WE HAVE BOPPY!!

Good Saturday morning everyone! How are you this bright and sunny day? I am good... woke up feeling like a pretzel LOL but good. Had a busy busy day yesterday, but it was fun. So come on in, grab your java, and have a seat so we can chat a while, eh?

Well yesterday started out with Band as normal... dropped her off for practice and then pictures. They release early after pictures, so I waited for the call to pick her up. Then my DN (nephew) was dropped off and we started our day! We ate, played, and had fun. Aunt Nay sewed a bit during the morning nap. Let me show you a couple of things I snapped a picture of from the last few days I haven't shown you.



This first thing is that Boppy Pillow I told you I was going to try to make. Its just the pillow, no case yet, but isn't it cute! It seems a little smaller than the one they have for the DN but I think its spiffy! The material is a stiff blue material that looks like denim but isn't. Its a pretty shade of blue though. I cut the pattern and sewed the 2 sides together and stuffed it up firm but flexible. Now they said on the site I found not to make it too firm, but my pillow will be used strictly for aiding DN in sitting while he eats, etc. so I think its ok! And I would know... I'm a mom, right? LOL!



The second thing I made is an extra large diaper changing pad. Now... this is kinda funny LOL. A multitude of things brought this on... the fact DN is a "boogie baby" going everywhere with us, those filthy diaper chaging stations you see in the restrooms out in public, and my mother and her germophobeness LOL! I made this extra large so that DN is completely covered when I put him on one of those stations... not just his back and butt, but ALL of him- I'm talkin' head, arms, legs, etc! It's double sided, so I can put either side I want out. One side is a pretty yellow snuggle fabric with baby stuff printed all over it, and the other side is more of that denim looking fabric like the pillow! Velcro closure and a batting lining makes this thing 100% machine washable as well! So you ALWAYS know its sanitary! Pretty cool I think!



Then I couldn't remember if I showed you the stocking with the music stuff on it, so just in case... here it is! Its a beautiful fabric of white with black music note staff and notes all over it as well as red ribbons and pine cones, etc. Very Christmas-y looking and I made the inside lining with red fleece. (I will work on getting a better picture soon!) I think its a beautiful fabric actually and I hope the recipient likes it! I have a purse I made for the holidays out of this fabric too. Its awesome and I will have a bittersweet moment when all the fabric is used LOL! I'm not sure if the fabric has been discontinued... might have to check on that if I can remember where I got it LOL!



Sew... there ya go LOL. A few things I have been working on. I have to take pictures of all of the rest of stuff still after I clear out my phone LOL. now as for today's craft, well I think I am gonna work on some things for some of the "band kids" that are like family. I'm not sure yet. I may work on some crayon wraps for the Ronald Mc Donald donation... ah thought I forgot about that huh? LOL nope! Oh BTW people... I have figured it out. We are gonna need 30 bags, as our local Ronald McDonald House houses 30 families at any 1 given time. So I figure 30 bags, stocked with crayons, etc.Seeing as I have most of the fabrics, etc, this will be rather inexpensive to do. I just need the filling for each bag. That's where you can help! I have looked and right now with the school supplies on sale, it will cost me about $3.50 to fill each bag! That's crayons and pencils or washable markers, paper, etc! I am looking for some kind souls to help me out here. Your name will go on a tag attached to each donation unless you choose to be "anonymous". Sadly, after school starts the prices will skyrocket, so I am trying to get it all now. Just think, for the price of one trip to Starbucks, or a pack of cigarettes, or even that one can of afterwork beer, you can bring hours of fun and smiles to a young person's face who 99% of the time doesn't even own a smile because of the pain that they go through everyday battling their illnesses. Don't they deserve just a little bit of happiness and time where they can forget they are even sick and just be a kid? So if you want to help, please make a donation via the paypal button or email me with other ways to help. Thank you...

Now, let's talk about sewing some more happiness shall we? Like I said, I'm not quite sure what I want to accomplish but I'm sure as I sit and stitch, I'll figure it out LOL. I thought of some scented sachets for dresser drawers, closets, etc. and think that those would be a cute idea for today. Sachets are fabric bags that are filled with potpourri and tied off with ribbons. They can be placed in clothing drawers, hung in closets or given as gifts. Fill them with potpourri you buy at the store or potpourri that you make yourself.



Craft Idea of the Day: Scented Fabric Sachets

Materials:

Narrow Ribbons
Fabric Chalks
Fabric-marking Pens
Fabrics
Ironing Boards
Irons
Potpourri
Sewing Machine
Threads
Decorative Charms
Scissors
Scissors
Heavy Paper Or Cardboard
Ruler Or Yardsticks

Directions:

Step 1: Decide what size your sachet will be and what fabric you will use.

Step 2: Choose a ribbon that coordinates with the fabric. A ribbon that is 1/4 inch wide or narrower works best. You'll need approximately 1/4 yard of ribbon for each sachet.

Step 3: Make or purchase potpourri. Many different blends are readily available. Choose your favorite.

Step 4: Use a yardstick or ruler to measure out a strip of fabric 10 1/2 inches by 3 1/4 inches. Cut out the strip.

Step 5: Fold in the raw short edges, toward the wrong side of the fabric, approximately 1/4 inch.

Step 6: Iron to hold the edges in place. Use a sewing machine to stitch turned-under edges into place. Repeat, turning the short edges in 1/4 inch more.

Step 7: Fold the fabric strip in half, right sides together. Stitch a seam on each side of the bag, 1/4 inch from the raw edges.

Step 8: Turn the bag right side out and fill it one-half to three-quarters full with potpourri.

Step 9: Tie the bag closed with ribbon. Avoid knotting the ribbon. These bags are made to be opened and refilled when necessary.

Now for today's edition of WACKY WATERMELON WEEK I wanted to find something with a little asian persuasion! And boy did I! I figure since a large amount of watermelons are produced in Asia, that there were bound to be some interesting cultural recipes. I love Asian foods and that motivated me to find something I thought would be FOOD-nomial LOL! So I hope you are pleased with these choices I brought you today... Eat & Enjoy!



Kung Pao Watermelon Shrimp

2 tablespoons peanut oil
6 garlic cloves, sliced
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and cleaned
1 cup dry roasted and salted peanuts
1 cup prepared Kung Pao sauce
2 cups chopped watermelon

Heat the oil in a large heavy sauté pan or wok over high heat . Sauté the garlic for 30 seconds and then add the shrimp. Stir-fry until the shrimp begin to cook and plump up. Add the peanuts and sauté another 30 seconds. Reduce heat to low and add the sauce. Simmer just until shrimp are cooked. Remove from heat. Stir in watermelon and serve immediately. Serves 6.



General Tsao Watermelon
Recipe By: Joseph K. Poon for the National Watermelon Promotion Board
Serving Size: 2

8 ozs watermelon -- sliced
1 cup cornstarch

BATTER
1 cup flour All purpose
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup water to adjust thickness

SAUCE
1 tbsp soybean oil
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup mushroom soy sauce
1/2 cup Sherry or chardonnay
1 tsp garlic -- minced
1 tsp ginger -- minced
1 tsp hot sauce
cornstarch in water to adjust thickness

1. Dust the sliced watermelon in the cornstarch before dipping into the batter.
2. Deep fry the watermelon until golden brown.
3. Set to the side to cool, then deep fry it again to crisp up.
To make sauce:
1. Heat soybean oil in a hot wok, and add garlic, ginger and hot sauce.
2. Stir for a couple of seconds.
3. Add one cup of the general Tsao sauce to boil, add dissolved cornstarch to thicken sauce. Put the golden watermelon in and coat with the sauce. Serve

Note: After you make the batter, let the batter rest for at least 20 minutes before frying. The end result will have a far better texture.

Well that's all for me today folks. I have to get off here and get ready for my landlord to supposedly FINALLY bring me a new stove! 3 months in the waiting! It's about time! Then I am gonna find some projects to work on and maybe somewhere to take the kids to boogie today LOL. Thanks for joining me this morning and I will see you again tomorrow for more fun and excitement on The Frugal Mom. Until then... HUGS!

STICKY SATURDAY

Good morning folks! How are you today? I'm alright... been better but alright. I am gonna go take mom out this morning to the local farmer's market and hopefully I will be in a better mood by the end of the day. So what do you have planned for this sticky Saturday? Come on over here and sit with me awhile... let's chat!

Its time to earn my title as the Frugal Mom. Today I have chose to bring you some recycling tips for some common things you can find around your house... I know I see alot of these things wandering everywhere in my house LOL!

Recycling Tips

1. Kleenex boxes - Store plastic grocery store bags in them. You can then grab the bag just like you grab a tissue out of the box.

2. Envelopes - Carefully open the envelope and turn it inside out, so the address is on the inside. Re-glue or tape the flaps down. Or make your own envelopes out of scraps of paper, wrapping paper, newspaper, old phone book pages, or wallpaper scraps (see below).

3. Happy Meal boxes - Save the boxes, and when your child needs to be cheered up, make them their own happy meal! Add your own nutritious foods and a favorite toy. Or pick up inexpensive items from the dollar store: stickers, special pencils, etc (usually 10 for a dollar) as the toy.

4. Ziplock bags - Wash and rinse bags, then store them in the freezer to prevent mildew.

5. Tennis ball - Split it and hide your valuables inside.

6. Coffee cans (big ones) - Make toy "stilts"! Poke holes (with a can opener) on either side of the can and thread a jumprope through and they can walk on the cans while holding the jumpropes. Cool!

7. Egg cartons - Use to make seed starter trays. If you use the heavy cardboard trays, you can compost the cardboard when you pop the seedling out, or you could bury it next to the seedling to decompose. Use to make extra ice cubes or to freeze soup stock and gravy.

8. Old clothes - Use to make quilts, pillows, and blankets. Always save the buttons.

9. Broken candles - Melt them down to make new candles. Add broken crayons for color.

10. Nylon mesh bags from veggies - Cut the mesh into several pieces and use for plastic scouring pads to clean your dishes.

11. Used dryer softener sheets - Use for dusting instead of the Pledge grab-it or Swiffer cloths. Impossible to clean pots and pans - fill with water and used sheet, let sit for awhile, and stains will be easier to clean. Great for removing soap scum from shower doors!

12. Old pillow cases - Use for laundry bag.

13. Empty paper-towel roll - Store extension cords inside.

14. Frisbees - Use as paper plate holders at a picnic.

15. Mouse Pads - Use as a paint pallet. Use acrylic, oils, or most any paints. Wash when done, and reuse!

16. Newspaper - Use to clean windows, line trash cans, wrap presents. Use in place of peanuts when mailing packages, as fire starter, or as garden mulch.

17. Shoulder Pads - Use them to make padded hangers. Just sew a pad on each end of the hanger.

18. Wallpaper books/samples - Use to make book covers, decorative envelopes, or wrapping paper. Or make your own beautiful envelopes: take apart any envelope you have, and trace the pattern onto the back side of the wallpaper, then fold and glue or tape.

19. Film canisters - Store small items such as buttons, sequins, and small nails.

20. Soap scraps - Mix with water to make soap jelly. Put in sock, mesh, or used pantyhose to use in bath or for scenting drawers.

21. Pantyhose - Use for ponytail holders, to secure plants, or buffing your shoes.

22. Coffee filters - Use to clean and polish, or as a replacement for cheesecloth, paper towels, and napkins.

23. Glass jars & bottles - Use as a vase, for canning, or melt and pour wax in for candles.

24. Plastic grocery bags - Donate to local Salvation Army. They deliver meals on Wheels to elderly and are a non profit organization and need bags to put food in to deliver.

25. Plastic jugs - Cut out the side to make a big scoop or garden shovel, cut off the top and use as a funnel, fill with water and freeze to use in coolers, or cut off top and use bottom to store toilet brush.

26. Baby food jars - Fill with salt or cornmeal and use for paperweight, use for crafts, and for storing small items. Use for Use for individual Jar Mix Gifts: 1 cup of coffee mix, 1 cup of hot chocolate mix, or 1 cup of tea. Decorate jar, glue on ribbon, and attach gift tag with instructions.

27. Broken crayons - Sort by color, melt in old can, pour into molds that come with Jello gigglers, then kids have new crayons in all diferent shapes. **Thanks Susie!

28. Socks - Use in crafts, to hold soaps, or to wash car.

29. Milk cartons - use for potting plants, or fill with water and freeze to make blocks of ice.

30. Soap Wrapper - Place it inside your shoe cabinet or shoe box. It's a cheap way of filling the air with a nice smell.

31. Pill Bottles - Use to carry pins, vitamins, or fill it with vaseline to use as lip gloss.

32. Junk Mail - Put it through paper shredder and use as packing material when shipping gifts.

Ok, let's talk about some crafts. Are you getting excited? Just a few days left until the Christmas Countdown challenge begins! WOOHOO! Now I found today's craft one day while looking for a charitable sewing project for a cause close to me... cancer patients. Hair loss is a big deal when you are going through chemotherapy. So I made some of these with a bunch of different types of materials and donated them to a local hospital. But of course, you don't have to be a cancer patient to wear this cute cap. Feel a little frisky frenchy with this cute homemade beret! I'm not going to post all the long instructions, because if so, you'd miss all the step by step illustrations! Instead, follow the link to this great craft!



Craft Idea of the Day: The Beret

Supplies Needed for Two Creative Kindness Berets

5/8 yard of 60" (or wider) soft, comfortable knit fabric, such as medium to lightweight fleece, cotton or cotton blend interlocks and stretch knits.

Matching all-purpose thread

Note: All seam allowances are 1/4"

Time to eat and what would TERRIFIC TOMATO week be without sauces and dips? There are literally hundreds of different kinds of sauces you can make with fresh beautiful tomatoes. Ketchups, soup bases, pasta sauces, salsa, etc. can all be the beginning of beautiful food magic and its all thanks to the cute little plumpy redness of the tomato! LOL. SO, today I figured I needed to bring some sauces & dips "to the table" for you... Eat & Enjoy!



Garden Salsa

Ingredients

1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium tomato, diced
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro or parsley
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/3 cup tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Tortilla chips

Directions

In a bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In another bowl, combine the water, tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic, lemon juice and pepper; stir into the vegetable mixture. Serve with chips. Refrigerate leftovers.



Easy Vodka Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1 onion, diced
1 cup vodka
2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1 pint heavy cream

Directions

In a skillet over medium heat, saute onion in butter until slightly brown and soft. Pour in vodka and let cook for 10 minutes. Mix in crushed tomatoes and cook for 30 minutes. Pour in heavy cream and cook for another 30 minutes.



Hearty Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 (4.5 ounce) can mushrooms, drained

Directions

In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook ground beef with onion until brown; drain. Stir tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, garlic powder, oregano and mushrooms into beef mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer one hour. Serve over hot pasta.

Well Kids, that's all for me this morning. I am gonna get dressed and head on over to my mom's for what will prove to be an "interesting" day! I hope you have enjoyed our little chat this morning and will visit again soon. Until tomorrow... HUGS!

WELCOME HOME MOM!

Good morning guys and gals. How are you doing today? I am one tired but happy pup! Mom came home yesterday YAY! So we had a late night setting her up in the new house! DOUBLE YAY! No more R.V! TRIPLE YAY! I am so happy for her. I’m hoping she got a good night’s sleep… I’ll find out later when I go over there. But she said I had to have my blog up before I came over LOL! But just because she is home, doesn't mean my job is finished. The ever-vigilant daughter must maintain the super-sonic speed for a while longer LOL!

OMG there was an article on Yahoo headlines this morning that just the headline alone tickled me pink! I think it’s the greatest thing! Read this…

Frugality among consumers is outliving recession
A new frugality among consumers whose wealth has shrunk is outliving the recession

Jeannine Aversa and Bernard Condon, AP Business Writers, On Sunday May 2, 2010, 1:42 pm EDT

Even as the economic recovery plods ahead, many American consumers are refusing to come along.

They're not spending freely -- and they have no plans to.

Many of them have steady income. They aren't saddled by high debts. They don't fear losing their jobs. Yet despite recent gains, they've lost so much household wealth that they're far more cautious about spending than before the recession.

Their behavior suggests that the Great Recession may have bred a new frugality that will endure well into the recovery. And because consumers fuel about 70 percent of the economy, their tightfisted habits means the rebound could stay unusually sluggish.

That's the picture that emerges from an Associated Press survey of leading economists and interviews with more than two dozen ordinary Americans. The new AP Economy Survey asked 44 leading economists whether the recession created a "new frugality" among consumers that will outlive the recession. Two-thirds said yes.

They had in mind people like Marjorie Feldman of suburban St. Louis, who retired three years ago as a systems analyst for a utility company. The stock investments in her retirement account have sunk 15 percent from 2007. The value of her home is down 20 percent.

"I had retired assuming I'd make money" off the investments, said Feldman, who's in her early 60's. "I just don't feel as confident in the economy, and I never will again. I won't spend money the way I used to."
Feldman's husband works full time in academia. She has a part time job preparing tax returns at H&R Block. But her prime earning years are behind her.

"I don't think it will ever get back to where it was before," she said of her nest egg. "I won't spend money the way I used to."

Scott Hoyt, senior director of consumer economics at Moody's Economy.com, notes that baby boomers, in particular, enjoyed spending sprees for most of their adult lives as their assets steadily grow.

"But the recession changed that," Hoyt said. "Many have retirement and children's education looming. All of a sudden, they see their balance sheets decline in a way they've never seen before."

To be sure, many shoppers, especially the wealthy, are buying into the recovery. Partly on the strength of consumer spending, the economy emerged from recession last year and has been growing steadily, if moderately, since. Major retailers logged solid sales in March. Employers have begun to add jobs, including a net increase of 162,000 in March. The stock market has risen 70 percent from its low in March 2009.

Yet many who became penny-pinchers during the recession are in no mood to start shopping again with abandon for clothes, cars and home additions. They've discovered the peace of mind that comes with rebuilding savings, shopping more prudently and learning to live with less.

At their nerve-racked peak last year, Americans socked away 6.4 percent of their disposable income. That compared with less than 1 percent hit at one point during the pre-recession boom. The savings rate has since dropped to 3.1 percent. Yet few expect it to approach the near-zero savings rate that would signal high-octane spending has roared back.

Susan Wilson, 55, a freelance PR specialist in Scottsdale, Ariz., says her business is picking up. But her spending isn't. Wilson still feels burned by the recession, when she lost her home to foreclosure.

"Shame on me," she said. "I wasn't paying enough attention to my financial health. That will never happen again."

Wilson is renting now. She traded in her leased car for a used car she could buy outright. She's started growing her own vegetables and air-drying her laundry to save money and stay out of debt. She's looking to buy a home, but not one with an outsize mortgage.

"I'm looking for pretty much the smallest house I can live in," she said.

Interviews with ordinary Americans suggest a new frugality endures even though consumer spending has risen for five straight months and retail sales for three.

In the AP's new quarterly survey, a majority of economists agreed that a new frugality will persist even as the recovery gains firmer footing.

"I would call it a 'mini age of austerity,'" said Sean Snaith, an economics professor at the University of Central Florida.

"Consumers will not run up multiple credit cards to their limits, and when buying a house the objective will not be to get the maximum square footage for which they can afford the payment. A higher savings rate will be in place for several years."

Jeff Thredgold, an economist at Thredgold Economic Associates, predicts "less impress-my-neighbor-type spending" in coming years.

Count Keith Flowers of Manassas, Va., in that category. He's decided that the hit he took in the housing slump requires him to continue to rein in spending. He's cut off his landline phone and has become a regular at discount retailer Costco.

He isn't worried about losing his job in business development at an information technology company.

What's led him to cut back spending is the sunken value of his condominium. He bought it in 2005 for about $270,000.

"I doubt right now it's cracking $100,000," Flowers said.

Rajeev Dhawan, director of Georgia State University's Economic Forecasting Center, says: "I think the chances of us being big spenders in the next 10 years are pretty low."

So much household wealth was inflated by the housing boom, Dhawan said, that the real estate bust spooked consumers. States hardest hit by the bust -- California, Nevada, Florida and Arizona -- together account for about 30 percent of national economic activity, he noted.

Household net worth -- the value of assets like homes, checking accounts and investments minus debts like mortgages and credit cards -- has risen for three straight quarters. But economists say consumers would need a stronger and prolonged increase in wealth to lead them to ratchet up spending. Net worth would have to rise an additional 21 percent just to get back to its pre-recession peak of $65.9 trillion.

Some economists put their hopes for the economy in the rich, who are spending more freely than the rest of the population. They hold out hope that this will encourage more hiring and stimulate spending by the less wealthy. More spending could increase companies' revenue, which allow them to boost hiring and pay. And that would lead their employees to spend more.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. returned to a first-quarter profit as more travelers vacationed on its ships and spent more money on board. And makers of luxury goods are benefiting from a release of pent-up demand for jewelry, watches and high-end furnishings.

High-end retailers have reported blowout results. Nordstrom's revenue in stores open at least one year jumped 16.8 percent last month. Saks' surged 12.7 percent.

McClaren Automotive has announced it will debut a $200,000 sports car in the U.S. next year. And business is picking up faster at high-end hotels than at mid-priced and budget hotels.

Whether spending by the wealthy will cause the less-well-off to spend freely, too, remains unclear. For now, though, many people have embraced a more frugal approach to spending.
Or maybe they've just learned to go without.

Jan Iris Smith, 57, and her husband of Cabin John, Md., put off furniture and clothing purchases after the stock market's collapse in early 2009.

"We were counting on our income from our investments," said Smith, a psychotherapist whose husband is retired. "We just stopped pretending everything was going to be OK anytime soon."

Aversa reported from Washington, Condon from New York. AP Business Writers Christopher S. Rugaber in Washington and Christopher Leonard in St. Louis contributed to this report.

OK so you know how big I am on charity work right? Well today’s craft hits close to home. As a former chemo patient, keeping what little modesty and dignity you have is a big issue for some people. Hair loss is a common side effect of chemotherapy, and its hard for ladies to deal with it. So why not help out by making a few of these caps and help them retain that feminine dignity? Check with your local hospital oncology department as to donations.



Craft Idea of the Day: Chemo Caps

Designed by: Hancock Fabrics' Home Economists

Choosing an all-cotton knit makes these easy caps very comfortable on sensitive skin. Some folk state that this pattern is a tad too tight... so you may wish to increase the size of the band pieces from 17" x 21.5" to measure 17" x 22" (adding 1/2" to the circumference of the band).

Materials: (makes 2 (adult medium/large size)
1/2 yard 60" cotton interlock knit
thread

Cut:
(2) 17" x 21 1/2 " pieces (band) (21 1/2" is stretch of fabric)
(4) 7 1/4" circles (crown)

Directions: 1/4" seam allowance RST - Right Sides Together



1. RST, fold each band to measure 10 3/4" x 17". Stitch as shown. Press seam open.



2. Wrong sides together, bring one end of each band through tube, matching seam and raw edges. Quarter and pin mark along doubled raw edge.

3. Lay two circles wrong sides together for each crown. Quarter and pin mark each. Matching marks, pin a crown to inside of each tube. Stitch, easing as necessary. Turn.

To wear: Band may be folded up once or twice to create a comfortable fit.

Ok, Susan would like some Cinco de Mayo recipes. Okie dokie girlfriend. Now don’t go having that baby on me just yet LOL! Cinco de Mayo offers a great opportunity to try some new and exciting ethnic foods. If you have never experienced them, they can be a real treat. Now lets start simple.You asked for a zippy Guac recipe, so try this one on for size!



Zippy Guacamole

Ingredients

2 large avocados
1/2 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup of chopped Roma Tomato
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

Cut the avocados into halves. Remove the seeds, and scoop out the pulp into a small bowl. Use a fork to mash the avocado. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover the bowl, and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

And of course you have to have a main course to any meal right? So how about some of these…



Angela’s Awesome Enchiladas

Ingredients

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - cut into chunks
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 1/4 cups sour cream
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
1 (1.25 ounce) package mild taco seasoning mix
1 bunch green onions, chopped, divided
1 cup water
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
5 (12 inch) flour tortillas
3 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives

Directions

Place the chicken in a large pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the chicken pieces are no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Shred chicken by placing two forks back to back and pulling meat apart. Set the shredded chicken aside.

Meanwhile, combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and chili powder in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, then turn off the heat and cover to keep warm.

Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the shredded chicken, chopped green chilies, taco seasoning, half of the bunch of chopped green onion, and water. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the lime juice, onion powder, and garlic powder; simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Stir 1 cup of the soup mixture into the skillet with the chicken mixture. Spread the remaining soup mixture on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.

Fill each tortilla with chicken mixture. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese over the chicken filling before folding the tortillas, reserving half of the shredded cheese for topping the enchiladas. Fold tortillas over the filling and place seam-side down in the prepared pan.

Pour enchilada sauce evenly over the enchiladas. Cover with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of Cheddar cheese.

Sprinkle the reserved chopped green onions and the sliced olives on top of the cheese. Bake in the preheated oven until filling is heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 25 minutes.

So there ya go… a dish and dip suitable for any Cinco de Mayo party! As for me, I am gonna get off here and get dressed to go out to mom’s YAY! Its much better than saying I have to go to the hospital. Recovery is so much easier and successful (I think anyway) in the comfort of your own home! I will see you in the morning for more crazy fun ideas and adventures! HUGS!

SCATTERBRAIN

Well Good morning everyone! I hope you are doing well today. I’m doing well I guess LOL. Very tired and a little stiff, but its alright because I woke up and I’m alive! I want to thank Jean for the wonderful gift of Brandywine seeds! I plan on planting a set this evening once I get home from picking up kids, etc. Right now I have so many things to share and going on in my head, I am a real scatterbrain today! Let’s see if you can keep up LMAO!

OK, I had a lot of emails asking about the Ronald McDonald thing I mentioned yesterday. So I sat down and really thought about it. Here is what I am gonna do. First thing is I am going to contact the director at the Galveston Ronald McDonald house and ask about number of children, tenants, families, etc. Then I am going to take both kinds of fabrics.and plan on making crayon totes, burp clothes, and whatever else I can make with the McD’s fabric. I must be careful to use the fabric wisely LOL! OK, so then I am also going to go to Wal-Mart and price things like Crayola crayons, colored pencils, etc. to fill one of the totes. That times how many totes I will be making is what this “Project Ronald” will take. I know that when the school supplies go on sale, the crayons are like 20 cents per box, so if someone gifts $4 and I need to make 20 totes, then that $4 will buy ALL the crayons! I am also going to get a copy of their wishlist and buy a few things for the house, like paper goods, flour, etc. and donate that as well. I know I saw paper towels, etc. so we will see how much money we can raise for them. Cool huh? I have set up an Etsy account, but I haven’t listed anything on there yet (haven’t had the time LOL). Everything I make off selling things on Etsy from the day I start selling until Sept. 1st will be funding for this project. I am going to ask some of my “band kids” if they want to help in either distribution or something. Hopefully I can get pics of the gang outside the house… I think it would be a good experience for them all. Anyway, I will let you know when “Project Ronald” is officially started!

Ok, so I did a bunch more sewing yesterday… continuing the Fabric Challenge. I was going through the green crate and found some half finished projects that I figured I would conquer yesterday. I don’t know WHY I start something and don’t finish them like this! Its kind of annoying when I go back and see this! What WAS I thinking?? Anyway, Lookie Lookie what came off my creative little fingertips!



This was not a half started project, but it WAS an old shirt that my mother found in a box in the attic when we were cleaning it out. Jameson’s is an Irish Whiskey for those who don’t know. So anyway, since it also said St. Patrick’s Day on the shirt, I figured a green shamrock fabric was in order. Did this turn out absolutely adorable or what?! I’m gonna have a hard time selling this one. LOL I showed it to mom last night and she said I should find other “vintage” shirts and do the same thing. LOL, guess she really liked it too! I have done T-shirt bags before, but for some reason this one turned out absolutely wonderful! Hmmm... maybe its the color... who knows LOL!



This is a set of 5 baby burp clothes tied up with a “It’s a Girl” ribbon. I make these and either sell them separate, as groups like this, or even in baskets, etc. They are very soft, contoured to fit mom’s shoulder, and 100% machine washable!



These are 5 cell phone pouches that I had to complete. I only had the fabrics cut and all the stuff laying together, so I sewed them, strapped them, snapped them, and voila! 5 totally awesome cell pouches!



This is the Sunflower casserole cover made from 2 tapestry place mats. My mom likes sunflowers and when I saw these mats, I thought of her!



This is the “fat chef” tapestry casserole cover. Apparently this little dude is very popular in kitchen décor nowadays. I just bought it because I thought it was cute LOL!



And this is the snowman tapestry casserole cover. I had lots of covers ready to be sewn together in the box. There were 7 total I think. I only got to these 3, so watch for the others in the next couple of days.



These are 9 drawstring bags that I finished today. The story behind these easy little guys is simple. A couple of my DD’s friends needed something to hide their pads and other feminine stuff during a school trip. I had these little drawstring bags I made. Then I got the idea to put travel size toiletries of all kinds in them and use them for donations to places like the women’s crisis center and the men’s homeless shelter. I would use coupons and get trial size toothpastes, toothbrushes, etc. for free or for just pennies and then make up these cute bags and donate them. I normally whip out at least 100 of these per year!



Here you see the 2 insulated can wraps I made yesterday. Tinkerbell and John Deere… neither is a particular favorite of mine, but they are very popular so I continue on! LOL… Good thing there isn't too much more of these fabrics left LMAO! Kidding... don't want to offend anyone... I'm just in a playful mood today LOL!



This is a set of Autism hand towels, which could also be used for other purposes I suppose. I just liked how the green compliments the bright puzzle pieces! Lovely… and another autism craft down too!

As you can see I was a busy little bee yesterday. I didn’t get everything completed that I pulled out of the crate that was half done, but I made a super huge dent… I would say at least ½ of it. I know that I have about 3 or 4 casserole dish covers and maybe 10 other things. I don’t know why I do that… start something and not finish it, especially when there is either not much left to do or not much to do in the first place. Crazy I know, but see this Fabric Challenge is helping me get all this done and build my inventory too! Awesome huh? I think so… and I am coming up with some super cute stuff if I do say so myself LOL!

Ok so I was taking a sewing break and reading on the yahoo local news yesterday and I ran across this census article and I just had to go WTF?? I’m sorry but I need a vent moment… Read some of this bologna!

Census Bureau officials urge patience
By Ian White
The Daily News Published April 10, 2010

Anyone worried about their participation in the census can rest easy — there’s not a problem the Census Bureau has not thought out, an executive for its Houston-Galveston area office said.

“Whether you’ve received no form or more than one form, there’s no need to worry,” said Eduardo Guity, the bureau’s area media specialist, when The Daily News put to him three potential problems identified by county residents.

He called on people still awaiting a form to be patient, saying the bureau still is mailing them, but they should arrive by Monday.

The bureau will be following up at addresses from which it has received no reply by April 15, and Guity said: “We’re going to get the information come what may.”

And in answer to a common perception that mailing each form is costing the taxpayer $57, he said: “Mailing each one costs us 44 cents. The $57 figure is the cost of sending someone to an address from which no form has been received, which is why we’re encouraging everybody to mail their completed form to us as quickly as possible.”

The bureau is prepared to send an inspector to each unresponsive address up to seven times, after which neighbors will be asked about the number of residents at the errant property.

“We’re authorized by law to do that,” Guity said. “Usually at least one neighbor knows how many people live next door, so we will complete our count one way or another.”

ARE YOU SERIOUS? This man is really that ARROGANT? I mean come on, does he realize the things he just said? Someone please tell me why this man is telling people to “be patient”?? They’re the ones wanting the information… not me! Shouldn’t THEY be patient? If I want to fill it out a week after I get it, HE needs to wait, right? Then they are gonna invade your privacy and ask NEIGHBORS? OMG really… REALLY? OK I gotta change the subject now, before I blow a gasket!

Crafts… as you can see from my challenge projects, I love them! I like seeing bits and pieces of “nothing” and knowing I can put them together in some way, shape, or form, and turn them into something really cool or useful! And I like recycling too! LOL I can think of only one good thing that could come out of my pakrat/hoarding problem… I can make all kinds of neat recycled crafts! LMAO… ok seriously though, recycling- to me anyway- makes you feel good. You’re not being wasteful and you are being creative… unique even! You are going to have something that maybe nobody else has! And that’s an AWESOME feeling! The little kid in you comes out and goes “Nanner nanner boo boo” LOL! So what is the craft today? Well if you have any old vinyl LP’s laying around that you’re just not sure what to do… try this! It would make an awesome gift for yourself or a friend… especially if the friend is old enough to really APPRECIATE what a vinyl record really was/is! Records can be bought from op shops, thrift stores or garage sales. If you don't want to destroy the classics look for damaged or cracked albums.



Craft Idea of the Day: Vinyl LP Earring Holder

Materials:

Old LP Record
Heat Source
Knitting Needle or Metal Skewer
Plate Stand

Directions:

1: Take your LP Record and place some heavy cardboard behind it. This will prevent the metal skewer going through onto your work surface

2: You will need a heat source, either a lighter, candle, Gas flame or you can heat a knitting needle or metal skewer up on a electric hot plate but be very careful and wear oven gloves to prevent burns.

3: Take your Hot Needle and poke it through the record to make a whole. You obviously want to make your holes in sets of 2 for each pair of earrings.

for smaller studs you could use a heated darning needle. Place as many holes as you need around the record. if you want to hang bracelets you can make a hook using a heated nail and pushing it into the record and allowing it to cool. This will give you something to hang necklaces on etc.

When completed allow all the holes to cool completely.

Place it onto a plate stand and onto your dressing table.
You could also create a hole for a hanging ribbon at the top so that you can make a hanging loop. This will allow you to carry around the record from bedroom to bathroom or even to hang it up out of the way when not in use.

Is that not cool or what? I like the bowls you can make with old LP’s too. Nowadays, having something “old” is really the new cool. Us older “cats” LMAO just call it vintage or retro… but some of the young buzzards call us antiques or old! I prefer retro thank you! So I remember the days of playing my old vinyl records and dancing around my room and if I jumped too hard the record skipped and Rick Springfield went from singing about a girl to a dog LMAO! Hey don’t laugh, he was cute back in the day! LOL… but then again, didn’t our moms say the same about Donnie Osmond? EWWW! LMAO!

OK let’s talk food. Its always a good time for slow cookin! As you know, if it weren’t strange, I would probably marry my triple crockpot! LMAO… JUST KIDDING! Anyway, yes I love them and I love to share crock pot recipes with you. A big thing around here to make, seeing as we always have tons of people coming through here, is soup. You can make soup pretty inexpensively most time and it feeds a large crowd. So if I have 10 hungry kids running around between band practices and football games, etc. I try to make sure to have at least one pot for them to munch. Most of the time however I have numerous crock pots going, a stovetop of pots, and even sometimes things in the oven… cornbreads, rolls, etc. to go with their soups. Even the “cool mom” as they call me, has to make sure they get a good meal! So today I have another soup recipe for you to enjoy.



Albondigas Soup

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 pound pork sausage
1 onion, chopped
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup cornmeal
6 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
1 (8 ounce) jar salsa
1 onion, chopped
2 (14.5 ounce) cans peeled and diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup white rice

Directions

Mix together beef broth, salsa, 1 onion, tomatoes, dried basil, oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. (If you use condensed beef broth (e.g., Campbell's), eliminate the salt in the meatballs and use 5 cans (10.5 ounces each) broth plus one quart water.) Bring to a boil and simmer 20 minutes.

Combine ground chuck, sausage, 1 onion, egg, salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, garlic powder, milk, fresh basil, and cornmeal, and mix well. Form into tiny, bite-size meatballs.

Add meatballs and rice to broth. Simmer, covered, very slowly for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Alright kids, I’m outta here for today. Gonna go chill out with my mommy while the DH stays and does his housely manduties! LMAO! I will see you tomorrow for more great adventures in blogland! Peace, Love, and lots of HUGS!