Featured On:Frugal and Focused

My Baby Precious

  I am overjoyed and honored to have been chosen for Janet's Saturday spotlight! Thank you so much for your kind words and endearments.

   I have said and will say again, the blogs that I have read, and there are a number of them, are all inspiring. It does't matter how many followers you have, but it is the friendships, and bonds that you form that makes blogging what it is. Sharing a part of yourself, regardless...we all come together and offer suppost, love and togetherness. This is what it is all about, right!

 Thank You Dear Janet again for giving me the opportunity to be featured on your blog!  Please dear friends, visit a lovely, sweet lady by the name..Janet @ Frugal and Focused to get super ideas for you and your family.   Luv-Loretta

Weekend Musings

A good way to keep cool

Hi to everyone! If you live in the South, then you have to be experiencing this hot, humid, miserable weather! We are inside with the air conditioners, units, fans, ceiling fans...everything and it is still hot! It is still in the mid-90's as I write this post, and rising to 105 today with the heat index!  There is a heat advisory today!

It will only cool down to the high 80's-low 90's tonight, with no rain in sight!  Wow...it is hot! Keep Cool!
 




 Heat Index reaching 105 degrees, could it be worse? Maybe, but let's pray not! Although, there are some in other lands living in much higher temps than these. A blessing for us? I would say, YES!  
                                                                        
                                                        Keep Cool!

   I must tell you, I have had a nice week reading as many blogs as possible and love what you gals have to share and offer. Creativity abounds...where anyone can learn a little something each and everyday.
                                                         Keep Cool!

What's good about this is: you don't have to pay a penny! It is all free of charge from ladies around the world willing to give.
                                                         Keep Cool!

So, all of you out there in Blogland, tell your neighbors, your friends, relatives, everyone, if they want to learn about crafts, sewing, cooking, painting, thrift shopping, farming, decor', gardening, flowers, family, inspirationals, and the list goes on...just search the blogs!

                                                Keep Cool!

                           It is our sincere hope that all of you have a restful and wonderful weekend!

                                                          Keep Cool!

"May you have peace and happiness, and a life of calm and serenity as the waters of the sea".

Thanks for stopping by. We love having you here. Please come again and see what we are up to at our house. Blessings to All!  Until then...

 Luv- Loretta

Thrift Makeover

Hello to everyone. Hope your day a cheerful one! With temps now in the mid-90's here so early in the morning, we will be inside again today.
  This mirror has been in a number of my photos, but I failed to tell you it was a thrift store find from a thrift store in Georgia.

It was a mirror from a dresser leaning against a wall in the shop and really quite heavy.  I thought I would look it over and pondered where it could be used in the house. It was an old dull brown, nothing special (sorry I don't have before pics because it was done several years ago), but think about the dull color it was at the time! My son thought it was a crazy buy at $5, but I had ideas for repurposing it even before I paid for it!
 
  I cleaned it up, but the mirror had a bit of oxidation in the lower corner, so I removed the back, cleaned it and lightly spray painted with a silver paint to cover the annoying small, dark spot. It worked! Then, I spray painted the frame a bright red. Yes red!
 
 After it was completely dry, I spray painted it with a high quality gold paint. Gold leaf was out of the question at the time, so I gilded it with the paint! Then, added the wood embellishments. I think it turned out super and I love the red tones. I get a lot of compliments for this $5 mirror!
 We hope you enjoy your visit and please come again to see what's happening in our house.

Have A Beautiful Wednesday! Hugs all Around... Loretta

This was the place I had in mind for it. At the old house, it was hung on the wall but, here I decided to lean it with a little support and drama.

There are three wooden decorative pieces added at the bottom

This is the opposite wall with the hutch. I love creating little vignettes all over the house and changing them. Sometimes they actually tell a story. Thanks for visiting our house!

Tutorial...How To Make Jambalaya

  Good Tuesday Friends! How are you today? Wishing you all well. As promised, here's the recipe for Louisiana Jambalaya. Let's get started:      

After washing chicken, I seasoned with cajun seasoning, old bay, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, then rubbed the
seasoning into the meat. I chose the wings because they hold their form well in the pot.

I browned the meat on both sides to keep the juices from the pot

Then added to the pot of boiling water and adding a can of chicken broth into it.

Using frozen okra, it was put into a skillet to cook slowly on a low heat. This allows the removal of the nasties most don't like from the okra. Cook for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut up celery, bell peppers, and onions to go in the pot, as much as desired

Then, add to the pot with the tomatoes (I used canned ones 3 regular sized cans) and one large can of tomato paste; allow to simmer 20 minutes or until veggies are tender

Meanwhile, slice link sausage, I used down home sausage, because I prefer the spices, and it is not hot. Fry them  until browned, then add to the pot

Allow sausage to simmer in pot for 10 minutes. Then, season to taste. Salt, if needed, garlic and onion powder, old bay, etc. Allow to simmer. This gives the seasoning time to go through the pot and contents.

I've cooked the rice, but I don't mix it in the pot as Jabalaya is normally done. I like to mix it in my plate, because this gives me a chance to ladle in exactly how much and what I want from the pot. Now, it is time to divide the pots so the Shrimp can be added to one.

This is the big pot

And, this is the smaller pot for the Shrimp to be added

Only the best from the Gulf, peeled and cleaned, large Shrimp ready for the small pot. Add and allow to cook until Shrimp are pink, 7 to 8 minutes

Get the salad fixings ready and make the salad

Toast the bread, and make it crusty, then...Yum! Yum!

Bowl with Shrimp and crusty bread

Bowl without, and crusty bread

A clean salad (no dressing) with cracked pepper. All served with a tall glass of iced tea. How divine!

What's Cooking In our Kitchen

  Hello and Good Sunday to all! Hope you have had a peaceful weekend. This Sunday's meal is a little different...quite frankly, I'm surprised I took the time to make it! It is a Southern great, "Louisiana Jambalaya".
  Today, I'm going to show you the end results of preparing this meal. Then next week, I'll share the actual photos of how it's done. After preparing this meal, I had to get some rest! It wasn't too bad, but I don't want to overdo it!
  This was sooo good! I wish you could have joined us! The smell alone would have put you in Jambalaya land! LOL.
  Thank you for visiting and please come by again to share some love and see what's going on at our house.  Enjoy! Hugs!
Loretta

There are two different bowls here. If you click on the pic you will see one has Shrimp. I'm the only one that can eat them.
Hubby and mom-in-law can't have them, so two pots cooking!

This one has Shrimp added. Notice there is rice with both and crusty bread!

This one without the Shrimp.

If you click on the pic, you have a better shot of the two.

The salad is not dressed, but does include cracked black pepper. I don't like to take away from the Jambalaya
with added oils or dressings.

Since the meal is so heavy, I prepared a very lite dessert. It is pudding!
The strawberries are fresh and goes well with the pudding. Wafers
on all, but done in different ways. Delicious! Who said pudding was for kids!

Hope you enjoyed viewing our meal, and don't forget to come visit us next week, so  you can see step- by-step, how to put this all together for a delicious Louisiana great!

Many Hugs To All!