Makin' Stuff

Makin' crafts. Makin' dinner. Makin' the house look like Fall.

You name it, I've been up to my ears in it. 

And because I've gotten lots of inquiring minds through instagram & facebook, I figured I'd go ahead & compile a blog post chocked full of the details.

Come along.

Peg Dolls:

I'm in the process of making this little family of peg dolls for Lulla as a Christmas gift {as you can see, Dad still needs pants & the girls need some detailing on their dresses}. Jett received a super-cute set of super-hero peg dolls from a friend for his birthday & Lulla immediately fell in love with them & tried claiming them as her own. I knew she needed a girly set of her own to play with.  I first checked etsy, but when I found the set I loved were sixty five bucks, I nearly croaked. So instead, I bought an unfinished set from HERE & decided to give it a go, myself.  It's a tedious project. But as long as I keep my perfectionism in check, reiterating to myself that this is a project where perfectionism is NOT an option, I've done alright & actually enjoyed spending the time on them. If you are wanting to make a set for yourselves, I have two pieces of advice: 1) Use teeny, tiny paint brushes. 2) Only paint one layer at a time {for example: paint the hair on all pieces & let dry before you start on the clothing. This way the paints do not smear into one another. If you have any questions, feel free to give me a holler. I'd be glad to help in any way I can!

Fall Decorating:

I used a lot of what I already had to decorate the house this year, but because we are in a new home this Fall, the things I had took on new life-- love it when that happens! I like to have a mix of pretty things that I enjoy {twinkle lights & leaves!}, yet also some fun decor that the kids really love, too.  I purchase new items & old pieces & whip up crafts on my own & look forward to the process of weaving it all together to make it work for my own taste.

{Excuse the empty frames--I still need to order photos for them}.

You can find info about the Jett & Lulla Halloween frames & the BOO wreath HERE.

Chicken Taquitos:

I posted the above instagram photo a while back & had many requests for the recipe. This has become a favorite weeknight meal here at our house, as they are really quick & simple to make-- & oh, so yummy! Also, I think they would make a perfect appetizer for a Sunday afternoon football game.

The recipe comes from this cookbook.

This is one of my favorite cookbooks. I got it for my birthday & I use it often. It's great for picky eaters {a.k.a my family--& probably any family with little ones}.  Many of her recipes can be found online, but I have found that some cannot--like this particular taquitos recipe. So here ya go:

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 c. finely chopped onion

1/4 c. finely chopped red bell pepper

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 c. shredded cooked chicken breast

1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies

3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro leaves

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

10 10-inch flour tortillas

1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 & spray large baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray

2. Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add onion & bell pepper & cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic & cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chicken, tomatoes, cilantro, salt, cumin, & pepper & cook, stirring, until hot, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low to keep warm.

3.  Add 1/4 c. of the chicken filling to the center of each tortilla & top with 2 tablespoons of cheese. Roll tightly & place seam side down onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25-10 minutes, until the tortillas are crispy.

Fall/Winter Curtains:

I made curtains for my kitchen a few months ago, but as Summer was saying farewell, I found myself wanting something a little thicker, heavier & cozier than what those curtains were offering. So....I sewed up some new ruffly ones for the Fall & Winter months. I love the bit of femininity they bring to my kitchen & I love even more that they were made from a painters drop cloth I already had stashed in my craft room. Score!

Homemade {FALL} play-dough:

I found THIS recipe on Pinterest the other day & with the cool weather that dropped in, I figured it was a great day to give it a try.

The kids loved it & it only took about ten minutes to make. Ten minutes of prep + hours of fun & imagination = my kind of craft! Oh, & the fact that it makes your house smell like pumpkin pie? Added bonus.


Fall Porch:

I love a pretty porch. I love a festive porch. If you've got a ghost or skeleton or pumpkins or corn stalks on your front steps, chances are I'm going to love it. A decorated entryway gets me every time. I still have a few final touches I want to add to mine this year, but it's on it's way!

The urns are from Target. I used them for my petunias in the spring, but after seeing them put to use in this way, I believe they were made for pumpkins! :)

The stool is from Goodwill--Jared spraypainted it black for me.

The "B" on the front door I made myself. I purchased all of the supplies from Hobby Lobby--a wooden letter, spool of twine & burlap/lace flower. I'll be honest, I hated this project. I got burned by the hot glue gun fifty gazillion times & wanted to give up at least twenty.  I will never be making another twine letter for as long as I live. This one had better hold up.

The pumpkins are the fake, carve-able ones from Hobby Lobby & Michaels. I think next year I will drill holes & string lights through them for a warm holiday glow. We'll see...

I think it's pretty clear to see... I like makin' stuff.

And it's a good thing...'cause my Makin' Stuff List keeps growing...
*Halloween costumes
*Pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
*Festive Fall outfits
*A craft I've been meaning to get to for two years now

Stay tuned for a Makin' Stuff Continued post :)