Spookifying The Homefront

October 28, 2012

H1

Halloween is just days away….and while my kids are plotting their paths to the BIGGEST HALLOWEEN CANDY HAUL in the HISTORY OF EVER, I’ve been busy creating a spooky and fun home-front to welcome all the little creatures who’ll be ringing our bell on Wednesday night.

H2

This is just some creepy fabric adorned with hot-glued odds and ends from the dollar store!

H4

I’m lovin’ my Pumpkin Witch made from a plant stand dressed in more dollar store creepy fabric and a witch costume that I bought a couple of years ago on clearance at Publix right after Halloween. I had no idea what I would do with it when I bought it, but  for $1, I figured I’d come up with something, and I did!

H5

H6

These two wreaths were so fun to make! Inspired by a wreath I found on Pinterest, I snatched up the grapevine wreaths at a yard sale for $1.

snake wreath

This is the inspiration piece….but I needed a little color….a little zing…so I used metallic silver, green and purple paint to jazz up the critters on my wreath. I also added some flowers that I partially spray-painted black.

Looking at the original….mine are a bit on the thin side; but, all in all, I like the way they turned out!

H7

I have two things to say about my graveyard besides the fact that it’s pretty plain and boring:

1. My oldest son, who is SO FRUGALLY GROOVIN’ that he has taken to cruisin’ the neighborhood the night before trash pickup to see if he can find things to sell, found the three biggest tombstones in someone’s trash pile! I LOVE THAT KID!

2. I have discovered THE KEY to keep them from falling over on a windy day that involves very little time and money.

And it is this:

H sign

The above do-dad is to be found wherever yard sale signs are sold. I purchased three of them for $1.29 a piece at Lowe’s and had my husband use his wire cutters to cut them in half, creating two for every one.  I then inserted one two-pronged end in the bottom of the tombstones and the other two-pronged end in the ground.

It’s been very windy over the past couple of days due to The Frankenstorm passing by the coast, and my tombstones have stayed in place!

****Want More Halloween Decorating Ideas? I linked up to these AWESOME Link-Up Parties with literally HUNDREDS of Halloween Ideas:****

Momnivore’s Dilemma

Somewhat Simple

 

Category:

Holiday Decorating

2 Comments

Tagged with:

Log Cabin Love

October 19, 2012

On my way home this morning from dropping the kids at school, I saw a yard sale sign.

My heart began to sing….

Friday!

Yard Sale!

No Kids!

I am seriously blessed, I thought to myself.

I took the turn on a dirt road, bouncing and jostling my way toward undiscovered treasures.

And then, I saw this:

House 028

My heart stopped. There was a For Sale sign out front, so I turned into the driveway.

The sign said, “By appointment only….”

And I had one.

An appointment with destiny, that is!

House 002

A slim guy in a red t-shirt came strolling toward me from a shop out back. His vicious attack dog, a golden retriever named Molly, charged me and demanded petting.

David was the man’s name. And he built this beauty of a home. He even invited me inside for a look.

Forgive the “quality” of my pictures. I was at the mercy of my cell phone.

House 017

This cypress log home is everything a cabin should be, complete with a loft and a Carolina Fieldstone fireplace that is not even close to being the color of orange as it is in my picture. =/

House 006

Look closely. This is a piece of cypress found at the Suwannee River. David had a friend carve a face into it.

“Nature-&-a-little-help-from-a-friend” seems right at home as a perfect above-the-mantel showpiece.

House 011

One of David’s daughter’s created this painted replica of the home. Amazing, right?!

House 008

The Master.

House 010

The marble master jacuzzi tub….

House 023

The kitchen…and more Carolina Fieldstone.The cabinetry is so simple and clean. And the counter is a seamless Corian countertop that David built in his shop. He’s been in business for 26 years, and is incredibly talented.

House 035

This is a garden bench he made.

House 022

Again, it’s seamless. He built a gorgeous Corian porch swing, also, but my pictures didn’t do it justice so I won’t post those.

I just love meeting and talking to talented people.

I love it even more when they invite me into their homes!

And feed me!

But he didn’t feed me. =(

House 019

Forgive the grainy picture, but I wanted to share with you David’s office space that overlooks his property.

House 020

He’s also TOTALLY FRUGALLY GROOVIN’!

When he purchased the property, these silos came with it.

House 030

David turned the silos into garages, taking the piece from which he made a door and turning it into the roof of his gazebo.

House 027

He also turned this fallen tree into a little parking area:

House 029

As soon as I pulled away from my dream home, I called my husband. He said we aren’t spending half-a-million dollars on a home.

I wept.

If you’re husband is nicer than mine is, you can get more info on the house by clicking here.

Category:

House Love

2 Comments

Tagged with:

The Door To My Heart….

October 9, 2012

My husband and I were out cruising the yardsale circuit Saturday when I saw this door.

grouchy 004

I made him stop the car and sweat bullets as I walked into a complete stranger’s yard and snapped pictures of their wonderfully groovy purple door.

Because people who paint their doors purple expect strangers to march onto their lawns and take pictures on Saturday morning. It’s a known fact. In my mind, at least.

grouchy 003

And then, because I wouldn’t want to have trespassed for nothing, I decided to share it with the world. Or at least, the 4 people who will read this blog post.

Thank you, 4 people who read my blog post.

Category:

Uncategorized

2 Comments

Groovin’ Through The Weekend

September 17, 2012

I love waking up early on Saturday mornings to go yardsaling.

LOVE IT! LOVE IT! LOVE IT!

This past weekend I found all sorts of nifty treasures:

My favorite is this chair:

grouchy 027 grouchy 028

Usually I haggle, but I loved the chair so much, I didn’t even blink as I handed over a $10 bill.

I also bought these for $2 a piece! $2!!!!!!

grouchy 029 grouchy 030

Leather jackets in great condition. I figured I could get at least $20 on Craigslist for each of them….but alas, I can only sell one of them because my 14-year-old spied the man’s jacket and claimed it as his own. Oh, well! Still a steal!

I also got this lovely thing I’m laying on right now:

grouchy 039

But….it’s not lovely, you say?

Au Contraire, Mon Frere! A little RIT dye and a load through the wash, and voila’!

grouchy 040

It was so hard to take a picture that shows its true color – It’s a purpley-blue…divine really.

grouchy 041

I’m in love with the details:

grouchy 042

And even though you can’t see the true color….I just heard about a study revealing that people with purple in their bedrooms do it more often! So….it’s a win-win for the hubby and I…I get the groovy color, he gets the lovin’!

By the way, I spent $10 on the bedspread and another $10 on the RIT dye….$20 well spent, I say!

When I was done thriftin’, I made a pinterest-inspired dinner that my family LOVED!

Lemon Chicken from Annie’s Eats!

My husband said it was one of the best things I EVER made….

Which could mean one of two things: Either it’s really good, or what I usually cook really sucks! I hope it’s the first one!

Hope ya’ll had a groovin’ weekend, too!

‘Til next time…..

Category:

Thriftin'

4 Comments

Tagged with:

Freezer Cheesy Beef Enchiladas For Dinner and Lunch

September 13, 2012

This recipe makes stocking your freezer EASY-PEASY, filling it with two casseroles (or three, if you prefer) and eight individual enchilada lunches that your kids will love.

Here’s what you’ll need. Minus all the stuff I forgot to take a picture of!  OOPS!

2 – 2 1/2 lbs. ground beef (oops!), 4 cups shredded cheese (oops, again.), 2 envelopes taco seasoning (or make your own!), 4 cups cooked rice, 2 16 oz. cans fat-free refried beans, 24 or so soft tortilla wraps (I use OLE EXTREME Wellness High Fiber wraps), 1 10 oz. can enchilada sauce (I used Mild).

grouchy 021            grouchy 020

1. Cook your rice and brown your beef. Have your husband drain the grease from the pan if he’s home. If not, do it yourself, and curse when you burn yourself like I always do.

2. Add 2 packets  of taco seasoning and 2 cups water.Bring to a boil, them simmer, reducing heat, for 5 minutes or so, until liquid is evaporated.

3. Stir in rice and 1/2 can of enchilada sauce, reserving the rest for later.

4.  Now, set up your counter assembly-line style.

Left to right: Unwrapped tortillas, opened can of refried beans and a spoon, shredded cheese, browned beef on a towel or hot pad, lightly sprayed or greased 13 X 9 in. pan. (I used a foil pan since it was going in my freezer.)

5. Spread out as many tortillas as you can fit in your space and plop down about 2 tbsp. of refried beans on each wrap.

6. Spread the refried beans down the center with your spoon, and top with cheese.

7. Add about 1/4 cup of the beef mixture on top of the cheese.

8. Now we’re ready to roll….or wrap…whichever you prefer, really.

Fold in the sides.

Fold in the other sides, and place seam-side down in the pan.

If you are making these into lunch burritos, just place seam-side down onto a piece of foil and wrap. Omit step 9.

You should be able to fit 8 chubby enchiladas in your 13 X 9.

9. Brush your enchiladas with some of your reserved enchilada sauce.

10. Top with cheese.

11. If this is what’s for dinner tonight, which isn’t a bad idea since you have another pan plus to put in your freezer, place in a 350-degree oven, and bake, uncovered for 20-25 minutes. Serve with sour cream….lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, etc…if you are so inclined, but totally not necessary!

If you’re putting this into the freezer, wrap in tinfoil.

12. Then, because I’m stacking one casserole on top of the other, I’m placing a flattened cereal box on top, and then adding yet another piece of foil to keep the cardboard in place and to add an extra layer of protection.

RE-USE YOUR FOIL IF IT’S CLEAN!

It’s the Frugally Groovin’ thing to do!

And that’s it. I made two casseroles to freeze and had enough left over to make 11 individual lunch-sized portions….but you could just as easily make three dinner casseroles.

The lunch burritos can be tossed in a lunch box in the morning to thaw a bit before lunch and then heated up for a minute or two in the microwave. My kids love bringing these to school!

Cheddar Beef Enchiladas

Ingredients

2 – 2 1/2 lbs. ground beef

2 envelopes taco seasoning

2 cups water

4 cups cooked rice

1 10 oz. can enchilada sauce

2 16 oz. cans fat-free refried beans

4 cups shredded cheddar

24 + flour tortillas (8-10in.)

Your choice of toppings: sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, etc…

Directions

In a large skillet, brown your beef until no longer pink. Drain. Stir in taco seasoning and water. Bring to a boil, then simmer, reducing heat, for 5 minutes or until liquid has evaporated. Stir in rice and 1/2 of your enchilada sauce.

Spread 2 tbsp. refried beans down the center of each tortilla, top with 1 tbsp. or so of cheese, and then 1/4 cup of meat/rice mixture. Roll up tortillas and place seam-side down on lightly greased (I use Pam) 13X9 in. pan. Bake uncovered @ 350 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes.

IF FREEZING: Thaw in refrigerator overnight. REMOVE CARDBOARD!!!!! Cover and bake @ 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 – 10 minutes more until the cheese is melted and your enchiladas are heated through.

FOR LUNCH: Take individual portion from freezer in the morning, place in lunch box and heat for 1 – 2 minute in microwave. Remind children to remove foil before reheating! =)

Category:

Freezer Cooking, Recipes, Stocking The Freezer

Leave a comment

Tagged with:

Freezer Batch of Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Pancakes

September 6, 2012

Mission 1, as you know from yesterday’s post….oh, what? You didn’t read yesterday’s post?

Don’t despair! You can read it here!

But later, ok? We’ve got work to do. We’ve got to get the freezer stocked.

It’s  MISSION 1, after all.

Stocking the freezer is a sure way to eliminate unplanned spending on meals out and to ensure everyone is eating relatively healthy meals!

So today I’m stocking my freezer with Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Pancakes – a quick, easy, homemade breakfast that kids can grab, heat and eat.

This recipe is one I’ve adapted from my trusty Betty Crocker cookbook.  They’re light and fluffy and my family loves them.

I used chocolate chips in these because it’s the start of a new school year and I wanted the kids to feel like they were being treated with a special breakfast; but of course you could substitute any fruit or just leave them plain.

This recipe makes roughly 50 pancakes.

Freezer Batch Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Ingredients

6 large eggs

6 cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour

6 cups buttermilk

6 tbsp. granulated sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tbsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. baking soda

Chocolate Chips or add-in of your choice: blueberries, raspberries, bananas, peaches, etc…

Directions

1. Beat eggs in medium bowl until fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredients just until smooth.

2. Heat griddle or skillet to medium heat. Spray with cooking spray or grease with butter – your choice!

3. For each pancake, pour slightly less than 1/4 cup onto hot griddle.

4. Sprinkle chocolate chips, or your preferred add-in, on top of each pancake. Cook until pancake is puffed and dry around the edges.

5. Flip carefully until golden brown on bottom.

6. Set out on clean counter or baking sheets to cool, while you start another batch!

7. When pancakes are cool, place them between small square of wax paper inside plastic Ziploc bags and freeze.

To eat, pull out of the freezer and heat on a microwave-safe plate for 1 minute or so…..Perfect, yummy, fluffy pancakes!

This post is linked up to

Photobucket

Category:

Breakfast, Freezer Cooking, Recipes, Stocking The Freezer

Leave a comment

Tagged with:

Mission 1: Stock The Freezer

September 5, 2012

 

Every single day, EVERY SINGLE DAY, I tell you, I pick the kids up from school and one of the first things I hear is, “What’s for dinner?”

And every single evening, EVERY SINGLE EVENING, I tell you, my husband calls me on his way home from work and says, “What’s for dinner?”

Sometimes, and I’m not even kidding, I hear it as early as breakfast time.

“What’s for dinner?” Samuel, 11, asks as he pours himself a bowl of cereal.

He is OBSESSED with this one question. It is his life.

My oldest, McKyle, and my youngest, Daniel, they plead, instead, “Can you PUH…..LEEEEESE…..NOT make dinner tonight and just let us eat cereal?”

They’ve both been known to walk into the kitchen to find me cooking and spontaneously burst into tears.

True fact.

But at any rate, the question “What’s For Dinner?” begs to be answered.

By me.

EVERY DAY.

And usually, I have an answer. I plan my meals a week at a time and shop accordingly.

But you know what they say about the best laid plans, right?

Yep. They go awry. Especially with four kids. and a husband. and a bird. and a dog. and a cat that’s kind of ours but kinda’ isn’t. and then there’s me….OIY.

Me.

Sometimes, I feel lazy and don’t feel like cooking. Sometimes I start thinking about a big juicy burger somewhere and some fat steak fries, or fajitas and an endless basket of chips and salsa, or chicken parm and mozzarella sticks….or, never mind. You get the idea.

Anyways, going out to dinner is one of the quickest, most frivolous and unhealthiest way to drop a wad of cash that I can think of. And yet I’m guilty of doing it more than I’d like to admit. A LOT STINKIN” MORE THAN I’D LIKE TO ADMIT.

But I’m on a mission to put a stop to that madness. And the only way to do that is to go beyond my weekly menu plan and to prepare in advance for the inevitable days when I’m not going to have time or I’m not going to feel like cooking.

Hence, Mission 1:  Stock the Deep Freeze.

Let’s get frugally groovin’, folks.

Category:

Stocking The Freezer

Leave a comment

Tagged with:

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 304 other followers

%d bloggers like this: