Fresh Paint

When we bought our Lake House the outside was what needed the most work. I could live with everything on the inside, except for a few minor updates, which we have gradually been doing. We put in new flooring, and are carpeting the office and stairs. The one thing I really wanted to re-do was paint the office and hall. The color is a beige with a hint of pink, it reminded me of the color I grew up with ,which I did not like. So off to the paint store to pick colors. I never realized how many different shades of blue there are. I brought so many home, taped them on the wall and gradually narrowed it down to two. I decided on Soft Sky for the office and Summer Shower for the Hall. The Summer Shower is very close to what was already in the Living room and up the stairs. John was going to do the painting himself but has been so busy with other things that we decided to have someone else do it. Its going to be a nice change.

Homemade Chalk

Here is a fun Summer Craft to make.

Supplies
Craft Sticks
Cornstarch
Water
Food Coloring
Plastic throw away cups

Take 1 1/2 cups of cornstarch and 1 1/2 cups water and mix together
Divide it between the plastic cups
Add different color food coloring to the cups
Place a craft stick in each cup
Let harden
Once hard remove the cup by cutting it away
Instead of cups you could also use an ice tray or silicone shaped trays

Rainy Day Crafts

 With Summer approaching I like to begin thinking about crafts for those rainy days when the grandchildren come to stay. I have a craft closet where I keep lots of paper, glue,colored pencils, crayons, water color pain,scraps of colored paper, construction paper,Paper Plates,Yarn and all sorts of stickers. They love going in grabbing some supplies and use their imagination to create art. Sometimes I'll have a craft project planned but most of the time they just create whatever they want. I always keep a lot of Paper Plates on hand the kids love using them to create all sorts of things. Like the projects below. The Jelly fish They turned into kites and then attempted to fly them in the back yard.

Cupcake Bouquet

I love making and decorating cupcakes, but after a while a plate of cupcakes seemed boring. So after searching Pinterest I saw several ideas but this one in particular caught my eye. It could serve 2 purposes a centerpiece and dessert. This would be great for an afternoon tea.

Supplies:
1 dozen cupcakes your choice
Flower pot
Tooth picks
A styrofoam ball that fits in the flower pot
Ribbon

You can buy a flower pot already painted or buy one unpainted and decorate it yourself
Place the styrofoam ball inside the pot, stick tooth picks into the styrofoam ball. Add the cupcakes and tie a ribbon around the pot.

Butterfly Party Favors

I made these cute butterflies at Easter one year for my grandchildren. They are an easy project and would make a great party favor. Your kids could even help to make them.

Supplies
Small sandwich plastic bags
Clothes pins
Pipe Cleaners
Small google eyes
Assorted candies
Assorted craft paints

Directions
Paint the clothes pins and let them dry.
Glue the google eyes on
Cut a pipe cleaner in half and glue each half on either side of the clothes pin for antenna
Fill the plastic sandwich bags with the candy and close it
Pinch the bag in the center with the clothes pin, making sure the candy is equally divided on each side to mimic wings

Cucumber Bites

Cucumber bites with herb dressing is a quite easy but fancy appetizer.

Ingredients

For the herb dressing
4oz cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 cup Ranch Dressing
2Tablespoons dill
3-4 long cucumbers skinned and sliced into 30 1in slices
15 cherry tomatoes sliced in half
Salt
Paprika

Directions
Put the cream cheese, ranch dressing and herbs in a stand mixer and mix until well combined.
Spoon the mixture into a piping bag with a star tip.
Prepare the cucumbers remove pee, using a fork score the sides, slice into 1 in slices.
Using a melon baller remove a portion of the of the center of one side of the piece of cucumber,leavinvg a half moon crater.
Pipe the herb mixture into the crater, enough to stick out about 1/2 in of the top
Add 1 half of cherry tomato partially buried into the cream cheese mixture
Sprinkle with a little salt and paprika
Chill until ready to serve.

Egg Salad

I make egg salad at least once a week. It's easy and something I like to serve when guests come for lunch. I sometimes serve it over lettuce, or in a sandwich, but for a ladies luncheon I use croissants, because it's fancier.

Ingredients
Hard boiled egg's
Mayonaise
Honey Mustard
Scallions
Lettuce
Croissants

For perfect hard boiled eggs:
Place eggs in a pan of cold water, once the water starts to boil time it for 1minute. Turn off the burner, cover and let it sit for 15 minutes. Rune them under cold water.
Peel and chop the eggs and place them in a bowl. Add the mayonnaise,about 1 tablespoon of honey mustard, and the chopped scallions.
Slice the croissants,  add some lettuce  and a nice scoop of the egg salad mixture.
I sometimes serve them with fresh cut up fruit.

After School Snack

Here is an easy and quick after school snack that even the kids can make.

Ingredients
Granny Smith Apples
Peanut Butter
Raisins or Dried Cranberries

Core the apples and slice in 1/4 inch slices
Spread each slice with some peanut butter
Top with either the raisins or dried cranberries
Enjoy

Mom

This is the 6th Mothers Day without my Mom. She was the one I got my love for cooking and crafting from. I remember as a child her organizing the ladies in the neighborhood months before Christmas for a weekly craft day. They'd meet in our basement and create holiday crafts out of things they had around the house. Like trees made out of old readers digests or Angels made out of different shaped pasta.She taught me how to make spaghetti sauce from scratch, snickerdoodle cookies and the best meat loaf ever. She wasn't much of a camper until much later in life when my husband and I bought our first Motor Home. She went with us a couple of times and although she said she had fun I think she would have preferred staying in a hotel. She loved life,spending time with her family and friends was one of her greatest joys. I miss her everyday but I feel her with me and I know someday we will be together again. Love you Mom.

Eggs on the Grill

One morning while camping my kids gave me this look that said "not cereal again". Being a newbie camper I cooked what was simple and easy.I kept telling myself we're camping we don't do fancy. I would buy those small boxes of cereal that came in the variety pack. It was a quick and easy go to for breakfast  My kids couldn't understand why we did't have pancakes or eggs like they saw other campers having. I tried to explain that cooking over an open fire was not like cooking on my stove at home. I was intimidated, and I have to admit burned a few meals.
The one thing about campers is how friendly they are and their willingness to share their ideas. One such camping Mom showed me how she cooks eggs over an open fire. She uses a muffin tin, sprays it with cooking spray, cracks an egg in each cup and places it on the grate . How simple is that. So on our next trip I came prepared with a muffin tin a dozen eggs and some very happy kids.

Camping Hacks

The first time I went camping I thinkI took everything but the kitchen sink. We packed the back of our Jeep with the tent, sleeping bags, cook stove, cooking utensils and ran out of room.So we hooked up our small trailer for duffle bags of clothes and coolers with food and jugs of water. Once we got to the campground setting up camp and trying to figure out where to store everything became a burden. I soon realized there had to be a better way. So I started watching what other campers did. Instead of bringing pancake mix and everything they needed to make them they mixed the batter before hand and put it in an empty catsup squeeze bottle. They used empty egg cartons to hold charcoal briquettes for grilling. Another great idea I saw was freezing water in milk jugs  to not only keep food cold but  also  once it melted it could be used in cooking, drinking or wash water. Using a lot of these hacks cut down on the amount of things I had to pack and made camping easier and less stressful.

Garden Helper

I saw this idea on where else Pinterest and I think its worth doing. Right now I have a shelf in the garage with my gardening tools. Its sometime a pain when I'm working in the garden and have to keep stopping what I'm doing to go get something. If I had this in the garden it would save me many steps.
I think it would be a cute accent, decorated with decals or paint.

Garden scape with stones

When we moved up to the Lake the landscaping left a lot to be desired. Actually there were no gardens to speak of. What the previous owners had done was plant things that spread which is ok but everything spread within each other. There were Lily of the Valley growing all over along with ground cover and succulents. It took most of last Summer to try and clean it out and even this year I notice some of the old plants creeping back. I marked out my 3 gardens with large rocks added nice black dirt and planted perennials. I add annuals for pops of color all Summer. I also like adding stepping stones which my grand children made. This year I saw this really cute idea using pebbles and stones of different shapes and sizes. I find all kinds of rocks just walking down the road or along the lakeshore. This is one I am going to work on this Summer,finding the right shapes and sizes might be tricky but I'm up for the challenge.

Old Drawer Planter

Here is a cute idea I found for an outdoor planter. Find an old dresser drawer and some old legs from an old chair or you can purchase legs from your local Home Depot. Paint the drawer and legs.Distress the legs if you bought new and attach them to the bottom of the drawer. Line the drawer with a cocoa liner,add dirt and flowers and place it on your porch or deck for a very cute and unique planter.

Skkidewalk Squirty Chalk

Kids playing with sidewalk chalk is one of Summers favorite activities. This chalk is easy to make and wows the kids with its magics changing colors. Kids not only get to create Art, but they get to explore Science and review color theory. 

Supplies:

Squirt Bottles

Corn Starch

Food Coloring or washable water colors

Vinegar

Method

You will want 6 squirt bottles. Fill 3 bottles 2/3 of the way up with baking soda and corn starch.I did equal amounts of each,add a few drops of food coloring to each bottle(one red,one bluenose yellow) fill the rest of the way up with water. Use a butter knife and stir well, place the cap on and shake well.

Fill the remaining 3 bottles with vinegar, add food coloring one red one blue one yellow,vinegar.

Send the kids outside to play

Mixing the colors like blue and yellow will make green. The yellow chalk and blue vinegar will make a magically green fizzing color. Combining the blue vinegar with the red chalk makes purple fizzing Art. Let them experiment. When their done easily clean up with a hose. If using food color have the kids wear old clothes or substitute the food coloring with washable water colors.

 

Pasta Salad

This is your everyday pasta salad with a twist. Its made with red, white and blue pasta. I buy regular pasta, cook it and then divide it into 3 sections and using food coloring dye one red one blue and leave the other white. You could also use different shaped pasta, which would give it a different look. I then add my fixings green onions, black olives,celery,cherry tomatoes, and feta cheese. I toss it all with an Italian dressing, and serve it chilled. You could add tuna fish and instead of dressing add mayonnaise the possibilities are endless. I make this for our memorial day and 4th of July celebrations.

Camping with Kids

Camping with kids doesn't have to be scary. Most campgrounds have all sorts of things for kids to do. Swimming,biking,game rooms and once in a while planned crafts. Sometimes though you have to have a backup plan. When I know the grand kids are coming to camp with us I always make sure I have some things planned. They can only swim, and  bike so much, before boredom sets in and then its "what can we do?" I have print outs for scavenger hunts,where they are sent out to find all sorts of things,Sometimes I change it up and I give them a list of questions to ask other campers. Its fun and gets them to meet other kids. I also have collected flat rocks and painted pictures on them. Then at night sitting around the campfire they use them to tell a story. Another great idea using the stones is to write the places you've been on your many camping trips,addding the date and year then place them in a jar. Its fun to go back and see where you've been. I also make sure to always have games and puzzles available for those rainy days.

Fire Starters

Camping and bonfires seem to go hand in hand. I remember the first camping trip we went on,I had planned everything we needed down to a T. We arrived at our camp site, set up camp and while I prepared for our cookout over an open fire, my Husband built or tried to build a fire. After many attempts a nearby camper, who probably felt sorry for us came over to help. He handed my husband a small rolled up ball, said put this on the logs light it and you'll have a fire in no time. He had purchased these little miracle workers at the camp store.  His kindness saved what was about to turn into a disastrous first Camping trip.
I hadn't thought about those starters in years until moving up to the lake and found out that my neighbor makes them from shredded paper, and wax. She puts this concoction in a paper bag ties it shut and you have a fire in no time.They have come in very

handy when the grandkids are up here visiting and want to do S'mores,or just want a fire to sit around.
Our fire pit is loaded and ready with twigs from yard clean-up after a long winter and we are going to put these to work as soon as the weather  cooperates.

Sizzling Summer Salad

Now that its getting warmer outfits time to crank up that grill. This recipe is easy and very good.

Ingredients:
1 package of sweet Italian sausage links
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 T olive oil
1garlic clove crushed
1T capers
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
5 cups baby spinach
1cup raspberries
1/4 cup basil leaves sliced
2T dried currants
2T pine nuts toasted
Parmesan Cheese for garnish

Preheat the grill to Med heat. Cook sausage for 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally,remove and keep warm.
In a large saucepan combine the vinegar, oil,clove,capers,lemon zest and pepper.Place the pan on the grilling heat until well blended and warmed through. Remove from heat add spinach and toss to coat.
Divide the spinach mixture between 4 plates, place 1 sausage on top, sprinkle each place with raspberries, basil,currants and pine nuts. Drizzle with any leftover dressing and garnish with parmesan cheese,
Serves 4

Button Craft

We all have extra buttons. I have a mason jar that over the years I have tossed any extra ones in and now I have quite a collection. The question is what can we do with all these extra buttons. Well they are great for all kinds of crafts. I have made pins,book marks, and heres another cute idea for the kids' button tree.

Supplies:

A jar of assorted buttons

Paper

Water color paints

Glue

Instructions

Paint a tree trunk with branches on the paper

Glue buttons on the branches for a beautiful Fall tree

Cooking with herbs

 I try and use fresh herbs when I cook but sometimes they aren't always available, especially during the winter months, when I find theres no other choice except dried ones. With the weather  warming up now its looking like a good time to get some fresh plants for my garden. Each year I go through the tedious decision of what herbs to plant. The first year I planted an herb garden I think I bought every herb plant that was at the greenhouse, which ended up being a mistake. Plants I never used took over the garden and in the end it was a waste of money. This year I have narrowed it down to 6 plants. Basil,Mint,Parsley,Chives,Dill and Rosemary. These are herbs I know I will use in my cooking. Of course once I get to the greenhouse I might see some I hadn't thought about. Last year when I got to the greenhouse I saw there were several different mint plants,Peppermint,Chocolate and Orange,So of course I had to buy them. Theres just something  so refreshing about going into the garden and harvesting fresh herbs.Its a task I truly enjoy.

Crock Pot Ham

I use my crock pot at least 3 to 4 times a week. It makes my life so much easier.I can put everything in the pot in the morning set the temperature and forget about it until dinner time. So when I saw this recipe I knew I had to add it to my recipe files.

Ingredients
1 Ham
Brown Sugar
Pineapple Tidbits

Cover the bottom of the crockpot with brown sugar.
Place the hame on top, and add the pineapple tidbits with juice.
Sprinkle the ham with more brown sugar, cover and cook 7 to 8 hours.

Limoncello Dessert

This is an easy and refreshing dessert to serve after a dinner party or any occasion.
With only 5 ingredients it's even quite easy.

Serves 4
Ingredients
1 Lemon
1 package wafer cookies
1 pint Lemon Sorbet
1 Pint vanilla ice cream
4 jiggers Limoncello (available at any liquor store)

Place 1 scoop of lemon sorbet along side 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream in each of 4 dessert cups
Top each serving with 1 jigger of the lemon liqueur. Grate the zest of 1 lemon on each bowl of sorbet and ice cream. Garnish with the wafer cookies and serve.

Flower Pots

I love when it begins to get warm after a long cold Winter. It gets me in the mood to start thinking about planting flowers. In my flower beds I planted perennials which come up every year. I just add some annuals so theres always some color. On my porch I put pots filled with flowers. I love decorative pots but they can be quite costly. Terra Cotta pots are very reasonable and they can be decorated to your liking. They can be painted in a solid color and then add some painted flowers or dragonflies. You can also have you kids or in my case my grand children put their handprints or footprints on them. You can paint the pot add pictures of the kids and then decoupage over them. The possibilities are endless.

Supplies
Terra Cotta Pots in various sizes
Paint in several colors
Brushes
Masking Tape
                                           

Corn Caserole

This is a real nice side dish.

Ingredients
1 box jiffy corn muffin mix
1 can creamed corn
1 can regular corn
2 eggs beaten
1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 375
Grease a 2qt casserole dish and set aside
Mix the cans of corn, eggs, sour cream, and muffin mix in a bowl
Transfer to the casserole dish and bake for 1 hour.

Decorative Plate Craft

This craft would be a great gift especially with Mothers Day just around the corner. You could have the kids decorate them with their names, or write special sayings.They would also make great end of the year teacher gifts. I think every teacher would love to get a decorate plate with her students names  filled with cookies. You could use colored sharpie and make a cookie plate for Santa, or how about a nautical theme. The ideas are endless.

Supplies:
White plates purchased from the dollar store
Sharpie

Once things are written on the plate bake for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven to make the the writing permanent.

Garden Art

This is a really cute craft and it's only takes a few supplies.

An old watering can
Individual glass beads or beads already strung in shades of blue or just clear
Wire if using single beads
Shepherds hook

Most old watering cans have nozzles that can be removed.
String beads and attach them through the holes in the nozzle
Once you have filled as many holes as you want re-attach the nozzle
Hang the can on the shepherds hook and place it over a pot of flowers

Sinless Coolies

Ok,so when is a cookie ever sinless? These just might come close. Give them a try.

Asparagus Gruyere tart

When made with plump in-season asparagus, this dish makes a sophisticated, visually pleasing appetizer.

6 Ingredients serves 4
1 1/2 lbs asparagus
Flour
Salt &Pepper
1T olive oil
1 sheet puffed pastry frozen
51/2 ounces Gruyere cheese

Couldn't be easier.
Roll out the puff pastry, bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees
Sprinkle with the gruyere or cheese of your choice
Add the asparagus and brush with olive oil
Top with salt and pepper
Bake for another 20 -25 minutes.

Old Windows

While shopping at an Antique Store one day I came across some old windows. I wondered what kind of projects I could come up with. I figured if I thought long enough I'd come up with some. On that particular day though I couldn't, so I didn't purchase any. Some years later I was at a craft show and saw many really cleaver ideas using old windows. Some had the glass removed and replaced with chicken wire for hanging notes,others were painted with scenes, and some had quotes using vinyl decals. I think using old windows has become a very popular project,because they are not as easily found anymore.

Finger Print Art

This is a cute idea and could be used as a learning tool for Pre Schoolers to learn the alphabet.
Place 26 of the child's thumb fingerprint on some art paper. Have the child draw a picture using the fingerprint,exsample a for ant, b for bear and so on.

Garden Stepping Stones

I have always loved having Stepping Stones in my garden, but the ones to purchase can be  quite expensive. I decided I could make them. Now there are kits you can buy to make one but with a little ingenuity I made several for a fraction of the cost of one of those kits. I purchased some aluminum foil pans,a bag of quick dry cement, some old china plates, and a bag of glass jewels at Michaels. I wrapped the china plates in a cloth and with a hammer broke them into pieces. I placed the pieces in the bottom of the foil pan along with a few of the jewels. I mixed up the cement according to the directions and spread it on top of the broken plates. They were then set aside to dry. Once dry I removed the stone from the foil tin, and had a beautiful a stepping stone. This is a fun project to do with your grandchildren. You can also make them by putting the cement in the pan first and let the kids make hand prints and then write their name in the cement.

Love Lake Living

We have been living on the Lake for a year now, and it has been the best move we ever made. Lake living is so relaxing. We spent most of this past year remodeling the exterior of the house. We did manage to work in some fun though. We bought a pontoon boat and just about every night were able to take a boat ride. We have Kayaks and although they are fun after my shoulder surgery I was finding it difficult to paddle around the lake.This year we decided to buy a Peddle Boat. I told my grandchildren to start exercising their legs so they can peddle Nana around the lake. The two older ones seem excited not to peddle nana around but to use it to look for boys.Teenagers,I guess more grey hair in inevitable. 

Meat Loaf Muffins

Prepare your favorite meat loaf recipe, and instead of forming a loaf on a sheet pan or putting the prepared meat in a bread pan scoop some into individual muffin tins. Adjust cooking time always remembering that the internal temperature needs to be 160 degrees. 

Buttons

Buttons and not the kind you sew on a shirt. Buttons is my puppy, who turns one today. I had planned a party for him and was going to invite all his doggie friends, hazel,Fred,harlee,Finley and Higgins. Unfortunately we are under a Winter Storm Watch,Snow,Sleet, and high winds. This weather is so unusual for April.Well maybe next year when he turns Two.

Happy Birthday my sweet boy, you are truly a joy!!!

Crock Pot Orange Chicken

This is a delicious recipe and so easy,which is so helpful in everyones busy life.

Ingredients
4 to 5 boneless chicken breasts
3/4 cup Orange Marmelade
3/4 cup BBQ sauce
2t soy sauce

Cook chicken in crock pot on high for 3 hours
After 3 hours drain juices from crock pot
Mix together Marmalade,BBQ sauce, and soy sauce
Pour over chicken and cook on high for another 30 minutes.
Serve with rice

Oils

Using Oils, at first I was a little skeptical but then one day I had a headache and nothing eased the pain.Then someone said try Peppermint oil. I put a drop on both temples  and my forehead and within minutes it was gone. I now use oils all the time. I diffuse them, use them to make homemade cleaners, and I use them for medicinal purposes. I love diffusing  Citrus Fresh,it makes my kitchen smell so fresh. I add several drops of Thieves to a glass spray bottle filled with water and  use this to clean my bathroom and kitchen counters. It has a cinnamon aroma and smells great. Tea Tree is one of my go to's when I have a breakout. Just one drop on my breakout each night before bed and it's gone in a couple of days.  I also have several recipe's using a carrier oil and several oils to make a great chest rub if you have a cough. Stuffy nose, no problem. Just a drop of RC under each nostril.There are many oils out there that you can buy at most health food stores. I order my oils from Young Living. Here are a couple of recipe's that I have made.

Old Bed Springs

Bed Springs,the first time I saw these was at a friends cottage on Houghton Lake. I was about 12 years old and had gone up there with my Mom. We slept in a feather bed that was on a frame made of bed springs that creaked every time you moved. Little did I know back then that someday I'd be searching for these old relics for craft projects. They aren't easy to find but everyone in a while you get lucky and find an old mattress with a treasure trove of springs inside.