tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199596488285538342024-03-10T12:13:20.584-07:00BZ Home LivingEnjoying life's journey through simple home decorating, repurposing, reupholstering furniture, and cooking up a storm! Enjoy.Beverly Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12117004071530419861noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19959648828553834.post-27259375486855382902016-06-13T08:06:00.002-07:002016-06-13T08:08:33.884-07:00100% Whole Wheat Pancakes <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "bitstream charter" , "times" , serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Hello friends!</span><br />
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Today I’m going to share with you my MOST FAVORITE <strong>100% Whole Wheat Pancakes recipe!</strong></div>
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It is our go-to recipe for Saturday morning pancakes. Yum! Are you ready? Let’s do it!</div>
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<strong>Ingredients list:</strong></div>
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<em>2 cups 100% whole wheat flour (I grind my own, but you could use store-bought.)</em></div>
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<em>2 cups fresh buttermilk (find it the refrigerated milk section).</em></div>
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<em>¼ tsp salt</em></div>
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<em>1 tsp baking soda</em></div>
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<em>¾ tsp baking powder</em></div>
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<em>½ cup oil (olive oil or canola)</em></div>
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<em>2 eggs</em><br />
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<strong>How to do it:</strong></div>
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Mix the wet ingredients and add the dry ingredients (you could mix the flour with the spices and then add it to the wet mix, but I never do that—I’m too lazy!). You may add an extra ½ cup of buttermilk if you think the batter is too thick. But remember that you want it to be thick. Fresh buttermilk is naturally thick and that’s the key ingredient to these amazing pancakes!</div>
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Mix fully to combine. Do not overmix.</div>
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Get your griddle or skillet heated up to medium or medium/high (depends on your stove) and make your pancakes! I use a 1/3 cup measuring cup to scoop out the mix and pour on the skillet (the mix will be VERY thick!).</div>
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Let them cook on one side for a few minutes (resist the temptation of poking/flattening your pancakes!) and then turn them with a spatula and cook the other side.</div>
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And that’s it! Next time I make them I’m planning on doing a short video so you can see how I cook them. I always learn better when I can see things being done!</div>
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As far as the whole wheat flour goes, I like to buy whole white wheat kernels and grind them up (FYI-whole white wheat flour is NOT the same as white flour). I love my Nutrimill wheat grinder for this task. For pancakes, I prefer this type of wheat over the red wheat that has more of a “wheaty” flavor. But I’ve used both with this recipe and they always turn out delicious! Even my brother in law who’s not a big fan of whole wheat thinks they are fabulous!</div>
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I like to use 100% pure maple syrup as my topping--and butter, of course!--but you may put on them whatever you want!</div>
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<img alt="PANCAKES3" class="wp-image-2650 size-large aligncenter" data-mce-src="https://sawdustsisters.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/PANCAKES3-691x1024.jpg" height="1024" src="https://sawdustsisters.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/PANCAKES3-691x1024.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="691" /></div>
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Let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I love it so much and I hope it becomes your favorite too!</div>
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X0,</div>
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Beverly</div>
Beverly Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12117004071530419861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19959648828553834.post-30219867134211290422016-01-20T08:22:00.002-08:002016-01-20T08:22:54.286-08:00DIY Kitchen Towels<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 17px; letter-spacing: 0.34px; line-height: 30.6px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Hello friends! I actually made these cute kitchen towels back in November, and I never got around to writing a post about them. Now that the Christmas rush is long gone, I can take a bit of time to tell you about them. They are so fun to make! I call them <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kitchen</em> Towels, although some people call them <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tea </em>Towels, but I honestly don’t know the difference between the two. So… since we don’t ever drink tea in our household, I thought <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kitchen Towels</em> was more appropriate. Don’t you think? After all, they will be hanging in my kitchen area, right? It is so fun to have these pretty towels in a place where I can admire them all day long (yes, I spend that much time in the kitchen. I love it!).</div>
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<img alt="20151202_102955" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1343" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/20151202_102955.jpg?w=798" style="box-sizing: inherit; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></div>
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The great thing about these towels is that you can draw on them anything you want! I was in my Laundry room last night and I thought it would be cute to hang one by the sink that says “For same day service, do it yourself!” Haha. Anyway, back to how I made these. I need to focus. =-)</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Materials needed:</strong></div>
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Pre shrunk, unbleached, 100% cotton fabric</div>
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Fabric Markers in the colors of your choice</div>
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Sewing machine and matching thread</div>
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Scissors</div>
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Iron and ironing board</div>
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First, you need to determine the size of your towel. I used one that I already had to have an idea of how big to cut them. Once you have your large rectangle cut, you need to fold in all the edges and iron them in place:</div>
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<img alt="20151202_102322" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1340" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/20151202_102322.jpg?w=798" style="box-sizing: inherit; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></div>
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You could also double fold at this step (which will make it easier when it is time to sew), but I didn’t think of doing it for some reason. Anywhoo, when you have all of the edges folded and ironed, it is much easier to sew it all in a neat way.</div>
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<img alt="20151202_102339" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1348" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/20151202_102339.jpg?w=798" style="box-sizing: inherit; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></div>
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Here you can see how all the edges are nicely ironed. My towel is pretty big–it is folded vertically and horizontally. Now, the design will go on just the part that will be showing and facing out; only 1/4 of the towel will be decorated. You are welcome to do the whole thing, but for me it was plenty to do the bottom right corner as I made quite a few of them to give out as gifts for Christmas.</div>
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<img alt="20151202_102310" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1347" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/20151202_102310.jpg?w=798" style="box-sizing: inherit; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></div>
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So, once you have everything ready to go, it is time to sew those edges. If you can’t sew, maybe you could find towels like these at Hobby Lobby. I think I saw some similar ones, but they were pricey. Instead, I chose to buy the fabric and I only spent about $6.00. The fabric cost ranges between $2-6 dollars, but I had a 50% coupon that I used and I saved some big bucks. I think each one of these costs about a dollar to make. I know!</div>
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Now, this next step can be scary, but if you are a good artist and your hand does not shake you will be just fine. I actually browsed the Internet for ideas on what to put on these towels and I found some great inspiration. I also kept in mind who I was giving these towels to and their decor style. Once I figured out what I was drawing, I drew my images on white paper first with regular black marker. Once I was happy with the end result, I slipped it under the fabric and traced it with my fabric marker. It shows right through! It was so easy. If you don’t think you could draw anything more than a stick man, you could try finding an image that you love online. Then you could print it to the size that you need, and trace it with no problem.</div>
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<img alt="20151202_103326" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1339" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/20151202_103326.jpg?w=798" style="box-sizing: inherit; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></div>
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This is the one I made for my mom! I love colorful dinnerware, and this plate reminds me of something I would find in a fancy Mexican restaurant down in Oaxaca, Mexico.</div>
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<img alt="20151203_120100" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1346" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/20151203_120100.jpg?w=798" style="box-sizing: inherit; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></div>
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This one I gave to my aunt Aleyda. I actually have this morter (or “pilon” like we say in Puerto Rico), and I just placed it in front of me and started drawing. The bananas on the front represent the green plantains that we use in Puerto Rico to make “mofongo” and “tostones”.</div>
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<img alt="20151202_102533" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1342" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/20151202_102533.jpg?w=798" style="box-sizing: inherit; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></div>
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This one I made for my sawdust sister! It fits her decor style really well and it makes me happy to see it hanging in her modern kitchen.</div>
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<img alt="20151202_102545" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1341" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/20151202_102545.jpg?w=798" style="box-sizing: inherit; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></div>
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This one I sent to my sister in law, Lidia. I hope she likes it. When we stayed at her house down in FL I noticed there were a lot of birds chirping away in the area (no alligators, luckily!). So, this towel is a reflection of sunny Florida and the beautiful lake that sits only a few yards away from their back door.</div>
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So that’s it! As you can tell, I actually drew the designs before I actually sewed the edges. Unfortunately, I don’t have pictures of the finished seams. Just imagine a seam the same color as the fabric that goes around the whole edge.</div>
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My sister washed hers and the design did not fade at all! Just make sure that once you are done drawing your design to iron it really well. It will help to set the image unto the fabric. And of course, the better quality of the fabric marker, the longer lasting your design will be. I bought mine at Hobby Lobby and I love my black one. I like to do mostly black and then do some accent colors here and there.</div>
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Ok, I will stop talking now! Let me know if you have any other questions about this project!</div>
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Much love – Beverly</div>
Beverly Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12117004071530419861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19959648828553834.post-75295070996765172892015-11-30T12:48:00.001-08:002015-11-30T12:48:39.380-08:00DI Chandelier Makeover<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 17px; letter-spacing: 0.34px; line-height: 30.6px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on <strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.instagram.com/sawdustsisters" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Instagram,</a> <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/sawdustsisters" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Pinterest, </a></strong>and<a href="https://www.facebook.com/SawDustSisters?fref=ts" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </a><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SawDustSisters" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Facebook</a></strong> to keep up with our latest projects!</div>
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Well…hello friends! It’s has been a long while since I last posted on our blog. I am just grateful to my sister and her desire to share her breast cancer story with all of you while I took a little break. Her story is inspiring. I am grateful for her strength and desire to keep moving forward while going through this difficult and scary time in her life. I am grateful she is still here with us and I love her. =-)</div>
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A few weeks ago I posted some pictures of a small chandelier I found at DI. My friend Allysun saw it first; she was thinking it would look good in her living area, but after a few minutes of pondering she decided it did not really fit the style she was going for. That’s when I jumped in and said “Are you sure you don’t want it? If you don’t I will take it!.” “Go for it.” – she said. A few minutes later this young mom saw me holding my great find and told me how lucky I was that I had found such a treasure. She had been looking for one for a long time, but her son had to go to the bathroom, and when she came back this awesome find was hanging from my left hand. Mmmmmm…should I have given it to her? Now that I think about it I feel kind of bad. Oh well…too late now to feel bad. Note to this mom: when you see something you like at DI, grab it!</div>
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I was not really sure what to do with it at first or where I would actually hang it. Initially I wanted to replace the shades, but after searching on the internet I realized these kinds of shades are not cheap–at least not the ones that I liked. Here is a before picture of the chanderlier:</div>
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<img alt="chandbefore" class=" wp-image-855 aligncenter" height="529" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/chandbefore-e1447176962782.jpg?w=298&h=529" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="298" /></div>
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I only paid $10.00 for it, and it is heavy wrought iron. After pondering for a bit I decided I wanted to paint it white and distress it. I thought about doing a glaze over it too, but since the base was a dark brown I could just distress it and have some of the brown color show on all the edges.</div>
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I took it to my garage and spray painted the whole thing. I even spray painted the sleeves where the bulbs are screwed into. Make sure you give it several coats and that you cover all the little nooks and crannies. Start spraying it in the position shown (remove shades first, of course) and then turn over. I do the bottom last as it is the area that will show the most once it hangs from the ceiling.</div>
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One word of advice – do not buy cheap spray paint. I bought a generic brand that was on sale at Ace Hardware and the paint was horrible – no matter how much I shook the can the paint was still coming out clumpy and gross. I still used it, but then I bought some Krylon spray paint in satin and it was sooo heavenly smooth and steady while I sprayed. So…note to self (and to you!): cheapy spray paint gives you cheapy results (not to be confused with ‘chippy’ – we do want that!).</div>
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Once the paint was completely dry, I took a piece of sandpaper (medium coarseness) and went to town distressing the whole thing. I focused on the areas that would normally wear off with the years, like all the edges and some crevices here and there. Some people like a lot of distressing and some don’t – and that’s Ok! Just do enough of it until you get the look that you are looking for.</div>
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<a href="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/chandelier4.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="chandelier4" class=" wp-image-861 aligncenter" height="481" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/chandelier4-e1447178359620.jpg?w=271&h=481" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="271" /></a></div>
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I tried covering the shades with scrapbooking paper, and even though the result was decent, when I put them on I did not like the look. Once I had my husband help me with the wiring and hanging, I decided it looked way better without the shades. It looks classy and dresses up my daughter’s bedroom very nicely.</div>
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<a href="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/chanderlier7.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="chanderlier7" class=" wp-image-863 aligncenter" height="515" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/chanderlier7-e1447178579843.jpg?w=290&h=515" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="290" /></a></div>
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Here are some pictures of the end result. We have plans to repaint her whole room and do a different color scheme, and the chandelier will still go perfectly with whatever we choose to do.</div>
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<img alt="chandelier2" class=" wp-image-859 aligncenter" height="497" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/chandelier2-e1447178738868.jpg?w=280&h=497" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="280" /></div>
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Enjoy the pictures! Let me know if you have any questions about this quick and easy project!</div>
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<a href="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/chandelier1.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="chandelier1" class=" wp-image-858 aligncenter" height="542" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/chandelier1-e1447178079900.jpg?w=305&h=542" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="305" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/chandelier5.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="chandelier5" class=" wp-image-862 aligncenter" height="539" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/chandelier5-e1447178683164.jpg?w=304&h=539" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="304" /></a></div>
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See you soon!</div>
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-Beverly</div>
Beverly Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12117004071530419861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19959648828553834.post-82772236237454538162015-11-30T12:46:00.003-08:002015-11-30T12:46:48.771-08:00DIY Nativity Stable<header class="entry-header" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 17px; letter-spacing: 0.34px; line-height: 30.6px; margin: 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><h1 class="entry-title" itemprop="headline" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; color: #c38808; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 3.5rem; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
DIY Nativity Stable</h1>
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Hello friends! Thanks for stopping by! Follow us on <strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.instagram.com/sawdustsisters" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Instagram,</a> <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/sawdustsisters" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Pinterest, </a></strong>and<a href="https://www.facebook.com/SawDustSisters?fref=ts" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </a><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SawDustSisters" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Facebook</a></strong> to keep up with our latest projects!</div>
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As promised, I will show you how easy it is to build a pretty stable for your nativity scene out of wood scraps. Are you ready?</div>
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<img alt="stable9" class=" wp-image-881 aligncenter" height="760" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/stable9-e1448123568450.jpg?w=466&h=760" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="466" /></div>
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Materials needed:</div>
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Wood ( I used plywood from my <a href="http://sawdustsisters.com/2015/06/18/the-trunk-company-rexburg-idaho/" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">storage trunk project</a>).</div>
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Miter saw</div>
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Screws</div>
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Wood glue</div>
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Chalk paint or stain</div>
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Sandpaper</div>
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<img alt="stableparts" class=" wp-image-877 aligncenter" height="295" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/stableparts-e1448128070388.jpg?w=484&h=295" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="484" /></div>
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These are my 4 pieces of wood already cut. I drilled pocket holes on my two longer pieces deep enough to fit my 1 1/4 inch screws. I used a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kreg-R3-Pocket-Hole-System/dp/B000J43A7W/ref=sr_1_4?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1448388843&sr=1-4&keywords=kreg+jig" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Kreg Jig</a> to drill the pocket holes. If you have never used one, don’t panic. This small tool comes with easy to follow intructions and will tell you exactly what to do to get the right depth for your pocket holes. It is all determined by how thick your wood is (mine is 3/4 inches thick). Here are the measurements of my wood pieces:</div>
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Right hand square piece – 10 X 10 inches</div>
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Bottom left piece – 5 X 10 inches</div>
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Top left longer pieces – 3 X 14 inches each</div>
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Now, these measurements are based on the size of my tallest figurine. Joseph is about 11.5 inches, and I decided to make the stable three inches taller to make it roomier and more comfortable for them. =-) The top piece is 1/2 the size of the bottom piece. However, it all depends on what you want your end result to look like. I cut the bottom piece first, placed the figurines on it, and then decided the height and width of the side pieces. My nativity is from Hobby Lobby and with a coupon of 40% off I paid $30.00. I bought this back in October, and I am so glad I did! I was there last week and there were no nativities left. Here is what the box looks like:</div>
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<img alt="nativity2" class=" wp-image-876 aligncenter" height="701" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/nativity2-e1448123620422.jpg?w=394&h=701" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="394" /></div>
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So, let me show how I did this. I attached the side pieces to the base first:</div>
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<img alt="stable1" class=" wp-image-879 aligncenter" height="696" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/stable1-e1448123592106.jpg?w=391&h=696" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="391" /></div>
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The top was next:</div>
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<img alt="stable2" class=" wp-image-878 aligncenter" height="722" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/stable2-e1448123604921.jpg?w=406&h=722" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="406" /></div>
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And this is the end result ready for paint or stain:</div>
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<img alt="stable3" class=" wp-image-880 aligncenter" height="793" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/stable3-e1448123579382.jpg?w=446&h=793" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="446" /></div>
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Don’t forget to use wood glue before you screw the pieces together. Apply the glue where the pieces touch, then screw. It will give you a very sturdy bond. Any wood glue works. You may find it at any craft store.</div>
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Ok, now we move on to paint. But first I wanted to stain it as I was planning on distressing the whole thing. I wanted the dark stain to show on the edges. However, if that is not your thing and you want the end result to be a solid warm white, go for it! You can skip the following step.</div>
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<img alt="stable4-bev" class=" wp-image-882 aligncenter" height="839" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/stable4-bev-e1448123556587.jpg?w=472&h=839" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="472" /></div>
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I took an old rag, dipped it in the stain, and started applying it. A small amount goes a long way! I used the same stain I have used for many of my projects. It is the Minwax brand in the dark walnut color. You may want to protect the area where you are staining. Put some newspaper or wax paper down for easy clean up. Also, take the time to change into clothes that you won’t care if they get stained.</div>
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Note to self: Follow my own advice. =-)</div>
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(As a side note, if you are wondering how I hand painted the back wall in my dining room, you can find the tutorial <a href="http://www.popsugar.com/home/Moroccan-Stencil-Painted-Wall-Treatment-14967929" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">here</a>.)</div>
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<img alt="stable5" class=" wp-image-884 aligncenter" height="798" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/stable5-e1448123531800.jpg?w=449&h=798" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="449" /></div>
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My daughter Natalia wanted me keep it like this. I really liked it too, but it would just get lost with all the wood finishes that there are in my kitchen. My buffet is also a dark wood stain, and I wanted the stable to blend with the nativity and to stand out on the buffet. But, if the furniture piece you are placing your nativity on is white or light colored, I would stick with the stain look. It is all about what you have going on in your space.</div>
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Unfortunately, I don’t have pictures of my painting process. I got too excited to finish and forgot all about taking more pictures. But, I will explain what I did.</div>
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<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I applied some vaseline in the areas where I wanted the paint to chip off (most of the edges and some random areas).</li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I painted the whole thing with chalk paint (NOT chalkboard paint) in a warm white. It took about three coats as chalk paint soaks into the wood easily and dries really fast.</li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I took a sanding block and sanded all of the edges and random areas where I applied the vaseline.</li>
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I applied more paint or stain in areas where I thought I sanded too much, and sanded more where I thought it needed it. It was a good 10 minutes or more of touching up, sanding, stepping back to look at it, and touching up again. =-)</li>
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<img alt="stable11" class=" wp-image-889 aligncenter" height="795" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/stable11-e1448123460737.jpg?w=447&h=795" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="447" /></div>
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I am pleased with the results! I ended up placing a red runner under it to give it more depth, and added my DIY Christmas trees. I made these before I started blogging – someday I will write a post on how to make them.</div>
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<img alt="stable10" class=" wp-image-888 aligncenter" height="749" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/stable10-e1448123507875.jpg?w=421&h=749" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="421" /></div>
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<img alt="stable12" class=" wp-image-887 aligncenter" height="793" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/stable12-e1448123497619.jpg?w=446&h=793" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="446" /></div>
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<img alt="stable8" class=" wp-image-883 aligncenter" height="827" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/stable8-e1448123542973.jpg?w=465&h=827" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="465" /></div>
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The glass lamp is a DI find and I replaced the shade. The snowy branches I bought at a local craft store, and I still have to fill my glass vases on the right with something Christmasy.</div>
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Thank you for stopping by! Let me know if you have any other questions.</div>
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-Beverly</div>
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<br /></div>
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Beverly Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12117004071530419861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19959648828553834.post-10682877755598791202015-08-18T07:31:00.000-07:002015-08-18T07:31:04.321-07:00Floor Length Mirror Tutorial<header class="entry-header" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 17px; letter-spacing: 0.340000003576279px; line-height: 30.6000003814697px; margin: 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;"><h1 class="entry-title" itemprop="headline" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; color: #c38808; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 3.5rem; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
Floor length Mirror Tutorial – No Kreg Jig Required!</h1>
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Today I want to share a quick tutorial on a simple way to frame a mirror. This frameless mirror was a freebie from a friend of mine who was moving and did not want to take it with her. It was actually double the width and I had it cut down the middle at this glass shop in town, which gave me two nice and long pieces to work with. The second piece is still frameless. Someday I will get to it…</div>
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<a href="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/leaningmirror6.png" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="leaningmirror6" class=" wp-image-391 aligncenter" height="507" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/leaningmirror6.png?w=294&h=507" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="294" /></a></div>
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Now that I have shown you the end result, let’s start from the beginning:</div>
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<a href="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/leaningmirror2.png" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="leaningmirror2" class=" wp-image-389 aligncenter" height="497" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/leaningmirror2.png?w=259&h=497" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="259" /></a></div>
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This is what the mirror looked like once I had it cut. It was a good size for a leaning mirror–all it needed was a nice thick frame!<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><a href="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/leaningmirror1.png" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="leaningmirror1" class=" wp-image-388 aligncenter" height="445" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/leaningmirror1.png?w=256&h=445" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="256" /></a></div>
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I knew that I did not want to finish the corners at a 45 degree angle, which simplified my project even more since I did not own any tools back when I did this. My wood planks were about 7 inches wide. So….this is probably the best way to tell you how I figured out the length of my four pieces:</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Horizontal piece</strong>: width of the mirror + (width of wood X 2) – 1/2 inch. So, if your mirror’s width is 20 inches and your wood planks are 7 inches wide, then your horizontal piece will be 20 inches + 14 inches -1/2 inch = 33.5 inches. You will need to cut two of these.</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Vertical piece</strong>: Length of mirror – 1/2 inch. So, if your length is 60 inches, then your vertical piece will be 59.5 inches. You will need to cut two of these.</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Note</strong>: Remember that these wood pieces will be sitting on top of the mirror. The -1/2 inch measurement is the distance from the mirror edge that will be behind the mirror, which when split by half will give you a 1/4 inch distance all around that will sit behind the frame. If you think that is not enough, you may increase this measurement to -3/4 inch or even up to 1 inch. I just wanted as much of the mirror to show once the frame was attached.</div>
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<a href="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/leaningmirror4.png" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="leaningmirror4" class=" wp-image-393 aligncenter" height="548" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/leaningmirror4.png?w=314&h=548" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="314" /></a></div>
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Once I had my four pieces cut, I actually used glue and a staple gun (Can you see the staples?) to attach them. A Kreg Jig would have been phenomenal for this project, but I made it work without one. Yay! I added glue to where the sides join together, and then I stapled the joints to keep them together while drying. Not as sturdy as when you use screws, but it is sturdy enough. This is a piece that is never moved nor handled for any reason, so the staples and the wood glue worked perfectly fine.</div>
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<a href="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/leaningmirror3.png" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="leaningmirror3" class=" wp-image-390 aligncenter" height="458" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/leaningmirror3.png?w=262&h=458" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="262" /></a></div>
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Once your frame is fully dried, you may give it a quick sanding and then stain it. <strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I used dark walnut from Minwax.</strong> For a tutorial on how to apply stain, search the internet, I am sure you will find one. Lol! Now the fun part–lay the frame right side down, and lay the mirror on top facing down, just like the picture shows. The tricky part about this was making sure that the 1/4 inch distance I accounted for to sit on the frame was evenly spaced all the way around. Once I did that, I went ahead and attached these awesome <a href="http://www.amazon.com/CRL-Offset-Mirror-Clip-Glass/dp/B001KAKSW4/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&qid=1437450508&sr=8-22&keywords=mirror+clips" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mirror clips</a> that I got from Amazon. To know what size to get you need to measure the thickness of your mirror. These are to hold a 1/4 inch thick mirror, but they also have some that are 1/8 inch for thinner mirrors. I used 8 of them, two on each corner.</div>
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<a href="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/leaningmirror5.png" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="leaningmirror5" class=" wp-image-392 aligncenter" height="406" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/leaningmirror5.png?w=233&h=406" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="233" /></a></div>
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I think this mirror looks best when it is just leaning, instead of hanging it like a traditional mirror. You may also distress the edges of the frame a bit with sand paper if you want it to have a more rustic and worn look.</div>
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<a href="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/leaningmirror6.png" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="leaningmirror6" class=" wp-image-391 aligncenter" height="527" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/leaningmirror6.png?w=303&h=527" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="303" /></a></div>
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So….that’s it. Do you have a frameless mirror laying around somewhere that could use a frame? Go for it, it is not as hard as you may think it is. Let me know if you have any other questions about this project!</div>
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Beverly Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12117004071530419861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19959648828553834.post-19358243531692438072015-08-18T07:28:00.002-07:002015-08-18T07:28:45.085-07:00How to Build Board - N - Batten Shutters<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 17px; letter-spacing: 0.340000003576279px; line-height: 30.6000003814697px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Hello friends! It’s been a while since I have shared with you another one of my easy projects, so here I am, ready to make your day! These shutters are super simple to make, and even though I don’t have pictures of every single step, I don’t think you will need them. You can make these in 1/2 a day, and once you install them on your bare window and see the transformation, you will wonder why in the world you waited so long to do this! Ready to tackle this? Let’s do it!</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Materials needed:</strong></div>
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Wood (cedar or pine work fine) – 1 inch thick X 6 inches wide boards. Make sure they are nice and straight.</div>
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Nails</div>
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Wood glue</div>
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Miter saw (or just get them cut at Lowes or Home Depot)</div>
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Hinges (optional – link below)</div>
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First, cut 6 boards (three for each panel) the length of the window (mine was 60 inches tall). Then cut 4 horizontal pieces (2 for each panel) that are the exact width of what your finished panel will be. To determine the width of your panels, just measure the width of your window and divide by half. My window was 36 inches wide, so each one of my panels ended up being about 18 inches wide. Once I had everything cut I gave all the pieces a quick sanding to make them nice and smooth.</div>
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<a href="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/shuttersraw1.png" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="shuttersraw1" class="size-medium wp-image-591 aligncenter" height="300" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/shuttersraw1.png?w=225&h=300" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="225" /></a></div>
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Make sure you measure each board since the 6 inch wide measurement is closer to 5 3/4 inches than it is to 6 inches. Once you know exactly how wide your planks are you can then determine the space between the boards, which, along with the measured width of the three boards should match the length of the two horizontal pieces.<a href="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/shuttersraw2.png" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="shuttersraw2" class="size-medium wp-image-592 alignleft" height="300" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/shuttersraw2.png?w=225&h=300" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin: 0px 1.5em 1.5em 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="225" /></a> Glue the top horizontal piece with wood glue and place some heavy books on it to keep it from sliding (use clamps if you already have some). Do the same thing with the bottom horizontal piece. The distance from the top and the bottom can vary–you can place the horizontal pieces on the boards before gluing them and then step back to see if it looks good to you. If not, adjust the measurement until satisfied. Keep in mind that the smaller the length of the panel the smaller the distance from the top and the bottom to the horizontal pieces. Mine were about 6 inches from the top and the bottom.</div>
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<a href="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/shutters-1.png" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="shutters 1" class="alignnone wp-image-593 alignright" height="353" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/shutters-1.png?w=466&h=353" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; display: inline; float: right; height: auto; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 1.5em; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="466" /></a></div>
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Once the glue dries you can turn your shutters over and nail them from the back for extra sturdiness. Use nails that are no longer than 1 3/4 inches long to make sure everything is well attached. Or you may use an electric drill and screws instead. The reason why I wait until the glue is semi dry to do this step is to keep the boards from sliding on me while I am trying to drill into them. But at the time I did not have any clamps to hold the wood steady. If you do have clamps, you can apply the glue, set the wood pieces where they need to be, clamp them, and then screw from behind.</div>
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I used a dark walnut stain from minwax that is gel based. It glides on like paint. It is one of my favorite colors for staining wood. Then I brushed a semi gloss polyurethane on the front and back since these shutters are facing south and will get a lot of sun, rain and snow. I am planning on doing the polyurethane once a year to keep the wood in the best condition possible and for the longest time.</div>
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Talking about wood, make sure you get good quality wood. Cedar is a great option if you want to spend a little more. I bought pine to keep everything low cost. I will let you know how they are holding up after one year of facing the elements! =-)</div>
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The hardware that I used I bought from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Decorative-Shutter-Holdback-Exterior-Shutters/dp/B00BBJS2KY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1439866430&sr=8-1&keywords=plastic+hinges+for+exterior+shutters" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">amazon</a>. They are actually plastic hinges! Again, I wanted to spend the least amount of money, and wrought iron hinges, although beautiful, were out of my budget. These ones worked out great and they dressed up the shutters nicely.</div>
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<a href="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/shutters-3.png" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="shutters 3)" class="alignnone wp-image-595" height="389" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/shutters-3.png?w=512&h=389" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="512" /></a></div>
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As far as hanging the shutters on the brick wall, that is one thing I did not do. We have a friend who is a contractor and he had the right drill and screws to get it all done perfectly. He spaced the shutters about an inch from the window. I wish I could tell you how to do it yourself but I have no clue! Lol!</div>
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<a href="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/shutters-4.png" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #936500; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="shutters 4" class="wp-image-596 aligncenter" height="385" src="https://sawdustsistersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/shutters-4.png?w=510&h=385" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="510" /></a></div>
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Do you have any bare windows that need some dressing up? I hope you liked this simple project and that you are now pumped up to build some yourself. If there is anything you want more detail about please let me know!</div>
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Thanks for stopping by. -Beverly</div>
Beverly Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12117004071530419861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19959648828553834.post-29259117165864045582015-05-04T08:57:00.000-07:002015-05-06T06:22:46.979-07:00The Trunk Company - Rexburg, IdahoI truly have to laugh when I read the title to my post. So far, I have only built two storage trunks--one for me and one to sell. My idea of selling my trunks is very far from being a "company," but I like the way it sounds. I enjoy coming up with catchy names for the businesses I will own and run in the future--like Fabric Crush, or Top-Notch Upholstery. Nothing wrong with dreaming big, right?<br />
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As I said in my previous post, I love to work with wood. After having some experience with reupholstery, I can honestly say I will make another trunk before I have to reupholster a sofa. I still love reupholstery, but with woodworking you can go straight into creating--there is no prepping stage. With reupholstery, the prepping stage cannot be avoided. Removing old, dirty, stained fabric and dealing with a million staples adds another step--and not an easy one-- before I can get to the fun part and start transforming a furniture piece. I guess I am just a little impatient, and woodworking gets me to the end much faster than I can with reupholstery.<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">If you are on the look out for a storage chest/trunk that will serve as a coffee table, or just storage for the end of your bed, stay tuned for a new store in town that will open at the end of this month. My trunks will be sold at this unique store, and I cannot wait for you to see them in person. </span></div>
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This trunk was built with maple hardwoods and pine. </div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Every trunk will be beautiful and different. I will be trying different stains, colors, and hardware to make them special and not the cookie cutter type. </span>On this particular one I used a custom finish for the stain--dark walnut with some other hand applied colors to give the finish some depth. </div>
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I paid special attention to the handles, back hinges, and front latch. </div>
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It is a beautiful piece.</div>
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I almost do not want to get rid of it, but you can only have so many storage trunks in a house </div>
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before it starts to look ridiculous. Lol!</div>
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This is a BRAND-NEW item and up for grabs. Nothing old or refurbished was used on this baby. I carefully selected all the wood and hardware to build it just for you. </div>
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So, what are you waiting for? =-)</div>
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<br />Beverly Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12117004071530419861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19959648828553834.post-31125522226543046082015-05-04T08:27:00.003-07:002015-05-05T08:10:18.806-07:00Woodworking and PlantainsWoodworking has always had a place in my heart. I like the simplicity of just measuring and cutting pieces of wood and how really beautiful things can be created from just assembling those pieces together. Many years ago, Melody Hancock, a good friend of mine from Arizona, shared her woodworking passion with me. We made about 30 plantain smashers (or"tostoneras" for those that are familiar with this term) to give away to family and friends for Christmas. I drew the design and she showed me how to cut, sand and assemble these cute things. If you have never seen one, I will enlighten you right at this moment:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VYSQhDdGx_Q/VUeIOcem6uI/AAAAAAAAHXE/JKYunX7JKY8/s1600/tostonera-jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="319" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VYSQhDdGx_Q/VUeIOcem6uI/AAAAAAAAHXE/JKYunX7JKY8/s320/tostonera-jpg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/articles/detail/tostonera" target="_blank">source</a></div>
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It is quite the gadget let me tell you. =-) </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AYO-2tpSR1s/VUeIaBUpu_I/AAAAAAAAHXU/jB75FRwh-TM/s1600/Fried-Plantain-Banana770x370.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AYO-2tpSR1s/VUeIaBUpu_I/AAAAAAAAHXU/jB75FRwh-TM/s320/Fried-Plantain-Banana770x370.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://chichilicious.com/recipes/fried-plantains-banan-peze/" target="_blank"> source</a></div>
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This is what you can make with this wooden tool. In Puerto Rico, they are called "tostones." And they are absolutely delicious! Yes, they are fried. There is no going around that my friends. If you want to experience heaven in just one bite, you gotta fry these babies. Yumm!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BN1jX-gWh5I/VUeIQTORp0I/AAAAAAAAHXM/XfDQPLFKvKA/s1600/plantains_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BN1jX-gWh5I/VUeIQTORp0I/AAAAAAAAHXM/XfDQPLFKvKA/s320/plantains_thumb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.powercakes.net/3-ingredient-plantain-flatbread/" target="_blank"> source</a></div>
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Now, this is what plantains look like before they are fried. To make tostones, they have to be completely green. If they have a bit of yellow is totally fine- you will just end up with a toston that tastes a bit sweet. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yTZSHee7DXk/VUeLyApi3vI/AAAAAAAAHXg/eIFfsSIfW-c/s1600/slicingplantains.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yTZSHee7DXk/VUeLyApi3vI/AAAAAAAAHXg/eIFfsSIfW-c/s320/slicingplantains.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Use a sharp knife to cut off the tips and then slice the tough skin open. With the same knife, push the skin away from the goodness inside until the plantain is uncovered. You would think that these beauties peel just like a ripe banana would. Nope. The skin actually sticks to the inside a bit and you need the knife to separate it. But it is not a hard process at all!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5MQAXLsHaUE/VUeLzEKJwmI/AAAAAAAAHXo/LVf1vNgx8DQ/s1600/slicingplantains2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5MQAXLsHaUE/VUeLzEKJwmI/AAAAAAAAHXo/LVf1vNgx8DQ/s1600/slicingplantains2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://venezuelancooking.wordpress.com/tag/plantains/" target="_blank"> source</a></div>
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Then you cut them into rounds of about 1/2 inch. Some people cut them a little thicker to end up with a bigger toston. If you do that you may have to use more oil and fry them a bit longer to get them to soften up before smashing. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-__CYYlFoRqU/VUeL0x_CZmI/AAAAAAAAHXw/AfmkDcf3Vuw/s1600/slicingplantains3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-__CYYlFoRqU/VUeL0x_CZmI/AAAAAAAAHXw/AfmkDcf3Vuw/s320/slicingplantains3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.thefoodinmybeard.com/2011/12/tostone_tostada_with_stewed_chicken_and_parsnip_hot_sauce/" target="_blank">source</a></div>
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As I said before, they need to be partially fried before the smashing step. I cook them for a few minutes on both sides at medium temperature. Some people use a sauce pan and add plenty oil to cover them. I try to avoid using too much oil, so I just use a regular skillet with enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan, then I let them cook on both sides until they soften up a bit. Do not let them </div>
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crisp up at this stage.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4IhZAKFWw_0/VUeL7I6ZsgI/AAAAAAAAHX4/O7FJHJRazp0/s1600/slicingplantains4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4IhZAKFWw_0/VUeL7I6ZsgI/AAAAAAAAHX4/O7FJHJRazp0/s320/slicingplantains4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://venezuelancooking.wordpress.com/2011/09/21/recipe-venezuelan-tostones/" target="_blank">source</a></div>
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When a fork can be inserted into them, they are ready to be flattened! Put a bit of oil in the center of the circle (just use a spoon a get some from the skillet) and on the lid, then smash away. Remove the toston with a fork and throw back in the oil. Continue with the same process until finished. When they look crisp and golden (use a spatula to turn them half way), remove from the oil and have a plate prepared with a couple paper towels to drain the tostones. Sprinkle with a generous amount of salt. Serve with rice and beans or eat them as a snack. Enjoy!</div>
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I honestly had no intentions to write a post about plantains. Lol! I am glad that I did, though. </div>
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Beverly Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12117004071530419861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19959648828553834.post-17416283003930427262015-04-06T11:54:00.002-07:002015-04-06T11:54:50.185-07:00Padded HeadboardsThese gorgeous padded headboards I put together for my boys. They are very simple to make. There are a lot of tutorials online that do a good job with the step by step instructions. If you still have questions about this let me know!<br />
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<img alt="Photo" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ZjJf5IhmIZDPpF4EmccTgntt3r3TPNesR7ORfDREfZw=s192-p-no" /><br />
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<img alt="Photo" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/39Y-LqcmyU8UD5aIpGGlwVmRnEI_sgtoc9KFIYytdXw=s192-p-no" /><br />
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<img alt="Photo" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/dVbA7Uc0k9a3-JK_Eejl31oBp2JkUm9hp6cjmeiKcfM=s192-p-no" />Beverly Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12117004071530419861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19959648828553834.post-43306988913379866422015-04-06T06:56:00.002-07:002015-04-06T21:38:42.716-07:00Rebecca Trunk - Finally finished!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OeBhTXmay6g/VSKPMYjOlPI/AAAAAAAAHB0/skXN6ho4bDk/s1600/Bevsbeccatrunk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OeBhTXmay6g/VSKPMYjOlPI/AAAAAAAAHB0/skXN6ho4bDk/s1600/Bevsbeccatrunk.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Hello friends! For the longest time I was wanting to build a blanket storage trunk. I was getting tired of seeing all my blankets piled up in a corner on this half broken basket! </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3Tfi5TIds2I/VSKPQZuPYCI/AAAAAAAAHB8/9Dbfjj2XdQ0/s1600/bevsbeccatrunk2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3Tfi5TIds2I/VSKPQZuPYCI/AAAAAAAAHB8/9Dbfjj2XdQ0/s1600/bevsbeccatrunk2.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
Thanks to the free plans provided by <a href="http://ana-white.com/2013/04/plans/becca-trunk" target="_blank">Ana White</a> and many other DIYers I adjusted the measurements and made a copy cat version of the Rebecca Trunk from <a href="http://www.potterybarn.com/products/rebecca-wood-metal-banded-trunk/?pkey=e%7Cbecca%2Btrunk%7C11%7Cbest%7C0%7C1%7C48%7C%7C8&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-NoMerchRules" target="_blank">Pottery Barn</a>. Here is a picture of the original trunk:<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PaA_BSeMwpE/VSNd4QfAe2I/AAAAAAAAHDw/1ilcS_6NiY8/s1600/Rebecca-Trunk-from-Pottery-Barn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PaA_BSeMwpE/VSNd4QfAe2I/AAAAAAAAHDw/1ilcS_6NiY8/s1600/Rebecca-Trunk-from-Pottery-Barn.jpg" height="298" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qt1ztZbdsFo/VSKPS-GXs1I/AAAAAAAAHCE/rafQ0qqgM-4/s1600/bevsbeccatrunk3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qt1ztZbdsFo/VSKPS-GXs1I/AAAAAAAAHCE/rafQ0qqgM-4/s1600/bevsbeccatrunk3.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
So, what do you think? Are you tempted to build your own? You may find the free plans through the <a href="http://www.shanty-2-chic.com/?s=becca+trunk">Shanty2Chic</a> website or the <a href="http://ana-white.com/2013/04/plans/becca-trunk">Ana White</a> website.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-04giX1FIZ7c/VSKPVVdipwI/AAAAAAAAHCM/gKERE27zfq8/s1600/bevsbeccatrunk4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-04giX1FIZ7c/VSKPVVdipwI/AAAAAAAAHCM/gKERE27zfq8/s1600/bevsbeccatrunk4.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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Please contact me if you have any questions about this project!</div>
Beverly Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12117004071530419861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19959648828553834.post-83442231579585555632013-11-10T19:13:00.000-08:002013-11-10T19:17:43.541-08:00Are you ready for this?<div style="text-align: center;">
Hello friends! Christmas is just around the corner, and so are my Simply Wheat Bread Baskets! </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EsMKVPhvr1E/UoBIM6nq2YI/AAAAAAAACP8/pG4577ytKkI/s1600/2012-12-13+10.34.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EsMKVPhvr1E/UoBIM6nq2YI/AAAAAAAACP8/pG4577ytKkI/s320/2012-12-13+10.34.27.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TYHmXQu2EvY/UoBIOfjyjOI/AAAAAAAACQM/A9zjsDKX9yE/s1600/2012-12-17+00.14.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TYHmXQu2EvY/UoBIOfjyjOI/AAAAAAAACQM/A9zjsDKX9yE/s320/2012-12-17+00.14.28.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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If you need to come up with a unique gift to treat a special teacher, employee, boss, mother in law, friend, or just for yourself, this is a great gift option. The basket will include:</div>
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1 Loaf of Bread - 100% freshly ground Whole Wheat</div>
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1 small canning jar with Homemade Honey-Butter</div>
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1 block of Cranberry Manwaring Cheese</div>
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1 Christmas Ornament</div>
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1 Basket</div>
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Tissue paper</div>
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Cellophane</div>
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Festive Bow</div>
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Gift tag</div>
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All for $25.00! </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fGv_LEBBy8o/UoBIwwHxCYI/AAAAAAAACQk/AvgiTs6WBwU/s1600/2012-12-17+00.14.43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fGv_LEBBy8o/UoBIwwHxCYI/AAAAAAAACQk/AvgiTs6WBwU/s320/2012-12-17+00.14.43.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4CpXsZUbGmE/UoBIoXCfF8I/AAAAAAAACQU/BpR4Q_5UH3I/s1600/2012-12-18+11.48.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4CpXsZUbGmE/UoBIoXCfF8I/AAAAAAAACQU/BpR4Q_5UH3I/s320/2012-12-18+11.48.09.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I will take orders until November 30th. If you would like me to include a cutting board with a bread knife, I can do that for an extra $10.00. Another option would be to not include the cheese and make it $30.00. I can customize it to your needs, so just call me and we can talk about it. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YP3pNlk6k64/UoBIqTPcixI/AAAAAAAACQc/1TFh582eSJI/s1600/2012-12-18+11.50.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YP3pNlk6k64/UoBIqTPcixI/AAAAAAAACQc/1TFh582eSJI/s320/2012-12-18+11.50.14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This next one is I did for Valentines. Cute, right?</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_M5Uq2pvEJI/UoBI_tHsqAI/AAAAAAAACQ0/UrsdNZXEuXk/s1600/2013-01-10+22.31.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_M5Uq2pvEJI/UoBI_tHsqAI/AAAAAAAACQ0/UrsdNZXEuXk/s320/2013-01-10+22.31.45.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-keUDjwPUTRY/UoBI8jsyiQI/AAAAAAAACQs/FQZydFkPaoI/s1600/2013-01-10+22.32.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-keUDjwPUTRY/UoBI8jsyiQI/AAAAAAAACQs/FQZydFkPaoI/s320/2013-01-10+22.32.23.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Anyway, all the decorative items, including the ornament, will vary depending on what I have available. One thing will not change--how gorgeous it will turn out. =-) To order call/text me at 602-684-4009. Thanks for stopping by!</div>
Beverly Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12117004071530419861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19959648828553834.post-87592943124686259872013-01-11T13:55:00.001-08:002013-02-01T11:02:06.277-08:00Valentine Baskets reveal -- Check out what I have for you!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Yesterday I decided to finally get my Valentines baskets put together for pictures. Natalia was there with me--and I love it because she is the only one in the family who cares to give me her honest opinion about anything that I do, wear, cook, or change around the house. I guess all of my kids are pretty honest when it comes to my cooking, but Natalia is the one who pays attention to detail and notices all the little things--if I moved a picture to a different wall, changed the curtains, made a new wreath for my front door, or bought a new vase. She is also the one who warns me NOT to show up at school without make-up, or to put on a different pair of earrings because the ones I have on "just don't go". She even asked me one time if anyone has ever asked if I am Nathan's grandma! So yeah, she is pretty honest, and her opinion is very valuable to me, even when it hurts. Ouch!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jFxiqIMuXoU/UPB1m2zEKpI/AAAAAAAAAO4/gYtuzwOe1-k/s1600/2013-01-10+20.09.57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jFxiqIMuXoU/UPB1m2zEKpI/AAAAAAAAAO4/gYtuzwOe1-k/s1600/2013-01-10+20.09.57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AkWL7FyGYw8/UPB1lf9c9HI/AAAAAAAAAOw/l6LmZOdRLBE/s1600/2013-01-10+20.09.47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AkWL7FyGYw8/UPB1lf9c9HI/AAAAAAAAAOw/l6LmZOdRLBE/s320/2013-01-10+20.09.47.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Yesterday Natalia asked me, "So why do all of your baskets have to have bread? Can you make something different?" For a moment I thought, yeah, she is right, I am going to bore my customers to death with the same ol' bread in those baskets! But then I quickly replied, "What would you think if Chick-Fil-A all of a sudden started selling burgers?" "That would be soo weird!", she replied. And so that was my teaching moment with Natalia. lol! This is what I do, and it would be weird if all of a sudden I started selling...I don't know...black beans. But...Natalia still got me thinking, and that is how I came up with the bread you see on the picture above. It is the Simply Wheat version of <b>Cinnaburst Bread</b>, sold at <i>Great Harvest</i> here in town!</div>
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I know, I know, it is still bread, but a different kind of bread! I have always loved the cinnaburst bread from my local competitor :), and while on the internet looking for that perfect recipe, I found one that I was able to tweak here and there to make a very tasty loaf of cinnamon bread! First of all, I eliminated the sugar and added honey. Then, instead of using fresh milk I tried it with nonfat dry milk. And last, but not least, I added a good amount of 100% whole wheat flour to cut back on the white flour! I am sorry to say that this tasty bread is NOT 100% whole wheat--but maybe in the near future I will experiment with the recipe a little further. =-) I think it still has a wonderful texture, it is very nutritious, and it tastes delicious, especially when toasted with some butter, or used to make french toast. mmmmm!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sTq-M-dUe2M/UPB1utX-mVI/AAAAAAAAAPA/iQb4hbuNYAs/s1600/2013-01-10+20.35.52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sTq-M-dUe2M/UPB1utX-mVI/AAAAAAAAAPA/iQb4hbuNYAs/s320/2013-01-10+20.35.52.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
My plan is to offer two options on the baskets:<br />
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1.<i><u> Forget me not</u></i> gift basket - This basket will include your choice of a loaf of 100% whole wheat bread OR cinnamon-honey bread, a honey bear, a bag of chocolates, and the cutest chocolate scented bear you have ever seen! I will arrange all the items in a cute wicker basket, wrap it in cellophane, and tie it with some valentine garland and a gift tag. This one goes for $20.00! <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HoiukUZixTg/UPB16HBrcrI/AAAAAAAAAPY/uxKQG5tj0fo/s1600/2013-01-10+22.32.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HoiukUZixTg/UPB16HBrcrI/AAAAAAAAAPY/uxKQG5tj0fo/s320/2013-01-10+22.32.03.jpg" width="320" /></a>I found these adorable bears and I could not resist. They come in beige and dark brown. You may choose which one you prefer (quantities limited).</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NegOqzCIyQk/UPB1-c8M9dI/AAAAAAAAAPo/UV7AGX3EgYU/s1600/2013-01-10+22.32.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NegOqzCIyQk/UPB1-c8M9dI/AAAAAAAAAPo/UV7AGX3EgYU/s320/2013-01-10+22.32.13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The honey is just perfect to pair it up with the bread, especially for this fun holiday.<br />
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The basket should look something like this on the right--take a peek at the dark brown bear that I used on this basket sample.<br />
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The pictures don't do justice to how cute this basket is!</div>
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2. <i style="text-decoration: underline;">Hugs and Kisses gift basket</i><i> - </i>It is my pride and joy! This basket includes a loaf of 100% whole wheat bread, a loaf of cinnamon-honey bread, a honey bear, a bag of chocolates, a valentine treat, and of course, one chocolate scented bear. This basket will go for $30.00! It will be all wrapped in cellophane with a red bow and some valentine garland with a gift tag.</div>
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Like I said before, my camera does not do it justice. The baskets turned out very beautiful and if you choose to let me worry about your gift giving, your friends/family will not be disappointed!</div>
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So here they are. I finally got this done. Now let's move on to my next project. =-) If you have any questions please call me, message me, or text me! My goal is to sell about 25 of these--if you know of anyone who would be interested feel free to forward this to anyone on your mailing list. As I have said before, thank you for supporting my little "business". I enjoy it so much and love helping you with your gift giving needs!! </div>
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<br />Beverly Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12117004071530419861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19959648828553834.post-92090133951496661402012-12-13T09:19:00.001-08:002012-12-13T11:50:30.637-08:00Busy Christmas - Bread baskets coming along!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Yesterday, we started once again our yearly tradition during the Christmas season--The twelve days of Christmas. We chose a family whose son is friends with my oldest two children. He is the funniest kid, and we know his family struggles a little bit financially, so we thought it would be fun to add a little bit of wonder and mystery to his life during this time. =-) </div>
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This is how we do it: We leave treats, starting on the 12th of December, on his porch, and the best part is that one of my kids gets to ring the doorbell, the other one gets to place the treats on the floor, and then they both run like maniacs back to the car, as the driver (me!) takes off with the lights off in the middle of the night trying not to get caught (well, it was only 9pm, but it sounded more dramatic that way!). We do the same thing every night until the 24th, and on that night we leave something more meaningful, with a Christmas message and anything we may think of adding at the last minute. But the fun part of it all is this: they will never know it was us!! My kids love this tradition, and I kind of wanted to, mmm, skip this year, since I have sooo many baskets to put together and my life is a little caotic right now. But as the 12th day approached, my daughter Sofia was kind enough to remind me: "we need to think of what family we are doing this year and what we are making". Of course I could say no to that, which means I will be baking more than 40 loaves of bread in less than two weeks, plus coming up with ideas every night to surprise our chosen family! Yikes! Just thinking about it makes me tired! But it is a good tired, if there is such a thing!</div>
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Here is a sneak peak to what I have been up to lately. Pumpkin chocolate chip breads ready to be taken to my neighbors. I used disposable paper/cardboard pans (from Amazon). You bake in the paper pans, decorate, place inside a clear treat bag and done! There is no need to oil the pans either. You should try them out.<br />
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Honey butter for my Christmas bread baskets!</div>
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My assembly line for the baskets. OMG'sh that's a lot of baskets!</div>
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And the final result! Lovely.</div>
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I am out of bread knives right now, but if you want me to put something together with just bread and honey butter, let me know! I will be happy to do that for you Rexburg procrastinators. =-) Until next time!</div>
<br />Beverly Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12117004071530419861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19959648828553834.post-37234091470736293842012-12-08T08:49:00.001-08:002012-12-08T09:32:40.819-08:00Loving the Christmas season!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Christmas is here! I hope this has not taken anyone by surprise!! I am sure we have all been seeing Christmas decorations at the stores since the end of October! Yep, it seems like every year the beautiful displays of Christmas decor are being set up earlier than the year before. I don't know about you, but when I see Christmas decorations at the stores and Halloween has not even passed, I get a little bit of anxiety. =-) I know here in Idaho, however, it is probably a good idea to have those Christmas displays up early.<br />
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Most people start decorating the outside of their homes as early as October. Can you guess why? (This is a trivia question for my fellow arizonans) You guessed it! To avoid hanging up lights when the weather has already gone down to 20 F!<br />
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I have some pictures of my Christmas decor that I wanted to share. Maybe someone will get inspired to do a little bit more decorating (I know, I am really late posting all this, but maybe for next year!) My son told me that our tree this year looks really "hip". Mmm...must be the leopard print on the ribbon I used this year. Our white dove, Natalias favorite, has been on our tree for many Christmases.<br />
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Now, I went to Pier 1 Imports some time in October and they had these cute lanterns along with their beautiful Christmas decor. I have a thing for lanterns, and when I saw them, it was love at first light! I only got three, but as soon as those babies go down in price, I am going back for more! They look lovely on my Christmas tree.<br />
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This rustic star with some glitter and little berries scattered here and there, is from Pier 1 Imports as well, and when I got it, I was planning on putting it on the front door. But then I thought my foyer mirror needed some dressing up and I actually like how it looks!</div>
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My three wisemen sit just below the star. They are handmade pieces from an artisan in Puerto Rico. I just love their cute faces!</div>
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This little tree we set up in our dining area every year. So fun to look at. It has all of my kids handmade ornaments they made when they were little. Brings back too many good memories!<br />
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Here are some pictures of my buffet area. This year I added a berry wreath to the mirror (you gotta love command hooks!) and used my decorated garland at the bottom of the mirror. I have had this garland for quite some time. It was a Relief Society project and I really love the sparkle it brings to the buffet area. The candle holders are from IKEA.<br />
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I chose to keep my mantle not as cluttered as last year--the tree stands right next to the fireplace, and in the past I had put a long decorated garland across the mantle. This year I thought it was a little too much, and with the new mirror from IKEA, my lantern from, yeah, you guessed it, Pier 1 Imports, as well as the snowman and the big rustic star, I thought it had enough bling. The beaded garland is from Ikea as well, and the stockings I made a couple of years ago. I love the white, fuzzy fabric that I chose for the top of them. And I even took the time to line the inside and everything. I know! Fancy.<br />
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These are some of the things I have decorating my entrance. This cute little rustic snowman, from Target, has always been part of my indoor decor, but this year I put it outside. It has had a rough time though. The wind up here is so strong, that the poor thing has fallen too many times. And then there is me picking him up again and again. We'll see how long I can keep up with this!<br />
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I had a rough time hanging this garland. I used command hooks that are see thru and removable, but a couple of them have come apart, and even though it does not show, this thing could come down on its own before Christmas. Oh well, if it comes down, I am not putting it back up! =-) I know, I probably WILL put it back up.<br />
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I hope you enjoyed the pictures! Pretty soon I will be posting a baguette style bread recipe (I know, white flour!). This is a bread similar to the french bread you all know about, but oh, so much better. mmm! It is a recipe of the type of bread sold at every bakery in Puerto Rico. I am trying it first, and if I am successful, you will know about it! Hope you have a wonderful Christmas among the people you love the most! 'Til next time!<br />
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<br />Beverly Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12117004071530419861noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19959648828553834.post-83332464020634812832012-11-10T14:34:00.002-08:002012-11-10T19:53:58.430-08:00Wing back chairs finally finished!!! Take a look at the final results!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, I really could not believe my eyes...the chairs are finally done! Yesterday I was moving my old chair out of my bedroom to make room for my newly transformed wing back chairs, which by the way look lovely right in front of my bay window. It has been quite the project--I got the chairs back in June (yes, June!!!), and since that day, my laundry room/craft room has been a complete disaster. =-) Needless to say, my family is very pleased with having the laundry room back for what it was intended to be! lol!<br />
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The piping was probably the hardest part of the whole project. I had done piping before, but it is a little time consuming, and you have to have all of that done before you actually start sewing your pieces together.<br />
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The legs I just sprayed with some antique bronze spray and nothing else was done to them. Initially I wanted to change the legs completely, but I could not find any replacements online that would work, and so the spray paint was my only option. It really brought them back to life!!!<br />
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The pleats turned out really nice and even--just perfect!!!</div>
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Now, just a quick reminder of the BEFORE picture:</div>
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They were actually in really good shape, and the fabric was nice and thick, but not the color that I wanted. For $50.00 a piece, I think I got a decent deal. The fabric was only $2.00/yd, and I bought about 15 yd for both. Then I got some cording (for the piping), which was about .15 cents/yd. The total cost per chair was about $75.00. Not bad, huh?</div>
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I hope some of you got inspired to reupholster a chair in need of TLC. It may be sitting in one of your rooms, or you may find the perfect one on Craig's list for that empty corner in your front room. Either way, I hope you have fun through the journey and enjoy your new creation (if you decide to go for it!). Thanks for stopping by and I will see you next time! I will have lots to show you really soon!!! </div>
<br />Beverly Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12117004071530419861noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19959648828553834.post-35674800944855234102012-11-09T09:19:00.000-08:002012-11-09T21:39:20.630-08:00Christmas baskets are here! It is funny how sometimes life takes you on different paths--some of them are really easy and almost unreal, and then there is a sudden turn that comes, almost unexpected, and the path you end up on is one that you never thought you would experience. We lived in Arizona for 11 years, and it had definitely become home for us. Little did I know that the Lord would be leading us in a different direction. To leave our home, our families, and our friends, and head on north to Rexburg, Idaho, was not an easy path for us to take, especially for me. But I must say that as I see my children enjoying the area, enjoying their new friends, and loving the small town feel, I have started to "warm up" to the area (even though it is 32 F as I am writing this post!).<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IRvVWf5mens/UJ02liFEkVI/AAAAAAAAAGA/PbP4or4v8LU/s1600/2012-11-08+20.08.41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IRvVWf5mens/UJ02liFEkVI/AAAAAAAAAGA/PbP4or4v8LU/s320/2012-11-08+20.08.41.jpg" width="180" /></a> Changing the subject, I know some of you have shared with me your desire to help out Natalia in her efforts to compete in gymnastics for the first time. Just recently we sold 50# bags of potatoes to the few people we know in the area. We are so grateful to all of you who bought potatoes! We raised $210.00 dollars that will go into her account and will cover about half of her meets and coaches costs. So again, thank you so much! I know some of you were interested in helping out, but not necessarily by buying potatoes (selling potatoes in Rexburg is almost like trying to sell popcycles in Alaska!), and this is where the <b>Christmas Bread baskets</b> come in. I will be selling these cute Christmas baskets on a per order basis during the first week in December. They cost $25.00 and will include the following:<b><i> </i></b><br />
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<li style="text-align: left;"><b><i>a yummy 2 lb loaf of whole wheat bread </i></b>(for info on bread ingredients go to my website simplywheat.hayes.cc),</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><b><i>cute wooden cutting board</i></b>,<i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">bread knife,</i></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"> homemade cinnamon-honey butter </i>(it tastes delicious!!) in a small glass jar (not a canning jar),<b style="font-style: italic;"> </b></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">a festive Christmas mug with two hot chocolate packs, </i></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">and a Christmas ornament </i>(not all the same). The bread will be placed in a small basket with tissue paper and the whole thing will be wrapped in cellophane with a big, festive bow, and a gift tag.</li>
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I think you will like it, and the fact that I have gone all around town and in Utah to get all these items will save you all the trouble! If this is something that would interest you, email me at beverly@hayes.cc and let me know how many baskets you will need before November 30th. My goal is to sell 30 of these baskets, and if I do, Natalia will be covered! Uff! I hope that when she is older she remembers all the trouble that I went through to keep her in gymnastics. =-) Although to be honest, I don't mind doing it--after putting together my first basket last night I thought, "aaahhh, it is so cute", so I think I will still do these every year if they get a good response! My camera is not the best, and the pictures don't it justice, but at least you have an idea of what to expect. If there is a specific color you want me to use, please let me know. The mugs that I use may be different from the picture, as well as the ornaments and wired ribbon. But they will still be beautiful--I could not sell something that I would not want to get for myself! </div>
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The cup will have some shredded paper inside it too.</div>
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I am planning to label the cinnamon honey butter and include the recipe as well!</div>
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I am using the cutting board as the base for all my other items. </div>
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What do you think??</div>
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If you know of anyone who would be interested in getting a couple of these (these are great gifts for coworkers, your boss, teachers, doctors, etc.) feel free to forward my blog address to them. Again, you are all so wonderful for your support since I moved to this area. And to my Simply Wheat customers, a special THANK YOU for trusting your family with my baking!! </div>
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Have a wonderful weekend!</div>
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Beverly Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12117004071530419861noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19959648828553834.post-56652923446655280472012-10-30T07:18:00.001-07:002012-10-30T07:18:42.586-07:00Wing back chairs makeover!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: start;">Ok, so I finally finished one of the wing back chairs that I got from Craig's list. Let me just say that I truly respect anyone in the reupholstering business--it is not easy!!! The worst part is probably the removal of the old fabric. It is important to remove every section as intact as possible, label each piece with a number and what part of the chair it covers (you may not be able to tell once the pieces are all out) and attach every new piece in the reverse order you took them off. The fabric sections you may use as patterns, although there were some pieces that were pretty square and are shaped as they get stapled unto the chair. Pulling off the old fabric, like I said, was a NIGHTMARE!! I think I removed over a thousand staples. But once the hard part is over, the fun part starts. I must admit that for not having reupholstered anything in the past, I started with a rather complicated project, but now I feel capable of doing any other project that comes my way!!! I did it and I am so proud of myself...especially for saving a good $500.00 in reupholstering fees! I am posting the before pictures now...stay tuned for the after pictures (I am working on my other chair this week). Have a great week!</span></div>
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<br />Beverly Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12117004071530419861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19959648828553834.post-84698500180473264762012-10-29T08:06:00.001-07:002012-11-09T21:51:31.532-08:00My Porch for the Fall Season<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3g4fa060dMY/UI6Y3fMWlFI/AAAAAAAAABk/mnP5i2Snyoo/s1600/2012-10-12+21.49.46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3g4fa060dMY/UI6Y3fMWlFI/AAAAAAAAABk/mnP5i2Snyoo/s320/2012-10-12+21.49.46.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I always love to decorate my front door for the Fall Season. The colors all around me inspire me to have a beautiful welcoming entrance--it is the first thing my guests see prior to entering my home, and I like it to make a simple, but elegant statement. I uploaded the pictures I took of my front porch, dining area, and mantle. Enjoy!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2Gf81c5CSAQ/UI6ZDFKqDxI/AAAAAAAAABs/1nwn7LnJBEU/s1600/2012-10-12+21.49.58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2Gf81c5CSAQ/UI6ZDFKqDxI/AAAAAAAAABs/1nwn7LnJBEU/s320/2012-10-12+21.49.58.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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White pumpkins flank the entrance. I sprayed them white (I could not find real white ones!)<br />
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My son and I went to get some branches from a pile on the side of the road, and then I hot glued a few fall leaves here and there to make it pretty.<br />
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Our house does not have outdoor lamps, and I thought a lantern by the door would do the trick. I bought a battery operated candle (it flickers like the real thing!), and I turn it on when I know guests are coming.<br />
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The black wooden cat merges my fall decorations with Halloween just beautifully!</div>
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Raffia and fake fall leaves dress up my cute white pumpkins!</div>
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I spray painted these unfinished candle holders in a flat white and placed small pumpkins on them. Very simple but so unexpected!</div>
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I wanted to make topiaries like these ones since last year, and this year I was able to work on this. Loooove them on my mantle. The pumpkins are from Michael s, the pots from Joann, and the leaves, corn husks, berries, etc. I just had from previous years.</div>
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<br />Beverly Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12117004071530419861noreply@blogger.com4