Fall, Football and Banana Bread Bars.........

Read on for this yummy recipe:)

Well hey there!  I'm re-posting something from 2012.
Yes, I'm being lazy.......but it still pretty much works and it had a recipe I wanted to share.
I've updated it a bit (see the parts in red) so here goes...
Happy Fall Y'All!

i just love saying that!

kinda like i love saying

"ROLL TIDE"! 

yep......i love BAMA football!

Heck, I love college football.  Isn't it funny how you get favorites?
I couldn't tell you much about pro football.
Once they get there it stops being about the game if you ask me so it's
college all the way in this house:)

i've been accused of being a traitor.

but what can i say?

~one of my girls want to go to an SEC school.
(She did too.......she's at the University of Alabama...........
Yep!  I'm a Bama Mom:)

~we live in the south.

~i love a good football game.

~and agree with me or not, SEC just has some good, entertaining football:)

so, i have been an absentee blogger lately.
(Nothing's changed about that)

uggghhh.....fighting migraines that seem to go on forever!
(unfortunately they are still an issue, just not as much:)

i think we have finally found the one medicine that works.

i hope and pray we have, anyway!

Taylor and I took a quick trip up north to my Mum's house.

and had such a great time.

there's no place like home, right?

we even spruced up her house a bit.

she wanted her front door painted a HAPPY, sunny yellow.

so off to home depot we went,

we picked out a paint called "mellow yellow"

and painted her front door.

it was so pretty, we did the shutters, too.

actually, miss Taylor did most of the shutters....in the rain!

can't wait to go back and do more fixer-upper stuff:)

isn't it so pretty?

truly the prettiest house on the block!
(I left this part in because while I haven't been up there to spruce it up this Fall, I need to!:)

while we were gone,

jordan found a recipe on pinterest for

BANANA BREAD BARS

 with Browned Butter Frosting

can you say YUM?????
(Now here's the real reason for this post.  But this time it's Taylor and I who will make them tomorrow.  Not to eat.....to make the house smell good.
Ya...........RIGHT!) lol

From the girl who ate everything

Banana Bread Bars:

1-1/2 c. sugar

1 c. sour cream

1/2 c. butter, softened

2 eggs

1-3/4 (3 or 4) ripe bananas, mashed

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Brown Butter Frosting:

1/2 c. butter

4 c. powdered sugar

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 tbsp. milk

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 375F.  Grease and flour 15x10-inch jelly roll pan.  For the bars, in a large bowl, beat together sugar, sour cream, butter, and eggs until creamy.  Blend in bananas and vanilla extract.  Add flour, baking soda, salt, and blend for 1 minute.  Stir in walnuts, if desired.

2.  Spread batter evenly into pan.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

3.  Meanwhile, for frosting, heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until boiling.  Let the butter turn a delicate brown and remove from heat immediately.

4.  Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk.  Whisk together until smooth (it should be thicker than a glaze but thinner than frosting).  Using a spatula, spread the brown butter frosting over the warm bars (the frosting will be easier to spread while the bars are still warm). 

Yield: 2 dozen large bars These are crazy good so if you happen to have some bananas sitting around begging to be used, try this.  You won't regret it.  Well, if you're like me and eat half the pan, you might regret it.  But you'll love them while they last!  Promise!!!   

Now for a few random things I'm adding........

Have you ever heard of the store Rural King?  

I LOOOOVEEE this store.  Really cool:)  We go in and pretend we're buying 

stuff for our ranch.  Actually, we have to pass on the horse troughs and head straight to the dog food:)  BUT.........I saw these the other day and I'm dying to buy one (or four:) Hehe

I just know there must be something cool I could do with it, 

but for the life of me I can't think.  Any ideas?

I've been messing around with some jars and stuff.......what do you think?

Last but not least, one of the funniest pictures I've ever seen.

It's titled "Moose Hunt" and you'll see why!  

That's it for me!  Now go make yourself some Banana Bread Bars. You're welcome! ;)

Painted Animal Jars, Garlands, Boho and More........A Few of My Favorite Finds

Hello Lovelies!

Ever have those days where you stumble on a bunch of FABULOUS things?

I had one of those days........

and now I'm sharing my favorite finds with you!

First up, the talented and beautiful Heather from Bells in the Woods

 posted this last Thursday.

Painted Animal Jars!

Source: Woods of Bell Trees

Love, Love, Love! 

Can't you see them in a child's room, kitchen, bathroom

or anywhere?

Bunnies on top for Easter.  

Deer on top for a Rustic Christmas.

Roosters for a Kitchen........

So many uses:)

Thank you Heather!!!

Visit Bells in the Woods for directions.

Next, I stumbled on this doily garland.

Not sure where but it is pretty cool!

Holy Heck.......

Don't you just LOVE these 

OMBRE painted pine cones?    

Source: Whimzeecal

 They look complicated but after viewing the tutorial, not so bad. 

 I think:)

 

Okay, my daughter is a fan of a surf lifestyle blog called SWELL.

They have bunches of cool ideas, like this one!

A Scarf that is knotted in two places to form a Kimono shape wrap.

Check out swell for the instructions, but be warned.........

it's SUPER EASY!

                Source: DIY Scarf Kimono Wrap

Cute, Cute, CUTE!!!

This would totally make a baby's room perfect:)

Source: Bella Gray

You know those infinity scarves you see everywhere?

This one becomes a cowl scarf too!

Full instructions and pattern at Gleeful Things!

                       

 Source: Gleeful Things

What'd I tell you?  

Seriously cool stuff!!!!

Linking up with 

Katherine's Corner Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop!

Katherine's Corner

XOXOXO

Suzanne

Made With Love....Simple Ideas for Valentine's Day Gifts and Decorating

When my girls were younger,

we had barely put Christmas decorations away

before we started decorating for Valentine's Day.  

Hearts were everywhere, and we were already thinking of

what Valentines to make and what would be on our 

Pink and Red Menu for Valentine's Day.

The past few years we've kinda let it go.

Life just got more busy, you know?

Until a few days ago, when my 12 year old niece Macy

wrote to show us pictures of how she had decorated her room.

I think she did an AMAZING job!

She finished by asking how we were decorating this year.

Ummmmm..........well,  I wasn't sure if we were.

UNTIL that email from her.

Until I was inspired by a young girl's festive spirit.

So I went online and I walked around the house,

 looking for ideas.

I found a few things I had made and tweaked them a bit

to make them work for Valentine's Day, either as a

decoration or as a small gift.

See what you think........

1.  Candy hearts look adorable in a Mason Jar pedestal.  At least I think so.......
but then, I love these candies so I would think they look great in ANYTHING!
And these are really easy to make, using a mason jar, candlestick and E6000 glue.

2.  Painted Mason Jars and Milk Bottles hold anything you can think of,

and would be a beautiful way to hold flowers, candy or special messages.

3.  Bejeweled Mini Mason Jars.......Strips of lace or burlap glued around a jar, embellished with a jewel and/or flower.  These look cute gathered on a table top and make

AWESOME gift containers!  No wrapping necessary:)

4.  Heart Garland.......dollar store craft!  

5.  Heart Pencil Toppers........Again, the wire and pencils were bought at the dollar store.

Simply twist a piece of the wire into a heart shape and wrap on the pencil tops.

 

These heart toppers are also fabulous on a longer stick and used as bubble blowers!  

Thank you Macy!

Without the inspiration from you, we might've been lazy and let this Holiday slip by:)

A few other decorations I found were these:

A heart wreath.......paper hearts glued on a wreath or any round form.

 Pom Pom Monsters!

How cute are these?  Pretty dang cute if you ask me:)

Heart Rag Wreath!  Super cute and EASY!

Yarn wrapped letters or hearts.  This is such a simple project that

will be a real eye catcher!

Well, why NOT a heart tree?  

You could write little messages on them or leave as is.........

cute either way!

  Remember the heart garland I mentioned above?

You could tie them on branches outside.  Awesome!

Alrighty then, I think that's about it.

Check back soon.......I have other ideas to pass on but didn't want

 to bombard anyone:)

XOXO

Suzanne

5 Tips for a Perfectly Made Bed!

I love the way hotel beds are made.

Sometimes they may not be the color or style I love,

but the overall effect is so neat and crisp.

So when I stumbled across these tips from ABC.COM,

I combined them with a few I knew from my nursing days

and had to pass them on.

Here are the five steps for turning your ho-hum bed into one worthy of a five-star hotel........

1.   Keep it White. Or, as white as you can.  

Every bedding store sells beautiful, colorful bedding. 

And while that's fine, if you truly want your bed to resemble that of a hotel, you need to keep it white. Think about it:  Every fancy hotel you've been to has more likely

 than not had all, or mostly, white bedding. The good news is that by using white bedding,

 you may not need to buy anything new, 

at least when it comes to pillowcases and sheets. You may have them around the house. 

 Just get them out of storage and wash/bleach for a crisp whiteness. 

 Hotels typically use a sheet – not a blanket or duvet – as the top layer of bedding. 

But, if you want to add a pop of color or a personal touch, add a coverlet to the bottom of the bed or a few colorful pillows.

2.  Layer it Like a "Bed Sandwich".

 First comes the bottom, fitted sheet.

 Next, the top sheet. If you'll be using another top sheet as the top layer, leave some extra at the top of this sheet to fold over the layer that comes in between. That's the down or down alternative comforter. This is worth buying if you don't have one; it gives your bed a fluffy quality.  You can use a duvet cover or another top sheet as the top layer.

Bonus: If you already have a featherbed, add it as the bottom layer. If not, consider buying one, they come in a range of prices.  

(This also comes minus the feathers if you prefer.....I do.)

So far we have a featherbed, a fitted sheet, a top sheet, a down comforter, a second top sheet and a coverlet at the bottom for that pop of color.

3.  Pillow Protectors!   Inexpensive and durable, pillow protectors should go on every one of yours. They not only extend the life of your pillow by protecting it from the oils on our heads that can stain over time, but they give pillows a smooth look under your pillowcases.

You may need a few more pillows for your bed makeover......ones that will hold their shape more than anything.  Pillows you put your head on should lay flat, and all decorative pillows should "stand up," according to one expert.  You may end up with about 8 pillows by the time you are done but that is a personal choice.

4.  Tuck, Tuck, Tuck!!!  Take a look at the bed the next time you check into a hotel. Not only are the corners of the bed garments tucked in, but so is everything else, right down to the edges of the pillow cases. No loose ends translates to a tailored, polished look so common at luxury hotels. (P.S. In nursing school we learned to "miter" the corners. It gives a super neat appearance.)

5. Iron your sheets.  

Okay...this is NOT my idea.  Yuck.  Ironing.   

 They say you only need to iron the top layer of bedding.

Hotel maids in 5 star resorts iron it on the bed instead of struggling with a big top sheet or duvet on an ironing board, and that definitely makes it easier. 

Use starch to make the bed look crisp.

That's it!  

Now I won't be doing all this but you may be the one to try:)

Me.......I love a perfectly rumpled, slept in bed!

XOXO

Suzanne

DIY Summer Beach Bag by Shabby Chicks

Hey y'all.......

 I have a super cute project to show you!

Yesterday, I made an adorable beach bag and I am in LOVE with it!

(hope you like it too:)

I first saw a bag like this somewhere online for $78.00.

I wish I knew where I saw it:(

Anyway, the other day I visited one of my favorite blogs,

toriejayne.com, and she had a blog post with instructions for making one of 

these cute bags.

Shazam!!!

I ordered a straw french market bag from Amazon and went to work.

It was so simple!

All you need is an oversized straw bag, white primer paint, 

a sponge brush and regular paint brushes, a star stencil, Martha Stewart

acrylic paint and you're good to go!

Step 1........using a sponge brush, paint the bag with white primer paint.

Step 2.......Using a stencil, outline the star with pencil and brush paint

around the shape.  

I used Martha Stewart paint in Beach Glass.

After the bag was painted, I tried to soften it a bit by 

lightly brushing a glaze over it.

(I used soft blue pearl paint from Martha S.)

Let it all dry and that's it!

I'm so in love with this bag, I want one in every color:)

Try it for yourself.......you'll be so happy you did!

XOXOXOXO

Suzanne

Monday Mornings...Mason Jars + Chalk = Happy

Good Morning Lovelies!

Well, we all know Mason Jars are all the rage

these days. 

With good reason, if you ask me:)

There are SO many uses for them and they are truly

a part of the past AND present:)

Not to mention, here in the south, they are crucial to everyday life:)

So when I saw these at a FAMILY DOLLAR store last week,

I snatched up a few.  

Mason Jars with Chalkboard Paint for messages.

I know, I know...

an easy DIY.  But when I figured the cost of buying

 regular jars chalkboard paint, brushes, etc...

these were cheaper!

Like, $1.50 each!

Whoo Hoo:)

SO many uses, like I said.

Here's a few that we came up with...bet you'll come up with many more:)

Top left:  Party Favors

Left Lower Corner:  Picnic Jars

Middle Lower Row: Drinking Glasses (well duh...best use ever:)

Top Right Side:  Desk Jars for Pens, Treats, Spare Change or...

Center Right:  Sea Shells

Lower Right:  Bathroom Counter Jars...Toothbrush Holder, Makeup Brushes,

 Qtips & Cotton Balls.

So there you go!

If you have paint, get paintin.

If not, get to Family Dollar:)

Happy Monday Y'all!!!!

XOXOXO

Suzanne

Football.....Home.....and Banana Bread Bars!

Well hey there!  I'm re-posting something from 2012.
Yes, I'm being lazy.......but it still pretty much works and it had a recipe I wanted to share.
I've updated it a bit (see the parts in red) so here goes...
Happy Fall Y'All!

i just love saying that!

kinda like i love saying

"ROLL TIDE"! 

yep......i love BAMA football!

Heck, I love college football.  Isn't it funny how you get favorites?
I couldn't tell you much about pro football.
Once they get there it stops being about the game if you ask me so it's
college all the way in this house:)

i've been accused of being a traitor.

but what can i say?

~one of my girls want to go to an SEC school.
(She did too.......she's at the University of Alabama...........
Yep!  I'm a Bama Mom:)

~we live in the south.

~i love a good football game.

~and agree with me or not, SEC just has some good, entertaining football:)

so, i have been an absentee blogger lately.
(Nothing's changed about that)

uggghhh.....fighting migraines that seem to go on forever!
(unfortunately they are still an issue, just not as much:)

i think we have finally found the one medicine that works.

i hope and pray we have, anyway!

Taylor and I took a quick trip up north to my Mum's house.

and had such a great time.

there's no place like home, right?

we even spruced up her house a bit.

she wanted her front door painted a HAPPY, sunny yellow.

so off to home depot we went,

we picked out a paint called "mellow yellow"

and painted her front door.

it was so pretty, we did the shutters, too.

actually, miss Taylor did most of the shutters....in the rain!

can't wait to go back and do more fixer-upper stuff:)

isn't it so pretty?

truly the prettiest house on the block!
(I left this part in because while I haven't been up there to spruce it up this Fall, I need to!:)

while we were gone,

jordan found a recipe on pinterest for

BANANA BREAD BARS

 with Browned Butter Frosting

can you say YUM?????
(Now here's the real reason for this post.  But this time it's Taylor and I who will make them tomorrow.  Not to eat.....to make the house smell good.
Ya...........RIGHT!) lol

From the girl who ate everything

Banana Bread Bars:

1-1/2 c. sugar

1 c. sour cream

1/2 c. butter, softened

2 eggs

1-3/4 (3 or 4) ripe bananas, mashed

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Brown Butter Frosting:

1/2 c. butter

4 c. powdered sugar

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 tbsp. milk

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 375F.  Grease and flour 15x10-inch jelly roll pan.  For the bars, in a large bowl, beat together sugar, sour cream, butter, and eggs until creamy.  Blend in bananas and vanilla extract.  Add flour, baking soda, salt, and blend for 1 minute.  Stir in walnuts, if desired.

2.  Spread batter evenly into pan.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

3.  Meanwhile, for frosting, heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until boiling.  Let the butter turn a delicate brown and remove from heat immediately.

4.  Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk.  Whisk together until smooth (it should be thicker than a glaze but thinner than frosting).  Using a spatula, spread the brown butter frosting over the warm bars (the frosting will be easier to spread while the bars are still warm). 

Yield: 2 dozen large bars These are crazy good so if you happen to have some bananas sitting around begging to be used, try this.  You won't regret it.  Well, if you're like me and eat half the pan, you might regret it.  But you'll love them while they last!  Promise!!!   

Now for a few random things I'm adding........

Have you ever heard of the store Rural King?  

I LOOOOVEEE this store.  Really cool:)  We go in and pretend we're buying 

stuff for our ranch.  Actually, we have to pass on the horse troughs and head straight to the dog food:)  BUT.........I saw these the other day and I'm dying to buy one (or four:) Hehe

I just know there must be something cool I could do with it, 

but for the life of me I can't think.  Any ideas?

I've been messing around with some jars and stuff.......what do you think?

Last but not least, one of the funniest pictures I've ever seen.

It's titled "Moose Hunt" and you'll see why!  

That's it for me!  Now go make yourself some Banana Bread Bars. You're welcome! ;)

Good Morning Gorgeous...See Our Latest Creations

doesn't that make you smile?

it did me, so i want you to smile too:)

and how about this one.....

okay, okay.....on to our latest creations.

we haven't sat on the beach ALL summer, you know.

almost.....but not quite:)

while Taylorina the ballerina was away at Boston Ballet,

Jordie and i had to have SOMEthing to show for our time.

and this is what we came up with!

for a change i'll start with my favorite first.

jordan saw the idea for a beach coverup on pinterest.

all it takes is an oversized men's t-shirt, tie dye stuff and a tiny bit of sewing,

and look what she created.

is this COOL or what??????????

instructions for cover-up

she also saw this idea for wrapping your headphones with embroidery thread,

kinda like a hair wrap but on cords.

and these are the first...but not last cords we made.

too stinkin cute if you ask me!;)

then, we got in a mood for jewelry.......

cute little rosebud earrings

we agreed to dye a few vintage slips for a friend's shop.......

and what summer would be complete without a spray paint project?

here, we bought cheap glass bowls and vases from goodwill and sprayed em up good.

not bad, huh?

because we love all things beachy,

we made starfish hair pins.

kinda sweet, aren't they?

and last but MOST DEFINITELY not least,

my own Mom got in on the act.

you see, my aunt is in a nursing home and gets lots of cards.

my mom can't leave them all there forever as they are piling up.

(isn't that a great problem to have though?)

anyway, she would take a pile home now and then

 and only leave the most recent ones.

THEN, we put our heads together, with a little help from pinterest,

she came up with this clever little book.......

 isn't that great?

she bought a pack of those metal rings at Michaels, punched a hole in my aunt's cards,

decorated the ring with ribbon and VOILA.......

my aunt can flip through her cards anytime she likes.

this would be a great way for anyone to save cards, right?

way to go mom!!!:)

okay, one last happy thought for your Thursday........

 SMILE.......

Suzanne

linking up with this party today....

oh heck!
today is only thursday.
oh well.....