Doodles & Stitches: 2013

Resolution Notebook Monthly Goals

Resolution Notebook -

I'm trying something different this year…

I have NO New Year Resolutions.

I'm making MONTHLY Resolutions instead.

Every year, I end up discouraged because by the end of January, I have messed up on at least one of my goals and therefore I've failed the entire "Resolution" thing. This year I am going to reset my goals at the beginning of each month. I will evaluate my list and adjust accordingly. My biggest goal this year involves organization (on many levels) so in an attempt to begin this great feat, I am making a

RESOLUTION BINDER

that is full of calendars, printables and planners. This is the first printable, a monthly goal sheet.

MONTHLY GOAL SHEET

This first printable comes in several color variations, as you can see below.

Just click on the image to download it for free.

The way I am using this sheet...

"WORK" section includes goals for my blog. I want to improve in social media and photography.

"HOME" section has a list of goals involving specific organization with bills, kids activities, etc.

The "PERSONAL" corner holds my list of health goals for clean eating and exercise.

The "SPIRITUAL" section is where I have listed specific Bible reading and prayer goals.

I plan on re-evaluating my goals at the beginning of each month and re-listing my goals accordingly.

Click on a goal sheet (below) to download...

and here's a blank one… just in case you need it.

A sneak peek - the next free printable…

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

I don't know about you but I love Chicken Pot Pie!

My family shares my love for this comfort food and my two daughters request it often. With all those requests, I still rarely make this dish because it is so fattening.

Each Fall, I make lots of soups and stews.

Soups are one of my favorite things about cold weather season.

So, I decided to play around with my favorite chicken pot pie recipe

and make it a little healthier. (READ MORE)

CONTINUE READING POST>>

Christmas Chalkboard Tutorial

Perhaps it stems from my previous career

as an Elementary School Teacher, I'm not exactly sure.

This I know, I love chalk and chalkboards and I always have...

CONTINUE READING POST>>

Real Men Cook Quiche

I've been sick this week and Steve (my sweet husband) offered to make dinner.

He asked what sounded good to me and I really just wanted some quiche!

Odd, because it's been a really long time since I've eaten or even thought about quiche.

Anyway, he dove right in and managed to cook me the very best quiche I've ever had…

CONTINUE READING POST>>

2013 Pinterest Holiday Giving Guide

He's making a list

He's checking it twice

He's gonna find out

Who's naughty or nice…

Are you writing a letter to Santa or

are you playing the part of Santa

and making some lists of your own?

Do a little HAPPY DANCE 'cause I'm about to tell you about some

SERIOUSLY. AWESOME. GIFT GUIDES!

Last week, I was super excited to find out that my board was selected for the

Holiday Giving Guide on Pinterest!

Then I was even more SUPER EXCITED when I went on the Holiday Giving Guide page

and started looking at the various boards.

I'm right in the middle of trying to shop for friends and family and this guide is perfect.

They have covered everything for everyone, whether you need a gift for

an anglophile, an avid baker or a bearded man in flannel…

they SERIOUSLY have a list for it!

I've taken the time to type the list of boards below so you can see what I'm talking about!

Please check out my board while you're looking.

The boards I submitted are…

Gifts for the Foodie and Gifts for the Seamstress

Pinterest selected my board, Gifts for the Seamstress

Here's a link to the 2013 Pinterest Holiday Giving Guide

and here's a list of the various boards you can peruse...

stylish gifts for her
dapper gifts for him
great gifts for homebodies
gizmo gifts for geeks
fun gifts for white elephants - would be a great board to browse before your work holiday party!
creative gifts for crafters
sporty gifts for athletes
gourmet gifts for foodies
outdoorsy gifts for adventurers
travel gifts for jet-setters
pawsome gifts for pet-lovers
cool gifts for kids
gifts for chrismukkah
gifts for instagram
gifts for the gardener
gifts for the grill-lovin' guys
gifts for the man cave
gifts for the cheese lover
gifts for a roller derby girl
gifts for the star gazer
gifts for the writer in your life
gifts for the anglophile - I had to ask my teenager what this was! Ha!
gifts for the bearded flannel men - my Daddy?
gifts for the graphic designers
gifts for the classy dino enthusiast
gifts for the oddity aficionado - interesting!
holiday gifts for corgi lovers
gifts for the whimsical baker - lots of cute stuff on this board
gifts for the renaissance man
gifts for my unicorn lover
gift for trekkies
gifts for candy lovers
gifts for zombie lovers
gifts for the hostess - love this board
gifts for engineer
gifts for the commuter
gifts for the vegans in my life
gifts for the pug lovers
gifts for the bearded man
gifts for knitters
gifts for the little dreamer
gifts for the horse lover
gifts for the rugged outdoorsman
gifts for the sailor - got some great ideas for a sailor friend
gifts for a party planner
gifts for beer and whiskey lovers
green gifts for the eco conscious
gifts for harry potter fans - my kids
gifts for your friends loving friend
gifts for whovians - my two daughters LOVE Doctor Who!
gifts for duck dynasty lovers
gifts for book lovers
gifts for bloggers - yes, please
gifts for the food blogger
gifts for the art lovers, artists and art teachers
gifts for donut royalty
gifts for archers
gifts for the beauty enthusiast
gifts for the lego enthusiast
gifts for the owl obsessed
gifts for hipsters
gift ideas for the little misters
gifts for the toddler that loves bunnies
gifts for the enlightened toddler reader
gifts for the fungus friend
gifts for the science teacher
gifts for the pug lover
gifts for two top-dogs and their owners
gifts for the hockey fan
gifts for the robot obsessed
gifts for the photography lover - my lil sister
gifts for a brand new wife
gifts for the art admirer
gifts for the cupcake queen
gifts for the sea, shore and sail enthusiasts
gifts for the eco-friendly
gifts for people who love order! - I need to study this one for myself ;)
gifts for someone in need
gifts for my hipster son
gifts for okies
gifts for yesterday
gifts for the newlyweds
gifts for the avid baker - great ideas
gifts for movie lovers
gifts for the fashionista and fashion-challenged
gifts for the photo obsessed
gifts for the racing enthusiasts
gifts for the night owl
gifts for the paleo lover
gifts for the mixologist
gifts for woodworkers
gifts for the bon vivant
gifts for the seamstress -BEST BOARD EVER! :) lol
gifts for the kid at heart
hot cocoa as gifts for every chocolate lover
gifts for a softball player - my baby
gifts for stenographers
gifts for the military family
gifts for giving home spun love
gifts for quirky people
gifts for a gearhead
gifts for fans of things
gifts for people living with hearing loss
gifts for women and men who have everything - hmmmm
gifts for nautical lovers
gifts for beachgoers
gift guide for bloggers and photographers - love this
gifts for bigfoot believers
gifts for the giraffe lover
gifts for the cloud lovers
gifts for the socially conscious
gifts for the grump in your life - hahaha - I love that one!
gifts for the renaissance man
gifts for the poetry lover
gifts for the science lover
gifts for the mountain biker
gifts for santa's elf the baker
gifts for soup lovers
gifts for the couch potato
gifts for mickey lovers
gifts for hockey moms
gifts for the ultimate dachshund, doxie, weenie dog lover! - HEY THAT'S ME!!!
gifts for percussionists
gifts for music teachers
gifts for hospice patients
gifts for the musical theater geek
gifts for gym rats
gifts that make the world better

After this, if I can't find the perfect gifts for everyone on my list, I'm hopeless!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

2 large Butternut Squash or about 2 lbs/ 6 cups after peeled

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Tsp. Salt

1/2 Tsp. Pepper

2 Tsp. Minced Garlic

1/2 Onion, chopped

4 tbsp. Butter

3 c. Chicken Broth

1/2 tsp. marjoram (dried)

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

dash of nutmeg

dash of cinnamon
6 oz cream cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Clean squash and cut into 8 pieces and place in baking dish.

Sprinkle squash with olive oil, salt, pepper and minced garlic.

Place in preheated oven and roast for 1 hour, 15 minutes.

Remove skin from squash (an additional minute in the microwave will help if skin is stubborn)

Meanwhile, saute onions and butter in a large stock pot until tender.

Add spices and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer.

Puree squash and cream cheese in a food processor or blender. (I use a blender.)

Blend until very smooth.

Add squash to soup mixture and heat through but do not boil.

Pin It Now!

Healthy You - Quinoa Salad

This is one of my FAVORITE healthy recipes!

It is very filling because it's chocked full of protein.

Here's a link to the recipe at Closet Cooking…

Summer Vegetable Quinoa Burrito Bowls with Corn, Zucchini and Black Beans

ENJOY!

Pumpkin Chai Latte

1 cup Tazo Chai Latte (at Starbucks)

1 cup Fat Free Half and Half

3 tbsp pumpkin puree

1/2 tbsp vanilla flavoring

Whisk together all ingredients and then microwave for 1 minute.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cake In A Mug

Have you seen the many "Pumpkin in a Mug" Recipes this Fall on Pinterest?

I have seen them, pinned them and tried MANY of them!

I've always been a big fan of the classic "Brownie in a Mug" recipe

because it's an easy chocolate fix and it's low-fat.

This recipe is not as simple and

is by no means LOW FAT

but it is quite yummy and fairly quick and easy.

I think the streusel is the thing that sets it apart from all others.

You can find the recipe here at "Heather Likes Food".

The only change I made was I added a pinch of pumpkin pie spice in place of the cloves.

Also, I used Self Rising Flour instead of All Purpose, Salt and Baking Powder.

I store my canned pumpkin in a mason jar in the fridge

so I'm always ready to make more of this delicious fall treat!

Photographed below with Pumpkin Chai Tea - You can find my recipe here.

Youth Room Wall Chalkboard

Another recent project… the Youth Room Wall Chalkboard

I wanted the words to look like they were written in chalk so I made vinyl self-adhesive stencils using my Silhouette Cameo. For the chalk effect, I used a stencil brush with acrylic paint to apply to the stencil. While the paint was still wet, I removed the vinyl.

I always get lots of questions about fonts used…

I used "Hey Gorgeous" by Kevin and Amanda.

You can find the free download here.

Affiliate. See Disclosure HERE.

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

My family loves these muffins.

They would be an excellent, lighter choice for

breakfast on Thanksgiving morning.

Ingredients:

1 c. oil

3 eggs

1 1/2 c. pumpkin puree

1 tsp. vanilla flavoring

2 1/2 c. self-rising flour

1/2 c. quick cook oats

3 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. allspice

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. white sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

4 tbsp. butter, softened

4 tbsp. oats

4 tbsp. SR flour

This recipe makes 24 mini muffins and 12 regular muffins (in my large Pampered Chef muffin pan)

That's a total of 36 muffins!

Mix the oil and eggs. Add pumpkin and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix the remaining dry ingredients. Combine the dry and wet mixtures. Pour into greased muffin pans. In separate bowl, mix the bottom 4 ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of muffin batter in each cup.

Bake at 350 degrees for mini-muffins - 12 minutes. Bake for 25-30 minutes for larger muffins. They are baked completely when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Teach Me Blocks

When our Youth Minister saw a project like this on Pinterest,

he sent me a copy and asked if I could duplicate it.

We have been working on a huge remodeling project and this was

an easy, inexpensive way to decorate a large wall.

Using scrap MDF Board and a little paint, I was able to

paint these in an afternoon.

Cowboy Casserole

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp chili powder

2 cans baked beans (I use Bush's Original Recipe Beans)

1 egg

1 c. self-rising cornmeal

3/4 c. milk

1/4 c. oil

Directions:

In cast iron skillet, brown ground beef and add chopped onion, sauté onion with beef for a few minutes.

Drain liquid from beef. Add salt, chili powder and beans.

In a separate bowl, whisk egg, add cornmeal, milk and oil. Pour over the beef and bean mixture.

Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

(This can also be made using a regular skillet and casserole dish)

Cafe Press

I was compensated with free merchandise by Cafe Press for my review on this post. The opinions expressed are my honest opinions and were not swayed by free merchandise. I have been a Cafe Press customer for many years, prior to this promotion.

You can read more about my Disclosure Policy here.

It's here!

A short while ago, I was contacted by CafePress and asked to do a product review.

I was thrilled.

They have everything from stationery to home decor items and most are customizable.

I ordered several items and LOVE every single thing!

You can find that original Introductory Post here.

First of all, if you are a Doodles & Stitches reader, you know how much I love Cocoa, my weenie dog.

I thought these note cards were too adorable for words!

Here's a link to some other adorable stationery at CafePress...

Stationery & Invitations

My BIG PURCHASE ITEM was this iPhone case.

Isn't it too cute?

Level of protection - very HIGH.

It's made from a durable, hard plastic

and it fits nice and tight!

They have a whole line of cases for laptops, tablets and phones.

You can customize most of them.

Here is a link to the tech cases…

Another couple of Weenie Dog Items...

I'm a sucker for a cute tote bag.

This one is too adorable for words.

It's the perfect size for Cocoa's leash and a few treats.

This has become my new dog tote for trips to the dog park.

You can find many other awesome tote bags at the following link…

With Christmas just around the corner, check out CafePress for many unique gifts!

Christmas GIFT IDEAS…

Personalized Apron

Monogrammed Pillow

Customized Sweatshirt

and much, much more...

DIY Pleated Tote

I was looking around on my Pinterest Board, "SEW" last week and found

a great pattern for a pleated tote from "The Long Thread".

Here's a direct link to the pattern…

The Pleated Tote

It's my favorite FALL BAG and I made it!!!

I have some other bag sewing projects in the works…

Check out my Pinterest Board to see the awesome patterns I've found!

3 Hour Sewing Project

I made these window panels this week. I went to the fabric store at 10:30am. I returned home and began working on these at 11:30am. I finished the entire project at 2:30pm!

My curtain rod was already installed with rings and clips. If you do not have the rod installed, I would do this before beginning your project so you can make your window panels the exact length they need to be.

First of all, you need to decide the size of your panels. It's a good rule of thumb to measure the width of your window and multiply by 1.5 for the fabric width measurement. Next, decide if you want your panels to "puddle" or "skim" the floor. I wanted my panels to barely graze the floor. So, this was my method for making these panels...

In order to find your height measurement for panels that barely graze the floor -

measure window area from the floor to the clip hanging from curtain rod, then add an inch.

Mine measured 86"- then I added an inch for seam allowance giving me a height measurement of 87"

Next, I used the width of my fabric panel, which after cutting away salvage edge, was 54".

My windows required 10.5 yards of fabric and 10 yards of lining. The reason I bought more of the printed fabric was because my fabric had a repeat pattern and I wanted the pattern to start and end at the same place on each panel. If you are purchasing a repeat pattern fabric, you may need a full yard of additional fabric, it just depends on the size of your repeat area.

So, I made the following cuts...

Cut 4 panels of Fabric measuring 87" x 54"

(I made sure my pattern began at the same exact place for each cut)

Cut 4 panels of Fabric Lining measuring 87" x 54"

With right sides facing each other,

sew the lining and panel together along the sides

and then trim the salvage edge.

Turn right side out.

Turn top and bottom edges in 1/2 inch and press with hot iron.

Sew a top-stitch edge around the entire panel.

Press entire panel with a hot iron or hang and steam out wrinkles.

Attach the panels to clip rings (evenly spaced across top) and hang on the rod.

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