Sew What? Adventures in Sewing A Skirt: Part 1

So I promised myself I would do a couple things with my mom this summer: sew something I could wear and bake a lemon meringue pie (more on that later). I wanted to sew something I could wear often and enjoy. Besides the fact that I always seem to want things I can't find in the store, I feel like sewing is a lost art. Whenever I needed something whether it was a repair to a ripped shirt or an elaborate recreation of Rose's red and black dress in Titanic (yes, really) my mom could do it for me and she did. Someday when I have children I know that they will need buttons sewn on and costumes created. Who will they turn to? Me of course. So I better get to work and learn some of my mother's fabulous sewing skills.

I've discovered the perfect sewing project. Are you ready for it? Some beautiful full skirts taken from Vogue sewing patterns:



I like the idea that the full skirt is a classic silhouette. I plan to do more towards the length on the skirt to the left. I can wear this to work and church and it always looks clean and my personal favorite, "lady like." I think this looks like a fairly simple beginner project but since all I've ever sewn is a pillow for my nephew I don't really know what I'm talking about. I guess we'll see!

Now that I have an idea in my head of what I'd like to create I just have to find the some fabrics to fall in love with. I'll head to the fabric stores next week (with my mom in tow) and I'll post what I find!

~Christi

Sun Safety

With the onset of the summer (and the upcoming landscape project) it's that time again where we all must remember sun safety. Myself about 15 years ago would be scoffing and laughing at this sun safety blog.

You see, I am a recovering tanner. Yes that's right, a recovering tanner! They are very similar to other common recovering addicts, you know recovering smokers, recovering alcoholic, recovering drug addict, you get the picture.

Years ago, at age 14, I started my addiction to the sun. My friend in high school thought it would be great to start tanning to get some "color" during the winter months. I went to high school in South Dakota, so those of you from the Midwest know that we barely see the sun during the winter months. And thus was my first little taste of tanning and it became an addiction.

Every winter I would hit the tanning beds and "get my golden bronze on." In the summer, we would lay out by the lake slathered in baby oil. I felt like I looked better with my tan and without it, I just a pasty white skinny girl with thin hair. This is how most addictions start, right? Something makes you feel better about yourself so you continue it. Well, this continued until about the age of 23 and for some reason (I think I ran out of money) I stopped tanning. I didn't tan for a couple years after that. I actually started to become pretty anti-tanning bed about this time. Living in Dallas, it was very difficult to be my pasty white self, surrounded by tall blonds with their golden bronzed skin. I survived and I kept my white skin and pressed on...until my wedding.

At age 25 I was engaged and decided that this would be my last and final time I would go in a tanning bed. I had survived years of tanning with no great repercussions. No skin fungus picked up from the bed, minimal freckles, no "sun spots", life was good! One more little session of tanning in the beds will be fine. Or so I thought...I now bare the mark of the lovely tanning bed on my forehead forever. Tanning for my wedding will always be remembered by this lovely "sun spot" I bare on my forehead.
Not to mention, my freckles have increased ten fold. I had the spot checked out by a dermatologist and luckily it is not skin cancer. Just darkening of the skin from years of sun exposure. It's a terrible mark that really bothers me, but I like to think of it as a constant reminder to to always practice Sun Safety.

I have a few guidelines now with the onset of summer (and really in the winter too). Here is my list of Sun Safety must haves:

Olay Complete SPF Defense Daily UV Moisturizer

A MUST is a daily SPF lotion that you apply every day. You don't necessarily have to buy the Olay brand, many stores make a generic, but the SPF is a must. If you apply it every morning, you don't even think about it. Plus, if you use powder foundation it applies more evenly if there has been lotion put on your skin.

Coppertone Continuous Spray SPF 30
For as many sunburns I have had on my back, arms and shoulders, this stuff is a lifesaver. I just hate taking time to rub lotion in. With this stuff, I just give myself a quick spray. Easy and Simple!

Baseball Cap
Oh, the baseball cap. I use to wear this big sun hat, but I found the brim was just too big. The baseball cap is perfect. I try to wear the hat at all points that I am outside, gardening, running, walking the Giz...everything.

Sunglasses

I just really hate squinting. I don't know how often you can get skin cancer around your eyes, but wrinkles from squinting I am SURE you can get. I wear my sunglasses nonstop!

Well, that's my must haves for proper sun safety. I figure I have probably aged many of years already from my years of tanning. Now and going forward, I am hoping to reverse that process or at least stop it. Every little bit helps right?

~Beth

Landscaping Around Power Boxes

After weeks of going back and forth we have finally decided on landscaping plans for the front yard. In previous blogs you might have seen this wonderful picture:

Just beautiful right?....NOT REALLY! This area is overgrown with plants that just don't work under the shade of the large ash tree.

The juniper bush, that currently hides the power boxes, is half dead.

The rock in the bed is full of leaves and sticks, about 23 years worth, which makes it next to impossible to clean them all out.

Over the years, the plants have all lacked proper trimming and have become overgrown and half dead. They need more sun then what they can get in this spot. The only bush that really looks halfway decent in the spirea below...and that's on my neighbor's side.

The first step in all landscaping projects to is to have a plan. The plan will help outline what our future goal for this area will be. Also, we needed to get approval from the neighbors before starting this task.

Starting the plan was a little more difficult then I thought. The biggest problem I had in making this plan was that I had no idea where to start! I mean I keep a veggie garden, but when it comes to landscaping plants I get so overwhelmed. There are so many kinds and so many that won't grow in our zone five vegetation area.

That's where the big sis came to the rescue! Luci dabbles a little in landscape design. She is far more interested in landscaping plants more than I ever could be. I told her what we were looking for: Colorful plants that will grow well under the shade of the ash tree and hide the power boxes. She drew of three different landscape plans for me.

I liked all the plans, but the end result was combining all three of them (and a couple phone conversations) to create the master. Here is the master plan below (you can click on it for a pdf):

I really have to give all credit to my sister for making this happen. The only plant I added into the plan was Russian Sage and that's just because one of my neighbors has them and they are absolutely gorgeous! I wanted my own.

The next steps will be painstakingly long. We have to remove all of the rock from the bed. I have already started this process but due to my "delicate" condition I am not able to lift more than 25 pounds. That means numerous trips to the back yard with barely two shovels of rock in the wheel barrel. I look at it as getting my exercise for the day.

Once all the rock is removed I can KILL the juniper! (Notice my language usage, I just loath them!) To get rid of this evil plant I will start by cutting off all the branches down to the stumps. Which will most likely leave me covered in a lovely rash for a few days. I have to stay away from digging up the stumps until I can get all the utility companies out there to mark the lines. All I need is to give myself a shock or make the entire neighborhood mad by cutting off the power.

Once removing all the old plants is complete, my husband will build a brick edging that matched our current front yard landscaping and then the planting will begin! I estimate the project will finish up some time in August. Plants are cheaper to purchase in the fall. Honestly, this is going to be a long project so I am going to be realistic about our time line.

Now that the plans all laid out I am excited to begin! It will be so nice to drive down our street and not be so embarrasses by the eye soar in the front yard. I just can't wait!

~Beth

Only A Person Who Risks Is Really Free

After working with a financial company for two years I realized that I needed to take my career in a different direction. This was a hard move for me in some respects because I had never really quit a real job before. Sure I had quit waitressing jobs and retail jobs; temporary jobs that I worked during high school or during summers in college. But this was my first professional position out of college. It also didn’t help that I loved pretty much everyone I was working with; they are the kindest people. Working with them taught me so much about generosity, work ethic, and attention to detail. In the end though I knew I had to listen to my heart and pursue a different career. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done.
I made the leap and started applying for jobs (just getting to this point was a big step for me!). And with my good luck I landed a position in Human Resources with a local non-profit that I care deeply about. Of course, I couldn't say that this was simply luck. Instead I have to believe that this new position was nothing short of God's will for me. I was literally at my wits ends and knew I needed to find a different career path. I prayed so much about what was going on and said to God so many times, "I put myself in your hands. Please show me what it is you want me to do." And I find that it's during those times when we feel so completely lost and hopeless that we reforge another bond of faith with God. I completely put myself in God's hands and he showed me the way; I asked him to show me His will for my life and he guided me.
Now not all the answers are so clear cut and I don't expect that but I feel like God's answer to my prayers was loud and clear this time. And taking the risk was worth it. I feel so good knowing that not only am I in a field I am interested in but I am working for a cause that is so important in the lives of so many children and teenagers. My heart feels full when I see their smiling faces and know that everything that I am doing, even the little things, is for them. As I said in my interview, "I want to be a part of something that's bigger than me."
The risk was worth it.


"To laugh is to risk appearing the fool,

To weep is to risk appearing sentimental,

To reach out to another is to risk involvement,
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.
To love is to risk not being loved in return,
To live is to risk dying,

To hope is to risk despair,

To try is to risk failure.

But risk must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing,
If I risk nothing, I do nothing, have nothing, and am nothing.
I may avoid suffering and sorrow, but I simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love or live.

Chained by my certitudes, I am a slave.

I have forfeited freedom.

Only a person who risks is really free."


~Christi

Cowboy Salsa

Now I don't know if this is what this salsa is actually called but that's what my husband's cousin called it: Cowboy Salsa. Beth said it sounds like Texas Caviar and after some "googling" i've found it is also called Cowboy Caviar. Who knows. I like Cowboy Salsa so I'm sticking to it. I first had this salsa at my cousin-in-law's graduation and quickly became obsessed with it. Hope you enjoy!



1 – 15 oz. Can Black Beans
1 Green Pepper, diced
1 – 15.8 oz. Can Black-eyed Peas
½ Sweet Onion, Diced
1 – 11 oz. Can White Shoepeg Corn
½ Bunch Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
1 – 10 oz. Can Rotel Original (or Hot)
¾ Cup Wishbone Italian Dressing
3 – 14.5 Cans Petite Diced Tomatoes
½ tsp. of Garlic Powder

· Rinse and drain beans, corn, and peas
· Drain excess liquid of Rotel and tomatoes (or it gets too runny)
· Remove stems from Cilantro, use chopped leaves only
· Mix all ingredients in a large bowl
· Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours
· Enjoy with scoop tortilla chips

I plan to make a batch of this delicious salsa this weekend for a little trip we have planned to Okoboji. We're going to see our best man and his family which will be a treat since we don't see him often (he lives in Texas).

Have a great rest of the week!

~Christi

Grilled Moroccan Chicken

I made this recipe the other day and the combo of spices made such wonderful tasting chicken! Very moist too!

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoon minced garlic
3 teaspoons paprika
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1. Combine oil, onions, parsley, cilantro, garlic, paprika, cumin, salt, turmeric and cayenne pepper in a plastic gallon bag.
2. Squeeze bag till all ingredients are mixed together.
3. Place chicken in bag and let marinate for an hour or more. I like to let it set overnight, it just soaks in all the spices.
   
4. Grill chicken breasts 5-7 minutes (depending on breast size) on each side, or until done.

The Skinny: Serves 4 @ 382 calories (calories are actually less, unless you plan on drinking the leftover marinade...YUCK!)

~Beth

Landscaping Past to Present

In a previous post of mine, I commented on the fact that our next landscaping project was going to be the front of house under our large ash tree. This area is overgrown with plants that just don't work under the shade of the large tree. The juniper bush, that currently hides the power boxes, is half dead. The rock in the bed is full of leaves and sticks, about 23 years worth, which makes it next to impossible to clean them all out. Basically, the area is a site to be seen....and not in a good way.

This is not our first landscaping project. Many of you might have read the blog about the garden we put it. Here's a picture of how it is doing this year. Mostly everything is growing at great speed, except for the peas. We can thank the rabbits for almost wiping them out this year.

In addition to the garden last year, we tackled another ugly area of the preexisting landscaping, the front walk of the house. It reminds me so much of the front landscaping around the power boxes: overgrown, ugly juniper (I loathe them!) and rocks that haven't been cleaned for 23 years.

Here is what the landscaping was like before:
I removed all the junipers, which is a pretty tough task. You first have to cut all the branches off and then cut as many parts of the stump as you can. Pulling it out of the ground is the worst! It took me all day to do one stump. I attacked it with an ax, a saw, a shovel...really anything I could find. The next day, my manly husband came out and with the right positioning of the shovel and his body weight he was able to pop the other two out in about 2 hours.

My wonderful husband also built a nice stone edging around the landscaping. The corner was the hardest part and required much patience on his part to get the cuts just right. We have caught several neighbors walking up and taking a closer look.

We filled the bed with wood chips instead of rock this time. The wood chips camouflage all the leaves and sticks pretty well. In the space where the junipers were, I replaced it with salvia and daylilies. I am hoping they will spread more over the coming years and the bed will be filled with flowers.

I have pictures of the remodel below. It is not what I want it to be quite yet. We had a storm a couple of days ago and it seemed to damage the purple tree in the background and a couple branches look broken. In late fall, I plan to get out there and cut down the burning bushes a good 1 1/2 feet and cut the purple tree down a 3 feet. They are very overgrown, but I waiting too long this year to get all the trimming done. You have to trim up all these plants before they start budding.


Well, that officially was our second landscaping project. It is not completely how I would like it to look, but I think we can all agree the new stuff looks way better than the old.

I am looking forward in the next couple of weeks starting on the landscaping around the power boxes. Luci is drawing me up some landscaping plans. She really is quite the expert on picking out plants and laying them out so they all coordinate well. I will write more about the plans when they are finalized.

~Beth