Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Kid Friendly New Year's Eve~


 
It's New Year's Eve!!
 
Looking for a little kid friendly fun?? Jump over to Ask Anna to see what we're up to!! Stay safe and get those New Year's Resolutions ready!
 
Cheers to an amazing 2014!

Monday, November 4, 2013

Hardy White Chili~


 
This is an amazing Fall favorite in our house!
 My husband loves spicy, but my daughter and I aren't fans of the heat, so this is the perfect happy medium for our household!
 
This is another one that I got from my good 'ol BFF, Peggy from Las Vegas!
{Used to be Salt Lake City, but she's married now, woo hoo and moved!}
 
What you'll need:
 1 Medium Onion
1# of boneless skinless chicken breast
2 cans Great Northern Beans
1 Can chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup of water
1 can chopped green chili's
1 can mexi corn
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano 
 
 What you'll do:
Saute 1 lb of chicken cut up in chunks and 1 medium onion in 1-1/2 TBS of oil - {You can also use canned chicken from Costco and it works.... my girlfriend calls it the lazy way, I say for those without any extra time!}
 
Seriously, this is SO DARN GOOD!
 
Word of caution because everyone's taste buds have a mind of their own!...Although there's not a ton of "heat" added, the chopped green chili's do add a bit of "zip" to it when simmering! I've put it into separate pots for the "heat" sensitive, because it adds just enough to be considered spicy for some!
 
Enjoy!!
Kristy
 

Friday, October 25, 2013

Halloween party ideas~ on a budget!

 
With Halloween right around the corner...what are you planning??
We had a bit of fun last week! Jump over to Ask Anna and check out our budget friendly party fun!
The twist on spaghetti was my favorite!

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Upcycled Thrift Store side table~


 
My Mother-In-Law has an obsession with clocks! I haven't even tried to count the crazy amount of them in her house, so when I stumbled across this little guy, I KNEW it was meant to be!
I was at the thrift store trying to find something of a  "vintage" nature for a friend to wear for a Victorian show. On my way out, I walked passed this little table!
 
Immediately I saw sanding and paint for the perfect birthday present!
The process looked like this!
 
 
Now' I've ready many things out using different paint and not having to sand, but I've got it embedded in my head to sand, so therefore I do!
 
It turned out perfect and looks SO MUCH better black!!
 
 
Annnnnd....I'm back on the hunt for the perfect gift...
I liked it so much I kept it for our house!!

Cheetah Baby Shower



Recently I helped a sweet friend of mine with her daughter's baby shower! I think it turned out pretty darn cute! Jump over and check it out at ask anna! Get ready to stay awhile too if you're in the mood to get ORGANIZED!! She's got some amazing ideas over there!!



 

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Co-Hosting The Inspirational Gallery link party!!!

 
Good afternoon ya'll!!
I'm thrilled to be Co-hosting with these Ahh-MAZING ladies today!!
I'd love to see what you've been up to and what you've created!
Grab a Cup Of Jo, tea or beverage of choice and enjoy the beautiful projects at
The Inspiration Gallery!




Simple fall decor

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Please help us welcome this week's co host Kristy from  A cup of Jo - love that name! 
                                    
                                                 Picture ladder / Home Sweet Home Wreath/
                                                       Ghost Pretzels / Fall Burlap Wreath
                                                       Connect with Kristy: Blog, Pinterest



Keep in touch with Taryn via: Blog, FB, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter

















Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Dollar Store DIY Lampshade

 
Looking for a inexpensive way to add  bright light and a cheery feel to the room? Jump over and check out my lamp at

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Old Ladder Picture Collage

It seems like when I FINALLY have time to fit some well needed crafting in, that everything goes KABOOM and I don't have time to share it!  Well, I've been lucky enough to Co-host and be a regular contributor at some pretty amazing blogs, so I better step up my game! This ladder has been collecting dust in my bedroom for years! Then, one night while getting my nightly "Pin" on, I found my inspiration here. It's a different ladder, but they all have space between the steps! I thought about painting it black, but quickly changed my mind and left it in it's natural state! It's warm, country and fits in perfectly with my "new room"! I'll be sharing all the little details of that soon! Not to mention, this  was a super easy project, but makes a big statement! I used 2 tiny hooks under each step and 2 on the top of each frame, then hooked them together! I used three 4 x 6 frames for the top three steps and 5 x 7's for the bottom three. With a little paint, they all match! LOVE IT!

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Creating the Naked Egg~


Make sure to jump over to Thrifty & Thriving to see this fun project I shared that the kids will LOVE!
I have to say, I was pretty impressed as well!
 
Hope you're having a fabulous weekend!




Monday, August 5, 2013

Crack Weenies~

 
 
It seems like we're always having little get togethers or being invited to some little shin-dig throughout the year and I'm not one to go empty handed.
 
I have my traditional salads and chips 'n dips, but this is a new fav!!
 I've seen it flying around "Pinterestphere" many times, but I found mine here.
 
Now, it's not on the most healthy, fat conscience treat,
but we have to splurge every once in awhile right?!? {I'm sure I splurge a bit more than I should!}
 
It's another quick, easy and taste bud teasing mix!
At a little ladies night at my house, the plate was empty and I was asked it there were any more!
I think one gal was ready to lick the plate! Ha ha!
 
What you need:
 
1 pound of bacon {Cut into 1/3rd or 1/4th}
1 pound of little smokies
1 stick of butter melted
2 cups of brown sugar
 
What you'll do:
 
Preheat the oven to 375
Take each little smokie and wrap it in a piece of bacon
Put them in a baking dish (9 x 13)
Take the stick of butter and 1 cup of brown sugar and mix it together
Pour the mixture all over the pan of smokies
Take the last cup of sugar and sprinkle it all over the top
 
Bake for aprx. 20 minutes and then turn the oven on broil for about 5 min. to crisp the bacon!
You don't need to move it up to a higher wrack, just leave it in the middle!
 
When they were done I stuck a fancy toothpick in each one and placed it on a serving tray!
 
That's it, but it will be a huge hit!
With football season kickin in, this is a must have!!
 
                                          Enjoy your
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Friday, August 2, 2013

Living Room ~ Before & After



It's truly amazing what a simple coat of paint will do for an object or a room!
I'm an open addict about my obsession with paint!
 
I dabble with paint all the time, but it's always a larger canvas when my husband goes away on his yearly golf trip!
 
Last year it was our bathroom, laundry room and our daughters room!
This year it was our living room and our daughters room. Yes, Kiley's room got yet another coat of paint! After all, she is a year older! {SMILE!} Did I mention I'm a Paint-A-holic??
 
My husband had an idea that I was thinking of slapping some paint in the living room before he left and of course, he hemmed n' hawed about it and didn't think it needed to be done.
Well, how wrong he was and believe it or not, I think he'll even admit it! Not straight out, but he has said more than a handful of times how great it looks and what a difference in the warmth of the room it makes!
Yes honey, I was right and you're welcome!! {Happy Dance-Happy Dance!}
 
Here's what it looked like before...
And to be totally honest, my "before" was blurred, so I had to photo shop this one back to the "before"!
 
 
Tah`dah....
The nice cozy warmth of a new coat of paint!!
 
 
I LOVE IT and love how the decor stands out now!!
 
What Before and Afters have you done with paint? 
Feel free to leave a link of your masterpiece in the comments! I'd love to check it out and share!
 
                                                                Enjoy your
                                                                    Kristy

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Jalapeno Poppers~


When planning a get together a spicy, hot or zippy appetizer is not usually on my menu.
I usually go for the more traditional treats, but I'll definitely be branching out after tasting this!
 
When we were in Texas my dad whipped up this little bit of zip! Now I'm not crazy about spicy things. I can do a salsa or peanut sauce, but I don't go for the heat like my husband!
 
This Jalapeno Popper is the perfect combination of flavor and spice! The "Popper" itself isn't all that hot once you clean and remove the seeds from the pepper, but the sauce...now that's a different story! I liked it exactly like the recipe I'm sharing, but you can turn it up or down to your liking!
 
 
 For the peppers you simply need:
 
Jalapenos cut in half, cleaned with seeds and pulp removed
Small slices of Monterrey Jack Cheese
Bacon, cut into aprx. 1 1/2 - 2 inch pieces
Shrimp, cut in half down the middle
 
*Take 1/2 of pepper, place 1/2 pc of shrimp in it, top with slice of cheese and top with a small slice of bacon.
Place in oven on broil for long enough for the bacon to sizzle and you should see the shrimp turning pink on the outside.
 
For the Sauce: {Captain Morgan Sauce}
 
1 Cup of Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
1 Cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons Franks hot sauce
Pat of butter
 
*Mix Captain Morgans and Brown sugar together in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Simmer until the alcohol is gone.
Melt butter and mix in Franks hot sauce~ then pour into CM & brown sugar mixture.
Ready for drizzling over the Poppers and to eat!
 
These are seriously REALLY crazy good!
                                                                        
                                                                        Enjoy!

                                                                       Kristy 


Friday, July 12, 2013

Homemade Heart Flag~

 
Years later and I still LOVE my cricut!!
 
I can hear my hubby asking, "Do you really need that? Won't it just end up in the closet?"
No, no and absolutely NOT! I'm surprised at how much I've used it! It was more than worth it to get up at 3a.m to hit the Black Friday Sale! Heck, I would have paid full price knowing what I know now! {But glad I didn't have too!}
 
I don't have every cartridge under the sun, like some, but I have a good handful. My go to favorites are Plantin Schoolbook (letters, hearts, shapes, gift bags) and
Serenade (trees, fruits, butterflies, flowers, bird cages).
 
For this little project I clearly needed hearts, which can be used on almost anything!
 
I started with this paper backing...
 
 
and quickly decided that it wasn't "rustic" enough to leave out for longer than the month of July.
So, I went to another love of mine, burlap! It warms anything up!
I cut a piece big enough to cover the back side,inked it up a bit to "weather" it and used spray adhesive to attach it.
Being addicted to inking, I inked all the edges of the hearts as well. It takes them from sticking out like a sore thumb, to warming into the project. I simply stuck those down with a glue stick!
 
This is where this little baby resides and I think it fits into my warm country decor year round if I so choose!
Don't you think a flag can stay out year round?
 
 
I think it wold have looked really cute with the blue being cut into stars as well...that was an after thought once it was completed! (;
 
                                           Enjoy your
                                              Kristy
 


Thursday, June 27, 2013

Perscription for Change

                                What would you change?...

Months ago I posted about taking a leap of faith and joined a Network Marketing group{I can almost hear the gasps...it's ok, let your breath out!} I didn't pick just any old company...I recognized the value of leveraging the global brand name of Proactive -with their fresh company Rodan+Fields! They're doing for aging what they've done for acne!  After 6 months, I have to say, "THANK GOODNESS" I did!
 

It's formerly the #1 selling clinical brand in Nordstrom and other high end department stores! ~BUT they realized that by word of mouth they could reach SO many more people! Sooo, they took their leap of faith , pulled out of department stores and well, ...here I am!

Their Mission: to bring dermatology-based skin products to everyone without the appointments!
These producst are seriously just under the radar of needing a perscription!



I love having my own home based business! I'm home with my daughter, I'm helping others and I'm making a monthly income!
I absolutely LOVE that the products I share, I absolutely LOVE! They've done wonders for so many, including me! Yep, here's my before and afters again!

  
Now don't get me wrong, I realize network markeing isn't for everyone, but it's definitely for me! With Quizno's, my busy little bean, her school, fundraising and everything else I try to squeeze in, this fits perfectly into my life style!

If there's one thing you'd change about your skin, what would it be? I'd love to help find what works for you! {For aprx. $2.45/day wouldn't it be worth it to look and feel your best?!}
Check out the products here!

Maybe you've been thinking of ways to stay at home with the kids, have more free time, travel more, make a little {or a lot} of extra fun money, have extra funds to support a cause near and dear to your heart...MAYBE this might be a good fit for you? I'd love to chat and let you pick my brain! Heck, a conversations free! And if you know this isn't for you personally, I totally repsect that, but maybe  you can connect me to some dynamite people in your market! I give cash money for new business partners! (:
See the business scoop here!

Imagine if you jumped on board with these 2 ladies when they created Proactive!?!?!
 
I'm not pushing my business on you and there's no pressure, I'm simply sharing what's working for me!
I'd be most appreciative if you'd check out and support by liking/ sharing my Facebook business page here!
I support small business...have one you want me to share??
 
                  Have a great day! And stay tunned for a fun little 4th
of July craft coming up next!!

 

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Confetti Popcorn Recipe



Want a winning Popcorn Recipe in your pocket to make, share and enjoy over and over again?!?
Jump over Thrifty & Thriving to see what I whipped up!!
You won't be disappointed!
Warning: Easy to eat waaaay more than you should!!
 
Enjoy!
Kristy

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

French Toast Bake~

                                                            

With Summer QUICKLY approaching and the chances of having family and friends to visit high, this is an amazing "go to" dish for breakfast! What's even better is that you make it the night before! In the morning all you have to do is preheat the oven before you sit to enjoy a cup of coffee {or beverage of choice} with your company!

It's sure to be crowd pleaser and you'll definitely get asked to make it again and again! Oh, and ya might as well make copies of the recipe because they'll be asking!

Plus, if you've been around here long enough, you know I like quick & easy!!! So, here it goes...

Grocery List:

1 loaf French bread cut into 1" slices
6 eggs
1 1/2 C. milk
8 TBS. sugar (divided 5 and 3)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 Granny Smith apples
3 TBS. butter or margarine

What to do:

Spray 9X13 pan.
Arrange the bread in a single layer
Beat eggs and whisk in milk, 3 TBS sugar, vanilla and salt.
Pour over bread
Combine the remaining sugar with cinnamon (set aside)
Peel, core and slice the apples into half moons or rings
Put 1/2 the apples on top of the bread, sprinkle with 1/2 the sugar/cinnamon mix
Put remaining apples on top of that and sprinkle with remaining sugar/cinnamon mix
Take the 3 TBS of butter and cut into little sticks and place all over the top of the apples
Cover and refrigerate overnight. (I've been told you can let it sit for an hour and it works too)
Ready to bake: Preheat oven to 400, bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until apples are tender.
Let stand 5 minutes before serving



One way to tell if it's getting close to being done is the apples will be tender, but the bread swells up nice and puffy! Once out of the oven it falls back down!

Grab your syrup and get ready to ooohhh and awwwww.....
You can add extra, but usually what you cook it with is plenty!
 
Enjoy!!
Kristy

Make sure to jump over to Thrifty & Thriving to
get all kinds of savings and check out a Fabulous Fun Summer Idea!