What else can I make better?

So I classed up my mixer earlier this week and now I found something else to make even cuter.  I renovated a lot in my house last year, new carpet and hardwood being one of the projects.  I had no rugs on the hardwood for a long time just becuase I loved looking at it!  It looked SO much better than that old builder grade carpet and it was just so pretty that I didn't want to cover it up.  But as time went on and my heels scratched it up more and more, it was time for some rugs.  So after much searching I found the perfect fit for my hallway.  It was the perfect size, the perfect length, the perfect color, I loved it.  It's a seagrass rug, which 99% of the time I am not a big fan of.  But in small doses, like a hallway or a kitchen, I can take it.  Here's what it looks like...

Pretty standard, right?  BUT I made it 150% better and of course, cuter.  I got some brown acrylic paint, espresso to be exact.  I had a really cute stencil that I did a hallway wall with and there it was, a new rug reborn.

After I figured out the best configurations of the stencils, I sponge brushed it.  The stencil moves around a lot, so as the saying goes, slow and steady wins the race. 

And here it is...

So much better, right?! I'm still looking for a dining room rug, as you can see in that picture above there's nothing there yet.  Nothing has called out to me yet.   
Have a good weekend!  I'm on to the closet this afternoon.  It's a freakin' mess in there.  I have some ideas that I'll share next week.

How can you make a Kitchen Aid mixer any better?

The Kitchen Aid mixer... it's wanted by all woman, baker or not.  You just want it on your counter.  Even if you just mix a boxed brownie mix with it, you need it. When I first got mine, I just liked to stand in the kitchen and look at it.  I know what everyone is thinking.  You have the pink mixer, right?  Well sadly no, I do not.  I actually purchased a refurbished mixer for almost half the cost.  No issues, no flaws, you can't even tell it's not brand new.  Came in a new box, just like a new one.  And I felt so much better staring at it knowing that I didn't spend $300 for it  But I digress... so no, it's not pink, BUT I can make anything stylish and more cute.  With thanks to the beloved Pinterest, I found this idea. 

Adorable, right?!  I used these decals as a border around the ceiling of my 2nd bedroom/office/gym, and had some left over.  Just enough to stick to my mixer.  And yes, I do have a mini pink Kitchen Aid food processor. ;) Those decals were the perfect thing to class up my boring color almond mixer!

Finally Friday

Happy Friday everyone.  I don't know if there is ever a time in anyone's life that Friday's aren't exciting.  I would think, well at least so far in my years, Friday is the best. A Friday that goes by quickly is even better.  That's my hopes for today.

While on my daily Pinterest tour, I found this great pin for cinnamon roll doughnuts.  Cinnamon rolls and doughnuts are two of my faves, so how could this be anything but good.  Not for the waistline, but eh, anyways...

Cinnamon Roll Donuts

1 can refrigerated cinnamon rolls, (icing optional)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Place the cinnamon rolls on a cutting board.  Using a soda bottle top, a biscuit cutter, or other similar object to cut a hole in the middle of the cinnamon roll.

3.  Place the melted butter in a medium sized bowl.  Mix the cinnamon and sugar in another medium sized bowl.  Roll the whole cinnamon roll into the butter, coating the whole roll.  Shake off any excess butter and then roll the entire cinnamon roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Coat the cinnamon roll with cinnamon sugar, then place on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Repeat with the remaining cinnamon rolls and donut holes.

4.  Bake for 13-17 minutes or until golden brown.

5.  The icing is optional, but to use, microwave the icing, with the lid off, for 10 seconds. Then glaze the donuts or donut holes by one of two methods:  1. Drizzle the icing on top of the donuts or donut holes.  2.  Place the icing into a bowl and dunk the top of the donut or donut hole in the icing, covering the top.

Serve hot or microwave to reheat.

 I cut the donut holes by using a soda bottle top.  The bottle top was an easy way to make the perfect sized donut hole, without having to buy any special tools.  I cooked the donut holes as well as the donuts.  The donut holes make a great little snack.

YUM, right?!!! These will definately be making an appearance in my house this weekend!

Have a good weekend!

V-Day, kinda like D-Day for me...

So I really tried to not be a Debbie Downer today on this most dreaded holiday for single ladies everywhere.  It didn't work.  I woke up not just on the wrong side of the bed, but under it hiding until this day goes away.  Ok, I exagerate! :)  As the morning went on though, I was reminded that love comes in all forms and is all around us if we just take the time to see it and not just concentrate on the love you think you should have in your life.  <3

So onto my favorite way to get through a tough day... Food! ;) This is from my absolute favorite food blog, Plain Chicken http://www.plainchicken.com/.  I am glad I am not this woman's friend, I would be at her house for dinner every night!

It's a Christmas recipe here, but can easily be adapted for V-day.  I can adapt red velvet to any holiday out there, Christmas, V-day, Tuesday... :)

Red Velvet Brownies

Red Velvet BrowniesSouthern Living
(Printable Recipe)

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1 (4-oz.) bittersweet chocolate baking bar, chopped
3/4 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 (1-oz.) bottle red liquid food coloring
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom and sides of a 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease foil.

Microwave chocolate and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. Whisk in sugar. Add eggs, 1 at a time, whisking just until blended after each addition. Gently stir in flour and next 4 ingredients. Pour mixture into prepared pan.

Bake at 350° for 44 to 48 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 2 hours).

Lift brownies from pan, using foil sides as handles; gently remove foil. Spread Small-Batch Cream Cheese Frosting on top of brownies, and cut into 16 squares. Garnish, if desired.

Small-Batch Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
3 Tbsp butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and salt, beating until blended. Stir in vanilla.

Enjoy!

Hump day blahs

Morning!  I don't know about you, but I've definately got a case of the hump day blahs.  It's cloudy and yucky here with snow and sleet reported for the drive home.  Not a good day!

I did have a good weekend though hitting up some of my favorite antique spots.  I found these too cute candlesticks for $9 for the pair!  Cute, right?

But I knew I could make them cuter. ;)  I had some pink (duh!) spray paint at home and an old necklace that broke but I didn't have the heart to throw away. 

I cut the necklace and draped it around the candle holders so they dangled a bit.  I thought they turned out pretty great.  Here's the finished product...

Can't beat a $4.50 candle holder that cute! 

Hope everyone's hump day is starting better than mine! :)

Still alive!

Ok, it's been a long, long, long time since I've been on.  The holidays came and went and we're now into February if that's even possible! Crazy, crazy, crazy how much time flies. 

My Christmas projects all came out wonderful!  A lot of work, but it was totally worth it. 

Project 1 Mason jar soap dispensers
I started by gluing and then mod podging scrapbook paper circles to the lids...

Screwed them back on and then drilled holes in the tops for the pumps.  I just started saving pumps from my old Bath and Body and Target hand soaps and had them on hand when it was time to start my projects. 

And here's the finished product.  I used the big economy size liquid soaps from Target.  I think they came out pretty cute!

Project 2 Interchangeable ribbon watches
I started out with 4 spools of cute ribbon that I got from Hobby Lobby, 50% off of course! I started using watch faces from Michael's, but they didn't have much of a selection.  So we have a Potomac Bead Co. store around here, and I found really cute faces there for 1/2 the cost. 

I found Fray Check at JoAnn Fabrics that worked great for the ribbon ends to keep them from fraying. 

Here's the finished product.  Pretty cute I thought.

So finally some Christmas project updates. Hopefully I can think up some cute projects for next year to keep up! And now back to February and a new week tomorrow.  Hope everyone has a great Monday and  a good week!