10 Minute Decorating

The Nesting Place is having a 10 minute decorating party. This our contribution.

Without a mudroom I try to use the back porch for my mudroom. One day last summer I was sweeping out the porch and and remembered I had purchased a bike basket at a garage sale to use as a magazine rack in the backroom, but had failed to ever put it up. So I grabbed a hammer and nails and pounded it up next to my farmhouse bench.

I also added a hook I had laying around and hung up a wicker bike basket from ribbon. The basket holds my items that must go with me in the morning. I use the clothes pin to hold mail that must go to the post office. Today it is holding libary books that need to be retured. That's my ten minute decorating.

The Junk Mammas

Valentines Day

Love Valentines Day! It's such a fun holiday to decorate. We cut hearts out of scrapbook paper to make this garland.

Added ornament hearts to all of my bowls and jars around the house for a extra little touch.

Simple teachers gifts. Took small heart containers I found at Michael's for $1.00 each. Filled them with kisses, chocolate hearts and tied it off with a red themed fabric pin.

Found this cute idea for valentines on The Crafty Crow. Owl valentines, they are cute, fun and were easy for my 4 year old to make for preschool.

Don't have much on it, but I used a pink tree I purchased after Christmas and put it into one of my soup turines with paper shreds. Love when you can decorate with things lying around the house.

The Junk Mammas

Sunday Estate Sale

Estate sales season has began around these parts. Yipeee!!! I hadn't been to an estate sales in months, so I was looking forward to the hunt. I always get anxious waiting in line. Watching as people leave and spying to see what goodies they bought. I was hoping there was some good stuff left for me. Today most items where 50% or reduced, another Yipee.

Some of the treasures I found were vintage valentines, a chalk board, keys, folding measuring tape, map trash can and dictionary. My grand total was 11 bucks. I placed the valentines in floral frogs and displayed them on top of what I loosely call my china cabinet. I think I will use the trash can and chalk board in my son's room. And I was thinking of using the measuring tape as a growth chart for my kids, not sure yet. It's always fun junking!

The Junk Mammas

Soups on!

It's cold here again! Soup sounded like a good choice for dinner. With some good bread,an easy dinner. I am in heaven until I remember that it below zero out side. This recipe is from Cooking Light. And it is good for lunch the next day.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

1/2 pound ground round
2 cups chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (14-ounce) can less-sodium beef broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can tomato soup, undiluted
1 1/2 cups hot cooked white rice

Heat a small Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef; cook 3 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add chopped green bell pepper and onion; cook 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in black pepper, less-sodium beef broth, diced tomatoes, and tomato soup; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes.Spoon 1/4 cup hot cooked white rice into each of 6 bowls; top with 1 cup soup.

Yield: 6 servings

CALORIES 219 (30% from fat); FAT 7.2g (sat 2.6g,mono 2.9g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 11.7g; CHOLESTEROL 26mg; CALCIUM 39mg; SODIUM 444mg; FIBER 3.2g; IRON 2.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 27.5g

The Junk Mammas

Taming kid clutter

Wendy over at the Shabby Nest is having a party "Taming Kid Clutter". We wanted to share some solutions we have found to tame the clutter and resume some sort of order in our homes. But the real key is down sizing. Get rid of some toys and really scrutinize what comes in your house. The best tip we have is to rotate toys. Every toy does not need to be in circulation, when you bring the toy back out it's like a new toy again. At our house we never open all the toys from the birthday party or Christmas, we keep them in the package for a rainy day. We of course follow these rules to a "T",we try at least.

In our old house we find small closets or no closets in rooms. We have to be creative in most aspects, to keep our sanity. That inspired my idea for the closet play nook. I have seen many times where people have turned closets into small office spaces, so I decided to try it in my daughters room. Transforming her closet into a extended play area. You can check out the original post here.

Land of Nod has some great storage solutions, the above buckets come in various sizes from them and other retailers. They are great for keeping pencils, scissors and various art supplies in check. The larger ones store trucks and Legos with ease.


Shelving is another great options. They are not just for books anymore. Bins are a great addtion to shelves to add addtional storage for all of the stuff you need to tame.

The Junk Mammas

Fabulous Find Friday

Saw this on HGTV the other day, stainless steel contact paper. Thought it was really neat. They used it to cover storage type photo boxes, I have read it works great on garbage cans also to give them an updated look.

Have not checked our local retailers for this, but found it on Amazon for $11.49 a roll. Stayed tuned for some projects with this stuff. If you have used this product please share, we'd love to hear from you.

The Junk Mamma's

Scrabble anyone

Our house has no mud room or coat closet near the back door, one of the pitfuls of an older home. But I do have a back porch that I use kinda like a mud room in the warmer months. If you leave your gear out there this time of year it would be frozen. So I had to have a place for the kids to leave there jackets and backpacks inside. I'd love not to have to look at jackets every time I am in the kitchen but you have to make due with what you have sometimes.

I added some hooks to this little wall, but wanted to add the kids names somehow. One day I thought of my scrabble game that was hidden in the basement under my craft stuff. I pondered a good while how to hang them up then it came to me, poster putty. I just stuck a little on the back of each letter and put them on the molding. Now my kids know where there jackets belong. Do they get hung there, about 90% of the time.

I have seen some really cool things made out of scrabble tiles such as necklaces and key rings. Have you used scrabble tiles in a unique way?

The Junk Mammas

Fabulous Find Friday

I have been eyeing these little faux moss pieces up well before Christmas at Target. I just couldn't bring myself to buy them for myself till after Christmas.

I truly have a brown thumb, but I seem to be able to grow an amaryllis or two. So I placed the moss pieces at the base of my amaryllis plant in my favorite pot to cover the dirt. I thought this would help my little guy from digging his fingers in the dirt. Instead he thought these looked yummy and took a bite of one. What was I thinking. I just glued it back together, put that side down.

You can find them in the aisle with the vases and vase fillers for about 8 bucks for eight pieces. Now I am hooked on these little things. This post was inspired by the Beautiful Life Linky party at the Inspired Room and Hooked on Houses party. With little ones you can have a beautiful display, even if is only lasts during nap time. Enjoy something beautiful, even it only lasts a moment.

The Junk Mammas

Burrrr.... It's cold outside

No school today, schools were being canceled last night before suppertime. The weather service in our area is predicting temperatures about minus 19 degrees with wind chills 36 below zero today.

Sounds like a good day to curl up with a book, cup of hot tea and a warm cozy blanket.

The Junk Mammas

Blogland

I just love that I discovered blogs about two years ago. There are really so many creative and talented people out there. But, I spend way too much time on the computer. Anyone relate? One of my recent blog finds is Lola B. The girl has some killer decorating style, I love it. Her blog is celebrating her one year anniversary and is having a great give away. Go check her out, heres a few sneak peeks at her blog.

I need to get me some of these letter balls, but I have a feeling they would be all over my house. My kids seem to love all my arrangements and must investigate.

And the girl has some fashion sense too. It just isn't fair that some girls have it all.

Who wouldn't love this closet.

Stay tuned we will be having a giveaway to celebrate our 50th post!

The Junk Mammas

Fabulous Finds Friday-A cool scrunchy

Ballard Designs

Our feature this Friday is all about a scrunchy that is still in style. For the longest time I have been admiring these chandelier chain scrunchy things from Ballard's designs. But at $39.00+shipping, I have had a hard time making the purchase.

I have tried to make them on my own, but they just never seem to look as nice as the ones you can buy. Plus, hot gluing something that is hanging while standing on a ladder.....trouble!

Low and behold our trusty Hobby Lobby carries this item. For $17.99 and 1/2 price when lighting is on sale you can get one of these wonderful covers for the chain on your chanelier.

They have many colors to choose from and they snap, so you are able to remove them to wash or change your look and color for the seasons.

The Junk Mammas

William-Sonoma

Just received my new William-Sonoma catalog and they have the cutest valentine stuff. Check out the wreath above made out of vintage looking valentines or these double cherry pop suckers.

I love to look through their catalog for inspiration, they also have some great stuff and delicious recipes. If you don't receive their catalog you can sign up now online http://www.williams-sonoma.com/ .

The Junk Mammas

Family Embarrassment

Ok- This is not actually my car, but it could of been the other day. I dropped my 1st grade son off at school and while his principal was helping him out of the car he had a McDonalds bag stuck to his foot.


Talk about a family embarrassment, I knew I had to change my habits. I have been in a really bad way about the car for awhile. It has been extermly cold here and sometimes at night we don't get all of the artwork out of the car or we eat dinner on the way home and leave the wrappers behind, you know how that goes, don't ya?

I was searching the internet and found this artical about not letting your car get out of control. http://www.creativehomemaking.com/organizing/messy-car.shtml I was thrilled to know, I wasn't the only one and there was hope for me.


The Junk Mammas

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