Homemade Mother's Day Gift Ideas

I have some pretty special women in my life that call me daughter.  I love them dearly and I am looking forward to using Mother's Day as an opportunity to tell them so!  My girls and I will be making a couple of the below projects.  There are so many great ideas all over the web, it is hard to choose!

Fingerprint Stationary From Family Fun

Recycled Gift Cards From Homemade Mama

Tea Sachets & Box Gift From Martha Stewart

A Memory Jar From I Am Momma Hear Me Roar

A Box Of Healthy Chocolate Mudballs

Photo Memory Gift From The Inadvertent Farmer

Plantable Greeting Card From Family Fun 

A Bottle Of Homemade Chocolate Syrup From Simple Notebook

Iron On Mothers Day Tote From Martha Stewart

Packaging Ideas From Nice Package

Photo Package Toppers From Martha Stewart

Printable Mothers Day Card From Family Fun

This post is linked to:
Creative Cats @ Poppies At Play
Frugalicious Fridays @ Finding Fabulous
Saturday Is Crafty Day @ Along For The Ride

Easy Cheesy Mini Bagels

Sara Lee sells Whole Wheat Mini Bagels with NO high fructose corn syrup..yippee! 

 I made spaghetti for dinner tonight.   I am one who just can't eat spaghetti without some time of bread to dip in the sauce, but I had no time to make bread.  I had these mini bagels on hand, so I:

~spread on some butter
~sprinkled with garlic salt
~sprinkled with cheese
~put 'em under the broiler until golden and melty!


As I was dipping them in the sauce, I thought
about how easy it would be to make Homemade
Bagel Bite Mini Pizzas.  I could make a bunch
ahead of time and freeze them, then just pop them
in the oven when needed.  With fiber from the
bagels and protein from the cheese, it would make
a pretty filling and healthy snack.  I'm sure that
will be a future post!:)

Mason Jar Love Affair Overload

When I first laid eyes on this photo, I just couldn't look away.  I starry eyed stared, and maybe even drooled a little...

 from here via here

More evidence of my affair:

Mason Jar-My Love Affair With Mason Jars

Mason Jars: Easy Iced Tea

Makes Me Happy-Wooden Clips

Pantry Organization

Mason Jars- Glowing Monster Jars | New Nostalgia

{sigh...}

Sugar Snap Peas & Bamboo Teepees

I'm trying my hand at gardening this year.  I made 2 square foot gardens (4ft x 2ft), and they fit quite a few plants.  The rest I am growing in pots, because I have such limited sunny space in my yard.  Flanking the sides of my porch stairs are 2 large pots with sugar snap peas growing steadily up toward the sun.  I usually use these pots for pretty flowers, but this year I am being a bit more practical.

 I filled the pots with organic potting soil, watered to moisten, then planted sugar snap pea seeds in each pot.  I soaked the seeds in water for a few hours before planting, then poked holes about 1" deep and plopped the seed right in and covered with soil. I kept the soil moist and covered the pots with plastic on top, using clothespins to keep the plastic in place.  It created the perfect environment for my seeds to germinate, and kept the squirrels out! I planted 12 per pot, but thinned them down to about 6 per pot once sprouted.  I planted them on the 12th of April, they sprouted in about a week.

Just yesterday I made teepees for them to climb on.  It was super easy.  4 bamboo stakes (bamboo is strong and cheap!) tied at the top with jute twine.  I'm not sure exactly how to tie the jute up the bamboo stakes to give the peas support as they grow, but I did my best:) I read that they like to grow straight up, instead of tilting in toward the middle, so I made sure the first row of jute is right above the little pea plants.  They are already starting to vine around the twine, I will need to add a few more levels of jute quite soon!

My girls love watching these pea plants grow.  They are right at the front of our steps, so they see it every day, and each day they grow at least an inch.  They "oooo" and "ahhhh" over the growth when they get home from school.  I can't wait to see little fingers snapping off peas and to watch them pop 'em in their mouths!  Hopefully the plants will stay healthy so this can happen...so far so good!

This post is linked to:

Strut Your Stuff @ Somewhat Simple
Strut Your Stuff @ Jelllybeans & Fireflies
Thrifty Thursday @ Tales From Bloggeritaville
100 Ideas @ Beyond The Picketfence
Make It From Scratch
The Finer Things Friday @ The Finer Things
Metamorphasis Mondays @ Between Naps On The Porch
Motivate Me Mondays @ Somewhat Simple

Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays #9

***There are 2 areas to link to, please link to the appropriate area.  Thanks!!***

It is tuesday again!  I got a bunch of stuff accomplished this week around the house, it sure is a good feeling!
 I am finding I have another doozy list in this brain of mine that I need to transfer onto my Doozy list post.  I am getting stuff done before I can get them on the list which is a good problem to have, but it is a bit odd that I am procrastinating on putting things on an Anti-Procrastination list!!:)
Here are a few things I "got did"
1. After wanting to for years, I finally made and delivered May Day Baskets
2. Made bamboo teepees for sugar snap peas
3. Sterilized pots for tomatoes and peppers
4. Organized my spices
5. Scrubbed the grout in my kitchen

Featured Posts From Last Week

 
<a href="http://www.amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p32/Amysb1975/3032373667_7c7e803b43-3.jpg" border="0" alt="New Nostalgia" /></a>

Square Foot Gardening/TV Cabinet Redo @ Chocolate Covered Chaos
{jealous of her Sq. Ft. Garden size and can you believe the difference paint and distressing can make!}

Chore Chart @ My Family

{I love seeing what is working for someone, so inspiring!!}

$2.00 Trash To Treasure @ The Phillips Family
{such a cute bathroom theme. Love the distressing!}

Ok, here is the big finale...Love This!

Place Of Rest Part 1 & 2 @ From Way Over Here

{a crafting area with so many fun details!  Love the burlap bulletin board with those cute flowers!}

Here are the guidelines:

1. On Tuesdays each week, I'll host the link party here at New Nostalgia.  You can come over and enter the permalink to your Anti-Procrastination post in my MckLinky List.

2. Be sure to insert a link in your post that directs others back here.  It could be my button at the side bar, or something like "This post is linked to "Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays" at New Nostaglia. 

3. Be sure to link your posts url, not your blog url!

4. Visit as many other links as you can for ideas, inspiration and to offer encouragement.

5. Leave comments for the links you visit just to let them know you are there (and so we can know there really ARE people out there committed to getting things done together, support matters!)

6. Come back each tuesday, post more of your accomplishments, and see some of the links featured from the week before.  You could be one of them!

 
<center><a href="http://amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p32/Amysb1975/7393129504_TCNCj.jpg" /></a></center>

Be Inspired, Be Encouraged & Get Something Done!


*****Stop and Read BEFORE Linking!!*****

I will have 2 different themes for you to link to. Please choose the correct one, or I will need to delete your link.

"Anti-Procrastination" Themed:

~things you want to accomplish (lists, goals)
~things you did accomplish (before and afters are great!)
~thoughts on procrastination/ways you beat procrastination

"Flexible" Themed: (things that were not "procrastinated")
~crafts
~projects
~recipes

Portable Chicken Tacos

My daughters soccer games are on Monday nights, usually around 5:30/6:00.  Dinner can be tricky!  These chicken tacos were a great solution to eating on the go--so easy to prepare!  I came up with the recipe, and I'll admit, I'm kinda impressed with myself:)

I had cooked, shredded chicken in the freezer which was made using this process. I froze it in a ziplock bag with about 1/2 cup of chicken broth.  I add the broth to keep the chicken flavorful during the freezing process.  When I use this method, I can never tell that the chicken has been frozen, and freezing it flat in a ziplock makes thawing a snap.  I  also use mason jars, but it takes longer to thaw in them.

I dumped the chicken out into a pan, broth and all.  Then I added chili powder and taco seasoning (I make mine homemade, using this recipe), and 3 oz. cream cheese.  This is just enough to make the chicken creamy and give it a rich flavor.  Salt & pepper and some fresh herbs, and Voila! Seasoned chicken for tacos!  This would be great in enchiladas, too.

Fresh Herbs and Lettuce From My Garden!  So exciting!!

We were running late, rushing around to find jackets and long sleeved shirts as the weather went from sunny and warm, to windy, chilly and stormy.  I knew it was either make dinner portable or show up way too late, so I took a tortilla, added the chicken and some cheese, then heated in the microwave for about 25 seconds or until the cheese melted.  I ripped squares of foil, rolled the tacos up like a burrito and then rolled them in the foil.  I put the lettuce and tomato I had prepared into a ziplock, threw everything into a bag, and off we went to soccer.  

My girls would rather not have the lettuce and tomato on their tacos, so they were very happy to eat their tacos in the car without the toppings.  Todd and I ate ours at the soccer field, where I snapped this picture before I scarfed the rest down.  The angle is a bit weird, but it was in my lap and I felt very WEIRD snapping photos of my food at a soccer game, so it was a quick pic!  Sorry if the bite out of it is unappetizing!;)

The family loved these.  I will be making them often!

Portable Chicken Tacos
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp taco seasoning (or to taste)
3 oz. cream cheese
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Fresh Parsely and Chives (optional)

Whole Wheat Tortillas
Shredded Cheese
Lettuce
Tomato
(whatever toppings you like)

Heat chicken, broth, seasonings, cream cheese, salt and pepper in pan on med. heat for about 5-10 minutes, stirring to incorporate the cream cheese as it melts.  Remove from heat and add fresh herbs (optional)

Make you tacos using the method described above if you need a portable dinner.  If not, serve chicken on the tortillas, add toppings of choice and enjoy!

This post is linked to:
30 minute blog challenge @ Steady Mom
Works For Me Wednesday @ We Are That Family
The Boardwalk Bragfest @ Bobbypins Boardwalk

May Day Baskets

We have never made May Day Baskets, but have been the recipients of them many times and boy, what fun that is!  My Aunt Linda and her girls introduced us to May Day baskets by sneaking them onto our doorstep in years past, but now we live too far away and her girls are all grown up!   We have a couple friends here that have surprised us the last few years. It is always such a fun thing to hear the doorbell and find treats left behind by someone who loves us.  For those of you who are not familiar with the May Day Tradition, the basket giver rings the bell and runs away.  The person receiving the basket tries to catch the fleeing giver.  If caught, tradition said a kiss was to be exchanged!

Every year I say I am going to do it, but then do not get around to it.  I saw a few cute ideas online which made me think that I REALLY had to do it this year, so I did!  The baskets we made are inspired by three different May Day Baskets that I found online.

 I started out making holes in the cups with a paper punch, but that made my hand sore, so I used the point of my scissors instead, twisting the scissors to make the hole.  Much easier!

I found some items of clothing that were ripped and not worth sewing back together.  I cut them in 3/4 inch wide strips of fabric and laced it around the rim of the cups.  My lil' one loved helping me with this part.

The handle was made with wire, glued between two strips of ribbon.  This basket from Skip To My Lou was the inspiration for the handle.  We glued little flowers in pretty spring colors on to embellish, which I found on clearance at the craft store.

I wanted to fill them with treats that are not full of all kinds of artificial stuff.  I know that holidays are a fun time for treats, and we eat our share of junk during a holiday, but I wanted to see if I could find a way to make a treat basket without a bunch of artificial colors and high fructose corn syrup.

I choose popcorn, honeycomb cereal (I thought the flower shape was cute and they don't have a ton of sugar in them, at least for a treat), dried blueberries, multi-grain cheerios, and to top it off, ...a Lindt Lindor Truffle.
My girls are very excited to deliver these little baskets tomorrow. There is just something so fun about ringing a door bell, leaving a basket and running away!
Happy May Day!!
This post is linked to:
Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors
Weekend WrapUp Party @ Tater Tots & Jello
Super Crafty Saturdays @ One Crafty Mommy
Sundae Scoop @ I Love Naptimes
Saturday Is Crafty Day @ Along For The Ride
Made It Mondays @ The Persimmon Perch
Made By You Mondays @ Skip To My Lou
Just Something I Whipped Up @ The Girl Creative