What do you get when you mix a pop-tart and a toaster strudel?
A Tart Toaster?
A Pop Strudel?
Deliciousness. That’s what you get.
Deliciousness.
And they can be as homemade as you want them to be. Don’t want to make pie crust from scratch? Use premade frozen crusts. Don’t want to make your own fruit preserves? Use jarred jam! Don’t have time to make your own icing? Use store-bought frosting!
But if you do want to try your hand at a completely homemade pop-tart, I’ve got you covered there too. You may find you need to tweak the recipe to please your fam. For my brood, homemade crust is definitely preferred but frosting in a can is the winner over the DIY sugar glaze (although they don’t mind the glaze. They just prefer the canned stuff). And these kids of mine don’t notice a difference between made-at-home jam and a jar of Smuckers inside these sweet treats. No matter how you make these fruity pop-tarts, they’re a special morning breakfast or after-dinner delight that everyone will love!
Oh, and if you want to skip the sugar glaze for a bit healthier of an option? No worries – these pop-tarts will still be totally delish.
Preheat oven to 425°. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Unroll premade pie crusts or roll out butter crust on a lightly floured surface.
Using a cookie cutter for fun shapes or a butter knife for a traditional rectangle shape, cut 8 equal size shapes from each crust (so 16 shapes total).
Use a fork to poke holes in 8 of the crust shapes for the top of the pop tarts.
In a small saucepan, add strawberry preserves on low heat.
Add cornstarch and water together in separate bowl and mix until well blended.
Pour cornstarch mix into the warm jam over the stovetop and stir until combined.Continue mixing consistently to avoid burning at the bottom of the pan.
Once jam mixture begins to bubble, remove from heat.
Spoon a small amount of jam in the center of 8 cut shapes (the ones that have not been poked) and spread it over the crust making sure to leave a small border along the edges to allow a better crust seal.
Take the top crust pieces and place them over the jam covered shapes. I used my fingers (or a fork) press the two crust edges together.
Place pop tarts on the baking sheet and bake for 7-8 minutes or until they are golden brown.
To make the glaze:Combine powdered sugar, milk and salt in a small bowl.Mix consistently until a smooth glaze forms.Drizzle sugar glaze over baked and cooled pop tarts.Add sprinkles.Enjoy!
Butter Pie Crust
Made with butter and a few other not-near-as-important ingredients.
2metal pie pansWhy metal pans? Because this is an all butter crust, it needs to be frozen before baking to keep the pie shape. The extreme temp change from freezer to oven could cause glass to shatter.
Instructions
In a stand mixer, or by hand with a pastry cutter if you're old school like that, blend the dry ingredients together.
Add butter. Mix until the butter chunks are no bigger than blueberries.
Add 1/2 cup of ice water and mix until a dough ball forms.
Remove ball and cut in half. Flatten into 2 large pancake dough discs.
Flour counter and roll out dough half a few inches larger than the pie pan you are using.
Line the buttered pan with the pie dough, tuck under the edges evenly and beautify -AKA- "crimp" the edges. Poke holes throughout the bottom of the crust using a fork.
Place the crimped pie shells into the freezer for at least an hour before baking but preferably overnight.
When you are ready to bake your pie, fill the frozen crust and bake immediately. Do not thaw the crust.
Preheat oven to 400. After 15 minutes, reduce oven to 375 and bake according to your recipe. Starting out with a very hot oven helps keep the shape of your crimping.
Notes
This recipe makes 2 regular sized pie crusts (top and bottom). But, if you are making a slab pie, this recipe will make 1 slab pie crust.
This post was sponsored by Floorigami. All opinions are my own.
My sunroom is one of the features that really “sold” us on our house years ago. It’s a large, multi-purpose space attached to our family room that leads out to our back deck. The room is wall-to-wall windows and doors so it’s always bright and airy; a perfect spot for an art space and recording studio. The only downside to this area is that it’s not heated. So when I’m working in the sunroom during the Ohio winters, it gets C.O.L.D cold!
Because we have a swimming pool, the floating flooring we installed about 4 years ago has not held up well to the kiddos walking in the sunroom drippy wet. And I may be a tad messy when it comes to my arts and crafts, too. The plank floor certainly doesn’t add any warmth to the room when it’s freezing outside.
That’s why when I saw these peel and stick carpet tiles from Floorigami, I knew they were just what I needed! A simple, quick solution that covers up the current eyesore flooring while adding a layer of comfy, cozy vibes. Perfect!
First, I feel it’s important to note that I installed these tiles myself in one morning! That’s with stopping to feed kids, switch over laundry, let the dogs out and all the other “mom” things I do during the day. To me, that is quite the feat!*Excuse me while I give myself a lil’ pat on the back*
Really, this is a 4 step system. Seriously! Which makes it a doable project for even the most busy mom or novice home improvement DIY’er. And the tools? Crazy easy. Just grab a pair of work gloves, a carpet knife, a tape measure, marker, metal straight edge and a piece of chalk.
Step 1: Clean, Clean, Clean!
It’s important that the original flooring is clean and dry before carpet tile installation. I vacuumed first and followed up with a stick sweeper mop sprayed with floor cleaner to ensure the floor was dirt and dust free.
Step 2: Time to use those elementary school measuring skills!
In order to space out the tiles properly, it’s necessary to find the center of the room. Now, I’m no math magician and my measuring skills are most definitely sub-par, my friends. But I found this step to actually be a whole lot easier than I expected. Measure the width of the 2 longest, straightest walls. Where the 2 lines intersect is the center of the space. Taking a piece of white chalk and a straight edge, draw a line through the center of the room using the center mark as the guide.
Step 3: Piece together the puzzle!
I found it helpful to lay out tiles, upside down, using the directional arrows printed on the back to ensure the tiles were facing the right way. I chose to follow a simple pyramid technique – 1 tile placed in the middle of the center mark, subsequent tiles placed 6″ up and 6″ down on either side of the center tile. Laying the tiles that could attach without cutting, I stopped at each wall when I could no longer fit a full tile. It seemed easier to save all the carpet cutting for last.
Step 4: Have fun!
Now it’s time for the fun part! It was so cool to see the room slowly transform as I worked my way through the design! Once you have your technique and pattern figured out, as well as a handful of your tiles laid out, peel the liner from the adhesive on the back of the tile and, making sure your arrows are still pointing in the right direction, position the carpet snuggly to the next tile and press down to adhere. No kidding – that’s it!
To cut the smaller sizes needed to fit along the walls, I turned the tile upside-down and marked the length or width needed using the straight edge and a marker. A carpet knife made cutting a breeze and the replacement stickers that were provided in each box were extremely useful for the narrow pieces that required cutting off the attached adhesive!
I did find that a few strokes of the vacuum once installation was complete helped lift the fibers and hide any lines that may have been showing from the tiles.
The finished result is beautiful, but what really seals the deal for me is that the carpet matches my dog. Just kidding!
Although it is pretty darn funny! But honestly, it’s awesome having the peace of mind knowing that if there’s an accident (I have 8 kids, 2 dogs, a swimming pool and have I mentioned I’m a messy crafter?) I can simply remove the tile that needs to be replaced – or deep deep scrubbed – without compromising the integrity of the rest of the carpet.
Extreme Dance Parties on ultra soft carpet may commence!
I don’t feel like this one needs much introduction. Fresh strawberries. In a pie. That’s a slab. Perfect for summer.
Seriously though. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or just a gaggle of kids like me, this pie slab is the ideal summer sweet treat. With very minimal ingredients, you’ll never need to buy that icky, chemical-tasting premade strawberry pie gel bag from the store again!
And, using my Give Me All The Butter Pie Crust, it’s absolutely scrumptious. But, if you’re in a real hurry, you can just use premade pie crust. I don’t think anyone will complain!
You will want to start by preparing the crust (recipe below). Just a heads-up; this dough is thick and heavy. Even if you have a nice countertop mixing stand, I would strongly advise to only mix up one batch at a time. To make the strawberry cut-outs on top, I prepared 2 dough balls (2 batches of dough). One for the pie slab bottom and one for the cut-outs. You can also make this into a regular pie shape if you aren’t feeding as many people – in which case one batch will do the trick!
Butter Pie Crust
Made with butter and a few other not-near-as-important ingredients.
2metal pie pansWhy metal pans? Because this is an all butter crust, it needs to be frozen before baking to keep the pie shape. The extreme temp change from freezer to oven could cause glass to shatter.
Instructions
In a stand mixer, or by hand with a pastry cutter if you're old school like that, blend the dry ingredients together.
Add butter. Mix until the butter chunks are no bigger than blueberries.
Add 1/2 cup of ice water and mix until a dough ball forms.
Remove ball and cut in half. Flatten into 2 large pancake dough discs.
Flour counter and roll out dough half a few inches larger than the pie pan you are using.
Line the buttered pan with the pie dough, tuck under the edges evenly and beautify -AKA- "crimp" the edges. Poke holes throughout the bottom of the crust using a fork.
Place the crimped pie shells into the freezer for at least an hour before baking but preferably overnight.
When you are ready to bake your pie, fill the frozen crust and bake immediately. Do not thaw the crust.
Preheat oven to 400. After 15 minutes, reduce oven to 375 and bake according to your recipe. Starting out with a very hot oven helps keep the shape of your crimping.
Notes
This recipe makes 2 regular sized pie crusts (top and bottom). But, if you are making a slab pie, this recipe will make 1 slab pie crust.
Once your crust is rolled and crimped out onto your prepared 9×13 metal sheet pan and placed in the freezer, start rolling out your next batch onto a floured surface. You will want the dough to be approx. 1/4″ thick. Using a small heart cookie cutter and a leaf cookie cutter (mine was a maple leaf shape), start cutting out one heart for each leaf. I placed 24 strawberries on my pie slab.
Placing the heart shapes on a cookie sheet, add the leaf shape to the top of the heart, slightly overlapping the 2 humps. With a skewer, poke random holes throughout the body of the now strawberry shape. Next, strain 2 fresh eggs over a bowl and get rid of the egg yolks.
You can use Martha Stewart’s super easy trick for yolk removal seen here!
Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the strawberry cutouts with the egg whites, making sure to lift up the leaf and apply a bit to help adhere the 2 cut-outs together while baking.
Bake in 350 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
Once your pie slab has baked and cooled, whisk together the gelatin and cornstarch in a small sauce pan.
Slowly whisk in the water and bring to a simmer.
Continue to whisk for about 5 minutes, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. Once the gelatin mixture has thickened, pour it into a medium bowl and continue to whisk for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
Let the mixture cool for 15 minutes, only whisking occasionally. The mix should be runny.
Taking your rinsed, dried and sliced strawberries, place them in a decorative pattern on the bottom of the cooled piecrust slab.
Pour the strawberry gelatin over the berries and place the pie in the refrigerator until set – about 1 hour.
This Patriotic Berry Trifle is the perfect mix of sweet and savory. Fresh and refreshing. A perfect summer dessert.
The star ingredient in this Patriotic Berry Trifle is my Homemade(ish) Dr. Cake which you can find here. (And is also in my book Crafty Family Ideas which you can buy here) The rest of the ingredients are crazy simple to find and will leave your guests begging you for more!
1Vanilla Flavored Dr. Cake (recipe posted below)Baked & Cut into Chunks
2lbsFresh StrawberriesRinsed & Chopped
2lbsFresh BlueberriesRinsed & Chopped
2 ¾cupHeavy Whipping Cream (cold)
1½cupPowdered Sugar
1tbspVanilla Extract
Instructions
Once the cake has been baked and cooled, add heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla into a larger mixer bowl. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
Layer the Trifle Dish:Start with a layer of cake chunks on the bottom, then add half of the fresh, chopped strawberries and blueberries and half of the whip cream.Add a second layer of cake, fruit and cream.
For a decorative finishing touch, pipe some whipped cream swirls on top and garnish with a handful of strawberries and blueberries.
Mom’s Any Flavor Dr. Cake
This cake is totally choose-your-own adventure style. You like vanilla cake? Use vanilla flavor box cake with vanilla flavor pudding. Chocolate? Go ALL in with the chocolate! You could even use Chocolate extract in place of the Vanilla. How about a touch of lemon? Start with a vanilla cake and use lemon flavored pudding. Or vice versa. You simply can't go wrong!
1cupSour CreamGreek Yogurt works too. If you're hard core and goin' all Milli Vanilli (I typically do), you can even use Vanilla Greek Yogurt.
3Eggs
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour pans.
Mix all of the dry ingredients thoroughly.
Add wet ingredients.
Pour batter into greased and floured prepared pans filling a bit over halfway full.
Bake until cake is firm. Baking time varies based on pan size. Follow box directions.
Notes
Keep in mind that the additional ingredients will increase the amount of batter you are making. I can easily fill (3) 6 inch round cake pans. Or one huge sheet pan. Or (2) 9 inch pans….you get the idea. You get a lot of cake with this recipe! You *may* find that you need to increase your baking time depending on how full your pan is. 325 is a good temperature as it allows your cake to bake thoroughly throughout without the worry of burning the top. The lower temp and additional bake time allows for a more even bake.
One of my favorite things about what I do (other than being able to do it right alongside my little and not-so-little people in the comfort of my homemade-ish home) is being a regular on The Kelly Clarkson Show. I’ve been on five times (4 times this season) and each time is just as exciting, just as rad and just as fun!
And guys, let me tell you, she’s just as awesome as she seems to be on her show. A true daytime TV gem! And this last time we were virtually together, we created Homemade Rainbow Bubbles for her Splash into Summer episode!
Watch the video below and print out the recipe to make your own Homemade Rainbow Bubbles with all the smelly smells!
Mix the first 3 ingredients together in a pitcher or bowl.
Separate the soap mix into individual cups or containers (lidded containers are great to store the bubble solution for later use without worrying about spills!)
Add a few drops of food coloring and essential oils into each individual container. *I tried to match my food coloring color with the essential oil scent – yellow and lemon, green and eucalyptus, pink and strawberry, etc.
You can even make your own bubble wands using pipe cleaners!
Big News! My book has officially released! You can find Crafty Family Ideas online at Amazon, Walmart or Target or wherever you shop for books.
Visit Medina, Ohio’s historic Farmers Market on the public square! Join Kristin Gambaccini as she browses the market. We’ll meet the local farmers and vendors and in true farm-to-fork style, Kristin will use the fresh produce to create a simple, family-friendly meal at home.
To Market We Go!
Episode 1 – Summer BLT Lettuce Wrap
In the first episode of Market Table, Kristin’s shopping Medina’s Farmers Market for the ingredients to make a Summer BLT Lettuce Wrap!
Produce from Root42 Harvests : Big Red Romaine, Red Speckled Lettuce, Purple Trident Radish
Using 2 large outer leaves of the head of lettuce for the base, top with bacon pieces, tomato slices, avocado slices, radish, extra lettuce (for more crunch!), mayo and fresh cracked pepper.
Add 2 more large outer leaves on top.
Roll wrap tightly.
Note: It's simplest to prepare and roll the lettuce wrap on a wax paper or aluminum foil square.
This post was sponsored by Rockler. All opinions are my own.
I decided it was high-time I show our furry friends some love around the house. Well, decor love. Hugs, kisses, walks and treats they get plenty of from our big family! But, for years these poor dogs have had mismatched bowls randomly put on the floor for their food and water. The bowls got kicked around, the water often spilled, and the food seemed to always be all around the bowl, but not actually in the bowl. This weekend I upgraded their serving dishes for the cost of some table legs and a simple serving tray. They love their fancy dishes and I bet your pets will too!
Here’s what I used:
Bamboo Serving Tray (found at the stores, online or even at the Goodwill!)
Peel & Stick Wallpaper (I had some left over from a previous project, but it’s fairly inexpensive to buy. Especially if you only need a small roll!)
White and Gold Spray Paint
Glue (I used Gorilla Glue. Just make sure you are using glue that works on wood and metal!)
Rockler 6″ Hairpin Table Legs
Here’s how I made them:
I started by spray painting the tray white and the legs gold.
Next, I measured and cut the wallpaper to fit the interior of the tray.
After removing the backing, I slowly applied the wallpaper to the bottom of the tray (starting at one side and working my way across the base), making sure to press any trapped air bubbles out the sides with my hands.
The final step was to attach the legs. Even though the legs came with sturdy screws, the bamboo tray is extremely thin wood. I opted to use glue in place of the screws. I allowed the glue to dry overnight.
That’s it – it’s finished! I love a quick and simple project that serves as a useful and beautiful item for my family!
This post was sponsored by UpStart Art Resin. All opinions are my own.
We’re always looking for new ideas to add to our Family Game Nights around here. And these Dried Flower Tic-Tac-Toe Resin Game Boards and Colorful Dominoes are not only a great addition to Fam Fun Night, but they also look totally adorable on your end table or coffee table!
As with any craft project, having all your supplies ready before you start is key to a successful finished product. And, for this project, protecting your workspace as well as your skin is a must.
*It’s best to work with epoxy in a well ventilated area.
Step 1: Set out your clean and dry silicone mold onto a covered work surface. Make sure your gloves are on and your face covering is in place!
Step 2: For the Tic-Tac-Toe Board: Using dried flowers and a pair of tweezers, place one flower, upside down, on each tic-tac-toe square. Remember, the bottom is actually the top of the finished game board!
* My flowers were left over from a DIY flower press I made last year. But you can also purchase an assortment of dried flowers for crafts inexpensively online.
Step 3: Measure out equal parts resin and hardener into silicone measuring cups. For the X’s and O’s, I mixed a 1:1 ratio of 100 ml resin and hardener for each letter. After stirring the epoxy mix in a disposable cup for 3 minutes with a popsicle stick (making sure to scrape the sides often), add a small amount of mica powder and mix thoroughly again. Pour colored mix into the molds. For the dominoes and the letters, pouring slowly is important as they fill quickly. A clean popsicle stick can be used to scrape any extra mix from the top of the mold. Lastly, use a heat gun held close to the top of the epoxy to pop any surface bubbles.
* It’s better to add a small amount of color to your epoxy and add more to achieve desired color than to add too much at the start.
* I chose to do the X’s and O’s in 2 different colors. If you’d like each letter to be a color mix, simply pour the first mixed and colored resin into both the X and the O molds filling them half way. Let sit for about 3 hours and then add your different top color using the same method as above.
Step 4: For both game boards, I needed approximately 400 ml of epoxy mix each (both the resin and hardener measuring cups filled twice each). I did not add mica powder to the Tic-Tac-Toe mix as I wanted the flowers to really pop inside a clear board. As before, once the resin and hardener are combined in a disposable cup, mix, mix, mix for 3 minutes. Slowly pour the mix into the mold until full and use a heat gun to pop surface bubbles.
* If you don’t have a heat gun, a toothpick can be used to individually pop the surface bubbles.
* I did find that I needed to press the flowers back into place with a popsicle stick a few times in the first hour or so as they were insistent upon moving around in the epoxy.
Step 5: Allow the mold to set a full 24 hours before removing. To remove the finished product, slowly peel the silicone away from the project.
Step 6: Play!
* In order to make enough of the X’s and O’s (4 each), I had to make 2 separate batches. Even though it took 2 days to complete the project, I think my girls would agree that it was totally worth the wait!
I love all the bright colors in the set. Gives me major Spring Vibes!
I believe there is no better gift to bestow your children than the gift of reading. To learn to spend spare time losing oneself in a book is time well spent, for sure. So, in place of more candy this Valentine’s Day, I created these adorable Valentine’s Day DIY Bookmark and Tracker to go along with a handful of gently used books I found on Facebook Marketplace for under a dollar a piece!
These are not only a fun way to hold a little one’s place while reading, they serve as a record keeper for all the books they’ve read throughout the year!
I collected a few simple supplies to create these unique book markers. All I needed was cardstock (1 sheet for each bookmark), a sharp pair of scissors, glue (I used hot glue), decorative edge scissors, colorful yarn, hole punch and paint to decorate the front.
Start by deciding the size of your bookmark. I was using pink paper that was precut in a 12″x2″ size for the book tracker. I knew my sleeve needed to be a bit larger than that.
Next you will fold your cardstock to size. Make sure to allow a bit of space to cut the edge with decorative scissors as well as glue. Cut the extra paper as well as the decorative edge.
Fold the front corner inside the sleeve. Glue the bottom and right edge of the sleeve. Punch a hole in the top center – this will be to hold the tassel.
For the tracker – I chose to create a simple bullet list on the computer using Word, but you could create this with a pen and ruler as well!
To create the tassel, I wrapped a length of yard around my 4 fingers 10-12 times. With an approximately 6″ piece of yard, run through the top of the wrapped yarn and set the wrapped yarn down. Using another short length of yarn, knot the top of the wrapped yarn together securely. Cut open the bottom of the wrapped twine to create the tassel.
With the larger yarn that was run through the top of the tassel, knot the tassel through the hole of the bookmark sleeve.
I decorated the front of the bookmarks with washi tape and painted hearts and polka dots.
My kids adore these and have already begun filling the lines up with the books they’ve read! I may even make one for myself!
One of the best ways to add color and dimension to a space is by hanging a piece of artwork to your wall. But, framed artwork can be crazy expensive! My Simple & Swirly DIY Wall Art is the perfect solution! And everyone knows that a pretty frame really makes the piece! I chose a gold aluminum frame to go with this particular piece of artwork – I love it!
This art is easy, inexpensive, completely customizable and totally adorable!
Here’s what you’ll need to make your own:
A Beautiful Frame. Mine is a 16″ x 20″ gold aluminum frame from Golden State Art.
Modeling Paste
Acrylic Paints
3″ Round Sponge (1 sponge per each acrylic paint color)
16″x20″ sized white foam board, mat board or cardboard (canvas board would be too wide for the frame, but regular paper won’t be strong enough to hold the paint medium we are using.)
Bowls or containers for mixed paint
Spoons
Taking approximately 1/4 cup – 1/2 cup of modeling paste in one of your bowls, add a few teaspoons of one of your chosen acrylic paint colors. Mix well. Note: the modeling paste is a milky white color out of the container. It clears when dry.
This step is creating a gel medium that will allow the paint to be applied in a thick coat that will retain its shape and texture.
2. Once you’ve mixed all your colors with the modeling paste, prepare your space by covering your table with paper and preparing a small bowl of water for your sponges. You will also want to plan your design. I’m going with 5 rows of colors somewhat evenly spaced. I am certainly not attempting perfection, but generally clean lines.
If you are doing a random pattern, or want to overlap your colors, you will want to wait a bit in between coats to allow them to dry or your colors will mix.
3. Dip a sponge in the bowl of clean water and thoroughly ring it out. Wetting your sponge allows easier grip as well as smoother application of the paint.
4. Press your damp sponge in the first color of paint you are using. On a clean piece of paper or paper plate, apply the first coat of paint from the sponge.
The first coat tends to be uneven and thick – so by applying it off to the side, you are ensuring an even surface on your board.
5. Paint your row of circles by placing the round sponge where you want it and slowly twisting the sponge in a complete circle. Carefully lift the sponge straight up.
The twisting action will help you create a full and even looking circle vs. just pressing the sponge and picking it up.
6. Reapply paint to the sponge and continue to your next circle.
7. I think the circles look like popped bubbles at this point. It’s kind of cool looking, but not what I’m going for. If you like it, you can just continue with the steps above for each color and row of circles. I decided to make the circles more textured and fun!
With the back of a spoon covered in the paint mix, I swirled the back of the spoon around the sponge circle creating a swirly design that almost resembles the top of a frosted cupcake!
8. Now, I just continued with the steps above for each color and row of circles.
9. Because this paint is so thick, the dry time is going to take a little longer. You definitely want to make sure you are giving it plenty of time to dry and set before you add the finished board into your frame!
10. Remove the backing of your picture frame and place your finished art inside. The tabs on this frame were super easy and fast to remove and replace!
This DIY art is fun, colorful and looks right at home in this little reading and music corner I’ve created for my kids!
If you’ve been around here for a while, you know my family pretty much lives on a budget. From grocery shopping to household upkeep, to holidays and vacations – practical spending is a must for my crew of 10.
And, because of said family of 10, we have occasional need of furniture replacement. Don’t get me wrong, I try to get as much life as I can from our furniture. And I’m a firm believer in pride of ownership of all things. Meaning, a strict no eating or drinking rule on the couch mixed with an attempt to keep the dogs off (at least when I’m in the room. Otherwise, the dogs are on the couch as if they’re the Masters of the house.) and a regular machine washing of dirty pillows and covers. But, even still, a couch and loveseat can only last so long.
This time, we opted to do our furniture shopping in-store as well as online. After many, many hours entering and exiting all the value/bargain furniture stores in and around our area, we found a sofa set that was sensible on the wallet, sturdily made and practical for our family.
One thing I was certain about all along was my desire to add more color into my family room. Not so much in the couches themselves, but in everything around them. So a neutral shade of furniture was important for me. After all, I am a woman and I have been known to occasionally change my mind. A neutral colored couch set would be easier to accommodate any changes in décor I may decide to implement in the future. What can I say? I’m always thinking ahead!
Step #1
Colorful Throw Pillows!
One of the easiest and least expensive ways to add a splash of color to your living space is through accessories. And there’s no better accessory to a couch or loveseat than a few fluffy throw pillows! Most new couches come with a set of throw pillows made to “match” the fabric of the furniture. The ones that came with the set we purchased were gag-worthy, for sure. Certainly not anything I “loved”. So, off to Amazon I went! I chose to go with colorful pom-pom trimmed set of covers. I transferred the filling from the original, boring pillows to the new vibrant cases. The color mix and matching coordinated with the new armchairs we were adding. Which, leads me to step #2.
Step #2
Online Bargain Shopping!
Buying furniture online, sight unseen, can be a nerve-wracking and tricky experience. Obviously, it’s so important to make sure you’re reading reviews and researching the product. But even still, you don’t truly know what you’re spending your hard-earned money on and what you’re actually getting until it’s at your door. This is why I have an easier time purchasing such items from trusted sites like Amazon. Their return policy is typically excellent, their customer service has always been top-notch when we’ve needed it and I know I’ll get the item quickly (which will allow for a fast turn around and change of direction if I should decide it’s not what I wanted). I went out on a limb and ordered our accent chairs online and I honestly could not be more pleased.
The accent chairs were really the place I wanted to add those pops of color and “Go Big Or Go Home” so to speak. By selecting a pretty bright blue velvety chair and a swivel plush yellow chair, my “fun” factor in the family room most definitely went up quite a few notches!
Now, I must note, that these pieces did need assembled. But, I’m not afraid of power tools and the thought of putting the furniture together (it was actually quite easy) did not deter me in the slightest. Just keep it in mind when ordering from the internet.
Step #3
Customize Your Furniture with Color!
There’s not really anything that I’m afraid to paint. Most especially if it’s a second-hand piece or trash-night find. I’ve been known to give paint a good ol’ college try on pretty much any surface. So, when the couches arrived, the very first thing I did was paint the boring, dark wood legs.
First, I sanded them a bit by hand to remove the shiny clear finish. Then I cleaned them up with a dry towel. Next I painted a few coats of white and once that was fully dry, I added a gold leaf layer to the front legs.
This was actually the first time I tried my hand at Gold Leaf. Here is the kit I used. It was as messy as I suspected it would be (which is why I was so thankful I covered my workspace with paper beforehand), but otherwise quite fun to do!
Here’s how I did it:
Once my counter was covered, I applied a thin, even layer of adhesive to the sanded legs. They had to sit for about 20 minutes. Next, I carefully placed a sheet of the gold leaf onto one side of the leg. Using a clean, dry paintbrush, I slowly brushed the leaf sheet into place, smoothing out edges and corners. I continued to piece together the leaf sheets around the leg until it was fully covered. I wanted a bit of a ragged edge, so I did not use painters tape at the top of the leg where I wanted to keep white. If you would prefer a crisp line between where you add your gold leaf and the surface, painters tape would definitely be needed here.
I was only concerned with adding the gold leaf to the 2 front legs of each couch. The back legs were simply painted white.
After all 4 legs were finished with the gold leaf, I added an even layer of sealer. It took about an hour to dry before I was able to reattach the legs to the couches.
*When applying the gold leaf, there may be spots on your painted surface that don’t seem to “take” the sheet. If this happens, just continue on with the sheet you are working with. You can always add a bit more adhesive (waiting the 20 minutes until it’s tacky) and piece together the gold leafing using the broken bits from the first application. As you can see in the second picture, the broken bits stick pretty well to a dry paintbrush due to static in the air.
To coordinate with the gold leaf couch legs, I spray painted the legs of both of the accent chairs shiny gold (the blue chair had a dark color stain and the yellow chair was more of a bare wood finish).
Once the legs were painted, dried and attached, I added a bit of whimsy to the bottom of the blue chair with inexpensive yellow 4″ fringe trim tassel. I stapled it along the bottom of the chair. You could also hot glue it on if you don’t have access to a staple gun. This is such a quick and simple step that really made the chair just that bit of “extra”.
Step #4
Dress Up Your Curtains with Color!
I didn’t want to change out the sheer curtains I already had hanging in the windows. I really do love the breezy feel they bring to the room and the amount of sunlight they allow to filter through. But, I wanted to do something to spice them up. These multi-colored wood bead curtain tie backs were just the ticket! These are easily made with wood beads painted your desired colored and a length of white cotton rope.
Step #5
Personalized Artwork!
There is no simpler and less expensive way to add colorful personalization to any space than adding children’s artwork. I mean, how many of us can actually claim to know the artists behind the pieces in our home? And if your little Picasso’s are anything like my little Picasso’s, the number of pieces and the creative possibilities are endless!
Plus, seriously guys. Put one of their handmade pictures in a fancy frame, hang it on the wall, and tell me the smile you receive from that little face doesn’t make you want to cover your walls from floor to ceiling with their pictures just to keep getting that adorable grin from that adorable kisser forever and ever!
If you’re looking for a more mature piece – be thrifty! Yard sales, thrift shops and second-hand boutiques are excellent places to find that perfect painting or illustration. Oh, and don’t let the frame deter you! Pay attention to the art itself. The frame is an easy fix by either replacing it completely or simply applying a few coats of magic spray paint.
Step #6
Happy, Bright Lighting Matters!
You can’t forget your lighting! I’ve kinda got a thing for lamps. I love them and have a whole lot of them (to my husband’s dismay. “Another lamp?” are words he has muttered more than I’m sure he would have ever thought possible in our years together). In my defense, I’m honestly not sure if I’ve ever purchased a lamp that wasn’t clearance-priced or second-hand. But still, I can totally admit that we have a lot of ’em. I prefer a lamp light to an overhead light in the evenings and I can’t have a side table that doesn’t have a lamp on it. It’s just not done (sorry. I’ve been watching Bridgerton on Netflix. I swear the British accent and tone I most certainly don’t have is strong in me lately).
Step #7
Don’t Forget to Color the Floor!
Did I mention I have 8 kids? I’m sure I have.
Did I mention having 8 kids is as messy, chaotic and dirty as it sounds? Both figuratively and literally? I’m sure I have.
We purposefully have mostly hardwood floors in our home with the exception of the children’s bedrooms and the family room. I like having the carpet in the room we hang out the most in together. It makes for a soft spot to sit if all the couches and chairs are taken during movie night and, in my opinion, just gives a more cozy feel to the space. Similar to my views on the couch colors, I prefer a more neutral tone to my carpeting. But, an area rug allows me to go as crazy as I want with designs and colors! The fact that it’s easier to clean spilled milk from an upturned sippy cup off an area rug than out of the carpet just adds to the charm.
This particular rug in our family room was an online deal on Black Friday and was a total steal for the size. Of course, I had been eyeing it for months (and months) waiting for a sale price we could actually afford. The wait was totally worth it and it pulls together the new shades of the furniture and accessories like it was meant to be here all along!
Especially ones that involve Christmas films?! Yes, please – count me in!
Now, we already know it’s a proven fact that snacks (especially sugary ones) make any movie night better. But, how about adding some customized Holiday Spirits to go along with your fave Christmas flicks?
These jolly and festive Grinch, Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph themed drinks are the perfect accompaniment to some of our most beloved classic Christmas movies!
And the best part? They can be made into “Kid Friendly Versions” by just omitting the alcohol!
What do you say friends? Come on over – we’ll crowd on the couch, snuggle under a blanket and watch some classic feel-good shows while sipping on fun, boozy libations! We’ll be the jolliest bunch of you-know-what’s this side of the nuthouse!
Add all the ingredients together in a punch bowl. Mix.
Using a dab of corn syrup on your finger, rub along the full rim of the glass. * Wetting the glass rim with water works as well, but the syrup definitely holds the sugar onto the rim better than water.
Dip the glass upside down into a bowl of the red sugar.
Carefully pour the cocktail into the glass, avoiding the sugared rim.
This post was sponsored by Dremel Tools. All opinions are my own.
As I was decorating the house for the holidays this year, there seemed to be so many Christmas decorations that my kiddos weren’t allowed to touch. Even our nice train track with the working engine is something they can only play with when Mom or Dad can help.
I could tell they were feeling a whole lot of “well, this isn’t fun” feelings and honestly, it just didn’t seem fair.
I decided it was high time to create an entire tree, from top to bottom, for my kids to decorate and play with. And this DIY Under the Tree Toy Train Track is just the final touch their Holiday décor needed! Plus, the track is incredibly easy to move around and store! Oh, and plus plus, it’s crazy inexpensive to create!
Hometalk
Starting with 2 pieces of 1″x3″x8″ wood pieces, we used a saw to cut (4) 18″ and (4) 7″ pieces. If you don’t have a saw, make sure to have your pieces cut at the store before you leave!
We chose to cut the 8 pieces at 22 degree angles at the ends to create an octagon shape in the track.
You will also need (3) 18″ pieces and (2) 7″ pieces cut to match the inside angles of the track for the back. These will provide a surface to hold your homes and trees.
I spray painted the track a metallic gray and the back pieces white.
Set the wood aside to fully dry.
Next, we painted our wood and rectangle squares – which will be the houses – colorful and bright shades with acrylic craft paint.
For the roof pieces, we painted our triangle shapes black.
Using white puffy paint, we created a snowy shingle look in layers across each of the triangles.
A bit of craft snow glitter added the perfect sparkle to our snowy rooftops!
Using the hot glue gun, we attached the roofs to the houses.
I prefer to “man” the glue gun during our family crafting time. I know first-hand how painful burns from the glue gun can be on your tender digits!
Once the spray painted wood was dry, it was time to connect the gray track pieces to the white back pieces. Matching the sizes together (18″ track pieces with 18″ back pieces, 7″ track pieces with 7″ back pieces), we screwed them together from the outside of the back piece to the bottom of the back of the track piece.
Hot glue the finished houses and tree shapes to the interior of the back piece and continue filling in with the shapes along the front and sides of the track.
We wanted our houses and trees to be touching so that we could fit as many as possible on our track.
To help hold the track together when in use, narrow strips of velcro did the job!
Plus, the velcro makes it crazy simple to move the track around and store away.
We found some plain wood cars and trains at the craft store and added a bit of paint to them to use on our track. But, the track is wide enough for most toy cars, really.
It’s totally perfect and totally hands-on for the kiddos!
This post was sponsored by WORX Tools. All opinions are my own.
Christmas is right around the corner and my itch to start decorating my home is becoming more of a jolly, red, green and white rash. I can’t wait to deck the halls and make our spaces joyful. One of my most favorite parts of the entire Christmas season is all the lights. Houses, business and town gazebos lit up and sparkling, trees glowing in the night and icicle lights adorning front porches. Even though it’s cold and snowy, all the twinkling and shining just makes me feel warm and aglow. This Merry and Bright Marquee sign is perfect for any light-loving kindred spirit and will certainly put you in a wonderfully cheerful mood!
Step 1: Paint Plaque White
Spray paint the painter’s plaque white outside or in a well-ventilated space.
Step 2: Tape the Edges
After the paint has dried, you will need to use painters’ tape around the top edge to keep it clean for the next step.
Step 3: Add Glue
Using a decoupage medium and a foam brush, apply a coat of glue along the side of the plaque.
Step 4: Glitter Up the Sides
Making sure the plaque is over a tray or plate, sprinkle the glitter onto the wet side.
Continue working around the plaque, brushing on the glue and shaking on the glitter one side at a time.
Set to the plaque off to the side to dry.
Don’t forget to dump your extra glue on the tray back into your bottle!
Step 5: Paint the Letters
With a gold sparkle spray paint, paint the front of each letter spelling out “MERRY & BRIGHT” outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. You could also use acrylic paint in place of the spray paint if you prefer.
Allow to fully dry.
Step 6: Mark the Letters
Turning the letters over, mark where the holes for each bulb will go on the back of the letter using a black marker. Make sure you know how many bulbs are on your battery-operated strand beforehand so that you make the correct number of holes in each letter.
When making your holes, keep in mind the letters are thin wood that may split easily and staying in the center of each letter will prevent this.
Step 6: Drill the Holes
Using the Maker X Rotary Tool with the 1/8” drill bit, drill through each black dot on the back of your letters.
Step 7: Mark the Lines
With a ruler and a pencil, lightly mark a line 2” down from the top (for MERRY) and ½” up from the bottom (for BRIGHT) to use as a template for applying the letters.
The line will help you keep your words straight.
Step 8: Hot Glue the Letters
Hot glue MERRY & BRIGHT onto the plaque, making sure not to cover up the holes. (If you do accidently cover the holes with glue, don’t panic! You will wind up drilling through it anyway in the next step.)
Step 9: Drill the Plaque
Now that your letters are glued in place, it’s time to use the Rotary Tool again to drill through to the back of the plaque.
Step 10: Erase
Erase any pencil lines you can see.
Step 11: Velcro Battery Pack
With a 2” strip of sticky velcro, attach the battery pack to the back of the painter’s plaque in the opening of the frame.
Step 12: Insert Lights
Insert one miniature bulb through each hole, working slowly up and down the letters.
If you notice the lights pulling out of the holes in the back, a small piece of duct tape will help hold the pesky wires in place.
Step 13: Hot Glue Snowballs
For a finishing touch, take .5” white pom-pom balls and hot glue them randomly across the front of the marquee sign to give it a snowy look.
This homemade Cinnamon & Spice Potpourri brings out all the bestest smelly smells of fall and winter celebrations. It’s simple to put together, requires very few ingredients & makes an awesome and easy gift idea!
I don’t know about you, but I love the interior of my home to encompass what’s going on in the seasons outside and all around it. Especially when there’s a nip in the autumn air and the desire to be cozy comfy under a soft blanket in your flannel pj’s holding a mug of something sweet and warm is strong. And the best way to bring that feeling inside is with something that tantalizes the sniffer. Blusters the honker. Sings to the bugle. (AKA – is really pleasing to the nose!)
Once you make this heavenly potpourri, you’ll be tempted to stay home all day and just sniff the aroma all around you. I promise.
1cupdried orange & apple slicesYou can purchase them packaged and pre-dried. You can also slice your own oranges and apples and dehydrate them in a dehydrator or straight on your oven rack set at the lowest setting (250°) until dried out (about 2-3 hours) turning them every half hour or so. They will stick to a tray, which is why they should be placed directly on the rack.
1cupdried anise stars
1cupdried rosehips
1cup whole cloves
1cupcinnamon sticks
homemade gingie kids from recipe above
Instructions
Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl or container. Take a few really good sniffs to let the amazing scent settle into the depths of your nostrils. Potpourri can be set out in a bowl dry or placed in a pot of boiling water to simmer over the stovetop.For gift-giving, separate potpourri mix into smaller boxes or bags tied with ribbon for a perfect housewarming gift, hostess gift, Christmas gift or simple "Just Because" gift.
Notes
For an adorable Christmas addition, mix in my Cinnamon Gingie Kids (below) to the potpourri!
Preheat oven to 200°. You can also omit the oven and let the ornaments air dry in a sunny spot for 4-5 days.
Stir together cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Mix in the applesauce and glue. Whip the mixture with your stand mixer or just your hands for a few minutes until a ball forms. If mix is too gooey, add more cinnamon. If it's too dry, add more applesauce.
Lightly dust your work surface with cinnamon. Roll out dough to approx. ¼ inch thickness. Using desired cookie cutter shapes, cut out dough and place on non-stick sprayed pans. Don't forget to punch a hole using a toothpick or skewer if you wish to hang them with ribbon or add a bow.
Watching Harry Potter is always a fun time. But, I’m tellin’ ya, watching Harry Potter with a Frozen Butterbeer is the absolute best!
Being crazy ridiculously HUGE HP Fanatics, my family has tried many different Butterbeer recipes until we found THE one. The one recipe that makes us giddy excited to make a trip to our local grocer to pick up the few ingredients needed. The one recipe that everyone in this house loves and looks forward to.
And now, I’m sharing the Harry Potter LOVE with you!
All you need is: Vanilla Ice Cream, Ice, Cream Soda, Butterscotch Sauce and Whipped Cream. And of course, the entire Harry Potter movie series!
One of our many stuck-at-home-going-stir-crazy Quarantine projects was this bookshelf. I wanted it to match the home library we already have in the dining room. You can see it here.
I totally love having a space for my own personal books, but I wasn’t loving how cluttered it always looked. I tried a few different ways to style the shelves and none of them left me content with the result. Plus, our Stick Figure Art (you can see those here), were always wonky and crooked. But, of course, I didn’t want just plain doors – blah! And wouldn’t it be so fun if said “doors” displayed all of my children’s priceless artwork?!
So, off to Home Depot I went. I picked up 2 pieces of pegboard, some pine furring strips, brass door handles and brass hinges.
After measuring the length and width of my bookshelf and dividing that size in half (while also allowing the space the hinges would take), I knew how large each door needed to be. For this project, I only needed two 48″x24″ prefinished white pegboard panels and (2) 2″x4″ pine pieces.
I attached the cut pine to the outside of the pegboard using wood glue and a few wood screws. The panel was too hard for our handheld staple gun to go through and we didn’t have the right size nails for the air stapler, and honestly, I was entirely too lazy to go back to the store, so glue and screws were our next best option (screwed in from the underside of the panel, of course).
Once the panel doors were constructed, it was time to sand and paint. I used a brush and acrylic white paint to paint the interior side of the pegboard and white spray paint for the front.
After the paint was dry, I attached the handles. I knew the shelf sat a bit higher (and I’m not the tallest of folk) so I placed the handles a bit lower than halfway down instead of centered.
Next came the hinges. I measured and screwed them into the doors first and then into the sides of the bookshelf.
I ordered a set of inexpensive gold frames in multiple sizes, miniature bulldog clips as well as the pegboard metal prong hooks and Pegitz Pegboard Peg Locks needed to hand the frames. Now I don’t have to worry about the frames falling off when I open the doors.
GAH! I literally cannot stop staring at the finished product! I even switched out the individual Stick Figure Art frames for a sturdy set of long gold frames to match the ones on the doors and keep those guys from getting all out of whack!
Like every other parent I know in the midst of this crazy Pandemic, I’m completely overwhelmed with all of the upcoming school decisions, what-if questions without answers and “possible” Plan B’s (& Plan C’s & D’s). It’s unnerving and I feel like I’m slowly losing my ever-lovin’, Covid-hatin’ mind. Being an avid planner and organizer by nature, all the ‘unknowns’ are driving me bonkers!
Can I get an ‘Amen’?!
For now, this big ol’ fam of mine is trying to just keep on trucking. Planning for upcoming events and appointments while remaining fully aware that things will change multiple times in the days ahead. All we can do is just keep on keepin’ on, right?!
As parents, we are charged with the impossible task of planning a future of “normalcy” while juggling the knowledge that the next handful of months (or possibly more) will be nothing at all like we had hoped.
No matter what this new school year throws at us, whether it be in the buildings or online, being organized and on top of our calendar game is going to be more important than ever! Which is where needing a good academic planner comes into play.
