DIY Cooking at Home

Hi there! The one room in our house I haven't touched since we moved in is the master bathroom. It's really tiny, and we were just so happy to have a bathroom attached to our bedroom, that we didn't complain about its size or lack of function. At first. But now, it's startin' to get to me. I need to tackle some other house projects first, but believe me, this room is next on my list. Here's one thing I recently changed in there, though: my jewelry organization. This jewelry box has sat on our toilet tank for five years, people. It's where I plunked it down when we moved in, and I haven't moved it. It's dusty, it takes up too much space, and my stuff gets tangled in it. So I recently changed it for this system: A toilet tank tray with an assortment of dishes for jewelry storage is making me happy right now. I can see what I'm reaching for, it looks pretty, and it's not in the bathroom, where it's more likely to get dirty and tar...

Does this happen to you? No sooner do you sit down or start working on something and your kids say, "Mom, can I have a snack?" Geez, I'm really sick of that question. So last week, I determined that our kids are way old enough (8 and 6) to figure this out on their own. So, why haven't they? Well, I'm partly to blame. I'm a bit of a control-freak when it comes to what they eat. But also, our darn fridge has shelves that are too high for our spritely-sized people. So I came up with a couple of ways for our kids to help themselves to some pre-approved healthy snacks. First, I lowered a shelf in the fridge--which happens to be one that also slides out for easier access--and filled it with plastic containers of 1) baby carrots 2) celery sticks 3) granola bites and 4) string cheese. Next, I used an undermount wire shelf in our pantry to lower the healthy stuff to eye-level. It has 1) dried fruit 2) almonds 3) applesauce cups and 4) pretzel rods on it. Fin...

Hi there! I made a quick and easy embellishment for a sunflower wreath I purchased that I want to share with you. Nothing fancy, just some brown ticking striped fabric cut into the shape of a little flag, which I glued some rope to. Then I free-handed our last initial on it with some black fabric paint. I must confess, I often purchase basic floral wreaths, and spruce them up with ribbons, nests, and other stuff to make them look customized as a way to save some time. It's not too late to make a summer wreath for your front door! If you need some more inspiration for ways to say welcome, check out these 10 Summer Wreaths over on my Home Accessories site. My favorite is the bicycle wreath, but they're all great. What's your fave? Here are some other inexpensive and easy things I've DIYd for our front door! Rain Boot Wreath Placemat Door Hanging

Hey, hey! One of my posts that's received the most traffic is 10 Ways to Add Class to a Builder-Grade Home . It seems a lot of us are looking for simple swaps for those cheap fixtures and finishes that prefab home builders are so fond of using. We live in a prefab home, as a matter of fact, and over the years, have put a lot of effort into transforming what I once called our "beige box" into a home that has some character. Here are two more things I checked off the list this week: upgrading doorknobs and spray painting light switches in our entryway. I swear, I don't know why it has taken me so darn long to get to these two projects. I've been bothered by those knobs and switches for years , guys, and it took me less than an hour to fix these little eyesores. First, I must confess, I had tried to spray paint our brass doorknobs a couple of years ago, and as you can see from my before pictures, the paint didn't take. A lot of people have had success with p...

Hi there! I want to share one of my family's favorite summertime traditions with you today: drive-in movies! If you're lucky enough to have a drive-in close to you ( here's a list ), I highly suggest this great family activity! But there are some things we've learned over the years that make it a LOT easier and more enjoyable. First off, put your kids in PJs. The movies typically don't start 'till about 9:30 EST and if your kids are young, they're probably gonna zonk out. One thing that makes me crazy is that they won't want to brush their teeth when you get home, and after all of the popcorn and sweet stuff they eat at a drive-in... well, it may seem like overkill, but I have them give their teeth a good brush before we leave home. If it makes you feel better, throw a bottle of mouthwash in the car! It's easy to skip brushings during the summer, but Aquafresh® toothpaste reminds us that sugar acids aren't good for our teeth, so it's impo...

Hi, friends. Got time for a story? The other day, I was driving somewhere and out of nowhere, had this memory of sugar cream pie. Two points if you've heard of this, and bonus points if you'd had it. I feel like this is one of those homespun, Western Ohio-type of recipes that few city-folk have ever had. Maybe I'm wrong...but, anyway, I had this strange hankering and decided to make one. Luckily, my mom had given my brother and me lots of old recipes for Christmas one year in a book and for some reason, she included three versions of sugar cream pie. The first one came from my Grandma "Doc," my grandma on my Dad's side. Her real name was Helen, but my grandpa's nickname was Doc and everyone knew him as such. His real name was Ralph, but no matter. He was Doc to everyone. I suppose the nomenclature of my family isn't important to this story so I'll get on with it. Grandma Doc was a superb pie-baker. Kind of a cranky lady, but reall...

Hi friends! Are you getting ready to put your house on the market? If you answered yes, then you will definitely not want to miss this list of 10 items to pack away before selling your home . I'll bet there's something on this list that you haven't thought of as a turn-off to potential home buyers. Why take that risk when there are a few simple things you can do to ensure a successful open house? Check out 10 Home Accessories to Pack When Staging Your Home .

Good morning! We're on vacation this week! So here's a look back on some of my favorite summer projects and recipes: Painted French Linen Table Runner Peaches, Basil and Red Onion Salad Creamsicle Smoothie Vacation Memory Jar Bicycle Pallet Art Rope Wrapped Candlesticks Concrete Leaf Stepping Stones Coastal Tray Centerpiece Summer Veggie Orzo Outdoor Wall Art Perfect Oven-Fried Chicken Hope you're having a great summer so far!

Hello! I'm getting really excited for peach season. Peaches are my favorite fruit (little known fact about me: it's my family nickname), but last year's peach crop in Ohio was destroyed by the cold, so we didn't have any homegrown. I've heard things are looking good for this year, though, so I've rounded up these peach recipes for you (and me). You're welcome! Peach, Basil and Red Onion Salad Grilled Peaches Fresh Peach Pound Cake Three Cheese Peach and Prosciutto Pizza Peach Ice Cream Peach Salsa Peach Tea Peach Cobbler Cookies Peach Pie Scones Pork Chops with Peach BBQ Sauce Grilled Peach, Blueberry, and Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese Chipotle Peach Chicken Tacos