Recipe Box Makeover

This weekend I decided to give my recipes a new home.

My recipe box contains a few great family recipes with the handwriting faded, some cut from old magazines and newspapers. It's fun to go through them! It's like sorting through old memories.

Although a little outdated and beat up, my recipe box is very special to me.  I've had it for years, it just needed a little makeover.

I began with a couple of wallpaper samples from Serena & Lily, cut to size. (Thanks again, Caitlin!) I used Mod Podge to adhere the paper to the box after painting the lid and trim with paint.

Then I added an adhesive metal bookplate from Staples, on one side.

I used my printer to create the recipe label.

There are a lot of ways to manage your recipes online, but I love the traditional way of storing my recipes in a box tucked in the cabinet. Why do I feel like I was born in the wrong era?!

How do you store your recipes?  Do you keep them fresh in your head or pinned to your Pinterest boards?

*Recipe cards are available to print from here. 

Oatmeal-Biscoff Cookies

You had me at Biscoff!

Are you familiar with Biscoff Spread?  Biscoff spread is a sweet, creamy, spreadable treat made from Biscoff Cookies.  I love Biscoff spread!  It's a tasty-indulgent treat that definitely won't make you skinny!

My kids love to eat Biscoff spread with apple slices.  Like the old saying goes, If you eat it with fruit it's practically health food! I kid!

And while eating the spread with apples is a favorite treat, I decided to mix things up and surprise my kids with homemade cookies.  My kids will happily scarf down a plate of cookies.  So I knew this recipe would be a hit and I loved the challenge of trying something different.  Enjoy! I know you will too.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats 

1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1/8 teaspoon salt 

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature 

1/2 cup Biscoff Spread 

1/2 cup granulated sugar 

1/2 cup light brown sugar 

1 large egg 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease 2 cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.  Using your mixer, beat cookie butter, granulated and brown sugar in a large bowl at medium speed until creamy.  Add egg and vanilla; beat until combined.  Reduce speed to low and gradually add dry ingredients one at a time and beat until incorporated.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.  Remove dough from refrigerator and form 2 tablespoons of dough into balls.  Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.  Bake for about 9 minutes or until cookies are golden.  Allow cookies cool completely before devouring. good luck with that!

*Recipe adapted from: Two Peas and Their Pod

I am linking this post to: 

Tatertots and Jello

By Stephanie Lynn

Sew Many Ways

Tip Junkie

                     

Super-Simple Project: Recovering a Flea Market Stool

A few months ago while browsing the flea market I came across a small, simple stool that was reasonably priced.

I looked past the scratched wood and dingy vinyl and saw true potential.  Updating it with new fabric would be an easy option.

I removed the seat cover and cleaned every inch of the stool with a disinfectant.

Since the vinyl was in good shape I didn't bother to remove it.  To recover, I simply placed the new fabric underneath the seat and went around it with my staple gun to secure the fabric in place.

  

After recovering the seat I decided not to paint the wood.  I love the look of the dark wood against the light walls.

As you can see I haven't jumped off the chevron train.  I love this upholstery-weight fabric.  It was a great find at Joann's for $20 a yard.  For this project I used half.

I "erased" the scratches in the wood by using a walnut.  Yes, that's right, a walnut!

My advice; don't overlook furniture at thrift stores or flea markets because of their current state.  Fabric and paint are an inexpensive way to update your find into something special!

I am linking this post to: 

Southern Hospitality

Mother-Son Wedding Dance

I'm sharing a wedding video today.  It starts out sweet and traditional, but this mother and son like to have have a little fun!  In honor of Valentine's Day I hope this video makes you smile!

My son is 12.  I need to practice my dance moves! 

*For more sweetness, you can view the video I shared a couple years ago by clicking here.

Stenciled-Table Top

Whenever I pass my daughter's room, I see her on the floor.  Whether she's painting her nails, using her laptop, or doing homework, she ignores her fully-functioning desk and opts to sit on the floor.  No matter how many times I suggest sitting in a chair or warn her of future back problems, she'd rather plant her derriere somewhere else.  So, as a healthy compromise, I decided to create a table that she could do her normal activities on.


I created the table top by using a large-wooden board, from an unfinished project I'd been storing in the garage.

The vinyl decals didn't appeal to my daughter.  We had a few other ideas in mind, but nothing concrete.  Then a few days later I was contacted by Royal Stencil Designs and asked to review one of their stencils.  I was really excited to work with Royal Design Studios.

But, I have never stenciled before.  With so many beautiful designs, the hardest part of the project was choosing a pattern.  So I left it all up to my daughter!  She narrowed her choices down to the Small Spanish Lace stencil.

To get started we began by removing the vinyl decals.

They left a raised-sticky residue which needed to be sanded smooth.  After the surface was clean, I painted the table top with a few coats of leftover white paint.

I began stenciling the next day!  Once I had it level and taped down, I started stenciling in the middle and worked my way out. My daughter's been on a bit of a gold kick lately.  She chose the gold stencil creme simply because of its beautiful-metallic sheen.   
The process was longer than I expected because I chose to use a stencil brush; the same results can be achieved using a roller.

With my husband's help, I attached the furniture leg brackets to the corners of the board, then screwed the legs in place.

Purchased from our local Home Depot.

I was on a mission to finish the table before my daughter returned home from school, so I could surprise her with it set up in her room.

Now she has a comfortable spot to do her nails while sitting on the floor.

or browse the internet

It's the perfect space saver, because it slides under her bed when she's through.

I lightly sanded the top of the table to give it a distressed look.  Then I sealed it with polycrylic to give it a protective coat.

My daughter loves it and that's all that matters in my world!

**No financial compensation was received, however I did receive a stencil to review.  All opinions are my own.