Word for 2009

i published this over at my other blog a couple days ago, but i felt that it really fit with my theme here at handmade blessings. so enjoy the rerun if you read both blogs, and if you don't read both, then this will be new to you!


i'm pondering on a new word for 2009. for the past several years i have chosen a word to represent the new year, which i wrote about in detail here, some years i hit the mark, and others (like 2008) the word is a bit of a dud. one of my problems is remembering what word i have chosen!!

but this year, i want to try something different, or rather add something to my word. ali over at ali edwards also has been choosing a word for awhile, and she suggests creating a visual to remind you of your word all year long. being a visual person myself, i really like that idea. it can be as simple as just writing it on a piece of paper and taping it on your monitor, or as elaborate as making a scrap page with it, or creating a shadowbox. you choose! but the thing is, then you have something to look at, and remind yourself of what you are aiming for during the year.

here is a snippet of her ideas from her blog:

Now that many of you have chosen a word for the year, what will you do to keep it in mind throughout the year? It can be very simple or complex, a craft/scrapbooking project or a simple reminder in your planner or on your bulletin board. Some sort of visual reminder is a great way to add a bit of focus to your word.

Here's a couple ideas for honoring your word this year:

• Go through some magazines looking for your word or themes/phrases/etc that relate to your word. Cut them out and collage them together as a visual reminder. This could grow and expand throughout the year.
• Commission or locate a piece of jewelry that features your word. I am ordering a necklace with "vitality" from Lisa Leonard. Love this as a daily visual reminder.
• Print out a word card and place it where you will see it everyday (a bathroom mirror or refrigerator or bulletin board are all front and center).
• Start a journal to document thoughts, feelings, experiences you have with your word over the course of the year. This could be a visual journal or just focus on the words. Your journal could be as simple as a Word document on your computer.

she also has a list from last year of all the words that her readers chose for themselves. and she has ALOT of readers. after skimming thru the list i have several that i'm thinking over ... i haven't decided yet, but i do have 2 more days before 2009 is officially here, so i think i'm ok. for now.

how bout you? are you choosing a word to represent 2009? want to share what it is? are you creating a visual to remind yourself of your word? if you are, leave me a link. i want to see what you're doing!

and don't worry, once i decide, i'll share my word with you. and the visual i choose to make.

project 52 for 2009

i was doing some websurfing a couple days ago and came across Julie at Balzar Designs. when i saw that she is hosting this great project challenge for 2009, i had to investigate. she's calling it "project 52" and like it sounds, each participant creates a project of their own choosing each week of the year.

i have been looking for something like this to sink my teeth in, so when i stumbled upon her blog, i was very, very happy. and i love her philosophy. she's a dabbler like me, so its up for grabs what i might choose to do each week. photography? scrapbooking? quilting? or whatever! sweet!

so here's what you do. if you are interested in finding out more about project 52, go over to Balzar Desings look at her very easy requirements to join in the fun, then come back here and leave me a comment that you are up for the challenge. then we can encourage one another in 2009 as we grow in our creativity.

this n that update

well, i've been lame in posting here. i was busy! i know, excuses, excuses!

i crafted a bunch of cards for my sister and her friend and had to get the cards to them in time. one thing i never realized is how many shades of green there are even in Christmas themed paper. i think i had 5-6 papers and they all had a different shades of green. but i got more papers and made it work. it was alot of fun. now i'm back in the crafting studio making b-day cards, thank you cards, and starting to think about V-day.

i also have been knitting. finished my sage green scarf. have started a pink one, but need to frog it. too wide. havne't found my yarn for the collar scarf i posted about. maybe next week i'll venture out to the yarn store. we've been snowed under here.

have a wonderful crafting day!

Christmas Dinner Menu

since we are staying home this year and it'll just be the 3 of us, i'm pondering what to make for our Christmas Dinner. i like to pull out all the stops for holidays and make fun, festive food that we aren't likely to have the rest of the year. for the main course, i'm thinking prime rib.

one year i made a prime rib that was coated in coarse salt. it turned out so yummy! but i'm open to new ideas. so i'm going to be hunting the internet over the next few days for a great prime rib recipe.

another year i made a wonderful oyster chowder for the first course and that was a huge hit as well, but i don't feel like slaving over a hot stove for soup. maybe a super creative salad that i could make ahead would work instead?? or just make a nice appetizer??

how bout you? what's on your Christmas menu this year? are you cooking? hosting? or being the lucky guest who only has to bring the rolls?

next knitting project

on the side of my blog i have several blogs listed that i like to visit. well, homespunliving had a great post about a neck cozy that she had knitted.

she introduces it as follows

One Bainbridge Scarf finished in cranberry...

It was an easy knit, very quick, and makes for a warm and cozy neck ~ love it!
Pattern::Bainbridge Scarf by Pepperknit
Yarn::KnitPicks Andean Silk in cranberry
Needles::I ended up using size 7's.

isn't it darling?! after having knitted more than my share of blase, bland scarves, i'm ready for a new challenge. i do have one more scarf i need to finish before i start on a neck cozy, but you can be sure i'm going to find my size 7 needles and find some great yarn for my first neck cozy.

go on over to home spun living and see what other great projects she's working on.

how bout you? have anything on your needles?

another blog i found

i'm a little slow in finding all the great crafty blogs, but this should have been a given. i have several of these mags lying around the house and i use them extensively for ideas. what am i talking about? why paper crafts of course! its part of the creative keepsakes site. and now i have a whole new venue to peruse for ideas and a new community to join.




aren't these cards cute? this is only a sampling of what they have on their website. they also have a gallery of projects and a community of people who share. you can submit your projects to them, buy cool stuff off the website, ask questions of the pros and a whole lot more. i can see myself spending alot of time there in the days to come.

Update On My Cards

remember i showed you a bunch of cards i made to mail to my sister so she could put up for sale in her teacher's lounge. she called to tell me that they came, she looked at them and she and a friend decided to buy them all! i'm so excited!!! plus, her friend has commissioned me to make 5 Christmas cards for her.

i am so thrilled, and excited to create some Christmas cards for someone who loves cards like i do. plus getting paid for my work is a nice bonus. so i'm heading into my craft studio this afternoon to see what kind of crafty creative ideas i can come up with. and before i send them off i'll be back here showing them off.

how 'bout you? are you crafting for Christmas yet? love to hear what projects you are embarking on.

Lentil Banded Candles and Pumpkins

i found this on the HGTV site and was wowed by the photo. i've seen candles banded with coffee beans and this is along the same lines.

if you're interested in the instructions, hop on over to HGTV and check it out! me, i'm just going to admire the beautiful photo.

have you seen any creative crafts on the net that you would like to share here on Handmade Blessings? leave me a comment and i'll connect with ya!

Finally ... A Few New Cards

i finally got some new batteries for my camera so i could take pics of the cards i have recently created. and now i can show them off to you. making cards is therapy for me, but i also hope to sell some and make a few bucks to support my paper and embellishment habit. since moving to boise, i have found a couple great paper stores and i have to limit my time i spend there as well as the money ... i spend there!

let me know if you like any of these cards and if you have a favorite. we bloggers love comments, you know!

pizza from home

since this is both a crafting AND food blog, i thot i'd highlight some food stuff tonite. one of the things i have been trying to perfect this past year is homemade pizza. anyone bake pizza at home? and i'm not talking the bake at home stuff you get from the store!

i have tried several different crusts, made in my trusty bread machine. and while they have turned out OK, none have blown our socks off. i still haven't finessed the cheese, sauce, toppings ratio either. half the time i think i put on too much and it starts sliding off the crust.

here are a couple crust recipes i've tried (all for use in bread machine):

Basic Pizza Dough

1 1/3 cups water
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp yeast


Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

1 1/3 cups water
1/4 cup olive oil
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp yeast


Another Pizza Dough Recipe

1 1/8 cup warm water
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
3 1/3 all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp yeast

and from this website---

Thin Crust Pizza Dough
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water (110 degrees F.)
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups bread flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons semolina flour
3 tablespoons Dough Relaxer (optional)
3 teaspoons instant active dry yeast

i haven't made this one lately, but when i did we did like it. so maybe i should try it again.

i have also tried par-baking the crust before hand, baking on a hot stone or not, and using different temps and different time periods. if i was more organized i would have all that data nicely organized in a notebook, but alas, i'm not ... sigh. since i have a son who absolutely LOVes pizza, i'd like to perfect my crust recipe and then churn out several batches for the freezer to take out at a moments notice. stay tuned to see if i accomplish this before my son graduates from high school.

so what about you, dear reader, have a fav pizza crust recipe to share? or even a tip or hint on making pizza at home? i'd love to hear your comments. please! i'm begging you---give me a comment!!!

more news

wow---was it really a whole week ago that i last posted here. life has been busy. i'm finding i dont' get alot done on the weekends, personally, craftily, or houseworkwise either. this past sunday i caught up on my sleep and had a delicious nap in the middle of the day.

but, good news! i have been making progress on the craft area and have been making cards. i have 7 done and ready to be photographed and then sent to my sis to sell at her school. if you read my previous posts about my card photography skills you know i need to figure out how to take better pics. any hints? any ideas what i might be doing wrong? when i catch my breath after making more cards, i have mending to do first, but soon hope to get to my sewing machine. what is it about fall that makes me want to nest and make new bedding, slipcovers, pillowcases and all.

in fact, i have an upcoming post from another blogger who made slipcovers for her couch pillows. she did an outstanding job, and i can't wait to share her with you.

i also have found other bloggers that are simply much more talented than i. i'm toying around with just showcasing others wonderful stuff! but i dont' think i could do that totally. i'll have to think on this more ... and if you have any ideas,or want to see something specific on handmade blessings, please leave me a comment! i love comments!

Check This Out!

i was web surfing today and came across this wonderful blog. kelli has a great blog full of recipes, home decorating tips and pics, and paper crafting fun. make sure you scroll down to her fall paper card that she not only shows off, but shows the reader how to make it too. this is part of her carnival she hosts every thursday. i think i may have to join the fun, if not this week, definitely next.

if you come across any great websites or craft-y blogs, let me know about them and i'll highlight them here on homemade blessings.

now its time to get off my butt, and go visit the Y.

update

sorry i've been MIA. was sick over the weekend, and #1 son had something going on. took him to doc and dentist and couldn't find anything the matter.

i did get a chance to dig out some card making supplies and do a little creative crafting. nothing to show yet. still can't find certain necessary items, such as my paper cutter, white cardstock and such ... soon!

checked out the book "sew what! skirts" from the library. am looking forward to trying her way of making skirts. have my eye on the A-line skirt, the straight skirt called polka dotty and asian ties, and the east meets west under the tiers chapter. i have fabric for at least one of these skirts that i picked up last spring. and i'm sure if i look thru my stash i might find more goodies. i'm really trying to be a "good girl" and use up as much of my stash as possible before buying anymore fabric. we'll see how "good" i am!

anybody reading any good crafting/sewing books lately?

Pink Cake

doesn't this look so feminine? i get the betty crocker newsletter in my email and they reminded me that it is breast cancer awareness month--thus the pink cake! breast cancer awareness is very dear to my heart as my 83 yr old mother found out last year at this time that she had breast cancer and went in for surgery. it has been a long year, but she seems to be doing well.

the betty crocker sight also has recipes for cupcakes, other cakes and goodies as well as for the above pictured pink cake. so if you're looking for something delish to make, go check out their sight.

More Cards I've Made

here are some more cards i made this past year. my fav is probably the last one. just love that red and white.

Organizing My Craft Area

i didn't post yesterday cuz i was determined to get some decluttering, rearranging, and general, all around work done in my craft area. we moved into this small apt 2 mo ago and i'm just now really getting into it and getting it all set up like i like. everywhere else in the house is 90% done, but for some reason my craft room always takes last seat.

and i'm determined to get it functional, cuz i so want to dig into my stash and start creating again. i just need one more table so i can put my sewing machine and serger out. and i need to put some more bookshelves up to hold my clutter. i need to find a trashcan for the room and make room to put my radio in there. can't craft creatively without some tunes. i'm debating whether to put my laptop in there or let it stay in the bedroom. sometimes i use it for crafting, but not 100% of the time. it might just be in the way ...

well, there you have it. my lame excuse why there was no post yesterday. hopefully, i'll find something creative to share tomorrow.

until then, happy crafting!

Baking Bread

i got interested in baking bread about 15 years ago when a friend of mine got a brand new breadmaker. she let me borrow it while they were on vacation and i fell in love. easy, fast, and yummy! what could be better? soon after i bought my own bread maker. at first i baked all the time, then i drifted off into other activities, but the last 5 years or so have revived my interest in getting the most out of my bread machine. i do 2 things regularly in my breadmaker. bake our weekly whole wheat bread, and make pizza dough.



isn't that a good looking loaf of bread? and it smells just heavenly when its done. that warm, yeast-y, ooo-ooo-ooo good smell that brings back good memories of eating bread warm with butter, maybe honey butter from mom?? well, you know what i mean ...



one of the other reasons i started making bread is i wanted to eliminate some of the additives, preservatives and excess sugars they put in store bought bread as well as save some money. i try to use organic whole wheat flour for half of the called for flour, but i haven't been sucessful finding oragnic white flour yet. i have tried making 100% whole wheat bread, but without good results.

the recipe i do use is one i found on the internet several years ago and i no longer know the source. if you know where this comes from give me a shout out in the comments and i'll definitely give the person credit. its a great recipe and so easy too.

Rich Buttermilk Bread

1 1/2 cups warm water
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup oil (i use olive oil)
4 1/4 cups flour (i divide this between the wheat and white flour)
6 Tbsp buttermild powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp yeast

Add all the ingredients in order provided, use the whole wheat setting and presto! in a few hours you have homemade, delicious bread.

do you bake bread? do you use a breadmachine? chime in and let me know what you like to bake with or without a breadmachine!

You Gotta Look at This!

Hayley over at Happy Hawkeye Homeschool House has a cute fall decoration. i just love her interpretation of what she saw at her local scrapbooking store. i'm never one to pass up an opportunity to copy someone else's great idea! why reinvent the wheel, when someone else has done all the hard work? LOL

i also love that she used photos. i have lots and lots of photos and i'm always looking for ways to display pics of my fav people and places. go visit hayley and tell her you heard about her from handmade blessings! then come back and see what else i have here.

Cards I've Made

these are some cards i have made in the past year. sorry about the less than stellar photo quality. i'm still learning how to photograph cards so they show well. i enjoy the creative process of making cards with paper, ribbons, rubber stamps, bows, buttons and more. i tend to give them away or use them to send a note to my family back in WA state. getting something nice in the mail is still special for most people.

so what about you? do you make cards? what have you crafted with paper and ribbons and buttons and all?

Pancakes or French Toast?

our son loves pancakes, and he loves french toast, actually, i think he just loves syrup!

last sat the hubster was at the computer lab when #1 son and i finally rolled out of bed. usually dad is in the kitchen and ready to make pancakes for the #1 son, but this day he wasn't. so i did. make the pancakes. when the hubster got home i could tell that this might turn into a regular sat morning occurence.

now, pancakes are fine once in awhile, but i like a little variety in my meals. so i found this recipe from All Recipes. i think this might be a very good substitute for pancakes.

Make Ahead French Toast

INGREDIENTS
5 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup half-and-half cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 (1 pound) loaf French bread, cut diagonally in 1 inch slices

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 cup chopped pecans



DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream and vanilla. Dip bread slices into egg mixture and place in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Refrigerate overnight.
The next morning: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a small bowl, combine butter, sugar, maple syrup and pecans. Spoon mixture over bread.
Bake in preheated oven until golden, about 40 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

"We have made this French Toast for Christmas brunch for twenty four years! It originally came from the East Coast. If you like your French toast firmer, then cut back on the milk."

so what about you? what do you make on sat mornings? and what do your kids beg for for b'fast?

ooooey--goooey mexican chicken

i found this recipe several months ago at thrifty florida mama's blog. i tried it awhile later and it lived up to its name. yummy!

mondays are a weird day for us cuz hubby has a 4:40 class adn then goes straight to a 6pm class. whereas #1 son doesn't get home til 6pm. so i try to make something that can be eaten at 4pm for hubby and then again at 6pm for joe and myself. i'm thinking i'm going to make this for tonite and see how it does. we love mexican food. a nice green salad will go nicely and complete the meal.

how 'bout you? do you have any weird schedule days? and what do you fix to make it work for the whole family? i'd love to hear.

4 frozen chicken breasts (boneless works best but use whatever you have)
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of black beans drained and rinsed
1 cup of salsa
up to 1 Tb. cumin
up to 1 Tb. chili powder
dash of cayenne pepper
1-2 cups of monterey jack cheese
Put all of the ingredients, except the cheese, into the crockpot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shred chicken and add grated cheese. Let the cheese melt and then serve however you wish.

We like it over yellow rice, rolled up in tortillas, or even as a dip with corn chips.

Blogs of Interest

have you seen stephanie's blog A Year of Crockpotting??? she is an amazing woman who decided to give herself a challenge. for all of 2008 she wanted to use her crockpot every day! now i love my crockpot and i use it about 1x a week, but i'm not sure i could use mine every day of a whole year! i'm impressed that stephanie would set out to use her crockpot daily and has been doing it!

i haven't followed her religiously, but ramble over there every once in awhile. the thing i like about stephanie's blog is that she includes pictures (a must in my mind), she gives directions, and she gives a review of how it turned out. i like that she does main dishes, but she doesn't stop there. she cooks b'fast in her crockpot, desserts, side dishes and more. she has even done craft projects in her crockpot!

if you haven't stumbled upon stephanie's blog go over now! but then come back here of course. and tell me what kitchen appliance could you use every day of the year? me? i could probably use my bread machine, tho that would be disastrous to my waistline!!!

Welcome to My New Crafty-Food Blog

if you found me, welcome! if i'm talking to myself, well that's nothing new.

i decided that my main blog challenges and adventures has too many fires in the iron, and i need to bring its focus into a narrower field of vision. so i thot i'd make a 2nd blog for my craft projects, ideas and failures and my food recipes, successes and indulgences. with pics, of course!

a little background for all my groupies: i have been crafting since grade school. i dabble in a bit of everything. i remember painting a project for school at home. i must have been 3rd or 4th grade. we had to draw lines and then i painted in between the lines blue and orange. my lines were small and the paper was huge! it took me hours. finally at the end i was so impatient to be done that i erased a bunch of lines and just painted it! that's kind of how i am with crafts too. don't give me too much work, if i can do it in an afternoon thats my style. tho i have been known to take several afternoons to finish something. i've also been known to throw something in the trash half way thru as well!

right now my favs are knitting, bead work (mainly bracelets and earrings), sewing (tho i'm still not very good at it) and paper crafts.

my favorite things to cook/bake are desserts. tho having just started a weight loss regime that's a bit of a dilemna for me ... i also like to entertain and cook for a large crowd. i enjoy trying new recipes and perfecting old ones.

i also love to cruise around the internet and find wonderful links for y'all. (no i'm not from the south, tho i did live in OK for 3 months. does that count?) so check in and see who i've found on the internet who is making a splash on the net.

i'm still in the process of setting it up, but come on in. look around a bit, and then come back later. there will more by that time, i'm sure.

til then ... happy crafting and cooking, gail