Thursday, June 30, 2011
Double Chocolate Torte
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Serendipity!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Knock-Off Party
Knock-Off Party time! You can link up any knock-off from any home decor catalog. A few basic rules (more details here):
- the knock-off must be made by you
- please have a photo of the original item so we can compare
- please link back to me in your post (why? read this) If you like, just copy and paste this into your post: Partying @ Homebody
I love these candles from Pottery Barn.
However, even at the relatively reasonable price of $15, I still saw no need to spend that much…
In a previous post, I explained how I can use every single bit of my candles. I did the same thing here, using old candle wax, wicks from the craft store and a few shells that I already had.
Take the wax and put it in a microwave proof bowl.
In a perfect world, I would have had plain white wax for this project, but alas, it is not a perfect world. However, some of the wax was my favorite Tuscan Basil scent, so at least my imperfect world smells like Tuscany.
Microwave the wax in 30 second to 1 minute intervals, gently swirling the wax in between heatings. You will probably need to use a pot-holder to handle the bowl.
In the meantime, take the shells and prop them up/steady them. I used rice on a plate to support them so they don't tip over.
Since the bottom of the shell is curved, you might need to bend the wick at an angle when you place it in the shell.
Take the hot wax (carefully!) and dip the bottom of the wick in the wax to anchor it in place. Then pour in the wax into the shell. (Carefully!) (I warned you guys a couple of times that this is hot, hot, hot. Please be careful, and if you burn yourself please do not come crying to me, because I told you to be careful...mkay? Just sayin'.)
Let them sit and harden. Clean off/scrape away any wax that might have run onto the outside of the shell.
I wanted to use sand like the picture in the Pottery barn catalog, but unless I wanted to vacuum my car’s interior to try and get some leftovers from our last beach trip (which I didn’t) or go over to the beach (which I didn't) I opted to use sea-glass type filler instead.
It’ll work.
The best part? That they were pretty much free.
Give it a try. Cheap, easy, and it smells good too!
Monday, June 20, 2011
Tuesday's Tips and Tricks
Well, I've got a trick for that too.
I do buy leaner (90/10) ground beef when I'm going to make meatloaf, but that's still 10% fat.
I line the pan with foil, and then I scrunch up another piece of foil and set it in the bottom of the pan.
After I form the meatloaf, I set it on top of the scrunched foil.
As the meatloaf bakes, a lot of the fat drains off into the scrunched foil, while the meatloaf sits above it on top.
- share a tip that makes your life easier
- you must link back to me in your post
- link to your specific party post, and not your general home page
- please be polite and visit several other participants and leave a nice comment
- I reserve the right to delete entries that don’t link back to me or do not fit the party theme
Friday, June 17, 2011
Messy Fun: Oobleck
It's hours of fun.
My kids would still be out there if it weren't for the black thunderclouds that rolled in.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Parade of Homes: Current Family Room
Moving from the living room toward the back of the house, opposite the stairway, is a small hallway with the coat closet and the powder room.
Just beyond the little hallway is the family room. The back of the house gets full western sun, which makes it very warm in the afternoons. In the summer I keep the blinds closed in the pm, and we went ahead and installed a ceiling fan this year, despite the fact that it's a decorating no-no. Sometimes practicality wins out (and I don't think it looks too bad anyway).
I have once again used my mad photo-splicing skillz to give you a broader view of the room.
We have a gas fireplace; gas doesn't have quite the same ambiance as a crackling wood fire, but you can't beat the convenience of it. Just flip the switch...no dirty wood on the hearth, no ash to clean out.
As an aside, my family has never been able to figure out which room I'm talking about when I say "family room" or "living room". I'm not sure why...I've been calling them the same thing since we moved in three years ago, and it just doesn't seem that complicated. A couple of weeks ago Craig said he figured out how he could remember it: Family room/Fireplace. This from a man with a doctorate degree! Don't worry, he thinks it's funny too.
Almost everything in this room came from either a thrift store, garage sale, or craigslist. It's funny how looking at things in a new way can give you a new perspective. I've been kind of dissatisfied with this room for a little while; I guess I was just starting to get bored with it. But looking at these photos makes me realize that it's not so bad after all!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
Tuesday's Tips and Tricks: Donating to Thrift Stores
You all know that I love to hit the thrift stores, for everything from clothing to household goods to decorating stuff. But when those clothes have been grown out of, or I decide to change my decorating, I also donate to the thrift stores.
Make donating easier by keeping a clean trash can or box in the garage, lined with a trash bag. As you come across an item to donate, toss it in. When the bag is getting full, transfer it to your car and drop it off at the nearest thrift store next time you're out.
- share a tip that makes your life easier
- please link back to me in your post
- link to your specific party post, and not your general home page
- please be polite and visit several other participants and leave a nice comment
- I reserve the right to delete entries that don’t link back to me or do not fit the party theme
**Sorry, everybody...there were some issues with the thumbnail list, so I closed that one to new entries and opened a basic list.
Summer Plan Mini-Series: Fun Stuff
A year ago, I confessed that I am not naturally a fun mom. I’m very type A and really don’t like things to be messy or out of control. So last year I tried to plan a few out-of-the-ordinary activities for the kids and I’m taking a similar tactic this year. You won’t find anything wild and crazy here, but maybe just a few ideas to pull out of the hat when you’re desperate.
First is the Boredom Jar. This is not meant to be a punishment, but if I hear “I’m bored” I’m going to send them to the jar. They can either pull a stick and do that activity or decide that they are able to entertain themselves after all. Nothing too ground-breaking here; just some ideas to get them busy if they’re having trouble coming up with something to do.
- play a board game
- play solitaire
- read
- bake
- go to the playground
- write a story
- write a letter to nana/papa/aunt/uncle/friend
- play in the sprinkler
- build a fort
- put on a puppet show
- ride bike/scooter
- have a lemonade stand
- etc.
Like last year, we’ll go to the library once a week. We will also take advantage of some of the programs put on by the library, like movies and popcorn, the reading program, an event where kids can read to dogs, and so on.
The opening of our subdivision pool was delayed this year, but once that’s up and running we’ll be there
We may do a few surprise ice cream runs. After the kids are ready for bed, and when they aren’t suspecting it, we blow a whistle or bang a pot lid and yell “ice cream run!” and everybody piles into the van in their pajamas and we head to Sonic.
And since I’m a control freak, I’ll try to plan an activity once a week that would give me hives if it happened spontaneously. Last year we tie-dyed t-shirts. Some ideas I have for this year include a shaving cream fight, making oobleck, diet Coke and Mentos…um, I’ll need some help in this department. Maybe I’ll have the kids write a summer bucket list of things they’d like to do that I normally wouldn’t be too keen on.
Got any fun summer ideas?
Friday, June 10, 2011
Summer Plan Mini-Series: Rules and Consequences
I’ve got to admit that this one is more difficult for me. I’m good at making rules, but I’m not the best at doling out consequences. I tend to just get mad and make threats, which really isn’t doing anyone any good and will make for an unhappy summer. Hence the system; it lets everybody know what they’re supposed to do, including me.
Rules:
- no TV or screen time before noon
- morning chores (chore wheel, make bed, etc) need to be done by 9:00 am
- I will supervise chore sticks between 9-10:00 am
- no complaining
- no arguing/bickering
Consequences:
- if morning chores are not done by 9:00, no TV/screen time for the day
- if there are complaints about chores or being asked to do anything, pull a job from the complaint jar
- if two or more kids are bickering, they will do an activity together until they can do so pleasantly
For bickering, the offenders will pull one stick from either the complaint jar or the boredom jar (the boredom jar contains fun activities; more on that Monday). Then they will do that activity together. If they continue to argue, then they will continue pulling chores (only from the complaint jar this time) and working together until they can do it without conflict.
This method is untested in this household, so we’ll see how it goes. Making them work together could either be genius or a disaster. My hope is that after any of the consequences have been exacted a couple of times, the offending behavior will occur less and less frequently, ultimately leading to world peace.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Summer Plan Mini-Series: Kids’ Chores
Yesterday I worked on the chore plan. I’ve described our chore wheel before; we’ve been using it for almost three years and it will still be in effect for the summer. However, summer = more people at home all day = more mess, and since those people also have oodles of free time, I’m going to implement an additional chore plan for the summer.
Here’s what I’ve come up with:
- MON: kitchen
- TUE: bathrooms/vacuum stairs
- WED: dust/vacuum downstairs
- THU: dust/vacuum upstairs
- FRI: clean up mudroom
Kitchen:
- wash sliding doors
- sweep
- mop
- sort through papers/clean off end of counter
Bathrooms/vacuum stairs:
- vacuum and mop bathrooms
- polish all chrome in bathrooms and clean bathtub (cleaning the bathroom is a daily chore on the wheel, but the bathtub never gets the attention it needs)
- vacuum stairs (the most hated chore!)
Dust/vacuum downstairs:
- dust living room
- dust family room
- dust stair railing
- vacuum
For vacuum and dust upstairs, each child will do their own room, so no sticks. Similarly, for clean up mudroom, they will take care of their own belongings. On days that have more than three chore sticks, I’ll take a stick too.
Tune in tomorrow for the next installment!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Tuesday’s Tips and Tricks
{The credit for today’s tip goes to my friend Dixie.}
It’s summertime! Among other things, I love that there is an abundance of fresh, in-season fruit available at low prices. We are blessed to live in a time and country where we can get fresh produce year-round, but in the winter the prices are higher and the flavor isn’t as good.
So buy lots while it’s cheap in the summer, and freeze it for winter! No, this is not a new idea, and if you farm or garden or like to pick-your-own, you probably already do some version of this. But I know it had never occurred to me to freeze produce I got at the grocery store. I’m specifically talking about berries, because they are the easiest to freeze; other fruits like peaches and plums require peeling, slicing and a sugar syrup before you can freeze them (according to www.pickyourown.org).
For berries, just wash them (hull strawberries and slice if desired), then spread them in a single layer on a cookie sheet to freeze. Once frozen, put them in labeled freezer bags, get out as much air as possible and put them back in the freezer. Then in the winter when berries are $3-4 a pound, you can pull a bag out of the freezer. Toss some on your cereal, make a smoothie, bake a pie or cobbler, or add them to pancakes. Yum!
Got any favorite products, gadgets, recipes, shortcuts, or other tips? Link them up here!
- share a tip that makes your life easier
- please link back to me in your post
- link to your specific party post, and not your general home page
- please be polite and visit several other participants and leave a nice comment
- I reserve the right to delete entries that don’t link back to me or do not fit the party theme
Linky will close at 11:59 pm central Tuesday.
Last Day
Today is the last day of school. That means it’s the last day of quiet. But it’s also the first day of being able to sleep in, of not having to make school lunches, of not having scout or school activities, of afternoons at the pool…basically of just taking it easy. I’m a big fan of unstructured time.
I’m not a fan of chaos, however. So I’m going to let the kids decompress for a few days, while I work on some summer systems to implement. Some things I need to address:
- chores
- bedtimes
- how much tv time is allowed
- a reward/consequence system for complaining, arguing and other poor behavior
- a few planned activities
How do you handle summer? Is it a free-for-all around your house, or do you have a plan?