Projects, Projects, Projects!!!!!!

I started redecorating my house on Wednesday night! My first project was the office. I got some sheets at the thrift store and started sewing. So far I have made a slip-cover for our futon mattress, a covered cushion for the chest in the office and a pillowcase.

Here is the curtain I made for the kitchen door. I think the pattern is a bit much, but it makes it feel like spring. The second picture is a close up of the fabric.



Now I am going to start working on the valences and other pillowcases.

Valence 1 Complete!

Everything

Hello! It has been a while. We were very busy with CUP and company. Then we started our outdoor spring garden prep work. It is going great. We have dug a big 7' diameter hole for our raised bed. Right now our compost pile is spread in the bottom of it. Tomorrow our new 124 gallon composter will arrive in the mail and then I will not have to turn the compost pile with a shovel anymore!

I have started a lot more seeds. So far I have planted:

1. Red, yellow, orange and purple Sweet Bell Peppers
2. Jamaican Red Scotch Bonnets (x-hot)
3. Thai Dragon Hot Peppers
4. Caribbean Red Chili Peppers
5. Serrano Chilis
6. Cascabella Chili Peppers
7. Ancho Chili Peppers (hot)
8. Long Thin Cayenne Peppers
9. Yellow Sweet Banana Peppers
10. Anaheim Chili Peppers
11. Poblanos
12. Jalapeños
13. Sweet Million Red Cherry Tomatoes
14. Sunsugar - golden cherry tomatoes
15. Yellow Pear Cherry Tomatoes
16. Early Girl Tomatoes
17. Jelly Bean - grape type tomatoes
18. Jubilee - yellow tomatoes
19. Red Cherry Tomatoes, Large Fruited
20. Roma Tomatoes
21. Tomatillos
22. Early Prolific Yellow Straightneck Summer Squash
23. Black Zucchini

I still have a lot more to plant. I saved the seeds from the butternut squash we are having for dinner tonight. Hopefully we will actually get a squash plant from them. I still have to plant:

1. Sweet Italian Basil
2. Big Top Carrots
3. Sweet Treat Hybrid Carrots
4. Red Cored Chantenay Carrots
5. Lavendar
6. Leaf Lettuce Mix
7. Orange Scotch Bonnets

The strawberry plants are growing very well. At this rate I will have strawberries on the plants before it is time to transplant them. I hope they are ok. I have 10 Sequoia Strawberry plants growing in the living room and 25 Ogallala Strawberries in the mail.
Time to go turn the compost pile... Then I think I will knit for a while.

New Appliances!

I tried to post this a while ago but the pictures would not load. Hooray for new appliances! The pictures make the color look a little pink, they are actually a nice red color.

This weekend

The green chili stew was great last week. The pecan pie had a little to much going on. I liked it but Brian didn't. I should skip the cardamom in the crust next time. I also made a Lemon-Lavender pound cake and it was marvelous. I think I am going to experiment more with lavender.

This weekend was a bit on the busy side. Brian was finishing everything for the conference this week and I was busy with spring cleaning. The house looks very good. I am redecorating my kitchen. I bought new appliances. I bought a new red toaster over, microwave and coffee pot. They should arrive in the mail sometime next week.

My Wilton cake decorating class still has not started. I hope it starts soon.

Ahhh! Food!

I went to the thrift store today and found another of the Frugal Gourmet books by Jeff Smith. This one is titled "The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American." I am going to make green chili and pork stew from my new book tonight for dinner. It also has a section for Southern cooking. I think I will make Pecan pie for dessert.

The plants are doing great. I got some more seeds in the mail yesterday. I can't wait to plant them!

Not much today

I am still feeling sick. I think I need to rest some more.

I read up on organic gardening today. I am working on plans for our raised garden beds. I think I am going to put a couple in the front yard as well as the back.

More tomorrow. I am going to go to bed and read Calvin and Hobbes.

Go Me!

I did my first electrical installation all by myself. Yay!!! I put up a light fixture by our back door. (I actually got it to work.) The best part is that it was only $6 at the thrift store!

Feeling Better!!!

Today I am feeling much better!

The tomatoes and tomatillos are over 3" tall. I will have to thin them soon. I always hate that part. The peppers have finally germinated and are about 1" tall. I tried an experiment this year. I put a heating pad under the little greenhouses to keep them warm. There was a remarkable difference between last year and this year. The tomatoes and tomatillos were sprouted in 3 days and the tomatoes in about 6 days. I had to take the tomatoes off because they were growing too fast =o)

On a happy note...
Tonight I start my Wilton Cake Decorating Course 1 at Michaels. I am so excited! I want to be ready to make the most amazing cake for Alicia's babies shower. Yes, "babies" shower...triplets!!!

On a not so happy note...
I also have to start my spring cleaning today because we are getting company next weekend. (The cleaning is the not so happy part.)

And to be completely random, here is my favorite picture from my honeymoon. Well, one of my favorites.

Still Sick...

We are both still sick...