Burlap Earring Holder

The other day while browsing around Etsy, I noticed earring holders made with burlap. There's something about burlap! Maybe it's the coarse texture or rustic smell but I just love the stuff. Luckily I had some left over from a previous project. So with a little inspiration and minimal supplies I was able to make a cool way to store earrings.

What you need:

• picture frame, glass removed
• burlap (enough to fit in the frame)

What you do:

Remove the back of the frame and turn it right side down.

Place the burlap over the back of the frame.

Put the frame backing into the frame. Pull on the extra burlap coming out of the sides to make sure the material is flat in the frame.

See, nice and flat.

Cut off the extra burlap.

Tape down the burlap sides.

Hang.

Add earrings.

Now that my earrings are out of the bottom of my jewelry box, I'll remember to wear them.

Bleach Tie-Dye

I decided to give this project a try because of something that happened to my Aunt Sue, who is super creative and has her own blog too. So what happened was this... she got a stain on a cute pink t-shirt... she splashed some bleach on the stain... waded up the shirt... threw it in the sink... and totally forgot about it. Guess what? The shirt is now a very cute tie-dye shirt! Being that Trouble loves tie-dye, I thought I'd experiment with one of his black shirts that had a weird stain.

I bunched up the shirt and wrapped rubber bands in various spots.

Next I threw the shirt in a tub of water with about 1/2 cup of bleach.

I let the shirt sit in the bleach water for about an hour.

Then I threw the shirt in the washing machine just like this. The rubber bands came off once the shirt was bleach free.

Here's the finished product.

Did I mention that Trouble loves tie-dye? 

And I love upcycling!

End of Summer Traditions

On Tuesday Trouble starts back to school. Yep our fun filled summer is almost over. Soon we'll be studying multiplication facts and spelling words every night. But until then we've been living it up, squeezing as much fun out of this summer as possible. Monday will be our last day of summer vacation and we plan on going out with a bang! Here are some fun ways for your child to spend their last moments of freedom.

Ice Cream For Dinner- So what, who cares! Ice cream is milk and milk is healthy! Right?

Children's Museum- Go where it's impossible for a kid to not have good time.

Park It- Take you're kid to their favorite playground. Bring your favorite book, a cold drink and relax while they play their little hearts out.

Splash Park It- Splash parks are popping up all around Central Texas. I just love the idea of kids being able to cool off and play.

Game Time- Spend some time playing all of your child's favorite games... even if you absolutely hate Twister and Chutes and Ladders makes you want to poke your eyes out.

Jump In- You're local pool or lake might have been your favorite spot to cool off this summer so make it your last hoorah as well.

Remember The Fun- Frame your favorite photo from the summer. Trouble loves to look at all of the pictures I took over the summer and talk about his favorite memories.

Spending lazy days on the beach in Puerto Rico was one of Trouble's favorite memories this summer... Mr.Perfect and I loved it too!

Spray Bottle Space Saver

I'm not the most organized person in the world. In fact Mr.Perfect would probably laugh and say I'm a big ol' mess. So this summer I've been working on it. I've cleaned up some closets and cabinets that were big ol' messes. The space under my kitchen sink was no exception. I counted 7 spray bottles down there. They took up a lot of space! And because I use them all quite often I need them to be near the front. After messing around on Pinterest, which I am slowly figuring out, I saw a simple solution to the problem. Put a spring tension rod down there! See?! Look at all of the room I have down there now!

One step closer to being organized!

Got Vanilla Milk?

While up in northeastern Pennsylvania a few years ago I discovered Manning Farm Dairy. They are a small family-run farm that produces fresh homemade ice cream and milk in Dalton, PA. They have several spots around town to buy their milk and ice cream.

It's absolutely delicious! I have to admit that it's literally the first place I go when I get off the airplane (shh... don't tell Grandma).

Mint for Trouble

French Vanilla Toasted Coconut For Me

The last time I was in Manning's I noticed they had something called Vanilla Milk.

Got Milk?

Being that I'm not a chocolate milk girl, I thought that this stuff might be for me. Oh Yeah It Was! I accidentally drank the whole bottle. Trouble cried when he found out what I'd done. It was a sad, sad scene. I vowed to make him my own version of Vanilla Milk.

What you need:

• 12 oz. milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon sugar

What you do:
Add your milk of choice to a glass.

Add vanilla to the milk.

Add the sugar to the milk.

Stir.

Enjoy!

Auntie M's Pretzel Jello

I have this aunt, Auntie M, who is a fantastic cook. She has the magic touch. Everything she makes is delicious! When I visit she always makes her famous Pretzel Jello. I know, pretzels & jello... sounds weird, but it's super yummy!

What you need:

• 3/4 stick of melted butter
• 2 cups crushed pretzels
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 (8oz) brick of cream cheese
• 1 (12oz) tub of Cool Whip
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 boxes of strawberry jello
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup cold water
• 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1 cup chopped pecans

What you do:
Mix first 3 ingredients and press into 9x13 pan (Auntie M uses a big Pampered Chef baker). Bake pretzel crust for 6 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow to cool completely! (I think Auntie M puts the crust in the refrigerator to cool off)

Combine cream cheese, Cool Whip and 1/4 cup sugar. Spread cream cheese mixture over cooled pretzel crust. Place pan in refrigerator while making the jello.

Dissolve jello in boiling water. Add cold water and berries to jello. Allow jello to cool in refrigerator. When the jello starts to set pour it gently over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until firm and then top with pecans or nut of your choice.

PS- Today is Auntie M's birthday. Happy Birthday!! Wish I was there to eat celebrate with you.

Blueberry Ice Cream

I'm having blueberry withdrawal. I need something deliciously blueberry and... very cold (it's 110 degrees here in Texas today). Blueberry ice cream it is!

Blueberry Sauce
What you need:

• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1/3 cup sugar
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

What you do:
Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan.

Bring mixture to a boil. Stir continuously and boil for one minute. (Isn't child labor great?!)

Chill mixture. I put it in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Once the blueberry sauce is cold start making the ice cream. (This sauce stuff is great on pancakes, yogurt, eaten straight out of the bowl etc...)

Ice Cream
What you need:

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

What you do:

Using a mixer, mix the eggs in a bowl until light. (about 2 minutes)

Mix in 1/2 cup sugar and continue mixing until blended, about 1 minute more. (It should look thicker now.)

Pour the cream, milk and vanilla into egg mixture and mix until well combined.

Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze following manufacturer’s instructions.

After the ice cream stiffens, add the cold blueberry sauce and let it mix in the ice cream maker for about five minutes.

Put all of this yummy goodness in a freezer safe container. Store in the freezer to harden up.

Ice cream is happiness condensed.