Natural Homemade Living

Who doesn't enjoy a little bathroom bling? This is the most simple project (and maybe the strangest) I've ever done! I saw an idea on Pinterest with monogram initials on the toilet tank. I liked the concept but I was too impatient to order monogram letters so I decided I would buy some sparkly crystals for my project. I tried this in our shabby shic, guest bathroom because I wasn't too sure what my husband would think. Well, it brought a laugh and the typical roll of the eyes - haha!! I bought a sheet of pink crystals (with adhesive on the back) for $2.99 at the craft store. I peeled off the crystals and applied them to my toilet tank. Done!  Love and peace, ~ Simply Tammi

This old picture frame was one of my latest thrift store finds.  It had been gold with a damaged picture in it.  I didn't know what I was going to do with it at the time but I liked the look of it and the mirror between the frames. When I got it home I decided to paint over the gold with an antique white paint . I left it a little distressed and didn't quite cover all the gold, then I removed the picture and put the glass back in it. I am using it as a tray in my living room, but it could also be used to hold perfume, soap or lotion bottles.  ~Simply Angie

I just looked at recipes and reviews for at least 20 different homemade granola bars and decided that I would make my own using my favorite ingredients! I figured if they didn't turn out, no one would ever know but if they did turn out, I could post them. Yep - they were delicious! I used my hands to mix them because I wanted to make sure everything was mixed together really well. Ingredients : 4 c rolled oats (I used old-fashioned oats but I'm sure quick-cook oats would work) 1/3 c raw sunflower seeds 1/3 c sliced almonds 1 1/4 c peanut butter, I made homemade peanut butter from our archived recipes, Simply Homemade Peanut Butter 1/2 c honey 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 T coconut oil, melted I mixed all of the ingredients in a large bowl with my hands, they should be almost a little sticky because you want them to stay together. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper and evenly pat the granola mixture into the pan, this will help them hold their shape after baking so t...

Lemons and summer - don't you just love it? I made lemon scones using fresh lemons this morning and can I just say that they were awesome! Scone Ingredients: 1 2/3 c unbleached, all-purpose flour 1/4 c brown sugar 1/8 tsp sea salt 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder 3/4 c heavy whipping cream 1/4 c lemon juice (I used a whole lemon) 1 tsp lemon flavoring (optional but I wanted more lemon flavor) 1 tsp lemon zest I mixed all of the ingredients together in a large bowl with a wooden spoon. When I couldn't mix any more (because my arm got tired) I used my hands. I lightly floured my counter and placed the dough on the counter. Knead about 10 times, and pat the dough into an 8 inch circle. I used a pizza cutter and cut the dough into 8 wedges. I placed them on a parchment lined 11x15 baking sheet. Bake in a 350F preheated oven for about 14-17 minutes. Let the scones cool slightly on a baking cooling rack, then drizzle or frost them using the lemon glaze below. Lemo...

My family loves ranch dressing but I usually end up throwing it away before we use it all. My personal favorite is salsa and yogurt mixed together but I have been outvoted! When we're all together the "must have" is ranch dressing, the kids eat it on almost everything! So I have been trying to find a dry mix, low fat recipe that I could make as I need it. According to my number one taste taster, I finally got it right! I love this because you make the dry mix and keep in until you need to make your liquid ranch dressing. Ingredients : 1/2 cup dry buttermilk (I found mine at the grocery store by the non-fat dry milk) 2 tsp dill weed 1 1/2 tsp onion powder 2 T dried parsley 1 tsp sea salt (you can use more or less depending on how much you like salt) 1/2 tsp season salt (I use Redmond Real Salt - organic natural season salt) 1/4 tsp thyme 1 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp black pepper I mixed all of these ingredients together in a small jar. I keep this in the refriger...

I bought this wooden storage box at a Garage Sale to use in my rustic cowboy themed family room.  I put it in my room and stared at it for a couple weeks, then consulted with my sister about how I was going to paint it. Finally I decided I was going to paint it to look like it was made with old barn wood.  I started by mixing a couple shades of red Acrylic paint until it was the shade I wanted. I let that dry for a few days then I used a candle (any kind of wax works) and rubbed on all the edges and corners where I didn't want the next coat of paint to cover.       I dry brushed (dip your dry brush in the paint and dab the excess off, then brush on without wetting your brush with water between picking up more paint). You have to do this somewhat quickly because it will dry fast.  I used an Antique White Acrylic paint over the red and then used sand paper on the areas I wanted it too look more distressed.  I printed off the number ...

My son has been talking about Fettuccine Alfredo for about 2 weeks- he suddenly just had a craving apparently!  So the other night I finally made it.  It was simple and yummy... and my taste testers liked it! YAY!  Here's the recipe: 4 T of butter 4 T of flour 4 cups of warmed milk, cream or both ( I used 2 cups of each) garlic clove minced, to your taste 1-2 cups of Fresh Grated Parmesan, or whatever cheese mixture you like (I also used a little Mozzarella)  Pasta of your choice, I used 1 lb. of Fettuccine salt and pepper to taste This recipe made 1 quart of sauce, you can easily half it, if you don't want that much.  Melt the butter in a pan and add the flour, stir until it's a paste, then slowly add your warm milk/cream and garlic. Whisk until the lumps are gone and it starts to thicken, then add the cheese and whisk until it's melted and combined. (Your pasta water should be boiling now) cook the pasta, drain and toss with sauce.  Save a l...

This weekend I am redecorating by using what I already have! My wood floor project is now complete so I wanted to rearrange some furniture. I moved my hutch into the dining room and decided to change it's purpose by using it for things I use in the kitchen instead of a storage unit - haha! (I'm still working on a post for that part). However, the end result in my living room was that I had an empty wall. I decided to use an old table that belonged to my great-grandma as my starting point. Then I found an old picture in a closet that belonged to my grandma, so I painted the frame with some cream colored paint and hung that over the table. I grabbed a pink, shabby chic lamp from the "princess room", a flower arrangement from another bedroom (I painted the vase to match the frame of the picture), added grandma's doily, and a framed family picture. I had an old oak coat rack that belonged to my dad so I hung some vintage hats that belonged to my grandma, a vintage fur...

This is the perfect DIY project to display your vintage jewelry rather than keep it in a box. For me, it was the perfect accent piece to my shabby chic living room. I bought an old picture frame at a garage sale for a quarter and painted it with cream colored paint and a little water. I still had my sister's bridesmaid dress from my wedding, so I cut some swatches of pink material and lace from that and used it as my background for my jewelry. I did not use any glue for my project because I wanted to preserve the integrity of the jewelry. Here are my steps to complete my DIY jewelry project: If needed, paint the picture frame and let it dry. Cut material and lace to fit the frame and add almost 3 inches to each side. Place the frame painted side down and place the jewelry over the back of the frame, you won't need the glass if your frame has it. Place the lace over the top of the jewelry. Place the material over th...

My laundry room is very compact and I love it! It is easy to keep clean because it is a smaller space. I have a cabinet, a shower curtain rod for hanging clothes, a sink, and I stacked my washer and dryer so everything is within reach. When we were planning the room, I knew I would not need a space to fold my clothes because I like to fold the clothes where I store them, which is mostly in the master bedroom or bathroom. So I opted for more living space rather than laundry room space. What I have learned over the past year on my organizing journey is that when you are dealing with a small space it is essential to keep them organized and don't let clutter accumulate. This is how I organized my laundry room space. On the bottom shelf that is easy to reach, I keep my homemade laundry soap (recipe on an earlier post) and some of the ingredients to make it, homemade fabric softener (vinegar and water) in a spray bottle, stain remover (Fels-Naptha), Dr. Bronner's liquid castile and ...

My sister gave me some vintage Christmas ornaments that came in these cool wooden crates, so rather than store them in a closet somewhere until Christmas, I decided to use them for decorating.  I stacked them, along with my dad's cowboy boots that I stuck some dried wheat and grass into next to my fireplace.  They would also make a cute end table.  Look around and see what you could use in another way and share your re-purposing ideas with us! ~Simply Angie

I was looking for a candle wreath or something to decorate my candle that sits on my newly painted candle holder. Since I have a shabby chic theme in my living room, I wanted something sparkly and old. Then I remembered I had an old bracelet stuffed in a box in my closet. I'm really trying to clean out and display my vintage items rather than having them packed away, so I used my bracelet as candle bling and I love it!   Love and peace, ~ Simply Tammi

When I went to the grocery store the other day, I noticed in the spice area they were selling Cinnamon-Sugar Mix for about $4.00!  I was a little surprised to say the least.  Our family has been making this and using it for years (for less than $4!) So just in case you haven't tried it, here it is: I use a glass spice jar and add about 2 tsp of ground cinnamon, then fill the rest of the jar with sugar. Give it a shake to mix.   This makes a great topping for muffins or banana bread, just sprinkle it on top before baking.  You can make dinner bread sticks into "dessert" bread sticks, spread a little butter on them and sprinkle the top with the mixture before you bake them.  It also makes a yummy topping for toast with a little butter or peanut butter! This also makes a nice gift idea. For a bigger batch:  2 cups of granulated sugar  add 1 1/2 Tablespoons of ground cinnamon and a couple cinnamon sticks to a jar that sea...

  I must admit that Monday night cooking is not my favorite item from my to-do list, so last night I made it simple with pasta and chicken. You can experiment with this recipe, I change my ingredients and seasonings depending on what I have on hand. It takes about 30 minutes to make and I always make enough so we have leftovers! Ingredients : 1/4 c olive oil 2 chicken breasts (no skin or bones) 2 T dried basil 1/2 tsp rosemary 1 tsp oregano 1-2 c canned tomatoes with juice or 1 pint grape tomatoes, cut 1/2 medium onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced or diced 1/3 c any shredded cheese (mozzarella, provolone, Parmesan) 8 oz angel hair pasta Sea salt Slice chicken breasts at a diagonal and add to a pan (over medium heat) that contains olive oil, basil, oregano, rosemary, onion, and garlic. (Make sure your olive oil is hot when you add your chicken). I turned my chicken a couple of times dur...

I wanted to post the chocolate buttercream frosting recipe but since we've had so many requests for the cupcake recipe, I decided to include them both. These are just the best chocolate cupcakes ever, I love family recipes! Ingredients : 1/4 c butter (room temperature) 1/4 c coconut oil (room temperature) 2 cups white sugar 6 T cocoa 2/3 c sour milk (add 1 T white vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk) 2 tsp baking soda (add it to the milk) 4 eggs 2 cups all purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup boiling water Mix butter and coconut oil with sugar. Then add ingredients as listed until you get to the water.  Beat ingredients on medium for about 1 minute the add the boiling water. Turn down your mixer speed or hot water will be splashing everywhere, trust me on this! The batter will be runny but don't panic! Preheat your oven to 350F. I used paper cupcake liners in my muffin pan. The regular size cupcakes will take about 20-25 m...

A favorite bath treatment for sore muscles, skin softener, and many other health benefits, is to enhance your bath with bath salts. There are many basic recipes for this but also many cautionary tips. It is not recommended to use baby oil if you have a whirlpool or jacuzzi tub, use essential oils not cosmetic fragrance oils because they can irritate your skin. Another great idea is to use Dead Sea salts with your Epsom salt, available at Amazon.com, you will use the same amount of both salts. I have not tried this combination yet but it is on my to-do list! I found a couple of web sites for more information and variations: http://suite101.com/article/luxurious-homemade-bath-salts-a201788 http://www.epsomsaltcouncil.org/about/ Directions : I used a glass bowl and a wooden spoon to mix my bath salts: 2 cups Epsom salts * optional add 2 cups Dead Sea salts (available on Amazon.com) 4-6 drops of your favorite essential oil. My favorite is orange but peppermint, lavender, eucalyptu...

I don't know about your house, but at mine it seems like we go through a lot of hand soap, especially in the summer.  If you have been following our blog, you know we use a lot of Dr. Bronner's Soaps. I especially like the liquid ones for hand and dish soap because a little goes a long way.  For the hand soap, I use a foaming soap dispenser.  You can buy these at places like Bed Bath and Beyond or Amazon. I re-used one I had from Target. I use about a tablespoon of Dr. Bronner's Liquid Soap, then fill the rest of the container up with water.  You can use your favorite liquid hand soap (your mixture will depend on the size of your container and how thick you want it.) Give it a shake and pump it a few times. Now your soap will last much longer! I also use Dr. Bronner's liquid Tea Tree soap with water in a spray bottle for cleaning counter tops, bathrooms, etc. Tea Tree Oil is used as an anti-fungal and for disinfecting but if you mix the oil with another ingredient...