Ipad tray

If I'm not using my Ipad in the kitchen I am sitting on the couch with it propped on my lap.  Not the most stable way to work.  When  found two of these 14X14 Asian style trays for $1.00 I thought they would be perfect lap trays for a meal, drink or the Ipad.  I cleaned the tray off and glued on crumpled red check tissue paper.  When that was dry I added 3 garden inspired prints I found on the internet and printed..  Try Graphics Fairy for some wonderful ideas.  Two additional coats of Mod Podge and the tray is done.

box redo

I've had this paper mache box for years and wanted to use it in the new bedroom.  It's great for holding all the little clutter that seems to accumulate. It had been mostly navy blue with a primitive country scene on it.  While it's hard to tell it is now a rag painted cream and white with letters cut from my Cricut decoupaged on.  I think it may need a few fabric flowers on top to finish it off. What do you think?

project time part one

When the weather outside is frightful we do projects inside.  Updating our master bedroom has been needed for quite a long time.  It was navy blue which worked great for a cave like look when AH worked nights but now it is time for a change.  With a heavy brass bed, oak wardrobe, two dressers, a trunk and music cabinet it was going to be difficult to maneuver everything around.  I moved out all the clutter, quilts, bedding and books so I could clean out all the dust bunnies.  Then we got down to the business of painting.  Two days of hard work along with three coats of paint and primer and our room is starting to look bright and clean again.  I have been informed that I can never paint any other wall in this house navy blue again.   Stay tuned for part two coming soon.

VCB

Kathy and I always get a kick out of seeing our business featured in the local newspapers.  This week we made the front page of my towns paper, the Oakland Independent, what a thrill.

Oakland Independent

January 16, 2014

ClassE offers interactive lessons on business ownership

By Janice Hunt

OAKLAND – ClassE, a countywide program that high school seniors enroll in to learn how to be successful entrepreneurs, held a class at Oakland High School on Friday as part of a recruiting effort for the next school year.

The presentation was given by Terri Temples of Oakland and OHS graduate Kathy Cartwright of Charleston, who have run their business, Vintage Cottage Beauty, for two years.

Temples and Cartwright talked to a group of students about the challenges and rewards of running their business and guided them through the process of making their own bath salts soaks and body scrubs.

Oakland High School students Maddie Flesner, Luke Nash, Hayden Strader, Tim Smith, Tyler Wright, Coy Cox and Heidi Dague joined 10 ClassE students from Mattoon and Charleston for the class.

No Oakland students chose to enroll in ClassE this year, but the district anticipates having four or five students participate next year, said Principal Adam Clapp.

“ClassE gives OHS students a chance to see entrepreneurship at its roots in Coles County,” Clapp said. “Students are able get out into the business world, meet Coles County business men and women, and see how local businesses run from the inside out.

“Students get a hands-on, project-based learning experience where they get to develop their own business plans, execute the plans, and see how the process compares to other students’ businesses, as well as business plans that are used locally.”

Last year, Michael Strader of Hindsboro took the class, and after he graduated from OHS in 2013, the landscaping business he had formed with Colton Anderson of Mattoon went on to be one of the program's biggest success stories, said ClassE instructor Jeanne Dau.

Through Strader and Anderson's business, Right Path Landscaping, they “were quite busy this summer and couldn't keep up with the calls to help with their landscaping,” Dau said.

Other ClassE graduates have found success, as well, including Rhydon Vassey of Charleston, who designed a video game, “Executive Power,” that can be purchased on Amazon.com; and two students who are working with Rural King to carry a product they have been producing.

At least three students have be hired at area businesses “because the business owner supported this class and knew they would be professional,” Dau said.

Most ClassE graduates are still in college or pursuing military careers, so their entrepreneurial ideas have been put on hold, she said.

Dau initially taught the class last year through Eastern Illinois University's Business Solutions Center. This year, she teaches the class for Eastern Illinois Education for Employment Systems, which has a business advisory board that raises money and helps with the class.

Cartwright and Temples said one reason they like contributing to the program is that they've gotten so much assistance from Dau's programs for beginning entrepreneurs.

Temples and Cartwright, who have given presentations for the class for the past two years, said they're happy to be involved in an effort that could have such an impact on students. They also enjoy interacting with the students, whom Cartwright said are “just wonderful.”

“I think when they get to do hands-on projects, seeing what things are really like, it's more helpful than anything,” Temples said.

“The thing I like about this is it's really professionally done,” Cartwright said. “They're really getting a top-notch program. They're getting to talk to people they'd never have gotten to talk to from throughout the county. I think it just opens their eyes up and opens their world up.”

© 2014 Oakland Independent

Oakland Independent Facebook link

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oakland-Independent/206390239520689

trays

I pick up wood serving trays all the time when I'm out thrifting or hitting garage sales.  They are rarely more than $1.00 and I use them all over my house.  Both of these trays were scratched, ugly, dark stained wood that had seen better days so I decided to redo them for our bedroom we are redecorating(that project will be coming soon).  After giving each tray a good wipe down with a damp cloth,  I mixed up my own chalk paint by adding 2T of plaster of Paris to 1C flat white paint and mixed well.  My plaster was old and I should have sifted it before mixing into the paint, it came out a little lumpy.  I gave each piece two coats of paint and let dry over night.  On the smaller tray I did an antiquing glaze of thinned dark brown acrylic paint and rubbed most of it off.  On the other I stenciled 'always kiss me good night".  After everything was dry I added a coat of Min-wax finishing wax in clear for a little protection.  Now both trays are ready to go in the freshly redecorated room as soon as it gets done.  That's our plan for next weekend.

The circus came to town

YEP, that's what you've got to call it when AH and I plus all five grand kids invade a St Louis hotel.  We are noisy and silly and a little rowdy, but we do know how to have fun.
In an effort to shy away form the commercialism of Christmas we have opted to give our grand children memories rather than toys or money.  They are all blessed to have so many of the material things life offers that some times another toy or gift just gets lost in the chaos of the holidays.
This year we gave them a no parents allowed weekend get away.  The place we stayed had an indoor pool, hot tub, arcade and all kinds of games to play.  Add in unlimited snacks, the movie Frozen, no real bed time, nachos for lunch and soda for breakfast and you have the perfect storm for fun.  If you misbehaved you had to sleep on a pillow made of all our stinky socks.  If you didn't get up in the morning all the other kids jumped on you until you gave in.  Really bad behavior would have let Grandpa sing to you until your ears bled.  Luckily the only one who was punished was oldest grand daughter Kaylie who got jumped on by all her cousins when she didn't get out of bed fast enough.
These kids will only be children for a few more short years.  Hopefully they will carry memories of  these times they spend together forever.

getting crafty

I've been trying my hand at the art of Zentangle for several months now and have never done anything besides my sketch book and bookmarks.  I was messing around the other day and picked up this rock to draw on.  I made sure it was clean and used a regular extra fine sharpie.  It turned out fine, the kitties think it is the best toy ever.  I've seen these rocks used at weddings for people to write on and we used them at my son Nathans wedding, with inspirational words written with a paint pen, as favors and table scatter.  About the same time I needed a clip board.  I abhor using anything plain and boring so I started doodling on the front and back.  I first painted both sides of a $store clipboard with regular acrylic paint let that dry then used several stamps for the back ground.  I would  pick it up and add a few designs whenever the mood struck me.  Zentangle is something I do when I'm watching TV or sitting in a boring situation like the doctors office.  I keep a sketch book and pen in my purse for just such occasions.  It doesn't matter that I'm not very good, at least I'm keeping my mind busy which is very good for the aging brain.

pretzle fun

I love those hot pretzels you can get at the mall so when I found a box of pretzel mix I decided to give it a try.  They were easy to make and tasted wonderful.  Once they were baked I melted some leftover Christmas fudge thinned with a little milk to make a dipping sauce.  I had to restrain myself from eating all of them.  They freeze well so we can have a snack later.  Don't be afraid to try something new.  If you have a treat you like when you eat out you can probably find a recipe or mix that will give you the same taste but be homemade.  The mix I used made 10 pretzels that were big enough to use as sandwich buns.

longing for spring

A week from the biggest snow/ice/cold weather we've had here in 20 years I am SO ready for spring.  With about 3 months before that will really happen I'm looking for ways to bring spring into the house.  Last fall when the spring bulbs appeared on the store shelves I grabbed several bags of tulips and daffodils for the yard and several more of paper whites and hyacinth to force inside.  I will I planted a few pots full right before Christmas and they are just starting to bloom.  They make a great centerpiece and make the house smell wonderful.  Make a note to pick up these bulbs next fall and you too can have spring flowers to brighten up your home.  I still have a few bags left and will pot those up a couple at a time to last at least through February.

a large food can covered with contact paper makes a great vase

simple centerpiece

Food pantry

All most every town has a food pantry to help those in need.  It amazes me that our little town provides food and necessities for dozens of people each month.  Although the Christmas season helps fill up the shelves, by the time the holidays are over the shelves are bare again.  The things that most pantries run short of are not food but the paper and personal goods they can not get at the food banks and most people don't think of donating.  People on food stamps can't use the stamps for non food purchases like toilet paper, soap or shampoo.  One of the easiest ways I've found to help is to pick up 3-6 things each time I go to the store. It doesn't add much to the bill and by the end of the month you have a nice contribution to give.  Also consider giving your time.  I know ever time I work at our local pantry I come away blessed.  A recent study I read says the average American family could only go six weeks without a pay check before they would need the services of a food pantry. Scary, you bet.
This is a list of the non perishable things food pantries are always short of
Toilet paper, paper towels, laundry detergent, bleach, dish soap, feminine products, bath soap, hand lotion, razors, shampoo, conditioner, tooth paste, tooth brushes.
I'm sure I've missed some items.  GIVE, GIVE GIVE you will receive so much more in return.
If you grow a garden contact your local pantry, most would love to have fresh produce to give, so plant an extra roll or two for just that.

let it snow

As I am writing this on a Sunday morning, we are in the early hours of a major snow storm and record breaking cold snap.  All the weather services, news stations and state warnings are telling everyone to stay inside and off the roads.  Of course AH looks at all of this as a challenge to his "survivor man" skills and has been in and out since early morning, scrapping his windshield, getting gas and bringing in the wood pellets.  Me, I love to look at the storm from inside my cozy kitchen.  Snow and cold are not my idea of a good time.  It's a good day for soup, naps on the couch and maybe some home made cookies.  Stay warm and if your state department of transportation is saying keep off the roads, do.  A trip for more beer or whatever you are out of is not worth risking your life!!!
Here's a recipe for a Midwest favorite, ham, green beans and potatoes. Perfect for a nasty cold day.
1# ham cut in small pieces I just used what was left from  our Christmas dinner.
4-5 potatoes, washed, peeled and cut into chunks.
2 15oz cans green beans drained, of course home canned are best but if you don't have them store bought is fine.
4C beef broth or 4C water and 4-5 beef bullion cubes.

Put everything in a big pot, add additional water if the liquid does not cover everything.  Simmer until potatoes are tender.  Fresh baked corn bread is great with this.

goat cheese and caramelized onion dip

Sweet, tangy and savory this dip hits all those notes.

Caramelized onion
1 onion slice or chop and cook with 1T oil on low until dark brown then add 1-2T sugar and stir until dissolved.  This takes about 20 minutes and you have to keep a close eye on it the whole time.  If the skillet looks dry add a little water, I added about 1/4C in all.
I love these onions on sandwiches and baked potatoes.  You can always do 2-3 onions at a time and refrigerate the rest for later.
1 6oz roll of goat cheese at room temperature crumbled
4 oz cream cheese at room temp.
2T milk
Mix the cheeses together and add milk to make it a spreadable consistency, add the onions and stir.
Use as a spread on crackers or with vegetables.
I am not a big dip fan but this is a favorite of mine.

Happy New Year

Welcome 2014, may you bring great joy and happiness.  We're not much for big or late new years eve celebrations.  We celebrate quietly.  I thought some of you might like to see our annual family picture.  We do this every year and I am always amazed at how much all off us change each year.

L-R Kaylie, Brendan, Ronnie, Sara

Barb, Jaydin, Nathan, Chase

Rich, Katelyn, Brandi

Sara

HJ, Ryan, Carolyn

After a long day and a huge meal we all collapsed and watched Despicable Me 2