A pretty for my niece

Last week I completed another embroidery project, this one for my niece who is turning 16.

She wouldn't give her mother or I any ideas as to what she wanted, so I had to improvise.  I decided to make her a pretty pillowcase with some other goodies.

I'm not the seamstress my mother is by a long shot, and I was late getting her this gift, so I had to work quickly but I tried to stitch as neatly as possible.  Even tho the design was pre-stamped, it took some concentration on my part...

 I think it came out nicely - looks like it's for a lady.  Very feminine.

 

 I packaged it up with a sleep mask and some aromatherapy spray.  I wish I had thought to buy a gift bag, but this will work:

 

 voila!

Happy Birthday, Miss Liv.  Hope you have the sweetest of birthdays!

Mealplan Monday #49 with thrifty photo art

I dug up some odd frames in the garage and spray painted them silver, then I used a walk to the greenbelt to do double duty - get 15 minutes of exercise in, and some pretty pics.

Monday - Sausage, Pepper, and Cornbread skillet, corn
Tuesday - Roast chicken thighs with red potatoes, green beans
Wednesday - Salsa Sloppy Joe's, tots, celery and carrot sticks
Thursday - Teriyaki chicken, rice
Friday - Black Bean chalupas, salad
Saturday - YOYO (camping weekend)
Sunday - Turkey Shepherd's Pie
Dessert this week is dark chocolate M&M cookie bars

 

This week I also plan to:

Rake the front yard

Take my mother a birthday gift

Do some sewing 

Hope your week is great, too!

Gina

Portrait of a musician

"It's easy to play a musical instrument;

all you have to do is touch the right key at the right time and the instrument will play itself.

-JS Bach

Mealplan Monday #48 and laundry

I spy with my little eye..a mop head, Santa hat, shirts to be ironed, all of my clean but wrinkled scrubs, scout uniforms, and a bed with no sheets.  Looks like a Monday.

Monday - Boy Scout Troop Potluck* - come with us or YOYO
Tuesday - Turkey Pasta Soup
Wednesday - Oven Baked Stew, Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Thursday - Creamy Ravioli Bake, salad, garlic toast
Friday - Mom p/u pizza
Saturday - Crock Pot Shredded Beef Tacos
Sunday - Bajio chicken salads
*I'm making Corn Casserole and an apple pie

Gina

Valentines Day 2013 re-cap

It was a low key Valentine's Day here at Camp Rustown, and I was suffering with allergies which made me feel like crawling back into bed, but I managed to stay awake long enough to make some treats for my peeps:  Strawberry Covered Chocolate Cake,

which was merely strawberry cake batter poured over brownie batter.  

Genius, I know...

 And these pretzel Hershey Hugs treats topped with dark chocolate M&M's.

I set out a pretty two-tiered dish with treats, popped a lasagna in the oven, and off Hubby and I went to Curra's for Salmon with nopalitos, shrimp in a garlic-y chile sauce, and avocado margaritas.  Yuuuum...

We drove down Congress Ave. on our way home...such a pretty sight.  If you look real close you can see the Capitol.  So pretty and festive in downtown Austin - I love where I live!

Ummm...excuse me, Mr. Mercedes, can you move?

 ******

And today was a busy, yet really good day at work - hence the late posting.  Look - Lamme's brought all the unsold chocolate covered strawberries to the hospital.  

Sure, we'll be your Valentine...

Onward, to the weekend...

Hair he is

Scout has reached the point at which he no longer cares for his curly hair, and he doesn't want to cut it short.

 So he borrowed a straightener from his girlfriend.

 It doesn't matter to him that his older brother calls it a "Beiber-do".

 It doesn't matter that his sister and I tell him how cute he is with curly hair.

He is learning all about what HIS likes and dislikes are, and is taking control over those aspects of his life that he can.  Which I count as normal and natural for a 17 year old.  

 And he's getting older, so it seems natural for him to march to a different beat - be himself, go his own way, live life on (a few of) his own terms.

He's still the same Scout he always was - gentle, kind, sweet, and creative.  Hopefully, he won't cringe when he sees these pics someday!

Gina

Mealplan Monday #47 and Fruit Cocktail Cake

As promised I am including the recipe for Fruit Cocktail Cake.  The first cake I learned to make by myself! I was probably 14 or so...my mother claims she doesn't remember this cake, but I remember making it in high school and college.

 Oh yum, yum, yum...especially when warm!

Fruit Cocktail Cake

1 1/2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
2 t. baking soda
2 t. vanilla
2 eggs
1 can fruit cocktail (in juice, undrained)
(and I also put 1/2 shredded coconut, just because I had it)
and
1 T butter
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. evaporated milk
1 t vanilla

 Heat the oven to 400, and spray Pam in a 13x9 baking dish.  Mix together sugar, flour, baking soda, vanilla, eggs, and fruit cocktail.

If your batter is too stiff to spread in a 13x9 pan, add a bit of water.  Bake for 35 minutes.

While it cools a bit, mix the butter, sugar, milk, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat until smooth.  poke a few holes in the cake and pour this over the top.  Go find something to do while it cools!

******

Monday - Salsa Chicken, rice, Pico de gallo
Tuesday - Mediterranean Pork Chops, mashed potatoes, green beans
Wednesday - Omelettes, biscuits
Thursday - Freezer dinner for the boys, Mom and Dad out
Friday - Beef Lo Mein with rice and crunchy noodles, carrots
Saturday - Dad grill (fish?)
Sunday - BBQ chicken (in the crock) for sammies, chips, pickles, etc.

******

 I'm going to make some valentine's treats for my peeps this week - still perusing the blogs and Pinterest for ideas...

 

Mealplan Monday #46 and Chocolate Cream Pie

Last week we helped Hubby celebrate his 52nd birthday.

He's fond of spending Nov. 21 through Jan. 31 saying he's married to "an older woman".  I made him a Chocolate Cream Pie with fresh whipped cream and Girardelli chocolate, by special request.

Monday - Pork and Peppers crockpot, rice, veggie
Tuesday - Meatballs with homemade marinara over linguini, salad
Wednesday -Turkey and gravy over biscuits, peas with mushrooms
Thursday - Freezer meal - Mom's choice
Friday - Chicken Divan Pot Pie (boys go camping)
Saturday - YOYO
Sunday - Burgers and tots

Gina