Burlap

 

Hi world! How have you been?

 

Are you enjoying the slow, restful days of winter? Drinking your tea? Taking naps? Sitting by the fire with a book? Taking baths by candle light?

I need to remind myself to do these things. Our souls need them, our minds ache for them.

 

In a perfect world.

 

But at least promise to sip some tea and try to squeeze in a nap.

 

And by golly people, get crafty!

 

In the last post about my table redo, you may have noticed the burlap runner. Yes, I LOVE burlap! I am on the burlap band wagon. I hope it stays forever.

 

I had a large burlap bag hanging out waiting for a plan. So I turned it into the table runner. Easy peasy! A few snips and a little fraying and WALA!

 

Well I am not one to like waste... soooooo I took the scraps and cut them into triangles. I painted my letters on with acrylic paint and found some red ribbon. I glued the burlap triangles on the ribbon with E6000. If you have not tried E6000, go get some right now! Not later, NOW. Seriously it is good stuff. I use it for all kinds of crafty stuff! It worked as a life saver to put back together a broken ceramic ornament at Christmas too. Good stuff.

 

How have you been enjoying the winter? 

Table makeover

My mom and I LOVE to go to a local auction.... like we had an addiction... I say had because with Christmas, we took a break and I have not recovered from the holidays, so in turn have not been to the auction lately. However, before that we were going twice a week, every week... I eyed this table for a good month as it sat in the corner. I had been looking for a round table for our kitchen.

Finally my time came and I bid and won it for $10!!! It was destiny!

Destiny that needed work......

Here is the before.












Now after months of sanding, and sanding,and sanding, gluing, caulking, and staining...... this is what we have!

I amsuper happy with the turn out! What do you think?

For the Birds

 

This year, after taking down our Christmas decorations, we planted our Christmas tree in the yard. My husband and littlest munchkin swear it is going to sprout roots and grow happily.... I am pretty sure that short of a miracle, this will not happen.

However, I do believe that right now, in the winter, it is a good haven for the birds. So this weekend Littlest Munchkin and I went to work on making some birds treats to hang from the tree.

                                                     It was messy and we had a blast!
                                         

Afterward, we went outside to hang them up. For what ever reason, I had the urge to go barefoot. And I know it does not look it, but it was, a bizarre 70 degrees outside.

I told Littlest Munchkin to come out barefoot with me. In which she beamed with glory and ran out into the wet clay!

She then said "FINALLY!!!! You let me out barefoot instead of, "Where's your shoes??" I can finally run free!!!!"

This made me think to myself... who have I become??? She is right, we do say that, even in the summer..... Who am I???? When I was kid, I think I was always barefoot!

 

So we mushed our toes in the mud, and wiggled them in the grass (weeds)... which also was peculiar because as you see everything else is dormant... WHY are the weeds still green??????

 

I have vowed that starting in the spring.... we shall be barefoot once again!

 

 

 

To make the bird treats, we collected some pine cones, mushed/spread them with peanut butter and roll them in bird seed. the we tied them in twine.

Cherry Cheesecake Delight for a rainy day

Today it rained all day. I love the rain. It brings me comfort... odd I know. It also makes me want to fill the house with yummy smells.

The oldest Munchkin was after me for dessert. This is nothing new. He is a mini me. He loves dessert... and bacon.

I threw this together and I have to tell you, it is YUMMY! Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Ingredients:

6 Graham crackers (or enough crushed to cover the bottom of your springform pan)
2 Tbsp butter melted
1 8oz pkg cream cheese softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
dash of salt
2 eggs
2 cups frozen cherries
2 Tbsp Sugar
handful of chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Crush graham crackers and pat into the bottom of your springform pan. Drizzle with melted butter. In a bowl mix cream cheese until fluffy. Add sugar, vanilla, and salt until well combined. Add eggs one at a time. Beating well each time. Pour filling over crust. Bake for 25 minutes or until firm. Meanwhile in a pot, mix cherries and the 2 Tbsp sugar over medium heat until cherries release juice, stirring frequently. When cake is done, take it out of the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips over top. Pour over the cherries and juice. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Slice and serve.

My family devoured this!

To Start a Rainy Day

 

Good Morning :) It is raining here today. I thought we could share some tea.

 

Furry Friends

                                       Peanut Butter Banana Dog Treats




1 egg
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 banana
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats - bended in the blender until it looks like flour
1/2 cup old fashoned oats - not in the blender

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.Scramble egg in mixing bowl. Add banana and mash together. Stir n peanut butter, olive oil and garlic powder. Stir in all oats. When well combined, dump n wax paper and pat own to 1/2 inch square, cut into desired shape and put on baking sheet. Bakeat 300 degrees for 3 minutes. Move to wire cooling rack to coo ompletely. Fido will love you! e have 3 dogs ad two of them are ealy picky, all of them devoured these!!!

Happy New Year 2013!!!

Happy New Year everyone!

How are you? Did you survive the holidays? The food? The family? LOL!

I did and well I had a great time! I don't have any pictures for you today but I do have a recipe!

On New Years Day you should eat black eyed peas for good luck. here is what we are cooking up today.

Black Eyed Peas Stinky Momma Style

1 lb dried black eyed peas soaked overnight
1 lb bacon
1 onion diced
1 green pepper diced
2 cups kale
1 ham steak cut up or 1-2 cups ham
2 cups tomato sauce
8 cups of water
salt and pepper to taste

fry the pound of bacon in a large stock pot. Once crisp add diced onion. Stir and then add green pepper. Let cook for 3 minutes and add kale, ham and black eyed peas. Add your 8 cups of water and tomato sauce. Bring to boil and then lower to simmer and cook 3 hours! Yum!!!

Here is to a fabulous 2013!!!