Look at that SPIDER in the window!

I have one of those long windows next to my front door. I thought I should do something cute with it and this is what I did.

SPIDERS!!!


I used black yarn and created a web on the inside of the window.

I just taped it to the inside on the edge.

I cut some vinyl spiders on my Cricut in a few different sizes.

Applied them to the inside of the window.

All done. Fast and easy. And best of all it didn't cost a thing!

Harvest Friendship

My sisters made this for me, Kristen and Michelle. The twins.

They are REALLY crafty and have started their own little business making wood crafts.

This was a little something they made for fall.

Perfect for my front porch!

The little Witch has a wire hand that is waving. And the cat has wire whiskers.

They will be sending me more pictures of other projects and I will post them for you guys.

Thanks sisters! Love it and Love you both!

Grandpa Bread

When I was a little girl we went every summer to visit my mother's family in Utah. We would stay for the whole summer going from house to house. When we were at my grandparents house we always had the same thing for breakfast. Toast. The best toast in the world! It was homemade bread made by my Grandpa Pack. My grandmother was not well most of my life. She had several things that kept her in bed most of the day and in a lot of pain. Grandpa did most of the work both in and out of the house. His bread was soooo good. I remember sitting at the table every meal with bread. It was just what you did. Bread went with everything. To this day my parents eat bread with every meal.

I remember when I was a kid I would say, "I am hungry!" my mother would say, "Have a piece of bread and a glass of milk." Bread solved all problems.

May Grandfather's bread was even better.

So here is his recipe. It is healthy, sweet, moist and just plain yummy. Oh, and it's easy too.

When you eat it remember all the good times you had with family, sitting around the table eating a meal. Food brings us together, and bread is the glue.

Grandpa Bread

Ingredients:

3/4 cup warm water

2 TBL. Yeast

1/4 cup Oil

1/4 cup Honey

1 TBL. Salt

1 cup Applesauce

3/4 cup Hot water

3 cups Whole Wheat Flour

3 cups White Flour

• In a bowl put warm water. Warm to the touch but not hot, like a baby bottle temperature. Add your yeast and a pinch of sugar, allow to proof (get bubbly).
• In your mixer put Oil, Honey, Salt, Applesauce and Hot water (as hot as you can get it before boiling it).
• Add 3 cups of flour one cup at a time, mixing between each.
• Add your proofed yeast mix to the mixer. Mix on low.
• Add the other 3 cups flour one cup at a time, mixing between each. Knead in mixer for about 5 minutes.
• Remove dough from mixer, roll into a ball. Place it in a greased bowl rolling it around to cover in grease. Cover and let rise in a warm place. I raise my bread in the oven. Set your oven to the lowest temperature for about 5 minutes. Turn it off and put your bowl in the oven. Let it rise till double in size. This will vary depending on your climate and elevation. Check after a half hour and then every 15 minutes or so.
• When it has doubled in size remove it from your bowl to the counter. Punch down your dough. This means you are basically going to push it down to remove air from the dough. It shrinks and is very soft.
• At this point you divide it in half and form each half into a loaf. I like to press the dough into a rectangle of sorts and then roll it up like a cinnamon roll. Pinch the seam closed and the ends together. Place in a greased bread pan, roll to cover in grease. Press the dough gently into the corners of the pan. This will help it bake better.
• Place in a warm place, I do the warm oven again, and let rise till it reaches just above the top of the pan.
• While dough is in the oven turn your oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes. You do not need to remove the bread to preheat the oven. After done you can check to make sure they are ready by tapping on the top and bottom of the loaf. If it is hollow sounding they are ready.
• Place on wire racks to cool. Wait about a half hour to cut.

TIP 1: These can be frozen. I just leave them out to defrost over night.

TIP 2: If you make this with homemade applesauce it is even better. Even cinnamon applesauce is yummy.

Enjoy!

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

THIS HAS NOT WORKED WELL FOR ME YET.

WHITE FILM ON THE DISHES=UNHAPPY CHELSEA.

I AM ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE THE RECIPE. STAY TUNED FOR A NEW AND IMPROVED VERSION!

What is your favorite household appliance?

Maybe "favorite" is the wrong word.

How about what is the most used appliance in your home?

Really think about it.

What makes your life easier?

My answer would be a tie between my washer/dryer and my dishwasher.

What is the cleaning solution do you always run out of right when you need it the most?

That would be laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent.

Well now you can make your own!

Today we are going to talk about dishwasher detergent.

Stay tuned for laundry detergent.

First you will need some supplies. And you know what the best part is? To make dishwasher detergent AND laundry detergent you basically need the same stuff!

• Borax
• Baking soda
• Kosher salt
• Vinegar
• 4 Sugar free Kool Aid Lemonade pkgs (not in the picture)

In a container of your choosing mix:

2 cup Borax

2 cup Baking soda

1 cup salt

4 pkgs of lemonade

Shake it up and use 1 TBL per load.

Use the vinegar in your rinse agent hole thingie. The one you normally put that blue stuff. (I never remember to do it)

That's it! So easy and soooooo cheep.

If you find it leaves a white residue on your dishes adjust the 1 TBL to a bit less. Everyones machines and water are different.

Good luck! Tell me what you think.

Fall Porch-Cricut Crop Friday!

This is porch. Nothing super exciting but cute I think.

We went to a local orchard and got pumpkins this year. I went a little overboard.

I was at Savers this past weekend and I found this cute little chair. It is solid wood and super sturdy. I think I may repaint it after the fall season, but orange is perfect for right now.

This is my window right next to the front door. This is the inside shot. I used black yarn and created a spider web. I just taped it on the inside of the window.

I cut some spiders out on my Cricut. I found it at The Free SVG Blog. Yep! It's Cricut Crop Friday!

Looks SCARY!

Better than nothin'!

My sisters made this for me. So cute! They are super creative and make all kinds of wood crafts. I am trying to get them to send me some pictures so i can post them for you guys. They are slow pokes!

Aren't these little guys so cute! I love that witch!

This little cat even has whiskers!

Here is the wreath I made last week.

I ended up wiring it to the screen door on the top and the bottom. It is very secure now. No banging in the night thank heavens!

The total effect...nice. Not AMAZING, but just right.

Our Eternal Family 2x4

2x4 Tuesday!

I got this idea from How Does She... I loved the idea and wanted to do it for awhile now.

A few months ago a young man in my ward (church) died. He was the son of a friend of mine. He was the youngest, 17 years old, of her children and a sweet young man. I wanted to make her food and comfort her, but she had plenty of food. So I thought to myself, "What else do I do well that I can share with her?" CRAFT! So this is my gift to her. A family tree of sorts. The wires hold pictures and are removable. Corey is the young man that died, and I decided to do his name in white because he is now with our Heavenly Father.

I started with a 2x4 and cut it into six pieces; 8in, 7, 6, 5, 4, and 3in. pieces.

I sanded the edges and drilled holes in the ends to hold the wires.

I chose paper and cut it to the correct sizes.

I used Mod Podge to apply the paper. After it dried I sanded the edges again to rough up the paper a bit.

TIP: Use a ruler to press the paper into the Mod Podge.

Here they are all done.

Next I cut the names out on my Cricut. I used the Kristen font.

Then I applied them. Sometimes I applied the letters one at a time so that they were all crazy and off center.

Here it is all done. I added a dot of hot glue between each board to keep them in place. It won't hold forever. If you want it to hold forever than make sure you use wood glue.

Next I cut and twisted my wire. You can find this wire at Home Depot/Lowes. I found mine in the rebar area. It is called rebar wire. Mine is a huge roll and only cost $4.

Grip the end of the wire and twist it around the tip of your needle nose pliers.

Pull out your pliers and pinch the swirl together. Now it will hold a picture.

All done. I put a wire in every hole but they are removable.

I added a ribbon around the stack to hold it together and to add a bit more softness.

I hope my friend enjoys it. She is going through a rough time, one that I cannot even imagine, but maybe she can put some pictures on this and remember all the time she had with her son. Most importantly I hope she remembers that this is not the end, she will see him again.

Fall Wreath

My Fall Wreath.

I rarely ever use wreaths. It is just to windy here in Vegas. It always bangs on the door and we end up taking it down.
But all the wonderful wreaths you all have been making lately made me want to make one of my own.

I guess I will have to find a way to secure it so it won't bang
because this is way to cute to keep inside!


I started with a grapevine wreath from Walmart for $3.00.


I got three colors of felt and three colors of burlap cut at Joann's. I only got 1/4 Yard of each so it was really inexpensive.

I cut my burlap into strips and sewed them together to make one long strip. Then I did a ruffle. I did it by hand, not using the longest stitch on your machine. I tried to but burlap is just too difficult to gather.

I looped it around the wreath and secured it down.

Then I made lots of felt flowers. All different kinds and techniques.

I also made a little pumpkin out of my orange burlap. I cut a circle, hand stitched a gather stitch with ribbon around the circumference, stuffed it with pillow fluff and pulled it closed. I added a felt stump in the top.

I like it! Perfect for Fall.