Cookie Bars

I found another great recipe from {Tasty Kitchen} :)  If you haven't checked out the website you have to! Now!!!  These cookie bars are from {Mommy's Kitchen}, and they are so good {and easy}! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!  

The Goods:

• 2 Cups of Bisquick
• 1/2 cup Oatmeal
• 1 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1 Egg, beaten
• 1 Stick of Butter {melted}
• 1 TSP Vanilla

Add-in Options:

• 1/2 Cup Semi Sweet Chocolate and 1/2 Cup Butterscotch
• 1/2 Cup Raisins and 1/2 Cup Craisins

Pre-Heat the oven to 350 degrees, and grease one 8 inch dish {I also greased an 8 inch bread dish}.  Now add the first six ingredients.  Oh eggs. 

Mmmmmm butter...

The Vanilla...

I have made these bars twice, and the first time I made these I just used one 8 inch pan.  It did not work so great...They were too thick and did not cook well.  This time I made the cookies in both an 8 inch pan and bread pan.  It worked SO much better.  Bake for 22 to 30 minutes {depends on how thick they are}.  Another thing I had to do was cover them with foil, because the edges were getting too dark after about 20 minutes.

{Leslie}

p.s.  I am writing this post, because the world series game is freaking me out!

Pumpkin Decor {part two}

 Last weekend I posted Part One of Pumpkin decorating...

Oh how I love studs and polka dots.  I saw a tutorial {HERE} on how to mod podge pumpkins.  One thing I will mention is the smaller the pumpkin the thinner the paper needs to be.  I used small pumpkins, and scrapbook paper cut to about 1 inch thick.  Now, I do not want to get too mathematical or anything, but you are putting something 2D onto something that is 3D.  If I were to do this again I might make my paper a half inch thick or maybe 3/4 {or pick a larger pumpkin}.   Here are the steps:

Cut your paper!  You will use in between 2-3 sheets of 12x12 scrapbook paper depending how big your pumpkin is.  Pour Mod Podge into a dish that can be easily accessible to a paint brush.  Cover a portion of your pumpkin with Mod Podge, and apply a strip of paper.  Using a paint brush cover the strip with mod podge, making it flush with the pumpkin.  If you are OCD this project might not be the best for you...Your paper will curl some, but it is not extremely noticeable when it dries.  Repeat until your pumpkin is completely covered.  I did not worry about making the top edge perfect, because I knew I was going to add a ribbon.

 I love decorating for fall and Halloween...

{Leslie}

Store Bought {tortillas}

Well, I really wanted to post my other pumpkin decor post, but that is just not going to happen today {maybe tomorrow}.  I have been in my new apartment for about two months now, and I have been able to live without cable/internet {sort of}.  I have been using the wifi that comes from my pool area...I guess I shouldn't be mad that it isn't really working anymore.  My camera battery also died...I think I should stop complaining...These are my favorite tortillas:

I have found them at sprouts, and think they are walmart too.   These are tasty and healthy too!  Tons of fiber, whole wheat,  low carb, and only 50 calories.  I use them in sandwich wraps, quesadillas, and breakfast burritos. Hmmm I am hungry again.  

My house has been filled with flowers lately.  If I could have fresh flowers in my house all the time I would...

Hope ya'll have a great FRIDAY!!! 

{Leslie}

Pumpkin Decor

I love fall.  Everything about it makes me happy: football, boots, cooler weather, red, orange, leaves changing and pumpkins.  Living in an apartment makes me rethink some of my normal Halloween decorations.  I do not have a porch for pumpkins. :( I had seen so many cute ideas with pumpkins I decided to make my own pumpkin centerpiece. I am going to show you how I made the two pumpkins pictured above {get excited, later this week I am going to show you on more}.  For the painted pumpkin one you will need:

• Pumpkins {any size you want}
• Circle Stickers
• Gold Metallic Spray Paint

Randomly put your stickers {gotta love that a teacher has left of graduation stickers} on your pumpkin:

 

I went ahead and taped the stem of the pumpkin {totally optional}.  I sat my pumpkin on a cut off cardboard toilet roll, and spray painted away!

For the "studly" pumpkin {I personally love studs...} you will need a pumpkin, and these...

I found them at Walmart for .97.  I needed 2 packages.  I put my pumpkins in a metal container from the Target Dollar Spot.  :)  Love that place.  

Part Two was awesome enough to deserve its own post.  It will be coming this week!  :)

{Leslie}

Fridge Hooks

So I had this awkward open space in my kitchen...Ideally I would want one of those super skinny trash cans, but that costs money.  I am trying to spend my money on things more exciting than trash cans. haha I had not found a spot in my kitchen for my aprons, and I really just wanted cute fridge hooks...I couldn't find them anywhere, so I decided I would make my own!  I still have this board from my old house {I had to rescue it from the garage sale pile}.  

Lucky me, my mom had a left over magnetic strip from...somethin'.  Sorry, that is not a very good story.  :)  I hot glued the magnet to the back of the board, and it was strong enough to hold my aprons!

YaY! No more awkward spaces (I am already awkward enough...my kitchen doesn't need to be)! I will add pictures of my kitchen decor soon.  I am kinda a perfectionist when it come to decorating, and I just keep changing things until I happy.  :)
 

{Leslie}

Halloween Felt Flower Wreath

I love rainy Sundays...it beckons my heart to lay on the couch, and take long naps.  Recently, I have been putting out my fall/halloween decorations in my apartment.  I am not really into hardcore Halloween {tombstone, dead people, and cob webs from a bag}.  I wanted to make a wreath that would wouldn't scream Halloween, but was different from an ordinary Autumn wreath. I found my initial inspiration from Katie over at {LITTLE THINGS BRING BIG SMILES}.  I really love here blog...I might have to make one just like hers for my Autumn wreath. is what I needed to make this:

• Branch Wreath {$4.99 @ Michael and 40% off}
• 10-12 black felt sheets {about $3}
• Fall decor branches {already had}
• Hot glue gun {and hot glue duh :)...already had}
• Ribbon {already had}

As you can see my wreath only cost me $6 to make.  I am glad when craft projects are cheap, because I do not feel so bad if I hate it in the end...

1) Make the felt flowers.  This takes a while.  I cut each felt     sheet in fours, and used my same technique from my {FELT FLOWER FRAME}.  I made all my flowers first before without hot gluing.  

2) I glued the spiral to the bottom piece of the felt.  

3)  Glue flowers to the wreath, and added fall decor. 

4)  Tie the ribbon to back of wreath.

There is not great light in my hallway so I took the wreath to my back patio...sadly the ugly "please do not grill" sign is in the way.  {sigh} Apartment Living.

Have a wonderful Sunday!  Count down to see Tall Tan Man is 2 days {I haven't seen him since August 14...}!!!

{Leslie}

Bridesmaids

Well, being a bridesmaid might be one of my favorite things to do...I wonder if being the bride will be a let down?  haha Let's hope not.  The next four awesome pictures are of the "bridesmaid besties".  My awesome friend SRT and I have been in four weddings together.  We are pretty much professional bridesmaids.  I feel like we could put out a personal ad: "Do you need two fun, no-drama, excellent dancing, prompt, and experienced bridesmaids?  Let Sarah and Leslie make your wedding day, a day you will never forget!"  Wow, I think I went a bit over board.  If you are still reading this {which surprises me} I guess I didn't edit my ramblings out of this blog post.  Anyway, I have been extremely blessed by many great friends that are now hitched.  These pictures are in no particular order {promise}....I thought it might be funny to rank them based on the dress, but then I realized that might anger some of my good friends :) 

2011 - Kristen and Sean

2008 - Lindsey and Nick

2010 - Stefanie and Steven

2010-Meghann and Shaun

 

Yep, SRT and I have been in four beautiful weddings together.  I am pretty sure it is because we are the life of the party...  Here are some of my other favorite bridesmaid moments.

2011 - Kathy and Kyle

Oldest friends round 2 {since 1999}

2009 - Ashley and Cory
Oldest friends round one {pretty sure we partied like it was 1999}

 

Well, this is a random post, and I really hope some day I will be a bridesmaid again {bet you were thinking I was going to say Bride...that might freak Tall Tan Man out if I start blogging about that...}. 

{Leslie}

My DIY Upholstered Headboard

It took me quiet a while to decided on what I wanted to do for a headboard...here are a few ideas I had saved on pinterest. 

 {source}

If only I had 8 bedrooms {sigh}.  I picked the headboard in the bigger picture, because 1) it was upholstered, 2) has panels, 3) easy to make, 4) it looks pretty fabulous.  This is one of the many projects I began at my Granddad's shop.  I have so many memories from this place.  I can't believe I actually asked him if he had enough materials to make the headboard...duh Leslie.

What you will need:

• 3, 20X40 3/4 plywood
• 6 picture hangers {the kind you nail to the back of the board}
• 6 picture hangers {the kind you mount to the wall}
• Foam
• Batting
• Fabric
• Scissors
• Staple Gun

I based my headboard of THIS TUTORIAL.  My Granddad cut the plywood for me, but you could definitely get this done at Lowes or Home Depot.  We used 3/4 inch plywood, and the dimensions were 20 by 40 inches.  The height was not listed on the tutorial so I improvised.  After you cut the wood, draw a perfectly horizontal line across the top of the wood leaving room enough room for you to upholster {if your line isn't perfect it will not hang straight}.  This is how I my Granddad made the perfect line.  Repeat for all three.

Now you need to make tick marks equal distance from the the left and right.  I used the same piece of wood as the horizontal line. 

Now place your picture hangers on the inside of both tick marks. Attach with given nails. 

I was feeling cheap, because thus far my headboard had been FREE {thanks Granddad}.  I used double size bed foam to give the headboard a more cushion-y look {real foam is SO expensive}.  I cut the foam to fit on the boards, then wrapped it with the quilters batting.  You have to be gentle when using this batting, because it will tear if you pull to hard.  I went ahead and stapled this onto the board.

I looked SO long for grey and white fabric.  I was not setting for anything less than awesome...I was so pumped when I found this fabric at Hancocks.  I believe it was 17.99 a yard, but it was 54% off {anniversary sale} AND I get 15% off for being a TEACHER.  Heck yes.  Using a stable gun, I worked from the middle of each side, jumping from side to side.  By alternating from side to side, and pulling the fabric tight as you go, you lessen your chance of getting ripples on the front.  

Oh!  I almost forgot to show ya'll this:

I hung this all by myself!  Is it bad that I was impressed with myself, and my problem solving skills? I really hope my apartment complex doesn't take my deposit away from what I did to the wall...I am happy!  I love my new head board!

 

Have a great week!
 
{Leslie}