Knot Sew Crafty

L'Oréal® Paris The One Sweep™ Eye Shadow and Double Extend™ Eye Illuminator Mascara

2011-05-09T13:04:00.000-07:00

As you may remember, I'm a BzzAgent. I get free or discounted products to try out and then I tell my friends what I think about the products. With one of my most recent BzzCampaigns, I was given L'Oreal The One Sweep Eye Shadow and L'Oreal Double Extend Eye Illuminator mascara. Here's a little information about them.

L'Oréal Paris® The One Sweep™ Eye Shadow

Defines, colors and highlights in one easy sweep
Features a one-of-a-kind applicator designed to fit the shape of your eye to easily achieve a complete look
Coordinated shadows come in natural and playful palettes expertly designed to enhance your eye color
- Blue
- Green/Hazel
- Brown
Additional expertly selected palettes available to enhance all eye colors
Suggested to retail for $9.95

Expert tips and tricks
Getting the complete and eye-catching looks you want is simple with both L'Oréal Paris® The One Sweep™ Eye Shadow and Double Extend™ Eye Illuminator mascara, but here are a few additional tips from the pros to ensure you always look your best:

L'Oréal Paris® The One Sweep™ Eye Shadow

Apply with the darkest shade along your lash line
For best results, align the tip of the applicator with the inside corner of your eye — then sweep across your lid for perfectly applied shadow every time
Use the applicator to blend upwards across your lid for a truly professional effect

When I got it in the mail, I was pretty skeptical. I figured the eyeshadow was just another gimmick the makeup companies are putting out to get everyone to try their product. Let me tell you, I was really surprised! It really works and is really as easy as advertised. It was a little awkward applying it the first time (trying to figure out how to hold the applicator and which way to apply it), then I remembered the information that came along with my BzzKit and looked at the picture above and it clicked.

L'Oréal Paris® Double Extend™ Eye Illuminator

Professionally developed to enhance and illuminate your eyes

Lengthens, intensifies and illuminates in two simple steps

Clump-free, flake and smudge resistant

Available in four shades

Black Copper for Blue Eyes
Black Bronze for Green/Hazel Eyes
Black Quartz for Brown Eyes
Black Crystal for All Eyes

Ophthalmologist- and allergy-tested

Suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers

Fragrance free

Suggested to retail for $10.95

L'Oréal Paris® Double Extend™ Eye Illuminator

Step 1: Place the brush at the base of the lashes, gently sweeping up to the tip. Step 2: Apply the Illuminating Topcoat after Step One to just the tips of lashes for an everyday look. For a bolder look, apply the pearlescent topcoat from root to tip for a dramatic illuminating effect!

I'm still looking for that "perfect" mascara. The Double Extend Eye Illuminator didn't excite me as much as the eye shadow did. Don't get me wrong, the mascara is good, but doesn't excel above any others out there. When I applied the pearlescent topcoat to just the tips of my lashes, I couldn't see it and no one noticed it either. The second time, I applied it from root to tip for that "dramatic illuminating effect". I still didn't think it was all that dramatic, but all day long, I kept seeing sparkles in my peripheral vision. It was really annoying. I probably won't be using the topcoat much in the future, unless I have a special occasion that requires glitter eyes.

Earlier this week, when I was wearing both the One Sweep Eye Shadow and the Double Extend Eye Illuminator, Mackenzie commented on my eye makeup about how good it looked (WOW!! a compliment from my 17 year old daughter?? What did she want?). I forgot to tell her about it right then because I got distracted. Yesterday, she was in my bathroom when I was getting ready for church and I pulled the eye shadow and mascara out to put it on. I remembered what she said about it before and I showed it to her. She thought the eye shadow was pretty cool and was amazed that it was so easy to put on in just one sweep. She was like me, thinking it wouldn't really work. She LOVED the mascara and immediately put it on. It looked great on her. Maybe the glitter is better suited for a teen or young adult, not an old mom like me ;-)

This week at CVS, the ExtraCare Coupon Center is giving out $3 off any $10 cosmetic purchase. Combine that with the $2 off 1 L'Oreal Paris Eye Product from the 4/17/2011 Red Plum insert and you've got a great deal!

Famous Footware 30% off!

2011-04-30T11:19:00.000-07:00

30% off Friends & Family Event - Pass it on!

Click on this link to get your 30% off coupon, but hurry, it's only good thru Sunday, May 1!

Maybelline Superstay 24 Lipcolor Review with a $2 Coupon!

2011-04-04T14:44:00.000-07:00

Here's Why You'll LOVE it!

No crumbling, caking, no fading, no feathering and no transferring
2-step lipcolor in one pack
Micro-Flex formula glides on and looks gorgeous all day.
30 vibrant, runway-inspired colors, divide into four shade families: Reds, Plums, Pinks and Naturals
Lasts throughout your non-stop 24 hour day.
All-day color in just two steps: Long lasting base coat and Moisturizing top coat balm.
Found in most drug and big box stores like (Target and Walmart) with a suggested retail value of $9.99

"For best results you will need to apply the liquid color to your clean, bare lips. Allow a full two minutes to dry, then apply ultra-conditioning lip balm to seal in softness. Reapply lipbalm as needed. Remove with an oil-based makeup remover."

Now, on to the review and coupon!
My husband and I spent this past weekend wine tasting in Paso Robles, CA. I decided this would be the ultimate test of a long lasting lipcolor. One of the most important things about wine tasting is that you don't wear lip color that will transfer to the glasses. I usually don't wear lip color when wine tasting, but decided to put Maybelline SuperStay 24 to the test. It passed on all counts! I applied the lip color in the morning at 10am and we headed out. Just like all long lasting lip color, it feels extremely dry when you put it on. Maybelline SuperStay 24 has the moisturizing balm built right in the applicator (on the other end of the lip color), so it is handy all day. I did have to reapply the moisturizer several times to keep my lips feeling soft. There was no transfer of lip color to the glasses and my lips still looked great after two wineries. Then we had lunch... in all honesty, I did have to reapply my lip color after lunch because I ate a juicy, yummy Gyro sandwich (juicy being the key word... juicy = greasy and lots of wipes of the mouth) I haven't found any long lasting lip colors that will stand up to anything greasy (I guess that is why it says to remove with an oil-based makeup remover). So I reapplied and we headed out to 2 more wineries. My lip color looked fantastic at 4:45 when we returned to the hotel. We had to rush to dinner and luckily, I didn't need to reapply my lip color (see the picture below), just a quick swipe of the moisturizing balm and I was off for the night!

Click HERE for your $2 Coupon for Maybelline Superstay 24 Lipcolor!
Head over to Maybelline for more information and to see all 30 great shades!
Disclaimer: As a Bzz Agent, I received 4 full size tubes of Maybelline Superstay 24 hour lipcolor before writing this review, and this is my personal opinion of the product.

I have to share the pictures below from our trip. They don't have anything to do with lip color, but I thought they were so pretty. There is something about farms that I love!

View from Jack Creek Cellars vineyard

Somebody, get that boy a tractor! (again at Jack Creek)

At Tables Creek Vineyard

Dishwasher Lasagna

2011-03-30T17:25:00.000-07:00

*** FIRST AND FOREMOST *** This is NOT my recipe and is copied directly from http://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Lasagna-in-Your-Dishwasher. I'm in the middle of cooking the World's Best Lasagna from Allrecipes and wanted to see how to avoid cooking the lasagna noodles ahead of time because I'm tripling the recipe and I found this. If anyone tries it, please let me know how it turns out. Sounds DISS-CUSS-TING to me!! However, the the World's Best Lasagna truly is the best lasagna I have ever had!

Shock your dinner guest with this fun and unique way to prepare everyone's favorite Italian dish. Do your dishes, cook a meal, and give your guests something to talk about when you make lasagna in your dishwasher.

Ingredients

1/2 jar of favorite pasta sauce
3 fresh lasagna pasta sheets (or 'oven ready' lasagna sheets)
1/2 16.8 oz container of Ricotta cheese
1/2 package of mixed grated cheese
1 cup freshly chopped spinach
Garlic
Onion flakes
Fine herbs

editSteps

1
Cut three 24-inch x 12-inch sheets of aluminum foil and lie flat.
2
Take first lasagna sheet and place flat it in the center of the aluminum foil.
3
Spread a thick layer of pasta sauce over the sheet, covering the entire surface.
4
In a bowl, mix the ricotta cheese and spinach and layer half the mixture on top of the tomato sauce.
5
Layer desired amount of grated cheese, along with fine herbs, garlic, and onion flakes.
6
Top with second lasagna sheet and repeat all layers.
7
Cut third lasagna sheet into strips about 3/8-inch wide and layer on top of lasagna in a criss cross fashion. Top with herbs and spices.
8
Wrap lasagna tightly in the foil by taking the longest sides of the foil and bringing them to meet above the lasagna.
9
Fold the edges of the foil together to make a 'paper bag' effect (like that you would when folding a brown paper lunch bag)above the lasagna. Begin to fold the edges together downward until you are just above the lasagna.
10
Flatten the foil out above the lasagna and fold in the remaining sides like a present, first the sides, then the middle.
11
Two dishwasher lasagnas ready to be cooked
Place the wrapped lasagna flat in your dishwasher on the bottom rack.
12
Set dishwasher to normal cycle and select 'heated dry' and 'sanitize' settings for maximum heat.
13
Just removed from the dishwasher
Wait for the cycle to complete, then carefully remove lasagna from foil and let stand for a few minutes before serving.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

2011-03-29T21:24:00.000-07:00

Roasted-Vegetable Lasagna

A couple of weeks ago I found a recipe for Roasted Vegetable Lasagna on My Recipes and posted it on my Facebook wall. My husband called from work, excited that we were having that for dinner. Hated to break it to him, I wasn't cooking it that night, just ran across it that day. Every day for over a week, he asked me if we were having it that night. FINALLY, I broke down and made it... and it was SOOO worth the wait!

Vegetables:

4 red bell peppers

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

6 yellow squash, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1 large onion, cut into 16 wedges (I used half of a purple onion and half a yellow)

4 garlic cloves, minced

Cheese mixture:

2 cups 2% low-fat cottage cheese

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated sharp provolone cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

White sauce:

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cooking spray

9 cooked lasagna noodles (lay them out on waxed paper after cooking to keep them from sticking)

2 cups spinach leaves, divided

1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Cut bell peppers in half and remove seeds and stems. Put pepper halves on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand until it cools a little. Peel; set aside. (There are only 2 peppers here because I still had a couple of roasted peppers in my freezer from the end of summer- that's what's in the ziplock bag above- They freeze wonderfully)

After you take the peppers out, change oven temp to 450°.

Combine oil, salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, squash, and onion on a baking sheet; toss well. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes. Remove from oven; combine squash mixture and garlic in a bowl.

Decrease oven temperature to 375°.

To prepare cheese mixture, combine cottage cheese and next 3 ingredients (cottage cheese through oregano) in a bowl.

To prepare white sauce, mix flour and milk in a medium saucepan (I mix the flour and half of the milk in a measuring cup until it's smooth, then add the mixture with the rest of the milk to the sauce pan and mix well- less lumps). Cook over medium heat until thick; stir constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 2 tablespoons chopped basil and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

Spread 1/4 cup white sauce in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over sauce; top with 1 & 1/4 cups cheese mixture, 1 cup spinach, 4 bell pepper halves, 2 cups vegetable mixture, and 1/4 cup white sauce. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining white sauce over noodles. (Here is what it looked like before the final layer of sauce, noodles and cheese. I thought it looked pretty. Wanted to get a spoon and start eating right away!)

Cover and bake at 375° for 15 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake an additional 20 minutes.

Sauteed Halibut with Romesco Sauce- Great for Lent!

2011-03-29T10:44:00.000-07:00

I love the Lenten season. It gives me an excuse to cook fish more often! I recently saw a recipe in Cooking Light for Sauteed Halibut with Romesco Sauce and thought I would try it. I followed the directions exactly and put my ancho pepper under the broiler for 2 minutes, but that was about a minute too long and it was burned to a crisp. I headed over to the internet and started searching to figure out what to do about the ancho pepper and found MANY different variations of Romesco sauce. The only common ingredients were red bell peppers, vinegar and nuts (hazelnuts or almonds). After searching for a while, I went back into the kitchen and mixed up what I thought were the best parts of the recipes I looked at and came up with my own version! It was wonderful! Try it!

Here is what you use for Romesco Sauce:

1 large red bell pepper

1 slice of whole wheat bread

1/2 c slivered almonds roasted

1 can fire roasted tomatoes (drained)

1 dried ancho pepper

5 cloves garlic

about 1 TBS smoked paprika (I did to taste)

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

about 1 - 2 tsp chipotle chili powder (again, to taste)

1/4 tsp sugar

salt and pepper to taste

1 to 2 TBS red wine vinegar
about 1/2 cup olive oil

Preheat broiler. Cut the bell pepper in half and remove seeds and stem. Flatten on a baking sheet. Put under broiler until skin is charred. The pepper underneath won't be burned, but will be roasted to perfection. Remove from oven and put in a zip lock bag to steam (makes it really easy to remove skin). Once it has cooled a little, remove from bag and the skins will slip right off. Meanwhile, cut ancho pepper in half and remove seeds and stem. Then put a little olive oil in a skillet and toast the bread until it is nice and golden. At the same time, put the ancho in the pan until it sort of starts to plump up a tiny bit and turn red in spots. Remove from pan and cut pepper into strips and tear bread.

When the bell peppers are done roasting, turn the oven to 350 degrees and put 5 garlic cloves (skin still on) on a baking pan and drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil on them, then mix them up so they are covered in olive oil. I added my roasted tomatoes to the pan, but you could leave that step out if you wanted. Pour 1/2 cup slivered almonds onto another baking sheet and put them all in the oven. Roast until the garlic is soft (about 10-15 minutes, it will start to look a little browned). Watch the almonds closely and remove when they are lightly toasted. (I have ruined MANY batches of almonds by walking away from them for just a minute while roasting... they go from perfect to ruined very quickly). Remove from oven and let the garlic cool enough so that you can squeeze the garlic out of the skin.

Next, add roasted bell peppers, ancho pepper, tomatoes, garlic and almonds to a food processor. Add spices (I wouldn't use regular paprika, the smokiness of the smoked paprika is what made it taste so good). Blend in food processor then drizzle in red wine vinegar and olive oil. Taste it and adjust spices, vinegar and olive oil to your taste.

It's best to make the Romesco Sauce at least an hour ahead of time so that the flavors can meld. I read that you can make it up to a week ahead of time.

For the halibut, I sprinkled a little kosher salt and fresh ground pepper on it, sprayed my skillet with my Misto Olive Oil Sprayer and sauteed until it was done. (see my post here for info on the sprayer)

Doesn't this look delicious?? YUMMY!

Here is the rice recipe from Cooking Light:
Serve with Nutty Rice: Cook 1 cup basmati rice according to package directions. Stir in 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions, 2 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Yield: 4 servings. CALORIES 191; FAT 2g (sat 0.2g); SODIUM 152mg

Linking to:
A Thrifty Mom- Look What I made,
Time Warp Wife- {Titus 2}SDAYS
A Southern Fairytale- Mouthwatering Mondays

Misto Olive Oil Sprayer

2011-03-29T09:31:00.000-07:00

Amazon has lowered the price on the Misto Olive Oil Sprayer! I have one of these and use it daily. We LOVE olive oil on our bread, but when I drizzle it on the bread, I would get WAY more than I needed. One day about a year ago I bought one at Bed Bath and Beyond for $14.99. I fill mine with Garlic Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil and spray it on our bread before I stick it in the oven. The taste is amazing and it's better for you than butter or margarine. I also use it to spray my pans with instead of a commercial aerosol spray like Pam. I think I'll have to buy another to fill with regular olive oil so I can use it when I don't want garlic flavored oil (garlic pancakes weren't very good. LOL!!) Check out the video below to see how it works. When you order yours, please go thru my blog, I'm an Amazon associate (can you tell?)

Misto M100S Gourmet Brushed Aluminum Olive Oil Sprayer

by Misto

3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (337 customer reviews) | Like(32)

List Price:	$15.99
Price:	$8.50 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save:	$7.49 (47%)

Check Out Related Media

Charity

2011-03-25T11:08:00.000-07:00

A little while ago, I came across a really great blog named Sprik Space. The author, Aimee, does a "Sunday Sustenance". This one, I felt the need to share. It is such a profound thought about charity.

"Charity is, perhaps, in many ways a misunderstood word. We often equate charity with visiting the sick, taking in casseroles to those in need, or sharing our excess with those who are less fortunate. But really, true charity is much, much more.

Real charity is not something you give away; it is something that you acquire and make a part of yourself. And when the virtue of charity becomes implanted in your heart, you are never the same again. It makes the thought of being a basher repulsive.

Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other."

- Marvin J. Ashton

BBQ Spaghetti (aka Chipotle Roasted Pork Loin, Part 3)

2011-03-20T11:30:00.000-07:00

Ready for part 3 (and 4 for that matter) of the meal that keeps on giving?!? It really amazed me at how far a 3 1/2 lb pork roast could go! First night was Chipotle Crusted Pork Loin, next night was BBQ Pulled Pork. I didn't want to have BBQ sandwiches again, so I got on the internet and googled until I found an interesting idea for left over BBQ pulled pork.

BBQ Spaghetti!!
Here is what you do..
Saute 1/2 medium onion and 1 to 2 cloves diced garlic in 1 TBS olive oil until tender but now brown. Add a can of diced tomatoes, a can of crushed tomatoes, an 8oz can tomato sauce, some dried oregano and dried basil (maybe about a little less than 1/2 TBS of each) and some crushed red pepper (to taste, depending on how spicy your family likes). Let it cook 20 to 30 minutes. Once it has thickened up a little, add your left over BBQ pulled pork and heat thru. Cook up your favorite pasta and your done!

Believe it or not, I had left over BBQ spaghetti sauce (there were only 2 of us eating this night), so I put it in a freezer bag and about a week later pulled it out and mixed it with some colorful rotini pasta. We liked it better with the rotini pasta than with the spaghetti, the pork kind of just stuck in the spirals which made it even better!

Linking to

BBQ Pulled Pork (aka Chipotle Roasted Pork Loin, Part 2)

2011-03-19T11:26:00.000-07:00

On my previous post, I cooked a wonderful Chipotle Pork Loin, but it was too big for my family to eat in one day. We love pulled pork, so the next afternoon, I put it in the Crockpot with our favorite BBQ sauce* and let it cook until it was falling apart.

Then I took 2 forks and shredded the pork. We had pulled pork sandwiches and I cooked some Alexia Spicy Sweet Potato Fries. Love a dinner with no effort!

*If you have time, Big Al's K.C. Bar-B-Q Sauce is an excellent BBQ sauce recipe that I have been using for a while now. I let it cook for a couple of hours instead of 20 min and usually use honey instead of molasses (only because I always have honey around). I also make it a little spicier, use mesquite liquid smoke instead of hickory and add about half of a beer (even add a little left over coffee sometimes). It is a great base recipe, just taste it as you go along and adjust to make it your own. I always make a big batch and freeze it so I will have a fabulous BBQ sauce whenever I need it.

Chipotle Crusted Pork Loin Roast & Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes

2011-03-11T10:47:00.000-08:00

This turned out to be the meal that kept on giving (in a good way). I started with a large pork loin roast and "reinvented" it twice. That's the great thing about pork roasts, there are so many things you can do with them. I started with the recipe for Chipotle Crusted Pork Roast (modified for allrecipes.com Chipotle Crusted Pork Tenderloin)

2 tsp onion powder (I also added some dried onion flakes)
2 tsp garlic powder
5 TBS chipotle chili powder (more or less to taste- it's pretty spicy)
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large pork loin roast

Mix all ingredients together and coat pork roast evenly. Put in the refrigerator for a few hours to marinate.

Remove from fridge, preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place pork on a rack in a roasting pan, fat side up. (If you don't have a rack, you can coil up some foil and snake it under the pork roast to make your own rack-- that's what I do) Put in oven at 475 for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 and cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 155 degrees (23-33 minutes per pound).

Remove from oven and let it rest for about 5 minutes. It will continue cooking to an internal temp of 160 degrees.

Oh, it was GOOOOOOD! Smokey, spicy & sweet all in one!

For the Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes. Bake 4 large sweet potatoes (be sure to put foil under them, they are messy when you cook them). When they are cool enough to handle, cut them in half and scoop out the potatoes. Mash them, add a little butter and some chipotle chili powder to taste. Put them in a small baking dish. Sprinkle just a little brown sugar on the top, and put it back in the oven for about 15 minutes. It is a perfect match!

Oh, it was GOOOOOOD! Smokey, spicy & sweet all in one!
Stay tuned for part 2 of 3 of the never ending pork roast-- pulled pork sandwiches.

One side note, after cooking the sugar covered pork, there was a HUGE burned mess in the bottom of the pan. If you don't already have some Dawn Power Dissolver, it might be a good idea to pick some up. This stuff works amazingly. It will get any pan clean with no scrubbing. I spray it on and 30 minutes later go back to the pan with a scraper and the burnt on mess literally peels right off.

Linking up to:

Rosemary Chicken Thighs with Potatoes

2011-03-10T10:47:00.000-08:00

Here is a very easy delicious meal I cooked the other night. Everyone loved it and I loved it because it was so easy to make! Hope you enjoy it!

Rosemary Chicken Thighs with Potatoes

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 onion, quartered
8 cloves of garlic
6 sprigs rosemary
10-12 small red potatoes
1 TBS olive oil
fresh cracked black pepper and kosher salt to taste
1/4 c. capers

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mince garlic, remove needles from rosemary. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Toss all ingredients (except capers) in baking dish; roast for about and hour or until juices run clear. Sprinkle with capers and ENJOY! That was easy, right?

Unfortunately, I couldn't get a picture of it after it came out of the oven. I smelled so good cooking that as soon as I pulled it out of the oven, it was devoured immediately.

Linking up with

Grow Your Own Ketchup!

2011-03-05T08:09:00.000-08:00

Well, maybe not your own ketchup, but you can try! Spring is here in Cali and I'm about ready to pull up my winter garden (didn't produce more than 3 bunches of broccoli and a couple of cups of snap peas) and get it ready to plant my summer garden. I couldn't pass up blogging about this one. Red Robin is giving away Heinz tomato seed packets. Just visit Red Robin's web site and click on the link.

Thanks to Moms By Heart for the link! (check out her page, my favorite frugal blogger)

Coupon Binder {Giveaway}

2011-02-23T16:36:00.000-08:00

Coupon Binder {Giveaway}

A Homemakers Heart is giving away a coupon binder! I never thought I could save that much money by clipping a 25 cent coupon, so I haven't bothered with it.... that is until I clicked on one of the links that she provided for 2 of the coupon blogs that she likes. Wow! I never realized how easy it is to save LOTS of money! Last weekend, I saved over $20 at the store for my regular groceries, mostly from printing coupons off of the internet. Then to top it off, my local grocery store, Savemart, had a sale on Ronzoni Pasta (our favorite). It was on sale for $1 a box. Through several different websites, I was able to print 12 coupons for $1 off of 2 boxes. WOW.... I got 24 boxes of pasta for 50 cents each! The regular price of the pasta is $2.49 a box.... doing the math, I got $59.76 worth of pasta for $12!!! YAY me! I feel such a sense of accomplishment! OK, now to be honest, Savemart isn't really a place to save money on everyday items, and I wouldn't normally go spend $2.49 for a box of pasta (unless I was desperate). The same pasta was $1.09 at the Wal-Mart Super Center that I buy my groceries at.... but it is over 30 miles away.

Long story short, check out the giveaway and these two blogs. These 2 blogs are phenomenal and the ladies must spend hours compiling savings information for you!
A Thrifty Mom
Moms By Heart

Joy To the World!!

2010-12-25T01:17:00.000-08:00

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Women Living Well December Challenge

2010-12-22T23:39:00.000-08:00

Another week of Courtney's Women Living Well December Challenge has arrived! I think I missed posting last weeks challenge. It was great! I went to bed super early one night, just like the challenge stated. I was so tired, I didn't read Isaiah 7:14, Micah 5:2, Jeremiah 23:5, and Isaiah 53 that night, but finally did tonight.

Here's this week's challenge: Christmas is just 5 days away (OOPS! I'm even a little behind on this one! Christmas is just 2- eek days away) and so much of our time is often spent helping the children to remember the "Reason for the Season". Now it's our turn. Once the kids are in bed get yourself a HOT drink (again we are warming the body as we warm the soul.) Get ALONE and turn out the lights by your Christmas tree, a lit fire, or a candle and just be alone with God. Pray, talk to him, I encourage you to sing Christmas carols or songs praising him, and just rest with Jesus.

Embrace the peace in your home that is there right before you in Jesus. Do not rush past his offer "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled." John 14:27.

Remember to keep your candle burning daily and each time you catch a glimpse of it, say a prayer for peace in your home. I have also found myself spending a few extra minutes in prayer each morning when I light my candle and again when I blow it out. I'm so glad Bath and Body Works has their large candles on sale still! So for tonight, fireplace or Christmas tree??.... I think I'll take the warmth of the fire tonight. (pretend you don't see the reflection of my kitchen... it's a real fireplace, just no real wood and is behind a glass- go figure!)

My End Table is FINALLY done!

2010-12-16T10:52:00.000-08:00

One night I was watching a movie upstairs in the media room with my hubby and I realized that I didn't have anywhere to put my popcorn and drink if I was sitting on the end. The search was on! First, I found some great scrapbook paper to Mod Podge onto a piece of furniture. I have never refinished furniture before so I didn't want to spend much money on the furniture. I stopped by every thrift store that I drove by for over a month until I finally found the perfect "canvas" for my art. I drove by a thrift store that I didn't know was even there, made a U-turn and ran in. I went to the back of the store and immediately found this little gem for $3.99. YUP... three dollars and ninety-nine cents!!! I couldn't believe it! I snatched it up and took it up to the check out. Sure it was a cheap piece of furniture with a little damage, but it was perfect! The only thing really wrong with it was a small warped spot on the top. No big deal.

The first thing I did was sand all the stain off of the legs. The rest of the end table was a wood veneer, so all I could do to it was rough it up so that it would hold the primer a little better.

Next, I spray painted Kilz primer on the entire end table. My media room has deep reddish maroon curtains in it, so I was lucky enough to find a clearance paint sample at Home Depot for less than a dollar that matched my curtains perfectly. After the Kilz was dry, I painted a coat of the maroon paint on.

I wanted a distressed vintage look, so banged it up with washers strung on a small rope, a hammer and nail and the sharp edge of a screw driver. I read on the internet that if you use wax on the base coat of your paint and then paint over it, it is much easier to remove the paint from the top for distressing. I tried a tea light candle, but it just crumbled. I found a white crayon in Sarah's crayon stash that worked great. I colored on the maroon paint in a few spots. Then I spray painted the table a dark brown. (I had to do this in the garage at this point because it was cold and rainy outside.... I did the "hold your breath, point, spray and run back inside method").

Once the brown spray paint was dry, I took a fine grit sand paper and steel wool to distress the paint. To remove the paint that I used the crayon on, I just used the edge of a screw driver and gently scraped the paint all over. In those spots, the paint simply chipped off.

Next, I cut out the scrapbook paper to fit the table and Mod-Podged it on (LOVE that stuff!)

I read (or rather, watched) some helpful hints on the tutorials on Mod Podge Rocks blog. If you are new to Mod Podge, I would highly recommend watching.

And finally, it is dry.

And then, put together.

It's the perfect size for the spot at the end. I LOVE it!

Isn't this scrapbook paper great?? I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it and knew it would be perfect for our media room. After a year, we still don't have any art on the walls up there. There is more scrapbook paper in the pack, so I plan on Mod Podging it to canvas to hang on the wall. Here is a link to the see more of the paper on Tim Holtz's blog.

Linking to:

Pizza in a Pot

2010-12-09T17:25:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite recipes. It can either be cooked in a crock pot or in the oven. It is so versatile, I usually use what I have on hand for the "toppings". When I make spaghetti sauce, I always double my recipe and freeze the left over half in a quart freezer bag for use in dishes like this. Serve it with some crusty Italian bread and a salad and dinner is ready.

1/2 to 1 lb Italian sausage (casings removed) or ground beef or a combination of both

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 jar spaghetti sauce (or about 3 1/2 cups of homemade sauce)

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 large can black olives, sliced

1 can sliced mushrooms (or use fresh)

3/4 of a 6oz package of pepperoni

4 oz shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

3/4 box of rigatoni (I don't use the entire box because we like a lot of sauce)

Brown sausage or ground beef and onions in skillet and drain very well. Add spaghetti sauce and let simmer for as long as you have time for (up to 30 minutes).

Meanwhile, cook rigatoni pasta al dente and drain. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread about 3/4 cup of sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan (just enough sauce to cover the bottom thinly). Cover sauce with 1/2 of the pasta.

Cover pasta with 1/2 of the remaining sauce. Sprinkle half of the bell pepper, olives, mushrooms and both cheeses on top. Layer with 1/2 of the pepperonis. Repeat all layers starting again with sauce and ending with pepperonis on top. Make sure all pasta is covered or it will get crunchy.

Bake in oven for about 35 min (until pepperonis and cheese look done). Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and return to oven just long enough for Parmesan to melt.

If one of your "furry children" is in the kitchen helping, you may need more pepperonis. Funny how Dash was the only one "helping" me out. He loves to be in the kitchen with me.

If you decide to make this in the crock-pot, cook on low for 3 to 4 hours instead of the oven. I hope you enjoy it! (This recipe was adapted from the Fix It and Forget It cookbook from a recipe on p.166 titled "Slow-Cooker Pizza" I love this cookbook)

Linking to:

A Wise Woman Builds Her Home: Steve and Danny Thompson Hymns -Three CD Giveaway...

2010-12-07T11:09:00.000-08:00

I was reading my daily blogs this morning and I almost skipped over this one, I've got a lot to do today and I thought to myself "I really don't want a CD of hymns," but for some reason, I ended up clicking on it anyways. I am so glad I did. Steve and Danny Thompson are amazing! Mrs June Fuentes at A Wise Women Builds Her Home is having a giveaway. She is giving away 3 of their CD's. If I am not lucky enough to be one of the winners, I am ~~buying the CD (and I haven't bought a CD since 2002)~~ downloading the song from I-Tunes (it's there for $9.99) Here is a link to her blog and the giveaway. A Wise Woman Builds Her Home: CD Giveaway

If you want to hear part of another song, this link will take you to their website where they have samples of some of their music. This song is done beautifully! Oh, here is the link----->> Nothing But the Blood

Have a great day and don't forget to enter to win.

Awww, Relaxation.

2010-12-06T11:15:00.000-08:00

Doesn't this tub look inviting? I can just hear the nice relaxing spa music playing in the background. The candles smell wonderful.... a little like warm lavender and chamomile. I'm sure there is a nice glass of wine waiting for me................................................................

Oh, sorry, was I day dreaming again? Wouldn't that be wonderful? During this busy season, it is so important for us as wifes, mothers, friends, cooks, housekeepers, chauffeurs, carpenters, nurses, teachers, accountants, personal assistants (.... and the list of hats goes on forever) to take a moment to relax. We can't continue to be our best for the ones we love if we don't take care of ourselves too.

But seriously, if you remember, I am one week into Courtney at Women Living Well's Peace on Earth December Challenge. The challenge set forth for this week is to "SCHEDULE a night where you will take a warm refreshing bubble bath. Bring your Bible.Read the story of the birth of Jesus in Matthew 1, 2 and Luke 1,2." Hop on over to her blog for her wonderful post titled Girl- You NEED a bubble bath. I couldn't wait for this week to get here! I hadn't taken a bubble bath in ages. Notice I said "hadn't", I did this last night after Sarah was in bed. David was watching a movie that I didn't want to watch, I was tired and cold. I filled up the tub with steamy water, lit 4 sweet smelling candles, turned the i-pod to Enya and soaked until I was a prune. While in there, I reflected on how blessed I am to have such a wonderful family, food to eat, warm clothes to wear and a roof over my head. God has been good to me!

Christmas Card

2010-12-04T17:13:00.001-08:00

Here is the Christmas card we decided on. It is really nice. I wish I could figure out how to get a link in that shows the inside. The text is fully custom, inside and out and I even have another picture of Sarah and Mackenzie inside. Take a look at Shutterfly and make your own. Still time to get them before Christmas.

Elegant Floral Black Christmas 5x7 folded card

Make a statement with Shutterfly Christmas photo cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

Shutterfly Card Giveaway

2010-12-02T11:32:00.000-08:00

Shutterfly is giving away 50 holiday cards to bloggers! YEAH! We had planned on having a professional take our picture this year, but that idea fell through, so it's up to me. I'm so glad I found this giveaway. We use Shutterfly for all of our pictures. I was on their site this morning looking back at all the great pictures we have downloaded over the last 8 1/2 years. Where does the time go? I couldn't resist posting this picture. This is the one of the first pictures we downloaded to Shutterfly when Sarah was a baby (she is almost 9 now!)

If you read my last post, you saw a picture of a calendar that Sarah made me last year in school. It's already December 2nd and no sign of her making me one this year. Shutterfly has great calendars... I guess I'll have to make one for myself. I't really cool because you can personalize dates with photos and text (and they are up to 30% off right now). I'm excited!

Click on ME-- I'll take you to the calendars!

I love Shutterfly's photo books. I have made 2 of them from past vacations and my sister-in-law made us 2 from our family trip to Disneyland. They are incredibly easy to make. It can take just a couple of clicks or you can really customize it. Take a look at the one I did from our Spring Break 2009.

Click here to view this photo book larger

Now, on to the Christmas cards. We plan on taking a picture of the girls and Dash this weekend. Here are some of the fantastic cards that I am thinking of picking out. There are over 800 choices of Christmas cards and every one of them is beautiful.

Click here to see more at Shutterfly

If you are a blogger and want 50 free cards,here is the link. Hurry, it ends soon.

Peace on Earth - December Challenge

2010-11-29T11:26:00.000-08:00

I'm linking up to Women Living Well blog where Courtney is challenging us to find peace during what is probably the most hectic month of the year, December. The first part of the challenge is probably the easiest. It is to write 1 Peter 5:7 on the top of my calendar. The hard part will be actually letting go of my anxieties! (side note...notice my calendar? It is a home made calendar that Sarah made me last Christmas at school. I have LOVED seeing the pictures she picked out each month and her art work.)

Sometimes when I see a verse quoted on the internet, I like to look up the "rest of the story is". I mean, with a verse about letting go of my anxieties and giving my worries over to God, there must be some other really important stuff that goes along with it! Right? Here is 1 Peter 5:1-11 (from the NIV)....

¹ To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: ² Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; ³ not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. ⁴ And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

⁵ In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”

⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

⁸ Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ⁹ Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

¹⁰ And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. ¹¹ To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

I just thought I would share that with you because as a mother, I am entrusted to look over part of God's flock and sometimes it's hard for me to remember to not lord over my flock so much, but to be an example!

Another part of the challenge is to light a candle daily and each time the flame catches you eye, say a prayer for peace in you home. This is also easy, because I love to burn candles in my home. I love the way they smell and the way I can change the smell of my home, based on the season and my mood!

My candle is lit, how about yours?

Peace on Earth December Challenge

Country Potato Frittata

2010-11-28T18:10:00.000-08:00

Mackenzie had a friend spend the night last night so this morning I got up and cooked breakfast for us all. I found a recipe on Cooks.com for a frittata that used most of the things on had on hand. Here is what I ended up with after looking through my supplies. Try it, it was really, really good!

4 slices of bacon cut into half inch pieces
2 large baking potatoes cut into half inch cubes
salt and pepper
4 green onions, chopped
6 eggs
2 TBS half and half
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

cook bacon in oven proof skillet. after bacon is done, set aside. Leave about 2TBS bacon fat in skillet and add potatoes. Cover and cook over medium heat until tender, stirring occasionally (mine took about 30 minutes). Add onions (I added a little olive oil at this point because they were too dry), salt and pepper to taste and saute over high heat about 5 minutes or until potatoes are slightly browned. Beat eggs and half n half in a bowl, add salt and pepper to taste. Turn down heat to low and pour eggs on top of potatoes. Cover and cook over low heat until eggs are set, but not done. Remove from heat and sprinkle bacon on top. Place skillet under broiler and cook until eggs are done. Add cheese and return to broiler to cook just until cheese is melted.

Potatoes and onions cooking

Eggs added to skillet

Put under broiler

It's done!! Come eat!

I've linked up to--

Dishwasher's Grace

2010-11-25T20:17:00.000-08:00

I found a poem in Taste of Home that I wanted to post with a great picture of my dishes piled high in my kitchen sink, but luckily I have a great husband and a fantastic daughter who jumped in and started doing dishes (without any hints from me) before I could take a picture. Here it is, minus a picture. I'm sure you all can visualize your own kitchens late in the day today! Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Dishwashers Grace
Thank God for dirty dishes,
they have a tale to tell.
While other folks go hungry,
we're eating very well.
With home and health and happiness,
we shouldn't want to fuss,
for by this stack of evidence,
God's very good to us.
-Kristen Emmerton