Finally, as promised.

 

Here's the centerpiece for the Christmas party I did. The 'Candy Shoppe' Christmas table. I did cute whimsical ornaments with tulle as the chair decorations and used plastic snowflakes from dollar tree to dress up the napkins. They are just attached with ribbon.

Katsup

I am playing catch up. I'll post pictures from recent projects (or not so recent) and if you want to see a tutorial leave a comment otherwise take them as ideas for your own!

Remade this simple paper towel holder into something I could LOVE!

Decorative cans for my teacher hubby's desk.

Father's day wrapping job. Isn't it cute?! Got this inspiration from a napkin folding book.

Used acrylics to paint this for my sister's little girl's room.

I didn't make this, but I used mod podge and glittered the edges with fine black glitter and added the ribbon

This is what my porch looked like at Halloween time.

My friend's nursery is decorated in old fashioned plane style. This was what I made her for her shower.

I also made this cute piggy for her nursery. Don't you just wanna squeeze him?

Matching card.

Made my own 4th of July t-shirt for my buck-a-roo.

My sister wanted patterns on the painting so here's the final project!

Made Scrooge's candle for my hubby's classroom. They read 'Christmas Carol' so we made some props and decorated the classroom.

Made Scrooge a top hat, too.

Made my in-laws this stocking for their care package. I think I'll make stockings for my family next year.

Okay. So. Now I have cleaned out my archives for a minute! Thanks for reading.

Valentine's project!

I must admit that I love Christmas but the very next day I want my tree down, the clutter gone and the house to be organized.
Most years I am actually able to get the tree down and the decorations put away very quickly. This year was no exception and I am loving the open, fresh, clutter-free feeling.
But. There's still snow outside and that depresses me.
I set a goal for myself that I would stop looking so far to the future and enjoy what's happening now. I guess I'm not doing a very good job ;).
About this time each year I get excited to spread spring through my house. Spring is reaching for it, I suppose and so I settle with throwing some pink (a very springtime color) into my life.
I do not, however, own Valentine decorations. I know. I just never really bought any. And then last year I was going to make a door hanging, but I didn't start it until the week before Valentine's day and it took too long so I made a spring one instead. Here's that post.
So I made my first ever Valentine's Day decoration. Let me know what you think!

As always, not great pictures, but I think it turned out kind of cute!

I used a wood plaque and then the large "Be Mine?" card from the "Vintage Valentine" Valentine Cards paper from Fancy Pants Design (Nancie Rowe-Janz apparently designed it).
Painted the plaque with a mix of sea foam green and moss green paint (dull down the sea foam). The paper has the light green as the "Be Mine?" background and in the polka dots so I thought I'd do something other than standard pink and red.
Mod podged a layer, papered, then mod podged again.
Used my hot glue gun to attach tulle (pink and aqua), yarn bits that look like feathers, paper flowers, and a bronze flower.
I used dimensional magic to go over the frame on the paper once the Mod Podge had dried and in the center of the middle flower.

What are you planning to make for Valentine's Day? What colors are you thinking about using?

Another reason why I love IKEA

Firstly: apologies. Food week didn't happen. Go figure. Have any of you noticed how ridiculously, insanly busy Christmas is? I have. So. I am sorry I didn't post recipes and have food. week. Maybe next week?
No promises.

But I wanted to share with you my 25$ bedroom make over (not complete make over, but it makes a huge difference).
I have a philosophy when it comes to my decorating that if you pick one big thing to change out, you get a fresh feel and look without having to completely re-do a space. It can be as easy as buying new bath towels, or adding a few pillows and knick knacks that incorporate a new color into a space... it doesn't have to be a $2000 room makeover.
Like a ayear ago I bought new towels and a new shower curtain and my whole bathroom had a face lift from it.

So. My wonderful husband bought me this lovely down comforter ($50 at Ross) that come with two pillows. I noticed a little spot on it and stuck it in the wash. Then. I stuck it in my dryer. I am so mad at myself. My dryer scorched it!!! It's a really big dryer too. Who would have thought?!
So there is this whole huge scorch mark all over one side of my beautiful comforter.

Trip to IKEA yesterday for my birthday. (Yesterday was not my birthday, we just went because of my recent birthday) I found this beautiful cover for my comforter (what it's acutally called is escaping me right now). It was $15!!!!!!!!!!!! I got the cover and two pillowcases and I loved it best out of all of them... even the $60 ones.

Then they had a bunch of fabrics on sale for $4.99 a yd. It's the nice thick fabric, too -- the kind that is perfect for pillows and drapes. I sewed three pillow covers in half an hour last night and now my bedroom has a fresh feel. I am going to watch out for some red knick knacks to add and I think it will be lovely!

My lamp may need a new shade... Or I need to make a small pillow with some fabric that has red and yellow on it to make sure the yellow still fits in... whatdo you think?

Candy Shoppe Christmas Table

Candy Shoppe Christmas Table

vote for my submission in Dollar Tree's contest! Pretty please with a lolly on top?!

Coming NEXT WEEK!

 

Stay tuned for some of my favorite holiday recipes. A new recipe each day next week and some of my tips and tricks!!! 

Perhaps I'll even figure out how to do a McLinky for Friday. If you have tips... leave them here!

"Lollipop, lollipop...."

So. Church Christmas party tomorrow. I am decorating a table and had a fun idea to share with you all.
The theme for my table is 'Candy Shoppe Christmas'. Basically everything will be bright, sparkly, snowy, and sweet.

Lollipops made from styrofoam circles (dollar tree. They come in a 2 pack). Cut paper the size of the cirlces and the sides. Mod Podge it on and let it dry. Then use clear glitter glue (also from dollar tree) and make a sparkly spiral to give it that old time candy shop lollipop look. Add some embellishments or whatever you like. Then take cellophane squares and wrap 'em up like candy (can buy cello wrap at Dollar tree, too). Add bright ribbons and real candy to a vase and voila. Super cute.

Those fab hot pink candy canes are also from dollar tree. The snowball ornaments are from a local craft store but dollar tree has some cute silver ones that would work!

6 pack of sparkly snowflakes from dollar tree attached to rolled napkins with bright ribbon: fun!

I will post pictures after I get the whole thing set up tomorrow. I am planning to have tulle tied around the chairs with a funky ornament and some ribbons hanging out from the bow.

dunno if you can see it, but I also have a big 17" snowflake from DT and sprayed it white and then sprinkled glitter. It'll act as my base for my center piece. PRETTY! You can't get the whole effect, but there's a little teaser 'til tomorrow!

Comin' at ya again... real quick!

Okay. So I haven't posted in a while... I am a slacker, what can I say?! But I have been working hard and just want to share what I am doing.

P.s. Hint for you: Dollar tree has 15 ft. pine garland right now. It's simple and not great but I am really impressed with how it looks up in my house. I will post pictures soon, but go check out their Christmas stuff. They've got some good things!!!

Onto other news. You remember that funny blue table? Well. I have been working my patootie off trying to get my dining area nice.

'Cept I need your advice... but I'll get to that in a minute.
First I want to brag a little!!

LOOOOOOOOK! Isn't it pretty?! Much better than the chandy-gone-bland-y that I tried to make :(. Love it?! 20$ 20$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just bought some fab LED flame less votive candles and whatnot from Costco so those will work perfectly! I am in love.

Look at this. Superior to the blue, no?! Bad picture, but trust me... it's gorgeous and lovely and classy in real life.

But I need to confess. I am struggling! I bought some spray stripper. I thought it was this fab thing that was new and wonderful. After THREE coats of it there was still a ton of blue on the table and after two coats the chairs were still coated in varnish. None of it came off.
Do any of you refinish furniture? I need your advice.
I got fed up and thought I'd try to just make it work as it was. So I coated it all in stain anyway. It looks really pretty and distressed and old having the stain over the old paint. I coated all of it in varnish because after drying for days it still felt tacky. It's doing okay but the stain is chipping.
 :(
What would you do?
I mostly think someday I will break down and buy a table I love from the beginning and then I won't make silly mistakes!

Have a great day and happy crafting!

Copy-cat me makes a pendant light

;) so you all have such good ideas. I found this one and knew I HAD to make it for my buck-a-roo's room.
Remember his safari room? I just had to had to had to add this lamp.

What do you think?! Check that link above from where I got the idea and you can get the tutorial. Time consuming but easy project and I am in LOVE!

wow. Time flies.

It's been a while since I posted (again) but I have lots to share with you! I do. All the pictures are on hub's computer, though. But I did complete a project today that I am excited to share.

A few months back I made my hubby a giant, magnetic wall hanging that looks like a retro 'big chill' fridge (pics and tutorial to come soon!) to hang his students' work on. He needed magnets and any old thing just would not do! So I made him the following. 

So. I love how bottle caps look so fabulously retro. Don't you? They fit perfect with the retro fridge.

Using multiple colors or whatever color you like spray paint your bottle caps. I chose orange because I picked funky ecelectic papers and wanted it all to stand out.

 

Cut circles for the center of all or some of your bottlecaps. The should sit a little inside because bottle caps are rounded and if you make them the exact size, they won't glue down all the way. Mod Podge the circles on and then Mod Podge over them again.

Using Mod Podge dimensional magic or Glossy Accents create a clear epoxy-like finished top to your magnets.

Then using carboard or foam or anything else you can find, (you need this so the magnets will line up with the bottom of your bottle caps or they won't work as well) glue the filler in with hot glue and then glue a high powered, light weight ceramic magnet inside.

I know, I know, I don't take great pictures. But you get the gist. Aren't they cute?!

A spicy kick to chicken salad

So listen. I love chicken salad ('cept without grapes or nuts.) I also love, love, love buffalo sauce. I began my love affair with buffalo sauce after I got married. I had always enjoyed wings but that was as far as that went. But then I married a man who loves hot sauce, buffalo sauce, hot salsa, etc. I began making homemade wings, chicken strips with buffal sauce, buffalo chicken salad... anything and everything.

Then a few weeks ago I had leftover chicken and nothing to do.

So I created this recipe.

It's BUffalo Chicken Salad.

Yum!

Take chicken, tomatoes, celery, bleu cheese crumbles (opt.), buffalo sauce (I LOVE Texas Pete), and sandwich rolls.

Dice your chicken, tomatoes and celery. Mix with buffalo sauce in a bowl. I did not (for the record) add bleu cheese crumbles so I also mixed in ranch. You could mix in bleu cheese dressing if you are more of the traditional bleu cheese, celery and wings kind of chef.

Fill your rolls and dig in.

Hope you enjoy. Happy cooking!

Compartmentalize you life

Just to let you know I am not advertising for any company in any way for pay. These are just something I found that I LOVE and I'll let ou know the store I bought them at and for what price. You can find similar things at lots of stores made by different companies.

It's kind of a running joke at my house that I live for these storage containers. I buy them all the time and whenever I need to re-organize I buy some more. But listen. They are AWESOME. I cannot live without them (completely hyperbolic of course). So. Just wanted to share these with you. They stack and they're small enough to fit in a number of places.

.94$ at Wal-Mart means you can't go wrong!

This is a smal pantry we bought because we moved int this apt. and there was no place for food! But if I had left it as is I wouldn't have fit half this stuff so... brilliant!

So if you live in a small space or you just want your cupboards to look cleaner and more organized, go out and get some!

Oh. And of course, you can label them. The ones in my buck-a-roo's room are labeled, but I can't get a picture since he is sleeping (blessed sleep!).

Happy Organizing!

Freeze'yer cookies

Okay. I don't know about you guys but when I make cokoies I have WAY too many on hand after. I can give them away or eat them all and make myself sick. BUT. I really don't want to quarter my recipe or anything to just make a batch of cookies when I feel like it.

Plus. Remember how I want to be one of those typicla 1950's moms who has cookies for her kids when they come home from school and stuff? But baking a batch of cookies every day... not so much.

SO.

Listen. I came up with this great idea (and I know I am not the first to do this):

Make your recipe. Bake the cookies you want or need for the day.

THEN. Separate the rest of your dough into balls. Lay them out on a cookie sheet and stick 'em in the freezer. Once they are frozen transfer to a freezer bag. You will have homemade frozen cookie dough.

The benefit:

If you want to make a dozen cookies for your kids and/or their friends, if you need a quick plate of cookies to take to a sick neighbor or new mommy you will have dough readily available.

I do this with chocolate chip. I am sure you could do it with any other kind of dough.

My tip: bake on a lower setting for longer once you pull the dough out of the freezer for baking. I just made a batch from the fridge and they browned before they were 100% cooked on the inside.

Have you done this before? Which types of dough did you freeze? Was it worth the time?

Happy baking!

p.s. my recipe is jut the Nestle Toll House Recipe BUT use 3 C. flour instead of 2 1/4 for fluffier, softer cookies. AND I usually lower the amount of salt I put in recipes, but trust me, you need all the salt they call for or your cookies will be over-sweet.

I try to make them a little healthier by using 1/2 AP flour and 1/2 whole wheat. Other than being able to a little bit feel the different texture, I think they taste the same otherwise. PLUS, if your kiddos are getting cookies they probably won't notice they are almost healthy!

Free Taste of Home Magazine subscription

Fill out your info here

for all you cookers: CLick above to fill out a form for a free 1 yr. subscription to taste of home. Woot!
thanks to the Freebie Junkie

In case you're interested

I am not fully invested like I should be in it, but I have another blog.
I wear a lot of hats because I cannot settle on one. I don't know that I'd be happy doing one thing my whole life.
Maybe I am just shirking responsibility by never focusing so I never have the accountability of becoming really great at anything.
Maybe. I Really hope not.
My other blog is for writing. I love to write. LOVE to write. I love reading too so it has some book reviews too.
But I kind of hope you check it out if you like to read and/or write.
I update it every couple of weeks. Sometimes more. Sometimes less.

http://writerswriteon.blogsopt.com/

there's the link. Check it out. I love discussing books and even writing so if you feel like it check it out. You can follow me if ou like, but if something catches your eye and you agree (or disagree) please comment. We'll chat. We'll share books, even.

p.s. since I never get to brag

Since I rarely get to brag about fab finds.... I GOT ONE!

I have a little table from IKEA (one of those simple side tables) in my little bud's room. I've wanted some sort of organizing system for toys/ colored pencils or whatever on the table....

LOOOOOOOOOOOOK! $5.00 at a garage sale.

Inside it looks lilke there used to be drawers so I need to buy some of those things like when you're putting together a target bookcase that shelves rest on and then some wood to make shelves, but I am pretty darn excited. I don't even think I have to paint it.

OOOh. Idea. What if! I painted the inside a funky color????!

What color would you choose?

Dining room makeover 50% done

So I live in an apartment. I make space where I can and I maximize design to the best of my ability. It's kind of hard. When we moved in there was clearly a space for a table in the corner of a nice-sized kitchen and there was a large spot in the front room off to the side that seemed far better for a formal dining area. Cupboard space was extremely limited and there was no place for my china, our dishes, pots and pans, AND food. We bought a couple of storage cupboards that serve perfectly as free-standing pantries for the kitchen and moved the table out into the front room.
You remember this post? All about making over my dining room table.

This is my before picture of how my dining room looked. Kind of bare (I really don't like the blue of the table anymore) and unfinished.

This is my dining room now. I am in love. Okay. I am admitting (for probably the tenth time) that I am not a very good photographer and my camera is not the best. I can't really capture just how great this looks.
BUT I say 50% done because... I am re-doing my table again! I bought some wicked awesome stuff that I am so excited to try out. It is stripper in a spray can!!!!!  Should make it a little easier to get the table and chairs done. I am going to stain it this time maybe espresso, maybe provincial. I am doing the chairs too this time and they will probably all be the same color. What do you think? If you have suggestions PLEASE leave me a comment about it. I would super, super appreciate it.

The mirrors are what I had you guys vote about a few months ago and I finally got around to painting and Mod Podge-ing them. I found the perfect paper with a vintage feel but also looks kind of fancy and french. It also draws out the creamy pale yellow, reds, and deep browns in my painting. Just the colors I wanted to highlight.

And yes, that is a chandelier and yes, I made it!

So: three different size macrame rings. Spray paint. Attach to each other with beaded wire (four for each)
Make dangles using two different sized crystals and then some smaller beads on wire.
make sure four of your dangles on your top ring have jump rings attached for hanging the chandelier once you are done.
Hang the dangles spaced as you like them by wrapping the wire ends of your dangles around the rings. Glue them in place with kraft glue.
Touch up chipped paint and paint your visible wire with white acrylic paint.
Bead more wire that can wrap around your rings. Hot glue in place.
Hang with ribbon, wire, or painted chain.

I plan to wire this so it can light up, but for now it's more like ceiling art. Sparkly, lovely ceiling art.

Have fun!

I'm linking up to SNS at funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com 
and to
the Weekend Wrap up Party at Tatertots and Jello