Red & white checkered spice decals at SweetGalDecals.com

At a customer's request, I made up some red and white checkerboard spice jar decals and listed them at SweetGalDecals. I think I'll start mentioning it here when I list something new, just to get some incoming links. Traffic has been extremely slow over there lately.

Mail Call

The mail is here.

On the Pro side, Lil Miss A's report card and ITBS scores came, and they were pretty phenomenal. The kid may well be the sharpest knife in the Stahl drawer. Good thing we didn't stop having kids before we had her.

On the Con side,

1. Alliant Energy denied my rebate for energy saving lightbulbs because, since they asked for EITHER the UPC symbol from the package OR the Energy Star logo, I sent just the UPCs, but it turns out they really wanted both, and I was supposed to go by what they were thinking rather than what they actually said.
2. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Iowa is hiking the premium on our health insurance by about $75 a month after we have been with them only since the first of the year. Why? "Because we always do this and it's usually in April." I headed straight over to Facebook to complain about this, only to see that one of my Facebook friends got the same letter, only her premiums are up to nearly $1000 a month now. Ugh.

Barry made the Dean's List

Phyllis Heiderscheit, 1927 - 2010

Saturday's Apron: Simplicity 4868 from 1943

This Saturday's apron is just a pattern. But oh, what a pattern. I bought it on eBay at a very tiny price. So it was a tiny splurge. I'm really looking forward to the chance to sew it up pretty.

Dig the seamed stockings. We all dress like that to do housework. Right?

Vintage Valentines fabric

Found this fabric at Stitchin' Heaven. No mill name is given. It's sure cute.

A comment on the CNN story about an earthquake near Chicago this morning:

Guest

I think the lord is taking a nap... To whomever he left in charge; check the instructions manual: Earthquakes-California, Blizzards-Midwest, Hurricanes-Carribean, Politicians-DC... Please don't smite me, just trying to keep you out of trouble with the Big Guy.

link to original story

My house is soooooo dirty.

I need a maid.