Archives for January 2012

31
Jan

5 Months Already?

How can it be that my baby boy is 5 months old today?
My sweet little Boo Boo is going to be on the move before we know it.
I love every square inch of this baby boy.  His chubby cheeks, his huge grins, his soft skin, his smell, his belly laughs, his rubber band wrists, his super-chub thighs……. oh, and those eyes, I love those baby blues……I could go on and on.  Caspian Finn is honestly the sweetest, happiest little guy I have ever met.  Always smiling, easy going ~ definitely a dream baby if I could have ordered him up myself.
I’d like to push the pause button right now and freeze this moment in time.  Ok, I’m pushing it……right…..now.
It’s all going by way to fast.
Happy 5 months to my sweet little guy ~ you are truly such a joy!
30
Jan

Rick Rack Travel Tissue Holder ~ Tutorial

These last couple weeks we have been sick with some pretty nasty colds around here ~ tis the season, I guess.  It is the worst feeling to be caught out and about without a tissue in sight.  I mean, what is a girl to do? I’ve been meaning to make some travel tissue holders for the last year and I finally sat down and sewed some of these little cuties.

As most of you know, I’ve got a thing for rick rack, so I decided to incorporate one of my favorite trims into the design.  This project is a really great way to use up scraps as it only takes two small squares of fabric.  If you are in a ‘scrap busting’ kind of mode, this is going to be a great project to put those scraps to good use.

Also, if you are just starting out sewing, this is a perfect beginner project and if you are a seasoned pro, these fun travel tissue holders will take you minutes to sew together.  Let’s get started…….

Rick Rack Travel Tissue Holder
by The Cottage Mama
Supplies:
1 – 6″ x 7.5″ piece of fabric (exterior)
1 – 6″ x 7.5″ piece of fabric (lining)
Rick Rack
Basic Sewing Supplies
Optional: Wonder Tape
Instructions:
Cut your fabric.  You will need two pieces for each tissue holder.  One for the exterior and one for the lining.  Also, pick out a coordinating color of rick rack trim.
Pin rick rack to both sides of the exterior piece of fabric.  Line the rick rack up with the edge of the fabric.  Another option is to use Wonder Tape to temporarily adhere the rick rack to the fabric.  Wonder Tape is a double-sided tape that washes away and won’t gum up your needle.  Apply it to the back of the rick rack, peel off the paper backing and stick it to the fabric.  Again, Wonder Tape is totally optional.
Place the lining fabric on top of the exterior fabric with the right sides facing each other.  By right sides, I mean the printed side of the fabric.  Stitch down both sides that have the rick rack using a 1/4″ seam allowance.
Turn right side out and press.  This should allow the rick rack to just peak through on either side.  This was a standard, regular sized rick rack.  If you choose to use a smaller or jumbo rick rack, you will need to adjust it so that the right amount peaks through with the 1/4″ seam allowance.
Place the fabric with the exterior fabric side up.  Fold in both sides, so now you see the lining.  Fold in so that the seams where the rick rack are seen are overlapping each other.  Pin in place.
Stitch down both sides of the tissue holder using a 1/4″ seam allowance.  Trim edges with pinking shears or use a zig-zag stitch for finishing.  Clip corners and turn right side out pressing out the corners.
The rick rack is entirely optional as well, but I think it adds a nice, vintage detail.
Fabric is 100% cotton, ‘City Weekend‘ by Oliver + S for Moda Fabrics.
Once your tissue holder is complete, just fill with travel sized tissue packs with the plastic wrapper removed.  I plan to make one of these to keep in each of my purses, one for the car, and maybe one for each of my kids.  These really are the easiest thing to sew and make a very ordinary item such as tissues into something special and fun!
27
Jan

The Cottage Kids Favorite Toys ~ Age 2 through 4

The question about work-life balance has come up from quite a few of you lately.  You want to know how I balance being a wife, a mother to three young children, and a small business owner?  For right now, I’m not entirely prepared to answer how I ‘do what I do’ because I’m still formulating my thoughts on that topic.  I’m imagining me saying, ‘just run around like a crazy woman’ is not exactly the answer you were looking for…….though sometimes it’s the truth.   So until I can clearly articulate myself on that topic……..I thought I would share some bits and pieces of our life that will maybe bring the whole idea work-life balance together.

For the most part (excluding today ~ ugh!), the girls are really good at entertaining themselves and playing together.  The fact that they are only 16 months apart really helps because they are pretty much interested in the same things.  I would say they are definitely each others best friend.  Having them be able to play independently helps allow me to tend to their baby brother, Caspian Finn, and get some work done with The Cottage Mama.

Today I thought I would share some of The Cottage Kids favorite toys.  Now mind you, Matilda Jane is 2.5 years old and Savannah is almost four.  So, these are what they are into now………I’m sure that will change down the line, but I’ll give a little update when it does.  I also think it’s fun to see what other kids are into and might give you some new ideas for toys for your little ones.

Little Tikes Deluxe Wooden Kitchen
This play kitchen has been a huge hit ever since we got it when Savannah was 2.5 years old.  I love that it is wooden and it has held up incredibly well.  The laundry feature is really fun for the girls since they love to use the washing machine and ironing board.  It also has an oven, refrigerator, stove, microwave and sink that are all wonderful for pretend play.  There is ample amount of storage inside as well.
Almost all of our pretend food is Melissa & Doug, but this was one of the first sets that we started out with.  The food groups are a great variety.  We have added the pots and pans set, cutting foods, the cookie set, donut set, pizza party and birthday cake to the collection.  The girls can spend an hour cooking up things in their play kitchen with this food.  Truly a great investment.

The Bilibo is a new toy that the girls received for Christmas from my in-laws.  We aren’t entirely sure what it’s supposed to do, but that’s the beauty of it ~ it can be anything you want it to be.  You can sit in it and spin around, you can put your baby dolls in it as a little doll bed, you can wear it on your head and pretend to be an astronaut (a favorite idea of Savannah and Matilda), you can carry your toys around in it.  The wonderful thing is that it lends itself to great imaginary fun.

I’m not sure who loves this toy more, myself or the girls.  These gears are magnetic on the back and you can set them up in all different kinds of patterns on the refrigerator to make them work together.  It’s great for problem solving because the kids have to figure out why the gears aren’t working together when they are set up in certain ways.  Even my father-in-law, the engineer, loves these!!
Washable Dress-Up Masks

Ok, so the #1 activity around here is dress-up and pretend play.  We have a gigantic dress up bin that is full of all sorts of costumes (a lot of which my mom made me growing up), accessories and now we have these fabulous masks (given to us from my mom and Pepo for Christmas).  They are great because they are fabric so they can be washed – big bonus with toddlers.  The elastic on the backside is nice and sturdy so it won’t break.  And they are really comfortable for the kids to wear.  This week the girls have been telling me that I am to wear the cow mask……..not sure if they are trying to tell me something.

Beginner Pattern Learning Blocks

Savannah seems to be more into these than Matilda right now, but these are great for identifying shapes and colors.  They are kind of like a bunch of mini-puzzles, but you can engage with your little ones by asking them questions regarding the different pieces. The shapes and boards are wooden and the boards are double-sided with a picture on each side.

We have had these boxes since before Matilda was born and they are probably one of our all-time favorite toys.  Why?  Because there are so many things that kids can do with them.  They can sort the items by color, sort them by type, they can count the items in the box or they can use the different pieces for pretend play.  LOVE this toy!
We love ‘Little People’ around here.  The girls love playing with the home and the farm.  It’s really fun to see them talking and pretending to make up little stories with these characters.  I loved my ‘Little People’ house when I was growing up, so I’m glad they do too.  We’ve also got Noah’s Ark as well as the ABC animal set……..though we pretty much just put all the characters together.  At any given time you might find the alligator hanging out in the house or the baby sleeping in the barn…….you know, anything goes around here.

Goodnight Moon Game

We got this game for the kids for Christmas and it has been a big hit.  There are many different variations of instructions with the game depending on the ages of the players.  We have been doing the beginner version of the game, but both girls can play it well and have a lot of fun.  The instructions go up to age 6.  Not to mention, that Goodnight Moon is a sweet classic.

Mega Blocks Princess Building Set

I don’t think these Mega Blocks need much explaining, but we love to build castles and towers.  We’ve added to this set with another primary colored mega blocks set, so now the girls can build a tower as big as they can possibly imagine.

This is a new toy that the girls received from my mom and Pepo for Christmas.  They really enjoy it, but have yet to really master it.  And yes, they are made out of an awesome material so they are definitely indestructible.  I think it will become more of a favorite as they both get a little older, but I love it because it’s the gateway into sewing!!!
Those are just some of the toys that are big hits around here.  The girls play with their musical instruments and their baby dolls quite a bit as well, but overall they’ve got quite a few toys to keep their little minds occupied.  Personally, I love when my kids can play on their own because I think it fosters creativity and independence.  Yes, it does help me to manage my household and business when they play on their own, but it also helps them learn to not always need to be entertained by someone else.
I’ll share some of our favorite books with you in another post.  It would have been just too much for this post.  
We love books!
So, what are (or were) your kids favorite toys when they were toddlers?
25
Jan

Sponsored Australian Aboriginal Fabric Bundle Giveaway ~ Heartsong Quilts


I’m really excited to announce a brand new The Cottage Home blog sponsor ~ HeartSong Quilts!  Wait until you check them out, you’re going to be blown away by this unique, one-of-a-kind quilt shop!!

HeartSong Quilts is one of the most unique quilt shops in America. It offers visually stunning fabrics including Australian Aboriginals, primitive moderns,urban and edgy fabrics, and fabrics evoking African mudcloth and homespun. They also sell traditional fabrics, panels, quilt kits, books, patterns and notions. They have an extensive clearance fabric department with savings up to 50%. They provide long arm quilting service, too. When you don’t want the “same old, same old”, head for HeartSong in Hot Springs, SD. It’s definitely not Your Grandma’s Quilt Shop!
Ann and Brian Powers, owners of HeartSong Quilts, have a passion for bringing new and exciting fabrics to their customers.  Ann started quilting in 1997 in South Florida, and the family moved to South Dakota in 2008, introducing  their urban contemporary tastes to the Black Hills.  Brian is on the Board of Directors of the Quilt Trade Association, a national trade organization providing education and training for independent quilt shop owners.
Today, Ann and Brian are giving away a hand-selected bundle of fabrics to one lucky The Cottage Home Blog reader.



The bundle, pictured above, consists of 8 fat quarters from HeartSong’s Australian Aboriginal fabric collection from M & S Textiles.  If you’ve never seen Australian fabrics, you’re in for a real treat.  They combine bright and clear colors with visually arresting designs, and have great hand and washability.  Pair these with any of the Marcia Derse fabrics, the Fassett Collection, Jason Yenter designs or any of the other contemporary designers using bright colors.
There are a couple of ways to enter the HeartSong Quilts fabric giveaway.  You can do one or both  of the following:

1) Sign up for the Heartsong Quilts Newsletter on the right hand side of their website (click here).
2) Become a fan of Heartsong Quilts on Facebook (click here).

Ann and Brian, of Heartsong Quilts, are offering an exclusive discount of 15% off your entire purchase (excluding clearance fabrics) for The Cottage Home blog readers with the promo code: COTTAGE

Giveaway open until January 29, 2012 at midnight (CST).

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of The Cottage Home blog, please email Lindsay at thecottagemama[at]gmail[dot]com for rates and additional information.
1)   
25
Jan

Winners, Winners……

And the winners of the Sodee Naturals and Biltmore Inspirations giveaways are……..

Sodee Naturals Winner:

Biltmore Inspirations Winner:

Congratulations to both of you!  If you could please email me at thecottagemama[at]gmail[dot]com with your contact information, we will get your prizes out to you as soon as possible. 

Thank to everyone who entered.  There’s another great giveaway going up today, so if you like fabric, come on over to The Cottage Home.

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of The Cottage Home blog, please email Lindsay at thecottagemama[at]gmail[dot]com

23
Jan

Stitched Whimsy by Heidi Boyd ~ Book Review

‘Stitched Whimsy’ by Heidi Boyd is one of the cutest sewing books I have ever been sent to review.  The projects throughout the book are just as the title states ~ whimsical!  If you are looking for a book to inspire creativity and create special, handmade toys for your little ones, look no further.  Think turtles, mushrooms, little birds, elephants, giraffes, owls, felt food and so much more!

‘Stitched Whimsy’ is divided into four different sections and contains projects involving needle felting as well as sewing.

~Needle Felt Fun
~Whimsy for the Home
~Lovable Plushies
~Felt and Fabric

I have always been interested in needle felting, but have never given it a try.  There are lots of hobbies that I think I could get into, but sometimes I feel like it’s best to stay focused on just a few so I don’t get overwhelmed.  But I could really see myself getting into needle felting if I ever gave it a try.

The fact that this book breaks down all the different types of wool felt is an invaluable resource.  The author goes through the use of 35% wool felt, 100% wool felt, felted recycled sweaters, and more.  In addition to categorizing the different types of felt there are also sections defining different types of fabrics, wool roving, stuffing, and embellishments (such as beads, safety eyes, buttons, ect).

The book contains very specific instructions on what types of tools will be needed to complete the different projects from sewing machines, needles, cutting tools, needle felting tools, adhesives and marking tools.  If you’ve thought about entering the world of sewing softies, this book is a wonderful resource.

Most of the projects I make for my children are clothing and the occasional quilt because that’s what I love to sew.  But this book has definitely inspired me to start sewing toys and softies for my kids.  The cuteness is almost unbearable and I just love all the little details in each project.  I really appreciate the author’s breakdown of embroidery stitches as well.

The step-by-step instructions are wonderful and easy to follow.  There are pictures as well as hand-drawn illustrations that are really charming and well done. I also love that many of these projects can be done with scraps of fabric.  And my goodness……..do I have scraps…….it’s ridiculous!  And I’m all about using up those scraps this year.

My only negative thought on this book is the fact that it does not come with full-sized pattern pieces.  Why do people do that? I mean I know why they do, because it saves money on the printing, but it is so frustrating for the buyer.  To be honest, I have not purchased books for this reason, but sometimes a book is work the extra effort of enlarging the pattern pieces.  You can enlarge some of the pieces on your home printer, if you have a scanner/copy model, otherwise, you’ll need to take a trip to your local Kinko’s or copy store.

The characters pictured above just make me smile.  Aren’t they so cute?
I sort of have a thing for stuffed little kitties and I love the vintage feel of the one pictured above.
If you are looking for adorable projects, with wonderful step-by-step instructions and inspiring photography, you’re going to want to pick up a copy of ‘Stitched Whimsy’ by Heidi Boyd.

No compensation was received for this post.  I simply received a copy of the book from the publisher for my review.  All opinions and thoughts are 100% mine.

21
Jan

On my mind…..Life, Love and Joy

For some reason I feel compelled to write today.  As I sit here in my bed trying to recover from a bad sinus infection and a double ear infection, I cannot feel sorry for myself.  I cannot feel sorry for myself because I am blessed beyond words.  I am blessed with overall good health, my family, the roof over my head, food on my table, my beautiful babies, my incredible husband, my friends and just life in general.

Ever since Ashley of Lil Blue Boo posted her ‘Right of Passage’ video on her blog, I can’t seem to get her, her family or the video out of my head.  Have you been following her ‘Cancer Chronicles’?  If not, I encourage you to visit her blog and start from the beginning of her journey.  I will let you read her entire journey for yourself, but whether or not you have been through anything like this, her attitude is awe inspiring.

I think her story speaks to me because that person going through cancer could very well be me.  We are of similar age, both with young children, both in the prime of our lives and the idea of what she is experiencing is unimaginable.  My heart aches for her.  I want so badly to jump through my computer screen and hug her.  The fact that Ashley manages to ‘choose joy’ during this difficult time is just amazing.  I can only hope that if I was dealt the same hand of cards, that I would ‘choose joy’ as well.  I love her positive outlook and her ‘can do’ sort of attitude.  With every challenge she faces, she continues to go through life looking at the glass as half full.

Ashley has received emails questioning her truthfulness about her experience because she is so positive.  Is she keeping it real?  They are wondering about her fear and her pain.  Maybe that is in the back of her mind, but she is choosing to live life and choosing to focus on joy in her current situation.  And I just love it!  I think we need more people in the world that focus on the joy in life.  What good does it do anyone to live in the negative?

I have often been criticized for living life in such a positive manner.  For not ‘keeping it real’.  I know that seems kind of weird (and it actually feels weird to write it), but it’s true.  People wonder……can she really be that happy?  Sometimes I think misery loves company.  Personally I choose to focus on the joy that I have in my life.  Yes, being a wife and mother and juggling a small business can be difficult and trying at times, but I do the best I can and I try to focus on the good rather than the bad.  Is that keeping it real?  For me, it is.

Have I been through tough times?  Yes, but I choose not to dwell on them and I do not let them control my life.  I have experienced a miscarriage and I have suffered through postpartum depression after the birth of my first child.  But rather than dwelling on the negative in both those situations, I choose to share my story in hopes that others can gain positive support and information through my difficult times.  I am in no way suggesting that if you are going through a tough time that you shouldn’t talk about it and share it with others.  We cannot control the cards we are dealt, but we can control the way in which we deal with them.

I do not know what the future holds for Ashley, I can only hope and pray that everything turns out for the best.  But I do know that God has chosen her for this path and journey for a reason.  I’m quite certain He has chosen her to inspire others, to help people not sweat the small stuff and to make us all focus and be thankful for the joy and blessings that we have in our lives.  I don’t know about you, but I know that she has caused me to hug my babies a little tighter, kiss my husband a little more and be thankful for the joy that is in my life.

I hope that the next time you are dealt with a difficult situation that you will think of Ashley and will rise up and find the joy that is in this wonderful life that we live.  We all have SO much to be thankful for.  If you know anyone going through a difficult time, share Ashley’s story with them……..she is such a true inspiration!

And if you are the praying type, I ask you to pray for Ashley………pray as hard as you possibly can.  I know, I am.

I know I don’t come on the blog writing about my personal thoughts and feelings too much, but this year is a little different.  I hope to be able to share some more personal things with you ~ I hope you don’t mind the change. 
20
Jan

Biltmore Inspirations Inspired Living Giveaway ~ $50.00 Gift Certificate

Have you heard of Biltmore Inspirations?  Well, today we have a fabulous giveaway for you from this new and growing business!  I was recently introduced to Biltmore Inspirations through my good friend, Danica.  She has signed on as an independent sales consultant with the company and is the sponsor behind today’s, generous $50.00 gift certificate.  Biltmore Inspirations is an exciting, new home-based party plan business from Biltmore. That’s right, Biltmore—as in America’s largest home, located in Asheville, North Carolina.

Biltmore stands for gracious hospitality, amazing design style, and the warm, welcoming feeling of being a special guest in the home of good friends. They want to share that experience with you through Biltmore Inspirations—an outstanding collection of exclusive tabletop products, chef-selected foods, home decor, wine accessories, and regional artist-inspired products, all inspired by the unique beauty of Biltmore.

Biltmore Inspirations hopes to inspire families to celebrate every day with style by embracing the Biltmore legacy of gracious hospitality, philanthropy, and entrepreneurship. They also believe every home should be a welcoming retreat for family and friends. They achieve this by cultivating the passion and talents of sales consultants to build successful businesses by sharing products for today’s lifestyles, a collection inspired by Biltmore’s heritage of family, craftsmanship, and design.

Biltmore Inspirations offers a wide variety of products for the home and entertaining.

Here are some of my favorites:

I think the matching mommy, daughter and doll aprons are just too cute.  Any little girl would be in heaven with a set of these.  Also, these two beautiful urns would look great in any house.

How fun are these serving sets?  I particularly like the chalk board ones since you can customize them for any party.
These candle holders are just beautiful.  I can totally see the hanging ones in our cottage.

I recently purchased a set of these Lisa Conard Mugs through Danica and Biltmore Inspirations.  I am a big fan of pottery and I love their artisan collection.  Each mug is handmade and a little bit different.  The handles are nice and wide and very easy to hold.  Also, the mugs are microwave safe and the handle stays cool when heated.  As I’m writing this post, I’m using one of my mugs for my afternoon coffee and they are honestly one of my very favorite things in my kitchen right now.
So, do you want a chance to win a $50.00 gift certificate to buy some of your own products from Biltmore Inspirations?
Here’s how to enter ~ do one or both of the following (please leave a separate comment for each entry):
1) Visit Danica’s Biltmore Inspirations – Inspired Living Site and tell us what you would buy with your $50.00 gift certificate (click HERE).
2) ‘Like’ Danica’s Biltmore Inspirations Facebook Page (click HERE).
Giveaway open to US residents only.  Please make sure to leave your email address or have your blogger profile linked so that we can contact you if you should win.  Winner will be selected via random.org. 

Giveaway open until Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at midnight (CST).
Danica’s Biltmore Inspirations is offering an exclusive 15% discount off your entire purchase through the end of January to The Cottage Home blog readers.  To receive discount, please place order with Danica directly by emailing her at danikat[at]comcast[dot]net or calling her at 847.987.7367.
Also, if you are interested in hosting a party of your own or becoming an independent sales consultant with Biltmore Inspirations, please contact Danica at danikat[at]comcast[dot]net or call her at 847.987.7367.
19
Jan

Circus 1st Birthday Dress from a Repurposed Bridesmaid Dress

My friend, Danica’s, daughter, Aaralyn, turned one a couple weeks ago.  And for her party, I designed and sewed a dress as a gift from our family to the little princess.  Danica is a professional photographer (Flora Danica Photography), so she had definite visions for how she wanted this dress to look.  She had shown me a bunch of different ideas that she had, but she couldn’t quite pin down exactly what she wanted.  You know that feeling?  Where you know what you want, but you just can’t quite find a picture of what is in your head.  So with great faith, she allowed me to go to town with the design and trusted that I would come up with something that she loved.  Talk about pressure.

So here’s where the tricky part came into the mix.  Danica wanted to incorporate the bridesmaid dress (the maid-of-honor’s dress, to be exact) from her wedding into the design along with this adorable circus fabric she had found.  But let me tell you about this circus fabric, though the printed design is absolutely adorable…….it is upholstery fabric!  Yes, it was one of the most difficult fabrics I have ever worked with, but luckily it turned out.

 

The above pictures were taken by Danica of her little cutie patootie at the over the top girly circus party she threw.  There was a candy bar, circus food, games with prizes, and so much more.  Danica has become known in our circle of friends as throwing the best parties around!  No detail is overlooked.

As for the bodice, I used a basic peasant style silhouette.  I wanted to do puff sleeves, but I also wanted the little lady to be comfy, so I thought an elastic neck and sleeves was the best way to go.  I incorporated some trim that I had on hand into the bodice and re-used the little buttons from the back of the bridesmaid dress as well.

The pink fabric yo-yo was from a deconstructed vintage yo-yo quilt that I had picked up awhile back at a flea market.  The pink fabric just happened to match perfectly.  I covered a large button with the part of the fabric where there was a monkey since I knew Aaralyn’s big brother, Roaron, loves monkeys!

I did a double layer skirt to make sure there was plenty of fullness.  The under layer is fabric from the bridesmaid dress.  I made the top layer a little shorter and left it open in the front to add a little interest.  I also added a small ruffle around the bottom.  The circus upholstery fabric was so dense and thick that I couldn’t use a single straight pin constructing the dress.  Every time I went to put one in, it bent my pins in half.  For someone that pins everything, this made me really nervous.  But, by the grace of God, it all came together.

The sash on the dress is made from the bridesmaid dress.  I wanted it to have a big full bow in the back, but didn’t want the sash to be too long.  You should have seen this dress after I had cut it all up……..pretty sad, but it was so neat to be able to repurpose it into something new and special. 

I mean really, do we ever wear those old bridesmaid dresses again?

I gave Danica the dress the day before the party and just hoped that it fit and that she loved it.  
And thankfully, it did fit and she did love it!
I don’t know if I’ll be sewing with any more taffeta and upholstery fabric anytime soon, but I’m so happy that I could be part of creating this special memory and heirloom piece for Miss Aaralyn’s First Birthday!
18
Jan

Smoked Chipotle Pulled Pork Quesadillas ~ Recipe

As you might have noticed, I’m on a slow cooker kick lately and this recipe is no exception.  You make the Smokey Chipotle Pulled Pork in your slow cooker during the day and then make the quesadillas right before you’re ready to eat.  You can also serve this pork just as it is on a hamburger bun or use it as a filling for tacos…..it’s very versatile.

Smoked Chipotle Pulled Pork Quesadillas
Ingredients:
3-4 pound pork loin roast
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon chile powder
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup chipotle salsa or 1 tablespoon of chipotle in adobo sauce (sauce part only)
Flour tortillas
Shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese or Mexican cheese blend
Directions:
Place pork loin roast in slow cooker and top with onions, garlic, cumin, oregano, chile powder, and chipotle.  Set on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 5 hours.  
Once pork is cooked, remove from slow cooker and shred with two forks.  Return the pork back to the slow cooker to soak up all the juices.  This recipe makes a lot of pork, so you will only use part of it for the quesadillas.  Freeze remaining pork for later use or plan your weekly menu around other recipes using shredded pork.  
To assemble quesadillas, sprinkle shredded cheese on top of tortilla.

Place some of the pork mixture on top of the cheese on one side of the tortilla.  Heat skillet on medium and melt a little butter.  Once butter has melted place tortilla, as pictured above, into pan.
When the tortilla is in the pan, fold the cheese only side over on top of the pork mixture.  We don’t want to fold the quesadilla before it goes in the pan because then we won’t have butter on both sides of the tortilla.
Cook for about 3 minutes or until golden brown.  Flip quesadilla and cook until other side is golden brown.  Once both sides are cooked and cheese is melted, remove from pan and cut in half.
You can make as many of these as you would like or as many as your family can eat!

I like to serve these with some chipotle salsa, but you could dip them in any salsa your family enjoys.  Would also be great with some sour cream or guacamole as well.
Personally, I think two quesadillas is a perfect dinner serving and one is probably good for lunch.  Feel free to get creative here and add in any ingredients you would like.  
This pork is SO delicious, give it a try……..you’re going to love it!