Creative Output and 3 for my Cookbook Challenge
One more pillow for the fall decor - or do I just have to have at least one rabbit when I decorate?
I just love rabbits! As a mother of four, I enjoy the irony! 
I needed to turn this long bird pillow into a fall pillow - and I decided to go with a primitive motif.
I chose autumn colored fabric
and I cut the rabbit and acorns out of felt
I drew the figures on fusible web to iron on the back of the flannel
I chose flannel to add texture and cut the head, body and tail separately to give it texture to the bunny
I had two different brown flannels for the acorns and played with their placement before fusing them down to the brown pillow fabric
Once everything was ironed into place, I added the rabbit's face with a fabric pen. Knowing this is all coming down at Christmas time, I am not going to put way too much effort into it!
This is where I noticed it needed just a little something more - so I added oak leaves. Done!
What else have I been up too? Cleaning up all these catalogs that have been filling up my mailbox and clearing out some old magazines. What do you do with a picture from a magazine or catalog you like but don't want to keep the rest of where you found it? Make a magnet out of it!
One time I even turned a photograph I liked into a magnet!
It's very easy - if you can find the right paper magnet sheet! The photo one was made with an adhesive magnet paper sheet. Peel back the paper, add the photo and fussy cut the shape out.
That looks right, doesn't it? Then why can't I peel the paper back?
because it's printer magnet paper - oops!
Oh well, carry on - with double sided sticky tape! I roughly cut out the image I wanted - a applique project I know I will never do, even though it's so sweet!
and then after I attached the image to the magnet paper with double sided stick tape, then I fussy cut it out. Now it's a fridge magnet holding a coupon!
Near my sewing table I have a metal heating/ac vent - I love to put magnets there.
I keep my fabric measuring tape in the round magnetized container I purchased. One magnet is a room key from the Grand Canyon - very pretty and a nice memory.
Almost anything can be a magnet! My college son got two from me - they were cut from a poster catalog. The posters themselves cost over $200 dollars a piece! The magnets - practically nothing!
Another project to share!
Fish Mobile!
My mother had this fish mobile in her home and it was just about the first thing you saw when you walked in. It became mine after she passed away, but when my sister launched her jewelry company Fishtown Creations in Gloucester Massachusetts
I thought it would be nice for me to make her one! I did so before I even thought of blogging, so I don't have any in the process pictures but 
these are the tools I used - floral wire, nylon thread, ping pong ball for the eye, floral tape and
black spray paint. I used a dot of glue from a hot glue gun to help keep the ping ball eye on the nylon thread.
Not quite a carbon copy, but nothing in art or nature ever is! Plus when my other sister saw it, she wanted one too! Thank you for that compliment - so I made her one too!
When I dusting the original today I noticed it needed a little repair - break out the glue gun!
I had no idea if this would work, but it did so there it is!
hanging above my craft table!
The cat is curious about it
While I have my trusty glue gun out - one more project can be done!
I've spoken about beautiful fabric that speaks to you but you really don't have any use for it -
buy it anyway! I've made bags out such fabric please visit my bag post from August 25, 2014 and I've made pillow cases too please visit pillowcase post from October 18, 2014 but today I am making a journal cover!
I keep journals. The cute already decorated with woodland creatures one is for day to day stuff - menus, to do lists etc.
The big blue one is a creative journal
sometimes with coasters from a fun happy hour outing! Craft ideas, book ideas, drawings and thoughts.
I love this fabric and I think it's perfect for a journal cover!
Because I think the glue would seep though the fabric if I attached it directly to the journal cover, I made a base out of watercolor paper - stability, and a piece of construction paper - not too much weight
I gave the corners a little trim to cut down on the bulk before gluing it on to the backing 
and then gluing on to the cover
I love it!
That picture reminds me to get to all the ideas 
I've collected but haven't put in the journal yet! Sew on and sew on!
Three for the Cook Book Challenge!
My recipe Pinterest boards are just as over collected as my cookbook
So I have cooked through three from "Favorite Recipes" board. Why is it called favorites when most haven't even been tried yet?
The first is Sweet Baby Ray's Crock Pot Chicken
It was easy and fine tasting, but nothing spectacular. The recipe calls for an entire bottle of Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce - if you make this I suggest not using the whole bottle.
Sweet Baby Ray's Crock Pot Chicken
Mix together one bottle of Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce (although I don't suggest using the whole bottle) with 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup vinegar, 1 tsp garlic powder and 1 tsp red pepper flakes. Place 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breast in the bottom of the crock and pour sauce over. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
Yes! I have autumn leaf shaped place mats!
My next Pinterest recipe I tried was to test out to see if it's going to make it on to the Thanksgiving menu. It's Upside Down Potato & Onion Tart and it is!
It's suppose to look like this when you you flip the pan upside but mine didn't come out as cleanly.
oh, yah
Not even close! But, it tasted so good and got rave reviews from the family. They say it doesn't have to look all pretty like if it's going to taste that good. OK! The recipe calls for small red potatoes but I had small russets that were going sprout soon so I used them instead. I don't need a potato garden in the kitchen!
Upside Down Potato & Onion Tart
2 1/2 Tbsp butter
1 large onion, sliced somewhat thickly
12 sprigs of thyme, strip the leaves from the stem
1 lb waxy red potatoes, don't peel, wash and slice very thin
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup grated gruyere cheese (I used regular Swiss)
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1 cup grated mozzarella
sea salt and cracked black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Melt the butter in a 9-10 inch ovenproof frying pan (cast iron is great) over medium heat. Add the thyme and onion and cook for 5 mins. Place the potato, oil, cheeses, salt and pepper in a bowl and toss to combine.
Top the onion with the pototo mixture and bake for 45 mins. or until golden brown and cooked through. Turn upside down to serve.
I forgot to mention how easy this is. The only Thanksgiving problem I will have is competing with the turkey for the oven. How long does a turkey rest after the oven?
According to The New York Times it needs to rest a minimum of 20 mins but can rest for up to 40 mins. Would pushing it until 45 mins be a big deal? I guess I've given it away that my husband always cooks the turkey! Always.
OK, one more recipe from Pinterest!
This is the last recipe for this weeks cookbook challenge - French Onion Beef Stroganoff -yum!
Well, it was too rich for my family so it didn't get a thumbs up, but it was a tasty one time dish for us, or at least me and my husband.
Glad I served it with a simple salad!
- FRENCH ONION BEEF STROGANOFFPREP TIMECOOK TIMETOTAL TIMEAuthor: MorganServes: 5INGREDIENTS
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 3 onions, French-cut
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig thyme
- 6 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1.5 lbs round steak, cut into chunks
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- All-purpose flour
- ¼ cup red wine
- 1½ cups beef broth
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cups egg noodles
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- 1- 1½ cups grated Gruyere or Swiss
- Parsley, to top
DIRECTIONS- Melt the butter in a large, high-walled and heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaf, sprig of thyme, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper and cook until the onions are soft and nearly caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add in the mushrooms (with a little more butter, if necessary), and saute until the mushrooms are soft and slightly browned and the onions have caramelized, about 5 more minutes. Discard the bay leaf and thyme and remove the onions and mushrooms to a bowl.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil over medium-high, and sprinkle the steak with salt, pepper, and flour. Saute until browned, about 3 minutes. Remove the steak and set in the bowl with the mushrooms and onions.
- Deglaze the pan with the red wine. Add in 1½ cups beef broth and ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and bring to a low simmer. Add back in the steak, mushrooms, and onions and let simmer, covered, until the broth reduces slightly and the steak is cooked, about 8 minutes.
- As you wait for the broth to reduce, cook the egg noodles according to the package. Drain and set aside.
- Remove the beef mixture from the heat and add in the ⅔ cup of sour cream, stirring well. Mix in the cooked egg noodles.
- Top with 1 to ½ cups grated Gruyere. If in a ovenproof pan, put under the broiler until cheese is melted and slightly browned. If not, leave the pan on the burner on medium-low, cover, and heat until cheese melts.
- Top with torn parsley and serve.
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- My pictures are not as glossy as these are, but to copy the recipe was worth it even if it has all of "Morgan's" bells and whistles! Thank you Morgan.
- Sew on and sew on!
- Pam
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