Thursday, August 8, 2013

Totally New Thursday Week 29

Ta da! Tis Thursday and I am actually blogging about my totally new Thursday item on a Thursday for a change! Who'd a thunk it? Huh?

So it may not be the 29th Thursday of the year but hey, at least it is a Thursday for a change. I have been failing badly at one of my 2013 New Year's resolutions, the one where I list a new item in our shop every Thursday and then blog about it here. Remember that one?

My goal is to still eventually catch up with my missing totally new Thursday items but only time will tell if that truly happens.


In the meantime, take a look at my totally new Thursday item I just listed a little while ago. It's an oven mitt! I am loving how it turned out! It took awhile to make so right now I just have the one made but hope to some day get some more complete in various color choices. Thinking I might have to just do custom orders for them for now though.


Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Cheesy Potato Soup Recipe

Good ol' grandma and her cooking magazines is to thank for this blog post! We spend a lot of time throughout the year at my grandparent's house and sometimes while there, we browse through grandma's cooking magazines to see if there is something in there we want to try to make or better yet, something we see in there that we want grandma to try to make FOR us!

One time while thumbing through one of grandma's magazines I came across a recipe for creamy potato soup. Well, after adjusting the ingredients a bit, I've come up with my own cheesy potato soup recipe. I made a big ol' pot of it today so thought it was a good time to share the recipe with all of you!


Ingredients needed:
4 cups frozen shredded hash browns
6 cups water
1 large chopped onion
2 cans (10.5 oz each) condensed cream of celery soup
8 oz cubed Velveeta cheese
1 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

*In large pot, combine hash browns, water, and onion. Bring to a boil.

*Reduce heat-stir in cream of celery soup and Velveeta cheese. Cook and stir until Velveeta cheese is melted.

*Stir in sour cream, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until heated through. Do not boil.

After that, you are ready to dish you up a bowl and enjoy! Eat it plain like I do or add your favorite toppings like bacon bits, shredded cheese, or chopped green onions! Hope you all enjoy this soup as much as I do! I'm off to grab a second bowl now! Yummy!

*Small tip: The longer you boil the hash browns, water, and onion together, the less crunchy your onion will be. My onion always seems to have a bit of a crunch to it. Guess I just get too impatient and want my soup done too quickly!

Friday, July 26, 2013

Totally New Thursday Week 28

Ever feel like you are never going to catch up? I'm beginning to think that way when it comes to BOTH of my New Year's resolutions.

For 2013, as one of my resolutions I had hoped to list a new item each Thursday in our Etsy shop and then blog about it here. Easy peasy right? Once a week, I can handle that. Well, obviously I can't since I am behind by a few weeks.

I'm still determined to catch up and have at least my 52 new listings added by the end of the year though so with that, here is a totally new Thursday item, although, yes I know it isn't Thursday!

Whatcha think? Our square dish cloths now come in a new color! Who likes the color purple?



Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Totally New Thursday Week 27

So today isn't Thursday, but..........I'm still running behind on BOTH of my New Year's resolutions for this year. Shame on me, I know!

I'm still determined to catch up on BOTH though so with that determination in mind, I'm blogging about a new item I've just listed in our Etsy shop.

This will take care of one of my totally new Thursday items that helps me catch up on my resolution of listing a new item every Thursday and then blogging about it here.

So it may not be Thursday, but I've listed a new item anyway. Meow! Our kitty cat dish cloth now comes in another color! Whatcha think?

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Totally New Thursday Week 26

Tis Thursday again! Yes, I know it is not the 26th Thursday of the year but it is Thursday!

I have been slacking on BOTH of my New Year's resolutions for this year. Shame on me! As of this morning, I was 3 new listings short for fulfilling one of my 2013 resolutions: the one where I list something new each Thursday this year and then blog about it here.

Well, with this blog post, I am now only 2 short! Yay! 2 is still too many to be short but 2 is a smaller number than 3 so I'm making progress! I hope to catch up soon with the other 2.

For one of my make-up totally new Thursday items, I've listed a new color of square dish cloth. The shape is not new but the color is! Whatcha think? It's called fruit punch. I really like it!

Friday, June 21, 2013

My Twenty-Sixth Featured Etsian

My twenty-sixth featured Etsian here on my blog is a sweet gal I've met on one of the teams I joined on Etsy some time ago.


Meet Vallee Rose from beautiful Colorado, the shop owner for EnchantedRoseProduct found here on Etsy. She is a creative, highly sensitive double Pisces who loves to make things, paint, and garden. She makes every inch of her home and yard unique and sacred.


Vallee is no longer able to work in the "regular" workforce so Etsy is now her home for work. She cares for her husband, dog, cat, yard, and garden so she is never bored. Vallee loves the little bunnies, birds, deer and other critters around her house, (though she'll pass on the rattler she saw one day while walking her dog). This gal probably does more in one day sometimes than I do in a whole week or two.

Even though Vallee is always super busy with everyday life and her own Etsy shop, she still takes the time to help promote fellow Etsians. As a matter of fact, she just recently featured our lil' Etsy shop on her blog so now I am returning the kind gesture and sharing her shop with all of you!


EnchantedRoseProduct provides handmade, unique, one-of-a-kind products. As you can tell by the photos, Vallee has a variety of items to choose from in her shop. Pictured are just some of the things she makes: candles, jewelry, soaps, and watercolors. Be sure to check out her shop for more!

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Totally New Thursday Week 25

Tis Thursday and I'm still going strong with one of my New Year's resolutions. You know? The one where I list a new item in our Etsy shop and then blog about it here. Today I've listed quite a few new colors of a dish cloth pattern we sell. I just love this pattern and think it sure does look nice no matter what color of yarn I use. What do you think?







Thursday, June 13, 2013

Totally New Thursday Week 24

Tis Thursday today so that means for one of my New Year's resolutions I am suppose to list a new item in our Etsy shop and then blog about it here!


Your totally new Thursday item this week is a new hand towel design. It will be great for decorating for Halloween this fall! Get one while you can!

Totally New Thursday Week 23

This past week we were out of town for vacation which means that the end of last week we were getting ready for our trip and finishing up things that needed done before we left.

Unfortunately one of the things I needed to do did not get done. That thing was to list a new item on Thursday and blog about it here in order to keep up with one of my 2013 New Year's resolutions.

So this blog post is for last Thursday and then I'll be posting another totally new Thursday item for this week which will make me all caught up!

The item I've just listed as my totally new Thursday item for last week will make you think Christmas in June! It's a cute set of Santa hand towels! Whatcha think? Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas! Well, not yet but it will be here before we know it!


Thursday, May 30, 2013

Totally New Thursday Week 22

Each Thursday this year, for one of my New Year's resolutions, I am suppose to list a new item in our Etsy shop and then blog about it here.

Well, today is Thursday so I did some listing! I have added two hand towel listings to our shop today. The first is a design we already have listed with a purple crocheted top but now this adorable Tinkerbell hand towel is also available with a white crocheted top!


The second hand towel listing I added is a completely new design. This pretty flower design would be great to have hanging in your kitchen during the spring and summer months which are currently upon us!


And that my dear blog readers are your totally new Thursday items for this week!

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

My Twenty-Fifth Featured Etsian

One of my 2013 New Year's resolutions is to shop on the first Friday of every month this year in an Etsy shop of my choosing and then blog about my purchase here once my package has arrived in the mail.

Well, I've been doing just dandy on the shopping part of this resolution! Who wouldn't though, right? Shopping is always fun to do! What girl doesn't like to shop? Especially from the comfort of your own couch at home?

Unfortunately, I am not doing so well when it comes to blogging about my latest purchase for the first Friday in May. This blog feature is long overdue!

Not only did the shop owner I purchased from make my listing practically immediately, but she also was so wonderful and willing to wait for me to purchase my listing the following week. She didn't know it, but I had planned on her being my first Friday in May purchase!


So without further ado, let's shine the spotlight on my twenty-fifth featured Etsian, kjscrafts, a wonderful soap shop found here on Etsy. As you can see from the photos in this blog post, I purchased some cute lil' Hawaiian themed soaps. Aren't they adorable? They smell amazing and arrived quickly too!


Kjscrafts has a wide variety of shapes and sizes including fun shapes for kids like building blocks, a fairy tale castle, and a cartoon mouse. That's not all the shapes available either!

Most of the items in this shop can be made in different color and scent combinations too so be sure to go check out this shop to see what else it has to offer!

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Totally New Thursday Week 21

Tis Thursday again which means it's time to continue on with one of my New Year's resolutions for 2013: to list a new item in our Etsy shop and then blog about it here for you all to read.


Well, today I did post a listing in our Etsy shop but it was not for a new item. Instead it was for a listing that included a lot of items we have had listed in the past.


I'll admit I'm a bit on the lazy side today when it comes to my totally new Thursday item, and am cheating a bit on this post.


The listing I added to our shop today was for a large custom order to a repeat buyer. I love repeat buyers! Don't you?


As you can tell by the pictures in this post, the custom order was for quite a few items which alongside another custom order for kitty cats has kept me busy crocheting lately, hence the laziness when it comes to this blog post.


The pictures don't even show the full amounts of this order either. The full order is for 100 dish scrubbies and 20 pair of infant socks. Oh my! I've got a lot of crocheting to do don't I? I'd better get busy!

Sunday, May 19, 2013

My Twenty-Fourth Featured Etsian

For the month of April, I was featuring Etsy buyers who purchased from our Etsy shop that had an Etsy shop of their own. There was one shop that I didn't get featured yet so I'm doing it now!


So for my twenty-fourth featured Etsian, let me introduce you to redneckchic found here on Etsy!


At “red.neck Chic”, they are the purveyors of junk, the stalkers of all things shiny and sparkly – the scavengers of hidden treasures!


Born and bred in Central Texas, “red.neck Chic” is on a mission to redefine redneck style! Mixing the vintage with the modern, shabby with the chic, eclectic with the traditional … duct tapin’ the sophisticated! 


Pictured in this post are just a few of the items to be found in this Etsy shop! Head on over ya'll and check out the rest!

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Totally New Thursday Week 20

This past week has been SUPER busy, especially the past few days which is why my totally new Thursday blog post is well, being posted on a Saturday. Better late than not at all though, right?

Sooooo.....in trying to still keep up with one of my New Year's resolutions which is to list a new item in our Etsy shop every Thursday this year and then blog about it here, I'm a few days behind but.....

I listed a new dishcloth design tonight. This idea came about from a buyer who custom requested crocheted cats. Can you say, "Here kitty kitty?" "Meow!"


And that my dear blog readers, be it a bit late, is my totally new Thursday item for week 20 of this year! 

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Totally New Thursday Week 19

I nearly forgot it was Thursday which means I nearly forgot to list a new item in our Etsy shop and then blog about it here.

Never fear though! I remembered which means I have a totally new Thursday item this week and that means I am still going strong with one of my New Year's resolutions! Hooray for me!


So for your viewing pleasure the totally new Thursday item this week is another color combo of a dish scrubbie design we've had listed before. Instead of red watermelon dish scrubbies like before, we now also have pink watermelon dish scrubbies available!


Wouldn't they just be perfect to have on your kitchen sink during the spring and summer months! How fun would it be to tell your family and friends you scrub your dishes clean with watermelons? They sure would look at you funny but then you could show them your cute lil' dish scrubbies!

And that is your totally new Thursday item for the 19th week of 2013!

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Welcome To My Wednesday-5/8/2013

Welcome to my Wednesday! Boy has it been a busy one already! Let me tell ya what's taken place so far on this fine day!

My day started out with one of those annoying sounds that no one wants to hear when they are sleeping. The dreaded alarm clock! Well, after hitting the snooze button a few times, I not so willingly got out of bed. I didn't really want to but knew I had to so out of bed I got.

I went to my daughter's room and woke her up for the day. I was that annoying sound no child wants to hear in the morning when they are sleeping. Mommy telling them it's time to get up and get ready for school. She didn't want to get up either but did without too much of a fight.

Now since I had hit snooze so many times, I didn't have to RUSH around but did need to get a move on it so we wouldn't end up running late. I got myself ready and got my son woke up too. He, like his sister and I, did not want to get up this morning either. Funny thing is, both of the kids went to bed a bit earlier than normal. I was the one of us three that stayed up late!

After everyone was up, I was off to the kitchen to get my daughter's lunch made for school. Got that done and her backpack checked. My daughter was dressed, had her shoes on, hair brushed, and had had breakfast. We were ready to head out, right on time I might add so my hitting snooze this morning did not cause a delay! With our spring weather here again and hopefully to stay this time, we were able to walk to the school this morning.

I love it when the weather is nice enough to walk for numerous reasons. I find it easier than driving sometimes. It's definitely healthy for us as it is exercise which let's face it, most of us don't get enough exercise in our lives. It's less wear and tear on our vehicles and saves on gas which in most places is a pretty penny right now.

Once my son and I got back from walking my daughter to school, the next part of my day got started. The part of the day where I have to do the dreaded housework! Blech! Who wants to do THAT?

Each day I have been doing my best to keep every room in the house tidy. I had already hurried to make my bed before taking my daughter to school so my room was good to go for the day. I started my cleaning in my daughter's room which surprisingly enough was really not too messy! Yay! I did a bit of tidying up a few stuffed animals and made her bed. Her room was then good to go too! It really is amazing how just making a bed can make a room look so much nicer! If you follow my blog on a daily basis then you might have read the post I did about making beds.

Now are you are thinking, why do you clean your daughter's room? I don't totally clean it. I just take a few minutes each day to tidy up a few things. My daughter has actually been doing an amazing job at keeping her room pretty clean on her own because in the past it would often look like a tornado had struck just her room! There are usually just a few small items out of place that I put back when I do my daily run through the house. It is so much easier to just do this in the morning and have the house be all clean by the time hubby and my daughter get home in the afternoon/evening.

Next rooms on the list were my son's bedroom and the bathroom. My son's room was an easy clean as all that needed done in there was to fold up his blanket and put a pair of socks in the dirty clothes hamper. Easy peasy! His room had been cleaned up last night before bedtime. Made my morning even easier! Yay!

Now the bathroom, that's a whole different story! The toilet needed a cleaning! Yuck! Got that done in no time and headed out to the living room and dining room area. Just had a few things to pick up in there as I've been not letting the kids have toys out in these rooms. It really helps keep it clean when they keep the toys back in their own bedrooms.

Next on the list of to dos were the dishes and the laundry. Neither took very long. Dishes were done in a matter of minutes with the help of having a dishwasher! Man, what an invention! Just had to put the clean dishes from the dishwasher into the cabinets and put the dirty ones from the sink into the dishwasher. There weren't very many dirty ones either. Just a few plates, glasses, and a handful of silverware.

Laundry was a breeze to do too. Only had one load downstairs to wash. Now, there are a few loads that need folded and put away but I'm saving THAT for later. I'm gonna need something to do this afternoon right? :-)

And that my dear readers is how my Wednesday of this week started out. I did all that and typed out this blog post in a matter of about 2 and a half hours. Not too shabby if I do say so myself! I love it when I feel like I've had a productive morning! Here's hoping the rest of my Wednesday will be just as productive! Happy hump day all! The week is half over! Yay! Bring on the weekend! I'm ready for it! It'll be here before we know it!

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Totally New Thursday Week 18

Tis Thursday again! Man, how the weeks are flying by this year! Since it is once again Thursday, that means it is time for me to keep on keeping on with one of my two 2013 New Year's resolutions!

If you follow along with my blog on a regular basis then you know that one of my resolutions is to list a new item in our Etsy shop every Thursday and then blog about that new item here.


So my totally new Thursday item this week is pictured in this post! It is a new hand towel design! Boy, do I have A LOT of new hand towels to be made and listed but on this cold, dreary, snowy/rainy day, I only have one new one to share. Just don't have the energy/motivation to do a whole lot when the weather is so yucky out on May 2nd!


This particular hand towel is not the type that we normally have listed as it is a waffle weave type hand towel. Most of our hand towels are terry cloth. With waffle weave fabric usually being a thinner material than terry cloth, the new hand towel listing today is double thickness.

And that my dear blog readers is my totally new Thursday item for this week! Got any fun ideas for me to try and make for future Thursdays? Do leave a comment and share them!

Monday, April 29, 2013

Is your room clean?

This past Christmas, my hubby's parents gave us a Wii as a family present. My son LOVES to play his Scooby Doo game that he has on it and asks nearly every day to play. Of course he doesn't need to play everyday but on the days I plan to let him play, I try to make sure he has his room clean first.

This morning, one of the first things he asked after getting up was to play the Wii so I asked him if his room was clean. He went to check and was in his room for quite some time. I didn't really hear any cleaning going on though. He then comes out, shuts the door behind him, and proceeds to tell me

"Yep, it's clean but don't see in."

I asked if it was clean and he told me yes. I told him I was going to check but he didn't want me to check. So what do you think? Think it was clean? No? Me either but whatever might have given us THAT idea?

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Totally New Thursday Week 17

I'm still keeping up with both of my New Year's resolutions for 2013! Yay me! Although, I must be honest and admit that I nearly forgot to list a new item in our Etsy shop and blog about it here for this week. You know, for my resolution to list a new item every Thursday then blog about it? Shhhh......don't tell anyone I nearly forgot!


Sooooooo..........my totally new Thursday item for this week is a new color combination of coasters. These would be great for Valentine's Day, which, yes, I know. Valentine's Day has already come and gone this year but hey, there is always next year right?


This set of six coasters would also be great for that gal in your life who loves the color pink! This coaster set comes with not one, but two different shades of pink! Also included in this set are white coasters too.


Don't like this color combo? Well, all you need to do is send me a conversation via Etsy and let me know what colors you'd like. I'll be happy to make and list them if I can!


And that my dear blog readers is your totally new Thursday item for the 17th week of 2013! Thanks for reading!




Thursday, April 18, 2013

Totally New Thursday Week 16

Ta da! My totally new Thursday item for this week is a new dish cloth design! I just LOVE this pattern! Pictured are just three of the five colors I listed in our Etsy shop today. If you like pink/white or brown/blue/white color combinations, you'll want to check out the other two listings in our dish cloth section found here.


Stay tuned to our shop in the months to come as I hope to add many more colors in this round shell stitch pattern. If you have a color in mind that you don't see listed, please don't hesitate to send a convo. I love custom orders!


And that my dear blog readers is my blog post keeping up with one of my 2013 New Year's resolutions to list a new item every Thursday this year in our Etsy shop and then blog about it here! Hope you liked it!

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

My Twenty-Third Featured Etsian

For the month of April I will be featuring buyers from our shop who have an Etsy shop of their own. Just another way to thank them for purchasing from us and also a way to help promote them as well!


The spotlight for this post is shining on my twenty-third featured Etsian, Natasha Mileshina, from bubbo found on Etsy here.


This shop offers custom organizers, planners, notebooks, calligraphy, and typography. Natasha loves custom orders so go have a peek in her shop to see if you want her to make you anything!

Monday, April 15, 2013

My Twenty-Second Featured Etsian

So one of my 2013 New Year's resolutions was to shop on the first Friday of every month this year and then blog about what I bought once I had received my purchase.

Well, the first Friday of April came and I shopped. I had my package in my hands by the following Wednesday which is pretty good turn around time in my opinion. I, unfortunately did not have quite as fast of a turn around when it came to blogging about the shop I purchased from. I've been busy but I'm blogging now. Yay!


The spotlight for this blog post is shining upon my twenty-second featured Etsian, Johanna, from FireflyCabin found here on Etsy. As you can see by the photos in this blog, I purchased the cutest buttons. Love them! Not totally sure what I'm planning for my froggies and piggies yet but I know it will turn out wonderful!


Besides craft and sewing supplies like the buttons I purchased, Johanna also has handmade items and a bit of vintage too.

You may notice varying prices at FireflyCabin. That is because whenever Johanna gets a deal, she passes that deal on to you!

Go check out this shop to see if there is something you just have to have!

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Totally New Thursday Week 15





Tis Thursday and I am on top of one of my New Year's resolutions to list a new item every Thursday in our Etsy shop and then blog about it.






So for today, my totally new Thursday item is a new design of dish scrubbie . I actually listed four listings of these in four different colors as you can see by the photos in this post.






So far the colors listed are red, hunter green, orange, and light blue.








Ta da! Introducing cute lil' ladybug crocheted nylon netting dish scrubbies! Whatcha think? Don't they just scream spring?