Pumkin Spice Fudge

Feeling "fall"ish? :) Well here's a fun and tasty (but not healthy lol) thing to make! I discovered this on www.auntpegsrecipebox.blogspot.com and it's absolutely delicious! So have at it! :)

2 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar, packed

3/4 c. butter (no substitutions)

2/3 c. evaporated milk

1/2 c. pumpkin puree

1 1/2 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 (12 oz.) pkg. white chocolate chips

1 (7 oz.) jar Marshmallow creme

1 c. chopped pecans or macadamia nuts (optional)

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

 

 

Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish.  Combine the first 6 ingredients in a heavy saucepan: cook over medium heat until the sugars dissolve, then continue cooking until the mixture begins to boil, stirring constantly.  Boil until a candy thermometer reaches the the soft-ball stage (234 ~ 243 degrees). Remove from heat, stir in the white chips until they are all melted and mixture is smooth. Add the remaining ingredients, mix well. Pour into prepared pan, and cool to room temperature. Cut into squares, store refrigerated in an air tight container. Makes approx. 60 pieces.
Note: The total boiling time is around 30 minutes.

Thanks Aunt Peg! 

Rainbow Rice for Replacing Play Sand

This is from www.shareandremember.blogspot.com and it's such a great idea for kids to play in!

Measure out the rice (4 cups) and put it in a Ziploc bag with about 2T of food coloring or liquid water colors (works great!) and 3T of rubbing alcohol. The kids can help mix the rice in the bags to spread the color. Put them on pans to dry in the sun. It all dried incredibly fast.

 Now remember, folks, this is probably the prettiest it'll be... once the kids touch it all the colors will be mixed together ;) haha but they'll love it!

Bloomin' Onion Bread

I came across this on www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com and it's delicious!!

1 unsliced loaf sourdough bread

12-16 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, thinly sliced

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup finely diced green onion

2 teaspoons poppy seeds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the bread lengthwise and widthwise without cutting through the bottom crust. This can be a little tricky going the second way but the bread is very forgiving.

Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Insert cheese slices between cuts. Combine butter, onion, and poppy seeds. Drizzle over bread. Wrap in foil; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
Unwrap the bread and bake 10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Swedish Baked Potatoes - Delicious!

Swedish Version of Baked Potatoes Method Preheat the oven to 425˚F (220˚C). Put the potato on a chopping board, flat side down. Start from one end of the potato, cut almost all the way through, at about 3 to 4 mm intervals. Arrange the potatoes in a baking tray and insert the garlic in between the slits. Scatter some butter on top of each potato. Then drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake the potatoes for about 40 minutes or until the potatoes turn crispy and the flesh is soft.


Thanks for the instructions and pictures www.foodgawker.com!! 

Recyled Coffee Can into Bag Holder

Here's a great way to keep all those crazy, loose, plastic bags in tact! I came across this today on another blog and loved the idea. Once you're done with your coffee (which shouldn't take too long if you're like me ;)), use your empty can, take a knife and cut a small slit on the lid. Then, stick your baggies inside and TA-DA it's done! :) Ps. You might wanna peal of the coffee label and decorate the tin a bit ;) or maybe that's just me being the crazy person that I am, haha. Enjoy!

Picture and idea by: www.creatingahouseofgrace.blogspot.com

Newspaper Gift Bags

Gift bags can be expensive but here's a fun and creative way to make your own out of newspaper!

Find a page that you like in a newspaper and cut it 14 inches long and 6 inches high. Then (as pictured) fold the triangular paper into 4 places (4.5", 3", 4.5", 3") and glue the two open ends together to make a 3d box. Then, just like wrapping a gift, fold down the edges and clue them together to create the bottom. Lastly, take a ribbon or sting and string it though near the top (be careful not to cut holes too close to the top unless it might rip). And you're done!


Discovered on: www.pinterest.com

DYI Outdoor Swing

Have a chair that has broken legs? Here's a splendid idea of what you can do with it! Just go buy some strong rope, drill holes in the chair, string the rope through the holes and tie the rope sturdily onto a strong tree.

Easy as pie!


Idea and picture by: www.poetichomes.com

Keep Bugs Out of Your Pantry

So as much as I hate to admit it, Martha Stuart does have some nifty ideas.... this being one of them. To keep your pantry a bug-free pantry try this little tip: try taping whole dried bay leaves to the sides and bottoms of your shelves.

It actually works! lol

Brought to you by: www.marthastuart.com

Funny Christmas Cookies

What you need:

Your favorite cookies
Marshmellows
White icing
Red and brown food coloring
A fun imagination

The rest is up to your imagination! Have fun!! :)

15 Natural Beauty Recipes from Natural Sources

Brown Sugar and Honey Facial Scrub

This is probably my favorite one. Brown sugar exfoliates the skin ridding the pores of all dirt, oil and dead skin cells causing blemishes. Honey is naturally antibacterial, so as the brown sugar cleans out the pores, the honey cleans out the sources for this build up to prevent future break outs.

Coffee Grounds in Conditioner

This one is really simple. Instead of throwing old coffee grounds away, toss them into your conditioner to make your hair extra shiny. That’s all it takes!

Replace Conditioner with Vinegar

To get rid of the usual problems with hair: build up, dullness and just lack luster, replace your conditioner with vinegar 1-4 times a month, depending on your own hair. Just use it as you need it. And don’t worry about buying the best stuff for the best results, common white vinegar will do the trick as well as any other vinegar.

Olive Oil as Hair Moisturizer

It’s easy to see how oil can moisturize your hair. It’s simple to use it as well. Simply cover your hair in olive oil and leave it in for 30-45 minutes. You can also wrap it in plastic wrap to keep it from dripping and some believe it enhances the effect.

Lemon and Egg Facial

Have red splotchiness on your face? Soothe both symptoms away easily by mixing together one egg yolk and the juice of one lemon into a paste. Cover your face with it and leave it on overnight. If this seems like too much work, leave it on your face for an hour. You might not get the optimal results with this, but you will see a difference.

Replace Conditioner with Baking Soda

Want to be more like a guy and only use one thing to clean your hair? Then just add baking soda to your shampoo. It will remove build up and make hair shinier, and you can use it everyday.

Degrease Oily Hair With Lemons and Aloe

Mix together 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon aloe vera. Mix it together with a normal serving of shampoo. It will get rid of your oiliness in one shower.

Smooth Fizzy Hair With Honey

Add a tablespoon of honey to a litre of water. After shampooing, rinse your hair with this concoction to tame your frizz.

Replace Face Wash With Skim Milk Powder

Switching face wash out with skim milk powder can make your face much softer and give you a smoother complexion. It’s also very gentle, so even the most sensitive can use it.

Moisturize Skin With Honey and Olive Oil

Honey holds moisture extremely well and olive oil hydrates well, too. Mix equal parts of olive oil and honey and add a dash of lemon juice if you’d like to create a pasty lotion. Rub it onto the dry skin and let it sit for 10-20 minutes. Your skin will be hydrated for plenty of time to come afterwards.

Soften Skin With Oatmeal

There are many concoctions and mask recipes that involve oatmeal, but you can use oatmeal by itself to help your skin. Ground up about 1 cup of oatmeal using a blender or coffee grinder, and add it to bath water to soften skin to baby-like quality.

Treat Choline-Damaged Hair

Mix together 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1/4 of a peeled cucumber. Cover you hair with the mixture and leave on for 10-20 minutes. You’ll see your hair return to normal almost immediately.

Tone and Rebuild Skin With Avocados and Carrots

This recipe can work wonders. Combine 1 avocado, 1 cooked carrot, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 egg and 3 tablespoons of honey. Leave on for 10-20 minutes and then rinse. These ingredients add a multitude of vitamins, antioxidants and calcium to rebuild natural collagen, tone skin and remove age spots. There is plenty to read about the benefits of each of these ingredients, but all you need to know is that each natural element does more than any store-bought item can.

Lemons or Oranges for Fine Hair Hairspray

Use Lemons for dry hair and oranges for a stronger hold. Chop up the entire piece of fruit in a bowl as to not lose any juice. Boil the fruit with 2 cups of water until soupy or when the liquid has been significantly reduced. Strain through a cloth and put into a spray bottle. The citrus will hold the hair and not damage it due to the fact that there is no alcohol.

Apple Cider Vinegar for Cleanser and Toner

This eliminates dead skin cells easily, so you can use in lieu of expensive toner. That’s all

there is to it!

 

Brought to you by www.inspiringpretty.com