Important Product Notice/Review

Ok, I know there are people out there with more money than sense. They are the target audience for 'gimmicks'. I love to be a (self appointed) gimmick tester. So yeah, I've tried Slow Cooker Liners. They are great. But I have more time than I have money, which are both pretty low. So I have dreamt of them each time I clean out the crock pot. Telling myself, next time you need to remember they're worth it.
And this affects what I might cook. I think, did I buy those bags? Never mind, we don't want homemade beans. Because I am a Mom, and I am already thinking about clean up before the meal is made.
Perusing the Dollar Tree, looking at Thanksgiving type items I saw the oven bags were out. And I thought, 'Hmmm..... A crock pot is like a tiny oven.' Opting for the four pack, as opposed to the one piece extra large, I figured, I have several size crock pots so whatever one it works in.
Of course I checked in in my most often used large oval crock pot first. I scrunched the sides like you're putting on pantyhose then pushed the sides to fill the space. It was almost as big!
I have since cooked a ham bone with beans and sweet and sour pork, with more plans on crock pot meals. I place my ingredients in, shake it so there is a top, twist and fold it over.
Ham bone soup:
Ham bone, hopefully with some meat on it
Bag of great northern beans, rinsed
a tsp each of salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes
Five bay leaves.
Fill water to to proper level on crock pot. Cook on High for six hours. Dredge fat and bay leaves off the top. Serve over corn bread or Frito's.
Sweet and sour pork:
Pork
Onion
2  Bell Peppers
Sweet and sour sauce
Can of pineapple chunks
1/4 cider vinegar
Cube pork, rinse and shake in a bag with 2 TBSP flour. (Optional step, grill on high to a nice color on the outside) Chop Onion and Bell Pepper. Throw full can of pineapple, pork, veggies and vinegar into bag. Cook on High four hours.

The season(ing) of gifting

Anyone who knows me knows the importance I place on gift giving, after all, it is my Love Language.
Also, anyone who knows me knows I love food. Seriously. Like to a sinful level. And people like my cooking. They love the Hubs cooking. It's all about flavor. So why not combine the two?
A seasoning shaker is like the gift that keeps on giving. Like four or five or ten meals worth.

To make a few jars of Beef seasoning buy the following ingredients
3 pack of gravy mix
'jars' of  red pepper flakes, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, minced onion, cumin, and pink salt.

Combine the full amount of paprika, garlic powder, minced onion, brown gravy.

All of this goes in.

Next add just two Tablespoons of cumin, pink salt, black pepper. 

2 TBS of these

Finally you will add just two teaspoons of the red pepper flakes.

Just a wee bit o' this one.

The end result is a very lovely rub/seasoning/mix in. 

Wow, look at the texture!

Place the mixture in two to three Parmesan shakers. Cut a tag from some rustic looking paper. Give it a name. Use a coffee filter before screwing on the cap. After screwing on the cap trim the filter to a more appealing length. Tie on the rustic tag with some twine. Voila!

The fully used seasonings account for four dollars. The minuscule amount of other seasonings may equal another dollar. The shakers are one dollar each. So we have seven dollars divided by two here, making each shaker 3.50. The more you make, the more value you get, as the unit cost can go down by shopping elsewhere. This is feasibly enough to fill three jars, increasing the number to eight dollars, but decreasing the cost by dividing it three ways. At two sixty-seven a jar this is a great gift for neighbors, work mates, and pastors!

Results are in!

An important element to any craft-ivity is authentic excitement. I wanted to create an air of seriousness, of importance, to what we were going to do, so I created the style box. When I broke down the cost of each style box it was 1.62 each. Of course, if doing bigger dolls, you would include two full sheets, which is one dollar on it's own, larger recyclables, like Pringles cans, and a longer piece of ribbon or tulle.
Some free things to include; mesh from fruit bags, toilet paper rolls, lids, round containers. And for pennies; plastic rings (the backs can be snipped off, or not), mesh tubing, tulle, plastic insects or animals, stickers, and of course the big money item, a variety of Skinz.
I called in my neighbor to hand letter the Style Box and challenge cards, because my writing looks like a two year-old. Cat. On Prozac. I am very happy with the end result, it looks like something that might excite me, if I was a young child. Ok, I am excited at this age.


                                         

Style Box

The boxes were presented, clothing was designed. Voting was done. In a terrible upset Mom was the only loser. I am inconsolable. However, the girls tied and were rewarded with a fun book of word games, puzzles and stickers! We discussed doing this once a month. sounds like fun to me!

Americas Next Top Monster

I don't know if the headlines will read, "Dollar Tree saves Skinz", but it might. I don't know if it's a bail out move, or a smart move for Skinz to get the word out on it's product (insert product research, blah, blah, blah). Either way it's awesome for me!Skinz, for most people who have never heard of it is a sticky backed fun fabric. You can make frames, or put it up in your locker or stick it to your headphones, etc.
I originally picked some up for the Monster Dorm we are working on, I mean it's already a rectangular fuzzy, pink carpet, a Pringles can later it's a set of stylish stools, you get the idea. Also for scrapbooking I saw endless possibilities (remember, I have a Sizzix); cutting frames, letters, shapes, FUN! Even using as a cover for a fun brag book!
But, I also have this other problem, with the Monster Dorm scraps. I play with those leftovers until they become something to. Hence, the creations Of Ichabod's Millinery. But with these leftovers, an idea forms.
A lot of families have a show they watch together, even we (I who do not watch television much), have bonded over The Voice, Project Runway, and Home Free. I have heard many stories about family bonding over American Idol. Seriously, like hundreds. And I don't have that many friends.
Know, take these completely random thoughts, barely passing each other. And BAM! I have just created a brilliant idea for craft time with the girls.
You will need, whatever doll you child does, size does not matter, you will just need more sheets of Skinz, each player needs a doll, even Mom. You will need a few different packs of Skinz (double for large dolls), mesh tubing (maybe multiple colors), lids and toilet paper rolls, be on the lookout from your daily garbage this week, scissors, work space. Each kid gets an equal package of items, mesh tubing, recycling, Skinz. The design challenge is announced, a stylish day in the park, lunch at McDonalds, whatever. And Mom or Dad must play, That's when simple seeds of confidence and gentle kindness are planted.
So here's my sample Model, and I will let you know more this weekend. Blessings to all!