Homemade Milk Glass - Genius!!!!

Okay, I am LOVING this idea from a little of this, a little of that. I am SO going to try this!

Here is the plain 'ol vase. It's cute, but a little something extra would be good....

Here's the after. All you have to do is swirl around a little WATER/PAINT slurry and voila!

Gorgeous and affordable! Yes please!

How cool is this?!?

Okay, one more thing... HOW COOL ARE THESE THINGS??!

I found it on the HonestlyWTF blog.... which is being added to my list of "fashion" blogs soon...

sooooo cool looking!

This one reminds me of a cool shoe! Take a look at the other ones too HERE.

The Crackle Paint Trick

Hello all! So I've discovered the most amazing thing! I've been contemplating crackle painting for a while and this morning I discovered the most ingenious(and cheap!) way to do it! On the That's so Cuegly blog, she has a fabulous tutorial to make these fabulous candle sticks all crackly with just Elmer's glue, spray paint, and regular ceramic paint. LOVE. IT.

She started with some regular wooden candle sticks found on clearance at Wal-Mart, spray painted them, and let them dry. Next she brushed on a ton of elmer's glue then painted on the black....

Here's the crackling just starting to happen.

Next she made this ADORABLE Zebra candles out of these cheap-O regular white ones. Sooo clever!

Here is the finished product for both items. Get her TUTORIAL here.

I've got the perfect thing to try this method out on. Wish me luck!

Jell-O

Okay, so I know this is so 1950's but if you know me, you know I'm absolutely in Love with my Jell-O products. This inspired me today...

Does this not look absolutely scrumptious??!

Get the recipe HERE.

Future inspiration for myself

Down the road I'm looking into getting better connected with my sewing machine.... here are some items of inspiration for me...

I'm so in love with these ideas!!!

Oh my goodness. I NEED this!

I think this is the best idea for "grandma" shirts!

I just can't get enough of this! With a little more length it'd be perfect!

Isn't this so Vogue?!?!

I love this! I can't get over the fact that it used to be a plain old long sleeve shirt!!!!

This is my all time love. #1 she looks like an elf. #2 it's my favorite color combo!!!

The ruffles on this are fabulous. She even did the Embroidery on her machine!

LOVE this cardigan. Yes, it's a cardigan. The buttons are below the strip of "leaves".

This is genius for the button-strip. So chic!

The ruching on this is amazing!!! Learn how to do it too HERE.

This is how to take in items that are too big. So simple! Just follow the link to Grosgrain Here

I am so in love with this, I'm literally at a loss for words. Grosgrain

Love this idea for taking in huge sweaters. Look how she's reused the ruffles!

This is by far, my favorite one!!!! This girl's got major talent!!!

Don't you love the colors??!!! Her idea about the flower is fabulous!

If only she sold what she made.... I would buy one of these in a heartbeat!!!!

LOVE this.

Inspiration

I am completely in love with these ideas....

St. Patty's Day

In my carousing of multiple (ok a ton) of blogs, I've been inspired to make my hunny a fun St. Patty's Day meal. I want to go all out, but have had a few things holding me back.

1. The last time I "went all out", I was planning on feeding about 8 grown men. Lucky for me, they all had last minute plans and it ended up being just Jonny and me. LAME!

2. My inner child tends to come out to play whenever I get myself into these moods. To me it's not a bad thing necessarily, but for any other rationally-thinking adult it might be a bit much. I love to make green foods and decorate all festive around the dining area. Jon thinks it's "unnecessary"....well hunny, I do it for you so ENJOY! xoxox

For my dinner menu, I'm thinking something along the lines of the following:

Irish Aebleskivers

I love Aebleskivers. My Dad grew up loving to make them and only recently got back in touch with those "roots" by finding his mom's (my grandmother's) Aebleskiver pan. It's so exciting! These remind me of him so they're going on my list!

Irish Aebleskiver
(adapted from a collection of recipes in Rosemalers’ Recipes, 1987.)

 - 1 cup sugar
 - 2 eggs, beaten
 - 1/2 cup butter, melted
 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
 - 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
 - 1/2 cup milk
 - 1/2 cup beer
 - sauerkraut, drained and chopped
 - corned beef, chopped fine
 - swiss cheese, grated
 - 1/4 c chopped onion (opt)


*Thousand Island dressing or some Russian dressing to dip

Combine sugar and eggs and beat well with whisk. Add cooled butter to mixture and whisk again to blend. Sift dry ingredients and add alternately with milk and beer. Heat aebleskiver pan. When pan is hot, put a teaspoon or so of canola oil in each well. Spoon enough dough into each section to read 3/4 way to the top. Sprinkle each one with cheese, meat and sauerkraut. Cook and turn with a chopstick when golden brown on the bottom. When aebleskiver is golden all the way around, remove from pan. Try to let it cool a minute or two before eating. The cheese inside gets pretty hot. Makes 3 to 4 dozen (Depending on the size of the wells in your aebleskiver pan.)


Next I think I'll make Colcannon. This is said to have been the staple for most Irish since the beginning.

Colcannon

From Recipe4Living

• 6 medium potatoes; peeled and quartered
• 4 c cabbage; shredded
• 1 c green onions; chopped
• 1/4 c butter
• 1/2 - 3/4 c milk
• 1 Tbs parsley; snipped
• Salt and Pepper; to taste

Cook the potatoes in salted water until tender; drain them. Meanwhile, cook the cabbage for about 15 mins and drain. Simmer the chopped onions in milk for about 10 mins. Mash the potatoes with an electric mixer(or whatever you've got), and slowly beat in the butter and as much milk as needed to make them fluffy and creamy. Add salt and pepper, then stir in the cabbage. Top it off with the snipped parsley. Serve with additional butter or gravy.

***I think this might even be good with sauteed apples and sauerkraut, and even some chopped bacon!

For the main course, I'm thinking Fish. We'll have a lot of starchiness with the other 2 dishes and this will balance it out nicely.

Irish Crusted Fish

From Helen Brummer - Recipe4Living

• 4 fish fillets; Tilapia might be good
• 1/2 c breadcrumbs; unseasoned
• 2 Tbs butter or margarine; melted
• 2 Tbs fresh parsley
• 2 tsp spicy brown mustard
• 2 tsp spring onions; minced
• 6oz cheddar cheese; shredded
• 1 c heavy cream

Preheat your oven to 375. Butter or spray a casserole dish and place fish in it. In a bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, butter, parsley, mustard, and onions. Add the cheese and mix well. Place this mixture on the fish, making a crust, and pat it down. Pour the cream over all and bake until the fish flakes and the top is bubbly brown.

**If your fish is flaking but the top isn't brown yet, just pull out of the oven and turn on your broiler. Wait until it's up to temp and pop the fish back in. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn. Voila!


For one more side dish, I'm thinking Brussels Sprouts. They're just so yummy!!(with vinegar of course)

Braised Brussels Sprouts

From Me!

• 1 pkg frozen Brussels sprouts
• 1/2 c butter
• 3-4 rashers bacon
• 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp salt
• Black pepper; to taste
• 2-3 Tbs cider vinegar, plus more to taste
• 1/4 c onion; diced

Fill a saucepan 1/2 way with water, put in 1 tsp salt and empty pkg of sprouts into it. Bring water to a boil and cook for about 8 mins. Drain and halve; set aside.
In a skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Drain most of the fat from the pan, but leave about 2 tsp in the bottom. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add in the halved sprouts and mix well. Add the 1/2 c butter, 1/2 tsp salt, pepper, and vinegar. Serve immediately.

Last but certainly not least, the dessert of all desserts. Irish Trifle Parfaits!!! Oh my goodness, I am probably the most die-hard Irish Creme fanatic you've ever met. I've loved it since my first taste of Stephen's Hot Chocolate in that flavor....basically my friends, a match made in Heaven!!!

Irish Trifle Parfaits

Courtesy of CupcakeLady (Hoosier Homemade)

• 1 (4 oz) pkg of Instant Vanilla Pudding + 3-4 drops of green food color
• 1 (4 oz) pkg of Instant Chocolate Pudding
• 10 mini chocolate cupcakes or 1 chocolate cake, baked
• 1 bottle Irish Cream Coffee Creamer
• 1 bag of Andes Mint Chips (in the baking aisle)
• 1 tub of Whipped Topping

Begin by baking mini chocolate cupcakes or 1 large chocolate cake. After they are baked and cooled, place them on a cookie sheet and poke them with a fork. Pour a small amount of the Irish Creamer over them. Place them in the fridge to chill, about 30 minutes. While the cupcakes/cake are in the fridge, mix the puddings. I just added a few drops of green food color to the Vanilla Pudding. Mix the chocolate as directed on the box.

To Assemble:

Place about 2 teaspoons of Vanilla/Green Pudding in bottom of tall dessert glass. Next, cut the cupcakes into small pieces and add on top. The next layer is about 2 teaspoons of chocolate pudding, then add 2 teaspoons of whipped topping and a sprinkle of the Andes Mint Chips. Repeat the layers, then on top put a dollop of whipped topping and a sprinkle of Andes Mints for decoration.
Place in fridge to chill and set, at least 30 minutes.


Well, wish me luck(luck of the Irish, that is) because I'm gonna be a cooking fiend tomorrow! Decked out in green of course!

What's New!

Hey all!

I know it's been a while, but I've been busy!!! Work has had me pulling 14-15 hour days and my brain has had me seriously rethinking my priorities!! Because of all this, I've had the time to come to 2 conclusions about acquiring some seriously-needed hobbies for my self. These are:

1. My house SERIOUSLY needs more decor when it's not Fall or Christmas and that's where my interests currently lie.


2. If I want these cute things, I want to CREATE what I want!

So, if I want to do this stuff I figured I'd better get an idea of where to even start! I have a cute neighbor who I've seen spray painting and crafting things in her front yard (see "My Recycled House blog in my list) and I was curious about how hard that type of thing was. So I've been researching and learning and have made a few "things" to start out with and I have to say that I'm REALLY happy with the results so far!! I L-O-V-E making things!!!


First off, I saw on multiple blogs these people who go yard-saleing (yes, I know that's so not a real word) and junking and find these amazing treasures. However, they don't stop there!!! They then take the said treasures, and make something so fantastic, it makes your heart stop and you brain scream "OF COURSE!! WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT!?!?" Haha! This is where I've started.....

THE FRUIT BOWL

This was once all 1 piece; a 12" candlestick. However, I sawed it in 1/2 and used it as the base to my "Fruit" bowl stand.

This would be the 1970's-era bowl I discovered at Goodwill one day. It was all cracked and gross.

A few coats of spray paint later....and Voila!!!

I love it so much!!! This lamp is also a find I re-purposed. It cost me $2.17 at the Last Chance Mercantile up in Marina. I got the lamp shade on closeout at Target for $9 and there we go! Super cute new lamp!

Okay, so after I braved making the fruit bowl, I did the lamp (shown above) which was suuuuuper easy. I'm keeping an eye out for more!! I then proceeded with my next attempt....

DECORATIVE DISH

This is the base I found at Goodwill one day. I think it was the stand of a Glass-Topped Hurricane vase or something before I found it. There was no top, just this 5 lb(I'm completely serious, it weighs a ton!) base.

This is the Jell-O mold I also discovered at Goodwill. It's a well-used tarnished, yucky silver right now...

...Then I glued the two together and it the fit was a match made in heaven!!! I added some primer and a little spray paint and.....

VOILA! My cute little dish! I love the accent it adds to my decorative corner. I'm thinking about adding something into the top of it. Like some cute little stick-balls or something. We'll see.

Isn't it fun?!?

Just a little something extra I found at a Goodwill stop one day. This used to be a super tarnished, silvery-green color. But I added my favorite spray paint and it was the perfect table-topper!

I have tons more projects on the way, so be patient with me and I'll have plenty to show!!!

XOXOXOX