DIY Cooking at Home

Hey there! Did you have a good weekend? We wrapped up the kids' spring break with a movie ( Home ...I highly recommend it!), church, and a visit to an indoor trampoline place. For not taking any trips, we still managed to have a little fun. So, how's your curtain IQ ? Test your knowledge of curtain styles by reading Curtains 101 . Now that you've brushed up...I have to say, curtains are one of those things that can be pricey and I just don't get why. Yeah, there's some yardage involved there, but most are so simply constructed that I just can't justify spending $50 per panel. Here are some DIY, low-sew curtain ideas for ya that are simple enough even for me (I'm not super-great at sewing). A Soft Place to Land Shanty 2 Chic The Wicker House Four Generations One Roof Home Made Modern Our Fifth House Glenda's World Homemade Ginger

Hi there, Happy Hump Day! I've got a great one-pot dinner for you today. This casserole tastes just like stuffed cabbage rolls, but takes a lot less effort and only one pot! It's absolutely delicious and so easy, not to mention inexpensive. Give it a try! Stuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole 1 T. butter 1/2 a head of cabbage, sliced thin 2/3 c. instant rice 1 medium onion, chopped 1 lb. ground beef 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce salt and pepper to taste The cooking method for this casserole might seem strange at first, but it works! In a large saucepan, melt 1 T. butter over medium-low heat. Heap all of the cabbage in the pan (don't worry, it will reduce as it cooks). Top the cabbage with the rice, then the onions, then the raw ground beef crumbled on top. Pour the tomato sauce over all and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the lid on the saucepan, reduce the heat to low, and let cook about 40 minutes. DO NOT STIR while it is cooking. When the beef looks brown, it's d...

Hey there! I hope your Monday is going great. Our spring break is off to a rocky start with one kid down with a nasty stomach virus. I guess I should be glad we aren't traveling anywhere! So, I'm sharing a quick post with you today highlighting all the clever ways you can make your own desk accessories. These pencil holders, gilded staplers, and stacking trays are all designer knockoffs and look so great, you'll want to spend more time working! (Well, maybe.) View from the Fridge Designer Trapped in a Lawyer's Body Home Made by Carmona Simple Stylings A Casarella Once Again, My Dear Irene You May Also Like: DIY Bookends DIY Charging Station Paper Organization 101

Hey, hey! So, a loooong time ago a former colleague of mine (hi, Jessica!) asked me to post about ways to get organized. I'm finally getting around to obliging because I was noticing the other day that our home is finally feeling like less of a hot mess. I think that's because I've been diligently chipping away at all of the little messes around our house. The dumping grounds, the piles, the problem areas...I've addressed most of them by now. The garage is still a disaster, and there are a few things here and there that need addressed, but we've lived here for almost five years now and slowly but surely, we're getting there. When we moved into this house, we had surprisingly little in the way of furniture or furnishings, for that matter. But with 2 kids under the age of 4 at the time, it didn't take long to start amassing "stuff," and I had no where to put it. Then we started our kitchen reno, so that just exacerbated the issue. But now th...

Helllloooo! How are ya? We celebrated my husband's 44th birthday last Saturday. He's not much of a cake person, but he loves mint chocolate chip ice cream. So for the past two years, I've made this Thin Mint Ice Cream Pie that has been a total hit with my guy. The great thing is (besides the fact that it's sooo simple to make) is that I don't love mint chocolate chip, so I'm not the one to eat the leftovers...he is! And since it's his birthday treat, after all, that works for me. Here's how to make it. Thin Mint Ice Cream Pie 1 Oreo cookie crust 4 c. mint chocolate chip ice cream (softened) 5 Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies, chopped (Oreos work, too) 1/3 c. Junior Mints, chopped Magic Shell chocolate topping Let the ice cream soften on the counter until you can spread it easily. Meanwhile, chop the cookies and candy. When the ice cream is softened, scoop it into the pie crust and spread it smooth. Top with the cookies and candy and drizzle Magic S...

Hi there! I've been on a kick lately, designing and making pretty storage boxes for things. I actually don't know how I'm going to use this jeweled box that I DIYd, but I wanted to try making a geode, and when I saw this gray, geometrical acrylic box with a lid in Target's bargain bins, I knew a geode would look great on top. Maybe I'll use it for jewelry (only fitting) in our bathroom when I get around to designing that space. Here's how to make a geode using Borax and food coloring. DIY Jeweled Box Nap Rating = 1 nap (not including time it takes for crystals to form) Inspired by The Etsy Blog Tools & Materials White pipe cleaner String Scissors Borax Heat-safe glass vase or jar Food coloring Pencil Poster putty Paint brush Gold metallic paint Steps Coil the pipe cleaner around and around to form a flat disc. Tuck the ends inside the coil to hide them. Tie a length of string to the outer ring of your pipe cleaner coil. Place 9 T. of Borax into your va...