March Birthday Madness

Sunday was my birthday, next Saturday, March 17th, St. Patrick's Day, is my son's birthday and then a week later is my daughter's birthday on the 25th.  Quite ironic that our birthdays come in the same order of when we were born. . . . . 

I got a gift certificate to Pier 1 from my son and daughter-in-law.  Thanks C and A.  I had so much fun shopping there today.  Pier 1 was having a sale, so I got these two bunnies, basket of Easter eggs and flowers, and a cookbook holder with some change.  I'm so glad my birthday comes around Spring time/Easter.

I wish I were Beatrix Potter, I would name these bunnies Flopsey and Mopsey

 Ornate decoration on the cookbook holder.  The red matches the red in the rest of my kitchen.  I'm so happy with it.

Oh look what arrived at work today!!?! (It was supposed to come on Friday but that's another story with this company that I don't want to get into), thank Lisee, it was a nice surprise!!

Have you ever had chocolate covered pears??  Oh mercy, they were so deee.li.cious!!

Hubby got me a Jenn-Air skillet for my gas stove and my mother-in-law gave me a gift certificate to Cato's (my favorite girl shop)

Those who know me, know I don't make a big deal over my birthday.  It's more personal with me and I like celebrating it with family.  We will get together at the end of the month to celebrate all together, with balloons, cake and ice-cream, gift exchanging and lots of love, hugs and laughs.

I don't look a day over 30, no??

 This has been a favorite picture of the kids and I blowing out the candles on "our" birthday cake, taken two years ago.

Happy Birthday to me but mainly to my babies this month of March . . . . let the madness begin!!  I love you guys!!

~Jomama

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Savvy Southern Style's - Wow us Wednesday

Adios Winter Welcome Spring

This was the seen outside grandma's (my MIL) picture window two weeks ago.  Beautiful picture perfect scene.  Would have loved it more at Christmas time but I'm not bitter (wink, wink).  Fast forward two weeks and it feels like late Spring and it's not even Spring yet, 10 more days??  I came so very close to "unwinterizing" my home this weekend but because I'm still under the weather, I don't have the energy.  It's Spring Break where I work and I have Thursday and Friday off and the weatherman predicts it to be in the high 60's possibly low 70's.  I'm sure I'll be feeling better by then and I'll have the energy to get my home ready for spring.  Just thinking about it gets me so excited.

 I transplanted these Hyacinths from last year.  Click here to see what it looked like a year ago.  I'm told deer love these but so far so good.

These Tulips were also transplanted from a pot at the same time my Hyacinths were.  I've also heard these are a feast for deer - BOOO!  Stay away deer!!!

This bush is blooming like crazy.  It's on the northeast side of the house and I wish I had more of these.  Seemed like last year it had a beautiful scent to it but I don't smell it this year, or maybe it's because my smelling senses are out of whack due to the bad cold I'm trying to recover from.  As I was taking these pictures though, I had a bee buzzing around me, he wasn't too happy.

Can anyone tell me what kind of bush this is??  Somebody help this West Texas gal out, wontcha?! ;)

Grandma's Rose bush is starting to show some life.

I couldn't tell you what this plant is even if my life depended on it.  I bought it last Summer and once again, the deer made a feast of it.  I never knew deer could be quite a nuisance until we moved to Spottswood Place. :(

My yard needs plenty TLC, I've never been much of a gardener.  More of one with big hopes and dreams for my yard but when it comes down to it, I lose interest because I don't know what I'm doing and it becomes overwhelming.  Growing up in Texas we didn't have much of a yard but my mom was able to grow rose bushes and that's about it.  I did not grow up tilling the soil and getting my hands dirty.  On the other hand, my mother-in-law is a green thumb.  For as long as my hubby and I have been married, almost 30 years, my MIL has always had a flourishing flower garden wherever she lived.  Everything she touched bloomed like crazy, she still hasn't taught me her secret.....

Well, my son and his family are here.   Gotta run!!!

Soup and Sandwich

Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwich

SOUP DIRECTIONS

2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice

1 cup finely diced celery

1 cup finely diced carrots

1 cup finely diced onions

1 tsp dried oregano or 1 T fresh oregano

1 T dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil

4 cups chicken broth

½ bay leaf

½ cup flour

1 cup Parmesan cheese

½ cup butter

2 cups half and half, warmed

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

1.  Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, oregano, basil, and bay leaf to a large slow cooker.

2.  Cover and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.

3.  About 30 minutes before serving prepare a roux. Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour. Stir constantly with a whisk for 5-7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add all back into the slow cooker. Stir and add the Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper.  Add additional basil and oregano if needed (the slow cooker does a number on spices and they get bland over time, so don't be afraid to always season to taste at the end).

4.  Cover and cook on LOW for another 30 minutes or so until ready to serve.

GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH DIRECTIONS

4 slices of cheddar cheese

8 slices of bread

1 stick butter, melted

Hot griddle

Start these in the last 30 minutes of the soup.  With a pastry brush, brush melted butter on one side of all the bread slices.  Place a slice of cheese between two slices of bread, butter side out.  Place as many sandwiches on the hot griddle that can fit.  Brown on both sides.  Slice in half before serving.

The richest, creamiest tomato soup ever.  So savory and delicious.  Our daughter Elise had been craving tomato soup so she looked this recipe up, bought all the ingredients and this is what I came home to on Friday evening after work. She started it and put it in the crockpot to cook all day.  I only had to do the last few steps plus make the sandwiches which overall wasn't much.  I've been under the weather with a bad cold and this hit the spot.  My only gripe is that it had carrots, I don't like cooked carrots, but they were big enough to take out so that wasn't too bad.  I love having a sandwich accompany my soup too, I know my meat and potatoes hubby liked it too.  Everyone gave it a thumbs up. I love soup.  I could live on soup.  How about you?

Hydrangea Greeting

Made with 4 stems of artificial Spring green Hydrangeas

Three stems of artificial greenery for filler

1 floral, rustic metal wall sconce

One apprentice, this is "Stella"

I snipped off about 10" off the stems, left enough to bend if need be

Placed the greenery in first, will serve as a filler and background

I then added the Hydrangeas in front of the greenery

Day picture

I saw this project featured at "Be Book Bound: Irish Author: Creating an Irish Farewell".  I absolutely fell in love with it and knew that I would find everything at our local Michaels store to make a similar one.  I'm so glad I finally have something to hang from my front door.  I haven't hung anything there since Christmas, and waited until something inspired me, and this floral arrangement did it!   I completed this project in one hour.

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Weekend Craft Project 030312

3 8 x 10 canvas frames
Waters
1 Pencil
3 2 oz. bottles of acrylic craft paint (I used Apple Barrel brand from Michaels)
  1 King's Gold
  1 Golden Sunset
  1 Black
  1 Nutmeg Brown
1 bristle brush - I used a beveled brush, about 1/8" wide
1 1/2" flat sponge paint brush
1 1" round sponge paint brush
2 Paper towel sheets, folded in quarters (for dabbing)
Newspaper

Lay the newspaper down in order to fit the three canvases.  Mix 3 parts water and about 1 part of the Kings Gold paint (I used 3 tbsps. water and 1 tbsp. of paint).  Mix thoroughly and every so often.  Take the flat brush, dip it in the paint, dab on paper towel and start brushing it on the canvas. Let dry and repeat one more time.  Let dry and paint the last layer with wild brush stokes.  Set aside and let dry completely.  In the meantime, wash the brush and bowl.

When the freshly painted canvases have dried, now it's time to get ready to paint on the design.  

I use a pencil to start drawing the design on the canvas that's going into the middle.  I draw it on ever so lightly.

I used my beveled brush to start painting on the design with the black paint.  I started out with a light line over the pencil marks.

I start getting serious at this point and begin painting thicker and darker lines until I get to the point where I'm satisfied and done

I set them on my counter to dry, away from the cats from being too curious and walking on them.  I let them dry over night as I'm not finished yet.

Mix 1 tsp. Golden Sunset paint, 1/2 tsp. of the Nutmeg Brown tsp. and about two tbsps. of water, mix thoroughly.  Using the round sponge brush, dip it in the paint, dab on the 2nd paper towel.  Push the sponge brush down and then out and use this effect throughout the canvas until you reach your desired affect.  Repeat this process with the other two canvases.  Set aside and let dry.

It took about an hour for them to dry and then I hung them up over my kitchen sink.

I decided to put the frames a little closer together after I took this picture.

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