Candy bar shortbread

I found this recipe in my junk mail one day. It was in one of those book offers, I tried it and loved it. I didn't buy the book, but I may try and find it. And it is sure easy. Mix, Cook, and Melt. If you love Toblerone you love this.

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
pinch salt
3 (3.52 oz) Toblerone chocolate bars, coarsely chopped
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Stack 2 baking sheets together and line top sheet with parchment paper.
In a mixer bowl, cream butter and sugar until blended. Add flour and salt and mix to make a stiff dough that does not quite hold together. Pat dough into a 13 x 9 inch pan lined with parchment paper and set pan on prepared baking sheet. Bake until lightly golden, 25 to 40 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate on hot uncut shortbread. Let set about 5 minutes and smear chocolate around. Cut into 2 inch squares and remove cooking to fridge or freezer to set up.


The Junk Mammas

Frugal Friday

Wendy at the Shabby Nest is having Frugal Friday Party. Who are we to turn down a party?

I have wanted a drop leaf table coffee table for in my living room for a few years now. I wanted an antique one, but was not willing to pay $100 to $200 bucks to then cut down the legs. I just couldn't do it, and I never found one painted the right color.

I found a table on Craig's List in May for $40 bucks. And it sat in the corner of my dining room until last week. I wasn't sure I really liked it, didn't know what color to paint it, blah, blah. I decided just to go for it and had my husband cut the legs down and then pulled out the wood kindergarten chairs Jenny found a church sales for 7 dollar each. Now it is the perfect place for my kids to play games, eat a snack, or color. I am glad we went for it, now should I paint it. What color, it may take me until next summer to decide. So for my $54, I have a sturdy coffee table my kids can use.


The Junk Mammas

Weekend Finds Part -2

We had a great weekend of junkin, as you can see by some our lastest posts photos. We found this great estate sale in the paper. It said 30's and 40's vintage items. Low and behold the house was filled. Look at the stacks of vintage tableclothes.

She had a ton of ironstone, Chamber pots, pitchers, etc. Kim asked if they minded if we took some photos for the blog. Here our some of the items we left behind. She had some really wonderful stuff.

The Junk Mammas

Weekend Finds

We hit a few really good sales this weekend. And most were super cheap, love it. Now we need to find homes for all our stuff. I swear one day sometime soon, we will actually do something with our junk and blog about it.

Most of the stuff we found was $1.00 or under, minus the white ironstone chamber pot and pitchers.

Stop by tomorrow and checkout part 2 of our weekend finds, and see what we passed up. Also, head over to and see http://southernhospitality-rhoda.blogspot.com/ for the weekly finds and others.

The Junk Mammas

Greeting, from the land of junk

The land of junk continues to grow at our houses. Here is junk from the weekend. Lanterns from Walmart on clearance $10.00 each, marked down from $25.00. Silver tray was $5.00. A window with grid screening already in it for $3, a vintage suitcase $5, 2 wood planters $2 for both, 5 finals for $2, rake head for $1, which my son thought I bought him. And the hat stand was a find from Goodwill. I only have plans for the suitcase, a perfect place for my daughter's dress up clothes. She can't get it open without my help, so mean. At least I can then say no dress up clothes without cleaning up the million other toys first.

Check out Rhonda @ Southern Hospitality for others weekend finds.

The Junk Mammas

Price my space at Nesting Place

The Nester is having a "Price my space party." I decided to use my daughter Maddie's room to share, as most of her stuff was found at a bargain price.

The white bed was found at a rummage sale for $20.00, the pink bedspread at an estate sale for $6.00. Then there is my Pottery Barn Kids bedding. I love that blue bedding. I have had some of this stuff since crib size. I bought it all at 1/2 price or less and picked up a few pieces on Ebay for next to nothing. Basket was an Ebay find, it is Pottery Barn Kids and matches my blue bedding, I bought 2 for under $10.00. The rocking chair was a 1st birthday gift and the pillow was a rummage find for $.50.
The white dresser was my sons that we bought unfinished for around $100.00. Pink bird house and Madeline sign I picked up at TJMAXX on clearance. Both were scratch and dent and paid $3.50 for the bird house and $6.00 for the name sign. The lamp shade is the blue PBK again, and I added some pink ball fringe. I paid $5.00 for the lamp shade, the base is a candle stick base that I bought way back and painted it white.
White wire basket was $1.00 at Salvation Army, and the rabbit jar was a baby gift.

The scalloped shelf is from TJMAXX, it was chipped so I only paid $5.00 for it. I put a fresh coat of pink paint and it's as good as new. Wood rabbit was an after Easter find one year for 75% off.

This room is one of my favorite rooms in our house and one of the smallest. I love the way it turned out and it was all furnished on a budget of less than $200.00.

The Junk Mammas

Summer Ice Tea

We don't live in the south but I do enjoy iced tea. This is one of my favorite recipes. It really is never the same twice at my house, cause I can't remember what teas I used. Typical fashion for me. I really am liking TAZO Passion tea lately, but use whatever you have on hand.

Choose 10 teas from your cupboard. Eight herbal teas, such as lemon, chamomile, mint, and hibiscus, and mix with one to two bags of Earl Grey or English Breakfast. Hang the tea bags into an 8-cup Pyrex container. Pour boiling water over the tea, and steep for at least 10 minutes. Add 1/4 cup sugar or Splenda, taste, and add more sugar if desired. Add lemon if desired. Even my husband likes this tea. Recipe is from Martha Stewart.

Enjoy!

The Junk Mammas

The door

I finally did it, I painted my house numbers on my door. I have seen in blog land all of your doors painted with the house numbers. It adds so much to the door.

For those of you who have not seen this done, here's what I did. First, I printed numbers from my computer. Just used ones I found in Word and inlarged them to the size I wanted. Next, I used carbon paper and and taped that and my numbers to the door. I traced over the numbers with a pencil, that left me with an outline of my numbers. Last I filled them in with a paint pen.

I love the way it turned out and it added some much needed charm to my old screen door.


The Junk Mammas

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Wishing you a very a happy birthday Kim. One more year until the BIG ONE!!!

:) Jenny

Rummage Sale Birthday Party

A 10 year old girl that attends my daughter's grade school is having a birthday party, so what you may say. Her party is a rummage sale and bake sale to benefit the local humane society. Each guest has been advised they will be helping run the sale and if possible to donate some items. What a socially responsible young girl and a clever idea. Her mother must be proud. You can check out the entire story here. Since the sale is only a few blocks away, I will try to make it to support her cause.

Speaking of kids, the other day I over heard my daughter ask her brother if he'd like to play rummage sale. I had to chuckle, as she set up all her goods all over my living room. It was cute, even if the mess was in left sitting for two days. I guess maybe we have been going to a few sales this summer, but after all we are the Junk Mammas.

Enjoy the weekend.

The Junk Mammas

Junkin finds and a recipe

Since summer is in full swing our schedules are filling up, so our junkin has slowed a bit this week. I did manage to go to Goodwill and found some things and I did stop at two sales on the way to an outing. It is so hard for me to resist a garage sale sign.

I think I am going to attach a bird house to one end of table leg then put in my garden. Maybe the same for the shovel or maybe I will just hang it on the outside of the garage. Who knows with me. Don't forget to check out all the other finds at the Rhonda's Southern Hospitality.

Someone requested us to share this recipe.


Chicken Delight(Divan)



2 10 oz packages of frozen broccoli

2 cups cooked chicken

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup mayo

1 Tbs lemon juice

1/4 tsp curry powder

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup croutons, we use more

1/2 stick butter

2-3 cups cooked rice


Combine soup, lemon juice, mayo and curry in small bowl. Melt butter and mix with croutons for topping. Save for later. In 9x13 greased pan layer cooked rice, broccoli, chicken, soup mixture, and cheese. Top with croutons. Bake @ 350 from 30-45 minutes.


I usually half this recipe for my family and use light soup and mayo. You can play around with the amount of lemon and curry to your taste. And don't forget the croutons because it's the best part.

The Junk Mammas

Gardening

Planting flowers and growing a vegetable garden are some of our favorite things to do in the summer. We have a large back yard and I have tried to make it cozier with planting along the fence and using non-tradition planters.

We love old garden gates. Below, I used some posts and a gate to make an entrance to my veggie garden .


The black one was found curbside, I used it on my back fence behind some perennials.

I lined my back steps with tin coffee pots that I found and some old buckets. This area does not get a lot of sun so I used impatiens and fern type plants.

Some old washtubs I found rummaging are filled with a fern and some shade blooming flowers.

Kimba's having a garden party @ A Soft Place to Land, stop on over for some great ideas or join the party.

The Junk Mammas

Weekend finds

Here are some of our junkin finds from this weekend. Although, we only went to a few sales we think we found some pretty good stuff. All the stuff in the picture below was $1.00 or under, most marked $.25. We discovered church sales this year. The stuff is super cheap and there is usually a huge selection. Love it.


These chairs were only $4.00 for all of them, yes $1.00 each. The lady didn't want them back in the house again. They are already a nice creamy color all they need is some new fabric on the cushions.

Of course we love the farmers market on Saturday morning, I picked up these peonys and put them in one of 25 cents ball jars. Simple pleasures.

Check out Rhonda @ Southern Hospitality to see what other stuff was found this weekend.

The Junk Mammas

Last day of school

I can't believe it, but it is the last day of school. I have been a tad sad because my first born will be finishing Kindergarten. OK, I have being crying at just the thought of the last day of school. I guess I am just sad because she is growing up. In Kindergarten they still have rest time, free choice, and special helpers, all the fun little kid stuff. In first grade she will be heading into more of the scholastic side. I guess she really is a big girl. Life must go on, I just will be the one hiding behind sunglasses at school today.

I did put together a easy little teacher gift. I wanted to make something to add to a gift card, so I decided on paper covered clothes pins. Added some cute little school wood thingys I bought at Micheals. I wrote the teachers name on the chalkboard, but didn't take a picture of that before I tossed in the gift bag.




The Junk Mammas

Meal in a box

One the best gifts I received after having my children was dinner. Friends and family delivered a couple complete meal. After a long day of tending to little ones it was heaven to just pop the already home made meal in to the oven.

My niece arrived a few weeks ago, so I put together a little meal box for my brother and SIL. The meal box included a Chicken Divan Casserole, Mandarin Orange salad, and a favorite of my SIL dipped pretzels. I also included a healthy snack of apples and a sweet treat which isn't pictured because I picked it up at the store on the way to their house. I was literally finishing the casserole in the back of my van in the grocery store parking lot.(LOL)I had forgot the croutons, and they are the best part of the dish. Organization people, I sometimes am lacking in that department.

I converted a lid from a paper box to a tray by covering it with wrapping paper. Used an onesie drinking glass from the cupboard to hold the pretzel rods and covered with a cello bag tied with of course pink ribbon. Placed all the salad fixings in the pink gift bag. And don't forget to add cooking instructions, I used manila office tags and hand wrote baking instructions. I will be keeping my eye out for new looking dishes, I can use for my next meal box. No worries about returning a dishes.

The Junk Mammas

Mondays Weekend Finds

We went rummaging this past weekend. The weather was great and the sales were everywhere. Although, they turned out not to be the best, we still managed to find a few treasures.

Found this little storage cabinet for $5.00. I painted it red, just need to find new knobs and it will be going in my son's room.


Found some old pop bottles, a silver tray, cute little bird cages and a few dishes.




A soda crate to display special mementos in my son's room. Some pharmacy boxes and little container.

Check out Rhonda @ Southern Hospitality for some other good finds from this past weekend. She has a linky as well so share your own finds with all of us.

The Junk Mammas

Frugal Friday Party

Wendy @ The Shabby Nest is having a Frugal Friday Linky Party. Being the Junk Mammas that we are we had to share some frugal decorating ideas from our own homes.

Often we change things around in our houses, just adding a few new bargains to spruce things up a bit.

Yesterday, I made a new center piece for my dinning room table. I used this white bowl that I picked up a few years ago for maybe $5.00, if even that much. Thought I could use it for salads, but works great for displays.

Made moss balls again, but this time I used wiffle balls that I purchased from the dollar store, 5 for $1.00. Colored eggs that I had, and some wood spindle things I have been collecting for a while. Chippy wood things are just one of my must buy items when I find them, but are never sure what to use them for.


Sea shells from a vacation to Florida when we were first married.

I love the way it turned out, and I can add pieces and change it out whenever I find something new.

I have had bare walls in my living room for some time now. Try like 12 years. I have been meaning to purchase some ledge shelves at Target, but I am a cheapo and couldn't shell out $40.00 + dollars for them. I found these at a sale for $2.00 each. For that price if they didn't work, I wouldn't be out much.
Next, I rummaged around the house for things to put on them. I dressed them up with some more wood spindles in a silver cup. Wood finials I found at Hobby Lobby last fall at 90% off, and some other misc. items.

I still feel like maybe they need something underneath them, but all in all I like the look.

The Junk Mammas

Lighting

Lighting creates a mood in a room. When I choose a chandelier for my dinning room, I knew I wanted something simple. Something that could change with my styles. I found all of this in an inexpensive chandelier from a local hardware store. It is rust colored, has brown paper colored shades and fits into our home great.

I added a chain cover that I found at Hobby Lobby on sale to give it a bit of elegance. I also added crystals. Some that I purchase from a hardware store for a few dollars and crystal chain from the fabric store.

Someday, I would like to cover the shades in fabric, just haven't decided what color yet.

Stop on over to the Nesting Place the Nester is hosting a Lampapalooza party.

The Junk Mammas

Junkin Finds

We were lucky this week to be able to go junkin together. Since it was Memorial Day weekend, there wasn't a ton of sales but we found some junk to add to our collections. And we always have fun, eat a few snacks and drink diet pepsi. We have very similar tastes, so at times we "fight" over the goods. We really don't fight, we more so jockey for position. It is all in good fun. Do you junk alone or with friends?

Some of our loot includes a ornate picture frame and picture. Locker basket to store beach towels, a lamp for my sons room, and a quilt for picnics. A bag of goodies was full of the hooks, window pulls, and a backplate. If I don't use these for a project I thought they would look neat in a jar or bowl on my coffee table.

The bed was from Salvation Army and is for my daughters room. It does need some TLC, but I love it's shape and it was a sturdy piece. Don't forget to check out Southern Hospitality for others junkin finds.

The Junk Mammas