My New Crafts and a Requested Recipe

It's been a busy few days around our home here in Northern Michigan. I'm deep into my newest crafts / hobbies / inventions. Forget housework, my other acti- vities are a lot more fun! I don't know how many of you have heard of "Hotfix" but if you like "bling" on your clothing, you'll love Hotfix. (Look it up on Ebay. Some of the vendors there also have instructions with pictures.)

You buy rhinestones, or rhinestuds that have an adhesive on the back. Then you can do one of two things: you can create a design on a piece of sticky mylar or you can use a "Bejeweler" which is a little electric heat tool that holds one rhinestone at a time which you then place wherever you would like. You can use the tool on everything from clothing to cell phones to purses to just about anything you can think of.

If you use the sticky mylar paper, you just create your design on the paper (reverse your image!) then you just place it over your item of clothing, sticky side down where you would like it positioned, then iron it on. You can create your own designs or buy them already made very inexpensively on ebay.

I've been having a blast custom blinging some inexpensive and used clothes for Ruby. She'll be wearing some pretty cute "nana" designer clothing. Me, too. I've "blinged" some of my shirts and I'm very pleased with their outcome -- AND they're totally washable (wash inside out)!

Some of the designs I've used on my own shirts are butterflies -- symbolic of the new me emerging after losing 110 pounds.

That's my first new craft. My next new craft is really more of an invention and I'm having fun with that, too. I'm making belts for toddlers that they can easily open and close themselves -- perfect for potty training and for those little ones who are too "skinny" to keep up their britches without a little 'help'.

After I quickly sew them, then I decorate them using my Bejeweler or Bedazzler (which quickly attaches studs to clothing). You could also use the some glitter glue, buttons, frayed fabric scraps, or embroidery -- just about anything your imagination can think of.

I think I have my "pattern" perfected now and might try selling them on Ebay, either as a little kit or the finished belts. I probably won't attempt starting that, though, until after our trip to Denmark which is coming up in less than 2 weeks now!








I've made them in just about every color of the rainbow for Ruby -- not that she needs that many, but I'm having so much fun making them that I can't stop! My little great-niece Annie is having her 2nd birthday this week, so I'm making some for her, too.

Well, I guess that's enough about my new activities, so I'll post a recipe or two. Bethany requested my Breakfast Casserole. It's not very different from breakfast casserole recipes found in lots of places, but this particular one is quick to prepare, and tastes great! It's from one of my favorite cookbooks, the Recipe Hall of Fame Quick and Easy Cookbook Cookbook.

Both that cookbook and the Recipe Hall of Fame Cookbook are two of my favorites. I got both of volumes at a Cracker Barrel and notice that sometimes they have them, sometimes not. But you can always order them off Amazon (maybe even get one cheaper used there).

BREAKFAST CASSEROLE
From Recipe Hall of Fame Quick and Easy Cookbook

Preheat oven to 350

3 slices bread, toasted and cubed
1 pound sausage, browned and drained
1 small onion, diced
1 small can stems and pieces mushrooms, drained
1 c. grated cheese
6 eggs
2 c. milk
1 t. salt (I like to use Lawrey’s)
¼ t. pepper
1 t. dry mustard

Brown sausage and onion. Add mushrooms.
Spray dish with Pam. Place bread cubes in casserole dish (8x8 pan works well). Sprinkle sausage mixture over bread cubes. Sprinkle cheese over sausage. Mix eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and dry mustard together and pour over the sausage and cheese. Bake 1 hour at 350.

Serve with some fresh fruit, like grapes, strawberries, orange slices, cantaloupe chunks, etc. Delicious and makes the plates look so pretty.

This can be refrigerated overnight and baked in the morning.

Here's another great recipe that anyone I've ever served it to has loved! Only problem -- I can't remember where I got this recipe. Then again, there's a lot I don't remember these days . . . haha!

BEEF STROGANOFF MELTS

Preheat oven to 350.

1 lb. ground beef
1 c. sliced mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 t. garlic powder or 2 t. garlic from a jar
1 1/2 t. salt (Lawrey's -- my best friend)
1/2 t. coarse ground black pepper
1 c. sour cream
1 small loaf pre-buttered French Gread
1-1/2 c. grated Swiss Cheese
1 or 2 tomatoes sliced thin (I like to use Romas for this -- they're just the right diameter)

Brown meat, onion and mushrooms. Stir in seasonings. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Cut French Bread in half and set your 4 pieces on a cookie sheet. Top each piece with the meat mixture, then grated cheese and then tomato slices. (I like to sprinkle my tomatoes with basil, but I love basil on anything tomato based!) Cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until cheese has melted and sizzles a little. Remove from oven and cut into 2 - 3" pieces. Great served with some fresh veggies or a salad.

Now for my words of wisdom . . .
When you have an argument with your husband, don't drag things out of your mental museum.

Dont' believe the statistics unless you know the statistician.

And
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer. Psalms 19:14

I have some pictures of my hotfix crafting and my toddler belts, but will have to post them later in the day. Just ran out of time.

Love to all,
Mama Kay