Home Made Modern

Craft of the Week: Hanging Window Vase

2012-02-13T10:47:00.000-08:00

Gardenmama offers a nice tutorial for creating this breath of spring as we get nearer the end of winter. We have fresh snow on the ground right now, but at least it's accompanied by blue sky and sunshine. A vase of tulips or daffodils would be such a pretty reminder on a day like today that warmer days are just around the corner.

Clothesline Art Display

2012-02-09T12:41:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but kids' artwork has taken over my life. It's literally everywhere. I'd love to know your system for keeping it all organized, or at least contained. And how do you decide what to keep and what to toss (when they're not looking?) When I looked at the mess in my daughter's room...there just had to be a better way. (See pic above.)

I had these buckets from Ikea out in the garage. Bought them years ago just because they were so cheap and I figured I could use them for something. Fast forward several years, and I finally found a use! We decoupaged some flowers on and hung them on the wall, and it created a handy little place to store art supplies.

Now this next thing isn't a new idea. I've seen clothesline art displays several places around the web. It really is simple. The kids and I painted the clothespins, then I just screwed some tiny eye screws into the drywall, tied some string between them (pull it pretty taut), and clipped on the art.

Now isn't that a better a use of a big blank wall?

I've either eliminated my original problem of having no place to put all the artwork in our house, or created a bigger one by making it more fun to sit and draw. Again I ask...how do YOU calm paper clutter in your house?

Valentine Vignette and a Printable

2012-02-07T18:21:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't love that movie?

I've recently become a fan of the idea of creating my own printable art. As you know, I'm hugely in favor of cheap wall art, whether it's using plates, framed ephemera, or DIY framed art. It just helps create a personal space, in my opinion, and goes a long way in creating an eclectic, collected look instead of something too conventional. I'm planning a post on this for the near future, in fact. Graphic art, and word art in particular, is so popular and pretty for its simplicity and personality, that I thought I'd try making my own. Many, many thanks to Centsational Girl for getting me started! She offers this great tutorial on her fabulous blog, and now I'm hooked. I'd love to teach myself how to upload my printables to my blog so you can print them, too. But that's a project for another day. For now, here's a pic of my first attempt, framed and in our entryway with a bowl of Valentine M&Ms and some fun blocks from the Target dollar bins.

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And a banner to match, made with the kiddos! Our oldest is pretty good at cutting, so I drew hearts, she helped me cut them out (check out the tiny ones...those are hers) and then I gave her a huge, blunt needle to help me "sew" them together.

Craft of the Week: Quick Valentine Banner

2012-02-06T10:37:00.000-08:00

320 Sycamore has done it again with an inexpensive and simple craft, just in time for Valentine's Day. I'm such a sucker for banners and bunting, so this caught my eye immediately. As did the mention of Target's dollar bins, which are simply irrestible. Have you found anything in those bins that you've used for a craft or decorating project? Do tell!

P.S. Involve your kids with this one...they love any excuse to decorate for a holiday, right?

Things to Bake and Make for Valentine's Day on Pinterest

2012-02-02T10:45:00.000-08:00

Hey, I'm here today showing you some of the great things popping up on Pinterest for Valentine's Day. As always, I look in awe and amazement at all of the creativity (and spare time!) out there. Nevertheless, it doesn't stop me from trying to create some semblance of this in our home. You should SEE (and you probably will at some point) the paper heart garland we made today in an effort to quell our heebie-jeebies (we are stuck at home due to a sick kid). Hilarious. Anyway, here are some of the more pulled-together ideas from our favorite inspiration place!

Tissue-paper-covered votives from Homemade Serenity

Anthropologie-inspired snow globes from WhipperBerry

Conversation heart tree by My Heart's Desire

Cookie pops from Pizzazzerie

Valentine M&M blondies by Baked Perfection

Paper doily garland from Are So Happy

Be Mine banner from 320 Sycamore

More Valentine votives (and doilies) from Crescendoh

For more fun Valentine pins, or to follow my other Pinterest boards, click here!

Hope you are as inspired as I am!

Recipe of the Week: Baked Couscous

2012-02-01T09:54:00.000-08:00

I love reinventing leftovers into something entirely different from what we had the night before. It's not always possible, of course, but sometimes it works, and when it does I feel so thrifty and sensible!

So the other night we had Greek tacos. Never heard of 'em? Well, no recipe is required...here's how you make the swap:

Greek Tacos

In place of ground beef, use ground chicken
In place of taco seasoning, brown the chicken with a little oregano, paprika, garlic, salt and pepper.
In place of shredded cheddar, use feta
In place of taco shells, use pita pockets
In place of sour cream, use a dollop of Greek yogurt
Sprinkle with tomatoes and cucumbers, and serve with a side of garlic and olive oil-flavored couscous.

Now here's where it gets interesting. I had seen a recipe for baked couscous in a magazine, Family Circle I think, and had a mental note to serve it as a re-invented side. It called for a little mayo as the binder. But when we have Greek Tacos, there's always a lot left over, so I thought, why not make it a main dish with the chicken thrown in? Here's what I did:

Baked Couscous with Greek Chicken

In large bowl, combine leftover couscous with leftover chicken from Greek tacos (see above).
Stir in ½ c. chopped broccoli, 1 shredded carrot and 1 c. Parmesan cheese.
Add about 3 heaping tablespoons of mayonnaise, and stir until well-mixed. You'll want the mixture to be moist, but not too gooey.
Sprinkle with more Parmesan and bake 20 minutes at 350.
Serve with toasted pita bread rounds topped with tomatoes, feta, and oregano.

There! Two meals, two different nights, same basic ingredients...love it when that happens. Oh, and everyone loved it. Kids, too. The baked couscous would be easy for a toddler to spoon up.

Kids' Valentine Activity Roundup

2012-01-31T10:45:00.000-08:00

Hi there, everyone, hope you're having a great day! It's unseasonably warm here today for the last day of January, but I'm comin' at ya with some fun Valentine's Day crafts anyway.

Martha is always good for a do-able idea or two. Here are a couple:

Lollipop Heart Flowers

Doily Flower Cards

Meet the Dubiens gives a way to turn fingerprint hearts into a "love blossom" tree!

Or paint their whole little hands for this cute keepsake (also from Meet the Dubiens.)

Parents Magazine suggests making cute cards using letter blocks you probably already have.

Make some heart-shaped cupcakes without a special baking pan.

Copycat Crafting: DIY Cell Phone Charging Pocket

2012-01-30T10:07:00.000-08:00

I saw this idea on Pinterest, and gasped! Could it really be that easy? I had to try it. My husband and I were sick of our phones hogging prime real estate on the countertop, and I hated the dangling cord when we weren't using the charger. It was all just a major eyesore. So here's the inspiration from Make It and Love It.

And here's mine! (Gosh, I need to up my photography game.)

Nap Rating = 1 nap

Skill Level = beginner

Cost = minimal (I had all the supplies I needed on hand. Chances are, if you have kids, you have this exact type of bottle in the bathroom or on the changing table. The only other things I needed were Mod Podge, scissors, a marker, and decorative paper, which I also already had. So for me, this was FREE!)

Instructions = Pretty much right on the money. Ashley over at Make It and Love It provides great instructions with wonderful tutorial photos. I did just as she said, except for a couple of things. I didn't sand the ink of my bottle because it didn't have any (it was just a sticker that peeled right off). I also used scissors for all of it instead of an exacto knife or box cutter. It was just easier for me that way. And I used scrapbooking paper instead of fabric because that's just what I had. You don't need as much Mod Podge with paper, which is nice. I traced the bottom of the bottle first and applied that oval, then wrapped the rest of the bottle.

Does mine look like the picture = Yes! (So satisfying...)

Bottom Line = This one is a winner! My husband remarked that Ashley should patent this thing, it's that brilliant.

Projects in Progress

2012-01-26T11:16:00.000-08:00

Oh my oh my oh my, why do I do this to myself? I've got no less than 15 projects going at once, not one of them near completion yet. I'm just gonna type it all out so you can see how crazy I am.

I've got 4 (yes, 4!) lamps that I'm trying to refab in one form or another. Some are waiting for new shades, some need to be checked to make sure their wiring is safe, etc.

Our entryway still needs the rest of its base molding, a new closet door, paint, a new light fixture...and I've got a mirror in the basement that's crying out to be hung, but why do that until I've painted?

I've started painting cabinetry in our upstairs bathroom but haven't finished.

I've got paint chips taped to the walls in 3 out of the 6 spaces downstairs but can't seem to decide on anything.

The girls' artwork is A MESS and it's EVERYwhere. I'm trying to figure out a bulletin board wall for our youngest and an art station for our oldest. I've got fabric tacked up on walls, half the items I need for the art station, and old frames that need spray painted. I did buy the spray paint, but now I'm not sure I like the color. One step forward, two steps back...

While we're priming the built-in in our entryway, I should really just prime the fireplace, right? Or is that starting another project before I'm ready?

Artwork is only propped in our family room...I've got ideas for hanging some but I should paint first, right?

Our family room desperately needs curtains, too, and I know what fabric I want, but it's an investment, so I'm waiting. Plus, my mom said she'd help me sew them and she's crazy busy right now. Now that I'm thinking about it, maybe I shouldn't choose a paint color until all the fabrics are in the room anyway. I think that's back-asswards, but whatever.

I've got wallpaper ideas for our half-bath bookmarked online, but haven't committed. Big surprise, I know.

And I haven't even talked about our dining room! Egads! It's hilariously half-done, and that's overstating. It has a table, folks, and that's about it.

Not to mention, I've got several Valentine's Day baking and/or craft projects I'd like to do with the kids so I can fill this lovely blog of mine (time-suck that it is) with ideas for my handful of readers.

Ok, so now that I've spilled the truth about our schizophrenic route to improving our home, I will show you some pics of the progress.

Here is quite simply the most boring bathroom in the universe. There's nothing hideous about it, except for maybe the light fixture, which I'll get to another time, but it's very builder-grade and unexciting to say the least.

The sink vanity, as you can see, was white. Nothing too spectacular.

I added the shower curtain recently and finally had a vision for a color scheme, so...

...I decided to paint the vanity black. So now I need to paint the wall cabinet as well, and the walls. Oh, and I hung my wire peacock, which I bought at a flea market for 2 bucks.

Here's a closeup of the knobs: Hobby Lobby for $3 each.

The other thing we did recently was buy a console table for the very blank wall leading from the entryway to our family room. I'd like to use it as a place to put mail and keys, maybe. The lamp is all wrong, as is the wall color, but I had so much fun getting stuff out of storage to display. I could work on styling bookshelves and open storage all day long. I wish there was a full-time job for that.

Oh, and I guess I need a plant for my little terrarium.

Last but not least, are the pillows in the family room...this is something I struggle with: pillows. I can never seem to get them to look effortless yet pulled together the way they look in magazines. But I'm loving these. My girlfriend, Louisa, sewed several of them for me and the flower one is from Grandin Road. The button one in the middle is from Tuesday Morning. You wouldn't believe how long it took me to decide on these. Unfortunately the color in this pic is washed out. I probably need a better camera and photography classes to get my blog pics up to speed, but do you think I have time for that? I didn't think so.

So there you have it. A little more progress. Maybe I'll get a whole room completed one of these days, but I have a feeling it will be time to start over by then.

Apple Snack Bars

2012-01-25T10:04:00.000-08:00

I'm always looking for and tweaking recipes for baked goods that would make healthy snacks for the kids. Here's one we tried yesterday that our oldest just loved. I liked them because they're fairly healthy, as far as baked goods go, but they were a tad on the gooey side. The taste was great, though, so we'll make them again.

Apple Snack Bars

Whisk 1 c. whole wheat flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, ¾ tsp. cinnamon and ¼ tsp. salt; set aside.

Blend 1 c. brown sugar, 1 egg, ¼ c. butter and ½ tsp. vanilla.

Gradually beat in flour mixture, then fold in 3/4 to 1 c. chopped apples.

Bake in greased 9x9 pan at 350 for 40 mins.

Copycat Crafting: Felt Flower Brooches

2012-01-24T11:22:00.000-08:00

Introducing Copycat Crafting, a section of my blog I'm going to dedicate to trying some of the amazing ideas I find and pass on to you, dear readers. I love to think of myself as a compiler of information for all of you out there who want to inject personality into your homes and lives. I started this blog with a nebulous notion that I would tell you how I live MY life, and what I do to keep my sense of self through the very tasks inherent to being a mother. But as time passed, I became keenly aware that there was no way I could be the only source of content if I had a prayer of posting more than a couple times a month. So, I began posting ideas I'd seen elsewhere. But once again, that seemed a bit "been there, done that" by other bloggers, and I wanted to add some value-added content. So here I am, launching Copycat Crafting. I'm going to TRY (c'mon, you know life is going to get in the way sometimes) to reproduce some of my favorite ideas out there and then post the results. For instance, I'll put my own version of the Good Housekeeping seal of approval on the ideas to help you determine if it fits your budget, skill level, and schedule. 'Cause really, my own skill level is only average so I figure if I can do it, you probably can, too. Here goes...

Copycat Craft: Felt Flowers

Remember those felt flowers I posted about around Christmastime? So cute! I tried 'em, and what do you know, I managed to NOT screw something up that involved fabric. Woo-hoo!

Nap Rating = 1 nap for each brooch
Skill Level = beginner
Cost = minimal (I only had to buy pin backs and Fabri-Tac because I already had felt, so it cost under $5 for me.)
Instructions = absolutely was able to follow these instructions from Infarrantly Creative to the letter
Does mine look like the picture = Amazingly, yes! (Like I said, anything to do with fabric is not usually my forte)
Bottom Line = give it a try and you'll be a walking billboard for craftiness

Craft of the Week: DIY Mercury Glass

2012-01-23T13:46:00.001-08:00

DIY Hacks brings us this amazing idea to create the look of mercury glass using what sounds to be a pretty simple technique. I'm thinking of doing this to some candlesticks I have...but I'm not sure if the effect would be the same because they're not made of glass. I'm adding this to another in a long line of projects I need to try out...sigh.

One of these days I'm gonna get it together, people, and show you how my own versions of my favorite Crafts of the Week turn out. In fact, I'm thinking of adding this as a feature to the blog. It's hard, as many of you who blog already know, to continually come up with original content. This way, I could feature a great idea from the web, copy it, and then show you how mine turned out with the addition of my own caveats and nap rating system, of course. I'm trying to think of a name for this new feature...Mimicking Mama? Copy Cat Crafter? Any ideas??

Entryway Progress

2012-01-17T12:48:00.001-08:00

Hi all! So I may have mentioned before that we are in the process of revamping our entryway. Or you could've gotten a clue from my posts last week. Just thought I'd take a moment to share what we've done so far. This is not a before and after...it's definitely a work-in-progress-state-of-affairs at this point, so don't hold your breath for pretty, staged photos. But anyway...

Here's a before shot of the entryway with the vinyl floors. The front door is new here, but I wish I'd taken a picture of the old one, which didn't have a window. It was dramatically darker then.

And here's a pic of the awkward closet that we never used. It was too hard to open with the door to the garage and the door to our half-bath right there, too. We needed a family "drop zone."

So here's where we are now. New flooring, which I love, and a built-in for all of our stuff. I like that it's tucked away behind that little half-wall so you can't really see the clutter from other rooms or when you first walk in the front door.

And here are some close-ups of said clutter, which is somewhat better organized thanks to my handy husband. But we still need to finish painting, get baskets that fit, style the top shelf, get a boot tray for winter, and I'd like to put a cushion and/or pillows on the bench.

Here's a better pic of the front door and a glimpse of our new rugs. The old one was just an oversized carpet remnant. I like these soooo much better and they look nice on the dark floors, I think.

As soon as my husband finishes installing thicker base molding, we're going to finish painting and move on to the fun part...furnishing the rest of it, and putting up the finishing touches. I may even repaint...that green is kind of boring now that I'm seeing it in pictures. Hmmmm...

Craft of the Week: DIY Bulletin Board

2012-01-16T12:20:00.000-08:00

It just so happens that I have a plastic mirror frame very similar to this one on Crafty Nest, except I love it as is. It's white hobnail, supposed to look like milk glass, I guess, but I don't care that it's plastic. The mirror broke years ago, and this is exactly what I had planned to do with it. One of these days I'll get to it, and plan to hang it in our daughter's room. In fact, ONE of these days, I'm going to tackle several of the projects I've featured in this spot and give them my nap rating. Now I just have to find more hours in the day...

Craft of the Week: Washi Tape Makeovers

2012-01-12T19:18:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I usually post my Craft of the Week on Monday and it's now Thursday night, but whatevs. I was still nursing my holiday hangover on Monday and truth be told, STILL haven't gotten into the swing of things the way I usually do in January. But I'm back to blogging, so that's a start. Here are 5 ways to use washi tape by Apartment Therapy. I have yet to use this brilliant-looking stuff but see uses for it all over the blogosphere, so I'm gonna have to get me some. I especially like the table (pictured). Have you used it? Do tell!

An Organized 2012: Part Deux

2012-01-11T10:06:00.000-08:00

We have been working on our entryway for awhile now. The first order of business was to remove an awkward closet and build a bench there instead (my husband's idea). But we still have a need for more storage and another spot to put on shoes and stuff so I'm on the lookout for inspirational pictures showing unique ways to create a family "drop zone" without turning our foyer into a mudroom. Here's some eye candy for ya...

The colors are right up my alley in this one. Love the striped cushion and pillows. Perfect for a single guy or gal, but those hooks wouldn't look near so stylish with kids in the house.

This one has more storage with the baskets up top and underneath and the neutral color scheme is nice.

Love the board and batten behind this bench. Oh, and the owl pillow doesn't hurt. The pictures above let you know a family lives there.

Got a lot of room? How about a bench-table combo? This space lets you drop and store everything in one nice, cheerful spot. Love!

Here's another large-ish space that combines seating with a console table. I like the idea of having a mirror in our entryway as one last spot to put on my lipstick or tie a scarf but it's also a great light-bouncer. Our space is dark, so...I'm thinking that's a must.

Ah, the perfect thing for our entryway. Love the table with storage/seating underneath and LOVE that it doesn't look like a mudroom. I've been jonesin' for a place to display holiday stuff and this would be it! Yay! Another thing to decorate like a mantel...and no, I'm not kidding.

Don't have space in an entryway, or just don't want your home's first impression to be that of a coat closet? Put some lockers between the studs underneath your stairs. Genius!

This is great for apartment-dwellers or just people who don't want the expense and time involved with built-ins. Convert a bookcase to a great mudroom or entryway piece.

And here's something requiring even less effort. Maybe you have a great coat closet or bench-type space already but just need somewhere for everywhere to put their STUFF. These personalized wall-hanging baskets do the trick.

And here's another cool idea for DIYers with a thrifty sensibility. Got a table? Top it with a pigeonhole-like piece and paint both the same color to unify them. Fill the holes with bowls for keys and cellphones, plus pretty things, too.

And finally, this space. Well, I just don't know what to say about this space except that it's the Holy Grail of entryways. If only...

So you get the idea. Combine baskets, tables and benches for smart storage that's stylish. Easy, right? Yeah, that's why I'm still working on it after almost 2 years. But we're getting there...pictures of our progress will follow at some point.

An Organized 2012: Part One

2012-01-10T11:02:00.001-08:00

When the calendar rolls over to a new year, I get antsy to take down Christmas decorations, move around furniture, put out new things, donate old things, find places for new toys, purge the forgotten ones, and just generally organize, organize, organize! Here are a few simple ideas from around the web to help you tackle some pesky problems.

On the Banks of Squaw Creek offers an awesome storage solution for clothes and books...a dresser bookcase! The book shelves are actually just Ikea spice racks sold for $3.99 each. That's smart storage.

I'm going to be using one or both of these ideas from Craft Gossip and House To Home for all my daughters' craft supplies.

Check out this BRILLIANT use of a plastic baby wash bottle for taming your cell phone charger cord. From Make It and Love It...thank you, I will!

Speaking of cords, why not corral them in a basket you attach to the underside of your desk? Another duh moment brought to you by the folks at Martha Stewart.

Got a lot of scarves? Use some shower curtain rings attached to a hanger to get them all in one less-jumbled place. Saw this on Pinterest...not sure of the source.

I'm Busy Procrastinating must have a small linen closet like us. She decided to put the towels elsewhere, and I love it!

I realize I haven't even begun to mention all the great mudroom and entryway storage spaces that are out there. I think I'll save those for another post...part deux. Until then, happy organizing!

Craft of the Week: Recycled Sweater Pillows

2011-12-19T10:12:00.000-08:00

Give the gift of comfort with a cozy pillow you hand make from an old sweater. (Goodwill and other thrift stores are great resources for these.) Super easy to do...just get a nice pillow form so the comfort of the sweater isn't wasted on a knobby, misshapen one you get for cheap. You could attach felt flowers (like the ones I shared with you here), or even a lapel pin. Centsational Girl has some inspiring pictures of her version and full instructions on her blog.

I guess this is the last Monday before Christmas so this also wraps up the Craft of the Weeks dedicated to holiday giving. Hope you were able to get some good ideas!

Move Over Hot Chocolate...

2011-12-14T10:41:00.000-08:00

...I'm sharing two new recipes with you today that are fun for kids on a cold day. If you're having a holiday party this year, you might consider serving one of these for the kiddos while the adults have their cocktails. We've tried both and loved 'em!

Hot Vanilla from Family Fun Magazine (pictured above)

Candy Cane Milk from Parents Magazine

Handpicked Hostess Gifts Under $20

2011-12-13T19:24:00.000-08:00

You may have a holiday party or two to attend in the next couple of weeks...or maybe you already went and showed up empty-handed. Here are some handpicked hostess gifts that go beyond the ubiquitous bottle of wine. Show up with one of these, or send one along post-party with a thank you note, and you're sure to be invited next year!

Keep in mind that many of these shops have "Gifts Under $25" collections, so if you don't find what you want here, browse a bit more. And finally, do yourself a favor and stock up! I made sure to include really reasonably-priced things so you can buy in multiples and not break the bank.

Haitian Spirit Recycled Steel Ornaments --The Hunger Site Store (every purchase from this site helps fight hunger)

Sassari Napkin Rings--Crate and Barrel

Wine Cork Candles--Vat 19 (I know I've handpicked these before...I think they're that cool.)

Owl Salt and Pepper Shakers--Pier 1 (they have lots of other cute sets, too)

Set of Kitchen Towels--The Girls Mom (Etsy)

Inside Out Bowls--Anthropologie

Red Bird Candle Holder--CB2

Butterfly Glass Decoupaged Tray--West Elm

Craft of the Week: Patterned Glass Plates

2011-12-12T11:12:00.001-08:00

Saw this craft in Woman's Day and loved it! The mark of a good gift idea, in my opinion, is if I want to make one for myself, too. So since I've been wanting a chic tray for dropping our keys, spare change and cell phones, I think I'll just make one using this technique, and while I'm at, make a few more to give away.

Decorating for Christmas in a Blue and Green Room

2011-12-09T10:37:00.000-08:00

I struggle with Christmas decorations each year. The images of beautifully decorated trees and living spaces around blogland and on Pinterest are just amazing and may I say, I'm a bit jealous. I always seem to run out of time and then can't make our interior look as festive as I'd like with the hodge-podge of stuff I've collected over the years. This is saying nothing of the exterior of our house, which only has a sad, solo spotlight on a red-berry wreath. Nothing to write home about.

One of my issues is that my favorite colors are blue and green, so I find it hard to make it look Chrismas-y enough without the festivity of red. But this year, I used a lot of white and that seems to help. You may remember our DIY picture ledge from earlier posts...well, the picture above just shows how I put some white poinsettia garland on it, and hung some DIY stars. Here's a closeup of the stars.

Guess what they're made out of? (Drumroll, please.) Toilet paper tubes! As usual, I can't take credit for this crafty idea. I was inspired by Muffin Tin Mom. Pretty great, huh?

I CAN take credit for the halos above the girls' silhouettes, though.

I thought it appropriate to make them look like the angels they are (most of the time) throughout the Christmas season. If you want to make portraits in your house more celestial, just twist the ends of a sparkly pipe cleaner (a.k.a. chenille stem) into an oval and tape it on using double-sided tape, or just little loops of regular tape.

So what do you think? Should I hang some bulbs from the shelf alongside the stars?

Craft of the Week: Ceramic Tile Coasters

2011-12-07T10:49:00.001-08:00

Here it is...this week's DIY holiday gift idea brought to you by Two Girls Being Crafty. I've seen tutorials like this before, but was inspired by this one in particular because of the patterns they chose. I love that you can customize this gift for each recipient and just crank 'em out for a bunch of people. Make them out of maps, scrapbooking paper in the recipient's favorite colors, wrapping paper, color plates or photos from an old art book, playbills from favorite shows...the possibilities are endless.

Advent Activities

2011-12-06T11:15:00.000-08:00

Looking for ways to enjoy the Christmas season with your kids? I never seem to have a problem coming up with ideas, but it always seems we run short on time to fit it all in. So we started a new tradition this year: the Christmas Jar. I cleaned out an old olive jar and removed the label, tied a red ribbon around it, and cut up slips of scrapbooking paper on which to write activities. I let the girls draw a slip of paper from the jar on the mornings when I know we can devote some time to something fun and Christmas-y. I don't strive to fill each day with something, because sometimes we're busy enough with just regular tasks and appointments. So the night before, I stategically select 3 or 4 things I know we can accomplish. That way, whatever they pick will fit into our day instead of the other way around. This also lets me take into consideration things like weather. Anyway, here are the ideas I used:

Have hot chocolate

Take a drive to see Christmas lights

Buy candy cane ice cream

Make cookies

Watch a Christmas movie

Read Christmas books by the fire

Make caramel corn and deliver it to our neighbors

Take some cookies to our librarians

Make cards for friends and teachers

Write letters to Santa

Build a gingerbread house

I don't know if we'll get to all of these, but the point is, the girls think it's very exciting to see what the Christmas Jar holds in store for us, and it makes me give conscious thought the night before to how we can enjoy the holidays even more this year.

What is your favorite family tradition?

P.S. This idea was inspired by a link forwarded to me from my friend, Christine (thanks, Christine!). The Good Stuff Guide offers a re-invention of the advent calendar with this countdown to Christmas idea. I didn't have a place to put all of those stockings, and the idea of doing something every day daunted me, so I adapted it as described above. Here's a picture of the stockings, though.

Craft of the Week: Shrinky Dink Charm Bracelet

2011-11-28T20:27:00.000-08:00

Remember Shrinky Dinks? Oh, the nostalgia! I think they were the "gateway drug" to my crafting obsession. Well, dear readers, here is one awesome craft utilizing that retro technique that all of the women on your holiday gift-giving list will LOVE. And might I add, they'd make cool wine charms, too. The instructions and downloadables are available at Just Something I Made. I personally am not CRAZY for all of the art on this one, but you could tweak it to fit your interests, or the interests of your gift recipients, quite simply using your own images and clip art. Now if each day was about 12 hours longer, maybe I could begin to make all the things I feature here...sigh. So if you make one of these, do tell! That way I can live vicariously through you.

Handpicked for the Holidays: Reasonable and Unique Gifts

2011-11-28T12:16:00.000-08:00

Hey all! Well, I had hoped to get this posted before Cyber Monday but life has had other plans for me this past week. We hosted Thanksgiving, had family in town, etc. You know the drill. So now I'm coming up for air (a little) and extricating myself from the boatloads of laundry we've accumulated to bring you this happy little assortment of unique gifts for giving this holiday season. Most of them are reasonably priced, except for the mugs, which are pricey but soooo pretty, I couldn't resist. Forgive me for not describing each and every thing. I'm letting the pictures do the talking. Happy Shopping! I hope this list gives you a leg up.

Unique Jewelry
Dictionary Entry Bracelet from The Empty Nest

Blue Mum Bracelet from The Empty Nest

Birth Month Flower Necklace from Uncommon Goods

For the Cook
Gourmet Salt Collection from Salt Works

Spice Rub Set from Craig's Market

Donut Maker from Target

For Coffee or Tea Lovers
Love the Trees Mug Set from Uncommon Goods

Monogrammed Mug from Anthropologie

Fun Games for Party Throwers
Table Topics

Awkward Family Photos

For Avid Readers
Out of Print e-Reader Jacket from M-Edge

For Travelers
36 Hours Book from Amazon

Travel Stub Diary from Uncommon Goods

For People Who Have Everything
Reclaimed T-Shirt Scarf from Fair Indigo

Wine Cork Candles

HGTV Magazine

For Kids
Fingerprint Art Set from Land of Nod

Craft of the Week: Felt Flowers

2011-11-21T10:48:00.000-08:00

So I figured I better get going on thinking about Christmas gifts for everyone on my list. I aspire to shop year-round so that I'm not crunched for time during this crazy-busy season, but alas...each year, I'm fumbling around at the last minute for great gift ideas. SO...I'm devoting my craft of the week from now until Christmas to things you can make for a loved one this holiday season. This probably bears repeating: all of the crafts I highlight on this blog are cheap, easy, and quick. Ok, that sounds a little like an endorsement for a brothel or something. Not appropriate seeing's how I'm suggesting that these ideas are gift-worthy to mark the occasion of Jesus' birth. Let's try that again, shall we? All of the crafts I highlight on this blog are inexpensive, simple and chic. Ok, onward...

Felt flowers can really make a purse or shirt look boutique-ish if done properly. I've seen lots of two-dimensional ones, but these from Infarrantly Creative are three-dimensional and I think, really quite awesome. I can't sew, but I love fabric, so this kind of no-sew craft using felt helps me out of my conundrum. Try 'em out and surprise your girlfriends with a hand crafted gift!

Retail Therapy Thursday: Set Your Thanksgiving Table with Hobby Lobby

2011-11-17T12:43:00.000-08:00

I never have enough stuff to decorate for the holidays. Photos in my favorite magazines astound me because all the stuff used to "simply" and "inexpensively" decorate a table, for example, would actually cost hundreds if I tried to replicate it. If you're like me and find that your table and mantle always look sparse because you can't justify spending $9.99 for one plastic gourd, then you must run (not walk) to your nearest Hobby Lobby. They've got fall decor marked 80% off right now, just in time for Thanksgiving!

So here's my table (oh, to have some color on the blank wall behind it, at least!) looking a little less sparse than usual. I only paid $16 for $76 worth of stuff today at Hobby Lobby, including the gourds and pumpkin seen here, a cloth stuffed pumpkin for our foyer, a pumpkin spice jar candle and Thanksgiving paper plates and napkins. Score! Anyway, I just separated a 3 tiered cookie plate so the gourds could be different heights, and followed the odd-number rule. (Things always look better in groups of 3 or 5 rather than 2 or 4...don't ask me why.) I also layered a couple of square vases I had with dried kidney beans, split peas, and corn to use as votive holders.

As for the DIY table runner, I just joined 4 placemats we never use with Stitch-Witchery and covered the seams with fabric scraps.

I'm thinking about machine stitching over the top of each fabric strip, but haven't gotten to that yet. It's not perfect, but it was free and made use of what we had.

Here are some other ideas for cheap and easy centerpieces for your Thanksgiving table.

Maps as Art

2011-11-15T17:32:00.000-08:00

It's not a new concept to use old maps as art, but I've recently seen a few unique ideas for how to personalize them to make great conversation pieces. Here are a few ideas for adding DIY wall art and other accents to your abode:

Cut hearts out of favorite vacation spots or other significant locations to remind you of all the places you know and love.

Martha Stewart suggests stitching thread along a map to use as a visual trip down memory lane. Make several of these for a gallery wall that also displays memorabilia.

Martha strikes again by showing us how to decoupage maps onto cork tiles to use as coasters.

You could also use maps to decoupage letters for a typographical ode to a favorite spot. These are from Urban Outfitters, but you could easily make your own.

Little White Dog on Etsy also has some that are more 3D.

DIY Newlyweds has a tutorial for how to use a map of your honeymoon destination to mat a favorite photo.

Or just use one large map as an impressive wall hanging as shown on Decor Pad...

and here on Jenny Castle Design.

Finally, you could use maps to refurb a tired or boring piece of furniture. Check out this dresser and coffee table.

Where do your maps take you?

Craft of the Week: Yarn Wrapped Bottles

2011-11-14T10:47:00.000-08:00

I guess you could say I'm smitten with anything wrapped in yard or jute these days. I posted some yarn-wrapped pumpkins from a Soft Place to Land a few weeks back, and now I'm yarn-ing for these bottles I saw on Pinterest, too. I think they'd look great in an odd-sized grouping with different sizes. It's not like we never have empty bottles around (ha!) and yarn is relatively cheap. The only other supplies I'd need are a hot glue gun and scissors. Pretty self-explanatory, and just plain pretty.

Got any other ideas for stuff to wrap in yarn?

Pinterest: Thanksgiving Inspiration

2011-11-10T11:21:00.000-08:00

Now, that our Halloween hangover has passed and what's left of the candy has been stashed in the pantry, I'm ready to tackle the next holiday. We're hosting Thanksgiving for my husband's side of the family this year, which has spurred on a myriad of projects, not least of which is a built-in in our foyer to house coats and purses. More on that later. But for now, check out my Pinterest board for Thanksgiving table and craft inspiration. Here are some of the ideas:

This table is more formal than what we'd do, but oh how gorgeous it is. I love the addition of blue to the fall-ish color scheme.

This guy would be a great way to get the little ones involved in decorating the table.

Love, love, love, brown transferware.

These pictures would be nice year-round but are particularly nice for the dining room on Turkey Day.

In case you can't read this, it says: "It's not having what you want. It's wanting what you have." A good reminder...

Love this idea. If you made the leaf mobile I blogged about, how easy to take that craft into the next holiday by adding notes of thanks to the leaves already on it.

Anything Indian corn is a winner for this holiday.

Using dried and lentils and corn to anchor candles inside a vase: genius.

A modern take on the Thanksgiving table, again with blue, and with white pumpkins. Very chic.

Love this mantel. The sign simply says "Give Thanks."

Make sure to click on my Pinterest board if you want to see the images larger, or to get details and instructions.

Now, if I can survive stuffing and roasting my first turkey ever (yikes!) I'm hoping to enjoy the rest of the day participating in a canned food drive, watching the Thanksgiving Day parade with the kiddos, getting in a walk after eating ourselves silly, and then topping off with pie and coffee later. How do you like to spend Thanksgiving?

Tray Table Re-Do

2011-11-08T10:53:00.001-08:00

Here's one of the projects I've been working on lately. We had a tray table my brother and sister-in-law gave to us as a gift because we used to enjoy watching CBS Sunday Morning in bed with breakfast and the paper. Ah, the good 'ol days...now we enjoy watching Thomas the Tank Engine and we're lucky if we get a paragraph read of the Sunday paper. So since our lovely tray table isn't getting much use as a place to stash breakfast dishes bedside lately, I thought it might be able to enjoy a second life as an end table in our work-in-progress family room. Here's the before and after:

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All it took was a light sanding, one coat of latex primer and two coats of latex semi-gloss paint on the legs, and two light coats of brown gloss spray paint for the tray. I sandwiched a piece of fabric underneath a piece of glass I had cut at a glass shop. Got the fabric from Jo-Ann's (it's from the Better Homes & Gardens collection) and it's gonna be used for pillows, too. Timewise, this was totally do-able with kids. Each coat on the legs only took 15 or 20 minutes, so I just painted one coat on three consecutive nights after they went to bed. No biggie. And spraying the tray took just a few minutes one sunny afternoon during naptime. Done!

Do you have any small furniture makeovers to share?

Craft of the Week: Ruffled Lampshade

2011-11-07T11:21:00.001-08:00

This tutorial from Little Blue Prints had me at hello. I just love a good lamp makeover, don't you? Maybe it's because they seem so do-able within a couple of naptimes, or maybe it's because ugly lamps are so easy to find, making it easy to get a lot of makeover bang for the budget. Anyway, I've got two lamps that need a major overhaul, so I'm thinking this is an idea I'm ready to try for one of 'em. I can't get my hot glue gun out fast enough! Do you have any good lamp stories? Do tell!

Pumpkin Pancakes

2011-11-03T10:28:00.000-07:00

Do you get in a breakfast rut in your house? For our kids, it's oatmeal or cereal almost every morning. But when we make these yummy pancakes (they taste SO good this time of year, especially with maple syrup), we have a quick go-to breakfast or even lunch that feels special because it's out of the norm. Plus, the whole wheat flour and pumpkin are very healthy. This recipe makes a TON of sand-dollar sized pancakes, so after they've cooled, I plastic wrap them--2 cakes per package--and freeze them in a freezer bag. When we want 'em, we just unwrap them and reheat for 30 seconds per side.

Pumpkin Pancakes

In large bowl, whisk together:
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 ¾ c. white flour
5 ¼ tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 ¼ tsp. allspice
1 ¼ tsp. ginger
½ tsp. kosher salt and
1/3 c. brown sugar

In a separate bowl, whisk together:
15 oz. canned pumpkin
6 eggs and
3 c. whole milk (I used buttermilk the last time and it worked just fine)

Slowly pour liquid mixture into dry mixture, mixing just until combined.
Pour in 8 T. melted unsalted butter and gently mix.
Cook on a greased griddle.

Chair Re-Do

2011-11-02T11:04:00.001-07:00

Well, you can't get the whole effect here because I forgot to take a "before" picture, but suffice to say, it looks a lot different, and in my humble opinion, better. It used to be stained dark brown with an orange velvet cushion, which incidentally, also had bird poop on it. So after sanding the heck out of it to get the old flaky varnish off, I applied two coats of latex primer with a brush. Then I sprayed it with high-gloss spray paint in raspberry. This is actually for my friend, Louisa. She picked this up at a tag sale for $5 I think and wants to use it in her daughter's room, which is decked out in a Liberty of London print. I found this striped fabric at Hobby Lobby and it matches perfectly. Score! (I hope she likes it!) Lest you think I'm a really nice friend, she has agreed to sew pillows for me in exchange because I'm hopeless with a sewing machine. So we're really just bartering skill sets, you see. Onto my next project!

Craft of the Week: Letter Block Key Hooks

2011-10-31T10:57:00.000-07:00

My Sweet Savannah offers a great tutorial on how to make these clever key hooks. Most homes with kids have these types of letter blocks, so this is a great way to upcycle after your babies have outgrown them but before you put them in a garage sale. Cheap and chic!

P.S. Just want to add a full disclaimer for those of you who see my Craft of the Week Facebook posts. I don't come up with all this stuff! I handpick what I believe to be quick, easy, but sophisticated-looking crafts from other bloggers, give them the credit, and pass the ideas along to you. My own crafts come with full instructions, materials lists, and a nap rating. These weekly crafts, though, are not my own. Just in case you thought I was superwoman...I wanted to dispel that notion.

Craft of the Week: Bleach Pen Table Runners

2011-10-25T17:54:00.001-07:00

I missed posting yesterday because I'm working on a project of my own, WHICH I will share when it's done. In the meantime, I thought I'd show you these table runners designed with a bleach pen by Show Tell Share. I figure...I've ruined a few items of clothing with bleach in the past, it might be nice to make something intentionally bleached for a change. Plus, with Thanksgiving around the corner, you might want or need something new for your table.

These seem quick, easy and cheap (but just take your time with the bleach pens!). If you're proud of the results, make one or two more to give as hostess gifts this holiday season. I'm thinking some cocktail napkins would be nice, too.

Why I Blog: A Love Letter to My Grown-Up Kids

2011-10-21T10:42:00.000-07:00

Dear Girls,

You are older now, but as I write this letter, you are 4 and 2 years old, and it's been a particularly rainy fall. We've been enjoying many an afternoon of reading books, playing Old Maid, having dance parties, drawing pictures, and making stuff to display or eat. I've been giving some thought to my dream of becoming a successful blogger lately, and that has brought you two to mind quite a bit. You are, after all, my sidekicks, along for the ride as I bake, craft, decorate, and take on projects big and small, while writing about all of it. I'm wondering...did it ever occur to you to wonder why I used to take pictures of your dinner plates or the things we baked? Did you wonder why so often when you awoke in the middle of the night or got up from a nap, you could find me tapping away on our laptop? Don't worry, I'm not having some kind of existential crisis as I write this, but I am giving some thought lately to why it is I do what I do.

We made some cookies the other day. You may remember: they were sugar cookies, but I let you decorate a couple yourself with leftover frosting I had at the back of the fridge and some Halloween candy corns. When I proposed the idea, you would've thought I'd just offered to take you to Disney World. In fact, it was one of the first things you told Dad when he came from work: "Guess what Mommy let us do?!" Anyway, I took some pictures of them (as usual) but then started wondering if they were really blog-worthy. So, as I often do when considering such things, I went through a mental checklist. Were the cookies beautiful? Uhhh, not really. Were they unique? Probably not. Interesting? Nope. They were, however, cheap and easy and they made you guys smile. Check, check, and check. But was I proud of the creation? That was the sticking point. And here's where I remembered one of the goals of my life (and this blog): to create ways to make the everyday special for my family. The cookies (pictured above) wouldn't win any awards and certainly didn't belong on a magazine cover or foodie blog. But they made your day and I hoped, created a memory for you.

Mission accomplished.

When I started on this journey, Olivia, you were just an infant. Like all new moms, I struggled with common things like lack of sleep and an adjustment to the idea of being a parent. But for women who've decided to leave their jobs, the loss (or change of) identity can be a particular problem. I really just wanted SAHMs to see that, although not glamorous or high-paying, being at home with our kids gives us an opportunity to express our personalities through the jobs we have to do anyway, like making meals, giving gifts, nurturing our kids, and making a home. Sure, I could only buy pre-packaged meals, eat takeout more often, buy bed-in-a-bags with coordinating lamps, curtains, and wall decals, and just generally make other uninspired choices, but I've made a conscious choice to live differently. We live unobserved lives, us SAHMs, and so it felt good to me to be creative and then write about it, even if the only people reading my blog were friends and family at first. At times, it even felt self-indulgent. But I've come to realize the benefits to blogging.

I discovered the first added bonus to blogging, particularly mommy-blogging, when I scrolled through my posts for the first time. I started to see how my blog had become a record of all the days I got to spend with you. Reading through past posts reminds me of how much you have grown and how much we've done together. It's kind of like my love letter to you. Now that you're older, I hope you can see how much fun we had together and how wonderful these early years of your lives have been so far, at least for me.

Sometimes I worry if you'll remember any of the things we did together, or if you'll just recall the times I asked you to entertain yourselves while I put the finishing touches on something I was working on. Maybe it's not the individual projects I care about you remembering, however, but the takeaway lessons from those projects instead. Sometimes I show you the posts of specific things we've done, and I can see you delight in recognition of the things you helped me make or eat. It occurs to me in these moments that I should be proud of what I'm doing, even though I'm reluctant to promote it, and sometimes even feel guilty about devoting so much time to it. You're proud of our little triumphs, and this makes me feel good. The truth is, though, I'm often intimidated by the beauty, ingenuity, and creativity I find all over the other blogs I follow. And while I try to emulate this high-end, high-design stuff all the time, you don't care how stuff turns out, as long as we have fun doing it. You've helped me remember, especially on days when projects have flopped, that it's about the journey not the destination. In turn, I hope this helped you see that failure is just part of life sometimes. By watching me fail, you hopefully learned that it was OK for you to fail, too.

On the flip side, you are witnesses to how excited I get when I successfully repurpose, recreate, make over or make something new, and I guess this is a good thing, too. Yes, it takes me forever to decorate because I like to make stuff myself, and there are probably easier ways to cook, but you are watching all of my successes (and failures) and hopefully soaking up the idea that our surroundings are important, and that home is the place to be just who you are.

As I said, my primary motivation was initially just to inject some personality into my daily tasks in an effort to remember who I was; but, now I see that you may be learning a couple of things as you tag alongside, taste-testing our creations and trying new projects. And here's perhaps the biggest thing, if I may be so bold to suggest it: The most awesome by-product of this adventure is that it may just show you, my beloved daughters, that your mom took the time to work towards something that made her happy. And that's all I want for you. While you two have certainly served as my inspiration, Home Made Modern is an outlet for me. It's a way to be creative, feel productive, and work towards a bigger goal. I often think how odd it is that I'm a person who takes pictures of our food, or that I have a calendar of projects and activities planned a month in advance so I can make sure my blog posts are timely. (You have questioned this stuff, too: "Mommy, why are you taking pictures of my sandwich?") The end-goal of every day is to, of course, enrich your childhoods. I've come to know that the best way for me to do this is through projects and activities that help me retain a sense of myself and feel productive in the process, and yes, sometimes calendars and cameras are required. But I'm really blogging for me and me alone. I believe in my little blog, but not more than I believe in you. And I do love my blog, but not more than I love you. You, my girls, are the reason for it all.

My Easiest Crock Pot Recipes

2011-10-18T18:12:00.000-07:00

I love my crock pot. My only complaint is that I don't have enough recipes to make in it. I know, I know, there are a ton of books out there with JUST crock pot recipes, but a lot of them only contain 8,000 variations of chili or con queso dip, or use enough condensed soup to fulfill your salt intake for the year. There is a really great blog, however, called A Year of Slow Cooking, which a lot of you probably already know about. With the hundreds of recipes on this great resource, I'm beginning to think my criteria for a good crock pot recipe are too limiting, but nevertheless...I try to stick to 'em. Here's why: a crock pot is supposed to free me from cooking, right? Therefore my number one crock pot credo is:

A good crock pot recipe must only require chopping and dumping.

This number one rule is closely followed by these:

Browning of the meat first is not desired

The fewer the ingredients, the better

More than one can of condensed soup is just kinda gross, and

Side dishes need not apply. I'm looking for a one-pot-wonder.

So here you go. Seven of my favorite crock pot recipes to date.

Chicken and Dumplings

Toss 4 carrots (cut in lengths), 2 stalks celery (chopped), 1 small onion (chopped) and ¼ c. flour in crock pot. Place 1.5 pounds of boneless chicken thighs on top, sprinkled with ½ tsp. poultry seasoning, kosher salt and pepper to taste.

Add ½ c. white wine and ½ c. low-sodium broth.

Cook on low 5-6 hours.

Ten minutes before serving, add 1 c. peas and ½ c. heavy cream.

Top with biscuits (you could make these from scratch, use Bisquick to pull them together quickly, or even faster...use Pillsbury)

Black Bean Soup

Place 4 cans black beans (rinsed) in crock pot with 1 c. salsa and (2) 14.5 ounce cans of low-sodium chicken broth.

Cook on high 2-4 hours.

Puree with immersion blender; season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with Monterey Jack cheese on top.

Green Chili

Place 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut up) in crock pot.

Top with mixture of:
1 jar salsa verde
1 c. corn
1 can cannellini beans (rinsed)
2 cubanelle peppers (chopped)
1 onion (chopped)
1 T. fresh garlic (minced)
2 tsp. cumin
½ tsp. salt.

Cook on low 8-9 hours. Stir in cilantro and serve with lime and sour cream.

Chicken Cacciatore

Place 2 – 2 ½ pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs in crock pot.

Cover with mixture of:
1 jar pasta sauce (I like Paul Newman's marinara)
1 c. white wine (I've omitted this before when I didn't have wine--I know, shocker!--and it still tasted great)
1 can tomato paste
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. basil
8 oz. quartered mushrooms
1 red bell pepper, sliced

Cook 7-9 hours and serve over penne.

Beef Stroganoff (not free of fat, this one, but very tasty)

Place 2 pounds of beef stew meat in crock pot.

Top with:
1 sliced onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup (use low-sodium if possible)
1 8-ounce can sliced mushrooms
1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Stir in 1 package of cream cheese (softened) and 8 ounces sour cream.

Serve over egg noodles.

Smoked Sausage Jambalaya

I'm breaking one of my rules here, but the rest is easy enough to make up for it.

Slice 1 pound smoked sausage and brown. Place in crock pot.

Add (2) 10-ounce cans of tomatoes with green chiles
1 1/2 c. converted rice (Uncle Ben's has this kind of rice)
3 1/2 c. low-fat/low-sodium chicken broth
2 tsp. Creole seasoning

Cook on low for 3 1/2 hours.

Stir in 1 can of kidney beans and cook on high for another 30 minutes.

Swiss Steak

Breaking my one-pot-wonder rule here because you kinda need a baked potato or something with this. But how hard is that?

Cut a 2 pound round steak into 5 or 6 portions and place in crock pot.

Top with:
1 sliced onion
1 sliced red pepper
1 sliced green pepper. (If using a smaller steak, just use half of each color pepper)

Mix 1 can of cream of mushroom soup with 1 c. salsa, 2 T. flour and 1 tsp. dry mustard. Pour over top of steak.

Cook on low for 9-10 hours.

Sorry for the lack of pictures. I don't usually trust a recipe I can't see for some reason, but I had the idea for this post, so I went with it. Hope you trust my judgment...Bon apetit!

Craft of the Week: Yarn Pumpkins

2011-10-17T10:47:00.000-07:00

Kimba, from a Soft Place to Land always has great ideas and this one is no exception. She's right...don't you just want to hug these? They seem easy, yes, albeit a little time consuming if you want a nice grouping like she has here. But if you love you some Netflix like I do in the evenings (hello, Mad Men!), you can assuage your couch-potato-guilt a bit by working on these at the same time.

Leaf Mobile & Kid Craft Roundup

2011-10-13T11:05:00.000-07:00

Do you get Family Fun magazine? If you like to make things with your kids in the kitchen or at the craft table, this mag has a wealth of original, inexpensive, ideas. I often even find a kid craft that's pretty enough to display in the house proudly, like this leaf mobile. I mean, let's face it, we love our kids but maybe would like our homes to look stylish, too, and some of the "crafts" we make here at our house don't exactly blend with the decor. But this mobile added just enough fall to our family room, which is primarily green and blue, making it hard to incorporate fall colors without looking crazy. (Come to think of it, how am I going to decorate for Christmas this year? Hmmm...) Anyway, the instructions for the leaf mobile are here. Except for the fact that clear contact paper can drive a sane woman mad, this was super simple and the kids loved helping me collect the leaves from around the neighborhood. I just happened to have a roll of the darn stuff, but you could take your leaves to an office supply store to see if they could laminate them for you.

Here is a closeup of our mobile.

And here is a shot of it in the room. As you can see, it helped give that corner height. Maybe by the time fall is over I'll finally get a lamp for my beloved nesting tables.

Here are some other fall fun crafts for you and the kiddos that I've handpicked for their display-worthiness.

This one is a fall branch made from buttons and twigs from Meet the Dubiens.

These Jar-o-Lanterns, also from Family Fun, would be cute painted black with silhouettes of witches or ghosts on them, too.

These wax paper and crayon leaves are a great way to use up the crayons in your house that have seen better days.

Have fun bringing fall into your home...with your kids!

HMM Inspiration

2011-10-12T10:49:00.000-07:00

Autumn…the year's last, loveliest smile.--

John Howard Bryant, poet and politician

I'll be sharing a way to bring fall's "smile" into your house Thursday. Stay tuned!

photo of leaves in bud vases from Better Homes & Gardens

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-10-11T11:35:00.000-07:00

Hi loyal readers! Remember how I froze all that shredded zucchini a month ago? I mentioned then that I wanted to try the zucchini chocolate chip cookie recipe from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. Well, the girls and I whipped up a batch and yum! They're really soft cookies (as opposed to crunchy) and we loved the cinnamon-chocolate combo. We got a kick out of telling people they had zucchini in them 'cause it was virtually undetectable unless you looked really closely. I'm thinking of making them with all whole-wheat flour next time, just to up the nutrition factor a bit more. Here's the recipe.

I've mentioned this book at least 3 times by now...are you inspired to read it yet? Trust me, it's worth it for the recipes alone, but you'll be blown away by the writing and the ideas, too.

Craft of the Week: Well Quoted Wall Art

2011-10-10T10:28:00.000-07:00

You've seen those massive wall hangings featuring quotations or just typography, right? They're all the rage, but sometimes...quite expensive because of their size. I LOVE this idea from Being Brook because the same look is achieved with just a little time and even less money. You go, Brooke!

Fall Porch and Halloween Lantern

2011-10-06T11:51:00.000-07:00

Last year, I think our fall decor consisted of some construction paper bats and pumpkins the kids made that I stuck on our mantel. I tried for something a bit more sophisticated this year, although I've gotta say, my efforts still aren't up to par with most of what I see in blogland. It's hard to decorate for holidays when we don't have enough furniture, and what we do have is being made to fill in in awkward spaces. But anyway, I do like the way the porch looks right now and I've got a quick DIY project for you.

Here's the outside...let's pretend our concrete porch has been powerwashed. I'm seeing that it needs it. Badly. Buy anway, you can see in the foreground that our morning glory vine is still full and green...

and the purple sweet potato vine in my pots still had life in 'em, so I just pulled out the pitiful petunias and replaced them with orange mums. I like the purple vine with the orange...I think I'll use a bright green vine next year in addition.

The other mums on our bench make me happy, too. Now all we need is a pumpkin or two!

The only problem is the wreath. I love it because it's simply feathers, but it doesn't show up against the door. I think the screen storm door is the problem. It may look better when we swap the screen for the glass. We'll see...but here it is up close.

So here's the DIY craft. I had this ugly old lantern forever. For some reason I bought only one of these years ago. It was supposed to be used outdoors with a candle, of course, but it has been our garage for years. So I pulled it out and taped the glass.

Then I spray painted it black, filled it with faux mini pumpkins and wired a raven (from Jo-Anns) on top. I really like it now, and love that I got it out of the garage once and for all.

The garland around the mirror was made using a pack of silk leaves also from Jo-Anns (they only cost a buck). And my daughter and I made the acorn frame last year after collected a bucketful of acorns on the Summit County Fall Hiking Spree.

Fall Leaf Garland
Nap Rating = 1 nap (depending on how long your garland is, it could be more but this took less than an hour)

Tools & Materials

silk leaves

brown thread

scissors

needle

Steps

Measure the span you want to swag and double this length. Cut a length of thread to this measurement.

Lay out the leaves in a logical pattern that looks natural and random. This step is more important than you'd think because I started threading leaves, then discovered there were only 5 green ones in the whole pack and I had used them all in the first few inches of the garland. That would've looked "off," so I had to unthread them and evenly disperse the colors more.

Tie a knot at the end of the thread

Start threading on leaves. Do this by making a stich at the top of each leaf. In other words, thread the needle up through the leaf, and back down to make a small stitch before moving onto the next leaf. This will help keep the leaves from sliding back and forth on the thread and ending up in a bunch at one end.

Happy Fall!

Dried Tomatoes

2011-10-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

If you've never tried dried tomatoes, this is your introduction. It's SO easy and completely changes the flavor to something much deeper and sweeter. Today, I put some on my turkey sandwich, but you could also just put them in salads or eat by themselves as antipasto with olives, hummus, crackers, etc. They're kinda elegant that way.

Dried Tomatoes
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Thinly slice large tomatoes or halve cherry/grape tomatoes and arrange in a single layer on the parchment.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake for 1 hour or until they've reduced in size by about half and look like they've dehydrated.
Store in fridge but can also be frozen.

Under $10 Under 1 Hour

2011-10-05T11:45:00.000-07:00

Here are some great project ideas for anyone needing a "craft fix." This is my first linkup party...woo-hoo!

Pinterest: Easy Fall Decorating Ideas

2011-10-04T11:47:00.000-07:00

Today it finally feels like fall. The rain has dispersed (for now), the sky is blue, and the colors are brightening up outside. Here are the some of the pins from my Fall Decor Pinterest board. If you haven't felt very fall-ish yet, maybe this will help get you in the mood for apple cider and doughnuts, trick or treating, pumpkin picking, and football. If you like what you see here, check out my Pinterest board for more ideas.

Love the idea of having a chalkboard at the front door that you could write something seasonal on every couple of months.

I love black front doors, especially in the fall.

This simple monogrammed door plaque looks spooky by stylish.

Individual s'more packs with a ghost-ly Peep as the marshmallow. Too cute!

Martha Stewart's leafy luminaries

A feather wreath

Jack-o-"lanterns"

I've been wanting to do this to our front door but just haven't found the time. Great idea!

Find some pumpkins at the dollar store to glitter.

Can't go wrong with mums on the doorstep.

Love this wreath for its shape and price.

Craft of the Week: Candy Corn Monogram

2011-10-03T10:40:00.000-07:00

This cute craft from The Ivy Cottage packs a one-two punch: it's kid-friendly AND seasonal. I love finding fun things to do with our kids for each holiday. Creating decorations that we can unearth each year are especially great because it will remind us of the time we spent creating them together. I had originally thought I'd try this and put it on our front door but then...it might not hold up to the elements. Come to think of it, the candy corn is perishable I suppose. Should we consider spraying it with clear-coat to seal out moisture? Anyway, I love the idea!

Retail Therapy Thursday: Country Living Fair in Columbus, OH

2011-09-29T11:27:00.001-07:00

I was amazed at all of the creativity and entrepreneurship at this year's Country Living Fair in Columbus. I haven't been to the Fair since its first year, and wow, has it grown! There were so many booths full of crafters, artisans, and antique dealers, it was hard to know where to start browsing.

I believe women should support each other in our efforts to run businesses, raise creativity-fueled families, and beautify our respective corners of the world. To that end, I want to use this humble little blog to showcase some of my favorite things at this year's Fair. I'm sure these women get bigger press elsewhere, but every little bit helps, I suppose!

First off, handcrafted jewelry by Twist Style.

This is inspirational stitched art by artist, Peggy Whitson. You put in your own pictures, of course. My favorite was the one that said, "I love you to the moon and back" from the children's book Guess How Much I Love You. These are stitched on quilt remnants. Gorgeous!

I loved these little purses made from vintage book covers from Swing Set Designs. This booth also had a lot of vintage Nancy Drew stuff, which I'm trying to find a way to use in our house. I just loved those books, growing up.

The Bloomsbury Loft booth had some really unique lanterns made from old record covers. (Are you noticing a trend? Recycled books, record covers, quilts...us crafters are so very green!) I thought these were so cool, I probably would've coughed up the cost for them, but sadly, they were already sold.

These ethereal garden containers by Moreland Creations were gorgeous. This booth sold the containers, as well as all the tiny little creatures, fairies and accessories to create your own miniature landscape. So fun!

My Urban Farmhouse had these antique glove models, which are too cool. I love them in a grouping like this, and think it would be a unique gift for a teacher because the image conjures the idea of a students raising their hands.

This is the same place I made my singular purchase of an amateur oil painting. I don't know where I'm hanging it yet, but I'm sure it will pop up on this blog at some point in the future.

Hot House Market had some great vintage tinware, glassware, suitcases, etc.

And finally, I loved these silhouette pillows and tea towels from Art Goodies. Aren't they cute?

My hat's off to all of you, ladies...I so admire your aesthetic, passion, and hard work.

Happy Shopping!

HMM Inspiration

2011-09-28T11:17:00.000-07:00

"Start by making your own home a place where happiness and love abound, through your love for each member of your family and for your neighbor. Try to put in the hearts of your children a love for home. Make them long to be with their families. So much sin could be avoided if our people really love their homes."

Mother Theresa

Cranberry Orange Cream Scones

2011-09-27T11:20:00.000-07:00

Warning: These delectable little confections made from cream and a stick of butter are not good for you; yet you will be unable to resist eating one every day with your cup of coffee until they are gone.

I fiddled with a recipe I had for cream scones because I wanted something similar to Panera's orange scones. The result, I must say, was quite close except I didn't glaze them. Good thing, too. That might've just sent me over the edge.

Cranberry Orange Cream Scones
Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a sheet with parchment.
Stir together 2 c. flour, 2 T. sugar, 1 tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. kosher salt and 1 tsp. orange zest.
Cut in ½ c. cold unsalted butter until the mixture is the consistency of coarse crumbs.
Add ½ c. cranberries, 1 tsp. orange extract and 1 c. heavy cream. Stir just until dough forms.
On floured surface, knead until uniform and pat out until 1 ½ inches thick. Cut with biscuit cutter and place upside down on sheet. Brush with cream.
Bake 12 mins.

Craft of the Week: Faux-Vintage Tins

2011-09-26T10:23:00.001-07:00

I love the look of vintage tins, but the ones I manage to find at flea markets are quite often rusty or just plain filthy. The Tortoise and the Hare have found a great way to get the same look by using those dime-a-dozen gaudy ones you get every Christmas. So go rummage through your closets, 'cause I'm betting you've got a couple, and make something useful for your kitchen or bathroom. Or use them as a stylish way to package homemade goodies this holiday season.

No-Cook Meal

2011-09-23T11:06:00.000-07:00

So I guess I can give up the ghost. Summer is over. The days have turned chilly here, my daughter is on a field-trip to an apple orchard, and I've noticed all of my favorite blogs are decked out in orange, brown, yellow and black. I love fall, but don't love winter, so I guess I'm trying to hang on to the last vestiges of warm weather...like meals made from summer's produce! Yes, folks, I've got two more non-recipe recipes for you that you may still be able to make if, like me, you've got access to late tomatoes and corn.

So here we go. This sandwich was heaven. And it only required some good country bread, one fresh tomato, a thin layer of mayo and some cheese (I used Muenster). How good does that look?

And with it, I threw a salad together with what I had in the fridge and came out with a winner. It's romaine, sliced green onions, halved grape tomatoes, a ton of corn cut off the cob, some bacon crumbled up, and blue cheese. You could just do a vinaigrette on this, but I made some not-so-light dressing of my own that was kinda like 1000 Island. I mixed 1 c. mayo, ¼ c. ketchup, 2 T. horseradish, 2 dashes Worcestershire and kosher salt to taste. Yum!

Serve these two items with that peach cobbler I blogged about a couple of weeks ago and you've got one last summer meal. Now I'm heading to the closet to unearth my crock pot...it feels like a soup night.

Retail Therapy Thursday: TJ Maxx

2011-09-22T19:40:00.000-07:00

Haven't been to the Maxx lately, and wow! was I surprised to see the new stuff they had there. For walls, in particular. As usual, the prices were spectacular and the style was spot-on-trendy.

Word art is particularly hot right now, and here are two great examples of it. This one was on clearance for $10 bucks.

And this one is just awesome. Love the quote, love the scale, love the price.

Of course, mirrors never go out of style. Here are three I really liked that seemed out of the ordinary, but weren't very pricey.

I've seen these in high-end magazines, and huh! What do you know? They're actually made from recycled magazines.

This one was just great because it was huge, not very expensive, and was wrapped in sisal, which can go with anything.

And I just liked this one for the modern circles around its border, its size, and again...its price.

Aside from wall art, they always have random pieces of accent furniture. Here's a set of nesting tables for less than $100.

And finally, a set of owl tea lights that I gave to my beloved sister-in-law for her birthday. I wanted a set myself but alas, this was the last box. That just goes to show you how much I love my sister-in-law because as many of you know, I love anything avian.

Happy shopping!

Zingy Zucchini Couscous

2011-09-13T19:26:00.001-07:00

I'm so proud of my latest concoction, mostly because it met with approval from our 4-year-old! But it's also easy, healthy, and uses up zucchini from the garden. I only wish I'd taken a picture for the purposes of HMM, but (will wonders never cease?) there was none left.

Ok, so I was making BLTs tonight to use up some tomatoes. (Ok, one tomato. But that's one less to attract fruit flies on the counter!) Anyway, I needed a side dish, so I pulled out some of that frozen, shredded zucchini I told you about with plans to try Disappearing Zucchini Orzo. But silly me, I had no orzo (duh), no parmesan, and no onions (how does that happen? I always have onions). So, as millions of you fellow moms do at 5:00 every day, I punted. I swapped couscous for the orzo, feta for the parmesan, and garlic for the onions and voila! My zucchini side dish did its own disappearing act.

Zingy Zucchini Couscous

2 cups thawed, shredded zucchini (you can use freshly shredded, too)
3/4 c. dried, plain couscous
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c. crumbled feta cheese
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Follow package instructions to cook couscous.
Meanwhile, heat 1 T. olive oil over medium heat and add zucchini and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes, being careful not to brown garlic.
Add cooked couscous, feta, and spices to zucchini mixture and stir over low heat until heated through.

Craft of the Week: Dip Dyed Candles

2011-09-12T11:19:00.000-07:00

It almost seems a shame to feature one of Martha's ideas...she certainly doesn't need the plug (especially from a small-time blogger like me!) and there are so many other inventive crafters out there. But nonetheless, this craft is truly easy and doesn't require too many special supplies. Most people have a crock pot, and most moms have a ton of broken crayons somewhere in the house. So here you go: dip-dye those dime-a-dozen white pillar candles! I would venture to say that your kids could help with this, too. The wax surely wouldn't get too hot in an open slow-cooker.

Retail Therapy Thursday: Shopping in Grand Haven, MI

2011-09-01T11:14:00.000-07:00

One of my fave things to do on vacation is explore all the new-to-me shops and art galleries in the town we're staying in. Our family enjoyed a great week in Grand Haven, MI, recently, and although the beaches were absolutely gorgeous, we did take a break from the sand and sun one day to explore the town and mozey around an art festival. I was not disappointed! Grand Haven offered a great downtown with lots of coffee shops, places to have lunch and of course, do some window shopping!

Panache Home was the cream of the crop, in my opinion. Pricey, yes. But they still had a sale table, upon which was a set of three sisal-wrapped vases that I picked up for less thyn $30 total. Not bad.

I always like to pick up something for the house that reminds me of places we've been. I put these vases alongside some driftwood I scavanged from the beach, and a couple of star fish and a blue-green balast bottle I got at an antique store in Avalon, NJ, a few years back. (The color I painted the family room is just not sitting well with me and I think the mantel needs to be white after all, but the display looks good, I think).

Anyway, here are some pics of things that made me swoon.

Love this ottoman...blue and white is so classy, I think. Reminds me of the house in the movie Something's Gotta Give.

How great is this table? And the wall treatment behind? And the pop of orange?! Love...

Oh, these plates. I'm such a sucker for plates. And birds. So the two together...sigh. And the quotation art, I was told, was typed with an antique typewriter then tranfered to some sort of luxiourious material to be framed. So simple and elegant.

Now, call me crazy, but aren't there chunky, square tables like this at IKEA and other such places? Add some nailhead trim to one, and you've got a really classy endtable, no?

Finally, I wanted to give a shout-out to Lisa from The Empty Nest. She had a booth of "handmade lovelies" at Grand Haven's art festival and I was so taken with her designs and impressed by the selection.

I bought a resin ring similar to this one, but in my favorite color of the moment, jadeite. She must work her tail off to have that much inventory to choose from.

I especially loved her use of paint cans to display her map magnets. Very clever! Lisa is on Etsy, but if you're ever in Grand Haven, stop by Panache!

Freezing vs. Canning

2011-08-31T11:34:00.000-07:00

My blog posts have turned from decorating to cooking lately because that's where my attention is. It's that time of year when neighbors and friends (God love 'em) have been bringing us the bounty from their gardens. It's no coincidence that Mother Nature blesses us with all of this produce--peaches, tomatoes, squash and corn are my faves--just as we begin to sense the impending change of seasons and summer's last gasp fades us into fall. I look forward to fall--welcome the cooler weather, love the crunch of leaves, soup on the stove and Buckeye football Saturdays...but I'm sad to see summer go, too.

Anyway, I'm noticing that (thanks to above-mentioned friends who garden), each year I've been freezing a bit more, and a bit more. I keep vowing to learn how to can--particularly tomatoes--but for some reason the process intimidates me. I've checked out library books on the subject and read the same chapters over and over again with the hope that I'll feel like diving right in but I don't.

On the flip side, I'm really comfortable with freezing stuff. It's easy, requires no special equipment or time commitment really, and I don't have to worry about botulism. Bonus! So here's what I've frozen so far, how I did it, and how I plan to use it:

Strawberries
How: Remove hull and wash them. Pat dry. Put them on a single layer on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer until hardened, then transfer them to a freezer bag.
Why: For smoothies, mostly. I made the most divine one this afternoon for Maris and me.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie
Blend half of a banana, about a cup of frozen strawberries, 3 or 4 T. vanilla yogurt and 1/2 c. to 1 c. milk (depending on how thick you like it).

Corn
How: Boil corn for 6 minutes, let cool and cut off of the cob. Put in quart-sized freezer bags. I put about 2 to 3 cups in each bag.
Why: Just to eat as a side dish, or for corn chowder.

Corn Chowder
Cook 3 slices of bacon; set aside.
Add 1 small chopped onion to pan drippings; cook until softened.
Stir in 1/4 c. flour, 1/4 tsp. pepper and 1/8 tsp. nutmeg. Cook about 3 minutes.
Whisk in 32 oz. chicken stock and bring to a boil.
Stir in 2 c. cubed hash browns and 3 c. corn.
Stir in 1/2 c. heavy cream and bacon (chopped).

Green Beans
How: Snap off ends and then snap in half. Rinse. Boil for about 6 minutes and then immediately remove them with slotted spoon to an ice bath for another 6 minutes. Pat dry and put in quart-sized freezer bags.
Why: Just as a side dish, but I suppose I could add them to minestrone or beef vegetable soup, too.

Zucchini
How: Wash, then shred using a food processor. Put 2 to 3 cups in quart-sized freezer bags.
Why: To make zucchini bread, zucchini chocolate chip cookies or zucchini orzo. (These links are to the recipes found in Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barabara Kingsolver, a book that may have changed my life, and definitely changed the way I think and feel about food. Fantastic read!)

For those of you who still feel this is a lot of work (it's not), let me remind you...kids love to help! My daughters had a ball picking strawberries this summer, as well as checking on our neighbor Dave's garden, shucking corn, and laughing at the size of zucchinis that came from "Uncle Honroth's" garden. Don't forget to engage them in the meal-prep process because 1) they just want to be with you 2) they'll understand where their food comes from and just might try something new and 3) it's a great activity (read: time filler) for a summer day. As in, "Hey, let's go pick some beans and you can help me snap them. Then we'll wash them and eat them for supper!" See, I just killed 3 hours for you. Now it's naptime and you can go sit down. You're welcome.

So there you have it. My dream--I know I've mentioned this before--is to have a full-sized freezer in the basement full of this stuff, plus freezer jam, grass-fed beef, local chicken, and meals I've made in advance. I'm getting there, one summer at a time.

Kids' Lunch Ideas

2011-08-26T10:59:00.000-07:00

So you know I'm all about injecting a bit of style when I can, right? That doesn't mean we don't eat off of paper plates or that my house is ready for its fashion shoot. I just try to steer away from uninspired choices as often as I can. In that vein, I try to make interesting lunches for myself quite often and encourage you, through this blog, to do the same. Not only do we deserve the extra effort, it preserves something for us stay-at-home moms, IMO.

In talking with my neighbor the other day, she mentioned that our schools have banned peanut butter completely due to allergies. What?! You can't even send a PB&J to school with your own un-allergic child? Since peanut butter is practically its own food group at our lunch table, I got to thinking about some other lunch ideas for her. And then I realized, hey! What a great opportunity to make lunches special for our kids. Passing along a little HMM love to my child (when she gets to be school-aged and requires a packed lunch) is a nice little side benefit to this little obsession of mine. So pack one of these ideas, throw in a note and a nice cloth napkin (which earns you green points!) and your kid might just eat his lunch. How novel!

Main Idea (choose 1 of these peanut butter free options)

Whole wheat tortilla spread with pizza sauce and shredded mozzarella, then rolled up

Morning muffins

Whole wheat tortilla rolled around sliced bananas, almond butter and honey

Cream cheese and jam on a mini-bagel

Banana Butterscotch Muffins (make with whole-wheat flour)

Turkey or ham and cheese rolled around pretzel sticks

Cheese ravioli skewered onto toothpicks along with cherry tomatoes and slices of pepperoni

Hard boiled egg

Bowtie pasta mixed with chopped veggies and Italian or Ranch dressing

Sides (pick 1 or 2 of these)

Applesauce

Yogurt mixed with berries and topped with granola or cheerios

Shelled edamame

String or cubed cheese

Carrot sticks

Cucumbers and pita chips with hummus

Chips and salsa

Any kind of fruit

Raw broccoli with raspberry dressing

Raw almonds

Treat (choose 1)

Pudding cup

Small cookie

Couple of Fig Newtons

Animal crackers

A few Hershey's Kisses

To make your life easier, invest in a couple of bento box sets (I like these from Lap Top Lunches). I ask you, what kid wouldn't want of these lunches? What mom, for that matter?

Craft of the Week: DIY Growth Chart

2011-08-24T11:48:00.000-07:00

This is DIY at its best, folks. Cheap, easy, requires minimal skill even. So basically, I LOVE it!! Got kiddos who are growing at warp speed? Then you need to make this mod-but-rustic-growth-chart-slash-conversation piece for your home. 517 Creations...you're a genius!

Peach Cobbler

2011-08-23T12:01:00.001-07:00

We just got back from vacation in lovely Grand Haven, Michigan, and the first thing I did after unpacking was, of course, stock the fridge. I'd been dying for some more peaches like the ones we bought at the farmer's market in Michigan, but of course the grocery store only had some grown in California. 'Cause that makes sense. So, you know me and buying local produce...we packed the kids back in the car and headed to our new favorite place: Country Maid Orchards. And we were not disappointed. Got a peck of peaches and made a cobbler the next day.

Nothing fancy, just used the recipe in my falling-apart copy of Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook:

Peach Cobbler
1 c. flour
2 T. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
1/4 c. butter
4 c. peeled and sliced peaches
1/3 to 2/3 c. sugar
1 T. cornstarch
1/4 c. milk
1 egg

For topping, stir together flour, 2 T. sugar, baking powder and cinnamon (optional). Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
Meanwhile, for filling, combine peaches, 1/3 to 2/3 c. sugar, cornstarch and 1/4 c. water in a saucepan. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.
Whisk together egg and milk. Add to flour mixture and stir just until moistened.
Transfer fruit filling to a 2 qt. square baking dish. Using a spoon, immediately drop topping into small mounds on top of the filling.
Bake at 400 for 20 to 25 minutes.
Serve with ice cream if desired.

Style Scouting: Sew Personal

2011-08-09T15:00:00.000-07:00

Introducing a new feature for Home Made Modern: Style Scouting! This was inspired by my friend (and lucky for me, neighbor), Louisa's, house. When I walked into her home for the first time and saw her creative touches, I not only realized I'd found a new friend with similar interests and an aesthetic I admired, but that I hadn't yet tapped a resource for inspirational blog material: other people's homes! (Thanks, Louisa, for allowing your pad to be the inaugeral home featured on my humble blog.) As an interesting sidenote, this house has an almost identical floorplan to ours, so it was fun for me to see how the same space can be decorated and used differently. Opened my eyes to some possibilities!

Here are some pics of projects that have made her house a home.

First off, the nursery. You can't tell from these pictures, but the walls are three different colors: yellow on both sides, with green on one end and blue on the other. Genius! I would never have thought to do this, but it looks great. The bedding is a Liberty of London print and the curtains were made from a double-sided duvet. Great example of re-purposing!

This corner had me at hello. It's just so inviting and sweet, but it doesn't scream baby's room. The table was free: a roadside pickup by her dad who painted it white. The lamp is from Ikea and pillow goes perfectly, but isn't too matchy-matchy (my least favorite decorating tactic but one that's hard to avoid).

Here's a great idea for modernizing a dresser without having to paint or refinish it. Sandwich a pretty fabric between the top of the dresser and a piece of glass cut to fit (make sure the edges are sanded). Voila! An updated look for not a lot of work. Louisa recovered the stool with a coordinating fabric, too.

As you can see from above, it's amazing what a little fabric can do. Here's another example...the floral fabric, pillow forms and zippers for each pillow were garage sale finds (why can't I ever find stuff that stylish at garage sales?), as was the metal table and chairs. The tray was a handmade gift customized to match with fabric underneath a sheet of plexiglass. More proof that having a cared-for, personalized home doesn't have to break the bank!

And here's another element that shows great style and thrift (two of HMM's favorite things!) Louisa would have me add the disclaimer that this room isn't finished, but I say the interim product looks pretty darn good. She painted the wall behind their bed as an accent wall with peacock blue (Sound familiar? Great minds think alike!). And the bedding is crisp white with graphic black and white pillow covers she sewed from an old skirt.

Ah, yes! Have I mentioned the girl can sew? She's got a sewing room that I completely covet, and I can't even sew a straight hem! It's full of light, color, and it's all hers! Here's her cutting table, which makes even me want to break out my sewing machine. The fabrics she uses are divine, but the real inspiration is that she dedicated a space in her home to one of her passions. We could all use a space like that, right? I'd like to convert an upstairs closet into a blogging office someday...Sigh.

Here's one of her projects. I wouldn't know how to begin making something like this. Cute, right?

So there you go...call it what you will: voyeurism, snooping, or as my grandmother used to say, rubbernecking. Whatever you call it, Style Scouting is inspirational to me...and I hope, to you.

Craft of the Week: DIY Clock

2011-08-08T12:19:00.000-07:00

Fabulously Flawed's DIY wall clock is "on time." So simple! So inexpensive! And you can customize it to match any room. Love!

Things to Do with Mason Jars

2011-08-01T18:04:00.000-07:00

I love mason jars! Especially the Ball brand because they're made in my hometown of Findlay, Ohio (woo-hoo, Flag City!) I don't exactly collect them, but I do have an assortment that I use for vases, mostly. (Currently, some zinnias from our cutting garden are residing in a mason jar on our table.) This pic is from our 4th of July party last month. I filled mason jars with sand and stuck some flags in them for centerpieces. (Note the custom-covered votives from a previous post! While scrounging in our basement for red, white and blue stuff, I realized that several of the votives I had previously covered were in just the right colors. Don't you love it when that happens?)

I've also been known to partially fill mason jars with rice and stick in some white tapered candles for a beachy way to light up an outdoor table or walkway.

Two Shades of Pink utilizes mason jars as sippies for a party.

Readymade gives some more ideas in their article 10 Things to Do with Mason Jars Besides Store Stuff. The pie in a jar idea is my fave.

If you don't have any of these handy vessels, stock up at your local hardware store or raid your grandmother's basement for a few. They're cheap, and as you can see, very handy!

Retail Therapy Thursday: HomeGoods

2011-07-28T20:33:00.000-07:00

It's Thursday! Well, barely...I'm blogging at 11:30 after finishing up a boatload of paperwork that couldn't be put off any longer. It's been a long day(aren't they all?), but a great one. The girls and I tie-dyed t-shirts with a couple of great 11-year-old girls from our neighborhood. Since some of the paperwork I referred to included filling out our oldest's preschool forms, I'm feeling the urge to stop time, so I'm trying to cram as much summertime fun into the next month as possible. Thus, the ambitious project this afternoon. I'm feeling the urge to make a list of the stuff we want to do before school begins. I know, lists and fun aren't supposed to go together, but for me they do!

With all this, I'm still trying to decorate the house, cook some decent meals and even craft a little bit, but admittedly there have been fewer blog posts lately. I did visit HomeGoods this week though, so here are my favorite pretties from our latest visit!

This rug looks so much like the Vanessa rug from Pottery Barn, I had to include it. It's only $29, though!

See, don't they look alike?

LOVE this ikat-ish chair. Very chic!

This is actually a bench, but I didn't pull it off the shelf because it was heavy. It's quite large and would be great in an entryway with sisal baskets underneath for shoes and library books, etc. It was $299 if memory serves.

Aren't these towels pretty? What a great way to spice up a bland powder room (like ours).

So that's it for this week. Happy shopping!

Rhubarb Compote

2011-07-26T11:55:00.000-07:00

Ever had rhubarb? I love it; it's so old-timey and delicious. It reminds me of my grandma, who makes a killer rhubarb-strawberry pie. So when I came across stalks of rhubarb at our farmer's market I bought one bunch to try out this recipe, and can I just say...Oh.My.

Rhubarb Compote
1 lb. fresh rhubarb, cut in half lengthwise, and then into ½ inch slices
1 ½ c. sugar

Combine the fruit and sugar and let sit overnight, stirring occasionally (this is to masticate, or draw out the rhubarb's own liquid so you don't have to add water, which would make the compote less flavorful)
Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn off the heat and cover until soft.
When cool, blend the mixture until combined and beautifully pink. There will still be some chunks of fruit in it.

This truly couldn't be easier; it only takes 2 ingredients! I don't know of anything that takes only 2 ingredients.

So here's the fun part: what to eat it on. Let's see...my personal fave is over vanilla bean ice cream, but it's also yummy over peach cobbler, stirred into applesauce, or even on whole grain toast.

Next year, I'm for sure buying more than one bunch of rhubarb. I may even package the stuff in jars for gift-giving.

Craft of the Week: Embroidery Hoop Artwork

2011-07-20T11:39:00.001-07:00

Hey, what's all the hoop-la? I don't know if we can technically call this a craft since it really only requires scissors, but hey, the easier the better, right? This is so cheap and simple, I can't believe I haven't thought of it before. Apparently, others have, because images for embroidery hoop art are readily available on the web. Ok, so the idea's been floated before...ah well, so much for my stroke of genius. Here are some of my favorites from around the web:

Inspired? So was I! I'm thinking different sized hoops would look really great attached together to look like one big installation. Or iron a monogram onto one of them, or silhouettes (you know how I love 'em!) I'm not convinced this idea is completely played out yet...so if this craft manifests in our house someday, I'll be sure to let you know.

Living In It

2011-07-13T11:52:00.000-07:00

I'm not the world's most patient person. I used to think I was, and then I had children. Kids have a way of showing us our not-so-attractive character traits at times. You know, the ones you didn't even know you had? (Or just weren't acknowledging?) Anyway, in terms of parenting, I'm working on the patience thing; but, when it comes to decorating our house, I'm still as antsy as all get-out. Things just don't move fast enough for me!

Luckily, I did learn some things from our last house. Mainly, you just have to live in it for awhile--sometimes years--before you get a room the way you like it. We've only been in our new house a year, however, and I've already painted, repainted, tweaked and fussed quite a bit over it, especially our family room. It's not done yet, but it's in so much better shape than it was. I think it's helpful to think about decorating in layers (or stages) so I don't get too overwhelmed with the process. For instance:

Furniture first--I like to pick neutrals and pile on color with pillows.

Pick an inspiration fabric next--I think it's easier to pick a fabric I like, and base a color scheme off of that. So find a fabric you want to feature, then head to the paint store and

Paint

Now choose window treatments--I'm a big fan of fuss-free window treatments like woven roller-shades layered with simple panels.

Now other fabrics--Toss pillows, throws, a fun ottoman or an area rug are ways to mix and match patterns in your color scheme. Pick a floral, a stripe, and a solid and you can't go wrong. Or find coordinating fabrics with a large-scale print, a medium-scale print, and a small-scale print.

Lighting next--Choose lamps and shades.

Accessorize last--This is the fun part. Pick wall art, conversation pieces, and don't forget houseplants to help personalize everything.

I'm no expert and quite frankly, I deviate from this plan a lot. But this seems to be a method that works for me. Basically, though, a room just evolves don't you think? You may have a mood in mind, but the finished product--for me--is always a bit different from how I thought it'd turn out. I think that's why I have angst about the process sometimes. For instance, I was dead-set against blue in the family room because we had blue in our family room at our old house and was sick of it. Mostly because it wasn't the right shade, but anyway...guess what I have in the new family room? A blue accent wall! I fought against it, but now I think it's here to stay.

Here are some pics of the way this room has changed as I've added layers.

This space started out with nothing...no color, bare windows, bland carpeting that matched the walls, NOTHING. So we got a sectional (see my inspiration pillow right there?)

Then I added these curtains which I searched for EVERYWHERE and ended up stumbling upon at Tuesday Morning. I wanted the same type of pattern--green damask--as Maria's bedroom curtains in The Sound of Music, the ones she used to make play clothes for the Von Trapp children. (Sorry the color is so washed out in these photos...not the best time of day to take pics and the lighting in this room is weird.)

I painted the frame of this antique dresser and added it to the room but have since decided the whole thing needed to be white.

Better white, right? Still need hardware for it, though. Yes, those are paint chips above the mirror. I'm trying to choose a green that goes well with the curtains.

Here's the corner by the TV. This pillow was all wrong, though, so I simply changed that...

...and like it a lot better. Still want an etagere back there, though.

Got sick of looking at the blank wall above the sectional, so I added this DIY wall shelf and artwork. This satisfied me for awhile, but nothing popped against this boring color, which I originally thought I wanted to keep (don't ask me why).

So here's the most dramatic change: the peacock blue accent wall. What do you think?

And my most recent addition: the side table I found at a barn sale and LOVE.

So there you have it. We are living in it. We'll see how it actually turns out.

Two Picnic-Perfect Salads

2011-06-28T11:31:00.000-07:00

Here's my new favorite thing: making parent-friendly picnic food! One of the ideas behind HMM is that we, as moms, don't have to lose our identities or sense of style and sophistication when we become parents. That means, for instance, that you can eat grown-up food when you take the kiddos on a picnic or to an outdoor concert venue...not just PB&Js, string cheese, and juice boxes. These two salads taste so good by comparison, and each recipe makes a ton, so you can make it, package it into single-serving sized containers like Chinese takeout boxes, and you'll have lunch for a whole week's worth of outdoor dining. Plus, they're mayo-free, so you won't have to worry about it spoiling in really hot weather.

Chicken Curry Couscous Salad

Combine
2 c. plain, cooked couscous (just make a whole box, because you can use the leftover for the second salad described below)
1 c. diced cooked chicken (I buy chicken breasts when they're on sale, poach them with a bay leaf for 15 minutes or until no longer pink, then wrap them individually and freeze them. That way, I always have cooked chicken on hand.)
1 c. raisins
1 red or yellow pepper, cut into strips
6 green onions
1 can garbanzo beans
½ c. roasted almonds (you can buy these already roasted, or just toast them over low heat in a skillet until they become fragrant)

Dressing:
1/3 c. olive oil
1 T. lemon juice
1 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. curry powder
¼ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. allspice

Couscous with Dried Fruit and Feta

Toss together:

Leftover couscous

Handful of dried apricots

Handful of dried cranberries

Handful of feta cheese

2 chopped green onions

Add salt and pepper and a little olive oil if it looks too dry.

Pinterest: Easy July 4th Ideas

2011-06-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

So we're having a fairly large party next Saturday and all my friends know that I'm a tad stressed about it. Our house and yard still need some work before the shin-dig, not to mention shopping, menu-planning, and decorations. My consolation is that each year as we acquire things, it should get easier. In my quest for all-things-easy, I gathered up some great July 4th ideas from around the web and put them on my Pinterest page. Not familiar with Pinterest? It's reallllllly fun! And quite addictive. Check out my July 4th board here! I've got some of my own ideas up my sleeve, too....will post pics of the party after it happens!

Strawberry Season

2011-06-20T11:19:00.000-07:00

It's here, it's here! Oh, how I love berry season. A couple of years ago, I took our firstborn to Rittman Orchards and we had the most magical time picking berries and coming home to make strawberry bread together. I also made jam, and that took care of the berries. THIS year, the girls and I decided to pick a lot more and so we picked...and picked...and picked. And ended up with over 16 pounds! We had an even better time this year, and now we're left with six jars of jam (which we made using the Sure-Jell recipe for strawberry freezer jam), strawberry bread, strawberry muffins, strawberry pancakes, and finally...strawberry popsicles. The popsicles are my fave. Oh, and we STILL have 3 freezer bags full of whole strawberries for smoothies and such. Here are some pictures with recipe links or instructions.

Strawberry Bread

Strawberry Pancakes courtesy of Rachael Ray

Freezer bags full of berries

There's something so gratifying about seeing fresh produce stacked in my freezer. Here's a quick tip for freezing the berries: after you hull and rinse them, let the excess water drip off in a colander, then spread them in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Put them in the freezer like this for 30 minutes or so, then dump them in freezer bags. That way, they won't freeze together as much.

Strawberry Popsicles (I've made these with raspberries, too, and they're really good!)

Boil 2 T. sugar and 2 T. water to make a simple syrup; cool.

Puree 1 1/2 c. fresh strawberries.

Mix berries with syrup and 2 T. orange juice.

Pour into molds and freeze.

And here are two variations of a Strawberry Spinach Salad:

Spinach, sliced strawberries, toasted almonds and poppyseed dressing OR
Spinach, sliced strawberries, pecans, feta, and balsamic dressing

Eat 'till your heart's content!

Retail Therapy Thursday: Home Girl Sale

2011-06-16T19:55:00.000-07:00

Oh, happy day! I not only painted our family room a rich, carmel-y color today (which I love!) but I just returned from the Home Girl Sale with a side table for our living room which, seriously, could not be more perfect.

The picture is blurry because I couldn't use a flash for fear of waking my sleeping husband cashed out on the couch, but you get the gist. It was labeled as a phone table with stool, but it looks like a pair of nesting tables and it's just the right height and everything...yahoo! And did I mention I only paid $38? Hooray for Home Girl...here are some other images from the sale, which was inspiring to say the least. If you live in the area of Hudson, Ohio, the sale continues Friday and Saturday from 10 to 2.

Stash Style is represented by cool typography.

Um, have YOU ever thought of using what looks to be an old fertilizer spreader as a planter? I haven't, but it sure is cute!

Little vignettes like this are all over outside and in.

This is actually my mantel but I wanted to show you the color of the wall. I'm going to bring in accents of sea glass (like this canning jar I bought at Home Girl) and maybe aubergine like in the dried hydrangea.

Now here's the big debate in our house: paint the mantel white, or leave it dark and instead, tile over the brick with some sort of sea-glass colored glass tile? Opinions, please!

Craft of the Week: Sisal Rope Table

2011-06-14T18:22:00.001-07:00

This is so cool, I can't even stand it. I've seen these sisal-wrapped tables in stores and catalogs and yes!...they're really expensive. Sparkle shows us how to make a DIY version that looks just as great as a store-bought one. I do think adding a glass top would be good, though, because this surface would be hard to dust. True, this might be a more time-consuming craft than those I often post, but it seems super-easy and inexpensive. Thanks for the great idea!

Creating Your Own Potted Containers

2011-06-13T20:31:00.001-07:00

Well, minus the chalk "windows" my daughter drew, our front stoop is shaping up. When we moved into our new house (oh how I wish I'd taken "before" photos!) the front door and shutters were rust-red. Now, I wasn't a big fan of the 1970s harvest-gold siding to begin with, but seriously...red? I could practically hear the theme song to "Three's Company" in my head every time I drove up the driveway. So my handy husband heard my plea and painted the shutters black; we bought a new front door (which he also painted); and I spray painted our old pots black as well. It works. Mind you, we have a long way to go until the outside is in tip-top shape. Someday we'll get rid of the gold siding, but the black tones it down for now. You gotta work with what you have, right?

As for what's IN the pots, you've first gotta choose plants that are suited for containers and for the amount of light you get. I avoid those that bloom only for a short time because I want summer-long color on the porch. Here are my rules of thumb for creating my own containers:

pick a filler--what your pot is composed mostly of, like geraniums, petunias or impatiens

pick a spiller--something that will trail down the sides, like ivy or sweet potato vine (which comes in a variety of colors)

pick something tall--you always need something for height; I almost always use spiky green grasses, but you could sink a small trellis in the pot and train a vine to climb it

pick something small--here's where I like to use a contrasting color for some added interest, like the small orange zinnias in those pictured above

This formula seems to create professional-looking pots every time. Give it a whirl!

Craft of the Week: Pant Hanger Frames

2011-06-08T11:24:00.000-07:00

This cheap and easy idea for hanging photos or artwork comes from Crafty Nest. I've seen pics hung this way before, but not matted. They look great this way because it looks more finished and intentional! I think I'm going to look for some of these hangers at garage sales and use a bunch of them in my daughter's room to hang up her artwork. Here are some more photos for inspiration...

Houseplants for Not-So-Green Thumbs

2011-06-07T11:31:00.000-07:00

I have to say, it's amazing what a little green can do. Not THAT kind of green (although that helps!)...I'm talking about houseplants. I've never had what you'd call a green thumb. I tend to be a neglectful caregiver to everything that grows, with the exception of my own children. But a home without plants lacks a certain something, in my opinion. I didn't come to this realization on my own, however. My mom's friend, Graham, while visiting from England, remarked on our new space's lack of "living things" and I realized the only things I had resembling plantlife in our home were some dried hydrangeas on our family room mantel and a SAD fake peace lily. How could I not have realized something so simple? Green is even my favorite color! So I added a small snake plant to the dresser in our living room that never seems to get finished (here it is all painted, but without hardware and yes those are paint chips behind the mirror).

And I tucked in a small vase of pink peonies I clipped from the yard. Now that things are starting to grow outside, it's easy to do that...I especially like using hosta leaves, like these in my beloved green vase I just got at a garage sale.

Once our zinnias sprout, I'll have bright pops of color all over the house. At less than a buck per seed pack, that's some budget decorating!

It's amazing how by adding just a couple of living things, our house was literally injected with life. Now I'm inspired, and totally know what I want to do with this corner that's been bugging me. Needs something, right?

Lots of people have suggested an artificial tree in this space, but that never appealed for some reason. Now that I see the power of plants, I'm envisioning this etagere from JC Penney with lots of white pots filled with green things! (The chair is going to be slipcovered with a brown ticking stripe, I think.)

Since this corner doesn't get a lot of natural light though, and since I'm not a seasoned houseplant-grower, I researched low-light and low-maintenace houseplants and here's what I found:

Pothos

Sansevieria (aka Mother-in-law's tongue, or snake plant)

Peace lily

Philodendron

English ivy

Dracaena

Now go out and green up your space!

My Summer Wish List

2011-06-06T19:05:00.000-07:00

June hits and I already feel the clock ticking down every precious moment of summer. I get this crazy urge to cram everything I love about the season into the first week because I know that, living in northeast Ohio...it won't seem long until we see snow fly again. Sounds fatalistic, I know, but seriously, our winters are so long. Summer just brings out the kid in me again. I want to stay outside until after the street lamps come on, go barefoot, eat a lot of ice cream, and sleep in. Of course, sleeping in is now out of the question, but the rest of it is totally on my list. As is...

Catching fireflies with our girls. They're so gorgeous at this age. I just want to suspend time this summer, and soak them up before preschool starts. Showing them some of my favorite things to do when I was a kid is a good way to do that.

Eating fresh. I'm reading Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle right now, and it's a stunner. I've already made a lot of changes to the way I cook, but this book makes me want to completely become a localvore. Farmer's markets (and our great gardener/neighbor, Dave) will help this season. I want to bake with fresh fruit and eat grilled vegetables every night! I already made some fab rhubarb sauce, which I'll share in a later post. This brings me to the next thing...

Learning to can. I used to eat this way as a kid. Frozen sweet corn, canned tomatoes, canned peaches, pies made with only seasonal fruit like my aunt's Michigan cherries...I want to learn how to do this for my family.

Dining al fresco. Easy to do this time of year. Now if only my table looked like this...

Seeing the sunset over Lake Michigan. We're taking a bona fide family vacay this summer. Saying "I can't wait," is the understatement of the century. We seriously talk about it every day.

Going to flea markets and garage sales. My hobbies in this order: reading, flea-marketing and baking. My heart actually pounds when I open a new book I've been wanting to read...and from the serendipity of foraging through junk only to find the perfect treasure. Of course, at Gina's (aka Home Girl) sale, there's no junk. It's all treasure at this annual sale I plan to hit up June 16 here in Hudson, Ohio. If you're in the area, it's worth your time!

Making sun tea. I don't know why, but this just says summer to me. I like it unsweetened, lots of lemon.

Riding a Ferris wheel. Haven't been able to do this in a long time, but would love to visit a county fair this year to eat lots of fair food and ride the Ferris wheel. They're so romantic at dusk. And lastly...

Taking a nap in a hammock. Just once.

So what do you love about summer?

Homemade Wheat Bread

2011-06-02T19:43:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been big into knowing where our food comes from. Lest our kids grow up thinking their meals' origins are grocery store shelves, I've decided to make as many of our meals from whole ingredients. What better way to teach them that food doesn't naturally come wrapped in plastic than to try making bread ourselves, for starters. There's nothing quite like the smell and taste of homemade bread. If you've never made it, consider this an official invitation to try it. I honestly can't say why people seem to think it's difficult. You KNOW I don't go for things that take a) a lot of money b) a lot of ingredients or 3) a lot of painstaking steps. Yeah, you gotta knead it. So what? It's therapeutic! The trick is...don't feel rushed. You've gotta plan to make homemade bread. It's not something you just whip up, but it's not hard, either. You know those days in the week when you don't have any playdates scheduled, you've been to the library already, and now it's raining so you can't go to the park? Those are perfect bread-making days! You KNOW you've got a boatload of laundry to do so you weren't going anywhere anyway....why not make some bread with your babies?

I got this recipe from a cookbook I've admired for some time: Family Meals by Maria Helm Sinskey.

All of the Williams Sonoma books are beautiful and this one is especially so. And the librarian in me would be remiss without mentioning two awesome children's books to read to your babes while your dough is rising:

Bread Comes to Life by George Levenson and

Everybody Bakes Bread by Norah Dooley. You can totally make this an event by reading one of these books and letting your child particpate in the kneading. Just give them a bit of their own dough to play with. Finally, if you need yet another reason to try making bread, just look at my kiddos watching the oven!

Enough said. Anyhoo, here's the recipe:

Whole Wheat Bread (makes 2 loaves)
2 3/4 c. white flour
4 3/4 c. wheat flour
2 packages of yeast
2 1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. honey
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 stick unsalted butter

Stir together white flour and wheat flour; reserve one cup.
Let 2 packets of yeast bloom in warm milk for about 5 minutes; whisk. Whisk in honey and kosher salt. Let stand 5 minutes more and whisk again.
Stir in flour mixture until dry and flaky.
Add stick of unsalted butter (room temp) and beat with dough hook on medium speed, adding as much of the reserved flour as needed until it no longer sticks to bowl.
Knead briefly on floured surface. Put in bowl and cover with clean dish cloth. Let rise 2 to 2 ½ hours.
Punch dough down, divide in half, and flatten each into rectangles 2 inches thick and the length of the pan. Roll up lengthwise into loaf shape and place seam-side down in buttered loaf pans.
Let rise until 1 inch above pan.
Bake 375 for 35-40 minutes.

This is super-good for sandwiches or toast. Good luck, and if you have any questions, let me know!

Craft of the Week: Wall Flowers

2011-06-01T11:39:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics of my Umbra flowers which I love, love, LOVE in our foyer. They're whimsical and sculptural and I think it gives people a surprise when they first walk in our door. (FYI: To hang these, I cut a big piece of craft paper to the dimensions of the space I wanted to fill, then played with the layout of the flowers until it suited me. I then marked the placement of each flower on the paper with a Sharpie and hung the paper on the wall with painter's tape. I nailed the tacks in based on my marks, ripped the paper off, and finally hung the flowers. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!)

But Just a Girl has one-upped me with a DIY version that cost $5 less. She used cardboard toilet paper tubes to make a very chic, very green (well, minus the spraypaint fumes) version and it looks fantastic. I'm not sure if she was inspired by the Umbra ones, but this project reminded me so much of my own foyer I had to post pictures of both so you could compare.

2011-06-01T11:32:00.000-07:00

Summer pastime

2 Kid-Friendly Chicken Recipes

2011-05-26T19:06:00.000-07:00

I have to pat myself on the back for this invention. Everyone in the family liked both meals, which is a rarity in our house (and I'm betting in yours, too.) You know me, no measurements, just eyeballing. I used only one package of chicken tenders for both of these meals. (Our kids are small, though...for an older family of 4, you may need more.) I cooked about half of the tenders for the chicken parm sandwiches, and threw the rest in a freezer bag for dinner the next night.

Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches

chicken tenders

1 egg

about 1/4 c. flour

about 1 c. bread crumbs or panko crumbs

kosher salt

sandwich buns or rolls

garlic bread sprinkle

butter

mozzarella cheese

pizza sauce

Sprinkle the chicken with kosher salt and dredge in flour, then beaten egg, then bread crumbs. Cook in olive oil over medium heat until browned and no longer pink.

Meanwhile, split the rolls and butter them. Sprinkle with garlic bread sprinkle and mozzarella and toast.

Top with chicken and a spoonful of pizza sauce.

Serve with a side of orzo mixed with fresh parmesan, and steamed broccoli.

For the kids: serve the chicken with pizza sauce for dipping instead of in a sandwich.

Lime Chicken Wraps

chicken tenders

lime juice

1 clove garlic, minced

kosher salt

cumin

frozen corn

pepper jack cheese

red onion

sour cream

tortillas

Place the chicken in a freezer bag and marinate it overnight in lime juice mixed with garlic, salt and cumin.

Drizzle a little olive oil in a pan, and cook the chicken until browned and no longer pink.

Shred the chicken in a bowl, then mix in some chopped red onion and corn that has been cooked and drained.

Microwave the tortillas with the pepper jack cheese on top until the cheese is melted.

Top with filling and sour cream.

The first time I made this I served them with a side of sweet potato fries and asparagus (thus, the picture.)

For the kids: serve the chicken by itself with a side of corn and a mini quesadilla made from a tortilla with melted cheese (substitute cheddar if the pepper jack is too spicy).

Retail Therapy Thursday: World Market and TJ Maxx

2011-05-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

It's an established fact that I like to do things on the cheap, repurposing whatever I can and foraging in my own basement for things I can spraypaint or attack with a glue gun. But sometimes, a girl just needs a little retail therapy. I don't always buy something when I go into a store...it's "just window shopping" more often than not. But it sure is fun to see what new merchandise has hit the shelves, and I thought it would be fun to pass along the newest arrivals to you! I do love me some Arhaus, Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel and Anthropologie, but I try to stick to the places that mimic those spots, like Target, HomeGoods, World Market and TJ Maxx. So here's what I found on a foray with my girls today. (Please excuse the photo quality. It's not easy to get quality pics with my point and shoot while one child is yelling for Goldfish crackers and the other keeps touching breakable items.)
World Market

What cute bath mats, eh? Love the scalloped edge.

I'm a sucker for a great accent chair, especially when it's got a great shape and fun fabric.

This high-gloss desk is petite with a price tag to match--$200. Not bad.

TJ Maxx

These modern, blonde kitchen or dining chairs are a knock-off, I'm sure, but I don't know of what...does anyone else? Anyway, they were only $39.99 each at the Maxx.

Happy window shopping! Don't spend all your money in one place...

Craft of the Week: Animal Silhouette Plates

2011-05-17T11:29:00.000-07:00

If you haven't been able to tell already, I'm a little obsessed with silhouettes. I made some of our girls that are featured in our living room and I'm contemplating stenciling an owl or bird on a pillow soon. When I stumbled on this craft at Danielle Oakey Interiors, I got very excited because it utilizes decoupage, one of my favorite techniques since it's soooo easy. Say yes to silhouettes...they're timeless yet modern, and they may be everywhere these days but I love 'em.

Stylish Scrapbooking Alternatives

2011-05-13T10:48:00.000-07:00

I once blogged on the topic of things I don’t do. Ironing topped the list, as did (hanging head in shame) scrapbooking. It’s not that I don’t admire the craft. Some of the finished products are veritable works of art, and the ever-expanding aisles of scrapbooking supplies at craft stores are almost tantalizing enough to convince me to take it up. But, alas, pictures of my girls are still relegated to my camera’s memory card; their artwork, award certificates and keepsakes are either shoved in their baby books or in a box in the basement. I must admit, there’s a part of me that feels this makes me a terrible mother. I’ve seen scrapbooks that encapsulate each year of a child’s life so completely that my unorganized mess of mementos is quite literally, sad by comparison. Sad because I feel my kids won’t have a tangible record of their early years if I don’t get on the stick, and sad because I won’t have a tangible record of their early years if I don’t get on the stick. I’m already forgetting the cute things they’ve said or done, for heaven’s sake, and they’re less than five years old! I look at pictures of our youngest as an infant, in particular, and feel her babyhood was a blur.

I know this is all very shocking coming from me, since I’m someone who purports to cherish all things handcrafted and personalized. Trouble is, I have so many crafting interests...and feathering our nest is such a focus right now, that I can’t see sitting down to spend dozens of hours on one project. And might I add, said project is neverending. As kids get older, more scrapbooking must be done if the whole picture is to be captured. In any event, if I haven’t been clear enough already, I’m not a scrapbooker and probably never will be.

So in an effort to ease my conscience, I’ve decided to devote myself to preserving memories from our kids’ childhoods in other ways. This week, I blogged about making time capsules that are display-worthy. Here are some other ways to ensure your soon-to-be-grown children will know that you cherished their childhoods.

Digital Photo Albums--Pick the best of each year’s photos and make them into a photobook on Snapfish or Shutterfly. You can write captions and headings and choose from hundreds of backgrounds. Making one of these for each year takes up a lot less shelf space than 8,000 photo albums.

Gallery Wall--Scan your children’s favorite artwork from the year and save it digitally. Frame just one or two of your favorite pieces and create a gallery wall that grows as they do. Here are some of my faves from around the web:

Also, check out Design Dazzle for other great ways to display children's artwork. I especially liked the custom posters, and the Dynamic Frames.

Scrapboxes—Frame baby clothes, team jerseys, favorite small toys or books, or anything else that will fit in a shadowbox. Darcy Miller (the chick from Martha Stewart Living) has done the best I've seen. Imagine a whole wall of these! Talk about a conversation piece, not to mention what a great way to honor your kids.

Cookbooks--If you and your kids like to cook or bake together, take pictures of them making your family’s favorites, then type out the corresponding recipes for a personalized cookbook. If you’ve got the original handwritten recipe, scan and include it, too, for a multi-generational vibe. (Tastebook is a great site for creating a professional-looking cookbook. You could have several printed and give them as gifts to your children or grandchildren.

Silhouettes—I love these two projects:
Trace and embroider your children’s hands like these done by Plum Pudding
or take profile pictures of them to create custom silhouettes like I did that will classically preserve their sweet little features.

At the very least, jot down memorable moments from each day on a calendar or in a journal. Because as someone once told me, "The days are long, but the years are short."

Craft of the Week: Time Capsules

2011-05-10T11:16:00.000-07:00

I've had a Eureka! moment while looking at this month's (May 2011) Better Homes and Gardens: creating time capsules that are display-worthy! The magazine featured an idea for making a time capsule out of a clear glass jar for Mother's Day, but I think it'd be great to make multiples of them: one for each year or two of your family's life.

For example, instead of these bird prints, put your favorite family photo of the year in the jar and fill it with mementos, kids' artwork, ticket stubs, collected items like acorns, rocks, or sea glass...you get the idea. Displaying a row of these on a mantel or a group of different-sized ones on a side table would be a great conversation piece and a tangible way to remember the special moments you've shared.

Here, Martha shows some made especially for vacation memories. Also fab...

Salad 7 Ways

2011-05-05T11:28:00.000-07:00

(Sometimes I ask myself, is it normal to take pictures of my lunch? Anyhoo...) I read this idea in Cooking Light magazine, and thought how very Home Made Modern it is. Us moms tend to either rush through lunch by eating the remnants off our kids' plates or skipping it all together. My whole premise is, we've got to take care of ourselves and use every opportunity to express personality. Lunch as an expression of yourself? Why...yes! So here are 7 ways to dress up plain ol' romaine or bagged spring mix:

Greek--bell pepper, feta, cucumbers and Greek olives (pictured above)

Artisan--goat cheese, pears and walnuts

Southwest--black beans, corn, queso fresco and avocado

California Cobb--avocado, bacon, cheddar and hard-boiled egg

Asian--edamame, peanuts, crispy noodles and mandarin oranges

Italian--tomatoes, basil, fresh mozzarella

Steakhouse--blue cheese, cranberries and walnuts

Buy the ingredients for one or two of these, make ahead, and you'll have a decent lunch for yourself each day of the week. Better yet, pack up in Chinese takeout containers and surprise your husband, partner, neighbor or friend for lunch.

Royal Wedding Scones

2011-05-02T12:07:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit late to the party on the party on this one, but I thought I'd share this anyway for those of you who are still reveling in all things royal.

Royal Wedding Scones (aka Berry Lemon Scones)

Combine 3 1/4 c. flour

2/3 c. sugar

1 T. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

Cut in 6 T. cold unsalted butter and blend with fingers until the mixture is coarse and crumby.

Stir in 1 T. lemon juice plus enough milk to equal 1 c.

1 c. blueberries (if you use frozen blueberries, thaw them slightly and be careful when mixing because you don't want the dough to become too blue throughout.)

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 egg, lightly beaten

With floured hands, pat dough into 2 7-inch circles on parchment paper; transfer to a cookie sheet. Brush liberally with egg white and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

P.S. Congratulations William and Kate! Did you not just LOVE her dress?

Handpicked for Mother's Day

2011-04-28T20:18:00.000-07:00

I've scoured the web looking for Mother's Day gift ideas that are unique and thoughtful so you don't have to. I wouldn't mind receiving any of these gifts for Mother's Day!

Family Nest by dearjes on Etsy--This is great for moms who have an empty nest...a beautiful visual reminder of those who've grown up and flown the coop!

Momma's Garden necklace by Cinnamonsticks on Etsy--I actually have this necklace. It was given to me by my dear friend, Lisa, and I love it! This photo doesn't do it justice.

Handprint Canvas Kit by Red Envelope--What a cool activity to do as a family!

And here are three ideas if you like to DIY...which you probably do if you read this blog. And don't worry, they're not complicated. That's not the Home Made Modern way!

Homemade Popcorn by Martha Stewart Living--I suggest giving this to Mom with a couple of great movies like Stepmom, Terms of Endearment, or Waitress.

Cherry Branch Tote Bag by Martha Stewart Living--I've done transfers like this before and they're really easy, especially if you buy a ready-made tote from a craft store.

Decorative Pillar Candles by Martha Stewart Living--I love these patterns but you could create your own by color-scanning a favorite fabric and saving it as an image on your computer. Then just print that out on the decal paper instead of the patterns provided here.

Craft of the Week: Vintage Hidden Storage

2011-04-27T19:20:00.000-07:00

...courtesy of Country Living. I love this magazines' devotion to promoting women who create beautiful things. Kate Pruitt is one such blogger, and she offers up her idea for creating secret storage behind a flea-market painting. I love the idea because there's no such thing as too much storage, and because it's a great way to repurpose an old medicine cabinet you may already have. (Which saves it from the trash heap and saves you some money!)

Craft of the Week: Lace Vases

2011-04-20T19:58:00.000-07:00

...courtesy of Urban Comfort. I'm a big fan of this chic's style, which I first discovered in Better Homes & Gardens. These vases are really beautiful, and what could be easier than decoupage? Follow the link to her blog for instructions.

Around the Web: Easter Eggs

2011-04-13T12:24:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of the best--and simplest--ideas I've found for decorating Easter eggs this year. I would suggest buying ceramic or styrofoam eggs to decorate so you can use them from year to year.

Glittered Eggs from Martha Stewart--Martha's got 61 (yes, 61!) other ideas for decorating eggs, too, but some of them, although gorgeous, are over-the-top complicated. If you've got the time and inclination, though, this is a super-site for all things Easter.

Field of Flowers Eggs from Family Fun--So easy, and yet they look very Monet-esque! Same technique can be used with bubble wrap, with a different effect.

Personalized Eggs from Reader's Digest--I think these would look great with silhouettes in the middle. Almost like cameos.

I've been working on some eggs of our own, and will share once complete!

Handpicked for Spring

2011-03-31T19:33:00.002-07:00

It's April 18 tomorrow, and northeast Ohio is still struggling to reach 50 degrees on most days. What gives?! For all of you (like me) who are yearning for winter to release its death grip, here are some of my favorite cheery items sure to put some "spring" in your step.

Unique Bud Vase from Chive--

Single stems will look stunning in this...

Botanical Notecards from Rifle Paper Company--

Sending one of these notes to someone is sure to brighten their day. These could be framed, too!

Vintage Robin Pendant by Silver Dog Jewelry--

Many of this shop's pieces are nature-themed but my favorite is this one with the robins. Reminds me of the relief I feel when I hear those first bird songs of the season.

What are your favorite items for spring?

Decoupaged Eggs

2011-03-31T19:31:00.001-07:00

There are some amazing ideas for decorating Easter eggs (I showcased a few simple but beautiful ideas from the web last week) but I've never felt that putting that much effort into something perishable was time well-spent. But then I found out that there are ceramic and styrofoam eggs for just this purpose! Who knew? That sent me running to Hobby Lobby, where I found a dozen styrofoam eggs for under $8. There are a lot of ways to decoupage eggs, but I really liked Parents magazine's take on the idea. Here's how I replicated it:

Decoupaged Eggs

Nap Rating = 3 to 4 eggs per nap

Tools & Materials

styrofoam or ceramic eggs

paper napkins

scissors

paper plate

1" foam brush

glue or Mod Podge (I used glue, but honestly, Mod Podge would've worked better. It has a shinier, more "finished" appearance)

a couple of rolls of tape (electrical or Scotch)

Steps

Pick out some paper napkins that have motifs you can cut out--nothing too intricate

Peel the white paper backing from the napkin, then cut out the shapes/flowers/designs you want to glue onto your eggs

Put some glue or Mod Podge on a paper plate

Using a foam brush, cover the pointy end of one egg with glue

Place the cut-outs on the glue and cover with more glue

Balance uncovered end of egg in the hole of a roll of tape so that it can dry. When it's dry, repeat the process for the other end.

Tips

Pick napkins that have lots of options. Believe it or not, the flowers for my eggs came from one pattern of napkin.

The eggs I liked the best were the ones that I decorated with a single motif, either alone or repeating. Here's a pic of my favorite; it's just one big flower in the middle of the egg. I also liked the ones where I cut out bunches of the same flower and covered the entire egg with them. This just looked more sophisticated, and less "crafty."

You don't have to cut out the shapes perfectly; white edges blend right into the white background of the egg.

DIY Picture Ledge

2011-03-17T11:28:00.000-07:00

That's one very blank wall, right? We definitely needed to inject some life into our living room, so I began mixing and matching the silhouette art I already made with pictures we already had and I came up with this combination: the girls' modern silhouettes with two antique ones from a flea market, two framed pieces of Olivia's artwork (one is a silhouette of her hand made into a tree), a couple pictures of framed fabric and scrapbooking paper, and a botanical print. I threw in our Home plaque and our monogram at the end for extra personalization. I really liked the group as a whole, but then I didn't know how best to hang it all. I tried newspaper templates like I did for the stairwell, but the the composition looked too mish-mosh, especially because some of the frames were so little; they got lost on the huge wall.

THEN, I came across the most wonderful idea on Ana-White. DIY ledges for only $10! So I contracted my handy husband, and a week later...ta-da! No more empty wall, and I love the result. (Note: We did use #1 lumber, however, which cut down on the need to sand before I painted, but did cost an extra $10. Still much cheaper than the ledges from Pottery Barn!)

Here are some tips for creating your own gallery ledge:

Don't worry about the frames and mats matching exactly, but try to evenly distribute the colors. If you have one dark frame, for instance, your eye will instantly be drawn to it. Add another for balance.

Mix old with new (e.g. modern botanicals with antique prints) for added interest.

Add personal touches like monograms, your kids' artwork, an old family portrait, etc.
If you've run out of ideas and you still have space to fill on the ledge, just frame coordinating fabric or scrapbooking paper. I actually photocopied the central motif from our curtains.

Layer the pieces on the ledge instead of just lining them all up. This gives it a casual, layered effect.

Don't spend a lot of money! Paint is your friend! I didn't buy a single frame--I just went scavenging in our basement and spray painted the ones I didn't like, then rolled some wall paint on the mats that didn't match.

Custom Silhouettes

2011-03-09T19:43:00.000-08:00

Hello, dear readers. I've missed you. I find blogging therapeutic, but haven't had the Home Made Modern vibe going lately. Maybe it's the weather (c'mon Spring!), or maybe it's just that my decorating projects are moving at a snail's pace, but in any event, I'm back with a simple project.

I thought that when we moved into our new house, this blog would be chock-full of inspirational ideas and projects for the home--a section of the blog I had needed to beef up anyway. What better way to do so than with a house that was a blank canvas, right? Welllll...my indecisive nature stalled the creative process for the first several months, but now that I finally have a vision for how I want things to look, I can't move fast enough because I've got two kids at home. But wait! I'm supposed to know how to juggle that! I'm basing my entire brand on the theory that you can have kids and lead a life with style. So here we go, with a really simple wall art project that's trendy, and a bit sophisticated, with a nod to vintage style.

Custom Silhouettes

Nap Rating = 2 naps

Tools & Materials

Digital camera
Exacto knife
Cardboard
Spray paint in gloss (color of your choice)
Newspaper
Fabric or decorative paper
Scissors
Iron (if using fabric)
Spray adhesive
Picture frame and mat (I used old frames and just spray painted them as well, but you could buy new, of course)

Steps

Take several profiles pictures of your subject (I used our kids) at close range (so they almost fill the frame on the screen of your camera. Lighting doesn't matter.

Choose a picture frame size. This will dictate how large to print your photo. Choose your favorite photo, then take the memory card to a photo-printing kiosk (like at Target or Wal-Mart) and print out a copy of the picture in the size you've chosen.

Place the picture on a piece of cardboard (or a self-healing mat if you have one). Cut out the image with an Exacto knife, taking care to cut around details like wisps of hair.

Lay the cut-out image on newspaper and spray paint it. Let dry.

If using an old frame, take this opportunity to spray paint it as well.

If using fabric for the background, iron it.

Cut the fabric or decorative paper to a size slightly larger than the opening of the picture mat.

Coat the back of the painted image with a thin coat of spray adhesive and mount it to the fabric or decorative paper.

Place all in the frame.

I'm planning a picture wall for above our sectional sofa...I'll post something else when I've got it finished!

DIY Dry-Erase Board

2011-01-31T11:47:00.000-08:00

Love the convenience of dry-erase boards, but they're pretty ugly, don't you think? Here's a solution for you. Just frame a piece of paper or fabric and voila! A more stylish place to jot down reminders in your kitchen or office.

DIY Dry-Erase Board
Nap Rating = 1 nap

Tools & Materials

Picture frame with glass
Spray paint (if you want to change the color of the frame)
Newspaper (if spray painting frame)
Fabric or paper of your choice (make sure you choose something with a small pattern and a light background because you won't be able to read what you write on the glass if it's too busy or dark)
Scissors
Utility knife
Iron
Cardboard
Scrapbooking embellishments or extra fabric (if you choose to embellish the corner as I did)
Fabric glue

Steps

Dig out an old frame you're not using, or just buy a new one.
Lay down newspaper and spray paint frame if desired. Let dry overnight.
Using a utility knife, cut a piece of cardboard to fit inside the frame. The glass works well as a template.
Cut the fabric or paper of your choice so that it's about an inch bigger than the cardboard on all sides.
If using fabric, iron it.
Lay the cardboard in the center of the wrong side of the fabric. Wrap the excess fabric over the edges of the cardboard and tack it in place with fabric glue.
If using fabric and you want to embellish it a little, just cut flowers or shapes of your choosing from felt and leftover fabric. Glue them on using fabric glue.
If using paper, cut it to the size of the cardboard.
Stick on scrapbooking embellishments if you choose.
Put the covered cardboard in the frame behind the glass, and now you're ready to hang it up for a handy place to jot notes.

If you like this idea, you may also like my post on two different ways to make a French memo board.

5 Things You Can Make With a Jar of Salsa

2011-01-24T12:19:00.000-08:00

1) An Appetizer--Mix 1 jar of salsa with 2 softened packages of cream cheese for an easy-peasy tortilla chip dip on Super Bowl Sunday

2) A Soup--Dump 1 jar of salsa with 4 cans black beans (rinsed and drained), plus 2 cans low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable stock into a crock pot. Cook on high for 4 hours, puree, then serve topped with shredded cheese (monterey jack is good) and a dollop of sour cream.

3) A Main Dish--Cut 2 lb. round steak into 5 or 6 portions; place in crock pot. Top with one sliced onion, 1 red pepper and 1 green pepper. Mix one can cream of mushroom soup with 1 c. salsa, 2 T. flour and 1 tsp. dry mustard; pour over top. Cook on low for 9 - 10 hours and voila...Swiss Steak! Serve with baked potatoes, and while you're scrubbing spuds, bake a few extra for tomorrow's dinner.

4) A Side Dish--Top leftover baked potatoes with leftover salsa, sour cream and cheddar. Serve with a salad.

5) A Condiment--Ever had salsa on grilled brats? Yum!

What do you make with salsa? Feel free to share your comments!

Soup on Sunday

2011-01-18T20:08:00.001-08:00

There's nothing better than soup on a snowy Sunday afternoon (excuse the alliteration) in January. Make a basic grilled cheese to go with it, and it's elevated to comfort food of the highest order.

My friend Becky served this soup at our book club get-together one night, and it quickly became one of my favorite soup recipes.

Roasted Fennel and Potato Soup
2 fennel bulbs, coarsely chopped
1 diced onion
2 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 leek (white and green parts), coarsely chopped
6 c. chicken stock
2 potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks
1 c. whipping cream
fresh chives, chopped

Toss fennel and onion in 1 T. oil and roast at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until tender. Set aside.
Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in large pan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 10 seconds. Add leek and saute for 5 minutes, until softened. Add stock, potatoes and roasted fennel mixture. Bring to simmer. Cover partially and simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat.
Puree with an immersion blender, then stir in cream. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chives.

I made a tasty soup of my own this month, too...it features only 4 ingredients (one of them is a jar of salsa) and a crock pot. Which got me thinking...how many recipes do I have that involve a jar of salsa? I can think of at least 3...so I guess that's a post for another day.

Scented Ornaments

2010-12-20T19:28:00.000-08:00

Here's a super-cheap and easy holiday craft for you and your kiddo to do. They smell awesome and make great embellishments to gift-wrapped packages. Or, you could just be selfish and hang them on your own tree like we did.

Scented Ornaments

Nap Rating = 1 nap the first day and 1 nap the second day (or, if your child is old enough, do this together!)

Tools & Materials

1 c. applesauce (not chunky)
1 c. cinnamon (Shop for this at a warehouse store, bulk food store, or Middle Eastern market because it's so much cheaper. I bought my cinnamon at Mr. Bulky's and it was only $2.00)
2 T. cloves
1 T. nutmeg
1 T. allspice
bowl
spoon
spatula
cookie sheet
waxed paper
cookie cutters (simple shapes like stars or bells work well because the cut-outs shrink slightly as they dry...the details of more complex shapes might become distorted)
straw
glitter glue in colors of your choice (I used A La Mode glitter glue pens from Hampton Art, available from Jo-Ann Fabrics)
thin ribbon
scissors

Steps

Mix the applesauce and spices together in a bowl. Since different brands of applesauce may have different consistencies, this isn't an exact science. Just make sure the "dough" is moist enough to hold together when you form it into a ball, but not so wet that it leaves your hands completely gooey.
Put the dough between two sheets of waxed paper and roll out to about a 1/4-inch thickness.
Cut out shapes using seasonal cookie cutters and transfer them to a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. You may need to use a spatula to carefully lift them.
Keep repeating this process until you've used all the dough.
Using a straw, poke holes in the top of each shape, being careful not to get too close to the edge or it won't be strong enough to hold a ribbon or hook.
Allow the ornaments to completely dry for at least 4 days.
Using glitter glue pens, decorate the ornaments as you like.
Cut lengths of ribbon and loop through the holes you cut. Tie the ends.