HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY

Well a lovely Valentine’s morning to you! How are you this mushy day of happiness? I’m good… gonna start this valentine’s with some homemade pink pancakes for my crew followed with tokens of love to the hubs and kids. Homemade cards, etc… things I have been working on this week for them. I hope they enjoy them. My mom says you don’t give Valentine’s to your kids LOL but I do because for years, they were the only “sweeties” I had LOL! Not that this was a bad thing… I love my kids to death! I love you mom… but my kids get presents today! LMAO!

Okie dokie… speaking of my mom… she sent me the coolest email yesterday… about coffee filters. Now I have seen this list before… a LONG time ago in one of my frugal groups, but it reminded me of another list I have. And I wanted to share it with you. Since I have been on the decluttering race and the recycling thing is important to me, I think its double appropriate LOL! It’s called

52 Money Saving Uses for Ordinary Kitchen Items

Here's a great list of ways to stretch that dollar, just by using ordinary items from your very own kitchen! Includes milk bottles, soda bottles, ice cube trays, baby food jars, egg cartons, salt, baking soda and more! Recycling not only saves money, but it creates a mindset of making the best with what you have. Kind of like that old saying "If you’ve got lemons, make lemonade." Well, here’s what you can make with...

Plastic Milk Bottles
1. Cut off a portion of the top, leaving the handle in place. Add birdseed and make a bird feeder, hanging it on a clothesline or tree branch.
2. Make a garbage caddy for the sink, especially great if you don’t have a garbage disposal.
3. Make a caddy for tools or painting supplies.
4. Cut off the bottom and use the top as a funnel.
5. Fill the entire jug with beans and use for exercise weights, or just storage for the beans.

Plastic Soda Bottles
1. Make a homemade tornado, place two bottles together, top to top - filling one with water. Tape the tops together and swirl around to make a tornado effect.
2. You can also make a funnel from the tops of soda bottles.
3. Add some sand or rice and use for a homemade bowling game for the kids, just be sure to glue the caps on.

Ice Cube Trays
1. Add a squirt of lemon to your ice cube tray and you'll have lemon flavored ice for your tea.
2. Kool-Aid flavored ice for the kids, mix the flavors up for fun.
3. Use trays as drawer organizers for paperclips or sewing notions.
4. Ice cube trays are the perfect size for freezing small portions of left over baby food, or making your own homemade.
5. Freeze tablespoon sized amounts of broth or special sauces for cooking soups and casseroles.

Jelly Jars/Mason Jars
1. Remove labels and use for gifts, placing a pretty piece of fabric on top and tying with a ribbon.
2. Great for pencil holders.
3. Fill with candy.
4. Use for storing cotton balls or q-tips in the bathroom.
5. Store sewing notions, crafts or hardware.

Baby Food Jars
1. Perfect for lost buttons.
2. Store small nails.
3. Keep beads or small craft items sorted easily.

Egg Cartons
1. Great seed starters, get a head start on Spring.
2. Storing plastic Easter eggs.
3. Make a memory game for children, matching up items from around the house.
4. Storage for collectible rocks.
5. Jewelry box, great for earrings.

Lemons
1. Mix with a little salt for cleaning copper or brass.
2. Remove odors from hands or cutting boards.
3. Keep a supply on hand for seasoning poultry and seafood.

Oranges
1. Use the peelings to freshen your garbage disposal.
2. Cover with cloves and use as an air freshener or Christmas ornament.
3. Place open halves inside a turkey or chicken before baking to add a great flavor.

Salt
1. Remove grease and stains from pans and dishware.
2. Put out a grease fire.
3. Clean a sticky iron plate by sprinkling salt on a piece of paper and moving the hot iron over it.
4. Ease the pain of beestings.

Baking Soda
1. Add to a damp cloth and remove crayon and marker from walls and furniture.
2. Pour a little down the drain with some vinegar, let sit 5 minutes and wash down with warm water to clear clogged drains.
3. Mix with facial cleanser to make an exfoliator.
4. Ease the pain of beestings.
5. Line a litter box to prevent odors.
6. Keep an open box in the fridge to prevent odors, put one in the freezer too.
7. Use ¼ c. on a damp food burned pan, let sit for 5 minutes and scrub clean easily.

Paper Plates
1. Place two plates together, edge to edge, fill with beans or rice, staple the edges together, let children paint and decorate for a fun musical toy.
2. Use as a cover for food to keep warm.
3. Place ½ of a plate on top of a full sized plate, edge to edge, staple edges to create a letter holder. Great for kid's Valentines.

Coffee Cans
1. Use food bag labels and create unique storage containers for flour, sugar, cornmeal, etc.

Mesh Onion Bags
1. Add leftover pieces of soap and make a scrubber.
2. Contain small items while in the dishwasher.
3. Cut bag open and scrunch together to make a dish scrubber.

Muffin Tins
1. Create a memory game for young children, by filling the muffin cups with small items from around the house.
2. Organize small items in each compartment, such as paper clips, rubber bands, etc. and use as a desk drawer organizer.

And then of course I HAVE to share the coffee filters list with you cause its just along the same lines as all the helpful tips above! Thanks mom for the email!

25 Useful Ideas for Coffee Filters

Coffee filters .... Who knew! And you can buy 1,000 at the Dollar Tree for almost nothing even the large ones.

1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. Coffee filters make excellent covers.

2. Clean windows, mirrors, and chrome... Coffee filters are lint-free so they'll leave windows sparkling.

3. Protect China by separating your good dishes with a coffee filter between each dish.

4. Filter broken cork from wine. If you break the cork when opening a wine bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.

5. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.

6. Apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free coffee filter.

7. Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.

8. Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale.

9. Hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.

10 Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes.

11. Prevent a Popsicle from dripping. Poke one or two holes as needed in a coffee filter.

12. Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Use strips of coffee filters..

13. Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc on them. It soaks out all the grease.

14. Keep in the bathroom. They make great "razor nick fixers."

15. As a sewing backing. Use a filter as an easy-to-tear backing for embroidering or appliquéing soft fabrics.

16. Put baking soda into a coffee filter and insert into shoes or a closet to absorb or prevent odors.

17. Use them to strain soup stock and to tie fresh herbs in to put in soups and stews.

18. Use a coffee filter to prevent spilling when you add fluids to your car.

19. Use them as a spoon rest while cooking and clean up small counter spills.

20. Can use to hold dry ingredients when baking or when cutting a piece of fruit or veggies Saves on having extra bowls to wash.

21. Use them to wrap Christmas ornaments for storage.

22. Use them to remove fingernail polish when out of cotton balls.

23. Use them to sprout seeds. Simply dampen the coffee filter, place seeds inside, fold it and place it into a plastic baggie until they sprout.

24. Use coffee filters as blotting paper for pressed flowers. Place the flowers between two coffee filters and put the coffee filters in phone book.

25. Use as a disposable "snack bowl" for popcorn, chips, etc --- ESPECIALLY WHEN TRAVELING!!

Oh yea… make that 26… They’re great for making coffee too!

Some cool things huh? I think so… ok so after I checked emails I got to thinking about crafts. My daughter has a trip coming up… she is flying to Florida with the High School Band. They will be gone for 5 days. Well how is she supposed to spot her luggage from everyone else’s? She is gonna be very nervous because this is her first airplane ride ever and I won’t be there to help her. So I have to make things as smooth as possible for her. SOOO… I figure I can make some fabric luggage tags! No one else will have those on her bags and she can easily identify them when she gets to luggage claims! Not to mention, these could make a great gift, especially for someone you know who travels A LOT!



Craft Idea for the Day: Fabric Luggage Tags

Approximate Time: 1 hour

Supplies:

1/4 yd. of fabric
1/4 yd. lightweight fusible interfacing
sewing machine
scissors
thread to match fabric
small piece clear vinyl sheeting
tissue paper
card stock or old card
charm or memento, if desired

Instructions:



1. Cut 2 pieces of fabric 4 1/4x5 3/4 inch. Cut one end in a curve, as in picture. Cut one 14x2 1/4 inch strip of fabric for strap. Cut 2 pieces fusible interfacing 3 1/2"x 5" cut one end in a curve. All seam allowances are 3/8 inches.



2. Fold strip of fabric (lengthwise), right sides together and stitch. Stitch 1 end of strip so you can turn it right side out. After turning right side out, cut off that stitched end to avoid bulkiness. Iron strap, topstitch both long edges of strap.

3. Place fusible interfacings on the wrong side of your 2 other pieces of fabric, center it, iron on interfacing (bumpy side down) press for about 10 seconds (read manufacturers directions, they might be different than mine).



4. With right sides together machine stitch around edges, but leave a 2 inch opening in top of tag for turning and for inserting strap. Turn right side out, iron. Insert strap ends in the 2 inch opening, center it and pin in place. Top stitch, close to edge, around entire tag, you'll be top stitching the strap into place. (don't stitch over that pin).



5. Cut a 2 3/4x3 1/2 inch piece of clear vinyl. Place on tag, centered but a bit lower to the bottom. Place tissue paper over the vinyl and zigzag stitch* in place along 3 edges of the vinyl.

*I used a scalloped stitch, you could use zig zag or whatever you like. You might want to practice with a small piece of vinyl and scrap fabric first, to see what stitch you prefer. Tear away the tissue paper.

6. For the nametag, cut a piece of card stock to fit under the vinyl. I used Print Shop on my computer to print the design on the nametag. You can use parts of a greeting card if you want design on the insert. You can embellish with a charm or memento from a trip.



To attach to the luggage, drape the long strap of the luggage tag around the handle on your luggage, take the bottom part of the luggage tag and put it through the loop of the long strap. Pull slightly to tighten.

Aren’t those just the coolest thing?? Aside from DD’s music tags, I am thinking about making some to sell in my craft shows as well… you can make them from anything! Breast cancer, autism, music, animals, you name it! Even if you just have scraps you can’t bear to toss… you can make one! I think they are cool and I’m gonna be making them like crazy LOL!

Ok sew all this crafting makes me hungry LOL! As you know, yesterday was a cook-a-thon! Boy did I get a lot done. I clocked in 11 hours in the kitchen before my body just gave out. And I lasted as long as I did cause I had a chair in there with me. Regardless, I got a lot of great meals made and even enough for some freezer meals! LOOK!



YAY! GO ME! LOL… I made Unstuffed Pepper Soup, Golden Carrot Soup, Cream of Broccoli soup, Spicy Refried Bean soup, Cream of Asparagus soup, Cabbage Beef Soup, Mulligatawny soup (which I could not keep them out of… got a request for more tomorrow!) and a new thing I threw together- my favorite meal turned into a soup; Chicken Fried Steak, Mashed Potatoes, and corn! Let me tell ya OMG I almost ate the whole pot by myself!! And the DD15 was seriously digging it too! I call it Chicken Fried Steak soup! I also got 2 chicken fried steak dinners, 2 Asian broccoli & beef with fried rice and pot stickers dinners, and 3 meatballs with broccoli cheese rice and sweet peas TV dinners made as well! OH and Susan, be sure to check out my post for Cabbage Beef Soup on the 6th… I think its what you were thinking about… just omit the beans and you could add carrots if you want. So let me share these 2 great new pots with you that I couldn’t keep everyone out of yesterday!



Renee’s Chicken Fried Steak Soup

Ingredients

4 beef cube steaks, shredded
2 cups of peeled, diced potatoes (I used frozens)
1 can of whole kernal corn, drained
1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic (about 3 large cloves)
2 teaspoons Emeril's Essence
1/4 cup onion, diced
3 cups of beef broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 dashes (about 1/2 tablespoon) Worcestershire sauce
1 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Combine beef and onions in a medium pot and season with Essence. Brown on medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes longer.

2. Add broth, corn, potatoes, salt, pepper, and worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook about 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

3. Add cream and mix. Heat through. **If too “watery” for your tastes, add a slurry of flour & water and warm until thickened.**



Mulligatawny Soup

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped onion
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 carrot, diced
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 apple, cored and chopped (You can also use 1 can of unsweetened applesauce)
1/4 cup white rice
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast half - cut into cubes (I use all the meat from a whole roasted chicken)
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch dried thyme
1/2 cup heavy cream, heated

Directions

Saute onions, celery, carrot, and butter in a large soup pot. Add flour and curry, and cook 5 more minutes.

Add chicken stock, mix well, and bring to a boil. Simmer about 1/2 hour.

Add apple, rice, chicken, salt, pepper, and thyme. Simmer 15-20 minutes, or until rice is done.

When serving, add hot cream.

As for tonight, well the hubs is getting a special buffalo steak, potatoes, etc… and I’m gonna be cooking again all day today as I didn’t get through all the stuff I need to use up ASAP. The DS is not as happy about that cause it mean tons of dishes again today LOL! But he doesn’t fight me… he does them when I say LOL… so I trained him well LMAO! I don’t see that CFS soup in the freezer (the one portion that was left to save) lasting through the day LMAO! It’s just calling me! OK gang, I’m off to make some pink pancakes for my gang then another cook-a-thon! I’ll see you tomorrow… HUGS!

BAD WEATHER BLAHS

Well an early morning hi there to you! How are you doing today? I, obviously, could not sleep so I’ve been up listening to the rain and decided to get an early start on my writings and my day. I think that once I drop the kids off, I’m going to go hang out with my mom. She always has a way of refreshing my spirit when I get the doldrums. And believe me, I have the bad weather blahs something fierce. Stuck inside 24-7 cause its too cold and wet and nasty to do anything outside tends to get you down… especially since its been this way for months now! Add to that health issues that just make your body hurt to tears courtesy of the cold weather… it makes for an easy situation to get the winter blues. I’m ready for a little sun and warmer weather… not real hot though… I don’t like that either cause it makes me sick too! LOL!

My battle against the clutter, as you know, is ongoing. However I think I have finally won in the kitchen! Pegboards on the wall holding oversized utensils and frequently used pots, things hanging up, a new paint job, thrown out a bunch of things, etc. My cabinets actually close now! YAY! Working on my bedroom and bathroom now. The closet is cleaned and organized with hooks along the back wall, clothes taken out and donated, boxes labeled and organized on the top shelf, etc. There are a couple of things I need to find homes for still but its coming along… it mainly leaves my living room and craft area… which is a scary thing! LOL! I’ll keep you posted.



Crafts… well I finished the hubs Valentine’s Day card. It’s not exactly like I planned but its original, creative, and I hope he likes it. I put pictures from our wedding on there because those were some happy times. I used scrapbook papers, ribbons, sequins, photos, glitter, etc. LOL I like things that sparkle. Well today is the last weekday before the big Valentine’s Day weekend. Maybe it’s the last day that your sweetie will be out of the house giving you enough time to make or plan & prepare something special. So here are a few last minute ideas for a great holiday.

True Romance for Couples with Kids: 10 Inexpensive Ideas
by Susie Cortright

Anyone can splurge on a formal dinner or a pricey bottle of perfume, but it takes creativity, forethought, and time to be truly romantic.

The key lies in personalizing your celebration. Here are ten ideas to fuel your own creativity:

1. Empty a box of chocolates. Then cut out 50 to 100 hearts from lace doilies, construction paper, or fabric. On each cutout, record something about him that you love. Be specific, "The way you smell when you come to bed at night," "The way you take care of me when I'm sick," "Your recipe for pancakes"...

Fold the cutouts, place them in the chocolate box, and top with a red satin bow.

The time you spend coming up with these ideas will contribute to your own romantic mood, and what he thinks is a plain box of chocolates will be a gift he'll keep close to his heart forever. And you can add to the box on Valentine's Day, his birthday, your anniversary, and other holidays throughout the year.

2. Build a romantic fire. Before the kids go to bed, have fun roasting marshmallows. After their lights are out, host your own indoor picnic, complete with a bottle of wine and chocolate-covered strawberries.

3. Recreate your first date together. What were you wearing? Where did you go? Do you remember what you talked about? Spend the evening reminiscing and reflecting on how far you've come as a couple.

4. Spoon all night.

5. Choose a book in which you are both interested, fiction or nonfiction. Read a new chapter each night before bed. This cozy tradition will allow you to spend some quality time together and often makes for thought-provoking breakfast conversations.

6. Make a tape of the songs special to your relationship. Include "your song," songs from your wedding, songs from favorite movies. Add a personal voice dedication and leave it in his briefcase, Walkman, or car stereo.

7. Turn off the TV.

8. Kidnap your husband. Arrange for a babysitter for a few hours -- or a few days. A friend of mine had a lot of success with this one. She knew her husband had always wanted to get married in Vegas, but he had agreed to a large, formal ceremony hosted by her family. So, after they had been married 10 years, she surprised him at work with a packed suitcase. They caught an evening flight and renewed their vows before an Elvis impersonator in a Vegas chapel. Years later, they're still talking about it.

9. This one requires a babysitter, too. Next time you're visiting your parents or in-laws, leave the kids with their grandparents and travel to another town, where no one will recognize you. Check into a hotel or B&B. Dress like another woman. Act like another woman. It's fun to slip into another persona from time to time.

10. Have a scavenger hunt. Write a few poems, wrap candy kisses inside, and hide them around the house. Each poem should be a clue to finding the next one. Make sure the final clue lands your man someplace you want to end up for the entire evening. A romance package, including a bottle of champagne and new lingerie, is a nice touch.



And now what’s next kids… yep… food. Well this is the weirdest thing. I had a craving for those Cup O Soup things by Maruchan yesterday afternoon… ya know one of those 15 cent squares of noodles or the 30 cent cups you cook for 3 minutes and its done? Yea so the kids went to the store and picked up some for me. But they brought back a BUNCH of them! They said I need a break and tomorrow (meaning tonight) THEY are making those soups and hot sandwiches for everyone! They brought home 6 cases of the squares in various flavors and 6 cases of the cups in various flavors. They said that’s at least 2-3 soups per person LOL! They said they can’t make homemade soups like I can, but they want to take care of me for a change cause they know I’m hurting. LOL wonder what gave it away… the distorted faces or the tears or what? LOL! Isn’t that sweet though?? So in my house the kids are doing Ramen Noodle Soups and hot sandwiches… LOL this should be interesting! Even if it doesn’t go well, I gotta say I got a good group of kids! They make me want to keep them all and have more of my own, but I know neither is possible. Anyway, I know that you all come here looking for inspiration, so I am gonna share this remarkable recipe with you.



Chicken Florentine Casserole

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup butter
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 (13.5 ounce) cans spinach, drained
4 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
2/3 cup bacon bits
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the spinach and mushrooms. Stirring constantly, mix in the garlic, lemon juice, cream of mushroom soup, Italian seasoning, half-and-half, and Parmesan cheese.

Pour half the mixture from the saucepan over the mushrooms. Arrange chicken breasts in the dish, and cover with the remaining sauce mixture. Sprinkle with bacon bits.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes in the 350 degrees oven. Remove and cover with mozzarella cheese. Return to oven and bake about 10 minutes longer or until cheese is bubbly.

OK gang, its time for me to get my kids out of bed and try to get everyone ready for school but remain all toasty warm. Join me tomorrow for another addition of stuck-in-the-house-wet-rainy-season-crazy antics and articles LOL! Wherever you are, wherever you go, be safe, keep warm, and be happy! Until tomorrow… HUGS!

ROMANTIC FOODS & CUTE CRAFTS

Good morning my little chickadees. How are you doing this morning? I am frozen to the bone. It’s only a whopping 36 degrees here and my hands feel like a block of ice. But its much worse I heard in other parts of the world, so I am not going to complain. I am a bit worried that a few of my normal readers are ok. I haven’t heard from them lately. If you are there, and you know who you are… I hope you are ok.

Today, for me, will be filled with a lot of brainstorming. I had a customer knock on my door yesterday and want to get some flower arrangements/centerpieces for Mother’s Day… which also happens to be HER mother’s 99th birthday! WOW… 99… that’s awesome! I gotta do a good job on these! Not sure what I will come up with yet, but I will try to think of something pretty. Wish me luck! I also need to brainstorm some ideas for menus and the parties for this upcoming year. I know we have Madison’s Musical Sweet 16, and of course all the normal holidays- 4th of July, Easter, Halloween, Christmas, etc. I am thinking besides the holidays and birthdays, I want to have an Italian night and maybe a poker night for sure. Then I have to brainstorm foods, etc. for each of those parties. Gonna give the ol’ noggin a workout that’s for sure! Good thing is, I can do all this no matter where I am at… and I will be all over today! Waiting for kids, waiting on hubby while he is in court (remember that dang seat belt ticket? Yea that’s today!), sitting watching TV (new Criminal Minds is on tonight! YAY!)… ya know ANYWHERE! I also need to think about what I want to make for Saturday’s marathon cooking. See, I try once a month to cook a ton of food in one day. With all that food, I feed tons of hungry people AND get some freezer cooking done. I set out a bunch of various meats and then clean out the fridge of anything that needs to be used before it has to be tossed… veggies, etc. Then I make meals from that. So I guess I need to see what I have huh? LOL… I put some chickens, steaks, sausage, ground meat and ground sausage, some cutlets, and a few other things in the fridge to be thawed by the weekend for use. These marathon cooking days are like “Pantry challenges” for me… you CANNOT go out and buy anything. You HAVE to use what you have! I find it quite fun and this weekend will be interesting because I have all kinds of things I can use like breads, meats, veggies, you name it!

My race against clutter is still going… and I am still losing LOL! I am about to set some serious deadlines for myself and if I can’t make them, maybe I will ground myself or something LOL! Maybe no criminal minds for a week or something… I don’t know. All I do know is that it never seems to end and I get so overwhelmed that I just say “forget it”. You got any ideas that can help me win this battle?

Crafts… well I’m in the mood to craft but I’m not sure what. I was doing some searching and I found these really great craft ideas… check them out!



Pretty Wall Cubes
Decorate your wall with customized cubes. Select three same-size square sturdy cardboard boxes or use wood cubes. Trace a box side onto decorative paper; repeat the tracing five times for each box for a total of 15; cut out. Using a paintbrush, spread a thin layer of adhesive on five sides of each box. Adhere the paper to the box sides, using your hand and a brayer to smooth each side. Finish with a coat of polyurethane if desired



Heart Garland
String a heart garland on a headboard or mantel. To create the garland, cut similarly sized hearts from decorative paper. Cut another set slightly smaller than the first. Glue each small heart on top of a large heart. With a hole punch, punch a hole on either side of each heart. Thread string through the holes in the hearts.



Window Frame Art
Use an old window frame (found in antiques stores) as a frame to show off love ones. Gather pieces of chipboard the size of each pane to use as "pages." Cover the chipboard with patterned paper, then add pictures and embellishments. Attach your completed chipboard "pages" to the back of the window panes with a staple gun. For a finishing touch, add rub-on words or phrases to the glass panes.



Wildflower Preserved In Oil
Small wildflowers stored in mini glass corked bottles filled with oil. These were the last flowers in my yard this year. With the ground now snow covered, it's nice to have little reminders of sunny days around the house! Hold flower beside your bottle to size it and clip off excess stem to make it fit. Fill up the bottle with clear oil. (I used baby oil in some and lavender baby wash in others.)
Attach a small screw-eye into the cork to use as a charm for necklace or bracelet or to hang in a window or other place.



Magazine Gift Bow

magazine page
ruler
ink pen
scissors
stapler and staples
glue dots or hot glue gun and glue sticks

Instructions:

Cut a magazine page lengthwise into 9 strips that are 3/4 and wide. Leave 3 of the strips full length. Cut one inch off 3 of the strips. Cut two inches off 2 of the strips. Cut the last strip down to 3 1/2 and long. Twist each strip to form a loop at both ends and staple it in the center (see photo).
Shape the last, short strip into a circle and secure it with a glue dot or hot glue. Layer the 3 longest pieces on top of each other, spacing them evenly and securing each with a glue dot or hot glue. Add the next two groups of pieces, doing the same. And finally, glue the loop into the center.



Make Your Own Gift Bags

Supplies:

Decorative papers
Ruler
Pencil
Bone folder
Double-sided tape
Hole punch
Ribbon
Scissors

Instructions:

Cut out template and trace onto decorative paper. Make folds and score with a bone folder. To assemble bottom, fold short flaps, then the long flaps. Apply tape or glue to secure the bottom. Punch 2 holes to front and on the back top center of bag. To make handles, thread the bag with a length of ribbon approximately 9 inches, then finish the ends with a knot. Note: Wrap the gift in tissue paper before tucking it inside. Attach a gift tag. Click Here for the Gift Bag Template.

Now, today on the food circuit, I want to talk about ideas for that romantic dinner for your loved one. More and more couples are going to be actually using the idea of cooking that homemade romantic dinner instead of going out. I personally think that’s awesome. Of course you can make these anytime of the year, but why not spruce up that special evening with these tasty recipes…



French Onion Soup

Ingredients
1/3 cup butter
10 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
1 quart beef broth
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
6 slices French bread, toasted
3 cups shredded Gruyere cheese
Directions
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir and cook onions in butter until golden brown, 15 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute. Pour in the beer and beef broth and season with mustard, thyme, black pepper and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Remove bay leaf from soup and ladle soup into a large casserole or individual ovenproof bowls, leaving about 1 inch of room at the top of the dish or dishes. Float slices of toasted bread on the soup and pile generously with Gruyere.

Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes, until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.



Heavenly Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

3-1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, cut up and softened
1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained, and crumbled
Snipped chives (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Cook potatoes in boiling water for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender. Drain and mash. Add cream cheese, stirring until combined. Gently stir in sour cream, mustard, salt, and pepper.

2. Lightly grease a 2-quart casserole or 2-quart square baking dish; spoon potato mixture into prepared dish.

3. Bake casserole, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through. Top with bacon and, if desired, chives.



Strawberry Sweetheart Tart

Ingredients

1/2 of a 17-1/4-ounce package frozen puff pastry, thawed (1 sheet)
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/3 cup sliced almonds, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons sugar
2 3-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons amaretto or orange juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 cups sliced strawberries
1/4 cup current jelly, melted

Directions

1. On a lightly floured surface roll pastry sheet to a 12-inch square. Cut out an 11-inch heart. Transfer heart to an ungreased baking sheet. Cut excess pastry into 3/4-inch-wide strips. In a small cup, beat egg and water. Brush egg mixture in a3/4-inch border around top of heart. Twist pastry strips and arrange around top edge of heart to make a border, brushing ends with egg mixture and overlapping strips slightly. Brush pastry with egg mixture. Prick center of pastry with a fork. Sprinkle pastry with almonds and the 2 tablespoons sugar.

2. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until pastry is browned, pricking bottom once with fork if necessary to make it puff evenly. Let tart cool on baking sheet on a wire rack.

3. In a medium mixing bowl beat cream cheese and the 3 tablespoons sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until fluffy. Add amaretto or orange juice and vanilla. Beat until thoroughly combined; set aside. In a chilled mixing bowl beat whipping cream with chilled beaters of an electric mixer or medium speed until soft peaks form. Fold into cream cheese mixture. Spoon filling into cooled pastry shell and spread evenly.

4. Arrange sliced strawberries over filling, overlapping to cover filling completely. Brush with melted jelly. Cover; chill in the refrigerator up to 2 hours before serving. Makes 6 servings.



Banana Toffee Tart

Ingredients

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk (preferably Eagle Brand)
6 ounces (1-1/3 cups) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 3/8-inch dice and chilled well
1 pint (2 cups) heavy cream
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ripe bananas
1/4 teaspoon instant coffee granules

Directions

1. Fill the base pan of a double boiler (or a medium saucepan) halfway with water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium for an active simmer (just shy of a boil). Pour the sweetened condensed milk into the double boiler's top insert (or into a stainless-steel bowl that fits snugly on top of the saucepan) and set over the simmering water. Every 45 minutes, check the water level in the pot and give the milk a stir. Replenish with more hot water as needed. Once the milk has thickened to the consistency of pudding and has turned a rich, dark caramel color, 2-1/2 to 3 hours, remove from the heat, cool, and cover.

2. Meanwhile, combine the flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and salt in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the butter pieces and gently toss to lightly coat with flour. Blend the butter and flour mixture with about five 1-second pulses (count "one one-thousand" with each pulse) or until the mixture is the texture of coarse meal with some of the butter pieces the size of peas. In a small bowl, whisk together 2-1/2 tablespoons of the cream and the egg yolk and pour this over the flour mixture. Process continuously until the mixture turns golden in color and thickens in texture yet is still crumbly, about 10 seconds.

3. Transfer the mixture to a medium-large bowl and press the mixture together with your hand until it comes together into a ball. Shape the dough into an 8-inch-wide disk and put it in the center of an 8-1/2- to 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Beginning in the center of the dough and working out toward the edges, use your fingertips to gently press the dough evenly into the bottom and up the pan sides. The edges should be flush with the top edge of the pan. If you find a spot that's especially thick, pinch away some of the dough and use it to bulk up a thin spot. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 1 hour.

4. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Right before baking, line the dough with aluminum foil and cover with pie weights or dried beans. Bake on the lower oven rack for 20 minutes. Carefully lift the foil (along with the weights) out of the tart pan, lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees F, and bake until the crust is deep golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer the tart pan to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.

5. Spread the caramel over the crust using a rubber spatula or offset spatula. If the caramel has cooled and is too firm to spread easily, reheat it over simmering water in the double boiler until loosened but not hot. Slice each banana in half lengthwise and arrange the halves on top of the caramel in a circular pattern. To fit the banana halves snugly in the center of the pan, cut them into smaller lengths.

6. Put the coffee granules in a small zip-top bag. Press a rolling pin back and forth over the granules to crush them into a powder.

7. In a chilled medium stainless-steel mixing bowl, beat the remaining heavy cream, the vanilla, and the remaining 2 tsp. sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until it holds soft peaks when the beaters are lifted. Spoon the whipped cream over the bananas, sprinkle with the coffee powder, remove the pan sides, and serve.

OK guys and gals… its time for me to get off here, take a nice hot shower to warm these old bones, and get ready for a busy day. I hope you all are well and I will see you tomorrow! HUGS!

FEELING FRENCH

Good morning my fragrant little flowers! How are you doing this chilly Tuesday morning? I am good I suppose. The hubs made me go lay down early last night and I actually got some much needed rest. I still don’t feel good physically, but at least I got some sleep so mentally I am a little more alert LOL. Then come to find out there was a nasty little storm come through last night and its colder than a… nevermind I won’t finish that LOL. Its cold… and windy… and we tripped the breaker that the fridge is on, so when I got up to get some milk for DS14 to take his meds, the fridge was off and looked like it had been at least half the night. LOVELY! So I plugged it into the heavy extension cord to an outlet I know works just fine. Once I’m done here, gotta get the hubs out treading in the mud to the box and flip the breaker for me. LOL… I could do it but I don’t wanna LMAO! “The boy must grow to be a man!” LMAO… sorry had to…



Did you know that today is the Free Denny’s Grand Slam Tuesday from 6am-2pm? Yep… got an email about it yesterday! If you are reading this early enough, go stop in and grab one!

Ok, I’m going to be doing a lot of sit down stuff today… decluttering my desk, scrapbooking pages, etc. Nothing super dramatic I guess. I do, however, have another craft idea for you for Valentine’s Day. Just one today, but it’s a cute one! This is really one for guys to do for their ladies… but women could do it too.



Craft Idea of the Day: Framed Song lyrics

Do you have a special song with your sweetie? Perhaps it’s the first song you ever danced to or just something with an extra special meaning to the both of you. Find the lyrics to that song and print them out on a special paper… ancient scroll is pretty or so is Valentine’s Day stationary. Buy a very pretty & special frame and frame the lyrics. She will have your song forever for all to see… not just to hear!

As for food… well today is gonna be interesting. The DD15, her BFF15, and 2 other kids that come over frequently had a French assignment yesterday. They had to “cook” 2 French meals for a party of 4 and shop online at a French supermarket website. It was a "virtual" assignment (they didn't really make the purchase or cook). That was fun LOL… well I asked them (seeing as I took 7 years of French and still can speak it fairly well. Was going to go to France my summer between junior & senior year, but that's another story!) if they would like to really try what they chose to cook. Of course they were excited, so tonight the family and a few extras LOL will be eating a meal courtesy of the kids (I’ll be cooking of course). And yes, the kids are going to be in the kitchen truly learning about the choice they made. So I’ll share the recipes with you.



Carbonnade a la Flamande (basically its a Beef & Beer Stew)

Ingredients

3 1/2 lbs chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 Tbsp butter
3 medium yellow onions sliced about 1/4 inch thick (about 8 cups)
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken or beef broth
1 1/2 cups (12 oz bottle) Belgian beer
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp whole grain mustard
1 Tbsp brown sugar

Directions

1. Pat beef dry with paper towels, then season well with salt and pepper. On the stove top, heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large heavy bottomed dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot, almost smoking. Working in batches, brown the meat, without stirring, about 3 minutes on each side (do not stir, give the meat an opportunity to brown well). Transfer browned beef to a separate bowl.

2. Add 2 tablespoons butter to dutch oven; reduce heat to medium. Add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon of salt; cook until onions are browned, about 15 minutes. Add flour and stir until onions are evenly coated and flour is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth, scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits; stir in beer, thyme, bay, browned beef with any of the accumulated juices, and salt and pepper to taste. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a full simmer. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, let cook for 2-3 hours until beef is fork tender. (Alternatively can cook in the oven at 300°F.) Stir occasionally, scraping up anything that is sticking to the bottom of the pan. About half an hour before it finishes cooking, add the mustard and brown sugar. Adjust seasonings to taste.

3. Discard thyme and bay leaf. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste and serve. Can serve plain, with potatoes, over noodles, or over French fries. Serves 6.



Julia Child's Coq au Vin (Why oh why did they pick this one?!)

Ingredients

1/2 cup lardons, (bacon) cut into 1/4 by 1 1/2 inch strips
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 lbs ready-cut frying chickens, thoroughly dried
1/4 cup cognac or armagnac
salt and pepper
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon thyme
16-20 small white onions, peeled
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups red wine (Burgundy, Cotes du Rhone, or Pinot Noir)
2 cups brown chicken stock or beef bouillon
1-2 clove garlic, mashed or minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3/4 lb fresh mushrooms, trimmed,washed,and quartered

Directions

1. If you are using lardons, saute several minutes in 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy bottomed casserole until lightly browned; remove lardons to a side dish and leave fat in pan; otherwise, film pan with 1/8 inch of oil.

2. Heat fat or oil in pan to moderately hot, add chicken, not crowding pan; turn frequently to brown nicely on all sides (my skinless thighs didn't exactly"brown" as chicken with skin would have; if I had used white meat I would have left the skin on).

3. Pour in the Cognac, shake pan a few seconds until bubbling hot, then carefully ignite Cognac with a match.

4. Let flame a minute, swirling pan by its handle to burn off alcohol; extinguish with pan cover.

5. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper; add bay leaf and thyme.

6. Place onions around the chicken. Cover and cook slowly 10 minutes, turning once.

7. Uncover the pan; sprinkle on the flour turning chicken and onions so flour is absorbed; cook 3 to 4 minutes more, turning once or twice.

8. Remove from heat, gradually stir and swirl in the wine and enough stock or bouillon to almost cover the chicken.

9. Add the browned lardons, garlic, and tomato paste. Cover and simmer slowly 25 to 30 minutes, then test chicken, remove those pieces that are tender, and continue cooking the rest a few minutes longer.

10. (I actually cook it about 15 to 20 minutes longer so it would reduce and become more of a sauce.) Return all chicken to the pan, add mushrooms and simmer 4 to 5 minutes.

11. Taste carefully, and correct seasoning. Sauce should be just thick enough to coat chicken and vegetables lightly. If too thin, boil down rapidly to concentrate; if too thick, thin out with spoonfuls of bouillon. Serve over buttered noodles.

Oh yes, these children will soon learn the real mastery of French cooking LOL! Although this may backfire on me LOL like teaching them about crepes and Bouche De Noel did LOL! They may enjoy it LMAO. Okie dokie. It’s time for me to get off here and go grab a bite for breakfast. Think I will go to Denny’s for the free Grand Slam today. Then I will run to the store for a few things I need for dinner tonight. And I’m gonna hit up Hobby lobby as their scrapbook stuff is on sale 50% off YAY! Stickers, albums, papers, embellishments, etc. Boy am I gonna have fun and the hubs will be so scared LOL! Ok, I’m out of here… Ya’ll keep warm and I will see you tomorrow! HUGS!

A DAY OF RECOVERY

Well hi there and hello this crazy post-party morning. Please don’t yell, as I still have a headache from the testosterone charged air that lingered in my house for endless hours yesterday LOL. One thing I do not like about the Super Bowl? The AFTERMATH! OMG decorations and trash everywhere, cups, and just tons of junk! Good thing they did all the dishes last night after the game LOL! But guess who will be getting off his hind end and helping clean up today!? YUP… gotta make him do something around here LOL! But the food went over well. The thing that went the fastest? The asparagus rollups! Those were gone within the first 10 minutes of the game LOL!

To Hazel- I am so glad you are loving my blog and finding it helpful. I am glad you get inspired and try the recipes and enjoy them! And I so appreciate your comments you leave. I smile when I read them.

OK so today is a day of recovery for me. I was up on my feet for about 7 hours cooking appetizers and foods, so its sit on my big ol’ hind end and relax while everyone around me slaves LMAO! This is the part I like LOL! So I’ll probably just sit here and work on some scrapbook pages or who knows what else. But with Valentine’s Day coming around the corner (now that we are done with Super Bowl) I figured I would give you another installment of Valentine’s day crafts you can make.

Craft Idea of the Day: Homemade Valentine's Day Gifts (part 3)

I have always said that homemade gifts are the best because they are from your heart. Not only will your gift be one of a kind, but it will show that special recipient that you care enough to put a little time and effort into your gift. It shows you took the time to think about them! Here are some inspirational ideas for your romantic Valentine's Day.



Make a Scrapbook
Photos, ticket stubs and other special mementos can be put together to make a scrapbook (either small or full size). An old photo album can work great for this too. Group items based on special occasions the two of you shared together, such as first kiss, first date, an engagement party or wedding photos. Then spend the evening reminiscing about all the great times you've shared together as a couple while looking through the book.



Cook a Romantic Dinner
Instead of going out for dinner, stay in and cook dinner. If you have children, wait until after they go to bed or get a sitter (grandmas work wonders here!). Set up some candles, some wine that has been on ice, and your place settings. It doesn't have to be complicated. A simple meal will be appreciated. But if you've got the cooking skill then now is the time to show them off! Put on some romantic music and let the mood whisk you away!



Make your Own Valentine's Day Card
Break out the construction or scrapbook paper, glitter and glue and have a blast. Craft your sweetie a Valentine's Day card from scratch. It's the time and effort that are put into the card that really matter. Use this as the chance to express all those romantic feelings to your Valentine. You can use stickers, pictures, ribbon, etc. Get creative! And if you're really talented, you can even include some poetry.



Bake Valentine's Day Cookies
It may seem like this idea has been done, but baking special Valentine's Day treats never really goes out of style! Each year could be a different baked item. Cookies, cupcakes, cakes, squares, muffins and candy are just some of the ideas. It's a treat that you put time and effort into so that it can be enjoyed together.



Prepare a Living Room Picnic
So February isn't exactly picnic weather, especially around my area with all the rain! So have one inside instead! Lay out a picnic blanket in the living room, preferably in front of a roaring fireplace, and enjoy each others' company. Sip on a glass of wine and snack on picnic foods that have been carefully prepared.



Create Custom Artwork
I tell my husband this constantly… DRAW ME SOMETHING! If you're an artist then make something creative for your sweetie this Valentine's Day. Frame some photographs or paint some artwork for that special someone. Making someone a gift is much more special and it's guaranteed to be a one-of-a-kind gift.



Love Coupons
This may sound cheesy but it's actually a great idea that can be a lot of fun! Simple write out some "love coupons" and give them to your Valentine. They could be coupons for "1 Movie Date" or "One Home-cooked Romantic Dinner". Another one could be "One Romantic Evening in the Bedroom" if you get the idea. Does your loved one have that “special something” they really like? Make it into a coupon LOL! These ensure that you continue to enjoy special time together even after Valentine's Day. Just make sure they don’t get mixed up with your normal coupons LMAO! Have fun explaining THAT one to the Wal-Mart or Kroger cashier! LMAO!

I guess it’s easy for me to find alot and come up with a lot of these ideas because I am a hopeless romantic. (I read alot of craft sites and some just pop in my head.) Most of the time it is supposed to be the guy right? Well statistics show that more and more WOMEN are becoming the romantic ones. As with anything I do, I just treat others how I would like to be treated. Either way, the hippies, Michael Jackson, and tons of others had/have it right (including the Beatles) when they said “All you need is love”! It would make this world a better place… I firmly believe that.

OK, so you would think that after all the food yesterday, I wouldn’t even want to discuss food today right? Wrong! I have to feed my crew as there wasn’t much left over believe it or not. So, what do we make? Well, I’m thinking about some Moroccan Stew for dinner… it’s a quick meal that fills everyone up. I also have a request for more of the Asparagus Rollups maybe for a side, so I might consider that too.



Moroccan Stew

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat couscous
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
5 whole cloves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground dried turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - chopped
1 (16 ounce) can garbanzo beans
1 (16 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (30 fluid ounce) chicken broth
2 carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup Golden raisins
salt to taste

Directions

1. Prepare the couscous according to package directions.

2. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, and cook onion until tender. Mix in bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Place chicken in the pot, and cook until well browned. Pour garbanzo beans, tomatoes, and broth into the pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 25 minutes.

3. Mix carrots, raisins, and zucchini into pot. Season with salt. Continue cooking 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Serve stew over cooked couscous.

**This is really a HEALING stew and has many cancer fighting ingredients and high metabolic spices (tumeric, clove, cinnamon, etc.). It is great for people fighting diabetes, cancer or just want good general health. You can use chicken thighs, shredded chicken or mixed pieces for a more rich stew, or go without the meat and add more beans.**

Alrighty kids, I think its that time when I sign off and get busy working on something. Of course I had a real rough night (I gotta quit watching Criminal Minds when I am on my meds before bed LMAO!) so I might go take a power nap first. Not sure yet. Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow with more exciting crafts and foods! HUGS!!

GOOD MORNING SUNSHINE

Good morning everyone… how are you doing today? I’m rather confused… I’m seeing something bright and yellow in my window this morning. The sun you say… what is this thing you call a “sun”?? LOL yea you can tell it’s been a while cause I actually had to search for my sunglasses LOL! I’m up early making breakfast for some band kiddos who ending up crashing at my house. They have competition this morning… at 10am. So we are keeping our fingers crossed they all do well.

After we get back from the UIL competitions, I am going to help the kids build a diaper cake for the assistant band director and his wife. Their baby is due officially March 11th (the day they are supposed to go on their band trip LOL) but could come any day because she is having contractions every 15 minutes every other day… yea she’s about to pop LOL! So we have to get this done so they can take it on Monday to him. The kids went on a scavenger hunt yesterday afternoon and found all kinds of baby things to use. They got diapers, ribbons, travel size baby stuff, trinkets, etc. They are excited about building this cake LOL and they didn’t spend very much getting all the supplies, so I am very proud of them for that. LOL I taught them well LOL! We will post pics when it’s done.

Other than the diaper cake (cause I’m gonna let them do most of the work LOL) I hope to get some crafts done. I’m not sure what kind yet… I’m actually in a scrapbooking mood for a change. I saw a bunch of cute papers at Hobby Lobby yesterday, and I actually picked up a couple of new ones I didn’t have. So I might do that. I’m not sure… I’ll just have to sit down and see what hits me. In the meantime, here are a few Valentine’s Day craft ideas that you can do in your spare time.

Craft Idea of the Day: Homemade Valentine’s gifts (part 2)



Love You Notes Jar
Make a jar of love notes for that special someone. On pieces of pretty patterned paper, jot down things you love about that person or special memories you've had together. Make a handwritten label to adhere to the front and tie it all up with a bow.



Adorable Heart Ornaments
Draw a simple heart shape to use as your pattern, and make a copy. Divide one pattern into sections. Cut one piece from each of four coordinating fabrics, adding a 1/4-inch seam allowance to each piece. Piece the fabrics together to form the front of your heart. Select several buttons and sew them to the front. Using the other pattern piece, cut out a whole heart from fabric for the backing, adding a 1/4-inch seam allowance. With wrong sides together, sew around the edge of your heart, leaving a small opening. Turn right side out. Stuff with polyester fiberfill, and stitch the opening closed. Bend a 4-inch piece of silver wire into a swirl, poking and turning one end into the top of your heart as a hanger.



Heart Bookmark
The gift of books is made extra special with a handmade bookmark. To make this bookmark, cut a rectangle from cream-color wool felt and trace a heart on the back; cut out the shape with scissors or a heart-shape punch. Glue the bookmark onto red wool felt and trim the edges with scalloped-edge scissors. For the stitched bookmark, use disappearing ink to mark stitches and then stitch along the lines using embroidery floss. Cut or punch a heart from red felt, and glue it on the front.



Blooming Valentine’s Pots

Small flowerpot
Pink crafts paint
Paintbrush
Papers in red and pink
Scissors
Marking pens
Chenille stems
Stapler and staples
Tape
Fishbowl rocks or packages of colored stones

Instructions

1. Paint the flowerpot with crafts paint. Let the paint dry.

2. Fold the red and pink papers in half and cut out half hearts with center along fold. Unfold each heart. Write a message on each heart.

3. Form a heart shape with the chenille stems, leaving a long tail.

4. Staple each chenille stem to a paper heart.

5. Pour the rocks into a pot (if needed, put a piece of tape over the hole in the bottom of the pot).

6. Arrange the hearts and chenille stems in the pot.



Candy Jars
Perfect for candy lovers -- dress up a jar of candy with even more candy! Cut decorative paper into a long, skinny piece. Wrap it around the jar and secure with tape hidden between the two ends. Wrap red pull-and-peel candy around the jar over the paper. Tie the candy ends together.



Box of Sweets
(YAY I found it! Remember I made one the other day and couldn’t remember where I saw the idea? BHG.com!)
Purchase a plastic divider box to decorate and use scrapbooking supplies to dress it up. Trim patterned paper to fit the exterior of the lid, and embellish with stickers and painted chipboard. For a nonsugar alternative, fill with scrapbooking supplies or small trinkets.



Inside Box of Sweets
You can decorate the inside, as well. Use the same paper, stickers, and painted chipboard for an extra surprise when the box is opened.



Candy-Filled Cupcakes
Turn a regular bag of candy into a cupcake look-alike. Fill a sandwich bag with candy and close tightly. Place the bag with the closing down in a colored plastic cup. Top off with a red crafts pom-pom cherry.



Ice Cream Lover's Gift
Give the gift of an all-in-one sundae. Ice cream fans will love new bowls with their favorite toppings tucked inside. Choose plastic bowls tall enough to hold a topping jar when placing one on top of the other. Include a spoon, tie it all up with a bow, and add a gift certificate to the recipient's favorite ice cream shop.



Gardening Gift
Paint flowerpots and saucers with glossy white paint. Use a foam brush to paint the rims a coordinating color. Fill the container with potting soil and a packet of seeds. Turn the saucer over on top of the pot. Tie together with ribbon, and tuck a trowel under ribbon.



Movie Gift Bag
Any film buff will love this movie-inspired gift. Line the bottom of a translucent plastic bag with popcorn, and fill it with theater-style snacks. Attach movie theater gift certificates.



Wooden Basket
Give a basic wooden basket a makeover with paint, patterned paper, and a bit of imagination. After painting the piece, trim paper strips to fit the basket and use decoupage to adhere and seal them. Add a decorative tag and fill the basket with goodies.

Ok so, there are a few cute ideas for some homemade love! Alot of them can be adapted to fit everyday gifts as well... birthdays, mother's day, even Christmas... so keep that in mind! Now… anyone hungry yet? No?? Oh I bet I can make you LOL! Ok, so I’m not expecting as many kids as the last few days, but I AM expecting a few more than just my crew, so I need a lot of filling yummies for a little cashola. Hmmm… think I’ll set up these crocks before we leave so that tonight we have an awesome dinner waiting.



Cabbage Beef Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef
1/2 large onion, chopped
5 cups chopped cabbage
2 (16 ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained
2 cups water
24 ounces tomato sauce
4 beef bouillon cubes
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat. Add ground beef and onion, and cook until beef is well browned and crumbled. Drain fat, and transfer beef to a slow cooker. Add cabbage, kidney beans, water, tomato sauce, bouillon, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir to dissolve bouillon, and cover.

Cook on high setting for 4 hours, or on low setting for 6 to 8 hours. Stir occasionally. Enjoy!

Cranberry Pot Roast

Ingredients

2 cups beef broth
1 cup water
2 (14.5 ounce) cans cranberry sauce
1 (4 pound) beef chuck roast
salt and ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped

Directions

Bring the beef broth and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Stir in the cranberry sauce until dissolved. Pour the sauce into a slow cooker set to High.

Meanwhile, season the beef roast with salt and pepper, then sprinkle evenly with the flour. Heat the vegetable oil in large skillet over medium heat. Cook the roast in the hot oil until brown on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the roast to the slow cooker along with the chopped onion.

Cook until the roast easily pulls apart with a fork, about 4 hours.

**This can also be done with Chicken. Just decrease all the liquids to 1 can of chicken broth. You can also add veggies such as carrots and potatoes to the roast pot as well.**



Unstuffed Pepper Soup

Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
3 large green peppers, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) beef broth
2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed tomato soup, undiluted
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 can (4 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1-1/2 cups cooked rice

Directions

In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, cook the beef, green peppers and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the broth, soup, tomatoes and mushrooms. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add rice and heat through. Yield: 10 servings.

Alright kiddos, I’m gonna go set up my crocks and start wranglin up these youngins for their band competition. Then of course I have to get dressed too. So I wish you a great day and I will see you tomorrow! HUGS!

FEELIN’ CRAFTY!

Happy Hippie Wednesday to you my sweets! Hope you are doing well this rainy yucky day. Despite the nasty weather outside, it’s sunshine happiness in my house today. I wanted to apologize for the shorty short blog yesterday… but have you ever had so much energy that you just couldn’t sit still? That’s how I was and I couldn’t get myself to sit and write for some reason! Top that with ADHD and you have one very hyper weirdo! LMAO… I was feeling very crafty yesterday once I actually sat down and started. I got a lot accomplished. Check out this stuff I did…



Here’s the large centerpiece I made to use at my DD’s Sweet 16 party. I used a foam block covered in music note fabric, cardboard cutout stars covered in music note scrapbook paper and with blue cardstock as a back color. We found the foil cascade at Party City as with the large music note cutout on the top. I stuck silk white and blue roses on the sides to “fill it up”. This centerpiece cost me $2.77 to make plus the stuff I already had… not bad I think!



This is the balloon weight I made to use at the Sweet 16 party. I got a small wooden “bag” at Michael’s Arts & Craft store and I covered it with music note fabric. I curled tons of metallic blue curling ribbon, tied it with floral wire. I filled the bottom of the bag with pebbles and then shoved a piece of floral foam inside. Push the curly ribbons into the foam to fill the “bag”. Her name is across the handle with chipboard glitter stickers that I hot glued on.



This is the towel pillow I made for Madison’s room. I bought extra band towels (they have to have them to sit on so they don’t snag their uniforms) at the beginning of the year. The back is the music note fabric. Its stuffed and sewn closed. I made two of these.



Remember those pretty covered oatmeal containers we made during recycling weekend? Here is the one that I covered with the paper money. I added the lettering today that says “Penny Pincher Potato Soup”. I will put my homemade dry potato soup mix in it, attach a note card with directions, and give it as a gift for those I know enjoy potato soup. I saw the idea on a website (which I can’t find now UGH!) and I thought it was absolutely adorable!



How do you like my music note visor? Cool huh? Cost me 99c to make! I bought one of those foam visors with the plastic curly stretch cord. I covered it with music note fabric and put black bias tape around the edges, laced the cord back through the holes and voila! It will come in handy during summer practice, football games, and competitions LOL! I betcha all the band kids who hang out here are gonna want one… Oh geez I just thought about that LOL! That’s a lot of visors!! I think I'm gonna make some more for things like Breast Cancer Awareness, Autism, etc! Cool huh? They can be customed to any pattern or event!



Like my puzzle piece/Autism picture plaques? I found those wooden puzzle pieces at JoAnn’s, so I picked up a pack (gonna go back and get more). I spray painted these today and then glued a picture of Alex on the front. With a paint marker, I put his name and the year. Then I varnished/clear coated the whole thing and let it dry. I also hot glued a saw tooth hanger on the back so that I can hag them up on the wall.



The final thing I got done today was a “Sweet Box”. I had a new plastic craft organizer box that I covered with a “candy” fabric. I hot glued a ribbon around the box part and used a piece of the same ribbon to make a bow for the top. I used glitter chipboard letters to spell out “sweets” for the top. Inside each compartment, you can put either individually wrapped candies or things like M&M’s, Jordan Almonds, Skittles, etc. This could also make a cute handmade Valentine’s Day gift. (And yes it took a while to cut and paste the pictures so you could see all the different views LOL!)

Pretty spiffy, huh? I think it all turned out really groovy! I’m not as hyper today and I still have the craft bug, so maybe today I can turn out some more really cool stuff. All the crafting makes me very, very hungry though LOL so I have to think of something easy and filling. I think a huge pot of chicken pasta with some garlic toast sounds good. So we chop up some chicken breasts and cook them in the skillet. I’ll be boiling some Farfalle pasta, tossing the chicken into it, and tossing all this with some Alfredo sauce and topping with parsley. Simple, filling, and totally delish! I think the rain also calls for some homemade soups. Some homemade chicken noodle soup, broccoli cheese, and beans… yea beans! OK, so here is another recipe I want to share with you though that I think you will enjoy (you know me and my slow cookers LOL!).



Spicy Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

1 pound dry black beans, soaked overnight
4 teaspoons diced jalapeno peppers
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Directions

Drain black beans, and rinse. Boil beans for about 20 minutes. Drain again.

Combine beans, jalapenos, and chicken broth in a slow cooker. Season with garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, pepper, and hot pepper sauce.

Cook on High for 4 hours. Reduce heat to Low, and continue cooking for 2 hours, or until you are ready to eat. Run 1/2 the soup through a blender or food processor and return to pan. This gives the soup more of an “authentic” texture. Served it topped with chopped green onion, sour cream, cheddar cheese or homemade guacamole.

**If you are pressed for time, you can just used canned black beans.**

Ok, so tomorrow I am gonna divulge some new information about something really significant in my life that I want you all to be a part of. I hope you have a good memory and if not… copy and paste and hang a note on your PC cause this one is gonna be a long time running! As for today, I’m gonna go grab me a bite to eat and then get crafting! Until tomorrow… Peace, Love, and lots of HUGS!