DIY BEER BREAD - free printable


This easy, fun bread requires no kneading or rising time and also happens to make great gifts (baked or just as a mix).  Here is the recipe below, along with the link to the free printable labels.

Time: 5 minutes; 50 minutes bake time
Makes: One loaf
YOU WILL NEED:
dry mix:
3 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
4  tsp. baking powder
1/4 c. sugar
(feel free to add garlic powder or other spices for a more savory bread)

added later:
2 T. butter
1 12 oz. beer

Mix all your dry ingredients together.  If you're making this as a gift, stop here, package it up, and add a lovely label you can download free from me here.

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B9lX15rLaMHpTmJZTE16TkJRUlE&usp=sharing

If you're making this to eat right away, continue on to the next steps.

Preheat oven to 375'.

Put 2 T. butter in a loaf pan and place in oven until melted.

Mix your beer into your dry mix and dump it into your melted butter pan.  Bake for 50 minutes at 375', or until the top is browned and sounds hollow when you tap it.



DIY GEOMETRIC FELT COASTERS - under $3

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9lX15rLaMHpQ0hHMTNCWXFYMW8/edit?usp=sharing

These easy little coasters are quick to make and would be a great last minute gift idea.  You can experiment with different colors and patterns to fit any occasion!  They would be a great hostess gift, as the bottle of wine one is pretty predictable.

Just go here for the free printable template and look below for the instructions:

Makes: 6 coasters
Time: about 10 minutes
YOU WILL NEED:

Contact paper
spray paint or craft paint
1 sheet stiff felt


FAMILY TREE SILHOUETTE COASTERS - under $3


https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9lX15rLaMHpRURnS3FoME9PSm8/edit?usp=sharing

Make personalized coasters for a special friend or a great mother's day gift idea.  This is a fun alternative to the traditional family tree displays. 

Just go here for the free printable template and look below for the instructions:

Makes: 6 coasters
Time: about 10 minutes
YOU WILL NEED:

Contact paper
spray paint or craft paint
1 sheet stiff felt


DIY LEMON BUTTER HAND AND CUTICLE CREAM

 

Here is the free printable for this wonderful stuff.  I'll give you the recipe and how-to below.

This is almost exactly like the Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream, but much, much cheaper.

Time: 15 mins.
Makes: 1 (to make more, just double, triple, or quadruple)
YOU WILL NEED:

1 T. coconut oil
1/8 tsp. beeswax
1/8 tsp. sweet almond oil
5- 10 drops lemon essential oil
metal tin (I got mine here for .46c)


HOW TO FROST COOKIES - WITHOUT ROYAL ICING


I see a lot of tutorials on making royal icing cookies, but that's just too much work!  Who has time to make the icing and then pipe it around on a cookie and fill it in later?  Here's my "cheater's" way to do it and it doesn't involve making royal icing or a piping tool - just some powdered sugar and a butter knife!  This is the way my mom always decorates her sugar cookies for Christmas and they're always beautiful.  What would we do without our mothers and their wise ways?

Also, I see that I managed to use a picture that showed the frosting globbed on the side of the cookie.  This is a carefully constructed illustration to show you that everyone makes mistakes and your cookies don't have to be perfect (or, maybe it was really late at night and I was trying to take pictures and frost cookies and I was delirious).

The frosting will have a nice, firm top on it once it's dried, so you don't have to worry about being overly careful with them if you're freezing or gifting the cookies.

time: 5 min. to make frosting
makes: 12-24 cookies
YOU WILL NEED:

1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. almond flavoring
1-2 tsp. milk or water
food coloring
12-24 Cookies to frost

5 DIY CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS FOR HER- under $5

Here's a quick roundup of  tutorials for do it yourself gift ideas all under $5 each!

Just in time for those last-minute holiday gifts and perfect for the end of the year, when your wallet is getting a little slim.

http://oilandblue.blogspot.com/2012/09/craft-this-alphabet-magnet-letters-grow.html

http://oilandblue.blogspot.com/2012/12/faux-mercury-glass-ornaments.htmlhttp://oilandblue.blogspot.com/2012/12/faux-mercury-glass-ornaments.html

http://oilandblue.blogspot.com/2012/10/craft-this-waxing-moon-phase-pillow.html

http://oilandblue.blogspot.com/2012/09/diy-paint-tipped-wooden-spoons.html

http://oilandblue.blogspot.com/2012/11/nautical-lattitude-and-longitude.html


SOCKS LABEL - free pritnable


https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9lX15rLaMHpU1RvdUJDbW9iM2c/edit?usp=sharing

I know, this seems a bit silly to have a label for socks, but sometimes you just need one.  Maybe you knit some, or found a good deal on a large package of them and want to gift each pair separately, this label should come in handy!

Just print it on the paper of your choice, then either wrap the whole label around the socks and tape it together, or use the shorter labels and punch a hole on either side and string a ribbon through to tie around socks.

CHALKBOARD STYLE CHRISTMAS TAGS - free printable


https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9lX15rLaMHpb0JpMENPNEJOZlk/edit?usp=sharing

Here are some Christmas Tags for you!  You can use them as table place markers, gift tags, decorations, or labels for homemade goodies.  However you use them, I hope they bring a bit of Christmas cheer to your holidays!

THE GREATEST FIRE STARTERS - egg carton, lint, & wax


These last few months of Midwest winter usually seem to drag on and on.  Just last week our weather went from 54' to -15' in just a few days (oh, Iowa).  My dad always says that you know you're in Iowa if you've used both your heat and air conditioning on in the same day.

Anyways, one of the things that really gets me through these last few months is cozying up next to a toasty wood stove or fire.  The Man and I were really sad to leave our fireplace when we moved.  Luckily, we were able to find a wood burning stove and install it into the existing chimney just before winter set in!

Well, all that introduction was just to tell you that these fire starters are the greatest.  I have my awesome sister-in-law to thank for the inspiration (she gave a cute little jar of them to me for Christmas).

time: about 20 minutes
makes: 1 doz.
YOU WILL NEED:
1 paperboard egg carton
Dryer lint
Wax


COCONUT SIRACHA BAKED CHICKEN STRIPS



This. Is. Amazing.  Siracha coated chicken strips, covered with panko and coconut, then baked to crispy perfection.  Oh my.

time: 10 minutes prep, 30 minutes baking
makes: 2 servings
YOU WILL NEED:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
1 egg
1/2 cup coconut flakes
1 cup panko or bread crumbs
1 T. Siracha
1/2 tsp salt