Weekend Full Of...

 Forcing Forsythia, laundry from the clothesline.

 Wrapping a bit of string or ribbon around stems a couple of times then tying helps them stay together in a wide mouth vase... or jar.. instead of falling to the edges.

I got the brief case.  It needs some cleaning but it's here :)

 How fantastically vintage is the interior!

I got to watch the Lawrence Welk Show on NPT Saturday night.  And what kind of looney takes a pic of the screen?  This kind!  No really I was captured by this backdrop and want to draw it.  Unfortunately the pictures didn't turn out that well because they kept moving! 

I collected more than three gallons of rain water.... 

for making lye soap with our lard.  It's a long process and I think I'll make myself a chemist certificate to hang on the wall if it all works out. 

Finally!  It's been a while since I have had a magazine, besides Country Living British edition, suck me in.  But at my Mom's today for my sister's birthday gathering I found the latest edition.  Then Mom sent me home with four!   

Current library books.  I will wind up buying the two kid cook books for the DC when it opens.  

I have had a lot of fun with the BUG drawing book that has super easy instructions on how to draw bugs and a few flowers.  The soap making book is too complicated, I cannot follow.  The Critters one gives you all kinds of projects to do for your pet.  Not what I thought it was when I checked it out but still cute.  I am hoping to have new library books on the hold shelf for me this week.  I have requested several. 

Shaun and I worked on my future job all day Saturday and the fencing man has been given the green light.  This new adventure is happenning and soon I will be sharing my creativity every day with little ones.  That's what we're praying for anyway.  At this point I need encouragement and prayers most of all.  xo

Sausage Casserole

Granny made this casserole one evening at her house when we all came over for dinner.  It was so good that I thought about it and thought about it and finally called her a got the recipe.  I have made it twice now for the two of us.  The first time I followed the recipe like a good girl and it turned out wonderful.  The second time was tonight and I veered from the recipe just a touch and guess what... still wonderful. 

Sausage Casserole

1 Lb Sausage
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
3/4  Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
3 Cups Peeled, Sliced Potatoes
2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Brown sausage in skillet, drain on paper towels.  Mix together soup, milk, salt and pepper.  In a two quart greased casserole dish layer potatoes and onion, soup mixture, sausage and cheese.  Repeat layers but omit cheese.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for one hour.  Uncover, add remaining cheese and bake for five minutes.

Tonight, in my second version, I browned the sausage with onions and green peppers.  Then drained on paper towels.  I used canned potatoes on the bottom layer then the soup mixture, then sausage and topped with cheese and baked for thirty minutes.  Turned out great. 

This could be served as supper or breakfast!

Raising your own hogs for meat is the way to go here!  Cook til the meat is lightly browned and onions are translucent.

 Canned potatoes, canned soup.

 Easier whisked.

 These I named Shirley Reds after Granny's friend Shirley shared them with me last summer. 

 Layered.

 The rolls got a little too brown on top whilst watching Idol.  Woops.

My Mother is the inspiration for the cheese on pears on lettuce salad. This lovely concotion used to grace our supper plates when we were growing up.  It can even be found in some cookbooks.

Thanks for the recipe Granny!

What I'm Crushin On

OH MY!  I have run upon a website that I am currently drooling over.  Not the site so much as what the site offers which is books upon books. I know you can get books any time at amazone or barnes and noblest but this site seems to display in categories of art and craft, poetry and design.  I can't stop jumping back and forth from their site to my library typing in names and titles and unluckily coming up with an empty library cart.  These books are just too new.  But they have led me to a few books of interest that I might not have found otherwise. 

Here are a few books I am crushing on.  Ah... a Valentine Crush.  Shhh don't tell the hubby!

I have always wondered how they print fabric and how that whole thing works. 

Haven't you?

I found something close to this book at my library.  This one will be checked out one day! 

I HAVE to do this!

Can I just have this cover please?

I badly want to be a farm that can grow food for others.  Ahhh if only one had more time.

I am a Mad Woman!  Somebody stop me!!!!

Amen.

How stinkin cute is this book?!?!  I want to be one!  A Mom of style. 

The five year old inside me just hollared "Nuh Uh!"  This is a coloring book and it has tracing paper that resembles parchment paper in it.  I just fell in love with Rosie Flo!

OK.  Please go check out Chronicle Books.  I have to go get my crush on whilst the real Valentine in my life is snoozing on the couch!

P.S. Happy Valentine's Day!

P.S.S. The website is Chronicle Books!  I was so excited I published this and had to go back and add the main link!  What a book nerd!

Freezer Paper Stencil

Freezer paper stencil is the coolest thing.  Well, it's the coolest thing I could come up with to craft on Saturday which was bitterly cold on the outside and warm on the inside.  I started with a bargain tank but have done this with everything from regular t-shirts to dish towels.  I found the item in which I wanted to trace and today it was feathers.  I used one guinea feather, one crow feather and one owl feather.  I placed them on my shirt to get an idea of where I wanted them then put them on to a sheet of freezer paper on the dry side, not the shiny side.  Then I traced the feathers with a pencil. 

I taped the piece of freezer paper to a cutting board and cut out the shapes using an Exacto knife.  I have also just cut out the shapes with scissors as that works just as well.  Next I took my tank top and two pieces of freezer paper, one with the stencil, to my ironing board.  With my iron set on cotton high, I placed the solid piece of freezer paper shiny side up inside the shirt and the stenciled pieced shiny side down on the front of the tank where I wanted the design to go.  Then I ironed the top piece.  The heat makes the shiny side stick to the fabric.  Make sure to stick all pieces now especially if you have a more intricate design. 

I used regular craft paint and went over my pattern several times then let it dry for an hour or so.  When it is dry, peel the freezer paper off gently to reveal your design.  Take it back to the ironing board.  Place a dry rag or piece of scrap fabric inside the shirt and another one of top.  Go over the top towel that is on top of your design several times with a hot iron to "set" the paint or sort of burn it to the fibers so it doesn't wash out easily. 

This is an easy, fantastic way to make a solid or drab shirt your very own, one-of-a-kind design.

Layout out objects of inspiration.

Use this stuff.

 Trace objects onto non-shiny side of freezer paper.

 If you are doing a harder design you have to envision what to cut out.

 Cut out stencil.

 Shiny side up on the inside, down on the outside.

 Iron on freezer paper stencil.

 Paint using craft paint. 

 Use several coats and allow to dry completely.

 Peel off freezer paper stencil.

 Heat set with scrap fabric inside tank and on top of design.

 Laurie is wearing a tank that she seems very proud of. :)

 Finished and Fabulous!

Trust me.. once you get started it's hard to stop!

 This was a different weekend when I was crafting with  my sister and niece.

 Recognize this logo anyone?

 On a tea towel.

I love my camera dish towel.

It's a lot of fun and so easy to do!  Haave Fun!