Happy Mail Box Reveal

Hello everyone!  I got a beautiful box of Happy Mail today and I could not wait to share with you!  

I am in a FaceBook Group we send each other a box of goodies.  
Each month we get a new partner so I meet alot of ladies from different places. 

This month my partner was the coordinator Donna.  She overwhelmed me with her beautiful work and the supplies for crafting she sent me!  

Enjoy

I opened the box and right on top was Chocolate.  Oh yah!

There was a sweet little notebook I loved the blue and gold. 

And there was a plastic box filled with beads and a roll of lace to decorate my projects with. 

We have a list in the group of the participants.  On the list we put our favorites and kind of things we make.  There are lots of different kind of projects.  She included a stack of different kinds of papers with text and book pages,  a hymnal page and a map page.

I love the hymn page.  I'll try to take to the copy store and make more so I can keep the original. 

Also included was little pocket journal.  This was a challenge for the group.  Each month there is a suggestion of something to make.  It is not a requirement. 

On the inside were some journal cards.  I love the one cut out like a dress.  These were clipped together with the heart paperclip.

Two decorated pockets on the inside . . . 

Inside the pockets were two scripture cards.  I love the dangle charms she included.  The little key for the house was so cute. 

There were stickers also.

Another decorated  pocket filled with more scripture cards.

Scripture and Encouragement cards

And look Donna and I talked about pets.  She sent dog stickers.

Two rolls of ribbon and a magnetic book mark. 

Another strip of stickers

And another amazing journal she made.  I love the heart on the 

closure. 

The inside filled with journal prompt cards and a decorated waterfall section.

Prompt cards inside a pocket

These cards are cool and great to send to penpals

Here's the waterfall closed . . . 

Opened

One more close up

And on the very bottom of the box 14 yes 14 large 11x12 sheets of paper.  

I am so excited about this box of goodies.  I was running out of paper and now I have lots to work with! 

Thank you so much Donna for being my partner and for starting this group!

I love getting Happy Mail!

Menu Monday On the Dinner plate A Few Of Last Weeks Meals

How is your day going? Welcome to a new week.  Today I am sharing a few meals I served last week.   But first here are my 
plans for the week . . . 

A few plans for the week . . . 

Last week I thought about cooking Fried Cat Fish and didn't get 'round to it.  So on the list it goes.

Fried Cat Fish and Baked Potato's I have the nicest perfect potato's to bake and I bought Sour Cream and Bacon Bits all set!

Maybe I can get to the store and get some cabbage.  We'll see. 

We still have a T-Bone and some Filet Mignon in the freezer.

And another big 'ole Pot Roast we bought on sale a couple weeks 

ago. 

We have a Smoked Salmon in the freezer The Cowboy smoked last week.

Fried Chicken, Mashed Potato's and hmm I bought Chicken Thighs for the dogs and I kept two out.  I am finding it is easier to fry just what we need because we are not good most of the time about left overs. 

Are you good at serving left overs?

Looks like I have a few ideas that will make really nice dinner plates the week.  

And now here are a few of last weeks Dinner plates . . . 

I made a pot of spaghetti from left over taco meat.  The bread is an onion roll we needed to use up.  I added butter and garlic. 

It was just o.k. 

The Cowboy is eating alot of Asparagus and Spinach because it is good for his condition. 

I've been wanting a good 'ole bowl of pinto's.  Do you put 

ham hock in yours?  I can't make a decent bowl of beans without ham hock.  I didn't make this found it on google but doesn't it look good?

Another easy meal.  Pork tenderloin that the Cowboy smoked over the weekend.  I fried a few Asparagus Spears.  Do you see the 
radish in the salad.  It is from my garden!  Yea me. 

A close up of the gravy.  Can you see the pepper corns.  
The Cowboy covered the pork in coarse pepper and coarse salt then smoked it.  It was yummy and super tender. 

See there's my Radish with the Broccoli and Spinach Salad.

My plate.  I didn't get a good shot of the mashed potato's.  These are fresh from real Potato's.  Last week I was tired and grabbed a package of Betty Crocker Loaded Potato's.  Not a keeper.  

I served a simple meal of Mussels and Shrimp over Fetticini.  Just a bit of butter added to the sauce in the Mussels (frozen package) and I added a tablespoon of Sun Dried Tomatoes.  It was a fast and yummy meal.  The Cowboy had a Spinach and Broccoli Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing.

He likes the strangest combinations.

Think so?

On Friday I steamed up the rest of the Broccoli and made a Mexican Theme Broccoli/Cheese/Rice dish.  It was so yummy cooked it all separate and then just poured the sauce on top.  

The chicken was oven roasted with orange peels, a lime and Italian Dressing then I sprinkled Tumeric, Garlic Powder and Onion Powder on top. 

I served with Blue Corn Tortilla's and Guacamole.  The Guac was so yummy.  I wanted to like the bowl.  

Don't tell

I never met an Avacado I didn't like!

And from the left over Broccoli and Rice I made soup.  And it was delicious.  Sometimes I do make Leftovers just reconstructed. 

I am sure missing eating out

Are you? 

But I really do love cooking at home. 

Bon Appetit

Great Book Choices For Staying In-Selah's Sweet Dream by Susan Count

I am recommending this one and the series for readers of all ages!

About the book 

Award Winning Juvenile Fiction The emotional detail makes Selah a genuine, young heroine.

Twelve-year-old Selah’s quest to be equestrian superstar is impossible without a horse. Then she spots buzzards circling in the grasslands behind Grandpa’s farm. They’re stalking a horse trapped in wire and Selah is its only hope. But the mare she rescues might be a bigger challenge to her dream than not having a horse at all. An old friend of Grandpa’s and a world renowned horse trainer offers to work with the wild and defiant mare. Selah jumps at the opportunity. She trains with a fierce determination to equal the equestrian talent of the deceased grandmother who instilled the love of horse in her. But when the horse causes mayhem at the trainer’s facility, he sends them home. Selah must gather her courage and face up to the trainer or watch her dreams gallop away

American Horse Publications – FIRST Place Equine Fiction
Feathered Quill – GOLD Award
Readers Favorite – GOLD Award
EQUUS Film Festival – Finalist
For fans of the classic horse stories like Black Beauty and The Black Stallion.

And I thought

I can't say enough about this series.  I just loved it.  Each of the books had me turning the pages. 

I have always loved horses and wanted one when I was a child.  

I didn't have grand parents that loved horses but I am the grand parent now and I have been able to pass that love on to my kids and grand kids.  

I wish I had found the series when my children were young.

These books are great for any age horse lover.  

They are 'keepers'!  Stories that I suspect will become timeless classics one day. 

Susan Count is a true horse person and knows how to pen and story with that will keep you turning the pages.  

I recommend buying this collection for the family. 

I received a complimentary copy. 

My review will appear on Amazon and Good Reads.

Stelah's Sweet Dream will be featured on this blog and 

My Reading Journeys and promoted on Social Media. 

Buy the book 

Amazon

Simple Sunday

Have A Blessed Day

Happy Homemaker In Texas

The weather

We have had gorgeous sunny days for the last few days. 
A thunderstorm this morning but now the sun is out again.

Outside my window

A bed luring me to come out and till and plant some flower seeds

On the menu

No menu's for awhile since the Cowboy has diet restrictions and feels bad.  But I have these things ready to cook or reheat when he is ready . . . 
Smoked Salmon
Catfish
A T-Bone and some filet mignon
Ground Beef 
For veggies I have the nicest potato's to bake, lovely spinach and romaine and ice berg,  and lot's of canned green beans.  

We'll see what we come up this week.  Come by during the 
week and see my On The Dinner Plate posts

In the craft room
I finally finished moving furniture around.  My space works 
alot better now.  It's not perfect but coming together.
For now the sewing machine is in the closet because I am only using it for small projects but that quilting bug is nibbling at me!

What I am working on 

Finishing up the Flower Theme Junk Journal.  Today I might be 

starting a real Junk Journal made from trash leftovers from projects and whatever I can find around the house to use. This was a perfect SWAP to do since I can't go out and buy more supplies.

What I am reading  What I just finished

Received from the author

On my TBR pile

    
These are on tour

A Special Moment
Lola had a Welcome Home Party this week.  She has been with 
us for a year now.  Just barely. We had some rocky roads but she 
has finally 'listened' to Domino and is following the rules.  
She has woven her way into our hearts. 

In the garden 

I have Cilantro growing like crazy but that is good it 
is prettier than weeds. 
I am working on my flower bed trying to get it read for 
new plantings I've added compost and new soil.
I planted some Zinnia seeds and I noticed when I went over 
to the bed I have two sprouts coming up from last year!
And, I have 3 Begonia's that I saved from last year. They
even survived a broken window in the green house that 
took out a few things.

My To Do List
Back muffins for breakfast
Back a couple batch of cookies
Cook Chicken for the week
Work in Garden 
Play with paper and glue

My Ta Da Moment

I finished moving furniture and getting my supplies back in 
place in my craft space. Now I can sit and read or crochet on the 
little 'So Ugly It's Pretty' little pull out couch.  And, I was 
able to sleep there last night.  Because of his illness the 
Cowboy is anemic and is always cold.  Thankfully the 
weather has warmed up now but it was so hot the last few nights
we really needed the ac but he was comfortable.  I thought 
I was in a swamp.  Last night I slept peacefully with the 
ceiling fan on.  It was a Blessing. 

From the camera

Scripture/Devo 

Thanks for stopping in 
Have a Wonderful Weekend and New Week




Linking With Sandra


Click here to join the party

Junl Journal- Garden Party Ephemera/ Junk Journal Page For A SWAP

Hello and Welcome

We have beautiful sunshine it is a gorgeous day here.  I am thinking of flower gardens so I thought I would share the ones I am working on

I apologize my computer is being cranky so I had to load the pics from my phone...These are out of order.

This is a journal page.  It is 8 1/2 x 11" and is folded in half.  This  is the back.  I absolutely adore how this page turned out.  My SWAP partner asked for red and pink flowers.  She also likes very neutral backgrounds.  
The Holly Hocks were actually jornal cards that I 
copied on my printer.  I fussy cut the flowers and applied bright pink ink to the flower edges and some pale green ink by the steams.  The are two flowers and I layered them.
They are layered on a tuck spot.

A view of the inside which would be page 3.  I used 2 scrap book papers for the outside and inside.  I sewed around all 4 edges to attach them together. On this page I used a colorful floral pattern and made a pocket to hold the tea dyed paper.  I cut the tea dyed paper in various widths then folded and sewed together to make a notebook.

The instructions were to make lots of room for jounaling/writing while making the page(s) pretty.

Journaling cards that are stuffed into a pocket on the 2nd
page
Following the instructions I made plenty of writing space. The tea dyed paper is attached. I attached the tuck the flower seed packet with washi and tucked in a journaling card. The large card is attached with washi also.

Journaling cards tucked inside a pocket on the front.

The front showing the pocket.  The cards shown above are tucked inside and held together with a paper clip that I tied some red fibers to make it pretty.

Another shot of the closed page sitting by my rock rabbit.  He is my paper weight and helps with all my projects.

I finished up some Ephemera (little things that go in Junk Journals)
for the Flower Theme Junk Journal I am working on. 

This is the almost finished piece.  I thin it needs some lace or 

fibers.   

What do you think?

I chose pinks because I had not done any pink yet for the Journal. 
I started with a foundation piece and pinked two edges and then added some pink ink to the edges and softly all over.  

This is the finished foundation piece.

When I add text I try to find something that relates to what I am working on.  This was an add from a stitchery story.  It was in a free newspaper printed in the early 90's in Colorado.  It was one of those you could find in crafting, quilting stores and antique shops.

I wanted my piece to have kind of a waterfall layered effect where you could see each piece under the one above.

I was please with myself when I found these pieces to add. 
The Party ticket is from a current Happy Birthday scrap book 
kit.  The Garden word is cut from the cover of a quilt pattern. 

Cutting the word from the pattern was perfect for my little project. 
This quilt was published in several sections so I have 12 of these covers.  I am using one complete cover as a page in the Journal.

This is the cover showing the completed quilt.  Did I make/finish the quilt.  Well it's one of those U.F.O.'s we quilters have.  Since I found it in a book I have put the pattern on my desk as a reminder 

I want to work on it again.  

All finished.  I still think it needs maybe some bling and lace.

Yesterday I worked on a little note book with a fabric cover.  It turned out so cute.  Here is a sneak peek of the fabric I used on the cover.  

I hope you enjoyed visiting my craft room today 

Have A Great Day