1 DOWN, 5 TO GO!

Good morning everyone! How are you doing today? I am ok… a bit tired really but good. We had a weird night around here and for some reason I got really spooked. I would not let DH sleep cause I was so freaked out. It was strange. I even slept with a few "protective items" in my pillow and by my side of the bed. I don’t know why I was so stressin, but oh well. I need to apologize to Cyndi and anyone else who got disturbed when they read yesterday’s title. I really didn’t think about anyone thinking I was leaving until I read your comment last night. I figured the title was fitting seeing as I was talking about the band director, the graduating seniors, etc. I will try to watch how I word things from now on. I try to give you a interest-peaking “teaser” by making up clever titles, but it seems like this was a poor choice. Please forgive me.

Now… I am proud to announce that I finished one of the 6 projects I have been working on... Madison's room! I really have such a wonderful daughter. She said she “doesn’t deserve all of this” but in fact, she really does! So I made it a doozy! She screamed, almost cried and then took pictures with her phone and sent it to all her friends. They were loving it but jealous. So let me share the wonderful results with you!



This is the view when you are standing in the doorway. I made pillow cases for the brand new pillows Mom and Dad gave me for her room. The white pillows with the blue Band logo on them are actually towels. Small “hand” towels the kids must have each year to sit on in the stadiums so they do not snag their uniforms when they sit down. I bought 2 extra ones and cut some of the fabric with the notes to match as backs. Then I stuffed them and sewed them shut. Aren’t they cool? She took one on a band trip one time and everyone wanted one LOL! Looks like I should make a few more huh? LOL!



This is a closer view of the things hanging on the wall over her bed. The 4 picture frame has 2 of the marching pictures and 2 of her patches from her freshman year. I have to get another frame to put up some from this year. The wooden pennant and treble clef I painted the school blue and DHS stands for Dickinson High School obviously. The ribbons on the pennant are music noted LOL!



This is the wall on the side of her bed. Each of those Homecoming mums I handmade for her for the past 4 years. In between the mums are wooden painted music notes. Down the “flag” of each note is painted the years she is in High School and in the base of the note is her yearly band picture for that year. Hanging from the ceiling all over the room are plastic music notes with glitter. These are actually Christmas ornaments I found at Hobby Lobby. For the last couple of years I have bought all the silver ones of these I can find with the intent to do something like this from her ceiling.



This is the view of one of the corners of her room. We had a camo blue pillowcase we were gonna use on the bed, but didn’t have enough material for 2. So I wasn’t quite sure what to do with 1 stray pillowcase. So, I folded it in half and pulled it over the chair as a seat cover. Pretty neat huh? Then there is her wind spinner in the corner (that I still have to get a motor for), curtains, desk accessories, a hat rack, and the “graffiti art” her Dad made for her room.



As we move counter-clockwise around the room, you see her dresser and the other window curtain. Hanging from the window curtain, are little metal music notes with crystals on top. The crystals will hopefully catch the sunrays and dance very pretty on the walls throughout the room. You can also see the clarinet clock on the wall and the clarinet lamp on the dresser. Yes, before you ask, that is a REAL clarinet that was made into a lamp. She better take VERY good care of that as I cannot afford to replace it!! There is also a ceramic money box and numerous vases, centerpieces, etc that she has now on her dresser for decoration. Some will be used at her birthday party.



Ok this section of wall is no more than like 3 foot wide I think. On the right (when you are facing it) is the big closet (which you see now has the drapes as “doors”), and to the left is the entrance door. So, I wondered what to do with the little space. Now I was going to put the hat rack on top of these boards, but it was too long. SO, I hung the big treble clef over the message center. On top is a normal bulletin board that I tucked the matching fabric into and directly underneath is the white dry erase board. The letters are wooden and painted to accent the black and white stuff. I went ahead and put some pictures from freshman year that were not in frames on the bulletin board. I wrote her a note on the white board too, but AFTER I took the picture (hey SOME things will remain private LOL).



Here is a close up of the dresser so you can see the clarinet lamp and such a little better. You also see a clay pot “gum ball machine” I made her, her music bracelet, “piggy” bank, candy cane bouquet, and even a picture of her and her BFF Katie. I think its pretty cool! I really hope she enjoys her room. I get tickled every time I have went in there. It has been a project I have been “collecting” stuff for the past 2 years. To see all the bits and pieces come together and make one awesome completed project that she loves is the greatest feeling in the world. It makes me feel I did something RIGHT as a mom! So we have 1 project down and 5 more to finish LOL!

Ok, its time to get crafty! Now mom made a suggestion about patio crafts for people who live in apartments. I think that is a great idea, seeing as I used to BE an apartment “dweller” LMAO! There are lots of things you can do to “dress up” your patio. You can make unique wind chimes from tiny terra cotta pots, seashells, etc. You can make a bird bath, some outdoor party lights, tin can luminaries, wind socks, planters, and more! I tell ya, I love terra cotta pots! With a cute paint job, they can be sooo different. One time I painted lots of terra cotta pots in different “veggie” themes and made “rows” on my patio. It was pretty neat! You can also make things like seat covers for chairs, grill covers, and other things you have to sew. BUT if you use outdoor canvas, you can have a durable decoration that is machine washable! Now who doesn’t like that!? Today I want to show you a craft I just thought was very frugal. If you have a larger patio (like I did) this would be a great thing to make and sit on in your little “container garden field”. Make sure to read through some of the comments on this one for added ideas and instructions!



Craft Idea of the Day: Concrete Bench

Turn two $4.00 bags of ready mix concrete into a lovely garden bench. This bench is about 36 inches long by 18 inches wide. I took some old 2x4's and made a form for the seat and two forms for the legs. I mixed the concrete and poured it into the forms. I let it set for 4 days and removed it from the mold.

Now I have a beautiful garden bench that only cost $8.00. They are at least $50.00 at your local home improvement center.

By John from Haysville, KS

Ok, now if you are like me, you read a nice recipe and see a pretty picture and you get hungry real easy! You maybe even get the mouth watering and the tummy grumbling LOL! You know our barbecue week is coming to a close. Have you enjoyed it? What was your favorite recipe? Well around here we get roasts a lot and I am always looking for something yummy and different to do with it. This recipe will give you a roast that melts on your tongue like butter when you bite into it. Well worth the time and effort! And for dessert, a super crispy piece of dulce de heaven!



BBQ Chuck roast

Ingredients

1 (5 pound) chuck roast
1 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup teriyaki sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
3 teaspoons minced garlic
3 teaspoons thinly sliced fresh ginger root
1 onion, finely chopped
3 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
2 teaspoons salt

Directions

In a large bowl, mix barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, beer, garlic, ginger, onion, black pepper, and salt. Place the roast into the marinade, cover and refrigerate for six hours, turning often.

Preheat an outdoor grill for indirect heat. Remove the roast from the marinade, and pour the marinade into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes. Set aside for use as a basting sauce.

Thread the roast onto a rotating barbecue spit above indirect heat. Cook the roast for two hours, or until the internal temperature of the roast is at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Baste often during the last hour with reserved marinade.



Grilled Pineapple Milhojas

Ingredients

2 (5 ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
3 sheets puff pastry
12 pineapple rings
1 pint citrus sorbet of your choice

Directions

To make homemade dulce de leche, remove and discard labels from cans of condensed milk. Place the unopened cans into a large saucepan and pour in enough water to cover by 1 or 2-inches. Bring water to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 3 hours. Drain, and allow cans to cool to room temperature before opening.

Meanwhile, cook the puff pastry sheets according to package directions and allow to cool to room temperature. Pour the dulce de leche from one can evenly over a sheet of puff pastry. Place a second sheet of puff pastry over the first, then pour on the remaining can of dulce de leche. Top with the remaining puff pastry sheet, then cut into 12 triangles.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat and oil with cooking spray, or preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat. Grill the pineapple rings until warm and nicely marked.

Serve each triangle on a dessert plate garnished with a grilled pineapple slice and a scoop of citrus sorbet.

Ok everybody. I hope you have enjoyed seeing the finished project that is my DD’s room (I was quite proud and she seems to like it), and all the great crafts and food! Meet me back here tomorrow and we will have more great times and wonderful adventures! And I hope to have some great pictures from the Band Banquet tonight too! See you tomorrow… HUGS!