New Blog Design

I'm tinkering around with a new blog background, trying to make it brighter and happy. Soon I hope to have a cute blog header. Working with Picasa and figuring out all the effects it can do! China Cabinet is almost complete and will have pics of the laundry area posted as soon as I get the knobs on the doors :) This week is spring break and I will be working with my son on his room. Being 14 and trying to have a grown up room is trying but I think we have a good plan and I'll share it here once its finished.

Chicken Tetrazini

This recipe I found on the internet and tweaked it a little bit, so good, creamy and fast!


Chicken Tetrazini


3 cups cooked chicken (chopped or shredded)
8 oz. cooked spaghetti noodles
8 oz. sour cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 packet dry ranch dressing mix
1/3 cup crushed seasoned croutons

Break spaghetti noodles in half and cook as package directions state. Drain and place in a 9x13 pan place all other ingredients except crushed croutons in pan and stir to combine. Then sprinkle crushed croutons on top and bake in oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

I served this with steamed broccoli and Cheese & Pepper Bread.


Enjoy!

Longing for Spring

I am so ready for spring! And I so want these old metal chairs

My Great Grandmother had old metal chairs like these all around her yard and front porch I love them!

So many pretty colors!

Love this!

Flower bed? lol

Lush green lawns and beautiful gardens

Soothing water features

Ah! Another one sooo cute!

I love this idea for a picnic table

Hmm interesting!

Now thats different

More pretty colored metal chairs!!

Been busy with the hallway makeover and almost done with the small china cabinet. I have so many wooden frames to paint and black n white photos to print. Pillows and curtains to sew. Enough projects to keep me busy for a little while! Soon it will be time to put together the flower beds and crank up the mower.  

Take time to smell the flowers :)

Week #4 Challenge- Kitchen Organization

This week over at A Bowl Full of Lemons Toni has us sharing how we organize our kitchens. Mine is still in remodel stages but I do have the cabinets organized. I'm hoping in the next few weeks to be completely finished with the remodel and will share full pics then. But for now here is how I have things organized right now.

My white china is in an upper cabinet. Bought a wire divider to help add more storage space.

Here are glasses, cereal bowls and soup mugs.

The Lazy Susan holds all the spices and baking supplies.

Oh and the sandwich storage baggies

Food pantry- Top is for breakfast items, second shelf can goods and larger boxes using a wire shelf to give me more storage area, third shelf is pasta, puddings, soups and the bottom houses my large containers of sugar, flour, cornmeal plus onions and potatoes.

I use a wire shelf storage basket in here as well to hold season packets. Candy Cane Kisses! How did those get there?!  Better question how do I still have any left lol

Under the kitchen sink I installed the wire storage basket to hold foil, plastic wrap and wax paper.

"Tupperware" containers are above the stove, I have more they are just in the dishwasher :)

To the right of the stove are liquid measuring cups, oils, ciders and 

on top shelf dessert cups and shot glasses that my sister has brought me when she travels.

 On the left side of the stove is the coffee station with filters, coffee, creamer and of course cups.

Dry measuring cups hang next to the sink for easy access ( I use them alot)

Thanks for stopping by and having a look at how I organize my kitchen!

Vinyl and a Cricut

Hello :)
Its took me months to make time and figure out how to use my Cricut or exactly what to make with it besides cards. After seeing blogs using Silhouette machines and what all can be done with those, well duh I figured out the Cricut can do those things too!!! So this morning I was on a mission I will do something I wasn't sure what but it was going to happen TODAY!

I really loved the vinyl being used on Kitchenaid Mixers. Hmm I have vinyl, well there ya go!

I used the Stretch Your Imagination &

Graphically Speaking cartridges for this project.

Lay your vinyl on the sticky mat and choose the design you want and cut

Once done peel up ALL of the vinyl from mat it should have cut but left the back of the vinyl untouched

Trim the vinyl so its just around your design

Now removed all excess vinyl leaving only the design 

Apply the transfer tape on top of the vinyl design and smooth out. then peel away which your design should be sticking to the transfer tape

Here I made sure my mixer is clean and dry. I placed my design and smoothed it over the surface then slowly peeled away the transfer tape

So my mixer went from plain to....Woohooo!

I added some butterflies

I love how it turned out!

I have linked this project up at;

 Tatertots and Jello 

A Little Knick Knack

March Menu 1

 I'm going to break up the monthly menus to coordinate with when I buy groceries which is every other Friday. Its a little easier for me to post it this way and to make the shopping list I take with me to the store. I will post recipes throughout the month, enjoy!

Mar 1 Spaghetti with Garlic Bread
Mar 2 Creamy Ranch Pork Chops with rice and veggies
Mar 3 >> Take Out <<
Mar 4 Rotisserie Chicken with potatoes and veggies
Mar 5 Stuffed Shells with Garlic Bread (make full batch freeze half)
Mar 6 Crock Pot Italian Chicken with steamed veggies
Mar 7 Homemade Calzones
Mar 8 Smokey Chicken & cheese potato casserole
Mar 9 Spaghetti with Garlic Bread
Mar 10 >> Take Out <<
Mar 11 Asian Pork Chops with glazed carrots and snow peas
Mar 12 Soft Tacos and Tostadas
Mar 13 Crock Pot Chicken Tetrazini with steamed broccoli
Mar 14 Stuffed Shells with Garlic Bread
Mar 15 BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
Mar 16 Chicken & Dressing Casserole with sweet potatoes
Mar 17 >> Take Out <<

Outlander Series

I'm going to take a small break from showing projects and tell you about a series of books that I absolutely adore! Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series of seven books so far just makes my heart skip a beat!

If you enjoy the first book you must keep going. The characters develop with even more intensity and new ones come to life. Each book continues the lives and trials of James and Clare Fraser. This mix of Sci-Fi historical and romance is thrilling. Diana's gift for bringing words to life so you can imagine smells, colors, fear, anticipation and love is amazing! Her deep historical study of life in 1740's Scotland to the 1940's is brilliant. She is not afraid of writing about the horrors of life in prison during war, some parts which may shock you. Life back then was definitely different then it is now, so many hardships and personal struggles that none of us today would ever dream of having to live through. I give this series a 5 star rating absolutely wonderful!

List of books in order
Outlander
Dragonfly in Amber
Voyager
Drums of Autumn
The Fiery Cross
A Breath of Snow and Ashes
An Echo in the Bone

You can read in Diana's own words about her descriptions of the books here.

Have a great Saturday!