Grape Salad

Have you ever had one of those side dishes that was so good you thought it could easily be dessert? Our friend, Melissa brings grape salad to get togethers. It is so good.  I made it tonight for a party and wanted to share this VERY easy recipe with you.

This dish is so good you'll need to have copies of the recipe on hand, to share.

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Chocolate Chip Banana Mini Muffins

I want to share with you one of my favorite recipes.  I have made these for years, but the recipe was passed down to me by a great cook and friend Beth Wright.  She always has the best recipes and this one  is a fantastic one!

My husband and kids eat these like they are candy.  This is a recipe that is good for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert.  You can put these in a container and wrap them with a ribbon as a teacher, neighbor or housewarming gift.

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And the winner of the Jewel Kade Giveaway is......

We'd like to thank Karen, for offering Our Seven Dwarfs' followers the opportunity to win beautiful jewelry pieces.

If you fell in love with a piece, check out her online catalog.

If you are the winner, you have 48 hours to email us oursevendwarfs@gmail.com and give us your contact information.  We'll pass the info. on to Karen. 

And here's what you've been waiting for...
The winner is.....

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A Simply Delicious, Chocolate Cake

My husband's favorite is chocolate cake, with chocolate icing.  For his birthday, I went on a search for a new chocolate cake recipe.  I found a great one that I adjusted slightly to make it as healthy as possible, for chocolate cake!

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Baby Cocoon & Hat

I just love it when I am in the right place at the right time.  That is exactly what happened the other day.  I was on Facebook, like I am most evenings and Betsy of The Dainty Daisy was looking for a few crochet pattern testers.  I completely lucked out and was one of the first people to comment.

I didn't know what I would be making but I had the supplies that she requested.  I was beyond excited when I got an email with the pattern to test after about an hour.  I didn't have any patterns for a baby cocoon and here I got one for free to test!  Yippee for me!  To make it even better, the cocoon was rippled. I just love ripples!

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Vinegar: Its many uses!

The other day I needed to stock up on some vinegar and my favorite place to shop these days is Sams Club.  Therefore, I have a huge amount of vinegar!  On the box of my two gallons of vinegar were twenty tips for using vinegar.  I thought I would share these new tips with you as some of them are fantastic.

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DIY Light Box

Back in April I found a very easy tutorial on how to make a light box from Cheri Quite Contrary.  I've had it on my to do list ever since.  It was a pretty high priority item, but I just never got around to it.  Well, my husband threatened to throw out all the cardboard boxes that I have cluttering the garage so I knew I must conquer this item before it was too late.

This is a super easy project that costs next to nothing and it makes a huge difference!

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Jewel Kade Giveaway

One of our followers, Karen Heidebrink, offered to do a giveaway for our followers.  Karen is a Jewel Kade representative and she wanted to introduce others to their jewelry.

From Karen:
So you’re all wondering, what is Jewel Kade? “Vintage, contemporary, urban and romantic – Jewel Kade is a fresh take on timeless fashion. It’s worn by those who celebrate life, and those who treasure unforgettable accessories. Handcrafted quality. Intriguing embellishments. Eye-catching artwork. Exclusively from designer Janet Kinkade.”

Good grief do I love this jewelry, and you’ll love it too! All of Jewel Kade’s stunning charms are handmade in Alpine Utah, making no two pieces exactly alike. With the ability to interchange charms and necklaces, you will have a jewelry collection very unique and you can change things up according to your mood or outfit!

I have never had so many compliments or people asking “Ooo, where’d you get that?” so, I thought it was time to share my passion with all of you. I am giving away one 24” pearl drop necklace ($34) and one black and white peace charm ($46 ) or one crystal cross charm ($48). The winner can choose which charm she would like.　
　
Are you ready to enter this giveaway?  It's simple.  We're giving you nine opportunities to win.  Remember, leave a separate comment for each entry.  Entries will be accepted until 11:59pm (EST) on Saturday, August 27th.  The winner will be selected using random.org and announced Sunday, August 28th.  Good Luck!

Comment 1-(Mandatory) Visit www.jewelkade.com/Karen and take a look at the catalog (link located in the upper right portion of the page) and tell us your two must haves.

Comment 2-Like Karen's Facebook Page and tell us you did.

Comment 3-Follow Our Seven Dwarfs on blogger and tell us you do.

Comment 4-Like Our Seven Dwarfs on facebook and tell us you do.

Comments 5-9 Place an order and receive 5 ADDITIONAL entries. Just leave 5 comments that you placed an order.

Thank you, Karen, for offering this great giveaway for our follower!

Good Luck to all of you.

Freezer Paper Stenciled Onesies-A Great Baby Gift

The baby boom continues.  I have five sweet girls, that have just had babies, or are about to have babies.  I've been very busy making baby gifts for them. I had every intention of making a bundle of five gifts.  These five gifts would include the adorable Fancy Burp Cloths and Dressed Up Wipe Cases, but I just never got that far and I thought the moms could use the gifts before their babies are high school graduates.  I did make them each a Birth Announcement Sign, a Please Knock Sign, and a Freezer Paper Stenciled Onesie.

Here are the gifts I made for sweet Lindsey and her son, Micah.

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Rippled Baby Blanket & Baby Hat

Just when I think I am getting my project list cut down a bit, it seems to pile up!  I finished this beautiful Ripple Baby Blanket a couple of weeks ago.  I didn't have any other blankets on my to do list and now I have three more!  I am telling you it is a baby boom!

I made this baby blanket and sweet little cloche hat for our church secretary's daughter, Jill.  This blanket is traveling farther than I have ever sent off a blanket before.  Kathy (our wonder church secretary, who spoils us rotten) went to spend some time with Jill after the birth of her granddaughter, Hannah.    Jill and her family are living and working in Abu Dhabi.  Yep, that is completely on the other side of the world.

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A Healthy, Easy, Breakfast

This is my oldest daughter's idea of a great breakfast!

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Swiss Chicken & Apple Bake

I have been experimenting with some new recipes lately and I have a real winner for you!  It is just in time for some fall home cooking!  The picture doesn't do it justice, as it was gobbled up by my family in one sitting.

Swiss Chicken & Apple Bake

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No Sew Fabric Wall Hanging-Faith's Guest Post

This Art Deco-inspired leaping deer was really, really easy to do.  Anyone who can use a pair of scissors, an iron, and a can of spray glue can do this!  Here are instructions.

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Ladybug Tutu

Yesterday was my sweet Anna's first birthday.  I can't believe she is 1!  Where did time go?

We are so very blessed to have Anna in our family.  She brings added sweetness and joy to all our lives.  All my boys (husband included) adore Anna.  How could you not love a little girl who smiles all the time?

I've had quite a few people tell me lately with amazement, "She is such a happy baby!"  I am confused by this as I would think all babies are happy, but I guess that isn't the case.  Thankfully, God has blessed us with three very happy and friendly kids.

Enough about how much I love my kids, on to what I made Anna!

Anna has a ladybug room, ladybug slippers, the nickname Anna bug, a ladybug birthday cake and now, a ladybug tutu!

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Big Canoe, Georgia...A Great Vacation Spot

Are you looking for a great mountain vacation spot?  My parents found one and included us in the great vacation: Big Canoe, Georgia.

Big Canoe is in the foothills of North Georgia Appalachians. Big Canoe is just one hour north of Atlanta. It is a gated community with over 8,000 acres. 1/3 of this land has been set aside for wildlife.  It is beautiful.

There is so much to do in Big Canoe.

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Mama's Peach Cobbler Recipe

My Mama makes the best cobbler.  I have loved it ever since I was a young girl.  This recipe is for a Peach cobbler, but you can use this recipe with just about any fruit and have a fantastic recipe.

This recipe is the perfect mix of fruit, crunchy topping and gooey inside.  Can you get better than that?

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School Printables

Today is my little man Ryan's first day of Kindergarten.  I can't believe that he is 5 and starting school.  Where did the time go. 

In honor of his first day, I thought I would share some great school printables for your picture frame.

From La Belle Parties

From Eighteen25

From Free Time Frolics

From The Craftress Mom

Have a great school year!

Steel Cut Oats-A Wonderfully, Healthy Meal

Breakfast has always been a challenge for me.  I'm not a fan of the typical breakfast foods.

Wait!!!!! I wasn't a  fan typical! 

Recently, I've found another breakfast option that I actually enjoy. 

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Ladybug Slippers

I've liked many of my favorite crochet pattern makers Facebook pages.  I like to keep tabs on what they are creating and selling. One of the best things about following these pages is the chance to occasionally test patterns.

Well, I struck gold the other day!

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Garden Jewels-A Guest Post

My friend Dottie surprised me with the gift of this Garden Jewel she had made herself.  I love it.  Light plays off the glass sparkling against the greenery.    Dottie got the idea from an online magazine article in www.womansday.com/specials.   She varied somewhat from their directions and has since experimented making quite a few different designs.    Dottie shared the tips she has found helpful.

 

First, she shopped  for a variety of inexpensive glass pieces  at thrift stores and garage sales.  She played with these to plan a design for the tower.  If freestanding, she found a large cake stand  worked.  For a piece like mine to be placed on a pole, a small vase might be chosen.   Once she had planned and assembled her tower, Dottie found silicone glue with an applicator easiest to use.    If possible she suggests a fine bead of glue which will not be as noticeable.    If a piece is uneven, it might be necessary, however,  to use more glue and it does dry clear.     Dottie found that it worked best to put the pieces together in twos.   Glue  "two"  together, letting  them sit overnight to dry.  Next day,  add the next two pieces, glue together, let sit overnight to dry.  Continue until you have built  your tower.  Watch carefully so that pieces do not shift until glue dries.

 

Several days drying time should be allowed each finished piece.  Rebar with PVC electrical conduit or tubing can be used as a pole to hold the tower.  This can be bought and cut at a hardware store.   The base of the tower can be glued to the top of the pole once it is pounded into the ground.  My husband used a piece of chrome pipe over my rebar pole and stretched gaskets to hold the tower in place.   I imagine there are a variety of ways to keep the tower standing upright  if not designed to be freestanding.     

 

Dottie made one piece with small glassware, using glass jiggers and  an empty perfume bottle to hold the small rod for the base.   She placed that small  "Garden Jewel" in a potted plant. 

 

Mary

 

Mary is Shannon's Mom and has been a guest blogger before.  We appreciate her sharing this great project with us. We hope you're inspired to add some bling to your yard!

 

Snow Cone Syrup Recipe

Shannon sold me on the Pampered Chef Ice Shaver that she featured a few weeks ago.    I told her about wanting one about two months ago and she suggested it. I got a deal on Amazon and I am loving it. I made snow cones for the kids and I for the first time and we loved them.

I wanted to share a simple koolaid based snow cone recipe.  I am all about getting more bang for my buck and for saving myself time. Therefore, I prefer to make a large recipe so that I don't have to make it every time I want a snow cone (which is daily with the heat).

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