If you give a mouse a cookie...

He's going to ask for a glass of milk!

Are you familiar with these children's books? Painting the dining room reminded me of those stories. It started with paint and as I painted I started thinking about curtains. Oh and I'll need new light switch, plug-in face plates (or whatever they're called). The ceiling fan was awful with the burgundy paint, but not as bad with the new paint. Though I'll probably still want to update it some. I'll need to recover the chairs. Oh and maybe sooner than later I'd like to build built ins or at least a better bookcase for my dozens of cookbooks. Does it ever stop? 

If you're not familiar with the stories; click 

HERE to listen to If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. 

Let's Cook!

Maybe its having a larger and brighter kitchen or hosting a cookbook club resulting in my flipping through cookbooks at least once a month, but I found myself wanting to cook more, experiment more in the kitchen.  I tried corned beef and I made Irish soda bread for cookbook club, but there are other dishes I’d like to try my hand at making. 

 

Quiche  - I love the quiche sold at the Millennium Café at our local library, but I’ve never made one myself

Chicken Fried Steak – my mother’s recipe using cube steak and cracker crumbs

Mac and Cheese – I love the blue box, always have, always will, but I’d like to find a baked mac and cheese recipe that doesn’t require a white sauce

Dumplings – I asked my father if there was anything he’d like for me to make months ago that he doesn’t normally get and he said dumplings.  I’ve never made them, never eaten them and might use Reames dumplings, but I’m up to the challenge!

Meatballs! – Everett, a small town in NE Kansas, has a small café that I’ve gone to after church a few times and one of their Sunday specials is meatballs.  I’ve not had them, but they always look and smell so good!  I love meatloaf and meatballs remind me of mini, round meatloafs.  I must make them! 

Meatloaf!  - I made crock pot meat loaf for cookbook club, but it didn’t hit the spot.  I need to try again. 

Coconut Cream Pie – I’ve not ever had coconut cream pie, I don’t really know that I like coconut, but it’s a friend’s favorite and I’d like to try making one. 

Cinnamon rolls – On my own.  I’ve made them with Jenna before and I’ve made them on my own using frozen bread dough.  That recipe was a flop.  I’d love to learn to make the Pioneer Woman’s cinnamon rolls and give them away at Christmas as she does.  

Dinner rolls – Yeast, buttery topped dinner rolls.  

Brisket – Again, don’t know that I’ve ever eaten it and certainly haven’t ever prepared it, but it sounds good!

Jell/Cool-Whip Salads – A must for any church potluck in the country and something I totally love, but rarely make.

 

What else do I need to try making?  Whats something you’d like to try making? 

 

Mantle Plans

I took down my Christmas decorations on the second of January and was shocked at how bare and bland the mantle was.  I hadn’t given it any thought the first five months I've lived here, but now I can’t stand it! So, here is what I came up with for January. 

 

That mirror has to go, but I don’t think it can without having to patch and repair that entire section of wall, so I’m going to get creative.  Well, others are creative and have given me their ideas.  Option one is to replace the small tiles with different colored tiles that will better match my yet to be painted living room.   Option two is to cover all the tiles with wood, framing the mirror.  Option three is to build up the wall above the mantle covering the mirror.  Like this; 

 

(Picture from Pinterest)

Which of these suggestions do you like best? Or do you have another? 

Back to the boring mantle.  I could decorate it twice a year.  In December with Christmas decorations and one set of decorations for the rest of the year, but I can’t do that.  Well, I could, but that wouldn’t be me   So, I’ve started with January decorations and have plans for February and March/April.  I may then switch to a basic theme for May through September and have season decorations for October and November.  My plan is to find, but things either at 50% or more (Joanns and Hobby Lobby) or get things for the mantle at thrift/flea market type places. 

 

So, let’s begin.  Disclaimer; most if not all of these ideas came from images on Pinterest.  I searched for mantle decorations and took ideas from several images.  I already had the silver buckets and I bought the filler at Hobby Lobby while it was 50%.  I used tea towels to keep the filler upright.  I bought the round balls at Hobby Lobby also for 50%.  The flakes welcome sign is one a coworker painted maybe 17 years ago.  The star of my January mantle is the took-forever-to-make-snowman! 

 

 

Isn’t he cute?  He better be!  He sure took me a long time and a lot of glue sticks to finish!

 

So, that’s the mantle for January. I already have ideas for February and stay tuned for updates on the area above the built ins.  Its getting a remodel too!

 

Click HERE if you want instructions on making the snowman. 

Two Weeks!

I can’t believe its already been two weeks!  The time before closing and moving dragged on forever, but the time since has flown.  I haven’t anything blog worthy to share yet, may not for some time, but I've got plans!

To keep track of all the ideas, plans, needs and wants I have, I've started a house notebook.  I have sections for every area including specific areas in the yard and a section for a future garden.  Each section includes lined notebook paper for notes and possible paint colors.  Eventually I’d like to paint every room except for the stairwell going up! 

In this picture, I’m leaning towards Coral Reef. 

Of these colors, I’m leaning towards Artichoke Heart. 

Care to guess which room each color these color possibilities are for? 

Check back for more updates or subscribe for email updates on the right! More to come!