Anyway, we had a Sunday free, the weather was gorgeous and we gutted out the disgusting garage! Once everything was out I saw this little space and made it my own. You don't need much to craft and create as you can plainly see!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
My Little Shoppe of Wonders!
My dear husband has always dreamed of having a "man cave"... a dark, magical place where men gather to scratch themselves and worship the TV. Unfortunately we've never lived in a place where such a space could be carved out AND YET I have a glass studio and a craft shoppe....ummmmm....sorry? LOL! I admit it is extremely unfair and he did had a space in the garage where he hung a heavy bag and lifted weights...until we bought our pop-up camper. The poor guy doesn't have a prayer....especially now that we have two daughters... When they hit pre-teen he'll be banished to the teeny downstairs bathroom that's more like a water closet...maybe I shouldn't tell him and just let him be surprised?
Anyway, we had a Sunday free, the weather was gorgeous and we gutted out the disgusting garage! Once everything was out I saw this little space and made it my own. You don't need much to craft and create as you can plainly see!
Maybe my husband could have a "man cave" if he didn't insist on needing such a large TV? We just don't have that much house!
Anyway, we had a Sunday free, the weather was gorgeous and we gutted out the disgusting garage! Once everything was out I saw this little space and made it my own. You don't need much to craft and create as you can plainly see!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
(re)Purposeful: Re-vamp Ugly Picture Frames for Gifts or Home Decor!
We all have ugly little secrets tucked away all over the house that we are ashamed of but can't throw away... I will finally admit that I have a nook under the stairs FULL of ugly, dusty picture frames... Some are just hideous. I'm not even sure why I still have them and have been trying to find projects to make or poor, unfortunate souls to unload them on!
Now that I have my nifty little workshop in the garage, I can finally see all the cans of paint, brushes, sanding tools and supplies that have been yearning to be used! After browsing through some fun blogs and gathering my "goodies" I decided to try and repaint a few frames and see how they turned out... Here's what I started with, I call it: '80's Ode to Boring Oak
Absolutely nothing about this frame makes me want to display pictures of loved ones in it... So I sanded it with a rough sanding sponge (these are the best!) and gave it a light coat of spray paint primer that's tinted gray. After a full night to dry, I painted it a deep charcoal in a flat finish. It is so important to use a primer first, and I really love the spray paint version because it gets all the little nooks and crannies that a brush can miss. Also the paint went on so smoothly, like buttering a hot piece of toast! After another agonizing night of waiting for the paint to dry, I grabbed that trusty sanding sponge and distressed the corners and sides where I thought normal wear and tear would occur over time and VOILA! I am now the proud owner of this cute little frame:
I used some pretty scrapbooking paper (which is another obsession of mine, that we'll save for another time) as a background and am thinking of putting a monogram or silhouette of a bird in it! I have about 50 more frames to dig out so stay tuned for more fun ideas to do with ugly picture frames!
Now that I have my nifty little workshop in the garage, I can finally see all the cans of paint, brushes, sanding tools and supplies that have been yearning to be used! After browsing through some fun blogs and gathering my "goodies" I decided to try and repaint a few frames and see how they turned out... Here's what I started with, I call it: '80's Ode to Boring Oak
Absolutely nothing about this frame makes me want to display pictures of loved ones in it... So I sanded it with a rough sanding sponge (these are the best!) and gave it a light coat of spray paint primer that's tinted gray. After a full night to dry, I painted it a deep charcoal in a flat finish. It is so important to use a primer first, and I really love the spray paint version because it gets all the little nooks and crannies that a brush can miss. Also the paint went on so smoothly, like buttering a hot piece of toast! After another agonizing night of waiting for the paint to dry, I grabbed that trusty sanding sponge and distressed the corners and sides where I thought normal wear and tear would occur over time and VOILA! I am now the proud owner of this cute little frame:
(re)Purposeful: Buffet is FINISHED!!!
I am excited to announce that I finally got the buffet finished!!!! The weather was truly against me, and then the plague struck.... however the planets must be aligned and G-d's in a good mood because it is GORGEOUS outside today and plenty warm for me to open up the garage and polyurethane! Okay so with out further ado, I give you THE BUFFET:
And just in case the "before" image has been forgotten, here's what I started with:
And just in case the "before" image has been forgotten, here's what I started with:
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
FAST FOOD: Slow-Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Everyone at my house is either sick or recovering... I feel like I should warn readers of this blog to wear respirators and/or bleach their computers when visiting this page! I'm finding myself exhausted at the thought of doing even the simplest of tasks (I can't remember when last I ate a hot meal) and dinner seems like a monumental task! Whilst rummaging through the cupboards through swollen, gritty eyelids I discovered a can of mushrooms and another of cream of mushroom soup...inspiration hit (almost killed me but I went with it)!
Slow-Cooker Beef Stroganoff
1lb ground hamburger, browned and drained
1/2 C dried minced onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use "98% fat free")
1 can mushrooms
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/2 C sour cream ( I use "light")
1/2 pkg (4 oz) cream cheese (I use "1/3 less fat")
Add hamburger, soup, onion, garlic salt, and mushrooms with their juice to crock pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours. At the last hour of cooking add the cream cheese and sour cream.
Serve over rice or egg noodles and ENJOY!
Surely this creamy, hearty meal will banish the last of the viral beasties lurking about and warm little bellies before bedtime! <3
Slow-Cooker Beef Stroganoff
1lb ground hamburger, browned and drained
1/2 C dried minced onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use "98% fat free")
1 can mushrooms
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/2 C sour cream ( I use "light")
1/2 pkg (4 oz) cream cheese (I use "1/3 less fat")
Add hamburger, soup, onion, garlic salt, and mushrooms with their juice to crock pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours. At the last hour of cooking add the cream cheese and sour cream.
Serve over rice or egg noodles and ENJOY!
Surely this creamy, hearty meal will banish the last of the viral beasties lurking about and warm little bellies before bedtime! <3
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
(re)Purposeful: Home-grown Baby Wipes!
I've decided that guilt is an unfortunate side-effect of motherhood. No matter what you do, someone always feels free to share their criticism, even about the littlest things! When I had my first child I felt AWFUL about putting her in disposable diapers, not being able to nurse her til she was 7yrs old, and don't get be started about vaccinating! My bestie from Texas was one of the wonderful moms in my life that was encouraging and supportive. She also has amazing ideas and one night, after a 90 minute phone-therapy session, we came up with this great idea: Home-made Baby Wipes!
Who has time to run to the store at 4am, when your baby has cleared their diaper and splattered the wall behind them? With just a few staples on hand, you can make your own wipes at a fraction of the cost and be eco-friendly all at the same time!
My darling Lyndy (Texas bestie) actually sews her own flannel wipes and sells them. You can throw them in the wash and re-use them til they disintegrate! http://lyndysrantsandraves.blogspot.com/ <----This is the link to her blog so you can contact her, if like me, you couldn't sew a button if your life depended on it!
While waiting for her to sew me a batch, I used "Choose a Size" paper towels. I chose the smaller size, folded them in thirds and layered them in an empty wipe container. Once I filled the box, I made this delightful cleanser to keep the wipes wet: (Use this recipe on the re-usable wipes too)
Wipe Cleanser Recipe:
3 C Water
1/4 C Olive Oil
1 TBS Baby Shampoo or Baby Wash
*6-8 Drops Lavender Essential oil or Eucalyptus Essential Oil (sometimes I use both)
*The essential oil is important because it's a natural disinfectant so it will inhibit mold growth in the container, and Lavender oil is an anti-inflammatory so it's super soothing! You can find it at most Organic grocery stores.
**Now definitely don't start this on a newborn, as their skin is so delicate and their allergies may not be known yet. Also, if your baby does have a lot of allergies ask their pediatrician first!**
I just love the fresh smell of these wipes and one wipe cleans a lot more than the store-bought brands. They are so much softer too! It's nice to have an easy fix to at least ONE of the many things I feel guilty about! :o)
Who has time to run to the store at 4am, when your baby has cleared their diaper and splattered the wall behind them? With just a few staples on hand, you can make your own wipes at a fraction of the cost and be eco-friendly all at the same time!
My darling Lyndy (Texas bestie) actually sews her own flannel wipes and sells them. You can throw them in the wash and re-use them til they disintegrate! http://lyndysrantsandraves.blogspot.com/ <----This is the link to her blog so you can contact her, if like me, you couldn't sew a button if your life depended on it!
While waiting for her to sew me a batch, I used "Choose a Size" paper towels. I chose the smaller size, folded them in thirds and layered them in an empty wipe container. Once I filled the box, I made this delightful cleanser to keep the wipes wet: (Use this recipe on the re-usable wipes too)
Wipe Cleanser Recipe:
3 C Water
1/4 C Olive Oil
1 TBS Baby Shampoo or Baby Wash
*6-8 Drops Lavender Essential oil or Eucalyptus Essential Oil (sometimes I use both)
*The essential oil is important because it's a natural disinfectant so it will inhibit mold growth in the container, and Lavender oil is an anti-inflammatory so it's super soothing! You can find it at most Organic grocery stores.
**Now definitely don't start this on a newborn, as their skin is so delicate and their allergies may not be known yet. Also, if your baby does have a lot of allergies ask their pediatrician first!**
I just love the fresh smell of these wipes and one wipe cleans a lot more than the store-bought brands. They are so much softer too! It's nice to have an easy fix to at least ONE of the many things I feel guilty about! :o)
Friday, March 4, 2011
FAST FOOD: Banana Buttons, anyone?
There are days where I feel like my house is divided in two different universes....One kid eats with gusto, the other hates everything, one cries when you look at her sternly, the other laughs when you shout a warning and proceeds with her back-flip off the couch...sigh...Snack time at our house is no different! To appease them both I would need separate gourmet kitchens complete with chef and staff, so when I had this little inspiration for a semi-healthy, super delicious snack and they BOTH liked it I knew it was something should blog! LOL!
Banana Buttons:
Banana
Peanut Butter
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Cut the banana into little "button" slices, add a small dollop of peanut butter on each "button", then top with a semi-sweet chocolate chip (way less sugar than milk chocolate) then hype the snack way up as being "decadent" and "desserty" and serve!
I split a banana between the two and they devoured it! Both were full and satisfied and I was happy that they had some fresh fruit, a good source of protein and a little chocolate to keep them sweet! :o)
Banana Buttons:
Banana
Peanut Butter
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Cut the banana into little "button" slices, add a small dollop of peanut butter on each "button", then top with a semi-sweet chocolate chip (way less sugar than milk chocolate) then hype the snack way up as being "decadent" and "desserty" and serve!
I split a banana between the two and they devoured it! Both were full and satisfied and I was happy that they had some fresh fruit, a good source of protein and a little chocolate to keep them sweet! :o)
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