Giveaway Roundup

Because I won two giveaways today. Because the weather here is so nice. Because I'm going to have some green olive pizza. Because I love ya. I'm sharing with you some giveaways I've found. Good luck!

Sew, Mama, Sew! is giving away a yard of fabric. No entry deadline was given, but the winner will be announced Monday. 

Paige Hill is giving away some different size charm squares and fat quarter packs. Entries will be accepted through September 1st. 

Fort Worth Fabric Studio is giving away this book. Entries will be accepted through Wednesday, August 31st. 

Pink Chalk Fabrics is giving away fat quarters from Sweetwater's Hometown collection. No dates were given for entry deadline or winner announcement. Giveaway was announced Tuesday, August 23rd. 

Stay tuned for some more to come!

Givewaway Alert - KitchenAid Mixer

The Pioneer Woman is giving away two of these special edition KitchenAid mixers. All you have to do is go to her blog post and answer the question "What are your weekend plans?". Entries must be made by noon Saturday (August 27th). Hurry on over and enter. Good luck!

Thrifty Thursday - LibriVox

I love, love, love LibriVox!  So many audio books and they are all free.  They're recorded by volunteers that kindly take the time to record them for others to enjoy.  I love having somebody read a book to me. It gives me the chance to "read" at times I wouldn't actually be able to read.

You'll find three types of readings on LibriVox.  The first is where one person records the book all the way through. The next is where different people record different chapters.  Last is where different people record certain character's lines -- a dramatic reading.  I tend to prefer the one person recordings and the dramatic readings. I'm not big on the reader switching from chapter to chapter, but sometimes that's all that's available for a book.

There's also different ways to listen.  You can listen online, download the audio file to your computer and listen offline or download to your computer and upload to a device such as an iPod. I like to listen to them on my iPod. Mainly when I run, but sometimes while I'm working, doing things around the house or running errands.

Additionally, each LibriVox recording page has a link to the corresponding Project Gutenberg page for various text versions of the book and the Internet Archive page for the recording.

You'll find there will be certain readers you really enjoy listening to and will seek out other books they've recorded. Usually before I download a book I will listen to the beginning of a chapter online to hear what the reader sounds like. Sometimes that makes my decision. I typically do this when there's more than one recording available for a book.  Keep in mind you're going to find a wide range of reading levels. Some are quite outstanding and others are just okay.

Check my reading page to see what audio books I've listened to so far this year. Lots of good ones there.  I recommend them all.

Giveaway Alert - Target Gift Cards

The Pioneer Woman is giving away five $200 Target gift cards. All you have to do is go to her blog post and answer the question "Who was your favorite teacher?". Entries must be made by noon tomorrow (Thursday). Hurry on over and enter. Good luck!

9:55

Hooray! Today I finally ran at a pace below 10 minutes! The odds were against it -- 94 degree temperature, 100 degree heat index, an abdominal cramp coming on halfway through and a new route -- but I managed to squeeze in under 20 minutes for the two miles. Luckily I decided to time my run, which I don't do regularly. I can't wait to see what I can do on that route when the temps are cooler and I don't have a cramp. Onward and upward!

Working From Home

[ This is my work desk at home. The wall needs something. ]

Have you ever wanted to work from home? My company refers to it as “remote working” or an “alternative workplace”. I’ve been a “remote worker” for over two years. I love it and am so lucky to be able to. How can you work from home? From my experience, here’s some things to take into consideration.

The work you do. To work from home, you need to perform a job that has work that allows you to work away from your company’s workplace. In my case, everything I do is on the computer. I connect to my company’s network with a computer they provide via the internet to access everything I use to do my job.

Your work ethic. You must be able to work independently without requiring direct supervision. Some traits I find helpful include being self motivated, self disciplined, focused, trustworthy and consistent. Also, having good organizational, time management and planning skills is helpful.

Your social personality. If you thrive on face to face contact with others, then working from home may not be for you. However, if you enjoy some solitude, it may be just what you are looking for.

Your environment. You need a space to work in at home that separates you from the rest of your house and any other activity that may be going on in your house. Not only so you have a quiet area where you can concentrate on your work, but also from a confidentiality perspective with regards to what's on your computer, the phone conversations you have, etc. My desk is in an extra room in the corner of our house.

Communication. Lastly, you must communicate well. Stay in contact and visible with those at your company. Be accessible and responsive. Make sure your manager is aware of what you are accomplishing.

Think working from home can work for you? Here's some next steps I took to be able to work from home. I checked into my company's policy on employees working from home to see how it works. I spoke with other employees already working from home and received a lot of helpful information from them. I gathered details on the transition process and any related financial saves and expenses. Then I created a proposal and presented it to my manager.

Once you’re working from home, then you will enjoy some of the benefits. From a work perspective, I exceedingly enjoy the peace and quiet. I can concentrate better and not be distracted by the sound and activity in the office. From a personal perspective, it eliminates the expense of commuting. In my case, purchasing gas and wear and tear on my vehicle. It also frees up more personal time with the elimination of the commute. Plus, I get a little extra time in the middle of my day. I have an hour for lunch, so in that time I can eat lunch and do a few things around the house or run a quick errand.

Working from home is a great thing, but it's not for everyone. What are your thoughts? Have I left anything out? I look forward to your comments.

Castlewood Walk

Sunday afternoon my daughter and I went to Castlewood State Park for a walk. It's one of my favorite places. We walked the River Scene Trail along the Meramec River, but not up to the bluffs. It ended up being two miles total. I took our camera along, but managed to get sidetracked with conversation and the scenery instead of remembering to take photos. Above is one I did snap of a pink flower. It stood out because there wasn't any other flowers around that area.

Just to the left of the pink flower was this picnic table. It had been deposited there at some time when the river was high. Someone took the other seat board off and put it on the trail nearby in a place that tends to get muddy when it rains. Further back on the trail we saw two picnic tables sitting as the river left them stacked one on the other in a wonky fashion further into the woods.

Then my daughter spotted this butterfly. It was hard to photograph because I had to zoom since I couldn't get close, it kept moving it's wings and I couldn't hold the camera still. 

It was a very enjoyable walk.

Treasuries Created

I created a couple new Etsy treasuries yesterday.

The first one has dreamy photos of Ferris wheels. That's really the only ride I enjoy at carnivals.

The next one features purple items up for sale by members of the Saint Louis Etsy team.

Please visit my treasuries and check out the items included in them.  Thanks!

Treasury Featured Items

I am honored to say a couple of my items have been featured recently in Etsy treasuries!

The ceramic gardening buttons I just put out are in this treasury titled September Morn.  Be sure to visit the treasury, as well as the shop of seller jalinde who made it.

My smiley face scrunchy is in the Reality Bites treasury. Check it out and the shop of the curator VisciouSweet.  

Buttons and Hearts

Here's some sewing and craft supplies I have no plans for. I think it's best to find happy homes for them where they can be utilized, instead of sitting around doing nothing in mine.

First, here's some cute plastic shank buttons. There's ladybugs, mod hippy flowers and apples. At one time I embellished little girls socks by attaching these type of buttons with satin ribbon.

Here's some more buttons. The snowflakes in the middle are also plastic with shanks. They're more from my sock days. The four gardening themed buttons are ceramic. The two trees are hand painted plastic with shanks. I honestly do not know why I have the ceramic ones or the trees. Sometimes you just buy things that tickle your fancy at that moment.

Lastly are these unfinished wood hearts.  There's 33 with a hole drilled in them and measure 2 3/8 inches across. Then three more that are slightly larger without a hole. Years ago I had an idea for a project then nothing happened with it. 

Interested? You can find them in my Etsy shop.  

French Oven

The Pioneer Woman is giving away this Le Creuset 7 1/4 quart round French oven.  The color is kiwi. It's enameled cast iron. I don't know about you, but I'd sure like to win one. To enter all you have to do is post a comment to her blog entry answering the question "What are your weekend plans?".  Entries must be made by noon tomorrow (Saturday). Go do that toot de suite and good luck!

Partially Painted

Last month we started painting our house. Everything was going along swimmingly until the heatwave hit. Here's how it looks so far. You will notice my yard is sorely lacking in the landscaping department. You will also notice my husband trims with Roundup. The front is finished, except for where the gutters go and under the overhang. The side is painted as far as I could reach without breaking out a ladder. I also put a fresh coat of dark green on the gas meter.

The color is Lyndhurst Timber by Valspar from Lowes. It has a satin finish. I like the sheen and it seems like it will be more durable than flat. Here's what it looked like before. It's Sears Weatherbeater paint that didn't hold up well at all. Check out the crazy way it looked on the side of our house. The color ended up looking gray instead of what appeared to be taupe on the swatch. I've been unhappy with the color since we painted it years ago.

Now that the weather is cooler I need to get back on track. Finish the front, as well as the back and side of the garage. Then the trim will get a fresh coat of white. I'm planning on putting raised panel shutters on the front and side windows, but I haven't decided what color they will be. I'm open for suggestions.

By the way, part of our house has the original siding on it. In this photo you can see the original paint color. It's a rosy pink with burgundy in the little grooves. I really wish I could see a color photo of it when it was new in the 1950s.

Giveaway Roundup

I've rounded up a bunch of giveaways for you. Good luck!

The Joy Cottage is giving away this Go! Baby Fabric Cutter. No entry deadline was given, but the winner will be announced Tuesday, August 23rd.

Quilting Arts is giving away some fabric from the new Terrain line by Kate Spain for Moda. No entry deadline or winner announcement date was given. Giveaway was posted August 17th.

McCall's Quilting is giving away fabric from the Circa 1934 line by Cosmo Cricket for Moda. Entries will be accepted through September 30th. The winner will be announced October 1st.

Sew, Mama, Sew! is giving away some new Amy Butler fabric. The giveaway was announced Friday, August 12th and does not indicate an entry deadline or drawing date.

Random Thoughts do or "di" is giving away this Little Apples jelly roll. Entry deadline midnight Pacific time Thursday, August 18th. 

Venus de Hilo is giving away the fabrics above totaling over two yards and some extra goodies. Entry deadline is Thursday, August 25th.

Just Something I Made is giving away a Simplicity Rotary Cutter & Embosser and a Simplicity Bias Tape Maker. Entry deadline is Saturday, August 20th.

I'll be on the lookout for more giveaways to share with you.

Thrifty Thursday - Library DVDs

For this installment of Thrifty Thursday I bring to your attention your local library. I am lucky to live in the St. Louis County Library district and have a library branch not far away. I haven't taken advantage of the library for some time, except to go to the headquarters location to look at newspapers on microfilm for genealogy. Recently I checked their website to see if they had the book Rising on the River: St. Louis 1822 to 1850, Explosive Growth from Town to City by Frederick A. Hodes, Ph.D. They did and I requested it online. Then I went to my local branch when they notified me it was ready for pickup. While there, I noticed the extensive selection of DVDs. Much more than I remember seeing years before.

So, last Wednesday my daughter and I went to the library to look at DVDs. We left with these seven. You can check out a maximum of seven at a time and keep them up to a week. Then you can renew them for another seven days, unless they are marked "bestseller".

Yesterday we returned the ones we had and picked these seven out.

If you have a local library, you should check with them to see if they have DVDs to borrow. If they do, maybe they have a website like mine where you can search and reserve them online. It's pretty cool and the best thing about it is it's free!

Old Gringo Boots

Ladies! The Pioneer Woman is giving away a pair of these Old Gringo Elvis-inspired eagle boots. Yes, they're pink. You need to hurry up and mosey on over to her blog entry and post a comment answering the question she asks. Hurry! Entries must be made by midnight tonight. She'll announce the winner Thursday morning. Good luck!

Spooky Scrunchies

My latest listings are these fun and spooky Halloween scrunchies. Lots of different fabrics to choose from. All are woven cotton. You can find them in my Etsy shop, as well as my online store. My favorite is the one with skeletons. What's yours?

Barbie Patterns

Is your Barbie looking for some groovy threads from the 1970s? If so, then these patterns are what you need to create a far out wardrobe for her. They are patterns from when I was growing up. My mom neatly cut out one or two views from each. All pieces and instructions are present. You can find them in my Etsy shop, as well as my online store. Stay tuned for some cut and sew Barbie clothes I'll be putting up out. Can you dig it?

Shoes

Why my mom bought these pairs of shoes and either did not wear them or maybe wore them once, I do not know. They are all from the 1990s. The first group shown below meet the vintage age requirement for Etsy. You can find them in my Etsy shop, as well as my online store. All are leather pumps, except for the blue pair. Those are dyed satin. She wore them at my brother's wedding. The shoes have outlived the marriage. The leather pairs are one each of black, white and navy.

The second group of shoes are only available in my online store. All are leather and are either navy or black.

The shoes would fit me but I am not a heel wearer. It's been years and I don't even know if I could walk in even the lowest of them. I have a philosophy of wearing shoes that, if the situation were to arise, I could run away from or toward something. I want to be ready if life were to suddenly turn into a scene from a movie. 

Panorama

Last Friday after my daughter and I spent some time at the zoo, we walked over to the St. Louis Art Museum. Another wonderful free attraction in Forest Park. Our reason for going was to see the Panorama of the Monumental Grandeur of the Mississippi Valley.

Consisting of 24 panels, it was completed around 1850 by John J. Egan and measures 7 feet 9 inches high by 348 feet long. It's a very impressive work. The museum is in the process of restoring it. We saw it during one of the conservation sessions when four conservators were working on it.

Normally the main exhibit has an admission fee and is free on Fridays. This one has special funding and is free every day. If you want to see it, the last day for it to be on display is August 21st. Once the restoration is complete it will eventually be on permanent display in the museum's American gallery. I can't wait to see that.

[ image credits: St. Louis Art Museum ]

Make This Look

The other day I was checking The Sew Weekly and noticed their new feature titled Make This Look. Visitors to the site can submit an article of clothing they've found online that they'd like to make. The Sew Weekly then identifies a similar pattern and fabric to recreate the look.

Here's an example for the Lime in Love Dress.

I've been wanting to get back to sewing and start making my own garments. Make This Look has inspired me to notice apparel in stores and use them as guides for making pieces for myself. A couple times recently while at the mall I tried on some clothes at Anthropologie. I do like much of what they have, though I won't be buying because they're too rich for my blood. I will take advantage of the opportunity to see how different styles fit and look on me and be amazed at shoppers buying multiple items from there at one time.

A couple weeks ago I tried on the Drafting Shift Dress (shown below left). It's a back zip dress that's 35 inches in length and sells for $158. I liked the way this style looked on me and am planning on finding a pattern to make a similar one to wear next summer. 

This past Friday I tried on the Pitter-Patter Skirt (shown above right). This one I liked a lot, too. It has a side zipper, pleats and is 21 1/2 inches in length. It sells for $78. The same day I tried on the Mompos Dress (shown below). It has a full A-line skirt, zips up the back and is 37 1/2 inches in length. The only problem I had with it was the waist being too short. You can buy it for $228.

Knowing what styles I can and cannot wear will assist me when I'm looking for patterns. It will help reduce any hesitation in taking on a sewing project. I'm making mental notes. 

[ image credits: The Sew Weekly : Anthropologie ]

Zoo

This past Friday I took the day off work to spend it with my daughter before she goes back to school next week. We headed to the St. Louis Zoo in the morning. We're lucky to have what's considered a leading zoo in the country. One of the best things about it is admission is free. Though I have mixed feelings about wild animals living in captivity, I will admit I enjoy seeing and photographing them.  We spent many hours walking the grounds of the zoo. There's a lot of animals to see. We both took a bunch of photos. The ones I've included here are my daughter's. 

This sweet guy was trying to offer my daughter a stick while she was snapping photos of him. He's a Collie's Jay and has beautiful vibrant blue feathers.

We were happy to see this Jaguar out in plain view. So often the big cats are somewhere you can't see them well or moving around too much. He must have been very comfortable lying on the rock. Next thing we knew he was asleep. Click on the photo to get a better look. His spots in the right photo make it look like his eyes are open. 

After we finished up at the zoo, we stopped by a number of other places before heading home. It was a very enjoyable day.

Greetings!

Things may look a little different to you here at Missouri Mel. It's because I just revamped my blog. Previously I was blogging from Tumblr, but now it's with Blogger. Never fear! You will continue to find my entries cross posted at Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook and Feed Burner. Follow me on Twitter if you want random thoughts of 140 characters or less in addition to blog updates. Looking for my previous posts? They are located in my Tumblr archive.

Thanks for stopping by and stay tuned for more!

[ image credit: Gatsby & Me ]