Oh, the place you'll go

This project was done with a old window screen, canvas, and cork board. It took a lot of patience to complete the canvas, but all areas were quick and sweet!

Here's the step by step: 

 -Frame-

 After ripping the screen out of the old window, 

sand the frame as smooth as possible.

Paint as many layers as you need to complete the color/style of your liking.

Let dry and your window piece is complete.

-Canvas-

Once painted to your liking, complete the following!

I did not free hand the words - I found a font I liked, picked a size that would fit within my canvas and printed out a printed out a template. 

Over the template, lay a piece of wax paper and tape the two together so your template doesn't move on you.

With puffy paint and tracing your template, let the letter creating begin!

Once your letters are complete, they should peel off the wax paper nicely. 

For pieces that are stubborn and stick, use a tweezers to pull them off.

Position your words on the canvas so they fit how you like them...

Once in position, use a large paintbrush to seal the letters down with modge podge. 

*Note: modge podge is simply equal amounts water and Elmer's glue

Use a few layers of the modge podge to prevent your letter for peeling off.

Let your canvas dry, and it is complete.

-Cork-

The cork came on a long roll... It just needed to be cut to size.

Behind the cork board, is a piece of cardboard cut to size as well.

Once layered and flat, the cardboard and cork is stapled to the back of the window frame.

Your cork board is complete.

To finish the project, simply fasten hooks to the upper corners of your frame to hang it.

This project isn't complete for me yet, I am looking for a nice map of the US to document all of the places Allan and I have traveled together - on the mirroring wall, is one photo from each place we've been together. While it's still a work in progress, that's fine with me! We're still on the search for our own home so it can wait till then :)

Enjoy!

e.l.l.

Butternut squash soup

Allan got me a butternut squash when we were doing our Halloween pumpkins and I left it pretty neglected on our counter... Since we're trying to use up most fresh items in the house now before the holiday's this weekend - it was time for it to be used. I've made an acorn squash soup before and wanted to try and curry/ginger butternut one without a recipe and throwing what I wanted into it.

Not in the picture that was used: Paprika, broth, and the squash :)

I started by roasting the squash - cut it in half, brushed with olive oil, and added salt and pepper. Roasted the squash in a 400* oven for about 40 minutes or until tender.

While the squash is cooling,

cut up your onion, celery, and carrots.

 I have about

 1 1/2 cups of celery and

 carrots and used 1 medium 

onion.

Warm up a large pot with approx 2 Tbls coconut oil, 

adding in your desired amount of

 ground ginger and minced garlic. 

Once warm, saute the vegetables until soft.

I like to add my seasoning when sauteing - 

I added salt, pepper, ginger, curry powder, and paprika.

When the squash is cool to the touch

 you scoop out the center,

 leaving the skins,

 into the pot.

 Let the squash saute

 with the vegetables.

Once mixed well, add 1 cup broth (your flavor of choice - I used beef broth as it's all we had but would've preferred chicken broth) and 2 cups milk. Adding more of either to get your desired amount of thickness.

In the process of blending - doesn't look the MOST appetizing, but I assure you it's good :)

After bringing the pot to a boil, turn down and use an immersion blender till smooth.

It ended up being a fairly "sweet" soup - Next time I would add a little more spice to kick it up a notch, possibly Sirracha or red pepper flakes :)

Enjoy!

e.l.l.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Since I've been slacking, I'm coming at ya with two posts tonight!

Since the husband is away for his field placement for a few hours... it gives me the perfect amount of time to unwind and do something with the banana's that have turned a deep brown on the counter! I'd love to be enjoying a glass of wine while doing so... but since I will be hitting the gym before picking my hubby up, I'll hold off till getting home :)



I am using my KitchenAid Stand Mixer for the first time since getting it in June (thanks mom!!!) and am in LOVE! It could not make baking and clean up any easier... Before starting, preheat your oven to 350*

Here's the recipe:

3 ripe bananas, mashed

2 eggs

1/3 cups plain or vanilla yogurt

1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 cup flour 

Start with the wet ingredients----> Add dry ingredients---> mix all of your ingredients together

Pour the mixture into a greased 9x5 cooking pan  - bake in the oven at 350* for a hour or till a fork/toothpick can be inserted into the center of the loaf and comes out clean

Cannot wait to get home from the gym tonight to enjoy this!

And how EASY is this clean up?! Can't wait for my husband to finish washing these dishes ;)

enjoy, e.l.l.

Pasties

This post has taken awhile to get on the blog - life has been busy! This weekend I was able to spend a good chunk of time with my husband so I took advantage of that as much as possible - also some quality friend time leaving little time for the computer screen :)

Every year during the weekend of deer hunting opener (two weeks ago!), I usually spend time with the ladies in my family. While the men are away, the women will relax... drink wine... and make pasties. This year, since my husband chose to stay home to work on homework and be productive, there was no trip up north and no pasties made - with the ladies... Allan was a good sport and spent a Saturday evening making pastie with me!

If you're not from the Iron Range, chances are you have never had a pastie OR you don't eat it the "right" way... I LOVE my pasties with nothing but ketchup while most who try it for the first time or didn't grow up eating it will enjoy it with gravy. Both great - enjoy :)

Pasties:

1 lb ground pork

1 lb ground turkey

1 rutabaga

1 - 1 1/2 cup chopped carrots

2 chopped onions

3 - 4 chopped russet potatoes

pinch of salt

pinch of pepper

Stick of butter

1/4 cup of milk

*** You can either make your own crust of buy pre-made frozen pie crusts to wrap everything in ***

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

1. Chop your carrots, onion, rutabaga, and potatoes into small squares - trying to keep all pieces the same size so they cook evenly

2. Making sure your ground pork and turkey are defrosted, mix in with the carrots, onion, rutabaga, and potatoes - Make sure everything is evenly distributed!

3- Add your salt and pepper; adjust to your liking. I add extra pepper and keep the salt light

4. Using a 1 cup measuring cup, scoop a cup full of your mixture and place it in the center of your pre-made frozen pie crust.

5. Cut a pad of butter from your stick and place it in the center of the pastie 

6. Close your pasties by sealing it on the edges, poke a few holes on top with a fork - brush your pastie with the milk

Bake the pasties in your preheated oven for approx. 1 hour or till golden brown

If wrapped in foil, pasties will keep well in the freezer and just need to popped back into the oven to reheat! :)

Enjoy!

e.l.l.

Second Chance Dresser

Over the summer, I needed a few "tasks" that were separate from wedding duties... We had a dresser hiding in a closet being used to organize things because it didn't match anything in our house and the paint was peeling off from a poor paint job I did in college (didn't sand it prior to refinishing... definitely necessary!)

The dresser started out as a an oak colored dresser that was covered by dark brown espresso paint. The paint was chipping, peeling, and just not appealing to the eye anymore... We had paint brushes and different paints laying around from other small projects so it was time to tackle the sore sight! 

What I needed:

Electric sander

Sand paper rounds for sander

Standard sand paper

3 bristle paint brush(s)

Foam paint brush

Paper bowl or something to fill that is disposable

Color of paints to be used - for smaller projects like this, the sample size paints you can get are PERFECT!

Polyurethane

What I did:

1. After taking the dresser apart and removing the hardware, start by using the electric sander to get the tough stuff off - sanding the areas that are covered in previous stain or paint color.
2. Once most of the paint is off, use standard sand paper to help hit areas that are hard to reach with an electric sander or that are not smooth.
3. When smooth, wipe down all areas of the wood to remove any left over sawdust - this can get under the paint and WILL effect your paint job!
4. Using the bristle brush - Start laying the paint! Make sure you are painting in the same direction of the grain in the wood. I started by painting everything white and adding yellow in long, fast streaks (not trying to cover smoothly with the yellow)
5. Once a layer of white and areas of yellow were dry, I created one more color to add.... I did this by combining equal portions of yellow and white paint in a paper bowl. By doing this, the change in color becomes more fluid. 
6. For the last layer of paint, rotate applying the different colors to the dresser - quick, long strokes will give you a streak look!

Once ALL of the painted areas are dry, use the foam brush to apply the polyurethane. The more coats, the better. I applied three which were all able to be done in the same day as it was gorgeous outside and I started the project in the morning.

*** I did get new hardware for the dresser because I did not want to spend the time sanding the hardware and repainting - cheap way to make a change! ***

Easy change to make any room come together! I used the same steps and technique on the side table for this room- Check back for the "how to guide" for the frame on the wall behind the dresser :)

e.l.l

Welcome :)

Hi all,

I'm wanting to start this blog by introducing myself and my intentions for the blog. I am a recent newlywed currently working full time while finding my way in the "career" world (preparing for more post B.A.S schooling in the spring) with down time for imagination and creation. For years, my husband has been telling me that I should blog the things I make for meals, the crafts I create for our house, and how things come together in our current rental home. At first, I thought he was just trying to flatter me and help me find things to fill my time (he works part time, is completing a field placement, and completing his Master's Degree in Social Work). After hearing this from him a few more times, I've decided to give it a try.

I decided the first blog post I would start with was our wedding. We were married on July 26, 2013 and we had a few small DIY details throughout the day. 

I'll start with my bridesmaid's and personal attendants jewelry. I made braided bead necklaces for my gals that I found on this site. Only I used ribbons instead of a chain for the backs :) For their earrings, I made dangle beaded earrings that I had found the directions for on this site. Here's how they turned out!

My Matron of Honor wore the multiple color necklace, bridesmaids in coral, and person attendants in navy.

We also created our own centerpieces as well so they'd represent us and bring everything together. 

Photo credit to: JaneCane Photography

All of the centerpieces were made with burlap ribbon, lace ribbon, and solid lace. Accented with navy blue or coral ribbons. All were made with a hot glue gun and spray glue. 

The last personal touch on our day was creating our programs - which I cannot thank my parents enough for doing for us! They were printed on two separate pieces of paper that were stuck together with double stick tape. They were then stamped and tied together with a navy blue ribbon.

Our wedding unity box had a small mishap on the drive over - it was left on top of the car and fell off into the intersection - whoops! Courtesy of my husband and brother :)

I'm looking forward to sharing more of my crafts, recipes, and random creations - Enjoy!

e.l.l