# 10 Cans

I love Mod Podge. I was so excited to find Xazmin at This is the Year. She had this awesome idea to meet once a month at her blog and link up our Mod Podge projects. Now I have a chance to share my #10 can idea. This past Christmas I was looking for something to make for my families presents. I have a plethora of # 10 cans. Coffee cans and smaller cans will also work. You can buy new lids for the #10 cans. Pictured below are Memory cans. I placed a package of 3x5 cards and pens in each can. So when somebody says or does something cute at your house you write it down and put it into the can. You can read all the cards at New Years or many times throughout the year.

This one was a baby gift. I cut a hole in the top so that she could stuff grocery sacks into it and use them to wrap up messy diapers for disposal. Sort of a affordable diaper genie. I put a baby outfit inside of it when I gave it to her. So, it doubled as gift bag

I just made these. One is a memory can for myself another is a cookie jar.

The possibilities are endless. Cookie jar, gift can, time capsule for all your babies treasures, flower pot, piggy bank, fill with candy for a friend, fill with can of soup and other things for someone who is sick and the list could go on. The project is easy enough for Grand kids to make Grandma one for Mother's day.

Where did it go?

Wednesday already! Every Wednesday Amber at { ae filkins } asks all those who are trying the best to get healthier a question we then answer that question on our own blogs and link to her. It is a great way to connect to and support one another.

I think this is week three for me. I didn't want to, but I got on the scale today. Holy Cow I am down 2 lbs! At first I was thrilled, but now I am convinced that I only misplaced 2 lbs. or I could of left it in the pants I wore yesterday. They were a little tight it could have just gotten stuck. I just know it's waiting for me somewhere around the corner. I haven't made giant steps, but I have been taking my kids on walks every day and I make excuses to go up on down my stairs at home. I haven't had desert with every meal. Seriously, I would have breakfast desert. That's not desert for breakfast it's desert after breakfast. I LOVE BAKING!


This week I have to focus on intense exercise. I love running on the treadmill I just have got to work into the schedule.

I have found this cool link to a Yoga blog. They post a new Yoga video everyday.

Today's question is a request for a healthy recipe.

This is a freezer meal recipe from Meals for a Month Linda Larsen
Fish and Shrimp in Parchment
4 (6-ounce) frozen fish fillets
2 cups med. frozen uncooked shrimp
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups frozen sugar snap peas (you can use any frozen veg.)
2 Tbl. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp dried marjoram

Four pieces 14"x10" pieces of foil or parchment paper. Place one frozen fish fillet in center of each piece and top with shrimp. Place sliced lemons on top. Sprinkle with garlic and top with veg. Drizzle each with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and marjoram.

Fold sides of foil around fish and veg. Seal with a double fold. If you are freezing for later use wrap again with freezer paper, label and freeze.

Otherwise thaw and cook at 450 degrees for 18 -25 min. until shrimp are pink and curled, fish flakes easily with fork. I usually just cook it from frozen for 25 min. until it tests done.

Thrifty is nifty

I love Trash to Treasure Tuesday at Reinvented. If you haven't joined or at least looked do so today. I got so excited after my last Trashy post that I went right to the local thrift store and searched for my gems. Here they are: a green wire basket, wooden planter boxes, copper planter and a gumball machine. I ruined the wooden planters so they will have to be revised and shown next week. I didn't get to the copper planter another next weeks project.

As for the green basket(75 cents), it is now...
A black wire basket. I painted some quart jar rims black screwed them on the jars and filled them with craft supplies. It is going to look awesome on my desk. I might even mod podge some paper on the lid centers. Now for the gumball machine. Drum roll please.......

I put gumballs in it. Who would have thought of that, but an absolute genius! HGTV here I come.




Don't forget Man Craft Monday May 11th.

Is it worth the dollar?

I don't know if you have were able to catch this article. I thought it was good and I thought the comments were helpful at the end of the article. Dollar store where the deals are. msn.com

Having an Etsy account has been an up and down ride. Not fun like a roller coaster, a bit nauseating like a drive on a winding road. Then low and behold a sell. I was so excited I made a matching Giraffe (I know it looks like a quarter house. You can find a lovely tutorial on Make it and Like it) and included a handwritten note. I get get to the UPS store product in hand and a smile on my face. The cute gal behind the counter smiles back and says "that will be $15.00 please." Are you kidding me! I quickly ran to the post office. Where I payed $4.95 to mail for first excited sale that ended up costing me.

There are a lot of wonderful Etsy accounts of there. Go ahead and visit whenever you can. I will link a few soon.

Polished do.

This is not what I had originally planned to post, but last night my dear sweet 4 year old(the same one who tied my ankles together at church) wanted to paint her fingernails. So, while I was at our front door with a friend she got the polish and well lets let the photo do the talking.

Wikipedia suggests baby oil to get it out, but was almost certain you wouldn't need it. It suggests that after the polish dries it should slide out. It didn't slide out. Last resort, non-acetone nail polish remover. That didn't work either. I stopped trying after she complained it was burning her scalp.




Oh dear, this is honestly what I deal with almost daily.
Just saw the babies hair this morning. Ahhhhhhh.

Come back later to day for a whole new post.

Ruin your cake and eat too.

I love making cakes for friends and family. Creating something that reflects a bit of who they are makes me feel great. Unfortunately my daughter's 4th birthday had been a bit stressful. I had made cake pops for her friend party, so I was a bit caked out. My plan was to bake a chocolate cake from scratch and to decorate with as many sprinkles, sparkles and wild party things I could find. When it came time to dump the cake out of the pan, I found that I had forgotten to flour the pan after I greased it. Both round cakes came out in about 3 pieces each. I put them back together and hoped they would glue back together while they cooled. They didn't, as I tried to put the pieces on the cake plate it just got worse. I thought about throwing away the pieces of failure and run to the store 15 minutes before the guests arrived and pay $20 + to save my dignity. Then I remembered I didn't have $20 or dignity, so I would make due.

Yep, it's a bowl cake. I just tore the cake into bite sized pieces. Tossed it into a bowl, heated the frosting in the microwave, then drizzled it over the cake. I added the sprinkles to partify the cake. I thought it tasted yummy. My family thought I had tried a new recipe and they liked it.

Don't ever except failure!

Update

This post is part of the next post. As I thought about my wrapping a cereal treat idea, I thought, I really need to try it. So here it is and honestly I think it makes a very sweet treat. Ha ha. It does make a fun thoughtful treat for anyone. For a birthday, have a better day, I am thinking of you, sorry for not visiting you, and all other occasions. If I had a cute stamp or something I think it would look perfect. If you are wondering the treat is Captain Crunch.

I really have to say one more time that this is great for anyone at anytime. I remember as a kid getting treats at Christmas time and the ones that were package pretty always tasted better.

Think outside the cereal box

Most everyone loves Rice Krispie treats. So why stop at the original. Go crazy and use any cereal you have and love. Also, there is no need to go by a whole box of something unless you need a lot of treats. Use what you have and adjust the recipe. You can use a couple of Tbl. of butter, 20 or so marshmallows and 4 cups of cereal.

Pictured below, is Trix Treats. I had a variety of treats on a plate and these were the first to go. You could cut a large square of these and wrap it in cellophane tie with a brightly colored ribbon. Bam, you have a little gift for a friends birthday, a treat for a shower, a surprise for your kids and much more. Add sprinkles or stack a few like a layered cake and decorate.

On the plate is cocoa puffs treats, Reeses Treats, Cherrios with mini M&Ms, Cornflake treats with chocolate chips, Trick Treats. Don't let the shape hold you down either. Roll them in balls, cut with cookie cutters or press into molds. Stick a stick in them, just go crispie crazy. Visit the Krispie homepage for fun idea's with Rice Krispies.

I did it!

Don't ever give up. Try, try again. I got the socks out one more time. Setting the machine to zig zag did the trick.

Be sure to stretch the sock out as you sew.

Finish the ribbon ends with fray check or burn them,

Cute feet not included. Hot glue clip to present topper and there you have a matching bow and sock set.

Good idea's gone wrong

I love going to the dollar store and finding fun things to glue to clips for my daughters. I found these present toppers and I love them. They come with matching ribbon, so I thought I would sew them onto socks. Great idea, however, I am not the best seamstress in the world and I could just not make them work. I am still posting the idea, because I think it can work and would be so very cute.

Me Make Over and skinny legs

Oh boy, I can't believe a week has gone by and it is time for another Me Make Over Question. Today's question is: Share some of the music that you work out to. What helps you rock it!? What gets your blood pumpin? It is not even a hard question and I am having a hard time answering it. I listen to anything I can get on the radio. I have one of those MP3 Players and I don't know how to use it. It has been 2 years and I just can't figure it out.

I started my blog so that I could share some of my tips and such. Here is one to help lower the fat content in chicken drumsticks. They are usually priced low and they are super tasty as well as kid friendly. All it takes are drumsticks, paper towels, glass dish or freezer bag and marinade.

Hold large meat end in your hand while peeling back skin with the paper towel.



Remove skin from towel and discard. You can use the same towel several times.

Place in bag or dish. Add marinade. Refrigerate or freeze. When ready grill, bake or broil.

Talking trash

First, I have an announcement. After reading a comment from a male blogger on another blog, I have decided to host Man Craft Monday! Here on every second Monday of the month. So during the next couple of weeks have the men you know take pictures of what they have been making regardless if it is cooking, wood working, jewelery, paper craft or anything else. Post it on their blog or your blog. Just remember to come back here and link up for all to see. Now, I just have to figure out Mr. Linky. I hope is not a complicated fellow.

Man Craft Monday May 11!

That leaves me with my entry for Kimm at Reinvented Tuesday's Trash to Treasure. I was given these little plastic gold frames that were destined for the thrift store. I have had them for quite some time. I painted them white, bought white mattes and used them to frame left over birthday invitations that I had bought 8 for a dollar at Michaels.

I may paint them pink so that the white mattes will stand out. Then again, I just might leave them and move on.

This next project I could just kick myself for not taking a before picture. It was an ugly wood bench. I walked by it several times. It wasn't until I got a block away from the thrift store that I had an idea of what I could do with it. By the time I got back to the store I was so excited I could have popped(so funny I had just typed two 0's and one p). It was $5.

I painted it white and added the tulle on the ends. There where two holes that just looked plain awkward on each end. I think it will be perfect in my daughter's room with the little pictures.

Mother's day deal

I love FamilyFun Magazine. I love it for Mom's, kids and Grandma's. In fact I give it as gift's for friends and my niece every year. I found a link with great deal for Mother Day! Click on the picture below. Order four subscriptions for $5 each.

Check back later today for Tuesday's Trash to Treasure.

Kid Food

I always told if I fed my kids what we ate at a young age, they would be good eaters. That was not true for my family. They are typical kids, who are picky about food. We they eat the basic kid cuisine including: Mac & Cheese, plain noodles, things served on a stick, grilled cheese(no crust), occasionally peanut butter & jelly (they love uncrustables/jams) and lately stuffed shells. When I made the stuffed shells I had them help me pour, mix and stuff. When I served it for dinner I reminded them that they made it. They tried it and loved it. Another way we get them to eat, is to play an exhausting game of don't it that bite. I will help them get a bite of something on their fork, then I say don't eat my bite. I continue to tell them not to eat while I look away or act distracted. They giggle and eat it. I then make a big deal about it and get them another bite and continue until most everything is gone.

This is my latest concoction. Mozzarella stuffed Lasagna noodles. We had this with our little friends. They all loved it, but one little guy. He just didn't like the cheese. It was easy and something new for their little tummies.

We love to serve Campbell's chicken noodle soup with Cinnamon rolls for lunch play dates. You can use frozen, refrigerated and homemade.

Storage and a useful book

One of my many goals is to become organized. Having less makes keeping it in order so much easier. Convincing kids that having less is better is not easy. I purchased an 18 gallon bin for each child to help them kids sort and organize their things they wish to hold on to. Once it is filled they have to throw away enough items to make room for more items. It is there choice what to keep and what to toss, as long as it fits in the bin. The folder goes in the bin to hold any pictures, notes and other paper items they wish to keep.

I love this book. It has great parenting and organization tips. I will read this one again.

Hello kitty! Good bye sanity.

I am one tired gal. I held a birthday party for my daughter who will be 4 tomorrow. We had 10 attending the grand event. Party planning is much harder than I had anticipated. I didn't have anything to break the pinata with, the games went to fast and the older girls were noticeable bored. All in all, it was a great party. I attempted to make Hello Kitty Cake Pops, idea courtesy of Bakerella. Ohhhhh my, make the headache stop. These little puppies, excuse me, little kitties are not easy to make. Simply finding a black edible marker is hard enough. Just when I thought I was getting it, one of the blasted little heads would fall off or get stuck to another. Worst yet, a whole foam block of them fell over. Some of them turned out pretty well. I used black decorators gel instead of the marker. It would go on thin enough to make whiskers.

Hey, who invited the chicken?

Why so sad kitty?

I found at Wal Mart a pin the tail on the donkey kit for only 97 cents. It was a great find. I am so glad it's over and I will now finish my bowl of microwave rubber rice.

Yummy and Easy

Maybe this isn't the best timing for this post. Yesterday I posted about eating better and exercising. Today I post a dessert. Don't leave me yet, this is a lower fat version.

My sister-in-law brought this to a family reunion. It was so delicious.

You will need:

Brownies 13 x9 pan(I used brownie edge pieces)

Cool Whip 16 oz.(I used 8 oz.)

Prepared Chocolate pudding Large box (I used small)

You can cut this recipe in half. Really you can adjust any of the ingredients in the recipe. Instead of a pan of brownies, I saved all the edges from previous brownie parties in the freezer and broke them up to add to this awesome dessert. I know some people actually like to eat the edges, not me too dry. It doesn't matter in this dessert, the pudding makes everything okay.

I didn't have a pretty glass dish so I used a glass casserole pan. Layer all ingredients until they are gone. Cover and refrigerate over night for best results. This could also be made in pretty wine glasses.

I used light cool whip, fat free could be used. When making the pudding I used skim milk. Brownies off course are just wonderful brownies I didn't change the recipe. I am not cray you know. Okay, maybe a little.

Warning: this dessert is so very good!

My second week

Being only my second week, I haven't lost any weight and I haven't stumbled upon a weight loss secret. I did however weigh my self for the first time in a long time. I quickly jumped of the relieve the pressure from Mr. Scale. I am glad I know where I am at. I now need to know where I am going. I have decided that my goal is 15 lbs. in 3 months. That should be more than enough time. The how is up in the air. I have to stop trying to find the perfect hour and just go for the 10 minute increments I can find to exercise.

This weeks Me Make Over question is: What are you going to do this week to get yourself back on track?? This week I am going to stay busy with my organizational and cleaning goals. I will have healthy prepared snacks to keep me from eating too much of the wrong stuff. Oh how I love the wrong stuff. I will make a conscious effort to add 10 minute of exercise every couple hours.

Giving it my best

You may have noticed the Etsy shop thing- a-ma-bob on my sidebar. That me, I'm MiniMoo Designs. I have been feeling a bit lost. A little missy without an identity. A couple of weeks ago I went to a baby shower where my husbands Aunt showed me these cute baby wipe containers. I went home and made a few. I absolutely enjoyed doing it. I wanted so much to make more. I started asking around to see if there would be any interest in buying one. While talking to a friend she explained that she wanted something to replace her Ziplock bag that she currently was keeping her diapers and wipes in. I thought a bit and altered my design to include a diaper attachment. I was having a hard time keeping my excitement to my self. It would build each time I designed a new case.

I have, in the past week, gone from excited to discouraged and back again. I imagine as I go for with MiniMoo Designs I will be met with more excitement and discouragement. I hope that I don't let the discouragement hold me back, because I really feel that I am on to something.

I challenge everyone to do something you have been putting off due to fear. Get it done my friends.

I will not make brownies!

I will not make brownies, I will not make brownies. This Me Make Over is so hard. I will not make brownies! How do you handle cravings?

A bit tied up

Attending a church meeting with three children is never easy. Attending a church meeting on a sugar filled Easter Sunday is even more challenging. Early in the meeting I felt my 4 year old daughter playing around my ankles, I ignored it because she was playing so quietly. After about 20 minutes all three were acting up to the point my husband took our 5 year old son out into the hall. As soon as he stood up to leave our 18 month old daughter began to scream. She wanted to go with him. I couldn't calm her down so I asked the 4 year to help me clean up our belongings so that we could join her dad in the hall. Well, she didn't want to leave, so she joined in with the screaming. With a red faced huff, I picked them both up and took one giant step towards the door only to find my daughter had not been playing sweetly at my feet. She had tied them together!

Much fun, almost too late.

I wish I had this awesome egg decorating kit as a kid. It was so cool. My 4 & 5 year old were even able to have just as much fun as I did. The results were some of the best dyed eggs I have ever seen.

The would look even better if my camera would give me all it had and more and zoom in on the little puppies.

Keep your eye out for this kit next year. I wonder if I bought it on clearance if it would keep for a year?

Eggcellent Effort

I have been a little behind on Easter projects this year. Okay, I am a little behind on all my projects. Anyway, I found these egg Dioramas in Family Fun Magazine. They were so cool. I thought my kids and their friend would love to make them. What a bad idea. I started too late and the kids made such a mess. I finally gave up on the last colored layers and just started adding full sheets for the middle part. Even though they weren't completely finished...

They turned out pretty darn cute. Look how cute the colored paper is on inside. Next year I will remember that bigger is not better and just use the 7 inch balloons. The kids had a blast! Our cute little friend kept calling the paste gravy. So funny.