Pretty (if i say so myself:) Burlap Bag AND Slow Cooker Oatmeal

well hello there!

today i am joining in on Katherine's 

Favorite Things Thursday. . . . .

and i'm gonna show you one of my favorite things, 

as well as a recipe i've been trying

to make forever!!!

first up, the bag.

i found this burlap bag with a flower on the front

for my friend who owns the shop here in Naples where we sell

our Beach Gypsy stuff.

i think it was literally the last Christmas gift i bought,

and i found it at another friend's shop downtown

 a few nights before Christmas.

i wish i could find more,

cause i would make them for everyone i know:)

like it?

i didn't do much, but i think it's pretty cute.

it was already pretty, but i added pieces of cut-up doilies,

as well as pearls and crystals.

oh, and i used fabric no sew glue.

EASY!!!

  

okay, it seems as if i have been trying to find a recipe for

slow cooker overnight oatmeal forever!

seriously, we try various recipes,

 and it either turns out like gross looking runny mush,

or it's burnt and stuck to the slow cooker soooooo badly,

i want to throw the whole thing away.

that's how it is.

but on Pinterest, i found one and we decided to give it a try.

mainly because Jenn from Frugal Upstate Living knew what i was going through. . . . .

and because she tried it various ways with a number of testers, like in a test kitchen.

She posts the recipes for each way but i chose the one she made first. . . . .

variation #1.

now, it would have helped if we remembered to turn the crock pot on

before going to bed.
duh. . . . . . 

oh yes. . . . . . we are THAT flaky! haha

but when we eventually did make it, it was amazing!
here is the recipe, or you can visit Jenn to see more. . . . .
and p.s.; we added chopped apples and they were SUPER!!!

Overnight Crockpot Oatmeal

1 cup steel cut or regular oats (NOT Quick Oats!)

4 cups water

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup brown sugar

1  TBS butter

1/2  tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

Combine all in crockpot and cook on low for 8hrs.  Serve with milk & cinnamon sugar.

Variations:

Add up to 1 C raisins/dried fruit before cooking.

Add 1 chopped fresh apple before cooking.

Top with fresh fruit (in season) or canned fruit (drained).

Add a pat of butter or a dollop of jam/preserves.

Drizzle with honey.

talk about a yummy breakfast!

next time i'll make more, for sure:)

joining in with this fun blog hop.

and just a question for others out there. . . .
i would LOVE to join more during the week,
but forget or don't know of them.
any tips for keeping things straight,
or do you have any favorites I should check out?
please help this terribly disorganized aka flaky person out:)
xoxo
Suzanne