Let's Boost our Local Economies!!!

Hey y'all! I was blog hopping earlier, like ya do, when I saw an ad for someone else's Scentsy website (remember, I talked about it the other day? Scroll down, you'll see it). Being nosey, I had to click on it and boy was I glad I did! Do you see my new button----->Click on it. It's nothing for my site personally but if you're looking for MY Scentsy site click here, rather, it's to a grassroots effort to boost your local economy!

It breaks my heart to watch families forced out of their homes on the nightly news. To see generations old family-run businesses shut down due to our current economic crisis is a shame. With "Contribute in 2009", we can help boost our local economies! Simple click here

read a little about the idea and the goals, then make your pledge! You're not giving any money now. The point is to get people to spend $50 at their local businesses! Easy huh? October 12th is the day. I pledged!

Scentsy, which started as a small family run operation, has a business philosophy of "contribute more than you take," is based off of an Albert Einstein quote:

“Try not to become a man of success. Rather, become a man of value. A successful man takes out of life more than he puts in. A man of value will give more than he receives.”

Fairly nice principles to live by, I say.

Really though, visit the Contribute in 2009 and read about what spurred this movement, it's truly wonderful what the owners of this company have done for their local community. Then PLEDGE!!!!

Gettin' my crafty mo-jo back.

What's this? I'm posting again? What's that? Twice this week so far? It's so wonderful!!!

I have mentioned a time or ten that I really enjoy Roots and Wings Co's blog. Like, I'm borderline stalker material here. The craftyness, cuteness, and "why didn't I think of that," just oozes from their blog. It was no surprise when I saw their little tutorial for making this apple garland. Eeeeek! It's so stinkin' cute! It came together really easily and fast. Low cost too! An unintended bonus is that it's sort of a learning tool for my little ones. They are repeatedly counting the apples: all the apples, then all the red ones, the green ones, yellow ones...you get the idea!

I used:

2 sheets each of green, red, and yellow felt

1 sheet brown felt

1 fat quarter each of green, red and yellow fabric (I left mine folded in half lengthwise, how it came from the store, that way it was already doubled up for a two sided garland!)

my sewing machine...we'll call her Bessie

a needle and thread

3 sheets of paper with 4 (each sheet) apples drawn on it

Anjanette did hers slightly different than I did mine, but just do whatever you feel works best!

You can freehand the apple shapes or find one you like online. I used a bit of clipart and just modified the size, copy and pasted it so there was one in each corner of the paper, then printed 3 copies. The next part may SOUND confusing at first, but it really is what makes this so easy. It's all about the layering.

First, lay one sheet of, let's say green, felt down. Next, lay your fat quarter on top of that, followed by the second piece of green felt. Lastly, pin one sheet of paper with your apples on top of all of that. The various layers' edges will hang over, that's fine. I always save scraps that look big enough to do something with later.

Pull out Bessie, or whatever you call your sewing machine. Sew along, tracing the apple shape. Repeat for each apple. Now, the paper should pull off cuz you've essentially made a perforated pop out, lol. Cut out your fabric apples, leaving 1/4 inch (or more or less, your preference) around the edges.

Now, we want to trim out the top layer of felt around the inside to reveal your coordinating fabric! Save the centers of your green apples, you'll cut out the leaf shapes from that! You can do both sides for a double sided garland, or just one if you prefer the one sided variety.

Repeat this with your other two colors.

Cut out long narrow rectangles out of the brown felt. These will be your stems. You want to cut them double as long as you'd like them to look. We're going to loop them and this will be what we string the apples up with (take a closer look at the top picture). Cut out some little leaves from the green felt leftovers. Using a needle and thread, put a few stitches in to attach the stems and leaves! Voila!!! String your apples up on ribbon or like I did, a thinly cut strip of fabric.

My munchkins counting the apples

See RootsandWingsCo for a proper tutorial, ha ha ha.

Hello Fall!!!

I'm like, a computer genius!

Ok, not so much. But still! I totally made that new button you see to your left my left? no, your left. Who's left? I dunno dudes, look where all the info is ----->.

Hello, is anyone still reading this? I am a BAAAAAD blogger. I have neglected you tiny blog, and I am sorry.

Busy season at work, training Pickles (potty, sleep, and losing the pacifier), launching my new business venture see new button. It all added up and I just never sat still long enough to blog. That, and I really didn't have anything to say, shocking, I know.

So yeah, I'm here. Shall try and be about more often.

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Not one above shameless self promotion, let me just give you a taste of my new business venture.

Seriously y'all. How friggen cute is that?

I sell Scentsy wickless, flameless, sootless candles now. Totally not something I EVER saw myself doing. I'm just not that kinda gal. But when I got my order in (ordered from an out of state friend) I immediately fell in love with it. Pickles has touched the warmer and the wax numerous times and has never been burned (it just doesn't get that hot!). No flames good, cuz my kids were always trying to blow out my scented candles, no soot The Dude REALLY liked that aspect cuz apparently burning candles is bad for your A/C...who knew, right? There are a crap-ton of scents I can mail samples of scents on cotton balls or something like that, and lots of cute warmers in various sizes.

But MammaDucky, how does it work? Well dear bloggyland, it uses foodgrade paraffin wax and a lightbulb. No seriously, like that's it. I love this stuff. Ok, so all of that, and this tagline hooked me:

Bahahahahahahaha!! Good stuff.

So yeah, clink on my button to be redirected to my Scentsy site.

P.S. Don't stalk me, mm-kay?

Debauchery certain to ensue.

Debauchery

de·bauch·er·y
(dĭ-bô'chə-rē)

Archaic: Seduction from morality, allegiance, or duty.

Alright y'all. I'm heading out to see my Shasty. I'll be back next week. I don't want to hear any reports back from the sitter about y'all playing any reindeer games, mmm-kay?!Pickles trying on some Christmas gear at Hobby Lobby last weekend.

P.S. Dude, my hips are kinda lookin' slimmer in this pic!! If you disagree with me, I'll just delete your comment, HUGS!!!

You say I'm crazy like it's a bad thing.

I we are potty training AND sleep training Pickles...at.the.same.time. Oh, and I'm also supposed to make sure he ditches his pacifier or as he calls it, "nu-nu" by his second birthday. When is his second birthday you ask? In two weeks!

Potty training is going super-fab. The first week of me us putting him on the potty, he absolutely refused. He'd pitch a fit and say that he was the baby and that he wanted to wear diapers. Fine, whatever. I'd always heard boys were more difficult. BRING IT, SON!

Monday of last week I went to pick up the kids. The sitter gives me an odd look, looks at Pickles and says, "Tell Mommy what you did." Crap, what did he do? Ruin your favorite dress? Burn down your kitchen?

Pickles looks up at me, smiles and says, "I potty." Pretty much ever since that point he's been in big boy underwear. The only occasional accident we have is with going #2 tmi? sorry.

Pickles has always been my difficult sleeper. The twins? Slept like champs. I think that was God trying to give me a break.

I searched the Internet looking at various techniques. Some just didn't suit me us. I found SuperNanny's Sleep Separation Technique to be the right fit. I started last night, bracing myself for the, excuse me, shitstorm of the century. Surprisingly enough, it was merely and afternoon shower of a fit. Hey now, this just might work!

As you know baking is my happy place. It de-stresses me. The only problem is that pesky weight issue that I'm still fighting. My solution is to make things I can give away. Mostly I bring my goodies to work. No, not THOSE goodies, well, yes, well I do bring those with me as they're part of me...where was I???

Oh yes, baking. This weekend I baked up some super-fab cookies. They're a twist on the traditional sugar cookie that has a bit more adult flavor. Note: Pickles stole just as many of these cookies as he would any other cookie. They're kid tested. Found the recipe in an ad in a magazine.

Toasted Sesame Cookies

2 3/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 Cup toasted sesame seeds, divided

2 ounces bittersweet baking chocolate, melted (Optional)

*you can buy already toasted sesame seeds but I had bulk quantities of plain sesame seeds. I toasted them in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir them every so often and when they start to get a nice toasted color, remove from heat.

Directions:1. Mix flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside. Beat butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add sugar; beat until well blended, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture and 1/4 cup of the toasted sesame seed on low speed until well mixed.
2. Refrigerate dough 2 hours or until firm.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in remaining 3/4 cup toasted sesame seed. Place 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheet.
4. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

The original recipe said bake @ 400 but I found that my cookies browned too quickly without the middles setting up, so I reduced the temperature. The original also said to drizzle with melted chocolate. The Dude's opininon was to leave them plain so I obliged. Besides, adding chocolate would just make me want to eat them even more.