I know it’s really easy once you get home from your grocery store or your farmer’s market to take all of the produce you just purchased and shove it in the fridge and forget about it. Problem is just that, you either forget about it or you’re in such a rush to make your meal that doing anything with it seems like too much work. A tip I always use is to take the extra time right when you bring it home to get the produce prepped so that you guarantee you’ll get the most out of it. I used our haul from the farmer’s market this weekend as an example, so even though we didn’t get much you can still get the idea. Click here to see my tips for prepping weekly produce!
Monthly Archives: October 2011
Vintage Fall Aprons
I love the look of vintage aprons and I always used to buy that style before I started sewing. Now that I make my own, I’m always on the hunt for a really great pattern and this one is my favorite. It’s a vintage pattern, Simplicity 2592, that the company re-released from their vault and I am in love with it! It’s so simple (I do make a couple changes to the apron, which i will make a note of at the bottom) and it’s fun to play around with different fabrics, color combinations and prints. These make awesome gifts and you’ll have fun picking out fabrics that match the person you’re making them for’s style! The pattern comes with 4 different variations, I made apron D and that’s what this post will show. Click here to see more pictures and how it was made!
Cinnamon Ice Cream
I started making my own ice cream a few years ago and nothing beats it for a number of reasons… it tastes better, you know exactly what is and isn’t in it, it’s a lot cheaper to make and it is so easy! I made this cinnamon ice cream to go along with the apple pie that I made last weekend and it was the PERFECT combination. I had some left over so one night this week I made caramel sauce, hollowed out some apples and served the ice cream in them with the sauce and walnuts on top (pictured to the left here)… they were incredible! A lot of people are intimidated by the thought of making their own ice cream but trust me, it couldn’t be any easier. You don’t need a fancy ice cream machine either… I know department stores sell them from $90 ranging all the way to $450, but I gotta tell you… I have a Hamilton Beach one that cost me $25 and it gets the job done just fine! Click here to get the recipe and see how it’s made!
Pet Organizing Tips
We have two miniature pinschers and I’m always looking for creative ways to keep all of their stuff organized. From their food and treats, to their grooming items, toys and leashes their stuff seemed to take over our downstairs. With a few personal touches I’ve found several ways to not only keep their things out of the way and accessible, but I’ve also found ways to keep it looking nice so it’s not such an eyesore. Click here to get my tips!
Gingham Throw Blanket
This is a really cool way to knit your own blanket without feeling like your taking on the time consuming task of knitting your own blanket. Essentially several scarves stitched together, the pattern mimics that of a gingham cloth. You use 3 strands of yarn at a time so it’s extra thick, which makes it extra warm just in time for fall and winter. You can make it however big or small you want it which means you can make anything from a baby blanket to an actual comforter for a bed. Click here to get the tutorial and see how it’s made!
Classic Apple Pie
Our farmer’s market has been filled with wall to wall apples the last couple of weeks, so I decided to make a pie over the weekend. It was a dreary last couple of days so it was nice to fill the house with the nice warm smell of cinnamon and apples. I make these pies a lot of different ways but this is my favorite recipe, just a very simple and classic old-fashioned apple pie. The only down-fall of this recipe is that you really do have to wait for it to completely cool and set before you can cut into it… it’s the longest 3 hours of your life! I like to serve it with my homemade cinnamon ice cream, and it’s also a great dessert idea for Thanksgiving. Click here to get the recipe and see how it’s made!
Outdoor Decor Ideas for Halloween
For this weeks home tip I thought I’d just give you a bunch of ideas I’ve used over the years for decorating the stoop in front of our house for Halloween. I like to come up with 4 or 5 different ideas for carving and decorating pumpkins and then scatter them down the stairs we have. I always get mums (pictured to the left) from our farmer’s market and flank both sides of our front door. To give them a little more pop I get two 10 pound pumpkins, cut the tops off, hollow them out and stick the mums in their pots inside. Make sure you take the pots out to water the plants though, other wise your pumpkin will fill with mold in no time. Last year I got small pumpkins and painted them with metallic paints but this year I thought it would be cool to cover them in glitter. I just painted modge podge directly onto the pumpkins, covered them in glitter and them sprayed them with a waterproof sealant so I could keep them outside. Click here to see more pictures and ideas!
Vampire and Mummy Pumpkins
I saw both of these in October’s issue of Martha Stewart magazine and know immediately I had to make them myself. They’re cute and unique and will definitely be a conversation point. I love carving pumpkins but I’m always looking for ways to do different things with them and this craft was the perfect way to do that! Click here to get the tutorial and see how they’re made!
BBQ Chili with Cheesy Biscuits
My husband loves this recipe, he’s had me make it for him on his birthday every year since we started dating. It’s incredible easy to make and perfect to warm you up once the weather starts to cool down. It takes all the components of a classic BBQ sauce (brown sugar, cumin, worcestershire sauce, chili powder, etc.) and combines it with beans and beef to make a really satisfying chili. You can add more or less beer to get the consistency of chili that you like… I prefer a little thinner chili so I add more, if you like a thicker one just add the one bottle. The biscuits are just a simple pre-made mix dressed up with a few extra ingredients, but they end up tasting similar to the ones at Red Lobster which I love! You can also lighten this chili up by using turkey bacon, ground turkey, and a light beer s substitutions. Click here to get the recipe and see how it’s made!
Removable Pillow Covers
I have to start by thanking my mom for showing me how to make these really easy, really great looking pillow covers. Whether it’s for our couches, our beds or any other room in our house – I’m obsessed with throw pillows. The problem is that between change in decor and the holidays I’m always wanting different ones. These are not only incredible easy to make, they’re removable so you can change your pillows as many times as you want. It also makes the covers simple to wash and easy to store away when you’re not using them. I like to start by picking a color palette (in this case it was chocolate browns, golds, creams and beige) and then mix things up by playing with the textures and patterns. It’s a really chic way to add tons of personality to any room in your house without having to do anything major! Click here to get the tutorial and see how they’re made!
