Perfect Kid Size!

As a mom you always have to carry your children's thing, especially when they are little. Check out the cute water & chapstick bag that Carrie put together one morning.

Just perfect to hold a water bottle and chapstick for her 3 year. Pockets are little bigger than the items inside so little hands can reach inside and get them when needed.Love the strap on the side.

Left over fabric from other projects. Time to make 30-40 minutes. No pattern came up with it herself. WAY TO GO CARRIE!!

Gift or Treat Holders

Aren't they cute!

These happened to be for a soccer treat after the game. That's why the grass paper was used.Here's how to make these cute things. Paper cutter, paper, double sided tape, paper crimp per.Cut paper to desired size.

make cylinder and tape together

Place double sided tape on inside of edges, match up edges, and crease sides down.

Fill with desired treat. This treat was gummy army men, found at WinCo in the bulk section.

Using double sided tape, tape the second side. Now crimp both edges

If you want a flat look pouch crimp sides so the package will lay flat on the table.

If you want a triangle look crimp one edge and then turn the paper to create the triangle and tape and crimp the edge.

And there it is so cute and easy to make!

A solution for puzzle boxes

My children and there friends love to do puzzles but we have a problem with some of the boxes. Which I can not stand puzzle boxes that the kids have torn into. We have taped and taped and taped and I can't do it any more. Now you have to understand they are 2-5 year old opening boxes and yes some of the boxes are hard but please kids stop ruining the boxes.

So here's my solution.....take a sandwich size container and change it to this....

I decided to cut up the original box and use packing tape to attach the puzzle picture to the top of the box.

Then added the side picture to the inside of the container so I could see what puzzle it was on the shelf. Then since there was two puzzle pictures I added another picture on the inside of the container. Just in case....two kids where working on the puzzle and both needed to see the picture or possibly just in case if we lost the lid we still had the picture inside.
My kids really liked the idea. I'm curious how long they will last, hopefully no kids thinks to step on the container. Man I would be sad =(

Cost was the containers - they came in a 4 pack for $2.33 @ Wal-Mart, packing tape had on hand. Time to create 15-25 minutes (had children helping)

Discovered Style on a Recipe Box

I love my new Recipe Box

Check out the where I got the design idea at

http://www.sistersstuff.blogspot.com/2009/08/recipe-box.html

When out on my adventure in blog world I came across this amazing blog Sisters Stuff, http://www.sisterstuff.blogspot.com/ and when I saw their home page with the cute box I remembered I purchased that same box (at Robert's Craft in Utah) and haven't done anything with it yet. It had a ding in the corner but the paper covers it great.I heart ribbon! My girlfriend and I share ribbon all the time so next time you need something ask a friend.To bad the handle wouldn't stay up so I had to get creative to make it stay to take the picture. I took a paper clip & bent it to hold up the handle to take the picture.The tabs/dividers for inside the box.Do you recognize what I used to make the dividers?Old Manila folders!

So thanks to Sister Stuff for challenging me to get projects done. Here's my version of the Recipe box. The inside of the box is still a work in progress, the recipes I mean and they probably will be for the next year.

What to do with girls holey old jeans?

Change them into shorts!

It's Earth Day and what a fun way to create something new from something old.

Cut off the legs of the jeans where the holes are at the knees. Turn the pants now shorts inside out and fold edge about an 1 inch, this will give the edge of shorts to look the finished look. Pin in place to hold edge together.

Find matching ribbon. I ended up using some ribbon I had on hand that was double sided. Cut ribbon into 2 1/2 inch strips, fold in half and pin around the edge of the bottom of the shorts. Make sure the ribbon is hanging off the shorts so when you turn them right side out the ribbon will showing and not hiding inside the shorts. Leave a little grab between each ribbon strip. The amount of strips will all depend on what size of pants/shorts used. I used size 3T pants and ended up using 18 strips of ribbon for each leg.

Sew a straight stitch around the edge of the ribbon. I decided to sew two times around for more durability. Plus I liked the effect too!

This pair of shorts I had to doctor. The hole was above the knee and so I made a patch with the jean leg I cut off. Not to bad if I say so myself.

and now the finished product....look how cute! My girls love it. No Cost- things I had on hand. Time to create was about an hour for each pair of jeans.

Easy Home Decor

If you're ever searching for amazing things to make in blog world....check out The Creative Crate (link below)

Something I saw and have been wanting to try and I did, check it out!

I found this great idea from The Creative Create, but put my own twist on it.

I decided to use things around my house. I found a wood board from the builders who left it, got out my paints and used my cricut to cut out the words.I didn't have the exact paint I wanted so I mixed some to get the color I wanted.Cut out the words with my cricut.Ok, so I made I mistake and got rid of the base paint color before I realized that I would need it again to cover up my mess ups from the cream color for the words. So I had to tried to mix the same paint again....didn't work so well. Then I had to get a little creative and add some brown on top and rubbed it with a wet towel to get the look I wanted.

I love IT! Now I need to find a good place to put it.

Check out the original design at Here

Thank you, The Creative Crate for inspiring me to create something wonderful!

No cost - found thing around the house. Time to create 1-1 1/2 hours (mostly dry time)

Steal of a deal from Dairy Queen!

Yummy TREAT

Have you heard the news! I'm a fan of Dairy Queen and they send me new promotions, for the week of April 19-25 visit Dairy Queen for a sweet treat!

Hey fans! Since we kicked off the Blizzard 25th Birthday Party Tour, we have been overwhelmed by your support. You truly are the best fans in the world and we look forward to meeting many of you this summer as the Blizzard®mobile comes to party in your home town. We really wish we could come see all of you, but we don't want that to stop you from celebrating. The Party Tour is just one of many ways we're celebrating the Blizzard 25th birthday. You can celebrate at your local store, or continue to follow the Tour on Facebook. So, as a little party favor to pump up the celebration we're throwing a 25¢ BOGO Blizzard Treat your way. The best part about it, no coupons are necessary.* You're the best fans in the world and we want all of you to be a part of the BIGGEST party in Blizzard treat history! So fans, get to your local DQ asap, because this offer only lasts from April 19-25.

*For a limited time only at participating locations. Valid in the U.S. and Canada only. Offer applies to regular price Blizzard® treats of equal or lesser size.

Check out there website for a location near you and see if your local Dairy Queen has the same deal.

Recipes from my Mom

At every Relief Society function over the last 25+ years if my Mom likes a dish, dessert, or whatever is it happens to be she ask for the recipe. WOW! I have to tell you she has sure collected many of them. Many years ago she made a Mom's Cookbook for my sisters and myself...full of wonderful recipes, but my favorite section is desserts.....boy do I love a yummy treat! I thought I'd share some of my favorites with you.

CHOCOLATE GUNK CAKE by Helen DowDell

1 small pkg chocolate pudding and pie filling (not instant)
1 pkg chocolate cake mix, powder only (no eggs, oil, water, etc)
1 c chocolate chips
1/2 c nuts , if desired

cook the chocolate pudding according to the instructions. Let cool a few minutes, then stir in 1 chocolate cake powder mix. Mix well and spread in a 9x13 greased and floured cake pan. Top with chocolate chips and nuts. Bake @ 350* for 30 minutes.


WAFFLE IRON COOKIES

1/2 c melted margarine
1 c flour
3/4 c sugar
2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 Tablespoons cocoa (can use Carob powder equal amounts)

mix margarine, sugar, eggs and chocolate together. Then add flour and vanilla. Place a heaping spoonful onto a hot (sprayed with Pam) waffle iron. Let cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Lift off with fork cook and frost if desired, which I recommend. (can frosting works great)

RON'S FUDGE

2 pkgs white chocolate chips
1/2 pkg Toffee bits

In the microwave melt the white chocolate chips, just until soft. Stir well and take out of microwave. Add the toffee bits. Stir well. Spread evenly on a small cookie sheet with a lip or small 8x8 pan lined with foil. Refrigerate. When set, cut into small pieces.

No Cost Decorating

I moved into my home 5 years ago and am just starting on decorating....you have to know my past history of moving every year to two years, so when we hit year 4 in the same place I thought okay it's time to decorate.

I've worked on my family room (which I think will always be a work in progress), toy closet, my bedroom, my girls room, and now the kids bathroom. I found a picture in a magazine many years ago of the bathroom wall only painted 2/3 the way up with a shelf. LOVED IT! While the kids where away I thought what a great time to do something fun for them plus not have little fingers in the paint too! ah ha yes!

I've been trying to be good about spend money and trying to look around the house before I shop. I hit the garage for our paint supply and this is what I came up with....



Left over paint from the toy closet. YELLOW AND BLUE make green, well aqua since that's what I was going for.(2 parts blue 1 part yellow). Do to the bathroom layout I couldn't do the shelf but remembered I had some chair rail that I'd been holding onto for 5 years. Oh, yes I forgot to mention when we moved in, it happened to be a new subdivision and you know what that means, Dumpster Diving!!! The chair rail was FREE.







No Cost, everything I had on hand

It's Spring Time....let's get organized

In my kitchen I have designated a cabinet to my children's crafts. The "Kids Craft Cabinet," well it usually is a mess and I can not stand it so I figured I try something different.

BEFORE:

This is not the first time I've organized this cabinet but I hope this design will work this time. The craft cabinet is full of Play-doh, coloring books, crayons, markers, etc. Originally I had the big boxes below full of Play-doh tools (which works great) and full of coloring books...not working so well. I have these old cardboard magazine holders that I stopped using when I decided I would only keep the page I liked in the magazine verse the entire magazine. Take a look with the finished product.

AFTER:

If you are wanting to get organized start with something small and decided what would work best for the area you are organizing. Then look around the house to see if you have anything that would work. Organizing gets expensive and if you don't have extra money to do it get creative and think outside the box.

Homemade Salsa

Man do I love salsa and what Mexican resturant doesn't make the best salsa. Sometimes I wish they would bottle it up for me to go....yummy! Thanks to my mom & sister who do make GREAT salsa I would like to share there recipes with you.

The first one is sooooo easy and soooo good and it even taste better the next day.

Black beans and Corn Salsa, by: Carol Hallen

1 jar of salsa (any size or brand)

1 can of Shoepeg Corn (small can about 2/3 size of a normal can - will be found on the vegetable can aisle, sometimes you have to look hard)

1 can of black beans (drained)

Mix all three ingredients in bowl and refrigerator over night or just serve.

Restaurant Style Salsa, by Charie Wilkinson

1 15oz can Mexican style tomatoes

2-3 TBSP chopped red onion

1 TBSP sugar

a squeeze of lime juice

Throw all ingredents in a blender and pulse.

Try these the next time you want chips and salsa or add it to your favorite mexican recipe that calls for salsa.....yum yum.......ENJOY!

A Giveaway from Make It and Love It

I came across this blog (Make It and Love It) on my adventure of deciding to create my own and what a AWESOME blog! And now they have a giveaway which is so wonderful.

Bejeweled Beads by Chelsea has created beautiful watches with gorgeous beads...take a look and check it them out. You can visit Chelsea's blog at http://bejeweledbeads.blogspot.com/ if you just want one now. Plus a sale just started April 4th, check out her blog for details.

Visit http://makeitandloveit.blogspot.com/ for the actual giveaway plus MORE pictures and there are multipule ways to enter the giveaway for more opportunities to win! Good Luck!