{Tip of the Day} Ceiling Fan Seasonal Directions...


Because I have a broken heater right now and was freezing to death I thought I'd post my new understanding to ceiling fans.  I've never understood which way and gotten very confused.  I found a site that put it in plain English this morning and here is what I found.  Most ceiling fans have a little switch somewhere above the blades on the motor where you can reverse the directions.  It's little and usually not labelled, it would be nice if they did this though.  The 3 fans I have upstairs have switches that go left to right, and the 2 downstairs switch top to bottom, they're all different.  In the cool months, if you change the direction of your fan to clockwise(if you're staring up at it), it will push the warm air above the fan down the sides of the walls, warming the room with very little draft.  In fact it got very warm on the sides of the room quickly.  If it's going counter-clockwise when you're looking up, it will push the air down through the center of the room, causing a draft and pushing the warm air up the sides of the walls, thus cooling the room.  So, there you have it.  And it's working wonderfully with my tiny space heaters in my vaulted ceiling living room.  In fact, I'm sweating now.  :)  Wish I figured this out 2 days ago!

Jenne

What are you thrifting for?

Very often when I go thrift store shopping I have specific pieces I am looking for. Like right now, I specifically need a small bookshelf and a nice wood side chair for my bedroom, preferably with an upholstered seat. I also have my eye on a few not-so-needed pieces in my favorite thrifty haunt - a chair that will match the blue one in my living room, once I have them both reupholstered, and a 1940s vanity with a beautiful big beveled mirror. These things will have to wait for payday. I hope they are still there when I go back.


However, I can always squeeze one of these sweeties into my budget - midcentury serving pieces in either stainless or aluminum with wood handles or trim. I love them. The tiered dish was a bit pricey for a thrift item - I think $5.99 or so. It was made by Mirro. I remember dishes or something with these handles from my 1970s childhood - wonder where I saw them? They're fabulous in my book. The little tray, on the other hand, I got for 99 cents. Yes. It still needs a bit of spit and polish but I think it's a great companion. Someday maybe I will have enough of these to make a whole mid-century buffet.

The mahogany shelf with the little drawer where these guys are sitting, by the way, was an estate sale find - 30 bucks. Perfect in my living room.

Ana Montana

Pumpkin Heath Coffee Cake


If I owned my own deli or restaurant, this would be on the menu.  I'd also top it off with a big dollop of maple whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.  SO good!

Preheat oven to 375’

Combine wet ingredients with whisk attachment:
1 stick Nucoa margarine, softened
1 stick butter, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
2 whole eggs
½ cup liquid egg whites
1 29 oz. can of pumpkin puree(not pie mix)
1 Tbl. Vanilla
½ tsp. maple flavoring
Whisk these wet ingredients together in large mixing bowl until combined well.  There will be little butter lumps, that’s okay.  This helps make an incredibly dense and rich cake.

Dry Ingredients:  Combine in a medium bowl with whisk.  
4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. kosher salt
Add half to cake mixture and mix until incorporated.  Add remaining dry ingredients and pour into very tall 9x13 greased pan.

Streusel Topping:
1 stick of butter, softened
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar(white or brown)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup toffee or Heath pieces
Combine flour, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl.  Add butter in slices and cut in with a pastry cutter or fork.   Fold in Heath pieces.  Spread topping evenly over cake.  Bake in a 375’ oven for 50-80 minutes.  It is done when a skewer comes out clean. 

Jenne :)

More muffins

It's no secret by now, I love muffins. Ha! Love muffins! Get it?

Seriously, fresh muffins are the way to go if you are serving soup for supper, or if you want to make a special breakfast, or if you just need a very comforting baked good without too much guilt.

I always lighten up muffins, and these days I am taking out the sugar, too. I use unsweetened applesauce in place of half the fat in the recipe. The other half of the fat is always going to be half butter and half olive oil - not extra virgin, but just regular so it doesn't have a really olivey flavor. For reducing sugar, use the full amount of honey or molasses, or 2/3 the amount of agave nectar. Adjust the liquid in the recipe down by about 2/3 and then add more as needed to get your batter to the correct consistency.

With those rules in mind, here's the recipe for the love muffins pictured above ... especially dedicated to my friend CaraMia in Merced who has kept after me to blog it. I adapted this from a recipe called "Brown Sugar Muffins" in an old ward cookbook from my mother-in-law's ward in Alaska.

Honey Wheat and Oat Muffins

1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
1/4 c butter, softened
1/4 c olive oil
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 c. honey
2 c all-purpose flour
2 c whole-wheat flour (see if you can find Wheat Montana flours; they are awesome but I don't know how available they are outside this state!)
1 c rolled oats (either quick or old fashioned is fine; I keep old-fashioned around because that's what I like best)
4 tsp baking powder
1 c plus 2 tbsp milk (adjust this; your flour may soak up more or less milk. You want a nice soft, gloopy muffin batter)
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 375. Mix all ingredients until just combined. A lumpy batter is ok. You don't want to develop the gluten in your flour and make chewy muffins. Place in 24 lined muffin tins. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until tops spring back when touched.

Great for chicken noodle soup nights. I don't know about where you are, but it is still dang cold up here!

Ana Montana

Bedroom makeover

We moved into our home about 14 months ago. You know how these things happen ... you work like crazy setting everything up, and there are odds and ends that linger. That last box of books still packed up because there's not enough bookshelf space, the food storage not yet organized, or in our case, the master bedroom still not really put together. Our problem was, the master bedroom is in the basement and we couldn't fit our box spring down the stairs. It's actually a nice room - spacious and calming with a couple of windows, a cozy gas fireplace, an attached bathroom, and a super walk-in closet. But we were basically camping in it, with our mattress on the floor and things placed in the room without much thought or care, and that was just silly.

I decided to set it up properly as a Valentine surprise for my husband. I started hunting for little pieces to complete the room. The round lamp from this post was one of them. Then I found this nightstand at a local thrift store for $10. It is solid oak and ... horrendous, right? Looks like somebody kept it outside for a few years.  But it has a gorgeous shape (love that slightly rounded front) and actually the wood is in decent shape - it's just the finish that was bad.


I sanded it down and painted it with some leftover ivory paint. My little kids helped and actually did a pretty good job. I just had to hurry and go over their paint work while it was still wet to even it out! I sanded and painted my nightstand, too, so it would match. It was from about the same time period, with the exact same worn greenish finish, amazingly enough! I got it from my parents, who got it from my grandparents. Yes indeedy, folks, it's a 1960s heirloom. Remember, my house was built in 1958, and I totally believe in respecting your architecture ... so it's perfect, actually.

I also wanted to replace the ugly Wal-Mart curtains (chosen and graciously left for us by the previous homeowner). They were shiny and green and ... oh, horrible. Also, they were hung on tension rods, which was just weird. I made new ones out of a sheet I got at Savers about a year ago. It has a Japanese-feeling print - ivory circles on a gray ground. They remind me of sand dollars and the beach, but in a very abstract kind of way. I hung the curtains on brushed pewter-tone rods with square finials. These, I will confess, came from Wal-Mart. (I have complicated issues with Wal-Mart, can you tell?) Still, pretty.

Wall art came next. I had enlarged a photo I took of an agapanthus bud in our yard in Merced. It is bright green, against a gray wood fence background. I love this photo - it's such a moment in time, just before the multitudinous lavender flowers burst out of this giant bud. Plus, it's kind of sexy. Framed it with a KMart frame, again in a brushed pewter tone. That went on my side of the bed. On G's side, our wedding photo.




So the next thing I had to do was get that darn box spring down the stairs. I had thought we would need to buy a foldable box spring and get rid of the one we had, but while googling for info on the foldable type, I happened on these instructions at instructables.com. Once I opened up the mattress I remembered I had had  to repair it before - the boards on the bottom were really cheap, flimsy pine, thrashed by my kids jumping on the bed, or something. So I had to take apart that repair job and then cut the box spring as instructed, then re-repair it. Actually I think it was for the best. In my garage there were some oak 1x2s left by the previous owner of the house. My box spring is now super high quality! My 11 year old helped me fold the thing and get it down the stairs. My 9 year old helped me unfold it. It had been in the garage all year so I scrubbed it down a bit, and then set up the bed. We have a metal bed I got from JCPenney several years ago using my credit card rewards. Got it all put together and the mattresses on.

I had also gotten G a new alarm clock, one that he can dock his iPod in, figuring it would make a nice change for both of us from waking up to the Christian Rock station that was the only thing his 25-year-old clock radio could receive in our basement. So far he is graciously not setting the iPod to play Pearl Jam first thing in the morning. I think I would die. So anyway, I set that up.

That's where I was when Dr. G got home from work on Valentine's Day. He was surprised and pleased.  I still wasn't done, but the big stuff was taken care of and I felt good!





The next day I moved the dressers and took pictures, resulting in the photo you see above with my little girl jumping off the chair on G's side of the bed.

Oh, and that gas fireplace ... it is the corner of shame. Eventually when we get a better TV for our rec room, we will move the old TV into this room to sit on top of the fireplace. Someday we will probably get some kind of sofa or loveseat there to make a good space for movies and cuddling for just us.

For now, it looks more or less like this.



Laundry to be folded, craft supplies to be organized, garbage to be taken out.

Just didn't want you all to think I was too awesome.

Ana Montana

{Book Review} The Alchemyst

There are different Alchemists books but this one is.....The Alchemyst-The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel written by Irish Author Michael Scott.

It is a series of 4 books right now, but in May the 5th book will come out, then next year the last book will be published. Six books altogether. Now that may seem like a lot, and you may be weary into getting into something that big, but I feel it's worth it to at least read the first two books-if not all of them. (I have read all 4)


Summary of the Alchemyst:

It is a contemporary fantasy which opens in modern
day San Francisco when brother and sister, Josh and Sophie
discover that the owner of the bookstore where Josh works
is the immortal French alchemist, Nicholas Flamel. Flamel
and his wife, Perenelle, are the guardians of the Book of
Abraham which they have protected for centuries. This is
a collection of the most powerful spells in the world. When
Dr John Dee discovers the Flamels’ whereabouts, he attacks
and snatches the book. Josh and Sophie intervene to help
Flamel, but now they too are being hunted by Dee and creatures
that predate humanity.
----------------------

What I love about this series is that it bases truth and legend together. Michael Scott takes a lot of facts, and adds fantasy to it too. It is a fun read, one that I really enjoyed and could not wait for book 2 which is called the Magician. Lot's of adventure, mystery, intrigue, and endless plots.

Books in this series out already:
The Alchemyst
The Magician
The Sorceress
The Necromancer

Coming out in May:
The Warlock

Coming out in 2012:
The Enchantress

This series is pretty tame and clean for young teens, and adults alike. They have a movie deal already so I am excited to see what comes of it.

I think my only negative on these books would be that Sophie and Josh have non-exsistant parents so to speak, and it plays out a little unrealistic for me with that plot, but we are talking just a few days transpire in all these books collectively. The other negative is that it does tend to stretch out these few days in all these books, you want some kind of closure after the third book, but I feel Michael Scott does a great job also in his writing and makes you come back for more.

4 stars



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{Tip of the Day} Eyelash Curling

If your eyelashes automatically curl, do not read this, it will be a waste of your time, and I do not like you now anyway! So :P!

Do you have flat eyelashes like me? Mine are also so light colored I have to wear mascara just to get my eyes to "pop" and not look so boyish!

I have worn false extensions before too, it was nice not to have to curl and put on mascara, but in the end it was more a pain then worth it, not to mention pricey! I have worn just regular falsies which is fun every once in awhile, but I needed a solution for everyday wear. My eyelashes are hard to curl too, least they do not keep a curl well, but I finally found some simple answers that work for me, and I hope they do for you too.

"Before"




1. Clean off your eyelash curler. (I use cover girl's cheap one-it has been the best one I have tried by far)

2. Use your hair dryer-yes, your hair dryer! Heat the eyelash curler up for about a minute or less.

3. Touch it with your hand to make sure it is not too hot-if it is shake it a little to cool off-you want it warm for it to work. Now curl your eyelash like normal, squeeze it shut and count to 20, then release. Now curl your other eyelashes on your other eye. If the curler has cooled down too much by then, put the hair dryer back on it for a few seconds.

4. You can re-heat your curler one more time if you want a stronger curl-if not skip to number 5.

5. Put your mascara on.

"After"



Walla! You now have sexy, fun curled eyelashes! Works great and it doesn't cost a fortune.


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More Stuff I have been doing






Nothing to spactacular but a few fun things I have been making. Lets see the frame with the Love in it is just a window cling on a frame super cute and makes anything area crafty !!!!
Then I was so sick of my sons football helmets all over so I fixed that. I bought a frame and outlined it with them all. I have pictures for the center but I have not picked them up. I left the glass on so I could just use sticky DOTS to put on the back of the pictures and rotate them in and out !!
Next would be our Steelers shirts and bracelets. Nothing to exciting since we lost but we looked cute in our gear!!!
Last would be my candy dish...I am going to Shopko tomorrow to get stuff to do another one but you just glue a vase or fun cup to a plate or a bowl and you have a candy dish for the holidays !!!
My kids think this is too fun !!!
I am sure we will be making these for each holidy !

Sneak Peak of my Picture Wall

Sneak peak-it's laying on some saw horses right now

We are making a picture photo wall for my daughters wedding. I finished the top half with wallpaper (which I have decided I do not like wallpaper and should of just used vinyl! It was going on nicely, I butted up the seams together very well, did everything right but it shrunk when it dried and walla! I have nice seams...*sigh*)  then I added velcro to my frames since I want to still use them later on my walls at home again. I added vinyl silhouettes to some frames I found at thrift stores I spray painted black along with my original ones I have had forever. Now I just need to add fabric to the back of the open frames for when people do not take a pic through those particular ones-then I am done!

I hope it turns out good, I will share after next week how her whole wedding went. :) Phew!



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{Tip of the Day} Dishwasher Help **edited




Ok, if your like me and live in one of the 16 or so States (Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin) that have banned Phosphate back in July (although Casca*de and other companies have banned it from all of their products now-so other states basically do not get it either) and you have hard water - your dishes have come out dirty, icky and your pots look grey, and your black utensils have a white film on them, as do your glasses. Basically they look like this:




Gross huh?!

Well, to help our enviroment out- they have taken it out of the dishwasher detergent. I am all about helping our enviroment, I recycle more now than I have in the past, and I try to use natural cleaners, but I have to say this is annoying. First I thought it was my dishwasher, I mean I use the same soap I always have. Then I thought maybe I didn't have enough rinse aid in there? Yet for months it didn't change, it only became worse till I saw a news clip on others complaining too. "Way to announce to us consumers of the change back in July people!" So, it was a relief to know I was not the only one and why, but now what?

I just learned a few new tricks to help:

**You use these WITH your regular soap.

1. Try a teaspoon of baking soda in your wash.
2. Try a teaspoon of white vinegar.

If 1 & 2 do not work enough:

Try 1 T of Baking Soda mixed with 1 T of Borax

Now if all those fail I read that you can buy TSP (Trisodium Phosphate) at Low*s (hate promoting but it's the only place that sells it I am told) and use a 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons of it in your wash to replace the phosphate.

Critics say that most of the phosphate we use gets filtered out from the water treatment plants anyway, so? It's up to you how you feel about it, not judging, and I hope no one judges me either. :)

Tip of the Day! Hope it helps.

**Editing to add:

None of the above tips worked for me, although I have not tried the TSP.

What did work was....

Lemi-shine

This stuff has no phosphates in it either, but it worked better than all the other stuff I had tried. In fact it removed a lot of the white build-up I had on some of my dishes, it was awesome! I used it in the main wash container of my dishwasher, and put my regular soap in the pre-wash container. If you do not have a pre-wash container, use half your soap, half Lemi-shine in the main wash container.

I have very hard water- some day I hope to have a water softner, but in the mean time I recommend this. It works in the dishwasher with your regular cycle, and you can use it to clean your washing maching, garbage disposal, or other places with hard water issues.



Good luck!



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