Too Much Of A Good Thing??

Pictured here: Grand Traveler, Back Pack, Squared Away,
Wristlet, Gallery Wallet, Tablet Case, Checkbook Cover,
Euro Wallet, Large Cosmetic Case, Hanging Toiletry

I think I may have a problem.  The first step is admitting it, right?  I think I may have to blame my friend Amy.  I talk about her a lot on her.  She is a very good friend, but sometimes can be a very bad influence ;)

My problem started about a year ago.  It's called "verabradleyitis". 

I have always heard about Vera Bradley.  I had admired the bags and purses, but always thought it wasn't for me.  I mean all those bold prints and colors...nope I could never pull that off.  So, I was over at Amy's and she showed me her new bag.  I really liked the quality and the styling.  She encouraged me to get myself a piece.  I think my comment back to her was something like, "I don't think I could carry a bag like that, being so colorful."  She looked at me and responded, "Why not?". 

So I started thinking, why not?  I started browsing the website and took the plunge.  The first piece I ordered was a wristlet.  The print was Java Blue, a nice chocolate brown and blue, pretty neutral.  Then I ordered a check book cover.  The rest is history.

I started gifting coin purses, lunch boxes, totes, and handbags.  I even turned my mom onto a really nice purse.  For her birthday this year we gave her the matching wallet and eye glass case.  Every person who receives something as a gift is always so appreciative.

So why do I like this company so much.  Well, the prints and colors have really grown on me.  I'm no longer afraid of the "boldness".  I also like that fact I can wash most of the items.  I am really hard on bags, so the fact I can throw them in the washing machine is quite fabulous.  Finally, I like the wide range of product line.  Everything from bags and accessories to luggage and party ware.  Love, love, love it!

The picture above, is the small collection I have started over the past year.  My mother-in-law put a halt on anymore Vera purchases for myself from now until Christmas. I wonder what I'm getting??  Funny enough, I received an email from my sister-in-law, Tracy, today showing me which Vera bag she would like for Christmas this year.

My last piece of advice when shopping Vera Bradley: NEVER PAY FULL PRICE!  Shop online during sales, and check out the selection on QVC for special items.  If you are lucky enough to have a Vera Bradley dealer in your town, shop the discounted items, which are normally older colors.

Happy Spring!

It is the first day of spring!!!  I love the changing of the seasons.  By the time I am tired of one season, the next one is normally right around the corner.  Now, I have to say we were really lucky this winter (I'm still waiting for the blizzard to hit, and in New York State, it's still possible;). 

I thought I would re-post two links.  The first is for a strategy to clean your house.  I know a lot of people are ready to tear into the house for "spring cleaning".  Sometimes over ambition, tends to lead to burn out.  So here's how I clean my house on a regular basis, and it holds true for spring cleaning as well.
House Cleaning Schedule

The second item is my tip for ridding your house of spiders.  Tis the season where they are waking up, making a nice new home in the corners of your house.  This is an all natural spider spray that you have the ingredients for right in your kitchen.
Spider Spray

Happy Spring and Happy Spring Cleaning!!

Make Your Own Uncrustables!

I'm in the mood for a silly mindless post.  Our community has been turned upside the last few days.  On Friday, the school superintendant announced the merging of the elementaries.  Which in laymans terms means closing of my son's school.

This wasn't a surprise, but is still uspetting.  It's kind of like mourning the loss of a loved one who had a terminal illness.  While you know what the final outcome is going to be, the reality is still devastating.  What makes it more upsetting is, we have many many unanswered questions.  There is no set plan in place for splitting the children into the remaining schools.  The staff are unaware of what grade and which school they will be teaching in next year. 

I guess if we knew how to prepare for the next step, it could be easier to cope.  So, onto something completely silly.  When I was at the grocery store about a week ago, I was standing in line to check out browsing at the P.O.P. (point of purchase) items.  For those who never worked in retail, these are items strategically placed at the checkouts to make additional sales.  Typically they are low cost items, but everytime they get you to buy one, the store's sales just increased. 

Being a retail veteran, and being married to a retail manager of a $30 million store, I feel I am above these gimmicks.  Who am I kidding, I fell for it!!  I love a new kitchen gadget and this one was only $1.99.  See, low cost + kitchen gadget junkie=$$$$.

So what item did I fall for.  Here it is:

This fun little gadget cuts the crust off the sandwich and seals it, making it your version of an uncrustable.  You can fill it with, peanut butter and jelly, peanut butter and honey (Adam's new favorite), make it into grilled cheese, or fill it with pizza sauce and cheese and make mini calzones.

Here's how it works.  You make a typical peanut butter and jelly sandwich, filling only the middle of the bread. (All the instructions are on the back of the card.)

Put the top slice of bread on.  Fit the sandwich cutter over the slice, and press down on the outer white portion.  Remove the crust, and then press on the inner blue portion to seal the seams. 

TA DA!!!!

How about for another time saver, make a bunch of these, put them in baggies, and throw them in the freezer.  You can use your favorite jam or jelly, you're not stuck with just grape or strawberry like the ones in the freezer department. 

So the next time you are at the checkout, look at the P.O.P. items, and you may just find a fun little treasure :)

Entertaining With Kids

I think entertaining is fun.  I do get a bit nervous, wanting everything to go smoothly, but overall I really like it.  When I was younger and had my apartment, I would have some friends over with a few appetizers and some beverages.  Then when I got my first house, I started to theme my parties and menus.  Now that I am a mom of two vivacious boys, I keep kids in mind.

When we have friends over with children, I like to have a kid friendly menu and activities.  First the menu.  My boys are the pickiest eaters.  When we have holidays at a relative's house, I come along with their own meals.  It's not uncommon for me to whip out a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or two from my purse. So when we have other kids over, I really try and accommodate their needs.  I always check with the parents for allergies or restrictions.  With that information, I plan the menu.

That being said, we are having over two families tonight.  No allergies, but we will have vegetarians.  Tonight's menu is as follows:

turkey chili with cornbread
vegetable noodle soup
home made Italian bread
salad
cheese platter with fruit
peanut butter sandwiches (kids)
cheese sandwiches (kids)
candy bar cake and ice cream

It is a balance that meets everyones preferences and simple enough to prepare ahead of time.  The children are welcome to have anything on the menu, but I did make the sandwiches knowing that's what my boys will eat.  To make the sandwiches festive, I cut them into different shapes.  Here's how they went together.

First start with really thin bread (this makes it easier to cut).  I used a 100% whole wheat bread.

Spread them with peanut butter, jelly, honey, etc.  I also made some into cheese sandwiches.  Then using cookie cutters, cut the crust off.

Arrange on a platter.  I cut each different kind of sandwich with a different shaped cutter.



After dinner, I planned some craft activities.  When a larger group of kids are at a gathering, it's a really good idea to have some organized activities.  Tonight, I have fun foam door hangers and bookmarks, and sand art.

I purchased the foam door hangers and I already have different shape pieces to adhere.  Then from simple fun foam sheets, using decorative scissors, I just cut out bookmarks.

The sand art kit came with everything the kids need to make their own bottles.  The only thing I did was put the sand in squeeze bottles.  You can find them in the candy aisle of the craft store.  They have a tip that fits right into the bottles and will keep the mess to a minimum.

Finally coloring sheets and my marbled crayons are always a fun activity :)



So the next time you entertain with kids, have a few activities and a friendly menu planned.

How To Freeze Breakfast Items

I've had a few followers submit questions about a previous post.  A few weeks ago, I talked about making your own French toast and pancakes in large batches and freezing them.

So this morning, I was making another batch of French toast, and took some pictures that I hope helps to explain my process.

The first step is to make your favorite French toast recipe.  Then place the cooked pieces of bread onto a cooling rack.

Once you have the rack filled up, place it in the freezer for about an hour.

Next put them in an airtight container or plastic storage bags.

Finally, when you are ready to heat them up, place desired amount of French Toast into a toaster or toaster oven.  I set the toaster oven for about 4 minutes.  Then I cut them into sticks for the kids with a bit a syrup for dipping.





Breakfast Saving Tips

Okay, first I have to vent.  Today I went to the grocery store for a few things.  I didn't need much, but had coupons that were about to expire.  So I really wanted to get those items. 

I chose my items, carefully checking each one so I got the correct sizes or amounts.  When I reached the register, I organized my groceries so all the coupon items were together.  (I like to do this, so if they have to check the receipt for a price, it's all in a row.)  The cashier scanned and bagged my groceries.  Then I handed him my coupons.  Now mind you, I had five coupons, not 50 or 500. 

The first one that through him for a loop was a free bag of rice.  He didn't understand he had to enter the amount.  He just kept telling me, "this coupon doesn't work".  Deep breath!!!  Next he gets a $3.00 coupon, and tried telling me it was too high.  I smiled and explained, he just had to verify the face value of the coupon.  Finally the last one was for $1.00 of two Keebler or Sunshine snack mixes. I purchased two Sunshine Cheezit mixes.  The register said, "items not purchased".  I checked my bags, found the items, he checked the receipt to verify he scanned them.  Everything should be OK, right??  Nope, he said he had to follow the computer.  I sighed very heavily, and asked for a manager. 

The guy behind me in line is getting real upset, but not as frustrated as I was. The flustered cashier said, "OK OK I'll just over ride it".  Now I am not picking on cashiers, I was one for very long time.  At some point, people have to use their judgement, and not rely solely on a computer.

My rant is done, and I will get to the point of my post.  While I was at the grocery store, cruising down the frozen food aisle, Brandon asked for pancakes.  I said no, then he asked for waffles, I said no.  Then it was toaster pastries, again I said no.  After three No's, the why's started.  I tried explaining to my 4 year old, I can make all that stuff at home, and it will cost much less.  That pacified him, at least until we got home.

So for dinner, I made French toast.  While I had the griddle out, I did the whole loaf of bread for French toast.  I also made a double batch of pancakes. Then I froze everything.  Now in the morning for breakfasts, all I have to do is put a pancake in the microwave or the French toast in the toaster oven.

I do this about once a month.  I make batches of breakfast items ahead of time.  I like to do it all at once.  This way I only have to clean the mess up one time.  It costs pennies on the dollar, compared to buying them at the store.

So the next time you are cooking pancakes or French toast, make extra.  Start a little stock pile in the freezer.  Over time you will notice the savings in your grocery budget :)

Need a pancake recipe, click here.
Need a waffle recipe, click here.
Need a French toast recipe, click here.

Chocolate Covered Treats

Our family just got back this weekend from New York City.  I promise to do a post about our adventure, but I must wait for Jay to get back from a business trip.  He has the camera with most of the pictures :)

For now, I will do a post about chocolate covered treats.  Did you know December 16th is chocolate covered anything day???? I didn't, not until Jay told me about it.  I figured a post about chocolate would be appropriate.  Today I did chocolate covered pretzels, cranberries, and marshmallows, which will be small food gifts this holiday season.

There really isn't a set recipe for this, but more of a process or technique.  First you need some food items that hold up well to dipping.  In the past I have dipped the following:

• pretzels; rods, miniatures
• nuts; cashews, peanuts, almonds, walnuts
• marshmallows
• dried fruit; raisins, cranberries, apricots
• Oreos

Next, get yourself good chocolate.  When I am visiting Buffalo, I buy a 10 lb bag of Merkens and keep them in the freezer to use all year.  You can also use a nice quality chocolate block or bar in the candy aisle.  I have used chocolate chips in a pinch.  Just make sure the chocolate is not waxy.

Prepare cookie sheets lined with wax paper to place dipped items on to dry. 

Then put a heat safe bowl over a pot of simmering water.  Add your chocolate to the bowl, and slowly allow the chocolate to melt.  Stir occasionally until you have a smooth bowl of chocolate. (Don't let the water boil, or you can burn the chocolate.)

Remove the bowl from the heat.  Now you are ready to dip.  I work in small batches.  For example, add a few handfuls of pretzels and fold them into the chocolate until coated.  Using a fork remove from the chocolate and lay on cookies sheets.  Sprinkle with candies to decorate.  Allow to cool and harden.  I stick them in my Florida room, but you can put them in the fridge. 



Once they are dry, bag them in cute cellophane bags or put them in tins.  These can be stored in an airtight container for several weeks.

For dipping nuts, raisins, or cranberries, line mini muffin tins with cupcake wrappers.  Then spoon the covered nuts or fruits into the paper.  Allow to harden and pop out of tin.  These make perfect clusters.

Any chocolate covered item makes a great addition to your holiday platters.  These even make great little desserts after a heavy calorie laden meal.  Happy Chocolate Covered Anything Day!!!!

As I get older, I realized my eye make-up doesn't stay on all day.  I would apply it in the morning and by mid-afternoon, it was either gone or fallen down below my eyes.  I was frustrated!  I tried all kinds of "long lasting" eye products.  What I discovered was, I needed an eye primer.

Ok that being said, there are a lot of primers out there.  After watching a QVC presentation for Laura Geller's eye primer, I was game for giving it a try.  It came last week.  The next morning, I added it as a 3 second part of my routine.  I applied my eye make-up, and at the end of the day, my eye make-up was still in place.  For the last week, I used all different kinds of eye shadow and liner, the result was the same.  This product is a winner.

You can find it on QVC.  Do a product search for Laura Geller's eye spackle waterproof primer.  I ordered the light shade.  It is well worth the twenty something price tag.  Now I don't have to buy special long wearing liners and shadows.  The other benefit, the eye shadows were a truer color.

Celebrate Your Child's Art

We are back from vacation, and I'm just a little bit tired.  I have a new respect for my parents.  When we were little and wanted to keep going at amusement parks, my parents never let on how tiring it is.  They made it look so easy.  We are planning a Disney trip, but I think I need a few more years to prepare for it!

I had planned on posting this last week, but had some technical difficulties at the hotel with our WiFi connection.  Oh well, so here it is today.

When my oldest son brought home his Kindergarten art portfolio, I was impressed.  He seems to have some abilities when it comes to painting.  Now I will admit, I am probably biased.  However, most of the painting was really good.  One piece that Jay and I really loved was his still life of flowers in a vase.  This is the same piece that made it into the art show for the school district. 

I decided to frame this painting.  I was looking for a new art piece for our family room.  I painted the room several months ago, to a very neutral grayish white.  The walls definitely needed a pop of color.  Then I found myself staring at Adam's painting and it hit me.  I will celebrate him and his talents by framing it and hanging it proudly in our home.

I found an inexpensive frame and with a slight trim, voila!  I hung it up, and just watching the smile spread across Adam's face was priceless.  He kept asking me that whole night, if I want him to paint any other paintings for the house.  He was proud and so was I.

So the little tip for today, is find a piece of art your child is proud of and display it.  It can be a painting, drawing, or a craft.  Use a frame or shadow box to show off your child's creativity.  You can also change it out.  Use a standard paper size like 8" x 10", then when your child has made a new masterpiece just switch it out. 

Displaying their art will give them confidence and encourage more creativity.  Not to mention it is a conversation starter when guests come to visit!

Adam at the art show

I Love My Mia

Oil slicks, rough terrain, uneven texture, cracks and crevices, dry patches.  What I am describing?  No, its not the wilderness or desert, it is my 30 something face. 

When I was in my twenties, I never gave a second thought to my skin.  I sometimes took of my makeup before going to bed, and even possibly used a moisturizer.  It was really no big worry.  I would have the occasional pimple, but nothing a good concealer couldn't take care of.   Fast forward ten years and two babies later.  Oh my gosh, maintenance on my face has become a full time job.

A few years ago, I started to notice fine lines setting in.  The breakouts would come more frequently.  This last year, I have noticed a huge change and not for the good.  I have been using Philosophy products for several years, and I am a true Philosophy Girl.  Still my skin is just lacking the radiance I had in my 20's. 

So, I have been watching the buzz around a product called Clarisonic.  At first, I couldn't justify the $200 price tag that accompanied a tool to help clean your face.  I heard celebrities rave about it, beauty editors dedicating articles to it, and of course QVC running hour long shows on this one product.  A couple of weeks ago, I noticed that QVC had a Today's Special Value for the Clarisonic.  I said to myself, if it around a $100, I'll try it.  The Clarisonic Mia (the smaller version) appeared for $125.   I made the decision to purchase it, and figured I had QVC's money back guarantee. 

My Mia arrived a week ago.  I charged it and that night cleansed my face.  I'll be honest, no noticeable difference on the first use, except for the amount of make-up it removed.  A week later I have noticed a change in the texture and smoothness of my skin.  I have also notice the appearance of pores and "black heads" on my nose are diminishing.  I'm hooked.  The Clarisonic stays and hopefully a new start to better skin.

I know it is a considered purchase.  I also just realize I have outed myself to my husband as to how much it is :o)  Hopefully he won't be too mad, considering it will make me look better, right?  It's also on easy pay, so not that much of a hit on the credit card every month.  I definitely think it would make a lovely present for a birthday or the holidays. 

Here's a picture of mine in the pink paisley.  Oh, and notice the new Vera Bradley cosmetic bag behind it, in Twirly Bird Pink.

Investment That Pays For Itself

As most of my loyal followers know, I am very frugal.  I watch our pennies and try to spend them wisely.  That's not to say I don't make the occasional splurge.  In all honesty, saving on a daily basis allows us to make a few really nice splurges.

So what investment am I speaking of today?  A kitchen scale (mine cost under $20.00).  It is valuable for many reasons.  One of the reasons I bought a kitchen scale was to help monitor my portions.  I have been on a weight loss journey since I was a teenager.  I am very strict with what I eat, but still wasn't losing enough weight.  Once I bought my scale and started measuring the food, I had an epiphany!  I was preparing low fat food, but eating too much of it.  I measured my food, until I understood a correct portion.  Now with the knowledge of correct portions, the weight loss journey became a bit easier.

The picture below shows a perfect example.  The bowl on the left is the correct 30g of low fat cereal.  The bowl on the right is probably what most people pour for breakfast, almost 3 times the correct amount.

The other really terrific use of the scale is for pre-measuring snacks.  The scale I bought has programmed nutritional information in it.  I just scroll through to the correct food item, and the weight of it, gives the correct output of data.  Now I use it portion out crackers, dried fruit, snack mixes, etc. 

Making your own 100 calorie packs is so wise and economical.  Unless you have some really great coupons and the snack packs are on sale, doing yourself will be cheaper.  I also like to have the snack bags handy for lunch boxes.  When I make lunches in the morning it is so easy to go to the snack bowl, and just pick a bag.  This also makes it convenient to keep a bag or two in my purse for unexpected hungry kids.

So, invest in a scale and make a investment in your health!



Cheesecake Tips

I have to admit, I am not a fan of all kinds of cheesecake.  In fact, I never ate cheesecake until I encountered Junior's Cheesecake in NYC.  I still have a problem with the taste of a strong cheesecake, I definitely prefer a more mild flavor.

That being said, I make a lot of cheesecake.  A couple of years ago, Jay bought me the cookbook from the Junior's bakery.  Ever since, Jay asks for cheesecake for his birthday, and it seems to be my go to dessert when having company.  Through all my cheesecake endeavors, I have come up with some tips that are helpful.  These tips will help stop the cake from having a Grand Canyon size crack.  It will also help to perfect the presentation of the cake. 

• Always start with room temperature ingredients, including the eggs
• Never run the mixer on a high speed, if using a stand mixer don't go above a 3
• Make sure to scrape the bowl down continuously between the addition of ingredients
• Bake the cake in a water bath
• DO NOT EVER OPEN THE OVEN DOOR BEFORE THE TIMER DINGS!
• When removing the cake from the oven, move to a cooling rack and leave it alone for at least an hour; do not look at it, breathe on it, just walk away
• Refrigerate the cake for several hours before removing the spring form pan
• To smooth out side of cake, run a knife under hot water, dry it off, and gently run it along the side to smooth
• If all else fails and you have a crack, garnish with fruit and whip cream

I hope these tips help with your future cheesecake adventures!

Somethings Are Worth The Extra Expense

I am a very budget minded person.  People laugh at me at how I scrutinize our budget and will go without certain luxuries.  I feel as CFO of the Nowak Corporation, I need to be very responsible on expenditures.  However, sometimes it is worth to pay a little extra for the convenience of certain things.

What am I referring to??? Window cleaner wipes.  I know it sounds really crazy that I would get so excited over a cleaning product. In fact excited enough to blog about it, but I recently broke down and bought some and love them. 

I am a cleaning fanatic. I am cleaning my house daily and actually find joy in it.  One of my gripes was the upstairs bathroom mirror.  This is the bathroom used by myself and two little boys.  The mirror always has fingerprints and toothpaste spatter on it.  No matter how many times I tell the boys to brush over the sink, it seems to wind up on the mirror.  It wasn't always convenient to go downstairs to the cleaning cupboard and get the glass cleaner and paper towels.  Then I thought about keeping a bottle of cleaner and paper towels upstairs, but honestly I live in an old house with limited storage space in the bathroom.  I tried using microfibers clothes, but it really didn't get the marks off.  The other cleaning wipes (not for glass), left the mirror streaked.

So I did it. I broke down and paid $2.97 for a canister of 30 glass cleaner wipes.  Oh my gosh, it was wonderful.  One wipe was enough to clean the large mirror, and was still moist enough to wipe down the faucet as well.  My opinion is, the price is well worth the convenience and my sanity of keeping a clean bathroom.  Now I don't have to yell at the boys everyday while brushing their teeth. I simply go behind them and wipe it down.

Have a happy Wednesday.  Come back this weekend and checkout a pot roast recipe. I am having dinner guests and will feature the recipe on Sunday!

Easy Gift Tags

I don't know about you, but I save gift bags and reuse them.  Sometimes I need a new tag for the bag.  So to re-purpose a gift bag, I've made these easy tags that you can attach.   It is so simple,  all you need is a little scrap booking card stock, peel and stick tags, and some ribbon.

After the holidays I always go to the stores and buy peel and stick tags on a sheet.  You can get 100 of them for under a $1.00.  Then at the craft store, I buy card stock pieces in a bag for about $3.00 (you get all different sizes and colors).  All you have to do is find a coordinating color card stock, put a sticker on it, and attach with a piece of ribbon. Viola!!! You recycled a gift bag and saved yourself some money.

Linking to these parties.

Cake Like Frosted Sugar Cookies

We've all had them. We've all passed by them in the grocery store. The soft sugar cookies with the frosting. So good, cake like, and sweet. The only thing not so sweet about them is the price. Around here it's almost $4.00 for ten cookies. In my book, not a good value, especially when you can make about about six dozen for almost the same price.

Last Christmas my nephew gave out the gourmet version of these cookies as gifts. They were wonderful and yummy, and lasted about five minutes. So I began my quest to find a similar recipe. I believe I was successful, and now these are my go to cut out cookie.

I scoured the Internet for days, and all the recipes were basically the same. Lots of eggs and egg yolks, sugar, butter, vanilla, flour. I found that the recipe could easily be halved. I also discovered they freeze beautifully. Thaw them on the counter for about 3 hours and the cookies are just as delicious as when they came out of the oven. The bonus in that tidbit, make a whole batch, freeze half and have cookies for any holiday.  Frost them with a basic buttercream and decorate with sugar, sprinkles, etc. Store them in a container with wax paper in between the layers and they will stay fresh on the counter for about a week, or freeze for up to three months.

recipe

4 Sticks of butter

2 1/4 C. Sugar
4 Eggs
6 Egg Yolks
2 Tbsp. Vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. baking powder
7 C. Flour






Cream butter & sugar until fluffy, then add eggs. Blend well, add vanilla and dry ingredients. Divide dough into two discs, wrap in plastic & refrigerate at least 2 hours. On a well floured counter, roll out dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut desired shape and place on greased cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 9 minutes. The cookie will be pale (do not overcook), let rest on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a cooling rack. Frost with your favorite buttercream recipe. Yields about 6 dozen.






Buttercream frosting:

4 C. powder sugar
1 stick of softened butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp. milk






Blend until a spreadable consistency.



tip:  Make sure the dough is super cold before baking, otherwise they will spread and loose shape.  If you are rolling them all at once, refrigerate the cookies on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before going into the oven.

Natural Spider Spray

Hello Friday....so glad you are here.  It has been a mentally exhausting week of back to school.  No major dramatics to report, which is good news.  So in thinking what I would post today, I wanted it to be simple for my tired brain. 

In the fall, the weather turns damp and chilly, and spiders love to come inside and make your home their new home for the winter. While I believe spiders are helpful outside eating insects, I do not want them taking residence in my house.  Before I had kids, I would go buy a pesticide from the store and spray the whole house....no more spiders. After having children, my mind began to think differently. I wanted to oust the spiders but not harm my kids. So I searched for all natural sprays, and I wasn't happy with what I found. Then one day I saw a tip on T.V. boasting all natural tips for the home.  My ears perked up and sure enough there was a tip on how to rid your home of spiders.  It simply is water and white vinegar.

The spiders don't like the "taste" of vinegar. So you mix 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to 12 ounces of water and shake.  Put it in a spray bottle and begin to spray every corner in your house, top and bottom.  For the past six months, this is Adam's job. He loves it! He says he feels like he is protecting us. I don't mind him doing it because there is nothing to harm him.  The only downside is, your house will smell like a salad for a day or so. I try and do it on a day that I can keep the windows open, and we do it about once a month during the spring and fall.

Give it a try, and keep the pesky little critters outside!  Happy Friday everyone :o)

Bow Making 101

I have posted a few projects that need bows and I will have a few more in the future that will require them as well. I have mentioned that the craft store will make them for you, but it really isn't that difficult to do. In my days of working at Michael's Craft Stores, I made thousands of bows; I even taught a bow making class for a while. 

I have a few recommendations on being a successful bow maker.  First, start off using wired edged ribbon. It holds it's shape and can be manipulated a lot easier than traditional satin. Secondly use a medium width ribbon, one that is 1 1/2 inches to 2 inches wide.  This way your hand won't get too tired holding a cumbersome amount of ribbon. Finally, don't get discouraged. Practice, practice, practice. Remember it's just ribbon and can be done over and over again.

Supplies

3 yards of ribbon (wire edged preferred)
18 inch length of floral wire about 22 gauge (can be bought pre-cut or on a spool)
wire cutters
sharp scissors

Step one:  Cut about a twelve inch length of ribbon and set aside.  Unroll the length of ribbon from the spool and hold it wrong side up in your left hand with about two inches of ribbon toward you and the remainder away from you.

Step two:  Form a small loop by pulling the end of the ribbon towards you up and away so the right side of the ribbon is facing up (this is the center loop of your bow). Keep this loop pinched in your left hand using your thumb and index finger

Step three:  Now you start making your bow loops. While pinching the center loop in your thumb and finger, with your right hand make a half twist of the ribbon tail so the right side of the ribbon is facing up. Make a loop the desired size you would like. Pinch the ribbon behind the center loop. Repeat this process on the other side (remember to make a half twist every time you make a loop so the right side of the ribbon is always up)

Step four:  Continue making loops until you have an even number on both sides. Using 3 yards of ribbon, you will have approximately four loops on each side about 3 inches long.

 

Step five: Once you have all the loops, now it's time to attach the tails. Simply take the 12 inch piece of ribbon cut in step 1 and place it on the back of the bow behind all the loops. Finally, take a lenght of wire and feed it through the center loop, pull around to the back and twist to hold the bow together.

Step six:  Manipulate the ribbon loops until the bow is fluffy and desired shape.

tip: if you don't have floral wire, use a pipe cleaner to hold the bow together

Traveling with Toddlers

Today is Monday, and the start of getting back into our routine.  We are done with summer time travel and the kids will start school next week.  I am looking forward to getting back to our regularly scheduled program :o)  I have updated the Places To Go page with some handy travel tips.  Most of the tips are common sense, but I find sometimes we need to be reminded of stuff we may already know.

Tomorrow I will post instructions on how to make a bow, and don't forget on September 1st the cupcake of the month will have it's debut. So have a Happy Monday, and come back tomorrow :o)

Wholesome Wednesday (raspberry peach meringues)

The boys and I have landed back in Oneonta this afternoon.  I quickly unpacked the car with Jay's help (I caught him while he was home on lunch, perfect timing for helping me unload the bags) and am taking a few minutes to upload this weeks recipe for Wholesome Wednesday.  While I was home visiting, I went over to my in-laws for dinner and I volunteered to bring dessert. I knew we were having Chinese and I wanted to make something that was light and friendly to the waistline without giving up the pleasure of a satisfying dessert.  So without any further ado.....I brought raspberry peach meringues.

This recipe is very easy to make and has a nice presentation. People will think you went to an extraordinary amount of trouble to prepare it. The only caveat is, you need a little planning to make this.  The meringues are best made several hours ahead time (even the night before), in order to give them time to dry out and get crispy.  This recipe also has no fat or cholesterol, since you're using just the egg whites.  Here's how to make them:

recipe

4 egg whites, room temperature
1 cup of sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla
1 bag frozen peaches
1 bag frozen raspberries
1/4 cup sugar
whipped cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Whip on very high speed with a mixer the egg whites, cream of tartar and sugar until they form stiff peaks. (add the sugar slowly, about 1/3 cup at a time) Then add vanilla, mix about another 30 seconds.  Take the egg whites and scoop into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and set aside. (if you don't have a pastry bag, fill a large Ziploc bag and snip just one corner off about a 1/4 inch and you'll have a homemade pastry bag)  Line two cookie sheets with parchment. Pipe meringue in discs onto the parchment sheets and bake in the oven for 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

bake on a very low oven

Shut the oven off once the meringues have turned a nice golden brown and leave them in the oven to cool, this will take several hours.  Once the meringues have dried out they will be light and crispy, no longer wet or sticky looking.

In a separate bowl combine fruit with 1/4 cup of sugar and refrigerate for several hours. The fruit will defrost and the sugar with form a light sauce. 

To assemble the dessert, place a meringue on a plate and scoop fruit over the top. Garnish with whipped cream if desired.  Store any left over meringues in an airtight container and store remaining fruit in the refrigerator.  (yields about a dozen 3 inch meringue discs)

tip: never bake meringue on a humid or rainy day, they will never dry out properly

had to take a bite, YUMMY!

Handy Toothbrush

Over the last week I have visited the dentist as well as the boys.  Adam was wonderful for his cleaning and exam. We also discovered that he has his first loose tooth and is very excited about getting money from the tooth fairy!  Brandon while not as cooperative as Adam did well too. He is no longer tongue-tied, which is wonderful news, and his teeth and gums look great.  And for a little report on my visit, I held still and cooperated but now have entered into the world of sensitive teeth. So my much loved Crest toothpaste is on the shelf and I have to start brushing with Sensodyne.  Now that everyone is updated on our dentist check-ups, I'll get to the actual point of this post. 

Last Christmas, my husband's grandmother bought the kids toothbrushes that light up.  The brand was firefly and I thought it was cute enough. Not until I started using it with the boys, did I see the helpfulness of this product.  Basically, you push the end of the brush to activate the light and it stays on for about 90 seconds. This helps both the boys and myself to make sure they are brushing long enough.  It also saves everyone in the house from listening to me sing ABC's or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.  I have bought several more of these tooth brushes over the last year and just wanted to share with everyone out in the blog-o-sphere how handy they are.  It makes it fun for them to brush and anything I can do to make personal hygiene fun for toddlers, I am all for. 

p.s.  I also love the neon colored dental flossers, both boys let me floss them as long as they can pick their color :o)