Crafty Saturday- May's Wreath

I have been waiting all year to be able to make this wreath! I thought it was super cute and very different.
http://www.createcraftlove.com/garden-hose-spring-wreath/
What all you need:
a 15 ft water hose
a bunch of flowers
ribbon
garden gloves
twist ties
You can add a garden shove as well

I spent $10.88 for this wreath. Very budget friendly! I took me 30 minutes from start to hanging on the door! LOVE IT!

Menu Round-up

Menu round-up is changing! I'll be posted one recipe that worked last week. And It's a good one too!
I have made this for my lunches and for my hubby I add leftover chicken. He loves it to.
The great thing about it is the longer you let it sit in your fridge, the better it will taste.
http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/easy-summer-pasta-salad/

Easy Summer Pasta Salad

ingredients:

1 pound dry pasta
1 small yellow bell pepper, seeds removed and diced
1 small red bell pepper, seeds removed and diced
1 small orange bell pepper, seeds removed and diced
1 large seedless cucumber, chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup store bought balsamic dressing (use your favorite brand)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped basil
Salt and black pepper, to taste

directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente; drain, then rinse with cold water to cool.

2. In a large bowl, combine pasta, peppers, cucumber, artichoke hearts, and tomatoes. Pour the balsamic dressing over the pasta salad and gently stir to combine. Add the feta cheese and basil and stir again. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Chill until ready to serve.

This is before the pasta was added. It's so colorful!

What a wonderful weekend!

I love those weekends where you get a lot done and have tons of time to relax! Last weekends was one of those weekends!

Lets start with Friday! It rained so hard that this is what my front yard looked like..Well actually this picture is the beginning of it. The whole yard was flooded!Not the house, just the yard. So Friday night we sat out on the front porch and talked while the water receded.

Saturday I finished the top part of my quilt! YAY! While the sewing machine was out I finished the curtain for the window in front of my kitchen sink.

You can see my wonderful hubby outside of the window, he was working in the yard. We are going to be doing a lot of yard work this next month. (super excited!)

The plan for Saturday was to clean out the garage, however due the rain Friday night we had what we  call "Lake Ausmus" in front of the garage. My kids were happy Lake Ausmus was there because they didn't have to help with this project.

I got tons of cross stitching done both Saturday and Sunday.

Sunday hubby and I went grocery shopping and I got busy washing all the clothes, picking up the house and reading about what plants will work in our shaded yard.

Sunday night we watched another sets of big storms roll through the area, worried about tornado's. But it all worked out!

This weekend was great and we all needed to relax here at the house.

Monday's Menu

Hello all! 
This weeks menu I have changed my leftover night to Thursdays. Other than that it's a really easy Menu, simple recipes!

Saturday:
  Breakfast: Cereal
  Lunch: Jack n Box (we were out running errands) 
  Dinner: Crock pot Spicy Chicken Stew

Sunday:
  Breakfast:Believe it of not it was a Sandwich! (hubby wanted a sandwich for breakfast!)
  Lunch: sandwiches
  Dinner: Breakfast Casserole (We did the whole Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Backwards!) 

Monday:
  Breakfast: Strawberry Banana Smoothie
  Lunch: Pasta Salad
  Dinner: Crock Pot Cubed Steak (YUMMY!!!)

Tuesday:
  Breakfast:Strawberry Banana Smoothie
  Lunch: Pasta Salad
  Dinner:  Doritos Chicken Casserole

Wednesday:
  Breakfast: Oatmeal
  Lunch: Enchiladas
  Dinner: Crock Pot Cheesey Chicken and Broccoli

Thursday:
  Breakfast: Strawberry & Banana Smoothie
  Lunch: Chef's Salad 
  Dinner:Leftovers

Friday:
  Breakfast: Strawberry Banana Smoothie
  Lunch: Chef's Salad
  Dinner: Hot Dogs.

Saturday Craft!

 There is a story to this crafty quilt! 

4 years ago I told my husband "I'm going to teach myself to sew!" I went out bought my sewing machine and was so excited when I got home and took it out of the box. I thought to myself at the time the number of things I wanted to do with this machine. As I read the owners manual I realized how confused I was on how to work this machine.Frustrated I sat the sew machine down to collect dust for 2 years. 

 Last year while my mom(she is very crafty and used to sew all the time) was visiting I pulled it out, looked at her and said "HELP!" 

 She showed me how to make a bobbin, thread the needle and how to use my machine. I was SUPER excited! I started cutting my blocks for a rag quilt. The cheat for this is to cut a cardboard the size of the square you want and use that when cutting the material.

 WHEW! All squares were cutting let the sewing begin! And that's what I did, happily I sewed my squares together, Nothing was going to stop me! I had my mom make 1 bobbin for me and I thought I could figure out how to make another, I was STOPPED again and frustrated.Sewing machine set a side again.

Earlier this month I was talking to a co-worker about how frustrated I was about the bobbin thing and she uttered the magic words. "Try looking up a how to video on you tube." WHAT! How could I have completely over looked this. I am always telling my hubby to go to you tube! 

I came home that night and thanks to the magic of the internet, I have my bobbin made and I am now sewing again!

 The top of this quilt will be finished by the end of April. As I sit here and type I have about 30 minutes worth of sewing to complete it. I've budgeted in for May the batting and back fabric for this quilt so it will be completed by the end of May!

 I told my husband that this quilt will remind me about how even though I set everything aside a couple of time I DID COME BACK and I DID FINISH IT!

Room Makeover Week 3

I got a lot of the kitchen organized. However due to the rain I did not paint the trim; because it would take FOREVER to dry!
I spent $8.00 on fabric for the windows and made the curtains. I love the way it turned out!
I hung 2 tension rods in the window so I could easily put the curtain up to let sunlight in.

This weekend I'll be finishing with organizing everything in the cabinets and finishing up them room. (not painting the trim due to it's going to rain this weekend)

Menu Round-up

This was not on the menu last week. I made it for a performer at Scarborough Fair,

of course I had to try it and it was DELICIOUS! Now I did Change 1 thing I made my homemade Alfredo Sauce!
http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2011/04/spinach-lasagna-rolls.html

Healthy Spinach Lasagna Rolls

Serves: 9 lasagna rolls

Ingredients

• 9 lasagna noodles, cooked
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and completely drained
• 1 (15 ounce) container fat free ricotta cheese
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasonings
• salt and fresh pepper
• (optional) 1 chicken breast, cooked and diced
• 32 oz tomato sauce (I used spaghetti sauce)
• 9 Tablespoons part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Make sure you drain the spinach well. Combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, Italian seasonings, chicken, and salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Pour about 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish.
2. Place a piece of wax paper on the counter and lay out lasagna noodles. Make sure noodles are dry by patting them with a paper towel. Take ⅓ cup of ricotta mixture and spread evenly over a noodle. Roll carefully and place seam side down onto the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles.
3. Ladle sauce over the noodles in the baking dish and top each one with 1 Tablespoon of mozzarella cheese. Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese melts. Makes 9 rolls.
4. To serve, ladle a little sauce on the plate and top with lasagna roll.