UpCycle

What in the world does this term mean???  Well, it is the concept of taking something that you no longer have a use for and repurposing it!  I suddenly have a huge love for upcycling things!  We recently moved and I have found a LOT of things that I no longer have a use for.  However, since I am a craft junkie on a very tight budget... I have really found enjoyment out of finding a new purpose for these unneeded items!

My favorite upcycle has been the 2 pieces of art that I have deconstructed and made into beautiful and display worthy art pieces around my home!

This piece of art was well... NOT OUR STYLE!

It went with nothing we owned, and after I realized I couldn't give it away, I thought I would find a new use for it, and I was successfull!!!

I popped the back off and ripped out the art!  I painted the mat with a blue paint that I have plenty of, and LOVE!  After it dried, I put the mat back into the frame and placed burlap fabric where the ugly art once had lived.  I secured the back, and relocated the hangers, so that I could hang it horizontally instead of vertically.  Then I hot glued clothespins onto the frame, and finished it with a piece of yarn so it appeared that the pictures are hanging!

This was a very easy craft, that cost me nothing!  Since we owned the ugly art, and I already had paint, burlap, yarn, clothespins, and hot glue... I was set!  I love it when a project costs me nothing!

The second frame was again, no longer our style!  This is the only before picture I have of this frame, so please forgive me!!  I know it is half out of the picture!!!  It has bamboo trees on it.

I popped off the back and went to work!  I removed the mat, and flipped the picture over.  I covered it with burlap.  I printed out our monogram and slipped it under the burlap.  Then I took a black Sharpie marker and traced the monogram onto the burlap!  When I was finished, I secured the back, moved the hangers again so it would hang horizontally, and finished it with a burlap bow!  I AM OBSESSED WITH IT!

I have a few more upcycling ideas in mind for things around our house!!  Decorating, organizing, and crafts are my favorite things, and when I can find something that combines all 3 of them into 1... I'm all in!!!  

I now sell these custom burlap monogram prints in my Etsy shop!!

Burlap Monogram

 - Jessica

Obsessed with Freezer Cooking

My newest obsession is cooking in my crockpot!  I do not mean "cooking" as much as thawing out!!!  I have virtually become obsessed with prepping freezer meals!  It's pretty much all I am making for dinners around here lately!  I thought I would give a quick run down of my process, and a few tips, as well as share some of my favorite recipes!!!  So here we go...

Step 1 - Meal Plan!  It is key to know what to purchase before you come home.  The day I come home from the grocery store, I put everything away except what I will use to prep freezer food with!

Step 2 - Clean your area, and organize your supplies.  I get out the box of gallon bags, a sharpie, and I lay my ingredients out in their meals!

Step 3 - Label Your Ziplocks.  I write the meal name, the date I prepped it, and any additional cooking instructions on the bag.  If you need to add 1 Cup of chicken stock on the day you make the meal, I write that on the bag!  Most all recipes will call for some liquid to be added to the pot, so it is vital!  I have asked my husband to throw a meal in the crockpot while I was running errands.  He didn't know it needed chicken stock, and I didnt think to tell him!  OOPS!

Step 4 - Start with the meat.  Raw meat pretty much grosses out everyone!  So, get it out of the way.  Plus putting the meat in first allows the bags to prop up, and better mixing at the end!  Work on each recipe until all meat is prepped.  Then wash cutting boards, knives, and surfaces, so you are basically starting over with a clean area!

Step 5 - Veggies and any additional ingredients.  Focus on each recipe, one at a time.  Add all needed ingredients.  BE SURE TO DOUBLE CHECK THE RECIPE.  Most recipes are to be split between 2 bags.  You will want to cut all ingredients in half for each bag if that is the case!

Step 6 - Zip bag shut, but push all air out.  Mix up the ingredients with your hands, and lay the bag flat!

Step 7 - Lay in the freezer!  Be sure that all bags are on the bottom shelf of your freezer.  If a bag leaks... the raw meat will contaminate anything it is on top of!

Step 8 - Follow recipe instructions on cooking day!  ENJOY!

It's really a pretty simple process.  It can be time consuming, but it takes the hassle out of dinner time.  I love that I can grab a bag, run a little water over the outside, break the contents into several pieces, and toss it into the crockpot!  NO WORRIES... dinner will be ready in 4-6 hours!  I haven't taken any pictures while doing this process because I am usually home alone.  However, if I get the chance to borrow a photographer, I will add pictures later.

RECIPE TIME... 

here are some of my no fail recipes that I go to for freezer meals!  

Teriyaki Chicken

Ingredients -
Medium - Large bag of carrots
Red Onion cut into large chunks
2 large cans of pineapple (undrained)
4 Garlic Cloves
4 Chicken Breasts
2 Cups Teriyaki Sauce

Split between 2 bags, seal mix, lay flat, and freeze.
Cooking Day Directions - add addt'l 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce.  Cook low 6-7 hours, Serve over hot rice.

Sausage & Peppers

Ingredients - 

6 Italian Sausage or Chicken Sausage

2 Green Peppers

1 Red Pepper

1 large red onion

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 cans Italian diced tomatoes

2 Tbs Italian Seasoning

Split between 2 bags, seal, mix, lay flat, and freeze.

Cooking Day Directions - Add drizzle of olive oil, cook on low 6 hours, sever over hot noodles or fresh french bread with mozzarella cheese!

Savory Chicken

Ingredients - 

4-6 chicken breasts

2 cans of stewed tomatoes

4 Tbs white wine or extra broth

1 large onion

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 Cup chicken broth

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 Bay leaves

4 Cups of broccoli (added while cooking)

Split all ingredients (leaving out the broccoli) between 2 bags, seal, mix, lay flat, and freeze.

Cooking Day Directions - Cook on low for 6-7 hours.  Add broccoli during the last 30 mins, remove bay leaves before serving.

Honey Garlic Chicken

Ingredients - 

4 Chicken Breasts

3 Garlic Cloves, minced

1 Tspn Dried Basil

1/2 Cup Soy Sauce

1/2 Cup Ketchup

1/3 Cup Honey

DO NO SPLIT RECIPE!  Seal, mix, lay flat, and freeze.

Cooking Day Instructions -  Cook on high 3-4 hours.

Newlywed Beef Tips

Ingredients - 

2 lb beef stew meat

4 cans of Campbells French Onion Soup (found in the Cream of Soup section)

1 large package of frozen broccoli (added while cooking)

Split between 2 bags, seal, mix, lay flat, and freeze.

Cooking Day Instructions - Add 2 cups of water, cook low 6-7 hours.  Add broccoli 30 mins before serving.  Serve over hot egg noodles or rice.  Top with parmesan.

Chicken Caccitore

Ingredients - 

2-4 Chicken Breasts

1 large pkg button mushrooms, sliced (I leave this out)

2 6oz cans tomato paste

2 Tbs Italian Seasoning

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 Cups chicken broth

2 Yellow Squash

2 Zucchini

Split between 2 bags, seal, mix, lay flat, and freeze.

Cooking Day Instructions - Add 1 Cup Chicken broth, cook on low 6-7 hours.  Sever over hot noodles or rice.  Top with parmesan.

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Ingredients - 

2-4 Chicken Breasts

2 16oz Jars of Light Alfredo Sauce

1 large green pepper chopped

1 16oz bag broccoli florets (add while cooking)

DO NOT SPLIT RECIPE.  Seal, mix, lay flat, and freeze.

Cooking Day Instructions - Cook on low for 6 hours, add broccoli 30 mins before eating.  Serve over fettuccine noodles with salad!

Cilantro Lime Chicken

Ingredients - 

2-4 Chicken Breasts

Juice from 2 Limes

1 bunch fresh cilantro chopped

16oz bag frozen corn

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 red onion chopped

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 Tspn Cumin

Salt & Pepper to taste

DO NOT SPLIT RECIPE.  Seal, mix, lay flat, and freeze.

Cooking Day Instructions - Cook on low for 8 hours, serve with tortillas and your choice of "taco toppings".

Happy Cooking!

 - Jessica

Meal Planning... Why? How?

I posted a few pictures on Instagram about my Meal Plan tactics!  I have had an overwhelming response to the pictures, questions... comments... ideas... so I thought I would write a post that both explains how I do it, and provides the tools for you to do it!  I actually sell these tools as a laminated set in my Etsy Shop, but I thought I would give my interested readers the opportunity to have them for free!!  This will be temporary.  I will pull the download links in the next 2 weeks.

The reason I meal plan is simple... it saves me money!  There are 2 rules I have created for myself when it comes to buying groceries.

1)  Never go to the grocery store hungry.
This is vital!  Eat before you shop, or you will purchase things that "sound good"!

2)  Never go to the grocery store without a list.
I don't care if my list has 4 things on it, and it is pouring down rain.  I will go back to the car and get the list!  If I do not, 2 things happen, I forget 1 item that was important enough for me to make the trip, and 2 I start "browsing"!  "Oh that is new, I should try that.  I bet Abbie would love this."

PROBLEM!

So, being that a list is vital, what do I put on the list?  AH HA... this is where meal planning is essential!  My system for meal planning seems a LOT more complicated than it actually is!  First I begin by filling out our family calendar for the month.  I need to know what day's Derik is home in the evening.  If he isn't home, I can fend for myself, and grab a can of soup!

This is my "Mommy Central"... it is where I keep all planning tools together!  They are in frames so that I can write on the glass with markers, and erase each week!  The top is a calendar, which needs to be replaced with 2012, but that hasn't been my top priority!  The left is our weekly event list, the right is our Eat Sheet where we list out the meal plan, and the bottom is our family calendar.  

The green stickers represent Derik's schedule.  When there is no sticker, he is off.  When there is a sticker with no numbers on it... he is early out.  I can glance at this calendar and know quickly when Derik is home! There are some other items on the calendar that effect dinner plans as well.  So, I take this down and bring it to the table with me while I plan...

I created a blank calendar in Microsoft Word, which you can download here.

I printed out 12 blank calendars and filled out the one for January.

I use a green marker to highlight pay days, and a blue marker to highlight shop days.

 This is my "Shop Folder".  I take this to the grocery store with me.  

Inside of it are all of my goodies, and I use the black clip to attach my grocery list.

These are all of the basic tools that I use to plan out my meals each month!

I shop twice a month, so for those who shop once monthly... you may need a larger grocery list.

I use a Pantry Inventory, which can be downloaded here.

A Grocery list, which can be downloaded here.

A Weekly meal list which can be downloaded here.

And a store map of my grocery store.  Most grocery stores have them.  Check with the Customer Service desk, and they should give you one for free!

With all of my handy planners, I begin work.  After I get the meals for the month chosen and wrtten onto my calendar, I begin working on the grocery list.  If you have your pantry inventory list written out, it makes life easier!  I go meal to meal, and I write on the grocery list what I need to make the meal.  If the inventory is filled out, I can remove what I already have before writing the grocery list.  If it isnt... I go to my pantry when I am finished, and I mark off what I have already.  

Once I am finished making my list, if I have the time... I rewrite it!  That's right!  On the back of my REUSABLE grocery list (I laminated my lists) I use my aisle guide to write my list out aisle by aisle.  

This allows for FAST grocery shopping!

I cut coupons when I have them.  Sometimes I print offline, but not often.

A list like this makes couponing easy!  I am not sorting through coupons in the store... I pull coupons when I make my list, and set them aside.  They are all ready to go when I get to the register.

I also use cloth grocery bags.  I have 6 cloth totes, a cooler tote, 6 produce bags, and a tote that I use specifically for the produce to all go into!  I also keep a cooler in my trunk.  The cooler is one that folds flat and it takes up almost no room!  But, when I get to the car... I can use it for anything cold!  I actually take the cooler into Costco.  Put it in the cart, and filler up!

I have also taken interest in Freezer Cooking.  I purchased several meals worth of ingredients with the intention of prepping meals that will be stored in the freezer until ready!

I hope this helps, and I hope that you will meal plan too!  It is such a wonderful thing to do!

 - Jessica

Fix-a-Chair

It has been a LONG time since I posted on this blog!  However, I did a simple project today, that I thought was worthy of a post here! 

A few months ago, I ordered a table and chair set from IKEA for my daughter's playroom!  It has been a great little table and chair set, the only issue with it is... it isn't really "adult friendly"!!  My husband and I were both aware of this, but one day a couple of weeks ago, he had a momentary lapse of memory and forgot this little detail!  The chair seat broke ( I chose not to take a picture, as it was a little embarrassing to him!!), and I thought I was going to throw out the chair.  While Abbie could still sit on the chair, there were parts of it that seemed a little "sharp", and I didn't want to risk a cut down the back of her leg!  So, I came up with an idea, that worked like a charm!

I took the chair apart, and pulled the "seat" out.  I had a memory foam mattress pad that we had cut into many pieces (my son's crib, the pack and play... LONG STORY!!!) and I had a few pieces left.  I cut the memory foam to fit on top of the seat, and used spray adhesive to set it in place. 

Then I took some extra fabric I had lying around, and cut a cover.  I wrapped the fabric around the seat, and pushed the seat back into place.  I put the chair back together and BAM... fix-a-chair!!!  Since the seat had to slide into slots cut for it... the fabric is held into place tightly!  I trimmed off the extra fabric below the chair, and I think they look adorable!

Table Set BEFORE

Table Set AFTER

COST OF THIS PROJECT - $0.00
I had everything needed in my craft stash!

 - Jessica

HE Washer + Cloth Diapers = GREEN!

Well, we are diving back into the cloth diaper world at full speed!  With 2 kids in diapers and 1 on formula, the baby budget is busting at the seams!  We decided that one of the most cost effective options for us would be cloth diapers!

A fabulous friend of mine loaned me 10 BumGenius All in One (One Size) diapers.  We will be using these on Abbie!  I ordered 12 Jungle Roo Diapers that I found on Zulilly for $9.99/each, 2 hanging wet bags, a diaper sprayer, and some hemp doublers!  We are ready to do this...

After a LOT of research online, and some experimenting with my washing machine, I found a GREAT way to wash the diapers in my HE machine.  About a year ago, we bought a LG HE Top Loading washing machine and the matching dryer.  I didn't want front loaders, because I like loading and unloading the washing machine from the top!  My washer came with a lot of options that I hadn't tried out until now!  Here is my washing routine...

I use the Special Option function to select RINSE+SPIN cycle on COLD, and I turn the SPIN OFF!

That cycle takes 11 min, and my machine beeps to tell me it's finished!

I then add the cloth diaper friendly detergent, right now we are using PLANET.

Then I choose the NORMAL load OPTION, with HOT/COLD & add and EXTRA RINSE!

FINISHED... Toss them into the dryer with 4 Wool Dryer Balls at 30 min & into the sun if needed!

The "diaper pail" option that I choose is a hanging wet bag.  I ordered the FuzziBunz bags and they simply hang on the door knob!  The best feature about them is the zipper on the bottom of the bag!  When the bag is full... I just unzip and let the diapers fall into the dryer!  I did order a diaper sprayer which is TOTALLY worth the $45 I spent on it!  I no longer have to deal with getting mess off the diaper!  Just spray it right into the potty!

The cloth diaper friendly diaper rash cream that we will be using is CJ's Butter.  If we need something stronger CJ's does make a stronger version... or we can test out some other products.  I love the smell options that CJ's offers!  My daughter is in the Mango, Sugar, & Mint Blend and my son is in the Blueberry Crumble scent!

For Wipes, we chose the BumGenius flannel wipes, but I found them on sale for $5/pack! Finally, when we travel, we chose the Kushies wet bags!  I love the prints, and the price includes 2 bags!

I am very excited about our new adventure, but more excited about the fact that we will no longer be buying diapers!

All together, to acquire all necessary cloth diaper items, I spent around $250.
That may sound like a lot of money, but do the math!  I spent about $80/month on diapers & wipes for 2 children!  That means in  less than 4 months time... I am no longer spending money on diapers or wipes!  And an added bonus, if we have another baby... we never pay for diapers!  You can sell used cloth diapers too... so when we decide we are done... I will market the entire set as a package deal!  Makes good sense to us :)

 - Jessica