Creative Juices Decor

I have a thing for old wood decor.   Whenever I pass an old barn or a junk pile I wonder if I could ever get up enough nerve to ask the owner if I could grab a few boards!  We live in northern Idaho so finding these dilapidated barns and wood piles are everywhere......but my nerves have always gotten the better of me.  Here is my Creative Juices Award for old wood and doors! DOMESTIC DOOZIE  utilized this old pallet she got for free to be stained and put on her wall!  I would probably use it for a bookcase......can you just see old books on those slats? I know it's not Christmas, but I have ALWAYS adored (as in madely in love with) Finding Home's barn wood mantle.  Here's a secret, if I can find any barn wood myself, you WILL see a variation of this on my mantle this Christmas!  (oh, and if I get around to making it!) Here is one of my Favorite Photos of home interiors that used barn doors off my Pinterest boards . B...

This recipe is one that I have used OVER and OVER and LOVE.  So, it just wouldn't be right for me not to share the EASY recipe with my wonderful blog readers. Crockpot Refried Beans!!!  Don't you just LOVE crockpot recipes??  You come home, and smell dinner waiting! EASY Crockpot Refried Beans 2 cups dried pinto beans (rinsed off in cold water first) 6 cups water (or chicken broth) Garlic cloves (or around 2 Tbsp minced garlic from the jar) Salt and Pepper to taste OPTIONAL: 3 Tbsp left over bacon lard (using the word grease is just not cool) Just dump in all ingredient and turn on HIGH for 6-8 hours. You can either leave the beans whole or mash them with a potato masher. One of the many uses I get out of the beans (other than just eating them "as is") is making Bean and Cheese Burritos.  They are so simple - I mean you just add some of the beans and sprinkle on cheese, fold up in a burrito and serve!  These can ...

This is a great fall kid craft that I have done many times with my kids or in their classrooms.  The colors can be so vibrant and fall like and is a great way to decorate come fall or any season!  It does need adult supervision though.      DIRECTIONS First off, lay out a sheet of wax paper on the table. Have fun by using a pencil sharpener (can purchase a set of these at the dollar store) and begin shaving your favorite colors onto the paper. Once you have thinly spread out the shavings lay another piece of wax paper over the top . Have your iron setting on low and carefully iron right over the top of the wax paper (this would be for an older sibling or an adult to do)  Some of the crayon wax may squeeze out of the wax paper so putting a towel under the project is a good idea. Now you have your beautiful "stain glass" and now you just need to print  out your favorite shape, (just Google "leaf s...

Anyone need help with making their yard look beautiful?  I know I do!  My friend Valerie sent me pictures of her backyard and told me the story behind it all. Have you ever heard of an Akebia Vine or Lime Scotch Moss ?  You'll want to know about them after you see these pictures!!   Valerie's Backyard Can you believe that VINE!!!   Valerie told me it is the called an  A kebia vine.  It has a cream color in the spring that is very fragrant.  The rest of the year, the vine is just green.   If I remember right, that vine is only 5 years old.  I NEED that now!!!  I guess it's a very vigorous grower, so vigorous that in some sounthern (hot) states it's considered a "weed" but for us colder climate states it's a great choice.  For those who are wondering, we are a zone 5 and get LOTS of snow in the winter. I love the white furniture with red accents and the white candle chandelier. ...

I love comments.   I love feeling like I am talking to real people. But sometime during my beginning years of blogging, I ended up selecting in my comment settings that you had to have a Google account in order to leave a comment. Why would I do that??? Because I'm not tough skinned. A few times I would receive comments that were from people just trying to be MEAN!!  It was horrible and to be honest, I let those few bad comments ruin it for me.   I remember one comment on a post when I was so excited about building our house.  I had put up pictures of our house plans and the commenter went OFF about how ugly my house plans were and said they hope I didn't actually PAY to have the plans drawn up because it looked so generic and had no style. Believe it or not, I have had a few comments of that sort and I just was fed up and said, FORGET THIS, I am going to go to my settings and make it so that only people with a Google account can leav...

I know I'm really having fun with this fall pumpkin decor stuff!       I also love how mature flowers bloom come fall.  Here are some fun before and after pictures :-)   Unfortunately, where I live, in another month or two the ground will be covered in SNOW!   My very first window box in JUNE :   and then September !     Love that (although you can't see the pretty box anymore!)   And the front door plants really took off!   JUNE:     SEPTEMBER!       I picked up that Fall Wreath last year at Hancock Fabrics for FOUR dollars!!!!  It was end of the season and 90% off.  Isn't it the best, end of the year clearances :-)     And here is some fun photos of the iron bowl filled with pumpkins and pinecones!  (I need two of those bowls so I can keep one on the table and one outside!!)   ...

You all know I have a love for thrift stores, it's the whole treasure hunting thing. Well this particular day happened to be "stuff an entire bag of clothes for $4.00" day.  My thoughts were, "This could be FUN!"  I found a ton of great clothes for my 5, 9 and 11 year old.  I honestly can't imagine buying clothes full price for my kids. (They just grow out of them or ruin them within a month or two!)  If I don't buy their clothes at the thrift store, it's at Target for 70% off.  I promise, they have cute clothes and don't look like rag a muffins.  Promise. Anyway, I ran across this Pottery Barn Burlap table decor thing while shopping at the thrift store. I wondered if it could be labeled as a head covering just somehow and I could stick it in my clothing bag.  (Maybe???) The sweet older lady at the cashier just looked at me and said, No, she didn't think I could call it a head covering .....BUT instead of r...