New URL and Broken Feeds

Oops! I switched to a custom URL last week and I may have ruined any RSS feeds for those of you subscribe to my blog. Pretty please subscribe again with my new address?

Thanks so much!

Before Fall is over you MUST make this soup

This is a once a year tradition around here.  It's REALLY good but takes a bit of time. I promise you it's so worth it! Best butternut squash soup I've ever had.  It's from a cook book I got when I was first married called Noteworthy Two which has a ton of great recipes in it. Even if you don't think you like squash- you'll love this!

Autumn Bisque

1/4 pound unsalted butter
1 cup diced spanish onion
1/2 cup diced carrotts
1/2 cup diced celery
1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, diced
2 teaspoon sage
1 tablespoon thyme
1/2 cup flour
1 quart chicken broth
1 cup whipping cream
pinch nutmeg
salt to taste
white pepper to taste
1/2 cup cooked wild rice
1/2 cup sauteed mushrooms
1/2 cup julienned  chicken breast

In large pot melt butter.  Saute´ onion, carrotts, celery, and squash until golden brown. Reduce heat. Add sage and thyme. Cook 5 minutes. Gradually add flour, blending well. Add chicken broth. Simmer 1 hour.

In food processor or blender, puree mixture until smooth. Return to pot. Add cream, nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. Reheat.

To serve: divide rice, mushrooms and chicken in 8 soup bowls. Fill with hot soup.

NOTES:  I have made this a lot of different ways and you can substitute the butter for olive oil, the chicken broth for vegtable broth, the cream for milk or soy milk and leave out the chicken for a yummy vegetarian soup. It's thinner but just as good.

Quote of the Week

I heard this quote this past weekend at an amazing event I attended called SPARK.  It was included in the keynote address by Cassandra Barney.  The conference was all about creativity, breaking out of your norm, & experimentation. And I loved it.  My creativity was definitely ignited by this conference and I can't wait to share more of what I learned with you in the coming weeks.

P.S. don't forget to enter to win the cute set of four vintage milk glass mugs below... cute!

Triple Nines

They now have 27 years between them.  I can't believe it! They get more beautiful every day- inside and out.  Their early years are a blur. I wish I would have had a blog back then. I know I have forgotten so much of their early life. It was all about survival back then. Survival for them, survival for us. 

When I look at them, I see amazing people who in nine years have overcome incredible challenges. They make progress every day and bring so much joy into our lives.  It's quite an adventure and I wouldn't have it any other way!

I love you girlies!

From my stash: Vintage Milk Glass Mugs Giveaway

A set of four lovely Vintage Milk Glass Mugs are up for grabs.  Aren't they cute? I love the green leaf motif on them.

Enter to win them by leaving a comment. A random winner will be picked next week. You can enter up till November 12, 11:59 PM. 

I plan on passing on some of my great finds every week or so. Subscribe to my blog to make sure you don't miss any cool stuff.

New Use: Chalkboard Mushroom

You know how when you need to write down a phone message, there are never any pens or paper around? Meet my little friend. He will sit by my kitchen phone ready to take down messages.  How you ask, will a mushroom take down messages?

Before:

A cute little wood mushroom.

After:

A cute little wood mushroom that you can write on. 

I don't know why there would be a message from someone asking you to call home if it's at your home, but... sometimes my brain doesn't work right.  You get the idea. Don't you love chalkboard paint?

Brown Paper Bag Fall Leaves

I like this tutorial for making autumn leaves by Creative Kismet. These leaves can be kept from year to year and used for all sorts of things.  A few ideas: make a garland, use as place cards on your Thanksgiving table, use as gift tags, fill a large jar for a table decoration...

Another idea- enlarge and print out a photo of a bear tree in black and white, make a bunch of these leaves and write what you are thankful for on them.  Attach them to the tree photo and watch your tree grow autumn leaves before Thanksgiving.

via

Mini Print: Count your blessings

Happy November! I love this month and the focus on Gratitude and Thanksgiving.  I made a mini print to help celebrate being grateful.  Idea: See the orangish blank space above the text? After framing your mini print you can use a dry erase marker to write something you are grateful for there every day. Right on the glass.

Please enjoy this [FREE gratitude mini print download] for your personal use only. Thanks!

Happy Halloween

 

P.S. Why do witches always have RED hair? The photo above looks like me when I wake up in the morning :)

New Use: Candle Holder to Sewing Caddy

I found this old candle holder and had to have it.  I set it on the table next to my sewing machine until one day-form followed function and it became this:

A pin cushion, thread spool, needle dish, catch-all that I love.