i likey the laptop: the review

This is a compensated review by BlogHer and Intel.

so this last week i was suppose to see if having a laptop would actually be beneficial to me...hmmm well lets see, on wednesday my laptop had multiple tabs going, one of them being how to brine my turkey... you know i do it every year, yet it's like my brain can't seem to take that piece of information and store it, instead it drops it like yesturday's news the minute thanksgiving is over and i have to look it up again every year on how to do it. i also looked up how to add cute little cut out of pastry dough leaves to place on top of my pumpkin pies. they turned out looking very festive and martha stewart-y. yay for me! no one else cared but me and katie...aint that how it just goes with men?

the rest of the week aka friday, was spent on blogging, email writing (and organizing the disaster of emails just sitting there collecting dust), picture editing, and i even got to check out a couple of blogs which i've not done in over 6 months it seems.

while the kids did homework i edited pictures, because this way i was still able to give full attention when questions were brought up. (um like what the defenition of a word was and we totally looked it up in the online dictionary). while they played video games or played i was in the back ground able to answer some questions from some of you and heck start thinking about writing more blog posts. all the time i used to spend on these things in the office, (or didn't get to spend time on in the office) were now getting addressed. not perfectly, because let's face it...my time really isn't all mine just yet...but yes, this lap top with Intel Core i5 processor can handle my motherly multitasking as well as my attempt to multitask in the other areas in my life.

it was able to handle me editing pictures, look up dictionary definitions, look up something on amazon and try to answer questions through email. i would have to say it did pretty well trying to keep up with me, and i appreciated it.

now remember when i said in my last post about also getting the wireless WiDi HDTV to use my tv as a monitor? yeah, i kept thinking why would i want my tv as a computer monitor? i mean thats cool and all but really when was i going to use it? well, let me tell you. our dvd has been kind of on the fritz and we've lost the remote control, somewhere in the move maybe? anywho, we've not been able to watch movies since i guess we moved here. did you know that a lot of movies these days now have in thier package a computer file dvd that you can put and download onto you computers and onto ipods? yeah well, we just recently bought Toy Story 3 (oh my gosh the spanish buzz is HILARIOUS!) and we put in the computer file onto the lap top, and yup you got it we watched toy story 3 in our bedroom all snuggled up and comfy on our bed. the set up was a little trialsome...but most electronic things are for me, so i waited till the husband came home and set it up, then we were good to go. i even found him watching a tv show we've not ever watched before and asked what it was he was watching. he answered instant player Netflix of "lie to me" pretty good tv show where the heck have i been? and we watched a few episodes together. so i would say i would use the WiDi wireless to watch netflix in my room and keep catching up on Lie to Me and Mad Men.

so did you get that?

*lap top good for time management and able to move around more and take my work (so to speak) with me wherever i need to be.

*intel core i5 processor totally able to keep up with me and my multitasking skills and even came to save the day to help us get defenitions off the online internet dictionary.

*more time opened up for me to do the other things i do because i can fit in small incriments of computer time even in between awkward down time (ahem like waiting for the husband to hurry up and get out of home depot)

*spanish buzz in toy story 3= Hilarious good times.

*WiDi wireless confused me for set up but not the husband and when it was set up we are now catching up on past seasons of shows we've missed out on because sometimes we live under a rock.

so here's your chance yet again at $250 best buy visa card.

1.how many tabs do you have going right now? (i have three) tell me and get a chance to win. please leave an email address at the end of your comment.

2. tell me if you won the $250 gift card what would you buy with it? (i need ideas on what to get the husband...) please leave an email at the bottom of your comment.

only two entries per email

and remember blogher and intel are giving away 4 computers, one every week, so make sure you go to the round up page to find out how to get in that drawing as well.

Sweepstakes ends 5 PM PST on December 22, 2010.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.
Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.
You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.The Official Rules are available here.

btw i have a holiday tutorial coming up soon.
we'll talk soon.
comments closed

winner of burgundy buttons giveaway

the start the my brine for my turkey. i love me the citrus brine!

was your thanksgiving good? one of our kids got the flu. yuck. other than that we had a wonderful day full of too much food, great friends and even more too much pie and treats.
how was your black friday? any good deals? i'll be honest the thought of black friday gives me the hives. i can't even think about going because i'm sure i'll want to scratch somebody's eyes out due to the fact that she got the last _______ and that was the main reason why i got up and stuff. yeah i don't do that kind of stress very well. yeah, i'll pay full prices all year long just so i don't have to deal with the "holiday shopping". to be honest again...my christmas shopping is done minus stocking stuffers and something for mr. v and co.

we also put up christmas lights but laid low on the christmas tree hunting due to the sick kid. and after last year's disaster of a tree...i'm pushing for our hellmart "tree A" to make a comeback. i think i'll lose again. but whatever it's worth a shot.

okay now for the winner of the burgundy buttons giveaway.
lucky winner is:

Melissa said...
I get Leah's newsletter and would agree with you that she is a very nice and sweet person :)

congrats melissa, your info has already been forwarded to leah!

thanks to all who played.
remember you can still enter the $250 best buy giveaway. and for a chance to win a new laptop here.
okay we'll talk soon, this week i finish the review of the multitasking with a laptop, and i finally do another tutorial. i know it's been a while. and no i haven't forgotten about the gray pillow case skirt. it's coming in a tutorial as well.

confessions of a multitasker: your chance to win $250

This is a compensated review by BlogHer and Intel.

hey there! happy pre thanksgiving day. have i mentioned this is my favorite holiday? i can't wait!

but first off lets make one of you grateful you read this post...ready?

i tend to be a multitasker. rarely do i sit down and do just one thing for a long period of time.
i've been like that since i can remember. as a matter of fact my mom tells me to slow down...she's been singing that tune since i can remember! love you mom!
so now that i'm a mom and a blogger and try my hand at making patterns and on the community council for the elementary school and just recently got asked to be in the presidency over the elementary school kids in my church, not to mention making sure i attempt to keep the house somewhat clean and kids on task... all on a daily and weekly basis... i think i can say that i must in fact STILL multitask a lot. plus well, i'm usually running around with five or more things on my mind and in my hands at any given point.

i try real hard not to do this often but sometimes they have to come and hang out till i get off the computer... wonder what the other two are doing? probably no good in my book. ;)

there is one thing i've made a conscience effort this year, and that was to try to work only when the kids are at school because i'm mom first and EVERYTHING ELSE second. so i've tried real hard not to be locked away in my office while the kiddos are around. sometimes i don't get everything done before they come home from school. i have to leave things half way done and walk away from them till i can get to them at a more convenient time. as you can imagine, editing pictures, answering emails, and blogging in general has taken a huge hit... by the way if you've emailed a question and not heard back from me in a little while i guess this is my way of saying "sorry! i'm on a limited time frame!"

volunteering, homework, cub scouts, church activities, music, art lessons, and sports just to name a few (aka mom duties), limit my time being in a stationary spot for too long as well.

would i change anything about it?
no FREAKING way.
do my "other extra curricular activities" not get taken care of all the time?
oh heck yeah.
but that's what i've decided:
kids first everything else after.

okay so enter in Intel and blogher. i was asked to review a lap top with an Intel core i5 processor and a WiDi adaptor allowing me to use my HDTV as a monitor. they'd like to see if this would help me with my "other activities"
sure, let's really see see if in fact a lap top (which the husband and i have been talking about getting me) would help me multitask a little better.

and well the lap top has been provided, by Intel and shall we see?
give me till monday and i'll come back and report the differences, if any.

and now enter where you are grateful for reading this post today
so a big THANKS to Intel and blogher for this next part:

for a chance to win a $250 gift visa card for Best Buy:

1.) leave me a comment: are you a multitasker? how do you do it? inquiring minds want to know. (please include your email address to the end of your comment)

2.) twitter about Intel's giveaway come back with a URL link to your tweet. (please include your email address at the end of your comment)

only two entries per email address.

Read the official rules for alternate form of entry

oh but wait go check out the round-up page where BlogHer is giving away 4 laptops (one a week). yeah you are welcome.

Sweepstakes ends 5 PM PST on December 22, 2010.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.
Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.
You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.The Official Rules are available here.

okay now if you don't mind me i have a little bit of sewing to do in between brining my turkey, and baking pumpkin and apple pies. hopefully i'll have them ready to come out just in time for the kids and husband to come home.
i'm so happy.
we'll talk soon.

burgundy buttons giveaway

burgundy buttons has the sponsor giveaway for the month. free fabric just in time to make gifts for teachers, moms, mother in laws, or neighbors! or maybe you are greedy and just want to keep it for yourself...i personally don't care what you do, but you might want to check it so you can get a chance at it!
check it here

introducing the banner quilt pattern

well i'd like to introduce my newest pattern. the banner quilt. perfect for a little boys room or if you change the color scheme just a little perfect for a little girl's room as well! i used a city weekend layer cake by S + Oliver by moda fabrics but i give you alternative instructions for those of you who don't want to use a layer and who just want to use fabric scraps instead.


in this pattern i include a new method to appliqueing and how to make your own bias tape out of whatever fabric you want. you get step by step instructions with color pictures on how to make this quilt from start to finish.
this pattern is fun and easy to make. and not to mention portable! you can make it at the kid's soccer games, or in the car while you wait for the husband to get out of home depot, or take it to a friends house and work on your project as you get to hang out with your gal pals.
i hope you enjoy making this quilt as much as i did!
get your pattern here.
for a 10% off discount include the code "turkey" in the discount area!
now to finish the pillowcase skirt instructions!

lovely view

as i make final sewing instructions for that skirt and for that flag quilt i can't help but stare at my threads. they speak volumes of my favorite colors to applique in and what colors i usually end up binding quilts in.

i'm taking a few days off. hopefully i'll be back with a new pattern for the shop just in time for those of you wanting to take advantage of my 10% off my patterns in celebration of my favorite holiday and another free pattern for that skirt you all keep emailing and commenting and bugging me about. till then happy sewing and happy pre best holiday of the year week.

holy crap next week is thanksgiving sale

okay real quick i wanted to jump in here and tell you that for a limited time only i'm celebrating my favorite holiday of the year with giving you guys the option to buy this turkey dinner pattern for half the price. (dude that's only $3.50 for the pattern!)
and giving you guys a 10% off all the other patterns. (just follow the links)
just add in the disount code "turkey" at the check out and recieve your discount!!!
(please only on the patterns!) this pattern includes color step by step pictures to make the turkey and the garnishes to go with it.
it's katie's favorite thing in her kitchen!



so go on make a turkey dinner for your little one so she/he can be right there getting ready to create a memorable thanksgiving experience just like their momma!
sale ends at the end of the week.
okay back to the daily grind i'll be back sooner than later and
we'll talk soon!
comments closed

emotions run high sometimes

my kids last christmas from left to right: 5th grade noise maker, girl noisemaker, 3rd grade noise maker, and 1st grade noise maker (aka the loudest one)

well first off thank you so much for the wonderful lovely birthday wishes. yes, it was a good day. busy spent, mainly at the school with the book fair, and parent teacher conferences. we ended the day celebrating not only my birthday but for the first time ever all three boys getting A's and B's at school. that's a big deal. not for the third grader or the first grader but for my fifth grader who's worked his butt off trying to get back to what he was before the deployment.

as a family we went to dinner and as a family we are so happy to feel for what seems like such a long time, so much peace and happiness as a family unit. i love this feeling.

some of you have been here to read about (and some of you saw it first hand) that journey and know that it threw my 5th grader (and our family) into an emotional tail spin. i truly appreciate the wonderful elementary school who's been there with us from the darkest times where teachers and i cried over what to do...to now where teachers and i cry over how we're all so proud. that kid has a lot of mom's at that school. phew. no mushiness zone being crossed. sorry. i don't write about this kind of stuff that much anymore because it's really personal and raw with full of emotions. as the blog has gotten bigger i sometimes feel like i need to protect that raw emotion. but today i feel like lowering that "protective layer" for just a little bit because well, sometimes i feel like i have enough "balls" to put more of me out there than other days.

yesterday as i went to the kids' classes and we talked a little about how things were going i got the overwhelming strong conviction of what my role in this life is. a mother to the kids that were given me. i know i'm lucky and blessed to of had each and every single child i call my own. it's a miracle... that life thing...

i like to keep things light here, but for some strange reason i feel like opening up a little more than i have lately. i hope you take my raw emotions carefully.

my child was finally diagnosed with severe anxiety a few years ago. i say finally because for a while there we didn't know what to call it. our life was unbearable at times. i'm pretty sure i had permanent bruises on my knees from all the kneeling in prayer that i did at this time. i also had a lot of bruises on my soul and heart as i watched a wonderful little boy, go from a normal child, to a child with so many dark emotions, of sadness and extreme concern. he developed involuntary large motor tics that at times were so bad, doctors thought he might be having seizures. emotionally and physically you could just see the turmoil in his little body. life was a mess. i felt horrible for not knowing what to do, how to help him, or how to make it better. a lot of the times it felt like he blamed me for most of it. teachers were at a lost. he wouldn't do any work at school. and homework was a joke, he would just be so angry that i would try to make him do it.

he started hiding from teachers, and at church he would hide from his leaders, babysitters quit taking my calls, and he would "run away" from home on a weekly basis. all of this was unfolding as his dad was deployed over seas.

we saw doctors, we saw specialists, and we saw psychologists, and psychiatrists. he was misdiagnosed with so many different things, every week i would find something he could have going on. i just wanted a name so i could then find books and possibly shed some light and get some help. it took a year a half to finally decide on a diagnosis and to get medication that would help him.

and it's been a slow uphill climb since then.
he's been a trooper and we as a family have been able to try to be there, and help each other out with this emotional roller coaster we've been on. i do not think of this as one individual going through something alone, i think is as a family unit trying to mold and figure this thing out together. one thing is for sure he's touched his teacher's hearts. and without divulging too much, to embarrass anyone involved, i know i'm not the only one who worried, cared, and loved that boy so much that it brings tears to our eyes at the wonderful changes that we've seen these past two years. so yes it was a BIG deal as i went to the boys' classes and i spoke with each individual teacher on how they are doing. i got to walk away feeling very proud not because my kids got A's and B's but because of the journey that we've been through to this point. emotions ran high, and i walked away again remembering how lucky i am i call them mine.

i can honestly be grateful for the hard full of trial times because when you get to look back and say "man that was hell, but i'm so happy where we are today, and how it made us all better and how much we are appreciating this moment in time that much more."

i know my roller coaster ride as a mother is still in the works. but i think i'll keep going, even if i know there's still some stomach churning drops in my future, cause man when the ride is over, i want to say even though i was scared at times, it was one hell of a ride.

end super mushy moment that had to get out.

we'll talk soon

comments closed

thirty freakin' five

that would be me today.

i still remember when i thought thirty something was a tv show about older people. well i'm that older people now.

funny thing is now that i'm here...i feel like the party is just starting instead of winding down.

have a fabulous day, mine will be busy. ;)

how i lost to a red eyed tree frog

moving into a house that's bigger means needing to buy stuff for extra rooms. one room in mind is the bathroom. we have 3 and half bathrooms. last house had 2 bathrooms.
so there's a master bathroom, a guest bathroom (aka katie's bathroom) laundry room bathroom (the half bathroom) and the basement bathroom (aka oh my gosh my three boys are sharing a bathroom and sharing the responsibility on cleaning it too. gross.) so we went last weekend to get some more supplies for the extra bathrooms. on the list shower rods and curtains. i had in my mind what i wanted for the bathrooms. white for the guest bathroom and a "man-ly" slash still boyish slash kind of plain but maybe with some geometric shapes on the fabric in a blue shade for the downstairs boy's bathroom.

things didn't go as i planned because well...hmmm let me just set the scene:

katie and i had just gotten done picking up some organizing containers for the kitchen drawers (i know i was as excited then as you are reading about it now) we rounded the corner and came upon the boys in the bathroom aisle. we reached them and asked how it was going.

husband: "oh fine. they can't decide on what shower curtain they want. "
me: "oh? well how about this one?" (holding up something i had in mind for their bathroom)
husband: GASP!
the kids and i all looking at the shower curtain i had picked out slowly turn back to my husband to see what made my husband gasp.
husband: "oh.my.gosh. ISN'T IT SOOO COOL?!!!"
we all move towards him and the kids get there before i can. at this point all four male people in our family are gasping and isn't it so cool-ing as well.
i finally clear the way and gasp.
me: "no, uh uh. that's just plain ugly. we're not going to get that."
husband: "if you mean by totally being awesome and the coolest thing ever being ugly then yes you are correct. what do you think guys? this one or the dolphins?"
me: eye twitching. "guys don't you want this kind of plain one with the geometric shapes on it?"
husband:"...because personally i like the dolphins but the tree frog? priceless!"

i hang my head in defeat. they decided on the red eye tree frog. my own picture coming soon
as my husband likes to re-tell the story, he likes to add that i had a tantrum and was going to make them take the one i wanted. i fail to remember a tantrum, i do in fact know that every time i pass the red eyed tree frogs i shake my head in disgust and chuckle when no one is around. my husband on the other hand gets a huge grin on his face. i can't decide if its just because he knows how much it makes my eye twitch or if it's because when it comes to things like shower curtains he just lets the 6 year old in him take control. either way i'm going to find a way to get him back.

picture of the blasted shower curtain most likely to have an accident in the near future involving a sharp object.

ps: i'm still working on instructions for the quilt and yes the skirt so hold tight. don't know when but soon.
we'll talk soon.

for the bloggers quilt festival

well it seems like every year i always wait till the last day of the festival to finally get my quilt up and shown. amy is hosting the 4th bloggers quilt festival. and i'm excited to share my just dandy quilt. this quilt is my favorite one i've ever made. it might be because i have a new found love for hand applique. i love simple quilts with not a ton of busy-ness and i love that with applique i can create anything i want where ever i want it.
i also want to share another quilt i just finished (hence the lack of binding...going to work on that after i post this, also instructions coming soon to my shop) using my oliver and s city weekend layer cake i made this quilt using hand applique as well, i use the method i show here and it's become my favorite thing to do because i can take applique and work on things where ever i am. my kids are now used to seeing me with a needle, thread and hoop either in my hand or tucked somewhere in the car ready to come out when ever i feel like it. i love to hear them ask "what's that going to be mom?"
thanks amy for hosting yet again a brilliant idea where we all can go to eachother's corner in cyberspace and ooooh and ahhh over all the creativity out there!

things i'm crushing on

i'd like to share some love of a wonderful designer Lisa Leonard. she's super kind and super talented and i have many necklaces of her's i call my own. but i also like to give these to people that mean a lot to me.
continue reading here

how to: just in time for fall flower

it feels like it's been ages since i did a "sewing" tutorial project. i swear i've been sewing as a matter of fact if feels like i've been running a marathon at times. but nothing that i've shared i guess. so here's one that i seriously just made yesterday just because i felt like it.

what you will need:
*a strip of polyester fabric cut to the width of 2 inches and the length of the bolt (somewhere between 40 to 42 inches)
*hot glue
*lighter
*felt cut into a circle with circumference of about 2 inches
*a clasp pin

lets get started:
*first you are going to take your strip of fabric and make a running stitch along the bottom of your strip leaving 1/4 inch on the bottom.
(or you can just with a needle and thread make a running stitch)
make sure you leave enough string at your ends so it's easy to keep a hold of them.
take one of your end strings and gently pull till your strip of fabric is all ruffled up.
take a lighter and quickly put the flame on the edge of the ruffle that does not have the running stitch on it (or the outer part of your flower)
your edges will curl and melt, the longer you let the flame sit on it the more it will melt and curl.
now you are going to roll your ruffle. place hot glue every few inches and press are you roll your flower.
*get your circle of felt and hot glue it to you back and then hot glue your clasp.


i think it makes my spur of the moment "mad men" inspired skirt made out of two pillow cases look pretty good. yeah i just found that show...it's a little hmmm at times but i love the outfits.
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this last weekend

welcome november! oh my gosh welcome november? okay well i'll just roll with it i guess.

this last weekend i was able to pick up that "big piece of art" i had in mind.
when i first saw it here. and then i saw it here. i knew that i needed to pinch pennies as i knew it was kind of pricey. then i saw that print at homegoods for a whopping $70ish dollars but passed it up because...well i don't know why. and i've regretted it every since.

so i kept saving pennies...and i then found it here for $4o ish and took that as my sign of yes in fact i was to get it. i then had it framed and it came out to be $100 less than what ballard designs is asking for it. granted its not a canvas but i love how it turned out.

after taking in the picture from the last post of my living room i decided i didn't like a few things.
here's a word of advise: ever want to see your room from a different perspective...take a picture and you will see what you like and don't like!
on the opposite side of that wall is my dining area. which i had the idea of getting large letters to spell out "EAT" i've been made fun of relentlessly by the husband, and every time he comes in the room he'll think of more letters we need to get so he can change and keep coming up with new words to place on the wall.
not to mention that he also had the question for me "so if we have the word "EAT" over our dining table will we also have to get the word "POOP" over our toilets?"
i told him to stop already. he's having too much fun with this and i don't think there's going to be any stopping any time soon.

okay back to sewing i only have a few more hours till kids get back from school!
we'll talk soon!