Mail Organizer

I recently found a lovely blog called Lillian Pearl Designs and she has such a great idea for what to do with old picture frames. If you have read some of my earlier posts you know that I seem to have lots of them.

You can check out her tutorial here. Enjoy!

Wall Art - One Photo Divided Into Many

I found these great canvas, coaster sized, squares. 10 for 3 Euro, can't beat that! Then found a photo I loved and chopped it up in Adobe Indesign. Final Product turned out to be around 18'' x 22''.

This is a photo I took in New York on the Brooklyn Bridge. I loved the American Flag in the middle and popped it out with another, larger canvas.

Personally I loved how it turned out and now I am trying to find new photos that I want to chop up. What do you think? Should I make a tutorial?

Wooden Blinds to Wall Designs

I recently bought an unused IKEA wooden blind set at thrift store for $5. Just like the one below.

I didn't need blinds but it was perfectly good wood and I figured I could do something with it! I decided so spray paint them black and gold and give it a kind of crackling effect. I weaved the wooden pieces together and then 3 simple gold bars in the middle.

As we can't paint the walls or anything in this house I think it would look great on a tan wall, so imagine it in maybe a home office setting.

Here you can see the crackling really well.

Again, I just laugh because this is probably the largest wall space in our house so I just wanted to get at least one picture of the two of them together. On day they will have a more permanent home.

I love how they turned out (even when hung in a makeshift place). I almost get an Asian vibe off of it, or is that just me? It was really fun to make so I hope you enjoy and hopefully this can inspire you to do something fun with your old blinds :)

Have a lovely day!

February Inspirations

These are just a few lovely photos of inspiration for February. If I figure out this blog I will try and put them in the side bar

!

Whole Grain Pumpkin Muffins!

Finally some muffins you can eat, fall in love with and not feel like you have ruined your entire diet!  They are easy to make and friends and co-workers are thrilled to help you stick to your diet when you start bringing these

1 ½ cups whole grain flour

1 cup canned pumpkin pie mix

1/3 cup olive oil

1 ¼ cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar separate

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt 

Cinnamon-Sugar Mix

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon sugar separate

 *  For an extra kick of protein throw in ¾ cup of walnuts

Place oven rack in middle position and preheat to 350˚F. Put liners in muffin cups.

Mix together pumpkin, oil, 1 ¼ cup sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl until smooth, then sift in the whole grain flour. 

In an empty muffin liner combine the 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.  The muffin liner is much easier to use and can just be thrown away when finished!

Once you are finished mixing fill each liner ¾ full and sprinkle the tops with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Bake 20-25 minutes, the tops should be golden brown and raised slightly higher than the rim for the liner.  You can use a tooth pick to check the middle of the muffin as well; when it comes out clean they are ready! 

Cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a plate or rack to finish cooling (if you can wait that long).

Healthy Hint #1--- I have been known to devour an entire batch myself to avoid this wrap them up with Saran wrap the second they are cooled off.  You will be less likely to eat more if they are already put away. 

Healthy Hint #2 --- When I cook these muffins I use all organic products, they are even more yummy!

Tell me how this works for you!

A Baby's Life in a Quilt

As having my own kids is certainly not in my near future I am blessed with having everyone around me having their own. I found not only is it great having these friends because they almost are a new kind of birth control for me ;) but I get to make so much great stuff. I'm still human, any thing baby sized is basically adorable! I made this quilt for our friend who had a beautiful baby boy. It was such a fun quilt to make and actually pretty easy. I think it turned out great and I hope the family can enjoy their baby and baby quilt! I read the tutorial on one of my favorite sites to keep up with, Moda Bake Shop.

Have a look see, I would love to know what you think!

Pen Pals? Sign me up!

 



You know in old movies where people are waiting weeks upon weeks to receive letters in the mail?  Hoping to hear from their husbands, or waiting for all the family gossip.  With e-mail and technology we can know almost instantly who said what to their boss in Germany, or who was caught kissing at the corner coffee shop in California.  I ran across this at a blog that I love keeping up with, Shey b!

A small community of Pen Pals!  I know there are lots of actually websites out there for Pen Pals, but I happen to find hers first and just love the idea!  I still love getting letters in the mail, and it will be nice knowing they won't all be from the bank!

Click here to learn more and sign up!  Also remember it's free and a nice (retro) way to meet new people!

I signed up and I hope you do as well!

~Annie