Oh finally...we can take a gigantic Leap Forward Into Spring!  The midway point through March is generally a great time to calendar Daylight Savings - change your clocks forward, replace your old batteries in your smoke alarms, check your sump pump batteries as well...spring can be a very wet time of the year.  If you live where you do not lose an hour, use the first day of spring, March 20 as a reminder date.  Let's hope that the bulbs will be peeking through the earth soon!  Happy Spring!

Spring is just around the corner and Easter decorating has begun!  For those of us that are not huge fans of the "pastels" but yet love this time of the year....create your own colors - I have spray painted real eggs with Rust-Oleum's Painter's Touch in Gloss Berry Pink, Sun Yellow and Grape!  I poked holes in each end of the egg, blew out the yolks & whites (which I then used in my cupcake recipe) allowed them to drip dry for one day in the egg carton.  Then with two light coats, I spray painted the eggs.  Everyone does touch them and ask "are those real?"  The spray paint does give each each such a glossy finish, but yet allows the texture of the egg to show.  I did a few of these last year and the spray paint acted as a preservative and the egg stayed nice and hard and the colors did not fade.  The hardest part of this project is blowing out the eggs - easy part...Spray Painting and adding vibrant great colors to your Easter decorations! 

I saw this stunning fireplace "Cover-Up" in This Old House and felt it was a must share.  The simplicity of putting this cover up together is great for those first timers!  In the summer my fireplace just lets out the air conditioning and I basically leave some logs in it or sweep it out and place a few potted plants in the hearth.  All this project consists of is MDF board- the thin ply- cut to the opening size, primer, paint, velcro strips, and embellishments.  Measure and have your local home/hardware center make basically two cuts.  They should give you two free ones and after that it's in the $2 per cut range.  Lightly sand down the edges of the board, prime with Zinsser Primer, once fully cured, apply two coats of Rust-Oleum's Sand.  Lay out your wooden scrolls and embellisments, prime - allow to fully dry and apply two coats of Rust-Oleum's Antique White.  Both of these Rust-Oleum paints are available in spray, quart and 1/2 pint.  Once the MDF board is dry, lay out a design with the embellishments.  Apply the embellishments with Gorilla Glue.  On the reverse side peel & apply the velco strips in a few places and same on the fireplace - push your decorative cover over the opening and Whalah - a decorative and beautiful Fireplace Cover-Up. 

I'm notorious for touching up my walls about every other month or so.  The kids are dragging their hands across the walls as if they are just learning how to walk, using the inside of our home as a basketball court,  and bouncing their duffle bags off the walls as well.  As you can imagine, the walls take a beating - being scratched and nicked all the time.  Since most of my downstairs walls are "Cappuncino Tan" - I purchased five gallon buckets of paint.  At touch-up time I have a tough time dragging out the five gallon paint bucket to dry brush up the areas.  So, I was in the famous dollar store downtown and purchased a turkey baster to take the paint out of the can and into a small plastic tupperware or cup. I figured it's worth the buck investment and no biggie if it did not work.   It worked like a charm!  I did not spill any paint down the sides of the large bucket or accidently drop the cup into the bucket either!  When done, just rinse well.  In fact, it's a great idea to make a baster a permanent addition to your workshop for transferring any solvents, varnishes, paints, and other liquid chemicals.

With our fingers crossed we are truly hoping that the winter is only six to eight weeks away!  Start poring over seed catalogs and consider ordering your vegetable garden this week.  In a recent blog regarding recycling plastic planters, I wrote about saving a few to start spring seeds - keeping them stacked and in your garage for easy access.  Start your seedlings inside six to eight weeks before the last frost in your area.  I have already purchased a large bag of soil with nutrients included - it is a bit more pricey but worth the extra bucks - it's already mixed and ready to drop into the planters.  Order your seeds or seedlings, saplings now and nurture away until spring! This also triggers my crafty side and I start pulling out my outdoor spray paint projects that I have been holding on to all winter long!  Great way to start DREAMING OF SPRING! 

Last Sunday I attended my dear friend's baby shower and she is one of the most Green gals I know.  The function was held at her sisters who is also pretty Green and the decorations were fabulous!  They hung letters which each guest wrote when they received their invite on a laundry line with natural wooden clothespins, we ate on "real" plates and drank out of true to be glasses - not a plastic fork in site!  No paper napkins either, cloth napkins.  As I sat I noticed that each guest had a tree sapling in a natural brown pot wrapped with a little yellow ribbon - "Celebrate New Life" -printed on the back, planting directions!  What a great favor to pass along...since it is about 6 weeks until Spring, I will nurture my sapling and then plant it outdoors and will always remember the birth of "Emma"!   If you were interested, some of us chose to make a Emma a natural tye dye onsie -using a 100% egyptian cotton baby onsie which we tye dyed in natural inks - apparently red onions make a great purple dye!  What a great day and conscientious way to take care of the environment for you child's future!

What else would a craftsman have but a Top Notch Tool Shop?  John has turned his extra storage space into his workshop by organizing and applying  Rust-Oleum's EpoxyShield in Dunes Tan along with the EpoxyShield Premium Clear Coating  to his new workspace.  With his family gone for the weekend for a Girl Scout outing, he seized the opportunity and applied EpoxyShield to his woodshop.    He started his project early on a Friday morning, making sure he had plenty of ventilation as well as extra fans.  He cleared out the space on Thursday, cleaned the floor per manufacturer's directions on the same day and applied the coating on Friday morning.  He also built a custom work working table and applied the EpoxyShield in Dunes Tan on the top of the table.  He wanted a product that he could mop and rinse lightly and not be worried if he should spill a glue or chemical on the floor.  Check out his commanding results!

I simply enjoy painting and decorating..starting again when the room turns a bit boring and off I go to my local Lowes or Home Depot ready to create a new color scheme for my home.  Once I decide on paint colors, I prep and paint away.  I always ask for a few extra paint sticks and immediately dip two into the clean gallon of paint.  Once dry, I write the name of the paint, number of the paint & sheen - brand as well.  The first stick I store and use as a paint reference.  The second is the start of my grand color palette!  This stick goes with me to my favorite outlets, Home Goods, and TJ"s.  I have also used popsicle sticks in lieu of paint sticks - they seem to fit better into smaller purses, especially if you are in the city and on the hunt for a unique trendy lamp or new blend of pillows!  Don't worry about writing info on the smaller sticks, it's really just for a decorating tool of sorts - helping you pull in new colors as well as add depth and dimension to your new room! 

Challenge any sixth grader to come up with a recycleable project using a few staple products and WOW!  The Penny Pincher Piggy Bank turns plastic literally into cash.  We sorted through certain products that can be "reused" and  "upcycled" and came up with this treasure!

Using a two liter soda bottle, used plastic cups and paper toilet roll we have created a useful piggy  bank.  The only materials used that were not RRR - Gorilla Glue - the one that dries 2X faster - which is perfect for those extremely patient kids and Rust-Oleum's Painter's Touch 2X in Gloss Candy Pink - along with a black sharpie marker.  We glue the legs on using the paper rolls, glued on the ears and glued the cap on as the nose.  We used a wire hanger and scrolled it up to make his curly "Q" tail - we did have the kids wear surgical gloves to glue & spray paint.  Once dry we made slits on the top for the bank opening and allowed them to decorate their own piggy faces.  A variety of kids even added their names, dollar signs and oink expressions!  What a fun project and a great way to start the savings program! 

Save those wine bottle corks!  They make fantastic place card settings for a dinner party or labels for a cheese tray.  I have been saving and saving many different types of corks and hosted a dinner party for a few friends and coaches - made a simple slit in the cork, printed out name cards and slid them right in the cork.  The best part was matching up the quirky corks with the personalities of my friends ..for example, "Dancing Bull", Winking Owl, or Whooh - It made for a great conversation piece as well.  I also used the remainder for my cheese tray - this is a great way to recycle and add decorative easy art to the table.  Any more ideas for corks - please share! 

Custom Valentines always touches your heart!   With newspaper, modge podge and Rust-Oleum's Stops Rust Spray Paint you can customize your Valentines!   Wrinkle small balls of newspaper and form a heart - tape together with masking tape to keep the form.  Lay wax paper to cover the heart shaped form.  Cut brown paper bags into strips.  Modge podge or paper mache the brown paper strips over the wax paper.  Constantly smoothing out the modge podge as well as the strips of brown paper.  Allow to fully dry.  Once dry, remove the newspaper balls from the inside.  I wanted to share the versatility of Rust-Oleum's Stops Rust  - not only does the spray paint perform top notch on metals - but leaves a glossy, snazzy even coating over paper as well.  I hung my paper mache valentine on my front door and everyone who walks in comments on the glossy"ness" of the heart and vibrant red color.  With two light coats of Sunrise Red in a gloss finish, you can complete this project for under five dollars.  I like paper mache decorations for certain holidays because it is always light and easy to hang up - windows with suction cups a light piece of tape will hold up the decorations and they do store nicely.  You can also customize your heart with a special secret message, scroll your valentine's name in the  middle or a simple "Happy Valentine's Day" does the trick as well. 

Gorilla Tape has saved the day for me...my In-laws will be arriving this afternoon and I'm rushing around picking up the house, cleaning and trying to run the vacuum!  I notice that the vacuum all of a sudden does not have any suction.  I do believe my vacuum cleaner has seen better days, but who the heck wants to spend a couple of hundred bucks on a cleaning tool?   Well, the hose has a medium sized crack and the air is simply rushing out.  At the Country Living Fair I was given a free sample of Gorilla Tape - in a handy one inch roll - black.  I wiped the hose off - free and clear of all dust and dirt.  Wrapped the Gorilla Tape around twice and WHALAH - back in action we go!  I like that the tape is black like the hose and you can barely notice the fix.  I'm hoping this is a permanent fix - I'll keep you updated on the Vacuum Follies!

In early January I posted a project listed the All Season Chalk Board Planter.  It's now time to change the message!  The beauty of this project is that you can simply and quickly erase the "Winter Welcome" message and turn your pot into a Valentine envy!  With pink chalk you can scroll on  "Be My Valentine", XOXO or a simple "Happy Valentine's Day"!  You can fill your Valentine Pot with twigs and branches sprayed with Rust-Oleum's Stops Rust in Sunrise Red and Gloss White.  The reason I chose the Stops Rust brand is that it is less expensive and you do not need the double coverage of 2X or the strength of Universal.  Stops Rust usually retails around $3.44 a can.  Keep your planter simple and allow the message to take effect!  Don't forget that your chalk board planter can be painted in 12 different chalk board colors - all the way from Raspberry, Banner Blue to Latte!  Consider color co-ordinating the planter with your front door! 

I just recently lost the one pair of my favorite earrings that was a must have while on vacation in New York City.  I'd have to say,  I wore them constantly and miss them terribly.  I even ran a few searches on line to see if I could find a match - of course, no luck.  I now decided to salvage the one earring and use it as a decorative piece on a glass candle holder.  Even if the candle burns down, I can drop another candle or votive into the base.  With a dab of incredible Gorilla Glue the heavy metal earring adhered very well to the glass candle holder.   Gorilla Glue held it's own and did dry fast - just as the package said.  I'm glad that I was able to salvage my favorite earrings and turn the loss into a keepsake!  Check out how great my new decorative candle looks!

Last year I hosted an indoor garage sale of sorts - inviting friends to bring their old, unwanted home decorations.  I asked them to color code them for the price ranges - the most expensive item was $10 and no cash was necessary at all.  It was a barter party and what an amazing exchange it was.  Just about every item found a new home - some were going to be painted, frames changed or lampshades replaced - all at the fraction of the cost of purchasing new decorative items for your home.  One friend even found a home for her old fridge - right in my neighbors garage!  Recycling and exchanging unwanted items is a great way to keep these items out of  landfills, which in turn helps the environment and makes you feel great by turning your items into positive actions!  There are a few websites I'd love to share which are absolutely amazing.  www.Freebies4Mom.com  rocks my world.  This website can provide daily deals, free items for the week - special coupons that are worth printing and basically getting free items through your retailers nationwide!  I'm talking cosmetics - national brand mascara for free - 6 blizzard coupons for free - (the kids love those) - my last grocery bill had a savings of $32.00 worth of coupons from freebies4mom!  Just about any type of item for free, you can grab it on freebies4mom.com - diapers, formula and even cleaning supplies!    The next website is a "reuser" website - www.Freecycle.org basically swaps ANYTHING - you just type in the City and State - sign in and let them know if you are selling or seeking an items and follow the prompts.  If you are seeking an item - it's quick - fill in city & state and the item you are searching for.  Believe me, someone out there has a blender, lawn mower or tv they are looking to get rid of.  So, finally  my old 13 year old tv broke and I decided to recycle it through freecycle.org - found a gentleman who works on tv's.  He let me know that he will donate the tv once fixed to the local orphange in Lake Villa, IL. .  He also did let me know that if he cannot fix it, he does use the parts for other repairs.   I feel great about my decision and it kept that large tv out of the landfill!  One more websit is www.swapstyle.com - What's mine is yours website that swaps clothes!  You need to sign up for this one and have a standard of quality clothing - one great way to shop without spending your dough!  2010 can be the year to add one of these website to your "favs" and find yourself recycling all year long! 

Spread the love this Valentine's Day by creating a heart shaped votive holder.  With a can of Rust-Oleum's Universal in Gloss Cardinal Red you can turn about 12 to 15 recycled cans into customized Valentine's Day gifts.  The pressed tin finish is great when it illuminates through with a led battery votive or tea light.  I have also gifted the tin and filled it with delicious wrapped chocolates or fill with a gift card for a cup of cup and pencil for your favorite teacher!  Remove the label and glue from aluminum can.   If you have to use a glue remover, then wipe down the can with paint thinner to remove any chemicals.  With a sharpie marker using dots - lay out your design - keep them  an equal amount apart so that the design does not end up crowded.  Fill the can with ice and stick into your freezer for at least an hour.  Throw on a pair of gloves so that your hands are not frozen while punching your design.  Once you have your frozen can, use your tin punch to punch through the can for the design.  A quick trick - I use a hand drill with a metal drill bit.  This allows me to be more consistent with the holes and works much quicker.  Stuff the inside of the can with newspaper - you do not want to spray paint the inside because you will be using candle votives.   Prior to spray painting, allow the can to thaw at room temperature.  Spray two light coats of the Cardinal Gloss Red or throw a little spice in there with Painter's 2X in Paprika, Berry Pink, Sweet Pea, or Candy Pink.  Happy Valentine's Day! 

Yes, the New Year has hit us all with a few extra pounds and I know I have been diligently working to shave them off!  This Cocoa Meringe Cookie has been sort of my saving grace when it comes to my horrid sweet tooth!  Showing off with only 14 calories each and zero fat...it's a delightful treat that is easy to bake and stores well.  This was a must share recipe!

COCOA MERINGE COOKIE

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa unsweetened
• pinch of salt
• 3 large egg whites
• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 300'.  Line two large cookie sheets with foil.  Sift 1/4 cup sugar, cocoa and salt in a small bowl.  Beat eggs and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.  Add 1/4 cup of sugar slowly until medium peaks form. Add cocoa mix slowly and beat until stiff and glossy.  Bake 25 minutes for soft cookies and 40 minutes for crispy cookies.  One batch makes about 40 delicious chocolately cookies!

January is the time of year when I replace my furnance filters & check the water heater flash.  I struggle with remembering when was the last replacement for the filter as well as scheduled maintenance on both. We all know how that goes...I'll jot it down and then put it into my do***ents on the computer...by the time you actually get to it, the paper is lost and you simply forget.   I used to keep a sheet of paper taped to the wall and it would either fall or some how disappear!   My quick fix... I used one of the old white boards the kids used to play school with - replenished the board with Rust-Oleum's White Board Paint.  Two quick coats gave the board new life!  I re-attached the freshly painted white board directly to the sheet rock wall and listed the date of the furnance maintenance, size of the filter as well as the last change date of the filter.  My automatic air humidifier is now also listed on the white board - during the summer we turn down the humidity and vice versa in the winter.  I listed the date I turned up the house humidifier.  Along the same lines with the water heater - I usually turn the temperature of the hot water down during the summer months.  Just simply list the date.  As I think of the usefulness of the board, I think why not attach a larger one and keep a listing of maintenance dates for your washer, dryer and fridge as well? Don't forget to stack a dry eraser maker on top of the board.  Double stick tape works wonders!

I organize a ton of fundraising for our local school through our PTO and we found this magical pencil!  It's 100% recycled pencils made from recycled newspaper with a hint of a magical scent!  These pencils are the standard size number 2 with regular lead and can simply be sharpened just as a regular pencil.  As you sharpen your pencil you can actually see the recycled newspaper in layers by the point.  The kids truly get a kick out of trying to read the newspaper through their pencils!  "Smencils" are saving one tree at a time by the process and have added a scented kicker - they are available in over 50 different scents such as bubble gum, grape, cherry and peppermint.  Each smencil is encased in a plastic tube  which is also made from 100% biodegradeable plastic.  They are available 50 to a bucket and the suggested retail price is a buck a pencil.  The profit is good, the kids absolutely love them just as much as the teachers!  Smencils also make great birthday goodie bag gifts, great for further donations through your Church, Girl Scout Troop or even local Nursing Home.  I found that the seniors work on many crossword puzzles and sodoku!  Smencils not only are great for the environment but are opening the eyes of kids on how to recycle just about anything!  Visit www.smencils.com or www.ezfund.com to learn more about these fabulous pencils as well as the profit margins for your local charity! 

Once a month I get together with a bunch of friends and yes, we play Bunko.  It's more then just the game, it's great friends, laughter, sharing projects, great recipes for food and drinks.  As the hostess,  you need to be creative and come up with 12 "hostess gifts" for each friend.   I came up with these personalized initial votive holders.  I purchased clear glass votives from the Dollar Store - three for a buck.  I did buy three extra just in case I needed a re-do!   Purchased a sheet of adhesive stencil - a package of two inch paper letter stencils.  I traced out an initial for each Bunko player.  Be sure to leave enough of the adhesive stencil sheet so that it covers the entire votive.  Basically work the stencil sheet with your fingers so that it is tightly wrapped on the votive not leaving any exposed glass except the initial.  Sprayed each votive with Rust-Oleum's Specialty Frosted Glass - Since it is a quick dry in between coats, I sprayed three coats.  I dropped a clear candle votive in each and they were thrilled with their gift!  It's dressy, yet suttle and looks great!  Consider making a few of these with bold hearts for your favorite Valentine! 

While grabbing an estimate from my pal - Painter Bob - I noticed his paint brushes each had a single medium sized hole drilled in them above the metal casing - right under the wooden handle.   Bob drills holes into his brushes because he can hang them through a metal dowel or even wooden one - due to the expensive brushes he uses, he likes to be sure the bristles stay in tact and do not loose their shape.  He simply hangs them on the dowel, lays the dowel on top of a bucket during a break as well as once they are cleaned out, he hangs them to fully dry.  Just remember, this is also the clever painter who loves to RRR - he uses old rubber balls - inverts them and fills it with spackle - inverts it again when he is done, recycles the unused portion and rinses out the "halfed" rubber ball.  Simple, reduces waste and recycleable!  Thanks Bob for your clever tips! 

I have finally found the perfect all season planter.   I have been in search for the perfect planter/pot for many months and it dawned on me to customize my own.  I purchased a 24 inch terra cotta pot, it is fairly large and does make a statement on the front porch.  I sprayed zinsser primer and three coats of Rust-Oleum's Specialty Chalkboard Paint in black.  Even though the chalkboard paint is available in 12 tintable colors, I  chose black because it was versitle and would basically fit in with all types of flowers and twigs.  I have filled this magical planter with a "Warm Winter Welcome" greens, twigs and even a hint of sparkle in blue to reflect the snow!   I am already to find Cupid's Arrow for February and add twigs in red and pink - Painter's Touch 2X in Candy Pink and Apple Red along with a front message of just simple hearts randomly drawn on with the chalk.  Simple, easy and so versitle.  Celebrating family members accomplishments or birthdays is also on my list of to-do's - a birthday celebration can start right at your front door - plant their favorite flower, add balloons and customize your message!  For the summer months I have my "Summer Solstice" pot in mind - adding golden hues with black eyed susans and scented marigolds.  On the off months - you can simply scroll your house number, last name or even allow the kids to customize a special message!  Stay tuned for February's "Valentine" planter!

I have blogged in the past about saving those seedling trays, plastic pots from your plants for future use...well, here it is!  I have started organizing my ever so famous "junk" drawer and found that the seedling plastic trays work wonders.  Start by discarding any junk and then you can group trays together in categories such as office supplies, nuts/bolts, and odds & ends.   Line them up in your drawer and simply fill.  You can attach ticky tack to the bottom of each plastic tray and this will help keep them stable.  Ticky Tack is a teacher's SOS when it comes to hanging posters and school work as well as adhereing items into place - being able to remove them when needed.  Another way to RRR those plastic larger pots - organize them flat in a box and place your holiday ornaments in the pots.  It will help protect those fragile keepsakes for years!  My kids have used the seedling trays to collect and sort change.  They have been on a mission to save up some cash for the newest video games!  The rule in our house is that you can save for a certain favorite item but that you should donate an amount out of your savings as well.  It's a great way to teach your child to save and share.   I also use these pots to sift salt on my driveway for the winter.  Stack two plastic pots.  Hold them so that they are about one inch apart from the bottom.  Fill the top one with salt - and shake away.  Using two pots helps the salt distribute evenly.   I store these pots in my bucket of rock salt for the winter along with a set of old gloves.  Keep in mind that if you have saved up too many seedling trays or pots, you can return them in the spring to your local nursery and they will recycle them. 

Transform a brick or paver into a festive Snowman doorstop for under $10.  With the winter long and cold, I was always carrying groceries - loading and unloading with hands full and not being able to open the door.  I made this Snowman Doorstopper to prop open my garage door - all for under the $10 mark.  I took a concrete edger from the shed, sprayed it with Universal's Spray paint in White Satin.  I did spray two good coats.  Once dry, I glued on black puff balls with a black decorative pipecleaner as earmuffs, orange pipecleaner for the carrot nose, three buttons and a decorative piece of fabric for his scarf.  With a sharpie marker, I drew on his face - simple and welcoming.  Now, I'm welcomed home by Frosty and not fumbling with the bags!   I did make these before the holidays and personalized them as gifts.  With a black sharpie marker you can customize your door stopper to welcome friends and family at the front door. A friend loved the original one I had made and she customized 4 more to complete her entire family and has them lined up the walkway - welcoming winter!

Starry, vibrant red poinsettas after the holiday will flourish and grow like crazy indoors.  I have found that by recycling wire hangers - (I prefer the white thin shirt hangers) can be simply repurposed into climbing stakes for flowers and vines,  Use wire snips to cut away the hook and then straighten the wire.  Stick the stake into the ground and gently bend the wire into a semi-loop to fit the top heavy poinsetta around it.   If the flower is not too large, then you can bend the loop lower and have the flower resting on it.  Keep in mind that poinsettas like water but not direct sun light, the sun will burn the leaves and flowers.  In the southern regions, you can actually plant them outdoors all year and they will turn into small ornamental bushes!   If you live in the colder regions - enjoy them while they last!

I must be on some sort of clothespin ornament kick!  I found 100 of these three inch wooden clothespins on-line for a fantastic price of $4.99 and no shipping.  With my $5 investment, I turned them into various ornaments using only two total  cans of Rust-Oleum's Universal and Painter's Touch.  I added these ornaments to gifts, made a small branch tree.  Spray painting thin branches in silver metallic and hanging a variety of these ornaments on the branches.  At my annual cookie exchange, my guests were able to pick an ornament right off of the branches!  These angels are just as easy and sure make a statement.  Using only six materials - you can customize your angel which can reflect a special message or personalize them with names.  This is also one of those projects that the kids can put together and have fun making them for their friends.  Enjoy this project!

Frosty the Snowman is priceless! With Rust-Oleum's Universal in White - you can turn a few dozen of these three inch clothespins into ornaments or gift tags! Browse around my Project section and you will find many quick and easy holiday projects that can be completed within a day.  I recycled old buttons that I had in a bag and used them as decorations in his hand - it could be small white buttons representing snowballs, a cookie or even a lump of coal!  Don't worry about the artistic talent - it's simple- dots for eyes and a few strokes for his smile and nose.  Frosty can be used as gift tags by keeping the three buttons closer together and leaving enough space to a short message or name.  Once again, great teacher gifts!

Santa has come all the way from the North Pole and is loved by all ages!  This quick clothespin Santa Ornament is a sure family keepsake treasure!  I have posted him under My Projects.  With one coat of Painter's Touch 2X in Colonial Red you can make an army of these Santa's for family and friends.  I actually used an old red sweatshirt I had which was going into the donation pile and decided that the material was perfect for his hat and even covered the white pipecleaner which I used as his suit.  I did allow a small portion at the end of the pipecleaners to show - making instant mittens!  You can be as creative as you allow yourself, even consider a merry blue santa hat along with his regal red suit. 

It's that time of the year for invitations to all of those grand Cookie Exchanges - and what an easy and delicious recipe my friend Sarah shared with us.  These No Bake Thin Mint Cookies are a replica of the famous Girl Scout Thin Mints but I actually prefer these a bit better.  They have more of a chocolaty flavor and less mint.  The best part is that the kids can help and they can also decorate with sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet. 

No Bake Thin Mint Cookies

• One Package Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• One Package White-Chocolate Chips
• 1/4 Tsp. Peppermint Oil
• 2 Sleeves Ritz Crackers

Melt both packages of chocolate chips together.  Add peppermint oil.  You can melt them in the microwave or even over a pan with boiling water.  I prefer the microwave - and mixed half of each bag of chips and dipped one sleeve of ritz crackers at a time. Be sure to add only half of the peppermint oil.  I layed them on wax paper to harden. 

These cookies are great for cookie exchanges as well as adding these easy 123 cookies to your holiday baking list!  Enjoy!

I'd love if everyone could jump on and check out My Projects - I just posted the Golden Angel Ornament.  This is nature's pine cone that I have turned into a dazzling ornament for the holidays.  Not only can you spray this ornament gold..consider a meadley of metallics -bronze, gold and silver!   On the flip side, consider bold reds, vibrant greens and crisp, clean snow white!  With Rust-Oleum spray paints, the color possibilities are truly endless!  For those of us who have color co-ordinated trees, you can turn a dozen or so of these angels into the perfect beach tree spraying them with Rust-Oleum's Painter's Touch in Satin Aqua - For the Country Lover spray in Satin Colonial Red - for a Contemporary feel - Gloss Key Lime.  I'm even considering a dozen or so in the Gloss Ivory...they will stand out and glow behind the evergreen tree!  My next project...spray painting a live wreath to match my home decor!

With 3 ingredients that everyone has at home you can make creative, scented ornaments for your holiday tree and then recycle them right into your linen closet or regular closet for the remainder of the year!  The kids love mixing and cutting out clay ornaments and have created special ornaments for teachers, grandparents and friends. 

1 1/2 cups ground cinnamon          1 cup of applesauce                  1/3 cup of white craftglue

Mix.  Knead mixture until it turns into a firm clay, about 10 minutes (this is the favorite part for the kids-they can mush and knead away!)  Place back in bowl and cover with a damp cloth for 30 minutes at room temperature.  Knead again and roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thickness on wax paper dusted with cinnamon.  Dust hands and rolling pin with cinnamon also.

Cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Make a hole for the hanger with a straw.  Place on cooling rack covered with wax paper until dry.

We used many snowflake cookie cutters and hung them in the window for the entrie winter season- decorative with that warm cinnamon scent!  We created initial cookies for friends, a mailbox for our special mail carrier - use your imagination and create!  Please share your results and ideas! 

Here is a project that can be recycled year after year.  You can grab a piece of wood or mdf from your local hardware store pre-cut and coat them with Rust-Olem's Chalkboard Paint.  For a magical Christmas Calendar apply the chalkboard paint in Fresco Red - for a stunning Hanukkah Calendar apply the chalkboard paint in Banner Blue. With the new tint base, you can create up to 12 different tints!   You can even have the kids paint these boards - just cover your work area well and pour out the paint in a tray along with a foam roller.  Three light coats always does the trick.  Allow the paint to fully cure for 3 days and then be sure to prep the painted surface by taking the rounded edge of  the chalk and covering the entire surface, - wipe off with a clean cloth and then you are ready to "date" your Magical Holiday Calendar.  You can grid out the calendar with a ruler and then let the kids decorate away with chalk.  The countdown can begin by marking each day with a heart, happy face or simple checkmark.  I have also made these calendars using a paint pen to grid out the calendar which does make it permanent, leaving about a 3 to 4 inch border  for decorating.  The best part, no  need to worry about mistakes - you can just quickly erase and start again!  You can lean your calendar on a picture frame stand or attach two eye hooks on the back with a co-ordinating dress ribbon! 

As we prepare for the Holidays to come, I have pulled out all of my dingy table linens from the cedar closet.  I always prefer to set the table with a crisp, clean white tablecloth as well as napkins.  This year I noticed that they have turned a bit yellow and decided to freshen them up with an old trick my mom had under her sleeve - which turns out to work fabulously but is also a recycleable magic potion.  Wash your linens with regular detergent, two tablespoons of baking soda and a half a cup of lemon juice.  Yes, squeeze all of your old lemons into a measuring cup and add in with your detergent.  Once the agitation cycle begins, allow the cycle to run half way.  Turn off your machine and allow the linens to soak for about 15 or so minutes.  Turn back on and allow the cycle to run through.  Remove your linens immediately from the washer to avoid heavy wrinkles.  Shake out and dry on a light cycle for about 15 to 25 minutes.  Remove your fresh, clean linens before they have over-wrinkled.  Hang over a hanger and quickly iron prior to setting the table.   Not only will you have crisp, white linens...they will have the light, airy scent of lemons.

We wish you and your entire family a very happy and bountiful Thanksgiving!

Here is a great project for kids to give as teacher gifts, gifts for Grandma & Grandpa.  Since Rust-Oleum's Universal spray paints are perfect for masonry I decided to spray paint these 3 inch terra cotta pots and turn them into adorable snowmen as gifts.  This project was budget friendly as well.  The total cost for 8 snowmen was under $20.00.  I applied two light coats of Universal in Satin White to the 3 inch terra cotta pots.  While they were drying I cut out the black felt hats, 2 inch pipe cleaner stick arms and 3 inches of green tassled ribbon for the scarf.  Since the styrofoam 3 inch ball is already white, I did not paint it.  I used a black sharpie marker for the face, along with a light pink paint pen.  I added a carrot nose using a piece of foam cord - but a small piece of orange pipe cleaner would work as well. Once your paint has dried, attach the styrofoam head.  I'm an avid crafter and find that Gorilla glue works best.  Once glued, allow the two pieces to fully dry before attaching the hat.  The hat is made out of a simple 2 x 2 piece of black felt - circle glued to the top and then a larger circle for the rim.  Attach a small piece of blue around the rim for color - I also added a small bell - which is really cute when you pick up the snowman - He Jingles! You can glue on tiny poms as the buttons or recycle your old buttons and add a bit of flair with decorative ones!  I did use a hot glue gun for the pipe cleaner stick arms.  Keep in mind that you can let your kids decorate their own Jingle Snowman - You can even have them write a favorite message on the bottom rim of the pot!  I found that spray painting a row of the pots ahead of time for the kids works best - then allow them to create their own magical snowman!   

Right before the holidays I like to do a bit of wrapping paper organizing.  I take an inventory on my wrapping paper, gift bags, tissue, tape and scissors.  I was lucky enough this year to so far find 8 pairs of scissors - you know those scissors do not hang around long with kids around!  But of course, 7 out of the 8 pairs of scissors were very dull and well used! Instead of doing away with those dull scissors, you can recycle them by a quick sharpening 123.  Sharpen those dull scissors by cutting through three layers of aluminum foil 10 to 12 times.  Or cut a steel-wool pad in half.  You can also save and recycle your aluminum foil and drop it into a baggie until you have enough layers to cut through.  I find that cutting through the steel-wool pad works best.  After cutting through all of those steel wool pads, I figured out that the box of SOS lasted me twice as long!  Get ready and organized for the holiday season to come!

Here are the ultimate Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins!  They are easy to throw together with a quick baking time. The combination of chocolate and pumpkin is perfect and I use them as a dessert at Thanksgiving.  When you serve your traditional apple and pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving...I usually bake these muffins in my mini-muffin tin as an added side dessert.  I can guarantee that your guests will be enjoying more than one of these delightful muffins!  If you have over night guests...serve them with breakfast!  

CHOCOLATE CHIP PUMPKIN MUFFINS

• 2 Eggs
• 2 Cups of Sugar
• 1 Can of Pumpkin
• 1 1/2 Cup of Oil
• 1 Bag of Chocolate Chips
• 1 Tsp.Salt
• 3 Cups of Flour
• 2 Tsp. Cinnamon
• 2 Tsp. of Baking Soda
  
• 2 Tsp. of Baking Powder

Mix Eggs and Sugar together.  Add Pumpkin and blend well.  Stir in Oil and then fold in dry ingredients.  At the every end- stir in Chocolate Chips.  Bake at 350' for 10-12 minutes for large muffin pan.  For mini-muffin pan - bake 8 to 11 minutes.  A few additional extras -you can also dab a spoonful of whipping cream to each muffin or ice cream caramel sauce drizzled over the top!  Enjoy!

Decorative touches to your front door can be economical with that high- end chic look.  I was browsing for a few discounted pumpkins after Halloween and found craft paper pumpkins at a 75% discount.  I purchased a few and decided to see what does happen if I spray painted them.  I wanted to continue my "golden" theme- a few blogs ago I sprayed all of my real pumpkins in Rust-Oleum's Metallic line - which are still on display on the left side of my porch.  With such a warm glisten, I felt the right side needed a little something as well.  So, I sprayed the craft pumpkins with Rust-Oleum's  Bright Coat - Gold Metallic Finish.  I placed a stunning black gold stitched  "S" initial pillow in between the two sprayed craft pumpkins on an old chair.  With my solid satin black front door, this grouping stands out and the golden pumpkins do glisten.   No prep work was necessary at all for spray painting the craft pumpkins.  I I layed them on an old sheet, covered a few items in my garage and with the quick dry process, I was able to spray within 15 minutes of each coat.  The total cost of this project was under $22 - I did manage to pick up this chair over the summer at a garage sale for $5.  The Golden Initial pillow as the most expensive item for $12.  The spray paint was just under $5 as well.   

My blog entry from a week or so displayed these stunning real pumpkins which were simply spray painted with Rust-Oleum's Metallic line! They are still pretty hard and I believe that the spray paint is acting as a preservative.  I'm hoping to have them last through the Thanksgiving Festivities!

 With Fall almost at it's end and the majority of the trees have shed their leaves, it's time to clean out your gutters.  Clean gutter can avoid many potential problems such as soffit rot, leaks inside the wall cavity, frame damage as well as roof leaks all winter long.  As we cleaned and winterized our sheds and garages, you should make cleaning out your gutters an annual DIY Fall Project.  To add a bit of Reduce, Reuse & Recycle ..you can use a half gallon milk jug as your gutter scooper/trowel.  Simply slice off the bottom of the milk jug on an angle and you have an instant trowel with a comfortable handle.  Scoop out the debris.  Secure and loose straps on the gutters.  Be sure that they are slanted toward the downspouts just about 1/4 inch for every 5 to 10 foot section.  Run the garden hose through to seek if you have an even flow of water dispersing. Patch any holes with or thin narrow gaps with a gutter sealant - that should runs anywhere from $4 to $6 per tube.  It's always a great idea to have a partner in crime with this project.  Be sure your ladder is safely secure and that you are at ease on higher roof lines.  A few hours of gutter maintenance sure can save you a ton of cash and headaches in the long run.  You can also further RRR your gutter trowel by throwing it straight into the ice melt bucket for the winter months.   

Welcome your friends & family with a warm golden hue at your front door.  I took the Halloween pumpkins and turned them into an artistic decoration that everyone who comes up to my door automatically touches and says "Wow, what a great idea!"  This picture just does not do justice to these pumpkins...they glisten and glow with warm hues with Rust-Oleum's Metallic Sprays in Rich Caramel, Copper Metallic, Gold Rush Metallic as well as one pumpkin in Rust-Oleum's Bright Coat in Gold.   I also cut off a few branches from the yard and spray various groups of them in these warm metallics.  I did add one variation to the branches...I added a grouping in the American Accents Metallic in Oil Rubbed Bronze.    I sprayed the branches with two light coats - the best part of the metallic sprays is that you can reocat in 10 to 15 minutes and it does dry pretty quickly.   I used an old potting urn and placed the painted branches in along with a variety of pine cones.  

 The pine cones are also sprayed with the Bright Coat in Gold and I only sprayed one quick coating.  I like the way the brown shows through and allows the gold to glow on the darker pine cones.  Since I dug the branches in the dirt - I covered up open areas with the golden pine cones.  The warmth and welcome that the front entry now has is inspriing me to decorate the opposite corner.  The Halloween pumpkins will now be put to a triple RRR - From Halloween to Thanksgiving and thru the entire Fall season.   I have found that once you spray the pumpkins it does help preserve them through November.  They may get a bit soft, but the golden hue remains.  Dry off your pumpkin with a clean cloth and simply spray!  I applied two to three light coats to each pumpkin.  

Unfortunately with the good weather behind us, we have been reorganizing our sheds and storage areas, winterizing and double checking on our snow blowers - and emptying and cleaning out our charcoal grills.  With that half a bag of charcoal that has been sitting in shed, you can Reduce, Reuse and Recycle clean charcoal into a variety of useful antidoats!  Here are a few ideas that I have read and feel it's a must share!  Toss a lump of coal into your vase and it will help keep the water clean and clear.  Gently rub clean charcoal over your scratches on dark wood - it's like a temporary stain until you can find the right time for a permanent fix.  Toss a pieces into old pantyhose and then into your tool box - keeps rust off of tools.  Helps banish odors -toss them in a perforated plastic bag in your fridge or drawers.  And for the winter compost - mix it in and it will increase the carbon content in your pile.  Just remember...you can always RRR just about anything!

Stay tuned for my Golden Hued Pumpkins which I will be recycling for the Fall and Thanksgiving!

I made these delicious warm pumpkiny cookies for Christmas last year and my kids have been begging for them ever since!  So, I decided that Halloween was just the right time to make the first batch.  They are easy to make and you probably have most of the ingredients already in your pantry.  The one ingredient you may not have is a can of pumpkin.  The best part of these cookies is that you can serve them warm by quick zapping them in the microwave.  They are soft cookies and with the vanilla glaze they simply melt in your mouth.

WHAT YOU NEED: 

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour     1 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice    1 tsp baking powder   1/4 tsp baking soda  1/4 tsp salt  2 sticks of butter or 1 cup of margarine softened  1 cup granulated sugar  1 3/4 cups (15 oz) can LIbby's pure pumpkin  2 large eggs  1 tsp vanilla extract   2 cups (12 oz package) Semi-Sweet Morsels

Combine flour, pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.  Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until creamy.  Beat in pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla extract.  Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Stir in morsels.  Drop by rounded tablespoon onto greased baking sheets.  The batter will be sticky. 

Bake in a preheated oven @ 375' for 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Let stand for 5 to 7 minutes, remove to wire rack to cool completely.  Once cooled drizzle with vanilla glaze.

Vanilla Glaze - Combine 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract in small bowl - mix well - drizzle lightly.  The cookies will remain soft and will not harden.  But they are yummy!  ENJOY!

Here is a quick tip on how to decorate quickly for Halloween.  I had a kiddie chair in the basement plain wood and a bit beat up.  I wiped it off with a mild cleanser and sprayed it with Painter's Touch 2X in Gloss Grape.   One quick coat did the trick and the coverage was perfect!  Seat a spooky skeleton on the chair and in an instant you have a Halloween decoration as well as a colorful chair ready for springtime.  Keep in mind you can toss a friendly snowman on the chair for winter...no need to keep everything red and green during the holidays!  Springtime...a beautiful pot overflowing with pansies!  Get creative and explode your front entry with color!

Glenda our magical witch is flying through the neighborhood again!  This basic screen is now a Halloween Decoration for years to come.  I purchased a used window screen this summer from a garage sale for $3.00 and turned it into a Halloween treasure!  Rinse off the screen allow to fully dry.  Lay screen down on a flat surface prior to spray painting.  Place newspaper on the inside and spray the outer rim of the screen with Rust-Oleum's Stops Rust in Flat Black.  Two coats may be necessary depending on the condition of the wood or metal rim.  I purchased basic acrylic brushable paints and painted on Glenda, "Happy Halloween" .  The basic colors I used were black, orange, yellow and a lighter flesh tone - apricot.  You can also use a stencil to make a pumpkin, ghost or even bat.  Enlarge the smaller sized stencils to fit your screen.  You can even use a sponge to dab on your paint.  I would say the whole project cost was under $20 and I'd say from start to finish about 2 hours.  Get creative and hang different screens in each front window for the spookiest Halloween ever! 

This Chalkboard Wine Rack was a must share!  I have been addicted to this magazine...Readymade which is full of great reduce, reuse and recycle projects, tips and techniques.  Organic recipes also adorn the pages!  Check out this clever wine rack simply made out of off the shelf drainage pipes enclosed in mdf boards and painted with black chalkboard paint.  Simple directions are cut two pieces of mdf board to fit the size of the drainage pipes - be sure to leave enough length to fit soda bottles as well.  Lay them into the bottom part of the mdf board - glue them in with liquid nails and tap in whitehead nails two to each end of the pipes.  Once dry, lay the top mdf board over the pipes, glue and nail as well.  Attach your new wine rack to your wall and then paint with Rust-Oleum's Chalk Board paint in black.  Consider this wine rack not only in your kitchen, but if you have a bar in the basement - what a great place to show off your talents!

Similar to the Sunday Painter in keeping a great monthly update on projects and painting tips - my dear friend Cathy has moved all around the world but yet still manages to keep in touch by her monthly updates.  She almost makes an "infomercial" out of her monthly updates and she includes pictures of the kids, good recipes, must read books, places to visit - funny family stories and project tips.  She has grown attached to the monthly painter and finds great projects and painting tips that helped her out on her last adventure.  Repainting an old corner hutch.  When I found that she was going to spray paint a larger piece of furniture, I quickly mailed her a brand new Comfort Grip by Rust-Oleum.  She tackled her project and swore never to spray paint again with this "gun"!  It's an easy way to keep the paint consistent and you can guarantee no trigger finger!  As soon as her hutch is complete, I will post a few pictures!   Monthly postings are a great way to keep in touch with family and friends...as well as learn new tips and tricks for all sorts of projects!

Reuse old veggie or soup cans by making them into personalized tea lights!  They can adorn your driveway for a festive Halloween party or simply just on Halloween night welcoming your ghosts and goblins as you give out your treats!  This is a fun and easy project for kids as well...great way to teach them how to spray paint and get creative!  For this grand pumpkin I recycled a Yam can!  Quick steps for this project:  Remove label, rinse and wipe dry.  Using a permanent marker dot out a basic design.  The more basic design the better. Fill can with ice and place in freezer for at least an hour.  This allows the tin to harden and will make the punching or drilling process much easier.  Empty ice and wear garden gloves - the can will be cold!  Using a metal drill bit, drill through the layed out dots or use a sheetrock nail and hammer and lightly hammer through each dot.  Once complete, dry off and fill with newspaper or paper towels.  Spray with a primer such as Universal or Stops Rust.  This orange is Univeral's "Real Orange".  Spray two light coats. Allow the can to fully cure and if you have firephobia, just simply drop in a uv battery operated tealight.  Simple and another great way to recycle.  Check out the Fourth of July blue Stars and the Valentine Hearts.

Both make great statements for the 4th of July on a Picnic Table or for a romantic dinner for two on Valentine's Day!  Enjoy and get creative - share your projects with us on Paint Ideas!

Everyone seems to be on the wagon with recycling and now even more so with our landfills pretty much toppled out!  The famous "juice pouches" such as Capri Suns and various other are now being recycled by a company called TerraCycle.  Since these pouches do not disinigrate in the landfills, TerraCycle has them disinfected and then made into various useful products - such as pencil pouches, lunch boxes, reuseable shopping bags, umbrellas and even fashion purses or cosmetics bags. Not only are you recycling, but jobs are in motion with this one.   I am so behind this one considering I go through 2 to 3 boxes a week for the kids.  Here is a quick break down of how much money your school can earn by sending in those used pouches:  If one household uses 2 boxes per week that's 24 pouches - TerraCycle has a program where they repay $0.02 per pouch - off the bat that's $0.48 per week per household.  If the school has 250 families and most families participate you can potentially earn about $120 per week in refunds from TerraCycle.  Not a bad deal overall!  If you're school is not part of this program, it may be a great way to get involved and help out the environment as well as your school.  For more information, please visit www.terracycle.net!  Let's go GREEN and earn cash while doing so!

Here is a true test for Rust-Oleum's Universal Spray paint - Here is an ordinary red wine vinegar bottle that I wanted to recycle and turn into some type of halloween decoration.  I had a can of Universal in Flat Black from the Bat Project.  I wiped off the bottle and sprayed two light coats of the Universal in Flat Black.  I allowed the paint to fully cure for 24 hours.  I dug around my halloween bin and found an old skull bottle stopper (I must admit I probably received it as a gift - so not only am I recycling the bottle, but the gift as well!)  I glued the skull stopper into the neck of the bottle with Gorilla Glue - they now have their own version of crazy glue - works wonders!  The bottle still needed a bit more pizazz - I added some old buttons and a single strand of pearls - available through your local craft centers for about a buck for 10 plus yards!  I call it the "Magic Potion" bottle and will be making about 6 more to make an impact!  I will line them up on my mantle - great way to use up some old decorations that you are possibly thinking about tossing or donating.  Take them apart and reuse the really decorative pieces!  Check out how my bottle turned out!

I only hesitated for about 3 minutes before buying this storage bin at a local garage sale. The bin was prized to the highest bidder - it was all mine for a whopping $1.50!  Yes, $1.50!  As you can see the bottom was lightly rusted but other then that the bin inside, backside and overall outside was in solid shape.  I decided to use it as a paint sample for the Country LIving Show but then quickly realized that this bin was going to make a great storage unit in many places.  I wiped off the entire bin with paint thinner and went back with a clean cloth and dried it off.  I lightly sanded the rusted bottom with a mild grade of sandpaper - wiped off the dust and then applied two light coats of Rust-Oleum's Stops Rust - Rusty Metal Primer - Since I wanted to show the before & after effect, I only purchased a 1/2 pint of paint.  Stops Rust is available in spray, quart and 1/2 pint - just another plus for the product!  So here is the before picture.

    The Before Picture!

I wanted to show off the Rust-Oleum products and went with the Classic Black Chalk Board paint on the right side and White Board Specialty Paint on the left I opened the door and added 4 different colors of Rust-Oleum's Specialty Chalk Board Paint in Raspberry, Grape Fizz, Fresco Red and Banner Blue.   Our crafters were amazed at how many fabulous chalk board colors are available and that for $1.50 plus around $20 for supplies you have a sturdy, handy and versitle cabinet that virtually can be placed into a garage, child's playroom, game room, sewing room, dorm room or even shed!  Oh, I even removed the handles and quickly sprayed Universal in Carnidal Red and Titanium Silver.  You truly can take a piece like this one and adjust it to your needs...a bit of elbow grease and some paint truly does work wonders!   Take a look to see the variety of paints that can be applied to just about any surface!

 Fun storage cabinet all for under $20!

Imagine...Chalkboard paint that's tintable in 12 vibrant colors! Rust-Oleum's Specialty Chalk Board paints are now tintable in 12 magical colors which will customize your project be it for kids or a modern kitchen make-over!  The colors vary from Raspberry, Fresco Red, Grape Fizz, Deep Teal to Moonstone..Coffee and Latte.  The best part of the chalk board paints is that the process is exactly as simple and easy to apply as the standard black.  During our Country Living Fair I applied garnet and coffee to an old kitchen cabinet door and used it as our "WELCOME" sign to the booth.  I did purchase a scrolled antiqued easle at TJ Maxx to display the board.  It turned out great!  I was happy with the reaction of our crafters - most of which decided this would be a great entry on their front porches.  I have posted the project under "My Projects" with a full description of directions.  Be sure to hang a basket on the edge and fill it with chalk and an eraser.  It's a great place for neighbors to leave a message or post a speical birthday for someone!  I enjoyed this project and found that the chalk board paint is true to it's word..easy application and versitle!