Crafty Home Ideas

Honestly, after this long weekend today feels like a Monday! But here I am on Tuesday doing laundry and catching up on a house undone by a weekend of relaxing and grilling. I am hoping to get done with the straightening up then off to create, craft, sew or paint. What ever the time and muse allows later this afternoon. In the meantime here are a few things that may come in handy today and are my crafty inspiration......

Source: nightowlcrafting.blogspot.com via Theresa on Pinterest

Never Fails! There is always a lost sock! This is on my must make list! What about you?

Source: texasfreckles.com via Theresa on Pinterest

A table tray made portable and compact ironing board! This would be great for when I take my sewing to the kitchen, or ironing while watching a movie! How many times do you just leave your laundry in a basket to iron until you need that item?

Source: marthastewart.com via Theresa on Pinterest

I am always looking for pencils and pens to write on my grocery list. How about this crafty solution. I love the thought of using my favorite tea tins and making one for my fridge! Do you love pretty tins?

Source: elmundodelreciclaje.blogspot.com via Theresa on Pinterest

How many plastic milk cartons have you pitched into the recycle. Now here is a clever way to re-purpose them into storage containers. Who knew?

Hope you had a lovely long weekend! Now what diy item could you use at your house? Have you created a diy item that would help you around the house? If so, I would love to know. Tell us about it and leave a link if you wish!

Dreaming of the Beach For Memorial Weekend

If I had it my way I would be traveling this weekend, but as it is we just got back from all the wedding festivities and a week away. I don't think the Mr. would be thrilled if I pulled out the map.

Source: google.com via Theresa on Pinterest

In my heart I am a gypsy I love to travel & go on day trips

Source: readymade.com via Theresa on Pinterest

Maybe if I showed him a lovely picnic all wrapped up and ready to go he would agree and take me to the sea and spend the day at the beach with me!?

Source: nadjaseale.com via Theresa on Pinterest

To read, to soak up the sun to feel the breeze next to the water at beach is where I long to be.

Source: delacroix.tumblr.com via Theresa on Pinterest

When the fog comes in  we'll grab our sweaters and make a fire, play some music and sing some songs.

Source: southernliving.com via Carson on Pinterest

But I know him all too well, he'll want to stay home and barbecue. 

Well,  whatever we end up doing I'll be sure to remember all the men and women who gave up so much, and even lives for our freedom. Have a safe and happy Memorial Weekend~ 

What will you be doing this Memorial Weekend? 

Black Bean Burgers

It's been a while since I shared a new recipe I have tried out on the family so I thought I would share this Black Bean Burger recipe. It has a Latin flair and is so yummy!

This great Black Bean Burger from Gourmet every day ten-minute mains. *recipes by Gina Marie Mirglia Eriquez. Whew, hope I got that right. ( If anyone knows of a link on the web let me know) Now my 9yr old is pretty picky when it comes to eating! Which always makes it challenging. She loved this with the exception that she thought it was a bit spicy to her palette. But she didn't want the bun either, so maybe that intensified her taste of the burger. I loved them! I could even see using this recipe for a dip with tortilla chips or wrapped up in a corn tortilla! These are the best Black Bean Burger's with a Latin flair I have ever tasted. So without further adieu here is my recipe share with you!

 

Recipe:

2 (14oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained, divided
3 Tbsp mayonaise
1/3 cup plain dried bread crumbs
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano, crumbled
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
3Tbsp vegetable oil
4 soft hamburger buns

Accompanied with sour cream, salsa and  lettuce
The only adjustments I made to the recipe was to add thinly sliced cheese or shredded to your liking and sliced avocados.

Prep time approx 10-15min./ with a 10 min. cook time / Serves 4. 

Directions:

Pulse 1 can beans in a food processor with mayonnaise, bread crumbs, cumin, oregano and cayenne until a coarse puree forms. Transfer to a bowl and stir in cilantro and remaining can of beans *drained. Form mixture into 4 patties.

Heat oil in a 12 inch heavy skillet * I used a non stick and it worked fine over a medium-high heat until it shimmers. Cook burgers until the outsides are crisp and lightly browned, turning once, about 5 minutes total.

Serve on buns with accompaniments. Add a side salad if you wish & your favorite beverage and you are set!
This is a quick, easy, healthy and Vegetarian meal! Bonn Appetite~

If you are looking for a great dip with black beans I just found this and might have to try it over Memorial Weekend. Five Layer Mexican Dip over at the Food Network & then I hope to be back soon with a tutorial of how to make photo prop mustaches! Fun for any group photo opportunity or wedding!

If you have a great Black Bean or other recipe and would like to share it let me know! 

What is your favorite veggie burger?

Wedding Banners Photographs & News

I have the photographers website to share with you and her amazing photographs with some of the items I crafted especially for the wedding shared via her images. I am excited for you to visit FloryPhoto. Kelly and her assistant Nirav did an amazing job and I can't wait to see the rest of the photographs!

Love is Sweet Banner created by Theresa Huse

I also created  20 mustaches for taking photo's with. Here are Charles and Laura trying them out!

 

 Love Notes and Wedding Poster

 

I also created Love Notes banner to be placed by their wedding poster they had out for everyone to sign a love note to the bride and groom on the matte board. On the cards that say Love Notes I glued at the top ribbon and placed some of her grandma and great-grandma's vintage buttons on them. Sorry, its not the best photograph. These last two are mine.

We set out an instant camera and the mustaches so everyone could team up and take photos while having fun and also add a note to the couple if they wished. This was a big hit and instant fun!!  

 

Well if you would like to see a few better sneak peak photos of mine and a pink color inspiration post visit my blog MsartistTheresaHuse.blogspot.com , but if you love great wedding photographs just visit Kelly's site!  Get ready, set, "Wow"! FloryPhoto  PS. The floral work*with the help of Amy and tablescapes...were done by me.  My son created a redwood cake stand for the cake. I hope to share images of that later. It was amazing.

Have you done any crafting or flower work for weddings? Have you created a DIY wedding?

Sewing Machine Applique

Thanks to Kim and Kris for inspiring me to try applique! I thought I would share their video for some great pre-summer tutorials on applique with using the sewing machine or an embroidery machine. They even have a free pattern. So be sure and visit DIYdish. where I linked it to the post with the free pattern.  They also have some great photo's of their projects there. I also wanted to show you some great examples of cute applique ideas I found via Pinterest......

Source: flickr.com on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com  on Pinterest

I can't wait to have some sewing time after the wedding! So I can buy some onesies and tees to whip up  some little gifts for giving~

 Have you ever done applique? By machine or hand? I'd love to know~

Happy Mother's Day

I am just popping in to wish all the mom's out there a Happy Mother's Day!

Source: flickr.com via Theresa on Pinterest

           

May your day be filled  with sunshine

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May you remember all the kisses and hugs

Source: etsy.com via Theresa on Pinterest

No matter what age your child is remember all those cherished moments and have a wonderful Mother's Day!

Handy Mom's Sewing Tutorials

Hello dear readers I have some news to share with you I just found out my daughter Krissy is pregnant with her second child. This will be a special Mother's Day as we anticipate the arrival of a new bundle of joy!
Luckily I have time to sew a few things for her, shh don't let her know! I think these sewing tutorials will make handy gifts for any mom! Pretty and useful! Who doesn't love a good sewing tutorial?

 A pretty Pillow Case for the big day or resting until baby arrives!

Source: sew4home.com via Theresa on Pinterest

Sew4Home

A top that is comfy

Source: sewmamasew.com on Pinterest

Sew Mama Sew

A bag that can be for a quick jaunt with baby or for groceries that folds up small!

Source: craftster.org via Theresa on Pinterest

Craftster

A holder for grocery list that you can clip to your bag or wear!

Sew4Home


Camera Case to keep camera handy for all those special moments~
 

Sew-Mad

So there you have my handy list of easy sewing tutorials for moms and mom's to be. I hope you find one of them that you can use. If you have a great tutorial and want to share one here just let me know. I'd love to feature you~ 

What sewing projects have you been doing lately? or other projects?

Wedding Flowers & Flower Photography

Dearest blogging friends, I hope this finds you well. I have been so busy and not meaning to take such a long break but, I have had things that have needed my attention. A dry run for the wedding flowers was done, I spent some time with Sammie on spring break and then I set to organizing around here. As I mentioned before I have my eldest daughter's wedding coming up this month. Check lists are getting done, new items and projects being added. So my artwork has been set to the side for the moment, yet I am managing to stay creative in helping with the wedding. I managed to take some flower photographs of some of our wedding choices.

Today I did take the time to alter some of photographs that I took of the wedding flowers we are choosing for the table top arrangements and played with them giving them some textures and such, but ever so lightly so you could see the beauty of these flowers. Top of the list are the beautiful blooms that May has to offer. Lilacs on their stems, Ranuculus, Gerbena and Vintage Roses. The wedding flower pallet that Laura chose is a soft pastels, with lavenders, peaches and pinks.

Although you can get Ranunculus in May you have to get them three days ahead to let them open and their heads are smaller, but they are such a beautiful flower, it will be well worth the extra care. The Gerbena Daisy is so beautiful with its big head I would love to grow some to take photographs of as they are simple beauties. I didn't know they are a member of the sunflower family until I was reading about them. Did you know that fact? Then the true wedding flower hits that we chose were the vintage roses in a blush and the Lilacs on their stems. The smell of these beauties is soft, fragrant and colors are a beautiful. They all lasted well over a week with changing the water and feeding them.

As the sun colors flowers, so does art color life. John Lubbuck

More wedding flower prettiness to come and crafty goodness later this week, but wanted to let you know what I am up to.
What are your favorite May or wedding flowers? What projects are you working on? I'd love to know~