Crock Pot Ribs with the Works

Crock Pot Ribs with the Works

I actually saw this posted on Facebook the other day and thought I would try it out... I am not the world's best outdoor griller... I have to admit... but ribs in the summer (or any time really... ) are great. I like the idea of throwing everything in the crock, plugging it in, and 6 hours later chowing down on a good meal. Crock pots make for easy clean-up, too.
I placed ribs in the bottom of the crock. I had to cut them up a little to fit flat in the bottom. I then seasoned with Worchestershire, BBQ sauce, black pepper, cumin, chipotle mustard rub, and fresh onion.

I then placed foil over the meat. I rubbed light oil on the potatoes, wrapped in foil and placed on top along with the wrapped corn. Set the crock on high for 2 hours and then low for 4 hours. 

Pretty yummy.
I will admit this does not taste like they have been grilled... but it made for an easy way to throw together a fabulous meal.
Have a happy summer !~!~!

Simple Summer Indoor Grilling

Simple Summer Supper / Mexican Salad

Indoor Grilling

I like to cook... but sometimes in the summer I just get lazy. I confess, I am not the world's greatest outdoor griller. I seem to always get the meat cooked too tuff .... we eat it (we joke about throwing it over the back fence...) ... well,  it's just not that grand.
The other day I had a craving for a big, healthy salad ~~! So, I dragged out the George Foreman that I bought at a thrift shop years back for $10. If you ever see a George Foreman at a garage sale or a thrift shop ....  GRAB IT !!! They are nifty little things to have handy!

I threw on some chicken breasts (still frozen) and seasoned them with
black pepper, Chips n Salsa seasoning, and cumin. I LOVE cumin. It gives meat a smoky flavor. U can drizzle the meat with a little olive oil or light oil (such as canola) while grilling as well.
I then tossed up lettuce, cherry tomatoes, avacado, onion, and added banana peppers for "pop"...

A great, light dressing for summer salads (it's been my fav for years) is
1 tablespoon of canola oil and 1 teaspoon of celery salt. Drizzle over salad.
Mmmm. Light and tasty ~! Hope you are enjoying your summer !!!

Stenciling With Lace

                           Stenciling with Lace

            Flower containers for the front porch and for Herb garden ~!~!

I have some old things in my garage that I just didn't have the heart to throw away... but not until recently decided to actually do something with them.

I found this old mailbox hanging on the wall behind our dryer and thought to myself... " wonder if that would make a cute flower container?"... hmmm. I have had a galvanized tub for years that has just sat there collecting dust. I have no room for it inside the house, so I dragged it out and began stenciling. (Hubby drilled some holes in the bottom of the tub for me.)


I decided to try something I have never done before... I found some lace that was needing use in my sewing closet and taped it to the mailbox and tub... sprayed away with Krylon paint... and peeled off the lace. I then took some greenery out of my husand's "Father's Day" arrangement and taped it to the lid of the tub.... WaLahhhh.





I think they turned out very cute and look GR8 on the front porch ~!~!~!

I really like trying things that I have never done before ~!~!

Happy DIYing!

Pretty Little Herb Garden ~!~!~!

Backyard Happy Places

                !~!~!~!  Hello Hippy Friends  ~!~!~!

I have been busy in the backyard this summer... Our poor yard has taken a beating with this long, terrible drought. A beatin' with a long, dead, dry stick.... New Mexico is experiencing the worst drought in the entire USA right now. After two years of little rain, we are really feeling the "heat" and my poor yard is reflecting the experience.

I have decided that the backyard is in need of a little { long, over-due } TLC.  But I can honestly say I have felt overwhelmed bc our yard is BIG, SAD, and DEAD.

In trying to take this task on... I at first felt daunted... like it was insurmountable... and then I realized that there is only one way to "eat an elephant"....

I thought that starting w/ making small, "HAPPY PLACES" within this unconquerable badland would be at least do~able. I began to think of ways to create little fun, colorful  areas within the scheme of the desolation.  A friend that is working on her own yard { they are building a new home } has encouraged me by her own skills of making happy, little, fun places on her patio and around her trees ... Her own yard is HUGE... so.... watching her gave me creative spark.

Thx Butterfly ~!~!

One day this week, I looked at my tired, dejected glider. Faded... droopy.... and miserable. Now, I'm no Martha Stewart... I don't pretend to know how to sew the best... and I have never taken painting lessons but I had an idea of starting w/ this little sad~sack ....(the glider..... not Paco ~!~!) 

I found a large panel of fencing in our garage. It has been there for more than ten years.... I talked hubby into dragging it out and he made a brace and screwed it to the fence. { Thx hubby !!! U know sometimes that I'm in need of your 'manly, man-skills' . }

Off to Wal~Mart and Lowes. Black and Pink kept popping into my head and right away I found some material that I thought bright and cheerful.

The material is "ducking". I do not know how well this will hold up thru the heat that we have. But it cost me less than $20 to cover.. and so much cheaper than brand new cushions. I can change them next year very easily.

I spray painted the glider "Watermelon Pink" {Krylon} and gave the faded cushion a new cover. I didn't try to cover it exact. I made a large " pillow~case" type of cover and slipped the old cushion inside. My aunt helped out a great deal by covering the pillow and bringing an old couch cushion out of the garage to cover. I then made ties to "tie" it to the glider bc the pillows are what fly all over the yard when the wind blows. And we get horrible winds here.

Lowes has "sample" paints that are great for small projects. I purchased white, Berry Blush, and Iced Berry.  I had left over grey-black.

They cost about $2 each... (and I used very little paint ~!)

After doodling on scratch paper, I began with a pencil to stencil out what I could actually do on the fence. ... I did not use a purchased stencil. It is all done out of my own head... which means it is not perfect... But I do not aim for perfection in my projects.

I was very pleased with how this little "sitting area" turned out ~!~! It is shaded in the morning and a perfect place to sit and have my morning java and play the ukulele.
 A perfect little HaPpY pLaCe ~!~!~

                                           ~~~ Happy DIYing ~~~  

Aprons Out of Men's Shirts

Apron Made Out of a Man's Shirt

Repurposed Men's Shirts

This project is easy and fun. I like easy and fun... it's a great combo! My father passed more than two years ago and Mom gave me some of his dress shirts. A friend passed on a simple idea of making an apron out of a man's shirt. Dad wore a 2x tall-man and I knew this would be ideal... bc I need a large apron to cover up all the messes I make while cooking! I'm one sloppy cook! I knew this would be a great way to preserve memories and times of happiness w/ my dad bc this was his favorite shirt. We saw him wear it many times through the years.

Very cute and simple apron~!~!

How To...

Cut off the sleeves, and the back of the shirt. Be sure to leave about

and inch or more next to the seam because this will be tucked and sewn down

on top of the side seam that is already there.

From the collar, shoulder seam, measure 2 inches and mark with a pencil or

marking pen.

Measure from the mark to the bottom of the arm pit and draw

a straight line. Cut on that line.

You will need to iron (hippies always use irons and pins when they sew)

the seam making a "french hem" (sometimes called a shirt tale hem). Iron and then pin

into place as you go. Do this all around the apron: up both sides and to the collar and around the collar.

This hippie is the Queen of Zig-Zag. Begin zig-zagging close to one side of the

hem and then make another zig-zag stitch right next to it. This will ensure

that the hem is held into place and will not come unraveled during the wash.

I also like the "look" of this finish. I resembles a surger... I

don't have one .... so this comes close to making that stitch (in my

novice opinion).

For the ties, Cut out two long strips from the remnants. Make them 2 inches

wide. Press a center fold and then fold both edges inward.... keeping the folded edges

on the outside....Press and pin.

Zig-Zag stitch, tie knots in the ends and sew onto the apron...

Easy ~!~! Fun ~!~! And a wonderful memory of my Dad ~!~!

More men's shirts w/ potholders to match...

Flower Power Pin

Flower Power Pin

This little project is easy. It takes no time at all...I made it out of scraps.

I used ....

felt, material (made into a pinwheel) buttons, clasp,

tow-sack material, and tulle, and a glue-gun.

I cute the felt into a circle and then glued the

clasp onto the back.

Glued the tow-sack, tulle, and flower in layers.

Glued the buttons on top.

Put them together....

Trimmed up the tulle and splayed out the two-sack...

Cute on a brown corduroy jacket

with matching t-shirt !~!~!

Palazza Pant Party

Palazza Pants

Hippie Fun 4 da Summa

Hot weather is coming and I'm ready to get cool for da summaa... I found the easiest pattern to make palazza pants (a.k.a. "clown pants") @ Wally World and have started making sassy, simple, silly, summer pants. I like clothing that really does NOT touch my body.. so these are perfect.. but still cute w/ a matching t-shirt, 
flip flops or sandals, and costume jewelry.

For this project I used 2 colors of material... black print (on sale for $3 a yard) used for the trim and a green funky print (on sale for $2 a yard) for the pants. I also bought 1" elastic... my fav... bc it doesn't roll at the waist.

It's So Easy Pattern #A2119 by Simplicity

Cost ~~ a couple of bucks...

I am able to get a pair of pants w/ 2 yards , but go by

instructions on the pattern for yardage.

For funzzz, I cut about 4" off of the bottom of the pant and

added 5" of the black print... !~!

Measure, press, and pull thru the elastic at the top.

I never hand-sew on these pants. No buttons, no

zippers, no hand-work. NO FUSS.

I just zig-zag the bottom and make a French hem.

Cool! Cute! Fun! Less than $5 bucks! and Easy!