happy new year

Happy New Year everyone.  May it be a wonderful 2010!!!!!

All I really want to do

I just want to clean my workspace and sew -- how come life intervenes???  Gotta walk the dog, go shopping, cook dinner -- yadda, yadda, yadda ---
Well, I guess Jim could do the grocery shopping, but still
OK, I'm over it - back to work ;-)

back to work I go

Well, it's back to work - getting ready for the Crossroads show in San Diego.  Many unfinished bears to finish. 

ugly sweater gang

well, here is the Christmas Ugly Sweater gang, my brothers and sisters, their spouses and kids.

my brother John

my niece, Molly

brother in law Dave

nephew Travis

Trav's sweetie - Autumn

Christmas tree

Got our tree up -

growly PJ and Jim

happy Toby and Me

Martha and Ugly Sweater

Jim & Ugly Sweater

Can't have too much of this one

Well, here are Jim's and My ugly sweaters for the family Christmas.  Jim's snowman has a bit of "yellow snow" on the bottom edge.  Mine is just plain nasty.  You can see that PJ is not happy about being picked up - especially next to that nasty snowman ;-)

I am enjoying watching Toby (my Papillon) "help" with the laundry.  Changed the sheets and pillowcases, turned around and there he was, dragging the pillowcases to his crate to add to his bed. Guess he wanted to save me some laundry time.

peace

I wish everyone peace, happiness, and health.  Have a lovely Christmas or whatever holiday that you observe.

ugly sweaters

Well, our Christmas is supposed to include Ugly Sweaters, so I am off to "ugly up" one that I found at Goodwill.  It is pretty ugly to begin with -- but I am adding things.
I'll add pictures when finished.

egg bake recipe

 You can make this for breakfast or dinner depending on what you add to it. 
Breakfast Egg Bake

9 x 12 baking pan
baking spray (Pam)
1/2 bisquick biscuit recipie
1/2 pkg of Simply Potatos shredded hash browns
8 eggs - beaten
1 cup of your favorite shredded cheese
6 slices of cooked bacon - crumbled
(you may use 1 cup cubed ham instead if you wish)
salt and pepper to taste

To make it vegetarian, use spinich, broccoli or whatever preferred veggies (about 2 cups)
Partially cook the veggies in the microwave if you don’t want them crispy

Preheat your oven to 350.00 -- spray your pan with pam
Make up the 1/2 biscuit recipie using Bisquick
Pat the dough into the bottom of the pan
beat the eggs well, fold in pototatos, cheese and meat.
pour this mixture over the bisquick (if it is too “eggy” - add a little more cheese and potato)
Bake for about 40 min or until the eggs are firmly set
This re-heats nicely AND - you can add any ingredients that you want like:
salsa or veggies or cooked meats of your choice

new wizard finished

I just finished this Wizard bear for a collector in Maryland.  I love the beard.

home from VA

Well, I am home from Fredericksburg, VA where we had a one day signing event at the Rocking Horse Gallery -  Here is my corner.

my turn to make the turkey

Well, Thursday has come and gone - dinner with family was wonderful as usual.  Today is my turn to make the turkey.  (I got 2 bone in breasts so there will be lots of leftovers) YUM

broccoli in parmesan cheese sauce

 I made this for Thanksgiving

2 pounds of broccoli (steam it in the microwave until just tender - set aside)
1 small onion (minced) I don't use the onion - onion and I don't get along
6 tblsp butter -- 4 tblsp flour -- 2 Cups milk -- 1/2 tsp salt - pepper to taste  -- 1 Cup parmesan cheese -- 1/2 C bread crumbs.

cook the onion in 4 tbsp of the butter until tender - stir in the flour  -- add the milk gradually  and cook until thickened stirring constantly.  Add the salt, pepper and parmesan -- stir until cheese melts.  Pour 1/2 of the sauce into a  greased  or cooking sprayed baking dish.  arrange the broccoli - pour the rest of the sauce over the top, dot with the remaining butter and sprinkle with bread crumbs.
Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 20 min

mouse pin cushions

I made some cute pin cushions with mice on them  - you can see them on my etsy shop

local show

I participated in a local holiday craft show today.  It was fun.  I usually do table top shows, so this was more of a challange to set up, but it worked OK

2 new bears

Hey -- I just finished a bear with a needle felted tummy and nose and a cute red and white baby.

Feltsettia

Candy Red

you can see another pic on my website.  www.marthasbears.com/adoptnow

Bears and Buds

Hey - do you all know about this?? Bears and Buds - online magazine.

http://www.bearsandbuds.com/

new CD

Big Cedar's new Christmas CD is ready for pick up this week -- yahoo!!

new bears

Just updated my website and am frantically preparing for the Christmas Treasures online show!

Pippa -on my website

Baby Mousie - on my website

Stanley Steampunk

7" Ele

fun in Ann Arbor

Well, we had fun in Ann Arbor - Amy Thornton, Dian Pete, Donna Manthey and I drove, antiqued a little, got some sleep - did the show and drove home.  We each found some little thing to buy and saw lots of wonderful people at the show.
 

Teddies Worldwide

Hey Everyone - the Preview for Teddies Worldwide is on

Here is my preview bear c -- check them out and vote for your favorite

Leaving Saturday for the AnnArbor, MI show.  It's always an adventure to make the drive with the 4 of us.
 In the meantime -- back to sewing

October Snow

Wow!!!! Snow and lots of it - east and west of here.  We are so lucky to be in the no snow zone!  I hope that everyone out east is doing OK with this nasty stuff

Ann Arbor show

The Ann Arbor show is rapidly approaching -- I'll have pics soon of some of the bears that are riding along. 

On a different note

Big Cedar Bluegrass Band is getting ready to release our 5th CD - A Big Cedar Christmas.
Our Christmas concerts are on Dec 9th and 10th - Top Photo from left to right, Fiddle player is Tim, Guest Bass Player is Mike, Guitar player is Peachy, Dobro player is Jim (my husband) and the gray haired woman is me
www.marthasbears.com/bigcedarschedule

Getting Ready for Ann Arbor, MI Show

I am getting ready for the Ann Arbor Michigan show.   Amy Thornton, Dian Pete, Donna Manthey and I are off and driving on Nov 5th -- the show is the 6th and we  come home that night.
You would think that we were youngsters!!!!!!
Go to http://www.bright-star-promotions.com/SneakPreviews/HolidayTeddyBearShowinAnnArborbyBrightStarPromotions.htm
For more information.

Teddies Worldwide preview coming

Teddies Worldwide

Hey Everyone - the Preview for Teddies Worldwide is coming soon -- Nov 4th

just follow the link.

etsy items

Hey there - I just added some cutie things to my etsy account
http://www.etsy.com/shop/marthasbears

dragonfly

 

mouse on spool

bat necklace

recipe for Mexican Lasagna

1 pkg no boil lasagna noodles 
1 pound lean ground beef (skip this if you want a veggie version and add on more can of beans)
 -- 1 - 12 oz can of mexicorn, 1 - 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, 1 small can of chopped green chilies, one can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed (2 if  you want meatless) 1 12oz can of green tamale sauce, one 12oz can of red tamale sauce, 1/2 pkg of taco seasoning mix for browning meat (I like Old El Paso)  1 - 12oz jar of taco sauce -- check to see the "heat" level on the cans of sauces and use the one you like best.  1 tsp ground cumin (or to taste) 2 tsp chili powder (or to taste) and I always put a little fresh cilantro in -- 2 pkgs of your favorite shredded cheese (chedder, jack, mexi mix)  - sour cream if you like it.

First brown the meat, with the taco seasoning mix - if you like onion, brown that now too.  If meatless - skip this part.
combine all ingredients with the meat except the noodles. Heat till it's hot and simmer for 10 or 15 min to blend the flavors.

while that is simmering line the bottom of a 9 x 12 baking dish with one layer of the no-boil noodles
Then using a ladle, layer in about 14 of the sauce mix and sprinkle with cheese
Add another layer of noodles going the other way (break them to fill in the gaps) add another layer of sauce and cheese. 
Another layer of noodles - sauce and cheese  and a final layer of noodles, sauce and cheese
Cover with foil and bake for 40 min to an hour until everything is bubbly hot
Serve with lettuce, sour cream and extra cheese

I did not say that this was a diet friendly item, but a small portion is pleanty and it is better the 2nd day (it freezes well too)

today - windy, rainy and cold

It is a very unpleasant day, but Jim and I went antiquing and errand running.  This all included lunch and dinner out -- !!


I did make Mexican lasagna last night and the leftovers are going to be yummy!  I made up the recepie.

Happy to share if anyone wants to try it -- easy and mmmm - if you like Mexican

What's next

Teddies Worldwide

Well, I have to go to the show in Ann Arbor, MI the first weekend of November and I am participating in the online show that you see here -- Let's see, I am going to  do a local craft fair in November and on to Virginia in December.  Whew! 

I'm kind of sad

Oh look - there is a sky -- and sun -- and -- Oh yeah, my husband! I have not seen any of those things for several days because of the trunk show, but the show is finished, I'm pooped, but I really enjoyed every second of it -- I did not want to take it apart - it looked too nice. But winter is coming and we would like the cars BACK in the garage sooooo

online show

Well, the physical trunk show is over - online show is on at www.marthasbears.com

We had fun on a very BLUSTERY day!

set up pictures!!!

Back wall of the Garage

Halloween table

Jewelry Table

kitche

more kitchen

kitchen

Hope no one opens the Garage door

more garage

Christmas corner

Well, thanks to Amy Thornton, Donna Manthey and Dian Pete - the Trunk show  is set up and ready to go -- Whew -- I think that we are pooped -- but here are pics anyway.