$1 Store Eagles Items, Barbie Tops & My "Pink" Lavender Plant...

Dollar Tree has end displays of Eagles items for Father's Day. While football season is a bit away, I say it all the time folks... We talk Iggles year-round here in Philly:@) And we do need to grab things when we see them. I only stopped at two stores so far, but the only new item I see this year is the football shaped ceramic magnets. Tumblers, sealing snack sets, and large chip or popcorn bowls are returning fan favorites... Update: There is a nice decal too, I'll try to get a pic next time I see one.

And I happened to notice a cute pack of three ponytail holders and thought they'd make super simple, easy Barbie tops... Here we have Barbie and Curvy Barbie dressed in a cute Frilly Summer Tube Top, and I could even see these as dressy holiday tops too. The best part, all you have to do is take the pony tail holders off of the cardboard and slip them up over the doll's hips. Wa-la, three tops, perfect for a sleep over or birthday party idea. 

What I used:

No cutting, no sewing, no gluing... They just fit! And don't these colors just scream Barbie?😉

So, quick garden update:

I mentioned I bought a new "pink" lavender, um, it's purple.

But the good news is, it's a dark purple...

And clearly a different variety than the light lavender I already had:@)

Weather is cooperating this year

and the raised beds are growing nicely...

Have a Happy Weekend:@)

Inspirational Friday

 

Have a great weekend:@)

Old Fashioned Sauerkraut Salad

I wanted to use up what was left of some sauerkraut so I scaled this down and served it with our bar-b-que on Sunday. Good stuff folks:@) This Old Fashioned Sauerkraut Salad whips up in no time, and is actually better if you can let it mingle for a few hours. I'd consider this an alternative to mayonnaise based cole slaw, and had some with a hotdog. Simply drain the kraut, don't press it dry, and be sure to adjust the salt to taste. My best tip: I suggest using a mild olive oil or vegetable oil, my extra virgin olive oil was pretty assertive, but did mellow with time. Have to say, I was pleasantly surprised with this side dish folks, don't hesitate to give it a try if you're up for something different. Be sure to stay tuned, I'll have a little mini series of sauerkraut ideas coming up...

Easily cut in half, 

or estimated for lesser amounts.

Old Fashioned Sauerkraut Salad -from here

32 oz sauerkraut, drained

3 Tblsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped fine

1 medium carrot, peeled and grated

half apple, chopped-peel if desired

1 tsp sugar

S&P to taste

fresh parsley or dill for garnish

~Mix everything together, chill at least one hour and serve.

Eat well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Barbie Diamond Mesh Top & More Diamond Mesh Bling...

Here's another fun no-sew Barbie top made from shiny diamond mesh ribbon. All that's required is some ribbon, a little string, velcro, and hot glue. It took all of about 15 minutes to make, and I think it turned out cute, love the straps:@) This can be a Summer Top or a Bathing Suit Top... The blingy ribbon is a blast, and I still find it at Dollar Tree today.

✂Instructions:

• Cut a length of diamond mesh ribbon approximately 5" long, or about 24 rows.
• Hot glue velcro to each end.
• Tie string (I used clear fishing line) around center.

• Cut a length of diamond mesh ribbon approximately 6 1/4" long, or about 30 rows.
• Cut a single row off.
• Lay center of single row on center of top. Wrap string around the center rhinestone on both sides to secure it to top. Tie good knot and cut ends of string off.

• Put top on doll, wrap it snugly around her back, secure the velcro closed.
• Lay straps over doll's shoulders to get idea of where they fall on the back.

• I hot glued the straps right next to the velcro closure on each end. I also glued them 2 rhinestones deep. This meant I trimmed one rhinestone off of each side of the strap.
• The top is now complete.

Other no-sew diamond mesh top tutorials:

Halter top ~ Ribbon Top ~ Swing top

Barbie says a girl can never have too much bling!

✂Make something just for fun and 

Have a Happy Day:@)

Simple Sloppy Chili -Three Ingredients with Options...

Once again I'm using Dollar Tree for inspiration, and it led to this Sloppy Chili... They had cans of Sloppy Joe Sauce, as well as pinto beans. So I cooked up some ground beef, drained the beans, tossed in the sauce and wa-la, lunch was served:@) I purposely kept this super simple, but there are tons of options... G-Mom-B would never serve Sloppy Joes without adding onion and green pepper while the beef cooked. One can of sauce is more than enough for one pound of beef and one 15 oz can of beans. Or if you want to cut back on the meat, maybe 1/2 lb beef and 28 oz beans. Feeding a crowd (or hungry teenage boys...) stretch it to 1 lb meat and 28 oz beans. Have an extra hotdog or two from the grill out? Yep, slice and toss it in too. How about all vegetarian, use all beans. And as soon as the gardens start producing... Maybe add in some diced zucchini as well. Lots-of-options...

Cooking for One Tip: Since I live alone I like to keep Walmart's Sam's Club Black Angus Burgers in the freezer. I use them as ground beef for anything, it's easy to cook and crumble a burger, but we can't turn a frozen pound of ground beef into burgers:@)

Simple Sloppy Chili

Up to 1 lb ground beef

Up to 28 oz canned pinto beans, drained & rinsed

14.5-15 oz can Sloppy Joe Sauce

~Cook beef, drain fat, add beans and sauce, heat through.

Eat well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Grilling Season! Pineapple Marinade, BBQ Sauce Pineapple Slices & Pina Colada Carrot Salad

I thought we'd kick of grilling season with a little round-up of pineapple recipes, sound good? Good:@) Let's pick up a can of sliced pineapple and use the juice in this three ingredient Pineapple Marinade for Chicken or Pork. It's a quick marinade that's a little sweet, a little savory. It's good for kabobs or bigger pieces of meat.

As for the slices, let's grill them too... This Savory Grilled Pineapple with BBQ Sauce makes a great side dish that's a little unexpected. Simply use your favorite bar-b-que sauce. Even if you opt out of the sauce, toss some slices on the grill to get a nice char. Good stuff folks!

If you happen to reserve a slice or two, dice it and add it to this Pina Colada Carrot Salad for a refreshing side dish:@) This salad would be perfect with any grilled meal, and is extra easy if you start with store bought shredded carrot. 

My Pineapple Pinterest Board here.

And I'm still lovin' this Pineapple Coconut Water at Walmart, 

splash of rum optional:@)

🍍Let's Fire Up the Grill and,

Have a Great Weekend:@)

Inspirational Friday

Have a Nice Memorial Day Weekend:@)

Hellmann's Macaroni Salad

I'm thinking about trying some of the tried and true classic recipes for summer salads instead of just winging it like I usually do:@) Years ago I made Creamettes Macaroni Salad here, it had eggs and cheese and was very good. On today's menu, Hellmann's Macaroni Salad. This is the first time I've added white vinegar to a macaroni salad, it brings a nice little zing. I also loved the good amount of fresh vegetables, they add a cool crunch that will be welcome in the warmer weather. This is a refreshing side salad that will appeal to anyone that likes a little zippy bite, please note there is very little sugar in this recipe.

Hellmann's Macaroni Salad

8 oz elbow macaroni, cooked and run under cold water, drained

1 C Hellmann's Mayonnaise

2 Tblsp white vinegar

1 Tblsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp sugar

1 C celery, thinly sliced

1 C green or red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 C white or yellow onion, chopped

*1 tsp salt

*1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1. Mix mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, sugar in bowl. 
2. Mix in everything else.
3. *Add S&P to taste.
4. Served chilled.

Eat well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Barbie Summer Hat or Beach Hat -Free Sewing Pattern

Barbie says it's getting warm out and every girl needs a few hats to help protect her delicate skin from the harmful rays of the sun. But more importantly (in Barbie's world) she says hats can be super cute too:@) Use any cotton fabric, in any design or color, maybe make a few to match different outfits. Now, life is funny folks, and things don't always turn out to match our vision... I started with a great bucket hat pattern for humans from Hello Sewing, and thanks to my marginal sewing skills it turned into a beach hat for a Barbie doll. ~But~ in the end, I did end up with a hat, and I do like the look of it. I'm also pleased with myself that I didn't give up on the project and actually completed this itty-bitty hat! 

While I'll share the actual pattern I used for this hat, what I really suggest is that you stop by Hello Sewing, Helen shares very detailed instructions and even has a video. Very helpful indeed! And if you're feeling extra creative... Maybe make matching hats for your girl and her doll, you'll be a rock star😎

✂The pattern:

I signed up for the free download pattern, and reduced it to 28%.

What I did differently: My hat is not reversible,  and I chose to cut the outer brim with pinking shears so it didn't need a hem. I did use a sewing machine, hand stitching is certainly an option for this small hat.

📌All of my Pinterest Boards here.

Make something just for fun -if you're up to the challenge😉

And have a happy day!