Monday, March 22, 2010

Spring Greetings!

Good Monday Morning!

I know I have been gone for a loooong time. We have had so many challenges in our life lately. Our youngest son Nicholas is having hearing difficulty and it has been difficult to get things organized for him at school with his new "ears". I am blessed to have a wonderful caring community, but public schools can be tough and not very accommodating. (surprisingly)! We have also had a ton of sinus/ear infections and illnesses in general between the four kiddos.

How have you all been? I hope you are all healthy and doing well! I have gotten some really nice e-mails from my blog buddy Colleen. Thank you so much for keeping me in your thoughts my friend! It really warms my heart!! I hope to be on again posting very soon. Thanks for checking in with me!

Blessings,
Kim

Monday, February 1, 2010

Grab a cup of coffee...Lots of show and tell !!!

Well.. I have to say I have been showered with gifts lately!! I want to share some birthday gifts from hubby and the kids first...

This is a beautiful hooked runner they got me! It looks perfect on the center island in the kitchen! I just love the warm colors in it!!
Next, is this darling salt box pillow!! It always amazes me what Jon and the kids pick out. The boys said they got this because it looks like OUR house. (We recently painted it red.) So cute!




They also got me this Paula Deen enameled pot. It is really big and PERFECT for soup and chilli! Thank you Jon and kiddos! I had a great birthday!!

Next up is a special ring my friend Jennifer gave me. It's hard to see in the picture, but it came with the most wonderful saying. "Whenever you wear this ring, know that you are loved just the way you are"... Awwwww, puts tears in my eyes! She also took me out for lunch at Truffles & Tortes in Anoka. We had a wonderful time! Thanks Jen!!



This adorable doll was HAND MADE for me by my friend Renee!!! She is so cute and notice the clothespin hands and sweet face. She came with a prim pumpkin to hold in fall time, but I switched it out for Valentines Day and added a heart. She is such a talented girl! I love it Renee!!!



Here we have a wonderful surprise from Maine!! My blog buddy Colleen sent me these WONDERFUL salt dough sweethearts and wintertime bowl fillers.... also in the box was some yummy chocolates, a great smelling Yankee votive and a sweet card! she makes THE BEST salt dough goodies! How lucky I am to have met her! I was so taken back by her kind surprise package in the mail!!!! Thank you my friend!! P.S. If you want to know how to make these adorable salt dough bowl fillers, visit her blog at www.andbabymakesfive.blogspot !! She has great tutorials for you!! (scroll down to see how I displayed my new goodies!!)








My friend Nicole gave me this cute heart votive and a great assortment of candles to go with it! She invited me over and surprised me with a wonderful birthday dessert too! You are so sweet Nicole!!
When I think of you all, my heart swells with gratitude for you and your friendship and love! I am truly blessed!!!!
Thanks for visiting, I'll be back for Whatchya Workin on Wednesday. I will have a ticking stripe cupboard curtain that I am working on!
Blessings,
~Kim










Friday, January 29, 2010

Door County Cherry Muffins


Door County Cherry Muffins - courtesy of the White Lace Inn Bed and Breakfast
*Oh my... if you haven't been to Door County, WI you must visit someday!
This is a haven filled with Wonderful Bed and Breakfasts, antiques , wineries and quaint shops! They are known for their cherries and have several orchards on the peninsula!
*ingredients:
4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 T. baking powder
1 T. cinnamon
3 cups frozen and rinsed cherries
1 cup butter (melted)
1 cup milk
4 eggs
1 t.vanilla
TOPPPING:
1 cup flour
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon
~~~~~ Steps:
1. preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. combine dry ingredients and blend. In a sep. bowl, toss 1 tbs. or dry ingredients with the cherries.
3. In a large bowl, mix butter, milk, eggs and vanilla. Then add dry ing. and stir until well moistened. Stir in the cherries.
4. spoon batter into muffin tins to about 3/4 full and sprinkle with topping mixture. Bake at 425 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Makes about 2 dozen muffins.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Watchya Workin On Wednesday

XXX TICKING STRIPE GRUNGY PRIM CINNAMON HEART GARLAND TUTORIAL OOO
Happy Wednesday everyone! I have a fun little prim garland that I whipped up. It is super easy and smells heavenly too! I used some scrap ticking stripe and waverly floral fabric along with some homespun to make "patches" on the hearts. They didn't show up so well in the photo, but I basically just "ripped" the homespun into small square shaped "patches" and attached them to my finished hearts with heat-n-bond.
Get your supplies ready

You will need:

Fabric Scraps

Pinking Shears

Heat and Bond

Twine or Ribbon

Cinnamon

Double Strength Brewed Tea

or Coffee

Glue Gun
Cut out desired size hearts from the scrap fabric with your pinking shears. Don't worry about them being perfect, after all they are "handmade"! Soak your heart cut-outs in double strength
tea until desired look. This gives them a nice prim
aged look and allows the cinnamon to stick.



Sprinkle your damp hearts generously with cinnamon. I put
mine on parchment paper and then let them dry overnight.

Glue your cinnamon hearts to a twine or ribbon. I
also added some "patches" from torn homespun by
using my heat and bond. (follow the directions on the package) I hope you have fun making these, I sure did! My camera is on the fritz, so I will post my "show and tell" later in the week when I can download my recent photos. As always, thanks for stopping by!
~Kim











Monday, January 25, 2010

GIVEAWAY RESULTS!!!!

Good Monday Afternoon!! Here are the results of my very first giveaway....
Drum roll Please...... The winner is "AND BABY MAKES FIVE"!!!! Congratulations to you! Your package will be on it's way and so will a check to the American Red Cross for $45.00!!! Thank you everyone!! This has been a fun thing for me and it warms my heart reading all of your great entries and comments!! I will be doing it again in the near future!! I am off to my fifty foot tall pile of laundry now, but I will be back for "Watcha Workin On Wednesday"! I will have a fun grungy cinnamon heart garland tutorial for you and some "show and tell" too!! Have a great day

~Kim

Sunday, January 24, 2010

ONE MORE DAY TO REGISTER FOR THE GIVEAWAY!

Hello All! There is one more day left to register for my Valentine's giveaway! Thank you to everyone that has signed up thus far! We are up to $42.00 last time I checked for the Red Cross!! Wow! See what a little blog can do for a great cause! I will post the results tomorrow! Thanks again everyone!!!!! Have a great day and GO VIKINGS!!!!!
~Kim

Valentine Giveaway with a twist of kindness.....
scroll down for all the details!!!

Friday, January 15, 2010

Giveaway with a Twist of Kindness

TA-DA! Here it is!!!!!! SIGN UP TO WIN, AND HELP HAITI TOO!

Here is what you get: A painted Valentine's Day sign, ADORABLE stitched heart, a FAB Banana Nut Bread can candle from A Primitive Glow (DEVINE!!), A Rabbit Creek Microwave Fudge mix, A sweet floursack towel with Valentine's sentiments AND you get the woven burgundy and cream mat underneath!!!!

Now here is the twist: For every person who enters, we will donate $1.00 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund for Haiti!!!! Here are the rules to enter:


1. You must be a follower of my blog (so sign up!)

2. You must advertise my giveaway on YOUR blog

3. Please leave me a comment stating you want
to be entered!

That's it! Easy, Peasey!! I will be doing the random drawing on January 25th, so get entered and help the Red Cross too!!! Good luck ladies!

For more information on how you can donate to help the people of Haiti go to:

http://www.redcross.org/

Thank you to ALL who enter! I will post the results on January 25th! Scroll down for my awesome Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding Recipe for today's Swap and visit my friend Colleen for more recipes and fun at "And baby makes five"!!

Blessings,

Kim




Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding

(a Food Network Recipe)


Ingredients:

4-6 day old croissants (I know, who lets 'em sit for a day before they are all eaten!!)
2 Cups half and half
2 Cups heavy cream
Pinch of Salt
4 Oz. semisweet or bittersweet choc. chopped
(I used Bakers brand bittersweet)
6 Eggs
1 Cup sugar
Whipping Cream to top.

To Make:
Cut croissants into 1 inch squares and place in a baking dish
Then, in a saucepan, heat the half and half, cream, and salt over med.
heat, stirring occasionally to make sure the mixture does not burn
or stick. When the cream mixture reaches a fast simmer (do not
let boil *) turn off the heat and add the chocolate and whisk until melted.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together. Whisking constantly, gradually
add the hot chocolate-cream mixture. Pour mixture over the croissant pieces and gently toss
to coat. Leave "soak" for 15 minutes. As it soaks, fold the mixture a few times
to ensure even soaking.
When ready to bake, heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line a roasting pan that is 2 inches deep (at least) and larger than the
baking dish you used with paper towels. Fill the pan with
very hot water and place the dish of bread pudding inside. Bake
until set, about 40-45 min. Serve warm with whipping cream.