Upcoming Jo-Ann's Pattern Sales

Founders' Weekend Super Sale - August 7/9:
McCall's $1.99
Vogue $3.99

August 13/15 - Butterick $1.99

New free wi-fi spot!

Barnes & Noble Bookstores! Now if Borders would wise up, too. . .

Netflix Stars - Vantage Point

5 stars!!!!! This political thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat. Think "24" meets "Tru Calling" and rev it up a couple of notches. Nice part for Sigourney Weaver, too. The only drawback? You don't get to see Dennis Quaid's famous and quite disarming smile!

Blackberry Cornbread Muffins

Inspired by the June 2009 issue of Southern Living. Because it was difficult to find self-rising white cornmeal and I didn't really need 24+ muffins, I bought a store-brand package of White Corn Bread mix (add egg and milk--skim worked just fine, too!) for only 39 cents. Added two handfuls of blackberries, a dash of almond extract and a scooped tablespoon of low fat sour cream. Sprinkled a little vanilla sugar on top and baked for 15 minutes. Each muffin had about 3 blackberries -- those huge Costco ones! Not only pretty to look at, but yummy too!

Penzeys Free Pasta Sprinkle Coupon Code

The newest Penzeys Spices catalog issue - Harvest 2009 - has a coupon for a free 1/2 cup jar of Pasta Sprinkle. Online orders use 14656C. I love this one! I use it on pasta salad and when I simmer meatballs in the crockpot. Bonus it is salt-free, too!

Upcoming Jo-Ann's Pattern Sales

Coupon Commotion Week - July 19/25:
Butterick patterns - 99 cents

July 30/August 1:
Simplicity patterns - $1.99

Houston International Quilt Festival

It's the 35th Anniversary of the Houston International Quilt Festival this fall! It is also earlier this year - October 15/18, Preview Night is October 14. Classes and events begin October 12. For more information visit their website - http://www.quilts.com/
Bringing your laptop, too? There's also wi-fi available - the George R. Brown Convention Center has their own wifi access, but it's $12.95/day. Let your wireless finder locate other free signals. Discovery Green Park right across the street from the GRB is wi-fi'd, so is the Hilton.

Christmas in July?!

Hee-hee! I just hit the next song button on my iPod and it starting playing, "O Holy Night"! I guess the odds are pretty good, as I have several versions of it. It's my favorite Christmas carol/hymn - so powerful, gives me chills. Shouldn't we keep Christmas in our heart all year round anyways?!

Found! An independent fabric store!

...in all places, Smithville, Texas! MARILYN'S FABRICS - 1103 N.E. Loop 230 512/237-2939. She's right across the street from Dairy Queen. Hours are 9:00-4:30 Tuesday through Saturday.

VERY reasonably-priced assortment fabrics from fashion to quilting. Most are in the $2-$4 range. I found a 60" wide tan/navy striped linen for $4.99/yard! Fun variety of notions, butttons, zippers, even old patterns to discover. Marilyn is super nice, very helpful and fun to chat with. Unfortunately, she's not online. And be prepared to pay with cash or checks only.

If you are making the run on 71 from Houston to Austin, you may just want to take a detour through Smithville and check this place out...and grab a Blizzard, too! I look forward to making a fabric pit stop again soon! (And maybe a small Reeses Peanut Butter Cup Blizzard?)

7-9-09 Update: I just received a handwritten thank you note from her in the mail today!

I'm back!

Sorry, ya'll -- I had fallen into the abyss that is called Facebook. It's been fun finding and reconnecting with people from the past. Though there are a few "let sleeping dogs lie"... But this is good proof for L to see there is life beyond the trauma/drama of high school. Yes, the popular kids are still popular... (I think a few are stuck on "repeat" - Boring!) On the other hand, the years erased the boundaries and it is fun to discover some are really quite nice. The rest of us on the fringes, the nerds, the overlooked, the late-bloomers - are so funny, so interesting, so "cool" now. I'd much rather hang with that herd than hope the football players and cheerleaders add me as a friend --"so high school"!

Netflix Stars - A Good Woman

4.5/5 stars - Wow - This was a surprise! Netflix thought we would like it and we did. Based upon Oscar Wilde's play "Lady Windermere's Fan."
Scarlett Johansson and Helen Hunt were great together. We loved the location - Italy! - and the clothing. (But I am partial to 30's styles anyways). There are mixed reviews on Netflix about this, you'll either love it or not. It's a fun afternoon hour and a half escape from the heat.