Country Living Classic Vintage Table Linens

A random stop into K-Mart turned into an early Christmas present for yours truly!  While browsing with Dave, we came across these Country Living Classic Vintage table linens on clearance!  Dave agreed to buy me a table cloth and the last remaining placemat as an early Christmas gift.  The store only had one matching seat cushion left and none of the coordinating red ticking stripe window valances.  A search of other K-Mart stores for the remaining pieces of this collection turned up zilch.  But, I'm happy to have found this table cloth for such a great price as I've been admiring it for a long time!  And, I may even return to buy an extra one (you know as insurance against the little people and furry kitties!).   

The table cloth has a lovely red rose pattern with a decorative ruffle around the edge.  Please excuse the wrinkles, I didn't bother to iron it in my excitement!

Inspired by the colors in the table cloth, I decided to change dining room's Christmas tree and decorations.  Instead of blue and gold, we're going with warm reds and golds this year and natural elements.  I'll share more of those details later!

Mary Ellen

Got Thanksgiving Leftovers? Make A Pot Pie!

Homemade Turkey Pot Pie

Need to clear out some Thanksgiving leftovers from your refrigerator?  Then make a pot pie!  

For the crust, I used my favorite pie crust recipe - The Perfect Pie Crust recipe posted at The Pioneer Woman.  The recipe makes two crusts.  So, I made my pot pie with both a top and bottom crust.  Of course, you could just do a top crust for the pot pie and save the other crust for a dessert recipe!

To prepare the filling:
Adapted from this recipe

1 medium onion, diced
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup all purpose flour {or corn starch}
1 3/4 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
black pepper and garlic powder, to season
shredded turkey meat
leftover or frozen vegetables {I used green peas, frozen corn, frozen lima beans and also leftover brown rice}

In a saucepan over medium heat, saute diced onion in butter until tender.  Add flour (or corn starch) and stir.  Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk.  Simmer over medium-low heat until sauce thickens.  Add seasonings to taste.  Remove from heat and set aside.

*If you wish, you can add your veggies to the sauce while it thickens.  Since I was using vegetables that were already cooked or frozen, I did not add them in at this point because the baking time would be sufficient enough to cook them.

To bottom pie crust, add shredded turkey and veggies.  Then, pour the warmed sauce over the meat and vegetables.  Add top pie crust, seal edges and cut slits in top.

Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until crust is golden and the filling is bubbly.

Enjoy!

Mary Ellen

Can A Mom Really Put Herself First?

Image Credit

A week ago, I found myself in the ER suffering from abdominal pain that seemed to get worse by the minute.  The tests ran by the ER doctor showed nothing of a life-threatening nature, but the reason for the pain remained unexplained.  As I was on the mend, a common refrain from those around me was to put myself first.  Sensible advice, but one thought crossed my mind - can a Mom ever really put herself first?  Can I put myself first when meeting deadlines are approaching and I'm the one solely responsible for getting the work done?  Can I put myself first when lunches need to be packed, homework needs to be done, teacher conferences need to be attended?  Dinner still needs to be made, floors swept, toilets cleaned and the cat who can't seem to grasp the concept of a litter box still needs to be cleaned up after.  Even when I'm sick, my children still need an attentive mother, my husband still needs a dependable wife and my aging mother sill needs a daughter to juggle her various medical appointments.  So, how is a Mom supposed to put herself first exactly?

*After following up with my primary care physician, an ultrasound revealed the source of the pain to be a particularly troublesome ovarian cyst.  So, thankfully nothing serious!

Mary Ellen

    

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around our house...or maybe an episode of Hoarders!  As one space is cleaned up, another space becomes messy.  Slowly but surely, things are coming around.  So far, we've put up and decorated eight trees.  We'll be putting up a few more today.  This maybe the earliest we've gotten our trees up for Christmas!

Have a wonderful Sunday!

 

Mary Ellen

Happy Birthday Honey!

 

Dave celebrating his 1st birthday :)

 

 

Happy Birthday to My Beloved!

 

Mary Ellen



Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!

 

*****

 

Our Thanksgiving Meal:

 

Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey (Pioneer Woman)

{Brine recipe included}

 

Crockpot Cornbread Stuffing (A Year of Slow Cooking)

{Homemade cornbread recipe for stuffing}

 

Sweet Potato Casserole

 

Brown Rice

 

Buttered Peas & Carrots

 

Pecan Pie (Pioneer Woman)

 

Pumpkin Pie

{used Perfect Pie Crust recipe for both pies}

 

 

Mary Ellen

 

 Image Credit

 

 



The Winner Is...Printcopia 8x10 Canvas Print

 

The winner of the 8x10 Canvas Print from Printcopia is...

 

Congrats Dean!

 

I'll be in touch soon regarding your canvas print.

 

Thank you to all who entered.  And special thanks to Printcopia for sponsoring this wonderful giveaway!

 

Mary Ellen

Living On A Dime Christmas Sale!

Give the gift of frugality for the Holidays!  Buy a package (3 copies) of the Dining On A Dime Cookbook for only $11 each during the Living On A Dime Christmas Sale!  That's a savings of 50% off the retail price.  Get a copy for yourself and two to give as gifts!  The Dining On A Dime Cookbook is an essential asset in any frugal kitchen with over 1200 recipes and money saving tips.  All individual print books are also 40% off during the sale.

As if these incredible sale prices weren't enough of a reason to check out the Christmas Sale, when you take advantage of Living On A Dime's Christmas Sale today, you'll also get 16 Free Bonus Items Valued at $92.75, including:

* A Delightful Collection of 10 Holiday Recipes e-Books

* A Year of Snacks e-book from Christine Steendahl at TheMenuMom.com

* 8 Easy Gardening Tips for Growing Better Tomatoes e-report from Faylee James at FoodShoppingOnABudget.com

* Menu Planning For Busy Moms e-course from Mary Ann Kelley at Menus4Moms.com

* 101 Lunchbox Ideas e-book from Emma Henry at FamilyMealsAndCookingTips.com

* Practicing Hospitality - Household Entertaining from Kemi Quinn at WellKeptPlanners.com

* Thrifty Christmas Ideas e-book from Angela Billings at ThriftyHomemaker.com



 This great sale ends Tuesday, November 20th at midnight.  Hurry and get your copies today!

*****

Don't forget to enter for your chance to win a FREE 8x10 canvas print!  Click to enter.

Mary Ellen

Disclosure

*Giveaway* FREE 8x10 Canvas Print from Printcopia!

Recently, the fine folks at Printcopia contacted me to review their canvas prints.  This was my first time creating a canvas print.  But, the entire process from start to finish was so easy!

The Printcopia website is very user-friendly and guides you through each step in creating your canvas prints.

First, choose a size for your print and then select your image.

You can upload an image from your PC or pull from Instagram or Facebook.

Next, select a style for the border.

You can also choose your display options - wall or canvas stand.

Finally, choose your finishing options (color, B&W, sepia) and any retouching to the photo.

And with that, you're done!  Simple and easy! 

My print arrived this week and I'm so pleased with the finished product!  Now, I just have to decide whether to show it off at home or at the office!

In addition to canvas prints, the Printcopia sister sites offer car magnets, custom banners and lawn signs. 

*****

This giveaway is now closed.

And now something for you Dear Readers....A GIVEAWAY!

Just in time for the holidays, Printcopia is offering a FREE 8x10 canvas print to one of my readers!  To enter:

(1) Follow The Working Home Keeper blog -  or become a follower if you're not already!

(2) Leave a comment below with your email address

This giveaway is only open to those in the Continental U.S.  A winner will be selected at random and announced on Tuesday, November 20th.  Good luck!

Disclosure:  I was given a free 8x10 canvas print in order to review the site.  All opinions expressed are mine. 

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