Teacher gifts

It's that time again when all moms scramble (at least this mom scrambles) around trying to find the perfect teacher gifts getting ready for the onslaught of children home for summer.  This year I decided to actually use some of the craft items I have purchased from Pick Your Plum.  (I buy everything PYP offers.  Seriously.  They sent me a gift at Christmas last year for being one of their best customers. My husband was not proud.)

So I broke out the Silhouette.  Now I am not one of the crafty paper people who can make seriously cute things out of a piece of paper and some scissors.  I am more a fabric kinda girl.  Case in point - I have owned a Silhouette for over a year but have not done much with it because it scares me.  All the whirring and cutting just makes me nervous.  And I have messed up some perfectly nice vinyl trying to use the thing.  But I really like the idea of what it can do so I decided to give it another try by making some teacher magnet boards.

These are made from a pre-cut wooden base with a piece of sheet metal that fits in the base.  I started by painting the base red.

  The first coat turned out to be a little too red so I mixed it with some brown, applied a second coat, and let it dry.

Next I printed the teachers' names on adhesive vinyl with my Silhouette (fingers crossed the whole time), then weeded out the negative space.  I applied the vinyl to the painted wood using transfer tape and a scraper.  This is where I normally screw up the vinyl but lo and behold, it worked!!

Hooray!  I applied some Cosmo Cricket scrapbook paper (another fabulous purchase from PYP)  to the sheet metal using Mod Podge and had the kids write a personal note to the teacher.  Voila!  teacher gifts!

The magnets could hold pictures, notes, recipes, anything! I hope the teachers like them!

Robyn

Easter/Spring skirts in Hello Luscious!

Have you seen Hello Luscious by Basic Grey for Moda?  It is my absolute favorite new fabric line since my last favorite fabric line.  In all seriousness, it is, well, luscious.  No other word for it.  I buy some of it every time I go into Whipstitch and now have a full fat quarter bundle that I am saving for just the right project.

The sweet, vintage vibe of this line seemed perfect for Easter/Spring skirts for my girls.  Since my oldest was at the beach with a friend for Easter, only the little two got skirts.  I made them using this tutorial from   Everyday Chaos.  It was super easy to follow but you do need to know how to bind a blanket or quilt.   (I love this tutorial for that.)  I can totally see these skirts in some DS Flea Market Fancy and corduroy for Fall.

Hope you like the wrinkled look:)

 
Apparently, it is an unwritten rule that after your mother makes you a new skirt for Easter, you should immediately put on rain boots and pick up your favorite chicken Valentine.  You don't even need a shirt.  Who am I to argue with that logic?  I like to hug Valentine too:)  Although I generally wear a shirt.

Happy Spring!

Robyn

Meat water - otherwise known as Texas style chili . . .yum!

My husband is crazy.  Mainly for putting up with all my craziness ("but I will DIE without another fat quarter bundle!") and for never saying "don't you have enough fabric?" And for saying yes to chickens and a second dog.

But what makes him really crazy is his definition of chili.  Specifically, he claims to like chili but only if it does not have any beans or tomatoes in it.  Huh?  Isn't that just meat with water?  So over the years I have tried endless variations of chili because I like it and 2 out of 3 kids like it - which is a huge success in my book.  But to no avail.  I could never come up with the perfect "meat water" recipe.

Until now - ta da!  Meat water, otherwise known as chili with no beans and no chunky tomatoes.   Apparently there are other crazy people in the world like my husband who like chili this way, including Lyndon Johnson who purportedly loved this recipe.  The craziest part?  The kids and I love it too!

Pedernales River Chili 4 pounds chili-grind beef chuck or venison 1 large onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican 2 tablespoons chili powder, or more, to taste 1 teaspoon round cumin Salt to taste 2 to 6 dashes Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce 2 cups hot water 1 1/2 cups canned whole tomatoes with juice  METHOD Place the meat, onion, and garlic in a large, heavy frying pan or Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat until the meat is lightly browned. Add the oregano, chili powder, cumin, salt and hot pepper sauce. Pour in the water and tomatoes, and bring the chili to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 1 hour. Skim off any fat during the cooking. Serve the chili hot. Serves 5 to 6 (click the recipe title to go to the website where I found this recipe)

 When I make this chili, I cook the meat on the stove and then dump the whole thing, spices and all, into the crock pot on low for several hours.  I also have some kidney or black beans on the side so those who like beans can add them.

I like to make this on the days when my husband and oldest daughter beat me home from gymnastics with the other two.  She can shower while he spoons the chili onto whole grain Tostitos scoops and tops with cheese.  Pop those into a 350 degree oven for 5 - 10 minutes and you have some yummy nachos.  In theory, when the other two and I get home, we are greeted with a wonderful dinner, smiling husband and older daughter, and general peace and happiness.  Well, at least I am guaranteed a wonderful dinner!

Happy cooking!

Robyn