For the teacher

I found the cutest thing on Pinterest. to make for teachers.  The end of the year is fast approaching and look at what a cute thing this is to give as a thank you gift.   You could fill it up with candy or I'm going to include thumb tacks and paperclips so she can keep it on her desk filled with those things that are always needed.  Teachers never have enough thumb tacks.

If you have been following me at all you know I don't have any small children but my daughter is a 4th grade teacher so I made one for her as a little surprise gift. 

I bought a small clay pot and the base that goes under it.  I already had red paint and the clay,  Just to let you know it isn't just any kind of clay, you need to get the kind that you bake so that it become hard and doesn't crack.  That took no time at all and I did it in my toaster oven.  I made the stem right on the top (which is really the clay pot base) and then put the top with the stem attached to it right in the oven.  It won't hurt the clay pot at all.  Last I just found a leaf from the tons of silk flower bushels I have and hot glued that on to the stem. 

So adorable right?

On the original, from Pinterest, she did not paint the inside but I did. 

Then just so things did not fall through the little hole in the bottom I glued a round piece of felt to the bottom. 

There you have it.

I hope she like it!

Happy Spring!

Thought I'd brag about a great idea I had for a long time and finally got it completed.  A while back mom got a new bed.  For a long time she had a little twin bed we bought at ikea.  We both hated it but the only other bed we had was a huge Cal. King and in her little room there was now way it would fit.  so finally mom got to be a big girl and got a big girl bed.  She wanted to just throw out her old bed.  It was just some boards and slats and normally I would have probably broke it down for firewood but I had a great idea for it so nope in the garage it went.
I had decided it would make the perfect raised vegetable garden.  Those slats were calling my name to plant something between them. 

This is what I started with.

 

 

I took the headboard off already.  Then I removed the footboard. 

Then I dug out the garden so that I could put the bed in and cover with dirt. 

I fit perfect.   Look at what a ham Rocky is.  He always has to be right in the picture.

Then I just stared filling it all in.  I added a few bags of potting soil and started planting.






I already had that little fence and thought it would be great to put around it.  Last year Rocky kept eating the tomatoes before I could get to them.  

They look a little droopy but by the next morning they came back just great.  There are 3 different tomatoes plants, two peppers, two cucumbers and a zucchini plant.

I'll keep you posted on their progress.

Life's update

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter or Passover celebration. Ours was really nice and laid back.  Of course I had to make a Easter banner for the occasion.  I found cardboard bunny cutouts at Michaels.   Almost all my banners are made from these cutouts.  For every season or holiday they have cut out that match or relate so they work so perfect for banners. They really are originally made for creating mini albums but that's what crafting is all about.  Finding things that might not be made for what you want to use them for.

Don't you just love all those poka dots!

The bunny's tail was a big thought process.  I was going to use a big white fuzzy ball but I couldn't find one big enough.  I didn't want to use cotton ball plus I didn't have any big enough. While I was looking around Michaels I did see hair clips that were felt flowers.  

Ding!. Ding!. Ding!!! 

That was it.. I came home and tried it out.  I think it worked out great and looks so cute.

I've been working on frames for my Etsy shop and hope to be back very very soon to show off the newest frames that are available.

Happy Easter

I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter next Sunday.  We have a family brunch planned.  I wish we didn't always wait until a holiday to get everyone together but hey I'll take  it when I can get it. 
I realized I didn't have a Easter wreath so I made one.  Not overly excited about this one.  I rushed it to much and maybe my heart just wasn't in to it.  I don't know what went wrong but hey it's up and hung. 

It all started with that cute little bunny and then moved to the plastic eggs.  If that wasn't enough lets add some flowers and a few extras.  I tried to save it by glittering letters to spell, ahhh duhh, Easter and attached them to ribbon.  So there you have it a horrible HOT MESS!  
The more I look at it the more I'm disgusted and embarrassed by it.  Oh well, it's only up for another week and then you just wait to see what I have coming in the wreath department.  It is so stinking cute I can't wait to get working on it.  It's for spring. I found it on Pinterest, where else.  I am sure you have all seen it but just putting my twist on it.  As usual!  Ha

Crazy Chicken in a Blanket

That is what I have decided to call my version of this recipe. 
It all started when I found this original recipe a while back on http://foodgawker.com/.  You can see it here on my "Where's the Kitchen" - Pinterest board.   Check it out, I have some great recipes and they are all fun and easy.
 
This is the original picture.  Originally the recipe says parsley but I decided to use spinach instead. 
Ingredients:
Boneless/Skinless breast of chicken - approximately 1 per person.
Package of cream cheese - Soften
2 cups of spinach - chopped fine to medium fine
6 strips of bacon - finely chopped
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Puff pastry or 2 boxes of Pillsbury pie crust.
1 large egg

Directions:
Preheat oven for 400 degrees..
In a large bowl mix up the soften cream cheese, chopped spinach, chopped bacon, and the Parmesan cheese all together until nice and smooth. 

This is what it should look like:

Next, wash and pat dry the chicken breast. 

Cut a slit in the middle of each breast.  Make a little pocket so that you can spoon the cream cheese mixture into the chicken.

All ready to be wrapped in their blankets.  LOL

Whatever kind of pastry you choose to use you're going to need to roll it out fairly thin.  If it's on the thin side it will  make it nice and flaky.  Cut squares big enough to cover each chicken breast,
This is where your egg comes into play.  Just crack it in a small bowl and mix it up like  you're going to cook a scrambled egg.  On each pastry square brush the edges with the egg mixture and pinch closed with a fork.  The egg really helps in keeping the edges glued down. 

Aren't they so cute! 

I did not cut any vent holes in the top.  My mom was worried about this but I did not and when all was said and done there was no need.  Everything cooked so well and the pastry cracked if it was needed to vent itself.

Use the rest of the egg  and brush  the top of each, this make it really golden brown.

Put in the oven (400 degrees) for 30 - 35 minutes. 

Sorry for such a horrible, yellow picture.  They're golden but not that golden.  LOL!

Better picture.. see how golden brown they come out. 

Now to the best part of this post.  My guinea pigs and what they had to say.   Who were the guinea pigs for this one.  Of course my mom & I,  my cousin I'll call "H" and her boyfriend  we'll call "G".  H has been my guinea pig before and I always know she will be honest.  G had never had the pleasure and given that he is a pretty nice guy I didn't know if he was going to be polite and say nothing or really tell me the truth.   Well no worries with this family, everyone spoke their mind and the truth. 
It was unanimous!  Awesome dinner and loved the Crazy Chicken in a Blanket.  G had his portion and 1/2 of another he also wanted me to make sure that I put in my blog that  he thought this was the bomb!    H, who is rail thin and doesn't eat a lot, ate it all.  In fact I caught her eying G's plate and he left a little piece of the pastry on his plate and she scarfed it up.  I know she has no idea I saw that!  Mom and I both loved it.
As we chatted about it we all agreed that the chicken was very moist.  We really didn't taste much of the bacon but we also said that it didn't matter.  We didn't think it took away from it.  I mentioned to everyone that I was worried how "hot" cream cheese would taste but everyone said noooo it was perfect.  It has a wonderful flavor.
I have a feeling that H might be making this for G in the future, if he gets his way. 

Three  things I will add when I make it again.  
#1 - I  will add 1 cup of mozzarella cheese to the cream cheese mixture.  We love cheese in this family.
#2 - I will wrap a slice of bacon around each chicken breast after I stuff it.  Then wrap in their blanket.
#3 - I will add a 1/2 can of cream of mushroom soup in the cream cheese mixture.  I just don't think you can go wrong with cream of mushroom soup.  It's the best thing Mr. Campbell invented. 

In summary:  MAKE THIS CUZ IT'S DAMN GOOD!  You will be a hit with the family.