DeAnna Imbro

It’s never too early to start your holiday shopping!!

2011-11-04T01:48:00.001-04:00

Visit my shop for some great gift ideas!

My New York Bagel Project

2011-04-21T23:01:00.002-04:00

Today, I decided to make home made bagels. I searched for a recipe, found a great one that unbelievably, was quite easy, and off I went! I am just amazed at the end product. I have never in my life had a fresh bagel, straight out of the oven with a nice crispy crust and soft warm center. They were by far the most delicious bagel I ever ate. I made two versions, plain and Cinnamon Raisin. Here's my version of the recipe that you can find here by John D. Lee:

4 Cups Bread Flour

1 Tbs sugar

1.5 Tsp salt

1 Tbs Vegtable Oil

2 Tsp. instant yeast

1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups of warm water

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. You don't have to soak the yeast, just throw it in with the other ingredients. Mix until all the flour is incorporated. I used all of the water and it came out fine. The dough should be stiff, and you should be able to incorporate all of the flour.

Plop the dough onto your counter and knead for about 10 minutes or until the dough is uniform and smooth. Or you can be lazy like me and put it your good ole' hunkin' Kitchenaid mixer and let it do all the work for ya!

After you finish mixing and kneading, this is what you will have. You don't need any flour to roll it out, it doesn't stick to your work surface.

Cut your dough into 8 equal pieces. (I only made 6 pieces for my plain bagels and they were huge!) Let the pieces rest for 20 minutes. You can cover them to avoid a "crust"

Pre heat your oven to 425 degrees Farenheit

After the 20 minutes, roll each piece out long enough to wrap around your hand, like the picture below.

Wrap it around your hand and gently squeeze the seam. Now you just put your hand (palm down) onto your work surface and roll the ends together.

Yep, press and roll and it will seal itself up.

This is what they look like after rolling. Now you have to let these rest for 20 minutes or so. They won't look much different when finished resting. They will get a bit puffier, but not much.

Put on a pot of water and bring it to a boil while they rest.

I covered mine up while they rested....

. See...they look slightly puffier but not much after resting.

Now you gently drop them into boiling water for 1 minute, flip over for 1 minute, remove from the water and put them aside to dry for a minute. As soon as they are all boiled, place them on a cookie sheet or pizza stone (I used a stone) coated with corn meal. Put them in your preheated oven for 10 minutes, turn the sheets around so they bake evenly and bake for an additional 10 minutes, and you get these....

Tips: I read that if you put 1-2 tsp baking soda in your boiling water that it gives your bagels a great golden "crust" . I did this for both batches and will continue doing this. When you take the bagels out, they feel almost too crusty, but after you wait 20 minutes or so....they soften up a bit and are perfect. I know, I know, wait 20 minutes you say!!!??? It's worth the wait!

I tell you, it seems like a long process, but it is really not. It took me about an hour, start to finish.

You'll never buy bagels again for your Sunday brunch!

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Cinnamon Raisin - I added 1/4 c. of sugar, 2-3 Tsp cinnamon, and two small boxes of raisins (probably about 3/4 cup). I added all of these ingredients in the beginning with the flour, etc.

Got Some Good Press Today!

2011-03-02T11:49:00.000-05:00

My camera straps from my shop were featured on NeatoStuff.com today!! Great site with great gift giving ideas for everyone! I am so proud of my work and accomplishments, I just thought I would share with you!

My new Dymo 456 Turbo !!!

2010-11-04T02:07:00.000-04:00

I finally took the plunge and bought a brand new Dymo 450 Turbo! Yes, it works with Paypal shipping, it prints fast and beautifully. The labels are smaller than the 4X6 labels of my Zebra LP2844, but fit better on my envelopes, and work just as well. I've shipped many packages with my "new" labels and there's no problem with the size whatsoever....So to all of you sellers looking for a way to eliminate the cut, trim, tape and ship fiasco...try the dymo. The cost was about $100.00 with free shipping and it was worth every penny! I got mine here. I took some pictures of the unit so you could see the size, which by the way is very much smaller thatn my zebra was. Pics of the labels printed and applied to my envelopes show you what they look like ready to go! If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment.

TIME TO MAKE THE SALSA!!

2010-09-28T13:08:00.005-04:00

It's that time of year when the tomatoes are jumping off the vine, ripe and red! Since I was a kid, I watched my dad in the garden, planting, pruning, making things grow. And as always, the first tomato that was big and ripe....we'd slice into it, slap it on some soft white bread with mayo and enjoy the first tomato sandwich of the season! Oh the memories of me and my dad. Sometimes I wished I had payed attention to what he was doing, but I think he's watching me from above, tending to my tomato garden, because this year is a stellar crop!! So...off to the canning process I go. To this I give credit to my mom. I always thought she was crazy for doing all of that work, but let me tell you, the taste of fresh tomato sauce in February is not to be compared to anything you can buy...anywhere! So mom and dad, I tip my gardening gloves to you for all that you did in your lives to enrich mine.

Step One...make your favorite salsa recipe. I use a general recipe, you can always add more hot peppers, etc. when you pop that jar open down the road..

Prepare your jars, your canning bath, and you're ready!

Fill your jars, clean off the tops, close em' up and get ready to add to the water bath.

Careful here...don't let the jars touch! When they crack in the water bath..ughhhh, what a mess!

Put em' in your boiling water bath for 45 minutes and....

Salsa for the Winter!!!

NOW ONTO THE TOMATOES WITH BASIL AND GARLIC.........

GOT VEGGIES???? CAN EM'... KEEP EM'... EAT EM'!!!!

HOME SWEET HOME

2010-08-07T00:34:00.001-04:00

So after the primping, after the years of landscaping, after the new fence, the weeping cherry tree for mother's day and after spending the entire weekend weeding the lillies near the fence...I love my house! Yeah, my neighbors ask me what I do to keep my lawn so green. Answer: I pick up the phone and call Turfmasters! I can't do everything, you know! Anyway, sitting in my rocker drinking sweet tea on a hot summer afternoon enjoying the view is worth every ache and pain of owning our home in New England.

New iPad Covers!

2010-04-07T11:52:00.001-04:00

I've been asked for these, now they are here!! A snug little jacket for your new iPad. Meant to protect your electronic toys from getting scratched while they're in your bag, backpack, or just laying around. Not just a sleeve, but this features a flap closure to prevent that backpack "litter" from creeping into your pouch. These sleeves feature an inner core of foam, covered with a soft fleece surface. They have no snaps, zippers, hooks or even velcro. Completly metal free....great for airport security. They are fun, funky and a great way to protect you gagetry! Check them out in my shop. A great accessory at a great price!

The Perfect Brownie Pan Part 3 - Cornbread

2010-02-09T22:12:00.001-05:00

Experiment #3 in my Perfect Brownie Pan

I have read tons of review of this pan, and quite a few people complain that it leaked all over their oven. So....I tried cornbread. A batter that is quite loose going into the pan. As you can see, out of the oven, they are just fine. No leaks, nothing in the oven. Now the removal of the seperator may be quite tricky, as I was almost out of pam, so I'm not hopeful for a clean break....here goes......

As you can see, the seperator came out just fine, with only a light spray of pan on it. You can see some crumbs attached to it, but nothing that made it hard to remove or clean. I'll let them cool just a bit and see how they come apart.

No problems here...came apart beautifully...now for the special part......

WARM HONEY BUTTER GLAZE....YUUUUMMMMMMM

I have determined that this pan does exactly what the infomercial says it does. It bakes perfect little squares of all types of goodies perfectly. I do shorten my recipes by 5 minutes or so to allow for all of the metal surrounding your individual pieces.

VERDICT: A Keeper. Works well, cleans up like a charm.

The Perfect Brownie Pan Part 2 - Raspberry bars

2010-02-09T21:31:00.003-05:00

Raspberry bars ready for the seperator and oven.......

just out of the oven...looking quite gooey. I hope my "perfect" pan works on this gooey mess!

ok, I couldn't wait...I just love these bars. I usually burn my mouth because I just can't wait to have one. The corner came out really easy..not so sure about the middle ones...I just have to wait a while for the gooey raspberry filling to cool..................

Here's the verdict. They were easy to pull apart, and didn't stick to the seperator. My perfect brownie pan is now my perfect raspberry bar pan. The seperator didn't go all the way through the bottom of the oat mixture, well, just because it's an oat mixture and not batter. They still broke apart quite easily! Had to wipe the pan and seperator lightly with a sponge, but still no problem with cleaning. I can't figure out how the people that hate this pan had such a hard time!

The Perfect Brownie Pan

2010-02-09T15:46:00.001-05:00

I decided to purhase one of the Perfect Brownie Pans just as a try it out experiment. I was quite skeptical, because many people on line said it was worthless. Well, never one to take the work of other cooks, I decided to try it myself. Ok, love, love, love this pan. I don't know what the people did wrong that said everything stuck to the pan and insert, couldn't get the thing out, the brownies were like rocks, the batter leaked out of the pan...they must not know how to cook or something. I used my own recipe, sprayed the pan and insert with pam. I did shorten the baking time by 5-6 minutes. It stands to reason that if each brownie is surrounded by metal, they will cook faster! Anyway, they came out great, and clean up?? Easy as eating the brownies. Here's my picture gallery of my perfect brownie pan experience. Next.....perfect raspberry bars!

Just out of the oven. My kit came with this stand that you place your brownie pan onto and the sides drop away, leaving the bottom and insert. Let the brownies cool just a bit and remove the insert.

See how easy the insert comes out? And pleasseeeeee....look at how clean it is. A quick rinse and it's ready for the next batch!

Now, seperate your little morsels and enjoy! Again, please take a look at how clean the pan bottom is. Virtually nothing to clean. You could just wipe it down with a damp cloth if you want.

My conclusion...it's a great pan, I'll probably get another. The price is kind of steep at $19.99, but worth it if you make lots of bars for taking places.

Yankees Ticker Tape Parade

2010-02-01T12:04:00.007-05:00

Since I have neglected my blog for months now, I thought I would update it with a few pictures from the Yankee Ticker Tape Parade we attended. The last time we had the opportunity to go was.......well, too long ago, but we haven't missed one yet! Enjoy the pictures, we had a blast!

CC Sabathia and Texiera having as much fun as the fans. See the roll of toilet paper in Tex's hand? He threw it right at my daughter! Totally surprised her! Yes, we have the toilet paper in case you are wondering!

Enter the sandman....yep, who else but Mariano Rivera!! We were up front and close to everyone. Of course, that meant leaving our house at like 4:00 am! Worth every lost minute of sleep though. We got there so early, we were able to sneak onto the floats and get some pictures on them...shhhh don't tell anyone! I'll post those soon.

I Love Christmas in Connecticut

2010-01-26T01:32:00.002-05:00

I love my house at Christmas time....or any time! There's nothing better than a white Christmas, complete with family, friends and home cooking!

2009-11-23T11:11:00.006-05:00

This is a photo bag I made for my neice, with a beautiful picture of her daughter on it. It came out so fabulous, I just had to share! What a nice gift to give someone! I sent it to her as a surprise, and she loves it! I had done one for myself with an old photo of my mom and dad in front of their 1957 Christmas tree, and I got tons of compliments on it. Who doesn't want a bag like this? Just visit my etsy shop at Howard Avenue and order one of your own! Great to give a bridal party, grandparent, teacher, mom....any photo will do...friends, pets, scenery, a special photo. The possibilities are endless!

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Also in my shop...custom camera straps for all of us photographers. Dress up you favorite accessory...your camera! Snap away in style!

Visit Howard Avenue for all of your accessories!!

2009-10-24T21:49:00.004-04:00

Congratulations AMY of

You have won a custom camera strap from my shop on ETSY!! Thank you to all of you that entered. More contests coming soon, stay tuned!

Cold & Rainy = French Onion Soup!

2009-10-18T18:50:00.001-04:00

was cold, it is gloomy, it's raining/snowing here. Just a crappy day in general. Nothing on t.v., don't want to sleep the day away, so........French Onion Soup! It was just right, just the perfect evening treat! My own recipe, my own garlic croutons, my own picture. I tell you, if I didn't sew for a living, I'd cook!

New Camera Straps in my shop!

2009-09-30T01:36:00.003-04:00

I've been thinking about my camera strap and how many people comment on it, so I decided to make some for my shop. Not $30.00, not $20.00 but $18.00 and free shippng! Check em out, let me know what you think.

CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT!!

LEAVE A COMMENT AND WIN A FREE CAMERA STRAP! WINNER WILL BE PICKED ON OCTOBER 15, 2009. Good luck everyone~~

French Breakfast Muffins

2009-09-28T12:11:00.005-04:00

I have been looking for this recipe since I accidentally donated my cookbook that contained this delicacy to a second hand shop . Since that fateful moment of delerium, I have been trying to duplicate what I remembered. Then......"Tastefully Simple" came out with their version of blasted thing in a boxed mix. Hmph...I can do this...and do it I have. With research and patience, I have finally succeeded. Here is my French Muffin recipe:

1/2 c. white sugar
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1.5 cups of all purpose flour1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup shortning (crisco)

Topping:

1/4 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray muffin pan with non stick spray or lightly grease them with solid shortning. In a medium bowl, mix first five ingredients. In another large bowl, mix together egg, milk and 1/3 shortning. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir till just moistened. (Batter may be lumpy) Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

Bake in a pre-heated oven for 20 minutes or till done to the touch. They will not necessarily be browned. Do not over beat them, and do not overcook them!

While your muffins are cooking, mix together the cinnamon and sugar in a medium bowl.

When muffins are done, while they are still hot, dip the entire muffin into the butter, then roll into sugar mixture....I know, not healthy, but you can go to the gym tomorrow!

They can be eaten warm, not so warm, or frozen in an airtight container for later ...

(like they're gonna last that long!)

Enjoy!!

September Apron Tutorial - Jeans Apron

2009-09-24T19:39:00.004-04:00

I came across this crazy cute apron tutorial from my bird house....Easy to do, fun to embilish, and a great project for beginning sewers!

Go see for yourself!

My Byrd House: September Apron Tutorial

Camera Straps! Laptop Cases!

2009-09-24T11:02:00.008-04:00

I've been wanting to do these for a while, and finally got around to it. I'm still tweeking the look and function, but it's pretty much a done deal for the Etsy Shop real soon. I'm working hard to put together some neat fabric choices, and quick release options for the straps. Keep your eyes open for some more cool stuff at http://www.howardavenue.org/

Locks of Love - And Lots of Love

2009-09-23T10:55:00.006-04:00

This is my son.....and his hair. Please know that it took him years to grow it out, then he cut it off, then it took him some more years to grow it out again.....and now he is cutting it off again. This time, we put it in a bunch of ponytails all over his head so we could get all of the length to send it away. It ended up being almost 17 inches long! I loved his long locks, but I love that he is doing something special with them, and someone else will get to love them now. ....He has a heart of gold, and....some pretty nice teeth! Happy Tuesday, everyone!

This is Bry, the love of his life....way more important than his hair!

This is a pic of the ponytail adventure. Lots and lots of ponytails, lots and lots of love......

Just clowning around with the clipped hair. Doesn't he look just fabulous?

Here it is, ready to mail away!

The result...still the same inside, just a little more "light headed"
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He got a beautiful post card from the Locks of Love foundation thanking him for his generous donation. It was a wonderful feeling, knowing that his hair will be used to uplift the spirit of someone going through what could be the hardest moments of their life. God bless all that donate to such great causes.

The Durham Fair 2009

2009-09-22T22:25:00.002-04:00

Here is my star sewing pupil entering her outfit into the Durham Fair for judging. It is a complete ensemble. Skirt, shirt and jacket complete with zipper, grommets and tulle lining. Wish her luck!

My Craigslist bargain of the year....

2009-09-22T21:32:00.004-04:00

I was just surfing the web, went to craigslist and typed in Janome. Bingo!! This gem came up, I went and picked it up, not believing that it was legit. It runs like a kitten purring, and is just wonderful. The kids in my sewing program are going to love it! oh....and it was only $10.00!!!

Holy Name Cadets 2009 Snippet...

2009-07-09T21:54:00.005-04:00

A video of the Cadets (Holy Name Cadets) at spring training 2009. Just a peek though.....

The Holy Name Cadets

2009-07-09T20:40:00.006-04:00

I have the great pleasure of fitting uniforms for the Holy Name Cadets. I am an alumni member of the corps...we won't say how long ago. It is always a treat to meet the new members, rekindle friendships with the old ones and see what the season holds for all of us. One rainy week in June, my friend Caren and I took off for the hills of Pennsylvania to take on the fittings of the 2009 Cadets. For this 75th anniversary year, they have taken the original corps name back and along with that, the uniforms will bear the Holy Name Cadets patches. Yep, all 150 or so of them, and it's my job to put them on. Well, many, many jackets later, with a wrist cramp that is almost unbearable, I'm done, and here they are:

Anyone that knows this corps, knows the history that surrounds it. It always humbles me to see just how honored the members are to wear that history and be a part of something that is respected throughout the drum corps world. Good luck Holy Name, we'll see you down the road!

OUR NEW CLUB!

2009-04-29T21:58:00.005-04:00

We've been waiting a couple of years for the new Boys & Girls club to open, so here's a video of pics for you! Please pause the sound on my music player to the right so you can hear the music in the video!

MY OH MY OH MAYA!!

2009-04-03T12:10:00.008-04:00

So off we go to Trenton to see the elite 8 showdown between UConn and Arizona State. What a game! Here's a few pics of the action:

Unconditional Love......

2009-03-11T22:05:00.002-04:00

My son, his girlfriend, and her daughter sharing smiles, eyes full of happiness and a special moment for the camera. I am around many, many young people in my world, and although I do admit being a bit smitten with my own children, I admire this young lady and the incredible job she is doing of raising her daughter, going to college, adapting to the everyday challenges of being a young, single parent. Just look at their faces....these are smiles of contentment and unconditional love. I count my blessings every day that my children take time to appreciate the people that have helped them along the way and take time to be a special part of their lives. Take a moment and tell someone how much they mean to you, how much you love having them in your life. Life could always be better, but right now, in this picture.......life is great!

Synchronized Skating Costumes

2009-03-11T11:36:00.009-04:00

I've been busy this season, designing and making synchronized skating and dance costumes. Here are some of my snychro dresses in action:

MY INAUGURATION EXPERIENCE - LIVE!

2009-01-23T00:36:00.005-05:00

Ok, my sewing expertise has taken me many places, but this by far was the coolest. Because of my association with The Cadets Drum & Bugle Corps, I was able to attend the Inauguration Ceremonies and parade this past Tuesday. Our day started at 2:30 am for the trip from southern NJ into Washington. Arrival at 4:30 am in Kennedy Stadium was eventful to say the least. Thousands of buses full of excited people emptied into the parking lots, waiting for shuttles to take us into the city. Most of the city mass transit wasn't available because the walking traffic took over the streets as expected. The grid of Washington was changed to accommodate millions of people attending on foot, and walking was what we did for sure. Miles and miles. We entered the Washington Mall quite early, to see that thousands were already there at 5 a.m. Our eventual destination was the parade route, so onward we went. There were giant screens all over the city so you could view the events live. We located the security check points we would have to pass through to get to the parade route, got in line and was quickly told that the line "started down there". I looked in that direction, and didn't move. There were tens of thousands of people all over the place....what line I thought. We stayed where we were, passed through Secret Service Security, and found our place on the parade route at about 10 a.m. We waited in the coldest, windiest conditions I have ever experienced. I ski. In blizzards. On great big mountains full of snow. This didn't compare. Every part of my body shook. My nose ran like water. I couldn't even answer my phone because my hands wouldn't move. My kneecaps clattered. The only way to make my body stop shaking was to tense up, and over 6 hours of this, my entire body hurt. Finally the parade started and it was everything I expected. Police lined up by the thousands, Marines lining the parade route, crazy cool snipers on the building tops high above us, people of every race, religion, color and age waiting to view their image of hope for the future pass by. I, however, just waited for my Cadets. I am still on the fence about politics, and all of the ongoings of Washington, but the sheer number of people attending was quite impressive. As each unit of performers, military units, politicians, and floats passed by it got colder and colder, yet we stayed. Finally The Cadets passed, in beautiful fashion. A group of under 21 youth gathered from all over the world for this historical event. I was choked up with pride. They sacrificed so much to be here. The wait was worth it. Would I do it again? Yep, in a heartbeat........but I would definately wear more layers.

The Cadets and the uniforms that I'm in charge of making look fantastic........

Decorating Frenzy!

2008-12-21T00:53:00.006-05:00

I decided to put my reindeer out while the beautiful snow was falling. Well, the reindeer led to the box of garland for the windows, then I found the tree that was never even opened, then the gingerbread men...oh and the extra green stuff I threw around the lamppost. Then the search began for the spotlight, extension cords, bows and Voila!! I'm so glad I did it! We usually have wreaths on the top and middle porches, but nope, I'm not goin up there! I had a blast in the snow, it was beautiful out, and now my house is ready for Santa! I'm off to bake some cookies!

THE INAUGARATION - AND I'M INVOLVED!!

2008-12-12T10:36:00.004-05:00

The Cadets Drum & Bugle Corps

9 Time World Champions

These uniforms, for which I am in charge, will be on this spectacular Drum & Bugle Corps in the Inaugaration Parade! I am off this weekend to begin the process of altering, fitting and measuring for new uniforms in the Philadelphia area so they look great for the parade! I am so proud to be a part of something so historical....me...who ever figured?!

CT Etsy Team Holiday Spectacular - DON'T MISS IT!

2008-11-30T12:40:00.001-05:00

YIPEEEE!! I MADE THE ETSY FRONT PAGE!

2008-11-02T10:24:00.007-05:00

Here it is! My item is the auto litter bag...

AND....My skating dresses have been published!! Here's the Shimmers Synchronized Skating team, with MY dresses on!! Can you say excited??!! They are the ones on the left with the fuschia plaid skirts...

HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR - BUY HANDMADE!!

2008-10-26T11:55:00.005-04:00

I am participating in a Holiday Spectacular in North Haven, CT on December 6th. It is featuring lots of crafters from the CT area, and is sponsored by Team CT of ETSY. Get there any way you can and buy handmaded for the holidays!!

Here's a link to the mini-mall of some of the featured artists:

http://www.mclainjewelry.com/minimall.htm

POWDERPUFF PEOPLE!!!

2008-10-14T22:03:00.002-04:00

It's that time of year again....craft fair season! I've got to get ready for a couple of fairs and I think I'll be making some of these cuties. Perfect for your coat, a hat, purse, or a fridge magnet. Aren't they just the sweetest things??

Smiles and my Photoshop Course!!

2008-10-11T22:06:00.003-04:00

I'm taking a class in photoshop, and decided to play a little. I just love the technique of color selection, so I decided to try it on my own, as our class is no where near this yet. How'd I do?

This photo, taken outside Yankee Stadium is of my beautiful daughter, enjoying the labors of the "iceman" that makes the most awesome shaved ice out of a huge block in a shopping cart. He taught her how to "work" the ice. We are always looking to learn new things, and while most just pay the 5 bucks and enjoy, we love to meet the people, talk and laugh with them, and learn a little something about them. We look forward to seeing the iceman next year, smiling with him and admiring his ability to bring a little sweetness into our lives. Who thought that a block of ice, a young lady, and a hot day would create such smiles? Share a smile with someone today...a stranger...I guarantee they smile back!

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH!!

2008-10-04T19:38:00.000-04:00

I'm so proud to be a part of this Breast Cancer Fundraiser on Etsy. There are a bunch of stores that have decided to donate a portion or all of the proceeds from these items they offer to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Awesome project, what a great bunch of givers! Visit www.etsy.com and look for your special item to celebrate breast cancer awareness month now!!

I MADE IT INTO ANOTHER TREASURY!!

2008-09-25T11:43:00.001-04:00

Can you say excited??!! RunAliceRun has me in her treasury in etsy, and I'm assuming it will eventually be front page worthy. I can hardly contain myself!

My shop is at http://www.howardavenue.org/

Check em out, stay a while on Etsy and see what all the fuss it about! Handmade stuff, exquisite workmanship, and the sellers are fantastic people! Just like you and me, trying to make a small living on the beautiful things we take great pride in creating! Thanks sooooooo much Alice!!

Here's the Auto Litter Bag that is featured in her treasury:

GOOD BYE YANKEE STADIUM!!

2008-09-19T10:47:00.000-04:00

We spent our last day at Yankee Stadium in our season seats. The best fans, the greatest place to enjoy a game, or to just enjoy anything. It awes me to think of the people that have graced the field of Yankee Stadium. Not just baseball players, but rock stars, presidents, international moguls of peace, and yes, the Pope himself. To imagine the pope in the same locker room as Lou Gherig, Mickey Mantle, and Derek Jeter just kind of makes you smile. I wonder if he knew of the legends that came before him. The walls of this place speak, and soon I would imagine they will scream as they tumble down. A bright, shiny new stadium peeks at you from left field, towering above the frieze that claims it's place in history as a Yankee Stadium icon. I wonder if the rookies playing there will have the same sense of history as those that have stepped on this field. I'm sure I'll enjoy the new digs next year, but for this last time, I'll enjoy section 38, row DD, seats 1-4. Good bye Yankee Stadium........

I MADE THE ETSY FRONT PAGE TODAY!!!

2008-09-06T23:42:00.000-04:00

I made the front page of etsy today, thanks to Jealousydesign! I opened my e-mail, only to find that I had several new orders....hhhmm.....something is fishy, but I'm not complaining. I packaged the items up, went to my etsy to check my hearts, and holy moly....there were tons of new hearts. Someome in the forums suggested checking flickr for etsy front pages for today, and there I was!! I am sooooo excited, I can hardly contain myself. I want the whole world to know!!! Hey, I'm having a great week. I just found out that my synchronized skating dresses were featured in a magazine too!! Here's the item that Jealousydesign featured in her treasury that became a front page. Needless to say, the item has been sold, along with a bunch more. Whew! I don't know if I'll sleep tonight!

WHAT A WONDERFUL LIFE

2008-08-30T23:00:00.000-04:00

August 2008....

Here's they are in August 1990....

MY HOW THEY GROW!!

No kidding...we finally got away for our family vacation, and it was wonderful! In these days of jobs, household stuff, managing lives, school and life in general, it is good to take a breather and enjoy one another. Our family chose the NJ shore for our week of family time and we walked, talked, swam in the beautiful ocean, played in the sand, went to the casinos, laughed, reminisced about the past years, past vacations and dreamed of what was to be in our futures. Believe me, it has been a pleasure to raise our kids...we are truly blessed to have such great young adults in our lives. Just us this week...me, hubby, 20 year old son and 22 year old daughter. Go figure, them wanting to spend a vacation with just us. No boyfriends or girlfriends (although they both have long time relationships)...just us. Thank you God, thank you Mom and Dad. My wonderful childhood only enforced the will in me to make my kids as happy as I always was in my childhood. I miss you both. I hope you laughed with us on the roller coasters, I hope you smiled when we spoke of the great and happy times vacationing with you, I hope you are watching...Jess and Joe are truly a gift from God.

Preparation

2008-08-11T20:59:00.000-04:00

I've been watching the Olympics with awe and anticipation. These athletes are so dedicated to their craft, so well trained, so incredibly efficient at their tasks. They are a true pleasure to watch compete, not only against each other, but against themselves. My dilemma....I am trying to prepare for my craft fair this weekend, and I wish I had the dedication and stamina to plug along hour after hour to hone my craft and get it done in time to exhibit it to the world. ( Or my part of it anyway) I"m not doing bad, but I always seem to walk into the living room when something great is happening, sit down, and just spend way too much time there. I have bags, and pillows, and wallets, and burp cloths, and much more to finish. I wonder if I will get it all done. I sense an all-nighter in my near future. UUUggghhhh! I hope I do well, I hope I meet some great people. I hope I don't get sunburned. I hope I can find all my stuff since this is the first fair of my selling year. Well, off I go to sew, sew, sew. I'm doing ok tonight.....but the swimming is coming on...the gymnastics....can't -go-into-the-living-room...no! Till next time!

OUR NEW SEWING STUDIO AT THE CLUB

2008-08-08T03:20:00.000-04:00

Here's a picture of our new digs at the Boy's & Girls Club. I got a couple of grants last year and purchased some new machines, and this year's grants got us the tables. The Club offered me this great space, and we are thrilled!! The kids are sewing up a storm. Pillows, purses, bean bag chairs, headbands, pj pants, robes...and we just got a wonderful donation of fabrics from a nice lady cleaning out her stash. Gotta love people like that. Enjoy the pics.

Just another day,,,

2008-08-08T03:07:00.000-04:00

It seems that I never get to bed before 3:00 am anymore. It's quiet here, everyone is sleeping...the clacking of my keyboard is the only sound. This is the time that I like to reflect on the day, look forward to tomorrow, and get my thoughts around what has to happen in the next 18 hours. Kind of like this:

9:oo am -- teach sewing class - bean bag chairs. (Oh what a mess we'll make filling them)
11:00 am -- back home, fold a mountain of clothes, sew some stuff for a swap I'm involved in.
1:00 pm -- steak & grilled asparagus for lunch....yum!
2:00 pm -- back to the sewing machine...fair items, fair items, fair items......
4:00 pm -- get ready for staff dinner party, mail etsy packages, enjoy the dinner & evening.
10:00pm -- PJ's, make some salsa (from my tomatoes) for picnic on Sat. Check etsy sales...
Get some sleep.

It's not so bad. I love my job teaching kids to sew, I love my business selling things I sew, and in between, I get to spend some great times with my kids and husband.

2008-08-07T08:57:00.001-04:00

Good morning everyone, albeit a groggy one. It's hot, humid and I'm a bit weary. My summer sewing program comes to an end today, and there is much to do!! Victoria has to finish her bean bag chair, many students are just starting pillows, and the excitement and expectations to finish projects is enormous. I'll post back with some finished project pictures from my students later. I'm off to get some coffee and pack the 50 or so gumball machines into the truck for my daughter's craft class today. Have a great one!

2008-08-06T12:05:00.001-04:00

OH, and here's a picture of our season seats....lonley, abused, and worthy of so many more years, but that is not to be. Out with the old, and in with the new stadium bleacher seats. I will miss being here.

Batman strikes!

2008-08-06T11:54:00.000-04:00

Daughter and Dad went off this morning to see the new Batman flick leaving me home to waste my time.....! Not really, pancakes for my other darling child, clean the mess, make beds, fold clothes, shower, sew a few things for my fair, and they'll be home asking what's for lunch. Why, oh why can't they all like tomato sandwiches? Maybe they will fill up on popcorn..one can only hope.

Really, I love to cook, but the fair...ugghhh the fair. Got to sew, got to sew, got to sew. I have to keep telling myself that. No Yankee game for me tonight! Got some great pics at my last game though. Here's one for you to look at:

A little Fresh Air

2008-08-06T00:40:00.000-04:00

It's midnight here in CT, and I'm still working on my blog. I've spent way too much time here, but I'm getting better at it. I did take a break to make some bags for my upcoming fair next weekend, so all it not lost. I'm heading outside, yes, outside at midnight. The air is beautiful, and my flowers need watering.....then off to zzzzzzzzzzzz.

Finally I join the world of bloggers!

2008-08-05T18:57:00.000-04:00

I welcome you all to my newest venture...the blog spot. I am totally new at this, so bear with me. I hope to post at least a few times a month, filling my home here with a small view into my life, my business and my loves. I am starting off with what has got to be the greatest thing to eat in the middle of the summer ever! I went to my garden, totally organic if I may say so myself, and picked the biggest reddest tomato I could find. Nice huh?

My tomatoes are gigantic, red, juicy and if my mom and dad were alive, they would tell me that I only live up north. I'm still a country girl at heart. Now if I had some greens to go with it..mmmmmmm I miss mom, dad and North Carolina.

Now onto some serious stuff (now that my stomach is full). I am a costume designer to the figure skating, dance and theatre world, and most recently wrestlers. I have been designing and selling bags forever now, and dabble in home dec when a really really good friend needs me, as it is not my favorite thing to do. Alterations........um if you need your stuff before next year, take it somewhere else.....that's speaks volumes for the hate of that end of the sewing business. My legal business name is Sew Unique. My place on etsy for bags, and stuff to put into bags is Howard Avenue.

You can find me at any of these domain names:

http://www.howardavenue.org/

http://www.howardavenue.biz/

http://www.howardavenue.etsy.com/

and in October:

http://www.howardavenue.net/

I have to go and figure out how to get a nice layout, banner, and make this place look professional...wish me luck!

DeAnna