It's All about Owl - cute wreath!

After a weeks worth of rain and a tease of cooler temps, despite the 90 degree heat today, I am have begun to decorate for fall.  Not full blown but in bits and pieces.  I've been painting a bit as I try to build up stock for my shop and playing with other crafting media such as wreaths and mason jar soap pumps; I'll hoping to enter a few craft fairs this year as well.

After being a bit "behind" I'm finally catching up.  Everything that should have been in the mail has been shipped {except one larger piece} and I'm feeling so refreshed and renewed.  Last eve, as I sat on the porch with the kids {Awesome had some dental work done and was a bit clingy- Lex, the ever caring big sister was sooo worried about him} we realized that the leaves here in PA are starting to turn and fall from the trees.  Ooooh, I am starting to get giddy!  I am believe it or not thinking pumpkins, apple spice and trick or treat... and Owls.  Yes Owls... The Owl bug has finally bit me.

We figured you may like to see a few of the projects I have been working on to spruce up around here. Today I'll share the wreath I've whipped up.

You  may remember that cute little guy I showed you a little while back, he is still available in the shop for those of you who would like to get your hands on a cute one of a kind piece for Fall.  He really is cuter than ever... isn't he?  I plopped him slightly off center in this wreath I also made from a grapevine base and poly ribbons in Autumn colors.

Just perfect for the front door... or how about over that mirror?


Oh, and there is just one available over in the shop just waiting for you too!

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In the Crock Pot Chili Dinner {slow cooker meal}

This Momma's on another mission to continue to provide yummy, healthy home cooked meals to the family.   To date, Mommy and Alexis' weight have stayed pretty much the same which is a bit discouraging but we've decided to look at the bright side and celebrate that we have not gained either!  Summer was such a whirlwind and as I mentioned before, we were eating takeout a little too much!  I'm trying very hard to stick to my goal of ordering out much less and we've done pretty well.

Our Autumn Keilbasa and Kraut was a big success, although the kids didn't eat the kraut!  We served our family of 6 plus my mom and dad from that one crock pot dinner.   The left over kraut was packed in single serve plastic freezer bags and frozen for when the urge for a hot dog with a little something extra arises.  The cost for the ingredients was about $9 including some crusty rolls so it all rounded out to a little over a dollar per serving, not too shabby!

In the pot today is a little tummy warming Chili.  We've had rain for the past few days and the cooler temps and dreary days have been calling for another home cooked stick to your ribs meal.  Chili is such a quick and easy dish to whip up, doesn't cost a fortune, and is also a great lunch reheat!

Ingredients:
     4 Cans Kidney Beans {I use canned you can substitute dried if you wish!}
     2 cans Sliced Stewed Tomatoes
     1 Can of Tomato Paste {optional- makes it a bit thicker}
     2 Packets of Chili Seasoning {add more or less to taste}
     1 lbs Ground Beef and Ground Turkey mix {use the ground meat of your choosing}
     2 Bay leaves {optional}


Optional Items:
     Crushed Red Pepper to taste
     Crusty Bread Loaf, Rolls, or Cornbread for dippy!


Chili is a special treat for our family, the all love it but the beans are not a great choice for Alexis due to her kidney disease... Kidney Beans have a lot of Phosphorus so we don't eat this too often.  With any recipe or meal planning, work around your family's dietary needs as best you can.  Limit salt for those with blood pressure issues, sugar for diabetics, use lower fat containing ground meats such as the turkey or even ground chicken for those watching their fat intake too!

So here's the How To:

Place stewed tomatoes into the crock pot first.  My kids don't really appreciate the big chunks of deliciousness so I simply squeeze them and break them up {clean hands are a must!}  Then add the tomato paste and packets of chili seasoning.  You can do all of this as you are browning your meat, just watch the stove!  Give a good stir before adding the kidney beans and drained browned meat.  Drop in 2 Bay leaves for some added flavor.  Place your lid, turn on low and allow to simmer the rest of the day!  About 4-6 hours is all it should take!  Serve with some crusty bread and you'll have one happy family! 

Leftover Ideas:
     -Top a hotdog and add some cheese!
     -Spoon some chili over some Baked Nacho chips, add a bit of cheese and a dollop of sour cream!
     -Place a few tablespoons into a flattened dough biscuit and make a chili pocket!
     -Great reheat for lunch tomorrow too!

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Sweet Harvest Slow Cooker Meal {4 ingredient}

Did You know yesterday was National Bowtie Day?   No?  Well, neither did I, until late last night anyway.  But to celebrate this wondrous day, there is a little giveaway of sorts over on my FB page!
If you are not already following Kimberly Sminkey Designs /Tiaras on FB, head over now and enter your comment to win a little something something...mmmmKay?  {you need to have "liked" the page to enter}

It's cooling off a bit here, no more 90 or 100+ days lately... I sort of miss it and my pool lounging, but every good season has to open a window to the next, right?  The kids start back to school here in 6 days {mixed emotions about that} and this Momma needs to get majorly organized!  I'm flustered now so I can't imagine being back on a schedule with homework and strict bedtimes again... perhaps it's what we need though for Momma's sanity. 

This family has been taking baby steps for the past few months, making changes to be more fit and healthy.  Ms Boom has lost 26 pounds over the course of the past few months and I and her doctors couldn't be more pleased for her.  It's not about looks, it's about health so the slow progress is okay with us... she is feeling better- no more achy joint pain and her stamina is through the roof!  I have also jumped on the bandwagon recently, realizing I've been more of a 'do as I say' Momma rather than a 'lead by example' Momma... yes I admit it!

Part of walking a path to better health is to make changes to your everyday routine, especially with the foods you are eating {yea, I know, you know}.   Summer's been a whirlwind of activity and we have been eating out A LOT... and that's gotta change.  I've made a promise to myself and to the family that I will cook more healthy yummy meals from here on out, with takeout becoming the exception not the routine.

After a recent trip to our local farm, Linvilla Orchards, where Boom and I visited lots of animals, we picked up lots of fresh produce like fresh corn and white plums... and some delicious local apples.

 

Check out the lips on that horse!  We cracked up as he made faces at us!

I know it's still a bit warm out, so many of you may not quite be ready for a hearty belly warming meal just yet, but I wanted to share an easy peasy slow cooker recipe we made using some of those gorgeous apples! Think OUtsiDe the Box when cooking...try something NeW!

 
What you will need:

A few apples {I used 2}
Kraut {rinsed and drained if you like less of a bite}
Polska Keilbasa {2 pkgs feeds my family of 5, plus leftovers for my mom!}
1/4 Cup of Brown Sugar {not shown and optional}
1/4 Cup Water {not really an ingredient right, so not in the ingredient count!}
... and of course, the Slow Cooker!

What to do:

1. Chop everything up into bite size pieces {Pink knife optional, but sure makes cooking fun!}.

2. Core and cut your apples {I simply use a corer slicer, we like the bigger chunks}

3. Dump everything into your slow cooker, give a quick stir.

4. Turn on Low for about 4-6 hours {til apples are soft and hot}

Now you can go craft your day away, knowing that dinner is taken care of!  Yes, that's part of getting organized for me as I usually get into something, forget to take out anything for dinner, and panic when I realize later that I must feed my family... or be thrown out to the front yard!

"Bolsy" as the kids call it is an OuT of the BoX alternative to chicken or beef... not something we have every week so it adds a bit of variety to our monthly meals!  The apples and brown sugar lend a yummy sweetness to the otherwise sharp bite of the Kraut, not too sweet but Oh So Good!  Love the dish as the weather starts to cool down,  we love to visit our local farm and see the animals so knowing that dinner is ready when we get home is a lifesaver!

Do you use seasonal fruits and veggies in your meals?  What do you consider your family's
Out Of The Box meals?  I'd love it if you shared!


Tip Toe Thru Tuesday is still open, stop over and link up your out of the box meals and projects from the week!

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Dreaming of "Owl"o'ween!

The calender reminds me that it still August, the weather outside reached 90+, another reminder that summer still has it's hold on us.  The children still have another 3 weeks of fun in the sun before returning to another school year, yet, I find myself thinking of Autumn.

I love summer and I really am not looking forward to it's end... sunshine and poolside... that's what summer is to me.  I suppose deep down I'm yearning for the smell of a hot apple pie, the cinnamon... a crispness in the air.  While browsing the Internet last night, I came across some adorable little fabric owls which inspired me to pull out my paints and wood and create!

This wise fella seems to be saying Happy "Owl"o' ween!

The colors of fall are so warm and inviting... perhaps that's what I'm yearning for.
The whole owl was hand painted freehand, small cups in varying widths helped create the circles for the eyes.  Some simple shading and stippling using only a handful of bright colors create this wise old owl just fit for some Halloween fun!

Feels like I've gotten away from the whole reason I began this blog at times... to create and share.

The support you've all shown as I've opened up about my life as a mom of a kid with special needs has more than blown me away... and opened a few windows.  BUT, I feel like I lose a part of me if I don't paint and create...  I've pulled out the paints and actually accomplished 4 new paint/art projects that were NOT orders for the shop {I'm grateful for shop orders- it just feels great to design something new too!}.  I've never been one to welcome change... but I'm looking forward to the coming seasons and the surprises they may have in store... all good I hope!

So that leaves me wondering... where are we going next?

I'd like to know if any of you would be interested in some more DIY instruction,  more paint tutorials- perhaps a Vlog post or two?

Everyday is an adventure full of ups and downs here...I'm not quite ready to give up the smells of coconut, the relaxation of floating in the pool, and the fresh tomatos just yet, but no matter where we are headed-  I'd love to have you along for the ride!

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Lamp BaseTopiary for Fall

I did it!

I Finally Did IT!

I made a point today to make some ME time & I loved it. I have been holding on to a broken lamp base for quite some time now, I loved that little night lamp so much and couldn't part with it after it took a leap off a dresser and fell to its demise. A few months ago, Angela from The Not So Functional Housewife visited here on the blog. She is uber talented and inspired my broken lamp base topiary. You can visit her post and view her topiary tute here.

My Lamp Topiary is full of vibrant fall flowers like orange sunflowers, red poppies, hydrangeas & fall leaves.  She's short and full (kinda like me- ha ha) and a little bit wild.  I love a wild full arrangement.

I gathered up my supplies.  Glue gun, glue stick, broken lamp, Styrofoam circle from a previous "food on a stick" project, scissors & 1 bush of flowers found last week at Walmart.  The colors caught my eye... so beautiful!  Any how, they were Better Home & Garden and were only $4, so this whole project was pretty cheap!

To begin, I popped all of the flower heads off of the stems and cut the cord from the back of the lamp.  All of the parts that made my topiary base resemble a lamp were removed and the Styrofoam ball was glued into place.

I took my time placing the large flowers into place.  No rhyme no reason... just rearranged until I was pleased with the placement.  A helpful hint from ions ago when I worked at a flower shoppe,  Nature looks best in odds.  Odd numbers like 3,5,7 look best.  Take a look at an arrangement from your local florist next time you're there, you'll notice that your main flowers are grouped in odd numbers.  Most flowers seem to bloom with an odd number of petals and grow in odd numbers.  Yes, there's always an exception to the rule so you don't really have to leave me nasty comments if you don't agree.  Just jokin!  Comment away!

So following my "odds rule", I glued the flower heads to the Styrofoam.  Empty spots were filled in with leaves and flowers, some deep pink hydrangea.  The little faux berries were cut down into shorter stems and glued in to add some jazz.  I love the look of the berries sticking out of the tighter flowers, adds some movement and wildness.  I also added some smaller leaves and one hydrangea bud to the base of the topiary as if they fell off of the arrangement (to cover the small whole were the lamp cord was cut off) 

She adds a little pop of color to my secretary desk in the dining room.  She may make her way around the house brightening up corners and tables until she feels at home!

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Sunny Front Door - Stashbuster

Happy Tuesday everyone!  Today was 'Back to School Day' here at the Sminkey household.  Alexis started her first day of high school today and Austin started 5th grade.  They were both excited yet anxious to see what the day had in store for them.  I have to admit I am one of those silly mommies who does not look forward to this day.  I kinda miss my kids!  I know, I know... yes I do look forward to the ability to have some ME time too!

I needed to turn this dreary (mentally and weather wise) day a bit brighter.  So I hit my little stash of faux flowers and headed for the front door.  Yes, I'm still trying to be good and bust through some craftie stash!

I've had this creamy white tin, which is quite large, on my creamy white door for some time now

...empty.

I added some large creamy mums, yellow daisy like flowers, and some reddish brown faux eucalyptis for a sunny pop of fall color for the front door. 

Lastly, a ribbon wrapped and tied in a bow finished the look.

It certainly brightened my day a bit!