Miss Lacee Grace’s Bedroom Makeover!

Posted on January 23, 2017 by Sarah

Hey y’all! Today, I’d like to share my 3 year old daughter’s quick and easy bedroom makeover!

When my husband and I found out that we were expecting our second daughter, we decided that we better move our first daughter, Miss Lacee Grace, out of the nursery and into one of the other bedrooms in our house.

Her poor new room was desperately in need of a huge makeover! The floors were fine, but the walls definitely needed a little refresh!

Maybe some new furniture too! It kind of looks like a dorm room in these photos… Mis-matched furniture everywhere!

Wanting to give my daughter some say in her new room (even though she was only two at the time), I let her select the color… Of course, she picked purple.

Wait a minute… Isn’t this room already purple?!

Yes. Yes it is. So yes. I ended up painting an already purple room purple. Oh life!

I did decide to change it up a bit by painting it a dark purple color on some of the walls though, and then a light grey on the other walls, to ensure that it didn’t end up being too dark of a room.

I couldn’t decide what theme to use for her room, so I just started scouring antique and home décor shops until I found the perfect inspiration pieces… Beautiful steel butterflies!

Building on top of these inspiration pieces was very simple… I added some small gold butterflies that I came across while out shopping. They just stuck on the wall and were very easy to apply.

Oh! And see that “Dance like no one is watching” decal?! I found that at a yard sale for .50c a couple of years ago, and had been saving it for the perfect spot! (I think I found it!)

It always amazes me of what a little bit of fresh paint and a few simple décor pieces can do to a room!

I think she likes it!

*This post may contain affiliate links*

One quick trick for getting that sticky, way too tight lid, off of that darn jar!

Posted on January 19, 2017 by Sarah

Ok – so this little tid-bit of info is pretty tiny, but pretty impressive!

You know those super tight, super sticky lids that just don’t always come off of those darn jars very easily?!

Well maybe you have super big muscles and can open it yourself?! Or maybe you’re like me and you just get your husband to do it for you?!

But, what happens if your husband isn’t home?

Well, don’t panic! I’ve got the quickest and easiest little solution for you, right here!

All you need is a super knife. Sounds super scary, right?!

(Super, super, super, super, supper, oops… I mean super. I’m just so super excited for this trick! Can you tell?!)

Hehe, ok enough silliness… here’s what you do!

You really do need a knife…

You take this knife and very, very, very carefully stab, (yes, stab!), it into the top of the lid on your jar.

And – Poof! That’s it!

You’re done. You’re in. Pretty neat, right?!

*This post may contain affiliate links*

SPINACH, MUSHROOM & ARTICHOKE DIP

Posted on January 17, 2017 by Sarah

I don’t know about you, but whenever I eat a nice dinner out somewhere and my husband asks me what I’d like for an appetizer, I always, always, always choose spinach dip! It is hands-down, my all-time fav!

Although I love a good spinach dip, I don’t always feel like going out for dinner to have it…

This got me a’thinkin’ again… Why don’t I just create my own delicious spinach dip recipe so I can make it at home, whenever I like!

So here we go!

(Psst! This recipe will make one large dip, or two smaller dips – one for now and one for later!)

Ingredients that you will need:

8 oz of Cream Cheese
½ cup of Mayo
½ cup of grated Parmesan Cheese
¾ cups of grated Cheddar Cheese
2 cups of chopped Spinach
6 oz of chopped Artichokes
1 small finely diced Onion
4 large finely diced White Mushrooms
4 dashes of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
1 Tbsp of Margarine or Butter
¼ Tsp of crushed Garlic
¼ Tsp of Salt
¼ Tsp of Black Pepper

Instructions to follow:

Step One: In a medium sized frying pan, sauté the mushrooms, onions and garlic in the margarine or butter, over medium heat, for about 5 minutes. Then add in the spinach and continue sautéing for another 3 to 5 minutes.

Step Two: While your mushrooms, onions, garlic and spinach are sautéing, soften the cream cheese in a large bowl. I find forty seconds in the microwave usually works perfect!

Step Three: Add the mayo, parmesan cheese, artichokes, hot sauce, salt and pepper to the cream cheese mixture, and mix well.

Step Four: Combine the sautéed mixture with the cream cheese mixture.

Step Five: Split the mixture into two small baking dishes or one large baking dish, and cover the top with the cheddar cheese.

Step Six: Cover with tin foil and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step Seven: Serve with Tostito’s chips or your favorite crackers… and enjoy!

10 Fabulous & Totally-Not-Boring Kitchen Backsplashes that will make your kitchen look like a Million Bucks!

Posted on January 12, 2017 by Sarah

Good day y’all! So lately, I have been dream, dream, dreaming about redoing my kitchen in a rustic-chic, elegant-but-bold, brick backsplash! Yes, I am going to actually do this…One day. (Hopefully sooner than later!)

I’ve been researching and creating my dream kitchen mood board, which I will be sharing with you once it is complete!

Putting this mood board together got me to’ thinking… What other fabulous and totally-not-boring kitchen backsplashes are out there? Are there any that I might like better than my very much dreamed about brick?!

Well, it turns out that there are actually some pretty darn fabulous and totally-not-boring backsplash ideas out there! Although brick is still number one on my list, I decided to create a top ten list of my favorite picks, just to share with you!

If I couldn’t get my brick backsplash, I would definitely have a tough time deciding what backsplash I would choose instead! I’m even secretly dreaming of implementing one of these fancy designs in the downstairs powder room! (Shh! Don’t tell my husband!)

So, here we go!

Brick Backsplash devised by Welke

Copper Backsplash devised by The Times New Roman

Corrugated Metal Backsplash devised by Unique Home Stays

White Arabesque Glass Tile devised by Subway Tile Outlet

Slate Backsplash devised by Make King

Reclaimed Wood Backsplash devised by Design Sponge

Marble Backsplash devised by Blood & Champagne

3-D Mosaic Backsplash devised by HGTV

Penny Round Tile Backsplash devised by Regan Baker Design Inc.

24K Gold Backsplash devised by New Ravenna

Obviously, I’m stuck on the brick! But, which one would you choose?!

Do you already have one of these designs in your kitchen or bathroom? Or do you have something else that is completely fabulous and totally-not-boring?! I would love to see! Post a pic in the comments, please!

Psst! Love these backsplashes, but looking for some ideas that are a little easier on the budget, yet will have a huge impact on any kitchen or bathroom?! Check out some of my special picks from Amazon, right here!

15 things to get rid of RIGHT NOW! (Clean, Organize, De-Clutter)

Posted on January 2, 2017 by Sarah

For the last little while, I have really been trying to crack down on annoying, stuffy clutter. Every day when I’m going about my daily tasks around my home, I’m always looking for and thinking about different things that I can toss out. I have created this list of quick and easy things to get rid of right now, to help you clean, organize, and de-clutter your home!

I always say, it doesn’t matter how big your house or your garage is, you will always fill it! (So true in my case!)

My parents always referred to me as a “pack-rat” (yep – that happened!), when I was little because I collected literally everything!

If you are anything like me, you have a little bit of a hard time getting rid of things that have sentimental value, and if you toss something out, you feel a little bit of that pesky guilt or anxiety start to kick in…wa Continue reading →

HONEY APPLE ROASTED HAM (a very quick and easy, delicious recipe!)

Posted on December 29, 2016 by Sarah

Usually I remember to make supper — but sometimes I just get so busy that I forget to take out meat to thaw, and I end up in a pinch! This is why I have been trying to come up with more quick and easy recipes, that don’t have to sacrifice flavor!

I’ve really been trying to keep my freezer stocked up with a variety of frozen meats, beef, pork, chicken, and with emergency frozen vegetables as well… corn, peas and carrots, etc.

Lately, every time that I am at the grocery store, I try to remember to grab a couple of hams to throw in there, because; 1. They are usually pre-cooked so they cook up really quickly, and 2. If you are like me, and always forget to take meat out of the freezer so that it can be thawed in time for supper, you can easily defrost it in a bowl of cold water.

So the other night, I realized that I of course, forgot to take something out of the freezer for supper, and instead of having a full-on panic attack, I instead ran out to the deep freeze in the garage and pulled out a ham… Whew — Crisis averted!

And well, that brings us to this new and exciting, super easy and quick ham recipe…

What you’ll need:

Honey (about ½ a cup)
Apple Juice (1 juice box – yep, I said juice box… I am a busy mom!)
Pepper (just a sprinkle for extra flavor)
Ham

Step One: Slice the ham up so that it is about ¼” thick, and then put the ham into a casserole baking dish.

Step Two: Pour the box of apple juice over the ham.

Step Three: Pour the honey over the ham, and then sprinkle on the pepper on top.

Step Four: Cover and bake in the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.

Step Five: Serve and enjoy!

Psst! Looking for the perfect side dish to go with your ham?! Check out my yummy Double Baked Loaded Potatoes!

A Christmas Home Tour featuring some of my favorite Antique & Vintage Collectibles

Posted on December 19, 2016 by Sarah

Oh Christmas! I started decorating for Christmas really early this year, and shopping! But somehow, I’m just finally finishing now… And Christmas is almost here! Oh life!

This year, I decided to head out to The Project Pile sitting out in the garage and pull out some of my favorite pieces that I have been saving for certain rooms in my home, that I just have not gotten to yet. And I’m actually really excited to finally share some of my precious finds with you!

Now, let’s get to the home tour! (Lots of pics for you this year!)

I started out with my tree this year. I posted about this earlier, in an article called Why I decided to spend a little more money on my Christmas Decor!

(And oh my goodness… I just noticed the little red fuzzy hanging out in this pic! Photo fail! LOL!)

My whole “white-feather” Christmas tree was inspired by this mini white feather Christmas tree, that I purchased last year at the end of the season.

This little tree gave me the idea to create a garland out of white feather boas. If you like this look and would like to learn how to create your own, you can check it out here.

I put my tree in a new spot this year. (I think I actually might have put one tree here the first year that we moved here, and had three trees because I was in some super-crazy Christmas-spirit-trance! That was also back in the days before kids…)

I’ve started referring to this section of the house as the “teacup room”, since this is where I now am able to display my beautiful antique teacups.

Two from my grandmother, and two from my mother-in-law, Judy… I just love them!

I also have my barn windows hanging in this area of our home.

These were used for the seating charts in our Autumn Harvest Barn Wedding!

Now… moving into the dining room!

I really wanted to incorporate a few of my antique pieces into my table setting, so I used this antique wood and copper tray that I was able to pick up a few months ago… And I finally got to use my antique bowling pins! I picked these up in Michigan a couple of summers ago, and they’ve just been sitting in The Project Pile, waiting for the perfect moment to shine!

Over on my antique buffet I finally decided to pull out some beauties that I have been saving for my laundry room… But it currently has a leaky ceiling, so that definitely needs to be fixed first!

(Psst! Like my pears?! They’re kinda Christmasy, right?! A partridge in a pear tree!!!)

I found this pretty glass washboard at a flea market two summers ago! It’s going to look pretty stellar on my laundry room wall! Someday…

I also found this beautiful antique laundry roller at the same flea market. I paid $50 for it, but I have seen them online for up to $600! Total score! It’s also going to look awesome in my future laundry room makeover!

Up above on my oak shelves, are some pretty stoneware plates that my good friend gave me to put up there when I first got the shelves. I haven’t done any research yet, but I’m betting that they are pretty old too!

I’ve also got a few pieces from my antique bottle collection mixed in on these shelves, as well as the massive cast iron and wooden antique pulley from the farm where I grew up.

All of these bottles were personally hand dug from the fence-lines of the 179 year-old farmhouse. These are just a few of hundreds that have been found! (Someday maybe I’ll actually get to cataloging them!)

I’m so happy that I’ve finally started pulling some more collectibles out of The Project Pile, so I can actually enjoy them in my home, as well as share them with you!

Here’s to looking forward to seeing what I can dig out for next time!

Six Amazing Things To Do With Left-Over Mashed Potatoes!

Posted on December 11, 2016 by Sarah

Doesn’t almost every traditional family dinner end up serving one of the most classic dishes, mashed potatoes, for almost every holiday?! I mean, think about it… you have Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter and more! And if you are anything like my family and I, you always make extra because you don’t want anyone to end up hungry, and also, because you just never know who might end up stopping by!

We always end up with a LOT of left-over mashed potatoes. And yes, you can heat them up with left-over gravy for lunch or supper the next day and they still taste fantastic… but, boring! Total yawn!

Umm… One of my most favorite things to do is to actually make a mashed potato poutine! Mmm…. So good! Just throw a little cheese and gravy on your mashed potatoes, and you are good to go! And yes – Somebody always rolls their eyes at me when I do this! Although this is like the best idea ever, there are actually, so many more things that you can do with left-over mashed potatoes!

Since my family doesn’t share the same feelings as I do for mashed potato poutines, I decided to compile this list of six amazing things to do with left-over mashed potatoes! I found these recipes on Pinterest, and let me tell you… they are amazing and definitely not even close to being boring!

Mashed Potato Puffs devised by The Cooking Jar

Mashed Potato Soup devised by The Yummy Life

Potato Pierogi Pizza devised by Potato Goodness

Homemade Gnocchi devised by The Art of Doing Stuff

Cheesy Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes devised by Just A Taste

Shepard’s Pie devised by The Project Pile (This one is my very own recipe… It’s really easy to prepare and you can use fresh veggies if you like, or frozen work great too! It’s perfect for busy mom’s or dad’s on the go!)

Hey! Did you know that you can actually make mashed potatoes in your crock pot?! The Creek Line House has really easy-to-follow instructions, and you can get them right, here!

Quick & Easy Shepard’s Pie (For the busy family!)

Posted on December 8, 2016 by Sarah

Shepard’s Pie is one of those really yummy dishes that taste really good, but seem like they take a lot of work to make. However, this does not have to be the case!

I’ve now learned that when I’m making a nice home-cooked meal, if I make extra mashed potatoes, then I can use them to quickly whip up a super delicious Shepard’s Pie! This means that I’m actually slightly ahead of the game called “life” since dinner for the next night is already half-prepared!

Perfect for those busy Mom’s or Dad’s on the go, here is my very easy recipe!

All you’ll Need:

– 1.5lbs of Ground Beef
– Salt & Pepper
– 2tbsp of Soya-Sauce
– 1 small, diced Onion
Utopia Kitchen Stainless Steel 6 Piece Knives Set (5 Knives plus and Acrylic Stand)
– 3 cups of mixed frozen Peas, Carrots, Green Beans and Corn (You can use fresh vegetables in place of frozen, if you like. Frozen just seem to be a little bit faster and easier when you don’t have a lot of time!)
– 1 can of Condensed Mushroom Soup
– 3 cups of Mashed Potatoes
– ½ cup of Shredded Cheese (I’ve made this dish using both Cheddar Cheese and Mozzarella Cheese before, and both tasted great!)
– 4oz of Cream Cheese

What to do:

Step One: Using a nice big pan, start out by frying up your ground beef, onions and Soya-Sauce. Once the meat is fully cooked, drain off and dispose of the fat.

Step Two: (You can perform this step while you are waiting for step one to cook!) In a separate bowl, mix the mashed potatoes with the shredded cheese, cream cheese and pepper. Set aside.

Step Three: Add the mixed vegetables and a dash of salt to the pan with the ground beef and onion mixture.

Step Four: Add the condensed mushroom soup to the vegetable and ground beef mixture. Stir and then let it simmer for about 2-5 minutes.

Step Five: Pour the ground beef and vegetable mixture into a medium sized casserole dish, and then layer the potato mixture on top and cover.

Pyrex Easy Grab 8-Piece Glass Bakeware and Food Storage Set

Step Six: Bake in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes, then remove the lid and let the dish bake for another 15 minutes.

Step Seven: Serve and enjoy!

DIY Christmas Tree Garlands

Posted on December 5, 2016 by Sarah

Are you having trouble finding the perfect garland for your Christmas tree? Or perhaps you are just a little bit tired of the shiny tinsel garlands that just seem to be everywhere… Either way, the perfect garland can be hard to come by, and a garland can either make or break your Christmas tree!

If you’re having trouble finding the perfect garland, then why not make your own?! That’s why I’ve compiled this list of very easy DIY garlands that you can easily make yourself!

Whether your style is fancy, natural, rustic, classic, or just plain easy, there is something on this list just for you! And remember, you can take these different DIY garland ideas and apply your own color scheme to them or even put your own creative twist on them to make them just perfect for your tree!

Pretty Burlap Garland devised by Simply Notable

DIY Deco Mesh Garland devised by The Bajan Texan

DIY Cotton Ball Pom Pom Garland devised by Home Remedies

The Easiest Tree Garland Ever devised by Scout & Nimble

DIY White Feather Boa Garland devised by The Project Pile (This is what I came up with this year, and I just love it! Next year I’m thinking of maybe trying the same idea, only in either red or black… Can’t wait! Would you like to check out the rest of my Christmas tree decorations and ornaments?! You can read all about how I decided to spend a little more money on my Christmas decorations this year, and how I very carefully chose each ornament, and where exactly I found them, right here!)