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From Basic to Bangin': Colorful Painted Curtains

4/19/2015

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Painting on fabric is surprisingly fun and easy! I was intimidated by fabric for some reason, but this was fun and I would do it again for sure. I'm sure there are many ways to paint fabric, but this is how I did it:

Step 1

Start with some inexpensive white fabric. I used 2 curtain panels that cost about $8 each. They were actually polyester, but I believe almost any fabric will work.

Step 2

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I wanted to keep this project inexpensive by using as many materials as possible from home. (Remember that budget post from a couple weeks ago?) I have a ton of cheap acrylic paints stocked up in my art supplies so that was my solution. For the base colors I used a condiment squirt bottle filled about 3/4 with warm water (about a cup) mixed with the acrylic paint of my choice. I just squirted some paint in with the water, shook it up, and then squirted the paint mixture ono my curtains. I used between one and two tablespoons of the paint and that seemed to be a good mix. You want a consistancy that will soak into the fabric but not go straight through. If it seems too watery just add more paint, and if it seems to thick just add some more water.   I used 3-4 colors on the panels, and I really loved the way they turned out. At this step, the colors will blend into one another, so this is not the time to add detail. Just squirt the paint water on and have fun with this step!

Step 3

Let it Dry. I hung each curtain with a couple of clippy coat hangers outside to dry. Or, If you have a clothesline, you could use that. My curtains didn't drip very much, but they did drip a little, so if you're concerned about drips on your porch or patio, put something underneath. I didn't bother with that and my drips cleaned up quickly with a damp sponge, thankfully.
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Step 4

No, seriously. Let it dry. And don't try to put it in the dryer when it's allllmost dry... Not that I would ever have painted the inside of my dryer...

Step 5

As the panels dry they will become a little less vivid, but they will still be colorful and awesome, so if you are going for a tie-dyed look you're already done! I wanted mine to have more of a detailed and layered look, so lastly, I added flowers and leaves to the top using both acrylic and dimensional paint and different sizes of paintbrushes and sponges. I used only black and white for my top layer and the curtains ended up with a colorful zentangle vibe that's just my style. Feel free to use the colors and designs that reflect your style and personality and will work in the room you're putting them in. Most importantly, have fun with this! It's a minimal investment, especially if you use curtains or fabric you already have at home, so just go for it! If you end up giving it a try let me know how it turns out for you!

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Bonus Tip: Create your own stamp by drawing a shape in puff paint on a piece of paper or cardboard, and stamp it onto your fabric. Re-trace with puff paint and stamp as many times as you like!
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BlogLovin

4/14/2015

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Copycat Outback Ranch Dressing

4/11/2015

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I came up with this recipe after making a copycat steak seasoning. I have adjusted the amounts and added some classic ranch dressing herbs to balance out the flavor. I prefer this recipe over Hidden Valley Ranch mix and I have been looking for a suitable DIY replacement for a long time. No MSG!

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Paprika

1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper

1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/4 teaspoon Onion Powder

1/4 teaspoon Marjoram or Parsley if you prefer

1/4 teaspoon Thyme

1/4 teaspoon Turmeric

1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (double if you like it spicier)

1 16oz container of sour cream


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Directions:

Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add to sour cream a little at a time, mixing as you go. Don’t dump it all in at once to avoid clumps. The last thing you want is a bite of nothing but cayenne! if using as a dressing, Thin out with milk a teaspoon at a time until desired consistency or leave as is and serve as a dip.
Printer Friendly- Copycat Outback Ranch Dressing Recipe Card
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Greek Steak Pizza

4/6/2015

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If you like Greek food then this recipe is for you. We love gyros and this pizza reminds me of those. We make this pizza with steak which is a real crowd pleaser, but you could also use lamb which would be more traditionally Greek and taste delicious as well, and we've included a PDF version to fit your recipe box!

The recipe calls for feta, but we also use parmesan and sometimes mozzarella if we don't have feta on hand. We consider most recipes a starting point and then we make it our own. Feel free to do the same with ours! The marinade and herb oil sauce really are perfect just the way they are though...

Ingredients:
2-3 pounds of lean beef
1/2 cup of red wine vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil, divided
2 T marjoram, divided
1 1/2 T oregano, divided
1 T basil, divided
1 1/2 T salt divided
1/4 tsp thyme
4-6 cloves of garlic
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1 green pepper, sliced
Makes 2-3 Pizzas

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 T marjoram
1/2 T oregano
1/2 T basil
4-6 cloves of garlic minced
1 T salt
1/4 tsp thyme

Cut steak or roast on a bias across the grain into thin strips and mix into marinade. Let sit for at least 30 minutes.   Then cook in a large pan on the stove.

Pizza topping:
In a small bowl combine
1 T marjoram
1 T oregano
1/2 T basil
1/2 T salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder

After mixing dry ingedients add 1/4 cup olive oil, spread a thin layer over pizza dough. Then add cooked steak, feta, and thinly sliced green pepper.

Bake on a pizza stone in a 500 degree grill or in a 450 degree oven until crust browns and cheese begins to melt.
Feel free to use store bought crust or make your own. We like to use this recipe we found on a blog many years ago. This is the best pizza dough recipe ever in our book.
Printer Friendly- Greek Pizza Recipe Card
File Size: 139 kb
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5 Tips For Saving Money Fast

4/4/2015

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We like to travel. We like to eat well. We like to have the proper tool for a job. We like to have a working refrigerator... But we also have bills, 4 kids, a home, vehicles and yard. This recent blowup of our fridge chewed into our tax refund savings that was allocated for family vacation. We're trying something new to save more money more quickly than we ever have. The trusty tax refund isn't going to make it much past April this year, so here are some steps we are taking to save up quickly:

 1. Do Math


This is kind of basic but from time to time it needs to be done again. We had to figure out what we actually make, what we were actually bringing home, and what we owe every month. Getting it on paper can be eye opening. I was surprised at how much we were spending on things other than bills, like groceries, eating out, and being entertained. Usually, the bills are set, and we already take steps to lower our utilities so the other areas are where we are looking to save the most. We also don't have very many extra bills but we did take a second look at our phone bills and Netflix account to see if we could do better. That being said do not hesitate to call a company. Our phone bill was reduced by $10 a month for a year when I called today just for being a loyal customer and asking how I could save on my bill. Sometimes you just have to ask.

2. How Much How Long

The next logical step was to set a goal, figure out how much we need to save and how long we have to save it. For example, we want to go on vacation in June or July, and we need to save $1000 dollars before then. That would mean that we need to save $333 a month, or $83 a week for the next three months in order to meet our goal. Additionally, we need to save for Christmas, our propane tank refill before winter, and a new van (eventually). We set amounts for each of those categories and divided them by the number of months before we will need that amount. We set our goals high and are expecting a lot from ourselves so that we can take more trips, buy a new (to us) van in the next couple of years and do those things without going into debt if at all possible.

 3. Bare Necessities

We've become so accustomed to picking things up at the store whenever we need them. For a month (or 2, or 3...) go without buying anything except the bare necessities. See if you can go 4 weeks without going to the grocery. Stretch your pantry and household items by using the things that are sitting around your pantry or bathroom cabinet that you never seem to use. This month we aren't buying soap. We have weird 1/2 bottles of body wash to use up, and other random shampoos and conditioners. Pull out the tiny hotel soaps and use those babies up. If you do go to the store, menu plan around your pantry first and only buy what you absolutely have to. We love having a stocked pantry, but there is a time for stocking up, and there is a time for paring down. During this money saving period we aren't trying to deplete our pantry, but we ARE trying to deplete the things in our house that we aren't using! We keep buying our favorite laundry detergent, but we have 2 other kinds sitting half full waiting to be used! Now is the time to use that kind of stuff up!

4. Out of Sight, Out of Mind

From this point until we have met our goals, we are paying our savings like we would pay any other bill. Then, we are putting that money in a place where we will not be apt to spend it. For us, that means it must come out of our checking account, and even out of our savings accounts which are easily transferred to our checking. We need that money to effectively disappear from our sight until the time comes to spend it. Use another bank, use envelopes, use a tin can in the back yard. Put that money where the sun don't shine.

5. Progress is Progress

We are trying to stay positive and tracking our progress. Anything we save is better than nothing. Our van budget is a ridiculous long shot to have in the next year (or even 2!), but we're going to keep saving a little at a time with the knowledge that every little bit that we save is a little bit that we won't have to borrow.




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