Memory Jar

I found this great jar at Hobby Lobby for 50% off.  You just can't go wrong with a Giant Mason Jar for under $10.  If you patiently watch and wait for Hobby Lobby weekly sales.  They rotate when certain items are 50% off.  This was part of the 50% off glassware weekly sale.  It pays to be patient and wait for the sale!  Yes, Hobby Lobby has the 40% off weekly coupon, but it is for only one item and their weekly sales are several different departments in a week.

I decided to use this as my Memory Jar.  I still have more items to add to it currently but I need to round up my items.  I'm not following a certain theme for this jar but should be in the future.  I am already thinking of an offspring such as a jar of all Steel's sports picture key chains since I already have 4 of them and Steel is only 6!

Currently my Memory Jar consists of:
Sports Picture Key Chains
Other Key Chains from trips
Key Chains with keys from past homes
My mother's occasion pins
My mother's passport, she loved traveling
Little trinkets I was given as gifts
My Girl Scout Pin

I'm still rounding up items but the jar is in working order!  

Think of the possibilities...
Souvenirs from your travels such as key chains or magnets
Foreign Coins
Ticket Stubs
Shells or Rocks
Wedding or Shower Favors
Funeral Memorial Prayer Cards

Empty out your junk drawers, there's tons of stuff that you have no where to put but you just can't seem to throw away!!!!

Potting Bench Makeover

Remember this great bench Steel and I garbage picked found??  Well, it got a makeover!

It was in pretty bad shape and needed some cleaning.  I found this wood cleaner in the garage that would do the job.  I hear that vinegar will do the job as well but might as well use up the wood cleaner.  I mixed with water in a bucket.  I didn't pay too much attention to the directions of measuring out 1 part clear to 5 parts water.  I just poured.

Just a few strokes with the nylon scrub brush and I could see that it was working and working well.

I scrubbed down the whole bench and let it sit for 20 minutes and hosed it off.

I gave it a few days to dry...

Then...
I grabbed some Krylon Watermelon...

and sprayed away, following up with a hand sander...

My plans were to stain over top of my freshly painted and sanded project.  This would stain the bare wood.  

I had to put my project on hold due to time constraints and other time consuming demands.  My project sat on the top of our hill for a couple weeks and the more I looked at it, the more I DID NOT like the color watermelon!  I think watermelon is a nice enough color and all but not for this particular Potting Bench.

I decided to grab some Krylon Ballet Slipper and White...

I sprayed and sprayed...  

I can't tell you details of how I sprayed but I tried to give the same effect as I got when I sanded (using the watermelon).  This took a lot of trial and error.  This was more of an experiment than anything else.

Having the watermelon underneath was a nice effect, as it showed through in lightly sprayed areas.

I am over all pleased with the way it turned out.

Pepperoni Rolls - YUM

WAY easy and WAY YUM!  These are seriously easy and you must try.  Make them to your liking or mine.  Serve with a side of pizza sauce for dipping! 

Click Read More for the recipe...

Canned Jalapeno Peppers

I decided to take my first stab at canning.  The peppers went wild in our garden and we have an overabundance of peppers.  I searched for canning recipes and did my homework on the whole process.  It is not that terrible.  It is very important that you get the ratios correct on the vinegar and the water.  I cannot even start to explain why but let's just say, you can get sick.  I learned a few lessons on the way.  These are my canned jalapeno peppers, we can't wait to try one.  It's going to be a long 8 weeks...

Click Read More for the recipe and How To...

Stuffed Shells - Cheese Filling

I love these.  I'm not too sure why I have never made them before until now.  They are so easy.  The prep is really quite quick and the pay off is fabulous!!

Click Read More for the recipe...

Stuffed Shells - Meat / Sausage Filling

So the picture is blurry and I didn't realize until after all the food was gone so this is what ya get...  Oops!  This is super simple and doesn't take a lot of time to prep.

Click Read More for the recipe...

Steel's 1st day of 1st grade!!!

Our little guy's first day of first grade.  He was so proud of his new shoes!