I Can Play It! Songbook

The Friend magazine has been printing simplified children's songs since January 2012. Now that my children are beginning to play the piano, I wanted to put all those songs in one place to encourage them to use them.

Project Supplies:

printer and paper

sheet protectors

3-ring binder (or 3-prong folder)

I Can Play It! songs (this link is for the plain black and white copies)

Project Instructions:

Print

Slip into sheet protectors

Insert in binder

Done!

Note: If you want to go fancy with the full-color PDF versions, it gets trickier: Go to the Friend, open each magazine, starting with January 2012, find the song in the Table of Contents (use the previous link to know the name of the song you're looking for), and click on the song title. For most of 2012, you then look at a bar on the right. Go to download, then click PDF for the color edition. For 2013, you will see the PDF. Just click (click to view larger) and print.

5x5 Challenge!

Next week (August 12-16) we're going to have a 5x5 challenge!  Post one project you've done each day next week.  What kind of projects?  Whatever floats your boat.  Crafting, organizing, cooking, building, sewing, painting...what. ever.

Who can participate?  Any Hanna girl or boy...real or imagined.

What's the prize?  Are you crazy? We don't lower ourselves for filthy lucre or shiny trophies (although that might be a fun project....) We offer prizes that matter - satisfaction in a job well done and bragging rights.  Especially bragging rights.

Here's the rules:

1. ...er...there really aren't any.
2. no, really, there aren't any.

Let the games begin!

Dare to Design 2013

It's time for Shabby Apple's annual Dare to Design contest! This year's inspiration comes from the 1940s.

First I watched "Anchor's Aweigh" (1945). Or rather, I watched Kathryn Grayson. For as frugal and rationed as the war years were, she had quite a nice wardrobe. By day she had serious separates, but what I really loved were her long, flowing evening dresses. Still, they had plain, jewel necklines. That wouldn't do.

My real inspiration came from another war movie: "Miss Annie Rooney" (1942). Annie spends most of the movie in her wardrobe of school separates. Near the climax of the movie, her grandfather pledges his pension to buy her an evening gown on credit, so she can attend the formal birthday dinner and dance of a chivalrous young gentleman she likes. With a sweetheart neckline and flowing chiffon skirt, she is a vision of loveliness in spite of wartime rationing and an underachieving father.

My design incorporates the sweetheart neckline, and a bodice with princess seams and ruching (vertical gathering). The ruching is echoed in chiffon over the lined cap sleeves. I shortened the flowing chiffon skirt to a figure-flattering tea length, making it more versatile for the modern woman. 

This rosebud-pink chiffon vision could be springtime's "little black dress." It would look lovely at an outdoor wedding, church, or a garden party. With a jacket, it could go to work; with some sparkly jewelry, it could transition to evening as well.

New Beach Tote

Here's what I love about summer. ...

I go to JoAnns with L and we both gasp at this super cute bicycle burlap material.  I say, "Oh, that would make such a cute tote!  For the beach! Oh, please?" And she says, "I think I will design it myself.  How long do you want the strap?".  Perfect summer day.  Two days later, I get a new cute tote.  L says it will be worth $1000 in 10 years so keep your hands off my tote!

(We (that's the royal we) are up to one week off school and three cute projects, two of which I was the beneficiary!  Nice.)

Upcycled Cargo Shorts Car Organizer

I didn't think to take  any 'before' or 'during' pictures...but this is such a simple concept - it really doesn't need too much explaining. Here's how I did it:

1. Find an old pair of cargo shorts/pants.
2. Cut off the leg.  I had about an inch below and half an inch above the pockets that was usable.
3. I took in one side so as to make my organizer more rectangular.
4. Stitch across the bottom.
5. I then stitched across the bottom corners - only about 1/2 an inch or so.  This gives the organizer a little more depth.
6. Cut and sew lining. I simply traced and added seam allowance.
7. Determine how long you want your strap, and the placement. Pin in place.
8. Insert lining and pin to outer fabric.
9. Top stitch lining to outer fabric, including strap.
10. Add a second row of top stitching for added strength.

Key Fob

I think that we have lost the fine art of having key fobs.  Lauren was asking for something to do yesterday and I told her I wanted her to make me something cute.  So this is her creativity at work.

The other side is green with a sad face. 

She did a great job stitching by hand the eyes and mouth.

Expect more crafting this summer.  And let's see some posting!

Garlic Chicken

I was browsing through a Cook's Illustrated magazine and found a slightly too complicated recipe for garlic chicken.  This is my take on it (and it was a good take!).

1/2 package bacon, sliced into 1" pieces
2 large garlic heads, peel off papery shell and remove top 1/3 of head
4 garlic cloves, minced (I used the pieces that I cut off above.)
3 lbs bone-in chicken pieces
Salt and Pepper
1/2 purple onion, minced
3/4 to 1 (about 1 cup) red bell pepper, seeded and minced
1 Tablespoon flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup white grape juice
3 green onions, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped

Chopped and prepare everything before you start - it makes it so much easier! 

In a Dutch oven (or other oven appropriate skillet), cook bacon over medium heat until crisp but not over done. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and put on paper towel to drain.  Place garlic heads cut side down in pan to brown for about 3 minutes.  Remove with slotted spoon and place on paper towel next to bacon.  Wash chicken, pat dry, salt and pepper it.  Place chicken in bacon grease to brown.  You may need to do this in batches so just set pieces aside as you are done browning them on all sides.  Drain all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease. Add minced garlic and purple onions to pan for 1 minute until fragrant.  Add bell pepper to pan for one minute.  Add chicken broth, grape juice and flour to pan and stir thoroughly.  Simmer on medium for about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add bay leaves, chicken and browned garlic heads to pan, sprinkle with bacon and green onion.  Put lid on Dutch oven. Place in 375' oven for 1 1/2 hours.  Remove lid and let it simmer for another 15 minutes. 

Serve over rice or noodles.  Sprinkle with kalamata olives. (Jim doesn't like kalamata olives so he left them off and still loved it!)  Serve with crusty french bread to soak up all the great flavors!