Diana Rambles

Blue Dip-Dyed Pillow Cover (Guest Thalita)

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:00:00 +0000

My name is Thalita and I'm a newlywed and new home owner looking for creative and inexpensive ways to update our small house and make it into a home. My husband Alex and I live in a lovely suburban neighborhood with our puppy Luther who always keeps us on our toes! You can find out more on my 'About' page over at The Learner Observer!

Here it is… the moment you’ve all been waiting for. Wait…What? You’ve been living your own lives and not sitting by your computers waiting for my next project? Well, I figured as much. Good for you for not banking on me being a regular blogger and keeping some sort of schedule. That would be cray-zay!
Without any more delay… here’s the latest thing I attempted to DIY:
I had a plain white pillow cover, which I purchased at IKEA a few months ago (in case you’re interested, it was the RITVA cushion cover for $8.99). I started to get kind of bored with its lack of colour and interest, and as we all know, dip-dyed ANYTHING is super ‘in’ right now, so I figured… why not? I stopped by Fabricland on a whim one afternoon and picked up some dye. Then I got home and realized I was going to need a large pot that I would be willing to sacrifice for the sake of this pillow since I would never be able to use it again for cooking – not cool. I then hopped into the car to the trusty Salvation Army in town and picked up an old pot. I know… pure genius! Here are the steps illustrated a bit more clearly than my ramblings:
1. Purchased Dylon dye in “Arabian Night.” 2. Washed pillow cover, which, by the way, is 100% cotton – bonus when trying to dye something. 3. Get the $4 pot ready and fill with water. 4. Boil water. 5. Add dye. 6. Stir until completely dissolved. 7. Begin the dip! 8. Figure out just how far you’d like the colour to go. I figured just a little under halfway would be fine (the dye bled upwards a little). 9. Let the cushion cover sit in the dye for at least 15-20 minutes. I did my best to keep the whole thing submerged by poking it around a bit. 10. Be ready to endure possible dying tragedies! My t-shirt is not the only victim, sadly! 11. Rinse the cover until water runs clear then lay flat to dry. 12. Put your pillow insert back in and enjoy your work!

Cost breakdown:
Pillow cover = $8.99
Dye = $4.59
Total = 13.58

So there you have it. A simple way to update a boring white pillow. I didn’t include the cost of the pot because it’s something most people might have on hand, and it’ll be used for other projects now. The thing that made me feel really awesome about it was when I Googled “dip-dyed pillow” and came across some rather expensive options in comparison to mine.
The West Elm version comes in several colours, but blue was not one of them. At $40 for just the pillow cover, it’s above what I like to spend on something I know I will change often. The Bluebellgray option was the closest to my own creation, and it includes the stuffing in the cushion (which I paid $4 for, also at IKEA). Talk about a huge price difference! I saved $80 by creating my own.
So there you have it, friends. This pillow has been sitting on my dryer, laying flat to dry for over a week now. Why didn’t I just walk it upstairs and put it on the pillow until now? I don’t know. Why do I feel the need to confess all of my faults to you all? I also don’t know… maybe because you seem to understand my imperfections so well!
Usual last look? Ok!

Has anyone else tried a project like this? It’s a bit blotchy – probably because I had the cover folded in the pot, but I don’t mind its imperfection. What do you think?

Check out this great pillow and other creation at Thalita's blog!

Firecracker Chicken (Guest Parrish)

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Hi!! I'm Parrish, I am married to the milkman and am mommy to one ridiculously rambunctious toddler Dean. I like creating and sharing recipes and I love sharing "war" stories about parenting. I strive to create a site free of the "mommy judgement" where all moms can go and feel comfortable about how they decide to raise their kids. Thanks so much to Diana for letting me share my recipe for Firecracker Chicken with all of you :)

It is so rare that I come across a recipe that actually pleases everyone in my family but this one is it, picky eaters and all eat this till their tummies about pop and then anxiously await leftovers the next day! Trust me you can never make too much of this meal. I have seriously contemplated making an entire 10 pound bag of chicken into this dish because I know my family would eat it till it is gone. It uses ingredients most of us probably already have on hand (and are super cheap even if you don’t have them in your pantry already) and it does take a little time to prepare but I usually cut up my chicken earlier in the day to cut down on prep time when dinner time rolls around.

I have served this dinner to my whole family for a Sunday dinner and I have served it to friends and everyone just absolutely loves it and I know your family will too. Soo please please give this a try for your dinner this week, I promise you it will make repeat appearances on your weekly menus!!

Firecracker Chicken (adapted from Mel’s Kitchen)

Ingredients

Chicken:

2-4 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 large eggs, beaten

Sauce:

1/3 cup hot sauce (I use Frank’s brand for hot wings since it is thicker)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. While the oil is heating, cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Place the cornstarch in a gallon-sized ziploc bag. Put the chicken into the bag with the cornstarch and seal, tossing to coat the chicken. Whisk the eggs together in a shallow pie plate. Dip the cornstarch-coated chicken pieces in the egg and place them carefully in a single layer in the pant. Cook for 1-2 minutes and then flip each piece over to cook on the other side until nicely golden (does not need to be cooked through.) Place in a in a 9X13-inch baking dish (or aluminum pan for easier clean up) and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.
Mix the sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl and pour over the chicken in the baking dish. Bake for one hour, turning the chicken once or twice while cooking to coat evenly with sauce. (Watch very carefully as it can burn) Serve over rice.

Make sure to visit Parrish's blog here to find more great recipes!

Pin Me Linky Party #37

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:00:00 +0000

We are 8 days into our vacation and are camping in Rocky Mountain National Park right now. My 2nd guest co-host for June is Kim of Solace Amid the Chaos. Her blog is a creative outlet from her chaotic life.

I will post features from last week's party on June 28th!

Orange and Strawberry Button Ring (Guest Divya)

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Divya N is an Apparel and jewelry designer, a graduate of the National institute of Fashion technology living in Chennai, India. She founded Sayuri in 2008, a brand that focuses on creating kitschy handmade designer jewelry with an Indian touch. She teaches fashion at design institutes, conduct craft and design workshops and is an avid blogger.

As the chain earrings with buttons turned out to be really popular, here is another piece of jewelry that can be easily made using buttons - A button ring. I hear you Duh!! big deal but I really loved the button ring I made and it got a lottt of appreciation from my students( of design) when I wore it to college. So there must be something good about it right??
Feeling the same way, I made this tutorial. As usual it is 5 minute project which includes 4 minutes of drying time :)haaaa...My buttons are from Lotsofbuttons and they have really cute names!!

Orange and strawberry button ring

Materials:

- 1 button- natural Resin 48L (30mm) - Natalie
- 1 button - red Polyester 36L (23mm)- Theda
- gold spacer
- Nail Polish (orange)
- Top coat (clear)
- 18g soft brass wire
- Ring mandrel or marker
- Pliers & cutters

Make the ring:

1) To make this ring you need 2 buttons in different sizes. My larger buttons 48L was in natural beige color so I decided to perk it up with some color. I painted it with 2 coats of Bright orange nail polish. You could skip this skip if your button is already in the color of your choice.
2) Before you begin, just arrange the buttons & the spacer one on top of the other to make sure that they fit well without gaps and that the holes in your buttons align well with one another
3) Give a top coat to seal the polish. I added the top coat to the red button too as I wanted a nice gleam on it

4) Take your wire (I have no habit of measuring & I just eyeball the length). Fold it in half and slide your spacer in and fold the wire over so that it holds the spacer perfectly.
5) Insert the wire with the spacer through the buttons and pull tight. Press the wires at the back of the buttons so that it remains flat next to it (button)
6) Pick you ring size on the mandrel or pick a marker thats your ring size and start wrapping the wire around it, keeping the buttons absolutely flat.

7) After 2 rounds on the mandrel, its time to secure the button by means of a spiral wrap.
I have taken the ring out of the mandrel in picture "8" to show you how the wraps should be done - one wire at a time around the ring (loop part that goes on the finger). However please keep it on the mandrel while doing this.
8) when you think its sturdy enough, take it out, snip the ends and fold into the ring. My wire got over at this point so I didnt even need to snip, I just made a tiny loop at the sides to finish it (pic 10)

That's it your Orange Strawberry button ring is ready to wear and enjoy.
PS: I was watching Masterchef while making this ring and the orange and strawberry coulee dish that one of the participants made really inspired me - hence the name ;) I hope you found this interesting!

Visit Divya's blog and see more of her amazing jewelry creations here.

Crock Pot French Dip (Guest Dana)

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Dana is a former professional Chef turned blogger. While her first passion is sharing recipes she also posts about fashion, crafts and the occasional ramble. She lives in Florida with her Hubby and four fur babies. I am excited to feature this yummy looking recipe of hers. Go Cubs Go!

I know we have all been there, sometimes life just gets soo hectic there is hardly any time to throw together a decent dinner. In steps our good old trusty crock pot! Today I'm sharing with you Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches with a twist.. on garlic bread!! DOUBLE YUM... oh, and some provolone cheese. BOOM.
These were freaking amazing and had enough for leftovers which I froze and will be a super quick dinner later this week!

Ingredients

2 1/2 Lbs Chuck Roast 2 tsp Oregano 1 Tbl each: Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Montreal Steak Seasoning 3 ea Garlic cloves 2 ea Bay leaves 32 oz Beef Stock 4-6 ea Provolone Cheese slices water Fresh cracked pepper to taste

Directions

Cut roast into smaller chunks and rub with the oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, steak seasoning. Place into crock pot and add all the remaining dry ingredients. Add the stock and just enough water to cover the meat. Cover and place on low heat for 8 hours. I think mine cooked for around 9 hours and it was soooooo tender! Take out the meat and slice it as thin as you can. Make sure you take out the bay leaf and smash the garlic in the pot. Add meat back to the post and put on setting to keep it warm. Cook frozen garlic bread to directions on package. Cut garlic bread into four equal pieces and pile on the meat, adding a slice of provolone cheese. Serve with the remaining jus for dipping! SO easy and oooh so goooood. Thanks for reading! And, thank you so much to Diana for having me today! I hope you will visit my blog for more yummy recipes! Thank you, Dana!

Tin Can Craft (Guest Natalie)

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Hi, my name is Natalie. I am a South African mom of two teenage daughters. I live with my girls and my hubby in Switzerland. I am a crafter and am growing and evolving in my hobbies and skills from day-to-day. I used to think knitting and crafting was made for others and not for me, but I have fallen in love with knitting, crochet and being creative in general over the last few years and I can barely imagine my life without these things anymore!

I am the creator of Marigolds' Loft which is a blog dedicated to all goodies Handmade. Each Thursday I have a running post "Tutorial Thursdays Linky Party" where I show how to create various crafty objects in a photo tutorial format.

Thank you so much Diana for having me over.

Natalie

Today I want to show you how to recycle a tin into a wonderful gift giving container.

To make this craft you will need:

an empty fruit tin with lid

A serviette with motif that you would like to use

*Miralight (an air-drying clay)

*Antique Lack (a lack that will allow the top coat to crack)

*BasisDecor (I use this white paste to cover the Antique lack)

*Gonidecor (A universal paint to use as a base coat, and to tint the BasisDecor)

Paintbrushes

*Finisher (Top Coat, water resistant)

Remove the sticker on the tin and paint the tin and lid with your base colour.

Whilst that is drying, make a ball out of the clay and allow to dry on a kebab stick.

Once the tin is dry, paint with a layer of the Antique Lack.

Allow to dry.

Now coat with Basisdecor, in the opposite direction to the lack. Apply enough and do not paint more than once. Cracks should start to appear almost immediately.

Cut your Serviette Motif to the size you need it, and remove the bottom two layers.

If the layers do not come off very easily, slightly wet your finger and press against the back layers. They should then come away quite easily.

Place your motif where you would like to see it on the tin, and paint over it with the Finisher to seal the tin and make it water resistant.

By now your clay ball should be dry, paint it with a colour that suits you and allow to dry.

Glue the ball onto the middle of the tin lid:

Allow to dry and then fill your tin with some yummy goodies:

Replace the lid and wrap for a wonderful, recycled, Handmade Gift.

See more of Natalie's creations here.

Pin Me Linky Party #36

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Happy June! I am excited to have a Guest Co-Host each week this month! The first co-host is Shelley of Piggy in Polka Dots. Shelley runs a cute blog about cupcakes, cakes, & parties! She runs a weekly linky party on Mondays.

Click on each featured photo below to link to it's post.

DIY hair de-tangler and leave in conditioner from Domestic Bliss Squared - I need to make this!
Strawberry Shortcake Cookies from The Wilderness Wife - Yum!
Laundry Time Saving from Family Home and Life - Great tips!
Watermelon Salad from Comeback Momma - I want some NOW!

DIY Zippered Pillow Cases (Guest Corey)

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Hey there! I'm Corey from TinySidekick and I'm thrilled to be filling in while Diana is away. Like most of you, I'm a busy momma and designing a space that is beautiful and kid friendly is a must. So today I am going to share with you a fun way to use some fabrics with these zippered pillow covers that are super easy to throw in the wash.

I am a self proclaimed fabric addict. I don't know what it is, but I love fabric! So any time I get to use fabric in a fun way that doesn't break the bank I'm in! My mom taught me the basics of how to use a sewing machine and from there I have set out to try new things in the sewing world. There are so many great tutorials out there that have taught me a ton about sewing and made it way less scary. I can officially say that I have moved on from only being able to sew a straight line. I mean common! These pillows have zippers! And not just any ol' zippers...hidden zippers! That actually work! Hooray me!

I am by no means a master seamstress, but these were super simple. I knew I could sew a pillow cover, but what is the point of putting in all that work if you can't take them off to wash them. I have 2 kids, so this is a necessary thing! So after being afraid of installing a zipper for way too long, I searched around for an easy to follow tutorial and landed on this one. It was so simple to follow.

It was so easy, that I went a bit crazy and made pillows for our loft. This is a completely kid friendly space upstairs where we do lots of playing and hanging out.

And then I realized that I needed one for the rocking chair in my baby boy's nursery...

And I'm not done yet! I just have to pause to find more fabrics. I am never buying another pillow again. These zippers were so easy to install. I got them online in bulk, which is way cheaper than buying them individually at the fabric store. You can mix up the colors in your pack to add a secrete pop of color.

But most importantly they are perfect because I don't have to be afraid of this guy drooling on them! I'll just toss them in the wash, and not worry because I also learned how to serge the edges so they don't unravel with this tutorial (something you can do with a regular sewing machine...who knew?)

So don't be afraid! Grab that fabric that you love that has been sitting in the closet and get going! If I can do it, you can do it.

Please head over to Corey's blog and check out all her great creations!! Make sure you come back over the next few weeks to see more great guest posts!

Father's Day Gifts

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 20:50:00 +0000

I wanted to sneak in here before vacation and show you what I made for my hubby for Father's Day. He loves coffee & bacon, so I decorated a coffee to-go mug with bacon duct tape.

I didn't do that great of job getting the tape on smoothly, but he won't care. He's going to love his one of a kind mug!

If you haven't figured out what to get Dad this year, check out these great ideas!

This post contains Affiliate ads.

Vacation & Guest

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 14:53:00 +0000

I've read that you should not apologize for not blogging, but I have been swamped with life lately and just haven't had the chance to post much here at Diana Rambles. Things got busy when our house had a sewage flood back in April, but I've been flying by the seat of my pants for the last 3 weeks. I've not posted any new content and therefore not participated in any linky parties. We are leaving for our 19 day Colorado vacation this Thursday. We are very excited to be visiting my brother & family in Denver and to go up to the mountains to camp.

We did a nearby camping trip over Memorial Day weekend to make sure things were in order with our pop-up trailer. We came away from that trip thinking that our Jeep Cherokee was too small. Our 14 yr old's knees were embedded in the back of the front seats.

So last Monday as we were packing it up, we decided to look into getting a bigger tow vehicle. DH suggested a suburban. On Tuesday, he found one on Craig's List nearby to look at. We test drove it that evening, made an offer, and picked it up on Wednesday evening. We listed the Jeep on CL on Thursday and the first person who came to see it on Friday morning bought it. That was QUICK! We were pleased to sell the Jeep for more than we paid for the Suburban. We got new tires on the Burb this weekend and DH did all kinds of tinkering and rewiring. We went out on a test run on the interstate and it towed well. Then we went and practiced backing up.

In addition to the swap of vehicles last week we had, the last days of school, drywall work done downstairs, a new sliding patio door installed downstairs, a tree taken out and 2 others trimmed, a Dr's appt in another city, a dance recital, soccer, and many other kid activities.

Now we are shifting gears to packing/prepping for the trip. I have all my posts for June ready to publish and I am finishing up my last blog design client. I have a bunch of guest bloggers lined up. Each Thurs, Sun & Tues through the 25th will feature a creative guest post. The guests are Corey, Natalie, Dana, Divya, Parrish, Thalita, Melissa, Jackie, & Linda. I also have a co-host lined up for each Pin Me party. The co-hosts are Shelley, Kim, Jane, & Jenna. I hope your June is off to a great start! I am not sure if I will be posting from Colorado at all, but I do plan on uploading photos to Instagram when I can. You can follow my Instagram here.

Pin Me Linky Party #35

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Fri, 31 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Happy Friday everyone! I can't believe how fast this week went. I have been looking over the stats on this party and people don't link much on Tuesdays, so I am going to end the party on Mondays now. This week I am featuring top clicks!

Click on each featured photo below to link to it's post.

Industrial Coffe Table Transformation from Paper Daisy Designs - I love the color!
Herbed Olive oil Parmesan Bread from Sara Live It Well - Yum!
T-Shirt Dress from Threading My Way - CUTE!
Strawberry Apricot Swirl Ice Cream from The Jazzy Gourmet - Delish!

A Little About Diana 5

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Thu, 30 May 2013 11:55:00 +0000

It's time for the 5th installment of A Little About Diana. Are we having fun yet?

J asked~ I would like to hear the story of your daughter's adoption. She is so beautiful. Did everything go smoothly? Did you have to travel to China to meet her? What was your greatest challenge during the process? My family has no personal experience so I always love hearing the stories of others who are always so happy to share details of that joyful time in their lives! We decided to adopt in January 2005 and she was placed in our arms 21 months later. Everything did go smoothly and we got the privilege to go to China to get her. We took the boys along, which was a great bonding experience for all. She is still very close with both her bros. The biggest challenge was the wait. When we started the process was much quicker. There are so many unknowns while you wait, but it was all worth it.

Moments after we met. Meeting her brother.

Amy asked~ How did you choose your children's names? We had the name Dorisa picked out all along. My grandma's name was Doris and I wanted to name a daughter after her. We had gone through lists of boy names with our first and decided on Jake (short for Jacob) long before we knew it was so popular. We didn't find out with either of my births if it was a boy or girl ahead of time. So first we had Jake. Then our 2nd son was born and everyone had us convinced he was a girl so we didn't have a boy name picked. We wanted to go with a not so common name, and Parker just stuck. People asked us if it was after Parker Lewis Can't Lose (TV Show) but my hubby says it's after Parker Ranch, one of his favorite spots on the Big Island of Hawaii.

My grandmother passed away at the age of 101 in 2001.

Lorraine asked~ My next question for you is, what are some foods that totally gross you out? I am not a picky eater, but I do stay within a comfort zone. McD and many fast/junk foods gross me out!

Jamie asked~ What do you know now about blogging, that wish you knew when you first started blogging? I started blogging with Blogger (Blogspot) in August 2005. There have been some major changes with the platform since then, but the biggest thing I wish I knew was how to design from the beginning. My blogs were not very pretty until after I started designing in February 2008. Heck, I have a few now that I haven't had time to update. I think I could have formatted my blogs much better too.


Old School

Thanks for reading! What else do you want to know about me?

Must Follow Google+ Party 1

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Thu, 30 May 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Must Follow Party Rules
1. By participating in this link up you promise to follow EVERYONE who links up.
2. Link up your name/blog name and the link to your Google Plus Profile (NOT YOUR BLOG!)
**please test your link**
3. Provide a valid email address in the linky.
4. When the party ends I will email all participants to remind them to come back and follow everyone!
5. Only family friendly Pinners may participate.
People who don't follow these rules will be removed and not allowed to participate in the future!

**This party ends on June 4!**

Feel free to grab the party button if you want, but not required!

Pin Me Linky Party #34

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

The weekend is almost here so that means it's time for another Pin Me Linky Party! I am posting the rules up here at the top because I need to clarify a few things. This party is for creative posts only; recipes, crafts, tutorials or DIY. Sponsored or review posts are not allowed! Please review the rules below! ALSO...people are slacking off on visiting others. Please visit at least 3 links by others.

I am looking for guest bloggers for guest posts this summer. I am also looking for co-hosts for this weekly party. You can get info about both opportunities here. I am giving away one guest co-host spot for June. If you'd like to win this co-host spot please let me know in a comment on this post.

Click on each featured photo below to link to it's post.

Chocolate Dipped Toffee Cookies from Buttercream Bakehouse - Don't these look amazing?!
I Spy Toddler Travel Game from Stitched by Crystal - I wish I had one of these when my kids were toddlers!
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls w/ Caramel Frosting from A Taste of Madness - I could get fat off these! YUM!!
Cosmic Suncatchers from babble dabble do - So pretty! I want to make these with my daughter!

Must Follow Blog Lovin' Party 1

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Thu, 23 May 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Must Follow Party Rules
1. By participating in this link up you promise to follow EVERYONE who links up.
2. Link up your name/blog name and the link to your Blog Lovin' (NOT YOUR BLOG!)
**please test your link**
3. Provide a valid email address in the linky.
4. When the party ends I will email all participants to remind them to come back and follow everyone!
5. Only family friendly Pinners may participate.
People who don't follow these rules will be removed and not allowed to participate in the future!

Feel free to grab the party button if you want, but not required!

Guest Post & Co-Host Opportunities

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:55:00 +0000

I have a few great opportunities for you here at Diana Rambles.

First off, I am looking for guest bloggers this summer while I am on vacation and for a weekly feature after that. Vacation dates are 6/6-6/25. Weekly guest features will take place on Tuesdays 7/2-8/27. I am looking for creative posts: DIY, food/recipes, crafts, gardening, or tutorials. It is OK if the post is something you've already posted on your blog that you'd like more exposure to. That is actually easiest for both of us. I would put part of the post & photos on my blog with a link that says 'read the rest here' and it's linked to your post. A brand new post is fine too. You can see past guest posts here. Your blog button and/or photo will be posted as well as links to your social media. Guests during my vacation time will need to have their post to me by June 2nd. Weekly guests will need to have their post to me a week before their feature. This is for personal bloggers only and is not a paid opportunity. If your blog promotes a product or shop (such as Etsy) OR you'd like to promote a product or service, then you will have to pay for the guest post. Pricing will be determined on an individual basis. You can apply to be a guest post/blogger ~~here~~. Sign up closed! More people signed up than I have slots. I will let you know if/when you are going to be featured.

I also am offering the opportunity to be a co-host on my weekly Pin Me Linky Party. The cost to co-host is $5/week. As a co-host, your button or photo will be featured at the top of the party post with a link to your blog & social media. You will also be announced as guest co-host in the party reminder email which goes out to over 500 people. You will get the opportunity to submit your links before the party goes live. This opportunity is also for personal bloggers. You can read all details & requirements and sign up to host here. June Co-Host spots are filled!

I, Diana Hansen of Diana Rambles, reserve the right to pick/approve guest & co-hosts.

Free Craft Class Today

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Sat, 18 May 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Recently I signed up for a crochet class via Craftsy. I am so excited to finally learning how to properly crochet. I've done 3 lessons of Crochet Lab so far and I've learned a lot. I need to do a lot of practice before I am ready to move on. I really like being able to rewind and pause the lesson. On the very important techniques the video is still but the instructor keeps talking. I love the Craftsy App. That is how I've taken my classes so far.
Today (5/18) Craftsy is offering a free class up to $39.99 to new members. Membership is free! The great thing is that once you enroll in a class you have as long as you want to take it. So go ahead, sign up for membership and then pick a free class to take. They have a great selection of classes so there is bound to be something for you. Craftsy has a goal of giving away 10,000 classes and if they reach it, Craftsy will donate $5,000 to DonorsChoose to fund arts education in public schools across the US. Existing members are not eligible for the free course offer, but will still receive a special treat. I am anxious to see what that is!!

I am a Craftsy Affiliate and get paid a percentage when someone makes a purchase via my link.
If you'd like to become a paid affiliate too click here.

Pin Me Linky Party #33

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Happy Friday! I'd like to wish all you mothers out there Happy Mothers Day!! My next Must Follow Party is up and this week it's Facebook. If you'd like more likes on your Facebook Page then check it out here.

I am starting something new this week! I am going to say a little something about each feature!

Click on each featured photo below to link to it's post.

Live with Passion Card from Paper Seedlings - I just love Poppies!!
Carrot Zuchinni Apple muffins from The Sweet Life - I want to eat a bunch of these!
DIY Pandora Bracelet from 4 You With Love - Brilliant idea for personalizing!
Ewok Cupcakes from Running Away? I'll help you pack! - Adorable! Check all the characters out!

Interested in being a future co-host? Get info here!

Must Follow Facebook Party 1

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Thu, 16 May 2013 05:00:00 +0000

This week's installment of the Must Follow Party is Facebook Pages. While participants link up their Facebook Page, they are required to like the page from their personal profile.

Must Follow Party Rules
1. Link up the name of your Facebook Page and the link to it. (NOT YOUR BLOG!)

**Please test your link after submission.**

2. Provide a valid email address in the linky.
3. At the end of the party you must return and LIKE all the pages linked from your personal profile. Likes from other pages don't count!! (I'll email a reminder!)
4. Only family friendly pages may be linked.
People who don't follow these rules will be removed and not allowed to participate in the future!

Feel free to grab the party button if you want, but not required!

Upcoming: 5/23 Blog Lovin' & 5/30 Google Plus

Busy, Busy Ramble!

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Thu, 16 May 2013 01:48:00 +0000

It's another one of those busy times of the year. We have so many end of the year activities and other stuff going on that I've not been online as much!

The big thing we are dealing with right now is getting our house repaired from the sewage flood damage. The flood happened 4 weeks ago and we just got the first of the insurance money. The biggest problem was the water mitigation company being so SLOW! They also are trying to charge us for work they didn't do. Oy! I am definitely going to be leaving some poor feedback for them on Angie's List & Yelp. I told my insurance company that they should NOT recommend them for work. Now that we have some money in hand we are in the process of getting bids on the in house repairs. With the warmer weather and many others in the area that flooded, many contractors are backed up. We are patient and will be leaving on vacation in 3 weeks, so we hope to schedule work to begin right when we get back from Colorado. I am glad we are still going on vacation. It's a camping vacation, therefore low costs. If it was big expensive vacation then we might have canceled or cut back, but nearly all our campground fees are already paid. Those range from $15-$25 per night, so not expensive anyway. While we wait to get bids we are starting some of the work. This is what our downstairs background looked like a few days ago.

Last night my hubby took the wallpaper down, which was the LAST wallpaper in the house. Yea! It's gone!! He uses Downy mixed with a little water to remove the wallpaper adhesive. Works like a gem!

I've also been gardening. Here is what my garden looks like as of today.

I bought small tomato plants, but everything else is from directly sewn seeds. I am staggering the planting of green beans along the back. I will be growing Gherkin & lemon cucumbers up trellises. I will also stagger the planting of the short & sweet carrots. I am happy with how it's going so far. I'll have to leave a watering schedule for my (oldest) son when we are on vacation. He's grown out of going with us so he stays home and takes care of the house & dog. I plan on making 2 rain barrels. One for this garden and the other for the raised bed we are putting in the backyard.

All my photos were blurry! :(

My son's last band concert of middle school was this week. He is a percussionist in both the concert & jazz bands. He's very excited about starting HS marching band soon. They start practicing next week. He's in Fiddler on the Roof this weekend with 2 shows on Saturday. He's getting confirmed on Sunday. Then next Friday is his 8th grade promotion. We are hosting a party for him this Sunday. I am in charge of the 8th grade picnic next week and am hoping for no rain!

We are going on our first camping trip of the year on Memorial Day weekend. We have so much stuff from our cleared out basement in the garage. We are going to need to move the junk over to be able to pull the trailer out. Then it will stay out as we are leaving June 6 for Colorado. It will probably stay out on the driveway until we get the work in the house done and therefore the junk out of the garage.

We have a handful of other upcoming activities that will keep me busy between now & June 6. I am going to slow down my blogging a little more! I'll keep up with my 3 linky parties!!

Best Friends Forever Bentos

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Sun, 12 May 2013 13:30:00 +0000

My daughter has been having her BFF from school over for a few play dates after school. The last one was on a half day so I had to feed them lunch. I created these fun matching bentos for them.

BFF- Turkey & cheese sandwich face with nori hair and candy eyes & mouth, yogurt with heart pick, strawberries, carrots, cherry chips, and initial made out of ham. Co-Jack heart with BFF out of Rainbow Strip candy.

Here are the BFFs posing with their bento lunches!! They loved them!!

Pin Me Linky Party #32

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Fri, 10 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Happy Friday! I'd like to wish all you mothers out there Happy Mothers Day!! My next Must Follow Party is up and this week it's Pinterest. If you'd like more Pinterest followers then check it out here.

Today's party is sponsored by Saving with Charlotte.

Click on each featured photo below to link to it's post.

Low Carb Cookies from Post on a Budget - 3D Graduation Table Greeting from Make it Easy Crafts
!@#$%& Etched Shot Glasses from Sophisticated Yellow - Fish Tacos w/Cumin Spiced Yogurt Sauce from This Silly Girls Life

Interested in being a future co-host? Get info here!

Must Follow Pinterest Party 1

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Thu, 09 May 2013 05:00:00 +0000

I was pleased with the Twitter Must Follow Party turned out so I've decided to make this a weekly link-up that goes Thursday-Wednesday. (at least for the next month or so) There were 3 people who did not follow all and were removed from the linky.

Must Follow Party Rules
1. By participating in this link up you promise to follow EVERYONE who links up.
2. Link up your name/blog name and the link to your Pinterest (NOT YOUR BLOG!)
3. Provide a valid email address in the linky.
4. When the party ends I will email all participants to remind them to come back and follow everyone!
5. Only family friendly Pinners may participate.
People who don't follow these rules will be removed and not allowed to participate in the future!

Feel free to grab the party button if you want, but not required!

Details for co-hosting a future Must Follow party can be found here.

M&M Brownie Bark

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Tue, 07 May 2013 03:00:00 +0000

My toffee cracker bark recipe is well loved and often requested. My son promised some for his friends at play practice and I obliged with a new variation~ M&M Brownie!!

M&M Brownie Toffee Bark

Saltines (1+ sleeves depending on the size of your cookie sheet)
2 sticks (1 cup) butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
12 oz bag of milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips
M&Ms
Brownies (I made these ahead of time and crumbled them up after they cooled)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a jelly roll pan (cookie sheet with little lip around the edge) with cooking spray. I use a cookie sheet liner instead. Arrange crackers to cover the bottom of the sheet. Melt butter, add the brown sugar, and then boil for 3 minutes. Pour over the saltines and put in oven for 5 minutes.

Remove and sprinkle choc chips on top. I used milk chocolate this time! Yum! When chocolate chips look glossy (about 2 minutes) spread the melted chips evenly across the top. Sprinkle your favorite toppings on top. Put it in the fridge to harden and then brake it apart into uneven pieces.

This post was featured at~

Low Carb Italian Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Diana - FreeStyleMama) — Sun, 05 May 2013 23:53:00 +0000

I've posted this recipe before but I didn't have a photo and I've altered the recipe a little bit.

Low Carb Italian Chicken

4 chicken breasts
1 small can tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
4 ounce can mushrooms
bag of shredded Italian Blend Cheese

Chop the chicken into bite size pieces. Mix the tomato & Italian seasoning. Mix in mushrooms & chicken. Stir in some of the cheese and top with the rest. The original recipe says to microwave it, but we baked it at 350 for 35+ mins. We like our cheese nice & crispy!