Netflix Stars - Mamma Mia!

1/5 stars - Somebody owed somebody some favors...

Netflix Stars - Charlie Wilson's War

4.5/5 stars - A very realistic and dramatic portrayal of a relatively unknown aspect of the Cold War. The actors are all top-notch and give a great performance.

Netflix Stars - House Bunny

Believe it or not, 3/5. Yes, the premise is a bit silly and predictable, and you can tell it is an Adam Sandler-produced movie, but it was funny fluff. You'll find yourself laughing despite it all. And keep your eyes open for the cast -- Collin Hanks, Rumer Willis, the guy from All-American Rejects, the girls next door...

Santa, please bring me time, nice fabric, patterns that fit...

If you were expecting a sweetness post to sip with a mug of cocoa - Skip to the next blog on your list and grab something stronger. This rant began when a friend asked me about local sewing machine dealers in the Houston area and this is part of my email response...

"...But just as the fabric stores are changing, so are the sewing machine dealers. As you discovered with quilting shops selling sewing machines. Are you a fabric store or a sewing machine store? Stand-alone, one-brand dealers are disappearing. And I think it is difficult and frustrating to deal with these new hybrid stores. Everyone knows nothing. Arrgh!

What is happening to the middle market? And to sewing machines? You can find cheap machines at Wal-Mart and Jo-Ann's, and then pricey my-first-car-didn't-cost-this-much! $$$ brands such as Berninas, etc. Are sewing machines becoming disposable like toasters and small electronics? When a machine is sold in the $100-ish range, and repairs can come close to that, as I'm sure you've discovered -- what is a sew-er supposed to do? Take up scrapbooking?! And in this economy, how many people are willing to take the risk to throw it all behind one expensive brand of machine and hope for business. Especially when you have the Internet deals, eBay and even Craigslist.

A friend of mine had a Riccar, all-metal, a workhorse from the late 60's/70's. Yet she spent years and $$$ trying to get it repaired and ultimately never could get it to work 100% again. I lost track of how many repair people and dealers told her it could not be fixed. Even asking online! They just gave up or didn't have the expertise or equipment/parts. That's crazy!

As if today's sew-er isn't challenged enough trying to find decent fabric and patterns properly drafted, we must contend with finding good machines and keeping them working.

I asked L the other day if any of her classmates sewed. She said one maybe - who only takes things apart and embellishes. Nothing from start to finish. L also said when clothing is so cheap (and falls apart after 3 washings), there really isn't an investment wardrobe or the inclination (and money!) to create something to wear. That's a really sad, endless loop!

So yes, I agree with you -- it is crazy out there. And amazing that the 4th largest city has such dismal* offerings..."


I'm sure your city is the same, too. What do you do?


_____
(*with the exception of H, my repair guy!)

Money Monday - Jingle all the way

...to the bank! We've been saving our silver change (pennies go to Popeye) in one of L's old formula cans for years. When it is filled almost to the top, on average there's at least $50-$60 worth of coins. And the bank will give you wrappers for free, all you have to do is ask. Every little bit helps and adds up.

Upcoming Jo-Ann's Pattern Sales

New Year's Sale - December 31-January 4
Vogue Patterns - $3.99
McCall's - $1.99
50% off buttons
50% off quilting notions
50% off thread

It's a snap!

In the December issue of Family Circle magazine, there is a 6-page Crayola advertising section, celebrating the 50 year anniversary of the 64 crayon box. (Wasn't that box coveted by us all? With the crayon sharpener in the back! Wherein sometimes-always a crayon broke off? What I really had big eyes for was the hinged white box of 108 or 128 or more -- I was only 4 and anything over 100 would have had my head spinning. With a handle! Rows and rows of colors with a special separate holder for each one. Your crayon paper wrap would stay pristine. And it had two sharpeners! Maybe even more, this was a really $$ collection. The girl across the apartment hall had one and oh how I wanted one, too. But she was in First Grade and I was told by my Mom that you had to be that age to have one. Years later when I was 12 I did get a Sears Kenmore sewing machine for Christmas so that more than made up for the Crayolas, Easy Bake Oven and Play-Doh Fun Factory MIA's. Aren't you glad, too? Who wants to read a blog about EBO's and PDFF's creations. Though I imagine there probably is a blog out there.) Back to the present...Crayola and Family Circle have joined forces to raise $10,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. All you have to do is use your camera phone and take a picture of the Crayola logo and send it to fc@snaptag.mobi or 949-331-8147. The phone number worked for me. To participate, you must be 21 or older and a legal resident of the 50 United States and District of Columbia.

The promotion ends December 31, 2008 or until 10,000 messages are received. I just sent one last night, so it is still going on.

And yes, I just tried it -- you can take a picture of this picture in the blog post - it works!

Kirkland Spiced Pecan Cereal at Costco

Just appeared at the cereal endcap at my Costco - Spiced Pecan Cereal. A 34 ounce 2-bag box (bless them, I hate the one big bag boxes) for $6.49. And what you see on the box is what you get inside -- all of the pecans were whole, the granola clusters bigger than a quarter. Smells and tastes great. If you like cinnamon, this is for you. Good for you, too -- 3/4 cup serving is 190 calories, 7g fat, 0.5 sat, 100mg sodium, 33g carb, 5g protein, 70% calcium, 10% iron, only 11g sugar and 7g of fiber! (stats are without milk)

Who are these people and what are they doing here?!

As you can obviously tell, I have a rather eclectic group of friends and fellow bloggers in the right alley. I thought each week on Sunday I would randomly showcase one from the list and why they are there. I love to discover new blogs, and I think you will enjoy the introduction for new places to visit in Bloggy Land.

This week - Pink Bunnie Slippers

Or maybe it's Pink Bunnies Lippers? Hard to tell when the blog names don't have spaces! Kristina lives in Western (Buffalo) NY. As a fellow (former) Upstater we share the same homegrown humor. Her blog is very entertaining and she has a sidebar of other fun blogs to visit, too.

Three yards of buttons and beads

Target finally marked down their Christmas decorations 30%, so I grabbed this holiday garland I've been eyeing the past month. It's from the "Birchwood Chalet" collection, in the rustic aisle section. Nine feet long, it was just enough to drape along my sewing room window valance, and not so holiday-ish that I can't keep it up all year.

Smithville Gingerbread Man

Here is a life-size, 25-foot tall, permanent replica of the Guinness World Record Gingerbread man from last year. (2009 edition - page 124) It is actually the painted underside of the cookie pan used. Click here for a link to the event.

Spicy Apple Bread

Mariani Dried Fuji Apples from Costco + Penzeys Apple Pie Spice

+ favorite Betty Crocker Bread Machine Cookbook = Spicy Apple Bread!

I made the one pound version. (1-1/2 pound ingredients in enclosures). I think next time I will add a little more butter and more apples - perhaps 1/2 cup instead of 1/4 cup. I tossed in a handful of chopped walnuts at the last minute and that may have contributed to a little dryness. It was still tasty with a little bit of butter, though!

SPICY APPLE BREAD

2/3 cup water (1 cup + 1 tablespoon)

1 tablespoon margarine or butter, softened (2 tablespoons)

2 cups bread flour (3 cups)

1/4 cup cut-up dried apples (1/3 cup)

1 tablespoon dry milk (2 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon sugar (2 tablespoons)

1 teaspoon salt (1 1/2 teaspoons)

1 1/2 teaspoons Apple pie spice (2 1/2 teaspoons)

1 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast (2 teaspoons)

Place ingredients in order recommended by your bread machine manufacturer. Select Sweet or Basic/White cycle. It smells wonderful while baking!

Add these to the creepy list

Anyone else think these are creepy, too? Of all the designs the USPS has used and could use, this year's are the worst. They look angry. I don't like nutcrackers and this is what the USPS APC (Automated Postal Center) is currently dispensing. Bring back the Forever bell! That could be Christmas-y, really, better than these guys.

Netflix Stars - Two stinkers in a row!

Let's move on to another letter of the alphabet, shall we? Tropic Thunder and Tortilla Soup.
Perhaps Tortilla Soup would have been given a better chance had we not popped it in after the horrible Tropic Thunder. Seriously, don't be eating Crunch & Munch during the first one. Otherwise the beginning of Tortilla Soup would have had you starving during the first 10 minutes. At least it cleared the way to get two more newer, and hopefully better, ones from our queue in time for Christmas.

Another Place in Time Christmas

Weren't you surprised this year at the Christmas merchandise -- selection and prices, especially?! Last year we found some cute ornaments, cards and decorations at Target - this year the prices seem higher, the selection lower. Disappointing! But enter the smaller and independent retailers and you'll find treasure and great prices. Last week at Another Place in Time, all Christmas items were already marked down 25% - 33% this week! They still had a great offering of goodies, L and I must have spent 30 minutes in the gift shop house ooing and ahing over everything. The tree at the top of my page is from there and it was less than $5. Way cheaper and cuter than anything Target had. This candle holder was less than $4; and they have a great new holiday scent in their square candle section - "Monterey Pine" No gaggy Pine-Sol/run-from-the-room-holding-your-nose-and-mouth scent here, it's lovely. One of their employees is battling cancer, and owner Mike Lowery is having a Holiday Open House this Sunday, December 21, from 6 PM to 9 PM to help raise money for her treatment. Ticket prices are $10 and well worth the cost of admission to be able to view and enjoy a Houston Heights home lavishly decorated with over 200 Santas, 2,500! Christmas ornaments on 6 trees! Judging by what they sell in the shop, I can't even begin to imagine his personal collection! You can purchase tickets at Another Place in Time or at the door. Call 713/864-9717 or email at info@anotherplaceintime for more information.

Update 01-02-09 - Over $11,000 was raised and Lynn Huber was able to begin her chemotherapy treatment on New Year's Eve!!

A Good Day For Soup!

I realize we aren't going to get much sympathy from our neighbors to the North, but this morning our temperatures dropped 15 degrees in one hour to 43 and it stayed there all day. T is in Wisconsin where the high was 7! ("My face hurts!") It may go down to 35 tonight. I know, boo-hoo. But we did take the weather opportunity to make this soup. And knock back some of my eleventy-billion cans of Bellagio cocoa stash. We'll enjoy this while we can.

This soup is from the Pillsbury Fast and Healthy magazine, November/December 1992 - "Speedy Soups for Busy Days." An oldie but goodie. I was even able to find Buitoni's tortellini in whole wheat. They seemed to hold their shape better with no discernable taste or visual difference - just, "this tastes good!"

TORTELLINI SPINACH SOUP

4 1/2 cups water + 4 teaspoonfuls Penzeys Chicken soup base

-OR- 3 cans chicken broth + 1 cup water

3 carrots, sliced

1 teaspoon oregano

1 clove garlic, minced

1 package cheese tortellini, uncooked

1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

In a dutch oven, combine broth, carrots, oregano and garlic. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add tortellini, boil gently 4-5 minutes or until tortellini is almost tender. Add spinach. Reduce heat; simmer 2-3 minutes or until tortellini is tender, stirring occasionally.

Money Monday - Making a list and checking it twice

One way to save more money is to not spend it on things you already have! I keep a running list of what's in the pantry, the refrigerator freezer and chest freezer. No sense getting frostbite digging in the depths of the big freezer when the chopped pecans are easily accessible in the refrigerator freezer. There was a time I kept buying diced tomatoes every time I went grocery shopping! (Should have checked the list and I would have seen I had almost a year's supply in the pantry. I think I must have typo-dropped the "1" from "10.") I keep a list on the computer as a Word document - "Freezer Inventory," post it on the side of my refrigerator and try to update it through the week as items are added or used. I also note the date either when the item was added or the use by date if it is coming up quickly.

Netflix Stars - Fred Claus

Fred Claus - 4.25/5 Cute and funny movie! Vince Vaughn is the older sibling of Nick (Santa) Claus. If you have siblings, you'll identify...Especially in the "Siblings Anonymous" scene. Be ready for some surprise appearances and confessions. Kevin Spacey is perfectly typecast - what is it about that guy?!

Who are these people and why are they here?!

As you can obviously tell, I have a rather eclectic group of friends and fellow bloggers in the right alley. I thought each week on Sunday I would randomly showcase one from the list and why they are there. I love to discover new blogs, and I think you will enjoy the introduction for new places to visit in Bloggy Land.

This week - Monica's Material Pleasures

I met Monica several years ago in the Houston Chapter of the American Sewing Guild. We were so lucky to have her in our Neighborhood Group before she and her husband retired and moved to the top of a hill in the Texas Hill Country. I'm glad she is my friend in real life and here in Bloggy Land. She is so fun and so talented. These were her "Dancing With The Stars" ATC's for Quilting Arts' Artist Trading Card swaps at this year's Houston International Quilt Festival. How lucky were the swappers who were able to get one. This was one of the "Start To Finish" series of "Postcards Battle Cancer - Fiberart For a Cause" she did for the American Cancer Society in 2006. Monica and her hubby are into NASCAR and she picked up these car bits from a repair garage floor and sewed them onto postcards! Here's the sewing journal book she just made for me - hand-bound with handmade beads, covered with netting and pattern tissue. We are the Mutt and Jeff of friends!

Let's Get Crocking - Maple Ginger Sauced Apples

I got the inspiration for this from the January 2009 issue of Fitness magazine. They had a month-long calendar of healthy snacks, one of which was Maple-Ginger Applesauce on page 76. I've been wanting to try making crockpot applesauce. And I liked the interesting combination of fresh ginger and maple syrup. I had 5 Red Delicious apples a little past their prime - but a good volunteer for this experiment. Peeled and sliced, I then added 1/4 cup water, some grated fresh ginger (about a teaspoon), drizzled some maple syrup on top, sprinkled a little Ceylon cinnamon, and tossed in a handful of craisins for color into a 2-quart slowcooker. Crock on Low for 2-4 hours. I did not mash the slices, just stirred and ladled some warm over Blue Bell's Low Fat Country Vanilla Frozen Yogurt. It's not a snack anymore but dessert. So good! I found this porcelain ginger grater at Whole Foods. It did a great job saving my fingers and using that last bit of leftover ginger .