A Valentine for Hubby

I love projects using paint sample cards - oh, and in case you didn't know I love paint! Here is the card I made for hubby. It also makes a cute bookmark too! The colors on the paint swatch are: Sweet Simmer, Sultry, and Blaze! Perfect for Valentine's Day!

Red Hot Popcorn

I thought this would be fun to make for the Valentine's Day school party. It is super yummy! Here is the recipe (I have changed slightly from others on the Internet)

Popped popcorn - I used my hot air popper and popped 2/3 cup and then another 2/3 cup. I have no idea how many quarts this is. It filled up my roasting pan.

Lightly butter your roasting pan and place popped corn in pan. Heat oven to 250 degrees.

1 cup butter
1/2 cup Karo syrup
1/4 cup sugar
10 to 12 ounces red hots ( I guessed because my bag was a 14-ounce bag)
1/4 tsp. salt

Melt the above ingredients on the stove top. Bring to boil and boil for 5 minutes. (My red hots took a long time to dissolve almost until the 5 minutes was up.) Turn off the heat and add 1/2 tsp. baking soda. Stir well. Pour the molten hot mixture over the popped corn and toss to coat. Place in the oven for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes. Yum!!!

The knobs arrived toady - more kitchen

My kitchen knobs arrived today! I am happy to say I did not spend $3+ on each knob. I did my online shopping and found that ebuilderdirect.com had the best price hands down. These satin nickel knobs were $1.20 each and the drawer pulls were $1.50 each - and they arrived in about 3 days! Yea!

So, it's almost time for pictures of the whole kitchen - we are getting there!!!

Heart Hair-Do

We did this hair today! I found the idea at Princess Hairstyles. It is one of the easier heart hair-dos!

More Kitchen...ughhhhhhh

Today I have got to finish the painting of the cabinets! I took the rest of them off the hinges carted them outside, sanded them, then I was ready to paint. Only, it started to rain! So, the operation got moved inside. I am happy to say they are all painted!!!
Of course, I could not have done it all without the help of the Bengal cat!!

A Word on Spray Paint

Not all spray paints are created equal. Today I have used three different brands in my chair painting projects - it was nice to compare each brand. Now I know which for sure is my favorite.

Home Depot's Rustoleum Painters Touch is my absolute favorite and my favorite spray primer as well. The paint covers beautifully and the nozzle works great even till the last bit of paint. If they have the color you like - this is the best paint!

Next is Lowe's Valspar. They reinvented this paint and it has a new container and nozzle/lid. It also is over $1 more than most spray paints - it can add up if you are using 6 cans a day like I did today! This paint also covers nice - the nozzle is a bit tricky and it is a little harder to press down. But really nice paint and nice colors.

Walmart's Krylon - Oh my I am throwing this can out - it was awful. It was splotchy, drippy, uneven and covered horribly. I will never buy this paint again - no matter what kind of pinch I am in!

So there you have it! Now I am off to buy more spray paint and I have a major cramp in my right hand from pushing the sprayer so much!!!

Kitchen Update

This is how things look this morning....ugh!!
A while ago I watched a home improvement show about kitchen makeovers. On this particular show they were completely remodeling a family's kitchen all within a $45,000 budget! They bought new cabinets, counters, flooring, appliances....the works. I had to laugh when the designer unveiled the beautiful new kitchen! Like who couldn't come up with a beautiful new kitchen on their own for $45,000! It was a lame show! The trick is doing it on a budget - right!

Which brings me to my kitchen update project - so far I have spent $47 - paint and paintable wallpaper! Here is today's project: painting more cabinets! I am taking them all off the hinges, lightly sanding them, then painting them white. The work sure goes faster when you have a Bengal cat helping out!!!

Cereal Keeper turned Car Trash Can

This little organizing idea just solved all my problems! I spend most of my day in the car with 3 children. The trash seems to take over the car - even when I have a designated trash sack. But now I have a trash can - just for the car! It is going into use TODAY!

I saw the idea on BHG.com. I bought a plastic cereal keeper and put a Target sack inside (a little vinyl lettering never hurt anyone either!) Then, when it is full (or too stinky) I can just pop the top, tie the handles and send one of the kids to the trash can! Yea!!!!

Quilted Heart Door Hangers

Since I painted my front doors, I am careful not to hang anything that will "clank" on them. My house has too doors so I have to have 2 of what ever - it frustrates me lots! So, I pulled out all my Valentine's Day fabric scraps and crazy pieced 2 blocks. I quilted the blocks
then cut a heart shape out. I had plans to stuff them but they didn't look good stuffed at all ....so they are flat! I attached a ribbon and hung them on the front doors! And no clanking!

A History of my Valentine's Day Quilts

I was looking around my house and I have several Valentine Quilts all with very different feels. They've been made through the years and it is interesting to see how the style and fabrics have changed.

Here is my first Valentine Quilt! I made it is 2000 just after I got my brand new Bernina! The pattern was from a Better Homes & Garden Quilt publication. Fabric has come a long way in the last 12 years!!!

2002 I made this little wall quilt which I still love even though it is made with "barn red" that was oh so popular then. I love how each of the background blocks are different creams. I still hang it up every February.

This quilt was made in 2005 - again, the fabrics are so much better these days! I always love a wonky block!
Then in 2009 came my cupcake phase. You can't see the whole thing - but there is another row of appliqued cupcakes. This used to hang in Sally's room, but now she has a Rapunzel room.
This "banner" style wall hanging I also made in 2009 - I used the applique patterns from the previous quilt, but made the arrangement and letters myself. I still love it!
From cupcakes to owls, these were both made in 2010.

This big hugs and Kisses quilt was made in 2010 also - I still love it! It hangs in my entry way.2011
I finished my "Love Birds" quilt. It is an original design by me. I love that there are a few pieced heart blocks mixed in with the plain blocks. The applique was a bit tedious - the letters are super curvy and swirly. I love the birds as well.


This quilt I also just finished and it hangs above my piano. I love the Moda valentines fabric that adds a bit of turquoise to the mix. Thanks to my mom-in-law for sending them to me! I made her a quilt like this as well - I love the birds, I love that it is off center and a little funky!


I sewed up this quick table quilt for my mom-in-law as well - just for a little spot of color somewhere.


I sewed these two small quilts for our church's Relief Society auction tonight.  I really want to keep this table runner because I still need to make myself one.


Then there is this little square quilt with two birds (who still need button eyes). I love them both.
Can't wait to see what's up for next year!  Thanks for looking!