Basic Scoop Neck T-Shirt Recon

There are so many ways to transform an old t-shirt into a new must have.  The levels of altering your shirts can be as simple as cutting off a few inches, to changing the shape and design all together. I look forward to conquering each technique and blogging my success and/or failures.  ;)
 
My first attempt was creating a scoop neck and shortening the sleeves.  I found this to be a simple start.  I started with a boring basic t-shirt.
It was easier in this instance to draw a diagram of where to cut.  Just make sure to keep it even on both sides. 

Once you have made all the cuts, pull and stretch the fabric to get the shirt to roll up along the edges. Then you are finished!

Finished Product Front

Finished Product Back

Happy cutting!

Milk Bubbles

Our little one was getting a little antsy, so we decided to distract her by blowing bubbles in her milk.  I forgot how much fun this can be.  =)

Learning how to make the bubbles

Bigger!

Explode!!

Since it was on her high chair, clean up was quick and easy.

Don't forget about the small things around the house that are free entertainment.  She completely forgot she was fussy after.  =)

 

Curry Chicken Salad

I love a good chicken salad as a quick and easy dinner option.  I have been playing with different ways to prepare chicken salad to find the perfect mix of ingredients.  I finally came across a mixture that my husband and I have labeled as one of our favorite meals.  The secret is curry.  You can also make this healthy by substituting the mayonnaise for low fat, or a mixture of both.

Curry Chicken Salad:

What you will need:
4 or 5 boneless skinless chicken breast cooked and shredded (You can also buy a precooked rotisserie chicken and shred the meat)
1 cup mayonnaise (or light/low fat if you prefer)
A few squirts of mustard to taste
2 stalks of celery diced
1 small yellow onion chopped
1 red delicious apple cored and diced (if you like your apples peeled, you can peel it)
1/2 cup of seedless green grapes halved
1/2 of chopped walnuts (you can also use pecans)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon of curry powder

Directions:
The star of this dish is curry so you really want to bring out it's flavor.  One of the easiest ways to boost a spices flavor, is heating it on the stove. You can roast the spices in the oven, but I like to toast mine on the stove top so I have more control.  Spices can burn easy so it's important to stir them as they heat up. They are ready when they become slightly darker and have a strong aroma.  This usually takes a couple minutes.  Make sure to remove the spices from the pan right away to stop them from cooking any further. 

Saute the onion in a pan for just a few minutes with butter or cooking spray.

Thoroughly mix all ingredients in bowl.  I usually add a little more curry (unheated) if the flavor isn't strong enough for us.  This recipe is very flexible so it is hard to mess up.
If you have leftovers, the flavor is even better the next day!

Enjoy!

Halloween Meatloaf

I usually call this Dead Man Meatloaf and made it for the first time this past Halloween.  I have made the meatloaf before, just not in the shape of......well a dead man.

The recipe itself is very simple and absolutely delicious.  I make it all the time in a normal loaf shape.
It is a brown sugar meatloaf, but you can use your own meatloaf recipe and skip to the bottom on shaping and decorating it.  I am including the recipe I use in case you would like to try it.  Please remember since it is a meatloaf, you can add or leave any ingredients out.

Brown Sugar Meatloaf (The way I make it)


What you will need:

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1/4 cup brown sugar (if you like it sweeter use 1/2 cup)
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
About 1 cup of oatmeal flakes
1/2 cup steak sauce of choice (A1 is what I use)
A drizzle of Worcestershire sauce
1 packet of dry onion soup mix (optional)
Ketchup

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Decide what kind of pan you will be using.  I used a broiler pan for this one because the meatloaf wouldn't fit in a loaf pan shaped this way.  If you do make this meatloaf in a loaf pan, you can put slices of bread on the bottom of the pan under the meatloaf to catch the grease.  This way, the meatloaf isn't so greasy. 

In a mixing bowl, thoroughly mix all ingredients.  If loaf needs more oats, feel free to add them.  Shape a portion of the meat like a normal loaf to make the body of the dead man.  Then add arms and legs roughly in the same shape and attach to the body.  Last, shape a round loaf to make the head. Make sure to keep all body parts even so the meat cooks evenly. 

Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center.  Cooking times will vary based on how thick the meat is.  (Roughly 35 min - 1 hour). An instant read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

Once baked, pour ketchup on the abdomen and add the eyes and mouth.  You can use olives, pickles, anything you like for decorating the face.  I used pickles and Ketchup for mine.

Return to the oven for 5-10 minutes.  You can serve with a knife impaled in the abdomen for effect.  You can make it creeper by dripping ketchup down the knife.  For younger kids, might want to leave the knife off.   ;)

Enjoy!

Black and White Whimsy Tree

Black and White Whimsy Tree:

This is one of my favorite paintings so far and will be displayed on a wall in my home.
The funny thing about this painting is I didn't have any brushes small enough and I didn't feel like leaving the house to get some at that moment.  I used my make up brushes (eye liner and eye shadow brush) to paint this picture!  So, you can always improvise! 

I found a similar painting someone did online and decided to try it for myself with a few alterations.  I wanted my background to be black and the tree white, so I had my starting point.  I painted my background black and then drew with a pencil the outline of the tree.  Once I was satisfied with how it looked, I carefully started painting it in white.  This took several coats and a whole of patience.  If you mess up, just dip your brush in water and sweep the paint off.  An easier way to fix a mistake is to wait until the paint dries, and  then cover the mistake with the background color and start over.  You can make the process of drying quicker by using a hair dryer on the wet parts.

The great thing about this tree is you can shape it how you like and add the swirly branches and leaves to be your own.  =)
I think it would also be fun to add some silver highlights throughout the tree.

Handprint Christmas Tree

                                                        Handprint Christmas Tree


Ran across an idea online the other day for painting with the kids.  It is even cute if you don't have kids and want to use our own handprints.  ;)

The Handprint Christmas Tree:

Select your canvas or paper that you wish to paint on.  (I used cheap flat canvas instead of framed because it is easier to store with all the other seasonal items.  I also preferred something more durable, unlike paper. )

I used acrylic paint because it is easier to work with being a beginner, and I love how you can layer the paints. Choose which paint type and colors you would like to use.  The color choices are unlimited, nothing wrong with a purple tree!  ;)

Paint the background in any color you choose and let dry.  A tip to make drying faster: Set your blow dryer on a warm/hot setting and hold it away from the paint until dry.

Dip your hand in the paint to make the tree branches.  I used a flat surface and spread the paint out evenly across it to dip in.  The more even the paint is spread out, the better coverage you will have on the canvas.  

The best advice for making the tree branches is to start with a number of handprints on the bottom and minus one each layer up.  For instance, I started with four on the bottom, three on the next layer, and so on until I reached one handprint on top.  This allows you to make your tree as big and fluffy or small as you desire. 

Once the handprints are dry, you can dip your fingers in a different color (like red on mine) to make berries or any decorations you like.  You can even add tinsel!  Don't forget to add a border if you wish!
        
 There are many different things you can add to make this tree unique and yours.  The choices are unlimited which is why this is so much fun. Also any ages can do this.  I made this painting with my 16 month old's handprints, and I painted the rest for her.   HAVE FUN!