the envelope please...

Hi! It's FRIDAY - ain't THAT a good thang!!!

I was getting everything ready last night for the Pink Lemonade party and - oh NO! - I don't have napkin rings! (thinking cap... thinking cap... ah HA!) I'll just slip 'em in an envelope... 'cause that's what red.necks do! (It was either the envelope or the shirt front...)

I started by cutting a rectangle (PU-LEASE don't make me tell you how big 'cause I can't... maybe just fit it to your napkin?) out of some of that really cool (almost equal to duct tape) Heat - n - Seal.  Oh wait - that's the kitchen stuff.  Hmmmm...

Iron it on the fabric of your choice - cut it out - peel the paper off and iron it on to another piece of fabric of your choice!  I stuck with the same fabric... 'cause... well.... I like to see spots.  Once you have your layers ironed together (have you seen those pink irons they have?  I SEW want one of those!!!) then cut 'em out!

I used a zig-zaggy rotary cutter blade - but it's because I couldn't find my pinking shears.  When I cleaned the la.bor.a.tory they got put away.... hmmmmm....
Once it's cut out - fold the bottom up leaving just enough for a "flap".  I left roughly 2" (I'm not in to measuring - can you tell?), then I pressed the fold and stitched around the 3 "raw" edges with a 1/4" seem allowance!

Press the flap "closed" - then open it back up and...

Fun, right?  I made the napkins out of 12" square pieces of eyelet then just used the zig zag stitch around the edges - if you are not threatening to throw the machine with the 4 spools of thread out the door (not that I ever do this.... *snicker*) then you could use a serger.  But, that would make too much sense.
I loosely fan folded the napkins and slid 'em in!  The icing on the cup cake?

A sweet little burnt up flower bobby pin for the girls!  The "EEE's" are all SO cute with pigtails and headbands and all things little girl... these should be perfect!  After the Pink Lemonade and cupcakes are gone then they can just slide them in the "envelope" for safe storage (and to guard it from one "E" or the other... you know they're going to be nabbin' each others.  LOL)!

Well, I'm off to grab some flowers, bake some strawberry cupcakes (minus the fire department... we hope...), oh - get some pink lemonade and prettify the single-wide!  I hope you have a beautiful week-end!!!

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide (where yes - I am singing at the top of my lungs "signed, sealed, delivered - I'm yours!!!)...hee-hee

pass the peas, please...

Hi! The week-end with the "EEE's" is just about HERE! Yeeeee HA!

Pink Lemonade...

Cupcakes...

Flowers and Polka Dots...

Giggles and Fun...

I'm just lacking the flowers for the Pink Lemonade Party table (the single-wide just isn't complete without fresh flowers...)! I'm thinking this idea is my favorite:

although - the stack of tea cups with flowers in the top holds my attention too... what do you think?

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide (where I'm wonderin' what I've gotten myself in to...) hee-hee
;-D  robelyn

gardening 101

I don't know if you know this about me, but I'm a gardening fool.

Yep - I can grow rocks with the best of 'em!!

But when I was younger I gave gardening everything I had:

One evening "the Mama" came home with a new car.  I remember standing with her and the red.neck brothers in the doorway looking at it... our heads tilted to the left - then the right... back to the left... I'm not sure which of the four of us named it - but named it we did:

Uhmmm... yep.  It stuck. Like peanut butter.
Now - I think "the Mama" was tapping in to her secret "I wanna be a race car DIVA" side 'cause that car could get up and GO!  How do I know this?  Well... this is where my gardening journey begins...

"the Mama" quickly realized that the trip from Crawford to Waco involved owning stock in the local fill-'er-up station, so the Pregnant Peanut was goin' on the market. Maybe the Farmer's Market? *snicker* She made a "For Sale" sign, put it on the car - she might have listed it in the paper, I'm not sure - and parked the car in our front driveway. It sat there for a week or so...

School had been out for a few weeks.  The older red.neck brother was working at the grocery store a few blocks away and I was in charge of the younger red.neck brother.  We rode our bikes past the Pregnant Peanut - we walked around the Pregnant Peanut... we loitered on the hood of the Pregnant Peanut.  The time had come.  The Pregnant Peanut had met her match...

The two of us were the King and Queen of McGyver re-runs - we could do it all.  We were fully prepared - 1 flat head screwdriver with an insulated handle (check), 1 drill and a small drill bit (check).
We had bricks to mark where each tire needed to go upon return.  We had a tube to hook up to the lawnmower gas can so that we could siphon the gas we burned - ready to mark the gas gauge so we couldn't mess up the refueling situation.

Turned out we just needed some tape to mark the spot where the keys were hanging inside the back door - kinda took the wind out of our hot-wirin' sails.
McGyver who?  A-Team who?  Nightrider - WHO?!

And - off we go...  of Course the youngest red.neck hoodlum brother was in the passenger seat (I was in charge of him after all...) - I was NOT going down alone!!! The first trip was around Crawford...

up and down various roads - some alleys - more roads.  One intersection had the coolest amount of gravel build-up and you KNOW that required some extra speed and brake-testin'... so that resulted in some donuts and flyin' gravel - HUGE laughs, grins and giggles - THIS WAS SO MUCH FUN!!!
Who knew!
Oh... the kid that lived in front of the donut makin' spot knew EXACTLY where to find the oldest red.neck brother (and did - I didn't know he could get home so fast - or that his eyes could be that BIG! "you are in SOOOO much trouble!!!")...oops. No worries - we'll just go OUT of town (after big red.neck brother went back to work) - surely we can't get busted OUT of town, can we?  No.

up a hill - around a bend - down a hill - "faster!  go faster!!!" - the feel of the summer wind whipping through the Pregnant Peanut - the pure joy and exhilaration of sitting on the edge of that seat in order to reach the gas pedal - music blasting (I'm sure it was Freebird or something...) - trying to reach the brake peddle -
"find the brake peddle 'cause there's some more gravel up on that turn... pick up some more speed - FASTER - STEP ON IT!!!" Donuts were made - the MOST AMAZING spray of gravel - MILES of it flying up in the air - up, up, up and over a drainage ditch - plowing the garden for those nice country folk...

Dontcha' know - that's how rednecks make salads?  We were pulling tomatoes and onions and I THINK some lettuce out of that front bumper... for a while...
hearts thumping - little hands shaking - trying SO hard not to giggle and high-five each other - c'mon - who else can say they've had a Pregnant Peanut AIR BORN - AND come out alive... salad in hand!!!

I think the car sold a few days after that.  Wanna know the funny part of this story?  "the Mama" didn't know about all of this until about 4-5 years ago... I drove for the first time WAY before I got my license... the same year I started gardening.  I'm still waiting for my Master Gardener certificate.

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide (where I'm pulling my hair. The resident teen turns 16 in September - think I should get him some gardening gloves?)...hee-hee
;-D  robelyn

happy RAIN!

This morning I woke up to some good ol' Texas thunder - lightening - and rain drops!

What's a girl to do but start out her Monday morning dancin' across the backyard in the rain drops?

Have you played in the rain drops and caught some on your tongue lately?

Have a HAPPY Monday!!!

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide (it's dancin' in the rain too)...hee-hee
;-) robelyn

Wishing You...

a happy, peaceful, restful, relaxing and FUN week-end!

Do enough of all that for me 'cause you KNOW I'm going to wreak some havoc - somewhere...

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide...hee-hee
;-)  robelyn

soup nazi

Did you ever see the Soup Nazi episode on Seinfeld (that link will you take you to the hi-lights!)?  I couldn't tell you EXACTLY what it was about... but I can mimic the "No Soup for YOU" Soup Nazi voice better than the actual actor.  yeeeee HA!  You show me soup - you mention soup - I think about soup... and you will hear me say, "No Soup for YOU!"  But I don't really mean it... I'd share my soup with you!!!

I could serve it to you out of one of my three soup tureens.  It is THREE of something that makes a collection, yes? I guess I hit collection status while visiting the thrift store, 'cause...

I heard it screaming my name from the parking lot. "robelyn.... I'm waitttttttting..."

It doesn't seem to bother me AT ALL if there is a lid or not... or if the little knob is on the lid - why should it?

Lids or no lids, crazedness fits right in, chips and cracks tell stories:

And they would ALL THREE look good with THIS in 'em!

2 lb. ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and cut

2 lb. ripe plums, pitted and cut

1 lb. pears, peeled, pitted and cut or 1 lg. can pears, drained (retain juice)

1 lb. cherries, pitted or 1 (16 oz.) can cherries, drained, pitted (retain juice)

1 c. sugar (or more to taste)

Water

1 tbsp. cornstarch

1 c. cold water

Place all the fruit and sugar in large pot and cover with water and juices retained from cans of fruit. Cook until fruit is tender, 1/2 to 3/4 hour. While fruit is cooking, mix cornstarch and water; when cornstarch is completely dissolved add to soup about 10 minutes before the soup is finished. Let boil for the remaining 10 minutes. Allow to cool and then refrigerate. When serving a dollop of yogurt or sour cream can be added on top.

Serves 8-10.

Even though I'm saying "no soup for YOU" just laugh - 'cause I don't mean it.  And! I'll even let you eat it out of one of my tureens!!! And! I won't mind if you slurp your soup... it's the red.neck way. LOL

What time should I be expectin' you?

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide...hee-hee

;-)  robelyn

p.s. Do you think my assistant thinks he is the soup nazi? Or maybe he is king of the photo shoot...

you say - i say

you say "candle holder thingy"
i say "hat rack!"

you say "candle holder thingy"
i say "pocketbook rack!"

you say "two candle holder thingys"
i say:

... and the crowd goes wild!!!

You KNOW I u-turned (sprinkled some gravel around... messed with on-coming traffic... things like that) for THESE two lovelies just sittin' innocently at a garage sale! They are all twisty/turny - adjustable in height... purrrrrfection!

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide (where I need your opinion - should they go "duct tape silver" or "black"?)... hee-hee
;-) robelyn

here comes the sun...

Here comes the sun, lil' darlin'

Here comes the sun...

You know... the day just doesn't go right without saying "Good Morning" to it!!!  This is what I wake up to each morning... *sigh*

I walk out and yell... "Good Morning!!!" and watch all the birds and wildlife scatter, the neighbor's jump - then giggle as the dogs start barking and howling... it's almost as entertaining as duct tape!

And - because nuthin' but coffee gets me going more than Nina... this one's for you!  Enjoy!

How's your day going? I hope it's full of Sunshine and Happiness...


Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide...hee-hee
;-) robelyn

testing - testing...

1-2-3-4...

testing.... how about now?


uh uhmmm... if I could have your attention please.

"Speak softly and carry a stick reeeeeeeeeeaaaallllllly big microphone"



Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide (where I'm taking my bows and wondering how the heck to get this off of the wall where I found it and on to the single-wide) hee-hee
;-)  Robelyn

P.S. Einstein said that talking to yourself is a sign of intelligence. Answering yourself, however, is a sign of insanity.... I'm just sayin'...

recommended dose of pretty

Anthro gets me every. stinkin'. time.  Not only do they have a million things that need to be hanging in my closet - but their marketing is just... perfect.  The email in my inbox?

Subject: "Your recommended dose of pretty."

I like that!  Short - to the point - and SO dead on.  Did you SEE that blouse?!!? I could wear it to the "EEE's" Pink Lemonade party (even though it's called "High Tea") where I will be drinking pink lemonade through one of these:

FUN!!!  I saw something similar on "style me pretty" and knew it was the PURRFECT accessory for the "custom" pink lemonade glasses!  They looped their ribbon through itself - but I think my ribbon is a lil' thicker because it wouldn't stay - so this is what I did:

and tie it on!  Tie as many colors as you want on!  I used bendy straws 'cause a straw ain't a straw unless you can bend it all directions - but any straw will work!

Perfect for any occasion... even if it is drinking invisible beverages out of white flower vases off of a cinder block...

The red.neck's "recommended dose of pretty."

Have a PRETTY - GORGEOUS - BEAUTIFUL week-end!  What kind of havoc are you going to wreak?

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide...hee-hee

;-)  robelyn

Breakfast in the morning...

breakfast in the evening, breakfast all day long... my favorite meal of the day!!! ALL day!  hee-hee

The other night I was frying up some bacon (yes, the fire extinguisher was close by - thank you for your concern!) and inspecting my frying pan... the Teflon isn't so scratch resistant after Idon'tknowhowmanyyears of being scratched resistant.  If I had THIS pan I'd be cookin' up all kinds of fun!

Fun, right? And if my kitchen looked like this:

I'd make this breakfast casserole (after I bought a baking dish too):

Ingredients:

6 large eggs

1 3/4 cups milk

4 slices bread, torn or 3 croissants, sliced and torn into 1-inch pieces

8 to 12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

10 to 15 sliced grape tomatoes or 2 small tomatoes, diced

1 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

salt and pepper

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350°. Butter a 2-quart baking dish.

Whisk eggs with milk in a bowl; set aside.

Arrange torn bread over the bottom of the buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with the bacon pieces and tomato slices. Top with Cheddar cheese then pour the egg mixture evenly over the top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until puffy and lightly browned. Serves 4 to 6.

And the dining table in that kitchen would be the perfect place for this vintage tablecloth and napkin ring (and I could wear this cute polky-dotted skirt):

However. None of that's gonna happen 'cause I don't have the pan, my kitchen in no way looks like that (yet) annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd................. I cut up some of the main ingredients to make a pocketbook.

'Cause that's the way I cook (and the neighborhood association in conjunction with the local FD appreciate that).

What does YOUR dream kitchen inspire you to do?

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide...hee-hee
;-)  robelyn

P.S.

This pocketbook is even sportin' some lace bloomers under that skirt... just in case it's a windy day...