Handprints

I have a collage of black and white prints in my upstairs hallway.  I wanted to add a few non-photographic items to diversify the collage.  I found an awesome wooden crescent moon moon at Goodwill for $2.00.

Then, after finding a blank canvas at Goodwill for $1.00 I decided to make a layered hand print to personalize the wall a little.  The idea came from Pinterest (do ideas come from anywhere else these days?) and I am completely delighted with how it turned out.

Spring Fever

I never have spring fever, but I have it bad this year.  Since it was 25 degrees when I left the house this morning I decided that I have to get a dose of spring where ever I can, so I made a new wreath for my front door.

I was inspired by this wreath (found on Pinterest)

Source: goodbyehousehellohome.blogspot.com via Molly on Pinterest

And by this one

Source: awesomecraftpins.com via Molly on Pinterest

And ended up with this one... which is exactly what I wanted

Planning the Garden

Last year was the fist time that I ever tried to grow anything edible.  I kind of succeeded.  I got some peppers and tomatoes and I made into salsa and canned.

This year I am making a few changes to what I am planting (trying different things) and I am planning ahead.

This year I will try: lettuce, lavender, strawberries, morning glories, garlic, carrots, pumpkins, green beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, marigolds, and mint.  Some things will go in pots and some things will go in the ground.  And, if I can manage it, I will also plant several raspberry and black berry bushes.  We've tried these in the past and have not been successful, but I am willing to try again.

Do you garden?  What do you plant?  Any advice for a newbie?

Breakfast Burritos

Don't get me started on mornings... specifically those when I have to go to work.  No matter how much I do the night before (pack lunches, set out clothes, etc) there is never enough time for me to sit down and eat breakfast.  Ok, there would be time if I got up when my alarm went off instead of snoozing (there's a joke... I'm out cold) for another 15 minutes.  But seriously, those 15 extra minutes make all the difference.

Anyway, instead of buying something on the way to work, I actually did something smart and planned ahead.  I assembled breakfast burritos the other day.  Froze them in a big batch, and then all I have to do it heat them up and I can have something better than a convenience store danish for breakfast.

1. I laid the tortillas (small ones) on a cookie sheet and put down a layer of cheese

2.  I scrambled the eggs

3.  I divided the finished eggs among the tortillas

4.  I wrapped them up, wrapped them in plastic wrap, and put them in a Ziplock bag destined for the freezer

To eat, just remove the plastic, wrap in a paper towel and heat in the microwave for 1:30 - 1:45 minutes. 

A New Table for Nate

We got Nate his train table right before he turned 2, and for 2 solid years he played with it every... single... day.  Every day.  It was money well spent.  I noticed over the last year that he was playing with the Thomas trains, and in particular, the train table less and less.  He still liked to build track, bit not on the table.

I decided over my extended semester break that it was time to redo the family room/play area.  The kitchen, the work bench and the train table were all on their way out.  Luckily I have a lot of friends with small kids and was able to re-home all three of these items with very little effort  I then had to find a bigger "multipurpose" table to put in the train table's place.  Where Nate could sit and play legos, draw, build, whatever.  I was thinking Ikea would have what I wanted and what a bargain it would be for $80 to get him a table and stools all his own.

That is when my mother called me from Goodwill reporting that they had a table with 4 chairs for $25.  It was a little dirty but in, otherwise, good condition.  "Buy it!" I told her, thinking that I would always consign it if it didn't fit the bill.  A few days later she said she was going to bring it over, but that I would have to help her get it out of her car as she couldn't lift it alone.  "Hummmm."  I started to wonder about this table, after all, I could pick up the Ikea table with one hand... what kind of table had she found?

So she came over and I looked at the table.  Sold wood, solidly built (more sturdy than my kitchen table actually), with 4 painted chairs that could support an adult's weight with no problem... holy crap... is this a pottery barn table?  I searched the back and low and behold there was the sticker... Pottery Barn Kids. 

I quickly looked up the site on my phone and found out the the table and chairs together retails for $380... and we got it for $25.  Bargain indeed!

Here is the table and chairs in use just moments after setting them up and wiping them down.

My friend Therese (who I've never actually met in person) has a Pinterest board where she posts the great deals she has found in consignment and thrift shops (great way to keep track).  She has found some great deals.  I think this one ranks right up there with them! 

Happy Valentines Day!

Sewing

As I mentioned in my new years post I am trying to make all (ok most) of my holiday gifts for next year.  I am also trying to accomplish this using the supplies I already have in the house.  I have a minor fabric addiction so this is really no problem at all.  Since I am currently motivated I have already started making gifts, and have been sewing a little every night.

 
Since I am making multiple items from the same pattern I didn't want to pin the flimsy tissue paper pattern to the fabric and ruin it.  Interestingly enough, Thomas the Tank Engine wooden trains make great pattern weights... tell your friends!

Knitting

I don't knit.  ok, that is not entirely true.  I have, in the past, learned how to knit.  I knitted about 14 rows of a scarf and then decided I was done. 

Everyone knits these days but still I was not jumping on the bandwagon.  That is until I saw this yarn

Oh My God! how I love this colorway... oh and it's cashmere... Cashmere I say!!!!  So I bought it.  Now I have to learn to knit so that this cannot be considered a "frivolous purchase."  I am going to knit a scarf... really I am... I'll take pictures and everything... I swear!

Baked Triple Mocha Donuts

Oh Pinterest... you offer me so many tasty baking options.  This week I pinned and decided to make these triple mocha donuts.  

I used regular brewed coffee as the recipe called for but next time I would make a double strong espresso and use that.  The coffee flavor was pretty much non-existant and I would love to punch that up a notch.

Canning...

I love canning.  I really do.  I was completely terrified of it until I started doing it and now I always have an eye open for what I can can next.  Last week I saw instructions on Pinterest on how to can mandarin oranges.  I had to try it!

So yesterday morning I went to Whole Foods and bought a bag of clementines for $5.99.  I can home and peeled them, followed the instruction on the website, and ended up with 9 pints of canned mandarin oranges.  A can of mandarin oranges is $1.79, my jars cost about   $0.66 each.  Not bad at all.

Truth be told, I haven't tried them yet so I don't know how they taste but they look pretty good.

Angry Birds Art Party

I told you there would be more pictures coming.