Oh Dear Me...Biscuits with Chocolate Gravy!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

What is more Southern than biscuits? Did you know you can't get them anywhere? Nope. Plenty of sinful places out of the southern states don't have biscuits on the menu! Some poor people in this world have never had a biscuit. (Note to self:: add them to prayer list).  My mother ALWAYS made biscuits from scratch.  I have never eaten a refrigerator- grocery store-biscuit from my mother's kitchen. I can remember watching her mix the lard (gasp), flour, & buttermilk with a worn aluminum gadget and then hand patting the biscuits.


Who knew it was so hard?


I have tried.  I guess I thought you inherit the skill. The gift. But you don't.  Well I didn't.  I am the queen of refrigerator, pop it out of a can biscuits.  Now I will say the frozen ones are pretty darn close though.


I want to be a biscuit maker. A real bon-a-fide biscuit maker. So I am going to try and this recipe seems to be the closest I can find to my mom's.  And lordy they have also included a recipe for chocolate gravy. Now that's incentive to make biscuits.



Photos from Sprinkle Bake's website


Check out Sprinkle Bake's great step by step guide to making biscuits and gravy! 




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Love One Another { and a free printable too!}

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Valentine's Day is getting close.  Yes, I know it's January.  But how I know is that all of our local discount stores (You know the ones) have fully stocked Valentine's Day aisles.  When we are little (or have little ones) Valentine's Day is about little boxes of Valentine's Day card sets saying Be Mine.  The excitement of making your own little VDay  mailbox in elementary school and then sharing your cards with your friends then counting your own.  Nothing was worse than not getting a card from someone you really liked. :(

Then in our teenage years it was about boyfriends and girlfriends and whether you had one or not.  If you didn't then you just wanted Valentine's Day to silently and quickly go away.

In the married years, it starts out sweet and romantic and then in many cases it fades to maybe exchanging cards.  If you weren't married,  then again...you just wanted it to silently and quickly go away.

But really Valentine's Day is for everyone...at least if we think about in terms of Christ's love and his command to Love One Another.  Couldn't we take Valentine's Day, whether young or old, married, single, divorced, widowed, dating...and make it a celebration of LOVE? God's love for us and our love in turn for others.  A great day to do something special to show anyone that they are loved.  

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34.

How fun to take Valentine's Day and make it a day to surprise people in our lives with special gifts and cards to show them they are loved!







Here is a great {free} printable from Becky Higgins for Valentine's Day.  It would be cute in a VDay display in your home ...yes I think I shall do this...but how sweet would it be to frame and give to friends?

You can download the free printable from Becky's blog! Thanks Becky for such an awesome reminder of what LOVE and Valentine's Day should really be about!

Being Grateful is Tough to Do...I Am Ashamed to Say

Friday, January 20, 2012

Sometimes being grateful is just tough to do.  I have to be honest, I actually forget sometimes to be grateful.  So many days I get up out of my warm bed, get into my hot shower, put on my clean clothes, eat a hot breakfast, drive to work in a car I own to a job that I enjoy and that pays me well. All of that in one hour or less and many mornings I have gone without even thinking about how grateful I should be. 

I am trying to do better though.  Now, before I even get out of bed, I say "Thank you Lord for this day and all that you have planned for me." Some days I go on to continually thank Him throughout the day for all of the big and little things He does for me.  Some days it may be the only breath of gratitude I give until I go to bed at night.  But He knows my heart (something else to be grateful for) so I hope He knows I am trying.

It should come easy though right?  I mean, aren't we really the most blessed people we know? We...Christians. He gave us the greatest, most unselfish gift...His Son...and all that came with that gift...salvation, mercy, grace, healing, forgiveness...How many times a day do we truly kneel our hearts and thank God for THAT gift much less our material gifts and blessings? I'd guess not many. 

I am ashamed of my lack of gratitude.  I am ashamed that I just get so busy enjoying all of my blessings that I forget to be grateful. I have seen and been given so many blessings in my life...my children, my husband's miracle recovery from leukemia, my children's health, a praying mother and so many many many other things.

 I saw a quote some time ago that said...


Boy wouldn't that wake us up to gratitude?
And our lack of it?

"Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness." Psalm 107:8-9
Could I even list the many blessings that God has given me in my life? In one day?  I think I might start a daily gratitude list just to amaze myself daily of His goodness~


Designer Dish Towels...So Cute & So Easy

Less Than Perfect Life of Bliss has the DIY Tutorial for these adorable dish towels on her blog.  How cute are these? (and of course I loved these with Appalachian colors). I think this will be one of my rainy weekend projects.  What great gifts this would make for new brides, teachers, even girls just starting in their first apartments.  These cake designs are so cute, but you could also do your own designs for cupcakes, or ice cream sundaes, or any design that might match your own decor.  Here's the link to the tutorial (she has great step by step pictures too).  Don't you love these?  I will show you mine next week if I get one made! :) Show me yours if you do ok?


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Valentine's Day Photo Chain

Thursday, January 19, 2012

I ran across this Valentine's Day craft project that is so so cute! It would be great for families, couples, even for teachers to do as a project with their kids.  I think you will love this!


I first saw this idea at eighteen 25 blog and immediately knew this was a keeper!  They graciously give the link to Scrappy Girl to get the full tutorial on how to make it so I am passing along the grace and sharing with you!  I hope you get a chance to make a heart  photo strip chain this year!


Scrappy Girl




My Anti-Hoarding Checklist

Monday, January 16, 2012

At the beginning of each year I always think I need to do Spring cleaning...clean out closets, kitchen cabinets, you know, get a fresh start. But I like my stuff.  Even the stuff I haven't worn in years. And I am a little lazy when it comes to cleaning in the winter. Jus' saying.  But if you need a little help, a little checklist like I do, then check out this one!  This great checklist is from Mimi and Meg Blog and can be downloaded for free from their site.by clicking here.


So let's  make a pact...let's check off at least one of these this week! By the Spring we'll be done!



Gratitude {turns what we have into enough}

Sunday, January 15, 2012


Shut the Front Door!

So, Christmas is over.  And I have actually gotten all of the Christmas decorations packed away.  (Except for the Christmas dishes still stacked on the bar and the two live Christmas trees still in their stands on my back deck).  One problem though, my front door is bare. Naked.  I am one of those that believes your home is not fully dressed without something on the front door.  It should be a rule that doors are never naked. But mine is naked. Bare. Everything is showing. So I am searching for something crafty, creative and easy to dress her up a bit.


Here was my little front door all dressed up for the holidays.


The door decorations were basically done with 
Dollar Store ornaments & garland! 

In searching for a new wreath idea, I came across these great ideas! What does your door look like post holiday?


Check out the DIY Instructions for this moss wreath from the 
Less Than Perfect Life of Bliss Blog!So classic and so easy with supplies from the local hardware store!


Sweet Wreath Ideas for lots of season from the


This Snowball Wreath is so cute for the entire winter! Check out the easy DIY instructions to make your own at 

Now let's go out there and dress our doors! 
Just Say No to Naked Doors!