Door Stops and Doll Heads!

My mother came to my house last week. Can I tell you how much I love my mother? I told her this trip, that no matter how old I get - when she dies - I will feel like an orphan. She is simply amazing. I think it might have to do with growing up in the 40's and 50's. There is simply nothing she can't do - even if that is a double negative!



This trip we labeled: Operation Bedroom Curtains! She came with a purpose - and as my dad says "I was cracking the whip". He calls it "Cracking the Whip" I call it bribing with chocolate, movies and dinner. I keep a steady stream of sweets in the house and it keeps her sewing machine moving! This is a picture of my bedroom prior to the new curtains.



We had a plan for what we wanted them to look like - but after we took a little shopping adventure to look for finials we knew our budget had different plans. We needed 28 "Finials" and they were running about 15 dollars for 2. That would be $210 - and that wasn't happening. We decided to put our thinking caps on and head to Home Depot for some improvisation!



We literally went up and down every isle. Could this plumbing fixture be used to hang a curtain? Could this rubber chair bottom boot be used to make a finial? In the end we settled on these door stoppers. They ran $1.50 each and we knew that after one stop at Michael's craft store we would have the complete package.



We bought a bag of 12 wooden "Doll Heads" for the finial part. The "Doll Heads" were $3.00 for 12 - which brought our total to $51.00 for all 28 finials! My hubby drilled the "Doll Heads" to fit snuggly on the door stops. Score! A quick coat of black paint and we were good as gold!



Here is the finished product. You can see we hung the first curtain and the next curtain is ready to be hung on the hooks.



Walla - Finshed bedroom!



Walla - Finished sitting room!



I love you mom! Thank you for spending your time with me! (I'm putting the whip away - till next time!)

April Showers Bring May Flowers!

It is that time of year again when calendars are crammed full of sports, yard projects, field trips and homework. You find yourself looking for the light at the end of the school tunnel. You know if we as parents feel that - our kids' teachers must REALLY feel it! Every year during Teacher Appreciation week our PTF throws a luncheon to honor our teachers. My sweet little friends, Jennifer and Amanda, were in charge of the luncheon this year, and the teachers loved it. The theme was "April Showers Bring May Flowers". Look at how adorable the centerpieces turned out. She just went to our local gardening store and bought a box-o-flowers.



Around each box she had crushed Oreos for dirt, placed dehydrated mushrooms in the "dirt" as well as gardening tools, gummi worms, plastic toy frogs and snakes. Macadamia nuts made perfect "stones" for the perfect garden centerpiece.



At each place setting was a flowered fly swatter. Jennifer told me she had found them at the Dollar Store just the day before. You couldn't FIND those if you were trying - they were the icing on the cake!



The drink and dessert table had adorable umbrellas and two beautiful flower arrangements to set the mood.



The meal was a huge salad bar. They got great feedback from the teachers and parents. The teachers loved it because we're all trying to fit in the bathing suits in our drawers and the parents loved it because all the volunteers got such easy assigments. One brought in onions, one brought in cucumbers, One brought in bacon.....Easy!



After every dish was done - we all agreed that this menu might have to be repeated! Thanks Jennifer and Amanda for letting me blog about your beautiful luncheon! You two always do everything first class!

Apples and Peanut Butter!

So I have to give my friend Jill credit for this one. I was working on a project after school with her and her son came in eating an apple just like the one above. I asked her what she had done, and she said she had just cored the apple and filled it with Peanut Butter. Why didn't I think of that? The next day I made them for my girl's lunch - What a hit!!!!

Rice Crispy Treats - as big as their Face!

My daughter, Jensen, is involved with a group of girls from our church. The group calls themselves the Faithgirlz. I am very excited Jensen is learning how to better cope with friendships, parents and her own emotions through this group. I wish I was given these instructions when I was her age. I still have days, with my friends, that I have to scratch my head and wonder "What just happened there?" I don't think life gets any easier - so filling her proverbial tool bag with helpful solutions can only help Jensen on her journey of life. Last month I volunteered to bring the treat. I knew I had to do two things: Make something tasty and make it as big as their face. Even a bad treat - when made big- seems like the greatest thing! I made three pans. Each pan was a 9 by 13 and I cut them into 6 pieces each. Those are some big treats!



Another "No Fail" idea - which I learned from Big Red Kitchen's Robin Sue, is package it pretty. Even simple treats, when packaged appropriately, seem like a delicacy! Robin Sue introduced me to the wax paper "Pouch" and I have used them ever since. I used my Avery Business card templet to make the tags to staple onto the bags. Just ran them off on regular paper to save money.



What treat do you like to make for your kids clubs?

Bobi's Bits: See the Sea Shells!

Yesterday "Alice and the Mock Turtle" did a blog on her beautiful apothecary jars. Run over and check her collection out and then come right back. Wasn't that cute - so festive for Easter. It reminded me of my favorite thing at my mom's house and I wanted to share it with you.



My parents live in Florida and years ago my mom started her Sea Shell collections. After a while she just had a big box of shells and she didn't really know what to do with them. She decided to sort them according to type and put each different shell in a different jar. It has turned into a beautiful display in a nook of her home.



Each jar has it's own story. Some are wrapped with decorative wire with beautiful beads on them.



Some are guarded by the ghosts of sea animals past.



Some jars used to scream"Pimientos" and "Minced Garlic" - and now, with the touch of a paint brush, they just whisper "Look at my beautiful gifts from God".



Some jars have old thrift store jewelry as a "necklace" around their openings, but all have their name tags proudly displayed for all to see.



Just as "Alice and the Mock Turtle" used thrift store containers to give her home some spice - My mom used these jars, usually thrown away without a second thought, to highlight her collection of shells.

Try looking at your trash a little differently today!

Tip of the Day - How to Organize Schoolwork!

Let's see - My daughter is in 5th grade this year and I finally figured out the perfect way to organize her completed school work - DON"T! Year after year I would try to come up with an organizational system to "file" away their completed homework when they brought it home from school. I had files - Artwork, Teacher info, Math, Spelling....you get the picture.
My system was too complex and too time consuming. Since I never had time to "file" - homework would just build up on the counter till I couldn't stand it anymore. Not this year. I decided to implement the "Big Bin" approach.



I told my girls that whenever they had completed homework, art work, or misc. papers - I did NOT want to see it! (Ok - I did want to see them - but I didn't want to be responsible for them!) They were old enough to just come home and plop it into their own bins. This system has worked beautifully! No clutter on the counters (ok - no Homework clutter on the counters) and whenever we need to find additional info on a homework assignment we know right where to go! My only disappointment is that it has taken me 6 years to figure this out!

At the end of the school year - I will go through and sort their papers. I will keep about 10 percent of what you see. I will make a little accordion folder for that year, label it on the outside and stick it in their closets. They can throw it away when they get older but I will feel like I did my job as a mother to keep those special papers!

How do you organize your children's paperwork?

Mema's Potato Cheese Soup!

My sweet little friend Cary gave me a recipe book for a hostess gift at my Christmas Cookie Exchange and I have been loving it! It is the Kitchen Cornerstone by Purcellville Baptist Church and every recipe I have made is wonderful! This recipe for Mema's Potato Cheese Soup was sent in by Jane and it is no exception!

Mema's Potato Cheese Soup
4 potatoes, cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup butter
4 cups water
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese
4 oz Velveeta cheese
1 cup diced ham (optional)
2 cups heavy cream

Saute onions and garlic in butter; add water and potatoes; cook until tender, mash potatoes with masher or hand held blender, but leave slightly chunky. Turn heat down very low; add ham, sharp cheese and Velveeta cheese. Cover and cook until cheese is melted. When it is good and hot - do not boil- add cream and stir thoroughly. DO NOT BOIL as it can cause curdling of cheeses and milk. Garnish with cheddar cheese. Excellent served with rolls. My kids love popcorn on top - sort of like croutons - but more fun!



One of my girl's teachers at school was going in for surgery and they asked the parents if they could make some meals, freeze them, and bring them in for her to take home to eat during her recovery. This soup was the perfect recipe. I also made some chili mac and a great recipe for White Chicken Chili - which I will post on Friday!



I like to put all the soup in the same containers. Put in fridge to cool - then move to freezer. I unscrew top - but leave sitting on top while it becomes frozen. This will stop the container from breaking. Once frozen screw on top and attach recipe. I like to put the recipe in a ziplock bag (Pictured below) and attach it to each container with a rubber band (Shown above). If a person likes the dish - they can duplicate it!



Giving Warms the Heart! What dishes do you make to give away?

The Great Grape Debate!

Let me set up the scenario: Mom packs pretty healthy school lunch, adds a few little treats. Upon returning home, child has eaten entire lunch except the healthy part of meal! This drives me crazy! I can't tell you the number of times my kids come home with the fruit cup, apple sauce cup or bag of grapes left over from their lunch. My solution for the fruit cups is as follows: 1. Explain to child they need to eat the healthy part of the lunch first. 2. Explain money doesn't grow on trees and 3. Put fruit cup back in lunch box for tomorrow - with a "Healthy" warning about what will happen if they don't eat it the next day. My solution for the grapes is a little different. For some reason my kids think frozen grapes are the next best thing to a slushy at 7-11. If my kids comes home with their bag of grapes - which, by this time look a little worse for wear since they have been roaming around a lunch box all day - I throw them in the freezer - (the grapes that is.)



When snack time comes around after school the next day - they think they have died and gone to heaven - as I pull out the baggies of frozen grapes! No waste in this house...and besides how can you be mad at a face like this?

Cheating: My friend made me do it!

I have had this "Cheater Tip" in my back pocket for quite some time. I did not know how I was ever going to write about it though. My sweet little friend Robin Sue over at Big Red Kitchen, has opened the door for me this week with her series on "Cheating"! I have loved her post and her honesty. I, for one, love a good short cut- and if it doesn't short cut on taste -all the better. Run over and check her posts -- I'll wait.
Here is how this one came about. One Easter I had my friend Sarah and her family over. She said she would bring a potato dish - so of course I said great! She brought the most delicious potatoes EVER. When the meal was over her recipe was the one all the ladies wanted. She was horrified! She told us it was a family secret and did not know if she could share it with us. After much pleading- and snickering - she gave it up!
You guessed it - FAKE potatoes! She took 2 packages of Idahoan Baby Reds and one 8 oz package cream cheese. Make potatoes according to package. When complete, stir in 8 oz cream cheese and chives if desired.
Don't forget to hide the packages the potatoes came in deep in the bottom of the trash can. Trust me - No one will ever know! These have been a staple in my pantry ever since. Hope your family enjoys them as much as my family does.

Perfect Product: Corn Huskers Lotion

I have to admit - I would have NEVER bought this product had my pharmacist friend, Michelle, not recommended it to me! It basically looks like bottled snot and feels just like that as well.
My oldest, Logan, has the sweetest little hands on the face of the planet. She calls them "Snausages" and thanks her father for them. Her hands are identical to her daddies - including how chapped they get in the winter. At times, it looks like she has been dragging her hands across the blacktop at recess. Her knuckles get bright red and hurt her. When I asked Michelle if she had any "Wonder Potion" she could recommend - she said "As a matter of fact I do"!



She told me her family swears by Corn Huskers Lotion and it has been around FOREVER. My little local pharmacy, which I LOVE, had it on the shelves and I bought 2 bottles. Within days, her hands were not hurting her anymore and within a week all the red was gone. Thanks Michelle - and thanks Johnson and Johnson for making a PERFECT PRODUCT!



This is my sweet little friend Michelle and myself on New Years! I highly recommend having a pharmacist friend - they know everything - so you don't have too!

When a good sandwich goes bad!

I saw these a few months ago as "Coming Soon" - and now they're here! The perfect zippy bag for adults combating work related lunch stealing and a conversation starter for your kids at the lunch table. What kid wouldn't want to show his friends at school what he or she HAS to eat for lunch. I can just picture my little Jensie taking bets from the boys as to whether or not she would eat her sandwich! She is so bad - and I mean that in the best possible way!



Check out the website HERE and gross out co-workers and classmates alike!



Just one more way to spoil your kids rotten!

Perfect Pancake Portion!

This entire week my youngest, Jensen, has been asking to make pancakes for breakfast. She doesn't love just any pancakes -she loves those little pancakes that are just the perfect size for dipping. In the past I have always used a measuring cup or a ladle to pour the pancake batter; however, it never fails to create a huge mess and pancakes of various sizes (mostly big ones because I can't control my pouring). I decided to try to find, among my 1073 kitchen gadgets, a perfect "Pitcher" to portion out my pancakes - and I DID! I opened up my silverware drawer and spotted these little spoons I got at IKEA for Noodle soup.
It worked great! Each pancake was just the size she wanted and the mess was kept to a minimum!



After completing the first couple of batches - I even let Jensen spoon the mixture onto the pans. So simple even a child can do it!



These were some of the finished "Dippers"! For another twist on pancakes - Try making your pancakes with Jiffy Corn Meal muffin mix. The recipe is on each box and they are so sweet - the kids will love them! Our other favorite pancake recipe comes from Big Red Kitchen. Check out how Robin Sue makes her pancakes HERE!

When the host tells you not to bring a thing!

With the party season behind us, it might be a little late for this tip but I thought it was worth the mention. I am the proud owner of these two carafes you see in the picture above. If you entertain at all you know how helpful these can be. I can boil my water for tea and make my coffee well ahead of when my guests arrive. I lend these out throughout the year for teachers functions, dinner parties and for anything else where they might be helpful. Lately, I have even been bringing these to dinner parties. Let me explain. You know, when you get that invitation and the host tells you not to bring a thing? I sometimes offer "The Coffee Bar". Usually the answer is an excited YES! It is always such an afterthought when I entertain - sometimes I even forget to make the coffee until I'm in a rush while another guest is serving the dessert.
When I bring these to a get-together I fill one with boiling water for tea and the other with a coffee selection. Do you like my little "Tea Tote"? I picked that clear tea case up at the Container Store for 14 dollars. It's a great way to transport a nice selection.



My mom finds many occasions to use her carafe as well. Something neat she does with hers is to convert those magnets you get in the mail to coffee labels. She just puts a name tag sticker over the magnet and it instantly becomes your carafe "Name tag". Wouldn't it be cute to put "Hello - my name is Joe" on this tall dark and handsome "Man".



Don't forget to bring some fun creamers and cute little sugar cubes. The host is always thankful and it adds a little panache to an often overlooked item.

What is the strangest thing you have ever offered to bring to a party?

Halloween is over...or is it?

This is the time to run right out and buy the left over Halloween decorations at a great price. If you are having guests for Thanksgiving many of the orange decorations will fit right into your theme. Plus the candies that are wrapped in fall colors are perfect for the dishes you set on your end tables during the Thanksgiving Holiday. My mom took advantage of the sales. She has a November Birthday party coming up for a neighbor and those cute little orange, silver, and black pails found in the dollar section of Target were reduced to a quarter a piece and they make perfect nut cups or candy favors. As you check out the Halloween items you will find lots of goodies that will enhance your Thanksgiving table so make haste.