Hobo Meals

Hobo Meals are normally done while camping, over a campfire.  But, in a pinch you can use your oven.  They are super simple, and actually very delicious.  Even better, the kids eat them up because it is so cool to eat out of tin foil. ;)

Here is what you need:
Tin Foil
Hamburger Patties
Carrots
Potatoes
Salt and Pepper
Any other seasonings you want to add

Preheat oven to 350*.  Put a Hamburger Pattie, carrots, potatoes, and seasoning in your foil.

Wrap up your food in the foil and place them in a pan for the oven.  Bake 1 hour.

When they are done, open the foil and place on a plate.  Easy Peasy! 

Best thing about this meal??  Easy Clean up!

I like to Party over here.

If you try it, I would love to know.  Have a great Monday!

Saving Saturday: Homemade Laudry Detergent!

Hey lovelies!  It's Saturday and I haven't been to the store in almost two weeks now.  Having your tonsils out at my age is no joke!  It takes FOREVER to get to feeling better.  Luckily for me, I did something that is saving my family so much money a few weeks ago, and haven't had a chance to tell you about it yet.  :)

Homemade Laundry Detergent!  Yes.  I have heard that it saves money, but have been so skeptical of it.  Does it really work?  Will it really clean the clothes?  Can you smell that they are clean?  So many questions.  Well, I finally did it.  I bought the stuff to make my own.  Best decision ever! {In regards to laundry detergent, of course} HA!

Here is what you need:
Washing Soda - $3
Borax - $3
1 Bar Fels-Naptha Soap - $1.98
5 Gallon Bucket - $3.88
Strainer - Had
{I found all of this right beside each other in the Laundry Isle at Wal-Mart}

Total Spent: $12 for a 5 Gallon Bucket

Shred the soap and add water to pot to "melt" the soap.  I added about half a pot of water.

It does get messy, so get ready.  And it does take an hour or so.  Just be ready to stir a lot, and be bored.  But your whole house smells so good the day you do this! ;)

Rinse out your containers you are going to use.  I knew I wanted to try some, so I started saving containers.  Didn't know exactly how many I would need, so this is what I had.

While your soap is melting, pour your Washing Soda and Borax into your 5 gallon bucket.  Then pour in HOT water, so that your stuff will "mix" well.  Pour in your soap, once it is melted and let it sit covered for 24 hours.  Below is what it will look like after the 24 hours.

Mix it up really well, and start dipping it into your containers.  Below is how much I had left after my poor three containers were full.  I need a LOT more containers!  I have been saving Milk jugs since I made it, and plan on emptying the rest of the bucket out soon.  There is more than half still left in there.

Once you are ready to use it, shake it well, and pour in one cup full of detergent, to a full load of laundry!

Now, how much does it really save me?  We are a family of 5, and I have been washing clothes with my three containers for 3 weeks now.  I still have one container left.  And more than half a bucket full to empty out still.  I would say it is saving my family money.  I will give you an update soon on exactly how long is has lasted.  But even at 3 containers full for only $12, I have made my money's worth!  WOOT WOOT!

Ps.  It DOES work.
Pss.  It doesn't make the clothes smell strong. {Score for families with bad allergies!}

Do you make your own laundry detergent?  Do you like it?

Friday Finds

Happy Friday Y'all!

I am doing a round up of Valentine's Ideas today!  Are you ready?

Go here for another great round up of Valentines Printables.

What a cute Heart project!



I am so doing this for the hubs for Valentines.  Probably more for ME, than him....but, I can't give it to myself!  HA!

I'm pretty sure I have found what I will be doing for the boys Valentine's at school.  You can find them here.

I'm getting a little crazy with Pillows around here.  I want to make them all.  This one is too cute!

These chair envelops are so cute.  I can't wait to make them for the kids.

Ever run out of things to talk about at the dinner table?  How about doing this jar of "conversation hearts".  Too Cute!

Last but not least.  Nutella Chocolate Hearts.  Ohhhhh Yeah!

Happy Crafting Friends!



WII Issues

Hello Everyone!  I hope you all are doing great today.  I am so ready for bedtime....already.  HA!

I have what I think is a super duper FYI....GENIUS thing to share with you today!  I hope I am not the only one that has never heard of this before....or I will look really sad.  LOL  Anyway...

Did you know that you don't necessarily have to have the sensor for the WII to work??  {Look Below}

Nope. You don't.  Crazy right?  We've already been through two of them.  So, if your ever in a pinch {IE, the boys are upset that they will not get to play the WII for a WHOLE FOUR DAYS}  Tough life, right??  ;)  You can just use candles.

So true!  All you have to do is light a few candles, turn your WII on, and start playing.  In fact, the only reason you even need the candles are to start it up, and pick your settings for the game.  After your game has started, you can blow the candles out until you need to change a game!  How amazing?  Please tell me I am not the only one that didn't know this?

Have a fantabulous day everyone!  Now, go play some WII with your candles! ;)

Pinterest Make Me: Lights

I can't seem to leave Riley's room alone.  I "finished" it months ago, and still keep coming up with things to do in there.  For today's Pinterest Make Me, I decided to dress up her light.  Here is what I seen on Pinterest.

Source: ashleyannphotography.com via Christy on Pinterest

Super cute, right?  Perfect for my little girl's room. ;)  Here is how it went.

Ugly.Light.Fixture.

Take the Ugly.Light.Fixture off.

Dig out some lanterns that I used in my sister's baby shower a few years ago.  I knew I was a hoarder for a reason! ;)

Attach cute ribbons to each on the lanterns on the top.  Nail them into the ceiling at different lengths and spaces.

Admire your work!

I love walking in there.  Yes, it's not as bright in there. 

BUT, it feels like the lanterns from Tangled to me. ;) Love that movie!



{Source}

What have you completed from your pins?  I would love for you to leave me a link to check it out!

See you later, friends!

Test Post....No info here! ;)

Trying out a new "pin button" for my posts. ;)  If it works, I will share it over on my fb page!

Fingers crossed that it work!

The Letter R

I recently did a re-do on my daughter's room.  You can see it, here.  Well, ever since I have been feeling that her walls are still too bare.  I can't seem to leave well enough alone. ;) 

Then while at Goodwill I found another R.  You can see it, here.  It was completely the wrong color, since her room is green, pink, and orange.  So I fixed that!

Here is the before:  Bare right?  Or is it just me??

Gold R, with some left over hot pink paint.

And I'm done!  I love the R much better as a hot pink, than a gold.  Now, to find a few more R's.  I see a wall of R's...and a lot of trips to goodwill in my future!

Do you tend to change things up a few times right after re-doing a room before you are satisfied?  Please tell me it's not only me.

Friday Finds

Every week I try to show off some of the cuties that I have found while blog hopping.

At the top of my list this week is this beauty from Que Linda. If you follow me on Facebook, then you know that I just scored some tables for my living room that are a lot like this!  I can't wait to make mine look just as good. :)

Lolly Jane shows how to make this AMAZING mirror.  And her new dining room is gorgeous!  

Who doesn't love Sugar Bee Crafts??  I love her shirt tutorial for her gathered shirt!

And in case you can't tell yet, I have a thing for Furniture re-do's this week.  I love how Liz Marie took a dresser, and re-vamped it into open storage.

Last, but definitely not least.  Hope on over to {Whimsy Lane} and read all of her fabulous tips for starting your own business!  I am so excited to get some new things going in my shop, and learn how to brand better.

If you have been featured, I would love for you to grab a button! {There is a grab box in the side column if you would rather get it that way.}



What all did you find this week?  Any inspiration for your own?

Pillows

I am loving being able to put in zippers.  Is that odd?? HA!  I decided to try out some pillows...with zippers.  GASP!!  I have never.  I mean, the only thing I have ever done with zippers are pouches.  Do I dare jump in and try them on pillows?  Why yes, yes I do!  And I am so glad I did.

Look how nice??  O MY GOSH!  Why am I always so scared to try something, when after only a little trial and error it works and look good?  Am I crazy??  I think I may have this sewing thing down....a little any way.  ;)

And yes, they are the same size pillows.  Not sure why the one on top looks much larger.  Must be the angle of my camera.

Thanks for reading!  Have a great day!!

Pinterest Make Me {Valentine's Decor}

Sorry my Pinterest Make Me post is up so late, friends.  I am currently laid up in bed on tons of meds from having my tonsils out yesterday.  Yuck!  I wanted to get this up for you all though, so I'm skipping the meds that make me sleep for a bit so I can actually think in the right way to type.  HA!  See how much I love blogging, and all of you wonderful followers?  Love it! 

Back to the post!  I am in a Ladies study group every week, and we do Secret Sisters in the group.  Well, my Secret Sister gave me some awesome Valentines paper a few weeks ago, and I knew exactly what I wanted to use it for.  Here is what I pinned...

Source: moredesignplease.com via Christy on Pinterest

I love holidays!  And the day of LOVE is no different. ;)  Here is the paper I used.

Cute right?  I used my ruler and made marks of 12 inches down the sides to meet in the middle.

I continued doing that for all of the papers and cut them out.

I then used white ribbon and hot glued them onto the ribbon, on both sides.  So that the ribbon was folded around the paper.

I decided to hang it up behind my TV, so that I could see it in all of it's cuteness. ;)  I added some cut out felt harts that I found at The Dollar Tree to either side.  For a little extra pretty.

I think it is so cute! 

What about you?  Do you decorate for every holiday as well?  Do you make things that you "pin"?  You are more than welcome to follow me on Pinterest!  I'm a little addicted. ;)

One last thing, I will have another GIVEAWAY as soon as I am able to get 100 followers on Facebook!  I don't feel I am utilizing that media very well, but I want to!  So, I would love for you to follow along there, if you would like. :)  I like to show things I score for cheap, future items I'm working on, and even a look into what I am doing that day!  Won't you follow along?

Rag Wreath

Last week I posted about some pillows that I had made.  They were actually for my mom for Christmas.  She needed some for a new porch swing that my sister and BIL made for her.  Well, of course she couldn't only have pillows for the porch.  I had to make a wreath as well....and yes, you know it had to match.
Here is what I started with. 
Wreath (Dollar Tree)
Scraps

Notice the same fabric as her pillows were done with?  I based the wreath colors off of that.

I cut 2 inch wide and 6 inches long strips of all of that fabric.

Just tie it around your wreath with the knot and extra on the outside.  Fill it in to make it as thick as you want. 

 
Your done!  After finishing, I decided it was missing something.  I added some red Tulle and called it done!  I should have gotten a picture with all of it together on the porch...but totally flaked on that.  Just take my word for it...it was too cute! ;)

What have you been working on?  Any fun new wreaths?

Thanks for reading!