Valentine mantel

I don't usually decorate up for "holidays" that happen between Christmas and Easter - mostly because after I get done putting up all things holiday I just want our home to stay simple through the winter.  But I had seen several cute Valentine ideas on Pinterest and I knew I had all of the supplies for a cute banner!

It took me about an hour to make and it brightens up the den - I am really pleased with how the vision in my head turned out just right!

I started with the rest of the wide burlap ribbon I had purchased a couple of years ago.  I cut six equal lengths of it and ironed it flat.

Then I made a template of a heart from cardstock and cut out 6 hearts in assorted fabric scraps.  Some of the fabrics were flimsy, so I ironed some interfacing on those first.

I gave the top raw edges a zig zag, then folded down a casing and stitched it with a straight seam  - just wide enough for a small safety pin to fit through.

 Then I pinned and top stitched with zig-zag the hearts on the fronts. So easy! 

 

I also zig zag stitched along the bottoms of the burlap pieces to keep them from unraveling.  I threaded the jute string I had through the casings (with that small safety pin), then starched and ironed each burlap flag flat.

I still have command hooks on either end of the mantel, so it was easy to tie a small loop in the ends of the jute to hang the banner.  A small piece of extra burlap ribbon, tied with florist wire, hides the hooks.

And wah-la I was finished.  Six is our lucky number!  I love that the hearts aren't all pink or red - I will leave them up until the end of February.

I added a few red touches up top - the glitter heart picks are from the Dollar Spot at Target from years ago.

So sweet!

Gina

Wednesday Menus #4 and make it up as you go along

I actually enjoy grocery shopping.  I have a fairly organized list and I pretty much follow it, though not 100%.  A lot of times, a new item, or one that's on sale, will catch my eye and I will think "I can use that".  Such was the case with this sauce I bought about a month ago:

I'm going to devise a pasta dish with boneless chicken thighs, pasta, and some fresh grated cheese.  

Wednesday - Crock pot of beans with last of the ham from Christmas
Thursday - Chicken Tacos (this keeps getting bumped but I am determined to make it)
Friday - Italian Wedding Soup, hot rolls
Saturday - Dad grills
Sunday - Crock Pot Roast with onions and mushrooms, freezer mashed potatoes, salad
Monday - Smokey Pumpkin and Chipotle Chicken Thighs, pasta, salad
Tuesday - Hamburger SOS on toast, green beans

Gina

What the week holds and dinner at Bell Springs

On Saturday I got off a few hours early so Hubby and I could go to a New Year's Supper Club Dinner at Bell Springs.  Food was by Jobell Cafe and Bistro.  And the wine flowed.

Once we settled in, I took a grand total of ONE pic.  We had a great time, though.  The owner of the restaurant came over and introduced himself and told us about the inspiration behind the food; which was wonderful, by the way.  There was a Split Pea Soup with mint creme, Duck Bruschetta with almond pesto and a balsamic reduction, Pecan-crusted Rainbow Trout with wild rice and asparagus, and a mini Bundt carrot cake.  Our table mates were very personable, and included the winery owner.  I tried several new wines I really enjoyed, including the Symphony white and a fabulous malbec. 

The next day I slept in, then Hubby took Bubbie and I to Joe's Mexican Bakery for breakfast.  I lay on the couch for a while, listening to my quiet Sunday house and admiring the beautiful outside...then I had to get up and be at work by 1 p.m.  Boo, hiss.  I am looking forward to more weekends spent doing weekend things!  This week, Bubbie orders cap and gown and graduation announcements (!!!), and Hubby will be in San Antonio for two days.  And that's it - no crazy schedule here for my days off, and that's just how I like it!  What does your week look like? 

Brisket Chili Crock Pot - Firstborn's Birthday Meal

If you are fortunate enough to have leftover brisket to make chili out of, like they do at Pok-E-Jo's, you can make some darn good chili.  It's one of my favorite things and I knew I had to make it for Firstborn's birthday dinner. 

 

 This is the brisket I used - it made enough chili to feed 12 people!

Brisket Chili
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2T chili powder
1 t. cumin
1 t. oregano
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 28 oz can kidney beans, drained
1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained
1 8 oz can tomato sauce (not pictured)
3 c. beef brisket, chopped up

Cook onion, jalapeno, and garlic in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes.  Add the spices in and saute until they are fragrant - about 2 minutes.  Add to the crock pot with all else.  (Add a little water if you like your chili to be more like soup)  Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.

 Steaming chili in the soft glow of the kitchen - a very comforting meal on a cold day.

I served it with jalapeno spoonbread - it's similar to a Jiffy corn casserole, but I used a Mexican cornbread mix, half the sour cream, sauteed a minced jalapeno in the butter.  We put a big spoonful of it into our chili bowls - YUM.

I used the Pioneer Woman's recipe for berry cobbler, but used 4 cups of raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries and served it with ice cream.  It was buttery and warm and a perfect end to our meal.  And I guess Firstborn enjoyed it all, too - he told me he would be back the next day to have leftover chili for lunch!

Gina

Wednesday Menus #3 and Happy Birthday, Spencer!

 

Wednesday - Slow Cooker Brisket Chili, grated cheddar and sour cream, jalapeno spoonbread, Mixed Berry Cobbler with ice cream for Firstborn's Birthday 
Thursday - Tilapia with onions and peppers, seasoned rice
Friday - Leftover Chinese takeout from Sunday (freezer meal)
Saturday - YOYO! Mom and Dad out {We are going to a supper club event here}
Sunday -Hubby doesn't want o grill, so we are having a Velveeta Skillet and some corn
Monday - Slow Cooker Green Beans, Potatoes, and Kielbasa, rolls
Tuesday - Raspberry Chicken, Loaded Mashed Potatoes (freezer), peas

Happy Birthday to a young man who was never boring!  Here's to your best year yet, full of opportunity and success - jump to it!

Gina

January - kitchen decluttering

As part of the 52 Week Organized Home Challenge I am following, the first place to tackle was arguably the most important room in our house:  the kitchen.  We are halfway through January, but I have made made big progress. The first two weeks were all about the kitchen counters, sink area, the island, kitchen table, utensils, knives and measuring cups, linens, silverware, junk drawer, wrap and plastic, food storage, and under the sink.

The sink area - shiny and spiffed, and I even bought myself some nice hand cream to use after doing dishes.  

I cleared Christmas off the counters then I scrubbed the cooktop which was just plain awful after the holidays.

 Cute measuring spoons from a friend will live right here next to my recipes.

I try to keep the kitchen table and window seat uncluttered most of the time.  

 The window seat stays clear, but I would love to add a couple more potted plants and some pillows.

I went through all of the drawers, organizing and purging.  

 

 The junk drawer was pretty much under control.

  

 

  

 

The last place I worked on was the under the sink area and it was a mess.  The faucet had leaked last month and I cleaned with bleach spray and replaced the shelf liner.  Then I organized from left to right: cleaning cloths, floor cloths, sponges and dishwasher pods, general cleaning supplies. Hopefully, the rest of the January declutter challenge won't involve this much cleaning labor.

What about you - done any January decluttering?

Gina

5 thing Friday - decluttering, wine, jewelry chest, runner, garlic toast

I've been on a mission to declutter and clean after the holidays - it's my favorite part of January!  I am following along with the Declutter 365 challenge from Home Storage Solutions 101.  This month is all about decluttering the kitchen.  When I finish up the month I will post pics!

I think I do a good job of it, in general, but it's fun to read along and tackle each small area.  For now, please enjoy a clean little counter that  is home to the cookbooks - it makes me smile every time I walk past.  The chippy turquoise frame was a Christmas gift from a co-worker - it was the perfect home for my little cross stitch owl.

A new wine to love.  This one is a red blend, around $7 at Trader Joe's.  Perfect for happy hours while I prep dinner and enjoy my Christmas candles that are still hanging on.  Hubby and I agreed that we cannot enjoy the $20 bottles on a regular basis.  

Must. Be. Responsible.

I bought Hubby a jewelry chest last year, since he had several small ones he was using.  He has quite an impressive collection of cuff links and watches, mostly from his father.  I found the chest in the bottom of his night stand and decided to pull it out. I think the crochet thing shall go, but I like the chest up here.  Hubby enjoys him some bling and it will be easier for him to get to his things.

I bought a BH&G table runner at Wally World that I had admired for some time.  I like that it is colorful and has a global vibe.  This table doesn't get as much action when the holidays end - that's a shame since it's a nice room to have dinner in.  But maybe we will change that and start eating in here more often.

I've been reverting back to some of my more frugal homemaking ways, including making my own garlic toast.  I hate hate hate having to throw out food, such as stale bread.  Even with only 4 people living here we seem to spend a lot at the grocery store.  Its nice to save money where I can, and the easiest place to do that is in the grocery budget. The January theme!

Gina

Wednesday Menus #2 on the right foot

I spent some much needed time last week taking down all of the Christmas and cleaning everything half to death.  So now, it is all happily back in neat bins at the top of my closet.  Hooray!

 

I found some faux mistletoe, which I knew would be great for these little mini vases in the bedroom. They have a tiny bit of sparkle on them, and with a little moss in the vases, they add a pretty touch to the shelves. Twenty-four cents each, ha ha.

Wednesday - Slow cooker chicken tacos, rice, charro beans
Thursday - Brown Sugar Italian Chops , sweet potatoes, salad*
Friday - Scalloped Potatoes with Ham, kale
Saturday - Dad grills
Sunday - Mom figures it out
Monday - Amish Country Casserole, salad*
Tuesday - Party Roast Beef Sandwiches, fries*
Dessert this week is some kind of vanilla cake with fudge frosting a la BJ at Sweet Nothings
*I get a lot of good dinner ideas from Stephanie at Plain Chicken!

 

The den was the room I spent the most time on, but pretty much everything in the front half of the house got a thorough cleaning.  The floors, the cushions - all surfaces.  The house smelled fresh and clean and by the end of the day there was a nice dinner going. That's what I love about January - it gets us on the right foot for the new year!

Gina

Jeans and tennies winery

Here are some pics of a fun winery we visited last week - Thirsty Mule.

It was about 20 minutes or so from the property in Burnet - Highlands. We bought two $5 tastings and got a free glass of wine each for signing up for the wine club.

The winemaker's blend and the tempranillo were our favorites, and it didn't take much arm twisting from the friendly man in the tasting room to convince us to join the wine club.  So that's five wine clubs we are members of now and we promised we would only join 3 at a time!

 All this time we've been into wine, I never realized I was storing it wrong - the cork needs to stay wet inside of the bottle so it won't shrink, allowing air to get in and ruin the wine. 

They had a cute selection of wine-related gifts - we didn't buy anything but it was fun to look.  It was a fun way to spend an hour or so just after leaving Highlands.  Next time I'm going to ask my sister and brother-in-law if they would like to meet us there.

It seems like more and more we are gravitating towards these small wineries that are low key.  The big estates that have beautiful architecture, events, and scenery are fun, but these laid-back ones are great for an afternoon spent in jeans and tennies.

Gina