Pottery Barn Kids Chair - Goodwill Find

So, we were shopping at Goodwill - as is our weekly habit - and this Pottery Barn Kids chair was comfortably sitting back by the book section.  With a nifty $3.99 sticker tag it quickly became -  MINE!  Er, uhm, my daughter's.  *winks*

Although there were faded spots and some ink marks, the thought of DYE popped into my head.  Since I'd never tackled dying anything, a $4 risk was worth taking.

Initially, I machine washed the cover.  Instead of drying it, I chose to soak the cover overnight in a tub full of Oxi-Clean.  (Dye Free Oxi-Clean is one of my favorite laundry tools!)

The Oxi-Clean really did help brighten up the cover, but the ink stains were still quite visible, and the fading was still...faded.  

Turning to the dye I could find during a grocery trip to Wal-Mart - I chose Rit Petal Pink.  Timidly, I followed the directions on the bottle to dye the chair cover in my washing machine!  And guess what?  It worked quite well.

In truth, the color came out a bit more along the lines of Pepto Bismol than I expected.  My goal was to stick closer to the original pale pink - but hey, for a first try, it turned out great!  (Now to find the time to re-stuff the arm cushions!)

Courageous DVD Winner!

And the winner* of the Focus on the Family sponsored Courageous DVD giveaway is...*drum roll*

#21 - Diana Bradford Hatch

Congratulations, Diana!

*If I do not hear from the winner within 48 hours of when I send the winning email, a new winner will be chosen.

10 Great Kids Books

Here are some of our family's favorite kid books.  Most of these I read as a child, and am now reading to my own daughter!  Naturally, there are more books we love, so this list is not exhaustive.  

Happy reading AND memory making!

The Kissing Hand, by Audrey Penn

Socks for Supper, by Jack Kent

The Moon Shines Down, by Margaret Wise Brown

The Story About Ping, by Marjorie Flack

Katy No-Pockets, by Emmy Payne

Little Toot, by Hardie Gramatky

Blueberries for Sal, by Robert McCloskey

Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel, by Virginia Lee Burton

Make Way for Ducklings, by Robert McCloskey

The Box With Red Wheels, by Maud and Miska Petersham

Review - Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough

Since going gluten free nearly a year ago, real baking has kinda, well, not happened in our home.  But for Valentine's Day, I wanted my daughter to experience cut-out cookies.  Even though Mommy and daughter wouldn't eat any, there's always Daddy!

We turned to the pre-made Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough.  At Christmas I saw a sweet TV commercial of a mom and little girl baking cut-out cookies with the Pillsbury Sugar Cookie dough.  Images of simple, quick fun danced in my head as we opened up the plastic roll of dough.

Straight out of the fridge, it was solid and cold.  (My rolling pin is still packed, SOMEwhere, so we had to use plastic cups!)  Quickly, the dough began to thaw, but we got a full pan cut out and into our pre-heated oven.  I put the other half of the dough back into the fridge to harden again.  5 minutes into cook time, we clicked on the oven light to take a quick peek.  Uhm...the cookies were HUGE!  That pan of cookies swelled up, blending into each other.  *sigh*  The cute, pressed Valentine's designs were barely recognizable.

We got the dough back out of the fridge and hoped for better results.  This time, I took pictures!  For pan #2, I used 4 cookies, and on pan #3 only 2.  Maybe this way they'd at least keep their shape.  Nope.

Just in the oven.

5 minutes into baking.

Final product, complete with toddler's icing!

 Well, these aren't exactly beautiful cut-out cookies!  But I don't think Daddy will mind.  Truthfully, we had a blast - so we did get the fun part.  But Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough for cut-out cookies gets a huge "thumbs down" from me.

On a positive note, the dough makes a super yummy cobbler topping if you're in a rush!  Mix your berries or fruit with some sugar and a hint of lemon juice.  Thickly, roll out the cookie dough.  Spread that a'top your berries.  Then, just sprinkle on some coarse sugar and you've got a fast and simple dessert!  Don't forget to bake it at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or so.  You may need to cover with foil after the cookie has browned and cook a bit longer, to help your fruit finish softening.  Enjoy!

Review - Gluten Free Favorites

When starting out on the gluten free path, it can be overwhelming.  Overwhelming AND expensive actually.  Baking those sweet treats and pasta are often the most difficult to give up.  (What DO you eat for breakfast other than scrambled eggs when you're gluten/dairy free, anyway?  *shrugs*)

Most local grocery stores and finally, even Wal-Mart, are carrying large amounts of gluten free products.  The only thing I'm not thrilled about with nearly all gluten free products is that wheat is replaced primarily by corn with rice as a close second.  "What's corn good for?" Our nutritionist will ask you, "Nothing, other than to make cows fat."  *smiles*

So even though these items are tasty, we still have to eat them in moderation.  Funny, at first all I could think was, "FINALLY, there's SOMETHING I can actually EAT that's not meat or vegetables!"

Well, here are some my personal favorites.  Hopefully this list can save you from a headache when you're out shopping.  And save you a few dollars too!  Oh, and don't forget to check the mark-down section of your grocery store.  Often it's tucked away in a corner on a shelf or tables.  Frequently, you'll find gluten free or organic products at a great price buried there!

• Udi's Chocolate Muffins - They freeze well!  Perfect for that chocolate fix.  Can be found at Amazon or your local store. 

• Udi's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies - They also freeze well.  Taste like the "real" thing!  Certainly a comfort food.  Can be found at Amazon or your local store.

• Rudi's Multi-grain Bread - This tastes the most like "real bread."  Soft.  Toasts well.  Found online or at your local store.

• Hodgson Mill Pancake and Waffle Mix - We sweeten these with Agave and fresh blueberries!  Top with maple syrup and yum!  Can be found on Amazon or your local store.

• Hodgson Mill Apple Cinnamon Muffins - We sweeten with Agave.  These do not save for very long and tend to be a bit "heavy."  Can be found on Amazon or your local store.  

• Bob's Red Mill Corn Bread Mix - Even if you're not GF, you will LOVE this corn bread.  It's better than any other box mix - amazing.  Can be found on Amazon or your local store.

• Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta - This pasta is the BEST GF pasta we've tried.  (We've tried Tinkyada's other varieties as well, they're great!)  It cooks well - even if you over cook, it's just fine.  Taste is marvelous.  Can be found on Amazon or at your local store.

• Annie's Mac and Cheese -  If you're ok with including dairy in your diet Annie's will satisfy that quick mac 'n cheese craving around lunch time.  Taste really isn't far off from the traditional "Kraft" taste.  (And sometimes you can snag 'em for $1 each on sale!)  Can be found on Amazon or at your local store.

• Larabars - If you're a fruit lover, you'll enjoy these quick snack bars.  The flavors are subtle.  Ingredients simple and straightforward.  Can be found at Costco, Amazon or your local store!  (And do look for the sales.)

Valentine's Mantel and Napkin Wreath

With most of my decor still in boxes, it's a challenge to decorate.  Thus far, my mantel is the only thing I've tackled.   There's not one picture hanging on a wall anywhere!  Granted I'm enjoying the de-cluttered look, and am trying to take this time to scour Pinterest for ideas.

We've owned this home for about 6 months.  2 of those months we were not living in the home - smashed out walls and cabinets, torn out flooring and fresh paint kinda made me stay out.  *smiles*  Then, a couple weeks after moving into a home with renovations still in progress, I hit my head.  And now, I am under doctor's orders to do as little as possible.  Having a concussion sure takes a toll on one's life!  3 months down - and doc says 9 more to go!  *sigh*

Here's what the mantel has looked like since we got here...

Original mantel was finished wood.

We painted the mantel white to match the new crown moulding we  put in  the living room!

And yes, there was a Christmas mantel.  But Miss Concussion Brain forgot to take a pic!  This is the only pic I took of my Christmas decor.

This is my Christmas napkin wreath!  It's one of the most easiest projects I have ever tackled!

Simply get cocktail napkins (dinner napkins if you'd like) and unfold them.  Next, grab the middle of the opened napkin - like you're going to use it as tissue paper in a gift bag.  Twist the "end" just a tad and tuck it into your wreath!

It'll take 1-2 packs of napkins, depending on how full your want your wreath/the size of the wreath.  Play around with color combos, solids or even a rainbow!

As you can see, for Valentine's Day I merely squashed in a few pink napkins and added a heart!  Since my daughter's craft supplies are basically my only unpacked supplies, I find myself raiding them all the time!  This adds a bit more whimsy than I usually use, but since there IS a young child in my house, it works!

Art in the back was made by my handicapped Aunt, and given to family members one Christmas!

Share a link on this post if you ever decide to create your own napkin wreath!  Maybe in the colors of an upcoming baby or wedding shower?  It's such a cheap and simplistic way to get a lot of "wow!"

Happy Valentine's Day!

P.S. Linking up to...

Product Review - L.L. Bean's Fleece Slipper Mocs

**Don't forget about my on-going giveaway!  The Courageous DVD given by Focus on the Family is waiting to find a home.  Giveaway entries open through this Friday, February 18, 2012.**

  My Treasure Book was featured on ByStephanieLynn.  This is my second feature on her site.  Thanks, ByStephanieLynn!

L.L. Bean's Slipper Mocs

After much thought, these slippers helped me cross three guys off my Christmas list!  One of those guys, was my husband.  He had been asking and asking for slippers for Christmas.  That's all he wanted.

Here's what he has to say about his L.L. Bean Slippers Mocs...

"They are extremely comfortable.  I want to wear them every day.  Actually, I miss them when I don't have them on!  I don't like not wearing them.  They make me feel prepared at any moment - I can run out of the house, etc.  They can perform like a shoe if necessary.  When I'm home, have you seen me without them?

On the down side, the sole pattern too intricate, anything sticks to it.  If you go outside, you have to brush them off before going back inside.  Picks up more "debris" than a regular shoe.  Also, I wish the slippers weren't made in China and that there were more, nice color options available."

Personally, I was a bit disappointed that the fleece began balling up quickly.  L.L. Bean's quality is usually exceptional, (my husband has had the same L.L. Bean backpack for oh, going on twenty years) so this surprised me.   Granted, these are their cheapest men's slipper.  But still, with a price tag of $34.95, you hope they would stay in their original condition for at least a few months!

L.L. Bean offers three colors for their Fleece Slipper Mocs - bright navy, burgundy and charcoal heather.  I chose "charcoal heather" for all three gifts.  Reviewers on L.L. Beans website give these slippers 4.6 stars out of 5.  Slipper size seemed to run true to my husband's shoe size.

When I ordered back before Christmas, I Googled "L.L. Bean coupon," and was able to get an additional 15% off my total.  Plus, they already had a sale running AND as always, free shipping!  It was a good day.  *smiles*

Have a blessed Sunday, Friends!
"MommieJoys"

P.S. Linking up to Petite Hermine with my Treasure Book today.