Over the last 10 years my husband and I have been hauling around a lot of junk, mostly because I am too lazy to go through it and because he is a pack rat.  I’ve finally started going through a lot of the stuff we had- our hall closet now looks lovely and has *gasp* empty space!

Part of the reason for the massive house purging is that I am coming to terms with the fact that our house has only 1225sqft and that I need to use that space wisely since there are 4 people living here.  This means getting rid of pieces that are purely aesthetic- they hold no purpose other than looking pretty.

Enter pretty hutch.

All it does is display china and look pretty- the china could easily be stored in my massive pantry, so I’ve decided this piece has got to go (if you are local and interested in it- shoot me and email).

 I’m thinking of creating a reading nook in the dining/family room where the hutch currently resides. I have this piece that my mom and I found out in rural kansas years ago (she refinished it).  See all those lovely drawers for STORAGE?

Maybe even hang a few of the china pieces on the wall above it and a pretty lamp?  I’m thinking this chair will go well in the corner where the kids little table is.

oh, and the chair needs cushions (in addition to a good cleaning!), Jen gave me the name of a great upholsterer, but I still have to pick a fabric (which you think would be easy for me, but no).  I want to add some color pop to the room…any suggestions?

Also in need of some help?  My mantle.  What on earth can I put up here?  I’m totally open to loosing the mirror. See more of my whole dining room here.

Some people simply live to rearrange and redecorate spaces, me I shake in fear at making choices for my home.  I’m afraid of things not looking good together, or looking boring, or outdated, or not being functional enough, not using the space wisely etc, the list goes on.  Please, please send tips and links.  I would really love some feedback.  Feel free to link back here if you have readers who love to redecorate and want to share ideas!

thanks bunches!

A dip in the pool while dinner cooked.  Sadly the water temp is in the upper 80’s so it isn’t all that refreshing until you get out.

After dinner I was captivated by the reflection (above the fence line) of the setting sun on the still pool.  Makes me think of the end of summer when all the toys, pools and such are still as the children have returned to school.

the end!

It was a long hot saturday at the hales’ pad today.  Husband worked 14 hours (well, I suppose more as he has not left the office yet), which made it impossible for me to complain to him about how tired I was after spending so many hours in the summer heat (he had to get up at 3:30am for work).  We went to a birthday pool party, where their was shade and a misting system, but it is after all summer in arizona, and I am always looking for something to whine about.  When we got home our power was out (read no air conditioning), but I can’t really complain about that as it came back on within 15min.

To buy myself some time to relax this afternoon I bribed the kids, telling them they could take the cushions off the couch if they would leave me quietly alone so that I could read.  I was able to read for about and hour and a half, but this is what my living room looked like after the fact.

After repeated attempts to get them to clean it up I finally resorted to setting the timer- they managed to get it all done in about 5 min (my smart little girl has figured out how to get her brother to do all the work…must teach boy to be smarter than that!).  This was all followed by a dinner of yoplait yogurt topped with Mickey Mouse sprinkles, we are really gourmet around here.  The kids are bathing now so that they can be sent to bed a bit early whilst husband and I enjoy some Pei Wei in peace!

If any of this seems worth it to you, and you would like to spend a few hours reading this summer, here are a few books that I have recently read and really liked.  I’m not terribly loquacious when I describe books but I will attempt to say more than, “this was a good book, I liked it and you should read it too”; but know that underneath whatever I do write that is really what I am saying.

Pasadena-David Ebershoff
I am actually not finished with this book yet, I’m on page 267/485 and it is really hard for me to put it down.  It takes place in and around Pasadena, CA post WWI.  Ebershoff’s writing style reminds me very much of Isabel Allende’s (my hands down favorite author, did I mention I heard her speak years ago?  I did, and I think I’m cool) Portrait in Sepia (another good read).  The book is a love story (or so I think at this point), that is being told to real estate agent Andrew Blackwood through 2 of the important characters 20 or so years after the events happened.  Each story teller adds their own embellishments and the reader is left comapring the two versions and peiceing together the rest.

These Is My Words-Nancy Turner
A fictional diary account of a young Sarah Prine in the Arizona Territory, I think you can appreciate the story even if you have no ties to Arizona.  It is an immensly sweet love story as Sarah meets and discovers the love she has for her husband.  It is a relationship not without its stuggles and set backs.  In her diary she describes the daily hardships and difficulties of territory life.  Turner so eloquently describes the personal stuggles and insecurities of a young girl in a way that makes Sarah Prine so real and so identifiable. This book was an easy read, a weekend read if your children are really good at playing alone!

Firefly Summer-Maeve Binchy
I first read Tara Road a few months back, and I have a habit of obessing over an author and devouring everything they have written.  I think this is my 4th Binchy book this summer!  All of Binchy’s books take place in Ireland (I love when authors write about places they really know- and Binchy knows Ireland!) and this one is no exception.  An American developer returns to his roots in a small irish town with a plan to rebuild Fernscourt (a former Manor house) and reopen it to everyone as a hotel.  The lives of the Developer (O’Niell) and his family become so intertwined with the lives of the local families.  The building of the hotel comes at a great costs to O’Niell and to the community.  This is a bit of a coming of age story between the Ryan Children and the O’Niell children, that takes place during the 1960’s.  The one thing that this story lacks that stands out to me, is a better understanding of the original Fernscourt.  I wish Binchy had flushed this out more, what drove the Fern’s out?

Wasn’t The Grass Greener-Barbara Holland
I rarely read non-fiction, I don’t know why but I find it dreadfully dull most of the time.  If I am going to pay the price for reading (see picture above) then I want to get totally lost in a story, I want to be so wrapped up in other peoples lives that I forget about my own temporarily.  Again, I haven’t finished this one, but I really do enjoy it.  Barbara talks openly and frankly about the so called “advances” of our society and why she thinks the grass really was greener in the past.  This book is a series of essays about topics such as “suntans”, “the doctor”, “war” and  the neighborhood pub.  Holland delivers her opinions and stories with an ounce or two of humor.

I received an email from Claire of Handmade Parade asking about summer activities; stitching and otherwise. Handmade Parade is looking for fun things to do this summer, for kids, adults and crafters. This past Wednesday I found a fun activity that allowed me to be creative and brought enjoyment and imagination to my kids (a winning summer combination in my book).

I present you with:

Bowling At Home- Hales Style

I made the kids some fabric balls using Tanya’s pattern. I just rummaged through my scraps and let the kids pick what they liked.

For pins we lined up plastic cylinders from a marble tower game we have, but really anything lightweight would work (even empty water bottles). The kids love setting it up and “bowling”.

My son also tried to “jungle” them while I made pancakes this morning. What is summer without a few strawberries thrown in!

You’re going to want some tart and tangy lemonade when you are done reading this. I’ve been busy sewing for my daughter this week, I’m still working on the twirly skirt to go with the shirt.

Simplicity 3511

 Taken this morning in the back door of our room.  I love our french doors (they helped sell me on the house, them and the hardwood floors), but thanks to them we sleep with the loudest cricket on the planet.  He has some how managed to sneak into the door frame of the doors and rubs his little legs all night long.  All we can do it wack the door frame to get him to stop for a few seconds.  Anyhoo, just wanted to share that little whine with the internet.

What have you been sewing lately?

Well, the Tea Party seemed to be a hit. My daughter was a typical 3yo and had a bit of trouble sharing, but all in all I think the girls really enjoyed themselves. I had more activities planned than we needed- dress up, hat decorating, cookie frosting (this was a big hit) and “home made salt molding dough”!

Next on the agenda is to design and print new business cards…just in case…  I am planning on attending the open house for Blissful Living, this Saturday.  Really excited to meet so many talented local people.  If you are in the neighborhood you should come!

Will be holding May’s give-away sometime next week.  Don’t know what it will be yet, but I promise it will be good! Make sure to swing by so you don’t miss it.

Found at a nearby Goodwill with a green tag, and low and behold, green tags were 50% off today!

I don’t typically buy pottery as I am not much of an enthusiast, but I really liked this piece. The aqua color and the scalloped top. I thought it would look great in the new office/sewing room. After I bought it I realized it was MARKED!

From what I could gather from limited googleing- this is real pottery and could be old (although I don’t think it is too old).  It does show some wear on the tops of the scallops.  Are their any pottery people out there that can tell me more?

March has been one awful crazy month at our house, I hope I never meet a month this crazy again! I’ve spent most of the morning typing up a church cookbook (this is what happens when the ladies at church get wind that you have computer skills). Here is one of my favorite cake recipes that I included in the cookbook, we shall not discuss the caloric content or cholesterol levels.

But! Look at the fun flannel that I found at Wal Mart of all places (I know, evil evil wal mart and what was I doing there anyway- shopping for shin guards!). A girl friend had a baby last week and although I already gave her a gift at her shower I thought she might need more receiving blankets so I grabbed a yard and a quarter.

I was skimming the archives over at Meet Me at Mikes and there was something there about a “show me your desk” tag/meme thing-y. Hmm, I thought, this could be fun. So, I want to see your desk/table where you sew/create. But…I want to see it right now- not after you clear off all the loose threads and scraps. I love seeing where other people create and I get great ideas from your set-ups!

Here is my totally un-cleaned desk as it sits right now. I finally moved it into the new room but have done no decorating. Click through to flickr to read all the notes.

Now, should I do the dishes, fold the laundry, work on the custom order, put sheets on my sons bed, or watch movies?

I nearly forgot-Gina is giving away something everyday this week- make sure you read her rules first.

This weekend was a full one. We finally got all the furniture out of my son’s old room and painted! We ended up using Dew Drop (700E) by Behr. As we painted it I was worried that it was going to be too white looking, but this morning after it had dried with natural light pouring in, I was so pleased! The room feels cool (vital during AZ summers) and calming. I have always loved cool pastel colors, I just know this space is going to be perfect for my sewing room!

We have simple white canvas curtains in the room and I want to keep them, however I want to trim the bottom 6″ of the curtains in a print fabric. I want a print that will bring a bit of a modern feel with some color…please feel free to send me fabric links, as I’m really not set on any print. Although I do know I want this somewhere in my dining room/kitchen.

Also of note, I sewed for my own children this weekend! A while back my SIL gave me a bunch of play food for the kids, they love it but it was always getting scattered and I didn’t have a container for it. Sewing Skills To The Rescue! I made a simple fabric box to store the play food in, and it fits nicely in their shelves!

This is left over fabric from Moda’s Peas & Carrots line, the box is lined in white canvas.  I had just enough super stiff (not it’s technical name) iron-on interfacing to line 2 of the 4 squares so it isn’t totally firm but it works.  It was so easy to make I plan to get more interfacing and make some different sized boxes for storing things in the new studio.  For those of you that want to know, I cut 5 squares at 10.5″x10.5″ of each fabric.  I ironed the interfacing on to as many squares as I could (you want to do it for all 4 sides).  I sewed each box separately and then laid the canvas box into the striped box with right sides facing, stitched up the top- leaving an opening.  I flipped it right side out, ironed and top stitched the whole top.

What did you create this weekend?

I had high hopes of finishing the embroidery tutorial today but the daylight (and good photographing light) just got away from me. However, here is a teaser for the project. You can download the pattern today and grab a flour sack towel so you are ready tomorrow.

We have 2 dwarf peach trees in our backyard, each year I learn a little more about how to properly prune them and each year they produce enough peaches for me to make a few pies or some salsa (peach salsa is SO good!!). When they bloom each spring it only lasts for about a week and then poof the flowers are gone. Today I managed to photograph them before they disappear!

And, because I just can’t help myself, I “invented” a new chicken enchilada recipe that was so easy and SO good I just have to share.

1.5lbs of chicken tenders
2 15oz. cans of Rotel
1c chicken stock
1c mild cheddar cheese (med. would be good too)
12 corn tortillas

Add chicken and Rotel to crock pot and cook on high for 3-4 hours (just throw it in around lunch time).  When chicken in done, spoon it out and place in a bowl use a fork to shred it.  Drain the Rotel/chicken juices into a blender and puree.  Add puree to pot and cook until thickened, add 1c chicken stock and simmer.  Meanwhile spray both sides of all 12 tortillas with cooking oil and place in stacks of 2 on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 3 min.  Add 1/2c sauce to bottom of a 13×9″ baking pan and 1/2c sauce to chicken mixture.  Fill tortillas with chicken and roll, lay seam side down in pan.  When finished rolling enchiladas pour remaining sauce over the top and then add the cheese.  Bake for 15min. at 350.

**a variation I might try next time would be to add lime juice to the chicken and then top everything with fresh cilantro!