Paper Work

Things are running a bit slow here at the Blanton house. We are currently working on getting stuff paid off, filling out loan work, and getting paper work together to take with us to a lender. Hopefully house tours will be up on the blog within a week. I know it’s not glamorous or hardly blog worthy but paper work is part of the process. In the meantime, I'll try to keep up with some small posts about a few projects we are trying to get done. So thanks for being patent with us. I might also post some recipes from past meals that I never posted... you never know. Whatever the cast, thing are going to be going a little slower than recently. I love posting every day and hope to start up again as soon as this house stuff is behind us. I'll also fill you guys in (like an open diary) on the process. Post might have fewer photos because we can't show legal documents and things like that just for safety reasons, but they will be chalking full of what were up to in the home searching process. Today, were paying off a few more bills (so our credit looks a little bit better) and hopefully seeing what we qualify for. Thank you again for sticking with us though this crazy process you guys is the best and we love you all! <3

A Jaring Situation

After months of cleaning and stocking up on glass jars from all the spaghetti sauce, salsa, and such we eat, I finally had enough to finish a project with them!

I decided to up cycle them and use them to store goods in my pantry so I have less messy bagged items and more pretty/ smaller glass jars of stuff.

I found this cute label online and, just like with my porcelain plates, I traced it from my computer (still no ink in the printer :P ) and cut it out on some paper to make a stencil.

 I actually wanted to use a smaller version for the smaller containers and a larger one for the bigger ones so I just zoomed in on my computer and traces a bigger version of the same label. (so they all match in my cupboard).
Then, I duck taped the entirety of my jars. Using the stencil, I cut out my labels from the duck tap with and x-acto blade.

Then I just primed it all. The lids of the salsa jars had writing on them that I didn't want to show, so I decided to forgo taping them up and opted for them to stay primed. I might use some red spray paint on the lids sometime later, but for now, I like them just the way they are.

After waiting a few minutes between thin coat of primer, I used one of these little sponge applicators (I have no idea what the real name of them are) that I picked up at Michel's for like 80 cents a pop to paint the stenciled area of the jars in chalk paint.

You can get chalk paint at any hardware store or make you own in any color using this tutorial from prudent baby that I found. Just before the paint is completely dry, I peeled the duck tap off and vuala!

The best part is that when something runs out I can just clean out the jar, fill it with something different, and change the label with chalk! I love it!

So what projects have you guys been up to lately? Anyone have any super handy storage ideas to share? are you excited for the weekend?

Just Treats

For Halloween this year I decide to do something a little special for the kids.

I made cupcakes! I know not all parents would agree with their child getting a cupcake as a treat (and I wouldn't want them to look like the bad guys for not letting them have one) so that is why I also decided to give out candy on the side so that parents have the option.
All in all I only gave out 10 cupcakes out of 9 kids. Which is actually a lot for an apartment complex.It might have been due to the fact that I sat out by the entrance of the apartments and my hubby adorned me in "ambiance", but I like to think that its was simply for these amazing cupcakes.

 So, I thought it would be nice to share the recipe with you all so you can have a Halloween treat yourselves ;) . Enjoy!

You will need: an electric mixer,one small bowl, two medium mixing bowls, one large mixing bowl, a spoon, two cupcake pans,and cup cake sleeves (two dozen).

• 2 cups flour
• 1 T spoon baking soda
• 1 T spoon baking powder
• 1 T spoon sat
• 1T spoon cinnamon
• 1 T spoon ground ginger (or 1/8 T spoon fresh grated ginger)
• 1/4 T spoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 T spoon all-spice
• 1 Cup packed light brown sugar (de-clumped)
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 Cup (2 sticks) unsalted, melted butter
• 4 eggs lightly beated
• 1 can (15 oz ) pumpkin puree

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. line cupcake pans with cupcake sleeves.
2. melt butter in the small bowl in the microwave.
3. meanwhile, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices in a medium mixing bowl.
4. In the large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, both sugars, and melted butter.
5. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until its smooth. Add in the pumpkin puree and mix again, until smooth.
6. Divide batter in the cupcake pans and bake for 20-25 minuets.

For Cream cheese Icing:

• 2 Sticks of butter
• 2 packs of cream cheese (16 oz)
• 3-4 Cups powdered sugar
• 1/8 T spoon vanilla extract

1. Mix in the other medium mixing bowl, with the electric mixer, on medium, the butter and cream cheese until smooth and has no lumps.
2. add in the vanilla and mix again until combined. Then add in the sugar and mix until icing is formed.

Pretty Pinings

Oh my goodness! I am so excited to share with you all what I did for the Pinterest challenge!I feel like a little girl telling her mommy about a preschool crush and OH am I crushing on these!

I found my inspiration from this Pin

Source: ashleyannphotography.com via Erika on Pinterest

Isn't Ashley so creative!? And she got the idea from Martha Stewart! Oh what an amazing, creative world we live in!  I can't wait to see what everyone else has come up with. Today's going to be a juice stake of creativity, DIY, crafting bit of eye candy for sure! So are you ready to find out how to make your own bit of eye candy?

To make these all you need is a porcelain plate, a porcelain paint pin (you can find these at Michel's in a lot of colors or any arts and crafts store), an oven, and a stencil.

Instead of buying a stencil I actually made one by finding one off of the Internet and then tracing it off my computer screen (because my printer was out of ink).

I then used an x-acto blade to cut out the shape.

I actually only used the larger stencil because I didn't like the way the smaller one looked on the plates.
Once I got the stencil cut out I taped it down to the plate and then colored over it with the porcelain pin ( you can also use porcelain paint that they sell in a jar). When I was done I peeled off the stencil and did a little bit of touch ups. Then I have to let then sit and dry over night which is according the the packaging on the pin. (what ever brand you get it may be different then that).
After waiting a day (which felt like a year) I baked them in the oven at 300F (this also may vary) for 20 minutes. During this time you can pace back and forth, color in a coloring book, watch a show, or just sit impatiently. :) When the 30 minutes are up you just take them out and let them cool. At this point I did a little freak out dance at how awesome I was and how good they look. I also may or may not have koodod my self a few times and gloated at that hubby about my awesomeness.

So thank you Ashley and Pinterest and I can't wait to see what Kate, Sherry, Ane White, and House of Earnest have created for their challenge.