the weekly creative #27

Welcome to week #27 of The Weekly Creative!
Happy Easter! I hope everyone is spending the day relaxing with friends and family. We had "lunch" at my sister-in-laws with my husband's side of the family and now a "Pinterest Dinner" with my side of the family at my aunt and uncle's house. Everyone brought a recipe from Pinterest that they've been wanting to try! I was responsible for and appetizer so I made this delicious spinach and artichoke dip and these crispy edamame. Yum!
Now...onto this week's party.
I had a crazy busy week so I won't be doing features today. Sorry! I'll be back to a regular link party next week... I promise :)
Thanks for stopping by to link up!

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1. Stand Up Your Boots With A Pool Noodle!	2. Burlap Fringed & Flowered Wreath	3. DIY Diaper Strap Tutorial	4. Google Reader Alternatives	5. Stitching a Pillow Closure
6. Easter...Many years ago	7. Peplum sweatshirt	8. Bracelet Tutorial Chunky Beads	9. Martha Stewart Paint Caddy	10. Easter Porch Sign!
11. Rhinestone Button Hair Pins	12. Butterfly Eggs	13. Cheese Melts	14. Baby Names Printable	15. Week Three: Growing Your Blog
16. Prince Charming Tote	17. Mickey Mouse Tote	18. Easter Gifts	19. Spring purse	20. DIY Moss Bunny and Roses Centerpiece
21. Boys Bedroom Reveal	22. FREE pattern: Raglan Shirts w/Skirt	23. Handmade Easter Sunday Outfit	24. Conductor Hat	25. Beading
26. My All Natural Travel Kit	27. Tuna Noodle Pot Pie	28. Bunny in a Jar	29. Upcycled Denim Tote	30. DIY Spring Wreath Tutorial
31. DIY Pot Bunting	32. The Best Sweet Pork Burritos	33. Banana Apple Cinnamon Oat Bread	34. Chicken Cordon Blue Ranch Wraps	35. Where I'm Headed
36. Sock Bunnies	37. making a Lego Station	38. Sewing gathers	39. Irish Soda Bread	40. Scrappy Skirt Refashion
41. Birthday Quilt - Denim Refashion	42. Sweater Refashion

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

faux bois art

Sometimes, the most satisfying projects are the kind that are "easy, free, & done in under 5 minutes." With how hectic this week has been around our house, this little makeover was just what we needed. Now that we've settled on a new couch for our family room (it'll be here in about 8 weeks) we've been trying to add those important finishing touches to the room. 
A few weeks ago, I took a trip to Ikea with my cousin and had a few Ribba frames sitting around waiting for art. I decided that it was time to just hang them - whether they had art in them or not!

I found this AMAZING faux bois wrapping paper at HomeGoods the other day and thought it would be the perfect filler until we found some art that we liked. Well... the birch-y wood grain just might stay around for the long haul! We love it :) Here is what we're dealing with now:
EXISTING                                                         OUR PLAN

Our plan is GREY & ORANGE! We are in search of an orange lamp for our entertainment center and some fun fabric so I can finally makeover that chair in the corner (it currently has fabric tucked around it and gets all bunchy and wrinkled. The wood frame needs sanded down and refinished because it's covered in scratches and scuffs).

As for the couch, it's going to be a soft, textured grey. The leafy orange/grey/cream fabric is for pillows (and the fuzzy orange pillow I got from Crate & Barrel). I'm loving it! Orange/grey/cream has to be my new favorite color combination. 

We're on a "home decor" kick so keep an eye out for more transformations that will be hitting the blog soon.
What quick & easy updates have you done lately?

[p.s. this post may be linked to any number of these blogs]

sunshine makings: infinity cowl

I had the privilege of testing Sunny Stitching's infinity cowl pattern before she posted it to her Etsy site, Sunshine Makings. Jessica's pattern is fun, easy to understand and the final product is BEAUTIFUL.
Jessica's picture:

I'm not a very advanced crocheter, so if I could make it, you could too!
Check out her new pattern here :) Happy crocheting!
[Oh...and if you don't crochet, Jessica sells the finished infinity scarves here].

[p.s. this post may be linked to any number of these blogs]

the weekly creative #26

Welcome to week #26 of The Weekly Creative!
This week was a busy one! I didn't get much crafting done so today I've been working on a few projects I've had in the back of my mind all week :) I can't wait to share them with you soon.
Does anyone else feel like the weeks are FLYING by so quickly? I can hardly keep up with things around here. It seems like my head is spinning... Looking forward to seeing all of your projects this week :)
Now...onto this week's party.
Here's how The Weekly Creative link party works:
#1 Each week I will be featuring the most viewed link, my favorite diy/craft/home project & my favorite recipe. I'm sticking with 3 features but I have divided them into categories now.
#2 Each month, I will be featuring one project on my sidebar - the project that gets the most views during all of the link parties during that month. It will have a picture of the project with a direct link to the post on your blog. This will hopefully direct more traffic to YOU! 
#3 All features will get promoted on my Facebook page and pinned to Pinterest. I have created a board specifically for features - feel free to follow along. 

Link up as many projects, recipes, etc. as you'd like. No giveaways or etsy shops please. 

Visit some other blogs and show them some love. Simple as that.
Here are the features from last week:
MOST VEIWED:

kid's easter art by pink for pinkie
MY FAVORITE DIY/HOME PROJECT & RECIPE:

printable seed packed labels by just dawnelle & blueberry almond pastry by carrisa miss

If you were featured, don't forget to grab a featured button from the sidebar under the tab "grab a button." Thanks for stopping by to link up!

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1. Spring Decor	2. The Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream War!	3. Leanne@yearofcraftingdangerously	4. Paris Love	5. Mirro Makeover
6. crochets nook case	7. mens shirts - now patchwork pillow	8. no stir, no stick, roasted chutney - YUM	9. Easter Tree	10. Easter Garden
11. Easter Egg Topiary	12. 23 Tutorials on How-to Origami	13. Easter Egg Wrappers	14. Easter Candy Bark	15. Perfect Pork Tenderloin
16. Spring Break Bento	17. DIY Paint Chip Art	18. Easy Easter Basket Tutorial	19. Cake Planning	20. Ballard's Martin Console
21. Pretty Fabrics	22. Easter Outfits	23. Painted Paper Mache Easter Eggs	24. Paper Easter Egg Garland	25. Google Reader Alternatives
26. Crochet Easter Egg Wreaths	27. Stash Busting Scarves	28. Lil Black Dresser	29. Writing Cards - Printable	30. Bold and Brassy: Cleaning Brass Naturally
31. Got slop? Fridge Coasters to the rescue!	32. Summer Dresses DIY spending no money!	33. Freya May- The Dressmaking Diaries	34. Chocolate Spoons	35. Confetti Bomb Easter Eggs
36. Cress Egg Heads	37. upcycled denim organizer	38. Week Two Growing Your Blog	39. Downton Abbey Embroidery	40. sewing for myself
41. Easter Decorations	42. Clearance Star to Singing Star	43. lovely things in emerald	44. office inspiration board	45. Chalkboard out of a cabinet door
46. Free printable collar sewing pattern	47. Happy Easter card	48. Jam-filled Cinnamon Doughnut Muffins	49. Easter Garden of Grace	50. Crocheted Easter Baskets
51. Baby Bunny with Mommy and Granny	52. Mini Tulip Wreath	53. Kaleidoscope of Butterflies Wreath	54. Birds and Bunnies Spring Mantel	55. Hoop Earrings Tutorial
56. Easter Decoration	57. petri dish coasters	58. Fluffy-tailed Bunny Singlets	59. 18 BUNNY PATTERNS FREE!	60. QUILT BLOCK BUNNY TUTORIAL

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

guilt free blended coffee

I would love to walk into Starbucks everyday and order a grande caramel frappuccino without feeling guilty about the money I'm spending and the empty calories I'm drinking. They are like heaven in a cup. Seriously. 
When I was in search of a "homemade" blended coffee drink I wasn't impressed with anything I found. I'm picky. One day, I came up with this random concoction and I love it. It's yummy and coffee-y without being sickening sweet or pricey. It's also simple (which is key for mornings before work). _______________________________________________________
Guilt Free Blended Coffee 7-8 frozen coffee ice cubes 1 1/2 cups fat free milk a pinch of salt a splash of vanilla extract 1 scoop of Slim Fast "Chocolate Royale" powder

Combine all ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth. Yields about 16 oz. Only 252 calories! _______________________________________________________
Since I've been making these, I always have brewed coffee in the fridge to re-fill my ice cube trays. It's easy to make a big pot of coffee at the beginning of the week and stash it in the fridge for later use.

Also, I've concluded that this is only 252 calories. 
As you can see on the side of the Slim Fast can, 8 oz of milk + 1 scoop of Slim Fast powder is 200 calories. With the addition of another 1/2 cup milk (40 calories), a splash of vanilla extract (1 tsp = 12 calories) and a small amount of brewed coffee (practically 0 calories) we're only up to 252 calories.

Yum! Guilt free goodness to start my day!
[p.s. this post may be linked to any number of these blogs]

the weekly creative #25

Welcome to week #25 of The Weekly Creative!
Happy St. Patty's Day! It's funny... Our weekend was filled of getting rid of green. We spent Saturday painting our basement. When we bought the house, there was SO MUCH GREEN! It wasn't really a nice green... although, maybe it was and we just hated it because of overload. This is what the basement looked like when we bought it and how it looks now:
BEFORE                                                                    PROGRESS

Adam put in recessed lighting and the walls have a fresh coat of light, neutral paint. He also fixed up the basement down there (I'll have to post pictures of that at a later time). We still have lots to do but it's coming along. Soon it'll be a really liveable space!

Now...onto this week's party.
Here's how The Weekly Creative link party works:
#1 Each week I will be featuring the most viewed link, my favorite diy/craft/home project & my favorite recipe. I'm sticking with 3 features but I have divided them into categories now.
#2 Each month, I will be featuring one project on my sidebar - the project that gets the most views during all of the link parties during that month. It will have a picture of the project with a direct link to the post on your blog. This will hopefully direct more traffic to YOU! 
#3 All features will get promoted on my Facebook page and pinned to Pinterest. I have created a board specifically for features - feel free to follow along. 

Link up as many projects, recipes, etc. as you'd like. No giveaways or etsy shops please. 

Visit some other blogs and show them some love. Simple as that.
Here are the features from last week:
MOST VEIWED:

ipad sleeve cover by country maison

MY FAVORITE DIY/HOME PROJECT & RECIPE:

diy egg basket light by 2 little superheros & peeps in a nest by diana rambles

If you were featured, don't forget to grab a featured button from the sidebar under the tab "grab a button." Thanks for stopping by to link up!

.................................................................................................................

1. My Design	2. Cool Things To Do With Old Neckties	3. Maternity Shirt Refashion	4. Crochet Easter Egg Wreaths	5. 23 Easter Printables
6. Easter Egg Centerpiece	7. Chocolate Covered Strawberry Pie	8. Gathering On a Sewing Machine	9. Easter Egg Wrappers	10. Easter Printable
11. Egg Hunt Sign Free Printable	12. Cute as a Button Towel	13. Envelope Clutch	14. He Has Risen Printable	15. Spring Seed Packet PRINTABLE
16. zip pouches - dumplings - Karen NZ	17. Surfer Slacks	18. Have You Seen Me?	19. Candle Holder Makeover	20. Sew Crafty Angel
21. {GGC} Craft Space Reveal	22. Purple Cowl and Fingerless Gloves	23. DIY Bunny Canvas Decor	24. Kids Easter Art	25. Six week series to Grow Your Blog
26. Pet Records Printable	27. Egg McMuffin Baked Eggs	28. Simple Sewing: Bibs and Bias!	29. Jewelry pouches	30. Jackie Dress
31. Envelope Clutch Pattern	32. Sewing Books Link up	33. Easter Egg Basket Pattern	34. Midnight Drink Loading!	35. Upcycled military uniform - Ipad Case
36. Spring Wreath	37. Candle Holder Makeover	38. Pretty Plates	39. Green and Pink Shamrock Suckers	40. diy entry way board and batten
41. blueberry almond pastry	42. Easy Easter Egg Tree	43. Pi Day Necklace	44. Chocolate Rice Krispy bars	45. Natural Flu Remedy
46. Kitchen Makeover	47. A Chippy Blue Redo	48. Bed To Bench	49. DIY Gel Nail 14 Day Update	50. Country Maison
51. Summer Swing Tank	52. Shirt to Boy's Pajama Pants Refashion	53. Ugly Coat Refashion: Part One	54. Ugly Coat Refashion: Part Two	55. American Girl Doll Refashion
56. T-Shirt to Girl's Dress Refashion	57. DIY Felt Coasters	58. T-Shirt to Fringe Scarf Refashion	59. Heating Pad Refashioned From Old Jeans	60. No Sew Skirt to Shirt Refashion
61. Socks From Old Sweater Refashion	62. Easy Homemade Banana Honey Facial	63. Beachwear Refashion	64. Mango Meyer Lemonade Recipe	65. Easter Dress Refashion
66. How To Make an Infinity Scarf	67. Homemade Magic Carpet Stain Remover	68. No Sew Nifty Knee Patches

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

1 minute headband

The title of this post is truer than true. It might even take you LESS than 1 minute if you're quick :)

The other day I decided that I was sick of my other headbands that I wear all the time and wanted something simple to wrangle back my curls. I had purchased some elastic ribbon over a year ago when I made these flower headbands and had a bunch left over. A quick snip & a simple knot later and I was ready to go with my new simple headband.

Here's what you'll need:

Elastic ribbon

Scissors

ruler (optional)

I bought my elastic ribbon on Etsy. 

I have no affiliation with any of these shops but here are some good sources:

Mary Supplies

Best Bobs

WithLace

[HOW TO] 

Wrap your ribbon around your head for a quick measurement. 

I ended up cutting my ribbon 20" long.

Tie a little knot on the end and you're ready to rock your new headband.

I told you it was simple. 

These are so fun because for pennies you can have fun stretchy headbands in lots of different colors.

Oh, I also made a bunch of stretchy hair ties. I have heard that they are better for your hair (plus they are pretty). These are for sale ALL over Etsy, but they are so easy to make if you have the supplies on hand. 

[HOW TO]

I simply wrapped the ribbon around my wrist to make sure it would be comfortable. 

I snipped my ribbon to size (8" long) and tied them in knots.

Ta-da! Just as simple as the headbands.

Enjoy your new hair accessories. Oh, and I couldn't help but share this picture.

This is for all of my curly-haired readers.

[found on Pinterest]

Amen!

[p.s. this post may be linked to any number of these blogs]

"fake" pops

You're probably raising an eyebrow at the title of this post...
... I didn't want to call them "cake pops" because I didn't actually use ANY cake to make these treats. For my nieice's 1st birthday I volunteered to make cake pops! Soon after, I knew that it was going to be A LOT of work (especially considering that there were 70 people going). My cousin gave me the idea of using donut holes to simplify the process and they were a hit!

The day before the party, I picked up 3 dozen donut holes from our local donut shop. I got plain cake donut holes (no icing). My sister-in-law also picked up a bunch of other goodies: marshmallows, brownies, rice krispy treats, etc. They were all store bought and ready to go. This REALLY cut down on prep time.

Here are some tips I learned about making cake pops (or "fake" pops, if you will). These same tips will apply to regular cake pops if you're daring enough to take on the challenge.

Tip #1:

Melt your chocolate with a little bit of shortening

Pure melted chocolate is delicious, but it can be globby (yes, that's a real word). If you add a little bit of shortening to the chocolate it thins it out a bit and makes your treats easier to dip.

Tip #2:

Stick your stick

Yes, this sounds funny. But I'm serious. You don't want your donut hole to flop off into your chocolate. Pre-poke holes in your treats, dip the stick in the melted chocolate & then put the stick back into the hole. The chocolate will harden and "glue" your treat to the stick. This is a huge time saver and mess preventer.

Tip #3
Let your chocolate dry a bit before decorating

Sprinkles, especially the larger "pearl" kind, tend to slip off the chocolate when it's still wet and drippy. Let your cake pops dry for a few minutes before decorating. It'll help your sprinkles stick for the long haul. I used a piece of styrofoam to keep my pops upright while they dried. It worked like a charm.

So when it was all said and done, I made almost 60 fake pops! It was a lot of fun and they were a big hit at the party. They were also really yummy... which is the most important part.

 

What I learned is that they don't have to be perfect. They don't have to look like cake pops in a magazine. If you have fun and put your little touch on them, they'll be perfect in their own ways.

[p.s. this post may be linked to any number of these blogs]