May 31, 2010

Remember...


As you bust out the lemonade, fire up the grill, enjoy your fair share of potato salad, and gather with family and friends...remember...all of those who sacrificed to give us this awesome country and this beautiful world. 

Be grateful today for the liberty we share and for those who fight and give their lives for us.


I will come back tomorrow and let you know who I have to thank for my updated bloggy terrificness...ps it's not me!

May 29, 2010

Hey I Can Do That!

Are you tired of your long list of projects that you bookmark
or save from other blogs that grows but never seems to get done? 
Do you look at them and think someday I will try, but then they get pushed behind 
another project you find? Or are you like me and the first time you see them you think "Hey I Can Do That", but then you talk yourself out of it not wanting to mess up someone else's glorious work?

Well, no more! People have put their projects out there to get done...and gall darn it, 
I am at least going to try. So welcome to Hey I Can Do That! Saturdays, where I am going to show you projects from blog land that I am going to finally just do. And hey I will show you even if 
my attempts fail miserably...but hopefully they won't!

Remember this from I am a Baker

It really is quite splendid. Truth be told everything she does is really quite splendid. Several posts ago I lamented that I wanted someone to make this for me for Mother's Day. I know I am such a whiner.


Well hubby was traveling the week of mother's day and last weekend was the first time we could celebrate it. And guess what? 

Hubby sure as shootin' made me one of these...


Our version was a little different because we didn't have six inch pans, so he used 8 inch pans and we kept it at six layers instead of 12. We also didn't have red food coloring...I forgot to go through my stash and check...we also went a little crazy with the food coloring. Okay I did...this was my one area of helping and I was a little heavy handed with the food coloring. So the cake is a little bright.


We also put the cool whip in between each layer instead of the simple syrup. I am not sure we would do this again, it made the cake more slippery.


Hubby did a great job. The cake was DELICIOUS. It didn't take him as long as I thought it would either. So go ahead and try it. We did, and now we know "Hey I (he) Can Do That"! 

So I guess this was a more of Hey Hubby Can Do That, but I helped...a little.

So Hey You Can Do That too...

I would love to see your blog land projects. Let me know what you have done!

May 28, 2010

I'm Over at Craftaholics Anonymous Today


Yep, that is right. I am just so gosh darn excited that Linda from Craftaholics Anonymous picked me to participate in her Reader's Tutorial Week. So today go over here(she does several a day, so if I am not there right away...patience young grasshopper)--







and find my tutorial of this fabulous project.


I am also starting something new on Saturdays...so remember to come back tomorrow for "Hey I Think I Can Do That" Saturdays...you are intrigued aren't you????

May 27, 2010

Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars


I made these to take somewhere, because they are yummy and easy to make. My hubby was oh-so-sad when I didn't leave them enough time to set up and we had to keep them at home (did you pick up on my sarcasm?). I was oh-so-sad when I had to take a bag of grasshopper cookies because I did not have a dessert back-up. I got over it later that night when I got to come home and eat me some of these bad boys.

Make sure you have milk on hand when you are serving these up, the rich suckers need it.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients:

Betty Crocker instant Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix and necessary ingredients for the mix
OR you can use any refrigerated cookie dough store bought or your favorite recipe, this literally is good with any kind of cookie.
1 pkg of cream cheese softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350.

Make cookie dough (or pull out of refrigerator). Place half of the batch in the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan.

Mix cream cheese, sugar and egg until completely mixed. Pour this mixture over the cookie dough.

Drop cookie dough pieces evenly over the top of the cream cheese mixture, it is okay to leave some of the mixture showing.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until cookie pieces are golden and the cheesecake is firm.

Cool. Let set up in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Cut and serve...remember---milk!

May 25, 2010

Ric Rac Half Apron How-to


Half aprons are super easy to whip out. In fact, I whipped out three of these in an afternoon...a long afternoon mind you, but still just one afternoon. I made these for graduation presents for some girls I serve at church. They are so girly and cute. I should have made an extra one for me.

Ric Rac Apron How-to

Supplies:

1/2 yard of white fabric, go ahead use the cheap stuff
1 pkg of med ric rac, color your choice
22 inches of large ric rac, coordinating color
22 inches of coordinating ribbon
1 pkg of double fold bias tape in coordinating color
coordinating thread


Start by cutting 2 16x21 pieces of the white fabric.


Take the ric rac and ribbons and lay it out in a pattern like so on one piece of your white fabric. Pin embellishments in place.


Sew all of your embellishments in place with coordinating thread. You will sew twice on the larger embellishments, once down the middle on the smaller ric rac.


Once your embellishments are in place, lay the other piece of white fabric on top, like sides facing, and pin together.


Sew around the edges with a 1/2 inch seam. Leave an opening at the top to turn out. Once your pieces are sewn together, trim off excess seam and cut corners like so.


Turn out. Make sure to get corners all the way turned out. Iron.


Use a whole package of bias tape.  I like to have really long apron ties that I can wrap around and tie in the front...hence using the whole package of bias tape. Fold to find middle.


Line up the middle of your bias tape with the top middle of your apron. Pin in place so that the top of your apron is sandwiched in between the bias tape, here is where you hide the opening you used to turn out. The fold of bias tape is  now the top of your apron. 


Fold in the ends of the bias tape. Start at one end, sew the edge and then sew down along the open end of the bias tape. Sew along the entire length. You will first start on one end, sewing also over where the apron is attached to the bias tape, then go to the other end.


The top of your apron will now look a little something like this. 


Now you have a cutsie little apron for yourself or a great gift for your favorite girly girl.



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May 23, 2010

Spray Paint-tastic Before and After

There is NOTHING a little spray paint can't cure. Okay, so it probably couldn't cure athlete's foot, and you shouldn't spray it on your face to hide zits, but as for furniture, there is almost nothing some spray paint can't fix. I am just saying.

Take this woody mission style coffee table we have had hanging around for almost 4 years. I am not sure why I didn't do this sooner, but this week I just decided it was getting done.



I went to the store grabbed two cans of satin finish black spray paint. Plugged in hubby's electric sander (bless the power sander). Stripped the sucker down. Applied several light coats of spray paint until it was completely covered. She-man carried it by myself into the house before it rained (why do I do these projects when hubby isn't home?).

Now I have this...


Yay...except now of course with one project out of the way the other to-do's stick out like a sore thumb. 

Take for instance that super yucks blue chair. Learning to reupholster is still on my to-do list. This chair needs to be a crisp clean white (yes I said white, yes I live in a delusional world where my kids won't ruin it). 


I might also want to find a better place for these, OR at least hide them since Wee One would miss them.


But if you are like me, then you only get a project done at a time. 

There is always a to-do list. So I will simply enjoy this one item I get to cross of my list and of course give THANKS to the genius who invented SPRAY PAINT.

May 20, 2010

Who's In Charge Around Here?

Most of the time I like to think it is me, the mother, the wife, the wise and mature one.

Yesterday I thought wrong.

Yesterday he was in charge.


and he KNEW it.


I am pretty sure this is what he wanted to say-
"What mom, you think you are in charge of me? Well jokes on you, 'cause I am the one with the control"


"Oooh BURN"

May 19, 2010

French Dip With a Side of Onion Rings

French Dip Sandwiches
with a side of ONION RINGS
yep...onion rings...YUM.


Is your mouth watering???? Mine too!

Today you get two for one. This is a family favorite. Nothing like throwing a big slab of cow and some of his seasoning friends into a crockpot and letting them play together all day. Your house will smell ah-mazing. 

Hubby will come home and not know what to do with himself when he first smells your awesome dinner and then sees you looking all hot and fabulous because instead of slaving over a stove for the last hour you got to run a brush through your hair, change from a PB and J smudged tee into something clean, and even slapped on some mascara. What a lucky guy!

So go ahead make these French Dip Sandwiches...you won't regret it!

French Dip Sandwiches

1 chunk or rump roast, 2-3 lbs
1 bay leaf
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground thyme
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp rosemary
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 cups water

Mix all ingredients together and then pour over the roast, already nestled all snug in the crockpot. Cook on high for 5-6 hours. Pull meat out of liquid, reserve liquid. Shred meat. Pour liquid through a mesh strainer. Pour some liquid back over meat. Reserve some for the "dip" part of your sandwich.

Toast up buns with a little bit of butter. Pour the reserve juice in dipping compatible containers.

Serve with a side of these... 



disclaimer...if you make these with the sandwiches I can not guarantee that you will get a brush through your hair. These are a little more time intensive. But you will smell like onion rings so it may not matter that you didn't brush your hair.

Onion Rings 
from Rachael Ray

2 large onions, cut into 1/4 inch rings
1 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups ice water

Soak the onions in a large bowl of cold water for 10-15 minutes. Let drain on paper towels.

Meanwhile, in a large deep pot/skillet heat a couple inches of vegetable oil to proper frying temperature.

Fill a large bowl halfway with ice...sounds weird hang in there I'll explain.

In a medium bowl mix the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Add ice water and stir until batter forms...the batter will be thin. Place the batter bowl inside the bowl of ice to keep it cold.

Using tongs or a fork, coat the onion rings with the batter, letting the extra drip off. In batches, drop the rings into the oil and fry until golden brown, a couple of minutes. Transfer the rings to a paper towel to let drain.

Okay now you are ready to serve up yourself a really AWESOME meal. Tell your hubby...he's welcome.


May 18, 2010

Blog Swappin' with These Creative Juices

Oooh my first ever blog swap...can you just sense my excitement!!!
You guys are super lucky today because Beckie from These Creative Juices is taking over my blog today...so sit back and get ready to be inspired! Take it away Beckie!

I just love blog swapping and finding new, fun, creative and inspiring blogs!
And Larissa's Just Another Day in Paradise is one for sure! I'm SO excited that she
was willing to let me take over her blog for the day!
So {HELLO} to all of Larissa's readers!
Well my name is Beckie and this is my blog...
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My blog started off as a family blog that slowly turned into my creative outlet. I really enjoy being crafty and also getting good deals. So on my blog you will find lots of ideas and projects, as well as recipes, couponing and deals! I hope you will stop by and say hi because I love meeting new people!
Here are some things you will find at These Creative Juices...
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Paper topiary
These are great for any kind of party or to use as decor. I use them in my craft room!


Napkin Wreath
Yep. You heard right. Napkins. Just don't be hanging it on your front door :)
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You Inspire Word Frame
I made this for Father's Day last year....my dad cried (love it when it's a tear gift :)

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Dinnertime Conversations
Make dinner fun with questions for the family!



Jute vase with paper dogwood blooms
Bring the springtime inside for cheap!

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Herb Tins
For those of you, like me, who don't have a garden :(

{Thanks so much} to Larissa for letting me take over her blog for the day!

Let those creative juices flow!

May 17, 2010

Scrappy Brad Earrings

Remember these Flower Button Earrings?


Well the other day I was walking through a craft store doing what I normally do...that is meander through each aisle waiting for something to make my crafting light bulb go off. While walking through the scrapbook aisle...my long lost hobby, I am surprised I even remembered where that aisle is... 

I saw these--

Then that light bulb went off. I bought the little suckers for about $3.50. I promptly brought them home, plugged in the handy dandy glue gun and made myself some more earrings.


pretty lovely, don't you think?

I just about love 'em.





Side note: Hopefully you have noticed I made myself a button...FINALLY. Grab one, that would make my day. ALSO, friends and fam...have you noticed your names missing on my sidebar...no I don't hate you. I decided with the higher traffic, some of you may not want your blog linked where everyone can find it. SO I have put you all in my reader. SO no fear, I LOVE YOU, and I will still keep up on what you are doing in your awesome lives.




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