How I spent my weekend

I had a very productive weekend while DH was away in Erie-land at his annual men's party.  I didn't get a thing stitched but did other things to be creative.  Friday night was poker night with my girlfriends. We call it poker night but we actually play all kinds of games.  This particular night we played Scrabble, Buzzwords, poker and Mexican Train. We eat chips and dip and drink refreshing beverages and have a grand 'ol time.

The next morning I was full of energy and began the day by making soap. I had learned a new way of mixing a soap recipe at the Ohio soap makers gathering in April. Instead of waiting for the lye to cool and melting the fats ahead of time, the lye solution is added to the fats as soon as the lye has dissolved.  It shortens the process a lot.    So much so, that I made two batches and then decided since I had 3 molds just go ahead and make a third batch. Here are the first two. One is Bay Rum and the other is Patchouli.  My dear BIL can't decide which he likes better and his supply is almost out so I made both.  I'll keep a few bars back for myself, especially the patchouli.  You either love it or hate it and I LOVE it. 

 

I had a nice surprise in the mailbox.  love the tissue paper

My order from Daisy Cottage Quilting arrived. I love Cinderberry Stitches  and have a hard time finding her patterns in the US.  Daisy Cottage had brought in Natalie's book 'Cotton Floss' and has other Australian designers too.  Here are my latest stash builders.

I've wanted Flat Nat forever and Sharon had one left. 

Of course the problem with Internet shopping is everything else you see on the way to what you first had in mind.  So, here are my other 'found' items

For some reason when I'm in the mood to make soap I'm also in the mood and want to bake.  There's a connection there somewhere,  Recipes, Stirring, Mixing...... something.

So, after cleaning up soap supplies, I had in mind a homemade pizza for my dinner.  Put the dough ingredients in the bread maker and viola.  Fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, onions, olive oil and fresh basil, oregano and thyme.  Before...

And after.  It was delicious.

Still feeling creative and and running across my dog biscuit cook book, I decided I should bake a batch of dog biscuits for Buddy and his dog friends.  More ingredients into the bread machine for the dough, then roll it out and bake. 

Buddy loves them.  As my friend says, they are like 'dog crack'.  Well, that was an industrious Saturday.  Sunday was much more relaxed and included lots of clean up and putting things away.  This weekend will be spent at the hospital working - what can I say.  A necessary evil of working in the medical field.  Oh and DH had a great time at his party too.

Marsha