40 Before 40 Album Pieces

Monday, April 23, 2018 1 comment
I started a new project.  I'm making a 'little' album of big and little things I want to do over the next year and 3 months.....before I turn :gulp: 40.  I've completed my first two things, and made the pages to prove it.  One-I haven't worn earrings in almost ten years....and so I was determined to get a pair of earrings back in my ear.  Silly, but true.  I also have never organized the stupid Tupperware in my kitchen.  My kitchen is in desperate need of repainting, but my goal was to at least be able to open that cabinet of terror without stuff falling out.  It hasn't happened in the 17 years I've lived here.  It was time!  I have big things (trips/people to see), and more little things.  I'm just trying to fill these months with memories.  I don't want to rush it, but I also don't want to waste it!  Once I've done ten pages or so I'll do a better tutorial on the pages.  In the meantime, here are the first few pages and a little video of the supplies I'm using!

Spring Wreath

Monday, April 09, 2018 No comments


I took this wreath recently to Good Morning, Texas.  It's currently my spring wreath, which replaced a wreath similar to this I made years ago with REAL eggs I blew out and cleaned.  They were beautiful, but they broke often.
A few years ago I discovered 'fake' hard boiled egg that you can get at Walmart, most craft stores, or (in my case) the 99 Cent Store.
I spray painted 3 1/2 dozen blue and flicked them with brown paint to look like Robin Eggs.  
I also grabbed some moss at the dollar store and I hot glued the moss and the eggs to a grapevine wreath and then added a bow.  Easy, and very cheap!

Nest Cookies

Friday, April 06, 2018 No comments


I usually try to post crafts before the holiday, but....I still don't have my act together.  I'm trying really hard to chill out on my scheduling, but it was another crazy spring.  So, all this to say, I'll post this here for next year.  If time is an issue this is SUCH an easy 'cookie' that I shared last week on Good Morning, Texas.  You can make these a little dainty and they would be super cut cupcake toppers as well.  The easiest version of this...
You take a handful of chow mein, melt some chocolate, stir the chow into the chocolate and toss until it's coated, and drop it on the wax paper.  I also popped some cadberry eggs on top to look like eggs before the chocolate hardened.  The chow is sold in most grocery stores near the Asian food section.  It really is such a tasty cookie and so simple....and adorable!

Easter Bouquet

Wednesday, April 04, 2018 No comments

I made this bouquet last week on the cheap.  Obviously, I went with the Easter theme, but this could be used for any holiday.  If you are using real flowers (which I was) and you want to be able to keep them in water, the key is to get a smaller vase to go inside the first that leaves just enough room for your candy.  In this case, I got both vases at the Dollar Tree.  I also added some peeps on sticks.

I used a fat/squat one on the show and a plastic Dixie Cup inside for those flowers (I just cut it down a bit so it didn't stick up over the vase).  If you grab a bouquet for 5 bucks from the store this can either be a fun table decoration, OR a fun hostess gift....just a thought!

Apple Crisp (Vegan)

Monday, April 02, 2018 No comments
I've mentioned a time or two everyone in my family seems to have their own dietary restrictions.  My only restriction is I only want to eat tasty food, so I'm always trying to find a tasty recipe that meets those other needs.  I found this Apple Crisp recipe recently via TasteBetterFromScratch and I just tweaked it a bit to make it dairy free (vegan).  It was super delicious regardless of whether that is something you are looking at.  In the future, I'd probably add more of the topping, but that's b/c I like sweets with my sweets!  I'm going to type out the original recipe below, if you want the dairy-just substitute the margarine for butter, and the almond milk for milk-the same ratio as listed.
Ingredients:  
For Crumb Topping:  1/3 c. (dairy free) margarine (cut into small pieces), 1/2 c. oats, 1/2 c. brown sugar, 1/2 t. baking powder, 1/4 t. cinnamon, dash of salt, 1/2 c. flour
For Apple Filling:
3-4 large apples (I used a mix of different kinds of sweet and sours, peel them and slice them thinly), 3 T. margarine (melted), 2 T flour, 1 T lemon juice, 3 T. almond milk, 1/2 t. vanilla, 1/4 c. brown sugar, 1/2 t. cinnamon, dash of salt.
Ice Cream (dairy free) for topping.
Instructions:
1.  Heat oven to 375.
2.  Combine the crumb topping ingredients with a fork or pastry blender until it looks like small crumbs.  Place in fridge while you make the filling.
3.  Peel and slice the apples.
4.  In a separate bowl mix the melted butter, flour, lemon juice, milk, and vanilla.  Pour this mix over the apples and top to coat.
5.  Place apples into an 8x8 pan.  Top with crumb coating.
6.  Bake 30-35 minutes (it should be golden brown)
7.  Let it cool for 10 minutes and serve up with ice cream.