TUESDAY'S JEWELRY SPOTLIGHT "Elegance by Elaine"

TUESDAY'S JEWELRY SPOTLIGHT is featuring "Elegance by Elaine"

https://www.etsy.com/people/Elegencebyelaine

Hi everyone. I'm a stay at home mom and have been for years. I live in a house where I am the only female! I have 4 sons who have recently graduated college (yahoo) and are looking for full time jobs, who live at home, along with my husband. So you can see why I love making jewelry with all the pretty colors, sparkle and designs, when I can find the time. I love the colors and shapes of different beaded jewelry which allows me to create various patterns of design. My absolute favorite is the Swarovksi crystal with its absolutely incredible shine factor. Weaving creations of crystal is time consuming, but worth the final effect. Handmade lampwork beads are also a favorite of mine! I have expanded from just jewelry making to add gift items made with glass lampwork beads as well. Glass beaded pens, bottle stoppers, key chains, letter openers and other goodies. I also sell handmade pens turned on a lathe. Some of these are various types of wood, while others are acrylic colored blanks. These pens are made by my sons who were taught by their grandfather (my father). I also have some pens made by my father on my site. And my pens are the glass beaded ones. All are beautiful and unique. I am adding more glass lampwork beaded earrings to my shop as weaving produces lovely work but is so time consuming. Please check out my store for various gift ideas. Thank you.

MONDAY SOLUTIONS: DIY GIFT CARD HOLDER

MONDAY SOLUTIONS:  DIY GIFT CARD HOLDER

http://tinyrottenpeanuts.com/make-little-gift-card-holder-right-now/

MAKE A LITTLE GIFT CARD HOLDER RIGHT NOW!

12/02/2014 by Jeanette Nyberg 6 Comments

Raise your hands if you like to buy gift cards for people because they are wonderful and amazing and so easy and everybody likes gift cards. Raise your hand if you don’t want to spend $3 on a gift card holder because even though it’s cute, that’s ridiculous.

Let’s DIY our gift card holders in the sweetest, easiest possible way.

Here’s What You Need:

• Something to stamp a dot shape (look around your house- you probably have something round and flat to use. I used a foam marshmallow shape.)
• White craft paint or acrylic paint or ink. Printing ink always works best and is less goopy for printing projects, but I just used acrylic.
• scissors (don’t underestimate the importance of small sharp scissors when cutting paper.)
• Colored card stock
• Brayer
  (optional)

Directions:

Brayer out your paint onto a flat surface. I love my butcher tray for paint projects. It’s so much nicer than using aluminum foil, which I previously used. Stamp your dot stamp onto the paint and then make dots all over the paper.

After they are dry, print my gift card envelope template here, and cut it out. Trace it onto the paper and cut that out.

Flip it over and fold each flap in, one at a time, until you reach the last one, which can be tucked under the first!

You can write on the outside and the inside- add a little message and don’t forget to tell your recipient how much is on the card.

Ready for the Weedend Breakfast Recipe: Muffin Pan Mini Quiches

Ready for the Weekend Breakfast Recipe:  Muffin Pan Mini Quiches

https://michellesmithrdsecrets.wordpress.com/2013/07/08/crustless-mini-quiches/

Crustless Mini Quiches

posted in Homemade Recipes by MichelleSmithRD

I thought of this recipe when I started working as a Dietitian at the hospital. I am not a morning person at all and I was looking for a way to have a nutritious breakfast that wouldn’t require me to set my alarm any earlier and this is what I came up with. You can make them Sunday evening and you’re set for the workweek for breakfast. Just put them in the fridge and pop them in the microwave in the morning  to reheat. 

Makes: 9 crustless mini quiches

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Materials:                   

• Oven
• Medium bowl
• Whisk or fork
• Knife and cutting board
• Muffin pan
• Spoon

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup 1% milk
• Seasoning of your choice
• Mix-ins such as vegetables and cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F

2. Spray muffin pan with cooking spray

3. Add eggs, milk, and desired seasoning into bowl and whisk  (I chose the Italian Herbs grinder I had in my pantry. I add LOTS to give extra flavor.)

4. Pour egg mix into muffin pan, about 3/4 full

5. Add desired mix-ins (I use what I find at the Farmer’s Market. This week I happened to have scallions, red bell pepper, and cheddar cheese. Other options to try are spinach, onions, swiss, mushrooms, tomatoes, feta, etc. Get creative!)

6. With a spoon, stir each cup to get the mix-ins incorporated

7. Put in the oven, setting the timer for 10 minutes

8. After 10 minutes rotate the muffin pan 180° and set the timer for another 10 minutes

9. After a total of 20 minutes, remove the muffin pan from the oven (You will notice the quiches have puffed up a lot but they will sink back down once removed from the oven.)

10. Immediately remove quiches from muffin pan using a spoon to help scoop them out

11. Let cool and enjoy! (Or store for later use)

These are not just for working people in need of a fast breakfast either. Have a family or group of kids with different likes and dislikes when it comes to veggies? Have bowls of different options available and have each person add their own mix-ins. It’s an easy way to allow everyone to have breakfast just the way they want it.

*Nutrition for 2 mini quiches with egg and milk only (since your mix-ins will vary):

• Calories: 124
• Total fat: 8 g
• Saturated fat: 2.6 g
• Cholesterol: 289 mg
• Sodium: 122 mg
• Total carbohydrate: 2 g
• Sugar: 2 g
• Protein: 10 g

Keep in mind cheese will add protein as well as saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium.

FOR THE KIDDOS: POOL NOODLE CROQUET

FOR THE KIDDOS:  POOL NOODLE CROQUET

http://innerchildfun.com/2011/08/kickin-it-croquet-style.html

Kickin’ it Croquet Style

Kids need to burn off some of that extra energy? Have some old pool noodles on-hand?? Then it’s time to make up your own kick croquet lawn game!!

Cut pool noodles in half down the middle (we reused the ones from our awesome marble run), and each pool noodle is enough to make up two arches. Use garden stakes to keep them in place on the lawn. Gather up a few kick balls and kick the ball through the course croquet style! First one to get their ball to the finish wins!!

This ended up turning into a “beat the clock” racing game… fun!!

Goooooaaaaaaallllllll!!!!

Lots of great active and frugal fun!

Wishing you and your lovely family a wonderful weekend!!

Crafty Wednesday: How to Make a Homemade Butterfly Feeder

Crafty Wednesday:  How to Make a Butterfly Feeder

http://www.ehow.com/way_5484767_homemade-butterfly-feeder.html

How to Make a Homemade Butterfly Feeder

By Jonathan Fong, eHow Contributor

171,991

Found This Helpful

Besides bringing a magical beauty to any garden, butterflies help promote growth by pollinating flowers. You can attract more butterflies to your yard with these DIY butterfly feeders – one made with a plate and one made with a jar – that also serve as attractive garden ornaments. Mother Nature would definitely approve.

Butterfly feeders (Jonathan Fong)

Things You'll Need

• For the plate butterfly feeder:
• Acrylic plate
• 10"-14" wire plate holder
• String
• 1/2" metal washer
• Sponge
• Silk flowers and leaves
• Hot glue

• Glass beads
• Sugar
• Water
• Wire
• For the jar butterfly feeder:
• Glass jar
• Nail and hammer
• Silk flowers

Other People Are Reading

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How to Make a Plate Butterfly Feeder

Step 1:

Attach a wire plate holder to the back of an acrylic plate. You can find plate holders at hardware stores, arts and crafts stores, and home decor stores. Cut four pieces of string about 24" long and tie the ends to the prongs gripping the edge of the plate. These four strings will suspend the butterfly feeder on the tree.

Wire plate holder and string (Jonathan Fong)

Step 2:

At random points along the four strings, thread some glass beads and secure them with knots on either side. These beads will help catch the light to attract the butterflies.

Glass beads on the string (Jonathan Fong)

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Step 3:

Take the four strings and tie them together around a 1/2" metal washer. This washer will be used later for hanging the feeder on a tree.

Tie the strings to a washer (Jonathan Fong)

Step 4:

Using a hot glue gun, attach brightly colored silk flowers to the strings at various points.

Glue flowers to the strings (Jonathan Fong)

Step 5:

Make your own butterfly food by mixing 10 parts water with one part sugar. Heat the mixture until the sugar dissolves, and allow to cool.

Make your own butterfly food (Jonathan Fong)

Step 6:

In the center of the plate, place a sponge on some silk leaves. Spoon some of the sugar water mixture onto the sponge until it is saturated, but not overflowing. Then hang the butterfly feeder from a tree branch using wire connected to the washer. Check the feeder regularly to make sure there is plenty of sugar water in the sponge.

Spoon the sugar water onto the sponge (Jonathan Fong)

How to Make a Jar Butterfly Feeder

Step 1:

Thoroughly wash and dry a glass jar and lid, removing the paper label. Using a hammer and nail, puncture a hole in the center of the lid.

Punch a hole in the lid (Jonathan Fong)

Step 2:

Cut about a quarter inch from one end of a half-inch thick sponge, and cut that piece in half lengthwise so it is about a quarter inch on all sides. Then trim this piece so the sponge is about one inch long.

Cut a small piece of sponge (Jonathan Fong)

Step 3:

Insert the one-inch piece of sponge into the hole in the lid so there is a half-inch of sponge on either side. To help squeeze the sponge in the hole, use the nail to push a little bit of the sponge through, and then pull it from the other side. The sponge should be very snug in the hole.

Squeeze the sponge through the hole (Jonathan Fong)

Step 4:

Turn the glass jar upside down. Cut two pieces of string that are 48" long. Wrap each string around the base of the jar and tie a double knot. The two knots should be opposite each across. You will now have four ends of string extending from the jar. They are labeled here 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B.

Tie two strings around jar (Jonathan Fong)

Step 5:

Take strings 1B and 2B and tie a double knot about half way up the inverted jar. Do the same with strings 1A and 2A. Try to get the two knots at an even height, on opposite sides of the jar.

Connect strings halfway up (Jonathan Fong)

Step 6:

Then take strings 2A and 2B and tie a double knot at the top of the inverted jar. Do the same with strings 1A and 1B. You have now formed a macrame-style structure to hold the jar securely.

Connect strings at the top (Jonathan Fong)

Step 7:

Thread some glass beads on the string to catch light in the garden. Tie the four strings together to a half-inch metal washer. You will use this washer to hang the feeder to a tree branch.

Tie string to a washer (Jonathan Fong)

Step 8:

Hot glue some silk flowers to the top of the inverted jar to help attract butterflies. Glue additional flowers at other points on the jar, or along the strings. Fill the jar with the sugar water butterfly food, and seal the lid tightly. When you invert the jar, the sugar water will saturate the end of the sponge sticking through the lid. Then hang the feeder on a tree branch, using wire threaded through the washer.

Hot glue flowers to the jar (Jonathan Fong)

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/way_5484767_homemade-butterfly-feeder.html