January 2016Occasionally Crafty: January 2016

Thursday, January 28

The Handmade Hangout #86 + FEATURES

Welcome to the Handmade Hangout- where you can link up all things made by YOU!

This week I'm featuring three of my favorite projects from last week's linky.
1. Airplane Birthday Party from Sandy a la Mode - This party is adorable with so many fun details. You'll have to click through to check them out, but I love this cute and simple cake!

2. Raspberry Truffle Tart from Cooking On The Front Burner This timeless dessert is a gorgeous addition to your Valentine's dinner ,or any special occasion!

Raspberry Truffle Tart | Cooking on the Front Burner #chocolatetart

3. Torched Wood DIY Counter from Creatively Living- Could you TORCH your brand new wood countertop? This made it look amazing!
Beautiful Rustic Built-in Coffee Bar Makeover DIY Wood Counter by Creatively Living

Beautiful Rustic Built-in Coffee Bar Makeover DIY Wood Counter by Creatively Living

Thanks for linking up all your great projects each week! Now, for this week, we just have two little rules:
1. Become a follower of the blog where you linked up. Of course we'd love it if you follow all our hosts on whatever platforms you use most!

2. Share our button or party link in your post or wherever you share your linky parties

Link up your projects!

An InLinkz Link-up

Wednesday, January 27

Ultimate Valentine's Day Round Up

Love is in the air! Valentine's Day is around the corner and the Social Fabric Community has put together the Ultimate Valentine's Day Round-Up to help you prepare for the season of love. From tutorials to crafts to delicious recipes, we have something for everyone. We dare you not to fall in love with these ideas!

Craft/DIY/Tutorial

Friendly Valentine Candy Jar - Creative Ramblings

Valentine Felt Envelopes - Good Morning Loretta

Valentine's Day Candy Filled Mason Jar - Savvy Saving Couple

Valentine's Day Love Bug Craft - Maryland Momma's Rambles

Last-Minute Quick, Cute Cut-Out Cards - Our Daily Craft

DIY Heart Shaped Massage Bars - Thriftanista in the City

Valentine Memo Chalkboard - Southern Couture

Valentine's Day Chalkboard Decoration - Pretty in Pigment

Flower Vase Craft - Polka Dotted Blue Jay

No-Sew Ribbon Embellished Cocktail Napkins - Atta Girl Says

Macaroni Art Lace Hearts - ABCs and Garden Peas

Cupid's Arrow Valentine's Day Favors - Home. Made. Interest.

Hand Lettered Valentine Notecards - One Artsy Mama

Instagram Magnetic Bookmarks - Happy Go Lucky Blog

Birdseed Heart Valentines - Made with Happy

Valentine's Day Burlap Wreath - The Farm Girl Gabs

Cute Flower Valentines for Kids - Love, Jaime

DIY Valentine Flower Corsage - Suburban Wife, City Life

DIY Valentine's Snowglobes - Woods of Bell Trees

Valentine Envelop Chair Backers - 2Paws Designs

Reversible Valentine's Day/St. Patrick's Day Banner - Fearlessly Creative Mammas

Mini Bubblegum Machine Valentines - Bubbly Nature Creations

DIY Button Heart Picture Collage - Our Piece of Earth

Kids' Valentine's Day Gift with FREE Printable - A Cowboy's Life

Easy Mesh and Ribbon Valentine's Day Wreath - My Pinterventures

Snickerdoodle Sugar Scrub Recipe - Sunny Sweet Days

Valentine's Day Verse on Burlap - Life with Captain Fussybuckets

12 Days of Romance Scavenger Hunt - The Mama Zone

Candy Kiss Ring - So TIPical Me

Valentine's Day Hand Print Craft - As Cute as a Bug's Ear

How to Make a Valentine's Day Ribbon Banner - Aprons and Stilletos

Date Night with a Romantic Treasure Hunt - The TipToe Fairy

Chalkboard Gift Box - Organized Island

Easy Valentines Felt Pillow Cover - Creative Southern Home

Polar Fleece Ruffle Heart Wreath - Joy's Life

Making A Valentine's Day Rag Wreath with Fabric Scraps - Third Stop on the Right

Washi Tape Bubble Valentines - Moneywise Moms

Homemade Candles in 5 Easy Steps - Lemon Peony

DIY Felt Ornaments for Valentine's Day - 3 Little Greenwoods

Butterfly Valentine's Day Craft - Sarah in the Suburbs

Epsom Salt DIY Valentine Candles - A Day in the Motherhood

I "DOVE" You Printable with Candy - Newlywed Survival

Rainbow Heart PomPom Garland - Cupcake Wishes & Birthday Wishes

Valentine's Day Printed Burlap Subway - Occasionally Crafty

Pom Pom Cupcakes Valentine Craft - Cute as a Fox

Valentine's Wooden Door Hanger - We Got the Funk

Hearts Aplenty: Valentine's Day DIY Decor - Woman in Real Life

Love Letters Simple Valentine's Day Craft - Craving Some Creativity

Valentine's Day Coffee Cup Sleeve - Craving Cynchronicity

How to Make a Great Loves Print - My Sweet Sanity

Cross Stitch Heart Pillow - Cutesy Crafts

Free Valentine's Day Cards Kids Can Make - Happy and Blessed Home

Recipe

Valentine Cupcakes - Home Maid Simple

Valentine's Day Cakes - Charleston Crafted

Red Velvet Pudding Cups - Mostly Homemade Mom

Blood Orange Panna Cotta - Mooshu Jenne

Candy Cane Chocolate Hearts - Drugstore Divas

Cranberry Bliss Bars - Swanky Recipes

Valentine Rice Crispy Treats - Midwestern Moms

Chocolate Valentine Sandies - Cindy's Recipes and Writings

M&M’s® Red Velvet Brownies - Julie is Coco and Cocoa

Nutella Filled Conversation Hearts - A Million Moments

Conversation Hearts Martini - JVKOM Chronicles

Valentine's Day S'mores Dip - Our Mini Family

M&M’s® Red Velvet Blondies - The NYC Talon

Valentine's Day Cheesecake Brownies - West of the Loop

Red Velvet Cheesecakes - Houseful of Nicholes

Chocolate Kiss Valentine's Day Cookies - Moscato Mom

Chocolate and Candy Valentine Popcorn - Made by a Princess

Easy Valentine's Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies - Janine Huldie

Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe - Scrappy Geek

Coeur a la Creme with Raspberry Sauce - Graceful Order

Love Dipped Wafers - Sparkles to Sprinkles

Valentine's Day Bento Lunch - Diana Rambles

"Blackened" Seafood Medley for a Low-Calorie Valentine's Dinner - Broken TeePee

Sweet Salty Fudge - Foody Schmoody Blog

Valentine's Day Covered Pretzels - Texas Type A Mom

Valentine's Popcorn - Mommy's Bundle

The Easiest Valentine's Day Fudge Recipe - Young at Heart Mommy

Valentine's Day Butter Cookies - Ilona's Passion

Valentine's Day Blondies - Saving You Dinero

Super Healthy Pomegranate-Cranberry-Almond Smoothie - Easy Cooking with Molly

Brownie Cut-outs - Tramplingrose

Puppy Valentine's Day Cookies - Staying Close to Home

Valentine OREO Brownie Bar Recipe - As Mom Sees It

Strawberry-Vanilla Ice Cream Pie - Johanny's Kitchen

Strawberry Filled Chocolate Cake - Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Chocolate Raspberry Truffles - Food Lovin Family

Honey Bee My Valentine Cakes - I Don't Have Time for That

Red Velvet Valentine's Day Parfaits - Living a Sunshine Life

Homemade Strawberry Syrup - Day by Day in Our World

Cranberry Hootycreek Cookies - Momma DJane

Red Velvet Donuts - Frugal Family Tree

Strawberry Mocha Granola - Strength & Sunshine

Red Velvet Mini Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting - Tales of a Ranting Ginger

Chocolate Shot Glasses - The Bewitchin' Kitchen

Chocolate Pretzel Kisses - Just 2 Sisters

Valentine's Candy Bark - Life with the Crust cut off

Chocolate Kiss Shooter! - Housewives of Frederick County

Super Simple Valentine's Day Candy Hearts - My Real Food Family

Easy Strawberry Crinkle Cookies - Meatloaf & Melodrama

3 Ingredient Strawberry Brownies - Fun Things to Do in Central Mass

Nutella Baked Brie - Basil and Bubbly

Easy Cupid Crinkles - Creative Southern Home

Valentine's Day Edible Tic Tac Toe Game - A Frugal Friend

Valentine's Day Ombre Sweet Treat - Tastefully Frugal

Party

How to Throw a Budget Friendly Valentine's Day Party - Amber Nicole Blogs

Valentine's Day Party for Tweens - Soiree Event Design

Love is in the Air Valentine Table - Not Just a Mommy

Valentine's Day Tea Party - The Peanuts Gang

Printables

Easy Valentine's Printables - I am the Maven®

Printable Valentine's Day Lunch Box Notes and Coupons - Gluesticks Blog

"I Love You Like" Valentine's Free Printable - C'mon Get Crafty

4 Free Valentine's Day Coloring Pages - Saving More than Me

Valentine's Day Scavenger Hunt Clues - Mom on the Side

Valentine Gift for Kids {Free Printable} - Fun on a Dime

Crayon Valentines Printable - Mom's Messy Miracles

Tic Tac Toe XOXO Valentine with Free Printable - Housewife Eclectic

Valentine's Day Activities for Kids - Simple Living Mama

2 Free Printable Valentines (Owls) - Altamonte Family

Love is in the Air Valentine Card - Making of a Mom

Matchstick Valentine Free Printable - Frenchie

Valentine's Day Lunch Box Notes & Jokes - Coupons are Great

I "Wheelie" Like You Car Valentine Printable - Artsy Momma

Round-Up

Valentine's Day Guide - The Ranting Latina!

24 Frugal Valentine's Ideas - Real: The Kitchen and Beyond

7 Gift Ideas for Valentine's Day - Downshifting PRO

5 Perfect Valentine's Day Gifts for Bloggers - That Chic Mom

Top 5 Romantic Restaurants to Eat at in East Greenwhich, Rhode Island - Mama Luvs Books

Other

War Room Movie Night - A Beautiful Exchange

Pairing Chocolate with Wine & Spirits - In Good Taste

Valentine's Day Make-up Tutorial - Glam Hungry Mom

Valentine's Day Dinner at Home - Natasha Byrd

Can you feel the love tonight with all these great Valentine's Day inspired activities?

Check out my favorite Valentine's Day projects too:

Valentine's Word Magnets

Make these cute Valentine's Day Word Magnets with just a little paint and glitter!

Sticker Class Valentines

Cherry Chip Sugar Cookies

Monday, January 25

Valentine's Day Mason Jar Printable

Add this sweet Mason Jar Valentine's Day Printable to your holiday decor!

I don't go crazy decorating for Valentine's Day, but I do like to put a few things out in my house. This year I put together a sweet little printable for you. You can download yours and get the details on how to put the finishing touches on it over at Kenarry: Ideas for the Home!
Do you decorate for Valentine's Day?

Thursday, January 21

The Handmade Hangout #85 + FEATURES!

Welcome to the Handmade Hangout- where you can link up all things made by YOU!

This week I'm featuring three of my favorite projects from last week's linky.
1. This Chalkboard Wall from Follow Your Heart Woodworking is gorgeous- the wood frame really sets it off!

2. These Apple Pie Pancakes from Simply Stacie are simply to die for!
Apple Pie Pancakes - A spiced apple pancake recipe, topped with syrup poached apples and a spoonfuls of creamy, thick crème fraiche. This is one glorious breakfast!

Apple Pie Pancakes - A spiced apple pancake recipe, topped with syrup poached apples and a spoonfuls of creamy, thick crème fraiche. This is one glorious breakfast!

3. I'm loving this Distressed Gate from One Thrifty Chick! It is stunning on her mantel!

Thanks for sharing all your lovely creations! Now for this week, we have just a few little rules:
1. Become a follower of the blog where you linked up. Of course we'd love it if you follow all our hosts on whatever platforms you use most!

Allison from A Glimpse Inside

Blog - Facebook - Pinterest - Instagram - Twitter - Google+

Becca from From Gardners to Bergers

Blog - Facebook - Pinterest - Twitter - Hometalk - Google+

Kim from Too Much Time on My Hands

Blog - Facebook - Twitter - Pinterest - Google+ - Hometalk - Instagram - Bloglovin

Heather from Twin Dragonfly Designs

Blog - Facebook - Twitter - Pinterest - Google+ - Instagram

Valerie from Occasionally Crafty

Blog - Facebook - Twitter - Pinterest - Google+ - Instagram - Hometalk

Alli from Made with HAPPY

Blog - Facebook - Twitter - Pinterest - Google+ - Instagram - Hometalk - YouTube - Bloglovin

2. Share our button or party link in your post or wherever you share your linky parties

Link up your projects!

An InLinkz Link-up

Wednesday, January 20

Strawberry Banana Muffins

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SilkSipToSpoon #CollectiveBias

Well, those holiday pounds snuck up on me pretty quickly. How about you?
I've been working to get them off by being part of a fun, 60-day healthy living challenge. I did this last January, lost ten pounds, and felt great!
By far, the hardest thing for me to give up in this challenge is my rolls and muffins. So I set out to create a recipe that I can eat, and that would be perfect for anyone trying to make good food choices.

These Strawberry Banana Muffins have substance and flavor, making it a perfect choice for breakfast or a midday snack! While not overly sweet, it will satisfy those cravings that are hard to overcome.
Note- these are not a low-calorie choice. Rather, they use better-for-you ingredients and are a better choice than a typical sweet muffin.

With better-for-you ingredients, these Healthy Strawberry Banana Muffins are the perfect breakfast choice or midday snack!

To make these you will need the following ingredients (printable recipe at the bottom of the post)
2 cups Whole Wheat Flour (I like white whole wheat) 3/4 cup Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk 1/2 cup Brown Sugar 1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon 1 tsp Baking Powder 2 ripe bananas, mashed 2 eggs, beaten 2 oz butter or canola oil 6 sliced strawberries
I love using Silk Almond Milk in these and other muffins- mainly because it's an easy way to make something dairy-free. Plus, it is lactose-free, has no cholesterol and no saturated fat, and has 50% more calcium than dairy milk. I was a little scared to try it the first time, but it's not nutty at all! It has a smooth texture and delicious flavor, which makes it a perfect substitute in pretty much any recipe!
If you want to try some Silk products for yourself before buying, there are some Silk Almond Half Gallon and Yogurt with Produce Demos happening at Walmart from 1/21-1/24 (this week!). So stop by one of these stores and give it a try!
I actually bought my Silk Almond Milk as well as some Silk Dairy-Free Yogurt to try from the dairy case at Walmart.

When you get your ingredients together, start by mashing your banana in a bowl, then adding the brown sugar, almond milk, eggs, and oil or softened butter. Mix together until smooth.

Then, add your dry ingredients: flour, cinnamon, and baking powder. Mix together until combined, but don't overmix or your muffins will be tough!

Line a muffin tin with paper liners, then spoon your batter into the cups. They should be about 2/3 full. Top with slices of strawberries- or you can even push them into the batter to cook inside the muffin.

Let bake for about 15-18 minutes at 375 degrees, then let them cool on a baking rack.

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In addition to these muffins, I like to occasionally have the Silk Dairy-Free Yogurt for a nutritious snack. Again, it is an excellent source of calcium and Vitamin D, which are things I need with my rheumatoid arthritis. And I was really surprised by how good it is! I expected non-dairy yogurt to have a funny taste or be dry- but it is smooth, creamy, and flavorful!

Don't mind my post-workout sweaty hair.

Strawberry Banana Muffins Click here for a printable recipe

2 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 ripe banana, mashed 1/2 cup almond milk 2 eggs, beaten 2 oz butter/oil 6 sliced strawberries Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a muffin tin with paper muffin cases. Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon and baking powder in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the banana, butter, milk and eggs together until smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and mix together until completely smooth. If batter is too thick, add more almond milk and stir. Spoon into the muffin cases and top with slices of strawberries. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Let the muffins cool on a cooling rack then store in an airtight container.

If you like recipes like this one, make sure you check out tons more recipes that Swap Milk for Silk here!

Monday, January 18

DIY Valentine's Day Word Magnets

It's another round of Craft Lightning- and this time the theme is Valentine's Day!
Make sure you check out the projects all week by clicking on the button below- it will take you to that day's projects.

I found these sweet little wooden words in the bins at Michaels. They had several different packs, but I thought these would be perfect for Valentine's Day.

You can make these wooden words into glittered magnets in 15 minutes or less! Here's how:
You will need 1 pack of wooden words Paint and paintbrush Glitter Adhesive Magnet Strips Scissors
First, squirt some paint into a small cup or container. Then add your glitter directly to the paint and stir. This helps keep the glitter in place when it dries.

Carefully remove your wooden words from the backing. They have foam glue dots stuck to them, and I pulled too hard and broke my first word. Oops. So be gentle.
Paint your words with your glitter paint. If you want it even more sparkly, follow up by dumping glitter all over the word.

Let it dry for a few minutes, and then shake the excess glitter off.
Let them dry completely.
Turn the words over and apply tiny strips of magnets to the back. You can simply cut the magnet strips into little squares, then remove the paper backing and stick to the words.
Now you have some sweet little magnets. These are perfect for any kind of magnetic board or fridge to add a fun little Valentine's Day touch.

Thanks for stopping by today! Have a great week-

Friday, January 15

Blogger's Best Organizational Products and HUGE Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

It's a New Year- and that means lots of new goals for organizing yourself and your home! Today I'm teaming up with a great group of bloggers to give you over 45 home organizing solutions for your household! Each blogger is sharing their favorite organizational products. PLUS- we have a HUGE Giveaway for you at the end of the post. Two winners will receive $375 Amazon Gift Cards to get you and your family organized!

**NOTE: Each link contains affiliate links to Amazon. These posts are not sponsored and each blogger has selected their items based off personal preferences and experiences. Neither the bloggers participating, nor Amazon and their vendors, can guarantee that the prices won't change during or after the publishing of this post and are hereby released of any price matching guarantees or liability. Please understand, these are personal recommendations from popular bloggers in the industry. Enjoy!

Click to Keep Reading....

Thursday, January 14

The Handmade Hangout #84 + FEATURES!

Welcome to the Handmade Hangout- where you can link up all things made by YOU!

This week I'm featuring three of my favorite projects from last week's linky.
1. DIY Mini Pinatas from The Happy Scraps- wouldn't these be cute favors to take home from a birthday or Cinco de Mayo party? I love a cute and easy craft.
These DIY Mini Pinata's from We R Memory Keepers are so fun to put together and customize! Learn a few tips for them from @thehappyscraps.

These DIY Mini Pinata's from We R Memory Keepers are so fun to put together and customize! Learn a few tips for them from @thehappyscraps.

2. DIY Headboard from Old Shutters at Scavenger Chic- I love, love, love this! Who has some old shutters I can have?
Headboard made from recycled, repurposed shutters diy, headboard tutorial

Headboard made from recycled, repurposed shutters diy, headboard tutorial

3. Norm of the North Cookies from Country Chic Cottage- these are so cute and easy, and my kids are excited to go see this movie. Win- win for mom!
Norm of the North cookies - a super simple cookie made with Oreos and M&Ms!

Norm of the North cookies - a super simple cookie made with Oreos and M&Ms!

Thanks for linking up each week! I'm so excited to see what you've been making this week.
In case you missed it, here's what I've been up to:
A Parenting Post with my favorite resources for Parenting a Strong-Willed Child

My Favorite articles and books with resources for parenting a strong-willed child

My first Valentine's Day post of the year- Printed Burlap Valentine's Day Subway Art
Print on Laminated Burlap to create this lovely Valentine's Day Subway Art!

Print on Laminated Burlap to create this lovely Valentine's Day Subway Art!

And don't forget to stop by tomorrow for a HUGE giveaway and awesome blog post from 50 of your favorite bloggers. You cannot miss this one!
Just a few little rules for this party:

1. Become a follower of the blog where you linked up. Of course we'd love it if you follow all our hosts on whatever platforms you use most!