HOME CRAFTING

Howdy do on this chilly Thursday morning? I am quite sore and confused actually. I’m wondering where is this rain we were supposed to get? I just got the cold part! But other than that LOL, I am pretty good. I hope this finds you well in whatever land you hail from… I know I have a Canadian, East Coast, and Ohio reps present… but the other ones of you lurk and don’t send a shout out, how am I supposed to know where you are representing? So where are ya from!? Come on in… sit… chat with us. I love to talk to my readers! But if not, if ya just come here to read, that's ok too!

Ok, so I didn’t get any sewing done yesterday sadly, BUT I did manage to get some organizing done. Working on the house is just as good as crafting… lets say I was crafting on my house! LOL! See I had this big Rubbermaid tub full of Christmas ribbon in storage that now needed a new home. So it’s just kind of been sitting here in the living room getting under foot. Well I have tons of other ribbons too I use in my crafting (making bows, etc.), and since Dad put up a screen door for me, a spare piece of pegboard. I also have some wooden dowels and some rods for the board…. Hmmm… I got it!



TADA!!! Presenting my Ribbon Rack! I hung a lot of my “everyday” ribbons on the dowels and hung the dowels on the pegboard! Pretty snazzy huh? That allowed me to put all the Christmas ribbons in the 2 drawers I almost emptied. PLUS its organized for easy access (just spin and clip) AND I can see what I have and what I might need! I think it looks kind of professional! I saw one similar to this in a store once. LOL! I was quite proud. And before you ask, yes this is only PART of what I have! I have 2 more drawers full, and a box or 2 still full too LOL!

So then I was perusing the web yesterday and I found an interesting article under my local news. It was called “33 Things to Do in Houston for $2 or Less” featured by our local Channel 11 News. I was thoroughly happy to see this article for multiple reasons! First being it’s a positive article for a change! I don’t look at the news much because its always littered with hate, murder, and just plain ugliness and sadness. Then the fact that this is an article of FRUGALITY! YAY! Cheap entertainment… and considering I am fixing to start mapping out our summer excursions… it was like finding gold! And lastly is more of a hope. I hope this article inspires people to get out with their families and enjoy some quality time! Stop being so cooped up behind those stupid video games and TV shows and get outside and enjoy life, ya know? Its too short… use it wisely! I know I TRY to do at least 1 special thing with my kids each summer, even if it doesn’t cost a lot. Last summer we got to go to the Blue Bell Ice Cream Creamery (YUM!!!!) and the Jersey Barnyard. We all had a GREAT time and it made memories for my kids that they can have forever. Hopefully they will do the same with their kids, ya know? We would have done more, but I got injured and it put me down for the whole summer, which sucked! But I can walk again (somewhat LOL) and I plan to have a better year this year! I am planning for the zoo, maybe the museum, the Mrs. Bairds Factory, the Dr. Pepper Factory, and a few other things… SHHH! Can’t tell ya yet… you’ll leak it to the kids! LOL! I don’t like to tell them and get their hopes up and then something happens where they get disappointed. Not cool… so I just surprise them! But in secret, I already have it all planned out LOL cause that’s how I operate best! Anyways, if you are in the Houston Area or might be visiting the Houston area, I typed up the list for you to see… admission is free unless I made a note! I’m sure you can Google each one to learn more… many have their own websites. Shoot, I know at least 1 of these is on my Bucket List (which I plan to be conquering some of them this summer LOL!).

33 Things to Do in Houston For $2 or Less

1. Art Car Museum
2. The Orange Show- $1
3. Lee & Joe Jamail SkatePark
4. Sam Houston Boat Tour
5. Houston Center for Photography
6. Discovery Green
7. Lights of Buffalo Bayou
8. Contemporary Arts Museum
9. Beer Can House- $1 admission for grounds, $5 for private tour
10. Miller Outdoor Theater
11. Museum of Fine Arts Houston- free all day on Thursdays
12. Buffalo Soldiers National Museum- $2
13. Dunham Bible Museum
14. Houston Arboretum and Nature Center
15. Holocaust Museum
16. Project Row Houses (Black 3rd ward)
17. Gulf Greyhound Park- $1
18. Buffalo Bayou Art Park
19. John P. McGovern Museum of Health and Medical Science- free admission on Thursdays 2-5 p.m. There is an admission charge for special exhibits during these Free Family Thursday hours. The price for Planet You is $3 per person. The price for Backyard Monsters: The World of Insects is $3 per person.
20. The Heritage Society
21. Kemah Boardwalk- just to walk around is free, but the rides and restaurants DO cost… some getting kinda pricey! They have carnival like games, lots of rides, and great shopping and food! It’s only 12 miles from me, so we know about this place VERY WELL! LOL!
22. Houston Center for Contemporary Craft Garden
23. The Water Wall
24. The Jung Center
25. Houston Museum of Natural Science- The permanent exhibit halls are open free for patrons every Tuesday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Special Exhibitions require paid admission.
26. Byzantine Chapel Museum
27. Lawndale Art Center
28. The Menil Collection
29. The Children’s Museum of Houston- Free Family Nights are offered every Thursday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m
30. Rothko Chapel of Houston
31. Houston Public Library
32. Blaffer Gallery
33. Rice Gallery

So, plan on getting outside and expanding those lungs with some fresh air this summer! If you aren’t in the Houston area, you can probably contact your local Visitors Center for information about what all is available in your area… or just Goggle it! LMAO! I plan to have a very full summer this year!



Ok sticking with the “Home crafts”, I painted the door and jam that my Dad installed with a couple of coats of primer. I have to do the trim on the next dry and sunny day so it will match the house. After dinner was completed I painted more of the squares on the cabinets in the kitchen. I also started on the trim of the lower cabinets too. I will get them all done eventually to where the only thing left to do is order then put the wallies on and put up the new curtains, etc!

Ok, so what kinds of crafts are in store for today? More sewing I think because I have special “secret agent” plans for Friday LOL! Plus taking a day or sew (LOL) break I think will keep me from getting burnt out on sewing and losing my Mojo! Can’t have that. Now I am not sure I will be making any of these, but I know they are a very popular item, especially with young mothers.



Craft Idea of the Day: Shopping Cart Cover

Things You'll Need:

1 yard of coordinating fabric
4.5 yards package of 1-inch elastic
2 yards of coordinating bias tape

Make the Inside of the Shopping Cart Cover

Step 1: Measure and cut two identical pieces of fabric with the following dimensions: 1 times the width of a cart's seat and 2 times the depth wide, and 1 times the length and 2 times the depth long.

Step 2: Use fusible interfacing and fuse a layer of batting between the two pieces of fabric.

Step 3: Make a box by cutting squares out of the corners and baste the corners together to make a box shape. Use bias tape to finish the edges.

Step 4: Cut two holes for legs In the front of the "box" about 6 inches in diameter. Baste around each opening and sew bias tape around the leg holes. Baste the top edges of the "box" together then measure the total length around the top.

Make the Skirting of the Shopping Cart Cover

Step 1: Take two pieces of fabric and cut them 1.5 times longer than the distance you measured around the top of your "box" and 1.5 feet wide.

Step 2: Sew the two pieces, wrong sides together, along one long side. Press the seam and flip to right sides together.

Step 3: Stitch 1.5 inches from the original seam leaving a 2-inch space to feed the 1-inch wide elastic. Feed the elastic through the pocket you made using a safety pin as your guide. Attach the two ends of elastic together by sewing an "X" into both ends.

Step 4: Baste around the raw edges of your skirting and gather. Make sure you end up with a length equal to the length you measured around the top of the "box."

Step 5: Pin and sew the gathered fabric to the wrong side of the top of the inside of the "box." Trim and finish the edge with bias tape.

Okie dokie… I had a couple of emails asking me to share how I cooked the roasted veggies cause they looked "absolutely heavenly” LOL! Alrighty, here ya go gang… but remember, this will work with all kinds of veggies, not just the ones I used, so feel free to substitute or even add to the list!



Roasted Vegetable Medley

Ingredients

olive oil
1 large yam, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup baby carrots
2 zucchini, cut into 1 inch slices
2 yellow crookneck squash, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, cut into medium-large pieces
4-6 cloves garlic, minced, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, divided

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the yams, potatoes, and carrots into a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and Italian seasoning and toss to coat thoroughly. Spread onto the baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

While that pan roasts, in the same bowl, place zucchini, onion, squash, bell peppers, and garlic and drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Place second pan in the oven Continue baking until all of the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes more.

Once tender, remove from the oven. Toss the roasted summer veggies with the potato mix in a large bowl until combined.



Now you HAVE to have a main dish right? Well I saw this recipe and I had to try it! Now I HAVE to share it with you LOL! Jean’s 88c chicken inspired me to share this one with you LOL! So, if you have a thing for yummy chicken, you might want to try this one on for size! I know that even I could go for another pan of this delish chicken every time I make it LOL! It goes great with peanut noodles too! YUMMY!!!!!!!



Baked Asian-Style Honey Chicken

Ingredients

1 (3 pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces
3 tablespoons chopped onion
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup chopped green onions
sesame seeds to garnish, optional

Directions

To Marinate: Arrange chicken pieces in a 9x3 inch baking dish. In a small bowl combine the onion, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and honey; mix together and spoon mixture over chicken. Cover dish and refrigerate to marinate for 1 hour, turning pieces once.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Bake chicken for 30 minutes. Turn pieces over and top with green onion, then continue baking for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until chicken is tender and cooked through and juices run clear. Sprinkle lightly with sesame seeds to garnish. Serve immediately.

OMGoodness… aren’t you so incredibly hungry now? I know I am drooling! Alrighty, I need to go check my plants to make sure the cold and wind did not break or kill them and then I need to get started on the crafts, so I will let you go for now. Meet me back here tomorrow for more fun and ideas, ok? HUGS!