Hello Again!

Well, here I am again.  I keep thinking I'm back to stay but then life gets in the way.  This has been a really rough year for us...  although compared to some I really shouldn't  complain.  As the holidays approach and it becomes time for new resolutions keeping up my blog is one of mine.. I miss the friends I have made here.. I miss hearing about your life and seeing the latest craft or the way you redecorated your house...  it really is a sisterhood here in our little land of blogs.  

Since we moved to the condo I haven't touched a thing crafty in months..  Oh how I miss the sound of my sewing machine.. or the smell of melting wax waiting for something to dip.  A paintbrush in my hand..  or a can of spray paint staining my fingertips...  Everything I own has been divided between 4 places for the past year but now I am gathering everything in one place and I can be free to create again.  I know this sounds silly but I feel almost giddy with the thought of knowing that I will have everything together in one room soon.  Every time I've tried to make something I have to stop and try to figure out if the scissors are at the main farmhouse?.. or is the ruler at the old farmhouse?.. did I bring it to the condo or better yet.. is it in storage? :(  It's just a mess.  But now I have a sewing room again!  Woohoo!  This is so exciting!  Everything but the stuff in storage is now in my room waiting to be unpacked.  I did find some little things I could make last weekend because I couldn't wait anymore ..

First I made this casserole carrier.. I LOOOVE it.. it's big enough to carry a 9x13 pan or a cupcake carrier..   perfect for get togethers....

It's hard to see but that is a 9x13 pan in the bottom.

I also made a cozy for my iced coffee while I'm busy sewing so the condensation won't get my fabrics wet.. lol.  I actually like it and use it daily.  It says to put a button and elastic to hold it together but I'm just using a safety pin.. lazy :)

I saw this sewing pedal Stay Put on Pinterest and knew I had to have one... I'm tired of chasing my pedal across the floor when I'm sewing..

I also made a diaper bag for my youngest grandson but I forgot to get a pic before I gave it to his mother.  

Hopefully I'm back and back to crafting.. I know it makes me happy :)

Enjoy life my friends..
It's the only life we have!

Your friend,
Stella

Pinterest lately?...

I admit.. I'm addicted to Pinterest.  The problem is that I spend so much time clicking and repinning that I barely have time to make anything.  I did find the most amazing tub cleaner that truly does what it says..  I now live in a condo.. oh wait.. y'all don't know.. I don't live on the farm anymore, we are now living full time in the city.. woohoo!  I am no longer spending my days alone wondering what the rest of the world is up to.  I loooove the farm but it was in the middle of nowhere and I had to drive an hour each way to do anything!  With the price of gas as it is today it just wasn't feasible so we are cleaning it out and putting it up for sale.. cross your fingers for me that some hermit will come along and WANT to be alone.. haha.. that's just not me.  Aaaanyway.. back to my original post...  I found the most amazing tub and tile cleaner.. as I'm sure I don't need to say but I've been cleaning a tub for more years than I care to count.. but never.. ever.. have I had my tub shine like it does with this product.. it looks brand new!  It's so simple and I don't get the grit on the bottom of the tub like I do with scrubs.. here's all you need if you want to give it a try.... what I did in blue...

Tub and Shower Magic

o by

·  12 ounces white vinegar    (I used 8 oz)

·  12 ounces liquid, blue dawn detergent      (I used 8 oz) 

  Directions:

Heat vinegar in microwave until hot and pour into squirt bottle  (don't do this.. let it cool or better yet do it in a microwave safe bowl, mix in your Dawn and let it cool a bit before you put it in the squirt bottle.. the heat will make the spray bottle swell like it's about to explode.. as me how I know  :)   I was scared.. haha)

Add the Dawn soap. Put the lid on and gently shake to incorporate.

You now have a powerful cleaning product that will melt soap scum and tub and shower buildup, clean sinks, appliances and just about anything. Just spray it on, scrub, rinse and be amazed. For tough soap scum build-up, spray the mixture on and allow it to sit as long as overnight. Then, scrub and rinse.

Omg.. this stuff is amazing.. I spray it on.. let it sit for 30 minutes or so and scrub.. when the tub dries it is so shiny I need shades.  It does have a vinegary smell.. but to me that means clean.. my momma always cleaned with vinegar and I guess I got commercial thinking if it was on tv it has to be better.. but no.. momma was right.

Actually.. I now make all my own cleaning products.. for DIY soft scrub and awesome all purpose cleaner I found this site on Pinterest..    http://makeitgiveit.blogspot.com/2011/07/sensational-soft-scrubhomemade.html    I make both and wow.. I will never be in the cleaning aisle again. I already have all the basics.. just EO's and I'm set to go.  

For DIY window cleaner that ROCKS!  I have no idea who I got this from but I've been using it for a couple years so if you posted this on your blog a couple years ago.. THANK YOU!

Window Cleaner Ingredients:
2 cups Rubbing Alcohol
1 tsp. of Prell Shampoo (y'all remember that stuff, right?)
Water


Directions:
Pour rubbing alcohol and shampoo into a 1 gallon jug, then fill the rest of the way with water. Give it a good shake. 
Pour into spray bottles.


That's it, you're done. So easy!

Great for your pocketbook and you'll have a wonderfully clean home.. no lugging around 10 different cleaners..  LOVE!!

Hope y'all have a great day!  I'm off to blog hop on this wet rainy day.

Hugs,

Heavenly Bean Dip...

Hello hello!  I know it's been forever since I've posted but have I got something to share with you........  I have a bag of Fritos left over from my daughters graduation so I wanted to find something to make to go with them.. well, naturally I thought of bean dip.  Being the lazy person I am I didn't want to have to run to the store for one item so I searched the net and came across the bessssst bean dip recipe and I wanted to share.  It's so simple and easy I can't believe I've never made it before!  Just 3 simple items and this stuff is beanie heaven in a bowl!

The blog I got it from was http://www.cheap-bastid-cooks.com/homemade-bean-dip/ while you are there check out his site, he has a ton of recipes I want to try and the pizza looks like I want to dive in and swim in it's cheesy gooeyness!  Ha.. ok.. here's the recipe....

Ready?.....

• 1 16 oz can refried beans
• 2 tbs mayonaise or “salad dressing”
• 1 tbs chopped “jarred” jalapenos

That's it!  Just put all the above in a food processor or blender.. whirl away and then you are left with the most wonderful bean dip made.  I use Hellman's and I didn't have jalapenos so I used jarred banana peppers.  Try it!  You won't be disappointed!

I have a few things in the works I want to share so I'll be back again soon! 

 

Hugs,

I (heart) Bakerella

Hello my friends.. I hope you are all doing well.  I just wanted to share with you these cupcakes I made for my son in law for his birthday.  I can always rely on finding something fun and unique on Bakerella's site and as soon as I saw these cute cupcakes I just knew that I wanted to make them.. 

They turned out sooo cute, I just love them.  Not quite as styling as Bakerella's but on the fly I thought they turned out pretty good.  I couldn't find the red gumballs she called for for the "cherry" so I used strawberry whoppers.. and since the cupcake is strawberry I thought it was kinda fitting.  These are so good.. strawberry, chocolate ganache.. buttercream icing and a whopper on top?!!  Heaven.  This is my new go-to birthday cake.. who's birthday is next?  lol  Just wanted to share.

On the crafty front I haven't done much lately, I've been going through all my stuff and getting rid of the junk so I can have some crafting room.  I've just been in a funk and couldn't seem to start/finish much of anything.  My sewing area is so crammed that I can't find anything and I know I have it and so I just give up looking and put everything away or shove it in a corner.  Hopefully when I clear my sewing/crafting area my brain will clear too and I can get back to it. 

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend and get plenty of sunshine!!

Love,

Let's hear it for some football!!.....

Well.. thanks to the great playoff games going on yesterday I was able to get some craftin going on...  I told myself I was not going to blog until I had something crafty to post and so I pulled out my fabrics.. searched a few tutorials and made a bag for all my rulers....it's huge!  Finally I'll have a place to store all my rulers instead of having them scattered all around my sewing room.. and while I was at it, I made 2.. the folded one in the corner I made for a buddy of mine that I owe a few presents to..  wonder who that could be  :)

It's hard for me sometimes to get going but once I started and got the ruler holders completed I wanted to sew more.. so I dug back into my fabrics and made these adorable lunch totes that I've been wanting to make.. they turned out so cute!  I only have one pictured because I still have to put the final touches on the second one but I was excited to show you. 

On Facebook a couple-three weeks ago there was a posting going around that said for the first 5 people to respond you would make something crafty and send to them some time over the course of the year... in return they had to post on their blog and keep it going...   well one of these is going to someone who responded to my post.  I hope she likes it..

It has an expandable liner so you can take taller containers..

and I used a vinyl tablecloth for the lining to make clean up easy... I really like how these turned out.  My original intention was to send both to two people.. but I think one is just going to have to stay here with me.. ya never know when a girl wants to pack a cute lunch.. lol.

I'm off to check your blogs to see what you've been up to and then finish the other lunch bag.  Have a great night everyone!

Hugs,

Giveaway at Freckled Whimsy!!

Don't you just love her blog name?  lol.. it's just too cute.  Anyway, she is celebrating her first anniversary of her blog and is having a fabulous giveaway.  Check her out..   http://www.freckledwhimsy.com/2011/01/happy-1st-birthday.html  it's an awesome blog!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Hugs,

This is turning into a cooking blog..

Well, I haven't done much in the craft department today because my Gammy baby was here with me but I have to share with you these freezer biscuits I made today.  Oh my gosh.. they are soooo good.  I love a good biscuit in the morning with a little jam.. or the afternoon with a little ham.. or the evening with a little .....Spam?  ick.. no, maybe not the Spam (definitely NOT the Spam) but I couldn't think of anything else that rhymes.  Ok.. so I'm not a poet.. lol.  Anyway..  I found this recipe on the blog Real Mom Kitchen to make biscuits that you freeze so anytime you want one you just pop them in the oven.  I froze 18 and baked up the remaining 6.. I ate 2 before they had even cooled.. YUM!  Here they are as I put them in the freezer, after an hour I took them out of the dish and put 2 in snack size baggies and then put all the baggies in a gallon size freezer bag so I can cook as many as I want at any time.

The scaps I rerolled and cooked for my own pleasure.. not very pretty but that doesn't matter...

Here is the recipe...

• 4 cups flour
• 2 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp soda
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 (16 oz) container or 2 cups reduced fat sour cream
• 3-5 tsp water, if needed
• melted butter

      1.   In a food processor, add all of the dry ingredients and pulse a few times to get the ingredients mixed together.

2. Add butter to the food processor and pulse until butter is cut into pea sized pieces.  This will take a few minutes but don't overdo the dough.

3. Next, add the sour cream and and pulse until a soft dough is formed.  If the dough is too dry you can add some water.  (I didn’t need any water)

4. Remove dough from the food processor and knead a couple of times on a lightly floured surface.

5.  Roll out to 1 inch in thickness. Use a biscuit cutter or drinking glass to cut out into round biscuit shapes or cut into squares using a pizza cutter.

6. If freezing, place biscuits on a cookie sheet for about 1-2 hours, until solid. After they are frozen, place in a freezer bag to store. Use as needed.

7.  To bake biscuits whether fresh or frozen: Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and brush with melted butter. Bake at 400 for 15-17 minutes or until top is golden. Halfway through the baking process, brush the tops of the biscuits again with melted butter.  Makes 16-20 biscuits.

Now I need to find a good Buttermilk biscuit recipe to freeze.  Don't you just love a well stocked freezer?  I'm working on mine.  I use to be a random shopper.. a little of this.. a lot of that.. then throw it in the freezer and slowly it would sink to the bottom.  Not anymore, I am going through my freezer and making a list of what is in there so I can use it while I still know what it is.. lol.  I found one bag that I called a mystery dinner because I couldn't figure out what it was.. I set it on the counter and let it thaw (then I forgot about it until it was too late) but it was Chicken Cacciatore..  wasted!  Ok.. before I start rambling more I'm gonna get off here and go take a hot bath in my Sweet Pea bath salts..  a little bit of heaven! 

Have a great night all!

Hugs,