miken's crafts & more

golden pork chops

2011-11-06T22:50:00.000-08:00

this is a perfect sunday dinner meal. the definition of comfort food. my husband and i loved this. i've literally never cooked with pork chops until now. i've been wanting to try preparing other types of meats besides the typical chicken, hamburger, and pork roast. i have a couple pork chops left so maybe another recipe will be coming soon when i try something else with them.

ingredients:
4 pork chops
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon crushed minced fresh garlic
1/2 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed golden mushroom soup

directions:
preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

put butter, garlic, onion, and mushrooms in a large frying pan. saute the vegetables on medium until soft. move to medium mixing bowl. mix in soup.

rinse pork chops, pat dry, and season with seasoned salt and pepper. brown them in same pan used to saute vegetables. place them in a 9x13 inch baking dish. cover with soup and vegetable mixture.

cover with foil, and bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 45 minutes. uncover, and bake for 15 more minutes. (note: time could be less or more depending on the thickness of the chops.) pork chops are done when their internal temperature has reached 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

my comments:

i added a few more seasonings to the pork chops to my liking. this is best served with mashed potatoes because the remaining sauce works perfectly as gravy! i also served with a side of corn. we will definitely be having this again!

i got this recipe from allrecipes.com right here.

diy framed screen earring holder

2011-11-01T22:30:00.000-07:00

me and my good friend kristi made these earring holders a couple weeks ago. probably couldn't have been a more easy project and it turned out great!

here's how mine turned out... :)

we bought frames from the d.i. for $1 each

we sanded them and painted them. kristi painted hers all turquoise and i colorblocked mine with a creamy white and turquoise. as you can see below i used black masking tape to make a clean line with the turquoise.

we had an electric staple gun which we had used for the first time... as you can see some of the staples were a little iffy but effective! i'm sure using hot glue would be effective as well.

we also stapled on the ribbon to hold it up.

we also glued large beads on the back corners to set the holder a little further off the wall so the earrings don't hit the wall when they poke through.

and here's kristi's :)

super creamy zesty italian crock pot chicken

2011-10-12T13:12:00.000-07:00

this is a new favorite that i recently tried. it will definitely become a regular because you seriously can't beat how easy this recipe is. my husband loved it too :) i got this recipe from kraftrecipes.com and tweaked it slightly.

ingredients:
4 frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 tbsp. margarine
2 packets zesty italian seasoning
4 cups cooked rice
optional 2 cups sauteed or steamed vegetables (i sauteed some kroger brand key largo blend frozen vegetables)

directions:
put frozen chicken breasts, soup, and margarine into crock-pot.

cook on low 3-4 hours. after about an hour open crock-pot, add cream cheese and zesty italian seasoning, then stir everything together.

when complete, shred or cut chicken into chunks. serve over steamed rice with vegetables of your choice.

my comments:
after you cut or shred chicken you may want to let it sit in the sauce for 10 minutes or so to let it soak in.

others have substituted the rice for pasta noodles. bowtie and angel hair pasta is supposedly very good but i haven't tried it yet.

crock-pots vary so therefore your cooking time may vary also. cook until chicken is cooked all the way through and tender.

just as good as left overs!

latest craft ideas & inspirations

2011-10-10T13:28:00.000-07:00

haven't quite gotten onto the pinterest craze yet but here's a few things i suppose i would "pin" if i were on there a little more. some ideas i'd like to try out along with a couple inpirational rooms. i got these ideas from apartmenttherapy.com.

diy home-made clocks

diy scrabble decor

diy modernized vases

wooden chandelier decoration

home theater room (seriously how cool is this?!)

craft room. oh pottery barn, you get me.

chicken club pizza

2011-09-28T12:16:00.000-07:00

eddy loves the BLT pizza at california pizza kitchen. i found this recipe on the kraft recipes website here. it is very similar, has easy ingredients, and had a ton of great reviews so i decided to try it. it will definitely become a regular on our menu!

ingredients:
1 can (13.8 oz.) refrigerated pizza crust -OR- a pre-made pizza crust
1/4 cup mayo
1/2 cup ranch dressing, divided
1-1/2 cups shredded triple cheddar cheese, divided
1-1/2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken
8 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled
1-1/2 cups finely shredded lettuce
1 tomato, finely chopped
1 ripe avacado (optional)

directions:
heat oven to 400ºF.

unroll pizza dough on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray; press into 15x10-inch rectangle. bake 10 min. (i did not do this. i used a pre-made pizza crust; see picture below)

mix mayo and 1/3 cup dressing; spread onto crust. top with half the cheese, chicken, remaining cheese and bacon.

bake 5 min. or until crust is deep golden brown and cheese is melted. top with lettuce and tomatoes; drizzle with remaining dressing.

my comments:
i did a bit of tweaking on the original recipe's ingredients but nothing like whoa! i used a pre-made boboli pizza crust from the grocery store (see picture below). i used a mixture of sharp cheddar and colby jack shredded cheeses (what I already had). also, i cooked my chicken with a little bit of kraft greek vinaigrette extra virgin olive oil (see picture below) to give the chicken just a little touch of flavor. my tomatoes were really watery so i pressed a papertowel on them to soak up some of the extra liquid. i added a bit more lettuce than called for because i ♥ lettuce! it's like a salad and a pizza in one! :) and last but not least we topped everything with avacado slices just like the BLT pizza at CPK. it was a definite hit! both eddy and i and our next door neighbors loved it! it doesn't keep so make sure you have enough people over to eat it all in one sitting! i'd say it could feed 3 hungry adults or 4 adults with an additional side like breadsticks or something. let me know how yours turns out if you make it!

boboli pre-made pizza crust

kraft extra virgin olive oil greek vinaigrette dressing

peach shortcakes

2011-09-04T14:41:00.000-07:00

eddy and i had our neighbor friends come over and my friend and i made these for us and the boys. it was a pretty quick recipe all-in-all and the shortcakes were quickly devoured!

ingredients:

1 cup flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tsp. sugar, divided
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) cream cheese, cubed
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp. milk, divided
3 large fresh peaches (1-1/4 lb.), sliced
1-1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 cup thawed cool whip whipped topping

directions:
heat oven to 425ºF.

mix flour, 2 tbsp. sugar, baking powder and zest in large bowl. cut in cream cheese with 2 knives or pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. stir in 1/3 cup milk until mixture forms dough.

use floured hands to divide dough into 8 pieces; shape each into ball. place, 3 inches apart, on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray; flatten to 3/4-inch thickness. brush tops lightly with remaining milk; sprinkle with 2 tsp. of the remaining sugar.

bake 12 to 15 min. or until golden brown. meanwhile, combine peaches, remaining sugar and lemon juice.

cool shortcakes slightly; split in half. fill with peach mixture and cool whip just before serving.

my comments:

i didn't know what lemon zest was before this recipe. lemon zest is tiny shavings of the yellow part of the outer peel of the lemon. if you don't have an actual lemon zester you can use a small grater but only graze the surface of the lemon. like i said, lemon zest is tiny shavings not a grated lemon peel.

i loved this dessert recipe so much! i got it from the kraft recipes website when it showed up on the main page with tons of reviews and a 5-star rating. you can find the actual recipe here. try it out and let me know what you think! ♥

creamy tomato & chicken spaghetti

2011-09-03T14:25:00.000-07:00

lately i've been looking to incorporate different flavor combinations into the dinner menus at home. this is another great spin-off of you're regular spaghetti recipe. my husband agreed... he loved it! it was perfect as the main dish of the romantic candlelight dinner at home with my husband. i'll definitely be making this again very soon!

ingredients:

1/2 lb. spaghetti, uncooked
2 cups frozen stir-fry vegetables (i used fresh broccoli and cauliflower and carrots)
1 tbsp. oil
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup kraft zesty italian dressing
1/2 cup (1/2 of 8-oz. tub/bar) cream cheese spread
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

directions:
cook spaghetti in large saucepan as directed on package, adding stir-fry (or fresh) vegetables to the boiling water for the last 3 min.

meanwhile, heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. add chicken; cook 6 min., stirring occasionally. stir in tomatoes and dressing; bring to boil. simmer on medium heat 4 min., stirring occasionally. add cream cheese spread; cook and stir until cream cheese is completely melted and mixture is well blended.

drain spaghetti mixture; place in large bowl. add chicken mixture; toss to coat. sprinkle with parmesan.

my comments:

this recipe was gotten also from the kraft recipes website. you can find this recipe here. the kraft website is one of my go to places for great new recipes. just make sure you check the feedback on the recipe! let me know what you think of this one if you make it! ♥

cheesy ham & apple panini

2011-09-02T14:10:00.000-07:00

this is my latest craving/obsession. i've had it like 3 times in the last week... and i want it more! serves well as lunch or even a lazy dinner. it's filling and serves well with pasta salad, chips, or homemade fries. yum! the apples give an illusion that it's healthy but it's probably not haha... but oh well cause it's that good!!

ingredients:

2 tsp. mayo
1 tsp. grey poupon dijon mustard
2 slices sourdough bread (i used regular white bread)
1 thin red onion slice
4 thin slices deli meat ham (i used hillshire honey ham)
6 thin apple slices
1 slice colby jack cheese
1 tsp. olive oil

directions:
heat panini grill. (i used my george forman grill)

mix mayo and mustard; spread onto bread slices. Fill with onion, ham, apples and cheese.

brush outside of sandwich with olive oil.

grill 3 minutes or until golden brown.

my comments:

i wasn't exact with the mayo and mustard measurements and didn't mix them. just put a little on the opposite slices. also, a little goes a long way with the grey poupon so take it easy unless you know you love it (my husband only likes a faint amount). i got this recipe from kraft recipes. you can find it by clicking here. let me know what you think if you try it! ♥

tangy apricot pork

2011-09-01T13:48:00.000-07:00

i made this with the funeral potatoes and a vegetable side and my husband will not stop asking for it. it's definitely a unique spin on your typical pork roast but oh so good!

ingredients:

2-pound pork sirloin tip roast
1 cup apricot preserves
3 tbs yellow mustard
3 tbs worchestershire sauce
2 and 1/4 cups water (divided)

directions:
put roast into crock pot with 2 cups of water. cook on high for 4 hours. take roast out, shred with fork and dump out crock pot, removing any ickies from the bottom. put the shredded pork back into the crock pot. mix preserves, mustard, worchestershire sauce, and 1/4 cup water in a bowl. add to crock pot and mix until pork is well coated. continue to cook on high for 1-2 more hours. serve warm.

my comments:

again, i copied this recipe over from vittles divine. you can find her recipe here. check her out and try her other recipes! let me know what you think of this one if you make it! ♥

cheesy funeral potatoes

2011-08-31T13:38:00.000-07:00

this is one of my absolute favorite recipes! you can put this as a side to anything. my lesson learned from the first time: don't skip the onion!

ingredients:
1 26-ounce bag of frozen shredded hashbrowns (about 9 cups)
1 can (10 ¾ oz.) cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
3/4 cup sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (i used 1 ½ to be extra cheesy!)
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
3 tablespoons butter, melted (and divided)
1/4 cup diced onion

directions:
melt 1 tbs butter in small saucepan and saute onions until soft and onions start to carmelize.

mix soup, milk, sour cream, 2 tbs melted butter, cheese, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. add sauteed onions. slowly stir in hashbrowns and mix well. pour mixture into lightly greased 9 x 13 pan. bake covered on 350 for 25 minutes. take cover off and continue baking uncovered for an additional 20 minutes.

my comments:
i'm just pounding out all of these recipes from this beloved blog i found. thanks vittles divine. i got this recipe here. check out her other recipes... to die for! let me know what you think if you make this. ♥

sesame chicken

2011-08-25T10:30:00.000-07:00

ingredients:
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of any fat and cut into bite-size pieces
2 tbsp flour
salt and ground pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp sesame seeds
1 stalk green onion, chopped**
2 cups white or brown rice, cooked according to package directions

directions:
in a bowl, combine soy sauce and sugar and stir well to combine. set aside.

in a large mixing bowl, combine chicken pieces (make sure they are not wet) and flour. season with salt and pepper. stir well to combine.

heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. once hot, add chicken. cook, stirring often, until cooked through, about 5-10 minutes, depending on how large or small your pieces are.

transfer chicken pieces onto a plate and put the pan back on the heat. stir the soy sauce mixture again (some of the sugar will have settled in the bottom) and pour the soy sauce mixture into the pan. with a wooden spoon, scrape the cooked bits on the bottom of the pan while the soy sauce mixture simmer. let simmer for 2 minutes, until slightly thickened. add the chicken back into the pan. sprinkle sesame seeds on top and toss well, coating all the chicken pieces in the soy mixture.

serve over rice and garnish with green onions**.

yields 6 servings.

**do try not to leave out the green onions. the tiny bit of asian flavor that they add is really nice and really helps bring it all together.

my comments:
*i stole this recipe [word for word and picture] directly from HERE. this girl posts amazing recipes if you want to try others she has up! ♥

brushed & baked bbq chicken rolls

2011-08-10T12:17:00.000-07:00

ingredients

24 rolls

mayonnaise

baked chicken breasts, shredded

bbq sauce of your choice (i used kraft honey bbq sauce)

cheddar or provolone cheese, shredded or sliced

brush sauce

1/4 c. melted butter

1 tbs mustard

1 tbs worcestershire sauce

2 tsp poppy seeds**

optional toppings

lettuce

tomatoes

sliced apples

cole slaw

carmelized onions

avocado

directions

mix together shredded chicken with bbq sauce until well coated. slice rolls in half. spread thin layer of mayo on top and bottom of the inside of each roll. assemble rolls with bbq chicken and cheese. place assembled rolls on a cookie sheet or stone. mix together the melted butter, mustard, worcestershire sauce, and poppy seeds with a whisk. brush this mixture all over the tops of the rolls and cover with tin foil. bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes until heated through. peel open sandwiches and add additional toppings as desired.

**the poppy seeds are not necessary when making this recipe. they don't add a ton of flavor, but they do look good. :)

click HERE to get other amazing recipes from the blog i got this one from.

thai chicken pasta

2011-08-09T12:03:00.000-07:00

i made the recipe exactly as written and it was perfect just the way it was. i wasn't familiar enough with some of the ingredients to mess around anyway. i have never used sesame oil, ginger, rice vinegar, or chili-garlic sauce before.

12 ounces linguine (NOT 16 ounces!)

2-3 breasts of cooked and chopped or shredded chicken. (I used 2 somewhat large ones)

sauce:

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

1 cup finely shredded carrots

3 tablespoons minced garlic (yes, you read that right -- 3 tbs. surprisingly, it's not too much)

1/2 tablespoon ground ginger or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

1/2 cup honey

just a tiny bit less than 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 and 1/2 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce*

cilantro and additional green onions to garnish (i did not do this)

cook pasta in a large pot of water according to package directions, breaking pasta into thirds before boiling. drain and return to pot. set aside.

heat 1 tbs sesame oil in heavy pot over medium-high heat. add green onions, carrots, garlic and ginger. saute until vegetables soften, about 4 minutes.

combine honey, peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar and chili-garlic sauce in a bowl and and mix well. add to vegetables. add Chicken. simmer sauce 2 minutes. pour sauce over pasta and toss well.

*chili-garlic sauce looks like this: (i found mine at buy-low but you can usually find it at smith's)

i got this recipe off THIS awesome recipe blog!

foil dinners

2010-08-19T15:21:00.000-07:00

This is one of our absolute favorite meals. Especially for Fast Sunday! Love the meat and potatoes type of meal but you don't like spending a bunch of time preparing everything? This is perfect.

What you need: (Makes 2 dinners)

Foil
1 lb thawed hamburger
2 large russet potatoes
vegetables of your choice (I use 1/2 onion and 1 red pepper)
Salt and Pepper
Spices of your choice (I use Mrs. Dash and Garlic Salt)
OPTIONAL Can of Cream of Mushroom Soup OR...
OPTIONAL Velveeta and Milk to make cheese sauce

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
Put salt, pepper, and spices on your hamburger and knead it into the hamburger
Flatten and spread out your hamburger over the foil
Peel and cut up your potatoes and vegetables and put over hamburger
Put more spices on top of everything.
OPTIONAL If you want to add cream of mushroom soup you will add a half can to each foil dinner. (If you want to leave the soup out and make cheese sauce to put over afterwards or just leave it plain you can do that too.)
Fold up your dinners making sure that nothing is going to bubble out. Coat with a Couple sheets of foil if needed.
Put on a cookie sheet and bake for 1 hour.
OPTIONAL For the cheese sauce just cut up cubes of velveeta (about 1/4 of a package) and put about 1/4 cup of milk and microwave. Stir and microwave until liquid.

Easy to make and easy to eat!

diy easy black-out curtains

2010-08-18T14:29:00.000-07:00

Do you wake up feeling like you need a nap? This is the story of my life! Have you considered that while you sleep you might need complete darkness to get the deep sleep you need? I never considered this in the past. After the first night of putting my curtains up I felt completely rejuvenated! I literally can feel the difference in the amount of energy I have from day to day. This might sound like a sales pitch but I'm dead serious! I get a deeper sleep having complete darkness. I had NO idea and was not expecting that this result would come from curtains but I definitely want to tell everyone about it!

Curtains are expensive. It might be just me but the only ones I can find that I like even slightly are a fortune! Maybe I am cheap but I am not willing to spend $30+ per panel for curtains. Make your own curtains... in minutes!

Here's Mine:

My blinds are closed yet there is still ALL this light!

Curtains closed... it's night time in the middle of the day!

Yess!!!!!

What I Used:

"Blackout" Fabric (Can be found at any fabric store - I got mine at Hobby Lobby)

Measuring Tape
2 Twin Sized Bed Sheets (Found mine at Target)

Iron & Ironing Board

Curtain rod & Clips (Found mine at Target)

Scissors

I measured my windows first and held up a twin sized sheet horizontally and it fit from top to bottom with extra on the sides so i went and bought a couple sheets of my choice (2 windows to cover for me) and some "blackout" fabric. Blackout fabric is the most important ingredient in this recipe!! I brought them home, ironed my sheets and folded the extra fabric on the sides over and made a seam with the iron. I cut the blackout fabric to match up to my sheet. I clipped the sheet and the blackout fabric behind onto my curtain rings and installed the curtain rod. Seriously with shopping and everything this project took 2 hours. If you would like to have 2 panels for your window (1 on each side) you can always cut your sheet in half and sew a seam too. I chose the easier route. I would definitely recommend getting a good sturdy curtain rod. The one I got is pretty crappy cause i went for the cheapest. Spending a couple extra bucks on the hardware will make a big difference.

Goodnight! ♥

make-it-your-own pasta

2010-06-30T16:38:00.000-07:00

this can be a whole meal in one or just a side. probably one of my favorites just because it's so dang easy. when i don't have a meal plan or my pantry is looking empty i can usually count on at least having the ingredients for this. my husband loves the pasta served with baked parmesan chicken.

ingredients:
1-2 large chicken breasts (optional)
2 cups fresh or frozen vegetables (i used fresh broccoli, carrots, red peppers, and red onion)
3-4 cups pasta (i usually use penne or bowtie)
dressing of your choice to taste (i usually use a mixture of kraft tuscan house italian dressing and greek vinaigrette - shown at bottom)
parmesan

how you make it:
1. thaw the chicken if it isn't already thawed
2. cook the pasta
3. meanwhile cook the chicken on the stove in a large pan (if you're adding chicken to the pasta)
4. for the last 2-3 minutes add the vegetables into the boiling water with the pasta
5. drain the pasta/vegetable mix
6. once the chicken is cooked through add the pasta and vegetable mix with a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. (if not adding chicken to the pasta then heat the olive oil first then add the pasta)
6. sear the pasta
7. add in the dressing of your choice and serve warm

this is extremely tasty and the left-overs are just as great the next day served hot or cold! you can add whatever mixture of vegetables you want and seasonings to spice things up.

if you try it let me know what you think! let me know what variation you used too. :)

dry clean your wedding dress

2010-04-08T09:11:00.000-07:00

Some of you, like me, might want to keep your dress so that maybe someday one of your children or grandchildren in a future generation might want to wear it. Call me sentimental! After wearing it only on a couple occasions it tends to get dirty - on the bottom from dragging on the ground, cake getting on it, etc.

I searched and searched for a good price to get my dress dry cleaned.

Bottom line: IT IS EXPENSIVE!

I just want to let you know the great deal I got! Most places charge around $130 just for the cleaning with additional cost depending on how intricate and detailed your dress is (lace, beads, etc.) from there you can choose to get it in a protective box that keeps it safe from oxidation (yellowing) which costs around another $35.

I called several places and by far the best deal was at Country Cleaners! I paid $75 total for my dress (covered in lace and beads) to be cleaned and put in a special wedding dress box!! Country Cleaners only charges $40 if you want to get the dress cleaned only with no box. Some specific Country Cleaners stores won't do wedding dresses so just call ahead to make sure they will. I took mine to the one in Bountiful and it turned out absolutely GREAT!

(Note: I got married last August and just barely had this done - so don't worry about it being too long since you got married!)

Save money & save your wedding dress! ♥

tweaking

2010-04-06T15:38:00.000-07:00

Do you ever just decide that you HATE something you have, or over time you just get tired of it? I think it happens to most of us. Before you just throw it out, think of making some adjustments to revamp it!

I have never really liked the color RED. So, it comes as no surprise that I started to need a change on my picture garland.

Before

After (NO RED!)

*Ahh... much better.*

Sometimes it can be as easy as adding pillows - making a bed look that much comfier!!

Before

After

Even if you're the only one who will notice; fix it to make yourself happy!

Little changes can make a big difference ♥

...now, time for bed. :)

shoutout: la quatrième gourmande

2010-04-06T10:39:00.000-07:00

My friend Meagan has a cooking/etc. blog that I ♥. She is such a great cook and shares her secrets with wannabes like me! Plus I just won her giveaway WOO HOO! :)

Check out/follow her food blog here to get tips and tricks from the master herself:

LA QUATRIÈME GOURMANDE

Someday I'll be a cookin' fool :)

HANGING FABRIC FLOWER GARLAND

2010-04-05T16:31:00.000-07:00

Inspiration: Aerie.

I don't have an actual picture of what I saw, but my final project is essentially the same. I loved the idea and I loved making it!

Making Of:

1. Cut fabric into equal sized squares. (I used felt and regular fabric)

2. Cut those squares into circles. (does not need to be perfect)

3. With each circle, fold so there is a point at the bottom and sew through the points & connect each point together til you get a little flower ball.
4. Voila!
5. Attach them to string of your choice and hang!
Here's Mine:

Finished Project

Super Easy, Super Cute. :)

HAPPY EASTER

2010-04-05T16:24:00.001-07:00

Yes, my decorations for the holidays are getting weaker and weaker, I know. I'm going to have to say St. Patrick's Day was the worst (notice no posts about St. Patty's)... oh well! Here are a few little Easter bunnies my mom has given me over the years :)

Last but not least... the Easter basket!

I always look forward to the Easter holiday not only because of what it represents, but it's also the time of year for LDS General Conference and of course Cadbury Mini Eggs!

NO CHANGES ALLOWED

2010-03-30T14:11:00.000-07:00

There are a few things I don't necessarily love about my apartment:

Not being able to paint
Cabinets/doors are cruddy wood
No real pantry
Red paint splashed on random places (my sink, my kitchen floor, the dishwasher, my patio)
Light fixtures
Not being able to change any of these things that bother me!

I want to turn THIS... (yikes!)

Into THIS!
Someday, far away... when I have a house I will be able to make this awesome yarn light! You can find the DIY instructions at ApartmentTherapy.com. For now, I will just look at the picture and want it and not have it. Such is life!

:( Woes of not being able to change your apartment!

SHOUTOUT: FABRIC COUTURE

2010-03-23T21:09:00.001-07:00

My cousin Liz is amazing. Other than being:

✓ Beautiful

✓ Smart

✓ Talented

✓ Kindest Person I Know

She is SUPER creative! Liz just opened an Etsy shop called Fabric Couture and I'm pretty sure I MUST buy every headband she has on there. No, but seriously...

Check out her gorgeous handmade headbands here:

lizpug.etsy.com

♥ Shoutout to Homemade

THE DEATH OF A HOUSE

2010-03-19T14:15:00.001-07:00

Diamond in the Rough?

- or -

Point of No Return?

I pass this building almost every day cause it's on the same street as my work just about a block away. It's on the East side of downtown Salt Lake. I cringe when I look at it. My question to the owners:

How could you let such a magnificent house turn to shambles?!

(at least they have dish satellite right? ugh!)

All I know is that if I had this house... I would be in heaven. I would LOVE to fix this house up and call it mine. Just look at all the awesome windows and architecture! Obviously it would take more than a few (thousand) dollars at this point and judging from the disarray of the outside of the mansion it's probably even WORSE on the inside. I don't think I'll ever let myself get over it.

Here is my office a block away. Granted this picture was taken in the summer so the outdoors looks pretty nice, the building is basically in pristine condition and I found a brochure for it... worth about 1.5 mill. I wonder how much the other one is worth... $20?!

It kills me to see such awesome amazing places/items in the hands of people who trash them. Let someone who will take care of and appreciate the beautiful house have it and you go move into a dirty little shack where you belong... that is what I want to say to the owners of the house. I can be dramatic.

Passionate for beautiful old houses ♥

TREE BRANCH JEWELRY HOLDER

2010-03-17T10:18:00.001-07:00

Inspiration: ApartmentTherapy.com

Making Of:

I used a power drill to put a big enough hole for the branch to sit in. I'm pretty tough. I know.

Random dead tree branch I snatched from a tree at my work. The sturdier/thicker the branch the more jewelry you can hold on it.

I painted this with leftover paint I had from painting my chair from this project. Spray paint might have been a lot easier but I'm a big fan of using what I already have!
And Here's Mine:

Ta-da!
My cute little easter bunny wind-up toy...
Going through my drawer stuffed with jewelry I found tons of jewelry I haven't worn or even thought of in ages. Obviously it was necessary to put most of it on... Jewelry from the past really brings back the memories!! Now I just need to find an excuse to wear my ninja turtles watches (yes, plural) again... hmm.

♥ You can never have enough jewelry holders;

Unless of course you don't wear jewelry.

IS ANYBODY OUT THERE?

2010-03-14T00:27:00.001-08:00

I'm getting the urge to close down shop. Not that I'm selling anything, I just really wonder who actually looks at this if anyone. Is it necessary to separate this from my regular blog? I don't know. So many questions I have floating around in this head. I guess I'm just not the type to try to advertise this blog etc. I have more of the 'let's see if people care on their own' sort of attitude which is probably half of the problem. So yeah... that's just me being a little flighty. Is that a word?

I get comments from generally the same people mostly. If anyone else reads either of my blogs I really would like to know - I swear I'm friendly! I'm usually looking for a new blog to read too. Let's be friends :) Just some thoughts... k I'm done.

DESK: BEFORE & AFTER

2010-03-05T09:48:00.000-08:00

Remember this scenario? Yes, it's been like this since we moved in. Well NO LONGER! For Valentine's day Eddy got me a table and chair from Ikea to be my desk. I was excited to finally have somewhere to sit instead of sitting on my bed with the laptop and having it cause me neck and back pain! So here is the transformation.

Before:

The Transformation:

The Wooden Chair

Painting process.

(Pretty much just made my sister Kerstin do it all...)

Kelly helped too

I hate waiting for paint to dry. Hurry UP!

Tired Pup.

After:

My new desk!

Slapping a coat of paint on wood sometimes makes all the difference. I love it. Thanks Eddy!

♥ Here's to attaining everything you want and need over time. This one took a while!

RECIPE EXCHANGE

2010-03-04T11:53:00.000-08:00

Everyone: tell me your FAVORITE EASY recipe. I want new things to make and the simpler the better. I have to work up to the harder things right? Here's my next recipe to share...

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

What You Need!

2-1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup

1 cup Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

1 cup Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese

1/8 cup chopped cilantro

12 flour tortillas (8 inch)

+ whatever veggies you want to throw in (I used yellow and red peppers and onions)

enchilada sauce (i used a package mix that requires a small can of tomato sauce) or salsa

Make It!

HEAT oven to 350°F.

MIX chicken, soup, 1 cup cheese, 1/2 cup sour cream, veggies and 3 Tbsp. cilantro until well blended. Spoon down centers of tortillas, adding about 1/4 cup to each; roll up.

PLACE, seam-sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with and remaining cheese.

BAKE 25 min. or until heated through. Top with remaining cheese/cilantro/sour cream/ whatever!

This will give you quite the Tastegasm! :)

QUIRKY

2010-02-19T11:51:00.000-08:00

Does anyone love this kind of stuff as much as I do? I love the color in this kitchen and I LOVEx3 the kitty pictures. Awesome.

♥ www.the-brick-house.com

RECIPE SHARING

2010-02-19T11:24:00.000-08:00

This is the latest thing - recipe sharing! I just thought I'd let you know a couple ones I tried this past week that were heavenly! *mouth is watering* I don't necessarily love to cook or even like to cook but it needs to be done by someone! I wouldn't say I'm a food connoisseur either but these definitely went down easy!

I really like recipes that are:

1. Easy and don't take a long time to make

2. Have simple ingredients

3. Tasty!

Gram's Chicken Pot Pie

What You Need!

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
2 Tbsp. KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup
1/4 lb. (4 oz.) VELVEETA Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (1/2 of 17.3-oz. pkg.), thawed
1 egg, beaten

Make It!

Heat oven to 400ºF. Cook and stir chicken in dressing in large skillet on medium heat 5 min. or until done. Stir in vegetables and soup. Spoon into greased 9-inch square baking dish; top with Velveeta.

Unfold pastry sheet; place over chicken mixture. Fold under edges of pastry; press onto top of baking dish to seal. Brush pastry with egg. Cut several slits in pastry to permit steam to escape.

Place dish on baking sheet. Bake 30 min. or until crust is deep golden brown. Let stand 5 min. before serving.

Slow-Cooker Hearty Beef Chili

What You Need!

1-1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1 can (15 oz.) dark red kidney beans, drained, rinsed
1 can (15 oz.) light red kidney beans, drained, rinsed
1-1/2 cups Mild Salsa
1 can (16 oz.) tomato sauce
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 onion, chopped
1 cup frozen corn, thawed, drained
1 cup Mexican Style Finely Shredded Cheese

Make It!

Brown meat; drain. Add to slow cooker with remaining ingredients except cheese; stir. Cover with lid.

Cook on Low for 5 to 6 hours (or on High for 3 to 4 hours).

Stir just before serving. Serve topped with the cheese.

I got these recipes from Kraft.com :)

VALENTINES FELT CATCH-ALL

2010-02-08T14:14:00.000-08:00

I am not making the mistake of saying I'm going to do something before I do it ever again. It was incredibly hard finding time to make these but after saying I would... I definitely made myself do it. I'm so happy with the finished project! I got this idea from a Martha Stewart Craft Blog... of course!

Their version:

And mine:

Just a little something extra I made for fun for my Mama.

During the Superbowl my sisters and I made each of ourselves one...

They turned out perfect!

What you need:

Basics (Fabric Scissors, Needle, Thread)

Felt

*I used Pinking Shears for the zig zag edges on mine. Great investment I must say!

Maybe soon I'll learn how to use my sewing machine and not be so obsessed with all these hand-sewn projects! Hmm... :)

SHOUTOUT: DIY HOME MAKEOVERS

2010-02-08T13:59:00.001-08:00

Attention Homeowners!

So, my sister got this idea from her sister-in-law Jessica. Look how much difference a little bit of paint and effort makes! These kitchens now look so luxurious! Now, I wouldn't recommend that just ANYONE take on a project like this but if you think you can do it - you can! I hate that I live in an apartment and can't make awesome changes like these!

You can see my sister Kerstin's kitchen makeover blog post here.

Before

After

Before

After

You can view Jessica's makeover blog post here.

Before

After

Amazing right??!

NEXT PROJECT

2010-01-26T08:50:00.000-08:00

I'm excited about this one because it's so simple yet perfect. An awesome place to catch the keys, change, receipts, etc. Also, this will make a good gift to my new visiting teachees and my family - if, of course I don't get distracted after making my own. Did i mention I love felt? Felt projects are my favorite!

My valentine to friends and family ♥

HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS

2009-12-11T10:39:00.000-08:00

Inspiration: MarthaStewart.com

And here's mine:

Eddy's came first

And then mine

Remember how they are taped to my shelf? Classy huh?

Eddy doesn't like that mine has 1 more tree than his... best for last :)

What you need:

Basics: needles, thread (green and white), fabric scissors

Felt (white or off-white and a few shades of green)

Zig zag fabric scissors

Buttons

Time to spare

And now I'm ready for Christmas ♥

CHRISTMAS IS COMING

2009-12-07T11:23:00.000-08:00

The Richmond Christmas Tree

We got our tree Saturday night and we LOVE it! The scent, the holiday cheer it brings, everything! We settled on this beauty from J & T Trees. It was a screamin' deal compared to the other lot we went to that wanted $70 for the same tree basically. Um - no thanks! I would have absolutely loved to get a flocked tree - maybe next year!!

Here it is just after the spider on it attacked me...

My Martha Stewart ornaments and ribbon - yes, I am obsessed!
All decorated

My Mom gave me this on Sunday - love it!

Christmas books my Mom has given me throughout the years

The holiday decorating is complete - almost! I just need to finish MY stocking and I'm DONE until January. Maybe... :)

Rockin around the Christmas Tree,

At the Christmas Party Hop...

GLITTER STAR ORNAMENTS

2009-12-07T11:09:00.001-08:00

Inspiration: MarthaStewart.com

And here's mine:

What you need:

Scrapbook Paper

Paper Scissors

Glue/Glue stick

Glitter

*Instructions are at the Martha Stewart link at the top

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

CHRISTMAS STOCKING

2009-12-03T10:43:00.000-08:00

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree...

So far I've completed Eddy's stocking. See?! I have yet to start my own but this only took 1 night to do. Very simple but the zig zag fabric scissors? Not cheap! I will post more when both stockings are done and hung :)

CHRISTMAS DECORATING

2009-12-01T08:03:00.000-08:00

My work is very festive when it comes to Christmas, and by very festive I mean overboard crazy festive!! There are SO many decorations we don't use even after covering every table, corner, nook, and cranny. So, I was able to swipe some for myself! Thanks EMG :)

My Work

Here's just by my desk

My Home

Here's some of the decorations I got to take home

And these are just some presents I already have wrapped - I'm so on top of things!

Eddy and I are fans of real trees so probably this weekend or soon after we will go get one and then our Christmas decorating will feel more complete. Projects are also being completed so more will be coming soon...

"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas... perhaps... means a little bit more." ~ Dr. Seuss

PICTURE GARLAND

2009-11-25T08:03:00.000-08:00

Inspiration: ApartmentTherapy.com

The Making Of:

It took me a while to find bulldog clips. I searched a few different stores and NOTHING. I finally found and bought them on Amazon.com. Phew!

I ordered pictures on Walmart.com and had them shipped to me. It was nice that everything came to me - no hassle! Until then, I threw the line up, threw some pictures on and voila!

Boring right? I thought so too.

I started working on making flags to put behind the pictures from left over scraps of fabric I had from other projects. This portion of the project took the longest. I love hand sewing but it does seem pretty tedious after a while!

Finished Project:

The Walmart pictures came and up they went!

Added the finishing touch - covering the nails with a couple bows.

Finito!

What you need:

Bulldog clips (I used 1.5 inch ones found on Amazon.com)

String (I used Jute)

Photos

Fabric Flags

2 pins or nails

Tieing the room together.

Scomps, Scomps, Scomps!

HOMEMADE SILLHOUETTES

2009-11-16T09:12:00.000-08:00

inspiration: apartmenttherapy.com

love it.

making of:

1st attempt: i tried to outline his shadow on the wall but the shadow was too big!

2nd attempt: i took a picture with my camera

next, i photoshopped the image using the filter gallery to end up with this. i opened word, inserted the image and made it the right size then printed it out.

and here's mine:

finished project

what you need:

scissors

black paper/posterboard

white posterboard

frame(s)

hooray for a quick and easy project that fills the empty wall space! ♥

DECEMBER C.C.

2009-11-12T08:28:00.000-08:00

craft club will focus on christmas this next time! we have decided specifics and they are a ways off but knowing sooner isn't always a bad thing!

when: saturday, december 5 at 12 o'clock noon
where: kelly jacobsen's (my sis) apartment in west jordan (contact me for her address)
who: all craft clubbers and feel free to bring a friend/friends

if you don't already have something to work on here are this month's ideas:

felt christmas stockings

what you need:
basics (needle, thread, scissors)
felt
decorative items (buttons, wavy ribbon, regular ribbon, etc. - optional)

paper stars

what you need:
scissors
glue or gluestick
scrapbook paper (2-sided would work best)
glitter (optional)

*i will have instructions and insight on each of these projects and i will have some zigzag scissors!

please let me know if you plan on coming and if you have any questions just shoot me an email, call me up, or text me.

♥ miken

"IT'S A GOOD THING."

2009-11-11T10:31:00.000-08:00

inspiration: i've always been a big fan of martha stewart. i even used to watch her tv show every day in the summer when i was in jr. high and high school and sometimes record it on videotape while i was at school to watch later. that and trading spaces :)

i know what it's like to have a good idea about decorating but to constantly and consistently think up hundreds of awesome design ideas - simply incredible. i'm fascinated at how creative she is whether it's crafts, design, gardening, cooking, etc. she built a multi-million dollar empire herself. she is amazing! and i love that she went to jail - makes her bad-A!

i love martha's website and it gives tons of great ideas for craft items and that's where i get a lot of inspiration for the style i like and the projects i want to start.

i saw this picture of her on a design site i follow - never knew what a babe she is!

coming up: some christmas project ideas i've stolen from her. stay tuned...

♥ miken

FABRIC INITIALS

2009-11-10T08:12:00.001-08:00

inspiration: my parent's neighbor joy.
here's mine:

the making of...

frames from d.i.

m cut out and ironed on with pelon
time to start sewing!
done with the m

i love this fabric

done with both...

finished project with the & symbol added

what you need:

basics (needle, thread, fabric scissors)

iron/ironing board

frames

fabric

pelon iron-on fabric adhesive

wooden & symbol (try robert's - michael's and joann's don't have them)

paint (optional for & symbol)

no more bare walls for me :)

PLAID PILLOWS

2009-11-06T11:37:00.000-08:00

inspiration: apartmenttherapy.com

and here's mine:

what you need:

basics (fabric scissors, needle, thread

fabric

batting (or old boring pillows like mine to re-cover)

buttons (optional)

a little more color and fun to my couches :)

THANKSGIVING DECOR

2009-11-03T10:22:00.000-08:00

holiday decorating: i've never been big into fall and thanksgiving decorations but it's fun to have stuff for every part of the year. just seeing this stuff makes me want to already put it away and start the christmas decorating... chill out miken!

from my mama

from my ma-in-law
patience

i've already got projects planned for next year at this time. for now i'm focussing on covering my still bare walls with non-holiday items before i start on christmas. we'll see how long that takes...

THANKSGIVING GARLAND

2009-11-02T12:30:00.000-08:00

inspiration: i came up with this all by myself woo hoo!

here's mine:

making of

finished project

what you need:

needle

fabric scissors

1 felt page each of orange, yellow, red, brown, and black

black thread

white or off-white thread

jute or string to hang the pieces on

patience ♥

PLATES ON THE WALL

2009-10-27T11:53:00.000-07:00

inspiration: my cousin-in-law marissa's blog

and here's mine: the beginning of my plate collection

what you need: 18-gauge iron or steel wire and wire cutters

HALLOWEEN DECOR

2009-10-13T10:08:00.000-07:00

holiday decorating: slowly but surely...

halloween is my favorite holiday and yet i've got little decorations for it. with the help of family and my obsession with making things lately, this is a good start.

gift from jana

this has harry potter lettering according to nicole

walmart find

love joann's

time and effort :)

i think i'll make a couple handmade decorations each year for halloween until a decoration overload occurs, at that point - time to throw out the old and start over again!

HALLOWEEN GARLAND

2009-10-12T12:22:00.000-07:00

inspiration: my parent's neighbor joy.

making of

finished project

and here's mine:

making of

finished project

what you need:

pinwheels - scrapbook paper

letters - felt and wavy ribon

ghosts - white fabric, thread, cotton balls, and left over felt scraps for faces

tombstones - scrapbook paper

bats - scrapbook paper

candy ties - fabric strips

scissors and fabric scissors

LOVE CROSS STITCH

2009-09-28T12:46:00.000-07:00

inspiration: came up with this one on my own ♥

here's mine: finished project

what you need:
backing - neutral fabric
heart - pelon iron-on adhesive and decorative fabric
thread
picture frame (i used an 8x10)

MAGNETS & MAGNET BOARD

2009-09-09T15:00:00.000-07:00

inspiration: i wanted to go buy cute magnets like these cause i'd seen them but kerstin decided we could make them ourselves :)

here's mine:

finished magnets

finished magnet board

what you need:

magnets:
strong magnets
hot glue
modge podge
scrapbook paper
glass rounds pieces (medium or large)

*i got all of these at hobby lobby except the magnets - theirs aren't strong enough - try walmart for magnets.

board:
magnetic metal piece
picture frame

*i got a magnetic metal dry/erase board from target and took it apart and cut it down to fit inside this frame i bought at hobby lobby. frames from hobby lobby are often 1/2 off or you can try d.i. for really cheap ones but you may have to paint them the color you want.