After Christmas Sew Along 2014

I am participating in SewMuch2Luv's After Christmas Sew Along again this year.

Here is what I've finished so far this week!

Red Santa cross stitch by Birds of Feather...I've already stitched the Black Santa and will move onto the next one soon.
 

 
I love this set of Santa's and can't wait to finish them all.

I also, have another project I'll take a picture of tonight!

You can see all the participants posts on the Flickr group here.

2014 Off with a Bang

Not really, but I thought I'd exaggerate.  It's now Jan 5 and I have been off work since Dec 20.  What an incredible break!  I did work some as need to solve issues, answer questions and help people out, but not being in the office for that long was nice.  Until about 4 days ago, when I started to miss my routine and started to get sick of house work and cooking.  My poor hubs has only had 4 days off since the weekend before Christmas and really appreciates a home cooked meal when he gets to be home.  Oh the wife of a lineman, it's a work of joy and love.

What have I been doing with all this time off you ask? Ok you probably didn't, but oh well, I digress.

I have sewed and finished up projects and rested and cooked and baked and visited with family and decorated and undecorated and brunched - oh my.

Here are a few of my projects.

Yoga Mat Tote



Quilt Squares from a panel I'm in love with




Stitching


One nightmare of a square


Some items I picked up at the local stitching shop

In celebration of 33 Days until Christmas

I give you this - me and my favorite crafty chicas.

50 Days Until Christmas!

It's that time of year where I start to get all sweaty palmed, anxious, nervous and at times nauseated! Yes, all for Christmas! BECAUSE I STILL HAVE SO MUCH TO DOOOOOO.

Some things I'm doing in the background.

A little table runner for autumn...went together quickly with one charm pack.


A little wall hanging kit I'm finally stitching together.

Whole Life Challenge

Ever since Sept 5th I've been participating in the Whole Life Challenge.  It's a form of lifestyle change challenge where you sign up to eat clean, be active and track each day.   Mostly, I've done ok.  Missed some workout from a back injury, but I've been able to do small modified workouts at home that count - For example - 3 rounds of 25 squats, 25 push ups, 1 minute planks, 10 lunges.  The goal is a minimum of 10 minutes workout and 10 minutes stretches or mobility.  The stretching is easy for me - I stretch my hamstrings when I blow dry my hair upside down each morning, then at lunch when I'm in the break room microwaving my lunch 2-3 minutes I stretch.  One day someone will catch me in downward dog in front of the microwave...sigh.  Then in the evenings, I spend some time with the foam roller working on my back.  There are 3 levels to the challenge, and I went for the intermediate since I had already gone gluten free. 

Anyway, below is my recipe for Roast Lemon Chicken that I pretty much devoured last night.  It is within my intermediate level of the challenge.

 

 

1 Whole Chicken (4-6 lbs)

zest of one lemon - reserve lemon for stuffing in cavity - cut in half

1 Tablespoon fresh thyme

1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary

3 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1 teaspoon salt + 1 teaspoon more for topping
1/2 rough chopped onion

4 T. cubed butter

1 C. chicken stock

1 c. white wine

1/4 c. olive oil

I used a mortal and pestle to grind up Zest, thyme, rosemary, garlic and 1 t. salt & pepper until it reaches a paste consistency.

Rinse chicken in water and pat dry with paper towels.

Drizzle olive oil all over chicken.and then rub in the paste all over the chicken.  Reserve a about 1/2 teaspoon of the paste for the cavity.

Put the chicken in a roaster/dutch over on a rack breast up.

Into the cavity stuff the lemon used for zesting (cut in half) - I put one half in first, with two tablespoons butter cubed up, then a little of the paste, then chopped onion, then 2 more tablespoons cubed butter and close with the remaining lemon half.

In the pan pour in chicken stock and white wine - if you have it.

Sprinkle chicken breast side up with remaining salt - I use a french sea salt, but your preferred salt is fine.

Put into a 425 degree oven for 30 minutes.  Then reduce oven to 375 for 1 hour.

Check internal temp at breast or thigh to be 160.  once 160 is done, remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Note - I also baste it with the pan juices two or four or five times during cooking...

Summer Fun

My blog life seems to have been escaping me lately.  I think about it but then look something shiny and off I go.  We've had a busy and fun summer for the most part.  Big block party for fourth of July, ZZ Top Concert, Andrea Boccelli concert, vacations here and there, family visits, the hubs quitting smoking. So it's been fun.

Here are some random pictures from the last few months - sadly, very little crafting has taken place.

Motorcycle trip to Colorado


all that white stuff was snow...burrr


Flat Track Motorcycle Races at the OC Fair


9/11 Memorial and Freedom Towers


ZZ Top


View from my brother's sailboat over on Catalina Island where we sailed and scuba dived.


More Catalina


Spent a few days as guests at the Rocky Mountain Oysters Annual Shoot.


And a little time out at the Annual Swerve N Curve Scooter Rally with the South Bay Scooter Club



No in any particular order - just random summer fun.  See you in craft land soon now that fall is approaching.

Airport Stitching

I travel for work.  I found i had all

This time sitting in airports and on planes to do something.  I don't sleep well on planes so i would get bored.  So now I stitch, either needlepoint, hexies or redwork - all very travel friendly.

Here is a sneak peak at something I am working on for a Christmas in July swap. Sorry I am mobile so I can't

post the link to the swap.