12 Days Of Christmas in July

Tryin to get in the spirit of Christmas and what better way to start than joining up with Sarah at
http://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com/2016/07/twelve-days-of-christmas-in-july-and.html
I want to take a moment to thank Sarah for all her time and effort for making this a fun and smooth working hop.
Plus every day of the hop she will also have steps to a Christmas Quilt along.

On to my Christmas projects. My head wasn't into Christmas at first, but I'm if full swing now.  I have already picked out my gifts to make
for my kids and grands.  I stop there, with the great grands and more coming it getting to be too many to sew for.  But Santa does leave something in all stockings.


This year I'm making reusable fabric gift tags to go with packaging.

Since I have no packages yet they look a little lonely, Hoping the evergreen helps.

You can find the tutorial at
https://www.shabbyfabrics.com/Free-Downloads.aspx
They even give you the printout for the cards.
 I went ahead and gave the link for all their free downloads. There are some really cute projects
you might like to gift as well.

 
They are really easy and fast.

I found this sweet ornament at
https://carlahoag.wordpress.com/2011/12/06/nativity-quilt-ornament/

I like yard sales and consignment shops to find vintage wool.  All of this ornaments pieces of wool are from
ladies and mens vintage coats and jackets.

My final Christmas project for this hop is a mug rug.
I like these when eating treats in the evening while watching TV.

Or leaving Santa's cookies and milk.  You want to stay on his good side.

I hoping you found at least one idea for a gift.  Don't forget to visit http://selinaquilts.blogspot.com/  today, for another idea or two.
Here is all of the participants for this hop in case you have missed some.

July 14th:     Sharon Vrooman @ Vrooman’s Quilts

                    Carole Carter @ From My Caroline Home

July 15th:    Yanicka Hachez @ Finding Myself As An Artist

                   Chris Dodsley @ made by ChrissieD

July 16th:     Marsha Hodgkins @ Quilter in Motion

                    Leanne Parsons  @ Devoted Quilter

July 17th:     Tonia Conner @ All Thingz Sewn You are here

                    Selina @ Selina Quilts

July 18th:     Lara Buccella @ Buzzin Bumble

                    Soma Acharya @ Whims and Fancies

July 19th:     Joanne Harris@ Quilts by Joanne

                    Suzy Webster @ Adventurous Applique and Quilting

July 20th:     Vicki in MN @ Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting

                    Jennifer Fulton @ The Inquiring Quilter

July 21st:     Michele Kuhns @ Crayon Box Quilt Studio

                    Jan Ochterbeck @ The Colorful Fabriholic

July 22nd:     Alla Blanca @ Rainbows. Bunnies. Cupcakes.

                     Zenia Rene @ A Quilted Passion

July 23rd:     Joanne Hubbard @ Everyone Deserves a Quilt

                    Paige Alexander @ Quilted Blooms

July 24th:     Carolyn Jones @ …by CJ

                    Tisha Nagel @ Quilty Therapy

July 25th:     Susan Arnold @ Quilt Fabrication

                    Beth Sellers @ Cooking Up Quilts

                    Linda Pearl @ One Quilting Circle
                                                                                           Blessings and hugs

A new find and Ice Cream

Well, I haven't quit but I did get side tracked, I went to my 50 year class reunion and did well.  But for some reason the day after while a old class mate and I went for lunch at a seafood restaurant I decided to get fried fish which of course comes with coleslaw and fries.  Thinking the whole time I can do this.  The start of  what could have been the end of my healthy eating journey.  This was not a conscious thought just an old habit sneaking in.  I have lost 15 lbs. and do not want to gain them back, in fact today's goal is to lose 15 more by by August 8 2016, which is 6 weeks equaling 2 lbs a week and that is doable.  Not many seem too interested in my sharing of  sugar free recipes so this will be the last one posted. But on August 8 I will post that I reached my second  goal  for my own benefit.  

This is so delicious I just had to share it.  It will be used at my 4th of July picnic for those who don't eat refined sugar.  The only sugar is what is in naturally  the fruit.  It is simply:
I banana
1/2 cup of strawberries

slice and put on lined cookie sheet and freeze
when frozen put in blender and blend.
eazy peezy!

I only have a small blender and it kept sticking to top and I had to scrap it off.

but was frozen just like ice cream

 This consistency is like soft serve ice cream and can still be up in a cone.
I just added about a tablespoon of skim milk and blended. It made about 4 servings.

Now, I found this site which allows you to figure up all the information of any recipe you might want to make yourself, I have found it very helpful in making up my own dishes.  The below is a sample of information you will receive when entering your recipe.  And it is free.

https://www.caloriecount.com/

this is not the ice cream, just  random figures

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size  g

Amount Per Serving

Calories Calories from Fat

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 0. 1%

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium mg 0%

Potassium mg 14%

Total Carbohydrates g 10%

Dietary Fiber g 15%

Sugars g

Protein g

Vitamin A 2% • Vitamin C 52% Calcium 1% • Iron 3%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

• Very low in saturated fat
• No cholesterol
• Very low in sodium
• High in dietary fiber
• High in manganese
• High in potassium
• High in vitamin B6
• Very high in vitamin C

Bad points

• Very high in sugar                                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                                                                 

Belated Birthday Day

 Hello Everyone

No DH wasn't late, in fact he started making in April. My lovely shelf just like I wanted it.  I wanted it lite because it is over my head, the hook on the undersides will be for Banners or whatever.  I have waited because I wanted to put something on it before showing it.  I did not know exactly how deep it would be.  So I started thrift store shopping and found the hat box which is the off color in my drapes at this time.  Will be changing that later.  And then found the wreath at goodwill.  I went to a craft gift shop in Bardstown Ky and found the the perfect sign.   I don't know what I want on the knobs yet

Any and all suggestions would be appreciated. 

  

I lucked out and found these sheets at a Unique Thrift Shop for $5.00, washed them and sprayed Febreze sleep serenity on them.  Moonlit lavender, I love, love lavender .  

I just had to have new pillow cases, and made these out of some leftover from some Christmas stockings I had made last year.  I'm getting ready now to make new cases for the back pillows too.

Here what I got for now, If I waited until I totally finished  I would never have gotten it posted.

I know it's off center a little, but he tried so hard to please me with this.  I'll either move the bookcase to the other side so I can scoot the bed over or wait a month or two and ask him to move the hangers.  Better yet, I'm may do it myself one day when he is gone and he will never know it.

Now don't tell me you have never done this before. 

The more I think about it, I'm going to paint the bookcase this summer I'll wait until then to make up my mind.  Too much going on right now anyway.

Enjoy your week end.   If you live in the Texas flood area I'm praying for  you.

Hugs and Blessings

Muscle Monday or Lack thereof,

My doctor has told me I have no core muscles, not a good thing he says........ so a big yellow ball and diagrams of sorta exercises he expects me to do was handed to me.

So this has been added to the agenda for better health.

The step thing is not working too well for me right now any way.  I'm not including them in with the tread mill. 8,000 steps is as high as I got and that was only one day.  I'm having more energy though and so I'm cleaning and rearranging my sewing room and I think that counts for me. At least I'm up and moving.  Uncovering the treadmill was the first thing I did about 2 weeks ago, again.

Danice over at http://homespunhannahblog.blogspot.com/ made the comment that it seem the older we get the harder it is to loose weight.  Well you bet your booty it is.  And I have about 20 years on her.  The more time we try to lose weight the more times our metabolism gears down and the harder it is lose weight.  Just a big circle.  Now here is where the poster that Lori had put up on her blog comes in   http://theinboxjaunt.com/2016/05/04/start-today/

This is going up on my sewing wall as encouragement to keep adding to those steps.

I'm doing real well with the elimination of sugar in my diet though. Testing recipes for flavor and nutrition throughout the week.  Actually this is my personal recipe.  While I'm not a whiz at cooking photos this was an all in one dinner that Santaman stated was real good considering it was healthy.


Salsa Verde chicken and vegetables

     1 can of mixed veggies with one chicken cube and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric , simmered until cooked         down about 1/2 way.   (do not drain)

     1 lrg. chicken breast sauteed with 1/2 onion diced in 1 tbl. spoon olive oil with garlic and parsley           to taste drain on paper towel

     1 box of cooked long grained herbed rice.

      

      Mix all prepared ingredients to bake ware and microwave til heated thoroughly to your liking.

I found this delicious sugar free Banana Bread on Pinterest.  Not one person guessed it was sugar free.

Ingredients

---

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup splenda
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 egg
• 3 ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

How to make it

---

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a loaf pan.
• In a bowl, mash bananas; add splenda, melted butter, vanilla, baking soda, baking powder and egg until well blended.
• Stir in flour and walnuts. Mix well. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• I immediately remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack

Hugs and Blessings

I'm still excited

Morning Ladies,  Well I've been looking for healthy recipes all week and ran into another blogger that is into healthy eating and homesteading.  She was just on an self imposed sugar free 4 week challenge.  This was very interesting to me and I'm trying to take the greater part of sugar out of my food.  Years  ago, 52 to be exact, when I was 16 yrs old. I was at the doctor's office looking for help to lose weight.  His advice was simply stay away from sugar. and get up move.  I did not have a clue how much sugar  is in our food before we prepare it.    Diets only work for a long as we are on them,  I can't even hazard a guess how much weight I have gained and lost over my lifetime.  Thank God in this time we have social media to look for healthy ways to live IF we truly desire be healthy.  I'm not ever counting a calorie again.  but I will be reading labels for sugar content.  This lady has really opened my eyes.

http://taylormadehomestead.com/stupid-easy-homemade-hummus-in-minutes/

It will be a slow start, financially and physically.  Infact even mentally there has to be some changes.  But they are coming.  I'm starting to restock my pantry with the right things.  It seems expensive but I'm just adding a couple of items weekly.  Just like shopping for clothes, every recipe is not going to fit your taste.  So I'll share the thing that work for me and recipes I like.  Maybe you will like them or maybe you can tweak them to your taste. 

Two of the good finds this week are listed below.

The hummus is not attractive in appearance but is tasty and  a good alternative to some dips. I'll try and take some photos in the future.

Stupid-Easy Homemade Hummus

Ingredients:

• 1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained & rinsed (or 1.5 cups cooked dry beans)
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil or coconut oil
• 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon onion flakes or powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I used dehydrated jalapeno powder)
• 3 Tablespoons garbanzo bean juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:
Dump all ingredients into Ninja & puree until smooth & creamy, add more juice as necessary to attain desired consistency.

Enjoy immediately or refrigerate for up to a week.  Hummus will get firmer at refrigeration, so if serving cold you may want to put back an additional 2 – 3 Tablespoons of the reserved juice.

~TMH~

This is a delicious salad dressing, no calories, no sugar, fat free. carbohydrate free. gluten free, and cholesterol free.  There is no nutritional value I can see.  But is sure give a good flavor to some otherwise boring things when you are short on time.  

I actually found this in Kroger pharmacy area diabetic section.

  

I'm trying a sugar free banana bread today, I'll let you know.  Since May the 3rd when I started this I have lost 4 lbs.  I have to break the habit of weighing too often, besides it not all about the weight.

Hugs and Blessings

Dresses for Africa

Hello All,  I'm getting ready to ship the little dresses I make for missions is Africa. Thought you might like to see them.  If you interested in helping with this just let me know in the comment and I'll get the information to you.  Jan over at https://sewandsowfarm.blogspot.com shares this as well you might want to check her blog out too.

These three were my favorite of this group of dresses  the smaller the dress the cuter they seem to be.

The larger t-shirts are usually not decorated and I wanted to send some larger dress too.  But I'll keep looking for some cute ones.  If any of you have some  slightly worn t-shirts that maybe your child or grandchild have worn and would like share with me for these children I'll pay the shipping.

Say a prayer for these children, they have nothing.  And the safety of the missionaries, we are so blessed. 

Have a good evening, hugs and Blessings

Look what I found today

   Good Morning, at least it is here.  I just realized how few pictures of myself I have.  This is Christmas 2016.  And weighing in at 230 lbs.

May the 2 was my 68th birthday.  It was the first day of the rest of my healthy life. I spent the day looking for healthy recipes and ideas to make this new life possible.  And low and behold look what I found today. 

http://theinboxjaunt.com/2016/05/02/quilt-and-exercise-challenge-one-run-for-the-roses/

  While this is short term it will help me establish goals and good habits for the long term goal. That would be to weight 175 lbs. by next May 2, my current weight is 224 lbs.  I'm a type two diabetic and already have a heart stint.  My doctor said this is doable.  And gave me the go ahead.  God has things for me to do according to his purpose and I can't do them if I don't start taking care of the body he gave me.  While it is about the pounds there is so much more involved.  I’m going to blog about this to help me be more accountable.   I will do that on every Monday.  Hope you follow along, I don't want to be talking to myself.  I will share the best recipe of the week.  And tips that work for me as I find them.  Would love to hear any that you have tried and worked for you. 

1. This weeks goal is to learn to work the pedometer I located on my phone, and apply the “my fitness” app.
2. stick to 3 meals a day 2 small snacks (diabetic)
3. Treadmill Tues and Thursday and Sat. 10 min.

I’m so happy to have found this, I’ll take all the help God wants to send my way.  Thank you Lori....be sure and visit the link above, Lori is a magnificent quilter and reaches out to help others with her tutorials.  She also has some classes on http://www.craftsy.com/

Blessings and Hugs

http://theinboxjaunt.com/2016/05/02/quilt-and-exercise-challenge-one-run-for-the-roses/

  While this is short term it will help me establish goals and good habits for the long term goal. That would be to weight 175 lbs. by next May 2, my current weight is 224 lbs.  I'm a type two diabetic and already have a heart stint.  My doctor said this is doable.  And gave me the go ahead.  God has things for me to do according to his purpose and I can't do them if I don't start taking care of the body he gave me.  While it is about the pounds there is so much more involved.  I’m going to blog about this to help me be more accountable.   I will do that on every Monday.  Hope you follow along, I don't want to be talking to myself.  I will share the best recipe of the week.  And tips that work for me as I find them.  Would love to hear any that you have tried and worked for you. 

1. This weeks goal is to learn to work the pedometer I located on my phone, and apply the “my fitness” app.
2. stick to 3 meals a day 2 small snacks (diabetic)
3. Treadmill Tues and Thursday and Sat. 10 min.

I’m so happy to have found this, I’ll take all the help God wants to send my way.  Thank you Lori....be sure and visit the link above, Lori is a magnificent quilter and reaches out to help others with her tutorials.  She also has some classes on http://www.craftsy.com/

Blessings and Hugs

 While this is short term it will help me establish goals and good habits for the long term goal. That would be to weight 175 lbs. by next May 2, my current weight is 224 lbs.  I'm a type two diabetic and already have a heart stint.  My doctor said this is doable.  And gave me the go ahead.  God has things for me to do according to his purpose and I can't do them if I don't start taking care of the body he gave me.  While it is about the pounds there is so much more involved.  I’m going to blog about this to help me be more accountable.   I will do that on every Monday.  Hope you follow along, I don't want to be talking to myself.  I will share the best recipe of the week.  And tips that work for me as I find them.  Would love to hear any that you have tried and worked for you. 

1. This weeks goal is to learn to work the pedometer I located on my phone, and apply the “my fitness” app.
2. stick to 3 meals a day 2 small snacks (diabetic)
3. Treadmill Tues and Thursday and Sat. 10 min.

I’m so happy to have found this, I’ll take all the help God wants to send my way.  Thank you Lori....be sure and visit the link above, Lori is a magnificent quilter and reaches out to help others with her tutorials.  She also has some classes on http://www.craftsy.com/

Blessings and Hugs

http://theinboxjaunt.com/2016/05/02/quilt-and-exercise-challenge-one-run-for-the-roses/

  While this is short term it will help me establish goals and good habits for the long term goal. That would be to weight 175 lbs. by next May 2, my current weight is 224 lbs.  I'm a type two diabetic and already have a heart stint.  My doctor said this is doable.  And gave me the go ahead.  God has things for me to do according to his purpose and I can't do them if I don't start taking care of the body he gave me.  While it is about the pounds there is so much more involved.  I’m going to blog about this to help me be more accountable.   I will do that on every Monday.  Hope you follow along, I don't want to be talking to myself.  I will share the best recipe of the week.  And tips that work for me as I find them.  Would love to hear any that you have tried and worked for you. 

1. This weeks goal is to learn to work the pedometer I located on my phone, and apply the “my fitness” app.
2. stick to 3 meals a day 2 small snacks (diabetic)
3. Treadmill Tues and Thursday and Sat. 10 min.

I’m so happy to have found this, I’ll take all the help God wants to send my way.  Thank you Lori....be sure and visit the link above, Lori is a magnificent quilter and reaches out to help others with her tutorials.  She also has some classes on http://www.craftsy.com/

Blessings and Hugs