Pintrest Pass or Fail

Hello, my name is Karen and I am addicted to Pinterest.  Addicted I tell ya!  I can't get enough of that stuff.  It is the new facebook, maybe just because I still don't understand or know how to operate facebook.
After 24 boards and 775 pins, it was time for me to use it for what it's meant to be, I think.  Yes, friends, it was actually time for me to create something I pinned.  I know, pick your jaw up off the floor.  I have been such a slug lately.  I don't do anything.  Then when I do, I forget to take a picture of it to share!  Okay, back to the pinnings ... Here's what I tried ...

First up ... beignets from Forgiving Martha's blog

Her picture ...

Don't they look yummy?  I had to try them ... and her recipe was so easy!  I even had all the ingredients!

Here's mine ...

Not as lite and fluffly looking.  I made a few big ones and guess what?  They were the only ones that actually cooked in the middle!  Yup, the ones in the top pix that look like they have a cream filling, it's dough!  They didn't cook!  Bummer!  In the trash they went, not after opening every one to taste test a few cooked ones!  They were yummy!

Still in the kitchen, I tried pumpkin cupcakes from How Sweet It Is.  Since we've been living on the lite side lately the recipe seemed perfect.

Here's the example ....

Beautiful, right?  Here's mine ...

yeah!  I did it!!!  It worked!  

I did a few other decor items that I will share in another post.  I'm still enjoying my success with the pumpkin cuppies!  

See you soon!  Happy Pinning!!!

Organized Scrapper = Productive Scrapper

I worked on my scrap room over Christmas break and I'm liking how things are situated.  Haven't done too much in there yet but I enjoy thinking about it much more.  I did come across and article on how to how to organize letters and embellishments.  Awesome ideas!




Great way to make things portable for crops!

Finally Organized!

Here's the trick I learned about organizing ... just thinking about doesn't really count.  After a month of appointments, I really need to get myself together.  I have done it and it looks pretty too!  If that isn't motivation to organize, why bother!!  And it was so simple I could have actually done it during all the time I was 'thinking' about.  The curse that comes with living with my calculating husband.
Here's what I did.  I just grabbed a three ring binder.  I purchased the printable schedule from The Project Girl...



I was able to add our weekly schedule and some notes.  I only printed thru June, when school finishes.  Gotta save the trees!
Then, on the other side, I printed the eat sheet.  Totally free. I did print 52 of these, way optimistic!



Now all I have to do is find some great recipes!

I got myself organized on the inside in January, now it's time to organize everything else!!

Welcome February

Well, not totally sucked but I'm glad it's over!  Here's the short version for ya!  

*went to the dermatologist (6 times) only to find out I have an allergy to the stuff in neosporin, formaldehyde, and nickel ... so basically, I can't wear nail polish or jewelry and if I do I can't use neosporin for the breakout.  Glad I found out before I tried the new neo for eczema!  Some of the eye wipes I was prescribed a few months ago had the neo stuff in, yeah!  That's why my eyes swelled shut like squirrel prepping for a long winter!

*went to the fam doc for a slight pain in my side and she found nice little fat ball under my ribs, just like my dog!   Great!  Nothing to do about it!

*got a ct just in case for my gut and they just found 'some liquid' where they pinned my ovaries.  Yeah!  Good news, they are the same size as the last ct, no need to fear!

*went to a new gyno, paperwork mess up about the results.  More fun!

I think that's it!  I blew the annual rx budget  in one month!  Oh yeah, almost forgot.  The derm gave me a prescription on the 10th and I'm still waiting for it to be filled, thanks Walmart!  

I ended the month celebrating my anniversary (19 years) and buying a new piece of furniture to complete my dining room!  I'll post pix soon!

Happy New Year/Month!!  

Welcome 2012, I'm okay with that

It has been over six weeks since my last post.  Sorry, didn't mean to sound like Tom Hanks in Castaway.  But the year has come to an end and rather quickly.  I felt like I went from making Halloween costumes to taking down the holiday decor.  It went too fast for me.  I don't want that to happen again.  I picked up a few more hours at Michaels so I'll blame it on 'work'.  Didn't get any of the projects finished, no handmade gifts this year ... although I had visions early on they just didn't seem to work out.  Even managed a real good ol fashioned cry on New Years Eve.  Just me, by myself, thanks to a really stupid song I won't mention or it will start again.
The holidays weren't all bah-humbuggy.  Took a day trip to NYC for my birthday which was awesome.  Had all the kids spend the night Christmas which I love.  Started a new holiday tradition with family friends.  Joined the Pandora club thanks to Santa.  Celebrated a balmy 40 degree New Year's Eve in Gettysburg.
Holiday school break was short for Ange.  Just a week but we made the best of it.  Went to the mall one day, to Williamsport, PA to see the in laws, she had two sleep overs (me & the hub watched three movies!  Couldn't believe it!  Felt good).
It's time though.  Out with the old and in with the new though.   I have been suffering from bloggers guilt the past few weeks.  If you are an avid subscriber and receive tons of updates in your inbox daily, like me, it is easy to get caught up in what every one else is doing.   What they are making and accomplishing while I sit and click.  Well I came to the realization that I will never have a stack of pallets to make a table from.  My husband isn't going to wake up one morning and say 'okay, let's knock down that wall'.  I'm not going to have a tablescape every day, I'm lucky if we have dinner every day.  And as far as scrapbooking goes, you guessed it .... my room will never be straight unless I gut it and I will probably never be caught up.  I know I won't take a picture every day because (a) my camera isn't charged or (2) I don't know where it is!  These are all nice thoughts and I wave my apron at all the ladies that can accomplish them.  However yesterday was a de-Christmas-fy day and today I had trouble getting off my duff.  Do you really want me to post a picture of that?  Wasn't pretty, trust me! (having a wonderful eczema flare up so seriously, not pretty)
So, what are some expectations (not resolutions) I have more myself this year?  I need to be on task to accomplish what I need to get done to feel good about myself for my family.  As wives and moms, we are the foundations of our families.  If we crack, the whole building is unstable.  I'm tired of feeling unstable.  We are going make some healthy eating choices, some fun living decisions and shape up this ship.  Whew!  Feels good to get it in black and white!
I hope you and your families had an enjoyable holiday!  I appreciate you hanging in there!  When you check out my updates, I hope you are motivated to accomplish something for yourselves, even if it's a feeling that it's okay to take the day to yourself.  You may never earn any vacation leave but you can take a little personal time!
  Let me know what you do keep your sanity so I can incorporate it into my plans!  Send me some pix of things you accomplished.  I am going to be ready this year, 2012 is going to be awesome!