FYI....

I will be leaving for the holidays and be back after the new year. Hopefully after all the stress of the holidays is over I can get back to crafting a little more. Have a wonderful Christmas and an exciting New Year!

Italian Breaded Pork Chops

Ingredients:

4-5 boneless pork chops

1 1/2 cups Italian bread crumbs

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup parsley

2 eggs

2 Tablespoons milk

olive oil

seasoning salt

garlic powder

Directions:

1. In a shallow dish whip eggs and milk together. In a second shallow bowl, mix bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and parsley.

2. Season each pork chop (both sides) with seasoning salt and garlic powder.

3. Dip each pork chop in egg mixture then generously coat with bread crumb mixture.

4. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Cook pork chops till breading becomes golden (approx. 5 minutes for each side).

5. Place pork chops in a baking dish and cook for 25 minutes at 325 degrees.

Baked Ziti

Ingredients:
1 lb. ziti pasta
1 onion, chopped
1 lb. lean ground beef OR Italian sausage
2 26oz. jars spaghetti sauce (I prefer Prego Meat Sauce, it tends to be thicker)
6 slices Provolone cheese
1 1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups Mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese, to cover
Directions:
1. In a large skillet, brown ground beef OR Italian sausage with onion. Drain fat. Add spaghetti sauce to skillet and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. While meat mixture is simmering, boil noodles until al dente. Drain.
3. Layer as follows in a 9x13 pan:
1/2 ziti noodles, Provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 meat sauce mixture, remaining ziti noodles, Mozzarella cheese, remaining meat sauce mixture, and cover with Parmesan cheese.
4. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Spinach Parmesan Garlic Toast-
I highly recommend trying this! I bought a loaf of Spinach Parmesan bread from Alpine Bread Co. and added my garlic butter spread (recipe in Garlic Chicken Alfredo post) and cooked it under the broiler for a few minutes- Yummo!

Crock Pot Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

1 large bell pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2.5-3 lbs. lean ground beef

1 1/4 cup ketchup

5 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

4 Tablespoons packed brown sugar

3 Tablespoons white wine vinegar

3 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 teaspoons chili powder

hamburger buns

Directions:

1. Cook ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium-high heat until meat is browned and crumbly and onion is translucent. Drain fat.

2. Combine ketchup, bell pepper, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, white wine vinegar, mustard, and chili powder in the crock pot. Stir in beef mixture.

3. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours.

4. Spoon onto hamburger buns and serve.

Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

1 1/2 cups sliced celery

1 onion, chopped

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

salt to taste

2 16oz. cans tomatoes, petite diced

3 tomato cans water (48oz.)

2 large carrots, sliced

2 8oz. cans tomato sauce

3 Tablespoons beef bouillon

1 Tablespoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon ground basil

1 teaspoon oregano leaves

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 15oz. can garbanzo beans

1 15oz. can kidney beans

1 can corn

1 15oz. can green beans

1 1/2 cup pasta noodles

Directions:

1. Brown ground beef and onion, drain fat. Place in crock pot.

2. Combine all remaining ingredients except pasta in crock pot.

3. Cook on low for 7-8 hours, add pasta 20 minutes prior to serving.

Christmas Centerpiece

I love how simple and cute this turned out! I have to thank Amy Foote's sisters for this great idea. This is nothing more then a hurricane vase turned upside down and a decorative finial ($4-hobby lobby) glued on top with liquid nails. You can place it on top of a cake stand, candle stand (pictured above), or a charger. I bought the beads from Designer Blvd. and wrapped them around the outside just for something extra. You can fill it with anything! I love that I can use this year round. I filled it with christmas balls because I am in charge of a table centerpiece for our ward Christmas party. Love it!

Initial Plaque

I really like this project and I am so glad it is FINALLY finished! I started working on this a while ago but had to put it on the back burner with so many things going on. I can't decide whether to hang it outside my door or on my door. I guess I have plenty of time to decide with my Christmas decor taking over. Too bad it took me so long to finish, now I have to wait to display it till' after the holidays. I'll post the "how to" instructions soon. I just wanted to get it uploaded and I'm running short on time.

Ranch Chicken

Ingredients:

3/4 cup corn flakes, crushed

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 pkg.(3 Tablespoons) ranch salad dressing mix

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half (or you can use 6-8 tenders)

1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions:

1. In a shallow bowl, combine corn flakes, Parmesan cheese, and ranch mix.

2. Dip chicken in melted butter, then roll in corn flake mixture to coat.

3. Place chicken in a greased 9X13 baking dish.

4. Bake uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until juices run clear.

Happy Thanksgiving

Just wanted to wish all my readers a Happy Thanksgiving!
Have a safe and Happy Holiday Season!

Banana Bread

Ingredients:

(1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon) for dusting pans

3/4 cup butter

3 eggs

6 very ripe bananas, mashed

1 16oz. container sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons baking soda

4 1/2 cups flour

Directions:

1. Grease 2 regular size bread pans. Mix 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and dust greased pans with it.

2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Mix in eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla, and cinnamon. Mix in salt , baking soda, and flour. Divide into prepared pans.

4. Bake at 300 degrees for approximately 90 minutes, or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.

Journal/Notebook

I made this as a sample for enrichment the other night and thought it turned out cute.

What you need:
composition book
scrapbook paper
mod podge
foam brush
scissors/paper cutter
embellishments- glitter, ribbon, jewels, tags, chipboard, stamps, whatever you want!
(any tools needed to apply embellishments)
What you do:
1. Cut the scrapbook paper to size. I cut my paper exactly to size, leaving the original spine exposed. You can also wrap your paper around the entire book covering the spine. Repeat the same thing for the inside covers as well.
2. Apply an even layer of mod podge on cover and apply scrapbook paper.
3. Apply embellishments. If you choose to add a ribbon page marker, I glued my ribbon to the entire length of the very center page of the book so it could evenly reach all pages of the book.
4. When finished, you can put a coat of mod podge over the entire book to help seal the paper and embellishments, but you don't have to.

Tag Swap

I went to a tag swap tonight and these are all the adorable tags I came home with. Just thought I'd share!

Stink'n Good Carmel Corn!

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons butter

2 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup light corn syrup

1 can Eagle brand sweet and condensed milk

8 quarts (5 bags of microwaved) popcorn

Directions:

1. Prepare popcorn. Remove kernels. (see tip at bottom)

2. In a medium saucepan, combine syrup , butter, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Simmer for 10 minutes and continue stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add milk and vanilla.

3. Pour over prepared popcorn.

This is so yummy and gooey!

*Tip: I got an awesome tip that I wanted to add. An easy way to remove the kernels from the popcorn is to pour it out over a cooling rack. The kernels will fall through the slats and the popcorn stays on the rack...genious! No more sifting through popcorn for me!

Mexican Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 Lb. ground beef

½ onion chopped

1 jar spaghetti sauce 24-26 oz.

16 oz.cottage cheese

1 egg

½ pound grated Mozzarella cheese

½ pound grated cheddar cheese

½ cup parmesan cheese

1 package flour tortillas

Directions:

1. Brown hamburger and onion in a pan and drain well.Combine with the spaghetti sauce.

2. In large bowl combine beaten egg, and all the cheeses. Save a little of the Mozzarella and cheddar for the topping.

3. Put a layer of the tortillas in a 9x13 pan. Tear them to fill in all the spaces. Then add a layer of sauce and a layer of cheese mixture. Repeat (about 3 times) ending with the sauce. Top with remaining grated cheese.

4. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve hot.

On your individual plates top with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and chopped olives as desired.

Name Board

I found this not-so-cute sign on clearance at Target...
and turned it in to this Oh-So-Cute sign!

What you need:

sign/board (again, Target clearance $4.24!)

paint (for edges of wooden letters)

spray paint (for board)

sand paper

brush

wooden letters

scrapbook paper

mod podge

hot glue gun

What you do:

1. If you do buy this board, you'll want to "rough it up" a bit with sand paper. If you buy a wooden board, it wouldn't be a bad idea to sand it first as well.

2. Spray paint board.

3. Paint the sides of you wooden letters. Let dry completely.

4. Trace each letter onto scrapbook paper and cut out.

5. Apply a thin layer of mod podge to each letter and position paper letter over top.

6. Once board is dry, hot glue your letters on.

Believe

Another dollar store find! This little wooden believe sign was at the dollar store a while back and I thought it would be great for Christmas.

What you need:

wooden sign

paint

foam brush

mod podge

glitter ( I am a major fan of the Martha Stewart glitter sold at Micheals)

What you do:

1. Paint the sign the same color as the glitter you will be using. Let dry completely.

2. Apply an even layer of mod podge to the sign using a foam brush.

3. Sprinkle generously with glitter and let dry for approximately 2 hours.

4. Touch up any spots that may have gotten missed.

Garlic Chicken Alfredo

Ingredients:

1 envelope of McCormick's Creamy Garlic Alfredo mix

8oz. fettuccine noodles

6 chicken tenders

Johnny's Garlic Spread & Seasoning (can be purchased at Costco)

Directions:

1. Rub garlic seasoning on each chicken tender (both sides), place in a small baking dish, cover with foil, bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

2. While chicken is cooking, boil noodles until al dente. (I think fettuccine noodles take longer to cook, so give yourself a little extra time)

3. Approximately 5 minutes before the chicken is done, begin making alfredo sauce according to package instructions.

4. Slice chicken into bite size pieces, place over noodles. Pour alfredo sauce over top and sprinkle with parsley.

* The Johnny's Garlic Spread & Seasoning is an awesome spice to have around. You can add a couple tablespoons to softened butter and spread over a loaf of french bread, throw it under the broiler for a minute or two and whah-lah...yummy garlic bread!

Another Pumpkin

I just had to share! We made these pumpkins at our Fall Craft Night Enrichment. They are made out of air conditioning duct, a little spray paint, glitter, ribbons, and leaves. I thought it was so cute!

Pumpkin Wreath

please excuse my dirty door

I found these cute little pumkins on clearance at Michaels and had to buy them. I thought they turned out pretty cute on a wreath!

What you need:

12 pumpkins (from Michaels, come in packs of 4)

18" wire wreath

5+ yards of ribbon (I used a moss color, it's really not all that noticeable what color you use)

hot glue gun

What you do:

1. Cover metal wreath with ribbon.

2. Generously apply hot glue top the bottom of each pumkin and place on wreath. Make sure you place them close together, it's a tight squeeze!

Puffy Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup shortening (I use the butter flavored)

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup sour milk (add 1/2 teaspoon vinegar to sour it)

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:

1. Sift and measure flour; sift with baking soda and salt.

2. Cream butter and shortening. Add sugar gradually, creaming until light and fluffy.

3. Add egg and beat well.

4. Add flour mixture alternately with sour milk. Mix well after each addition.

5. Add extracts.

6. Chill dough for at least 30 minutes.

7. Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thickness on a floured board/counter. Cut out desired shapes using cookie cutters.

8. Bake on a well greased cookie sheet for 8 to 10 minutes at 400 degrees.

9. Cool cookies completely before frosting.

(another one of my MIL's yummy recipes)

Frosting:

4 cups powdered sugar

1 egg

pinch of salt

1/2 cup shortening

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

Witch Hat with a little Shimmer

I found this cute sign at the dollar store but knew it needed something more. I was hoping to use purple glitter but I've just been to busy to make the extra trip to the craft store.

What you need:
Witches Inn sign- dollar store!
glitter
glue/mod podge
brush
What you do:
I think this one is pretty self explanitory!

MIA

I know I have been MIA lately. We've had a tough couple of weeks but I promise to post soon. Thanks for stopping by!

Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds cubed beef stew meat
2 cups water
1 small onion, chopped
1 28oz. ounce canned crushed tomatoes
1 16oz. package frozen mixed vegetables
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
10 cubes beef bouillon, crumbled
2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbl. salt
1 Tbl. dried basil
Directions:
1. Place beef in slow cooker. Pour in water. Sir in remaining ingredients and season with bouillon, salt, pepper, and basil. Cook on low for 8 hours.

*warm cornbread tastes great with this!

Burrito Pie

Ingredients:
4 (8 inch) flour tortillas
8oz. refried beans
1/2 lb. ground beef
taco seasoning
salsa
shredded lettuce
olives
cheddar cheese, grated
diced fresh tomatoes
sour cream
Directions:
1. Fry tortillas, one at a time, in hot vegetable oil until lightly blistered and browned. Drain on paper towels.
2. Saute ground beef. Add refried beans. Add taco seasoning and salsa to taste.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. On a cookie sheet, place 1 tortilla and top with 1/4 of bean mixture and 1/4 cheese. Repeat 3 times.
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until heated through.
6. Serve with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, olives, and sour cream.

*this is another one of my M.I.L.'s recipes that my husband loves!

Holy Apples!

Before After
Apple Lollipops

Ingredients:

lollipop sticks (cut in half)

melon baller

granny smith apples (approx. 8 per apple)

chocolate chips/peanut butter chips/butterscotch chips

chopped nuts, caramel, sprinkles, crushed oreos

small paper cups

Directions:

1. Use melon baller to scoop balls out of each apple.

2. Push half of the lollipop stick into the peel side of the ball.

3. Pat the apple balls dry.

4. Melt chips according to package instructions.

5. Dip and swirl each apple in melted chips and coat with topping of choice.

6. Place in paper cup to set.

Bow Holder

What you need:
wooden initial
paint or scrapbook paper
brush
mod podge (if using scrapbook paper)
staple gun
ribbon
What you do:
1. Paint or mod podge scrapbook paper to the wooden initial. *It looks cute if you spray with glitter spray too.
2. Attach ribbon to back of letter using a staple gun. (Length of ribbon depends on how many bows you are trying to store on it. You can even add more than 2 strands if you wanted.)
3. Tie large bow and attach to the back with staple gun as well or you can just use the pre-existing grooves/alligator teeth to hang it with a nail.

Baby Shower Quilt

My sister sent out quilt squares with my baby shower invitations for everyone to decorate. We got most of them....sorry if yours did not make it on here, but here it is! It turned out really cute. Thanks to all who helped make it, especially my mom for putting it all together.

Fall Pumpkins

Okay...so it wasn't long at all before posting my first sewing craft!

What you need:

fabric of choice, 2 pieces equal in size (any size)

coordinating thread

poly-fill (stuffing)

rice

sewing machine

ribbon

embellishment (optional)

What you do:

Tutorial with pictures can be found at: http://thoughtsandcraftsbyholly.blogspot.com/2008/09/passionate-about-pumpkins.html

Sewing Crafts To Come!

So I got this little gem for my birthday! I know absolutely nothing about sewing but I'll give it a try. It's nothing fancy, just the beginner model to get me started. I've seen so many things I want to make lately that I figured it was time. I'm sure my mom will appreciate the break from having to sew everything for me. So it may be a little while before I produce anything blog worthy, but I know lots of people who can help me get going. My mom is coming for a week in November so hopefully I'll get in some major pointers then! So check back occasionally for new sewing crafts. Hope you are enjoying the site!

Chicken Ranch Pizza

This is one of my very favorite recipes, it is DELICIOUS!

Ingredients:

1 large pizza dough, uncooked (fresh or frozen), click here for homemade dough recipe

3/4 c. ranch dressing (homemade Hidden Valley Ranch)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 c. Mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 c. bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 c. chicken, cooked and cut into strips (Rub the chicken with olive oil and generously sprinkle with Montreal Chicken Seasoning on both sides. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.)

2-3 tomatoes, sliced

Directions:

1.Mix ranch dressing and crushed garlic together then spread evenly on the pizza dough. Sprinkle a little cheese over the ranch dressing then add chicken and bacon. Sprinkle more of the cheese over that, add the tomatoes, then add the remaining cheese.

2.Put in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15-17 minutes. (if you are using a homemade pizza dough then cook according to dough recipe's directions ).

*Thanks to Family Favorite Recipes for this delicious recipe!*

Never Lose a Dish Again...Name that Dish!

I found a tutorial online for etching your name on your glass dishes. I thought this was so cool. Being LDS, there's no telling where your dishes might end up! Now, they'll always know who to return it to. To find out how to make your own, visit:

http://happyvalleyquilter.blogspot.com/2008/03/name-that-dish.html

Wall Art

I made this set for my craft room. You can make any size depending on the space you are trying to fill.
What you need:
4- square canvas (any size) 6x6 pictured
acrylic paint
brush
mod podge
coordinating scrapbook paper
What you do:
1. Paint edges of canvas. Let dry.
2. Cut scrapbook paper to size.
3. Apply mod podge to the back of each paper and place on canvas. Smooth out bubbles.
4. Apply an even layer of mod podge over the front of the squares, going slightly over the sides to seal the paper down.
5. Mod podge will bubble and wrinkle like crazy- DON"T PANIC! Walk away and hours later the paper will magically have sucked itself back down.
6. Hang on the wall!

Crafty Clipboard II

This is an additional version of the clipboard I already posted. I just used 2 different paper prints to add a little more to it. See "Crafty Clipboard" post for instructions.

No-Sew Burp Cloths

What you need:

cloth diapers

iron-on/patch

iron

What you do:

1. Pre-wash cloth diapers to ensure iron-on adheres permanently.

2. Iron cloth diaper.

3. Follow instructions on iron-on package.

*These also look super cute if you sew the ribbon down the panels as well.

Ribbon Burp Cloths

What you need:

cloth diapers

ribbon

thread

sewing machine

What you do:

1. Cut ribbon to size and sew on each side of center panel. That's it!

This makes a really cute gift if you make a matching pacifier clip.

*thanks to my mom for making these, I'm not a sewer.....yet.

Seasoned Potatoe Wedges

Ingredients:

3 large potatoes

olive oil

season-all salt (Lawry's)

parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Scrub potatoes well, and slice into wedges. Place on a foil lined baking sheet.

2. Brush wedges with olive oil and season generously with seasoning salt and parmesan cheese.

3. Bake at 450 degrees for 25 minutes (or until cooked and golden brown). Flip the wedges after 10-12 minutes.

Serve with ranch dressing or fry sauce.

Chicken N' Gravy over Rice or Noodles

Ingredients:

2 cans cream of chicken

1 soup can milk

3-4 chicken breasts

rice or egg noodles

salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Cook chicken, I usually boil mine. Cube into bite size pieces.

2. Whisk together cream of chicken and milk. Pour into large skillet over med-low heat.

3. Add chicken to gravy mixture. Let it cook about 5 minutes over med-low heat, or until warm throughout. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Serve over rice or noodles.

This recipe is one my mom always made growing up. It is super easy and kids love it!

Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

Ingredients:
2 cups powdered milk
1/2 cup Nesquick
1 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup cremora

Directions:
Add hot water, stir, and enjoy!

*thanks to my mother-in law for this recipe

Rolls....No Kneading Required

Ingredients:
9 cups flour
1 cup sugar
4 cups milk
1 heaping tsp. baking powder
1 scant (just under) tsp. baking soda
1 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbs. salt
4 1/2 tsp. Active Dry Yeast

Directions:
1. Mix milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a large pot. Cook on medium heat and "scald" the mixture. Turn off heat just before it comes to a boil. Let cool to lukewarm (90-110 degrees).
2. Once cooled, add 4 cups of flour and yeast to mixture. Stir until well blended. Add an additional 4 cups of flour. Stir until well incorporated. Set aside covered for about an hour, or until doubled in size.
3. Once doubled in size, add last cup of flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix well; may need to be slightly kneaded.
4. Generously butter muffin pans. Form the rolls by pinching off walnut sized pieces and rolling them into a ball. Repeat with all dough and tuck 3 balls per muffin cup.
5. Cover and allow to rise 1-2 hours.
6. Bake at 400 degrees for 14-18 minutes. (times vary depending on type of pan used, ie: coated, non-stick, silicone, etc.) Tops should be golden brown.
Glaze with melted butter.

Salsa

Ingredients:

2 28oz. cans petite diced tomatoes (with juice)

1 can diced green chilies

2 bunches green onions

1 bunch cilantro

2 cloves garlic

1 jalapeno

1 Tbs. crushed red peppers

1-2 tsp. chili powder

1 Tbs. sugar

1 lime, juiced

salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Finely chop green onions, cilantro, garlic, and jalapeno (or just throw in food processor).

2. Add all remaining ingredients.

3. Enjoy!

BEWARE: Soo Yummy and Soo Addicting!

(thanks to my sister-in-law Cindy for this recipe)

Spruce Up your Mouse Pad

What you need:

scissors

iron

steam-a-seam or heat n' bond

fabric (I just used left over scrap from when I recovered my chairs)

What you do:

1. Cut fabric and steam-a-seam to size

2. Adhere to fabric and iron on mouse pad!

Shredded Beef Tacos

Ingredients:

3-4 lbs. boneless beef roast

2 pckgs. taco seasoning

1 small onion, diced

2 cups water

5 green onions, finely chopped

1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

5 radishes, finely chopped

corn tortillas

salt, to taste

Directions:

1. In a crockpot, mix taco seasoning, onion, and water. Add roast (you may need to add a little more water to cover roast, all depends on size of your crockpot). Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

2. When meat is done, shred with two forks and place back in crockpot till serving.

3. Mix finely chopped green onion, cilantro, and radishes. Chill until ready to serve. (this garnish is what makes the tacos!)

4. Just prior to eating, warm corn tortillas. Spoon shredded beef and garnish into tortilla.Add cheese, salsa, jalapenos, etc.

Honey Chicken Kabobs

Ingredients:

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

2 garlic gloves, minced

1 large onion

1 yellow/orange bell pepper, cut into 2" pieces

1 red bell pepper, cut into 2" pieces

skewers

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, honey, soy sauce, pepper, and garlic. Reserve a small amount of marinade for brushing kabobs while cooking. Place chicken and vegetables in marinade and let marinate for at least 4 hours, the longer the better.

2. Heat grill to high heat.

3. Thread chicken and vegetables alternately onto the skewers.

4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill kabobs for 12 to 15 minutes, or until juices are clear. Turn and brush with marinade frequently.

Crafty Clipboard

What you need:
Clipboard

Mod Podge
Brush

Ribbon of choice

12 X 12 Scrapbook Paper

What you do:

1. Cut paper to size

2. Brush Mod Podge over clipboard

3. Position paper, let dry

4. Apply thin layer Mod Podge over entire board to seal paper down, let dry

5. Tie assorted ribbon on clamp

Magnets

What you need:

Large glass gems

clear drying tacky glue

paint brush

scrapbook paper of choice

1" circle punch or scissors

strong magnets

What you do:

1. Cut or die cut circles

2. Apply a thin layer of glue to back of gem using paint brush.

3. Place circle face down on gem.

4. Let dry and attach magnet.

some magnets come with adhesive backs, but if not you can use the same tacky glue or a hot glue gun

Binkie Clips

What you need:
5/8" grosgrain ribbon of choice
snaps
badge clip (available on ebay in many colors)
cropadile (to attach snaps)
embossing heat gun

What you do:

1. Cut ribbon to desired length according to age of baby

2. Heat seal each end of the ribbon using the embossing heat gun (a hair dryer may even work) to avoid fraying.

3. Thread badge clip on one end of ribbon and secure the clip by attaching a snap using a cropadile or you may sew the end as well. (the black floral clip is sewn, the pink dot clip is snapped)

4. Fold over opposite end leaving a loop big enough for pacifier to move freely and attach snap using a cropadile.

*the mam rings can also be purchased at Target and attached to the loop

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, cubed
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup choppped onion
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. celery seed
1 can chicken broth (about 1 3/4 cups)
2/3 cup milk

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and set aside.
3. In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer until thick.
4. Place chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust and seal edges. Make small slits in top to allow steam to escape.
5. Bake for 30 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown. Let cool before serving.

* I bake mine an extra 5 minutes because we like our crust really toasty.

Binder Clips

What you need:
1. any size binder clips
2. tacky glue
3. q-tips
4. your choice of scrapbook paper

What you do:
1. cut scrapbook paper to size
2. spread a thin layer of tacky glue over clip with q-tip
3. adhere paper to clip

Super Cute & Super Easy!