Crafty Like Lindy

Roasted Chickpeas

2012-02-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

Or should I say roasted Garbanzo Beans? They are the same thing so why do they have two different names? I am going to have to look it up...

Anyway, in my quest to eat better I decided to try these roasted bits of healthy-ness and see if they were any good. I have never actually eaten these beans but from what I understand they are really good for you. I am not sure if cooking them detracts from the good stuff though...

You will need:

1 Can of garbanzo beans

1 1/2 tsp olive oil

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp chili paprika

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp cumin

Preheat the oven to 400

Drain, rinse, and dry the beans

Mix the olive oil and spices

Toss spice mixture with the beans

Bake for 20 minutes, toss, then bake for an additional 20 minutes

Super easy and they remind me of Corn Nuts without all the ingredients I can't pronounce....

Original recipe can be found at Our Best Bites

Cork Necklace

2012-02-15T07:00:00.000-08:00

This was made for a swap and was inspired by a necklace from someone's Pinterest. I cut a wine cork and used ink, stamps, beads, and charms to form the Pendant. So may possibilities for these.

Manic Monday

2012-02-13T10:59:00.001-08:00

Covered Button Pins

2012-02-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

To make covered buttons you will need a little kit. I bought mine on from Everything Ribbons on Etsy

Follow the instructions that are included to cover your buttons.

You can then either glue a pin to the back.....

Or you can glue it to a hair clip....

I made mine into pins for a swap partner. Here is the finished product.

Manic Monday

2012-02-06T08:37:00.000-08:00

Foodie Friday-Homemade Egg Muffins

2012-02-03T07:13:00.000-08:00

These are my kids new favorite breakfast. They say they taste just like the fast food versions but I know that they are healthier.

You will need:

Sausage Patties

I have been using these frozen pork sausage patties but will start buying the turkey sausage after these run out.

Eggs

Cooking Spray

Cheese

English Muffins

I use the whole wheat kind!

Start by cooking your sausage patties on the oven

Spray a ramkin or other small dish with cooking spray and add an egg. Beat it a bit

Microwave the egg for 30 seconds then flip it over and microwave for an additional 30 seconds

Layer your cooked sausage, egg, and cheese on a toasted English Muffin and serve!

The best part is that I don't add any butter or oil to the egg or muffin and I can serve it with fruit or yogurt rather than deep fried hash browns.

Christmas Hooplas

2012-02-01T08:15:00.000-08:00

Okay these aren't really Christmas themed hoops but they were made as Christmas gifts. I tried to make something handmade for each of my brothers and sister to go along with a store bought gift. These two hoops were made for two of my brothers. The unicorn is kind of a gag gift for a brother who gets a unicorn themed something every year and the camera is for my wildly talented photographer brother.

They are teenage boys though so who knows what they actually thought of my stitched gifts!

Foodie Friday-Cauliflower Pizza Crust

2012-01-27T08:00:00.000-08:00

I have seen cauliflower crust pizza all over Pinterest and just had to try it out for myself since I am trying to eat better.

First I used my hand chopper thing to "rice" the cauliflower

Here is what it looks like after being chopped to bits. Microwave it for 4-6 minutes. No water or anything needed...

I then measured out 1 cup of cheese and mixed in about 1/4 with the cauliflower and 1 egg white (I made a personal size pizza, adjust amounts depending on how big you make it)

spread the "crust" onto an oiled pan

and bake at 450 for 8-10 minutes (I would have baked mine a bit longer cause I like a crisp crust.) Top with sauce of your choice and remaining cheese and toppings.

Bake for an additional 10 minutes (or broil to make it faster) till cheese is all melty and good!

I was pleasantly surprised at how well this turned out. Does it taste exactly like normal pizza crust? No, but pretty darn close! Next time all I will do differently is cook it a bit longer to make it a bit more crisp and add in some extra seasoning to the cauliflower mix.

Dandelion Hoopla

2012-01-25T07:48:00.000-08:00

I gotta say that this is by far my most favorite hoopla I have done recently. It's also in a tiny little hoop which I love! I had a REALLY hard time sending it away.....

I did a Google image search for dandelions, found a picture, printed it off and stitched it up. My hoopla wall needs a little dandelion now too...

Manic Monday

2012-01-23T11:28:00.000-08:00

At a wedding over the weekend...

My sweets cleaned up so nicely but man I hate pictures of myself....

Foodie Friday-Homemade Lettuce Wraps

2012-01-20T08:00:00.000-08:00

I am making an effort to get into better shape and eat healthier this year. I am going to do this by trying to cook healthier meals at home, be more aware of what is in food we purchase at the store, make better choices when we do go out to eat, and finally get to working out on a consistant basis.

I tend to struggle with eating healthier because I feel like I am missing out on some of my favorite (very unhealthy) foods. Thanks to Pinterest and the Eat This, Not That books I am finding healthy alternatives and even cooking some of them myself!

I love the lettuce wraps at Pei Wei but I shudder to think of the nutritional content. In fact I don't even want to know! So I made some at home and you know what?? I think they were better than the ones from the Pei Wei!

I looked at a recipe I found while pinning (my life away) and used it as a basis for mine.

You will need:
1 lb of ground turkey
A head of cabbage (or iceberg lettuce)
1/4- 1/2 cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1-2 tsp Rice Vinegar
1-2 tsp Sriracha Sauce (AKA Rooster Sauce)
1 tsp Honey
1/2 of a Chopped White Onion
2 TBSP Minced Garlic

I didn't use exact measurements. I kind of just threw this together and it worked! The amounts above are estimates. Use what you like to suit your or your family's tastes! Be warned the Rooster Sauce adds quite a kick!
First brown your turkey and cook until there is no more pink
Combine the Soy Sauce, Vinegar, Rooster Sauce, a little honey, onion and garlic.
Add to cooked turkey and stir until combined

Separate the cabbage leaves, add your meat and any other toppings you choose (we had steamed broccoli and crunchy noodles), and eat!

These were REALLY good! Even the kids ate them up. We will for sure be adding this into our regular dinner rotation!

This is based off a recipe found at A Small Snippet
in case you want exact measurements of stuff (but that's no fun!)

Baby Gifts

2012-01-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

In the Mini 12 Days of Christmas swap my partner was expecting her first child. Even though the new arrival wasn't actually arriving until after the holidays I really wanted to make a few things for her.

I decided to make an I Spy type quilt and a button monogram for the nursery. I am not sure if it qualifies as a quilt since it's not actually quilted but....anywho it's a girly baby blanket!

Manic Monday

2012-01-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

This weeks Manic Monday is dedicated to my honey boy who will be 7 this week. You can go back to last years birthday post to see how much he's grown!

Foodie Friday - Cinnamon Roll Waffles

2012-01-13T09:12:00.000-08:00

The waffle maker is such a versatile little appliance. I have seen so many things other than waffles that can be made using it such as cookies, brownies, hash browns....But when I saw this this idea on Pinterest I knew I was gonna try it. I already had the cinnamon rolls in the fridge just waiting to be cooked up and I knew the kids would LOVE it.

All you need is a package of refrigerated cinnamon rolls and a waffle iron. Set a cinnamon roll on each section of the waffle iron and close the lid. They cook up way faster than in the oven. In fact I was afraid they wouldn't be cooked through since they browned up so quickly, but no worries they were fine! Use the included frosting as your "syrup" then serve.

I hope you enjoy! I will be moving in to healthier territory next week since my New Year's resolution is to lose some weight. Wish me luck!

Inspiration for this post found at A Hen's Nest

Finger Knit Bracelets

2012-01-11T11:11:00.000-08:00

I made these bracelets out of t-shirt yarn using a finger knitting method. All you need is an old t-shirt, scissors, and your hands! Start cutting the shirt into one long strip and pull on it every now and then to make it curl in on itself. You can either cut just enough for a bracelet or you can cut the whole shirt roll it into a ball. Then knit away to the length you want and tie off.

The tutorial for knitting can be found at V and Co.

Manic Monday

2012-01-09T08:20:00.000-08:00

DIY Fingerprint Necklace

2011-12-28T08:37:00.000-08:00

Here is my version of the fingerprint necklaces that seem to be so popular these days. I made these as a gift for my grandma this year. I found a tutorial online to do it yourself rather than paying a pretty penny for the silver ones. I used polymer clay, silver paint, and a spray sealer.

Roll your clay into a small ball and have your child press their thumb or whichever finger you choose into the clay then poke a small hole at the top using a toothpick. Follow the directions on the package to bake the clay. Paint them silver then spay the sealer on after they are dry.

The original inspiration for this project was found at Sarah Ortega Photography

Manic Monday

2011-12-27T08:37:00.000-08:00

Hope Everyone had a fabulous holiday!

Friday Fix- Super Fast Last Minute Gift

2011-12-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

I was visiting one of my favorite recipe websites Our Best Bites and I just happened to stumble upon the fabulous post for a really quick and easy gift. I decided I had to do it for my co-workers and snazz up one of the teacher gifts I already had planned.

It's also super cheap! I found 3 packs of holiday socks at Wal-Mart for under $3!!. I made 6 of these and it was under $12 total! You will need to visit Our Best Bites to get the printable to attach to the bag then package a cute pair of socks and a nail polish in a clear bag. If you wanted to do a bit more you could also add a mini manicure kit and mini bottle of nail polish remover.

Wreath Ornaments

2011-12-22T08:00:00.000-08:00

The kids made these fun wreath ornaments to give to family this year. We started with some crocheted wreaths (get the pattern here)

Then the kids embellished them with buttons and glitter glue.

Another super easy cute Christmas craft for the kiddos

Christmas Tree Cones

2011-12-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

These Christmas trees were made with Sugar Cones, graham crackers, frosting tinted with green food coloring, and different candies. The kids loved making these and they were so simple.

Happy Birthday!!!

2011-12-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

11. Wow! How has it already been 11 years? It's so true that your kids grow up in the blink of an eye. Another fabulous year that has been filled with lots of new adventures, frustrations, and lots of love. I can't wait to see what this next year will bring us. I love you my sweet peanut, always and forever you will be my favorite girl.

To see last years birthday post go here

Manic Monday

2011-12-19T11:17:00.000-08:00

My honey and I tailgating. Go CARDS!!!

Mmmmm Kisses Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-12-16T09:50:00.000-08:00

These were going to be my orginal submission into the cookie exchange but the majority of them didn't hold their shape like these ones did. I of course wanted to have pretty cookies to give out to my family so the pretty ones will be given out and the not so pretty ones will be eaten by me my kids!

I figured out that the problem was I didn't get all the flour incorporated into the dough, Oops! So make sure everything gets mixed up really well or you will have funny looking cookies.

You will need:

Unwrapped Kisses

1 Cup Softended Butter

1/3 Cup Sugar

1/3 Cup Packed Brown Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

2 Cups Flour

1 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350

Beat Butter, Sugars, and Vanilla until creamed

Add Flour until well blended and smooth

Fold in Chocolate Chips

Mold some dough around a Kiss. You don't need a lot, just enough to cover the Kiss and roll into a ball

Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10-12 Mintues

Now here is my one complaint in regards to my holiday baking. Why doesn't Hershey's sell unwrapped Kisses around the holiday for baking? I unwrapped 3 1/2 bags of regular Kisses, 2 bags of Candy Cane Kisses, and 3 Bags of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I think the unwrapping took longer than the actual baking! I suggested this to them on Facebook, so next year if you see bags of unwrapped Kisses for sale, please come and thank me!

If you need anymore cookie inspiration please check out the ones I made last year

Original Recipe from Hershey's

Mmmmm Candy Cane Blossoms

2011-12-15T11:06:00.000-08:00

Here is another cookie that I made using a recipe from Hershey along with some Hershey Candy Cane Kisses. These cookies look so nice on a plate and they don't taste too bad either!

You will need:

48 Candy Cane Kisses

1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons milk

Red or green sugar crystals

Heat oven to 350

Beat butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla until well blended

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt

Alternate adding flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture

Shape dough into 1 inch balls

Roll in sugar crystals

Bake 8-10 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet

Cool for 2-3 minutes then top with an unwrapped kiss

These cook up so quickly, I ended up making a double batch so I can share with my family and friends. I hope you enjoy them!

Original recipe can be found here

Mmmmmm Reese's Peanut Butter Temptations

2011-12-14T12:54:00.000-08:00

This year I am doing a family cookie exchange and needed to find a recipe that could easily yeild 60+ cookies. I scoured my cookie board on Pinterest and made lists of possibilities. This particular recipe just seemed to call out to me. Maybe it's because I am such a fan of peanut butter and chocolate or maybe because they look so darn cute. Who knows but I made them and I am glad I did! I ended up following the recipe that was on the back of package of Reese's Cups, so that is the one I am going to share with you.

You will need:

About 40 Peanut Butter Cups

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup Creamy Peanut Butter

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Heat oven to 375°F.

Line small muffin cups with mini cupcake liners.

Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, peanut butter, egg and vanilla until light and fluffy in large bowl.

Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add to butter mixture, beating until well blended

Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place one in each prepared muffin cup

Bake 10 to 12 minutes

Let cool for 1/2 minutes.

Press a peanut butter cup into each cookie

Cool completely in muffin pan

*Cheater Version

Skip all those ingredients and buy pre-made peanut butter dough and follow the directions above from the baking on down.

Original Inspiration from Baked to Perfection

Recipe used from Hershey's

Ribbon Christmas Tree Shirt

2011-12-13T13:23:00.000-08:00

This ribbon shirt was made for another swap using more traditional Christmas colors. I used Liquid Stitch for the ribbons and sewed the star on on the top. I am not sure how well Liquid Stitch will hold up with everyday wear and tear (especially with infants/toddler) but it would make a cute Christmas picture outfit!

Manic Monday

2011-12-12T08:42:00.000-08:00

Along with wrappting this is what I was busy with over the weekend.

Recipes to come this week!

Star Ornament

2011-12-07T12:22:00.000-08:00

So easy and so pretty! I used a cardboard star ornament, sheet music, and glitter. Use Mod Podge to apply the sheet music to the star, put glue around the edges and sprinkle on some glitter of your choice. Easy Peasy!

You could make these using wooden stars of all shapes and sized then hang them on the tree or make a pretty garland. The possibilities really are endless!

Mmmmmm Cookies & Creme Cupcakes

2011-12-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

I saw the recipe for these at Bakerella and was so excited to try them out. I have never seen cupcakes like this before. The trick is to plop an Oreo into the cookie before you bake it and it will rise to the top as you can see here.

I frosted then rolled in crushed up cookies. YUMMO!

I made these for my family's Cupcake Wars. I don't know if we had a specific winner or not, everyone had such good offerings.

Christmas Tree Shirt

2011-11-30T07:40:00.000-08:00

This shirt was made for the Ongoing Holiday Wish Swap. It's a ribbon Christmas tree! Love the way this turned out and have made another one for another swap already.

Avon News

2011-11-29T07:26:00.000-08:00

You may have noticed the shop my store link over there ------> I became and independant sales representative for Avon in August. So far I am loving it. I have been using and loving Avon products for over 10 years and now I can share that with others. Avon products are never tested on animals and the company supports many worthy causes inclduing breast cancer research and battered womens shelters. Since I have my own little space on the web I wanted to share with you some of the products that I am currently using and loving.

I am a bit crazy when it comes to shower gels, lotions, and body sprays. I have a large collection and I use a different scent every day. I even have summer and winter sets that I rotate out each season. Right now I am using Avon Naturals in Sugar Plum & Vanilla, Glazed Apple & Walnut, and Blackberry & Vanilla. Yummy!

I start and end my days with skincare. I use Solutions Radience Day Lotion, Night Cream, and Eye Gels. I also recently discovered Avon's ExtraLasting Liquid Foundation and Avon's Smooth Minerals Blush. I have been using Rose Radience and it seems to give a really nice sun kissed look!

Go check it out and sign up for my email list to get the latest products and deals delivered to your inbox!

Manic Monday

2011-11-28T09:00:00.000-08:00

Kids hanging with Gramps at the zoo

Earrings

2011-11-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

These six pairs of earrings were made for a partner in the Ongoing Holiday Wish Swap. My favorite pair are the blue ones in the first photo. I want to make a pair for myself but I am not sure that I have any more of the silver beads.....

I hope everyone has a fantastic Thanksgiving and fun Black Friday!

Manic Monday

2011-11-21T09:53:00.001-08:00

First Trip to the State Fair and they were all Winners!

Friday Fix-Homemade Wipes

2011-11-18T07:47:00.000-08:00

I don't have a photo for this post since it would basically be a picture of a tupperware filled with paper towels. I am sure you can use your imagination to picture what that looks like! I wish when I was younger I would have be more into taking care of my skin. Now I remove my make-up at night and use lots of different face creams and sunblock everyday. (If you need some great day/night stuff go shop my Avon store) I like to use makeup remover wipes at night but man they are expensive! So thanks to White House, Black Shutters I can now make my own! Depending on what you put in here you can use these as make up remover wipes, baby wipes, or cleaning wipes. To make the makeup remover wipes you will need:

1 Roll of Bounty Select a Size Paper Towels
2 Cups Water
2 tsp Coconut Oil (I got mine at Sprouts)
2 Squirts of you favorite facial cleanser
A Container

First you cut your roll of paper towels in half
In a bowl mix water, coconut oil, and cleanser
Place paper towels in container, pour the mixture over them
Put the lid on and turn upside down for at least five minutes
After five minutes, turn right side up, pull out the cardboard roll in the middle, then pull your first wipe up from the middle.

These work so well and keep my skin so nice and soft. It's a win win! Saving money and getting wipes that contain no harsh chemicals :)

Visit White House, Black Shutters for the recipes for baby wipes and cleaning wipes.

Day of the Dead Hoopla

2011-11-16T07:47:00.000-08:00

This was made for the Ongoing Wish swap and was VERY hard to send away. Luckily I bought the pattern from Urban Threads and can make another for myself. I used a running stitch for the majority of the peice. There are a few places that have some satin stitching. I wouldn't change anything about this one! Love the colors and stitches.

Manic Monday

2011-11-14T07:43:00.001-08:00

First picture of me and both my parents in about 27 years

Pick Your Plum

2011-11-09T09:29:00.000-08:00

Pick Your Plum

I seriously adore this website. I am not sure how I stumbled across it but I am glad I did. They have great deals on all kinds of craft supplies and items. They also provide some crafty inspiration.

Everyday I get an email with their deal of the day. The three kits I have pictured below were all under $7 and that includes the shipping!

Here are a few of the things I have ordered:

A 2 sets of metal leaves to make earrings. The earwires and jump rings were included too!

Skeleton Keys. There was also a small silver one but it was used before this photo was taken

A pendant set. The little squares are each a blank canvas just waiting for glitter, resin, or something!

I have also ordered a personalized stamp and a set of rings and resin flowers that I am waiting to arrive.

You gotta hurry though, all their quantities are limited!

Manic Monday

2011-11-07T12:51:00.000-08:00

2011 JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes

Bugs and Hisses

2011-11-03T10:53:00.000-07:00

These were little gift bags that I filled with "Bugs and Hisses" for my kiddo's teachers. I stamped the tags and used double sided tape for the ribbon. I forgot about putting these together until Monday morning so it was a rush job! They are filled with Hershey's Hugs and Kisses. Super cute and easy Halloween gift for neighbors or teachers.

Orginal Inspiration from The Autocrat who's are much fancier than mine!

Halloween 2011

2011-11-01T08:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we did a flashback to Halloween 2010. Well last night I had a super cute pirate and Darth Vader. Little miss insited on wearing my boots and her feet were pretty sore from walking around in heels!

Hope everyone had a fabulous Halloween!!!

Manic Monday

2011-10-31T13:12:00.001-07:00

Halloween 2010

Halloween Luminaries Tutorial

2011-10-27T14:33:00.000-07:00

To make your own luminaries you will need a paper bag, vellum, a silhouette cut out, and a glue stick. I got lucky and found these pre-cut silhouettes at the Dollar Tree. Since I made these for a swap I used nice bags but if I was going to do a set for myself I would probably use the paper lunch sack style.

Begin by gluing your silhouette to the vellum them cutting it out. Be sure to leave about 1/2 inch on each side of the cut out so you can glue it.

Trace the vellum onto the bag and cut a out the piece on the inside of your traced lines as you want the hole to be smaller than the vellum you will be gluing in.

Put glue around the edge of the vellum and glue to the inside of the bag. After some trial and error I found it best to have the shape on the inside of the bag.

Place a no flame tea light in the bag and there you go!

THESE ARE FLAMMABLE!!!! DO NOT USE REGULAR TEA LIGHTS. KEEP AWAY FROM FLAME!!!!

Manic Monday

2011-10-24T08:53:00.000-07:00

Adia with her bat pumpkin she made for a class decorating contest

Fall Owls

2011-10-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

Here are three necklaces and a bracelet that were made for the 13 Days of Halloween Mini Swap. The package that these were in is still missing. Last I heard it was in PA which is a long ways from MI. Hopefully it will get tracked down and make it to it's rightful owner. Especially since I don't think I took photos of everything that was included!

Manic Monday

2011-10-10T10:16:00.000-07:00

Googly Eye Frame I received in the 13 Days of Halloween Mini Swap

Foodie Friday-Sweet N Salty Cookies

2011-10-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

I love sweet and salty stuff. Chocolate covered pretzels, chocolate covered peanuts, salted carmels......Yummo! So when I ran across this recipe on Pinterest I knew I HAD to try it! I didn't use the recipe exactly as it appears. In fact I used the tried and true Nestle Toll House Cookie receipe for the dough. Then I used crushed pretzels, milk chocolate chip, and semi chocolate chips. Finally I sprinkled the cookies with pretzel salt then baked em! These were a little bit of heaven. Use the cookie recipe of your choice and just mix in the extras. If you don't have pretzel salt you can use a little of whatever you have on hand. Hope you enjoy these as much as I did!

Recipe Adapted from one found at Sugar Cooking

Boo!

2011-10-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Another decoration I made for the 13 Days of Halloween Mini Swap. Unfortunately one of the two boxes I sent hasn't made it to it's destination yet. I had to call the post office and hopefully they will either get it to the correct address or get it returned to me ASAP! I haven't been having very good luck with the postal service lately. A swap package that was on it's way to me just disappeared....bah!

Manic Monday

2011-10-03T13:10:00.000-07:00

I got a Halloween Stocking in the 13 Days of Halloween Mini Swap! Filled to the brim with candy too :)

Foodie Friday-Oven Fried Chicken

2011-09-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

This looks just like fried chicken strips doesn't it? Well it was fried, but in the OVEN using Olive Oil. I am normally not a fan of baked chicken. It never seems to get crispy, the breading is mushy, and always sticks to the bottom of the pan. YUCK! I was a little worried that this was going to happen, espcially when I flipped the strips and they were not crispy at all. To my surprise, I was wrong and these ended up crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. There are no exact measurements for this recipe except for the amount of oil, use your best judgement depending on how much chicken you are going to make. Also you can season the breading however you choose. This is what I used....

You will need:

Chicken Tenders

Flour

Garlic Powder

Pepper

Beaten Eggs

Breadcrumbs (I used Panko)

Paprika

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 350

Pour Olive Oil into a baking dish

Combine the flour, garlic powder, and pepper in one bowl

Beat the eggs in a second bowl

Pour the breadcrumbs in a third bowl

Dredge the chicken in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs

Lay flat in baking dish

Sprinkle with paprika

Once all the chicken has been breaded bake for 1/2 hour

Take chicken out and flip

Bake for an additional 1/2 hour or until juices run clear

Drain on paper towels

Enjoy!

This recipe adapted from the one found at From Marrige to Motherhood

Being Shared at:

Halloween 2011 Kickoff

2011-09-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

I am participating in the 2001 13 Days of Halloween Mini Swap. I had to make 13 days worth of crafts for my partner. I suppose it's time to start posting them. These two items started as plain wood and were embelleshed with paint, glitter, and glue. The first is a cute Halloween frame. Looking at it now, I wish I would have put a photo in the frame. The words and the pumpkin were purchased already painted as my painting skills are not up to par!

Next up is a little wooden sign. I painted the sign and the letters. Glued them on and added some googly eyes. You can't go wrong with googly eyes!

Manic Monday

2011-09-26T09:59:00.000-07:00

Watching Lion King 3D

Foodie Friday- Cheese Sticks

2011-09-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

These are so tasty, really just as good as at any resturaunt and better than the frozen kind!

They do take a bit of time since you need to freeze the cheese before you can fry them so give yourself a bit of time before jumping in. The coating can be made to your liking but I do recommend using Panko Breadcrumbs as they kick up the crispness.

You will need:

Mozzerella Sticks cut in half

1 1/2 Cups Panko Breadcrumbs

4 tsp Italian Seasoning

2 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

Pepper to taste

4 Eggs

1 Cup Flour

Oil for Frying

Mix the breadcrumbs, seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper in one bowl

Add flour to a separate bowl

Mix eggs in a 3rd bowl

Dredge the cheese sticks in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. You can do this twice for extra crispy sticks but keep in mind it gets messy!

Place breaded stick on separate plate

Once all the sticks have been coated place in the freezer for at least 2 hours

Heat Oil to 350 and fry until golden brown.

Enjoy!

This recipe is adaped from Food People Want

Hoopla of Love

2011-09-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

The stupid stamps added a bit of extra ink to this piece but overall it's still cute! I suppose I should have stamped first sewed second but it honestly never even crossed my mind. Ooops!

Foodie Friday-Crock Pot BBQ Chicken

2011-09-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

I was a bit skeptical about this recipe. BBQ chicken from a crock pot? If you read my post last week you know how I feel about my meat being grilled. I must say though that I was pleasantly surprised with how well this turned out. I even had two kids who cleared their plates of all the chicken. I am really starting to LOVE my crock pot, but I do need to get more liners for it cause I don't care for the clean-up.

You will need:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 bottle BBQ sauce of your choice

1/4 c vinegar

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/4 c brown sugar

1/2 - 1 tsp. garlic powder

Mix all ingredients to make the sauce

Place chicken in crock pot

Pour the sauce over the chicken

Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours

I used 3 breasts and cooked it on low for 4 hours.

I served it with the Best Broccoli EVER! Which you can find here.

BBQ Chicken Recipe found at Stick a Fork In It

Manic Monday

2011-09-12T10:51:00.001-07:00

French Fry Fangs!

Foodie Friday-Pork Chop Marinade

2011-09-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

I grew up in a mild climate for most of my life and I prefer my meat to be grilled. I know there are a lot of people who grew up with oven baked or broiled meat and honestly it just doesn't cut it for me. I remember helping to mix up marinades out of teriyaki and whatever else we happened to have on hand then tossing it on the grill. Oh those teriyaki chicken breasts were divine! In Montana every summer it was a special day when we got have poor boy for dinner. Now I realize that it was a london broil that was marinated in something special (I still don't know what)

The one thing I don't ever remember marinating was pork chops. They were grilled then slathered with BBQ sauce before ending up on my plate. I have never even though to marinate chops until I came across this recipe. These are so juicy and good.

You will need:

4 Pork Chops

1/4 cup olive oil

2 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp steak seasoning

(I half this recipe)

Combine olive oil, soy sauce, and steak seasoning.

Add pork and marinate for 6-8 hours

Grill

So easy and so good you may never go back to using BBQ sauce again!

Receipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Moo Moo Moose

2011-09-08T09:28:00.000-07:00

This was supposed to be my Wednesday post but my days are all wonky due to being off work Monday.....

This moose artwork was made for someone in the Ongoing Wish Swap. The orginial artwork it was inspired by actually had a cow painted on by my partner requested a moose. I cut strips of paper in the colors she indicated then glued them on one by one to a sheet of paper. I then cut out a stencil of the moose and painted him on. It was originally framed by it broke in transit.

I love seeing the different things that people interesting. This is something I would have never thought to do on my own but now I have a ton of ideas with lots of different animals in mind.

Manic Monday

2011-09-06T10:11:00.000-07:00

Foodie Friday-Chick-Fil-A Knockoff

2011-09-02T12:54:00.000-07:00

So if you know me personally you know that I LOVE Chick-Fil-A! I could seriously eat there everyday and not get sick of it. Adia doesn't like it though (she's crazy) so it's usually a lunch treat for me and my best girly friend. They have the best chicken nuggets and sandwiches ever! Now since they use a special method to cook the chicken I don't think I could ever really replicate the orginal but this comes pretty close!

You will need:

1 egg

1 cup milk

1 lb. boneless chicken breasts

1 1/4 cup flour

2 Tbsp powdered sugar

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp chili powder

Oil

In a large bowl whisk milk and egg together

Cut the chicken into bite sized chunks

Add the chicken to the milk mixture and let soak for at least 30 minutes

In another large bowl combine the dry ingredients listed above and stir

Heat up your oil

Dredge a few peices of chicken at a time into the flour mixture then toss them into the hot oil

Cook each side for until golden brown and no longer pink in the middle

Repeat the same steps with the rest of the chicken and serve

It is sweet and salty perfection! You could even serve these with baked waffle fries for the full Chick-Fil-A effect!

Recipe from A Zesty Bite

Love Bomb

2011-09-01T10:26:00.000-07:00

This week the Love Bomb mission is for a blog that I nominated, Ellison Kate. I don't know this family personally but heard about their story through a friend on Facebook. I can't even imagine what this couple is going through. Matt and April just lost their daughter Ellison on 08/28/2011. She was 12 weeks old. Ellie's big sister Maddy also passed away in 2010. My heart is breaking for this family and I know they are deserving of some love. So please take a minute to visit their blog and leave a comment showing your support.

If you would like further information about Love Bomb or to be emailed every week with each new mission please visit Love Bomb and sign up!

Baby's First Birthday

2011-08-31T10:14:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a while. I have had sick kids at home which is no fun! It has also been cutting into my crafting time a bit. I finally got my craft room all done so I broke out the sewing machine to make a gift for a special guy who is turning one soon!

Last year I made some handmade baby stuffs for a friend and now baby Brody is about to turn one!

You can take a look at Brody modeling one of the hats I made him here.

Now that he is going to turn one his mama made sure to (strongly) hint to me that she wanted me to make him something. So I made him his very own I Spy quilt. It's smaller than the ones I made my kiddos but I still love it and I hope he will too!

Manic Monday

2011-08-22T09:08:00.000-07:00

I know the picture is small, I can't resize it but it's Landon's first fish!

Foodie Friday-Dessert Crescent Rolls

2011-08-19T16:01:00.000-07:00

These are a super quick and easy (and tasty) way to use Crescent Rolls. You can fill them with whatever you choose. All you have to do is fill em, roll em, and bake em up according to the package directions.

I filled mine with marshmallows and chocolate chips......

And peanut butter and chocolate chips.......

Mmmmm golden and delishious!

Original recipe can be found at Northern Cottage

Love Bomb

2011-08-18T10:18:00.000-07:00

It's Thursday so that means that we get to drop another Love Bomb today! Today's love is going to
Captain Gregory Galeazzi who was severely injured in Afghanistan in an explosion that left his right arm badly damaged, and also caused him to lose both of his legs. Please leave some love in the form of a comment at Captain Gregory Galeazzi

If you think this whole Love Bomb thing is a cool idea, feel free to share with anyone who may be interested. They can help with this mission, and also sign up for any future ones here: http://dropalovebomb.com/
You can also follow us on Twitter: @dropalovebomb

Hooty Hoo

2011-08-17T09:44:00.000-07:00

Fun little felt owl hoopla. I made this for a partner in the Ongoing Wish Swap who requested hoops in the colors of red, aqua, and lime green. She had a cute little owl hoopla on her pinterest so I came up with this guy. The owl pattern was found here and I stamped the word HOOT with black ink.

Manic Monday

2011-08-15T08:39:00.000-07:00

First Day of School was today. The kids started at a brand new school today and poor Adia was so nervous. She started crying once it was time for her to go to her side of the school. Luckily there was a really nice teacher(?) who helped her and was trying to talk her through the tears. I hope the rest of the day gets better for her.

She is going to start walking home from school this year and so she got a cell phone. I know it's turned off so I already sent her a text that she will get when she turns it on after school.

Landon is a big first grader this year and as usual is excited to go and not nervous about meeting new people. In fact he was already chatting up other kids as we walked to the office!

Here's hoping this turns out to be a great school year and that they both make lots of new friends!

Here are the pictures from last year's first day of school. I can't believe how much they have changed in just one year!

Foodie Friday-Wow Chicken Again and Again

2011-08-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

Remember the recipe for Wow Chicken I posted a few weeks ago? Well I hope you made extra so that you can make these two meals that both utilize the Wow Chicken. Now you could use regular grilled chicken but really it just wouldn't be as good. Trust me I have tried it both ways!

This first recipe is one of my favorites. I don't like spaghetti. Now I like noodles, just not with any kind of sauce. When we eat regular spaghetti for dinner in my house I eat a bowl of noodles with some olive oil and garlic on top. It's how I like it but I am always hungry an hour later since there is no protien in the meal. So for my pasta night I like to make this meal. Before I discovered the recipe for Wow Chicken I just used regular grilled chicken and you can too but it really is better to use left over Wow chicken! Since this is a recipe that I just made up (I have seen a few things similar to it online) I don't follow an exact recipe. It's so simple though that you can a more of this or that to suit your tastes.

You will need:

Cooked Noodles of your choice I like bowtie or the curly noodles for this one

Cooked chicken cut into bite sized pieces

Olive Oil

Minced Garlic

Lemon Juice

Salt & Pepper

Optional: Cooked Veggies I used steamed broccoli (I love you Steam Fresh!)

In the pot that you cooked the noodles in pour in some olive oil and saute your minced garlic. Be careful cause it burns quickly!

Once it's a bit browned and soft toss your noodles back in with the chicken and the cooked veggies if you want em. Squirt in some lemon juice, add some salt & pepper, and stir to combine. Add more olive oil if needed.

Seriously one of my favorite meals. I always make extra so I can bring it for lunch the next day!

Our new favorite is to make Grilled Pizza! I won't bore you with the specifics since you can find a tutorial on just about any blog out there these days. The one I used was from Mels Kitchen Cafe (my cooking hero lately. I adapted the Wow Chicken from of her recipes and have a great pork chop one I am going to share)

Anywhoo I do a few things differently since I can't follow directions very well.....

I use a grill pan. Yes, it is kind of cheating but it makes things so much easier. Well and the first time I tried this I didn't have this little baby and I burnt the crap outta my hand.

So I use a grill pan and I use pre-made dough. Please don't think less of me....

Go turn the grill on and let it heat up. While it's warming up, either brush or spray the pan with olive oil. Spread the dough. I split it in two as it makes it easier for me to flip. Then either spray or brush the top with olive oil.

You will also need to gather your sauce, toppings, and a metal spatula or tongs. If you plan on using meat toppings they will need to be pre-cooked as these babies aren't on the grill long enough to cook meat.

For this batch I made a plain cheese and a garlicy, buttery, cheesy, chickeny pizza!

Again before putting my crusts on the grill I heated up some butter and garlic powder and stirred it all up. I used this awesome mixture instead of sauce on one of the pizza's then topped it with the cheese and left over Wow Chicken!

It was divine as you can see from the remnants of our lunch.....

I recommend grilled pizza to everyone! Since I cheat a bit it only takes about 10 minutes from start to finish and it doesn't heat up the house.

Love Bomb

2011-08-11T10:06:00.000-07:00

Let's drop a Love Bomb on Grace and her family today over at Tales from Graceland. Grace is 4 months old and is facing open heart surgery in a few days. Please visit her the blog and leave show some love in the form of a comment.

If you would like to get weekly notifications from Love Bomb you can sign up here.

Earrings

2011-08-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

These 10 sets of earrings were made for two different partners in an earring swap. I love making earrings because the possibilities are endless and they come together pretty quickly.

I really need to work on my photography skills. Its hard to see the details. You would think with a brother so talented in photography I would know better. Sorry :(

Manic Monday (oops a day late)

2011-08-09T16:13:00.000-07:00

3 of my favorite food posts from the past year

Brownie Sundae’s
Chicken Taco’s
Egg Rolls

Love Bomb

2011-08-04T10:42:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I have posted about Love Bomb. In case you don't know what a Love Bomb is...Once a week we come together to drop a Love Bomb (in the form of blog comments) for those who need some love. It doesn't take much time and costs nothing to send a little online love to someone in need.

You can visit the site that is linked above to sign up for the weekly emails or to give suggestions of someone who could use some online love.

This week's Love Bomb is is being dropped on Michael and his Family over at Sludog Millionaire. Michael has suffered with Encephalitis since December 2010. Go and spread the love to Michael and his family.

.

Zombies.....

2011-08-03T09:29:00.000-07:00

I ordered the book Zombie Felties cause these guys looked too cute! Who doesn't like a cute Zombie? In the book there are patterns, instructions, and directions on how to do some of the stitches. There are quite a few different zombies to choose from. My favorites are the bunny and Michael Jackson.

Luckily an Ongoing Wish Swapper likes zombies too and put zombie plushies or something of the like on her wishlist. It was perfect timing!

The only thing I didn't realize when I ordered the book is that these creatures are REALLY small sized! So I made two, a zombie kitty and a zombie puppy.

I didn't have huge selection of felt colors to choose from and so I wasn't able to use the recommended colors from the book but I am still happy with the way turned out.

Manic Monday

2011-08-01T09:05:00.001-07:00

San Diego 2011...

Photos were taken by my brother! Check out his new blog Lucas Nowel

Foodie Friday-Wow Chicken

2011-07-29T10:36:00.000-07:00

Okay so this isn't really called Wow Chicken but that is what it made me say the first time I tried it. I found the recipe for Lemon and Garlic Chicken at Mel's Kitchen Cafe and boy am I glad I did! It's easy and one of the best marinades I have found. It will for sure be replacing the pre-made stuff in the bottle that I tend to reach for. I adapted the recipe a bit to meet my families tastes. This requires at least 8 hours of time to marinate, so plan ahead.

You will need:

4 Tbsp lemon juice

3 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp minced garlic

Some salt and Pepper

1 pound chicken breasts I used chicken tenders

Pretty easy, mix, pour over chicken, and marinate in the fridge! You do need to marinate overnight or all day. I started mine in the morning before work and cooked them up for dinner that night.

We grilled ours but you can also probably do them on the stovetop as mentioned on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

So good all on it's own but you should make extra so you can use the leftovers in another recipe (or two!) Next week I will show you what I used the chicken for!

Being Shared at:

Button Hoopla

2011-07-27T12:54:00.000-07:00

Seems like I have been away from the blog forever! We bought a house, moved, and then went on a long weekend getaway not too long after the moving craziness. I feel like I haven't slowed down in over a month!

Even though I haven't unpacked all of my craft room yet I have made a few things for swaps. Seems like everyone (including me) wants hoops of some sort in the Ongoing Wish Swap I do every month. I can embroider a bit, but I am really liking some of the hoops that involve more than just stitches.

This particular hoop was on a wish list and seemed like something I could easily do. I ordered the right colored buttons and just happened to have the perfect cloth. Adia even helped me place some of the buttons. The only thing I wish I had done was maybe dye the hoop to be blue or green.

So here you have my Seahorse Button Hoopla.

Now I need to find something to do with all the left over green and blue buttons I have! Any ideas?

Manic Monday

2011-07-18T09:17:00.000-07:00

This cracks me up! Seriously I am this scared of birds too, I feel your pain

Summer Jewels

2011-07-13T15:51:00.000-07:00

These colors remind me of summer, sunning on the beach. This set could be worn together or separately depending on your mood. I am really digging the turquoise colors lately in just about everything, jewelry, shirts, shoes. Pink? Well I always love pink....

Manic Monday

2011-07-11T12:41:00.000-07:00

I've been a bit busy making this into our home

Manic Monday

2011-06-20T09:50:00.001-07:00

Sometime in 2008

Foodie Friday-Garlic Roasted Potoatoes

2011-06-17T13:25:00.000-07:00

I love potatoes. I could eat them with every single meal. They are so versatile and can be prepared in so many different ways. In fact for the next four weeks I am going to show you at least four different ways to make potoatoes.

You will need:

Potatoes (I used red)

Minced Garlic

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

You can also add pretty much anything else you deem worthy

Preheat your oven to 450

Cube your potatoes

Then place the cut potoatoes in a bowl

Toss with olive oil and garlic

Spred over a foil lined sheet

Sprinkle with salt and pepper

Pop em in the oven for 35-40 minutes until golden stirring halfway through. I like mine a bit crispy so I keep them in the whole 40 minutes.

Enjoy!

A Tea Party

2011-06-16T15:36:00.000-07:00

Over at Tip Junkie they are looking for Birthday Party Ideas and I realized I never posted any information about how I did my daughters Tea Party Themed party this past year. I wanna share how much fun and easy this party was to put together!

We had the party in the park and wanted to try a Mad Tea Party kind of look.

I made this cupcake stand out of glasses and different colored plates I found at a thrift store. Glued them together using E6000. I in fact used it again at my birthday party too!

I purchased mismatched tea cups, saucers, and tea pots at my local thrift store. Each place setting also had gloves, a feather boa, and a sparkly ring.

We served brownie bites & mini marshmallow crispy squares with colorful sprinkles.....

The mini cupcakes were frosted with blue and green which are her favorite colors.

We also had glass fish bowls from the $1 Store filled with colorful candies and Pixie Stix

I had girls that were asking if they could have a party exactly like this one! Thanks to all the bloggers out there who helped inspire this party!

Baby Blanket

2011-06-15T09:06:00.000-07:00

Here is a baby blanket I made out of fabric squares for the Ongoing Wish Swap. I love how this one turned out! I need to get my hands on more squares so I can make more for Christmas gifts!

I also sent along the first ever hat that I crocheted!

And the Winner Is......

2011-06-15T08:54:00.000-07:00

Sam from Samantha McNesby!!! Sam I can't find an email address for you so please get in touch with me by Friday or else I will have to pick again.

I used Random.org in order to pick the winner! Thanks to everyone who commented and all my new followers, I hope you enjoy my blog!

Well Since I haven't heard back from Sam I chose a new winner via Random.org. Alex!

Last Day to Enter

2011-06-14T06:52:00.001-07:00

Today is the last day to enter the Grab Bag Giveaway if you are already a follower of this blog leave a comment!

Foodie Friday-French Bread Pizza

2011-06-10T10:24:00.000-07:00

This a super easy and quick lunch or dinner idea. I love french bread pizza and used just buy the frozen Stouffers ones but they cost a lot, only feed me, and take forever to cook!

I decided that I could make my own at home for a lot cheaper, quicker, and have enough to feed everyone!

What you need:

A Loaf of French Bread

Pizza Sauce

Cheese

Your Choice of Toppings

Preheat the oven to 450

Cut your loaf in half

Bake the untopped halves for 5-10 minutes until the edges start to toast

Don't skip this step otherwise your bread won't cook well. The pizza will be really soft and not so good.

Now you want to top it.

First spread the sauce (then I sprinkle on a little garlic powder)

Add your cheese and toppings of your choosing.

Put it back in the oven for 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly

Cut and Serve!

To make it a family affair you could cut the bread into 4 servings before baking so that everyone can top their own with what they want.

Grab Bag Giveaway

2011-06-09T09:45:00.000-07:00

Well the craft room has been packed and while I was cleaning it out I packed a special medium flat rate box full of stuff to send out to someone. There is some fancy yarn, stuff for papercrafts, an alterable board book, craft magazines, and I can't remember what else....

Source

If you want this box of randomness please leave me a comment and your email address. I will pick a winner on 06/15/2011.

You must be in the US and a follower of my blog to win!

Craft Fail....

2011-06-08T10:11:00.000-07:00

For my birthday I got a the wonderful gift of a Nook Color E-Reader. I knew that I wanted to be able to carry this sucker around with me all the time and it not get damaged. I have seen lots of e-reader cases all over the web. Well my sewing skills are not wonderful and I didn't want to shell out the money for a pattern so I just made a super simple case and made it up as I went along. I measured my reader, cut out the fabric, and used some batting for the padding. I even went so far as to try and do a little quilting to make it a little fancier. Ummm yeah CRAFT FAIL......

I am really not sure how the fabric shrunk up so much, upon being sewed toghether. I guess that's what I get for not using "real" measurements. Stinks too cause I fussy cut so that the skull shapes would be front and center. *sigh* No clue what to do with this tiny thing but it ain't going to be a Nook holder....

Back to the drawing board. The second time around I cut the fabric a bit larger, didn't quilt, actually sewed it up a little differently. I mainly made these changes out of laziness..

But it worked! It's nothing super fancy and I am kinda sad that the skulls aren't the way I wanted them but it serves it's purpose.

I still want one of the fancy cases and may splurge and buy myself the pattern one of these days.

Manic Monday

2011-06-06T14:06:00.000-07:00

Flashback Summer 2004

Myself and and Lando (before I knew it was Lando)

Grab Bag Giveaway

2011-06-01T14:46:00.000-07:00

Would anyone be interested in a Giveaway? I am moving and have a ton of stuff from my craft room that I was going to donate but I thought a giveaway might be better. I would fill up a flat rate box full of random supplies and crafty goodness and send to the winner. The box could have yarn, fabric/scraps, ribbon, scrapbooking stuff, stickers, and who knows what else. Would anyone be interested? If so I will do a posting next week.....Please comment and let me know.

Manic Monday er um I mean Tuesday.....

2011-05-31T14:31:00.000-07:00

I apologize for the lack of posts last week. Due to technical difficulties I lost the pictures for the craft and recipe I was going to share.

I am back this week though :) With a picture of our kitties being all cute.

Manic Monday

2011-05-23T08:53:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to my kindergarten graduate!!!

Foodie Friday-Brownie Sundae's

2011-05-20T12:41:00.000-07:00

I think I have discovered why I am having such a hard time losing weight. It's because I like to eat things like this:

And this is a picture before I added toppings.....

Brownies, ice cream, marshmallow frosting, and Mini M&M's, OH YEAH.....

I suppose this could be made a bit healthier with a few small changes and would probably be just as good. You will need:

1 Box of Brownie mix ( I followed the directions on the box except I used applesauce instead of oil)

Vanilla Ice Cream (you could also use a low-fat something or other)

Mini M&M's (okay these aren't necessary but they are fun!)

Marshmallow Frosting (again not necessary but oh so good)

1/2 cup butter or margerine

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 jar marshmallow cream

1 tsp Vanilla

Beat together until blended

Bake the brownies as directed on the box using a 9X13 pan

Cool completely

Cut in half

Layer 1/2 of brownies, Marshmallow Frosting, Vanilla Ice Cream, and top with other half of brownies.

Smoosh some mini M&M's around the sides.

Freeze until 15 minutes before you are ready to serve.

Once you are ready to serve cut into slices and top as you please. I like mine with chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and more mini's

Mmmmmm how can you resist???

BAZINGA! Nerd

2011-05-18T09:44:00.000-07:00

Stenciled shirts seem to be my fall back craft for every swap! Seems that everyone wants a shirt of some sort and I just happen to know how to stencil shirts.

This one was made for the March Birthday swap and the person is a fan of Big Bang Theory. I am not familiar with the show myself but kinda like this phrase all the same.

I was not happy with how this shirt came out. First off I wanted to use a red shirt but couldn't find one. Second the Yudu ink I used just looks funny. It was supposed to be yellow, not gold with yellow streaks.

So since I was unhappy with that shirt I made a second attempt. I used a different colored tee that I just happened to have and a different font for the shirt. It's hard to screw up black ink and so I like this attempt much better.

This next shirt was made in the Ongoing Wish Swap. Not a whole heck of a lot too it but it's super cute!

There was supposed to be a second shirt to go along with this NERD one but my attempt at bleach stenciling didn't work so well. I am going to have to try it again one of these days....

Sweet M&M's

2011-05-18T09:43:00.000-07:00

I participated in the Mini M&M tube swap. We had to decorate a tube and fill it up for our partners. Since I couldn't get my hands on a mega tube I made three small ones.

A sweet gnome and mushroom made out of felt with a mini M&M tube as a base!

Each tube was then filled with all kinds of tiny goodies and papers.

Then to play on my partners love of girly stuff...

A sparkly pink and silver sequined tube.

I haven't received my tubes yet but I am excited to see what I get!

Foodie Friday-Root Beer Float Cupcakes

2011-05-13T09:50:00.000-07:00

Fridays are usually Friday Fix days but recently they seem to have been the day that showcase new recipes so I am starting Foodie Fridays! I guess Fridays will be a surprise from now on, you won't know if you are getting a Foodie Friday or a Friday fix!

So for today's Foodie Friday we will be making Root Beer Cupcakes. You really only need 4 ingredients if you cheat and use a can of frosting.

You will need:

1 box White Cake mix

1 can of Root Beer (diet works too or so I am told)

1Tbsp Root Beer Extract (I found mine at Wal-Mart)

1 can Vanilla Frosting

Combine the cake mix, root beer, and extract

Pour into muffin cups and bake according to package directions

Cool Completely

Now you can either just frost em and serve em or you try to get fancy like I did and...

Use a melon baller to scoop a bit outta the middle so they are filled cupcakes!

I just used the round tip to put in the filling then continued to frost em.

I added a red Peanut M&M and a straw to really fancify them.

My family had their own version of "Cupcake Wars" on Easter and I think I just may have to enter these the next time....

The cupcake recipe was adapted from one found at Gourmet Mom on-the-go

Manic Monday

2011-05-09T05:53:00.000-07:00

Foodie Friday Chicken Tacos

2011-05-06T10:51:00.000-07:00

These are THE BEST chicken taco's I have EVER had. They are better than any that I have ever had while eating out. They are super easy, super tasty, and super inexpensive! We plan on making these quite often and the recipe made enough for two dinners, I just bagged and froze the leftovers. We even plan on making these the next time we have friends over rather than BBQing.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

2 lbs Bonless Skinless Chicken Breasts

1 Small Can Diced Chiles

1 12 oz Jar of Salsa (you can use whatever kind you hot or mild)

1/2 Diced Onion

1 1/2 Tbsp Minced Garlic

Throw everything in the crock pot stir it up and set it on low for 7 hours

(or if you are like me and get impatient, I set it on low for about 5 hours then turned it to high for an hour)

Take the chicken out and use two forks to shred it.

Put it back in the crock pot with the juices

I left in there are warm while I fried up the corn tortillas to make taco shells. You can see how I do that here

Then make up your tacos with whatever fixings you like. Sorry there is no picture of the actual tacos since they got scarfed so fast! We used cheese and sour cream in ours (well just cheese in mine, sour cream? bleh). That's really all they needed!

You gotta try this one!

Adapted from from the recipe found on Disney Family.com

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Under The Sea Hoopla

2011-05-04T08:57:00.000-07:00

This Under the Sea hoop was made for Dawl in the Ongoing Wish Swap. Instead of embroidering the bubbles and tail fins I added sequins! I am so happy with how it turned out! The sequins really add a new dimension and anything that sparkles is a good thing!

The hardest part to do is the face. I tried to use the techniques described on Sublime Stitching but I haven't quite mastered it yet.....Will have to keep practicing.