Porch Swing Cover and Cucumbers

Sewing is not my favorite thing. I am such a perfectionist and I tend to tense up when I am sewing. I wish I could learn to loosen up a bit. One thing I love about sewing though is how my projects turn out.

My Mother mentioned about a month ago she needed some kind of cover for her porch swing and she wasn't kidding.

Her cute swing was not looking very stylish.

I knew her birthday was coming and so I told her let me take care of this for your birthday! As some of you can probably relate it is so hard to know what to get your parents for their birthday. Younger people have so many things they need, but the older you get the more you have everything you need! But Mom definitely needed a swing cover.

So the last week or so I went to work on it. I was lucky to find the yellow fabric with strawberries and flowers on it at Goodwill. It was perfect for Mom! I went to JoAnn's and got a coordinating gingham because I thought a bit of a country look would be what my Mom would like. My Mom is always finding me things at garage sales and so I already had the stuffing and the lace that she had previously given me.

 I spent about 10 hours working on it (complaining to myself or anybody who would listen that I hate to hand ruffle and my ruffler attachment is broken). I was worried it wouldn't fit right and hoping that I had measured right...and then I took it to Mom's today and all that work was worth it.

It turned out just like I had envisioned and my Mom loved it. My Dad loved it too. So it makes all the effort very worth it.

So now my Mom has a pretty place to sit on her porch and have an afternoon beverage while she enjoys her pretty flowers.

Now I want a porch swing! lol

On my last post I mentioned a cucumber salad I have been enjoying and several people have asked for the recipe--so here it is...the original recipe calls for a little more sour cream but this is how I make it.

I take 3 cucumbers and peel and slice them up. In a bowl I put 1.5 teaspoons salt (the recipe calls for 3 but I don't like that much salt) and 1/4 cup vinegar. Let the cucumbers soak in the salt and vinegar for 30 minutes and then drain.

Mix together 1 cup sour cream, 4 Tablespoons sniped chives and 3/4 teaspoon dill. Pour this mixture over the cucumbers and chill for at least 30 minutes.

It is really quite yummy. My daughter Janae really likes it and is always asking me to make it...so here you go Janae...now you can make it! :)

I have been trying to eat more healthy. It is so much easier in the summer when so many good things are being brought in everyday from the garden. The more I read about cucumbers the more I have decided I am going to make sure I eat them everyday! I now keep a bowl of cut up cucumbers in the refrigerator in water and whenever I feel like a snack I grab some cucumbers. So much better than grabbing some Cheeto's--and when they are already cut up it just makes making a good food choice easier.

So I will end this post with some information about cucumbers found on the internet. 

Thanks for visiting and don't forget to eat cucumbers!

Here is a short list of the impressive health benefits that a cucumber carries:

• Keeps you hydrated. If you are too busy to drink enough water, munch on the cool cucumber, which is 96 percent water. It will cheerfully compensate!
• Fights heat, both inside and out. Eat cucumber, and your body gets relief from heartburn. Apply cucumber on your skin, and you get relief from sunburn.
• Flushes out toxins. All that water in cucumber acts as a virtual broom, sweeping waste products out of your system. With regular use, cucumber is known to dissolve kidney stones.
• Lavishes you with vitamins. A B and C, which boost immunity, give you energy, and keep you radiant. Give it more power by juicing cucumber with carrot and spinach.
• Supplies skin-friendly minerals: magnesium, potassium, silicon. That’s why cucumber-based treatments abound in spas.
• Aids in weight loss. Enjoy cucumbers in your salads and soups. My favorite snack? Crunchy cucumber sticks with creamy low-fat yogurt dip.
• Revives the eyes. Placing chilled slices of cucumber on the eyes is a clichéd beauty visual, but it really helps reduce under-eye bags and puffiness.
• Cuts cancer. Cut down your risk of several cancers by including cucumber in your diet. Several studies show its cancer-fighting potential.
• Stabilizes blood pressure. Patients of blood pressure, both high and low, often find that eating cucumber brings relief.
• Refreshes the mouth. Cucumber juice refreshes and heals diseased gums, leaving your mouth smelling good.
• Helps digestion. Chewing cucumber gives the jaws a good workout, and the fiber in it is great for digestion.
• Smooths hair and nails. Silica, the wonder mineral in cucumber makes your hair and nails stronger and shinier.
• Soothes muscle and joint pain. All those vitamins and minerals in cucumber make it a powerful enemy of muscle and joint pain.
• Keeps kidneys in shape. Cucumber lowers uric acid levels in your system, keeping the kidneys happy.
• Good for diabetics. Patients of diabetes can enjoy cucumber while also reaping its health benefits: cucumber contains a hormone needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin.
• Reduces cholesterol. A compound called sterols in cucumber helps reduce bad cholesterol.