September Means Soup

One of the wonderful things about the return of Fall is adding homemade soup back into my menus. Even though it is still in the 80s and 90s here in Southern Indiana, my tastebuds are ready for heart, healthy soups.  So last night I made one of my new favorites from this TOH cookbook.  I love Comfort Food and I love healthy food.  Win-Win!

I tried this recipe a few weeks ago and my somewhat picky 14 year old son, gobbled it down. It was a winner! 

See the '5' I gave the recipe in the margin?  I rate new recipes and books that I read with a 1-5 with 5 being a definite make again or read again.  :) This recipe is simple and fairly quick.  You can't see the last couple of sentences of the directions, so I'll give them to you here.  You mix the flour and the remaining cup of milk into a smooth consistency and add to the soup, stirring constantly.  Bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes to thicken.  Then add the cheese and let it melt.  Done!
I used frozen broccoli, fresh carrots, onions, and celery, and a can of little whole potatoes that I sliced (add canned potatoes near the end since they are pre-cooked).  I used grated cheddar cheese instead of Velveeta.  This recipe is very versatile...use what you have.  And a bonus...it is meatless, yet still hearty!  

Makes about 6 large bowls of soup.  It fed the three of us (2nds for my husband) and will be a lunch for 2 out of the leftovers.

I added a cucumber-feta cheese salad and a whole grain roll.  Dinner is done!

I got this cookbook on Amazon, slightly used.  Highly recommend.  Lots of photos and we've really enjoyed every recipe I've made from here!

Happy September!

Blessings,
Donna

Linked To:  2805, My Romantic Home, At the Picket Fence,

DIY Kitchen Towels for Gifts and for You!

Last Christmas I figured out how to embellish a kitchen towel for my mother-in-law into one that fastened on to her oven handle.  One of  our dear family friends liked it so much, she asked if I could make 3 for her to give as gifts!  So knowing that she wanted 3 towels in a green palette, I bought 3 nice towels on sale at Target, and used some cute scraps of fabric  plus rick rack and ribbon, and in no time had these three little ladies ready for giving.

This one has the potholder attached to the top, like the one I made for my Mother-in-Law so that it can be fastened to the oven handle.  I plan to attach green potholders to the other 2 towels as well, once I find the ones I need at the store.  

I ironed in a hem on all sides of the strips of coordinating fabrics and sewed them to the towel, plus added rick rack for a sweet vintage touch.

For this towel, I machine stitched 3 rectangles of fabric together to make one long strip.  Then ironed in a hem and sewed it to the towel, finishing it with some rick rack.

This 3rd one is my favorite.  I love the four bits of fabric sewn together, and I put a little green bow on the 'different' square which is mostly yellow with flecks of green in it.  Putting it off center adds interest.

I heat sealed the ends of the ribbon and sewed it on securely.

I also heat sealed the ends of the rick rack so they will wash up nicely.  I was sorely tempted to add some buttons as embellishments, but that would hurt when you dried your hands on these, so I stuck with soft embellishments.
I'm thinking these would make nice Christmas gifts...and who knows they might end up being a new product on my Etsy shop, Perfect Darlings.

You can make your own if you have a sewing machine and can sew a straight line!  Give it a try.

Blessings!

Donna

Linked to:  My Romantic Home, 2805, At the Picket Fence,

One of a Kind Coasters

You've probably seen this idea on the internet 20 times.  So have I.  I purchased the 4x4 ceramic tiles at the home improvement store months ago, but just this week did I take the time to make them into coasters.  Now I'm SOLD on this idea!  Sooooo cute and easy!!

I used 4 kinds of paper/pictures to make them.  Here's how it went:  You'll need ceramic tiles, Mod Podge, a small foam brush, felt, and some spray-on polyurethane.  

I took this candid photo of my inlaws holding hands at a recent family wedding.  I looked up during prayer, and there this beautiful scene was right in front of me.  Risking the thought that it wasn't super appropriate to take a photo during prayer (grin) I am so glad I took it.  I printed this on my home printer on copy paper and it worked beautifully.

LOVE this one too.  A hymn from a vintage hymn book over which I printed a neat tree that I think I found at marthastewart.com.  So precious and looks great on our piano.

This one came from a vintage book of maps I found at a garage sale for 25 cents.  My husband and I dream of a European trip sometime in the next 5 years.  This is a sweet visual reminder of that.  The colors of a map come out so beautifully in this project.

And this one is a page from a vintage children's school book.  I love the turquoise and black...two colors I use pops of throughout my home.  I think this coaster will be a favorite during the winter.  Cozy.

Here are the instructions:
1.  paint a medium coat of Mod Podge over the top of the tile
2.  lay the picture you have chosen and precut to size over the Mod Podged surface and gentlly smooth it down.
3.  Mod Podge over the top of the picture.  Let dry for 15 minutes.
4.  Apply a second coat of Mod Podge over the picture.  It will dry clear and hard.
5.  When dry, take outside and set on newspaper.  Apply several thin coats of spray polyurethane.
6.  Let dry 2 hours and spray again.  I did this about 3-4 times throughout the day.  This will help protect the finish from a sweating glass.
7.  Cut a piece of felt and glue onto the back to protect your table tops from scratching.
8.  Enjoy!  Give as gifts!  Make more!

This was such a fun project.  Very useful too.  I'm planning to make some as Christmas gifts using pictures that will be meaningful to the recipients.  I think my grown kids all need one of their grandparents holding hands after 45+ years of marriage.  Perhaps a neat set of their other grandparents married 53 years and of us married for 28 years. A testimony to the blessings of working through marriage through the rough patches for the joy of growing old together and sharing a life history of so many years.

Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings,
Donna

Linked to:
My Romantic Home

Book Review...My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade

Bethany House Books offers a WONDERFUL program called Blogging For Books.  If you have a blog, and are willing to read and review new books put out by Bethany House, then you can sign up. They allow you about 5 choices every month or so, of new books to read and review.  I love Christian fiction, so that is mostly what I choose.  And in exchange for receiving a new book from them, I review it here on my blog, and also at Amazon.com.  The book I most recently received and read is called My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade.  I believe she is a relatively new author.  But you'd never know it.  This was the MOST engaging story I've read in a long time.


The story line involves a red headed, 31 year old social worker named Kate, her sweet and spunky grandmother, an old family home that they are rennovating, and a darkly handsome and yet emotionally wounded ex-professional NHL player named Matt who has left the NHL after the death of his lovely young wife, and now keeps to himself while rennovating old homes.  Isn't that a recipe for a story that pulls at all of your heart strings?


Becky Wade used so many delicious and different choices of words that were just exactly what might really be said in the different scenarios in the story.  The plot had the right mix of moving along while keeping you desperately wanting to read ahead to find out what's next.  There are several side stories going on in the book as well, centering around Gram's senior citizen friends, which become a big part of Kate and Matt's life as well.  The multi-generational story line keeps it realistic and fun.


My only complaint is that Becky Wade used a few slang words that I personally find offensive...they were 'bad' words when I was growing up.  So even though many of my peers and the younger set use them freely today, I haven't really seen them in Christian fiction before.  This will make the book inappropriate for someone like my Mom to read.


Aside from that...this book is one I could BARELY put down at 11pm so I could get to sleep.  And I confess...I did peek ahead many times so that I could get alittle satisfaction before calling it a night and having to wait til the next evening to read more.  Haha!  :)  Click on the photo above to be taken to Amazon for a closer look at this book.


Thanks for visiting!!
Blessings,


Donna

Bethany House Book Reviews

Dear Blog Friends,

I have been terribly neglectful of my blog for several months.  I have excuses.  My Etsy shop keeps me busy almost every day.  A GOOD problem to have.  :)  My toothbrush pouches for traveling are very popular, so I am busy sewing and shipping most days.  The other excuse is even more wonderful!  My 2 adorable Grand Darlings!  Carson is 5.5 months old and Eloise is 4 months old.  I've gotten to take several trips this summer already, to spend time with these two precious little ones.  Bliss.  :)

But I want to let you know about something else that brings me joy, relaxation, encouragement, and mental vacations.  Bethany House Christian fiction books are a wonderful way to unwind at the end of the day and get my mind to relax so that I fall right to sleep when the lights go out!  They are quality, inspiring, interesting, and are something I look forward to every single night.  I'd like to share with you several that I have read this spring and summer.

An Unlikely Suitor by Nancy Moser captured my attention before I even opened the cover. Such beautiful artwork on the cover!  And the mystery of the title and the scene on the cover drew me in.  The main character, Lucy, a young Italian dressmaker living with her extended family in New York City, is sweet and smart.  Her family depends on her to help make a living and to help lead them in wise decisions, as her father has died.  Lucy's friendship with one of the young socialites for which she sews clothes, leads her to a wonderful summer away from hot New York City, to the seaside delights of Rhode Island.  While there, she chances to meet a wonderful, wealthy young man and they fall in love.  BUT...who is this young man, and does she really have the freedom to accept his love and devotion?  Time will tell!  I will definitely read this book again in the future.  It was captivating.  I enjoyed the scenery so nicely painted with words.  I like to sew, so I enjoyed the descriptions of the dress designing and hat making.  And Lucy is a character that is easy to love.  Click the photo above to be taken to Amazon for more information.

In Too Deep by Mary Connealy was a fun book.  Ethan Kincaid is a rugged, strong, man of honor.  He has trouble expressing his true feelings and tends to try to smile problems away.  He feels very responsible for his brothers and for a certain young widow who needs protection.  Therefore, he proposes to Audra, and is suddenly a husband and the father of two little girls.  Audra is independent and strong, but is facing fears of her own.  Can love grow and flourish in such a situation?  And with dangerous crooks in search of a treasure they believe that Audra possesses?  What about the perilous cave on their land which both intrigues the Kincaid family and also strikes dread in their hearts?  Is it a friend or a foe?  You'll fall in love with Ethan, Audra, the Kincaid brothers, the baby girls, and the  determined Julia in this story from long ago.  I enjoyed reading about the workings of an 1800s ranch. Click the photo above to find more info on Mary's book.

DIY Composition Notebooks to a Grandma's Journal

I am such a blessed woman.  I turned 50 in December, and  became a grandma for the first time in January and the second time in February!  Carson Davis is 16 weeks old and Eloise Mae is 9 weeks old.  And I get to be their Mimi.  Complete bliss!

I met an experienced grandmother who told me that she has journals for her grandchildren.  She writes in them about the times she spends with them, and as the kids are getting older, they love to read them.  I was smitten by this idea, right away.

Since I've decorated Composition notebooks before to use as holiday idea books (read about that here) and life organizers too, I decided to go that route with Mimi Journals.  October Afternoon has adorable vintage papers that I decided were perfect for my project.

For each of the journals, I chose coordinating papers, some buttons, and I printed the baby's name on cardstock.

And with the use of a pencil, scissors, glue stick, raised foam dot, photo splits, tacky glue, and spray adhesive, it just took about 30 minutes to cut the papers to size and attach them and the buttons.  I love this one for Carson.  Carson is ALL boy.  And I can just see him riding his bike some day with boots on, like the little boy I used as an embellishment.  :)

Inside I will journal about the excitement of waiting for his birth.  The things I made for him or found for  him.  The special events of the day he was born, and then about the times I've gotten to spend with him since then.  I will add a few photos, plus other paper ephemera from times we've been together.  Can't wait!

Eloise is a sweet, gentle, darling baby girl.  So I made her book all pinkness and prettiness.

I just spent 3 days with her in her home in Chicago!  So I have already written in her journal and gotten it up-to-date.  I am including a few pictures of her birth, the Valentine card her Mommy sent to Papa and I from Eloise before she was born, the hospital cafeteria receipt from when we were there, etc.

LOVE THESE BABIES!

Feel so blessed to be their Mimi.  

Daily praying for them and their sweet

parents.  And looking forward to all the memories we will get to make over the years.

These embellished, personalized journals are easy to make.  I hope you'll give one a try.

Blessings!

Donna

(Mimi!)
Linked to:
Made By You Monday
Don't Waste Your Homemaking
Tip Junkie
Today's Creative Blog
My Romantic Home 
How to Nest for Less

1940's Gossip Bench

Meet the newest member of our home...a little 1940s Gossip Bench!  I've been stopping to ooh and ahh over little Telephone Benches or Gossip Benches for the past few years, but I really didn't have a good spot for one.  Until THIS girl!  

She was in a corner booth at a local favorite Flea Market.  She caught my eye right away.  I looked.  I liked.  I walked away. Then I came right back and looked some more!  She's only 30 inches wide, which is small enough for the spot I had for her.  And that rounded table part just got to me.  Love!

She was very scratched.  But sturdy.  She had a red velvet upholstered seat that had to go...it was worn out and had dog hair on it.  Ick.  But she was only $25 and I HAD to bring her home.  And I'm sooooo glad I did!!

An antique dealer recommended that I not paint her or refinish her, but just use dark wood scratch remover.  That was certainly easy!

I couldn't resist this little piece of fabric for the seat.  I have aqua and this green throughout my house.  And the chocolate brown circles match the wood!

The little cubby in the table is meant for the phone book back in the day when benches like this were used.  The phone was stationary, so a bench/table like this was a great place to sit and use the phone.

This hat is very special to me...it belonged to Auntie B...my husband's spiritual grandmother.  She is still living and prays for us every day.  She was a pastor's wife, and wore hats to church.  Isn't it precious?

And now this little lady is clean, reupholstered, and gracing our dining room!

I love her!  And she fits here beautifully and perfectly.

Thank you for stopping in my home and letting me show you my weekend project and new favorite piece of furniture!  I had a ball!

Blessings!
Donna


Linked to:
Made By You Mondays
Tip Junkie
My Romantic Home
The Shabby Nest