My World - Made By Hand

I'll be back...

2012-02-21T09:30:00.000-07:00

I am sorry for my lack of posts lately...

hopefully y'all will understand.

I've been a packin'...

source

and a cleanin'...

source

and pretty soon we'll be a movin'...

source

Rather than stress out and feel guilty that I'm leaving my wonderful readers hangin'

I've decided to take a little break from blogging.

But don't you fret...

source

sooner than you can bat an eye!

Totally Tutorial Tuesday #14

2012-02-14T09:07:00.000-07:00

Funny how the 14th Totally Tutorial Tuesday is on February 14th...

Oh ya...and I just realized that my Faves post never posted...I'll double up this Friday!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Party Etiquette

Become a follower of My World Made By Hand AND Measured By The Heart.
DIY projects, crafts, recipes, decorating ideas only please. NO SELLING PLEASE!
Add as many links as you want. Old and new posts are welcome.
Link directly to your post not your home page.
Please take the time to comment on a few other links.
Add our button or a text link to each post that you link up or to your homepage/sidebar.

Be sure to check back Friday to see if you were featured!

Sunday Stalker #14

2012-02-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another edition of

Sunday Stalker

and I've got something super cute for you

JUST IN TIME

for Valentine's Day!

DIY Conversation Hearts

brought to you by...

Thanks for sharing!

I'd love for you to share the love and grab a button!

Oink Oink.....RAAAAAAR!!!! The cutest darned V-Day boxes EVER!!!

2012-02-09T15:20:00.000-07:00

Okay...so I don't normally do this but I just had to share what I found over at

Giggles Galore

and it just couldn't wait till this weeks Sunday Stalker!

Pretty Little Piggy

Valentine's Monster

There are detailed instructions here so you can make your own AWESOMELICIOUS Valentine's boxes with your babies...I know I'm going to make BOTH of these!

Be sure to stop by and leave a comment telling her how great these are and that I sent ya!

Mariah...I'd love it if you'd grab a button and share the love girl!

Totally Tutorial Tuesdays #13

2012-02-07T09:33:00.002-07:00

Welcome to yet another week of...

Party Etiquette

Become a follower of My World Made By Hand AND Measured By The Heart.
DIY projects, crafts, recipes, decorating ideas only please. NO SELLING PLEASE!
Add as many links as you want. Old and new posts are welcome.
Link directly to your post not your home page.
Please take the time to comment on a few other links.
Add our button or a text link to each post that you link up or to your homepage/sidebar.

Be sure to check back Friday to see if you were featured!

Adventures of a First Time Home Buyer! Part 5 - I'm gonna make em' an offer they can't refuse!

2012-02-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

Ready for another piece of

The Adventures of a First Time Home Buyer?

Good, cause you are gonna get it!

Part 5 ~ I'm gonna make em' an offer they can't refuse!

Okay, so you've found the one! The house that makes your heart flutter with excitement!

Now is the time to make an offer...but how?

This is where your AWESOME agent comes into play...she'll (or he'll) take into account the following:

Current market conditions. The market has recently significantly slowed in most areas. It's no longer a Seller’s market. In the past, properties have been selling quickly and usually for full price and in many instances, there were multiple bids. Now there are more homes available {unfortunately many are short sales}, prices have dropped and most Sellers are motivated to sell and are willing to negotiate.

We were very specific with the area we wanted to buy in. And although the market is sluggish, the area we wanted to buy in is booming, so the home prices weren't as low as they would have been if we were looking elsewhere. We knew this going into the process so we weren't surprised.

Days on market. How long has the house been on the market? Was it just recently listed? Or has it been sitting on the market for an excessive amount of time? If a home was just barely listed and you are the first person to make an offer the Seller probably won't take a very low offer. If the home has been sitting for quite some time the Sellers might be more willing to negotiate.

The first home we made an offer on had been on the market for almost 200 days. The Sellers had originally listed the home at $315,000 but had reduced the price to $270,000 by the time we got to it. Even with the large reduction in price they were still willing to negotiate with us. Now, we all know what happened with that home {if you don't, you can read about it here}. The second home that we made an offer on had only been on the market for 2 days and although there was some back and forth we still feel that we got an amazing deal!

Fair market value. Is the house worth what they are asking? Your agent should do a Market Assessment report for you. This report will show what similar homes in the same area have sold for in the last 90 days and will give you a reasonable estimated value of the home you are looking at.

Both home we looked at were priced very close to what the Market Value showed. All I can say is, listen to your agent when coming up with a number. They see hundreds, probably thousands, of homes and know exactly what they can and will go for.

Low price offers. Before making a low offer think to yourself, “Why do we want to offer less?” Is it because of the Fair Market Value that your Realtor gave you? Is it because the home needs work? Or is it just because you want a lower house payment? The key to writing a lower offer is to do so without insulting the Seller.

In both instances, we made it clear to the Seller exactly why we were offering what we were offering. The first home needed a lot of cosmetic work and needed some repairs so making a low offer wasn't a surprise to the Sellers. The second home, however, was in much better condition and our offer to them could not be considered a low price offer. No matter what, expect a counter offer and be prepared to walk away if the price is above what you want to pay and/or other terms don't fit your criteria.

Strengthening your position. Do everything you can to convey yourself as a strong Buyer. Have a loan pre-approval letter that is specific to the specific property and put down as much earnest money as you can. Your agent will draft a cover letter to accompany your offer that introduces you to the Sellers. It helps to make things more personal.

Keep it clean. Make your offer as simple and straightforward as possible. Avoid using too many modifications to the standard forms.

Items conveyed with the property. Your agent will have an MLS printout of the home that says which items (washer, dryer, refrigerator, etc.) are being conveyed along with the property. Make sure these items are included and specified in your offer.

Don't be afraid to ask the Sellers to leave the refrigerator {or anything else} if it's not part of the included items. In both offers we made the Sellers agreed to leave the items we asked for.

Once you've made your offer and the Seller has accepted, the real fun begins...it's called

WAITING!!!

Stay tuned for more fun in

The Adventures of a First Time Home Buyer

Sunday Stalker #13

2012-02-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Remember

Sunday Stalker?

No? Well, here's a reminder!

Sunday Stalker is where I show the super cool things I've stalked in Blogland!

The blogs and/or creations I post are not found through my linky parties or by someone contacting me. All Sunday Stalker features are things that I literally found by stalking {as so m any of us do}!

I haven't done Sunday Stalker for some time now and frankly, I miss it.

So...I'm bringing it back!

Hope you enjoy the super cool stuff I stalk for you...

I'm sure Somewhat Simple is not new to most of you.

It's a great blog with awesome tutorials and it's one I check regularly.

If you aren't familiar with it, you should definitely stop by...you won't be disappointed!

I absolutely FELL IN LOVE with this tutorial...

All You Need Is Love Skirt

I love this for three reasons:

1 ~ Because it is just plain cute

2 ~ It's made out of a t-shirt! HOLLA!
3 ~ It's perfect for V-Day

I'll definitely be making one of these for DIVA!

Adventures of a First Time Home Buyer! Part 4 - I always thought I'd be a tourist in Paris...not in another persons home!

2012-02-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to

The Adventures of a First Time Home Buyer

Today, we'll go over

Part 4 ~ I always thought I'd be a tourist in Paris...not in another persons home!

Am I the only person that feels strange walking through another persons home?

Opening their closets to see what the space and shelving looks like?

Opening their kitchen and bathroom drawers and cabinets to also see what the space looks

like and to see if they open and close properly?

Opening their oven and dishwasher to see if there is a glaring problem?

ESPECIALLY when the homeowner DOESN'T leave?

I found this to be more difficult that I thought. I definitely preferred walking through empty homes.

Unfortunately, most of the empty homes out there are short sales and I'm too impatient to wait for a bank!

So, I adapted! Here are some ten tips on how to be a Home Tourist!

Tip #1

Have an in-depth discussion with your Realtor about what you are looking for.

This will ensure that you aren't wasting your time {and your realtors and the sellers time} looking at homes that definitely will not work. I was very specific with my Realtor: minimum 5 bedrooms, 3 car garage, an RV pad or space for one, in our price range, and a decent kitchen. We also were very clear about the area we wanted. This, in itself, limited the number of homes we looked at. In the end, we looked at less than 10 houses, put an offer in on two {remember, I had to pull out of one because it was in South Jordan where they have a HORRIBLE ban against pit bull breeds. You can read about that HERE}.

Tip #2

Go into your search with a Top 5 list. Five things you can't or don't want to live without!

At the end, compare which houses meet those Top 5. If you find one or two that meet the majority of this list and the rest only meet one or two then toss those and focus on the homes that meet your requirements. Mine were easy {as mentioned earlier}:

1 ~ minimum 5 bedrooms

2 ~ 3 car garage with 8 foot doors

3 ~ RV pad or room for it

4 ~ Kitchen

5 ~ Master bedroom, bathroom, and closet must be nice

{this was a big one for both Boo~Bear and I}

We also had a #1 Priority that beat out all of these wants/needs. We had to stay within a school boundary. I am not about to move my Jr. High age children to a different school. No ifs, ands, or buts about it!

Tip #3

Check out www.utahrealestate.com daily {or the local real estate website for your area}. Homes go on the market every day...especially in the current market.

Tip #4

DO NOT even look at homes that are outside your price range. It's depressing!

Tip #5

See as many homes as you can in a day BUT don't overdo it. The houses will start to blend together and soon you'll find that you can't remember which house had which feature you hated or loved!

Tip #6

Take notes. This will help you with Tip #5. Our realtor brought MLS printouts for every house we looked at and I wrote on every single one. If one wouldn't work I folded it in half and discarded it. If your realtor doesn't print these out for you, print them out yourself. You could also print out a checklist of some sort for each listing with a list of what you are looking for {your Top 5 list should be at the top of this}.

Tip #7

Take some bottled water and maybe even a snack or two. Being a Home Tourist can be exhausting!

Tip #8

Leave the kids at home if you can. There were times when I had to take mine and let me tell you, it's much easier to walk through a home without the distraction of your children.

Tip #9

Have FUN!

Tip #10

Trust me on this one...you'll know the house when you walk into it. The home we ended up putting an offer on {the second one} meets my #1 Priority and only 3 of the 5 needs/wants BUT in my mind, it's PERFECT!

Missed Part 1 & 2...here ya go

Part 1 ~ I don't have that kind of money! Better get a loan!

Part 2 ~ Taking on a second spouse...your Realtor

Stay tuned for a picture of my new home...we should be closing on February 7th!

A few of my faves from Totally Tutorial Tuesday #12

2012-02-03T09:22:00.000-07:00

Here are just a few of my faves from week 12of...

I have a weakness for slow cooker/crockpot recipes and I absolutely LOVE anything pasta, so when I saw this link up I about died! I can't wait to try it...

Slow Cooker Ravioi by I Should Be Mopping The Floor

Sweater Pillows by Alderberry Hill

Sweatheart Banner by 52 Mantels

and finally, Dino Hoodies by vixenMade

I plan on making one of these for my nephews birthday!

Don't forget to stop by Measured by the Heart to see if you were featured.

Adventures of a First Time Home Buyer! Part 3 - Earnest? What the heck is earnest?

2012-02-01T06:00:00.002-07:00

Welcome back to
The Adventures of a First Time Home Buyer

Today, we'll go over Part 3 ~ Earnest? What the heck is earnest?

Now, this is actually something that we found out AFTER we found our house so I'm doing this a little backwards. I wanted to make sure that y'all knew about this expense BEFORE you found the house of your dreams and made an offer.

Surprise # 6...WHAT? We have to have cash to buy a house? Who knew?!?

As a First Time Home Buyer I had a lot of questions...one of which was,

“Are there any “out-of-pocket” expenses do I need to plan for ?

{talking $$ outside of your down payment and closing costs}

Many loan programs today require very little cold hard cash. But there are a few instances in the home buying process where you will need to have some dough.

EARNEST MONEY

Also known as: good faith deposit or binder

Earnest money is money that accompanies an offer to purchase real estate. It is usually held in a real estate broker's trust account until the property changes hands. It is credited to the buyer's funds/down payment at settlement.

Earnest money accomplishes a few thing:

1) It conveys that your intention to purchase the property is serious.

2) It can help demonstrate your financial ability to satisfy the contract and strengthen your position as a solid, qualified buyer.

3) It provides remedial damages for the Seller in the event that you back out of the contract for a reason not stipulated in the contract

The actual amount of earnest money will vary with each particular market. In general, it will represent between 1 to 2 percent of your offer price. If your offer is accepted, the earnest money will be deposited into a trust account or with the escrow company, shortly after acceptance. At closing, this money is applied to your closing costs or down payment.

Note that you will also will have the cost of a HOME INSPECTION

stay tuned for that...

Totally Tutorial Tuesdays #12

2012-01-30T23:59:00.000-07:00

Welcome to yet another week of...

Party Etiquette

Become a follower of My World Made By Hand AND Measured By The Heart.
DIY projects, crafts, recipes, decorating ideas only please. NO SELLING PLEASE!
Add as many links as you want. Old and new posts are welcome.
Link directly to your post not your home page.
Please take the time to comment on a few other links.
Add our button or a text link to each post that you link up or to your homepage/sidebar.

Be sure to check back Friday to see if you were featured!

Adventures of a First Time Home Buyer! Part 2 - Taking on a second spouse...your Realtor

2012-01-30T06:00:00.007-07:00

Welcome back to

The Adventures of a First Time Home Buyer

Part 2 ~ Taking on a second spouse...your Realtor

Do you have any idea how many Realtors are out there?!?
I don't either...but I'm guessing it's A LOT!
So how do you pick the right one?

First and foremost...
you deserve someone who is dedicated to representing you and your best interests
{see Advocate below}

Surprise #4...not ALL agents are in it for you!

So find one that is in it for YOU!

We were lucky in this department {not that I haven't had my share of duds in the past}...
Our friend, the loan officer, highly recommended our agent after I expressed my dissatisfaction with the agent that stumbled onto my path...and let me just say, she totally kicks booty!!!

When choosing your agent you might want to take the following TOP TEN list into account!

Top Ten Traits of a Kick A Real Estate Agent

Advocate

Professional Real Estate agents take representation seriously. The process is not about the agent or their commssions...it is all about YOU. They are there to represent your best interests! If you are a seller, your Listing Agent is under contract with you and will represent you accordingly. A Buyer’s Agent are obligated to you and you alone. A great agent will be passionate about working for YOU as the buyer and will protect your best interests.

Knowledgeable

A great agent has to be a knowledgeable agent. They understand local, state, and Federal laws. They are skilled with purchase & sale contracts and can explain all the loads and loads and load of forms and addendums you'll have to read and sign. And they know your area...the different cities, schools, etc. {Our agent made it very clear from the get go that this chick knew what she was talking about...I had full faith in her knowledge and capability immediately!}

Ethical

Licensed real estate agents are held to a very high standard, The NAR Code of Ethics. Most agents strive to maintain these practices in their daily business.

Easily Accessible

Great agents will make themselves available to their clients. This doesn’t mean that they have no life and you can call them 24/7 with your questions. But it does mean that they will make you feel as though you’re their only client! {Our agent has never once made me feel as though I'm not the most important client she's ever had!}

Communicator

A good agent constantly communicates with their clients. This is critical for First Time Buyers. They can never have too much information and their questions are never ending {I should know...I had to write my questions down because I had WAY too many of them}.

Highly Recommended
This is how we found our fantabulous agent! I am forever in debt to our friend for recommending our agent. She seriously saved out lives in this whole process. All I can say is to ASK, ASK, ASK...EVERYONE if they have someone that they recommend. If you don't know anyone that has bought a home recently and you need to find a realtor on your own, ask them to provide you with recent testimonials from past clients, including the client’s contact phone numbers or e-mail address. Fabulous agents will have no problem providing you with many referrals.

Empathetic
A great agent is genuinely sensitive to your needs. They are patient and understanding. They recognize the emotions, fears, and anxieties that usually accompany a first-time home purchase. Their constant and confident assurances provide a much-needed anchor throughout the entire transaction.

Willing to educate
A professional agent can never share too much information. This is especially true with Firstt Time Home Buyers. The first time you meet with your chosen agent; have them walk you through the home-buying transaction, step-by-step.

Tech Savvy
Does she text? Does she use email? GOOD! Most of our stuff was done in this manner due to my work schedule, Boo~Bears work schedule, and her work schedule!

Continuing Education

A great agent is committed to constantly learning new things. Many top agents have earned numerous designations such as Accredited Buyers Representative, or Graduate of Realtors Institute, or Certified Residential Specialist. These designations often indicate more experience, and greater degrees of knowledge.

Once you've found the one!
The agent for you!
The one that completes you, your spouse, and your home buying dream!
You'll find yourself making a commitment!
Yup...this is the first stage of 'the paperwork'...

It's called the

Buyer’s Agency Agreement.

This contract accomplishes several purposes:

It empowers Your Agent to legally represent you in the purchasing process.
It demonstrates your commitment to your Agent.
It equally conveys Your Agent’s commitment to you, to serve your best interests.

Your agent should provide you with a copy of this contract and explain it to you completely.

Your agent should then talk you through the entire home buying process, start to finish.

This is the perfect time to ask as many questions as you can. It may be overwhelming but it's necessary.

This is also the perfect time to be very clear with what you are looking for. I knew I had a good agent when I realized that she actually listened to everything I said...EVERYTHING. We were able to find our home after only looking at 10 houses. #9 we made an offer on and later found out we couldn't live there...#10 was the one! And, yes, I believe everything happens for a reason!

Now...onto the fun and frustrating and exhausting part! TOURING Homes...

Oh wait...there's one more surprise!

Surprise #5...Earnest money? Eh? Inspector Fees? Eh?

Adventures of a First Time Home Buyer! Part 1 - I don't have that kind of money! Better get a loan!

2012-01-27T13:40:00.001-07:00

Welcome to
The Adventures of a First Time Home Buyer

Part 1 ~ I don't have that kind of money! Better get a loan!

I don't know about you but I don't have cash oozing out of my bank account...

so when we decided we were ready to buy a home we did the
first thing any potential home buyer should do!

FIND A LENDER!

Now, this was fairly easy for us.

Remember my intro into this series?

That's right...we just happen to know someone.

BUT that doesn't mean it wasn't an adventure...
mainly because I had to dig into my very unorganized filing system for paystubs and tax records.
{note to self - organize filing system once we move into the new house}
after that it was a numbers game...

How much do you REALLY make?
How much do you REALLY qualify for?
How much can you REALLY afford?

An experienced mortgage lender should definitely be able to review your finances and determine whether or not buying a house is realistic or even close to being realistic. You may find that you need to lower your debt a little {or a lot} or repair something on your credit...so BE PREPARED. Once we were in there we discovered that we had to pay down a few things - not by much - but we weren't 100% prepared for it. Our lender was able to estimate exactly what we could do with the expendable money we had.

So...
Surprise #1...we had to pay some debt down to get scores exactly where they needed to be!
WTF? Moment #1...the credit score you are given by the credit bureaus isn't always the same as the one a mortgage broker pulls up!
Sigh of Relief Moment # 1...the little we had to pay down brought the credit scores up significantly.

Once you get all of that drama out of the way, your lender will help you select the best loan product available that fits your finances and abilities. Ours was easy...FHA was the way to go. We thought that since we were first time home buyers we would qualify for all sorts of fabulous loans {zero down specifically} but lo and behold...those kinds of loans have many restrictions and we didn't meet the criteria.

Surprise #2...you don't necessarily get the cool first time home buyer perks available JUST BECAUSE you are a first time home buyer. There are income restrictions and credit score restrictions on many of these offers.

Once you figure out the loan type you qualify for you get to play with more numbers...LOTS OF THEM!
Like Sales Price, Down Payment, PMI, Mortgage Insurance, Homeowners Insurance...OH MY! These numbers drastically change what you thought you could afford!

Surprise # 3...WHAT? We can't afford our million dollar dream home? POO!
{kidding...we already knew that!}

Your lender will then provide you with a loan pre-approval letter which will help portray you as a qualified buyer as you search for homes. Note ~ our lender didn't give this letter to us directly. He worked with our realtor once we decided to make an offer on a home.

Helpful tips when looking for a lender:

Interview and evaluate a few different lending sources. I've read that you should look into at least three different lenders. Obtain recommendations from your real estate agent {if you have one}, family, or friends.
Ask loads and loads of questions.
Use a local lender. It makes sense to work with someone who knows the area in which you are buying, can respond quickly, and will make it easier for area agents and title/escrow offices to complete transactions.

Having a knowledgeable mortgage specialist will help you achieve success in your home buying adventure! There is one other person that will be essential to this success. YOUR REALTOR!

Stay tuned for: Part 2 ~ Taking on a second spouse...your Realtor

A few of my faves from Totally Tutorial Tuesdays #11

2012-01-27T06:00:00.011-07:00

Here are just a few of my faves from week 11of...

Lightbulb Chandy from The Thrillz of Hillz

Valentine Tree from Alderberry Hill

Don't forget to stop by Measured by the Heart to see if you were featured.

Adventures of a First Time Home Buyer!

2012-01-26T15:12:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the movie

Adventures in Babysitting?

First of all...I love this movie!

Chris Parker, the babysitter, goes into the job thinking it's gonna be a cake walk!

I mean, what possibly could go wrong with a simple babysitting job right?!?

Well, if you've seen the movie, you know anything and everything that

COULD go wrong DOES go wrong...and then some!

There are definitely surprises along the way...

some WTF? moments along the way...

and some sigh of relief moments along the way...

In the end, it all works out...

Well...as you'll soon see...so goes

The Adventures of a First Time Home Buyer!

Now, I'll admit, we didn't do our homework!

We didn't think we would be ready to buy a home for at least a year, maybe two!

We were shocked...and very excited...when on New Years Eve, at a Sports Bar no less, our friend who just happens to be a loan officer for a local lender said...

"You guys could qualify NOW!"

WHA?!?

No Way!!!

He couldn't be serious!

Perhaps he's had a little too much to drink!?!

But...as we soon found out, he was very serious and not drunk {yet}!

And, now we are half way through the process...and boy what a process it is!

Are we the only First Time Home Buyers that have no clue what their doing?

Doubt it!

Could sharing my Adventures and what I've learned help a future First Time Home Buyer?

Maybe!

Couldn't hurt to at least put the info out there right?

Nope!

I hope someone out there finds my new little series ~

The Adventures of a First Time Home Buyer!

~ helpful...or at least worth reading.

Part 1 ~ I don't have that kind of money! Better get a loan!

Part 2 ~ Taking on a second spouse...your Realtor

source

Part 3 ~ Earnest? What the heck is earnest?

Part 4 ~ I always thought I'd be a tourist in Paris...not in another persons home!

Part 5 ~ I'm gonna make em' an offer they can't refuse!

Part 6 ~ Inspector? You mean, like Inspector Gadget?

Part 7 ~ The 11th hour...now is the perfect time for something BAD to happen!

and finally,

Part 8 ~ ARE WE THERE YET?

Stay tuned...

Past Valentines Day Crafts...

2012-01-26T08:56:00.000-07:00

Valentine's Day is right around the corner...and I haven't done a darned thing!

So...I'll share with you, once more, the V-Day Crafts from the past...there are a whoppin' TWO of them!

My Sequins Heart Wreath...

And...a LOVE Coupon Envelope Accordion Book!

I have oodles of V-Day crafts floating around in my brainy brain but alas I have no time to do them.

Packing, cleaning and preparing for my house trumps new crafts...

but, can't y'all wait to see what I do to the NEW place?!?

Totally Tutorial Tuesday Linky Party #11

2012-01-24T11:16:00.000-07:00

Sorry I'm late y'all...have a bit of the stomach flu going on :(

Welcome to the 11th week of...

Party Etiquette

Become a follower of My World Made By Hand AND Measured By The Heart.
DIY projects, crafts, recipes, decorating ideas only please. NO SELLING PLEASE!
Add as many links as you want. Old and new posts are welcome.
Link directly to your post not your home page.
Please take the time to comment on a few other links.
Add our button or a text link to each post that you link up or to your homepage/sidebar.

Be sure to check back Friday to see if you were featured!

A few of my faves from Totally Tutorial Tuesday #10 {better late than never}

2012-01-22T19:36:00.000-07:00

OH EM GEE!

I am SO sorry.

I had this 'scheduled' to post Friday but somehow it got saved as a draft and I just BARELY realized it.

Better late than never???

Here are just a few of my faves from week 10 of...

Petals to Picots is teaching us how to crochet...this is lesson #1

DIY Glitter Keys from Oceanside Daydreams

PERFECT for my NEW HOUSE!!!

{more to come on that one...}

And...

Brag Blocks from A Jennuine Life

Don't forget to stop by Measured by the Heart to see if you were featured.

Me vs. South Jordan City, Utah!!!

2012-01-18T10:38:00.000-07:00

Remember this??

Yup...the home that we made an offer on!

Well...because of these...

We will NOT be buying this house!

And this is why:

South Jordan City Municipal Code 6.12.100

6.12.100: PIT BULL TERRIERS:

A. Prohibition; Defined:

1. It is unlawful for any person to own, possess, keep, exercise control over, maintain, harbor, transport or sell within the city limits any "pit bull terrier", as defined herein.

2. "Pit bull terrier", as used in this section, means any dog that is an American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, or any dog displaying a majority of physical traits of any one or more of the above breeds, or any dog exhibiting those distinguishing characteristics which substantially conform to the standards established by the American Kennel Club or United Kennel Club for any of the above breeds. The American Kennel Club and United Kennel Club standards for the above breeds are on file in the office of the city recorder.

B. Limited Application: The provisions of subsection A of this section shall not apply to any "pit bull terrier", as defined herein, which was legally licensed and kept within the city prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section.

C. Regulations Governing Pit Bull Terriers: The following requirements shall apply to all pit bull terriers which were legally licensed and kept within the city prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section:

1. Any person owning a legally licensed pit bull terrier kept within the city prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section shall obtain a pit bull terrier permit from the city within sixty (60) days of the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section. Such permit shall be conditioned upon compliance with the provisions of this subsection. A pit bull terrier permit shall be valid for a period of one year. The permit may be renewed upon demonstrated compliance with all the provisions of this subsection.

2. Any owner of a pit bull terrier kept within the city shall provide evidence of financial responsibility and/or ability to respond in damages up to and including the amount of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) for bodily injury to or death of any person or persons or for damage to property caused by the owner's pit bull terrier or which may result from the ownership, keeping or maintenance of a pit bull terrier within the city. Proof of ability to respond in damages may be evidenced by filing with the city a certificate of insurance from an insurance company authorized to do business in the state, stating that the owner is and will be insured against liability to respond in damages up to fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00), or by posting with the city a surety bond sufficient to secure the payment of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) in damages or by posting other equivalent evidence of financial responsibility as approved by the city manager.

3. Any pit bull terrier kept within the city shall at all times be either:

a. Confined within a secure enclosure which shall be enclosed on all four (4) sides and the top or if the top is not enclosed shall have sides a minimum of six feet (6') in height; or

b. If the dog is not within a secure enclosure shall be securely leashed and muzzled with the leash securely maintained by the person having custody or control over the pit bull terrier.

4. All pit bull terriers kept within the city shall be implanted, within sixty (60) days of the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section, with a pet identification microchip. The pet identification microchip scan data must be provided to the city before a pit bull terrier permit can be issued.

D. Hearing Procedures:

1. Any pit bull terrier kept within the city which is not in compliance with the provisions of subsection C3 of this section shall be subject to immediate seizure and impoundment and any animal control officer or police officer is authorized to make such seizure and impoundment. Any pit bull terrier so seized and impounded shall remain in impound until released or destroyed by order of the chief of police or city council. If no request for hearing is received within seven (7) days of seizure or impoundment, the pit bull terrier shall be humanely destroyed. Upon receipt of a request for hearing, the provisions of subsection D4 of this section shall apply;

2. Any animal control officer or police officer, in their discretion or upon receipt of a complaint alleging that any pit bull terrier kept within the city is not in compliance with the provisions of subsection C1, C2 or C4 of this section may initiate proceedings to have the pit bull terrier seized and impounded. A hearing on the matter shall be held in accordance with the provisions of subsection D4 of this section;

3. If any pit bull terrier shall attack, kill, wound or assist in attacking, killing or wounding any person or animal within the city, any animal control officer or police officer is empowered to seize and impound the animal. The pit bull terrier shall remain in impound until released or destroyed by order of the chief of police or city council. If no request for hearing is received within seven (7) days of seizure or and impoundment, the pit bull terrier shall be humanely destroyed. Upon receipt of a request for hearing, the provisions of subsection D4 of this section shall apply;

4. A hearing held pursuant to any of the provisions of this subsection shall be held before the police chief or the chief's designee. The person owning or having control over the pit bull terrier in question shall be given not less than seventy two (72) hours' written notice of the time and place of the hearing. The hearing notice shall set forth the description of the pit bull terrier in question and the basis for the allegation of noncompliance with this section. The notice shall also set forth that if the dog is determined to be in noncompliance with the provisions of this section, the owner shall either remove such dog from the corporate limits of the city, or provide evidence that the pit bull terrier has been destroyed or allow the animal to be humanely destroyed at the direction of the city. The notice of hearing shall be served upon any adult residing at the premises where the dog is kept or located or may be posted on the premises if no adult is present to accept service. At the hearing, it shall be the burden of the city to prove by clear and convincing evidence that a violation of the provisions of this section has occurred. Upon an allegation of noncompliance with the provisions of subsections C1, C2 or C4 of this section, the city's prima facie case shall be deemed established if it is demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence that the city has not received a permit application, has not received evidence of financial responsibility or has not received pet identification microchip scan data as applicable;

5. If, after a hearing, an order is made to permanently remove a pit bull terrier from the city limits or to destroy a pit bull terrier, a written order shall be served upon the individual or entity against whom the order is issued in the same manner as the notice of hearing. Such written order shall be served within three (3) days of the decision at the hearing. If the written order is not complied with within three (3) days of service, the police chief or the chief's designee is authorized to order the seizure and impoundment of the pit bull terrier. A pit bull terrier so seized shall be humanely destroyed after three (3) days;

6. The decision of the chief of police or his or her designee to destroy or remove a pit bull terrier from the city limits may be appealed to the city council. In order to appeal the decision, written notice of appeal must be filed with the city manager within three (3) days after receipt of the order to remove or destroy a pit bull terrier. Failure to file such written notice of appeal shall constitute a waiver of the right to appeal the order of the chief of police or his or her designee;

7. The notice of appeal shall state the grounds for such appeal and shall be delivered personally or by certified mail to the city manager. The hearing of the appeal shall be held by the city council at the next available city council meeting; provided in all circumstances, that proper public notice of the meeting agenda shall be given. The pit bull terrier shall remain impounded pending any appeal hearing, and if it is determined that the order to remove or destroy the pit bull terrier is valid, costs of impoundment shall be paid by the appealing party. Any appeal hearing before the city council may be continued for good cause. The city council may affirm, reverse or modify the order of the chief of police or the chief's designee, or may make such further order as the city council determines is warranted and is just under the circumstances. The city council's determination shall be in a written decision, and shall be made within seven (7) days after the hearing, or any continued session thereof. If an appellant fails to comply with an order of the city council within five (5) days of service of the written decision, the city may proceed to have the animal destroyed in a humane manner.

E. Criminal Penalties: Any violation of the provisions of this section shall be a class C misdemeanor. (Prior code § 7.12.125; amd. Ord. 97-19)

South Jordan City, Utah...

you and I are going to have WORDS!!!

Totally Tutorial Tuesday #10

2012-01-17T09:49:00.002-07:00

Welcome to the 10th week of...

Party Etiquette

Become a follower of My World Made By Hand AND Measured By The Heart.
DIY projects, crafts, recipes, decorating ideas only please. NO SELLING PLEASE!
Add as many links as you want. Old and new posts are welcome.
Link directly to your post not your home page.
Please take the time to comment on a few other links.
Add our button or a text link to each post that you link up or to your homepage/sidebar.

Be sure to check back Friday to see if you were featured!

BIG NEWS!!!

2012-01-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

7 days...

Some tears....

Some frustration...

Some deep discussions with Boo~Bear...

Too many homes to count...

But we found it...

Pending inspection and all the other hoopla...

we'll call this comfy Rambler/Ranch home ours by the end of February!!!

WHOOT WHOOT

A few of my faves from Totally Tutorial Tuesdays #9...

2012-01-13T09:18:00.000-07:00

Here are two of my faves from week 9 of...


Mod Podging Pictures from Pink Umbrella Photography

Tales of a Trophy Wife brought us...

Laundry Basket Shelf

GIANT Pin Cushion

Don't forget to stop by Measured by the Heart to see if you were featured.

PB Rice Krispie Treats by Mrs. J

2012-01-12T10:27:00.000-07:00

Happy January everyone!

It's Mrs. J from Delightful Deets!

I don't know about you guys, but this month is big time football month for our family!
My sister and I are sandwiched in between 7 boys so we grew up watching football.

With all of the championship games, parties, and the holidays winding down, I wanted to share something super duper easy.

It's a crowd pleaser, so if you are headed out to any parties, take this!

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats with Chocolate

{aka scotcheroos}

You need:

-just about 1/2 or a tiny bit more of a bottle of Karo syrup 16 oz

-1 cup sugar

-1 cup peanut butter

-6 cups rice krispies

This part can be altered, I usually use peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips.

1 bag chocolate chips

1/2 bag peanut butter chips

1/2 bag butterscotch chips

I like a thick chocolate drizzle, but if you use 1 1/2-2 bags of chips, you'll be good.

Pour the sugar and karo syrup into a pot and turn on medium heat until it boils. When it starts boiling, turn off the heat and add peanut butter. Stir until melted. Then add in your rice krispies, stir, and pour into a 9x13. Let sit while you make the topping.

I didn't have butterscotch chips so I used 1 chocolate chip bag and 1/2 of peanut butter.

Be careful not to burn the chocolate. I melt it for 45 seconds, stir, then 35, stir, then 25 and it's usually done.

Drizzle over the top and let sit for a bit.

Finished product, delish!

I like to let it sit for not only the rice krispies to set, but the chocolate also. It can be quite the mess!

Thanks for letting me visit!

Totally Tutorial Tuesday #9

2012-01-10T08:48:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the 9th week of...

Party Etiquette

Become a follower of My World Made By Hand AND Measured By The Heart.
DIY projects, crafts, recipes, decorating ideas only please. NO SELLING PLEASE!
Add as many links as you want. Old and new posts are welcome.
Link directly to your post not your home page.
Please take the time to comment on a few other links.
Add our button or a text link to each post that you link up or to your homepage/sidebar.

Be sure to check back Friday to see if you were featured!

Who doesn't love a POLL? I need your feedback...

2012-01-06T14:41:00.000-07:00

Okay, here's the dealio...

Boo~Bear and I are finally going to fulfill a long time dream...

source

Yup...that's right! We are going to buy a house {as soon as I can find the one}!

WOOHOO!!!!!!

Which means I will NOT be spending much money on crafting for a few months.

I'd like to get an idea of what y'all like the most...so, please take my poll.

You can choose your top three...

Or should I just put the whole blog on hold for a year?

Inquiring minds want to know...

A few of my faves from Totally Tutorial Tuesday #8

2012-01-06T09:23:00.000-07:00

Here are two of my faves from week 8 of...


Peanut Butter Fudge by Raising Oranges

Because I love Peanut Butter...

Duct Tape Covered Boots by Crafting in the Rain

Because I too have Duct Tape crafts!

If you were featured please share the love and grab my button

Don't forget to stop by Measured by the Heart to see if you were featured.

How to make your own Spool Knitter...for spool knitting y'all!

2012-01-04T06:00:00.002-07:00

I don't know how to knit!

But recently I learned an easy and inexpensive way to knit a scarf....

First, you need a spool knitter.

Now you could go buy one OR you could make one...out of an ice cream tub of all things!

Looks easy enough right?!?

Well that's cause IT IS EASY...SUPER EASY!

First, you'll need the following:

A clean ice cream tub (you can use a whip cream tub as well), a marker, a measuring tape,

a razor blade - box cutter, and tape (not shown).

Start by taking off the handle and cutting off the bottom...

You could measure an inch off the bottom and then cut or if you are lucky like me, just cut where there's a decorative line.

At this point you will have a bottomless tub and possible a toothless DIVA looking through it!

Then, tape your measuring tape around the tub and start marking lines at 1 inch intervals...

Until your tub looks like this...

Remove your measuring tape. Place it against the lines and extend them so they are all 1 inch in length.

It should look like this...as you can see, mine is sloppy.

Then simply draw a line at the base of every other line, squaring your sections off.

Then cut...CAREFULLY!!!

And wipe off the marker so it doesn't wipe off on your yarn.

And voila...you have yourself a spool knitter.

Tips:

1 - Try to make an even amount of pegs.

2 - You can do your measurements at whatever length you want.

3 - Sand/smooth edges before you start to knit.

Now...are y'all ready to get your knit on with me?!?

I'll be back in a few days to show you how to use this nifty tool!

12 for '12...

2012-01-03T18:54:00.000-07:00

What are your goals for 2012?

Totally Tutorial Tuesday #8

2012-01-03T09:30:00.002-07:00

Welcome to the 8th week of...

Party Etiquette

Become a follower of My World Made By Hand AND Measured By The Heart.
DIY projects, crafts, recipes, decorating ideas only please. NO SELLING PLEASE!
Add as many links as you want. Old and new posts are welcome.
Link directly to your post not your home page.
Please take the time to comment on a few other links.
Add our button or a text link to each post that you link up or to your homepage/sidebar.

Be sure to check back Friday to see if you were featured!

My World in 2011

2011-12-29T14:54:00.000-07:00

A year in review...

I started My World in January of 2011.

I had 30 something followers and then UCreate featured me as a new blog to watch...and I was off!

{forever a UCreate follower BTW!}

Now I sit just under 1000

{crossing my fingers I hit 1000 before 1/14/12 - my 1 year anniversary}

and I have the most fantabulous readers in the world!

I've done many posts...crafts, how-tos, recipes, etc. and these are the most popular BY FAR!!!

My No Sew Infinity Scarf from early on has had 165,056 views...

Next in line is my Washer Paper Pendants...

My Glitter tutes...

How to Mod Podge Glitter and make Glitter Ornaments...

And, of course, my very first tutorial. How to make a Tutu Halter Dress...

Some popular recipes include my Homemade Kool-Aid Slurpees...

It's So Frenchy...

My World has been viewed a whoppin' 468,271 times in the last year...
should we see if we can double that?!?

Thank you to all of YOU for making My World worth writing :)

Elf On The Shelf ideas for next year...

2011-12-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, we adopted an Elf this year.

Rosie is her name and she is a hoot and a holler!

She found quite the hiding spots this year and caused quite a ruckus with some of her stunts...

After DIVA gave her the name Rosie, she was placed on our Christmas tree...

and then she made her way around the house...

She wrangled a rooster...

Took a spin in my KitchenAid mixer....

Took a nap in Barbie's mansion...

Got caught with more than her hand in the cookie jar...

Oh goodie...another Gamer!

Writing notes...

Diggin' in the candy box!

Playing with Scrabble tiles {notice the two messages?}

Reading her story!

Taking a Marshmallow Bath in Barbies mansion

2011-12-24T16:00:00.000-07:00

And of course my first PINTERIST completion would be LUMPS OF COAL!!!

2011-12-20T10:31:00.001-07:00

I'm a Pinterist addict...but I never really MAKE anything I pin!

Until now...

That's right...

LUMPS OF COAL by eighteen 25

I immediately knew that I absolutely HAD to make these for my co-workers!

{back story - I work for/with 25 Engineers - ALL MEN!}

I mean...they all deserve a little coal for Christmas!!!

So...I printed out the wonderfully cute FREE labels they provided...

...visit eighteen 25 HERE to get your own!

To make the coal, you'll need

1/4 cup butter

10.5 ounce bag of mini marshmallows

4 cups of Rice Krispie Cereal

Black Icing Color {I used Wilton}

Since it wasn't clear on the yield of this recipe, I doubled it {except for the food coloring}.
I ended up with 78 good sized pieces of coal.

Step 1: Melt butter on low and add marshmallows

Step 2: Once this is melted add your black coloring.

Mmmmmmmm.....tar!!!!

Step 3: Add Rice Krispies until they are all covered with the black marshmallow mixture.

At this point, I called my family in and told them that this was Din-Din!
They didn't seem all that excited about it...humph!

Step 4: Take out small handfuls and mold into 'coal - like' shapes.

And there you have it...yummy in the tummy COAL!

Now...I must warn you of two things!

1 ~ You will get MESSY!!!

and 2 ~ These will turn your smile...well, BLACK!!!

Now just place a few pieces in your bags {or whatever container you chose} and dress it up with ribbon and the super cute tags you printed earlier!

I can't wait to see what PINS I get to in 2012!

More Adventures with Rosie the Elf...

2011-12-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd share some last minute

Elf on the Shelf ideas with you...
these are my three favorites so far!

Reading her own story...

Playing Scrabble

{notice the 'HI' on her lap and then the message on the board}

and finally...taking a Mallow Bath!

What are your elves up to?!?

The Adventures of Rosie the Elf...continued {again}

2011-12-15T09:52:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, we adopted an elf this year.

Her name is Rosie...

you can see her first few adventures here and a few more here...

Here is what she has been up to lately!

Just what I need...another Gamer in the house!!!

Girl seriously needs to lay off the sweets...

She had a lonely night and made a point to tell us that she missed us.

DIVA loved this one...

What's your Elf doin'?

Christmas Candy Bar Trains by Mrs. J!

2011-12-13T09:52:00.000-07:00

Hi there everyone!

I'm Mrs. J visiting from Delightful Deets, where we have an amazing Shabby Apple Giveaway going on right now...Feel free to check it out!

And we are back!

When I started our little blog last year, I couldn't wait to share this tradition we have with our family.

11 months later I get to share it!

Christmas candy bar trains!

This year we added a pointed Christmas tree in the middle, usually it is a flat end cone cupcake.

Thanks to Martha Stewart, I tried the pointed ice cream cone cupcake!

Every person gets their own plate. This year we bought fun size Snickers, Twix, Butterfinger, & 100 Grand for our cars. Peppermints were our wheels, M&M's our track, Santa with some presents, and candy cane kisses.

It's amazing our children went to bed at a decent time...I'm curious how long it took them to fall asleep!

On left, Cowboy's...On the right, Little Miss L's, and in the back, Uncle B's. He made a skating rink for Santa.

Such a fun tradition and our kids loved it! They will be eating it all the way until Christmas!

Have a Merry Christmas!

Those pesky little neighbor gifts...

2011-12-10T12:27:00.001-07:00

You need some neighbor gifts don't you?

Or perhaps a gift for your kids teachers?

Or even your co-workers?

But you've run out of ideas huh?!?

Ya, I know how you feel!

Well...leave it to me to solve all your problems...teehee...make ya some

Soda Bottle Snowmen!

Oh my dirty snow...

isn't it so stinkin' CUTE!?!

All you need is some tube socks, black tea, fleece, ribbon or twine, pom-poms and orange pipe cleaner!

Oh...and you'll definitely need your hot glue gun...cause this is a NO SEW craft!

And you'll need SODA...doh!

Now, make sure you get TUBE SOCKS!

You don't want a heel or the grey coloring on the tootsie part!

Now...before we get started I should warn you that there are a lot of pictures

and my bestie and I made a ton of these bad boys!

Don't let it overwhelm you...these really are super easy...and CHEAP!

To give you an idea...we made 40 and spent $65 on all the supplies...that's a

whoppin' $1.63 each!

Okay...let's do this already...

Turn those fantabulous tube socks inside out.

Now...you can leave them like this or dye them with black tea!

For a full tutorial on how to dye fabric with black tea...GO HERE!!!

We let the socks sit in the dye for about 15 minutes, rinsed them out with cold water and then threw them in the dryer...and while we waited we put the hats, noses, and scarves together.

Let's start with your fleece!

For 40 snowmen we used 3 yards...

Start by trimming off the edges.

And then place your soda bottle on the fleece to measure the hat.

As you can see I placed the fabric below the label and also left about 2 to 3 inches of excess off the top.

To measure the girth, simply wrap the fleece around the bottle.

The fleece only needs to overlap the tiniest bit...about 1/4 inch or less.

Cut and use this as your template for the remaining hats {if you are making more than one that is}.

Now it's time to hot glue these mini beanies together!

Fold your piece in half...

Hot glue a strip leaving the top 2 inches open {only hot glue the bottom portion}.

Fold, press and hold until glue is set.

{I totally love that I had multiple hand models for this tutorial...just sayin'}

And say hello to my little hot glue helper...

It's always great to have an eager 10 year old girl around when you need one!

This is what it will look like at this point...

Once you are all done with your hats it's time to start on the scarfs.

I cut each scarf at 1 1/4 inches wide and 28 inches long.

Okay...so it's probably a good time to check on those socks. Are they dry yet? Ours were...

Sheesh...that's a lot of dirty socks! And on the dining room table no less...

Time to cozy those bottles up...get it...it's a soda cozy...bahahahahahahaha...

Fold the top down so it looks like your soda is wearing a turtle neck...see, nice and COZY!

Seriously...I crack myself up!

Phew...must go on with the tute...

Place your hate on the soda and tie your twine or ribbon around the excess.

Now cut strips into the top

{you can do this while it's on the bottle or take the hat off...up to you}

Step back and check out your AWESOMENESS...

I should point out that we used two sizes of soda bottles...2 liters and 1.25 liters

{we are also planning on making them in the 16.9 oz bottles but the socks were too big and we hadn't figured it out at 2:00 AM so we called it quits...for now}

Tie your scarf on...leaving a space for the nose and eyes.

'Fringe' the edges with small cuts.

Now...onto the noses.

You may want to mute this...

a hubby came in the door in the middle and I'm not sure but I think there may be a cuss word.
{my apologies in advance...didn't notice it until it was too late and this is all I have for the noses}

That looks easy enough right?

K...ready to hot glue again?

And then the pom poms...two for the eyes and two for the buttons.

And there you have it...the cutest beverage cozy EVER!!!

A few of my faves from Totally Tutorial Tuesdays #7

2011-12-09T09:22:00.000-07:00

Before I get on with my faves from week 7 of

I wanted to let y'all know that this linky will be suspended until after Christmas.
With everyone being so busy we thought it best to give it a rest for a few weeks.
We will resume Totally Tutorial Tuesdays on January 3, 2012.

In the meantime, you can always link up your Christmas posts to my Christmas linky.

Okay, so I picked three faves from this last week and they just happen to be all from the same blogger.

Advent Calendar

Inexpensive Ornaments

Clay Tags

All by

B & B's Nest

Laura, please share the love and grab my button...

Don't forget to stop by Measured by the Heart to see if you were featured.

The Adventures of Rosie the Elf...continued...

2011-12-08T09:54:00.001-07:00

I must say that my little DIVA has had an absolute BLAST trying to find Rosie every morning!

I am so glad that we adopted this new family tradition. It's been a fabulous way to bring some Christmas cheer and fun into our home! I highly recommend it!!!

Tuesday morning we found her chillin' in my KitchenAid Mixer

We were thinking that maybe she was thinking it was a teacup and she was going to go for a ride!

Wednesday morning we found her taking a nap in Barbie's mansion...

Must have been a very long trip to the North Pole and back!!

And this morning we found her covered in KISSES...

Apparently Rosie has quiet the sweet tooth!

I'm sure Rosie has some other great hiding spots/activities in mind...stay tuned to see what she does next!

The yummiest Caramel Popcorn in the entire UNIVERSE { oh ya...I'm totally callin' it that! }

2011-12-07T06:00:00.003-07:00

The Yummiest Caramel Popcorn in the entire

UNIVERSE!!!

Okay...if the title of this post didn't get your attention than that picture should have!

Does it not look as DE-LISH as I claim it is!?!

Seriously...NOMANOMANOMANOMA!!!!

But, I can't take credit for this recipe...it belongs to a dear friend of mine...

Adrienne...the beauty in the middle with the nice ballet form!

Just a little back story ~ the three of us have been friends since we were around 14/15 years old and now all three of us have beautiful little DIVAS all around the same age! How stinkin' awesome is that?!?

It's AWESOMELICIOUS that's what it is!

Oh ya...if you'd like to know how to make that Tutu Halter Dress Diva is wearing...go HERE!

Okay...back to the

The Yummiest Caramel Popcorn in the entire

UNIVERSE!!!

You will need:

1 cup unpopped popcorn kernels

1 cup butter

1 cup light corn syrup

1 can sweet condensed milk

2 1/4 cup light brown sugar

Prep:

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper...trust me, do this first!

Then, pop you some popcorn!

POP goes the first kernel...POP goes the next...then POP, POP...EXPLOSION...there go all the rest!

Melt the butter with a wooden spoon...

Once melted, stir in corn syrup and milk and then the brown sugar...

Stir, stir, stir, stir and stir while bringing to a boil...

Boil until your candy thermometer {I love my PC one...LOVE it} reads 220 degrees

If you don't have a thermometer just boil for 3-4 minutes.

It should look creamy with a light caramel color. If it is ends up clear you have cooked it too long.

And then pour onto your popped popcorn...

And stir...again, with wooden spoons...

Once the kernels are covered, pour it out on the cookie sheet you first prepped.

Let stand for a bit {ya right...we started picking at it as it was being poured out} and then eat up!

{If you are making popcorn balls, start making the balls shortly after you pour it on your sheet.}

Now...are you hankerin' for some caramel popcorn now or what?!?

Totally Tutorial Tuesdays #7...

2011-12-06T09:30:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the 7th week of...

Party Etiquette

Become a follower of My World Made By Hand AND Measured By The Heart.
DIY projects, crafts, recipes, decorating ideas only please. NO SELLING PLEASE!
Add as many links as you want. Old and new posts are welcome.
Link directly to your post not your home page.
Please take the time to comment on a few other links.
Add our button or a text link to each post that you link up or to your homepage/sidebar.

Be sure to check back Friday to see if you were featured!

The Adventures of Rosie the Elf...

2011-12-05T10:32:00.001-07:00

Meet Rosie...

She's our Elf!

We adopted her yesterday afternoon from Target...

She came in this cute box...

We knew immediately that she was a chick so we got her some clothes...

after all, what girl doesn't love clothes?!?

DIVA named her and placed her on the Christmas tree and then, of course, it was story time!

{Even Da Boy #1 got into it...}

This morning turned into an immediate game of Hide N' Seek...

Where did she go?

Rosie was no longer perched on the tree...

Apparently our Rosie enjoys wranglin' roosters...in a lady like fashion!

I've been warned that these elves can be quite mischievous... and can cause quite a mess!

My luck...Rosie will be the most mischievous of them all...

Stay tuned to find out where Rosie ends up next!

A few of my faves from Totally Tutorial Tuesdays #6

2011-12-02T10:14:00.001-07:00

Can ya'll believe it's December?

This year has flown by super fast...

It doesn't even seem like I've been doing this linky for 6 weeks...but here we are...#6!

and here are just a few of my faves...

Alcohol Inked Glass Ornament Tutorial by Lisa's Craft Blog

Lisa is a new blogger that has definitely caught my attention. She is super sweet and I look forward to seeing more from her. You should check her blog out...

Real Steel Meets Styrofoam DIY by Just a litte Creativity

Diamond plating is super expensive...trust me, I know...but this has the look without the expense!

Jalapeno Pepper Jelly by Potholes & Pantyhose

Another blogger that has caught my eye recently...

Craft Organizer/Hutch by Frou-Frugal

WANT ONE! MUST HAVE ONE!!!

Before & After Light by A Sense of Design

Okay...if you were featured, please share the love and grab my button...

Don't forget to stop by Measured by the Heart to see if you were featured.

I'm turning into a minimalist...and at Christmas no less!

2011-12-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd give you a quick peek into my home during the holidays...

I just love my tree...isn't it cute?!?

Frosty's hat is by far my favorite ornament!

Do you Believe? I do...

And Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without Christ.

That's it...if I show too much more I'll ruin some surprises.

How to make Gauntlets from an old sweater...

2011-11-30T10:01:00.001-07:00

I've got a fun, quirky little tutorial to share with you today...it's part of my

How to make GAUNTLETS from an old sweater!

Isn't she lovely? Yes, I think so too! Too bad she shrunk {or perhaps I've expanded...humph}!

I was going to throw her in the donation bag but then I had a

DING! DING! DING!

{that's my way of saying idea...teehee}

Why not use the sleeves of this beauty to make me some more gauntlets like the ones above!

I know...I'm a genius!

So...I did!

And it was SUPER easy!

Now...before we proceed...I'd like to clarify one thing!

This tutorial is to show you how you can make your own gauntlets from a shrunken sweater...

NOT on my amazing seamstress skills...which, as you'll see, I'm completely lacking!

Okay...now that we have that out of the way...let's get goin'!

Lay your existing gauntlet over the sleeve and cut away!

I didn't cut right next to the existing glove...I left some wiggle room for hems.

Now, if you don't have a gauntlet to use as your template don't fret...

there are instructions below to show you how to make these bad boys from fabric!

As you can see, the sweater is a little wider than the gauntlet.

Simply trim that off...

by lining up your gauntlet to and sewing a straight line.

{this may prove more difficult for some...uhum}

Now it should be nice and snug...but gosh darnet...what about that thumb!?!

Easy! Line it up, pin it, and cut a hole!

See my finger in there...it's trying to play hide n' seek apparently!

Now you can leave the edge raw or hem it.

My sweater was a little loosely woven so it needed a good hem job!

Beautify with buttons and voila!

You've got yourself some homemade gauntlets!

Ready for the instructions on how to make these if you don't already have gauntlets?

Oh alright...here they are...

1. Take measurements. {a} Measure around your hand, just below the base of your fingers. Then {b} measure from your finger knuckles to wherever you want the gauntlets to end. Fill in the blanks...

{a} = _________" / 2 = ___________" + 1" seam allowance + 1/2" ease = _________

{b} = __________" +2" for hems

2. Cut it out. Cut four rectangles based on your {a} and {b} measurements. Make sure the greatest stretch runs horizontally across your hands.

3. Stitch the thumb side seams. Place two fabric pieces right sides together. Place them on your arm where you will be wearing them, taking into account the seam allowance, On one of the long sides, mark where the opening for your thumb should be. Stitch that side, with a backtack on either side of the thumb opening. Match the opening as you sew the second gauntlet.

4. Finish the side seams. Finger press the thumb side seam allowances open and topstitch them into place 1/4" away from seam. With right sides together, stitch the remaining side seam using a 1/2" seam allowance.

5. Hem the ends. Turn the ends under 1/2" and stitch them in place.

6. Embellish as you see fit or leave plain.

If this is confuses you...which it did me until I made my own...don't worry, there will be a more detailed tutorial for these very soon!

Totally Tutorial Tuesday Linky Party #6...

2011-11-28T22:17:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the 6th week of...

Party Etiquette

Become a follower of My World Made By Hand AND Measured By The Heart.
DIY projects, crafts, recipes, decorating ideas only please. NO SELLING PLEASE!
Add as many links as you want. Old and new posts are welcome.
Link directly to your post not your home page.
Please take the time to comment on a few other links.
Add our button or a text link to each post that you link up or to your homepage/sidebar.

Be sure to check back Friday to see if you were featured!

I must apologize + my faves from last week!

2011-11-28T15:57:00.000-07:00

I am SOOO incredibly sorry that I've left y'all hanging!

I totally suck! I know...

If you really want to know, I have been home with pneumonia...

source

AND recovering from Black Friday!

source

Nice combo eh?!?

I hope y'all can forgive me...

Here are my faves from last weeks linky...better late than never I suppose right?

{and I apologize for not commenting on all links...I went down hard and fast}

Silhouette Cameo 101 - Fabric Interfacing from Keeping It Simple
{even though I don't have a Silhouette}

Sweater to Slouchy Hat by vixenMade

Rainbow Sneakers from The Stuff of Success

{ya...totally doing this for DIVA}

Okay...I totally promise that I'll have my you know what together for tomorrow's linky...

Please grab a button if you were featured and share the love...

Be sure to come back tomorrow and link up and don't forget my Christmas linky starting Thursday!

Happy Turkey Day & I'm Thankful for...

2011-11-24T09:52:00.000-07:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Apparently I am thankful for...

November 1 ~ My tum tum is thankful for a little product call TUMS!

November 2 ~ I am thankful for Boo~Bear...his love, his compassion, his friendship, his companionship, his humor.

November 3 ~ I am thankful for warm cozy blankies, sweats, and slippers.

November 4 ~ I am thankful for good neighbors that always have enough powdered sugar for me to borrow.

November 5 ~ I am thankful for sleeping in...even if it's only till 9:00 AM.

November 6 ~ I am thankful for the extra hour!!!

November 7 ~ I am thankful for friends...the kind of friends that are like an annoying piece of chewed up gum that you stepped on years and years and years ago and nothing you do seems to get rid of it...you know, the good kind.

November 8 ~ I am thankful to know love...the mad, crazy, deep kind. And I am thankful to be loved back in the same way!

November 9 ~ I am thankful for the saying 'Don't make me call your father!'!

November 10 ~ I am thankful for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups!

November 11 ~ I am thankful for all the Veterans that have served, are serving or will serve for without them we would not enjoy the freedoms that we do.

November 12 ~ I am thankful for Saturday mornings...the one and only morning neither Boo~Bear nor myself need to get out of bed to go to work!

November 13 ~ I am thankful for a clean house...now if only I could get mine clean!

November 14 ~ I am thankful to be able to wave bye-bye and blow kisses to DIVA as she gets on the school bus in the morning. Of the 12+ years of being a mommy this is the first year I've been able to see my kids off to school!

November 15 ~ I am thankful for the peace I have in my life.

November 16 ~ I am thankful for Match.com for without it, I would never have met my man!

November 17 ~ Dear Santa, I would be very thankful if you would bring me a 2012 Camaro SS for Christmas!

November 18 ~ I am thankful for Tylenol PM!

November 19 ~ I am thankful for my iPhone!

November 20 ~ I am thankful for my family...so very thankful!

November 21 ~ I am thankful to be fortunate enough NOT to be on unemployment!

November 22 ~ I am thankful for strong antibiotics and narcotic cough syrup!

November 23 ~ I am thankful for YOU!

November 24 ~ I am thankful for warm dinner rolls with melted butter, sweet pumpkin pie, juicy turkey, molded cranberry jelly, turkey stuffing, creamy mashed potatoes, vegetables...and an expandable belt!

Now bring on BLACK FRIDAY!!!

Sour Cream Apple Pie brought to you by Delightful Deets

2011-11-23T13:07:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all!
I'm thrilled to be back and so grateful to Jess for being the best!
Isn't she amazing?!

I'm going to share a quick recipe that would be perfect for a Thanksgiving dessert!

It's a different, unique pie called Sour Cream Apple Pie!

First off, the crust is usually the most time consuming, messy part of a pie.
Feel free to use a store bought crust or use this one.
The batch makes 4 pie crusts and are easy to throw in the freezer until you are ready to use them.

Pie Crust
3 c. flour
1 t. salt
1/2 c. cold water
1 T vinegar
2 t. sugar
1 1/2 c. shortening
1 egg

Combine flour, sugar and salt in mixing bowl. Cut in shortening until it
resembles coarse crumbs. In separate bowl, mix water, egg and vinegar.
Stir into dry ingredients, just until blended. Turn onto floured
counter and knead 5-6 times. Divide into 4 and roll each sections out to make pie crust.

Now for the fun part, here's what you need:

1/8 t salt

2 T flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup sour cream

1 t vanilla

1/4 t nutmeg

2 cups apple

{raisins optional}

Sift together salt, flour and sugar. Add egg, sour cream, vanilla and nutmeg. Beat to a smooth batter. Stir in apple (and raisins if you choose to use them). Pour into pastry-lined pie plate.

Bake at 400 for 15 minutes, then at 350 for 30 minutes.

{My mom's oven cooks really fast so I bring it down just a couple minutes on each}

Then you make a delicious topping.

1/3 cup sugar

1 t cinnamon

1/3 cup flour

1/4 cup butter

Mix together, sprinkle over pie.

Return the oven to 400 and bake for 10 minutes until browned.

It is delicious warm or cold!

Hope you enjoy and get a chance to try this!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Come visit us over at Delightful Deets!

Totally Tutorial Tuesday Linky Party #5...

2011-11-21T23:22:00.003-07:00

Welcome to the 5th week of...

Y'all ready for another week of totally awesome tutorials???

Party Etiquette

Become a follower of My World Made By Hand AND Measured By The Heart.
DIY projects, crafts, recipes, decorating ideas only please. NO SELLING PLEASE!
Add as many links as you want. Old and new posts are welcome.
Link directly to your post not your home page.
Please take the time to comment on a few other links.
Add our button or a text link to each post that you link up or to your homepage/sidebar.

Be sure to check back Friday to see if you were featured!

Some changes in My World...

2011-11-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hello my lovelies...

I just wanted to stop in this wonderful Saturday morning to show you what I've been working on!

Have you ever stopped by these two pages?

Uh...you better have said YES!!! Teehee...

Since you have been there you should know...

I just had all my tutorials and recipe posts linking to the pages...

needless to say it was proving difficult to find any of my stuff!

So, I changed things up a little...

Under MY COOKBOOK you'll see

But it won't be crooked!

All you have to do is find the recipe you are looking for and click on the picture!

VOILA!!!

Same thing goes for MY TUTORIALS...

Except for here you'll find four categories:

CRAFTS

HOW-TO'S

SEW & NO SEW

CLEANING AND ORGANIZING

So...pop on over, check it out and let me know what you think!

A few of my faves from Totally Tutorial Tuesdays #4 AND......

2011-11-18T06:00:00.001-07:00

We'll get to my faves in just a sec...mmkay?!?

I'm super excited to announce...

Starting December 1st you can stop by and link up any and all Christmas posts!

I'm not kidding...

ANY AND ALL CHRISTMAS POSTS WELCOME!

Tutorials

DIY

Crafts

Decor

Recipes

Thoughts

etc...

I will then randomly feature posts throughout the entire month.

The only thing you need to do to participate:

Follow My World Made By Hand

If you would like to be featured please post my Christmas button

somewhere on your blog and/or in your post!

I will be doing a

SURPRISE GIVEAWAY

at the end of the month for those of you who created your own post asking your readers to

stop by My World to join the party!

If you do this, please leave a comment with a link to your post when the linky party goes live.

Okay...so now onto some of my FAVES from this weeks TTT!

Tutu Bed Skirt from Babblings and More

You can bet your you know what that I'll be making one of these for DIVA!

Birthday Shirt from Keeping It Simple
{you are NEVER going to believe what the sleeves are made of!}

Lunch Bag Flowers from 52 Mantels

Butterfly Mobile/PB Kids Room by Between U & Me

Yet another wonderful craft for DIVA's room...

Okay...I'm spent! It's so hard picking!!!

Please grab my button and share the love if you were featured...

Don't forget to stop by Measured By The Heart to see if you were featured there!

Mod Podging Glitter

2011-11-17T06:00:00.009-07:00

Ever wonder how 'they' got glitter to stick to wood?

You know who 'they' are!

{Disclaimer ~ I am a UTES fan...this Y is for a friend}

There's a trick to this one...kind of like my Glitter Ornaments!

Can you guess what the trick is?

Yup...it's the Clear Acrylic Coating Spray

It's the same stuff I used to seal my Stamped Tile Coasters.

1 ~ Spread Mod Podge over your wood. Don't be stingy!

Note ~ I always paint my piece first.

2 ~ Pour glitter over Mod Podge. Again, don't be stingy!

Note ~ Be sure to do this over wax paper so you can save the excess.

3 ~ Let sit for about 15 minutes and then dip sideways to get rid of excess glitter.

4 ~ Spray Krylon UV-Resistant Clear Acrylic Coating over entire piece.

Note ~ You should do this outside or in a well ventilated area. It's strong stuff!

And there you have it...beautiful glitter that won't fall off!!!

Oh Brother...I gots me a new Sewing Room {{well, sort of}}

2011-11-16T06:00:00.043-07:00

I don't have a Sewing Room!

So imagine my predicament when I got my new toy...

And after making DIVAs and my matching aprons...

I realized that I needed to MAKE a Sewing Room...or Sewing Space rather because, well, apparently it takes up too much of my dining room table!

But...my craft room was in shambles {big surprise}!!!

So...I cleaned up a corner, brought down one of my many Costco tables and set a little corner up just for my new adventure!!

Remember all my buttons?

And my upcycled window frame turned memo board?

And I'm gonna sit my rear in the comfy chair Mandi made me from the Epic Room Makeover!

Be sure to check out...

to see my crazy sewing adventures!

Totally Tutorial Tuesday Linky Party #4

2011-11-15T00:01:00.002-07:00

Tuesdays are quickly becoming one of my favorite days...

I'm just always so excited to see what y'all have been up to!

Welcome to the 4th week of...

Y'all ready for another week of totally awesome tutorials???

Party Etiquette

Become a follower of My World Made By Hand AND Measured By The Heart.
DIY projects, crafts, recipes, decorating ideas only please. NO SELLING PLEASE!
Add as many links as you want. Old and new posts are welcome.
Link directly to your post not your home page.
Please take the time to comment on a few other links.
Add our button or a text link to each post that you link up or to your homepage/sidebar.

Be sure to check back Friday to see if you were featured
AND
to get a heads up on something coming to My World!

I'm no Betty Crocker...{{Recipes from a box series - Lemon Poppyseed Bundt}}

2011-11-14T06:00:00.006-07:00

Here we are again...you, me, a cake mix...

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

K...so this one might not be entirely new but it rocks {and didn't nearly get as much love as I felt it should have...hint, hint}} so I'm reminding y'all of it's fabulousness...mmkay!!!

LEMON POPPYSEED BUNDT

But not just any LEMON POPPYSEED BUNDT ...

THE ONE AND ONLY LEMON POPPYSEED BUNDT

Got it?!?

GOOD!

Seriously, I'm totally drooling over myself right now!

So, if you haven't already seen it...CLICK HERE!!!

And show a girl some love huh?!?

Turkey...Turkey...Turkey...OREO Turkey....

2011-11-12T06:00:00.004-07:00

Last November

before I started blogging

and before I started taking pictures of every single project I created

I made some Turkey OREOS

{thanks to my sis-in-law for taking the pic}

They were a huge hit and the kids loved them.

I will most definitely be making them again...and here's how

OREO Cookie Turkeys by The Idea Room

{one of the first blogs I started ~~stalking~~ reading}

If you would like to make something cute and fun and SIMPLE for Thanksgiving...try these!

Trust me...EVERYONE will love them!

A few of my faves from Totally Tutorial Tuesday #3

2011-11-11T06:00:00.003-07:00

I am continuously amazed at all the talent out there.

Seriously! Y'all ROCK MY SOCKS!

Here are just a few of my faves from

Hope you like them all as much as I do!

Glitter Thumbtacks by vixenMade

Vintage Crate Stairs at Compulsive in Texas

T-Shirt Bows from Little Sprinkles of Fun

Poinsettia Pillow at Crafting in the Rain

Chalkboard Menu by Keeping it Simple

Please grab a button and share the love...

Also, don't forget to stop by Measured By The Heart to see if she featured your project.

See you next Tuesday :)

My Mamma's Bedroom and Bathroom Makeover...FINALLY!!!

2011-11-10T06:00:00.001-07:00

Way back when...

I gave you a little sneaky sneaky into my mamma's bedroom/bathroom makeover...

'Member?!?

I promised a before and after would be coming soon...bahahaha...ya right!

2 1/2 months later...I bring you...

My Mammas Bedroom and Bathroom Makeover!!!

BEFORE!!!

As you can see the rooms and furniture have 'good bones'

but too many bare walls and a lot of neutral browns

{which I love but the rest of her house has the same theme

and she wanted something more warm, more intimate}.

AFTER!!!

Duvet cover and mirrors found at Target.

Apparently there are quite a few 'entities' floating around my mamma's bedroom

This window seat is my favorite part of the whole room!

All the pillows were collected from Pier 1 or Target.

All accessories were also found at Target...and look...they match the wall pattern!!!

So...with a little paint and a few accessories my Mamma has a whole new

Master Bedroom and Master Bathroom!

And it didn't break the bank!

Thanks to my dear mamma for allowing me to help design and complete her makeover and for providing the majority of the after shots.

I hope she loves it as much as I do :)

Oh Brother...Adventures of a Beginning Seamstress {{Aprons}}

2011-11-09T06:00:00.052-07:00

WOW!

I bought this pattern at Wally World for 97 cents...

See those two words...EASY and SIMPLE?!?

Well, Simplicity is either lying or I am a complete retard!

Waistbands...pleats...pockets...SCARY!!!

Anyways...I'm over it!

Since the pattern was for Small, Medium and Large I decided to make one for DIVA and myself.

Can you guess which fabric is for DIVA?!?

Each apron required less than 2 yards of a cotton blend and one package of ric-rac!

I decided to cut both aprons out at the same time and then start with DIVAS

{{mainly because she was ~~whining~~ curious how long it was going to take

and that it was already taking FOREVER}}

But first...PLEATS?!? Really?!?

So...TWO hours later I end up with something that looks like this...

Well, at least it's beginning to look the apron in the picture!!!

Many cuss words, pin-pricks, and a good nights sleep later...

and she's ready to bake...

After ~~screwing hers up~~ making hers I started on mine...went WAY faster!!!

My one major mess-up...the ric-rac trim...

I stitched on the wrong edge of the ric-rac so you can barely see it :(

Oh well...all part of the adventure!!!

So...what do you think?!? Not bad for my first try eh?!?

Totally Tutorial Tuesday Linky Party #3

2011-11-08T00:01:00.002-07:00

Before we get to today's party I have to give a quick

SHOUT OUT

to my main girl...Connie from Measured by the Heart...

See, I'm not the best button maker, in fact I suck at making buttons!

For some reason the HTML coding baffles me.

But, Connie, dear, dear Connie...came to my rescue!!!

Aren't these buttons

AWESOMELICIOUS?!?

I totally LOVE them!!!

Oh, and if you haven't checked out those two series {{brand new btw}} you totally should!
Just sayin'!!!

Okay...now...onto the party!!!

Oh ya...and Connie totally made that button too...

cuz you know, it's a button AND it's an animated one...totally beyond my capabilities!!!

Party Etiquette

Become a follower of My World Made By Hand AND Measured By The Heart.
DIY projects, crafts, recipes, decorating ideas only please. NO SELLING PLEASE!
Add as many links as you want. Old and new posts are welcome.
Link directly to your post not your home page.
Please take the time to comment on a few other links.
Add our button or a text link to each post that you link up or to your homepage/sidebar.

Be sure to check back Friday to see if you were featured!

I'm no Betty Crocker...{{Recipes from a box series - Lemon Squares}}

2011-11-07T06:00:00.004-07:00

Welcome back to the

....Recipes from a box series!

I'm going to show you how make the easiest and yummiest

LEMON SQUARES

EVERRR!!!

Don't they look absolutely divine?

And all you need is:

1 Lemon Cake Mix

2 Eggs

1/3 cups Oil

Powdered Sugar

Directions:

1 ~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2 ~ Mix together the cake mix, eggs and oil in a bowl.

Don't be nervous if it looks like

Play-Doh!

It's supposed to be stiff.

3 ~ Spread evenly into a greased 9x13 pan. I grease my baking dishes with Pam Baking Spray.

4 ~ Bake 13-15 minutes / until slightly golden on top.

Seriously...the lemony numminess you'll smell as you pull these out of the oven is unbelievable!

5 ~ Cool, cut, and sprinkle with powdered sugar...and ENJOY!

Oh Brother...I gots me a new toy!!!

2011-11-05T06:00:00.022-06:00

Imagine my excitement when the doorbell rang and I opened to the door to this...

What is it you ask?

It's a brown cardboard box with the Target logo on it! DUH!!!

Why...it's a Sewing Machine...the Brother XL-2600i to be exact!

Boo~Bear decided that I deserved an early Christmas present! Isn't he a sweetie poo?!?

I chose the Brother XL-2600i because it was rated the #1 best basic sewing machine at many consumer report/research sites. I'm not a seamstress...not yet anyway...so I don't need anything crazy. This machine suits my needs just fine...and was well within my budget. I can't wait to begin sewing!

I think my first projects will be...

Envelope Pillow Cases by A Mommy's Life...With A Touch Of Yellow

Boo Boo Bags by Lu Bird Baby

And maybe even...

The Maxi Skirt by Elle Apparel

Be sure to check back to see my newest series...

And, yes, Target...we should do this again sometime soon!

REAL SOON!

Oh ya...if you were featured, please share the love and grab my button

A few of my faves from Totally Tutorial Tuesday #2

2011-11-04T06:00:00.013-06:00

I don't like this picking my favorites thing...it's really HARD!

I want to feature EVERYONE!

But...I can't...that would be a really long post and I'm LAZY!

So...for now...here are just a few of the faves from

Pretty Woman Roadside Rescue Desk at ART IS BEAUTY

{I have a weakness...and a bit of jealousy...for roadside rescues}

DIY Custom Glitter Shoes from Between U & Me

{again with a weakness...SHOES}

Fireplace Makeover at It's Overflowing

{seriously amazing transformation here}

And finally...I don't know what's cuter...the hat or the diva wearing the hat!

Chef Hat Tutorial from The Little Giggler

If you were featured please share the love and grab a button!

Also, don't forget to stop by Measured By The Heart to see if she featured your project.

See you next Tuesday :)

I'm no Betty Crocker...{{Recipes from a box series - Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies}}

2011-11-03T06:00:00.012-06:00

It truly is UH-MAZING how much stuff you can make with ONE box of cake or brownie mix!

One of the most popular cake mix recipes floating around is the

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

I've even posted a recipe/tute on those...

Mmmm...these are SO yummy...and PERFECT for this time of year!

But did you know you could make...

Reese's Cookies {one of my faves for more than 1 reason}

Chocolate Chip Cookies

White Chocolate Fudge Bars
Lemon Poppyseed Bundt

Lemon Squares

Peanut Butter Kissy Cookies

Cheescake Bars

PB & Chocolate Chip Bars

Chewy Gooey Brownies

Butterfinger Licking Good Cookies

PB with no J Cookies

PB with no J Brownies

Reese's Pieces Bars {another of my faves}

Punkin Pie Bars

Snicker Doodles

M&M Cookies

Lemon Lime Cake with a little ZING

Cherry Chocolate Cake

More Sweet than Sour Lemonade Cake

Bananawana Bread
Ze German Chocolate Bars Ya
Apple Streusel
Cheesecake in a Snap
Crispy Apple Crisp
ChocoMESS

Chocolate-Chip Muffins

Cornbread

Butterscotch Chip Cookies

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Cookie Dough Blondie Brownies

Punkin Cupcakes in a Quickie

Apple Dump {ya, I said dump} Cake

Punkin Cheesy Cake

Fruity Pizzazzzzz

and SOOOOOO much more

I'm gonna show you how to make all 'dem goodies!

And we can pretend to be Betty Crocker together!

Y'all down for that?!?

My poor makeup brushes need a bath!!! Do yours?!?

2011-11-02T08:00:00.003-06:00

Do you clean your makeup brushes?

NO! REALLY? WHY NOT?!?

Cleaning your makeup brushes is very, very important!

Not only will it prolong the life of your brush (or sponge) but it gets rid of all the bacteria and germs. Makeup brushes collect makeup, oil, dead skin cells and bacteria on the face.

The dirtier they get the nastier they become....YUCK!!!

I generally clean my brushes once a month {my foundation brush every 2 weeks}.

There are many recipes online for homemade cleaning fluid but I choose to use

MAC Brush Cleaner

First of all, MAC products are the bomb!!! Secondly, most of my brushes are MAC!!!

MAC brushes are a little pricey but I've learned that they last FOREVER so you won't be replacing every six months to a year like some other brushes.

Before I go any further, you should know that this is not a paid/sponsored post.

This is just me sharing with you what brushes I use and how I choose to clean them.

My love for MAC simply stems from my experiences with using it.

Okay...moving on...

Remember these eyes?

Here's a close-up in case you can't see how BLACK they truly are...

Well, I don't normally wear makeup this dark...and I don't like black blending with my lighter tones. So when I was done with DIVA's face and some of my brushes looked like this...

I knew I had to clean them!

You need three simple things to sanitize your brushes...

1 ~ Dirty brushes...DUH!!
2 ~ Brush cleaner...Double DUH!!
3 ~ A towel/rag
{make sure it's a towel or rag that you don't care about because it will get stained}

Step 1 ~ Saturate the brush with cleaner...

{be sure to keep the brush at an angle...you don't want to get cleaner up under the silver piece}

Then...clean your brush...

Please ignore the shaky camera and the little question half way through...DIVA was my helper :)

Repeat this process with all of your brushes.
Be sure to reshape the brushes when done. They will dry properly shaped if you do.

And voila...
Clean makeup brushes...dirty towel!

MUCH BETTER...don't you think?!?

Totally Tutorial Tuesday Linky Party #2

2011-11-01T00:01:00.002-06:00

Welcome to

We had 36 entries last week...WAY more than I thought we would for the first week.
I'm super excited to see how many we get this week.

Totally Tutorial Tuesday is a co-hosted linky party so it's double the fun...double the exposure!!!

Party Etiquette

Become a follower of My World Made By Hand AND Measured By The Heart.
DIY projects, crafts, recipes, decorating ideas only please. NO SELLING PLEASE!
Add as many links as you want. Old and new posts are welcome.
Link directly to your post not your home page.
Please take the time to comment on a few other links.
Add our button or a text link to each post that you link up or to your homepage/sidebar.

Be sure to check back this Friday to see if you were featured!