Food: Christmas Crack

Christmas Crack: AKA Poor Man's Toffee

One of the things that I love most about the winter holiday season is baking treats for my friends and family. Several years ago, I hosted a cookie swap party. Everyone was to bring their favorite cookie (or candy) along with enough recipe copies to share. It was so much fun! Not only did I enjoy an evening with dear friends, I also enjoyed many treats. Yum! 

One of the treats shared that night, was Christmas Crack, also known as Saltine Toffee or Poor Man's Toffee. It was delicious. Imagine my pleasant surprise after reading its recipe and discovering it was so simple to make. 

Over the years, I have made a few changes to the original recipe. So, today, I want to share my family's version of Christmas Crack:

Christmas Crack

You will need:

 * about 35 saltine crackers

 * 2 sticks of unsalted butter (1 cup)

 * 1 cup of brown sugar

 * 2 cups of milk chocolate baking morsels (you can substitute semisweet, if desired)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Line a 9 x 15 jellyroll pan with waxed paper. Arrange saltine crackers in pan. 

Heat butter and sugar in a saucepan over low-medium heat. Bring to a boil and boil for 3-5 minutes, until sauce begins to thicken and bubble. Pour evenly over saltines in prepared pan.

Bake pan in oven for 5 minutes.

After removing pan from oven, sprinkle chocolate morsels evenly over crackers. Allow to stand for about 3-4 minutes (or until chocolate is melted). Spread chocolate over crackers. 

Allow pan to cool, and then cool completely in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Once cooled, remove from pan by sliding a spatula under the waxed paper. Then, peel paper from the bottom of crackers. Break crackers into pieces before serving. Be sure to keep in an air tight container for storing. 

DIY: Christmas Signs

Christmas Signs

With Christmas literally just around the corner, I wanted to share a few Christmas decorative signs I made the other day. 

As usual, I started with a few pieces of salvaged materials: two cupboard doors, and a square of pallet wood. After sanding the selected pieces, I simply painted a solid background and sanded them after they were dry. I drew my template designs on the boards with a washable craft pencil. Then, I painted the designs. After the designs were dry, I gave them a light sanding and a coat of furniture wax.

Holidays: Decorating the Historical Block Home

Decorating the Historical Block Home

For the past several years, my family and I have decorated a local historical home for a holiday open house. This home is located at a nearby state park, and it is one a several historical homes decorated for this event. Most of the homes are decorated for the Christmas season. However, the Block family, who were the original occupants of this home, were Jewish. As such, their home is decorated for Hanukkah. 

There are only three main rooms open to the public, so it's not a very big job. Besides, I truly enjoy this yearly ritual. The home's setting is remote and peaceful. With no electricity or passing traffic, working in the home gives you a feeling of being transported back in time.

I try to decorate the home simply: in keeping with the park's regulations and my own personal style.

Here a few photos from this year's finished product. I hope you enjoy!

The parlor is ready for spinning the dreidel.

This dreidel set was made by my husband many years ago.

It is a wooden set, perfect for little ones to enjoy.

The parlor's fireplace is decorated with evergreen, dried pomegranates, salt dough ornaments, and holly berry swags.

A close up of the parlor fireplace décor.

The front door was given a simple swag of cedar clippings, jasmine vine, magnolia leaves, and pinecones.

A simple blue grosgrain ribbon is the perfect finishing touch.

The dining room's fireplace is decorated with evergreen, blue ribbon, and golden walnuts.

The dining room table holds the menorah.

Only simple touches were needed here.

A centerpiece of blue grosgrain ribbon, cedar clippings, and golden walnuts compliment the home's Blue Willow collection.

The kitchen table is set for a light tea.

I must admit, my tea set does look lovely after a good polish.

DIY: Repurposed Doorway Casing

Repurposed Doorway Casing

My husband and I often pick up salvaged materials. To me, every piece is unique and beautiful to behold: even the broken ones. This has always made it very difficult for me to part with even the less than perfect items. However, I don't believe in keeping things just for the sake of keeping them. This project was born from my desire to find use for even the imperfect of items.

I used a salvaged piece of doorway casing. It was from a much larger piece, but it had suffered from rot on one end. Instead of throwing the whole thing away, I had my hubby cut off the damage. I must confess, he thought me mad for wanting it. After it was trimmed, I gave it a thorough sanding. Then, I just added a couple of hooks on the front and a sawtooth hanger on the back. 

I think it looks lovely. An added bonus, the top ledge is wide enough for display!

Home: From Doorway to Built-In

From Doorway to Built-In

When our eldest daughter moved out, we no longer needed two separate entrances to their adjoining rooms. Our youngest daughter wanted to use one room as a sitting room (or rather her own personal den) and use the other as her bedroom. This left us with a walled up doorway in our living room. Instead of simply closing the old doorway over, we opted to create some much needed storage.

Not only were we able to increase our storage, we were also able to repurpose an old savaged window! 

Home: Using Salvaged Materials - Master Bathroom

Using Salvaged Materials: Master Bathroom

We enjoy using salvaged materials, whenever possible, in our home. Our master bathroom has been no exception. As I have mentioned before, last year we were able to salvage materials from an older home that was going to be demolished. Among the many items saved, were a door with an inlaid beveled mirror and some crown molding. 

After stripping many years worth of paint, the door revealed beautiful wood. All it needed was a little cleaning and a bit of finish. I was even able to salvage the original hardware. The brass shined up very well. When cleaning old hardware that has many layers of paint on it, I use an old slow cooker (purchase and used solely for hardware: don't use one you plan to put food in). I place the hardware inside and then fill with soapy water. I leave it on to "cook" over night. In the morning, the paint is usually falling off. All I need to do is give it a good clean with a wire brush. 

Below is a photo of the finished door. Above the door is the salvaged crown molding. 

While not sourced from the same house as the door and crown molding, our shower/tub tiled surround was also created from salvage materials. We had picked up a truck load of leftover tile from a friend's home several years prior. When we replaced to old garden tub originally in our master bathroom, we decided to put in a tiled surround. Instead of purchasing new tile, my husband repurposed the leftover tile. Using a tile saw, he cut the tiles into the sizes needed. Because all of the tiles were neutral colors, everything mixed well together.

Home: Salvaged Corner Cabinet

Salvaged Corner Cabinet

A few weeks past, I spotted a corner cabinet that had been torn out of an older home. As it was lying on the curb awaiting trash pickup, I decided it needed to come home with me. 

When I brought it home, it was missing the center back piece, and it was missing the bottom portion. It was originally a much larger piece, but during its removal, it was broken.

My sweet husband helped me out - as usual. He was able to give it a new (old) back using some salvaged wood, he trimmed off the bottom portion, and he made a top (also from salvaged wood). He also had to fill in a chunk that was missing along the top.

Now,  all I had to do was sand and paint. It really did turn out to be such a cute little corner cabinet!

Home: Trash to Treasure - B's Bedroom Flooring

Trash to Treasure: B's Bedroom Flooring

Last year, a family friend approached us with a generous offer: She was selling her property to a developer and wanted to know if we would like the opportunity to remove any material from the old home. Ms. Pat's house was originally built in the 1920s. The purchasing company was going to build a bank on the property site, and as such, they were going to demolish the house. Of course, we jumped at the idea of saving as much material as possible. 

We were able to salvage every door and window, in addition to hardwood flooring, trim, tiles, and several built-ins. It was hard, sweaty work: this was during our hot, humid summer. However, the knowledge that we were saving vintage materials, and saving money on our renovation budget, made it all worth it. 

The upstairs bedrooms of the home all had hardwood floors. While I worked on removing all of the house's windows (believe me, it's not difficult), my husband and youngest daughter, B (short for Bianca) pulled up the old bedroom floors.

I made sure to snap a couple of photos. 

B turned out to be a very hard worker! Of course, I'm sure the knowledge that these would become her own bedroom floors helped. I was amazed at how much they were able to save.

Once we removed the flooring, we had to clean them before installing. The house had been empty for a bit, and it appeared as though a few critters had come to visit. Once cleaned, my husband installed the flooring in B's sitting room. All we had to do after that was sand, stain, and finish them. 

I love how they turned out. Now, every time we walk on them, we will remember their history.

I am very glad we were able to save them!

DIY: More Market DIY

More Market DIY

The past month has been a flurry of activity. I seem to have found my niche at the local markets. Which is wonderful since I truly do enjoy rescuing old furniture and repurposing many of my finds. I have always agreed with the old adage, "One man's trash is another man's treasure".  

Years ago, when my husband and I were young and our children were little, we were like many young couples: completely broke. However, I found that my desire for nice things wasn't diminished by lack of funds (after all, who doesn't enjoy nice things?). There was no other choice but to get creative. All of those years of looking at old objects with a creative eye continues to inspire me. I find a deep sense of satisfaction in breathing new life into objects deemed no longer fit to serve. The two pieces I am sharing with you today definitely fit that description.

My husband is a paramedic for a local ambulance service and, he is away from home for two-three days at a time.  During his shifts, my daughters and I usually drop the station for visits. The station is located in an old business district that is on the edge of an older residential area. On one visit, I noticed what appeared to be several pieces of broken furniture on the side of the road, awaiting trash pickup. I asked my dear, sweet, longsuffering hubby if he could bring those pieces home, at the end of his shift. Of course, he obliged. My haul turned out to be an old dresser with a very damaged mirror and shelf combination. The mirror/shelf was beyond rescuing- it had many pieces missing. So, I just dismantled what was remaining of it and put the pieces away for future parts. After sorting through everything, I discovered that all of the drawers were there. Happy Dance! A few drawers needed repairs, but after that, the dresser only needed a thorough cleaning, a new finish, and new hardware. The top was terribly stained - it had nail polish, marker, and makeup stains. Despite that, after a bit of sanding, it was in good enough shape to take a dark stain finish. The rest of the dresser received a distressed black finish. New hardware was added, and Voila!

Food: Hot Pepper Jelly

Hot Pepper Jelly

With summer finally behind us (to the relief of everyone down here in the South), I have returned to my kitchen. While the local farmers markets still have peppers, I always make a few batches of hot pepper jelly to put away for the upcoming holiday season. I enjoy hot pepper jelly over warmed, softened cream cheese served with crackers, as a simple advertiser or snack. Hot pepper jelly is also a great glaze for baked ham and baked/grilled chicken. An added bonus, it also makes a wonderful stocking stuffer or holiday basket gift.

Hot Pepper Jelly (makes about 8-12 half pint jars)

  *  1 1/2 cups finely chopped peppers (I use a mix of bell pepper and hot peppers and process
       them in a food processor)
  * 2 1/4 cups apple cider vinegar
  * 9 cups sugar
  * 6 oz liquid pectin

Prepare jars for canning: boil in a large pot for 10-15 minutes, then remove to a clean rack/towel to dry. Once dry, have jars ready to add jelly mixture.

Place chopped peppers, vinegar, and sugar in a pot. Bring to a boil over medium/low heat.  When mixture reaches a rolling boil, remove from heat and add liquid pectin. Working quickly, pour into prepared jars.

Wipe the mouths of the jars with a clean cloth, to ensure a good seal. Place lids upon jars. Place jars into prepared water-bath canner. Process jars in water-bath canner for 10-15 minutes. Remove from canner, allowing jars to fully set (usually overnight).

DIY: Repurposed Stereo

Repurposed Stereo

For the past several years, I have been privileged to be a stay at home mom. During this time, I home schooled my two daughters. I was also able to pursue my own interests. It was during the early years that I discovered my love for repurposing old items and castoff furniture. This new hobby was partly fueled by my young family's tight budget. It was also fueled by my love of giving old items a new lease on life. 

Now, that my children are grown, I am still repurposing items. Instead of using my creations to fill our home, these days I pack up my items and take them to local markets to sell. It's a great way to earn a little, while at the same time, still indulging in my love of making everything old new again.

One of my latest projects is an old 1970's stereo cabinet repurposed into a blanket chest. I was drawn to this piece because it was a handmade cabinet. So, it had a kind of folksy, quirky appeal. After gutting the stereo, a new back and bottom were added. I also replaced the fabric that was inset on the front with another solid board. I reattached the unique front cutout panels. New trim was added to the false drawer fronts, along with new hardware. Then, I finished it off with a new coat of paint. It turned out wonderfully. It's no surprise that it found a new home at the very next market!

Craft: Sea Shell Mementos

Sea Shell Mementos: Savoring the Last of Summer

Summer is finally fading away here in Arkansas. After sweltering in the summer heat and humidity, I am ready to enjoy every moment of autumn. However, before I can enjoy my bonfires, I must put everything in order before moving onto the next season.

My family and I love to visit the seaside during the summer: our place of choice is Florida. We love the white sand beaches, the cool surf, and the laid back beach life. We always bring home plenty of shells (and sand) to remember our time at the beach. I'm sure most of you are the same. Every trip away means selecting souvenirs to take home. Which can only bring to mind one question. What to do with it? 

Rather than hiding away all of our treasures, I enjoy using them in our décor. One simple way is to place them inside decorative bowls, vases, or other fillable items.  On our last trip, I picked up a pair of recycled glass pillar candleholders from World Market. With their hollow bases, they are such a fun and simple way to display small items. For summer, I add a bit of sand and few shells.

While combing the shores for shells, I make a point of keeping any I find that have small holes in them. I just place them in a bag to take home. They make adorable wind chime/mobiles.

Be sure to clean all your beach finds in a bit of bleach water and allow to fully dry before using them.

After cleaning them, I tie a piece a string to each piece. I use assorted sizes.

Once they are strung, I tie each to a piece of driftwood or a branch. Then I add a string to hang.

I keep this beauty in the window of the master bath. I enjoy seeing it every morning

Craft: Soap Mitt

Handy Soap Mitt

My youngest daughter uses a specialty face soap. It's a wonderful locally made, handcrafted soap. It is such a wonderful product! There is only one drawback: once the bar is reduced to a small size, it is hard to hold. I can't begin to tell you the number of times the soap has slipped out of her hands during use.

Being the type of "fix-it" mom that I am, I made a soap mitt for the slippery bar.

To make your own soap mitt, you will need a washcloth, scissors, thread, sewing machine or sewing needle (if you prefer to sew by hand)

Step 1: Using your scissors, cut the wash cloth in half.

Step 2: Fold the washcloth in a trifold pattern. Leave plenty of room to slip your soap into your finished product.

Step 3:  Sew both ends of the mitt shut. After sewing, turn the mitt out (so that the sewn edges are now inside of the mitt).

Now, your mitt is ready to use!

Garden: Easy Succulent Garden

Easy Succulent Garden

From the moment she was able to grasp an object in her little hands, my youngest (whom we call B) has loved rocks. It didn't matter if it was large or small, brightly colored or dull, or if it was semiprecious, precious, or common variety.  She loved them all. In fact, she still does.

Recently, it was decided that B needed a good closet clear out. Among the many outgrown items were numerous rocks. Like any true collector, the idea of giving away or simply throwing out her precious finds was too much for her to bear. So, it was decided that we would simply create a place for them: cue our idea for a mini rock garden.

Soon after creating the garden, we realized it needed some height. My mind instantly recalled the many succulent gardens I had been eyeing on Pinterest (yes, I love Pinterest). After getting everyone on board with this new direction, I was able to purchase a locally made concrete cast bird bath - even better, it was on an end of the season sale!  Hubby helped to nestle the bird bath into our space, and we simply filled with potting material, succulents, and a specially chosen piece of quartz rock (of course).

Now, B's precious rocks happily share a home with our new succulent garden. Eventually, we will add more to this new garden, but for now, we are just going to enjoy.

This momma is pretty happy.

Home: Bathroom Sink Skirt

Recently, my hubby purchased a new sink for our master bathroom. I was very pleased with not only its bargain price, but also its hotel styled design. With its granite top and back splash, there wasn't much to not love about it. However, there was one thing holding it back from perfection: with only an open shelf on the bottom, it left all the plumbing and toiletries on constant display. Ugh.

The only obvious solution was a sink skirt. For most people, this would be a very easy solution. However, I have never been much of a seamstress. After tossing around a few ideas, I finally hit upon a very easy way to create a sink skirt large enough to suit my need. I purchased a linen shower curtain, large decorative upholstery tacks, and a small drill bit for our electric drill. After deciding where I wanted to place the tacks, hubby drilled the holes using the same sized drill bit. This enabled the upholstery tacks to effortlessly slide into place. Then, I trimmed and sewed the curtain to my desired size. With my sink size, I only had to trim away one of the existing shower curtain grommets. After measuring the spacing between the upholstery tacks, I used simple pleats to match the grommet distances with the tacks. It's not perfect, but I am pretty pleased with the results.

Simple Life: Life Goes On

It has seemed as if it was a lifetime ago since I last blogged. In many ways, it was. I have always believed that life is far simpler when we embrace the season we are in, rather than fighting against it.  That's what I have been endeavoring to do by stepping back.  During my absence, my family and I have experienced several painful and personal battles. Some days, I wondered if we would ever make it through to life as it once was. I can honestly say that we did not. That's the thing: life rarely ever reverts back to the way it was before. As my mother told me, "You find your new normal" and that is exactly what we did. It has been a very long road. We struggled through together, and together we have created another chapter.

When I began this blog, I was a stay at home mother that was homeschooling my two children. Now, my eldest is about to start working towards a bachelor's degree in history. My youngest has just completed high school, and she is about begin college. I am officially out of job. Where did the time go? It truly seems as if it was just the other day when we were sitting around the kitchen table doing crafts. Now my collection of paper plate art and stash of science projects are a distant memory to my kiddos. Am I sad? Yes. Of course, I am sad. I am also proud, excited, and ready for what is next to unfold. I know my girls have many adventures ahead of them, and I want nothing more than for them to seize every opportunity.

My husband and I married young. As with many young couples, we didn't possess much education or skill. We both were armed with only high school diplomas, optimism, and dreams. Recently, we both returned to school. I earned an Associate's Degree of Science in Business. My husband trained to become an EMT. He later became a Paramedic. Then, he earned an Applied Associate's Degree of Science in Paramedics. After this fall's term, he will have earned a bachelor's degree. And yes, I am very proud of him. I plan to return to school next spring. There are definitely changes on the horizon.

My advice regarding the painful seasons in life? Allow yourself (and your family) time to heal. Give yourself permission to grieve. Also, don't place any limitations or timelines on how you heal. Just take it one day at a time. It's also important to note that the healing process doesn't always follow a linear progression. Often, it truly is, "two steps forward and one step back". It can be slow. Don't focus on that. Focus on the fact that progress IS being made - even if you can't see or feel it. Most importantly: remember that no matter how dark your life may feel, the sun will return. It does get better.

Welcome to the next season, the next chapter in my life.