Saturday, October 31, 2009

Scalloped Potatoes with Pimento Cheese & Ham



Today after we got home from the pumpkin patch and carved our pumpkins I made one of our favorite fall dishes. It's scalloped potatoes with pimento cheese & ham.

I like to use this dandy kitchen tool {really for coring and peeling apples} to cut my potatoes into big cork screws.



Here is the {informal} recipe:

15 sliced potatoes {I use yukon golds}
1 {9oz} jar of roasted red peppers
4 tsp sugar
1 {16oz} brick of grated sharp cheddar
1 pint of heavy whipping cream
1 large yellow onion {I use a vidalia}
1 lb maple ham
Milk

Layer sliced potatoes, onion and ham in a 9x13 pan. Melt cheese into heavy whipping cream on low heat and add diced roasted red peppers and sugar. Pour melted mixture over potatoes. Add a splash of milk around the perimeter of pan and a bit on top. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 90 minutes. If you try it let me know how your family liked it!

Yes, we waited until the final hour to get our pumpkins today. You can tell in our picture below that there were just a few left here and there. We gave 5 way less than perfect pumpkins a good home today!



Flea markets tomorrow, I better turn in early if I'm going to be on my way at 5:30am!








Thursday, October 29, 2009

An Unlikely Duo



I know, it's two kid posts back to back and I usually don't blog about them but I couldn't resist posting this picture of my 3 & 4 year old. We had a scout meeting tonight for my older boy and they got to go too. You can imagine the faces of all of the disappointed scouts when they gave best costume to Snow White. The wig had me cracking up all night, it's such a change from her long dirty blondness.

Mom, if you're reading this you now know exactly what you'd look like if you dressed up as Snow for Halloween! {For those of you who don't know, my daughter is the spitting image of my Mother and resembles me in no way, shape or form}.

Enjoy you're spooky weekend. I'll be back to give my flea market review on Sunday.








Monday, October 26, 2009

Look What I Found...



I was going through Halloween pictures this weekend and found this one of my 4 year old, Tannon, when he was 18 months. This has to be my favorite of all the Halloween costumes my kids have worn through the years.

Poor thing, he had two nosebleeds last night. When you're little a nosebleed in the middle of the night usually automatically enters you in a drawing for one to win a spot between Mom & Dad for the rest of the night. I was walking him back to bed after the first one and I led him towards my bedroom door. At the last minute he turned to me and said...wait for it..."No Thanks Mom", and went to his own room. I just stood there for a minute and it hit me. It was the moment he began to not need me. So I did what any sentimental Mother would do...I climbed in with him :)

Enjoy today!








Sunday, October 25, 2009

Feeling Fallish

I've been wanting a wreath for the front door that can do double duty for Halloween & Thanksgiving. I picked this one up today, it's simple and pretty...



My boys were under the weather this morning so I kept them home from church. I made two tiny quickie projects while they watched TV in bed. I have to remind myself to pull out some cute stuff every now and again so I can make mini books for their holiday adventures. This first one is for the pumkin patch...



And this little nursery rhyme book is for Grace to carry around in her purse with pictures of her and each family member. There's a nursery rhyme theme on the underside of each tag and a place for a photo on the front of each tag.



I spent the rest of the day continuing to organize and I'm about done! Everything has a place now and I love that.

Stop back in later this week. I'm going to start a November project called, "The Chapters of My Life". It's a auto-biography of sorts. It will start with how my parents met, on to my birth and childhood all the way to now and a little beyond. I have my supplies gathered and I'm ready to begin. I will post pictures as I work. This will be a "meaningful" class next month that will be four hours in length. Join me for a look backwards :)

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!








Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Saturday's Workshop

As promised I'm posting pictures of Saturday's home studio workshop. This is before we got started...



And this is us starting our second project after a wonderful lunch (thanks Mom!)...



And this is the beautiful cake that I nearly forgot at the end of our second class. It was as good as it looks...



If you didn't get to join us this time be sure to see if upcoming dates work for you. I expect next months workshop to sell out pretty fast. In fact, five of my seven attendees from last Saturday already have a spot reserved for the November 28th workshop...

As for tonight, I have a plan. After my kids are tied, I mean tucked, into bed I'm going to work at my table until my eyes burn. I have a lofty goal of submitting projects for ALL of the Somerset Life calls. Life is my favorite of all the magazines and I just happen to have ideas forming already for the challenges. Wish me luck!!








Friday, October 16, 2009

An Artful Week & Halloween Blog Party



I've had quite an artful week. My Mom and I have been working on this beautific apron since Sunday. I worked on the compostion (cush job) and she did the sewing (hard job). I wanted to add some hand stitching to one of the pockets and this is what I came up with...



I had forgotten how much I love to stitch. Once I started I'd look up at the clock and it would be going on 2am and I'd think, just a couple more things and then I'll go to bed.

I'm SO excited about my first home studio class that's taking place tomorrow. Ladies, I'm ready for ya! All of these things will be waiting for you at your spot at the table...





I will share pictures of tomorrows event on Sunday.

I am also participating in a halloween blog party with A Fanciful Twist. (Hello party go-er's!). Please click on the button at the top right to be taken to her site for some AMAZING halloween inspiration.

Have an artful weekend!!








Saturday, October 10, 2009

Cuff Bracelet Kit by Ruth Rae



I didn't make it to this but I really liked the cuff bracelet that Ruth Rae taught. So did my friend Valerie. I emailed Ruth and she had one kit left. I bought it and it arrived today. I love to stitch so I'm excited to get started on it this week. The kit makes two cuffs. I'll post pictures of it when finished. Isn't it pretty how she gathered up all the little bits? And don't you love how Amy Power's cuff turned out? So pretty!!








Friday, October 9, 2009

Flea Market Review



As promised I'm back to share some pictures of last Sunday's flea market finds. I bought several small things, a slipcovered lamp shade and an old feed sack to make an apron out of. I'll post pics of those things another day. This colander is HUGE. I thought it would be perfect on my table to throw bits of this and that in. Right now I loaded it up with some mini pumpkins I picked up this week. I need a few more.



I'm taking the kids to a harvest festival tomorrow at a local farm, I'm sure they'll have a bunch there. I love this mini aqua file cabinet. It's pretty tiny. I got it for a great price, just $20.00.



This was also another good buy for $25.00, it's an old metal chest of trays for old car parts. I need to scrub it and line the drawers with some old wall paper. It will be great for paint brushes, water color tubes and charcoal pencils.



I've taken a long break from my studio but I plan to roll up my sleeves this week and begin working on a few projects I've been thinking about lately. I've really been wanting to create some meaningful pieces. Maybe something inspired by scripture.

I'll be back to share more later.








Monday, October 5, 2009

Autumn Is Here

"when we went walking
in the late afternoon
the sweet wind blew colors
across petals
so sweet
as long stems swayed
and high strings
they played
something soft and sweet
it was a waltz i think
and birds they sang
high and sweet
oh they sang
so
sweet"

Autumn is here. Yesterday I wore fingerless gloves to the flea market and today a soft cozy scarf. I'm ready for a chill in the air, a fire in the fireplace, a trip to the pumpkin patch and falling asleep to sounds of the rain on my bedroom window.

It was a delightful day at the flea market yesterday. A great "vintage metal" day for me. I will share some pics this week with you.