tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19156590938522626602024-03-17T22:03:33.119-05:00The Creative VaultAlicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.comBlogger178125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-35588993572166882052013-10-19T01:31:00.001-05:002013-10-19T01:31:13.846-05:00Jake & Izzy Neverland Pirates Costumes {DIY No Sew Scalloped Tee Tutorial}Remember
back in the day when Halloween consisted of just one night when you went around your neighborhood and trick or treated your heart out? Now, Halloween has turned into a month long extravaganza with parties, carnivals, parades, dances, events and a whole lot of candy. I'm not really complaining since Halloween is one of my favorite holiday's but it does mean that I have to get an early start on the costumes. Luckily the kids decided on what they wanted to be all the way back in May - Jake and Izzy from the Neverland Pirates.<br />
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And today I'm going to show you how I made the Izzy scalloped tee. I know it seems weird for me to be on top of things and actually put out a holiday tutorial in an appropriate time frame in relation to the holiday but this year I shocked even myself and got 'er done! Don't be fooled into thinking I have my act completely together though. Just yesterday I found an uncashed check for my 25th birthday {I'm *ahem* 31.} Also I went an entire day this summer running errands with my yoga pants on inside out. There was even a little crotch panel and a tag on the back. I died. But I digress... Let's get back to the costumes- <br />
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And just in case you don't know who Jake and Izzy are, it's these guys - </div>
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I'm sure you can guess by my lack of crafty posts lately that I have been not quite feelin' it in the creative department so I wanted to keep things as simple as possible and wanted to make these NO SEW! Each costume consists of clothes they already have and a custom made-by-mom t-shirt. </div>
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Each tee cost me $3. The bandana was $1.99 and a $1 tube of puffy paint was all I needed. The rest of the supplies (felt, fabric, buttons & ribbon) were from my stash. </div>
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For <strike>Jackson's</strike> I mean Jake's tee I just hot glued pieces of felt onto the front. I then glued on ribbon trim and buttons. I chopped up the sleeves to give it that authentic tattered pirate look. Or as Jackson would say, "Mom, I look like a pie-rick!" If you're wondering about the face this is his "yargh!" face.</div>
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<strike>Maggie</strike> oops, Izzy, got the coveted pixie dust necklace. I used hot glue to make a little pouch, filled it with a little fluff and tied it off with some ribbon. <br />
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But the great little scallops are what this tutorial is all about.<br />
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This scallop technique is a great no sew way to add a great detail to any costume. I can see this working for a knight, or a fairy, a flower, you name it.<br />
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Are you ready for the world's easiest tutorial?</div>
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<strong>Step 1:</strong> Cut off hem of shirt and turn it inside out.</div>
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<strong>Step 2:</strong> Iron a strip of light weight iron on interfacing to the bottom of the shirt. This will make sure the scallops on the cut t-shirt don't roll and keep their shape.</div>
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<strong>Step 3:</strong> Draw scallops onto interfacing. Tip - Start with a half scallop on the sides and work your way into the middle of the shirt so you have nice even scallops all the way around.<br />
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<strong>Step 4:</strong> Cut. I cut both layers at once so that the scallops were even on both sides.<br />
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<strong>Step 5:</strong> Flip shirt right side out and add details with glitter puffy paint. The glitter is important because for reasons unknown to man it makes girls feel pretty and fancy and it's just plain cute.<br />
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At this point I added my paint scallops to the arms, and neck as well. After the 4 hours the bottle told me to let it all dry, I flipped it over and added the paint details to the backside of the shirt.<br />
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As far as tips for the bandana I would recommend putting it on your child and marking where the ear ends. Do this for each side. <br />
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Place your paint detail between those spots so that when you tie on the head band you don't get snagged up on paint and so none of the pattern gets lost in the tie. It just makes for a cleaner look in my opinion. Plus I didn't want to hear the freak out if the paint started to peel off from the friction of the tie because you know those kinds of things are the end of the world to a 5 year old.<br />
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And Booyah! It was THAT easy! </div>
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Costumes that require little time, little money and little skill and effort always get a big thumbs up from me! Not to mention the joy they bring your kids. Mine were so happy and grateful that not only did they hug me but they hugged each other. It was a Halloween miracle.<br />
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So do tell, what are your munchkins going to be this year?? </div>
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Feel free to link up any pics or posts you may have so we can all visit and give a great big collective "awe". </div>
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Did I mention I just love Halloween? </div>
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I love Halloween.</div>
Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-81927865744828818812013-08-27T15:23:00.000-05:002013-08-27T15:31:56.088-05:00Mediterranean Chickpea SaladJust thought I would stop into the ol' blog today and share what I had for lunch with you. I opened up the cupboards today, threw some foods together that I love and this tasty salad was born. It is light and refreshing and filling at the same time. The flavor combination was wonderful and the best news is it's only 152 calories per serving. Yes. Yes. YES!<br />
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<strong><u>Ingredients:</u></strong><br />
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<li>1 can chickpeas, drained</li>
<li>1 cup spinach, chopped</li>
<li>1 tomato, diced</li>
<li>1/8 cup feta cheese</li>
<li>olive oil, drizzle or about 1 TB</li>
<li>balsamic vinegar, drizzle or about 1 TB</li>
<li>1/2 tsp dried basil, or fresh to taste</li>
<li>lemon pepper to taste</li>
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<strong><u>Directions:</u></strong><br />
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<li> Place all ingredients in a bowl and give it a good stir. Eat right away or allow salad to marinate.</li>
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Serves: 4<br />
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This salad could not be easier and it's super good for you too! Check out the nutritional information below - hello protein and vitamins! <br />
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The nutritional information was determined through the app MyFitnessPal which I have on my iPod. It's a great app to track your dietary intake, exercise and progress as well as communicate and get encouragement from your friends. It also lets you put in your own recipes. I love it. I need to use it more often. You'd be surprised at how many calories you actually eat in a day. My sister-in-law lost a good amount of weight from using it and it has started her on a pathway to healthy living (which she chronicles over at <a href="http://lemonlivingllc.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Lemon Living</a>). I'm not paid to brag about the app. I just think it's a really good resource for those trying to improve their health habits. If you have the app you can locate this recipe by searching for Mediterranean Chickpea Salad - The Creative Vault.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlfA6RBh5VswimFSuWqIs4BK1wwNrMG8QS5h14zh6MzSUAzU4JuSaUyy2eDZ1kViLJb-yqLQwGYC3xayS1JHZM2ZsjOb2hocEqBau9WFznEkNFW_jtnspnjM48rPyNcaUofqQi5dxvfA/s1600/Signature.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="90" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlfA6RBh5VswimFSuWqIs4BK1wwNrMG8QS5h14zh6MzSUAzU4JuSaUyy2eDZ1kViLJb-yqLQwGYC3xayS1JHZM2ZsjOb2hocEqBau9WFznEkNFW_jtnspnjM48rPyNcaUofqQi5dxvfA/s320/Signature.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-10516671390222812292013-08-14T08:00:00.000-05:002013-08-14T09:24:37.751-05:00Dresser Before and After<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I so wish I could take credit for this furniture transformation. This past week I have been selling furniture online for a friend. I posted a dresser and a woman named Liz snatched it up right away. As a hobby and side gig she refinished old furniture. She picked up the dresser Sunday afternoon and by Tuesday morning she sent me a picture of the after.</div>
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IT. IS. BEAUTIFUL.</div>
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RIGHT?!? </div>
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I can't even believe how beautiful it turned out and how quickly she works! Seriously impressive. I knew you guys would be interested in a little furniture inspiration. </div>
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It appears that she sanded the top and gave it a coat of beautiful stain to bring out those beautiful wood tones. (The scroll part in the pic is actually another piece of furniture and isn't part of the dresser.) The brassy hardware all got a coat of paint. The dresser itself was painted in white with a glaze over top. I want it back now!!</div>
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If you're local to the Birmingham area you can sometimes find Liz's pieces posted on Facebook at Mountain Brook Trading and Resale 280.</div>
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Do you guys refinish furniture? I'm really wanting to get into it. What are your favorite techniques? What do you use to paint - chalk paint, spray paint, glaze, stain? I'd love to hear your tips and tricks! Also feel free to link any before and afters you have in the comments. I LOVE before and afters!</div>
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**UPDATE: Liz shared with me her color selections in case you want to recreate the look. It was a custom mix cream , and glazed with an aged bronze glaze. Hardware was painted in hammered bronze</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlfA6RBh5VswimFSuWqIs4BK1wwNrMG8QS5h14zh6MzSUAzU4JuSaUyy2eDZ1kViLJb-yqLQwGYC3xayS1JHZM2ZsjOb2hocEqBau9WFznEkNFW_jtnspnjM48rPyNcaUofqQi5dxvfA/s1600/Signature.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="90" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlfA6RBh5VswimFSuWqIs4BK1wwNrMG8QS5h14zh6MzSUAzU4JuSaUyy2eDZ1kViLJb-yqLQwGYC3xayS1JHZM2ZsjOb2hocEqBau9WFznEkNFW_jtnspnjM48rPyNcaUofqQi5dxvfA/s320/Signature.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-37616673562537843932013-07-03T10:31:00.001-05:002013-07-03T10:31:14.988-05:00Independence Day Tie-Dye<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://thecreativevault.blogspot.com/2011/07/stars-stripes-forever-tie-dye.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtES0-TwwPKQ-UqkkLx5eeiWfk-UL5VrD46-wBCtBYa73iKo6wTYzCyjPhy65IBTiG0aMt2T1yBd8w8I_mynxDu0hc-xabUv2bdkyU4PAXV-034RBHh-8LCIc-9eU_q9SUDJYQvhODUL4/s400/Maggie+10133+edit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Are you preparing yourself for the 4th of July?! We love all the celebrations every year {especially since you can light all the fireworks you want here in Alabama}! I still don't know what I'm going to do for patriotic outfits for the kids. I figured you might be in the same situation so I wanted to remind you of my super easy <a href="http://thecreativevault.blogspot.com/2011/07/stars-stripes-forever-tie-dye.html" target="_blank">Stars and Stripes Forever Tie-Dye</a>. {Click the link for the full tutorial.}<br />
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I've gone all out in the past with red white and blue refashions like this <a href="http://thecreativevault.blogspot.com/2011/06/rocket-pop-dress.html" target="_blank">Rocket Pop Dress</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://thecreativevault.blogspot.com/2011/06/rocket-pop-dress.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-X1ygZkGN49NraotgFq_1hmp6v5L5Tt9g0k1ld_E3FFCK7ORGk7JU2SpnwDLRRHTjVcZFd8Z32uNw7KGXCUOZVSEalJZhiDroyqE0ikimjO9-dP_7lbCSqOIaliiEKlvD8N5dZ9KTX0/s320/Maggie+5154+edit.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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Or the <a href="http://thecreativevault.blogspot.com/2011/06/new-glory-his-and-hers-independence-day.html" target="_blank">New Glory His and Hers Outfits</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://thecreativevault.blogspot.com/2011/06/new-glory-his-and-hers-independence-day.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjON0jToWJ8xC7A4IUxXta8k8m7I0BQGFmOQcytE8CTYNLvukCNunf9fmlrBPT1u7gjpBWzFiwfuJ6QEl0ibRCKUqfYSZesap6DR04Lcd1l3IcO3gdfrpqrwCEyMkWMoiLndDpHuqsoj5c/s320/New+Glory.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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But this year the holiday just snuck up on me. I'll have to dig through old clothes to see if anything inspires me. Do you have any ideas for me? I'd love to hear them. Feel free to leave links in the comment section if you like.<br />
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Have a safe and fun holiday! Go America!<br />
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Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-88710113039280342642013-06-24T14:29:00.000-05:002013-06-24T14:31:53.498-05:00The Snitch TeeWhat is the best book series in the whole entire world? If you answered Harry Potter you are correct. 100 points to Gryffindor!<br />
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I'm always looking for new t-shirt ideas for Jackson and when I can throw a little Harry Potter in the mix it's just a great big golden bonus. Speaking of golden, here is Jackson's golden snitch tee.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOwYp_wUTunLJ5IGzmU2b6SRGQCGSYnnLG3dlPfqtltSWqDoftY1-RsMI-QQdUmN4IAbMj5UYf_Ye3Bn8vcWN2jrYFP2z93jpVCtuVjTU5Wxdr4sxai7hA39i5ZSzDJe485jVlwoSXt0c/s1600/Snitch+Tee+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOwYp_wUTunLJ5IGzmU2b6SRGQCGSYnnLG3dlPfqtltSWqDoftY1-RsMI-QQdUmN4IAbMj5UYf_Ye3Bn8vcWN2jrYFP2z93jpVCtuVjTU5Wxdr4sxai7hA39i5ZSzDJe485jVlwoSXt0c/s640/Snitch+Tee+1.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is a hard shirt to photograph {mostly because it's always covered in dirt from a messy little boy who won't stand still}. It's just a plain black tee, a painted snitch and hand embroidered detail and if you keep reading I'll tell you exactly how to make one of your own.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaasT-R9quTxzqGa-HcWjPEg5rF9VwTq8oe3hcHZ1cYZ7lxYZ1duIl65O1nMUyJHtKpOXns0zSJiqaX3Dyp9UscdS84VWwV6vB19cvPAS3tzKaMRJWZd08dxznjO6vy750jXo0tqZkVBw/s1600/Snitch+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaasT-R9quTxzqGa-HcWjPEg5rF9VwTq8oe3hcHZ1cYZ7lxYZ1duIl65O1nMUyJHtKpOXns0zSJiqaX3Dyp9UscdS84VWwV6vB19cvPAS3tzKaMRJWZd08dxznjO6vy750jXo0tqZkVBw/s640/Snitch+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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A few weeks ago the school age son of a friend of mine saw this shirt and begged his mom to go to the store to buy him one that very instant. It was nice to know that the shirt was "cool" and that he recognized it as a snitch.<br />
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Jackson usually wears it with his mustard skinny cords.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSiRwEPDiYjkOdQhuCmR-iWlFsMs9oVcCHxW4na0aVs_K6V9kpmYsRVO6SmQbhpORiVsgiRjBxQpQxKL9b3HgZoMwrQ2CzDEPK5G6JwJ_4CNF5wBncWPMnMywyTPmyE76JcG9C3FWJDGY/s1600/Snitch+Tee+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSiRwEPDiYjkOdQhuCmR-iWlFsMs9oVcCHxW4na0aVs_K6V9kpmYsRVO6SmQbhpORiVsgiRjBxQpQxKL9b3HgZoMwrQ2CzDEPK5G6JwJ_4CNF5wBncWPMnMywyTPmyE76JcG9C3FWJDGY/s640/Snitch+Tee+2.png" width="480" /></a></div>
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Want to make your own??</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">ACCIO TUTORIAL!!!!!</span></div>
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<strong><u>Supplies:</u></strong></div>
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t-shirt</div>
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interfacing</div>
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gold craft paint</div>
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gold embroidery thread</div>
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needle</div>
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iron</div>
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freezer paper stencil</div>
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<strong><u>Directions:</u></strong></div>
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<strong>Step 1: </strong>Cut out an image of a snitch onto freezer paper. You can trace a snitch onto paper and cut it out or you can print it directly onto the freezer paper and cut it out from there. This makes your stencil. You don't need any detail with the stencil just the outlined image.</div>
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<strong>Step 2:</strong> Iron on a small rectangle of interfacing to the inside of the shirt in the area that you want the design. This acts as a stabilizer for your embroidery. Without it your image will come out wonky and will not hold shape over time {for reference the shirt you see in the picture has been washed dozens of times and still holds it's shape}.</div>
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<strong>Step 3:</strong> Iron the freezer paper stencil onto the front of the shirt and use the gold paint to paint inside the stencil. * You'll probably want to put a piece of card board inside the shirt before you paint to keep the paint from bleeding through to the back.</div>
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<strong>Step 4:</strong> After the snitch is dry, add detail using embroidery thread. There are many ways you can do this. I didn't do anything technical, I just free hand stitched. I really don't know anything about hand embroidery but according to this <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/272397477434899189/" target="_blank">pin</a> the technique I used looks similar to the "threaded running stitch".</div>
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And that's it! The whole project took me about an hour to create while I watched Downton Abby for the millionth time. You really can do so many things with this painting and embroidery technique you're only limited to your imagination.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPusJwTimqFC8UKHte9L0tAeBIqfbqkqp4J_csGC8MHz7zhppm5MVJh5Salszdr2M2BH9OQwEuKfL26qUttTQjhMiHr2o01VV0JiwKk5WgpsVbGn3pVpqv78oy4Cg6EfyWsCYYB_fgRY/s1600/DSC_0437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPusJwTimqFC8UKHte9L0tAeBIqfbqkqp4J_csGC8MHz7zhppm5MVJh5Salszdr2M2BH9OQwEuKfL26qUttTQjhMiHr2o01VV0JiwKk5WgpsVbGn3pVpqv78oy4Cg6EfyWsCYYB_fgRY/s640/DSC_0437.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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This shirt and this boy are just so cool that the crazy Mamarazzi just can't stop taking pictures of them!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9bJKL27L3bFuGGLcg79limCLaol94JC7zt3qxwNMLVlHHtrUKfxQfiEx4Q3jD72vhcLACOAsEFHtws8qUdirYZZn0r3q006v8ca5V15dNtF81I1gwLALg2_p8cuXNW5so8PUqjpYNjZA/s1600/DSC_0443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9bJKL27L3bFuGGLcg79limCLaol94JC7zt3qxwNMLVlHHtrUKfxQfiEx4Q3jD72vhcLACOAsEFHtws8qUdirYZZn0r3q006v8ca5V15dNtF81I1gwLALg2_p8cuXNW5so8PUqjpYNjZA/s640/DSC_0443.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Alright, I'm off to go dig up my old Harry Potter books and read them all again! </div>
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Are you as obsessed as I am?
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Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-69763233921835709692013-06-11T23:19:00.001-05:002013-06-11T23:19:44.746-05:00Father's Day Ideas From The Creative VaultSo Father's Day is coming up. I wish I had some new tutorials for you but it has snuck up on me. If you're feeling the same I thought I'd share with you a few things I've done in the past so maybe you can feel inspired to make dad something before the big day.<br />
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Here's the Grilling Apron I made for my dad one year.
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<a href="http://thecreativevault.blogspot.com/2011/09/grilling-apron.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFbzgCdavoQGbXNKU-BWFmr21GULXBpFsxfQms2YIFOi1XBL_pk-2pe90VONhHPeeYz7Pm7RL3z4yvkBkGyF5zluO3zYKoNZIu2LVYzZXdJXGIZSY4yQgTs11w5kY25uOymevVDTTPqE/s320/Maggie+6725.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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{click <a href="http://thecreativevault.blogspot.com/2011/09/grilling-apron.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> or on pic for more info}</div>
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And here's the really simple Father's Day Treats Done Two Ways:</div>
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<a href="http://thecreativevault.blogspot.com/search/label/Father%27s%20Day" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWkdTu_92cpi6ZP1xtTyjV7a8NjqOpGBwd-C_ZGjgikhEc2Whyphenhyphen_eHYPRM6HC3MDVbvREYNJlLdZ3jrT6NbpJfGzZQE9TGEVvQDHYZUD0dKJvZUi1VosJ8fIeeZHaOnQPeMMNFhz7SLPE/s320/Maggie+9725.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://thecreativevault.blogspot.com/search/label/Father%27s%20Day" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkfnP1pZkKZWcjvQK7OIW1ssGnwKRTN2Fldh3nRwNw0ic_YLNCJxPh2dYOvl9MfRPprRpJPg127d0I2xXTqPVIxA09rKAwA3eJMtIvlKjEELNA5jJ0pPiDFBUGI93sdpAul2KvXy6NIso/s320/Maggie+9726.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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{click <a href="http://thecreativevault.blogspot.com/search/label/Father%27s%20Day" target="_blank">HERE</a> or on pic for more info}</div>
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And I didn't make these cupcakes but my talented friend Amy at <a href="http://indulgewithme.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Indulge With Me</a> did. She did these for her husband one year for Father's Day and I just adore them. I mean, tiny BBQ's!! Adorable.</div>
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<a href="http://indulgewithme.blogspot.com/search/label/grill%20cupcakes" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWRypxc6gFHCPrMr4ccvHAeiMxwmjEwePKig1fdAdItW6x7YH52YzE5MUlvp-iRjrNUby63kazb1eRPBHaJnBCjz0824JM3ENHxbuq-Ea9I7LnBdJBEBz-XXlDHNVvQTzAEvGMS1i6Hyw/s320/DSC_0034.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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{click <a href="http://indulgewithme.blogspot.com/search/label/grill%20cupcakes" target="_blank">HERE</a> or on pic for more info}</div>
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I may try and tackle making these cupcakes for John. So far all the direction the kids have given me is that dad should have some orange juice. I guess it's a start.</div>
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What are you doing for dad this year? Feel free to leave a comment or links in the comment section and share what you have planned. I need some inspiration!</div>
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So grateful for all the great dads I know!</div>
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Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-19646693011834826462013-05-30T15:49:00.000-05:002013-05-30T15:59:56.403-05:00Graduation Crafts! Diploma Cover ScrapbookHey, hey, hey!
It's graduation time! There's nothing like the feeling of letting all those school burdens go and feeling that sense of accomplishment. Plus, it makes me want to sing <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00123HGJ2/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00123HGJ2&linkCode=as2&tag=thecrevau-20" target="_blank">School's Out by Alice Cooper</a> and who doesn't love that song? Nobody, that's who, because that song is awesome.<br />
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Johnny Boy and I got married our Junior year of college so we spent our Senior year and our first year of marriage enjoying date nights at the library. Oh yeah, keepin' the romance alive. Nothing says love like a 1,000 page science textbook. We graduated Spring of 2006 from BYU-Idaho, John with a bachelor degree in Chemistry and me with a bachelor degree in Geology and Earth Science. Nerds. You can say it. We know. <br />
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John's parents were generous and bought us nice frames for our diplomas which left us with these empty diploma covers. You know I wasn't going to let that go to waste.<br />
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The cover is a nice pleather and satin bound cover with our university stamped in silver on the front. This isn't a piece of junk {I mean I paid thousands of dollars and years of my life to get it} and it had a greater purpose than just tossing it.<br />
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So I added a few scrapbook stickers and pictures from our big day and The Diploma Cover Scrapbook was born.<br />
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This scrapbook is John's. Mine is basically the same. Just with a few more pictures of my parents.<br />
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I also had these cute little diplomas that I stuck in there. You can buy a similar one <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000XAOVTI/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000XAOVTI&linkCode=as2&tag=thecrevau-20" target="_blank">HERE</a>. If you don't frame your original diploma you could still keep it in the cover and just scrapbook the left cover. Lot's of options here.<br />
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The scrapbook is nice and compact and fits on my bookshelf but I can also take it out every spring to remember the accomplishments that we achieved and look at how cute we look in black robes and cardboard hats pre-children.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Graduation to All You Grads!</span> </div>
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Feel free to turn this post into a little graduation brag board - Did your baby graduate Kindergarden, High School, College? Give a shout out to your High School {Reed High class of 2000!} or did you finally pass all your classes and get that higher degree? Whatever it is, y'all have worked hard so be sure to brag about it below in the comments! </div>
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Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-77146511061255320702013-05-18T11:45:00.000-05:002013-05-18T11:45:45.223-05:00Personalized Paper Doll Quiet Books I was going through old posts on my family blog today and discovered this fun project I did for Maggie a few years ago. It's a personalized paper doll quiet book. This book was very easy to make and could be used not only for entertainment but would be a great way to help with <a href="http://thecreativevault.blogspot.com/search/label/Speech%20Therapy" target="_blank">speech therapy</a>, or even learning how to match and dress oneself.
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How I made my book:<br />
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1. I used my Cricut cartridge, Paper Doll Dress Up to create all of the images, however you could always just cut out pieces by hand if you do not have a Cricut.<br />
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2. I created the main doll by cutting out a doll and trying to make it look as much like Mags as possible, long brown hair, blue eyes etc. I also used different outfits on the cartridge to make an undershirt and underpants. {The fewer naked dolls we have around here the better. Why are there always so many naked Barbies at my house??} I also decorated the background page by cutting out grass and flowers.<br />
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3. I then used patterned paper and cut out a few dresses. You could also cut out shoes, socks, pants, shirts, hats, headbands, wands etc. This cartridge basically has everything.<br />
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4. I then used my <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20src=%22http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thecrevau-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0010JEJPC&ref=tf_til&fc1=A79090&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=E77800&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>" target="_blank">personal laminator</a> to laminate all the pieces. I laminated the entire page of the main doll and each dress individually.<br />
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5. Glued the main page into a cheapy file folder.<br />
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6. On the back of each of the dresses is a piece of sticky tack. This allows for the pieces to be placed on the doll and stay in place.<br />
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Super simple little book that can provide lots of entertainment for your little one!<br />
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If you're looking for more ideas for paper dolls be sure to check out my tutorial for <br />
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<a href="http://thecreativevault.blogspot.com/2011/06/actual-size-paper-dolls.html" target="_blank">Actual Size Paper Dolls</a></div>
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<a href="http://thecreativevault.blogspot.com/search/label/Quiet%20Books" target="_blank">Or check out all of my other Quiet Books</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju9Vg6DpS_kZk8j7OyoxOWoGpxH2bR50YlyicdPjQZxcK3fg1HyuHQJWane8ljtt7_GsJqrvKNlvKNYvXS2Od3wmKdc8x5PrePLtsjq3atw_ferGdKdvycX3_HsGPlhg8ZJanf3m7D_-c/s1600/Maggie+8772.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju9Vg6DpS_kZk8j7OyoxOWoGpxH2bR50YlyicdPjQZxcK3fg1HyuHQJWane8ljtt7_GsJqrvKNlvKNYvXS2Od3wmKdc8x5PrePLtsjq3atw_ferGdKdvycX3_HsGPlhg8ZJanf3m7D_-c/s200/Maggie+8772.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-59377935731993245072013-05-13T08:19:00.001-05:002013-05-18T11:46:12.176-05:00Beach Fun and a WINNER!Hope y'all had a lovely Mother's Day, celebrating moms or even yourself. I've told you how much I love my momma so you know I was sad to not be with her in Nevada this year but the kids and John made up for it and took me to the beach for the weekend!! <br />
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We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express on the beach in Orange Beach, Alabama. The gulf is perfect and I highly recommend this hotel. It was wonderful. <br />
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We saw wild dolphins, built sand castles, swam, relaxed, collected shells (project coming soon!) and had a great time. The kids even got to touch a dead fish. Exciting!<br />
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At the end of the first day Maggie said, "I love me!" I loved hearing that and by the end of the trip I declared that I loved me too. I hope y'all take the chance to love yourselves as well. <br />
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P.S. Today, we wrap up the doTerra giveaway from Lemon Living! Thanks so much to them for proving such a great giveaway. The winner was #10 Mary. Thanks to everyone who entered!<br />
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Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-76208192159306031882013-05-06T00:28:00.000-05:002013-05-13T08:54:52.930-05:00CLOSED- doTerra essential oils from Lemon LivingTHIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNER #10 MARY! THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ENTERED! <br />
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For over a year now, my sister-in-law, Jill Lemon, has been on a journey for better health. She's focused on fitness, diet and enhancing her lifestyle. She's worked hard and it has paid off. Jill looks amazing but more importantly she feels amazing. <br />
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She's started a new blog called <a href="http://lemonlivingllc.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Lemon Living</a>, full of tips and tricks that she has used in her journey to better health and I'm happy to introduce you to that blog, Lemon Living.<br />
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In addition to exercise and better eating she has also discovered essential oils as a way to improve her health even more and has become a consultant for doTERRA oils. Now you need to understand something about Jill, she is not a person who wastes her time and money. She researches every purchase she makes and doesn't spend time doing things just for the sake of doing them or because it's the next best thing. So when she told me that she loved these oils and wanted to share them with others I sat up and took notice. These must be for reals because Jill wouldn't mess around with them if they weren't.<br />
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I was skeptical but she sent me a few samples which to my surprise I actually have enjoyed a lot. There are lots of ways that you can use these oils and they can help with a variety of ailments. Here are the samples she gave me and my experiences with them -<br />
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<ul><li><strong>Lavender:</strong> I used this on a patch of poison ivy I had on my arm. My ivy burn was close to healed when I started using the oil so I can't say that it "cured" my burn but it did make that patch's scar clear up a bit quicker than the other patches I had. My friend Mary also uses this as aroma when she cleans the floors and I plan to put a few drops in my carpet cleaner solution the next time I clean.</li><li><strong>Lemon:</strong> My husband had a major stomach ache a few days ago. He was complaining about being sick like only a man can do. I put two drops of lemon oil in a glass of water and made him take a sip. After only 5 minutes he was back to normal and even he had to admit that it really did make him feel better. I also plan to add this scent to my homemade cleaning supplies.</li><li><strong>Peppermint:</strong> Jill used to get migraines every day and since she started putting peppermint behind her ears every day. She hasn't had a migraine since she started doing this. I had a headache one day and I used the peppermint instead of Advil. I felt like it worked well. My daughter also complained of a headache one night. I put a drop on her forehead and she stopped complaining about the pain and started asking for candy because is smelled so good. Haha!</li><li><strong>Deep Blue:</strong> This is like a lotion with a mixture of a few different oils in it. It's supposed to help with things like sore muscles, bruises etc. I slept funny one night and my shoulder and neck were in so much pain I couldn't move them. I tried the Deep Blue and the pain was gone and I had mobility within minutes.</li></ul><br />
These are just a few examples of the uses for these oils there are hundreds more but these are the ones that have helped me in the past few weeks. I was skeptical at first but I really did like them and will be buying more in the future. You can find what oils are available and their uses <a href="https://www.iact1.com/doterra/ShoppingCart/Shop.cfm?LNG=en_dot&Theme=DefaultTheme&ReturnURL=http://www.mydoterra.com/lemonliving&OwnerID=379899" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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Now... who wants some free stuff??? I can sense you raising your hands behind those computer screens so let's get on with it.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Jill from Lemon Living is offering one lucky reader a <strong>doTERRA Introduction to Essential Oils Kit</strong> valued at $26.67. <u>The giveaway is open to anyone in the US or Canada</u>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>The doTERRA Introduction to Essential Oils Kit </strong><strong>includes:</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong></strong><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>- an introductory audio CD and booklet</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>- 5 ml of Lavender</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>- 5 ml of Lemon</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>- 5 ml of Peppermint</strong></div><br />
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Here's how you enter to win:<br />
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<ul><li><strong>Leave a comment on this post about essential oils.</strong> Have you used them before? What's your favorite? Are you skeptical? Do you have an ailment you hope they can fix? Do you make homemade soaps or lotions that could benefit from some delicious scent? Just leave a comment about anything and you're entered.</li><li><strong>BONUS ENTRIES</strong> just leave a separate comment for each one that you do to be entered multiple times. That's up to 8 chances to win!</li><ul><li><a href="http://lemonlivingllc.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Follow Lemon Living Blog</a></li><li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Lemonlivingllc" target="_blank">Follow Lemon Living on Facebook</a></li><li><a href="http://pinterest.com/lemonliving/" target="_blank">Follow Lemon Living on Pinterest</a></li><li><a href="http://lemonlivingllc.blogspot.com/p/purchase.html" target="_blank">Make a doTerra purchase from Lemon Living</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thecreativevault.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Follow The Creative Vault Blog</a></li><li><a href="http://pinterest.com/AliciaCutts" target="_blank">Follow The Creative Vault on Pinterest</a></li><li>Share this giveaway (pin it, facebook, email, google+, etc.)</li></ul></ul><br />
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The giveaway will be open for one week and a winner will be announced on Monday the 13th.<br />
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Thanks Jill for the awesome prize! Don't forget to visit her blog, <a href="http://lemonlivingllc.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Lemon Living</a> and say hello!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlfA6RBh5VswimFSuWqIs4BK1wwNrMG8QS5h14zh6MzSUAzU4JuSaUyy2eDZ1kViLJb-yqLQwGYC3xayS1JHZM2ZsjOb2hocEqBau9WFznEkNFW_jtnspnjM48rPyNcaUofqQi5dxvfA/s1600/Signature.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="90" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlfA6RBh5VswimFSuWqIs4BK1wwNrMG8QS5h14zh6MzSUAzU4JuSaUyy2eDZ1kViLJb-yqLQwGYC3xayS1JHZM2ZsjOb2hocEqBau9WFznEkNFW_jtnspnjM48rPyNcaUofqQi5dxvfA/s320/Signature.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-14748896964324898172013-04-10T22:36:00.000-05:002013-04-10T22:36:12.825-05:00Crockpot Chicken ChiliLooking
for something inexpensive, easy and delicious for dinner? Don't worry - I gotcha.<br />
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I made this dish for a freezer meal group I'm a part of. You can read more about how it works <a href="http://thecreativevault.blogspot.com/2012/10/freezer-meal-club.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. I ended up making seven meals which I put together in gallon sized Ziploc's and froze flat. Nice and compact for storing in the freezer.<br />
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This chili is really flavorful and has just the right amount of spices that everyone will love. It's great as a chili but also works well in tortillas as tacos. It would make a good chili to put on top hot dogs or nachos. Assembling the meal is simple and cooking it is even easier. Flick a switch on your crockpot and walk away. What's easier than that?!?<br />
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Here's how it's done - <br />
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<strong><u>Ingredients</u></strong><br />
<ul>
<li>1 large chicken breast</li>
<li>1 c. salsa (I used Pace )</li>
<li>1 onion chopped</li>
<li>1 cup water</li>
<li>2 cans chili beans in sauce</li>
<li>1 Tb. oregano</li>
<li>1 tsp. onion powder</li>
<li>1 tsp. cumin</li>
<li>1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper</li>
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<strong><u>Directions</u></strong><br />
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If making freezer meals - place all ingredients into Ziploc bag and freeze. When ready to cook remove from bag and place in crockpot (frozen or thawed). Cook on high for 4 hours until chicken easily shreds with a fork.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-91405662189422082192013-04-08T08:45:00.000-05:002013-04-08T08:51:10.422-05:00Updating the Deck - Phase 1It's spring so naturally I've been gradually emerging from the cave which is my house and getting out into the sun to work on some house projects. Plus, I'm tired of being fat and I've been looking for ways to "work out" without actually working out. Saturday's project was to tackle the deck.<br />
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When we bought the house in 2007 the deck pretty much looked exactly like this.<br />
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Outdated lattice and dead dry looking wood. I never had a deck growing up and I just figured that the deck was old and that's just what they looked like. I did not learn the magic of a pressure washer until recently. My neighbor just built a beautiful brand new deck which I have been enviously staring at for the last couple of months. I thought I was just doomed to have the crappy deck. But last week he had his deck stained and a man came out and pressure washed the stairs that we share at the same time {you can see them in the background}. They were new again! What?!? Seriously?! My deck isn't old and dried out! It's just dirty! It was like a tiny little flicker of hope burning inside me. <br />
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I could do this. I could make this baby awesome again. Sweetness.<br />
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The man who did the neighbors deck quoted me $1,000 to revamp mine. Uhhh.... no dude. That's cool. I think I can tackle this baby on my own.<br />
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So today was phase one. REMOVE THE LATTICE.<br />
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Wanna see how it looks now???<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5Z11M98Cj3SSVbUpwSPfTwwnZeqdL1in8nmVJkevXxZRiNgQgpaCGS79o8Hcm_3U5lOow5doZGlzdiKkYZ0XGxjDJ-EeLo7a961BzfBJ5R4wv6vM7YkLQ4d0WsSSbt7bw-0euPvmBsg/s640/blogger-image--769711761.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5Z11M98Cj3SSVbUpwSPfTwwnZeqdL1in8nmVJkevXxZRiNgQgpaCGS79o8Hcm_3U5lOow5doZGlzdiKkYZ0XGxjDJ-EeLo7a961BzfBJ5R4wv6vM7YkLQ4d0WsSSbt7bw-0euPvmBsg/s640/blogger-image--769711761.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Booyah!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Gone baby!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div>I did it mostly by myself {Jackson always had a tool in hand and Maggie helped me haul stuff to the curb}. But all it took was a hammer and a chair to stand on to reach all the tall parts.<br />
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Let's look again shall we?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnb8eNcsp6PrRbwlqK1z7q-RRhyOmcPnBPaZ_MFKAeMFimoGzUhmX-KUmuAuI3Cq-ACYbeRhh_GilwctpLH2NNy97MZbefHct_69AzDYihuveJW5CXbP2E8i5K_8K-AzyLciBMGphugms/s640/blogger-image-1611391405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnb8eNcsp6PrRbwlqK1z7q-RRhyOmcPnBPaZ_MFKAeMFimoGzUhmX-KUmuAuI3Cq-ACYbeRhh_GilwctpLH2NNy97MZbefHct_69AzDYihuveJW5CXbP2E8i5K_8K-AzyLciBMGphugms/s640/blogger-image-1611391405.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLhM3H-X-8HgQtkgMKQ1DxD_vT5Oq9AUiRM84NqndzbWcJO5X6yGtesvOUPHCojFZYPdmIXR459l-5mErU11AHq-gMSzUDmsfsAfFjylLva7Z3TBaDoPhXKB8tvGXJ0G7arcrjSuOIlJE/s640/blogger-image-680403380.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLhM3H-X-8HgQtkgMKQ1DxD_vT5Oq9AUiRM84NqndzbWcJO5X6yGtesvOUPHCojFZYPdmIXR459l-5mErU11AHq-gMSzUDmsfsAfFjylLva7Z3TBaDoPhXKB8tvGXJ0G7arcrjSuOIlJE/s640/blogger-image-680403380.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDdEHnVeAcMj_ExIU7ja5XbAxFY3WsR1hTdh1Geu0QdyK6R4gFTXzKe6NyrzN1XMrXC4jqgDB6muFLGHmfIgcO8Tjpa52JGb0KZziSqXa5X-OqlzpzogWRXOjMQaEPqIGsvV0PGFNDNE8/s640/blogger-image--140622644.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDdEHnVeAcMj_ExIU7ja5XbAxFY3WsR1hTdh1Geu0QdyK6R4gFTXzKe6NyrzN1XMrXC4jqgDB6muFLGHmfIgcO8Tjpa52JGb0KZziSqXa5X-OqlzpzogWRXOjMQaEPqIGsvV0PGFNDNE8/s640/blogger-image--140622644.jpg" /></a></div>So much better right?!?<br />
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To remove it I just used a hammer to remove the rusty nails and to act as a crow bar. The lattice came off fairly easily after that. I listed the large lattice pieces on Craigslist for free {maybe someone could use them in their garden} but I'm pretty sure most of it will just be picked up by the garbage company.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCvpFYSMy5XdNRsEVXio47qhl3Za3yPRcIZbpmugrEvWJj9QTDmIK3lT2O9_BmMnAzJ-GMH3ocrbpVnkjxqpP3cHKxun9FBS1gcqH87nrywnFpsk5yxk3XFmJaHX3ldAjPnvhITuIIX8M/s640/blogger-image--1922376423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCvpFYSMy5XdNRsEVXio47qhl3Za3yPRcIZbpmugrEvWJj9QTDmIK3lT2O9_BmMnAzJ-GMH3ocrbpVnkjxqpP3cHKxun9FBS1gcqH87nrywnFpsk5yxk3XFmJaHX3ldAjPnvhITuIIX8M/s640/blogger-image--1922376423.jpg" /></a></div><br />
It only took about 2 1/2 hours from tear down to clean up and a portion of that time was dedicated to screaming, and jumping and waiting for the big scary lizard to relocate. He just stared at me with his creepy dead eyes, daring me to move him but there was no way in hell that was going to happen so I waited patiently for him to move on on his own. Can you imagine if he had jumped on my face and attacked? The horror. Just my luck though he'll have relocated into my house now that I've torn his down. *shudders*<br />
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Okay let's think of some happy thoughts like this cute helper - <br />
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The deck looks better but it's a far cry from done.<br />
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<strong>Next on the deck to do list:</strong><br />
<ul><li><strong> Clean out the leaves and junk from underneath</strong></li><li><strong>Pressure wash the deck</strong></li><li><strong>Repair loose railings</strong></li><li><strong>Stain and seal the deck {I may try to match my neighbors deck but I may go with a nice dark stain. Thoughts?}</strong></li></ul>And if you're like my mom and are wondering about that one beam that looks a little bendy, don't worry, that beam is mostly to support the lattice. There is nothing wrong with the structure of the deck. The three large beam are the main support beams. I don't know yet if I'll remove those extra beams yet. Who knows? Probably not though. <br />
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Hope you feel inspired to get out there and tackle a project at your house that you've been putting off. Even if it means getting out there and doing something that looks tough all by yourself, I'm here to testify that YOU CAN DO IT!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlfA6RBh5VswimFSuWqIs4BK1wwNrMG8QS5h14zh6MzSUAzU4JuSaUyy2eDZ1kViLJb-yqLQwGYC3xayS1JHZM2ZsjOb2hocEqBau9WFznEkNFW_jtnspnjM48rPyNcaUofqQi5dxvfA/s1600/Signature.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="90" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlfA6RBh5VswimFSuWqIs4BK1wwNrMG8QS5h14zh6MzSUAzU4JuSaUyy2eDZ1kViLJb-yqLQwGYC3xayS1JHZM2ZsjOb2hocEqBau9WFznEkNFW_jtnspnjM48rPyNcaUofqQi5dxvfA/s320/Signature.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-87339794727273125112013-04-06T21:39:00.000-05:002013-04-06T21:39:37.748-05:00Easter Bunny Egg Cozies & OwlDid you have a nice Easter? I hope you did!<br />
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Ours was very nice and relaxing. <a href="http://www.mormon.org/" target="_blank">Church</a> and the bunny stuff and dinner with friends. What could be better than that?! <br />
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A few days later we were surprised with a great big box of even more Easter stuff from Nonie and Grandpa. Inside were the cutest little bunnies I ever saw. My mom had knit these adorable Easter Bunny Egg Cozies. I died. Inside each one was a little Cadbury egg that I did not let the kids touch because I did not want them messing with the bunnies. I declared them MINE!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9gv4BpX-oEqJCwyYbolprQt1zWpbf0TrTl-Fut50xo8D6uONOtzkscWr-F7vKxD7oWM6Vbmuf9dr2kSwmsAnvCcCs7k7Hfh1wrAdaKgwznKs5hX5UpCX2QPCaePHC-ceq3GemlK975b8/s1600/Bunny+Cozies+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9gv4BpX-oEqJCwyYbolprQt1zWpbf0TrTl-Fut50xo8D6uONOtzkscWr-F7vKxD7oWM6Vbmuf9dr2kSwmsAnvCcCs7k7Hfh1wrAdaKgwznKs5hX5UpCX2QPCaePHC-ceq3GemlK975b8/s640/Bunny+Cozies+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I've showed you other great stuff that my mom has knit or crocheted before <a href="http://thecreativevault.blogspot.com/2012/05/nonie-knits.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> and <a href="http://thecreativevault.blogspot.com/2011/05/creative-guest-my-mommy.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. She's just so talented. I can't get enough. If you're on Ravelry (a social network for yarn enthusiasts) you can check out her page and even more of her projects. Her user name is <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/moboyle" target="_blank">MOBOYLE</a>.<br />
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The pattern she used is called <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/huggie-bunnies" target="_blank">Huggie Bunnies and is available for free download from Ravelry by Sandra Paul.</a><br />
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{P.S. If you're wondering about the background fabric, it's a clothing cotton I found recently at JoAnn Fabrics. There's a whole line that goes with it. Super cute. It will soon be a dress so keep an eye out for that post in the future.}<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQMsbPY_W0i7gYqJcEOizgRTUfwcGjOmNHdgX5kavcmuxKYdlTA9AG5h74IdBsBf9xczkPM1VlmChd8tGfM78N0IeVvyL0I80VSDRlvEWMY7TM86Yi0uaLsH_bL0o2xnTskZJQpuxodI/s1600/Bunny+Cozy+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="473" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQMsbPY_W0i7gYqJcEOizgRTUfwcGjOmNHdgX5kavcmuxKYdlTA9AG5h74IdBsBf9xczkPM1VlmChd8tGfM78N0IeVvyL0I80VSDRlvEWMY7TM86Yi0uaLsH_bL0o2xnTskZJQpuxodI/s640/Bunny+Cozy+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Mom put a Cadburry egg in each one but they could easily fit a regular sized egg too. Such a cute little project that I can't wait to save and pull out for next years Easter baskets. Maybe by then I'll be more generous and share with the kids. Maybe.<br />
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But the bunnies weren't all that Nonie knitted up for the kids. She also included this adorable little Owl Puff. I thought the eyes were especially neat. It's little rounds of felt attached with rounded safety buttons.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZnwL3I_vmkjJtClydGdGFPE1R_Q4sYo3twC9ouvnhsIEPl25tbPgx1QBrPgTDdLMcKF3XVCGWKhleiWtNrI6Uc5owspEriIUKEcbdvo1pD5JTz3MlwEvYVf_NkGPf3Tx64Eb1vD5Hl4/s1600/Owl1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZnwL3I_vmkjJtClydGdGFPE1R_Q4sYo3twC9ouvnhsIEPl25tbPgx1QBrPgTDdLMcKF3XVCGWKhleiWtNrI6Uc5owspEriIUKEcbdvo1pD5JTz3MlwEvYVf_NkGPf3Tx64Eb1vD5Hl4/s640/Owl1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The pattern for the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/owl-puffs" target="_blank">Owl Puffs is available for free on Ravelry by Jenna Krupar.</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCT1ecHRbDDqou410R1jGIhpratCcTYOh7Tp8J_cQ-tKJ5kbkaR-4VyqsEP3YJp-mDUJHnRo8m84S0G5_JfAtulmH1rRbVJ80gQAUGY0r9WqvLMmB3Qux5sQU8NqPy506thqmYUGjCDSg/s1600/photo+(9).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCT1ecHRbDDqou410R1jGIhpratCcTYOh7Tp8J_cQ-tKJ5kbkaR-4VyqsEP3YJp-mDUJHnRo8m84S0G5_JfAtulmH1rRbVJ80gQAUGY0r9WqvLMmB3Qux5sQU8NqPy506thqmYUGjCDSg/s400/photo+(9).JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Hope you feel inspired by my talented mom and all these adorable patterns! <br />
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Kisses from the Cutts Family! xoxo<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlfA6RBh5VswimFSuWqIs4BK1wwNrMG8QS5h14zh6MzSUAzU4JuSaUyy2eDZ1kViLJb-yqLQwGYC3xayS1JHZM2ZsjOb2hocEqBau9WFznEkNFW_jtnspnjM48rPyNcaUofqQi5dxvfA/s1600/Signature.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="90" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlfA6RBh5VswimFSuWqIs4BK1wwNrMG8QS5h14zh6MzSUAzU4JuSaUyy2eDZ1kViLJb-yqLQwGYC3xayS1JHZM2ZsjOb2hocEqBau9WFznEkNFW_jtnspnjM48rPyNcaUofqQi5dxvfA/s320/Signature.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-22834108938772639522013-03-09T21:30:00.000-06:002013-03-09T21:30:26.907-06:00Cinderella Cupcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Maggie turned 5.</div>
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It feels like it should be a crime to grow up so fast. Am I the only mom that wants to freeze time?</div>
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Last year all she wanted was <a href="http://www.thecreativevault.blogspot.com/2012/03/shaun-sheep-cupcakes-tutorial.html" target="_blank">Shaun the Sheep cupcakes</a>, but her speech delay has improved so much that this year she actually had several requests for her party.</div>
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1. Cinderella themed</div>
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2. A long list of boy and girl guests</div>
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3. Cinderella cupcakes with glass "swippas"</div>
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All three wishes were granted. </div>
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We ended up having a Cinderella Ball. With actual dancing and turning our house into a ballroom kind of ball. It was the real deal. It was basically kid prom and it was amazing. I have lots of photos to sort through but while I work on that, how about I show you her third wish? </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKuJrMmLXVXvib44ujbNXX6H6WhHq29_Xrg4n4qT6jV1mfdL1xcGtOiSBtEQld6RPI9810y4WCKybsBmKXBFDxq0Gj0Gh5a81iNkOfKyG49rDMT_f_yH8Umww9_eB8F-DplngeOGh0P4/s640/blogger-image--1666629631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKuJrMmLXVXvib44ujbNXX6H6WhHq29_Xrg4n4qT6jV1mfdL1xcGtOiSBtEQld6RPI9810y4WCKybsBmKXBFDxq0Gj0Gh5a81iNkOfKyG49rDMT_f_yH8Umww9_eB8F-DplngeOGh0P4/s400/blogger-image--1666629631.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Cinderella Cupcakes With Glass Slippers!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQbvoYArVlGIXhtl0OvCa-l-rVpeAMj6bpGCu2eSyOymmZdZS6_oCNwZH7WewZ0nXcqDz4NJt43e8PlXF8yfmXPCJFbFGXqmgjs-_smNQT3NYHE8GBPjR6wwkCHUHl0BVLh5NN22FCuo/s1600/DSC_0144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQbvoYArVlGIXhtl0OvCa-l-rVpeAMj6bpGCu2eSyOymmZdZS6_oCNwZH7WewZ0nXcqDz4NJt43e8PlXF8yfmXPCJFbFGXqmgjs-_smNQT3NYHE8GBPjR6wwkCHUHl0BVLh5NN22FCuo/s640/DSC_0144.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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My dear friend Amy helped me make them. She's pretty amazing when it comes to cupcakes and cute treats. She can do anything. Check out her blog,<a href="http://indulgewithme.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> Indulge With Me</a> when you have time because you will get lost over there for days. These cupcakes were nothing for her, she tackles much more difficult tasks but they were exactly what Maggie wanted so in my mind these were her best work.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbsHAYS8J0h0tgkW70Ys264mtdYOpcMEapxZYYaRDzopSXV8euHMbXdDHkgI6uclKFPjBq21HP0Zpz_vzH-hHKboRdB4QeUjTVxNrANwjcxcWJ_3uLPaoCYr1UBKU3n9vn71QCbaeN4o/s1600/DSC_0150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbsHAYS8J0h0tgkW70Ys264mtdYOpcMEapxZYYaRDzopSXV8euHMbXdDHkgI6uclKFPjBq21HP0Zpz_vzH-hHKboRdB4QeUjTVxNrANwjcxcWJ_3uLPaoCYr1UBKU3n9vn71QCbaeN4o/s400/DSC_0150.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I created the slippers from melted almond bark and a candy shoe mold. I purchased my mold at a local candy supply store for $1.99. If you don't have one near you, you can find the same one on Amazon <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EHIY7U/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000EHIY7U&linkCode=as2&tag=thecrevau-20" target="_blank">HERE</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003QP34WW/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B003QP34WW&linkCode=as2&tag=thecrevau-20" target="_blank">HERE</a>. If you've never used a candy mold before the process is simple.</div>
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First you melt your chocolate, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006OEYP34/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B006OEYP34&linkCode=as2&tag=thecrevau-20" target="_blank">melting candy chips</a> or in this case almond bark. There are several ways to melt them but I just took a few pieces and placed them in a Ziploc bag. I then microwaved them in 15 second increments, squishing the bag between each increment, until the almond bark was good and melted. I then cut off a tip of the baggie and squished the melted bark into the mold. The chocolate settles nicely into the mold and to get a nice clean back I scrape the mold with the back of a butter knife to get any excess chocolate off.</div>
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The cupcakes themselves are just boxed white cake. Amy has tricks to make boxed cake incredible on her blog but for these were were going super simple because the kids are only interested in the frosting anyways. Amy stirred the heck out the the batter which gave it a really light nice texture. Much better than how mine usually turn out. The frosting was made with a combination of butter and cream cheese and the dye was 10 drops of neon blue. Maggie approved the color as Cinderella's so we stopped there.</div>
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To frost, Amy used a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007JJZSES/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B007JJZSES&linkCode=as2&tag=thecrevau-20" target="_blank">large star tip</a> and gave each one a nice swirl. If you have never frosted a cupcake using a pastry bag before you are missing out because it is the simplest, fastes, cleanest and prettiest way to do it. I got <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002D47RWK/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002D47RWK&linkCode=as2&tag=thecrevau-20" target="_blank">THIS</a> set a long time ago and I use it all the time.</div>
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Once the frosting was on, we topped the big ones with some glittery sprinkles and a slipper and the mini cupcakes were decorated with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002N7ST6U/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002N7ST6U&linkCode=as2&tag=thecrevau-20" target="_blank">sugar pearls</a>.</div>
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The cupcakes really were SO simple to make and made my little princess' dreams come true.</div>
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Happy Birthday Maggie!</div>
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Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-52503472869421730632013-01-17T16:39:00.001-06:002013-03-09T21:33:38.635-06:00Frosty Potter - The Snowman Who LivedY'all. <br />
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Things went crazy today in Alabama. It snowed! It's snowed here a couple of times before {less than once a year} but you Northerners would probably call it frost or a dusting of snow. <br />
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No, today was serious snow. When it snows down here everything shuts down completely. No one dares to drive because there are so many hills and no one knows what to do. So Southerners do what we always do when "severe weather" strikes - stock up on bread and milk and hole up in our homes until it goes away and gets warm again. <br />
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But I was brave and I tried to find winter clothes for us {I ended up in canvas shoes with no socks} and Maggie and I got creative and built the world's greatest snowman. <br />
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So without further ado, I'd like to offer you greetings from Alabama, The Cutts Family and Frosty Potter - The Snowman Who Lived!!<br />
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Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-805768903602537562013-01-02T15:35:00.001-06:002013-03-09T21:31:58.929-06:00The Mustache BandanaHappy New Year!<br />
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It's been a while. Hope you had an excellent holiday season. Despite being sick for a month we still managed good times. Santa didn't bring me a new computer (so I'm still blogging from my iPod) but I'm working on it. So many things to show you!<br />
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In the mean time, I thought I'd share the gift I made for my little brother. He rides a Harley so I thought a nice bandana would help keep the bugs out of his teeth when he rides. It's a bit of a gag gift but I figured every rider needs a nice full mustache. <br />
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To make your own simply fold a bandana in half (I bought mine at Hobby Lobby) and make a stencil of a mustache from freezer paper. Iron it on about an inch below the fold so that it sits right where your upper lip is. Paint inside the stencil and then peel off. Easy peasy!<br />
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It almost makes me want to take up bike riding. Too bad I'm a total chicken. I think I'll just stick to arts and crafts. <br />
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Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-55995503716549639772012-12-18T09:30:00.000-06:002012-12-18T09:30:11.382-06:00I need to share their storyThis is something that has been hard for me to write about but I need to tell you because not only do I think you will be strengthened by their story but I'm also in need of your help.<br />
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On Thanksgiving day I was at the dinner table talking and relaxing with my family. We chatted about this and that and were having a great time. I glanced down at my iPod and then heard the news, a friend of ours who we met here in Birmingham had just passed away in her husbands arms.
She was 28.<br />
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Let me back up a bit - toward the end of 2011 Janette started to feel tired. Don't we all? But she also noticed other things that seemed off too. In November she was diagnosed with leukemia. We were all scared. How could this be? She was a mom. I am a mom. This sort of thing is impossible right? Right?! It didn't feel real. We were all so devastated but we knew that Janette was strong, positive and determined and that if anyone could fight this it would be her. And fight hard she did.<br />
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Her journey to fight leukemia began here in Birmingham. Her husband, Marc was just weeks away from graduation and their life was turned upside down. She began her treatment here and Marc became her permanent caretaker but soon it was too much and they moved to Utah to be close to family that could help take care of her little boys, Connor (6) and Brayden (4). So we followed her journey from afar through her blog, <strong><a href="http://janettesjourney03.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Janette's Journey</a></strong>. <br />
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She would tell us about the 3 bone marrow transplants, about the troubles her organs would face, she talked about the hallucinations, the isolation, the pain, the fatigue, the nightmares, the time she went blind, the fevers, the endless waiting for results. But there were good days too. The days she got to hold her boys, the days she got to go home, the days she felt like she could take on the world, the closeness she got to feel with her husband and the days that made her see the world and life in a whole new way. She was strong. She was inspiring.<br />
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She fought hard and did things that seemed impossible. In her final post before she passed she wrote, "I hope I am home for Thanksgiving!" My heart broke at those words but I also felt comforted because she was home. It wasn't the home she was hoping for with her little boys but it was her heavenly home where she can watch over her family and wait for their reunion, free from the pains of this world.<br />
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In the weeks since her passing I have been strengthened by her husband and boys. Although Marc is devastated he has strength and grace. <a href="http://janettesjourney03.blogspot.com/2012/11/from-marc.html" target="_blank">You can read his thoughts after her passing here</a>. And just the other day his little boy said to him, "We miss mom now, but we don't have to miss her forever, we will be with her in heaven someday! We will always love her!" Oh the faith of a child!<br />
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I mentioned at the beginning of this post that you could help. Popular San Francisco wedding photographer, <a href="http://www.mariellehayes.com/" target="_blank">Marielle Hayes</a>, has generously selected this family for her annual fundraiser. For any donation amount given she will give you a digital file of this beautiful print of hers. It is a mother with her child and to me it signifies the strength and power that mothers have. <br />
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So please take a moment to check out <a href="http://www.mariellehayes.com/2012/12/photographer/personal/so-this-is-christmas/" target="_blank">Marielle's post</a> about this great family and the needs they now face and consider a <a href="http://www.mariellehayes.com/2012/12/photographer/personal/so-this-is-christmas/" target="_blank">donation (in any amount)</a> to bless a family that has fought so much and still has a long journey ahead as they try to heal. 100% of the donations will go to Marc and his boys.<br />
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This holiday season I hope we can all be a little more grateful for the things we have in our lives. May we hug our kids a little tighter and speak kinder to our spouses. May we call our parents and tell them we love them and may we all draw closer to God and be inspired to do great things.<br />
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Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-14239149753906038162012-11-22T21:26:00.004-06:002012-11-22T21:26:54.801-06:00Black Friday Deals Without Leaving Home<div style="text-align: center;">
Hope y'all had a happy Thanksgiving! We sure did! Are turkey comas real because I feel like that's where I'm headed.</div>
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I just wanted to stop by the ol' blog to make sure you guys knew about the great deals on Amazon. There are too many to list here but we discovered that they have matched nearly every deal that you see in the stores and then some. </div>
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My husband is the worlds best gift giver and he always buys my gifts from Amazon and for great deals too. That's where he got my Cricut, Serger, iPod and nearly everything we own. {Our family is obsessed with Amazon, can you tell?}</div>
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So if you're interested in good deals without fighting crazy people at the store feel free to click on the link below which will take you to Amazon and you can get all your shopping done at once.</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/b?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=ur2&node=165793011&site-redirect=&tag=thecrevau-20" target="_blank">Black Friday Deals</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thecrevau-20&l=ur2&o=1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></b>
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Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-1922128537780847282012-11-19T06:32:00.000-06:002012-11-19T08:07:39.363-06:00Slow Cooker Herb Bread and Butternut Squash Soup<!-- Unilever Spreads: Thanksgiving Dishes (Content Series) / Clever Girls Snippet --> <script src="http://member.clevergirlscollective.com/track?u=10584&g=229" type="text/javascript"></script><img src="http://assets.clevergirlscollective.com/pixel/p.png?a=campaign&gid=229&uid=10584" style="display: none; height: 1px; width: 1px;" /> <!-- END Clever Girls Snippet -->
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Isn't Fall the best?</div>
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It's a season that brings new weather, new clothes, new sights and smells and my favorite, new food!</div>
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Today I'm excited to share with you some of my Thanksgiving favorites. Many people like to stick with the same old tried and true recipes for Thanksgiving dinner and I'll admit that I love the feeling of a familiar dish, but sometimes it really makes the meal when you try something new.</div>
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When I was in culinary arts school I declared Thanksgiving that year to be "Fancy Thanksgiving". I made my family a five course meal made entirely of dishes we had never tried before. It was adventerous and delicious and we all enjoyed it. That was the year I created this tasty Butternut Squash Soup.</div>
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Just because it was part of "Fancy Thanksgiving" doesn't mean it was difficult to make. In fact, this is one of the easiest, most flavorful and healthy soups I've ever made.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0JgOUV49vWxQoMe_EFRic27oHI5TgKvWX11g55mrsAoIYlp3hdSFM9IIENzV1S8tczzJyp7Q1EoIenKFy-583QoJLFWuyXN3CJvrFX4Vr6paKFbLpw1Laky7G_Cw1evy_Ftt8SRGP2A4/s1600/Squash+Soup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0JgOUV49vWxQoMe_EFRic27oHI5TgKvWX11g55mrsAoIYlp3hdSFM9IIENzV1S8tczzJyp7Q1EoIenKFy-583QoJLFWuyXN3CJvrFX4Vr6paKFbLpw1Laky7G_Cw1evy_Ftt8SRGP2A4/s400/Squash+Soup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<strong><u>Butternut Squash Soup</u></strong></div>
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong></div>
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- 2 Tb Country Crock<br />
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced<br />
- 2 medium carrots, diced<br />
- 1 medium onion, diced<br />
- 1 clove garlic, minced<br />
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock<br />
- 1 Tb brown sugar<br />
- 1 tsp salt<br />
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice<br />
- Optional garnish: cream, parsley, roasted squash seeds<br />
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<strong>Instructions:</strong></div>
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1. Over medium heat, melt Country Crock in large pot.</div>
2. Add carrots, onion, garlic and cook until soft but not brown.<br />
3. Add squash, stock, sugar, salt and pumpkin pie spice to pot.<br />
4. Turn soup to high heat and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling, turn down to medium and cook until squash is soft enough to put a fork in and have it come out easily, about 20 minutes.<br />
5. Blend soup mixture completly with a food processor or blender. **Be very careful because the soup will be hot. Allowing soup to cool before hand is a good idea to avoid burns.<br />
6. Reheat soup of necessary and garnish with a swirl of cream, parsley or roasted squash seeds.<br />
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Over the years, Thanksgiving dinner has evolved to fit our growing family. With a bread loving husband and two bread loving children, on the menu this year is a new one for us, Slow Cooker Herb Bread. With all the things I have going on it will be nice to whip up this simple bread in my slow cooker and save the room in my oven for more important things like turkey.<br />
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This bread is dense and chewy but also has a nice crunchy crust. Making it in the slow cooker eliminates all the time and hassle of homemade bread but doesn't comprimise the taste. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGwD0R3kQvgFAuV4gdCJC2RdkE6Xuo7T4KJm8qHgWpOQvK58PdNvQrtmPsMdG00VHgPrzRbJvf6Rpeho2C6dSG_kmHtEvt1VvFkGVHwKFVz9Pjhn-Vfz-8crd1MdK8xdqTRMt7n5fz_Os/s1600/IMG_9496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGwD0R3kQvgFAuV4gdCJC2RdkE6Xuo7T4KJm8qHgWpOQvK58PdNvQrtmPsMdG00VHgPrzRbJvf6Rpeho2C6dSG_kmHtEvt1VvFkGVHwKFVz9Pjhn-Vfz-8crd1MdK8xdqTRMt7n5fz_Os/s400/IMG_9496.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<strong><u>Slow Cooker Herb Bread</u></strong> </div>
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong></div>
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- 3/4 cup warm water<br />
- 1 package active dry yeast<br />
- 1 1/2 Tb sugar<br />
- 1 Tb melted Country Crock<br />
- 1/2 cup milk<br />
- 3-5 cups flour<br />
- chopped fresh herbs; basil, chive rosemary etc.<br />
- additional Country Crock and cornmeal for greasing the slow cooker<br />
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1. Place water and yeast in mixer. Stir until yeast is disolved.</div>
2. Add sugar, salt, Country Crock, milk and herbs and stir. Depending on the amount of herb you want in your bread should determine how much you use. The herb will shrink up in the bread so the more the merrier.<br />
3. Add the flour a 1/2 cup at a time until bread pulls away from the sides of mixer and is no longer sticky.<br />
4. Using a paper towel take about a tablesoon of Country Crock and grease the bottom and sides of the slow cooker. Sprinkle cornmeal on top of the greased dish. This will prevent the bread from sticking. You can also use parchment paper. See image below.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit43nk_Qw4B8D54oUp7E7tBh1ndR1BAfR6ghpZIPyb8MGGv0TtEi0HC0crRzm0fqcULT-yz-8EGjoRaSMvIZ9ZBmUcH_uCnkpsTctcIZf497xIp0P4n3MYEI9TX-lXpiwNqRbrMFAQQA8/s1600/IMG_9409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit43nk_Qw4B8D54oUp7E7tBh1ndR1BAfR6ghpZIPyb8MGGv0TtEi0HC0crRzm0fqcULT-yz-8EGjoRaSMvIZ9ZBmUcH_uCnkpsTctcIZf497xIp0P4n3MYEI9TX-lXpiwNqRbrMFAQQA8/s320/IMG_9409.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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5. Place round ball of dough in slow cooker and cook on low for about 2 hours or on high for 1 hour. The dough will spread out and rise to fit the slow cooker. For a taller bread than pictured here, use a smaller slow cooker.</div>
6. The bread will look like it is not cooked but it is. To determine if your bread is done, remove the slow cooker lid and thump the top of the bread. It should make a thumping sound and be firm to the thouch.<br />
7. Remove the bread from the slow cooker and place on a cookie sheet. Put on the bottom rack of the oven and cook under the broiler for about 5 minutes. This will firm up the crust and give it a nice golden, crunchy texture.<br />
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To serve with your soup, slice a thin piece of bread and spead Country Crock on both sides. Over meduim heat, place bread in frying pan and heat until crunchy and golden. </div>
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So there you have it! Two new delicious Fall dishes and two new reasons to use Country Crock. </div>
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Wishing you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlfA6RBh5VswimFSuWqIs4BK1wwNrMG8QS5h14zh6MzSUAzU4JuSaUyy2eDZ1kViLJb-yqLQwGYC3xayS1JHZM2ZsjOb2hocEqBau9WFznEkNFW_jtnspnjM48rPyNcaUofqQi5dxvfA/s1600/Signature.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="90" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlfA6RBh5VswimFSuWqIs4BK1wwNrMG8QS5h14zh6MzSUAzU4JuSaUyy2eDZ1kViLJb-yqLQwGYC3xayS1JHZM2ZsjOb2hocEqBau9WFznEkNFW_jtnspnjM48rPyNcaUofqQi5dxvfA/s320/Signature.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em>Thank you to Good to Know & Unilever Spreads for being a sponsor. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of </em><a href="http://www.clevergirlscollective.com/"><em>Clever Girls Collective</em></a><em>. All opinions expressed here are my own.</em></div>
Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-15386418918493136252012-10-25T17:20:00.001-05:002012-10-25T17:20:20.348-05:00Candy Corn Door WreathHey all! Are you ready for Halloween? I'm not but we're getting there. Since I'm basically the worst blogger when it comes to holiday decorating and crafting I thought I would at least show you a few DIY things I have laying about. <br />
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This is a super cute door wreath {does it count as a wreath if it's not round?} that my mom made for me several years ago. I love it and even if I never get any other crafts up I always have this to welcome guests. <br />
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How it's made:<br />
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3 candy corn shapes are cut from wood using a jig saw. She painted each one to resemble a candy corn and wrote "Trick or Treat". For added dimension and cuteness she used a toothbrush dipped in black paint to flick little spots of black on the candy corn. They are then attached to a piece of rope using a staple gun {see 2nd to last picture for optimal hanging technique} and then added a raffia bow to the top. <br />
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Didn't she do a great job?!? I love it! Thanks momma!<br />
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P.S. Sorry about the crazy format of the post. It's what happens when I blog from my iPod. :)<br />
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Have a Creative Day!<br />
❤, Alicia<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4b3ZXbnQAHqhi2n-JDqYrAFQhe2zSp5cv-P48S8aXQOBNJAp0ii1e9XfejW3iZA0ZU4LKcM0xmoB-442ZvWHS07NbZwOTpoPh7UjKRykD99hHgu00wDYfqxI_K89Yv8ogZB17UUgZwEk/s640/blogger-image-1719433492.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4b3ZXbnQAHqhi2n-JDqYrAFQhe2zSp5cv-P48S8aXQOBNJAp0ii1e9XfejW3iZA0ZU4LKcM0xmoB-442ZvWHS07NbZwOTpoPh7UjKRykD99hHgu00wDYfqxI_K89Yv8ogZB17UUgZwEk/s640/blogger-image-1719433492.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpEuJ1hxMR44zaj4zXS0ZhrqFVx-d8HRw2OS8UHVED2XkP2S-iROb2AvsgY_lmGXzniCl6ojRcoi3gPCTAQESm88R7sHrMaFqhkDMOCj6dYp05Mm43PwlgAumkzDmRa9XFcrUnKNWXfyU/s640/blogger-image--1591720384.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpEuJ1hxMR44zaj4zXS0ZhrqFVx-d8HRw2OS8UHVED2XkP2S-iROb2AvsgY_lmGXzniCl6ojRcoi3gPCTAQESm88R7sHrMaFqhkDMOCj6dYp05Mm43PwlgAumkzDmRa9XFcrUnKNWXfyU/s640/blogger-image--1591720384.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04qJdhlSFmzLMh287lD4cwRicP_Vyn-dX0jsGjkZgyXjWU2Hlsz4mJeT4NyZzT_zmo_NcHvA7SQ7035ecvDtyk7mW0hneDWAVEuXlwUBPDRRAuslJSZE9KVGZKPgJi-KaC-ZXx6J2Gd8/s640/blogger-image-1104825419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04qJdhlSFmzLMh287lD4cwRicP_Vyn-dX0jsGjkZgyXjWU2Hlsz4mJeT4NyZzT_zmo_NcHvA7SQ7035ecvDtyk7mW0hneDWAVEuXlwUBPDRRAuslJSZE9KVGZKPgJi-KaC-ZXx6J2Gd8/s640/blogger-image-1104825419.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpHxsnhqYOxbdjQ8Jk8_ZFZEA4IYpi5u1OuHp5jGwjI3oOBPFaU5NEBc0Irlx-9pzgCVVF2gsuiPD0Ca261MXoh7Yi2vEtrGyBrlzCEybch6x11g8L8-HgxXaUUJOcdhdf8im3V3TIOwY/s640/blogger-image-1310024570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpHxsnhqYOxbdjQ8Jk8_ZFZEA4IYpi5u1OuHp5jGwjI3oOBPFaU5NEBc0Irlx-9pzgCVVF2gsuiPD0Ca261MXoh7Yi2vEtrGyBrlzCEybch6x11g8L8-HgxXaUUJOcdhdf8im3V3TIOwY/s640/blogger-image-1310024570.jpg" /></a></div>Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-4760159082752383392012-10-23T22:39:00.000-05:002012-10-23T23:20:26.860-05:00COURAGE<!-- Kleenex: Supporting Your Big & Little Athletes (Content Series) / Clever Girls Snippet --> <script src="http://member.clevergirlscollective.com/track?u=10584&g=273" type="text/javascript"></script><img src="http://assets.clevergirlscollective.com/pixel/p.png?a=campaign&gid=273&uid=10584" style="display: none; height: 1px; width: 1px;" /> <!-- END Clever Girls Snippet -->
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When
asked about a time that
I needed <a href="http://www.mykleenextissue.com/" target="_blank">Kleenex</a> while watching my little athlete, I didn't need to think twice. I had put my very hyperactive little girl in ballet several months beforehand and had gradually watched her change from a wild woman into a disciplined little lady. She practiced and practiced for her big day and was so excited but also very nervous. There was a lot of pressure.<br />
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We miraculously got all of her crazy hair into the perfect ballerina bun and she even got to wear a little make-up. We hurriedly got her ready in the bathroom with all of the other girls but before we left I made her stop and look at her beautiful self in the mirror. I wanted her to see that I thought she was the prettiest girl in the world and that I was so proud of her and all that she had accomplished and that no matter what we loved her so much.<br />
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She took her seat with all of her friends and before I took my seat to watch the show, I snapped this picture. Her big beautiful eyes give away her fears, but that day she showed me what it meant to be brave. She was scared but she stood up and danced and it was so beautiful, I cried and cried and cried.</div>
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I think she learned a lot that day about courage and strength. Now that she knows how to face her fears she helps her little brother to overcome his as well.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcPT4OyThYzqQQmBN7gXJuqL7LQU0NeL5KaxlmUaOzFdSZeb6AZ5JYugKqWK8AKsjhB74v3rFUrae02EtUphI0U2ma2CeHA__J7RZqXJefia2S3A9br8wb7NLZExmZiNj8jgkewqEGaKY/s1600/Gymnastics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcPT4OyThYzqQQmBN7gXJuqL7LQU0NeL5KaxlmUaOzFdSZeb6AZ5JYugKqWK8AKsjhB74v3rFUrae02EtUphI0U2ma2CeHA__J7RZqXJefia2S3A9br8wb7NLZExmZiNj8jgkewqEGaKY/s640/Gymnastics.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The kids started gymnastics this year and Jackson loved the idea of doing "fwips" but he was scared. It was his first time doing sports since he is just barely two and the support of his big sis was essential. He looks up to her so much. She knew how he felt and was there for him to show him that he could be brave and strong too. I was so happy that I was there to capture this magical moment. Not gonna' lie, I cried a little bit.</div>
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I think we can all learn a lot from the little athletes in our lives. I know these two teach me something new every day! I'm so proud of them and their courage!!</div>
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Do you have a little athlete you're proud of? Do they show you how to be courageous? Do they make you tear up or in my case bawl like a baby? I just can't help it!!</div>
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Get a Kleenex custom oval BOGO until 11/15/12, just use the code PLAYOFFS at checkout on the <a href="http://clvr.li/T4jkVS" target="_blank">Kleenex site</a>. </div>
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<em>I was selected for this opportunity as a member of </em><a href="http://clevergirlscollective.com/" target="_blank"><em>Clever Girls Collective</em></a><em>, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.</em>Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-8919471578863540762012-10-20T07:30:00.000-05:002012-10-20T07:30:00.400-05:00Freezer Quesadillas & Recipe for Crock Pot Veggie Black BeansYesterday I told you all about our <a href="http://www.thecreativevault.blogspot.com/2012/10/freezer-meal-club.html" target="_blank">Freezer Meal Club</a>. Today I'm going to share with you a little about the freezer quesadillas that I contributed.
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These aren't just any ol' quesadilla. Inside each little tortilla sandwich is a generous portion of beef brisket, veggies, black beans and cheese.<br />
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The brisket I seasoned with lemon pepper and cooked in my crock pot until it was tender and falling apart. I then chooped it up in small little bits. The cheese is shredded four cheese Mexican blend and I'll give you my Veggie Black Bean recipe in just a minute.<br />
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First let me explain how I made these for the freezer. I assembled the quesidillas just like I normally would in this order - tortilla, cheese, beef, beans, more cheese, tortilla. I then attempted to flash freeze them by putting them on a baking pan and letting them freeze for a bit before putting them in bags. Since I was making 49 of these I just wasn't able to so I stacked the quesadillas on top of each other and put them in freezer bags. It turns out they didn't stick together like I thought they would so I will skip the flash freeze step next time. <br />
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To reheat I simply take out a quesidalla and microwave for about 3 minutes or I bake in the oven at 350F for about 7. I prefer the oven method because the tortilla is crispy but both work well.<br />
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I really enjoyed having hearty quesadillas on hand and plan to make a few every time I have leftover meat. It's been great having a go to meal that that the whole family enjoys. I also love that I can make it however I want. This particular batch also has spinach, carrot and onion which gives it a little bit more of a healthy factor and since the kids can't tell, mom wins!<br />
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<strong>Crock Pot Veggie Black Beans</strong></div>
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong></div>
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- 1 lb bag of dried black beans, rinsed</div>
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- 7 cups water</div>
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- 1 chicken bullion cube</div>
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- 1 onion, finely chopped</div>
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- 1 box frozen chopped spinach</div>
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- 2 carrots, very finely chopped</div>
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- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced</div>
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- oregano, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, cilantro, salt</div>
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<strong>Instructions:</strong></div>
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1. In large crock pot add black beans, bullion and water. {You don't need to soak them overnight} Cook on low for 5-6 hours.</div>
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2. Add veggies {I used the veggies above because that's what I had on hand. Any veggies you have will work.} and cook for an additional 2-3 hours until beans and veggies are tender.</div>
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3. Add seasoning according to taste. I uase about 1-3 tsp of each. </div>
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Hope you enjoy these very flavorful and very healthy black beans! I know we do! The veggies blend so perfectly with the beans and seasonings your kids will never even know they're there!</div>
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Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-19229598929006848272012-10-19T01:04:00.001-05:002012-10-19T01:04:47.948-05:00Freezer Meal Club<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It's been a while since I mentioned <a href="http://www.thecreativevault.blogspot.com/search/label/Food" target="_blank">food on here</a>. I can assure you it's not for lack of eating.</div>
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I am I really excited to tell you about a new group some friends of mine started. The idea is brilliant (I wish I'd thought of it myself) and I want to share it with you in case you want to start one too.</div>
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Several weeks ago, a good friend of mine came to me asked if I was interested in being in a freezer meal group. It would consist of several friends that would create freezer meals and then get together and share them with each other. The idea is to have a variety of meals available in the freezer so dinner time is easier. Plus it's just fun to get together.</div>
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<strong>Here's how it worked:</strong></div>
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We had a group of 7 women. Each of those women made 7 meals that were able to feed at least 7 people for a total of 49 total servings. That way we would have a meal for each day of the week. The reason for the portion size was because some families had 3 people and some had 7 so at least 7 portions was most ideal. For my family of 4 it meant that we would have dinner and then leftovers the next day. The meals would be a main dish and would just have the main components {for example if you bring Asian stir fry you don't need to provide the rice, etc.}. </div>
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We picked a trade day and met together at lunch time. For lunch we each brought our prepared freezer meals and some of our freezer meal cooked and ready to eat. We sampled each of the dishes and talked about what we brought and gave our advice for reheating and possible side dishes. I was wonderful to share great food together and then leave with a weeks worth of meals.</div>
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I am not very experienced in the world of freezer meals and I have only made a casserole once in my life {true story} so I was very nervous and wasn't sure what to bring so I went with what I know and that is Mexican food. I made 49 beef brisket, black bean and veggie quesadillas. I liked the idea of something that you could pull out one at a time and heat up for lunches or quick meals on the go.<br />
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The other meals were: Lasagna, chili, creamy chicken enchiladas, creamy basil and chicken pasta and <a href="http://aspoonfulofmary.blogspot.com/2012/10/easy-freezy.html" target="_blank">poppy seed ham & cheese melts</a>. {One friend wasn't able to make it at the last minute so we were short a meal but that just meant that we got double of what we brought so we were still covered for the full week}.<br />
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<strong>So basically I made 49 beef black bean and veggie quesadillas. I portioned them out so that each bag had 7 quesadillas. On swap day I brought 6 bags of quesadillas {I left the 7th bag, my bag, at home} and a plate of cooked quesadillas. We tasted each others food over a nice lunch and at the end I left with a pan or bag of each of the dishes I listed above. </strong><br />
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Over the past month I have been pulling out the dishes to cook for dinner. Most just required reheating in the oven or even microwave. For our family size most dishes provided us with a dinner, lunch for my husband the next day and then dinner again the next night. The ham & cheese melts and my own quesadillas were packaged in a such a way that my husband would pull one out and take it to work for his lunches.<br />
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Before the swap I was stressed out and nervous. I didn't know what to bring and I was worried about making so many portions of food, but afterward I was so happy we did it. It was very simple to make a large amount of freezer meals since the meals were all the same. It wasn't like some crazy freezer cooking day where you make a million different meals and have a billion different ingredients. I'd guess that the time I invested in it {minus actual cooking time} would be about 2-3 hours and I've gotten nearly 2 weeks worth of food in return. I felt like there was a wonderful variety of delicious foods and I of course loved the social aspect of the whole thing. It's been fun to call my friends and say, "We had your chili tonight! It was wonderful!"<br />
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We haven't discussed yet if we will continue with the group {we wanted to test it out first} but I have to say, I really enjoyed it and am working hard at finding more great recipes that I can use if we do it again. Either way I am totally on the freezer meal train. My life has been so much simpler this month. I haven't even called my mom crying once! Haha! <br />
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You can check out my <a href="http://pinterest.com/alicia775/food-inspiration/" target="_blank">Food Inspiration</a> board on Pinterest to see some of the recipes I've been looking at for the future as well as my <a href="http://pinterest.com/alicia775/stuff-i-actually-made-from-pinterest/" target="_blank">Stuff I've Actually Made from Pinterest</a> board {complete with reviews}. Tomorrow I'll be back with my recipe for Crock Pot Black Beans and Veggies and tell you how I prepped the quesidillas for the freezer.<br />
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<em>So I have to know - what do you think? Have you done a Freezer Meal Club before? How did it work for you? Do you do freezer meal days or are you cooking a whole meal every night? Feel free to link some of your favorite freezer meal recipes and share your tips on making dinner work for you and your family. I'd love to learn more!</em><br />
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Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-51511311820423209912012-10-12T23:35:00.000-05:002012-10-12T23:35:13.939-05:00The 7 Layer Ruffle SkirtFun fact you probably don't know about me -
my computer and my camera are broken and have been for some time, so until I can save up for new ones I've been blogging from my iPod and my husbands laptop late at night when he's asleep and not using it for his Phd.<br />
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I have a million projects that I want to show you but it's been hard. So thanks for sticking with me through these iPod days. Y'all are the best.<br />
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So I'm going through the pictures that I have that didn't get lost on the broken computer and thought I'd show some projects that are old for me but ones that you haven't seen before so <br />
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Bah da da bah..... The 7 Layer Skirt!</div>
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I kind of love these sassy colors and prints. I wish it was easier to photograph - the ruffles don't want to lay flat. The skirt is 2T and the only 2T kid living in this house is Jackson and he was not interested in posing for photos in it. In fact, when I went to try it on him to test out the size he screamed and cried, "Nooooo! Noooo! I'm a boy! I'm a boy!" So yeah, sorry little buddy but that's just the price of being a craft bloggers son. The skirt lasted on him a total of 10 seconds - he put up an excellent fight. No model pictures but I'll tell you it just poofs out so cute on his little chubby booty. </div>
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Details: The skirt has an encased elastic waistband and the ruffles alternate between cotton and two layers of tulle under each patterned layer. The edges of the ruffle are surged in black.</div>
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I'm not quite sure yet what I plan to do with the skirt as it is for a smaller girl than Mags {PS we started to shop in the "big girl" section this week and I cried. What business do they have growing up so fast?!}. I may decide to sell it, gift it or have another baby {John is over here shaking his head no} but either way some little girl is gonna' look super cute wearing it. I mean baby ruffle butts?!? Nothing cuter than that!</div>
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Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1915659093852262660.post-63899748005629088772012-10-07T21:02:00.001-05:002012-10-07T23:58:04.728-05:00Happy Canadian ThanksgivingI would just like to take a minute to wish all my North border readers a Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!!! <br />
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If you're looking for an extra reason to stuff your face, just marry a Canadian. Two Thanksgivings!! We celebrated a day early this year and had quite the family feast. <br />
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On the menu: Roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, green salad, cranberry sauce, rolls and pumpkin pie. {Surprisingly, no one asked for ketchup or maple syrup.}<br />
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Hope you have a great holiday!!! <br />
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And if you're not Canadian go ahead, eat a nice big meal anyway, you can call it "showing your international respect". I won't tell. ;)<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1J_a1qTZpWVY_cRzj2zrRb3iIeOu4hI1fjONPjZ6yziFURnoDqg8RVviVDrhmvouso0hUaiQAxJ4qSt3KuAAhTEkgxB4rlk-jI_fh1y_nQqFRk8gQcShVu36VYV_RcGDD10NyxklYECk/s640/blogger-image--569140653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1J_a1qTZpWVY_cRzj2zrRb3iIeOu4hI1fjONPjZ6yziFURnoDqg8RVviVDrhmvouso0hUaiQAxJ4qSt3KuAAhTEkgxB4rlk-jI_fh1y_nQqFRk8gQcShVu36VYV_RcGDD10NyxklYECk/s640/blogger-image--569140653.jpg" /></a></div>Alicia @ The Creative Vaulthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347683935045992751noreply@blogger.com0