This is what procrastination looks like.

It looks like plants that were not pulled up before the first snowfall.

It looks like a lavender plant that never got transplanted before the first frost.

Procrastination.

I wanted to say more.

Maybe I will get to it tomorrow.

I love to make things out of fabric, even though I do not do it nearly enough. But fabric can be expensive, so I developed the habit of saving any old clothing that still contains usable fabric in order to make something out of it…someday.

The problem is that someday never seems to come. Now, I have boxes and bags of fabric just waiting to be made into something wonderful.

I decided that this was the week that I would make something out of my old fabric.

My first project involves a long denim skirt that I wore only once or twice, but never really liked the fit of. (I couldn’t fit into it now anyway, even if I did like it.) I am going to use the skirt to make a new tote bag, with all of the features that I want in a tote bag, hopefully.

I still need to dig it out, but I will post a “before” picture tomorrow, then update you along the way with my progress.

I have had this song in my head for day. I really like it. I had never seen the video, until I just pulled it to post here. It is a little quirky, but it is the official video posted on YouTube by the band.

Enjoy!

All That Matters by Addison Road

That’s all that matters

I may never be the one that gets a second glance
I may never be the one they call the prettiest
But thats alright with me

And maybe I don’t follow every crazy passion
Spend all my time trying to get a good reaction
But thats ok with me

This world is like a trampoline
High and low no in between
Jumping at the chance to please
Everyone but thats not me

Cause all that matters is
All that matters is
I know your love has set me free
And thats all that matters to me

Cause all that matters is
All that matters is
I know your love has set me free
And thats all that matters to me

Some people tell me to step out and do my own thing
And others say I got to blend in just to be the same
And stop being me

But this shallow world is no longer what I’m made of
I’ve been changed by grace
I’ve been saved by love
What more do I need

All that matters is
All that matters is
I know your love has set me free
And that’s all that matters to me (x2)

My life comes from the One
Who made the stars and brought the sun
He loves me more than these
So I don’t need another identity

All that matters is
All that matters is
I know your love has set me free
And that’s all that matters to me (X2)

That’s all that matters(x3)

Instead of working on a post tonight, I went to the grocery store, then I watched Lesson 1 of The Truth Project with Bob. They are going through the series in his Bible study, but he missed the first week, so he borrowed the DVD. Of course, now I want to see the whole thing.

Here is a 37 second clip of what lesson one is about.

There is also a 6:21minute extended trailer about the series.

From the website:

The Truth Project is a DVD-based small group curriculum comprised of 12 one-hour lessons taught by Dr. Del Tackett. This home study is the starting point for looking at life from a biblical perspective. Each lesson discusses in great detail the relevance and importance of living the Christian worldview in daily life.

I received my December issue of Martha Stewart Living in the mail yesterday and I was excited to see that it has an article with homemade bath and body recipes that you can make and give as Christmas gifts. The projects include lip balm, bath snowballs, sugar/salt scrubs, and bath fizzies. The article also contains information on essential oils and carrier oils and links to clip-art labels for your creations.

I can’t wait to try out some of these ideas. I love to make homemade Christmas gifts and I especially love to make homemade bath and body products. Best of all, it’s a gift that people love to receive.

Yesterday, I finally started making holiday soaps. The first ones I made were these adorable goat milk snowflake soaps scented with peppermint essential oil.

Here is exactly how I made the soaps pictured here. Obviously, there are several ways to vary this project, such as fragrance, soap base, mold shape, and color.

I used:

• Silicone muffin pan (6-cavity)
• Approx. 20 oz. Goat Milk Soap Base
• Cornflower Blue Mica
• Peppermint Essential Oil (second distillation)
• Small Metal Snowflake Cookie Cutter
• Alcohol in a Spray Bottle
• Measuring Cup, Spoons, Etc.

First, cut up approximately 8 oz. of the goat milk soap base. (I used the craft store variety that comes in a 2 lb. block and has score marks for the ounces. I did not actually weigh for this project, so weights are approximate.)

Place the pieces into a Pyrex (or other heat safe) measuring cup and microwave in short intervals (<30 sec.) until melted. Stir in essential oil and mica. (Tip: Dissolve the mica in the essential oil or a small amount of alcohol first to avoid clumps.)

Pour the blue soap into the six muffin cups, dividing equally. Allow to cool.

Once the blue layer is set up, but not fully hard, use the cookie cutter to cut out snowflakes.

Melt the remaining 12 oz. of soap base and scent with essential oil.

Allow the white soap to cool enough so that it will not melt the snowflake cut outs. (Make sure it is not steaming.)

Spray the blue layer and cut out holes generously with alcohol and pour the white soap on top of the blue layer and into the snowflakes, dividing evenly.

Allow to fully harden, then unmold.

Voila! You have a lovely soap to impress your guests or to give as a gift.

All of the supplies here can probably be found in your local craft store. For a multi-color project like this, make sure your colorant is non-bleeding. I used the Cornflower Blue Mica from Brambleberry. I also bought my peppermint essential oil there. They have the best soap making supplies, but the shipping on the soap base can be cost prohibitive. However, if you can swing it, it is well worth the money. Their bases are amazing!

I found this great way to keep celery fresh. When you get it home, wash it and cut the ends off. Both ends, so you are separating the stalks. Then place the celery in a tall pitcher and fill with water. I cover mine, too. This keeps the celery so fresh and crispy! And that works for me!

For more Works-For-Me Wednesday tips, visit Rocks in My Dryer.

I can’t believe that it is November already. Today, when I took the kids to the park, there were snow flurries. It was only for a few minutes, but still - snow flurries!

This fall was absolutely beautiful. It was the first year that the weather was nice for the entire soccer season.

I never got out to take pictures of the foliage until it looked like this:

Ah, well, there’s always next year.

I cannot believe three weeks from now, it will be Thanksgiving. I have not even started making Christmas gifts yet. I got a jump on thinking about what I was going to make. I even tested some new soap designs and fragrances out, but I have yet to actually finalize my gift list and get to work making the things I am going to make.

One thing that is kind of a bummer is that my sister, who loves to get soap and other homemade toiletries from me, is the manager of Crabtree & Evelyn, so now her house is filled with fancy, shmancy high-end products. I still have a couple of things I want to make her, but I will have to do something else for her. Probably a Starbucks gift card. She has an addiction that she can’t afford.

I want to get started tomorrow on making stuff, so hopefully I will have some pictures soon.

So what fun and wonderful things are you doing for Christmas?

I am officially 1/3 of the way through NaBloPoMo and still going strong.  I do want to start doing my posts in the morning, instead of at night, though, in case something comes up that prevents me from getting it done at the last minute like I have been.

One other blog note, I updated my post about Little E’s inhaler with a picture of him.  You have to scroll down and look at it.  He made the cutest pose!

On Sunday, I tried that Boston Cream Pie recipe that I posted last week from Kraft Foods.

I did end up trying it with real whipped cream instead of the Cool Whip. I was concerned about how the consistency would turn out, but it was great. The pudding makes it firm up and keeps it from separating.

I made the cake from scratch, but this recipe would be very quick and easy if a box mix was used.

Since it only used one layer of the cake sliced in half, there is an extra layer that can be used for something else. The recipe has a tip for freezing it. That would be great to throw together a last minute dessert.

Yum!

I served the cake at dinner, since my sister and her roommate were over. It was a hit.

This recipe is also great with other pudding flavors, such as chocolate. Don’t ask me how I know. (Hint: It has something to do with that extra layer.)