Feature You Friday Best of 2011

Being that it is the first Friday of the new year, I thought today that I would re-post some of my favorites from FYF 2011. Here ya go!


I’m so glad I went back and looked at all my previous FYF posts! It reminded me that I have got to make these buffalo chicken nachos! You want the recipe? Go over to Will Cook For Smiles.

I’m still drooling over this piece that I featured in June! Ella Boo & Co. took an old, forgotten dresser {that was free} and transformed it into a great storage buffet with chalkboard labels.

In July 2011, I fell in love! I spotted this vintage card catalog at Maple & Magnolia. I am, and I told her so, 100% envious and not ashamed at all. I’ve been on the lookout ever since.

I gotta give a shout out to my buddy Natalie for her spray painted sofa back in September. Yes, that’s what I said, spray painted sofa! I’m sure you’ve seen it all over Pinterest but be sure to stop by Johnny in a Dress to see how she did it. Creative genius!

This was, by far, the coolest gossip chair I’ve seen! The color and the curves of this chair are so great! I haven’t seen one with this shape since. I found it over at June & Bear back in September.

Thank you Landee See, Landy Do for sharing this delicious recipe for pumpkin crunch! I made it shortly after she posted it and it was so good that I replace my Thanksgiving pumpkin pie with this dessert! Must try! A couple of things I did differently {because I always do something different} was use 2 cans of pumpkin add cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.
Peppermint Crunch Truffles
I found these Peppermint CrunchTruffle on Pinterest and made several batches over the holidays. They are fantastic! You can find the recipe at  Bakers Royale. The chocolate center of these are so silky and they just melt in your mouth! I used a combo of semi-sweet and 60% cocoa and used Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses instead of Ande’s. Delish!
And there you have it! My favorite features of 2011! Food and furniture, go figure! I hope you all have  fabulous weekend!

FYF Thanksgiving Ideas

Hi friends! It’s Friday again already! And on Fridays, I feature YOU! Today I thought I’d share a few ideas for Thanksgiving. Can you believe that Thanksgiving is next week? Jeez! Are you ready? If you are still searching for some last minute finishing touches, here are a few ideas for you.

Alright, I’ll start with the yummies! You know they are always my favorite!
I am a fan of anything with pumpkin. I love the flavors of pumpkin and spice!

So of course, these Pumpkin Pie Spice Buttercream Cupcakes look and sound amazing to me! Aren’t the little acorns cute too?! You can find the recipe over at Nothing But Country.

Gobble, Turkeys, Turkey Brownies, Turkey Cupcakes, Thanksgiving, Fall, Autumn, Holidays, Thanksgiving Dessert, Party, Two-bite Brownies, Chocolate frosting, Jimmies, Shortbread Cookies, Candy

And how ’bout these darling Two Bite Turkeys from the Seven Year Cottage? What a cute dessert for the kiddos!

If you want to create a few simple Thanksgiving decorations for your home to remind everyone of the occasion, here are some cute ideas.

I love this Thankful Banner  made by The Happy Scraps. It’s cute, simple and would add just the right touch to your dining room. Plus, it uses my favorite Stampin’ Up ribbon!

These Thanksgiving Place Cards  are darling! What an adorable way to decorate your table! Stop by Just Another Day in Paradise to see the tutorial.

I think this Thanksgiving subway art speaks for itself. You can download it for free at Summit Street Joy, print it and frame it for the Thanksgiving holiday.
And, to decorate the kids table, these Cornucopia Place Cards are cute and yummy! The trouble is, they may not want to eat anything else! Stop by Caramel Potatoes to see more.

Did you get a few ideas? I hope so!
A quick reminder. . .

How does Santa get into your house? If you don’t have a fireplace, explaining this to your kiddos might be kinda tricky! What if there was a special key designed just for Santa to get in on Christmas Eve? ON the back there is a poem that reads:
This key is very special, you see,

It will not work for you or me.
Hang is just outside your door,
And go to sleep, worry no more.
Close your eyes and close them tight!

‘Cause Santa Claus comes tonight!
I’m giving away one of these keys over at Tattered & Inked! Stop by to enter!

I hope you have a great weekend!

Featuring You Friday!

Hi friends! Sorry for missing FYF last week! But, here we are again. . . it’s Friday, and I’m featuring YOU!

This week’s FYF is sponsored by Diamonds USA Coupons from My Coupons.

Diamonds-USA allows you to be the designer to ensure that you get exactly what you want for an affordable price. If that’s not enough, check out the online coupon codes, promotions and discounts that MyCoupons has mined and defined for you! Go on and buy it-she’ll love it! 

Okay on to the features!

I love, love, love this ottoman!

Would you believe that it was made from a table and a completely DIY project?! I’m not saying it looks easy, but it sure looks beautiful! Stop by Less Than Perfect Life of Bliss for the tutorial!

If I can get my hands on an old milk can, you’ll see me doing this soon.

Stop by Art is Beauty for the before and after photo. 
This is such a cute way to display a calendar.
Bye-bye paper calendar! You’re about to be replaces with this DIY dry erase calendar from The Diary of Dave’s Wife.

I’ve featured this gal a few times before.

Desiree from The 36th Avenue is so talented! You have to stop by to see her Mod Podge fabric suitcase tutorial.

And finally, this beauty. 

You gotta stop by Creative Outlets of a Thrifty Minded Mama to see this transformation. Amazing!

Grab a button if you were featured today!

Scissors & Spatulas
Well, that does it for this week! Be sure to stop by Naptime Crafters and cast your vote for the Amercian Crafter competition. Help your three favorites move to the final round!
I hope you have a fantastic weekend! I’ve got some surprises in store for you next week {and I promise I’ll share that apple recipe I promised}! Stay tuned. . .

Gourdy the Ghost by Freckles Crafts

Hello Scissors and Spatulas readers!My name is Rebecca, and I am the owner of FrecklesCrafts. I spend my days running my shop filled with fun craft kitsfor kids, and blogging about the daily ins and outs of being awork at home mom. I am so excited to be a guest at Jen’s blog todaywith a fun tutorial for Halloween!

October is one of my favoritemonths of the year! I love the weather, the pumpkins, and especiallyHalloween! Not only is it a really fun holiday, but it allows me toget really creative with my home decorations. Today I am going toshare with you one of my favorite crafts for Halloween that also makesa very cute decoration. Gourdy the Ghost is a simple little craftthat your kids will love helping you with!

Supplies:
  • Dried gourd (available here)
  • White craft paint (Deco Art paint works great)
  • Foam paintbrush
  • Drill with 3/32 or 1/8 drill bit
  • Black chenille stem or picture wire for hanging
  • Black permanent marker
  • Ribbon for embellishments
 Start by cleaning the gourd. Most dried gourds will have a film/cruston that will need to be removed. The above photo is of a gourd beforeit has been cleaned. A little Dawn dish soap on a rough sponge orsteel wool will clean it right up!
 See the difference? Muchbetter!
 Begin by painting the gourdwhite. I used two coats of paint to make sure the surface was niceand 
white.Next use your sharpie orpermanent marker to draw a face on your ghost. It is so much fun togive your ghost a personality! Make him scared, happy or silly!Anything goes!
 Drill a hole through the top ofyour gourd. The size of drill bit you use will depend on the materialyou will use for hanging. I used a 3/32 size drill bit for thistutorial, and a chenille stem fit through the hole
 perfectly.
Make sure you drill completelythrough to the other side so that it will hang straight.
 Thread your hanging wire throughthe holes and tie the ends together at the top. Add ribbon and otherembellishments and you are done! Isn’t he cute? Make several andhang them in a tree for a spooky 
outdoor decoration!
 
I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial!I would love for you to stop by my store and blog fora visit, or follow me on Facebook and Twitter! Here is a little snapshot of my craftkits for kids!

Thanks again Jen for having me as aguest today!

A Yummylicious FYF!

After finding my first couple of picks for the week, I realized that I had {unintentionally} started a theme. All of my picks were sweets and treats. Not a bad theme, right? There were so many yummy fall treats out there this week, I figured, why not do a “Yummylicious Featuring You Friday?” So, here it is! Warning: You’re gonna be hungry after seeing this post!

First up. . . 

Look at these cute skeleton cupcakes from Cookies and Cups. What a perfect Halloween treat for the kids to take to school!

These little boogers look so good! I can almost smell Blue-Eyed Bakers‘ petite pumpkin spice donuts.

Another cute little snack for the kiddos! Midwestern Sewing Girl shared how to make these cute mummy pretzel treats.

These pumpkin chocolate chip muffins in a jar from Nest of Posies would make a perfect fall gift {or snack}!

Oh my! Thank you Landee See, Landy Do for sharing this delicious recipe for pumpkin crunch!

I could lick my computer screen to get a taste of that brown sugar cream cheese icing! Check out the recipe for applesauce spice cupcakes over at Simple Girl.

I bet you’re craving something sweet, aren’t you? I told you so!
If you were featured today, I hope you’ll grab a button!

Scissors & Spatulas
Have a fantastic weekend! Get outdoors and enjoy the fantastic fall weather! Or stay indoors and make some of these yummy treats!

Featuring You Friday

How can it be Friday again already?! They seem to come faster and faster every week. But, since it is Friday, that means I’m featuring YOU! Fall and Halloween projects are everywhere right now! There were so many great ideas it was hard to choose! Here are a few of my faves.
My first feature comes from one talented lady!

Desiree, from The 36th Avenue created this fantastic fabric-wrapped wreath for her fall door. Stop by to see her tutorial (and be sure to do a lot of browsing while you’re there!}.
I have a minor obsession with pumpkins in the fall. Particularly this year. I’ve found myself buying all sorts of pumpkins to use in fall decorating. 
When I saw this yarn-wrapped rosette pumpkin, from Two Shades of Pink, I decided I needed yet another! Stop by to find out how to make your own.
Speaking of my pumpkin obsession, I did use a few white ones in my decorating this year, a first for me.

I love this white pumpkin and pinecone display by Shanty 2 Chic. It’s so simple, so fresh, yet so elegant. Be sure to stop by to see the full display.
Another thing I love? Burlap wreaths. 
This ball burlap wreath, from Today’s Fabulous Finds, is no exception! I love the entire display. 
I love making fun holiday snacks with my kiddos. 
Check out this cute spider web snack made over at Mom Endeavors. Stop by to see how this creative mama made them!

If you were featured today, I hope you’ll grab a button!

Scissors & Spatulas

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend! Oh yeah, and I still haven’t heard from the lucky winner of the UPrinting giveaway. If you were comment #2 (Amber) please email me so I can get you your prize! I’ll be picking a new winner Sunday if I haven’t heard from you. 

Featuring You Friday

Happy Friday y’all! 
So much great stuff in Blogland this week! 
Up first. . .

This playroom is so fun even I want to play in it! Stop by Everyday Blessings for more photos, tutorials and where to shop.
Remember that IKEA shelf I bought for my craft room that ended up being the wrong shelf?

Thanks to Crafty Scrappy Happy, I know what to do with it! You gotta check out her tutorial for how shed turned hers into storage “lockers.”

If you read my FYF posts, you know I love sweets!

So of course my mouth was watering when I saw this Moose Munch! Get the Harry and David knock-off recipe at Something Swanky.

Okay, it’s not just sweets. I love food. I love to eat.

Especially fried food! Stop by Chameleon Girls to check out this fried mac-n-cheese recipe!

Is your garden giving you so many tomatoes you don’t know what to do with them?

Try this tomato and goat cheese tarts from La Petite Vie. Yum-O!

Many of you know that I’m dying to get my hands on a vintage card catalog. Well, I may have just found my new true love.

I’m drooling over this surveryor’s cabinet {found on Craig’s List} at Maple and Magnolia. Stop by to see the full transformation.

Holy cow, check out this cool piece!

Aren’t the color and curves of this “gossip chair” great? Stop by June & Bear to check it out.

There was so much great stuff out there this week! I hope you enjoyed my picks! If you were featured today, I hope you’ll grab a button! Oh, and don’t forget to enter the UPrinting giveaway! The winner will be announced Monday! Have a great weekend!

Scissors & Spatulas

Guest Post: Cowbow Caviar from Colleen

Hi there, I am Colleen and my blog is So Much to Say.

I’m thrilled to be here today guest posting for Jen.  I stumbled upon Jen’s blog a few months ago and I have been a huge fan of her blog ever since.  Jen’s home is full of inspiration (totally love her kitchen cabinet make-over), she has great recipes and her boys are pretty cute too! I am very envious of her mad painting skills when it comes to furniture she has found.
A little about me . . . . . I’m a thirty-something mom of two and wife to my husband of almost nine years. I spend my days working as a lawyer which keeps me very busy! When I am not at work, you can find me with my two beautiful kids beside me.  I’m a wanna-be Martha Stewart (I could do without the jail stint), a compulsive organizer, list maker, and Pottery Barn lover.  I love to read blogs although admittedly they fill my head with ideas and crafts that I keep track of on Pinterest.  (I’ve been known to re-organize my boards on there!)  I blog about many things like our life experiences, our home, projects, crafts, and sometimes just our ordinary days at home.
Today I am sharing a simple side dish.  We recently had a Mexican theme get-together at our house and served the following side dish.  It’s easy (which is key for me!) and very tasty.  We served this with fajitas, black rice and beans, taco mac & cheese and a salad.  It was a huge hit (as was our themed night – so much fun)!  Oh, and you cannot forget the margaritas and/or sangria!

Cowboy Caviar
2 15 oz oz cans black beans, rinsed
1 17 oz can whole kernel corn, drained
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 large avocado, diced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Dressing:
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix well.  Keep chilled until serving.

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I would love to have you pop on over to my blog and say hi.
Thanks so much for having me Jen!! 

Featuring You Fridays

Friday again already? That’s okay, I’ve been looking forward to this Friday! Guess where I’m headed tonight? I’m going to see Jason Aldean! 


Mmmmm-mmmm! We got good seats too! {Remember, I’m a Southern girl!}

There is one thing of mine that I want to show you before I start showing off your stuff this week.

My craft room! I know, it’s not quite done yet. I also know, it’s been forever, but just about everything in this room is either handmade, sewn, painted or refinished, so it’s taking some time. Not to mention there were boxes and tubs of supplies that had to be organized. But, it’s getting there. And at least I have a space to work!

Alright, on with the show!

The first fabulous find this week. . .

I love, love, love this darling Clean and Sensible.

Okay, this next room is so cool and eclectic! 

I love all the different colors, fabrics and styles in this room! See those cool, colorful candlesticks in the center of the table? Head over to Life as a Thrifter to check out the tutorial.
Now this is simple yet brilliant creativity.
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Recycle old light bulbs by turning them into decorative vases! What a cool idea from In His Grip.

I have yet to create a gallery wall in my home. I Pinned this one for inspiration.

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You have to go take a closer peek at this gallery wall from A Thoughtful Place. The balance of color is perfect and the hand print piece is darling!

I’ve been dying to try this stuff known as “milk paint.”

Saving 4 Six transformed a fouth-generation dresser into something really special using milk paint. This dresser has a great story to go along with it as well.

You know a Scissors & Spatulas’ FYF isn’t complete without a yummy treat!

Do you think Nutella Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins sound too good to be true? You’re wrong! Stop by My Name is Snickerdoodle to get the recipe.

I hope you enjoyed my picks of the week! Have a great weekend!

Guest Post: Jenny of Planner Perfect

A big thank you to Jen, for hosting me today on her fabulous blog! 

Hello, my name is Jenny, homeschooling mama of seven children, and  blog author of Planner Perfect and Planner Perfect Meals. I hope to inspire you today on some baking tips I have up my sleeve, and to share some of my yummy fall, dessert recipes!

One element to keeping organized with your meal planning for your family is to plan one baking day in each of your weeks. I love getting out my planner and looking though my favorite food magazines and write down all I’m going to bake on my baking day with all of the ingredients needed; along with my main meal planning and I’m set for the week, full of delicious meals and the ingredients needed to bake up some amazing baked goods.  These baked delights compliment all of my meals and snacks for my family and it is comforting to know that my family is eating well with foods I prepare for them using quality ingredients, and that I’m saving money not buying processed snacks and breads.

Here are just some of my favorite baking day, items, I like to bake-up. I’ll usually stick to 3-4 different baked goods/breads each week, changing it up each bake day.

Muffins. I’ll change it up each week: banana, blueberry, cinnamon sugar

Whole grain bread/muffins

Homemade white bread

Cinnamon rolls

French bread

Cookies

cupcakes

pizza crust

dinner rolls

What makes you organized with your baking day, is not only the fact you are setting a day aside each week to bake them, but you can bake extra and freeze; ready to pull-out for any meal. You’ve got muffins that freeze quite nicely for breakfast, my breads are to eat all week long for our sandwiches for lunch and the cookies are a treat that can be frozen and of course ready to eat straight from the oven!

Here are some of my all-time favorite fall recipes…

Chocolate Molasses Cookies

These are the most yummy, moist, fall cookies you’ll eat. When I found these in, Country Living Magazine, I knew that I’d love them! The molasses imparts such a wonderful flavor and creates such a moist cookie. They even have a dusting of brown sugar on top! I love making these every fall, pack them in wax paper sacks, along with a thermos full of hot apple cider and take them with me to the pumpkin patch with the kiddos.
Believe me, they’ll be your new fall favorite!

Click here for the Chocolate Molasses Cookie, printable recipe.

secret winning chocolate chip cookie
streusel muffins
whole grain bread

Check out more over at Planner Perfect Meals full of my favorite tried-and-true recipes that are delicious and kid friendly! And for everything organized, check out Planner Perfect where you’ll find everything from spring cleaning to the ultimate organizing system. I look forward to meeting you…

Enjoy creating a baking day each week and enjoying the feeling the comes from being organized in your home and kitchen.
Sincerely,
Jenny