The Psychomotor Theory of Sewing

Adorable dresses Mom made for me and
my sister, Carol.

I have been sewing since I was 5 years old. OMG! I just did the math and that's been almost 50 years! I remember sitting on the floor in the sewing room with my mom's old machine and operating the foot peddle with my knee as she made clothes on her new Singer. I have always loved to sew and by the time I was in 5th grade I could make clothing without a pattern. I attended 10 schools in 12 years in four different states. (I know, right?) When I was older I always found comfort in the Home ec class. That is where I could show my talents in sewing and cooking as the teachers asked me to help other students. So, it was only natural that I would become a home ec teacher.
I believe that creativity can have a  psychological impact on a person. I remember the only time I could hear a pin drop in the 9th grade comprehensive class was during the sewing unit when I taught counted cross stitch. All of the boys and girls enjoyed creating their very own project. They got lost in the rhythm of counting  stitches and the push and pull of the needle. They would beg me to let them take their project to study hall and often students would come back to class during the day to get more floss.
I once wrote a grant and included this about the psychomotor theory:

Since stress is stored in the senses, one method of stress management can be achieved 

through the psychomotor processes of creative, hands-on activities. Professionals have recently 

identified the craft of scrapbooking as therapeutic as it offers a way to cope with hardships.  

I do believe that sewing and other craft activities provide a way to get your mind off your worries and decompress. If you can be mindful during any activity that brings you peace and contentment then you should find time to repeat the activity as often as possible. It's good for you!

Recession Fabulous

Lost Art of Sewing Comes Back

Soaring Sales of Sewing Machines

Altered by a Sewing Machine

Katie's Ravishing Rainbow Cupcakes!

Looking for something new, exciting, and fun? Well you just landed yourself in the right place! Boring o'l cupcakes are dumb so why not spice it up a bit? When you bite into the delicious moist center, it shouldn't only taste great, it should look amazing. And that's where these ravishing rainbow cupcakes come in!

Devoted to Aprons

Do you remember making aprons in Home Economics? I don't think the students really knew the purpose an apron served. So many things have changed over the years. The saddest thing for me is that we are no longer teaching the art of sewing in our "home ec" program. Someone at the state level decided that sewing was not a skill that students needed. I am so tired of trying to defend the importance of this part of our curriculum and have conceded. But I do want to share the following verse that has been around for years and you may recognize it.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few. It was also because it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and aprons used less material. But along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven. 

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.  

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.. 

And when the weather was cold Grandma wrapped it around her arms. Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.  After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls. In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees. 

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds. 

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men folk knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner. 

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes. 

Lasagna Made Simple

Katie made Lasagna for Father's Day. This is a favorite recipe that Richard has perfected over the years. It's  even more delicious when you begin with a frozen bag of our Almost Homemade Spaghetti Sauce.

1 - 24 ounce jar spaghetti sauce
1 pound ground beef
1 4 ounce jar sliced mushrooms
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups cottage cheese
2 Tbsp. parsley flakes
12 ounces mozzarella cheese
12 frozen Italian meatballs
3 Tbsp. Love

Brown ground beef; drain. Add spaghetti sauce and mushrooms; heat.
Stir eggs, cottage cheese and parsley in a bowls.
In a 13 x 9 inch glass dish place 3 uncooked noodles; spread 1 cup sauce, then half of egg mixture, some mozzarella cheese and 1 Tbsp of love.

 Second layer: noodles, 1 cup sauce, remaining egg mixture, some mozzarella cheese, more love.

 Third layer: noodles, 12 frozen Italian meatballs, remaining sauce, mozzarella cheese, and love.

 Pour 3/4 cup of HOT water in the 4 corners of dish. 

Cover with foil. Bake at 375 for 1-1/2 hours or until pasta is tender when tested with a fork.

Blueberry Muffins

When I asked Dad what he was doing for Father's Day he said he was coming over to my house for a cup of coffee and to read the Sunday newspaper. I immediately thought these Blueberry Muffins would be a perfect treat sprinkled with love.

The Psychomotor Theory of Sewing

Adorable dresses Mom made for me and

my sister, Carol.

I have been sewing since I was 5 years old. OMG! I just did the math and that's been almost 50 years! I remember sitting on the floor in the sewing room with my mom's old machine and operating the foot peddle with my knee as she made clothes on her new Singer. I have always loved to sew and by the time I was in 5th grade I could make clothing without a pattern. I attended 10 schools in 12 years in four different states. (I know, right?) When I was older I always found comfort in the Home ec class. That is where I could show my talents in sewing and cooking as the teachers asked me to help other students. So, it was only natural that I would become a home ec teacher.
I believe that creativity can have a  psychological impact on a person. I remember the only time I could hear a pin drop in the 9th grade comprehensive class was during the sewing unit when I taught counted cross stitch. All of the boys and girls enjoyed creating their very own project. They got lost in the rhythm of counting  stitches and the push and pull of the needle. They would beg me to let them take their project to study hall and often students would come back to class during the day to get more floss.
I once wrote a grant and included this about the psychomotor theory:

Since stress is stored in the senses, one method of stress management can be achieved 

through the psychomotor processes of creative, hands-on activities. Professionals have recently 

identified the craft of scrapbooking as therapeutic as it offers a way to cope with hardships.  

I do believe that sewing and other craft activities provide a way to get your mind off your worries and decompress. If you can be mindful during any activity that brings you peace and contentment then you should find time to repeat the activity as often as possible. It's good for you!

Recession Fabulous

Lost Art of Sewing Comes Back

Soaring Sales of Sewing Machines

Altered by a Sewing Machine

Almost Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

This is the spaghetti sauce we've been making for years and would never change this recipe now that
it's perfected. We make a large batch in the crock pot and then freeze in quart zip lock bags.

2 pounds ground beef
Large onion, chopped

1 tsp fresh garlic, minced

1 Tbsp Italian seasoning

1 large can mushrooms, sliced

3-6 Tbsp Brown sugar

3 - 24 ounce jars Ragu Robust
A pinch of Love

Brown ground beef with onion and seasoning. Place all ingredients in crock pot. Add brown sugar, starting with 3 Tbsp. Slow-cook for 4 – 6 hours. Check flavor, add more brown sugar if preferred.  Use enough sauce for dinner. Cool, then freeze remaining sauce in quart Ziploc freezer bags.