It is Friday November 22nd. It is my regular day off. I had these pretty bows (Joannes $5.00 each, score!) and thought, well Thanksgiving is less than a week away I can go ahead and put these up, and well I am at it I might as well put up my Santa flag. I don’t feel so bad. My neighbor down the block already has the blow up Grinch in his front yard and a tumbleweed Santa. I won’t go all out yet, we will save the lights til after Thanksgiving.
What to do with a 4″ round chipboard coaster?? November 21, 2008
I have 50 of these puppies to create with. This is my first idea. You can tell that by my little goof ups. This can be an ornament, a ,magnet or just a photo frame. This project required a 4″ diameter chipboard coaster, heavy stock scrapbooking paper, two sided tape, a photo of course, a clip, ric rac (is that how you spell that stuff?) and a piece of ribbon. I cut 2 – 4″ circles with the Cricut cutter, covered both sides of the circle with these. Cropped the photo of my son, and cut the ric rac. I used the same 2 sided tape to adhere everything. Then I just put the clip on top and pulled a short piece of ribbon through it and tied in a knot.
I like this craft, but I really think there must be more things I can make with these coasters. I am just not loving this idea. Help!!!
Christmas Idea with large picture frames November 15, 2008
This photo is from the Aaron Brothers weekend sale ad. I saw this frame with little photo oranments hanging from it and thought it was a great idea! You could dangle just about anything from the picture frame, flat ornaments, letters! I haven’t tried to make one yet. But I do have a frame in my garage waiting to be recycled! I will figure something out and post soon!
J O Y blocks November 15, 2008
Little J O Y blocks. I made B O O blocks for Halloween. I used slightly larger blocks for those. These blocks are about 1″ and they come in a pack of 3 for .99 cents at Joannes. (they were out when I looked for
Halloween). I already had Christmas themed scrapbooking paper for this project. I used my Cricut cutter to make the letters and mod podge, glitter and sandpaper. I think P E A C E blocks will be cool too! So off to Joannes for more blocks! (hope they haven’t run out yet!)
Trying to get in shape! November 10, 2008
I mentioned this DVD in a blog a couple of weeks ago. I tell you today, that
I really think that if you stick to this one you will see results. I have missed a day here and there (have to get better at that), but I am really feeling some strength in my thighs and arms. My tummy is so bad, that I think it will be a while before I see any results there. And I am sure that if I dieted just a bit, I would actually see results. But that is another story!! Any sugestions there??
As I had said, I bought this DVD at Target.com. (Lotte Burkes Muscle Eats Fat) It was very inexpensinve ($10 or $11). It only takes a half an hour. You will need light hand weights, and a chair when you do this workout. If you want to try it first, check your excercise section at the video store. But I definitely give it a thumbs up!
Getting organized–Finally!!!! November 10, 2008
I am so loving these few days off of work. As of
Saturday afternoon we are officially done with football. Sad but happy at the same time. Must be a mom thing. But since then I have been able to get my house in better order, clean my garage, make crafts and actually organize my recipes in this cool binder. My mom found this binder for me a couple months ago at a garage sale. She knew I had a ton of recipes in 1 stuffed folder! But I hadn’t had or made the time to sort things out.
This morning while drinking a cup of coffee with flavored creamer and watching my son eat breakfast (life is good!), I finally sorted all the recipes out. I found out something about my recipe collecting. My sweet recipes outnumber any other recipes 3 to 1!! I had to turn the fish/seafood tab into candy and and treats. Hmmm…I think I like sugar!
My trash to treasure find of the year! November 10, 2008
I think many many posts ago I mentioned my friend Eddie, who is the trash to treasure KING!!! If I need junk for a project, I ask Eddie and he finds it.
One day we were talking about portable fireplaces and my co worker had just bought a beautiful one at Costco for her living room. I said that I would love to have a small one in my bedroom. Well as luck would have it, someone left one at Eddies garage door. He offered it to me! The previous owner removed the copper plate so it doesn’t heat much. However, I love the glow! I added my own little decorative touches with a table runner, a couple of cool boxes and candles and I am loving my little fireplace!!!! 
Finally! Some much needed crafting!! November 9, 2008
My friend Julia (my craft mentor 
gave me the idea and got the calenders and chipboard coasters for this easy project. The sample she sent me has a magnet on the back. I may add a magnet to mine. The coasters are 4″ X 4″. Good thing I save my scraps of paper! I had lots of pieces I could use. This project requires. 4X4 chipboard, scrapbooking paper, adhesive or two sided tape, a hole punch, ribbon and embellishments of your choice.
While on a trip for office supplies for my day job, they had these little tins of paper clips at the counter. I got them for FIFTEEN cents!!! So, I have a ton of paper clips now, but these little tins will make a perfect companion to my calenders. I will fill with Christmas candy, tie a coordinating bow to match my calender and put a little stamped “Just for you” tag on them. Put it all together in a shiny cellophane bag and there you have it, a darling little gift for your co workers, bunco group or craft group. I could go on, but I am sure you get the picture.
I am loving this cool weather!!! I love to stay in on days like these and was so glad to have a little quiet time to myself to craft!!! Don’t you love this weather? Do you like to stay in and create or bake or cook??
Totally Easy Taco Soup November 3, 2008
Today was my mothers birthday. I made dinner for her. I made Totally Easy Taco Soup,
Marie Calenders Cornbread and Easy Eclair Dessert. All very easy and as Rach would say all were Dee-Lish!!
I got the soup recipe at recipezaar.com. And it is true! It was totally easy.
Here is the recipe:
1 lb ground beef or chicken or turkey (I used beef)
1 onion- diced
1 (15oz) can kidney beans
1 (15oz) can whole kernel corn
1 (14oz) can stewed tomatoes
1 (6oz) can tomato sauce
3 cups of water
1 (10oz) can Rotel tomatoes
1 package of taco seasoning
1 package of ranch dressing mix.
I browned the beef, and chopped the onion. Then I dumped everything in a pot and simmered for 45 minutes. I used the Rotel w/ diced peppers and it was a little spicy.
The Marie Calenders cornbread was a no brainer.
I have made the easy eclair dessert before and it always goes over well. And it is soooo easy! Here is the recipe. (I know this one by heart!)
1 box of graham crackers (I used Keebler)
2 small boxes of instant vanilla pudding (I used sugar free, fat free)
3 cups of milk
1 (12oz) container of Cool Whip thawed
1 container of milk chocolate frosting
In a 9 X 13 pyrex dish line the bottom with 1 layer of graham crackers, you will have to break some of the crackers to fit.
Next mix your 2 puding mixes with 3 cups of milk, then gently fold in the cool whip.
Pour half of that mixture on top of graham crackers, put a single layer of graham crackers over that.
Pour the remaining half of the pudding mixture over that and top with a final layer of graham crackers. Melt the frosting in the microwave until pourable (45 seconds to 1 minute depending on your microwave, mine took 50 seconds) Pour frosting evenly over the graham crackers. Chill for at least an hour before serving. I have to say it again, DEE-LISH and of course soooo easy!!!!!
Halloween is over, and I hear Christmas music November 3, 2008
I too was so ready to take down the Halloween decorations. I didn’t even leave one pumpkin out for Thanksgiving. I think I may have decorated too early this year, and just got too carried away. I was just ready for it all to be gone!!! There are a few traces left in my front yard, but I need to let those items dry. 
It is November 2nd and I was flipping the stations on the Comcast music channels at my parents and they already had Music of the Season playing!!!! OMG!!! I am so not ready for that yet!!!! I haven’t even made one craft item for Christmas yet!!! I have tons of ideas and some nice tutorials to view online thanks to my great crafting friend Julia.
My dad is settling into his routine at home, and my mom is too. So that is going well, and things seem to be settling down. I do have 5 days off starting this Friday, so I am hoping to get into the swing of things!
So don’t give up on me, I promise to show some Christmas crafts very soon!!!!!
