To Paint or Not to Paint that Color

I bought a gallon of paint yesterday because I have on my to do list- painting a laundry room. But, this morning I found this kind of neat site that might have been useful before I bought the paint. If you are trying to decide what colors to use in a room BH&G website has a fun way to help http://www.bhg.com/app/coloraroom They have several rooms to choose from and then you can change the colors of items in those rooms. For example--a diningroom. You choose from a color palette the wall color, chairs, tablecloth, anddraperies color etc. That way you can kind of get an idea of whether you would feel comfortable with strong colors in the room or if you lean toward a more neutral color scheme. You can also do the same thing with window treatments. You choose from different kinds of windows or french doors, then choose window treatments. Or, if you are not even thinking of changing any room (is there such a person?) you can waste quite a bit of time having fun! When I get to painting that room I will post about it. Have a good day whether you paint or not today!

Climbing Mountains and Chocolate Cake

Anyone who knows me knows that anything that has to do with sports, feet off the ground, REI, or wild movements, climbing mountains etc. are things or places where you would never find me. This is a person who has never in her life been on skiis (Oh, I did water ski once, and got up, too! but I digress--) Give me HOME, gardening, sewing, cooking, pleasant and graceful things that's where I am most comfortable. So, how in the world would I be diagnosed with a torn meniscus? It is the weirdest thing but that's where I am right now--waiting to schedule a surgery for this unexpected ailment. So, in keeping with my personality, and at home with feet planted firmly on the ground, I am sharing with you this most delicious, dense, moist chocolate cake that I made for the Oscar party Sunday.

Chocolate Sour Cream Cake

2 Cups sugar

2 Cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

4 oz Unsweetened Chocolate

1 c. water

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

2 beaten eggs

Grease or line two 9 inch cake pans or one 9X13 inch pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Melt chocolate with butter and water. Add melted chocolate mixture to flour and mix well for 2 minutes. Pour batter into pans and bake until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean, approximately 30 minutes. Cool on rack 10 minutes and unmold cake to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8ox) pkg cream cheese

1/2 cup butter 1 tsp vanilla

powdered sugar to taste (about 2 cups)

Mix all together and frost cake.

Enjoy!

13 Reasons

Hayley has been practicing being a teenager for at least a year. Now it is officially here!

13 Reasons Why I Love Hayley!

1. She has a great smile and sense of humor. She makes me laugh!



2. She is outgoing and not afraid to try new things. She'll volunteer to speak in front of others!



3. She has the most beautiful, dark, shiny hair.



4. She is sensitive to others. She reaches out to be a friend to someone who is by themself.



5. She is a good babysitter and in demand each weekend. She is saving all that money!



6. She has a good memory and can memorize things easily.



7. She always has a hug for me!



8. She is musical and plays the piano, flute and guitar!



9. She is independent and does all her own laundry!



10. She is very stylish and always looks cute.



11. She is a good friend.



12. She makes great popcorn!

Happy, Happy 13th Birthday Hayley!

10 Minutes to a Room You'll Love

I decided to join The Nesting Place in her 10 minutes to a room you'll love today.

I have two little areas in my house where I put seasonal items just for fun. So, since I can't wait for Spring to show it's head here, I decided to put a little spring in my house in these areas. The first place is in my kitchen. It is a built-in hutch with drawers on the side and an oven below the shelf. This is the before picture:

I added birds to the area with-- the three on the branch with tea lights which my daughter gave me for Valentines, the ceramic bird in the cloche and a ceramic bird by the simplify sign. I had a couple more birds that I tried to put with this arrangement but then I decided to heed my own sign and I "simplified" them off the area. Here it is after:

The second area is in my front entry hallway. Here it is before:I added a large ceramic bird and let him rest on some green moss. The white apple(?) blossoms are in an antique watering can.

There you have it--10 minutes to Spring! Check out other 10 minute makeovers by going to Nesting Place.

Giveaways

Yesterday was the last day to win yourself a new dream home from HGTV. Actually, I am really hoping that I win it, but we will all see on March 15 when they announce the winner.
But you can join Tatertots and Jello for her great giveaway. It is really cute and would go in a lot of places in a home. Good luck.

Have a great Friday!

Fifteen and Funny

Just a couple of pictures from yesterday. Nick's mom and I took Nick to the Cheesecake factory for lunch before he went back to school. (He didn't want to miss Math and Language Arts!)In the evening all the family had pizza together at his home.

He gives a good birthday smile!

OK, he's tired of having his picture taken and thinking, "maybe I can hide behind this can".

And in the end his 15 yr-old goofiness gets the best of him!

Have a great Wednesday!

15 Reasons

Here's to a great Birthday !!

Here's 15 reasons why I love my grandson, Nick

1. He is so kind and good natured



2. He is tall, red-headed and handsome.



3. He helps his sisters-buckle up in the car, with videos at home, cooks eggs for them.



4. He is smart--a 4.0 student



5. He is brave--He goes camping with Scouts in the winter, in snowstorms!



6. He is generous--he gives up his room when I come to visit.



7. He is helpful--he takes out the garbage without complaining.



8. He is cheerful--he always greets me with love.



9. He is loving--he always has a hug for me.



10. He is nice--to his mom, especially



11. He has a cute sense of humor.



12. He is a good reader--always has a book in his hand.



13. He has a good disposition--never talks back to his parents.



14. He is considerate--he won a stuffed animal at a fair and brought it home to his sister.



15. He is wonderful--just the kind every girl would want for a husband (in a few years:)

Happy 15th Birthday Dear Nick!!

I love you:)

Friend Makin' Monday

I am participating for the first time in Kasey's Friend Makin' Mondays by answering the following that she calls This or That. This should be fun as we get to know each other better.
1. jog or walk: walk
2. coffee or tea: neither
3. pepsi or coca cola: Coke
4. flats or heels: flats (I'm always afraid of falling especially on the ice which I did Dec. 23 just to prove my instincts were correct, I guess). I love the look of heels and wear them occasionally when I know there will be no chance of falling.
5. fries or onion rings: both although I hardly ever order either.
6. cats or dogs: I have always been a cat lover altho there are 3 St. Charles Spaniels in the family now and I have come to really love them.
7. skim or whole: I grew up drinking 2%, but now always drink 1 %. Also, since I am lactose intolerant it has to be Lactaid and I drink very little milk and take 2 calcium pills daily to make up for it.
8. small purses or large: large
9. van or suv: SUV? is a Lexus 330 considered a SUV? Don't ask me I've never been into cars!
10. winter or summer: summer by a landslice! I am biding my time until I see the first Daffodil.
11. 1 piece bathing suit or 2: 1!!! with a large coverup, please.
12. sit down restaurant or fast food: sit down
13. McDonalds or Burger King: Give me a Whopper Baby! I love that burnt charcoal, cancer-causing grilled flavor
14. White Gold or Yellow: Both, although my wedding ring is yellow.
15. Fish or Chicken: Chicken
16. Edward or Jacob: I haven't read the books but there's been enough talk that I know these characters. Twilight is at the dollar movies and I think I'll go just to see what all the excitement is all about.
17. Pizza or Burger: Both!
18. apple or orange: orange
19. Spend or save: Both I try to be balanced:)
20. 1 story or 2 story house: I've had more 2 storied homes but my ranch was awfully nice too.

There you have it! If you want to participate go to Kasey's site for more info. Leave me a comment on how we are the same or different.
Also go to Jen's @ Tatertots and Jello to see a fabulous Giveaway she is having.

Have a great Monday!!

What's In Your Bag? and Daughter Blogs

I was tagged by Jen at Tatertots and Jello to show my bag (purse) and what's inside it. OK, just so you know, I did clean it out yesterday trying to find my cell phone so it looks better than it usually does.

Here is my bag which I love. (I paid $60) I got it while visiting my daughter Wendy Wenderful in Idaho. Check out her blog today as she posted her first article she is writing for her local newspaper! I don't know how she thinks up the great posts she writes for her own blog let alone for the town paper, but she is good!
Looking inside my purse
Inside it is my purse organizer, package of cough drops, 4 cough drop wrappers, one stick of gum, 3 receipts from Costco, Kohl's, and grocery store, a grocery store card application, 2 car wash tickets, a sample packet of Aleve, a yellow rock-where did that come from? and two items I had been looking for: my lipgloss and a prescription for cough medicine with codeine! I ordered this purse organizer before Christmas from The Container Store ($20) to give to my sister but when it came I decided to keep it. It is basically a long strip of material with pockets stitched side by side, one with an opening flap. It fits most any purse because it is flexible and will conform to it. I like it pretty much altho if I were making it I would make at least one pocket wider to fit my little pink notebook where I keep all my important data--phone numbers, yardage needed to make my favorite aprons, etc. When you change purses, you just lift out the organzier and put it into the new one (that is, if you have kept everything in those pockets.) Here is Jen, me, Wenderful, and on the far right is my pregnant daughter. She is experiencing all the pains and inconveniences of her first pregnancy--back pain, tired, swollen feet, swollen legs, and she has been without a bathroom (think toilet) while they remodel the one closest to her bed.

She has to treck 15 stairs four times a night to the main level one.

Check out her new blog Delancey Dish and wish her well. She still has until April 2 to go!

OK Here are the rules for the tag:
____________________________________________________________________ 1. Post a picture of whatever bag you are today - not last weekend when you and your hubby went out to that fabulous restaurant. No cheating!!!
____________________________________________________________________
2. Tell us how much it cost. This is a no-judgment zone -- there will be no ridiculing or eye rolling here. And, if there is a story to go along with how you obtained it, I'd love to hear it.
____________________________________________________________________
3. Now tag some fellow bloggers and link back to this post so people know why you are posting pictures of your bag.

• Beth at Aunties with Advice--I'll bet she has some crafty things in her purse.


• Chrissy at ComeYe Lads and Lasses--She probably has some good skin moisturizer.


• Lyndsey at Lyndsey the Loser --this will be interesting as she is my newest blog friend.
  
  Have a wonderful weekend!
  

Valentine party

Last Friday I hosted a group of friends for a Valentine card-making party.


Everyone made the cutest Valentine cards and really had a good time.
These are some of the treats served.
I served the Valentine treats on this fun table! This might be my all-time favorite find. It is a metal 2-tiered table with the whimsical top which I decorated with Valentine themed items and my mom's white fur-trimmed hat! It was at a cute consignment store. At the last minute I decided to skirt the table. I masking taped gathers down a length of red and white polka dot fabric then taped it under the scalloped edge of the table. By the time I finished, the guests started to arrive and I didn't get a picture of it. But it looked festive!I cut out lots of hearts in various sizes with a die-cut machine, ready for the cards to be made. The following are a sample of the cards that were made that day. It was fun for me to see the creativity of each person using basically the same materials.
My craft studio all decorated for the occasion.
These are the Homemade Victorian sugar cookies. I tried to post the how-to video but, alas, frustration got the best of me before I could figure out how to do it so here is a link to the video -studio5

A friend and I made the sugar cookies each at our own house then got together and decorated them the next day. We had fun and they turned out pretty

but did take time to make and decorate (like from 10:30-4:30!) Both recipes on the website taste good .
We added new liners after they were baked and wrapped ribbon around them. I think they look cute.

We also decorated the cupcakes in that timespace. We used the same glossy frosting as the cookies and added the wire-stemmed chocolate-melted hearts to some. The cupcakes are baked in 3" deep muffin pans and use special tall paper liners both made by Wilton. One cake mix makes only 6! They turn out really tall, (4"). I learned to add a new liner after they bake so they look more professional, if that makes sense. They are fun for a party!

Be sure to check out the gorgeous Valentine cupcakes and cupcake tutorial at My Sweet and Saucy.com
Have a great Valentine's Party!

Whimsy Clips

Whimsy Clips!!!
Please scroll down past The Simple Woman's Daybook for today's post on these fun, easy, Valentine clips. (These use totally all recycled materials and are so cute.)

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today, February 9, 2009

Outside my window... There is a light dusting of new snow. We are supposed to get more today, tonight and into tomorrow. I guess the ground hog's prediction was right--- more winter.

I am thankful for... living in this country of freedom and even though we complain about the price of gas and food, I am glad I do not have to stand in long food lines to receive my bread and other necessities and glad that I have a car to drive.

I am creating... Valentines for those I love. I have a few more to make then I must put them in the mail quickly so they will arrive in time.

I am reading...These is My Words by Nancy E. Turner. I am about half way through it and loving it. I am still reading at night but it is so interesting that I give myself 15 minutes to read but last night that turned into 1 hour before I could quit, and then only reluctantly because I knew I had to get up early to workout.

I am hoping... to be with my grandchildren sometime this week. I must plan that out.

I am hearing... the wind outside my window. Last night it was very loud with the trees swaying and the vents from the oven and fans flapping making quite a noise.

Around the house.... things need attention. I have spent so much time playing, and entertaining that my house feels neglected. Cleaning has to be a priority today although it would be easy to relegate that chore to another time.

One of my favorite things... is feeling organized (which I do not feel today).

A few plans for the rest of the week: To finish my Valentines cards, clean the room where I made them, also clean my house, meet with my financial advisor, get organized for the week, read my scriptures and get caught up with the Sunday School lessons, visit my sweet Aunt and spend time with my grandchildren

My picture thought for today

To learn more and read other Simple Woman's Daybooks click here

Valentine Whimsey Clips

Here's an easy, fun idea for Valentines --make Whimsey Clips! These are the supplies needed: Used tissue, ribbon, glue gun, wire or thin string, and any of the following: scrapbook paper, fabric torn in strips, buttons. Really anything you'd like to put in it. These are made kind of like a corsage. Cut or tear tissue in wide strips, add ribbons in varying lengths and widths, paper torn in long strips, and anything else you want to put in it. Secure all of these together in the center (lengthwise) and wire together. Scrunch them up and fluff them. Then glue gun the back of it onto a wooden clothespin. There, you have made a Whimsey Clip!

This one has 4 different ribbons and scapbook paper with printing on it.

This one has checked tissue as well as plain and red polka dot. Also pink paper ribbon and fabric small heart print strips like ribbon.
This one has tulle in it as well. You can glue gun a button to hide the wire in the middle.
This one has touches of pink and gold in the ribbon and tissue.

Now, what to do with them? Wear them?

Add one to your purse!

Decorate with them!

Tuck one in a corner display.
Remember my Valentine banner above?

I added one to each end and it looks more festive.
Use several together on a Valentine sign holder.

Have fun with this idea!