Make Glass Jars Reusable

I keep a lot of used things to re-use them later. I hold onto all sorts of aluminum cans for gardening and office organization, old egg cartons are also used for seeds, bottle caps to make matching/memory games for my little guy and glass jars for various baking/kitchen goods.

Sometimes I find that glass jars keep the smell of what they were originally holding. Even though I wash them, sometimes by hand AND in the dishwasher, they still smell like pickles, salsa, or worse...green olives! (My husband loves green olives!)

So if you are also saving glass jars, here is a little trick to get rid of the smell. Baking Soda!
Clean your jar thoroughly and then put about 1/2 Tablespoon of baking soda in the jar. Put the lid back on and voila! No more smell!

Then you can put whatever you want into your little jar.

So far my glass jars contain baking powder, salt, candy, brown sugar, chocolate chips and raisins. They all taste like what is currently in the jar and not pickled.

Big Surprise Revealed! It's a Bathroom Remodel!

This weekend Hubby headed down to Salt Lake for the weekend. So while the boys were away, my mom, sister-in-law, and sister and her dog came up to help with a bathroom remodel! My Hubby thought that we were going to do just a bunch of crafts. So this was a TOTAL SURPRISE to him! Happy late Valentine's Day!

It was a lot of hard work, a lot of waiting for paint to dry, and also a lot of fun to be with the girls. Of course I took BEFORE pictures for your viewing pleasure. So here they are:

Brown, oak cabinets, white walls, Hollywood lights, and a tri-fold vanity that blocked a lot of light from shining on the counter.

Here you can see all the brown oak and the horrid strip of Hollywood lights.

Ugly Cabinets and check out that tissue paper holder. It has a gold stripe down the middle, which you can't really see.

Boring towel rack.


The remodel starts!
We (my mom, sister-in-law, and sister) absolutely stripped down the bathroom. The light, the towel rack, and the cabinets. Even the toilet tank has been taken out. The cabinet doors and drawers are currently downstairs getting 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of black paint by my awesome helping hands.

I would also like to thank Rhonda over at Southern Hospitality who figured out the best way to put up a mirror and how to do frame the mirror with molding. Thank you Rhonda!
You can see her mirror project here.


Drumroll please....Here is
The Big Reveal!!

So much better! We painted the cupboards black and the walls Benjamin Moore Wedgewood Grey (It is more sea green than it looks in the pictures). We (and when I say "we" I mean all the girls) glued up the mirror and the molding around the mirror.

It's amazing how much larger the counter seems now that there isn't a vanity hanging over 1/3 of it.

Close-up on the framing around the mirror that we made from rosettes and molding.

Finished cupboards and new toilet paper holder. New cupboard with towel rack.

I am going to have a grand ole time changing the decor in and out on the new cupboard.New light fixture. Ahh, so much better.

Here is a list of details on the items in case you are wondering where I got it all.
Paint: Primer, Black paint, and Benjamin Moore Wedgewood Grey all at Bennett's Paint.
Light fixture, toilet paper holder, and cupboard: Walmart
Molding and Rosettes: Home Depot

Hubby was so surprised! I had Sara hide behind the shower curtain and film his reaction. He said "Wow! This is really nice! You guys can have a girls' weekend whenever you want!"

Saving Money is a Good Thing

I don't mind saving money, especially on groceries. It may be kind of lame to post about my grocery savings but that is what I made this blog for so that I can remind myself that I do like doing Grocery Smarts. And to "toot my own horn" as my dad would say. Here is what I accomplished on this particular shopping trip.What I would have spent: $154.98

Total spent: $38.68
Total amount saved: $116.30

Ahh, I feel good.

Creme Brulee

Creme Brulee is my absolute favorite desert! I happened to find this little recipe to make a de-lish creme on the Good Things Utah website. So instead of putting it in my favorites folder and never finding it again, I thought I would post it as well as share it with you! I still need to buy some ramekins so if you happen to make it before I get around to making it, let me know how it is!

Classic Crème Brûlée

Baked with love by Tiffany Spegar from Lorken Food Finery at Gardner Village! Classic Creme Brulee Ingredients 8 egg yolks 1/3 C sugar 2 C heavy cream 1 t vanilla 1/4 C sugar (for caramelizing the tops) Preheat oven to 300. Whisk yolks and sugar together until thick and pale yellow. Add cream and vanilla and mix until blended. Strain and skim, then divide among 6 ramekins and place in a baking dish/water bath (in a baking dish, make sure water is half way up the sides of the ramekins... this allows moisture to flow through the oven and keep the custards soft). Bake for 40-50 minutes, until the outside edges are set and the center is still loose. Remove from oven and cool in water bath. Chill at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. When ready to serve, sprinkle sugar to cover the entire surface of each custard. Fire with a hand held torch until caramelized. Additions for making brulee "3 ways" Add 6-8 berries (we like raspberries best) to the custard before baking, while in the ramekins and bake as instructed above... AND/OR: add 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon sugar to the custard before baking, while in the ramekins and gently stir to mix... bake as instructed for classic brulee. Garnish with berries, a cinnamon stick or mint leaves.

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P.S. The big surprise/reveal is less than 2 weeks away.

Finished Memory Board and Nursing Cover

Do you remember the memory board I made a little while ago? Now it is complete! I finally found some buttons for my little memory board at Joann's. They are a little shiny and I really love what they do for the board. I attached the buttons by sewing them on through the ribbon, fabric, and canvas. And Wha-la!

The craft of this past week was a nursing cover. Yes, I know it is pink and yes I realize that I am NOT expecting a baby...let me reiterate for all the relatives (my mom and mother-in-law especially)...I AM NOT PREGNANT!!

Now that we have that out of the way...here is the nursing cover that I made! It was pretty easy and I'd love to give you a whole tutorial on how to make one for yourself but Made by the Momma Monster has already put a tutorial together. Just click here and you will be able to make your own. Happy Sewing!

Boy, Do I Have a Surprise for You!!

I am planning something BIG!! All will soon be revealed so keep in touch.

Don't Tell

Check out the Aprons!

My crafty cousin over at Brassy Apple makes the cutest aprons! She has just come up with another knockout pattern but doesn't know what to name the new pattern. So she is doing a giveaway!
Just go to her blog and post in the comments section what you think the new apron's pattern should be called. The one that she thinks fits the apron will win one of her aprons!!

Why are you still here?!? Go to Brassy Apple to try to win!