LifeOnMaple

White Chocolate Peppermint Pretzel Crisps

2013-12-16T13:40:00.002-08:00

Warning these are very addicting! So if you like pretzels, white chocolate, and peppermint keep reading for the recipe! Even if you don't keep reading, my husband who doesn't like "dried bread" as he calls pretzels thinks these are really good! They are simple to make and make a great little treat to give away or to eat all yourself!

Ingredients 1 c. white chocolate melting chips 5 drops of Young Living Peppermint Essential Oil (where to buy) Pretzel Crisps Sweet Stripes Peppermint Candies
Instructions Melt 1 C. white chocolate melting chips in double boiler When melted add 5 drops of Young Living Peppermint Essential Oil and stir Dip Pretzel Crisps in melted white chocolate Lay on parchment paper Sprinkle ground up peppermint candies on them Let harden and Enjoy!
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Ditch The Dryer Sheets...DIY Wool Dryer Balls

2013-12-03T18:16:00.002-08:00

I am always looking for alternatives to items that get used everyday in households. One of those is dryer sheets. Many people love the smell of dryers sheets and the reduction in clingyness of clothes. Some people don't realize that dryer sheets are basically a piece of polyester with lots of toxic chemicals and fragrances on them.

Fragrances can include tens to hundreds of different chemicals, some of which are toxic, and many of which are known allergens, like limonene and linalool. All fragrance chemicals are usually kept secret from consumers. Dryer sheets can contain volatile organic compounds like acetaldehyde and butane, which can cause respiratory irritation. Quats, a fabric softener chemical, is often part of a family of chemicals called quaternary ammonium compounds, many of which are linked to asthma. Acetone, used in dryer sheets, can cause nervous system effects like headaches or dizziness.

If you are like me I really don't want all those things around my family. But there is an alternative...wool dryer balls! Dryer balls don’t contain toxic chemicals, they last for hundreds of loads, get rid of static cling and wrinkles, soften clothes, and they actually save time and energy by cutting down on drying time. They can be easily made by buying 100% wool yarn and winding up your own. They took me about 15 minutes each and cost me about $2.50 each. Pretty great deal if you ask me!

But what about the lovely scent that dryer sheets give my clothes?

Young Living Essential Oils

Add natural and safe fragrance to your laundry by putting a drop of lavender, peppermint, purification, or another oil that you love the smell of on each wool ball and you’ll have great smelling clothes for your next three loads! If you’re worried about cling, you can add a tablespoon of vinegar to the rinse cycle, this helps the wrinkles disappear in the dryer. Some also swear by adding ½ cup of baking soda to the rinse cycle.

Here is the tutorial that I followed.

Wool Dryer Ball Tutorial

For more Information on the only essential oils I recommend using

Young Living Essential Oils

Basement Renovation

2013-10-25T16:57:00.001-07:00

When people step into our basement the first thing they say is "Wow, your husband has a lot of car stuff", which I then say, they are actually mine. Well both of ours now since we've been married for 11 years, but you get the point! I've been collecting die cast cars, Hot Wheels, and Dodge, Chrysler, and Plymouth things since I was 14 years old. There are a few Chevy pieces in the collection but only because my husband likes them so I figured he should be represented at a least a little bit.

So the basement got refinished and all the car stuff got put up.

We decided to use corrugated metal for the ceiling, mostly because it looks awesome, but also so we can still access the pipes above, as we have hot water heat on the main level.
Enjoy!

Homemade Baby Wipes or Cleaning Wipes

2013-10-20T21:27:00.000-07:00

I am always on the lookout for ways to reduce the chemicals in our home and make it healthier. When I found out I was pregnant with Brynlee I knew I wanted to cloth diaper and along with that came making my own baby wipes. I use washable cloth wipes most of the time, but for those times when we are out and about I wanted disposable too. By switching up the essential oil used you can make cleaning wipes too!

1/2 t. fractionated coconut oil

1 t. Dr. Bronners Castile Soap

1/2. cup water

5 drops Young Living Lavender Oil

Other Options:

Young Living Gentle Baby EO for baby wipes

Young Living Thieves EO for cleaning wipes

Mix together and pour over your choice of wipes

I tried using paper towels and didn't like how they fell apart. After some searching I found these awesome Medline Wipes that hold up really even through the wash! Not that I am reusing them, sometimes they slip in there with the cloth diapers. I cut them in half to get even more out of them as one of them is kind of big.

I only recommend using Young Living Essential Oils as they are 100% therapeutic grade. Visit www.youngliving.com/bethbaker1167 for more information.

Patio Redo

2012-07-15T20:45:00.000-07:00

Our outdoor space was the first project we tackled when we moved in 2 years ago. It was a huge project consisting of removing an ugly patio, 2 layers of concrete (by hand), and a tree stump. To give us a clean slate to add pavers and blocks to make the space look more clean. Please ignore the ugly green siding, pretend it is white because it will be hopefully this fall. I cannot tell you how excited I am for that, since I have a slight problem with everything having to match!
I love color so I had to add that to the outdoors too. Spray paint was my best friend for all these projects.
I found some windows for $5 each and painted the Love and Owl on the inside of them.
The peace sign is a piece of scrap wood with license plates framing it.
I got the old wash tub for free and spruced it up with some spray paint.
The chairs were the starting point as I bought them in the green color from Menards. I found an old cooler for $7 and it makes a great coffee table.
The address sign is license plates and metal tubing.
The bistro set and glider came from Lowes and I spray painted them.
Hope this give you some ideas to give your outdoor space some color too!

Here are some before and afters:

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DIY Fleece Area Rugs

2012-06-17T20:55:00.002-07:00

I looked for for the longest time for a rug that I liked for our living room, but never really found one that I loved. So I decided to make one. And while I love the way this one and the others turned out, it is not a project for those who like get things done quickly! I didn't time myself on the big rugs, but the small pink one for my bathroom took 5 hours, so you can imagine how long the big ones took.

I took strips of fleece and attached them to a latch hook thingy (don't know the official name for it!). I would take the rug everywhere with me including the dirt track races and sit in a chair and put attach piece after piece. They were all labors of love but I couldn't be happier with the way they turned out! They are feel wonderful on your feet and add warmth to the room.

Here are some pictures of in process of making the small pink one. The strips are 1" wide by 4" long. I didn't tie them in knots, just slipped them through the grid.

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504 Main

Black and White Kitchen Remodel

2012-04-16T16:23:00.005-07:00

This past weekend marked two years that we moved into our house. One the many projects we have done was remodeled our kitchen. We installed new oak flooring in the dining room and kitchen to match the original hardwood flooring of the house, ripped out the header, put new texture on the ceiling, installed new cabinets, appliances, sink, and a tiled back splash. I love my new kitchen and all the hard work we put into making it ours! Enjoy!

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Chrome in the Rough

2012-02-12T19:23:00.000-08:00

During one of my weekly trips to the thrift store I came across this pretty hideous light fixture. It made me wonder who actually had this hung in their house and what the house was made of cause it was heavy!
My hubby happened to be with me and I had him come look at it. Of course he just rolled his eyes and said "ok" whatever you think. He thought I was crazy to even think it had potential, as did all the people standing in line with us who were giving me very weird looks. But I saw the chrome parts of it and new she could be a beauty!
So $8.95, yes that's right, $8.95 later and we took her home. I think it was one heck of a buy and it looks perfect in our dining room. Just goes to show you that with a little imagination and a handy hubby, a not attractive light fixture came become "Chrome in the Rough".
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Tatertots and Jello

Aluminum Flashing Headboard

2012-01-02T18:29:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Its been awhile since I posted, but I am back and ready to share more fun projects with you.
This a headboard that my awesome hubby created for me. It is made out of the rolls of aluminum flashing that you can buy at Menards or Lowes, at least that is the stores we have here in good ole' South Dakota. I am sure you can find it at any home improvement store. I don't have a specific tutorial on it but if you have any questions about it please don't hesitate to ask.

This is the back so you can see what the framing looks like.

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Retro Christmas

2011-11-27T17:39:00.000-08:00

Here is a snapshot of my Christmas decorations:

Star made out of a Coke can

Starburst made out of Tinker Toys

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Recycled Pop Can Wreath

2011-11-15T09:19:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you but I love Christmas!  Which is why I am one of those crazy people who already has my tree up.  Granted this is the earliest I have ever put it up, but hey I want to enjoy it for awhile.  A couple years ago I wanted a wreath for my wall, but if you know me, I am not a traditional greenery wreath type of girl.  Like you won't find any greenery in my Christmas arsenal.  So with the help of my handy hubby this is my version of a Christmas wreath.  

I don't have step by step pictures for the process, as I made this a couple of years ago, before I started blogging.  So here my best attempt at a step by step explanation.

1. Gather coke and diet coke cans and crush them in one of those can crusher things.  (I am sure there is proper name for this crushing mechanism, but I sure don't know what it is.)  

2. Drill holes in all of them and then string a piece of sturdy wire through them, forming a circle.  

3. Purchase or find a fake green wreath and take it apart so you have the hard wire ring from it.

4. Get a string of Christmas lights if you wish and wire them and your pop can circle to the hard wire ring.

5. Add a bow and voila!  You have a non traditional Christmas wreath. 

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Metal Flowers

2011-11-08T10:04:00.000-08:00

My husband bought me a dozen roses for our first date, but left them in the car on a cold December night in South Dakota. So needless to say they froze and wilted the next day. I told him he didn't need to buy me flowers anymore since they don't last. So every once in awhile he surprises me with flowers that he has made out of metal scraps, truck parts, and washers. He is a super thoughtful guy and wouldn't want me to share these on my blog, so don't tell him I told you!

Linking to these parties: Skip To My Lou
Girl Creative Todays Creative Blog Tip Junkie Someday Crafts House of Hepworths Somewhat Simple Fireflies and Jelly Beans Shabby Nest 504 Main Home is Where My Story Begins Tatertots and Jello

Upcycled Tiered Fruit Stand

2011-10-31T19:49:00.000-07:00

I got this colander and jello mold thing when my grandma passed away. I have always loved old aluminum kitchen things. I wanted to make something out of them so when I came across a cake pan at the thrift store, a tiered fruit stand was born. My handy hubby connected the pieces for me and then I gave them a shiny coat of red paint. Every time I grab a piece of fruit I smile and think of my wonderful grandma!

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Record Album Reuses

2011-10-24T19:25:00.000-07:00

I have always liked old records, 45's, 78's, 33 1/3's. Not necessarily for the music on them but for the fun things that you can do with them. Here are some ideas: Inexpensive Photo Gallery I originally picked out some frames for this wall but after spending $90 on them I took them back. As I was laying in bed one night thinking about projects I thought why not use records instead. I already had the records so the only part that cost me anything was changing the size and color of the pictures.

Tiered Trinket/Jewelry Stand

Here is a fun stand to hold your jewelry or other trinkets laying around the house.

Record Bowl

The good old stand by of softening a record album and forming it into a funky shaped bowl.

Wall Art

A fun, inexpensive way to add a retro touch and pop of color to any room in your house.

She Did It Anyway

2011-10-15T18:48:00.000-07:00

For about a year and half I have wanted to start a blog. I love looking at other blogs and dreaming about doing my own. I have always had a creative spirit and knew I would have lots to blog about but my perfectionism always held me back. What if people think my writing is dumb? What is my project isn't good enough? What if nobody reads my post? About a year ago I took a course online by Brave Girls Club called Soul Restoration . One of the lessons was called She Did It Anyway, which pretty much said do it if even you are scared, do it even if it is not perfect, do it even if no one will see it. Be brave and do it anyway, it has taken me a little bit longer than most to "get brave", but here I am finally! So here's creations, inspirations, and a little bit on life!

License Plate Address Sign

2011-10-15T18:10:00.000-07:00

I started making purses out of license plates about 5 years ago and ever since then people have been giving me their license plates. A lot of them were not purse worthy and were just collecting dust. I was about ready to get rid of them but I knew I would use them someday. Well that someday came and I used them to make a address sign for the front of our house.

I started out with a piece of plywood and attached 9 license plates to it with screws. I them spray painted them turquoise. I then took scrap pieces of metal tubing (from my day job of making exhaust pipes for go karts) and welded them together to form my house numbers. (Yes, I welded them myself) I painted them green and attached them from the back.

It turned out way better than I had envisioned, always love it when that happens!

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