Not Enough Calgon!

Easy Peasy And A Break From The "How Many Days Until..."

2011-11-29T16:00:00.000-08:00

Click image for larger view

So, my neighborhood's Christmas tree lighting festivities begin this Saturday. My kiddo's so excited, because they're having carriage rides, cocoa, treats, and of course, Santa.

Since telling my daughter about this (and how she has to be good in order to go), I have been asked at least 100 times since last week...

"Has it been 9 days yet?" "I made my own calendar..." (from which she shows a few boxes drawn on a piece of paper, with check marks in some) "...did I do it right? It says that we only have two days left."

Sigh.

Since my kiddo is in kindergarten and is enrolled in an online charter school, I haven't seen those paper rings that we as kids used to make this time of year, as an assignment in her lesson plan. And with all of the things she's been learning in these few short months, I thought to kick them up a little notch.

Like writing the day of the week, along with the full date on each ring. That way, she can learn to recite, and see how dates are written out, along with getting that pattern with the days of the week down.

I also can write down events happening on particular dates, so she doesn't have to jump around me every second of the day like a little puppy (bless her!), saying "when-- When-- WHEN-- WHEN?!?!?!?!?!"

Supplies Needed:

3 sheets of construction paper-- any color, of course! Cut them lengthwise, into 1" strips.
Stapler
Pen
Embellishments (stickers, etc.) if desired

About a 1/2 hour later, voila!

Halloween Jack-In-A-Boxes For Under $2

2011-10-13T17:43:00.000-07:00

Okay. I'm running a little late on Halloween. (As the lack of creativity should show, as I didn't doll up my kiddo's hair in the pics, nor did I create this beautiful vignette to display this project. I just hurriedly got it done so I could post it on here!) But this is nothing new though. In fact, I still have a gingerbread kit from last Christmas that was going to end up as a candy heart village for Valentine's Day, an Easter Village a few months later, and now it looks like it'll end back up as one for Christmas again. (Fortunately, it's still intact and nothing has molded!)

Anyways, this project for my kiddo is something that I've been planning to do for the past month, but haven't gotten around to do yet, since other things keep getting in the way. (Like that couponing thing I was mentioning!)

However, I "pinky" swore to my daughter that we would do it today, on the account that her room got cleaned up. (Yeah-- right!) So, while she's supposedly in her room-- cleaning right now (aka, watching cartoons, where I'll say "can I check your room" and she'll reply "not yet! I'm almost done though"), I'll blog how this project turned out. (It's really quick, as it only took us about a half hour to put all this stuff together.)

First of all, you'll need these supplies~

3 Craft blocks (They usually sell three for $1.)
Paintbrushes or Spongebrush (With a 5-year old, I learned the spongebrushes work best.)
Construction paper
Acrylic Paint (Which usually runs 2 for a $1.)
Glue stick and/or double-sided tape (not shown, because I forgot to include it in the photo)

The first thing you want to do, is paint your blocks. Acrylic doesn't take that long to dry, so they'll be holdable after about 10 minutes.

I'm surprised she wanted to participate. Usually, she's concerned about getting her hands dirty.

While you are waiting for the paint to dry, cut out two strips of paper (about 1/2" wide, and the entire length of the piece of construction paper (11.5"). Using a glue stick (or double-sided tape, to avoid frustration), make a "V" like this:

And overlapping back and forth, keep going, until you reach the end. (You might need to trim off a little excess of paper at the end.) Fasten with the glue, or the double-sided tape, and you should end up with this~

Such a dorky smile! "No. It's not an accordian for your Barbies!"

Afterward, cut out shapes (like ghosts, pumpkins, bats, etc.), making sure that you leave a tab at the bottom, to fold under and glue to the 'spring' that you just made~

Since this is a project for my 5-year old, I can't get all elaborate, making these darling, like something you'd see from those vintage decorations from the 1900's, etc. So because of that, I have to make this project as simple as possible.

To make the lid, get a piece of construction paper, and cut a rectangle that can be folded over. (Cut it to the size of the block, of course.) I had a hole puncher, so I just punched out a couple holes from the other paper, for my kiddo to glue on.

And, when you've got the lid attached (through a rubbed on dab of glue stick), glue the bottom of the spring, and attach to the block~

And look at the insane joy this can bring to a five year old child!

Happy Crafting!

Couponing-- Who Knew It Could Be So Addicting?

2011-10-10T10:06:00.000-07:00

It's been a couple weeks since I've done anything on here, and I have a reason.

Clipping coupons.

It's been so bad, that my 5-year old says I need to go trick-or-treating as one. But if you haven't tried it yet, get a Sunday paper, and go through the coupon insert sections. Did you know that you could not only save what it says on the manufacturers' coupons, but (what they refer to as) "stack" them with the stores' coupons, thus saving more? Even getting them for free by taking advantage of their 'buy 1 get 1' offers. You can also add those deals onto the stores' deals (like Walgreens' Register Rewards or Rite Aid's Up plan, and get money back to spend on other items in the store.

I mean, check out this video from Hip2Save's trip to Walgreens:

(Do you hear how fast she's talking? It's from the adrenaline rush you get from all the savings!)

I'm amazed at this!

(Check out the part at frame 5:00, where she's at Toys 'r Us. Do you see how she was able to take advantage of a 'buy 1 get 1 free' promotion in the store, and stack it with a paper's 'buy 1 get 1 free' coupon? She totally saved $11 doing it!)

So for the past couple of weeks, that's been what I've been trying to do. My biggest save, was going to Rite Aid, and purchasing $32 worth of makeup, using their Buy One Get One 50% off and an two $8 off of two coupons. (If I had bought eyeshadows instead of powders, etc. I would have got them for FREE!

Incredible!

I could have been saving money for craft projects-- or just putting the money away in savings all this time!

If you want to try this out, check out The Krazy Coupon Lady's(https://www.facebook.com/#!/TheKrazyCouponLady), Totally Target ( https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/TotallyTargetcom/213500492508), and Hip 2 Save's (https://www.facebook.com/#!/Hip2Save) profiles on Facebook. Click 'like', and every hour, you'll get updates on how to put your coupons to work. (There are other couponing sites around, but I'm still learning, and sometimes, they are named in the deals that the aforementioned put up.)

For those of you who missed out on Sunday's paper, but still want to get in on the action, you can, but your choices will be a little limited. (As in the good deals on the good stuff are in the Sunday paper.) These sites can be found at http://www.smartsource.com/ and http://www.redplum.com/. There are other sites available (like the grocery stores, for example), but they usually have the same products that these other two have, since they are the main coupon providers.

A rule of thumb to go by, as you see these deals, is that you may notice how the stores are having sales with the same products as the coupons are for that week. It's not coincidence, but a strategized marketing tactic. They want for you to use these coupons with their sales. That way, when you blow them all that week, they can do the real markdowns later on, and that's where you lose out on making your steal. So if the deal doesn't sound that great-- put the coupons away for later. It's a gamble, but as I'm learning, I'm seeing how this is the general rule.

So, I will try to get back on here by the end of the week for some projects, but right now, I totally need to do some shopping!

(**Note: These sites will ask you to download their 'printer'. I was reluctant to do this at first, but I realized that it's the company's way of keeping track of how many coupons are being printed. And also a word of warning, I found out that it is against the law to reprint coupons on your own, as it is viewed as coupon fraud.)

As Fall Arrives, Make The Mercury Rise!

2011-09-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

I've been walking into a few stores lately, where I have seen mercury glass amongst their displays. It's very pretty-- yet very expensive. (Ironic for something formerly referred to as Poor Man's Silver.) I found out that mercury glass was introduced back in the 1840's, where its popularity started to fizzle out in the 1930's. (And the glass wasn't really made out of mercury. The glass would be double-walled, where a silvering solution would be applied in between (usually made of silver nitrate or sterling), and then closed up at the bottom of the piece. It was only named mercury because the element was used to make the reflective surface of mirrors with at the time.)

Anyways...

Pottery Barn offers a few of these items, however, they are mostly sold out~

And not bashing Pottery Barn-- because they INSPIRE me... but you can come across unfinished hurricanes at a craft store for $20 or less.

And again, it's not something I can really afford. And never mind my five year old, it's my husband whom I always have to worry about destroying my objects de art with.

Because of that, I've been left to only walk by those displays, putting them on the shelf of my dreams-- along with the house that I would put them in.

But last week, I came across a website, offering a tutorial on how to make the glass. They seem to be very detailed in the tutorial, and because the holiday season is approaching, I wanted to share it with you asap! The site is http://lovelylittledetails.com/2011/04/07/guest-post-diy-mercury-glass-tutorial-kelley-maria/. (I would love to post her photos of how her work turned out, but I notice that there is a "©" on a photo, so I wasn't sure of the legalities (if any) there were of copying and pasting.) But with the one (or rather dozens) of vases all of you must have, laying around in the back of a cupboard, it might be interesting to give this project a shot.

Isn't that such a great idea though? And this process can be used for just about anything, and not just seasonally!

Not George Michael's 'Different Corner', But Good Enough!

2011-09-14T23:57:00.000-07:00

So today, I went venturing all over, looking for something to fill the corner of my apartment's kitchen. I was tired of seeing my husband's coffee stuff all over the place, and was on the hunt for a more organized look, than what I had going on here~

You can't see the right corner very well, but it consisted of my mother's 50 year old spice rack, and all of his coffee stuff that he piles in the corner. And P.S.-- I got rid of those ugly lamps!

I went to IKEA, where I saw some shelving online for a cheap $6. However, when I got there, I realized that the length was much too long for what I was looking for, and that they didn't have anything else there that was shorter.

Then, I went to Home Depot. I found some crystal knobs that were about two weeks too late for another project, but that was it. (When I had asked an employee about where to find wall shelves and brackets, he pointed me to an area of the store where I could hear someone sawing something. NOPE!-- not wanting to make a big project over something I didn't want to spend the entire day on.)

So, as a last resort, I hit my local Craft Warehouse. (The more I look online, it seems that the closest thing that comes to it, is some place called Hobby Lobby, for those of you who don't have a Craft Warehouse.)

No shelves. Nothing that could clean up that corner, making it look a teeny tiny bit like Central Perk from Friends. But I found a couple little plaques, that were just the right size for the shelves that I wanted. And then I picked up some wrought iron hooks, that I mistook for brackets~

I still need to stain them, but they work, yeah?

Just the right size for the small wall space!

Overall, it cleans up the clutter. Eventually, I'd like to get some kind of coffee and tea canisters (like something below), to put on the counter (as I only used the cake stand-- and the muffins I just finished-- at 11:30pm), for this photo's sake.

I saw this at Target, but opted for the "Oh Snap! I forgot!" Missoni sale that hit the same day instead, getting my 5-year old a dress that sucked up my-money-for-the-rest-of-the-week fund.

But with that said, I have an alarm that goes off at 7am, so bon nuit!

What To Do When You Get A Printer!

2011-09-13T17:13:00.000-07:00

First of all-- COUPONING! However, when your dreams of saving millions of dollars are quickly dashed (as you realize that sites require you to download their 'printers' where a box then comes up, saying that your settings are blocking your 50-cents off International Delight Creamer coupon from printing (and you don't know how to reconfigure something called Java), you look for other things to do with it instead.

The other day, I went out and purchased an HP Series 2050 printer for $39.99. (There was another one that was $29.99, but I thought I'd get a more deluxe model.) After nine years sans printer, these things have changed! As in scanning! I didn't know these things could do that now. So I was scanning old pictures and printing them out, and all of these other things. And then...

I ran out of ink.

But that was alright. Yesterday was my birthday, and my husband (who didn't do anything for me this year-- just like last year, when he went out shopping with his mother that day... oops. Sorry. That would be under the 'ranting' tab I have on here. But really. I've been wanting a Coach purse for the past five years. And here he was last night, eating a hot pocket in front of the tv, which signaled no birthday dinner...), could buy me a $13.99 replacement cartridge). So all's well at the moment. (That is, until the color cartridge starts giving me issues.)

Anyways...

I'm trying really hard not to make my place go down 'Scrapbook Alley'. But it's hard, when I've got all this extra paper and whatnots on hand, and then come across a loose board in a box (when my husband got bored, and tried a 20-minute stint at woodburning a couple of years ago, and it didn't turn out like the masterpiece he thought it would).

(It was similar to that depicted below, but a rectangular one. I just didn't take a pic of it, because my camera was dead, and like I mentioned it was part of my husband's project, where there was a goofy looking picture of a rabbit and a duck that he attempted, before tossing the $40 purchase in his toolbox and never touching it again.)

But I painted the edges of it, and used some of that Martha Stewart decoupaging glue to fasten a sheet of scrapbook paper onto it. Having done so, I wanted to add a printed picture of something I got off of an art site. However, it just didn't look right, and I peeled it off-- taking pieces of the $1.99 scrapbook paper off with it! I didn't fret though-- if you look at it, it's starting to give off a shabby appeal-- like peeling vintage wallpaper:

After finding and printing off a piece that I thought wouldn't look too bad, I proceded in decoupaging tissue paper (to match the blue in my home), onto the white areas of the paper. Then, I went on, decoupaging the print onto the board:

You can go the next level up, and apply that lacquer glaze (that they sell for about $10 and up). But since I haven't attempted anything like that yet, I am not really ready to try on this project. (I might later on.)

But just an idea of what to do with some leftover whatnots...

My Husband Probably Isn't Going to Like This Very Well...

2011-09-04T16:09:00.000-07:00

But that's okay-- because the only time he's in the kitchen, is when he's heating up a hot pocket, or going to the refrigerator for something to drink.

As my other posts state, I live in an apartment, where (unless you are living in a condo), you can't really do any serious demolition and remodeling to keep up with your friends on facebook with. Because of this, I've had to endure a few years of apartment depression. For those of you who have caught it, you know the symptoms. Trying really hard to emulate something out of the latest Pottery Barn catalog. And then on a drag-along trip to the Salvation Army (I'm just using that store as an example, to illustrate my point), you've realized that their store has a vignette with beauty and creativity that surpasses your spent-all-my-tax-refund-money-at-Walmart (because you thought by cutting corners you'd be getting ahead with a few bucks leftover), and-it-still-looks-like-crap college try!

So, for the past few years (-- actually, since 2005), I've had this setup above my stove~

And I wanted something different. I was thinking of a silver tray (like in a previous post on my 'Ideas' tab), or a mirror. But as I was looking at trays, I was also looking at the pricetag. For something that might get an occasional splatter, I didn't want to go anything above $10. And the mirrors that I was looking at, were too heavy and running about $20. (I would have liked the reflection of light coming from it, but then again (and talking myself out of how great of an idea it would have been), who wants to be finding flaws with themselves, while cooking chicken alfredo?)

So, I opted for this idea. And actually, it did come under $10. There is this store called Craft Warehouse, which I absolutely LOVE! Unlike Michaels (which can get a little spendy), Craft Warehouse has a lot of the extras (as in-- let's be honest-- NEAT and CHEAP CRAP!) You can find frames with orange clearance tags on the back. Vignettes with bell jars and floral accessories all over the place. Lit cherry branches strung over arbors, etc. So, I found a $7.99 frame, and a .59 sheet of scrapbook paper (since I have that robin egg blue color going on in my home). And obviously, you don't have to do this project to hide an area above your stovetop. (A wall in the bathroom, bedroom, etc. But like I said, my husband isn't going to go for this all too well in the kitchen when he comes home, but oh well...)

Here are the supplies needed~

Frame with glass insert
Stencil (if preferred-- or you can use whatever you want to embellish it with. I was in a hurry-- so I just did what I did)
Sponge brush and acrylic paint. (You can probably use any other media, such as pens made from glass, glass paint, or even those vinyl stickers (which are expensive! Something like $6!), etc. Being that I had black acrylic around (and it's ERASEABLE like a dry erase board-- perfect for people like me who can't make up their minds), I decided to use that.)
Adhesive (I chose to use rubber cement, in the event that I ever decided to change my mind on the background and needed to take it off gently.)
Any kind of embellishment or border for the frame (if you are not going for the minimalist approach. I happened to have some border stickers in a scrapbook, so I decided to use those).

If anyone is wondering about the scrapbook paper, I took a closeup shot of the label.

Okay. First what you need to do, is cut your paper to fit the area of the frame. DO NOT glue anything down at this time. Flip your frame over to the backside, and place over the paper, to find your center point for your stencil.

Tape your stencil onto the back of the glass, and with a LIGHT dab of paint on your sponge, tap at the stencil, being careful not to cake it onto the glass. (If you do, it will smear all over the place, and you will have to wipe it off and start over again!)

Lift the frame now and then to see your progress and if you missed any areas.

When you are finished stenciling, you may want to go over with a cotton swab (with the bulk of the tip pulled off-- for precision), and take off smears here and there. Personally, I was thinking that it was had a vintage 'stamped' look going on.

Afterward, apply your adhesive to the back of the frame, and attach your scrapbook paper backing to it~

Flip over to the front, and apply your border, or whatever embellishments you would prefer. (Sparkles, etc. But as I said, my husband probably isn't going to swoon over this, and I don't think adding hot pink rhinestones would make him change his mind any more!)

This project took me less than ten minutes to complete, and for the look, it's not too bad!

Border's Sells More Than Books!

2011-09-01T14:39:00.000-07:00

(Sorry about the pic on the right. I had posted this on my Facebook with the message intended toward a friend who I'm sure was going to make a remark about all this shabby chic stuff! :)

I had to come back home really fast and post this, before they all disappear!

Border's bookstore is sadly going out of business. (If you haven't gone in by now, then there's not the greatest chance you'll be able to find a deal on something you've always were curious about getting, but never didn't.)

Anyways, I went straight to the frames last week, and then got a few today. THEY ARE A STEAL!!! Shabby chic all the way. And for the price, you can flip them into dry erase boards that would look better than the cold industrial ones that you find in the office supply aisle.

How great would these look on the wall in the kitchen? Or (if your kiddos are careful), putting them into a bedroom to doodle on? Even if you're not into the dry erase boards, they are still a steal to just hang on the walls with something inserted in them, or (taking the backing off), to add into groups as just the frame!

Posting A Pic Of My Kitchen Is Like Being Asked To Undress At The Doctor's Office!

2011-08-28T10:17:00.000-07:00

It's something that I don't like doing. I mean, my husband doesn't even see me. And as the aparment is also supposed to be a reflection of who I am as well, not many people see it either. (Can you tell that I have issues?) But, whilst everyone is posting pics of their gorgeous kitchen redo's on their facebooks (and blogs), I am confined with my apartment one, complete with very limited potential. As I try to feel inspired by watching apartment-themed movies like Breakfast At Tiffany's (and some movie I saw the other night with Sandra Dee and Bobby Darrin), I am left disappointed, as I find not one single hint of european cabinetry anywhere. (And yes-- I know that stuff didn't come out until the late 70's/early 80's!)

So, how can I change this~

Into something like this~

Or~

Or even this~

Exactly. You can't.

(Okay. Don't scroll back up and judge. It was cluttered that day. And when you have european cabinets, they make everything look like crap!)

When I was a teen, european cabinets were the "in" thing-- along with the Miami Vice-inspired glass bricks in your bathroom. (Fortunately, I have been able to escape the latter!) Back in the day, rich classic woods were made for old people.

Now that I am old, I want them. And I can't, because circumstances (aka not being a homeowner), has prevented me from doing so. Rich wood. Yes. Joke all you want. (It is something that this apartment and my husband lack.) But what do you do with these ugly things? I mean white laminate? It's all throughout my apartment. (The kitchen, and the two bathrooms.) I've tried looking up ideas to camouflage them, but there's nothing that one can really do. Since it's not a condo, it's not like I can rip them out (let alone even afford to) and get new ones installed. I can't stain them, because the bedroom, bathroom and closet doors are done in that ugly blonde oak color as well. And contact paper? I scoured the internet, and the ideas I came across were... well... uglier than the laminate itself.

So, kitchen idea No.1. Use them as a canvas, and accentuate the other things going on in there.

Border's Books is having a clearance sale. And mind you, the store isn't just books. It's full of wrapping paper, toys (which thankfully, they were mostly out of the other day), fixtures, etc. While my husband felt compelled to get Rob Zombie's Halloween Two and a Grateful Dead scrapbook thing, I went over to the area where the picture frames were.

Now, I should have waited a little bit longer for them to reach 75% off. But usually when I go this route, I go back and whatever it is that I wanted is no longer there. So, I settled for 50% off and went home with my first step forward into my little kitchen redo:

(I'm planning on getting rid of that tile on the back oven splash wall area, and replacing it with some kind of mirror.)

The little pantry on the end, I have plans on painting an antiqued/rubbed black, and putting a better knob on it. The recipe shelf on the refrigerator, I am thinking about doing the same. Oh-- and that hideous overhead fluorescent? DON'T REMIND ME!!!

This shows the layout. The dining/kitchen is split. (And don't worry-- those ugly lamps are the next to go!)

Overlooking into the dining. Unfortunately, it would probably be best to keep that 100-year old corner inheritance the way that it is. But I am planning on redoing the breadbox in an antiqued/rubbed black as well.

Of course, I had to go into my recently-discovered Picasa mode-- because you can make things look all glow-y like. (Which is so neat, because... well... I'm an idiot when it comes to technology! But it makes everything look a little bit better!)

I purchased the frames (at $9.98 each), because they were already finished. (This way, I wouldn't have to bring out that cutting board onto my dining room table again, paint it (in what would probably the wrong shade), and just end up spending more than I had intended.) They weren't exactly what I had in mind (I was thinking a little bit longer), but throw some of those 3m Command picture hanging strips on the back, flip the brand label over to the blank white side, and voila!-- you've got a dry erase board. A temporary fix to a permanent problem:

Again, warm glow-y hue!

And I'm assuming you don't necessarily have to make this a dry erase board-- it's just what came in as the cheapest for now. You can go out and by a $10 can of chalkboard paint, and you've got a chalkboard. Slip a piece of black scrapbook paper behind the glass and get a $5 marker, and you've got one of those menu boards like they have at the restaurants. Maybe even a mirror (which might go for the shabbier look, and it would reflect the light coming in from the window opposite of this wall)... But like I said, this was the cheapest fix for now.

So this is Kitchen Babystep No.1. I detest baby steps. I wish I had a few hundred dollars to go out and do what I want with this place, but unfortunately, I don't have those rich woods that are required! But I will be posting more as I go along.

I Don't really Cook, So Why I Even Have One Of These...

2011-08-24T11:05:00.000-07:00

Since starting this blog, I've realized that in order to get some traffic onto my page, I need to well... actually do some things. Right now, my husband's asleep with a humidity-induced migraine, so I'm sure he'll appreciate waking up to the fumes from the paint and varnish, wafting into the back room on top of a 90 degree forecast! Again though-- oh, well!-- I need to get this thing going! :)

(Nevermind the paperpunch thing-- it's from another project.)

For the past year, I've had a plain, hinged box, specifically made to hold recipe cards. I've never known what to do with it (as far as finishing and decorating it went), and because of that, it's been left, unfinished on my kitchen counter. And as the title states, I don't cook that often. (I usually let the microwave do it for me!) I do though, have some recipes that I've used for special occasions, along with some my mom left for me. So, putting them away in a nice little place would be nice.

It's one of these kinds of boxes. (I forgot to take a pre-photo of my own before I started this project.)

It's not like I haven't have ideas for it. I have, but I could never settle on a finish. But I really love espresso. The thing is, though I've got all these other eclectic mixes of woods in my place, that I don't want everything mismatched. (For example, I've got this cherry corner cupboard that my mom left me. It drives me absolutely nuts! I inherited that, along with a cherry (I think) cookbook shelf and spice rack. They go with absolutely-- NOTHING!)

But realizing this morning, that I've been fretting over a $2.50 box all year, I decided to make the sacrifice, and try for something in an espresso finish that I like. Even if I fo screw it up, it'll be a good excuse to go back to the craft store to get this mdf box that I saw...

What is my inspiration for working on this today? Looking for ideas on the web, and coming across a few recipe boxes that were probably purchased for the same price, done up pretty, and are now selling for almost $100.

(I'm sorry-- but really?)

You can find the basics on how to finish the box on here: http://notenoughcalgon.blogspot.com/2011/08/tic-tac-toe-apparently-without-kiddo.html . And don't worry if you don't get the perfect finish, because I didn't. It goes with the shabby/antique-y thing that's going on with it. (I don't have a printer, so I had hand-write the Recipe label myself. Again, that's alright too, because you don't want it looking like it came off an assembly line.) You can also customize it, by lining it with scrapbook paper. However, keep in mind that by doing so, it will take up some of the space for the cards. (Plus, you don't really see the inside of it anyways.) But it would add a nice touch to add on the interior of the lid.)

If you go to the craft store (Michaels or Craft Warehouse), you can find a lot of embellishments in the scrapbook aisle. For me, I already had a few small frames and then I found these utensils at the same time I purchased the box. (And of course, you can streamline it with borders, raffia, etc. But I did it minimally, because I'm actually going to use it, and had to consider it getting bumped with dishes, groceries, etc.)

(Hmm... I suppose you can even finish it by gluing balled feet on it. But I'm going to stop at here for now.)

Using Glossy Accents, I dropped it over the 'Recipes' label, to protect the ink from ever running from exposure to water, etc.

A project under $10 (if you don't have the Glossy Accents on hand), and just another idea on what you can do with those boxes at the craft store!

Ps-- No fumes!

Tic~Tac~Toe (Apparently, Without The Kiddo!)

2011-08-21T22:31:00.000-07:00

The other day, I saw a tic-tac-toe project at the craft store. It came across as intriguing (as it was only a few days before, that my daughter decided to raid my desk drawer of cardstock and play several rounds of the game herself (with one of her dolls). I viewed it as a neat project the kiddo and I could do together, so I bought a few things, and planned to put it all together this weekend.

But the thing is, my 5-year old is too girlie. This little thing does not run around our home like a normal kid her age. She pirouettes while doing it. For the past month, she hasn't been speaking to us in her regular teeny voice. She's been singing every word-- in vibrato. Everything has to be pink-- right down to the color of her toothpaste. (And she finds it comical that although Mommy finds it impossible to walk in anything higher than 1", she can parade around in Cinderella play heels like she was born in them. She particularly likes tapping in them as well (in the bathroom with the heatlamp on, which she calls her "spotlight"), which must sound absolutely lovely to the neighbors below.)

So back to this project. The moment I mentioned the word "glue", she gave me a look of "um... uh... I don't do glue". And because of that, I was given another project to do by myself. (Minus the "o" part of the game-- she did that herself to make it seem like she was involved.)

To do this project, you will need the following:

Delta Ceramcoat Gloss Interior Varnish
Paint or stain of your choice (I had some wood stain, that I added a couple drops of black acrylic paint to, to give off that hard-to-find espresso finish.)
Glass (gawd! What are those things called? They're the ones that they sell in the bag, that you make magnets out of... can't think of it right now. Pebbles?)
1" paper punch (I got the Martha Stewart one, because I didn't want to mess with a cheaper one, and pay for it, by having the paper get all caught up in it.)
Vinyl tic-tac-toe stickers (sold at the craft store with a website called http://www.vinylwords.com/)
Decoupage glue (again, Martha Stewart)-- to glue the paper to the glass drop things.
1 4x4 piece of sheet metal
1 wood square
1 box (optional) for storage
Scrapbook paper (to cover the sheet metal and line the box with) (Make sure that the background of the game and pieces are not to loud to distract the x's and o's.)
Sandpaper-- fine grade
(There should also be some round magnets pictured, to superglue to the back of the 'x's and 'o's, but I can't find them at the moment. I usually keep them in a desk drawer, but I found a couple of old cassettes from my high school days, that I didn't want getting erased by them with. So right now, I can't remember where they are-- just like my driver's license that I haven't seen since last Saturday!)

First what you want to do, is make sure all the sides of the wood are free of little splinters that will dry up hard, leaving a poor finish. So before you start, make sure they are sanded with some fine-grade sandpaper.

Paint or stain the wood pieces, in the style that you want. (To get fancy, you can paint it one color, then paint over it with another. And then with the sandpaper, run it across the edges and whatnot to give it a 'vintage' or 'shabby' look.)

This is my workspace. The dining room table with an oversized cutting board that was too big for my kitchen.

When the painting is finished, get a spongebrush (that I forgot to mention), and use it to glide the varnish across the surfaces, making sure there are no bubbles; about 3-4 coats. (While waiting for the wood to dry, cut and measure the scrapbook paper, gluing it onto the piece of sheet metal. And then punch out 8 pieces of scrapbook paper out (4 each of two different patterns), adding the x's and o's, and gluing them to the pieces of glass. When dry, superglue the magnets onto the back.)

When all is dry, your child might get upset at you, wondering why you didn't let them do all the painting. (Like mine just did a few minutes ago, while I was typing this up.) Ignore it, and tell them that you are trying to pay bills online, so they can see that you can't be bothered right now. (It wasn't going to happen anyways, being that there is carpet underneath this table!)

Anyways...

When it does get dry, glue the sheet metal onto the wood, and measure and cut (preferably using an exacto knife and a ruler) the scrapbook pieces to the interior of the wood box (if you're making that, too).

This project took about a couple hours to do (because of the drying time involved). But if you have ones that are a little bit older, it might be a neat project to do to give away as a gift, or a display piece.

With that said, goodnight!

What NOT To Do On A Hot Summer's Day

2011-08-20T16:32:00.000-07:00

It's officially 95° degrees outside! All my hopes of having record lows of under 80 temps all summer long, are now dashed with an even hotter forecast in the upcoming week. And what am I doing right now?

Heating up my darn apartment, making cookies!

Why? To fill up some more space on this blog of course! Hopefully, someone will come along, and find something interesting to refer others to. Because if they don't, I just slaved over a hot oven for nothing!

These cookies are GREAT! They're buttery. They're sweet. And they make your home smell like you actually did something while your husband was at work. (Although mine probably won't appreciate the fact that our place is now a few degrees hotter than it actually is outside now. Oh well...) But I like making them, because they are quick (as in everything is already in the Bisquick-- making it a one bowl/ one measuring cup mess (which I can totally deal with).

Buttermilk Candy Chip Cookies (A Variation On What's Probably Already Out There)

Prep time: about 10 minutes Yield: About 2 1/2-3 dozen cookies
Level: So easy!

1/2 cup (a stick) of cold butter (As I'm making these, I am trying Golden Soft margarine for the first time, and they are looking really good coming out of the oven!)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 Cups Reduced-Fat Bisquick
1/2 cups walnuts (optional)
1-2 cups candy chips (depending on how much your wisdom tooth is killing you at the moment-- white chocolate, milk chocolate, m&m's, etc.)
Parchment paper (I totally recommend this! It's a nonstick dream!)

Preheat oven to 375°. (Which on days like today, will bring up your home's temperature up to 86°-- with the portable a/c running!) Mix butter, sugar and egg together. Then mix in Bisquick, nuts and candy chips.

Drop by teaspoonfulls (I got one of those ice cream scoopers, because it's a lot easier), onto a parchment paper-lined, or ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned. (Best bet-- use a pointed pie spatula (over a squared one), to gently nudge the cookies onto a cooling rack.) And enjoy!

Workin' The Fields!

2011-08-12T16:16:00.000-07:00

One day, I'll end up with a nervous breakdown, where I will have this overwhelming urge to learn how to make my own jams and jellies like my mother once did, yelling at us kids to get out of the kitchen and play outside. I always thought of doing this myself, adding my own little touch of covering the lids with a cute little gingham fabric swatch, and finishing it with a ribbon. But until I can afford to scoff at the $100 pricetag it would probably cost to start such an adventure, I think I will stick with Smucker's instead.

Nonetheless, I could not rob my little one, the fun to be had, in picking berries at a u-pick farm. So I've been thinking of turning these little trips into part of our summer traditions now. (Especially when trips to the beach are a joke right now, because of the money-- or lackthereof!) As a child, I can remember my mother dragging my younger brother and I to one of those places, and how I would stand around and pout in the hot sun about it. (Apparently, you could still make money back in those times, and maybe my mother needed some extra gas money or something.)

But times are different now. I love raspberries. But I hate the prices at the grocery stores. I mean, $4 for a teeny plastic container? That's INSANE! So last summer, I came across the novel idea of taking my youngest to a berry farm to see how much we could save. I ended up bringing 3lbs of them home, for just $2.50.

And it's not that big of a deal really though. (Unless you end up taking a giant container of berries home, and can't really figure out what to do with them all, since your little one complains that there's "too many seeds" in her smoothie.) But it's a good break from all the screaming and yelling that goes on at the park. Like a kind of meditation for you and your child. And it also gives them the opportunity to see where some foods come from before they are processed in a factory, and spread on ice cream later on!

Ps-- I found out how to freeze berries. A friend said that you spread them out on a cookie sheet, and freeze them for a few hours, before you toss them in a ziploc. This way, the berries don't get smushed together. Genius!

What's For Lunch?

2011-08-11T14:33:00.000-07:00

If my daughter could have her wish, she would live off peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the rest of her life. And with the discovery of having that concoction on a bagel (when I ran out of bread the other day), she now refers to it as a donut.

But there's got to be an occasional thing now and then, to break up that kind of monotony.

Now, I'm not a cook, and I don't claim to be. But there is something that I wanted to share, that isn't the regular peanut butter and jelly, or the macaroni and cheese, that my daughter wants to have "just plain".

Toasted Cheese With A Little Protein

2 slices of sourdough bread (or more, if you have more kids or want one for yourself)
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray (because it's easy and fat-free)
Sliced deli meat (such as turkey, roast beef, etc.), torn into pieces
Parmesan Cheese
1 (or more) slices of Swiss, Provolone, or whatever
Condiments (if your child's pallet is up to it) like honey mustard, etc.

In a non-stick pan, melt the parmesan into the meat slices. Afterward, add to the bread (with the ICBINB spray on the sides), and the sliced cheese. Continue to cook as you would a regular grilled cheese until you have something that ends up like this. (And mind you-- I'm not going to display it like you'd see it in a magazine, because I was having a five year old asking me why I was taking photos of her food, and the fact that by doing so, it was going to get cold.)

This tends to throw the extra oomph of protein in my daughter's diet, so that she doesn't appear to be as malnourished as her little ribs seem to make her as. (She just has this insanely fast metabolism that is not at all from my side of the family, and has me totally jealous!) But add crackers or carrot sticks, and you have something that is quick and satisfying!

One White Tee Saved!

2011-08-09T17:40:00.000-07:00

When I thought of having daughters, I envisioned little girls, running freely through a sunny field, giggling and happy, as they played amongst the Downy-fresh clothes, hanging on the clothesline.

Instead, I got the ones who would march through the front door with red popsicle stains running down their arms and dripping on the brand new white tees that hadn't even been on them longer than a half hour! (By the way, you think that by having a 16-year old, I would have learned my lesson with the younger one. But those happy, giggly, little visions...)

That's when I came across this little discovery the other day, that made me give a little gasp of hope in the aisle of the freezer section:

I was absolutely floored when I saw this. Mini-- and more than 3 flavors? Of course, I had to take these home and check them out. Albeit, when I opened the package, they were a little smaller than I had expected. But that's okay. The full-sized ones got wasted anyways. And on top of this, they take forever to melt. So by the time it even starts to drip-- it's already gone, where your kiddo is asking for another!

I haven't heard an "oops-- I'm sorry" yet, and haven't had to wash anything ten times, having to use four different stain removers. So I think these are a really good bet!

Making New Memories Out Of Ones In Boxes

2011-08-08T15:36:00.000-07:00

When my mother passed away (a little over 14 1/2 years ago), one of her possession that I was left with was a plastic bag of doll furniture. I remembered them as a child, because my mother would pull them out whenever she was cleaning out her closet. She would put the furniture out on the bed, whereas, aside from that, I was not allowed to touch them beyond her supervision.

With this dollhouse roll going on, I ended up getting another one at Michaels the other day. I thought with this one, I could bring out the furniture, and display it in the rooms for my daughter to look at. And once again (sans child), I threw this one together, not even venturing into the buttons and whatnots.

Of course I had to get another one, because the perfectionist in me, isn't too pleased with the outcome. (I just wasn't too enthused in the embellishments, after spending two hours trying to figure out how this all fit together.)

There are kids who are destructive (which I say in the most enduring way, because it didn't occur to me when my teenager was younger, to perform such a feat like this). And then there's other kids-- like her sister, who have a more calmer disposition and whom I can see taking special care in her play. And it's not like that's a bad thing. It's just the nature they are born with. (Such as the spiteful one, concerning my teenager, that made me delete her from my facebook account the other day!)

And Not Bring Our Daughter????

2011-08-06T15:00:00.000-07:00

The last time my husband and I had a "date" together, was in the summer of 2007. My husband suggested that we drop the kids over at his mother's house and go out to watch a movie. The concept seemed foreign. Not take the kids with us?

Nonetheless, we went out for a couple hours, taking in the movie "23". And while I sat there, mulling over an apology to my husband, as this was one of the worst movies I had ever seen-- yet this was what I suggested, I started to feel guilty. I realized that I had just wasted over $20 on something that I could have spent on the kids instead.

But lately, I've been getting burnout. Burnout from just making the bills, and not being able to do something fun with my husband-- ever. It seems that whenever time does come up, where my mother-in-law offers to watch the kiddo (currently, it is now "kiddo", as my teen is finishing school at her father's), that we have nothing to show for it. It always comes down to laundry, cleaning the house, grocery shopping, getting the oil changed, etc. with the little luxury of being able to accomplish those them without tiny feet underfoot. In the end, we were more exhausted than we were when she had left!

That's when I decided to check out this site called Get My Perks (http://www.getmyperks.com/) I've heard about it before, but was kind of reluctant in seeing what it was all about. (I mean, after all, I am a martyr for my family!)

Get My Perks offers gift certificates for businesses in your area at half price-- or rather half the guilt. After seeing what kind of deals they had to offer, I decided to get a pair of $30 Mt. Hood Railroad scenic tour tickets that regularly sells for $64. And what's great about these certificates, is that they don't expire until a year later. So when the sitter bails, or something of that nature comes up, it's not like you've lost your chance.

So I think we'll redeem these passes in the fall, when the autumn foilage lines the tracks. It seems like something nice that my husband and I can enjoy together to reconnect. (Don't mention to him though, that they also had 1/2 priced restaurant deals which meant 1/2 priced drinks! That compared to a 5 hour train ride and apple picking in the crisp fall air? Like I said, don't mention that part to him!) And with this website, it is totally family friendly, so perhaps we can start enjoying our family as a family-- without all the expense involved!

Once Upon A Time...

2011-08-02T23:00:00.001-07:00

I want everyone to know on here, that my daughter is a 5-year old prodigy. She is the only child I know, who counts Arsenic and Old Lace as her favorite movie. And the only one I know, who can actually sit through a story (lacking a lot of illustrations), without getting up, running a lap around the house, asking "when we're done, can I watch Spongebob".

With this doll thing she has going on, it was her idea to come to me with this book, asking me to start reading it to her. And I can't really describe the warm feeling that it gives, when you are able to read a story aloud, and have your child laugh at the way your voice animates it, asking you to repeat that part again. And on top of that-- beg you to read another chapter before they go to bed!

Last month, I started reading The Doll People, the first of a three-part series, written by Ann M. Martin and Laura Godwin. It's about a family of Victorian-era dolls, who have been passed in the home through a couple of generations. The main doll, Annabelle, is the daughter doll, who goes on an adventure in search of her Aunt Sarah-- another doll who went missing 50 years before.

We finished that book. And the moment we did, my daughter grabbed the 2nd in the series, and asked me if I could read just a chapter from that before going to bed. (That book is called The Meanest Doll In The World, where The Runaway Dolls is book number three.)

Nonetheless, it's a great feeling to find that bond with your child, where you can spend some time together that would otherwise be wasted, watching cartoon reruns, if you ended up telling them they had a half hour left before bedtime.

Amazingly Easy Low-Fat Cinnamon Rolls

2011-08-01T08:44:00.000-07:00

Lucky for me, I was not born with the metabolism of my 5-year old daughter and husband. I cannot scarf down half a cheesecake, jump on the sofa for ten minutes, and then look in the mirror, suck in my gut, and have my ribs stick out like Skeletor.

After seeing the label on Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls (and saying "HELL NO" when I saw Cinnabon's nutrition thing on their website), I decided to improvise on some of my own. I can't plaster butter on a slab of dough with a clear conscience-- or arteries at that matter. So after experimenting with some I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray, I came up with this. (And from what I've been able to come up with, they come in at 1.5g's of fat for each one, although it might be one or two more, depending on their size.)

And for those of you who don't bake, they are sooooooo easy to make! If you don't have a pastry mat (or have one-- but just don't want to go through having to clean it up afterward), just tape some parchment paper on the countertop, and flour the surface with it. When you're done, all you have to do is wad the paper up and throw it away. Plus, it's just a one-bowl recipe, so it's even less of a mess to clean up!)

Kimberley's Amazingly Easy Low-Fat Cinnamon Rolls

1. In a bowl, combine Reduced Fat Bisquick baking mix, with fat-free milk. Get a dough forming; not too thick, and not too sticky.

2. Roll out into a rectangle shape on a Bisquick dusted surface.

3. Instead of butter, spread I Can't Believe It's Not Butter SPRAY on the entire surface of the dough. Sprinkle as much as you want of the cinnamon and sugar, until it is covered.

4. Roll up, slice, and place into baking dish at 400°F for about 15 minutes, making sure the center rolls aren't gooey. (And if you don't have a baking dish, putting them out on a cookie sheet will do as well. (Line it with parchment paper, and you won't even have to dirty the pan!)

5. In a ziploc (I recommed ziploc, because if you are having your kiddo help, it prevents a major mess of frosting dropping onto your floor out of the other end, followed by an "oops! I'm sorry"), load your frosting in one corner. Grabbing the ziploc like a pastry bag, make a small snip in the corner, and swirl the frosting all over the rolls as desired.

You can also add raisins into the sugar cinnamon mixture, as well as frozen raspberries, etc., pictured below. But since I have a really finicky 5-year old, she likes them just made with the cinnamon, because any extras such as fruit, would make them too "healthy" for her, gawd forbid! :)

Living Vicariously Through My Daughter's Toys

2011-07-28T16:18:00.000-07:00

As a mom, it is my job to come up with fun ideas for my 5-year old daughter to do, so that she'll be able to fondly look back on her childhood, and not be able to recollect a single "I'm bored" moment. (And where I can look back without having to encounter all of the you-never-did-anything-for-me's and I-hate-you's that I have, when my oldest became a teenager!)

It was last Easter, that my youngest began this collecting obsession with a doll line called Lalaloopsy, after the Easter Bunny missed the boat on a miniature version, named "Cotton Hoppalong" to throw into her basket.

These creepily adorable little things with a blank stare and empty smile, look like the spawn of that "Other Mother" character from that movie Coraline. I've been caving though, and making sure my daughter is all caught up on this little collection. And it's because of this, that I thought how nice it would be to work on a dollhouse project with my child.

So, I went to the local Michael's and came home with:

Creatology 'Dollhouse With A Veranda' ($8)
A bag of sparkly jewels (from the back wall) (@$3)
3 tubes of acrylic paint (for the roof, trim, and body) (@)$3)

And from another store (the one where they are known for lower prices):

One can of Minwax Polycrylic Spray ($10)
Fabric biased tape (to cover corners and rough edges) (@$2)
Paint brushes (@$3)
Superglue (@$2)
Ribbons, miniature roses, buttons, etc. to dress it up

Other things to have on hand: Exacto knife, nail polish remover (to loosen up the superglue, when at 2am, you realize that you poured half the tube into your palm),

Punch the pieces of the puzzle out, and lay them as they were in their original frame:

Begin, by painting the pieces of each sheet with 2 (or 3) coats of acrylic paint. (Making sure you do the backs of the railings and trims, as those will be in view, once the house is completed.) After the paint is dried, spray 3-4 coats of the polycrylic over the pieces. (Do you remember how scratchy the art projects in elementary school felt with acrylic paint? This process will smooth it over.) This part will probably take about 3-4 hours-- especially if the puzzle is already looking greek by now! (By the way, acrylic paint is totally washable from finished surfaces-- like my wood table, as I found out. But since I have a carpet underneath it, this project ended up more as a Mommy one. ("You can help by decorating it with your furniture" I had to tell my 5-year old.)

When the paint is dry, grab the floor, ceiling and wall pieces and your scrapbook paper. Piecing together where the walls will run, measure and cut your scrapbook pieces out, gluing them down. (Double--no. Triplecheck your placements, making sure you are not gluing a floorpiece to a ceiling!)

You'll see how you'll need some bias tape to get all the gaps that show.

When that part is completed, look over the directions, as they might be hard to interpret. (All it shows is a layout of the pieces, where tabs and notches are numbered.) But after piecing the walls and floors together already, the process will probably become more self-explanatory than anything. (Afterward, cover any gaps, and line the edges (where the walls and floors meet), by gluing bias tape (which is already folded), over the edges.)

What I found by finishing the pieces before assembling does, is that it provides a tighter fit, so the pieces don't fall apart once you pick it up. (Hence why this is my 2nd house-- not the first! ;) When I finally put the little wood locks in place, I was then able to decorate the house until 3am. Suffice it to say, I ended up getting three hours of sleep, because at 7am, my daughter came in, wondering why I wasn't awake yet.

But here is what the interior looks like:

For the $8 base price (which is all I had to pay, because I already had the other stuff laying around from another hobby that didn't take off-- scrapbooking), it's not like you have to worry about messing up too badly on it (like an expensive kit). But it's something to help jump-start the imagination, where your child can customize a dollhouse into something of their liking without breaking the bank.

Have fun!

(**Note-- The front door actually had to be cut out, with scissors, as it doesn't come with an opening for one. To do this, match the door piece up with the windows, and trace it. And carefully, cut the opening out.)