Dip da-dip da-dip

So here is my new take on the classic Middle Eastern garbanzo bean paste. Technically it might not even really be hummus. We could call it a hummus-inspired dip. Whatever, it is lusciously yummy with pita chips, corn chips, carrot sticks, or even on some good bread with veggies for a healthy sandwich! This morning I had some on toast with roasted red bell peppers and it was the best breakfast I've had in months, no lie.

It is really mild in terms of the usual flavors of hummus which are garlic and often cumin, and there's no sesame flavor at all just because I did not have the gumption to track down tahini paste in Butte, Montana, this week. I substituted sunflower seeds, and I think they work great. The flavor is pumped up with tangy lemon juice and creamy yogurt. If you don't like this hummus there is probably no hummus you will like.

This makes a nice big batch - we had it for a dinner with roasted veggies and pita bread, and still have leftovers in the house.

Mild and Creamy Hummus with Sunflower Seeds

1 small clove garlic
3/4 tsp. cumin, more or less to taste
1/2 c. olive oil
1/2 c. fat free Greek yogurt
1/4 c. lemon juice (more or less to taste)
1/4 c. roasted, salted sunflower seeds (out of their shells, of course!), plus more for garnish
2 cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed

Whirl everything except the garbanzo beans in your blender until it's well pureed. (You don't want any funky chunks of garlic messing up someone's hummus experience.) Then add the chickpeas. You may need to use the pulse function of your blender, or turn it off every few seconds and take off the pitcher and shake it. A strong blender should be able to get it absolutely smooth. (I have a KitchenAid blender which is great; I think I got it for about $80 and it's been totally worth it!) If you have a food processor use that. Get it really creamy. It will be smooth and a very light beige color and super pretty. Put it in a bowl and sprinkle sunflower seeds on top to garnish.

Ana Montana

Rootbeer Cake Pops

I've been playing with this idea for a while and so my Young Women are my guinea pigs for tonight.  My kids have already sampled them as well and gave them two thumbs up.  Caution:  If you have a sweet tooth, this fits the bill.

1 Package Butter Recipe Yellow Cake Mix
Zatarains Rootbeer Extract(or another brand)
1 tub Vanilla Frosting
2 packages White Chocolate Chips
Lollipop Sticks

You're going to prepare the cake mix according to package directions, except....  Measure water as directed on the box directions, minus 2 Tbl. water.  Replace with 2 Tbl. Rootbeer Extract.  THEN, prepare and bake, and allow to cool completely.  Using a fork break up cake mix into crumbs in a large bowl.  Dump 3/4 of vanilla frosting into crumbs and sprinkle 1 Tbl. Rootbeer Extract evenly over the top.  Mix with fork and then hands until the crumb mixture resembles more of a Playdough like consistency.  I use food prep gloves coated, rub in a little non-stick spray on them or butter.  Use a large cookie scoop to make uniform size balls and roll into balls.  Place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper or non-stick foil.  Melt 1/3 cup white chocolate chips in 30 second intervals in the microwave and stir well in between(it took me about 90 seconds total).  Dip one end of lollipop sticks in melted white chocolate and push about 2/3 way through cake balls.  Freeze cake pops for about 30 minutes.  In the mean time, melt remaining white chocolate chips, you may sprinkle 1 tsp. canola oil over the top before melting to get a smoother consistency.  Remove one cake pop at a time from cookie sheet and roll in melted chocolate to coat.  Return to sheet and refrigerate or allow to set out on counter for 2 hours. 

I didn't have anything to stand them up, but you could use styrofoam to allow them to dry upright.

You can find rootbeer extract here, at Zatarain's.

~Jen

scripture cover tutorial

ok - this is LONG and contains WAY too many pictures. but i learn better by pictures, so ... i'm assuming you do too. (and you know what happens when one assumes, right?) this tutorial is for a standard quad set of scriptures. if you want measurements for the small one or the large one, let me know. anyhow, here is the list of supplies:

• 2 fabrics of your choice (1/4 yard each)
• cutting board
• tape measure
• rotary cuttor or scissors
• sewing machine
• matching thread
• velcro (sew on)
• iron & ironing board

cut 3 pieces of fabric:

• 2 pieces 8.5" x 20" (one from each fabric)
• 1 piece 8.5" x 3

Menu Board

Okay, I came across this idea just last week, and I cannot for the life of me find it now. So while I cannot take credit for this, whoever did... I bow to you! Their's was a little different, though... this is MY version.

I mentioned to the husband that I wanted to make one of these, so for date night, we went to the craft store. For a whole hour! He was ready to string me up by my toenails by the time we were done. He is my hero for sure!

The original called for a 12x12 frame, painted with magnetic paint, stick in a 12x12 metal tile and a clear plastic calendar thing with cute paper between them. I found the calendar thing at my local craft store (Porters), but I can barely plan a weeks worth of menu's, there was no way I could do a whole month. So dh and I put our heads together and came up with this idea instead.

We bought a plain wood frame from the craft store that is, I don't know, 7x15 (on the inside) or so? The backing was already in it, found it with the premade/unpainted wood stuff. You know the section.

Starburst Mirror

When we gave Kenzie's room a makeover we knew we wanted to make this.  I found a great tutorial HERE, at Under the Table and Dreaming.

I printed up her TEMPLATE HERE but didn't glue it to the back, I was afraid the paper might come off the back.  The disk I found to use was about a quarter of an inch smaller than the template so I just marked the edges of the disk I used and then marked the template myself with a Sharpie.  Our itty bitty town doesn't have a craft store, at least not until this fall(squeal), so I asked at our new Lowe's.  When I showed her what I wanted to make she took me over to the garden center and found the perfect 6 1/2" circle for me, it's a coaster used for potted plants.  But this filled the bill perfectly!  I bought skewers from Walmart, .97 cents for a package of 100.  I picked up 2 packages so I could find the most even skewers.  I didn't use nearly as many as Under the Table did, but we didn't want a really full one.

Musical Eggs

I recently came across a fantastic blog called Tater Tots and Jello with some fantastic crafty ideas. When I saw these musical eggs (by Us in Otto), I knew I had to make some to go on my "bird nest" display I have going on my piano!

I "was" going to photocopy come music and then distress it, but when I was going through my music looking for just the right one, I came across this worn out book with no cover, no indication as to the composer, and everything is in German anyway. Plus it looks really really hard, which means I would probably never play it again anyway. The fact that it was already old looking, also a plus. I decided to go for it.

I tore it out... ripped it into strips about 1/2" to 1" wide...


Distressed them a bit more with my Distress Ink pad...
Then decoupaged them onto plastic easter eggs.
Add some jute...
And then placed them all in a cute nest I found at my local craft store for $5.
It took me longer to find the birds nest at the craft store than it did to put these together! So easy, and SO cute!

Happy Crafting!

~kris

Fabric Flowers #2

These fabric flowers are the easiest to make, but they can try your patience when your first learning. You can make them into rings like pictures above, or into bracelets

Or into earrings

Or into headbands

Just add a hair clip or pin to make then versatile.

Fabric Flowers

My daughter and I started making fabric flowers 2 years ago when we wanted to make some extra money. I still sell and make some now for custom orders- but I thought it might be fun to teach everyone how to make them too if you want.

We made them into pins (like the one pictured above) and into headbands like this one:

Or into bracelets:

They can even be hooked onto necklaces

____________________

What you will need:

Glue Gun (I recommend a low-heat one, less burning of your poor fingers)
Fabric- I used ribbon or cut cloth into strips
Felt material- or a harder backing for the back
Pin/and or hair clips for the backs

{Book Review} The Mortal Instruments Series & The Infernal Devices Series

First 3 books of the series:

City of Bones

City of Ashes

City of Glass

By Cassandra Clare

The Mortal Instrument Series is one of my favorite series! The forth book (City of Fallen Angels-below) is coming out in a month or so, and then there will be 2 more books after that.

Synopsis of the first book City of Bones:
When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder — much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Clary knows she should call the police, but it's hard to explain a murder when the body disappears into thin air and the murderers are invisible to everyone but Clary.

Equally startled by her ability to see them, the murderers explain themselves as Shadowhunters: a secret tribe of warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. Within twenty-four hours, Clary's mother disappears and Clary herself is almost killed by a grotesque demon.

But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know....

{Book Review} The Forgotten Garden

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

This book was different from some I usually read, but it was a mystery and that is all I need to entertain me!

Synopsis:
A tiny girl is abandoned on a ship headed for Australia in 1913. She arrives completely alone with nothing but a small suitcase containing a few clothes and a single book—a beautiful volume of fairy tales. She is taken in by the dockmaster and his wife and raised as their own. On her twenty-first birthday, they tell her the truth, and with her sense of self shattered and very little to go on, "Nell" sets out to trace her real identity. Her quest leads her to Blackhurst Manor on the Cornish coast and the secrets of the doomed Mountrachet family. But it is not until her granddaughter, Cassandra, takes up the search after Nell's death that all the pieces of the puzzle are assembled. A spellbinding tale of mystery and self-discovery, The Forgotten Garden will take hold of your imagination and never let go.

__

what think ye?

ok, i had already started this before v asked for directions, so when joey and i start his (either today or monday), i will take pics of each step and instructions.

anyhow, i made a scripture cover and matching bag. and matching tissue holder. and maching clipboard, composition book, and mini composition book. and a flowery pen that matches too. i am in LOVE!! i made it for a friend and ... i'm so tempted to steal it. i love the colors!!

Mix it up

While I hate to put anything up to push V's amazing wedding work down the page, I do want to do my part for the blog and I happen to have a smidge of time this afternoon. I've been meaning to write about this area in my home for a couple of weeks now.

This is the corner wall of my dining room. The thing I love about it is the mixture of rustic and elegant, warm and cool, expensive and bargain. That makes it interesting to me as well as a little sentimental ... lots of things here hold great memories. So I'll give you a little tour of these objects!

"Shabby Chic" Wedding Reception Decorating

Can you see the door with the vinyl "N" inside the crystal?

Everyone who has been to a wedding reception at a church gym knows it is hard to make it look like anything besides a gym. When my daughter announced their engagement we knew at the time we had no choice but to do it in a church gym because my husband had been without a job for 19 months, otherwise I would of loved to do it at a beautiful building.

Some day I am going to own my own building-least that is my dream- but luckily since I already had been decorating weddings for a few years I had enough things to do her's. I also did a lot of thrift store shopping, and went to a lot of yard sales to go with her and I's Shabby Chic Theme.

Picture Wall

Sorry it has taken me so long to actually post this, but I was waiting for all the pictures to come in from my daughters wedding. I gave a sneak peek last month and now this is the whole wall set up ready for pictures!

Click on picture for larger view

{Book Review} Tiger's Curse

Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck

Ok, this was one of those books you loved so much you wanted it to go on forever, and yes, I will admit this.....this is also one of those books you didn't want to share with ANYONE! Why? It was so good I wanted to keep it all to myself, like somehow that will make it MY special book. Mine! All mine! ;p


I decided in the end that would be selfish of me, and really this is a book for everyone. So original, full of adventure, love and romance! Oh man I am dying for the 2nd book which comes out this June! Eeek!!!!


Synopsis:
Passion. Fate. Loyalty.

Would you risk it all to change your destiny?

The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she’d be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year-old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world. But that’s exactly what happened. Face-to-face with dark forces, spellbinding magic, and mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever.

-----------------------

This book was a cross between Indiana Jones and Romancing the Stone when it came to adventure. The romance was tender, sweet and innocent but oh my still hot! The adventure of going to India and learning about some of their culture and history was intriguing. The mystery of this 300 year old curse, and the adventure of trying to break it, plus falling in love with all of the characters was worth the ride! Did I say I loved this book? That is an understatement! Go pick it up now!

5 stars!
YA and Adult read. No swearing or mature audience themes. Some hunting violence, but overall this book rocks!

Skirts...

I get asked all the time how I make these cute skirts. People are so convinced they can't make them, but trust me, if "I" can make them, anyone can!

Start out with 3-4 different fabric choices. I usually do about 1/2 yard of each color, or two fat quarters would also work.

Prewash, iron, then lay out flat on a cutting mat. I sometimes will use a template I cut out of posterboard, but usually I just use the lines on the cutting mat. Use a rotary cutter to cut them quickly. The panels are usually 3" wide at the top and angle down to 6" or so at the bottom. If it's for an adult, I make it a bit wider, a child, a bit smaller. Or if you want a really full skirt, make it a lot wider at the bottom. Clear as mud?

Or you can do perfect rectangles and make more of a straight skirt.
Lay them out in whatever pattern you like. I choose whatever color I'm using on the bottom edge and do a couple of panels in the skirt, but it's all up to you.
If you don't have a serger, zig zag the edges, this will keep all these panels from fraying down the line. Nobody wants to be sitting in church and having a bunch of threads hanging off you. Iron all the seams down, too.
Depending on how long you want your skirt, I cut a strip of material anywhere from 3-6" in length to sew around the bottom. You can also add one at the waistband... sometimes I do, sometimes I don't depending on how much material I have. The strips usually have to be sewn together to make one really long one (especially if you are using fat quarters).
Add the elastic waistband.
Two or three hours later, you'll have this...
Here's a second one I did this weekend, also. It's more of a "pencil" skirt (I think that's what they are called?), not full at all.
Super cute. Super easy.

~kris

scripture cover & bag

crso i found a scripture cover tutorial that i liked - and adjusted it to my  needs. here is becka's scripture cover - the inside lining is black & white polka-dot. it velcros closed underneath the case.

today, i made another scripture cover - this time, for katy. i also made a scripture bag for her - complete with her initials and everything.

i'm thinking i might start selling them - do you think i could do that? i made the scripture cover & the bag in about 4 hours. the next bag i make will probably be taller - and maybe have a ruffle or two. just to see what else i can do.

~ jannet

Fun with Vinyl on your Walls or?

Vinyl is everywhere and easy to get your hands on now, so why not have some decorating fun!

One example is words like the above picture. Just put them right on your wall and frame them with a backless decorative frame. Or buy a regular frame with glass, and use scrapbook paper too behind the vinyl. Or use a frame that has see through glass and put the words or picture on it.

You can take a decorative picture on your wall, and add some scroll work to give it something extra like this:

Do not limit yourself to just your walls and pictures, but add something simple to your doors:

These were done on old doors I used for my daughters wedding, but you could use them on your closet doors or regular doors too.

Use vinyl on windows, old ones for decorating-like this one we used for the wedding:

Or use some on your windows at home, why not?!

Just branch out, don't be afraid - the great thing about vinyl is- it is removable without the mess! Have fun!