Burlap Garland Wonderland

 Garlands!

not swag. do not call it swag. we both know it's stupid.

You know how I role. I see awesome ideas on Pinterst and make them slightly or not so slightly, my own. 

Here's what I found:

Burlap Garland

It's as easy as you think. She explains it all. To primp,  twist a lot.  Then twist more.

Here's how I used them to dress up my boring old roman shades in our dining room.

If that doesn't convince you that you can't live without these, this will:

Deco mesh! Can you see this stuff with lights at Christmas time? It's going to be spectacular! You'll get to see it.

Up close and personal.

My shopping tip- at Hobby Lobby, you can find deco mesh in at least two places- Christmas and general floral. Every other week, ribbon goes on sale for 50% off. Deco mesh is floral ribbon. Seasonal is only 40%. You're welcome. (The same goes for burlap ribbon.)

Crocktober Week 1

Finally!!

We have lots to get through, so lets get started! As a review, each week will have 5 recipes and shopping lists. When I make the lists, I'll assume you have the basics so read the recipes so there aren't moments of panic. 

What you'll be enjoying

Amish Lady Noodles (with bonus cream of chicken soup)

Chili Colorado Burritos

Crock Pot Potatoes

Applesauce

The recipes:

Amish Lady Noodles

2 Chicken Breasts

4 cups of broth made with Chicken Soup Base

Cream of Chicken Soup

1 bag of Inn Maid Noodles

First, it's important that you don't sub out anything or this just becomes chicken and noodles. It's far better than JUST chicken and noodles.

Place your crock pot on low and add the chicken and broth. Let that become awesome all day. Or put it on high for 3-4 hours. (You can also add more chicken to have shredded chicken on hand.) When you can poke the chicken and it falls apart, use two forks to shred all of it and take out whatever extra you added. Add the cream of chicken soup and noodles. The noodles will take about an hour to cook. Sometimes I add corn for a more well rounded meal. Either way, it's one of our family's favorites.

Cream of Chicken Soup Base

(adapted from here: http://pinchofyum.com/homemade-cream-of-chicken-soup)

2 cups of broth made with soup base

1 1/2 cups of milk

3/4 cup of flour

more seasonings if you so desire

Bring the broth and 1/2 cup of milk to a boil. While you're waiting on the boiling, whisk the rest of the milk and flour until smooth. After the broth/milk starts to boil, slowly add the milk/flour and the seasonings. I've found you don't need much more than a little garlic salt because the soup base is so flavorful. Also, you're going to want to print this out.

Chili Colorado Burritos

Since the only thing I changed was red sauce to green (family preference), here is the link for this recipe:

http://www.food-pusher.com/2010/08/chile-colorado-burritos.html

CrockPot Potatoes
My only change was less butter and adding 1/2 cup of beef broth and 1 pound of ham and/or cooked bacon.
http://www.quick-and-easy-dinner.com/crock-pot-potatoes.html

Applesauce

http://mommymakesitbetter.blogspot.com/2012/04/crock-pot-applesauce.html

Recipe List:

Meat

2 (or so depending on if you want extra shredded) Chicken Breasts

1-2 lbs Sirloin or whatever stew meat you prefer

1 lb ham and/or bacon

And the rest…

Chicken base

Flour

Milk

Large (19 oz) enchilada sauce

Beef bouillon cubes

Refried beans

Tortillas

Cheddar cheese

Butter (or margarine, depending on your preference)

Onion soup packet

8 medium apples

1 lemon

cinnamon stick

brown sugar

In some cases, like the burritos, it's not a complete meal. So, good luck with that. I hear corn makes a nice side. 

Stay tuned, I'll be showing off my new need for garland in a few days. Add your email to be sure to get all the Crocktober updates! Have a great week!

It's Tree Time!

See what I did there?

Tree time instead of tea time? 

I know. I'm hilarious.

Before we get to the heart of the matter, I'd like to let you know an upcoming month long 'project' called Crock-tober. I saw the phrase in a book, and decided to make my Mom and sister do it with me, which lead to a comment on Facebook, which lead to others wanting to going, and here we are. It's a thing now.

This is not a food blog, but it's the best way to get the recipes, shopping lists and links out. Since I don't hate cooking and I love LOVE my crock pot, it's happening. Despite all the work it will take, I'm excited. My dad is too. He just doesn't know it yet. 

Now, for Arts and Crafts time with Amy.

I found this at Sugar and Charm and it calls for a styrofoam cone covered in paper. Have you ever bought one of those? They are at least $3 and never on sale. My plan was to make several in different sizes and with different covers. And I'm cheap. Instead, I used kraft colored card stock. AKA brown. Rolled one into a cone, glued it and cut the bottom to make it flat and that left me with a stencil for the next one. Glued the second to the first and I was left with a fairly sturdy cone. For less than a buck. (Because the paper was on sale at the Lobby of Hobbies.)





After this worked, I got a pack of 25 of the paper for $3 on sale. Which it is about every other week there.

And then came the gluing of the pinecones. Big and little. Start at the top, but not the tip top, save that for the perfect one later. The first few were slow because I needed to let the glue dry and be secure, but after that, I would glue, hold and keep going at a pretty good pace. The whole project took over an hour, but it could have been faster. That's not my living room, it's my friends. She had a 'bring your own craft' day. A bag of mini pine cones are $3 and I already had the bigger ones. On sale at Target last year for a whopping 90 cents. One bag of minis and a few bigs only covered the front 2/3's. But where it sits, can you tell?

The orange garland was bought at Hobby Lobby too. On sale. That goes without saying. I'm thinking of spray painting one in chalkboard paint? One in red glitter balls. Who knows. While everyone else is all about the snowmen, I'm in love with trees for Fall/Christmas/Winter decorating. 

Here's Your (Favorite Friday) Sign

Already it's been quite a day.

The littlest love woke up with terrible growing pains in his hip. Poor kid can barely walk! Luckily his pain tolerance is crazy high and thinks it's funny that he can't really walk vs crying. I woke up at 6 am to a phone call from the school announcing a two hour delay. At least he gets time on the couch with a heating pad! 

 In better news, our daughter got her school issued iPad yesterday and we put a picture of us on it. Because we're awesome parents like that. 

Bring on the Friday Favorites! 

This week is brought to you by my hatred of the signs that say 'Simplify'. I feel like that defeats all purposes. Why are you buying something to remind you not to buy things? Just don't buy it. A wallet that says 'simplify' would be much more appropriate.

Via

Via Perfect for any small business owner. We never really close.

Via

Via I grew up with a hunter and have an irrational love of faux taxidermy. In any form.

Via I've bought a gift from this shop before and I loved it! She does a killer job. And this sign is exactly what I need in my kitchen for my not picky but finicky family.

Did you find a favorite? Have a wonderful Friday and weekend!

Everything and the Kitchen Sink

Everyone is at school. Even the Littlest Love, my baby, is surviving kindergarten. So far, it's a social club and that kid leads every and all social events. At 5. My daughter has hit 5th grade and has stopped wearing her usual uniform of jeans and tshirts. This is going to cost us. A lot. Thankfully H&M ships now. (On a semi related note, they have housewares! Not a lot, but it's all stinkin' cool.)

The house is very quiet. I get a lot done.

Since I was a kid, I've wanted a farmhouse sink. Should have been a hint that I was destined for design. What 9 year old wants a specific sink? My Grandma Lytle grew up with one and assured me it was a terrible idea. This girl does not listen well. Fast forward 20 years and you'll find me, the Main Man and two bored kids staring at sinks in Lowe's. 

I LOVE!!! my sink!

Look at all that soaking room! I left stuff in there so you could see the glory of it. Someone said in the comments section on the Lowe's website that it's not very pretty when wet. Only if sparkly isn't pretty! It's made of crushed granite and has not scratched in it's short 6 month lifespan in my house. 

No, she wasn't cheap. It is only $50 more than any other 9" deep sink. I know, 'only'. I force us to live on the cheap, and this was a Christmas money expenditure. That faucet? Was a steal. $250, on clearance in an open box. The Main Man asked nicely for a further discount and we paid $100. It was wonderful.

Get your own sink, right here.

It did require a little plumbing underneath, so be prepared for that expense. Minimal if you know what you're doing. The directions say it's a meant for a 36" sink base cabinet, but we did it in a 33". It's tight, but who cares? It's awesome!

What do you think? Would you buy a house with a massive sink?

A Fire Pit That Was As Easy At It Looks

One day, a few years ago, my Main Man decided we should have a fire pit. So he dug a circle about 3 ft across and went off to get cheap bricks to put around it. 

Which was great. 

Until he decided it wasn't and made it bigger.

Know what happens when you have a big fire pit? You have a giant fire. Not a fun little 'roast a few marshmallows' fire. A roaring fire. Of course you don't have to. But give men a pile of wood and it will happen. I promise.

We didn't use it at all last year, and I wasn't about to let that happen again. I've been reading The Tao of Martha by Jen Lancaster and she throws wonderful parties! A S'Mores party it is!

Except our fire pit looked a little run down. What did I do at temperatures were soaring into the 80's at noon? I tore every brick out. Then off to Lowe's I went. But not without a little Pinspiration!

I got nothing like any of those. Although I really like the last one, but it would have meant a lot more work because ours was already started, and not like that.

An almost finished product:

I didn't do the bricks on the bottom with much care because A) that was all we had from a different project and B) I wasn't sure how I felt about the idea. 

Wanna know a secret? It's a planter box! After doing the math, they were cheaper and easier. $18 for the 4 long pieces and 4 connectors. I did a layer of bricks underneath because they were cheaper and hidden. That big circle is size of the old one. Huge, right! I need one more bag of stone. Think about how easy it will be to mow around too!

In all, it took less than 2 hours. To tear apart the old one, go get the bricks, put it together and add the stones. 

It was money well spent. We had a great night with great family and friends. I can't wait to spend my fall in my back yard.

Home to School

Today, my Main Man signs his very first teaching contract! 

(Cue applause and cheering) 

It's been a long time coming and two weeks ago, we didn't think he'd have a job for this school year. So, in honor of that, lets take a little of home to school. This is also a little research for me, since I'm his room designer. When he lets me. Read: when he gets desperate and wants to be better than everyone else.

Via His 6th and 7th graders will love this. It also shows you how to make the mug. Handmade gifts!

Chevron is too girly. Colts or IU perhaps? Less ruffled? But I can tell you that is from Hobby Lobby and I'm 90% sure it's printed duck fabric. My favorite of all printed fabrics.

Here's the problem. He has a 'decorate as you go plan' using the kids work. But, the room looks pretty stark right now. He isn't as uninviting as the room suggests. We need a little help. Because while the Constitution and Bill of Rights are awesome, they leave a little to be desired in the 'learning is fun!' department.

He needs a chair, and I have a staple gun. Actually, he can have my desk chair and I'll take a fun one!

Via First, this website is a great idea. Second, this is a free download! It won't work for his room, but it's a great plan, and I have markers! Use it at home! In a study area or make your own with house rules.

It's just contact paper! He has all kinds of boring metal in his room that is just screaming for a hint of fun!

I found all of this through Pinterest. We don't Google anymore, we ask Pinterest. I searched for 'classroom decor' and under 'education'.