Soup...It's What For Dinner!

Another 8 inches of snow fell here last night.

That calls for warming, spicy soup for dinner.

This recipe is sooo easy! And equally tasty.

I haven't made it in awhile and am so glad that I had some

uncooked chicken breasts in the fridge!

 

Salsa Chicken Soup

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed

32 oz. chicken broth*

1-2 tsp. chili powder**

1 cup frozen corn

1 cup salsa

 

In a large saucepan, combine chicken, broth, and chili powder. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat; cover and simmer 5 minutes. Add corn; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Add salsa and heat through. Garnish with avocado and grated cheese. Serve with a side of corn bread.

 

* I always have some homemade broth in the freezer. It really gives it a rich flavor, because it isn't watered down like the canned stuff, but Pacific Organic chicken broth is good in a pinch.

 

** I used Penzeys' Chili Powder Medium Hot. It was pretty zappy so I only added 1 tsp.

 

Give it a try and let me know how you liked it!

 

Have a warm and cozy evening!

Simply,

Victoria

 

 

 

 

First Framing Attempt

I love weekends.
I love the change of pace and the freedom from school.
I love being able to take some time to create.
A couple of weeks ago I purchased some supplies to try my hand at framing.  I purchased a large sheet of acid-free foam board at Michael's, found in the framing department, and some brass, rustproof pins at Joann's. This weekend was the first opportunity to give it a go.

I had googled the process a bit and learned some from a store owner before I purchased anything. Some of the things I read said to lace, some to just pin. The lady in the closest LNS to me used T-pins that she removed when finished. She laced with a cotton string/thread that you would use in crocheting. Before I started I wasn't sure if I would pin and/or lace. I just knew that I didn't want to use any tape, acid-free or not.

To start I measured the foam board with the piece of cardboard inside the frame I was going to use, making sure there was enough room in the frame for the fabric as well. I decided the best way to cut it was on the band saw. Then carefully eyeing up the piece and the lines, I began to pin it. I had to unpin and repin a couple of times. Once because I found that I had left a tiny thread tail that showed through rather obviously to me. (*Note to self - trim thread tails carefully!)

Here it is pinned:

 I decided to lace. Since I have never done this before, I wanted to be sure that it would be tight enough. I just used a thick thread I had on hand which worked adequately.

I just kind of zigzagged my way across top to bottom and then side to side. Next time I will tack the corners differently but I didn't want to make them too thick and bulky.

So I just left them rough as they wouldn't show anyway.

I am quite certain I will win no awards for my lacing! :p

It looks pretty scrappy!!

 

I remember the store owner saying not to pull too tightly or it distorts the linen

 and the evenness of the piece. So I really just laced to secure it without creating too much tension. I then just pushed the pins straight into the foam board.

Then into the frame it went.

 

 

 There it is. I am curious to see how well it holds and if it gets any gapping in the linen over time. Now I know that if it does, I can fix it by repinning and lacing again.

If any of you have some tips on this, please, please share! I am sure I could learn more regarding the actual lacing process. And, for those of you who have never done this, I encourage you to give it a whirl. For me it wasn't as intimidating as I thought it was going to be. I had asked the lady at the LNS if I attempted to lace a piece and I goofed it up would I ruin it. She said she didn't think so. So that also gave me encouragement to try it. I am also glad I first tried this on a small piece.

What is most rewarding to me is the fact that the whole thing cost less than $10 when I was finished.
Here's my math:
Foam board  $6.90 for a sheet that was 32 x 40 -  I used 5 x7--  $.19
Brass pins $4.49 for 200, roughly used 35 pins -- $.80
Frame $3.99 on clearance plus 25% off that (Michael's)-- $2.99
I didn't factor in the thread~

The approx. total for framing was $5.00. Wow, that seems really low, doesn't it?? Well, I checked my math a couple of times to be sure and I get the same thing. If any of you check this and I am incorrect, please let me know!

So, stitching friends, here's my encouragement to you: if you've been thinking about doing this, give it a try. You might find that you can do it too. Besides, who of us wants our lovely work rolled up and tucked away until we can afford to take it to a professional framer?

Simply,
Victoria

Stitching Progress

Here's my bit of progress in the past week and a half.

 

 

This is using the fabric I dyed last week. I stitched it up for a valentine for BNH. :)

Jane Austen Love Letter

28ct. hand dyed French Country Latte

DMC colors suggested on chart

nun stitched edges in DMC 3031

 

Before I started that one, my youngest was looking through my box of projects

and really wanted me to start The Old West by LNH.

I promised I would start that one next.

I think he is tired of the romantic sentiments of Jane Austen. haha

Cowboys and the Alamo, now that is intriguing to a 6 year old boy!

Here is as far as I have gotten. 

One sleeping cowboy done!

 My boy likes to "read" the charts and see the progress I am making. Yesterday when he was feeling poorly, I asked him if he would like to have me read to him  or play a game. He wanted to spend time with me by watching me stitch. Tonight he thought I could play Trouble with him and stitch at the same time. Umm, not quite. Unless I want to drag the game out and frog out a bunch of stitches.

 

I am not sure what I will do with this one when it is finished. In some ways it is not me- my decorating style. But in other ways it is me. I LOVE San Antonio, The Alamo, and the Texas Hill Country! Almost a year ago BNH had a business seminar in San Antonio and I got to go along. Happiness!!! While he was in meetings I walked the River Walk and went to The Alamo. 

It was great, just absolutely great.

I had some refreshing quiet time in both places and found a sweet little chapel

where the Lord met me in a profound way.

It "just so happened" that while we were there it was my birthday. One of my birthday requests was to visit the local needlework store down there. So off to the Stitches from the Heart we went, and it was there that I purchased this chart.

So that makes it extra special to me too.

Maybe I will give it to my boy when it is done for his room or maybe I will save it

 "if" we ever move down there and southwest becomes my decorating style.

 

Well I promised I would make some progress tonight so I had better pop off here and stitch up another cowboy.

 

Have a relaxing and refreshing Sunday, friends!

Simply,

Victoria

Battling

It's a battle.
Each and every day.
Some days I have my armor on and it goes well.
Other days, well...
Well, my arms are weak and I am not holding my shield and sword up high but rather down by my sides. Yeah, that is how it's been here lately.

I was talking to my BNH the other night. He had been out visiting and encouraging our oldest son in VA for a few days and we were trying to catch each other up with all the news. I explained to him how I felt that I was going along so strong covered by Grace and wham! it was completely the opposite. He said, "Yeah, it's like you get flipped on your back." That was exactly it! Immediately the image of a bug lying on its back pathetically waving its legs back and forth came to mind. I was feeling pathetic too. Torn between wanting to flap around for awhile in self-pity mode and fighting with the fact that it was going to be a true struggle, i.e. work, to get myself righted. Not just righted for the moment either.

A battle.
A serious front line battle.
One that starts with choices.
Choices that are intentionally made not passively slipped into.

Will I be like a bug and choose to flail around for an extended period?

Will I choose to lift up my weak arms and strengthen my feeble knees even if I fall on my back again in minutes?

And, if when I fall again, will I be determined to get back up yet again??

We've been hit with another illness in the house. We are tired. My poor 6yr.old has coughed himself to the moon and back. :(  It was so easy to want to complain this morning after little sleep and a long day of work ahead. But after spending some time in Philippians yesterday for my study, today I said "no." Not gonna go there.

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault... Phil. 2:14-15

My friend in my small group said she noticed that the verse about complaining was 2:14.
2-14 as in "it was just Valentine's Day."
2-14 as in LOVE.
If I really believe He loves me, I'm not going to complain. He's got my best in mind even, and especially when, the going gets tough and I fall on my back.

It's a battle to believe in His great love for me. And it's a battle to love His will more than my own. There's no room for sneaky doubt or those proud thoughts that say, "I know what's best for me and this is so not it!"

My desire is to be blameless and pure without complaining, accepting His good will for me.  My desire is to battle well.

Simply,
Victoria

Trying a bit of Dyeing

Yesterday I decided to play around with dyeing a small piece of fabric. I have been intrigued by it for awhile.
This is what I want to do next:

I thought since the piece is called "Jane Austen Love Letter," it would be cool to try dyeing the fabric to give it an old look.

Part of me was nervous. I didn't want to wreck the fabric because it is one I have

loved working with and I have another quick stitch project

 that I could use the leftover piece on. It is 28ct. French Country Latte.

 

The other part of me said what have you got to lose. 

Following Vonna's steps made it really easy.

I did use both tea and coffee to stain it. Because it is such a small piece of fabric, it was only in the oven for 15 minutes and then another 7. It was almost completely dry then.

 

I was really surprised how quickly it went and how much it dyed the linen.

Before I put it in the oven it didn't look all that mottled.

 

This picture has less natural light on it and you can see how it took the stain.

 

Here it is after I ironed it.

Pretty cool!

But maybe a tad too dark for the Love Letter.

So I placed it in the sink in cold water for 30 seconds or more to soak.

 

Here it is dry and ironed.

A little more subtle and not so bold.

A complete transformation from the first picture.

I will definitely try this again for the right project and play around more with the bunching up of the fabric in the oven.

Maybe certain areas are still to prominent.

 

If any of you have tried this, please share your tips or suggestions with me!

 

Have a blessed day!

Victoria

 

 

 

Much Better x 2

When I was a little girl, my family gave me the nickname "Picky Vicki." Not very flattering but I suppose it did fit a bit. I'd like to think I have outgrown the picky part, but I am starting to wonder.

After I stitched up "Joyful Hearts" as a giveaway for my Bible study, something about it just didn't look giveaway worthy. The corners seemed to suddenly empty out and look flat, and the whole thing looked a bit rumply and squished. Since I had already started stitching another, I decided to take some time on Sunday to finish and see if I could make it look better.

I think it does. So does BNH.

Here are the 2 side by side.

Second one on the left, first one on the right.

Something about the second one just seems bolder and straighter.

I did use a different thread color, DMC 815, cause I was out of WDW Lancaster Red.

I feel much better about giving it away.

(At some point I will open up the one on the right and restuff it.) 

For the past couple of weeks, every morning I would come down the stairs to start breakfast and see this:

I would look at it and think "Oh, I like it, but it is too stretched out. There really needs to be one more triangle point in there."

 

The trouble was I bought as much of the batik fabric as there was. The sales lady was so helpful in trying to refigure the pattern to make it work.

 And it did...

...but not quite.

So after asking at another quilting shop, I discovered that the cloth is not new

and may be hard to find.

I didn't want to spend hours online looking for it either.

So also on Sunday I decided to piece the scraps I had left and see what it would look like. I was able to get a fat quarter of the gold piece so the back has a complete square.

The top is made of 3 pieces.

Can you tell?

 

 Now this is what I get to look at:

 

Much better, hey?

 

Guess it just takes a rainy Sunday to tweak things around a bit. 

 

Because sometimes you just know when things could look better and you gotta do whatcha' can to change them.

Simply,
Victoria

Now, if I could do something about my blurry photos...


Snow's Embrace

As the snow falls all around

 

Gently covering all the ground

 

Whispers of His love embrace

 

Grace to cover every place

 

Drops of red paid all my cost

Oh, for joy, I am not lost.