tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65162015722109743302023-11-16T04:22:09.214-08:00Hand Krafted CreationsThat's Krafted...With a "K".Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-81477977491357271792013-01-12T08:38:00.000-08:002013-01-12T08:45:01.601-08:00DIY Mantel TutorialI should preface this blog post by saying that by the time these posts make it to you all neat and tidy in all their glory, I've probably: yelled at my husband, talked in a tone that is less than becoming, suffered a few injuries, given and received a few dirty looks, and said enough swear words to send my grandmother to her grave. <i>Twice</i>.<br />
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This mantel, though GORGEOUS, was a pain in the ass. Plain and simple. It was taken apart a few times and reassembled, it was trimmed and re cut, and hanging it proved to be an interesting feat. However, all said and done...it was worth it. (At least to me, because I didn't have to do much heavy lifting, sawing, drilling, cutting...etc. heh) <br />
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Oh,I should add the fact that Hubby <b><i>hammered </i></b>my thumb. As in <b>smashed</b> it...<i>WITH THE HAMMER</i>! <b><i>HOLY OUCH! </i></b>You be the judge, but I think it was totally worth the blood, sweat and tears<br />
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Oh, P.S. Angles are hard y'all!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is my mantle in all it's Christmas glory! :D You'll notice the cute little letters. I'll explain those in a different post.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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When I first started looking for a project, I knew I wanted something to dress up the one blank wall I have in our apartment. And when I found <a href="http://todaysfabulousfinds.blogspot.com/2011/11/diy-mantel-shelf-and-how-to-hang-it.html" target="_blank">THIS</a> gem, I knew all I needed was a little tweaking and it was going to be PERFECT! :) I used <a href="http://todaysfabulousfinds.blogspot.com/2011/11/diy-mantel-shelf-and-how-to-hang-it.html" target="_blank">her mantel shelf</a> as inspiration and then do what I always do...I make it up! Then I show my husband what he will be building for me and he gives me this weary look, to which I respond by begging and telling him it's going to be super easy and he can TOTALLY do this. (Please see above about how the project <i>actually</i> went...you know with the swearing and all. heh)<br />
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Now on to the tutorial. Some of the pictures really suck this time. Sorry about that.<br />
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This is what you need:<br />
One- 1x6x6<br />
Once-1x8x8<br />
One 8' piece of molding (you choose which design you like best) <br />
Screws<br />
Finishing nails<br />
Drill<br />
Table Saw<br />
Coat Hooks-If you wish to have hooks on the front of your mantel shelf. I wanted them to hang stockings. :)<br />
stain, paint or whatever you want to decorate.<br />
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If you go to Lowe's someone will be generous enough to show you what you need. In my case they were also generous enough to make the cuts I needed. :)<br />
<b>You are going to have both the 1x6x6 and the 1x8x8 cut into 4' pieces.</b> I suggest cutting the molding yourself at home! (That is where we made our mistake, which made the assembly of the mantel a lot more difficult than it needed to be!) <br />
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The 1x8x8 is going to be the bottom and the top of your mantel. The 1x6x6 is going to be the front and the 2 sides. In the picture above, I am showing you how to place the bottom(1x8x8) and the front(1x6x6) together. You need to run screws through the wood to hold it in place. I think we did 3-4 screws across.<br />
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You should have a little extra of the 1x6x6, this is for the sides! You should have enough to make the two sides of your mantel.<br />
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To attach the top, just screw it into the sides. We did two screws (And by we I mean Hubby.) one in the front and one in the back.<br />
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Now we get to the molding part. I should just tell you ahead of time, the angles part...ARE HARD. Technically you should be able to set your table saw to 45degrees, match up the cut angles to make a 90degree angle that fits perfectly around the edges of your shelf. HA! <br />
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The moral of the story is, it doesn't need to be perfect to look awesome! When your shelf is hanging and decorated, you can't even tell that the corners are slightly off.<br />
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To attach the molding you use finishing nails. When you stain your mantle you can't even see where the nails were put in.<br />
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To hang the shelf, I'm going to have you visit the original site. I'm sure I could explain it to you, but she took better pictures of this part. So go <a href="http://todaysfabulousfinds.blogspot.com/2011/11/diy-mantel-shelf-and-how-to-hang-it.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. As you can see in the above picture, once the mantle is stained and finished, you can't even tell than angles are wonky.<br />
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This is an up close of the hooks we used.<br />
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And there you have it. Your very own mantel shelf. Though there were less than ideal circumstances, the husband and I forgave each other and this mantel turned out beautiful!<br />
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In fact, it turned out so beautiful that we decided to build one for my sister and her husband for Christmas! I should add real quick, that the second mantle shelf went together in an hour and
the angles weren't nearly has difficult. Perhaps practice makes perfect. Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-27991194013537902752013-01-10T14:43:00.001-08:002013-01-10T14:43:37.741-08:00A Segway Into The New YearBefore you go all APE-CRAP on me, let me just say...Yes, I know I spelled Segway wrong. However, I really didn't spell it wrong and later in this post you'll find out why. :D<br />
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We have recently returned from a LONG trip back home. For me it's always bitter sweet. I was so ready to sleep in my own bed, decide what I was cooking for dinner, control my t.v., and sleep in my GLORIOUS GLORIOUS BED. <br />
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Oh. I already mentioned that. Well, really, that's probably what I missed the most. However, it is always really sad to leave my family behind. In fact, it's almost painful. About 60 miles out from middle of nowhere town, my heart started to sink. Depression sank in for a bit,and it Sucked. With a CAPITAL S. :(<br />
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Being that we just returned, my house looks like a BOMB went off. I still have Christmas decor up from before we left. The dishes are semi-finished, because who wants to do dishes after they've traveled for 10 hours and not seen their own bed for 3 weeks?! The coffee table is in the middle of the kitchen; more on this later. Junk scatters the entryway table because it was brought up from the car and dumped in the first spot of convenience. You know what...a picture would probably do it more justice. Let me just humble myself and show you what it looks like to be thoroughly exhausted after a 3 week trip and a 10 hour drive. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwlyk9T-beQEhBLxm6coI3Jd8sed42Ee9UqZnYz5vdx_SAaMmg3BvNEqTeAstv3TeO9hY23O-UPFpLDvdgKNw9x0LYHgLYW5M0SnKbWClIQeYPDKEUxGQQLnBYGFa1jfGNLAVJnXbHNqeI/s1600/house+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwlyk9T-beQEhBLxm6coI3Jd8sed42Ee9UqZnYz5vdx_SAaMmg3BvNEqTeAstv3TeO9hY23O-UPFpLDvdgKNw9x0LYHgLYW5M0SnKbWClIQeYPDKEUxGQQLnBYGFa1jfGNLAVJnXbHNqeI/s400/house+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, the lovely clutter on the table over there and all over the floor.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwrbuQZIjrWqNF2gR_Xf4W1BYzTW5voQmQVuWWL_nBUs2SR2s7k7iz3tHuz0cTOON-Mk2ovlsCZCX9V34_axdTPluarGY0O8c0T1PsgDquMps1UyLElfbHPKcvsUcowm3ZisFeLfI9sisb/s1600/house+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwrbuQZIjrWqNF2gR_Xf4W1BYzTW5voQmQVuWWL_nBUs2SR2s7k7iz3tHuz0cTOON-Mk2ovlsCZCX9V34_axdTPluarGY0O8c0T1PsgDquMps1UyLElfbHPKcvsUcowm3ZisFeLfI9sisb/s400/house+3.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see here that I used my new bubbling foot bath from the hubs and didn't bother to find a home for it. :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWndWUvwJ__pmvLT5JmXppZJaqb3vqsE1h3yc1lAuv346Yrnw-6SF3avui5FEWNnG14uzZkcJHKbronULESSDhaMEo5t4dAHqWpSaTa_DHHOqDCsR25Q7ZnIO2Buk7DUg8I-nanJUr1OIO/s1600/house.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWndWUvwJ__pmvLT5JmXppZJaqb3vqsE1h3yc1lAuv346Yrnw-6SF3avui5FEWNnG14uzZkcJHKbronULESSDhaMEo5t4dAHqWpSaTa_DHHOqDCsR25Q7ZnIO2Buk7DUg8I-nanJUr1OIO/s400/house.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmhm. That's a globe in the middle of the floor. I told you my husband is a history buff!</td></tr>
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Now, because I am not a TOTAL gluten for punishment, I won't show you what my bedroom looks like. I think I'll keep a little of my dignity. <br />
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So you see what I'm up against. My brain has barely wrapped around the mess and traveling and getting back into drama club and making dinners and RAWR! AND on top of that the coffee table is in the middle of the kitchen because I am starting to work out. I'm hoping I can keep up with it long enough to beat the stigma of "resolutioners". :) Plus add to that, Raymond's birthday is quickly approaching and I have a pretty intense schedule to get back to!<br />
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As I sat amongst the mess of this house today I was thinking "Hmmm, what am I going to do for my history buff husband this year?" I did some googling...and guys, I came up with the BEST idea ever!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_7nb9y3bh7AxSWxtAQtqCm897PwWSb_GSaswBYfpDUsiEArf2CEA4okkhNGGtJANcC9RyEm52QheUdR5xR4lpVa2B7jMy42kYD3crlVpN7CNUVInZ97Byf9Aa-gpZ5SJoe01EAAgHoug/s1600/pimpin'.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_7nb9y3bh7AxSWxtAQtqCm897PwWSb_GSaswBYfpDUsiEArf2CEA4okkhNGGtJANcC9RyEm52QheUdR5xR4lpVa2B7jMy42kYD3crlVpN7CNUVInZ97Byf9Aa-gpZ5SJoe01EAAgHoug/s320/pimpin'.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ha! Yeah, what they said. <a href="http://www.seroundtable.com/photos/google-segways-14952.html" target="_blank">source</a></td></tr>
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We are going to go on a Segway tour! It's a 2 hour tour where we get to RIDE SEGWAYS through the historical parts of Richmond! Boom! Who's an awesome wife?! <br />
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Yeah, me. <br />
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This is where the crafty comes out in me. I didn't want it to be all boring and me just be like "Oh, hey...guess what, we're riding Segways for your birthday." So I drafted up a little letter with a distressed looking background, and created my own little ticket stub.<br />
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This was all done on Microsoft word using the "draw your own text box" tool and with some clip art. I believe I typed in antique to the clip art and found the neat antique looking background for the ticket and his birthday letter. Though he was given his trip REALLY early, I have a few extra tricks up my sleeve and I will be sharing those with you as soon as I get working on them. :)<br />
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Yay for the first blog post of 2013!! Hopefully the next one won't take a week to be published! <br />
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P.S.- Since it has taken almost a week for my Internet to cooperate enough to allow me to upload pictures, the house is back in working order and it doesn't look like I am well on my way to being a hoarder. Christmas it boxed up and put away neatly! Can anyone say Thank you Jesus?! Whew! <br />
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<br />Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-17986501436594902452012-10-23T17:11:00.003-07:002012-10-23T17:18:03.731-07:00Mandarin ChickenHey all you wives out there, any of you ever have those days where you are seriously the worst. wife. ever.? <br />
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No?<br />
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Oh yeah, me either. Heh<br />
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Ok, no...it all seriousness, I've been a bad wife lately. I know some of you who read my <a href="http://handkraftedcreations.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-date-night-jar.html" target="_blank">previous post</a> are all <em>"But Marti, you just wrote this awesomely hilarious post about making a date jar a loving your husband and being all happy and junk."</em> Mmhm, it's true. I did. And we are all happy and junk, but that doesn't mean we haven't had our trials getting there.<br />
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On a scale of "Worst Wife Ever" to "Reincarnation of June Cleaver",lately my wife stats have dropped from "Pretty Awesome Wife" to "You Suck".<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdVdZKzmy1Bvf8I2ZT_i99DQLQkNmLJGCJ8bpcDniUgNY9kr7rWnZZn_QIR1VsUM7KDSOByIdQh9FT1venLFHIJESIkAb-ufO_TkRl4pmKbTWKCID5wFHj-BbBGF9a3MdvqVgBA3GzGcu/s1600/June.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdVdZKzmy1Bvf8I2ZT_i99DQLQkNmLJGCJ8bpcDniUgNY9kr7rWnZZn_QIR1VsUM7KDSOByIdQh9FT1venLFHIJESIkAb-ufO_TkRl4pmKbTWKCID5wFHj-BbBGF9a3MdvqVgBA3GzGcu/s320/June.jpg" width="254" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://takefiveanytime.blogspot.com/2012/08/ann-romney-june-cleaver-harriet-nelson.html" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">The Wife Scale</span></h2>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">__10__......Reincarnation of June Cleaver<br />__9__<br />__8__.....Pretty Awesome Wife<br />__7__<br />__6__<br />__5__.......You Suck (aka Me)<br />__4__<br />__3__<br />__2__<br />__1__......Worst Wife Ever</span></h3>
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So, I mean I'm not all the way at the bottom, but eh...I need some serious improvement. <br />
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<em>Marti, all of this for a recipe of Mandarin Chicken?!</em> <br />
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<strong>Yes</strong>, because this blog is not only a place to enjoy some really <a href="http://handkraftedcreations.blogspot.com/2012/09/crockpot-general-tsos-chicken.html" target="_blank">good recipes</a> and talk about my <a href="http://handkraftedcreations.blogspot.com/2012/09/punkins-pretty-walls.html" target="_blank">crafty projects</a>, it is also a place for me to journal my life. I want to be candid, honest and real with all of you. I am human just like everyone else. I don't want this blog to be something that portrays someone that I am not. Do I craft a lot? Absolutely. Do I like to try new recipes? Sure! Am I happy-go-lucky all the time? No. Is my marriage the perfect marriage ever?! No. Everything in my life is a work in progress. Everything. My crafting, my recipes, my cooking, my marriage and myself. This is a journey that I intend on writing about and writing about honestly. <strong>(You've been forewarned.)</strong><br />
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That being said, onto this recipe that I found at another one of the <a href="http://weandserendipity.blogspot.com/2012/10/mandarin-chicken.html" target="_blank">lovey-dovey-mushy-marriage sites</a>.<br />
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Because of the lack of wifeishness <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(yeah, I make up words. So what.)</span> on my part, I decided that I would surprise Raymond with a "chinese-ish" <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(again with the made up words.)</span> dinner. :) I bought a cheap little centerpiece and some place mats at the dollar store, moved the coffee table to the middle of the kitchen, put some pillows on the floor as chairs, lit some candles and tried a new recipe. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCZKVhWcYLDlTAgsmXA_oGyZYgfWxylAFsXqftasxrGn96zdDQKcXyt7k_nJSGKhmyYVH5MCAMbpmHrHc1Jamwa4oNchEWSFu2_olww13OnMT0-a7QIvFuFL4MKz2NjXGo3f4_GMgpVrIy/s1600/White+Rice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCZKVhWcYLDlTAgsmXA_oGyZYgfWxylAFsXqftasxrGn96zdDQKcXyt7k_nJSGKhmyYVH5MCAMbpmHrHc1Jamwa4oNchEWSFu2_olww13OnMT0-a7QIvFuFL4MKz2NjXGo3f4_GMgpVrIy/s400/White+Rice.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Mandarin Chicken</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Ingredients:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Chicken Breast (I used 1 piece butterflied, there was enough sauce for 2-3 pieces)<br />1 15ozCan Mandarin Oranges<br />1 6oz can pinapple (to use the juice)<br />3TBS Cornstarch<br />1/4 cup soy sauce<br />1tsp mustard<br />1TBSP vinegar<br />1tsp garlic powder</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSxPwHJNvPv2yeUzokUBTcFPiSD7YZQsahjNzL28JjE7Y2AVB9OqJNFEVwbf9svNj3oeeV4OD3BktBDvEGo3q6X3iOL8d-VQMglXJifD-MTF9vMgZovEpunsonfHnWy7u5q7s5Shy79l-/s1600/Step+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSxPwHJNvPv2yeUzokUBTcFPiSD7YZQsahjNzL28JjE7Y2AVB9OqJNFEVwbf9svNj3oeeV4OD3BktBDvEGo3q6X3iOL8d-VQMglXJifD-MTF9vMgZovEpunsonfHnWy7u5q7s5Shy79l-/s1600/Step+1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPz-dv7d6i42VNnxHLqPWmrrEkYHFjVwpZHGUp5F4L_6QAs_G0WaBV4Do764YLFjhNzAlqDdoeMHPaI20AqPfvHlpdk25SvY8wu-aJZY7ktZYxeBuuGPx23yIaTCih3u9GmxWb83TG_oR/s1600/Step+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPz-dv7d6i42VNnxHLqPWmrrEkYHFjVwpZHGUp5F4L_6QAs_G0WaBV4Do764YLFjhNzAlqDdoeMHPaI20AqPfvHlpdk25SvY8wu-aJZY7ktZYxeBuuGPx23yIaTCih3u9GmxWb83TG_oR/s1600/Step+2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJnzPW3AU-oFZO8_CvM9SshBeprIZtrODMYTfSoRcY5V0cwvZQQcEDcfYkAvLgTdUKdVAoCOlgoCrbFa7bGco6TLWT7BfwvurIz6-NlFlt2GWj93Fr1EK0SfiSPTLRlzrtfWDVmR7cvcB/s1600/Step+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJnzPW3AU-oFZO8_CvM9SshBeprIZtrODMYTfSoRcY5V0cwvZQQcEDcfYkAvLgTdUKdVAoCOlgoCrbFa7bGco6TLWT7BfwvurIz6-NlFlt2GWj93Fr1EK0SfiSPTLRlzrtfWDVmR7cvcB/s1600/Step+3.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVu_0wSzJuMA_o9xpPEP2IH17N1O0ruGcnmx86G47N1lLvSaGTdMkodOByKjJfTuZiwiYV97p3UNz1gX2XetnKQ-0l5Ss0fbcNMc4haSbJDBKmHf9duofOSJtLjwhbNG43J7dwvUVG8tq1/s1600/step4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVu_0wSzJuMA_o9xpPEP2IH17N1O0ruGcnmx86G47N1lLvSaGTdMkodOByKjJfTuZiwiYV97p3UNz1gX2XetnKQ-0l5Ss0fbcNMc4haSbJDBKmHf9duofOSJtLjwhbNG43J7dwvUVG8tq1/s1600/step4.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As your sauce boils and cooks down, the oranges will cook into the sauce.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCZKVhWcYLDlTAgsmXA_oGyZYgfWxylAFsXqftasxrGn96zdDQKcXyt7k_nJSGKhmyYVH5MCAMbpmHrHc1Jamwa4oNchEWSFu2_olww13OnMT0-a7QIvFuFL4MKz2NjXGo3f4_GMgpVrIy/s1600/White+Rice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCZKVhWcYLDlTAgsmXA_oGyZYgfWxylAFsXqftasxrGn96zdDQKcXyt7k_nJSGKhmyYVH5MCAMbpmHrHc1Jamwa4oNchEWSFu2_olww13OnMT0-a7QIvFuFL4MKz2NjXGo3f4_GMgpVrIy/s320/White+Rice.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Serve over rice and enjoy! :)<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Here are some pictures from our dinner! :)</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPT7pCqyVjP12pD7a0k3ryXr5PdyFNfe-o2hZBVqf-wAK00CkzJ4ngoGyI_6ERsH-Qx8aJXGdM8zJ_SpyjrOO_-koLQY-MX57bXzXB2GiZo37tgLn4hC0Xa2xyQ3wnD8Mk00jizoVuONsN/s1600/Candle+Lit+Dinner+Date.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPT7pCqyVjP12pD7a0k3ryXr5PdyFNfe-o2hZBVqf-wAK00CkzJ4ngoGyI_6ERsH-Qx8aJXGdM8zJ_SpyjrOO_-koLQY-MX57bXzXB2GiZo37tgLn4hC0Xa2xyQ3wnD8Mk00jizoVuONsN/s1600/Candle+Lit+Dinner+Date.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_O7cVnRSYi-XnbMgK9_y-pu_oHb3-iiw4cOhT4XrgciVekhfadl5AAqcW7hspuKYA7XyAH3eCOjg96q2xyivdCco98iPgHYZCpySgJYyh1L9-KOBasrxzliqRVCYny5hwiVCnmkVDtkUj/s1600/Mandarin+Chicken+057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_O7cVnRSYi-XnbMgK9_y-pu_oHb3-iiw4cOhT4XrgciVekhfadl5AAqcW7hspuKYA7XyAH3eCOjg96q2xyivdCco98iPgHYZCpySgJYyh1L9-KOBasrxzliqRVCYny5hwiVCnmkVDtkUj/s1600/Mandarin+Chicken+057.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look ad Hubs enjoyin' his dinner!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznRzOpJhKxTQfU1RjETo0ZTmvmvTI9eqcekULUcYUEesHvPMhVaowvPlIjT9lXsiGP_iXd6AiJqIgHtqT76SrWXAX4VlsI2qmFx9ZPRvD6wJZHOTfVtGe4Hh7olWIRJGOYlyUp2qTQkZt/s1600/Mandarin+Chicken+061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznRzOpJhKxTQfU1RjETo0ZTmvmvTI9eqcekULUcYUEesHvPMhVaowvPlIjT9lXsiGP_iXd6AiJqIgHtqT76SrWXAX4VlsI2qmFx9ZPRvD6wJZHOTfVtGe4Hh7olWIRJGOYlyUp2qTQkZt/s1600/Mandarin+Chicken+061.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look who joined us for dinner!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4UbdyRtExcohwmkGOHfAJOsVyUhU1vh9f-ZDSw_YdDuEVPvyJErA6VorVL0xim6lv-YX6jAb6n2s15OLE-m5Dmez3oDoSUvLSBPx_pE12yR7wjJ8jUxRoigxQKEAbtzbD_pxgHn-Qd4G/s1600/Mandarin+Chicken+069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4UbdyRtExcohwmkGOHfAJOsVyUhU1vh9f-ZDSw_YdDuEVPvyJErA6VorVL0xim6lv-YX6jAb6n2s15OLE-m5Dmez3oDoSUvLSBPx_pE12yR7wjJ8jUxRoigxQKEAbtzbD_pxgHn-Qd4G/s1600/Mandarin+Chicken+069.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooper is SERIOUSLY eye-balling that food!<br />
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And I'll leave you with this little number. :) <br />
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Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-87205435206106575632012-10-22T17:47:00.002-07:002012-10-22T17:51:55.409-07:00The Date Night Jar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJsgbyy64awSSMKJ_AzPycnq55lnQnQJW-p9TZEDWfDHTX2BZ6LxV2qJ7JSb4Q7chPOktamdo306z9VQYQ33-dn6fi0TSlAQ8N6Ev9FB4NyxAaSOBX_fiDhTzKa4v9mBy1XgTgF-vw8Xg/s1600/Date+Night+with+Hubby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJsgbyy64awSSMKJ_AzPycnq55lnQnQJW-p9TZEDWfDHTX2BZ6LxV2qJ7JSb4Q7chPOktamdo306z9VQYQ33-dn6fi0TSlAQ8N6Ev9FB4NyxAaSOBX_fiDhTzKa4v9mBy1XgTgF-vw8Xg/s320/Date+Night+with+Hubby.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<strike>Today I've been in a funk</strike>...I'm sorry. Correction: I've been in a funk for the past couple of days. I'm not sure why. It comes and goes, but mostly, it comes. UGH! <br />
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When these "funky" times come I get fixated on things. I will concentrate on things I think will fix the problem INSTANTLY and make me feel better; however, in all honesty it would probably just create a whole NEW bundle of unforeseen issues that I'm not ready to handle.<br />
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Take for instance the fact that I've been OBSESSED with having a baby the past couple of months. I've wanted to be a mom for a LONG LONG time (I'm talking at an age that is stupidly stupid to even consider having children) but the want has turned into a <u><em><strong>NEED</strong></em></u> the past couple of months. <br />
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It's ridiculous. <br />
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Anyway, this fixation is heightened by the fact that I've been feeling like utter crap and I've done convinced myself...CON-VINCED myself that a baby is <em>the</em> fix. <br />
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<strong>HA!</strong><br />
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I know some of you are reading this and saying "She is on complete crack, or some other hallucinogen that would trick her brain into thinking this is a good idea."<br />
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To which I would reply, "I am not." <br />
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Simply put, I'm in a rut. An educational rut, a job rut, a crafty rut. Add to that the fact that the honeymoon phase may have ended the day hubby and I decided to poop with the door open. TMI? Too bad. Anyway,what do you do when you're in a rut?! <em>YOU MAKE BABIES!</em> wrong. You do not, because that creates financial strain (more financial strain than we are already having) which then creates more issues which then turns your cozy little rut into an enormous BLACK HOLE! <br />
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<strong>black. hole.</strong> <br />
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Life has become mundane and nothing super interesting has been happening in the realm of the married life lately, (<em>thus why I think adding a baby would spice things up...or something) </em>which just spun the wheels harder making the rut feel deeper. <br />
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Alright already, when am I ever going to get to the <strong><em>REAL</em></strong> point of this blog post? Now. <br />
So today, as I was surfing the web looking at random things I stumbled upon this LOVELY site that was oozing with <a href="http://www.lovethegrows.com/" target="_blank">lovey-dovey-mushy-ooey-gooey-love-crap</a>...it was awesome!! :D I thought to myself: Self, this could be JUST what you're looking for! It could drag you out of this rut and give you and the hubby something interesting, exciting, lovey-dovey, FUN to do! I. Was. Right. (I love saying that.) <br />
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The site that I found? <a href="http://www.lovethegrows.com/" target="_blank">Love the Grows</a>, which is a blog that is written by a girl named Bethany. Her and her husband are newlyweds and there are all kinds of really cool things over there. <a href="http://www.lovethegrows.com/" target="_blank">(Check her out!)</a> One of the really cool things I found particularly interesting was the <a href="http://www.lovethegrows.com/2012/09/a-date-jar.html" target="_blank">Date Jar</a>. I decided this could be something that helps drag me out of the rut and back onto solid ground. Again, I. Was. Right. (sometimes it gets sweeter the more you say it.) ;)<br />
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Tonight, hubby and I sat down and created our very own Date Night Jar! We changed a few things from the original idea, but it works all the same. :) <br />
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So, I will ask you...Is your relationship in a rut? Are you and your significant other snuggled up in the muddy rut on the side of the road? Do this! It's fun and exciting! <br />
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So Gather your supplies and your significant other and lets get to work!<br />
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<strong>You Need:</strong><br />
Mason Jar<br />
Popsicle Sticks<br />
Markers<br />
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We color coded our sticks, because we decided it would be pretty disappointing to pull out a stick with a date idea we couldn't afford to do. Thus, the color system was born! Green = MONEY! (these are the dates that cost $26 or more dollars) Blue = A little money ($11-25) and Red = (under $10 most of our ideas were free) <br />
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<strong>Some of our favorite Date Night Ideas:</strong><br />
-Dress up as your significant other's parents and do impressions<br />
-Prank Call Night- Call as many random numbers as possible and see who all answers<br />
-Dare Night<br />
-Teach Hubby to sew night<br />
-Challenge Night- Winner gets to wear a gold metal that the other person MAKES for them.<br />
-Strip Wii night- I think this one explains itself. ;)<br />
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Well, there you have it. The rut busting, fun-creating, ooey-gooey-love making Date Night Jar.<br />
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Getcha Some! :) (No pun intended...seriously.)<br />
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Be looking for some fun posts about the dates that hubby and I have pulled out of the jar! I can't wait to share them with you!<br />
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In all seriousness though, I've been seeing some super cute babies all over facebook. Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-77685304322042450302012-09-23T18:47:00.004-07:002012-09-24T05:50:50.812-07:00Cooper's Room!In our bedroom there is a small cubby. I have debated over several ideas for said cubby. I thought about turning it into a quaint reading nook, or an elegant vanity space; however, I just couldnt decide. What the cubby usually turns into is a space to heap laundry and next thing you know the room is looking like an episode of Hoarders. (If you missed the dramatics of my Craft Space looking like a Hoarders Episode, <a href="http://handkraftedcreations.blogspot.com/2012/09/new-improved-craft-space.html" target="_blank">go check it out</a>.) <br />
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As the debating continued, Cooper had decided to steal an old pillow, curl up on it and call it his space; thus, it was. As I said before my goal in the next few posts is to create some happiness for Mr. Cooper. :) So with the help of hubby (ALWAYS, because my ability to run power tools is scary.) we built him an ADORABLE bed, decorated the little cubby and made him a room!<br />
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Guys, Cooper was so excited it was ridiculous! We carried that bed up, and before it even had a bed on it he was laying in it, washing himself, sleeping, drooling...he...LOVED it! I call that a pet-parent WIN!<br />
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*Cue the evil laughter!* <br />
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Now, I don't know how many of you are crazy like me, but if you love your dog more than you should and want to build him or her a bed, this post is for you, because I am providing a step by step!<br />
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Welp, the new bed and room was a HIT! I have a couple other crafts up my sleeve. I'm not sure if he will enjoy those as much, but I will. :) So, if you enjoy reading about me spoiling the crap out of my dog, stay tuned. There's more to come!<br />
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I need to come up with some ideas for making his kennel more enjoyable...or perhaps building him some sort of doggy play pen that he may enjoy being in while we're gone? I haven't quite put together enough ideas to put this one in place. Anyone have ideas?<br />
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P.S. I Should add a HUGE thank you to the neighboors for allowing us to use their power tools and materials on a regular basis! :D<br />
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<br />Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-27609694887090607232012-09-21T17:14:00.002-07:002012-09-21T17:16:26.592-07:00Homemade Dog Treats- Operation Make Cooper HappyRecently, Mr. Cooper, our beloved beagle has been acting out. Over the summer we had allowed him to be out of his kennel for short periods of time while we were gone. Our goal was to eventually leave him out of his kennel permanently. That way, Cooper could enjoy the his life from the comfort of his little blue chair and we didn't have dog-parent guilt about having him caged.<br />
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Oh, but our goals were in vain. VAIN I tell you, because since the school year has started Cooper has been a HOLY TERROR! His separation anxiety has sky-rocketed and he has just been the HOLIEST OF ALL HOLY TERRORS! If we leave him out of his kennel, he gets into the trash, eats anything that is on the coffee table, takes the cushions off the couches and spreads them across the room. If we kennel him, he pees in his kennel. Not only does he pee IN the kennel he pees OUT of the kennel. He lifts his leg in order to make it outside and inside the kennel; thus, creating the BIGGEST mess possible for hubby and I to clean up! He also ate an entire box of Oreos. I'm not sure what I was more upset about, the mess that was all over the house or the fact that he ate ALL of the cookies. EVERY. LAST. ONE!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What?! Me's not Holy Terror! Me WUVS youu! </td></tr>
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One night, NO JOKE, Cooper squatted on the carpet and started peeing. I could HEAR the stream hitting the carpet. I sat up and started yelling "NO COOPER NOOOOO!!" This is normally enough to startle him and make him realize he's doing something wrong, but OH NO. Not that night. Do you know what he did?! He looked me DEAD IN THE EYE and continued to pee on my carpet!! OH. NO. HE. DIDN'T. <br />
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HE. WENT. THERE. I could have killed him. I smacked his behind <em>(you know because dogs totally understand that? I'm a horrible dog parent.)</em> and clipped him outside where he stayed until hubby and I resolved the carpet. -sigh-<br />
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I won't EVEN get into his most disgusting stunt that left hubby and me feeding him hydrogen peroxide to ensure he vomitted. LORD HAVE MERCY!<br />
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Needless to say, Cooper has shown us in EVERY way possible that he is NOT adjusting to the new schedule and he does <em>not </em>enjoy his Mom and Dad being gone for such long periods.<br />
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<em>How dare we got to work and make money to buy him food!! </em>(Ungrateful little brat.) <br />
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Now, after all of that complaining...I will say I kind of feel bad for the little man. Here we were spending all of our time with him over the summer, taking him on trips to see the family, staying home and cuddling with him during the week and then *BOOM* we leave him. ALLLLL ALOONNEEE!<br />
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So...I've decided I'm launching "Operation Make Cooper Happy!". The next few posts will be dedicated to Cooper and trying to make him feel a little better about the new schedule. Because everyone knows spoiling your children, human or canine, is the best way to make them happy and healthy children. Heh! I really hope we are better human-parents than dog-parents.<br />
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Alright, onto Operation Make Cooper Happy! The mission? Cooper Cookies.<br />
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Here's the Step-by-step<br />
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Cooper loved these! They are simple to whip up.<br />
Enjoy!Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-47850062595245904622012-09-18T16:28:00.000-07:002012-09-20T14:43:59.593-07:0030 Minute Italian SausageTortellini Soup The weather was kinda gloomy and yucky yesterday; however, in retrospect it is NOTHING compared to the weather today. Nevertheless I started brainstorming for a yummy comfort-type food that I could cook up for the hubby and me. I started looking up recipes for chili, lasanga and tortellini soups. I wanted something that we've never had before. I just love a new recipe! Almost as much as I love Stefan & Damon Salvatore off of the Vampire Diaries...I really can't choose between the two *DROLL*, but that's a different story entirely. <br />
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All of the recipes that I found looked yummy, but it just wasn't what I was looking for. I wanted something a little cheesy, something with some meat, something with a few veggies, something that was filling but not as heavy as chili, and something that was easy to put together. <em>Needless to say, this soup had to meet a LOT of expectations! </em>So, I used my resources and...I MADE IT UP! (That seems to be what I'm good at.)<br />
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I call my creation 30 Minute Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup. YUM! (What along name for a soup, right?) But I had to let you know it only takes 30 minutes. Well worth it. Mmm. Mmm. Mmm. I packed the left overs for lunch today and enjoyed it two days in a row. I love when that happens!<br />
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So, you want to make a steaming bowl for your hubby? Or maybe you want to make a steaming bowl for yourself?...I shouldn't assume you want to share with your hubby. ;)<br />
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Below Is the step-by-step. :D<br />
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6Cups Chicken Broth<br />1/2 lb Italian Sausage<br />1 Can Fire Roasted Tomatoes<br />1tsp Dried Parsley<br />Salt & Pepper to taste<br />1 Onion<br />2 Cloves Garlic, Minced<br />2 Carrots peeled and diced<br />16 oz Tortellini<br />
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Trust me on this one. Just make it. This recipe is hubby tested and hubby approved. ;) (And he is quite picky, so if he passes it...it's an A+!!)<br />
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Enjoy!Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-85165023280487177422012-09-17T16:23:00.002-07:002012-09-17T16:23:50.548-07:00DIY Hand Sanitizing LotionColder weather is slowly but SURELY approaching. This means as I go into the elementary school to substitute I run the risk of touching pencils, on which lives an immeasurable amount of germs. I mean, SERIOUSLY last week I watched a little girl pick her scab, eat it, and then continue to suck the blood out of her cut. (*BARF!!*) Lord, I know I did some nasty things as a child (we've all tasted a booger, who hasnt?! <em>If you tell me you haven't you're a LIAR!) </em>but scabs never seemed appetizing to me, and drinking blood is for really good, but extrememly cheesey vampire novels. Maybe that childn needs an iron pill. Bleck!<br />
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Now that you know what I'm up against, you understand the need for the sanitation! But, who wants the feeling of dry nasty hands after using hand sanitizer...NOT ME! As I was working with a teacher last week I noticed that she had a lotion that was a 2-in-1. It was hand sanitizer AND LOTION! It literally blew my mind. So I started thinking..rather than buying yet ANOTHER thing of lotion <em>(because the amount of lotion I own would lead you to believe I have <strong>sister wives</strong>)</em>, why not try to make it myself?<br />
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Cue DIY Hand Sanitizing Lotion. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAGvkpZjm_ifIAu0oEXYEiksp6RM7f8-Gj15V-cj83uEg7EUPtKleiNBi82N7got6DJzDnRNRtAH2ZT2bKSjXTI49KeqXI_xR7SNSqx88BM9olTO3awonsfxpVxbhU3R93imi5dTbYUTD/s1600/DIY+Hand+sanitizing+Lotion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAGvkpZjm_ifIAu0oEXYEiksp6RM7f8-Gj15V-cj83uEg7EUPtKleiNBi82N7got6DJzDnRNRtAH2ZT2bKSjXTI49KeqXI_xR7SNSqx88BM9olTO3awonsfxpVxbhU3R93imi5dTbYUTD/s640/DIY+Hand+sanitizing+Lotion.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ok, Let's not judge this poor label job. It looks a lot better than when it started. :) </td></tr>
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It's Simple...You literally need<br />
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Lotion (that smells YUMMY)<br />
Rubbing Alcohol<br />
An Empty Container <br />
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As you apply the lotion you smell alcohol, but alcohol is fast evaporating and once it has evaporated it leaves no scent, so what you are left with is the original scent of your lotion. This statement is husband approved. I made him smell my hands to check for alcohol scent. :) <br />
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Now I am armed with something that will both sanitize my hands and keep them moisturized. And Ya'll I'm not playing...elementary school is NASTY. I'm convinced it's the original breeding ground for every disease there ever was. <br />
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So please, go forth make your own hand sanitizing lotion and be happy. Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-45942488200742263032012-09-16T10:07:00.005-07:002012-09-16T10:07:56.784-07:00Happy Fall Ya'llSince moving to the south, I've had an obsession with the word "ya'll". I just love it and it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It reminds me of southern hospitality and big dinners slathered in butter cooked by Paula Deen. Mmm. Mmm. Mmm. <br />
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Because I have this obsession, I love this sign...probably more than I should. It's just adorable. <br />
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It's so adorable in fact, that I decided to show you how to make one of your own! :D<br />
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<strong>Things To Gather:</strong><br />
Scrap Wood<br />Twine<br />Paint<br />Small Paint Brushes for Lettering<br />Eye Hooks to Attach the boards together<br />Sand Paper or Sander<br />Wood Glue to attach pumpkin<br />
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You can see in this picture that we have attached the sign using eye hooks and twine. Drill a pilot hole and then screw the eye hook into the hole. Tie the twine to the eye hook and put a small amount of hot glue on the knot to hold it. <br />
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The pumpkin was cut from a piece of plywood. :) You just free hand a pumpkin and then wood glue the pieces on the board.<br />
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Fall is approaching quickly! What better way to celebrate then to put this cute sign on your door. <br />
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Enjoy!Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-80792308927889664922012-09-15T11:42:00.001-07:002012-09-15T11:50:34.888-07:00DIY Shimmer LotionI was talking to my sister this morning, ok, fine, I'll be honest. I was talking to her this afternoon, because I didn't wake up until almost 11am. <br />
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Firstly, 11 is still in the AM so, I'm not that lazy. Secondly, it's the weekend...and well. That's it. It's the weekend. You should also know that I went to sleep at 10:30pm on a Friday and now Hubby is napping on the couch, even though we went to bed early and woke up SUPER LATE. (Hubby and I are getting <strong><em>OLD</em></strong>.) <br />
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Moving on. Lord, I get off track a lot. She was talking to me about shimmering body oil and how awesome it was and how she smelled so good today. Because I am 10 hours away and can't possibly smell her from this distance (if I could that would be INTENSE), so I will have to take her word on it. <br />
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However, that got my brain turning...<br />
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I started thinking <em>I want glittery stuff to put all over my body! </em><br />
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<strong>(Yes. All. Over. My. Body.)</strong> *clears throat* <br />
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Anyway, I'm not about to find some glittery lotion in this town so I decided to figure out how to make my own.<br />
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<em><strong><u>AWESOME!</u></strong></em><br />
<strong><em><u></u></em></strong><br />
So, here we go. :D<br />
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This is what I used. <br />
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And this is how you do it! :D (As I was typing that I was signing that Montell Jordan Song in my head...) Hello 90's Kid! "la la la la la la la la...This is how we do it...It's Friday Night..." <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZi6goV6gFnp7ixXiEf3HK8iZJBN_qPOn8DoqKA88rcG_dX2Z5YQVohfmL4l3CGTi8YPnhrSddDqdmMH6VwRN9Gw_M07hjtqidAJ0apc9SpuEPBJ9ODPofUKSmYIgSYhSz7qVGSyPKl8yk/s1600/Container.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZi6goV6gFnp7ixXiEf3HK8iZJBN_qPOn8DoqKA88rcG_dX2Z5YQVohfmL4l3CGTi8YPnhrSddDqdmMH6VwRN9Gw_M07hjtqidAJ0apc9SpuEPBJ9ODPofUKSmYIgSYhSz7qVGSyPKl8yk/s320/Container.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5J5vQcAigrgW7mF9HmoYCVHLDl6zOSFByK6yxEkmncs3HwEHkOMQeJMOeAN76XBOob4re4IaqZCFpFAFX13cyqmCsEVVsReeSxPFmv8jBRwTQd11zJmCfs4K8iUJfQZ1mtQlLwkjOiCY3/s1600/Shimmer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5J5vQcAigrgW7mF9HmoYCVHLDl6zOSFByK6yxEkmncs3HwEHkOMQeJMOeAN76XBOob4re4IaqZCFpFAFX13cyqmCsEVVsReeSxPFmv8jBRwTQd11zJmCfs4K8iUJfQZ1mtQlLwkjOiCY3/s320/Shimmer.jpg" width="320" /></a> "This is how we do it.." Still singing.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4hm0FsSNkhbTGMkM40EVSkH16Fn1GylN5lSkhXDnODhyphenhyphen3liUfTJb3f021BV-H8SSs_s3RrEP0OaI6K_jXxwcCDE3oK7pA55vOHg5OsDQF3cCNahyphenhyphenMIwXyVU2nIBdtmhwRzA3fkiNN1POf/s1600/Qtip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4hm0FsSNkhbTGMkM40EVSkH16Fn1GylN5lSkhXDnODhyphenhyphen3liUfTJb3f021BV-H8SSs_s3RrEP0OaI6K_jXxwcCDE3oK7pA55vOHg5OsDQF3cCNahyphenhyphenMIwXyVU2nIBdtmhwRzA3fkiNN1POf/s320/Qtip.jpg" width="320" /></a> Oooo. Swirly.</div>
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Lid of a mason jar decorated with scrapbook paper. CUTE!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgcfpDT79-F1X8p6pLrx-N0ib9PDnEW-7HobvqG2S6ywha3mszvKwIdeNZ3ODI_4bqPKbXTuyDaVDCZW9tG1obwAN2rFhyFtmpTxLsh1bqeVU76WKy1NyjTmf3alNsAShLMvhasGDBrM4x/s1600/Finished.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgcfpDT79-F1X8p6pLrx-N0ib9PDnEW-7HobvqG2S6ywha3mszvKwIdeNZ3ODI_4bqPKbXTuyDaVDCZW9tG1obwAN2rFhyFtmpTxLsh1bqeVU76WKy1NyjTmf3alNsAShLMvhasGDBrM4x/s320/Finished.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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I was just reading this and realized how ADD it is. LOVE IT!</div>
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So now, I have my shimmery lotion for FREE. I had everything I needed here and I didn't have to drive to the ends of the earth to find the closest Victorias Secret or Bath and Body Works. BOOM!</div>
<br />Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-57575495021623551792012-09-15T10:39:00.000-07:002012-09-15T10:39:06.882-07:00Taco PizzaSchool is in full swing! That means that there are sick teachers who provide me with a job! :D Yay for making money!<br />
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That being said, this is a post that has been in the making for almost a week now.<br />
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Yeah, SHUN ME! <br />
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Last weekend Hubby and I sat down to make a menu for the week. The weather here in Virginia has been AMAZING the past two weeks and we really wanted to do some grilling and wanted to try out some new recipes.<br />
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We kinda split up the days so that one person wasn't cooking all week long. I am now working; thus, I crack the whip and make the husband pull his weight around here. (I'm joking...kind of.) <br />
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Anyway, Monday was my day to cook and originally I had picked something generic like spaghetti but then I was all<em>...</em><br />
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<em>WHY DON'T WE HAVE SOMETHING NEW AND EXCITING FOR DINNER?!</em><br />
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And then, THIS was born! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0x-Ljs1fW0EIE86NiJjvDXMryNi5B-4x5VzNmjwhwFZ5xSk5ugBHc-ALueMCuKH_o9LTZsv0Aivrx8olXlISG4pvSOZogCAH0wLN9dDmVfUvRXV0dMNlM7lQ7cRLEiTB9UhnCTvOnpodi/s1600/Delicious.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0x-Ljs1fW0EIE86NiJjvDXMryNi5B-4x5VzNmjwhwFZ5xSk5ugBHc-ALueMCuKH_o9LTZsv0Aivrx8olXlISG4pvSOZogCAH0wLN9dDmVfUvRXV0dMNlM7lQ7cRLEiTB9UhnCTvOnpodi/s320/Delicious.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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DE-FREAKING-LICIOUS! Mmm Hmm.<em> </em><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0BigYvUI1F6hJ-uRNHCh90qloj5aCn-jwK663Iglq6t4A1YbCJb71j76R2nJuvfoTux0tZjrJFCO9dWDSHIL348KHYC29_FH2pnisEDhNbT5DMs-z53IhnWvi6VliXCLqTKO_gZBR-cM/s1600/Taco+Pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0BigYvUI1F6hJ-uRNHCh90qloj5aCn-jwK663Iglq6t4A1YbCJb71j76R2nJuvfoTux0tZjrJFCO9dWDSHIL348KHYC29_FH2pnisEDhNbT5DMs-z53IhnWvi6VliXCLqTKO_gZBR-cM/s320/Taco+Pizza.jpg" width="320" /></a>Taco Pizza Ladies and Gents. This takes two of my most favorite things, mixes them all together and puts them in mah belly! YUM.</div>
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<strong>This is what you're going to need:</strong></div>
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1 package Pizza Dough mixed according to box<br />1 can Refried Beans<br />1lb Ground Beef<br />Taco Seasoning<br />Cheddar Cheese<br />Tomatoes<br />Olives<br />Sour Cream<br />Lettuce<br />Salsa</div>
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<em>(This is what I used. You know what you like on your tacos...so use whatever your favorite things are.)</em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuatnLFg39NhDJYbLF4HCVA9ZPAT-PQdvBSzdKufq8NNFAKpBc9PQ2KE6nIxG42Ts_eXa8QTg2L4P81dW2E0xcG9WFNoYjLDFGHd82yMwW4n1IcO2uKNcwVze-O9gJc-gxAX9VvMBNgMNX/s1600/Cook+Beef.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuatnLFg39NhDJYbLF4HCVA9ZPAT-PQdvBSzdKufq8NNFAKpBc9PQ2KE6nIxG42Ts_eXa8QTg2L4P81dW2E0xcG9WFNoYjLDFGHd82yMwW4n1IcO2uKNcwVze-O9gJc-gxAX9VvMBNgMNX/s320/Cook+Beef.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUv6ybNh72AheX4d-paxr89UwrZb-gxNkPyHoyi456cqFspwX1oMEL07YH6croJ-dlKtRpKiBEI1Q9r8ZhGRRwIVWCP_87jN_KvysjwIfzU58pTpRQ8BASrhoHTQF8Y4Bc8ah8awNvITAD/s1600/Toppings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUv6ybNh72AheX4d-paxr89UwrZb-gxNkPyHoyi456cqFspwX1oMEL07YH6croJ-dlKtRpKiBEI1Q9r8ZhGRRwIVWCP_87jN_KvysjwIfzU58pTpRQ8BASrhoHTQF8Y4Bc8ah8awNvITAD/s320/Toppings.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You may need to heat up your refried beans to make them easier to spread.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_58Ozxedu8_BOB7DEYjlpvaiH0jbhGNdoR9h1xmS5zb-e_9P1XRWmTi1n1DPltNfC59WsyLacPxBGra8AC3JWTQN8lCHX9oxYnwtT4a2Ek3r4Tt4YFPwwLO36O2WoqhTv1_0Vb4PFPJ9P/s1600/Serve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_58Ozxedu8_BOB7DEYjlpvaiH0jbhGNdoR9h1xmS5zb-e_9P1XRWmTi1n1DPltNfC59WsyLacPxBGra8AC3JWTQN8lCHX9oxYnwtT4a2Ek3r4Tt4YFPwwLO36O2WoqhTv1_0Vb4PFPJ9P/s320/Serve.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And there you have it! :) Crack the whip, make your husband do half of the cooking and when it's your time to cook...pick something super easy ans super delicious. That's how I roll. ;)</div>
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Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-38982755871623671502012-09-09T17:28:00.001-07:002012-10-14T10:08:54.111-07:00Crockpot General Tso's Chicken For TwoI was really craving Chinese food the other day and because the hubby and I are, a.) trying to save money and b.) trying not to<em><strong> die</strong></em> by eating Chinese food from the sketchy Chinese restaurants in this dinky-little town, I decided to make some crock pot General Tso's Chicken. Yummy! <br />
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There are a few steps to this, but once it's in the crock pot, you leave it for about 3 hours and you're good to go!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTuzb5jN0nf6MMegTWYEPwlaCY3Tl43OlzMTaDmhOt8fT2IQUQMPAnys8K3jLn9yAFOxV4vQGAbJFIWKuIvVWsUsDlsO4MzPFwpZiReOU53SLxxHPYry4xrNEgqp4vDeJcTPjTcmaxQVE3/s1600/Crockpot+General+Tso's.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTuzb5jN0nf6MMegTWYEPwlaCY3Tl43OlzMTaDmhOt8fT2IQUQMPAnys8K3jLn9yAFOxV4vQGAbJFIWKuIvVWsUsDlsO4MzPFwpZiReOU53SLxxHPYry4xrNEgqp4vDeJcTPjTcmaxQVE3/s320/Crockpot+General+Tso's.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy, yummy, yummy!! :D</td></tr>
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You want to make this delicious meal and avoid getting poisoned by your sketchy Chinese restaurant too? <em>Yes?!</em> Ok, here is what you'll need.<br />
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
1/2 Cup Honey<br />
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce<br />1/4 Cup Ketchup<br />
1/4 of an onion. Chopped<br />
1TBS olive Oil (to cook chicken)<br />
1 Clove Garlic, minced (or substitute garlic powder)<br />
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. (more or less depending on how much heat you like.)<br />
1/4 cup Flour<br />
1 large chicken breast, cubed<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZKLiSS2VPUZIFm7jJX61aSQEBybt1gRg8Ut7SDPcaIZ4ywgzVxIxSNaLMVM6DOy4R0zMgZg3BfvfkVXevO3JqfNxXHm59mp2SCk8YvPgUYYGqKl-0KAuc29Bf3QW7qw1NImcU1k9pf7Kt/s1600/Ingredients.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZKLiSS2VPUZIFm7jJX61aSQEBybt1gRg8Ut7SDPcaIZ4ywgzVxIxSNaLMVM6DOy4R0zMgZg3BfvfkVXevO3JqfNxXHm59mp2SCk8YvPgUYYGqKl-0KAuc29Bf3QW7qw1NImcU1k9pf7Kt/s320/Ingredients.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">***Note, the Corn Starch is to thicken the sauce if needed. I'll include instructions to do it (See ***), but I ended up making mine a little too thick, so you may not need it. (You be the judge.)</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirkWpuXkjFgKvCe2g14kb34UzFJBYM8nnsfxtNSi-UaIJPv24imgefx4HU3JlX1JMTGa4ChstDb8nFKRnWBDvRPBpm7KTumak0nv2btAtd-9qYimO3n4zaItRwwwrvKdgHxtQjLhx5AilF/s1600/Flour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirkWpuXkjFgKvCe2g14kb34UzFJBYM8nnsfxtNSi-UaIJPv24imgefx4HU3JlX1JMTGa4ChstDb8nFKRnWBDvRPBpm7KTumak0nv2btAtd-9qYimO3n4zaItRwwwrvKdgHxtQjLhx5AilF/s320/Flour.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8Selh4HVA-yazy_Lz2HW6lEV8KMjFzwZsOk5-3sQ4lbE9HvBJSJ7s2c_POBE1z42p6oAUurRU06AWVeY_GWjwOR_To-Ww303ALIuCjxtExYb5Fupanint8tcKKcK40U7R07tks1FRWwc/s1600/Cook+Chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8Selh4HVA-yazy_Lz2HW6lEV8KMjFzwZsOk5-3sQ4lbE9HvBJSJ7s2c_POBE1z42p6oAUurRU06AWVeY_GWjwOR_To-Ww303ALIuCjxtExYb5Fupanint8tcKKcK40U7R07tks1FRWwc/s320/Cook+Chicken.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvrMTCawcs8f9CUHngP4dFYQr9eCRGodP6ya7Pv7jgrgEuh-NRRFzCXBthtUpp-kOpGRjd767B5A9m_iof2RQMuzWtx2qCxuVL1eQ5MQ834YwZqq0GMsS-7jvpa9zSrHpD8NnSJXyAeQul/s1600/Mix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvrMTCawcs8f9CUHngP4dFYQr9eCRGodP6ya7Pv7jgrgEuh-NRRFzCXBthtUpp-kOpGRjd767B5A9m_iof2RQMuzWtx2qCxuVL1eQ5MQ834YwZqq0GMsS-7jvpa9zSrHpD8NnSJXyAeQul/s320/Mix.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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At this point, add the chicken to the crock pot, cover in the sauce and let it cook for 3 hours on low heat. <br />
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***If your sauce is too thin after those 3 hours, mix together 2tsp Corn Starch and 3 TBS water and mix into the sauce.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNoW9JzY8cWuEHBBjcfiHlysxiJrg_-o2gZL1ab_4vznwLuBcI5H8r4erAX0-Ppf3zBQ9wo1HBPy4m0tTdquQQPC01PMJFnqYoKI7ac9mXeF34Qts_JeauzbjYNMWCU4Td93iRBoLsDX6l/s1600/Serve+Over+Rice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNoW9JzY8cWuEHBBjcfiHlysxiJrg_-o2gZL1ab_4vznwLuBcI5H8r4erAX0-Ppf3zBQ9wo1HBPy4m0tTdquQQPC01PMJFnqYoKI7ac9mXeF34Qts_JeauzbjYNMWCU4Td93iRBoLsDX6l/s320/Serve+Over+Rice.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
So, there you have it, a pretty easy and poison proof dinner! :D <br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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***EDIT***<br />
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It has been brough to my attention that I forgot to include the amount of ketchup that goes in this recipe! <strong>I am smacking myself in the forehead as I type this! </strong>It is fixed now. :) Thanks Chelsea Wildman for helping me out! Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-10982780391048300842012-09-06T10:30:00.000-07:002012-09-06T10:32:46.043-07:00Fall BlocksI have an obsession with wood crafts lately. I'm not sure what it is. Perhaps my motive is to squeeze the last little bit of manual labor out of my husband before the school year gets into FULL swing and he's too exhuasted to help me. ;) <br />
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My poor husband. It's a good thing I put bananas with cheesy notes in his lunch box or else he may never help me. <br />
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Moving along.<br />
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In the process of milking my husband for manual labor, I made these cute little guys using ispiration from pinterest <em>(go figure)</em>!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpY4g9MTQP3AW1LDEKey5iKNXxRaGNuiaBwHUBKaPlyVQU_glX7_Cfdu3VgDaI7UKFlAH0Cvz-zxs96AG2GiCtwscxD4x0U8D0XXffhode4IpOyHcmsONyWjMDnuatMfncJ1V6Rc_SiIJv/s1600/Fall+Blocks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpY4g9MTQP3AW1LDEKey5iKNXxRaGNuiaBwHUBKaPlyVQU_glX7_Cfdu3VgDaI7UKFlAH0Cvz-zxs96AG2GiCtwscxD4x0U8D0XXffhode4IpOyHcmsONyWjMDnuatMfncJ1V6Rc_SiIJv/s320/Fall+Blocks.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seriously...SO STINKIN' CUTE! They require no stencils either, becuase they are supposed to look <em>rustic</em>. </td></tr>
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So, as always here's how you do it:<br />
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Now, I will admit...Fall is not my favorite season. I hate the time change and the darkness and the general BLAH of the sky when it's fall time; however, these cute punkins I've been making are really starting to heighten my excitement for this season! :DHand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-225278568774953542012-09-06T08:00:00.001-07:002012-09-06T08:04:40.031-07:00New & Improved Craft SpaceThis post is mainly for my sister, because all of our lives she has been tidy, perhaps borderline OCD about organization. (I can only say this because I love her <em><strong>LOTS!</strong></em>) For years her ability to organize, do laundry, keep the cleanest room in the house and put her clothing in rainbow order has intimidated the ever-living-<em>crap</em> out of me! I tend to be the opposite. My house is clean, but cluttered; my organizational skills are lacking and when I get crafting it looks like Martha Stewart got together with Good Housekeeping, had a little to much to drink and vomited all over my living room. <br />
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<em>ANYWAY</em> (I have NO IDEA how I got that off track.) so this post is to show off one of my most exciting accomplishments. I did some crafting by painting an old desk, attaching fabric to the back and gluing fabric rosettes to it. Then I used that desk to ORGANIZE my craft space! <em>Say What?! </em>Yes, you heard me...I ORGANIZED IT! This is where I'm a terrible blogger. I forgot to take a before picture, but you should know that my craft space resembled something off of a Hoarders episode. <br />
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No, for real.<br />
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Don't you for a second think I'm exaggerating. Ask her, go ask<em> she-who-cleans-house-on-hands-and-knees-three-days-a-week</em> (love you sister!) how messy that space was! <br />
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I went from THIS:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzFqRenbgPr3gt_qfR3-AdzeC63_Zp7bzTB9xWRyL7cImwCs-x4IjezJ-OH41JydM0wdHpqCYIu23YrCbbq8NV7mrd_lvcAqjwEGgxIaIDF6aFupIzd3DFKehef1SOXoqncL6VAN1sdA5/s1600/Hoarders+Episodes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzFqRenbgPr3gt_qfR3-AdzeC63_Zp7bzTB9xWRyL7cImwCs-x4IjezJ-OH41JydM0wdHpqCYIu23YrCbbq8NV7mrd_lvcAqjwEGgxIaIDF6aFupIzd3DFKehef1SOXoqncL6VAN1sdA5/s1600/Hoarders+Episodes.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep. That space was bad enough I could have done the WHOLE season. (Ok, now you should probably assume I'm exaggerating.)</td></tr>
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To This!!!:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHscZcpCCwx4DrIfZKclE4iU2yZqD0MfI-yaWGQa_cWoZGwa5njQnfQsq5WEXmsaJY57UquHvZHfBQzFl_zP6Wt-gAj6NJ-tGtuGiP_AFQ8JTQ6chyphenhyphenziE41t40S4yrgdlgNtzZyMWIlyVv/s1600/Craft+Space.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHscZcpCCwx4DrIfZKclE4iU2yZqD0MfI-yaWGQa_cWoZGwa5njQnfQsq5WEXmsaJY57UquHvZHfBQzFl_zP6Wt-gAj6NJ-tGtuGiP_AFQ8JTQ6chyphenhyphenziE41t40S4yrgdlgNtzZyMWIlyVv/s400/Craft+Space.jpg" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at it! Look at it shining it all it's organized glory!!</td></tr>
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Sister, look closely. That paint up there on the top shelf it's organized in <em>rainbow </em>order!! <em>Woah! </em>I went there. Now, as you can clearly see, part of my cluttered brain is showing through. I mean, look at all those sunglasses hanging up there. Quick, call Hoarders. I'm never going to get better. <br />
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Now, for a few pictures of this desk! *rubs greedy hands together* (Obviously I didn't learn my lesson in <a href="http://handkraftedcreations.blogspot.com/2012/09/fall-wreath-failure-turned-awesome.html" target="_blank">humility</a> as well as I thought.)<br />
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Welp, there you have it, a craft space suitable for my sister that I adore. :) I will forever be in the shadow of your ability to organize, but here is a small start. </div>
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P.S. I wanted to add this adorable little tid bit! Look what hubby got in his lunch today! :D</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a little reminder so he knows that I just <em>love</em> him to itty bitty pieces. (Ok, enough cheesiness.) </td></tr>
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Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-70659492079776900472012-09-05T05:24:00.002-07:002012-09-05T13:05:18.349-07:00Fall Wreath Failure turned AWESOME Picture FrameYou ever have those moments when you're like "<em>I'm totally going to do this, and it's <strong>TOTALLY</strong> going to be awesome and <strong><u>EVERYONE</u></strong> is going to love it and I'm going to be</em> <strong>the best</strong><em> crafter on the face of the planet!!"</em> (Followed up by evil laughter and the rubbing of your greedy palms together.) Oh, you don't ever do that? Guess it's just me.<br />
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Well, I should tell you: this time...it was a TOTAL failure. I was all <em><a href="http://youretoocrafty.blogspot.com/2011/11/thanksgiving-ish-wreath.html" target="_blank">I'm going to make this adorable wreath.</a></em> And the wreath was all, YOU WISH! So, needless to say...I had this wreath(ish) thing that I wasn't sure what I was going to do with. Those that know me also know that I'm not raking in the cash; therefore, I REFUSE to throw away a project! Grr! So you ask "<em>WELL, what the heck did you do with it then?!" A</em>nd am I <em>ever</em> so glad that you asked! I turned it into this!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXEXWbWClvWiQQPnquZaOSvNxSNbMajkyO3Sp4MonGVJc7zfDeFBwE3L9hDJhoolebMz-wzLyULExSuHGAjLjF5wZDBWchRIV4hGdBhnAJHWaGQkZRV9Q-Sy0rErtz8dqZglfCEby7pEq/s1600/Fall+Wreath+from+Cardboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXEXWbWClvWiQQPnquZaOSvNxSNbMajkyO3Sp4MonGVJc7zfDeFBwE3L9hDJhoolebMz-wzLyULExSuHGAjLjF5wZDBWchRIV4hGdBhnAJHWaGQkZRV9Q-Sy0rErtz8dqZglfCEby7pEq/s320/Fall+Wreath+from+Cardboard.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's still a wreath...right?! It just needed a little help. It is now a wreath that frames my mirror! YAY! </td></tr>
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I'll go ahead and show you how to make a wreath failure/AWESOME picture frame, just in case you're interested. :)<br />
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Materials:<br />
Old Piece of Cardboard<br />
Paint<br />
Leaves/Other Decorating Stuff (I <em>hate</em> the word stuff...why did I use it? I don't know. On to the project!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivRuEDqtbPPaIKmqAIO-Sf54pGSpjHdEH-9VxKlxT-miolNtCwHeDccKWnrrzO_2xh-xjrV4gqfBoDWzTc3QTUb7hydmZfPzAfvPzjfTK8jNDn6wZYPSpN8RCEfnM-6mrTg21Tp2IoWjCu/s1600/Wreath+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivRuEDqtbPPaIKmqAIO-Sf54pGSpjHdEH-9VxKlxT-miolNtCwHeDccKWnrrzO_2xh-xjrV4gqfBoDWzTc3QTUb7hydmZfPzAfvPzjfTK8jNDn6wZYPSpN8RCEfnM-6mrTg21Tp2IoWjCu/s320/Wreath+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trusty piece of cardboard rescued from the cardboard dumpster at the school. (Isn't that illegal or something?) :/ ALL IN THE NAME OF CRAFTING I TELL YOU!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvNyzBdrRX15jw6uWMfvbzukOfnBoR4tWa0a_zQKP_f5xS7sbPqQJjt_xBuhHC0ZqiLVtfN3WFkSKYa5RmmYeFc7zU50E3jox2BpftG4Er4fuMFcZxf7ycQymPmM2nUJH6xtfNNWYNbI11/s1600/Wreath+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvNyzBdrRX15jw6uWMfvbzukOfnBoR4tWa0a_zQKP_f5xS7sbPqQJjt_xBuhHC0ZqiLVtfN3WFkSKYa5RmmYeFc7zU50E3jox2BpftG4Er4fuMFcZxf7ycQymPmM2nUJH6xtfNNWYNbI11/s320/Wreath+002.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cut out a rectangle, or square if you wish. You're choice. Mine was about 2ft long by 1.5ft wide.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JVfJMUwj0JoAoNYwocKZv4-9TUClsPBFZNe7SrmqGSxMI3PL_eDy35ywwACEmnIGEbRDd5zqE5cv8DhItJ_9u1zvBiaCvONX4GYJkv32g5wnP8oMPN4T91Tecgixj2ylXirIAfH_Cp0u/s1600/Fall+Wreath+Turned+Picture+Frame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JVfJMUwj0JoAoNYwocKZv4-9TUClsPBFZNe7SrmqGSxMI3PL_eDy35ywwACEmnIGEbRDd5zqE5cv8DhItJ_9u1zvBiaCvONX4GYJkv32g5wnP8oMPN4T91Tecgixj2ylXirIAfH_Cp0u/s320/Fall+Wreath+Turned+Picture+Frame.jpg" width="304" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This once sad looking wreath now looks astounding amongst the other fall decor in the house. Best. Failure. Ever.</td></tr>
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Perhaps I did learn a lesson in humility. Enjoy. :)<br />
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Oh! P.S. I had a little fun over at <a href="http://www.733blog.com/" target="_blank">Seven Thirty Three</a> and <a href="http://www.sew-much-ado.com/" target="_blank">Sew Much Ado</a> today and joined a link party! YAY! If you want to play along visit their blogs, grab a button (I put my super cute buttons in my sidebar) and have some fun!Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-59664392139993354442012-09-03T10:04:00.004-07:002012-09-03T10:11:52.478-07:00Back to School...Back to school, to prove to Dad that I'm not a fool. I got my lunch packed up, my shoes tied tight. I hope I don't get in a fight. (Anyone else out there a Billy Madison fan?!) Anyway, Hubby goes back to school tomorrow. LET THE MADNESS BEGIN! This year's class size is so big that instead of teaching 5 periods and having a planning, he has to teach through his planning. <em>HOLY-TOO-MANY-KIDS-IN-8th-GRADE-BATMAN! </em><br />
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So, to comfort him and his teaching team as they enter the battle zone this year, I used this<a href="http://cleanandscentsible.blogspot.com/2011/08/guest-post.html" target="_blank"> cute tutorial</a> to make them snazzy pencil holders! YAY ME! It's pretty simple, super adorable and makes a great teacher gift. :) <em>What's that? You wanna make one?! <strong>Well of course you do!</strong> </em><br />
<em></em><br />
Here's how you do it!<br />
You're going to need a <strong>2x4</strong> cut into <strong>7in blocks</strong>. You can make these as big or small as you want. I made some that were only 4in long.<br />
Paint, glitter, stencils, and anything else you want to decorate with.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZ6BBEjzd1JY77wogERz63JSu_9Pr5cWkAuHQYCCh6RSnZSEltqqZ6_lNVYv09fCLteFB2-PBLulqu2KeKjvJ56qrMXjMRVQXr16PaCO03uX3wykeNrTS8FphEEW7s46ynqD7Y9Eon6g8/s1600/Pencil+Holders+&+Craft+Space+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZ6BBEjzd1JY77wogERz63JSu_9Pr5cWkAuHQYCCh6RSnZSEltqqZ6_lNVYv09fCLteFB2-PBLulqu2KeKjvJ56qrMXjMRVQXr16PaCO03uX3wykeNrTS8FphEEW7s46ynqD7Y9Eon6g8/s1600/Pencil+Holders+&+Craft+Space+011.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cut your 2x4 into 7in blocks. You can see here my mini pencil holders. Those are 4in. (Cut them however it makes you happy.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhseCRX56jPYLXZwG_i6eheh7XQ4fay36eaMcdSxD4cY76mrv8yBDzkOjJCUEJzf0RhbRotwsrWwM7Njj9WtAbNAwd-P88kk7r69uyyK1iLjzEgtDTCBEqiCPX9gnYkvKJ-cEPH84go3jOH/s1600/Pencil+Holders+&+Craft+Space+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhseCRX56jPYLXZwG_i6eheh7XQ4fay36eaMcdSxD4cY76mrv8yBDzkOjJCUEJzf0RhbRotwsrWwM7Njj9WtAbNAwd-P88kk7r69uyyK1iLjzEgtDTCBEqiCPX9gnYkvKJ-cEPH84go3jOH/s1600/Pencil+Holders+&+Craft+Space+012.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drill holes starting 1/2in from the side and then going every 1in from there. (1/2 in, 1 1/2in, 2 1/2in, 3 1/2in...etc)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6o7kO2VjBqIv0SRQ4KDeg1Byxy5UPHHD_yQuZPeKATRdwMEXj1ZdOMTuvKUkeopEjJ64LYkqOeF140LK8Wa41BgfyxO2Bmg3OdRFVJRHg4zbD3Q5j8twswy2N_9h8dGkL39RFGEsvfXM/s1600/Pencil+Holders+&+Craft+Space+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6o7kO2VjBqIv0SRQ4KDeg1Byxy5UPHHD_yQuZPeKATRdwMEXj1ZdOMTuvKUkeopEjJ64LYkqOeF140LK8Wa41BgfyxO2Bmg3OdRFVJRHg4zbD3Q5j8twswy2N_9h8dGkL39RFGEsvfXM/s320/Pencil+Holders+&+Craft+Space+014.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sand the edges to make sure you don't get splinters.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqmoqrRP45FM4zGBOel-98Parq0mdGNlwUVWf0O2VGRSKmpoYHkrtwYZdisSJZko8u_OgNFcrQsPh3OBgvfvt4_4ZCpnIyfhCOtdhiIg-Da7WZzEZUJf82je8_PuzrMeqAshgZMNqIG0vc/s1600/Craft+Space+Finished+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqmoqrRP45FM4zGBOel-98Parq0mdGNlwUVWf0O2VGRSKmpoYHkrtwYZdisSJZko8u_OgNFcrQsPh3OBgvfvt4_4ZCpnIyfhCOtdhiIg-Da7WZzEZUJf82je8_PuzrMeqAshgZMNqIG0vc/s320/Craft+Space+Finished+003.JPG" style="cursor: move;" unselectable="on" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paint it all up and add some cute lettering.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB5Q6JsWgR1U3rIV4YVyYLcUeq7WT5DIYTY6yM2N1-H62PLJVcMv7zPMehF6maCGfMdSZ7lR_IJky6W81GKhjVy5YoJYCqZo_TW02C-y4x6qNRvrrdNnEWE6m8v_jK3qRaOAkd4b5Y6Bgt/s1600/Craft+Space+Finished+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB5Q6JsWgR1U3rIV4YVyYLcUeq7WT5DIYTY6yM2N1-H62PLJVcMv7zPMehF6maCGfMdSZ7lR_IJky6W81GKhjVy5YoJYCqZo_TW02C-y4x6qNRvrrdNnEWE6m8v_jK3qRaOAkd4b5Y6Bgt/s320/Craft+Space+Finished+005.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wood glued some clothes pins to the back of mine. Want to know which student borrowed a pencil? Make them write their name on a slip of paper and put it in the clothes pin. You have a meeting coming up in the afternoon and don't want to forget? Leave yourself a note. I'm sure there are many other things you could do with these. </td></tr>
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And there you have it. A pencil holder for your most beloved teacher. :) Or hubby...Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-10024420353552446292012-09-02T19:28:00.001-07:002012-09-06T12:44:59.269-07:00Punkins & Pretty Walls<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve been in an extremely festive mood lately! I have been itching to get my fall décor out, but I knew my
fall decorating needed a little help. So, with the expertise of a husband who
knows how to use power tools we whipped up this <a href="http://youretoocrafty.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2012-01-10T10:21:00-07:00&max-results=7" target="_blank">ADORABLE wall hanging</a> so I
could put my fall wreath on it and made these SUPER ADORABLE punkins! (<em>Yes, I just said PUN-kins. :D)</em> I am <em>BEYOND </em>excited to show you how to make these!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wall Hanging<br /><br />Materials Needed:</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">*1piece of wood about 8ftx5.5 in<br />*1piece of wood about 5ftx1.5in <br />(*If you have scrap wood, you can substitute anything you want for your desired look.)</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcB34FjQQDsHn85IZ05u8SEz3wU-vaR8Pm8-93R7Rx4DSgez4hMdVSb817YPUv87ISEItwmd0GQjAqTZLMtTN3mjJAJ46MPxqlcO7rR-CygdEupUr1Amw94nUL5SQBcpj47Q4wdk6rnCMl/s1600/Punkins+and+Wall+Hanging+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcB34FjQQDsHn85IZ05u8SEz3wU-vaR8Pm8-93R7Rx4DSgez4hMdVSb817YPUv87ISEItwmd0GQjAqTZLMtTN3mjJAJ46MPxqlcO7rR-CygdEupUr1Amw94nUL5SQBcpj47Q4wdk6rnCMl/s1600/Punkins+and+Wall+Hanging+001.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Start out with a piece of wood aproximately 8ft long by 51/2 inches wide. (You can change the size of wood to accomodate how you want yours to look.) Then cut the wood into 3 equal size pieces. Or you know, have your sexy, strong-bodied, husband do it for you. ;)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lA3SkuESFkJzIHx5rRG12n-d-ljCtSzfKOQA9PVc0Mm0qOxsAbWl_DrFs80aDh6JnftVuse1ZLEs93l2QHhp-G1CD2tRmEl2MZg8DAcJT2HB03QzDx-dQtVIGMD9t4LaWO0V4eFIaEFy/s1600/Punkins+and+Wall+Hanging+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lA3SkuESFkJzIHx5rRG12n-d-ljCtSzfKOQA9PVc0Mm0qOxsAbWl_DrFs80aDh6JnftVuse1ZLEs93l2QHhp-G1CD2tRmEl2MZg8DAcJT2HB03QzDx-dQtVIGMD9t4LaWO0V4eFIaEFy/s1600/Punkins+and+Wall+Hanging+002.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arrange the pieces on the floor so you can measure the width and add your smaller pieces to the front. (Check out those sexy toes! I love me a nice pedicure!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh93ajcZ7hW8nxJgt3eYo6rPqAHaRegyI1fUUsfcQ5UhcF4FmIZxJE5-qwyFwdynrvDUc4sMZRPm5mXrpI7tA7q2Xcurk8I4ojjdLyVbWDqPnfqq1gSq9X3Ye2AnkjZ95iLDcbz5m2m6P0/s1600/Punkins+and+Wall+Hanging+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh93ajcZ7hW8nxJgt3eYo6rPqAHaRegyI1fUUsfcQ5UhcF4FmIZxJE5-qwyFwdynrvDUc4sMZRPm5mXrpI7tA7q2Xcurk8I4ojjdLyVbWDqPnfqq1gSq9X3Ye2AnkjZ95iLDcbz5m2m6P0/s1600/Punkins+and+Wall+Hanging+012.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what it looks like before it's coat of paint! It's coming together!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhmU6-9YB9e1bZmWBcCBp0QB5KRUUvLyHTqmSO11_74qziPJpRUIIUOeOdz-POMYrkEBhNQwMW7VA9i3S3PoDhZ64uSqZ_9KUhXD-ZQ7IBeaDgei2fEg2FMCrxr9i0WrAVjpqYSOYU33tP/s1600/Punkins+and+Wall+Hanging+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhmU6-9YB9e1bZmWBcCBp0QB5KRUUvLyHTqmSO11_74qziPJpRUIIUOeOdz-POMYrkEBhNQwMW7VA9i3S3PoDhZ64uSqZ_9KUhXD-ZQ7IBeaDgei2fEg2FMCrxr9i0WrAVjpqYSOYU33tP/s1600/Punkins+and+Wall+Hanging+016.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add a coat of watered-down white paint and it's good to go! <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-hd3sd5jRreBZ4G68QLqqMrG6YmSqkbqtqWhGJz-DiqamnUaTsDG_1O5QkgVi1GzeiZYZfVLQZI1oL1LklDxTXh-hpzPCxC3TfQSIe_QsFGfxshlHga1XN8GkHD68g7hJNf5drYZ7trX/s1600/Punkins+and+Wall+Hanging+039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-hd3sd5jRreBZ4G68QLqqMrG6YmSqkbqtqWhGJz-DiqamnUaTsDG_1O5QkgVi1GzeiZYZfVLQZI1oL1LklDxTXh-hpzPCxC3TfQSIe_QsFGfxshlHga1XN8GkHD68g7hJNf5drYZ7trX/s1600/Punkins+and+Wall+Hanging+039.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So Festive! So Adorable! YAY! :D<br />
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Now, I mentioned before how my fall decorating needed a little help. So, to fix that problem...I made these <a href="http://youretoocrafty.blogspot.com/2011/10/4x4-pumpkins.html" target="_blank">SUPER cute PUNKINS</a>! (<em>I just can't get enough of the word punkin. lol)</em><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMZpzf3gLbuSW05a5z9RISq1Jw2tcYZbU_r81kXQHDSUlqBml1A7GfTTeiPEtXXM5gVyuyl1rBisSOzuGVNrJZU6m9ws7J6giTUGOSGS0sBblEDvxFX16AIvrCnHGseliIjNPtvSihg3s/s1600/PrettyPunkins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMZpzf3gLbuSW05a5z9RISq1Jw2tcYZbU_r81kXQHDSUlqBml1A7GfTTeiPEtXXM5gVyuyl1rBisSOzuGVNrJZU6m9ws7J6giTUGOSGS0sBblEDvxFX16AIvrCnHGseliIjNPtvSihg3s/s320/PrettyPunkins.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Here's what you'll need:<br />
1 4x4<br />
Twigs (that you find in your yard)<br />
Leaves, wire or anything else you want to decorate your punkin<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1mBY6A7yNyHhyphenhyphenXUQ88ppKm7z_cfNtBrJNUF5BeeDDL9hItXw32141j0O2K-x9DVq1QtXs35QFO9RfYeukFOKSSkN817zNvmng6fzGMivFlj-1_o7dWFlKd3CgrOFTS7OOq1zptKsL3Qw/s1600/Punkins+and+Wall+Hanging+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1mBY6A7yNyHhyphenhyphenXUQ88ppKm7z_cfNtBrJNUF5BeeDDL9hItXw32141j0O2K-x9DVq1QtXs35QFO9RfYeukFOKSSkN817zNvmng6fzGMivFlj-1_o7dWFlKd3CgrOFTS7OOq1zptKsL3Qw/s1600/Punkins+and+Wall+Hanging+013.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I made my hubby <em>WORK </em>today, friends! ;) Cut your 4x4 into 3 peices. I did 16in, 12 in and 10in. (Feel free to do what you wish.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu2GADxNYtQR3vtTM-mpx11yRYAY7eYihfTIZs7WO5L1AIYd9Z7HwUWASnsrOX1eC5tfrpIkSknoSaZ8MSylo20CX9pcOcf2LnAtw3axrCHrC91i165OliQBaqYbke0aVOGGPvGbgHaqxZ/s1600/Punkins+and+Wall+Hanging+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu2GADxNYtQR3vtTM-mpx11yRYAY7eYihfTIZs7WO5L1AIYd9Z7HwUWASnsrOX1eC5tfrpIkSknoSaZ8MSylo20CX9pcOcf2LnAtw3axrCHrC91i165OliQBaqYbke0aVOGGPvGbgHaqxZ/s1600/Punkins+and+Wall+Hanging+014.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drill holes in the tops so your twigs fit SNUG. (If you drill your holes to big just hot glue or wood glue your twigs in.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4KGa0lU0ivVbJkFb5VudF-y3AHW2GoNPvj7CBL5BqgG7taSFNQSIg4OT6mE4bl_587oaMHhFutjBF4krql7MvBGxue4uSG9fnQ9COrJLlTjHVYzIBwN_vTXqzshJiaHsxuYhKfdthzQFu/s1600/Punkins+and+Wall+Hanging+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4KGa0lU0ivVbJkFb5VudF-y3AHW2GoNPvj7CBL5BqgG7taSFNQSIg4OT6mE4bl_587oaMHhFutjBF4krql7MvBGxue4uSG9fnQ9COrJLlTjHVYzIBwN_vTXqzshJiaHsxuYhKfdthzQFu/s1600/Punkins+and+Wall+Hanging+022.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add some orange paint, wire and hot glue a leaf. I also sanded the edges of mine to give them a little distressed look. :D And you're finished!</td></tr>
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I'm sure I'm going to be doing more festive crafts. I really want to make <a href="http://youretoocrafty.blogspot.com/2011/11/thanksgiving-ish-wreath.html" target="_blank">this wreath</a>, and this <a href="http://youretoocrafty.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-10-04T08:00:00-06:00&max-results=7&start=35&by-date=false" target="_blank">cake stand</a>, and <a href="http://www.happytogethercreates.com/2010/10/playful-pumpkins.html" target="_blank">these punkins</a>, and this <a href="http://asoftplace.net/2008/11/thanksgiving-tablecloth-project/" target="_blank">table cloth</a>. Ya'll (<em>I just went southern on you, so now you know I mean business) </em>I have BIG plans for this seasons decorating! Just stay tuned.Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-73969937213779327482012-08-25T15:23:00.000-07:002012-08-25T20:02:46.929-07:00All Things Homemade: Cleaning Agents EditionFriends, I really have no excuse for not posting in the past few weeks. I've been doing crafty things and cooking pretty much every day since my last post, but I just...I don't know what happened. It was partly laziness, partly writers block and partly having no patience for the slowest Internet south of the Mason Dixon Line! <br />
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No. <em>Seriously.</em> <br />
<br />
I've told you all before, but I'll make sure you understand...WE LIVE IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE! Take for example the fact that I attempted to make <a href="http://diaryofabluerosewife.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">this recipe</a> for<a href="http://www.onceuponachef.com/2010/08/black-bean-salad-with-corn-red-peppers-avocado-lime-cilantro-vinaigrette.html" target="_blank"> Black Bean Salad (original recipe)</a> the other day and guess what? The local grocery store didn't have AVOCADOS! Seriously?! <em>Yes. Seriously. </em><br />
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I can't make this stuff up people. <br />
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However, you should know that the recipe was still SO DELICIOUS! I went to have lunch with the hubby and the other teachers on his team and brought some in with me, the salsa (which is what I call it because, well it tastes more like a salsa than a black bean salad) got RAVE reviews! :) <br />
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Anyway, so today I'm going to share with you quite a few things, because I have pictures of them and I figure I might as well make up for time lost.<br />
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The first is an <a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=343520529033616&set=a.343520502366952.95774.189287804456890&type=1&theater" target="_blank">All Purpose Orange/Lemon Cleaner</a>. <br />
You literally need Orange and or Lemon Peels, White Vinegar and a Quart-Sized Mason Jar. Combine everything in the mason jar, allow to sit for 7-10 days and it's good to go! :) The vinegar is scented by the peels and the cleaner leaves the house clean and shiny. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4M16XHGxI_H9jtBDwXSZzM2DdMM_OajlP_e-IxDqoYKncIvH6mLGZnQOPK6cW1c94JYYQh2s0_d_Tkh46uYYigrzlrsdDaywIRSnvCkEPDD4sMim3DXG0ejzhsbXTbr7DUtX0oJzwpr_/s1600/Homemade+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4M16XHGxI_H9jtBDwXSZzM2DdMM_OajlP_e-IxDqoYKncIvH6mLGZnQOPK6cW1c94JYYQh2s0_d_Tkh46uYYigrzlrsdDaywIRSnvCkEPDD4sMim3DXG0ejzhsbXTbr7DUtX0oJzwpr_/s1600/Homemade+008.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRR9WE0vfzTe34UDQGHC8MsAZvJm2pmWyCVfxyFJlm4waLpomJsD0We4DjPK0FmuxsVx1l5SCgyx4hCZ4DKzG4N_68uJtOc3R7kPeHKptkAm4ilMLdkXRrVMQtpeQb6vA_icVHQfGn5dbi/s1600/Homemade+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRR9WE0vfzTe34UDQGHC8MsAZvJm2pmWyCVfxyFJlm4waLpomJsD0We4DjPK0FmuxsVx1l5SCgyx4hCZ4DKzG4N_68uJtOc3R7kPeHKptkAm4ilMLdkXRrVMQtpeQb6vA_icVHQfGn5dbi/s1600/Homemade+010.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMs-oEJzkuKLxB0h9teXMUfY_w0kZcZhtHQg-8nDZG72vrm3V7Y44kfti2mPlmNDDH7nEebmcrnEvMzcuKG1C3c2p2dcZF0Au6ujJ1gH1pg1GK05n-bZkMqrTJYYkf6nMRnUi6YKpUKNkY/s1600/Homemade+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMs-oEJzkuKLxB0h9teXMUfY_w0kZcZhtHQg-8nDZG72vrm3V7Y44kfti2mPlmNDDH7nEebmcrnEvMzcuKG1C3c2p2dcZF0Au6ujJ1gH1pg1GK05n-bZkMqrTJYYkf6nMRnUi6YKpUKNkY/s1600/Homemade+012.JPG" /></a></div>
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Because I started making and using my own homemade laundry soap (which I LOVE), I also decided to use <a href="http://thefrugalgirls.com/homemade-cleaners" target="_blank">this recipe</a> from <a href="http://www.thefrugalgirls.com/">www.thefrugalgirls.com</a> to make my own fabric softener. They have TONS of other really cool stuff. Don't go unless you have lots of time to get sucked into their site! Anyway, here's how you do it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRLQfdlpze65kT2PEeJGc6Znhs03ag_8BjeHBjLBCrnPoLtNF9ACqiKhNhyE39CrcV6DmhOJGZsiyNoQG69hK50gdr_baZuRNYP2PjPVT7SKoXzljX1oGwQgZ1BI-HP0pnqj8DqVS5jEq/s1600/Homemade+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRLQfdlpze65kT2PEeJGc6Znhs03ag_8BjeHBjLBCrnPoLtNF9ACqiKhNhyE39CrcV6DmhOJGZsiyNoQG69hK50gdr_baZuRNYP2PjPVT7SKoXzljX1oGwQgZ1BI-HP0pnqj8DqVS5jEq/s320/Homemade+021.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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You'll need white vinegar, conditioner, and boiling water</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVkqPpddv2cDydO-ig9hqHVsfU7-qZnYcNrJCAKOHFK-q6C4ioiu70EettKa8KmkFME98zj2pQClM1RvQmCcu29LmXv1s4_OxalZaX6TkuFh0uYpo133BXu9-cVbGtSHsVMv3LVYS9xrOc/s1600/Homemade+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVkqPpddv2cDydO-ig9hqHVsfU7-qZnYcNrJCAKOHFK-q6C4ioiu70EettKa8KmkFME98zj2pQClM1RvQmCcu29LmXv1s4_OxalZaX6TkuFh0uYpo133BXu9-cVbGtSHsVMv3LVYS9xrOc/s320/Homemade+024.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Add your conditioner to a large bowl.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr9F65Pzwm1COjKuHh9oYGRJ8lGM6PQ3yb4a2f4vZxDevUGNiDXIk42JFF-ArWEyP48wiQYNzZiJCfXRkuhp7zbVNA3-D5ppIgkQKwg13VnGkBm1XE4s3_4Y8Q4IJK8QHkDsRBM2OBZmgC/s1600/Homemade+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr9F65Pzwm1COjKuHh9oYGRJ8lGM6PQ3yb4a2f4vZxDevUGNiDXIk42JFF-ArWEyP48wiQYNzZiJCfXRkuhp7zbVNA3-D5ppIgkQKwg13VnGkBm1XE4s3_4Y8Q4IJK8QHkDsRBM2OBZmgC/s320/Homemade+025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Carefully add the boiling water</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZpHzoUsb7st-tsVohz6V1AKnV8Qr1xcyhPjS6nLcd6fPFuxzb8H7niL-kjUIuRYhTM23kPnzryUhLlRZ78gTXNb0FCtve1_y_lH0Q5yRZVR5GEqRniobUJX8YJGaRnXOvDvwm5Ft-RZsb/s1600/Homemade+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZpHzoUsb7st-tsVohz6V1AKnV8Qr1xcyhPjS6nLcd6fPFuxzb8H7niL-kjUIuRYhTM23kPnzryUhLlRZ78gTXNb0FCtve1_y_lH0Q5yRZVR5GEqRniobUJX8YJGaRnXOvDvwm5Ft-RZsb/s320/Homemade+027.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then add the vinegar. Stir everything together and make sure there are no clumps of conditioner in the bowl. Let it cool and put into a container for storage.</div>
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I add about 1/4 a cup to my laundry sometimes even 1/2 a cup. The original recipe calls for significantly less, but I found that it really doesn't work unless you use more. However, it is SUPER cheap to make so it doesn't bother me to use a little more. </div>
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The last thing I have for you is a <a href="http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/" target="_blank">homemade dishwasher detergent</a>. Honestly, my vote is out on this one. It does the job and I'm positive there are all sorts of benefits to making your own as far as knowing the chemicals that are going into your dishwasher, which you can read about <a href="http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/02/homemade-dishwasher-detergent-revised.html" target="_blank">here</a>, but I don't know about the price comparisons. Also, my glasses are becoming cloudy the longer I use the homemade dish detergent. Nevertheless, here's how you do it. </div>
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You're going to need:</div>
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Borax<br />
Washing Soda<br />
Salt<br />
NO SUGAR ADDED Lemonade Packets (not pictured)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6UTYBYNgT-0XD-qOLeRYmM-3qn2uePSdX1BblHw1dZ2qrkMo-S65lrQmCDGvmHJ2-65__SU6bYC02H074M7h7AL5rdH846RqPau2y_0U0EvsgghLHsAChCb2OqlHYt1GDHAICK7HwAXhv/s1600/Homemade+035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6UTYBYNgT-0XD-qOLeRYmM-3qn2uePSdX1BblHw1dZ2qrkMo-S65lrQmCDGvmHJ2-65__SU6bYC02H074M7h7AL5rdH846RqPau2y_0U0EvsgghLHsAChCb2OqlHYt1GDHAICK7HwAXhv/s1600/Homemade+035.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4B837goB_bfYpfhj-Ul0OqHDRZ0ZXVS3pnqgUfVLHR5K8FVTsr4JnIhfs7wR-SLy4Ht-6QEidEAq7Ns159b-lJaoHp3bNiUPnjxzEgHPk8hICMUYH2qHJic1jyLBF9AC3y-T7AaaAMLmE/s1600/Homemade+037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4B837goB_bfYpfhj-Ul0OqHDRZ0ZXVS3pnqgUfVLHR5K8FVTsr4JnIhfs7wR-SLy4Ht-6QEidEAq7Ns159b-lJaoHp3bNiUPnjxzEgHPk8hICMUYH2qHJic1jyLBF9AC3y-T7AaaAMLmE/s320/Homemade+037.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Add all of your ingredients into a bowl and mix well.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKsJ8n7g7kTsJCN7jGIeJlCuK3fu6xZKOunluSG7ZN0NgqeplmnpbEivUZqwcuhaduVgbLOpJhopf8Uc85tC1yirg27ThDOYjxhsu8OK7FVt5ntS7WjRgqefl4PZqkHEQ70jCNMVbwX_s/s1600/Homemade+045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKsJ8n7g7kTsJCN7jGIeJlCuK3fu6xZKOunluSG7ZN0NgqeplmnpbEivUZqwcuhaduVgbLOpJhopf8Uc85tC1yirg27ThDOYjxhsu8OK7FVt5ntS7WjRgqefl4PZqkHEQ70jCNMVbwX_s/s320/Homemade+045.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then add to an empty container! (I knew there was a reason my Mom saved this for me!) </div>
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You add about 2 TBS per load and 3 DROPS of dawn dish soap. <em>If you do anymore than 3 drops you'll have a foam party in your kitchen.</em> <strong>(Just trust me on this one!)</strong></div>
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Phew! Hopefully that will make up for the weeks without one single post. :) Hope you enjoyed!</div>
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Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-58891637565530466732012-08-07T15:19:00.000-07:002012-08-07T15:24:39.961-07:00Homemade Mod Podge & Tile Coasters<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Today is a two-in-one post. (I seem to be doing a lot of
those lately.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyhow, this one <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">has</b> to be a two-in-one, because in
order to complete one crafty thing I had to first create another. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What I initially set out to do today was to make coasters
from the SUPER cheap tile that I found at the local thrift store a few months
ago; however, I soon realized that in order to make the coasters I needed mod
podge. (which of course…I DIDN’T HAVE!... Go figure.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I remember seeing things all over the internet about making
your own mod podge—you can read about it <u><a href="http://doityourselfdivas.blogspot.com/2011/09/diy-mod-podge.html" target="_blank">here</a>, or <a href="http://changingmydestiny.wordpress.com/2011/09/19/homemade-mod-podge-super-simple-diy/" target="_blank">here</a>, or <a href="http://thekrazycouponlady.com/family/repurposeful-play-how-to-make-homemade-mod-podge/" target="_blank">here</a>. </u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is also a debate about whether or not
the homemade stuff is as good as the real stuff and to be fair you can read
about whether or not it’s as good as the real stuff <u><a href="http://www.modpodgerocksblog.com/2011/11/why-you-shouldnt-make-your-own-mod.html" target="_blank">here. </a></u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">PHEW!</i> I’m glad I
got all of those references out of the way. Can you tell I spent a couple hours
researching whether or not to make mod podge? Honestly, I was impatient and I
wanted to make mod podge no matter if my project would be yellowed in 5 years.
(Which is a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">possible</i></b> side effect of using homemade mod podge, so don’t use
on really nice pictures if you’re worried about them.) You can read about that <a href="http://www.modpodgerocksblog.com/2011/11/why-you-shouldnt-make-your-own-mod.html" target="_blank">here.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When I set out to make mod podge, I had two options: Tacky
Glue & CraZart Glue (the off OFF brand of glue).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, if you
read the original recipes you will see that Elmer’s Glue is the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">saint</i> of all glues and is to be the ONLY
one used, but as I’ve mentioned SEVERAL times…I do things my way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, hang on because all of this is going to
make life easier for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It turns out
tacky glue works (if that’s what you have on hand) and so does the cheap off OFF brand stuff. So, go ahead, knock yourself out! Be a rebel and use something other
than Elmer’s. (Unless, of course, that’s what you have on hand.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I made 3 different recipes of mod podge. One using CraZart glue and water, one using tacky glue and water and the last using tacky glue,
water and Varnish</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Tacky Mod Podge:</strong><br />
1 Cup Tacky Glue<br />
1 Cup Water<br />
2TBS Varnish (add for better waterproofing qualities …optional)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Off OFF Brand Mod Podge:</strong><br />
1 bottle school Glue (brand <em>clearly</em> doesn't matter)<br />
1 bottle water (refill the glue bottle to ensure a 1:1 ratio)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVQ_0MAqm5z3Sdy4uJFIo-23slmQkRZL6RlGPf57UEY2JjZmMLZd40nVnnpWBa3b6A8N5krxp2DhN72mlIcPSn28Jk1vQv5bkw7BL10WlllDYav3SwO-OVrBGhfjVCDcHe8uPubYLIUVV/s1600/Mod+Podge+%2526+Coasters+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVQ_0MAqm5z3Sdy4uJFIo-23slmQkRZL6RlGPf57UEY2JjZmMLZd40nVnnpWBa3b6A8N5krxp2DhN72mlIcPSn28Jk1vQv5bkw7BL10WlllDYav3SwO-OVrBGhfjVCDcHe8uPubYLIUVV/s320/Mod+Podge+%2526+Coasters+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nSX6A6eSExICZ4TjJDujV_qFT30FnaWhV8fR_4UskhVE3KebaNMUzjbxLvYLzerwu3pb1c4TGTEyJOpXn498uq-LtiOcRzAYBoakn66a1souFEi-mPMO4ShFmuBHywcd58tV4Upkz6gt/s1600/Mod+Podge+%2526+Coasters+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nSX6A6eSExICZ4TjJDujV_qFT30FnaWhV8fR_4UskhVE3KebaNMUzjbxLvYLzerwu3pb1c4TGTEyJOpXn498uq-LtiOcRzAYBoakn66a1souFEi-mPMO4ShFmuBHywcd58tV4Upkz6gt/s320/Mod+Podge+%2526+Coasters+007.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Shake well to make a thin paste.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46dBBmtTejMhCyXaEkkR723UOW_T3J4TfHJ8EnO_PtTJXz_s_p4eCZ1BqxI0GJF_BiwV18nkj7OvlDQopbbdolFWxiHybFZIW1s7AOxVUEtWtqTmOIDVDTgMoSSX9aXgJYzfRlGZdd0fV/s1600/Mod+Podge+%2526+Coasters+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46dBBmtTejMhCyXaEkkR723UOW_T3J4TfHJ8EnO_PtTJXz_s_p4eCZ1BqxI0GJF_BiwV18nkj7OvlDQopbbdolFWxiHybFZIW1s7AOxVUEtWtqTmOIDVDTgMoSSX9aXgJYzfRlGZdd0fV/s320/Mod+Podge+%2526+Coasters+008.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Add polyurethane for extra waterproofing if desired.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisXzHCTCGNDKrrx1_SkjKmNmQ_jNbVs_GmuLMTTG_IjCzcg9roLGtVHwfwnsS5mrME3A9MByjxcz6gRrti7yfsabpU_1xw3aLNG_uCYyazPkUOzPtwC1wdEp82__8i5dWDmSV0rIja3nsO/s1600/Mod+Podge+%2526+Coasters+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisXzHCTCGNDKrrx1_SkjKmNmQ_jNbVs_GmuLMTTG_IjCzcg9roLGtVHwfwnsS5mrME3A9MByjxcz6gRrti7yfsabpU_1xw3aLNG_uCYyazPkUOzPtwC1wdEp82__8i5dWDmSV0rIja3nsO/s320/Mod+Podge+%2526+Coasters+014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTfrIqphd8yr-c7AOhW9LBOCtSVaUTnWkL5qR6Do37IqcWrprwVEqSbSAN3Po0bWd-1-qHLm0rHmhr0CjQ1o3BvMxpVw7U7RYOhCi5db2IgXJCcSQ6k2QvV6UoCFsML1HkSw5aTxPjkBrV/s1600/Mod+Podge+%2526+Coasters+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTfrIqphd8yr-c7AOhW9LBOCtSVaUTnWkL5qR6Do37IqcWrprwVEqSbSAN3Po0bWd-1-qHLm0rHmhr0CjQ1o3BvMxpVw7U7RYOhCi5db2IgXJCcSQ6k2QvV6UoCFsML1HkSw5aTxPjkBrV/s320/Mod+Podge+%2526+Coasters+034.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After that was finished, I cleaned off my tiles and got to
work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided what I wanted most were
some THEMED coasters! </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
Yay!! I know it’s early for Christmas, but I had Christmas paper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made a set of Christmas coasters and a set
of Fall coasters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used all 3 concoctions
of mod podge and to be honest…they all seemed to work about the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will say this much—I learned that LESS IS
MORE in this project. If you slather too much glue on your project the paper
gets too soggy and starts to bubble. BAD!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In any case here are some pictures to document the experience. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You'll need:<br />Tile <br />Scrapbook paper<br />Mod Podge.(Homemade or Not)</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjn-JpLc0mqT601-_kWLb6-fgiBRXYwpNVVC2-CSKysnvQEgMJnDz8M7aRksYEALpSqEPYrj4xF_0HDhWhRE9N2rOg9Ia1uRFvkusIdS9LckJz3GIn5txjzRITVsu0MqWscRQFihDpkLBm/s1600/Mod+Podge+%2526+Coasters+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjn-JpLc0mqT601-_kWLb6-fgiBRXYwpNVVC2-CSKysnvQEgMJnDz8M7aRksYEALpSqEPYrj4xF_0HDhWhRE9N2rOg9Ia1uRFvkusIdS9LckJz3GIn5txjzRITVsu0MqWscRQFihDpkLBm/s320/Mod+Podge+%2526+Coasters+022.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Place your scrapbook paper over your tile and cut around the square. Then add a THIN layer of glue to the top part of the tile, place the scrapbook paper over the glue and smooth everything well. Make sure there are no air bubbles or wrinkles. Add another THIN layer of glue over the scrapbook paper and allow to dry. You can spray a clear coat over the coasters to keep them more water proof.</span> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxeEjV1R9NLlt0tF4kJDfqbQbjeJVbSXvbZe8teB_4bX9gEFOUjEkeVoA6JesBz8GZ8MyL-uBKcQpkHlmUOO-INzSyKtnUIKDyZxXLrXyHXE7oAsHuZAKh5-y0ylahp0fEW7IcMM-TQTrD/s1600/Mod+Podge+%2526+Coasters+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxeEjV1R9NLlt0tF4kJDfqbQbjeJVbSXvbZe8teB_4bX9gEFOUjEkeVoA6JesBz8GZ8MyL-uBKcQpkHlmUOO-INzSyKtnUIKDyZxXLrXyHXE7oAsHuZAKh5-y0ylahp0fEW7IcMM-TQTrD/s320/Mod+Podge+%2526+Coasters+032.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This picture shows the differences in the glues and how they look wet.</span> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxeEjV1R9NLlt0tF4kJDfqbQbjeJVbSXvbZe8teB_4bX9gEFOUjEkeVoA6JesBz8GZ8MyL-uBKcQpkHlmUOO-INzSyKtnUIKDyZxXLrXyHXE7oAsHuZAKh5-y0ylahp0fEW7IcMM-TQTrD/s1600/Mod+Podge+%2526+Coasters+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxeEjV1R9NLlt0tF4kJDfqbQbjeJVbSXvbZe8teB_4bX9gEFOUjEkeVoA6JesBz8GZ8MyL-uBKcQpkHlmUOO-INzSyKtnUIKDyZxXLrXyHXE7oAsHuZAKh5-y0ylahp0fEW7IcMM-TQTrD/s320/Mod+Podge+%2526+Coasters+032.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This is after about 20 minutes of dry-time. You can see the air bubbles in the one on the right. Again..LESS IS MORE!</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFVzNIkYvjllaT6x5mG0gfy6hLp1a7ETMS30MKUYXAZqN39JQUOeGpL0XzkzhZ3fGagdzRZ9wiQMKqC-SI1SFLr8LvAMhNz4c0ECT40lHQR0N_DRKRvhaRwchbogFAIOM-JkhpmkywEfc/s1600/Mod+Podge+&+Coasters+037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFVzNIkYvjllaT6x5mG0gfy6hLp1a7ETMS30MKUYXAZqN39JQUOeGpL0XzkzhZ3fGagdzRZ9wiQMKqC-SI1SFLr8LvAMhNz4c0ECT40lHQR0N_DRKRvhaRwchbogFAIOM-JkhpmkywEfc/s320/Mod+Podge+&+Coasters+037.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRtpB03DzeiLfdUxTVFunwodmPU2-AzveMeRkStfCH1CZwd1nd31-bo9PM1DJ9HTsymaZCC4RdL5FGyiv5FBPlTiBxJrr-n3qw2vQfO6Xuat-kuvtOVDed9XmVN18nmxr2q6fB2_M4hyvh/s1600/Mod+Podge+&+Coasters+039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRtpB03DzeiLfdUxTVFunwodmPU2-AzveMeRkStfCH1CZwd1nd31-bo9PM1DJ9HTsymaZCC4RdL5FGyiv5FBPlTiBxJrr-n3qw2vQfO6Xuat-kuvtOVDed9XmVN18nmxr2q6fB2_M4hyvh/s320/Mod+Podge+&+Coasters+039.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And there they are in all their glory! :) Both projects are pretty easy. Nothing like a nice dose of instant gratification! </span></div>
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<br /></div>Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-74042070249168328202012-08-06T14:29:00.002-07:002012-08-06T14:40:35.993-07:00I Do Math & Give You A Recipe For Laundry Detergent<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, I've wanted to try this
new fad—you know the one—the one where you make your own laundry soap, dish
washer detergent, fabric softener etc. Well, I have to admit, when it comes to
things like this my feelings are pretty consistent: when you go to the grocery
store and buy the stuff that is already made, you’re paying for CONVENIENCE!! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And, I quite enjoy my convenience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus, if the recipes for laundry soap or
anything else called for grating soap, boiling it all together, pouring it
several times, watching it cool for hours just to add more crap…I WOULD NEVER
DO IT! No one has time for that, and if they do have that kind of time, they
either have children to tend to, or spend their free time on pinterest which
leaves no time for grating soap. Just sayin’.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That’s why I HAVE to share
with you <u><a href="http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/02/no-grate-homemade-laundry-soap.html" target="_blank">this recipe</a></u> for homemade laundry soap, friends, honestly I
wouldn’t lie to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This recipe is
beyond easy, quick and there is no grating-soap-hard-work-slaving-over-the-hot-hot-stove-crap
involved.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also, I am going to break
down the SERIOUS cheapness of this homemade laundry soap. I BLEW myself away
realizing how much money I am going to save doing this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The initial cost is more than what it would
be to buy the laundry soap outright; however, the savings on the soap pays for
all the ingredients involved. You’re going to pass out when you read this!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><strong>Ingredients</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">3TBS Borax<br />3TBS Washing Soda<br />2TBS Dish Soap</span><br />
<br />
*PLEASE READ THE RECIPE I MADE A MISTAKE IN THIS PICTURE*<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnF_k6IRmrDCJq3bgRQCNI7Zx4F4R1Bb4c6A8H8o9g7YOBcr952y5aMumRBey6h954X_vreyFkcQcelvAcrvv4_GFt02C297LNcWT1AxETF21-515glctJKVablg5pafNEezBdCqica4ET/s1600/Homemade+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnF_k6IRmrDCJq3bgRQCNI7Zx4F4R1Bb4c6A8H8o9g7YOBcr952y5aMumRBey6h954X_vreyFkcQcelvAcrvv4_GFt02C297LNcWT1AxETF21-515glctJKVablg5pafNEezBdCqica4ET/s320/Homemade+013.JPG" width="320" /></a> </td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what you're going to need. MINUS the baking soda (SORRY!! I didn't want to retake the picture!!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLG9B5mbkHmKfAYipg059JhD8XZ0pPlsZW__baVf0-fn9_rP95_0tegd9nTCU7IQC6smG-_IDqbIfwOOrh9gG2WLDVOoV7fVoU2M0n2odSt5LD9Zjz6yO7Xpd_awhjbSG1ebnDNOBuIUN/s1600/Homemade+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLG9B5mbkHmKfAYipg059JhD8XZ0pPlsZW__baVf0-fn9_rP95_0tegd9nTCU7IQC6smG-_IDqbIfwOOrh9gG2WLDVOoV7fVoU2M0n2odSt5LD9Zjz6yO7Xpd_awhjbSG1ebnDNOBuIUN/s320/Homemade+015.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Start by adding 3TBSBorax & 3TBSWashing Soda to something that is either gallon-sized, has measuring lines(like my trusty bucket.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnS1PERphncsVjbiNSiwjIouFh9qGCYe7ll2yl1dph37Qw4ZGqCxkDrq6V1P-ncd62RECUm9EavkEEvB7ivlE0EmTlmYS_vp39bse-ScUb1IgOEM1H03sLmU1PVAeerP0FWZWp-cQ0oDgu/s1600/Homemade+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnS1PERphncsVjbiNSiwjIouFh9qGCYe7ll2yl1dph37Qw4ZGqCxkDrq6V1P-ncd62RECUm9EavkEEvB7ivlE0EmTlmYS_vp39bse-ScUb1IgOEM1H03sLmU1PVAeerP0FWZWp-cQ0oDgu/s320/Homemade+016.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Next add in 2TBS of dish soap<br />
<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFaVzRvzZe_9mdkWO0COTGPnwiIo6fXmG-CYLPrhVB7__QegWBHuQND4Cn3YoXrcaqMGJXBP98XWWa4TuDA9bNxGzqNiOcaCkB4pACSYM-OpZnzNjF2SUUg0KWCEPVeYFSv0_cRouZJrrL/s1600/Homemade+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFaVzRvzZe_9mdkWO0COTGPnwiIo6fXmG-CYLPrhVB7__QegWBHuQND4Cn3YoXrcaqMGJXBP98XWWa4TuDA9bNxGzqNiOcaCkB4pACSYM-OpZnzNjF2SUUg0KWCEPVeYFSv0_cRouZJrrL/s320/Homemade+018.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add 4 cups boiling water to the mixture, let it all dissolve and allow it to cool. Then finish adding COLD water to make a complete gallon.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bgssmsSARof_xSZJqm3D1JMX8fSanxy2vDVTcJiPXOOZaJWjwkHXyQO-NCjWQGxP9lXqYgv8quMuduVDmnQ7hmgkk7HIHmgmBN13VaQOhyphenhyphenzIHKsnREYnkE5yeuHIqi3vXsYGG9W7I3-Y/s1600/Homemade+046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bgssmsSARof_xSZJqm3D1JMX8fSanxy2vDVTcJiPXOOZaJWjwkHXyQO-NCjWQGxP9lXqYgv8quMuduVDmnQ7hmgkk7HIHmgmBN13VaQOhyphenhyphenzIHKsnREYnkE5yeuHIqi3vXsYGG9W7I3-Y/s320/Homemade+046.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After you've added enough water put the mixture in a container and there you go!</td></tr>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Add about 1/2 to 1 cup of detergent to your laundry depending on load size.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong>THE MATH</strong></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Now, I broke down everything that I bought for the
recipe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First I had to take the amount
that I bought and convert that into TBS and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">HOLY-BAD-AT-MATH-BATMAN
</i>that took me a good few minutes. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I will say this much, thank you to my 6<sup>th</sup>
grade math teacher for teaching my proportions, because at <a href="http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061108141422AAgCHg4" target="_blank">this website</a> I
found out that there are 32 TBS in 16oz, which then allowed me to set up a
simple proportion to figure out the amount of TBS in say 55oz. (*YAY ME!*)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">After that I figured out what the cost per TBS was in
order to determine the cost per recipe. So add up all of the cost per recipes <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">AND WHAT DO YOU GET?! 23 FREAKIN’ CENTS PER
RECIPE!! 23!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>WOAH! </b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong>Here’s the math-</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Washing Soda- 110 TBS….$3.24 (.03x3TBS)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>((9 cents per recipe))</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Borax- 152 TBS……$3.38<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(.02x3TBS)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>((6 cents per
recipe))</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Dish Soap-48 TBS….$1.97 (.04x2TBS)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>((8 cents per recipe))</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> 23
cents per recipe!!</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Ok, now just for kicks and giggles, let’s figure out how
many loads of laundry you can do with one recipe. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Each Recipe Makes 1 Gallon of Soap and you use 1 cup of
detergent per load.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">16 cups in a gallon= 16 Loads of laundry for 23 cents!!! (Yay
for easy math.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Compare that to laundry soap at the grocery store—My husband
bought a bottle of OFF BRAND (the cheapest off brand, because TRUST me that man
can spend 15 minutes looking at the same isle of stuff crunching numbers to
make sure we buy the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cheapest </i></b>thing we can!) laundry soap
at the DOLLAR STORE (for goodness sakes) and if the dollar store can’t beat the
price of the homemade soap, no one can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The price of that bottle was $2.75 for 33 loads, which
means you can do 16 loads of laundry for $1.28.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Alright, let’s sum this all up and <em>STOP DOING MATH FOR
THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS HOLY!</em>
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</span></div>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border: 1pt solid windowtext; height: 37.45pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 245.8pt;" valign="top" width="328"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Homemade Laundry
Soap<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 37.45pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 245.8pt;" valign="top" width="328"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Store-Bought
Laundry Soap<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; height: 37.45pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 245.8pt;" valign="top" width="328"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">$.23 cents for 16
loads<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 37.45pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 245.8pt;" valign="top" width="328"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">$1.28 for 16 loads<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">SAVINGS:
$1.05 per 16 loads.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I apologize for the weird numbers (16 loads) but think
about it this way:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have a family
it is EASY for you to do 16 loads of laundry a week. That is a savings of $1.05
a week, which is HUGE. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Ok, my brain hurts. I’ve seriously got to
stop thinking about numbers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the mean
time, enjoy your CHEAP laundry soap and perhaps collect the extra money you’re
going to save using this soap, make a pile of it and ROLL in all your savings
like a pile of freshly raked fall leaves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Thanks for reading another post! </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-58618041236936601532012-08-05T13:52:00.001-07:002012-08-05T13:52:48.236-07:00Chicken Parmesan Recipe & Etsy Sneek Peek<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because I've felt like complete CRAP since yesterday. (That is why there was no post yesterday.) I'm going to share with you a recipe that I made earlier this week when the family was down. All the pictures are taken and it's ready to be posted, which creates a lot less work for me. (I knew there was a reason I had some "back-posts" ready.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Chicken Parmesan</strong></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6LVhWFpy_7lUU-Dk06X-4RbaeW1-B60HNPgxYpGii-uoohIjcag7C1lh704Fsrw6RyOEHGxUfo7UIb4nWAKUYr47QYK0oDOcUvZwVQwLDTWTofvQfmomXdrYPWheoNLw13xyZ5Yx1aIL/s1600/Pizza+Pull+Apart+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6LVhWFpy_7lUU-Dk06X-4RbaeW1-B60HNPgxYpGii-uoohIjcag7C1lh704Fsrw6RyOEHGxUfo7UIb4nWAKUYr47QYK0oDOcUvZwVQwLDTWTofvQfmomXdrYPWheoNLw13xyZ5Yx1aIL/s320/Pizza+Pull+Apart+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chicken (3 large breasts that you halve to make 6 pieces)<br />
2 cups Flour<br />
2 cups Italian Bread Crumbs<br />
¼ cup Parmesan Cheese<br />
3 Eggs<br />
Mozzarella Cheese<br />1tsp Garlic powder<br />salt & pepper<br />
Spaghetti Noodles (or your choice of your favorite pasta)<br />
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Recipe serves 6.</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">First thing, First-</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18-xTFO5WGAjiCjjvu6ZDKEatFKfRcubxvOr1__l8A14rlXYUoN2dnPJcCqVUirT8HRxHix_cidxTFwn77zaJujj1FJ5oe7a5O7v632Hty3PSlkzR2jcxYOucSnHyGJX6kf1vFeuIbriX/s1600/Chicken+Fajitas+&+Beard+Shaving+Party+070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18-xTFO5WGAjiCjjvu6ZDKEatFKfRcubxvOr1__l8A14rlXYUoN2dnPJcCqVUirT8HRxHix_cidxTFwn77zaJujj1FJ5oe7a5O7v632Hty3PSlkzR2jcxYOucSnHyGJX6kf1vFeuIbriX/s320/Chicken+Fajitas+&+Beard+Shaving+Party+070.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The chicken breasts I had were VERY thick, so I butterfly cut (cutting "hot dog" style to make thinner pieces) them to make 6 regular sized pieces rather than 3 GIANT sized pieces. If you have chicken you are satisfied with, skip this step.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyj-fbBIG2JCCRv5F1gyWwk07mKcGV9Dzz8yww-lAwFDWYVVeQkHqtiMFWaAk2YDZRf-fF8SC_DjGerDBVVsNjxpNkuQfKISZjybzwKWLbKhvaU6w3c4MKZlVEo281RtdoFG8JY_axsbFy/s1600/Blog+Pictures+446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyj-fbBIG2JCCRv5F1gyWwk07mKcGV9Dzz8yww-lAwFDWYVVeQkHqtiMFWaAk2YDZRf-fF8SC_DjGerDBVVsNjxpNkuQfKISZjybzwKWLbKhvaU6w3c4MKZlVEo281RtdoFG8JY_axsbFy/s320/Blog+Pictures+446.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next, you're going to get your "breading station" ready. First in the breading station is 2 cups flour mixed with 1 tsp garlic powder and your desired amount of salt and pepper. Also, during this step grab a second bowl and mix together 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and 2 cups bread crumbs.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHo6yS80Z4xZ9zlKu1q6br8P4NmiRwOk-pCtr4lFL4Fr-rHtXneLFBZ7AtG14mjKuRFOlqGF6WmRpv2nIW2J4viGd7ySTnkLrUNqYlctmGES4nP5VYpKSqIRdfgW6tPs0ddl6NceCupEhA/s1600/Blog+Pictures+449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHo6yS80Z4xZ9zlKu1q6br8P4NmiRwOk-pCtr4lFL4Fr-rHtXneLFBZ7AtG14mjKuRFOlqGF6WmRpv2nIW2J4viGd7ySTnkLrUNqYlctmGES4nP5VYpKSqIRdfgW6tPs0ddl6NceCupEhA/s320/Blog+Pictures+449.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is a picture of your complete "breading station" 3 eggs mixed thoroughly, bread crumbs & parm, and the flour mixture mentioned above. First place the chicken into the flour mixture and coat well. *Then give it a nice egg bath followed by a roll in the bread crumbs. Make sure the chicken is completely and evenly coated. If you want your chicken extra crispy (I did.) repeat from * one more time.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz0Xr6_2KYROuDaqKZVwgu9ex1o_aRyeRZfH76Qzxvyo14-co09dsqh1dKPnBwyx6eYVoqUkrfhDar1FDsMcvPcsx2ROxOpYzV03rD8fkDNYLs20pcyNXl0xp1a7jGdz-AdySApl8cw7FI/s1600/Blog+Pictures+453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz0Xr6_2KYROuDaqKZVwgu9ex1o_aRyeRZfH76Qzxvyo14-co09dsqh1dKPnBwyx6eYVoqUkrfhDar1FDsMcvPcsx2ROxOpYzV03rD8fkDNYLs20pcyNXl0xp1a7jGdz-AdySApl8cw7FI/s320/Blog+Pictures+453.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is what your chicken will look like when it's finished at the breading station. You want to set your oven at 350 and cook for about 10 minutes per side. (about 20 minutes total) While your chicken is cooking, boil your water, cook your pasta according to the package instructions and warm your pasta sauce. (I didn't take pictures of that, because I figured you could handle that part.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgw13RyenkYnNPq79yucOzhk7frzR4rI8dhBU1jAhjfPyd8FzpFLJLCRiRC3pSDBXv112QGrtdlhqGwzD1Pn7bLSTdZ7HJIc8HGl07d6Up8HfpbSYl6tVcsnjCSKHI4W2rOH-THm511KPp/s1600/Blog+Pictures+457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgw13RyenkYnNPq79yucOzhk7frzR4rI8dhBU1jAhjfPyd8FzpFLJLCRiRC3pSDBXv112QGrtdlhqGwzD1Pn7bLSTdZ7HJIc8HGl07d6Up8HfpbSYl6tVcsnjCSKHI4W2rOH-THm511KPp/s320/Blog+Pictures+457.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After it has cooked thoroughly, remove chicken from the oven and SMOTHER in mozerella cheese. Return it to the oven long enough for the cheese to melt. By the time your cheese is done melting, your pasta should be finished and your pasta sauce should be nice and hot! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgepb34kJlLfj-gDRpHb2j4Nwyplph399P_D_zO6whpL1ICSNdWx9hrzw26JusuZJYfA6ImHysBRCgWjjR6TzjbHKSJ1xwvppo9d10mUpF3XnJFPYboQ0VpLXn6dwpKNDVce_4nA1zWsttn/s1600/Blog+Pictures+460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgepb34kJlLfj-gDRpHb2j4Nwyplph399P_D_zO6whpL1ICSNdWx9hrzw26JusuZJYfA6ImHysBRCgWjjR6TzjbHKSJ1xwvppo9d10mUpF3XnJFPYboQ0VpLXn6dwpKNDVce_4nA1zWsttn/s320/Blog+Pictures+460.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Drain your pasta, put some on a plate, put the chicken on top and cover in pasta sauce! YUMMY!! :) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Here is a sneek peek of what I've been working on for my etsy shop! (HandKraftedCreations)</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9g-_L3UotCjY_-07c-afKKOU0Vj-g-sf5gwh3Zf933lm3OO3njZiIyZHYfNYfE7zEp4TpXe9fOXb5CsWTVxCfWkMA7eHHJE3uFRvdOGLgGGH1PaBgjte33cTJ0fNNdd20Uvwpnw9oaAt/s1600/Elephant+bracelet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9g-_L3UotCjY_-07c-afKKOU0Vj-g-sf5gwh3Zf933lm3OO3njZiIyZHYfNYfE7zEp4TpXe9fOXb5CsWTVxCfWkMA7eHHJE3uFRvdOGLgGGH1PaBgjte33cTJ0fNNdd20Uvwpnw9oaAt/s320/Elephant+bracelet.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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Bronze, Silver, Gold plated Elephant Charm Bracelets</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2Kccfee6UXiScGMZxnUeESD5Y6W5-K1YKH_mnCG8czNff-7I_JYvnW20AD3_Iq192bsI538XUkhAL4TdnRa7X6B9Ze7xQ2040rO9BR_HKdNGdKwEJlmY1dpgSP3f2HVi4_cqvQXBju-a/s1600/Elephant+charm+bracelet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2Kccfee6UXiScGMZxnUeESD5Y6W5-K1YKH_mnCG8czNff-7I_JYvnW20AD3_Iq192bsI538XUkhAL4TdnRa7X6B9Ze7xQ2040rO9BR_HKdNGdKwEJlmY1dpgSP3f2HVi4_cqvQXBju-a/s200/Elephant+charm+bracelet.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09k7-WmZ2fKJmkiJHwA9AIY2SbUJM53wM4xXMn74zlQsNKvssf_Mx-ro00eG2Zw5voFQYq_OXfsOOzbD-fGqD8XzX-jj5e4OidLl9A4ZkvUg48UNnFlvLph9d-2UxQbH7rB3RjFI-JxQh/s1600/European+Murano+Charm+Bracelet+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09k7-WmZ2fKJmkiJHwA9AIY2SbUJM53wM4xXMn74zlQsNKvssf_Mx-ro00eG2Zw5voFQYq_OXfsOOzbD-fGqD8XzX-jj5e4OidLl9A4ZkvUg48UNnFlvLph9d-2UxQbH7rB3RjFI-JxQh/s320/European+Murano+Charm+Bracelet+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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European Murano Bead Charm Bracelets</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTWfXbfw_XKRqeOH9fClAaaa7FtgkTmGR6iFgGkQhXTk82omi0l5wuEtC2cgp18TirO6hkfYHm2r0DIJDtk6w7q7o6cPuXk-eSvAobgIRqq-lOLsqfMz9Ftc4WzOKQrvxz29j-L6MjFZrj/s1600/European+Murano+Charm+Bracelet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTWfXbfw_XKRqeOH9fClAaaa7FtgkTmGR6iFgGkQhXTk82omi0l5wuEtC2cgp18TirO6hkfYHm2r0DIJDtk6w7q7o6cPuXk-eSvAobgIRqq-lOLsqfMz9Ftc4WzOKQrvxz29j-L6MjFZrj/s320/European+Murano+Charm+Bracelet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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</div>Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-87001080728034335932012-08-03T20:57:00.001-07:002012-08-03T20:59:58.352-07:00Crochet Hooks & Bittersweet Goodbyes<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tonight is the last night with the family as they will be traveling back to Ohio tomorrow morning. It's been quite the week, from puppy turds to beardless beach trips, we've had one heck of a good time! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm ready to have the space all to myself again, especially since hubby goes back to work in a week,(BUMMER!) but like I said before, I am REALLY going to miss my family. Anyway, on to the crafting I've been doing today. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I mentioned before, my sister brought her little yappy thing with her when she came to visit. Here let me show you:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_pRkD7r3q8uiYIUeWNKdmxyaU85ojiSoJAMaZQLPvdJcit2BjW302nzA37UyYeeJm6644QpbbV728zEPkQOdHFzfbqau23XissSXih5CpIpE-qZS2TTAfweHr7IvDC4St2fKooQ9zzNtr/s1600/July+31,2012+068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_pRkD7r3q8uiYIUeWNKdmxyaU85ojiSoJAMaZQLPvdJcit2BjW302nzA37UyYeeJm6644QpbbV728zEPkQOdHFzfbqau23XissSXih5CpIpE-qZS2TTAfweHr7IvDC4St2fKooQ9zzNtr/s320/July+31,2012+068.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don't let that sweet little face trick you! Her name is Katniss (aka Nissy) and the name fits her perfectly. She's a fiesty, never-quit-running, mouthy little thing!! But, before she left I had to get crafty and send her home with some adorable clothes!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Using </span><a href="http://www.crochetnmore.com/dogsweater-lindas.htm" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">this tutorial</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (this person does a really good job of explaining how to make the sweaters, so rather than redoing it and putting it here, I figured it would be best for you to use her site.) I made her 3 different sweaters and then my sister requested I make her a bikini. I fondly called it: The Dogkinni! This pattern I made up on my own, but if you're interested in crocheting a dogkini I will eventually put up a tutorial.</span> </div>
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<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS0r1k5xXaai9Bf7xle-rbipCibd3oalYlEatAFTObg0nyMKn5mTChSruOraydonfI7TIqvuh9W8peq3gk7mMEnH3lVSd3SLl-G1uhazJUwDIRmlw8s15CuLPEL0G4Uhfa6W8hfrx3OaLV/s320/Nissy.jpg" width="180" /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8rIZAwbx_0ZfS_i-_8QFOAGwkTFI3KNTRo_V_3jgFf5K5blgHiJidt2FbBYtKhEOb2thIiL_cZCiDbZLTQsQs7bobe9cptS0_-iuXVVPtQx0VmYEl98WykJS4IOwGrMcxDj3DQnaPh6u/s1600/Nissy%2527s+Clothes+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8rIZAwbx_0ZfS_i-_8QFOAGwkTFI3KNTRo_V_3jgFf5K5blgHiJidt2FbBYtKhEOb2thIiL_cZCiDbZLTQsQs7bobe9cptS0_-iuXVVPtQx0VmYEl98WykJS4IOwGrMcxDj3DQnaPh6u/s320/Nissy%2527s+Clothes+006.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpOKglY6EC_uI4182w1CeSk-UkfGOr47AlZoW7znThOCDpOfnWl6ibFvhtrkmuIp3XOsOQ4uJTcIyPzbxt3-IyN_YTBi3SSx0EeaOyOT9ke0exlYf_tCX-RLkE7as04Zs-AN3AMDsAHPPi/s1600/Nissy's+Clothes+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpOKglY6EC_uI4182w1CeSk-UkfGOr47AlZoW7znThOCDpOfnWl6ibFvhtrkmuIp3XOsOQ4uJTcIyPzbxt3-IyN_YTBi3SSx0EeaOyOT9ke0exlYf_tCX-RLkE7as04Zs-AN3AMDsAHPPi/s320/Nissy's+Clothes+011.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For those who have an interest in making crocheted flowers (similar to the one pictured above) here is the pattern!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Crochet Flower:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Key--Ch=Chain, sc=single crochet, sl st= slip stich, hdc= half double crochet</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ch 4, sl st to join<br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rnd 1- Ch 2, 9 sc in loop, sl st into 2nd ch in Ch2</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rnd 2- *Ch 2, dc in next st & hdc in same st, sl st in next st<br />Rnd 3- Repeat * until end then sl st between the two petals. Cut and weave ends</span>Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-74227848011910172772012-08-02T20:02:00.000-07:002012-08-02T20:02:16.670-07:00Beardless At The Beach<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Beardless At The Beach</em>; I'm pretty sure the title explains it all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today, the group took a road trip to VA
Beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Needless to say, it was sunny,
warm and delightful! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, except the
part where I swallowed half the ocean and spent about 15 minutes hacking and being
disgusting to try and get the EXTREME burning sensation out of the back of my
throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(There should be discretionary
warnings near the beach. "<em>CAUTION WHEN SWALLOWED THE OCEAN INFLICTS EXTREME PAIN TO NASAL PASSAGES AND ESOPHAGUS!"</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps they
should even pass out nose plugs and goggles.) </span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So today’s post will be fairly short.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll show you a few pictures of us at the
beach (Raymond Beardless at the Beach) and include a home remedy for swimmer’s
ear that I found <a href="http://www.myhomeremedies.com/topic.cgi?topicid=248" target="_blank">here</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I figured that would be
appropriate. My favorite remedy is this one: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>"Very simple solution that my daughters EN&T specialists told me. Rubbing
alcohol & white vinegar. Mix equal parts (1 table spoon to 1 table spoon)
use either a dropper or cotton ball (to suck up the mixture) place 2-3 drops in
each ear in the a.m & repeat at nite. IF swimming, ONLY use the drops AFTER
swimming for the day. Continue for a week. IF situation does not get any better
seek medical attention asap!! Good Luck Everyone!!"</em></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ano</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ther writer also said to WARM the solution to body temperature before putting it in your ears to decrease the risk of dizziness. There are several other remedies on the website, so feel free to venture to the site and check it out for yourself! :)</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgigYXt3EbjwTbnllOYxTS06R4lO0u2gXKsyMn5dOxLtsxJDpEfsz82HivpGMOZAyawuP18VZNTenDE7U9LV-iTpyRFBpfqivDKLNo7AePnsuYEviWNsOvuHlP0SkXfaX3A-lkqU6PyVyyy/s1600/Beardless+at+the+Beach+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgigYXt3EbjwTbnllOYxTS06R4lO0u2gXKsyMn5dOxLtsxJDpEfsz82HivpGMOZAyawuP18VZNTenDE7U9LV-iTpyRFBpfqivDKLNo7AePnsuYEviWNsOvuHlP0SkXfaX3A-lkqU6PyVyyy/s320/Beardless+at+the+Beach+008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Taking a break to eat some lunch! If you've never seen one of these "half tents", I highly recommend them! They are HEAVENLY! :) It creates a nice little cubby to have lunch free of the sunshine and without having to sit in the sand.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjmu9Re73J-h1_HEARMcm1Q3lJSnEmbcDWpabpPZHdsSXymvnt5pwrqrKSoK5g_CKn36UZOzWJnw2QSybzYXbFMOvGcACC9pnvkAeTjSLTFBXrWeOVI95lGb9JJav2ZGJlMiWnQWJEGEW/s1600/Beardless+at+the+Beach+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjmu9Re73J-h1_HEARMcm1Q3lJSnEmbcDWpabpPZHdsSXymvnt5pwrqrKSoK5g_CKn36UZOzWJnw2QSybzYXbFMOvGcACC9pnvkAeTjSLTFBXrWeOVI95lGb9JJav2ZGJlMiWnQWJEGEW/s320/Beardless+at+the+Beach+004.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Baby sister chillin' in the half tent! :) Look at those beautiful baby blues!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqU99TahoXHr-iNqyziVHb71aKloRT7YOMXSQeIPoPXIdY6hk9v1tUBNb-_rMMUtd8UVfJzCpIzATVUL1hggsgSVlcILbIz4-16Vb1gkYLuSCeArzLXLfsoCO4ojiG-_H9P0QLfmUxHdlT/s1600/Beardless+at+the+Beach+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqU99TahoXHr-iNqyziVHb71aKloRT7YOMXSQeIPoPXIdY6hk9v1tUBNb-_rMMUtd8UVfJzCpIzATVUL1hggsgSVlcILbIz4-16Vb1gkYLuSCeArzLXLfsoCO4ojiG-_H9P0QLfmUxHdlT/s320/Beardless+at+the+Beach+015.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Me and my baby-faced sweetheart! <3</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcPfzICNfVu-atQfgcUc4pPMsYrJWDhXeKAblsTb0NvZ6m56UPE098aeTm20IAZ-wQiVIrSvnMgTDXc1Mrf_fDFsJBt8LQAFbeEJdhL_L7ISxHROTwTsLzniUetU0nm46JhPmx8YiT8Z9n/s1600/Beardless+at+the+Beach+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcPfzICNfVu-atQfgcUc4pPMsYrJWDhXeKAblsTb0NvZ6m56UPE098aeTm20IAZ-wQiVIrSvnMgTDXc1Mrf_fDFsJBt8LQAFbeEJdhL_L7ISxHROTwTsLzniUetU0nm46JhPmx8YiT8Z9n/s320/Beardless+at+the+Beach+019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yay for brothers! :)</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Soon, our family</span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">will
head back to Ohio and it’s a bittersweet feeling. I won't miss the small dog that has wrecked HAVOC in the house for the past week; I won't miss the amount of dirty dishes that accumulates from 5 people eating 3 meals a day in the house; and I'm <strong>definitely</strong> not going to miss sharing our ONE television with everyone! However, I am going to miss the EVER-LOVING-CRAP out of my family! It's difficult being far away and it's going to be difficult to say goodbye.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Until Next Time My Good Friends! :) </span></span></div>
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</div>Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-57722829640329268472012-08-01T20:33:00.001-07:002012-08-01T20:33:31.052-07:00The Infamous, Long Awaited, Beard Shaving Party<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today has been quite the busy day. Not only did I have a
meeting with my new advisor at Old Dominion University, which brought good and
BAD news, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(-sigh- no one ever said this
life thing was going to be easy.) I took a ride on a boat with the family AND I
have been preparing for Hubby’s BEARD SHAVING PARTY!! </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, you heard that correctly—His
Beard Shaving Party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My husband has had
a full grown beard since the ripe old age of 14!...That’s FOUR-TEEN!!...1
(DASH) 4!! That means he has had this beard almost half as long as he’s been
alive. WOAH! The only time I’ve ever seen him without his beard is in his
senior pictures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life is about to get REAAALLL interesting!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a milestone; a milestone in our marriage, and our
lives in general. So, I thought <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">what
better way to document this milestone than to BLOG ABOUT IT! </i>We are going
to have pictures to document EVERY part of this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have baked and decorated cookies with
faces in various stages of beard shaving, which I am going to include pictures
of incase you have the sudden urge to make beard cookies yourself! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Really, this is like a three for one—a sugar cookie
decorating tutorial, a little sneak peek into our evening boat ride AND the
milestone of our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seriously…this
milestone may be bigger than the day we bought our car! So, get ready, because
for those of you who know my husband, this is going to be AWESOME for you! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hold on tight, because HERE WE GOOOO!!!</span></div>
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First, the cookies! (What?! I have to shave the best for last...I mean SAVE the best for last.)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJeG5S34f10UwUuaSCteST1jNx5wDz1PDdlZFWdgjtIkpaH7ATR7vkqqxeqGAfoML55w5iAcVnAHE0PFfd8-BhbgaIQ85BwefoVx9uzNOydVcpwTPBVueUQ-MgYMdpjCT0qH4BT5rqZXFp/s1600/Chicken+Fajitas+&+Beard+Shaving+Party+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJeG5S34f10UwUuaSCteST1jNx5wDz1PDdlZFWdgjtIkpaH7ATR7vkqqxeqGAfoML55w5iAcVnAHE0PFfd8-BhbgaIQ85BwefoVx9uzNOydVcpwTPBVueUQ-MgYMdpjCT0qH4BT5rqZXFp/s320/Chicken+Fajitas+&+Beard+Shaving+Party+011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Add the amount of icing you want into a sandwich bag.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQ6I2W2gvex6o4vyOTx2KAnmtX-XoK66xOnK1gcU2dnHJi7TFR9DigLv-bI_12F8OoaThcW1syWGxs5-jMfUVmk7HQlSHSVKIgRr_bmRgqkVcKSFzcgiPr_GVuUIZgrol3vMaY70O3-ha/s1600/Chicken+Fajitas+%2526+Beard+Shaving+Party+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQ6I2W2gvex6o4vyOTx2KAnmtX-XoK66xOnK1gcU2dnHJi7TFR9DigLv-bI_12F8OoaThcW1syWGxs5-jMfUVmk7HQlSHSVKIgRr_bmRgqkVcKSFzcgiPr_GVuUIZgrol3vMaY70O3-ha/s320/Chicken+Fajitas+%2526+Beard+Shaving+Party+014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<u><span style="color: #0066cc;"></span></u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cut a LITTLE bit of the corner off, and squeeze the icing to the tip.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjduJInciKljOgWc3ADgCzCiPp8KQu64XJeA7Ib668vCmZVVuy9MEY_umAdYv3W-rzZjYtxhaQ4R2E8ZA7Z2bZZQzadSvbUqGR0R2LnEvfznza54T_AQwCNKMewj47dqbmQY3eYI4Dq1xvA/s1600/Chicken+Fajitas+&+Beard+Shaving+Party+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjduJInciKljOgWc3ADgCzCiPp8KQu64XJeA7Ib668vCmZVVuy9MEY_umAdYv3W-rzZjYtxhaQ4R2E8ZA7Z2bZZQzadSvbUqGR0R2LnEvfznza54T_AQwCNKMewj47dqbmQY3eYI4Dq1xvA/s320/Chicken+Fajitas+&+Beard+Shaving+Party+015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Put a line of icing all the way around the outter edge of the cookie. This will ensure the rest of your icing stays on the cookie.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM33iJqYCGMHU5fHIEJTxcvOGHfinvmToJQjICG3bmPtdjj6SejIMjWa0bRqhg37JMDvo_OrTC3JEWT8HOd54cSa_IxbUQQqPSOLOLKM5XTzdWuxaTo_DVULPY1ywdUDVXoz42BdA6Svik/s1600/Chicken+Fajitas+%2526+Beard+Shaving+Party+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM33iJqYCGMHU5fHIEJTxcvOGHfinvmToJQjICG3bmPtdjj6SejIMjWa0bRqhg37JMDvo_OrTC3JEWT8HOd54cSa_IxbUQQqPSOLOLKM5XTzdWuxaTo_DVULPY1ywdUDVXoz42BdA6Svik/s320/Chicken+Fajitas+%2526+Beard+Shaving+Party+008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Melt a color that you want as the background and dribble a little on to the cookie. Use the fork to spread it evenly.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1KpvAMnsLo-aCKlbkHs7rS57kRLVkh9ofoLlIKBmw8USjkaE4JTfYObYabLvKN2JaQHxk-CaUcX3StAlSPchtjIl1GupBBA8PtRsJWMK4J1bg5Z2VcmPun3xQJYNmuzLGRg-_48XylGX/s1600/Chicken+Fajitas+&+Beard+Shaving+Party+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1KpvAMnsLo-aCKlbkHs7rS57kRLVkh9ofoLlIKBmw8USjkaE4JTfYObYabLvKN2JaQHxk-CaUcX3StAlSPchtjIl1GupBBA8PtRsJWMK4J1bg5Z2VcmPun3xQJYNmuzLGRg-_48XylGX/s320/Chicken+Fajitas+&+Beard+Shaving+Party+027.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, decorate! Some of the cookies we used cinnamon as the beards. The rest of the beards were made with chocolate icing. :)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhsmNk1cVMpSlssTy_DJqS36a4kYozMpIRb3lwlugxHHI1HwQHeHGKdBqDYldE3vWG7xy6NQ2fnHCLpFIKpUGiiad2Q3zZIyoQImRlwTJ1VSRc-pX4I1negBLLOWhhjKTmcW52X1x8oJjz/s1600/Chicken+Fajitas+&+Beard+Shaving+Party+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhsmNk1cVMpSlssTy_DJqS36a4kYozMpIRb3lwlugxHHI1HwQHeHGKdBqDYldE3vWG7xy6NQ2fnHCLpFIKpUGiiad2Q3zZIyoQImRlwTJ1VSRc-pX4I1negBLLOWhhjKTmcW52X1x8oJjz/s320/Chicken+Fajitas+&+Beard+Shaving+Party+032.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yay for Beard Shaving Parties!!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWGTIvumJ9umkOGJX1eOyKwzT32ygimmHGEG0b4fCxM2xRbz333RBbcdjzOCYSVyXVAZZM1zluaMTE2QkJVNIUdkqEPyZRcXEkeytVVfThElDS0lYxP_V1qm49YMt78hlgDOiGgsAmMUek/s1600/Chicken+Fajitas+&+Beard+Shaving+Party+037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWGTIvumJ9umkOGJX1eOyKwzT32ygimmHGEG0b4fCxM2xRbz333RBbcdjzOCYSVyXVAZZM1zluaMTE2QkJVNIUdkqEPyZRcXEkeytVVfThElDS0lYxP_V1qm49YMt78hlgDOiGgsAmMUek/s320/Chicken+Fajitas+&+Beard+Shaving+Party+037.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Double Yay for Boat Rides!! :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><strong>And Now...What you've all been waiting for!!</strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNFCjd48n_aTtOQ2NSHhVNvyuYk6bGfsMCQftOtNj4L6tG-Qk6Bddq0KyFz0FDt5mkqPZWBuHkkQeuDNy-S7eBhoxCK4GFyswoX_wZJ1pXM-R6yWB5YEUyMUIh7C1jl8E7rFMZnWZ2bST/s1600/Chicken+Fajitas+&+Beard+Shaving+Party+078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNFCjd48n_aTtOQ2NSHhVNvyuYk6bGfsMCQftOtNj4L6tG-Qk6Bddq0KyFz0FDt5mkqPZWBuHkkQeuDNy-S7eBhoxCK4GFyswoX_wZJ1pXM-R6yWB5YEUyMUIh7C1jl8E7rFMZnWZ2bST/s320/Chicken+Fajitas+&+Beard+Shaving+Party+078.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMDSDghGjryaZTRbIzhpMomKNrbeEJ0hboiperFc48E-Q1NGNHdB6dZb0ezAznRn9cInrLKk_HTeal8jIeRN-uTPGqvuumthfy6k0y4Q3vaXcWJmviDEbtCgJPBtITdB0qreF9uOcNcCFk/s1600/Chicken+Fajitas+&+Beard+Shaving+Party+107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMDSDghGjryaZTRbIzhpMomKNrbeEJ0hboiperFc48E-Q1NGNHdB6dZb0ezAznRn9cInrLKk_HTeal8jIeRN-uTPGqvuumthfy6k0y4Q3vaXcWJmviDEbtCgJPBtITdB0qreF9uOcNcCFk/s320/Chicken+Fajitas+&+Beard+Shaving+Party+107.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Before After <em>(Who is that smokin' hot man?!)</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Until next time friends. </span></div>Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516201572210974330.post-9980681650159171062012-07-31T18:32:00.001-07:002012-07-31T18:32:28.158-07:00Crab Failure Results in Pizza Pull Apart Bread<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Today the gang has been doing, what I like to call, southern fishin'. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That just means that when you stick your line in the water you’re never sure if you’re going to catch a fish, or something much more sinister; like a sting ray! YIPES! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> :/ Thankfully we only caught fish. Although, w</span>e attempted to catch some crab for dinner, but were extremely unsuccessful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> That meant we were going to have</span> Pizza Pull Apart Bread! Yum! AND lucky for you I was kind enough to take pictures; consequently, to show all of you. (Ok, to be fair I took pictures to show the 2 of you who read my blog. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> No worries, if I reach only 2 people, my life is complete.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’M LYING! SHARE THIS BLOG AND TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS…NOW!...please :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ok, now that you’ve been properly scolded I’ll move onto the recipe. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, there is a version of this floating around <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/" target="_blank">pinterest</a>; however, I didn’t like their ingredients so I made this recipe my own! Yay!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here is what you’re going to need:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbTdljpV_zFzsX61MUz2JXWxJWGEeGbvUL1QSdCvIpKw9oE_61d4DjPwrPAu1i1Al4Nju-dkfFo6jTeeign31ycKfW2xtBPyAECRJ6YLSbVvG32uID36nuIYC-qJFOznUXTiMZZQyjBGmA/s1600/Pizza+Pull+Apart+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbTdljpV_zFzsX61MUz2JXWxJWGEeGbvUL1QSdCvIpKw9oE_61d4DjPwrPAu1i1Al4Nju-dkfFo6jTeeign31ycKfW2xtBPyAECRJ6YLSbVvG32uID36nuIYC-qJFOznUXTiMZZQyjBGmA/s320/Pizza+Pull+Apart+010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 loaf of Italian Bread from the bakery section of your grocery store<br />
8oz of cheese<br />
1 package pepperonis<br />
2 TBS of Butter<br />
1TSP of garlic powder<br />
1 can of your favorite pizza sauce (for dipping) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>(recipe serves 4.)</em></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5SYahYVmSqjyqEk7NFOUk3O_RzjGP9ysW3wE-rvAKbxV1KXKu8mdHBpLUcEj3GYsPSb1LgqAiRNLjpi_AyQPWP_NqmoKxRgay1uRkUow9qKbDwmL5rJjnKAehB2lrKnW8upPKKFEHndk/s1600/Pizza+Pull+Apart+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5SYahYVmSqjyqEk7NFOUk3O_RzjGP9ysW3wE-rvAKbxV1KXKu8mdHBpLUcEj3GYsPSb1LgqAiRNLjpi_AyQPWP_NqmoKxRgay1uRkUow9qKbDwmL5rJjnKAehB2lrKnW8upPKKFEHndk/s320/Pizza+Pull+Apart+007.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div>
First cut your bread length wise (aka hot dog style) ^ like so.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdLS6iAjc31fi6R9V9NcZdgng7UlLvu5VGHQFKfccXZRpeJtrEB5vSPx0NE_MgBzbStViLB4w04jHBtqs-NFUVw-rndv6rwW-Kwn3wNrh0Y8iyw-fNjP4ilnzp_IFa7CE4wAts8NI3rDQ/s1600/Pizza+Pull+Apart+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdLS6iAjc31fi6R9V9NcZdgng7UlLvu5VGHQFKfccXZRpeJtrEB5vSPx0NE_MgBzbStViLB4w04jHBtqs-NFUVw-rndv6rwW-Kwn3wNrh0Y8iyw-fNjP4ilnzp_IFa7CE4wAts8NI3rDQ/s320/Pizza+Pull+Apart+008.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div>
Then cut your bread width wise (aka hamburger style) ^ like so.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMJiwymiFw5MjUeKIH5CJzANHNtefGrJ97uqu7vIaJ87qUo-nuNl3lAZ4gblpSiyFKMIMc3HAEesUEoEaEQsupmGDvm043qOIxi9IrgmzDqcB3sKMohjkYke3N0EfD6ILGO7ZN7m37eb1T/s1600/Pizza+Pull+Apart+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMJiwymiFw5MjUeKIH5CJzANHNtefGrJ97uqu7vIaJ87qUo-nuNl3lAZ4gblpSiyFKMIMc3HAEesUEoEaEQsupmGDvm043qOIxi9IrgmzDqcB3sKMohjkYke3N0EfD6ILGO7ZN7m37eb1T/s320/Pizza+Pull+Apart+009.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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When you're finished it will look like a checkerboard...kind of. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipOtVrcPLarCVY0HwC-ACrFaMT5aOmkWpl3VTp-JubMC43nZoOgi7ulrBii1Ufli_g04myeTIAWzvBWEQbZjjlCabggoahf4yuPH47ji2TUdOjG5dinO0BFtYhv13-9pz4P0wnsu2i3pvN/s1600/Pizza+Pull+Apart+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipOtVrcPLarCVY0HwC-ACrFaMT5aOmkWpl3VTp-JubMC43nZoOgi7ulrBii1Ufli_g04myeTIAWzvBWEQbZjjlCabggoahf4yuPH47ji2TUdOjG5dinO0BFtYhv13-9pz4P0wnsu2i3pvN/s320/Pizza+Pull+Apart+013.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Now, get really excited, because here comes the fun part!!... :D</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5cK5oJXqdrvbI0-auKJPHWEjzl_abv47wXx8Uf_llGjcZb6TqdX10IkbjLMpJ6fL2DsyyEvhBONs5QeMFVRNCsc46ETwvhUS93zfpIcfGdWNwuqFw3Rs6VMy5vcqWkThCv3yXS60l6p0H/s1600/Pizza+Pull+Apart+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5cK5oJXqdrvbI0-auKJPHWEjzl_abv47wXx8Uf_llGjcZb6TqdX10IkbjLMpJ6fL2DsyyEvhBONs5QeMFVRNCsc46ETwvhUS93zfpIcfGdWNwuqFw3Rs6VMy5vcqWkThCv3yXS60l6p0H/s320/Pizza+Pull+Apart+014.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Stuffing your bread! Place the desired amount of pepperoni between the slices you've cut in your bread.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig2p1MjpU3RihlKnV40dIxhnHyRmVUpEN8uz0tcxr_v-2ODEmzwGUpBVojc6-DifXy0MSnhC1nURR3qE5PiRZDKQJ_jqtGFat_yx6uto5JST3d3I_x1s_Z7gTOy5TefWBJMqapQP0rjrvX/s1600/Pizza+Pull+Apart+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig2p1MjpU3RihlKnV40dIxhnHyRmVUpEN8uz0tcxr_v-2ODEmzwGUpBVojc6-DifXy0MSnhC1nURR3qE5PiRZDKQJ_jqtGFat_yx6uto5JST3d3I_x1s_Z7gTOy5TefWBJMqapQP0rjrvX/s320/Pizza+Pull+Apart+017.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
Add the cheese in beside and around your pepperonis.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-3sFpEfIifQFABAK3L6s6TwRdfvG8NbRJAyVnXHhmljetcAHhGuH7-ityuSn-HZrtHNHz9INJpsSsIVGCmElBTKI7TPbPV54zxLiCyZBnwgnMFWZUJO1BvH9vhfbZ2EkaCMCEgfCDeFM/s1600/Pizza+Pull+Apart+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-3sFpEfIifQFABAK3L6s6TwRdfvG8NbRJAyVnXHhmljetcAHhGuH7-ityuSn-HZrtHNHz9INJpsSsIVGCmElBTKI7TPbPV54zxLiCyZBnwgnMFWZUJO1BvH9vhfbZ2EkaCMCEgfCDeFM/s320/Pizza+Pull+Apart+011.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />Before it all goes into the oven, you need to make your garlic butter. Melt together 2 Tbs of butter and 1 TEASPOON garlic powder. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzaNwThb-GrNwYK-EMk23XL9LiW_unlLxGFn3FFP7UY5Nn6bsXNQosyHXUlr1J3nPoVxKP0uekZfb-ZigdFd6W9i0is0nV3dVQrecYEM4p_7kUbS7XWAjNTNbHsiq4OH9x1QFfQ_S8C2Dk/s1600/Pizza+Pull+Apart+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzaNwThb-GrNwYK-EMk23XL9LiW_unlLxGFn3FFP7UY5Nn6bsXNQosyHXUlr1J3nPoVxKP0uekZfb-ZigdFd6W9i0is0nV3dVQrecYEM4p_7kUbS7XWAjNTNbHsiq4OH9x1QFfQ_S8C2Dk/s320/Pizza+Pull+Apart+019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Melt for about 10-15 seconds and grab something to brush it onto your bread.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFlyq9GGsUWweDshP31yDiaUVdeudjwR6AhiUf6R8HqtuAoR0ZDyDsApraxhdG_ZaWg0vVqEh6BUI9WnPM6sgGA8mePuvzYBJqdqyIptpHNc4DCHjAUs2qZj52QGLN1sYpK1VIWLt2gf4e/s1600/Pizza+Pull+Apart+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFlyq9GGsUWweDshP31yDiaUVdeudjwR6AhiUf6R8HqtuAoR0ZDyDsApraxhdG_ZaWg0vVqEh6BUI9WnPM6sgGA8mePuvzYBJqdqyIptpHNc4DCHjAUs2qZj52QGLN1sYpK1VIWLt2gf4e/s320/Pizza+Pull+Apart+021.JPG" width="240" /></a><br /> (or you can lightly pour it over your bread)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVjQJlHTl8RooH-YNvHbBnmwKzCRQIw-9DBiP6FykjHn5KRTyJXX-LTQjMgjhrV1RsBVd64gBchB-F6j-Tlp9w9YQMHeeB_VF8UsH5ns7Tj5Vv_VjYz0tcN_mvTX1LRJ5sshR-o4Ps7oS/s1600/Pizza+Pull+Apart+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVjQJlHTl8RooH-YNvHbBnmwKzCRQIw-9DBiP6FykjHn5KRTyJXX-LTQjMgjhrV1RsBVd64gBchB-F6j-Tlp9w9YQMHeeB_VF8UsH5ns7Tj5Vv_VjYz0tcN_mvTX1LRJ5sshR-o4Ps7oS/s320/Pizza+Pull+Apart+023.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />It's all ready to go into the oven. Bake at 325 degrees for 10-15 minutes.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXc2Snnm-j3UFvhYRoOMp34CsvTVn_5J9RcLMuMo5ZC79u9eMTX_OBKhyphenhyphenIacdmHvSMDp9LZHbj-MhOUdZSSOmkvxvQ7fabSA_4ViFQ_rS4MSiuBxRhM2koBmjs0R44I5Cb2t1G15jtQpjx/s1600/Pizza+Pull+Apart+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXc2Snnm-j3UFvhYRoOMp34CsvTVn_5J9RcLMuMo5ZC79u9eMTX_OBKhyphenhyphenIacdmHvSMDp9LZHbj-MhOUdZSSOmkvxvQ7fabSA_4ViFQ_rS4MSiuBxRhM2koBmjs0R44I5Cb2t1G15jtQpjx/s320/Pizza+Pull+Apart+027.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />Anddd--YUMMY! There it is all finished. Heat up your sauce, tear pieces off of bread, dip it and enjoy!</div>
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Thanks for joining me for another post! :) <br />Until next time Friends.</div>
</div>Hand Krafted Creationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12499972330664085441noreply@blogger.com3