My Life In Cardboard Boxes

On November 1, 2013 after 9 and a half years of marriage my husband and I decided to get a divorce.  I moved out of our home and I feel like my whole life is now stuffed away inside cardboard boxes.  It has been really rough on me.  I haven't really felt creative or wanted to make things just trying to function and move on with my life.

More Beading FUN:)

Pinks Silver and Grey

Earrings

Re-Strung a Bracelet for a Friend

She gave me a bag of beads and asked me to restring her bracelet that broke.
It was one of those stretchy bracelets. I decided to use wire,so it will be a lot harder to break.

My First Ever Pandora Inspired Bracelet

I decided to go with silver and pinks.  I think it turned out adorable:)

Glass Beads, Rocks and vintage looking findings

Trying Out Mother of Pearl Coin Beads

Santa Earring I love the boots:)

Bracelets

Glass, Rocks, Copper Findings

Smoky Quartz Indian Saphire Gunmetal Findings

Turquoise Mosaic Stones, Vintage Looking Findings & Pretty Glass Beads

Frankenstein Earrings

1st Day of School Gift

Tag will say... "Have a Crazy Kool First Day of School!"

I made these to give to all the teachers and staff on the first day of school.  I found a Valentine's post here and modified it to make it be about the first day of school.  The tag will say "Have a Crazy Kool First Day of School!"

• A cute striped bag I found on ETSY
• A Crazy Straw
• A Packet of Kool-Aid

Sizzix Die Cuts I bought on Clearance

Slowly building up my diecut stash just got these on clearance.  I know I can use these on a lot of different projects.  The Penguin and Reindeer are from the sizzix dress ups collection along with the Santa Suit. I think the Frankenstein one is cute:)

Snowman Die Cut

He looks cute plain

I decided he needed a hat

I cut off his arms and flipped him over and added some brown arms and a piece of black paper for his smile

Flipped him back over and added a snowflake to his hat

I might add some eyes a carrot nose and some buttons or make a scarf for his neck... He already looks much cuter than the plain white snowman:) 

Adorable Wrapped Candy Halloween Party Favors

Sometimes I will buy pre-made kits on ETSY and assemble them. And other times I will make everything myself. I saw these Halloween Party Favor kits on ETSY and these cute Halloween Tags. They were reasonably priced so I bought both and assembled these with Hershey Miniatures. 

They were easy to assemble and make. I did a Google search and if I want to do these again I can make them myself. Here is what you will need to make these:

1. Hershey Miniatures
2. Pretzel Bags
3. Card Stock
4. Various Patterned Scrapbook Paper
5.  Ribbon
6. Scissors
7. Double Sided tape
8. Tag (optional)

• For the candy trays measure and cut your card stock 1-7/8" x 4-1/4" and score 1/4" in on each side. Crease the folds with a Bone Folder.
• For the miniature wrappers cut various patterned scrapbook paper cut them 1.25 inches wide by 3 inches tall. 
• Wrap the paper around the miniature candy bar and secure with a small piece of double sided tape. Place the wrapped candy in a pretzel bag. Each pretzel bag fits six candy bars tie a ribbon to the top and add a tag if you want. They look cute with or without a tag.

***You can also use Hershey Nuggets. (It would take 7 nuggets instead of 6 miniatures and to make nugget wrappers cut your paper into 1 x 3 ½ inch paper strips) Both ways are adorable!!!

Sizzix Pillow Box Die

Got a new Die today:)  I can already tell I will have fun making these!!!!  Cute packaging for my homemade jewelry and other small trinkets.

Hershey Nugget Turkeys

I seen these cute Turkey Die Cuts for sale on ETSY and decided to buy them.  I cut one inch strips of polka dot scrapbook paper to wrap the nuggets and attached the face to one side of the nugget and the tail to the other.  I first tried double sided tape but some of the pieces didn't hold too well so I used glue dots.

They make cute little token gifts for family, friends and coworkers:)

I think I am going to have to buy me a turkey die because I think they are so cute!!!!

Halloween Candy Bar Wrappers

I like to get an early start on all my Holiday Crafting!!!  Here is a Bat Candy Bar Holder I made.

I found the wrapper template from Skip to My Lou's Blog here and the circle tags here  cut them out with my scallop punch I used black card stock and cute stickers for the eyes from Jolees Boutique.  I think it turned out cute:)

My New Toy Sizzix Big Shot Machine

I was on Overstock.com and seen the Sizzix Big Shot Starter Kit for $99.00 with free shipping!  That was a really good deal that I couldn't pass up so I decided to buy one!!!!!

It comes with:

1. Big Shot
2. Standard cutting pads
3. Adjustable Extended Multipurpose Platform
4. One (1) Bigz die (basic shapes)
5. Two (2) Medium Sizzlits dies (butterfly, delicate; flowers #20)
6. One (1) Framelits die set (basic shapes)
7. One (1) A2 Large Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (Dotted Lattice)
8. Ten (10) Assorted Samples of Core'dinations Cardstock

I watched a few youtube videos on how to use the machine and all the different things you can make with it as I was waiting for my new toy to ship:)  overstock has lightening fast shipping so I didn't have to wait very long!

I decided to try out the embossing folder on some toilet paper rolls I had handy.  I also tried out the flower die.  I had some cute shapes I just punched with my new Stampin Up Owl Punch and had some ribbon and used my corner chomper to chomp the edges and made these Gift Card Holders I think they turned out cute:)

Stampin Up Two Step Owl Punch

I have had my eye on one of these punches for years.  I finally broke down and bought one and I am so glad I did!  I have been having so much fun playing with it and making other things besides cute owls too!  So far my favorite is the Penguin!!!

One Pot Chicken Potatoes & Green Beans

I seen this on Pinterest and decided to try it this is my second time making it.  The first time I made it I followed the recipe exactly.

Ingredients
4 medium potatoes, cut
1 can of green beans
1 lb chicken breasts
1 stick of unsalted butter
1 package Italian dressing mix

• Drain green beans line one side of the pan with green beans.
• Cut potatoes up. Line opposite side of pan with the potatoes.
• Line the chicken breasts down the middle of the baking dish.
• Cut butter up and layer over the green beans, potatoes and chicken. Sprinkle Italian dressing over the entire pan. Cover with foil
• Bake in the oven @ 350 degrees for one hour

The second time I made this I marinaded the chicken over night in a bottle of wish bone Italian dressing. I lined all the ingredients up in the pan I sprinkled Freeze-Dried Garlic on the green beans and potatoes sprinkled a package of Italian dressing mix all over everything and sprinkled a little bit of Italian Seasoning on everything added a stick of salted butter this time instead of unsalted. Covered in foil and baked for one hour @ 350. The first time it was good the second time it was amazing!!!!

I am 36 and just learning...

I am going to admit something in the blogosphere I am just learning to cook.  I have spent most of my adult life eating at restaurants ordering take out or eating fast food.  I can honestly say if I don’t step another foot in a restaurant for the next year I will be fine with it!  Going out to eat used to be a treat.  But when you go every single day it’s not.  So when someone wants to celebrate a birthday or something it’s always let’s go out to eat and it is a treat for everyone else.  For me I think if someone said let me cook for you I would be blown away and so excited to me a home cooked meal is a treat.  So I have decided it is time to dust off the cookbooks and start rattling the pots and pans and learn to cook.  

Don't get me wrong I do know how to cook a few things.  I learned how to scramble eggs when I was kid and I have cooked a few things here and there.  I am more of a baker than a cooker though.  I love to bake I have never really had a baking disaster but cooking....  with me is hit and miss.  More misses than hits so I get discouraged and give up.  So that is why I am so late in the game but decided it's time to cook and give up the restaurants and the takeout and all that.  Plus cooking at home is way healthier.....

Wish me luck:)

My Copycat Wendy's Chili Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 Pounds Hamburger Meat
• 1 Sweet Yellow Onion Chopped
• 2 Celery Stalks chopped
• 1 teaspoon freeze dried garlic
• 1 can of ranch style beans not drained (26 oz can)
• 1 can of kidney beans drained (16 oz can)
• 1 can of pinto beans drained (16 oz can)
• 1 can of rotel diced tomatoes & green chili (10 oz can)
• 1 can of stewed tomatoes (14.5 oz can)
• 1 can of tomato sauce (15 oz can)
• 1 package of Shelby chili mix
• 1 can of water from the 15 oz tomato sauce can

Directions:

Brown hamburger meat with onion celery and garlic drain all grease from meat.  Add Shelby chili seasoning (if you don't like hot don't add cayenne pepper)  (I didn't add the Cayenne pepper salt or masa) to the pan with meat mixture add the tomato sauce the can of rotel and the can of stewed tomatoes  mix well.  In a large pot add all your beans pour the meat mixture on top add one can of water.  Simmer on low all day and then eat.  Very yum.  I simmered mine on low for 7 hours stirring the beans every so often.  It is very good.

Christmas Gift Card Holder Made From Toilet Paper Roll

Cute Summer Gift I got From a Parent

The Tag Said: mahalo (Thank You)

It Also says: We Hope your summer days are tropical


It contained: A bottle of water, packet of Hawaiian Punch, Almond Joy Candy bar, cocoa butter, & chap stick

Super cute and thoughtful we have some amazingly thoughtful & creative moms at our school

Summer Fun Bulletin Board

Here is the Bulletin Board we made for our Summer Program

Paper Crafting is Fun:)

I think the sailboats turned out super cute!

The Kiddos added Jelly Fish, Starfish & Angel Fish I think it turned out cute:)