eighteen25 bring on the cake!!! but not just any cake... the best cake around if you ask us. [chocolate chocolate chip, pecan praline, lemon, white white chocolate, white chocolate raspberry, marble, red velvet, cinnamon swirl and carrot] oh yum! my favorite just happens to be the red velvet. yes, i may have mentioned that before, but i'm not afraid to repeat the important things here. i'm also not afraid to admit that i'd probably marry the frosting if the good people at Nothing Bundt Cake would allow something like that. it's just that good. not only are the cakes delicious, but they have the most adorable store. (want to see if there's one near you? and free samples!!! this is a special giveaway for our local friends (don't worry we love all of you... near and far. we have some pretty awesome things to give away today!) now here's the exciting news... (a gift certificate for $39.50 to be exact) gift certificates can be redeemed here at our darling las vegas store: 9711 S. here's how to enter:
That Was Easy... As we embark on a New Year, I thought I would share a great email I received the other day from a dear friend. She knows I am a tip fanatic. I don't know the original source of this... but who ever did this is a genius. Hull strawberries easily using a straw. Rubbing a walnut over scratches in your furniture will disguise dings and scrapes. Remove crayon masterpieces from your TV or computer screen with WD40 (also works on walls). Stop cut apples browning in your child’s lunch box by securing with a rubber band. Overhaul your linen cupboard – store bed linen sets inside one of their own Pillowcases and there will be no more hunting through piles for a match. \Deborah\eas to make life easier Pump up the volume by placing your iPhone / iPod in a bowl – the concave shape Amplifies the music. Re-use a wet-wipes container to store plastic bags. Add this item to your beach bag. Attach a Velcro strip to the wall to store soft toys. Look up! Gotcha! Forever losing your bathroom essentials? Hugs,
life story binder Tonight is our Life Story Binder class at the church in the Relief Society room. We'll start promptly at 7 pm, so be on time! I'm very excited about the response to this project. It seems we're all motivated to get more organized this year. What is a Life Story Binder? How do I get started? 3-ring binder* (2" ring size works well)sheet protectors (80-100) Life Story Binder suggestions list (I've compiled a list of suggested documents, photos and journaling for you.) Step 2: Read through the Life Story Binder suggestions list and check off and/or add items that are applicable to you or your family member's life story. Step 3: Create labels using Return Address Labels and adhere to sheet protectors.I use Return Address size labels for other organizing purposes, so you might want to check out the creating labels tutorial even if you don't plan on adding the labels to your binder. Step 4: Get organized by adding your documents, photos and journaling.
Junk in the trunk - per request :) SO, I'm posting this, although I usually hide my OCD tendencies from people because of the relentless teasing. I've been stopped SO many times while loading my groceries by people who ask to take pictures, "pin" it, and/or ask questions, that i figured I had better post this so that I can direct all traffic here and save me the extra 30 minutes of oogling and questions. I didn't take pictures of all the organization in my momma mini, but I've got the trunk, and I'll answer your most frequently asked questions... What ARE those hanging things? - They're actually shower caddy things you hang off your shower head. WOW. Do you do this for hire? What to do: Just grab some labels and make spaces for all the things you need during your trips. FIRST AID: Band-aids, antiseptic wash (foam version, which my kids love), benadryl spray (Ev is highly allergic to mosquito bites, and we carry this stuff like an epi-pen!). SUNBLOCK: Sunblock and Bug Spray. KLEENEX: Pocket Packs. RAIN GEAR: Ponchos!
How to create a sunken trampoline - little green fingers I think a sunken trampoline has to be my favourite family garden feature. It's a simple enough idea but solves so many headaches. It's safer, less intrusive and popular with everyone. I have sunken a couple myself. Well, to be more accurate, I've sunken the same one twice (note to self - decide where to put the thing and don't change your mind after 12 months). So what do you do...? First, measure up - I would say buy a relatively large trampoline (ours is 14') but make sure that it won't dominate the garden. And that's it, except to say, sunken trampolines might be safer, but not so safe that you shouldn't supervise very carefully. Oh and if you want to see a couple of films about putting in sunken trampoines and how to maintain them, check these out below:
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier – Aimless Direction - Aimless Direction — Aimless Direction I received this as an email and instead of saving the email, I decided to post it here so that I know I always have these great tips on my site. I plan on trying every single one of them too. I actually just tried the dryer tip (#17) at the bottom, so we’ll see how that one works out. Oh yeah, I probably won’t be trying the hair conditioner on my legs for shaving either since, well…I’m a guy. A lot of these tips are things that I can actually use on a regular basis too. 1. Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove , set heat to med-low and heat till warm. 2. Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. 3. When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. 4. To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated , place them in a microwave with a cup of water. 5. Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. 6. 7. Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. Hate foggy windshields? 13.
Nifty Food & Plants To Grow Indoors {May Surprise You If you don’t have any garden space or you live in a climate with a short growing season, you can still exercise your green thumb with these indoor plant ideas…a few will even produce fresh produce too! You’ll find tips for growing assorted herbs, a couple vegetables and a few neat-o plants to try your hand at. You can grow them inside year round but many will thrive outdoors during the summer months (if you have the space) but move them indoors once it gets a little chilly and before the first frost (imagine having garden fresh tomatoes over the winter!). Never Pay For Onions Again Enjoy Garden Fresh Onions Year Round With This Tip Here’s a great tip from MyByrdHouse: Onion Recycling Tutorial: I learned this tip a couple of years ago and have tried it and found that it works and is quite marvelous. The trick is to take the cut end (root side) and plant it in a pot, water well, give it some time and voila! Please visit the site for complete details, great tip! Bean Sprouts In A Jar
Super Fancy Cake Decorating Tutorial for Broke Monkeys This is a tutorial to show you how to decorate a cake that makes you look pretty clever. The beauty of this method is that you can put anything you darn well want on a cake. Your kid likes a certain team and you don't trust Stuffmart Bakery? No problemo. All you need is a picture off the webz (or a coloring book page, or a drawing you did yourself) and you can make any design you want. In this case, Gater wanted a "Dora/Princess" cake. First, bake your cake and let it cool thoroughly. Make your icing; a buttercream made with butter is best. *When you make your icing, you will want to sift the powdered sugar and mix the icing up quickly so you don't get lumps. Ice your cake. Print out a coloring page, and make sure it is the right size for the top of your cake. It is a good idea at this stage to decide how many colors you want to use in your finished design. Trim your coloring page, and tape it to the back side of a flat piece of glass. Mix up the colors you will need for your design.
Winter Butterfly Garden - Urban Comfort Maybe there aren't that many people who put butterflies at the top of their Christmas wish list, but I've been a little obsessed with them over the past year. I'm not a collector - I don't care about perfectly mounted (and pricey) rare specimens, though I can certainly appreciate them. And I've been inspired by all of the butterfly projects I've seen on blogs and in magazines, but not inspired by the use of obviously fake butterflies. What I wanted were butterflies I could incorporate into my personal decor but that wouldn't cost an arm and a leg. What I discovered is that it's possible. Butterfly collecting doesn't have to be pricey if you're willing to do the work of spreading their wings yourself. There are reputable vendors online (and if it matters to you, you can email them and ask if their butterflies are ethically harvested, meaning that they're captured after they've naturally expired) and you can purchase folded butterflies housed in glassine envelopes. Before: After: ShareThis
Perfect Polish Every Time! Let's talk toes. And eyes. Funny how the two effect one another. My aging eyes are making it hard to paint my toenails. All that's standing between your old eyes and Perfect Polish is a cuticle stick, a Q-Tip, and greasy lotion. Put some lotion onto a Q-Tip Wipe it around your nail, being careful to not get it ON your nail. Use the cuticle stick to wipe away the extra. That's all it takes! Hope this little trick helps! I'm linking up to these parties this week!
How to Make Marshmallow Fondant This time I decided to make it with those mini fruit flavored marshmallows. I had to sort them by colour first. I figured they would add a little bit of flavor to the fondant so I wouldn't have to add much flavoring oil. I use gel colours to dye my fondant but regular food colouring will work too. You won't be able to get really dark colours without making your fondant sticky, but for lighter colours you can just even it out with more icing sugar. I also had lemon oil and coconut flavoring on hand.. oh la la the value brand (which still works fine). Step One: Take a couple of handfuls of marshmallows and put them in a microwave safe bowl. I like to make smaller batches because its easier to add the colour to the melted marshmallow than it is to work the colour into the fondant later. Step Two: Stick the marshmallows in the microwave for ten seconds at a time until the are puffed up and easily stir into a goo with a wooden spoon. Step Three: Step Four: Fondant with the icing sugar kneaded in.
DIY Laundry Detergent Today, our sweet friend Jen, from Blissful 55 is guest posting on Dirty Laundry. No, I am not talking about the problems and dirty little secrets of our lives….we are talking legit, dirty, smelly, laundry; or more importantly, how we get that dirty laundry clean. It took me a while to come around to the idea of making my own laundry soap. It met my every need, with the exception of the price tag. You will need… 1 (4 lb 12 oz) Box of Borax- Found in the detergent aisle 1 (3 lb 7 oz) Box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda- Found in the detergent aisle 1 (3 lb) Container of OxyClean- Found in the detergent aisle. 2 (14.1 oz) Bars of Zote Soap- Found in the detergent aisle (we chose to do pink for the scent but the white would be just fine. 1 (4 lb) Box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda- Found in the cooking aisle (You could also get two 2 lb box, we couldn’t find the larger 4lb box when we went) 1-2 (55 oz) Bottle of Purex Crystals Fabric Softener- or use 3-4 bottles of Scentsy Washer Whiffs. 1. 2.
Handmade Gift Ideas: For Kids | Talk Crafty To Me Why not skip the expensive, battery operated, mass-produced plastic toys this year, in favor of something more unique and personal. Handmade toys are a great way to encourage creativity and activate your children’s imagination. These great ideas are inexpensive and easy to make, plus they’re sure to provide hours of entertainment. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. related posts 7 Surprising Things You Can Buy at Costco Costco Wholesale revealed its most expensive bargain yet this week -- a $1 million diamond ring. There's only one of these 6.77-carat rings, which is actually discounted from its $1.6 million value. The wholesaler has been selling engagement rings and high-end jewelry for several years, having already offered diamonds in the $200,000 to $300,000 range. But this is the most expensive item to date. While Costco is best known for its cheap bulk basics and discount electronics, next to the 80-packs of toilet paper, 30-pounds of pasta and giant televisions you can find some surprising buys. Here, then, is a look at some of the other unexpected buys you can find at Costco: Caskets Costco sells the basics for life and death. The coffins range from about $1,300 to $3,000, with expedited shipping available is ordered by 2 p.m. Costco's funeral business also includes human and pet urns, which it introduced in 2005, and sympathy flowers, as well as other keepsakes. Cars Health Insurance House Wedding Dress