Creative Camp - WOW!

This past weekend my sister, Sandi and I with some friends went to Creative Camp at a 4-H camp in Mineral Wells, WV. (Almost Heaven country) that is put on every year at this time.  I had gone with my Mom 3 or 4 times in the past, but have not been since she passed away in 2006.  It was so enjoyable to go again!  To be around so many crafty and creative people for a couple of days.  Sandi taught a Primitive Angel class made from a stair banister:

this was the corner of the upstairs that we made our angels...

this is the back of my angel with the head and wings on, we embellished with moss for hair, a vine halo, put a face on and as you can see I put buttons and a scarf on my angel:

Here she is finished, now all I have to decide is where to put her.  Sandi did very well for instructing her first class at Creative Camp 2013!

This is an attempt to make a pine needle basket...the instructor did or would not explain very well how to make the sides come up, so everyone in the class made coasters.

Sandi made a stool with a reed seat...it was very hard and her fingers were still hurting her the next day.  I bought a kit - tried to get the instructor to buy it back, but she said no.  So one of these days I will have to buckle down and make it.

Sandi and I made chalkboard message boards from picture frames with the glass painted with chalkboard paint (by the instructors husband).  Mine is on the left and Sandi's is on the right.  I want to make another one but put lined paper behind the glass and make it a dry erase board.

I made a knotted necklace - this was real easy and fun!  So many beads to choose from...may have to get some beads and waxed thread to make another and maybe a bracelet or two.

This is a corner organizer basket for a bathroom vanity or dresser...it is so cute and about 6" x 6" x 3".  Getting the stakes in the base to weave was another story...but got it done.

Here is my paint by number rooster - not really, but almost.  I started with a picture of a grist mill with trees, stream, foot bridge and bushes...too much to paint. Found this rooster and thought multi-colors.  I still have to paint "WELCOME" across the top and seal it.  This is on slate.  I am going to keep my eye open for something to paint next year.

I had so much fun packed in 2 days - What a blessing to be able to spend time crafting with my sister and friends, old and new ones.  Am already looking forward to next year.

Cooking and Freezing for later

My sister, Leah June and I cooked this past Saturday: Venison Quinoa Veggie Soup, Zuppa Toscana, Meatloaf and Layered Cabbage Roll Casserole.  We made the soups in a roaster and big soup pot, mixed the meat loafs and baked them in mini sized, and made the casserole in small containers and then had 1 for supper Saturday evening - YUM YUM!

This is the Zuppa Toscana soup minus the Kale, we figured we would add the fresh Kale when we reheated the soup.  We doubled the recipe and used 1 pound mild Italian sausage and 1 pound hot Italian sausage, 8 potatoes cubed and 8 strips of bacon - fried and then crumbled into the soup.  You can get the recipe off of AllRecipes.com.  After cooling we skimmed the grease off the top.

This is the Venison Quinoa (Barley) Vegetable soup with Progresso Beef Onion Soup with low salt beef broth, a bag of mixed vegetables about 1/2 cup Quinoa instead of Barley.  The soups we let cool down and then bagged in quart size Ziploc freezer bags and ones frozen we are going to vacuum seal them individually.

This is for the Cabbage Roll casserole.  I have to tell you, I love cabbage rolls but really do not like the intensive labor involved - not for me.  This recipe is amazing.  My sister found it at Barefeetinthekitchen blog.  AMAZING and a recipe I will be making more often. This is the 1 pound of beef, 1 pound of ground turkey and 1 med. onion cooked together then drained. Then spices added and the rice.

1 medium head of cabbage, cored and cut in half and then thinly sliced.

Can of diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, brown sugar, & vinegar - mix together. We then added the wet ingredients to the meat mixer - although the recipe says to layer the cabbage then the meat then the tomato mixer - my sister and I thought why do it that way?  See below:

So now you layer, cabbage first (we divided it into 5 separate pans) recipe said to use 1-9x13 pan or 2 smaller pans.  Since is only us that we are cooking for we went for smaller portions.

We did not bake these before freezing thinking the cabbage would get soggy, but we did cook 1 pan and I have to say it had a very, very good flavor.

We vacuum sealed the meat loafs, cabbage casseroles:

 while everything was cooking or baking we would go outside to enjoy the beautiful day - blue skies with clouds and sunshine

Even our dogs were feeling the beautiful day!

This is Peaches trying to get Megan to play, but Megan just tries to ignore Peaches when she get rambunctious.  I hope you have enjoyed my blogging today about our cooking marathon and I count my many blessings and Praise the Lord for them.