Cricut brag post

It's been a while since I've done a Cricut brag post.  The last one was in May.  And even though May was a long time ago, both in actual time and in perceived time, I was still surprised at how many projects I've completed since then.  It feels like I've been doing a whole lot of nothing during these past 5 months, but apparently, that's not quite true.

Here they are, in reverse chronological order (not including a couple of Christmas items, which I'll include in a special Christmas Cricut brag post.  Maybe.  If I get to it).

One of my friends saw my box, which sits on our fireplace with flowers in it, and asked if I'd make her one.  So I did.

We've had a lost sock basket in our laundry room for ages.  About a month ago, I decided the lost sock basket needed a pun (it was an actual basket before I realized it needed a pun.  Now it's a bin).

I made some masks and personalized them.  I was intending to make an AZD mask for Hubby, but he did not cooperate.  So AKD got a Husky mask instead.

And the Wisconsin mask was too small for its intended owner, so off to the thrift store it went.

Did I tell you about AKD's summer job situation?  Yeah.  It was pretty crazy.  Eventually, the school district opened the pool for swim lessons and AKD ended up there for the last 4 weeks of summer.  The staff gave this shirt to their boss.  That's a coronavirus inside the cross.

This was a commissioned sign for a hairdresser.  Last I heard, it was supposed to be a Christmas gift.  I wonder if the giver has been/will be able to wait that long.

My brother in law said this one time.  So I made him a sign.  I thought it was clever.  No comment from him.  I'm working on one for myself, but I'm having trouble deciding if I want it to be horizontal or vertical. 

Did you know that all of my parents' and my husband's parents' grandchildren are boys?  Yes, it's true.  Know what else is true?  Boys are wildlings.  So, of course, when I saw this sign, I had to make three: one for me and one for each of my sisters in law.

This is my biggest sign to date--a commission for a friend to give as a gift.  Through some combination of luck an magic, I managed to get the decal on straight.  I also made smaller versions of this sign for two friends.

Another commission.  This was a fun one.

This sign is for a guest bedroom.  I love the sentiment.

I made this one for my friend's RV, to which she and her wife loving refer as the "Bird Mobile."  My friend had this picture made into a garden flag to hang in their campsites, which I thought was an amazing idea.

Another commission.  A loving gift from mother to son.

As you can see, I made three of these.  The red one was specifically requested.  The others I made for a friend who wasn't sure which color combination she preferred.  After my friend picked her favorite, I sold the other one.  

Two of them went to people who actually have broken doorbells.

AKD requested and designed this shirt, which also has a pocket graphic.  I love that AKD makes it easy for me by creating his designs and emailing them to me in a form that is easily usable in the Cricut software.  I have seventeen pictures of the back of this shirt, but not a single one of the front.  

 And that's all for now.  Hopefully that Christmas Cricut brag post will be coming soon-ish.  As always, let me know if you need me to make something for you.

Menu plan for the week of October 26

 Hi friends.  It's Sunday afternoon as I'm typing this, and I am tired.  So I think I'm gonna take a nap.  Because I can.  (I mean, hopefully I can.  There are varying degrees of can happening here).  Happy eating this week!

Supper:

• Shepherd's pie, rolls, applesauce
• Nachos, guacamole
• Chicken casserole, rolls, applesauce
• Hamburgers or hot dogs with or without buns, mashed potatoes, grilled broccoli, corn
• Pizza
• Cilantro lime chicken with avocado salsa, salad, roasted Brussels sprouts
• Grilled pork chops, whatever veggies and fruits we have on hand

Other:

• Banana muffins
• Italian cauliflower salad
• Bacon potato corn chowder

I made dirt (again)

 OK, so I didn't actually make the dirt, but I did create conditions that were favorable for entropy to do its work.  And entropy made me some beautiful dirt.

Earlier this summer, Hubby and the boys built a new compost bin for me.  I stopped adding to the bin on the right about a month ago, in anticipation of being able to harvest some compost for the garden this fall.  At the same time, I started a new pile on the left.  The pile is mostly chicken bedding and droppings along with our kitchen scraps.  This time of year, I'm adding fallen leaves as well.

To harvest the compost, I throw a couple of shovels full from the pile into the compost screen.  The screen filters out the largest chunks and bits that are not yet decomposed, which I dump back into the new pile.  Upon giving the screen a good shake, the compost falls into the wheelbarrow.  Speaking of my wheelbarrow, isn't it lovely?  AKD found it on the side of the road this summer.  For free.  And it's pink!  It was meant to be.

Look at that beautiful dirt!  I am just so tickled that time can take literal garbage, and turn it into something useful and nurturing.  It's so easy.  I don't even worry about ratios of brown and green components or moisture or temperature.  I do wish I had an easier way to turn the pile than shoveling it, but because I don't have an easier way to turn the pile, I don't worry about that, either.  I just pile it up and let it go.  

I mean, you can see the inspirational life lesson in this, right?  Please say yes, because I don't have the energy right now to spell it out for you.  OK.  Twist my arm.  Here's the abbreviated version: pile up your metaphorical garbage and let it go.  Something beautiful will result.

This garbage-turned-dirt will nurture my family next summer by providing nutrients to the plants we will grow and eat.  This is recycling at its best, and it is so very satisfying.

I'm always a little sad when I pull the plants out of the garden at the end of the season. There's so much hope and potential in a garden, and pulling out the remains of the plants feels sad.  But this year, it was a little easier, because I knew that after the plants were gone I would be adding some of that beautiful compost.  And I know that next year will be beautiful because I let this year's garbage go.

Menu plan for the week of October 19

 Guess what happened!  I made this quiche.  And when I baked it at the specified temperature for the specified time, it was actually done.  That (almost) never happens (I mean, I can't say it never happens anymore, because it did happen).  For some reason eggs and pork take way longer in our oven than recipes indicate.  

I've learned to live with the uncertainty--knowing that it will take longer, but not how much longer.  Now?  I can't even be sure it'll take longer anymore.  How can you plan for that?

Reminds me of another thing I/we are all uncertain about right now.

One thing that I can be certain of is that my family will want to eat things.

Here's what's on the menu this week.

Supper:

• Mini cheeseburgers (if you want buns for your cheeseburgers, which Bubby does, hot dog buns cut into thirds work great), brown rice, mixed veggies
• Italian sausage sheet pan meal, applesauce
• Breakfast sandwiches, fresh fruit
• Fend for yourself
• Hot dogs and brats, buns, chips, carrots
• Peppered steak with portobello mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus
• Grilled chicken caesar salad (we use ranch instead of caesar dressing), garlic toast, salad, carrots

Other:

• Rolls
• Cookies--I've been wanting oatmeal chocolate chip, but since I like them much better than anyone else in the fam, it's dangerous for me to make them.  So it'll probably end up being snickerdoodles or sugar cookies
• Banana muffins