Category: favorite things
Sunday Scenery, Part 2
It was a busy day taking care of grandsons. I feel so blessed to have been able to take my retirement at my earliest eligibility from my job in criminal justice, and be able to be so involved in their lives while they are still so young. I never got to be a stay at home mom with my son when he was growing up. Being able to step away from outside employment has also finally given me the freedom to pursue my career as a longarm quilter, a job I love and am passionate about it. Finally. I also do all the administrative duties for my husband’s and my small oilfield service company, so I’m retired, but not retired, if that makes sense. Anyway, I mostly popped in here tonight to finish posting pictures from my hike at the family farm yesterday. I’m certainly not a real photographer. I’m fully aware of that, but I enjoy looking for things that catch my eye and taking pictures anyway. Maybe someday I’ll be able to take a class and learn how to take better photos. For now, I’ll just keep having fun with it. I do have a fairly nice digital camera, but these were all taken with my iPhone.
Sunday Scenery, Part 1
Today, I thought I’d share some pictures I took while my mister and I were doing a little hiking on some family farm & ranch land I share with my brother and my cousin Dee. It belonged to our grandparents on Mom’s side. Someday soon I’ll try to write a longer post about it, but for tonight it’s a quick post with some of my favorite shots from our day. We went to move some game cameras and change batteries in them, but I can never resist exploring when I’m there. ❤️
This tree hanging on to the inside edge of a pretty deep ravine by its roots.
There wasn’t enough time today to follow this little trail down into the ravine, but I’m looking forward to the first opportunity to follow it down.
I have more to share, but it’s getting late and I’m tired. If you enjoyed these, be checking back for part 2. I’ll try to get the rest posted soon! Thanks for stopping by!
My New Sewing Space
We moved into our new home in January, and I only recently got my sewing machine set up and going in it’s new location. At my old house, the only place I had to set my sewing machine was on our dining room table. Thus, not a lot of dining went on there. I almost always had a sewing project, or several, scattered all over it. The plus side to that was that I wasn’t isolated from my family while I sewed, although I’m sure they would have enjoyed watching TV more without the noise of my sewing machine competing in the background. Also, I had a nice view to the outside from our dining room bay window. Now, at the new house the dining room is used just for dining, and we use it for that almost every day. 
This house has an office, that has a large built in book shelf with cabinets underneath for more storage, and is plenty big enough to hold my desk, computer, filing cabinet, etc. that I need for to do our business paperwork, and still have a whole corner for my sewing/cutting table. I can put all my quilting books and magazines in the bookcase, and my old dining table and bench is what I’m currently using for my sewing table. There’s also a window in front of it so I still have a nice view to the outside while I sew.
When I’m standing up and cutting fabric, I can watch the bunnies that frequently come to visit and often nibble at the little goodies I have left under the trees for them.
If I tire of sewing and the weather is nice, I can slip out the front door and enjoy a few moments in one of the rocking chairs on the porch. I am very much enjoying having a nice covered porch that wraps around from the front to the south side of the house, as well. My little mom likes sitting there with me on the days that I have her with me. She isn’t doing well these days, so any little thing that gives her some pleasure is a gift to be savored. The window between these two chairs it the one at the end of the dining room, and the office window is over to the left. As I sit here and type, I am starting to hear thunder outside. Time to wrap it up. I’m going to go sit in one of those chairs with my handsome prince and listen to the thunder and hopefully watch some rain falling down. Thanks for stopping by and have a Marvelous Monday tomorrow!
Some of My Favorite Things
Last night, while the men in the house were watching UFC fights, I stepped in the kitchen and whipped up some sugar scrubs. I absolutely love them and it’s so quick and easy to whip up a few batches. There are lots of recipes on the internet, Pinterest, etc. for inspiration. I use organic coconut oil and Young Living essential oils to make mine. For my base, I use 2 cups of sugar, white granulated, brown sugar, mix of both, whatever mood strikes me, and 1/2 cup of organic coconut oil. My favorite I have found so far is Bountiful Baskets organic expeller pressed coconut oil. I’m going to be sad when my big jar is empty if I haven’t been able to get my hands on another. I love this stuff!!
Then I add 10 to 12 drops of the essential oil or oils of my choice. For example, if I use one I would put 12 drops of it, or if I use two oils I add 6 drops of each and so on and so forth. Sometimes I throw in a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Blend it all together til well blended. I use my Kitchenaid stand mixer.
White sugar mix:
A brown sugar mix:
Some recipes call for melting your coconut oil first. I haven’t found that step to be necessary. It might depend on the brand of coconut oil and/or the temperature of the oil when you start.
I find with that amount of sugar and oil that I can fill four 4 oz. mason jars with one batch. Sometimes five, depending on whether I pack it down in the jar or just loosely spoon it in. Great for pampering yourself in the bath or shower, and for gifting. A note of caution, they can make your tub or shower floor a bit slippery. So take care when using.
In no time at all last night, I whipped up a batch of coconut lime, orange with vanilla, and a brown sugar blend with lemon, lavender, peppermint, and vanilla. Mmmmm….
There are so many more combinations to try! I also want to try some salt scrubs. Do you make your own scrubs? What are your favorites? If you haven’t tried them yet, maybe this will inspire you to treat yourself. Have a splendid Sunday, y’all!
I have a real treat for y’all!
Soon, I will be finished with the DWR on the machine, and will have the finished pics of that to share with you. I have quite a little backlog of customer quilts waiting right now, so I have put aside my own projects for the moment, to stay up with that, as best as I can. But, in the meantime, I have some yummy, yummy eye candy to share with you. I want to show off some beautiful handwork, done by a woman that I never had a chance to know in this life. These lovely items were all done by my husband’s grandmother, Clara Woods Allen. I do not know when she made them…they are many years old. They have been stored in my husband’s parents house, in a cedar chest. My husband, his sister and brother worked on sorting through the items still left in the house, in order to get it emptied in preparation for selling. These are things they picked out for me to take home. I am so in love with them and feel so blessed to be able to enjoy these TREASURES. I love to look at the stitching, and imagine “Grandma Allen” working on them, and at times I am moved to tears by them. That might sound kind of silly, but that is how deeply I appreciate and value her handwork. I will love and enjoy them until it is time to pass them down to my stepdaughter, who will love them just as much. I am so thankful that I have been given the chance to love and treasure them in my life! And, I feel honored to be trusted with their safekeeping. Enjoy the show…and remember you can click the pictures to make them even bigger, and really see the details. I have several pieces to share, and will space them out over a few posts, rather than all at once, as posting takes me quite a bit of time, and I’m kind of short on that right now.
Actually, the first couple of items are ones that we brought home after Greg’s mom passed, about nine years ago, but I don’t think I have shown them before, so I am including them in the show. Even if I have, they are worth seeing again.
Her work is so neat and pretty on the backs, as well…just like it is supposed to be, but mine never is!
A pretty table runner.
Another pretty back.
A very pretty three piece set. Can anyone tell me what the purpose of these was? My mom thought maybe it was for a chair.
And another pretty back.
That’s all for this post…but stay tuned for more! I hope you enjoy the pics. I’m going to grab a bite of lunch and get back to work on Erma’s DWR.
Show and Tell Friday
Kelli, over at There Is No Place Like Home, hosts this neat Show and Tell Friday, every Friday. I would like to participate this week by sharing a special piece of artwork. A few years ago, I found this painting tucked away in my Mom’s closet. It didn’t even have a frame on it. I asked where she got it. She told me that it had been painted by her cousin, Mickie. Mom didn’t really know what to do with it. I wanted it! All my Mom’s family is from Oklahoma, and this picture so perfectly depicts a part of my family’s roots. It brings back fond memories of visits to my grandparents’ and great-grandparents’ farms. I thought that a simple barnwood frame was the perfect finishing touch. I have it hanging on my bedroom wall, and I never get tired of seeing it. I only wish my Mom’s cousin could have known how much this painting would mean to me, but she had already passed away from ovarian cancer when it came to live with me. Thank you, Mickie, for this special piece of art.
I think she did a wonderful job. Thank you for stopping by to visit. I hope you enjoyed my Show and Tell Friday post.
Ramblings From Randi, The Wild Rose Quilter 
