Easy Wall Decor

Easy Wall Décor:

I was cleaning out my kitchen cabinets and found I only had one of these brown raffia place mats. I’ve seen them hung on the wall before and I liked it but it’s really not my style. So, I put it aside and finished what I was doing. Before I threw it away I walked into my daughter’s room to see if there was something I could do with it in there. I’ve been collecting the letter M of all different shapes, sizes, colors for her room. This fun blue M stuck out. I picked it up and used a twist tie (leftover from a bread bag) and attached the M to the place mat. I LOVE it!!! I already had nails in the walls so I just placed it there. It has to be one of my FAVORITE ‘recycled’, cheep, and easy wall decorations in my home!!

Coupon Binder

About a year and a half ago I decided I wanted to look intothis whole couponing craze that was going on. So I started to buy the Sundaypaper and cut coupons. I’ve become addicted and can’t help but crave thechallenge to save. About 6 months ago, my coupons were getting a so out ofcontrol, that I needed to get better organized. A coupon binder was the answer.

Things you’ll need:

3 ring binder

Baseball card holder (perfect size for coupons & goodprices found on eBay)

Tab dividers

Coupons

The first thing I did was sort my coupons by categories.I used sticky notes to help label them.

The categories I have used myself are:

Pantry

Fridge

Baking

Frozen

Drinks

Sweets

Meats

Cleaning Products

Paper Products

Dish Soap

Laundry

Hair

Body Soap

Lotion

Oral Hygiene

Personal Care

Make-up

Medicines

Office Products

Baby/kids

Dog

Places

Restaurants

Miscellaneous

These categories seem to work well for me.

The next thing you’ll do is to put your tab dividers andbaseball card holders into the 3 ring binder. After that start inserting yourcoupons into the baseball card holders behind the proper tabs.

If you are serious about couponing here are a few tips I haveto offer:

-         Only cut the coupons for the things you use. If youcut out coupons for items you don’t normally use, you’ll end up spending moremoney than you’ll be saving.

-         The exception to this would be if you know youcan get an item for free after the coupon.

-         Sometimes you’ll get coupons for free items; I keepthose at the front of my binder so I remember to use them.

-         Find a good blog to follow for couponing. Two I useare www.hip2save.com and www.moneysavingmom.com. These blogslay out exactly how to use your coupons at particular stores.

I hope this helps. Happy savings to you!

DIY Full Coverage Nursing Cover

I don't know if you're anything like me but I really hate nursing in public. Not because there is anything shameful or uncomfortable about it, but because I don't want my love handles and postpartum baby belly hanging out for all the world to see. I saw a tutorial on Pinterest for a full coverage nursing cover that had you sew "only one line". But I've revamped it so you don't have to sew anything at all!

Supplies:
1yard knit fabric (I bought a jersey knit fabric that way it wouldn't fray)
Fabric scissors
Measuring tape

Directions:
1. Fold the fabric long ways in half
2. Trim edges of the fabric that need to be trimmed or straightened
3. Measure the folded side of the fabric and find the middle

4. From the middle out measure about 12-13inches. (for the neck hole in the center)

5. Once you've cut along the fold put the fabric on

6. Measure about how much you'd like to cut off the bottom (I cut 9inches off of mine)

7. Refold the fabric along the neck hole and cut the desired amount off the bottom

8. The end measurements of my nursing cover were 21 inches x 42 inches

I embellished the corners of the neck hole with buttons just to make it a little pretty.

Hope you enjoy your new nursing cover as much as I do!

Apple Canvas Bag

Apple Canvas bags

What you need:

Canvas bag

Paint

Apple

I was making gift bags for a birthday party and thought it would such a cute idea to make the bags have double duty. 

So I had an apple that was just over ripe.

 I cut it in half. I mixed green paint with white to lighten it, and green paint with a mixture of purple, red, orange to darken it. You can’t tell in the photos but there are two different color greens on the canvas. I just started on the bottom of the bag, and did every other in light green then dark green. 

 

I did notice later that the paint had gone though the bag to the inside. It didn’t go though the back, but just inside. So maybe I’d use a plastic bag inside just to make sure next time. Happy crafting!

Easy Home Decor

This is a very easy way to cover some bear wall.

You just need:

4 12x12 pieces of scrapbook paper

4 empty card bottom boxes

Scissors

Tape

Pencil

12” paper cutter

The box is 7.5” x 5.25”. So I cut the paper down to 11.5” x 9.25” to make sure I had more than enough to fold into the box. On each corner cut out a 2” x 2” square so it looks like this:

Put the box in the middle and fold over all of the edges on the paper around the box. This will help after taping to get everything on the box smoothly.

Next apply the tape to the scrapbook paper. Begin putting the scrapbook paper around the box. Repeat until all of your boxes are covered. Here’s my end product:

Grilled Chicken Nachos

 Ingredients:

Chicken tenders or breasts- boneless skinless

1 jar of salsa

1 packet of taco seasoning

1 small can of green chilies- drained

1 can of black beans – rinsed and drained

1 package of Mexican shredded cheese

Green onions

Tortilla chips

Directions:

While the chicken is frozen (in the am) put it in the crockpot. Mix ½ the taco seasoning with ¾ the jar of salsa- pour over the chicken and cook on high for about 5 hours if you’re using chicken breasts (only 2-3 for chicken tenders). Once the chicken is literally falling apart, pour the chilies, beans and remaining taco seasoning into the crockpot. Cover the bottom of a disposable aluminum pan with tortilla chips. Top with chicken mixture, shredded cheese and finely chopped green onions.

Heat the grill, place aluminum foil over the top of your pan, place on the grill for about 10min or until the cheese is melted. Enjoy this super unhealthy but ridiculously tasty dinner! ;)

Mustaches for Daddy

store to find something for him. Before we walked into the store I asked the boys, “What would you like to get daddy for his birthday?” Agent J responded quickly and quite seriously, “Mustaches. Because daddy can’t grow one for himself.”

We searched high and low at two different stores for fake mustaches only to find nothing. Then it came to me, “I’m crafty! Let’s make ‘em” So I picked up some black pipe cleaners and elastic. When bubba was down for a nap one afternoon the twins and I sat at the kitchen table laughing hysterically, enjoying being creative together and imagining daddy wearing these ridiculous mustaches!

It was so much fun! If you have boys, then you probably understand the fascination with facial hair. My sons have always been a little over the top with it (at age two they wanted me to draw mustaches on them to go to the store and to see their grandfathers band… we allowed it too! You’re only a kid once!) Here’s what we did- have a great time and enjoy some laughs with your little ones!

Need:

·      Scissors

·      Pipe cleaners

·      Elastic string

·      Imagination

Instructions:

·      Manipulate the pipe cleaner(s) into the shape of the mustache you’d like

·      Tie the elastic string around the middle of the mustache in a knot

·      Measure around the wearers head with the elastic and tie another knot in the back

·      Enjoy the ridiculousness of these home made mustaches “because daddy can’t grow one for himself”