Santa Nutter Butters

These are going to the Methodist Youth Fellowship progressive dinner tomorrow night!  I think they are silly and delicious!

Nutter Butters, white chocolate chips melted with a little oil, mini choc chips, red sugar, and red hots...These were fun to make!

Peanut Snowmen

How cute is this?

Start by painting a peanut white.  Top his head with an acorn cap.  I used tacky glue and was sure to glue the hanger (thin gold embroidery thread) before placing the cap.  Face was made with orange and black sharpies.  Gave the whole thing a quick coat of Modge Podge and then tied on a little scarf using yarn.

FIRE CRACKERS

1 1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 1/2 tbsp. red pepper flakes*
1 tbsp. cayenne pepper*
1 pkt. dry Ranch dressing mix
4 sleeves saltine crackers

In a small bowl, combine oil, spices, and ranch dressing mix. Place crackers in a very large bowl and pour oil mixture over. Toss until crackers are covered. Let stand for 15 minutes. Toss again. Let stand another 10-15 minutes. Store in an airtight container. 
*Adjust pepper flakes and cayenne according to your taste.

Repurposed t-shirt and tie

I've recently become addicted to "pinterest" and find myself doing alot of "pinning" while watching television.  I got inspired by a post that featured decorating a t-shirt with a men's necktie.  I adapted to fit my style and was pleased with the results.

This shirt started out as a 100% cotton mock turtleneck tee.  I had actually put it in a give-away bag because the neckline drove me crazy and wouldn't hold its shape!  The tie is 100% polyester.  I don't think silk (which is what the majority of men's ties are made from) would hold up well in the wash.  

Want to make one yourself?  Start by cutting away the collar area.  I pinned the men's necktie on the new collar line before sewing...the tie is sewn flat across on the back of the neckline and folded into tucks along the sides and front of the neckline.  I machine sewed in place and adding a button to the wider end of the tie.  Voila!

It was fun to wear to work...the picture doesn't do it justice.  It's actually quite feminine!

Yankee Doodle Dandy!

I've been spending a couple of weeks of summer vacay teaching Kidz Camp at my church.  This week was really fun as we spent it being patriotic in anticipation of our country's birthday celebration!

All of my campers made "AMERICA" banners for their homes, magazine collage flags to wave (with a group picture on the back), and delicious cupcakes with handmade star toppers for our camp-wide All-American luncheon!

My favorite activity (although the prep time took forever), was our flatware windchimes!  The kids had a blast stringing up knives, forks, and spoons!

I get to take the next week off before we do two more weeks of camp.  I think I will make my own windchime!

It's better in the south!

A few years ago, we vacationed in the Outer Banks.  Our journey home had us meandering through North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia where I fell in love with the porch ceilings painted blue and vowed to paint mine one day.  In fact, I have asked for a painted porch ceiling as my birthday/Mother's Day/Christmas gift several times to no avail.

The blue ceilings are rumored to keep bugs away which is always a good thing around here.  We grow mosquitos that are big enough to carry off a newborn!  I did a little digging around and found out that long ago, the blue ceilings DID keep bugs at a minimum.  However, it was probably due more to the fact that the milk-based paint used to paint the ceiling contained lye (read:  poison) and had little to do with the actual color. 

I also discovered that the blue paint was called "Haint Blue" because southerners believed it chased spirits away.  I suppose they used it just like the candles buring on a Christmas tree...anything to keep the roaming spirits at bay.

Now that I actually have some time off from work, I set to work a couple of days ago to get my blue porch ceiling.  I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.  There is an added sense of serenity back there...and I'm always glad to get an extra measure of that. 

A sweet girl gets a sweet cake...

My darling daughter turns 17 this week and we are having a party at the local pizza joint.  We'll be celebrating with a unique cake this year...

I started with a decorative "hat box" from my local craft store...

Used glue dots to add some of the birthday girl's favorite candy...



Added a border of hard candy...

Fill in with more deliciousness...

Topped it with a row of bubble gum...

And filled in the top with a fun variety mix...

HAPPY SUPER 17th TO AN AMAZING YOUNG WOMAN!



You've gotta start somewhere

So, here is my blog.  First entry.  Definitely nothing earth shattering!  My plan is to post stuff that I think is good...bargains, funny stories, random musings, beatiful pictures...you know, basic ramblings of an ordinary gal who tries to find the goodness in each day. 

This has been a surprise three-day-weekend since yesterday was deemed an "ice day" and the whole area found itself literally frozen in space...no driving, no errands, no work...and in my house, we were blessed with the coveted "sleeping in." 

I loved being woken up by the birds rather than my alarm clock.  Gaw, do I hate that thing.  I actually sat in a conference on Thursday where the keynote said an alarm clock buzzer is a horrible way to start the day.  I can't guarantee that I could wake up any other way, but I totally agree with him.  He suggested that all morning routines begin with a fist-pumping "yeeeeeeeeeessssss!  It's going to be a great day!"  I think I agree with him although that strategy could never work with me.  I'm a known "morning non-talker."  I can't be bothered with vocalization for at least 15 minutes after the stupid alarm has gone off.  Correlation?  You think?!

Anyway, a couple of icy days have been a good way to find a little rest and lack of responsibility to the outside world.  The house is mostly tidy and it's been good to read under a blanket and drink one too many cups of coffee.  That would be a nice way to start off everyday.