Before & After : Bench and Train

Before, Master Bedroom Bench hardware:

(I drilled too many holes, messed up, tried to glue, it was a disaster.)

After:

(So 1 year later I decided to fix it.  I scraped, sanded, and repainted before putting the new hardware on)

At Home: $8

Before:

(I found this train at a garage sale and thought it was SO cute.)

After:

(I thought it would be cute and more personalized to paint it for our nephew's birthday, which isn't until November... Hey, I am on top of things)

Before and After: Landing.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

New Lamp from Pier One = $50

Zebra Fabric = $40

Not the best re-upholstering job = $50

All in 24 hours time!

Recipe Friday, snacks.

I know it has been forever.  I haven't really had anything to post about and no exciting ideas!  But I would like to share 2 really easy, completely opposite, yummy snack recipes.

#1 Fresh Salsa compliments of Ms. Paula Dean (She calls it Salsa on the fly!)

3 Large ripe tomatoes diced

1 small onion, chopped (yellow or white, I use yellow)

1 small green bell pepper (seeds and veins removed) minced

1/2 Cup chopped green chilies, with juice (4 oz. can)

1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon olive oil

salt

And when I saw her make this on TV she added 1 avocado, diced

It is delish.  I serve it with tortilla chips or on top of some tacos.  You have to know it is good since I recommend it because I am a salsa, pico de gallo connoisseur.

#2 Sweet Grapes

1 bag of green grapes

Wash in bowl , drain the grapes but make sure they are still wet, do not dry them off.

Pour 1 packet of Sugar-Free Fat-Free strawberry jello powder over the grapes and toss.

They look like they have red powder on them.  They are so good and a really healthy, sweet, easy snack.  It would be perfect for a Halloween Party too because they kind of look like eye balls! HA 

Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend. Stay cool!

Recipe for Dinner

Haven't had anything to post about this week but I do have a new favorite dish and I'll give you the recipe!

The chicken recipe can be found here:  Quick Chicken Piccata

It's delicious and very easy.

I serve it with my mom's recipe of baked carrots.

Baked Carrots

1/2 Cup sugar

1/3 Cup butter

1 package baby carrots

1 tsp. salt

1/3 tsp. cinnamon

1/3 Cup boiling water

Place carrots in a greased casserole.  Cream the butter, sugar, salt, and cinnamon.  Add water and blend well.  Pour over carrots.  Cover with foil and bake for 1-1/2 hours at 350 degrees.

To top off the meal serve with a green salad and rice or new potatoes.  It's delicious.   Enjoy the HOT weekend!

Recipe Friday - Apple Cake

This recipe is delicious!  I made it for D$'s parents birthday last weekend.  Try it for your dad's this Father's Day!  This is my grandmother, Nanny's recipe.

Country Apple Cake

2 large eggs
1-1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 Cups all purpose flour
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Cup chopped walnuts
3 Cups chopped, peeled apples

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Lightly grease a 13x9x2 baking pan, bundt pan, or 2 loaf pans.

In a large bowl beat eggs, oil, and vanilla until well blended.  Beat in flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.  Batter will be very thick when completely mixed.  Stir in nuts and apples.  Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.

Bake about 35 minutes (took mine about 40) or until toothpick comes out clean.  Serve warm or cold.  Sprinkle confectioners sugar or cool whip or vanilla ice cream.

I served mine with caramel ice cream and it was delish!  Has a really good flavor!  Very easy and quick recipe and it tastes oh so good.  Hope everyone enjoys their Father's Day!

Praise! New Slipcovers!

Before:

From day 1, I have hated these beasts.  I tucked and tucked every day, they were hard and stiff, just all around horrid.

After:

Thanks to my good friend Kerra!  She had one on her sofa and I thought it looked and felt great.  So I ordered some myself from JCPenny.com.  Not only do they look sleeker, they are SO soft, and 2 separate pieces, so not as much tuck, tucking!  The old beasts are on the credenza in this pic.  If anyone wants them let me know! (not that anyone would after my complaints!)

Organizing and great deals.

I think I have a problem.  Everything HAS to have a place.  Yesterday morning I got the bee in my bonnet to organize the laundry room and underneath all the kitchen cabinets.  Keep in mind, I organize the laundry room like once a month.  It is my MAIN storage area for extra kitchen things I don't have room for, laundry supplies, my pool bags and towels, paper towels, toilet paper, etc.  It's such a small room and A LOT of stuff is in there.  Plus it is oddly shaped so if I put stuff in there I have to angle myself to put the wash in.  Anywho.  So I went to Target and bought 2 plastic drawer things, 1 to go in between the washer and one to fit in the odd space (but not cover the air vent! so it has rollers)

I went to the Dollar Tree (one of my very favorite stores) and bought all this.

3 red stackable baskets (for candle storage and 1 for my food storage container lids)

2 blue baskets with handles (for cleaning supplies)

4 clear containers with white tops (for my nail polish, kitchen napkins, and I think I have 1 left over)

4 large white containers (for cleaning supplies, storage in laundry room, storage for extra toiletries in linen closet)

all for $14.70

Seriously, why go anywhere else to get these things!? They are so cheap!  And they have drawer organizers too, which is very helpful in a desk or kitchen.

This is in between the washer and dryer, have dryer sheets, stain stick, etc in top drawer and powder room/nice kitchen hand towels in the bottom 2 drawers.

It looks kinda messy, but it is nice to have something to stack things on!  First drawer, random bags for dry cleaning, toting things places, etc. Second drawer, ribbon, bows, gift tags.  Third drawer, beach towels.  Fourth drawer, gift bags.

Yes, I have to stand on the washer or dryer to get to any of this..  But I have to put this stuff somewhere!!

Great deals.  I really have been wanting some Martini Glasses.  So Sunday afternoon D$ brought me to Pier 1.  I got 8 of these stemless Martini glasses for $2 a piece.  These little white serving bowls were like a buck!!  SO I got all of this for:

 like $22!

They had a lot of glassware and serving pieces on MAJOR sale.

Go get you some!

I also realized I could serve dessert in these glasses too, I think it would be pretty!