Unbaked #8 - Jewelry Holder Frame

For the last ten years, my jewelry has been in a mangled mess inside a little jar that a friend brought back to me from Russia.  Since I'm "growing up" I thought I should have a more respectable holder/display for my earrings and necklaces.

What I used:

Old baseboard (approx 68")

Handheld Saw (and then eventually hubby's power saw)

Spray paint

Hammer

Nails

Lace (I bought a 'sample pack' of 25 pieces of lace 11.5"x14.5" for 99¢!)

Push pins

Ribbon

I found some old baseboards in the attic of our garage (something the previous owners left), and begged my hubby to get them down so I could cut them up and do crafty things with them.  My piece of wood was about 68" long.  So I made a mark every 16" and then I used my quilt mat to measure a 45° angle to either side of my mark.

Then I used my hubby's trusty handheld saw to get the first couple angles cut...  About the time I thought a power tool would come in handy, my hubby came to my rescue and helped me finish the cutting with more precision and less time. (somewhere in there one of my pieces came out shorter than the other three, so I just trimmed a second one down so my frame wouldn't look too funky)  I kept my scraps to fit the thing together...  I'll explain later.

I laid my pieces on a large piece of cardboard, and spray painted my wood white.

When they were good and dry, I flipped them over.  Since I did not have the precision of a table saw, nor do I own a staple gun, I used my scraps to hold the lace in each corner and nailed through the scrap and the lace into the "frame".  I also used nails to keep my lace tight on the sides...  I hammered in my nail part way & then bent it over!  My grandmother, a custom picture framer, and my father, a contractor, would both be so disappointed in my lack of appropriate tools!

I used push pins to make my hanger.  I cut my ribbon so that it was long enough to hang above the frame, and then I tied it around each push pin at either end.  I don't know where the pins came from, but they're flat on top and I was able to hammer them in since I think the baseboards were some kind of hardwood.

Then...  I hung it on the wall and put all my earrings and necklaces on it!  I think it turned out funky but fun.

3 Bean Turkey Chili

First, I have a question...  How do you make chili look appetizing?  If you have any helpful hints, I'll take them!  At least this one is colorful :)  My mom always made chili with all sorts of beans and a yummy spice mix, but I've never been able to make my chili as good as my mom's!  My hubby's grandmother gave me a cookbook a few weeks ago as a graduation gift, and I tried the chili recipe and fell in love!  Of course, I'm not an avid TJ's shopper like the majority of my friends, but I did have all the ingredients on hand and thought I'd give it a whirl.  So, here's my interpretation:

• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 14 oz can Diced Tomatoes
• 14 oz can Black Beans
• 14 oz can White Beans
• 14 oz can Vegetarian Refried Beans (I like Rosarita brand)
• 1/2 C Chipotle Salsa (for a smokey flavor)
• 1/4 C Thick & Spicy BBQ Sauce (for a little zing)
• One yellow onion, chopped
• Olive oil (just a drizzle to saute your onion)
• Ground Turkey (I use the prepackaged-from-Costco approximately 1 pound stuff)

1. Stir together tomatoes, beans, salsa and BBQ sauce in large pot over low heat.

2. Heat pan over medium heat with olive oil, and saute your onions until crisp tender, add turkey and brown.

3. Add cumin to meat and stir until all the meat is evenly coated.

4. Add meat mixture to bean mixture and simmer over low heat.  Serve once heated through.

I made this  yesterday for bible study, and the girls brought shredded cheddar cheese and Greek yogurt to top it.  They also brought a green salad and cornbread muffins that complimented it perfectly!  Since I wanted it ready when they got here, I threw everything in the crockpot on low for an hour and a half and then left it on warm until they arrived.  It allowed the flavors to mingle a bit longer, and the house smelled good too!