What to Eat When It's 100 Degrees

I am hot, tired, and cranky. It was 105 degrees today and has been hovering around the century mark all week long. Our twenty-year-old air conditioner just can't keep up. It runs and runs, but doesn't even come close to reaching the target temp. Our house remains miserably hot long past sunset.

The AC unit is old, nearly out of freon and simply needs to be replaced. Fortunately, this will be done later this week, but until then, I refuse do any cooking. I will not turn on the oven or boil a single pot of water. It is just way too hot.

So what do you eat when it's 100 degrees outside?

Here's what we're eating during this self-declared "no cooking week."

Sunday: Takeout from Mr Goodcent's (sub sandwiches)
Monday: Hotdogs, microwave beans, store bought potato salad, green leafy salad, Sunchips.
Tuesday: Leftovers
Wednesday: Grape Chicken Salad on Ciabatta rolls, chips, blueberry/cantaloupe fruit salad
Thursday: BLTs, fruit salad, green leafy salad.
Friday: Pancakes, Eggs, Bacon, OJ.
Saturday: Caesar Chicken Wraps, chips.
Sunday: Crockpot BBQ Coke pulled pork sandwiches

Oh, and we eat ice cream. Lots and lots of ice cream.
What do you eat when it's too hot to cook?

Spoon Peeling and a Simple Fruit Dressing

When it comes to cooking, my opinion is, less time in the kitchen = more time with my family. So today I'm going to show you three little tricks to save you time in the kitchen. First I'll show you how to spoon peel a kiwi, then how to core an apple without a gadget, and lastly I'll share a quick dressing recipe for chopped fruit salad. 

How to Spoon Peel a Kiwi

First up, how to spoon peel a kiwi. I'll let the images speak for themselves.

In case you missed that, use a brown paper bag to help ripen your kiwi. When ripe, cut off the knobby end, and then cut lengthwise. Insert spoon just underneath the skin and work back and forth until the skin is released from the fruit. Simple as that!

(Oh, and by the way, this trick also works with avocados)

How to Core an Apple (without a corer)

Next up, an easy way to core an apple without a gadget. Despite owning one of those apple-corer-gadgets, I actually find this method to be even easier. Take a look.

That's four simple cuts placed in a square around the stem. Super easy!


Barely There Fruit Dressing Recipe

Now that you have freshly chopped fruit on hand, here is a great dressing recipe for fruit salad. This dressing is a very light and lets the fruit's natural flavor be the star. I use just enough dressing to barely coat the fruit.

I've been using this recipe for years, created out of my necessity to prevent fruit from browning when preparing fruit salad in advance. I hesitate to even call it a recipe, because until tonight, I've never even measured anything. I usually just eyeball it. (I and encourage you to do the same because it's so much quicker than actually measuring everything)

Without further ado, here's the recipe.

Simple Fruit Dressing
Chopped fruit (4 servings)
4 Tbls Yoplait Strawberry Yogurt
2 Tbls Orange Juice

A variety of fresh chopped fruit is best. Generally, I use one piece of fruit, or handful of berries, per person/serving.

Take a regular sized spoon out of your drawer and scoop four spoonfuls of yogurt into a coffee mug. Using the same spoon, pour two spoonfuls of orange juice into the mug. Stir.

Slowly pour over chopped fruit until just barely coated. (You may have extra dressing that is not needed.)

(This post was written by me, and first published as a guest post at One Dog Woof)

Linked at Uncommon

Diaper Box Raffia Ampersand

(Yup, I made that from a diaper box.)

Have you ever seen an ampersand - the and symbol - amongst the other letters and numbers for sale at craft stores? I've looked, but haven't been able to find one. 

We have an upcoming wedding to attend, and I wanted to give a small handcrafted gift in addition to the wedding cash we typically give. I never intended for this to become a diaper box craft, but after I struggled to find a pre-made ampersand, I figured I could just make one myself. 

I used raffia string to wrap my because the natural color and texture matched the style of several items on their gift registry. I only needed a handful of raffia strands from my large dollar store pack, thus the entire project cost only pennies to create. 

Wouldn't this also be cute in a baby's room? This would be an especially economical choice if mounting the entire alphabet, since the pre-made letters can get a little pricey when buying that many.

Here is how I made mine:

1. Print desired symbol or letter as large as possible

2. Use a light coat of spray adhesive to attach paper to box.

3. Cut with box knife (the craft knife blade was too short)

4. Wrap as desired.

5. Enjoy!

I was so happy with the raffia ampersand, that I made a second one to keep for myself! 

Have a great weekend everybody!

Mischele

Linking: Shine On Fridays, Happy Hour Projects, Bear Rabbit Bear, Craftionary, Tatertots and Jello, Craft-O-Maniac, Lines Across, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, DebbieDoos Newbie Party, Sew Many Ways, Sugar Bee Crafts, The Kurtz Corner, Uncommon

Not Just Talking to Myself Again

Today I want to thank all of you who have ever taken the time to comment on my blog posts. Your support is truly encouraging. Without your comments, blogging becomes just another outlet for talking to myself. So thank you for keeping me sane.

Here's a special shout out to my top five commenters.
(I only counted genuine comments - not the "thanks for sharing at my link party" comments)


Kim (15) - The Money Pit
Amie (9) - Today Is...
Grandma Becky (9)
Ann (8) - The Chronicles of Miss C and Miss E
Amy (8) - While Wearing Heels

Seriously, you gals rock! Thank you for your love and support.
~Mischele

The iRun Sweat Towel (A repurposing craft)

My husband has become quite the runner recently. Unlike most long-distant athletes, he did not grow up as a jogger. He never enjoyed leisurely jogging or ran ran a single race until last year, when I talked him into running a 5k with me. Since then, he has become much more of a runner than I ever was. And a devoted runner at that. He'll lace up his sneakers at 9:30 PM (or later) for a late night jog and he's also upped his racing distance to 10k - 6.2 miles.

I am really proud of him and his dedication towards his newfound hobby. However, there is just one teeny weeny little thing about this new hobby that drives me NUTS....

I can't stand it when he plops his drippy sweaty body down on our carpeted family room to stretch in front of the TV after a long run. He kindly obliged to my objections and began using a bath towel as a barrier between the carpet and his saturated body. That worked just fine, but I didn't really like it.

I decided he needed his own designated sweat towel. Which I cheesily decided to adorn with the words iRun, written in the style of the Apple's product line.

I dug threw our towel collection and found two that were particularly aged. I selected this white bath towel (with a hole) and this (bleached) blue hand towel. I was on a mission to repurpose new life and functionality into these old towels.

Anyone else recognize these classic butterfly shaped bleach marks? 

For you porcelain skinned beauties, I'll fill you in. The reason your pimply friends always use white towels (and bring their own washcloths when staying overnight) is because the benzoyl peroxide often found in acne treatments has a bleaching effect.

When cutting the letters, I tried to dodge the worst of the bleach marks and then used a simple zigzag stitch attached the blue letters to the corner of the towel.

Making this towel was a super easy repurposing craft, but a project with a big impact none the same. Now I can be the supportive wife I want to be, instead of constantly nagging about the sweaty carpet or the fact that all the good towels are constantly in the wash. :-)

~Mischele


Linked up:  C.R.A.F.T, Craft O Maniac, Lines Across, Cowgirl Up!, Destination Craft, Mommy by Day Crafter by Night, Sugarbee Crafts, Uncommon, Funky Polkadot Giraffe, Bear Rabbit Bear, Sew Much Ado, Positively Splendid, Tatertots and Jello

Update: 30 byThirty

Last month I introduced my 30 by Thirty list, - thirty goals to accomplish before age thirty. With less than two years to complete the list, I have my work cut out for me. I need to accomplish at least one goal a month. Well, technically, it's 1.4 goals per month, but you get the idea. Here is an update on my progress. (Full list at end of post)

Like a lot of areas in my life, the decision to embark on a 30 by thirty was quite spontaneous - a whim some would say. I started jotting down goals late one evening, ran out of ideas somewhere around number 23 and went to bed. I completed the list in the following day and within 24 hours, I had shared my list online with you guys. The point of this story, albeit a weak one, is to explain the somewhat random nature of my list and to justify (if only to myself) the decision to redefine goal number 7 (which previously involved purchasing cowboy boots).

Lets face it, I have no business wearing cowboy boots. I certainly have no functional need for them, living comfortably in the suburbs. And although I adore the trendy look of cowboy boots paired with vintage skirts, it seems to be a style most reserved for those still sporting a fake IDs to get into college bars. Am I right? Maybe in other parts of the country boots and skirts are chic and ageless style, but here? It's pretty much a style exclusively for high schoolers. I want to enter my thirties looking confident and radiant. Not looking like a woman trying too hard to desperately cling to her youth.

Anyways, that's my explanation for why goal number 7 has been redefined.

Other than that, my list remains as-is, randomness and all. Now that I've had some time to process the challenge, I'm beginning to realize I might have been a little overzealous. (There's a reason number 11 has laid idle for so long!) However, I enjoy a challenge and appreciate the motivation this list has sparked.

So where do I currently stand?

• Well, let's see. I completed my first goal, number four, by guest posting on one of my favorite blogs, One Dog Woof. Here's the link to that post. (I'll repost it on my own blog next week).

• I started working on number 27 with this version of the Bible. We began this as a couple a few years ago, but never completed it. This time I intend to finish it in a timely manner. The One Year Bible has the entire Biblical text segmented out into 365 readings. Each day offers a short segment from both the Old and New Testaments, as well as a Psalm and a Proverb. The next day continues sequentially in each of the four areas. I started at the beginning, (the one labeled Jan 1) and am working through it at my own pace.  

• We did go out on a date (a rare event for us) to celebrate our anniversary last week. I did put on a skirt for the occasion, but am not counting it towards number 23 because it was nothing special. Or perhaps, I'm not counting it towards #23 to ensure myself that I go on at least four more dates in the next year and a half, because like I said, they are rare events for us :) Either way, it was fun night out with the hubby.

• I haven't parked in the garage for over a month because of a piece of furniture I hope to "save" from the dumpster. This piece needs more than just a paint job - it needs to be completely repurposed - like with a saw. And I've been stalling. 

Enjoy your weekend everyone!
~Mischele


30 by Thirty
1. Buy a big flirty straw beach hat
2. Sew a dress for myself - and be proud enough to wear it out of the house 
3. Attempt a furniture refinish - trash to treasure style!
4. Submit something for publication. 

Notice the careful word selection focusing on the submission, not the publication :)

5. Host another murder mystery party for our friends.
6. Visit a winery with The Hubs.
7. Complete at least 5 pins from my Pinterest boards.
8. Reach 50 blog followers.
9. Likewise, find 50 blogs to support and follow.
GFC for Blogger blogs, Linky or Reader for the others.
10. Learn to sew a button hole.
11. Sew a Jean Quilt. 
I started one awhile ago - most of the pieces are already cut - but the project's lay idle for over a year now.
12. Build a sandbox for my kiddo.
13. Find a Thai recipe that I can actually cook, and the family will actually eat.
14. Edit family highlight videos for 2011, 2012, and 2013. 
15. Learn to use Photoshop Elements.
16. Attend an auction.
We've been watching a lot of A&E's "Storage Wars" recently. I think an auction looks like fun, even if we're just spectators.
17. Attend a rodeo.
I've spent my whole life in Kansas and Missouri, but I've never been to the rodeo.
18. Buy a handmade craft on Etsy.
19. Finish the Laundry Room Update. This is another project that has been lying dormant for over a year.
20. Attend a ballet, other than The Nutcracker. There is an amazing new Performing Arts building in town. We saw The Nutcracker last year and now I'd like to return and see another.
21. Learn which relationships are worth cultivating/maintaining.
22. Learn to accept that some friendships were meant to fade with time.
23. Build a wardrobe of at least 4 awesome date night outfits.  
24. Learn to cook one awesome meal for a date night at home.
25. Gather telephone numbers from all my immediate neighbors.
26. Memorize the phone numbers of at least 3 local friends. 
In case of emergency, it's nice to know a few numbers without having to rely on your cell phone. 
27. Read the Bible cover to cover.
I've always avoided the book of Revelations, and I'm sure I've missed parts of the Old Testament too.
28. Complete one clothes refashion (or resize a shrunken garment).
29. Define a chore schedule that works for our home. The chores currently do get done, but I think I'd benefit from a written routine.
30. Successfully potty train our toddler.

Assistant Coach Baby Onesie

A pregnant friend of mine told me about an assistant coach onesie she had seen before conceiving, but was unable to find it again for purchase once becoming pregnant. Based off her verbal description, I set out to recreate the onesie she had once seen. 


This was my first experience with freezer paper stenciling, and let me tell you, it is now my new favorite craft technique. I had no idea it would be this easy to get crisp professional looking results without using vinyl and without using a cutting machine. I almost titled this post imitation vinyl because with no special effort on my part, I was able to create crisp and defined margins for pseudo vinyl looking results.

I gifted this onesie as part of my friend's baby shower gift for her first son. It was a fun gift to both make and give. If you've never tried freezer paper stenciling, click here for a great tutorial to help you get started. 

I'm not sure if it matters, but for my project I used Tulip brand fabric paint - the variety labeled slick. I also highly recommend using a craft knife. Another trick, composed and resize the text on your computer screen and then traced directly onto the freezer paper. 


Happy Crafting!!
Mischele


Linked up: C.R.A.F.T, Craft O Maniac, Lines Across, Cowgirl Up!, Destination Craft, Mommy by Day Crafter by Night, Sugarbee Crafts, Uncommon, Funky Polkadot Giraffe, Bear Rabbit Bear, Sew Much Ado, Positively Splendid

Lessons from an Attempted 365 Challenge

Earlier this spring I began a 365 photo a day challenge with visions of creating a beautiful coffee table book upon its completion. That was in February. Flash forward to today where I have missed more days than I can remember and the coffee table book idea has officially been scraped. Although technically a failure, I am still calling the 365 challenge a success because it taught me a number of things about photography and ways to improve photos when using a point and shoot camera. Here are the lessons I've learned:

1. Yes, DSLR cameras are awesome, but you CAN STILL capture great photos with a point and shoot camera. All of the images in this post (and most everywhere else on this blog) were taken with my inexpensive little silver camera.

2. Bring your camera everywhere. You never know where that priceless photograph will occur.

3. Go beyond the auto setting. Does your camera offer an indoor, portrait, kids/pets, or night snapshot setting? Experiment with different settings and don't be afraid to try them in situations other than their namesake. For example, I frequently use the night snapshot setting inside during the day. Also, my camera's kids/pets setting is just awful. If a setting isn't working for you, don't use it!

4. Find the Macro button on your camera (it's that little flower symbol button) and use it! Search google images if you don't know what symbol I'm talking about. The majority of my craft photos are taken in this setting, and it has tons of other uses too, like those lovely close up shots with the blurry backgrounds. 

5. It's okay to cut off heads. Here, the emphasis is on her cute little hands and chalk scribbles.

6. Don't be afraid of the dark. Even the pitch dark. Here, my husband and daughter are playing with "star turtle" - one of those night lights that projects stars onto the ceiling.

7. Ordinary, everyday moments can be great snapshots of life, even if they don't seem particularly interesting at the time. In a few years they'll be priceless. This is what our playgroup looks like when we go to the park.

8. Shoot from multiple angles. The lighting, composition, and overall feel of the photo can be drastically changed by simply moving a few steps over.

image source

9a. Learn how to turn the flash off and on. It's almost always better off when possible, but sometimes a forced flash is helpful, such as eliminating facial shadows in full sun.

9b. Find the self-timer feature. Check if it has a custom mode (looks like a clock with the letter c). The custom timer is great for large group shots at holidays because you can set it to take multiple photos in a row (on timer!). This is especially great when trying to get young children to all look forward at the same time.

10. Don't delete all the bad ones. This image is blurry, yellow, and my eyes are closed - by composition standards it's awful - but it is capturing a sweet moment. A moment that she soon outgrew. You're never guaranteed a second chance to take a similar photo.



Linking up: Positively Splendid

Sprinkles on Greek Yogurt and Other Weekend Fun

Did you have a nice weekend? I had the most perfect kind of weekend, jammed packed full with lots of family fun and some mommy time too. The family enjoyed dinner out, as well as a baseball game and a redbox rental. Mommy also enjoyed a solo shopping trip and completed three craft projects.


The first completed craft project of the weekend will hopefully solve our never ending case of the missing garden glove. Some families have this problem with socks - for us, it is garden gloves. Today, for example, I have three single gloves waiting to be reunited with their other half. Seriously, where does the other glove end up?


To solve this problem, I spray painted a garden basket and hung it on the garage pegboard to serve as a catch all for my outdoor essentials. Now my garden gloves, sunscreen and bugspray are conveniently located in one designated spot. 

The second completed project was a poster-sized card collage from my daughter's birthday cards. She absolutely loves cards. Six weeks after her birthday she is still toting around her stack of cards and enjoys looking at them daily. BUT... I decided it was time to retire this year's cards. I pieced them together into a large collage and placed it low within her closet where she can look at it each morning while dressing.

The final project involved my first experience with freezer paper stenciling. Have you ever done this? I can't believe I waited so long to try this popular technique. The results are absolutely incredible. The crisp lines look like more like vinyl than fabric paint. Just look at those defined margins! I'll write more about this baby gift later, but in the meantime, check out this tutorial if you're unfamiliar with the technique.

  
And lastly, I leave you with this final image of my new favorite snack, greek yogurt with sprinkles and mini chocolate chips on top. 

Have a great week everyone!
Mischele




Linking up: Sugarbee Crafts, Cowgirl Up, Kurtz Corner, Bear Rabbit Bear