Super Bowl Party - Last Minute

I love to plan a good football party, but the last few weeks have really gotten away from me.

I will be pulling for the Ravens this year, mainly because I still love Terrance Cody and Courtney Upshaw (Roll Tide). If you're like me and scrambling to throw together a Super Bowl party on a small budget with even less time, check out these ideas for decor and crowd pleasing appetizers.

Super cute printables from Simply Create Designs, you can score 

them for FREE at  Catch My Party. 

Build Your Own Nacho Bar from Your Homebased Mom

From BHG (Poster Download)

Football Shaped Cheese Ball - Party City

Football Shaped Brownies from Prudent Baby

State Silhouette Canvas

I'm starting a collage project for our guest bath. I want to do several pictures of Alabama, represented in different ways. Some will be canvases and some will be framed prints. This is the first in my collection.

First, I painted over my canvas with a white craft paint. Then, I  downloaded a silhouette of the shape of my state and cut it out in vinyl.

 I placed the vinyl in the center of my canvas and painted over it with a blue acrylic craft paint. (I'm really not a fan of this blue but it's what I had on hand. I will probably make one in yellow for my bathroom)

   

I painted two coats of the blue and let it dry almost completely. It is important that you do not let the paint dry completely or it may peel around the edges when you pull the vinyl off. 

Once the vinyl is peeled away, it will reveal a beautiful silhouette of your state. I took a red paint pen and drew a heart over our city. I also painted around the edges with black to give it a finished look. You could also just carry out the color of the canvas on the edges too. 

You're all done! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Shutter Re-purpose - Mail holder

Upcycled shutters are all the rage on Pintrest lately. When I saw this shutter I knew I could find a use for it. We have a new store here in Huntsville, University Pickers, if you are in the area and you haven't been, you need to find your way there ASAP. It is wonderful. It is like an antique mall but has a lot of handmade and refinished things. I have already been twice in a week :) 

This shutter is from Three French Hens. She has an adorable paint workshop and store all the way in the back. Don't miss it! Hopfully you will be fortunate enough to catch the artist, Tina Bedwell, she is precious and will warm your soul. 

I hung my shutter in the kitchen to store our mail. I love it! I will probably paint some lettering on the top panel at some point, maybe "MAIL" or our monogram. I just couldn't wait to hang it. My friend, Megan, bought a longer grey one. I am hoping to have a pic of hers to share with you soon (hint, hint, MSL)

I have about three other unfinished projects sitting in my garage that I hope to get posted soon. It's amazing how much less time I have now that I have started taking night classes for my MBA. 

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend! Go create something beautiful!

WW Friday Favorites

Sometimes you just don't have time to cook, pack your lunch, etc. This week was one of those weeks. I have noticed that I start to struggle with staying on the WW plan when I have to eat out, so for today's WW Friday Favorites, I am going to give you some of my favorite WW friendly(ish) dining out options.

FAST FOOD

1. Chick-Fil-A Chargrilled Sandwich and a Fruit Cup - 7pt+  - You really can't beat this meal for a low point drive thru option. I

2. Taco Bell - Chicken Soft Taco (5) and Pintos and Cheese (4) = 9pt+ = I love Taco Bell, don't judge :)

3. Wendy's- Grilled Chicken Go Wrap - (7.5), Fruit Cup (0) = 7.5pt+

4. McAlister's Deli - Cheesy Chicken Tortilla Soup (8oz) (4) Fruit Cup (0) = 4pt+!

Valentine's Print and My Memories Giveaway

 I normally don't get into decorating for smaller holidays but when I was asked to try out My Memories Suite, I thought it was a prefect opportunity to add a little Valentine's Day festivity to my office. Want to know the best part? One of you lucky readers will win your own copy of the software!

This is a great software package and super easy to use. I whipped up this print in about 15 mins. You could really do something quicker but I'm super indecisive and wanted to make sure I saw ALL of the backgrounds before choosing :) You can crop your photos in fun shapes. add ribbons and embellishments, bring in your own backgrounds (I brought this one in), use ANY font you have on your computer, and add frames and mats to your photos.

Here is a screen shot of the layout of the software. As you can see, most of your menu items are along the right side and are very point and click friendly.

I will definitely continue using this package for other projects. I have started a tradition of making a photo book for Hubs and I every year highlighting what all we did each year. I have already started "Year Two" in My Memories Suite!

I framed this print right over a photo that normally sits on my desk. This little bit of Valentine's cheer makes me smile.

While the most obvious use of this software is scrapbooking, there are sooooo many possibilities. The My Memories website is full of downloads for new layouts, backgrounds, embellishments, and more. 

Ok, time for the exciting stuff. One very lucky reader will get his/her very own copy of My Memories Suite for FREE. The winner will receive a promotional code via email to download the software from MyMemories.com completely free of charge. 

In addition to the giveaway, My Memories is also offering $10 off for my readers when you purchase their software and $10 off your purchase at MyMemories.com, that's a $20 value!
All you have to do is use my coupon code:
STMMMS83470

a Rafflecopter giveaway

WW Favorite Friday - Barbacoa Beef

It's Friday! I hope you all had a great week. I was sick for the middle part of the week so I didn't get much blogging done. I did however manage to cook one night this week.

I made this Barbacoa Beef recipe from Skinny Taste.

Barbacoa Beef- SkinnyTaste.com

 It was a crock pot recipe so it instantly won points with me. She modeled this one after the dish at Chipotle. I have to admit, I have never tried it at Chipotle, mainly because the times I have been to Chipotle, I haven't made health conscious decisions, however this dish was really good.

We served this in carb-smart tortillas as tacos. Next time I will probably put it over rice with corn and black beans as she suggests. Also, next time I will go a little lighter on the spices. We love spicy foods but I think I got a little carried away. Maybe one less chipole pepper?

We will definitely be making this again. Huge shout out to Gina at SkinnyTaste.com for yet another awesome, healthy recipe!

WW Friday Favorites (a little late)

I promised to post my favorite weight watchers recipes on Fridays, and here I am on Monday of week two and still haven't posted. Unfortunately, that is par for the course for what my second week of weight watchers has been. The second week is always the hardest. The motivation is beginning to be replaced by pure hunger. I know if I were diligent and ate veggies, I theoretically should never be hungry on this plan...but man, I hate veggies.

Here are the recipes I have loved so far.

Skinny Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo from Celebrations.com

This stuff is heaven. Chicken Alfredo is probably one of my favorite meals. She's a little more ambitious than I am because I used a jar of lite Alfredo sauce instead of making my own giving me a little more points but less headache. With my substitution, it was 12 pts. per serving and serves 4. Not bad for a quick weeknight meal.

Bubble Up Enchilada Casserole

Oh, Emilybites, you have done it again. This didn't even taste like diet food. Actually, looking at this picture again makes me want to put it on the list for this week. I could definitely eat this two weeks in a row. I made this recipe as stated but added in some chili powder and cumin for some kick. (We really like spicy food around here) This recipe feeds 6 at just 7pt+ per serving. So so so good!!! 

That's it folks! Hopefully this week will be a little better and I can post my Friday Favorites on time. 

Thrifty Finds - Janurary

I don't know about you but when I take my Christmas decorations down, my house just feels so bare. I've been on the hunt lately for some nice staple pieces that I can use throughout the year without spending a lot of cash. Here is what I found this week.

I just love this little guy. He's a great color and size. I normally don't like roosters, but this one adds a subtle country flair to my diningroom. I found him at Target on clearance for $4!  

This candle holder was perfect for my bathroom. I found it at a local thrift store for $4.  I paired it with a printable from Be Different, Act Normal. Did I mention it is FREE??

Where are your favorite places to find thrifty decor? I could use some ideas!

Outdoor Patio Bench

I'm over winter already. I know we don't have much of a winter here in Alabama, but I'm really more of a Spring kind of girl. I love coming home in the afternoons and having a few hours of daylight left to sit on the patio and watch the pups play in the back yard.

This past summer, my FIL and I built this beauty for my back patio. It was my first real woodworking project and I'm pretty pumped at the result. I can't believe I am just now getting around to post about it.

For this bench, we mixed a few plans we found online to come up with our own design. We started
with this tutorial from Not Just A Housewife but I wanted arms on my bench. When we ran across this plan from Yellow Wood we added the arms.  I wish I could have done a tutorial on this project but honestly, we changed plans and directions so much that I wouldn't know where to start!

Here is a photo before it was stained. For the stain, I used a Minwax stain in American Walnut. It was one of those stain/poly combos and it worked perfectly for this project. 

Here's to longer days and warmer weather so I can once again enjoy my bench!!

The Road to 15

Today I am posting from Tuscaloosa, Alabama where Hubs and I are watching our alma mater, The University of Alabama play Notre Dame for the NCAA National Championship. Now that deserves a big Roll Tide!

 

Before we settled down here at Buffalo Wild Wings for some wings and football we were able to take a walk around the BEAUTIFUL campus (that's not my bias showing, google some pictures, it really is beautiful) to do some reminiscing and shopping.

 

This is a picture of us in front of Reese Phifer, the College of Communications where we both spent many years. we were both communication majors, Dave in Telecommunications and Film, and me in Advertising. I also worked in the main office for three years and Dave worked downstairs in the radio station.

 

Even though all the football hype around this city is gat, the best part of being here today is that two years ago today, in this very spot, Dave asked me to marry him. It truly is great to be back here today.

 

Here's to many more years together and National Championship #15!

 

ROLL TIDE ROLL!

 

Posted with Blogsy

DIY Laundry Detergent

Meet my sweet friend Brownie and her adorable family. I first met Brownie many, many years ago when I was in college and interning for a ministry that her and her husband are a part of. She is one of the most creative people I know and obviously, as the photo below tells you, she's a really fun mom. 

With a large family at home (and two very adventurous boys), Brownie does quite a bit of laundry. When I saw her post on Facebook about making her own laundry detergent, I knew I just had to feature it here on CupcakesAndCorndogs. She made enough laundry detergent to last her family five months for only $35! She said she was able to find all of her ingredients at Wal-Mart. So without further adieu, I'll turn it over to Brownie!

Homemade Laundry Detergent!

Detergent is super expensive so I feel like I'm winning in this area of my life! haha! I was a skeptic, at first, because I questioned if my clothes would really be clean, but all the ingredients are cleaners, so of course it's clean! This stuff is GREAT and easy to make - my kids helped and had fun!

Here's all you need:
4 bars of Fels Naptha Soap
1 box of Borax,
1 box of Arm and Hammer Washing Powders
1 box of Arm and Hammer Baking Soda
1 tub of Oxy Clean, and 1 container of Purex scent crystals (optional - this is only if you want that good laundry smell)

I bought a rubbermaid container to keep it in AND you can reuse the Purex container to keep a manageable amount handy.

Grate the Fels Naptha (some recipes call for Zote soap, but I didn't like it - it's gummy and sticks in the grater). Combine all the ingredients into a large container. I added about a fourth of each at a time and mixed it up gradually. Here's the great part: This is safe for HE washers because it doesn't suds up a lot and you only have to use 1-2 Tablespoons per load! Plus, the cap of the Purex crystals is already marked at 1 and 2 TBSPs.

I spent $35 on supplies (including the tub) and I made the first batch on August 10, 2012. I gave TONS of samples away and it still lasted 5 months! I also use more Purex crystals in the wash, but that's because I LOVE the good laundry smell.

Hope this helps everyone! 

Weight Watchers Friendly Buffalo Chicken Sandwich - 6pt+

It's that time of year again where we all recover from the holidays and jump on the diet/fitness train. Hubby and I have decided to join Weight Watchers this year. I have tried several diet plans over the past few years. I never had to worry about what I ate in college, but the post college, desk job, has really caught up with me so it's time to do something about it.

I tried Weight Watchers a few months before our wedding and had a little success (granted I cheated more than is allowed). The problem is I don't really like veggies, or salads...or anything green. If you're coming to this site looking for the greatest lunch salad you've ever seen, you're definitely in the wrong place. As Hubby and I start this journey, I will share those recipes that I have managed to lighten up. Starting with this one, Buffalo Chicken Sandwich. We love anything buffalo so this is great for our lunches (did I mention that I have an aversion to deli meat too??) and easy to throw together in a hurry. Perfect!

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich - 6pt+ *

2 Slices Healthy Life Bread (white) - toasted

2.5 oz shredded chicken (I like fresh chicken better, but this time I used 1/2 a can of 99% fat free canned white chicken, drained)

1.5 Tbs Frank's Hot Sauce

1 wedge Laughing Cow - Lite Swiss

Mix shredded chicken and hot sauce in a small bowl. Add cheese wedge and microwave for 20 seconds to melt cheese. Stir. Spread on toasted bread. Serve hot.

Note: Since I was packing this for lunch, I kept the spread in a microwavable bowl and heated it at work before spreading it on the bread.

Serve with fresh fruit for a 6pt+ lunch! Can't beat that!

* Points Plus value calculated on the Recipe Builder on WeightWatchers.com



New Laminate Floors Part 2 - Family Room

Good morning! Well.. winter break is officially over and I am back at work. Why do 10 days off seem to go by so much faster than 10 days at work?? I do have to say that I did manage to make it a very productive 10 days off, don't you think?

We finally finished our flooring on Saturday. Here are some pictures of the process, and finished product. My friend/co-worker and her husband definitely deserve a big ole shout-out because as much as I don't want to admit it, I couldn't have done this project with out them.

This project is definitely a huge improvement to our home and I absolutely adore the results! I'll let the pictures do the talking...

FINISHED!

Dear builder who glued the entry way down... I hate you.

TIP: Wear short sleeves! ;)

BEFORE

AFTER

If you missed the dining room pictures or want to read more about how we did this project, check out my previous post for more details.

Thanks for stopping by!!