Happy Thanksgiving!

I just wanted to wish you all a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving.We went to my mother-in-law's as we do every year.It was a small group this year.We were able to come back home in time for hubby to go to his deer hunting. I am in the midst of cleaning my closet out and putting up summer clothes.I'd been meaning to do that a long time now but it has been three weeks that I have been sick and I just cannot seem to get over it all.Sleepless nights,aches,pains,sore throat and running around doing errands etc is hard on a body.
Well,since it is Thanksgiving,I just wanted to thank the Lord for blessing me-in the past,present and in the future too. No matter what happens in life, God is always good.

Chicken Bake

As you probably can tell, I love chicken and cook it a few times a week.I find myself getting bored with the similar dishes week by week so yesterday,I tried a chicken bake.Here is what I did:

*boneless chicken breast-washed and seasoned.I use salt,black pepper,garlic powder and parsley.That is my house seasoning for any meat and poultry.I have done that for years.

*a box of  seasoned stuffing mix.

* a can of Cream of Chicken soup

*fresh or frozen mixed vegetables
 (if you are using frozen,make sure it is thawed out before you use)

* olive oil

I first sauteed the seasoned chicken in a little olive oil until it get a little browned. Then,I placed it in a casserole dish.(1st layer)

Next, I mixed the veggies and cream of chicken together and poured it over the chicken breasts.(2nd layer)

Then I added some hot water over the stuffing mix in a separate bowl until it is just soaked but not soggy.Then I put the stuffing over the cream of chicken/veggies mixture (2nd layer).The stuffing is the 3rd layer.

I baked it for about 25 minutes.

Chicken Bake

Yes,I eat from my daughter's ladybug plate too :)

Decluttering again

So yesterday I struggled to do some decluttering and organizing.My chest pains and back pains were aggravated but I was so tired of seeing a mess. I got some of my stockpile from couponing a bit more organized (no,I am not an Extreme Couponer but I do try to use my coupons when there are sales and stock up). I was also able to re-arrange my office/craft room.

I still have upstairs to organize but I have to do that another time.It is on my Christmas cleaning list.

Happy Veteran's Day!

I would like to say Happy Veteran's Day and salute all those in the military who serve for our freedom-past,present and future.May God bless you and your families!!!

Trash to treasure craft-Folgers coffee container/pincushion

I am a craft addict and I love to recycle crafts.That way I can save the environment and money! Here is what I made today from a Folger's coffee bottle. Yes,I love coffee!!!

Steps on how I did it:

1.I peeled off the label and wash the container clean.Then I dried it.

2. I wanted to make a stuffed look top so I got some scrap fabric and cut a circle with extra fabric all around. I just eyeballed it. The circle was about 6 inches in diameter.

3. Next,I used a gathering stitch about a quarter inch from the edge of the circle.

4.Then,I put a few cotton balls in the center of the circle. You can use batting.Afterwards,I put the lid on the cotton balls.

5.After drawing the gathering stitch around the lid, I used a glue gun to keep the fabric onto the cover. To sort of hide my messy work,I cut a cardboard circle and glued it onto the inside of the lid.

6.I decorated the lid with some trim and a little accessory. Since I am using this bottle for my felt pieces,I just glued a felt dragonfly onto the bottle. I am even using the bottle lid as a pincushion!

I will be posting more craft projects in the future, please visit my Craft Page to see what is new. Click here  for updates whenever I post any crafts projects.

Finally made the caramels

Well,I finally got down to trying out the caramel from the recipe on Home Made Simple website. Click here to see it.
I never made this before so it did not come out quite a hit.I think I took it out way too early and it ended up a little softer than I wanted it to be.It was more like taffy...lol but it tasted great! It sure does cost a bit to get this made but homemade is always best :)

Hot creamy chicken soup with dumplings and veggies

It is a bit chilly outside and I was just in the mood for some hot soup. I just grabbed some stuff that I have on hand and tried to create a meal with it.

Here is how I made it:

*Boneless,skinless chicken breasts cut up in chunks.I used about a pound

* Seaonings to taste. I used salt, black pepper, garlic powder and parsley to season my chicken after cutting it up and washing it.

*Olive oil

*Any kind of veggies.I used the frozen Kroger brand soup mix that I got on sale for $1.00 a pack.

*1 small can evaporated milk

*1 can chicken broth

*flour to make dumplings (about 1-1/2 cups)

*potatoes- cut into small cubes

*parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top before eating

Method:

1. First I cut the chicken and seasoned it. Then I let it set for about 15 minutes.
2. Next I put some olive oil in a pot and sauteed the chicken chunks until they turned completely white.
3. Then I added the frozen vegetables and cubed potatoes and stirred it up until the excess liquid is burnt off.
4. I added the evaporated milk and the chicken broth.
5. In the meantime,I kneaded the flour with some water to make a soft dough.
6. When the liquid in the pot was boiling,I added small balls of dumplings.
7. You can add extra water to the pot in case there is not enough liquid to boil everything.

The main ingredients that needs time to cook are the chicken,potatoes and dumplings and these should all be done in less than half an hour. You can season to taste.I love to add parmesan cheese on mine.

Taking a break because of illness

I would not be blogging here for a few days.I had been sick.My asthma had worsened and I was having chest pains so I ended up at the doctor's today.I had to wait for 4 hours before everything was over and done with.I had exrays,blood work and got two shots in my hips.I have no health insurance so you can guess how much "fun" it was to get our bill.
Anyway, take care everyone and hope that you all have a Happy Halloween! God bless!

Crochet bedspread-where did my patience go?

I made this bedspread 8 yrs ago and we are still enjoying it on these chilly nights.When I stop to think of how long it took me (a month) while being pregnant,I wonder at my patience.Now,I'm looking for that patience because I cannot see myself working on a bedspread a whole month!

How I made a skirt from a pair of shorts

I just wanted to share with you how I made a skirt for my daughter from a pair of shorts she had.I used two pieces of gingham but you can use whatever you have on hand.I paid $1.00 per yard for this fabric at Walmart a couple years ago.Gone are the days when you can get fabric for $1.00 per yard, unless you are lucky.

Anyway,here is how I made the skirt.

First I cut the joined parts of the shorts so that the crotch is opened out.I just snipped it straight across.This pair of shorts had pockets to the front.
Next,I cut the red gingham about 8 inches long.I used the width of the cloth which was 36" and then joined it to the bottom of the shorts around with a little gathering here and there.After reaching the end,I just cut whatever extras there were of the fabric.
Then,I did the same thing for the green gingham and finally, I hemmed the bottom of the skirt.
I am not a great sewing person so it is not neat and professional but I think I did pretty good.

To see more of my craft projects, Click here

Clutter me CRAZY!!!!

I have been trying to organize and organize and all that I got so far is clutter!!! So my upstairs spare bedrooms were a mess from my trying to re-organize and classify items...ugh! I have finally finished one bedroom and the other is still waiting.I am trying to convince my bad back that it will be okay if I do a little at a time,right? I just do not have the zeal now.I feel overwhelmed and tired from a stressful week last week.
What I am trying to do is to sort out stuff into 3 categories :Salvation Army,sell and keep. The ones I want to keep are the sentimental stuff.
I'll keep you all posted on how things are going.I hope I can get this done before Thanksgiving! I am trying to give myself enough time to do this.I've got a pinched nerve and arthritis in my spine so the bending and standing aggravates the back.
Wish me luck!

How funky!

Okay,so I'd gotten these pink bulldog clips at Staple's for $1.00 a pack and whenever I wanted to use one,I had to look for the pack and get one.Well,I thought maybe I can just add them to this wire organizer so they'd be easily accessible and front my eye if I ever need one :) .Noticed that they are clipped onto the height and not the tray itself so it is not taking up any space really.

Document boxes are not only for documents

I got this document box at a clearance in Walmart for $3.00.It was after school clearance.There were these inserts that came in it so that it could be made into cubbies and I thought...hmmmm.....I put my felt pieces and organized them into basic shapes where it would be easier to access :). Now this box is pretty sizeable.It measures approximately 10-1/4" x 13" x 3-1/2" and has a lid to keep the dust bunnies away :)

Did you say a plate rack organizer?

Okay,so my little daughter is still sick and could not go to school for three days.Hopefully,she will be back in the morning.Right now,she is trying to do make-up work.
I finally got some time to take a few pictures.

I was in the Dollar Tree the other day and saw this plate rack and bought it to store stuff.I was wondering what can I put instead of plates and Eureka! I got my hubby's bible study books and tried them :). I even put his pencil case in it...haha.
Sorry about the blurry pics but my camera is not working right.

Chicken pot pie

So,I made chicken pot pie yesterday and we still have some left over so that is what we are going to be eating for lunch today! My picky kids do not like veggies but this is a dish my hubby loves so I have to sometimes make a dish to please him.

Here is my recipe:

Ingredients:
*1 can cream of mushroom
*1 can cream of chicken
*1 can mixed vegetables or you can use frozen or fresh vegetables as you wish
*chicken- cubed and seasoned with salt, pepper,black pepper, garlic or whatever else suits your tastebuds.
*oil
*self-rising flour
*shortening
*baking powder
*margarine

Method:
I use about 3 cups of flour, 2 tsp baking powder,1 tablespoon shortening and a little water to make my dough. Knead well and set in a covered bowl for about 15 minutes.
In the meantime,saute the chicken in about 4 tablespoons of oil. This should not take very long to cook since it is cubed up.
Add cream of chicken,cream of mushroom and veggies to the chicken.Stir together.You may have to add about one cup of water if it is too thick.Let heat up for about a minute.
Next, divide your dough into 2 balls and roll each one out.
Get a pie dish and put one rolled out dough on the bottom, ensuring that the sides are up against the sides of the pie dish.
Pour the chicken mixture into the "shell" of the pie dish and place the other rolled out dough onto the top. Baste the top with melted margarine and bake at 400 degrees in a pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes or until the dough is cooked.It may take a shorter time, depending on your oven.

Caramels

Hmmm,I am thinking of making some caramels soon.Great for dipping.I found this great recipe at homemadesimple.Check it out! Make-Your-Own-Caramel

Cow tales

My hubby and I went a little hunting for sales last week during the Hwy 411 miles long yard sale and I got these cute cows. The cookie jar was $2.00 and I paid $1.00 a piece for the stuffed cows. They look sooooo cute! One of the stuffed cow has babies with her!

My yummy lunch

So, today I decided to make use of that London broil my hubby got.I seasoned it and sauteed it in a skillet and then added it to my pressure cooker with some beef broth.I let it cook until tender.Meanwhile,I made mac and cheese,fried okra,cheesy carrot-baked potatoes and had a salad with ranch dressing and a few kiwi slices.Yummy.Maybe fattening,but yummy..lol.

A little peek at my sewing stuff

I am not a great sewing person but I do love organization :).I used a bookshelf to store my fabric,threads etc (I got the spool rack on Ebay).

Crayon Roll

I made this crayon roll earlier this year for my little daughter.This is a great idea especially if you are taking a long trip.You can put any small items in the pockets- depending on how wide and long the pockets are.

What an awesome deal!

There is the annual miles long yardsale on Hwy 411 this week.We just stopped at two places today and the second place was really cool.Their prices were so much cheaper.I got me a brand new file folder organizer pocket chart.You know,the ones teachers use.It measures 37-1/2" wide by 40" tall with 27 pockets and name cards for dry erase.I grabbed it when the lady told me it was for $1.00! I wished she had more.When I came home,I googled it and saw it selling on sale at Amazon for $27.49!

My New Blog Site

I am so thrilled to start this blog Oraganized Chaos-Clutter Free101.I am such an organized freak.I have tons of organizing paraphernalia like baskets, bins, shelving, hangers etc.I have one problem: I need more hands!!! Ha ha!