Here & There

A few projects I've been working on here and there. 
Remember these face cloth pads? Well they've slowly started to disappear so I had to make some more! I seriously whipped these up in about 10 minutes, so easy. This time, I made them a little differently though. 
I cut out some plain circles 
And used a zig-zag stitch to sew two pieces together. 
I also made a little baggy to hang on my door to put them in when I'm done! That way I can keep them together and not lose them! I mostly use these to remove makeup. I wet them and squirt like a pea sized amount of soap on it and there you have it. They work really well (for me atleast) and are wayyyy less expensive than those stupid disposable ones you buy at the store. When I'm done, I put them all in a bag until I've used them all up and then I just wash them regularly with other clothes. 
Next, I made this little hook/rack to hang my towels. I've tried a couple things like a sticky hook and one that screws into the wall but both of those fell off. So this is what I came up with. 

All you need is a stick, some of these hook things, thread, pushpins, and a glue gun. 

I glued these hooks on where I wanted them to be, 

Cut two pieces of thread to tie on the ends 

And pin it to the wall! This I think, is going to work perfectly! And it adds a nice, natural touch to this ugly kitchen of ours. I can't wait to have my own kitchen. 

And last, Eliza and I have been enjoying some homemade, blueberry & strawberry parfaits! Can you say yummm?!





Lately, it's been work, work, work! I'll have to do a shop update when I'm finished listing everything. I've  been rethinking my pricing strategy for my handmade store so I'm going through my inventory and lowering the prices on everything from $3-$10! You should definitely check it out. Also, you can still use this code: NOV2011  for 25% off, so go and get yourself something pretty (: Hope you guys are having a great week!

Pumpkin Patch

Soo, we went to the pumpkin patch a little bit ago and I forgot to share! These pictures are just too cute to pass up so I'm just going to post them. It was a really fun day, my mom and mother-in-law brought us to this pumpkin patch up where they live. I was expecting like a field with a bunch of pumpkins (a pumpkin patch, right?) but this thing was a whole dang carnival! Complete with a hayride and train! So of course, we rode the train but the rest of the time was spent chasing Eliza around. She didn't want to leave! 


^^ this is my mother-in-law, Brandon's mom, can you tell? 

^^ and this is my mother (: 













Eliza's new thing is sneaking up behind sitting people, grabbing them around the neck, and swinging around on your back! I don't think she gets what "choking" is, lol. 





We took a ride on the train and got a mini tour of the farm it was on. It's originally a christmas tree farm so it was really fun to drive through all the christmas tree fields! Getting in the mood for christmassss!!!!



Eliza has a new fascination with all things turkey... 



And sitting on pumpkins.... 

But mostly, she was interested in the miniature, Eliza-sized, christmas trees! 

It doesn't feel like a monday... which is a good thing? How was your weekend? Mine was... really good. Saturday morning was kind of bad but from there it just got really good. I decided to take a last minute trip up  to visit my mom and that was probably the best decision I made all weekend. I got to see two really good friends of mine and I learned to crochet!!!!!!! I can NOT tell you how excited I am to start crocheting some granny squares. I also started knitting a hat, I forgot how much I liked knitting and how addicting it is! It's very relaxing though. Then, yesterday, we went on a family park outing. We came home and did some fun crafting (I'll share what me made later). Right in the middle, I looked over and Eliza had curled up in her chair and fell asleep! At 7:30! That NEVER happens. So that was cool, Brandon and I made some peach crisp and enjoyed the rest of our evening. I got a good night's sleep and am totally ready to start my week! Happy monday ya'll! 

Taco Soup

Soup for the soul! This is the perfect soup for the start of winter and it is sooo yummy. One day last week, Brandon had school late one night so Eliza and I cooked up this Taco Soup! I originally got the idea from Betty Crocker but changed it up a bit. This soup is kind of a mix between tortilla soup and chili. 
Grocery List:1 lb ground beef Corn Chips Packet of Taco Sauce Progresso Hearty Tomato Sauce (19 oz)Tomato Sauce (15 oz)Monterrey Jack Cheese (1 oz)Picante Sauce (optional: for a little kick) Diced Green Chiles (4.5 oz)Corn (half a can)
First, start off by browning your meat and drain it.


In a large saucepan, combine the meat with the Progresso Heart Tomato Soup and Tomato Sauce 







I let this come to a boil and then added the taco seasoning, a can of corn (I added a whole can but it ended up having to add more tomato sauce to even it out so I suggest half a can), the diced green chiles, and picante sauce. The green chiles and picante sauce are optional. You can omit them if you are very sensitive to spicy foods but Eliza ate them and was fine, it just adds a bit of a ziiing. 









Let that simmer for about 20 minutes until it thickens a bit. Now it's time to serve it up, chili style! 



First the corn chips,

And then the cheese! We like cheese, can you tell? 



(recognize the map coaster?)

Yummmmm



Eliza "super" liked it! I apologize about the naked booty-ness. She changes clothes about 4 times a day and by dinner time, she's just running around naked! What can I say? 





It's probably for the best, because that girl sure knows how to make a mess! 
How was your week?! I don't really remember mine, it was kind of a blur. Now that it's winter, I want to start knitting/crocheting things! Hopefully tomorrow I'm going to meet up with a friend and learn to crochet. I plan on knitting myself and the fam some nice cozy hats! I sound like a grandma.... but I just love it! Hope you guys had a great friday, woopee for sleeping in! 

Time to Simplify

Please watch



Wow, wasn't that cool?! I have been kind of at a crossroads and this was kind of the last kick to push me on the path I need to be on. Lately I've really been thinking about "stuff" and how materialistic we are.(Confession time!) I am a shopper, I don't know what it is but I love to shop and it is soo bad. Brandon always gets so mad at me for buying things we don't need and then I feel guilty but it never really stops. My shop is a great outlet for that because I love a good bargain and have the ability to sell my finds on the internet. But it's a bad habit that I really need to kick, find a balance somewhere between my store and personal life. And thinking, "I need to stop buying things to save money" is just not helping. I need to stop because it's just plain unnecessary and bad. I need to be more appreciative of what I have and think of others that are not so fortunate. I've been reading Bekah's blog, My Little Loves, for a little bit and she has really inspired me to start simplifying my life. Now, everyday when I walk around my apartment, I look around and feel a mixture of appreciation, guilt, and disgust. I think I've become a bit of a hoarder? And I get that from my Dad. He never throws anything away and has so much stuff, I think I've kind of inherited that. But I'm trying to change my ways! So from now on I'm going to be appreciative. I'm going to stop buying unnecessary things. I'm going to de-clutter my house (this will make my life so much easier anyways). And I'm going to do something uncomfortable! 
Oh and most importantly, spend more time with my family and enjoy this beautiful weather while it's still here!