New Year Resoultions

2009

The Christmas tree is down, the presents have been all unwrapped, at the least the ones I remembered. I always seem to forget about one gift. I will find it when I am looking for something else. Story of my life. So it is time to think about the New Year ahead. Love them or hate, I like to make resolutions. I don't always keep them, but at least they point me in the direction I'd like to be headed. This what I have instore for the next year.

Resolution number 1- Put things away after I use them. I swear I spend half my life looking for things and the other half been annoyed that I that I can't find it.

Resolution number 2- Excercise more, ok just excercise. I am not sure how I am going to do this yet. The winters in Wisconsin are long and cold so, walking outside is not always an option. Of course I do have video tapes which I could do any time, but this really isn't a favorite for me.

Resolutions number 3- Have more fun! Have more fun with your kids, with your husband, with your friends, with your crafts. Just let somethings go and have fun.

Resolution number 4-Learn one new skill this year. I have about ten in mind, but I am going to take a computer class on Photoshop Elements.

Hope all you have a safe and happy New Year

The Junk Mammas

Have a wonderful and safe Christmas from our home to yours!

The Junk Mammas

20 Little Things to Treasure at Christmas

Country Living

20 Little Things to Treasure at Christmas!

(they are in no particular order)

1.Handmade gifts from your children.

2.Wrapping presents.

3.Holiday decorating.

4.Finding the just perfect gift for someone.

5.Looking forward to after Christmas bargins.

6.Holiday parties.

7.Family get togethers.

8.Visiting Santa.

9.Easy holiday baking. Check out our post for some easy "baking" ideas.

10.Christmas music.

11.Getting Christmas cards from friends and family.

12. Rotary lights in La Crosse, WI.

13. Extra time with the kids, school vacations.

14. Holiday movies, Frosty the Snowman....

15. Making cutout cookies with the kids.

16. Checking other peoples blog for all the wonderful ideas that are out there.

17. Christmas magazines.

18. Eggnog.

19. Getting a Christmas tree.

20. Opening stockings and presents.

Junk Mammas

Fabulous find Friday

The fabulous find this week came curbside. I was on my way home from taking my kids to school when Irealized it was Tuesday- That is big pick-up in our town! I took the long route back home just to see if any treasures had been put out for the taken. To my delight someone was cleaning out a garage and I saw the most fabulous mirror leaning against the garbage cans.

With my heart racing with delight, I quickly jumped out of my car and grabed it before anyone could see me. Not sure what I am going to do with it yet, but this has got to be one of my best finds to date.

The Junk Mammas

Short and sweet

Mock Turtles

I am really not much of a baker, I am more of a cook. You have to be all precise and everything in baking. That just not us. Thought we'd share some of our favorite short and easy Christmas treats here. You can package them up in cute jars or tins for gifts.

Mock turtles

Pretzels

Rolo chocolate carmel candy

Pecans

Unwap the rolos (but be choosey who does this job, you will need some for the recipe). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Put a piece of the candy in the center of each pretzel. Bake in a low oven 225 for approx. 5min. remove and place a pecan down the center of each while still warm. I here you can also freeze them. Mine don't last that long at my house.

Cinnamon Sugar Pecans

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg white
4 cups pecan halves

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (160 C).
Combine sugar, cinnamon and salt in small bowl.
Whisk egg white in large bowl until frothy. Add pecans to egg white and toss well to coat.
Add sugar mixture and toss carefully and thoroughly doing your best not to break the pecans.
Spread pecans in a single layer on a large cookie sheet.
Bake until toasted and crisp, about 40 minutes turning them over after the first 20 minutes ( take them out of oven and do this and arrange them neatly once again; this helps keep them from sticking to the pan). Using a spatula, immediately loosen pecans from cookie sheet and let cool. Put them in a large plastic container, cover and refrigerate.

Please share any easy treats you love to make.

Holiday spaces

The Nesting Place is having a party, and we wanted to share a few garlands and places we love to decorate for the holidays. Isn't this stairway gorgeous with the garland, presents and bucket of greens.


Since I don't have a beautiful stairway or a fireplace mantel, my most favorite place to put my garland is on my china cabinet. It has a nice flat area to decorate and has a great space on top for items.




Here it is all decked out for Christmas!

The Junk Mammas

Kid's Christmas Decorating

I really like to add a little Christmas to the kid's rooms. Just a little touch here and there does the trick. At least we think so.

In each of their rooms I added a small tree which is decorated with "special" ornaments. My daughter really loves to decorate her own tree, my son is a little young to decorate yet. We have added a mixture of store bought ornaments, toys and a few handmade ornaments. In the past when I didn't have very many ornaments I added a baby cup, baby spoon and rattles. Of course each year some get broke but that what happens with kids. Last year she broke the wings of all of her fairy ornaments, thank goodness for E6000.

Since I don't have a mantel, I put the kids stocking in their rooms. I hope in a few years, this will buy me some more sleep on Christmas morning. I added a little Christmas decorations to their doors too. And we couldn't forget to display our beloved reindeer. My daughters favorite stuffed animal. I hate to even count how many hours I have spent looking for reindeer. Yes that is her name.

You don't have to add a tree to incorporate some special ornaments. Try adding a wreath wired with special ornaments to their door. Make a paper garland to hang around the window or bed frame. Add a holiday pillow or two to their bed. It really does make them feel special.

The Junk Mammas

Fabulous Finds Friday

Rimmel 60 second polish. Have you ever tried it? It truly does dry in 60 seconds and for an inexpensive polish it tops my list. I recently spotted a new shade called 600 Deliciously Dark. The color is dark, Delicious and rich just like the name. Plus, it's only one coat, and looks really great on short nails for the holidays.

60 polish is also good for using on little fingers and toes that aren't so still. They have a light pink with sparkles, blue and lilac color.

The Junk Mammas

The tree

We went out tree hunting today. Not the storybook version, where you go to a farm, drink hot chocolate and wear a cute scarf. We got it at one of those places that have pre-cut trees. I have found that with little kids this is the route for us to go. It's quick, easy and the trees the last couple of years have been the best.





Here it is all decorated. Most of our ornaments are homemade. We have pictures of family that we have framed out in mini pine cones, buttons and twigs. Paper chain made out of scrapbook paper and bows out of checked ribbon. And lots of misc. decorations that the kids have made over the years. Last but not least, my Pottery Barn tree skirt that I bought last year at a deal after Christmas.

Now all we need is Santa to bring some presents for underneath it.

The Junk Mammas

Fabulous Finds Friday

Personalized m&m's

I seem to have candy on the brain lately. I have seen these in the ads of magazines, but I was watching Martha when they caught my attention. These m & m's are too cute. You can personalize them to your liking. Add a photo or simple graphic, love that.

Candy Container project

Martha is having a deal, one bag free if you order before Dec 17. I think they are $12.99 a bag with a three bag mimimum, not exactly cheap but for a for special occasion. What a great idea! They would be great for irthday parties, weddings or baby showers, gifts for hard to buy people, the ideas are endless.

The Junk Mammas

A few of our favorite things....

The Junk Mammas are always up for a good party! We put together a group of a few of our favorite things, some are personal indulgences...

Sliver platters

Cake plates



White iron stone plates, pitchers and soup turines


Taco Bell- Us girls love to eat at Taco Bell. Something we don't get much of anymore. Kids prefer McDonalds.

Diet Pepsi- ice cold in the can or from a soda fountain with crushed ice. This is a must have first thing in the morning.

Cupcakes- Walmart super center makes the best cupcakes
with loads of butter cream frosting.

Magazines- love, love magazines.

They are filled with a multitude of ideas that can last for years. We have started scrapbooks of our favorites articles, recipes or whatever for future inspiration.


The Junk Mammas

Holiday style wreaths

Country Living

When decorating for the holidays we like to add a few things that can be left up past the season, you know more bang for your buck! Wreaths are a great accessory that can outlast the traditional Christmas decor. I love the look of this wreath in a empty frame. I have seen where people have white frames lined up their stairways and I think these wreaths would look amazing displayed that way. Wreaths also look great hanging on mirrors.

Ballard Designs

Ballard Designs has these small boxwood wreaths. The possilities are endless for these. Can you image them lined up across 4 small windows or vertical in groups of two hanging from amoire or french doors? 4 of these for $29.00, not to bad of a deal.

Junk Mammas

Fabulous Finds Friday

Every Friday (ok maybe most Fridays) we will posting great finds . Hope you think so too. Let's get started.

I really need a treat everyday, but not all the extra calories. I found these Peppermint Tootsie Pops at none other than Target for 2 for $4. If you love candycanes then you are going to love these cause they have a little extra chocolate treat at the end. And are only 1 point for all you weight watcher followers. Try some and enjoy.

On a decorating note, candy or treats look great in clear jars or vases grouped on your counter top, buffet or mantel. And is a cheap way to fill up the jar. If you have a really big jar, place a glass upside down in the middle of jar and fill candy between jar and glass.

Christmas Ideas

Country Living

Junk Mammas

Vintage plates

We found some great old Wisconsin license plates at a flea market this summer, not sure what to use them for. It was just one of those things we couldn't leave there without buying.

What do you do with vintage license plates? After a few not so good ideas we came up with a couple of things that worked. They would look great in a kids bedroom, playroom or any room in your house that your looking to add a little "rustic" touch too!

Very simple idea. I found an old chain in our junk drawer and attached it to one of the plates to make it a hanging one.



This one we took pages out of an atlas, decoupaged them onto a board and distressed them. We attached the plate with an epoxy adhesive and framed it out with a fire engine red colored wood frame.


Love these, but not quite sure you want to make them yourself? Check out our Etsy store for these and some of the other great things we have whipped up!


The Junk Mammas

Made it with scrapbook paper

We wanted to share a couple of things we have made using scrap book paper.


Covered some tobacco tins we purchased at a flea market with paper then filled them with greens, and finished them off with ribbon and rusty bells.


The Song Bird is my favorite. Inspired by something I saw at Pottery Barn Kids. I used a simple bird pattern with pinks and brown scrapbook paper. Finished it off in a pink vintage frame with some decorative scrap booking trinkets.

Junk Mammas

Cold weather comfort food

We live in Wisconsin, and it's gets pretty darn cold here. Soup is a great cold weather comfort food.

One of my all time favorites is Chicken Dumpling. Here is very simple recipe to make a hearty dumpling soup that your family will love.

List of things you will need for the soup:

-Chicken- I like to use a wonder roast chicken from the grocery store that is pre-cooked.
-3 large cans or cartons chicken stock, broth or both(cans 48oz/cartons 26oz)
-2-3 cups cut veggies- I use carrots and celery- but you could add cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini.

For the dumpling you will need:
-Flour
-eggs
-water
-milk
-salt and pepper

Put your chicken in a large pot with the cut veggies and your broth-cook over medium for around 20 minutes until your veggies get tender.

Then your going to turn the heat up a touch to bring your soup to a rolling boil.

In the meantime you can mix your dumplings- I use 2-3 cups of flour, 1-2 eggs, salt/pepper, finely chopped leaves of the celery and a little water to make your mixture like a batter.

Once your soup base is boiling- you then just drop your dumplings in by the spoon full and they will float when finished.

You can play with this recipe and add more veggies, more dumpling, etc. to make the perfect soup for you.

Served with some warm bread, you have a hearty meal that is sure to take that winter chill away!



Junk Mammas

Acorn cookies

My daughter and I wiped up these cookies Sunday morning. They were easy and fun for her to help make. I was thinking of putting a few in these Thanksgiving favors with some other goodies. I love to take something store bought and add an extra touch to make it a little special. You don't always have to reinvent the wheel to be creative. I sometimes forget that!

To make these cookies you take mini nilla wafters and spread a little bit of chocolate frosting on the bottom of cookie. Add a chocolate kiss to the frosting. Then take a mini chocolate chip and dip bottom in chocolate frosting, and add to the top of the cookie.

Here are some other cookies ideas using the same concept. Santa nutter butters for christmas and ghost nutter butters for Halloween.

The Junk Mammas

Mini Boden

I was inspired to make this t-shirt for my daughter, after I received a Mini Boden catolog. If you haven't heard of them, check it out http://www.bodenusa.com/ . They have adorable stuff, but not so affordable prices.

I have also seen many of your blogs giving instructions on how to make these great t's. They really are easy, very affordable to make and so darn cute!

I started by making petals out of brown and pink polka dot fabric. Then I cut heat and bond to the shape of the petals. Layed everything out and started to iron.

Last I added a huge pink button I already had and a light pink stitch around the edges. For less then $5 I made this great Tee!

The Junk Mammas

I can make that party

We are joining the fun at Just a Girl. She is having a I can make that party. People are suppose to link gift ideas that you can make. This isn't so much a gift, but part of the wrapping. We call them Jingle Bell Clips.

You will need:

Clothespins

Jingle bells or any other adornment

Ribbon

Glue gun

Stick pin

Paint(optional)

Gift tags(optional)

Paint your clothes pins and any color, or leave them plain. You simple fold the ribbon in half length ways. Stick a straight pin through the ribbon completely. You thread the ribbon thru the top thingy on the jingle bell. It can take a little finagaling to get the ribbon thru the jingle bell. Next tie a bow. Attach bow with hot glue to the clothespin.

You can use them as placecard holders or gift tags. Also could string a ribbon and attach your Christmas cards to them.

The Junk Mammas