CONQUERING CLUTTER

Hi everybody! How are you doing today? I am trying to get pumped up to get up and get motivated. We are going to be getting the big chunks of holiday stuff out of my storage unit today and moved over to my mom & dad’s garage attic. This is gonna be a big feat as I have many years of collecting stuff to move! Let’s put it this way… I rent a 10x10ft. storage unit and it is piled to the door and about 8.5-9ft. high…. Only having one little path on each side to maneuver around! A sad packrat isn’t it? So today my holiday stuff is being moved out to my parents so that I will be one step closer to conquering that goal of eliminating that bill! Wish us luck… cause we’ll need it!

Ok, the last few nights I have had a dream every night where I start with a tiny table selling plants and learning everything I can, even getting a botanist degree, and the venture turning into something similar to Mr. Maas nursery and home. I could definitely handle that! So yesterday Madison and I talked about the seed2plant sales. She thought it was a good idea and wanted to help. (I’m sure when the other kids find out about it there will be lots more hands helping LOL!) So we have a few pictures to share with you from our day yesterday…



Here is the DD on “Wasp Duty” LOL! She was a little spooked when we first went out there to plant because there were so many wasps. I had told them about my little run-in with them and she was afraid they would try to pollinate HER head LOL!



Did I not tell you that this strawberry has been taunting me? Its like practically over night this thing went from a pale pink to a fire engine red! All plump and juicy yumminess just calling my name… its not cool! Ya can’t eat just ONE strawberry… its like pringles! Ok LOL so anyway, my garden is turning into an overnight miracle! Definitely one for an impatient gardener! I don’t know what I did but I am saying thanks every morning!



DD again… planting our tons and tons of seeds. She keeps asking if I want her to take a picture of me, but I’, like “No thanks, you’re much cuter on camera than me” LOL!



Here is the table of seeds we ended up with last night. We now have over 100 seeds sowed. And we will be doing more when I get more containers. I almost have another egg tray emptied which is at LEAST 30 more seeds! We started Poblano, Green Bell Pepper, Jalapeno, Cantaloupe, Watermelon, Okra, 2 different kinds of tomatoes, and some peas. Gotta go through my stash of seeds and see what else I have to try to start. Hopefully I can have a nice variety of seedling plants to sell in about a month or so. That should be enough time for them to germinate, grow, purchase the pots and transplant them all. I can print out cute labels on my computer, so that won’t be a problem. Just getting those dang little pots right now is the big issue…

So that was our day of planting fun. Most of the plants are established now and doing their own thing. All I am doing is making sure they have water and mother nature is helping with the rest! But its so exciting going out there each day and seeing the, sometimes dramatic, changes with each plant. I have one broccoli plant with looks like a poofy yellow loofa of flowers LOL! I have a Roma tomato almost as big as an egg, and so many other small, but noticable things are going on too! It’s a wonderful feeling!

OK, so now that I’m done swooning over the garden LOL, lets get a little crafty. I found this cute addition to your décor on my Thrifty Fun pages and I thought you would enjoy it!



Craft Idea of the Day: Bunny Jar Vase

Create this cute bunny vase for your Easter table from a pint jar, felt, and few other supplies.

Approximate Time: About 30 minutes.

Supplies:

pint jar
white felt
pink felt
wiggly eyes
black marker
3 chenille stems
pink pom pom or pink cotton ball
white cotton ball
scrap piece of cardboard or poster board
pencil
scissors
hot glue gun and glue sticks

Instructions:

Draw a bunny head, including the neck onto a piece of thin cardboard or poster board; cut out the design. Using this as a template, trace around the head onto a piece of white felt; cut out. Glue felt head to cardboard template and set aside.

For arms, draw a football shape onto cardboard that measures approximately 4 1/2 inches wide by 11 inches long; cut out. Using this as a template, trace around arms onto a piece of white felt; cut out. Glue felt arms around jar; they will overlap slightly in front.

Draw an inner ear onto piece of cardboard; cut out. Using this as a template, trace around inner ear onto pink felt twice; cut out both pieces and glue to inside of bunny's ears.

Glue on wiggly eyes, chenille stem whiskers, and pom pom nose. Use black marker to draw on the paws and to draw on a mouth. Glue the neck of the bunny inside the jar to hold in place. Glue white cotton ball at the bottom center on back of the jar for the tail. Fill the jar with fresh or artificial flowers.

By Rachel's Mom from Wilkesboro, NC

I think I will make one of these and maybe put some fresh carnations or tulips or something “Spring-y” in to cheer up my living room! Ok, now on to my personal favorite part of the day… yep FOOD! OMG its no wonder I need to rent the local circus tent for a formal gown… cause I love food LOL! I love to grow it, I love to cook with it, and I especially love to EAT IT! Now here is an absolute easy one pot wonder… but I will say it has a slight “hot dog-ish” taste, so maybe try with an Italian or Andouille sausage or even chicken meat… either way, its yummy and oh so filling!



Baked Penne with Smoked Sausage

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package Hillshire Farm® Smoked Sausage
1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
2 1/2 cups milk
8 ounces uncooked penne pasta
1 1/2 cups French-fried onions, divided
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup frozen peas

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut sausage into 1/4-inch slices.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add sausage; cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned.

Combine soup and milk in a 13x9-inch baking dish. Stir in uncooked pasta, sausage, 1/2 cup French-fried onions, 1/2 cup cheese and peas. Cover baking dish tightly with foil.

Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and top with remaining 1 cup French-fried onions and 1/2 cup cheese. Bake for 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Ok kids, I have to go wake up the household and get them up and moving for the day so we can get the storage knocked out and hopefully conquer the clutter today! Ya’ll have fun and be good and I will see you back here tomorrow! HUGS!