Kids Craft

One of the items from our bucket list was make some art. Today we did something extra special with sandpaper. Pixelated Art or Dot Art.

Have the kids draw a picture directly on the sand paper using crayons.

Lay picture face down onto white paper. With iron on high, heat transfer the image onto a white piece of paper. It only takes a about 10-15 seconds. Rub the entire sandpaper. Press firmly.

The kids had so much fun and now we have very unique art work to hang up in our house.


6 year old's

before: He said it is a bunch of cool stuff to drive.

after:

3 year old's

 before: She is it was a boat, but I think it looks like a bird on grass

after:

mine: I learned some things. Don't do a lot of detail or words;) And color everything in really well.

Before:

After:

Beachy Bathroom

 The shelf was left over trim from our home.  The trim guy made a few shelves for me.  They were originally white but I painted them WOODLAWN BLUE from Benjamin Moore.  We had our laundry room painted that color so it was just left overs.  Then I took Mocha tinted glaze and wiped it over the shelf.  It's hard to tell but it looks awesome.  The picture of the eggs on the shelf is found HERE from The Painted Hive blog.  The frame was silver but I painted it SANDERLING from Sherwin Williams and then wiped some woodlawn blue over the top.  I used a baby wipe to take off some blue until I liked the look. 

 These picture frames were so ugly.  I got them for 75 cents each.  Originally they were brown.  I painted them the same as the egg picture.  I did sand them a little to let some of the dark color show through.  The sea shell pictures are found HERE.

 The idea for this 3D art came from Home Stories A to Z.  Such a great blog.  The sea shells I collected when we lived in Oregon. The frames are painted     Then I wiped woodlawn blue over them.  The rock looking fabric for the back ground is from JoAnn's.

 Coral and vase are from TJ Max.  If you are looking for cheep coral Beth from home Stories A to Z suggested buying colored coral for fish tanks and spray painting it.  Why didn't I think of that.

This other hammered looking vase is also from TJ Max.  I had some fake orchid's around so I just put them in the vase.

Super Salad

I have been making this salad for a long time. So here it is, in all it's simpleness! These ingredients are loaded with antioxidants and are commonly known as superfoods and promote good health.

Super Salad

1 bag of fresh baby spinach leaves
1 medium chicken breast, grilled and chopped into small cubes
2 - 2 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/2 - 3/4 cup blueberries
1/4-1/2 cup slivered almonds, roasted (I tried walnuts and they are fine, I just prefer the taste of almonds)
optional: 1 ounce crumbled Gorgonzola cheese or goat cheese

Toss everything in a big salad bowl. I usually cook extra chicken and have the extra in the fridge for moments like this where I want to add it quickly to a cold salad. 

I usually use this vinaigrette for easiness sake. It can be found at any grocery store. BUT I also have this recipe from Diabetic Living that is really tasty.

Vinaigrette:
1/3 cup raspberry vinegar
2 tablespoons snipped fresh mint
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon canola oil or olive oil

In a screw top jar, combine all ingredients and shake well.

Asian Burger

I know I am not the one who usually gives you recipes, but I couldn't pass this one up! Fire up the grill because I have the most AMAZING burger for you and guess what!?! it's healthy and delicious! I got this from Diabetic Living

3 tablespoons bottles hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 pound 95% lean ground beef (I used all ground turkey instead and it was still very tasty)
8 ounces ground pork
6    1/2 to 3/4 inch thick slices peeled and cored fresh pineapple
6    1/2 inch thick slices red onion
6 whole wheat hamburger buns, split and toasted
1/2 cup snow pea pods, strings and tips removed.

1. In a very large bowl, combine hoisin sauce, finely chopped onion, five-powder, and crushed red pepper. Add meat. Mix well. Shape into 6 1/2 inch thick patties.
2. Place patties, pineapple, and red onion on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill pineapple and onion 4-6 minutes or until lightly browned, turning once. Grill patties until no longer pink inside. Turning once.
For gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place patties, pineapple, and red onions on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.
3. Halve pea pods lengthwise. Place pineapple on bun bottoms. Top with patties, onion and pea pods.

Home Made Liquid Laundry Soap

Have you ever seen the show 19 Kids and Counting on TLC? With that much laundry you'd have to find ways to save money.   Well this is the recipe she uses for her laundry soap.  
The recipe actually said this soap works out to cost 1 cent per load.  I believe it because I think I paid close to only $5 for everything and it made a 5 gallon bucket.   I have been using it for a week now and it works great.  I do have soft water and that helps clean you clothes better no matter what soap you use.
 

 Grated Soap

 Start of melting it.

 Melted Soap

 I just used my sink sprayer to fill the bucket.

 The 2 pictures above show what it looked like the next day after it cooled.  It turned to a gel mixture.  I was actually taking to long to stir to break it up so I just used my hands.  If you do this I suggest doing it right by the sink so you can wash your arms off easily.

 I saved a tide bottle to add my homemade soap to.  It does gel up in the bottle a little so I give it a shake every now and then when I'm about to pour soap.  

Liquid Laundry Soap

1 Fels-Naptha Bar of soap(grated)

1 cup Washing Soda

1/2 Cup borax

Water

5 gallon bucket

Grate the fels-naptha bar of soap.  In a pan on the stove add the grated soap to 4 cups of hot water.  Stir till soap is completely dissolved.  Fill one 5 gallon bucket 1/2 full of Hot water.  Add the dissolved soap mixture, borax, and washing soda.  Stir till dissolved.  Add more hot water to fill up the bucket.  Let sit over night.  It will form into a solid gel.  Stir to break it up and add some to a soap dispenser of choice.
Use a left over tide bottle.  It still gels so shake the bottle every now and then to break it up. 
**  You can add 10-15 drops of essential oils per 2 gallons of soap.  I didn't because it smells clean and I don't know anything about essential oils. 

* Top loader uses 1/4 to 1/2 cup per load
* Front loader uses 1/8 to 1/4 cup per load

Shirt Refashion #4

Well here is my latest shirt refashion from my Wal-mart find. This one is a no sew!
Before:

AFTER: braided collar and a bow. de-lish!

Gather up your supplies:
a shirt
ribbon
Iron
Iron on Liquid Stitch (make sure you get iron on because it makes this process a lot easier)!

Glob some liquid stitch onto a plate and get a small tip. I used the ball end of a straight pin.

First, I sewed the ends together, but you can just as easily use the liquid stitch and iron them together. Make sure to fray check the edges (take matches or a lighter to the ends) Then attach to a safety pin. It's like making a friendship bracelets when you were younger. Come on, you know you made them;) attached the pin to your ironing board. Start braiding.

After a few twists, put a little liquid stitch on the strands of your braid and iron down. This is to help your braid stay together as you work. It prevents from having the braid uneven from pulling. I did about 3 twists then add the glue. Continue doing this until your braid is long enough to go around the entire shirt.

Put the shirt on and mark where you want the bow to be at. This will give you your starting point.

Using the liquid stitch again, iron/glue the braid around the collar of the shirt. I spaced the dots of glue about every 3/4 inch. It's not a science, just where ever you think needs it.
















When you get back to the start, use liquid stitch to secure braid. Cut off the extra, and fray check ends. Using liquid stitch, make sure the end is completely fastened down.

To cover the end of the braid, add a bow. I used left over ribbon. I didn't like how small the bow looked with just one strand so I did 2. But I might get some thicker ribbon and remake the bow. A rosette would be cute here too. Use liquid stitch to secure bow in place and you are done!  The bow didn't stay on with liquid stitch. So I ended up having to hand stitch it on. You could also hot glue the bow to a pin and pin it on.

I really do like how simple and fun this is! Maybe a pop of color would have been fun, but I like it how it is!

4th of July Printable

Because I am just that nice, I made a 4th of July subway art! As always this is for personal use only. You cannot sell any items made from this. Thanks for not modifying the file and for respecting the time it took to make this for you.

Download HERE.

Teriyaki Chicken Sandwiches

My husband is a great cook.  A few years ago he came up with these sandwiches. 

The night before we cut chicken breasts in half or flatten them.  Depends on how thick they are to begin with.  Then we merinate them over night in teriyaki or the turkey lips recipe found HERE.

 Using thin buns we spread poppy seed dressing on them and toast in the oven.  I set my oven to broil and pop these in.  It toasts them so fast I stand by the oven and watch so they don't burn.

 You can grill the chicken or cook it in a pan in the house.  The merinade will stick to the pan a little. 

  If you grill the chicken go ahead and grill the pineapple too.    After the meat is cooked we put a slice of ham, then pineapple, then a slice of swiss cheese.  I put them on a cookie sheet into a warm oven.  The cheese then melts over the top of everything.  

We serve them on thin buns so the sandwich isn't to thick to take a bite of.  I put a little more poppyseed dressing on the bun, a piece of lettuce, and finally the chicken. 

Teriyaki Chicken Sandwiches

By: Home Run Recipes

Chicken breast flattened and merinated 

Thin Buns toasted

Poppy Seed Dressing

Deli sliced Ham

Pineapple Rings

Swiss Cheese

Lettuce

The night before, merinate your chicken.  Grill the chicken and pineapple.  Spread poppyseed dressing on the buns and toast in the oven.  Put cooked chicken on a cookie sheet.  On each chicken breast place a slice of ham, pineapple, then swiss cheese.  Put into a warm oven until swiss cheeese melts. Serve with your toasted thin buns, more poppy seed dressing for the buns, and lettuce.