Subway Art- January

Subway Art is the new 'thing' to do and I decided to create my own! I made my own holder and am so excited to change it every month!! Here is the first months installment wishing in a New Year!!

Happy 2011!!!!

click on image and then right click to save to your computer

If you want different color just email me!! Hope you all have a great New Years!



Subway Art Holder

So sometimes I like to challenge myself in creating something with items I already have on hand instead of trying to find what I want for the price I want... doesn't happen much these days sadly. :( Anyway, how great it is to have the 'lightbulb' come on and just figure out how to make something work!!

I wanted to start making some subway art for each month of the year (check back to get each months!) and I wanted to have a way to display it without it taking up time or money each month (ie. tiles, blocks)- then it hit me- plastic page protectors! After, I had that flash of an idea I took off and here is my result. I am sure over the next year I might change it up, add embellishment or start a brand new one! It's that simple and easy with things just hanging around your house!! And this could work with any 8x8 picture you wanted to hang!


Materials Needed

1 page protector (you can get like 20 in a pack from the dollar tree)
1 8x8 piece of cardboard (this is opt. - if you printed your pic on cardstock or from a printer it is probably sturdy enough on its own- I just wanted to the extra strength)
Some string/ yarn/ ribbon- whatever you want to use to hang it
Picture to put in finished frame

Scissors, hot glue gun, and stapler

First cut the page protector to 8x8 (I sort of laid a sheet of paper over the top and cut it out)

Insert the cardboard into sleeve. (I used part of a Pop-Tarts box!)

Fold over the edge with the holes or trim it off ( I thought I might use the holes but didn't) OR use the holes as part of the decor from top or bottom or side!! Really the sky is the limit!

Hot glue or staple string/ribbon/yarn to edgese to hang (I put one in front and one in back so it wouldn't bow)

Insert picture and hang for all to see!!

Now that wasn't too hard right? You can do whatever you want with the protector, embellish it, add whatever- the possiblities are endless!!! oh I see some fun projects in my future using this basic frame!

Comment and let me know what you do to yours!

Oh and come back tomorrow to get the 2011 subway art I used as my print!

Have a Happy New Year!

Almost a New Year!

I have decided to become a little more organized in my blog postings so here is the new schedule for 2011!!

Mondays:

Talk of the Week or some inspiration message or thought

Wednesday:

Craft, tutorial, household tips, or anything that I come up with:)

Friday:

Recipe of the week

As I start yet another semester of college, I am keeping it simple for now. I hope to add in some book reviews and fun avtivities I do with my boys!!!

Hope you all have a GREAT New Years!! See you then!!!

DE's- liscious Cinnamon Rolls

Sorry for all the recipes in a row!! I promise that once my computer is up I will get more crafties stuff up too! Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!!

Our Christmas breakfast tradition has always been these yummy cinnamon rolls!! I bake them the day before and re-heat them on Christmas morning. After, we see what Santa has brought we eat these puppies as we start to unwrap presents!! I seriously could eat a whole batch of these... I try resisting... but they just call my name and they are just sitting RIGHT there... you know how it goes :)

These are good all year round so give a shot :)

DE's-licious Cinnamon Rolls

WARNING: These are so easy to make they call your name whenever a cold snap rolls through or you see the first snowflake- author holds no responsiblity for any baking rushes that occur due to the deliciousness and addicitive nature of rolls.

2 pkgs. dry active yeast (about 6 teaspoons)

2 1/2 cups warm water

1 pkg. white cake mix (or be creative)

4 1/2 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in water and let stand for 10 minutes. Beat in cake mix and three cups flour. Add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough forms. Knead for 6-8 mins. Place in greased bowl, cover with damp towel and let rise until doubled (about 30 min.) Deflate dough, cut in half, roll into rectangle. Spread butter or margarine on dough. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon. Roll up jelly roll style. Using sharp knife cut in two inch circles. Place in a greased 9X13 pan (or greased cookie sheet in a pinch). Let rise until doubled (about 30 min.) Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Glaze as you wish and resite taking a bite of the hot yumminess. The place burned fingers under cold water becuase you couldn't :)

Glaze:

Now there are many differnent cinnamon roll glazes and I use whatever one I have on hand:)

Powdered Sugar Glaze

Powdered Sugar

Milk or Orange Juice

Vanilla extract (opt)

Just mix together until you get the consitancy you like. A little liquid goes a long way with powdered sugar!

Frosting Glaze

1 can frosting, Cream Cheese (yummy), vanilla, again get creative!

Powdered sugar

milk

Again mix until you get the consistancy you like!

What is your favorite glaze??

Yummy Yummy Fudge

Yummy Yummy Fudge!!

Who doesn't like fudge? I mean it is soo creamy, chocolaty, sometimes nutty, all in one little cube!! I made this batch just the other night and hmmmm! Hope you enjoy it too!!!

Awesome Fudge

3 cups sugar

2/3 cup evaporated milk

3/4 cup margarine

1 12-oz pkg. chocolate chips (you can use what every flavor you want!!)

1 jar marshmallow creme (am I the only one that just wants to eat it strait from the can?)

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup nuts (opt.)

Cook sugar, milk, and margarine over medium heat. Bring to boil and while STIRRING CONSTANTLY let boil for 5 min. Remove from heat and add chips, vanilla, marshmallow creme, and nuts (if desired) Whip until gloss is gone and pour into a GREASED 9 x13 pan. Let cool completly - the hardest part! . Cut into desired shapes and eat!! YUMMY!!

One of the funnist things about fudge is how creative you can be! Try crushed peppermint, or a vairety of nuts, even different extracts! The sky is the limit! Commennt with your favorite variation! :)

Hope you all have a wonderful Holiday!!!

Fun Christmas Stars

I made these with my girls for Activity Days last week and they turned out soo cute!! I got the idea from here and I tweaked for us!

First- trace, use a word program, a cute cutter or anything you want to make 6 stars all the same size and shape. The tutorial used scrapbook paper- we just used white printer paper.

Color your paper (if you use white like we did! 

Cut out the cute stars- then cut a slit between two points right to the middle of the star. Do this to all 6.

Glue the points together forming a 4 point little funny star.

Repeat with all 6.

Next glue the two yellow stars together using ONE point. 

Next, add a blue star by glueing TWO points to the yellow star bundle.

Now this is the important step. Glue another star by two points to the opposite side of the yellow star bundle.

Add the next star by glueing THREE points.

(Don't know where my pics of these steps went too.. please ask if this is confusing!)

You are left with the last star to glue in place by all FOUR points.

Poke a hole in the top, string a ribbon, and viola! a beautiful star for your tree!

Tip: if using white paper use glue sticks or your get curly points on your stars :)

Cute Easy Nativity Blocks!

Okay computer is still down, but I had to post this adorable set of Nativity cards that I used for Nativity Blocks! My little boy is really enjoying the nativity this year and so here is our creation! Thanks to Latter- Day Chatter for the cards!! You can buy them here

I downloaded the Nativity cards and the Nativity Mix up game

Printed them out and mod podged them to the blocks! 

 Simple- Easy - CUTE!! Enjoy!

Computer Virus

So.. I was doing my school work yesterday and BAM my computer got hit by a virus! I don't know how long I will be offline- terrible timing its finals week for me! But hopefully I will be back soon!!! But just in case,

Happy Holidays!!

Look what showed up on my doorstep....

any guesses???

my new TV!!!

 I am soo excited! This is the biggest purchase we have made since we were married almost 4 years ago! Happy Anniversary to me!! :)

The Best Pumpkin Cake w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

As I might have mentioned before, I am not a fan of pumpkin pie but I LOVE pumpkin! O here is a great recipe that is soo moist and uber yummy with the cream cheese frosting!! MMM mmm!

Pumpkin Cake

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups pumpkin

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

2 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

Mix together eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Pour into a large greased cookies sheet or jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degres for 20 min. Cool completely and frost with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting 

1/2 cup butter

3 oz. cream cheese

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups powedered sugar

Beat together until smooth. Spread on cold cake:)

Then you can eat it!!! YUMMY!!!

This has also been posted on 9X13 where you can pick up a recipe card :)

Household Tip- Bathrooms

Okay if any of you are like me I HATE (did I mention hate?) cleaning the bathrooms! It just seems to take forever and its my least favorite household chore. So one thing I do to make things easier is this.

Do you get that awful cramp in your back, legs, arms, neck and shoulders when you are trying to scrub the bathtub? I did until I realized this:

USE THE TOILET BRUSH!

Yep! I use the toilet brush (before I clean the toilets) and it is wonderful! A little AJAX and that brush gets busy! The bristles are great for getting all the gunk off and voila! A nice shiny clean tub! So this part is not so bad... but I still don't like doing bathrooms!

What are your bathroom cleaning tips? I could use all the advice I can get!!

Also, whats your hated household chore?