The Christmas season is officially upon us! I have pulled out the decorations and found my Folded Paper German Star ornaments. I display them throughout the house. Sharing again, my German Stars Video Tutorial, a step-by-step guide for making these stars because it is one of my most popular posts.Continue Reading
Baby Socks Rose Bud Flower Bouquet

Three Projects using Heart Shaped Mold
I purchased a Pampered Chef Cookie heart shaped mold at a garage sale a few years ago and am just now getting around to trying it out. I made pretty sugar cookies.
Ham Fat Suet for Backyard Birds
You know that yucky, greasy stuff that rises to the top after cooking meat in liquid. It solidifies when cooled. We usually spoon it off and discard. It is fat and instead of discarding, you can add a few ingredients and make suet cakes to feed your backyard birds. Adding seed, grain, fruit or other tidbits provides high calorie energy when insects are not available.
Sometimes I use bacon grease but this time I used the fat from making ham stock.
You can press the mixture into cookie cutters or just shape into squares or balls and hang outside during these freezing cold days.
Here, I poked a hole in the bottom of a small plastic cup, inserted a length of kitchen twine and knotted the end.
After stirring together a cup of melted fat to about 1/2 cup each of bird seed and cornmeal, I spooned it into a little plastic cup, pressing firmly until filled.
Refrigerate until firm; cut away the cup, pop out and hang outside to wait for some visitors.
More bird feeding ideas found by clicking the photo below
Homemade Body Lotion
Homemade body lotion is a rich and lovely cream and easy to make. Create a sweet bath & body package for a little self-pampering or as a lovely gift for the girls on your gift-giving list.Continue Reading
Recycled Cashmere Sweater Christmas Stocking & Gift Bags

Patchwork Christmas Stocking

Sharing a How-To for a patchwork Christmas Stocking is kind of scary for me because I am not great at sewing. I have, however, made quite a few of these cheerful sacks through the years and Santa hasn’t left any empty, so I guess they are okay in his book.
Floral Christmas Centerpiece

Crochet Edge Baby Blanket

It has been such a busy couple of weeks but I am finally getting to share my how-to for the Crochet Edge Baby Blanket made for a little guy due any moment now.Continue Reading
Infant Crochet Leg Warmers & Baby Beanie
Our Jamie is expecting a baby boy the end of this month and she asked me to make a pair of crochet leg warmers for him to wear home from the hospital. I gave some thought to the length of a infant newborn leg, the diameter of the thigh and ankle and came up with a tiny, cuffed pair to keep those little legs warm. Of course, there needs to be a matching beanie for his little noggin and a super soft blanket to swaddle him in.
Short Infinity Scarf

Short and quick projects can be so rewarding. Instant gratification for finishing a project. It is even better when the end result is a warm and snugly neck warmer. It doesn’t take much time to crochet a short infinity scarf for someone you love.
Crochet Braided Scarf

The temps are beginning to drop around here and it is beginning to look a little like autumn.
Have you been noticing the crochet braided infinity scarves showing up on Pinterest and on blogs?
They work up quickly and are very adaptable to changes.
Rosemary Wreath and Rosemary Parmesan~Crusted Pork Chop Dinner
I’ve got another wreath idea to share with you.
This one is not just decorative but also useful in the kitchen
A wreath made of Rosemary sprigs is both aromatic and handy to snip and add in meal preparation.
For the base of the wreath I looked for a small circle. I found a package of four, five-inch metal circles in the leather supply section of the craft store.You could use a heavy wire and make the circle yourself.

After cutting the rosemary into 5-6-inch pieces, I wired several of them into a bundle.
It took six bundles to go around and fill out this 5-inch wire circle.
That’s all there is to it.
It smells wonderful too!
My Rosemary was a windowsill-size gift from a friend. I kept it indoors for a year and then planted it outside in a pot. It grew and I transplanted it into a raised bed herb garden two years ago.
Rosemary is an aromatic, perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves. The leaves are used as a flavoring in foods such as stuffing, pork, chicken and turkey. It is native to the Mediterranean region. The name “rosemary” derives from the Latin for “dew” (ros) and “sea” (marinus), or “dew of the sea”. Rosemary is reasonably hardy in cool climates and it can withstand droughts. I live in zone 6b and my rosemary has no problem wintering over. It is easy to grow and pest-resistant and can be grown in pots. Be sure it has good drainage and a sunny location.
Parmesan & Rosemary Crusted~Pork Chops
adapted from Giada recipe
Ingredients
1 large egg
1/2 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2-1 tsp. snipped rosemary
3 (1/2 to 3/4-inch thick) center-cut pork chops
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
Whisk the egg in a pie plate to blend. Combine Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs and the rosemary in another plate. Sprinkle the pork chops with salt and pepper. Dip the pork chops in the egg and then into the cheese/bread crumb mixture, coating completely, patting to adhere.
Heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pork chops, and cook until golden brown and the center reaches 150 degrees, about 6 minutes per side. Add additional oil as needed when cooking second side. (My chops browned quickly, so I covered pan with lid, leaving slightly ajar and cooked for less time until just cooked through keeping them nice and juicy). I served with mashed potatoes and fresh green beans.
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Cupcakes & Crinoline Project Inspired party
DIY Dried Hydrangea Wreaths
An easy DIY project for making a dried hydrangea wreath is a lovely way to continue enjoying the beautiful flowers from your garden well after the blooming season ends. The colors of each flower softens to a lovely, vintage-looking pastel shade.Continue Reading
How to Dry Hydrangea Blossoms
Aren’t hydrangeas beautiful? I have several bushes that started out as tiny specimens and have grown large through the years. Hydrangea flowers fade into lovely, muted colors. In this post, I am showing how I dry hydrangea blossoms to use in arrangements to enjoy through the winter.
Zucchini Boats with Sausage

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