Spray Painted Skirt

Yuppers, that's right.  I spray painted my skirt.  I've wanted to try this for a long time, and finally took the plunge.  I figured I hadn't worn this plain black skirt in probably five years anyway, so if it didn't turn out then I really wasn't out much.

Using painter's tape for the stripes, I pressed it down tightly then took some silver rustoleum spray paint and covered the entire front of the skirt.  Then I let it dry.....  and wore it to church! :)  I don't know how it will hold up to washing....  I think I'll play it safe and hand wash it inside-out!

I think I'll try a different design next.... spray painting clothes just might be the next big thing.  Haha!

Barstool Turned End Table

Yes, I'm pulling this from the archives.  I posted once about this a long time ago, but round these here parts, just been to plum hot to paint out in my shop!  Actually, it was a tad cooler today and I did some painting and am almost  finished with a few projects.  Hopefully I'll share next week!  But until then, here's one from last summer.... Enjoy.

It was an old barstool sitting in my mom's basement, missing the seat.

I painted it black, and plopped a thick, rectangular piece of glass on the top.  And a cute end table was born. :)  
http://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com

Cheesy Salmon and Rice Skillet Meal

My hubby doesn't like fish.  Any fish.  Not even salmon. BUT.... he likes this. :)  I think my mom may have actually come up with this dish one night at my house.  Can't remember, but I know she'd want the credit if she did, haha.  All I know is that the scribbled hand writing in my notebook is unmistakably mine.  Here's what you need:

2 salmon filets
1/3 cup Italian dressing
1/2 cup rice
1 1/4 cups water
3 carrots
2 cups broccoli 
1 cube chicken bouillon (or 1 teaspoon)
salt, pepper, and a heavy dose of basil and onion powder
1 - 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

In skillet, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil then add rice, sliced carrots, broccoli, bouillon and seasonings.  Cover and simmer on low 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Meanwhile, cook salmon in italian dressing.  Doesn't matter how - bake, microwave, grill, fry... just get it cooked!  (I use those individually packaged frozen filets you can get for pretty cheap in Wal Mart).  When rice and veggies are tender, chunk up the salmon and add it to the skillet.  Sprinkle cheese on top.  Cover until cheese is melted, then serve!  Even your fish haters will like it.  I hope... :)

A wall, A Stick, And Some Burlap

There are many friends of mine who need their own blog, but since they don't I am compelled to share their creativeness with you on mine. Maran is one of these friends.  She's so crafty, and everything she touches seems to turn to gold.  I loved this wall hanging she did in her bedroom.  She emailed me the pictures and gave me permission to post them!

Just ask her how long she kept it up though - I think it lasted about a week. I guess she didn't think it matched what else she had goin' on in her bedroom.  It's okay, Maran.  You're allowed to remove awesome wall decor.  Even though this was a SWEET idea!  I say it'd be extra swell in a boy's room!!

My Strapless Dress Fashion

Fashion?  Psh.  What do I know about fashion?  Here's one thing I do know - skinny jeans are IN and I look like a woman who birthed a dozen kids in them.  Uh, I just reread that, and that came out sounding way wrong.  You know what I meant.  I think. Okay, can we get on with this post?  Can you tell talking about fashion makes me nervous?  So I found this A.Dor.Able strapless dress at a garage sale.  Yes, more than likely if it didn't come from a 90% off clearance rack and I'm wearing it, then it came from a garage sale.  The dress had a fun print, but most importantly had pockets and looked like it would hide lots of bodily imperfections!  Baggy hides a multitude of sins!!  However, wearing it for my boy's birthday party seemed like a wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen.  And it was hot.  I had nothing to wear over top.  So I put a ribbed tank underneath,  strapped a vintage goodwill belt around it, and it had a whole new modest, comfortable, and "wardrobe malfunction free" dress!  Most of us have one (or five, since they go on sale for about $2 at the end of every summer and we can't resist the good deal) in the closet - pull it out and give it a new look!  It will be the perfect look for your date to McDonald's tonight.

So I realize a turquoise tank would have looked much better.  And I had one on at first.  But the neck line went lower than the dress, and it just twasn't right.

Not Your Grandma's Cloth Diapers

Wham.  The first picture that hits you about cloth diapers is this crazy animal print!  I TOLD ya, they weren't your grandma's cloth diapers!  Or your mom's for that matter.  I'm sure she used pampers anyway.  But if you complain about the cost of diapers, complain no longer.  My big regret is that I didn't use them with my first two kids!  Now, I'm not a die-hard.  I always have a box of disposables on hand.  In fact, we generally only use cloth diapers when we are at home.  Who wants to stick that big thing in your purse when it's full?  Yeah, not this Mama!  I actually got into these because my friend Brook was using them (for her babies, not herself!  duh...) and I thought good for you, but those aren't for me!  Then she let me take a few home to try them out just to see if I liked them.  Welp, that was it - I was sold!  So here are the facts as I know them:

They're cute but expensive.  UNLESS, like me, you buy them for $5 each on Ebay.  What did I all get for $5?  Well, for one that included the shipping!!!!  Woot woot.  It also gave me two nappy inserts with the cute, colorful one-size-fits-all diaper.  They have lots of snaps to adjust the size.  Now a box of diapers, as you well know, costs around $20.  I got five of these reusable, washable diapers for $20.  And that's all the cloth diapers I have - five!  I put them on my baby during the day, and when they're all dirty, throw them in the washing machine, set the load to "small" and put a very small amount of All Free/Clear detergent in them.  (Not supposed to use bleach or soap with scent/dye).  Then you hang them to dry!  I try to hang them out in the sun as much as possible because the sun naturally disinfects and bleaches.  So while they are in the wash, she usually where's a Parent's Choice diaper. :)  I can't BELIEVE our savings!!!

There is an opening at the bottom where you slide in the insert.  I always double up and use two inserts, otherwise they fill too quickly!

They're super cute and she doesn't look like a white trash baby crawling around in her white disposable when it's hot!  haha!  The brand Tori is wearing are Sunny Baby.

And another huge benefit?  They can get wet during water play outside... and they don't explode with little silicone crystals all over the place!!!

Let me know if I've persuaded you to make the switch!!!  I think you'll be glad you did. :)

Free Nightstand Before and After

I think my mother in law has gotten the redecorating bug which is always exciting to me when people getting bitten because sometimes I get to benefit!  In this instance, it was a free nightstand that she didn't want anymore!

*After*

I used a stencil for the design on top (which my hubby wrinkled his nose up at, but hey, it's not for his kleenex box, so it doesn't matter what he thinks, right?) using silver glaze.

The handles got a few shots of silver rustoleum spray paint, and I put a couple coats of polyurethane on the top for protection.  And it's a whole new mod job! :)

Rhubarb Jam - Pretty n' Delish

If you now Grandma (Doreen) Buck, you know she LOVES rhubarb.  She's also very well known for her amazing homemade jams, pies, etc.  So naturally, I went to her when looking for a good rhubarb jam recipe!  Since I have a gorgeous crop of rhubarb, and being frugal is a way of life here, I didn't want to have to buy strawberries or anything else to make the jam.  Just rhubarb as the fruit!  Scroll to the end to find just the recipe.  You'll want to print it off and keep it in your recipe box fo sho!

My lil' man, chopping the leaves off the rhubarb.  He is the only one of my three I trust with a big knife. :)

Finely chop five cups of rhubarb.

After stirring in four cups of sugar, let it sit for one hour.  Then stir constantly over low heat and bring it to a hard boil  Remove from heat and add box of strawberry jello, stirring until completely dissolved.  Pour into jars.  Cool on the counter for a day, then freeze it for some January day when you're longing for a taste of summer!

Optional: Find some pretty paper, and cut a circle...

stick a little slice of double sided tape under it and put it on the lid, then screw on the top and wa-la!  Tie some lace around  for a finished look - Perfect for a hostess gift! :)

Kid approved!!

 Here's the recipe she gave me:

Rhubarb Jam
5 cups thinly sliced rhubarb
4 cups sugar
1 small pkg strawberry gelatin

Mix sugar & rhubarb, mix well
let stand 1 hour, then place over
low heat, bring to hard boil, stirring
very often, (don't want to stick)
Remove from heat, add gelatin, stir
til gelatin is dissolved & color well
blended. Pour into jars, after cooled
Freeze.

Trashed Pillows Rescued N' Rejuvenated

There was a huge garbage bag stuffed with these ugly pillows from the ugly little couch in our church's nursery.  "Kammy, do you want these?  If not, they're heading for the trash."  Ahhh, not the trash!  Anything but the trash!!!  I'll take them!  And then I started thinking, no wonder my hubby gets so annoyed with me.  I don't even know how to recover pillows.  BUT my young friend, Rebecca, does!  She was excited that the pillows were rescued and agreed to rejuvenate them.  I was stunned at how they turned out.  This girl is 15 years old.  I thinkshe has a big, wonderful, creative future, wouldn't you say?

Go ahead.  Oooooo and Ahhhhhh.  That girl's got talent!

If I had a tutorial for these, I would share.  But it was like pulling teeth to get Rebecca to finally send me pictures of how these turned out, so I  think trying to get a tutorial would be like trying to squeeze blood from a turnip.

If pillows could be breathtaking, then these would most assuredly take my breath away!  Way to go, 15 year old Rebecca!  You're the bomb dot com.

Easy Kitty Cat Cake for Lilly

Split cake batter - chocolate of course - in two round cake pans.  Bake. When cool, flip them out upside on a plate.   Cut out a piece from the top to make ears, and round it out.  I cut out the ear shapes from the butter paper and cut around them.  Which as you can see, I also did for the mouth area.

Elbow your son's big noggin' outta the way while he tries to sneak frosting or just be a pain in the you-know-where.  I used Karly's awesome froster thingy-ma-bobs from Pampered Chef.  I need to get me some of those.  So much easier than the 20 year old cake decorating set I have.  They're plastic and accordion type things that you squeeze.  Nifty.  Lots less to wash!  Tobin, seriously now.  Get OUTTA THE WAY!

For detail stuff, I like to put the frosting in a zip lock bag and clip a corner off.  Better control, my fair one.  To get the dark brown color, I usually add some cocoa, but Karly didn't have any so we melted four chocolate chips, and dropped in 2 drops of blue food coloring, 2 drops of red, and 1 green.  I think that was the combo anyway.

And since you have another blank round cake, use your imagination and do something fun.  I did polka dots to match her birthday plates.  :)

And here is my beautiful little niece, Lilly, who turned ONE!!  (And she wouldn't even eat her cake!  No worries, my daughter ate it for her.)

Bench For a Princess

Another Jackson Resale Factory Find.  Jacksonites - HAVE YOU BEEN THERE YET?!  By George, get over there and tell them I sent you!  You never know what treasures might be there waiting for you.  And seriously, I don't think I've EVER been in such a huge resale store.  And it's bigger every time I go!  No lie.

It is to match this vanity that I did a little while back.  Click HERE for the before and after pics of that beauty!

AppleBees Gift Card Winner and I'm Featured!!!

Today I'm so excited to be featured over at A Creative Princess!!  Thank you so much Terri for your kind words and all the parties you so graciously host! :)  Pay her a visit - she has great stuff!  And now I'd like to announce the winner for the AppleBee's Gift card - This is a huge thank you to all of Kammy's Korner fans!!!!  Wouldn't be much of a blog without it's faithful readers!!  And the winner is.......(insert drumroll here)........ 

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 183 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

 

And just WHO was the 183rd person to "like" Kammy's Korner?  WENDY WHITED GREEN!!!!

 

Congratulations, Wendy!  Have some AppleBee's compliments of the Korner! :)

Miss Priss Corner Shelf Before and After

Doesn't every grandma have one of these in the corner of an overcrowded living room displaying Precious Moments,  Hummel figurines, and music boxes atop antique doilies.  Yeah, I had one too.  And I'm not a grandma.  Hopefully some little girl will find a sweet spot in her bedroom for this made over piece!

It was really much easier than I had anticipated since it all screws together so I unscrewd all the legs and spray painted them pink.  It didn't cover the greatest though, not sure if I'd go that route again.  Twas fabulous not having to paint white around each round leg!  Then just screwed it all back together - wa la!  Hopefully I'll find just the right pink-luvin' girl to want this. :)

Stunning Side Table Before n' After

I found this in a DIVE of a place.  You couldn't have hips any wider than 35 inches I swear or you wouldn't have been able to walk through the isles of junk.  MY KINDA PLACE!!!  Stuff was already marked pretty low and anything with a "9" on the price tag was half off.  As it turns out, everything that caught my attention had a "9" on it!  Giddy up!

I almost did this in a shabby chic white...  but I already had black paint on my roller from another project so I went with black.  I'm glad I did!  Then the top got my new favorite obsession - the Harlequin stencil!

I used silver glaze for the stencil.  Man, I love that stuff!  I use glaze alot!  It even works great as an alternative to toothpaste.  Okay, just testing to see who's actually reading and who's just looking at the pics. :)