Pansy wallpaper 1440 x 900

Click for 1440 x 900 version.
I've had to make and collect all new wallpaper for my new monitor!

I LOVE my new monitor-- it's an ASUS from Newegg  that only set me back $100.  The colors are deep and beautiful, not glary at all and shows all the shades of grey down to white. 

It's so much nicer than the one I had before, that I'm glad the old one died  :-) 

Ironing is overrated too

I didn't really want to sew anyway

Jumper done - and you don't notice the patchwork!

Patchwork Dress - this is not what they meant

Go me!  Another masterpiece cut out with no thought for fabric allowance!
I knew four yards wouldn't be enough for this but started carving anyway.  The second to last piece has a seam in the middle and the very last piece looks quite interesting from the wrong side.  It's okay, it's a floral, nobody'll ever notice.

I have SUCH a problem with getting my act together and getting started on projects!  Yet, I require some sense of accomplishment or my self-respect nosedives.  I've been needing some new clothes for a while now and haven't gotten started making any.
This morning I had a whim to sew myself a jumper before leaving.  Didn't manage that of course, but at least I got one all cut out which is a quantifiable, documented step in the right direction. 
Tomorrow I'll sew it, God willing. 

Eggless, Milkless Peanut Butter Cookies

Those butt-ugly black chickens (Australorps don't stay cute for long) haven't started laying yet and I don't trust the cow milk not to be radioactive, so I quit buying it. 

I basically threw flour, butter, peanut butter and honey together with some baking powder and baked it, but I did take the trouble to measure as stuff went in!  Just in case I had a winner.  And I did!  They were great! 

1 and 1/3 sticks of butter (not cups)
3 and 2/3 cup wheat flour plus 1 cup barley flour that I found in a baggie
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 of a 36 oz jar peanut butter
1 and 1/4 cup honey

I scooped them from an old ice cream scoop that has its handle broken off but I still use for cookies because it still works better than two spoons, flattened them with my hand (they're for family) and baked at 400 for 6 minutes with the fan on. 
The fan does make a difference! 
And boy, that oven cooks better since I got it fixed.  Duh, right?  It's had a bad thermostat for like two years now and I was too cheap to get it fixed.  It would take forever to preheat, but I'd just turn on the broiler to speed things up and then it would limp through.  
It cost TWO HUNDRED BUCKS for the guy to come out, but I admit it's nice to have the cookies come out right again  :-) 

Calendar, Pattern and Yarn

Oh, not much. 

Germany Calendar, marked down to $2 because it’s already March.  The pictures were gorgeous!!

Also bought a cute skirt pattern, and some yarn.

I guess I'm celebrating my relative-youth, when I still think it's a really great day because I got new yarn. 

I Cleaned My Toaster

I cleaned my toaster.  Why is this remarkable?  Oh, only that I’ve never cleaned it before. The first time for something is always notable!  I've owned this hardworking little toaster for ten or fifteen years now.

I should have taken a "before" picture.  It had dark blotches all over the side and gunk on top. I scrubbed it with a scrubbie all over and oh, my, would you look at it shine now!  It looks like new!

Yes, that is a revelation– at least for a lazy slob like me 🙂

After that I went and cleaned the dried accumulation of gunk that was causing a dark line behind the bathroom faucet.

Where will this madness end… I don't know.