And now, for a change of pace....

T'is the season for soup, so I thought over the next couple of posts I might share a few of the recipes that we enjoy here at Chez Magpie.  So....from our kitchen, to yours.....

 MINESTRONE SOUP

3 lb. beef stew meat, cut into ½” cubes

1 large can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 large can pasta sauce

2 medium onions, chopped

2 T. parsley

2 ½ tsp. salt

1 ½ tsp. thyme

4 beef bouillon cubes

½ tsp. pepper

10 c. water

1 medium zucchini, halved and thinly sliced

2 c. chopped cabbage

1 can chick peas, rinsed and drained

1 c. uncooked macaroni

 In slow cooker (or on stove top), combine beef, tomatoes, pasta sauce, onions, parsley, salt, thyme, bouillon, pepper and water.  Cover and cook on low 7 – 9 hours or until meat is tender.  Add remaining ingredients.  Cover and cook on high 30 -45 mins. 

- The very talented embroiderer extraordinaire Karen Ruane has announced her latest online class "Ledgers, A Record of Stitch' and you can find more information on that HERE. I can tell you from personal experience that Karen's ledger class is very worthwhile!

- There's a fun tutorial HERE for woven Christmas ornaments.  I wonder if you could put a small photo in the middle of these?

- THIS is a really sweet cross stitch snowman pattern (opens as a PDF).

- HERE is a fun way to make a cute package for an awkward-sized gift.

- I am showing THIS because I think it's a fabulous idea - and something that kids could easily create.  I don't normally give you links unless I can find the originator - so if you happen to know who made these, please let me know and I will happily give proper credit.

- There are some really attractive Christmas decorating ideas HERE.  I especially like the idea for the bathroom shower curtain - it's always hard to know how to add decorative touches to your bathroom and this might be just what you need!

Today's quote is from Catherine M. Wallace..."Listen earnestly to anything your children want to tell you, no matter what.  If you don't listen eagerly to the little stuff when they are little, they won't tell you the big stuff when they are big, because to them ALL of it has always been big stuff"

It was a good plan, really it was....

Today I had a plan of something fun to show you.  It was a good plan.  But as some plans are prone to do, it didn't work out.  It was a dud.  A dismal failure.  A flop.  An oops of monumental proportions.  Yes, who knew that here at Chez Magpie something would be done that wouldn't be salvageable. 

A month or so ago your author thought it would be a brilliant plan to send our long-distance grandson a jigsaw puzzle for Christmas.  So far, so good....right?  Said author ordered wonderful large wooden puzzle pieces that would be perfect for little hands to manipulate.  Still good...right?  The plan was to print a picture of the doting grandparents, glue it to said puzzle pieces, and then let the little one have the fun of 'putting us together'.  Well.  The plan was going along swimmingly....until......

The gluing part went perfectly.  The two coats of sealant went beautifully.  And then.....and then.....

How in blazes do you take it apart??

Hmmm.....said Magpie.   Hmmm.....said Magpie's Resident Chef.  Aha....said Magpie.....a fine exacto knife will cut around the edges!  Well, not so much.  The two coats of sealant, to say nothing about the coat of glue, meant that you could no longer see the outlines of the puzzle pieces.

Hmmmm.....said Magpie.   Hmmmm.....said Resident Chef.  Aha....said Chef....we can peel off the picture and start over.  Brilliant....said Magpie.  

This is the point in 'another' story where you remember the words....they huffed, and they puffed, and they blew the house down....

'Nuff said.

(other than may it RIP)

- THIS is a really handy tip to turn a hank of yarn into a center pull ball.  Cheap and cheerful!

- There is an ongoing '25 Days of Free Patterns' HERE (as well as a link to the patterns from last year).

- Many of us have a single lonely ball of sock or fingering weight yarn lurking in our stash - too good to get rid of, but what to do with it?  Perhaps one of THESE ideas might be just what you're looking for.

- With the current trend for using plaids, how about making some of THESE ear warmers as gifts?

Oh - would you like to see the picture of your author and her Resident Chef?  The one that was *supposed* to grace the ill-fated puzzle?

Today your quote is from Samuel Beckett..."Ever tried.  Ever failed.  No matter.  Try again.  Fail again.  Fail better"

Bubble, bubble, toil....and redo.....

Over the weekend I made my first attempt at making lotion bars and after several tries I think I got it.  I hope!  I bought a lovely new mold that I thought would be perfect....but.....it's hard-sided and not the silicone type I use for making soap.  So, I melted the ingredients and poured them in.  Waited the appropriate length of time and then....drumroll....could NOT get them out of the mold.  Hmmm.....

Aha! Light bulb moment!

What if I put them in the fridge and let them cool a bit?  Woo hoo - it worked.  But....in all the efforts to remove them earlier they looked like something the cat had chewed.  Back to the drawing board....

A re-melt later, along with a cooling period and then a time out in the fridge resulted in lovely little hearts that just popped right out of the mold.  Success?

Not so much.

They were just too soft.  I couldn't even pick one up without it melting into a puddle of goo.  Hmmm....

I am nothing if not stubborn!

So.....

Another re-melt and an addition of quite a bit more beeswax resulted in something that I *think* will stand up to use.  See?.....

- There's a tutorial HERE to make a man's wallet (Christmas gift, perhaps?)

- If you like to make your own Christmas cards, perhaps some of the ideas found HERE might spark your creativity.  I believe you can click on each picture and it will take you to the directions.

- There are some wonderful (and free!) planning pages for December available HERE.  Good way to keep yourself on track during this busy time of the year.

- THESE are rather cute cross stitch snowflakes that could have a number of uses.

- The American Quilt Society is beginning their Christmas Quilt Along and you can find details HERE.  There are links in their post to the patterns from 2015, 2016 and 2017.  LOTS of great ideas!!

- THIS is strictly for Canadians (sorry!), but it's great to know what stores might price match here and help you save a little money!  And for something else that might help you save money, how about creating a price book using the tips found HERE. 

- There's a pattern HERE for some really cute Christmas ornaments  with a bear theme.

- If the Santa in your house likes to include a chocolate bar in the Christmas stockings, how about using THIS free printable to make them look festive?  These would also look wonderful as a favor on a Christmas table.

Today your quote is from Lyndon B. Johnson...."Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose"

Socks - but not the sort you fill.....

....unless it's with feet!

Another gift off my Christmas list!

The pattern is what I suspect will be my

one and only go-to:  Wise Hilda's Basic Ribbed Sock

by Kate Atherley and can be found on

Ravelry HERE.  

Yarn is from Regia - the 'Pairfect' line, which

makes it SO easy to get matched socks.

Go HERE to find out more!

- Mary Corbet has posted a list of links to lots of free embroidery patterns that you might want to have a look at HERE.

- Sharon Boggon has announced her plans for the TAST (Take a Stitch Tuesday) and Beyond TAST stitching challenge for 2019 and you can get further information HERE.  If you would like to expand your stitching skills and learn lots of new stitches, this is a great way to do it!

- If you are sharing a recipe with someone, perhaps you'd like to use THIS free site to create fun recipe cards - both virtual and printed.  Thank you Joy for sharing this one and you might want to check out her post  HERE about a cookie recipe blog hop that's happening right now.

- If you have an over-abundance of scrapbook paper and are in need of a gift bag, perhaps the how-to found HERE might be what you are looking for.

Today the quote is from Wale Ayeni...."Be thankful for what you have.  Your life, no matter how bad you think it is, is someone else's fairy tale"

Another gift off my list!

I just finished sewing this apron that will be gifted to a friend who likes to bake...

The pattern is a commercial one - McCall's M5551.

- There are lots of great ideas for jar gifts HERE.

- Have a drool cloth handy while you have a peek at THESE pretty sewing accouterments!

- Who knew wire coat hangers could, instead of being in a tangle in your closet, become something THIS cool!

- Although THESE are shown in the context of being used for weddings, wouldn't they make great Christmas gifts too?

- THESE would make pretty inserts for special hand made Christmas cards.

- Many of you are familiar with the wonderful mystery quilt projects that Bonnie Hunter shares and, in case you missed it, HERE is part one of the newest quilt.

- Have a peek at the inspired adult version of an advent calendar found HERE!

- THIS is a nice scarf pattern.  It's one that will stay in place.  And THIS is a similar design, but more shawl-like.

- Another really clever idea for a cute gift can be found HERE.

- With the current interest in anything plaid, perhaps THIS might catch your fancy.

Another quote from an unknown source..."When buying from a hand maker, you're buying more than just an object.  You are buying hundreds of hours of failures and experimentation.  You are buying days, weeks & months of frustration and moments of pure joy.  You aren't just buying a thing, you are buying a piece of heart, part of a soul, a moment of someone's life.  Most importantly, you're buying the artist more time to do something they are passionate about"

Another quick project

This is a little project that I whipped up recently, using a pre-created crazy quilt block I had in my stash.  

Nice to hang over the arm of a chair so your sewing tools are at hand.

- If, like many of us, you have a hard time thinking of Christmas gifts for your husband, how about doing something like THIS?   And if you go HERE there are lots of ideas for the men in your life (most have links to commercial products, but nevertheless the ideas are good). 

- If you plan to give some lottery tickets this year, rather than putting them in a Christmas card and envelope, how about THIS idea for packaging?

- There are some really cute little knitted Christmas stocking ornaments HERE.  

- There are some nice ideas HERE for making your own gift baskets. 

Today's quote is from Samuel Taylor Coleridge..."Advice is like snow - the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper it sinks, into the mind"

What is a grandmother to do?

Yes, what IS a grandmother to do when there's a special request extended to make our youngest grandson a special blanket?  A shark blanket, no less!

This guy is in the process of swimming his way out to BC (via courier, NOT the miserable striking Canada Post!!).  The pattern can be found HERE, made in the toddler size.  Although, if I had to do it again I'd be almost tempted to make the adult size, just so there's a bit more room to wrap up in it.  

- THESE would be pretty on anyone's Christmas tree!

- And how about THESE little sweeties?  Or THIS one?

- THESE are wow-worthy - be sure to scroll down to see the amazing examples AND at the end there's a link to how to make your own.

- If you're searching for something fun to make for a small gift, how about THESE?

- I absolutely love THESE!!!!  Wouldn't they look amazing in any sewing room?  And they'd make a wonderful gift for any stitcher!

Today's quote is from Emmet Fox..."It makes no difference how deeply seated may be the trouble; how hopeless the outlook; how muddled the tangle; how great the mistake.  A sufficient realization of love will dissolve it all.  If only you could love enough you would be the happiest and most powerful being in the world"