365 Slow Cooker Suppers

I'm giving a shout out for my favorite cookbook author today-- Stephanie O'Dea. Her new book (365 Slow Cooker Suppers) came out last week in stores and is also available on Amazon. I received an early copy of the book for free to review and have tried quite a few of the recipes--all of which are wonderful.   All of the recipes are for main dishes. 

Her carrot and coconut curry bisque is amazing as is her Lentil and Sweet potato curry. Tandoori Beef with sweet potato is in the crock for tonight. 

 She has quite a few Indian dishes in this book. Her other two books don't include pictures, but this one has wonderful pictures! The pictures definitely add to the cookbook!!!

 

 

 

I received one or more products mentioned in this post at no cost in order to conduct a thorough and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Giveaway ending soon

Don't forget to sign up for the photo canvas giveaway which is ending soon!!!!

Photo Canvas Review and Giveaway

Earlier this summer I was given the opportunity to receive a print from Easy Canvas to enjoy and review in my house.  And I was given the opportunity to share a free print with you.  So I decided to give it a try.  What could I loose??  Here is a little bit of the picture so that you can see.  I don't like to include my children's faces online.  The picture is our favorite family shot.  We don't do formal at all, but we do take pictures on or near hay bales!!  The canvas turned out great.  The only thing that I can't decide if I like or not is that I used the mirror on the edging rather than the wrap around.  Not bad, but you see 2 of me.  I didn't not sure the editing ability of the company (it costs extra), because my photographer (my mother) can do that for me.  She made our image sepia for us, but the company can do this and edit your photo for a cost.  The back of the canvas isn't the prettiest, but I'm going to solve that by using some brown paper backing for it.  Not that anyone looks at the back anyway.  

The cost of an Easy Canvas is very reasonable--especially considering my e-mail inbox has received several e-mails with sales (some 60% off) since I've been on their e-mail list.  

 So now for your chance to win a free 8 by 10 canvas.  The giveaway ends Sept 9.  Please use the Rafflecopter form below. 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/151352514/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

How to cut???

I tatted up the Pernille cross from Lene Bjorn's book Tatted Bookmarks.  I love this book and I think this is my favorite from the book so far.  The only problem is that I had to tat it twice.  It was a graduation gift and I missed the stitch count on the very first chain!!!  GRR.  The gift was late due to this and the fact that I sliced my finger open using a knife.

I want to fix my original cross with the messed up stitch count and an extra picot, but how do I cut out the tatting and not lose everything that I've tatted?  How do I then fix it? 

I'm including a picture which will hopefully help.  The chain in question is the very first chain of the entire cross!!!  And of course I tatted the whole rest of the cross without discovering my error. 

Just as a heads up a product review (non-tatting) and a giveaway will be coming up on the blog soon!!

surviving the heat

Quick post with a recipe to help you beat the heat.  I live in the midwest with no air conditioning and our house is HOT.  So I've been enjoying homemade popsicles recently that are wonderful and you can eat them guilt free!!  How great is that.  I mix mine in a magic bullet and don't measure anything.  I put in milk almost to the top of the magic bullet, a spoonful of vanilla, and a squirt of honey.  Mix this up and then pour into molds.  It takes just like vanilla ice cream and is wonderful on a hot day.

Now to finish my popsicle and scan a piece of tatting so I can get some help :)

I'm back

I've been gone for over a year from the blog world.  Not completely because I have been checking your blogs and seeing the wonderful work that you have created.  I've been busy building fence, chasing animals and children.  Frustrating at time, but definitely worth it.   

I haven't had too much time in the last year to create much new, but hopefully I can post what I have been up to.  And of course I have some questions for all of Tat-Land.  I've had to scrap a few tatted pieces since I don't know exactly how/where to cut out and make it work. 

So look from some help me help me posts to come soon.  And maybe a surprise or two as well :) 

Things not to do

1. Move with a 3 year old and a teething 4 month old. 2. Move with a 3 year old and a teething 4 month old to former farm and try to reclaim the farm. 3. Try to plant a garden with a 3 year old and a teething 4 month old. The dirt gets trampled down by the 3 year old and becomes like concrete. 4. Have grand tatting ideas for friend's weddings only not to have any time to tat for a long time. I have personally done all of these things recently. The good news is that the chickens lay eggs! And while my tatting is still in a box--I know which box it is in! Hope that you are all doing well. I've had brief moments in time to check some tatting blogs and there is some beautiful tatting being done out there. Hopefully soon I will have time to get back to tatting. Right now the garden needs some water.