All the Small Things...

A Cute Gift for a Teacher...

 

 

I thought Scarlet's teacher deserved a little treat, so I baked my favorite apple bread for her today and wrapped it up in a plastic lunch sack and added a paper topper and a paper pieced girlie.

Scarlet is SO excited to give it to her tomorrow!

 

Most Delicious Apple Bread EVER!!!

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups apples - peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
• 1 cup broken walnuts (optional)

In bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside. In large mixing bowl, place oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla and apples. Stir into flour mixture. Add walnuts and mix. Divided mixture between two greased 8-in. x 4-in. bread pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until bread test done. Cool for 10 minutes on wire rack before removing from pan.

 

School Days Shadow Box...

Oh how I LOVE a shadow box!

 

I have them all over my family room and I can't get enough of them apparently.

I think I love them so much because they take about 10 minutes to put together and the outcome is always FABULOUS!

 

I found these french postage fabric backed ones at HOME GOODS a few weeks ago and HAD to have them.  I bought 2 black ones and 1 brown one in different shapes.  The black ones are for a BACK TO SCHOOL one and a HALLOWEEN one.  The brown one is for a THANKSGIVING one.  

 

I printed out a photo of each child on the first day of their school (and WJones on a stack of books) and then added some chipboard numbers for the school year, a cute chipboard owl and a paperpieced apple on a tag.

 

SUPER easy and fast project.  

 

SO glad I made it!

Photos & Papers & Art-- Oh My!

So, I don't think I've introduced you to one of my FAVORITE finds from this summer.

 

I'm not sure if you can see it or not under all the stuff I've put on it, but it looks like the bottom of an old wire bed minus the springs and it has these great clips all over it to hang all my fun stuff from.

 

I have no idea what it's called or what it's supposed to be used for, but I'm LOVING using it as a memory/art board.

I pick a different theme each month (usually seasonal) and put up photographs, scrapbook supplies and odds and ends around that theme.  I hang the children's artwork that they bring home from school from it too-- as long as goes along with the theme!  ;)  Don't worry, I have another board in the house that I hang those from!  That's right-- I'm a school art snob!  lol

So this is my BACK TO SCHOOL display.

Can't wait to start on my Halloween one!!!

WWW... (What's Wednesday Wearing)

Bow... by me

Top and Pants... Mud Pie

Sock Shoes... Trumpette

Snacks I'm Ashamed I Love Part 698...

 

Cheerleader in Training...

 

Okay, you should see some of the get ups I have in store for this lil gal to cheer on her brothers and sister this fall!  

Soccer, football, cheerleading... 

we are ready to 

GO, FIGHT, WIN!!!

A Back To School Photo Craft...

This is one of my very favorite things in my house.

 

I just finished a Back to School edition today- makes me SO happy!!!

I also love my St. Patricks one and my Easter one.

 

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE this whole Back to School theme business?

The apples.

The chalkboards.

The pencils.

All of it!

 

Okay, wait-- don't get me wrong.  I don't love all of it.

Actually having the kids back to school???  Not such a fan.  

Hold Onto Your Knickers...

I have a cooking tip!

This is a RARE event indeed.

 

Okay, so it's not exactly a cooking tip, BUT it's something I always do when I cook and it saves me time and energy, so I thought I'd pass it along.

 

Let me introduce you to the-

So here's the deal:

This is a huge pot that ALWAYS sits on my stove. I think I put it there originally because it didn't fit anywhere else, but then I grew to love it there, so it stayed.

Now for the tip!

So, in the morning when I am prepping for dinner and checking what ingredients I will need for it, instead of leaving the ingredients in the pantry until I'm ready to use them, I throw them in this pot.  

Also, when I get home from the market, I toss the night's dinner ingredients in there too.  

Then when I'm ready to cook, I just grab my pot and I have most of the ingredients in one neat condensed place.

 

Ok, so it's not rocket science, but it helps me, so I posted it.

Baby #4 Has Flown the Coop...

Okay, so he hasn't "technically" flown the coop-- I suppose I have about 15 more years until that happens-- BUT this is the first step and I don't like it one bit!

Pre-school is the gateway drug to Kindergarten.

Soon after that he'll be mainlining hardcore elementary school- ALL DAY, EVERYDAY!!!   

Again, I don't like this one bit!

 

First of all, he's about the sweetest, easiest kid to have around, so why would I want to send him off somewhere?

Second, do I really want to have FOUR schools to contend with?

Third, he's only 3 and that just seems way too young.  He was just an embryo 36 months ago!

Fourth, one more lunch to pack.

And fifth--- I'll miss him

...a lot.

 

 

SO, I put on my big girl panties and sent him off with a lump in my throat the size of his Lightening "LeQueen" (as he says it) lunchbox.

And you know what happened?

 

 

He loved it.

 

 

 

 

Yes, Dan, In Case You Read This Before Getting Home...

I framed the thermostat.

I KNOW it's ridiculous.

I KNOW there are so many other things I could/should be doing with my time.

I KNOW I wasted 6 perfectly good dollars and a perfectly good frame from Home Goods.

I KNOW I have about 70 frames throughout the house that are missing photos in them.

 

 

 

BUT... I like it.

In fact, it's a freaking masterpiece.

☺