Harvest Lane Cottage

I know it's getting late, but there's still time for handmade Christmas gifts. Here are some ideas to help, especially if money is tight.  Homemade Gift Ideas Paper Craft ~ decorated recipe cards (could add recipes and ingredients) ~ homemade greeting cards ~ scrapbook From the Needles ~ tribbles ~  dishcloths ~  apron ~  mittens ~ doll clothes ~ skirt ~  tablet stand ~ camera bean bag ~ key chain ~ Christmas stockings ~ hair baubles ~  casserole hot pad ~ drawstring bags ~ kitchen curtains ~ tote bag ~ pillow cases ~  ornaments ~ crocheted twisty hair ribbons ~  tea towels ~  doilies ~  pacifier clip ~  earbud pouch ~  baby bib ~ tea wallet ~  pin cushion ~  shawl ~  slippers ~ socks ~  cape ~ camera strap ~ Bible cover ~  mug rug ~ tissue holder Crafted ~ strap for guitar ~ ornaments ~ magnets ~ candles ~ soap ~ coasters From the Kitchen ~ coo...

Snuggle up in a chair with your tea or cocoa and immerse yourself in a Christmas book that combines a touch of mystery with an abundance of good will and cheer.  From the Publisher: The sounds of Christmases past echo through a silent house . . .   Everyone in town knows Emerald Crest, the green granite mansion atop the highest hill: the legendary, lavish Christmas festivities that used to light up the nights— and the silence that followed when the parties abruptly stopped many years ago. And everyone has heard whispers about the reclusive, mysterious master of the manor, Henry Lafferty the Second . . .  When eleven-year-old Julia Russell steps into the great house for the first time and meets Mr. Lafferty, the entire course of her life is altered. She meets a man who is nothing at all like the rumors she’s heard from neighbors and classmates. He’s kind and extraordinarily talented—he also happens to be deaf and uses a wheelchair. And when she over...

My husband did it to me again! He knows that I'm a do with what I've got kind of cook who often makes soup without a recipe. For the second day in a row, he's shared a photo of his lunch on Facebook. This time he promised I'd write out the recipe and share it here. So, here it is. I didn't measure when I made this, so my measurements are approximate. Please adjust for what you have on hand or your personal taste. 6 slices of bacon, fried and crumbled, reserve grease 1 lb fresh broccoli, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces 1 onion, chopped 1/2 gallon of whole milk 1 T cornstarch 3 handfuls of shredded cheddar (2 cups?) salt and pepper to taste This makes about 2 1/2 to 3 quarts. It fed four of us with no leftovers. I used a 3 quart saucepan to make it. Fry 6 slices of bacon. Cool and crumble. Set aside.  Trim 1 lb. fresh broccoli. I peel the stems and chop the softer inner core. I cut the florets into bite sized pieces. Chop one onion. Sti...

We've just come through several weeks of hard times. Even after years of thrifty and frugal living, God is still teaching me to trust him. I wrote this just a few short weeks ago. Things have improved for us greatly since then.  I just selected a  banana to eat. In awe of God's goodness, I breathed, "Thank you God for this banana."  I have never felt so thankful for a banana!   I've been praying each day, "Give us this day our daily bread ." I really meant it, too! God showed me abundance. A friend took me out to lunch then took me grocery shopping.  Two more friends brought more food before I could even put away the groceries. There was little overlap except eggs, oats, and bread.   My eldest son came over a few minutes later and picked me up to ride along to Walmart with him. He bought me vitamins I've been out of for months, eggnog, and whipped cream. Then my husband came home and bought us milk!  I think God had a v...

Super Simple Chicken Soup Mix in a little crock pot:  approx 2 cups shredded baked chicken (or any kind or amount you like) 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1/2 bag of mixed frozen veggies hot water to cover the chicken and veggies salt and pepper Let it cook for a few hours until hot. Then mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with a couple tablespoons of cold water until lumps are gone. Stir it into the hot soup and allow it to thicken before serving. That's it! It makes about 4 servings. I like to make lunch soups in my little slow cooker since it's a great way to use up leftovers. I'm so glad my family loves soup! This is a great do with whatcha got soup. Over the Moon

Hey y'all! Thank you so very much for praying for me. I'm recovering well from my last surgery. All that's left of this cancer journey is recovering from treatments, healing, appointments, tests, and rebuilding my health. Perhaps this is where the real work begins. ~smile~ One of the things I love about Sundays is that my adult children join us for dinner most weeks. We can't all make it each week, but we enjoy the time we have together with those who can make it. This week we had taco soup with corn chips for dinner and apple crisp with Blue Bell vanilla ice cream. I'll put the recipes below for my kids and for you! Taco Soup This is a variation of a recipe I printed off, way back in 2005, from the internet. I don't know where I found it originally.  I'm printing it with my changes. 1 or 2 lbs of 80/20 ground beef, browned and drained (We like 2.) 28 oz can crushed tomatoes 1 can corn, undrained 1 can black beans, un...

Laura Lately... I am healing well from my October 10th surgery. I've been knitting a lot.  I knit some little hats to donate to the Shoebox Ministry of Samaritan's Purse. My church is putting boxes together.  I've knitted soft hats for the chemo center. After knitting so many hats, why didn't I take any photos? I'm beginning to think about making Christmas gifts.  I'm thinking about learning to make little zipper bags.  I've made  cocoa  with whipped cream. I am starting to blog more. I've been reading more. I love Christmas books . This is a Kindle book. I have begun reviewing again. Christmas by the Sea is a favorite. I'm trying to add my blog posts to link parties. I've been listening to The New Testament on Bible Gateway. I am trying to pair down our book collection. As sad as it is, we won't need many of these books again, and I don't have the room to save them for gra...

I received this text that touched my heart from my son. I'm recording it here, because I don't want to ever lose it. "Hey, I want to tell you I love you. I just went shopping for house stuff, and I found my thought process for selecting kitchen items was, 'Did momma have one of these in her kitchen?' LOL If you didn't, then I knew it was unnecessary, because you worked absolute magic making something out of nothing for us because you loved us. You did a wonderful job of raising all of us. You made me who I am and I love you for that. I am proud to be your son." Best pay day ever.