Thriifty Decor Chick

HEAVEN is a Lobster Dinner

<div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXwlpI7j48UtHrX33P_cmsJSiBGW6mFw0lpo001AMCrB3M_7N6ekv0YlpvCaabzX-L7ZCPDFgYCbUx2SGQBGoUVTEhaRO7MZ4aR5yUTsGIecgqUN0wgTCjgB049QFGReKKE2Q2WND2-KE/s1600/boiled+whole+lobster+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="lobster, cooking lobster, how to cook lobster" border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXwlpI7j48UtHrX33P_cmsJSiBGW6mFw0lpo001AMCrB3M_7N6ekv0YlpvCaabzX-L7ZCPDFgYCbUx2SGQBGoUVTEhaRO7MZ4aR5yUTsGIecgqUN0wgTCjgB049QFGReKKE2Q2WND2-KE/s1600/boiled+whole+lobster+1.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div> With three kids at home we eat a lot of spaghetti and meatballs, tacos, meatloaf, and mac 'n cheese. That's fine most of the time, but Big A and I crave grown-up food, and we LOVE seafood. Our picky eaters don't allow us that freedom very often, however, once in a great while we grab some scallops, or fish, and occasionally, a couple of lobsters for ourselves. The kids don't complain as long as we get them a pizza. Last night we happened to have a rare night at home with no kids. Is it pathetic that we sped to the grocery store to pick up a couple of lobsters? I guess you could say we're both a little tired of meatloaf. I grew up going to Maine with my family in the summers, and I cook lobsters the way my parents taught me. Boil. Serve with hot butter and a squeeze of fresh lemon. There's something about the flavor of lobster with the butter, and getting all messy. It's just fun, and it tastes like heaven. But before we get to cooking, you have to pick out your lobsters. When I buy live lobsters, I want them to be right around 1 1/2 lbs. These are the perfect size in my humble opinion. Also, if you're buying them, be sure the lobster is lively. You don't want a lobster who's not moving around - that means he's not doing too well. (B T Dubs, you need to buy your lobsters the day you are going to cook them.) When I get them home, I keep them right in the bag, and just pop them in the fridge. The cold of the fridge will make them a little sedated, so they shouldn't run around too much. When ready to cook, fill a large stock pot with water. If you live by the coast, you can use fresh sea water.  I don't, so I add salt to the water - a lot of it. I used about 1/2 cup salt to my large stock pot. Place over high heat and bring to a rolling boil. When the water was almost boiling, I got the lobsters out of their bag. Our cat was so curious about the lobster - so Big A put him down for the cat to see. Too gross? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGnzLf8Siq0OWcCaJF04NonSdlKys76g6jjY0-g6U2pFpfudFRt9QWYGhcFSSSt2-OwTM0W6tVj6hpabPtT2WPNuYgkfvkqA_7tzL1KzwCG5kWoexqYeGGKWR7DDGOq7boQEagvT9-3XE/s1600/boiled+whole+lobster1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGnzLf8Siq0OWcCaJF04NonSdlKys76g6jjY0-g6U2pFpfudFRt9QWYGhcFSSSt2-OwTM0W6tVj6hpabPtT2WPNuYgkfvkqA_7tzL1KzwCG5kWoexqYeGGKWR7DDGOq7boQEagvT9-3XE/s320/boiled+whole+lobster1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Once done playing, we got down to business.  (Big A thinks this next picture is morbid. And he's kinda right.) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGmNP1h4Ss8Q-vNEoQxGEPM4wySNkIVSqBZB5IkBX_AzTl9kxCfwd9JiyTzSDd7LaL1WZY-K7trMB-YxtWeTygz4kHCBOys8Mr3FgEeLwpmU138PyId3QQcozELh5P5QNUaiXJQcJUMk/s1600/boiled+whole+lobster2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGmNP1h4Ss8Q-vNEoQxGEPM4wySNkIVSqBZB5IkBX_AzTl9kxCfwd9JiyTzSDd7LaL1WZY-K7trMB-YxtWeTygz4kHCBOys8Mr3FgEeLwpmU138PyId3QQcozELh5P5QNUaiXJQcJUMk/s320/boiled+whole+lobster2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Plunge the lobsters head first into the water and put the lid on. Be careful not to get splashed with the hot water. Once they're in the water, reduce the heat so that the water wont boil over, but so that it's still boiling. If it boils over, it gets very messy - trust me, I do it every time! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(A Note - Big A will not put the lobsters in the pot. I get it. It seems kind of mean, but, I will do anything for food. Still if your squeamish - lobsters truly don't scream. Any noise is just a little air escaping from under their shells. Apparently they don't feel pain - they do not have complex brains, just nerve bundles.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For 1 1/2 lb lobster I boil them for 20 minutes. NOTE - most cooking charts advise a lot shorter cooking time, but I find 20 minutes is perfect. Mine were not tough or rubbery. </div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2O4PaxRoGixpVFVke85z0tgVAn9N5I20F0NUoVJpEmjjHBcZAR4RliSTiZ8bCXXR2Bynvnz4D_0VcCKFiodxuC7CC9nKHmzgIjO6w_YSI5y1EZiyWAoDBgn3F2yloS9aG7dPDGiR1VQ/s1600/boiled+whole+lobster3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2O4PaxRoGixpVFVke85z0tgVAn9N5I20F0NUoVJpEmjjHBcZAR4RliSTiZ8bCXXR2Bynvnz4D_0VcCKFiodxuC7CC9nKHmzgIjO6w_YSI5y1EZiyWAoDBgn3F2yloS9aG7dPDGiR1VQ/s320/boiled+whole+lobster3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once the time is up, your lobsters will be bright red. Use tongs to pull the lobsters out and place them in a colander in the sink. Let them drain and cool for about 10 minutes. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While the lobsters cool, melt about half a stick of butter for two people. Add the juice of a quarter of a fresh lemon to the melted butter. (To your taste). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I serve the lobster on a plate with a little side dish of butter for each person. I personally only eat the claws, knuckles and tail. I don't bother with the little legs. There is some meat in them, but it takes the patience of a saint to get it out. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you want to see how to get the lobster meat out of the shell, check out this quick video:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.menshealth.com/guy-gourmet/how-crack-lobster-without-looking-fool">How To Eat Lobster Without Looking Like a Fool</a></div> Easy huh?  What to serve with lobster? Uh, we just had butter with lemon. I don't like any other food to distract me from the taste of the lobster. However, it wouldn't be wrong to have salt potatoes and a simple side salad. (It also wouldn't be wrong to have blueberry pie with whipped cream after your lobster.) I'm dying to know - do you like lobster? If you had a night alone, and didn't have to make kid-friendly food, what would you run out to the store for?

HEAVEN is a Lobster Dinner

With three kids at home we eat a lot of spaghetti and meatballs, tacos, meatloaf, and mac 'n cheese. That's fine most of the time, b...

12:31 PM

Most epic clean out ever

Hey there! How was your weekend? Ours was great, even though we spent the day in the basement yesterday, ready for storms and tornados going through the area. Last I heard there were about 20 tornados that touched down in Indiana, but they expect that number to drop a bit. There is so much damage – my prayers to my fellow Hoosier and those in surrounding states who were affected. Last week I finished up a truly HUGE organizing project. After going through <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2013/10/how-my-house-lost-weight.html">the entire house</a> (except for our closet), I had one final frontier that was the garage. It was BAD people. It was even worse a couple months ago, but over the past four or five weeks I worked on things here and there. I didn’t even take photos of that before because it was really that bad. ;) BUT. We are always able to park in the garage – we pride ourselves on that! We may risk life and limb to get to the door but we. will. park. inside. This decrapification (really, truest sense of the word this time) took me FOREVER. I worked on it all afternoon Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday a week or so ago. I figured I spent about 20 hours on it total. And my sis came and helped cause hubby was out of town – she was a huge help! OK, so keep in mind this is a garage. It’s not pretty. This is one of those posts that doesn’t have pretty pics, but man, I worked my butt off so I figured I’d share it. We have had three tall plastic storage containers in there for awhile but I was determined to get rid of one because I was moving them to another spot. We took everything out and moved them, and ended up with this pile: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqUxqlSbrB3_FudrWO3tq27HoT9ocwo8b2mLoL2-CtQEvNSHG30oXsJQ8P98y9deXvdOiGTLnb03g-no3HOmPY11S78pCBjmykDXNIBmSty-6QhqhnHkJY9LCku4lLam3FZByVO3kz_H8/s1600-h/IMG_8756%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="667" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSk3g4PDAcYrYH8UsXXB8EeFS1XQBI18DVRgY7d6tVKTkSrtngq7jkfaNeHYy0iYF3bNGFZ6-zbDFS8raRCNruN-BHwuVfoLX9yVGcw1Yug1cbQI4s-WiI1uqqHk3g3xRLEHwJ5sH8WQ/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="500" /></a> That’s actually the “nice” view of it. :) I work better by just making a big pile (even though it can be overwhelming) first and then tackling it all at once. I can’t do little bits at a time. Yet again, I realized how much MONEY I lose when I’m not organized. It drives me crazy! This was just the extra screwdrivers – not the ones I kept: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-SI5t0p2CBbBGbJh1vV4KKXVi8gTnZvvuZKb1c1gFX2SJ-Sl2qg-Ur0YSryp8kz1KlhQuUGiqj7VWr3_fpEjTUXB_ENAYNWVBkQ2hZGzgSMtuU_r-n-o7umTRF7LsDb0loB3r-_klUJk/s1600-h/IMG_8757%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Too much stuff!!" border="0" height="667" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZ8lWKbZ-maPqFgAqUFiSwp3KKdkJUYsStWaaRF8nPMx8vwPxTGPgp9U87Y3lxifCGxI4d3nGHZ8n_29-Wu1U0AW4FiZ87t-MPddOfgQhjRaFNyTsxjLP3fM89-cteiX2RKjq4EPUZ5E/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Too much stuff!!" width="500" /></a> I mean, I’m a DIYer, so I have a good amount of tools. But seriously? Argh. Once I was done with that pile I started on this side of the room: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDlyO5TQv1ymmuB7LV-BwY15Mbz1lHWcPF8BS-ZgdNePS4s-Nk7wczaT18hOrgU5yZWXXlpKI77czr39mxsOicwAGU9-8GGhy0wpFIJaahyphenhyphenD5xc7TOCevtmxxqpGINRhri_lealOI_DLg/s1600-h/IMG_8798%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmNNljrnVsPCK6BCgxl5Ju7Lu1dDWWjVCsRH1tN608GnpHPmRYnlhPbPeG9Qk_kxCfrZRPiW9aKpuG15QpIdwUQFeAx7D-jXvn-gRDBIgZEv4ZzPu3zYOxI8liywoZ62ul4DhUlHXoEwA/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="500" /></a> GoodNESS. Too much CRAP. I have a problem hoarding tools but my husband hoards sprinklers. We all have our problems. ;) I wanted to completely change how we have the garage set up because over the years I’ve figured out what works and what doesn’t. One thing that didn’t work was where I had our lawn tools in this corner: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCzihFjDVeULng3EiZBWcU_zcTVR4tZxkfVEaryKBP_r1ZQRYyXkZ_GHsJbLSiuovjEaFViHPXgu00-YBKlgHpPbLq1tLMDJ0shY8-tkdg7xnzKduLJ9givm0Q0uZqsyVmLS_ZQv3ziU/s1600-h/IMG_8796%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="667" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNZfYhQA5y_8SuUSsyLCWQnsIBReY917Zi4rgHx_PxL3z0savvPXzJDMOhbCDVFW0fmugTxiVELbh_RfJUi6goE4_4Sb0Z5r5OpKqLWG4sT5WffvhyKrVOPgvAmVfbWAt4P_23lqF4Uo/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="500" /></a> That’s where my husband parks so it was a pain to get to them when we were doing yard work. The area where I wanted to move it to was a disaster, of course: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rCbGWjXsvW8YWTZksWoCSxGQ3Ud4AjihYHFmsO2LJN3T9ZsfVQnc8D3K_bC-wmz9iByFSYSpRFyL-f-eABGSJ8r479DUdVdIg-2krcLAkXxwmPZ3ALL3RwFgI5NLRXrfPghjVS7QeuU/s1600-h/IMG_8797%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="667" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJ3pRBRlbt3BcZZlAy_t8P-6xpXMC1kqwSHNCSDAXUZ5UzA741NqNAR6TnnqoDUyV0FAL9plsHJAaQyUadyEp4WWVx5plqAnGyNzrV0YeV5WF6Xm5Dif5jEZ2L6foeZOiz6VgxOth5es/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="500" /></a> So I took every bit out of each of those areas and moved stuff around. Now that area above looks like this:  <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCV9eRWuR4L10JjSlc8vaHhGykD3tDF77ZubWWst_7Ny8WXPMool1pG3lbKh2rYZFHVoW3NyvSokAqPwkI-2VyLTw19h45iGaT9PzEcRxC4eRwhd5AEqgapbg6_R9ZnBkXpeSOjTMERYM/s1600-h/IMG_7296%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Wall storage in garage" border="0" height="668" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBvy10c8jamfTvHk9Z4jRKdmJAN52aUxqu1NSBO9TMpEPV-AjGpXe7mwVd0HphuuOwuKPKH-scdW-rpHkfBGsG5CkTelv7af4bk_xKKnspyti0pHc0S7OV3eqHawZmz4x3Y3fEJH_W98/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Wall storage in garage" width="500" /></a> Hello! Much better! We can get to it now! Whoot! You may notice I drywalled that area too – I had extra insulation and drywall and used scraps to close up that spot. (See <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2013/09/insulatin-and-drywallin.html">here</a> to see how to do both!) And the other corner I showed you now holds the trash bins – again, they will be so much easier to get to here! We still have to move a car out but it works out so much better than where they were before: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZy07U7IHHFr4xoYKCLxjgIf4iw8r2MWXN6Yg2Fb1WQ9NaIeH9cWjAetwYP8B6qmQqkM_w4hiU-_i0e5mzcrFzaQMGu1AW_bXMZ09QtpFjRjLtQMq9degRnEzSbCABnA2TU1iF2s09obQ/s1600-h/IMG_7316%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Using wall space in garage" border="0" height="750" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSpJGADVonDXPVvk_-kOfFfBuZu0OnKfQxod-242eYL3YfI2oAKsAky3vUfXYpTZL8lQet-YLXOpEaOeuQEh6n0qdGKSHRpKSLHbnJFLyAVFgKbUOaTUpG8sk0u28_YnUR02Ij_xTsWlw/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Using wall space in garage" width="500" /></a> You can see how much I try to use the height in here – for stuff that’s seasonal this works great. I only need to get the sleds a few times a year so they go up high. The baseball bag lives in my car during baseball season, so the rest of the year it goes up high. It works for us and gets stuff off the floor. And that whole side that was a disaster before: <img alt="" border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmNNljrnVsPCK6BCgxl5Ju7Lu1dDWWjVCsRH1tN608GnpHPmRYnlhPbPeG9Qk_kxCfrZRPiW9aKpuG15QpIdwUQFeAx7D-jXvn-gRDBIgZEv4ZzPu3zYOxI8liywoZ62ul4DhUlHXoEwA/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="500" /> Now looks like this: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXoxuJcE5q3icxsJLysf4WNd7-WcEIqPQaGFQZLwVriVAEEakk9AN0D6wsqp5YWStDACu1pyDLSHZfdDC_w8ssheVwYpMcydflajahbGskhgYVLQxoOaiY-Tfgirpzs11wRIYtIxIVuI/s1600-h/IMG_7299%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Yard tool organization" border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgifk8ivp90IRP91bDgqtxLITsl9j581fiPQTlGFW0iS4DAowDwSxO4IhgG05GNri9AU4MrhDpf-5Z5taQLK-naRGoyoOtjh7O4axRg8nNPDHGgaiRM5F7YL01j3W3LTYcdmAOr6n_bLLs/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Yard tool organization" width="550" /></a> Ahhhhh…so much better!! Now…the other side. This is the main reason I wanted to change up where everything was. We have a bump out that I had made into my work shop. But it wasn’t working: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCYtRgcbf2ekDui6OhzXntLf54-jwF9Xc7M3eqZc2j2CsufWzZIHDUK_sZuClAxjJzBRM3DIBZSlbU5SFZRTLsV3scxixQ91qODnaRwPnfgYiHxUOSkHnUOfXzyOXO4wJ_R94r6EaLe9U/s1600-h/IMG_8752%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="667" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxwTbBuvFSjBHtxwgMPCUTLPETrWr2xwDekxanReeAnDND_Dzl1RTaANk3tLCi0cfFIXCRHhgjdN3KSIm2EUQgd_Kt7h7AGbL0v4sr-WXC_W2DbRufod1UQeUlbgJApOQDuVrWO3K3ng/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="500" /></a> It was always, ALWAYS, a mess. There just wasn’t enough room, with the trash bins off to the left and the piles of crap on the floor in front of it. And I couldn’t get eight foot pieces of wood in that area to cut them down. So we moved the two plastic storage jobbies over there instead: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL8qBoVhy94_P8AoNz5n953Rq9Pp1qnauEuzHn5k3mgYWLEiR5-s68tNCZtiUYX89OI5dkY_RkhUdzOaKEfLcXOWt7NcEkx8Hq-WRsVxIkPcHUbomgzLmUCW7-lfBGaD7B62377GybUno/s1600-h/IMG_7303%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Organization in the garage" border="0" height="750" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjECjjutEve4dON_VFEsaOyW9m0HonOD5hHf1WPeSq6APIX687gcBCDRbM-4vr-9KNCYo0noiVI75Bp6cufnvFsuOU5avkyws0yjv04u6DOSaEMgkY4LX70UJmV0wY1Ih91BYFGTdtz8Uo/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Organization in the garage" width="500" /></a> If you’re super observant you’ll notice we also finished up the insulation and drywalling: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihn_PGNtzA5odkmEfe99NC5qjzS5hg1qUjvzqLGjYK5jujz9odc3M5kG-GklUdz1OC6XGSWj144yXST6jwLESHhyphenhyphen-nVO6b3DTx46ZD01i3MwS5QLBxmWm7bjySLcsqfPzqVgsMZTfEBnc/s1600-h/IMG_8876%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="insulating garage" border="0" height="667" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3ZytEwdsH04ZmctJyp3xFJV-siK_tqj1gWmFQr1Ua7TVidbCBLdD57dcs7q0AtdmX6nPffGsoe2na0OD1XESy3O0dV3Q3tMNMxSMlrPScouP7_xOOiWRbwOrGzrOFZat7Bkd3LUm7T4/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="insulating garage" width="500" /></a> I’m glad you can’t see detail in these pics cause that top piece…not so good. ;) But it’s up! And warmer! Here’s a view of some of the storage we added back in there last year, more on that in a bit: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjegkQ8VY807rR2E556GX9_n8rG2GDu1H0X-675oTjjivI6xTkOSWu2JyrLKxFZG-1MLvCHrv0JA9o3vp4ve-_vqgLwUxbmYsQAYBFBOrhkt9qomKkK8vmsFXk7y0hbNfGHZjb5bS7YrOU/s1600-h/IMG_7304%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="garage built in organization" border="0" height="846" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_FlPf9I_tapHDZRHHjTmlLJf-REO5yQTxHUPM1L80CwTBemErioi0W0ff360XPOAChoB0QgYreHn3K3fz3WA3nekRP2Gi5tkY5XKkk5HrL6tRu99i9SvUNlZ6zFMeGmJvBNjiQcGr-c/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="garage built in organization" width="443" /></a> That rug peeking out is going in hubby’s basement office soon – a winter project. :) The trash bins used to sit over in this area and now it’s where we keep the outside toys for the kiddo: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgisGRA8JQSl-bIdhyxfphsk8KH498rO2Cg4RUBfOiTfIkm9aauWY77pWuDS1ieSexxW3c7PS7kp0dypogiDzwy6ElgseGMRCS1rdwXRNp6Fo7lqHlAe_gIJuvAoCovF95ZAJgbNUIINgA/s1600-h/IMG_7301%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="kid toy garage organization" border="0" height="750" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xrxFLK_iUEB7GVUwj0o5b0fezfDGeD6XxOm4EHwwwV4YWU9gT2PTmffkHn7WzlpcZomnwtI_khlP8ObrQ1x6RpKxHSyH8eeZPO7zs8Bkr4hZgdrQ1eBs71FwvKz6OWNVgpYBXc9x1S8/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="kid toy garage organization" width="500" /></a>I got that rolling storage thing from the Container Store last year and it’s GREAT for that kind of stuff! I moved my “work shop” over to the long spot at the back of the garage: <img alt="organized garage" border="0" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMl2PsAVzxhPwDxKlr_e226p3wT_d2oNMYGwPaWjgCWJ41K4hlajwaPPL3nOnUbIiP54VHfgxaiQjVNJ5X2KYzXzPx5svT0wBnQp-C-vyUF_affLIyKx64SM6fBnKOKBIRW-5WaktlVW4/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="organized garage" width="500" /> It doesn’t look like much but I have a plan for that area that I’m working on now – SO stinking excited about it! It will be even more organized and functional when I’m done with it. We have plenty of room to walk around there, even with our cars pulled in, so this will work much better as a work area. I have tons of space to stretch out in! And yes, I have my pretty rug that was in the <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2013/11/some-color-in-mud-room.html">mud room</a> in there because it’s dirty beyond cleaning now. I didn’t realize when I bought it that the light areas are raised and therefore are impossible to keep clean. So instead of getting rid of it I’m using it in here till it’s total toast. :) Who doesn’t want some pretty in their garage anyway? Maybe it’s just me? Could be. Last year I had an epiphany of sorts – I realized our garage, with it’s 12 foot+ ceilings, was a gold mine of storage that we weren’t taking advantage of. And since the basement was finished, we didn’t have room for big faux Christmas trees and all that stuff down there. So we had a few storage shelves built, up to the ceiling. We started with a couple earlier last year and then a couple more in the fall. They are AWESOME: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVka4RxHoyly6b_vZJskKcpF-f2R51SvfEXW5KvMCfTh08tFFaHq1ujUPIGts_iBclhxOIU8ld2JRpQG5PP3lUvBTvgit91gsD4AR5FbZsliy-A-82v3RJstfBq08F1supyquqOa5iOAQ/s1600-h/IMG_7308%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Christmas decor organization" border="0" height="750" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikIoU1t_yxzeZ0-9TdwnFiCCsf5mYf_P-d9p17v2XqTops9JS7Z1ZEnM_CXlfAs7E0xGyBVvdvRa5pU_sBjntLllv2fA4GpDBRC9M5vIDn6IyGLJ0kttLR6thMNRDp8dV_fphaw6kbadE/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Christmas decor organization" width="500" /></a> They were mostly filled with junk up till a few weeks ago when I <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2013/10/that-space-under-stairs.html">moved most of the Christmas bins</a> out here. I decluttered big time and was able to put all but a couple bins up here. So for those of you who were curious, here’s where all that went! ;) I label my bins with Frogtape – it’s easy to read, easy to change out and actually stays stuck on there: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4p-DpCiiF3JQ9X2bCPUaFVEhyvh08lk_mzLrGETL83I3nb6MjQX0KOZ70lS5oGlo4eo8k1f3GYGGEscc5m8LppWOISdKHHnAaT4YNeIVAPHtfdS0ZFbtb0cONtnJfaMJKnI-tdEL9eIE/s1600-h/IMG_7313%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="labeling bins with frogtape" border="0" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1j9oufGdLvwJAHaZrZvIswi6hLyG2uh-Hl14GzyZVP5-TTiD-CWHOmoT2JqmdyENC7Cqa-pGYiLhdGCwUsyBeCUVQQxDicHb2zPMCsjwyUM_T9W7QuieC_07KS0yMUnGDLg65j8W63uU/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="labeling bins with frogtape" width="500" /></a> I just put the tape on, write and then to clean them up a bit I use a razor to trim up the sides. Totally not necessary to trim them up but it makes them look nice. ;) And after all work, finding a spot for everything, moving it all around -- I realized we didn’t have room for something important that we kept on those shelves all last winter – all the outdoor cushions from the patio. Wha whaaaa. Smart. Sooo…we have a little bit of room on one of the shelves above the garage: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKjsHn4vWAWPhO5zXo_F6QhxHDkbCWHR6Ojo9zFKfCB7JG3hZWNPjXgVIuyJmOJTs0J4H1yZfJUrnVbo7c3bvi6zywgL2S8IUXRZaekV1cv4H0dskzzWRRZ4AWmIjjvSWt9L7Jkg9jak/s1600-h/IMG_7317%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="storage above garage door" border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURsUGJKyGoNyOK9oqELcQCPzfvPX175a2ZM23FUxt1unw_MRO1JVQxx3xrIMmhiwvwcp7YGmA3lkzji5kBFX-XvGLufAb7sy67q4-JLpTBvxpKdBBCTsh1XOiRzmIvrrMoZFkyVCC_WM/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="storage above garage door" width="550" /></a> And I think we’ll have another one installed over on the other side, hopefully before it snows. That should hold everything. I’m on a mission to create/find a spot for everything in my house. I’m getting closer all, getting closer. It feels GOOD. And I said it years ago when <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2010/11/garage-decrapification-again.html">I last cleaned out</a> the garage, (to the day, how weird!!) but this time I mean it – NEVER again will I let it get this bad. Ever. You can declutter all you want, but unless the storage is functional and works for your family, it’s just going to pile up again. These changes will work so much better for us! Next year I’d like to work on painting the floors in here – I love the look but our cars are OLD and occasionally leak. I haven’t wanted to go through all the work just to have stains on the floor. So, there you go – my most epic clean out EVER! Numerous Goodwill trips and Craigslist sales later, and I’m done!! It feels so good! This is a great fall project because the temps are perfect for being inside/kinda outside. Do you have an organized garage? Do you always park in it? :)

Most epic clean out ever

Hey there! How was your weekend? Ours was great, even though we spent the day in the basement yesterday, ready for storms and tornados going...

9:01 AM

Do You Feel Lucky, Punk?

<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJZA8f-lhUv7f660pnIW5rDfT6Bz069MG6CP42ba1Mp4QxUrGJrkHwFz1huUPIgdFmoY5qIs1qo98heorTkx3PPHGM2aMNahVwd9HAtWzwvGCYVGVmPLLukfR0FITPsL-oUU_VApyH2o/s1600/horse+shoe+with+twine3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="horseshoe, horseshoe craft, hang a horseshoe" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJZA8f-lhUv7f660pnIW5rDfT6Bz069MG6CP42ba1Mp4QxUrGJrkHwFz1huUPIgdFmoY5qIs1qo98heorTkx3PPHGM2aMNahVwd9HAtWzwvGCYVGVmPLLukfR0FITPsL-oUU_VApyH2o/s320/horse+shoe+with+twine3.jpg" title="" width="306" /></a></div> Are you lucky? I'm totally lucky. Yes, I'm lucky to have an awesome family and great kids (truly). But, here's a little secret, I'm also lucky, as in lotto winner lucky. I'm gonna get luckier, because I made this cool horseshoe, which I will get to in a minute, but first, let me tell you the lottery story. A few months ago, the New York lottery was around 150 million dollars. I woke up the day of the lottery just feeling lucky. Really, I did. So I told Big A, and he said, "Well you'd better go and buy a lottery ticket then". So I did. This was my first time buying a lottery ticket, so I was excited. I raced out to the gas station where they sell the tickets, and then raced home, ticket in hand. I ran through the back door and thrust the ticket at Big A - because he knows how to do these things. He proceeded to sit down at the kitchen table and put his glasses on (that means it's an important moment), to scratch off the ticket and check out those numbers. I have to admit, I was a little nervous, even though I was fairly confident I would be a winner. You worry about all of the media attention, or if the wealth will affect your children... Anyway, after several minutes.... Big A looked up at me with a funny little grin. I KNEW IT!!! Guess who won the lottery! This girl! Eight dollars. It's your birthday. Eight dollars. It's your birthday. As I chanted and danced, Big A shook his head and walked out of the kitchen. I yelled after him, "Hey, that's either dollars more than I had! First time playing the lottery and it's a winner!" I think he mumbled something about me spending two dollars on the ticket, but whatever. It makes me happy to look for lucky things. For instance, the other day I was reading Readers Digest at the dentists office. (It was a lucky day, because usually I end up with Popular Mechanics or Sports Illustrated).  Anyway, I was reading this incredible story about a lady named Ann Hodges. Compared to Ann Hodges we're all super lucky. She was snuggled up on her sofa when a grapefruit-size meteorite fell through the roof of her house, bounced off her radio, and hit her! She's the first, and maybe only, person to be hit by a meteorite. She lived, but geesh. THAT makes me feel lucky. Ok, time to stop fooling around and show you my horseshoe. This summer I found a horseshoe in our stone wall. That wall has been on our property for who knows how long, and we don't have a horse, so that old horseshoe could be super old. I found it and thought that was pretty lucky! I wanted to hang it up somewhere, but first, I put it in the basement to collect luck for a while. Finally, when it was all luckified, and I had an idea of where I wanted to hang it, I gave it a quick spray of gold glitter spray paint. Then I wrapped it with twine to make a little hanger for it, and because I like twine. I used a hot glue gun to secure the twine, because it wouldn't be very lucky if a horseshoe fell off the wall and on anyone's head. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg639W0CBoHDy12YSR4bct5UwGGNNJu7VdgBkowTZsVebNGy7L4tCuovlWK6JGeqArfPIzLW-HFTZakdqZPsxG04pP8yw6-DN-2UX8cDZhvxyvdxXpa2XLXNqwXYgVMvQQSGQQ4tCThfL4/s1600/horse+shoe+with+twine1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg639W0CBoHDy12YSR4bct5UwGGNNJu7VdgBkowTZsVebNGy7L4tCuovlWK6JGeqArfPIzLW-HFTZakdqZPsxG04pP8yw6-DN-2UX8cDZhvxyvdxXpa2XLXNqwXYgVMvQQSGQQ4tCThfL4/s320/horse+shoe+with+twine1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Feeling a little nervous, at the irony of a good luck charm falling on my head, I added a good thick line of glue to the back for good measure. </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-_5mV1D6hYZ7ZgV_b1RLgSXINLwHZ-onhKHZbnjMkjObFxHoPGuGnF1E9Zpx1TDidABITn9s-Ijep6-cmVYCKUhud1_H4hvn7bltRMA4MbBDdsPKVhMORcyG7zoyo0eDvn8VKDaJTOyw/s1600/horse+shoe+with+twine2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-_5mV1D6hYZ7ZgV_b1RLgSXINLwHZ-onhKHZbnjMkjObFxHoPGuGnF1E9Zpx1TDidABITn9s-Ijep6-cmVYCKUhud1_H4hvn7bltRMA4MbBDdsPKVhMORcyG7zoyo0eDvn8VKDaJTOyw/s320/horse+shoe+with+twine2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> I like the twine and the glitter with the rusted metal. It looks cool. And lucky. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJZA8f-lhUv7f660pnIW5rDfT6Bz069MG6CP42ba1Mp4QxUrGJrkHwFz1huUPIgdFmoY5qIs1qo98heorTkx3PPHGM2aMNahVwd9HAtWzwvGCYVGVmPLLukfR0FITPsL-oUU_VApyH2o/s1600/horse+shoe+with+twine3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJZA8f-lhUv7f660pnIW5rDfT6Bz069MG6CP42ba1Mp4QxUrGJrkHwFz1huUPIgdFmoY5qIs1qo98heorTkx3PPHGM2aMNahVwd9HAtWzwvGCYVGVmPLLukfR0FITPsL-oUU_VApyH2o/s320/horse+shoe+with+twine3.jpg" width="306" /></a></div> I hung it up by our back door, and made a little bow of twine to hide the hook. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxzxwcViy7ds01ew-pq1EOrHc1_-WSHQCNvb4F2ITED53iiQdgxdR68hG8f3ndN44KOdL1Y33zxHt6GOd_DxPNEBC-zBxoIZCpD2enCw2y3ddfIS6oz__1M1tcTUsDNq74LCGqYkjPTE/s1600/horse+shoe+with+twine4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxzxwcViy7ds01ew-pq1EOrHc1_-WSHQCNvb4F2ITED53iiQdgxdR68hG8f3ndN44KOdL1Y33zxHt6GOd_DxPNEBC-zBxoIZCpD2enCw2y3ddfIS6oz__1M1tcTUsDNq74LCGqYkjPTE/s320/horse+shoe+with+twine4.jpg" width="218" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is the panned out view (with the paint looking true to color - our kitchen is yellow, not taupe. I don't know why the above photo came out that color. Anyway....) </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikl2Cm-c8KPzhtngsiTzZ3R46zWBT6ZMrF43CLzE0Eet6Paf5bJZurwBxA-A-CwOcm6td-AkaS8dtcsZRatdYtAwYf3W5JEQ8KSbjIVtblmtbumsRlS-B7G0rSdEylrbDvXMxszrtheZ4/s1600/horse+shoe+with+twine5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikl2Cm-c8KPzhtngsiTzZ3R46zWBT6ZMrF43CLzE0Eet6Paf5bJZurwBxA-A-CwOcm6td-AkaS8dtcsZRatdYtAwYf3W5JEQ8KSbjIVtblmtbumsRlS-B7G0rSdEylrbDvXMxszrtheZ4/s320/horse+shoe+with+twine5.jpg" width="224" /></a></div> I love it. I hope it brings more luck. I really hope it doesn't fall on my head. What about you? Are you lucky? (Party <a href="http://itssoverycheri.com/2012/10/21/its-party-time-10-21-2012/party-guidelines-2/">here</a>!)

Do You Feel Lucky, Punk?

Are you lucky? I'm totally lucky. Yes, I'm lucky to have an awesome family and great kids (truly). But, here's a little secret, ...

2:41 PM

Showing off Sandra

Hello there and welcome to the WEEKEND everybody! Anything fun going on? I’m back with another post where I show off an awesome and talented blogger so you can waste half of your day getting caught up in their site. Well, your boss or kids may think you’re wasting your time, but really…it’s for the greater good. Of you. Anyway, this weekend I’m sharing the uber talented Sandra from <a href="http://sawdustgirl.com">Sawdust Girl</a>. She is one who knows her way around tools and rocks the projects she does with them. I seriously bow down to her knowledge. I feel like an itty bitty baby compared to her with my jigsaw and nail gun. She inspires me to try to do more! Let’s take a look at what she’s done, shall we? She recently moved to a new city so we’ll check out her last house first. I think her <a href="http://sawdustgirl.com/2010/04/11/picture-frame-walls/">beautiful staircase project</a> is what first brought me to her blog years ago: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslTgqCaFRb4tFA2uA3IDm117tziAzC6HVffMhpox7JuGUly64ClrqV7DtE_32wV2UZjJeO3cul5q2CQzP_1l770uzTfdfnup5G-zEOQ04No1gXUUbIf0n30KYaSIxFMH-Cv_g5KPe9zM/s1600-h/Picture-Frame-Collage-Wall%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="wainscoting on wall " border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwi2mk_mXQ9pKkHM19x0sU6hANOSobGhMcshXmBO8FUrWE2VwqUEYKKfebOAZmt9HKA-JuH4EQTDXEnZfjneoFvBhyphenhyphenez4SugvDU14YhkIZ-PMquj_kHEu9h6B1nss3X3wikym1eQ0du1Y/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="wainscoting on wall " width="450" /></a> She added all the trimwork there and in the hallways and then the created the gallery walls – gorgeous right? Love the colors, and you know how I feel about the trim. No words needed. Her basement in that house had a few projects I loved, including a <a href="http://sawdustgirl.com/2011/02/14/house-tour-playroom/">closet-turned-playhouse</a>: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHu1tWNmWlJt3vMGNoeZXRO9JubI6u8AQ8XT2QbkrR9XqmWo8U31wUgpi7SwptkEjdt7D88aY3T_jEMuebdrcTuam9FJdk5WnnRDMhgaxArW2hn3Tzr-6UiJNp0Mwg2_yhCKwtscqjdCQ/s1600-h/Indoor-Playhouse%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Indoor playhouse " border="0" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikGMND_oJKelR18jpHplbFvN_5z7nINSBTkAgkBXYqCAqC59B51knqDxv8wEdY-oU5kCkZ7Y3exBmyPiAsWMJ2D-NY9OxOKDlDFKBWgjl4MjIRfeUTjAnmoYX-JREeDexvBNia_87ikmU/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Indoor playhouse " width="500" /></a> The roof even opened up for more storage – how stinkin’ fun is that? I drooled over her <a href="http://sawdustgirl.com/2011/02/17/house-tour-craft-room/">craft room</a>, especially the huge craft island with all that storage!: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSAmhpj47JVB4erme8aPAcHGTReB6ldGZlJtZ5KMFYprekhEm2py5NYbE2dCrYRuZtRY2KgU0KzsnoGPvVWfX_oJR2VDvsEWcwpIlnxKbRoKarAj2YVFCgAg_chdGJi_He_pFc2047T_I/s1600-h/IL-Craft-Room-580x416%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Huge craft table with storage" border="0" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSX2Yq-jBtzAANTLlM808bVr-7RKPCTEr98z0-XByVscXirocMoPvXrUf0dXA36MQmex60ncn4wzxuUM1hVFMB9eckN2U-uYblKOIHubdu22DEMI1iuNAUrJgIIuXAP8hYI68AXCT3hR4/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Huge craft table with storage" width="500" /></a> I. die. It’s huge! And she made it. Not with some melamine bookcases <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2012/02/diy-craft-table.html">like mine</a>, I mean, made it. ;) Sandra is slowly but surely working through their new house and the results are fantastic. Her <a href="http://sawdustgirl.com/2012/11/05/library-built-ins-and-wainscoting/">library built ins</a> (and the planked ceiling!) are amazing!: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSDj54e5IJkmJCPlC_c_DOXHVLCh2YZzg_Qky5f4EKa_zw1zlCoP2CLrRXlWFbZ6vNc45b2QrQGEaB1RsOZ1CpRXzr_k7WD7FW_bQhobXGa3B_R6BYBpdWrvb1lkl5Hwdq7eDXFXzgtVI/s1600-h/Library-with-White-Built-in-Bookshelves-10%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="library bookcases" border="0" height="639" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGIs3mVqH15uqrGaNejcj-Yp9RejmZg9-yyug2l9r96tNxxoPXl7pK5RxRGJqmx43wEYQjPwfeKt8z1vplai4XSmfckp1BK1zwD462KgsIws1sYDULCT_YUXBJzW12LY6cMScvBvxtfHo/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="library bookcases" width="500" /></a> Told you, the girl is good. But I saved the best for last. You may have seen her stunner of a closet on Pinterest cause it rocks everybody’s world. This is how it started out:  <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjToYcenYn97hiyvXCKTBBfoDhxkWJh_TDUo4eSxajOUXb-svCWQZUB1SfHnyjeZUQWWdDUE23RwcTyYud3tbZUKSaRNCxpM86LH3PHgeTDv52kolns0ENpSViXxwbLw08G9fAqnWD1Vjk/s1600-h/master-closet-before%25255B3%25255D.png"><img alt="master-closet-before" border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Sg3KlZPGebhW68z1pE09c_NppZTnQDaNGwmhlAGzXqo6nOml0isBPfDPZL_FJVsFxhQc0ivlejvDTmnnkoRn27qs0JCn3c2XyffcGTIjz3lCuLryckV4XPs77Fpc2mTlWkaGaT6G0YE/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="master-closet-before" width="500" /></a> And this is what she did with it: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghLe93B8xdufqlNgMn137XxV4icIblPRys55OhqTdG5r-vOTbnM6mggE93R4DKxuV8yW27eNYSYahOLhOQg5zSvSvzhpx1A3t7uvrmAkqg9sCKhcBbFZQezvd_qTG_QmXR9o6FpRf1JQw/s1600-h/Master-Closet-2%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="master closet built ins" border="0" height="750" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyt48ENJaUsCwUoVdRlRipWDZqPmr7tE8H3zqg88-GUeNnafr3pj1SYAN3zArJCwOUvZY5Vs0RB-PsNVvWnwLMaSOF5DcKh__fQ9vlIbSvXwiy_IJVnW5AQh3wMkkX8QtZdCn26Rh5_8I/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="master closet built ins" width="500" /></a> I know. Pick your jaws up off the floor. Have you SEEN a more fabulous closet? (Said in Chandler Bing voice.) Unreal. I don’t think I have enough clothes to even fill it, but that would be fine. I would just move my bed in there and live there. (Here’s <a href="http://sawdustgirl.com/2011/12/20/executive-master-closet/">the link</a> for more.) Did I mention she did that? By herself? Yeah. The best part is she is sharing her knowledge and helping others take on awesome projects like this too. It’s fun to follow along to see how their projects come together. One of my recent favorites is the wall of built ins in <a href="http://thesawdustdiaries.com/playroom-built-ins-robins-reveal/">this playroom</a>: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX4BCFoNODlHUosNfmSlMnU1bfDDfK-Wi6CHk2T0oLTf4g1uhhArIklGbGP5TR9oG7Gb-GUbEkOuNtxrDpgKplnrZNs6UNq35IkqkNbDg8ubW5OE7Xz9iqT9swmr3rmjRWRQgJ_Zb3rdQ/s1600-h/blue-and-white-playroom%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="built in window seat" border="0" height="602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQgxUF0RwY8Hf-SmnoLaNfbQx2PYq6zwzCV5pA_4JA9rqgSxMzDiH19Oiicy-JEGIiP_M5hvIqfb2Et42bcb-bIJugiJ2HJkYFWadE56QUndaHOExL0ebK7DKl5sUWErtbIDfqaUVRq_M/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="built in window seat" width="450" /></a> That’s my favorite part – that Sandra is showing that yes, YOU too can do it, with the right information and guidance. So there you go, another blog to stalk! You’re welcome. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Showing off Sandra

Hello there and welcome to the WEEKEND everybody! Anything fun going on? I’m back with another post where I show off an awesome and talented...

8:57 AM

Easiest, yummiest biscuits…ever

So Thanksgiving is only two weeks away! What in the world? And that means less than six weeks till Christmas. Ahhhhh! Are you freaking out yet? Don’t freak out. Making these will make you feel better, I PROMISE. I blogged about these little puffs of goodness years ago but didn’t really show them to you, so I’m dedicating a whole post to them because they are just. that. good. They would be a perfect addition to your Thanksgiving feast, and are so easy to make. Most of us have a crutch when it comes to certain foods, right? Like sweets or chips or whatever. Mine is bread. Anything bread. Buttered, toasted…any shape, any color, flavor, I’m there. And dear Lord…the rolls at Texas Roadhouse? Forget about it. These little biscuits are SO heavenly. They taste similar to the cheddar biscuits at Red Lobster. Is your mouth watering yet? The best part is they are soooo simple. Three ingredients: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAD0fTMWzhGuB4vxu2NpdbUtdzFz6XsFswgkvlDOodWSoN1wJZNF4Y_UXid6tQmCWzDaM8VSzGdmCE3mInrOcHdrFdQeYqcF231V0rToHT9O4BaiVxcLcfJay55lF1Nc2S2BHMmnDJKDI/s1600-h/quick-biscuit-recipe%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Easy biscuit recipe" border="0" height="633" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1lWAA8-MIemaVh2c0ZfpwjkzfxnZrWdn7XuXpIsYAWCs5AOL9S2qyM0pjnd9EB4_qMIKLyNpCyEcvbXvWnt3Fh9XJRbNQ_W12BBbUvKdaBSAhr0rKDvgB-MPlhnSyI0VBJijfqgfu168/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Easy biscuit recipe" width="500" /></a> One cup self-rising flour 1/2 cup butter (softened) 1 package (8 oz) softened cream cheese That’s it! Now I added a couple extras this time to amp them up even more (they don’t need anything but I like to play around with tried and true recipes). You just mix the three ingredients together. It will be very thick: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Pm37Z_d8Lduf_rzGRIfiHKqtfBtpsmdDp8N6FSGRiYNKQNsE8d7nvY3cozO86q23yqtTI9CUKU5xkS8joVUp_EUZfwbDLIwDk_kqkJTo1WkhZuEwLEb0zDTA_g1ub3PPPK-T0CiH1ig/s1600-h/quick%252520and%252520easy%252520biscuits%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Easy biscuit recipe" border="0" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM8OxCDI2dsK5bNvjxBUfsEpP4PYw9o3UMIzdfmXmDG-1Lr0sxPv1Y7F-9frYpF5mwdLCrLSqc8elfgZoit-QqMpvjPd6-IPj8VtOqCBPdo7JhkGDWTRKP2UsRJdBM0IrUcV7B5KhoKKo/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Easy biscuit recipe" width="400" /></a> One little addition I made this time was a bit of shredded cheddar cheese. Just a sprinkle, maybe a few tablespoons? I scooped them out on the (greased) pan using my ice cream scoop: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3RkFE6mWllTV1eKNmcixFcD-VGwHTCPKAwZTfGQFp_l3Ujx8AXCCuoEEaS-XJEIUvztsQpiy__WC1zHyOKw7ekB_kIpffJQcikvxwRE2O4lssOM_lf2tYaoHmht5Bi3bZ3kCRKlhmTVI/s1600-h/IMG_7272%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Ice cream scooper for baking" border="0" height="631" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQLYjwfKKZGj-3gHM3UbLNU2tbpBI4ejueDbFLVLDT0oZIEx4T8PBjsHhujqmT8dAntwkdfeUjgf3icV5B1woS3JDayF75bNNUmWH7k70eA8KFNcg3s9-DyOIGIlXl69gklCqY4ahN4g/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Ice cream scooper for baking" width="380" /></a> I use this more for baking than I do for ice cream. ;) When I had just a bit left to scoop out, I added some dill to the mixture: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_K3H5tTnkvBYdv8gkaekokPquBrEkOkafrBAxd__9deph3EBhlKG2RY4Ob5cjo1TNDdG1v1Befp24y1l9MiNGUKRqJC-VeviNU5AhcF9INTLWwC_uxHWEPTZJOEn8-lW1b8lcWJnqHI/s1600-h/IMG_7265%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Dill in biscuits" border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0EsQrF2vTZ_DHVeEsxFCoVt4dJqWoingLa56L49ZhD8paSAW0O28o4zTyoc3KmewNyRYCVTztJRfmlpCU7VCvHOlTygEtSNzi_2-Ue1X9zYkUkFyRXgqtzx5IhnALDHL5HsZQ1p9RGdM/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Dill in biscuits" width="400" /></a> I LOVE dill and my sis suggested it – brilliant. I only added it to the last few cause I didn’t think hubby would like them with it. This recipe makes over a dozen biscuits because I make them smaller. When you put them on the baking sheet you can place them pretty close together because they don’t spread much while baking. Bake them in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 15-17 minutes and then ENJOY their buttery, crumbly goodness: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzEX1NwyIKPbn2bE19cGHS5Uhn2cKwap5Vxv8-nXTZ90Vv3sbUTynmW6EjWHrleUwsIluT9i5IETlLWhk9wUi2cTC4MaJBQPKvcnCljReE6-6r9QRSOL9bsa2GG-I3JTCBXMefI83ESk/s1600-h/easy%252520cheddar%252520biscuits%252520header%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Easy biscuit recipe with cheddar" border="0" height="750" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKiLKk_jAjORqKngzlgdApFACXYyqM3BOKlGymGdiBM4wiEa6x5UWPFxpIWDDB2_EcB_SflJSc9-7WDxPhYbxsaSKxv9CMre_Q2ISl3Jcb_QPWqfMJg1QrcUz8E_mCtVGofZ7yZTxP-F4/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Easy biscuit recipe with cheddar" width="500" /></a> Go ahead and eat one or three right off the baking sheet. I wouldn’t know anything about that. They are seriously amazing. I make them when we entertain and they’re always a hit. LOVE. If you’re planning your Thanksgiving meal they would be a great addition – let me know if you try them out! :) What are you making for your Thanksgiving feast?

Easiest, yummiest biscuits…ever

So Thanksgiving is only two weeks away! What in the world? And that means less than six weeks till Christmas. Ahhhhh! Are you freaking out y...

8:01 AM

Being Grateful

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8fu3Et7xq0B73b5jnmHSe0zNkZQiXJUbfMuDEBBTeWK3-EDKQOTM8VG73hyphenhyphenLSbU1e4REOLdL1UDpLBsE90Xp4I9H0wG3lB1DSHnuJiYT1XlFu3EEOyGl6SBqCMNI1V137qOx5VRpG-s/s1600/november+2012+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5czFS0NOWnAFokeUxW4dpp3mvewk9PI2SmNuAIuIfxZ-3ZoMy3qUHBjoPFrp9RSPjAjHgbcUdDkXaVsCgxzXLZQDaclLJHFHbzQTM3qVylN6gGiZ2HWGs-F7D-UtVg_M1QhJb7OC2nnU/s1600/winter2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="being grateful, giving thanks, thanksgiving" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5czFS0NOWnAFokeUxW4dpp3mvewk9PI2SmNuAIuIfxZ-3ZoMy3qUHBjoPFrp9RSPjAjHgbcUdDkXaVsCgxzXLZQDaclLJHFHbzQTM3qVylN6gGiZ2HWGs-F7D-UtVg_M1QhJb7OC2nnU/s320/winter2013.jpg" title="" width="191" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ8T0akXDc1LTnils6qCeg4BW8atl2H2foWYWBjt98Ampqy2i6G4pgCA0MhlGaCh-7Vd1VpxBYcH81hona9pKtDX-a8SXx4pdoVW6hAQjUB4-EngI9fV_8hQxgX5K7mbQuJ3Wxnrv-b2w/s1600/jan+1+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div><div align="center"></div> With winter setting in, and Thanksgiving approaching, I'm getting excited for the holidays. Lots of people are sharing what they're grateful for, so I wanted to share a story with you all. It's about my Mom and Dad. My parents are the best - and I love them very, very much. I'm especially grateful to them because they make me laugh every single day. It's not as if they tell jokes. No. They just Do And Say Funny Things. Today is no different. <div style="text-align: center;">Here is the Story</div> My Dad retired this year. Mom retired several years ago, and has had the house to herself five days a week. Now they're both retired and at home. Together. All the time. My sister and I were a little worried about how they would get along being together all day, every day. You know, people get used to their schedule and their own space. And then suddenly, like so many couples after retirement, they're thrown back together, 24/7. It's got to be an adjustment. Not to mention, my Mom and Dad are somewhat different from one another. Dad likes to watch Cops, Mom likes to watch Millionaire. Dad likes to cut down trees, Mom likes to plant trees. Dad likes to buy tools, Mom likes to buy shoes. These seem like inconsequential differences, but think of the potential for conflict! Yes, we were a little worried. Yet it appears we were worried about nothing. My Mom and Dad seem to be having fun. They're having an addition built. They go shopping. They go out to lunch. That's what they tell us anyway. Seems all is going well. Yesterday, secure in this fact, I felt the urge to chat about Thanksgiving, so I called my Mom. It was late afternoon, and I pictured my Dad in his big chair by the fire, and Mom making him dinner while we chatted. We hit all the side dishes - my sister is bringing a pear and sweet potato bake, I'll make the green bean casserole. We talked about relatives - and who may or may not be coming. We talked turkey - the size of the bird, and method of cooking. We were mid-turkey-talk, and just about to talk PIE. Abruptly my Mom stopped and said (seriously and with some urgency): "Honey, I'll call you right back. I just remembered, I have to let Dad out of the basement." And she hung up. And I laughed, and immediately called my sister. What's making you laugh today?

Being Grateful

With winter setting in, and Thanksgiving approaching, I'm getting excited for the holidays. Lots of people are sharing what they...

12:55 PM

Counting down…

Well it snowed here last night so I’m just gonna talk about it…only 43 days till Christmas!!! <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1kYl7wJST8s/UoJYdZ5rVYI/AAAAAAAAivI/jtulurPe3Uk/s1600-h/photo%25255B5%25255D.png"><img alt="christmas countdown app" border="0" height="433" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-hKgukF9e9P4/UoJYeaLaKXI/AAAAAAAAivQ/-cTF0c--PCM/photo_thumb%25255B15%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="christmas countdown app" width="366" /></a> We’re holiday freaks around here (including my husband, the one who insisted on a 12 foot tree!!) and we unabashedly love this season and planning for it. The boy and I have been talking about our plan of attack on the holiday decor for a good week now. I know we have Thanksgiving to go still and yes, I honor that day plenty (and I’m thankful all year round), but I love Christmas most of all. So for today…we’re talking about it! (Cause it snowed. It’s allowed now.) Every year about this time I share a few advent calendar ideas so if you’d like to DIY (or order!) one, you’ll have plenty of time. Only 18 more days till December! Am I freaking you out yet? :) Let’s start out with the tried and true – Pottery Barn never disappoints this time of year. And sometimes you (or is it me?) just want to buy something and not DIY it: <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-nz7_Hv0dZV4/UoJYfAArLsI/AAAAAAAAivY/yzb_HrdU324/s1600-h/img76o%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="pottery barn advent" border="0" height="500" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bK4I_sdCXfc/UoJYfgWLy1I/AAAAAAAAivg/65Y3zz0wmMM/img76o_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="pottery barn advent" width="450" /></a> <a href="http://www.potterybarn.com/products/wall-mount-tree-basket-advent-calendar/?cm_src=AutoCSLPIP" title="http://www.potterybarn.com/products/wall-mount-tree-basket-advent-calendar/?cm_src=AutoCSLPIP">(source)</a> I’ll take the white planked wall behind it too. I believe it was Ballard Designs that did the advent pillow idea a couple years back, but I love this PB version too: <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-U70kcyCmQ5I/UoJYgdLJVTI/AAAAAAAAivo/nBcNZqxOzdk/s1600-h/img99c%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="pottery barn advent pillow" border="0" height="449" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-T_DxV8uJ9Pc/UoJYg0JUloI/AAAAAAAAivw/hD_r66fNVsk/img99c_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="pottery barn advent pillow" width="500" /></a> <a href="http://www.potterybarn.com/products/advent-calendar-lumbar-pillow-cover/?cm_src=AutoCSLPIP" title="http://www.potterybarn.com/products/advent-calendar-lumbar-pillow-cover/?cm_src=AutoCSLPIP">(source)</a> I’ve seen DIY versions of that that I’m sure are much cheaper, but man, that would take a lot of time, right? I don’t know, maybe not. I found this cute version on Etsy: <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-jjYIkViIYdo/UoJYhsrvs5I/AAAAAAAAiv4/3HgpKZx1hm4/s1600-h/il_570xN.521587034_3qmo%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="DIY advent calendar" border="0" height="399" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lnvTyOohnZ0/UoJYiYcpMxI/AAAAAAAAiwA/QtTLjbH_qc4/il_570xN.521587034_3qmo_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="DIY advent calendar" width="500" /></a> <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/168109507/christmas-advent-calendar-with-magnet?ref=sr_gallery_15&ga_search_query=advent&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all" title="http://www.etsy.com/listing/168109507/christmas-advent-calendar-with-magnet?ref=sr_gallery_15&ga_search_query=advent&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all">(source)</a> LOVE the fun graphics on that one! You could do this yourself with spice tins and some wrapping paper as well. I thought this version was lovely as well: <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-AE7QH8gIjXk/UoJYjJDY3SI/AAAAAAAAiwI/IY9OBxY3XoU/s1600-h/il_570xN.392046376_p7ox%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="box advent calendar" border="0" height="665" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-By3YKbccwgQ/UoJYj3skYpI/AAAAAAAAiwQ/laLOTLFPemU/il_570xN.392046376_p7ox_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="box advent calendar" width="500" /></a> <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/114102580/gift-box-framed-advent-calendar-for-wall?ref=sr_gallery_35&ga_search_query=advent&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=2&ga_search_type=all" title="http://www.etsy.com/listing/114102580/gift-box-framed-advent-calendar-for-wall?ref=sr_gallery_35&ga_search_query=advent&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=2&ga_search_type=all">(source)</a> So detailed and pretty right? I think I love these as much as the kids. (Can I get an adult version big enough for a margarita? No?) OK, let’s talk do-it-yourself now! This one is pretty basic but kind of BRILLIANT: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbjrOF2L1IF0swyxxFTUSGYXfJr9fG83iEeBK3b7upmtNV3Wmk8NNDkj1zchzMRnbpGTI2a9usYWUV5CUebnXNacrwJpYIfVRZVouSa73njpQtbteOmVEmMrTgABV8MCWVGpmNOw-4Ego/s1600-h/492279f72e4c2ab5624e5e0408a02a13%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="toilet paper roll advent" border="0" height="487" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-A2mcxCJqMS_-ZbDJkkMM7GD91twVIaFewZ584746wUEDbmCsqSDWkRhyUmsAbEOqUHADLsz8xUJpbBymxqYEFJq4k-FiRTdW5_mYokrswYVGHn-5_d0Ta9BdmBnXpsnvxsjysqJ_sVc/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="toilet paper roll advent" width="236" /></a> <a href="http://www.morningcreativity.com/diy-toilet-paper-roll-calendar/" title="http://www.morningcreativity.com/diy-toilet-paper-roll-calendar/">(source)</a> Any guesses as to what that is? Yep, toilet paper rolls. ;) You could also save the paper towel rolls and get a few out of each one I bet. I LOVE the idea of the kids breaking through the front to get to the treat. How fun is that? And you could easily dress that up – use colored paper or again, wrapping paper. You don’t even need to number them really. And…you could make it into the shape of a tree perhaps? So cute. My friend Beckie knocked off one of my favorite PB advent years back: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw0HC_O9qrvDJzK3bfQNzfGGV9jinlLgDy2vphXqYrK3X7M0kd4wtohAT9sB9tGCgPBOaX_wbsN4pkn-9TCwlRooOUqwj1PzFAiW__TiVsCJxQqB56sR_IxIBRnmElrg2uTGOq_s0aj4Y/s1600-h/IMG_1605_thumb1%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img alt="bucket advent calendar" border="0" height="599" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikg9dz_ujkZt_ALbDOioFzzjBdgTCAmMdCqw_kuklzccKzeDifKP3wGhFGCbQOtfYMyUFdu9PquLGIL3SRuwHduGMCvklCfQHUumzUGQHhHXuySNijM4AAgNRuetxdtGBX6OEV7Y-cv70/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="bucket advent calendar" width="450" /></a> <a href="http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2010/11/dollar-store-advent-calendar.html" title="http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2010/11/dollar-store-advent-calendar.html">(source)</a> She used tiny buckets from the wedding section at the dollar store! I looked for tiny buckets all over a couple years back – this is so smart. (I think a few come in a package so this could be done for under ten bucks easy.) This idea is pretty cute too – using a muffin tin: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgaAT6EkvfnGzLCceOztGax6dMP9S6bT2RVGnorCJl-ZlWAd2blcEUeETt9JBROHqIouCW3-oHYbHUmVPauLhElY-HBSJ8-8nzbTadwCLzWyPLw1uinCwBDeMk4n0UhWHbHSwiLErCtyU/s1600-h/IMGP1772%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="muffin tin advent calendar" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZYsZLC9iXqjrBHnP_4eAi-cws6SLGN5BrP1r4BxsXlaeyUow1emaKb_m1fhdyakCSpcj-5-9PK3dgEdrEebqtU7uXPEJ4K2UGZ5MzBQ6x4-54UClCob-gMnZL8iy_u6jE2zw6bptO8g/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="muffin tin advent calendar" width="480" /></a> <a href="http://stampwithruthie.blogspot.com/2011/10/muffin-tin-advent-calendar.html" title="http://stampwithruthie.blogspot.com/2011/10/muffin-tin-advent-calendar.html">(source)</a> From what I can tell you just cut out the paper (in circles or squares) and then glue magnets to the back. Pretty easy! This one isn’t quite as interactive for the kids, but Laura’s advent art was so pretty I just had to share it: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEeIlUpVmSB1emwoWRK4_ak0Xrhwk-_fYTTNyZYRtDyJmIBxe_zZTTby84ilNErkVzZbVlac5i77f74N_Pbe6mgogsokhVJUPl-BDuzHrzdtugbBX3YHjHuJXBPozQW5XMuZIL-I3EPc/s1600-h/55224119e7fd46c8570304396c35aafb%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="advent calendar art" border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_kouGnhg3WR-uI03XTbJlhH6gEQuQLYPXi3dg9C7sr7WZ35spZlRgi2LWPhh727VxshdaXmKFq5tT-t7A-5Z1lf7Q8Eo0UM5nUJydunLUwM410kKISvHYexN5xzz8a2TbWlHH6gcFS5g/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="advent calendar art" width="500" /></a> <a href="http://findinghomeonline.com" title="http://findinghomeonline.com">(source)</a> Isn’t that just beautiful? Sigh. Her fireplace always looks amazing too. And finally, I made <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2008/11/countdowns-for-kiddies.html">our advent calendar</a> five years ago and it’s still going strong: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7KTcwFqT-Zg5KNuFhAkGmW0438OglT4URD6J-CB_tgm4neTLnui8XsdclT_KIpKOoLU8Yb08jWq0nAZ4XHRJNR1teWeIKbCdzIGTDoyuXuFCeh7ssD9y6zLSiWWq3luCo1BfUSO4yVg/s1600-h/Screen%252520Shot%2525202013-11-12%252520at%25252010.54.34%252520AM%25255B11%25255D.png"><img alt="advent calendar boxes" border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDU0S8XoU3JLxBpWM_WxjK_zgw2k08BuQK24OXUF8GHaQfti5vw9cCZZS7VSlnsx-6uq4k5lWagmeyOXjKKdurSzXdFDeOEqxDtLoCFyDXsIZSpBLo5kvVxD6XKkE8OBQLCphBfjEbQUs/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="advent calendar boxes" width="563" /></a> I usually just put the little boxes out but this year I may corral them into a tray or one spot. I don’t know, still need to think on that some more. It was a lot of work when I made it (but fun!) but it’s held up great! My son LOVES seeing these come out: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE2SxdBFm48Xxh6kS9ZnM6jWydVfeS1tevcBCKfP5UXwuq5wmJ-9cxCHqKbHj3M21HG2-tukj_c2ddquI7VufbFpB6yxrZY8fjwhHEMqfu4A2ymk9H8oYsp36OZY4HA8c8Ubdrp265qnM/s1600-h/Screen%252520Shot%2525202013-11-12%252520at%25252010.54.34%252520AM%25255B16%25255D.png"><img alt="advent calendar boxes" border="0" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpO7ZprlZmAYqMBM9WbljDZPiONvPZ7qm5bL9dyYsldK1oJYFckm0tzLjwVndawpUhj-IcZHUIsZY-P7WU2oduzuV9JmLVmeCgUvDjGTXNyE8qpAoewWTiYtVA5TlIx_TdgPaqA4srk98/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="advent calendar boxes" width="404" /></a> Do you have an advent calendar? Have you made one? Feel free to share a link to your DIY versions in the comments!

Counting down…

Well it snowed here last night so I’m just gonna talk about it…only 43 days till Christmas!!! We’re holiday freaks around here (includin...

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