Marian's Box

I finally sent Marian's box. I can't believe how difficult that turned out to be. She and Wanda had signed up for a Petite Inspiration Box Swap: Valentine's Edition hosted by Speckled Egg, and we all decided to do a one-on-one swap between the three of us, using the same premise for the swap. I sent my box out pretty late, but everyone knew going into it that I don't have a lot of time. Even to me, it sounds like I'm just making excuses. Ah well, I'm happy with how the box turned out.

Spring Surprise Swap

This evening, I spent time making fabric flowers. I went to the Lutheran Mission this afternoon, and picked up a couple of shirts for these flowers. I tried burning some, but the shirt made of silk didn't work out very well. So instead, I cut strips and put them together, attaching them to a pin back.

I love the way it turned out, and Tom's really enthused about it, too. I plan on mailing it out really soon.

International Tag Swap

I sent out my tags for the International Tag Swap today. This is the second set of tags that I made for this swap. I didn't like how the first set was turning out, so I started on a second set, and I think they'll work out better. Mailed one day before the deadline - I was pushing it.

I also received another tag from the same swap today. This one is from Jude in New Zealand. It's got a wonderful vintage feel to it.

Reading Program and a Tag

I finally turned in my list of books for the Winter Reading Program, and received my gift for completing it.

It's another small accomplishment that I'm fairly proud of, even though I didn't actually read any of those books, they were all audiobooks.
I also received the second tag for the International Tag Swap. It was from Kim in Colorado. It's wonderful, and incorporates so many of my favorite things - blue, butterflies, and I just love the key!

Contest Winner and a Tag

Woo hoo! I found out today that I was the winner of the latest month long contest at the Tidewater. For a month, all of the servers have been distributing eVIP cards to their customers, and the server with the most new eVIP Club members was the winner of a cash prize. That was me! Honestly, the prize was a check, but any money is better than no money.
After returning home from works, I saw that I had received my first of five tags for the International Tag Swap. It was from Peace, in Colorado. I think it was adorable!

Mardi Gras and Mail

The luncheon at Huber worked out well. Overall, we had fried chicken, steamed shrimp, red beans and rice, Pina Colada Pound Cake, crepes, doughnuts, and brownies.
At Tidewater, I found out that another restaurant in town was sponsoring a Mardi Gras parade, and that our entry to the parade was a "float" with a papier mache crab in the back of Ralph's truck. The revellers in the bar were lively, and we had a band for entertainment.

When I returned home, I had received two packages; one for the No-Sew Block Swap, and the other from Marian - a private swap between her and my sister, reproducing the Petite Inspiration Box Swap - Valentine's Edition that they had both just participated in. I can't wait to find time to get started on the quilt squares.

Included in the Package from Marian

Inside the Box

Thank you very much, Marian!

Preparing for Mardi Gras

Tomorrow, we're having a potluck lunch at Huber to celebrate Mardi Gras. For my part, I've decided to bring three dishes. The first is Red Beans and Rice - I just love that Zatarain's. Since the day is called Pancake Day in the UK, I decided to make crepes. I know, crepes are French, but they're close enough to pancakes for me. Then, while looking up recipes for crepes on the internet, I found a recipe for Pina Colada Pound Cakes. I figured that could substitute for alcohol :-) The pound cakes smell wonderful, and so do the red beans and rice. And the crepes look right, I guess. I hope the lunch is a success.

Pina Colada Pound Cakes

Prep Time: 20 min
Total Time: 2 hours 20 min
Makes: 2 loaf cakes (8 slices each)

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist white cake mix
3 eggs
1 can (14 oz) coconut milk (not cream of coconut)
2 teaspoons rum extract
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, drained, 3 tablespoons juice reserved
3/4 cup powdered sugar

1. Heat oven to 325°F (for all pans). Spray bottoms only of 2 (8x4-inch) loaf pans with baking spray with flour.

2. In large bowl, beat cake mix, eggs, coconut milk and rum extract with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in coconut and pineapple. Pour into pans.

3. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pans to loosen cakes; removes from pans to cooking racks. Cool 50 minutes.

4. In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and reserved 3 tablespoons pineapple juice. Poke tops of cakes every inch with toothpick. Pour sugar mixture over cakes. Cut cake into 8 thick slices, using serrated knife.

SuperBowl XLIV

Woo hoo! How about those Saints? And I won money in both of my football pools, too! Overall, a good evening. I think my favorite commercial this year was the one from Monsters.com about the beaver violinist. The runner-up would be the one from careerbuilder.com about Casual Friday. I also enjoyed four others - by Bridgestone, eTrade, Bud Light, and Doritos.

Snowed In

I am such a silly girl! I was supposed to work today at both Huber and Tidewater, and yesterday, I packed up my stuff with the intention of staying in town overnight. It started to snow around 2:00. Then, I got bored hanging around Huber, so around 7:30, I went to the Tidewater to see what was up there. Not much, so I stayed for a little bit, had a drink and a bite to eat, and then, in my infinite wisdom, decided that the roads weren't too bad, so I'd go home. I ran up and down the driveway a couple of times when I got home, and again around 11:30, when I decided to leave the Jeep at the top of the driveway, since the snow drifts a lot along our drive.
This morning, after walking though the snow drifts to get to the Jeep, I saw that the plows hadn't even come through our development, yet, which I had hung my hopes on. The snow came up to my knees a couple of times, but was a few inches below my knees in most places. Then, when I'm getting ready to head back to the house, Tom decides that I need to move the Jeep off of the drive a little more, just in case the guy we're getting to plow our drive comes by. So, I have to spend time out in the frozen Tundra, digging around the Jeep so that I can move it off of the drive a foot and a half. How fun.
But, now I'm warm and dry, expecting not to have to work at Tidewater this evening, since it's not supposed to stop snowing until this evening. Here are some snow filled pictures, you might even be able to make out where I exited the garage and trudged through the snow.

Looking Back at the House

Looking Up the Drive

Cupid's Kiss Collage

My collage from the Cupid's Kiss Valentine's Day Swap came in the mail today. How exciting! It was created by Angela D, and is adorable!

My First Diaper Cake

Woo hoo! I just finished my very first diaper cake. Two days ago, I received an invitation to Holly's baby shower, and it's next Tuesday. I had joined the No Sew Block Swap with the intention of making a quilt for Holly's baby, but there isn't nearly enough time to receive the pieces, sew them together, and construct the quilt - which I have no idea how to do. So I had a slight change of plans. Normally, I would just get something off of the list of what Holly registered for at Target, but this time, I decided to make a diaper cake.

I found so many cute ideas on-line, but I thought that this suited my personality - and my budget - a little better. It incorpoates her colors - hot pink, black and white - and she will be naming her daughter London Rose, hence the artificial roses. This might be my new favorite thing to do for baby showers, I just hope that noone else will be doing one.