The Beautiful Life

Making Do…

I was ironing the other day, pressing out hot pink gingham, shaping it into girly curtains, thinking about pretty things…and dreading sewing them up on my in-desperate-need-of-a-tune-up sewing machine. I pictured the fabric bunching and me digging around for a tiny plastic seam-ripper, frustration creeping in before I’ve even begun. So I decided to plan ahead and while I was looking for the aforementioned seam-ripper, I found a big roll of fusible tape. I don’t remember buying it, but there it was. Now the perfectionist in me, who loves to do things “right”, rebelled a bit at the thought. But once I got it out, and pressed it onto still warm gingham, I felt a sigh of relief escape me. I didn’t feel guilty for “making do,” for taking what I’ve been told is the easy way out. It was liberating. I finished my curtains in half the time and they looked great.

And it hit me. Sometimes it’s okay to “make do”, to take a short-cut, to just get by. Sometimes it’s more important to get that extra half hour of rest, to spend time just giggling with a child, to avoid a frustrating sewing experience… It doesn’t have to be “perfection or nothing.” I don’t have to have it all together. What a wonderful thought. I should “make-do” more often.

Project 52–Week 13

This week’s theme is “Monochromatic.” I’m using the term loosely here.

Here is my photo. We re-did our kids’ rooms this week and this is a shot of Audrey’s new bookcase/study area. And yes, that is a gorgeous Anne DeJong print there. I’m holding Anne responsible for the room re-dos, because when I got her prints in the mail I just *had* to decorate the rooms to match them. LOL

Dinner in 10

This has become a staple in our house, and a favorite of my 5-year-old broccoli lover. Seriously, he LOVES broccoli. I love it because it’s got everything going for it: pretty to look at, yummy to eat, good for our bodies and it cooks up in 10 minutes. Do you know how happy that makes me?

Sun-dried Tomato & Broccoli Pasta

1 1b. whole wheat angel hair pasta
1/2-3/4 c. sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
2 cloves minced garlic
1 head of broccoli, or 1 pkg. frozen broccoli florets
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
crushed red pepper to taste
a bit of basil, fresh or dried
olive oil

Bring salted water to a boil and add pasta, cooking according to package directions, usually 4-6 minutes. While the pasta is cooking, heat a bit of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high. Add garlic, broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes and red pepper. Saute until broccoli is cooked, about 3-4 minutes. Toss pasta in the skillet with the vegetables, parmesan, basil and a drizzle of olive oil. Best served from a pretty bowl and eaten with chopsticks. I also usually serve a simple salad of spinach leaves tossed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, a pinch of salt and some cracked pepper. Yum!

My one regret…

For this week’s Digidare.

The journaling is my own thoughts, interspersed with some verses from Hebrews.

My words (in black, representing my mistakes, and unbelief):

“My one regret is that I’ve said ‘no.’
Busy doing my own thing, I hear you call my name,
and I say, ‘no, not right now, maybe later.’
Every bad decision, every selfish thought, every negative word–
haven’t these also been ‘no’s?”

And these are the verses (in white, representing truth):

“Today, if you hear my voice, do not harden your hearts.”
“With confidence draw near to the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
“Lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily entangles and run the race set before us with endurance.”

Credits:
Metal Alpha by ED by Gabi at SA
Stamped Canvas Alpha by Amber Clegg at SA
Background paper from Softly Spoken by HGD by Laurie Ann at SA
Clips (recolored) from Git R Done by beAudacious Designs at WST
Alphabet Soup Acrylic Alpha by Emily Powers at WST
Worn frame by Danielle at Catscrap
Sequins from Purity by Natali Design at SBG
Tab alpha and newsprint circles from Creation 23 by Catherine Designs & Createwings Designs at A5
Jewel flower from a freebie by Vinnie Pearce on her blog
Clock stamp and stitches from Faith by Two Sisters (retired)

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

We’ve been battling the sniffles, so of course a cup of steaming homemade chicken noodle soup was called for.

Recipe:

1 medium onion, minced
3-4 carrots, minced
2-3 stalks of celery, minced
2 c. or so of shredded, roasted chicken
reserved drippings and other fatty goodness from roast chicken
homemade or frozen egg noodles
1 tsp. thyme
salt, to taste

Heat 1 T. of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrots and celery and cook for about five minutes, until soft. Add about 10 c. water and your leftover chicken drippings. Bring to a boil, then throw in your shredded chicken, egg noodles, salt and thyme. Simmer over medium heat for 20-30 minutes, until noodles are tender. Check the seasoning, and add more salt if needed.

Project 52–Week Twelve

This week’s theme is “Many.” My husband and I both love to cook, and we’ve amassed quite a collection of cookbooks over the years. These are some of our favorites.

Making your home a place of refuge

We’re in week 5 of the book study over at Passionate Homemaking. This week is all about making your home a place of refuge. For some of us, it means inviting someone to stay for an extended visit. For others, it’s having a guest room always available for someone coming in from out of town. Those are great things to aspire to, but it can also be an overwhelming thought for someone like me. In the midst of homeschooling three young children, working from home, keeping up with the housework, etc. it can be enough to push me over the edge. I’m an introvert, and I need time alone to feel like myself. So how can I make my home a place of refuge?

Well, for starters, our home should be a place of refuge for my family. I want my family to always be glad to come home. Practically speaking, keeping the house tidy and having something in the pot for dinner go a long way. But even more important is my attitude. Am I making each person in my family feel welcome, safe, secure in our home? Am I showing love in my actions and words? When my husband comes home from work, am I distracted and grumpy, or do I take the time to put down what I am doing, and reconnect after a long day? When my children are sad or frustrated, do I say “just a minute” and spend another half hour on the computer? Or do I stop what I am doing and take the time to make eye contact and give them a hug?

What about others outside of our immediate family? I can invite a newcomer over for lunch after church, or a sister to eat cookies and hang out in the middle of a busy week at school. I can take a meal to a grieving widow, or a new mom. A break from loneliness, from boredom, from busy-ness, from stress, from the pressures of life. Refuge.

And it’s not just our homes that become places of refuge, but we ourselves become a refuge. Christ is our refuge, and because He lives in us, we can be a refuge to others.

“But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, so that those who love your name may exult in you.” –Psalm 5:11

Roast Chicken

We eat roast chicken at least 3 times a month at our house. It’s really easy to just pop it in the oven in the afternoon and then forget about dinner until the timer goes off. And you can do lots of great things with the leftovers.

To make a roast chicken, you need to brine it the night before you want to cook it. Find an oven-safe pot big enough for a chicken, and fill it with water. Bring to a boil. Add 1 c. salt, 1/2 c. sugar and maybe a cut lemon, a few peppercorns, a bay leaf, whatever. Stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool. This is super important! DO NOT put your chicken into hot brine! You don’t want it to cook! After the water is cool, throw in the chicken, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, drain the water and dry the chicken well with paper towels. About an hour before cooking, take the chicken out. Preheat your oven to 400, and bake the chicken for about 2 hours, or until the juices run clear. You can baste it every 15 minutes if you want, but I usually forget. Let cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

If you want, you can throw in some root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, etc. with the chicken and then you don’t even have to make a side dish.

Project 52–Week Eleven

Don’t you just love black and white photographs? I love the drama it can give to an ordinary moment. This week’s them is “black and white.” You can either take a photo and convert it to black and white, or you can take a photo of something that is black and white to begin with.

Here’s mine:

Project 52–Week Ten

Wow, I can’t believe we are up to week 10 already! This year is flying by! This weekend we are celebrating my son’s fifth birthday, so the theme this week is “celebrate.”

Here’s my photo:

And I’ve got a little freebie for you. Click to download it at full size.

Have a happy week! Enjoy celebrating your every day moments!