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Sunday, July 28, 2013

Alphabet Soup ~ Personalized Letters

Today's post is brought to you by the letter L.


I am almost done with the do-over project
You should be seeing that next in the lineup. :)

In the meantime a couple other things have come up.

I needed a gift for someone at work who had a baby girl.
I decided to do a personalized letter of
the baby's first initial...in this case, an L.


Basic MDF letter from Hobby Lobby and some
scrapbook paper from my extensive stash.
I say extensive because I seem to have quite a
bit of it considering I don't even scrapbook. :)

I already had the cream trim ribbon...
found in one of Michael's bargain bins.
Also had the distressing ink.
But I picked up some paper flowers just for this project.


It's pretty simple and easy.
I used two designs of paper from the pink bunch.

You can divide it wherever you like,
mine is more or less even...
must have been a subconscious thing.
{The ribbon hides the paper split.}


First trace your letter on your chosen paper and cut it out.
I painted the edges of the letter in a coordinating color...brown.

I then used Mod Podge over the entire letter and
carefully placed the paper and smoothed it out.


Once it was dry I used a foam brush to add some
"Vintage Photo" distress ink to the edges.

The entire letter then got a top coat of Mod Podge before
the ribbon and flowers were attached with hot glue.


You could add a hanger to the back for the wall...
or leave it as I did for displaying on a shelf.

In case you haven't seen it...the letter is
leaning up again my barnwood flower box.
Which I am still enamored with. :)

My husband kept saying how much
he liked what I'd done with this project.
I had to tease him and tell him I could
make him one if he really wanted.
 
Edited to add...the one I made for Sara using
the paper and embellishments of her choosing:
 
 

So, what do you think?
Sound like a good idea for the next baby shower you attend?
Simple and customizable for any color or theme.
Oh, and NOT just for babies.
:)

Have a fabulous week!


Warming up my glue gun here:

Monday, July 22, 2013

Vanilla Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Wow...is that a long name for an ice cream or what?

I know, I know...
two ice cream recipes in 3 weeks.
Well, it IS National Ice Cream Month.

Sorry.
The truth is, the project I was hoping to share with
you this week is NOT going according to plan.
I've had to undo parts of it and start over.
{this project}

Let's just say that sometimes what I picture in my head
doesn't always look as good as I think it will.
*Insert sad, pouty face here*

So, we're gonna go with ice cream for now.


 Vanilla Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
  • 2 tbsp. melted butter
  • 1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp. {or more} grated semi-sweet chocolate
Combine melted butter, vanilla, sugars, and salt.
Add in milk and cream and stir until sugar is dissolved.
Chill for an hour or so and freeze according
to your ice cream maker's instructions.
Add in grated chocolate about half-way through the freezing process.

Eat it right away as soft serve, or store in an airtight
freezer container until frozen like you like it. :)


While I've been drowning my DIY woes in ice cream,
what have you been up to?

Enjoying National Ice Cream Month?
Messing up makeovers...or is that just me? :)

What have you had to start over because
it didn't turn out the way you wanted?

 Here's hoping your week is fabulous and filled with ice-creamy goodness.


In line for seconds here:

Friday, July 12, 2013

Renting Textbooks with Campus Book Rentals


This is sponsored post on behalf of Campus Book Rentals.
I received a credit for textbook rentals.
All opinions are 100% mine and always will be.
 I like to tell it like it is.
  
Howdy folks!
Hey, remember about this time last year when I told you about our

This is her "are you really taking a picture now?" look.

Yeah, well...it's almost that time again.
However, I expect there'll be a lot less blubbering this year.
:)

That is, until it comes time to pay for
books for the fall semester.
Ugh.
Seriously...I know some of you have college aged kids
and you know what I'm talking about.


So when I was approached by Campus Book Rentals
to talk about renting textbooks...I was totally intrigued.

 I mean, if I can save some money when
it comes to college, I'm all for that!


Just search for the book you need, pick
your rental terms and away you go!

We don't have book list quite yet for fall,
so I just looked up some random biology book.
It was $40 to rent it for the entire semester.
It's a $200 book.
I'd say that's a great deal. :)

Shipping is free both ways...even better!
I love me some free shipping.

Campus Book Rentals also has a new section called RentBack
where you can rent out books you already own to other students.


Hey...save money and make money?
Every college student's dream.

I'm looking forward to saving some cash on textbooks.
Cuz, if you knew this girl like I know this girl...


...you'd know how much this girl loves shoes. :)

So, check out Campus Book Rentals let me know what you think.
I'm thinkin' I wish they were around when I was in school.

Stay cool!
Some of you need to stay dry or start building an ark...
we should trade for a while. :)

Have a great weekend!

Monday, July 8, 2013

Butter Black Walnut Homemade Ice Cream

Well, I'm sure you noticed I didn't post last week.
We were on vacation...
and once again, I wasn't prepared.

There's a shocker.


To make up for it, I made you
some homemade ice cream.
I hope you like black walnuts.

No?
Sorry, my mom will eat your scoop. :)


I found these at Sprouts.
(I just noticed what the package says...hee hee.)
The little buggers are not that easy to come by.
Unless you happen to have a 
 black walnut tree in your yard...
Like my uncle...but he lives in Ohio...far, far away.


Sometimes he sends some to my mom in the mail.
She happily sits on the porch and cracks
them open with a hammer and a brick.
I remember doing that as a kid on my uncle's porch, too.


Anyway, this ice cream is smooth and creamy.
Kinda like Butter Pecan, but NOT! :)
It did not get rock hard when completely frozen either.
So you don't have to worry about breaking your spoon when you
go to sneak a few bites sometime in the middle of the night.

Not that I would know anything about that.



Butter Black Walnut Ice Cream

  • 4 tbsp. butter
  • 1 cup chopped black walnuts
  • pinch of salt 
  • 1 cup milk (I used 2%)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
 1. Melt the butter in a medium skillet.  Add the walnuts and a pinch or so of salt.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until the walnuts are golden.  The butter will probably brown, that's okay...it's good. :)
2. Strain the nuts from the butter, allow the nuts to cool.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the milk, brown and white sugars, and a pinch of salt.  Mix until the sugar is dissolved. Add in the heavy cream and vanilla.  Chill in the fridge for an hour or so.
4. Get  your ice cream maker ready, prepare according to your maker's directions.  Add the nuts and drizzle in a little of the browned butter about 5-10 minutes before you're ready to turn it off.
5. Store in the freezer in an airtight container...if there's any left. :)


This was SoOoOoOo tasty...I really do
wish I could have shared it with you.
But it probably would have melted on the way.

Hope your week has started off great!
I'm looking for my motivation to get goin'
 on my extremely long list of projects.
So, if you see it anywhere, would you please send it my way?
Thanks.


 Handing out spoons here: