CALZONE..FRUGAL MOM STYLE

my freezer decided to misbehave and completely ice over..this led to
1.clean out freezer
2. Hey look we have more cheese in here
3. Omg is that pepperoni?
4.wow my hand is numb from the cold
5. Stupid dog just threw up
6. I need a nap
7. I want a cookie
8.

9.yep I made calzones for dinner..and sometimes it goes just like that...heart healthy and frugal...anyone want the recipe?

LIFE GOES ON WHEN I AM NOT AT HOME? WTF??

I guess I generally don't think about it but when I am not home...life goes on...people do things..I know this happens because no one is in the spot where I left them when I get home, food has been eaten, laundry has been left unattended, children are dirty from a hard day playing..but I still sometimes find it hard to believe..myopic thinking YES OF COURSE it is!! why do I bring this up? well.....
I worked the day shift ...blech and gag!  I started work at 7am, I sold my first alcholoic beverage at 9am and my first cigarello (aka blunt..double blech) by 9am...my nice city is a den of alcoholic pot heads!!!ARGH!

anywho got home after 3pm and saw this

only the cutest fairy house ever!! and done frugally with found objects, including bamboo that we "find" up the road...whoo hoo !! YAY!
which spurned the creation of this toad/hobbit house...another frugal creation...we are budget gardeners and frugal crafters...have any tips for us?

Nerdpression ..sigh

so yes it has been awhile since I posted...a long while...DON'T JUDGE ME!  I have been suffering nerdpression....my new job I started was a fail..not because of me but the owner of the company turned out to be an idiot and had to get rid of pretty much all his staff and the ones who did not get fired eventually quit...so was out of work again.so now I work part time at a convenient store until something better comes along...which it hasn't yet...so .....sigh....

   Oh my Michele what have the other nerds in the house been doing ?
I am so glad you asked that because it is garden season and our Nerd King and Commander in Chief has been busy with his Nerdoge (like protege but I don't know how to do the things that accent on my keyboard) making a super beautiful garden!  

first to the nerd stuff

the sign is out in the front garden area...we have had people stop and become our new besties just from this sign alone...apparently in Palm Coast we are rare to find...
 I was going to post pics of the veggie gardens and what not but I will leave that to the oldest and her up and coming blog which I will of course talk about here until everyone tires of me and decides to look at it for themselves....shameless promotion will occur.

YORKSHIRE PUDDING CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

I sometimes take breaks from being a full on nerd to my part time culinary nerd self.  Of course I wear a Star Wars apron while I am doing it so I don't step to far away from full nerd.  We watch Alton, Bizarre Foods, we watch Restaurant Impossible, and we watch Gordon...I love Gordon !  there I said it.  My mind stumbled across yorkshire pudding the other day, it just popped in there.  I don't know what we were doing or talking about but there it was...yorkshire pudding.  The big guy tells me that it is one of the most difficult things to make right and that Gordon frequently turns chefs into whining piles of goo when they make it poorly.  Well, my mind set is that if Gordon Ramsay can do it then why can't I? right? I mean he is only a world renowned chef with hit tv series and I ...well I can make waffles from scratch so we are almost equal.  I set to my task, I studied the greats, I looked up dozens of versions of the recipes (Rocky theme song in the background please it will help with the mood of my story), I trained for days whisking and letting things rest.  Okay, truth is I watched one you tube video and looked up one recipe and ...
see for yourself they were perfect!!! IN YOUR FACE GORDON!!!

AND SHE CAN'T BE STOPPED!

I can't be stopped at this point, an all out zombie apocalypse would only slow me down, I have the need to make ornaments  Every year I go through this like an addiction. I find something that looks cool and make them until someone in the house says "enough crazy lady".  They haven't said it yet so I currently can't be stopped.

there are still more minions coming and another Boba Fett cause I think he just turned out super cool, and an Iron Man (why not right?)

LIFE CHANGES JUST ROLL WITH IT

  how goes the job search you ask? not good..not good at all...I was in a remarkable specialized field especially for this area , which I love and don't want to move from..I found myself applying to McDonald's last week just so I feel some control over the situation, I found myself willing to take a huge pay difference just to see a paycheck coming in.  The practical person in me said "take whatever and keep looking" and I am a practical, need to support the family kind of gal. The big guy is a "sign from God, change of life, do what makes you happy" kind of guy, I love that about him, which got me thinking of what I would like to do ?
   Oddly enough, growing up I only ever wanted to be a lawyer, that didn't happen.  I switched it up to paralegal...that didn't happen..babies happened and art happened.  Life happened and went by fast, but I digress, I would love to be a social worker.  why you ask? I have watched what happens to children when the social workers that should have helped just didn't, for whatever reason, the child gets left where they shouldn't be and it is a fight to the death to get them help..I know first hand how this works and I want to help that out.  I also thought, court reporter/stenographer cause that just seems cool and would satisfy my nosey tendencies.
   So today is the day the decision will be made, I will talk it through with the appropriate people (the big guy) and make a decision ...ugh!

IT IS BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE STARWARSMAS

Thanksgiving came and went, time to put up the trees..TREES? plural? are you mad woman?!
As I clearly state this is a nerd house, however some of the children are not practicing so...one tree for them where the grand parents come and gifts are placed for a present opening of epic proportions..the other tree displayed in the front room for the whole world to see is the Star Wars tree.  (when it is at its full glory this year pics will be posted) The Star Wars tree had been a dream of mine for years, how I longed for a total nerd tree..but to my great sadness it was always out of reach but no longer ! not as of last year when we lucked in to a second tree and discovered that me and the big guy shared the same nerd dream..off to crafting I went since Star Wars ornaments are like insane expensive.  I spent last xmas season making red x-wing orgami ornaments, miniature box ornaments...felt ornaments, you name it I was doing it to fill a tree that apparently used to be a tardis. (threw in a Dr. Who reference what ?what?)
   okay so this year as we were digging through boxes I found the bin of Christmas crafts yet to be completed that I thought got lost in the move , well rejoice cause I found the C3P0 and R2D2 ornaments I had started and then lost focus and never finished until....that's right now...

I finished the C3PO's first, not super thrilled with them but you can totally tell who they are so can't really complain, the others are in mid-production in this picture ..you will have to wait for pics of the tree to see them in full completion cause I just had to get them on the tree as soon as they were done and could not possibly wait the 3 additional seconds to take a picture.

Around here it is beginning to look a lot like Starwarsmas and I LOVE IT!

Star Wars Docs of AWESOMENESS!!

Not sure if it is obvious yet (though it really will just be in your face at some point) we are Star Wars people.  We live it and breathe it, so when the Big Guy asked me to do something with his docs all Star Wars like I said "challenge accepted!"

technically he can wear them...technically...you know to super special events like weddings, graduations, and conventions...until he gets to do that they will stay on the shelf for all to admire  :)

BLAST FROM THE PAST SEWING PROJECTS

As I have explained in a previous post this household is on a budget, which means when I get a project in mind I don't have the luxury of making a shopping list and heading to Michael's or JoAnn's Fabrics..I enter the world of the garage.  My garage is where things get stacked, stashed, crammed and jammed and to be completely honest it isn't happening only in my garage, I will put things in drawers, trunks, bins, cabinets, and whatever else I can find if I think it will be of use some day.  About 4 years ago Christmas was looking fairly grim, I just had to find that perfect something for my oldest..sounds easy enough right?  NOOOOOOO!!!  My oldest has always been my anti-child, if I like it she doesn't, if I think I created something super cool she hates it, it took her 17 years to finally start seeing her inner nerd and I am thankful it finally happened. Back to my little tale of woe, one day out of the blue she announced that she would like a Mario blanket for her room *WHAT?*
can I do that?
can I make a blanket?
my sewing skills are okay but that seems like a big project...so I scoured the internet and found a picture http://blog.missouriquiltco.com/super-mario-brother-quilt-pattern-free-of-course/ and the attempted to follow using whatever material I had at the house and made this

my first quilt, will I do it again? I did one more ... here it is under construction , you can see I was scrounging for red material..

 

well there you have it a couple of blast from the past projects !

and yes it is a mandalorian skull from Star Wars, I also made pillow shams

however my lack of measuring created a quilt that will fit no bed ever, but it will tent a house if needed.

 

SERIAL QUILLER...*insert screams here*

That's right I am a full blown Serial Quiller..I did not misspell it I sware.  I love to quill, I love taking paper and making something epic from it..it is something I learned to do as a matter of finances.  Paper crafts are relatively inexpensive, not scrapbooking that can be just horrible on a budget but quilling can use up scraps and old cards and cool pages from magazines, really anything paper you want, so as a matter of financial need I learned to quill.  I am a crafter and I gots to craft on the cheap.

For Christmas I make trees, I have made a lot, this year will be no different except the fact that I will go full nerd on them. with that being said, the first one made this year is not full nerd but still not your normal Christmas tree

ready?

I present my Monster's Inc inspired Christmas tree!

 

The tree is made of at least a kagillion strips of paper all rolled and then shaped into a tear drop and glued.

The tree is decorated with eyes (cause duh! monsters have eyes)

I also use beads and whatnots to decorate the trees, the presents are a mix of mini's that I come across and mini paper models that I assemble.  These trees are also made to light up ( I did not add lights to this one)

I have already begun construction on an Avenger's inspired one..pics coming of course.

It is Nov 8th Nerds! UNITE!  time to see Thor..okay to make sure I was ready I watched the first one again last night, I also attempted to watch The Avengers for the second time but I have yet to not fall asleep during that movie..actually I fall asleep during most movies, why? why? why?  my theory is that as a parent once I get to sit down my body gets all excited about the break and passes out from the pure joy of it..that is the theory I am sticking with.

Good Morning/Afternoon
so where to begin?  On Friday after 6 years with a company, I was called in and told my job was being eliminated..first question  "what is my new job?" apparently it is called unemployment. Well I took it very well once one gets past the break down and the horrible sobbing..okay so I am unemployed temporarily..now what? Starting putting in applications this morning, Over the weekend I started working on some Christmas crafts...NERD STYLE!! wait..
WHAT?
oh pics are coming for sure
the only teaser I am giving is Serial Quiller...
yeah that's right...stay tuned

FRUGAL FORCEFIELDS FOR MY FANNY (or look I made me some undies)

 

I think the title says it all but for those who need a story here it goes..

a couple of weeks ago on a Saturday I had actually scored shower time in the morning ...WHAT? what kind of crazy talk is that?!!! yes I know...with 27 kids

okay or 5 kids one takes the shower time one gets but I digress...anyway shower time means fresh everything..woot!! I didn't pay attention as I pulled out some clean undies , took shower and put them on only to realize...they were uber religious.  Yes HOLY UNDIES BATMAN!!

Not that I am one to normally worry about such things since there is only a select few who get to see them

you know who

the mailman

anyone who walks into my room after 11pm

the dogs

the neighbors on a couple of embarrassing occasions

a select few...

I had already been trolling the world wide web looking for a panty pattern (just too lazy to make my own) when I came across this

http://www.makebra.com/free-hipster-pattern/...totally free pattern SCORE!!! so that Saturday I decided to make undies.

Now I do keep a stash of t-shirts and what not around the house so I grabbed some basic items and started cutting and sewing.

and made these

 

 

OMG those are so cool but they look huge ...what gives?  well allow me to explain in a way that makes me feel better...store bought panties look tiny because they are made from a super stretchy material, I used old t shirts which aren't as stretchy so they are cute closer to fit.  I love my new panties, I have been wearing a new pair everyday (cause I made even more until I ran out of elastic), I have not had to pull anything out of my bottom for a week and I always say "It is a good day if nothing finds its way up my butt."

 

on a side note..you will notice that the thread for all of them is the same color and the white ones are dingy...well the white ones were the test pair and I really hate changing the thread and bobbin so same colors on everything.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Super Busy few months or...totally forgot I had a blog until I decided to make a blog

One thing to note is that I am forgetful, I employ many devices, tricks, and even extra people to keep me on the right track..not sure if it is old age or just too much stuff in my noggin..no matter what it is , the sad fact is that even if I knew what it was I probably have forgotten it.  With all that being said, I sat down the other day and decided it was time to make a blog to find out that I have a blog and I posted in it once and apparently looks like it may be all super cool someday ...well my friends that someday is now!  or kind of now and maybe in the future it will be all epic with recipes and crafts and kid pics and nerd stuff...
so stay tuned...I promise all you frugal, coupon loving, uber nerd moms out there are going to love this blog.

Greetings and Salutations!
    As discussions are being held around the house daily about our lack of pictures and recording of the family I decided it was time for a blog..might as well start big..
    So this will act as our family history, before I start throwing pictures and funny stories and occassionally forcing the public to look at crafts I shall begin by describing the family.
    In every sense of the word we are FAMILY!  We are a group of 4 teenage girls, a 9 year old girl and two nerds, but let me explain.
    Five years ago, I got a divorce and full custody of my 3 girls (now ages 17, 14, and 9).
    A little over two years ago I met my partner in crime and hands down my all time favorite person ever, Kyle.  This past August we moved in together, me and my 3 girls and him and his 2 girls (both 14).  Is your head spinning over the thought of all that teen angst in one house, it should be it really should be...
   Now as I am typing this I was going to describe everybody and let you know what daily life is like but then I decided start posting pics and let you figure it out for yourself.

you would think this is a Halloween pic wouldn't you?

Nope ! just a saturday afternoon :)