Smoked Chicken

My hubbie and a friend smoked 60 pounds of turkey legs over the weekend. They have been seal-a-mealed and now the guys are set for hunting season and ice-fishing weekends. Reminds me of Hagar the Horrible – some of those legs are HUGE! Anyways, even though I’m a vegetarian I appreciate meat, and decided to give this meat-smoking a try. We don’t have a smoker – they used the one that belonged to our friend. But – we do have a gas grill. A large gas grill. So here we go! First I followed the instructions here for how to smoke meat using a gas grill. Then I found this website to be very informative about smoking all kinds of meat. So first I made the brine. Then soaked the 3 1/2 pound chicken for 3 and a half hours. Then I got everything ready on the grill -

Is that just about the worst picture you’ve ever seen? The only reason I’m putting it out here is so you can see the placement of everything on the grill. The chicken is on a beer can chicken thingy – in a small roaster. The foil wrapped bread pan has one small hole in the top and is filled with some hickory wood chips and is placed directly on the burner. Then I let it smoke (with the lid closed) for about 3 and a half hours by using only the burner under the wood chip pan. After all that I served it and my husband said . . . it tasted like. . . like . . . chicken! Hrmph. I do have to say that the meat fell off the bone really easily. And now that I’ve done it I’ll probably do it again but this time soak in the brine for a couple days – at least. All in all, it was really easy – the leftover chicken has been added to pasta with bacon, black olives, and bacon ranch dressing with a dollop of Miracle Whip for extra creaminess. I think that has been a bigger hit than the chicken itself!!

Mending tutorial

Mending isn’t one of the most exciting crafts out there – ha! But it is really satisfying when the pile is gone. Here are a couple mending projects I tackled yesterday. The first is a pair of jeans I got at a garage sale. I loved the thin, stretchy denim but they were too long and they had a long slit up the sides at the bottom. NOT my style! But for a buck I don’t mind doing a little altering. Well, I hacked them off at the right length and sewed the slit closed. Like this -

This is what it looks like on the outside after being stitched -

(I don’t mind the frayed look on the bottom – it wears itself out after a few washings – so I just top stitched around the bottom “hem”) This is what it looks like on the inside after being stitched. I put a piece of denim under the slit and top stitched on the front. This doesn’t change the shape of the pants.

Next, my hubbie will wear a pair of pants until they are literally falling off him. Usually it is that favorite pair of fishing/hunting pants. Well, we were on a launch (fishing) and I got a good look at him in those favorite pants and vowed to put them in the mending pile when we got home. They had some pretty big holes right above the cargo pockets. I don’t think the cargo pockets are designed to hold 10 pounds of fishing stuff! So this is how I go about a basic hole mending session -

Step 1 – locate the hole -

Turn the pants inside out and iron the fabric flat. You don’t want to change the shape of the pants with the patch – cause then they will no longer be a favorite! Then Put down a piece of fusible web and on top of that a piece of denim – usually cut from another pair of pants that have gone beyond the mending pile. Iron. (Sorry the picture is so washed out. Aren’t cameras tricky things? There was maybe too much light when I took this picture!)

Then turn right side out and zig zag around the hole. This picture shows the inside after it’s been zig zaged and trimmed.

This picture shows what the finished mended hole looks like. (Just a note – when you are sewing over the really bulky parts like where the pocket seam is it is a good idea to loosen the tension on your presser foot. Then turn back to normal after your over the bulky part. Otherwise you’ll find your sewing machine sewing stuck in one place.)

Easy. I like using the fusible web because then you don’t have to use pins. I used to use a million pins in there and it would change the shape of the fabric – the mended pants just never felt the same. Not to mention it was always a whole nother’ project to get the blood out after I stuck myself a thousand times on those pins! This method works very well!!

Gift

I’m missing my dear friend Julie. She’s with the boy scouts, camping waaaaay Up North where cell phones don’t work in the boundary waters, and won’t be back until next week. We usually talk on the phone every day. We do our chores together. You know – chat while scrubbing the toilet, or washing the floor. It makes the chores just a little easier. She’s also rather funny. She gave me my birthday present a little early. My birthday is in August and I think she gave me this in March. She can’t hold onto a present and wait for anything!! What she did was have some fabric printed up for me at Spoonflower and then made this tote! Can I say WOW!

I also got this little boxy pouch and the left over fabric!! Seeing as how my birthday is coming up and I’m missing her – I thought this would be the perfect time to show you!

Good morning!

There is a lot going on. I have half completed projects – and projects I’d like to make better before I show you. One thing I’m excited about is a 24 pack of Martha Stewart glitter and glue pad that I recently bought. Oooo, it’s gonna be pretty! I bought a bunch of sheets for the sheet project that I have yet to start. I’ve made a top that doesn’t fit. (More on that some other time!) I’ve been really trying to keep the house tidier. (Easier said than done!) I’ve been unpacking my daughters camp gear (she went again) and I had to pack up my son’s camp gear (he headed off to deer hunters camp to learn more about compass work and sharpshooting skills), and some of those items overlapped! I went to my Grandpa’s 86th birthday party and had a great time! I got a veggie slicer at a garage sale, tried it out and sliced my thumb open. Yuck! It went into the garbage – not worth it! (The slicer, not the thumb :) ) So I will leave you with yet another picture of a miniature – remember these guys?

And a little guy my mom gave me and Pokey!

Lampshade cover

Well, not everything turns out just right. This lampshade cover gave me fits!

In theory it is so simple! Straight lines – I kinda like math so all that wasn’t a problem. But something went wrong – I ended up with the seam down the middle of each panel because the shade cover ended up being HUGE! My corners look like heck – and will continue to look like heck until I have time to sew new ones. We have three lampshades this shape and they are getting old. They could all use a nice cover – mom – wanna come help me???

A new fave!

Sorry – I said this was addictive – just had to take a couple more quick pix this morning! This one also showcases my new egg cup purchased at an antique store in town. That dumb chicken made me smile. And Elmer Fudd is just so silly!

He’s hunting in the chicken boat for that waskally wabbit!

And found this duck instead. The next one is just silly.

Miniatures

Um, I think everyone who knows me knows I’m just a little warped. This meaning that my sense of humor tends to run just a little bit different than most. Well, now the rest of the world will know too. (Or at least the world that reads this blog :) ) I saw this post from Can’t Stop Making Things (great name by the way!) and knew I just had to give it a go. Basically you are taking your kids toys and taking their picture. Here is an example:

Here is another couple:

I tell ya – this can be addictive! Luckily I have a great friend who shares my sense of humor and we had a play date with our kids toys and our cameras! This is a great activity to do WITH the kids! My son had a ball setting up his own. Here is one of his:

According to him this train stopped to pick up passengers and this alligator hopped on for a ride.

This is so funny – I don’t think he meant for the boys head to be on backwards – but who knows?

As I’ve posted previously I have a growing collection of wind-up toys. Here’s a couple pictures of the latest additions.

Anyways, it is a lot of fun!! This next one is for Grandpa Mike -

We have play dates set up for the next week or so – I don’t see this getting boring any time soon.

My Plan

OK – here’s my new good idea. I have kids - right? And I want them to help out around the house - right? And I have standards of clean – right? And I can’t stand over them during each task telling them what to do – right? Well, I’m going to start taking pictures of each task – completed – and tape it up. Like this -

A picture of the kitchen towels, folded and in stacks. I will tape this picture to the outside of the drawer or maybe the inside – my kids are visual. Especially my daughter (who has special needs). I plan to take a picture of the dishwasher loaded correctly too. I hope I’m not being too picky – I’ll let you know how it goes.

I’m trying. . .

So, I’ve been practicing my sketching. It is HARD! As I’ve said before, the hardest thing for me is to come up with an original idea. So I sat down and just let my mind wander and was thinking of that birdbrain that built the nest next to my back door. This is what I came up with. I was also inspired by this post from Snippity Gibbet and I cut this using only a pair of scissors. No craft knife. Just sitting on the couch with my hubby late in the evening. It’s OK – It could use a bit more detail on the bird house. That may come later using a craft knife. Why is it so tricky getting the picture in my head to come out onto paper? Why is it so tricky getting a picture in my head to begin with? Crazy. Try it – if it is easy for you, you have a real talent and need to use it. :)

I got an award!

Hey! This is my first award! This award came from Extreme Cards and Papercrafting. Isn't that just sweet. And if you haven't been to that site yet go check it out. She has logged in tons of hours finding the greatest papercrafting links. So, now I get to pass the award on to someone else - I just have to send it along to my wonderful friend Julie. She blogs about her crafts and her life in such a wonderful way. So here you go Julie - then link back to me and pass it on!

Hot Curling Iron Pouch Tutorial

I don’t curl my hair all that often so having the curling iron living on the bathroom counter is a real drag. However, when I do curl my hair I almost always forget to put away the curling iron because I just can’t put it away when it is hot. So this is what I came up with. I made this pouch that I made a tutorial for before – but lined it with the silver fabric you’d put over an ironing board. (Keep your eyes open at thrift stores and yard sales – I’ve gotten them there a few times now). Instead of making a shorter, envelop shaped pouch – I made a long narrow pouch. Works great! And I haven’t burned the house down just because I wanted to curl my hair!

Above is a picture of the fabric “sandwich”. It is the pretty outside fabric and the silver ironing board fabric – right sides together – then a layer of batting.

Cut fabric in haste – repent at leisure. . .

So I got a  new pattern yesterday – this one.

Got some cheap fabric to try it out (thank goodness!), washed the fabric, traced the pattern out onto wrapping paper, cut out the pattern, cut out the pattern on the fabric, read the directions, read them again, and again. . . and realized I cut one little IMPORTANT piece out wrong. (Did all of this in a hurry cause I was excited!) Sewing came to a dead stop. Hubby has to go to buy one half yard of fabric today after work. UGH!! Lesson learned – take your time!!!

Country Papercutting

So, thanks to another blogger, I found another website offering free papercutting patterns. Yippeeee! It is here, and I found that website from here, which is a blog that I follow via google reader (I love, love LOVE Google Reader!!!). And here is the first one I’ve cut out so far.

I think I’d like to cut this one again in some funky color. We’ll see. It’s hard to cut anything twice cause there are so many other designs to try!! Too much fun, not enough time.

Ugly Underwear

Yup – you read that right. Here we go into unchartered territory. Underwear. My mom used to make my underwear. Then I had to have “store-bought” underwear. Yeah – teenagers are so dumb. Anyways, I am just tired of the poor quality in clothes these days. And that includes underwear. I’ve been reading different how-to’s on other peoples blogs and thought I’d give it a try. Well, maybe I didn’t read close enough cause things didn’t quite turn out as planned. Look at this pair -

Now I’ll admit that they LOOK pretty good. But they are teeny-tiny bikini’s once you put them on. Not my style. Here’s another pair

-

Geez they look ugly – and when I put them on I popped all the stitches (after I took the picture- of course)!

OK – the problem was stretch. The fabric just wasn’t stretchy enough. They top pair stretched from side to side but not up and down. The bottom pair just didn’t stretch at all. I’ve seen patterns using old t-shirts that I’ve wanted to try. But after this experiment, I can’t help but think the underwear would have to be HUGE! I just don’t know if I want to go there. I think I am too vain to be pulling these huge drawers out of the dryer knowing they are mine? Here is the last pair that I made. This time I used a pattern from Burda – they are called Cheeky Panties. I’ve gotta say they are quite “cheeky” – but surprisingly comfortable. And this time the sun and the moon and all the stars lined up and the fabric had the right amount of stretch.

So, I’ll continue trying to find the perfect match in a pattern and a fabric. I want the cost to be LOW – nothing would be best – and I’ll share the good and bad with you. Does anyone have any tips?

Awwwww – what a bird brain!

We’ve been noticing a bird flying to and from a wreath we have hanging outside by our back door. Since a silly bird made a nest in there last year I figured that might be the case again this year. It’s really not a good place to make a nest. That door is opening and closing all day long! My son will come home with his posse, say six teenage boys, and I swear they come in one at a time – each boy will open and close that door – ha ha! That momma bird isn’t getting much peace. So I got out my stool and took this picture. Why do you think that one egg is balancing on the edge? Is it a dud? Should I nudge it into the nest with a twig or something? I just don’t know. I tend to lean towards letting nature take it’s course, but it wouldn’t take much persuading to get me to nudge it back into the nest –ha ha!

Flat Bread

I am a fan of Martha Stewart. I don't watch her show very often or with any regularity but she is so calming to me. It's a good show to have in the background as you go about your life. Anyways, it was on the other day and this recipe caught my eye. I just love bread. So, I had to try it and it was soooo good now I have to share it. I didn't take a picture because we know I just can't do a good food picture (gotta work on that) - this picture is from Martha's website. You can go here for the recipe - you just have to try it if you love bread too! Some notes - I didn't use the filler they suggested. I used a grilled sweet red pepper, cucumber, tomato, shredded cheddar cheese, sunflower seeds, vidalia onion, and a squirt of cucumber ranch dressing. It was HEAVEN in my mouth!!! I made the dough in my Kitchen Aid with the dough hook. You wouldn't have to - but it sure is quicker! Then I grilled the dough in my cast iron pan on the stove top. I have experimented a bit - like, I only grilled half of the dough and put the rest in the fridge overnight. It was fine. The next time I grilled it all up (I make a double batch at a time) and we are on day three of the flat bread being stored in a large Ziploc in the fridge and it still tastes great!! I'm sure it would freeze nicely - but it just doesn't last long enough around here to have any to freeze. (I've had to guard the ones in the fridge.) This winter I may make a quadruple batch and freeze half of it with some parchment paper between the slices. I'll let you know. It makes a perfect quick summer dinner. Just throw whatever you have in the fridge on it and roll it up. My hubbie took some to work today with some crab salad used for the filling. PB&J would be fine. Anything! Happy crafting!!

Papercutting

I hope everyone had a happy and safe 4th of July! We had a wonderful day. The weather was beautiful, the company was relaxing, and the day was long and satisfying. I had a moment to cut this papercuttng but didn’t have time to post it last week. It is from Cindy again – I really do love her work. Here it is:

Otherwise I’ve been spending my time painting, painting, painting. I’ve painted window trim outside because it is past time to do that chore. I’ve painted part of the picnic table – some chairs, an outside table. . . lots of little chores that take a lot of time. So, I won’t be posting every day. Just not doing anything all that interesting. Besides the plants needing the rain, I need a nice long rainy day so I can get back to the sewing machine!! Take care – and happy crafting!!!