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Faux Built in Fireplace with Shiplap

Completed Faux built in Fireplace with Shiplap

When we purchased our house it did not come with a fireplace. Honestly, I never really noticed the missing fireplace until our first Christmas. I desperately wanted a fireplace for our next winter; however, I did not have the budget for a built in fireplace. I decided to tackle a faux built in fireplace with shiplap surround.

Living Room Wall Before
Living Room Wall Before

Our living room was kind of bland and boring. I reused the furniture from our previous house and it no longer matched the aesthetic of our new modern farmhouse. After convincing my husband we needed a change, I went in search of the perfect faux fireplace.

Fireplace

I went back and forth on whether I should purchase an electric fireplace or buy a vintage fireplace mantel and attach it to the wall. In the end, my husband really wanted something that provided a heat source, as minimal as it may be.

I did extensive online searches for electric fireplaces. The problem I ran into a lot when searching for electric fireplaces online is they were all too short and looked like fake electric fireplaces.

After several hours of online research I located the perfect faux fireplace. The Juri Electric Fireplace by Darby Home Co from Wayfair. This fireplace ticked all of the boxes; it was white, it was tall, and it put out heat. When I first found and fell in love with this fireplace it was being offered at $1,369.99. Sadly at that time it was out of my budget so I waited. I kept checking Wayfair for sales and discounts because I was not about to pay $1,369.99 for an electric fireplace. A few months ago the day finally came; Wayfair was having a huge sale on electric fireplaces. I purchased The Juri Electric Fireplace by Darby Home Co from Wayfair for $783.52.

Juri Electric Fireplace from www.wayfair.com

Wayfair provides great customer service. I received an email with my expected date of delivery for the fireplace. I wanted to make the fireplace look as built in as possible so I decided to create a shiplap wall behind the fireplace running all the way to the ceiling.

Shiplap on a Budget

The price of real shiplap at the box stores is astronomical. I found a great product at Home Depot for a fraction of the cost called 1/4″ x 8′ Knotty Pine Edge V Plank.

Knotty Pine Edge V Plank
Knotty Pine Edge V Plank

This product comes with 6 thin interlocking boards 8 feet in length. For my fireplace area I purchased 4 packs. It is important to measure your space and calculate the square footage you will need to cover prior to heading to Home Depot to purchase your boards.

I highly recommend this product because it is easy to work with and is inexpensive. If your budget allows you to go with a higher end shiplap or peel and stick shiplap go with whatever makes you comfortable.

Because I was framing the fireplace in shiplap and not coving the entire wall I bought a 1/4″ trim for the sides and top of my shiplap(the existing baseboards if you have them can act as the trim for the bottom). Once I had all of my materials it was time to get started on my shiplap wall before my fireplace arrived.

Materials

  • Tape
  • Nail Gun
  • Level
  • Measuring Tape
  • Pencil
  • Miter Saw
  • Shiplap Material
  • Edging Material
  • Ladder
  • Paint
  • Paintbrushes
  • Paintable Caulk

Preparing Materials:

I placed tape on the wall to mark the width of the fireplace. I attached one side of my 1/4′ trim to the outer edge of my tape using my nail gun and level. Once I had one of my trim pieces in place I started on the shiplap. It is important not to attach both trim pieces to the wall at the same time because you need space to interlock the shiplap.

I cut all of my shiplap wood down to my desired length using a miter saw. When installing shiplap I generally start at the top and work my way down to the bottom. However, for this project there was a wall bump out from the stairs in the middle of my desired shiplap location. I started applying shiplap from the bottom of the stair bump out down.

Applying my Shiplap from the stair bump out down
Applying my Shiplap from the stair bump out down

It is important to have help when you attach your first piece of shiplap to ensure the wood is being hung level.

Project helper for the Faux Fireplace
Project helper for the Faux Fireplace (just kidding my husband helped!)

Applying the Shiplap Planks

Place the first piece of shiplap flush against the wall. Use your level to ensure the shiplap is being hung on an even plane. Attach the shiplap to the wall using your nail gun. Once the first piece of shiplap is hung the project should move smoothly. Continue applying the shiplap down the length of your wall (after the first board is hung a level is no longer necessary).

I encountered an outlet plug during the installation of the shiplap. I simply cut the boards down to size to fit around the outlet plug using the miter saw.

Once all of the shiplap has been attached to the wall attach the remaining side trim and top trim to the wall using the nail gun. If there are small gaps in between your trim and your shiplap do not panic. Use paintable caulk to fill in the gaps and edges in the shiplap and trim.

Shiplap Wall with trim
Shiplap Wall with trim

Once the caulk has dried it is time to add paint. I used the same white washable paint I used in my Board and Batten or Bust project. I applied three coats of paint to the shiplap and trim.

Shiplap wall painted white
Shiplap wall painted white

Mounting the TV

There are some things I leave to the professionals. Mounting a television with hidden cords is outside of my comfort zone. I used Puls to mount my 70 inch television. Puls is great! They connect you with a professional in your area that will come out same day with a mount and hang your television. The total cost to have my television mounted with hidden cords was $300 and that included the mount. Well worth the money in my opinion!

Installing the Fireplace

After the fireplace came we assembled it and placed it in front of our completed shiplap wall. This is by far the best addition I have done to the house hands down. The fireplace completely changed our space and we could not be any happier. My husband loved it so much he wants to do the same thing in our bedroom!

Completed Faux built in Fireplace with Shiplap
Completed Faux built in Fireplace with Shiplap

Although this project was a little pricey it was worth every penny. I am loving every inch of our faux built in fireplace with shiplap.

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Four Ingredient Pumpkin Bread Recipe

4 Ingredient Pumpkin Bread Ingredients
Pumpkin Bread fresh out of the oven!
Pumpkin Bread fresh out of the oven!

Every week I meal prep for my husband and kids, which includes breakfast items and snacks. Almost every week I make my Easy 3 Ingredient Banana Bread Recipe. I wanted to mix it up a little so I adapted my Easy 3 Ingredient Banana Bread Recipe into a super simple and delicious Four Ingredient Pumpkin Bread Recipe!

My youngest son loves Pumpkin Bread or cake as he calls it. This Four Ingredient Pumpkin Bread Recipe was an instant hit with him and the whole family.

INGREDIENTS:

  • Yellow Cake Mix (I use H-E-B brand because it is $0.76 a box!)
  • 15 oz Can of Pumpkin
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 Tablespoon of Cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • In a large mixing bowl, mix yellow cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, and cinnamon until combined
Eggs, Cinnamon, and Pumpkin in a bowl
Eggs, Cinnamon, and Pumpkin in a bowl
Eggs, cinnamon, pumpkin, and cake mix in the mixing bowl
Eggs, cinnamon, pumpkin, and cake mix in the mixing bowl
All of the ingredients combined in the mixing bowl
All of the ingredients combined in the mixing bowl
  • Grease a 9×5″ loaf pan and add the prepared pumpkin bread batter to the pan. Place the loaf pan into the oven and bake for 55-60 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake to check for doneness. If the toothpick comes out clean the cake is done baking!
Batter in the pan and ready for the oven!
Batter in the pan and ready for the oven!

ENJOY!

This cake is great fresh out of the oven; however, I personally like it better the next day because the top gets super moist. Like my banana bread recipe, this pumpkin bread recipe is very versatile. Add chocolate chips to the batter before baking for a special chocolaty treat. Feeling in the mood for a little extra sweetness? Add a cinnamon sugar topping to the bread when it is fresh out of the oven or make a cream cheese drizzle for the top. No matter how you slice it this cake is a winner! This will without a doubt be added to our weekly snack preparation list!

Four ingredient pumpkin bread fresh out of the oven.
Four ingredient pumpkin bread fresh out of the oven.

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Pantry Renovation and Reorganization on a Budget

Completed Pantry renovation and reorganization!

I have been bitten by the Spring cleaning bug! Every time I enter my pantry the food clutter overwhelms me. The organization I had in place was not working and my pantry definitely needed a facelift. I decided to tackle a Pantry Renovation and Reorganization on a budget.

Pantry Before the Renovation and Reorganization.
Pantry Before the Renovation and Reorganization.

I not only wanted an astetically pleasing space but a space where I could clearly see all of my food items to make meal planning and preparation easier.

Picking the Perfect Peel and Stick Wallpaper

I have tackled peel and stick tile and have been longing to test out peel and stick wallpaper. Because my pantry was lacking character I knew peel and stick wallpaper would be perfect for this space.

Peel and stick wallpaper is sold at a variety of online stores; however, Target offers a wide variety of peel and stick wallpaper in store. Occasionally, you can even find a good selection of peel and stick wall paper in the sale aisle at Target. If you cannot find any peel and stick wallpaper in the sale aisle don’t worry because this product is relatively inexpensive and you can always use your Target Redcard for an extra 5 percent off!

After checking out all of the peel and stick wallpaper Target offered, I decided to go with a black and white buffalo plaid pattern because it fit with my modern farmhouse style.

I measured the pantry wall I would be applying the wallpaper to. After calculating the square feet, I determined I needed to buy three rolls of wallpaper.

Applying the Peel and Stick Wallpaper

Materials:

  • Peel and Stick Wallpaper
  • Credit card or wallpaper smoothing tool
  • X-acto knife
  • Measuring Tape
  • Level or yard stick

First, measure the length of the wall you will be applying your first section of wallpaper with your measuring tape.

Second, unroll your wallpaper roll and mark your first cut. Lay a yard stick or level across the wallpaper and use an X-acto knife to cut the wallpaper evenly.

Measure wallpaper and cut using X-acto knife and yardstick!
Measure wallpaper and cut using X-acto knife and yardstick!

Third, remove the wallpaper from the paper backing. Line the wallpaper up at the top of the wall and work your way down. If the wallpaper is not lining up properly simply remove it from the wall and realign it. The best thing about this product is it can be removed and reapplied to the wall without causing damage. Use a credit card or wallpaper smoothing tool to remove all of the bubbles from the wallpaper.

Repeat the process above until the entire area is covered. Be aware if you are using a pattern you have to line up your pattern appropriately for a cohesive look. Keep your pattern in mind while you are cutting your wallpaper sections.

I like to come in and clean up the edges of my wallpaper with the X-acto knife.

Pantry Storage

I decided to put all of our snacks in easy to access pourable storage containers because I have toddlers and snack accessibility is key to not losing your mind.

I found great budget friendly BPA free plastic pourable storage containers at Walmart. The large Mainstays storage containers come in a 2 pack for $9.98. The smaller Mainstays storage containers are sold individually for $3.98.

I purchased 3 Large 2 pack storage containers and 8 small storage containers.

Walmart had large white storage tubs for $2.98 each. I picked up three white storage tubs for miscellaneous pantry items.

Pantry Renovation and reorganization on a budget!
Pantry Renovation and reorganization on a budget-Storage Containers!

I found 8 cloth storage containers at the Dollar Tree for all of my baking and canned pantry items. While Dollar Tree does have plastic food storage containers, I decided to go with Walmart’s slightly more expensive containers because they are BPA free and larger.

Completed Pantry renovation and reorganization!
Completed Pantry renovation and reorganization!

I now have a fabulously beautiful pantry with easy access snacks! This pantry renovation and reorganization is easy on the eyes and the budget!

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Two Ingredient Greek Yogurt Bagels

I love recipes that are simple and budget friendly! My last recipe was my delicious and easy three ingredient banana bread. This weeks recipe is even better and dare I say easier! Two Ingredient Greek Yogurt Bagels are delicious, simple to make, and are a healthier bagel option than the bagels you will find in stores.

I stumbled upon two ingredient doughs while on Weight Watchers. Even though I am no longer following a strict Weight Watcher routine, this easy dough is used in my house every week because it is just that good!

Ingredients:

  • 1 Cup Self-Rising Flour
  • 1 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
  • Optional Toppings of your choice!

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees
  • Lay parchment paper onto a baking sheet
  • In a mixing bowl mix 1 Cup of Self Rising Flour with 1 Cup of Plain Greek Yogurt until the mixture becomes a sticky dough
Plain Greek yogurt and self-rising flour combined to form a sticky dough.
  • Split the dough into 4 equal portions
  • Roll each dough piece into a snake shape with your hands and connect the two ends. If needed you can sprinkle some extra self-rising flour onto the dough to help shape it and make it easier to work with
  • Place each formed bagel dough onto the parchment lined baking sheet
Bagel Shaped Dough
Bagel Shaped Dough
  • Optional: This is the point in the process where you will add your toppings if you so choose. My go to topping is Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend. I brush the top of the bagels with egg and sprinkle it with the Everything Bagel Seasoning.
Everything bagel seasoning and egg wash
Everything bagel seasoning and egg wash
  • Place the Two Ingredient Greek Yogurt Bagels into a preheated 375 degree oven and bake for 20-22 minutes. Once the bagels are done cooking, switch the oven to broil and bake for an addition 1-2 minutes. Make sure you keep a close eye on your bagels because you do not want them to burn.
Finished Two Ingredient Greek Yogurt Bagel
Finished Two Ingredient Greek Yogurt Bagel

There you have it, easy and simple Two Ingredient Greek Yogurt Bagels. Eat them warm fresh out of the oven or toast them up and add your favorite spread and enjoy!

Don’t Be Basic:

This bagel is great how it is; however, I love to experiment in the kitchen and try different flavor combinations.

Swap out the Plain Greek Yogurt in this recipe for a Vanilla Greek Yogurt or a Strawberry Greek Yogurt for a sweeter bagel.

Get creative with your toppings! Any bagel you see in a bagel shop can be made with this dough. Jalapeño and cheese, pesto and cheese, Asiago, sesame, and cinnamon sugar are among my favorites.

This dough is very versatile! I regularly use it to make pizza and my kids love it! Simply roll the dough into a pizza shape with a floured rolling pin. Bake the dough for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Take the dough out of the oven and add your sauce, cheese, and toppings. Return the pizza to the oven and cook for approximately 15-20 more minutes.

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DIY No Sew Curtain

DIY no sew curtain!

I recently completed a peel and stick tile accent wall in my laundry room. While I love my tiled wall, I was not thrilled with the exposed pipes and tubes you can see coming from my washing machines. I decided to make a DIY no sew curtain to hide the ugly piping.

Peel and Stick tile wall with ugly exposed pipes!
Peel and Stick tile wall with ugly exposed pipes!

Materials

  • Fabric
  • Stitch Witchery
  • Foam Mounting Tape
  • Scissors
  • Iron

The first and hardest step in the process is deciding on which fabric to use for your DIY no sew curtains. There are several great stores that offer a wide variety of fabric options at great prices. Hobby Lobby , Joann Fabric , and Walmart are some of my go to locations for fabric. However, Hobby Lobby is generally the store I end up in because of all the great products and deals they have.

I knew I wanted a fabric that fit my homes modern country theme. After measuring my space, I made my way down to Hobby Lobby. I found a black and white buffalo plaid fabric that was $6 a yard. Hobby Lobby was running a special and providing 30 % off all fabric so I got my 2 yards of fabric for $8.40. If Hobby Lobby is not running a sale on an item you like don’t panic! Hobby Lobby always has an online coupon for 40% off one item.

Fabric, Witch Stitchery, and Foam Mounting Tape
Fabric, Stitch Witchery, and Foam Mounting Tape

While at Hobby Lobby, I picked up a 20 yard roll of Stitch Witchery ($3.69) and a roll of Scotch Foam Mounting Tape ($2.40 with the application of the 40% off coupon).

Creating the DIY No Sew Curtain

First, cut your fabric down to the size you want it to be. I left an extra inch of fabric along each end so that I could attach my Stitch Witchery and make a clean edge with my fabric pattern.

Next, preheat your iron to the wool setting. Fold the first end of your fabric under to create a clean line. Cut a piece of Stitch Witchery to fit the length of your first fabric end. Sandwich the piece of Stitch Witchery in-between your folded fabric piece. Place the iron on the outside of the fabric and hold in 10 second increments along the length of the Stitch Witchery. Do not move the iron around, simply press and hold because you do not want the fabric or the Stitch Witchery to shift.

Folded Fabric with Witch Stitchery sandwiched between.
Folded Fabric with Stitch Witchery sandwiched between.

Flip the fabric over and press and hold the iron to the other side of the fabric containing the Stitch Witchery in 10 second increments.

Other side of the fabric edge with the Witch Stitchery sandwiched in-between.
Other side of the fabric edge with the Stitch Witchery sandwiched in-between.

Lastly, make sure the Stitch Witchery has bonded before moving on to your next edge. Repeat the above listed steps for the remaining 3 fabric edges.

That is it! In no time at all your DIY No Sew Curtain is complete. Seriously, this project could not be any simpler.

Hanging the Curtain

No drilling was needed to hang this curtain because I utilized the shelf above my washing machine to hang it. I placed a strip of Scotch Foam Mounting Tape along the edge of my existing shelf.

Foam Mounting Tape adhered along the shelf edge.
Foam Mounting Tape adhered along the shelf edge.

I lined up my curtain along the shelf and pressed it into the Scotch Foam Mounting Tape. The curtain adhered to the Foam Mounting Tape easily.

Curtain adhered to the shelf edge with the foam mounting tape. It is complete!
Curtain adhered to the shelf edge with the foam mounting tape. It is complete!

Leftover Fabric?

I had some left over fabric and Stitch Witchery from this project so I decided to use it to make a table runner. Utilizing the same step process as the DIY No Sew Curtain, I completed a table runner that matches my new curtain at no additional cost.

Table Runner
Table Runner
Table Runner
Table Runner

For less than $15 I made a beautiful curtain and a table runner, giving my modern farmhouse the extra character it needed. This is a fun an easy project that will not break the bank.

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Easy 3 Ingredient Banana Bread Recipe

Bananas, Eggs, Cake Mix

What do you do with those bananas that reach the end of their life? Banana Bread of course! I have a quick and easy banana bread recipe that will steal the show without breaking the bank. My three ingredient banana bread is simple and delicious.

Ingredients:

  • 3-4 Ripened Bananas (whatever you have left over)
  • White Boxed Cake Mix
  • 2 Eggs

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, mash your 3-4 ripened bananas.

4 Mashed Bananas

Add two eggs to the ripened bananas and mix until incorporated.

Egg and Banana Mixture
Egg and Banana Mixture

Add the cake mix to the egg and banana mixture and mix until incorporated.

Bananas, Eggs, Cake Mix all mixed all together!
Bananas, Eggs, Cake Mix all mixed all together!

Grease a 9×5″ loaf pan. At this point, add the prepared banana bread mix to your greased loaf pan. Place the loaf pan into the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes.

Banana Bread Dough Ready for the Oven
Banana Bread Dough Ready for the Oven

Get Creative

This easy 3 ingredient banana bread is great on its own, but it is even better when you customize it with various pantry ingredients!

After incorporating the cake mix into the bananas and the eggs you can add a variety of items to the dough to jazz it up. Any variety of nuts, chocolate chips, berries…the possibilities are endless.

When my banana bread is fresh out of the oven I like to slather the top with butter and sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over the entire loaf. It gives each bite a cinnamony sugary deliciousness that will not disappoint you. Once you have banana bread with a buttery cinnamon sugared top you will not want to go back to the traditional banana bread, trust me.

3 Ingredient Banana Bread with Cinnamon Sugar Topping

Any cake mix can be used to make this banana bread. I generally buy cake mix whenever I find it on sale and stock pile it. The cake mix I used for this recipe was $0.76 (can’t beat that!)! This banana bread would be great with white cake, spice cake, French vanilla, maybe even chocolate; the possibilities are endless.

If you want a cheap and easy banana bread without all the fuss and mess you must try this easy 3 ingredient banana bread recipe! Happy Eating!

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Easy Dyed Easter Eggs with Shaving Cream

Easy Dyed Easter Eggs with Shaving Cream

I hate those store bought messy easter Dye packs. After trying several things, I found the solution. Follow me as I guide you through my Easy Dyed Easter Eggs with Shaving Cream.

Shaving Cream, Food Coloring, Eggs!

Materials for Easy Dyed Easter Eggs with Shaving Cream:

  • Shaving Cream: I used Barbasol because it was the cheapest. However, any brand will do as long as it is not gel.
  • Food Coloring/Dye: I had generic food coloring in my pantry but if you want a more vibrant color use gel food coloring.
  • Eggs
  • Pan
  • Toothpicks
  • Rubber Gloves (optional)

Get the perfect Hard Boil on Your Egg

I have tried a variety of different recipes and tricks to get the perfect hard boiled egg. Vinegar, salt, cooking them for 10 minutes at a rapid boil and letting them sit…you name it I have tried it. The best and easiest way I have found to hard boil and egg is with an egg cooker.

Dash Egg Cooker

While this might seem like an extravagant gadget to have in the kitchen, we use this almost every day and the best part is it is budget friendly! We own a Dash egg cooker, which only set us back $7.00 at TJ MAXX. While I do recommend investing in an egg cooker for your daily morning egg, if you don’t have one simply hard boil your eggs.

Once the eggs have been hard boiled, set
them aside and let them cool. Make sure
the eggs are cooled completely before you head onto the next step.

Dying The Eggs

Pie Dish filled with shaving cream for the start of the Shaving Cream Dyed Eggs
Pie Dish filled with shaving cream for the start of the Shaving Cream Dyed Eggs

I used a pie dish to Dye the eggs in but any pan would do. I filled my pie dish with shaving cream. Make sure the shaving cream is approximately 1 inch in thickness throughout the dish.

Here is your chance to get creative. Drop in the food coloring in whatever color you choose one drop at a time. Make sure you cover the entire pan with food coloring.

Food Coloring Drops added to the shaving cream for the start of the Easy Shaving Cream Dyed Egg
Food Coloring Drops added to the shaving cream for the start of the Easy Shaving Cream Dyed Egg

I used a toothpick to swirl the food coloring around in the shaving cream. Swirling the food coloring through the shaving cream gives the eggs a cool marbling effect.

Swirl the Food Coloring with a Toothpick to create an Easy Shaving Cream Dyed Easter Egg
Swirl the Food Coloring with a Toothpick to create an Easy Shaving Cream Dyed Easter Egg

Once the food coloring has been swirled, I put on my rubber gloves. While I prefer to use rubber gloves while dying eggs it is not necessary. The food coloring washes off pretty easily nonetheless I still like to wear gloves to limit the mess as much as possible.

Next, Drop your eggs in the food coloring one at a time and roll them around until they are completely covered in the shaving cream mixture. Leave each covered egg inside of the pan for at least 30 minutes.

Easy Dyed Easter Eggs in Shaving Cream resting for 30 minutes.
Easy Dyed Easter Eggs in Shaving Cream resting for 30 minutes.

Once the eggs have had a chance to sit, rinse the shaving cream and dye off each egg under cool water. Gently pat the eggs dry.

Finished Product: Easy Dyed Easter Eggs with Shaving Cream
Finished Product: Easy Dyed Easter Eggs with Shaving Cream

The Project is Complete!

There you have it! In no time at all you have a perfectly dyed Easter egg with hardly any stress or mess. This project is great for kids of any age; however, I know for a fact it is a hit with the two toddlers in my house. Shaving cream is right up there with play dough and slime in our house. If you need more great Easter Ideas check out my blog post on a cute Easter Porch Sign.

 

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Easy DIY Easter Front Porch Sign

I love holidays and Easter is definitely one of my favorites! I change my front porch decor for each major holiday. One of the easiest ways to jazz up your front porch is with a front porch sign. In this post I will guide you through building an Easy DIY Easter front porch sign.

Materials:

Building the Sign Base

The Natural Barnwood Bundle from Hobby Lobby comes with 6 pieces of barnwood. For this project I used the entire bundle. I started by placing 5 pieces of the barnwood side by side.

5 pieces of barn wood side by side with two 6 inch pieces

I cut down the last piece of wood into two 6 inch pieces with a miter saw.

I placed one of the 6 inch pieces of barnwood horizontally across the top of the 5 pieces of barnwood that I had previously laid out. I placed the second 6 inch piece of barnwood horizontally across the bottom of the 5 pieces of barnwood. Using my nail gun, I nailed both of the 6 inch pieces into each piece of barnwood adhering the sign together.

6 inch pieces attached to the barnwood creating the sign

This sign base can be used to make a variety of signs for a variety of holidays or events. Any wood you have access to can easily be used to make a sign base in any desired shape or size.

Decorating the Sign

Now that everything has been built, it is time to decorate! I used my Cricut to create a picture of a bunny with the saying “Hoppy Easter.”

Bunny Image Cricut Design Space

Cricut Bunny Link:

https://design.cricut.com/#/design/138318599/user-project/138318599

There is a lot of debate whether cardstock or vinyl is best for painting signs. Personally, I like using cardstock because it is easy to handle and is less expensive but either material will work. I cut the image out onto cardstock.

I attached the bunny and letters onto the wood sign with tape.

Cardstock bunny cutout
Acrylic paint, pouncers, tape

I used a cream color acrylic paint to paint the bunny. I used a gold acrylic paint to paint the letters. Usually, I buy my paint from Michaels or Hobby Lobby. Any paint brush can be used for this project. I personally like to use foam pouncers because it does not collect as much paint as a generic paint brush. For this project I used Martha Stewart Foam Pouncers.

Once the sign has dried, glue 6 cotton balls to the sign to represent the bunnies tail.

Cottonball Bunny Butt

The sign is complete. In less than an hour you can have a great and easy DIY Easter front porch sign for half the price of the signs you can find in stores!

Finished Sign- All ready for the porch!
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Low Carb Parmesan Pizza Crisps

My husband and I have been trying to lead a low carb lifestyle. We did Keto for two weeks and it was definitely the jump start our bodies needed but the diet was not reasonably sustainable for us based on cost and dedication. After Keto we switched to a low carb diet and it has helped us maintain our weight goals.

We fell in love with Parmesan crisps while on Keto but a small 2.2 oz bag of the crisps cost $3 while the large 9.5 bag cost around $12…not exactly budget friendly (especially when your husband can polish off a large bag of the crisps in 2 days!). So the budget minded person in me started making our own Parmesan crisps which are super simple to make and saved us tons of money.

To me the Parmesan crisps tastes like the cheese at the edge of the pizza that spilled over onto the pan in the oven and got extra crispy and delicious, who doesn’t love that? While we like the original plain Parmesan crisps they are even better when you add toppings! Because these bad boys tasted so much like pizza to me I started adding all of the toppings we love to eat on our pizza and our lives have been forever changed for the better. Here is the recipe we love for our original Parmesan crisps:

Low Carb Snack-Turkey Pepperoni Parmesan Crisp

Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese (makes 16 crisps)

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
  • Grab a large baking sheet and line the pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet
  • Measure and drop two heaping tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese on the parchment paper for each Parmesan crisp. Make sure you leave enough space between each Parmesan crisp because they will spread while baking. Depending on the size of your pan, I recommend making this recipe in two batches; 8 Parmesan crisps per sheet pan.
  • Bake at 400 degrees F for 5-8 minutes depending on how crisp you like them.

Additional Toppings

Here is where you get to be creative in the kitchen. If you want to jazz up the plain Parmesan crisp and add a little extra flavor simply add your favorite pizza topping ingredients to the cheese prior to baking it in the oven. Not only is this a delicious addition it can also be a budget friendly addition by simply utilizing your leftovers or pantry items as the toppings. Here are a few of the toppings I love to add:

  • Olives
  • Artichokes
  • Grilled Onions
  • Red Chili Pepper Flakes
  • Turkey Pepperoni/Regular Pepperoni
  • Mushrooms
  • Peppers
  • Pesto
Parmesan and Turkey Pepperoni, the start to a great low carb treat!

Think Outside of the Crisp

The Parmesan crisp can be used in many different ways. Make larger Parmesan crisps and use them as taco or Tostada shells on your next low carb taco Tuesday. Simply adjust the baking time based on the size of your crisp: smaller crisps, cook a little less; larger crisps, cook a little longer.

Avocado Toast is all the rage. Instead of using bread sub out a large Parmesan crisp and add an egg and you have a wonderful low carb breakfast.

The possibilities are endless! Try these crisps; your waistline and wallet will not be disappointed.

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DIY Peel and Stick Subway Tile

My laundry room is small and pretty one note design wise….boring! I spent several hours searching Pinterest for laundry room ideas and decided I wanted to do a subway tile accent wall behind the washer and dryer. Then came the real problem: 1. I don’t know how to lay tile 2. The cost of the tile, materials, and labor would end up being way out of my budget.

There are great peel and stick wall paper options these days so I turned my online search focus towards that thinking I could still do an accent wall behind the washer and dryer. While searching for a great peel and stick wall paper product, I came across DIY peel and stick subway tile. DIY Peel and stick subway tile? This must be too good to be true. I read countless reviews on the peel and stick tile and decided to order the product and give it a go. Worse case scenario, I would remove the tile and paint the wall.

Picking the Right Tile

There are several brands of peel and stick tile on the market with various tile options. I knew I wanted to do a white subway tile with grey grout. I found a DIY peel and stick subway tile I loved from Tic Tac Tiles on Amazon; for $33.97 you get 10 12×12 tile sheets. After measuring the space above my washer and dryer I determined I needed 3 packages of tile.

Shop around and find the best deal. While you can order direct from the manufacturer, I am an Amazon Prime member so the price and the shipping options were better for me through Amazon.

Prepping Your Space

DIY Peel and stick tile can be used in a variety of places including the kitchen. The peel and stick tile can be placed over existing outdated kitchen backsplash, this is a great option if you want to update your kitchen but aren’t able to afford to fully redesign the space. This product is not recommended for bathrooms due to the water and condensation.

The surface you place your tile on must be given a good wipe down and allowed to dry prior to installation. The area/room you are placing your tile cannot be too cold or too hot during installation or the product will not adhere correctly. Make sure the temperature is around 70 degrees if possible to avoid any adhesive issues.

This was my wall before I began the tiling process

Laying the DIY Peel and Stick Tile

Laying the peel and stick tile is simple and can be done by one person. The directions in the package are pretty straight forward and helpful.

Like most walls, my wall was very uneven. I decided to start my project from the most level location, the bottom, and work my way up. Make sure the first row of tiles are placed in a level line, or as level as possible. To ensure the tiles are level, use a large level to guide your progress for the first row of tiles. After the first row of tile is in place you simply piece the remaining sheets together like a puzzle.

You might have to cut your tile down in places to make it fit and look proper on the wall. Oddly enough, scissors were the easiest tool for me to use to make my cuts. I tried a box cutter but it was a lot harder for me to use. Make sure you measure and mark your tile prior to cutting them down to ensure you do not cut off too much of the material.

I smoothed down my tile as I adhered it to the wall with a wall paper smoothing tool. Make sure you press all of the bubbles and creases out of the tile as you go.

Finishing the Design

It took me approximately 3 hours to complete the tiling process in my laundry room. I found a cute affordable laundry room sign for the tile wall at Michaels. The Wash/Dry sign was on sale for $30 and I got an additional 20 percent off by using a promo code. Michaels always has great discounts, promo codes, and coupons; make sure you check all of their deals online before buying!

I hung the Wash/Dry sign after the tile had been adhered to the wall for approximately 2 weeks. I placed the picture hanger through the peel and stick tile with no issues or damage to the tile itself.

All in all I am very happy with the way my project turned out. The total cost of this project was $101.91. If you want the look of tile without the cost and hassle, definitely consider trying peel and stick tile you will not be disappointed.