MOMMY STUDY TIME

MOMMY STUDY TIME

PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB

UNLESS YOU ARE BRINGING ME CHOCOLATE

While you're here, check out a recipe or two, and take a look at our two March Craftivism Challenges - The Butterfly Project and The Bunny Project for Harrisburg.  Maybe get some beginning garden how-to's.

See ya' tomorrow!

GARDEN PARTY & MOMMY STUDY DAY

Just found a great video
that I had to share with you.
The weather here in Northern Illinois
will be
GORGEOUS
this weekend.
This will be a good time
to start putting your garden
in place.
This video
from
Our Simple Farm
shares how to double dig.
I double dug my beds
BEFORE
starting the raised beds
for the Square Foot Gardens above them.


And now, if you will excuse me...


MOMMY STUDY TIME

PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB

UNLESS YOU ARE BRINGING ME CHOCOLATE

While you're here, check out a recipe or two, and take a look at our two March Craftivism Challenges - The Butterfly Project and The Bunny Project for Harrisburg.  Maybe get some beginning garden how-to's.

See ya' Sunday!

Sock Bunny for The Bunny Project for Harrisburg

He is just so adorable  and easy to make - you'll want to do at least a dozen!

BONUS CRAFTIVISM CHALLENGE

Have you heard of Harrisburg, IL?  It's a small town in downstate Illinois that was recently flattened by an EF4 tornado.  It's bad enough that these folks have lost pretty much everything, but they have been denied direct assistance from FEMA.  They can get low interest loans from the Small Business Administration, but no grants. You can read more about the situation in this story from The Huffington Post.

God really put a burden on my heart for these people.  I can't imagine what they must be going through.

And then I remembered a lady who collected sock monkeys for the children who are now homeless after the Texas wildfires.  And that Still Small Voice said "you could collect sock bunnies for them for Easter".  And you know what happens when those types of seeds get planted!

So I'm appealing to you today to make stuffed bunnies for the children of Harrisburg.  The goal is to collect 100 bunnies and have them to the church by Easter.  Princess gave me three bunnies this morning that she's crocheted, and Glove Bunny will be joining them in the journey south.  So that makes 4 down, 96 to go.  There are TONS of free patterns on the internet, and  I'll be posting some other ideas over the next several days to inspire you.

Feel free to give your bunny as much personality as your heart desires.  Keep in mind that there are both boys and girls, so if you feel your little bunny needs a bow tie instead of a dress, that's ok.  Also, please remember that buttons, etc. can be a choking hazzard for little ones 3 and under.  Only new, handmade bunnies will be accepted.  Place your bunny in a plastic bag to keep it clean and label it "Safe for Under Age 3" or "Ages 4+" so the folks will be able to distribute the bunnies to the age-appropriate child.

Ship your bunny directly to:

First Church of God

1520 Mchaney Road

Harrisburg, IL, USA 62946

Be sure to leave time for your generous gift to get there in time for Easter.

When you make and ship your bunny (bunnies), please leave a comment below and tell us.  Your story can inspire others!

Feel free to pass this on to your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, church members

And thank you!

Tea for Tuesday - Flower Mug Mat Tutorial

Good morning, all!  So nice to see all your bright, happy faces today!  As promised, today we've got a tutorial for part of the Anthro-inspired quilt.  We'll be crocheting, so grab a hook and some yarn - here we go!

Crocheted Butterflies

Another beautiful butterfly for The Butterfly Project!

Orphaned Glove Bunny Love

Winter is over, and if you have kids, I can promise you that you have a TON of "lonely gloves".  Here's a great project to make with them...

Anthro Inspired Upcycled Denim Skirt Preview

 This is what I entered in Creative Bloggers Got Talent, and I thought you'd like to see it...

Gluten Free Girl Scout Cookie Brownie Bars Recipe

We're learning a method today, as well as making a recipe.  Come join the fun!

One Yard Wednesday - Denim Pocket Purse

Materials for today's OYW - 1 pair of old blue jeans, and a little imagination.

Great Travel Beauty Advice

Good morning, all!  I know you're anxiously waiting for One Yard Wednesday this morning.  I have a cute little surprise for you, and I'm working on finishing up the photos for the tutorial.  In the meantime, I came across this great article that I had to share!

Tea for Tuesday - Pottery Barn Inspired Mug Mat

A cool bistro stripe on a cute little mug mat.  Very nautical.  And inspired by a rug...

Guest Bloggers WANTED

Good morning, all!

***WANTED***

Guest Bloggers

for posts

Week of 4/13 - 4/21

Now, don't worry.  I'm just taking a break that week.  Getting some deep spring cleaning and much needed organization done around the house, studying, and most importantly developing some more projects for the blog. While I'm buried in my linen closet, I need some folks to help hold down the fort.  Here are the specifics:

• gluten free recipes - two needed; must be simple and easy to make, with easily attainable ingredients (posted 4/13 and 4/20)
• Tea for Tuesday - tea/coffee related post, can be a gluten free recipe (see above) or a craft; craft can be anything, but should be beginner level and preferably be made with materials found around the home or easily attainable for a reasonable price  (posted 4/17)
• One Yard Wednesday - sewing or craft using 1 yard or less of fabric; beginner level and preferably using pieces of fabric someone would have in their stash (posted 4/18)
• Crocheting and/or knitting - two needed; I'm sure by now you get the picture of what I'm looking for (posted 4/14 and 4/21)
• Any other craft - do I sound like a broken record yet? (posted 4/16)
• Any other homemaking - two needed (posted 4/15 and 4/19)

Some other important deets:  You can use a post that you've previously used or something new, but please leave a two week gap between posting on your blog and on mine.  Please tell us a little bit about you and your blog, and put in a link or two.  Also, submissions should be in html format and submitted by 4/4.  I reserve the right to reject any material I feel does not meet my standards.

Thanks for your consideration.  Feel free to pass on to your blogger friends.  If you are interested, please contact me at the email address listed on the Contact Me page.

Mommy Study Day

MOMMY STUDY TIME

PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB

UNLESS YOU ARE BRINGING ME CHOCOLATE

While you're here, check out a recipe or two, and take a look at our March Craftivism Challenge - The Butterfly Project.  Maybe get some beginning garden how-to's.

See ya' tomorrow!

Garden Party - Planning Where It All Will Go

Green gardening for St. Pat's Day!

Gluten Free Irish Soda Bread Cookies Recipe

Made these the other night to take to Bubba's Court of Honor for Boy Scouts.  We have an Assistant Scout Master who also has gluten issues, and I try to be sure that he has something safe for him to enjoy.  So, in the spirit of St. Patrick's Day...

BONUS OYW - Mini Quilt Mug Mat

Our schedule got a little off kilter with the TV appearance, so here's a BONUS One Yard Wednesday - something else to do with those little tiny scraps plus two new techniques...

One Yard Wednesday - Easy Spring Table Runner

Remember that sheet we made the tablecloth from?  You might want to dig out the scraps...

Earthquakes in Japan

Just heard news this morning that Japan had another set of earthquakes, nearly a year to the day after the devastating quakes last year.  To my readers and followers in Japan - our hearts and thoughts are with you today.  Even though it sounds like there were no injuries or significant property damage, we know that the quakes had to shake your nerves and bring back terrible memories of last year's disaster.  We will keep you all in our prayers.

Gluten Free Hot Cross Buns Recipe

With our tea today, a traditional spring treat!

Garden Party - Homemade Seed Starter Pots

When your seeds finally arrive (whether you purchase them locally or online or through a catalog), they will need a place to go...

Monday Morning

So we are having a crazy Monday morning here - need to take 3 animals to the vet today.  Don't worry - just check-ups, nail trims and shots for the dog...

When I get home today, I'm going to show you something really clever as part of our Garden Party series, so stay tuned!

Garden Party - Part 2 - What Comes Next

Did you dream of strawberries and asparagus and chard and watermelon and beets and cabbage and potatoes and dirt?  I hope so!  That's the fun of being a gardener!  So here's what comes next after you read the books from yesterday...

Let's Get the Garden Party Started!!!

Are you a seasoned gardener, and going through soil depravation?  Maybe you're a first time gardener, and you're not sure where to start?  Pull up a chair and let's chat...

Gluten Free Coconut Cookies Recipe - 4 Ways

Quick and simple.  Easy and delicious.  Using up leftovers!

Gluten Free Coconut Brownie Bars Recipe

Another fun recipe from Fox Valley Today!  These will look great on a platter of St. Patrick's Day treats!

One Yard Wednesday - Fun Fabric Butterfly

Grab your scrap basket and some bright thread and get ready to play!

Gluten Free Irish Coffee Bar Cookie Recipe

Coffee today instead of tea...

This is an "As Seen on TV" recipe - took these with me to WSPY.  A sweet coffee flavored treat - perfect for St. Patty's Day!

Gluten Free Corned Beef for St. Patrick's Day

Found these two recipes on Food Network:
Corned Beef
Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
and wanted to share them.  I have not tried them myself, but I know many of you will be in the market for something like this soon.  By the way, if you want to make your own corned beef, you better get one TODAY to start the "corning" process!

Give'em a try, and enjoy!

Gluten Free Sweet Spicy Pecans Recipe

Nuts are a great source of fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals.  Here's a great way to dress them up for a party snack!

Gluten Free Rolo Cake Mix Bars Recipe

These are so yummy...  Buttery rich cake.  Creamy caramel and chocolate.  A winning combination!

Every Creative Endeavor Contest - UPDATE

Just got the results from the voting for Round 2:
I finished 19 out of 20.
Only the top 15 go on.
For the record, mine was the denim skirt - will be posting a mini-tut soon.

Thank you all so much for your support and your votes.  I really do appreciate your kindness!

March Craftivism Challenge - The Butterfly Project

One day when I was a child, my mom and I ran into a family friend she'd known most of her life growing up...

Gluten Free Dairy Free Not Cheese Spread Recipe

Very simple. Quick. Delicious. Oh, and did I mention really healthy for you, too?  Need I say more?

SPH on WSPY-TV

First, let me thank you all for your patience the last couple of weeks.  I don't know if it's a full moon, or because yesterday was Leap Year, or what the story is.  Technical Difficulties had become my new middle name, and trust me - no one was more frustrated than I was!

So after playing around with the video editing software some more this morning, I got the video from the TV appearance cut down to 12 minutes-ish.  YouTube says 15 minutes or less, so sadly you will miss the touching story that my friend, Barb, shares about her mother-in-law's battle with celiac.  I also tried to cut anything that didn't stick to the topic as much as possible.

And, just a little stay tuned announcement - the recipes will all be up here over the next several days, so keep checking back to see what came out of the Suburban Prairie Kitchen...

Now, on with the show!

Gluten Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes Recipe

March 1 is Peanut Butter Lovers' Day, and I thought it would be fun to do a peanut butter filled cupcake inspired by one of my favorite treats - Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.