Sketchy Internet and Making Bags

So....

Being unemployed has it's plus side, you get to stay home and create!

I've been working on handmade bags,
 listing my vintage items for my Etsy shop,

giving soap classes, putting together Mother's Day gift pots,

 and generally doing things to generate income.

Oh yeah, looking for a job too!

Here are a few things I've recently completed.

So I'm getting my sewing fix, that's always a good thing.





I spray painted these clay pots, then embellished them with
ribbon, buttons, flowers etc. for Roland's Nursery that carries my soap.
They wanted something different for Mother's Day, so this is what I came up with.
Each pot has a soap, bath tea and a small bath oil.

What do you think?

The internet has been down for weeks, lousy dial up!
I've been forced to go to town for a hot spot just to do basic stuff.
My daughter's told me to get out of the stone age, mom they said,
"there are devices called hot spots, go buy one".

KAY!
Lets just run through the math, keep in mind I'm unemployed.

$50.00 for the device
$50.00 a month for the service with a 2 year contract,
$10.00 extra per month for data overages.

As not to alter my monthly bills too much
I cancelled my home phone and internet provider.
Almost an even match.
We shall see.
I will say I am enjoying the faster speed.

I miss all you guys and your posts, can't wait to catch up on everyone.

Till next time,
Bonjour

Free, Yes, I Said Free....

Well...

I've mentioned before that my husband Steve
works at a nursery

When the guys go out to do a landscape,

they invariably come back with rocks,
lots of rocks.

Texas specific rocks.... Shale, chalk rock,
whatever you choose to call it.

You can't dig three feet without encountering it!

They usually dump it along the creek bed sides
at the nursery property or....

put it in the dumpster.

What... Dumpster, are you kidding me?

No way!!!!!

Well...

Steve talked to the guys and they agreed to offload

said rock in a pile for Steve to take home.

Yeah, decent driveway in the works!

Steve's boss, Roland, let him use the
F550 to bring the rock home.

Borrowed truck

Even has a dump bed!!
Way cool!!!


Dust cloud on it's way!



After I took this pic I made a beeline for upwind!

Big rocks, little rocks, rock dust,
once it gets dumped, Steve drives over it to crush the biggies!
Eventually we will have a non mud driveway.
Not that it's muddy now, but in the spring,
let's just say, cars beware!


The lean, mean, working machine, AKA the hard working hubby!

Yes, it would be nice to have a non dusty,
concrete drive like we had in the city
but for a driveway as long as ours,
that just isn't in the budget.

Crushed rock is just dandy!
(And washing my truck is useless)

Can't beat free!
  
I'm canning tomatoes and making soap tomorrow,
should be fun!

Till next time,
Bonjour





Soap Show, Cooking And Party

Well....



Things have finally chilled out around here.

We had a show on Saturday and that always makes things kind of helter skelter.

We sold lots of soap, body butters and lip balms, they make great stocking stuffers.

I really like doing the shows, meeting the people, hearing the positive comments on the aroma of the soap, the silkiness of the lip balms, ETC. It makes me feel good about what I am doing and the quality product I am putting out there. And then there's the repeat customers whom I am so grateful for!

 

After the show we went to Roland's b-day party, what a production that was!!! OMG!!

All I can say is,

 AWESOME PARTY ROLAND!!!

.(Roland is my husband Steve's boss)

Band, Tex Mex food, open bar, about 150 people (I was driving so I didn't partake of the bar.)

All in all it was a tiring but fun and successful day.

Sunday was spent bringing in the last of the house plants, unloading the truck and cooking for the week.

We made meat loaf, mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy.

Chili with beans for frito pie.

Pasta with meat/tomato sauce.

We will alternate these three dishes through the week for our lunches at work.

We don't eat a proper dinner/supper just a bowl of cereal or some crackers with peanut butter and home made jelly. Our big meal is at lunch.



YUMMY BREAD!!!

MORE YUMMY BREAD....





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I didn't get an opportunity to make Roland the Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas  for his b-day but I did have time to make him an artisan Foccacia bread last night. (In between doing the show receipts/paperwork.)

I made the dough in the bread machine then baked it in the oven. (I oiled the pizza stone, then sprinkled The Super Nate Spice on, rolled the dough in the spices and VIOLA, yummy herbed bread!!!)

As a matter of fact I am doing that again tonight, yum, I do like my bread!!!

THE SUPER NATE SPICE!!!!

Till next time....

Bonjour