The Small Things

I've had a little case of the doldrums lately, especially since it has rained for the past eight days straight and snowed.  But then the very best thing happened: the sun came out!  It reminds me to be thankful for the present, knowing it will pass.  So currently I am feeling very thankful for seemingly small things that really are not that small at all--except for the quantity in this year's Girl Scout cookie boxes (Seriously?!).

Accumulating snow!  In the South!

Girl Scout Cookies

The Sunshine [finally]

And this new project...

Chicken and Dumplings from Scratch!

I try to plan 10 dinners to cook each time we go to the grocery store, and this week I just could not come up with the last one.  Phil decided on chicken and dumplings, which I kind of complained about eating.  It is just so bland and floury!  Honestly I have only eaten this the one time my mom made it in the crock pot. I was about eight or nine, and I remember not liking it.  Of course, Philip almost always orders this if we make a road-trip exit to Cracker Barrel. I found an easy recipe for it in my favorite cookbook:

We received this cookbook as a wedding gift four years ago, and I refer to it all the time!  Instead of using canned biscuits and rotisserie chicken, I made it "from scratch" the easy way.  Here is my adapted and halved  recipe that serves four.

Quick Chicken and Dumplings
2 chicken breasts
2 c. water
2 t. chicken broth base (I like Orrington Farms)
1/3 c. cream of chicken healthy substitute (recipe HERE)
1 1/4 c. cold water
1 t. seasoned pepper
1 bay leaf
1/3 c. milk
1 c. Pioneer baking mix

Directions:
While chicken boils in a separate pot, bring two cups of water and broth base to a boil.  Mix cold water and cream of chicken mix in a separate bowl until smooth.  Add to broth mixture, stirring until it thickens.  If it is too watery, stir in two tablespoons of flour mixed with 1/4 cup cold water.  Add pepper and bay leaf.  In a separate bowl, mix milk and baking mix.  Roll into teaspoon-size balls and drop into boiling mixture.  Cook 5-8 minutes or until dumplings are done.  Shred chicken (I used my Kitchen Aid mixer--it is awesome for this!), add to dumplings, and serve hot. 

Cooking the chicken takes the longest--20 minutes.  I did this while I was working on the dumplings, and we were eating within 30 minutes.  This dish is very flavorful and hearty!

Favorite Things

Usually I find myself searching for inspiration to find the perfect gift (see post here).  This year I am looking back on my favorite gifts from the holidays after letting someone else do all the tough planning.  It really doesn't take much to please me, but a lot of people say I'm hard to shop for.  Agree to disagree.  Here are my faves:

 

I cannot wait to start the second book in this trilogy! Since it also has 1200 pages, it will probably last me until May.  Hooray!

 Ok, this is a gift to me, from me, and it is not so much my style, but I really love the hippie feel.

 

I received this watercolor painting already custom framed!  Margaret always gives the best gifts!

 

Technically a gift to myself...  Again, surprising to some, but this Navajo poncho from Orvis (I know!) is so awesome I don't want to take it off. Ever.

 My mother-in-law is the jewelry queen, and she is extra-careful in getting me small and delicate pieces.  I've worn this Shalla Wista triple wrap bracelet every single day.

Oops, not a present.  But it is a gift to have a day to myself to have absolutely nothing better to do than do loads of laundry, fold it, and put it away. And look at this little bear.

 

HANDS DOWN MY FAVORITE GIFT.  See... I told you I am easy to please!  Hot Booties are the bomb!  I am beyond obsessed, and I cannot get enough of their warm goodness. 

Of course, I loved all of my gifts.  My mother game me a Limoges jewelry tray from Paris that is beyond perfect for my dresser.  Ashleigh knows me so well--she got me a le Pen set and a personalized note pad.  My dad gave me an Army pen that is a "aircraft safe" weapon.  This was certainly Philip's favorite.  Of course.  However, I would not recommend flying with it since it delayed me 28 minutes!

DIY Decisions...

Every time the New Year comes around, I get excited to clean out the closets, organize under the beds, and start a new project.  After traveling for 10 of the 13 days of my winter break, I found myself daydreaming while I unpacked my suitcase again.  Two years ago, we started the year by renovating this little house (and here).  It took many months to get to this, and then one year ago we changed up the living room.  This year I am satisfied with the furniture, but I am looking to add a little charm.  Thanks to Pinterest, I cannot escape the DIY inspiration.  This is my latest project:

(Source)

(Source) 

Board and batten in the hallway! I can't wait to add a little architectural detail to the house and an organized place to put photographs.

This is the hallway connecting two of the bedrooms.  I want to have two horizontal rows and a two-inch shelf on the top.  The hardest part is finding the best distance between the battens and the height of the top shelf.  The attic light and the thermostat won't be moved, so there are only a few ways to measure.  Right now the two horizontal strips of tape are at 5' and 4' high, and the "battens" are 15" apart.  I like that the photo frames will be seen from the living room if I don't make it much higher.  The decision part is not whether to go ahead with the project but if it should just be that one wall, the entire hall, or also doing the adjoining hallway.  What to do?

God, Save Us

We live in a fallen world.  The Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy only adds to the darkness.  Today we sang about Hosanna in the highest, and our pastor explained that Hosanna literally means God, save us.  He is our light in this dark world.  I am filled with emotions after watching non-stop coverage of the Newtown tragedy.  Our country has turned their backs on God, and following the events on Friday, many have realized the need for our Savior.  Now, more than ever, we are longing for Jesus.  We are a chosen people, and God gives favor to those who love Him.  Second Chronicles 7:14 says "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." We have a long way to go.

Liza Long's post about her son is the most chilling and desperate cry of help.  As I read it, I felt her fear and her pain.  There are more and more young people who are plagued by disorders and illnesses, and doctors do not have the answers.  While I have seen the photos, the vigils, and the President's speeches, I am hoping the media is careful not to glorify the killer by giving him a memorable exit.  I believe our society must to pay more attention to the mental health of the children and young adults instead of simply banning guns. 

No Post November

Mostly on accident, I have not posted in six weeks.  Life got in the way, so here is the month all wrapped up!

A: All the trees finally changed to their beautiful autumn hues, along with the cool weather.

B: I turned 27, which was easier than I thought.
C: Holiday snowflakes, greenery, twinkle lights, and Christmas trees fill the villages.

D:We practiced parenting...

E: I spent Thanksgiving with the seven people I knew and 32 of my husband's aunt's in-laws.  Whew.

F: Paper whites--now they have tripled in height!

G: Margaret helped me string snowflakes on the porch.  They are hard to see, but in person it is magical.

H: I am no good at horseshoes, but it certainly passes the time out on the farm.

I: Our quadruple layers got us through the Iron Bowl this year.

Fall Favorites

The past two weeks and the next few weeks are the only autumn days we get all year (and that weather is really only in the morning and evening), so I'm soaking it up.  I carved my first pumpkin (I know!), and it's quite pitiful.  Carved isn't the right word--more like drilled holes into it. All over. Sadly it's already moldy and I'm liking the idea of painting pumpkins more and more.

Lots of people are getting tired of Pinterest, and sometimes I have to agree.  It's as if people cannot even fathom creativity without copying something from Pinterest!  Inspiration can come from all over--like these sweet burlap pennants I spotted in Atlanta.  They will be darling in a little girl's room!

Other than the nice weather and fun projects, my most favorite thing about fall is my birthday!!!  I have secretly been loving this Ex Voto Vintage necklace.  I really want a thick silver toggle chain with a vintage silver locket or charm!!  Philip, are you reading this?  Of course not.

(borrowed from Simply Seleta)

On another random note, I joined a book club!  It's my first one, so I still don't really understand why I was one of two who actually read the book.  By the way, it was one of the worst books I have ever read. The major themes were AIDS, poverty, drugs, and Buddhism.  Really. Maybe that's why no one else read it... Our new book is Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.  There were 235 holds on it at the library, so I broke down and bought it.  The next meeting is at my house in two weeks, so I better start reading!

Lovely Onesies

I just love little applique onesies, but I don't have an embroidery machine.  Or a baby.  But I do have a friend with one, so I always use her to try out my baby projects.  Following Ellison Lane Quilt's applique tutorial and Daffodil Disign's template (who also has an adorable giraffe!), I made these two darling onesies.  The onesies were $5 each from Old Navy, but I saw the cute ones with puff sleeves at Wal-Mart for $3.  The fabric used is leftover from other baby projects.  No embroidery machine necessary--the tutorial calls for a zigzag stitch around the designs, but my friend really wanted a straight stitch.  It was SO easy to trace the pattern, iron the Heat-n-Bond for two seconds, cut the pieces, iron them on, and stitch.  And, they're SO cute! I can't wait to see how they look on the baby!

It's Fall, Y'all!

In honor of the best fall month other than my birthday month, I give you the candy corn door hanger!  My friend Jenny and I were so excited to start this project.  Sadly it took much longer than planned, so we had to finish it the following afternoon.  Here are the steps to make it!

1. Cut 9" of orange and yellow burlap, 18" long.  Cut 7" white burlap, 18" long.  Stitch horizontally with a 1/2" seam allowance.  Press seams toward the orange.

2. Guesstimate and cut a piece of brown burlap for the back piece.  Mine is about 24" tall and 18" wide.  Lay it flat over the sewn from piece, and arrange it so that the white part takes up around the top third.

3. Pin pieces together, cut the front to fit the back piece. 

4. Using cardboard or poster board under the top layer, use a Sharpie to write out the letters.  I chose "Trick or Treat!" so I started with the or and tried to center Trick by drawing from the center.  That made the Tr a little difficult.  Fill in the letters with black acrylic paint.  Fabric paint works fine, too.  Add some polka dots!  (This is where Day 1 stopped because the paint was way too sticky to keep going.)

5. Once dry, it's time to put the pieces together.  Leaving a 6" opening at the center bottom, begin stitching at the bottom of the candy corn, all the way around.   

6. Stuff the door hanger with leftover plastic grocery bags.  I used clear bags so the white didn't show through the front.  Sew up the bottom opening, and trim the threads.
(Jenny didn't trust her free-handing skills, so she used curly stencils.  And Massey had to make an appearance.)

7.  Pull the bottom of a wire hanger the opposite way from the hook making a diamond shape.  Cut the hanger about 3" from the hook on both sides.  Bend the wire so the two open ends point straight up when the hanger lies flat on a table.  Push the open ends through the top of the candy corn about 4" from the top.  Use pliers to grip the end of the wire and bend it into a spiral on both sides.

8.  Add a big bow, and hang it up!!

Upcycling

Phil and I have had a long term relationship with Twice as Nice, the consignment shop in T-town.  The problem is, once we get out all our fall clothes, go through them, make a consignment pile, and commit to driving an hour there and back on a weekend, it's already fall.  That means the consignment shop is no longer taking fall items.  Same problem in the summer.  In the past eight years, I should have learned to save my fall consignment items when I'm packing them up for the spring and summer.  It is now September, and the brisk morning air makes me want to pull out my corduroys, but I won't.  I will wait until it is officially fall on September 22 or until it gets cold enough--maybe by November!  So until I pack up my yet-to-be-unpacked fall clothes, eBay it is. 

As an aside, I know I am not a photographer.  I also know not to take pictures at night, even though I did.  It would seriously be a full time job just taking a million pictures of the clothes and other things I don't want anymore, typing up silly explanations and measurements of everything, and making up estimated prices.  And how do you decide how much to list it for?  It's already something I don't really want, so it certainly doesn't have as much value as something I do want.  I pretty much just guess.  Setting up my 10 listings took me two evenings and only one dress has bids!  I miss the consignment shop.  Anyway, check out my new listings here.  Do any of you sell on ebay?