Substance of Living

I belong to a sewing group that is comprised of amazing women.  I joined the group last year but the ladies have been together for about five or six years. The sewing group is called "Sew Much Fun" .  We get together twice a month for about two hours at a time and create projects for charity.  All the fabric and notions have been donated by local businesses and people in the area cleaning out their fabric stashes. Everything we make goes to charity in one form or another.  We make items to sell at a craft fair each year and are able to give money to charities through the sales.  We also make items specifically for charities such as book bags for the library and senior center, duffel bags for children having to leave their homes, and pillow cases for the children's home. Another lady takes all our scrap fabric and makes dog beds for the local animal shelters.  Nothing goes to waste. This month we are making pillowcases, book bags, and finishing up pr...

Bandanas have to be one of the most widely used pieces of fabric known to mankind. Bandanas hid the faces of the bad guys (Bandits) in the old Western movies, they held back ladies' hair in the '70s,  bikers use them to keep the sweat from soaking into their helmets and of course keeping their hair nice and neat.  Bandanas are used as handkerchiefs, napkins, used to tie a pant leg so it doesn't get caught in a bicycle chain, and used as an over-all fashion statement. Did you know that besides wearing a bandana, it can be used to decorate your home or next party/event? Kates, the hostess of Kates Entertaining Ideas draws out her tables showing where everything goes.  Isn't that a great idea?  I need to start doing that in addition to pre-setting my table with dishes and labels. Burlap and Bandanas Table Emma over at Hello Beautiful used her bandanas as a banner welcoming guests. Bandana Banner I really like how Unique Baby Gear Ideas used bandan...

Barbecue Salmon Salad Sandwich Besides anything Italian as far as food goes with DH, I believe tuna salad is a close second. Almost a month ago, I slipped in a six-pack of canned Pink Salmon along with the canned tuna into our cart at Costco.  Upon arriving home DH noticed the salmon and wondered (aloud) if I'd made a mistake thinking I'd picked up another type of tuna. I (sheepishly) told him that I had not but thought it would be fun to try.  Again, he wondered (aloud) what we were going to do with canned salmon and wasn't it full of bones that need to be picked out?  This salmon was labeled Alaskan Wild Caught, Skinless and Boneless.  I crossed my fingers and gathered my courage (several weeks later) and tackled the canned salmon.   To my surprise, there really weren't any fillers, like the salmon burgers we've tried, and the meat was flaky not fatty. Canned Salmon with Chopped Onions When I was little, I remember one of my Aunts used to ...

This month's book selection is based on love.  I've been in love with my sexy hunk of a husband for over 13 years and let me tell you, these books taught me a few things.  Love comes in different forms - sometimes love is scary; blossoms through lies and doubt; it even follows us through to our next life. Have you ever listed all the reasons why you love the one you're with?  Were you able to come up with 100 different reasons? "Love is patient, love is kind.  It is not jealous, [Love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.  It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails..." -- 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 The New American Bible for Catholics Colters' Wife I Think I Love You by Stephanie Bond "Love me without fear, Trust me ...