Scrapbook Pages

I actually did some scrapbooking today. I wish I did more than three pages but I at least got three more done than I had. I have SO many pictures that I am behind on. I think I need to set a goal to do one to two pages a day from now on to catch up. I can't stop taking pictures so that seems to be the best solution.

4th of July Layout- It is a blended project with traditional and digital elements. 

Miss O's Lemonade stand page. 

Eggplant!

Oh I have to admit I love me some good eggplant. I was so happy when my Japanese eggplant blossomed and produced tons of fruit. I made the Moussaka from that. Sadly it is now dormant until the spring again but I still like to buy eggplant. When I was at my veggie run a few weeks back,I bought one eggplant when I went through the other market waiting for our stuff to be loaded. I usually always make the same thing, a version of baked eggplant dish.

Ingredients

1 nice large eggplant sliced up in thinly the long way
2 eggs heated
2 cups of Italian breadcrumbs.

I preheat some olive oil in span and fry up the eggplant turning it at about 3 - 4minutes (when the side is brown and crispy).

I repeat with all the slices. I than take the fried up eggplant and begin laying it like a lasagna. I put some sauce down, fried eggplant slices, a mixture of sautéed spinach and ricotta. I top it all off with sauce and some mozzarella cheese. I let it back for about 25-30 minutes until the cheese is nice and melted and turning brown.

I serve with garlic bread and enjoy a delicious meatless meal which is good for you!

Rag Wreath

You know I love wreaths and yes I admit to a problem with creating them. I try to stick a wreath up where ever I can find a place. I was so excited to finally create a rag wreath and using the new fabric from Stampin Up and a wore frame, ta da this wreath was created. I added on the flower to give it that extra pop.

Mushroom Chicken

I love using the crock pot to slow cook things and so much more in the summer when it is so hot out. Years ago I was at a Bridal shower and had some yummy mushroom chicken. I thought I need to figure that one out so I did.

I used about 2 lbs of boneless chicken thighs (keeps costs down).
1 large can of cream of mushroom soup.

I mix that all together in a slow cooker and set for 7-8 hours.

About thirty minutes before you are ready to eat, I mix in one cup of sour cream and boil egg noodles to serve the Mushroom chicken over.

Every time I make this it is a big hit plus it is such a large batch that I froze half of it and will just thaw and reheat for another meal. These are the best kinds!!!

Fun Backpack and Matching Hair clip

Miss O had a birthday party a few weeks ago and I created this Spiderman backpack and hair clip for her little friend who loves superheroes.  Miss O wants a hair clip for herself as well and I think the bag which was the wrapping for other gifts was a big hit.

International Alphabet

So I got a whole bunch of the new Stampin Up paper from the new catalog. I feel so in love with the International Bazaar DSP and knew I wanted to some case it and than I saw in the catalog a framed piece of art using the new Notable Alphabet set - BINGO with an idea.

I painstakingly stamped each of the letters in the different colors that coordinate with the DSP. When I had seen the sample in the catalog I knew I wanted to make that and I hope to do more. I think this would make a fun teacher gift or actually a gift for anyone.

Mushroom Spinach Chicken Sandwiches

So Panera is slowly going up down the road from me and I am stalking it almost daily (I drive by it all the time). So when I drove by I was thinking how good a sandwich from there would be but I didn't want to drive on up to the other one so I thought what do I have in the fridge that I could turn into a yummy sandwich.

I realized I had in the freezer some thinly sliced chicken breasts and I thawed them out. I than took them and cooked them in a frying pan about 3-4 minutes per side (I like when  you get them that brown crispy). I than in a separate pan sautéed using some olive oil some diced mushrooms and some spinach. When that was done and the chicken was nearly done, I topped the spinach/mushroom mix on top and than topped it with a piece of muenster cheese. I let the cheese melt on top of the chicken.

I also grilled some nice cheese bread and spread some of that awesome Italian Herb cooking cream on the insides. I put it all together and got a delish sandwich without the drive or cost of going to Panera though when they open, I am so there in a heartbeat!!!

Head Band

I was at the pool the other day and thought that I need to find myself a fun retro looking head band to match my retro swim suit that I bought for this summer. I started doing so digging and thought I bet I could map one like what I want so I went to Pinterest and did a search (this is becoming a problem for my friend and I with it eating our time up).

I found a few but this one in particular from Happy Together was what I wanted so I got to work making it for myself. It was so easy that I needed up making two and plan on making more as well. I still need to find fabric that would compliment my suit. I have some fun pink stuff that I think might work.

I made one for the fourth of July using the left over fabric I had from my small quilt and than I used some scraps of SU's Spice Cake which you all know is my favorite. I have to say, I was worried it wouldn't fit right or maybe be to big but it is perfect (this woman must have a large head like me).

I also made Miss O an Firecracker flower clip using the pattern off of Sew Sara. This was very little sewing plus I added the little red button on it. We now will be all decked out in our 4th of July headwear!

Macaroni Kid Article

Here is this week's article 7/8/12

Article for the week of 7/1/12

Pinterest Inspired Art

Yeah another Pinterest inspired piece of art. When I saw this pin the other day, I thought I need to make that. So using my Stampin Up MDS, I went to work. I created a version that better suits my family and framed it in a cheap frame from the craft store. I love how it turned out plus I saw so many others pinning it as well. I could see this being a great present for the future!

Basil Tomato Soup and Spinach Grilled Cheese

So in Texas there is a chain called La Madeleine which has one of the best Tomato Basil Soups out there. Every time I mention to my Mom that we have gone, she goes they have the best tomato soup there. So when I was looking over Pinterest the other day, I came across a recipe for it. I knew I would need to try it because the kids love soup. So following their directions and of course tweaking it some (I used less of everything 1 large can of diced tomatoes,  chicken stock (1.5 cups), tomato juice (1.5), butter (a half of stick), and less cream (about 2/3 cup). I let it all simmer for about 15 minutes and served it with some Texas toast croutons which gave it a nice texture as they absorbed the soup of making it even better.

Of course you need to have grilled cheese with your tomato soup so I sautéed some spinach (about a cup) and than taking some of the Italian herb cooking cream (flavored cream cheese) spread it on the inside pieces of cheese bread. I than layered Monterey jack and spinach cheese and grilled it all up to a nice light golden brown. The cheese and spinach melted so nice together and created  fun twist on an old classic.

4th of July Cards

I love to do photo cards for the fourth of July every year but this year I wanted to shake it up some. I took the kids to the park and we took our annual 4th pictures. When I got home. I looked online to see what offered for photo cards and none of them struck me as I wanted so I started up SU MyDigital Studio and designed my own. I than printed it on photo paper and attached to card stock so it is an actual folded card I can send.

Here is the MDS I made:

This is the print after I attached it to the card stock. 

I really liked how they turned out and love the printing on the actual picture. 

Happy 4th if July!!!

Designer Bedroom- I think so!!!!

Finished Headboard and Quilt

I am SO excited about this post today (I am posting early because of it). I finally finished my big ole quilt and had it quilted as well. As soon as I got home, it was on the bed but I kept thinking how plain the room looked now with this heirloom quilt on the bed. So I started trolling Pinterest and came across this pin and thought now that would be something that would work for me. I so have ALWAYS wanted a big headboard and our master can support it because it is a huge room (we joke that the bedroom, bath and closet are as big as our first apartment).

So when we were at Lowe's yesterday, I went to look at the doors and explained to my hubby what I wanted to do in the future because I  knew he had ALOT of projects on his plate right now but he became excited by it and well we got all the stuff for the project.

I used three 28 inch wide doors by 80 inch long. The inspiration pin did cut the same doors down. Each door was 22 bucks and we got trim with was like 12 bucks and a quart of black paint for 15. I so wanted to go the black color route but thought my hubby was going to protest it but he was the one who suggested it right away.

After we got home and it stopped raining, I laid out the doors and started painting them.  It took me about an hour to do 2 coats on them.

Three white doors

Become black

The trim for the top

After they were dry, I figured we would be putting them up today but nope my husband jumped right in. He was as excited about it as I was. It took him about an hour to put them up, trim and repaint a few small areas. At first he thought they were so big but I told him to wait because of course I had way more up my sleeve with it.

So I bought the wreath and added on the flowers which match the backing fabric of the quilt. Than I sewed three euro shams using a twin sheet. I looked every where for shams and the few I found either didn't go or were way to expensive. I made three for under 5 bucks.

I was so excited to dress the bed and get it all ready plus my hubby has been bugging me to take pictures so he can showcase his craftsmanship. The great thing was how he told me how much he is enjoying the ideas I am getting off Pinterest and to go right ahead seeking out more fun things on there. I am one lucky girl to have such a talented and game husband in letting me indulge in this whims that I have.

I love the bedroom and now I am trying to figure out what to do with the dressers (I am thinking of painting them the same color) and going to garage sales for some mismatched tables for night stands and a coffee table to make a bench for the end. So there it is, my new awesome headboard and finished quilt.

Closer look at the wreath

side angle

Closer look at the finished quilt.