What are your Halloween plans?

We are planning on trick or treating at the old folks home on Halloween before it gets dark. It really touches my heart when my cute kids smile and make someone else's day. It's not all about the candy is it?

Then ya know......Trick or treating around the neighborhood. Here's our house all a glow last year! I will post a picture later from this year.

We grew our own pumpkins, carved them with template from the internet, and put up some of our dried garden corn stalks on the railings. Ewww spooky.

Have a great week of various Halloween celebrations. I am going to take the week off from blogging. Have a Happy Halloween everyone. Staci

Cute frames from my shopping adventure

I thought these frames were neat.

I think you could make the concept pretty easy out of wood and use white vinyls or free hand paint the flowers. Don't forget to choose a complimentary background color to go with your home decor. I like the silver bird in the window on the right.

Plate collage

Decorative plates make unique home decor. I am attracted to plates displayed in a unique way.....AN artistic way. This grouping caught my eye. (I am not in love with some of the plate color combinations--but the grouping is GREAT!)

Now if you have a welder in the family he/she can make you this sturdy floating plate rack.

One day....One day.

My Interior Design help giveaway winner announced!

AND THE WINNER....pulled out of my witches hat is.....

ABC cakes and with 4 entries she had great odds of being picked!
(Sorry for the delay I was tied up with family things)
She is asking for help with her front room. Congrats to you so now you can start taking the 4 pictures of your room and send them to me soon to my email address designingmotherhood (at) hotmail (dot) com.

Canning grape juice

I thought canning was over...NOPE! My mother in law called me to tell me she has grapes on strong. I have always wanted to make grape juice. So here's the easy peasy way to do it.

1. Pick grapes then wash and pull off stems
2. Put grapes in hot sterilized quart jars 1/2 full
   
3. Add HOT tap water and leave head space
   
4. You can add a smidgen of sugar but I didn't add any.
5. Seal with lids and rims.
   
6. Put in hot water bath canner for 25-30 minutes. Check your altitude
7. When they are cooling watch the grapes float to the top.
   

THAT'S IT! I can't wait to taste it.
NOTE: I will strain out the grapes and seeds in a colander when we are ready to drink it. I might add a touch of sugar if it needs it. That is easy to do IF if needs it.

I cut my husband's hair outside-Saving $$!

My cute hunting husband came back with an huge Elk and in desperate need of a haircut! In our almost 10 years of marriage I have been his barber. I think I do a good job for being an Interior Designer instead of a barber. Then I pay myself the $15 dollars and go shopping. :0) Do you cut your families hair? So far I only cut his hair. The kids and I go to a lady with a in-home salon in our neighborhood. She charges $1 per age for the kids; ex 2 years=$2. Then I get a cut for $20. Not bad!

Nap time fun-Play dough spiders with Polly Pocket hats

We had some nap time fun! We made play dough spiders and put Polly Pocket hats on them. We laughed and laughed. It was fun. I love to be silly with my kids.

Simple & practical organizing tips for today!

I like to be organized but I am constantly modifying some things. It might just be the story of my stay at home mommy life. Some of my ideas are simple, some are great, some are a work in progress. We all know there many ways to "skin" a cat when it comes to home organization but here are some new ideas for you today. For what ever that is worth-I hope these simple & practical ideas inspire someone to try something new. I more of my organization tips on the Organization tab. Check the link out for more. This is where I put my put my rubber bands from my newspapers...select door knobs in my house.
I am working on completing our immediate family favorite recipes and weeding out the ones we don't enjoy eating or making. I will be putting them in a 3-ring binder in categories. Merry Christmas to me huh?
So far these are the categories in no particular order:
Breakfast
smoothies
sides
sandwiches
casseroles
lentils & beans
holiday favorites (from New Years to Christmas)
breads & muffins
pasta & Italian dishes
soup
crock pot
beef & ham
poultry
fish
dessert
Mexican dishes
vegetables (also divided seasonally for our garden)
The laundry room coat rack. As you can see each family member gets a hook. The only bad thing is my kids can't reach it and put their own coats away. We made this out of extra wood from our banister (it was the wood piece that holds the spindles). My husband and I made this one winter day on a whim. It's not my favorite piece but it's hidden in the laundry room, functions fine, and was CHEAP (only the cost of the hooks from Home Depot).

Homemade witch brooms-You can make these!

Are you going to be a witch for Halloween or just want a witch broom on your front porch?

Well, these easy homemade witch brooms are made out of: A wood stick, painted in stripes with tape, spray painted straw, and colored raffia. CUTE CUTE!!

My second blog giveaway!

Announcing my second blog giveaway details

I hope from reading my blog and seeing my designing talent you'll be interested in a chance to win a room design consultation with Staci via the Internet (I am an Interior Designer in case you are new to this blog). Here's a custom window valance I created for a wonderful client.

Details of the giveaway: The winner will e-mail me up to 4 pictures of a room in your home that you are struggling with and need my help. I will give you feedback, exclusive design insights, and/or tips to revamp your room on a budget. We can do all of this over the Internet! Once the winner is selected randomly out of a hat the winner will be announced Monday, October 19th. So check back. The winner will have 48 hours to e-mail me up to 4 pictures of the one room with a list of questions or concerns to be addressed. It will be fun....so enter now!
The consultation value= Priceless!! :0)

To be entered in the giveaway (it's simple):
Leave a comment including the room you are interested in revamping, your first name, and e-mail address (so I can get a hold of you as the winner).

Earn extra entries by:

1. Becoming NEW public blog follower! Current followers, just tell me you follow already and that will be fine!
2. Email at least 5 people telling them about my site and the consultation giveaway! Copy me on the email: designingmotherhood (at) hotmail (dot) com
3. Do the following: Post about this giveaway on your blog and email the direct link to the blog page. Feel free to copy my valance picture for your blog shown above but link it back to my blog please.
   

Don't forget to leave a separate comment for each entry you complete! You have 4 chances to win a design consultation with me. It will be fun and I promise to give you some great insights.

When leaving a comment, I totally understand if you don't want to leave your full e-mail address, but in order to do the consultation check back to see if you were selected and e-mail me within 48 hours of the announcement. Good luck blog friends.

The giveaway will close on Sunday, October 18th at midnight MST!

Girly Girl quilt

I saw this neat quilt on my girls day out adventure. I never have seen a quilt in long strips. Isn't it unique? Are you pregnant with a baby girl, need an idea for your young daughters room, or just into quilting? Here's a fresh new girly girl idea for you. CUTE CUTE!! I don't have this talent.....YET! One day I'll do it though.

October garden update

My hubby and I were freaks last week when it was a night time low of 32 degrees and put a heater in the greenhouse, he put on a few wall of waters, and the plants are ALL alive and well in there. We are enjoying the red tomatoes, green peppers, and a cucumbers still. We weren't ready to say good bye yet.I am a sucker for real baby pumpkins in my fall home decor so I grow them in my garden. I also enjoy giving them away to friends, nieces and nephews, and teachers. We got all of these off two plants. Just remember don't plant them near the big pumpkins plants they cross pollinate.

I am enjoying fall now that it's here to stay. It looks like we will be making butternut squash soup this year.

Blog hits...over 15,000! Time for a give-a-way!

I wanted to give a shout out to my blog readers. I hope you enjoy your time on my blog and have been inspired to create, garden, or do something fun for free with the family. I know most of you are comment shy but come on I have a whoppin' 15,000 hits as of this week. ;0) Let me hear from ya sometime (and while your at it tell your friends about my blog). If you haven't taken the time to be a public follower go for it. I have a neat give-a-way in mind so come back later in the week for the full details. It's my 2nd giveaway to date.
Ta ta,
Staci

Fall decorations

It was girls day this weekend and I saw some creative fall outdoor decorations. I had to share so enjoy! Go ahead and copy the ideas! I am for sure!#1- Decorating outside with corn stalks, fall ribbons, and a black glittery Wicked sign (on top).

#2- A hanging wire pumpkin apparatus! This one was neat! Don't forget ribbon on the poles of your front porch!
#3 Carved and painted wood pumpkin stumps. Get the chainsaw out and have fun!

I hope you are enjoying fall everyone!

A second life for empty baby wipe containers.

I have extra baby wipe containers and I want to reuse them. So I have been putting my blue newspaper bags in them for dirty diapers. It's been nice having bags on the changing table or in the bathroom with a potty training 2 1/2 year old.

Other ideas for baby wipes container uses from the internet!

• My favorite: Use a box to hold my plastic grocery sacks for stinky diapers in the nursery. I can take them outside afterwards.
• Art supplies-you name it it can hold it.
• Instant oatmeal packs-organized from front to back by flavor in alphabetical order
• A travel first aid hit for the car or camper- Including hand sanitizer for the after preschool pick ups and playgroups
  
• Each child gets a tub for a car ride. They can decorate and have their own tubs. Less fighting over toys, maybe!?
• For small toys like polly pockets, fridge ABC magnets, legos, and Barbie accessories
• A "treasure chest" reward box. If they do their jobs they get a treasure from the chest.
• Extra hair bow storage-Maybe seasonal colored bows
• Extra storage for nail polish or makeup for mom
• Coupons (wouldn't work for me)
• Yarn
• Snacks that might get crushed in a diaper bag & a juice box or two
• Prescription organizer
• toothbrush, floss, fluoride pills, and Smart rinse aid holder
• Hold your receipts from shopping instead of your wallet
• For nails or screws anything in small in the garage
• A kid musical instrument with rubber bands on it.

Wedding favors-Cookies

I went to another wedding recently. The bride and groom gave out delicious soft frosted sugar cookies individually wrapped for a wedding thank you/favor. The wedding colors were aqua and black. The napkin (in the background) tied the colors together nicely. Each cookie had edible crystal looking sprinkles with aqua beads placed in yummy soft white frosting. They were pretty and delicious. I enjoy attending wedding parties and getting cute favors. You could do this for a baby shower, girlfriend party, or bridal shower.

Hand Sanitizer Bottles-Great teacher & new mommy gift idea

I am SOOO making these spiced up hand sanitizer bottles this year. I saw this version on Money Wise Moms

It takes 10 minutes & it cost about $1.00!

Here's what you need:

• Hand Sanitizer (you can get them for a $1.00 at the Dollar Tree. Find one that the label peels off easily!)
• Stickers and scrapbook paper (Use up your stash!)
• Scrap of ribbon (Again, use up what you have on hand)

Total out of pocket: $1.00

Great for all teachers, Sunday school teachers, secretaries, principals, mail carriers, day care providers, mommy friends with a newborn baby, and church workers. Have fun and let the kids help you!

It's fall--hunting season

It's October and my hubby is going "primal" on me....What I am mean is he is a hunter and off to shoot big game. Yes, we eat wild game meat. I think we consume 60% wild game meat out of our total red meat meals. I don't mind cooking buffalo, moose, a young elk (not an old tough grandpa one). I don't like to eat deer or antelope, too "gamey" for me.Here's a nice size moose by our family cabin in Utah.

This is one of my thrifty tips. We process our own wild game meat! My husband and the other family hunters bought a commercial meat grinder at Cabellas and they work together to grind up the meat. We have to add some store bought beef fat so the lean game meat will congeal. That is why I like wild game meat, it's LEAN!
I hope my husband gets an Elk this season so we can stock up. Don't get me wrong we eat beef and I love a good beef hamburger. But I make a great elk sloppy Joe's, moose burgers, elk chili, moose/buffalo meatloaf, and wild game stews. Do you have a hunter in your family? What do you cook? Don't knock it till ya try it! ;0)
My wild game meat sloppy joe sandwiches

2 lbs. ground beef or wild game meat (browned and drained)
1 lg. onion diced
1/2 cup shredded zucchini (drained)
24 oz of ketchup
1 1/2 tblsp. white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. all spice
pinch of salt and pepper
buns
shredded cheddar cheese
Combine all the ingredients to cooked meat and simmer until hot. Put a sprinkle of cheese & meat mixture on each bun and and serve! You'll have left overs for lunch the next day. Enjoy!

When I shop I think Christmas ALL year round!

Here's a brief look into my coupon shopping & gift giving mind!

I am always buying ahead for b-day gifts and Christmas bonus gifts. I enjoy giving gifts to friends and family. I like to give practical surprises! The usual boring gift cards and knickknacks don't do it for me as the giver. So, I wrap up 2-3 extra presents for a surprise. It's the fun, thoughtful, practical, frugal gift giving side of me coming out. I also give these to my kids teachers.

Yes, I got all this pictured at Walmart for $0.00 (actually I only paid tax)
All of this was retailed at $54.00 before coupons!!

The Grandma's & Great Aunts in my life don't need any more crafts, knickknacks, or wall hangings for Christmas or Birthdays. Don't you think they need a FREE Air wick air freshener clearance priced at $6.00 minus the $6/1 coupon. Ha ha making them free.

Here's the details.
Use:
Air Wick Freshmatic Ultra i-Motion Starter Kit, any $6/1 (exp 10-11-09) SS-8/30 Air Wick AND
Freshmatic Ultra i-Motion Starter Kit, any $6/1 (exp 10-25-09) OrthoSS-9/13

I might even be cheesy and say this on the gift tags:
I hope you have a "scent-sational" holiday (birthday).
Love,
Staci and family

Organizing kid clothes!

This is my wall of kid clothes tubs in the basement. Keep in mind I have 3 kids. I have two seasons of clothes for the same age. That was a hand-me-down bummer. I had to buy a new season for the same age.I am in the process of the dreaded annual seasonal clothes rotation of 2009.
It's one of my least favorite tasks. I hate to see summer clothes go away for months and months. On the bright side, I get to see 2008 purchased 50-75% matching Christmas dresses. :0)

Here are a few suggestions I found have worked for me:

• It is nice to have all matching tubs so they stack better and higher. Or I might just be picky.
  
• Save up $ and buy tubs at a good price seasonally: I buy them at Walmart for Back to school time & in January after Christmas
• Label! Label! Label Ex: 0-3 Winter and Summer & 24 mo. and 2T summer tabs, etc.
• Some clothes may shrink. Check to see if a shirt shrunk from a 3T to a 2T. Size it up to other shirts or your child. I might be worth putting in the 2T box instead of the 3T.
• Have a shoe tub for summer and winter shoes- We have way too many shoes in the garage so I like to rotate those out too.
• Don't forget to rotate out the summer hair bows for fall and winter ones.
• Oh and PURGE some clothes-don't be a pack rat-Donate!
  

Halloween treats

It's time for me to start thinking about Halloween & goodies for the kids. Aren't these marshmallow witches creative and cute? Find out how the witches are made here. You need to go on over to Tip junkie for more Creative Halloween Party Food ideas. It's worth a click over to the site. What do are you making this year? Feel free to leave a comment to a link to your blog Halloween treats. Happy Halloween treat planning.

Taco Soup- A staple meal in our house

Staci's Taco Soup
2 (12 oz.) cans stewed tomatoes (keep the liquid)
2 (12 oz.) cans no salt added corn (keep the liquid)
2 (12 oz.) cans kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1/2 lb. lean ground beef (or use ground turkey, buffalo, moose, elk, or deer), browned, drained, and rinsed in a strainer if necessary
1 small onion, chopped
sour cream
shredded cheddar cheese
tortilla chips

Brown meat and onion, drain, and rinse if necessary. Transfer meat to a large soup pot. Add stewed tomatoes (and liquid) and corn (and liquid) to the beef mixture. Drain and rinse kidney beans and add to mixture with taco seasoning. Heat to desired warmth and serve. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream, sprinkle with cheddar cheese, and a handful of tortilla chips. Enjoy! **My kids eat this one on a good day!**

Outdoor canning for less heat in the kitchen (and mess)!

We choose to use our hot water bath canner outside on our camp chef stove on our deck. It saves energy, doesn't heat up our house, and the boiling over flow of water is on the deck instead of my kitchen floor. I got this camp chef stove at Intermountain Farmer's in Utah....on a 2008 BLACK Friday deal for about $89.00 (I think). It was $$ well spent this summer. I will be checking out their ad for sure for Black Friday 2009! You should too fellow canning ladies.

Happy Birthday to me recently!

I turned another year older folks. I am so grateful for my life and all my blessings and trials. I have learned a lot in my short 30-something years and look forward to more years of learning and growing.So here's a little "sum-thing" I got for my b-day....A bracelet watch. I love it. I want to make more bands for the removable watch face. I paid $25 for the whole thing! You knew I was going to be thrifty about it, right? But, I want to make more bands myself for even less $$. The gal who made this one did a great job.

Do you make yours? Where do you get your funky and chunky beads from locally or online?

We are on a mission to save the crops from cold overnight lows!

The 33 degree night time temps happened last night so we gathered up most of the crops and put them in the fridge. Here's a picture of some of of what we brought inside. That was a monster cantaloupe. We blanched our corn, cut it off the cobs and got 12 bags. I am looking forward to saving a few bags for Thanksgiving dinner. I very sentimental that way. It's been a great growing year.

We kept the greenhouse up all year hoping we could keep our plants alive longer. The stupid zipper broke so we went to plan B and used a blue tarp on the door. We covered the tomato cages & squash plants with blue tarps.

Good bye cucumber plants, corn, and melons. Tip: Yes, you see newspaper under our plants in the picture. We used them as free weed barrier and compost under our large plants. It worked great and by the way and we'll just till them in for better soil.

We managed to keep the the tomatoes from the cold shock last night. Check it out.

So to brighten my spirits I made some yummy different zucchini bread. Pineapple Zucchini bread with raisins and almonds. Here's the recipe.

PINEAPPLE ZUCCHINI BREAD

3 eggs

2 c. sugar

1 c. oil (I used 3/4 cup)

2 tbsp. vanilla

2 c. zucchini (grated and drained)

3 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 c. raisins

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 c. chopped nuts

1 c. crushed pineapple, drained

Beat eggs until fluffy. Add sugar, vanilla, oil, zucchini, flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Stir in pineapple, raisins, nuts and mix well.

Bake in 2 well greased 9x5x4 inch loaf pans or 4 smaller loaf pans for 1 hour at 325 F. Don't overfill the small loaf pans!

TIP: I often shred and freeze zucchini in two cup portions so that when thawed I have the correct zucchini proportions(without draining) The bread also freezes well.