Game Changer

I know, "game changer" probably has been overused and sounds a bit dramatic. Well, this product, (for which I receive no compensation) has been just that for me. In all honesty, I have never felt better than since beginning the morning ritual of brewing up cacao nibs instead of drinking coffee or tea. I haven't drunk coffee in many years because of the effect that caffeine had on me, at that point I switched to brewed tea; while still containing caffeine, the amount was much less. I realized recently that I had become addicted to my hot tea, I knew this was bad, there had to be a better alternative! While visiting my sister-in-law earlier this month she introduced me to cacao. I loved it from the very first sip (the aroma itself will draw you in~ think chocolate cake baking in the oven...)  I drink mine black but she added oat milk, her preference.  So, what is Crio Bru? The benefits speak for themselves. Admittedly, it's a bit pricey, but I fix myself only a cup and a half a day, (that's 1/4C of nibs) first thing in the morning; keeping that in perspective, it's not all that bad. I no longer crave tea or caffeinated beverages whatsoever, thanks to the theobromine contained in the cacao. I have steadier energy, all day long, and feel much better in every way. Who knew? Now you do. I'm passing this along just in chase you feel inclined to check it out. I encourage you to read all about it and decide for yourself. Are you looking for a change, a game change? This might just be what you're looking for!

 Cheers!

Life is Good!

Out With The Old...

... in with its replacement! This photo is of my hand-warmer mug, it's as much a part of my morning routine as brushing my teeth and taking a shower. I received it for Christmas a few years ago from our daughter and her family. As someone who's perpetually cold, this mug offers as much hand-soothing therapy as it does a perfect cup of tea to start the day; I couldn't imagine my mornings without it (nor did I want to!). Well, you probably know what's coming next. One morning, a few weeks ago, I was drying my hair with my trusty mug of tea nearby on the bathroom countertop when I noticed a puddle underneath of it, I thought that I must have bumped the mug, cleaned up the spill and went back to what I was doing. Another puddle immediately appeared. My heart sank-- yes, on closer inspection, there was a hairline crack all the way down one side. I muddled through with a substitute teacup for a few days and made the decision to bite the bullet and order a replacement. Of course, even with lots of color options available, I wanted one exactly the same (I don't like change!😉) as the one I had before. I placed the order and received the replacement thanks to great service!

This box appeared on our doorstep the very next day!

Okay, that's going to leak much worse than the cracked one I had. 😬

Again, the wonderful customer service at Mast General Store saw to it that this would be made right. 

Back in business, a replacement for the replacement arrived almost immediately; the tea is hot and my hands are warm (and dry, no more leaks!); all is right with my morning routine once again!

When we visited Quiltville Inn back in November, Quiltkeemosabe and I were both in love with the provided sewing chairs that Bonnie had positioned at every station.  They were small enough in scale to move easily, super comfortable and easily adjustable, height-wise. My friend received one just like we had used there from her husband for Christmas for her re-vamped sewing space. I decided a new one was on the horizon for me too; I always take my own retreat chair (except to Quiltville Inn where everything is provided!) and the one I have used forever for that purpose had stopped playing nicely in that ever so important height-adjustment capacity. Quiltkeemosabe brought hers over to Chez Goodneedle for show and tell at a recent sew-day here. I was sold; (I had already researched the affordability, and when I found out that this was available in red!) it was a done deal. Out with my old worn-out retreat chair, in with the new. This arrived in two days, thanks Amazon Prime (Boss Office Products Perfect Posture Deluxe Fabric Task Chair)!  It won't replace my everyday sewing chair but it will fill in quite nicely as a second chair and will accompany me on sewing road trips!

Life is Good!

Up next: Stitching Up A Storm!

Morning...

...and this, my friends, is precisely why I rise before the sun...

Life is Good!

Stars and Scraps, Reflected

Let me explain what you're looking at here, this picture is very cool... when I came into the studio this morning, and closed the door behind me, this is what I saw reflected in the window. On the design wall are the completed "Stars and Scraps Forever" blocks that I put up yesterday. This reflected image made me smile first thing this morning. I didn't scramble for the camera until after 6 AM. As you can tell, there's some weak, early daylight on the trees outside if you look closely. This mirror-image view was much clearer and more vivid before the sun came up. I'm pleased, for the most part, with the way this top is coming together. It is the quilt that is making itself, leader-ender style, as I piece something else! I wish now that I had used a lighter, brighter star background. I'm not all that happy with this pale mushroom-gray shade. But, hey, it was in the stash closet and soon it will be gone! However, I suppose that if I hadn't used that color the lighter small squares in the scrappy blocks wouldn't twinkle quite as brightly either. Here's the straight-on view:

Life is Good!

What's That, You Say?

I've taken to wearing earplugs for sleeping when I travel. These little foam "bullets" block strange and unfamiliar room/traffic/people noises, and I can awaken completely rested and refreshed, something that used to elude me when I was away from home. Last night was different. I couldn't stay asleep in my own bed. First, my husband's Blackberry (set to vibrate for incoming messages) was buzzing away from the nearby bathroom vanity. He didn't hear it at all. I had to wake him up, as I had no idea how to turn the thing off by myself. When I had once again just drifted off, Kyle's dog began barking from the basement, where she sleeps in her crate (directly under our bedroom). Arrgghh! I opened my nightstand drawer and fumbled around until I found what I was looking for; I quickly inserted the foam rubber sleep-aids, one in each ear. Pure peace. The next thing I heard was my husband calling: "...good morning".... he sounded very far a way, and under water... huh? Whoa, I jumped up and literally flew out of the bed! The ear plugs really work! I never even heard him get up, shower, or get ready for work! He must have thought that I was in a coma, or worse. If I were in charge of packaging these little goodies I'd have to put a prominent warning label on the container: "Do Not Use Without Alerting Roommate, May Result In Possible Over-sleeping Followed By Sudden, Panicked Awakening!" My husband thought the whole thing was pretty funny.

Life is Good!