Ladder Pot Rack

I lived in Louisiana during Katrina.  After the storm I found an "unusable" ladder in someone's trash pile.  I grabbed in knowing that I could use it for SOMETHING.  It came to Oklahoma with me and now, 8 years later I finally found a use for it.

I took off all the ugly stickers, stained it and made two shelves for it.  I drilled some holes and added twine and S hooks.

Behold....POT RACK!

I lived in Louisiana during Katrina.  After the storm I found an "unusable" ladder in someone's trash pile.  I grabbed in knowing that I could use it for SOMETHING.  It came to Oklahoma with me and now, 8 years later I finally found a use for it.

I took off all the ugly stickers, stained it and made two shelves for it.  I drilled some holes and added twine and S hooks.

Behold....POT RACK!

Chairs - Great find

I found some awesome chairs at the Habitat for Humanity Restore.  If you have one in your area, you should definitely check them out for bits and pieces of goodness on the cheap.  And you'll be helping a great cause.  These chairs were $5 each.  I painted them and gave them a seat.  I love these and they will live in my office.

Before

After

Step by step:

 

I traced the outline of the seat onto some particle board and cut it out with my jigsaw.  

Then I traced the board's shape onto some thick foam and cut it out.

 

I glued the foam to the board and covered the whole thing with outdoor fabric I got for 50% off at Joann's Fabrics.  

Easy weekend project.

I found some awesome chairs at the Habitat for Humanity Restore.  If you have one in your area, you should definitely check them out for bits and pieces of goodness on the cheap.  And you'll be helping a great cause.  These chairs were $5 each.  I painted them and gave them a seat.  I love these and they will live in my office.

Before

After

Step by step:

 

I traced the outline of the seat onto some particle board and cut it out with my jigsaw.  

Then I traced the board's shape onto some thick foam and cut it out.

 

I glued the foam to the board and covered the whole thing with outdoor fabric I got for 50% off at Joann's Fabrics.  

Easy weekend project.

Roasted vegetable gravy

I love gravy.  It's one of my favorite things in the world.  This is one of my favorite gravy recipes.

When I roast a chicken I put parsnips, carrots, onions, celery and mushrooms in the bottom of the pan with NO WATER.

When the chicken is roasted and the vegetables are nice and brown, you can add a little bit of water or chicken broth to the bottom of the pan.

It should look like this when you take it out of the oven.

Take all the delicious roasted vegetables out leaving the drippings in the pan.  Put vegetables in a blender, add chicken broth and blend it up!

Now use the pureed vegetables to thicken your gravy.  Add some chicken bouillon, chicken broth, salt, pepper and thyme.

You may need to add a tiny bit of flour/butter to thicken at the end.  Then add a few pats of butter.

This makes a TON of gravy.  You can freeze it and use it later.  :)  Mmm!

I love gravy.  It's one of my favorite things in the world.  This is one of my favorite gravy recipes.

When I roast a chicken I put parsnips, carrots, onions, celery and mushrooms in the bottom of the pan with NO WATER.

When the chicken is roasted and the vegetables are nice and brown, you can add a little bit of water or chicken broth to the bottom of the pan.

It should look like this when you take it out of the oven.

Take all the delicious roasted vegetables out leaving the drippings in the pan.  Put vegetables in a blender, add chicken broth and blend it up!

Now use the pureed vegetables to thicken your gravy.  Add some chicken bouillon, chicken broth, salt, pepper and thyme.

You may need to add a tiny bit of flour/butter to thicken at the end.  Then add a few pats of butter.

This makes a TON of gravy.  You can freeze it and use it later.  :)  Mmm!

Seafood Pasta Salad

I don't have measurements for this one...you can add as much of each ingredient as you like.

Large elbow macaroni cooked in well salted water.
Gulf shrimp, boiled in water seasoned with salt and Zatarain's liquid crab boil.
Krab (with a K)
fresh dill and parsley
a cucumber
grape tomatoes cut in half
lots of celery
2 leeks
salt and pepper
sour cream
mayonaise
lemon juice

I don't have measurements for this one...you can add as much of each ingredient as you like.

Large elbow macaroni cooked in well salted water.
Gulf shrimp, boiled in water seasoned with salt and Zatarain's liquid crab boil.
Krab (with a K)
fresh dill and parsley
a cucumber
grape tomatoes cut in half
lots of celery
2 leeks
salt and pepper
sour cream
mayonaise
lemon juice

Onion Dip!

Alton Brown's Onion Dip. Soooo yummy.  I double because I know I'm going to eat the whole thing

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups diced onions
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions
In a saute pan over medium heat add oil, heat and add onions and salt. Cook the onions until they are caramelized, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Mix the rest of the ingredients, and then add the cooled onions. Refrigerate and stir again before serving.

Alton Brown's Onion Dip. Soooo yummy.  I double because I know I'm going to eat the whole thing

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups diced onions
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions
In a saute pan over medium heat add oil, heat and add onions and salt. Cook the onions until they are caramelized, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Mix the rest of the ingredients, and then add the cooled onions. Refrigerate and stir again before serving.

Garlic olive oil

I love garlic. And I love olive oil. I simmered about 20 cloves of garlic in enough olive oil to cover for 20 minutes. I used the garlic in one recipe and saved the olive oil to dip crusty bread in. So so tasty.

I love garlic. And I love olive oil. I simmered about 20 cloves of garlic in enough olive oil to cover for 20 minutes. I used the garlic in one recipe and saved the olive oil to dip crusty bread in. So so tasty.

Coffee Bar

I bought a Keurig this year.  And because I don't have a lot of counter space I wanted to make a coffee bar for the dining room.  Off to Pinterest for inspiration.  Lots and lots of coffee bars on there!

I like this one best.  So I made it!

If you search for "coffee bar" on Pinterest you'll see lots and lots of coffee bars with that same shelf above.  I only realized this AFTER I bought that shelf.  Great minds think alike.  It was $60 at Hobby Lobby when metal was on sale for 50% off...which is like, every week.

I bought a Keurig this year.  And because I don't have a lot of counter space I wanted to make a coffee bar for the dining room.  Off to Pinterest for inspiration.  Lots and lots of coffee bars on there!

I like this one best.  So I made it!

If you search for "coffee bar" on Pinterest you'll see lots and lots of coffee bars with that same shelf above.  I only realized this AFTER I bought that shelf.  Great minds think alike.  It was $60 at Hobby Lobby when metal was on sale for 50% off...which is like, every week.

Blueberry Apple Walnut Maple Cream Crockpot Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 4 apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 pint fresh blueberries
• 1 cup walnuts
• 4-1/2 cups milk (or substitute non-diary alternative like almond milk)
• 4-1/2 cups water
• 3 cups uncooked steel-cut oats
• 1 cup brown sugar 
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup maple syrup (depending on how sweet you want it)
• 1 stick butter, cut into 8 pieces
• heavy whipping cream

Spray the inside of your crockpot with cooking spray.  Add all the ingredients except the whipping cream.  Stir, cover, and cook on low for approx. 7 hours (slow cooker times can vary).

Add heavy whipping cream at the end to thin out your oatmeal.

This makes an entire crockpot full of oatmeal.  You can also make this on the stove in smaller batches by following the directions on your oatmeal, using 1/2 milk and 1/2 water and as much fruit as you would like.

Ingredients

• 4 apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 pint fresh blueberries
• 1 cup walnuts
• 4-1/2 cups milk (or substitute non-diary alternative like almond milk)
• 4-1/2 cups water
• 3 cups uncooked steel-cut oats
• 1 cup brown sugar 
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup maple syrup (depending on how sweet you want it)
• 1 stick butter, cut into 8 pieces
• heavy whipping cream

Spray the inside of your crockpot with cooking spray.  Add all the ingredients except the whipping cream.  Stir, cover, and cook on low for approx. 7 hours (slow cooker times can vary).

Add heavy whipping cream at the end to thin out your oatmeal.

This makes an entire crockpot full of oatmeal.  You can also make this on the stove in smaller batches by following the directions on your oatmeal, using 1/2 milk and 1/2 water and as much fruit as you would like.

Wish List

shutters
old doors
old windows
casters
door knobs
pallets

shutters
old doors
old windows
casters
door knobs
pallets

Signs

I get alot of my inspiration from other blogs...and then I make the idea my own.  I saw this project on Itsy Bits and Pieces.

I've lived in over 13 different cities up and down the center of our country.  I thought it would be fun to make signs like this one with each of those cities.  It's an ongoing project.  I've got three done.

This is my entryway.

I get alot of my inspiration from other blogs...and then I make the idea my own.  I saw this project on Itsy Bits and Pieces.

I've lived in over 13 different cities up and down the center of our country.  I thought it would be fun to make signs like this one with each of those cities.  It's an ongoing project.  I've got three done.

This is my entryway.