{ Homemade Microwave Popcorn }

Something so simple, yet until today I kept thinking that if I wanted to enjoy some quick popcorn without having to stand over the stove, I would have to buy a box of the popcorn bags, which is not a problem, I used to do that all the time, but honestly when you actually go back and look at all the additives and chemicals added to them, they don't sound as appealing.

Anyway, I was talking to a nutritionist friend of mine and she brought up the homemade microwave popcorn and how simple it is to make it.

I honestly thought she was just messing with me, you know, since I delve into all these homemade things, kind of like a "why don't you just make it yourself?"  *wink wink nudge nudge*

Thing is, she was serious and now that I've tried it, I'm shocked at not only how simple it is, but how much healthier it is for the family.

Let me show you just how easy these are.

All you need are brown paper lunch bags, popcorn kernels and tape.

Place a 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels in each bag.  You can add toppings after it's done, but I tried garlic, salt and some with sugar mixed in with the kernels and it turned out great :)

Take a small piece of tape and fold over the top of the bag, tape it in place.

Fold the bottom part up about halfway.....

Then fold down the top part over it, you will have it folded in thirds, the same as the store bought bags.

I made some quick labels in photoshop, printed them all out on a sheet of paper, cut them out and used some double sided tape to attach them to the bags.

Added a bit of twine just for decoration and VOILA!

I will no longer be buying the store bought kind.  Besides, I am thinking these would make pretty cute gifts with different kinds of labels, and flavors.

Yummy popcorn!

You should have seen the kids faces.  They think I'm Super Woman which is pretty funny considering how easy these are to throw together :)

Go on, you know you want to give them a try :)

Now, I'm going to go look through my new cookbook from Homestead Blessings...that's right, I got it in the mail yesterday afternoon and I think I'll be trying every single recipe in there.

You can get your very own by following this link, and for a limited time, they will personally autograph your book for you :)

Have a Blessed night everyone :)

{ Slow Cooking Thursday }

So, Thanksgiving is just around the corner, how about a side dish cooked in the crockpot????

Here's my recipe today, for some Cornbread Dressing. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Cornbread Dressing

5 cups crumbled cornbread
1 (14-oz.) package herb stuffing
2 (10 3/4-oz.) cans cream of chicken soup
2 (14-oz.) cans chicken broth $
1 large sweet onion, diced $
1 cup diced celery $
4 large eggs, lightly beaten $
1 tablespoon rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon pepper $
2 tablespoons butter, cut up $

Preparation

1. Combine first 9 ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Pour cornbread mixture into a lightly greased 6-qt. slow cooker. Dot with butter. Cover and cook on LOW 4 to 6 hours or until set and thoroughly cooked.

Note: We tested with Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing. Two (6-oz.) packages of Martha White Buttermilk Cornbread & Muffin Mix, prepared according to package directions, yields 5 cups crumbs.

{ Handmade Christmas - #2 }

So you love mason jars just as much as I do.

You have tons, you've either bought or collected, or reused, and you're wondering what to do with them.

I have another great idea for an inexpensive and yet adorable Christmas gift, that just like my previous one with the Personalized Candles, opens up a whole world of possibilities.

This one comes from Arrow and Apple.

First here's some homemade Mod Podge.  So easy. 

Mod Podge

A jar

Elmers Glue

Water

Empty the glue bottle into the jar, add water.  It has to be a 50% glue, 50% water solution.  Close the lid tight and shake really well.  That's it :)

Bookpage Jars

Credit:  Arrow & Apple

Jars
Mod Podge
Old book pages, newspaper, anything paper

Step 1 - Rinse out your jars and remove labels. A good way to get labels off is to first fill the jars with hot water, let them soak a few minutes, and while the hot water is in the jar, just peel the label off. Brilliant.

Step 2 - Pick out your pages and glue them with mod-podge onto the jars.

Step 3 - Let your jars dry on wax paper for a few hours.

Step 4 - Do extra decorating if you like - tie ribbon or string around for a little more color!

Step 5 - Put candles in and you're done.

OR pop in a flower :)

I think there are so many ways to do this. I'm thinking for someone who loves cooking, maybe an old recipe?

For someone who loves music, print out some music sheets and use those?

Photos, pictures, text. You name it :)

I think that's another Christmas gift figured out for me.

{ Happy Homemaker Monday }

The weather in my neck of the woods:
We've been getting some rain the past few days, which I really love :)


Things that make me happy:  

Banana Bread straight out of the oven.

Book I'm reading:
The Secret Life of Josephine:  Napoleon's Bird of Paradise by Carolly Erickson - LOVE historical fiction :)


What's on my TV today:  

Hart of Dixie
Kirstie's Handmade Britain
Merlin Episode 5 and 6

 

On the menu for dinner:
Either Garlic Sauced Chicken or Bacon Spaghetti


On my To Do List:

Homeschooling

Sweep and mop floors

Laundry (not even going to bother changing this list today because I have the same exact to do's lol)


New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
Chinese Chicken with Vegetables

In the craft basket:

Ripple blanket
Personalized Candles
Mug Cozies


Looking forward to this week:
Homeschooling with the kiddos
Grocery shopping
Christmas shopping


Tips and Tricks:
I can't think of anything this morning, sorry, maybe I need more coffee LOL


My favorite blog post this week:
I'll have to go with my own, because the Personalized Candles are THAT cool.

Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):
If you love Historical Fiction as much as I do, you've more than likely read Elizabeth Chadwick, she is phenomenal.  I recently came across her blog and I love it so much :)  Go on over and check out Living the History.


No words needed (favorite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):

Lesson learned the past few days:
That time flies, and that nothing I do or say will stop it from doing so.  It's best to just soak in every single second of every day and to thankful for the time I have with my wonderful family.  The kids are growing way too fast and it hit both hubby and I, that in just 6 short years Jasmine will be 18.  I can't even wrap my mind around that.


On my mind:
Christmas


Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who watch over my way. In the path where I walk people have hidden a snare for me.

– Psalm 142:3 (NIV)

Handmade Christmas

My mind has been reeling with tons of projects, ideas, links, bookmarks and so many things that I don't quite know which way to turn.

Do you ever find yourself surrounded by a ton of things you want to try and make and just an overwhelming feeling of not knowing where to start?

I decided that I really needed to get down to business and start figuring out what I'm doing for Christmas gifts.  Truth is, and I know many of you will concur, things are too expensive nowadays and there is just not enough money to go all out.

So even though I did do some homemade gifts last year, I plan on upping the ante, and really coming up with wonderful gifts for family and friends.

I'm about to show you a super easy gift, using the simplest of items, that will make your jaw drop. I won't even mention the possibilities that can come out of this project because I'm so excited at what I could make, I'm already making lists and jotting down ideas.

Back in the beginning of the year, I was doing my usual blog hopping when I came across a craft that stopped me dead in my tracks. A Girl in Paradise had put up a tutorial on how to transfer ink to a candle. HELLO!

Of course I immediately bookmarked it and then as with all the other thousands of bookmarks I have going, I forgot about it until I started thinking about Christmas last week, and found it again.

I was out running errands earlier and remembered to buy two simple white candles, just to give it a try, see if the project indeed works before I really can count on it as gifts.

Not only does it work, but OH.MY.GOSH!

Let me show you what I did, for the original tutorial go on over to A Girl in Paradise :)


Personalized Candles

Tissue paper
printer paper
wax paper
markers
tape
heat gun or hairdryer (it's what I used because I don't own a heat gun)

You're going to start by cutting out a piece of tissue paper about the same size as your candle...then you place it on top of some printer paper so that the marker doesn't bleed through.

Write or draw whatever you wish on it.  I just kept it extremely simple and used "Trust the Lord with all your Heart."   Best part about this is that you can have your kids draw something for the grandparents, or write a note or whatever you wish.  Be creative.

When you're done, pull the tissue paper away from the printer paper.  Cut away as much of the tissue paper as possible.  Place it on the candle.

Now my tissue paper was all wrinkled, it's what I had on hand and I didn't want to have to run back out to buy more....trust me, it still works, just smooth it out as much as you can before you write or draw on it, and when you place it on the candle just stretch it nicely.

Then cut out a piece of wax paper bigger than your candle.  You need it to go all the way around and give you some extra to hold on to for the next step.  Smooth it out nicely, and pull it tight over the tissue paper.

Grab your heat gun or hair dryer, turn it on and use a back and forth motion over the design, about 30 to 40 seconds is what she suggests.  It will get pretty hot on your fingers so be careful, I just kept moving it and actually turned the hair dryer off for a second or two to cool down then back again.

After that time, gently pull away the wax paper and your design should be transferred to the candle, the tissue paper pretty much disappears. 

Perfect! I was so shocked that it worked and so excited.

I immediately followed the rest of the directions to transfer a photo onto the candle. Now listen, I was scared I was going to get my paper all jammed in the printer, but it actually worked.

I cut out tissue paper to fit on a sheet of printer paper, smoothed it out and put a little tape on all sides to hold it in place. Then I fed it into my printer and also crossed my fingers. LOL

It worked PERFECTLY.

Just follow the rest of the directions for the transfer.

By the way, see on the left side how my wax paper is a little wrinkled...I did pull it tighter before I started the hair dryer. :)

I don't know about you, but I think there are going to be a lot of these candles floating around my house...I'm thinking a different theme for each room, different sayings, pictures etc. And Christmas time......a snowman, Santa? Oh yeah!

I'm heading out to buy more candles tomorrow.

Hope it gave you all an idea for a perfect Christmas gift this year :)