Super Bowl Chili ~ Not just for game day

During my last stint working we made a conscious effort to continue to cook at home for as many meals as possible. See, we had a glimpse of how much $$ we spent eating out when I was home and did not have that luxury. So during that time we wanted to keep as many of the good habits we had formed that helped us live the less luxurious life in style, like eating good meals at home.

Just like most families out there we ate out because of time constraints. But with a little planning and easy recipes we managed to eat at home most of the time. One of our go to meals was Chili. It was quick, easily adaptable to what we had on hand, and was always made in the Crock Pot.

I recently had a mommy and me gathering at my house. It was supposed to be a mid morning gathering with snacks and coffee. But due to weather the schools in our area started late that day. This pushed back the time for our get together. Which for me meant changing my plans from coffee and donuts to serving a light lunch, on short notice.

So I went with a no fail easy chili for adults and hot dogs for the kids. The bonus was there was leftovers for dinner.

8 oz - Black Beans or Kidney Bean (or 4 cans of beans)
2 14 oz cans of chili seasoned tomatios
1 can of corn
2 Diced Carrots
1 medium sweet onion
1 pack or chili seasoning
1 tsp Cummin
Meat of Choice (I use left over baked chicken)

Place the above ingredients in your crock pot and cook on LOW for 6 hours, or High for 3.

In the summer I still cook chili, but add squash, zucchini, yellow peppers, and orange peppers . My husband says that it isn't chili with all that stuff in it, but I say if you add chili seasoning it's chili.

I hope this works for you

~ My 1st Tutorial - T-Shirt Dress ~

I recently wondered into Goodwill looking for some things to UpCycle for my youngest son and ran across a t-shirt. It was brand new and only $1. I snagged it thinking I could make undies or a t-shirt from it for my little man.

Well, I got the shirt home and laid it out on the table and began to look at it again, the shirt said to me "I am a dress". I promise it spoke. I love my boys, 3 of them to be exact, but my daughter has been quite the little inspiration for soo much crafting. So often she gets the fruits of my labor. And this time was no different.

I am going to share with you this easy peasy process. This my first tutorial so bear with me.

Supplies ~
dress that fits your little one
T-shirt - I used an adult small
Sissors
Sewing machine
thread

Cut shirt right under the arm holes.

I forgot to photograph the cutting process but this is similar. Place your dress that you are using for a patter at the neck line of the shirt. I used the tag and all.

Proceed with Basting the bottom half of the shirt. This will be the skirt


I cut the end of the arm holes for the new arm hole of the dress and attached



worked like a charm


Now attached the top to the bottom (not like this), but so it comes out right.



I then cut strips of for a ruffle

Baste your strips

Pull to create the ruffle and attach.


Your Done!

This was FUN, quick and easy. Very little sewing because you will use the hem from the shirt arms and kneck. Embellish till your little heart desires.

Knowledge = Know-how

Not many of you know but I am very easily excitable, good and bad. However nothing gets me more fired up than when someone else gets going on a project and I have a tiny bit of knowledge to help them along their way. Note, knowledge has nothing to do with know how.

A fellow blogger/co worker has found a diamond in the rough, a perfect project to (American Idol) make her own. She will be recovering an upcycled chair (see it here) and I thought that this would be a perfect time for HER to try double welting (lol).

Double welting is the side by side cord covered with fabric and attached to an upholstered piece to cover staples. Now this is no easy task, see here, here, and here. I look forward to seeing her finished project and I say thank you for getting me into gear with my own DIY ventures (can you say hello organized closet)!


If you have time swing by and visit Miss Mustard Seed, she was once an upholstery DIY'er but LOOK at her now! And over at Much to do about Nothing, she has a great tutorial on this topic.

!Thanks Stacey for the post inspiration!