Rita Hutcheson-Cobbs

Beekeeping Workshop, Auburn University got me cleaning? I don't think so...

2012-02-09T05:45:00.000-08:00

I just want to make something pretty clear, my friends! I had someone take my picture of me cleaning with a honey mixture just to show my husband that I can clean but not that I would! Understand! If you come to my house and you don't like the dust collection, then I can show you where the cleaning products are, that is if I remember where I put them...hmmmmm

Dr. James Tew led the Beekeeping Workshop

at Auburn University

Phillip Garrison led one of the classes

for the beginner beekeeper...

I was very pleased with the live hive that was on

the grounds for us to see...

The following photos are of that hive...

This class was about using all of the hive...

There were classes for cooking with honey,

backyard gardens for bees, history, biology, and

classes for the experienced and beginner...

I loved the basic knowledge I gained as well

as seeing first hand the vendors and the items they

had on hand for sale.

Problem solved...if I ever teach a workshop such as this, I will just take the tops of my furniture and the fronts of my cabinets and let the people in class clean them, take them back home and put them back in place. Done. Cleaning accomplished. No more cleaning needed, until next workshop. Things that make you go...hmmmmmm =)

I am ready to have a sustainable backyard. Building my beekeeping from 2 starter colonies into at least 30 within the year. Also having goats of a variety to provide fiber, milk, cheese and meat. Chickens for eggs and gardens and orchards for herbs, vegetables, flowers and fruits. I look forward to making a difference for our environment and our land but most of all for our family. I use to can and grow all our on vegetables before work and our kids were busy with school and activities. Now I am back to where life has allowed me the blessing of getting back to the basics. Basics of faith, family and opportunity.

So, keep watching for the rest of the story...it will be buzzzzing I am sure lol....
Hugs, Rita

Simple Pot Roast with Recipe...A Guy Meal through and through...

2012-02-07T05:45:00.000-08:00

I suppose you could say this was another one of my "firsts" for 2012! I had never ever made a pot roast on the stove top. So, I decided it was time. The thing that surprised me most was how easy it really was. The thing that disappointed me was how tasteless it was. So I am going to share with you is how I made some changes to create a much better flavored pot roast the next time and in the future I have some other ideas for stove top pot roasts. Now, give me a crockpot, I am so there...but we must grow, right? right...

Here is the link for the basic recipe which is great because there are also photographs to go with the recipe:

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/pot_roast/

At step 1, add 1 teaspoon each of Cilantro and Thyme to the rub. Then at step 2, I added one (1) cup of apple cider wine rather than 1/2 cup of red. If all you have is red, then increase the amount to one (1) cup. Also, add 1/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce and button mushrooms. Finally when the meat is ready to serve. I add a dash of the wet liquid over the meat on the serving dish to give it that flavor. I didn't have a lot of fat floating in the liquid because I made very sure I had a lean piece of meat to begin with.

Eventually I want to give various BBQ sauces a try along with a 24 hour rub down as well as a twice backed style...there are so many options and even though I am not a big meat eater, I have a great man that should have been a beef judge for sure...=)

Hugs and happy eating, Rita

Madison’s Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe using Cake Mix

2012-02-06T05:45:00.000-08:00

WOW! These cookies are fantastic! I had never made

any with cake mix as a base before but...

WOW! OMGOSH! WOW!

(if anyone in my family recognizes this plate,

although it is beautiful, please come pick it up lol

I don't know where it came from...)

The original recipe was very gooey so I had to revise it a bit...

This was my first time to use parchment paper that I could

remember lol...can you imagine! It was wonderful, folks!!

Madison’s Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe

using Cake Mix

1 box Duncan Hines Butter Golden cake mix

¼ cup real butter, melted

2 extra large eggs

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup self-rising flour, sifted

For Rolling:

¼ cup sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line your baking pan with parchment paper or spray it lightly with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, place the cake mix, eggs, nutmeg, flour and mix well with a wooden spoon. Then add butter and mix well. The dough should be stiff. If not, add a bit more flour until the dough is so. You want it where you can roll it with your hands.
In a smaller bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon.
Shape dough into 1” balls by rolling them in your hands. Then drop them in the sugar/cinnamon mixture, coating them well.
Place the balls about 2” apart on your cookie pan.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are pale golden and just set. The center will still be soft to the touch. Don’t over bake them.
Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool for 1 minute. Then transfer them to a wire rack or plate to finish cooling before serving or placing in an airtight container.

I would say this recipe makes “X”number but we tend to eat so much of the dough that I never know how manycookies it will make for sure.

Why did I call these "Madison's" cookies? Well, a friend of ours asked if their daughter could come over to our house after school and we were like "sure, the more the merrier!" So I made some homemade cookies for mother, Garrett, Ethan and I to enjoy and these were them. I have made them again since that day but DOUBLED the recipe since the first batch didn't make very many. I have also decided that since they are bit sweet to maybe add real vanilla bean ice cream sometime. Wouldn't that be just yummy! Enjoy...let me know what you think and send me some photos...

Hugs and happy eating, Rita

Love you so Scrapbook Layout Pages...

2012-02-05T05:45:00.000-08:00

Scrapbooking yourself and even with the one you love

isn't always a priority I have found, at least for me it isn't...

So, I decided these photos were my exception!!

Yes, this one in the bottom corner has a story...lol

The background papers were given to me by an

amazing friend who is also an amazing photographer,

Danielle Wood. The papers and embellishments, I got

from {{gulp}} I know you won't believe me, but came

from Wal-Mart...less than $5...

My BFF and sweetheart of 31 years this month!!

WOOT for us...and 200 lbs ago for me...

I made pockets behind the photographs

to house tags so that I could add

a bit of journaling...

The pull tabs for each of the tags are

flowers and brads that match the paper kit...

I used a layout suggestion from the "Magic" book

from Close to My Heart but changed it a bit.

Now for this photo...

My husband, Jerry, is a huge StarWars fan. A friend of ours, Chris Johnson, on Facebook loves to play with photoshop so he took our faces and put them in one of the StarWars posters. I would KILL for this body!!! LOL...so, I had to print the photo just for this page about "us". I am not into the sci-fi world as much as Jerry is but I appreciate his interest and make sure he is well stocked with books, memorabilia and so forth. I see this page layout disappearing one day and ending up posted in his office at work. =)

I do love him so and feel blessed that indeed we will celebrate 31 years of marriage this month. We have come a long way, baby, and through it all we know that regardless where this life may lead, we are together. We have very little in common but three things stand true, faith, family and humor, for those three will stand the test of time, personalities and anything we may face.

Hugs, Rita

Celebrate Scrapbooking Layout Pages

2012-02-04T05:45:00.000-08:00

Celebrating our son, Ethan...

Celebrating his style...

and mine...I love this scrapbooking kit...

{{gulp}} from Wal-Mart...

I used popup dots on some of the embellishments...

Celebrating Ethan is so wonderful but yet so relaxed...

I love spending time with him, listening to him, and just

knowing that he is who he is and loving every moment of that...

I would rather type my journaling because my penmanship

isn't the best but if I waited to print what I wanted to say

lol my ADHD would totally forget...so I just write it out.

I used a layout suggestion in the "Magic" scrapbooking

book from Close to My Heart. However, I wanted a

different sized envelope than the page called for...so

I made my own...Can you guess which punch I used for

the closure? =P

Inside I tucked in two more photographs from our

day out...it was a doctors trip...but I don't

want to totally remember that day for just that...

I never want to forget Ethan's

clothing style...so glad to have it

in pictures...

The "and" sign went perfect...

because the story is continued

"and"side the envelope...

I added journaling spots to the

back of the photographs inside

the envelopes using cardstock.

Little accents from the kit here and there

just made the pages pop...and I had leftover

pieces!! Loving it...all for less than $5...

Celebrating everyday life as well as milestones in the lives of our family members as well as our pets or in our photography is something that I have totally enjoyed. It reminds me continuously that there is something to praise and celebrate in every day regardless of what obstacles come my way. The day after I created this layout, Ethan's brother had his first seizure in over 3 yrs. I thought, do I take the journaling off Ethan's page? What if this isn't really over for him too? What if we didn't have anything to celebrate? However, on that day and on this day, we do. We will even if he does have another seizure. There are great doctors and medications and techniques out there to help them. We have much indeed to celebrate and I am thankful for the mediums I work with to share that...Rockin' Awesome reasons to celebrate? Every moment of everyday...

Hugs, Rita

Poppy Painting Class Scrapbook Layout

2012-02-03T05:45:00.000-08:00

I was thrilled when my friend and mentor in faith and art Judy Hardwick invited me to Spirit Arts in Huntsville Alabama to paint Poppies! As I was gathering my things to scrapbook my 2011 photos, I found the layout collection she had given me and the photos I had printed of our trip to class. I went ahead and scrapbooked these and totally loved the bright colors. Lovely!!

The class was wonderful and, of course, I was a bit messy lol!

Dream...of what each day holds because we are friends and those

that we have made because of scrapbooking and paper arts...

Imagine...the friendships we have found through scrapbooking...

I had 2 sheets of paper that were totally different...

So, I cut them apart, shuffled them, and put them

back together again...creating a brand new paper

design for a 2 page layout...

I had to add a couple of notes like this one...

My son, Garrett's, reaction to my painting:

"Mom, it looks like a pillow!" He was right...lol

I layered and layered the poppies...

Did you know I have trouble saying "Poppy"?

Well, I do...

I had so many cute photos I wanted to include in

this layout so I really tossed them and let them land.

Not your traditional scrapbooker. lol. I was going to mosaic

the complete layout but it didn't work in my imagination of the poppies.

I can't explain this time of my life. It was April 2011. My decision for weight loss and I know my spirit was being prepared for what was to come with the storms of life destroying the physical dwelling of our home. I needed this girls night out and maybe Judy knew that, I'm not sure. However, it was a wonderful time and she is a magnificent artist! The fun a group painting class can have it tremendous, I highly recommend it. More so the respite and relaxation that comes from discovering not only yourself but finding your place in the realm of art heals your spirit as well as blesses it. You become stronger than you ever knew possible. You find your place in this life and renew every part of who you are, finding depth and personality but most of all confidence. The biggest reward of art is that you find friendships. That is the best part of all.

Hugs, Rita

Crochet 3-in-1 Stitch Washcloth and Pattern

2012-02-02T05:45:00.000-08:00

Crochet 3-in-1 Stitch Washcloth

(the one on the right)

OMGOSH! I have fallen in love with this stitch! The first time I used it was in a pattern for a baby sweater and it was called a "Trinity" stitch. However, it is simply three single crochets in one stitch that makes a lovely shell like ripple when two rows are put together. Lovely! It is also tight and that is something that has worked well for a washcloth. So, here is the pattern I created for our bathroom using colors that we are using even though our house is going more shabby chic, our bedroom/bathroom is very...bright! =)

Crochet 3-in-1 Stitch Washcloth

100% Cotton Thread of your choiceor combination of colors

Size G Crochet Hook

Chain 35

Row 1: Turn, sc into the first ch from the hook, but don’trelease it. Pick up the next two sc. You should have 4 loops on your hook. YOand release all 4 loops on your hook and ch 1. Insert hook in same ch, YO andrepeat the process throughout the row to last ch. Sc in last ch.

Row 2-27: repeat row 1. Finish Off.

Trim: Slip stitch into any corner. Continue the same stitchpattern around the edging. Finish off.

Enjoy and happy stitching...Hugs, Rita

Rita's Crochet Posted Washcloth with Pattern

2012-02-01T13:19:00.000-08:00

Rita's Crochet Posted Washcloth

(the one of the left)

It isn't all that hard to follow a crochet pattern! Now wait, I see some of you shaking your head "yes" in agreement but then I see some of you shaking your head "Ah, no"! But really, it isn't that is if you take the time to really read the pattern which I don't always do and then what happens is a new design or creation happens. However, my problem with many of the dishcloth patterns I have seen is that you can stick your fingers through the holes! Yikes, I don't really like that very much, just saying. So, when I wanted to make washcloths to match my bedroom/bathroom, I wanted some that I could depend on in the colors I wanted. We are planning for a more shabby chic decor but our bedroom is more...bright =).

So here is the pattern I came up with using some very old stitches that I have grown to love and adore. They are super easy and you can do them too!

Crochet Posted Washcloth RHC

100% Cotton Thread of your choice or combination of colors

Size G Crochet Hook

Chain 36

Row 1: Turn, sc in 2^nd ch from hook and each onacross.

Row 2. Turn, ch 3, dc in 2^nd sc from hook andnext 2 dc. Skip next dc. Then dc in the next three dc, repeat throughout therow.

Row 3: Turn, sc in the 2^nd ch from hook and eachdc across.

Row 4: Turn, ch 3, dc in 2^nd dc from hook andnext 2 dc. Trc to skipped space in row below skipping the space behind the Trcin current row. Then dc in the nex three dc, Repeat the trc and continue thisprocess throughout the row.

Rows 5-26: repeat rows 2-4. Finish off.

Trim: Slip stitch into any corner and the sc around thewhole piece adding ch one at each corner so the piece lays flat. Then slip stitchat the beginning, ch 1 and continue sc around. At each post, tr crochet intothe post. Finish off.

Happy stitching and I would love to see those that you make!!!

Hugs, Rita

Mowing through each and every step of this journey...

2012-01-31T05:45:00.000-08:00

Where did that come from? I wasn't expecting it to show up! It just came mowing through my life totally uninvited, crashing my happy little party disrupting my orderly life completely! Well, maybe not so orderly and maybe it didn't come so crashing and not so disrupting and well...my life is happy 99.9% of the time, so I did get one thing right in all of that...I don't think it was welcomed nor invited, but that is beside the point of all this. I wanted to be mad about it! I wanted to whine, rant and rave! However, being happy most of the time makes it difficult to do just that.

It all happened with in just a few hours. Our son come home with a cold but then had a fever which would have been a signal to us over three years ago but not now, it shouldn't have mattered now, right? right! But it did. He had a seizure. The email his Epileptologist sent in reply to what happened in the wee hours of Saturday as "worrisome" because our son had brain surgery to stop seizures on June 22, 2009. He hasn't had such happen since and this shouldn't have happened. So, why did it? Where did this uninvited, unwelcomed turn of events come from?

We don't know why, but we are welcomed to ask. Joel is sick, that much we know. He is being treated, first by the ER doctor and now our family doctor and will regain his balance and health but is effected emotionally, physically and spiritually by the turn of events plus is now back on seizure medications, facing tests for seizure activity once again. My heart breaks as a mother seeing this happen and knowing I am helpless to do anything about it. I am mad at this thing I can't wrap my hands around and chock for coming back in my son's life. I can't get rid of it for him and beat it down so it won't raise it's ugly head. It's bullied our lives long enough through him and his brother. It's time for it to go away. That's what I want to do as a mother.

As a faith person, I still want to beat it to death! I face it with a different armor though. I look it in the eye with resolve and positive attitude of love and hope knowing that I walk a bigger step than it. I know that I will win in the end because I have seen the rewards of being faithful, seeing something critical through to the end and being victorious. The faith of my soul and spirit will win in the end for not only my son but for myself, as a mother, as a person and for my family. God has granted me the courage and strength wrapped in peace and joy knowing that each step of this ugly journey will be highlighted with things, people and places that I needed to be and Joel needed to witness yet again, reminding us that there is a power beyond our understanding allowing a journey for a season that will bring us closer to Him, make us raw vessels perfect for use in Him and for His glory and purpose.

We love. We share. We hope. That is all. In each other will find the strength and happiness to mow through each and every step of this unexpected journey.

Hugs, Rita

I've a confession to make using scrapbooking...

2012-01-29T05:45:00.000-08:00

My confession? Well, I am a John Tesh fan!!!!

Yes, I am...

This guy in the background may have won the basketball,

but I got the kiss and the autograph!!!

This was a piece of chipboard die cut

that I used a marker to change the color.

Then I glimmer misted it to make it pop...

I added one of my beet juice dyed

tags to the page as a journaling spot...

Added this cute embossed leaf we

made in a class...

I used recycled elements on this page

by bringing the coffee sleeves into the

background. Then I added the newness

of the bling...

I also added one of my dried baby wipes from my

projects which was the perfect color match combo plus

it had some stickles and glitter on them!!! Sweet...

Again, I used the coffee sleeve to the background of

both pages...loving it...

Here is a ticket die cut BUT I added a note at the bottom

of the ticket as to where we sat...

Then there is the atuograph!!! Yes...

Loving it...I took the photograph back to another

concert I went to and asked him to sign it...

he did...=)

I used CD covers for this page...

It worked perfectly!!! Loved the outcome...

Thank you for sharing such a special night with me...

I didn't know we had front row/center seats but it

was so amazingly worth it....

Hugs, Rita

Cookbook Review and Recipe with Guest Blogger, Jerry W. Cobbs...

2012-01-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

As long as beef smells the way it does on a grill, I will never truly be a vegan or vegetarian. I have actually felt my knees buckle when walking downwind of a steakhouse. However, I know that when I limit my meat intake, I feel better, my digestion is better, I have more energy, and I can lose weight without a lot of effort. So I try to keep the meat portions small, make red meat an occasional luxury, and enjoy meatless meals on a regular basis.

As an agnostic carnivore, if I have a craving I just can't control, I can always indulge myself with a juicy burger or slice of meatloaf and pay the caloric penance later. I realize, however, that those who choose a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle for ethical or moral reasons face a much more difficult choice than I do. What do they do when McNugget mania hits--give in and feel guilty, or hang on and feel deprived?

The morally troubled vegan may find the key to inner peace in the Vegan Junk Food cookbook. This interesting book is packed full of every conceivable kind of good-for-your-conscience-if-not-for-your-waistline recipe one might imagine. There are some 225 recipes and not a molecule of meat in its pages.

Some things to note--one, "junk food" means comfort foods as well as snacks. There is a wide variety of recipes available in the book. Two, "vegan" does not equal "health food" in this book. Some of these recipes can go toe-to-toe with anything from the drive-thru or the convenience store when it comes to fat, salt, and sugar. Also the book makes liberal use of highly processed vegan substitutes--vegan hot dogs, chicken nuggets, etc. So if you're looking for back to nature or whole-grain goodness, better try elsewhere.

So what is the book good for? Three kinds of folks--vegans who don't want to fall off the wagon but struggle with cravings or feeling deprived; those who want to show their non-vegan friends that they don't just live off of roots and bark; and folks like us who are trying to limit their meat intake without joining a grazing herd somewhere.

The Test:

After browsing the book and thinking about what we had on hand, we decided to try the Portobello Stroganoff. As I mentioned, this isn't necessarily "junk food," but more of a hearty comfort food recipe. Basically, portobellos and white button mushrooms are sauteed, along with onions, etc, and water/broth and sour cream are added to make a stroganoff sauce which is served over pasta. The recipe from the book is given below.

In our house, a recipe is considered a list of suggestions, not a set of instructions, so of course some modifications are in order. Here are the changes we made from the original:

Our version isn't absolutely strict as far as being vegan. I used ordinary fat-free sour cream, real butter, and regular pasta, so it does have some dairy and probably a bit of egg.
We didn't have any vegetable broth on hand, so I used a cup of water. Worked just fine.
The recipe only calls for chopped onions. That will never do in our house. Onions beg for garlic; they really do--that's why they make you cry, so you'll give in and let them play with the garlic :-) So add a tablespoon or so of minced garlic.
As long as the onions and garlic are playing together, may as well throw in some celery. So we did.
And there was about 1/4 cup of chopped yellow squash just sitting there in the fridge. Why not.
With all those veggies sauteeing away it really didn't matter that we used water instead of veggie broth--we just made our own!
I added a dash of soy sauce to add some color and a little flavor, and also because I add a dash of soy sauce to pretty much anything this side of ice cream.

The Verdict:

Delicious! Thanks to those awesome meaty portobellos, it was like having chunks of wonderful steak with a creamy sauce. Even my mother-in-law, who doesn't "like" mushrooms, couldn't resist. She tried them a proclaimed it good! Very hearty and satisfying. Any meat lover could eat this and never feel deprived. That still doesn't mean I won't get weak in the knees next time I pass a grill!

Mushroom Stroganoff
1 lb portobellos, cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 6oz pkg button mushrooms, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 lb pasta of choice
1 cup vegetable broth (or water)
2 tbsp cognac (optional)
1 tbsp vegan margarine, melted
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 cup vegan sour cream

Bring 2qts water to boil in a large pot. In a large saute pan over medium high heat, cook portobellos in a few teaspoons of the olive oil. Cook in batches, a few at a time, and remove when slightly browned. Remove all portobellos from pan and reserve.

Add onions (and other veggies if using) to the pan and saute till translucent, about 5 minutes. Add button mushrooms, salt, and remaining teaspoon of olive oil, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add pasta to boiling water and allow to cook while completing the sauce.

Add vegetable broth and cognac to the mushroom and onion mixture. Cook 10-15 minutes until liquid reduces and thickens somewhat and will cling to the back of a spoon.

Drain pasta and stir in vegan margarine.

Reduce heat, add sour cream to vegetable/mushroom mixture and stir until smooth. Return portobellos to pan and stir until reheated.

Serve mushrooms over pasta and garnish with fresh parsley. Enjoy!

The recipe

The portobellos are sauteed separately. The smell is amazing!

They are removed and allowed to rest while the other ingredients cook.

White button mushrooms, onions, garlic, celery, and diced squash are sauteed until tender.

Add a cup of water or broth, dash of cognac or cooking wine, and reduce until it thickens a bit. Add a cup of sour cream and return the portos to the mix, and it's ready!

We like multi-color rotini pasta.

Thank you for joining me,
Jerry

Rita: I have to add a quick note...the food was amazing!! Joel did really well in giving me this cookbook! Our love for vegetarian and vegan foods is huge and the recipes take little time to prepare. It helps that I prep all the fresh vegetables as soon as I come home from the grocer...but still this was fantastic!!! Yummy...

Crochet T-shirt Rug and pattern...

2012-01-25T05:45:00.000-08:00

Oh I so love love love this color! It is one of the colors in our bedroom that I will be using. I am also in-cooperating burnt orange to the mix with white as the accent color. Although I have made many crochet rugs, even won first place at the county fair a good number of years ago, I have enjoyed working with the t-shirt fabric. I will be recycling more of these as the boys wears them out, however, this was 2 yards of t-shirt material that I purchased and cut into 1" strips. This isn't a color my guys would typically wear lol, no disrespect to all the guys or gals out there that do love this color, my guys are dark earth tone or red/white kinda t-shirt guys. Hay, they all wash nicely together!! So here is the pattern for this sweet rug...

Rita's Crochet T-Shirt Rug

Crochet Q Hook
4 yards of 60" width t-shirt fabric, cut into 1" strips
** I don't sew my ends together with the fabric but you can if you wish...
***In this pattern you are going to continuously crochet in the round, there won't be any rows. Mark the beginning and move the marker up each time you go around.

Chain 5.
Slip stitch into the top of the beginning chain.
Single Crochet in the top of the next chain. Do 2 sc in the next sc. Repeat 5 times.
Single Crochet in the top of the next 2 chains. Then sc in the next sc 2 times. Repeat around 2 times.
Single Crochet in the top of the next chain. Then sc in the next 5 sc. In the next sc, do 2 sc in the same stitch. Do this for the remainder of the project until you reach the desired size you want.
If the rug doesn't lay flat. You can increase the sc in any stitch by doing 2 sc in one stitch.

I enjoy recycling t-shirts, jeans, fabric and other items, even towels, into these projects. They are functional and great to use anywhere in the house. The nursing homes love them as well. So think about your gift giving this year and what you can make for those you plan to gift...

Hugs, Rita

Crochet Crosses my Mother made...

2012-01-24T05:45:00.000-08:00

My mother has made some beautiful things over the years. She is an artist when it comes to doilies! I have some beauties that I will get photographed for you at some point...These she made and I use at Christmas on my musical themed Christmas tree. I love the ones with the gold edging. I found the pattern and took it to her, asking Mother if she could make some. She did. Since then she has given many as bookmarks and over the holidays as ornaments. I am not as talented at holding the tiny threads to create such beautiful items, however, I am planning to give it a go...because I love the doilies and how beautiful they are going to be in our shabby chic farm house...loving it...

One thing that has helped my mother these days is crochet. With the on set of Dementia and Alzheimer's, I try to keep her entertained by going junkin', taking her to lunch or trips to Starbucks, which has become her favorite hangout. Staying home has been a pleasure too. We cook together, while I give her the easier tasks, we still spend time in the kitchen planning and preparing the meals. I do the majority but include her at every turn. Our family is happy and positive, a home that is full of peace and joy. I can't explain why we are that way but we have never put much stock in material things or spent our time arguing or doing things that don't include others in our family. Every hobby or work environment can include the family if we so desire. We work together in comfort and hope.

Mother is happy. I can't explain it. She is. We love having her living with us. She has brought us full circle and I know these are her last days and I am so glad they will be spent with us. Having grandparents for our sons right at our door is something I remind our family not to take for granted. Jerry's parents live right next door and come and go freely and often. We love that! It is so wonderful to have this treasured time and opportunity, something I didn't grow up with and something I am so glad we have had for thirty years.

I am afraid that many are going to wonder where the time has gone. They didn't spend the time cultivating friendships and family, as our preacher said Sunday, "they are so busy getting ahead, living the American dream..." worried about self motivated things they need or want, afraid they might even "catch" something or don't agree to simply disagree and feel their opinions matter far more than what really matters. Someday it will be too late, as it already is for many, as Bro. Ben said Sunday and sadly that is true. I won't go back and change that or where I have been or where I have gone, but for some they will wish they had.

Time with my mother is vital for me. I love getting up knowing that we will spend the day doing something, never really sure what. My sons will know both our parents and Jerry's grandparents. They will be able to tell their children the stories and of the times we all had together. Life is precious, relationships are even more so. Thanks, Geoff, our dear friend, for saying so Sunday and remind us all that life is indeed precious, each and everyone of them. I am so happy that I have created a garden of beautiful friendship and relationships in my life. Here's to you...

Happy Tuesday! Hugs, Rita

Crochet Angels and Snowflakes of Aunt Ann...

2012-01-23T05:45:00.000-08:00

This week, I was thinking about Aunt Ann, Jerry's aunt who married his Uncle Jimmy Newton and was from Ireland. So much so that she remembered coming over on a boat with her parents and siblings. Her accent was very Irish; she was also a strong Catholic, never missing mass, loved Kit Kat candy bars and her sweet four legged kitty cat children. Our boys were sneak over to her house when she moved on our road after they discovered Aunt Ann's love for the sweet chocolate candy and that she kept a stash! =) It makes me smile to know they visited her often. Aunt Ann is now gone from us but her spirit is always among us. We loved her and cherished the moments we shared with her. Another reason I thought of her is while putting my holiday decorations away, I had to take down the crochet angels and snowflakes she made us. I have many of her delicious treasures.

These are two of my favorite because of the colors she used. Elegant and beautiful are the tiny stitches just as those that she wove within our lives, one of faith and sweet smiles. Knowing that she prayed for our son Garrett and that we will always have her prayer book and Bible reflecting those prayers, is something that we will always have deep within our beings. When we display our angels and snowflakes at Christmas, we know that Aunt Ann is still with us and we will always remember her and the boys will never look at a Kit Kat candy bar without knowing who shared that special flavor with them first.

Happy Chocolates...Hugs, Rita

Crochet Poncho with Pattern...

2012-01-21T05:45:00.000-08:00

OMGosh, this is a super easy pattern to follow and

I will include the link at the end of this note!!

Yes, I had to show off wearing it =O!

Chocolate had to have his picture made too...

sweet doggy...

I followed the pattern (yeah me! well, almost)

Lion Brand and used Hobby Lobby's

"I love this yarn" brand fiber, Elements" #904.

Pattern: Coming Home Poncho...

This is a size medium but the pattern

comes in children's to plus size...

I would make the larger size next time

so that is flowing more...

Here is where I changed the pattern so

that I could use a simple scallop edging...

The pattern had several chained links on

their scallop and I was afraid of getting caught...

I loved this pattern because I used 3 different crochet

stitches in it...single crochet, the granny square, and

the scallop...basic stitches anyone can do..

Here is this patterns link....

http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/70370AD.html?noImages=

The pattern for the child's size...

http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/70368AD.html?noImages=

The pattern for the plus size which is also called the Martha Stewart Coming Home Poncho...

http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/chsscallopEdgePoncho.html?noImages=

I will make another one, but first, I have other projects to work on lol!

...but who doesn't...

Hugs, Rita

Black Bean Portabella Mushroom Reuben Sandwich Recipe and Grilling with our NEW George Foreman Grill...

2012-01-20T05:45:00.000-08:00

Wow!! The Black Bean Portabella Mushroom Reuben Sandwich with Sauce is lip smacking rockin' awesome! We used fresh bread, cut thick, and it was wonderful! The flavors melt in your mouth. Even with all the grilled foods you are about to see...everyone in our family ate this rather than the chicken and most of the veggies! Even Garrett!! However, there were plenty to use in various ways for other meals. So let's get started on the photographs and then this great recipe and the inspiration behind it...

The NEW George Foreman Grill is the perfect size!!

Thank you again, Rebecca!! I was able to cook our complete

meal in shorter time and it "roasted" with flavor...

Chicken with lemon pepper and cilantro.

Veggies in salt, pepper, olive oil, parsley and garlic.

The portabella mushrooms sizzling on the left...

Zucchini, yellow squash, Roma tomatoes, asparagus...

The black bean burgers cooking up along with egg plant...

Awesome goodness...added some onions to the grill too...

Let me share the recipe first for the black bean burgers

and then for this amazing sauce...

Jerry's original sauce for this amazing sandwich...

The burgers were inspired by a recipe that we saw in a column called CookSmart

USA

weekend (Jan13-15, 2012 page 12). Some of the ingredients the recipe called for we didn't have or didn't care for so we changed it to what we had on hand as well as the flavors our family loves. It turned out perfect. They didn't add the onions nor the mushrooms, well nor the sauce, which was such a shame since they were so fantastic!! Then again, that is what inspired us to create this...

Black Bean Portabella Mushroom Reuben Sandwich

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained well

1 can refried beans, fat free

1 cup dry Italian bread crumbs

2 large eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic

1 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

6 slices of thick homemade bread or large hamburger buns

¼ cup real butter, melted

6 slices of cheddar cheese

2 cups sauerkraut, shredded, drained well

Onion slices, grilled or sauteed

6 large portabella mushrooms

1. Mix beans, breadcrumbs, eggs, pepper, and garlic in a bowl.

2. Divide into 6equal parts; using plastic wrap, flatten each into patties.

3. Place the burgersand portabella mushrooms on a gas or indoor grill and cook for 5-6 minutes,until done and portabellas are tender. Sprinkle some Worcestershire on themushrooms if you want, it is delicious.

4. Brush bread with butter, sprinkle some minced garlic on the bread for added flavor and toast them in the oven on 350 degrees.

5. Layer thesandwich: 1 slice of bread or bun, sauce (see below), burger, mushroom, kraut,onion and cheese then the bread or bun.

Yummy!!

Jerry’s All-Purpose Good Tasting Super Sauce

½ cup mayo

¼ cup horseradish sauce

¼ cup ketchup

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp paprika

Jerry says, "Whisk together until blended. Serve with anything fromFrench fries to ice cream."

Enjoy and I so need new shelving for my cooking toys lol...

Hugs, Rita

MOPs Minestrone Soup in a Jar Prepared & Yummy...

2012-01-19T05:45:00.000-08:00

Thank you, MOPs Mothers!!

They gave all the volunteers a jar of soup mix to take home.

I got an extra jar thanks to extra being delivered to our room...

Plus I think everyone is like "OMGOSH, she feeds 9!"

(9=6 for supper plus 3 lunches for the next day)

All the ingredients I used for this wonderful soup...

shredded cabbage (had the bagged slaw on hand),

diced onion, Roma tomatoes, fresh yellow squash,

2 cans of diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning...

Also, 6 cups of water...all in the crockpot...

Aren't the jars beautiful!!!

There is the original directions...

I didn't go to far off from them lol! =P

Fresh veggies to any soup is not only healthy but delicious...

Normally, I would shred my own cabbage but this was

something I had on hand...it is very good added to salads too.

I keep these beauties in my staples...love using them...

Hope you have a warm and wonderful winter. If you know someone that has a young child, birth to 4, recommend they look into MOPs in their area. Mothers of Preschoolers is a wonderful program that I volunteer for and have for several years. Thanks again, beautiful mothers, for this wonderful gift!!

Hugs, Rita

Night Life...

2012-01-18T05:45:00.000-08:00

First Baptist Church Bell Tower, Huntsville, Alabama

Photography by Rita Hutcheson-Cobbs

I really don't have much of night life. Why? Because we live in the county and because I love being home. Pure and simple. However, if I never went out, I would miss amazing photography views like this one! I took this photograph on our way into the church to perform the Living Christmas Tree. Isn't is lovely? Comforting! Calling to us. A beacon almost. There is a story about this bell tower and you can visit the website to research that, but I think about what this tower has represented for me.

I remember the Sunday morning, waiting for Jerry to come pick me and our new son up from the hospital to take us home when I heard this bell tower ring. Joel was three days old. I remember my first day working at Children's Rehabilitation Service, the bell tower played. I am not sure if they were suppose to or if there was a special service, but it was as if they were suppose to play on that day to remind me everything was going to be alright. I remember our first Sunday back after Joel's coma, I heard the bells as we got out of the van to go into the church. They reminded me that we were home in our safe place, where people had prayed for us, encouraged us, loved us. Those same bells had played 18 years earlier for this same boy. Then I remember another boy that those bells ring for who is no longer a boy but a man and he reminds me everyday that the bells that ring in my heart of happiness and positive thoughts and joy go with me everywhere, every moment of everyday.

I want to be like this bell tower, shining for all to see, to hear, to know that there is happiness in knowing that regardless where you are or why, someone bigger than me loves and cares about you.

Hugs, Rita

Lights in the Midst of Darkness...

2012-01-17T05:45:00.000-08:00

Huntsville, Alabama Photographed by Rita Hutcheson-Cobbs

It was exciting to be with my husband Jerry's co-workers, anywhere they are, it's a party! They are a friendly bunch of people and it is like family when we get together. This was taken on the balcony outside the room that hosted our Christmas party. I stepped out and took a series of photographs. Nothing fancy, I just love taking pictures. The Space and Rocket Center is in the background and one of our favorite places. It houses SpaceCamp which is one of the most visited places from many all over the world. Two in our home have been to a part of that camp, Jerry being one of them.

I thought about the time the photograph was taken and the darkness there of. Lights glistening here and there like diamonds among the stars in the sky. I wouldn't know what it would be like to be in pitch black darkness. Even when the tornadoes of last year took our power for over a week, it wasn't pitch black, we could still see at night once the generators were turned off. Translating that darkness to lack of hope, lack of peace, lack of love, what could some people in our world feel like without those things in their life and there are those that never experience them. Can you imagine never knowing them? I can't.

Even in my darkest moment, sensing that my life was about to end at the hands of a cruel person or that my son would take his last breath in the next moment, nor when I knew within months, another child would die did I not know somewhere deep inside me there was hope. Never have I not felt there was peace wrapped around me or that at least one person loved me. It has never occurred to me not to seek out the positive, the happy, the joy or the peaceful things in this life. Regardless of the circumstance or situation, it has never once been a thought to walk negatively without faith. I can't explain how this works within me but it does. It is a choice. I realized that one day, it really is a choice. Not an easy one, but still a choice.

Just thinking about the lights in the darkness and sometimes they are people. Surrounding ourselves with people that are happy and joyous changes our outlook on life. When we are around people that are, we tend to follow their lead. If it is your co-workers that are dragging you down, change jobs. If it is your neighbors, move. If it is your family, spend less time with them (unless it is your spouse and minor children, then start living positively and give them a reason to change too). Take long walks without your phone so that you can clear your heard and cleanse your spirit and find the light in the midst of darkness...it will be worth it to find that peace, hope and joy and most of all love...

Hugs, Rita

Stars of our lives in the forms of friendships...

2012-01-16T05:45:00.000-08:00

I have some amazing friends who are artist in their own right and Rebecca Buckner is just one of them. She made this beautiful beaded star ornament for me for Christmas. Although I think I am suppose to share it with my family, it landed on my mirror on my dressing table where I can see it everyday!! It is so beautiful!! I love how she brought both the clear sparkle of beads and the cooper together...amazing...I had to share this with you. The element of friendship is something that brings us together as strands of fiber, we come and go in life but one thing remains true, we are bound together with memories and time. I love that about the friends I have made. I look forward to growing more in my friendship garden in 2012...thank you, Rebecca, for being one of the treasured flowers in that garden...I love you so...and thank you for this beautiful gift!

Hugs, Rita

Kris Kross Crochet Scarf and Pattern

2012-01-15T05:45:00.000-08:00

The Kris Kross Crochet Scarf Design...

This was totally fun to create...

I wanted to make something for a special for a new friend and what better than a camouflage scarf! Yes! I nailed this one and yes, it is for a guy! This cross stitch pattern came to me pretty easily and I am sure you will find it so as well. I hope the photos below will help and the directions will also. I look forward to seeing photos of your work! So let's begin first with the stitch photographs...

This is how the stitching will look once you get started...

Your chain as begun and you have turned to do your single crochet...

You have completed your single crochet and now have

chained four and ready to turn and begin the cross stitching...

Skipping 2 chains from the chain 4, do a tr in the next ch...

Showing the drop offs for the tr...

Again the final drop offs for the tr...

Now, ready for the next tr in the cross stitch...

YO and go back to the ch previous to the one you just

did the tr in and in the front loop insert the hook through the

top of the chain...

Continue the tr...

After completing the Cross Stitch...skip 1 ch...

do a tr in the next ch...you will come back to that

empty ch for the cross stitch creating a pattern

throughout the row...

Now for the written instructions...

Kris Kross Crochet Scarf Pattern

by Rita Hutcheson-Cobbs

Size I/9 Crochet Hook

Chain 256

Row 1. Turn, 1 sc in the second ch from hook and each chain across.

Row 2. Turn. Ch 4, skip 2 ch, * tr in next ch. Then tr in the front loop of previous ch. You have just created a cross stitch. Skip a ch. * Repeat the process from * to * until you reach the end of the row.

Rows 3-5. Follow the instructions for Row 2.

Row 6. Turn. Ch 1, sc in the top of each tr across to end of the row. Fasten off.

Happy Hooking =),

Hugs, Rita

Paris Envelope Mini Scrapbook Album for Callie...

2012-01-14T05:45:00.000-08:00

I had to start with this photograph...isn't it rockin' awesome!! All those pockets and tags! Lots of real estate for photos, tickets, memorabilia and so forth. I loved designing and making this mini album so get a cup of coffee or hot tea, sit back and enjoy...

I started with a box I purchased a local bookstore that had the Paris theme. I was going to make one from scratch but WHY? when I found this lovely...Our sweet Callie, our son Joel's girlfriend, just spent a semester in Paris as an exchange student for college. So, for Christmas, I made her this album. It was totally fun...

I cut the album to fit inside the box of course...duh lol...

The colors of my papers just so happened, matched...

Adorable...

The band can be untied or simply slide off...

I left the back blank but she could add something, or not...

There is room everywhere for

photos and stuff...

It is like opening a surprise box!!

Out pops a mini album! Hooray!!

I cut the envelopes so they cascade

down the pile...All the tags are cut

to fit inside the envelopes...

I made tags for each of the outside

pockets, which were made with

cardstock and a Martha Stewart punch...

tags and more tags...

I loved this quote from a Tim Hotlz stamp which

represented her "journey"...

I wanted to start her trip with a photo of Callie and Joel...

I told her that she could always cover it up...=)

I used die cut stickers that I found...love the vintage feel of these...

Oh the calendar die cut sticker rocked...

I turned some of the die cut stickers into tags...

I loved the cut of that tag on the top...

thinking outside the box...

My friend, Carolyn McCravy, gave me many Paris

stickers and papers that I used in this album...

I so loved this paper piece...

I used it in 2 other projects this holiday season...

These pocket tags on the right are from Close to My Heart

and are great for adding more space to a project...

I ended her trip with another photo of the two of them...

Joel was at the airport with her family waiting for her to

come home...we didn't see him much during the holidays lol

I love things that are vintage way too much...=)

This album is put together quite easily...nothing fancy...

I did "sleep" on it one night to think about how I to

put the binding at the left together so that when you have it

flat open that it lay flat...it worked...

I just can't say enough how much I love the number of tags in this album! I always double side my tags with heavier papers or I line them with cardstock first so that they sturdy. The tab is, of course, my favorite punch of all time...they should just name it after me and give me the new design, don't you think LOL...just kidding...Love that punch though...

Callie has since Christmas shown me her album filled with some of her fun things from her trip. It was amazing...I loved it! She doesn't scrapbook and I got to explain to her that there are no rules to adding things to these albums just as there are no rules to creating paper arts or any arts...you just do it. There is so much fun in making things...right? right! I love it...it is respite to my soul and balm to my being and sweetness to my spirit. Creativity is just me.

Hugs, Rita

Wide-Eye Lappy Softy Scarf Design with Instructions...

2012-01-13T05:45:00.000-08:00

This was a fun scarf to make...

The design is super easy...

The name describes it perfectly too...

I made it super long so that it wraps around

and I can wear it several different ways...

(Thanks, Garrett, for taking my photo)

Mother and I crochet A LOT at Starbucks lol...

So I was taking photos of mother and she was

"trying" to take photos of me lol...we are so cute...

(The pattern for the scarf I am wearing is on this blog too!)

Another close up of this sweet creation...super cute...

Try using the thinner fibers! They are very easy to use...

Now that I am finished with this one...what next?

This is the winter for fibers that's for sure...

and we are having a blast making scarves!!!

Now for the promised pattern...Send me your photos...

Wide-Eye Lappy Softy Scarf Design

by Rita Hutcheson-Cobbs

2 skeins of your favorite yarn totaling 7 oz.

Size G/6 Crochet Hook

Chain 226. Turn.

Row 1. Sc in the 2nd ch from hook and sc 1 in each chain across. Turn

Row 2. Ch 4, counts as first tr. Then tr in each sc to the end of the row. Turn.

Row 3-6. Follow directions in row 2.

Row 7. Ch 1, sc in the top of each tr to the end of the row. fasten off.

Happy stitching...

Hugs, Rita

Dyeing Shipping Tags...using Beet Juice! You read that right...Beet Juice...=)

2012-01-12T05:45:00.001-08:00

While I was waiting on the George Foreman Grill to do it's thing the other night...I decided to experiment with the beet juice I had drained from the beets I was grilling. It is a perfect shade of deep red. For those of you that may not know, beets are a wonderful vegetable that are delicious hot or cold, as a side dish or on a salad. So, I dipped the tags in the beet juice, let them soak for about 15 seconds, laid them on paper towels to dry and...

This is how they looked once they dried. I was very pleased with the results. Our son, Ethan, and I decided we might try tie-dyeing next...wonder if beet juice would work on that!?! I didn't pour the juice down my new white utility sink that's for sure lol...pink sink? Maybe in the studio but not anywhere else in this house dominated by men...I made a couple of things using some of the tags, here are some clips of one of them...

I created a vintage tag with some

contemporary recycled elements too...

I like the blushing smile of my lady...

The recycled element are some pieces

our electric company left on the ground

around our meter when they moved it for

the new addition. I kept the pieces...

Bits and pieces of fibers...

The original twine from the shipping tag

was dyed with the tag in the beet juice...

I added the charm which was from a

broken bracelet...

The flowers are from a little shop

on etsy that I got a very long time ago...

don't know which one I am sorry to say...

I dyed them with Glimmer Mist...

More of the flowers...

then I added pieces of bling from a

larger sheet I had...

I layered the fibers...I placed a pink velvet strip under

the wider lace (don't you love it!) and then I layered

three pieces of ribbon topping it with a button...

The twine is my favorite to use in any project I do...

I love things vintage, never thought I

would go from steam punk to shabby chic...

I still have a heart for metal though...

, Here is one used in my 2012 Smash Junk Journal...

I want to remember this creative way of beginning the new year...

Happy Creating,

Hugs, Rita

My 2012 Smash Junk Journal...Rockin' Awesome if I say so myself =)

2012-01-11T05:45:00.000-08:00

Although I had been wanting to create a smash book or junk journal for some time, I really didn't want to create my own 2012 journal. However, I didn't get into a swap in time to share in the fun of getting on as I did last year. To say I loved the one I got last year is a major understatement!! I soooo loved it lol...Here is a glimpse of what is looks like NOW...lol...

This is the side view where it was once spiral bound. I had to cut that off around September of last year and add the plastic zip ties from the hardware store lol...very long ones I might add! I have carried it everywhere!!

This is the side view...I have answered all the prompts I was given and then I created various pockets inside as you can see on blog posts and added fiber swatches/photos and so much more fun things...totally fun! So now we began a new with the 2012 Smash Junk Journal I created for myself. I had been keeping pieces of paper and fibers along with cards and so forth to use in this project throughout the past year. So I pulled them together this week. I can't wait to start using it. Now, I warn you...this is a long blog with lots of photos of the book so get a cup of coffee or a hot cup of tea and we will visit for a little while =).

I used fibers and embellishments that I had been hoarding

for a while...

This card was originally a door knocker

that we made in a class with my friend Lori...

I loved the sentiment and wanted to use it...

and of course..."and then..." we open the journal...

The covers are chipboard pieces. I added a slipcovered

tag from Close to My heart to house my business card should

the journal slip from my hands =). Then I added a card, that I

turned into a pocket for a tag. I loved what was on the

outside to remind me of my dreams...the reason for this book...

I added one of my fun tags I made...

I love this post card which reminds me that God

brought me here and will take me on this continued journey...

I made several sections in the book, each has

3 pocket pages

(made from folded 12x12 sheets of paper)

approx 3 patterned papers

approx 6 card stock pages

then mish mash cards, paper pieces, & tags

I only worked within the first section of the journal to show what I might do with some of the pages. I want to make things for each pocket and each page as I add things to the book. I don't want to plan ahead too much so that I can be open to creativity and opportunity. However, I wanted you to see a few things I had in mind. The folded 12x12 pages creates a pocket on the outside on the back and front of the page. Then there is one on the inside as well. The tag pulls out of the top. I can also store fun things inside.

I covered the tags with papers I

enjoyed working with in 2011...

I added a journaling spot randomly to the book...

a great place to add a photo to the back and journal here...

maybe...=)

...opps...a brighter view lol...

...more tags...

...don't you love the chocolate chip paper!!

I added a ziplock baggy I had on hand...one never knows

what I might store inside...Then I used a swatch of

paper and adhered it where the label was...

Another pocket page. Some of the papers weren't

double sided so I added some of the mish mash pieces

to cover up the white spaces...

I found a clear card, punched holes a long the edge,

stitched it up with my favorite twine and thought I might

display something special inside at some point...

I love the rounded corners on this piece...

haven't used my corner rounder in a while so it

was a good thing, right?!

Another pocket page...

This is a smaller page that I inserted...

I had saved this embossed piece and added it to my

book...I love using the embossing envelopes...

...one of the patterned pages that I love...

A packaging card I will redo at some point...

Love Love Love this paper!!!

Love this sheet too...

Hobby Lobby had some sewing/crafting paper that

I would love to own someday...

Another embossed slip I found in my stash...

Check out the backside of that embossed page...

Plus I had to add the home piece...love that collection too.

I also used some of my favorite punches...have you

spotted my other one yet?! =)

More papers...

I loved using this packaging tag in the holiday mini

I made...I had to add it to the book...

More papers with great texture...

Patterned papers and cardstock working together...

More packaging that will be repurposed...

Love Love Love this paper! It's velvety...

I can't create anything without a birdcage LOL...

This is an acetate page...

More textured paper mixed in with cardstock...

A better view of each...

Another textured piece I had to add along with

a creative way of doing so...

More pocket pages...some to follow...

Just love this idea...

I haven't decided how to use the page on the right,

but I wanted to use the portion of the page on the

bottom so...I will make the reverse pocket work...

creatively of course lol...

More paper slips hidden inside...

I so love it...

Ribbons and more ribbons...

The charm was from a swap

over on the{scrap}beach.ning.com...

Yet, another pocket page...

This will have to for my mother,

she loves loves loves butterflies...

Double sided paper works better but if you don't have it

you can make the single sided work too...

Love the combo here...esp "Queen" popping out there...

More beautiful papers...I feel like fabric in a quilt.

I can tell you where each piece comes from and

what I made with them...

I love this ABC creative paper and I think it was

from Close to My Heart but I'm not sure...

More pocket pages...

The one on the right is a pocket page also,

however, I folded it a bit differently to create a lip on

the pocket.

More fun pockets...

I so love the mish mash of papers...

The back, again, is a piece of chipboard.

I covered all of it with papers that I

felt were durable to last my rough housing them...

This is the thickness now...lol we shall see at the end of the year...

I am so ready to use it too!

However, I need some prompts, got any you would like to add to my book!?!

I would LOVE for you to be a part of this so send me your journal prompts...

Hugs and thank you, Rita

For a video slide show...

My first experience using our George Foreman Grill {now don't pass out}! Plus some recipes!!

2012-01-10T05:45:00.000-08:00

Just a heads up before I begin my adventure in cooking supper on the George Foreman Grill, I cooked the chicken breasts in the Crock Pot using my favorite recipe of butter and lemon-pepper seasoning. Drained it well before chopping it up for the stir-fry. I had red, yellow, and green peppers already sliced and ready in the fridge from grocery day and then added sliced onion to a skillet sprayed with cooking spray. Sauteed them until little transparent, tossed in the chicken and Lawry's Lemon Pepper Marinade and continue cooking until the peppers and onions are tender. Now for the grilling experience and some Kale Chips...

I sliced some fresh veggies, including zucchini, yellow squash, red tomatoes (Roma's would have done better, sliced length wise), onion, beets (only had canned, but they did great), egg plant, and large portobella mushrooms.

I soaked the squash in lemon and salt water for a bit while I cut up the other items so they wouldn't turn dark. The egg plant was on bottom as well. I haven't ever had a problem with squash turning dark but thought I would stick them in there anyway. =)

So the grilling begins...We have two of these grills and I must admit in the years, we have had them, I have never used either of them. The boys have used them for grilling sandwiches and after seeing our friend Penny McClean grill fresh veggies at her sister Rachel's house Monday, I was craving these babies. It was just too cold to go outside to the big momma gas grill...

So, we grill...and we grill...

...and grill...the sampling is delicious...

wish you had some btw...

...and we grill...

did I mention I started at 3 pm...

For the zucchini and yellow squash, I brushed on a mixture of olive oil, cilantro, garlic, salt and pepper. For the beets, I sprinkled fresh ground pepper only. I love beets, don't you? They are amazing cold or heated. I love them on salads or eaten alone. They are good with cottage cheese or crumbled blue cheese too! Now I know you are hungry LOL...

Because I was getting into the third hour of cooking, I popped most of the egg plant into the oven which I had dropped into a ziplock bag with fat-free Italian dressing and then placed on a cookie sheet and backed at 400 degrees until brown and cooked tender. I did place these along with the mushrooms on the grill. They were delicious as well. For the mushrooms, I brushed olive oil, sprinkled Worcestershire sauce on both sides, salt and pepper. We love the mushrooms as burgers or eaten as a steak.

The plate of grilled veggies...

I do love my George Foreman Grill

BUT we are already considering a larger one for

our family of 6!! The ones we have just won't do...lol

Now this is a treat! I hope Penny won't mind me sharing her recipe. Our family LOVED this...Kale Chips! Cut out the stem, sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place in the over and bake at 350 degrees and who-la! you have veggie chips! They are so good...I put a little too much olive oil on mine so I will know better next time...we loved them...

We topped off the meal with dessert...fresh cut pineapple! Yes, we are taking 12 in 2012 seriously...we are eating healthy so that is the reason for the fresh veggies. So for dessert we had fresh pineapple which went great with the stir-fry. Jerry absolutely wasn't letting any of it go to waste lol...we discovered fresh pineapple over the holidays and have no plans to buy anything other than from here on...yummy and good for us...

So when things get hot and steamy and you don't know what to do for dinner...consider getting a George Foreman Grill! Our family gives it a thumbs up! Although it took almost four hours for me to cook our meal, a meal for six people, I might add...it was well worth the results. At least we know now that we need a much larger GFGrill and fortunately, they make them. So until I have a working kitchen that is functional to feed all us, I will be looking into getting a George Foreman mega grill to use...won't beat my Crock Pots but it will be happy surrounded by those lovely sluttin' sisters pimping the food right along with them...loving it...

Hugs and happy healthy eating, Rita

Rita's Italian Turkey-Butternut Squash Crock Pot Stew Recipe

2012-01-09T05:45:00.000-08:00

For New Year's this year, I wanted to fix a Mexican themed meal, however, a winter cold hitting five our of six people, me included, changed those plans. I did prepare a turkey over night with some traditional fixings that weren't a lot of trouble, mindless since I had done them in the past. So with those leftovers, I created a hearty stew, adding some wonderful veggies and herbs for our cooler weather that warmed our hearts, souls and seamed to help our colds! Yeah!! That's what I am talking about...

Can't you smell it! I know you can...=)

Let's get started cooking...

Rita's Italian Turkey-Butternut Squash Crock Pot Stew

6 qt Crock Pot

4 cups turkey breast, cooked and shredded

2 cups black eyed peas, cooked, with juices

2 cups butter beans, cooked, with juices

2 cups kernel corn, cooked, with juices

2 cups butternut squash, fresh, cubed

2 cups tomatoes, fresh, finely diced with peeling

1 medium onion, finely diced

2 medium potatoes, peeled, finely diced

4 cups chicken broth, 98% fat free

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon thyme

2 whole basil leaves

salt and pepper

Spray the Crock Pot with cooking spray and then place all the ingredients inside. Cook on low for approx. 8 hours or until the potatoes and butternut squash is tender. Season with salt and pepper as desired. I had the peas, butter beans and corn in the fridge and didn't warm them up prior to placing them in the Crock Pot either. This was fantastic!! Enjoy...

Hugs, Rita

12x12 scrapbooking of my 12 in 2012 with Faith =)

2012-01-08T05:45:00.000-08:00

Where do I want to be in 2012 in my spiritual life?

I thought of 12 in 2012...

...because of this news article in our local paper...

The colors were what sparked my interest as well as the

symbolic number "12". Then I found this photograph I had

taken near I65. Perfect for my theme...Faith Journey.

The paper took care of my layout idea...

I cannot do these flowers. and I can't

remember who made these and sent them to

me but they were in a swap I am sure...

I so love them and have hoarded them until now...

I purposely unraveled the lace and ribbons...

I loved the impression they give to the page...

I took this sentiment and ran with it on the page...

I tore some of the paper, I punched a piece, I layered it,

I stressed it...doors of opportunity indeed are everywhere...

so open them...

I loved the tiny punch from Stampin' Up!

that I used to create the edging...

The measuring tape ribbon symbolizes that

my faith can't be measures...or explained lol...

I recycled a packaging card and used it

as the journaling spot on this page.

Don't you love it!!

I layered the stickers here using pop-up dots...

I owe a big thank you to the paper company for having

"journey" already printed there for me =).

I added a tag behind the photograph so that

I could journal a bit about the photograph.

Faith is something that is personal and something I feel strongly about.

Without it I am nothing and with it I am everything.

I believe simply and honestly that loving another person is where my faith is found and offering a hug and a smile is more important than anything I can possible do. Faith is a choice, not something that can be defined easily or with words. I know that I am happy and at peace and my soul finds comfort in knowing that there is a God and I feel His presence with me wherever I go and wherever I am. I believe in His Son and that His Spirit inspires me to create and to be positive every moment of everyday. That is all that matters to me. I really don't need to understand more than that...my faith is in Him, in my family, in my home, in my community and most of all...in me. For that I create...

Hugs, Rita

12x12 scrapbooking of my 12 in 2012 with Art =)

2012-01-07T05:45:00.000-08:00

Let's get inspired! What better way than with Art...

12 in 2012 with Art...my list is simple and sweet!

I love this layout as it surrounds one of my favorite photographs...

This is the third layout I was inspired to create based on

the news article from the Living Today section of our local

newspaper...who knew?!

The butterflies were from a swap...

the stickers from my stash...

the list totally inspired...

The flower from my friend Mitzi...

Also, I love love love using hymn pages and

book pages. I won't ever forget our friend,

Geoff Halbrooks walking in as I was scrapbooking

once and he asked, "Is that legal (to tear a page from a book)?"

I replied, "It is if you are me!" LOL

I added to tags behind the photograph.

One tells about the photograph, answering

the 5Ws/1H and the other tells more about

why I felt it important to make this page and how

the photograph represent the page and my art...

Just like my art the photograph says I volunteer to be happy in what I do. I chose to be in this place that may not be comfortable. I wish to blossom and bloom, to glow and be an encouragement to everything around me. I want to shine and grow. That is what I want to be as an artist too. It won't hurt to have some rustic elements surrounding me either as well as some green as well =). I am most happy when I am creating something for that is where I find my respite.

Hugs, Rita

12x12 scrapbooking of my 12 in 2012 with Books =)

2012-01-06T05:45:00.000-08:00

As I thought about what I wanted to accomplish this coming

year, I want to education, inspire and relax with books. So

I made a list of 12 books, both new and, of course, one

that will be read before the year's end, that will make a

difference this year for me...

As I said, yesterday, little did I know that when I opened

the newspaper, I would be inspired to create a

scrapbook page, but I was...

I used stickers and ABC/123s from my stash...

I made my lists using to-do post-it notes that I cut off

the headers from...perfect...

The photograph...Starbucks, where else?

Then I added a tag behind the photograph that tells about

the photograph, where and when...inspiration, that is what

it's all about...

I loved how I was inspired to fit key words into this layout...

words like ~ happiness, inspired, books...

The leather flower still had the tag on it, marked $20, but

you know I didn't pay that...I got it for $.99 at one of my

favorite thrift stores...where I get a lot of my books.

Although these days, I get a lot of my books via ebooks, but I haven't gotten myself to go digital on scrapbooking. Why? Because there is something about playing with paper! =) As for reading, I never cared much for reading as a child or as a teenager but I did love to collect books. When, in elementary school, I would bring home the weekly readers, I returned it with all the boxes checked and money for the books. My parents weren't rich but they did encourage me to read. It wasn't until Jerry and I had Garrett that we really took the time to devote time to reading and began our book collection and our hearts fell in love with reading. Our interests are defined and our children love to read too. Starbucks is the perfect place to take a book, get a coffee or tea and sit for an hour or so just to read. Rockin' awesome inspiration...

Soothing just thinking about it...

Hugs, Rita

12x12 scrapbooking of my 12 for 2012 with Fitness =)

2012-01-05T05:45:00.000-08:00

I have wanted to use my photography photographs in some of

my scrapbooking layouts and this was the perfect opportunity!

"12 for 2012 with Fitness" Scrapbooking Page

Little did I know that when I looked at the Living Today

section of the local newspaper, I would actually get some

inspiration for not one, but four scrpabook pages...

this is one of them...

The paper had the boarder imprinted on it so I enhanced it

using the banner punch from Stampin' Up!, some pop-up

dots and scrap paper...

The newspaper article had this quote that I thought was

perfect for this page's theme.

I tool the list in the paper, agreeing with most of them and

wrote them in a journaling spot from Close to My Heart...

Also, I added a tag behind the photograph that holds a

note about the photo and how I felt it related to my

goals for getting fit in 2012. I added a button for the pull.

I continued the banner down the side of

my photograph and even added some slivers

of paper trimmed from the side of the frame...

recycling, always =).

"Celebrate" indeed...that is what I want to do everyday

as I work out bringing fitness to my body, soul, spirit and

health...

Bring it on 2012, I am so ready...

Hugs, Rita

Bread of this Life...

2012-01-04T05:45:00.000-08:00

"bread of this life" photograph by Rita Hutcheson-Cobbs

Our friend, Suzanne Mills, makes the most amazing delicious bread and it isn't just regular white loaf bread either! Each loaf is flavored with rosemary and garlic or cheese and peppers. There are times we will have sourdough, my favorite or apple and cinnamon, my mother's favorite. Then there are other amazing combinations Suzanne will make that are just as good and healthy. We love the wheats and, I must admit, the onion is one of the best. Whatever the flavors, they melt in your mouth!!

Suzanne made us a loaf of bread and gave it to us. Then I asked her to start making our bread each week, two loaves of whatever she made her family. It has worked out great! We are eating healthy and still losing weight. I am sure eating homemade bread is better for us and Suzanne doesn't add all the things others may have in them. Since I don't have a working kitchen, this situation works great for both of us; however, when my kitchen does become operational, I think we will keep this going on because we LOVE her breads!!

That got me to thinking more about breads in the realm of symbolism. The bread of this life. What am I doing to feed this life the ingredients that nurture what is important, to fill every morsel of portals that is important to fill my days and energies with things that will encourage and interest me and others for the better of what this life has to offer as well as to encourage them toward what is to come. I want to share hope, joy, happiness, and love. I want to be the skin of those things. I want others to see these things when they see me. Never do I want others to hide or run when they see me coming, I want them to embrace these things when they see me and recognize me as these things. So how do I portray them to others? What will my bread ingredients be this year to gather, measure, mix and knead then bake and savor so this will happen?

I think I will start with a clean spirit. Then consider what I say and think. Letting my every thought be pure, happy and of love. Let my words by honey and my body language reflect them as well. Will it be easy or will I be perfect? No! However, I can strive to be that loaf of bread in this life that can be the best it can be to reflect Him. I want to be and He says the willing vessel will be used for good. I am willing. I want to be used for good. Let the tasting begin...It is a new day, a new year, a new beginning...

Hugs, Rita

Blinging my Eye Glasses!! A Unique Creation...

2012-01-03T05:45:00.000-08:00

I got really tired of my black rimmed glasses about

two years ago so...I "blingged" them!!

I get compliments on them everyday

and even have gotten commission work to

"bling" glasses...perscription, reading, sunglasses...

it is so much fun...I am coloring the world, on bling at a time! =)

Hugs, Rita

A 12x12 Shadowbox of My Husband and Sister-in-Law just Yesterday...

2012-01-02T05:45:00.000-08:00

Adorable!! That is all I can say about this photograph!!

In this project, I used a 12x12 sheet of scrapbook paper, crochet lace (no, sorry, I didn't make it myself), flowers, bling, metal, charms, diecuts and a bit more here and there. This is the last in the 12x12 shadowboxes I created for holiday gifts this year BUT it won't be my last in these creations...I love making them...

I added the metal butterfly on the diecut,

it just begged to land on my page it seemed! =)

The charm peeking out from under the

flowers was perfect...The flowers are

sprayed with Marshmallow Glimmer Mist...

I added a cute miniature black locket

charm to the popped up roses bling embellishments...

There are three layers of lace embellishments on this page!

I couldn't resist layering them...I love the crochet lace...

Such beautiful sweet faces...

My husband, Jerry, and his sister, Donna Cobbs-Coleman...

those totally made this project so easy...

I wish all of you happy creating this year!

May your days be filled with happiness and love...

Hugs, Rita

New Year's Lunch with Us and a Recipe...

2012-01-01T13:41:00.000-08:00

Our "Mamaw Hutty" checking her skillet chicken

and dressing to see if it is done...

Both were fabulous too! Moister than ever before...

Recipe? She never uses one but I watched this time...

Jerry helping with the Brussels sprouts...

Roasted garlic Brussels sprouts...delicious...

(recipe is on my blog...search for it...)

Black eyed peas with fatback and slab bacon...

Just note that we only add these seasonings on

New Year's Day...lol...not an everyday pleasure...

Butter beans...

White kernel corn and seasoned turnip greens...

Mashed potatoes with melted butter...

Turkey roasted all night in the oven...

seasoned well

(recipe also on my blog...)

The turkey is always moist through and through...

placed homemade white sauce on the table and bbq sauce...

Although our two-legged family members aren't much into the dark meat,

our four-legged ones are...Beau and Chocolate are happy!!

You will see one of them in a moment...

The dressing of one pan...see...yummy...

eat your heart out friends...

My mother's dressing is amazing, only next to my

Crock Pot dressing of course...=)

Yes, Chocolate is napping nicely after

enjoying his meal...

Rita's Creamy Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes

5 lbs of Fresh Potatoes
6 qt Crock Pot
1 small can Fat Free Evaporated Milk
1 Tablespoons Real Butter
Salt

Peal the potatoes and dice them into small pieces. Rinse them well and place them in the Crock Pot. Cover them with water, sprinkle with salt and cook on low all night or 8 hours. Turn the Crock Pot off and allow them to sit for 1 hour to cool. Then drain the potatoes well. Spoon 1/3 of the potatoes into an electric mixer and pour 1/3 of the can of milk over the potatoes and add 1/3 of the butter. Mix well. Add another 1/3 each of the potatoes, milk and butter and mix well. Repeat this process until all is mixed well and creamy. Add spray butter to season. *A hand mixer will work well too.

~ This is less in calories too. "Fat Free" products bring good flavors to dishes but do watch the sodium content and sugar content in these items. Also, spray butter is a wonderful substitute for margarine and we have replaced all margarine with real butter and all oils with olive oil and cooking spray with olive oil in our home and the weight loss has continued. We don't use them often but when we need to these are our choices. Finally, I don't add salt to the cooking time of my vegetables, instead I use a variety herbs. They are fragrant and add delicious flavors. Enjoy...

Happy New Year, Everyone...

Hugs, Rita

A 12x12 Shadowbox of Our Parents From Just Yesterday...

2012-01-01T05:45:00.000-08:00

When I saw these photographs, I fell in love not only with them but with all they represented. My husband is a romantic and I see where he gets it from. That is very special to me and not something that I knew from the photographs but something we have all witness from our parents throughout the years. This is my husband, Jerry's, parents, Milford and Faye Newton-Cobbs. I believe when they were dating and first married.

I wanted to show you this photograph even

though there is a glare from the camera so that

you could see the bright paper and elements

of the design...beautiful...not much was needed from

the artist...

I didn't cut the photographs down for this because I

felt the area they were taken in were important. The bottom

photograph was taken in Faye's parents home, which is in very poor

shape now. Something we all will treasure a glimpse of.

I layered the flower embellishments

and created the bling up the side to balance

the page...

The photograph had a blue smudge

on the side so I covered it with flowers...

perfect for the photograph...

LOVE their happiness!!!

More treasured elements to assent the

special moments and smiles in these photographs...

Jerry's dad, Milford, smiles with his whole face, just like Jerry does and our son, Garrett. That is what I see in these photographs. Faye and I sit back and look at these men and who they have grown to be and feel blessed that we have been a part of watching them become who they are in Him. How precious that truly is...

Hugs, Rita

Truly, Happy New Year...

Reaching from 2011 into 2012...

2011-12-31T15:22:00.000-08:00

I don't usually blog twice in one day but by now you know that most of my posts about my art is pre-written (Joel, my college English major, is that a word?) days sometime a week in advance and scheduled in advanced. I know you are totally shocked that I am not up at 5:45 am when my blog posts go up! LOL...wow...OMGOSH! However, after getting so many responses to the combination of photos, shown above, with the caption, that I posted on Facebook, I had to blog about it this journey and the ride ahead!

For me, it isn't just about 2012 coming tomorrow but it's the symbolism of creating New Year's resolutions and for once in life, seeing them through and making them a successful highlight of my year. I want to take that "Shape" magazine that I bought this time of year in 2009 with great exercise routines while eating healthy. I have not only more weight to lose but flab to get in shape as well as keeping the weight off forever. So beginning today, not tomorrow, I started with these steps in making my goals a reality...

1. I got a 4 1/2" x 3 1/4" mini composition notebook and a black ink pen to journal every BLT down (bite, lick and taste) as my friend Linda Kirby would say. I want to make sure that nothing unhealthy goes in but at the same time I want to know that I am getting plenty of good things too...protein, fiber, vegetables, greens, etc. My doctor can even look at this and see what I am eating as can my nutritionist.
2. For less than $5, I got a pedometer that will record every step I take. I wanted accountability to get off my mac-duff and get moving. Now when Jerry and I first opened the package, we got step rewards for steps nobody took. I got rather funny at first until we figured out how to work the thing, however, the point is, I am moving more than I thought. Approximately 2,000 equals 1 mile according to one website we found.
3. I picked 3 exercises from the "Shape" magazine to begin doing tomorrow which is the official first day of this adventure AND, speaking of tomorrow, I am cleaning out the fridge and pantry of all the holiday foods...starting fresh.
4. Take a photograph, I know, I can hear you, but I took one of me when I weighed 410 lbs in black snug sweat pants and a black sports bra. No, I won't show you because they were for me. I wanted to be able to look at that photo on the rough days as a reminder, "You can do this." Then I took a photo of myself in street clothes for the official before/after which happened to be not as good as the one at Jerry's 50th birthday party.

Now, I have to ask you...what is motivating you to lose weight? For me at 410 pounds it was my health. I had no choice but to lose weight. To continue to lose weight and reach my goal, my motivation is that I feel so incredible and have so much energy that I don't want to give that up. I want more of what I have now. So, I ask you, why do you want to lose weight? What is your motivation? Today, I couldn't eat outside of what was healthy and good because I had accountability to some friends who said, "let's do this together." We are messaging everything we eat, exercise regiment and our goals. You can make the difference in your life too...don't you think!? Let's do this in 2012...=)

Hugs, Rita

A 12x12 Shadowbox of My Husband and Sister-in-Law as Children...

2011-12-31T05:45:00.000-08:00

OMGosh!! I almost kept this for myself even though it was a gift for my husband's parents!! These photographs are of my husband, Jerry, and his sister, Donna Cobbs-Coleman, when they were children. Lovely photos too.

When I was cleaning out the "hoarding house" (search my blog for the story) I got a cedar chest my father-in-law, Milford Cobbs, built many years ago. He is the most talented man I know in every avenue of woodworking to house detail. In that chest I found some old photographs that I scanned into smaller images perfect for 12x12 shadowboxes...

I sprayed flowers with Glimmer Mist Marshmallow, my favorite

and added miniature roses...I like working with white flowers

because then I can change the colors to what I need for a project.

I added charms to a Tim Holtz swivel clasp

for the vintage feel of the photographs and paper

then adhered it with hat pens and an old brass button.

The ticket offers a show stopping antique appeal to the

embellishments of the paper.

Of course, the best part is the handsome face of my husband, Jerry. When I was expecting our first child, I prayed he would be a boy. I prayed all our children would be boys but also that our first born would look like his father. He did. I love both of these photographs because they share the symbolism our family is built on, faith, hope, happiness and love. My thinking is also rather strange and realistic. The original photographs are really large, by downsizing them to shadowboxes, they fit perfectly in the new home our parents downsized too a few years ago. Then should they ever have to downsize further, the page can easily go to a scrapbook album. This is meant to be enjoyed for years to come and someday, I will display it in my home as a lasting reminder of what we mean to each other.

Hugs, Rita
Happy New Year!!!

A 12x12 Shadowbox of My Grandparents Newell's Photographs...

2011-12-30T05:45:00.000-08:00

I truly love creating the 12x12 shadowboxes! In this one, I used a set of photographs of my mother's parents, Israel and Dissie Heath-Newell for this project. I feel like I am preserving the past in a special way when creating these frames and even more so when I add memorabilia inside.

I had the photographs enlarged to 5x7s and then displayed

on a sheet of 12x12 scrapbook paper. Then I added extra

pop up dots to the photo of both of them so it popped on the page.

Vintage buttons and some silky flowers add the feel

of heritage to the page...

I can't create a mini album or a

scrapbook layout without adding bling,

I won't apologize for that LOL...

Have you seen my glasses?!?!

Embellishments don't have to be costly

when working with these layouts either...

use what you have or treasures from the family...

I cut this piece of swirl from the

original larger embellishment at the

top of the 12x12 layout page...

Loving it...

Hugs, Rita

Happy New Year!!

Cards, Cards and more Cards...

2011-12-29T05:45:00.000-08:00

and

During the month of December, my super amazing artistic friend Bobbie invited us girls over for a card camp with Annette Takko. She shared a couple of her card creations, the one above being one of them...Guess what she used to make the horse?!?! You are going to die loving it...

The Stampin' Up! Stocking Punch!!!

I so ordered it too!!! Loving it...

She also created this card with a little help from her husband. Bobbie taught a card class at our New Center Scrapbooking Crop (2nd Saturday of the month btw) and we used the Owl Punch, which, yes, I ordered too! All Annette said she did was cut the little ears off and who-la!!! Little Pigeons! I sooooo love pigeons!!

Here is a close up of this adorable little fellow!

Guess what my cards are going to look like from now on!!!

This was another card we made during our class...

And another...

I loved the stocking and had planned to get

the punch before arrival and got the stamps

to go with it too...love love the cards we made using them...

Bobbie taught this card class and

it was one of my holiday cards this year...

She is a true artist and has inspired me in so many

ways since knowing her...Loving it...

...as was this one...

I haven't been able to send Christmas cards in a couple of years due to caring for my parents and then our family. I hadn't realized how much I had missed it. Then so many of my addresses for family and friends were outdated so I will have to work on that this coming year. Mother and I prepared about one-hundred cards. She was so cute putting stickers all over them. Jerry made us some labels with all our names on them and we decided we would print the inside next year. That is a LOT of hand writing lol.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year...

Rita

Holiday Themed 12x12 Shadowbox Layout...

2011-12-28T05:45:00.000-08:00

This is a commission 12x12 layout that

went into a 12x12 shadowbox frame for a

client. I used a kit from Stampin' Up!

The diecuts came from the kit, but

I did add some bling and the music papers =).

The kit along with one more that I

had on hand, has gone on and on in

creating various projects...love that!!!

Happy New Year in Creating...

so sorry I couldn't share these before

Christmas...but they were gifts!!! =O

Hugs, Rita

Holiday Mini-Composition Notebooks...redecorated...

2011-12-27T05:45:00.000-08:00

I have had such fun redecorating, repurposing, recycling so many composition notebooks and this holiday season, I took some mini-composition notebooks and covered the front and backs with a Christmas kits by Stampin' Up! that I found in my "hoarding" stash when I was cleaning and have made so many things from just two of them!! It has been so much fun...Enjoy the following photos of more of the fun little books I made for my New Center Scrapbooking friends and some others...

Wishing you and yours a wonderful

Holiday Season...

Rita

My Holiday Mini-Scrapbook Album...

2011-12-26T05:45:00.000-08:00

WOW! So love these colors...when I was going through all my "hoarding" stuff, cleaning out, I found several Stampin' Up! Christmas kits from a few years ago. I don't know what I thought I was going to do with them but I flagged them for this holiday season. Guess what? I only used two of about six that I have in my stash AND wait until you hear what all I have created with just two kits...

First, this project...I used a children's book...four pages...

sanded down the edges after cutting the book apart...

I don't know if you can see the price,

but I paid 29cents for this book and made

two...did you read that!?! TWO mini albums

from one book!!!!

This is one of the kits I used and still had

paper left over...

Again...this is the cover of the mini album and I only used

the kit to create this mini album, adding only the ribbon

and the charm made by my friend, Tara...

Pages 1-2 with a tag out one side and photo spots with

a journaling spot on the right page...

I didn't distress either album because I wasn't sure if

the people getting either were scrapbookers or not.

The first scrapbook, similar to this one, was a commissioned

piece. This one was a gift...Thus, I couldn't share the

project until AFTER the holidays...so very sorry...so

file this for next year!!!

LOVE THESE PAGES, WHY?

Because the green background pieces are recycled bling

tags from packaging!!! Behind them are pockets for

more tags which means....

....thus, more space for journaling and photographs...

One can never have too much space for those things! AND...

Surprise!! More space on the very same pages!!!

Loving it...

I reinforced the edges to make them durable...

I also left the center of each open so that

the edge of a photo or something could

be tucked inside the reinforcement edging...

These kits had such pretty diecuts too...

The kits didn't come with the bling...

I had to add bling, you know me...=)

Love the colors and vibrancy of all the elements...

I used so much of this kit and still have

so much of it left over...

Very pleased with the results...

Sweetest reindeer ever...

Fibers and beading add to the special

features of this album...

With these two kits, I made four shadowboxes, two mini albums as I mentioned, covered several mini-composition notebooks that I will show you tomorrow...I may start this week on next year's projects before putting the holiday papers away LOL...loving it...

Hugs for the coming New Year...

Rita

Candle Lit Glass Block Decor Element...for a lack of better title =)

2011-12-25T05:45:00.000-08:00

Don't you absolutely love it!!! I attended a Craft and Conversation Ladies Night Out at First Baptist Church in Huntsville, Alabama a few months ago and one of the class choices was for this project. I didn't take this class but figured I could make this. So, I glanced over my shoulder ever so often to check them out! ;-) I thought it would be a GREAT idea for our Special Ministries Sunday School Class to make for their family member for a Christmas gift and guess what? It was!!!

I used one sheet of 12x12 scrapbook paper for four blocks, a "pretend" candle that is battery operated (so my kind of candle, folks! A blog story for another day of me burning down the master bathroom...sigh...), a blingy decor piece, ribbon, Modge Podge, and adhesive is all that is needed.

I used the double sided red tape to spot stick the ribbon onto the glass...

Then I tucked the tape inside the plastic spout. My husband, Jerry,

figured out that if we cut a hole in the center of the plastic spout, we

could glue the candle to the spout and it could be turned on/off without

being removed, thus, the ribbon stays in place...

The scrapbook paper was decoupaged in place and the kids

loved doing this part...

I used E6000 to add this piece...

so love that glue!!!

Beautiful!!

I did have to go several times during the weeks

prior to Hobby Lobby using my 40% coupon getting

one block at a time because they are very expensive to

purchase...I didn't mind...they are indeed beautiful!! =)

The kids in our class made a couple of things to give their family members for Christmas and enjoyed it so much that we are going to make things throughout the year to have ready for a gallery show to go along with their art journaling. Art is such a wonderful way to express yourself and to give of yourself. Jerry and I are enjoying this opportunity to share music and art as well as letting these beautiful people know that there is One that accepts them as they are and that there are things they can do and be appreciated for.

From our family to yours,
Wishing a treasured Merry Christmas,
Rita

Participating in the Living Christmas Tree, Part 3

2011-12-24T05:45:00.000-08:00

Here we go!! Our son, Joel, and Me...

As I said in Part 1 of this blog entry, Joel was in another

location twenty-three years ago when we attended our

first Living Christmas Tree program at First Baptist Church

in Huntsville, Alabama! Thankfully, we are here now...=)

Taking our seats in the Fellowship Hall prior to our first performance...

Elizabeth going over her music...

Billy Orton, Director and Music Minister,

giving last minute notes and encouragement...

The ensemble that sung prior to the LCT, Joel also sung in this group...

Elizabeth...a beautiful musician...

Rehearsing once more and warming up...

Between Saturday's and Sunday's performances, a

light supper was served. I told Billy and the kitchen staff

that I only sing in the LCT for the food LOL...

Last minute safety check...

We are paying attention...

The winner of leading the "Hallelujah Chorus"

during the Children's Performance...

he did an amazing job too!!!

The LCT Guest Soloist Alvy Powell

The Living Christmas Tree...

More than 200 Voices and Musicians...

...with 6 performances, 1 being a modified children's program...

This is Christmas for so many, that is what I heard as I thanked

many for coming to this year's performance...

The closing of the Children's Program...

I had to take this photograph...the two little

girls were dancing in the aisle, pretending to be the

dancers in the program...so cute...

Alvy Powell performing during the Children's Program...

I stand in awe of this magnificent program!!

WOW!!

Joel greeting a "young" 92-year-old guest attending the LCT program.

It was such a joy to participate in such a beautiful program as the Living Christmas Tree. Christmas wouldn't be so blessed and treasured without this being a part of our tradition. Having our family participate is just a bonus. God blessed the day the door opened for us to do so and to get to know so many precious people that have become family not just friends of faith and hope sharing the season of not tradition but of knowing that we have a peace of certainty that the One is coming again and when He does, we will know a peace that passes understanding and we will be in that magnificent choir one day and thanks to Billy Orton, we will be on pitch!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Rita...

Now, for the beautiful complete presentation of this year's

Living Christmas Tree...

at the introduction, Garrett is sitting in the audience...=)...

The Living Christmas Tree 2011 from FBC Huntsville on Vimeo.

Participating in the Living Christmas Tree, Part 2

2011-12-23T05:45:00.000-08:00

I may get in trouble for some of these photographs =O because I was suppose be IN the Living Christmas Tree at First Baptist Church in Huntsville, Alabama when I took this one and as for some of the others...well, let's just say, I wasn't suppose to be taking photographs during the program, but it was rehearsals and the actual performance photography was done at the Children's program on Sunday ((Promise, Billy!!!) really!! I promise...=)

That is my son, Joel, just two rows below me

singing tenor and having a solo portion of the LCT...

Billy Orton, Director & Music Minister

LCT Shrubs or Hedges, I like hedges...

My view...loving it...but would love to be even higher

than row 5 ((hint, hint, hint))...not the star, that is a solo

YIKES!!!

The LCT 2011 Program

Although sadly a blurry photograph, the dancers were amazing...

Our son, Joel's, solo in the LCT...

The LCT Guest Soloist, Alvy Powell.

My name in print...Rita Hutcheson-Cobbs...

see, I can sing =), well, I am a warm body in a choir...

His voice is so amazing...

He said that the southern hospitality was truly felt here...

Joel Cobbs...so proud of him...

The FBC Orchestra and guest musicians are

so wonderful. I enjoy hearing them. Billy also plays...

A list of the eight LCT programs I have participated

in thus far. Six of those, Joel has participate in and

five of those, Jerry has participated.

Rehearsals are completed...it is about

time to perform...we are so excited!!!

...and a bit silly!! Got to love Joel!!

...and what a view...looking up into the balcony as the choir

rehearses their song for the following Sunday. The sound is amazing...

Jerry and I are blessed beyond measure. As I sat in the pew, crocheting and waiting for Joel to rehearse up there in the balcony, I thought of our children and the lives they have chosen thus far. I realize they may change the course they have set before them, but for now the one of faith and obedience is the one they eagerly seek. Life won't be easy for them. Just like climbing the narrow passage way of the Living Christmas Tree and weaving into the row and stepping on the box to stand for well over an hour to sing, life is filled with the same travels. However, we too must keep focused on the one true Director as we do as a choir on the lead musician. God will direct our paths and each note we sing and each word we speak if we continue to be faithful and seek Him in all we do.

Hugs and Merry Christmas,

Rita

Participating in the Living Christmas Tree, Part 1

2011-12-22T09:41:00.000-08:00

It came quickly! What, you ask? The Living Christmas Tree rehearsals! All of sudden September was here and then it was December 14th! The day we mounted the massive green tree in the Sanctuary of First Baptist Church of Huntsville, Alabama. This was my eighth year to participate and my twenty-second to attend, would have been my twenty-third had they not had it one year due to building renovations. I was very pregnant with our son, Joel, the first year Jerry and I attended. One of the choir members gave me tickets at work and we were hooked! Each year after that, I requested tickets as early as February for the following year's performance. Then I asked to participate and was welcomed. After two years, we joined the church family in worship and attendance. Joel is still a member of FBC while we are at New Center Baptist leading Special Ministries and Jerry playing bass guitar, but this church will be home too because of the faith and foundation we share just as we do at New Center. But I am off focus...so let's get started...

Music, music, music is rehearsed over and over

and then cheat sheets are given, but there is no way

to really use them in the tree so memorization is a MUST!

Dottie is a great organizer and

Kimberely (not pictured) is too!!!

Judge did a great job with safety this year too...

More last minute info before our last rehearsal...

Meeting in the chapel for our last rehearsal and

first tree mounting...

Lining up in the hall to enter the Sanctuary for

the candlelight portion of the LCT program...

sometimes the candles work and well, sometimes they don't...

fortunately, mine did =)

A quick glimpse of the LCT from the back doors...

Getting in position...Billy Orton is an amazing director...

He has an amazing music staff and supports in place too...

I am last in the line up...I am totally cool with that...

The Living Christmas Tree is more than just a symbol of our community or church. It is the heart of my Christmas season. Through my life there have been challenges, obstacles, joys and laughter but without fail, there is the LCT at the end of my year. I know it will be there shining and I know that I will climb it toward the top and be on the outside right side. With each step I walk toward my spot, I pray, releasing the things of the year by saying a blessing of thanksgiving for each one, knowing they are being washed away and left behind because I am closer to the Star, the One who loves me more than any circumstance or situation, joy or laughter that may come my way. He is the One that brought this peace into my life twenty-three years ago. It represents the peace of life I look toward each year, it is my Christmas love, my Christmas Spirit, my Christmas One.

Hugs and Merry Christmas,

Rita

Cherishing these moments....

2011-12-09T14:45:00.000-08:00

I have gotten my mother, Thelma "Mamaw Hutty" Newell-Hutcheson, hooked on Starbucks! She not only likes the drinks, cold or hot, in a bottle or in a frap or latte, but especially served in the cafe with a cheese danish if you will please! =) It would even be nice if the twenty-three year old fellow in the tight skinny jeans were to deliver it to her table too! LOL...just ask her about that when you see her....Regardless who makes the drinks, I am cherishing these moments with my mother.

Mother got hooked, no pun intended, after I made several this winter season. I totally love this fiber made by Red Heart called Fall. I remember the name only because we were trying to match it at the store several times. I can't seem to use this brand due to the dye they use, but isn't the colors fabulous. She is making up this pattern as she goes. Mother is a try artist at making doilies and I will have to feature some in my blog at a later date...you will love them.

Mother trying to use my camera phone to take my picture...

Me, helping her find the little silver button on the side of the phone...

Things can get rather funny when the two of us get together. I am just trying to make the days pleasant. We worked all morning at her home place, gathering her things to take them to my house, also her home until she passes from this life or when I am no longer able to care for her, and place the home she and my dad shared up for sale. Starbucks was a place for us to relax and warm ourselves before heading home to unload all her treasures.

Mother enjoys the pumpkin spice latte

while I love love love the peppermint mocha!

I will miss it when the holiday season is over...yummy...

I am making another scarf and since I have finished, you can expect another free pattern to be posted soon. It is a very simple stitch and this scarf only requires two stitches to complete. The fiber is so very soft too. I got stopped many times today to ask where I got it. Crochet is my obsession and respite but is also something I can share with my mother. She taught me to crochet and she enjoys it as much as I do. I can carry it with me wherever I go and I certainly can use the scarves...or I can stitch them all together and make a blanket...oh the possibilities especially when shared with a loved one at Starbucks...yummmm.

Hugs, Rita

Erasers come in handy...

2011-12-06T05:45:00.000-08:00

Our son, Garrett, and I went Christmas shopping last week. He loves to do his shopping at the $Tree. He gets a shopping basket as soon as he walks in the door and he knows who all he is shopping for and he will pick something for each one, place it in his shopping basket and when he is finished, he is ready to go. When we leave the store, we go to his favorite WalMart and then to lunch. Garrett is more than ready to go home afterwards. He will stash his "Christmas gifts" in a hiding place in his room until our "scheduled" gift wrapping day. I know what all he has gotten but I have to "forget" what he has gotten for me. I think that is why God has given me ADHD because guess what, I always forget!!! lol...

While we were at the $Tree, I found this mega huge eraser! I had to purchase it. While I was working on the second mini album for the Christmas holidays, I had to erase some lines and I used this eraser. I took little effort and the lines were gone. I was thinking, "Wow, I wish the mistakes of life were that easy." That put me to thinking about mistakes I have made. I have replayed various things here and there and some things I have brushed off knowing that I can't change other peoples behaviors or choices and know that someday they are going to look back and wish they had made different choices and know they are lonely people because of those choices. However, I look at my life and realize I can change my view of life. I did much of that after Ethan's first seizure and more after Joel's first seizure and EVEN more after my dad's leg was removed. When daddy moved in with us and his death, I realized that life is too short why care what other people think. During that time, Joel had several inches of his brain removed and I shaved my hair off...life was forever changed...then two years later tornadoes came. Life was forever changed for all of us.

I realized once again with finality that life is short. You pick and chose what you do with it because it can all be gone tomorrow. I began throwing and cleaning out. I won't hoard again. I began using my hands to create warmth for others, giving prayer shawls to those that needed to be wrapped in God's love. I wanted them to know that He is there for them when hugs can't be. I may not always say the right thing and it may be boarding sin with convo with me at times but God knows my heart and knows that my mouth is honest and pure of love and honesty as to who I am in Him. I love with my whole heart and continue to do so even after their stupidity rules their life when they don't realize it. LOL, did I just say that? I did even though, you were thinking it too! For real, it's the truth.

Now that I care for my mother, I listen day in and day out joyfully never with regret to the same stories and the same convo's regardless if it is of family or television as if I have never heard them before with newness and a glad heart. I respond differently each time so she won't know or realize she has told me this before. Each and everyday, I answer and respond to Garrett's continuous comments and questions about the same things of the coming holidays. He too doesn't know he has asked or mentioned that very thing only five minutes before. Why am I rambling about this? Because I needed to remind myself and you that our mistake comes when we say, "I don't have time for that right now," or "you've already told me that before," or "let's not dwell on that right now" because that person may need to do so. I can listen all day long and if that person needs me to go see their handy work or something on television or the cows outside, I am so there. I may not be interested, but I can pretend all day long, because the God that dwells in me, created within me a new heart, and I am no longer mine but His and He needs to use me to be Him at times. So regardless of what may come out of my mouth at times or what I may wear or how I may act, I am a willing vessel to be used by Him at times during my day for my mother and Garrett whenever He needs me. That's my calling. I don't know why. I never thought of me doing this, but it's totally ok by me. Just let me go to Starbucks and lunch ever so often and I am good.

I think there is a song that has the words, I am his hands and feet or something like that. Some days I am not perfect for either but then He doesn't call me to be perfect, just available. Here I am waiting and you...loving my life, I wouldn't trade it for anything. I never knew I could be so happy and find little things so wonderful as I have this past four weeks...Loving it, truly loving it...so Big Mega Eraser, erase the big mistakes I have made and those that create havoc in my life and negative ill will, I don't need their influence, create a positive happy life with people that love one another and love those I care for. Thank you and if you can make coffee, that would be a bonus too. lol...

Hugs, Rita

Chalkboard Dipped Wine Glasses...Is that right? Hmmm

2011-12-05T05:45:00.000-08:00

I saw this on Pinterest and had to give it a try...but I have already found a better way to do the whole process. You will need wine glasses, of your choice, chalkboard paint like that in the photograph, masking tape, a large screwdriver, parchment paper, forget the plastic container (thought I would need it but I didn't), scissors, chalk and twine plus bling or rhinestones if you want them and Glossy Accents or clear glue. So let's get started on this fun amazing project.

Tape the stems of the glasses wherever

you want the paint to stop...

the next set I do, I am going to the base of the glasses...

Stir the paint up really good all the

way to the bottom of the can...

I got this can which was in a box at WalMart.

Dip the glass into the paint...

Allow the access paint to drip off...

about a minute...

Place the glasses on parchment paper.

Leave them for 2 hours or until dry...

I left mine overnight...perfect...

My husband wanted to see what one

looked like after about an hour...thus the ring...=)

This is what mine looked like upside down even though they were dry...

I clipped the access paint off the edges...

Rolled the sides of the glasses on the parchment paper

to smooth out the edges where I had clipped the access paint...

Done...

Hubby playing with the camera =)

Chalk and the glasses waiting for embellishment...

I added a piece of chalk to two of the glasses

going with a bottle of wine...

I added bling/rhinestones to the edge of the chalkboard paint

for a little sparkle using Glossy Accents to make them

secure...

Our gift includes a bottle of our

own Hickory Glynn Blueberry Wine

from our miracle bush, two glasses with the

creative unique touch where their names can be

written on the base and a delicious handmade card...

What a lovely gift...

No gift from me is complete without bling lol...

My husband, Jerry's, added touch!!

Loving it...

Any glass could have the added bonus of chalkboard paint

and no more mixing up drinks regardless of what is in them...

Handmade cards are always a treasure...I love making them...

So, once again, a sweet thing from a cute website only a new twist is added from my own studio. I made these glasses in just a couple of hours on a Saturday night and finished them up before church on Sunday morning. As for the wine, well, that took a bit longer. Although, I don't care for wine or beer, I won't apologize for it. The Bible doesn't say not to drink, just don't be drunk with it. Everything takes responsibility, I just need to learn it when I purchase bling, cardstock, ribbon, embellishments, etc lol...Enjoy...I hope you too can find ways to make beautiful gifts this holiday season for your friends and family and your neighbors.

Hugs, Rita

Rockin' Rollin' Roller Coaster Crochet Scarf Pattern...

2011-12-04T14:13:00.000-08:00

This is a super easy fun crochet pattern and will make the most amazing full, long scarf. I am loving wearing this and it is two simple crochet stitches that creates an adorable pattern. I created this scarf because I wanted something full and fluffy to wear AND I so loved the colors!! However, I want to explain that I made it in two pieces so that each end that hangs down has the ripple effect. I will explain in the directions and I promise, you can so do this!! =)

You will need:

10 oz of fiber/yarn. For this I used Hobby Lobby's "I love This Yarn! Ombre" brand and it took 2 skeins of yarn to complete the project.
Size H crochet hook

ch 33
Row 1: Turn, skipping the first chain, sc (single crochet) in each front loop of chain across, ch 4. Turn.
Row 2: Skip first loop, the ch 4 counts as your first tr (triple). Tr in the next 3 loops, *sc in the next 4 loops, tr in the next 4 loops * continue to the end, chain 4. Turn.
Rows 3-46: Continue this process until your project as instructed in Row 2, fasten off.
Join yarn to back loop, sc in each chain across. ch 4. Turn. Follow instructions in Row 2 through Row 46, fasten off.

Remember to recycle any remaining yarn or threads. Birds love to build their nests in tidbits of fiber or you can make small flowers for your scarves. Also, many shelters and homes for women use the fiber to make things. Think of creative ways to recycle. Enjoy...

Hugs, Rita