Honey Dijon Spinach Salad

1 Large bag of spinach
1 can of mandarin oranges
1/4 of purple onion sliced thin
1/4 c. Kraft Honey Dijon Vinaigrette
1/8 c. feta cheese crumbles
1/8 c. Craisins
1/8 c. toasted almond slices

1. Toss dressing with spinach, onions, oranges.
2. Sprinkle feta, Craisins and almonds on top.

Missy's Baby Shower

My friends, Mindi and Mary and I hosted a baby shower for our friend Missy. It was a very nice shower if I can brag a little. Mindi had the idea to have a bunch of delicious soups in mini bread bowls. My favorite was her French Onion, yum. We also had an array of salads, fruit, veggies, petifores, cheesecakes, cupcake bites, trifle etc. I didn't get to take as many pictures as I would have liked but here are a few. I am posting two recipes with pictures and one without of the food that I brought in case anyone would like to make it at home. I did take pictures of Missy opening gifts but she is trying to minimize all pregnancy pics (I don't know why she is so gorgeous) so I deleted them. You're welcome. :)
This is the little snugly blanket I made for Max. It's the same theory as the birds except this is an elephant. This blanket is the perfect size for little ones to carry around or to just lay over a sleeping baby. There is no bulk to put the baby in a sticky situation. It has brown fleece on the back.

We got these wooden letters on sale at Hobby Lobby and we each took turns decorating a letter. B - me, M - Mary, K - Mindi. His name is Bryant Maxwell Kinney in case the initials were confusing. I also wish I would have gotten a better picture but Mary found a cute baby shower plate that everyone signed (you can see it at the bottom of this pic. You bake it and it is permanent so cute!

Just a full pic of the elephant.

Mary's husband got her this beautiful statue for Mother's Day. Isn't it gorgeous? Mary is Martha Stewart reincarnated and had a million cute decorations but this was my favorite, she used floral foam to stick the flowers in and wrapped each tin box with a cute ribbon. Love it!

A Little Birdie Told Me

A little birdie told me to make a million baby shirts with his face on it so here they are. You may recognize this first one from my family blog it was hand stitched for my friend Rachel and her baby Anna Kate. The rest are machine stitched with ribbon for feet. They will go to whomever has a baby next. These are so simple to make and oh so cute! It took less than an hour to make all three of the machine stitched ones.

Butterflies and flowers with striped wings on a onesie.

Purple and green vines with purple floral wings on a newborn button shirt.

Blue vintage floral with red floral wings and beak on a onesie.

Red and white dots with beige and red flower wings on a newborn button shirt.

Apple-Raisin Bran Muffins

A Great Way to Use Up Those Apples and the Last Little Crumbs of your Raisin Bran Cereal!
















1 1/2 c. raisin bran cereal
1 c. milk
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. finely chopped peeled apples
1/2 c. walnuts (optional)
1/2 c. raisins (optional)
3/4 c. sugar
2 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon


1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Spray muffin tins
3. Combine: cereal, milk, oil, eggs, vanilla. Let stand 10 minutes.
4. Stir in apples, walnuts and extra raisins
5. Add remaining ingredients
6. Pour into tins and bake 16-18 minutes

Two Sites You Should NOT Live Without!

There are two places I go for for all my crafting ideas (besides etsy of course).

Martha Stewart has an excellent site for anything and everything under the sun. I have signed up for her craft of the day e-mail and I love it! The crafts are usually very simple to do and there are is a complete list of materials and step by step instructions on how to make the item. There is often an instructional video. Click here to see her site and sign up for the Craft of the Day. You'll notice that there is a craft photo contest going on. I submitted this photo in hopes of catching their eye with the bright colors. We shall see! You can go there and comment and rate my stuff. Winner gets a copy of one of Martha's books.

My other favorite site is Skip to My Lou she frequently posts the cutest craft ideas and gives you instructions on how to do each of the crafts. She also features other craft blogs from time to time as well as awesome give-a-ways. I haven't won anything yet but I will keep trying! Right now there is a contest to win a huge play ground set. Fingers crossed.... You can also subscribe and get e-mails notifying you of any new posts.

Burning Onion Eyes

No one like when their eyes burn when cutting onions. It doesn't happen every time you cut onions it just kind of sneaks up on you when you least expect it. I have heard tips on burning candles or wearing goggles to keep your eyes happy but here is one that I use all the time and it works perfectly.

If your eyes start to burn put your face in the freezer for a minute or so. The burning will go away quickly every time!

Cleaning Tip

Pledge wood cleaner can also be used to clean stainless steel. I used it the other day to polish up the fridge and am planning on using it on the sink this afternoon.

Just make sure you don't get any spray on the floor though. I did and we were slipping and sliding on the wood floors in front of the fridge for days!