The Most Pleasant Things...

that happened during my day...

I woke up early and had my shower, hair/makeup and dressed including shoes by 9 a.m.  The thing I liked about that was I was ready for my day bright and early.   And for a Sunday that's saying sumpin'.  I was out the door to grab a few groceries to make good eats for the games today.  I have a couple of recipes to share tomorrow.  Wow were they ever good, so stay tuned for that.  You can use them on Super Bowl Sunday.  The hus and I went together.  The thing I liked about that was we got to Costco early enough (right when they opened) it wasn't a mad house YET and all the shelves were all pretty and NEAT.  Plus we found a couple of treasures that weren't on the list.  That's always fun.  All in all it was a pretty good day.  We watched a great match-up between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears (I liked both teams).  It was very windy today the umbrella on my patio furniture took flight.  Whoa.

Oh AND last but not least I talked to my Dad today on the phone.  It was nice just catching up.  I always like to hear his voice.  He has a very nice voice.  He had a heart attack a couple of months ago requiring a triple by-pass.  He also had to have a few more procedures since.  It's been a bit of a touch and go situation to stabilize after this major event.  But he's on the mend and taking good  care of himself.  I wish him well and continued recovery.  Incidentally, he also knew some of the Tucson, AZ shooting victims.  The Morris'?  The wife was shot and died at the scene and her husband is in recovery.  They lived right down the road from my dad and were neighbors.  Her memorial is tomorrow. EDITED TO ADD:  I just realized that my post is titled "The Most Pleasant Things" about my day were... I did not mean to infer that the above topics in this paragraph were part of the pleasant things... Oh my NO not at all. Just to be clear =D as mud.

Well off to get a good nights sleep and awaken refreshed for Funday Monday.  Hope everyone had a great weekend too.  Oh and please do leave a comment if you like.  I really like comments.

I'm up-to-date on my P.A.D. picture a day project.  I've been pretty good with my F.I.T. project too.  If you'd like to follow me on these two projects, you can find these two projects on the tabs above just under my blog header.  Check it out.

Come back tomorrow for some super recipes.  Easypeasy ones too.

Sweet dreams y'all.

Betcha Didn't Know That!!!

I used to do Stained Glass.  I thought I'd scan in some photos of some of my pieces.  All were commissioned work, some commercial but mostly for family members.  This first piece was a commercial piece that I did for an interior decorator friend.  It was commissioned for an assisted-living type apartment unit that was being built on the North side of Chicago.  It would be installed as the skylight in the general living area.  Where people would gather together to eat and do activities.

VERY Funny story.  After the window was installed I asked if I could go to the building and see it in its finished state in all its glory giving so much pleasure to the residents.  Beautifying the whole building I am sure.  I don't know what I was expecting?? Everyone to be sitting in their lounge chairs, reclined back just gawking at my LOVELY art work.  Staring in awe, their eyes just transfixed by the beauty.  So I enter the room. The excitement building in my mind.  I walk in and what do I see.  The window was installed smack dab in the middle of the room, right over the main dining area as expected.  Just as I had seen in the renderings.  People were in their seats around the table under the window (mostly they were all in wheel chairs around the table).  Every single person was sleeping.  Yep they were sitting under my window, slumped over in their wheelchairs, SOUND ASLEEP.  I looked around.  I looked up at my window (you know the one giving all the joy).  I walked out laughing at myself.  Ha! As if.  My ego checking itself at the door.

I called this design "Hummingbirds and Vines".  The skylight window(s) consisted of nine 2ft x 2ft sections for a 6ft x 6ft piece or 36 s.f of glass.  It was a pretty large piece.  This design was drawn by me FREEHAND.  I then projected it onto a wall to trace it to scale for my pattern that I would eventually use to cut out the glass.  It had over 1700 hand cut/soldered pieces.  The color scheme was dictated by the project decorators.  It took me six months to build.  I used a mix of soldering techniques I used both the copper foil technique for the intricate birds, vines and flowers and I used lead came on the strictly linear lines.  I used a mix of glasses.  For the peachy center I used a hand rolled glass named English Muffle.  Incidentally, a peach colored glass is a very rare color to find.  I had to special order this to get enough of it.  I also used cathedral glass (all the solid combos with the flowers.  Black for the vines) and opalescent glass (all of the streaky blues, purples on the border background).

This is the window set out on my basement floor, just finished.

This is the window installed with light coming through it.  I did not take very good or very many pictures.

I think this is a close-up shot

These next windows I did for my Aunt and Uncle.  My aunt wanted two panels for a side-board hutch to display her dishes.  She wanted it to be transparent.  Again, this is a hand drawn design of flowers and vines.  I must have been on a floral and vine kick at the time.  The background in this panel I used one of my favorite types of glass.  This glass is called Glue Chip.  I like it because it reminds me of Jack Frost on the windows in the winter.  So feathery and delicate.  Lacey.  LOVE.  Again, this is a peach colored Glue Chip (I must have been on a peach kick toooooo).  This peach was even rarer than the English Waffle that I used in the above windows.  I can tell you though that I would use peach Glue Chip in almost every window if I could.  This is a rare and beautiful glass.  Again, I remember having to special order it and this was limited.  I was lucky to get enough to finish this piece.  My aunt is lucky to have a window made with this rare glass.  I used a mix of opalescent and cathedral glasses for the flowers.

Left panel

Right panel.  A little more light with this picture

Here is a picture of the finished piece.  I wish I had gotten it more from the front.  But I think that the table was in the way

Here is a little better front picture of the right panel

This was done for my Mother-in-Law's kitchen for her corner cabinet.  This panel alone had over 100 hand cut pieces in it.

This was a panel I did for my mom in her living room.  Very Victorian but it fit the houses style.  This glue chip was on the peachy side but it was actually a brown/tan color.  With peach accent on the border.  The center design I used another of my two favorite glasses one is called Antique glass and the other is called Water Glass.

Surprise surprise... I've been an artist from wayyyyyy back.  Ya know I kind of forgot about these myself.  Don't know why I haven't mentioned it before now.

EDITED TO ADD:  Comments welcomed! oh and click on any picture to enlarge.

Fit

Information on my newest page FIT is now all up-to-date.  Eventually I hope to add my stats, measurements, schedule, food journal and MAYBE some before and after pics NO NOT THAT  etc... for now, it is what it is.  Go check it out.

Yours,
M!ss Pr!ssy

Don't ask me WHY? (also info on...God Box and Pennies from Heaven)

...I've been so motivated and inspired lately.  or as my Prissypal put it "Stella's Got Her Groove Back" WHAT?  But I won't question it... just go with the FLOW.  Woohoo.  Recently, I read this article in "Real Simple" about a God Box and I thought I'd make one too.  It's a perfect time of year to start new things.  I took an empty used box left over from Christmas gifts... this one was a chocolate brown so I loved the base color to begin with.  Then I printed out a pretty (and appropriate) saying on 8x11 printer paper.  I aged it by singeing the edges with a match (blowing it out immediately so the entire sheet doesn't burn up, this can be tricky in a hyperventilating manner) and then I affixed it to the box top with double-sticky tape.  I also made a loop with ribbon for a knob.  I just punctured a hole into the center of the box top, made a loop with the ribbon and tide it on the inside of the lid to keep it in place.

Below is a picture of the box top using a favorite verse (I have many) from the bible of mine.  I don't know about you but bible verses always bring me a sense of peace and comfort.  I thought this verse was especially appropriate for use with my "God box".  Lawsy knows I have plenty of crooked paths that need straightnin' Ya'll.

 

Inside view of God Box.  I punched various scalloped shapes for use to write my little mini-prayers on.  I keep a few xtra blank ones in there too.

I also finished my "Pennies From Heaven" journal.  I'll post pictures more on that later. I am going to use it for my gratitude journal this year.  This is a journal class that is taught by Debby Schuh over at the Memory Bee blog?  You can read what the Pennies from Heaven journal means to her over at the Memory Bee  <---- click and where it originated.  Just love that.

Always love a new gratitude journal and fresh new beginnings that the New Year brings~~

Shoot for the Moon You Might Just Land Among the Stars~~~

As you might be aware... my word for the year is "FIT" So far so good. On NYs weekend the girls and I decided to make vision boards (also called Treasure Maps, Visual Explorer or Creativity Collages?) in place of making "resolutions".  We all know that resolutions fall by the wayside and never get kept anywayzzzzzzzzz. It was a lot of fun, easy and we hope it to be inspirational in the coming year.  You will notice on mine that I used the word "FIT" quite a few times as a reminder of what my focus should be on this year.

The idea is to surround yourself with images of who you want to become (me, fit), what you want to have, where you want to live or vacation etc.  It can be approached with knowing what you already want, a theme or opening and allowing.  I think we approached it with a combination of those ideas but more so just opening and allowing.  A lot of times I used pictures that had the "feel" of what I would like to become, do or have.

So with clear hearts and minds, some yummo hot holiday drinks and inspirational music we approached it with just a few thoughts in mind. Focusing on:

1. Ask yourself...what do you really really really want? (yes, more of that please)
2. Don't worry about the "why or how"

We went through magazines and images that we had saved over the years and tried to tear out those images that brought great joy and delighted us.  Like I said not worrying about the why or how.  Just smiles and having fun.  Open to whatever spoke to us.  Ohmmmmm. Breathe. ,)

Ok that's a little hippy-dippy

I had been unknowingly gathering photos for this purpose because I had been working on an "Illustrated Discovery Journal" <----click for the past couple of years. Which is still in progress not done. But I was able to grab some pictures already cut out from magazines for this journal to use on my vision board. As a result my vision board came together quickly. 

As I go through the year I will keep in mind what is it telling me about me?  The answers will unfold and we hope that our vision boards will be powerful guides for us as we go through the year.

My vision board is propped up on my dresser where I can see it daily. 

On top of dresser (my daughter added the candle to wake me up one morning) She's such a little spa-fairy

 

In addition, I took a picture of it and have "set it" as my computer desktop both at home and work (this is pretty cool) having it ever present in front of me.

As I added images I found it cool that the pictures all found their "place" on the board fitting just right in most cases.  As my board developed I noticed sections forming.  Predominantly... health, fitness, home, financial freedom, inspiration, faith and R&R.

I also used a lot of favorite sayings as reminders.  Some of my favorites... "You will never find time for anything you must make time", The picture of the eagle with the word "intention",  Set your goals high and don't stop until you get there, the word "gratitude" / "faith"...  The words "effortless" and "deliberateness" found themselves on top of each other (see the upper left corner) when put together effortless deliberateness.  That sounds really powerful to me to go forward in a deliberate manner yet make it effortless.  There's another reference again on my board to my path being straightened??

Must be kind of crooky overhere in prissyland.

My daughter also said that answering this question... (in reference to your one word) Does this choice (fill in the blank) agree with my word for the year?  So I added that sentence to my board in the "FIT" section of the board as a reminder to ask myself that when I go forward in my day or when I get ready to eat that cookie or say no to exercise.  Get it?  Let me see does eating this cookie agree with my word for the year?  um.... NO... um that depends.  Ok come back to me.  I also added the words delight and fun because I need to have more of that.  I don't really know how to have fun in an exciting sort of way so I guiltily made myself into add those words. 

IRONICALLY while I had pictures cut out sitting on the table in a stack of other pictures all ready... my dream "crafty space" somehow didn't make it on the board so I intend to make a second board to fit the pictures that inadvertently were missed (there were a couple of other ones too).  EEK.

Vision board 2011

Don't laugh....

ok so this is the longest post EVER.... whew! I tarred, I gotta go get a cookie

~out

Fanny's Heirloom Apple Bars

  Should Old Acquaintance be forgot,

and never thought upon;

The flames of Love extinguished,
and fully past and gone:
Is thy sweet Heart now grown so cold,
that loving Breast of thine;
That thou canst never once reflect
on Old long syne.

These will be but a memory...

My Heart is ravisht with delight,
when thee I think upon;
All Grief and Sorrow takes the flight,
and speedily is gone;
The bright resemblance of thy Face,
so fills this, Heart of mine;
That Force nor Fate can me displease,
for Old long syne.

Since thoughts of thee doth banish grief,
when from thee I am gone;
will not thy presence yield relief,
to this sad Heart of mine:

Say goodbye to old friends...

Why doth thy presence defeat me,
Say hello to my new friend... (forever)

 with excellence divine?
Especially when I reflect

For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne. 

 

Perhaps the title of this post should have been, again... don't ever ever ever try this at home children.... EVER!!  I jest but srsly this will probably be the last recipe I share that doesn't contain carrots.  So good-bye old friend hello new friend =C.  This recipe is another from my heirloom collection of recipes I have from my Grandmother Fanny (R.I.P.)  She was an awesome cook.  This was a family reunion or potluck favorite.  Enjoy!

Fanny's Heirloom Apple Bars

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 cup butter
4 beaten egg yolks
4 medium apples, pared, cored, sliced (4 cups)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 slightly beaten egg white

Combine the 4 cups of flour, the 1 cup of sugar, the baking powder and salt; cut in butter or margarine till crumbs are the size of peas.  Stir in egg yolks.  Divide mixture in half.  Press one half over the bottom of a cookie sheet size baking pan.  Combine apples, the remaining sugar and the flour, and the cinnamon;  arrange over bottom crust.  Crumble remaining dough over apples.  Brush egg white over all.  Bake @350 over for 40 min.  Cool drizzle with powder sugar icing, if desired.  Cut into bars.  Makes 4 dozen.

M!issPr!ssy

To insure good health...

...eat lightly, breathe deeply, live moderately, cultivate cheerfulness and maintain an interest in life. ~William Londen

This Year I Hope To...

January 02, 2011

1. Get fit, stay fit
2. Keep a gratitude journal daily
3. Write a" that would be fun to-do" aka bucket list
4. Read more
5. Start a God Box <----click
6. Be present
7. Finish this list  <----click
8. .....

I started drafting posts daily after the 1st of the year and I SWEAR there are several still in the queue.  So I've decided to finish writing and get them posted.  There are a couple items of note.  I've been doing some housekeeping on my blog.  Lately I've been changing the "look" with the season.  It's a bit cumbersome and time-consuming but I thought it would be really fun.  So come on over and take a peak.  Right now I just have a pink florally-theme going on.  I was trying to do something with a Valentine theme but that didn't work out.

Also, I've added some tabs.

One is called "FIT" <----click and this is going to be an area where I record my progress for the year.  To help me stay focused on my one-word for the year a sort of one-stop shop to record my stats. My intention is to make it a daily journal BUT I have to back fill already.  Stay tuned for that because I have a lot of stuff I want to share. 

The next new tab is called P.A.D. <----click I've seen others participate in this and have always wanted to give it a try.  This is where you take a Picture-a-Day (hence the PAD part).  So far so good I have all of my pictures loaded here and am current with this project.  YAY.

A couple of others things that I really really like on my blog.  In the right sidebar ----> I have an area of all of my shared "links" <----click.  It's really worth checking out sometime.  Its blog articles I've favorite'd and shared from all of the blogs that I read through Google Reader.  While I am web-surfing if I see an inspirational idea, a color combo, a great sketch or even some decorating and fashion ideas... I will click on the "share" function and it populates in the right sidebar of my blog.  That way if I want to go back and revisit the article I was reading I can do so quickly.  It also gives a good feel of what me likey's if anybody's interested.

Well that's all for now folks.  All text post today.

Word

EDITED TO ADD:   bumping up

Original Post Date:  Saturday, January 01, 2011
I've had several words in contention for the "One Little Word" for this year.  As I thought about which one to choose, I chose the one that caught my attention.  I decided that this MUST be the word.

First, here's a peek at some of the contenders...

• Light (Remembering God's light in my life, seeing the light, becoming lighter ,))
• Faith (Always good to stay focused "In God We Trust")
• Grace (God's Grace is ever present)
• Present (Live in the moment, yesterday is gone and we aren't promised tomorrow)
• Abundance
• Joy (goes with fun, and happiness)
• Fun (goes with joy and happiness, try and have more)
• Happiness (goes with joy and fun)
• Fit (the Winner)
• Energetic (kind of goes with fit)

Last year my word was "Encourage".  I settled on that word because I felt it was a year that a lot of people could use more encouragement including myself.

For several years in a row before that I repeated the word "Simplify" because I felt that I just hadn't master it.  I wanted to purged belongings and have a streamlined environment and at the end of each year I felt like I STILL had too much stuff.  So I rolled it over yearly until I felt that I had simplified things enough.  Although I am still not "there" 100%, it's a continuous improvement process and I can always simplify things more.  I feel like I made good enough progress to retire that word, for now (it was a favorite I can always bring it back).  Plus, I just thought a new word would be fun for a change. 


My word for 2011 is.... drum rolls.... FIT! I had several words in contention but kept coming back to this one so I finally decided upon this word.  FIT.  DO-BE-HAVE.

fit - adjective, fit·ter, fit·test, verb, fit·ted or fit, fit·ting, noun –adjective
Fit - 1.  in good physical condition; in good health

There is such a huge connection between happiness and good health. I don't take enough time to build a foundation of good health. Good health can be the launching pad for great things.  It is hard to stay on track and consistent with my goals (of any kind) when my body isn't up to the challenge. It is extremely important to make sure my body stays (in my case "gets") in great condition if I want to build greater happiness in my life. 

I will live with it, invite it into my life.  Let it speak to me and also follow its lead.  I will identify the major characteristics of its qualities.  I will focus on the qualities I would like to become.  I will use it as my lens to see the changes I need to make as well as determine whether or not change is actually happening.

Staying focused on my word will give me direction.  Besides FIT covers a couple of the other contenders too.  If I get FIT I will be lighter, have more joy, it could be fun which will bring greater sense of well-being and happiness and we all know with fitness comes more energy.  So it's a good word.  Here's to your (and my) health in 2011.

It is health that is the real wealth, not pieces of gold and silver.  ~Gandhi