Please click on her blog for directions! Its soooo easy to make!
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Protein Cookie Balls
I found this on my favorite blog Kelly Lee Housewifery. My crafting projects are all on hold while I get additional supplies, and I need easy things like this to make for my kid to snack on between meals. So today it was this! It tastes like cookies and has good-for-you ingredients like oats and flax seed and peanut butter.
Please click on her blog for directions! Its soooo easy to make!
Please click on her blog for directions! Its soooo easy to make!
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Dollar Tree Crafting and more!
So Dollar Tree is one of my favorite stores for crafting supplies. But it also has all kinds of other great stuff and I wanted to take a second to show some great stuff I found today. First I found pink scented garbage bags! Vanilla, rose and lemon scented. I love that. But I also found a lot of really pretty dishes and chose these teal colored ones. If they break I wont feel too bad since they were $1!
Fish Bowl Make-up Brush Holder
From the Dollar Tree I got a glass fish bowl and blue bowl pebbles. $2 for this project! Heres a picture.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Lasagna Soup!
1 lb. ground beef (or turkey or chicken or other substitute)
1 red onion, chopped
10 3/4 oz. tomato soup, canned, condensed
14.5 oz. tomatoes, canned, petite diced
15 oz. tomato sauce, canned
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 beef bouillon cubes
4 c. water
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1 1/2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. parsley
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
8 oz. Ricotta Cheese
8 lasagna noodles, broken into small pieces - UNCOOKED
12 oz. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Combine onions, tomato soup, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce and place in the slow cooker.
Add all of the spices and bouillon cubes to the slow cooker.
Add water and spread your broken UNCOOKED lasagna noodle pieces all around.
Crumble RAW ground beef over top.
Cover.
Cook on Low for 7-8 hours or on High for 4-5 hours.
Approximately half hour or so before done, stir in the Ricotta cheese.
Serve with shredded Mozzarella Cheese on top and savor the deliciousness!
1 red onion, chopped
10 3/4 oz. tomato soup, canned, condensed
14.5 oz. tomatoes, canned, petite diced
15 oz. tomato sauce, canned
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 beef bouillon cubes
4 c. water
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1 1/2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. parsley
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
8 oz. Ricotta Cheese
8 lasagna noodles, broken into small pieces - UNCOOKED
12 oz. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Combine onions, tomato soup, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce and place in the slow cooker.
Add all of the spices and bouillon cubes to the slow cooker.
Add water and spread your broken UNCOOKED lasagna noodle pieces all around.
Crumble RAW ground beef over top.
Cover.
Cook on Low for 7-8 hours or on High for 4-5 hours.
Approximately half hour or so before done, stir in the Ricotta cheese.
Serve with shredded Mozzarella Cheese on top and savor the deliciousness!
Shadow Framed Button Letter
What you need:
A hinged wooden shadow frame (its opens like a door)
a lot of buttons
glitter
paint
mod podge
pencil
paint brush
bowl
hot glue gun
hairspray
letter stencil (I made mine in photoshop and then printed it and cut it out)
The first thing I did was cut out my letter stencil and trace it onto the inside of my frame with a pencil.
Then I painted Mod Podge onto the inside (except the letter) and sprinkled glitter all over it. I sprinkled on a lot of glitter and then gently shook it side to side to evenly disperse the glitter. I gave it a little time to dry and then I gently knocked the excess glitter into a bowl.
Next I sprayed it over with hairspray to seal the glitter on.
Paint the inside sides of the frame a similar color to the glitter.
I did not do this next step but I highly recommend it- paint the letter a similar color to your buttons. That way any spaces you can see through the buttons won't be obvious.
After everything dries start hot gluing the buttons onto the letter.
I layered a lot of buttons on top of each other to cover any background spaces that can be seen through the buttons. I also like the look of them layered.
Let that dry for a bit. Then use a darker paint to paint the outside of the frame, and outside sides of the frame. I mixed the paint with some water to keep it light so that it was almost a stain. Be careful not to drip any paint onto the inside of the frame when you do this. Either sit it upright or use a magazine or piece of paper to cover the inside while you paint.
Let dry and hang!
Sunday, January 26, 2014
2 Easy Tilapia Recipes
I cook tilapia often- its light and not too fishy as well as easy and fast to bake. Here are my two favorite recipes.
Herb baked tilapia:
2 tilapia fillets
cilantro
chives
dill
lemon
cayenne pepper
salt
black pepper
In a baking dish I place the herbs on the bottom- cilantro, chopped chives and dill. I don't chop the dill or cilantro.
I place the fish fillets on top.
I squeeze lemon on top.
I shake pepper, cayenne and salt on top to taste.
Then I bake for 30 min at 350. If I have 4 fillets or really thick fillets I bake for about 35 min. You can always pull them out at 30 min and use a fork to see how it looks. Tilapia cooks fast so I wouldn't go longer than 40 min unless your fillet is very thick and you think its needs more time.
Salsa Tilapia:
I use Arriba! Fire Roasted Hot Salsa.
Cover fillets.
Cook with above cooking directions.
Herb baked tilapia:
2 tilapia fillets
cilantro
chives
dill
lemon
cayenne pepper
salt
black pepper
In a baking dish I place the herbs on the bottom- cilantro, chopped chives and dill. I don't chop the dill or cilantro.
I place the fish fillets on top.
I squeeze lemon on top.
I shake pepper, cayenne and salt on top to taste.
Then I bake for 30 min at 350. If I have 4 fillets or really thick fillets I bake for about 35 min. You can always pull them out at 30 min and use a fork to see how it looks. Tilapia cooks fast so I wouldn't go longer than 40 min unless your fillet is very thick and you think its needs more time.
Salsa Tilapia:
I use Arriba! Fire Roasted Hot Salsa.
Cover fillets.
Cook with above cooking directions.
Fun Wooden Board Scenes
Shopping for a christmas present for my Dad is impossible. So rather than buy him anything he doesn't need, or want, I decided I would make him something more personal. I decided to make a car sales lot named after him because his favorite thing is cars. I made a snowy one because it was christmas.
You need:
a wooden board
toy cars
fake snow (optional)
paint for the board, the building and the sign
necklace chain
small wooden dowels for the chain link fence posts
fake bushes
metallic pipe cleaners
mini street lights
cardboard to make the building
a sponge brush for its wooden stick (for the sign post)
a mini chalkboard for the sign
a hot glue gun
I found all of this stuff at Michael's Crafts, the Dollar Tree and the Party Store
I painted the board a dark grey to look like concrete. Once it was dry I figured out where I would place everything.
Then I cut up card board and hot glued it together to create a building and painted it with a door, a window and "Holiday Sale" on the window. Gluing the building together can be tricky. If it helps, use clear tape to stick it together and then use some hot glue on the inside creases. I made a simple rectangle shaped building. Once it's dry hot glue it to your board.
Then I removed the sponge brush from the top of the stick it's attached to. I glued the mini chalk board to the top of one end of the stick and painted the stick silver. I painted "Mel's Auto Sales" onto the mini chalk board.
I glued the sign and the fake bushes to the board close to the building.
Next I painted and glued the little wooden dowels around the edges of the board and left an opening at one end for an entrance. I glued the necklace chains to the tops of the dowels and left enough of the chain to hang down a little bit between the dowels. At each side of the entrance I glued a mini street light.
After all that is dry I glued the cars to the board in a slanted row on each side. After that is dry I used the sponge from the sponge brush to coat the tops of the cars, the top of the sign, the top of the building, and the exposed board with Mod Podge. I then sprinkled fake snow over all of it and lightly pressed it down with my fingertips.
The last thing I did was cut the metallic pipe cleaners and glue them from the sign to the building at at the entrance. You can put them wherever you like.
Here are some close-ups.
You need:
a wooden board
toy cars
fake snow (optional)
paint for the board, the building and the sign
necklace chain
small wooden dowels for the chain link fence posts
fake bushes
metallic pipe cleaners
mini street lights
cardboard to make the building
a sponge brush for its wooden stick (for the sign post)
a mini chalkboard for the sign
a hot glue gun
I found all of this stuff at Michael's Crafts, the Dollar Tree and the Party Store
I painted the board a dark grey to look like concrete. Once it was dry I figured out where I would place everything.
Then I cut up card board and hot glued it together to create a building and painted it with a door, a window and "Holiday Sale" on the window. Gluing the building together can be tricky. If it helps, use clear tape to stick it together and then use some hot glue on the inside creases. I made a simple rectangle shaped building. Once it's dry hot glue it to your board.
Then I removed the sponge brush from the top of the stick it's attached to. I glued the mini chalk board to the top of one end of the stick and painted the stick silver. I painted "Mel's Auto Sales" onto the mini chalk board.
I glued the sign and the fake bushes to the board close to the building.
Next I painted and glued the little wooden dowels around the edges of the board and left an opening at one end for an entrance. I glued the necklace chains to the tops of the dowels and left enough of the chain to hang down a little bit between the dowels. At each side of the entrance I glued a mini street light.
After all that is dry I glued the cars to the board in a slanted row on each side. After that is dry I used the sponge from the sponge brush to coat the tops of the cars, the top of the sign, the top of the building, and the exposed board with Mod Podge. I then sprinkled fake snow over all of it and lightly pressed it down with my fingertips.
The last thing I did was cut the metallic pipe cleaners and glue them from the sign to the building at at the entrance. You can put them wherever you like.
Here are some close-ups.
Saturday, January 25, 2014
A Black Bean Succotash That Wont Leave You Sufferin'
This is an easy spicy black bean succotash and you can adjust the ingredients to your taste. It can be a stand alone dish or you can use it as a side or underneath fish or meat.
You need:
2 cans of black beans
1 can of corn
1 large red pepper
1 large orange pepper
1/2 red onion
3 garlic cloves (or less if you wish)
1/2 tbs of cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
1/2 tbs black pepper (more or less to taste)
1/2 tbs of salt (more or less to taste)
Chop up your peppers, onions, and garlic in to small pieces.
Place everything in a pan with about 1 cup of water or more if needed.
Cook on med-high until everything is cooked and soft enough to eat. Usually about 15 to 20 min depending on your stove. This may be longer if you put pieces of meat into the dish rather than cooking meat separately.
I added yellow squash to mine. You can add any veggie or meat that you like!
You need:
2 cans of black beans
1 can of corn
1 large red pepper
1 large orange pepper
1/2 red onion
3 garlic cloves (or less if you wish)
1/2 tbs of cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
1/2 tbs black pepper (more or less to taste)
1/2 tbs of salt (more or less to taste)
Chop up your peppers, onions, and garlic in to small pieces.
Place everything in a pan with about 1 cup of water or more if needed.
Cook on med-high until everything is cooked and soft enough to eat. Usually about 15 to 20 min depending on your stove. This may be longer if you put pieces of meat into the dish rather than cooking meat separately.
I added yellow squash to mine. You can add any veggie or meat that you like!
New Idea For Old Cards
Not sure what to do with old holiday cards or those cards you got from your baby shower or wedding? This craft is what I did with the cards from my baby shower. They had been sitting in a basket for saving but were collecting dust so I decided to use them to help decorate my baby's nursery.
What you need:
a multi picture frame of your choice
scissors
tape or glue
some colored paper of your choice
your old cards
paint and paint brush (optional)
I decided to paint an old multi pic frame I had lying around the same color as my nursery walls. You don't have paint your frame if its already the color you want.
While the paint dries, cut out the picture from the from of the cards you have. Some cards will work better for this project than others. I ended up only using a handful of the cards from my baby shower for this. You need to cut them to a size slightly larger than the picture spaces in the frame, or use a colored piece of paper as a background.
After your frame is dry open it up and tape or glue your card pictures to the back of the matte that came inside the frame (sometimes its not a matte but just paper with spaces for the pictures.) I suggest using tape so that if you don't get one centered just right you can redo it easily.
Once you have all the pictures in place carefully put your frame back together!
Here is a not so great image of the one I did. I couldn't fit in the side edges. I will update later with a better picture when the sun is out!
What you need:
a multi picture frame of your choice
scissors
tape or glue
some colored paper of your choice
your old cards
paint and paint brush (optional)
I decided to paint an old multi pic frame I had lying around the same color as my nursery walls. You don't have paint your frame if its already the color you want.
While the paint dries, cut out the picture from the from of the cards you have. Some cards will work better for this project than others. I ended up only using a handful of the cards from my baby shower for this. You need to cut them to a size slightly larger than the picture spaces in the frame, or use a colored piece of paper as a background.
After your frame is dry open it up and tape or glue your card pictures to the back of the matte that came inside the frame (sometimes its not a matte but just paper with spaces for the pictures.) I suggest using tape so that if you don't get one centered just right you can redo it easily.
Once you have all the pictures in place carefully put your frame back together!
Here is a not so great image of the one I did. I couldn't fit in the side edges. I will update later with a better picture when the sun is out!
Fish Bowl Nightlight
These can be done with a battery operated tea light candle or a real tea light candle.
You need:
A glass fish bowl
tissue paper in any colors you choose
Elmer's glue
Mod Podge in matte (optional)
glitter (optional)
glass fish bowl pebbles (I used blue)
A soft big brush such as a sponge brush
Scissors
Water
Bowl
I found all of these items at the Dollar Tree!
Cut out shapes from the tissue paper such as fish, varied sizes of blue pieces for water, maybe some long pieces for seaweed. You can make any shape you want.
Mix together approximately 2 to 3 parts Elmer's glue to 1 part water. You want it to thin but not too watery.
Using a sponge brush, cover the glass bowl in a coat of watered down glue and then start placing your tissue paper on. I would start with water pieces and then do the fish and seaweed last. You will have to keep adding thin coats of the glue while adding the paper so that all the paper is covered in a coat and flattened to the glass, but try not to overdo it or your paper will tear.
Let it dry. This may take a few hours.
Once it is totally dry add a thin coat of Mod Podge and sprinkle a small amount of glitter over the Mod Podge. Let it dry.
When it is totally dry add the glass pebbles to the bottom of the fish bowl and place your candle on top.
You need:
A glass fish bowl
tissue paper in any colors you choose
Elmer's glue
Mod Podge in matte (optional)
glitter (optional)
glass fish bowl pebbles (I used blue)
A soft big brush such as a sponge brush
Scissors
Water
Bowl
I found all of these items at the Dollar Tree!
Cut out shapes from the tissue paper such as fish, varied sizes of blue pieces for water, maybe some long pieces for seaweed. You can make any shape you want.
Mix together approximately 2 to 3 parts Elmer's glue to 1 part water. You want it to thin but not too watery.
Using a sponge brush, cover the glass bowl in a coat of watered down glue and then start placing your tissue paper on. I would start with water pieces and then do the fish and seaweed last. You will have to keep adding thin coats of the glue while adding the paper so that all the paper is covered in a coat and flattened to the glass, but try not to overdo it or your paper will tear.
Let it dry. This may take a few hours.
Once it is totally dry add a thin coat of Mod Podge and sprinkle a small amount of glitter over the Mod Podge. Let it dry.
When it is totally dry add the glass pebbles to the bottom of the fish bowl and place your candle on top.
DIY Fizzy Bath Bombs
I also got this idea from Kelly Lee Housewifery. DIY bath bombs are… the bomb! I used both this recipe and one that uses melted cocoa butter in place of the almond oil. The cocoa butter can react with food coloring and turn brown though. Its amazing feeling in the bath but a little unsightly.
You need:
You need:
- 1 cup of bakin soda
- 1/2 cup of citric acid
- 1/2 cup of corn starch
- 1/2 cup of fine grain Epsom salt
- 1 tsp water (actually more like 2 or 3 but start with one)
- 2 tsp essential oil of your choice
- 2 1/2 tsp almond oil
- a plastic or wax paper drying surface
- molds (bought at a craft store or purchase online, you can also use cupcake molds, muffin molds, cookies molds…)
- whisk
- mixing bowls
- food coloring (optional)
Mix dry ingredients together in one bowl and mix wet ingredients in another bowl.
If you add food coloring add that and water together before adding the oil or it won't mix as well.
Then slowly mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients while whisking them up at the same time. I actually used my hand to smoosh and mix it all together while I poured so that the citric acid wouldn't have a chance to fizz out.
Once you have it mixed together evenly pack it into your molds tightly. I sprinkled some glitter into the bottom of one side of my ball molds.
If its a ball mold then place a handful of unpacked mix on top of each half after packing it and then hold the two sides together firmly, brushing away the extra that falls out of the sides.
Carefully remove your ball from the mold and let it dry on your plastic or wax surface for a day. If its a cupcake mold then I recommend waiting until it dries to remove it.
Enjoy!
DIY Bath Salts
I love baths. Particularly scented colored bubbly soft baths. Bath products are so expensive and full of ingredients I can't pronounce and so I decided to make my own. Below is my recipe for simple bath salts.
1 cup epsom salt
1/3 cup baking soda
2 tbs almond oil
2 tsp essential oil of your choice
a little or a lot food coloring (I used a lot of neon blue)
small bowl
large bowl
whisk or fork
Start by mixing together the dry ingredients
Then mix together the oils and food coloring. I would start small with the coloring and add more if it turns out to not be as colorful as you like.
Now mix the oils slowly into the large bowl of dry ingredients and whisk it all together as you go. You will have to stir it all together for awhile to get it evenly distributed. Once its all mixed up nicely put it into a container that will close tight to prevent moisture from getting inside. Enjoy!
1 cup epsom salt
1/3 cup baking soda
2 tbs almond oil
2 tsp essential oil of your choice
a little or a lot food coloring (I used a lot of neon blue)
small bowl
large bowl
whisk or fork
Start by mixing together the dry ingredients
Then mix together the oils and food coloring. I would start small with the coloring and add more if it turns out to not be as colorful as you like.
Now mix the oils slowly into the large bowl of dry ingredients and whisk it all together as you go. You will have to stir it all together for awhile to get it evenly distributed. Once its all mixed up nicely put it into a container that will close tight to prevent moisture from getting inside. Enjoy!
Bottle Brush Scenes
Over the holidays I rediscovered my love of crafts and anything hands-on creative. As a fine artist in my professional life, I needed a space where I could create for pure fun and kitsch. Also to remodel old things, make things for my daughters room and update my home with DIY decor. One project lead to another and now I want to share my projects so others can enjoy the fun of crafting and DIY products.
I will back up in time and start with some of my christmas crafts first! I got one of my best ideas from one of my favorite craft bloggers Kelly Lee Housewifery. Bottle brush animal scenes. I recommend using the directions in Kelly Lee's blog here. Most of the supplies can be found at Michael's Craft store or Joann's Fabric. Or online if its out of season. I found the mirror pond at the Dollar Tree.
I will back up in time and start with some of my christmas crafts first! I got one of my best ideas from one of my favorite craft bloggers Kelly Lee Housewifery. Bottle brush animal scenes. I recommend using the directions in Kelly Lee's blog here. Most of the supplies can be found at Michael's Craft store or Joann's Fabric. Or online if its out of season. I found the mirror pond at the Dollar Tree.
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