14 November 2009

Last year I began the meme, A Homemade Christmas, where I posted every week about creating gifts to give away at Christmas, and invited others to join me.

This year will be a little bit different.

Every two weeks (dates are below), I will be posting about a project that I have completed or am working on that is either a gift, recipe/food, or something that will make the home extra special for Christmas. And, I’m encouraging you to join me, and have yourself a homemade Christmas.

What is A Homemade Christmas?

A Homemade Christmas is when you create things to give as gifts to friends and family, make decorations for the home, make Christmas goodies (food), etc.

The A Homemade Christmas meme is when you have the opportunity to share about the creative things you are doing for Christmas (such as listed above) on your blog, and drop by here to leave your link so that others can see what you are working on and be inspired in their own creative pursuits (and so you can be inspired by others’ projects, too).

When should we post about our homemade projects?

A Homemade Christmas begins this Tuesday. Every other Tuesday for eight weeks (making four events), a new A Homemade Christmas post will be up here on my blog. There will be a place at the bottom of my posts for you to add your link(s) to your A Homemade Christmas post(s) (make sure it is the direct/permanent link).

Dates to participate in A Homemade Christmas:

• November 17th
• December 1st
• December 15th
• December 29th (wrap-up with projects/gifts we couldn’t share before Christmas)

The main/opening dates are listed above, but the linkys will be open two weeks after the beginning date so that you have plenty of time to get in your posts.

The Reason for A Homemade Christmas (and extra notes):

Through this, I hope we can inspire and encourage one another in our preparation to celebrate (though we celebrate all year round) the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.

If you would like an icon to put in your post or sidebar, just click here, copy the code of the icon you would like, and paste the code where desired. Voila!

And remember—to make this extra fun—I need your participation! I’m looking forward to doing this with you all!

P.S. You are welcome to spread the word about this, and I hope you participate!

[14] Comments » | Categories: A Homemade Christmas, Handmade, Inspirations, The Home

12 November 2009

This dip is delicious! Below are the recipes for Chili Seasoning Mix (what you’ll add to the meat), Chili Meat (what you’ll add to the dip), and Cheesy Chili Chip Dip (which you will eat). This is the perfect snack-ish dish that goes quite quickly (if you have more than eight feasting upon it, you may wish to make a second pie plate of it!).

Chili Seasoning Mix

1 Tb. all-purpose flour
2 Tb. minced dried onion
1½ tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. ground red pepper
½ tsp. instant minced garlic
½ tsp. sugar
½ tsp. ground cumin

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Makes 1 package or about 1/4 cup Chili Seasoning Mix. We make this in bulk so that we have it on hand and do not have to mix a small batch every time we need it.

(If you are just wanting to make the seasoning mix for future use, store in a small jar or bag that is airtight. Use within 6 months.)

Chili Meat

1 lb. ground beef
1 – 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
Chili mix (recipe above)

Fry ground beef in skillet, making sure to chop thoroughly. Add crushed tomatoes and chili mix to the fully cooked meat in skillet and mix well.

Cheesy Chili Chip Dip

1 – 8 oz. pkg. neufchatel cheese (reduced fat cream cheese)
1/2 of the Chili Meat (above)
1-1½ cups shredded cheese (sharp or Mexican)

Evenly spread the cream cheese in pie plate. Layer the chili meat on top (only half of the recipe above, you can freeze the rest of the chili meat for another dish of this delicious dip or a batch of chili). Sprinkle shredded cheese over meat. Microwave for 5-6 minutes (checking on it every minute), or bake in oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes (I’m guessing, so you’ll want to check in on it). Serve with tortilla chips.

I hope you enjoy it! When the Seasoning Mix and Chili Meat has been prepared ahead of time, it makes for a quick and easy dish.  This was one of the things we ate while Sarah Mae and her family were staying with us . . . we all thought it was scrumptious!

[9] Comments » | Categories: Food, The Home

11 November 2009

[9] Comments » | Categories: God's Creation, Inspirations, Photography

10 November 2009

Are you ready for A Homemade Christmas? Last year I started a meme for others to post about what gifts they were making for Christmas. This year will be a little bit different. There will be four two week periods, and they begin next Tuesday, November 17th. This time you can post about gifts and recipes, decorations, and any thing that has to do with giving to others and making the home special for Christmas. Stay tuned for more information!

My aunt Lou made the quilt above for my aunt Glenna. Lou has been making quilts for quite a while, and she made the beautiful quilt here for my momma. Lately she has been working on several knitting projects (as well as her daughter), and has inspired my sister and I to start knitting again.

In the past I have knitted, but after finding out that I was had been doing it wrong (actually backwards) I retired to crocheting (the good ol’ standby). Now that I have picked knitting back up—and am doing it the correct way—I am thoroughly enjoying it! I have began working on a pair of green fingerless gloves.

If you have any left-over home-directed magazines, you might wish to cut the pictures out and make note cards! I received this dear card and envelope from Monica at The Homespun Heart, which gave me an idea as to what to do with the pages I have collected of inspirations from magazines. You may also like decoupaging something special.

And now that Christmas is only forty days away, you can start preparing to have a homemade Christmas . . . and don’t forget to enter your posts in the meme (starting Nov. 17th)!

[22] Comments » | Categories: A Homemade Christmas, Handmade, Inspirations, The Home

6 November 2009

. . . on a beautiful Fall day!

[18] Comments » | Categories: God's Creation, Inspirations, Life, Photography

2 November 2009

Brian and Lindsay were the first (and so far the only) couple who courted that we were able to watch first-hand. Their commitment to remain pure in their relationship was beautiful and that purity manifested itself on their wedding day.

On October 3rd, 2009, they were married. It was a day I will never forget.

The beautiful bride awaiting the moment when she would join the love of her life.

The bride with her bridesmaids (who were her younger sisters).

The ceremony was one that glorified God, both through the message and this dear couple’s commitment to keeping their relationship Christ-centered.

Primo bacio. First kiss.

The very happy couple.

These photos were taken near where Brian proposed to Lindsay four months earlier.

That day was a wonderful day.

It was the beginning of a marriage and the start of a new family
who is dedicated to serving the Lord in all things.

We consider ourselves blessed to have been involved in such a Christ-honoring occasion. Daddy was a groomsman, Momma helped with the food, Breezy played
the piano (and even composed the piece for the bride’s entrance),
and I was privileged to photograph their special day.

[30] Comments » | Categories: Encouragement, Inspirations, Photography, Portfolio

1 November 2009

This past summer and the beginning of Autumn have disappeared very quickly! We will never have those months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, or seconds back. Once they are lived they are never to be re-lived. What a reminder to constantly acknowledge the One that grants us life!

Every second, minute, hour, day, week, and month must be devoted to serving our Savior Jesus Christ wholeheartedly! We do not know what tomorrow will bring, but we can live this moment for Christ and the glory of our Creator.

“Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth.”
Proverbs 27:1

“Praise the Lord!
How blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
Who greatly delights in His commandments.
His descendants will be mighty on the earth;
The generation of the upright will be blessed.”
Psalm 112:1-2

May you have a wonderfully blessed November!

[6] Comments » | Categories: Encouragement, God's Creation, Inspirations, Life

28 October 2009

The sunrise was beautiful on Monday. As the sun rose, the sky turned from orange to red . . .

. . . the bright and glorious colors rising all the while.

When the sun began to peak through the corn, the colors turned golden and the clouds began to look peaceful and almost surreal.

When I came inside from taking the photographs, the sun had made it to the top of the corn and the light was warming the room with is beautiful rays. What a beautiful reminder of the lovingkindesses of the Lord that are new every morning!

“The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.”

Lamentations 3:22-23

[15] Comments » | Categories: God's Creation, Inspirations, Life, Photography

23 October 2009

[15] Comments » | Categories: God's Creation, Inspirations, Life