DIY - Cookie Sheet to Serving Tray Transformation

The other day I told you about my old rusty cookie sheet that I decided to transform into a pretty serving tray.  I've been working on it off and on since then.  The pictures below show the steps I've completed so far...now to fore warn you I have never had any painting classes, so this painting is far from perfect, but I like it and it is just for us, I'm not trying to sell it or even give it to anyone.

I just need to let the paint dry until tomorrow then I can add the first layer of sealer, but it is basically finished!  I hope you like it as much as I do and it gives you some ideas on ways to transform your old trays besides sending them to the dump!

rust paint 

working on creating landscape

finished

Looming Update

The following two items were done on my Martha Stewart Loom.

This hat was just a test of my Braids and Lace pattern, of course it came out looking way different at I was using an even number of pegs with a pattern that was drawn up for an uneven pegged loom, but I love it and some time when I get back to loom knitting I think I will try making an adult sized hat.

Here is the picture of it:

The next item is the scarf I made for my grandson!

I hope you like them!

Have a great day!

DIY - Cookie Pan into Serving Tray

I've been using an old rusty cookie sheet as a serving tray to take coffee out to the garage for hubby or outside for the bbq, but now that I've been cleaning and organizing I've come to dislike all the rust and since I got a new bigger sheet from my mother-in-law for Christmas I'm going to paint my old tray ... I've never done this before, hopefully it will turn out.

I've got some new batteries today, hopefully my camera will like them....lol!

Special Flavourful Mashed Potatoes

I just wanted to share my new way to make mashed potatoes that came out very very yummy!  I never peel my potatoes because 1) I hate wasting the skins cause they are good for you and 2) to be honest I'm just too lazy...lol!

Ingredients:


Boiled potatoes
1 container of your favourite Philadelphia Cream Cheese dip (I used herb and garlic).
3 or 4 tbsp. sour cream
2 or 3 tbsp. margarine or butter

Mix everything together and serve.  I made a full large pan of boiled potatoes as I wanted some left over to add to my freezer cooking.

I can't seem to get the hang of doing this 1 day freezer cooking as it just doesn't seem to work for me, so what I do instead, at least for now, is only purchase stuff I find on sale, make it into something for the freezer or cook it during my regular meals, but take out portions for the freezer.  This works better for me and I am not stuck in the kitchen for hours on end.

I really like doing the freezer thing as I was once told by a freezer repair man that to get the best cost efficiency from your freezer is by keeping it full even if that means just filling the whole thing up with bread.  Now I have a full freezer and it isn't all just bread...lol!

Update

Over the past four days I've been slowly trying to keep up with housework, freezer cooking and some loom knitting.  I'm also trying to become a better blogger.

I haven't really worked on my blanket but I did start and finish a nice red scarf for my grandson.  I hadn't realized that his mother didn't get him one and was just using hers on him when it was really cold so I knitted him one of his own.  It came our really cute and he just loves it.

Today I got some good deals on broccoli, kiwi and chicken at the local Metro, so when my grandson was napping I prepped the broccoli and kiwi for freezing.  I'll work on the chicken after the oven has defrosted. been cleaned. I decided to cook the chicken in the oven this time as I don't need any more broth as I still have some from the last batch I froze.

On Friday I did some laundry, swept and mopped the hard floors in the house and cleaned the bathroom.  Now that I'm blogging about what I'm doing I am starting to find it more of a necessary thing to do for some reason and now that I am doing everything more often I am finding myself less likely to put the chores off.  I'm not really sure how that works but as long as it does I'm all for it.  I just hope I'm not boring anyone with my posts, lol!

Today is clean the oven day.  I'm writing this while I wait for the easy-off to do its part.  After the easy-off is done I'll wipe it all out then start on baking the chicken.  Think I'll stuff it with onions and rub some spices on it and see how that comes out.  Hopefully it will be tasty enough that Gary can take it with him in the truck as a healthy alternative to some of the stuff he eats when he's on the road.

I hope you're having a good Sunday!

More Cleaning / Organizing

So even though yesterday was Valentines Day, I still did a few household tasks, cause I just couldn't stand the state the kitchen was in so I did the dishes, then cleaned up the stove, when looking for something in the fridge I remembered the broccoli needed prepared for freezing so I did that.  When I went out to the garage to see if there was room in the chest freezer it suddenly became apparent that I should really defrost that, so away I went.

My husband kept telling me to not worry about it until another day, but for some reason I just couldn't.

We went to the city later to go to Red Lobster for our date.  They were super busy so we took a detour over to value village and I found a cute little night stand for beside the bed, I was previously using a very old end table that was literally on it's last leg so this was an excellent find.

Not sure what I'll do today, so far I'm happy to take a break.

Have a good day everyone!

Happy Valentines Day!

I just want to wish my family friends and readers a Happy Valentines Day!  May you day be filled with love and happiness!

Chenille Loom Knit Blanket

I am still working on my blanket, haven't gotten bored with it yet, though I only spend a little time on it here and there.  So far I've gotten about 6 feet by 8 inches done, lol!  If my calculations are right it should measure 6 feet by 8 feet when I've run out of yarn.  Glad I bought all the balls when I did because Lion Brand no longer makes this yarn.

Adjustments

Please excuse the mess as I am trying to learn more about blogger and create some pages so it is easier to find stuff around here.  Much like I am doing at home, I am finding it necessary to re-organize my whole life, lol!

Hopefully the changes won't take too long and will be beneficial all the way around.

More Cleaning / Organizing

I did find a few things to do yesterday.

I did a major clean up of the dog pen outside, hubby hasn't been keeping up on it so I got tired of looking at the mess and took over.  Took me about an hour, will definitely start trying to do this weekly if not a few times a week.

I made a pork roast with potatoes, onions and carrots in the crock pot, which the left overs are being turned into soup for today!

I cleaned the worst two junk drawers in the kitchen as well.

I also had to have a chat with other family members about putting their own things away and to quit cluttering up my clean spaces.  No they weren't happy about it, but I need them to at least do that much!

So far today, I've started my soup, did up the morning dishes, fed the dog, took out the recycle for pick up and started knitting a chenille blanket for my bed on my Martha Stewart Loom all the straight pieces and the two semi circle pieces together.  This should give me a blanket that is pretty close to 6 feet in width!

Have a great day everyone

What I did today!

Unfortunately I find I have little inspiration to loom knit anything right now.  I finished a baby hat the other day, but haven't had time to edit the picture yet!

Today I continued my house cleaning, I've come to realize that I don't really clean as much as I should and I am a pack rat!  Back in November I decided enough was enough and I would get this house in better shape.  I won't bore you with all the things I've done since then, but I am starting to find it necessary to remind myself what I've done so maybe I can feel like I'm doing this right!

So today this is what I did!
I did two loads of laundry, washed, folded and put away.
I did the morning dishes as well as a few I had soaking over night.
I cleaned the main bathroom, wiped down the shower doors, bathtub, etc.
I re-organized the big freezer in the garage, but it needs to be defrosted and cleaned soon.
While cooking supper I cooked enough ground chicken to make 3 meals.  I made enough to freeze some for tacos, then added enough tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes to make enough for two pasta dinners.
I did the supper dishes.
And last but not least I cleaned two of my kitchen drawers.

So what is on the agenda for tomorrow?  Heck I don't know, but I'm sure I'll find something to do!

Have a good night everyone.  I know there are people out there reading this even if no one ever comments....lol! :)

Freezer Cooking

I decided to try my hand at freezer cooking today.  I didn't do the 30 day one that some people do and to be honest I'm glad I didn't my back is killing me just from what I did do...lol!

So today I made enough chicken for 4 meals, enough chicken stock for an army, 13 hamburgers, 2 dozen meatballs, 3 meat loafs, 4 meals worth of broccoli, 3 meals worth of cauliflower, and 1 1/2 lbs of mushrooms.  So I think I did pretty good for a first time.

My freezer is now brimming and I feel as if I accomplished something wonderful for my family. So from now on when I see a sale I'll be wondering how many meals I can get out of it.

Updated: Feb. 5, 2012: Forgot to mention I also froze 10 kiwis, yummy kiwi sickles...lol!