Silver Boxes

Girly Rag Wreath (a.k.a. The Never Ending Project)

2012-02-27T07:00:00.000-06:00

Have you ever started a project thinking it would be pretty straightforward & relatively easy only to be proven so wrong? This wreath was that project for me.

I was going through my craft cache, determined to use up some of the supplies I had on hand before purchasing anything new. I had several fat quarters of fabric that I bought a couple years ago thinking I would make some fabric flowers & scrapbooking embellishments. I did make a few, but had lots of fabric left over... especially a lot of pink.

After seeing some pretty rag wreaths on Etsy, I figured I could make one fairly easily.

Easy? Yes.

Fast? No!

A disclaimer: If I had a rotary fabric cutter & mat, that would have made a massive difference. Alas, I cut all these fabric strips with my craft scissors. I would definitely recommend using a rotary cutter.

Now, on to the tutorial.

Supplies:

4 & 1/2 fat quarters of fabric

wire hanger

Tools:

Pliers

Ruler

Scissors or rotary cutter & mat

I used a wire coat hanger as the round form. Take the hanger & bend it into a circle.

Using a pair of wire cutting pliers (lineman pliers, according to my husband), cut off the hook.

Form wire into a connecting hook.

Cut fabric into one inch wide strips, into a few different lengths. I did 4, 5, & 6 inches.

I wanted the fabric to have frayed edges, so after it was cut I washed it in the washing machine to achieve that. Then it needed to be ironed & the loose threads cut off. This took a few hours.

At last! Ready to make the wreath.

Start tying, alternating the fabrics & lengths. I just had my fabrics stacked randomly by pattern, as you can see in the photo above.

Finished! Ta-da!

I have it happily displayed in my craft room.

I love it even though it took so long to make.

Thanks for reading!

Enjoy your day!

Check out the great parties I link up to!

Taming of the Toothpaste

2012-02-24T07:00:00.000-06:00

I'm pretty sure every family has them both... The person who squeezes the toothpaste & carefully rolls up the tube after they're done. AND the person who squeezes the tube every which way & leaves it a mess. You know which one you are, right? Hee hee. I'm a roller. :)

The way my kids have been squeezing the toothpaste lately has been bugging me. My youngest isn't quite to the point of being able to roll the tube after she's done & after a certain point it gets hard to get any toothpaste out of the tube.

I needed a way to help the kids get the toothpaste to the end without them always having to ask for help. I had a brainwave last week when I was cleaning out the bathroom drawer.

Enter the bag clip. These little do-dads are made to clip shut plastic bags of food that still have some food in them. They are inexpensive & pretty readily available. I got mine on a trip to Ikea, but I've seen them at dollar stores & hardware stores too.

Add a large bag clip to the end & pull down towards the tip. It does a fabulous job of bringing all the toothpaste to the end with the opening.

It's been working great & the kids are happy that they don't need help with it anymore!

Happy kids, happy mom. :)

Have a great weekend!

Check out the great parties I link up to!

Crafty Thoughts & Mountain Layouts

2012-02-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

I have to admit something to you.

I like to make crafts. Oh, you knew that already? Ya, I figured. :) I'm what you'd call "a crafter".

I also believe that a crafter doesn't have to be holed up into one specific kind of crafting. Not sure what I mean?

Well, when I started this blog I just wanted to share the stuff I made, created, & decorated. After I did just a bit of searching on other crafter's blogs, I noticed that not many crafters were scrapbookers or card makers. And if they were, they often didn't share their paper crafts on their blogs. The same went for the paper crafters out there. Scrapbook layouts or cards were pretty much all you found on their blogs. It's almost like "someone out there" determined that a blogger couldn't share more than one genre of craft on a given blog.

After I noticed this, I started to feel pressured (albeit a self-inflicted pressure) to make more generalized crafts & keep my paper crafts to myself. But after a few months of "hiding", I'm ready to throw caution to the wind & just be me! I have come to the realization that I can have several different crafting interests & I can celebrate them all!

Lesson leaned.

Am I the only one who has felt this way?

I want to encourage you to stop hiding your talents & let them ALL shine! The world has something to benefit from what you have to bring to the table. Even if it's just a smile. :)

~~~

I'm still working on scrapping last summer's photos. I'm getting very close to finishing. Here's some of the pages from our summer vacation to Jasper National Park in Alberta.

I used a lot of Bo Bunny for these layouts. I'm in love with the wood grain paper!

Go celebrate the talents that God put in you.

Enjoy your day!

The (Map Covered) Notebook

2012-02-20T07:00:00.001-06:00

There's something about a blank notebook that just inspires me to write. Especially a really great looking notebook.

I was due for such a notebook. My current one was getting pretty full & I had a plain, black one waiting in my craft bin. It was very uninspiring & I had plans to pretty it up somehow. I recently was blessed with a bag of great maps from my parents' numerous travels to Europe. (Thanks Mom & Dad!) After unearthing some great small maps of the city of Paris, I knew exactly what to do with the bland notebook!

If you would like to make one like this, here's what I did:

Gather your supplies:

~Plain notebook (available at any stationary store)

~Map or other pretty paper

~Mod Podge

~Sponge brushes

~Scissors

1) Determine how you want your map or paper placed on your notebook. Trim it down with a wide margin around the edges. We'll trim it down completely later. Using a sponge brush, apply a thin layer of Mod Podge to the cover of the notebook. Carefully place your map or paper over the Mod Podge, making sure to smooth out the bubbles with your fingers.

2) Let dry.

3) Once dry, trim the extra paper off of the edges.

4) Apply an even layer of Mod Pogde over the paper. Be careful to get right to the corners. Let dry completely.

This is quite a fast craft project. Maybe half an hour plus drying time. I think this would be a great gift too - maybe for a friend who's about to embark on a European adventure? It would be a great travel journal!

I'm ready to fill it's pages with goodies...

Enjoy your Monday!

Check out these great parties I link up to!

Greek Pasta Salad

2012-02-17T07:00:00.000-06:00

Let's see a show of hands... Who likes Greek salad?

Me!

Another show of hands... Who likes pasta salad?

Me! (Again.)

Last one... Who likes them mixed together?

Definitely me!

A little history...

When I was a teenager (many moons ago), my parents tried a salad like this at a deli & it was delicious! My mom, being the great cook that she is, decided to see if she could replicate it. She did, to our delight, with great success! So, thank you to my mom, for passing this recipe on to me when I got married & learned to cook. :)

And now, I pass it on to you to enjoy.

Greek Pasta Salad
serves 6-8

1 small package tri-coloured pasta spirals (about 3 cups dry)

1 small container (about a cup) solid feta cheese (or crumbles, if you prefer)
1 small container (about a cup) whole Kalamata olives (or sliced & pitted if you prefer)
1 package grape tomatoes
1 cucumber, sliced
1 green or red bell pepper, chopped

Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1/8 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or 2 Tbsp. dried
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. garlic powder

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain & rinse in cool water. Set aside to cool completely.

In a large salad bowl, combine the cheese, olives, tomatoes, cucumber, & bell pepper.

Mix together all dressing ingredients.

Add the cooled pasta & dressing to the veggies, cheese, & olives. Toss to mix. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

This Greek Pasta Salad a perfect, easy supper dish - especially because it's served cold. You can also (as I do, sometimes) add a skewer of Greek souvlaki to "beef it up" a bit. Summer or winter - I make this all year round!

Enjoy your day!

Check out the great parties I link up to!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

2012-02-14T07:00:00.000-06:00

HappyHeart Day!

These love-inspired layouts are ones that I created last spring.
The sweet photos are from a Valentine's shoot my friend, Allison, did with my daughter, Audrey.

Paper from the Echo Park "Little Girl" Collection

Paper from the Echo Park "For The Record" Collection

Paper from the Echo Park "Be Mine" Collection

They still make me smile. :)

Enjoy your love-filled day!

Flea Market Finds

2012-02-13T08:00:00.000-06:00

What an enjoyable weekend I had! I hope you did too. :)

A couple of friends joined me in a trek to the long awaited, bi-annual flea market on Saturday. We were able to find a few treasures among the throngs of people & tables of curiosities. Sadly, I wasn't able to find anything from my wish list, but here's what I came home with...

A vintage step stool - in yellow & chrome, no less! Score.

I've been wanting one of these for a long time.

An old post card from my favourite place (even though I've never been there) - Paris!

It's postmarked 1925 & has a beautiful patina.

The elephant statue intrigued me since I have never seen it in any photos of the Eiffel Tower before. From the little research I did, the statue is no longer there, but has been moved to the Musee d'Orsay.

I'll be looking for a frame to put this little gem on display.

And last, but not least, I found two vintage turquoise Pyrex bowls.

There was a lot of Pyrex at the flea market, but these were the only turquoise pieces I saw.

I'm so glad I snapped them up.

Was there any thrifting, antiquing, or flea market shopping in your weekend? Yes?

I would love to hear about it! Please leave me a comment & tell me about your treasures.

~~~

On another note, you may have heard that Google Friend Connect (the way a lot of you follow this blog - on the right side bar) is going bu-bye for non-Blogger blogs as of the end of this month. Rumour has it that eventually it will stop for Blogger too. I'm just trying to be proactive & adding this new way to follow sooner, rather than later.

So, if you follow Silver Boxes or would like to, you can now sign up to follow it under LinkyTools. Signing up is SUPER fast & easy. I promise - under 5 minutes. It's actually a really neat way to follow your favourite blogs - I've gotta say that it organizes them really well. You should check it out if you read multiple blogs.

Have a wonderful Monday!

Check out these great link parties I link up to!

Mexican Limeade

2012-02-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

Mexico is one of my favourite places on earth. The glorious weather, the kind people, & don't forget the amazing food! After having the real deal in Mexico, I've wanted to learn how to make all the authentic Mexican dishes. One of my absolute favourite parts about Mexican cooking is the use of limes. I've come to believe that limes can make just about anything taste better.

On our first visit to Mexico, I asked for lemonade at our first meal. Woah, baby! Amazingness! Our waiter said that they made it with limes instead of lemons. As soon as we got home, I started to search for a recipe that tasted like the limeade we discovered in Mexico. This one is close. Next time we go, I may just ask for the recipe at our favourite restaurant. :) But for now, when we get an urge for a taste of sunshine, this is the recipe I make.

Mexican Limeade

makes 1/2 a gallon

1 cup of freshly squeezed lime juice

add enough water to equal 1/2 a gallon (8 cups)

2 cups white sugar

1 cup water

Combine sugar & water in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat until it barely begins to boil. Cool.

Combine lime mixture & syrup. Stir well, refrigerate until cold. It really is better after "marinating" for several hours, so just leave it alone until it's cold.

~~~

Me enjoying a massive glass of limeade on our first trip to Mexico in 2007.

And because it's a very cold February day here in Saskatchewan, Canada,

I will leave you with a warm beach scene from a beautiful Mexican beach.

Stay warm & enjoy your weekend!

Blog Award!

2012-02-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

I received a very kind blog award a few days ago. It's called the Liebster Blog Award. Liebster is German for dearest, beloved, or favorite. The Liebster Award is given to up and coming bloggers , who have less than 200 followers.

Here are the rules:

Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.
Link back to the blogger who awarded you.
Give your top 5 picks for the award.
Inform your top 5 by leaving a comment on their blog.
Post the award on your blog.

First of all, a HUGE thank you to Jaimee at Craft, Interrupted for awarding me!

My choices for the award, in no particular order, are...

1) This Girl's Life

Mandy's blog has a fun mix of decorating, fashion, crafts (including scrapbooking, which I love), & DIY projects.
Don't miss: DIY Earring Stand

2) Two Yellow Birds Decor

Jill has a great link party on Thursdays & she makes great crafty projects & recipes to share with her readers!

Don't miss: Rolo Cookies

3) Simply Chic Treasures

Cynthia does fabulous furniture makeovers & blogs about them with a splash of craft projects thrown in.

Don't miss: Retro Nightstand Makeover

4) My Sew Called Life

I'm not a wonderful seamstress, but Kiki's blog has me planning some sewing projects... her projects are so inspiring!

Don't Miss: Sewing Nook Makeover

5) The Dabbling Crafter

Krista has some cute projects... sewing, DIY, & thrifty finds.

Don't Miss: Chevron Bookcase

So, let's spread some love. Go check out these up & coming blogs & see what good stuff they have to offer.

Enjoy your day!

Flea Market Wish List

2012-02-08T07:00:00.000-06:00

Here in Saskatoon, we have a semi annual flea market. Last fall was my first visit & I loved it! The next date is this Saturday & I'm definitely planing to go! In fact, I've compiled a little wish list of things to look for! Here are my ideas...

Some wire baskets to turn into cute storage

Via

Vintage rulers or yardsticks

Via

An old chandelier to paint up

Via

An old frame to make into a cute chalk board

Via

Some beautiful needlework

Via

And last, but not least...

Small tins for more cute storage

Via

That's what I have on my list right now, but I'll likely come up with a few more items before the happy day arrives. :)

Do you hunt at flea markets? What are the things you look for or collect?

Enjoy your day!

Summer Days Layouts / 100 followers!

2012-02-06T07:00:00.001-06:00

Are you dreaming of spring & summer as much as I? Even though it's still winter I'm enjoying planning for the warm weather ahead. Getting ideas for the garden, planning our spring cleaning & summer vacation, and doing some projects & crafts that remind me of summer. Part of that includes working on scrapbooking this past summer's photos. I'm almost done!

I've found that since I've started this blog, I'm taking many more pictures of stuff than of the people in my life... bad mommy!! :) I've resolved to change that & return to taking more pictures of the everyday moments in our lives. I got a nice opportunity this weekend when we went ice skating as a family. The outdoor rink is in a lovely little spot right downtown beside the river. It was just beautiful & it was our daughter's first time on skates. Fun!

Back to the point... scrapbook layouts.

Here are two that I created using Echo Park's Summer Days line. I originally bought this line thinking I'd save it for this year's summer vacation but those bright colours & fun patterns won me over sooner than I planned.

This line is so colourful & just plain happy! I can't wait to use it for all the fun photos we capture this summer!

~~~

This weekend, Silver Boxes reached 100 followers!! It's been a very exciting weekend for me. When I started SB & after perusing many other blogs, I thought it would take at least a year to reach 100 followers.
Here I am, 6 months into blogging & I'm astounded that I've already reached that milestone.
I want to thank you for you continued support & kind words. I appreciate you all!

AND...welcome to my new friends!
I look forward to getting to know you in the coming months.

Enjoy your Monday!

Mocha Torte

2012-02-03T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hello, friends! It's February & love is in the air!

Are you planning a special meal with your sweetheart on Valentine's Day?

Or are you making a delicious dessert for your family?

Yes...but you don't know what?

Then say hello to my little friend, The Mocha Torte...

Seriously, what says Valentine's Day dessert more than chocolate & red berries? Um... nothing comes to mind. :)

This cake is a chocolately, creamy, coffee concoction of yumminess.

Mocha Torte

cake:

1 - 6 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup margarine or butter

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk

1) Preheat oven to 350º F.

2) Combine chocolate chips & water in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 45 seconds. Remove from microwave & stir until smooth.

3) Cream margarine & sugar until light & fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in vanilla & melted chocolate.

4) Sift flour, baking soda, & salt. Add to the chocolate mixture alternately with milk.

5) Turn batter into 2 - 8 inch round cake pans greased & lined with a circle of waxed paper. Bake at 350º F for 25-30 minutes. Cool 5 minutes & turn out on wire racks. Cool completely. With serrated knife, split each layer in half to make 4 layers.

mocha cream:

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 Tbsp. hot water

2 tsp. instant coffee powder

1/4 cup sugar

250 ml. whipping cream

Combine first 4 ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds. Remove from microwave & stir until smooth; cool.

Whip cream until it starts to thicken; add chocolate mixture & whip until stiff. Spread between layers & on top of torte. Chill at least one hour. Sprinkle shaved chocolate over top.

tip: I threw a handful of chocolate chips into my mini food processor & pulsed several times to make the shaved chocolate.

another tip: Before placing the cake on your serving dish, place some strips of waxed paper around the edges. They will catch the crumbs or cream while you're assembling your cake. When you're done, simply pull out the strips gently.

Make sure to share some with your Valentine! ;)

Thank you for reading & a HUGE WELCOME to all my new readers & friends!!!

Enjoy your day!

Valentine's Vignette

2012-02-01T07:00:00.000-06:00

I have to tell you that I don't usually do any decorating for Valentine's Day.

But this year I was feeling pretty inspired by all the pretty mantels I've been seeing.

Small problem. I don't have a mantel.

Bah! That can't stop me!

So I started looking around our house. When I got to the piano, I stopped. It's deeper than a mantel top, but our antique piano has plenty of space to do a vignette.

Off I went.

Another problem. After looking around, I found almost nothing to use for my desired Valentine vignette. I had red books, a pink candle, & the felt "Love" sign I had purchased at a dollar store a couple of years ago.

I didn't want to spend a lot of money on this display since it's not up for very long, so I started to create.

I went & bought some bulk Valentine candy & displayed them in clear jars.

The button stash came out & I made a little button heart, mounted it on some pink fabric, & displayed it in an embroidery hoop.

This old frame was hiding out under our guest bedroom.

I painted it white with some craft paint to go with the Valentine theme.

This paper heart garland was so easy to make! Paper, a paper cutter, & a stapler is all you need!

The idea came from The Wedding Chick's blog. Check out the link for the measurements & photo instructions.

My daughter is thrilled with this garland & is begging to have it in her room after Valentine's Day. :)

So... do you decorate for Valentine's Day? Do you decorate differently each year or the same each year?

Love day is getting ever closer! But hey, don't wait... share some love today!

Enjoy your day!

This project was featured on:

Boy's Bedroom Inspiration

2012-01-30T07:00:00.002-06:00

If you've had a look through my Grand Tour Page, you'll have seen most of the rooms in our house. There are a few I haven't blogged about though. Mostly because I'm not 100% satisfied with the results of a couple of the rooms. One of those rooms is my son's bedroom. Last summer, we gave his room a fresh coat of paint & he was blessed with a cool loft bed. It's a start.

But I've at last come up with a plan. Here it is!

I'm wanting to repaint his old dresser into something like this, using the numbers of his birthdate:

Via

Create some wall art like this... using his name & maybe some of his interests:

Via

He needs some cushions for his reading chair as well. I'm looking at creating some like this. Maybe one with a letter & one with a number?

Via

Now that I have some kind of a plan, I feel like I can tackle this room. Here we go!

Enjoy your day!

Crab Salad in Endive Leaves

2012-01-27T07:00:00.000-06:00

Have you ever invited friends over & needed something quick to whip together for a snack or an appetizer?

Something other than a bag of chips?

Pretty much everyone has, right?

This recipe is so fast, easy, & delicious that I think it has officially become my favourite appetizer.

Crab Salad in Endive Leaves

serves 8

dressing:

1/4 cup white vinegar

2 Tbsp. Dijon-style mustard

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 lb. (450g) fresh lump crabmeat

1/3 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

3 heads Belgian endive, trimmed & leaves separated

Fresh chives

1) Whisk together dressing ingredients. Add crabmeat & bell peppers, tossing gently to combine.

2) Stuff endive leaves with crab leaves. Arrange on a platter. Garnish with fresh chives.

Could it get any easier?? :)

What are your weekend plans? Are you having friends over? I hope you enjoy this if you try it!

Enjoy your weekend!

"Guess Hoo Loves You" Valentine Bag & Card

2012-01-25T07:00:00.000-06:00

Guess hoo loves you? Me!! :)

It's been a while since I've made any papercrafts. I'm so happy to bring them back!

If you know me, you know I have a crush on owls. So any excuse to make something owl-icious... I'm in!

I started with my Cricut & the Hoot 'n' Holler cartridge.

All these pieces were cut of with this cartridge

(except the bag - those were purchased from the craft aisle at Wal-Mart).

The card was very simple. Just a sweet owl & a sentiment.

Together they make a cute little owl duet. Happiness!

Enjoy your day! Thanks for reading, my friends!

This project was featured on:

Lamp Revamp

2012-01-23T07:00:00.000-06:00

In these cold winter months, one thing that gets me through the dreary days is the expectation of Spring, Summer, & fun things to come. Right now, we're planning a big road trip for this coming summer and we've started talking about a trip next winter... somewhere warm. :)

Last week I posted some ideas using maps. With all this talk of traveling & maps, I was itching to get to this project I've been planning since last fall. I present to you my latest makeover, the travelling lamp!

It started out with this 80's brass lamp with a dusty rose little highlight in the middle. It would have gone perfectly in my bedroom when I was 12 years old. I'm not sure about you, but I'm so over that colour scheme. :)

I paid $4 for it at a local thrift store.

I also paid $4 for the lamp shade, which wasn't so bad to begin with. It was just a bit dirty.

I got out my favourite glossy white spray paint...

Then I wrapped the cord & the light socket with aluminum foil before starting to spray.

I gave the base 3 light coats of spray paint. The first two I was able to do outside in the garage because we were enjoying unseasonably warm temperatures. Then it got cold & I had to bring it inside to do the last coat.

The house smelled for days! Ya, not one of my most brilliant moments. :)

After cutting the map into sections, I used Mod Podge to decoupage the map to the lamp shade,

being careful to push out the bubbles with my fingers.

After it had dried, I trimmed the edges & hot glued some white grosgrain ribbon to the edges to finish it off.

Oh, by the way, I paid $2 for 2 vintage maps at an antique store here in town.

The colours are slightly more muted than a brand new map.

We're enjoying our new lamp in our family room & it reminds me of our fun travels to come.

I would like to thank all of you, my wonderful readers, for stopping by.

In these last several months, I've been so excited to see Silver Boxes grow & see my friend count rise bit by bit.

I really appreciate all of my new friends in the blogosphere. Thank you for your kind words & support.

I hope you stop in again soon. And don't forget to join the party on facebook! :) See you there!

Enjoy your day!

I'm amazed by all these features! WOW! Thank you!

This project featured at:

Pad Thai

2012-01-20T07:00:00.000-06:00

Lately, I've been trying to cook a bit more vegetarian. Not cutting out meat entirely, but just trying to cut down on the amount of meat our family consumes. Not only is it easier on the pocketbook, it's easier on the waistline as well. I've noticed I've already dropped a few pounds since the beginning of January. Ya-hoo! :)

This Pad Thai recipe is one of our family's favourites. It's packed with flavour as well as lots of healthy veggies! It's a win-win!

Pad Thai

makes 4 servings

8 oz. rice vermicelli noodles, uncooked

sauce:

1/4 cup ketchup

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. lime juice

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar

1 tsp. sesame oil

1/4 - 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (Depending on how spicy you want it. 1/2 tsp. is a bit too spicy for our kids, but my husband & I like it.)

1 tsp. canola oil

1/2 cup diced red onions

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup bean sprouts

1/2 cup grated carrots

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup chopped, fresh cilantro

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Cook noodles in boiling water for 3 minutes, or until tender. Drain. Set aside.

Mix sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large, non-stick wok or skillet over medium heat. Add onions & garlic. Cook & stir until onions are tender, about 3 minutes. Add sauce & bring to a boil. Add cooked noodles, bean sprouts, carrots, green onions, & cilantro. Mix well. Cook until noodles are heated through, about 2 minutes.

Sprinkle individual servings with chopped peanuts.

Mix it up: Add some stir fried shrimp, chicken, or steak to make this dish heartier.

Have you made any healthy changes this new year? I'd love to know about them - please leave a comment!

Here's to getting healthier in 2012!

Enjoy your day!

Thanksso much for reading!

Join me for even more fun on the Silver Boxes Facebook page!

On A Map Quest

2012-01-18T07:00:00.000-06:00

Maps... they bring me a sense of excitement. Probably because my husband & I love travelling so much. So when I see old maps used in clever ways, it really brings a smile to my face.

Here's several favourites I've spied over the last little while...

Cover some old shoe boxes in maps & use as a nifty storage solution.

Via

Cut out a bit of several maps that represent your favourite places

and frame them together as a nice reminder of your travels.

Frame a vintage map.

Via

Use a map to brighten up a drab dresser.

Via

Cover some wooden letters spelling out the place on the map.

Cut an old globe in half & use as a bowl.

Via

Cut letters out of an old map (or sheet music) to add a nice alternative to a gift tag.

Via

Cover an old trash bin with a map.

Via

Add some fun colour to a monogram.

Via

Make some pretty pinwheels for your desk.

Via

Make light pennants from an old globe.

Via

Wrap a gift with a map. Wouldn't it be fun if the gift was a trip or some airline tickets? Or perhaps a travel book?

Via

Line a drawer with an old map.

Via

Make a Christmas ornament.

Via

Line a table top.

Via

Make a set of coasters. Another great way to remind you of your favourite travels.

Via

Which was your favourite? Have you made any projects involving maps? Please let me know! I'm always looking for fresh inspiration. :)

I've actually been working on my own map-themed project this past week.

I hope you come back to check it out next week!

Enjoy your day!

Industrial Style Letter Tutorial

2012-01-16T07:00:00.000-06:00

Last week, when I posted about my grey & yellow vignette, I gave you a peek at the wooden letter that I recently finished. Today, I'm going to show you how I did it!

Here's what I started with:

~Wooden Letter

~Aluminum Foil

~Craft Knife

~Mod Podge

~Foam Brushes

~Black Craft Paint (not shown)

1) Trace & cut out the letter shape as well as strips for the sides on the letter.

2) Mod Podge the aluminum foil edges first. Shiny side down. Be careful to smooth out any bubbles.

3) Now, Mod Podge the front & back. Again, shiny side down. Let dry.

4) Once it's dry, apply a thin coat of Mod Podge over the whole thing. Let dry.

5) Working in small sections, brush on a small amount of black craft paint. Wipe off with an old rag or paper towel. Work quickly because the paint dries fast! A bit of paint with stick in the crinkles & corners, giving it an industrial look. Let dry.

Incorporate it into your decor & enjoy!

On a completely different subject, what do you think of the new chevron background on Silver Boxes?

I'm likin' it. I'm trying to learn some new blogging skills so I can change up the look a bit.

You may see more changes soon. Thanks for your patience as I learn. :)

Thanks so much for stopping by. Make it a great Monday!

Grey & Yellow Vignette

2012-01-13T07:00:00.000-06:00

I refashioned a little nook in our front entry way today. Grey & yellow have been calling my name lately, so I decided to see what I could come up with in those colours.

After "shopping" around our house, this is what I came up with.

I love the name of that middle book! I got it for Christmas, but haven't had a chance to read it yet.

I had some old embroidery hoops in my craft bin as well as some fabric squares in grey & yellow. The two combined = cuteness! (Is that a word? Well, it is now.) :)

I propped them up in the back (one leaning on a little stand & the other in front of it), stacked some grey & yellow books to the side, added a few other silver items & it all came together rather quickly.

Some grey rocks added in the bowl bring a bit of nature to the vignette.

Vignettes can be a challenge. But when you remember a few guidelines, they can make it easier.

Different heights. If everything is the same or similar in height, it won't work. Bring in stacks of books or boxes & top them with another item of interest. Think of a city skyline - all the buildings are different heights & it draws the eye to different focal points. Your vignette is like a mini skyline.

Repetition. In the vignette I've showed you here, I have repetition in the colours - grey & yellow - as well as the circles in the embroidery hoops & the silver bowl. An added bonus - my circular mirror echos the circle theme!

Odd numbers. It's visually pleasing to have odd numbers in design elements. If you'll notice that I paired 3 yellow items & 5 grey/silver items. I didn't do that on purpose, but it works.

Click here to see the post on this table's makeover

The silver "R" in this grouping is a project that I just finished. I'll be featuring a tutorial on how I made it next week. Be sure to come back for that!

I'm also on the hunt for something to put in my empty lantern for these winter months. For Christmas, I had it filled with vintage Christmas ornaments that I scored on my last thrifting trip.

Well, I'm off to clean up my craft table so I can start my next project! Thanks for reading!

Enjoy your day!

Banana Bran Muffins with Apricot Butter

2012-01-11T07:00:00.000-06:00

Even though I haven't done it much, I love the idea of having company over for brunch instead of always for dinner. It definitely shakes up the menu options! These muffins would be a perfect addition to a yummy brunch menu. The Apricot Butter makes it a bit more special.

Banana Bran Muffins with Apricot Butter

makes 12 muffins

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup natural bran

1 egg

2/3 cup mashed banana

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 Tbsp. molasses

1) Preheat oven to 375º.

2) In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, & baking soda. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in bran.

3) In small bowl combine all remaining ingredients.

4) Add all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until combined.

5) Divide batter evenly among 12 medium greased muffin cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Serve warm with Apricot Butter.

Apricot Butter

makes 1 cup

Cream together 1/2 cup softened butter & 1/2 cup apricot jam.

What are some of your favourite brunch recipes? Don't be shy, let me know! :)

Enjoy your day!

Organizing Our Big Road Trip

2012-01-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

It's January. Christmas is done & the days can be dreary. When our regular to-do list is complete, we fill our free time with crafts & cute projects to bring some cheer to the grey winter. One other thing people start to do at this time of year is to start planning their summer vacation.

We are no different.

In fact, we started planning this summer's vacation a year & a half ago. It's been a long time coming, it seems. Now that it's 2012, we can start saying "this year" instead of "next year". How exciting!

Yes, we're going to Disneyland.

Not only are we going to Disneyland, we're driving to Disneyland. Approximately 2,800 kilometres (that's 1,740 miles for my American readers).

It will be a road trip of monumental proportions. I'm absolutely pumped. I love road trips! But this is the longest road trip we've ever attempted, so it requires some major organizing & planning.

We've been reading up on Disney vacations & tips. I'm starting to plan early & have started to make a packing list for each person in our family.

I've also started compiling a trip binder.

The trip binder is an idea I got from my sister-in-law, Carrie-Lynn, when they drove to Disney a couple of summers ago.

It includes maps, itineraries, pamphlets, hotel information, etc. Any paper work involving the trip goes into the binder.

It's a brilliant idea, really.

1) Choose a zippered binder, so that your papers don't slip out & get lost.

2) Fill it with plastic sleeves. One for each day of the trip, plus a hand full of extras.

3) Print off your day-by-day directions from map quest or google maps, your trip itinerary with each night's hotel information, including confirmation numbers, restaurant possibilities, sights you want to see, etc. & include them all in the binder.

4) When you're on your trip & pick up small mementos & pamphlets or tickets you want to keep, stash them into the binder & it's all in one place when you get home.

I'm filling up the binder bit by bit, as we reserve our hotels & get things booked. I've also started a countdown on our computer so we know how many sleeps are left until we leave! Ya, we're just a bit excited. :)

When do you start planning your summer holiday? Are you headed somewhere special this year?

Enjoy your day!

My Not-Yet-Famous Guacamole

2012-01-06T07:00:00.000-06:00

I don't know about you, but our family enjoys Mexican food year-round. Guacamole is one of our all-time favourite things to eat. My husband loves it so much that he keeps telling me I need to package & sell it! Well, instead, I'm going to share my not-yet-famous recipe with you. This is totally my own creation.

Steph's Not-Yet-Famous Guacamole

3 peeled, mashed ripe avocados

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro (or 1 tbsp dried parsley)

2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (juice of 2 small limes)

1 1/2 tsp. hot sauce

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Mix it all together. It's best if you can let it sit for a couple of hours to let the flavours mingle, but you can serve immediately too.

Serve with chips, veggies, or nachos.

We like our guacamole chunky so I don't over mash the avocados, but if like yours smooth, you could puree it.

Tip: If you buy hard avocados & need them to ripen quickly, put them in a paper bag on your kitchen counter & they will ripen in half the time!

~~~

What kind of food do you eat year-round? Any family favourites that never get old? Please share!

Enjoy your day!

Check out these great parties I link up to.

Getting Organized In The New Year

2012-01-04T07:00:00.000-06:00

Organization... Is that a word that brings on thoughts of longing? Or perhaps thoughts of dismissal, thinking it will never happen to you? It CAN be you! If you want to be organized, you can be. All it takes is some commitment. Set aside a little bit of time every day to clean out a drawer, under the kitchen sink, a closet, a cupboard, whatever! When the things you have have a home, it's much easier to tidy up because you know where things go. Less lost keys, less searching for your purse, less wasted time.

Via

Having an organized home is very rewarding & definitely can take a lot of stress out of life. When your son asks you where the extra markers are so he can work on his homework project, you can tell him exactly where they are instead of spending half an hour looking for them. Maybe you want to get your pantry organized so that you can tell at a glance what you need when you make a trip to the grocery store. It is within reach.

Via

Don't let the dream or maybe the New Year's resolution to get organized fall by the way side. Keep at it! Make it happen! You can do it!

Via

If the task is daunting, ask a friend who is organized to help you get started. Maybe you just need a jumping off point to get you going. Push yourself to start & make this the year you get organized!

~~~

If you are a lover of all things organizing, you probably love tips & tricks. I sure do! Here are a few things I've found & some that I've put to use & think are worth sharing.

Via

This amazing idea couldn't be easier. Save some of the little tie thingys that come on a bag of bread, potatoes, or apples. Label them with the names of your electronics & put them on the corresponding cable that's plugged into that pesky power bar. Now the next time you have to unplug that one thing, you know exactly which one to go for! Genius.

~~~

Via

Use a CD rack to corral plastic lids. No more piles to wade through to find the one you want. Bonus tip: I've seen these exact CD racks en masse at so many thrift stores. In total seriousness, I gave a bag full of these to charity just today. I'm not kidding! Save yourself a few dollars & support a local charity while you're at it. :)

~~~

Via

Use plastic bins to organize your freezer. For me, this was a "why-didn't-I-think-of-that" moment. Those bins are easily found at pretty much any dollar store... Look out, Dollarama, here I come!

~~~

Via

Use a magazine holder for kitchen items such as boxes of plastic wrap or ziplock bags. You could also store small cookie sheets or cutting mats. Put on a shelf or in a cupboard & free up a drawer.

~~~

Via

Store your sheet sets in the matching pillow case. When it's time to change the bedding, grab one go! No more searching for the whole set!

~~~

Via

This idea is especially fitting right after Christmas. Corral all of your wrapping paper in plastic shopping bag holders, available at Ikea. Love it!

~~~

So there you have it. Are you eager to get organizing? I am! Hmmm, what to start on first? :)

Enjoy your day!

Happy New Year! Top Ten Projects of 2011

2012-01-02T20:57:00.000-06:00

Welcome to 2012!! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas season & a happy New Year celebration.

Since we were away for our Christmas vacation, I have yet to start any new projects. So, for your viewing pleasure, I'll share with you the top 10 most popular projects / recipes on Silver Boxes this past year. Maybe you can enjoy some of them again or have a look at some you may have missed. Simply click on the title of each photo to see the full post.

Starting at #10...

Almost Instant Buckeyes

#9...

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Pie

#8...

Light Bulb Snowmen

#7...

Christmas Gift Tags

#6...

Faux Silver Leaf Table

#5...

Fall Decor

#4...

Note Card Set

#3...

Spool Tree Ornaments

#2...

Spool Christmas Trees

And drum roll please...

#1...

Christmas Banner

Happy New Year! Here's to many more projects, recipes, crafts, & small blessings.

Thank you all for joining me on the journey.

Enjoy your day!

Merry Christmas! (My 100th Post!)

2011-12-23T07:00:00.000-06:00

Today is my last post for this year. It's also my 100th post. What a rewarding few months of blogging this has been! I want to thank all my readers - new ones as well as those who have been with me from the beginning. I'm so blessed to be doing what I love & sharing it with all of you. Thank you for reading.

In the new year, you will start to see some changes around Silver Boxes. I've decided to cut back a bit on the amount of postings I do in a week. I'm going to try three a week & see how it goes. Monday, Wednesday, & Friday will be the new schedule. I'll let you know if things change.

Another change you will see is that I will start to host advertisers. I already have some lined up, but have lacked the time during this Christmas season to set everything up. January will afford me that time.

~~~~~

As we head full long into the heart of the Christmas season, let's remember the reason for our celebrations - Jesus. God sent His only son to the world, to live a sinless life, to die on a cross, to rise from the dead, & to be the Redeemer of the human race.

Jesus wants to be your personal Saviour too. This Christmas, open your heart to Jesus. If you haven't already, ask Him to forgive your sins & make you one of His children. When you do this, you will truly experience the true reason for Christmas.

~~~~~

Fromour family to yours, we wish you the very merriest of Christmases &a wonderful New Year!

Enjoy every moment with your family & friends. I'll see you in 2012.

Love,

Glittered Pinecones

2011-12-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

My very last Christmas project... what a month it's been! Don't get me wrong - a very fun month, but a very busy month. There were so many great things shared out in blog land. No shortage of inspiration, that is for sure.

Back in November, I compiled a list of Christmas crafts I would like to try. Well, I am happy to tell you that I was able try my hand at all four. One, however, was a flop for me & so I am left with the remaining three. This is the final project... talk about leaving it to the last minute!

Thankfully, these glittery pinecones are more of a wintery craft so I will likely keep them out into January & February.

(If you're interested in the other crafts I did this Christmas season, check out the Spool Tree Ornaments & Toilet Roll Treat Packets I posted about. The wrapped candy canes I tried were a bust for me. I couldn't get them to look right. Bummer.)

If you would like to make some of these, here's what you need:

pinecones
spray paint (I used white & silver)
white glue that dries clear
glitter (I used 'crystal')

1) Spray your pinecones very lightly with even, sweeping strokes. Let dry. Turn over & paint the other side. Let dry. I purposefully didn't want mine totally painted. I wanted a bit of natural showing through.

I did a batch of white & a batch of silver, although it's hard to tell the difference in this photo.

2) Once the paint has dried, make a puddle of white glue on a piece of cardboard or something you don't mind getting glue on. I used whatever I could find in our recycling bin.

3) One at a time, roll the pinecone in the glue, getting a bit on the tips.

4) Shake some glitter over the glue spots. Let dry.

You can also roll the glued pinecone in a 'puddle' of glitter. I poured, then when I had quite a bit sitting on my cardboard, I rolled to use some of it up.

I did steps 3 & 4 on each pinecone so that the glue didn't have a chance to dry before I got to them. If you're only doing a small amount, you could glue them all & then glitter them all.

5) After they've dried, use them however you would like in your decor. I'm considering making a pinecone wreath for next Christmas!

Little tip: I found this idea on Pinterest & had one of those "why-didn't-I-think-of-that" moments.

Use a cardboard roll as a vase filler!

via Dandelions & Dust Bunnies

Genius, right?

So, hidden in amongst the pinecones is a cardboard roll. :)

My last craft project for the year. Exhale. :)

Enjoy your day!

Check out the great link parties I attend!

Egg Nog Tarts

2011-12-21T07:00:00.000-06:00

Christmas is almost here! What happened to the month of December? I really would like to know. Are you ready for the big day? Here's my list: Shopping (check!), wrapping (check!), decorating (um, almost), cooking (nope), baking... I can at last check off the baking from my list. This was the last recipe I made for this year's sweet collection.

Eggnog Tarts

makes approx. 2 dozen

1 package (6 serving size) vanilla pudding mix

1 envelope unflavoured gelatin

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

3 cups purchased eggnog

1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped

24 tart shells (I used purchased)

nutmeg for garnish

1) Bake tart shells according to package directions. Cool.

2) Combine pudding mix, gelatin, & nutmeg in a saucepan. Slowly stir in eggnog. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Remove from heat. Chill 1 hour or until almost set.

3) Beat pudding mixture until fluffy. Fold in whipped cream.

4) Spoon into tart shells & refrigerate until completely set, about 2 hours.

5) Sprinkle with nutmeg.

6) Store in the refrigerator.

I ran out of tart shells & had some leftover pudding. And let me tell you that it's very good on it's own too! :)

Have a wonderful day!

Check out the great parties I'm linkin' up to!

My Christmas Tablescape

2011-12-20T07:00:00.000-06:00

Last week I had the pleasure of doing a table "dress rehearsal" for our Christmas Eve meal here at the Richardson home. I received some beautiful Christmas ornaments for my birthday earlier this month as well as a lovely set of silver chargers & napkin rings that I put to good use on my Christmas table.

I set the table just as a test run & the kids convinced me to keep it set & use it for our supper that night.

Twist my rubber arm... :)

I made super fast place cards with coloured paper & a paper punch.

Then I nestled them into the napkin folds with a mini ornament.

So this is what our table will look like for our Christmas Eve meal. Pretty simple but special.

We really enjoy eating beside our Christmas tree. We often talk about our favourite ornaments & where they came from.

The kids constantly want to hear about their "first Christmas" ornaments.

Stories are told of those first Christmases & our precious babies.

Memories are relived & love wells up anew for our treasured family.

We're so very blessed.

Here's to many more Christmas dinners & many more precious memories!

Enjoy your day!

Check out these great parties I link up to!

Nutcracker Suite

2011-12-19T07:00:00.000-06:00

Please tell me, do you have any special Christmas collections? Maybe snow globes, cookie cutters, or trees?

I've been collecting nutcrackers for about 20 years now. Ever since my mom took me to the Nutcracker ballet when I was a teenager. That year, I bought my first nutcracker & it has carried on ever since.

It's a special collection that I bring out only at Christmas time. Usually, I set it up on the top of my antique upright piano.

The grandfather, Clara with her nutcracker, & the Mouse King from the original Nutcracker story

My favourite nutcrackers are the knights (one of them is on the photo on the left) & Robin Hood (right).

Since we bought a small white tree for our family room this year, I've included my nutcracker ornaments on it. I love how the colours pop off of the white!

I hope this last week before Christmas is special for you as well as productive.

Enjoy your Monday!

Click Here to see the great link parties I'm linkin' up to!

Cajun-Spiced Party Mix

2011-12-16T07:00:00.000-06:00

You know those go-to recipes you have that are the best you've ever tasted, no matter how many you try? This is one of those recipes for me. My mom started making this party mix when I was in high school & when I got married & left home, this was one of the recipes I copied out from my mom's recipe collection.

New feature! Click here for the printable version.

Cajun-Spiced Party Mix
makes approx. 20 cups

1 1/2 cups butter
3 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce
2 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
3/4 tsp. white pepper
3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp. black pepper
3/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco

5 cups small pretzels
4 cups crispix cereal
4 cups shreddies cereal
4 cups cheerios cereal
3 cups pecan halves

Preheat oven to 300º.

Mix butter, worcestershire, hot sauce, & spices in a saucepan. Over medium heat, stir until butter melts.

In a large roaster, mix remaining ingredients.

Drizzle butter mixture over cereal mixture. Toss.

Bake for 30 minutes stirring after 15 minutes.

Spread on foil to cool.

Pack in airtight containers.

~~~

This makes a great teacher, hostess, neighbour gift as well! A nice jar or tin makes the perfect container.

Just tie on a bow & add a tag with the recipe name printed on it. Done!

Enjoy your day!

Linkin' Up:

Crafty, Scrappy, Happy

Everything Under The Moon

Cardboard Roll Treat Packets

2011-12-15T07:00:00.002-06:00

Do your kids ever save toilet paper rolls "because we might be able to make something with them"? Mine sure do! Most of the time, I sneak them into the garbage when they aren't looking. For the past couple of months, however, we have all been saving any kind of cardboard tube on purpose.

My son & I had the idea that we could make some kind of treat packet for his classmates at Christmas time. We finally saved enough tubes & this week we got to work! Here's what we came up with.

I had thought that I may want to do something a little more fancy with a cut out tag attached or something & then had second thoughts. Realistically, these are 7-9 year old kids who likely will just tear it open to get at the candy inside. :)

So, we made it look as special as we could without spending too much time on this project.

Here's what we used:

small bags of candy
toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls cut smaller
pretty Christmas paper
string, yarn, twine, or heavy thread

I hope I'm not insulting your intelligence by describing this for you, since it was so simple.

We started by stuffing the bags of candy into the rolls.

Next, cut your paper into strips & adhere around the roll.

Lastly, loop the string around the tube several times & tie in a knot.

If your kids are in my son's class, please don't spoil the surprise, k? It was pretty easy & my little guy is excited to have treats that he helped make.

Are you making something for your kid's friends? What do you have planned? I'd love to know about it. Please leave me a link & I'll come check out your projects.

Enjoy your day!

Linkin' Up:

Home For The Holidays

Crafty, Scrappy, Happy

One Artsy Mama

Create & Inspire

Craft-O-Maniac

Everything Under The Moon

The Girl Creative

Sumo's Sweet Stuff

Made By You Monday

Light Bulb Snowmen - A REAL Tutorial

2011-12-14T07:00:00.000-06:00

At the end of November, I posted some pictures of a Christmas craft I had made with my mom & sister-in-law a few years ago - Light Bulb Snowmen.

My sister-in-law, Jodi, offered to take some pictures of her next batch & she ended up providing me with a very nicely detailed tutorial. A very special thank you to her for that!! Right now, she's not a blogger, otherwise I would totally link you to her blog!

Here are her awesome instructions:

"Use an old shoe box and make holes to put bulbs in. This makes the spraying and painting process so much easier.

Spray lightbulbs with Acrylic sealer so paint will stick to glass.

Paint bulbs with Acrylic paint. I do 2 coats for best coverage.

The Finished bulbs. I tried an iridescent paint paint, but realized I needed to do a first coat with white paint and then the iridescent as it didn't cover well on its own.

This is the paint I use.

I lay out all my felts and pom poms to coordinate. The large pom poms are for ear muffs, the little ones for noses. One colour will be the hat, the other the mitts and trim or whatever you wish!

I roll the bulb onto the felt to make a template for the hat.

Put hot glue on the metal part of the bulb and wrap the felt around.

This is the strip for the trim. Again put a bead of hot glue on the hat felt and wrap the trim around.

Tie string or yarn around the felt so that it is tight. I coordinate my string to match my colours.

Carefully cut the hat felt into strips. Do not cut into the tie as you will cut it apart.

It ends up looking like a funky toque!

Take a smaller piece of felt and fold it. Cut a mitten shape out of the folded felt so that both mittens are the same size and shape.

Use the large pom poms for ear muffs. Attach with hot glue.

Use googly eyes and the tiny pom poms for noses. Attach the mittens with hot glue. You may also want to attach a saying or mini decoration to the front of the bulb.

I attach a string to the mittens and wrap it around the back. This makes it look like the mittens are connected.

The finished product!! Enjoy!"

Thank you again to Jodi for putting this tutorial together for me! Aren't these so cute?!

Thanks for reading.

Enjoy your day!

Linkin' Up:

Everything Under The Moon

Sumo's Sweet Stuff

Skip To My Lou

Lend a Helping Hand this Christmas

2011-12-13T07:00:00.000-06:00

Christmas is all about giving. Or at least it should be. Sadly, with all the commercialism that often surrounds the Christmas season, the real reason for Christmas can get lost in the shuffle.

That's why I'm encouraging you today to take a break your own preparations to help someone else with theirs. Pick up the phone or send an email & see who could use a hand. Whether it be shopping, baking, wrapping, or decorating, pick something you like doing & offer to help someone else with that task.

If you don't have a lot of free time, just give a couple of hours. I'm sure the recipient of your kind deed with be forever grateful.

If you don't have a friend who needs help, purpose to spread some joy in another way. Buy a Starbucks or another hot drink for your child's teacher. Offer to help in a soup kitchen or at your local food bank. Plug a parking meter that has expired if you're out shopping. Pay for the order of the person behind you in the drive thru.

These are just a few ideas of how you can give this Christmas away. So go ahead, spread some extra cheer & do something a little out of the ordinary. Because Christmas isn't Christmas until you give it away.

“For God loved the world so much that He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." ~John 3:16

Enjoy your day!

Linkin' Up:

One Artsy Mama

Turkey & Black Bean Chili

2011-12-12T07:00:00.001-06:00

These colder days call out for cozy recipes. Chillis, soups, & stews are all regulars on our meal plans for the next several months. Imagine coming home from a day out Christmas shopping & preparing a warm, comforting meal for your family. This is just such a meal.

Today I have a chili recipe that uses ground turkey or perhaps you could even use shredded leftover Christmas turkey! It's something a bit different from the common beef chili. And this is chock full of veggies too! Very healthy but amazingly good!

Turkey & Black Bean Chili

makes 6 servings

1 pound skinless ground turkey

1 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup chopped green pepper

1 cup diced carrots

1 1/2 cups tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups salsa

1 can black beans, drained & rinsed

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

Dried pasta of your choice

Optional toppings:

Sour cream

Cheddar cheese, shredded

Chopped green onion

1) Spray a large skillet with non-stick spray. Add ground turkey & cook over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Break up any large chunks.

2) Add onions, garlic, green pepper, & carrots. Cook & stir for 4-5 minutes, until veggies have softened.

3) Stir in tomato sauce, salsa, beans, chili powder, cumin, & oregano. Bring mixture to a boil, then lower heat & simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4) Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well.

5) Serve chili over pasta & serve with optional toppings.

~~~

The perfect meal for a cold, winter night.

I hope you're keeping warm & enjoying your Christmas season.

Enjoy your day!

Linkin' Up:

Sumo's Sweet Stuff

Made By You Monday

Chef In Training

Almost Instant Buckeyes

2011-12-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

I'm excited to share this super simple candy recipe with you today!

Almost-Instant Buckeyes

makes about 5 dozen candies

1 (10-oz.) pkg. peanut butter chips

1 (16-oz.) can vanilla ready-to-spread frosting

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 Tbsp. butter or margarine

1. Line cookie sheets with waxed paper or parchment paper.

2. Melt peanut butter chips in medium saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. OR you can melt them in the microwave for about 2 minutes, stopping it after 1 minute to stir. Remove from heat or microwave. Stir in frosting. Let stand about 10 minutes or until cool enough to handle.

3. Roll mixture into 1-inch balls; place on cookie sheet. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips & buter in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. OR melt in the microwave as directed above.

5. Pierce each ball with a toothpick; dip into melted chocolate, leaving a small area around the toothpick uncoated. Place dipped ball on cookie sheet, pushing candy off of toothpick with tines of fork (or a clean finger). :)

6. To smooth out the toothpick mark, first make sure your hands are clean. Then, give each hole a little pinch...

...and a little push.

There!

7. Let stand for 5 minutes or until set.

So easy & yummy! These also make a great gift. Maybe a teacher, neighbour, or party hostess you know would enjoy receiving a sampling of these tasty morsels? Just make sure there are no peanut allergies to contend with!

If you're curious, as I was, where the name Buckeye comes from, these candies are called that because they look similar to the nut that comes from the chestnut or buckeye tree. There you go, you learn something new everyday! :)

Enjoy your weekend!

Linkin" Up:

Shine On Fridays

The Creative Paige
Home For The Holidays
Crafty, Scrappy, Happy
Tatertots & Jello
Young & Crafty
A Well-Seasoned Life
A Little Inspiration

Oh Christmas Tree(s)

2011-12-08T07:00:00.000-06:00

I have a question for you. Do you decorate your Christmas tree the same way every year or do you like to switch it up a bit from year to year? In the past, I've done it pretty much the same from year to year... mostly silver & blue, but with the kid's colourful ornaments added in too.

My tree a couple years ago.

This year, I was able to purchase a small white tree for our family room which my daughter decorated with the kid's ornaments & my nutcracker ornament collection.

That left my big tree for the living room. It's the first year in a while for me to have an "adult tree". It looks even more sophisticated this year with the addition of some dark navy ornaments. In certain light, they even look black or charcoal. Pretty sophisticated. I like.

It is SO hard to get good photos of a Christmas tree. Have you noticed?

My favourite ornaments are probably the nature inspired ones:

And whooo could resist these sweet owls?

What are your favourite ornaments from your Christmas tree?

Enjoy your day!

Dollar Store Gift Tag Makeover

2011-12-07T07:00:00.000-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, I shared some creative Christmas wrapping ideas. Since then, I've been wrapping up a storm around here & the space under our tree is looking all shimmery with prettily wrapped gifts.

While I was doing all this wrapping, I came up with a neat little idea to share.

I bought these gift tags from Michaels in the dollar bins a few months ago.

I bought these Christmas decorations at the dollar store awhile ago.

I put them together & they look like this!

I love how they look expensive when really they were so cheap!

Enjoy your day!

An Easy Christmas Centrepiece

2011-12-06T07:00:00.000-06:00

Today, before I share what I've prepared, I would like to take a minute to focus on the real meaning of Christmas. If you're not familiar with the real reason for Christmas, let me tell you very kindly that it's not about Santa, stockings, or snow (although I'm not opposed to those things). It's about one gift that was so generously given to all of us... Jesus. I know that December 25th isn't necessarily the day that Jesus was born. I know that many of the traditions we've adopted as "Christmas" traditions have pagan roots.

The point I'm trying to make is this: December 25th & the days leading up to it is to be a celebration of the coming of the Messiah - The Saviour of the world!

I like to think of this season as the biggest birthday party of the year! I believe we should put up decorations, sing Christmas songs, & make tasty things to eat. But let us (me included) not forget that it's all about & for Christ.

As my favourite carol, Joy to the World, says, "Let every heart prepare Him room..."

So, let us not just prepare our homes. Let us open our hearts & give room to Jesus... the real reason for the season.

To read the story of Jesus' birth, click here.

~~~

I'm off to a great start this Christmas season. We finished our Christmas shopping this weekend, I've done most of the gift wrapping (more on that tomorrow - stay tuned!), I've got a good start on the Christmas baking (to see what I've made so far, click here, here, & here.), & the decorating is all done!

I'll still enjoy creating Christmas crafts as well as doing some more baking throughout the season. But now I can focus on enjoying it all with family & friends as well as helping out some friends along the way (more on that coming soon too!).

In my Christmas decorating this year, I wanted to do something different on my dining room table than I've done for Christmases past. When I was pulling out my decorations, I came across this 3-tiered dish that I inherited from my grandma. I had almost forgotten about it.

All I had to do was add some Christmas ornaments & it was done!

How fast is that?!

During the day

You could do it with pinecones, candies, or whatever you wanted. So easy!

In the evening with the glowing lights

I hope your Christmas preparations are going well too.

Enjoy your day!

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Let Them Eat Cake!

2011-12-05T07:00:00.000-06:00

Today, I'm dreaming of birthday cakes. Why, you ask? Well, today is my 35th birthday. Each year, my mom & I share a birthday celebration since our birthdays are only a week apart. Some years we order a cake from a bakery. Some years my mom will bake one & some years I bake one. The celebration will be later this week, but this year I've offered to bring the cake, so I've been hunting around for some yummy inspiration.

Here are some beauties I've found. As usual, Pinterest took the cake (so to speak)!

Blueberry Cheesecake

Red Velvet Cheesecake

Lemon Curd Layer Cake

Neapolitan Cake

And now for the chocolatey options...

Mint Chocolate Ice Cream Cake

Heaven & Hell Cake (Layers of angel food cake, devil's food cake, & peanut butter mousse)

Cappuccino Fudge Cheesecake

Godiva Dream Cheesecake

Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte

And now for the pièce de résistance...

Isn't this gorgeous?! I will not attempt to make this, but I wanted to share this beauty with you.

(For those of you who don't know, I'm a huge fan of Paris, France & all things Eiffel Tower-ish.)

All these cakes look so delicious, I'm having a hard time choosing which one to make.

What say you? What would be your first choice?

I'm feeling very blessed today. I am surrounded by wonderful friends & my precious family.

I have so much to be thankful for.

Life is good.

Enjoy your day!

Some Recipes To Try

2011-12-02T18:05:00.000-06:00

Again today I'm veering away from the Christmas theme that I've been in for the past several weeks. (Which makes no sense since it's actually December now, but hey, I'll go with it.)

How many of you eat supper together with you family? I hope most of you do. It's such a precious time to spend together. It's often the time that we laugh the most, the kids open up & talk about their day, we tell stories from our lives, & teach lessons. Just last night, I got to tell my kids a Bible story that they had never heard before. I don't think I'm that great of a story teller, but they were transfixed. In telling the story, I also was able to teach the moral of the story: trusting in God's leading. It's amazing what happens at the dinner table. May I suggest that you try to make it a regular occurrence in your home? You won't be sorry.

On the subject of supper, I have some recipes that I've tried recently that I would like to share with you. They are all simple & delicious. You may want to add one of these to your meal plan soon.

Pepperoni Pizza Pasta

Via Taste Of Home

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwich

Via Time To Cook!

Parmesan-Crusted Tilapia

Via Rachael Ray

Couscous with Kalamata Olives, Pine Nuts, & Feta Cheese

Via For The Love Of Cooking

I give all of these recipes 2 thumbs up! Go ahead, give 'em a try!

Enjoy your weekend!

Baby Cards

2011-12-01T07:00:00.000-06:00

Well, today I'm taking a break from my Christmas posts to share some baby cards I made recently.

If you've been reading my blog for awhile, you know that I love cute owls.

Because of that, this first one is my favourite.

Do you have a favourite?

Enjoy your day!

Light Bulb Snowmen

2011-11-30T12:34:00.000-06:00

Today, I'm sharing another craft of Christmas past. I cannot take credit for this idea, but I did help make these. Several years ago, my sister-in-love & mom-in-love saw or heard about this idea & decided to give it a try. Well, I would say that they very successfully pulled the idea off.

The idea is to up-cycle used lightbulbs & make them into cute ornaments for your Christmas tree.

Here are the supplies used:

Light bulbs
FolkArt Clearcote Acrylic Sealer *See note below*
White paint
Felt
Pom-poms in different sizes
Googly eyes
Twine
Pipe cleaners
Mini teddy bears
Letter beads
Thread
Hot Glue

**Update: To view my step-by-step tutorial with step-by-step photos, click HERE.**

They started by painting the light bulbs ahead of time. ** Update: my sister in law told me I missed a step. "You need to add that we sprayed the lightbulbs before painting them...with FolkArt Clearcote Acrylic Sealer otherwise the paint just peels off." Thanks so much, Jodi!! **

Then, the fun began. This is where I came to help.

Cut strips of felt for the hats (or toques as we call them here in Canada) as well as the mittens.
Attach twine to the hats & make a loop to hang the ornament
Add eyes
Add pom-poms for earmuffs, noses, & buttons. (You can also add them to the tips of the hat, as I did in the second picture on the blue hat)
Add a pipe cleaner around the base of the hat as in the second picture, if desired.
Attach mittens to twine & glue in place (leave some room loose at the front of the mitten for the next step)
Make them personal by adding a name or sentiment with the letter beads. String them onto some thread & glue the ends under the ends of the mittens.

Here's our little snowman/woman family:

If you'd be interested in a more in-depth tutorial, leave me a comment & let me know. If there's interest, I can certainly whip up another one of these with some photo directions. Pictures would certainly help with the hat portion of the instructions as that can be hard to explain.

We bought a mini white Christmas tree for our family room this year. The kid's decorations (including these) & my nutcracker decorations grace its branches. We're lovin' it!

Enjoy your day!

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Christmas Fudge

2011-11-29T18:19:00.000-06:00

Christmas is the season of sweets. Cookies, cakes, pies, candies... and Fudge!

For as long as I can remember, I've loved fudge. I remember visiting The Fudgery in Banff, Alberta every summer & being able to choose my very own piece of sweet, gooey fudge from their vast selection of flavours. Another great part of the fudge shop was the big window they had in the front of their shop. You could stand outside & watch them make batch after batch of their amazing creations.

Several years ago, I found this super easy fudge recipe. It's a very versatile recipe - you can add whatever extras you want! Dried fruit, nuts, marshmallows, peanut butter, cookie pieces, candies... Let your imagination run wild! My kids love the marshmallow version so that's usually what I make.

Basic Chocolate Fudge

Makes about 2 lbs.

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 can sweetened condensed milk

dash of salt

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 Tbsp melted butter (if adding extras)

Over low heat, melt chips with sweetened condensed milk & salt. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla (and butter, if using). Fold in extras if desired. Spread evenly into wax paper lined 8 or 9 inch square pan. Chill 2 hours or until firm. Turn fudge onto cutting board, peel off paper & cut into squares. Store covered in refrigerator. Also freezes well.

Extras:

If you're putting in any extras, add 2 Tbsp melted butter to fudge mixture. Then fold in 2 cups of marshmallows, nuts, candies, cookie pieces, dried fruit, etc.

~~~

Enjoy your fudge creations!

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Spool Tree Ornaments

2011-11-28T17:15:00.000-06:00

Wow! Is it really less than a month until Christmas? Are you busy getting ready? I sure am! This weekend, it looked like my craft room threw up... I had so many things on the go. It was such a mess! I can't forget how blessed I am to even have a craft room to mess up... The last two houses we lived in, I didn't have that luxury.

Here's one of the projects I was working on. Vintage spool tree ornaments. I found the vintage spools at a thrift shop this fall. I had pinned this idea on Pinterest & knew exactly what I was going to do with them. They turned out so pretty!

Supplies:

spools (vintage or new)
glitter
all-purpose white glue
sheet music or other paper
pearl beads
buttons
wire (I just used Christmas tree ornament hooks)
small wire working pliers
hot glue

Instructions:

Start by running a small bead of glue on the edges of the spools. Roll in glitter. Let dry.
Cut strips of sheet music or other paper & adhere to the centre of the spools.
Glue buttons to the bottom of the spool with hot glue.
Shape your wire into curly-cues & add pearl beads. Add a twist on each end of the bead to keep it on the wire. Glue into top hole of the spool with hot glue.
Call your friends & brag to them about your pretty Christmas ornaments!

They look so nice & vintage-y on our Christmas tree.

A set of these would also make a fabulous gift... especially for a seamstress or fellow crafter. :)

I'm definitely going to keep my eyes peeled for more of these little goodies.

I hope you're starting to enjoy the Christmas spirit & have had some time to start your preparations.

Enjoy your day!

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Christmas Blocks

2011-11-25T13:24:00.000-06:00

Today I'm featuring another craft of Christmases past. These blocks have been in our family for decades in one way or another. My brother & I played with them as children... seriously. They were just plain wood blocks back then though. When I was a teenager, I found them in a box of old toys & decided to make them into Christmas decor. I painted them in alternating red, green, & navy. Then I stencilled the letters for "Christmas" on them.

After I was married & decided to go a little more contemporary with my Christmas colours, I repainted them silver & added rub-on letters to spell Christmas & with the one extra block I had I spelled "Merry" with sparkly little letter stickers.

I've enjoyed these fun Christmas blocks so much over the years! This year, they're sitting on the bar top between our kitchen & dining area.

If you'd like to make set of blocks like these, you'll need:

wood blocks
paint
letters (rub-ons, stickers, stencils, or stamps would all work)

I'm off to do some more decorating around here. My daughter & I did some more Christmas baking yesterday. Come back next week for another Christmas recipe & lots of other Christmasy things!

Enjoy your day!

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Winter Banner

2011-11-24T07:00:00.000-06:00

I've started to decorate our home for Christmas at last. Thanks to all my fans on Facebook who's "likes" showed me that they had already decorated their homes for Christmas! It showed me that I was not too early by any stretch! I've been putting decorations up bit by bit & our Christmas tree will be going up this weekend.

This being my first Christmas blogging, I thought I would share with you some of my Christmas crafts of the past as well as some of my collections & special decorations.

Today, I will begin with a winter banner I made a couple of years ago.

Please excuse the plastic coated window! ;)

I made it with chipboard shapes I purchased from Stampin' Up! I painted the snowflakes & stars silver or white, punched holes with my Big Bite & connected them with blue ribbon. So easy!

If you would like to make something similar, here's what you need:

Chipboard shapes
Paint
A heavy duty hole punch such as a Crop-o-dile or Big Bite
Ribbon

And since it's wintery, not just Christmasy, we can enjoy it into January & February.

~~~

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers!

Enjoy your day!

Hanji Card Set

2011-11-23T07:00:00.000-06:00

This fall, I've had a very unique opportunity. A friend of mine who just recently moved to South Korea with her little family asked me if I would make a few sets of cards for her sisters-in-law & her mom for Christmas. She asked me if she could send me some handmade paper (called Hanji) from where she lives & requested that I made her mom's card set with these beautiful papers. I was ecstatic to say the least. When I received the tube of papers in the mail, they took my breath away. Whoever made these works of art is exactly that - an artist. If you look closely, you can see real leaves, blades of grass, & flower petals in some of them. The asian writing on the blue is another favourite.

I couldn't wait to start creating with them. But alas, I had other orders that came first. Finally, I was able to work with these papers last weekend. I used lots of earthy tones with touches of blues & rich pinks. Hanji is thin but surprisingly sturdy. It takes some doing to rip it. When you do rip it, it has a beautiful edge as you can see in some of the photos. I kept those edges on purpose. I think they add to the appeal.

Here are my creations:

I am loving the end result. I hope you do too.

Enjoy your day!

Pretty Christmas Packages

2011-11-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go... The city workers were busily putting up the street Christmas decorations yesterday. Just seeing them go up & knowing that Christmas is getting ever closer makes me so happy.

My Christmas shopping is getting closer & closer to being done. With me bringing gifts into our home, I'm coming up with hiding places for them as well as imagining pretty & creative ways of wrapping them. Wrapping gifts is seriously one of my favourite parts of Christmas. As usual, I've found lots of inspiring ideas on Pinterest. (A blogger's best friend!) :)

Here are some of my favourites.

I've found lots of packages wrapped in sheet music with touches of other elements added in. Silver or solid coloured paper with pinecones, ornaments, & hand made flowers add the beautiful details that make a gift so attractive. (All gift images via Pinterest. Specifically, these are collected in my Christmastime Is Here board)

This grouping of brown paper packages has me humming "My Favourite Things"! I love all the different ways you can personalize brown packing paper! I especially thought the idea of sewing a gift into paper cut in festive shapes (3rd photo in) was super creative.

Lace doilies are easily found in thrift stores usually by the bag full. What a great way to upcycle them - on a pretty package wrapped with ribbon!

And once your package is wrapped, don't forget about the tags! You can make you own, buy them, or there are many, many free printable ones you can download & print off at home. There are so many cute graphics out there. You can find anything to suit your colours or taste. (These printable images are collected in my Fonts & Printables board.)

Are you feeling inspired? I sure am!! I am itching to put on a Christmas movie (maybe White Christmas or Holiday Inn - I love a good musical!) & wrap presents to my heart's content.

I'm curious. Do you wrap your gifts as you buy them? Or do you wait until the last minute & wrap them all on Christmas Eve? Do you wrap them & hide them or put them under the tree?

Every family is different. I enjoy hearing about the differences in people's traditions. Even the seemingly unnoticed traditions like wrapping gifts as you go or staying up late on Christmas Eve wrapping them so that your kids will think they're from Santa on Christmas morning.

Ooooo! Christmastime is here!

Enjoy your day!

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Merry Berry Cheese Bars

2011-11-21T07:00:00.000-06:00

So far, my Christmas baking is going well. Two recipes down, a few more to go. Today, I'm going to share a favourite recipe that I've been making all of my married life - 11 years now.

If you like cheesecake or cranberries, then you'll enjoy these! This recipe originally came from Eagle Brand.

Merry Berry Cheese Bars a.k.a. Cranberry Cheesecake Bars
makes 24-36 bars

crust:
2 cups unsifted flour
1 1/2 cups oats
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened

cream cheese layer:
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice

berry layer:
1 can cranberry sauce (you can use whole berry, but I prefer jellied)
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1 Tbsp. firmly packed brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350°.

1) With mixer, beat flour, oats, 3/4 cup sugar & butter until crumbly. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the mixture. Press remaining mixture on bottom of greased 13x9 inch baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

2) With mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth, stir in lemon juice. Spread over baked crust.

3) Combine cranberry sauce, corn starch, & 1 Tbsp. brown sugar. Spoon over cheese layer. Top with remaining crumb mixture.

4) Bake 45 minutes or until golden. Cool & cut into bars. Refrigerate leftovers.

~~~

I hope your family enjoys these as much as we do!

Enjoy your Monday!

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'Tis the Season for... Peppermint

2011-11-17T18:58:00.001-06:00

Christmas is drawing ever closer. Thankfully, I got a bit more of my Christmas shopping done yesterday. One step closer to being done. I personally like being done with gift buying by the time December rolls around. Then I can focus on wrapping, decorating, baking, cooking, & having fun with my family & friends.

One of my favourite flavours of Christmas is peppermint. I've found a wonderful collection of Christmas goodies featuring peppermint on Pinterest. I'm planning on making some (not all!) of these goodies this Christmas season. I am having a hard time deciding on which ones though. Any votes for your favourites?

Frozen Peppermint Cheesecake

Peppermint Crunch Chocolate Chip Cookies

Peppermint Sugar Cookies

Candy Cane Kiss Cookies

Peppermint Meltaways

Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes

Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

Peppermint Profiteroles

All photos via Pinterest.

So, what are your votes? Are you feeling inspired to make any of these for your family? I have the Peppermint Meltaways on my list to make this week.

Have a great weekend!

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