Prickly Subject

My bathroom needed some green to break up the blue. I found this great article on planting cacti in glass containers with sand. I went to a nursery and found a cacti guy. Who knew they would have a guy like that?

Step 1: Find the right container (mine were Goodwill finds for $1 each)

Step 2: Talk to your local cacti guy - take containers as he/she will be able to tell you what will and won't grow well in the container and what height to plant.

Step 3: Buy cactus potting mix (yes) and gardening sand (not beach sand - not the same)

Step 4: Fill container part way with sand making a deep bowl shape in the middle

Step 5: Spoon in just enough cactus potting mix to cover bottom and sides of divot

Step 6: Insert cactus with as much of it's original soil as possible

Step 7: Cover potting soil and tap down around cactus

Step 8: Add decorative rocks your family brought your son back from far off places

More Pillows

I want someone to teach me how to do my own piping. I gave it a go last week and I can't say as I love it.

So I ripped out the sad and odd piping attempt, bought some pleated ribbon, which I do love, and did a new install. Much better.

I am still adding yellow touches to my MB and it is coming along nicely.

Love Pinterest!

I saw this idea for giving out cookies on one of Debbie's posts on Pinterest. Fabulous idea for me GD class last Sunday!

I found that you need to use a cookie that spreads well and you need to make them about 1 1/2 times the regular size to fit in the window well.

I sealed each CD envelope with a heart and put a tiny heart on the front. So cute!

I made Tahitian vanilla chocolate chip, Toasted cocoanut butterscotch and oatmeal apple sauce. So yummy.

Made LOVE

I made LOVE for my husband. A LOVE pillow that is. I used a 16" pillow form.

Cut one 17"x17" piece of felt.

Cut two 9"x17" piece of felt.

Hem one 9" edge of felt.

I made my letters by using a 72 pt font and outline only to print.

Cut out letters and pin to 17"x17".

Edge in contrasting thread. Note: You can stitch them on by hand.

Cut heart free hand and sew over the O to cover the poor job around the middle of the O.

Lay the two 9"x17" pieces facing the LOVE with the hemmed piece finished side down. Pin together. Sew with a 1/4" seam. Clip corners and turn right-side out. Stuff pillow and give all your LOVE to your sweet heart!

Crock Pot Monkey Bread

This was something I saw on Pinterest. Of course I had to change it up a little bit. Will I ever just leave a recipe alone? Probably not. Start with two tubes of refrigerator biscuits, 1 cube butter melted, and 1 cup brown sugar with 1 tsp cinnamon stirred together.
Snip the biscuits in half. They cook through better and they are a better size for kids to hold on to and eat.
Spray the inside of your crock pot with cooking spray. Dip the biscuits in the butter, roll in the brown sugar mixture and place in the crock pot. Layer evenly. Poor the extra butter over the rolls and then sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over that. Put the lid on.
Cook on high for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Test the center for doneness. Turn the monkey bread out on to a platter. The Pinterest recipe had this drizzled with icing but it doesn't need it.

Chair Refinishing

My MIL has been searching for dining room chairs for months. I have gone with her four times for 4+ hours each time. We have purchased twice and had to return them both times. I love spending time with my MIL but this has not been fun.

I just finished refinishing my not coffee table and was feeling like I could take on another project so I volunteered to refinish her chairs. As you can see the chair was dirty and the stain has rubbed off on the top rail and the seat front.

I went to my favorite paint guy, Ski, at Home Depot and we color matched it with some difficulty since it was a stain we were trying to match. Then Ski suggested - due to the black dirt on the chair - a really good cleaner, Krud Kleaner. Boy does it do the job! I had to clean for about an hour but it was worth it!

I had to let it dry for a whole day before I could start sanding. I sanded for no less than 2 hours. I was so tired! I sanded it twice. Then I painted three coats of primer plus paint.

This is the end result. You can't see the wood grain because this is a paint but I was not willing to strip it down to wood so I could try to stain an old wood that may or may not soak up the stain.

Only three more to go...what was I thinking??