Monday, August 27, 2012

Cowboy Eggs

If you follow me on Facebook {if you don't I would love for you to follow along}, you probably saw that I was trying a new concoction that involved jalapenos, cream cheese, & bacon!!!  I said if it didn't fail and got the hubs approval I would post it.  Well, he loved it so here goes...

COWBOY EGGS


Here's my recipe

11/2 pounds ground hamburger
5 jalapenos, cut off the top & remove seeds
1/2 brick cream cheese
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
5 strips of bacon
salt & pepper to taste
seasoning salt to taste

Mix cream cheese, 1/2 of the cheddar cheese, & salt & pepper in a bowl.  Stuff jalapenos with cream cheese mixture {you will probably have some left}.  Pat out hamburger patties that are seasoned to your liking.  Place a stuffed jalapeno in the middle and roll the hamburger up over the jalapeno like a taco and pat until it forms an egg.  Wrap hamburger with a piece of bacon.  Place on a grill {I have a Traeger and cooked them at 350} and cook them for 5 minutes per side turning a quarter of a turn for each side.  I served them over a rice bed with black beans and corn seasoned with cilantro and topped them with the remaining cheddar cheese and salsa.  Enjoy!!


The jalapenos still had a crispness to them, so if you don't like that you could roast them prior to making this recipe.  

If you find this recipe worthy of trying, please feel free to Pin it and share with others!!

{{{HUGS}}}


Monday, August 20, 2012

Watermelon Salsa

I know watermelon salsa doesn't quite seem like it should go together like peas & carrots,  a horse & carriage, salt & pepper, or peanut butter & jelly, but I'm telling you it does!!!  My friend said she was going to bring some to work and I am sure the look on my face was somewhere between what the heck and hhhhmmm... yes... maybe...  I was a little skeptical of it at first, but once I tried it I couldn't stay out of it.  She was willing to share the recipe with me so I could pass it on. 


6 cups diced watermelon
1 small onion, chopped
3 jalapenos, seeded and diced
1 tsp salt
Cilantro to fit your taste 

Combine ingredients and refrigerate an hour or until chilled.  Serve it up with tortilla chips or even better Ritz Cracker Chips.  Enjoy

 How simple is this?!?!

{{{HUGS}}}

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Country Cute Turquoise & Red Bedroom Makeover

If you follow me on Facebook you probably saw some sneak peaks of a project I have been working on.  I am not completely finished with it, but wanted to go ahead and show what I have got so far.  Plus, I would love to hear your suggestions and ideas for the spaces I need to fill {hint hint}.

Here is the bedroom before. 


 It was actually my oldest daughter's room.  The bedrooms in our house are very small and this is the "big" bedroom.  Hardly enough room for a bed and dresser.  It is challenging I tell ya!  My younger girls share a room and they wanted to get twin beds instead of sharing a full size bed.  The only way I could do this was to switch their rooms.  It was quite an undertaking because for having such small rooms they all have a lot of stuff!

I am a mean mom and refuse to have any sort of character theme {Victorious, Justin Bieber, etc} because they seem to outgrow that so quick.  I prefer something a little more timeless....something country....something cute.  My kids are pretty understanding of my picky~ness!... At least I think they are!

When they mentioned twin beds I knew I would love old iron headboards.  I kept my eye out for some, went to an auction with antique beds, and surfed the internet.  I found this one from Layla Grayce.

  
This was it!!  I love everything about the headboard.  The antique look and the great details.  However, I didn't love the $1,320 price tag for each one!!!  This little headboard became my inspiration for the bedroom, but unfortunately that very important fact of keeping to a budget got in the way.

Since I was in love with the red headboard I wanted to go with a very soft turquoise or blue for the bedding.  Then I found this and knew it would be perfect!!!  I love the mix of floral, stripes, and polka dots!!!  It was from Annette Tatum, but this one must be discontinued.


Once again, the $230 price tag for the duvet cover, $65 for the euro sham, and $70 for the accent pillows was out of my budget and I needed 2 sets of everything.  I really love it though!

I set out to create a room like I have envisioned, but on a doable budget.  After searching online for bedding that I liked, I ended up ordering from a catalog I got in the mail..ha!  I had seen the bedding online, but things look different in a catalog and I really liked it.  The colors were a little brighter and bolder than the previous set I liked, but I had a 40% off my entire purchase coupon so I snagged  these 2 sets from Pottery Barn.


The sheet set wasn't the one that went with the bedding, but I wanted the mix of stripes and floral and I think it works well together.  It is also from Pottery Barn.  The sheets were backordered a couple weeks and so the fine folks at Pottery Barn sent me a $10 gift card!!!


I ended up finding an affordable headboard at Cymax Furniture & Home Decor online for $119.  No tax or shipping and they offer discounts as well.  It took about 2 weeks to get it, but for free shipping I was fine with it.  It looks much better in person than it does online.  The red color is exactly what I wanted...more of a barn red.  I had plans to age it up a bit when I got it, but I am so happy with the color that I am not going to touch it.


Here is what we ended up with.


The paint color is Sparkle by Valspar.


The rug is from Kohls and I got it super cheap at $19!!!  I wanted a red and white striped rug, but I couldn't pass this up being so affordable.

The feed sack pillow cases scream country girl!!!  I ordered them from Jeffer's Pet Supply and they were $14 each.  There are 2 different styles to choose from.  Check them out!


I painted their dresser {for like the 5th time} white and added some french country red stripes to the drawers.  The empty pictures frames were all free and I rattle canned them!!!  The hideous closet doors....ugh.  I want to replace them because I DESPISE, DETEST, LOATHE, sliding closet doors.  What is the point of them?  Ugh!!  If I don't get them replaced soon I am going to paint them white.  I am tempted to take the doors off and hang curtains to hide what is inside.  At least we could get in the closet then.  These doors are nothing but crap~tastic and fall of the tracks all the time anyway.  Can you tell I HATE them?


The red stand between their beds is one I have had for years.  It received my favorite rattle can paint....Rustoleum Painters Touch Ultra Cover x2.  I have used a lot of spray paint in all my years of crafting and this is by far the best!!!  I used Colonial Red for the stand and frames.


I spray painted monogrammed letters for each of the girls and attached a fabric flower like the ones I made here.  Then attached ribbon to hang it from.  I spruced up and old lamp we had by trimming it out with some red ribbon.  Books are displayed in a wire basket that I picked up at a second hand store.  The red clock I snagged at Dollar General {I have to say, I have gotten some great finds there lately}. An old mason jar houses some potpourri.  




The red bandana style pillows were from the Hob Lob.  I happened to be there the day they were marking them 70% off.  I think I paid around $7 each for them.  I added some red bandanas to the windows to tie it together.



Now, this is where I need your help!  


And


Future plans for the room....I plan on getting rid of the mini blinds and getting white roman shades {maybe adding some ribbon to them}.  Then replace or {GULP} paint the closet doors and trim.  I have new white sheers to hang up that are embroidered....just haven't got around to doing that yet.



My girls are thrilled with their new "country cute" room.  What do you think?

{{{HUGS}}}
The Farmer's Wife
 
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Friday, August 10, 2012

Window Shopping...

The other day a couple of friends and I ended up going on an impromptu trip and having a little bit of much needed girl time!!!  We ate chocolate, had mocha frappes, and stopped at a consignment shop that we have never been too.  It had a nice mix of old and new.  I loved scanning all the treasures.  There was so much there that I would have loved to brought home with me.  I couldn't buy anything because the shop is fairly new and does not have the capability to take debit or credit cards yet.  Remember, I said the trip was impromptu and I didn't have my purse, but I had my debit card.... which did not do me any good.  Window shopping it was.  Bummer!  However, I often go to the town where the store is located so I will head back there with cash and or a checkbook soon.  

Here are a few of the things I loved!  I will work left to right here.


    The vintage queen bedspread caught my eye because I remember my great grandma having several similar ones.  I love the pale pinks tones paired with the mint green.  I can totally picture it in a little girls bedroom.  I don't remember the price on it.

The old pump jack.  Who doesn't love one of those.  I am sure I could find a few of those around the farm if I went hunting....hhmmm maybe I will do that and use it in my landscaping.  Or I could buy this one for $80.  I think I will look around the farm first.

The antique vanity was remarkably nice.  I would say it has been refinished.  It was beautiful and had $400+ marked on it.  I would throw that in the girls bedroom with that vintage bedspread.  I am a visionary and I can totally see that bedroom coming together...ha!

The old globe had great character and sat in a base.  To tell the truth, I was thinking light fixtures in my head!  Who's with me there?  I can't remember the price on it.

A pink typewriter.....to go in the girls bedroom with the pink vintage bedspread and antique vanity.  Can you see it coming together????  It had the case and they wanted $30 for it.  

The green depression glass egg beater caught my eye.  I'm pretty sure the tag listed it at $80.  I need to take notes when I go so I can remember what things cost.  Note to self...take notes!

Ohh, the butter churn.  I am in love with this and sooooo wanted it!!!  I love the square jar and it still has the wood paddles that look original.  What once was a vital part of every kitchen has now become a decor item.  I love butter churns!!!  This one had a price tag of $150 slapped on it!

My mom has my great grandmas old butter churn.  My mom can remember churning butter with my great grandma and now my kids pretend to churn butter with it.  I wonder how many pounds of butter my grandma made?!?    Random facts about my great grandma {and grandpa}..... She was a farmer's wife, she loved the farm, crafts, cooking, chickens {I don't}, dancing, talking on the phone{early day facebook/texting...ha}, family, and an occasional beer.  She let me drive her car around the farm at a very young age {later my great grandpa got us a golf cart...lol}.  Her last 4 digits of her phone number was the same as ours, she was only 4'9" and my great grandpa was over 6' {picture that}.  They got married 20 miles away from where I live which was quite aways from where they lived.  Our youngest daughter was born on my great grandpa's birthday.  She lived on the farm until she died.  

I wish I could talk to her about being a farmer's wife today.  I think she and my grandpa would be in awe with today's farming operations AND PRICES!!!  I'm sure she could give me some advice on the hard times like this drought we are going through.  I have been through one before, but the stories of the 30's are so much worse and makes me appreciate the comforts we have today.

Okay, back to business here....

The antique washboard is in great shape and reasonably price for $30.  Every laundry room should have one hanging on the wall or on display don't you think?  I don't have one....yet!

The fan ohhhh the fan.  I love it and I really really really want it.  It works too!!!!  I am going to keep checking in on it and if it is meant to be mine it will someday.  They want $60 firm for it.  I passed one up for $15 once, but it didn't work and I liked it, but not as well as I like this one.  The old phone in the background isn't too bad either.

So there you have it, my day of window shopping.  It was so much fun and I can't wait to discover new places like this.  Is there any great places I need to know about like this???  

{{{HUGS}}}

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Bracelet Winner Announced

What did you all think of Beth Grove's Jewelry & Crafts???  She is one creative lady and GUESS WHAT????.....she has offered another one of her creations for a future giveaway!!  Thanks Beth!!!  I think 250 "Likes" on The Farmer's Wife Facebook page or 150 on the blog will be the next milestone.  Be sure to tell your friends about The Farmer's Wife so I can give another item away!!!

Now for the winner...... {drumroll please}




The winner of the bracelet from Beth Grove's Jewelry & Crafts goes to comment #41 Cee, "follow you on FB! I'm your 162 "like." :)"  Congratulations Cee, please contact me with your mailing info and I will get your new cuff bracelet mailed to you!!




Thanks to all who entered and I look forward to the NEXT giveaway....Now go tell your friends about The Farmer's Wife so I can give away Beth's great item.....it is super dooper cute!!!!

{{{HUGS}}}