A Lucky Class Gift

My fourth grader is taking his FCAT Writes exam tomorrow.  This is a huge deal for Florida's students and teachers.  Their school grade, merit raise and the determination if the student needs to be held back for another year hinges on this tests.  My kiddo's school puts an enormous amount of emphasis on each student and their success on the test.  I thought I would present my kids teacher with a class gift to wish all the students good luck. 

 It perfectly ties in with the upcoming St. Patricks Day holiday!  Who can't use a little four leaf clover for good luck!?!?

Little tin bucket : $.88 from Old Time Pottery
Glittery Shamrock Sticker Pack : $1 from Joann's
St Patrick's Day Pencils : $1 x 2 from Dollar Tree
Ribbon from my stash!
Linking up with : So You Think You're Crafty @ http://www.soyouthinkyourecrafty.com/2011/02/im-crafty-party-6/
Just a Girl Blog @ http://www.justagirlblog.com/2011/02/sas-day-and-normal.html
Keeping it Simple @ http://craftskeepmesane.blogspot.com/
Skip to My Lou @ http://skiptomylou.org/
Dittle Dattle @  http://dittledattle.blogspot.com/


Thanks for stopping by!
Rachel

Chalk Board Plate

My girlfriend, Natalie and I went to our local Paint Your Own Pottery studio for a recent Girls Night Out.  We found half off vouchers in our local Clipper Magazine for $12.50 for $25 of merchandise!  How can you beat that?  I painted a dinner plate to use as a nightly menu since my husband always asks so he can plan his lunch out.

All finished!

 Before it was fired up and glazed!

My girlfriend and I having a blast!
~Rachel

Happy 5th Birthday Little Guy!

 My sweet little baby is FIVE today!  Oh my- where have the years gone?  More importantly, how have I survived being the mother to three energetic little boys for 10 years already!?!?! 

This awesome little guy is a Lego Hero Factory and Bionicle FREAK!  I have no idea when or how this happened because his older brothers do not have these toys.  I think it is cute and feed into it.  I am terrible, I know.  But he is my BABY!!!!  I can't help myself!  In fact, the two he is holding are the brand new ones we bought Saturday and he built all by himself for his birthday cake toppers.  I logically thought it out and knew the best idea would be to spend the money on the toppers (that he will be able to play with for a long time) and bake a cake myself then to buy a $50 bakery cake! 
On that note, Happy Birthday little man!  We love you SOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!
xoxoxoxo!
Mom

Eight Dollar Gumball Machine

 Do you remember when I showed you my haul from a recent garage sale and I teased you, saying I had one more item left to show you??  Here it is!  My Carousel gumball machine I scored for eight bucks!  Stand and all!  I was over-the-top-excited since my youngest son is having a birthday party next week and I am doing (another) candy buffet.  I just knew I had to snag this piece for the party!  Who cares that I already have a smaller tabletop Carousel machine!

 I was stoked to find this box of 850 large gumballs at Sam's Club for $17!  So were my boys!

I plan on putting out a apothecary jar full of the gumballs for Nicky's birthday party- easier access for the kiddos to fill their boxes with!
Linking with Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday's http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/
Stay tuned for more fun photos of apothecary jars full of candy!
~Rachel

Brunch for Two- Al Fresco!

 Our beautiful boys were still at Grandma's from a sleepover since last night, so I decided to make a simple brunch for two for my hunny and myself!  I cut up fresh pineapple, locally grown strawberries (one of the benefits of living in the Winter Strawberry Capital of the world!) and grapes, brewed some Starbucks, simmered a batch of homemade caramel sauce and repurposed my left over french baguette from yesterday's trip to Panera into Cherry Bread Pudding.

 Recipe for the Cherry Bread Pudding :

1/2 stale bagette, cut ad cubed (left over night to tur stale would be perfect!)
3 beaten eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c sugar
1/4 cup dried cherries

Mix all of the ingredients (except the bread) into a mixing bowl and then add bread cubes.  Let the bread soak up all the custardy goodness for about 10 minutes, I mix occasionally to assure all the bread absorbs the custard mixture.
Spray a casserole dish with Pam and add mixture.  Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. 
Make your caramel sauce at this time!

 Recipe for Caramel Sauce :

4 tbsp butter
1/2 cup half and half
1 cup packed brown sugar
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter and add half and half , sugar and salt to the pot.  Simmer on medium low heat until it reaches a medium thickness (just like store bought caramel).  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Let it cool slightly and pour into your serving glass.  PLEASE BE CAREFUL it is VERY VERY VERY HOT!!!!  I am a taster as I go so wanted you to be warned in case you are too... it will burn your tongue! 

 Fresh fruit - so inviting on it's own!

Hunny and I's view from our back patio... not to thrilling but a beautiful morning at 70 degrees with birds chirping and rooster's crowing.... yes, ROOSTER! 
Linking up with :Tabletop Tuesday's http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/ , White Wednesday's http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/ ,  Tablescape Thursday http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/  and Foodie Friday's http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/
Seize the day!!!
Rachel

Toilet Paper Tube Crackers!

 Yes, you read right... TOILET PAPER ROLL crackers!  Talk about recycling!  I had a blast filling the tubes with green wrapped Hershey Kisses (carefully chosen out of the Christmas bags I bought on 75% clearance after the holidays at Walgreens!).  I already had the paper and the foil shamrock garland.  I searched the net for free clip art for St Patty's Day and found the image that I used as the main embellishment. 

Now the hard part... do I give these to my three sons or their three teachers for St Patty's Day?!?!
Linking up with the http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/p/summer-sundays.html for Seasonal Sundays.
Have a great Weekend!!!
Rachel

Quick fun

 I was browsing around Joann's today when I found myself in the jewelry and findings department.  I love scouring the aisles for inspiration and am always game for a new necklace or three in my case today!)

So I found this fabulous black frame style pendant and matched it with a great black link chain.  I brought it home and immediately searched my photo files for the perfect photo of my kiddos!!!  I also grabbed a black rhinestone and hematite looking skeleton key pendant and ball chain to wear with the photo frame necklace.  I dig that layed look (as you can see in my picture!)

And then this quirky octopus pendant!  It reminded me of my littlest guy, he loves octopuses!  I love the blues in it!  It really just screams vintage!!!!!!

Thanks for stopping by!
Rachel

Why didn't I think of this sooner?

 Brownies in cupcake wrappers for easy individual servings for my son's preschool party!  It was so easy to serve and no crumbs all over the place to clean up!

Best of all- EVERY ONE has an END PIECE (our families favorite!!!!!!) !
Have a great day!
Rachel

Valentine's Day 2011

My husband and I went out to a local Greek restaurant that I have been dying to try for a few years.  Since it was my night to choose (he did ask me out for Valentine's Day after all!) I gave him no choice but to finally give in and take me out to to a place he is not fond of their ethnic food.  He is not very experimental! 

I enjoyed the chicken souvlaki platter with Greek salad (the best Greek dressing I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying!), spinach orzo, hummus and fresh pita with tzatziki!  My gorgeous hubby had the Shrimp Mykonos and didn't complain too much ;) 

Happy Valentine's Day!
Rachel and John

Vintage Book Re-do

My new favorite hobby is altering vintage books I find for a few dollars at my local thrift store.  This one I made for my son to enjoy last week when he came down with the flu.  It is a book from the 50's with stories for young men and women.  He got a kick out of the copyright date!

 I even made a matching bookmark, pictured above. 

Nothing is more encouraging than an inviting bookcover!  The original cover definitely lacked appeal!
Linking up with http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ for Metamorphosis Monday!
Thanks for stopping by!
Rachel

French Meringues

Nothing says "I Love You" more than a delicious low fat homemade sweet treat!

Ingredients :

4 egg whites

2 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Begin whipping egg whites in your stand mixer (yes, this is when you really appreciate your beloved Kitchenaid with recipes like this one!),  Midway thru the whipping, slowly add the powdered sugar until they are whipped into stiff peaks.  Finish whipping until stiff peaks form.  Pour mixture into a pastry bag with one of the larger tips on it.  Pipe mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet, in a circular (about 2 inch wide) formation.  Bake in oven for about a 1/2 hour.  Depending on the size you make need more or less cooking time.  To test, touch the meringues to judge their hardness.

Serve with love and ENJOY!

~Rachel

The start of something more beautiful...

 I *LOVE* altering vintage books!  I keep every scrap of paper.  I hoard every stitch of left over ribbon.  I look at the ordinary and use it in alternative ways.  I love making something pretty from something mundane!

I created this little gem from a $2 book I bought at my local thrift store.  Beneath it's covers lays Black Beauty.  I made a centerpiece with Spring in mind and this pretty little stack of pages is the focal point!  Stay tuned for more details on the entire project!

Here is the finished product!  I made a beautiful arrangement dedicated to the art of literature!

Not only did I use a $2 thrift store book (what a deal for a vintage Black Beauty!), I used my vintage lace trim and buttons, pages from another vintage book and old clothing patterns as a filler inside the tin.

Linking up with :

Thanks for stopping by {I love your compliments!}

Rachel

Friday Garage Sale Goodies!

 I scored these awesome goggles for $1 and my boys couldn't wait to play with them!  They have even offered to pay me for them.  I said no dice- THEY ARE MINE!!!  But they do look pretty awesome in them ;)

 Seriously, are they not awesome!?!?

 And this vintage milk glass Sunkist juicer.  I am a milk glass collector and I can't say no to kitchen gear!  FABULOUSNESS!!!

 How about this handy dandy milk glass frog?  It was pretty pricey at $2!

 This is the BEST deal.  Steal.  Score.  Treasure.  Bargain... whatever you want to call it!  This gorgeous Fiesta teapot for $2!  Yeah, you read right- $2 !!!!!!!!!!

 Fun vintage binoculars for two bucks

 This is really a treasure!  I bargained this beauty down to a DOLLAR! 

 Hmmm, is this one my favorite?  I am really having a hard time deciding!  I do love this amber glass cake plate an awful lot! It was a hefty $2 !

I have one more treasure that I will post at a later date.  It is a great conversation piece that I know all my guests will love!
Thanks for shopping with me!
Rachel

Valentines for the Teachers!

 I bought a set of 6 Valentine treat boxes from Dollar Tree for, yeah, you guessed- a DOLLAR!  And I jazzed them up with a few scalloped circles and my Martha Stewart punched heart. 

 I filled them with a few different varieties of chocolate hearts and adorned them with ribbons, tags a a pretty flocked heart.  Ready for my boys teachers!

I also made these treat holders for the teachers, for some variety!

And my new favorite project, altering vintage books!  I made this one for my sons favorite teacher (shhhh... don't tell the others!)

Linking up with : The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sunday @ http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by!

Rachel