Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Knife Block reVamp

As promised, I completed a project and I think it turned out fabulous! I really wanted to give it a 'distressed look, as in the tutorial, from Johnny in a Dress, I looked at. Well, it didn't happen, due to the white spray paint nozzle being broke off, and irreplaceable. Maybe I will add to it; I let this meld a bit.

So here it is...step by step. Enjoy!

Step 1 - Take ordinary knife block and remove knives. 
Step 2 - Give it a light sanding. I used a piece of 60 grit, coarse sand paper.
I only sanded it enough to take off the sheen it had before. I assumed the paint would 'stick' better. 
Step 3 - Paint it. I used a left over paint sample from what was the color of Corbin's first bedroom .
**I put 3 coats on it. Do however many you want. You will know wen it's covered. I did..

Step 4 - I sprayed it, lightly, with a matte finish, clear spray paint. I hate glossy paint.

Step 5 - I didn't want to put an initial on it. I had this stamp from years ago and the paint from an old Christmas project.
I mixed, stamped, and made a few 'touch-ups'.  
Viloa!

All in all, so simple. And it made me want to do more, so I am spray painting a wire bakers rack I use outside for flowers and Corbin's toys. I cleaned out the spare bedroom closet. I washed and changed the sheets. I cleaned the vacuum and then vacuumed. 
I feel accomplished. #winning

I'm back...!(Maybe. For real.)

Well, well, well. October 10, 2012 - I'm off work. Corbin went to the doctor - 38" tall, 33 lbs. He's almost 3 1/2...what?! I can remember taking him there, 3 days old. Time flies.

So I just deleted my last post that said I would start posting more. Ha. Who was I kidding. I am not sure if I have any "followers" or not, (I know it's not impressive) but I am making myself a promise to blog more. I am becoming addicted to Pinterest more and more everyday, and am actually making things and trying recipes. I figure I can post that stuff here and send it into the world. Maybe I'll add some whit and charm too. Cheers!

And PS - Go Gators!! I am so glad you pulled it together to beat LSU! #huge
PPS - some recent photos below.
And lastly - I will be posting more today. I'm half way through this knife block project I pinned this morning. Wait until it's done. Suckas.

at the Naples Zoo 9.30.12
Happy Saturday! 10.6.12


at Elmo Live
our typical family picture...


Monday, February 6, 2012

17 things to make life easier...

I got this from a fellow blogger, and its absolutely true. I have tried and used some, and others I can't wait to try. Enjoy! (And pass it on!)


1. Reheat Pizza
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove , set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.

2. Easy Deviled Eggs
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing roughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.

3. Expanding Frosting
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.

4. Reheating Refrigerated Bread
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated , place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

5. Newspaper Weeds Away
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet newspapers.

6. Picking Up Broken Glass
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can’t see easily.
**I have also used a slice of bread. Works like a charm!

7. No More Mosquitoes
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.

8. Squirrel Away!
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
To keep squirrels from eating your plants sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn’t hurt the plant and the squirrels won’t come near it.
**Use eggshells too - sprinkle them around your plants and snails won't eat them. They hate the smell and can't maneuver over the broken shells. 

9. Flexible Vacuum
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.

10. Reducing Static Cling
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and — ta da! — static is gone.

11. Unsticky Measuring Cups
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don’t dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.
**I use Pam.

12. Foggy Windshield?
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!

13. Reopening Envelopes
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Voila! It unseals easily.

14. Smoother Legs With Conditioner
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It’s a lot cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It’s also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn’t like when you tried it in your hair…
**I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS!

15. Goodbye Fruit Flies
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
To get rid of pesky fruit flies , take a small glass fill it 1/2″ with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid , mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

16. Get Rid of Ants
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it “home”, can’t digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains , but it works & you don’t have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

17. Info About Clothes Dryers
17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier
The heating unit went out on my dryer! The gentleman that fixes things around the house for us told us that he wanted to show us something and he went over to the dryer and pulled out the lint filter. It was clean. (I always clean the lint from the filter after every load clothes.) He told us that he wanted to show us something; he took the filter over to the sink, ran hot water over it. The lint filter is made of a mesh material – I’m sure you know what your dryer’s lint filter looks like.
WELL…the hot water just sat on top of the mesh! It didn’t go through it at all! He told us that dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh that’s what burns out the heating unit. You can’t SEE the film , but it’s there. It’s wha t is in the dryer sheets to make your clothes soft and static free – that nice fragrance too, you know how they can feel waxy when you take them out of the box, well this stuff builds up on your clothes and on your lint screen This is also what causes dryer units to catch fire & potentially burn your house down with it! He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a very long time (& to keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter out & wash it with hot soapy water & an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every six months. He said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as long!

Monday, January 30, 2012

Attack of the Under-Productive

Why is it that some people are either under-productive or severely counterproductive? I can't stand it! I watch people everyday and it's the same thing. Over. And Over. And Over. I mean get real! At what point to you stop moping around about bullshit that clogs your life and just be happy? It would be really amazing to realize how much more you could get done and how much happier you could be if you just made an attempt to change your own life and not just complain about it! I get to the point I want to rip my hair out because I can't stand to hear about how tough someone else's life is, when in all actuality, all that needs to happen is 'trimming the fat'.

I think that our culture has gotten so lazy that we just complain to hear ourselves. A long time ago, I realized that we are all blessed. You need to take each day for that day and thank God at every chance possible.
makes ya think
I wish for everyone that they just become at peace with their life. They saying goes, "You don't know what you got 'til it's gone." Just stop complaining. Kiss your loved ones. Call that friend you haven't spoken to in a while. Help an old lady cross the street. Whatever you do, please, pretty please, realize that your attitude affects other people whether you want it to or not. People by nature will listen and try and comfort you, but everyone gets to a breaking point. Most people won't tell you when they get there, they will just start to resent you. Little by little, everything you will push them closer to the edge. One day, they might even let you know how they 'really feel'.

All in all, I want to give people the benefit of the doubt. We all have problems and life sometimes gets in the way. There is nothing you can do about it. Put on your big girl/boy pants and a happy face and GET OVER IT! That way we can all be in a happy place.
Thank you.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Getting back in to the swing of things...

It has been some days since I have blogged. Being new to this blog, I have yet to engrain in my brain that in order for it to be successful, that I must actually write on here. So here I am.

The past few weeks have been busy. We have all felt under the weather, especially our little man. Respiratory infections are no joke. He pulled through it just fine, and the doctor has giving him a clean bill of health. We have spent many days and nights on the couch re-watching out favorite SpongeBob episode - if I hear this song again, I will die!

But I am back to cooking & baking, and sewing, to boot! I had given up all of it. Life was getting frustrating...but dinner tonight was nothing short of amazing. Moo Shu Pork it was. If you like the stuff from the chinese restaurants, then try this. (It came highly recommended from my lovely mother - she never steers me wrong!) It was light, delicious, and seriously only took 15 minutes from start to finish.
Easy Moo-Shu-Style Pork


Monday, January 16, 2012

Quilt Blocker

So I have begun a new adventure. Sewing. Well, quilting, if you can call it that...

Everyone needs a hobby and reading only gets you so far. I feel like if I can sew a quilt, it would make it easier to be able to hem my own pants. I decided that I would start off small (sorta) and make a carrot.

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Easter will be here before we know it, and Valentine's Day was too close for me to be able to pull off anything that looked remotely good, so that was that. I spent an hour at Jo-Ann's picking out fabric. (left)

     So tonight I successfully cut all the strips and began to sew. I don't have a backing fabric, but I have batting. Sewing on the outside looks quick and easy...boy, was I wrong about that. But here is my progress...   
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Friday, January 13, 2012

For poorer...

Human Money BanksSo I finally filed our taxes. And it put me in a bad mood. I love how TurboTax shows you how much money you get back as you proceed through each step of the process. The number just kept going down. I suppose I need to be thankful for getting any money back at all - I could have owed money. But I don't think that I have ever know anyone to get back a considerable amount of money. That's the government for you. Take, take, take. It seems redundant to me that I work a million hours a year, and I feel like I have nothing to show for it. When I get my big lottery win, however, I won't have that problem.

But it did get me thinking. This year I am trying to take a positive approach to things. Money isn't everything. Happiness and health are much more important. With that being said, Jimmy is sick, for the second time this year. (What day do you have? FRIDAY the 13th! EEK!) When are we going to catch a break? I do have to say, though, that 2012 isn't so bad. Job is great. Husband is great, well, other than the sickness. Corbin is great. Life is great :]

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Having the flu when your 2 1/2 year old doesn't...

I used to be able to stay up late. Burn the midnight oil. I could party with the best of them. (Some people pride themselves on facts of that nature.) Well, after figuring out yesterday about 6pm that I had the flu, it made me think about the night ahead. Corbin, undoubtedly, brought it home from another kid in his class, who's parent did not care to send them to school sick. (To that parent, thank you, by the way. I hate you and I don't even know you.)

So the best part? Corbin is cured. I spent $130 on daycare this week and he went Tuesday and Wednesday. I could have spent that money on shoes or bills or even thrown it out the window and gotten more use out of it...I could have even giving it to his doctor's office and felt like I got more use out of it. Not only was he sick all week, but he would wake up after being sick in his bed. We would clean him and change him and settle him down. Then we would go to work or stay home and make sense of a house filled with chaos due to sickness.

hehehe. I hate being sick.Now, Jimmy and I are both sick. I have washed all of Corbin's sheets, twice. Nothing like waking up to "Mommy! My bed is wet!"And I want nothing more than to curl up in my bed and sleep this off, but I am playing trucks. And watching movies. And making peanut butter crackers. Sad part is, Corbin doesn't have a clue we both feel yucky. Bless his heart because he has no idea. I love him for that. But I also wish he just wanted to relax and go to sleep early. Is that too much to ask?

Thursday, January 5, 2012

RE-growth!

So...one of the reasons that I am a Pintrest FANATIC(!) is because you can find the most interesting things on there. I was contemplating making Jambalaya and love to add green onions as a topping in the end. So low and behold, I CAN NOW GROW MY OWN! Cut them down to the white, submerge that in water, and voila! In about a week or so...new growth. Pretty cool, huh??


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***UPDATE: Friday, 1/13/12 - I put some green onion ends in water the day I wrote the above mentioned post. They have been growing in the window in the kitchen for a little over a week now. They are HUGE! I have been changing the water every other day and they just grew...fast!

Monday, January 2, 2012


So I was home all day today. Most people were sleeping late,watching football, and catching up on life since the holiday season seems to swallow everyone whole. Was I doing those things? No. I was attempting to clean my home. HAHAHA! I am laughing now because I always attempt this while Corbin is awake. By the time he laid down for a nap, I was ready for one myself. So all in all, don't try to clean, much less take down/put away enough Christmas decor to rival the holiday section at Target, with the help of a 2 1/2 year old. I did manage to get 9 loads of laundry done. (Who wears all those clothes, I do not know...) All in all, it was nice to take just one more day off. 2012 isn't starting off so bad. 

The Gilliard's. Exhausted. (Can you tell?!)
1.2.12




Sunday, January 1, 2012

WELCOME to 2012!

Pinned Image
In starting this blog, I am welcoming 2012 with open arms. The past few years have been tough and I, like most people, are looking optimistically towards the future. I don't think one can ever feel too blessed. I don't think there can ever be enough great days. I know that it has taken me a long time to realize that my life is perfect in every way, and I want to channel that in to stories, antidotes, great advice, tips, and laughs for all to see. 

I want to wish everyone the best year they have ever had. I hope health, wealth, and especially happiness exudes in everything you do and are part of. Remember life is short.  Laugh more. Cry less. Party harder. Work because you want not, and not just because you have to. Follow your heart. Dance in the rain. Take long walks with the ones you love. Do all the things you said you would do last year...and didn't. SIEZE THE CARP!