Wednesday, the Mall and more

We traveled down to El Cajon and ate lunch at Bob's Big Boy....walked around the mall...this photo is of the shopping cart escalator in the two story Walmart....we had never seen anything like that before so thought it was unique...
we had fun shopping at the Sweet Factory as they have a nice selection of sugar free candy for Alan...also he went to See's and got some sugar free chocolates...I got a small bag of gummy candy, my favorite..I am partial to orange slices....
then we spied the merry go round...yesterday, I said it was ferris wheel but I had seen it at a distance, turned out it was a two story merry- go- round.....

we planned to take a ride but it was closed for lunch the time we were there...beautifully painted animals...

It is a very nice mall...and it was really fun to window shop....we don't usually get out to malls anymore...years ago in another life, my mom and I would go to the local mall every week, have lunch together and shop...guess that is one reason why I've avoided going since she passed away....

Today is the last day to sign up for my August Giveaway..I will be drawing the winning name at 6:00 p.m. this evening....aren't you ready for the fall?

Tuesday Chat

We had a job yesterday in San Diego county, and while we were coming back home, stopped for gas in Temecula....took this photo of a fire that was burning south of here....this is not only our hottest month but also fire season....another fire occurred south east of us..later in the afternoon and our online service went out...evidently the fire got to a tower...this is all undeveloped land, no homes were touched..its been so warm, in the 100s..feel really sorry for the fire fighters, must be miserable with the heat....

I really like Pattern Mart.... yesterday got  their free newsletter and found these darling tags...had to order them of course, an instant E pattern..

these use a little different technique, not only do you stitch them, but also stain, stiffen and paint....should be fun! I stitched most of them last night, all but the gingerbread man which I will finish today...not sure if I have all the paint colors though...

Jayden is growing and already trying to lift his head...very good for only a little older than two weeks....we are sure enjoying them being here with us...he and his mom got thrush, so had to go to the doctor this week....he wasn't a happy camper and kept them up several nights but is better now....I am hoping to get some photos of him awake soon!
We bought a little blue album for his first year..have a photo of the hospital, hospital pics and now early home pics....we know so well how fast babies grow...

That's about all for today...we have another job in El Cajon late this afternoon, its a 80+ mile trip one way but may go early as there is a huge shopping center/mall there we'd like to explore....make it a little more fun. I am not one for malls any more but we stopped there once before as they actually have a Walmart at one end...we were amazed to see how large the entire mall was..it reminded both of us of the Mall of America, in Minn. this one has a indoor ferris wheel just like that one....The Walmart was two story and had a escalator for shopping carts as well as people...quite unique....if we go, I will see if I can take a few photos..

Sale

I am running a sale this week only in my Etsy shop ..buy two dishtowels and get the third one FREE....also please make sure you have signed up for my August giveaway...only a few days left now.!

Wind Storm....

We had a wind storm here this afternoon....at 106 temperature, it started blowing hard...Alan was in the garage and heard something hitting the garage door, went outside and it was tree limbs that had broken off...no real damage but scary.....then the electricity went off, and we heard sirens..turned out that a tree had blown over onto a power line and started a fire in the mobile home park that is at the intersection within walking distance of our house.....desert wind storms are fairly common here but this one was a little worse than most...great for drying clothes though if I remember to use plenty of clothes pins!

August is usually our warmest month and this one is no exception...its been in the 100s all last week...poor duck! We set our sprinkler on mist and leave it on for her...most days she sits under it.....otherwise she pants and there is nothing worse to see than a duck panting......she always has lots of water to wade in but the silly thing doesn't know it...I actually have to pick her up and put her in the water, otherwise she won't go in....
sorry, no photos today......blogger is acting up again.....

Hand Embroidery and Etsy

Thanks for the kind comments on the previous post.....I do hand embroidery...love the look and feel of it more than machine, although machine has its place too......back in the 70s, I embroidered mens work shirts for my brother and his friends...may start doing that again if I can find some nice shirts...the ones I see today are usually made in China and not as well put together as in the days of old....I don't have any of my own examples as that was years ago but here is one similar  from the blog, Stitchers Revolution

My little Etsy shop has quite a few of my stitcheries......towels, candle mats and tags for now.....also black work and redwork....
Speaking of Etsy....I've found a artist there that creates the most amazing little creatures...her shop is called Dreamworld Art Designs....she makes custom dog and cat sculptures using needle felting..here is just one example.....you send her a photo of your pet and she will create a likeness..

Photobucket

I have been having so much fun, playing with Photobucket....discovered I can edit my photos and sharpen them for my Etsy shop....so many times, lighting is a problem......no more....here is an example.....

Before

After...

The flour sack towels are even more dramatic....

Before..

After

its so much fun learning new things!

Sunday

Just got to show off Jayden a bit....get my granny fix, I guess....he's already gained weight...and doing well..had a touch of jaundice but nothing serious.....got a good checkup on Friday....the kids have discovered how much work is involved....we just smile....I think we are going to like being grandparents...LOL

Last but not least

Remote control drink caddy for the pool...something every home needs (right)

A stop for all the bottles that stack up in the fridge.....

For the late night reading?

Lots of lost storage under and around the bath tub?....I would have never thought of this..
I have several more photos but Blogger is not cooperating this evening....refusing to upload any more photos...so that is that for now....
we had a good day today..got some needed  housework done..babysat our new grandson for a time and gave the new parents a break....and Alan unlocked one house for a homeowner who had locked himself out...don't you hate when that happens?

Why Didn't I Think of That? part 3

Thanks for all the well wishes with our grandchild....yes, he is very aware and tries so hard to see everything even at just a few days old....

I am continuing with the new inventions......

how about this clever device for the faucet?

A collapsible bench?

We like to get fresh pineapple when its a good price...what a easy way to cut it!

an interesting way to keep your wooden floors dust free...
and lastly...

for the late night..no more bumped toes.......

I think God enjoys our inventions when they are created for good.......He conceals truths for us to ferret out as He knows how much we enjoy the hunt....
Proverbs says  "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
         But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.."Proverbs 25...

New Grand Son

Here is our new grandson...he was born on Monday....Jayden Ryder

7 lbs. 11 oz...21" long.....Happy Birthday and welcome to the world, Little guy!

Why Didn't I Think of That? continued

here are a few more brillant inventions from the email that was sent to me...several of them I am going to be looking for....love this idea of a hidden compartment...

Fast food?

 

I don't like messy paint cans when we are painting.... am always a little frustrated by what's available....this looks like it might work...

and finally....I think this is designed for the handicapped but would be wonderful for crafters also....

Happy Monday

I just discovered this Etsy artist...are not these magpies wonderful! Robyn is a California artist and her shop is something out of fairyland...hope you will visit and enjoy her creations as much as I have....
.Motherload Toad Factory

Its quite warm here today and windy.....great for drying clothes...I try to get outside and keep the bird bath full for our feathered friends....this time of year is hard on them..we noticed that the hummingbird feeder has constant visits now too......August is usually our hottest month.....today is about 98....which isn't by far the hottest we've experienced...usually August is in the 105 range.....
We try to get out early in the morning for yard work....started pulling out the corn stalks right now....I do have two dozen corn in the freezer....which will be nice this winter....some of the larger tomatoes are starting to get ripe so I may get to can a few quarts..and just enjoy the rest....
and now for some funnies....
A Merry Heart Doeth Good like a Medicine.....

Life is just a bowl of cherries...

We've been so busy this week...I come home and am just exhausted most days..plus I've been fighting a stomach thing..really nasty...but am feeling better this weekend.....these cherries we picked up at a local market down in San Diego county and wow...they are so good....meaty and delicious.....

 My good friend, Kay, sent me a cute email called Why didn't I think of that?" ...I like simple ideas that work....she and I both like the key holder..

This teapot holder would make up for less spillage...

 great idea for the corner cupboard..that space is often unusable....

and this cup holder is just..well, rather unique...!!

Tomato Sauce

We were looking at all the tiny tomatoes that have grown this year..wondering what to do with them...we thought the Amish Paste, Roma and others would be a good size..but they have only grown slightly larger than cherry tomatoes. I don't know if it was a mild spring and relatively cool summer....Alan picked a huge bowl of them and I decided to cook them down...and then run them through the food mill....

this is the result...

I let this sauce cook down most of the afternoon until it got nice and thick...then was able to can 7 pints! I added a 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice to each jar to make sure they were acid enough.....I plan on making at least another canner full before we are done.....

We are growing some heirloom tomatoes in pots..they are doing much better and are actually a bigger size.....not ripe yet though...
.

They won't get sun burned like those in the ground as they are under the patio cover....may take a little longer to ripen but well worth it.....
we've been a little busy this week...two jobs today and possible two tomorrow......God is good!

Memories

Alan brought back this owl picture  we had given to Mom and Dad some 35+ years ago..it hung over their living room entry all that time..mom and dad owls, all 10 kids..its  held up well, don't you think?..I hung it up in our living room now...when we first were married, several of the children were still living at  home...these little owls looked over the family,( wish they could talk)....weddings, birth of grandchildren and great grandchildren, aunts/ uncles coming and going, loads of laughter and love, Bible studies, hot coffee and cards during the long Iowa winters. Birthday parties and anniversaries..over 40 Christmases all in a tiny house that had been built in 1898...the house has  been remodeled several times...

its just pecky cedar, with knots for the owls with googly eyes but means alot to us....so glad Alan was able to bring it back with him. It hangs above this wall  hanging below...

This Iowa wood wall hanging we bought one year in the Amish country, outside of Independence...there are many Amish farms with little shops on the properties....we would go with Mom and Dad...buying  treats and a few things to bring home...we used to drive back to Iowa every year before we had kids..after that we took the train, getting a sleeper berth..the boys have many happy memories of train travel as do we...the train we went on, no longer runs unfortunately. We both are  hoping to be able to get together with the other siblings in the next year..Mom wanted the kids to stick together..she wrote a wonderful letter to the family before she passed.....
The first year we went back to Iowa, I was a new bride and had never been out of California.....it was quite an adventure....I remember one night, sleeping upstairs in the loft..they had a summer thunder storm...I'd never seen anything like it....the sky was crashing, and bolts of lightening seemed to fill the little window where I perched, Alan, of course, slept through it....Dad came upstairs and sat with me, worried that I was scared..I was a little scared, but more in awe and wonder at the amazing storm...

Happy Sunday!

Maranatha! Come quickly, Lord...

Lee Hill Primitives giveaway....

Eve is giving away this wonderful cute prairie doll with her pumpkin friend....I hope you will head on over to Lee Hill Primitives to sign up..it will end on August 23rd......she will be adding other items throughout the month.....this sweet little doll has a hand stitched face and I just love her expression....

Its another warm day again...dog days of summer so to speak...we had one job in San Diego today...it was a lock out but no one was at home, the family had left long before...then we got two local calls in the afternoon....the heat makes us both rather lazy and we have to push ourselves get to things done....you probably are in the same frame of mind...heat does sap the strength, doesn't it? so wishing for cooler days...
Meanwhile, I found a wonderful little package in the mail...my winnings from the PFTA Christmas in July giveaway...was pleasantly surprised to find these wonderful little rusty tin mittens with homespun ..they are so cute.....and look good on our antique cabinet....

They are from Joan at Vintage Keepsake Trunk...
Joan doesn't live too far from me, in Palm Desert, California and she makes the most wonderful creations....I was just browsing her shop..just look at this....

I feel so blest to have won something from this talented craftswoman...and hope you will visit her shop...going back to browse right now!