What a BEAUTIFUL Day and a new discovery...

I hope you all are experiencing the wonderful weather we are here...at least for the day (we are supposed to have storms all weekend long :( . 

I am actually laying out in my yard catching a couple of rays.  My white pasty skin could really use some help!!!  I don't go to tanning beds anymore...just the natural rays for me...with sunblock so I don't burn too bad. 

The kiddos have been playing out side for a couple of hours now...hopefully they will be tired out and take some good long naps so I can get some crafty stuff done later this afternoon. 

I just discovered Pandora.com this past week.  After listening to kids music in the car all the time, Pandora is a nice change.  If you are like me and have never heard of Pandora before...it is an online radio station that customizes a play list to the music YOU like!!  And if it is music you really like, then they give you the option to buy those particular songs.  The Best part is it is FREE!!!!  If you want it to save your music station, then you need to create an account...once again it is FREE. 

I have decided from my music listening...I should have been born  earlier than what I really was.  I love me some good 60's and 70's rock. 

So, even if you are stuck inside with good or bad weather Pandora.com can really provide you with some cool music.

Things to Try Thursday-A Frock by Friday

Earlier this week I found out about a Frock by Friday.  Kathleen from Grosgrain is having a great week long step-by-step tutorial on making a dress.  She has picked a dress pattern out to use and everything.  I am a little behind everyone else since I found out about the fun a couple days after everyone else. 

Here is a picture of the fabric I picked out. 

It is a shower curtain that I found at one of my local thrift stores for $3.50.  It is two yards long and 70 inches wide.  I am hoping it will be enough material, because the pattern calls for 2 1/2 yards of fabric.  When I finish my dress I will share the final result.  Hopefully it turns out well.  If you try the Frock by Friday dress making as well I would love to see what you have made.

Happy Sewing!!

What's for Dinner Wednesday-Spicy Chicken Pasta

Let me start by saying, if you don't like spicy things...not a problem!!  You get to choose how spicy you make this dish.

With that said let's gather our ingredients:

3 ribs of celery, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. chicken, cubed
16 oz. salsa of your choice
8 oz. pasta
1 tsp. salt

Start cooking your pasta...keep an eye on it while cook the rest of the dish.

Chop up your celery.  I cut my ribs in half so that the pieces are smaller when I chop them.

Add the first 5 ingredients to a large skillet and saute for 3-4 minutes over medium high heat.

Cut the chicken into cubes...remember proper chicken handling instructions.  After cutting the chicken, I put the cutting board and knife away to be washed.

Add the chicken to the skillet.  Cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Pour in the salsa.  Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.  This will allow the mixture to thicken and the chicken to finish cooking. 

Place a portion of pasta on a dish and top with the chicken mixture. 

Your done!  Enjoy!

Happy Cooking!!

Makin' It Monday-Monogrammed Coasters and Trivet

My husband and I went to a wedding this weekend.  I needed to come up with a gift...so I decided on Monogrammed Coasters!! 

I started by gathering my supplies:

Tiles, square for coasters and a rectangle for a trivet
Felt/Cork
Hot Glue Gon
Scrapbook Paper
Paper with Monogram on it...I printed mine off from Word and wrote over the letter with a sharpie to make the monogram darker.
Scissors/Paper cutter
Mod Podge
Spray Sealant

Cut your scrapbook paper to the deminsion of your coaster.  I cut mine a little shorter so I would have a boarder around my coaster.

Cut out your paper and then add a layer of mod podge. 

Lay your paper on your tile and press down.  Then add another layer of mod podge on top of your paper.  Let this dry. 

For the coasters I cut out my monogrammed block and then added it on top of my other layer of paper.  Then I added another layer of mod podge. 

Then in  a well ventelated area spray the coasters/trivet with a water proof sealant.  I found mine at Hobby Lobby.  I added 2 layers of the gloss selant.  This gave the coasters a nice finished look.

Take your hot glue gun and spread a layer of glue over the back surface of the tile.

Press the coark/felt down onto the tile.

And your done!!

This makes a great gift or an addition to your own home. Very quick and easy.  Not to mention CHEAP!!  I found the tiles for 12 cents!! 

Happy Crafting!!

 

Things to Try Thursday--Peasant Blouse and Fabric Flowers

This year I have decided to make all the gifts we will be giving.  So far, I have succeeded in this quest. 

A couple of weeks ago was my niece's birthday and I decided to make her a Peasant Blouse and a matching headband.  To jazz up the shirt or headband I made a cute fabric flower.

With this warmer weather....yeah!!  I needed to make some play clothes for Missy Priss.  I decided to make her a Peasant Blouse as well.  I made her shirt out of a pillow case.  I loved the ilet lace on the bottom of the pillow case.  I decided to make a flower for her shirt too.  It was the perfect accessory for this cute little shirt.

Enough with the pictures already Mom!!

She decided to leave so I would stop taking her picture.

I found the Peasant Shirt tutorial at Indietutes.   She has some wonderful photos to outline her tutorial.  It was very easy to follow!!  These were the first garments I have ever attempted.  I was very pleased out at the outcome of both shirts.
The fabric flower tutorial is from Blue Cricket Design.  This was another easy tutorial to follow.  I just love the stuff at Blue Cricket Design is always cute. 

If you need a gift or just a shirt for your little one for this summer.  These are some great tutorials to follow to get a new shirt and some cute accesories.

Happy Sewing!!

Mommy Gifts

It is all ready that time to start thinking about what you are going to get your Mom for Mother's Day.  I already have a couple of ideas for my Mom and MIL.  I still have my husband and my Grandmother's to gifts to come up with.  If you need some ideas of what to get, then head on over to Tip Junkie and check out the Mother's Day Gift Guide.  This just might make your life a little easier!!  Who doesn't want to take advantage of making life easier. 

Happy Shopping!!

What's For Dinner Wednesday

Spinach and Bacon Quiche that’s what’s for dinner!!

I originally was going to make a Spinach and Bacon Frittata out of Every Day Food, but none of my skillets were oven safe…back to the drawing board. I hit up Google for a Spinach and Bacon Quiche and found a very easy recipe by Paula Deen.

Let’s gather our ingredients
6 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Salt and pepper
2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach, packed ( I used frozen)
1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crust, fitted to a 9-inch glass pie plate

First, cover a baking sheet with a piece of foil. Lay your pound of bacon on the sheet in a single layer. You want to cook the bacon for 15 minutes in a 400 degree oven. With my oven that got the bacon done, but not too crispy.

Second, while the bacon is cooking combine the eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender.

Blend for about a minutes to make sure everything is good and mixed up.

Third, place your pie crust in the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate. Like I said earlier, this was a little bit on an improve dinner. I used a can of crescent rolls and lined my pie plate…everything is better with crescent rolls, right???

Fourth, take the Bacon out of the oven. Let it drain on a paper towel covered plate.

Fifth, add the spinach to the bottom of the pie crust.

Sixth, Chop the bacon into pieces.

Then add the bacon on top of the spinach.

Seventh, add the cheese on the top of everything else.

Eighth, pour the egg mixture on top.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes at 375 degrees until the egg mixture is set.

Cut into wedges and serve….Yum Yum!!

Happy Baking!!