pasta fagioli

I made this for the entire family while celebrating over Thanksgiving.  A big bowl of soup and a roll or two made a complete meal.  I think it tastes better than Olive Garden.

1# ground round
1C diced carrots, celery and onion
3-4 cloves garlic minced
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
12oz V8 juice
1 can red kidney beans and great northern beans
2tsp salt, oregano, and basil
1/2 tsp thyme and pepper
1/2# ditalini pasta cooked to aldente and drained
Brown the meat, drain off the grease
Dump in everything else and simmer until vegetables are tender, about an hour.  Add pasta and simmer about 10 more minutes.  If it is too thick you could add beef stock or water.  Serve with grated Parmesan and whatever kind of bread you like.
Note to my family: I doubled this for us

candle ring

Warning:  If you are going to burn the candle, you need to have some kind of container to hold the candle away from the greens.  If you spray this with water every couple of days it should last for 2-3 weeks.  As pieces dry out pull them from the ring and stick in fresh evergreen cuttings.
1 hurricane candle holder I salvaged mine from the local school before it was torn down.
2 pieces of 18ga wire, tape together.  Measure the size of your hurricane container and make sure the candle ring will fit easily over it
Paddle wire
6-8" pieces of greenery  Cut way more than you think you will need, I had a garbage sack pretty full to make this and a wreath..  I used boxwood and arborvitae, that's what I have in my yard.  Any kind of evergreens will work.
Pine cones, balls and berries.  Use what you like.
Have a big pile of greens cut and close by.  Leave a 6" tail and start wrapping small groups of the greens onto the wire.  Add berry picks, wired balls and pine cones as you go along or stick them in later.
Continue wrapping on bundles of greens overlapping the previous bunch you added.  When you get back to where you started make sure the ends of the last bunch are hidden by you first bunch.  Wrap the tie wire around the tail and twist tightly.  Hide the wires on the back of the ring.  Tuck in you embellishments if you didn't add them before.  Check that all the tie wire is hidden adding additional greens if necessary.
I put mine on a charger just so it wouldn't drip on the table.

Family Fun

Since last Saturday, we have spent  days celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday with family.  First we had the holiday with our kids, grand kids and in laws.  We went to son Ronnie's for a huge meal.  He and Sara did all the cooking and clean up.  I didn't have to cook a thing.  Even when you love cooking that's nice sometimes.  We spent the rest of the week end with the kids which was great.  I did teach grandson Chase how to use the bed as a trampoline, probably not the best idea, but he loved it.  The first part of the week was spent getting some gifts finished up and making goodies to take to my parents house.  Thanksgiving day we spent traveling.  The nonstop eating began on Thursday evening and lasted through Saturday night.  Healthy diet was not part of the menu.  We got to see my brother Rick and meet his new lady friend.  I'm sure Christine thought we were all nuts, especially when my sis and I took her thrift store and curbside shopping.  She fit right in, so she must be a little crazy herself.  Saturday was an early birthday celebration of Mom's and niece Hollie's birthdays and another eat-a-thon.  My mother proved once again that I get my control freak nature straight from her when she could hardly stand to be out of the kitchen while we made dinner.
I am so blessed to have the weird and wacky family that I do.

break time

I'm taking a break for the week to decorate the house for Christmas and spend time with family for the holiday.  Give thanks to all the wonderful people, privileges and freedoms you have in your life.

Generosity

At a recent craft show we were set up next to a lady named Jan, a fabulous photographer who gives the profits of what she sells to breast cancer research.  She has lost a daughter to this ugly disease as well as being a survivor herself.  She is an inspiration to everyone who's life she touches.  As we chatted during the slow times of the show I told her about all the junking and thrifting I love to do and what I make with my finds.  The next show we did she was set up also and brought me two big bags full of the most beautiful linens, table clothes, doilies, pillowcases, each thing was more spectacular than the next. I spread the items on my table and took a few picks.  More importantly I've made a new friend.  I've heard it said that people come into your life at the right time to teach you and help you grow.  I love that idea and hope I can be an inspiration and show such kindness and generostity to someone else.

rock candy

Rock candy is a treat from my childhood that still tastes great.  I needed some rock candy to make my Grandfathers cough syurp recipe, it's called Jessie James Cure All and you can find it under recipes on this bolg.,and didn't want ot drive anywhere to get it.  I decided to make my own and it was really easy.  Now if I can just keep AH out of t long enough to make the cough syurp.
3 1/2C sugar
1 1/2C corn syurp
1C water
1C powdered sugar
1-2 tsp flavoring oil I used cinnamon in one batch peppermint in the other
food coloring
Put the sugar, corn syurp and water in a pan, bring to a boil and stir constantly until the sugar disolves.  Stop stiring and cook until it reaches 300-310 degrees on a thermometer
While the syurp is cooking line a cookie sheet with sides with a double layer of foil and spread on 1C of powdered sugar evenly.

When the syurp reaches the correct temperature put in flavoring oil and food coloring, mix and pour on to prepared tray.  Let cool and break into small pieces( I used a hammer with a paper towel on top of the candy) store in an air tight container with all the extra powdered sugar..

Woe is me

Three shows and a Christmas bazaar in four weeks, going to work, all the insanity of an everyday life, did I have to get a cold too?  I know whine, whine, whine.  As a diabetic I have to be extra cautious about medications that I take.  I've had a couple of very bad reactions to over the counter cold and flu meds so I try to treat myself with natural cures as much as possible.  I read about putting eucalyptus oil on your feet before going to bed to stop coughs.  I tried it and it really worked.  I had been coughing my head off every time I laid down.  I put on the oil with a cotton ball, pulled on some socks and didn't cough again for seven hours.  I'm a believer.  You can buy the oil in most health care stores or on line.  You could even try using Vicks but that would be a little messy.

quick pillow

When I was accumulating sweaters to make pumpkins with I picked this heavy knit one for $1.00.  I used the sleeves for pumpkins but decided to use the body to make a quick pillow cover.  Lay the sweater out flat, measure the pillow form you want to use and cut the front and back 1/2" bigger all around.  Sew your seams and turn the cover right side out by opening the buttons, insert form.  If your sweater doesn't have buttons leave one side open, insert your pillow form and hand stitch.  A less than 30 minute project.

tiny light

I found this light fixture in a pile I bought from a sale recently.  It was tarnished brass and filthy but there was something cute about it anyway.  I took it apart, painted the metal part white, glued the crystal piece to the metal shade and now I have a tiny candle holder about 3-4" tall.  I'll probably use a battery tea light in it.  Easy redo for a few pennies.  Don't pass things by because they are dirty or tarnished, take them apart and re stack to make something different.

painting glass

I wanted to make some soap pumps in different colors and decided to paint the glass jars.  I've seen several recipes using Mod Podge but they are not water proof.  I got out some glass paints a friend had given me and gave them a shot. They were the Delta transparent glass paints, you can wash them off for ten days and then the color is permanent.  I brushed on a coat and let it dry.  FAIL!! it was a streaky mess.  Washed that off and tried again using a foam makeup sponge, I patted it on let that coat dry and did a second coat.  It worked, I did them in green, purple and pink and they turned out great.
Don't be afraid to try something new, you can always to it again and learn from your mistakes.  The colors look much brighter in the picture than they do in person.

VCB

If you live in the down state Illinois area come and see us this week end.  We will be at the Chris Cringle craft show in Champaign, Il.  Friday November 2, 3-9PM and Saturday November 3, 9-5.  This is the biggest show in the area and is 100% handcrafted products.  No import and flea market booths allowed.  Mention this post and receive a free gift!

fitted jacket

I almost never sew clothes for myself, but this turned out so cute I may have to make a couple more.
I've seen several jackets made out of sweatshirts on the web lately but I wanted something a little more upscale and fitted.  It was a simple project and took very little time.
You need 1 pullover sweatshirt 1 size larger than you would normally wear
Cut off the cuffs, bottom band and neck band
Mark with chalk and cut straight up the front of the shirt, using a plate add a curve to the bottom of each edge
Slip the jacket on inside out and have a friend place pins at each side to nip in the middle and form darts in the back and the front if necessary
Stitch in the darts and sides.  My sweat shirt did not have side seams so I started at the seam of the sleeve and sewed down to the bottom of the side  in a gradual curve to the narrowest point and back out at the bottom.
Once you are happy with the fit fold under the raw edges 1/2" and top stitch around the sleeves and the body of the jacket.  You could add a button to the top or middle of the front as a closure.  I'll probably use a pin.
No model again and the dog refused to take my picture, so you'll just have to take my word for it that the fit is great and the jacket is cute enough to wear to work if your place is more casual.

darts in the back