diy Bisquick ... ♥

i've been thinking more and more about all the cleaning supplies i use

and all the preservatives in all of the food we eat

and i've been making changes a little at a time

i started making my own laundry detergent last year

and i will never go back to Tide

(no offense Tide)

the cost is 1-2 pennies a load

(!!)

and the ingredients are simple ... it's nice to know that we can have everyday products

without all the chemicals and other things 

our bodies we're probably never made to put up with :)  

i've started a few dryer balls with my sister-in-law

our project was interrupted a few times so we're only half done

but i'll let you know how they turn out

next on my list is fabric softener

:)

after church sunday i started to make pancakes, then realizing i was out of Bisquick

thought it was the perfect opportunity to take a peek at all the recipes to make your own

that have been floating around pinterest

i looked at three different ones and kinda mixed 'em all together... 

with some of my own how-to

divide all ingredients in half

mix one half of the recipe at a time in an electric mixer

 ... starting with the first half 

mix dry ingredients together in the mixer until well blended 

add 1 cup of the shortening and mix again until incorporated

(scraping the paddle as needed)

about 2-3 minutes

that's it!

i figured the ingredients cost me $2-3

which made the equivalent to 2 large boxes of the real stuff

each box cost somewhere between $4-5 at Wegmans

have you made any "knock-off" housekeeping products?

tell me about them!

check out my housekeeping board

there's so many good ideas just waiting to be tried ...

much love ♥ 

linking up here ... ♥

Free Pretty Things for You

Funky Junk Interiors

i heart naptime

vintage printables for you ... ♥

Hi ! ♥

i've been excited to get this together today...

these beautiful free vintage printables were made just for YOU!

by my dear friend Kasey over at kj design

this girl is full of sweetness and love for graphic design

her focus is on custom stationery and wedding invitations ...

she's got a good eye for current designs, some with a cute vintage flair

which is right up my alley ... right?!

stop over and show her some love ♥

(i'm sure she'll love you back :)

so print these cuties out and let's make stuff together... ♥

(scroll down and click on the link)

use leftovers or any bits & pieces from your stash to embellish

fabric scraps ~ stickers ~ twine~ ribbon ~ doilies ~ buttons ~ clothespin minis ~ ric rac

these make a sweet gift in a vintage tin or any sort of cute container

tied up with a ribbon ... a collection of tags to be used whenever needed ♥

with some spray paint and a frame this to-do list makes me smile :)

add some rosettes and this makes a great handmade gift in a pinch!

i just have to share ~ this method for ruffling stuff 

found it on Pinterest... and it's the most amazing way to ruffle ANYTHING 

without the hassle of pulling strings & spacing! 

i tried it for the first time while i was making these

you shoulda heard all the oooooh-ing, ahhhhh-ing and oh my goodness-ing up in here

thanks Kasey! for being cuter than cuteness ... ♥ 

click on the images to download

much love !

linking up here ... ♥
the 36th Avenue
Free Pretty Things For You
Funky Junk Interiors
i heart naptime

growing blueberries ... ♥

this is the first summer we've had blueberry bushes

my husband planted two of them last fall

and now we have a small harvest :)

they are so sweet and delicious

how nice to have fresh fruit right in our backyard :)

we want to plant raspberry bushes next :)

the hubs also built a tree swing for the girls

looking up is where he attached the rope & clasp to the tree

this is what i found at the other end of it :)

any family favorite recipes that include blueberries?

i've seen a few yummy ones on Pinterest ... 
was thinking of trying these blueberry cream cheese muffins from i am baker





maybe a batch for now & a batch to keep in the freezer for on-the-go mornings :)
yum .
i'll let ya know how they turn out ...
oh and i keep forgetting to tell you guys
i'm on instagram!  it's fun!
  i've been on for a while but just started getting into it these past few weeks
i even put a little thingy up in the sidebar
see it ... up there ... see it???
go find me! 
raisinguprubies
so i can follow you too :)


♥ much love

(vintage graphics courtesy of the Graphics Fairy ... just gotta love her)

magic to-do list fairy: wanted ... ♥

i've been trying to get to this little blog of mine :)

i have so many things i want to make...

and share with you guys

but y'all ...

(in a Paula Deen voice)

('cause i'm not southern, even in the least bit)

it's summer, and my girls are still little

i want to enjoy them

and i had so many things i wanted to do with them this summer

and July is coming to an end, meaning summer's half over :(

so this is when i start to panic

when i start to pray that God would just, for the next month, give me 32 hours in a day

so between trying to get everything ready to open shop

and regular everyday wife/mama/garage sale summer life

i find myself with only (can you believe) 24 hours in my day (shocking i know)

(not many of which i'm spending sleeping)

i've always been ambitious, always been a go-getter

i get that from my dad...

what i also get from my dad is my serious lack of time management

i mean SERIOUS, as in not there, non-existent

my to-do list yesterday was ridiculous

i think it had 16 things on it

which i knew i couldn't possibly accomplish in one normal human day

but i wrote it down anyway 

the problem is when i get to the end of the day

(and i can maybe cross one or two things off the list)

i beat myself up ... like i'm mentally participating as a contestant on Wipeout 

i knew i was setting myself up for failure when i wrote the list in the morning but i did it anyway, hoping, just hoping that somehow the magic to-do list fairy would come and make that to-do list, not only all crossed off, but then scrap-booked, doodled and matted on some burlap and lace in a pretty frame right near my kitchen sink

on display for me and all to see

no ... 

just me and my faulty time management to-do list problem

just me being human, wife, mommy, friend, sister...and over acheiver

so here i am down on myself 

then the Voice

like a million waterfalls

says I Am Enough

be still and know

tears streaming down my face 

is when my Sweet Savior quietly scoops me up into everlasting arms

and since it's hour 23 and a half and i still have 14 things left on my list

 i surrender

but why do i wait until i get to this point of exasperation?

why don't i just give up the rights to my list first thing in the morning?

that's what God wants from me ... i know it

it's just so hard to let go of control

so that's what i'm trying to work on right now ... that's where i'm at

so thanks y'all (Paula voice) for the listening ear :)

came across this last night on Pinterest

i've read most of Lysa's books, and i'm sure this one won't disappoint

if you have a minute check it out ... she cracks me up

that's totally me in the picture

 i mean really 

who doesn't want to just put their head in an over sized purse 

and scream at the top of their lungs every once and a while??

(i don't officially know if she's screaming at the top of her lungs, but that's what i think she should be doing with her head in an over sized purse ... and this is my blog ... m'kay?)

:):)

i'm working on a few projects that i think you'll like

and a grand opening date & giveaway for Sugar 'n Spice

... so come back soon!

(pretty please with a cherry on top?)

trash to treasure ... decoupaged trinket box ♥

Hi!

It's me!

hope you all had a wonderful 4th ♥

my girls have been at summer camp this week that's put on through their school

tons of fun they're havin' :)

i've mentioned before (i think)

that i love garage sales

i don't just love them

i luuuuuuuuurve them

when it's summer time i see no need for Target to even be open

'cause it's garage sale season

and what i love most is finding something that looks like it's beyond it's years of use

and turning it into something usable, and something you love!

so i've been doing a lot of that lately

taking old things and making them new ♥

it started out like this...

lotsa potential :)

a little Mod Podge and some pretty paper ... i had a hard time narrowing down the choices!

it holds all the little tags and scraps for the shop...

i love how it helps keep even the small things organized

this vintage 3M tape dispenser was not from a garage sale, but was my grandpa's :)

he was a wonderful artist, he worked most of his life painting and making signs...

he was very talented

i could kick myself for forgetting to take a before picture

it was dirty & rusty in some spots ... nothing a nice coat of spray paing couldn't fix

i added some pretty paper to each side for some print

i love that i have something from his studio, now in mine ♥

speaking of the shop...

i'm getting super close to being ready to open! 

and this is what sat in my front foyer a couple days ago...

shipping & packaging supplies for Sugar 'n Spice

seriously guys...

i did a little happy dance

with the front door open

it actually felt official :)

any good trash to treasure finds? please share!

much love ♥

... in Your presence is Fullness of joy... 

psalm. sixteen. eleven.

sweet parties here ... ♥

America ... ♥

you all have put so much gladness in my ♥ psalm 4.7

much love, and Happy 4th of July!