Macrame Owl v2

I originally posted this in 2019 and am kicking myself for not including the directions because now the link can't be found. Hmmmm, I Googled and can't find one just like it but now that I'm looking at him I think I want one with ears so my next macrame owl might be this one, looks really simple (there are so many different macrame owls online and you can make a much more detailed one if you search for patterns). Sharing this ahead of making it in case you've been thinking you want to make one and my old post won't help you at all! 

pattern and photos found at one little project 

Now I know I said that I'm kicking myself for not including directions for my first owl so you can totally roll your eyes at me not including them for this new owl - the way the site has structured their info is too hard for me to share it, it's like 20 pages long! And there are so many options available that if this link disappears I'll just pick a different one hahaha. 

Original post from 5/13/2019:

I've been on a macrame kick lately so all the supplies are out on my craft table - when I saw the pattern for this owl of course I had to try it. It didn't take long to make and the directions are easy, worst part was finding beads that had a large enough center hole for the cord to thread thru. Isn't it cute? I bought more beads so I can make more of these cutie owls :)

                  

directions found here at free-macrame-patterns.com, I'm not going to write them all out again - the pattern is easy to follow and no reason for me to try to re-do what they've already done well hahah. 

5.14.24: TT buckeye bars 

5.14.23: 🔥 week 20

5.14.22: twice-baked baby potatoes

5.14.21: fresh tomato pie

5.14.20: barre workout

5.14.19: tipsy tuesday: cleaning the microwave

5.14.18: organizing die cut templates for the Big Shot

5.14.17: one of my favorite cakes - raspberry and whipped cream

5.14.16: birthday balloon card

Tip-sy Tuesday: transporting hanging clothes

I've helped move a couple nieces lately and we struggled with dealing with their hanging clothes - so when I saw this tip the other day I screenshot the picture so I'd remember, and I'm sharing with you so you'll remember too!

They smooshed hanging clothes tightly together, pulled a trash bag up over the clothes and crisscrossed the bag ties over the hangers to keep the bag from falling off. I'm going to try to not volunteer to move anyone any time soon LOL but if I get roped into it I'm bringing along some trash bags!

5.13.24: half-square triangle quilt

5.13.23: words

5.13.22: twice baked potatoes

5.13.21: bbq chicken and smashed potatoes

5.13.20: Natalie's churros

5.13.19: macrame owl 

5.13.18: coriander crusted pork tenderloin

5.13.17: parachute cord dog collar

5.13.16: Brooke's emoji cookies

Ham and Veggie Soup

I made my usual vegetable soup the other day but this time I included the ham bone from Easter and it made the plain ol' soup so much better! I added some cooked ham pieces but not enough to have changed it so much, it must be the bone really flavored it and made the consistency of the broth a tiny bit thicker. 

My 'usual' soup recipe is loosely based on the weight loss one that has been around forever - I add whatever vegetables I want or need to clean out the fridge tho so it changes every time I made it. Here's what I did this time - you can change the ingredients and customize however you like:

• olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 t. chopped garlic
• handful of diced carrots
• handful of diced sweet peppers
• handful of fresh green beans
• 1/2 head of green cabbage, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 28oz canned diced tomatoes with the juice
• 1 cup bloody mary mix, maybe more depending on the consistency you want
• 1 packed dried onion soup mix
• 1 hambone
• water

Saute the onion and garlic in a little olive oil in a large dutch oven or pot (this makes a lot so you'll want a big pan) for a couple minutes. Add the carrots, sweet peppers, and green beans and saute for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, bloody mary mix, and onion soup mix, stir to combine. Add enough water to cover the veggies, add the hambone and additional water so the bone is maybe halfway covered - I didn't want to make too much broth so just use your judgement for how liquid-y you want your soup. Bring to a boil; reduce and simmer until the vegetables are tender. Remove the hambone and put it in a bowl to cool enough to handle it - if there's good meat still on the bone you can trim it off the bone and cut into small pieces to add to the soup. Add the cabbage to the pot, cover and continue simmering until the cabbage is done. 

5.12.24: 🔥 week 19

5.12.23: MSTI: protein balls

5.12.22: wonton ravioli 

5.12.21: paper gift box

5.12.20: MSIH: pasties

5.12.19: 🔥

5.12.18: Amsterdam tulips

5.12.17: summer vegetable bake

5.12.16: makeup remover wipes tip

🔥 Around the Campfire (week 19)

Dear Campers ~ 

Here's a quick recap in case you missed anything at camp last week:

Posts ~

5/4: 🔥 week 18

5/5: cinco de mayo recipe ideas 

5/6: TT drinking straw hack

5/7: sushi bowl 

5/8: thru the years

5/9: thru the years

5/10: words  (be a flamingo)

That's it for this week! See you next week for more projects, crafts, recipes, whatever we can think of to make at camp - bye :)

Sincerely ~

Jill

camp counselor

5.11.24: words - killing plants

5.11.23: mashed/smashed potatoes by Macey

5.11.22: italian spaghetti squash casserole 

5.11.21: TT stamp ink hack 

5.11.20: pasties

5.11.19: rigatoni with sausage and fennel

5.11.18: green goddess dressing and dip

5.11.17: travel folder

5.11.16: carrot cake with honey orange buttercream frosting

   

May 10 ~ Words

5.10.24: sausage tomato soup by Buffy 

5.10.23: Chinese green beans

5.10.22: TT yellow stripey things 

5.10.21: cheese tulips

5.10.20: 🔥week 19

5.10.19: door headboard

5.10.18: smoked paprika shrimp

5.10.17: vanilla berry muffins

May 9 ~ Thru the years

I said after I had my first carpal tunnel surgery (and realized I couldn't blog) that for the next one I would plan ahead and schedule posts ahead of time - guess what? I had the second one done and did not plan ahead. So I now have to do a couple 'thru the years' posts instead of blogging new stuff. Oops!

Here's what happened at camp previously on May 9th:

5.9.24: chocolate drizzled popcorn 

5.9.23: TT: don't put down the garbage disposal

5.9.22: baked brussel sprouts by Brooke

5.9.21: 🔥 week 19

5.9.20: email chain recipes

5.9.19: sneaky sculptor

5.9.18: how to clean shrimp

5.9.17: scrambling eggs

May 8 ~ Thru the Years

I said after I had my first carpal tunnel surgery (and realized I couldn't blog) that for the next one I would plan ahead and schedule posts ahead of time - guess what? I had the second one done and did not plan ahead. So I now have to do a couple 'thru the years' posts instead of blogging new stuff. Oops!

Here's what happened at camp previously on May 8:

5.8.24: branch bouquet 

5.8.23: explosion box pt. 1 base and lid

5.8.22: 🔥 week 19 

5.8.21: eggplant lasagna

5.8.20: making soap

5.8.19: Jen's beef enchiladas

5.8.18: watch battery tip

5.8.17: fridge organizing - salad dressing

Sushi Bowl

I made this salad for myself the other night when I needed something that would travel well and I could eat cold - I looked around my grocery store and saw a sushi bowl which seemed perfect but it was $11. Seriously I knew I could make this for way less - and I did. And it was delish. 

Made medium grain rice in my rice cooker. Sprinkled with seasoned rice vinegar once it was cooked. Layered in the bottom of a travel container. Topped with sliced carrots and cucumbers, diced avocado, and diced imitation crab legs. Drizzled with a little yum yum sauce, soy and sweet chili sauces. So good!  

5.7.24: TT Asian beef noodle bowl

5.7.23: 🔥 week 19

5.7.22: baked mac and cheese by Brooke

5.7.21: pineapple whip

5.7.20: Janis's risotto with vegetables

5.7.19: tt: vanilla

5.7.18: adorable hedgehug cards

5.7.17: coconut curry sauce

5.7.16: road trip - Kingman to Albuquerque

Tip-sy Tuesday: drinking straw hack

Dave was in the hospital last week and the first day he had to lay flat on his back for hours, which is hard to do! He couldn't lift his head or move his legs at all. He wanted to drink water tho so the nurse had him turn his head to the side facing her without lifting his head off the pillow and she held the regular straw out for him. I took over the holding the straw job but water was dribbling everywhere because the straw was so short. So I resorted to a silly thing we used to do as kids and joined 2 straws together to form one long straw - we would do this to reach across and drink out of our siblings glasses hahaha but in this case it made it so much easier to help him drink while lying flat. 

I can't tell you how many comments he received over this straw hack - every nurse that came in said 'well that's a great idea'. I told him I should patent the idea for hospital use for everyone who has a hard time drinking from a short regular straw haha. If you're ever in need of a long straw during a hospital stay, or want to drink from someones glass without getting up LOL just insert one end of a straw into the end of another and voila, problem solved. 

We had bendy straws so I made sure the first bendy part was at the top of the cup, and the other bendy part is at the top end sticking out of the cup - that way he could bend both straws to get the right angle. 

I pushed them together pretty far hoping for a good seal - it didn't leak at all.

He continued to use his MacGyver-ed straw for the entire stay, even after he could sit up. I think he liked people commenting on it haha. 

5.6.24: crockpot apricot chicken 

5.6.23: words

5.6.21: flower box

5.6.20: layered brownie and cookie bars by Brooke  (Brookie's brookies!)

5.6.19: tiny macrame plant hangers

5.6.18: polenta parmesan with spinach and white beans

5.6.17: Mickey finds an unusual zucchini planter

5.6.16: RV camping food tips

Cinco De Mayo Recipe Ideas

I know this is a little last minute and I've shared most of this list in the past, but have added a couple things so will post again in case you're having Mexican food for Cinco de Mayo tonight and need some ideas. We don't really 'celebrate' but love Mexican food, any reason to have enchiladas and street corn salad is fine by me - use this list for any time you feel like making Mexican for dinner!

sour cream chicken enchiladas

chicken enchilada suizas

enchilada sauce

red and green enchiladas

Macey's chicken enchiladas 

Jenny's beef enchiladas 

beef and black bean enchiladas 

chicken tamale casserole

salsa verde pork enchilada casserole

copycat sweet pulled pork

black bean tacos   

topopo salad

mexican street corn salad

margarita cupcakes

taco cake 

tequila and citrus

skinny margarita

beer-garita 

5.5.24: 🔥 week 18
5.5.23: MSTI air fryer caramelized bananas
5.5.22: MSIH air fryer pizza roll ups

5.5.21: chocolate cluster cookies

5.5.20: TT: germinating seeds

5.5.19: 🔥

5.5.18: 21st birthday 'cake'

5.5.16: squeaky hinges