Family picture post

Do you remember my love affair with all things black and white with red?  Well here is a family picture post we made for the other grandma and grandpa for Christmas.  I loved it sooo much, I wanted to keep it, but then they would be super sad.

Since I don't have a cool camera yet, only one picture turned out good enough to use so you can't see the thickness of the post.  I am not sure what the measurements were because this was a scrap piece I picked up from a lumbar yard.  I want to say something like 4 or 5 inches wide and 3 thick?  Not a standard one, but it worked out great. 

I painted the post black and mod podged the pictures on.  Once again, I don't have my silhouette yet (I am sure any day they will send me my free one, wink, wink), so I did it the old fashion way by printing off my font of choice and tracing them onto my red card stock.  I cut a piece of red tulle and tied it at the top.  And viola!  A family picture post. I did their initials next to their names, but you could do any fun words down the side or even the family's last name.

I am linking up to any or all of these fabulous linky parties here.

Zupa Tuscona Soup

Wow, look at me getting crafty with food!

This is by far our family's favorite soup.  The dh fell in love with Olive Garden's version and wanted me to try my hand at recreating it.  I didn't do such a hot job with that request, but the results were unbelievably good anyway.  Aside from my 10-year-old daughter, this has been a favorite wherever I take it.

My very favorite way to prepare this is in a Crockpot, and of course, like any soup, leftovers rock!  This recipe makes enough to feed an army my family, plus enough for those rockin' leftovers.  Here is MY version of Zupa Tuscona Soup:

In a Crockpot add:

3 quarts water

12 chicken bullion

6-8 medium potatoes (cut in half lengthwise and sliced about 1/8 inch thick)

Using a frying pan, fry up these ingredients and add to Crockpot:

1 lb Italian sausage (turkey sausage works great too).

1 lb turkey bacon (diced)

1 medium to large onion

2-3 cloves of garlic

When potatoes are almost soft, add:

1 bunch of kale (pictured below) cut into small pieces.

When potatoes and kale are cooked through, turn Crockpot down to lowest setting (mine is "keep warm") and add:

1 pint of whipping cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Stir well and serve with your favorite bread stick.  I have a fantastic recipe for that very thing coming up soon.  (Update:  Link for breadsticks found here)  The cream along with the sausage and bacon come together to make for a Heavenly taste.  The kale adds a beautiful contrasting color a wonderful added flavor.  For a surprisingly wonderful twist, squeeze 1/2 lime into your bowl or use a small squirt of ReaLime juice.  

Now, nothing wrong with getting crafty with food right?  

Enjoy!  

P.S.  If you aren't already, don't ya wanna be my fab~U~lous friend (follower)?  Just for fun?  Check my sidebar to the left for all the great ways you can keep track of all the fun we have over here!  And then go tell your friends.  And I would dance a little jig be so very grateful.

I will be linking this post up to any or all of these great linky parties here:

Count your blessing subway art/Free printable

I have been wanting to try my hand at subway art and here is my first attempt.  Not bad eh?

Since I wanted one to hang on my wall and be inspiring to anyone who saw it, I thought using the theme from one of my favorite songs would work really well.

If you are unfamiliar with this song, you can check out the words and music here.  I know that whenever I am feeling sorry for myself, I just have to hear or sing this song to be reminded not only of the many blessings I have, but also of the promises that come with remembering them.

I created many variations of this picture because I couldn't decide which one I liked best.  I will post 3 here so feel free to take them for yourself.  No requirements needed, but if you wanted to follow my blog and or my fanbook page, you would make me all sorts of grateful!  Just click on the picture once to bring up the image and then a second time to enlarge it.  These will make an 8x10.  I have mine in a frame, but they would look fabulous mod podged onto wood also.

 

Okay, so there is 4.  Here is black and white for anyone who isn't crazy about the other colors.


I will be linking this post up to any or all of these great linky parties here: