Laundry room Makeover Update: Install Sliding door!

The door into my Laundry room was just a regular door. It swung open into the laundry room and blocked access to the shelving behind it. Ideally a pocket door would go there, but the wall isn't deep enough to install one. so a wall mounted sliding door will do the trick. I found the hardware for this door system here: Sliding Door Track & Hardware

OK, It's not a great picture of the track but I was so excited to get the door up I was rushing to do the pics! I mounted the track to a flat piece of door jamb moulding.You can see the first step of the make over here: New Floor

I took the door out to the garage and painted it a robin's egg blue color. The pictures really don't show the vibrance of the color. Then I gave it a layer of glaze that was tinted with brown. I was going for that barn door feel and I think it turned out great.

I added hardware to the hole left by the doorknob that I removed.

Then, I attached the sliding door hardware to the top of the door and slid the door into the track. After some adjustments, the door works like a charm: Keeping noise out of the rest of the house while closed and saving space while open.

 

After looking at it for a few days, I decided to get some handles for the door. I think these dress it up nicely!

Black Bean Enchilada Ring Recipe

Mexican food is always a favorite in our house. We do a lot with chicken, and this original recipe was a winner. This was a Pampered Chef recipe that I had gotten; you can see the original recipe made with chicken here: Chicken Enchilada Ring

We were getting together for a "fiesta" at my friend's house and I decided to make this dish. My friend is a vegetarian and I didn't want her to miss out on the yumminess! So, I tweaked this recipe to make it vegetarian and it turned out to be a favorite with everyone!

 My version makes one for dinner tonight and another to freeze for later!

So here is my Vegetarian version!

Black Bean Enchilada Ring

1-14.5 oz can of refried black beans

1-14.5 oz can of black beans -Drained

1-14.5 oz can of whole kernel corn- Drained

1/4 cup chopped pitted black olives

1 1/2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack Cheddar Blend Cheese

1-4 oz can chopped green chilies- Undrained

1/2 cup Mayo

1 Tbsp Taco seasoning

1 plum tomato

1 lime

2/3 cup finely crushed tortilla chips

2 packages regular crescent rolls

Sour cream, salsa and shredded lettuce as optional toppings

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Mix beans, refried beans, corn, olives, cheese, green chilies, mayo and seasoning in a bowl. Mix until well combined.

3. Get a freezer bag and scoop half of the mixture into the bag. Put bag into the freezer to use to make another ring later! Nice! *You must do this before adding the rest of the ingredients.

4. Seed and chop tomato.

5. Slice lime in half and juice one of the halves.

6. Add chopped tomato and lime juice to the remaining bean mixture in the bowl.

7.Add crushed tortilla chips to bean mixture, reserving 2 tsp of chips.

8. Mix well.
9. Sprinkle reserved chips over your pan or stone that you will be baking the bean ring on.

10.Separate dough into triangles and place onto stone to make the ring.

11. Flatten out your shape with a rolling pin.

12. Scoop bean mixture onto dough shape.

13. Fold points over and tuck under.

14. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

15. Serve with optional toppings

Instructions for making the frozen one.
What you will need to add:
1 Seeded and chopped Tomato
Juice of 1 half lime
2/3 cup finely crushed tortilla chips
2 packages regular crescent rolls
Sour cream, salsa and shredded lettuce as optional toppings

Thaw bean mixture in bag. ( overnight in the refrigerator works well for me)
Empty bag into mixing bowl.
Begin from #6. in the above instructions and follow the rest of the steps from there.
Enjoy!

 

New crochet Pattern to try.

Have any of you tried this new kind of yarn? It is called Sashay Yarn, Ribbon or Ruffle yarn.
I found a pattern on the Mary Maxim website. It is a free pattern but you must register with the website to get the free pattern which is no biggie. Here's the link: Sashay Scarf Pattern

I watched some videos on You Tube on how to do this type of crochet because I didn't want to mees it up! This yarn is really cute! The pattern I used was pretty self explanitory so I gave it a go and finished the scarf in like 30 minutes!!!  Love it! Let me know what you think once you have tried this yarn! Come back and post pics of your projects! I want to see what else can be done with this great yarn!

Don't Let Our Elf Be a Bad Influence on Your Elf!

At our house, the Elf on the Shelf Tradition has been going on for the past 3 years. Our Elf, Marvin, has  always just found a new spot to sit and watch the kids, but this year he has been naughty! Here are some of the things that our little elf friend has been up to....

On a date with Barbie! (Ken is not going to like this!)

The Playmobil Guys aren't thrilled with Marvin's Mischief!

Making the Kids look more distinguished with dry erase mustaches.

Sneaking the Chocolate!

Getting into the ring and getting smacked down!

A little Cirque Du Soleil!

Getting his tan on under a book light!

There were a few that I wasn't quick enough to get a picture of... Shaving in the bathroom with Dad's shaving cream all over his face, Being fabulous in Mom's costume jewelry, playing Black Jack with a roudy group of toys and hiding out in the kids' Lego fort!

Don't let Marvin be a bad influence on you Elves!

Some Spooky Decor!

I am getting out all of the goodies in preparation for Halloween! I think my dining room is done. I got this AWESOME Skeleton from the local drug store for such a steal!!! Maybe I will add some spiderwebs, but it looks spooky, what do you think?

Here is the staircase...

 

Spooky Dessert! Easy!

Here is a cute seasonal spin on one of our favorite desserts! A spooky graveyard scene on top of "Mud"!

"Mud" is that yummy dessert made with crushed up oreos layered with a whipped cream and vanilla pudding mixture. It is a favorite here with kids and adults!! I just put some candy pumpkins, vanilla sandwich cookies (I decorated them with icing but I don't even think that was necessary!) and "glued" some pretzel sticks together using royal icing! The kids went wild for this sppoky graveyard treat!

Here's the "Mud" recipe I use:

 

1 stick of butter softened

8 oz cream cheese softened

Mix those together

Add- 1 cup powdered sugar

Set aside

 

2 instant french vanilla pudding

4 cups milk

Blend for 2 minutes

Add 12 oz Cool Whip

 

Blend Pudding mixture and cream cheese mixture.

 

Crush 16 oz Oreo Cookies

 

Layer in a bowl or pan.

 

Chill for at least 1 hour.

:)

 

 

 

 

Ta-dah! The TV Table!

OMG!!! It turned out great!

I have surprised myself! The "hunk of junk" that I bought at the thrift store turned out better than I had imagined! When I brought this beauty home most of my family and friends laughed at what an eyesore it was. I heard a lot of "Well, you have your work cut out for you"!

It was definitely ugly, but I saw the potential! When I was looking the cabinet over before buying it, I noticed that there was a cord coming out of it with a plug on the end! After further inspection, I realized that it had a light "feature" that I figured since this was in pretty bad shape wouldn't work. But, it totally does work!

 On the inside of the cabinet doors, was this weird avacado green velvet! Then I realized that the velvet panels were meant to face outward!

This cabinet just kept getting better and better to me! Ha! So, I decided it had to be mine, and for fifteen bucks, why not? YES!!! It was ONLY $15!!!!!!!I could afford to put some work into this baby!

Some cleaning, this thing smelled super musty! A little sanding, almost 10 cans of spray paint, glaze and polycrylic, and a few more finishing touches and I was done. Here it is!

I laugh when I think about the fact that I spent under $100 on this piece! It is seven feet long! Let me know what you think!

Here is a close up of the "bling" knobs!

And below is a picture of the light "feature" on with the new red glass!

 



And here is the before and after comparison!

 

Mercury Glass Pumpkin!

I love how mercury glass looks! I saw these at pottery barn...

Aren't they GORGEOUS?!?!

But.... they were a little $$$$ for my liking so I was on a mission!

While at the local thrift store, I stumbled upon a cute little glass pumpkin jar! I picked it up for $3.05! Sweet!

I bought some looking glass spray at the craft store with a coupon...so like 6 bucks.

Then, I got to work. I washed and dried the glass pumpkin. Then, I grabbed a spray bottle of regular water. The spray sould be done on the inside of the glass to get the "mirrored" look, so I LIGHTLY spritzed the inside of the pumpkin and the lid with water. Next, I gave the inside a good coat of the looking glass spray paint and let it dry for about 10 minutes. After the drying time, I wiped the excess water dropplets out with a bit of dry paper towel. Then, I repeated the process starting with the water spritz. Keep doing this until the piece gets to the desired look!

Here is my version!

 

 

 

Fall, already?

It's getting to be that time of year already! Fall! I'm seeing Halloween decorations going up around town and fall themes in the stores. My favorite thing about fall is Halloween! I have loved it since I was a kid. There is something exciting about feeling scared... and I love the idea of getting to dress up as anything you want! In the spirit of fall, I'm going to share with you all today a Halloween costume that I made for my daughter a few years ago and it will always be my favorite!

 I found a parrot costume pattern at the craft store and I just used pink to make her a flamingo! If you think you want to give a little more advanced sewing a try, I think costumes are a safe place to start. They dont have to be perfect! Just fun!

The laundry room makeover! New floor!

My hubby and I are in the midst of a laundry room/mud room makeover. A lot of little projects are going on and some big ones to make this space more functional and of course more stylish. Here are some before shots.

Blah! Yucky! My first "big project" Is the floor. It is vinyl and it it completely ruined and stained from all of the muddy boots and shoes going in and out. I wanted something more durable and darker. so I found this Awesome tile at the local big box store...

It was literally the first one I saw. Perfect! And on sale... even better!

I have to say that on our own, my hubby and I might not have been so brave as to try laying a tile floor on our own. My Father-in-law was a professional so we asked him to help us out! (I cannot tell you how gratefull I am to have him around! Thanks, Dad!) So, the hubby and I ripped out the old floor with the help of our Youngest son! Ha! And together, The hubby and the Father-in-law put in the new tile.