Terrific Tuesdays #19

Another great link party! Thank you all for linking up with me each week!

The most viewed link:

Vacation Activity Books by The Crafty Blog Stalker

She filled them with great activities to keep her kids busy on the trip. Go see the autograph books she made too.

 Some of my other favorites were:

Timeless Clock Tutorial by While Wearing Heels.

 I love everything about this! Now I need to find me an old clock to redo.

Frozen Reese's Peanut Butter Pie by What's Cooking, Love?

I am so into frozen summer treats. This one looks delicious!

Check out this Headboard Turned Bench by Our Love and Our Blessing. I am loving the storage underneath. I really want to make one of these someday!

This is what I've been blogging about the last week:

Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce

Now let's see all the terrific things you've been up to.

Here are my guidelines:

1. Link up any projects, crafts, or recipes you have blogged about recently. You can definitely link up several projects. No shops or link parties please.

2. Comment, comment, comment.  My vision for this link party is not to link and go. Please comment on two other links.

3. I'd love for you to follow my blog. Also if you're so inclined, you can follow me on facebook and pinterest as well.

4. Display my button somewhere on your blog - in the post, the sidebar, or on a party page.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

A couple weeks ago my kids had a bake sale. We do this annually and take around flyers to the neighbors.  They look forward to it each year. 

The kids each helped make something to sell. My oldest daughter made Chocolate Chip Cookies. My 4 year old helped make cupcakes. My 2 year old helped make rice krispie treats. And my son helped make these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. We also sold Orange Julius Smoothies

and homemade rootbeer.

Here's how we make our pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. {We doubled it, that's why there's two eggs and mounds of flour} This is one of the few cookie recipes I use a hand mixer. I normally like to mix them up by hand, but these are better using a beater.

 1 - cream shortening and sugar

2 - Add pumpkin, egg, and vanilla

3 - mix until well blended

4 - add flour, soda, baking powder, cinnamon nutmeg, and salt

5 - mix together, then add chocolate chips

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 c. shortening

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 c. pumpkin {I just use 1/2 a large can and freeze the extra}

1 egg

1 t. vanilla

2 1/2 c. flour

1 t. soda

1 t. baking powder

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. nutmeg

1/2 t. salt

1 c. chocolate chips

Mix together shortening and sugar. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla and mix well.

Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add chocolate chips. Mix.

Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes.

I like to frost these with cream cheese frosting. We didn't do that for the bake sale {too messy}, but that's my favorite way to eat them.

 

Terrific Tuesdays #21

I appreciate the time you all take to link up each week and to comment on other links!

The most viewed link:

What can you make with a Pool Noodle from The Crafty Blog Stalker

 Some of my other favorites were:

 Cinder Block Bench by Babblings and More
I love how she turned plain old cinder blocks into something both useful and pretty.

 All 4 Ways Sundress by Sew Can Do
I love the versatility of this dress. Go check out her tutorial.

Justice "Knock Off" Flag Denim Shorts by Made in a Day.
These are sooo cute! Be sure to head over to find out how she did it.

This is what I've been blogging about the last week:

Bead Board Flag & Stars

Wood Block Flag

and

 Cream Cheese Frosting

Now let's see all the terrific things you've been up to.

Here are my guidelines:

1. Link up any projects, crafts, or recipes you have blogged about recently. You can definitely link up several projects. No shops or link parties please.

2. Comment, comment, comment.  My vision for this link party is not to link and go. Please comment on two other links.

3. I'd love for you to follow my blog. Also if you're so inclined, you can follow me on facebook and pinterest as well.

4. Display my button somewhere on your blog - in the post, the sidebar, or on a party page.

Wood Block Flag

This is something that I made last year. I absolutely love it! 

I followed a tutorial I found over at brown paper packages. I love her blog, she has so many great projects and ideas.

The only thing I did differently was to use burlap instead of ribbon. I just cut it the width of the blocks and hot glued it in place. Then I cut another piece and tied it on the top. 

What do you think?

Bead Board Flag & Stars

I have got all my 4th of July decor up! For me that is amazing, since I usually forget until it's actually July. Here in Utah we celebrate Pioneer Day on the 24th so I usually leave it up for that too.

I made something new this year. A Bead Board Flag & Stars.

Want to make your own? 
Supplies:

• Bead Board {I used bead board panels from Home Depot}
• Jigsaw
• Paint
• Sandpaper 
• Old English Furniture Polish  & paper towel {Optional}
• Thick Cardstock
• Scissors
• Star Shapes {Click here to use mine}

1- Cut a piece of  bead board 8 1/2" by 7".  Trace then cut out the two large star shapes with a jigsaw. The small star I cut out of cardstock.

2- Paint. The square is 3 1/2" I drew a line and then painted up to it with blue, then I painted red and cream using the bead board as my guide. I did 2-3 coats, depending on the color and how well it covered.

3- Sand down the edges. {It's hard to see, look at the blue star}

4- For a more rustic look, I used a paper towel to wipe on some Old English Furniture Polish for dark wood. Be very careful when you do this on the cream. I didn't have any problem with the darker colors, but the cream I used way too much and had to repaint them. For lighter colors, it really shows up and you just barely need to wipe any on. I also rubbed some on the edges, since I didn't paint them.

5 - hot glue the small star in place.

Place them in a stand {click here to see how I made mine} 

You could also frame them, or drill holes and hang them with ribbon.

Here's a list of my other bead board projects.

Reversible Bead Board Pumpkins 

Bead Board Christmas Trees 

Bead Board Snowmen 

Bead Board Hearts 

Bead Board Picture Frames 

St. Patrick's Day Bead Board Decor 

Bead Board Easter Eggs 

Do you decorate for the 4th of July? 

 

Terrific Tuesdays #20

Another great link party! Thank you all for linking up with me each week!

The most viewed link:

Cinderella Dress by Jerry and Kay
My girls would love this! It's so pretty!

 Some of my other favorites were:

Embroidery Patch by About Blogging Time!

I have a big stack of jeans that need fixing. I'm going to try this, it's so much cuter than a regular patch.

One Towel Tote by Love and Laundry

I love this bag! Another thing to put on my to-do list. Head over for a fantastic tutorial to make your own. 

Upcycled Kleenex Box by Southern Flair Crafts

I am so loving this! I still can't believe it's a tissue box! 

This is what I've been blogging about the last week:

Mirror Makeover
A New Life for Old Frames
and
Princess Bedroom

Now let's see all the terrific things you've been up to.

Here are my guidelines:

1. Link up any projects, crafts, or recipes you have blogged about recently. You can definitely link up several projects. No shops or link parties please.

2. Comment, comment, comment.  My vision for this link party is not to link and go. Please comment on two other links.

3. I'd love for you to follow my blog. Also if you're so inclined, you can follow me on facebook and pinterest as well.

4. Display my button somewhere on your blog - in the post, the sidebar, or on a party page.

Princess Bedroom

 I finally started decorating my 4 year old's room.

We had painted it when we finished the room, but then we used it for storage for a few months so we could finish the rest of the basement.

Well, I finally bought a wallpaper border to separate the two colors. It's actually a peel and stick, so when she grows out of princesses we can swap it out. It was also so much easier to stick on than regular wallpaper.

It's so fun, it has all the princesses {except Rapunzel}. I also bought some bigger princesses {also peel and stick} and my daughter loved helping me stick them up. 

You might notice that the princess are bejeweled. The package came with gems and my daughter had to dress up her princesses even more.

I think I'm just a big kid at heart, I love to go in her room and look at all the princesses and their dresses.

 This shelf was hung on one side of the window. My mom painted each of my sisters and I a shelf to store our collectibles. {I collect cups and saucers from different states} I thought it went well in this room. It's perfect for her to store her little treasures. I still need to find some pictures for the frames.

You might notice I said it "was" hung. It has fallen off. I actually hit a stud {surprise} when I hung the shelf, but the sawtooth hanger on the back of the shelf came off. Nothing broke, I just need to re-attach it.

I got this fun vinyl chalkboard on clearance at K-mart for only $5. It's on the other side of the window.

I still have a few things that I want to do in her room. I want to make her a quilt and curtains with coordinating colors. I refinished a dresser to go in here, but I still need drawer pulls. I also want to put her name on one wall with big letters.  But I've run out of money so for now, I'm happy with it.


To see my other posts about this room check out:

Mirror Makeover
and
A New Life for Old Frames

A New Life for Old Frames

I got these frames from a neighbor. I've had them forever and I liked them, but for some reason I've never used them. 

When I started decorating my 4 year old's room, I grabbed them and gave them a quick facelift.

I used paint I had, so the only cost was $0.85 to print the pictures to go inside.

Since her room is princess themed, I used pictures from our trip to Disneyland last fall. This was my favorite princess, she was so cute with the girls. 

Check out my mirror makeover and stay tuned for a more complete look at her princess room.

Mirror Makeover

Here's a quick mirror makeover I did for my daughter's bedroom. 

I've been working on decorating her room, and after spending about $45 on wallpaper boarders, I decided I needed to repurpose things I already had. 

 Here's what it started out looking like.

 See those 3 knob thingies at the bottom. I've had them for a couple years. I brought them home thinking I had gotten such a good deal at about $0.75 each. My husband promptly told me they were the ugliest things he'd ever seen. So I've been holding on to them so I could make them over. 

I taped off the mirror and unscrewed the knobs. Then I gave everything a few coats of paint. I used acrylic paints for the blue and pink and then sprayed with clear spray. The green is leftover wall paint. I spray painted the knobs white. 

Then I dug through my scrapbook paper until I found coordinating paper. I mod podged it on, then screwed the knobs back in place.

Looks much better doesn't it? At least it matches her room now.

Terrific Tuesdays #18

Another great link party! I'm finding way too many things to add to my to-do list.

The most viewed link:

DIY Paper Peonies by Twigg Studios

So pretty!

 Some of my other favorites were:

Crochet Ruffle Skirt by Little Becky Homecky

Isn't this the most adorable little skirt? 

Want to make your own chalkboard paint? Well head over to The Crafty Blog Stalker to find out how. It looks so easy and inexpensive. It's definitely going on my to-do list.

Babblings and More made the cutest little dress from bandanas. Go check out the tutorial.

If you were featured grab a button!

This is what I've been blogging about the last week:

Mint Brownie Cupcakes

and 

May Book Reviews

Now let's see all the terrific things you've been up to.

Here are my guidelines:

1. Link up any projects, crafts, or recipes you have blogged about recently. You can definitely link up several projects. No shops or link parties please.

2. Comment, comment, comment.  My vision for this link party is not to link and go. Please comment on two other links.

3. I'd love for you to follow my blog. Also if you're so inclined, you can follow me on facebook and pinterest as well.

4. Display my button somewhere on your blog - in the post, the sidebar, or on a party page.

May Book Reviews

Here's what I've been reading during May. I'd love to know what you've been reading. I need some good books for the summer. 

Banana Split by Josi S. Kilpack
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a quick easy read. I love a good mystery.





  Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an interesting book. It's told from the perspective of 7th grade boy. His father is abusive and his brother is a troublemaker. So when he moves to a new town, a lot of people assume the worst about him. This book shows how abuse and dysfunctional families do not have to become a cycle. A few people accept him for who he is and who he can become and with their support he earns the respect of a lot of people and helps his family change.



Divergent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book right from the beginning. I've got the next book on hold at the library. I can't wait to read it.




 

Mint Brownie Cupcakes

Last fall I shared my Chocolate Chip Walnut Brownie Cupcakes

Last week I altered the recipe a bit to make Mint Brownie Cupcakes. 

 They were delicious!


Here's what I changed:
In place of mini chocolate chips, I used Andes Mint pieces.

Then for the frosting I added 1/2 t. mint extract. I used my cream cheese frosting, although I'm not sold on the cream cheese flavor with the mint. That didn't stop me from eating them. Next time, I'll try a different frosting recipe.

Do any of you have a good mint frosting recipe? I'd love for you to share it in the comments.