Garlic Cheddar Chicken

I'm always looking for new ways to bake chicken.  I ran across this one via all recipes and it was really simple and delicious.  I adapted it some by using Italian bread crumbs so I wouldn't have to add a bunch of different seasoning-I let the package do it for me!  So, if it's time for a chicken revamp, here is an easy recipe that baked well and heated up well. 

Garlic Cheddar Chicken

Ingredients:  1/2 c. butter, 4 cloves of garlic (minced), 3/4 c. dry Italian bread crumbs, 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, 1 1/2 c. Cheddar cheese, 8 skinless, boneless chicken breast (pounded thin)
Instructions:  
1.  Heat over to 350. 
2.  Melt butter in a saucepan on low and cook the garlic until tender (about 5 minutes).
3.  In a separate bowl, mix the crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and Cheddar cheese. 
4.  Dip each slice of chicken in the garlic butter, then press into the bread crumb mix. 
5.  Place some bread crumbs at the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan, and place the bread chicken on top (this prevents the bottom from getting soggy.)
6.  Bake for 30 minutes (or until the chicken is no longer pink. 

Nautical Nursery

Last summer I put together this surprise nursery for my friend.  Her and her husband decided not to find out what they were having, but they wanted to have a gender specific nursery.  I did this one other time (last summer) and had a lot of fun putting the details together.  This time around I had Amber do the same thing I did before-I asked her to create two pinterest boards so I had a good idea of what she wanted for either gender, but it was still enough of a mystery she didn't know exactly what to expect.  

 The only thing I did different this go 'round was paint the room-she selected a color for both genders, so once she headed out of town for a weekend I got to work.  She also had all the furniture already in place, and I love the way the trunk went so well with the theme.

 She had bought some fabric years ago when she was expecting her first baby (a girl), and so she gave me the fabric to use if this was a boy (knowing I'd go with a nautical theme-which is what she wanted to do the first time).  I framed some of the fabrics in old embroidery hoops I got at a thrift store.  I used my embroidery machine to make a compass for the smallest.  I found the "You Call Me" frame at Hobby Lobby, the "Work like a Captain" is from JoAnn.  I made the "Mightier than the waves..." sign.  I had her select a bible verse for each gender as well, and this is the one she had chosen for a baby boy.

 I found a cute whale lamp at HomeGood and I put some fish netting below the glass on the rocking chair table.  I added a blanket and made a pillow with my embroidery machine and some of her fabric.  I also bought on clearance at Hobby Lobby (one of my first purchases).  She had the red lamp we bought together years ago, and I added a glass fishing weight.  My thought is that she can eventually add books and special items like his first shoes etc to the boat.

 This shelf I imagine she will fill with different toys and baskets of socks, but I filled it with some things I found around the house, and a few things I bought.  I went back after these photos and added some pictures from her maternity shoot.  I found an anchor teether, and some cute little whales.  I made a burp.  I also found some sea themed bath squirts.  I 'borrowed' an ocean puzzle from her daughter.  The whale stool was also from Homegoods-it's one of my favorite pieces-hand carved....16 dollars!

 I added a few pillows to the crib and a penguin they had also bought.

 I added a little life ring I bought online.  The paddle I bought at Hobby Lobby and I added his name in vinyl, and I also added a 'No Wake Zone" sign I made.

 The quilt I made using fabrics she had bought, and the mobile I also made.  I bought some adorable, crocheted whales on Etsy, and added some anchors I also bought online.

 I found a few bins, made another sign using vintage dictionary pages, and I carved out a whale I imagine would be a good place to add baby's stats.  The banner is Holden's name using the nautical alphabet.

Last up was a wreath to greet the family.  Charlotte had one, so Holden needed one too.
It worked out well b/c Charlotte's room had some red, so I was able to use the old pieces without changing them out too much.  Hopefully Holden gets lots of good rest in this room.

 This is a quilt I made for my friend's nursery.  She bought these fabrics quite a few years ago when she was expecting baby number 1.  She had a girl and went with a ballet themed, but this go 'round she got a baby boy who could use these fabrics.

I bought a really soft material for the back side and had them measure it to a little over a yard.  I took all the fabrics she bought and figured out how to evenly divide them (they were long enough for the width I wanted).  In this case I cut each strip evenly into 5 1/2 inches.  I sewed each strip together.  I embroidered Holden's name on one side towards the bottom.  I sewed the top to the back, and then added some binding I made with blue fabric I had in my stash.  

I'll post a picture in the nursery with this little guy ironed and ready to snuggle.

Nautical Mobile

 Soon I'll be posting some pictures of this mobile hanging in it's nursery.  In the meantime, you get my overgrown yard last spring.

My friend, Amber, was expecting a baby boy....but she didn't know she was expecting a baby boy.  I did because I was assigned the task of decorating his nursery.  When she had her first baby (Charlotte) a few years before I knew that the nursery was going to be nautical if it was a boy, or ballet if it was a girl.  Well, ballet it was.  So, this go 'round, she didn't find out in advance, but they wanted a gender specific nursery, so I got the privilege of putting it all together.  I stuck with nautical.  I've made a few mobiles for different friends in the past, but this time I went a little different.  

 I usually use an embroidery hoop, but this time I found these sticks/balls ready to put together via aliexpress.  They also sold these little wooden anchors (I painted two red).

I found these little crochet whales via Etsy (the gal was really quick, and so sweet, she even threw in an extra narwhal...if she only knew how much I loved unicorns).  I used some jewelry string to tied each one to the sticks.  Very simple, but it works perfect with the nursery theme!

Bible Verse Sign

Last summer I put together a surprise nursery for a friend.  I wanted to do as much DIY as I had time for to save money.  I had her pin some different things, and one thing we talked about was a bible verse. I had her choose one for each gender.  My plan was to do a piece of subway art on this wood, but when I went through the whole template/mod podge routine, and even an attempt at handwriting it....I just could NOT fall in love.  I had a white mess of messy penmanship.  So, my wood got a white wash.  I painted and scrubbed it off with a damp paper towel in enough layers that I covered up my handwriting.  I then found this quote ready to cut on my Cricut on Etsy and I purchased it.  I rubbed it down on the wood and once it dried I sprayed a clear coat of clear spray so it would stay (I was worried mod podge would wrinkle it).  Last, I glued rope around the top and bottom.  I love the way it turned out....after a few trial and errors.

A Jar of Good

Mission complete!  I always make a lot of resolutions because that's the kind of gal I am.  I figure if you have enough goals you are bound to hit some!  A new thing I did this last year was this jar of  'good.'  Before the start of 2017 I cut out 52 sheets of paper using some scraps I had.  Each week, on Saturday evening, I wrote one good thing that had happened that week.  Sometimes it was hard to narrow them down.  Sometimes it was hard to come up with something good.  In the end, despite trials and triumphs, I have a year of good memories in this jar.  I put a reminder in my planner each week, but another suggestion would be to put a reminder on your phone.  There were a few weeks I wasn't home on Saturday, so I wrote down a note in my phone and transferred it when I returned home.  I have some different plans for this year, but I'll definitely revisit this in the future!  I'm not sure if I'll keep these in the jar, or make a scrapbook or 2017 memory box, but for now, they will hang out in the jar as a reminder there was a lot of good in a seemingly difficult year!