Catching Up, not joggling and trying to rest?

With everything that has been going on in the past 6 weeks it has been difficult to get back into the swing of things. Our trip to the States, moving homes, our trip to the Philippines and then returning with mere days till Thanksgiving. Soon we will be celebrating Christmas and I can hardly believe how time flies.

I signed up for the Joggles class with Sharon and have done very little stitching. Normally I am not the type to commit to something and not follow through but that is what happened this time. I am still glad that I have the lessons and can use them for reference in the future, but I am quite dissaponited that I coudn't have participated and been more active.

It has been difficult to find time to stitch. It is hard to motivate myself so I have been trying to rest a bit before the Christmas holiday rush.

Sorry for the lack of posting of embroidery stuff- it seems I am playing catch up lately.

For some reason I can't add hyperlinks today so here are the links to the joggles site and also to Sharon's site who is teaching the class-

http://www.joggles.com/onlineclasses.htm

http://www.inaminuteago.com/blog/

My shameless Ebay plug!

Last year, I took a beading class and made a beaded watch. I just put it up on ebay so please do hop over and take a look. It would make a great Christmas present. =) Please tell me what you think. =) Although I absolutely love love LOVE it, I am not a sparkly flashy kind of a gal- (clearing throat) unless we are talking about- ahem- diamonds. =)

Auction number 330054984691

http://tinyurl.com/yg3axa

In need of Comfort

Please hop over and read Debbie's blog entry for today and keep the family of the soldier and the church there in prayer.

Buttons from a dear friend!

Nancy Bartholomew Fink said,

"You can have the shirt off my back- but you can't have the buttons. "

On the contrary...
A few years ago I was visiting with a dear friend and I commented about the buttons on her jacket. I also mentioned that when she decided to get rid of the jacket I would love to have those buttons! They were Caesar's Cameo on a red background.

Fast Forward to last month when we were in the States and she told me she had something for me...

Aren't they cool? =)


Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde =)

These next three are hilarious to me and I think I need to print the middle one and have it enlarged to put on the refrigerator. We were exhausted- I guestimate we must have walked ten miles that day- so we were resting on a hill of lawn near the White House. Our feet were aching! I went to taking pics and Dave obliged as I clicked and clicked trying to take a self portrait of us that was centered, After a few tries he got sick of it (rofl) and grumbled loudly. I laughed and told him I got THAT in a picture. Next in the sequence is both of us laughing at the thought of getting him growling on the camera. =)

Washington D.C.


I know I am late in sharing these- about a month- and I won't bore you with the lot of pics that I have. Looking at other people's pics can be a miserable experience! LOL! (Can you say TORTURE???) I will only share with you my faves of our pic to D.C. We had so much fun and toured the Capitol building twice and unfortunately the Museum of American History was being renovated which was pretty dissapointing.

Coming out of the front entrance of the Capitol down the stairs is the actual path that the newly elected President takes before the oath of office on the Capitol steps is taken. My husband, ever the lover of our country, had to recreate said journey and here is the path he trod... sans Ruffles and Flourishes or Hail to the Chief.

Mr. President...


First Lady??? =0

Overlooking the Mall while coming out of the Capitol from the Rotunda-



This is in the Rotunda in the Capitol Building. This is where many of our Presidents such as Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan laid in state preceding their burial. Call us Corny. It was my brilliant idea.

Give Thanks!

Today my Thanks go only to God and I am thankful for SO many things...

I am thankful that Jesus Christ died on the Cross to pay the price
for my sins. It is a precious gift and I will be forever grateful
for what the Lord has done in my life..

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.


I am thankful to live in a country where I can worship God according
to the dictates of my own conscience.

I am thankful for my country where freedom is most important.

I am thankful for my dear Christian friends (yes- that means YOU!)

Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the
countenance of his friend.

Philippians 1:3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

I am thankful for a husband who is first and foremost a Christian.
For nearly 17 years our life has been full of ups, downs, memories
and ministry and i would have it no other way.

Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all...


I am thankful for my first Pastor, who has since gone to be with the
Lord, who loved me and first showed me Christ by his heartfelt and
genuine faith. Whenever I hear the song, 'There's going to be a
meeting in the air' I can think of no other person then Pastor
Espinoza!

I am thankful for my Pastor who is genuinely interested in my
spiritual well being and who takes an active part in my discipleship
constantly showing me that I can do greater things in Christ.

For these things and many others I am so thankful! =)

My adopted CQ Spider

If you scroll down to the bottom of my blog you will see my adopted CQ spider. Nearly every Crazy Quilt made in the late 1800s and early 1900s had a spider and a web. I love how this little critter weaves his webs and if you refresh the page he will spin a new web.

Scroll down and take a look... and after he is finished spinning his web click on the more button...

God's hand of Protection

If you haven't seen the testimony of Bro. Kindred, who attends our church in Killeen and who recently came home from Iraq, please click here.

Our soldiers are our Heroes and we thank them for their sacrifice in keeping us in safety and well protected in our liberties. God Bless Them!

Busy as a Bee




I have been making pies today in between the everyday dinner and cleaning and will continue with the same tomorrow. I plan on making an early Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow and on Thursday we are going out to eat in Taegu to Outback Steakhouse. When you throw in our recent trip to the States, moving homes upon our return, our Pastor coming to visit us, and our trip to the Philippines, things have been quite hectic lately. Ah... but I wouldn't have it any other way. =)


Top Blogs by Crafters

If you look on the left in the sidebar you will see a link for 'top blogs for crafters'. I added my blog and was at the bottom of the list starting at the low end of the totem pole. Within the process of two weeks I have gone to a rating of 32 and wanted to thank those that have rated my blog site. I really appreciate it! A great big thank YOU from the bottom of my heart!

I would urge all of you to skip on over and vote for all of your favorite blogs that feature embroidery and crazy quilting! I have done so and suggest you do the same! Here is the link-

http://topblogsbycrafters.gotop100.com/

Secret Santa

I saw this today when we went out to eat and had to share it. It brought tears to my eyes.

http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/news/10336991/detail.html

Off to the Philippines

We are taking the train today to Seoul and then catching a plain to Manila today. I am so excited to see old friends and new alike at our church conference this week.


This pic was taken our last trip there and is a jeepney- nearly a national symbol there. Every driver tries to decorate and paint his ride better then the next driver's and it can be quite competitive.



Be back in about 6 days or so...

Chinese Food in Korea and FALL is here

Last Friday we went to eat Chinese at a new restaurant in Waegwan and it still had that unmistakeable Korean feel to it. =)



Fall is here... the leaves are turning and a definite chill is in the air. See the hummer in the background? This was taken on camp as soon as you walk in the gate.


And right outside the gate. It isn't as picturesque as the spring when the trees are blossoming but still worthy of a pic.

In the Garden Round Robin - my block

This is my block for the In the Garden Round Robin. I love the colors and fabrics, but don't particularly like the piecing. I will send it on nonetheless and see what magic can be done with it.






I have to get this in the mail before the beginning of the week so am wanting to add a few items before it goes out.

I pulled out my drawer of lace appliques and here is the mountain (It is a SMALL drawer IMHO) that is at this very moment sitting on my bed. I have been auditioning various items.... Those of CQ obsession will completely understand this mountain currently in my bedroom but those who don't sew might think me a bit, er- uh obsessed. =) What can I say? I plead the fifth. Better get those appliques back at home in their drawer.

Jackie's block

This is Jackie's block so far. I know she really likes Victorian Stuff, laces and whatnot so that is where I started.

Here is the overall block


This is a tatted doily and I added the pearls to give it some zing.
And some pink glass buttons between the lace scallops.
The silkie (actually cotton) was a gracious gift from Katie. Thank You Katie!


I want to do some stitching and will possibly take it on the plane with me on our trip to the Philippines on Monday.

Sex and the City

I know... I have your attention now.

Traveling around Korea affords me all kinds of stares. Older Women. Old Men, Housewives, Young Children, and everyone in between. I have become used to it and it really doesnt bother me.

Today I was running errands downtown before our trip to the Philippines on Monday, and stopped in the mandu house for a quick bite to eat. A man came in and sat down all the while staring at me. No problem. He rarely broke eye contact with me. I ate nearly my entire plate of dumplings while being watched. I still chalk it up as being a foreigner- I know I look different. I really am used to it. I asked him in Korean, 'Why are you looking at me?" His response was something like... 'you look good'. So I went back to eating and finished.

I really can not blame him for his staring. After I left and was walking down the street, he rode by on his moped hollering something that I could not understand. Can I blame him? Many Koreans (I didn' say all) have a view of Americans as being what they see on television. They think all women act like actresses on Sex and the City and Desperate Housewives. Can I blame them for what they think is the norm when American television is so popular here? No. I have been propositioned, amongst various other sundry exploits while being here in Korea not worthy of mention here. And sometimes I bow my head in shame. I really am ashamed of what other countries think of my fellow countrymen because we hand them that very image.

What a shame.

In the Garden Round Robin

At the CQS list, we are doing a round robin with the theme based on the hymn, 'In the Garden.' The ladies at CQS are all Christians so it will really be a special round robin and a special memento once our blocks return home.
I made a block for one of the ladies in it and this is it. She loves all things Victorian and I really like the colors and how it came out. It is twelve by twelve inches and this is it with no embellishments and with how I am leaning to go with it so far... I might change the lace on the bottom. I am digging for some irish crochet that might look better. Have to try it on for size later tonite


On the train bound for Seoul...

I did get a bit of stitching done on the train to Seoul and our return trip back to Waegwan... not very detailed but a few more seams accomplished on my silk crazy although I might go back and add some more embellishers... That little flower cart is unfinished... I still have to add some beads and possibly some more flowers. It seems I wander around my quilt when working on it. Impatience? =)

Sharon B's Sampler Class

At the last minute, I enrolled in Sharon's online class offered at Joggles.com. I took the first encrusted class and it was wonderful so I decided to take this one too.



Since I joined at the last minute, I don't have any linen I decided to use my crazy quilt.

I have never been fond of laced stitches so that is where I started. Am I satisfied? No not really. But here it is anyways, my first laced stitch. On Sharon's class notes with pics hers had a row of stem stitch on both sides. I didn't want to do this since I thought it would look too much like a border so I added the colonial knots instead.

Hopefully my next stitch will be much better. =)

Fellowship Meeting in Seoul

Starting our journey on the platform at Waegwan station...




My husband zonked out on the train. (SSSHHHH! Don't tell him I posted this.... he doesn't read my blog and he has no idea! Hee Hee- that'll teach him! =) )



Seoul skyline

Hand Embroidery Group Blog

Melissa has started a new blog containing all of our swap hearts and ornaments done at the hand embroidery group. Do pop over and take a look. The ladies are all so creative.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

I know- I know! This isn't a recipe blog! But I tried this recently and it was so good that I wanted to share it! This definitely is NOT diet food! =)

Batter
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup cold water

2-3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts or Thighs
salt
Oil for frying

Sweet and Sour Sauce
half a can of canned pineapple drained- save juice- cut in bite size pieces
3/4 cup of pineapple juice from drained pineapple (add water if neccesary)
2 T rice vinegar or ordinary white vinegar
3 T Catsup
2/3 cup white sugar
Vegetables such as carrots, red pepper, green pepper, zucchini, sliced onion all washed and sliced. The more colorful the nicer it looks!

Cut chicken into bite size pieces and sprinkle with salt.

Sauce- Put juice, vinegar, sugar and ketchup in Saucepan and stir till combined. Heat till boiling. Add a bit of cold water to cornstarch until you can stir it and add to saucepan. Stir till thickened. Add vegetables and turn off heat. Your vegetables will cook in the sauce and not be too soggy and wilted. They will be crispy and perfect.

Mix Batter ingredients and dip chicken in batter then deep fry in oil. Fry till golden brown.

Arrange cooked rice on a platter and top with pork. Pour sweet and sour sauce and serve hot immediately.

Yummy!

I have to mention that Thai Rice is the best kind! It really has a great flavor. If you try this let me know how you like it.