Happy Halloween everyone! I wish I had some cool graphics to offer this morning, but I’m too busy working on my daughter’s costume, nothing like waiting until the last minute!
But, to celebrate, here is my favorite meme. If you’d like to participate, visit Fun, Crafts and Recipes.
This weeks questions and my answers:
#1. What kind of pretzels are your favorite? I like the big fat fresh baked pretzels you get at the mall! I like them with salt.
#2. What’s your favorite way to eat pancakes? I prefer buttermilk pancakes with plenty of butter and maple syrup.
#3. Do you make garlic bread from scratch or buy frozen? I don’t do either. I buy it from the grocery bakery (if I remember), and just stick it in the oven to warm it up.
#4. Share a recipe that calls for mozzarella cheese. That would be lasagna which I just made last week.
brown 2 lbs. hamburger in 2 T. olive oil. Add chopped onion, 2 cloves chopped garlic, 2 tsp. leaf basil.
Add 2 cans tomato sauce and 2 cans diced tomatoes. Simmer for a minimum of 2 hours.
Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions.
Mix 2 eggs into 1 c. cottage cheese.
Layer:
1 layer of noodles
spread meatsauce on top of noodles
1/2 of cottage cheese mixture
1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
repeat
Top with 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 6-8 slices of provolone
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Let cool just a bit, it will make it easier to serve.
Christmas is less than two months away, 55 days to be exact. That’s 55 days to get your holiday shopping done, no pressure!
This year our budget will be much tighter than previous years and what that means is that I want to make sure the gifts I’m giving are chosen carefully and that they are gifts that can be cherished. A new idea is giving the gift of family protection. That sounds odd, but it’s really very simple.
C’elle provides a safe and easy method for women to collect stem cells directly from their menstrual fluid. These stem cells can then be stored and, if needed in the future, can be used in treating a number of possibly life-threatening diseases that she, a parent, a sibling or even her children may face in later years, such as osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. While this may be unusual, giving a C’elle gift certificate is certainly a worthwhile gift idea.
Gift certificates can be purchased in amounts of $50 and up. Visit the pricing page to find out more information or to order now for a special gift.
I was hoping to be farther along with my Christmas sewing project, but, to tell the truth, I haven’t even worked on it in the last week. So, instead, I am posting a photo of when my sisters, mom & I had a booth at a trade show in Knoxville, TN back in July. We did okay at the show, but I came home with more completed bags than I had hoped too. My sister Grace is considering having a booth there again in November and I think she will do better since the holidays are so close. It’s the season for gift buying!
I spent the morning doing errands and trying to get some family business stuff taken care of. I’ve had some letters that needed to be typed on my to-do list for a few weeks and I finally got them done. They weren’t difficult, it just takes so much time to sit down and type. I’m a pretty fast typist too, but still, it’s hard for me to carve out the time it takes to get it done right. You see, between all of my sewing projects, keeping up with 2 blogs, EC and family obligations, I need ways to save time.
I’ve mentioned previously on this blog the product Dragon Naturally Speaking and how it can save time. A fellow blogging friend actually got to test the product and created a video to demonstrate how it works. I think it’s fabulous and wanted to share it with you. Here is Drew, form Benspark, in his own words.
Think about it, Dragon Naturally Speaking can help you to Type at 150 WPM for $99! When you consider how much time you will save, don’t you think it’s worth it? If you’re still not convinced, please read the following article.
Drew of the BenSpark has put together a great little video demonstrating Dragon NaturallySpeaking. Drew has been blogging for quite some time and he might just be one of the best mobile bloggers that I know. He is probably more famous for his picture a day work as he is an excellent photographer. But I can’t help be amazed at how much content he creates and the high level of quality in that content.
He’s definitely a blogger that employs best practices when he finds them. And based on this video, it looks like he might see some potential in Dragon NaturallySpeaking. Now I am not trying to put an endorsement in Drew’s mouth. Time will tell, but I do think he is off to an excellent start.
You’ll notice in his video, that the sound quality of his video is excellent. That’s actually an important aspect for Dragon NaturallySpeaking. I don’t mean that you need good video quality or sound quality in a video to make Dragon NaturallySpeaking work. However you do need a good microphone, and it should be a noise canceling microphone at that. The better the sound quality, and the better able your microphone is to remove other background noises, the better your system will be able to recognize the words that you say as fast as you say them and transcribe them accurately.
Now Dragon NaturallySpeaking comes with a noise cancellation microphone that works very well when you buy it out of the box. Drew is working with a download version that does not come with a microphone, and so he had to supply his own.
As I write this article, I am using a wireless headset microphone from Logitech. I’ve been using Dragon NaturallySpeaking for almost two years now, but I’ve just recently untethered myself from Dragon NaturallySpeaking and started using a wireless headset microphone with noise cancellation capabilities. Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 does have the capability of working with Bluetooth wireless microphones, but my particular microphone runs on 2.4 GHz wireless technology. Now if you live in a household or work in an office environment where there are a number of systems or phones or microwaves, you may experience some interference with this particular headset. In that case, you will probably be better served with either a Bluetooth headset or a headset that is capable of being plugged directly into your computer through the microphone plug or through USB. I don’t have that issue, and so I do get excellent quality with little to no interference at all.
So if you take an interest in Dragon NaturallySpeaking and want to try it for yourself, I highly recommend that you get a boxed version of the software which you can order from Nuance online. You can even get a good deal on a Bluetooth wireless headset and a bundled option from Nuance. If you’re looking for entry level pricing, you can start using the software and get a headset microphone for as little as $99.
To put that in context, I’ve taken three typing classes over the years to boost my typing speed and spent essentially three semesters practicing at typing. It wasn’t the only thing that I studied, but I spent a lot of time building up my typing skill. With Dragon NaturallySpeaking, you can invest $99, invest an hour installing the software (I’m being very conservative with that time estimate) and as little as 10 minutes training the software to recognize your voice before you can be off and running typing at 150 words per minute!
That is pretty amazing, and well worth the value of $99. Not to mention if you spend a little extra and get a wireless headset microphone, you can pace around your room or your office, you can exercise, or do a number of different things other than sit at a computer desk staring at your computer all day long. $99 basically gives you your freedom.
Best regards,
Brett Bumeter
www.softduit.com
My name is Brett Bumeter, and I wrote the article above and 4 1/2 minutes. The article is about 659 words long, and that translates into 144 words per minute. Add in two minutes for editing, and that’s still 100 words per minute!
I did it! I got up early this morning and, after dropping my daughter off at school for early morning band sectionals, I went directly to city hall and cast my vote for President. I was so surprised at how busy it was at 7:15 this morning, but, then again, they were lined up at city hall on Saturday, so I think a lot of people are just trying to avoid the crowds on November 4.
My sewing room is situated on the front of our house. When I’m not sewing, I’m pretty much oblivious to what goes on outside with our neighbors, I can’t see any of their homes from the back of our house. But, when I am sewing, things go on with the neighbors that can really be surprising. Here is the soap opera going on outside my sewing room window.
Back in April, I watched out the window as quite a bit of activity took place next door that was all very curious. We’d only been living here for about a year, so we didn’t know our neighbors that well, but we knew something was going on.
First, a “For Sale” sign went up in the front yard. Then, within a few days, a truck with a couple of men backed into the driveway and started loading up items from the house and garage. As quickly as it appeared, it was gone. A few weeks later, my husband ran into the guy from next door at a restaurant and got filled in on what was going on. Turns out, his wife was having an affair, in the house, and he decided to move out. So, he and their high school aged son moved into an apartment where they’ve been living. In the mean time, the wife has carried on with her affair next door, I’m really disgusted by it. The two of them are always trying to hide so that they aren’t seen. What kind of relationship is that?
A week or so ago, the husband stopped by as we were standing in our driveway. He let us know that they were getting a divorce and she was moving out of the house and he was moving back in with their son. The husband has lost so much weight, I didn’t even recognize him. I get the feeling he was completely caught off guard with the entire ordeal and I hope that he will soon be able to find peace with it all. Who knows, maybe he’ll find the love of his life!
I think he and his son will be moving back into the house this weekend. Once they get settled, I may just have to tell him that he can visit True.com and search for free to find that someone special. Sign up at True.com is also free, so what’s he got to lose? Obviously I don’t know all that went on next door, but I do believe that everyone deserves to be happy and to be loved. I hope he finds his happiness.
I was hoping to have a beautiful photo to along with this post, but alas, my husband had moved things around and I was unable to quickly find my camera. What would the photo have been? It would have been of a fantastic red cardinal that was prancing around on my patio yesterday. He was such a vivid bright red and was just outside my back door. I ran around frantically trying to find my camera, but by the time I had it in my hand, he had moved on. I was so disappointed.
I took my camera in hand and stepped outside hoping he had stayed nearby. I looked all over the yard, around the bushes and in the trees, but couldn’t find him. I have a couple of birdfeeders hanging from trees too, but he wasn’t here either. I really need to visit Birdfeeders.com and order a birdfeeder with cardinals in mind. They prefer a feeder with something flat to stand on rather than a small perch.
No matter what type of bird I’m looking to attract, I think that by spring I’ll need to get a couple of new squirrel proof feeders. It’s absolutely amazing what a squirrel will do to get into a feeder! They will hang in precarious positions and chew through just about anything to get to the seed. I’d love to see the “Squirrel-Be-Gone” model in action, it actually closes off access to the seeds when something heavier than a bird (i.e., a squirrel) is detected. That has got to be so frustrating for the squirrel, but what a cost savings for the seed buyer!
There are so many varieties of birdfeeders to choose from, it’s really difficult to choose! A new birdfeeder is always on my wish list for anyone who wants to give me a gift! Her’s another pretty, yet very functional feeder I would like to have.
I spent my weekend reading a book that my daughter had received, Ariel’s Journey, written by Doug Kane and Christy Wood. This book is the first in a series revolving around the lives of several teenage girls, their families and their love of horses, particularly the Icelandic breed of horse. Doug Kane, one of the authors, owns an Icelandic horse farm in Ohio, and incorporates his knowledge and experience with this unique breed of horse when writing these books.In Ariel’s Journey, the story begins with an introduction to the female characters and how they came to be where they are. As high school girls tend to do, they don’t always get along, even though they really do have so much in common. The Icelandic horses, or “Icies”, start out as a point of contention, some people thinking they’re not as good as other breeds of horses. In an effort to resolve some of their differences, an overnight trail ride and camping trip is planned for the girls who are not necessarily willing participants.During the trip, the girls not only discover their own strengths and abilities, they also learn of the amazing abilities of the “Icies” who take them on a journey back in time. The girls learn to overcome their differences in order to better work together to fight off enemy warriors and rescue a princess. Once the girls return home, they find they have forged close friendships, become stronger physically and mentally, and look forward to their next adventure.
I found the book to be a good read and appropriate for pre-teens on up. Some of the dialogue is a bit slow, or repetitive and sometimes awkward. I also thought the romance between one of the girls and a boy she meets from 800 years in the past could have been left out. It didn’t really add anything to the main plot of the story and, since the 2 characters really knew nothing about each other, it was based purely on a physical attraction.
I enjoyed the battle planning and the involvement of the girls. They were not only involved in the actual planning, but played integral parts in the winning of the battle and rescuing of the princess. The battle was exciting and played out in a way that was surprising and exciting to read.
After finishing the book last night, I immediately recommended it to my daughter. I think she will enjoy it as much as I did, if not more. I’m also thinking of getting another copy as a gift for one of my daughter’s friends. I definitely recommend this book and think you should get your own copy of Ariel’s Journey.
As many of you all ready know, I’ve been learning to piece fabrics together to make a quilt. I’ve been doing piece work for several years, but I’ve always done smaller projects such as purses and tote bags which are much more forgiving if my pieces don’t match up quite right. With a quilt though, things can really look bad if not done properly, it may not even lay flat if the seams aren’t correct. Who wants a quilt that won’t lay flat? In other words, it’s important to actually know what you’re doing, if you want to make a quilt!
Quilting is becoming a family tradition for us. My mom is an avid and phenomenal quilter. Both of my sisters have been making quilts and wall hanging much longer than I have and I am the newbie, but enjoying it. The biggest thing I’ve learned so far is that when it comes to taking on projects like quilts, it can be so helpful to be a part of a quilters group, a group of people doing the same type of work, who can help with questions and directions. Before taking my beginning piecing class last month, I couldn’t even understand the directions for cutting the fabric, it made absolutely no sense to me. Since taking the class, I’ve not only completed the quilt top we made in class, but I ventured out on my own, bought fabric and a pattern, and completed a quilt top for my granddaughter too! I feel like I’ve made so much progress in the last few months and am very pleased with the results.
My mom and sister belong to a local quilt guild, a group of women who get together on a regular basis to work on projects and to teach each other new techniques or patterns. They have really been enjoying both the quilting aspect of it as well as the friendships they’ve formed. As a beginner, I’m not sure I’m ready to join a guild, but I recently found a great online quilting forum where I can go, as a member, and ask questions and get answers. This is a great place where other individuals, with the same (or greater) level of enthusiasm for quilting, can come together, much like in a guild, and share ideas. It’s also a great place to showcase projects I am working on or will complete (once I get my quilt tops turned into finished quilts!).
MyQuiltPatch.com is a subscription based quilting website that is loaded with quilting articles, patterns, projects and many other resources for quilters of all levels. Similar to a magazine subscription, there is an annual membership fee, or, fees can be paid monthly. This really is a great time to join because the site is offering a discounted “Founder Member” rate of only $7 per month, a savings of over $12 per month off the regular subscription rate. A few of the features include a forum, private messaging between members, web video chat, photo galleries and links to members personal websites. One of my favorite features is the video tutorials, I can actually learn quilting techniques from this site! Anyone with a passion for quilting should check out www.MyQuiltPatch.com and take advantage of their one month free trial they currently have available.
The biggest benefit for me is the easy online access when I’m in the middle of a project and need help. It’s an interactive community of quilters, what better place to go to with my questions? Even if I were in a guild, this is a great forum to be a member of, with 24 hour access, 7 days a week. After all, you just never know when I’m going to need project help!
$99 basically gives you your freedom.
No matter what type of bird I’m looking to attract, I think that by spring I’ll need to get a couple of new squirrel proof feeders. It’s absolutely amazing what a squirrel will do to get into a feeder! They will hang in precarious positions and chew through just about anything to get to the seed. I’d love to see the “Squirrel-Be-Gone” model in action, it actually closes off access to the seeds when something heavier than a bird (i.e., a squirrel) is detected. That has got to be so frustrating for the squirrel, but what a cost savings for the seed buyer! 
