Bundles of Blossoms Blog

My day, Friday-Food, Singers, Pillows, Tulips & Ramblings

2012-02-17T11:42:00.007-06:00

1. I love the way I have arranged my living room & dining room. Stuff like this makes me very happy.

2. I love my home, but you already knew this didn't you?

3. I've noticed, more than ever lately, that I talk to the t.v. You know like on reality shows. The people in my house just expect it anymore. I guess since they are reality shows I feel like I can just openly express myself and voice my opinions on that particular problem for that week. It's just too bad that Charlie and the kids have sit through it. I need to work on this.

4. Our family is very much like the family on The Middle on ABC.

5. Adele is amazing! Way to rock it on the Grammy's! I kind of just love her. I am so tired of people talking about her being chubby, too. She is beautiful and has an amazing voice and her music moves me. People need to be kind.

6. I am sad about Whitney Houston. I know what her private world consisted of, but her voice was magical to me. Her music was such a big part of my teen years and it's all just sad. I mean, really, are there any better songs to cry to after teenage break ups?

7. My tulips are up and out of the ground and I am scared that Illinois is going to get terrible weather and my tulips wont flower when they are supposed to. I don't know why I worry about them every year, but I do and they always put on quite a show.

8. I still want to build a giant barn or own one.

9.I made my annual Valentines cake for my family. You all know that I do not enjoy baking, but this is a tradition and it turned out really good. I made a strawberry flavored cake with philadelphia cream cheese frosting.

10. I need my hair cut in the worst of ways. Nothing in the world makes me grouchier than when I can't get my hair to look right. Sometimes, I even miss church over it. I know-grow up & straighten up!

11. Charlie told me how good I smelled like six times this week. Wonder how I smelled last week, because he never said a word.........hmmmmmm

12. For Valentine's Day Charlie gave me an old fashioned love letter. He knows me all too well. It was a full page, too. It was my favorite Valentine's Day gift in 18 years. I am going to frame it and put it by by nightstand.

13.When I go to fabric shops there are so many choices and I see everything I would like to have and then I walk out with nothing. Why do I do this?

14. Over at Bundles of Blossoms on Facebook I had a pillow giveaway and Yummy Delights won this set!

Come "LIKE" Bundles of Blossoms on Facebook so you can join in on all of the fun!

15. I also made horse pillows over the last couple of weeks.

16. This week I also accidentally threw a towel in the washing machine when I was washing one of Charlies dress shirts, separately from everything else ,and now his shirt has fuzzies that I cannot get off. Why do I do things like this?

17. I have been so hungry, lately, for an enormous T-bone steak, twice baked potatoes, hot rolls and french onion soup. I even had a dream about it the other night.

18. I also was putting clothes away the other day and slammed my ring finger in my big ol' dresser and it hurt so much that I had to sit down on my bed and have a little cry.

19. I am blessed in my life, with my little family, and I am thankful every day. The stuff that I wrote above is the whiny diva in me with access to a laptop and a blog-YIKES!

20. Life is good!

P.S. Chinamommy turns another year older today!!!

She takes funny pics, like this when she goes on vacation, and says the worst thing about the resort was their butt sniffin' dogs!!!

Yes, those are concrete dog statues she's posing in front of, because she is just simply that hysterical!!!!

LOVE HER!!!!

Happy Birthday Chinamommy (Misschell) !!

This girl's a hoot!!!

Go check out her blog right here

Have a great weekend~

Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh

Potato Scraps for Chickens-Much love~

2012-02-03T08:54:00.004-06:00

I cook all of the time.

I mean all of the time.

I peel potatoes usually three times a week.

I have done this for years and years and years.

We love potatoes.

Yes, we know they're full of starch, but they are a staple food in this household and that's just how it is.

Usually, I peel the potatoes on some paper towels or newspaper on my kitchen table while sitting down.

I learned years ago that if I peel potatoes standing up over a trash can that my back feels like it's going to break-so why not sit down?

Right?

My thoughts exactly.

So getting back to how often I peel potatoes.......

As I was sitting there peeling and peeling and peeling these potatoes the other night a flashback of my childhood arrived and it was quite lovely.

It made me smile.

I made me feel like I was wrapped up in a big blanket of love.

I, swear to you, I could smell the sweet familiar smell of my great Grandma & Grandpa.

This picture, right here, is a picture of Grandpa & myself when I was a little girl. We called him "Gramps."

This picture is one of my favorites and it hangs on my kitchen wall so that I can see it everyday. Remember drinking coca cola out of the glass bottles and then returning them back to the grocery store and getting money back for them? Wow that was a long time ago.......

When I was little my great grandparents had a really big chicken coop.

I spent so much time in that chicken coop.

Not only did they have one chicken house they had three and then the entire place was fenced in with chicken wire.

So it was a big space for chickens to run around, fight with each other, and just be chickens!

They also kept rabbits out there that were huge, cuddly, and so messy.

Anyways, anything that was leftover from breakfast, lunch, and dinner went to the chickens for scraps.

Again, getting back to my "peeling potatoes' story.......

So, as I was peeling each potato, at my kitchen table the other night, and was noticing the mound of peelings mounting, all of a sudden, I had this very strong urge to cut the top off of a empty milk gallon jug like grandma and grandpa used to do, load it with potato scraps, and run out to the chicken coop and feed the chickens my potato scraps.

I hadn't thought about feeding the chickens potato scraps in years.

Why, all of a sudden, after all of the potatoes that I have peeled, did this memory so strongly give me the urge to put my grandpas leather boots on, run out to the coop, and feed the chickens?

I don't know the answer to this, but for whatever reason that this thought decided to pop up in my mind this week, I loved it and it gave me that warm fuzzy feeling of how much I loved growing up with my great grandparents and the chickens.

I never thought that potato scraps could be so full of love?

Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh

It's official..........you be the judge............

2012-01-27T09:50:00.001-06:00

The time came.

I'm not kidding.

Not this time.

I just have to tell you this.........

After many many memories...............

After many many laughs................

After many many naps............

After many many hours of television................

After many many conversations about it...........

After many many accidents where Charlie would flip over backwards in it while sleeping..............

After many many episodes, where Charlie flipped over backwards in it, and the cries of "Help me" would echo through our home.............

After many many muscles used in placing Charlie back in the upright position..........

After many many jokes on Facebook, from people that know and love the stories about Charlie, myself and his chair..........

The end has come.........

(look at it all curled up in the fetal position)

.........or so I had originally thought.........

It's broken............

It's broken in half..........

This happened over 2 weeks ago..........

So one would think that it would have been disposed of properly after a bit of some much due mourning, of course..........

...................but no..........

It's was placed on my front porch!

On my front porch I said!

Temporarily...........I thought...........

Two weeks later and I had to take a picture this morning and blog about it............

.................because that's what I do..............

In hopes that the shame of it all will cause mountains to move.......

..............or at least the dumb recliner to be removed from my front porch.............

Did I mention it's on my front porch????

So, much to my surprise this morning I walked into our living room and saw a two liter bottle of Pepsi on my coffee table...........

I'm not thrilled with the two liter Pepsi bottle being on my coffee table either.

Two liter Pepsi bottles need to be in my kitchen where drinks are supposed to be and not on my coffee table where accidents could happen and my carpet could get stained.

I love my carpet.

Just sayin'

So I looked at my couch and realized a "cover up" was happening right before my eyes.

My couch cushion was gone!

Gone, I tell you.

I took a deep breath.

I opened my front door.

I then saw my wine colored wet cushion propped up against ol' faithful..............

(ol' faithful, being, the nasty ol' brown recliner)

on my front porch...........

...............with a two liter bottle Pepsi stain attempting to dry without being cleaned.........

That's when I decided...........

White Trash???

Could I be unaware that we could be White Trash?

It's never occurred to me before.

............but, again, the signs are all pointing towards a

BIG FAT, YES!

These are definite signs on my porch-right?

You be the judge...........

No matter how much I love the glam and fancy world, that I believe I should live in one day with my tiara on, of course........

Maybe being the "Queen of White Trash" is just what's in the cards for me...........

I'm, quite frankly, tired of fighting it.........

it is what it is...........

.............and I'm okay with that, too.

I'm okay with being White Trash Fabulous!!!

(You knew I'd have to reinvent my title, now, didn't you?)

Have a great weekend!

Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh

Where are your Bundles of Blossoms pillows made? Well, in the studio of course!

2012-01-25T22:18:00.001-06:00

Do you ever wonder, when you buy your Bundles of Blossoms pillows, where your pillows are made?

I always imagine when I order handmade goods online what kind of place they were created in?

I am nosy like that.

I always imagine the artist/crafter/designer snuggled away in their own personal space, losing track of time, listening to Indie music, and snacking on colorful macaroons in a room filled with all kinds of possibilities to make little wonderful goodies for the rest of us to enjoy.

You know my love for handmade everything!

So I thought I'd give you a somewhat updated view of my studio, but since I took these pics a few weeks ago it's changed again. I'll post the updated pics soon-promise~

So here ya go............

...............a sneak peak of my studio.

This is the table where I design, assemble, and sometimes have ridiculous meltdowns when I screw up my pillow tops.

Now, this pillow top did not make the grade.

Giant big girl tears over this one.............

In my mind it had turned out so much cuter.

This was the one from a few weeks ago that I was working on using only those 4x4 quilt squares with minimal waste. Then I decided I would embroider some details in and messed all up...........

So here is my sewing machine and my desk.

Can anyone spot Kenny Rogers on my wall??

Find Kenny if you can.....

I love Kenny Rogers.

My cousin bought me a framed pic of him for my birthday last year.

I love it!

So I have my grandma's embroidery hoops on my wall and I am getting ready to put cute pics in the centers to pull the look together, but I am just thankful for now that I got them on the wall.

Here is a chair my friend put out with a "FREE" sign on it and I pulled right up, put it in the back of my van, honked a couple of times and drove away.

She told me she had a feeling that I'd snatch it up-she knows me all to well. (Thank you, Amy)

I think I am going to recover my big brown chair in pink or lime damask-I'm pretty sure that's what it will be.

I spend so much time parked in that chair~

This is my board of inspiration-

The Farm Chicks Tractor bumper sticker straight from Serena~

My "I love Etsy" pin

Do you realize I have been a member on Etsy almost since it started? It still boggles my mind with how big it has gotten.

(It's flabbergasting!)

There's also a few entrepreneurial stories about these women following their dreams and loving what they do.

..........and of course my pics of the "Swamp People"

(You all know my absurd obsession with the Cajun celebrities)

Here's some of my fabric-

It's a mess right, now.

I don't know how I mess up so much when I am searching for my fabrics, but I do.

This is just a pic of the kitchen.

Look at that cute wreath my niece made me for Christmas hanging there in the kitchen window-

She made it in turquoise and black-like a peacock-she knows me way to well. (Thank you, Sarah) I love it!

I really need to paint those kitchen cabinets-maybe this spring.

Did you spot it?

Did you spot that red Solo cup?

Come on, now........start singing the "Red Solo Cup" song by Toby Keith.........I'm waiting...........get it out of your mind.........

..........Anyways, that red solo cup is holding crystals off of those chandeliers that need rewired which I will do very soon.

This next little area is my area of cubbies.

This area holds so much crapola.

Believe it or not everything is in order and has it's very own place and I would be so very lost without this little area in the studio.

It is jam-packed!!

Here's an up close view of it and of course it would have to be a bit blurry, but you get the idea-blurry and all......

Here's the livingroom side of the studio.

A couple of things have changed since this was taken.

This was a freebie vanity which I have now converted into my entertainment area.

I know, I know, I need to get some curtains made.

It drives me crazy, but I can't decide what it is I want in here.

This is also the side of the studio that is getting that antique chandelier.

I also need things on my walls.

I need to just make myself make the time to decorate my studio. I know exactly what I want to do, but just haven't.........sigh.......

This is one of the chandeliers that I had mentioned that's going in the studio.

I can't wait to get these up!

(Now, here we go again-this blog wouldn't be complete if blogger didn't mess with my spacing. I thought I had almost escaped it, yet here it is. Fix the gliche already, Blogger. )

My apoligies to all of you readers who have to deal with the gliches, as well, on my blog-Geez.........

Moving on..........

I hope you enjoyed the trip through my studio.

I am very blessed, in life, to have a place like this create in.

It's wonderful to work at home and be able to close the door and leave the mess without it interfering in the order of my home and family.

I love it in there and can't imagine my life without it.

It's my home, away from home, at my home.

Get it?

(Giggle-Giggle)

Show me some pics or paste a link to your studio-I'd love to see it.

Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh

Bundles of Blossoms Blog Update~

2012-01-17T10:53:00.004-06:00

I haven't blogged since December 23, 2011.

That's unheard of....

I always have so much to say & share.

So I started wondering what I have done with all of this lost time.

Let's see..........

Well, I did decorate my studio Christmas tree.......

.......But that only took thirty minutes or so......

I also took a picture of what I would look like if I were born without a head........

Actually, I was showing off this sewing machine charm necklace that I had gotten as a gift.

I also made tons of cookies that the kids got to decorate.....

..............then our entire family went into a diabetic coma.......

Just kidding about the coma, but we had fun!

On Christmas Eve, after Mass, we went to my parents house and celebrated with each other.

I got lots of real neat presents. I even got this cute bag with my initial on it, "N" in hot pink, of course.

Then Santa came the next morning and this groovy early morning mom pic was taken and posted on my blog for all to see and admire.

Gotta love a good "sleepy mom" photo opp, right?

For Christmas morning breakfast I always pop this yummy sausage, egg & cheese casserole in while we're opening gifts.

This picture makes my mouth water............

Here's the link to this recipe. I blogged about it last January with the step by step on how to make it. Click here: Breakfast Casserole

I also cleaned up my studio really really good so I could have a fresh start for the new year.

I have also been playing out in my studio, too.

I drew a bunch more designs and cut out my new templates the other day.

On the list of "new" is-

Does, Bucks, fawns, horses, owls, birds, houses, hearts, pennants, etc. etc.

I also sat in the timber, the other night, in a cattle pasture while it was snowing waiting on Charlie and the boys to track their deer.

This was my view from my minivan as it was snowing and blowing.

Isn't the snow so pretty?

My biggest reason that I haven't blogged is because of

Click the link above and follow me, please.

I am ridiculous!

I am a pinning fool!

It doesn't appear to me that I will stop pinning any time soon, either!

It soothes my intense craving for shopping for gorgeous merchandise that I could never afford.

It sparks my own creativity!

It completes me.

I need much help.

I have pinning issues.

I am obsessed.

I wish I had thought of Pinterest and was the founder.

What a fabulous idea.

I LOVE YOU

PINTEREST!!!!!!

P.S. As I was just editing this post I also remembered my frustrations with Blogger and the spacing glitches that they haven't fixed.

I cannot fix them either.

I have tried and tried and tried and then tried some more.

Now, my blog is typed out exactly the way I think-with scattered thoughts bouncing around between the left side, center, and right side of my brain because of these Blogger spacing issues.

Oops!

My secret is out on my thinking pattern and now apparently documented via my blog-geez

I hope 2012 is being good to all of you!

Excuse me while I go "pin" something beyond fabulous on Pinterest!

Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh

Merry Christmas from Bundles of Blossoms

2011-12-23T11:58:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas to all of you!!!

I am so thankful for......

~My family

~My friends

~My readers

~My health

~My home

~My little village

~My life

I am very thankful to live in a little country village, in the Midwest, that looks almost like this picture does when the snow is on the ground.

Yes, where I live, is picture perfect.

I also love that pink Christmas trees make me giddy!

What a year 2011 has been and 2012 is only to be better.

God bless all of you and your families.

Merry Christmas!!!
Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh

My Day, Friday~One Hot Mess

2011-12-15T22:53:00.000-06:00

1. I have been sick this week.

2. I couldn't sleep at night either.

3. I coughed.

4. I cried and often.

5. I got really crabby.

6. I coughed and then I cried some more, because I was so tired of coughing.

7. I have peed through my pajama pants several times from coughing way to hard for any one human.
.
8. I had big babies, been pregnant multiple times, and all of this equals coughing & wetting ones self.

9. I'm hoping you're still reading after my description of the absence of any sort of modesty that I have displayed through this blog post.

10. Did I mention I have been sick this week?

11. Now, it gets better.

12. My husband Charlie got sick, too.

13, Yes, I said my husband got sick, too, and then came home from work sick.

13. Oh, my my my.........

14. Never ever a good combo. Mom's and dad's should never be sick at the same time.

15. He hasn't been pregnant multiple times.

16. So he gets to stay in the same clothes all day.

17. I don't.

18. I have showered 119 times in 4 days, because I have been pregnant multiple times and I have had a bad cough.

19. I didn't shave my facial hair either during my coughing spree this week.

20. That's just how sick I was.

21. I had a vision today as I passed by a huge mirror in our home.

22. My vision made me sad.

21. My vision was of my near future.

22. So I had to share it with Charlie and now with you.

23. I am going to be that smelly and hairy faced tiara wearing grandma that my grandkids don't want to visit.

24. I don't blame my grandkids, that aren't born yet.

25. Grandma loves you anyways and I understand.

26. I scared myself when I passed by that mirror today.

27. I need to get better and fast.

28. I am one hot mess.

Toodle-loo
Nikki Pugh

So did you know I loved to sew?

2011-12-13T10:03:00.000-06:00

I love to sew!

It relaxes me and time flies when I am creating.

Did you know this already?

I drift off to some other world once fabric & scissors are in my hands. Then put me behind a sewing machine and forget it. I am oblivious to anything else going on around me.

I love to sew!

So, recently, my aunt showed up with the cutest little charm necklace for me.

Can you guess what it is?

It's a little fancy schmancy sewing machine charm necklace and I am in love.

It's sparkly and has a little button dangling off the tiny sewing machine. It also has a rhinestone, a pearl, and some spools.

I have worn it every single day this week.

It just screams-

"Nikki Pugh!!!"

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Again, something that I own has a little story behind it, which makes me love it even more.

Toodle-loo
Nikki Pugh

These are a few of my favorite things.....handmade pillows, babies, and facial hair remedies~

2011-12-09T00:08:00.002-06:00

So this should be a

"My day, Friday"

post, but it's not going to be.

Would you like to know why?

I have been really busy running a

"Kick off to Christmas Giveaway"

over at my

Bundles of Blossoms Facebook Fan Page.

The giveaway ends at 9:00 am Friday morning on December ninth and it has been so busy over there.

I love it!

I am so anxious to see who wins!

I am using random.org to pick the winner, too.

(I have secretly wanted to use this company for a long time, because I am nerdy like that.)

I can hardly stand the wait!

I am giving away the

"Crazy Daisy"

Handmade Country Pillow.

See~

This pillow is made of all vintage fabric.

I fell in love with it over and over again when I was making it.

The pillow lives up to it's name, too.

Every petal is an odd size, the stitches are fun & wild, and the color combo is spot on!

Yet, it all works, somehow.

It is imperfectly perfect-just like me.

Maybe it's perfectly imperfect.

Hmmmmm.....I am not sure how to state that......

All I know is this-

Perfect is boring-that's just my own take on life, of course.

So, while I could have packed this blog post full of interesting stories such as.........

1. how I left my water bottle in my vehicle for 3 hours, the other day, and I took the coldest drink of my life.

I think the cold water made me quit breathing for 3-27seconds (I'm not sure of the time frame, because my brain froze-I think.)

2. that I read in a magazine the other day that if you smear vaseline on your eyelashes that you will encourage growth and thickness. I miss my youth, alright. I miss my thick, long, and full eyelashes.......(sigh)

No I haven't done it.......well........okay.....can you keep a secret?

Let's just say that I have had shimmery eye areas for five days now, but only right before I go to bed do I smear it on.

I just didn't want anyone to know.

I'm sure you understand this secret that I am asking you to keep.

I'll get back to you on this important matter, of course.

Now, if vaseline would only make my stupid chin hairs, that I hate, disappear forever-only in my dreams.....

Why can't you have magical powers on that area of my face, Vaseline?

Why?

Why?

Why?

Ya, I am talking to you, Vaseline, you weird container of magical jelly goodness.

3. A family friend of mine, from our little country town, was on Lifetime the other day on the show-

-One born every minute-

Her name is Kelley and her husbands name is Chris.

I love this look of hers-how cute!

Here is the link to the show.

Just click HERE to watch it.

You just have to watch it!

It was so incredible to watch.

Kelley and her husband Chris live in Columbus, Ohio and delivered their child in this hospital that works with Lifetime to put on this awesome show.

Let me warn you.

You will laugh!

You will cry.

Then you will cry, again.

....then you'll cry, laugh, then cry a bit more, and then smile........

Then you'll want to reach through your television or computer monitor and hug Kelley, Chris, and beautiful baby Vaughn.

Trust me!

Then the show will end and you'll be crying with happy tears rolling down your face, but with a great big smile.

It moves me every single time that I watch it.

I still get emotional even writing about it, today, and it aired Tuesday night on December 6th.

I love happy endings.

Who doesn't?

Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh

My Day, Friday-In training & Etsy Baby!

2011-12-02T09:30:00.002-06:00

Howdy Howdy Howdy~

Remember when I had time to blog daily?

Remember when I made time to blog two or three times a week?

Well, just now, I looked over at the sidebar for my blog topics and I am noticing that the "My day, Friday" posts are all neatly lined up and in order.

This, point blank, shows me that I am only blogging once a week now with my rambling gibberish and I need to step up my game.

Once a week!

That's it!

That's all I have been blogging!

Are you curious, as to why, I have dropped down to once a week without even realizing it?

I have been making pillows and trying to build my Etsy Shop which is hard.

It's hard to explain to people how online selling works and that's not even beginning to describe how being a seller on Etsy works, but it's a lot of work. It's so easy to be buried in the pages. First you have to have awesome pics, which I struggle with. It helps to have a decent amount of inventory for search engines, and you really have to market yourself outside of Etsy. There is way more than what I listed, but this just gives you an idea of how hard it is to be a seller on there to the masses. I know this and I know it all takes time, but it doesn't mean it's not any less frustrating.

Thankfully I have had local orders to keep me encouraged to keep making my wacky pillows.

I have been a member, on Etsy, since 2006.

-Way back in the day before it was popular.

Way back in the day when people would ask me this question when they would get fabulous gifts from me that I didn't make.

"What's an Esty?"

Yes, I was asked "what's an Etsy" and often.

Sometime back in 2008 or 2009 I started making flower pin brooches as gifts and decided to sell them on Etsy. I sold three very quickly and then I just never sold anymore and again went on a hiatus.

I was really really really wanting out of the luxury baby business at the time, yet, not sure if the flower pin brooches would take off or even if I wanted Bundles of Blossoms to be in business anymore.

This was my time of reflection-

(Doesn't the word "reflection" make me sound like I know what I am talking about with deeper meaning or does it sound like a bunch of BS?)

I think probably the second BS option.

I just had so many steps to take to step away from the Baby biz and needed to be certain and make sure that was what I wanted.

Lot's of major changes took place in my life, too, but I had this nagging thought in my head that was this little pillow line.

It started with looking for and trying to shop for pillows that I couldn't find in the stores for myself-my own taste.

I needed more than that, too.

I wanted to not only showcase small town & country life, but to bring back the idea of my hands & mind creating a one of a kind item that meant something not only to me, but also to the customer that purchased it.

My main priority was to make sure, when I made these pillows, that the unique design and concept of the design was what sold my pillows. The durability/quality had to hold up to the idea of handmade and that there was a deeper meaning to the appliques and it wasn't just a pillow. It had to be a connection to life.

As you all know, because I have been on my soap box for many years about supporting the long lost mom & pop shop era, that it's very important to buy handmade.

I understand that we all have to purchase from the big stores to exist in our constantly changing world.

I do it.

I know.

But if you notice when you purchase something that is handmade you have all of this extra goodness going on.

1. There is connection to the designer/seller.

2. Someone actually sat down and used their hands and mind to create an original design.

3. Items that are handmade are perfectly imperfect, too. I love that. That's the charm~

There is just something so magical about buying handmade.

Handmade gifts have always been my favorite even when I was a child.

So after the Christmas season settles down and life gets back to "normal" I will be calmly working out in my studio at a calm pace, taking my time to build up my pillow inventory, and I will be back to blogging and reading the blogs I follow more than once a week.

My goal for 2012 is exactly what I mentioned above.

It's going to be my year to prepare and grow the business.

It's been a long sabbatical and it's time to get Bundles of Blossoms back on track for the long haul.

Bundles of Blossoms is such a huge part of who I am, but sometimes, as in life, it's just time to change things up a bit.
This past 2011 year has been kind of like my business has been sprinting kind of like runners do-super fast and at the end the runner is winded and can't catch her breath, but loves the exhilaration!

So 2012 is going to be training for long distance run. It's kind of a slow steady pace while still being able to carry on a great conversation, yet, knowing that there are many more miles ahead.

Toodle-loo
Nikki Pugh

My day, Friday~Thanksgiving & Reality

2011-11-25T00:46:00.001-06:00

Four Fridays in a row?

No way, Jose!!!

I almost didn't make this post, because frankly it's Thanksgiving night, I ate way too much, and I am sprawled on my couch in a very miserable state contemplating if I can continue in this position on my couch while typing out the blog post..........

We'll just see how it all goes.

First and foremost I am highly ticked at my cable company, because every single year we watch David Letterman on Thanksgiving night to find out which kind of pies David's mom baked for Thanksgiving.

Well, guess what?

We didn't have any signal on CBS and we missed it.

Boooooooo!!!!! ~to my cable company.

This was also the first year, I think in my life, that I missed Santa Claus in the Macy's Day Parade.

I was in the kitchen cooking and talking and missed it.

We had two Thanksgiving dinners.

One was at our house and the second one was at my parents house.

We all ate way too much food and this explains why I can't even get off my couch, now.

Have I mentioned how miserable I am?

I don't understand why Justin Bieber is wearing his pants below his tooshy all of a sudden. I have seen him on several talk shows this week and he says he has to waddle now in order to walk with his pants belted that way.

It's weird.

Charlie got his hair cut and his beard cut off this week, because "no shave November" this year was pushing this lady to her limits. He looks like the man I married once again and twenty years younger. I love seeing his face again. I'll post some pics once I get some.

Rob Kardashian came in second place on Dancing with the Stars and I was totally crushed. I debated on even talking about this because it's a sensitive matter, but I am crushed over it. He couldn't dance at all and ended up dancing like a pro. I need to stop caring so much about the fate of my reality stars, but I can't help myself. It's just how I'm wired.

I was insanely disappointed in Lady GaGa's "A GaGa Thanksgiving" and I am always a huge fan of hers.

What was the point of her special?

Why did she drag her songs out and sing so slow?

Why, when she was singing a song, would she quit in the middle of it to talk?

Also, what was up with her wearing so many different types of hair on top of her hair?

This "GaGa'ness" I did not get at all!

Such a let down and I'm a huge fan........

I have decided that, hands down, that the Wednesday night ABC television line up is the absolute best night on t.v.

The Middle

Suburgatory

Modern Family

Revenge

This is a great line up. It kind of reminds me of Thursday nights on NBC with

The Cosby Show

Family Ties

Cheers

Night Court

Hill Street Blues and then when LA Law came on.

It's like good family night t.v.

I hope you all had a fan-freakin-tastic Thanksgiving!!

We sure did!!!

Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh

Super Easy Homeade Vegetable Soup

2011-11-22T10:03:00.002-06:00

I was so intimidated by vegetable soup for so many years.

Yes, this chick, was intimidated by vegetable soup.

I can make anything in the world, I think, but vegetable soup made me so nervous.

Why?

I have no clue.

So, you know me, when I put my mind to something there is no stopping me. So a few years ago, I decided it was fine time that this girl took on the vegetables and broth and there was no turning back.

Of course, homemade vegetable soup is always the best with fresh vegetables and tomato juice made from tomatoes straight out of the garden, this can't always be possible so that is where this easy-peasy recipe comes in to save the day!

This is what your going to need for vegetable soup.

Ingredients

Meat-(stew meat, leftover roast, or even browned down hamburger)

I, generally, use stew meat that I pick up at the store.

Butter (to fry the stew meat in)

Onion salt, salt & pepper-to season the meat when frying to taste, of course.

2 cans V-8 or tomato juice

1 can corn

1 can peas

1 can green beans

1 bag of baby carrots

4-6 cans of canned whole potatoes or you can peel and add your own potatoes

1 whole onion chopped

20 beef bouillon cubes or to taste

1 cup macaroni noodles

If you bought stew meat then you need to grab a skillet, put a couple of spoonfuls of butter in the pan and toss your stew meat in there to cook. Season your meat with salt, pepper, and onion salt to taste.When it's done drain the grease off.

If you're using leftover roast just chunk the leftover meat and put it in the soup pot.

You can also brown down hamburger in a skillet, drain off the grease when it's cooked and add it to the soup pot, too.

So the meat is in the soup pot at this point.

Next add all of your vegetables to the soup pot.

Now, add both cans of tomato juice.

You also need to add water to this mixture.

I usually add enough water so the liquid level is about 2 1/2 inches from the top of the pot so that when it comes to a boil it doesn't boil over.

I add about one tomato juice can of water to taste, of course.

It's better to add not enough water than too much water. So just add the water slowly to your own taste.

Add the twenty beef bouillon cubes, at this point.

Bring soup to a boil and then turn down to a medium boil.

Add salt & pepper to taste.

About 10 minutes before you eat the soup and the soup is boiling add a handful of macaroni noodles.

If you want to eat it at this point it's fine to do so or you can turn it down to a low boil or simmer and let it cook for an hour or so.

This is so easy that I almost feel bad calling it

"Vegetable Soup"

Why did this scare me so much?

Why did I go for so many years of my marriage NOT making it for my family?

Why did I fear the soup?

That is the real question

So many unanswered questions........

Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh

Bundles of Blossoms Shabby Chic Handmade Pillows on Etsy-Take a look!

2011-11-20T23:49:00.003-06:00

I have so many new handmade country throw pillows that went in my Etsy shop over the weekend!!!

Totally shabby chic!

Take a look~

The Cowboy boots SOLD~

I just had to show you these boots, because they just turned out so sassy! You know how I love anything that's sassy!

Now, this pillow set had a fabric manufacturing error so I put in on sale in my Etsy shop. It's got a great discount price on it.

See that faint line?

That's the fabric error. It's not something that will ruin the pillow, but it's there so I thought I needed to mention it.

Here's the link to my Etsy Shop

www.bundlesofblossoms.etsy.com

These pillows would be great Christmas gifts, because they are handmade. My pillows always incorporate vintage fabric with modern fabric. They all are originals and all straight from my mind, to my hands, and created out of love for fabric & design.

It also helps to know that I work out of one heck of a fabulous studio and I can't help but to create as soon as I walk through my studio doors.

It's insanely awesome!!

You wouldn't like the thought of eating a gourmet meal that comes out of a gross kitchen so why would you want to buy a handmade gift from a yucky old studio?

Guess what?

My studio is the bomb-doggity! I'm not so sure I've ever used the word bomb-diggity in my life and pretty sure I wouldn't use it again, but you get where I'm come from.

It ROCKS!

I sit out in my studio, crank my local radio station up, and with this batch of pillows while I was designing and sewing, I was singing loudly to my 80's music from noon until 1 pm, because that's how my radio station does it (we all know I'm a sucker for my 80's music) and then I listen to Adele, Bruno Marz, Maroon 5, LMFAO and whatever other songs that are popular, right now, and I sing like I know all the words.

This is a pretty typical work day~

P.S. Also, when I open the studio up, I pretend that when I am unlocking the front door that I am my very own mom & pop shop and that I am opening up the business for the day.

I want one of those flip-around signs that says

"Open" & "Closed"

I feel the need to flip a sign.

Just so you know........

Shop Bundles of Blossoms on Etsy!

www.bundlesofblossoms.etsy.com

Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh

My Day, Friday~Disco Balls, The Amish, and Diane Keaton~

2011-11-18T09:26:00.006-06:00

Well, now, who'd of thunk it?

I am back for three weeks in a row for my

"My day, Friday" post.

I think I just set my own record and all of you are here as witnesses.

Hooray-Hooray!

So let's get started with this week.

So we went to the circus and I didn't run away with them.

Aren't you so proud of me?

I always felt there was a showgirl/trapeze artist inside of me just dying to get out.

I mean, seriously, the glitter, the flickering lights, the disco balls, the flashy boas and leotards.

Let's just say that my kids & husband are quite happy that I chose them, because they know how I can be swept away in the moment of a travelling "look alike" city, such as Las Vegas, with trashy high heels and glittering headpieces with feathers attached, of course.

My new idol in life is this chick named Angela.

Solid muscle.

Wow!

Just look at how high up in the air she is and not even a mat or net to land on.

She was spectacular!

The elephants were cute, yet, made me sad, especially because elephants aren't supposed to sit on big metal stools wear costumes, or perform. I am pretty sure that they don't do this in........well.......Africa.

......and one purple-haired clown........

Well, our fat outside security cat, Mario Pugh, puked outside on my kitchen porch, again.

Do you see him there? He's spying at me through the porch railing.

I don't really think he give two cents that I had to clean up after him this morning.

He's a very narcissistic feline.

This has been 2 weeks in a row that I have blogged about our cat.

Just in case you might be wondering.......

Yes, I do have friends, and in normal conversations, I very rarely mention the cat............. so why must I blog about him like I do?

I like watching a couple of the school teachers, that teach at our little country school, walk or ride their bikes to school in the mornings.

It starts my day out right, especially, when it's that early in the morning and seeing them makes me that happy.

There's just something good that comes from people that can walk or ride bicycles to work.

It all goes back to being rooted in your community.

I like roots.

Speaking of roots........

When we went to the Pumpkin Patch in (Arthur, Illinois) a couple of weeks ago I just had to take these pics of the Amish people even though I don't think I am supposed too.

I can't NOT take them.

The Amish FOREVER fascinate me.

Family, roots, religion, country life, simplicity, nature, communal living and generations of teachers constantly teaching.

What's not to be of interest in this community?

So Diane Keaton is making the rounds on morning talks shows and television in general with the promotion of her book of memoirs or should I say a combination of her mothers whole life documented in diaries with Diane's spin on it.

I just love her.

I first loved her in the movie "Baby Boom."

It made me want to be a business woman in a business where it was my passion.

Then, of course, her all time best movie ever with Jack Nicholson-

"Somethings gotta give"

So while listening to all of her interviews I found out that this was her favorite movie of all time, too!

I think I'd like to be friends with her.

Maybe I'll just buy her book instead........it seems like a more realistic thought.

So Regis is is leaving......

I am very sad that Regis Philbin with be leaving today.

I just really don't like change and I think that's mainly why this has made me sad about him leaving.

Yes, it's going to change my mornings, because I wont hear his voice anymore at 9 am every single day, but as long as I have the teachers walking or riding their bikes to school, then I should be able to get through this huge transition in my world.

If you only had my problems.......

Enjoy your weekend!

Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh

My day, Friday~ Sixteen and going strong~

2011-11-11T08:33:00.007-06:00

I can't believe I stuck to my own rules, which was dedicating Friday's to be a melting pot of my week long tid bits of a whole lot of little nothings, but I did it!

Here I am, for the second Friday in a row, under the same theme.

Maybe my self diagnosis of A.D.D. could have possibly been misdiagnosed by who else other than.......this chick!

11-11-11

This is today's date.

It ROCKS!

This is such a super cool date and just so happens to be this cool couples 16th wedding anniversary!!!!

Yep, that's Charlie and I.

We look so young!!

.......and then here is a current picture of the ol' married folks taken a couple of weekends ago at the pumpkin patch.

We had to take our annual royalty pictures. I think I might have pushed two or three annoying little kids out of the way to get to our thrones, because frankly I had waited in line long enough and daylight was burning and Charlie was getting tired, hungry and grouchy and I'll be damned if I was going to let our annual photo opp skip a year, because of kids who would never appreciate our king and queen chairs the way we do.

*Disclaimer-no strange little munchkin kids were harmed during this photo shoot*

I discovered, during this photo shoot, that we also sit in 2 shifts each, now.

This picture, directly above, explains stage one of sitting.

(Go ahead and scroll up to look again)

I always sit first to support Charlie with my sympathetic eyes, because his knees hurt when he bends and his back hurts when he sits. I also say sentences such as:

"Just take your time."

"Are you okay?"

"Is the seat to low?"

"Is it your knees or your back?"

Then sometimes I huff like an ol' grizzly bear at him. You know what I mean, right? It's kind of like when you breathe in through your nose really loudly and exhale even louder so that if someone doesn't hear you the first time then by gosh they'll hear the next several.

C'mon-you know you all do it sometimes, especially when you're in a hurry, but generally I am the comfy cozy wife......well......usually.......

Charlie sits in two stages.

He bends and braces (stage 1)

Then he sits and exhales.

This is how we rock and roll, because we're just cool like that.

There ya go.

Stage 2 completed.

Cheese~

We get up from sitting in two stages, too, but I'll save that for another day, even though I am sure you are just dying to hear how we get up from sitting.

We're quite ridiculous these days.

Now, in this next pic I am a princess.

How did I get demoted from being queen?

If I could vote for one or the other.......

I'd vote for queen, but the princess pic is alright, too, just not the title.

I guess we just hold many titles.

Happy 16th Anniversary Charlie!!!

So this week was so very boring.

I broke 2 needles on my sewing machine.

My coffee filter collapsed in my coffee pot, which I did not know about, so when I was finishing my big cup off coffee my entire mouth was filled with nasty coffee grinds.

Not a pretty picture.

My teeth looked like they had dark freckles all over them.

I rearranged the living room in my studio and now it feels totally different. I had an old vanity and turned it into my new t.v. stand.

I need to take some pics. I will do this soon.

It's funny that by simply moving furniture around it can change the look of the room so much.

Oh, the little things in my life that make me tick~

I stepped in cat vomit on my porch wearing my pink striped fuzzy socks.

(I yelled some pretty foul words and then cried a little)

~all this because I am a drama mama~

Enough said about that.

I have had the song

"Moves like Jagger"

in my head all week, but have been singing Adele's latest song

"Someone like you"

at the top of my lungs, because it just feels that good to sing that loud with her.

We sing together about three to four times a day-

-me and Adele that is-

I listened to Jessica Simpson give an interview on E about her pregnancy gas and now I am blogging about Jessica Simpson's pregnancy gas.

As she stated, "she just can't blame it on the dog anymore."

What the heck?

Wow!

Really?

I cannot stop pinning on Pinterest.

I can't just pin a few either.

I mean I have pinned 1198 pins.

I also have them on 31 boards.

I am ridiculous and must be stopped.

Where do I find the time?

The stuff I pin I absolutely LOVE with all of my heart, too.

Of course, I do.

Why must I fall in love so hard with everything?

Here, take a look for yourself.

You can see all of my pins and boards.

It makes me feel like I have been shopping for everything I really really want without spending a dime.

Does that even begin to make sense?

I would also like to give a big shout out to one of my bloggy friends and her husband who also share this anniversary date with us.

This pic is of Angela and Aubrey.

Angela's blog is called

Pickles on Pizza

Cool name, isn't it?

You can follow her here on this link

Pickles of Pizza

Look at how cute these two kids are.

I'm thinking she said this pic was when they were first married eleven years ago.

Just think-

They are married 11 years on 11-11-11.....

I think they just trumped me-LOL!

Happy Anniversary to you both!

I'd also like to welcome my new blog followers!

I have a ~~whopping 61 followers~~, oops make that 62 whopping fabulous followers, now. I just got a new one-YIKES!

I always get so giddy when someone actually takes the time to follow my weirdness in the bloggy world.

Dear wonderful ol' followers,

If you were sitting on my couch, right now, you know for sure that I'd totally share my three big Halloween candy bowls with you, because that's exactly how special you all are to me.

Thank you for reading my typed out words blog after blog after blog.

You're all very special to me.

Toodle-loo
Nikki Pugh

My day, Friday~

2011-11-04T00:58:00.003-05:00

My day, Friday is an attempt to be a weekly posting of everything that has no where else to go in my head, because I get easily distracted by everything. I hope I can keep it up, but you know how I operate so my apologies if I skip a Friday or two or seventeen-(smile)

Here goes.....

They say the older that you get the more time flies by.

This happens to be true.

This week was insane.

It was so fast, but also as slow as a snail

So this blog is dedicated to my unorganized thoughts and if you can, please, try to follow me. If you have to read it three to four times that's okay too.

I understand.

My household started out with pink eye this week.

Except pink eye at our house was not pretty, glamorous, or photoshopped.

Pink eye at our house was itchy, disgusting, and inflamed.

I didn't get it, but others did.

And if that weren't bad enough the stomach flu hit and hit hard. One out of five of us DID NOT get it. I wasn't the lucky one.

There will be NO pics posted for the visualization of the stomach flu.

We are all healthy, once again, and I am so over all of it!

Did you know Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries are getting divorced?

Had you heard this yet?

I am so happy about this.

I did NOT like the way he treated her and why isn't any of that being brought up in the media?

I have told Kim time and time again to leave him. I am glad she finally listened to me. Of course, I gave her all of this good advice from my couch and on my Facebook wall.

I picked up tacos from Taco Bell Thursday night for dinner, which I never do that during the week, and do you how many tacos we ate?

We had two taco party packs and everyone, except me, popped popcorn right after dinner.

What the heck?

Two boxes didn't fill these people up.

Moving on.......

We had fifteen trick or treaters this year and that's it!

So, I bought a ton of candy, and now I have to eat it all.

Do you like my little ghost trio?

I found that at a rummage sale a few weeks ago.

I think it's cute.

I've decided it's going to be a very long winter if Charlie keeps sneaking to turn up the furnace because he's cold and I keep sneaking to turn down the furnace because I am cheap.

Who do you think will win this annual winter battle?

My answer is always this-

"Grab an afghan it doesn't cost any money."

We will have been married 16 years next Friday on November 11.

It's such a cool year for our anniversary, too.

Check out the date this year-

11-11-11

Uh huh, See. I told you that was pretty cool!

So while it's passing through my head I was actually going to do today's blog on when I went farming with my dad, but because I have focus issues, obviously, I decided I'll try and post about that maybe next week, but here's a pic of me driving the big green beast of a John Deere combine while cutting soybeans.

Can you see me?

That's my dad to the side of me.

On a totally different subject~

(are you still following me?)

I also don't know why people make fun of Vanilla Ice?

I was watching MTV tonight and the song,

"Ice Ice Baby" still makes me want to get up off my couch and dance.

Well, guess what?

I did.

I loved my teen years and these dumb veejays on MTV, who were still in diapers when Vanilla Ice was in his prime, need fired if you ask me.

They don't appreciate him like I do.

I appreciate Vanilla Ice even if I am the only one.

So there.

One of the people I gave life too informed me this evening that I am called a Twilight Geek, because I can hardly wait to see "Breaking Dawn" part one. He said he heard that term for Twilight junkies (like me) on t.v.

I love the entire Twilight series (the books are better, of course) but I make it a family event whether they enjoy it or not.

We were at the pumpkin patch the other day and look at these funny ducks in this picture that I took.

They look like they are wearing toupee's

Isn't that the funniest thing ever?

This reminds me.....

I do need to blog about our day at the pumpkin patch,too.

(Making a mental note about the pumpkin blog)

Here is one last issue that I have been having.

I am a big believer in Oil of Olay because my grandma swore by it and she said she used it so she wouldn't get wrinkles and also because I have very sensitive skin and it doesn't break me out.

Lately I have noticed my skin is getting minor wrinkles and kind of loose around my eyes when I am painting on my face. All this is making me crazy, because I am just that vain.

Vain in strange ways-

(again, this could be a whole other blog post about vanity)

So anyway, because my grandma used it everyday so have I.

Then the other day it occurred to me that she was wrinkly for forever.

So does it work or not?

She wasn't quitter.

So now I don't know the answer to my Oil of Olay question.

Does Oil of Olay help to control wrinkles or are wrinkles genetic?

Time will tell if it works on me or not, right?

I just know I do not like them one bit.

Until then, if I start to resemble this breed of dog.........

Well...........we'll kind of know the answer.

Sssshhhhh............Just don't tell me-okeedokee!

Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh

Cosmopolitan Country Black Angus Cow Pillow Turns Farm Life into Modern Home Decor

2011-11-02T10:54:00.004-05:00

Hello Everyone!

(insert smile)

I know that I have already shown you the black angus cow pillow, but I showed it briefly with a few other pillows and kind of felt like I skipped over this pillow. I was so proud when I completed it. I also wanted to go into more detail and spotlight this pillow just a tad more so that I could show you more about what it has to offer and what it personally means to me.

Where I live in the Midwest cows are everywhere, but Black Angus cows are what I specifically grew up around. As a matter of fact if you drive three miles away, whether it be north, east, west, or south, from my house you'll run smack dab into these gigantic cows. They are stunning to me. I never grow tired of looking at them. They are beautiful to me. Yes, I said these cows are beautiful to me. They are especially beautiful while standing on a hill, at sunset and all you see is the green grass, the blue sky with shades of orange, red, and yellow and what looks like silhouettes of cattle, but they are actually the big black angus cows. If I shut my eyes, right now, I can see it. Can you?

So when I decided to start this Cosmopolitan Country modern country pillow line together I had to make black angus pillows, but I didn't make them black.

So..........I decided............

................if you take a black angus cow and put a girly vibrant, floral, striped, multi colored and modern twist on it I'm pretty sure you'd get this pillow-well, that's just what I did.

There's no denying the form of a black angus cow. They are strong and have a very defined shape, but in order to make them look feminine they must have color and flowers. Am I right or am I right?

This cosmopolitan country pillow has red and white gingham on the back and the front fabric is a gorgeous green with some gold or somewhat lime colored accent leaves/vines or something like that-it's pretty.

The black angus, itself, has reds, pinks, blues, yellows and a touch of pink. It's such a country girl kind of pillow.

A girly cow???? I think so...........

This cow pillow would make a great Christmas gift

I am selling them in my Etsy Shop for $42.00

This black angus pillow measures 12 3/4 wide by 12 3/4 high.

You can also just send me an email, too at:

customercare@bundlesofblossoms.com

This line has been incredible to design and I have had so much fun showing off, where I live and introducing you to my small town life through my pillows.

It's a good life that am so fortunate to be able to share with you.

Toodle loo-

Nikki Pugh

"It's the great pumpkin Charlie Brown"

2011-10-31T08:35:00.001-05:00

Happy Halloween!

This classic is my favorite show this time of year.

"It's the great pumpkin Charlie Brown"

We always gather the family, pop a bowl of popcorn, grab an afghan, and sit around the television.

I always hope that Lucy will actually hold the football so that Chuck (Charlie Brown) can kick it, but she always pulls it away and he lands on his back.

I also always hope that when I watch the movie, "Titanic" that the boat doesn't sink and that Jack survives the freezing Atlantic Ocean.

I guess I am an eternal optimist don't you think?

Anyways.........

Are any of you dressing up and if so what are you going to be?

Popcorn balls are my absolute favorite treats this time of year. Are they yours too? They remind me of my childhood. A few special ladies, in my little town, made them every year. I have one of the special recipes of theirs given to me by one of their daughters. What great memories.

P.S. I have a cute little 1st grade joke for you-

What did the ghost say to the bumble bee?

Boo-Bee!!!

(insert rolling of the eyes and guilty chuckle right here)

Happy Halloween with all of your trick or treating!

Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh

Pizza Burgers made from homemade sloppy joes-Family style dinners on a budget

2011-10-28T11:56:00.001-05:00

As you all know I just love to cook and I always like to make everything go a bit further than it should as in making two meals out of one.

A little while ago I did a blog on my homemade family recipe of sloppy joe's.

If you missed that post you can find it right HERE

With that being said I had also mentioned how I take the leftover sloppy joe's and make pizza burgers just like our awesome school cafeteria cooks, in my little village, used to make for all the students.

We had amazing cooks in our school kitchen. Almost everything was homemade and totally delicious. We didn't have food shipped in, prepacked, and cooked. They made it as if they were in their very own kitchens cooking for their own families, and then all of us lucky kids got to dine very well. We dined so well that as adults and as different generations of many classes we still talk about it while we drool down our shirts just even touching on the memories. Our school was just known for this.

Some awesome ladies fed us very well!

This is just one more thing I get to brag about while living in small town USA.

So I decided to incorporate some of these scrumptious meals into my own and make them a mark in my families food-y tradition.

Anyway, here's what you do to make

Pizza Burgers

(Made a couple of days later with the Sloppy Joe's leftovers)

Homemade Sloppy Joe's Link

*Preheat oven to 400 degrees

You will need:

1 pack of hamburger buns or 1 hot dog buns

1 bowl of your left over sloppy joe's. Enough leftovers to make 18-20 ice cream scoop fulls of sloppy joe's.

2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

While you are waiting for the oven to preheat. Put your leftover Sloppy Joe's in a sauce pan and warm it up on the stove. Make sure it is warmed through.

Next take a cookie sheet and put all of your hamburger or hot dog buns on it. As many as you can fit. If you are using hamburger buns put both the top and the bottoms down separately on the sheet and face up.

Your mixture should be warmed up by now.

Take a large tablespoon or an ice cream scoop and put put one big scoop on the hamburger buns or in the buns if you are using a hot dog bun. Be sure the mixture is spread all over. Now take your shredded cheddar cheese and sprinkle that over the top of the bbq mixture-to your liking.

Put in oven until the cheese melts together. Which is generally about 5-8 minutes.

Take out of oven and let rest for about 5 minutes. Use a spatula and serve.

Below I will show you the step by step process, just because, I love recipes with pictures.

As always I know I desperately, in the saddest of ways, need new plates-(sigh)

Thank you Shirley, Joyce, Ann, and all of the other incredible women in my little country school for taking such pride in your job which impacted all of our memories of you for a lifetime.

Because of you we get to continue these homemade meals in all of our homes and I'd just like to say thank you, ladies, and a job well done with much love.

Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh

Look what I found last night -University of Illinois -Illinois Public Media interview of Nikki Pugh of Bundles of Blossoms 2006

2011-10-27T16:13:00.002-05:00

I just love how my porch looks this time of year, but this is not what today's blog is about.

(I just wanted to show you my pumpkins)

Nice pumpkins don't you think?

We have thirty pumpkins here at the ol' homestead, this year.

Focus, Nikki, focus........

So, last night I was searching for some Illinois publications or publications pertaining to the Midwest and stumbled on an old interview that I had given to a reporter named Jiffy Johnson of WILL public radio at the University of Illinois many moons ago.

I was so very very nervous and I remember telling the reporter that I was too nervous to give this interview. She was very sweet and told me that they would edit it and for me to just talk, but I was shallow breathing and my heart was palpitating and practically up in my throat.

I hadn't heard this interview since it was on the radio back in 2006. It was pretty darn cool to hear it last night and my nerves, once again, went crazy. I actually did this interview in 2005, but it aired I think in January of 2006. So just in case you'd like to put a voice with the face............well..................here ya go!

Just click on the link right HERE. Read the instructions I just wrote below-

*Turn your volume up, push the play button, slide your slider to 42:10

*You might have to listen to about 20 seconds of weird music and then the interview begins*

You can also just click on this actual link if you'd like-

http://will.illinois.edu/sidetrack/program/sidetrackjan07/

Toodle-loo
Nikki Pugh

Bundles of Blossoms is back on Etsy! Pillow party anyone?

2011-10-24T18:51:00.003-05:00

So, I've done it, now!

Yep, this girl!

(This pic was taken when I went farming with my dad a couple of weeks ago-many more pics to follow, but I'll save that for a post all on it's own.)

But anyways..........as I was saying........

It's official, because I even put it on Facebook, which means I am not kidding. Facebook means you are serious, but of course I am sure you know this already, right?

I've TWEETED about it, too!

Now, here I am getting ready to blog about it on Blogspot.

Bundles of Blossoms is officially selling on Etsy!

Yep! That's what I said!

www.bundlesofblossoms.etsy.com

Take a look-see for yourself.

Now, I know I only have four "Cosmopolitan Country" pillows and one brooch for sale, but I am working on getting everything else made.

Modern country is my goal-I have created what I couldn't find in the stores and I'm sure other people are searching for exactly what I couldn't find, too.........

Now, keep in mind the fabrics that I generally use are modern fabrics and vintage fabrics mixed up together to combine old with new and I have an absolute blast from concept to finished product. I love this line with all of my heart and I am hoping the rest of the world does, too. I have never been so in love with anything I have ever made like I am with this line. I dream about it and the possibilities are endless.

Yeah, for small town country living and that my passion is derived from where I live and what I love! It's just so natural to me.

Can it really get any better than that?

I think not.

(Keep your fingers crossed)

Here are some pics to entice you to look over at my Etsy shop.

Here are two of my bird pillows that just went up for sale.

At Etsy I wrote a cute little story about each of them. They were stories that I had in my mind while I was constructing these little bird pillows. There are many more photos over in the shop.

I'd like to introduce you to Clementine~

This little sweetheart is named Annabella~

This is my farm chick tractor

If only country girls could add their touch to the color and design of tractors~

Okay, well, around these parts of Illinois, Black Angus cows are huge and I had to honor them in my very own way so here's my take on this strong, solid, gorgeous animal, but in my pillow version, of course.

This is what I have been doing and this is where I've been hiding out.

I've been tucked away in my studio thinking, drawing, cutting, designing and sewing sewing sewing!!!

My cup runneth over~

Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh

Old family sayings & old Catholic sayings remembered-A forgotten language

2011-10-14T11:21:00.016-05:00

I have been so lucky in life in many simple ways.

Simple ways that might go unnoticed, so as always, I am going to blog about them.

In this life I was surrounded by incredible aunts & uncles, great aunts & uncles, great-great aunts & uncles, grandparents, great grandparents, great-great grandparents, incredibly wise older people in my community and born and raised in our family built Irish Catholic church.

Lucky me, right?

Within my upbringing there was a language that I don't hear anymore since so many of these people have passed away.

I say the words/expressions, but sometimes when I use them, some people have never heard of them.

It's a lost language and that makes me sad not to hear anymore.

So, I am going to tell you some of the words and expressions that were apart of my life, and who said them, because I don't hear them near often enough. I know I have forgotten many so maybe this will be a two part blog at some point.

Here goes a short list of little sayings that my Ma, which is my dads mom, would always say.

"Well Blessed Be"

*Translation-Well, good.

"Sloofoot"

*This is a nickname that she called all of us. What does it mean? Does anyone know? Anyways, we always answered.

"You are full of tomfoolery."

Tomfoolery means orneriness. I know this, for a fact, because when she wouldn't tell me what it meant and she made me look it up in the big ol' dusty dictionary and I have to say I was a bit offended at the age of eleven when I realized the definition applied to me. (Giggle-Giggle)

"Oh, Glory be"

Again, I think this means quick praise or possibly an absurd disbelief about something. I have heard this in various ways, and I myself, have said it in various ways.

Now, both of my maternal Grandma's said this next bunch of sayings often. One grandma, of course being my Ma and my other grandma, which is my moms mom, still says these things today and she is Grandma B.

"Mercy sakes alive"

I think that means something in the realm of being surprised, flustered, or shocked. I can hear them both saying it to me quite a bit so........

"Oh, Jesus, Mary & Joseph"

I think maybe this means calling for quick prayer when things aren't going your way??? Perhaps??? Again, I know how to us it, but apparently not how to define it correctly.

"Oh, for heavens sake"

Everyone in the generation of people have used this phrase time and time again. I use it often myself.

Hmmmmm.........trying to think of the correct definition.

Maybe I'll give an example sentence.

A little child says-"Mom, I ripped a big hole in the knee of my jeans.

The mother would say, "For Heavens sake."

But with that as an example sentence an opposite form of this saying comes to mind too.

Example-"The baby was born healthy. Mom and baby are doing just fine.

Then my Ma & Grandma B could insert, "For Heavens sake."

Do you kind of understand, now?

My Grandma B, when someone is being ornery always uses this word that she's known all of her life, but I cannot find it anywhere online, so Grandma and I are not sure of where it comes from.

The word is-

T-rod-Dee

Example sentence, "oh, what a little T-rod-Dee

Does anyone else use this word beside us?

Grandma B would ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS sing this Doris Day song to me.

It's called-

"I love you a bushel and a peck"

You must listen to it. Click the link below Doris Day's pic~

http://youtu.be/XNjv1WDGxt8

Now, my Grandpa B is married to my Grandma B, obviously, and he has his own little song that he likes to sing.

Grandpa B has been singing this song forever, well, forever to me in all of my thirty seven years on planet earth.

It's called-

"The daring young man on the flying trapeze"

-from the 1934 movie-

"It happened one night"

Click on the link, below, and listen for yourself.

http://youtu.be/UI_BF1q6uBY

I just love it, but I love how grandpa sings it even more!

Now, my Grandma B's parents were Grandma & Grandpa C.

They were my great grandparents. They were very funny peeps and always had something to say.

Grandpa C would say this.

"A shade off plum"

Usually he would use this saying when grandma's bunko friends would come over and they would annoy him, because they talked so much. He would say, "Welp, the widows are on their way over and they're a shade off plum"

He was a shy man with a very dry sense of humor and I loved him so very much.

Grandpa would also tease all of us grandkids about picking our switches and getting lumps of coal.

Example sentences-

Grandpa would say to me, "Little girl, what do you want for your birthday?"

Me-of course, I'd run through my enormous list first.

Grandpa, "Well, you forgot to mention a lump of coal and a bundle of switches."

I know that sounds crazy, but let me just state he was the sweetest man I have ever known and this was his one and only way of teasing us and he would get to laughing, and of course me and my diva-ness even as a child, always got a little irritated with these statements and kind of expected to receive coal and twigs. It never happened, but it kept us on our toes. Gosh, I miss him.

My great Aunt Bernadine (Bun), who I have blogged about so many times and reminds me of Aunt Clara from "Bewitched" would always say-

"Such is life"

No matter what the circumstance was good, bad, or indifferent if there were nothing left to be said she would always say, "Such is life."

My Great Grandma C would always say,

"Well, that's bunk."

In other words it means that's total crap-LOL!

Grandma's C's phrasing sounds much more lady like I think. I say this phrase and I say it often.

Okay, so there are just a few of the ol' sayings.

I would love to know if any of these were used in your homes and families.

I am also interested in phrases/sayings that you grew up with that no one else uses anymore.

I'll just leave you with this old Irish toast that my Ma said daily while she toasted herself or others with her daily glass of wine or whiskey-

(I hope I am quoting it correctly)

"Here's to the woman that lives over the hill.
She wont, but her sister will."

Ma just loved that toast.

It makes me smile just typing it out.

Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh

P.S. Please, share your sayings with me~

By the way blogger is playing around with my spacing, in my writing again, today. Don't you just love a good ol' computer technology gliche-me neither!

Baked potatoes & onions with the memories of my childhood.............

2011-10-10T11:36:00.003-05:00

When I was a little girl we always had a lake lot.

Oh my goodness the memories of the lake are wonderful ones.

Lots of family and friends, boat rides and skiing, fireworks, campfires, sunburns, loads of laughs, my dad teaching me to drive the boat, jumping off the dock in the deep end and the water being hot on top and ice cold twelve feet down, and great food.

Let me just say that so many different foods are associated with my memories of the lake.

The smells, the tastes, the preparations, the fun memories and delicious food is right here in my mind even as I am blogging.

We always cooked over a fire. So when we would head to the lake, for the weekend, my mom would prep foods at home to be cooked at the lake. We'd then pack our coolers and off we'd go.

One of the dishes that she would prep was potatoes and onions, but instead of putting them in a pan she would put them in Reynolds Wrap and we would throw them on the fire right before dinner.

So when I became an adult and craved these potatoes I decided that I would make them in a cake pan, in my oven, and I'd take care of that childhood craving.

This homemade dish is so simple, feeds many people, is like fried potatoes without the mess, and yep, it's cooked in butter.

Is this a healthy dish? Heck to the no......

Is it a delicious and mouth watering dish? Heck to the ya.......

Let's get started on this artery clogging pan of goodness~

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

Peel and slice your potatoes as if you're making fried potatoes.

Take two onions and slice them as onion rings.

Take a paper towel and put butter on it and smear it all over the pan.

Make one layer of potatoes at the bottom of the pan.

Next make one loose layer of onions on top of the potatoes and then repeat until you run out of potatoes and onion.

In between the layers add salt and pepper to taste.

It will look like the picture below~

Now, take some butter and just drop it, by tablespoon, in different areas of the the pan.

It will look like this when all of the butter has been put on.

(I know, folks, lots of butter)

Now, it's time to put it in the 450 degree oven.

Before you do this make sure to cover it tightly with aluminum foil so that no steam escapes.

See how tight it needs to be sealed. If it's not sealed tight under these high temperatures, then the potatoe's will burn.

~Trust me, I learned the hard way~

In one hour, remove the foil, stick a fork in the potatoes to see if they're done. If the potatoes fall apart then they are cooked then they are done. If the potatoes are not fully cooked then I cook them in fifteen minute increments until they are done.

Now, how do these look?

These look done to me?

I have to tell you that these are great to take to potlucks, too, as long as you put the aluminum foil right back on them so that they stay heated.

My family loves this dish and I love it not only because of my childhood lake lot memories, but I get to have fried potatoes without the mess all over my stove top. Who likes to clean up grease? Not this girl.

Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh

Handmade Modern Country Home Decor Bird Pillow & Flower Brooches or Pins

2011-10-06T13:44:00.010-05:00

I've been tucked away in the studio dealing with this little sassy bird that is such a total diva.

She's a new member of the

"Cosmopolitan Country" pillow line by Bundles of Blossoms~

SOLD~

This sassy lil' pillow measures 11 inches wide and 13 inches high.

It is made almost entirely out of vintage fabrics.

I can't get enough of her.

I love the look of this tiny red, pink, black & ivory print. It gives the little birdie pillow so much character and energy.

Here is a back view of the pillow-

I stuff the pillow, myself, as well. This is a pillow and not a pillow slip cover. When I am done stuffing the pillow then I hand sew the end.

Here is an up close and personal shot of this sassy little country bird. It took me forever to take this pic, because she was so particular about how she looked, and she just wanted me to capture her from the perfect angle.

(She tends to have a little diva attitude sometimes)

SOLD~

She has a price tag of $35.00

She would make an excellent Christmas present!

So I have been making flower brooches and/or pins, too.

FLOWER BROOCHES & PINS

These accessories have been so fun to make. Again, keeping with the theme of "Cosmo-Country" I wanted them to look farm girl cool with a twist of modern contempory flare.

Most of the brooches are made from vintage fabric, vintage buttons, or a great combination of old and new fabric and buttons (whatever looks the cutest to me at the moment.)

The buttons are securely handsewn by me, as well as, the pin backs. The edges are intentionally left raw and during all of the years that I have created these brooches they only fray just a tad, but I love that look. I am always complimented and asked where I bought them when I wear them myself.

On the back of each flower brooch and/or pin I always cut out a felt heart, not only to cover the exposed stitching on the back, but to make sure you know that my love, my heart, and my soul went into each and everyone. It's so very true. I love everything I create and I become attached to it-now, isn't that silly? It's very true. I love to create! That's the greatest thing about shopping handmade gifts isn't it?

So below are the flower brooches. I took three pictures of each floral pin. I have just the image of what it looks like, then I have kind of a side image to show you the thickness of the brooch, and then I have the back side with the Bundles of Blossoms signature heart.

I need to start loading my etsy shop, which I will, but I have been selling quite a few of everything, as well as, just building up supply and there are just not enough hours in the day to do it all if you know what I mean. I am in pure heaven creating this line and it consumes me in the best of ways.

I have found my niche and I love it!

These, too, would make great Christmas gifts or stocking stuffers.

The 4x4 inch brooches are only

4x4 $12.00 each~

The 3x3 inch brooches are only

3x3 $11.00 each~

Brooch #1

4x4

$12.00

Brooch #2

3x3

$11.00

Brooch #3

3x3

$11.00

SOLD~

Brooch #4

3x3

$11.00

SOLD~

Brooch #5

4x4

$12.00

My main goal with

"Cosmopolitan Country"

is to introduce a new line of country living, country accessorizing, and country home decor to country girls, as well, as city girls.

You can still be country and totally hip and fashionable at the same time while paying tribute to your roots. I think modern country is a niche' that I hope to carve out, because it's what I have been desperately seeking for myself when I decorate and also how I accessorize myself. If I am in search of this chic country farm girl style then I know others are as well, and just might not realize what it is exactly that they are really shopping for.

There are many areas of "Cosmo Country" that I can play with which keeps my mind designing. I am just getting started!

I am so proud of where I come from and where I raise my family.

I am blessed beyond means and thankful everyday that I wake up here in the Midwest.

I just want to celebrate and honor my lifestyle, as well as, others that love this country style farming community that we get to call home.

I also am making barns, tractors, black angus cows, cowboy boots, flowers, goats, pigs, horses, owls, and anything farm related into pillows.

As my sweet mother-in-law would always say to me,

"Aren't we lucky?"

P.S. To stay up to date daily "LIKE" Bundles of Blossoms Fan Page on Facebook and on TWITTER.

On Facebook you just type in the search bar-

Bundles of Blossoms

On TWITTER you have to type this-

BundlesBlossoms

(They wouldn't let me type the word "of" it was too long)

See you there~

Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh

The irony of it all

2011-10-02T22:40:00.003-05:00

When I have way too many things going on in my life, at one time, then things like this happen.

Can you guess what it is?

It's a burn, on my beloved table in the studio, from my iron.

*As soon as I did this I instantly thought of when I was around the jr. high age and my cousin, who was around the same age, was ironing her clothes and dropped a hot iron on the top of her leg and she had a burn just like the above picture, but on her leg. Yes, I said a burn that looked just like this iron, but on her leg-Ouchy wah wah!*

So getting on with my story-

I plugged my iron in and just put it face down on my cutting table, because I apparently turned my brain off for some reason.

Why you might ask would I do something so ridiculous?

Because I like to leave my mark on whatever I do, obviously, duh.........

Because I think, for some reason, I might have early onset self diagnosed dementia.......

Because, as I stated earlier, I had way too many things going on and my mind, mouth, eyes,and hands all work together, but at different times and that is never a good combo.....

Now, when I get too busy and going in too many different directions this will be a reminder for me to slow down.

Oh, the irony of it all-

Get it?

The irony of it all~

(giggle giggle giggle)

Hence, the forever iron stained table in the pics above.

*Yes, I cried a little bit, too, because I am just this ridiculous.*

Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh

Maid-Rite Sandwiches in an Illinois home~

2011-09-26T10:05:00.003-05:00

Every single time that I mention that I made "maid-rite" sandwiches people always ask me about them.

What are they?

How do you make them?

Are they hard to make?

What do you season them with?

So I decided today's blog would be about the super easy maid-rite sandwich.

First of all I feel silly even explaining how to make them and I can't help it if your family will beg you to make them week after week, year after year, or if they become a staple meal for family night and become part of your children's childhood memories-I'm just sayin'............

Right here, this pic below, is a maid-rite sandwich.

This is what it looks like.

See how simple-

I was going to take photo's of how I brown down the hamburger, in my cast iron skillet, but how many more pictures of that do I really need on my blog?

Let's quickly start from early stages of how to make a maid-rite sandwich.

1. Put a couple of pounds of hamburger in your skillet.

2. Season the meat with some salt, pepper, and I always add a pinch of onion salt, but it;s supposed to be just salt & pepper.

3. Add some water. Add enough water so that it looks full in the skillet, but not so much that it boils out all over your stove and floor and then you have a big mess and you say nasty cuss words in front of your kids and scar them for life and are legally bound to pay for their therapy bills.

(Add some water, cook on medium heat, and brown down your meat).

4. Just stand at the skillet breaking the meat down until it's loose in the skillet and crumbly.

(Is "crumbly" a word?-I will check on that later)

5. Once the meat is brown, turn the stove down to simmer. Next, cover your skillet and let the meat cook slowly in it's natural juices.

*My mother in law (Marge) used to tell me that people had forgotten the natural taste of basic ground beef being cooked down and with a maid-rite sandwich you could appreciate the taste, once again.

So I usually slow cook mine for an hour or so, but you can slow cook it all day long just remember to add water every so often. Marge would usually cook hers down in a crock pot.

It's just that simple.

Then you serve them, with a strainer spoon, on hamburger or hot dog buns.

We always add a slice of Kraft Cheese.

Eat them plain.

(GREAT!-it looks like BLOGGER has decided to start playing with my spacing again-Grrrrrrr)

Eat them with mustard or ketchup if you like.

Always have a fork handy, too, because they fall apart.

Somedays, I serve them with just chips.

Somedays, I serve them with tator tots.

Somedays, I serve them with homemade macaroni and cheese.

Somedays, I serve them, like the pic below, with applesauce and noodles.

Yes, I still have these awful plates and feel stuck in the 70's.

I need new plates, as in, yesterday!

These sandwiches are notorious around the Midwest, but especially in Illinois and Wisconsin.

I think it's so cool when you live in areas that are specifically known for a certain dish that is not served anywhere else.

(We also have the horseshoe sandwich, here in Illinois, but that will be for another blog topic someday)

So, here ya go-

Ta-Da!!!!

It's just that easy, basic, and delicious!

It's not healthy, so go for a walk when your done with your dinner dishes, okeedokee.........

Bon Appetit~

Toodle-loo
Nikki Pugh (and P.S. blogger I am ittitated with you for messing up another one of my blogs!)

....And she wears her tiara well.

2011-09-20T09:35:00.005-05:00

Yes, it is what you think it is, it's my very own tiara!

If you are a first time reader, of my blog, you're probably wondering why a thirty seven year old woman is writing about her very own crown.

Just look to the right of my blog and read my Bio~I have yearned for one for a very long time.

If you're a regular reader or follower then no explanations needed only squeals of excitement and some jumping up and down will suffice.

(just remember to cross your legs while jumping up and down and squealing if you experienced pregnancy and carrying babies that ruined your bladder control)

Trust me on that~

Oh, wait, the squealing and jumping up and down is exactly what I did.

(FYI-I jumped with my legs crossed, too, so don't feel alone or silly about that-it's life as a woman.)

Okay, well you can just sit here, read, smile, and check out my pictures of me and my tiara and all that I do while wearing it.

I was pleasantly surprised when a friend of mine gave it to me a week or so ago.

It's so beautiful.

It's not light to wear either. It's got some weight on it.

It feels so royal.

I pretend the rhinestones are real diamonds, because I can.

My friend, that gave me the most beautiful and meaningful gift ever, is named Mary B. During Mass a week or so ago she said to meet her outside and that she had something for me. So I found her outside of the church and she took off to her car and returned with a gift bag.

I couldn't imagine what was going to be in the bag and much to my surprise I pulled out the most beautiful crown of jewels that I had ever seen in my life!

It was my very own tiara and I laughed and laughed and laughed some more.

I then thanked and thanked and thanked her.

I have never had a tiara.

I never was in pageants.

I was never was prom queen, but now........

I was a thirty seven year old woman who was as excited as if someone had just bought me the newest Cadillac Escalade that was custom made especially for me and it was all mine.

That's how much I love my tiara!

I know-

Ridiculous, but oh so, true.

I instantly decided that I would wear it all day long.

The thought of all of this-

The thought that someone went out and purchased this for me-

The thought that someone really knew what I wanted, but never bought for myself-

The thought that she got, well, me.......

It would make the daily events & chores of life not seem so, well..........like daily events & chores of life.

I would feel royal while doing these things.

Guess what?

I do feel royal.

It worked!

I also love it when I pass by wall mirrors, while cleaning, in my house and see all of the sparkle sitting upon my head.

It makes doing the massive amounts of laundry around here not seem so.......

..........like doing laundry.

It makes cleaning up the kids bathroom not feel so.........

............like I am cleaning up the kids bathroom.

I make dinner while wearing my tiara.

I take out the trash while wearing my tiara.

I mail. my mail, at the post office while waring my tiara.

I sit and sew while wearing my tiara.

I am blogging, right now, while wearing my tiara.

I talk to my fat mouse-ing security cat while wearing my tiara........

.......and for a split second he cares-I think.

I still feel like he looks down his nose at me even with my crown.

He's kind of a stuck up cat-

Oh well, his loss......

Anyways....

I work in my yard while wearing my tiara.

I water my hanging flower baskets while wearing my tiara.

I do everything, that pertains to my everyday life, while wearing my tiara and I love it!

........but he still doesn't care so much.

I even stand in my dining room and take self portraits in front of a pink floral painting hanging on my wall, like a fool, so I can create a royal glamour shot to share with all of you after I put it through a massive photo editing program, because I am that big of a cornball, but a cornball with a crown, nonetheless.

I am just royal like this~

I highly recommend to all women out there, in the world, to get yourself a crown.

I am really not kidding-not one bit.

I can't explain it other than........

You all deserve it, for all that you do for everyone else, every single day of your life, and it also makes the disgusting jobs around the house not so disgusting.

Now, I'm off to go scrub the " kids thrown" again, and I am so very excited!

See-it works!

Thank you so very much, Mary B., I love my tiara and I love you.

Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh

Shopping Missoni at TARGET, but loving my handmade zigzag afghan even more~

2011-09-15T10:29:00.003-05:00

So if you have been living under a rock or possibly submerged in a submarine, miles down in the ocean, then you might have missed the big event taking place at TARGET.

Missoni, which is a huge fashion house, did a ton of different lines for TARGET. They had lines in every category from baby bedding, to home decor, to womens clothing & accessories, to bicycles and luggage and so much more.

Missoni is something I could never imagine, in my lifetime, owning.

They are notorious for their zigzag prints on all of their creations.

Missoni is a huge part of fashion history.

The demand for their goods blew away black Friday shopping days.

They even crashed the TARGET online website.

It was insane in the membrane.

For those of us, that are fashion obsessed, this was a big deal.

It was so much fun to watch, read about, and see happen on television.

A few friends of mine went to the stores and got their purchases and I was so happy for them.

Although, I didn't make it to TARGET, nor did I, order online I just happened to look over at our loveseat this morning and thought to myself that I have a very special unintentional Missoni knock off that is about twenty five years old, with a rainbow zigzag print, that has me kept me and my family toasty through the winter months, and handmade by with much love by my great grandpa.

I own a piece of history, too, but not from an old fashion house.

I love my handmade zigzag afghan that grandpa made, while sitting in his comfy recliner, more than any brand name machine made piece of history and this is coming from a lover of all things related to fashion, style & trends.

I couldn't even put a price on grandpa's afghan even if I tried.

My grandpa's afghan makes my heart go pitter-pat .

You can't beat that.

Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh

Bundles of Blossoms "Cosmopolitan Country" Modern Handmade Barn Pillow

2011-09-06T19:17:00.002-05:00

So, I am playing around again with old barns and my "Cosmopolitan Country" line. Yes, I am making pillows. I love the idea of putting a modern twist on the Midwest area that we all live in while keeping it affordable and handmade. So here is just one barn pillow. I kept the stitching crazy for an old tattered look, and mixed some new fabric and some vintage fabric so it could stay country and hip all at the same time. This is just a basic simple design that I put together today.

You are my demographic and would love to know what you think and NOT that you have to buy from me, because that's not what I am asking, but I want your opinions.

Would you (if you were a customer of mine) purchase this? What price would you pay? Can you see this becoming a selling line? I have many many many more ideas for this "Cosmo Country" line that I am itching to get started with. I love Illinois, I love small town Midwest living, I love country & farm life, but I love a funky-hip style country that I just can't find in the stores-maybe I'll be the first, who knows. So give it to me straight and honest.

I need your insight.

The flip side of the pillow-

What I would also like to do is photograph or have you send me your own images of your barns, animals, farm equipment, or anything special on people farms or at their homes, transfer the image, put the mix of fabrics together, and then make custom pillows to go in the customers home.

"Cosmo Country" is for the modern country farm chick and the home she lives in!

Thank you for any and all feedback:)

Attention Bloggers!!! You're going to want to read this~

2011-08-31T09:22:00.000-05:00

To all the blogs that I follow!

I wasn't sure if you realized this or not, but the blogs that ask you to "select your profile" before commenting well there is a huge GLICHE and I cannot comment. I wasn't sure if any of you were aware, but it is telling me that I don't have access to the sites. This happened a few months ago and it got fixed, eventually, but it's doing it again. So if your writing fabulous blogs and wondering why Nikki Pugh hasn't commented on them just know that I have tried and am still trying. The other blogs I am not having troubles with only the ones with the "select your profile" ones.

Just thought you'd like to know (wink)

Toodle-loo
Nikki Pugh

Chocolate Fall Fashion Passion~

2011-08-23T09:04:00.004-05:00

Do you ever mourn certain clothes that you don't have anymore?

Clothing and jewelry can totally change your mood. Especially, something new, right?

Did you know this already?

I was going to a friends wedding, back in September 2009, and needed some new clothes. I had nothing at all to wear. I am not kidding when I tell you that I had nothing to wear either. So I went to the plus size big girl fancy pretty pricey store and went right to the clearance rack, but this little number below was calling my name.

It wasn't on the clearance rack and I justified, to myself, why I had to try it on.

There was only one in my size and I felt like all the big girls in the store knew it and were going to snatch it up if I didn't.

Then would they possibly attack me for it?

I could feel their stares.

I could hear their whispers for their plan of attack.

They were going to pounce me.

I didn't want to make the evening news under such crazy circumstances.

Especially, while making my television appearance in the baggy blue jeans I had on and my stretched out tee.

I was scared of them.

I wasn't really scared of them and their was no plus size girl mob-like fight either.

I just thought I needed to add a splash of drama and excitement to what most would probably would be a less than exciting post today.

All I know is that-

I had to have it-that's all

(Yes, I would have taken on all of those women, in that store, if I had too)

I talk a big tough talk, now, right???? Yeah, right......

I just mainly had to have it, because the beautiful top had a tie around it and it showed that, indeed, I did have a waistline. Plus, it had transitional summer to fall color combo goin' on.......

So with this being my fashion purchase in quite awhile I decided I would multi-task it.

Break it up.

Make a few different outfits out of one.

So I wore the jewelry, that I bought to go with this outfit, with a pair of jeans, white tee, and boots.

It looked really cute~

Then I would put on a cute pair of dark boot cut jeans and just put this super cute top on and head to the big city after Mass one beautiful fall Sunday.

It made me feel a little bit like Delta Burke-You know, "Suzanne" from Designing Women from the 80's.

I just loved that show!

I actually had the exact same dress that Delta wore in one of those episodes. It was peach and gorgeous! Yes, I said it was peach. Keep up with me, please, remember this was in the 80's. Now, that I think of it, that was one of my favorite dresses and it was also belted. I must like attempting to dress my waistline, because both of these outfits accented my waist.

Hmmmmmm......now, that's something to ponder.......

Anyway, moving on~

By this point I had three complete outfits out of one purchase~

I patted myself on the back, gave myself a high five, and decided that I, most certainly, was the

"Queen of Staple Fashions"

Until the instant death of my beautiful chocolate flammable blouse........

That, in turn, took three outfits away from me.......

Someones, flying cigarette ash, on this extremely windy Illinois autumn day, (I am not mentioning anyone's name) landed and burned up my right sleeve to the right shoulder, and ended on top of the neckline of my staple piece of multifunctional barely worn semi-expensive warm autumn chocolate top, while I was trying to beat out the hot ash.

A couple of tears just ran down my face, as I sit here recalling the event, and just now dripped on the keyboard while splattering off the letters "G, B & N"

Well, that didn't really happen either, but if I think about it long enough it just might, because that's how much I miss it-miss them.

So as I sit here approaching September I can't help, but to think of what might have been had my shirt not been ruined.

You know how I love passionately~

It doesn't matter who, or in this case, what it might be~

I'm just a girl, in the world, missing my chocolate colored waistline accentuating beautiful short lived fancy multifunctional fashion , in my closet this fall......

That's all~

Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh

We grilled so much of this..........

2011-08-19T13:52:00.003-05:00

I am pretty darn sure that this is what we ate every weekend, all weekend long, during this super hot 2011 Midwest summer.

It's shocking, right?

Grilled cheeseburgers and hot dogs........

Or, sometimes we'd get creative and have this...........

More cheeseburgers and hot dogs........

But then we shake things up a bit and I would make.........

Homemade macaroni and cheese and yummy Illinois sweet corn.............

to go along with our grilled cheeseburgers and hot dogs........

And generally our table looked very much like this.........

........Loaded with summer foods, fresh garden grown vegetables, giant sesame seed buns, every condiment one would ever need and what else???

Grilled cheeseburgers and hot dogs.

Please, don't envy me for my gourmet cooking........

I was just born with such culinary talents!

(P.S. Please, excuse Blogger, yet again, and the weird spacing issues that it's insisting that I must keep having. I sure wish they'd get this fixed A.S.A.P.)

Toodle-loo

Nikki Pugh

Baby Steps-BIG & small

2011-08-17T15:41:00.007-05:00

And so we begin another year.......school year, that is......

You know this isn't usually a blog about kids, but more about family, and usually not so much about family, as much as it's about loving the midwest and small town Illinois living, so very much of the time it's about the enjoyment I receive from cooking homeade foods from recipes that have been passed down in my family, while also the step by step creation process of the handmade crafts and gifts that I like to give people that are not the norm, and often times about decorating my home by recycling, upcycling, and thrifty purchases or freebies that I come across that I enjoy as much as I enjoy our family dinner table conversations.

But we mostly know that my blog, for the most part, is just about the acknowledgement of the simple things in daily life and emphasizing their purpose not only in my world, but in yours too.

The little things that go unnoticed, ignored, or that are not intended to be discussed are always in my blog.

For, instance, take a look at this teeny tiny hat that all of our babies wore.

In my mind the most simple things in life are not meant to be ignored, but to be spotlighted.

Just like this wee little sandal that's missing it's mate. Again, all of our kids wore it. We don't care that it's not apart of a pair anymore or that it's old and not in very good shape. All we care about is that we still have it, they all wore it, and that's a memory that no one else in the universe owns, but us.

This is the other sandal that I have clung to over the years that is in the same predicament as the above, but even tinier, yet.

Oh my goodness, those toes were tiny.

I can't resist tiny baby toes. I have to put them up to my mouth and just kiss all over them. I just have to, because I cannot control myself. I am a mom and so you're not freaking out I only did this to our babies or one, two, or three other babies that I didn't give life to or maybe a couple more, but whose counting........

So as this week has progressed and I have heard varying opinions about kids going back to school this week or in these last several weeks I feel pretty different than that of alot of people I think or maybe not. Maybe I am just looking at it all from a different angle, perhaps.

I have several different thoughts on this matter.

Imagine that?

I think about how quickly this can happen..........

and then it turns into this.........

Yes, it's that quick.

Again, let's repeat.

From this.......(see the tiny shoe)

To this.....(See the gigantic shoe)

It's way to fast.

Trust me on this.

So with this new school years bring many many changes.

Lot's of changes.

Some good

Some not so good I'm sure.

Some changes that are just, well.....we don't know what they exactly are, yet, but the changes are arriving and lightning fast.

It's funny how so many are ready for "them" to be back in school.

It's funny how so many are not ready for "them" to be back in school.

I am sitting on the "proverbial fence" with a huge wedgie and a sore tooshie from sitting so long, because I am filled with this time warp of disbelief.

I remember the pee stick. The first pee stick, as well, as the next twenty I bought to confirm that yes indeed I was pregnant with our first child.

Looking back I probably should have invested in E.P.T. tests because, even though all the positives were there for ALL of my pregnancies, I needed good, strong pee verification every single time I got pregnant.

I was so thankful for "pee positive pregnancies."

Guess what?

They were all right.

My big preggo pictures confirms it and I think I was only seven months or so in this particular pregnant picture of your truly.

"I birthed me some big ol' babies"

(do you like how I pretend to have an accent and awful grammar?)

I tend to do this weird accent for no reason other than it just seems to come out sometimes.

Wow-that picture was taken a long time ago.

It's funny, too, how my conversations with the kids have changed.

I've gone from this conversation........

"Mama-I pee pee in potty."

to this this conversation.......

"Hey Mom! Can I go to a party?"

From this conversation,

"Mommy I don't want to take a nap."

to this conversation,

"Mom, please, just let me sleep in."

From this conversation,

"Mom, I want this big boy bike without training wheels."

to this conversation,

"I can't wait to get my truck running."

From this conversation,

"Mommy, please come to school with me."

To "Mom, just park in the parking lot or I can catch a ride."

When I thought I needed them to to be big they were so small.

Now, I selfishly need them to be small and they are getting so big.

Can we ever strike a happy medium?

What will they do?

What will they be?

Who will the be?

What will I do when they are all gone?

What will they contribute to our society?

Will they miss me as much as I miss them?

Will they have the same memories of their childhood that I will always have?

Am I freaking out, because all of the exhaustion of raising little kids is long forgotten and I now have an abundance of energy and now these are big kids and will be making their way in their own lives and it's just to soon for me.

On the flip side, of all of this, it interests me so much as to who they are becoming, yet, the scary part is slowly letting go. The letting go is what I am struggling with, but I have no choice. They are just old enough now that I am recognizing each phase and it's a change that is inevitable, but as always I am recognizing it to the fullest.

So this is what I am thinking........

Baby steps turn into big steps, before you even know it.

It's not always easy.

It's not always fun.

Mostly, it's really easy.

Mostly, it's super fun.

It's just raising a child to be the very best that they can be and then releasing them to continue the tradition.

The transistions of being a parent are joyful and painful all at the same time.

You grow.

They grow.

The "in between" parts make the memories.

The "in between" parts are the steps taken to each phase.

Step by step we will all get these kids to where they need to be in these various transistional times in their lives, as well as, ours.

That's a fact.

Am I ready for school to start?

Yes, for them.

No, for me.

But, honestly, when I really think about it I fall somewhere in between. It's the anticipation of what's to be that keeps me on the fence post for them, as well as, myself.

I enjoy them and would love to freeze them right now, today, at these ages and on this date.

(That's just not how it works)

I enjoy being a mother with all of the ups and all of the downs.

I was meant to be a mama, a mommy, a mom, and mother.

I love and have loved all of these transistional stages of the title and variation of the title of being their "Mom."

I just never dreamed that the short little baby steps would turn into such big long strides so soon.

Why this never occured to me I'll never know.

Possibly, because I was tired. You know, the stages when you just focus on getting through the day, because you'd been up all night with the baby while also chasing a toddler or toddlers all day with a baby.

Yes, I still remember, but in a foggy-mom haze.

But, one thing that will never change is the feeling I still get when I think of kissing their teeny tiny baby toes.

I remember that part quite clearly and I love that I can freeze that phase-if only in my mind.

That's something that will never change and I am okay with that.

Toodle-loo
Nikki Pugh