Faux Planter

I'm really stalling my post on the bathroom remodel, mostly because I haven't touched up the paint yet. Hey, cut me some slack, I'm a busy mom. Okay, it's mostly that I don't feel like washing paint brushes lately, but whatever.

Anyways, here's a cute planter project. I got the idea after seeing one sold at an auction for over $40. I laughed because you could tell it was made and the previous owner probably didn't pay a dime for it (just like me).

This is low-cost to no-cost.

Faux Planter

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-Pot (I spray-painted an old one white)

-Dirt

-Branches

-hot glue gun

-cheap fake flowers (I chose white to stick with a theme)

1. Fill your pot almost to the top with dirt. Sandy dirt (or just sand) works best

2. Cut some thin branches off a tree ***(I chose a lilac bush)

3. Cut the flowers off a bouquet of fake flowers

4. Stick your branches in the pot and arrange

5. Glue your flowers to the branches (little flowers make it look more oriental, many flowers look more cottage.)

***PLEASE, if possible, cut dead branches. Nothing is more stupid than needlessly harming a plant. I have an overgrown lilac bush, and I found dead branches.

I plan on putting more flowers on mine, but I ran out of time that day.

Coming up: Window Trellis how-to, Post-Feeder how-to, and then MAYBE my bathroom remodel :)

Shepard's Pie

Made this last night, after forgetting that I LOVE Shepard's Pie. It's a nice dish that substituting is great to make many variations. Kids love it, and so do I!


Shepard's Pie
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*2 lbs ground beef
*6-7 potatos (more if you are using red potatos)
*Vegetables (shredding carrots and/or chopped celery, and/or corn, and/or peas)
*1/2 cup onion chip dip (tub sour cream + onion soup mix)
*2 c heavy cream or whole milk
*paprika
*parsely
*1 onion, finely chopped
*1/2 large green pepper, finely chopped
*1 large egg yolk
*2tbs. flour
*2 beef bouillon cubes
*1 cup water
*4 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
*2 tbs. butter

1. Peel the potatos and cook in a large pot with water until soft.
2. Get out a large skillet and brown the beef. Toss in the onions and the green peppers while this is browning. The flavors will soak in better.
3. Add your other veggies to the skillet and continue heating.
4. In a seperate small pan, heat the butter and flour. Add the egg yolk bouillon cubes, water, and worcestershire sauce. Heat until you get a gravy mixture.
5. Add the gravy to the beef skillet and heat another 5 minutes.
6. Turn your broiler on high
7. Drain your potatoes. Add the milk and chip dip. Mash it up really good.
8. Pour your beef into a large casserole dish.
9. Spread the mashed potatoes over the beef.
10. Sprinkle paprika and parsely over the top of the potatoes and place under the broiler until the edges of the potatoes just start to brown.




Coming soon: Faux oriental plant, window trellis, and finally......bathroom redo!

10 money saving Tips

***Tips from Brittany's Pocketbook***


I'm a sucker for sales. Even worse, I'm a sucker for anything FREE. Who isn't? With this economy, I decided to share a few secrets for scoring deals:

1. Walmart.com. Click on "In stores now" and then "Free Samples" For an entire year I didn't purchase a stick of deodorant because Walmart's sample sizes generally can last over a month. Check it weekly.
2. Shop4freebies.com Another one of my favs. They have a daily list of freebies, so check it daily! I've gotten everything from kitchen gadgets to dog food to months worth of shampoo on this site.
3. Department stores. You can score tons of makeup and perfume at counters. Most places like Younkers or Macy's (the ones that have the makeup counters), the associates actually work for the makeup company. The company's worry more about making repeat customers out of you, not making a sale right away. So go up to the counter and tell them that you've been shopping for something specific (weightless foundation, anti-aging creams, etc.) but that you don't want to commit to anything until you've tested it. Sometimes they will slap some on your face right there, but much of the time they will send you home with a tube. I haven't paid for makeup in years.
4. Another Department store. Ask for a sample of a perfume that just came out. The stores usually have sample tubes. If not, spritz a complimentary card 3-4 times with the perfume that you love and stash it in a plastic bag. This can honestly last quite a few days.
5. Spring cleanup. My city sets a few days aside once a year for you to put stuff on your curb that you no longer want. People can come up and take whatever they want. After the said amount of days, city workers will haul away what's left. I got my beloved potting table that way. Just take a car ride around your neighborhood and see what you can find!
6. Hold a swap meet. This can work with basically anything. Swap clothes, split perennials and swap, DVDs. Pretty much anything can be swapped amongst friends.
7. Go to your local health department of government financial center and pick up brochures. I picked up one that is a Dolly Parton reading thing. Anyone ages 5 and under is eligible to receive a new book in the mail every month until they get too old. And it's FREE!
8. Do the same for health insurance if you aren't insured.
9. Kiosks. Oh my lord, do those people running the booths want to do some crazy things to you, but if you have the time, it can be beneficial for you to take your time and let them do it. I've gotten free massages, free pedicures, and free makeovers from those silly places.
10. Rain barrel. I haven't gotten one yet, but it's on my agenda. Half my water bill is just from watering my gardens every day. Let mother nature pay half that bill for you ;)

Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

I used to purchase this salad from the deli every week for 5.99/lb, which is ridiculously high priced. I went to my cousin's grad party, where my former aunt had made this salad. I'm in LOVE. She gave me the recipe, yay! It's by far my favorite salad, to the point that I get really annoyed it the grocer's deli didn't make it.

Aunt Sheila's:Broccoli Cauliflower Salad recipe
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1 head cauliflower (break into small bite-sized pieces)
2-3 large bunches broccoli (break into small bite-sized pieces)
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
16 oz. fried and crumbled bacon

Dressing
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2 cups Mayo
1 cup sugar
4 Tablespoons vinegar

Mix dressing then pour over salad and mix well. Refrigerate and enjoy!


I made this, and LOVED it. I did add a bit more vinegar though.

Terra Cotta Windchime

I know that the next post should be my bathroom remodel, but I need to give a corner one more coat of Canary Yellow (yes, I know), but my silverware windchime fell down, and until I get another ceramic drill bit (other one bit the dust), I can't fix it. So I decided to make a really quick windchime to replace it. I bought a whole box of assorted sized terracotta pots for 50 cents a few weeks ago, and I've been dieing for a way to get rid of the ridiculously small ones. So here you are:

Terra Cotta Windchime
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-terra cotta pots all the same size (use as many as you want)
-farmer's twine (whatever length, depending on how many pots you use)

When I say "make a knot," that means to make it bigger than the whole on the bottom of the planter, for obvious reasons

1. Make a knot about 4-6 inches from the bottom on your twine. Fray all the twine under this knot (the 4-6 inches)

2. Place a pot face down on the knot.

3. Make another knot about 2 inches above the pot.

4. Place a pot face down on that knot.

5. Continue this until you feel you have enough pots. Tie a know on top of the top pot to secure everything, then hang!

***If you decide to use bigger pots, you will need to space the knots 4-5 inches***

Hopefully tomorrow I will display my bathroom.