The Moon and Me

A Christmas Breakfast Gift Basket

2017-12-16T12:21:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love breakfast?
With just a few fun and quick-to-put-together items you
can warm the cockles of someone's breakfast-loving heart!

Once upon a Christmas we had a fabulous neighbor
help us out with something a little challenging.
To thank them I put together this breakfast gift basket.

It was pretty simple and fun to do.

I picked up most of the non-food items at HomeGoods or TJMaxx.

Start with some really cute Christmas plates.

There are four in this set packaged in a nice box.

Sorry I didn't take a picture of them alone.

Pile in the goodies.

I've thrown in some maple syrup sporting a Santa hat.

Next add some ready-to-mix pancakes in a mason jar.

I can't remember which recipe I used, this one or this one...

but I'm leaning toward the one that adds butter.

Because butter makes it better, right? Right.

Just mix up the dry ingredients and add a tag for

the instructions to add the wet ingredients.

If you want to deliver the whole package...

include some milk, eggs, and butter in the basket.

My basket also included a bag of Christmas Cappuccino mix...

perfect for chilly mornings...or evenings...or lazy afternoons!

If you can, add in a jar of homemade jam...this one's peach.

Stick some cute labels to the tops of your mason jars.
Make it festive!

Tuck it all in a basket with some tissue,

or as I have here, a snowflake canvas bin.

Add a fun dish towel - which may or may not ask a dubious question - and

some absolutely necessary red and green striped straws!

And there you have it...
A fun and easy gift you can throw together at almost the last minute.

Now, I just have to ask you...
Have YOU been naughty or nice?

I refuse to answer that question on the
grounds it may tend to incriminate me.

At any rate...
I hope you and your family have a wonderfully magical
Christmas surrounded by love and joy and the peace of the baby born in Bethlehem.

A Stenciled Dresser Makeover

2017-06-29T06:00:00.000-06:00

In a shocking news release...

I have NOT dropped off the face of the Earth!

But that is a story for another day.

Once upon a time I wrote a little story about a clock.

In the course of that tale you were introduced

to a started, although long neglected, project.

Enter the dejected dresser...

This dresser, or chest of drawers, once belonged to my mom.

While it was the first real furniture she had growing up,

it wasn't particularly pretty, and she had no sentimental attachment to it.

You can see in the picture above that at the time I took this

picture, 4 1/2 years ago, I had already started the redo.

However, that had been another 2+ years before that.

I know, right?

It had these mid mod grooves and sharp, tarnished, and

deformed metal pulls where the knobs are now.

You can see the color of the metal on the top pulls,

although those aren't the same style.

The ones I had already removed were bent hook-like things that

gouged your flesh should you get too close when passing by.

Since it is actually solid wood it made my job a little easier.

I filled all the grooves with wood filler and sanded them smooth.

I also filled the holes for the top pulls so I could drill new holes

for the wood knobs to match the other drawers.

I somehow neglected to take any pictures between the beginning and end.

I painted the bottom with home mixed chalk paint.

This was a sample I had of BM Revere Pewter.

I started out painting the whole thing and didn't like it.

So I sanded the paint off the top and went with stain.

I usually cheat and use the stain/poly mix because I'm ~~lazy~~ efficient.

Once it was painted, I used this adhesive vinyl stencil I ordered from Etsy.

(It doesn't look like that seller is currently active)

It was just what the doctor ordered.

Perfect!

I distressed it ever so lightly around the corners and sealed it with wax.

Mmmm...mmmm...mmm.

I used the same stain from the top on the knobs, too...

(which are just basic wood pulls I picked up at Home Depot)

and the finished piece is beautiful.

And now for a few too many pictures...

Here it is in it's home in the guest bedroom...

which I will try to share sometime in the near future...

or before the end of the year at least!

I love this transformation!!!

I hope you'e enjoyed this makeover.

I do have a few other things to share.

I haven't been completely idle in my absence...

just unable and/or unmotivated to write about it.

I hope some of you re still out there!

I've missed you!

Hope your having a great summer!

See you soon...

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Eighteen25

Snowbird Ornament Giveaway from Tree Classics

2015-11-05T04:00:00.000-07:00

Hey, folks!
I hope you had a fun and safe Halloween and the only
bad spirits you encountered came from a bottle.

I know it's not quite Thanksgiving,

but it's time to start thinking about Christmas.

Making lists, checking them twice,

figuring out if you've been naughty or nice.

I can't really help with the naughty or nice part,

but I may be able to help with the decorating!

Tree Classics has asked me to help you make your

home into a winter wonderland this Christmas.

Founded in 1976, Tree Classics™ has a long history of
designing the World's Finest Artificial Christmas Trees.
We have since expanded our range of holiday offerings to
include artificial wreaths, garlands, and various accessories.
Our lasting success is a result of our dedication to quality
and personal service that delights customers year after year

I'm partnering with them to give away this

adorable set of Mini Snowbird Ornaments.

The splendor of the outdoors comes alive with

Tree Classics' Assorted Mini Snow-Bird Ornament Set.

These Christmas tree decorations capture the charm of

snowbirds perched on evergreens in the winter.

With a bristly finish & glitter embellishments,

these snowbird ornaments are perfect against the

rich green foliage of a classic Christmas tree.

Check out the Rafflecopter giveaway below and
enter to receive these sweet little snowbirds.
The contest runs through 11:59 PM MST on Nov. 11
and is open to U.S. residents only.
For more details, see the terms and conditions below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for coming by...and good luck!

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Love From Your Mummy: A Halloween Chalkboard Care Package

2015-10-27T04:00:00.000-06:00

It's time once again to remember your favorite college students,

far away friends and relatives, and loved ones serving overseas.

Yes, I know I'm a little late. Again.

I was out of town and just got this finished up.

Sorry.

You can pin it for next year.

But...it was worth the wait!

It's Love From Your Mummy!!!

A totally awesome Halloween Chalkboard Care Package!

I'm almost more excited about the box than the stuff inside!

Seriously.

But I'm a dork.

I started off painting the inside with black craft paint.

I added orange polka dots with more paint.

Use different coordinating scrapbook paper for the flaps.

On a side note...I love scrapbook paper.

But I don't scrapbook. So There.

I wanted to make the outside cute, too.

I started off just painting it like the inside.

Then I had a brilliant idea!

Chalkboard, baby!

The cardboard kinda soaks up the paint a little making the surface a little rough.

I knew it would be easy to replicate a chalkboard look even without chalkboard paint.

I did go ahead and rub some chalk over the surface and wipe it

off with a paper towel before painting for more authentic look.

I haphazardly, but precisely (lol), painted my words with white paint.

I didn't want them too perfect, but I wanted them to have nice form.

Then using a sanding block I lightly distressed the entire thing and lightly dusted it off.

The result was a beautiful thing.

Really.

Just look.

I did two full sides...

Love from your Mummy
and
May contain: things that go bump in the night

The other two sides I just filled in with mini chalkboard scenes.

My furry helper approved...

But wait...what about the Halloween treats inside????

I made up a bunch of these adorable Halloween S'mores treat packs.

Each one has 4 graham cracker halves,

2 mini Hershey bars, 2 pumpkin peeps, and one ghost peep.

Mr. Ghost looks a little angry.

Maybe someone ate his I Scream.

Look how cute they are!
I just love them!

What good is a Halloween care package without a good movie.
Sara doesn't like scary movies so I always look for
something a little more on the fun side.

I know she hasn't seen this one...and it's a musical to boot...
Little Shop of Horrors is the perfect choice.

A little trick or treat candy, some decorations,

other random stuff...and you've got yourself

a howlin' good Halloween care package.

Full of Love from your Mummy.

I hope you've enjoyed this last minute Halloween gift idea.
I know I had way too much fun creating it.

The lady in the mailroom at the college told Sara
she always knows when a box comes in for her.
I always decorate them in some way.
I think she's really going to like this one.

I've got a little giveaway coming up next week so be sure to stop by!

Until then...

beware of those things that go bump in the night.

Scaring up a little fun here:

Funky Polkadot Giraffe

Savvy Southern Style

Just A Girl and Her Blog

Crafty Allie

A Simple Pantry

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From My Front Porch to Yours

Outdoor Movie Night

2015-10-02T06:00:00.000-06:00

Hey there!

I wanted to share something fun we did recently before

the weather got too cold for you to do it, too!

We hosted an outdoor movie party and it was a blast!

Even if we did get rained out...boo.

It's so fun and easier than you think!
We used a cheap shower curtain for our screen and clamped it to the back fence.
I only wish I'd gotten one a bit bigger or maybe two.

We asked guests to bring camp chairs and/or blankets...
but we had some available also.

I researched inexpensive projectors with USB
connections and chose this one I found on Amazon.
I won't be the next destination for the Sundance film festival,
but for $58 it works pretty great!

It does have its own speakers but we hooked up
some computer speakers we had along with a spare woofer,
and it sounded awesome!

We just connected it to our laptop to play the DVD.

Once you've taken care of all the tech stuff...it's time for food!
Always make sure you have plenty of tasty treats,
but keeping it simple means no stress eats!

In trying to keep with the movie night theme we had corn dogs,

single size candy, and of course, POPCORN!

I think Sara and I made popcorn for almost 2 hours straight in the air popper. Oooof.

I found the NOW SHOWING chalkboard on Amazon,

along with the character concession cutouts and the popcorn bags.

You can find a lot of those things at Hobby Lobby, too.

To add to the fun and let guests participate in the movie choice,

we included a URL to a SurveyMonkey questionnaire.

Invitees were able to vote for their favorite of 3 movies and

let us know what their favorite movie night snack is.

It made it easy to pick a movie everyone would enjoy,
and make sure we had good treats.

Let me say...The Princess Bride in the backyard is so awesome.
As I said, we did get rained out about half way through.
It hadn't rained in our area for WEEKS!!!

Families with young kids went on home...
everyone else helped get the equipment out of the rain
and we finished the movie inside.

Even with the rain...it was totally worth it and so much fun!

I apologize for the dark pictures.
It's not easy to snap pics in the dark ;)
I hope you decide to make a movie night...
even if you have to do it next year.
I think we're starting a new family tradition!

Till next time...

Rolling out the red carpet here:

Crafts a la Mode
AKA Design

Easy Yummy Crockpot Chicken Soup

2015-09-19T05:00:00.000-06:00

I think I see fall coming!

Yippee!!!

That means time for sweaters and cozy bonfires and changing leaves...and SOUP!

Don't get me wrong...I'm NOT ready for what comes after fall...ugh.

For now let's just stick to soup.

Once upon a time I posted about my world famous chicken soup...

I've been meaning to revisit that...it seriously is super good...

you just have to add a little more broth to make it soupier.

This is a variation of that recipe that you can do in the crockpot.

What's not to love about that?

This time I used fresh cut carrots and onions...

well...because that's what I had.

It was worth it and I'd do it again.

I did still throw in a packet of Knorr vegetable soup mix.

It just adds a little oomph.

You need a BUNCH of chicken broth.
A bunch.
Oh...and chicken.
Put it all in your crockpot with some seasonings...

After the chicken is completely cooked, you could take it

out and let it cool and tear it up or cut it into bite-sized pieces...

or you could use a handy-dandy mix 'n masher and just tear it up right in the pot.

Yup. Much easier.

See?

When you've decided it's just about ready,

throw in a couple cups of noodles and let them cook.

Then you're ready to enjoy some seriously good chicken soup.

Seriously.

Totally Yummy, Seriously Easy Crockpot Chicken Soup

3 large boneless skinless breasts, about 1 1/2 - 2 lbs
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 - 2 cups carrots, peeled and sliced and diced
5 - 6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed (I use the jar kind and used a tbsp or so...I like garlic)
2 - 3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 packet dry Knorr vegetable recipe mix
1 square Knorr Caldo de Pollo bouillon
8 cups (64 oz) chicken broth
about 1 tsp salt, and ground pepper to taste
2 cups egg noodles (I used the old fashioned style) or 1 cup rice

Place chicken breasts in crock pot. Top with chopped onions and carrots. Add garlic, olive oil, and spices.
Pour in chicken broth. Stir in soup mix. Add salt and pepper.
Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low about 8 hours until the chicken is cooked and the veggies are soft.
Once the chicken is cooked, shred in the pot or remove and cut up.
Add noodles (or rice) and cook until soft then turn off heat to prevent mushy noodles.

printable version

Relish the cooler weather.

Make some soup.

Enjoy it immensely.

You're welcome.

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Glam Guest Bath Makeover

2015-08-23T05:00:00.000-06:00

I have made it my mission to paint all the cabinets in the house.

Someday I'll even make it to the kitchen.

In the meantime I have finished the 3rd and final bathroom.

This is our upstairs guest bathroom...

otherwise known as Sara's bathroom when she is home.

It started out like this below...usually with more clutter.

The fashion cities wallpaper border never got completely

put up and what was there was starting to fall down. Nice, huh?

I don't know why there is a yellow hand towel on the rack.

It wasn't horrible...if you don't count the orangey

builder cabinets with no hardware.

But it was time for a change.

You can see my paint samples on the wall below. :)

Ta da!

I went with Sherwin Williams Requisite Gray.

It's soft and a little warm...very pretty and soothing.

I was concerned about doing gray in this room with no windows,

but the satin finish and the lighter color actually seems to

brighten the room instead of make it darker.

Please ignore my elbow.

She's been wanting me to do something in here since

I first did the mini makeover in our master bath.

She wanted the cabinets painted and the mirror framed...

and when I told her I was going with gray...

her only request was a plum shower curtain.

Done.

Oops. Looks like I forgot to put the little rug back in before I took this shot.

Oh well.

Someday I hope to replace the flooring...but until then this will have to work.

I framed the mirror with some decorative molding, mitered at the corners.

You can find instructions for that all over the place.

I will post some of my own someday.

I also used my favorite Rustoleum Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint

to transform the shiny silver light fixture into something more classy.

She also asked if I could do a large damask stencil on one wall.

Ugh.

You can see it here reflected in the mirror.

It look pretty...but that's something I probably

won't be doing again anytime soon.

But more on that in a later post.

I've decided to do the cabs throughout the house in the

SW Creamy that I started with in the master bath.

To me it's the perfect creamy white but not stark.

I love a little warmth to my white.

The hardware I purchased from this seller again on eBay

because they have great prices and flat rate shipping.

The counter top was done using my same method of

sponge painting and sealed with epoxy resin

like I did in our planked wall powder room.

The faucet is the same as the powder room...these were a

couple of satin nickel faucets I picked

up on clearance at Walmart for a great price.

I couldn't pass them up.

Here is the stenciled wall.

I took out the standard towel bar and replaced it

with antique looking hooks for a little more character.

This actually came from Hobby Lobby and was turquoise.

I painted it with some black chalk paint and distressed

it a little so the turquoise would just peak through.

I'm still deciding if it needs a piece of art in the large space to the left of the towel hooks.

Here's a little closer look at the counter tops.

And a little bit of pretty with a sort of vanity tray and a beautiful orchid.

That's the story of the glam bathroom makeover.

Yes it's a little posh and purple...but I feel it's still a nice

space for Sara as well as any overnight guests we may have.

Oh...and just for a little fun...

I added this bit of vinyl to the front of the tub

so you see it when you pull back the curtain.

Just a quick before and after.

I wish I could give you a cost breakdown.

But the truth is I started this makeover last fall.

I know, I know...hard to believe it takes that long.

Hey...I did say I changed jobs and it caused a scheduling upheaval.

If I had to guess in my head...

paint, hardware, faucet, curtain, molding for the frame, epoxy...

Probably around $250 or so.

Not bad for an entirely new look without replacing major pieces.

So what do you think?

Way better than the before right?

Sara likes it...I know she won't be home forever...

but I'm confident guests will enjoy it also.

Well...that's all for now, folks.

I do actually have a couple more things waiting in the wings to show you...

I just have to make some final adjustments...so stay tuned.

Until then, remember:

happiness is a choice...choose wisely.

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Bye Bye Mini Blinds and a Chandelier Makeover

2015-06-19T06:30:00.000-06:00

Hello...hello...is this thing on?

Remember me?

I'm that girl that used to blog here.

I was recently looking back at another post where
I was joking about being AWOL for 3 weeks.
That seems like nothing now.

I haven't stopped DIYing or decorating...
I just haven't had time to share any of it with you.
Insert sad face here.

But...TA-DA! I totally changed the look of my dining room with a few simple updates.
I hate those cheap white mini blinds...as necessary as they may be sometimes.

When we had our dining windows replaced after a storm damaged them,
I knew I wasn't putting the blinds back up.
Here's how it looks now:

And here's how it used to look.
I searched and searched and couldn't find any decent before pictures.
I was so sure I had some...

But you get the idea...even if it's a little Christmasy.

I found the bamboo shades on clearance at Bed, Bath & Beyond for a sweet price.

They were lighter than I really wanted but couldn't pass them up.

I fixed that problem with some Minwax spray stain.

I probably could have done a wipe on stain, but these shades
have a liner and I didn't want it to seep through.

I found a good spot in the garage to hang them and
stretch them all the way out and sprayed away.
It worked beautifully.

I love them because they are cordless and they add
some nice, warm natural color to the room

The next step was to make some straight neutral curtain panels.
Seriously, straight off the bolt...cut, hem sides and ends.
Add a little fusible web at the top for sturdiness. Done.

Once again I used some Onasburg fabric.
It resembles the popular drop cloths but is much easier
to work with and has a super low price.

Once I agonized over the curtain rod I wanted,
then I found the clip rings on clearance.
Bonus!

Now the fun part...
You can see from the inset that this light fixture used to have globes.
I was so over them, but didn't think it made sense to get a new light.

I removed the globes, added some pointy light bulbs...

...and needed something to cover the ceramic bases.

My quest yielded no suitable base covers so I had to improvise.

I'll give you 3 guesses and the first 2 don't count.

Okay, okay...I kinda loathe crafts made from TP rolls...
but in this instance I had no other choice...and they're not handled ever.
I cut them to the size I wanted then spray painted
them with some Rustoleum Oil Rubbed Bronze.
Did you guess correctly?

You can't even tell. :)

I love it! It's like a whole new chandelier!

I love the lightened up look and it will go so well with

the kitchen if I ever get those pesky cabinets painted. :)

I still love red, but prefer to accessorize with it rather than have it be the focus.

See? I haven't been a total slacker.

So what do you think?

I like my new job...it's just really different and when I go home

I don't have the umph to sit down at the computer and work on the blog.

Not to mention all the other craziness of life...and taking the girl to

New York to settle in for a summer program on Broadway.

Really. (Miss Awesome Pants!)

But I miss you...really.

And I do have other projects that I'm working on and

hope to finish soon...and share eventually. :)

All my love till next time...

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Thrifty Decor Chick

Grandma's Butter Caramels

2015-02-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hello, strangers.

How's your new year going so far?

I hope it's been great...sorry for you east coast folks...

I know the weather has been making life miserable.

Here's something to keep you busy and give

you something to satisfy your sweet tooth!

Homemade butter caramels.

They are soooooo amazingly delicious!

You'll hide them in your coat pocket so you can find them one afternoon

when you think they're all gone so you can have a sweet surprise!

Oh, wait...maybe that's just me.

These tasty caramels are part of the legacy that is my mother-in-law.

She passed away this past summer after a long battle with cancer.

This post is a tribute to her.

It was 16 years from her initial diagnosis to her death...

and let me tell you, she filled those 16 years with as much life as she could.

She traveled, she had good times with friends and family,

she spoiled her only granddaughter,

and just over 6 years ago she married a good man.

Who says you can't find love later in life?

She was tough, she was a fighter...but she was good-hearted and generous.

Did we always see eye to eye?

Of course not, we're family after all.

But we agreed on the tremendous love we had for her son, my husband,

and her granddaughter, our daughter, Sara.

She raised a son into a wonderful man whom I love more than

anything and I will forever be grateful to this woman.

Okay...on to the sugar.

You'll need a candy thermometer to gauge the temperature so

you don't end up with runny or rock hard candy.

I used a Pampered Chef silicone spatula to stir because they have a high heat tolerance.

You'll also need extra arms, because you'll be stirring and

stirring and stirring until you think the arms you have will fall off!

See? An action shot...of the incessant stirring...

Ahead of time, you'll want to prepare your cookie sheet or baking sheet for cooling.

I used a cookie sheet and lined it with parchment which

I also buttered so the caramel wouldn't stick.

Once they're cool, turn them out onto a large cutting board and use a heavy,

sharp knife to cut them to the size and shape you want.

Be careful.

Caramel is rather hard and you'll be using a lot of pressure on the knife to cut it.

I wouldn't want any of you to injure yourself in the name of sweets.

My MIL used wax paper squares to wrap her caramels.

I don't buy wax paper, so I have always used parchment squares.

The parchment I purchase has a silicone

coating so it works similar to the wax paper.

If you use a smaller pan to cool them, you'll get fatter caramels.

I kinda like them flatter...to me they're easier to bite...

but that's totally up to you.

You will have to excuse the Christmas tree and packaging.

I had fully intended to get this out to you in time for gift giving.

However, life gets in the way sometimes and we just have to adjust our sails.

So...just pretend these take-out boxes really have hearts

on them and give them away for Valentine's Day!

I asked her one time if this was a secret family recipe because I wanted to share it.

She laughed and said she had found it in some magazine

she could no longer remember and thought they sounded good.

She'd been making them every holiday season

since and loved to give them as gifts.

My husband's cousin's wife (got that?) got the recipe from

me in December so she could make some to take to Christmas dinner.

It was a heart-felt gesture and a wonderful surprise to her MIL,

my MIL's sister, and my MIL's husband.

They were very touched by her thoughtfulness.

A legacy of sweetness.

Grandma’s Butter Caramels

1 lb real butter
2 ¼ cups packed brown sugar (I used dark, she used regular)
1 cup Karo syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 tsp pure vanilla

Mix all but vanilla in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Continue to stir and stir and stir until mixture reaches 243° on a candy thermometer.
Remove from heat, add vanilla, mix well.
Pour onto a well-buttered cookie sheet or baking pan, spread evenly.
Let cool; cut into squares or rectangles, or whatever your heart desires.
Wrap in wax paper or parchment squares.
Indulge often.

Printable recipe.

Make some caramels.

Hug the ones you love.

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Sincerely, Paula
I Heart Naptime
Reasons to Skip the Housework

Happy New Year! 2014's Top Ten!

2015-01-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, well, I'm only slightly behind.

I mean, January's not quite half over yet, right?

It has been super crazy nuts around here the last few weeks.

So, without further ado,

allow me to present to you the top 10 from 2014!!!

I know, I know...

you're thinking...didn't I only post ten times last year?

No...I actually did a few more than that!

As always, I feel these numbers would be totally

different if posted at different times of the year.

10. Hauntingly tasty Cookie Dough Jack-O-Lantern Truffles

9. Taking you into the clouds in my Valentine's "heart-air" balloon.

8. Absolutely wonderful and totally time consuming Paper Rose Trees.

7. The "I still love going in there just to look" Planked wall bathroom.

6. The "keep calm and eat breakfast" Cheesy Egg and Sausage Bake.

5. "I can't believe I ate all the frosting" GF Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting.

4. The secret makeover of Sara's purple palace.

3. The Chalk Painted Dresser of my dreams.

2. The great TV Console maker

and the single most popular post from last year...

The super easy customizable DIY personalized cutting board.

And there you have it!
I had lots of fun in 2014 doing all these projects...
I hope you enjoyed them, too!

2015 looks to be challenging for my blogging time.
I just changed jobs and have much less free time now...
although I am totally stoked for this new adventure in the new year.

I know I promised a sweet treat before Christmas...
I am hoping to get it out to you in time for Valentine's day.

Until then, keep smiling!

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The Chicken Chick

My Fresh Christmas Fireplace

2014-12-11T06:22:00.000-07:00

I'm back!

Just like I promised with the fresh cedar mantel.

It's simple and stunning.

I gave you a little peek in last week's post about my paper rose trees.

In case you missed them...go check 'em out!

I'm not doing a whole house tour...
like I said during last year's tour...most of my decor stays the same.

The main thing that changes is the mantel...

and apparently now the little dresser. :)

Home Depot had some fresh cedar garland in their ad for Black Friday.

Since I'm not nearly crazy enough to do the whole

Black Friday thing, and besides, I have to work...

we were out shopping Friday evening.

Well, of course, by the time we got there, the garland in the ad was gone.

The sales clerk was awesome enough to give us this other garland for the same sale price.

She totally rocks!

I love the drapey look of it...and so carefree.

Getting it to hang on my not real mantel was anything but!

I paired it with different size red and white poinsettias,

some fabulous angel wings, a couple of my handmade stockings,

along with a few I got from Decor Steals.

I love these glitter metal stars I picked up on clearance this summer.

I've spritzed it and spritzed it and it's still completely dry.

Welcome to Colorado.

It still looks beautiful and it might just be my absolute favorite thing this year.

I hope your Christmas season finds you enjoying family and

friends and remembering the reason for the season.

We are heading to OKC to see Sara perform in the

university's Christmas shows and can NOT wait!!!

Next stop: yummy Christmas treats!
Don't miss it!

Sharing here:

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Lolly Jane
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The Blissful Bee

Paper Rose Christmas Trees

2014-12-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

It's beginning to look a lot like...

CHRISTMAS!

And I am so excited!

Really.

Because I love Christmas!

And I love love love these paper rose trees I made...

that I'm going to share with you!

See them there...on the left?

And below?

Oh.My.Goodness.

Tons of paper roses all happy together.

Wanna make one, too? Or two, too?

Or tutus.

But that would be a different post.

If you've never made a paper rose before...

never fear...I am here to help!

Cut a circle out of paper.

Very complicated, I know.

I used an image I found online somewhere...

and for the life of me I can't figure out where I got it.

Possibly the Graphics Fairy, but I can't find it anymore.

It's old sheet music...I printed it double sided on a draft setting so it was light.

Once you have your circle,

begin cutting a spiral to the center...

not too thick or too thin...

and make sure you leave a small "base" in the center.

Now, ignore my dry cuticles and start rolling the paper

rather tightly from the outside edge all the way to the center.

It will seem tight at first, but will end up looser at the end.

See? Once you let it go, it unravels slightly.

Now is when the center base is important...

using a good tacky glue...add a good blob to your base and

press the scrolls into the glue and let them dry.

I painstakingly glued them to some paper mache cone

trees that I painted with a creamy base color.

These trees are from Hobby Lobby and have a base that is

smaller than the tree and I like that it makes it sit above the surface.

You can adjust the size of your roses by making your

original paper circles smaller or larger.
I used about 3 different sizes on my trees.

From one sheet of regular paper, fold it to get either 4 or 6 circles...
if you do 4 even squares for your 4 circles, that leaves a
section that allows you a couple smaller circles...
that work great at the top of your tree.

I knew all along that I wanted to display them on
the little painted dresser in the living room.
I had fun looking for some pretty things to get the look I wanted.

I found the gorgeous velvet ribbon at TJMaxx and had
intended to use it on my little trees in the loft, but it just
seemed to work so well to tie together the little birdie and
the red mercury glass candlestick.

I think I'm going to leave it just like that!

Or I was...
until I threw in a few clippings from the fresh
cedar I got for the fireplace mantel.
Which I've decided to share separately,
so I didn't make this post extremely long.

Ugh.

This process was rather time consuming.
By rather, I mean very.
I cut, rolled, and glued roses in my spare time and while watching TV.

Then I glued the roses to the trees also while watching TV.

It takes longer than you'd think because you have to wait
for one row to dry before adding the next so they
don't shift when you get them close to each other.

I don't know exactly how long it took...but a good chunk of time.
As for me, I think it was totally worth it.
I love the way they look, they are perfect with my traditional
colors for red and white plus green,
and I really only had to purchase the tree bases.
Awesome.

So, what do you think?
Would you love to sit for hours and play with paper and glue?

December is always crazy busy for us...
but I will make sure you get to see my whole mantel...
and I've got a yummy treat to share if I don't run out of time!
Make sure you come back and see me soon!

Sharing here:

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Lolly Jane

Thankful is an Attitude...

2014-11-27T03:00:00.000-07:00

I had downloaded the above Facebook timeline cover

from Kristi at I Should Be Mopping the Floor.

When I added it to my timeline, my mom posted this comment:

Thankful is an attitude we choose which has the power

to keep us from growing bitter or angry with life.

It's hard to stay grumpy when you

take time to count your blessings.

In "before amen" Max Lucado says, "To say thanks

is to cross from have-not to have-much,

from the excluded to the recruited. Thanks proclaims,

'I'm not disadvantaged, disabled, victimized,

scandalized, forgotten, or ignored. I am blessed.'

Gratitude is a dialysis of sorts.

It flushes the self-pity out of our systems."

Let us all remember to be THANKFUL.

Bake Yourself Silly Gift Basket DIY

2014-11-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

Dashing through the dough,
with a broken spatula...
O'er the pies we go,
noshing all the way...

And so it has begun...
the season of ~~eating~~ baking, right?

Today I have a great gift idea for you,
and it's pretty simple to put together.
Perfect for the bakers in your life.
The Bake Yourself Silly gift basket.

Start with a nice glass batter bowl.
This one is from Anchor Hocking and I
picked it up at Wally World for about $8.
I like the shape of it, it has a lid and can be used in the oven.

Find a cute kitchen towel or two, HomeGoods is your friend.
I included some easy Betty Crocker mix packets...
peanut butter cookies, oatmeal chocolate chip, and some blueberry muffins.

I also made up a DIY gift sack with the dry
ingredients from my favorite pumpkin bread.

Don't forget to add a can of pumpkin.

Add a stack of muffin papers...it was close to Halloween

when I made these, that explains the candy corn.

Throw in some hand stamped bamboo spoons for little extra personalization.

Put a little tissue filler in the bottom of your bowl,

arrange all items for the best fit and presentation.

Find a fabulous gift basket bag wrap thingamabob big enough

to fit all your goodies, tie it with a cute tag and some twine...

And you're ready to give an awesome

afternoon of baking to someone you love.

You can download and print the tags here.

You can customize this for any occasion...
just think...sprinkles, cupcake decorating tools,
cookies cutters...make it your own.

I recently made these two fun baskets as door prizes

for a chili cookoff my mom and I organized.

They were a big hit.

I've been trying to get this post up for some time.

It's just been crazy around here.

We've had some wild family stuff going on since summer

and I, for one, am ready for it to calm down.

Can you believe Thanksgiving is next week?

I've got several fun holiday themed projects waiting to be shared.

And, by George, I am going to do my best to get them out to you!

I hope all you lovelies have a wonderful

week and a blessed Thanksgiving!

Re-gifting here:

The Dedicated House

Home Stories A to Z

Love Grows Wild

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Funky Polkadot Giraffe

Just a Girl and Her Blog

Living Well Spending Less

Love Bakes Good Cakes

Nancherrow

From My Front Porch to Yours

The Golden Sycamore

Happy and Blessed Home

Tidy Mom

The Answer is Chocolate

Life on Lakeshore Drive

Six Sisters Stuff

Reasons to Skip the Housework

Lolly Jane

Sincerely, Paula

VMG206

I Should Be Mopping the Floor

Cookie Dough Jack-O-Lantern Truffles

2014-10-22T09:30:00.000-06:00

Halloween is a perfect time to send a fun

care package to your favorite college student!

You should definitely include some of these yummy cookie dough jack-o-lanterns.

If you can keep from eating them yourself.

Cookie dough is one of Sara's favorite things.

I thought it would be awesome to send some

homemade treats and scare up a little yum.

I looked for some ideas online, but most called

for using a can of sweetened condensed milk.

I found this odd...since it's not a normal ingredient in chocolate chip cookies.

At least not the ones I make.

So I just messed around with my favorite recipe until I got it just the way I wanted.
I used a small scoop, just like when I bake real cookies...
so they'd be a uniform size.
Roll them into balls, place on parchment or freezer
paper on a cookie sheet, and freeze until firm.

I dipped them in orange colored vanilla candy melts from Wilton and let them set.
BTW, I think I am the worst candy dipper in the universe.
My truffles, cake balls, whatever, are never smooth and pretty.
Guess it's a good thing they taste good!

Using a toothpick and some melted chocolate,

add the eyes and nose while they're sitting on your cookie sheet.

You can do the mouth now, too, if you want.

It was easier to pick them up to add the mouth, but doing the whole

face while holding it made the candy coating melt in my hot little hands.

Yes, I am aware their smiles are lopsided.

Snarky little things.

Hi.

We're not..............watching.................you.

Honest.

I'll show them...just bite their face off!

I packaged them up in cellophane bags with cute tags.
But those darn jack-o-lanterns would not stack nicely.

I said, if you guys don't start cooperating, heads are gonna roll.

Ba-dum-bum...

But they just sat there and stared at me with

those happy little smirks on their faces.

Jerks.

But you can't send a care package with just one thing!

Among other things there was a Practical Magic DVD and

I included some of these cute Halloween pedi gift bags...

inspired by Being Bianca.

To have and to share...roommate, littles, friends

Spread the love around.

Cookie Dough Truffles

2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Whisk flour and salt together and then add to creamed mixture until blended. Add chocolate chips and mix well.

Form into balls and freeze until ready to coat using chocolate or candy melts.

Have a sweet week!

Sharing the love here:

A Simple Pantry
Crafty Allie
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Maison de Pax
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The Golden Sycamore
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Happy and Blessed Home
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Chic on a Shoestring
Lolly Jane
Dwellings
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A Peek Into My Paradise
Life on Lakeshore Drive
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Etcetorize
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VMG206
Sand and Sisal
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Upcycled Treasures
Sowdering About
A Stroll Thru Life
Stone Gable
Love Grows Wild
Horrific Knits
Carissa Miss
Fluster Buster
Sincerely Paula
What's Cooking Love

A Touch of Fall

2014-10-10T12:00:00.000-06:00

Howdy, Peeps!

I'm just sharing a little of my fall decor today...

in hopes that maybe summer will finally get tired of hanging around...

and it will cool down some.

A lot of my decorations are the same...

so you may have seen them on last year's tour.

Sometimes I move things around and occasionally add new items.

The little mouse hanging on the side of the wire

cloche is new, but not really a fall accessory.

Just a bit of whimsy.

Oops, it appears my "slipcover" is riding up.

Pardon me!

I added a little printable banner to the chunky shelf.

Other things got moved around...and now some

orange candles glow here on a side table.

I love putting little pumpkins in this big lantern.

I rarely light the candles that are normally in it anyway.

One major difference this year...I got the dresser painted last winter!

I am loving it...and it looks so cozy and warm over there.

I know some people like to decorate for fall with neutrals and white pumpkins...

...let them, I say...I will keep the things I love about fall...

the warm, rich colors that evoke thoughts of falling leaves and

crunching through cornfields on a cool autumn night bundled up for a hayride!

Ooooh...and hot apple cider and pumpkin bread...and caramel apples...

Aaaahhhh...I feel refreshed already.

Take that, summer!

I found this cute pom pom garland on clearance this past weekend.

So fun! I knew I had to add it to the mix.

Some time this past year, I spray painted the shutters...

they were bright white and chippy...but too white.

Now they are more subdued...and you can still see

the chippy-ness beneath the thin coat of paint.

Warm, rich, cozy...

I think it's time for some of that cider.

I hope you've enjoyed this little jaunt into fall.

If you pretend not to notice the dust on my black tables...
I'll pretend to feel really bad about its existence.

I have a Halloween-ish treat coming up next,
so don't forget to check back with me soon!
Have a great weekend.

Doing my best tour guide impressions here:

Dwellings
Kitchen Table Art
Upcycled Treasures
Stone Gable
Sand and Sisal
A Stroll Thru Life
Love Grows Wild
Horrific Knits
Sowdering About
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From My Front Porch to Yours
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Lamberts Lately
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Crafts a la Mode
AKA Design
Craft Dictator
Liz Marie Blog
Lolly Jane

35 Minute Skillet Lasagna

2014-09-30T10:00:00.000-06:00

Think you don't have time to make a great dinner?

Think again!

In 35 minutes or less you can make this

awesomely delicious one pan Skillet Lasagna!
No kidding.

Let's put 35 minutes on the clock, shall we?

In a LARGE skillet, this one is 14"...

brown and crumble your meat...in this case,

ground turkey and bulk Italian sausage.

At this time also add the garlic, onion, and salt to taste.

While the meat is cooking, assemble your cheese ingredients.

25 minutes: When the meat is done, stir in spaghetti sauce and water.

Add the extra spices now if you are going to.

Dump in your noodles, stir and make sure they're all covered with sauce.

Cook according to noodle box instructions.

Meanwhile...stir together your ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses.

Then mix in the fresh ground pepper, parsley, and salt to taste.

Don't forget to stir the noodles occasionally.

15 minutes: Drop the cheese mixture in small clumps all

over your noodle/sauce/meat concoction.

Sprinkle with extra mozzarella if so desired.

10 minutes: Set heat on lowest setting, or turn off...

cover and let sit 10 minutes until all the cheese has melted.

0 minutes: Remove the lid and dig in!

Skillet Lasagna
click here for a printable version (print page link at bottom of page)

1 lb ground turkey
1 lb bulk ground Italian sausage
3 cloves garlic, minced, pressed, smushed (or 2 tsp jar or dried for faster service)
1 tbsp dried, minced onions.
1 jar spaghetti sauce (I use Classico roasted tomato and garlic. NO added sugar...tastes YUMMY!)
3 cups water
8-10 oz. broken lasagna noodles OR mini bowtie pasta...it works perfectly!!!
1 1/2 tsp each dried basil, oregano, and thyme, optional
1 cup whole ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, extra for sprinkling
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tbsp dried parsley
salt to taste

In a LARGE skillet,brown and crumble your meat. At this time also add the garlic, onion, and salt to taste. While the meat is cooking, assemble your cheese ingredients.
When the meat is done, stir in spaghetti sauce and water. Add the extra spices now if you are going to. Dump in your noodles, stir and make sure they're all covered with sauce. Cook according to noodle box instructions...about 9-10 minutes.
Meanwhile...stir together your ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses. Then mix in the fresh ground pepper, parsley, and salt to taste. Don't forget to stir the noodles occasionally.
When the noodle timer goes off, drop the cheese mixture in small clumps all over your noodle/sauce/meat concoction. Sprinkle with extra mozzarella if so desired. Set heat on lowest setting, or turn off...cover with the lid...and let sit 10 minutes so the cheese can melt.
Remove the lid and dig in!

This recipe makes a BUNCH!
But it's good for leftovers, too.
A tasty homemade dinner in less than 35 minutes.

I told you it could be done...but I bet you didn't believe me.

Sorry, I can't help with the clean up.

Dishing it out here:

Just a Girl and Her Blog

A Simple Pantry

Ivy and Elephants

The Newlywed Pilgrimage

From My Front Porch to Yours

Love of Family and Home

Love Bakes Good Cakes

Pre-Blogging Projects

2014-09-19T10:00:00.000-06:00

Or: I Was a DIYer Before It Was Cool...

Maybe that was a bit dramatic.

I've always been "crafty" and I don't mean sly.
At least as far as you know.

For many years I would make one of the
Christmas gifts I gave out to everyone each year.
Then something strange happened and I don't
seem to have time for that anymore.

When I was in high school I found this awesome lantern at a garage sale.
It was baby blue, poor thing.
I sanded it, sprayed it a muted metallic gold...
and started my love affair with spray paint.

It's all downhill from there...

So...here are a few things I did before there was an everlasting record on the interwebs:

Our dining room table...

We bought in the height of the "everything must be Hunter Green" years.

It had green legs and a stained top.

Armless Windsor chairs that matched.

About 8 or 9 years ago I got sick and tired of that green paint.

I took it all out onto the front porch...took it apart and started painting.

I sanded the top of the table, which may or may not

have had a large burn area from a candle mishap.

(You know, the kind you cover up with a placemat and large hurricane)

I used a stain/poly combo which I wasn't thrilled about but it was okay.

It could use a light sanding and new coat now.

It was an amazing difference and we've loved it ever since.

The table is great and sturdy, the chairs have since been

replaced because they were not so much so.

For a long time, in our old house, I used this old

steamer trunk for a coffee table in the living room.

Now everyone thinks it's a fresh, new idea or something. :)

It now sits at the end of my bed and serves as a bench of sorts.

Jon and I built this rustic baker's rack from cedar fence planks about 10 years ago.

(so, sorry, no build plans, we just winged it)

It has a Z back like a barn door and is super sturdy.

We've been talking about building a new one...a little more refined...

and converting this one into a potting bench complete

with an enamel bowl "sink" for my mom.

In other kitchen news...although I don't have a picture...

in our old house...we used an antique ladder over the island as a pot rack.

It.Was.Awesome!!!!!

My kitchen now has a ridiculously tall ceiling..so that won't work now.

Boo hoo.

Don't ask me why there's a rainbow sock monkey in the kitchen.

I'm not really sure myself.

I'm about to make you jealous.

See my antique wire locker baskets?

I've had them for a long while. Before they were all the rage.

They're awesome for cookbooks and cloth napkins.

I paid about $30 for all 3 including shipping.

Please don't hate me.

This chalkboard I made before the chalkboard craze.

Nowadays you can't turn around without seeing some chalkboard

in some fashion somewhere...even in print ads.

I know, right?

Yes, it might be time for the grapes to go...I told you it was a while ago.

Not long after we moved in to this house,

we did a little update to the master closet.

It's an odd shape, and when you opened the door {inward, no less}

you couldn't get to anything behind the door.

You would have to go in, back against the wall, and close the door.

We just took the stinkin' door off...

hung a small rod on the inside of the closet and hung spa-like curtains...

which is perfect since it is off the master bath.

I know some of you don't like those wire shelves you see here, but believe me...

they work very well for us. We redesigned the inner space so there are

2 levels of hanging on the left, one on the right for longer things...

and shelves along the back wall and up top.

I'd give you a closer look, but it's usually a disaster anyway. :)

Here's a copycat project I did when we when we moved in.

I love the pet food tins from Ballard, but really...

who is going to pay $45 for a tin can to put cat food in?

Well, not me.

I got a big popcorn tin from a candy store...pretty cheap...

Spray paint and vinyl lettering...

Mine was about half of theirs...and it matches the food bowls.

And, it's bigger...probably the $54 size!

Essie likes to sit up here when she thinks I'm neglecting my
feeding duties and remind me, loudly, that she can see
the fishie in the bottom of her bowl.

She doesn't quite get the fact that with her fuzzy butt
on top of the can, I can't get to the food anyway.
:)

This fold down front secretary desk has been mine since high school.

It was white with gold detailing...French Provincial that matched my canopy bed.

Yes, I did. And you're wishing you had one, too.

I painted it...omg...

so long ago I can't quite remember...maybe 17 or 18 years.

I even used a crackle medium and antiquing glaze.

Yup.

It might be time for another change.

I changed all the hardware...filling screw holes

and re-drilling for the new handles.

I was so proud.

This is certainly not a comprehensive list...
some things I just don't have pictures of.
Like: 1. When we moved in to our OLD house...
which was a rental with a flexible agreement I won't get into...
we had to gut half the bathroom and install a new shower surround and sub floor.
Not to mention paint over some cow stencils with angry red udders. :)

2. I used to use a real tree branch as a curtain rod in our "nature" bathroom.

3. We laid a herringbone brick patio there from some leftover building bricks.

And all the other little things that are always
going on but not always worthy of documenting.
You know, like the fact that I am currently attempting
to organize our kitchen cabinets.
That seemed like a better option than trying to steam the
wallpaper border off the walls in Sara's bathroom so I can paint. :)

Wish me luck!

sharing here:

WhipperBerry
AKA Design
Crafts a la Mode
Glitter, Glue and Paint
Craft Dictator
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Love of Family and Home
The DIY Village
Love Bakes Good Cakes
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Six Sisters Stuff
Lolly Jane
Made from Pinterest
Dwellings
I Should Be Mopping the Floor
Kitchen Table Art
The Dedicated House
Upcycled Treasures
A Stroll Thru Life
Love Grows Wild
Sowdering About
Just a Girl and Her Blog
Designs by Miss Mandee
Crafty Allie
Savvy Southern Style
Fluster Buster
From My Front Porch to Youra
The Turquoise Home
Embracing Change
Lamberts Lately
Saving 4 Six

18 Easy Updates That WOW! {A Curated Board for Hometalk}

2014-09-09T12:01:00.002-06:00

Have you ever heard of Hometalk?

Well....it's pretty awesome!

It's all things home and garden...remodels, makeovers, inspiration.

It includes posts from pros, bloggers, and non-bloggers.

It's an awesome resource for DIYers and gawkers alike.

I was recently asked to curate a board all about

small changes that make a big impact.

It started with that shiny, red KitchenAid mixer...and snowballed.

These updates are all pretty simple...and most of them only involve paint.

We all know the transforming magic of paint.

Here are a few of my favorites:

This garage entry makeover from Being Home

would be a happy greeting every day.

I love how this striped, painted porch

from Creatively Living looks so fresh and bright.

Can you believe the difference in this

painted fireplace from Involving Home?

This one isn't paint...but it's so pretty...

this fabric backed bookcase from Suga

makes me wish I had some bookcases to makeover.

Whew...it was hard to pick my favorites...

I was trying for just 3, but you know how it goes.

To see the details on these and all 18 easy updates,

check out my Small Changes ~ BIG Difference board on Hometalk.

It's okay, you can go right now.

Sharing here:

Designs by Miss Mandee

Just a Girl and Her Blog

Living Well Spending Less

Lamberts Lately

From My Front Porch to Yours

Love of Family and Home

The Golden Sycamore

The DIY Village

The Dedicated House

I Should Be Mopping The Floor

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

2014-08-29T07:30:00.000-06:00

Summer might be almost over,

but there's always time for ICE CREAM!!!

I had this hankerin' for some cheesecake ice cream...

and I had some strawberries calling out to me from the freezer.

I couldn't find a decent recipe so I gleaned the basics

from a couple and decided to experiment.

Now, in my best mad scientist voice I will tell you...

THEEES EES ZA YUMMIEST ICE CREAM EVVVVVVER...BWA-HA-HA-HA!

Okay, back down off the roof, Frankenfurter.

It was too good not to share.
I scooped up a pint and took it to the neighbors along with some cookie bars.
They have been awesome and I couldn't think of a tastier way to say "thank you."

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 pint strawberries {fresh or frozen}
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup coarsely crushed graham crackers

In a heavy saucepan, whisk the eggs until well blended. Whisk in the cream, milk, and 1 cup sugar.
Slowly heat to a simmer, stirring frequently...let cook at a bubble about a minute. Stir in the vanilla. Remove from heat.
Cut the cream cheese into chunks and stir into the hot cream mixture until mostly smooth. Cool mixture completely in the fridge.
Using a hand blender, chop strawberries with remaining 1/2 cup sugar and lemon juice. Leave them a little chunky. Crumble the graham crackers...but don't make them too fine. I just beat them on the counter with my hand. :)
When the cream mixture is completely cool...add to your ice cream maker. Mine takes about 15-20 minutes...after about 10 minutes, I added 1/4 cup or so of the strawberry mix and half of the graham crackers.
Add the remaining graham crackers close to the end. Swirl in the remaining strawberry mix with a spoon when you transfer it to a freezer container.
Eat it right away as a soft serve or stick it in the freezer for later!

I know, it seems like a lot of instructions, but it's really simple and totally worth it!

How about you, would you share?

Labor Day is just begging for ice cream!

Have a fabulous holiday weekend!

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Planked Wall Bathroom ~ Behind the Scenes

2014-08-20T06:00:00.000-06:00

When I told you about our new planked wall bathroom a couple weeks ago,

I promised I would come back and give you some of the details.

Yeah, well...it just took me a little longer than expected.

Shocking, I know. :)

As a refresher, here is the before and after:

{warning: this is kinda long}

Of course you know that with any good makeover project,

you've got to tear some stuff up first!

Removing this ceramic tile from the backsplash was NO fun.

As you can see, I got a little brutish and took out a big chunk of drywall.

Ooops.

I filled it in with some plaster filler and smoothed

it before we put the planks up, don't worry.

This was some super duper adhesive on these puppies...that was the problem.

We have these mini pry bars...but the combination of the extra strong glue

and apparently soft drywall caused me to find inventive ways to get the tiles off.

I used a small board to aid with leverage and protect the wall behind.

There may have been chisels and a hammer involved, too.

This totally made me rethink the possibility of taking out the tiles

that serve as the backsplash in the kitchen.

I think I mentioned that once I started painting I wasn't
totally sure I still was in love with my paint choice.
I mean, it has been two years since I bought this paint.
By the way, this is Chocolate Turtle from Valspar, color matched in Behr.

Once we got the planks on the walls, the world began to right itself.

I could see my vision becoming reality and all was well.

These are cedar v-groove planks from Lowe's.

They come in a pack of 6 I think...and are eight feet long.

The Lowe's website doesn't show a picture of the pack,

so there's no visual for that...sorry.

Also...I neglected to take any process pictures.

I am sometimes a sorry excuse for a DIY blogger. :)

But not to fear, they are really simple to put up.
They are tongue and groove and the pack gives the basic guidelines for installation.
We used long finishing nails and went right into the studs.
Don't use adhesive unless you know for sure you'll never take them down!

Jon helped a lot with the planking...because it was just easier with two sets of hands.
Especially when you're trying to use the level and hammer at the same time.

Our biggest challenge was that the boards are not all exactly the same height.
Because of that, there was some finagling at the corners
to get them to line up as closely as possible.
You can see the corner above is not perfect.
We ripped a narrow board to place there knowing it
would not be visible once we trimmed it out.

I remembered to leave this space here so I could frame out

the mirror without some weird notch taking place.

Which I also did not document.

But really...measure trim...cut trim...attach to mirror...paint.

Voila!

Oh...and whenever you put something on your wall...

or even a thick outlet or light switch...you'll need to remember to

get some spacers to bring your outlets out farther.

We used some 1 X 2 trim for the top "shelf" of the wall...

and some small square trim right below that...for visual appeal and support.

You can kind of see it below here on the left.

The baseboards are just chunky casing.

We trimmed out the corners with some lathe...because

it's thin and I didn't want it to stick out too far.

And, yes, I know that part around the light isn't painted yet.

Once everything was up, I filled nail holes, filled gaps, filled knot holes...

with nail hole filler and paintable caulk...and sanded till my arm nearly fell off!

Well, almost.

I had a little electric sander that gave out about 2/3 of the way through.

The rest was all manual labor.

My arm did NOT fall off...guess the time at the gym is good for something!

I did use a coat of primer on the cedar.

I didn't want it to soak up all the paint and

I didn't want it to smell like a hamster cage forever. :)

When I did the mini makeover in our master bath, there was

some discussion after the fact about other options for the counter top.

One of the things talked about was Envirotex Pour On Resin.

Sooooo...I decided to use it here on a small surface.

I love the way it filled itself in against the wall and the sink...seamless.

However, trying to get all the air bubbles out was a pain in the rear.

And I had a heck of a time keeping the edges smooth.

It pours on, so the top levels beautifully when you spread it a little...

but then you have to be vigilant on the sides and edges.

I was in there the whole time it was setting up to

smooth out the sides...and they're still bumpy.

I don't know what I could have done differently, but am open to suggestions as to how to fix it.
It's also very shiny...high gloss. Which I knew it would be.
Even when it's cured, it looks like it's wet.

There are instructions on the box to achieve a satin finish...
How did that work out you ask? Not so well...but I'm still brainstorming.
So...I would not use this again for this application, but it would be awesome
on a bar top...which is kind of what it's made for.

Below is how it looks now...but still not the final product...

as I'm still looking for the best solution.

I will update you when I find it!

Here is a close up of the top trim and corners.

This odd angled wall made measurements fun to figure out!

You can see how the mirror framed tucked into the planking and trim.

The counter and cabinet got a coat of primer before paint.
This BIN primer is the best for glossy surfaces like cabinets.
It seems thin when you apply it, but it's really great.

It doesn't even look like the same unit.
The planking and cabinet are Sherwin-Williams Creamy.

The light fixture got a dose of Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint.

Rustoleum's metallic paint and primer in one is my favorite ORB.

And see? I remembered to paint the wall behind it.

This canvas is a custom piece of art I made myself!

I created it using basically this method from Lake Girl Paints.

I just used craft paints and maybe a random sample pot.

I can't describe to you how awesome it looks.

I love it so.

It is an excerpt from a poem called Starlings in Winter by Mary Oliver...

who I discovered, when looking this up, was born in Maple Heights, OH...

which is a neighboring city to my hometown of Twinsburg.

Crazy, huh?

The wreath was in here before, but it looks so much better in its new surroundings.

The basket with towels is from TJMaxx.

The faucet is one of two I picked up for a song on the discontinued rack.

I don't have a cost breakdown because I forgot to keep track.

I know the planking ran about $100 for all we needed.

That did not include the trim and baseboards.

Might it have been cheaper to rip thin boards

ourselves and space them with a nickel?

Probably.

But then it might have taken me another year to get it done. :)

None of the links in this post are sponsored or affiliated.

I just wanted to let you know what we like and what we used.

If you have any questions or I left anything out of this very long post...

drop me a note and I'll do my best to answer.

I'm trying to find my notes from this delicious Bourbon Cedar Salmon I made...

if and when I do...you'll be seeing it here!

Until then...keep smiling!

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Planked Wall Bathroom Makeover

2014-08-06T07:00:00.000-06:00

The looooooong awaited day has arrived!

I am finally posting the makeover of the hallway bathroom.

Yes, I bought the paint almost 2 years ago...
I was reminded of this fact when I was looking back at this post today.

Judge all you want, it was worth the wait!

My house is never going to be a cottage, I get that...
but there's no reason I can't make it feel like one.

Back in MAY...yes, May...

I posted this picture on my Facebook page.

At this point I couldn't really change my mind...

since I'd just pulled a chunk of plaster out of the wall.

Ooops.

I realized I had so many pictures of the process,

that I decided to break this down into 2 separate posts.

I'm going to show you all the pretty stuff today...

then I'll do a process post with all the behind the scenes stuff later.

This is what we started with...

totally boring...plain.

Be warned...there are lots of pictures.

We'll start with a few before and afters:

And now...just the glorious afters:

I LoOoOoOove this forged iron hook I found on Etsy for the TP.

It's like the perfect finishing touch.

This funkily angled wall made things fun.

Not.

I really like the contrast of the warm, dark brown

on top with the creamy planks on the bottom.

Like chocolate sauce on vanilla ice cream.

Trim details in the corners add interest and hide seams.

I found the TP hook to match these other forged hooks

I picked up at an arts fair a couple years ago.

They're not exact, but once I spray painted them

all the same color, you really can't tell.

I'm always a little amazed at how something as simple as a

plain wood frame can totally change the look of a basic mirror.

And the power of paint NEVER ceases to amaze...

this vanity was transformed with paint alone.

Knobs and faucets don't count. :)

I know DRAB to FAB is a bit cliche but it completely works for me in this powder room.

When I first laid out the plans for this bathroom,
my husband did this one eyebrow up thing and just said...
Are you sure?
:)
Of course I am ~~(almost positively sure)~~!

Now, he thinks it's as awesome as I do.
He can't wait to show people when they come over.
How about you?

Stay tuned...
I promised I would do a behind the scenes
with some of the details...and I certainly will.
Update: click here for the behind the scenes post.
Until then...remember:
That if the shoe were on the other foot, you would probably walk funny.

P.S. depending on what computer I view this on...

some of these pictures look kinda funky.

Hopefully it's just me.

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Moonlighting

2014-07-25T07:00:00.000-06:00

Howdy, howdy!

I've decided to start a new random series...

Moonlighting
No, Bruce Willis will not be making a guest appearance.
Too bad, huh?

I haven't had as much time as I'd like to work on projects...

or brain power to come up with new and fun ideas.

But I miss you guys and thought it might be fun to just share

some randomness and things I'm loving at the moment.
~~Maybe~~ Most likely even some silliness.

This definitely falls under the "things in life that make me happy" heading.

Without further ado, on with the first installment:

*****

In my office at work, there is a chalkboard.
Once upon a time it was a white board.
No one ever used it...so I painted it with chalkboard paint and
now I have fun bringing a little happiness to our sometimes dreary days.

This is how it looks for the summer.

*****

What I'm reading...

The 23rd alphabet mystery from Sue Grafton...W is for Wasted.
I've enjoyed sleuthing with Kinsey over the years.
Sometimes she irritates me, but I like her.
This book has been very engaging, with good character development.
I love when a book is a good read, continually moving and not necessarily easy,
but smooth reading, while still having extensive use of vocabulary.
I love words you can sink your teeth in to!

*****

Okay, how did I not know this existed?

EZ-Freeze Cereal on the Go

A freezable gel container to keep your milk
cold so you can eat cereal at your desk?
Yes, please!

Look! It even comes with its own folding spoon!
Not that I'd use it.
My family, and several others, tease me
because I don't like to eat with plastic utensils.
I've even been called a princess because of this preference.
Hrmph.

My husband thinks it's funny to quote this line:
I'm not a policeman, I'm a princess!
{Name that movie!}

*****

Sara asked for one of these for her birthday.
I had a coupon and a gift card so it was a done deal.

We've been enjoying lots of fruit smoothies thanks to her birthday gift.
Bonus: she has so much fun using it, she always offers to make them!

*****

Speaking of Sara...
We've been having a lot of fun this summer checking
out some of the 4-wheel-drive trails in Colorado.

See what a nice mom I am?

I even let her drive my Jeep.

*****

I was hoping to get the post up for the hall bathroom makeover this week.

Alas, it was not to be.

We've been out of state with a family emergency for almost 2 weeks,

and when I went to edit my before and afters...

I realized I had quite a few in-betweens, too.

So...I'll be working on those pictures this weekend so I

can finally share my awesome new bathroom with you!

Here's a hint..and a sneak peek...we planked the walls.

I love it!