My Favorite Etsy Shop

Do you have a Favorite Shop?  Is it a real storefront shop or an on-line shop?  My Favorite Shop happens to be on Etsy.  I shop there alot.  I love Celestina's from CelestinaMarieDesign, beautifully painted creations...because they are done in my colors and have her signature roses on them.  There's a link to her shop at the end of this post and I recommend you stop by and take a peek at her shop.  One such item I just couldn't be without was this pretty, handpainted sign.  I had just the spot for it.  It would  not only look very pretty, co-ordinating with...

items around it, but it would help me hide some unsightly cords.  Don't you just despise those unsightly cords?

This is how she described it in her shop...Just for you and your shabby cottage home is my wood with VINTAGE word and roses shabby wall sign.  Words are stenciled in place with charcoal dark grey for a softer style on an ivory shade of chalk paint for the background.  Light aqua with distress graces the routed sides and back.  My hand painted signature roses grace both sides trailing around and into the letters.  Light distress all around with shading and highlights around the roses.  Sealed in a satin finish to protect the design.  Measures 24" long by 6" wide and 1" thick.  Saw tooth hangers added to the back side for ready display. 

After all that, I knew it had to be in my home!

Here are a few pictures of where I put the sign and how wonderful it looks there.

I'm so happy with this sign - just like all of the other "pretties" I've gotten from Celestina's shop over the years.  She's a wonderful creator and painter and a most cherished friend.  Stop by and see her.

CelestinaMarieDesign 

Enjoy your day!

Chocolate Caramel Tarts

Jamie from Baking Addiciton shares this Recipe on her blog.

How to Paint a Laminate Kitchen Table

You will find the Best tutorialfrom Christie...for painting and sealing any table and chairs, including a Laminate Kitchen Table...Here

Pentatonix Sings Mary, Did You Know?

This group is one of my Favorites...and has been for a while now. They're just wonderful and do a fine job performing this beloved Christmas Song. I just thought I'd share it.

Time Flies - One Year Since Last Vacation

My goodness, how time has flown by - this year is a blur!  And, the things that have changed around here...is remarkable!  Last year at this time, my family [hubby and the pups & I] were on our semi-annual vacation in Michigan.  You can read about it in This Post.  While it was cold last year at this time...it is warm here this year.  We're about to set a...

warm temperature record over the next couple of days!  Yesterday was 72°.

Here are some of the photos from last years' vacation in Baroda, Michigan...near the beach.

NO PIX HERE...They were from the website where we stayed...and it is no longer in business. 

The 3 Pups, Jasper, Angel & Rosie certainly enjoyed themselves - a new place to check out, people to meet, steps to run up and down...and a few resident dogs of the property too.

I haven't been able to take a vacation this year at all.  I've spent money on other things...like re-painting the interior of the house...which I'm doing by myself...and saving a ton of money.  And that's a good thing, since the Pups and I are trying to save money.

Hubby is no longer in the picture.  He left on April 3 this year and moved in with his oldest son and his family.  It was all quite a shock, because he never mentioned the idea of leaving me.  Due to him being incommunicado, I haven't spoken to him since the day he left.  He doesn't write, text, call or answer emails.  I am out-of-the-loop. 

There have been good and bad days, due to all the changes.  But, the good have far outweighed the bad.  Now, don't take me wrong...I have not suffered any illnesses and neither have the dogs in the past 7 months.  I've not suffered abuse at the hands of my hubby...be it mental, verbal or physical abuse.  I haven't felt afraid.  I haven't felt frozen.  I haven't felt helpless or hopeless.  I haven't felt defeated.  At the time I was experiencing the mis-treatment, I didn't realize that I felt those things.  It was a gradual thing...over a period of about 7 years...where hubby changed, due to what we both think was onset of Alzheimer's.  That really changes people.

In the past 7 months, I've lost 62 pounds.  I've gotten physically and emotionally stronger.  I've done things that a year ago, I was afraid to even try to do [like climbing a ladder to paint].  I felt weak then, which limited the things I felt I could do around the house, with the dogs and just stopped doing them!

Not any more.

God has been by my side...guiding me...pushing me...waiting for me...loving me...blessing me...filling me with His peace...and so much more.

And my friends...I've been blessed by all of you as well.

I will be away from blogging regularly for a little while longer, while I finish painting the last rooms of my house.  Hopefully, I will be finished sooner, rather than later.  My goal is to be done the week before Thanksgiving, not that I have anything big planned...it's just the time I selected to finish.

But, I'll be around.

Chicken Divan Casserole

4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing
2/3 cup breadcrumbs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
4 heads broccoli, cut into florets (about 6 cups)
2 cups grated Parmesan
1/4 cup unsalted butter...

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch cayenne pepper
3 cups milk
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place a rack in the top third of the oven. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with some olive oil and set aside.

In a medium bowl add the breadcrumbs and the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Place the chicken in a large pot and cover with water. Add 4 teaspoons salt and bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to a low simmer. Cook the chicken until the internal temperature on an instant read thermometer reads 160 degrees F, 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove and cool slightly, then slice the chicken into thin strips or shred, and place in the bottom of the prepared dish. Add the broccoli and sprinkle the Parmesan over the top.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add the flour and use a wooden spoon or whisk to stir until smooth and cooked, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the nutmeg, and cayenne. Slowly whisk in the milk, Cheddar, stock and wine. Bring to a boil, whisking often. Reduce to a simmer and cook until thickened and smooth, 5 to 8 minutes.

Pour the sauce over the broccoli and chicken and then top with the breadcrumb mixture and sprinkle the paprika over the top. Cover the dish with foil and bake 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the top is golden and the casserole is bubbling, 15 minutes.

Cool for about 5 minutes and then serve.

Cook's Notes: After it's made, wrap and freeze this casserole for up to 1 month. To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees F according to recipe directions.

You can also make this dish in individual ramekins and freeze for simple single servings; reduce the cooking time by 10 minutes.

You can use store-bought rotisserie chicken instead of poaching the chicken breasts.

This Chicken Divan Recipe is courtesy of
Nancy Fuller from Farmhouse Rules

View an Alphabetized Listing of all of my Recipes, click HERE and scroll down to RECIPES.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

PUMPKIN PIE SPICE     

• 3 Tablespoons Ground Cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons Ground Ginger
• 2 teaspoons Nutmeg
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Ground Allspice
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Ground Cloves

In a bowl, whisk all ingredients together until well combined. Store in a small jar or container.  From Maria, who blogs at http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/

Shape, Style & Soul

There's a quiet moment at the end of each day when my heart and mind settles. I quickly inventory what I did and didn't do well.  I don't know about you, but it's SO EASY to get overwhelmed by what I didn't do or couldn't do for whatever reason. Then, I get down on myself for not being more organized, efficient, smarter, kinder - whatever.   When I look at this verse, it reminds me that Jesus came to save me. My greatest need...
in life isn't to be MORE, but my greatest need was to recognize that because of Jesus' great love and sacrifice for me, I am ENOUGH. Those empty spaces and gaps in my life - those flaws or imperfections that drive me crazy are the same places and Jesus uses to remind me that I need him. 

Where do you struggle today? Let Jesus have that struggle. 

"Jesus, I give you _________. I can't do it/fix it/deal with it anymore. Jesus, I need you to fill the spaces of my struggle. Let me have more of you. Amen."

Visit Barbara on her Facebook Page

Barb Roose is a speaker and writer living in Toledo, Ohio. She's the Directional Leader of Spiritual Formation at CedarCreek Church in Perrysburg, Ohio and part of the weekend teaching team. Barb's passion is reaching people with the hope of Christ and teaching the Bible in a way that is easy and relevant to their lives.

Her book, Enough Already: Winning Your Ugly Struggle with Beauty is now available for purchase on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com. It will be released on March 17, 2015.

Barb speaks at women's conferences in the US and abroad. She is the co-host of the Fabulous Women's Conference at CedarCreek Church. Inquires about Barb's speaking can be emailed to barbr@cedarcreek.tv.

Special News Bulletin...Read All About It!!

I whistled for my dogs today!  So what, you say?  It's a big deal to me!!  I trained my first 3 Pups, Jasper, Benny and Rosie, with my whistle - the kind I made by puckering up my lips and blowing.  Then on May 28th 2012, I got Bell's Palsy and had a 2nd bout of it in August 2014.  Since May 28th 2012, I have not been able to whistle at all!  Oh, maybe if I held my mouth just right - and then for only a second or two.  But, today, I really whistled - for about 3 minutes.  Jasper and Rosie were going crazy, because they must have remembered my whistle and it made them get excited [for a treat], HA!  Angel even caught on to that act!!

It's My Party!

And this gal is going to have a Great time!  I'm throwing a little shin-ding, with food, cake, beverage and fun, an Open House Tea Party...so please stop by to help me celebrate my BIG birthday.  You're all invited to this festive occasion.  The Pups have their birthday party food and their hats, horns, confetti and of course, their food dishes ready...
for all of the party fun too!

We'll be waiting on you.

In case you missed my new photo, here it is...taken only a couple of weeks ago - it's hard to believe I look so good, after having had Bell's Palsy twice - once on the right side and a then again on both sides...in 2012 and 2014. 

 This picture is from about 10 years ago.  It was for a special occasion, so both my hair and make-up were at their best.

Thanks for visiting and making my day special.