This one is for my Sister!

So my favorite posts by my beautiful sister are her What I Wore Wednesday posts where she showcase's her style!  Jule's this one is for you!

 Like it?  Free T-shirt from Cloud 9 Retreat & BGSU sweats from Delphos Thirft $1

I'm laughing at myself just posting this ~ hope you get a kick out of it too!  This is my running on the treadmill outfit (my children forbid me to wear this in public).  Plus my mid-week no make-up, no contacts, no hairstyle look - the 'working mom'.

Here was my Easter Sunday outfit

 

 Dress from JCP  $16 (gift card) ~ Lia Sophia Necklace ebay $5

I have a really hard time getting a good pic.

Boots from Sears ~ $22

GQ Hubby in the House!

I beg my husband to let me dress him, and alas he never seems to like what I throw together.  He's what I call a 'skateboard cowboy'.  He loves his skate shoes, Levi's, graphic t's and/or button down western tops.  When we first started dating he was in a rock band and wore t's and baggy jeans all the time.  He's slowly transitioned into more fitted jeans, dressier skate shoes and some button downs.

 Here he is with my nephew Caleb a few years ago - Tshirt & Jeans.

 At our church's Film Festival - Tshirt & Jeans

At Culver's - Tshirt and jeans.

 I really wanted him to put on bow tie but he wouldn't.....

 I think we need to get him some frames of his own! 

Full body - no shoes ;-(  and I would have put him in darker jeans but alas - how cute is he after I styled him?!

What I Wore (after I got home from work) Wednesday

My sister from Freckles & Fun always has the BESTEST Wednesday posts titled 'What I wore Wednesday'.  You should go check out today's post and the adorable purple shoes ~ I ♥ them (just wish we wore the same size).

She has inspired me!  Here is what I wore (when I got home from work) Wednesday.

 Black Pleather Hair Flower ~ from this tutorial - I made

 Check out the Jacket!!  I picked it up today at Goodwill for $3.29

 A.N.A. Jeans from JCP - gift carded them.  They remind me of Silver Jeans (I ♥ Silvers but alas refuse to pay the price tag.)  My awesome friend Krista scored a pair on clearance and rocked them at church on Sunday ~ I was a wee bit excited for her, just a wee bit...

Dana Buchman suede leather shooties ~ I ♥ them! Sale 22.99

 Necklace from Kohls - Clearance for $2.19

 So I think this is why this cute jacket was at Goodwill ~ missing button.

Perfect for me since the waist wasn't fitted enough and needed some altering!  I took off the 1 button it did have, moved it to the middle, stitched it up and buttoned both tabs over it!  With a little thread I got a fitted jacket with pleats in the back!

Back Stage Pass!!

You will probably laugh at me but I got the biggest high today at Goodwill!  

There was this desk stuffed way back behind all this other furniture.  I've been looking for a desk to re-do for my girls rooms (since I need to steal the last one I got at Goodwill for a sewing table).  This desk had no price tag so I ended up talking to the Manager who sold it to me for $14.99.  Solid wood ~ dovetail construction ~ adorable little feet & paintable pulls - YES!

Then he says 'would you like to come in the back and see our other furniture I haven't put out yet'?  HELLO - OMGoodness YES!!  Backstage pass at Goodwill = JACKPOT!!  They had a pair of really cute wing back orange chairs for $19.99 (but since I'm not skilled at re-upholstery... yet... I passed on those).  

I did find a great side table for our family room - solid wood - dovetail construction - cute feet - great lines - $5.99! 

Just image these ladies painted up with some cute hardware & maybe some decoupage on some drawers and/or tops!  Good thing its a holiday weekend!

Evolution of a shirt... into a necklace??!!

So there is this blog that I love to check out... For sometime I've been wanting to try their shirt to necklace makeover.  I came across the perfect shirt at a Thrift Store for $1.

I followed THIS simple tutorial (it took me literally 15 min start to finish).

 CHECK-IT-OUT!

Super Cute - Super Easy 

(Plus no metal touching my skin!  I'm hyper sensitive to ALL metal's ~ even wearing jeans breaks me out some days.)  

This is a great way to re-use a shirt that maybe got stained or has a hole in it!  Could also make a great gift for someone with nickel allergies too!!

PLUS CHECK OUT my weekend bargains!!  

Shopped a Kohl's Clearance with Mom's 30% off Coupon!

 ELLE Cardigan - Regular 49.99 ~ I paid 7.00!

 Candies High Heeled Beauties!!  Regular $59.99 ~ I paid 12.49!

I LOVE heels, Love LoVe LOVE them!  They turn my 5'4" into 5'8" 

(and save me oodles of time hemming all my pants!)

Super cute work shoes for this summer & make my feet very happy!!!

Welcome Home Wednesday... Hair & Hare

Today is all about Hare/Hair... 

Spring is here - check out the babies in our backyard. They all survived a graze by the mower, Momma Bunny dug her hole nice and deep.  We couldn't decide if there were 5 or 6 of them... Don't worry we didn't disturb them (other than maybe the flash of the camera)

 The bunny lover in me wants to let them live but the gardener in me wants to let our dog run loose...

Now onto the really important Hair ;-)  I am in dire need of cut/color/highlights!  Its been since December since I've done anything (bad I know!)  What should I do?  I dug up some pics to see if maybe it would sway me one way or another...

This is from a couple weekends ago... Long, slightly curled, medium brown.

LOL - not sure what I was thinking... Long & Straight and dark blond

This is the SHORTEST I have ever had my hair & its really blond!

           Longer, Light Blond, slightly curled with bangs (check out my adorable nephew!!)

Medium Length - dark with highlights

Long and dark (I wish the darkness would stick but it won't ~ always lightens in a week)

NOW - what do I do?  

I'm not sure.. 

I'm super lazy Mon thru Fri its in a knotted pony tail ~ weekends I try to make it look cute ;-)

What do you think?

-Short or Long or Medium

-Darker or Lighter

Weekend Madness!

This weekend was crazy busy!  

Saturday I walked over to a neighbors garage sale ~ look what I found!!

 3 mirrors (Big Gold one $1, Tall wood one $1, Square wood one $.75, Picture Frame $.50)

 Adorable Elephant Magazine Holder $1. (He is on the paint & Modge Podge List!)

 This awesome solid wood end table (its big!) for $5. (This is also on my paint & Modge Podge List).

 Here is the after of the mirror above.  (I primed one coat with kilz primer & then 2 coats of white gloss from Rustoleum) I just love the details on this one!

Stay tuned for more makeovers! 

I have a pink dresser in progress plus lots of sewing projects ;-)

ALL THAT PLUS...

I made Aprils Awesome Freezer Pizza Crust &  Symphony Bar Brownies

Baked 80 choc chip cookies for kids activities this week 

(they're in the freezer so I can pull them out when its time) 

 

And this awesome Lasagna ~ its SO yummy!!

 

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for pan
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can stewed tomatoes, chopped
1 (8-ounce) jar tomato sauce
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 (8-ounce) box no-boil lasagna noodles
2 large eggs
1 cups cottage cheese

1 cup Ricotta Cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoons dried chopped parsley leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 (8-ounce) bag shredded mozzarella
1 (8-ounce) bag shredded Cheddar
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish.
In a large saute pan, over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil and saute meat, onion, and garlic until meat is browned, breaking up
meat with a wooden spoon. Drain pan of fat and add stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Cover and simmer for 15
minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, then mix in cottage cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper, and seasoning salt.
Spread a little of the meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan. Lay half the noodles in the bottom of the baking dish, overlapping by
1/2-inch. Spread half the egg and cottage cheese mixture evenly on top. Sprinkle half the mozzarella and Cheddar evenly over the
cottage cheese mixture. Pour half the meat sauce on top. Repeat layering in same order. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan on top.
Bake in center of oven 30 to 35 minutes until sauce is bubbling around the edges. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

I have discovered.... Modge Podge!!

I am pondering 'why' I never tried Modge Podge before?  Where has this gem been all my life?  It's so simple and so amazing!  Before our bedroom side table that I thrifted from Goodwill for $2.99.

Then this week after I discovered Modge Podge & Scrapbook paper together are AMAzing!

I also discovered what I can use that range hood in my kitchen for!  It makes an awesome heat setter for Modge Podge ~ I could have let it air dry but why when I finally found a purpose for the heat setting of the fan?

Next up?  Can you guess what I'm going to try to do with this?

Stay tuned this weekend for the 'after'! I've got a busy weekend planned:

1. Its my cook like a crazy person with my girls and stock the freezer weekend - stay tuned for favorite recipes.

2.Visit my neighbors garage sale for fun makeover finds.

3. Work on a Dresser make-over, petal tank, 2 pillow covers, baby blanket, ect...

Its all on my 'list' but some items will get 'bumped' in favor of cuddle time & board games with the family ;-)

Thrifted Thursday

 Today I had a couple fabulous finds at a local thrift store 

(TOTAL $1.87)!  

First 4 brand new zippers for only $.19 each!  I have a couple pillow slip covers in the works and these will be a perfect fit!

Then I found this gem wedged between 2 shelves on the bottom shelf behind a pile of pans.  There was no price tag and honestly I didn't want to pay more than $2 for it (since I'm not generally a stone fan).  I asked the cashier 'How much?' she replied '$.99' ;-)  YIPPEE!  

It's from Home and Garden Party Stoneware Collection & its already worn in.

 Here is what I'll be baking on it this weekend!  This is a recipe I whip up at least once a month because it is by far the best pizza crust I have had!  Plus I can pull one out of the freezer and top it in minutes.  We love it with garlic butter and mozzarella cheese for a pasta night side dish too!

April's AWESOME Freezer Pizza Crust Recipe

(This recipe makes 4 - 12" crusts)

1 1/2 Cups Very Warm Water ("like a hot shower")
4 tsp Sugar
3 tsp Yeast
4 Cups Flour
2 tsp Salt
5 tsp Oil (I used EVOO)

1.) Whisk the warm water, sugar & yeast together & let sit until it looks slightly foamy.
2.) Mix the flour, salt & oil together & combine with the yeast mixture to form the dough.
3.) Kneed pizza dough for 10 minutes until it becomes elastic. (I let it go in my mixer with bread attachment for about 5 min)
4.) Cover & set aside in a warm place to rise for 2 hours. It should double in size.
5.) After the dough rises preheat your oven & pizza stone to 400 degrees
6.) PUNCH the dough down & divide it into 4.
7.) Roll out your crust- carefully transfer it onto the preheated stone - smooth it out & lightly prick it several times with a fork to prevent bubbling.
8.) Bake each crust for 6-7 minutes which will slightly bake it.
9.) Cool the crusts on foil wrappers. Once they're cooled wrap them tightly in foil & place in your freezer.

When you later bake your topped pizza - Preheat your over & stone to 400 degrees & Bake for approx 8-10 minutes depending on your toppings.

You know what goes great with Pizza?  Brownies - especially these ones!

 

Symphony Bar Brownies

• 1Family Size (9x13) Brownie Mix
• 3 (7-ounce) Symphony candy bars with almonds and toffee chips

-Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions.

Line a 13 by 9-inch cake pan with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil cooking spray. Spoon in half of the brownie batter and smooth with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Place the candy bars side by side on top of the batter. Cover with the remaining batter.

-Bake according to package directions. 
-Let cool completely, then lift from the pan using the edges of the foil. This makes it easy to cut the brownies into squares.

 

Welcome Home Wednesday

Today welcome to our main bath!  

The before will scare you... 

The after hopefully elates you...

Before, checkout the flowery wallpaper, melamine tile walls, ugly light fixture & peeling vinyl floor.

 After!  I found the circle curtain and fell in love (I am obsessed with circle decor!) and color matched the teal.  When I first chose colors I was determined to have color everywhere (due to lack-of-color-renters-syndrome). 

It was like going to the public pool every day ~ AQUA ~ it was fun while it lasted....

Here is the now!  Updated the curtain, repainted all those tiny tiles (took me 8 hours each coat of paint!) I know the sink & counter are dated but honestly I really like it just the way it is!  I think it brings back happy childhood memories of my grandparents farm house bathroom.

 

We laid tile down (I love new flooring!)

New Shower Curtain!

Found this awesome HUGE clock at Big Lots for $20 plus 20% off Friends & Family Day Discount!

New Lighting from Lowe's (its tough to find bath lighting that hangs from the ceiling.)

Our window wasn't 'private' so I grabbed a can of 'window frosting' from Menard's, measured out some squares with painters tape and sprayed away. Note I did remove the tape before allowing it to dry. 

Vase from Pier One originally $30 I got it at Big Lots Close out for $3!  This is a great way to keep your girly accessories organized and brighten up a room!  I stuffed some dried floral arrangement in the vase and clip each hair flower to a different stem!  I'll post my how to make the flower at another time (super easy gift & fun craft for adults & kids!)