Saturday, January 30, 2016

Chalk Paint Roll Up Desk: Before and After




Hi readers!  When I saw this, I had no idea where I was going to put it (still not sure), but it was too good a deal to pass up at $35.  I cleaned up the hardware with this recipe.  I painted the 2 coats with an Annie Sloan Antoinette look alike using a DIY chalk paint recipe.  Then I painted the final 2 coats with Annie Sloan Graphite that I had left over.  I left the inside pink (Antoinette) and then did some slight distressing before adding 2 coats of clear wax.  Overall, I'm happy with the result.  Now I need to decide where to put it permanently.  More close up pictures below.









DIY Subway Art with the Silhouette Portrait


Hi readers!  I wanted to make a subway piece for our living room no that I have a Silhouette Portrait to cut out the letters.  I couldn't find anything exactly like I wanted, so I found a few ideas here and there on Pinterest and made up the rest.  It was very time consuming to put together and make sure it fit correctly, but I am happy with how it turned out.

Saturday, January 16, 2016

Stitch Fix Jan. 2016: They Sent Me Shorts in January



Overall, I was not impressed with this month.  I got a pair of shorts (in January) that were obviously leftovers as I got them during the summer in a fix and hated them then.  Not sure why I got them a second time.  My stylist note described the blue top as "edgy".  Clearly that word is open to interpretation.  I mentioned in my previous fix that I hated houndstooth pattern, and yet I received a houndstooth print shirt.  I will say that the pattern on it wasn't overpowering so I ended up deciding to keep it so I didn't lose my styling fee.  

Here's what I got:

1.  Bancroft Joolie Hammered Circle Necklace $34
    This was not really my style so I returned it.



2 & 3.  Dear John Finnegan Roll Cuff Short $58 & Loveappella Pines Mesh Knit Top $54
Hated these shorts the first time, and receiving them a second time didn't change that.  The top just isn't flattering on me.  Returned both.


4.  41Hawthorn Ackley Houndstooth Print Blouse $68
     Even though I'm not usually fond of this print, it was a little understated and I liked the styling     options.  Kept so I didn't lose my styling fee.




5.  Papermoon Amalie Split Neck Binding Hem Knit Top $54
     This top was way too clingy and I didn't like the colors or stripes.  Returned.




Ipsy January 2015: All Eyes on You



1.  Hikari Cream Metallic Pigment Shadow
     This color was really pretty and shiny.



2.  theBalm Cosmetics Mr. Right (Now)
     This didn't go on very smooth and the color wasn't as dark as I expected.



3.  Pur-lisse Blue Lotus 4-in-1 Eye Adore Serum
     This serum definitely reduced the puffiness around my eyes



4.  Mitchell and Peach English Leaf Body Cream
     Yuck!  This smells so bad I couldn't even try it.  It made the whole bag stink.



5. Beau Gachis Smudge Brush
    Good brush for smudging but I like the others I own better.


Friday, January 15, 2016

Easy Butternut Squash Recipe


Ingredients:
- Pre-cut package of chopped butternut squash (I got mine from Walmart)
- olive oil to saute
- 1-2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 pinch salt
- ground pepper to taste
- 1-2 Tbs DIY taco seasoning

Directions:
1. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil.  Then add squash and seasonings.
2. Saute for about 5 minutes and then pour into a baking dish.  Bake on 350 until squash is fork tender (about 30 minutes)

Seriously Yummy Turkey Chili with a Kick


I've never posted a recipe before since I'm usually the type to follow other recipes and not create one on my own.  However, I threw this together super fast and it was delicious!  Most of the time I don't have beans in the pantry and my husband doesn't really like them anyway, so this is a no bean recipe.  However, feel free to add in your own if you want.  I hope you try this and enjoy it as much as I did.

Ingredients: 
- 1 lb ground turkey (I used Jennie-O Lean)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 cup frozen corn
- 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 1 can tomato sauce (8 oz can)
- 2 Tbs Sriracha
- 1.5 Tbs chili powder
- 1.5 tsp cumin
-  1/2 tsp salt
- olive oil or spray to coat the pan

Directions:
1.  Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil for 3-4 minutes (I used the olive oil spray).
2.  Add the ground turkey and cook until done (Even though I bought lean, I still had to drain off some juice while cooking).
3. Put the cooked turkey mixture into the crockpot.  Add the rest of the ingredients and stir.  Cook 3-4 hours on low.

This recipe was also really easy to adapt for a stove top version.  After cooking the turkey, I just put it all in a pot instead and cooked on low for about 30 minutes to seal in the flavors.

I really hope y'all enjoy this as much as my family did!