Copy Cat Valentine

Last year I loved this idea that Blue Cricket Design did for her Valentine’s Day Cards.


So I copied it with my kiddos too.

This year I ‘m still loving the idea, but went with a Hugs-n-kisses theme rather than we’re crazy for you.

Once I had my pictures shot Iuploaded them to picnik.

 And edited them to my liking.

Simply cut them out, and double side taped them to some themed scrapbook paper I picked up at Hob Lob.

Then ran a zig zag stitch in an alternating color.

And there you have it.


Cute, fun and super duper easy!


The ideas are endless with what you can do.

Goodwill Gathering

Did a little bit of GW shopping this week…

Five yards of vintage lace for $.99 cents.

Super cute tin candy box stamped England on the bottom, $1.89. I am not sure why I have been drawn lately to vintage candy boxes. So many different ways to use them.

Mint condition 1963 children’s book in French, $.50 cents. I think these pictures would be so cute framed in a nursery.


And 20 books of sheet music dated 1912-1961. Half of them are in French and aged to perfection. I have a million and one crafts lined up for these sheets and have been to busy to start any of them, $6.49 for all 20!

This being one of them;

                                              {  jones design company }

Getting excited for spring to come when the pickens’ start to get real good!



Who me? Stylish?

I am so honored to have been given the stylish blog award by
Jac O’ lyn Murphy. I love to visit her site and see all the great ideas she creates. I am loving her latest Valentine idea!



So I am supposed to tell you guy’s 7 things about me, you don’t already know!

1. I meet my husband at Target in 1991; I was just 16 years old. We dated for 6 years and will be married for 15 this year. Folks, I am not feeling so much like a Spring Chicken anymore! But think I have the best husband in the world.

2. Sadly, I hate to admit I drink at least 7 cans of Diet Dr. Pepper, a day! I have to add I drink just the same amount in water, a day, too. Does that make it ok?


3. I am not patient. AT ALL…God continues to help me along with two kiddos and a hubby. I am a work in progress.

4. I have a HUGE fear of public bathrooms. No need to explain.


5. I am Dyslexic. And if you have read {raed} this blog for sometime, you know!


6. I cannot for the life of me work my husband’s high tech remote for our TV. I just give up and walk over to the receiver to turn it.

7. I can pack a car like no body’s business. People stand back in ahh that I can make it all fit. My Goodwill pals think I have an amazing gift… LOL!


And now I am paying it forward to a few stylish blogs that I love to stalk.

1. it is what it is
2. the fickle pickle
3. Kids Create
4. Studio JRU
5. lee la la
6. Beyond the Screen Door

Cherry Almond Granola

I hope you have had an opportunity to watch Alton Brown’s show on the Food Channel. He has the most interesting way of explaining the science behind baking.



We have loved all kinds of his creations but by far grab this one way too often.

Alton Brown’s Cherry Almond Granola

Here is what you need to gather up


3 Cups rolled oats
1 Cup slivered almonds
¼ Cup, plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
¼ Cup, plus 2 tablespoons honey
¼ Cup Vegetable oil
¾ tsp salt
1 Cup {or more} dried cherries
1 small package slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 250*- In a large bowl, combine oats, cherries, nuts and brown sugar. In a separate bowl, combine honey, oil and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto a jelly roll pan. Cook for 1 hour and 15 min.- Stirring every 15 minutes. Allow to cool and store in an air tight container.

Perfect for snacking or topping on yogurt or ice cream.

I will be linking up to these great sites today  Tempt my Tummy - Tuesday at The Table - Tasty Tuesday - Paisley Passions

I am a Foodgawker

I feel like I have been living under a rock!



Never had I heard of this fabulous site until last week. It’s simply amazing how much is out there that I have yet to find…love it!


Come and feast your eyes on Foodgawker…


They have something new every time I visit.

Like Super Loaded Baked Potato Soup

And Red Quinoa Black bean & Bell Pepper Salad


I just don’t recommend gawking late at night, as your mouth begins to salivate and your hips start to spread even wider!

100% Cashmere, baby!

Better late than never, right?



For the past few months, maybe years, I have loved all the sweater pillows that have softened blog land.

So, a few months back I purchased this 100% Cashmere cream sweater at Goodwill for a mere $2.85. With the intent of making one of those soft blog land pillows. Fast forward 7 months later and I finally did it! With the help of this great tutorial over at Brassy Apple.


Tossed the cashmere sweater in the washing machine and then took my scissors to it.

I used the main torso if the sweater to create a simple triangle shaped pillow.

Then using half of the waist band trim to create my flower.

I found that nifty little button in my catch all button box.

Now that spring is just around the corner I have my lovely little pillow to swoon over.


Sad thing is it took less than an hour to whip her up!

Linking up to these great blogs today Somewhat Simple - Life as Lori - Shabby Chic Cottage - House of Hepworths

Julie's Chicken and Noodles

My dear friend from Tulsa got me hooked on these chicken and noodles years ago! Bless her heart; this is about the only thing she knows how to cook. But let me tell ya’ she can make the best batch ever. And after she walked me through it, I have been making and eating them ever sense!

Chicken and Noodles

1 large chicken (5lbs +)
Cavendars’ Seasoning
1 large bag Reame Noodles
1-2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
2-3 cans chicken broth

In a large pot place your chicken and cover with water and cavendars’ seasoning.

Cook on med-high heat for about 1 ½ hours or until chicken is falling off the bone.


Remove chicken and allow to cool, reserving your chicken stalk. Add cream of chicken soup, noodles and chicken broth. The amount of soup and broth you add depends on how many noodles you add. Debone chicken and add back to pot. Simmer for about 20 minutes until noodles are cooked. That’s it!


I like making a double batch and freeze some for a future dinner. Just adding more chicken broth, if needed.


I will be linking up over at these great blogs today Tempt my Tummy - Tuesday at the Table - Tasty Tuesday - Paisley Passions

Eye Spy with My Little Eyes

Ok, Sooooo…I roughly clean out our living room chairs about once a week. Well I admit that with Christmas I have neglected my task for a few weeks. I dug in yesterday and this is what I found;

Let’s play a little game of eye spy

1 tube of soft lips Chap Stick
1 Cheerio
1 Tootsie roll wrapper
1 Stick of gum {still in wrapper}
3 String cheese wrappers {thankfully no string cheese}
1 pin
10 glass marbles
31red and green M&M’s
1 K-cup wrapper
4 Trio building blocks
1 empty Claries earring card
1 plastic juice box straw wrapper
1 Top of a spencils tube
1 Quarter
2 Rice Krispe cereal pieces
1 orange nerf gun bullet
1 shred of brown wrapping paper
1 Topics playing card




You would think after all that I would find a little bit more money than just a quarter!

Six Construction Trash Bags Later...

This is no big before and after post. I wished  I had time to really turn this playroom into a family fun room. But that's not in the near future.

Remember these lovely pictures of what it looked like last week?

Can you say a pit?

And here is what it looked liked during the decraping of the crap.

But atlas I saw the stained loved carpet that lay beneath it all.

Ah... the joy in cleaning out anything.

Two construction sized bags of trash and four construction bags to donate later.

 Then the magic of an organized closet.


Now, only if I could get all the storage containers in coordinating colors.

Is that being a little OCD?

For now I'm just happy I got something done to it.

Sucker LOVE

I can't take credit for this one and can't seem to find where I saw it. If it happens to be you please email so that I can link you here!

When I first saw this idea I thought it would be perfect for a Valetine project.

Here is waht you need;


Suckers

Scrapbook paper
Scissors
Ruler
Pin
Whole punch
Ribbon and embellishments




I first created this template using my sucker as a guide for size.

Then I simply cut each one out and folded accordingly.

Super easy!

I think the kiddos will be passing these out to all their little friends this Valentine.




I will be linking up at all these great blogs today stop by when you get time Somewhat Simple - Life as Lori - The Shabby Chic - Everything Etsy - Fine Craft Guide - House of Hepworths - Paisley Passions- Life as Lori