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Archive for the ‘clever idea’ Category

make your table a chalkboard table

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

I decided to give my butcher block work table a makeover.

I painted it with chalkboard paint.

I loved it so much, I decided to do a little table for Clementine, too!

All done!

Clementine’s table.

She can draw on it with giant chalk.

Older kids could play tic tac toe or hangman.

Dolls can play hopscotch.

As for my larger table…

Now there can be personalized (and erasable!) place mats.

Imagine a dinner party!

Photos for blogging can be labeled!

So could wines, cheeses, or food at a buffet. My brain jumps to how many ways this would be great for a party!

To do lists can be written right on the table!

The possibilities are endless.

And erasable.

Posted in clever idea, nest | 7 Comments »

deviled eggs? april fools!

Friday, March 26th, 2010

This faux deviled egg is made entirely of white chocolate with orange sugar sprinkled on in place of paprika.

I found them today at Enchante’

(formerly known as Milwaukie Popkorn & Candyland).

Love it!

Posted in clever idea, just silly, sweet | 5 Comments »

leaf crisps

Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

Many years ago I saw this in a Martha Stewart Living magazine. Crispy and savory leaf crisps made from wonton wrappers. A simple way to make your salad or soup a little more festive.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl mix together:

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

You will need wonton wrappers which can be found in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. Cut out your leaf shape using a 3.25 inch leaf-shaped cookie cutter. This recipe makes 24. Place in single layer on 2 baking sheets. Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with cheese mixture and then season with coarse salt.

Bake until crisp and golden, about 5-8 minutes. Let cool. These can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Also good to snack on! Imagine the many shaped possibilities for other occasions!

Posted in clever idea, eat!, fall | 2 Comments »

sweet sips of pumpkin beer

Saturday, October 17th, 2009

The leaves are changing colors, the air is getting cooler and the pumpkin beer is back on the shelves! I LOVE FALL! Our favorite way to serve this delightful autumnal beverage is in glass with a cinnamon sugar coated rim.

sugar-rimmed-pumpkin-beer

Here’s what you do:

sugar-and-cinnamon1

1/2 cup of sugar and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon,

nutmeg add a sprinkle of freshly ground nutmeg

mixed-up and mix it all up.

dip-in-water Dip the rim of your glass in water.

dip-in-sugar Then dip in the sugar mixture.

coated Perfect! Ready for the pumpkin beer!

Pour beer and enjoy each sweet sip. Store your extra cinnamon sugar in a container for future use. This also works well with the seasonal winter ales. Here’s to pumpkins and apples and all things fall, cheers!

Posted in clever idea, fall | 6 Comments »

I heart poladroids!

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

I love polaroids and all their grainy, overexposed, non-perfect qualities. Of course, now there’s an app for that. Poladroid! A polaroid camera pops in the corner of your screen. Just drag your digital photo over to it and out pops a poladroid picture. Not only does it sound like a polaroid camera, you even have to wait for it to ‘develop’. Go ahead, use your mouse to shake it, you know you want to.

img_0074-pola

l1080744-pola

img_1036-pola

img_1079-pola

dsc03397-pola

Posted in clever idea, snapshot | 5 Comments »

Storing those great ideas, inspirations & recipes

Monday, September 14th, 2009

mags My magazines are piling up. I like to go through them and tear out recipes, ideas, and pictures that may inspire future culinary, craft, gardening or decorating projects as well as pictures of houses or architectural details. What do I do with all of these pictures and pages that I tear out? Well, I put them in an idea book, of course.

binders2 I bought large three ring binders with the clear pocket on the front and back.

I used some vintage wallpaper from this great sample book I have to make the front and back covers of my binders.

tear-out-pages

Tear out those pages.

many-ideas

Lots of ideas and recipes to try…

place-in-page-protector Place it in a clear page protector and put in in the appropriate notebook.

a-book-for-all-ideas

I have a book for:

Flowers, which includes arrangements and pictures of individual flower varieties.

Crafts and Living, which includes ideas for projects arranged by season as well as a section for home and garden.

Recipes. Book one. Breakfast and Desserts.

Recipes. Book two. Cocktails, soups, appetizers, vegetables and main dishes.

I also take pictures of things I have made or recipes that I have printed online or received from friends and file them away.

organize

It’s a great resource to have all of these ideas and recipes in one place.

When I need to be inspired I just flip through the pages!

Posted in clever idea | 7 Comments »

Making a mobile with an ikea hanging lamp

Friday, June 26th, 2009

mobile1 I knew from the moment I saw this Glansa pendant lamp hanging in IKEA it would make a perfect mobile base. It is basically a wreath frame wired with little LED lights. Although it looked pretty cool hanging on its own above the crib I had a plan to sweeten it up.

mobile-leaf-ribbon I found this great leaf ribbon at a local fabric shop. It has a matte paper-like finish. It reminded me of the Tord Boontje Midsummer Lamp. Yes, I could have just ordered one of those but it wouldn’t have been as fun to make. Plus, I made those blue birds that needed a place to hang and be happy…

mobile-birds

Step one. I covered the upper cords that the light hangs from with the leafy ribbon. Then I went around the frame of the light and then draped the last pieces randomly so there were ‘vines’ hanging down.

mobile-2