly...what? You didn' get that?" LOL!

While at the beach earlier this week I called him (Blackberry in hand, ready to snap his picture) and when I said "Gene Paul" He lifted his head and looked straight at me, and smiled . I think my heart skipped a beat. I can't believe I actually snapped the picture. He looked straight at me without a prompt. This is sooo rare, and I am so grateful for this small blessing.

Eye contact, it tells me that he hears me. It tells me that he sees me.

It tells me "I am here, Mom."

Eye contact, positively priceless!

Sloppy Joe, It's what for Lunch and Dinner!

There is no such thing as Sloppy Joe for one so here's my recipe for Sloppy Joe. You can feed EIGHT, on one pound of beef, no kidding!

You'll need:

One pound ground beef, I use 95% lean but you can use whatever you like,

but please none of that chicken stuff, yuk!

Two Peppers, I use one green and one red. I've tried lots of pepper combinations, trust me, this one is the best.

One Vidalia Onion, nope yellow is not the same and the end result will prove it... trust me, I've been working on this recipe for years. hahaha

One tablespoon of ground mustard. You can use the liquid kind, but again...not quite as good (but then my favorite liquid one is French's so if you have a fancy one that might have more kick to it, go for it!)

THREE cups of ketchup, I know, I know...use organic if it makes you feel better but I heart Heinz!

Two packs of rolls or pita pockets

BIG, BIG pot...so your stove wont get all messy. =)

Procedure:

Brown the beef, mine has no drippings but if yours does, scoop them out...yuk!

Add everything, and I do mean everything...ketchup, mustard, onions, peppers, kitchen sink...oh wait, leave that out...

Cook:

As soon as you add everything in the pot, mix it all in till it's all pink from the Ketchup.

Lower the heat to LOW, and simmer for one hour (the longer the better...). If it starts to get too dry while cooking add a cup of water, it should look like stew or chunky spaghetti sauce.

It will thicken upon standing.

Let it sit for a while before serving (it'll be even better the next day and it will freeze beautifully!)

Serve: on buns, or in pita pockets for less WW points. =)

Enjoy... it's what's for dinner at my house, and as you can see...it's what we had for lunch!

Hooray, It's National Underwear Day!

I am sooo not kidding. I can't possibly make this stuff up. A company called, wait for it... FRESH PAIR (No, I am NOT kidding, the company IS named Fresh Pair and NO, GP is not the president) started celebrating NUD eight years ago.

Isn't that a timely celebration?

Dollars to doughnuts GP will ask for the day off, LOL! (If you are a new reader you should know that my son is Irish, Jewish, and Christian, depending on what holiday needs to be obseved... if there was a National Chicken Day on the calendar he would be a chicken and want the day off from Homeschool!)

I wonder if they're having a sale on White Fresh Underwear...HMMMM.

Better go check that out now, JIC! HAHAHA!

A Brief Note on Laundry....

GP is getting way too picky... so he tells me, "I need fresh underwear". I tell him, "There are fresh undies in your drawer". He says, "we're all out!" I say, "NO you're not. I put them there just yesterday. I'll get them." Up I go and sure enough he has half a dozen "fresh underwear" (GP need not wait to have dirty underwear, he likes "fresh underwear", about three times a DAY! Thankyouverymuch!) So anyway, I come down and hand him a pair of "fresh" underwear, and he says, "NO. I need fresh underwear." And he is starting to get distressed.

I say "GP these are FRESH, I just washed them ." And he says, "I Need WHITE fresh underwear!"

OMG! I could not help but laugh and...I asked him, "BUT what's wrong with these? He says, "Those are PINK; those are GIRL'S underwear!" HAHAHAHA. I cannot believe my son, who can wear plaid over plaid, red shirts with green pants (just a string of lights short of a Christmas Tree), is now getting picky about the color of his underwear.

WHAT? So I washed a red placemat with the undies...there are ALWAYS undies in there! How the heck was I supposed to know it would turn his undies pink?
I would tell him about all the undie-less children who would kill for a pair of FRESH PINK undies but somehow I don't think it will help my case so off to the basement I go to fish out the White fresh underwear... somedays, I just can't win. Sigh~!

Scarecrow Jack in the Pumpkin Patch

A funny thing happened to Scarecrow Jack this weekend. He moved out of the Pumpkin Patch and into a Wool Crazy Pincushion. It was just one of those things. He was all cut and ready to go onto his mat and then Sandi's wool crazy base came in with a Fall theme and no matter what I tried, nothing fit quite as perfectly as Jack so.... TADA! One of my four Jacks has left the patch, and boy does he look cute n his new pad! HAHAHA~! Guess I'll just have to cut out another one , and hope no other Fall projects come along needing a handsome scarecrow. =)

If you haven't picked up a scarecrow jack kit yet, you better hurry. They are back in stock but going fast (eeks, there are only two left!)...You can order it here:

http://www.pumpkinpatchprimitives.com/catalog.php?item=1155

With A Little Paint

You can fix anything! This is the back of the pot... (well you didn't expect me to put that great big chip in the front , did you? LOL!) Oh dear, but there was a chip on the other side...so I "fixed" that with another little saltbox.

And in true trash to treasure style I put the unscathed part forward and added my favorite, the barn...in the apple orchard. Note the cows, the chickens and the cute little weathervane...

If farms were not so much work I would live on one. HAHAHA.

And my little chipped pot sits happily in the Pumpkin Patch holding patterns.

Can you spot it in the picture? I bet you can't see the chips! =)Hope you day is filled with wonder. Give those old chipped pots a chance...

with a little paint.

Repurposing

What would you do with a wonderful clay pot that bit the dirt??? Would you say, "Oh well" and turn it to the other side? Would you pretend you can't see the chip? Please don't tell me you would toss that baby. At the very least you could pull out your kids' stamps and stamp on some stars... right?

As soon as you tell me what else you would do to your broken pot I'll show you what I did with mine. And if you don't tell me, I wont tell you...'cause I'm like that; I'm into blogger participation, LOL!

No Chick Flicks for GP!

As you may or may not know, GP goes to the movies every Saturday and every Sunday. Rain or shine, snow or Northeaster, it matters not. The only thing that matters is that the movies be rated G (as in Gene Paul), PG (as in Parent and GenePaul) or PG-13 (Parent and Gene Paul when he is 13 or older, which he now is). He is NOT under any circumstances allowed to watch rated R (as in Rudeness) or rated NC-17 (as in NO Chance GP is ever watching that before he is 17!).

Sometimes finding new movies can be a challenge when you go to the movies as often as he does. Some months it seems like every new release is rated R or rated G (I mean really, how many times can a 14 year old watch Toy Story 3? C'mon!). So needless to say, he ends up watching the same movies over and over in any given month. This week was one of those "not great at the Box Office" weeks. He's seen them all...except Ramona and Beezuz.

This morning he is already up and as we are having breakfast I ask him if he is going to watch R&B (He watched Salt on Friday night and Inception yesterday, again!) , to which he replied ,

"No, that's a girl movie!" OMG! I can't believe he said that!

I think Gino has some explaining to do! LOL!

Use Your Imagination, OK?

Just imagine it's not on its side, LOL!

two pincushions down, one to go! =)
Remember, there's a full album of images (not on their side, thankyouverymuch!) w/ captions on my FB page. You don't need to be a FB member to see the pics so follow the link after you take the Motrin for the creak in the neck, LOL!

Wool Crazy Round Robin #2 Pictures, here!

If you click on the images you can see them larger too! Enjoy!

Update: T emailed me instructions and I did it! I fixed the picture! Woo-HOO!

Thanks T, You're the best!!!

Oh, C'mon!

I've tried to upload this darn image three times this week and when it pops up sideways I say a few words in Spanish which cannot be translated because this is a family friendly blog and just abandon the post. Seeing how it seems that I am never going to be able to share my cutie pie with you here, I'll leave you a link so you can see what it looks like when it's not flopped over. ARGH!
See it and read all about it HERE! I wish I knew how to store my images somewhere. When my sister comes in the Fall I'll ask her to teach me. I don't want to leave Blogger. I'm bummed that this image thing is ruining my blogging experience. Who the heck wants to read a crafting blog w/o pictures? Hello? Ok, no more whining...anyone have some cheese? LOL!

It's All About Wool Around Here!

If you live in the United States you've probably been roasting like a chicken these past few weeks. NH has not been the exception to this horrid weather. It's hot, it's muggy and the Puertorricans are melting (yeah, I'm one of them, LOL!).

If you don't get that reference it's from one of my favorite movies...Fools Rush In.

Anyway, you KNOW I'm staying cool and dry inside my little Love Shack. The AC is blasting, the kiddo is happy. I gotta tell you, unless we have a power outage, we're pretty much all set here. That said, I'm playing with wool. I know, your hands might melt if you try to work outside with wool right about now but if you stay inside, it's just fine.

I'm working on a New Wool Crazy Round Robin. This is a brand new group of friends and we're all having a great ol' time. Our project is a pincushion and I just received my second one last week. This one belongs to Sharon Yeager (Yeah, she's the nutty one from Red Geranium Cottage...LOL!). Her theme (we all have themes. You have to stick to the "theme" when you work on someone else's project) is Summer and although I'm not ready to show all I've done, here's a little peek so you can see that I have not been slacking!

Are you lovin' the flower? You better be! Sharon put that one there and she'd be mighty upset if it didn't get rave reviews, LOL! I just added the teenie weeny little bee. hahaha. The leaves were added by Anna Romaine Fogg (I'll have all the links soon so do check back for them. Anna makes gorgeous stuff), who is also in the Round Robin.

I made this cute little butterfly (it's really quite small but I wanted you to check out my super spiffy stem stitch) I hope you're ooohhhh-ing and aahhh-ing. It's OK to gasp a little at my fancy work too, y'know? Now you might as well go on a break because that's the only fancy stitch I know and you've already seen it, LOL!
I'll see you back here in a couple of days, for the great reveal.
I'm off to YouTube to see if I can find a tutorial for another fancy stitch. I can't believe I threw down my best card first! I could never play poker...