Fabric Flowers

I made these flowers for Easter for my girls and I.   They were fun to make! They didn't take much fabric or time! :) I found the instructions in a book from the library by Elizabeth Searle.  All of her flowers measure about 3 inches in diameter.  That was perfect for what I wanted, but may be a little larger than wanted for headbands or other hair accessories.   I don't think it would be to hard to alter the patterns to create smaller flowers or even go larger for home decorating, such as on a wreath for your front door.  :)
One very good tip in the book was to use a more sturdy thread such as quilting thread. Also be on the lookout for buttons or other bling for flower centers!  :) I'm hoping to get more of these made and added to my shop soon! Happy Wednesday!

Mmm...Monday!

Remember that I said I'd tell you how to make your own self-rising flour?  Well today's the day!  :)
It's very easy! All you need is regular flour, salt, and baking powder.  Put 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder into a one cup measuring cup, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, then fill the rest with flour to make one cup of self-rising flour.  See, easy! :) Now you know!  :) Have fun baking!

Tree Nursery

Okay, so I'm a little bit behind posting anything, and I missed doing my Feature Friday.  :( I have a good excuse though!  I was busy planting baby trees in my own little tree nursery until we can figure out where we want them all! So... Here's what I've learned about planting trees! ;-)  It's a lot of work! I bought bundles of bare root trees. I did a little research, and chose plants that were native to our area. Hopefully that will help them stay alive. :) Some sites tell you to soak them overnight, but when I picked them, up the cheat sheet specifically said NOT to soak them so I didn't! .
I dug a hole deep enough for the roots. You want to make sure that when the tree is planted it is at the right depth.  You don't want to over-bury the roots, nor do you want them exposed above ground.
Next, I watered the hole then I stuck in my adorable baby tree and held it at the right depth while adding soil to fill the whole.  I just lightly tamped the soil down with my trowel. Stepping on the dirt actually packs the soil too tightly and hinders root growth. I also learned that you should not add fertilizer  tight away, as the baby trees are pretty tender and you could end up burning the roots.  I have set up a soaker hose for easy watering. Hopefully these little baby trees make it!  Hopefully they can be transplanted to their permanent homes soon!! :)
BTW did I mention that I have 75 trees in my nursery?   Crazy, I know!! :)
Hey, it's spring, what can I say! :)

Mmmm....Monday!

I know it's late, but it's still Monday!

Today I'm going to try my hand at a baking tutorial!  Here goes nothing! 

We're going to bake some chocolate chip scones. First measure 3 cups of self rising flour (I"ll cover how to make your own in another post.) into a bowl.

 Whisk together with 2/3 cup sugar and 3 tsp. baking powder. 

 

Cut in 1/2 cup (one stick) of cold butter.

With pastry blender, mix till crumbly.

Pour in one cup of buttermilk, or sour milk until blended.

Pour in one cup of chocolate chips.

Mix until blended.  your dough will clump together and be kind of sticky. Like this:

Place on floured mat and knead 8-10 times.

Cut into squares, triangles or quadrilaterals like this: (Yep, been helping my son with Geometry) :)

Bake in preheated oven.  450 degrees for 5 min.  I like to do one sheet at a time. 

 Place right in the center of your oven. 

Here's how they looked before baking:

Here's how they look after:  Nice and puffy.  They don't really brown much on top.  Be careful of this.  It can deceive you into thinking they aren't done, but the bottoms will burn.  Perfect, just like this! Notice the one turned over in the front so you can see how much the bottoms brown compared to the tops.

Next, the glaze:  Mix in a large mug or small bowl: one cup powdered sugar and one teaspoon vanilla. Mix.  Add one Tablespoon of water add a time, up to 3 Tbls.  Mix after each addition. You want it to be thick but runny.

Here are my finished scones with the glaze on top!  Glazing is kind of messy, it helps to put wax paper or something down to catch the drips, then you can roll it up and throw away the mess! :)

 

These disappear pretty quickly around here.  Here's the recipe in a nutshell:

 Chocolate Chip Scones:

Preheat oven to 450.
3 cups self-rising flour
2/3 cup sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup cold butter
Combine first three ingredients and cut in butter until crumbly.
Add 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk and 1 cup of chocolate chips.
Turn dough and knead 8-10 times.  Roll out in a circle and cut. 
Bake for 5 min.
Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-3 Tbls. water

Enjoy!!  :)

It's Friday!  :) Today's feature is my large-sized message board!   It's larger size would make it useful for writing the week's menu, a shopping list or a to do list...., etc! It is constructed from oak plywood, painted with chalkboard paint.  Embellished with fun paper, an inspiring message,  flowers, and ribbon.  The hanger is colored wire. This board would make a unique gift for Mother's Day, a birthday,  or a wedding gift for a special couple!  You can find it for sale in my shop here.  Browse around while you're there!  I have smaller message boards available as well! I hope you have a super great day!  Thanks for stopping by!

Throw Pillow

 Well, I finally finished my throw pillow!  I love how it turned out!  I was thinking of putting a zipper in it.... maybe someday I'll pop the seam and put one in, but for now.... it's a nice splash of color in my living room!  :)

As you can see, I got lazy and made my scrappy flower from ribbon.   It looked a little lonely, so I whipped up some friends for it! :)  I can't decided which one I like the best!  Happy Thursday!  Thanks for stopping by!

Mmmm...Monday

From this.....

...to this!

Who doesn't love the taste of fresh-out-of-the-oven cookies?   Here's my little trick for always having fresh cookies.  Shape into balls and freeze on a cookie sheet. After they are frozen, ( I usually leave mine overnight), transfer to a container or freezer bag and bake as needed.  This trick works well for cookies with stiff dough.  I do this frequently with my chocolate chip cookies and my snickerdoodles. Also a great way to double, triple the recipe.... less work over time.  You will always have a delicious snack/dessert ready for unexpected guests!
Keep your oven temp the same and bake for only one to two minutes longer than the original recipe.
They always taste wonderfully fresh! Glass of milk anyone?

Feature Friday

Yay! It's Friday!  I found the greatest book at the library! It's 501 Decorating Ideas Under $100 from Better Homes and Gardens.   They have some fabulous ideas!  I'll just share one of them for today's feature.  Aren't these curtains adorable?
They are super easy to make.   I have made a similar shade for my kitchen window.

See, here's my version! (The snow has melted now) :) I love the simplicity and airy feeling of the featured shade.  I think I'll be making more of these for my other windows!  They are a great way to filter the bright summer sun, and add a nice fresh splash of color!
Here's the directions from the book:
"Cut the fabric to fit the window, adding 1/2 -inch seam allowances on the bottom and sides and two inches at the top.  Hem the bottom and side edges." The rest of the directions talked about cutting a board to fit the window and stapling the top edge to the back and attaching it to the window and trimming the board with ribbon.   I have a variation which is a little bit easier.  Hem the top of the shade wide enough to fit a narrow tension rod and hang from that.  No cutting wood or nailing!
What do you think? I'd love to see what you come up with.
(BTW I'm offering 10% off your entire order at my shop through April 14th! )
Thanks for stopping by!

Tip for the Day

Ok, so you know how that really gross grimy dirt likes to settle on the soffit on top of your kitchen cabinets? I learned a neat trick a few years ago.  If you place a layer of paper towels on top when it's time to clean, just roll them up and throw away.   You could also use newspaper,  but I like paper towels better.  It just seemed cleaner not to have to mess with the inky paper.  Recently however,  I read of an ever better way!  (Cheaper too! ) After you've got everything all dusted and sparkling clean, take a damp rag and wipe the surface,  then put down a layer of saran wrap!  The wrap will stay in place after the dampness dries and will catch the gross greasy dust.   Next time cleaning above the cabinets will be a breeze!
What's a favorite cleaning/ organizing tip of yours?

Mmmm.....Monday!

Easy Meatloaf

Today I'm going to share my easy recipe for meatloaf!

1. Place one pound ground beef in kitchen aid mixer.  Mix well.

2. Toast a piece of bread, cut into small pieces,(or use bread crumbs) Add to meat.

3. Measure 1/4 cup of milk and add one egg and mix well with a fork.

4.  Into the milk mixture add 1/4 tsp. pepper,  1/2 teaspoon garlic, 1/4 cup dried onion (you can also use fresh diced onion), 1/2 teaspoon oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt (or seasoned salt).  Mix well.

5.  Add milk mixture to meat and bread crumbs. Mix well.

6.  Press mixture into loaf pan and bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes. (No pink on the inside). When done drain any fat.

7.  Pour 1/4 - 1/2 cup barbecue sauce over loaf and bake for another 5 minutes.

8.  Enjoy! Serves 4.

I usually double the recipe and bake it in a 9x9 pan for my family, so we can have leftovers. :) Always better the second day!! ;-)

Extended Giveaway!

"Cock-a-doodle! Take me home!"

Alright. ... Good news for anyone who viewed yesterday's post and realized that they missed the deadline!  I'm extending the giveaway through the weekend!   Comment on this post to enter the drawing to win this Rooster fridgie!  Contest ends Sunday night at midnight Central Standard Time.   Only open to the lower US states.
Good cluck!  :)

Feature Friday

Welcome back to Feature Friday!   Today's feature is a sweet little chicken magnet to cheer up the kitchen!   I have these classy fowl for sale at my shop.  They make a cute cheerful gift for a friend or for yourself. For today only (April 4, 2014) I am going to give one away free! To enter the giveaway, just enter a comment on this post!  (Limited to those who live in the Continental United States.)
Good luck!  Let's get the comments rolling! :)

New Listings in my Shop!

Hi all!   I'm super excited!  I just listed some new items in my shop The Bluebird's Nest over on Zibbet.  Please click here to visit!   Have fun browsing! Remember that I can do custom colors, etc.   Don't be shy about asking! I'd be so happy to work with you!
Thanks for stopping by!  Have a super great day! =)

Easy Cinnamon Bread

Happy Tuesday!  I made my favorite quick bread today.  It's super yummy, super easy, and super good looking!  I can't remember where I found the recipe.   Next time I think I'll try adding in a few nuts or chopped chocolate! I'll share the recipe with you!  Just write " recipe please" in the comment line below. :)