Stars and Snowflakes

 I needed to whip up a quick card design for some gift cards and cash that I'll be giving this year.

I love the soft look of the pale color and white against the kraft paper.

 I used A2 size cards. The stars are from the Spellbinders Stars Five Die. I used a Darice embossing folder (swirl pattern) to emboss the white stars.

  The large snowflake is from the Darice Snowflake Die. The small snowflakes were stamped in metallic gold ink using a 99 cent stamp set I picked up years ago.

 Some metallic gold paper punches were added to the centers of the snowflakes to make them pop!

Here's where I'll be sharing:
Happiness is Homemade  * Sundays at Home  * Sunday's Best * Smell good Sunday * What's for Dinner  *  Nifty Thrifty Sunday * Family Joy * That DIY Party * Busy Creative You *
 Amaze Me Monday * Mix it up Monday * Make it Pretty Monday * Cooking and Crafting with J and J * Show and Share *  Busy Monday * Keep it simple Monday *Show and Tell *  Warm Heart * Totally Terrific Tuesday * Tasty Tuesday * Dagmar's Home * Delicious Dishes * Inspire my Creativity * Talk of the Town  * Waste Not Wednesday *  Thrifty and Vintage Finds  *What's Cookin' Wednesday  *Share Your Style * Create it Thursday *  Creatively crafty *  Full plate Thursday *  * The Handmade Hangout * The Pin Junkie * Friday Frenzy * Anything blue Friday * Foodie Friday * Foodie Friday and everything Else * Friday Features * Best Friday Features *  What To Do Weekends * Home Matters * Ultimate Pin Party * Dare to share Sat. * Saturday Shuffle * Saturday Sparks *  Best of the Weekend *

Homemade Vegetable soup

There's nothing better than a piping hot bowl of homemade vegetable soup when it's snowing outside!
This recipe is one that I make often in the winter and I use just about every vegetable under the sun...the more the better, right? I don't even measure most of the ingredients...just add as much as you like.
Here's the recipe:

2-pound ground beef, browned and drained
1/2 head cabbage, chopped
 onion, chopped
diced potatoes

Add canned or frozen of the following ingredients:
carrots
green beans
 corn
chopped broccoli
chopped cauliflower

add:
2-14.5oz. cans of stewed tomatoes, chopped
2 - 8oz. cans tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
parsley
celery seed
salt
pepper
and my favorite ingredient for flavor...1/2 envelope of beef stew seasoning.
Serve with some crusty bread and butter, Yummy!!
Give it a try, your taste buds will thank you.

Here's where I'll be sharing:
Happiness is Homemade  * Sundays at Home  * Sunday's Best * Smell good Sunday * What's for Dinner  *  Nifty Thrifty Sunday * Family Joy * That DIY Party * Busy Creative You *
 Amaze Me Monday * Mix it up Monday * Make it Pretty Monday * Cooking and Crafting with J and J * Show and Share *  Busy Monday * Keep it simple Monday *Show and Tell *  Warm Heart * Totally Terrific Tuesday * Tasty Tuesday * Dagmar's Home * Delicious Dishes * Inspire my Creativity * Talk of the Town  * Waste Not Wednesday *  Thrifty and Vintage Finds  *What's Cookin' Wednesday  *Share Your Style * Create it Thursday *  Creatively crafty *  Full plate Thursday *  * The Handmade Hangout * The Pin Junkie * Friday Frenzy * Anything blue Friday * Foodie Friday * Foodie Friday and everything Else * Friday Features * Best Friday Features *  What To Do Weekends * Home Matters * Ultimate Pin Party * Dare to share Sat. * Saturday Shuffle * Saturday Sparks *  Best of the Weekend *

Early Transportation

Transportation Museum on Mackinac Island, Michigan

Where I'll be sharing:
Weekend Snapshots * Wordless Wednesday * Image-in-ing * 

"Give Thanks" Card

 I love the Fall colors against the rich blue shade of this card. I painted several sheets of watercolor paper and cut out the leaves, using leaf dies and my Big shot machine.

 I used two sizes of the "Lattice Rectangle" Spellbinder die. On the smaller one, I stamped and embossed the "Give Thanks" sentiment.

 Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Here's where I'll be sharing:
Happiness is Homemade  * Sundays at Home  * Sunday's Best * Smell good Sunday * What's for Dinner  *  Nifty Thrifty Sunday * Family Joy * That DIY Party * Busy Creative You *
 Amaze Me Monday * Mix it up Monday * Make it Pretty Monday * Cooking and Crafting with J and J * Show and Share *  Busy Monday * Keep it simple Monday *Show and Tell *  Warm Heart * Totally Terrific Tuesday * Tasty Tuesday * Dagmar's Home * Delicious Dishes * Inspire my Creativity * Talk of the Town  * Waste Not Wednesday *  Thrifty and Vintage Finds  *What's Cookin' Wednesday  *Share Your Style * Create it Thursday *  Creatively crafty *  Full plate Thursday *  * The Handmade Hangout * The Pin Junkie * Friday Frenzy * Anything blue Friday * Foodie Friday * Foodie Friday and everything Else * Friday Features * Best Friday Features *  What To Do Weekends * Home Matters * Ultimate Pin Party * Dare to share Sat. * Saturday Shuffle * Saturday Sparks *  Best of the Weekend *

Weekend Snapshots * Wordless Wednesday * Image-in-ing *    Floral Friday Fotos * Saturday Silhouettes *

Wild Horses

  

 

Here's where I'll be sharing:
Weekend Snapshots * Wordless Wednesday * Image-in-ing * 

Pumpkins, Pumpkins and more Pumpkins

Here's where I'll be sharing:

Weekend Snapshots * Wordless Wednesday * Image-in-ing * 

Cheesy Sausage and Cabbage

Especially in the Fall, I like comfort food casseroles. Sweet sausage or kielbasa is a great main ingredient to start with. I found this recipe on Pinterest... gave it a try and it turned out delicious!

Cheesy Sausage and Cabbage Casserole

ingredients:
1 package of smoked sausage or kielbasa, whatever you prefer
1 head of cabbage, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 large onion
1- 14.5 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes, diced and seeds removed
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
2 Tab. olive oil
2 Tab. butter
1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Parsley, salt, and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400*
Slice the sausage and set aside.
Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is heated and the butter is melted, add the cabbage, yellow pepper, onion, salt and pepper and garlic. Saute until the vegetables are tender and the cabbage is wilted ( about ten minutes.) Mix in diced fresh tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and smoked sausage. Saute for 10 minutes.Transfer to a 13x9 or larger casserole dish. Top with cheese and bake for 25 minutes until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

Enjoy!
Here's where I'll be sharing:
Happiness is Homemade  * Sundays at Home  * Sunday's Best * Smell good Sunday * What's for Dinner  *  Nifty Thrifty Sunday * Family Joy * That DIY Party * Busy Creative You *
 Amaze Me Monday * Mix it up Monday * Make it Pretty Monday * Cooking and Crafting with J and J * Show and Share *  Busy Monday * Keep it simple Monday *Show and Tell *  Warm Heart * Totally Terrific Tuesday * Tasty Tuesday * Dagmar's Home * Delicious Dishes * Inspire my Creativity * Talk of the Town  * Waste Not Wednesday *  Thrifty and Vintage Finds  *What's Cookin' Wednesday  *Share Your Style * Create it Thursday *  Creatively crafty *  Full plate Thursday *  * The Handmade Hangout * The Pin Junkie * Friday Frenzy * Anything blue Friday * Foodie Friday * Foodie Friday and everything Else * Friday Features * Best Friday Features *  What To Do Weekends * Home Matters * Ultimate Pin Party * Dare to share Sat. * Saturday Shuffle * Saturday Sparks *  Best of the Weekend *

Floral Friday

I'll be sharing over @ Floral Friday Fotos

Floral Friday

Late Summer flowers on Mackinac Island were simply beautiful!

Here's where I'll be sharing: Floral Friday Fotos

Loaded Baked Cauliflower Casserole

This is a delicious low-carb dish that will be a winner with the whole family. Sour cream, lots of cheesy goodness and crisp bacon....you can never go wrong with bacon!

 This is a great side dish but you could add cooked chicken or cooked ground beef before baking to make a main dish casserole.

3 strips of cooked bacon, crumbled
1 cup, onion
2 1/2 cups cooked and finely chopped cauliflower
3/4 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup low-fat sour cream

* chives or green onion garnish, optional

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350*
Mix sour cream, onion, cheese, and bacon together
Add cooked cauliflower
Mix well
Put in a 8x8 square dish and bake 25 minutes or until bubbly and brown around the edges.
Enjoy!!


Here's where I'll be sharing:
Happiness is Homemade  * Sundays at Home  * Smell good Sunday * What's for Dinner  *  Nifty Thrifty Sunday * Family Joy * That DIY Party * Busy Creative You *
 Amaze Me Monday * Mix it up Monday * Make it Pretty Monday * Cooking and Crafting with J and J * Show and Share *  Busy Monday * Keep it simple Monday *Show and Tell *  Warm Heart * Totally Terrific Tuesday * Tasty Tuesday * Dagmar's Home * Delicious Dishes *Turn it up Tuesday *  Talk of the Town  * Waste Not Wednesday *  Thrifty and Vintage Finds *Moonlight and Mason Jars *  What's Cookin' Wednesday  *Share Your Style * Create it Thursday *  Creatively crafty *  Full plate Thursday * Throwback Thursday * The Handmade Hangout * The Pin Junkie * Anything blue Friday * Sweet Inspirations*  Friday Finds * Foodie Friday *  Photo Friday * Foodie Friday and everything Else * Friday Features * Best Friday Features *  What To Do Weekends * Home Matters * Party Palooza * Saturday Sparks *  Best of the Weekend *

Wordless Wednesday

Here's where I'll be sharing:
Weekend Snapshots * Wordless Wednesday * Image-in-ing

"Night Sky" Petunia

The "Night Sky" Petunia is spotted!
My brother has a hanging basket of these in his yard...beautiful! I have never seen or heard of this one before.
This lovely new color pattern is not 100% stable. When we have hot days and cool nights, the color will be predominately white with a purple star pattern.

 When both day and night temperatures are unusually high, the coloring may become almost solid purple. Very unique!

Here's where I'll be sharing:

Floral Friday Fotos

Happiness is Homemade  * Sundays at Home  * Smell good Sunday * What's for Dinner  *  Nifty Thrifty Sunday * Family Joy * That DIY Party * Busy Creative You *
 Amaze Me Monday * Mix it up Monday * Make it Pretty Monday * Cooking and Crafting with J and J * Show and Share *  Busy Monday * Keep it simple Monday *Show and Tell *  Warm Heart * Totally Terrific Tuesday * Tasty Tuesday * Dagmar's Home * Delicious Dishes *Turn it up Tuesday *  Talk of the Town  * Waste not Wednesday *  Thrifty and Vintage Finds *Moonlight and Mason Jars *  What's Cookin' Wednesday  *Share Your Style * Create it Thursday *  Creatively crafty *  Full plate Thursday * Throwback Thursday * The Handmade Hangout * The Pin Junkie * Anything blue Friday * Sweet Inspirations*  Friday Finds * Foodie Friday *  Photo Friday * Foodie Friday and everything Else * Friday Features *  What To Do Weekends * Home Matters * Party Palooza * Saturday Sparks *  Best of the Weekend *