Peppermint Foot Soak

Now that I shared our homemade canine treats & toys, here's one of the people gifts:

Peppermint Foot Soak

This is a great all natural beginner project using essential oils.

Ingredients:

1 cup epsom salt

1 cup Himalayan pink sea salt

10-15 drops peppermint essential oil (therapeutic grade)

Add the essential oil to the epsom salt in a glass bowl and mix well.  Layer the epsom salt and then Himalayan salt in jars to create a candy cane effect:) 

I chose to follow this recipe, gathered my supplies...

I found the jars at the $ Store & they held approx 1 1/2 cups.

...and layered in jars:)

I found the Himalayan pink salt at Sprouts in the bulk section.

 

With Baby M's arrival, (more to come!) I ran out of time to make uber cute tags, thus my cheesy print outs pasted to a random sheet of red card stock...sigh...just thankful they got finished!!!

I heart the peppermint sticks & white sweater trim:)

Up next, homemade hot chocolate sticks & marshmallows!!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Tiffany

Gluten Free, Homemade Hamburger Helper

I recently came across a fellow natural Mom sharing a recipe for a homemade, real food version of hamburger helper & was intrigued- I've never actually had hamburger helper but knew people resorted to such for ease & low cost...

...however, the ingredient list for such convenience is frightening!

Enter a homemade, real food version:

Ground beef
Salt and pepper
Onion
Garlic
Tomato sauce
Mustard
Pasta
Cheddar cheese

  This ingredient list was simple & I could tell would make a "pound stretcher", one pot meal evoking fall comfort so I gave it a try today:)

Ready in under 30 minutes, this makes an excellent weeknight, family friendly meal, sure to please & I made mine GF!

Homemade Cheeseburger Helper

1 lb. ground beef
½ tsp. salt (I used more salt)
1 tsp. black pepper
1 clove minced garlic (or ¼ tsp. garlic powder)
½ onion, chopped fine (or 2-3 tsp. onion flakes)
1 ¼ c. tomato sauce
1+ tablespoon yellow mustard
1 ¾ cups water (I added a tad more water)
2 ½ cups short pasta, any shape (I used GF penne)

 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Instructions:

• Brown the beef in a large skillet with the salt, pepper, garlic, and onion. 
• Drain the fat and add the tomato sauce and mustard, stirring gently. 
• Add the pasta and water, and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes until the pasta is cooked, stirring occasionally. 
• Turn off the heat, stir in the cheese, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve!

 

I coupled this entree with sauteed summer squash & it was perfect:)

This recipe is included in the Better Than A Box cookbook that I'm  hoping to acquire:)

Hope you enjoy,

Tiffany

DIY Citrus Infused Vinegar

I recently saw where a fellow Mom was infusing her plain ol' distilled vinegar before incorporating it into her homemade, natural house cleaners...

...so I decided to try it today!

 

I pushed strips of orange peel into an old juice jar & topped up with my handy dandy distilled vinegar- the solution needs to steep for a week or two and can then be used:)

*Vinegar is not recommended for use on granite, marble & tile.

Enjoy adding some zest to your natural cleaning power:)

Thanks for stopping by,

Tiffany

Homemade Piggy Crayons

In preparation for Livy's 3rd birthday, which will arrive in just 6 short weeks (aaahhhh!), I made another "to do" list with specifics, outlining exactly what I need to work on...since it was getting a bit fuzzy:)

Task 1: Make Piggy Crayons.

Yes, we're doing a fun farm theme for Peanut's birthday this year & I can't wait!  I recently confided in Sweet Stamper that I could happily plan a farm party every year!  There's so many ideas & fun things to do with decor, activities, games....sigh.  And as much as I want to do almost all of them, I'm having to temper my creativity with practicality- we're in the midst of a move.  Need I say more?  Oh, and my little M's are wild.  That about sums it up!

So, back to the crayons.  I made a decision to forego the typical treasure laden goody bags this year due to cost, time, and lifestyle convictions and opted for something more "old fashioned"- a simple handmade favor, thanking guests for attending.  There's a growing trend towards simplicity in party favors and I was instantly drawn to it, leaving more time for cake decorating, game construction, decor etc...yippee!

I hatched a plan to make piggy crayons (think Pinterest helped inspire this project...), picked up a candy mold from Amazon and some crayons at Hobby Lobby with my 'handy dandy' coupon and set to work finding a good tutorial....that helps when you don't actually know what you're doing:)

I looked at several tutorials and then just decided to jump in as there was a lot of variance in technique.

First, Livy helped me sort the crayons into colors and then I took a knife (exacto works well too) and sliced along the wrapper- this allows the wrappers to come right off, vs digging & scraping for millions of hours:)

 

Next I took a clean sour cream container, placed the crayons (broken into pieces) inside and microwaved until melted.

TIP: I used a 'handy dandy' chop stick to stir the crayons- "green" & free!

My first batch wasn't hot enough which I discovered as I began to pour lumpy wax into my molds- I was petrified that the wax would explode in the microwave and thus erred on the conservative side...

The next batch was heated more thoroughly, allowing a cleaner entry into the molds and a nicer appearance once cool:)

Practice makes perfect and on & on until I had piggies in multiple colors.  I didn't clean out the container after each color as I was fine with some shade contrast & streaks- I've come a long way.

TIP: Due to my little M's getting antsy, I rushed in taking several rounds of crayons from the mold and discovered they lost some of their luster.  The pigs allowed to cool more completely in the mold look a bit nicer but oh well.  They're done!

Livy tried out one of the initial 'duds' and was thrilled!  She did request some chocolate piggies too though...how did she know that was next on my list?!!!

Project Costs:
Candy Mold: $5.99
Crayons: $1.58 ($5.40 for 192- I only used 56 to make 35 pigs)
Total: $7.57

I plan to include 3 pigs in each favor bag & I'm making 10 favors=  $0.14 per favor, minus the cost of the mold.  I'll be using the same pig mold to make the chocolate pigs, maximizing my investment:)

Thanks for stopping by & stay tuned for more party details & homemade projects,
Tiffany

Rice Pilaf with Currants & Pine Nuts

Here at the Ricardo's we eat our fair share of rice and while basic white rice is versatile, I like to vary things...  And since we're in the midst of moving, I'm seriously tackling every item in our pantry, fridge & freezer, searching for creative way to not waste anything!

This recipe was a staple when "Ricky" & I first got married but for some reason it got pushed to the back of my mind and I haven't made it in ages...until today!  Enjoy!

Rice Pilaf with Currants & Pine Nuts
(adapted from Cooks Illustrated)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Basmati or Long grain white rice
1 1/2 tsp salt
Pepper to taste
2 1/4 cups water
3 tbsp butter or olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped finely
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Turmeric
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dried currants
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Here are some step by step instructions:

 1. Place the rice in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and cover with water; drain the water and repeat until the water run clear, 4 to 5 times.

Tip: Yes, this step really is important as it rinses excess starch from the rice:)

 

2. Place butter (or olive oil) in medium, heavy bottomed saucepan, heat over medium heat until shimmering and then add onion (I used red this time & really like it).

"Sweat" (soften) the onions for approx 4 minutes but ensure they don't brown.

3.  Next, add the Cinnamon, Turmeric & garlic and saute for 1 min until the spices have "bloomed" and become very fragrant.

Set your 'handy dandy' electric kettle to boil at this point.

4. Add the rice back to the pot and combine gently with the onion & spice mixture- I prefer wooden spoons to metal/plastic.

Stir frequently for approx 3 minutes- notice the rice grains will turn translucent.

 5. Place salt & pepper in a measuring cup, top with 2 1/4 cups boiling water and pour into pot with the rice, swirling to distribute evenly.

Tip: Avoid stirring with a utensil as this draws unwanted starch from the rice making it more clumpy!

6. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, cover and reduce heat to low.  Cook for 16-18 minutes.

7. Remove the lid and place a clean kitchen towel around it.  Pour the currants over the rice (don't stir!), return the lid and steam, off the heat for 10 minutes.  No pic, sorry:(

8. Remove the lid, add the toasted pine nuts and gently fork/toss to combine! 

Tip: Never toasted pine nuts? Place them in a dry skillet over medium heat and toast for a few minutes, checking often, until fragrant and golden:)

FYI...

 If you don't have fresh garlic on hand, Penzeys has solved your predicament with their dried minced garlic- simply add a bit of water to reconstitute for approx 1 minute and add to your recipe as needed:)  I received this as a free item in one of my Penzeys orders and have used it a lot!

Warning: this rice is very addictive, especially if it's left out, so I recommend serving it immediately or portioning it out for your husband's lunch, the way I did!

Thanks for stopping by,

Tiffany

DIY Rice Therapy Pillow

I'm so glad to be sharing this with you today- I loved how this project turned out:)

That's me feeling chuffed after finishing these at O dark thirty one night...and yes, I am often running around in one of Ricky's old shirts, sans maekup these days...sigh.

So, after scrounging online for specifics on dimensions/materials/design for rice pillows, I came to the conclusion that this is based on personal preference:)  So, I chose a natural linen for the pillow and then made a removable cover from cotton &/or flannel.

There were ALL kinds of contradicting info on what to use as a filler too- I chose rice with the condition that I kept it in the freezer for 3 wks before using and recommended to recipients to store their pillows in the freezer, avoiding any potential 'bug' issues.  The filler can be scented with essential oils but I opted not to- the 'naked' rice evokes a nuttiness when warmed that I find quite pleasant and also keeps it neutral:)

First I made a small "boo boo" pillow for dear friend, Sylvia and found a funnel very helpful for filling approx 3/4 full; I didn't notate my dimensions for this (surprise, surprise!) but I believe it was approx 5x7 inches (minus seam allowances).

 




Then I set out to make neck pillows for Granddaddy & Chef Timmy, approx 16x6 (minus seam allowances)- I made the pillow the same size as the cover and had no problem fitting them together, as I wanted a snug fit:)

For the neck pillows, I filled just 2/3 so the rice could spread & conform more comfortably:)

 For Chef Timmy's pillow, I got very creative and made one side cotton and the other flannel.  This seemed appropriate since the pillow can be used for hot or cold therapy!  Flannel for the hot and cotton for the cold...we'll see if he can figure that out:)

This lovely polka dot cotton print is one of the fat quarters from the Stampin' Up! Essentials Designer set and it matched my random flannel plaid beautifully!

There are lots of tutorials online for this project- I found this one helpful:)

These therapy pillows make lovely gifts and can be made in countless shapes & sizes- have fun!

Thanks for looking,

Tiffany

Homemade Vapo Rub

I did it.  Yes, I made homemade vapo rub but I also assumed I would never need to make this:(  After a fabulous family vacation last week, it would appear that my little Ms picked up a cold/virus en route home.

Well, it's actually a toss up between the health hazards of traveling and a visit to Chick-fil-A that occurred within the next 24 hrs.  Since I'm still doing laundry from yesterday as a result of Jonah emptying his stomach twice after hacking his little lungs to pieces, and I'm rather sleep deprived from multiple nights of being up every hour and emotionally drained from seeing my little champion suffer, I would like to digress for just a moment to make a very heartfelt appeal:

Please don't take your sick child out!!!  And if you absolutely have to, don't take them to a Chick-fil-A play area!!!

I work hard to keep my little Ms home while ill, avoiding other germs as well as endeavoring to keep others from an unwanted transferal...so when I go out with them, I've foolishly been expecting other parents to be just as responsible/conscientious.  Obviously, to no avail.

On the flight home, I heard a toddler hacking directly behind us- I understand things happen while away, so ok.  However, while in Chick-fil-A the next day, I heard a 2 y/o girl hacking horribly and then her Dad brought her into the play area!  I had one of those "Mom" moments where you want to run in & save your kid but I opted to be polite and allowed Livy to play with the little girl for a few measly minutes, then whisked her out and swabbed her hands with sanitizer...  The sick child's father informed me that they had just been to swim class!  Really?  Come on, people!  I understand that living in South Texas is the allergy capital of the U.S. but having some experience as a Respiratory Therapist, I could tell this kiddo was sick.  Ergo, stay home!

So, ALL of that (thanks for letting me vent for a moment...or two) to say that I made homemade vapo rub...and love it!  I originally saw the recipe here and took her advice to be conservative in the addition of essential oils- I then went back and added a bit more.

Homemade Vapo Rub Recipe:
3 Tbsp Coconut Oil, melted
3-5 drops Tea Tree Oil
6-10 drops Rosemary oil

Result:  Livy slept better, coughing less and the rub seemed to act as an expectorant for Jonah, resulting in a vast improvement in his cough.  I placed the rub on Jonah's feet with socks too.  And the kids didn't mind having this warm liquid slathered on their chests/feet= bonus!





So, while I pray you don't need to make this, if you do, this is way better & way cheaper than the commercial stuff!  Now back to cuddling my little Ms and sorting more laundry:)

Tiffany

DIY Bath Tea Bags

So here is another handmade gift that was included in the Christmas hampers: bath tea bags:)

I got my inspiration from here and then just ad libbed a bit...big surprise:)

First things first, what to use as a pouch- so many options and though I wanted to sew my own, due to time constraints, I opted for the Melitta heat & seal bags (got mine at HEB)- they're disposable (cringe) but also made from unbleached & bio degradable material.

Next I bought some organic hibiscus tea (from here of all places!), Epsom salts that included peppermint essential oil and baking soda (aids with hard water) and mixed it up (approx 1:1 ratio) in a glass bowl- avoid plastic as it absorbs scents.

Why this recipe?

Hibiscus: full of antioxidants, vitamin C and evokes a sense of renewal & pampering.
Peppermint: aids in mental alertness, soothes tired muscles, relieves headaches, nourishes dull skin, improves blood circulation & immunity, just to name a few!

Next I spooned the tea into the bags, folded over and sealed with my handy dandy iron on the cotton setting.  The filled tea bags were piled into an array of glass jars, ready for their recipients!

I attached handmade tags with simple instructions to steep for 5 mins, soak & enjoy!  On Christmas morning, once unwrapped, Mr. "Cue" mentioned he might just try them as they smelled so good:)

Planning on making some for me now and experimenting with different combinations:)

Thanks for looking,
Tiffany

Chili & Cinnamon Carrots

When fall finally peeks through the hot summer temps, I'm ready to cook something different...like chili:)  This is also when I tend to take a look at my spice cabinet to see what is lacking which would result in a highly enjoyable activity: placing a Penzeys order!  Few things seem to excite me as much as ordering spices, especially when there's always a free surprise in the box:)

So, this afternoon, as Jonah napped and Livy played quietly (Hallelujah!) I placed my coveted Penzeys order including yummy things like: Bouquet Garni, French Thyme, Whole Nutmeg, Lemon Extract & a free jar of 'Raspberry Enlightenment'...hungry already.

A great recipe for using lots of wonderful spices is chili- here's my recipe which we enjoyed last night and see what I like to pair it with too:)

Basic Beef Chili
Ingredients:
2 tbsp veg oil
2 medium onions, minced
1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded & diced
6 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 pounds 85% ground beef
2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (28 oz) can tomato puree
table salt

1. Heat the oil in a large heave bottomed nonreactive Dutch oven until shimmering.  Add onions, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, oregano and cayenne and cook, stirring often, until onion is softened and beginning to brown, approx 10 mins.
2. Increase heat to medium high and add 1/2 the beef.  Cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink  and beginning to brown 3-4 mins.  Repeat for second 1/2 of beef.
3. Add the beans, tomatoes with juice, tomato puree and 1/2-1 tsp salt.  Bring to boil then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for 1 hour.  TIP: If the chili is sticking to the bottom of the pan, add 1/2 cup water.
4. Remove the lid and simmer for an additional hour until beef is tender and chili is dark, rich & slightly thickened.  Season with salt & serve with condiments.

Recommended condiments:
Sliced avocado, lime wedges, diced fresh tomato, shredded cheddar or Monteray Jack cheese, sliced scallions, sour cream & cilantro.

Since I'm a wuss when it comes to heat in my food, I don't use the full amount of chili powder etc... and like to pile my cooked chili on Cinnamon Carrots- the added sweetness from the carrots is delish!

Cinnamon Carrots
Ingredients:
1lb carrots, sliced thick
1/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp boiling water
salt to taste

Place carrots in casserole dish.  Combine other ingredients and pour over carrots, coating well.  Cover & bake at 350 for 1 hour or until carrots are tender.
TIP: this is a really old recipe and since I end up with a large amount of 'carrot juice' afterwards, I'm working on tweaking this since I love them so much...maybe subbing Stevia for the sugar:)

Both of these recipes are very easy to tweak to personal taste & preference- I made the chili with just 1 lb of ground beef and no one was the wiser!

Have fun with your spices and cook something yummy for your family:)

Thanks,
Tiffany

Candy Cane Lane Couture

I have loved sharing some projects featuring the Candy Cane Lane fabric from Stampin' Up! and hopefully you're not tired of these fun prints yet!  We're just getting into the holiday season so there's plenty of time to squeeze in a few more fabric projects:)

These little hair accessories came together in a snap and Livy loves them!

I made fabric circles using the Big Shot and circle dies but you could trace around a drinking glass or anything round in a pinch.

Sew a basting stitch around the perimeter, draw it up and secure- add buttons and embellish!
TIP: Stampin' Up! rhinestones can be colored with a Sharpee to make a colored gem:)

These were hot glued onto some hair clips (that I really like) from Family Dollar- Livy doesn't mind these as they're very flexible and soft so no pinching of my Peanut's locks:)



Livy wore one of these to the Wolfson House craft show yesterday and received some lovely compliments- made Mama feel awfully proud that I took the few minutes to whip these up for her:)

Thanks for stopping by,
Tiffany

Homemade Diaper Wet Bag

 Here's one of the many sewing projects I've been working on this past week- a diaper wet bag for Jonah!

I purchased the PUL (polyurethane laminate) from Hobby Lobby with a coupon and had the black nylon cord on hand from my fishie project.

After ironing out some kinks with my sewing machine (thank you Grome's!!!) and replacing my faulty thread & needle, this project was a cinch:)

I didn't even bother to change out the orange thread in my bobbin since it blended well!

It's been washed numerous times this week and works like a charm- so glad I took the 30 mins to make this which saved me a chunk of change:)

And since I was in the groove, I made a small bag for me (cloth liners) and a medium bag to keep in the car for random rubbish.



Best part of this project, apart from this being very satisfying and quick, was that I made all 3 bags for under $5!  Love that!




Let me know if you have any questions:)

Thanks,
Tiffany

The "Minnie Bow" Dress

I'm currently working on a stack of crafty projects but since they're gifts for upcoming birthdays & holidays, I haven't been able to share...yet:)  So, I decided to tackle one of Livy's projects this week- a play dress.

I saw a sweet ivory tunic T shirt at GAP a couple of months ago and snagged it for Livy (GAP has super soft Ts) as it was a whopping $4 & I loved the small pleat details on the neck & arms and the flounce ruffle at the base.  I knew this would make a great piece for embellishment- the question was, what to do???  So many options...

I set out to make a "transition into fall" dress with an appliqued pumpkin...but changed my mind, wanting to keep it more neutral, hoping Livy might be able to wear it next spring too.

 Since I'm still a beginner I didn't want to tackle anything too labor intensive and decided on a 3 tiered ruffle skirt using 3 fat quarters from this collection and some sort of applique/embellishment for the bodice...

 I was planning on a fancy flower but when Livy saw me working on her new dress, she asked for a bow and not just any bow, a "Minnie bow"!  Done:)





Once Livy tried on the dress, the bow didn't look as 'bow like' so I plan to readjust it a bit...sigh. Oh well- she's worth it!

I'm also thinking of adding some
daffodil seam binding trim...
maybe around the top of the skirt portion...

 I worked on this little project over several evenings once our little Ms were asleep- it would've come together even faster if I hadn't encountered several sewing gliches.  Since I was working with fat quarters vs fabric yardage I had to piece the panels multiple times and since I was making this up as I went along (is there another way?!) I had to continually develop solutions:)  The flaws aka 'homemade' touches aren't too noticeable though and I had to remind myself that this was intended to be a play dress:)

 

I also added a lining for the 1st time to ensure comfortable twirling:)

Despite the extra time involved in designing/piecing this little dress, I'm not deterred in the least from using my beloved extra wide fat quarters- they've already made fabulous 'Snack Sacks' and a backdrop for Benjamin's button frame!

Livy & I are thrilled with her new twirly dress and I have yet another tick to add to my check list:)

On to the next!