Button-Bustin' Proud of my Girl

Had the joy of paging through my dear daughters' (27) 'House Idea'' Folder with her last night...what fun! She and hubby are about to close on their first house - and she's obviously been dreaming and collecting and vicariously 'feathering' her nest for quite awhile now...
Conclusions:
1. She has the creative bug - THAT's for sure! She must have caught it - that is exciting!
2. That sewing machine I gave her (and everything notions-wise to use it) will soon be broken out of it's case - especially since she's 2 hours away from ole' Mom here.
3. There is nothing she doesn't think she can do! How awesome is that?!? Even hard wood floors - Wow!

Anyway - I borrowed a couple of her tear-out sheets cause I thought you sewing gals might find these ideas interesting...
How cute and clever is that! Lace tacked into side of makeup drawer to hold things in place!
In all the pillow-making I've done over the years - I don't think I ever did what you see above - simple Knife edged pillows with different sides. How simple is that???

Avoiding 'Dog-Earred' Pillows...
Reminds me of something I learned from a Singer Sewing Reference Library book on Home Dec - which I can NOT find anywhere now - when she could use them - though I DO think I loaned all of those to her back when she was decorating an apartment..... is what you see below... folding fabric (or pattern you cut SAME size as pillow form - NOT larger for seam allowances!) in quarters, then trimming 1/2" off at corners to nothing half way along each of the 2 sides or loose ends and you get this: Believe me - it WORKS! Then - take 1/2" seam allowances and you'll end up with a VERY nice, SQUARE rather than POINTY cornered pillow, fully and tightly stuffed pillow!

She also had lots of pictures of pleated treatments - and most seemed to be Box Pleats. That made me think of the handy dandy Simflex Gauge that I finally have back in stock... for marking things like pleats. Wonderful - marvelous -super dooper - can't live without it notion. If you don't have one - order quickly! I'm definitely packing them this weekend to go along to the American Sewing Guild Conference in Atlanta.

Working hard on new jackets - and making Refined™ into a Talking Pattern™...

MISCELLANEOUS GOOD STUFF

Sew much has been in my head to share...this is a real conglomeration - I hope you find it useful and a little diversion at this busy time of the year...

• Have a new HP printer here in my office - which runs out of ink constantly. Went to Walgreens to get refilled - they couldn't do this type. Gal standing there recommended Rapid Refill. GREAT place - lots of them around country in this chain...you exchange your empties for new ones immediately - and they recycle/refill the ones you brought in. Were a fraction of the cost of new ones. Chatting with the owner, asked him for printer recommendations. He said NOT to get a Lexmark. DID recommend the Brother for about $100. Cartridges cost just $7.99!!!! Sounds good to me. Also - for info: the manufacturers are now 'splitting' the ink colors - a cartridge for black, for red, for blue, for yellow. AND - if one is empty - makes your printer not work at all. I thought I would print photos when I got this printer - NOT! Cheaper to 'order'online from WalMart at $.07 each!
  

• Since I write the annual Christmas letter to go with the cards, I decided to just do it in reality - as I'm writing it - not my hubby and I! Giving credit where credit is due...

• Working like mad on my computer these days - lots of editing, website work, etc... so forced myself to get organized, cleaned the office...which led to the basement. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE those Guerilla Shelves we got for the basement. WHY didn't we do that years ago??? Anyway - for satisfying my 'munchies' I 'feast' on Celery, Cucumbers, and hot water with lemon. Doing the trick so far...though those cookies in the FREEZER keep calling my name...
• Speaking of CUCUMBERS... just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1,B2, B3, B5, B6, C, Folic Acid, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorous, Potassium and Zinc...so WHY do I still want a cookie???? Also - the photochemical in a cucumber causes the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite - so if you're a lucky one going to a sunny place over Christmas holiday, remember that!
  
• I LOVE being a size 1.5 at Chico's.....what marketing THAT is!

Standing in the PO yesterday - a LONG line, the postmistress tells us of an elderly woman who said she wanted a religious Christmas Stamp - and so she said, "Sure - Here's Madonna and Child". To that, the lady said "No, she's nasty, I sure don't want HER!"

How to Bake Cookies and NOT Eat the Dough

OK - started the cookie baking tradition today...our family has carried on the "Date Nut Pinwheels" from my husband's family for many years. Despite the 'danger' of uncooked eggs in cookie dough, it 'beckons' me EVERY TIME I allow myself to bake some - regardless of the season.

Sew...Today, I 'armed' myself with Iced Tea, Carrots, and Pecans. See photo....

Now, I can't say it totally worked, but it certainly DID help! I'm sure I only 'snitched' ONE time! then again...I'm afraid I perhaps let myself have a few extra once baked...

Here's the recipe...I hope you'll like it. They DO take a bit of work, but seem worth it. I also would have to say that I think these are special for us - because we only have them at Christmastime. My mother-in-law's recipe, as shared in a PTA cookbook dated 1955-1956!
I DOUBLE this recipe!
1 C Butter, 1 C sugar, 1 C brown sugar, 3 eggs, - cream all together.
Add 4C flour, 1 t. soda, 1 t. cinnamon, 1/4t salt. Mix all up. Chill a bit to make rolling easier.

Date Filling: Mix 1 lb seeded, chopped dates (I buy then that way!), 1/2 C water, 1/2 C sugar, 1 C fine chopped nutmeats in sauce pan and cook a bit.

Roll dough to about 1/4" thick on a well-FLOURED surface. Spread with filling. Roll up. Chill.
Slice - bake on greased sheet 375 degrees 10-15 minutes.
YES - I ate one while writing this!