BACKYARD WALKWAYS

Circular Steppers

Concrete circular steppers laid in gravel create a simple pathway and reduce yard maintenance and watering.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY 2011

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the  United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife, Mary Anna (Custis) Lee, a great grand-daughter of Martha Washington. The cemetery is situated directly across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D. C..

In an area of 624 acres, veterans and military casualties from each of the nation's wars are interred in the cemetery, ranging from the American Civil War through to the military actions in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Pre-Civil War dead were reinterred after 1900.

STRAWBERRY BANANA ICE POPS

Strawberry Banana Ice Pops

Great way to beat the heat and have something different as a snack for the kids.  This is one of Paula Deen's recipes.


INGREDIENTS

1 (3 1/4-ounce) package instant banana cream pudding mix (regular, not sugar-free)
1 3/4 cups milk
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 tablespoon sugar

DIRECTIONS

1.  Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
2.  Pour into ice pop molds and freeze for at least 4 hours.

Cook’s Note: If you don’t have molds, divide the mixture among 8 (5-ounce) small plastic or paper cups. Cover each with plastic wrap and insert a wooden pop stick through the wrap.

PATRIOTIC RED, WHITE, AND BLUE CREATIONS

Lil Fire Cracker 4th of July Hair Bow

by

Boogie Boutique

Monogrammed Ruffled Ribbon Shirt

by

My Little Pumpkin

Personalized Diaper Cover

by

Gramme's House

Personalized Bottle Cap Necklace

by

Josie's Jewelz

Check out the other vibrantly colored red, white, and blue patriotic creations in my etsy treasury.

LIVING RED, WHITE, AND BLUE

Patriotic Red, White, and Blue Landscaping

EMBROIDERY MACHINE

I have a couple of Bernina sewing machines and have wanted an embroidery machine for some time.  After almost a year of research, I decided not to buy the combo sewing-embroidery machine, but to start out with a plain embroidery machine. Yesterday, I picked up my Deco 340 from my Bernina store (Berry Patch).  I read through the manual last night and can't wait to try it out!

STAGEDOOR DANCE CENTRE RECITAL

Enjoyed our granddaughter's first major recital today at UTA.  Wonderful recital and dancers!

MONEY SAVING HOUSEHOLD TIPS FOR THE LAUNDRY ROOM AND BATHROOM

Laundry Room Tips

Wash in Cooler Water

Using hot water to wash clothes uses more energy than using cooler water. Wash full loads in warm water instead of hot water and you will cut your energy use in half.

Cost: nothing
Savings: $60+ over using hot water

Shorten Your Dryer Vent Hose

Disconnect your hose and clean it with a vaccum. Then, trim the hose so that it is just long enough to pull your dryer away from the wall. This will help your dryer run more efficiently, save you money, and dry your clothes faster.

Cost: less than 15 minutes
Savings: $25 per year on electric, gas, or propane

Bathroom Tip

Lower Your Water Heater Temperature
There's nothing like the feeling of a nice hot shower, but lowering your water heater by just 10° F can save up to 12% on your bill. Heaters should be set anywhere from 120° to 125°, which is still plenty hot when you need to relax.

Cost: A few minutes in your utility room
Savings: $30 or more per year on gas, oil, electricity or propane

FRESH FRUIT SALAD WITH CREAMY CUSTARD

Paula Deen's Fruit Salad

INGREDIENTS

6 kiwis, peeled and chopped
2 ripe mangoes, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 melon, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 quart strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 quart blackberries
1/2 quart blueberries

Custard:
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2/3 cup sugar
6 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

For the fruit:

Place fruit into a large bowl and toss together.

For the custard:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk milk and sugar constantly.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly incorporate the hot milk into the egg mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Heat the custard over low heat about 5 minutes or until thickened slightly, stirring constantly. (It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let the mixture come to a simmer or the eggs will curdle.)

Remove from heat and melt the butter into custard. Add vanilla. Immediately strain the custard into a small bowl. Place in refrigerator to cool.

Drizzle over fruit and serve.

"SWEET TWEETS" ETSY COLLECTION

Bridal Hair Flower Clip with Ostrich Feather

by

Serenity Crystal Design

Hummingbird and Floral Print

by

Beauty Is....Art Studio

Natural Nest Necklace

by

M. D. Sparks

Spring Branch Tree with Birds Decal

by

NouWall

Check out other "Sweet Tweets" creations 

in my 

Etsy treasury.  

DAYBEDS

Daybed

Daybeds have split personalities.  They are dressed for use as a sofa by day but include a twin-size mattress for sleeping at night.  Daybeds look at home in a family room or den as well as in a bedroom.  A metal or wood frame may enclose three sides.  Most often used to accommodate guests, daybeds sometimes conceal a pop-up frame or drawer trundle underneath that houses another mattress.  These are great to use in a multi-purpose bedroom.

MOTHER GOOSE ETSYKIDS' MAY DESIGN CHALLENGE

This is my entry in the 

EtsyKids' May Design Challenge 

"Mother Goose".

1,000 FACEBOOK FANS MILESTONE ETSY COUPON

WooHoo - SnazzySnugglies hit the 1,000 Facebook fan milestone!  In celebration, my facebook fans will receive 20% off anything in my etsy store.  Offer good through the month of May 2011.  Please enter the coupon code:  1000FacebookFans

GO GREEN TIP

Use ceiling or portable fans to move air and make a room feel four to six degrees cooler.  Plus they use much less energy that the air conditioner.  Source: Texasishot.org

LITTLE GEM MAGNOLIA TREE

Little Gem Magnolia Blossom

I always admired the beautiful magnolia trees in bloom.  My yard isn't big enough to support a regular magnolia, so I was excited when I discovered the "smaller" version called the Little Gem Magnolia.  It is slower growing, but doesn't require the square footage of the regular magnolia.  My tree is in bloom, so I am enjoying its pretty white flowers!

HEAT-LOVING FLOWERS

Black-eyed Susan

Sturdy and easy to grow, this early-summer-blooming flower brightens gardens. Cutting encourages them to rebloom late in the season. The 2- to 4-inch blooms have orange-red rays and a prominent purplish-black cone. Deer usually steer clear of these plants.

Mealycup Sage

Tall, densely packed flowers appear on this plant, which is native to southern New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico, in late spring.  Blooms vary from deep violet to white, and cuplike calyxes are covered with white hairs that often have a blue or violet tinge. Like other members of the sage family, mealycup sage is generally pest free.

Zinna

Zinnias are longtime garden favorites for colorful, round flowers. The flexible hot-weather plants don’t gain from being planted early and stand still until weather warms up.

Threadleaf Coreopsis

Southern natives, these easy-to-grow members of the sunflower family yield a profusion of yellow blooms. Their seeds attract birds but not deer.

Check out the other beautiful flowers
that are heat-loving, hardy plants 
that thrive in hot weather.

A TRIBUTE TO THE WOMEN IN MY LIFE

During my 60 years of life these women have made a major impact in my life.  

• Naturally, the first is my mother.  She passed away in 2005.  As I get older I have a greater appreciation and understanding of all the things she did raising 5 children, keeping a house and garden intact, and all the extra duties she did during an average day. She gave me my love for garden flowers. Happy Mother's Day Mom.   
• In elementary school, Mrs. Bowman, a "hard" teacher in a tiny country school, made me think and guided me on the road to doing things the right way and taking pride in my school work.   
• My father's sister, Aunt Zita, for bringing a bit of sunshine into my life during her summer visits and for making me feel special.  Later in life, she always made our Florida trips fun. She passed away in 2003. 
• My husband's mother, MoMo Peg, for being the best grandmother any child could have.  My two children loved her dearly and have special memories of their trips to K-Mart, sharing Klondike bars and laffy taffy, and playing games together.  She passed away in 1990.  Happy Mother's Day MoMo Peg.
• My husband's aunt, Aunt Olga.  What a wonderful woman in every regard.  She had a heart of gold and dearly loved her family and shared that love with us.  When we moved to Texas, she became our surrogate mother and grandmother for our children.  She cooked wonderful comfort food, loved to play dominoes, and gave me my love for sewing.  She passed away in 2008.  Happy Mother's Day Aunt Olga.

CRISPY ICE CREAM BARS

Crispy Ice Cream Bars

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups crisp rice cereal

1/2 cup toffee bits

1 cup unsalted peanuts

3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut

1/2 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup light corn syrup

4 pints ice cream (any flavor)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Line a 9-by-13-inch pan with parchment, leaving parchment hanging over two edges. Mix cereal and toffee in a large bowl; set aside. Coarsely chop peanuts and coconut in a food processor, then add to bowl.

2. In a saucepan, combine butter, sugar, salt and corn syrup and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 min, combine with dry ingredients and toss to coat evenly. Press half the mixture into pan and freeze until cold, about 10 min.

3. Spread softened ice cream evenly over cereal layer and freeze until firm, about 1 hr. Remove and quickly top with remaining cereal mixture, then refreeze. Lift out of pan using parchment overhang. Cut into 1- by 3-inch bars and serve. Makes 24 bars.

EYE-POPPING REFRESHING ETSYKIDS CREATIONS IN PINK

Check out these refreshing pink creations

by

EtsyKids creators.

TuTu

by

TuTu Gorgeous Girl

Princess Playwear Jacket

by

Trendy Tykes

Birthday Pendant Banner

by

Cutie Patootie Creations

Glamour Girl Sandals

by

Snuggle Bug Kidz

Check out the other beautiful creations

 in my

Etsy Treasury.

HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO

BEST SHADE PERRENIALS

Hostas

Hostas are among the showiest and easy-to-grow perennials in the shade. They also offer the most variety of any shade plant. Choose from miniatures that stay only a couple of inches wide or giants that sprawl 6 feet across or more. Look for leaves in shades of green, blue, white, chartreuse, and gold, with many cultivars being variegated.  Some hosta flowers are very fragrant.

Top picks: 'Blue Mouse Ears' offers silvery-blue leaves and stays 1 foot wide; 'Frances Williams' offers thick, blue-green leaves edged in chartreuse and grows 2 feet wide; 'Sum and Substance' offers chartreuse leaves and grows 6 feet wide.

WINNER OF ETSYKIDS DESIGN CHALLENGE

Bodysuit

by

Baby by Sam

This creation was the winner in the April EtsyKids Design Challenge.  It is a one-of-a-kind bodysuit created for Autism Awareness Month.  The applique is a blue hand signing "I love you" and holding a red puzzle piece. The puzzle piece is the symbol for Autism Awareness as it reflects the mystery and complexity of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Congratulations to the winner: Baby by Sam !

OSMA bin LADEN KILLED

The al Qaeda leader held responsible for the 9 - ll terrorist attacks on the United States is reported killed by Navy Seals at a compound resort near Pakistan's capital.  

Prayers to all the families who suffered losses in these terrible acts of violence.

APPLIQUE WORKSHOP

Last Wednesday a friend and I participated in an applique workshop at the Berry Patch in Fort Worth.  We learned a lot and I can't wait to try it out on a project.