Mommiedom

We were at the YMCA pool and the kids really wanted a smoothie from the Smoothie place and I couldn't stomach spending the 4 a piece on a small one for them so I promised them when we got home that I would make them one.

I saw this Pin the other day and thought I need to make that for Mr. L. He carries his cars around or hoes in his pockets plus they always seem to be clanking around. I got some fabric off the remnant bin at the fabric store and paid about a buck for it (i have enough to make more and there has been a request by Miss O to make her one).

He loved it from the moment I finished it and stuck all his cars in. He has been wearing it ever since and shoving all of his five million cars into the pockets. My husband thinks it is so funny and cute on him.

Yes I know another chipboard letter. I love them so much and want to switch them up when I can. I did this one which really accents the new paper Stampin Up has in the new catalog. I just took some 12x12 crumb cake,  8x11.5 summer starfruit, and covered my B with the Birds of a Feather DSP. Very simple and I love the clean lines about it.  I added the punched flowers in Pacific Point and Summer Starfruit.

I have to say the Fourth is one of my favorite holidays of the year. Halloween is first and Christmas is second so the Fourth is like third in that list. I love the red, white and blue colors and well I went to town doing up my buffet in my living room. I love to showcase my fun designs and well holidays make it so much easier.

I have been on a quest for the last ten years to replicate my Grandma Pat's meatloaf. I tried everything and asked everyone for suggestions. I got lots of great ideas and tried many of them.

I even created my own version with an an Italian twist which we love but still crumbled when I sliced it. I just wanted a meatloaf that sliced nicely and would be good hot or cold like my Grandma's. Today after some internet searches and using an unconventional method, I found it.

I love to make meatloaf on Sundays but hate having to heat the oven when it is over ninety degrees outside. So I first started looking for something to to use my ground beef in the crockpot. I went through all sorts of ideas but the last one was making a meatloaf in the crockpot. Yeah I know it sounds crazy but I thought why not. If it didn't work out we were having pizza.

So I went to putting it all together which took about five minutes total.

1 pound of ground beef
1 pound of ground pork (or Italian sausage)
2 eggs
2 and half pieces of whole wheat bread
Some milk (like one or two tablespoons).
Italian seasoning
Garlic salt
Small can of tomato sauce

I beat the eggs and than added the bread which I just crumbled up. I put the dash of milk as well as some of the garlic salt and Italian seasoning (about a teaspoon of each). I mixed that all together and than added the Ground beef and pork. I got my hands dirty and mixed it all together and formed it into a log in the crock pot. I topped it with the tomato sauce and set it I low for 6-7 hours. I did drain off some of the fat about half way through but I don't think you would have to do it.

The loaf sliced so nice and well was voted as the best by the family. I made homemade mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts sautéed with bacon ( I browned some bacon and than tossed in some cooked sprouts to brown them up).

I can't wait to try it with the Italian sausage or even a turkey beef mix. I think you could use ketchup as well instead of tomato sauce- I just prefer the sauce.

I think the trick here was that the meatloaf was somewhat steamed by the crock pot. All I know for sure was that it was delish and will so be making it again.

I have been working on these placements "um gulp" for almost a year. I bought the stuff about two days before last year's 4th of July and had most of them down right away but after the holiday came and went, I stuck them away and with the move of the craft area, they sort of got put to the bottom of the pile. I was going through my sewing stuff and make a pile of things I wanted to get done when I stumbled upon them again, so I finished them up (all I needed to do was sew the binding on). I than found some extra blue fabric and made some matching napkins which I didn't sew just heat bonded them on because they are more for decoration than use!


I also picked up some cute patriotic fabric while on our road trip and was thinking what could I do with that. When I got home, I looked through my one quilt magazine and this really cute quick quilt was in there. I decided that was what I wanted to do. I still have a bunch of the fabric left over from the pack so I might make something else with it. Now I just need a place to hang it or set it.

Yes I am at it again with my wreaths. I love creating them for holidays and well just about every day. I have been thinking about what I wanted to do for the 4th of July which is one of my favorite holidays. I love the patriotic blues, reds and whites of the holiday. It is so much fun to walk the store aisles of the 4th decor.

I did some research on Pinterest and gathered some ideas as I walked around the stores and when I found the triangle banner at Wally World, I knew what I was going to do. This wreath has about 5 dollars worth of stuff in it and was super simple to make.

I got a wreath and bow at the dollar store, and than purchased the triangle red, white, and blue banner at Wally World. I used red, white and blue card stock in my stash and punch out the layered flowers. I did play with the bow some and had it first not the bottom but after hanging it up, decided to switch to the top which I like so much better.

After the 4th, my Pinwheel Wreath will go back up but I think I will be doing a back to school one for August which should be fun plus if it works out what a fun teacher gift it could be.