Create | Hair Accessory Organizer

  We have two girls. two. and they leave their hair pieces E-V-E-R-Y-W-H-E-R-E! I used one of those deluxe type make up organizers with the divided compartments from my favorite [bulls-eye] store, but it was a hassle to drag it out. It's big and bulky and I forgot to take a before picture of it. It was a mess. Pieces everywhere. I saw something like this on pinterest, so I figured it's time to make it. I've been saving this dishwasher tab container for .... awhile....

  The girls love it! So if I hear "But I can't find a rubber band!!!" I'm probably going to go insane! haha! It's all organized in a super simple way. This didn't take very long to do. I contemplated covering it with fabric or scrapbook paper or wrapping paper, but in the end I opted for ultimate simplicity and went with spray paint! So if you're going the spraypaint route....

  What You Need:
+ some sort of container [with or without a lid]
+ spray primer
+ spray clear top coat [optional]
+ spray paint of desired color
+ hot glue gun and glue sticks
+ some type of stand [i used a vintage candlestick, you can use wood if you like and spray paint it too]
+ ribbon or lace
+ a strong magnet [if you have bobby pins you need to corral]

  What to Do:
+ prime! I prime everything now when i paint. it makes the paint stick better and not peel off
+ after primer is dry, spray the color you wish!
+ spray paint in layers. so that you don't get running streaks or drops.
+ after paint is dry and you have achieved optimum coverage, figure out the middle point on the bottom to attach the stand.
+ hot glue your stand to the middle
+ hot glue a magnet to the inside for bobby pins [optional] i put a tiny rubber band around them that the kids don't use to keep them together. works really well for us.
+ hot glue one or two [or three or four...] strips of lace or ribbon to the inside. let hang over side.
+ add hair accessories!

I prefer a minimalist look. I really want to put the clips inside, but i want it to be easy to get to for the kids. They love it this way, so I just turn it on the counter in the bathroom so that the ribbons are in the back. NOW when they leave it out, it doesn't look messy and they can quickly put all of their hair stuff away. Their brush actually fits in here too standing up [full size regular brush].

xoxo, 

       jane

Cook | Avocado Greek Chicken Wraps

  Anything that resembles a Gyro gets lots of love from me. And that goes for my many littles and the Mister. We're actually all really picky eaters here, but anything in a wheat wrap gets devoured! So this recipe is seriously simple [my favorite kind!] You don't have to use Naan [Flatbread]. We used the ones that we made from scratch [DELISH!]

  What You'll Need:
+ Salt & Pepper to taste
+ EVOO [extra virgin olive oil. Rachel Ray anyone?]
+ Greek Seasoning OR Basil + Parsley
+ Skinless/Boneless Chicken [i just used enough to feed us five with a little leftover]
+ Minced Garlic

  Finishing Touches:
+ The Whole Wheat Flat Bread [recipe links here]
+ Organic Baby Spinach
+ Avocados [sliced to go into a wrap]
+ Sliced Bell Peppers are good to add too [but I'm the only one in my family that will eat them]
+ Creamy Caesar Dressing [just a drizzle]

  What to Do:
I started with a bunch of thawed out skinless, boneless chicken tenderloins. Added a quarter cup of water and maybe a few teaspoons of EVOO [see above]. Added in Garlic and let that simmer over medium heat for a few minutes. Then I added the Greek Seasoning/Basil+Parsley, Salt and Pepper and covered and lowered the temp and let it simmer until it looks done [I should have watched the clock] After it was almost done I sliced the chicken tenderloins in half while they were cooking. They were tender and cut easily [that's why I do it that way]. Once all the liquid has evaporated, it's done!

Then you layer it on your Flat Bread or put it in a pita if you like. Add whatever toppings make you swoon: avocados are [AMAZING!], your Spinach, some shredded Parmesan cheese would go nicely [but I am cutting calories], sliced peppers and a drizzle of caesar dressing. It's SO good! Seriously. Go make this right now!

EAT! So seriously good! All my picky eaters ate it up!

Click on photos!

Cook | Whole Wheat Flat Bread

  We LOVE flat bread in this house. I mean in a way that would make people scared. It's not really cheap to buy at all either. It's good for SO many uses....So...since I have more recipe pins on pinterest than I have time left before my youngest graduates high school [and he's only one years old]. 

  I made a couple today. I only photographed one though...the other is easy and took a few minutes only so i'll just link that recipe. The recipe I pinned is white flour, we eat whole wheat, so that's what I subbed. Everything else I did like the recipe. Or-ahem-WE. I had the super help of two of my three littles: Aubrie did many of the steps herself. 

  She's 5, so if she can do it... 

Everett was in the kitchen too but he just clung to my leg while I photographed the process. 

I'm a visual learner. Not something I have always known about myself, but yeah... 

  CLICK ON PHOTOS to view in gallery mode!

adapted from this recipe {here}

Here We Go!

The other recipe we whipped up [and stored in a mason jar!] is Cinnamon Honey Butter [yum with this bread!] 

Plan | An American Girl Tea Party | Kit Kittredge | 1930s

  "BEST birthday EVER!!!" - A review from my now seven year old daughter about the American Girl Tea Party we spent nearly a year planning. I know. That's how I roll, now, though. I mean we didn't exactly plan our births...So we have a February 28th birthday, a March 31st birthday and an April 9th birthday.
I know.
But if you're not new to my blogs, you already know we're a little crazy.
If you are new...well...we're crazy.
  So we planned this 1930s/Kit Kittredge themed party for Lorelai. She wanted a tea party and wanted the American Girls to be incorporated. Now I'm a mom on a budget, so we made a lot of stuff! My Mister is so amazing, he crafted right along with me!
* We made flower pens [pens wrapped in floral tap, end cap of pen taken out and silk flower inserted [without stem] and hot glued.
* We made little notebooks to go with those. Mini composition books wrapped in vintage calico fabric [and attached lace to tie it up to keep them closed]
* A paper doily and satin ribbon banner [I forgot to get a good picture of it...I totally fail sometimes]
* The goody bags were brown paper bags, with a doily folded over it, then hole punched w/two holes and ribbon pulled through it to make a bow.
* Each girl received : a notebook, flower pen, a wood fan [with lacy details], white gloves, a Kit Kittredge book [I'm a huge advocate for reading!], some old fashioned candy and a Kit Kittredge word search!
* We ate tea sandwiches, scones, had pink lemonade. The girls got to make a mini apple pie, play games outside and get some ice cream!

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