Colorblock Utensils

Being a pastor's wife, I have many weddings and baby showers to attend.  And don't get me wrong, I absolutely love going to all of them.  Seriously.....wedding and baby festivities are one of my favorite things to do.  And while I don't want to skimp on quality for each gift, I do have to be a little creative in order to stretch our money as far as we can.

So, I am always looking on Pinterest for ideas.  

When I search on Pinterest, I don't look for "easy DIY gift ideas".  I usually just look for items that I would like to make for myself, or that I would want in my own home that I think I could recreate.

I've seen these colorblock utensils from quite a few different sources and have been dying to try them. 

Some companies make them now and are usually only sold in specialty or upscale stores.  

We recently attended a wedding shower for an Ole Miss loving couple (hence the red and blue) and I wanted to give them something around this theme.

So, I got to work!

Target sells these large bamboo utensils in packs of 3.  

I taped them off low enough so that food would not necessarily have to touch the part where I painted.

I then used acrylic paint (I actually purchased a deeper royal/navy blue because I couldn't get the color exactly right), and sealed it with Mod Podge.  

Once it was dry, I removed the tape and they were done! 

I paired these utensils with a couple of hand embroidered dish towels!

(Spray paint and sealer could also be used - I was just trying to use the supplies I had on hand).

I'm itching to make some for myself now - maybe in a minty green color.....surprise, surprise!

What Pinterest projects have you tried lately?

Happy Tuesday, y'all!

Rox

DIY Cake Stand { or jewelry holder }

I absolutely love the idea of using something for something else... you got me??

Example:  The cute porcelain Anthro egg crates used for storing jewery, water pitchers used as vases, or stacked suitcases as nightstands.

Now that my examples explain my vague description...

 You've probably seen (on Pinterest) gorgeous cake stands used to store jewelry or perfume, but I can't seem to find any for myself at a good price!

Sidenote:  Rox found a beautiful one on clearance at Target (awhile back..) so you CAN find them... I just never have... 

So I made my own!!

Supplies:

2 thrifted decorative plates, a candlestick from Dollar Tree, and a thrifted ceramic cup/planter

E6000 Adhesive and Krylon spray paint in Coral Isle

The process is EASY:

- Glue the candlestick or cup to the bottom of the decorative plate.  Let dry for 24 hours.

- Spray paint the cake stand using as many coats as needed.  You may do well to use a primer first!

That's it!  And I didn't even have to spray paint the off-white stand since the cup and plate were the same color! SCORE.

I used these to display rings and bracelets at my craft fair last weekend, and I loved how it looked!

I don't recommend putting food directly on the stands (especially the painted one) unless it's lined with wax paper or something similar.

I also recommend that you NOT use the clear gloss protective paint after painting with your original color... I had to scrape and scrub and start ALL over on the coral cake stand after trying the protective coat.  It wrinkled up and started peeling away... I wanted to cry.  SO, save yourself the tears and DON'T DO IT.

I've made them using a candlestick and a stove burner cover before... while they served their purpose for a cheap price, they have since broken and are not very sturdy.

So go make yourself a cake stand to use for your jewelry or perfume for just a few dollars!  And let us know if you do!

Thanks for reading!

-Jess

Washi Tape Toothpicks

Sometimes it's just fun to eat snacks with toothpicks.

You don't need a party or event.

Get some Washi Tape (I got mine from Wal-Mart for 99 cents!), toothpicks, and scissors.

Cut about an inch of tape for each 'flag', flatten the tape around the toothpick, and voila!

You've got yourself cute, custom toothpicks for your afternoon snack!

Thanks for reading!

-Jess

In the Kitchen with Aly { Nutella-Peanut Butter Banana Melt }

Readers, meet Aly.

Aly is sister #3 and just recently graduated with her Bachelor's in Psychology.  She's also in the middle of wedding plans for her big day in August and then a move overseas.  Oh, and she's also a nanny.  Needless to say, she's got a lot on her plate, BUT we've been dying for y'all to meet her.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that she is the most serious of us three.

And I'm the least sarcastic.

I kid.

So, the last time she was over, I offered to take pictures of her making this yummy dessert. 

She obliged.

(And I apologize for the quality of these pictures.  It was after the kids went to bed, so the flash had to be used.  I guess they work.)

Ingredients:

Bananas

Nutella

Peanut Butter Chips

1.  Preheat oven to 350º, and create a 'bowl' with the foil for the banana to sit in while cooking.

2.  Cut slit down middle of banana peel and halfway through actual banana.

3.  Spread Nutella into banana.

4.  Sprinkle peanut butter chips on top.

5.  Place in oven until chips have started to melt.

6.  Remove from oven and enjoy!

We saw the idea on pinterest, of course, but changed the ingredients.  Using peanut butter and chocolate chips would taste very similar.

We're glad to finally introduce our youngest sister to y'all!  

Happy Monday!

Rox

Easy Strawberry Mojito

What are your plans for this long holiday weekend?  

Laying by the pool?  Grilling out with family?  Relaxing with friends?

My sisters and I will be enjoying the beautiful day with one of these in hand.

This is one of my new favorite summer drinks because (a) it's super refreshing, (b) I can use up the gazillion mint leaves from my garden, and (c) it's EASY!

You seriously can't mess this up!

1.  Pour 2 ounces of white rum in a glass (a plus to using mason jars because they have measurements written on the the side!)  Put 3 strawberries and 6 mint leaves.  (Add or subtract ingredients to your liking!)

2.  Use a muddler or the back of a spoon to mash the strawberries and mint leaves.

3.  Fill the remainder of the glass with 7-up, and add 2 or 3 squirts (I always find that word hilarious for some reason.  Haha!  I literally am smiling as I type.) of lime juice.

4.  Stir and enjoy!

It's that simple! 

I hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend with family and friends!  

Happy Memorial Day!

Rox