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Amy’s Notebook 04.10.13

Downton-Abbey-Napkins

Source: Design Mom

 

With Downton Abbey in the off-season, I may be making a set of diy quote napkins – using some of the Dowager Countess’s best lines – to help bridge the gap.

Sometimes I just don’t have time to do a big clean and this post about the art of power cleaning should help me come up with more ways to spot-clean and maintain order.

These flower sachets made with felt are so colorful and visual I wouldn’t want to hide them away in a drawer – maybe piled in a bowl on a table?

I’m loving this light and bright refreshed dining hutch – what a great before and after!

Chocolate-Peanutbutter-Brownies

Source: Living Locurto

 

I love chocolate chips, peanut butter cookies, and brownies, so I’m sure I will adore Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookie Brownies!

If you’ve got Easter candy left over from the holidays, you’ll definitely want to check out these 15 yummy-looking recipes that use candy.

I’m looking forward to arming myself against junk food temptations with some of these tips for eating healthy on the go.

When spring hits, I’m always in the mood for salads and having sixteen ideas for tasty spring salads should go a long way to helping me with our menus.

Earth_Day_Activity_Jar

Source: Skip To My Lou

 

What a great idea to make a gift-in-a-jar with an Earth Day theme that includes activities and treats!

I have a few Easter eggs left over that I hope to use for one of these great kids projects for upcylcling plastic eggs.

This easy technique for kids to make modern art that looks like stained glass for canvas is so clever and should be a lot of fun.

A great idea to help spur kid creativity, a lazy susan art caddy just might be in our future…

amys_notebook

I hope you enjoyed this collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, and thrifty ways to spruce up your home. Nothing brings me more joy then to highlight other fabulous bloggers. Follow me on Pinterest for daily inspiration!

 

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Amy’s Notebook 04.03.13

washi tape thumbtacksSource: How About Orange

I’m loving these super easy and fabulous thumbtacks covered with washi tape.

Here are some great DIY ideas to help achieve pretty, styled bookshelves.

I want to borrow some of these creative ways to use indoor plants to bring more spring green into our house.

With the arrival of spring, this list of amazing cleaning tips is just what I need!

Braided hair with diy flowerSource: Sugar Bee Crafts

I think these matching bow-ties and hair flowers turned out adorable, and I’m totally in awe of the fabulous braid the diy flower is resting in.

This stenciled wall of horses is seriously fantastic!

I’m loving this bike-themed birthday party and think it would be great for any age – so clever.

These are the cutest spring chalkboard and flower jars – and a great way to reuse all those glass jars.

Trail-Mix-Energy-BitesSource: Gimme Some Oven

For all the things I’d like to accomplish, I’m sure I’ll need the energy from these awesome looking trail mix bites, don’t you?

I’m thinking the lemon-tarragon flavors in this pasta salad would be so refreshing – a great way to celebrate spring!

My family will love this slightly sweet maple popcorn.

I’m looking forward to trying some of these great recipes for using up leftover ham.

amys_notebook

I hope you enjoyed this collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, and thrifty ways to spruce up your home. Nothing brings me more joy then to highlight other fabulous bloggers. Follow me on Pinterest for daily inspiration!

 

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Amy’s Notebook 03.27.13

diy_shoelacesSource: Make It-Love It

Easy and packing a wow, I think that these diy fabric shoelaces will make fabulous gifts for the kids on my list.

I’m loving these cute Easter hair clips – and the fact that they are easy enough to finish in time for the holiday!

I’m also excited to find this sweet Easter tag printable for my holiday goodies – another quick and easy holiday embellishment.

These cages full of nesting materials for birds is such a great idea – and a great way to use our art supply leftovers!

t-shirt_rugsSource: Olino Hobby

I love these colorful rugs that are made by crocheting yarn around old t-shirts!

This Easter party decorated with vintage items like mason jars and rustic wood has given me some great ideas to use on our holiday table.

I adore the tree wall mural in this cool baby boy nursery remodel.

Lemon-blueberry-cakeSource: The Kitchn

It’s the lemon cream on this yummy looking Lemon-Blueberry Cake that makes me want to make this as soon as possible.

This colorful strawberry and spinach salad sounds fresh and seasonal right about now, doesn’t it?

Thanks to this simple method, I may be cooking all our brown rice in the oven from now on.

Eggs and hash browns all in one easy-to-make cupcake shape? Yes, please!

amys_notebook

I hope you enjoyed this collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, and thrifty ways to spruce up your home. Nothing brings me more joy then to highlight other fabulous bloggers. Follow me on Pinterest for daily inspiration!

 

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21 Fun Easter & Spring Projects

spring-easter projects

I’m back with another round-up of great ideas for you – this time it’s lots of fun (and simple!) Easter & Spring projects. Between the Mom Advice archives and all the other inspirational projects I found, I knew I couldn’t limit myself to only one area, so you’ll find projects for the whole family to cook, craft, or decorate – for the holiday and beyond. In other words, something for everyone!

Cooking Projects:

Bread_Machine_Bunny_Bread

Bread Machine Bunny Bread @ Mom Advice

Bunny-Easter-Carrot-Dip

Bunny Carrot Dip @ Pizzazzerie

Peep_Martinis

Peep Martinis @ Mom Advice

Easter-Egg-Bark

Jelly Bean Bark @ The Frugal Girls

birds-nest-macaroons

Bird’s Nest Macaroons @ Faux Martha

bunny krispie pops

Chubby Bunny Krispie Pops @ Shaken Together Life

And when you’re ready for nourishing food,

vegetable soup with pesto

Spring Vegetable Soup with Pesto @ Healthy Delicious

Crafting Projects:

Rolled_Ribbon_Rosette_Hairbow

Rolled Ribbon Rosette Hair Bow @ Mom Advice

DIY_Peep_Wreath

DIY Peep Wreath with Rolled Ribbon Rosette @ Mom Advice

Paint with cotton tips

Paper Eggs Cotton Tip Painting @ Danya Banya

easy_felt_flower_brooch

Felt Flower Brooch @ Mom Advice

egg-carton-spring-sheep

Egg Carton Painted Sheep @ Blog Me Mom

spring-craft-daffodil-bunting

Daffodil Bunting @ Nurture Store

DIY Easter Stickers

DIY Easter Stickers @ MerMag Blog

Decorating Projects:

Embroidery_Thread_Easter_Eggs

Embroidery Thread Eggs @ Mom Advice

Simple Spring Tablescape

Simple Spring Tablescape @ Love of Family and Home

Bunny-boxwood-wreath

Boxwood Bunny Wreath @ Simplicity in the South

yarn-egg-wreath

Yarn Egg Wreath @ The Sweet Survival

pinata-eggsPinata Eggs @ A Subtle Revelry

Easy-Easter-Decorating-with riceColored Rice Easter Decoration @ Today’s Creative Blog

And last, but not least, how about some help cleaning up after all this fun?

Big-Spring-Clean-Part-1

The Big Spring Clean @ Living Well Spending Less

Happy Easter!

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18 Easy St. Patrick’s Day Ideas

St.-Patricks-Day-2013

Are you looking for some simple, fun, and creative crafts, recipes, and decorations for St. Patrick’s Day? Me too! So I pulled a couple ideas from our archives and then found a few more to inspire us with their simple ingredients, kid-friendly steps, and fun presentations.

Here are a couple of Mom Advice classics:

rainbow_cake_in_a_jar

Rainbow Cake in a Jar with Cloud Frosting
s_Day_Straw_Printable

Free Printable St. Patrick’s Day Straw Tags
And sixteen more easy St. Paddy’s day ideas:

felt shamrock craft

Felt Shamrock Hair Accessories @ Molly Moo
Irish Potato Cakes

Irish Potato Cakes @ Irish American Mom
Chocoalte-Covered-Pretzels

Chocolate Covered Pretzels @ Love From the Oven
Framed Luck Tags

Framed Luck Tags @ Organize and Decorate Everything
lucky-charm-necklace

Salt Dough Shamrock Necklace @ 2 Clever Blog
pot-of-gold-marshmallow-pops

Pot o’ Gold Marshmallow Pops @ Babies, Bellies & Beyond
candle collage

Decoupaged Candles @ Mess for Less
St-Patrick-Day Candy Bark

Pretzel & Cookie Candy Bark @ Formula Mom
St.-Patricks-muddy-buddy

St. Patrick’s Day Muddy Buddies & Printable @ No Biggie
St-Patricks-Day-Block

Kiss Me Block @ Celebrations
Mint_Brownie_Ice_Cream_Push_Up_Pops

Mint Brownie Ice Cream Push-Ups @ A Pumpkin and A Princess
st-patricks-day-streamers

Crepe Paper Shamrock Streamers @ Studio DIY
diy-st-patricks-day-wreath

Rainbow Yarn Wreath @ Crafts ‘n Coffee
Irish-Soda-Bread-Biscuits

Soda Bread Biscuits @ Simmworks Family
lucky-decoupage-vase

Lucky Yarn-Covered Vase @ Mod Podge Rocks
mint-chocolate-rice-crispy-treats

Mint Chocolate Rice Crispie Treats @ Better in Bulk
Have a great St. Patrick’s Day!

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Amy’s Notebook 03.06.13

Source: ellinee

This paper flower garland made from paper napkins is beautiful and thrifty!  (@ ellinee)

I need to clean my cabinets with this 2-ingredient homemade kitchen gunk remover (@One Good Thing)

Here are ten more things to do with coconut oil- my own latest obsession!  (@ Love Stitched)

This sesame chicken recipe looks like a great way to save on takeout (@ Brown Eyed Baker)

I am in love with these little customized Instagram beanbags (@ lil blue boo)

Source: life {illustrated}

These robin’s eggs made from salt dough are a thrifty way to decorate your home for Spring (@ life {illustrated})

I love this tutorial for how to turn bi-fold doors into fancy french doors (@ 2 Little Superheroes)

My bathroom could use a deep cleaning and I love these tips for deep cleaning your bathroom (@ Clean & Scentsible)

These green velvet baked donuts would be a fun St. Patrick’s Day treat (@ Picky Palate)

I can’t wait to try making my own almond milk with this tutorial (@ a thousand words)

I love these fifteen washi tape projects to decorate a kid’s room (@ ohdeedoh)

These roasted vegetables with miso-lime dressing look divine (@ the kitchn)

I want to try this copycat Olive Garden dressing recipe (@ GoodLife Eats)

This chocolate mint skillet cookie looks like a fun dessert for the family (@ she wears many hats)

amys_notebookI hope you enjoyed this collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, and thrifty ways to spruce up your home. Nothing brings me more joy then to highlight other fabulous bloggers. Follow me on Pinterest for daily inspiration!

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Amy’s Notebook 02.20.13

5 Days Nursery

Source: five days…5 ways

 

I adore this turquoise, blue and yellow nursery with Amy Butler wallpaper and fun butterfly wall art.  (@ Five Days…5 Ways)

These sweet little garlands made with paper and a simple straight stitch look like a fun & easy craft to tackle. (@ Design Mom)

Friendship Necklace Kits would be a fun diy gift for children to make and give to their friends. (@ Inner Child Fun)

Awesome, easy to see and complete kids chore chart tutorial (@ My Name is Snickerdoodle)

lemon-chia-seed-cake

Source: baking bites

 

Chia Seeds are so good for you, wouldn’t it be great to get some into your diet in a Lemon-Chia Seed Cake? (@ Baking Bites)

Banana Bars with Browned Butter Icing  instead of normal banana bread look like a fun twist on this banana bread classic.  (@ Bake or Break)

I love this different take on Taco Soup with orzo instead of tortillas (@ Dine & Dish)

This 30 Minute Skillet Kale, White Bean & Sausage Soup looks like a winner for an easy and comforting dinner (@ serious eats)

Birdseed_Wreath

Source: apartment therapy

 

These five different ideas for diy  bird-seed feeders to make would be a great winter boredom buster (@ apartment therapy)

Make a retro potluck dish cozy from an old sweater (@ makezine.com)

I love this idea for upcycling a maxi dress into an Easy Peasy Tot Teepee (@ awesome sauce & asshattery )

This  little Indoor Fairy Garden would be a fun craft to do with the kids (@ Craft Jr.)

amys_notebook

I hope you enjoyed this collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, and thrifty ways to spruce up your home. Nothing brings me more joy then to highlight other fabulous bloggers. Follow me on Pinterest for daily inspiration!

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Want to make cookies, but don’t have a lot of time? These easy chocolate chip cookie bars are the perfect cookie bar recipe to add to your snack agenda. They offer all of the taste of a chocolate chip cookie, but are made in a chocolate chip cookie bar instead of the more labor-intensive drop cookie.

When I was growing up, my mom made many varieties of bar treats for us. We ate a lot of lemon bars, brownies, and chocolate chip cookie bars as snacks. When I would go to my friend’s houses though, their moms made homemade cookies and I would come home and beg my mom to make cookies instead of bars. I never understood why she always made bars for us…until now! Yes, I consider this the world’s most genius cookie shortcut!

Bars are so much easier than cookies and you dirty up a heck of a lot less pans. There is no cooling on racks that has to be done or switching of cookie sheets. All you have to do to make these cookies is mix and dump. Within minutes you can be snacking on a plate full of cookie bars without the mess or work that regular cookies can be.

Looking to achieve a bar cookie with a crisp edge that holds it shape when cut? Try my trick and keep a plastic knife handy in your utensil drawer. You can cut them into perfect squares without the crumby mess, even when they aren’t fully cool.

I think the best part about these is the gooey center where all of the chocolate seems to reside. You get all of the crispness on the outside, with the soft gooey center on the inside. You will find the same delicious delight in my easy homemade granola bars, that happen to be another one of our favorite treats!

These have become my favorite cookies to make and to share with others. I know after you try this recipe, they will be a favorite of yours too!

4.5 from 2 reviews

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 10-12
 

The world’s easiest way to make a big batch of chocolate chip cookies by making them in one big pan. These make the perfect after school treat or a fun weekend surprise for the kids.
Ingredients
  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Grease a 9×13″ pan.
  3. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, both sugars and vanilla in large mixer bowl.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
  5. Gradually beat flour mixture into butter mixture.
  6. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
  7. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

What is your favorite easy cookie or treat to bake for your kids?

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Amy’s Notebook 02.13.13

source: kara’s party ideas

 
This Wicked Musical inspired birthday party is unbelievably cool! (@ kara’s party ideas)

I am in love with this small kitchen redo and can’t wait to replicate the ideas in our home (@ Flower Patch Farm Girl)

This vintage-inspired baby headband is so cute! (@ u create)

source: design sponge

 
I can’t wait to try this furniture polish recipe (@ design sponge)

I am in awe of this painted backsplash (@ Sawdust & Embryos)

I want to try this homemade microwave caramel sauce (@ gimmie some oven)

I love these tips for making the perfect pancake (@ Serious Eats)

I love this adorable Valentine’s Day mantle (@ Every Day is an Occasion)

source: the kitchn

 
I love these 5 new ideas for things to do with your French Press and can’t wait to try them out (@ the kitchn)

I can’t wait to try this easy recipe for macarons (@ Bake at 350)

I love these zippered pillow covers for sprucing up an old pillow (@ Make It & Love It)

These Thai Chicken Wraps look absolutely delicious (@ The Pioneer Woman)


 

I hope you enjoyed this collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, and thrifty ways to spruce up your home. Nothing brings me more joy then to highlight other fabulous bloggers. Follow me on Pinterest for daily inspiration!

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Amy’s Notebook 02.06.13

Source: the zen of making

 
I am over the moon for this Downton Abbey embroidery project. A perfect one to tackle while watching the show this season (the zen of making )

I love this twine wrapped lampshade for an inexpensive way to dress up an old shade (@ A Night Owl)

Making these DIY window clings would be a fun winter project to tackle with the kids (@ Merry  With Children)

This outdoor Instagram wreath would be a cute way to display your photos (@ tatertots & jello)

Source: Love vs. Design

 
I love these free printables for Valentine’s to share with your sweetie for the holiday (@ Love vs. Design)

These knitted bracelets would be a great project for a beginning knitter (@ design sponge)

I adore this idea of transforming a shed into a playhouse (@ ohdeedoh)

These DIY Instagram magnets are another cute way to display your photos (@ design sponge)

Taco salad tacos? Best idea ever. (@ The Pioneer Woman)

Source: inspired by charm

 
This “everything”  flatbread looks delicious (@ inspired by charm)

This double fingerprint heart necklace is such a cute idea (@ Rae Gun Ramblings)

This brown butter orange rosemary cornbread looks sinfully delicious (@ Joy the Baker)

I love this list of 17 plants you can grow from kitchen scraps (@ Black Thumb Gardner)

I will have to add these ten Oscar winning films to our Netflix agenda (@ Apartment Therapy)

I hope you enjoyed this collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, and thrifty ways to spruce up your home. Nothing brings me more joy then to highlight other fabulous bloggers. Follow me on Pinterest for daily inspiration!