Fixing up the joint...

Hello crafty friends!!  I have been on a "fix-up binge" this week.  I have so many projects on my to do list, and I finally decided to accomplish a couple...


I found this frame at my local Goodwill for $2.99.  I loved the rustic wood that was used {Very Texas-y}.  I have been wanting to make a family names sign with scrabble tiles for sometime, but just didn't know how I would pull it all together.  I sketched out a quick idea, and than got to work on this beauty...  After an hour or so of fun and crafting, I was happy with the results....

So I have this dry erase board in the entryway area of my home.  We rarely use it for actual communication, mostly just for silly messages...  but I can never get the words erased all the way since they linger on there for so long... just basically became an eye sore.  I had ordered some upholstery webbing years ago in red and black for decorating, and for my Christmas from a couple of years ago...  so I figured making a new bulletin board with a basket weave would look nice.  I saw this in a Pottery Barn Catalog years ago, and have always had it on my 'knock-offs list'....

Well I hope you are able to look at things with a creative eye, and see the potential and beauty underneath!


Hugs and Happy Crafting!!!

Lots of life going on...

As one can imagine, balancing family, faith, and finances are always challenging.  I have been very blessed with the first two, and continue to pray about the latter.. lol...  My approach to projects has always been to use products sparingly, and economize whenever I can...


This framed Spring Banner project uses mostly cardstock and a few baubles and trim that I had on hand.  The colors are from SU, kraft, baja breeze, and kiwi kiss.  Mix with white, and they are very neutral and lovely all together.  I use this vintage frame for many projects, changing it out with the seasons...

A case of a card from CARDS 2010 that had a lemon theme originally, looks cuter in roses to me :-)  It's for my sweet Mommy for Mother's Day...

This was a plain striped canvas beach bag {new with tags} that I found at our local Goodwill.  I added some fabric yo-yo's for a fun and bright beach bag...

This is an altered artist printers tray from 7 gypsies that came as a kit from The Button Farm - but took me over a year to finish... have been just a little bit busy... go figure!!

Pfamily Pfun:  Yes, we currently live in a town called Pflugerville - so every 'f' word starts with a 'P' here... lol... well - maybe not EVERY 'F' word...  but we were able to attend the recent Bike Rodeo with the boys - and OHHHH what Pfun they had!!!

Our adult daughter visited us here in Texas from Oregon - what Pfun we had!!!!!!!!!  We attended the Austin Rodeo and she had the time of her life... although she is a country girl at heart....

Sara Evans was the performer for the evening - she was outstanding!!  Best live vocals I have ever heard!!

And what proper Texan lady wouldn't want at least one of each of these perfect pairs of boots??

We were able to sneak in a little photo shoot while she was here, they all turned out so beautiful!!  Here's just a snippet...

No Spring in Texas would be complete without a few Blue Bonnet pics, so snapped a few of my sweet twins...

And of course, I was finally able to get a new camera after 8 years of a less than stellar one.  It's not a super expensive fancy-schmancy one - but it is decent and once I learn how to use it - look out world!!

As I continue my struggles through the path to better health, I am reminded that good health isn't just about maintaining a healthy weight.  When I was growing up, I was told not to eat a certain way so that I "wouldn't get too fat"...  However, turning 40 this year has brought up many health issues with my insides - not just my weight.  So we have implemented much more healthy eating and exercise in our family so that our kids' "insides" can be healthy as well.  It has been 4 months - and we are going strong!!!  Please pray that I may continue to manage my health problems - and that my kids will keep up the exercising as we go into the hotter months here in Texas... much harder to get a kid to exercise when it's over 100 degrees outside... lol...

Much love and Hugs to all my crafty friends out there!!!

 

Operation Yum: Adventures in Gluten Free Cooking

Hey Y'all!!  I have been 100% gluten free since November, 2012 and it has really changed my life.  I have had massive gastrointestinal issues following my gall bladder removal in 1999, and I noticed a difference in my health on the first day I went 100% gluten free.  Although this way of eating has cured my intestinal issues, it has naturally created many other issues.  A vastly limited amount of options for my immature palette is among the many.  It can be very depressing to just want a sandwich, or a fast meal out on the go - and have little to no options.  First, let me say that yes - there is gluten free bread.  But I find it repulsive, seemingly resembling a week old crumbly piece of pound cake in thickness and texture.  So, I choose not to eat it period.  It tastes so terrible to me, that I would just rather do without and remember the pillowy goodness of a squishy white Wonderbread fondly.  One thing that I find difficult to overcome in GF cooking is that the Yum is just non-existent in my life now.  It is also difficult to accomplish good texture, limit carbs, and incorporate fiber into your meals.  I find myself gravitating to the quick meals like some kind of bland meat and some veggie on the side.  While this is certainly a healthy way of eating, it is completely tasteless and I start to have an aversion to chicken breast after a while...  So I have challenged myself to try to experiment and come up with recipes that I find yummy.  I also want to try to alter existing foods that I have enjoyed for many years - but cannot eat as they are written - calling for gluten filled ingredients.

The first recipe that I set out to change and enjoy was the Pioneer Woman's Blackberry Cobbler.  I miss donuts, pop tarts, pretty much anything sweet for breakfast so badly!  Her recipe on Foodnetwork.com calls for self rising flour, however I used the gluten free bisquik instead and added 1/2 tsp baking powder with fabulous results.  I would love to show you a picture, however - I ate the entire thing in 2 sittings along with my hubby.  He thought it was delicious as well, although it had tons of sugar.  I think you could do without the last 2 TBS of sugar in her recipe and be just fine, but to each his own...  Here is her recipe from Food Network, altered for your gluten free enjoyment:

Gluten Free Blackberry Cobbler:
 Ingredients
1/2 stick butter, melted, plus more for greasing pan
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup Gluten Free Bisquik

1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup whole milk
2 cups fresh (or frozen) blackberries
Whipped cream and/or ice cream, for serving
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 3-quart baking dish with butter.

In a medium bowl, whisk 1 cup sugar with the flour, baking powder and milk. Whisk in the melted butter.

Rinse the blackberries and pat them dry. Pour the batter into the baking dish. Sprinkle the blackberries evenly over the top of the batter. Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar over the blackberries. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 1 hour. When 10 minutes of the cooking time remains, sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over the top. Top with whipped cream or ice cream . . . or both!

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/blackberry-cobbler-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

**As always, you will want to use only gluten free ingredients in these recipes, even if it is not noted to be completely gluten free.




The next thing I decided to conquer is Mexican food.  It kills me that so many Mexican restaurants use flour in all of their sauces and enchilada fillings.  Boooo!!  So off I went to conquer a few tasty recipes.  I really like chicken enchilada soup, so here is what I experimented with and it turned out wonderful!  I made a Jalapeno Green Chile Chicken Chowder and topped it with tortilla strips and sour cream (I find Daisy to be a nice gluten free brand).  Here is the recipe:

Gluten Free Jalapeño Green Chile Chicken Chowder:

2 TBS Olive Oil

2 carrots, diced

3 celery stalks, diced

2 TBS garlic, minced

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced (more if you like it hot)

8 oz canned green chilies

½ can corn (you could use creamed corn for added flavor/ texture)

1 ½ tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

¼ tsp cumin (or more to your taste)

5 cups chicken broth {Gluten Free}

½ bunch of cilantro, cut up

2-3 cups of shredded chicken (I used 8 small tenderloins)

¼ butter (I used salted)

1/3 c Gluten free all purpose flour

½ cup mashed potatoes

1 cup heavy cream

{sour cream and tortilla strips for topping if you wish, you can find gluten free varieties}

In a small sauce pan, cook 1 large baking potato (cut into chunks) until soft, mash until smooth.  In a stockpot, cook chicken pieces, adding a dash of water to deglaze the pan as needed until fully cooked.  Leave some of the brown goodness on the pan.  Remove the chicken and set aside for now.  Add a touch or water to your pan to deglaze and add carrots, celery, onions, jalepeno’s, salt, pepper, and cumin.  Add in your olive oil.  Cook for a 2-3 minutes, then add the garlic and continue cooking about 4-ish more minutes or until crisp tender.  Shred the chicken when you have a second.  Add your chicken broth to the mixture and bring to a boil.  In a separate pan, melt butter and add your flour to make a rough {sp?} cook the flour mixture stirring constantly for about 3 minutes. Don’t overcook it, just on medium heat will do fine.  Ladle about 1 cup of your hot chicken broth over to your rough mixture and whisk constantly to make it smooth.  Then add this flour mixture back to your stockpot veggie mixture and whisk until smooth.   Add in your shredded chicken, corn, green chilies, cilantro, mashed potatoes, and boil for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add in heavy cream.  Serve with gluten free corn tortilla strips and a dollop of sour cream on top… 

**As always, you will want to use only gluten free ingredients in these recipes, even if it is not noted to be completely gluten free.

Could use a bit of hot sauce if you like it hot.  Also, if you don’t need gluten free and aren’t bothered by msg, you could add chicken bouillon for additional flavor.  I didn’t say it was healthy by any means, but tasty none the less and GF which is a plus.     If you like it chunkier, you could always add more veggies to your taste…  Enjoy!!  I used a minimal amount of GF flour because it is expensive, and added in more texture with the mashed potatoes.  The texture was great – no difference between other gluten filled chowders I have had… lol….

Happy cooking and wish me luck in these adventures!!!  

~HH

Spring has sprung... well... maybe just in my house :-)

Got right to work decorating for Spring as soon as the weather warmed a bit.  It is always sunny in Texas, so it really doesn't feel like winter at all to me.  Figured late February was just fine to break out the pastel pretties!!

Unfortunately, I have to use fake flowers in my house, living with 3 cats.  I learned that lesson the hard way...

Front door decor...

Found this little chicken wire cloche at a local antique market, had to have it!!

My faux mantle display...  in the entryway - greeting everyone with some happy things!!

Adore these faux chocolate foil wrapped bunnies...  My kids never fail to ask if they can eat them...  lol...

Spring banner that I made at least 5 years ago... holding up well!!

Dining area decor...

Paid tribute to Dr. Suess on his birthday (March 2nd) with some green eggs and ham for lunch...

Jakob learned how to make Grandma Molly's recipe - he had a ball!!

Finally got around to making my version of Rachel Hall's Happy Home sign that I saw on her blog over 5 years ago...  So happy I did, and made it my own to match my decor... Love personal and homespun type of touches in my house!  It is my firm belief that decorating the way you love doesn't have to cost much, and doesn't always need to come from a store.  I just happen to like this way of decorating, many ladies prefer expensive things...  Not me...

I truly believe that the Lord has called me to be a happy homemaker, wife, and mother.  I do my best with what I've got, so you won't find Pottery Barn or anything else expensive in my home.  Just because I love to have pretty things, doesn't mean that my husband should have to work his butt off to pay for them.  So I get creative, and purchase something every once in a while.  But usually just something to go with things that I already have, that can take my existing stuff up a notch... just the way I like it...
Happy Day everyone!!!!!!!!

Feeling lovey-dovey....

Actually, I have been feeling very ill these last couple of months and my doctor has figured out that I have an under producing thyroid.  Which means that I have to be on medication for the rest of my life.... Boooooooooo!!!!!  So I am drowning my sorrows in getting crafty and lovey-dovey... Crafting and decorating are my form of therapy... anyone else feel this way???

I decorated for Valentine's Day a little differently this year with these great book page heart garlands.....

We have a sweet heart shaped rock collection....

My love notes :-)

Some close ups of my Love Potion #9 altered jar...

free printable from the internet.....

Some book-page garland... love it!!

altered my chalkboard for Valentine's Day....  

I squeezed in some crafty time and completed this layout using some American Crafts Neapolitan supplies.  I think the colors are amazing in person, hard to translate to photos...  I had a sketch from an Embellished layout from years ago that I wanted to try - but it required lots of stitching... so I hunkered down on the couch with my sweetie and we had a TV night together that was quite productive....

I saw the Valentine's challenges on 2p's, and was inspired to create this heart layout of my sweeties at my daughter's graduation.  I challenged myself to not use any of my go-to supplies (like ribbon and buttons).  I think it turned out great....

I have been reading the book The Power of a Praying Wife, and let me just say..... LIFE CHANGING!  Most things in that book, I think I had already came to terms with on my own at one point or another.  Or at least I knew that things should be a certain way in the eyes of the Lord.  However - reading the words that it is okay to be a certain way (and not be a goody-two shoes wife - or keeping up with the Jones-es wife) is really inspiring.  The reminders in that book are ones that I greatly need, as a wife of 13 years and counting to my sweet hubby.  Marriage is not easy, and having patience and grace with one another is a daily.... wait no.... minute to minute challenge when you factor in health issues, household demands, financial pressures, children, etc.... you know the rest.  Anyway, I have highlighted something on every page of this book so far - and I wish I could remind myself daily of these things.  The biggest things that resonate with me are working on yourself first - praying for yourself to be patient and the type of wife that God wants you to be.  The book talks about submission - and not in a crazy, unhealthy, or kinky way people....  It says, "Submission is something you give from your heart, not something demanded of you".  And "establishing a hedge of protection around your marriage" in the way of your faith and prayer.  This book really has some terrific prayers in it - which is often a challenge for me to find just the right words to convey my true wishes and longings to the Lord...  Anyway, I cannot say enough good about it, highly recommended and I am excited to purchase the other books in the author's series....

 
Hope everyone finds some crafty time and look out Spring - here it comes!!!!!
~HH