LOVELY LITTLE LISTS

Well GOOD morning everyone! How are you doing today? I’m well… cold but well. Its not as bitter a cold today as we are on a “warming trend” the weatherman says LOL! I am really scatterbrained today, so the topics are all over the place… lists, crafts, food, gardening, you name it and I’m thinking about it! I hope everyone is ok… I’ve noticed a decline in readers. I hope everyone is still enjoying the information I share. Well for those still out there, here we go…

Now, I hate to admit it, but recent party planning and the lists, etc. that I use has put me into overdrive! LIST OVERDRIVE! I learned a long time ago that I function best with lists. They keep me organized and help me accomplish all kinds of things. I suspect I may be ADHD (as does my son’s doctor), and I treat myself as such (even though I have never had an official diagnosis), so I have learned that this is a tool that helps me in life. Without them I tend to be disorganized, forgetful, and downright LOST! Grocery lists, inventory lists, Monthly menus, To Do lists, Guest lists, Bill paying lists, etc. You name it… so guess what I am going to be doing today? Yep LISTS!!!

Craft Idea of the Day: Homemade Menu Calendars

For starters of my pile of lists, I’m going to make my own menu calendars. I found a great free printable blank calendars on another blog entry… check it out HERE! Then I am going to print them out smaller than a full page and bind the months together with some rubber cement. Then I am going to mount the pile of calendars onto some pretty scrapbook paper (food or kitchen related). After that all dries, I am going to put it onto a piece of cardboard cut the same size as the scrapbook paper and mount a strip of magnet on the back. Once completed, I’m going to write a meal on each day and hang it on the fridge so everyone will know what’s in store for the upcoming month. I hope it will turn out cute… and I have all the supplies to do it, so even if I mess up LOL., I can do it again! You can do this too… and not just for meal menus, but just a calendar in general. You can use a picture of your family, your pet, etc. There are also many computer programs to design and print your own calendars as well. The possibilities are really endless. I choose to hand make my own cause it allows me to be more creative.

Then I got in a really crafty mood yesterday when I went through another box from storage. I had some periwinkle blue ceramic tiles that I found on clearance (like 5 cents each at the Home Depot one time. I bought them cause I needed a cheap purchase for a secret shop… the box had like 24 or something… didn’t count them LMAO!) and I sat there thinking… what can I do with these? Then it hit me! I recently found some scrapbook paper that matches my current living room! I have modge podge, decorative papers, and tile… DECOUPAGE TIME!



I cut the paper to fit the tile and decoupaged it on. On 2 of the tile, I just cut out one of the flowers with some special scissors, glued fleece (you could use felt too) and then I sprayed varish/clear sealant on it. I glued a ribbon around all 4 sides and then a tiny bow where the end of the ribbon was and… Voila a pretty coaster to match my living room!!



Now with the tiles that have a full square covering them, I am gonna checkerboard them with the plain blue tile to make a pretty table top! I am going to cut a piece of plywood to the same size as my table and adhere the tile to it. Once it is completed I will have a lovely tabletop to match my living room (as it is right now!) I think it’s turning out very pretty! I just need to go get more paper LOL. Then I thought I could make others and sell them! Small end tables, full size coffee tables… or BOTH! How cool would that be!? And when I redo the living room in 60’s psychadelic… I could do tie-dye and 60’s symbols like peace signs, hearts, moons, etc! COOL huh? LOL…

Then I found more wooden spoons in storage so I spray painted them bright orange. They are gonna be more garden markers and I think this color will stand out very nicely against all the green I hope to be having! I tried a couple in yellow too, but I’m not diggin’ that color as much. Not bright enough! Maybe multiple coats will look better… if not- it’s off to the store for paint YAY! LOL…

Then my brother was a gem and brought me some wooden palates last night, so I think I’m gonna start building my planters on the back porch today. (Can ya tell I am anxious about my gardening coming up? LOL) I’m not sure if I want to line them with plastic or with like a mesh or a moss or something… will have to look around the Garden Center and see what I like best (and what’s cheap)… right now, it looks like the plastic might win! I have plenty of that everywhere LOL! I’m also going to paint some cat litter buckets white and make some hanging planters… I might even decoupage one with Strawberry paper and make a planter for the cute strawberry plants in my kitchen window… which are already giving me baby berries BTW! Isn’t that the coolest!?



Then I think I am going to start cutting material for my daughter’s room and one of the things I want to make is a scrap wreath. Basically you cut strips of material and you tie it around a wire ring/wreath form. You keep tying and tying until you have a very full wreath! I have to cut the closet curtain too… and get all the measurements for everything in her room. The goal is to have her room redone by the end of the month. That only gives me like 9 days YIKES!! I best get motivated and busy huh!? Maybe since I am still in the crafty mood, it'’ll be the perfect time!



Okie dokie so we gotta eat right? A crafter has to eat to keep up their crafting strength if nothing else LMAO… so what to make. I think some Meatloaf with some Broccoli cheese rice and some garlic focaccia bread slices would be nice… last time I made it, it was a huge hit! But I’ll share a different broccoli casserole side recipe with you today that is also a big hit here in my house.



Ritz Broccoli Casserole
(I found the original recipe on the Kraft website and made some adjustments.)

Ingredients

2 pkg. (16 oz. each) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed, drained
1 lb. VELVEETA Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
72 RITZ Crackers, coarsely crushed (about 3 cups), divided
1 (10oz.) can of cheddar cheese or cream of broccoli soup
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted

Directions

HEAT oven to 350°F.

MIX broccoli, VELVEETA, soup, and half the cracker crumbs until well blended.

SPOON into 2-qt. baking dish. Mix remaining cracker crumbs and butter; sprinkle over broccoli mixture.

BAKE 45 min. or until heated through.

Ok gang, Alex is still home and he just woke back up, so I need to get his medicine to him and get him fed (hopefully he will eat) so that he can be settled in and I can get some crafts going. I hope ya’ll are safe and warm and well wherever you may be. Until tomorrow… HUGS!