Pinterest Pillows

As I mentioned in my last post, I have been changing a few things around and rearranging. I moved the throw pillows from off of my bed onto the couches, so my bed was feeling pretty sad and lonely. I had a couple of pillows that I had been using on the plaid couch but that didn't look good with the new couch covers, so I made a couple of slipcovers for the pillows and slid them right in. I found this flower pillow idea on pinterest and adapted a little--instead of sewing the petals on I hot glued them so I could do it while sitting in front of the tv :)

Cut about 15 small circles (about 1 1/2 inches in diameter) and 15-20 big circles (about 2 1/2 inches in diameter) I did not measure or use a template. I like the "homemade" not perfect look.

Cut the circles in half

Start hot gluing the large halves in a circle, layering on top of one another and moving in slightly with each layer. Once you get a few layers of the big halves, start using the little halves until you've made it all the way to the center. I covered the center with a little felt circle.

I love how they add a little fun to my room! I already had the throw pillows and the fabric for the slipcovers, so these little babies cost me about $1 a piece for the felt, and they took less than an hour to make them both! That's my kind of project!!

Small Transformations

  When my husband and I got married almost 6 years ago, my parents gave us their custom sofa and loveseat. We were so grateful to have furniture that we didn't have to buy! (I think every single piece of furniture we owned up until this last year was given to us. Blessings!)

Well, the time has come to make a small change. We are still students, living on a student budget, but I've really been wanting to give the room an update. I found some slipcovers that I actually like, and the room feels instantly updated!!! Inexpensive, definitely not permanent, but a definite change. It's like a breath of fresh air!

I pulled a couple of throw pillows from off my bed to use on the couches, so I've been re-doing pillows this weekend. I will post them next!

A few of my favorite things

Let's face it...January and February tend to be a bit long a dreary...and cold...and wet. It's hard to be stuck inside all day, especially with little ones wanting to run outside and play!! There are days when I just need a little me time, and these are some of my favorite products, espeically during the winter time. The other day I treated myself to a little "spa" day during my daughter's nap, and used all of these products, on top of painting my fingernails and toenails. I felt so refreshed afterward!


makeupalley.com

Vaseline Healthy Body Glow
Get a nice glow without the harmful UV rays foa tanning bed, AND without the smell of most sunless tanning lotions!







allrecipes.com
Green Smoothie
I try to drink a green smoothie at least a few times a week. They are so refreshing and I love getting servings of veggies in without even thinking about it! I always feel refreshed and cleans, especially when I drink a few glasses at a time.

Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy Sugar Scrub

bathandbodyworks.com

This sugar scrub from Bath and Body works is honestly one of my favorite products EVAH! Dry, harsh, winter weather leaves your skin feeling rough and dry. This is like magic in a jar! Slather it on in the shower and the sugar exfoliates your skin and the oils leave your skin feeling soft for DAYS!!

Burts Bee's Lip Balm                                                                       

Of course, Burts Bees lip balm. I don't know about you, but my lips get so dry and sore during the winter, and this ALWAYS does the trick!

What are some of your favorite must-haves to get you through the winter??

What's For Dinner Wednesdays

Goodness! This poor little blog has been a little neglected the past couple of weeks...I won't make a list of all my excuses, I'll just try to do better! I got this recipe from the author of one of my favorite blogs, brownpaper--packages.com. Great for busy days when all you have time for is the throw something quick into the crock pot! (I may or may not use my crock pot almost every day)

Easy Chicken Cacciatore:

4-5 chicken breasts (frozen or thawed)
1 24 oz. jar of your favorite spaghetti/marinara sauce
1-2 green peppers
1 onion

Place chicken in bottom of crock pot. Pour spaghetti sauce on top. Chop green peppers and onions and pour on top of spaghetti sauce.  Cook for 7-8 (for frozen chicken) or 4-5 hours (for thawed chicken).

Serve over pasta.

Yummmm!!!!

What's (Not) For Dinner Wednesdays

This week has been rainy and cold here, and I have had a nice head cold to go with it! So for dinner for the last three nights, we have had chicken noodle soup from a can. Nice. That's probably what we'll be having again tonight, so I decided to share one of my favorite dessert recipes in the ENTIRE WORLD!!! You really must try this...you will be in HEAVEN!

Mile High Peanut Butter Brownie Pie
Ingredients

• 1 Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box
• 1 (15.5 ounce) package Chocolate Chunk Brownie Mix
• 1/4 cup peanut butter chips
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 egg
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 2 tablespoons peanuts, chopped
• 2 tablespoons mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Unroll pie crust; place in ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate as directed on box for One-Crust Filled Pie; flute edge.
2. In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, peanut butter chips, oil, water and egg 50 strokes with spoon. Pour batter into crust-lined pie plate.
3. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, covering edge of crust with strips of foil after 15 to 20 minutes, until crust is golden brown and center of brownie is set. Cool slightly, about 20 minutes. Refrigerate 1 hour or until completely cooled.
4. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Spread mixture over brownie. Sprinkle with peanuts and chocolate chips. Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving. Store covered in refrigerator.

Rosette Ball Tutorial

Here is a quick tutorial on how to make the rosette balls I have pictured on my sidebar.

You will need:

crepe paper streamers

styrofoam balls

hot glue

ribbon

pins

 Start with a piece of streamer about 18 in. long (no need to measure, just guess) Tie a knot in the middle of the streamer piece.

 Hold the knot at one end and twist the ends of the streamer together.

 Roll the twisted streamer around the knot to form a rosette

 Hot glue your rosettes onto a styrofoam ball

 If you want the balls to hang, cut ribbon to desired length and use pins to attache ribbon to ball

I am definitely not the greatest at tutorials, hope that makes sense!! Happy rose ball making!

What's for Dinner Wednesdays

Slow Cooked Chicken, Apples, Onions, and Rosemary


2 c. chopped onion
2 green apples cubed
4-5 uncooked chicken breasts
2 T Rosemary
salt/pepper to taste

Sauce
1 can cream of celery, mushroom, or chicken soup
1 cup chicken broth
Mix the sauce together in a separate liquid measuring cup.

Place onions on bottom of slow cooker, then place chicken, apples, and seasonings on top. Pour sauce over chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve on top of rice.

This is really easy and a yummy, savory dish that will warm you up on a cold day! Rosemary reminds me of the holidays, so I especially like this around the holidays. I got this recipe from a good friend who lives states and states away from me now, so it always reminds me of her as well!

V. Day

I'm the type of person who gets really really excited for the holiday well before it arrives (I start listening to Christmas music usually at the beginning of October...yes, I'm one of those) then by the end of the holiday I'm totally done and ready to move on.

Valentine's is no exception.

Decorations are already up! (Granted, I only have a few decorations and they really only stay up for about a month, so I figure why not give them as much time as I can?

I love making these runners for different holidays...thinking of doing a giveaway soon...would a runner be something anyone would be interested in?

Wrappin' it up

It's time to wrap up our week of cleaning and organizing!! I've had lots of fun sharing some ideas and learning some of yours as well! Keep the comments comin'!

Overview of the week:
Introduced you to my weekly cleaning schedule
Talked about how baskets, containers, and labeling help things stay organized and in their spot
Homemade laundry detergent on the cheap
Saturday deep cleaning ideas

Remember, if you do a little bit each day, cleaning won't seem like such a chore, and it won't take nearly as long, because everything will stay relatively clean!


Just to keep things real, I thought I'd post a couple pictures of how our living room looks 90% of the day (and this is actually a pretty good day)

 (You can't see the goldfish crackers smashed into the floor)

I especially love when my daughter adds to the decor:

Nobody's home is perfect, and I never want to give the illusion that mine is. A home has to be comfortable and livable for YOU! That is what is most important. I just hope this week has helped you take a few steps toward a home that is a little cleaner, a little more organized, and a little more comfortable for you! Happy cleaning and decluttering!

Saturday Chores

Thanks for the comments, ideas, and questions about the laundry detergent! I love hearing everyones tips and suggestions! One question was that was asked was:
"Does this soap work in an HE machine?"
Answer: I don't have an HE machine, so I guess officially I don't know, but the ladies that taught me how to make it said it does...so maybe make a small batch and try it? Or if anyone knows, please leave me a comment!
Another question: How do I make the soap smell good?
Answer: add essential oils!! Any that you like!
Another question: does the soap have to be shaken up or stirred before use?
Answer: If you make a giant batch of the liquid kind, it will need to be stirred occassionally. Another great idea is to make it in smaller quantities or to store it in smaller bottles, so that it can be shaken up before each use. If you make the powder version, you won't have to worry about this.

I thought for today I would talk a little bit about the Saturday chores that I mentioned. Each Saturday, we pick a few odd jobs around the house to do together as a family. Some of these things include:

• Cleaning base boards -- We usually do this every other week so they stay nice and clean. This is a great chore for kids to do because they can crawl along the floor and wipe a little easier than us adults :)
• Dusting ceiling fans -- this is something that doesn't get done very often, but when we do it, I get so grossed out at how much dust collects up there!
• Vacuum edges of carpet -- I vacuum a couple times a week, but the vacuum never gets right along the edge where the carpet meets the wall, and dust does collect there over time. I use an attachement on my vacuum that can get right up to the edge, and go all around the house, including in closets.
• Lemon oil wood cabinets -- kitchen, bathrooms, etc.
• Wash curtains, dust ruffles on beds, etc. (This happens very rarely!)
• Clean windows/window sills --  I love to get outside and clean the outside windows as well! (Tip: try to clean the windows on a cooler, cloudy day. There's more chance of streaking if the windows are warm.)

These are just a few things we do, and keep in mind, we only pick one or two so it only takes about 15-20 minutes, then we never have to devote the entire weekend to deep cleaning the house!
Happy Cleaning!

Laundry Detergent: Ever Made Your Own?

In continuing with our cleaning/organizing week, I thought I'd share something a learned a couple months ago--how to make your own laundry detergent. Make your own laundry detergent? Did that just scare some of you? It kind of intimidated me a little bit...in fact, I still haven't made it! But yesterday I went to Walmart to buy some cleaning supplies and I just spent too darn much money! And I realized where the bulk of it went to...laundry detergent. That stuff is expensive! So here's the recipe:

1 Bar Fels Naptha Soap (or any TRUE bar soap, like Ivory. Not a "cleansing bar" like Dove)



1 cup Borax (20 Mule Team)

                             

1 cup Washing Soda (Arm and Hammer brand, but NOT "baking soda-washing soda is a completely different substance)

1. Grate soap (It will be fine and powdery)

2. Place soap and 2 cups water in saucepan on stove, simmer until soap melted and sixture is clear.

3. Pour 4 gallons HOT water into a 5 gallon bucket, add soap mixture along with rest of ingredients and stir.

4. A thick gel will form at the top, keep stirring periodically until gelled evenly.

Recipe may be halved. Use about 1/4 cup for each laundry load. This detergent will last FOREVER.

Ok, so this sort of intimidated me, and I even watched the process. Then I found out something awesome. If you are OK with powder laundry detergent, you can skip all of the boiling, and you won't need a 5 gallon bucket or anything! Just grate the soap, add the washing soda and borax, and put it all in a blender until it's totally powder. Now you only have store a couple of cups of powder instead of a huge bucket, and it's so concentrated you only need about a tablespoon in each laundry load.

To buy the Borax, Washing Soda, and Fels Naptha (which you shoudl be able to get at any grocery store) will cost you around $10 dollars, but the Borax and Washing Soda can be used for multiple batches, the only thing  you will need to buy more of is the Fels Naptha which is the least expensive thing! This is seriously such a money saver and after yesterday, I've decided to try it myself!

Taming the Clutter: Baskets and Containers

One thing that helps me stay organized are baskets and containers.

I keep a cleaning tub under the sink in each of my bathrooms and in the kitchen, holding all the supplies I need to clean that area. It makes it so quick and efficient to have everything right there ready to go!

I love organizing everything into baskets to tame clutter and keep things grouped together. In my linen closet, I have these baskets to hold all our extra toiletries I keep stocked, first aid items, etc.

In my daughters closet, I have all kinds of baskets to organize her different toys. And now she is learning where they all go and how to put them away herself!

And the great thing about these baskets? They are ALL from the dollar store! That's right! Organizing doesn't have to be expensive. Head to your local dollar store and I'm sure you will find all you need to get organized, and it will not break the bank!

Another thing I love to do is label. I don't have a cricut or a silhouette, (on my wish list) but you can use stickers, you can print labels off your computer, use card stock to make tags, etc. Be creative! When everything has its own place, it has a great likelihood of staying there.

Let's Get Organized!!!

This week I'm devoting one post every day to organizing/cleaning. It's the new year, we've all made some goals and resolutions, and maybe some have to do with getting your house together? Maybe not...either way, organizing and cleaning my home are some of my very favorite things to do. Really. I'm not lying! I love the feeling of getting something organized and having a fresh, clean house. To start the week off, I thought I'd share with you my weekly cleaning schedule. I realize that this may not work for some, and that there are lots of great ideas out there for keeping your house clean--some of you may like to have one day a week devoted completely to cleaning and laundry for example--but this is what works for me!

I like to do one or two things every day so that there is always a clean feeling in my house and so that it never feels overwhelming. I used to clean the whole house every Saturday, but now that I have a toddler, I've found that by the end of the week the house is such a mess and so overwhelming, and it's also hard for me to devote a whole day to cleaning when I have a two year old that needs lots of lovin!
So here's what I do!

Monday--Vacuum carpet, swiffer hard floors.
Tuesday--Clean bathrooms (I have two bathrooms, so I rotate which bathroom I deep clean and which one I lightly clean
Wednesday--Dust (this includes wood surfaces, any windows that are gross with fingerprints, blinds, etc.
Thursday--vacuum,swiffer
Friday--Clean bathrooms (other bathroom gets the deep clean)

Every night I clean the kitchen, which only takes a couple minutes because it stays clean! This includes wiping down counters, sweeping floors, and bleaching sink

Saturday--I get the hubs help and we spend about 15 minutes doing some kind of cleaning that doesn't get done often, like cleaning the baseboards, cleaning light fixtures, etc.

Does it seem like a lot? Well it's not! The trick is, to always keep up on it, and then it never becomes overwhelming. And it never takes more than a few minutes a day! And the great thing about keeping up on it is, if you have to miss a day, you won't even notice!

A few more tricks:
Laundry--I do one load a day. I rotate whites, darks, towels, and on Saturday I wash all the sheets. Doing one load a day keeps all the laundry done and I never dread doing it!

Empty dishwasher before you go to bed or first thing in the morning, so that as dishes get dirty during the day, they can easily be loaded in the dishwasher instead of sitting in the sink.

Basically, my philosophy is to just do a little bit each day and your house will always stay clean!
I love hearing others' advice and tips, so if you have any, feel free to leave me some!!!