Monday, March 17, 2014

{DIY} Monogrammed Wreath

 

Alright, so I've seen lots of these types of wreaths on Pinterest and for some time now, I wanted to make one for our home. I had an old wreath with berries someone gave me but didn't love, so I took all the berries off so I could start with a clean slate. 





I then strung a piece of burlap to hang the wreath on. 

I used some floral wire to connect it and attach the bow to. You could also use a stapler for a cleaner look







Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Ambitious Must Be My Middle Name



So I was sitting here thinking about all the things I want to accomplish this summer. Just like that, with my finger on my cheek. I had so many ideas in my head I figured I had better write them down so I wouldn't forget anything. Mind you, I'm going to school part time and working on top of my normal wifely/motherly duties. So we shall see what I actually accomplish at the end of the summer. I really want to paint my house a tan/grayish color and though I have added that to my list, that costs quite a bit and Mr. Clean doesn't really want to do it himself so that may not even be an option yet.

My List of Projects for the warmer months:

  • Paint my long dress/mirror
  • Paint my blanket chest at the end of our bed
  • Paint Mr. Clean's tall dresser
  • Paint kitchen breakfast nook table/benches
  • Build Window boxes for my house
  • Bodie Island Lighthouse pallet art project
  • Paint shutters on house black OR build new ones
  • Sell current china cabinet, purchase new/old bigger one and paint it
  • Make mason jar wall sconces for living room
  • Bamboo trellis for my climbing rose bush
  • Paint my house
  • Plant day-lilies and hostas around the tree in my front yard.
  • Redo my bedroom closet
  • Paint the inside of my other cabinet with chalkboard paint and add hooks for measuring cups/spoons
  • Paint my daughter's room
  • Add shelves in my kitchen
  • Make shelves/cornices for my bedroom windows
  • Make pallet sofa/sectional for basement
  • Finish half-done 3/4 bathroom in my basement
  • Paint basement walls/rip up carpet and put down faux wood vinyl flooring
  • Install butcher block counter-tops in my kitchen...maybe


I'm sure the list will grow although I'm not sure how many of these I will actually tackle this summer. We shall see!


Monday, March 10, 2014

Easy Homemade Spanish Rice



So, if you haven't noticed...I tend to make a lot of Mexican food in my house. However, I usually buy packaged Knorr brand Spanish rice to go along with most of my Mexican dishes. Last week, though, the grocery store was all out. So I had to improvise. I looked up several recipes and then adapted it to make with the ingredients I like or had on hand. This is what I came up with. It may not be 100% authentic, but it certainly is closer than the prepackaged stuff I normally get. This recipe is pretty simple, and delicious! (fyi my phone is going crazy, so I ended up losing some of my pics.

Ingredients:
1 cup long-grain white rice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup tomato sauce
salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. chili powder


1. Heat oil in a pot or deep skillet. Add rice and cook until browned. 


Here's the rice all browned. 

2. Next, add the chicken stock, salt & pepper, minced garlic, cumin, chili powder and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-25 minutes. 

Voila! Delicious Spanish Rice!




Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Jiffy Greenhouse Review




So I have a bad case of the winter blues. I hate being stuck inside this long so I need things to look forward to....such as the spring. Though it doesn't look like it's coming to Philly any time soon I decided to get some of my plants going for my garden this year. Last year I started it at the end of March/beginning of April and the plants weren't ready in time. SO...lesson learned. I did some internet research on different seed starting methods and was hemming and hawing about whether to make my own (I've been saving toilet paper rolls for this and did it last year) or buy some. I found these Jiffy Greenhouse starters at Walmart for under $5. They have several sizes and I opted for 2 that hold 36 plants each. All I had to do was add water and Voila! The pots expanded and have a netting around each that can be planted right in the ground. What's also great is the lid! It is its own little greenhouse! How cool is that? Also, the directions are written right on the box and very simple to follow. All you do is add water. I planted mostly veggies and some perennial flowers in the one and my annuals in the other. I will let you know how it goes. So far, I think it's worth the five bucks. No messy soil, no cleanup! Love it! It was exciting because after 3 days my daisies were already sprouting!



Taking turns adding the water. 



After they expanded


Tip: I store my seed packets in an old recipe box. How do you store yours?

Stay tuned for updates! I'm excited that I won't have to spend a ton on flowers and veggies. Let's pray I don't kill my seedlings! lol

Overall, I am very happy with my Jiffy Greenhouse. I was not contacted by Jiffy in any way and am not being compensated for sharing my opinion. 

Monday, March 3, 2014

{DIY} Chalkboard Paint Inside Cabinet Doors



So, with all the snow we've gotten this winter...we've been snowed in...A LOT! Well, one of the days we were stuck indoors I got an itch to do something crafty. Since I had some leftover chalkboard paint I decided to paint the insides of my cabinet doors with it. I lightly sanded them, wiped them clean and then painted two coats. Now I have a great place to keep important info and now I won't have to have little papers stuck to the fridge cluttering it all up!

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