Amy’s Notebook 10.16.13

October 16th, 2013

Ikea curtain-art holder

Source: Design Mom

 

I’m loving everything about this kid-friendly house that’s still awesomely designed – especially the ideas for organizing kid’s closets, toys, and this great Ikea hack for displaying their art using curtain wire and clips.

My kids would love to have this adorable diy jack-o-lantern pinata at a Halloween Party!

These spooky snow globes are such a cute idea – they would make fun and different Halloween decorations or even a Halloween party hostess gift.

With the holidays approaching, I found these 9 tips for saving money using online coupons helpful. Oh, the allure of shopping from home, having it delivered to my house…and saving money? Yes, please.

I absolutely loved this post on 15 recipes every parent should know – mainly because it got me thinking about our family’s go-to recipes. And also because they included a Manhattan in the category “Bad Day Eraser.” Love that.

And I’m thinking this slow cooker gingerbread oatmeal will be the perfect breakfast to alternate with our slow cooker honey crisp apple oatmeal. In fact, they kinda sound good together – what do you think about a slow cooked oatmeal potluck?

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!

 

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Amy's Notebook | 3 Comments »

Apron Full of Giveaways 10.15.13

October 15th, 2013

blender apron from etsy

Source: Boojiboo,  $28.75

 

Welcome to our Apron Full of Giveaways! I hope everyone is having a great week this week! As we do each week, here is our round-up of giveaways for our readers. We hope that this is beneficial to you and your family! Please let us know if you guys win anything- I love to hear the success stories!

Below are the contest links-if you are hosting a contest please link it up below. Sorry, we are not giving away the aprons just showcasing them! Please put your site name and then what type of contest you are hosting. For example, “MomAdvice (Kid’s Movies).”

Good luck to each of you!

Pin It

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Giveaways, Saving | 1 Comment »

Quick & Easy Knitted Boot Cuffs

October 14th, 2013

Easy Knitted Boot Cuffs (a 2 hour knit project) featured on MomAdvice.com.
I love a quick & gratifying quick knitting project and these knitted boot cuffs are so lovely to wear and add to knit. Knitted boot cuffs can be created in any pattern that your heart desires and can be knitted oh-so-quickly thanks to beautifully bulky yarn. I can’t wait to share this fun and easy to create boot topper.

Easy Knitted Boot Cuffs (a 2 hour knit project) featured on MomAdvice.com.

Walmart asked me to share a fun Fall project that you can tackle using supplies from their store and I instantly thought of knitted boot cuffs to add a beautiful touch to my Fall wardrobe. I discovered after knitting my 6-stitch ruffled scarf project with them this past Spring that their yarn selection and knitting/crochet accessories has really grown.

For bulky yarn choices, I knitted with both the Lion Brand Thick & Quick Wool Ease and the Lion Brand Hometown USA yarn.

After knitting with both, I loved the Lion Brand Thick & Quick for how much sturdier it was and how it held its shape. What I didn’t love was the scratchy feel of the wool through my leggings so these will be just for topping my boots with jeans.

The Hometown USA yarn feels so soft and luxurious, but the fibers can be easier to separate and it won’t have the longevity that the wool does. It’s up to you which one will fit your needs best, however, they are both affordable options.

You need only one ball of yarn to make a set of boot cuffs.

Easy Knitted Boot Cuffs (a 2 hour knit project) featured on MomAdvice.com. Easy Knitted Boot Cuffs (a 2 hour knit project) featured on MomAdvice.com. Easy Knitted Boot Cuffs (a 2 hour knit project) featured on MomAdvice.com. Easy Knitted Boot Cuffs (a 2 hour knit project) featured on MomAdvice.com.

For those new to cabling, this is a great pattern to practice your cabling on since it is a small and easy to follow cable pattern. I am linking to a great video tutorial that you can watch to see just how easy it is to knit these.

I did knit these in the round (I have some tips over here if you would like to try it), but it was really hard to do because of the small size of these and the cabling you need to do with this bulky yarn. You can just knit them flat and then seam them if you don’t want to attempt the difficulty of knitting these in the round.

Please note, to get the pattern to look like my picture that I have on here, I repeated Row 13-15 two extra times to add a little more length to tuck into the boot. The colors pictured above are the Hometown USA in Las Vegas Yellow & the Wool-Ease in Charcoal.

Scroll to the bottom of this post for a link to the pattern and don’t forget to friend me on Ravelry.

Easy Knitted Boot Cuffs (a 2 hour knit project) featured on MomAdvice.com.

If you are loving the outfit or boots in this picture, be sure to check out my site sponsor, Flourish Boutique. I am loving my cozy fleece leggings ($16), this adorable rouched top  ($29.50) and even these two-toned boots ($59.50)  for the Fall months. Remember to use my discount code WEB25 for 25% off your shopping!

Easy Knitted Boot Cuffs (a 2 hour knit project) featured on MomAdvice.com.

As for my beautiful cowl, that one is a Sue Clark exclusive. My mother-in-law is one of my biggest knitting inspirations and she made this for me for my birthday.  I am one lucky girl, I tell you!

Looking for more fun knitting inspiration, be sure to visit the Knitting section of my site! 

Grab the free Boot Cuff Pattern by Joan De Lurio HERE (you need a Ravelry account to access). Please also swing by her beautiful Etsy shop!

walmart_mom_disclaimer

Pin It

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in DIY, Knitting, My Work | 16 Comments »

Lemony Spinach & Tomato Quinoa Salad

October 14th, 2013

Lemony Spinach & Tomato Quinoa Salad

If there is one ingredient I love it is lemons. There is something about that citrus addition that brightens flavors so much. Today I am sharing my favorite Lemony Spinach & Tomato Quinoa Salad that is one of my favorite ways to use lemons in my house.

Lemony Spinach & Tomato Quinoa Salad

More importantly though, we are celebrating this citrus ingredient today in honor of a very special blogger that I have truly grown to love and her beautiful blog, “The Lemon Bowl.”  I am so excited to be celebrating Liz in a virtual baby shower today with so many amazing bloggers to share in this celebration.

If you haven’t visited The Lemon Bowl before, you are in for a treat. Liz creates the most delicious dishes and finds new ways to make healthy dishes seem absolutely sinful. She is one of my favorite food bloggers to follow on Instagram and you will often find her in recipe development or shopping at the local farmer’s market through her photo stream.

Everyone that is participating will be using lemons in some way whether it is a delicious side, a soup, an appetizer, or a dessert. Lemon is one of the most versatile ingredients and the zest and juice from lemons are often my secret weapon in making the dishes I create stand out.

Lemony Spinach & Tomato Quinoa Salad

Today I wanted to share my favorite lemon recipe that I love to create and share at potlucks, cookouts, and just as a quick and healthy lunch for myself. As you know, I am quinoa-obsessed these days. With the ease of preparing quinoa in the rice cooker, I love to make big batches of it to use in my dishes throughout the week.

This Lemon Spinach & Tomato Quinoa Salad gets all of its flavor from the zest and juice of a lemon. Tossing the quinoa with my favorite combination of spinach and tomatoes, a drizzle of olive oil, and just a little salt and pepper makes this dish both easy and very budget-friendly.

If you want to add even more protein to this, consider adding a little roasted chicken breast (I love this method of preparation)  or dice a little chicken using a prepared rotisserie chicken. Thanks to using quinoa in this, rather than pasta, you already have a protein-filled dish that doesn’t even need the meat.

If you are looking for more ideas to create with quinoa check out my Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers, my Greek Quinoa Salad, these Quinoa- Berry Breakfast Bowls, and the super delicious Pumpkin Nut Quinoa Breakfast that is just perfect for Fall. Don’t you just love how versatile this ingredient is?

 

Lemony Spinach & Tomato Quinoa Salad

 Want to join in on the virtual baby shower? Here is a list of all of the amazing participants and their delicious dishes that they created in honor of Liz and her new baby:

Appetizers

Beverages

Salads

Main Dish

Desserts

Lemony Spinach & Tomato Quinoa Salad
Author: Amy Clark
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6
An easy gluten-free salad that is always a crowd-pleaser!
Ingredients
  • 1 pound spinach, washed, dried, stems removed
  • 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 lemons, zested (reserve the lemons for juicing over the pasta)
  • 2 cups cooked quinoa (use the technique I shared above)
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the bowl
  • Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Prepare quinoa in your rice cooker or as directed on packaging.
  2. Pile spinach leaves in stacks 1 on top of the other. Thinly slice stacks of leaves to make spinach confetti. Pile shredded spinach into the bottom of a medium sized mixing bowl.
  3. Halve grape or cherry tomatoes with a paring knife and add them to the mixing bowl.
  4. Add the zest of 2 lemons to the bowl reserve the lemons for adding juice to the sauce later.
  5. Add hot cooked quinoa to the mixing bowl. The heat of the quinoa will wilt the spinach and warm the tomatoes at the bottom of the bowl and get the juices flowing from veggies. The heat of the quinoa will also release the flavor and oils in the lemon zest.
  6. Drizzle 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and the juice of two lemons over the quinoa and toss to combine the veggies and quinoa.
  7. Add a generous amount of salt and pepper to taste. Toss the ingredients together to combine.
  8. Serve with grated parmesan cheese or leave plain if you are taking the salad on the go.
Pin It

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Sides | 38 Comments »

How to Make a Minecraft Steve Costume for Halloween

October 10th, 2013

How to Make a Minecraft Steve Costume from MomAdvice.com

Halloween is just around the corner and today I wanted to share a fun Minecraft Costume you can create for your very own little Minecraft-addict. DIY Minecraft costumes are fun to make with your kids and give you a chance to spend time together.

Do you have a Minecraft fan on your hands? Trick or treating in this easy diy Steve costume couldn’t be easier (or more fun). Snag the pdf files to transform a cardboard box into a fun mask.

DIY Minecraft Costume Ideas

My son and I made this Steve Halloween costume way back in 2013 together. This adorable little boy, in these pictures, is now in his junior year of high school and supporting a mustache.

My, how time flies!

When I look back on these pictures, they fill me with a lot of joy because we did this together. While my daughter is ALWAYS game for a diy project, my son is far less interested in crafting with his old mom.

Luckily, his Halloween costume request was just what we needed to enjoy a day of crafting together.

If you are looking for an affordable minecraft costume, this post is just your ticket. Not only am I sharing our homemade Steve costume with you, I’m also sharing several other costume ideas for your Minecraft obsessed kid.

How to Make a Minecraft Steve Costume for Halloween

DIY Minecraft Costume Ideas

Supplies Needed:

1- 11x11x11 box (This size is NOT available at Walmart. We got ours at FedEx, but you can try Kinkos or the UPS store)

Minecraft Steve Printables– PDF’s printed on 11×17 paper (either print at home or have them printed at the same shipping/printing supplies stores that I have listed above)

Glue Stick and/or glue gun & glue sticks

Paper Trimmer or Scissors

Box Cutter

Packing tape

Aqua Blue Shirt


DIY Minecraft Costume Ideas

DIY Minecraft Costume Ideas

Directions:

1. Print out your Minecraft Steve Head printables. I put these files on a jump drive and brought them to Kinkos with me and asked them to print the files on 11×17 paper.

Read through this comment thread for printing options. It appears that UPS Store is the most affordable of the options.

You can also print at home or try printing the files on smaller paper and piecing them together to save on costs. Feel free to also share your own experience with printing these by leaving a comment below!

2. Begin by taping together the bottom of you box. Once the bottom of your box is taped, you can begin folding in the flaps of the box on the other end, to create a hole for your child’s head.

3. Using a paper trimmer or scissors begin trimming off any of the white portions on the printables.

4. Cover the backside of the first printable with glue. We found the glue stick provided a great start and then I reinforced it, using my glue gun, with little dabs of hot glue along the seam underneath.

5. Repeat the above process and finish with Steve’s hair on top, carefully gluing the edges of the hair down around the top of the box with a little hot glue to secure.

6. Have an adult cut the holes out for Steve’s eyes and wear your new Steve head proudly. Pair it with an aqua t-shirt and blue jeans to complete the look.

DIY Minecraft Costume Ideas

DIY Minecraft Costume Ideas

If you think that Halloween is just for kids, you aren’t doing it right. 

Here was our couple’s costume from 2013

Glee Costume Ideas

Glee Costume Ideas Glee Costume Ideas

Glee Costume Ideas Glee Costume Ideas

We sure do love Halloween around here! You can check out our favorite couples costume ideas over here. My husband sure does make a dashing Sue Sylvester! Yes, we get into it just as much as the kids do. And why shouldn’t we?

Looking for more fun DIY Minecraft Costume Ideas? Check out these fun ideas!

Easy Painted Steve Head

Iron Sword & Diamond Pickaxe Printables

DIY Minecraft Wither Skeleton Costume

DIY Minecraft Zombie Costume

Telescoping Minecraft Creeper Costume

DIY Minecraft Costume Printable

20 Amazing Minecraft Costume Ideas (for some extra Minecraft-y inspiration)

And why shouldn’t YOU?

here are a few other halloween diy ideas you might like to try this year!

How to Make Glow in the Dark Jell-O how to make glow-in-the-dark jell-o

Doughnut Hole Ghost Cake doughnut hole ghost cake

How to Paint Pumpkins with Acrylic Paints from MomAdvice.com how to paint pumpkins with acrylic paints (a fun halloween craft idea!)

 

If you are still looking for fun Halloween ideas, you must visit this DIY Halloween Costume Ideas article and this list of 7 More DIY Halloween Costumes to try creating. Happy Halloween, friends!

How to Make a Minecraft Steve Costume from MomAdvice.com

 

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Early Childhood, Family, Frugal, Holidays, Kids Crafts, My Work, Printables, Saving, Teenagers | 2 Comments »

Amy’s Notebook 10.09.13

October 9th, 2013

wool acorns

Source: Celebrate Creativity

 

Oh my goodness, these easy felted wool acorns are so adorable! And they really are easy, because the wool balls are purchased from a craft store instead of making each one!

Have a stash of wine corks cluttering a drawer? I’m loving this diy monogram letter covered in wine corks – a fun decorative piece that uses something we usually throw away.

Map-covered pumpkins are a fun twist on covering pumpkins with paper.

If you’re looking for a different Halloween party spin this year, this vintage ‘All Hallow’s Eve’ party is so unique and sweet – and comes with cute vintage printables.

My kids will flip for these pumpkin pie pop tarts in pumpkin shapes!

After reading how much Erin and her family loved her Sweet ‘n Sour Beef’n Cabbage Tacos, I just have to try them!

Oh, and since you know I love a good quinoa recipe, Quinoa with Butternut Squash, Cranberries, and Pecans is definitely making this list!

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!

 

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Amy's Notebook | 3 Comments »

A Happy & Healthy Halloween Night Feast

October 8th, 2013

Googly Eyed Apples for Halloween from MomAdvice.com.

Googly Eyed Apples for Halloween from MomAdvice.com.Who is ready for a happy & healthy Halloween feast? Halloween is just around the corner and this year Kenmore has you covered with an easy Halloween dish and treat that you can enjoy with your family before or after your trick-or-treating has begun. That’s right, there is no need to order a pizza or stress out about festive snacks, at least not this year!  This year I am sharing an easy slow cooker recipe idea and a treat that is not only healthy, but also a festive addition to your dinner offerings!

Head on over to the Kenmore blog to find a recipe and tips for throwing a happy and healthy Halloween feast this year!

Pin It

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Celebrations, Kid Eats, Kids Crafts, My Work, Sides | No Comments »

Apron Full of Giveaways 10.08.13

October 8th, 2013

gray apron

Source: Something You Aprons,  $24.95

 

Welcome to our Apron Full of Giveaways! I hope everyone is having a great week this week! As we do each week, here is our round-up of giveaways for our readers. We hope that this is beneficial to you and your family! Please let us know if you guys win anything- I love to hear the success stories!

Below are the contest links-if you are hosting a contest please link it up below. Sorry, we are not giving away the aprons just showcasing them! Please put your site name and then what type of contest you are hosting. For example, “MomAdvice (Kid’s Movies).”

Good luck to each of you!

Pin It

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Giveaways, Saving | 1 Comment »

7 New DIY Halloween Costumes

October 7th, 2013

7 New DIY Halloween Costumes from MomAdvice.com

Halloween is just around the corner and today I wanted to showcase even more DIY Halloween Costume Ideas that you can create using commonly found items at your local second-hand store.

Last year I compiled a really great list of Easy DIY Halloween Costumes that were truly a hit with our readers.

Luckily, I was able to find seven more DIY Halloween costumes that I think would be easy to pull off and oh-so-affordable!

 

DIY Minion Costumes

One of the biggest movies this summer was Despicable Me 2.

Often costumes from our favorite movie characters are expensive, but I found this easy DIY Minion Costume on make and takes that would be perfect for your own little minion.

The best part is that you only need to find a yellow hat and the other supplies are commonly found in your home or inexpensive to purchase (pipe cleaners, toilet paper roll, scissors, stapler, elastic, and a little paint).

This costume wins for both ease of creation and for being wallet-friendly too!

 

 

Rosie the Riveter

What could be more recognizable than the, “We Can Do It!” campaign?
I love this costume because you can create the headpiece with an old red t-shirt that you decorate with a little paint.
The rest of the outfit can most likely be pieced together with items you already have in your closet and with a simple flex of your muscle, you are ready to go!
Check out Crafted in Carhartt for several great DIY ideas including the Rosie the Riveter costume.

Holly Golightly Costume

One of my favorite movies of all-time is, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”
I love this Holly Golightly costume that you could piece together with items you found at your store along with items you probably have tucked away in your closet.
With a simple little black dress, some costume jewelry, a pair of sunglasses, and some black gloves you have the makings for a perfectly classy Halloween costume.
This is a great costume for yourself or for an adorable little girly-girl in your life!

Sun-Maid Raisin Girl

I am sure it comes as no surprise that I am a huge fan of good old-fashioned costumes and this Sun-Maid Raisin Girl costume is about as cute as they come!
Add a little ric rac to a white Goodwill t-shirt and pick up a basket from the Housewares department.
Fill it with real (or fake) raisins and grapes for the big night and hit your local Halloween party supply store for a bonnet.
Head on over to wip to get the scoop on this great costume idea full!

 Mona Lisa

You don’t have to have spend a lot to pull off a great costume and that is why I absolutely love this Mona Lisa costume for its simplicity and ease in creation.

Head to Goodwill to get a frame and then use the printable that is provided in the MAKE instructions to create the background.
Dress your child up in a a dress and they will be ready to wow everyone with this costume that is truly a work of art!

Lumberjack

Boy costumes can be tough around here and this DIY Lumberjack costume is one of my new favorite boy costumes.
Grab a knitted hat and flannel shirt and whip up one of these cute little felt beards to go with the costume.
Bonus points should be given if you have time to make an ax out of cardboard!
Visit The Gold Jellybean for this awesome costume tutorial!

LEGO Indiana Jones Costume

My son is LEGO obsessed and that is why I love this fun LEGO Indiana Jones costume for Halloween.
Although creating the LEGO head is a bit of work, what little boy wouldn’t love creating this with you or their Dad?
Pair this costume with a pair of brown pants and shirt!

I hope these ideas inspire you this year! Here is a flashback costume that I created for myself two years ago! Yes, even I love to dress up for the season!

Happy Halloween, everyone!

 

Check out more Halloween costume ideas from MomAdvice.com:

 

Easy DIY Halloween Costumes

 

Minecraft Costume Ideas

 

Fun Halloween Costume Ideas for the Whole Family

 

This post contains affiliate links

Sign up for the MomAdvice newsletter

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

Pin It

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Celebrations, DIY, Kids Crafts, My Work | 2 Comments »

Amy’s Notebook 10.02.13

October 2nd, 2013

Glow-in-the-Dark-Halloween-Garlands

Source: Design Mom

 

I’d love these adorable Halloween garlands anyway, but the fact that they are glow-in-the-dark garlands? Brilliant!!

DIY painted glass jars with mod podge poison labels is another fun Halloween decoration and would be so cute on a buffet table for the holiday.

I love everything about this girly bedroom design – especially the colors and pom poms hanging from the ceiling!

If you’re looking for recipes that use coconut milk, here are 17 delicious ways to cook with coconut milk – I’m looking forward to trying Braised Coconut Spinach & Chickpeas with Lemon – yum!

Oooh, I know fall is all about warm comfort foods, but this spicy Thai salad with minced pork sounds SO good, I’ll have to make one little exception!

And, not surprisingly, I found another pumpkin recipe for us, and this one my whole family will flip over – Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake. Because with pumpkin and chocolate, everybody wins!

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!

 

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Amy's Notebook | 1 Comment »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »