Family Room Fixer-Upper

 

Furniture shopping isn't very high on my list of favorite things to do.   Well-made pieces are crazy expensive and my tastes quickly surpass my budget every time I start looking.  But that's what we've been doing the past couple weeks.  

Our previous family room furniture was in great shape structurally; it was just in poor shape fabric-wise.  Ten years have taken their toll on the fabrics, leaving them frayed and worn in places.  Lots of places.  Hoping to save money,  I first looked into having all three pieces (sofa and two overstuffed chairs) reupholstered.  Wham!  Sticker shock!  The labor estimate alone for reupholstering a sofa was $700.  Add fabric and we were looking at over $1000 to have just our sofa reupholstered!  Insane.

Being the DYI-type that I am, I considered (briefly) making slip covers for all of it.  I don't know how to reupholster, but I can work a sewing machine.  However, the thought was really overwhelming when I pondered the sheer quantify of fabric I'd have to wrangle under the machine.  Not really doable on such a large scale.  The risk of wasting several hundred dollars on a botched slip cover wasn't working for me.  Nor did I relish the idea of such a huge project looming over me for weeks.

I know, I know.  They make slip covers you can buy.  Tried that last year.  I spotted some at Target, purchased those babies for $80 apiece, came home and promptly starting trying to make them fit on my furniture.  Have you ever tried to put socks on a rooster?  Me either.  But I bet they would fit better than those slip covers did.  Back they went to the store that very day.

So, short story long....

We went furniture shopping and found reasonably priced pieces--two sofas and one chair this time.  One of the sofas has a bump-up chaise lounge.  I've called it.  Permanently.  If you're nice, I might let you sit there.  I let Jonathan last night.  (It was his birthday.)

The red sofa is a double sleeper.  The younger children don't remember our sleeper sofa days.  So they have no memories of family movie nights with the couch bed pulled out.  They're just a mite excited at the prospect.  Lacy called the aqua chair.  She may be duking it out with Hannah for that one, when Hannah is here.  Age may possibly trump youthful determination there.  I'll let them work that out.

There was no way I was replacing the ottoman at $250+ when I could revamp it easily with a couple yards of fabric.  I found this remnant that ties all three new pieces together.

Ryan volunteered to handle that for me.  OK, he didn't exactly volunteer, but he didn't object.  Pretty much the same thing.  Thanks, Ryan!  You did a super job!

So the new room is pulled together.  Meanwhile, the old sofa is waiting for Ryan to take it to Columbia;  the old blue rocker is in my sewing room, and the incredibly comfortable old red chair now has a home in the corner of my bedroom. 

I am resolved: in the next ten years, I will learn to reupholster furniture.

You just watch me.

Love,

Hot Cranberry Cider

Good Morning!  Come on in!  Today I'm home from church with a slightly sick little boy.  So, he's helping me with some Christmas decorating and generally talking my ears off in the process. 

First up is my favorite snowman trio, dancing and singing "Let it Snow!" 

We can always wish, can't we?

Next is "Oh, By Golly", the scrappy-happy Christmas quilt I made a couple years ago.

Simmering on the stove top is a pot full of Hot Cranberry Cider.   It tastes so delicious and makes the house smell all Christmasy.  It is a family favorite; we typically start making this over Thanksgiving weekend and continue all through the month of December.  Wanna know how to stir this up?  Here is my quick easy method.  You'll need:

Hot Cranberry Christmas Cider

• 1 can frozen apple juice
• 1 can frozen cranberry juice 
• 4 juice cans full of warm water
• one orange
• 2 (or so) cinnamon sticks
• 10 (or so) whole cloves

 Dump the frozen juices into your pot and add just two cans of water for each can, instead of the suggested amount on the can.  Leaving the juices more concentrated eliminates the need for added sugar.  (Of course, if you want to make more volume, you can dilute it with more water and add additional sugar.  But this is the way I do it).  Cut a couple slices off the orange and throw them in the pot.  Then, juice the rest of the orange and pour the juice into the pot.  Toss in your cinnamon sticks and whole cloves.  Let this simmer on the stove or in a crock pot until warm.  It can simmer all day if you like.  Strain each cup through a tea strainer before serving.

Incidentally, this brand spankin' new Dutch oven is from Aldi, my favorite grocery.  It's HEAVY cast iron, enamel coated in cherry red.  The price was right ($30), so hey, why not?  I am seeing a lot of soup and stew in its future....

Juice the orange.

I allowed the eager six year old a couple quick stirs before I shooed

him out of the kitchen with his sick self.

The color is gorgeous and the tangy, spicy, sweet flavor is perfect.

Fly back over to my nest real soon!  I'm going to share a great chicken recipe next.

Love,

Lazy Day

It's a crisp, chilly day here.  The temperature outside, barely nosing above 60 degrees, is doing its best to convince us that it really is Fall.  While Tom and Lacy are hard at work nailing down a new roof on a house across town, the rest of us are just enjoying a lazy day at the homestead.  I figured this was as good a time as any to update my poor, neglected blog.

The children are outside on the deck engaged in crafty pursuits.  Holly and Maggie are busy making patterns with perler beads and ironing them to make cool designs.  Maggie's wavy hair is a result of the French braids she wore to the daddy/daughter dinner last night.  Cute, huh?

Meanwhile, Caleb is busy coloring.  Incidentally, he's wearing three shirts.  Earlier he had on four.  It's not exactly clear to me why he thinks multiple shirts are better than one shirt and one jacket.  Not sure what's up with the charm bracelet, either.

Moving on...

Personally, I just think it's great to have a whole day at home with nothing at all that has to be done.  I'd have a hard time thinking of anything much better than being home with a sewing project I'm excited about and a whole day to work on it.  So, I'm occupying my time messing about with the Christmas quilt give-away.  This one has morphed into something completely different than I originally planned.  I keep tweaking it here and there, adding and deleting elements, my hands trying frantically to keep up with my ADD brain.  But it's coming along nicely and is possibly my favorite so far.  When it's completed this week I'll be sure to let you know.  Then, I'll draw a name for the winner on Thanksgiving Day, per tradition.  Holla if you want in.

Other than that, there are several other sewing projects I want to show you in the next few days.  I made the cutest toy for Kyle this morning on a whim--saw it on a blog and had to make one.  Super fun and easy to sew-- he's gonna love it.  I'll definitely snap a few photos of him when he sees it and will likely make another to give away.  Then there's the Christmas gift I've been hand stitching pretty steadily for the past few weeks.  Oh, my goodness.  I love it so much.  Well, as much as I can love something that can't love me back.  And recipes--got some photos chillin' in the iPhoto, ready to become blog posts as well.

I hope you're enjoying your Saturday as much as we are.

Stay warm!

Love,

The Waiting Game

We are smack dab in the middle of probably the most difficult part of the adoption wait.  Every last piece of paper, every signature, every government approval is now in China, and we wait for travel approval.  There are still two more steps before we receive the coveted TA.  A copy of our approval letter from The National Visa Center and a couple more documents are in China, ready to be dropped off at the US Consulate in Guangzhou.  That will have to wait until next week, after the Chinese New Year celebration.  Two weeks later, the consulate will issue our "Article 5" which will then be forwarded to the China Center for Adoption Affairs in Beijing.  About two weeks later, we will receive travel approval.  Could be shorter (doubtful), could be longer.  Two weeks is the average.

After travel approval, our agency must request a consulate date and our travel works backwards from that date.  The consulate will issue Caleb's US visa as the last step of the adoption process, and it is done a couple days before we return home.

So, while I wait, I just try to stay busy and keep my mind on other things.  I'm spending a lot of my free time working on Caleb's room.  We completely overhauled what had been Lacy's room to convert it to a boy room.  Lacy now has what used to be my sewing room.  I have pondered a blog post documenting all the room changes we've done in this house in the past ten years.  Let's just say that we've played fruit basket turnover on no fewer than four occasions.  And since Lacy had never switched rooms before, she requested the former sewing room for her last years at home.

Caleb's room was inspired by a room I saw in a magazine several years ago.  I loved it and thought it was the perfect boy room.  I would change nothing about it.  And I secretly wished I had a little boy to put in such a room.  Never did I really imagine that thought would grow into a reality.  

We've painted walls and furniture.  We've taken down mirrors and hung new pictures.  Tom took down the white fan blades and put up new ones in primary colors.  I've made pillows as fast as I can dream them up.  The quilt top is finished, waiting for me to sit still long enough to quilt it. Wood trains, a fire engine, and a giant Tonka truck sit eerily quiet.  Soon they will be pushed and pulled and moved about accompanied by various boy noises.  Stacks of wood puzzles and a collection of books are perched on his shelves, likely the neatest they will ever be.  I look at his toys and dream about what he'll like to play with.  We've been told he likes blocks.  So our older boys' wood blocks are donning a fresh coat of white paint.  I splurged and bought him a new set as well, made of foam, but looking like wood.  Besides, research has shown a boy can not have too many blocks.  I'm sure I've read that somewhere.  Yes, positive I have.

My latest project for his room is a wall hanging.  I've had visions of it swirling around in my head for months, but couldn't nail it down.  Cars, sailboats, trains, that type of thing. "Boy" motifs--but not too babyish, not too grown-up.  He has plenty of time to grow up.  For a little while, he gets to be our little boy.  

 

Today I pieced this house block.  Why, you might ask, is a house block in his "boy" wall hanging?  Well, it all comes down to home, doesn't it?  Home and family and love.  And this pieced house block really helped me picture in my mind what we are doing by adopting Caleb. 

Hand made pillows and carefully chosen toys may be appreciated.  More than the comfort and fun they will bring, they are meant to show the love we have for this precious boy.  Our desire is to show him love that he would never receive otherwise.  We want to give him the life and future he deserves. We want to welcome him into our house, as our son, and we pray that he feels the love and comfort to call it his home.
 

 

Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.  Psalm 127:1

Love,

Ginger Crinkles!

Today I'm revisiting a post from last year. This recipe has been requested by several friends. So, here you go!

Time to don the apron and make our first batch of Christmas cookies!  These soft, chewy Ginger Crinkles are my favorite cookie recipe from my childhood.  My mom used to make these year round, actually.  But they are especially great at Christmas.  And I've never met a soul who didn't like them!

No rolling and cutting these babies. You just mix up the dough, form little balls, and roll them in sugar!  They puff up while they're baking, then settle down slightly and crinkle when you remove them from the oven.

I can mix up a batch of these in no time flat.   And with my first "batch" of December company coming tomorrow to spend one night, I thought a little plate of these might be a nice treat.

I hope you'll try them!!

Ginger Crinkles

• 2/3 cup oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

*******
1/2 cup sugar for rolling 

Heat oven to  350 degrees.  Mix oil and sugar thoroughly.  Add egg and beat well.  Stir in molasses.  Sift dry ingredients together and add to above mixture.  Drop by teaspoonfuls into sugar and form into balls coated with sugar.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart.  Bake for about 10 minutes, or till puffy.  Remove to wire rack.  Cookies will flatten and crinkle.

 

Love,

Bread Pudding and a Trip Back in Time

If you know me well at all, you are already aware that I have an affinity for all things old-fashioned--quilts, rolling pins and vintage bowls, recipes, you name it.  If it reminds me of something my grandmothers would have had in their homes, then chances are, I'm in love with it.

Today I have an old-fashioned recipe to share with you.  This is the type of recipe that allows my imagination to wander off to my dream farmhouse.  Step back in time with me to grandma's house where simple muslin curtains trimmed in ball fringe swish in the gentle afternoon breeze, allowing warm rays of sunshine to filter into the corner of every room.  Soft quilts and feather pillows top slightly-sagging-in-the-middle beds.  And colorful braided rag rugs are scattered on the freshly scrubbed pine floors.  From the kitchen flows the scent of cinnamon and raisins, sugar and vanilla as a bread pudding slowly bakes in the oven.  Money is tight, so in her resourcefulness, grandma has gathered up the left-over bread and combined it with a few simple ingredients to magically produce a comforting treat for her children and grandchildren. Not only has she filled her home with a delightful aroma but she has filled up the hearts of her family with love and a sense of belonging.

Home cooking does that.  It fills our bodies with nourishment, but it also fills our emotional tanks with love.  It says to others, "You're special and your needs are worthy of my time and effort."  I believe meal preparation is one of the most important tasks we as mothers can do for our families.  Grandma knew this almost instinctively.  Her role was clearly defined and she went about her daily tasks in earnest, aware that meeting the needs of her family was her first priority.

Though times were simpler, Grandma still worked hard.  She didn't have the myriad distractions we have today, nor did she have all the modern conveniences.  However, those helpful tools she did have, she embraced.  Like her, I'm happy that I can create a warm home atmosphere and still employ some modern appliances to make my tasks easier.  In an earlier post, I told you that my crock pot is my best friend.  While that may be a slight exaggeration, I truly appreciate my little counter top companion.  I can fill it with ingredients then forget about it for hours on end.  With this recipe, you can do just that--fill it with bread, then pour a milk, egg, and sugar mixture over.  Top with raisins and pop on the lid.

Grandma would have approved.

Clean all the bread out of the freezer, including a couple of stray hot dog buns.

Pour the liquid ingredients over.

After it bakes, it puffs up light and fluffy.

Finally, mix up the sauce on the stove.

Bread Pudding 

• 8 slices bread, cubed
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Place bread cubes in greased slow cooker.  Beat together eggs and milk.  Stir in sugar, butter, raisins, and cinnamon.  Pour over bread and stir.  Cover and cook on high for 1 hour.  Reduce heat to low and cook 3-4 hours.  Make sauce just before pudding is done baking.   Begin by melting butter in saucepan.  Stir in flour until smooth.  Gradually add water, sugar, and vanilla.  Bring to a boil.  Cook, stirring constanly for 2 minutes, or until thickened.  Serve sauce over warm bread pudding.

Sorry, Bella.  Don't you know Grandma doesn't abide slackers?

Love,

Sunshine Muffins

I love to bake muffins.  Most of my favorite muffin recipes come from Sue Gregg's cookbook Breakfasts.  Sue Gregg uses only whole grains and other healthy, nutrition-packed ingredients in her recipes.  I've been using them for 15 years and I come back to them again and again.

When I'm in the mood for a serious muffin that is almost like a meal in itself, this is the one I always turn to.  It has a little bit of everything good in it: grated orange peel, fresh squeezed orange juice, grated carrots, chopped nuts, raisins, honey, and whole wheat flour.  When I'm craving one of these, there is no substitute.  They take a little longer than most mix and dump muffin recipes, but they are oh, so worth the extra bit of effort!

I like to grind my own wheat and keep some stored in the freezer for baking on a whim.  If you don't grind flour, just be sure to use a good quality of whole wheat flour like King Arthur's.  Most groceries carry it.  There really is a difference!  King Arthur is hands-down the best commercial flour you can buy.

When you have a few extra minutes to spare, give these a try!!

Sunshine Muffins

1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix together and set aside for topping.

*******

grated peel of 1 orange
3/4 cup orange juice (squeeze the fresh orange you grated, plus reconstituted OJ to make the 3/4 cup)
1 egg lightly beaten
1/2 cup honey
1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix together in a bowl.

*********

2 cups whole wheat flour sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix together in another bowl.

 ***********

1 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Now mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, folding in the carrots, raisins, and nuts.

Fill muffin cups evenly.  Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture on top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Good morning, sunshine!

Love,

Sharon's Chicken Salad

A couple nights ago, I was invited to a ladies' night in my neighborhood.  Everyone was asked to bring a dish to share.  Thinking a pretty bowl of chicken salad might just be the ticket, I pulled out this delicious version from my friend, Sharon.  I have yet to meet anyone who tried it and didn't love it.  And many have asked for the recipe.
 
I know you'll like this!!

Sharon's Chicken Salad

• 4 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1 1/2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
• 1 cup chopped tart apple
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 3/4 cup sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• poppy seeds sprinkled over the top

Mix all this together and serve in a pretty bowl.

You may notice the conspicuous absence of poppy seeds in the pictures.  Turns out my bottle of poppy seeds had gone rancid.  Ugh!  So, I had to skip those in this batch.  That's ok.  It's still great without them.   Also, I usually chop up some pecans to throw in this.  Delicious!!

Chicken salad with homemade bread and fresh pineapple. 

Life is a picnic.  Celebrate every morsel!

Love,

Mrs. Ronald Reagan's Macaroni and Cheese Casserole

Here is a recipe I've been meaning to share for a long time.  In the early 1980's, I came across this delicious baked macaroni and cheese casserole in a cookbook of recipes from famous first ladies.  Apparently, Nancy Reagan and I share the same affinity for a hearty, cheesy, custardy helping of pasta. This is our all-time favorite macaroni and cheese recipe.

Obviously, this one is going to take a little more effort than just boiling the pasta and dumping in a prepackaged sauce.  But the results are definitely worth the extra energy.  To me, the secret ingredient is the dry mustard.  It adds a slightly undefinable flavor, nothing overpowering, just a pleasingly subtle zing not found in most macaroni and cheese dishes.  I love to mix this up and bake it while we have chicken sizzling on the grill.  Somehow, the two just go perfectly together.  These two, served with baked beans, comprise our family's favorite meal.

Assemble the players.

Start the pasta boiling.

Dump in all the yumminess.

This one calls for your prettiest casserole.

Summon your clan and enjoy a true classic.

Mrs. Ronald Reagan's Macaroni and Cheese Casserole

• 1/2 lb. macaroni
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup milk

In a large saucepan, cook macaroni in boiling water until just tender.  Drain.  Stir in butter.  Mix dry mustard and salt with 1 tablespoon of water and stir into macaroni.  Mix beaten egg with milk and pour over macaroni.  Stir in grated cheddar cheese.  Pour into a greased casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes or until custard is set and the top is slightly browned.

Remember: Kids who dine with the folks are healthier, happier and better students. 

So, enjoy a meal around the table with your family tonight!

 Love,