NEEDLES-N-PINS STITCHERIES: SUMMER POTATO SALAD RECIPE

Hope everyone is having a great summer so far. I have heard that some parts of the country have been very hot so hopefully all of you are surviving the heat. 

Summer is only half over so there is still time to have those picnics and BBQ's and what is one of the all time favorite foods for those? Yep....potato salad. This is my own recipe that I have been making for years. I don't know where I got it, but my family loves it. I thought I would share it with you today. :)

Now I am one who does a dollop of this and a pinch of that so you will have use these ingredients to suit your preferences.  

Here it is......

Ingredients:

6 potatoes (red or russet...your choice)

4 hard boiled eggs

Appx 2/3 cups of bottle Italian salad dressing (I use Kraft)

Appx 2 large spoonful of dill pickle relish

Appx 3 large spoonful of Miracle Whip

Paprika

Instructions:

Boil and cook the potatoes until done. Cool to touch.

Peel the potatoes and cut into hunks.

Put potatoes in bowl and add the Italian salad and stir to coat the potatoes. Refrigerate for 2 hours. After the potatoes have been refrigerated hard boil 4 eggs, peel and add to potatoes. Add relish and Miracle Whip and mix well with the potatoes and eggs.

Sprinkle top with paprika and walla................you have a great salad for your picnic or BBQ. 

My family always likes this potato salad and I usually have some left over for the next day's lunch. :)

Have a great picnic!

Colleen :)


Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries


Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries Blog

Jacquie's Up-Cycle Nation: Drinks On The Patio

 The backyard patio is relaxation perfection for lazy summer days shared with good friends or the solitude of a good book.  Make that outdoor space a little greener with the newest creations from these Etsy up-cycle artists.

Wine barrels turned lounge chairs make an eclectic focal point for backyard lounging.  This set made by RenderedUseful2 invites guests to linger in stylish comfort.

Create a table top succulent garden with planters from  Rehabulous. Browse this Etsy shop to find new innovations in up-cycled bottles. Hostess gifts and house-warming heaven fills this artist's inventory!

Upgrade patio lighting with this handsome pendant lamp crafted by pic76. Perfect for the patio and the man cave!

From up-cycled glass tumblers to wine barrel furniture to glass jewelry, bottlehood is a one stop patio shopping destination! 



Keep summer sentiments fresh with a  MarvelousMessages t-shirt.  Made from recycled materials, these tees have the feel of organic cotton with stay-cool wicking properties.  This Etsy shop is brand new so swing in and see what's on trend!

For more fabulous up-cycled patio decor search recycled patio on Etsy.

LOVE  &  UP-CYCLE NATION!!

Jacquie Wheeler

Hand of Bela Peck

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Handofbelapeck?ref=si_shop
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BelaPeckHome

http://handofbelapeck1759.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hand-of-Bela-Peck/294397987277061?ref=hl

Sunday Blog Party - Christmas In July

Welcome to our Sunday Blog Party. We would love to have you show us your handmade items for Christmas in July.

You are allowed to add 3 links to your shops or your blog.

The rules are simple:
1. Follow our blog
2. Handmade items only.
3. You may list up to 3 items each week.
4. Family friendly items only.

The success of this link party depends on the participants so spread the word to your friends, visit the shops,  post about it on your  blog, in a forum or on your favorite social networking site, grab the button and put it on your blog or website.
Just click on the Add Your Link button below and add your items.
And if you would like to add a link to the party you can grab this button below.

<a href="http://www.byyourhands.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i782.photobucket.com/albums/yy110/ByYourHands/blogparty.jpg">, </a>

An InLinkz Link-up

Witches Stitches - Summer Salsa

This time of year I seem to be flooded with zucchini and yellow squash. I don’t grow it in my garden, but people give it to me. I m a vegetarian and people give me all kinds of goodies from their garden. I am not complaining…produce is expensive and free is always good. The thing is, what to do with it all. Here is a great way to use it all up, make something that is high in fiber, protein and just down right good. Did I mention low in calories? Yes that too. I make super chunky summer salsa. You can make as much of this as you want and freeze it in smaller portions for whenever you want it.

There are no measurements, you use as much of whatever you want. Here is what I do, you can change it to fit your likes.

Chop 1 onion and 2 peppers into small pieces and cube the zucchini and squash into 1” cubes.

 In batches in a large frying pan sauté, (in a touch of olive oil) 1 large white onion 2 large red, green or yellow peppers, (I use whatever someone has given me). To that I add as much squash and zucchini as will fit in the pan. When it is fully cooked, I put it into a large soup pot. Then I do another batch of the same.

When the second batch is done and in the soup pot I add the following:

2 small cans of tomato paste

2 cans of white kidney beans

3 cups water

1 packet of taco seasoning

Stir it all together set your stove to the simmer setting and cover your pot. Let it simmer for about an hour, stirring it every 20 minutes.

This makes a very chunky salsa that is like a meal. It can be eaten with crackers or corn chips. It can be put over rice or noodles. It is so good.

You can add any other veggies you may want to add. My MIL gave me small bag filled with green beans so I cooked them and added them to the pot.

 

**Hint** - It is always better the next day!

 

Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries: Picnic Recipes

Last week we got all our supplies for our picnic so now we need to get the food ready so this week I thought I would share picnic recipe with you and when I thought about a good place to get recipes for this I thought of.......yep, your right.......Pinterest!

So here are a few recipes for your picnic.....



First, what is one of the most eaten foods at a picnic....chicken! And this Crispy Picnic Chicken from Taste Of Home looks pretty simple to make and I am all about easy and simple. :)

From Taste Of Home

Next of course you need to have potato salad and Mother Thyme has this great recipe. I have a good potato salad recipe also and I will be sharing that with you in the next few weeks so stay tuned. In the meantime you can check this recipe out. 

And of course we need to have something to wash down all this food so how about strawberry lemonade from The Frugal Girls. This will hit the spot. :)

Now we need to top the picnic off with dessert and the number one dessert at a picnic is of course.............watermelon! Look at this great idea of how to serve watermelon. The kids would get a kick out of doing this! 

Now if you want to do a little something special with your picnic for the kids how about this idea I found at Hotel F&B. What a neat idea! Now if I had a beach to go to and the grandkids around maybe we could do this, but up north here picnicking on the beach is not an option as it is wayyyyyyyyyyy to cold even in the summer. :)

So since July is only half over there is still plenty of time to do picnics so get those picnic baskets out and filled with food and head out to wherever you want to go to have a picnic.

Happy Eating!

Colleen :)

Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries

Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries Blog

Jacquie's Up-Cycle Nation: Carnival Love

Summer entertainment isn't complete without the annual circus or small town carnival.  From the billowing tents to the side show curiosities, all eyes are wide open in wonder and amazement.   These Etsy up-cycle artists have circus-inspired work perfect for preserving the summer side show vibe year round!

Lights are on under the Big Top every night with a light box night light from
The Rekindled Page! Check out this Etsy artist's vast selection of vintage dictionary prints to compliment the circus theme.

Party cupcakes take center stage in a tiered circus tent stand!  Once the festivities are over, let the kiddos use the stand in their own small scale circus play.  Pick up this cutie and all the coordinating party papers at  iFavor123.

Carnival themed necklaces keep the curiosity magic alive! Take a walk on the wild side at Wicked Crafts where hand-crafted jewelry mingles with intriguing vintage gems. 

Bring the Side Show home with vintage images from Dark Shadows 13.  Mingle modern memorabilia with the true flavor of old time oddities for carnival fans of all ages!

Liven up the décor with this whimsical circus-themed table from Amy Industries. All tables dream of being up-cycled into such a family-fun phenom!



For more circus style fun search recycled circus on Etsy.

LOVE  &  UP-CYCLE NATION!!

Jacquie Wheeler

Hand of Bela Peck

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Handofbelapeck?ref=si_shop
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BelaPeckHome

http://handofbelapeck1759.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hand-of-Bela-Peck/294397987277061?ref=hl



Sunday Blog Party - Christmas in July!

Welcome to our Sunday Blog Party. We would love to have you show us your handmade items for Christmas in July.

You are allowed to add 3 links to your shops or your blog.

The rules are simple:
1. Follow our blog
2. Handmade items only.
3. You may list up to 3 items each week.
4. Family friendly items only.

The success of this link party depends on the participants so spread the word to your friends, visit the shops,  post about it on your  blog, in a forum or on your favorite social networking site, grab the button and put it on your blog or website.
Just click on the Add Your Link button below and add your items.
And if you would like to add a link to the party you can grab this button below.

<a href="http://www.byyourhands.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i782.photobucket.com/albums/yy110/ByYourHands/blogparty.jpg">, </a>

An InLinkz Link-up

Witches Stitches - Weed Be Gone!!!

If you are like me you love your wonderful lawn and beautiful gardens. The thing I can’t stand are the WEEDS!!. Getting down and weeding is something I choose not to do. In my gardens I laid down a layer of weed cloth so no weed grow. This works very for my gardens, but for the rest of my yard I am not one to use weed killer that is all toxic chemicals. It is so bad for the environment. You may think you are only spraying the weeds between you stepping stones, but really you are spreading poison throughout your yard. This could affect all the wildlife.  

Here is a weed killer you can make in no time and it is kinder to the environment. Mix together the vinegar and the salts. Then add in the soap. Mix slowly, don’t shake or you will have a bucket full of bubbles.

Now put the mixture into a spray bottle and spray your weeds. Be careful it will kill whatever you spray it on. It is best to use a bottle with a fine spray so you can direct the spray. You can get these most hardware stores.

1 Gallon of vinegar

2 cups of Epson salts
¼ cup Dawn dish soap (original blue)

 

The environment thanks you.

 

 

Handmade Spotlight - Witches

Are you thinking about Halloween yet? This cute Witch Treasury will get you started if you're not thinking about it yet. You can see it all by CLICKING HERE.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries: Vintage Picnic

Well it is the middle of July and summer is half over (boo!hoo!), but the picnic season is in full swing. I thought we would take a stroll down memory lane and look at some vintage picnic items from Etsy shops. Now in my day we called them "antiques", but now I guess they are called "vintage". I know....aging myself!! :)

Every picnic must have a picnic basket....and GirlPickers has this nice vintage one. 

Now, if you get really into it and can carry lots of stuff a cooler is a must for all that soda and beer and ShayesChicDecorNMore has this great vintage cooler. I love the color of this. :)

Or how about taking a compact picnic suitcase!! This has everything you need to have a picnic! Now all you need is the food to go with it. WunderFun has this available. 

And of course we will need the traditional red and white picnic tablecloth and IslandMarket has the perfect one for you. 

Then last, but not least, we need to "dress" for the picnic and how appropriate you would look in this dress from SkinnyandBernie. And for the men going to the picnic how about this great tie from Amy2004Marie! Love the tie! :)

So hope you enjoyed our trip down memory lane of a vintage picnic. Whether you do a vintage picnic or a modern picnic have fun and enjoy your family and friends. :)

Have a great week! 

Colleen :)

Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries


Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries Blog

Jacquie's Up-Cycle Nation: Set Sail

Summer and the high seas go hand in hand.  Whether we are setting sail or sitting on the water's edge, where the blue skies meet the sea worthy horizon, all of summer's magic is glimpsed in an instant.  Meet some Etsy up-cycle artists who keep the magic afloat in their handwork.

Tokens of the sea live large at StarHomeStudio. Romantic notions of the sea in colors that will melt the heart! From hair accessories to beachy sculptures of driftwood, summer is eternal in this gorgeous Etsy shop!

 Inspired by the New England shore,  Handofbelapeck crafts needful goods in the primitive tradition.  Shorebirds, anchors, and whales linger here where whimsy meets history on the high seas!

Sails get a second chance at life at HoistAwayBags!  The perfect summer bag crafted from retired sails and come complete with the history of where each sail has journeyed. Talk about a well traveled bag!

 Pick up a perfect summer silver gem at BlueDawnSurfShop. This Etsy artist captures the simple beauty of the sea in her work, creating a nostalgic memoir of lazy summer laughter.

 Welcome to AlaskaRugCompany for nautical décor crafted from up-cycled marine rope. Whimsy for every room in the house to keep the sea theme in view all year long.

For more seaside treasures search recycled beach on Etsy!

LOVE  &  UP-CYCLE NATION!

Jacquie Wheeler

Hand of Bela Peck

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Handofbelapeck?ref=si_shop
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BelaPeckHome

http://handofbelapeck1759.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hand-of-Bela-Peck/294397987277061?ref=hl

Sunday Blog Party - Christmas in July!

Welcome to our Sunday Blog Party. We would love to have you show us your handmade items for Christmas in July.

You are allowed to add 3 links to your shops or your blog.

The rules are simple:
1. Follow our blog
2. Handmade items only.
3. You may list up to 3 items each week.
4. Family friendly items only.

The success of this link party depends on the participants so spread the word to your friends, visit the shops,  post about it on your  blog, in a forum or on your favorite social networking site, grab the button and put it on your blog or website.
Just click on the Add Your Link button below and add your items.
And if you would like to add a link to the party you can grab this button below.

<a href="http://www.byyourhands.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i782.photobucket.com/albums/yy110/ByYourHands/blogparty.jpg">, </a>

An InLinkz Link-up

Today's Featured Shop - The Quilted Pumpkin

Please give us a hearty By Your Hands welcome to today's featured shop, The Quilted Pumpkin. 

At The Quilted Pumpkin you'll find a gathering of handcrafted rustics and primitives for the changing seasons and holidays! Owner, Laura Sweet works with fabrics, wood and paint, rusty metals and bells, glass glitter, and aging techniques for timeworn appearances.

Below are a few featured items, but be sure to visit The Quilted Pumpkin to get a good look at everything.


Summer Wood Ornie Set

Primitive Garden Strawberry

Primitive Candy Corn Bowl Fillers

Watermelon Slice Wood Greeter

Thank you for joining us today!
Deena Davis
www.byyourhands.com
www.ewenmeprintables.com

Handmade Spotlight - Christmas in July

Today I'm featuring some really nice handmade items for Christmas in July. Click here to see these items better. They're definitely worth the look.

These items were made by my fellow team mates on the Handmade Art Fair Etsy Team. To see more of their items, search HAFAIR on etsy.com.

Stop by and see us again soon!
Deena Davis
www.byyourhands.com
www.ewenmeprintables.com

Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries: Southwest Skillet Recipe

The heat of the summer is here for most of you I would think. Not too much heat for me up north here though. If you are like me I don't like to heat up the kitchen by using the oven for cooking. This recipe is fast (I am all about fast!) and easy and it doesn't add all that heat to the kitchen as it is made in a skillet on top of the stove. 

It is called Easy Southwest Skillet........

Ingredients:

3/4 pound ground beef

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 can (10.75-oz) cream of mushroom soup

1/4 cup water

1 can (14.5-oz) diced tomatoes, drained

1 can (15oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained

3/4 cup uncooked instant white rice

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Tortilla chips, to serve with

Instructions:

Cook the beef and chili powder in a 10" skillet over medium-high heat until the beef is well  browned, stirring often to separate meat. Pour off any fat. 

Stir the soup, water, tomatoes and beans in the skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Stir in the rice. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes or until the rice is tender.

 Sprinkle with the cheese. Serve with the tortilla chips for dipping.

This is a great quick meal so you won't have to spend too much time in the kitchen cooking and you can enjoy your summer evening. :)

Happy Eating! 

Colleen :)

Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries

Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries Blog

Jacquie's Up-Cycle Nation: Purrrfect Cashmere Cats

 My studio machines are humming away making sweet toys for island visitors at Hendley Market in Galveston, Texas. One popular item is the "Purrrfect Pet", aka- cats. This sweet up-cycling project is easy, affordable, and something the kiddos can help in creating.

Supplies: old wool or cashmere sweater (Get crazy beyond solid colors- go for stripes and bold patterns!), fiber stuffing,  tracing paper, scissors, beads, thread and embroidery floss.

Fold the tracing paper in half.  On the fold sketch out half a fat cat form.  Cut along outline.  Unfold cat form to have a full cat pattern. 

 

Cut two of the cat forms from the desired section of sweater. Sleeves can be used having only to cut out the ears at the top.

  
Machine stitch right sides together.  Leave the bottom open.

 Turn the cat right side out and stuff.  Using a gather stitch, pull the bottom closed and tuck the rough edges inside.  Stitch a decorative circle to the base if preferred.

Personalize each cat with an embroidered face.  Get creative by using beads for eyes, stitch a heart to the body, or add a bow for whimsy

Don't have any sweaters you want to chop?  Check out your local thrift store.  Not only do you get a great project for pennies but you also help a charity in the process. 

LOVE  &  UP-CYCLE NATION!

Jacquie Wheeler

Hand of Bela Peck

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Handofbelapeck?ref=si_shop
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BelaPeckHome

http://handofbelapeck1759.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hand-of-Bela-Peck/294397987277061?ref=hl