Peanuts B. Oddy

Recipe Box

2009-11-11T22:16:00.000-08:00

In the last year I have been in a few recipe swaps on swap-bot and the recipes I have received have all been on 4x6 cards, which, it turns out, I think is a terrific size for recipe cards. Problem is, I don't have a recipe box for that size card and the ones at the store are ugly and cost more than I want to spend.
Once again plastic canvas comes to my rescue.

So far only the bottom has been done. I had an idea for how I was going to make the top and realized after I cut out the pieces that is wouldn't work so I will have to rethink that and cut out some new pieces preferably out of the pieces for the wrongly designed top.

The pattern itself was made up as I went along. It is made up of randomly sized log cabin squares/rectangles. Can you see the red centers? Unlike in a patchwork log cabin where you start with the center square and keep adding strips as you go, each of these "squares" were started by stitching a vertical bar on the far left of each motif and then working my way around and in until I only had room for red center.

The box itself is lined with felt and the dividers were cut from card stock I have on hand.

Shhh...

2009-11-10T15:46:00.000-08:00

I am at my mom's today and tomorrow. She had cataract surgery this morning and is now sleeping. When they called me in to see her after the surgery (less than half an hour after they wheeled her in) I was surprised to see that she wasn't wearing anything over her eye and was able to see quite well. That was very encouraging for her to be able to experience such quick results and now she is looking forward to getting the other eye done in a few weeks. She asked for the book I was reading and was able to read a line without glasses.

Meanwhile, dh took our son to the doctor today and he is now on antibiotics and allergy medicine. Poor thing.

A Practical Application

2009-11-09T09:35:00.000-08:00

First of all, Pastor Dale really needs to preach a sermon on how you can be joyful even though you have won the lottery.
A couple of hours after I posted my last entry about contentment, our son started vomiting blood. Once we got past the initial yuckiness we could see that the source was actually a nose bleed.
Without going into all the lovely detail, I will just say we could not get the bleeding to stop or even lessen even after applying pressure for more than thirty minutes. He was a real trooper, but it looked like an awful lot of blood for someone his size, and so we headed to the emergency room per the instructions we found on medical sites.
On the way there I reminded myself -- several times -- that God is in control and I can learn to be content and that I trust His love and power. Because I was listening to the sermon.
Of course, as soon as we actually walked into the hospital, the bleeding slowed to a trickle and the whole thing was much less impressive than it had been when we set out. That's okay, I'm sure the bill will be impressive. Sigh.
After two hours the bleeding had completely stopped and our son had some color back in his cheeks.
My last thought as I fell into bed was "It's a good thing God is in control, 'cause I can't handle this."
See, Dale, I was listening.

Lifesaver

2009-11-08T21:04:00.000-08:00

Today's sermon was from Philippians 4:10-13 and was about contentment.

10But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. 11Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:10-13 NASB

Pastor Dale said the number one killer in the U.S. is heart disease and that if you went to your doctor and asked him what to do to cut your risk he would say eat right, get plenty of exercise and stop worrying.
Eating right and exercising are things that you can do, you can measure your progress and mark it off on a chart, but how do you stop worrying? By learning contentment.
The opposite of worry is contentment, not happiness. Contentment is not being numb to every situation and it is not based on your situation. Worry is based on our situation. Normally we worry about situations we can't control, but verse 13 means we can be content in any situation because we know Who is in control.

Three things we can do to be content:
1. Stay connected to Jesus Christ. Don't wait for an emergency. Pray and stay in the Word in good times and in bad. God isn't a 'get out of jail free' card.
2. Trust His resources. It is an insult to God to worry. It says we don't quite believe God loves us enough or has the power to meet our needs in the best way possible.
3. Share your story. Others can be strengthened and encouraged by hearing how God has worked in your life.

If you want to hear the actual sermon and not just rely on my summary of my rambling notes you can go here. Who knows, it might just add a few years to your life.

Crocheted Candy Bowls

2009-11-07T21:24:00.000-08:00

I belong to a Yahoo group called Holiday Mystery Gifts. They mostly have knitting patterns, but that's okay since I can't keep up with the fewer crochet patterns they have. One of the patterns they put up a few weeks ago is for a crocheted candy dish and I have to say I just love making them. Here are a few.

It is worked with two strands of worsted weight yarn and I like combining a solid colored yarn with a variegated yarn. I think it would also be interesting to try it in thread or to do it all in white but add little bobbles to the sides to look a bit like milk glass. My favorite part is watching the curve form in the sides.

Tuna Sandwich

2009-11-06T22:45:00.000-08:00

When we have extra hamburger or hot dog buns or rolls, my daughter starts hinting that she would like me to make those tuna sandwiches with the cheese and green peppers. The funny part is that she always takes every last piece of green pepper out no matter how small I try to make the pieces.
Once, when dh was out of town she asked if we could have the sandwiches and even though we didn't have green peppers we decided to make them anyway. Mistake. Of course, I missed the green pepper but so did dd, because even though she takes them all out they do leave some of their taste in the sandwich.
Anyway, this is not one of those exact recipes, just something you throw together and adjust based on what you have on hand -- just don't forget the green pepper.
Mix together 1 can of tuna, drained; about 1/3 of a green pepper, chopped; 1/3 - 1/2 lb. of cheddar cheese, cut in small chunks; and enough mayonnaise to bind it together. Use the mixture to fill buns or rolls. Put on baking sheet and put in oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Once the oven gets to that temperature the cheese should be melted and they are ready to eat.

************

On another night this week I made breakfast for dinner and once again I made biscuits. I am not the world's best biscuit maker but this time I tried J.P.'s Big Daddy Biscuits and I have to say, those were some tasty biscuits. I will definitely be using that recipe again. I did use butter instead of shortening and I was very careful not to over mix or knead the dough. If you are looking for a good biscuit recipe, do give this one a try.

Finished Angel Ornament

2009-11-05T11:17:00.000-08:00

Last month my mom invited me to go with her to a meeting of the Needle Arts Guild. Many years ago I was a member, but had to give it up when we moved to our current neck of the woods. This is where I learned to do counted cross stitch, pulled thread work, trapunto, blackwork, sashiko, Brazilian embroidery and even tatting.
Anyway, it was so good to see some faces I had not seen in more than 20 years, to visit and to see what they were working on these days. One of the best parts is that they have a table where everyone can share their current WIP's and finished projects.
The October meeting featured a stitched and beaded angel. It turns out it was supposed to be a two part lesson, but I will not be able to be there in November, so I just winged the beading part and this is what I came up with:

Two Favorite Quotes

2009-11-04T21:48:00.000-08:00

The world is fairly studded and strewn with unwrapped gifts and free surprises . . . cast broadside from a generous hand.
-- Annie Dillard, Teaching a Stone to Talk

It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and an corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare . . . There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal.
-- C. S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

How to Crochet

2009-11-03T22:00:00.000-08:00

So now you want to make crocheted potholders, too, but alas, you do not know how to crochet and as much as I would be willing to teach you (in which case you would learn to make a bunny pin, because that is what I teach people when I teach them to crochet), it is possible that you want to learn right now, and you don't know me and you don't want to make a bunny pin, you want to make a potholder, for crying out loud!

In case you don't know, You Tube is a wonderful resource for how-to videos. Just type in what you are looking for in the search bar on the page and it will give lots of videos to choose from. If you sign up (it's free), you can keep a list of favorite videos. A word of warning: this site has all sorts of videos.

Anyway, I chose this video from a host of how to crochet videos there, because it is the only one I could find where the person demonstrating holds their yarn the way I do. It always feels awkward when you are first learning something, but the trick is to find the way that works for you.

If videos don't work for you, you can also learn to crochet here, here and here.

Once you learn you can make more than just potholders. You can make dolls simple and complex and just plain cute, bookmarks and book thongs, cute little birdies, and fortune cookies to name a few things.

Crocheted Potholders

2009-11-02T15:35:00.001-08:00

Originally uploaded by janberckmans

Ever since I saw this picture on flickr I have been wanting to crochet some round potholders. Go ahead and click on the picture and it will take you to this pictures page on flickr. Just above the picture it will list some options available to you. If you click "all sizes" you will be able to choose a larger image to view, so you can see more of the detail. It appears to be part of an art exhibit.

Anyway, you can see some of the patterns I have been looking at here, here, here, and here.

I want to do them in multiple colors, maybe even changing color with each round. It makes me nervous though to think of trusting something like crochet with all of its holes with protecting my hands so I think I will have to put some sort of filling between the layers.

I don't think I will be making enough for an art installation, and I am very sure that my husband would not be impressed me covering up all the beautiful tile work he has done in our kitchen with crocheted potholders, but it is nice when the necessary things are also bright and cheerful.

Inevitable

2009-11-01T21:16:00.000-08:00

The pastor of the church I go to has been preaching a series of sermons on Philippians that he has titled "Flipside -- Seeing Life From God's Perspective." Today's sermon was titled "Inevitable" and it was about conflict.
The specific text he used is Philippians 4:2-8, which is really interesting to me because the famous part of that passage is verses 4-8, but when you add 2 and 3 to the mix it adds more to those more famous and oft quoted verses. Here is the whole passage for those of you who want to know but don't have your Bibles handy:

2"I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. 3Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
4"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." Philippians 4:2-8 NAS

The key thought of the sermon is that conflict is inevitable, but combat is optional. There is nothing you can do to avoid conflict, but you can choose how you deal with it and what the result of it will be as far as it rests on you.

1. Pause. Do not just react. Take time to decide how you will handle the situation. Is this really about getting the other person to do it your way or is this about you learning something, working on an underdeveloped character trait. In verse 5, the word translated in the New American Standard as gentle spirit could more accurately be translated as forbearance, the abstaining of the enforcement of a right, mercy.

2. Pray. Okay, so now you have shown that person you have a conflict with some mercy. Keep it to yourself. Don't go blabbing to everyone else about how wrong that person is and how good you are at turning the other cheek. Go to God (verse 6). You want to talk? Talk to Him.

3. Reflect. Don't reflect on the conflict, reflect using the filter of verse 8. Reflect on the true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy things about the other person. The issue isn't the thing you are having conflict about, it is will you choose peace in the midst of conflict?

Finally, Pastor Dale gave us a challenge, which he, being a guy, calls 1st and 10. Today is the first of the month, so today, or at least before next Sunday, write down ten things about someone you are having conflict about that that meet the verse 8 test.

This is just based on my notes from the sermon, if you want to hear the whole thing, you can go here to listen to it and other sermons from the series.

How's About a Sweet Romance or Two?

2009-10-27T15:19:00.000-07:00

Harlequin is 60 years old and to celebrate they are making 17 of their books (a $60 value -- get it?) available for free download. They have a variety of types of romances, from inspirational to historical to suspense to hot and steamy. I don't know how long this offer will last so go, go now. You know you want to.

My daughter told me about it last night and we both downloaded a few. Today at lunch, I asked her if she wanted to watch an episode of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency with me (thank you Netflix). She said no, she wanted to finish the first chapter of one of the books she had downloaded. A couples hours later she came out and said she had to stop reading because it isn't good for you to look at a computer uninterrupted for an extended period of time. I suspect she read more than the first chapter. Because she is enjoying it and you should, too.

Leftover Sauerkraut

2009-10-16T13:14:00.000-07:00

Whenever we have hot dogs I like to have some sauerkraut. Sauerkraut and mustard is may favorite hot dog topping. My husband will take a small portion of sauerkraut and my kids will tolerate the smell but do not eat it. Since I have loved sauerkraut since I was a small child I do not understand this behavior. Who raised these kids? Just weird.

Anyway, I always end up with at least half a can of sauerkraut left over. Sometimes I eat it in the next few days, sometimes it ends up being pushed to the back of the fridge where it sits becoming cute and fuzzy.

So, I was looking through recipes that used sauerkraut over on allrecipes and that inspired me to create a wonderful dish that uses apples, onions and smoked sausage.

Sauerkraut Skillet

Heat skillet over medium heat and add one slice smoked sausage.
When the sausage has had a chance to brown a bit add a tablespoon or two of butter and one chopped onion.
Cook until the onion becomes translucent and add two sliced apples (unpeeled).
Cook until the apple begins to soften and the onion is getting a bit of color, then add your leftover sauerkraut (or a whole can, if you'd like) and about two tablespoons of brown sugar.
Heat through and serve.

Delicious, IMHO.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

2009-10-13T15:32:00.000-07:00

My goodness. Over a month since I posted anything here, but today is my mom's birthday.
I love you, mom. Happy birthday.

Here is a video that isn't really birthdayish, but at least it lets my mom know that she raised me right.

Hole Punch ATC's

2009-09-05T18:36:00.000-07:00

Here are two ATC's I sent out for the Hole Punch ATC swap. My plan was to make the flower one

but as I was punching out the circles for the it I was enchanted by the pile of different colors so I wanted to make an ATC that captured that, too.

It's Like I Knew

2009-09-03T15:08:00.000-07:00

About a week and a half ago I let Nikki over at Wardrobe Refashion know that I wanted to re-pledge, this time for 4 months (see new button on sidebar). I wanted to do it more for the creative challenge than the money-saving aspect. Turns out the money-saving part is going to come in handy since I found out Friday that I am being down graded from part-time to on-call at work. I started this job as full-time, so I was already down one step. It is so slow right now that I am not at all surprised, but *sigh*.
Anyway, even though there is a part of the situation that is scary, especially with the economy where it is, it is also exciting. Sunday, our pastor spoke about the roadblocks God puts in our lives and how this is His way of moving us from a place we shouldn't be to the better place He has for us. I just hope this better place He has in mind has some financial benefit and isn't entirely about shaping my character.

Chicago Farmer's Market

2009-08-17T17:22:00.000-07:00

These are some pictures I took during my recent trip to Chicago with my Mom and my aunt. We stayed in the Rosemont area and would take the blue line into Chicago usually getting off around Jackson give or take a stop or two. We came across this farmer's market as we were wandering around getting our bearings. It seems to be one of many around Chicago during the season.

I love the color in this one. Don't you just want a bite?

So happy looking.

Some lovely flowers. As much as I enjoyed Chicago, it is so nice to see these bits of nature as you wander through the canyons of glass and steel and stone.

Last, but not least, beets. I love fresh beets. Boil to doneness, slip the skin off, roughly slice and garnish with butter and a little salt. If I had a way to cook these in my room, one of these lovely bunches would have been mine.

Back Home

2009-08-13T20:09:00.001-07:00

I have been gone on a trip to Chicago and to Amish country in northern Indiana and only just got home today. It is so good to see my husband and children and my very own bed which is, unfortunately, covered with a partially unpacked suitcase and no clear idea of just where I want to put things. This is the problem with leaving on a trip shortly after moving into a new house where improvements are still being made and so you don't have the organizational system worked out yet, because you don't have full access to all rooms yet.
Nevertheless, I will be sleeping in that bed tonight even if I have to just set some things on the floor. I organize better after a good night's sleep anyway.

Colander of Fruit

2009-08-02T13:39:00.000-07:00

I have never liked the color of this colander, but when I was rinsing this particular combination of fruits it turned out to be a wonderful color after all. IMHO.

Not-So-Plain Brown Wrapper

2009-08-02T13:20:00.000-07:00

I finished reading a book just a couple of days before I was going to be going on a trip and I didn't want to start one of the books that have already been packed to take with me, but I did want to read something that I could finish before I left. So I looked for a skinny book in my bedside stack and found one that I was too embarrassed to have my co-workers see the cover of. You know the kind. They have titles about the billionaire and his virgin secretary and their love child. So bad and yet so good, like that secret stash of Hershey's miniatures you put in the back of highest shelf so your family won't eat them all.
Anyway, I grabbed a lunch bag and a scrap of some striped contact paper on my way out the door to work. Using the same technique I had used in high school to cover textbooks, I made a cover for this book out of the paper lunch bag. Of course, a plain brown wrapper is like a beacon saying "look, there is something of an embarrassing nature under here," so I cut strips from the contact paper and then applied them in a woven pattern to the cover to make it look more like a craft project and less like an attempt to protect my co-workers eyes.

I like it.

First Refashion

2009-07-16T15:51:00.000-07:00

About a year and a half, maybe two years ago, I was losing weight and needed some clothes to get from where I had been to where I thought I was going to end up (hope springs eternal, and all that). Included in that set of clothes were two shirts that I got for $4 each on a clearance rack. They were a little too short for me (I am very tall) and I didn't like the collar, but I would only be wearing them for a few months and then planned to refashion them.
Well, it seems that my svelte body is on back order, and these shirts have not outgrown me yet. Sigh. They were identical except for color. I didn't take a before picture of the blue one but here is the pink one:

I added about two inches of crochet to the bottom edge. Just several rows of double crochet and then an edging I got from the March/April 2009 issue of Crochet Today.

I cut off the neckline and folded it over and did a row of single crochet and then the beginning row of the pattern for the edging which is really just a simple picot stitch. The sleeves were edged the same way the neckline was but without any other modifications.
In order to have something to crochet into I first did an overhand stitch along the edges I wanted to crochet. I read about the technique on Crochet Me and wasn't sure how easy it would be to actually do the crocheting into the stitches, but it was, in fact, very easy. The only hard part of all of this was the overhand stitching. Also, I'm not real crazy about the way the thread cuts into my lead finger as I work, but I do like the results and I have now either built up a bit of a callous on that finger or have done enough nerve damage to that finger that it isn't so bad now.
Next time I think I might add some beads to the edge of the bottom band of crochet. Also, I will be trying other edging patterns. It is amazing, to me at least, how quickly this uses up no.10 thread.

Did You Hear That?

2009-07-11T18:07:00.000-07:00

Last night we all heard a loud bang around 9 o'clock. We commented to each other about it, "Did you just hear that?" We all heard it, but couldn't identify it. Didn't sound like a gunshot or an accident, so we didn't worry.
This morning when I came out to water (before 10 a.m. -- water rationing), I noticed a car across the street with it's blinkers flashing. Two women were talking on the corner.
One called out to me to ask if I had heard a loud bang last night. Turns out she had found the remnants of a bottle bomb on the corner, by the elementary school.

This is the main part. Back by the tree you can see the bottom of the bottle that had been blown off. It had some odd colored liquid in it. All around, including on the other side of the elementary school fence were these balls of burned foil.

The police officer who came to check it out was not too concerned because they had had other small explosions on the other side of the school in the last few weeks, but when he actually went over to the remains and saw what was there you could see that this was a bit worrisome because it is apparently a step up from what the neighborhood bomber had been doing.
When he found out we had heard it -- the woman who found it had not -- he asked if we came out to investigate. No. And now that I know what it was, I don't feel so bad about that. But now that we know what a small bomb sounds like we will call the police next time. Sigh.
The hope is that the person will be caught before they hurt themselves or someone else.

I've Taken the Pledge

2009-07-03T17:25:00.000-07:00

I have been a lurker at Wardrobe Refashion for some time and have finally decided to take the plunge and take the pledge. I am only going for a two month pledge to start, but hopefully this will be the start of a more lasting relationship .

The Pledge

I joanieponytail, pledge that I shall abstain from the purchase of "new" manufactured items of clothing, for the period of 2 months. I pledge that I shall refashion, renovate, recycle preloved items for myself with my own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium for the term of my contract. I pledge that I will share the love and post a photo of my refashioned, renovoted, recycled, crafted or created item of clothing on the Wardrobe Refashion blog, so that others may share the joy that thy thriftiness brings! Signed, joanieponytail.

Well, Hmm. . .

2009-06-30T20:53:00.000-07:00

Today we had an air conditioner installed. They also did some duct work and found that the heater was not connected to the master bedroom. We've only lived here a couple of months so it hasn't been an issue yet, but it is good to find out before we are freezing our you-know-whats off. If we could freeze that little (ha!) pooch in front off that might be another story, but I digress.
Anyway, my daughter called me into her room to see the curtains she had just hung there and I noticed that there was a little frayed rope hanging down from the duct in the craft room as I was passing through. Well, I figured they would take care of that before they left.
Later, while they were still working, I was working on the computer which is in the craft room and my son came in to ask me something. As he was leaving, my husband yells "Just stop. Don't step on that." I thought some insulation had fallen on the floor, so I told my son to come back to me while dad swept it up.
What he swept up was a rat (?) skeleton. That rope I had seen hanging from the duct was it's spine and when they moved the duct to adjust things the skull that was holding it in place came loose.
I wonder what else is up there? Well, at least there is one less rat skeleton.
Home, sweet home.

That Pink Stuff

2009-06-30T20:38:00.000-07:00

This recipe recently came my way courtesy of a fruit recipe swap on swap-bot. I made it yesterday and it is yummy.

That Pink Stuff
1 small container cool whip
1 small can sweetened condensed milk
1 large can drained crushed pineapple
1 can cherry pie filling
1 cup chopped pecans
Dump it all in a large bowl and stir until well combined.
Chill at least 7 hours.

I only had chunk pineapple at home, so when I went to the store to get some of the other ingredients I did not have on hand, I knew I wanted to get crushed pineapple. I even saw the crushed pineapple on the shelf. I reached for the crushed pineapple. By the time I unpacked my groceries, it had metamorphosed into chunk pineapple. How does this happen? And it isn't the first time. Oh, maybe with pineapple it is the first time, but how does the cream of mushroom soup I reached for become vegetable beef (also a lovely soup, but not so good in tuna casserole) or the pistachio pudding become butterscotch. How?
Some may say that I am the common denominator and that when it comes to shopping I do not have good eye-hand coordination, but no, I believe it is some sort of early teleportation experiment being conducted by scientists in area 51 trying to reverse-engineer some alien device they have acquired.
I sure hope they work out the bugs soon. This is getting annoying.
Anyway, if you have been subjected to their experiments, just cut up the chunks into smaller pieces.