So I have an extremely busy day. Ryan had his shots and Dax has been on the computer studying for his final all morning. I just woke up and realized I have to go visiting teaching in 30 minutes and I look like I just woke up. So today's idea is from Emily too. After seeing the tutu she sent me this website that shows how to make some easy fairy wings to go with it. So here is the address http://www.make-baby-stuff.com/making-fairy-wings.html. I haven't tried them so if you do, let me know how they turn out. My font changed after I pasted the link but Ryan is freaking out that he isn't playing on the computer so I'm not going to fix it because. Hope it doesn't bother anyone too much :) Thanks for checking in today!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Fun and Easy Tutu
The cutest tutu model ever!
I had a friend who was talking about making her little girl a tutu for some pictures. So, it got me curious about how to make one and it actually turned out to be very simple. All you need is some tulle and an elastic waistband. I hate to say an amount on either because it totally depends on how full or long you want the tutu and how big your child's waist is. I think the rule of thumb on waistbands is to make them an inch bigger than you need. If I'm wrong feel free to correct me. Anyways, all you do is measure
the waist and sew the two end of the waistband together. Or, to make this step more simple, you can just buy one of those stretchy headbands, that is if you have a small child. If you have a bigger child that probably won't work. Also, you can even use ribbon if you want a tie on tutu. After getting the waist band ready all you have to do is cut your tulle into strips. Again with this it depends on how poofy and long you want it. If you want a shorter one cut the strips shorter. For this one I had my fabric folded in half (hot dog way), and just cut my strips about 2-3 inches wide. I folded it so I wouldn't have to cut the whole width of the fabric. It's half as much work. I like to make my strips a little different so I don't measure or anything. I think different lengths and widths make it look better. Next you just tie your strips of tulle to the waistband. Here is how I like to tie them. I couldn't think of a way to tell how to do it so I how the picture helps. Really I don't think it matters how you tie them on as along as it's a knot that is going to stay in place. If you want you can also tie ribbon on the waste abnd with the tulle. It doesn't matter, just be creative. I have seen them done with multiple colors in one, or with flowers glued on. Just do what you like and have fun with it. Ryan loves his, even though I did not make it for him. I made him a cape to replace it though because I think he liked it too much. But we got good pictures of him in to show his future children. We are mean parents :)
I had a friend who was talking about making her little girl a tutu for some pictures. So, it got me curious about how to make one and it actually turned out to be very simple. All you need is some tulle and an elastic waistband. I hate to say an amount on either because it totally depends on how full or long you want the tutu and how big your child's waist is. I think the rule of thumb on waistbands is to make them an inch bigger than you need. If I'm wrong feel free to correct me. Anyways, all you do is measure
the waist and sew the two end of the waistband together. Or, to make this step more simple, you can just buy one of those stretchy headbands, that is if you have a small child. If you have a bigger child that probably won't work. Also, you can even use ribbon if you want a tie on tutu. After getting the waist band ready all you have to do is cut your tulle into strips. Again with this it depends on how poofy and long you want it. If you want a shorter one cut the strips shorter. For this one I had my fabric folded in half (hot dog way), and just cut my strips about 2-3 inches wide. I folded it so I wouldn't have to cut the whole width of the fabric. It's half as much work. I like to make my strips a little different so I don't measure or anything. I think different lengths and widths make it look better. Next you just tie your strips of tulle to the waistband. Here is how I like to tie them. I couldn't think of a way to tell how to do it so I how the picture helps. Really I don't think it matters how you tie them on as along as it's a knot that is going to stay in place. If you want you can also tie ribbon on the waste abnd with the tulle. It doesn't matter, just be creative. I have seen them done with multiple colors in one, or with flowers glued on. Just do what you like and have fun with it. Ryan loves his, even though I did not make it for him. I made him a cape to replace it though because I think he liked it too much. But we got good pictures of him in to show his future children. We are mean parents :)
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Free Samples
Emily, my favorite roommate (I left the favorite part out last time and got in trouble) e-mailed a bunch of her simple ideas and they were great.
The first one was that you can get free samples of things from walmart.com. I think it said that they are new products that Wal-mart is carrying and they want people to be able to try them first. All you have to do is go to walmart.com and on the left side there is a tab that says "In Store". Click on it and it will take you to a new page. On that new page, on the left side again, there is a tab that says free samples. Just click it and you are on your way to getting your freebies.
I don't know about you, but I totally love free things! Also, if you love free things, you should check out babysteals.com this week. They are celebrating a year of business and are having giveaways everyday this week. So save some money and go get some freebies!
Thanks Emily for the ideas. If you have any you want me to share, just e-mail me at simpleandsensible@gmail.com.
The first one was that you can get free samples of things from walmart.com. I think it said that they are new products that Wal-mart is carrying and they want people to be able to try them first. All you have to do is go to walmart.com and on the left side there is a tab that says "In Store". Click on it and it will take you to a new page. On that new page, on the left side again, there is a tab that says free samples. Just click it and you are on your way to getting your freebies.
I don't know about you, but I totally love free things! Also, if you love free things, you should check out babysteals.com this week. They are celebrating a year of business and are having giveaways everyday this week. So save some money and go get some freebies!
Thanks Emily for the ideas. If you have any you want me to share, just e-mail me at simpleandsensible@gmail.com.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Fast, Tastey, and Healthy
Well I guess I am only going to this Monday through Friday. I didn't realize how busy our weekends are.
If any of you watch the Biggest Loser you probably already know this tip. Have you ever heard of the Zip'n Steam bags? They are bags that you can fill with veggies and even chicken or fish, then pop it in the microwave for like 5 minutes and Voila! Dinner is ready! I bought some and tried them and they actually work really well. We have been having broccoli for dinner almost every night. They come with a little pamphlet with recipes, and you can get more online. Or you can be creative and make up your own. I love that you can put your meat and veggies in and cook them all together. For seasoning you just sprinkle in whatever seasoning you like before you cook it. Just one tip, wait a little bit before taking it out of the microwave. I think it even says that on the package. I burned my finger pretty bad yesterday and it was just from the steam. So from the voice of experience, make sure and read the directions first.
*I just looked at the website (ziploc.com) and apparently you can put other meats and fruits in the bags too. They are amazing! Check out the recipes, they look really good!
If any of you watch the Biggest Loser you probably already know this tip. Have you ever heard of the Zip'n Steam bags? They are bags that you can fill with veggies and even chicken or fish, then pop it in the microwave for like 5 minutes and Voila! Dinner is ready! I bought some and tried them and they actually work really well. We have been having broccoli for dinner almost every night. They come with a little pamphlet with recipes, and you can get more online. Or you can be creative and make up your own. I love that you can put your meat and veggies in and cook them all together. For seasoning you just sprinkle in whatever seasoning you like before you cook it. Just one tip, wait a little bit before taking it out of the microwave. I think it even says that on the package. I burned my finger pretty bad yesterday and it was just from the steam. So from the voice of experience, make sure and read the directions first.
*I just looked at the website (ziploc.com) and apparently you can put other meats and fruits in the bags too. They are amazing! Check out the recipes, they look really good!
Friday, April 24, 2009
Simple Cleaning
Sorry I didn't post yesterday, I was going to try to do one everyday. Our internet was having issues. I don't know if anyone is even looking at this anyways. For today I thought I would just share a simple cleaning idea. I hope I \'m not the only one that does this, but I always start my laundry and forget about my last batch in the washer. The next day when I realize, I open the washer and the clothes definitely don't smell clean. If this happens, all you need to do is pour a little vinegar when you wash them. It takes the mildew-ish smell out of them.
And since I missed yesterday, I will post one more thing. Have you ever cut an onion and had your hands still smell the next day? I can never get that stupid onion smell of my hands. This tip only works if you have a stainless steel sink. You just need to rub your hands on the stainless steel and the smell is gone. I just made chili today and my hands smelled like a fresh onion. I just rubbed my hands on my sink and now they just smell like, well... hands. I even just tried smelling them right now and I still don't smell onion on them. It's weird but it works!
And since I missed yesterday, I will post one more thing. Have you ever cut an onion and had your hands still smell the next day? I can never get that stupid onion smell of my hands. This tip only works if you have a stainless steel sink. You just need to rub your hands on the stainless steel and the smell is gone. I just made chili today and my hands smelled like a fresh onion. I just rubbed my hands on my sink and now they just smell like, well... hands. I even just tried smelling them right now and I still don't smell onion on them. It's weird but it works!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Happy Earth Day
So for Earth Day I wanted to share something that related to being more "green". This idea came from a girl in my mom's ward. My mom is always on the look out for ways to entertain my overly active child. Any of you that have toddler aged children know how hard it is to entertain them. They play with a toy for like 10 seconds and then want something new. It can be quite a chore sometimes.
All you need to entertain them is an egg carton and some pom-poms (not the cheerleader kind). I just showed Ryan how to put the pom-poms in the hole on top and then how to open them and get them back out. This seriously works miracles. He played with it for more than 30 minutes. I don't think he has ever played with one toy for that long. And I must say this toy was a lot cheaper than anything else he has. If you don't already have some fun colored pom-poms, I'm pretty sure you can get them at the Dollar Store. You can probably actually get them from the craft store for the same price.
Another good thing about it is that it's quiet. It's a toy you can take to church or any where else you need to be quiet. If you want to make it even more fun you can even paint the egg carton together. Try it out and let me know if your kids like it.
*Just a tip: Don't always just leave it out to play with, otherwise they are going to get bored of it too. Save it for times when you really need it like church, or while you cook dinner. It will be exciting every time you get it out!
All you need to entertain them is an egg carton and some pom-poms (not the cheerleader kind). I just showed Ryan how to put the pom-poms in the hole on top and then how to open them and get them back out. This seriously works miracles. He played with it for more than 30 minutes. I don't think he has ever played with one toy for that long. And I must say this toy was a lot cheaper than anything else he has. If you don't already have some fun colored pom-poms, I'm pretty sure you can get them at the Dollar Store. You can probably actually get them from the craft store for the same price.
Another good thing about it is that it's quiet. It's a toy you can take to church or any where else you need to be quiet. If you want to make it even more fun you can even paint the egg carton together. Try it out and let me know if your kids like it.
*Just a tip: Don't always just leave it out to play with, otherwise they are going to get bored of it too. Save it for times when you really need it like church, or while you cook dinner. It will be exciting every time you get it out!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Simple Money Saving
So I had a hard time sleeping last night because I was trying to organize all of the ideas that I want to put on here. So I decided to share a simple money saving tip today. I think I saw this on like Oprah or something like 4 years ago, but when I watched it, I thought it was such a good idea that I needed to remember it when I was married and poor someday.
So I am always spending way too much at the grocery store, and meat is part of that problem. It is so expensive! I love chicken, but I refuse to pay $3.99 a pound for it. And yes, they have those frozen bags of chicken that are a little cheaper, but I think they are a little too expensive too. So I have started to buy chicken drumsticks, wings, and thighs. Yeah, they aren't as pretty as a chicken breast, but a lot of the time you can get it for 99 cents a pound! I can spend $4.00 and feed my family for 3 nights.
There are great recipes all over online for chicken pieces. They are so easy to make. I usually bake them to be a little more on the healthy side. If you want some good recipes go to allrecipes.com. It has some really good ones. You can even use recipes that you use for chicken tenders or breasts. A marinade is a marinade, and a breading is a breading, no matter what you put it on. You can even cook it and then take the chicken off the bones and use it in salads or pasta, be creative.
I hope this tip is helpful, we have saved quite a bit of grocery money this way. (And you can still splurge every now and then and buy a nice chicken breast!) If you have any good recipes to use on chicken, email them to me and I will post them for you!
So I am always spending way too much at the grocery store, and meat is part of that problem. It is so expensive! I love chicken, but I refuse to pay $3.99 a pound for it. And yes, they have those frozen bags of chicken that are a little cheaper, but I think they are a little too expensive too. So I have started to buy chicken drumsticks, wings, and thighs. Yeah, they aren't as pretty as a chicken breast, but a lot of the time you can get it for 99 cents a pound! I can spend $4.00 and feed my family for 3 nights.
There are great recipes all over online for chicken pieces. They are so easy to make. I usually bake them to be a little more on the healthy side. If you want some good recipes go to allrecipes.com. It has some really good ones. You can even use recipes that you use for chicken tenders or breasts. A marinade is a marinade, and a breading is a breading, no matter what you put it on. You can even cook it and then take the chicken off the bones and use it in salads or pasta, be creative.
I hope this tip is helpful, we have saved quite a bit of grocery money this way. (And you can still splurge every now and then and buy a nice chicken breast!) If you have any good recipes to use on chicken, email them to me and I will post them for you!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Explanation and 1st Simple Idea
In this complicated world it's very hard to find simplicity. So, I have decided that with some of my extra time I would start this blog to share simple ideas to use in many different areas of life like simple recipes, simple money saving tips, simple ideas for kids...and so on. I need to say that not all of these are my ideas alone. They are ideas I have come across at some point in my life that have helped me to simplify my craziness. If you have any ideas that you would like to share, feel free. I am not a super creative person so feel free to e-mail me any ideas at any time. My e-mail address is simpleandsensible@gmail.com. I hope this is useful to someone out there! So please feel free to share this blog with anyone you know!
So for my first day I am just going to post one of my most favorite simple recipes. I know many people probably already have this one but if not, I hope you enjoy. This recipe came from one of my old roommates, Emily.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
1 boxed spice cake mix
1 small can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie)
1 bag of chocolate chips
Directions
Simply mix all of the ingredients together and bake at 350 for 7-10 minutes or until they are done to your likeness. If you don't like a lot of chocolate only use half of the bag of chocolate chip. Either way they are delicious. (You can also put it in a bread pan and make it into a loaf if you'd rather.)
I love this recipe! They are so easy to make and they taste so yummy! I hope you enjoy them and please come back and visit for tomorrow's simple idea!
So for my first day I am just going to post one of my most favorite simple recipes. I know many people probably already have this one but if not, I hope you enjoy. This recipe came from one of my old roommates, Emily.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
1 boxed spice cake mix
1 small can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie)
1 bag of chocolate chips
Directions
Simply mix all of the ingredients together and bake at 350 for 7-10 minutes or until they are done to your likeness. If you don't like a lot of chocolate only use half of the bag of chocolate chip. Either way they are delicious. (You can also put it in a bread pan and make it into a loaf if you'd rather.)
I love this recipe! They are so easy to make and they taste so yummy! I hope you enjoy them and please come back and visit for tomorrow's simple idea!
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