Good Eats and a Little Sewing

Happy Monday everyone!  Time is just a whippin' by.  I think that the older I get, the faster it goes!  This past weekend, my older son and his girlfriend went to her senior prom.  Being he graduated high school two years ago, he wasn't keen on attending this event, but he understood it meant alot to her.  She looked beautiful, he looked handsome and they had a good time.  It poured here all weekend and is predicted to rain pretty much all week.  We only had a few days off from the rain and it seemed nice.  Our river will swell again and, no doubt, more damage will happen. 

I wanted to share a couple of easy recipes with you.  On Saturday nights, we usually have a couple of homemade pizzas.  This past weekend, I made stuffed crust pizza and Cheeseburger Pie.  Both of these recipes are started with refrigerated biscuits/pizza dough products.  The pizza couldn't be easier.  You just take the tube of pizza dough and unroll it in a 9x13 pan sprayed with cooking spray.  Push it a little up the sides and line up string cheese sticks along the edges.  Pull the crust down to fully cover the cheese "logs" so now your crust edges are officially stuffed!  Fix your pizza any way you wish with sauce, cheese, and toppings.  Bake at 425 for 15 minutes or so.  It is pretty tasty!  

Now I can't comment personally on the cheeseburger pie because I don't care for hamburger(except at Ruby Tuesday-don't ask!) but it was a big hit with the guys.  This recipe starts with a 12 oz. can of refrigerated biscuits.  Pat 6 biscuits on the bottom and up the sides of a greased pie pan. Cut the remaining 4 biscuits in quarters and set aside.  Meanwhile, brown a pound of hamburger.  Drain if necessary.  Add some onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste.  Stir in 1/3 cup ketchup and a couple of squirts of mustard.  Stir and heat until bubbling.  Spoon beef mixture into pie plate.  Arrange 7 American cheese slices on top of beef.  Place biscuit quarters, point side down, around the edge.  Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes until biscuits are golden.  I thought next time I would put a little pile of pickle relish in the middle to serve.  Also, you could switch out the cheese for swiss and leave out the mustard and add mushrooms or bacon.  This is just a starting off point.  That is why I love to cook.  I try to make each recipe my own. 

Speaking of making things my own, I sewed a big pouch for my knitting needles.  A while back, I made a knitting needle holder out of a placemat.  It held them all in sling-style and they were constantly falling out.  So, I decided to measure up the size I would need for my needles and construct a pouch.  I don't think I always go at these projects the right way.  I start out with a project in a book and sometimes I end up with nothing like what I started to do!  This pouch has a zipper and is lined.  It is roomy enough that I am also constructing a smaller pouch to put inside that will hold knitting needle end tips, yarn needles, cable holders and all the little accessories you need when you knit.  Stay tuned for that one-I am thinking of using buttons to close that pouch. 

I hope everyone has a great week.  I am hoping to do some tole painting this week.  I have the perfect project to work on.  Hopefully, I can give you a peek next Monday.  Dancing with the Stars is getting down to the final contestants.  Kirstie Alley is still there!  I also like the football player Hines.  I am anxious to see who wins!  I will be tuning in tonight!  Take care everyone.  Nancy

Another One Yard Wonders Project

Happy Monday evening!  I have had a busy day off.  Usually, I post early in the morning before work, but today a fellow crafty friend came for a visit and we went over material and books and talked about all our projects.  It was fun and very relaxing.  I am glad I took today off after spending most of the weekend at a training class for work.
 

I first want to share another One Yard Wonders project.  I keep finding excellent projects in that book and the instructions are always clear and easy to follow too!  I made a set of veggie pot holders and a mitt.  I love it when a project forces me to try a new technique or sewing machine foot.  I purchased an inexpensive walking foot for my machine and quilted my own fabric for these projects.  It worked like a dream!  The fabric didn't bunch up at all.  That extra feed dog action from the top really keeps everything smooth.  It was fun and rewarding.  I will definitely do that again.  If I want to make another make up bag, I will make my own pre-quilted fabric instead of having to accept what they have in the fabric store.  The supply is always limited.  I used the insulated batting and they are all very professional in that they really keep the heat out. 

I continued on the path of learning more about working with my serger.  I made the plain banded pillowcase right off the bat.  I rethreaded the serger with white thread very easily.  Then all "you know what" broke loose when I tried to make the alternate, harder version.  It involved using the gathering foot and it would work on the sample I was practising on but when I switched to the real thing, not at all!  So I scrapped that for now-it was 1:30 in the morning so I gave up!  I quickly tried the rolled hem and kind of struck out on that.  So,  I decided to make the purple  and pink one a little more feminine with some pre-made lace.  Maybe I will get the hang of those other techniques when it is not so late-I was exhausted! 

I hope all you moms had a great Mother's Day.  I got to have dinner from one of my favorites-Red Lobster.  It was yummy!  As for my gift-feast your eyes on some awesome reading material.

   You know me-never too many books!  I get so much inspiration from them. 

I also want to thank so many of you for your kind comments on my epi pen cozy.  The dimensions of the fabric I used are: 2 pieces of fabric 24" x 5".  Put them face to face and stitch leaving a place to turn.  Then I folded up 8" to form a pouch.  I top-stitched along the sides attaching a ribbon to hold the flap down.  I tapered the flap a little and that's it.  My epi pen is 6 1/2" high and has a circumference of 3 1/2".  If you have any questions, please let me know. 

I hope everybody has a great week.  Happy creating and take care.  Nancy

I Actually Made a Clothing Item...

Good morning and I hope everyone is having a happy Monday.  Where I live, here in the Northeast, we are having serious flooding.  My husband and I like to drive our four wheelers to the river not far from my house and fish all summer.  My younger son and my husband took a walk yesterday to check it out and he took some pictures so I could see.  Where we usually stand is totally under water.  The water is particularly dangerous and fast moving right now.  It will be several weeks before we can consider fishing. 

In keeping with the idea of fishing and summer, I had to fill my prescription of epi pens for the season.  They come two to a box and I need to keep one in my purse and one in the four wheeler.  So I whipped up a fabric case for the one for my purse.  I lined it too.  It is nothing too elaborate but it is better than just putting it in my purse by itself.  I used fabric with bees on it.  I found out I was allergic to bees when I was 26.  I went into anaphylactic shock and I don't know what is worse-being afraid of using the epi pen or having that happen again.  My husband's cousin is also allergic to bees and has used an epi pen on himself many times.  He says it is not too bad but it is something I hope I never have to do.

                                                        

One thing I am kind of excited about is that I made an article of clothing for myself.  I usually make accessories or things for the house.  But I have been eyeballing the nightgown in One Yard Wonders(love love love that book!).  So I made it. 

  

I shortened it and wear it to bed with satiny shorts.  Also, I made it out of a very light weight flannel.  It is so soft and very comfortable.  I just may make another one!  That book has so many wonderful, usable projects in it.  If they ever make a sequel to it, I will be the first customer! 

I wanted to pop in a picture of my sewing mascot.  Every time I get up from my sewing chair, she gets in it and wastes no time making herself right at home.  What a character! 

I have a particularly busy week at work ahead of me.  I have to take a course that runs Friday night and all day Saturday for my job.  Needless to say, I am not looking forward to losing a good chunk of my weekend, but I am thinking of starting a painting project so hopefully I will be able to show you that next week.   Take care.  Nancy 

Hope Everyone Had a Nice Easter...

My 20 year old son and his friend/co-worker volunteered to dress up to hand out candy at the hospital they work at.  They visited the Pediatric ward and the Elderly Home.  My son(the rabbit) said the costume was very hot but they were glad they did it. 

My husband made these donuts(and many more) for our Easter breakfast yesterday.  It is Paula Deen's recipe.  All you need is a couple of cans of refrigerated biscuits and some peanut oil.  We dredged some in cinnamon sugar and frosted some with chocolate icing.  They were spectacular!  I don't even want to guess how many pounds those put on!

I was busy in my sewing room this past week.  I made this bag from a Gooseberry Patch book.  I thought the instructions were not very clear.  After getting half way through, I realized I had cut the fabric the wrong way.  It had never been clear what way to cut it.  So, I had to improvise and add a strap to the top.  Luckily, I had more fabric.  I also decided to put some thin elastic cording as a closure with the fabric covered button at the front.  I am pretty happy with how it turned out.  There are many more projects in that book I want to make.  I will have to read the instructions many more times and make sure I know what they mean before I cut anything!

I mentioned a possible road trip with a stop at my favorite quilt shop.  We made the trip Thursday.  I purchased these two kits.  I spent over $80-that is alot for me to spend on crafting kits!  But I have always wanted to learn rug hooking with wool strips and I thought this was my chance to have everything I need to start.  As always, Mission Rose has all these examples on the walls and displayed everywhere so you can see what the completed pieces will look like.  This kit I bought is so beautiful when it is done, I hope I can do it justice being a novice.  If I strike it rich somehow, I am going back and buying one of everything! 

I hope everyone has a great week.  It is back to work for me tomorrow.  Now I am mentally counting down to summer vacation!  If anyone out there is a rug hooker(that didn't sound right!) and has any tips for me, I am all ears.  Take care.   Nancy

Vacation is Here!

I am enjoying just staying home for my Spring Break!  I stayed up until the wee hours last night plotting and planning in my craft room and I have so many projects I want to do, it boggles the mind!  Summer vacation will be here before we know it so I will have plenty of time to work on all the things I have roaming around in my brain!

Just a nod to what I said in my last post about Spring weather coming-I spoke too soon!  It has been cold and windy and rainy/snowy here but I am not complaining because I really feel for the people who have withstood the destructive and dangerous Spring weather.  

The first thing I want to share with you this morning is a kick butt recipe that may sound a little silly but is awesome.   It is barbecue chicken pizza with a scoop of cole slaw on top.  I came up with this combo a couple of weeks ago and I must admit-it is a genius combo.  I start out with a Boboli shell, pizza sauce, barbecue sauce(it has to be Sweet Baby Ray's at my house), shredded Rotisserie chicken, shredded cheese of choice(I use the shredded Mexican blend I get in bulk quantity at Sams-I use this in all my cheese recipes) and shredded cabbage mixed to taste with mayo(I do this early in the day so it will be tastier and moister). 

I mix about 1/4 cup of the pizza sauce with a few squirts of the barbecue sauce and put it on the crust.  I must say this is not an exact science, I just eyeball it. In the same bowl, I mix some shredded cooked chicken with just the barbecue sauce and put it on the pizza.  Next I put shredded cheese to taste(I like alot!) and I put it in the oven for whatever the crust says.  All the components are cooked so you are just warming it.  

Put a scoop of cole slaw on it when it is warm and there you have it.  It is seriously yummy and addictive.  I love turning my favorite foods into pizzas.  I have quite a few recipes like that.  We usually have pizza every Saturday night and I try to make unique ones.  Last Saturday, we had this pizza and a white pizza with garlic infused olive oil.  I will share that with you next time. 

I also did some sewing last week that I want to share.  I whipped up a cute little pin cushion jar using a jar from some homemade strawberry jam one of my students had given me for Christmas this past year.  I used a scrap of fabric left over from my sewing machine cover.   You can never have too many pin cushions- I have them all over my craft room.  Plus, I think of Ava and her gift every time I use it! 

Now what is this you ask?  I made a cat tunnel for Mickey from Amy Butler's book.  I used minky instead of fake fur because she goes nuts for the texture of minky.  However she hasn't used it as a tunnel yet.  She has laid on it and dragged it around by the drawstring but she has yet to use it for its intended purpose.  I realize she may never use it.(yes I saw that funny look my husband gave me when I showed this to him!)  I am just a crazy cat lady who tries everything to make her happy.  Perhaps this phase

will end when I have grandchildren and I can make things for them-not that I am rushing things, my oldest is only 20! 

I hope everyone has a great week.  My husband mentioned a road trip perhaps Thursday and my favorite quilt shop may be a pit stop.  Here's hoping!  Happy crafting everybody and take care.  Nancy 

Beautiful Spring Weather and Some Sewing

It is early on this Monday morning and it is already 62 degrees!  Could it be we are finally putting Winter behind us?  I actually enjoy Winter but enough is enough!  Let's hope we turned a corner. 

When I first saw ruffled aprons in blogland, I was smitten to say the least.  Morgan at One More Moore did a tutorial on how to make one.  She gives great thorough instructions on her tutorials so I copied it off and planned to make one some day.  Well some day finally came!  I confess I am not the best gatherer(is that a word?) for making ruffles but I think it turned out cute.  I don't know if I mentioned it but my kitchen is all done in veggies-I have quite the collection.  I had these veggie fabrics and thought the vibrant colors would look really cool together.  I like it.  When I was arranging my craft room I found a kit to make a bug jar quilt that I had purchased off from ebay.  It has all the "I spy" veggie fabrics instead of bugs so it will look like canning jars with vegetables in them.  They are mini sized so it should be quick to make.  That may be something I could work on over my vacation-I have three more days to work(not that I am counting!) and I am off for a week and three days total. 

I also made this reversible tissue box cover yesterday.  The instructions are from Amy Butler and it was easy-I may make a few more!  My husband keeps the tissues on his bedside table because my side is always too full with pictures, remotes, hand lotion(you know the stuff).  So, for the last ten years or so, he had this large honkin box of tissues with a cardboard cover I covered with wallpaper samples.  It never covered the whole box and there was no reason not to down-size the box of tissues.  Well, it was time!  I change my comforter and curtains and pillows in my bedroom every six months.  I have a set for summer, and one for winter.  Now I can change the tissue cover too!  Isn't it funny how little things can make us giddy?! 

I think I finally took a picture of Mickey that doesn't look so stern!  She drags her toys all over the house and we frequently wake up and find them in our bed!  Shortly after I took this, she zonked out and I snapped this:

Isn't she something?  Pets add so much to our lives.  I just love her! 

I hope everyone has a great week and I hope it is getting warmer and Springy wherever you are.  Take care and happy crafting.   Nancy
  

And The Inspiration Continues...

Over the past week, I had plans-plans to make items from one of my favorite crafty books and even plans to make something from a pattern.  Well, I went where my creative daydreams were taking me and that is to blogland to try out more things I have read about from all of you creative and talented people!

For starters, I had fun making this ruffled scarf from MADE.  It included a technique I had been dying to try-smocking with elastic thread in the bobbin.  What fun!  It was easier than I thought it would be.   I was able to wind my bobbin with the elastic right on my machine-I didn't have to wind it by hand.  I didn't have to mess with the tension on my machine.  It just worked perfectly!  The most time consuming part was hemming the scarf before I gathered it with the elastic.  I didn't like the look my serger made on this fabric, so I hemmed it the old fashioned way.  I am wearing the scarf today.  It is summery and I would prefer to wear it with a dressy tshirt, but it is chilly and rainy here in the Northeast, so I am wearing it with a crew neck sweater. 

Another project I made was a mug rug.  I have read about these and they sounded so fun, I had to try one.  I found this "house version" on Fashioned By Meg.  It was so much fun to think about what fabrics would define me a little so this mug rug would be personalized.  I love toile so that was the roof fabric.  I used wood look fabric for the actual house so it would be like a cabin.  My sewing room shows through the window and the door is my shoe fabric because, as my husband will tell you, I am a shoe girl.  And let's be honest, Mickey had to be on there somewhere!  She is by the door.  I had a blast using my sewing machine's fancy stitches to put yellow tulips under the window.  It was a lot of fun.  I forgot the chimney though.  I had cute measuring tape ribbon all ready for it and I got so carried away with the rest, I forgot. 

One last thing I want to show you is this amazing Bloomin' Onion Bread I found on Your Homebased Mom.  It is crazy good!  I didn't have any green onions, so I put garlic powder in my melted butter that I drizzled on top.  Yowza!  I had a hard time stopping!  Luckily, I had made homemade beef vegetable soup to serve with it so there was some nutrition to counteract the butter, bread and cheese. 

I hope everyone has a great week.  All three of my guys have a head cold that is hanging on so I hope that will be leaving us soon.  I am counting down to my April break from school.  I am hoping to get to my favorite quilt shop, Mission Rose, during that vacation.  Take care of yourselves and happy crafting.  Nancy