OH!!!  AND ANOTHER THING

I finally got my spoon hooks done.  We out to the old homeplace and found this weathered board in the old garage.  It is exactly what I was looking for.

Hubs bent the spoons and flattened the bowls and screwed them to the board.  Then he sort of skewed the two on the end so he could screw the board to the wall, put the spoons back in place, and you cannot see where the wall screws are.  He is really smart.  I never would have thought of that!!!!

So here's the pics.  Now my Coffee Bar is almost finished.  I just need a few more  tchotchkes and I'll be all done.  

And until next time, remember - Never Give In, Never Surrender, and may God always bless.

Victoria a/k/a BizzyLizzy

JUST ONE MORE THING

As most of you know I have some serious health issues and cannot do what I used to do, but I do try to do one thing a day.

Each night before I go to bed I try to think of a project I can do the next day that won’t tax my breathing or make me nauseated or just make me feel bad in general.

While pondering all the pretty pictures on Pinterest the other day I came across a bunch of Milk Cans.  Now, I have two in my storage shed.  They were from the 1970s.  Yes, Milk Can decorating was really big back then, but they fell out of favor, hence, they were relegated to the storage shed.

AH HA!!!  I can do this.  The first thing was to get Hubs to dig one of them out.  UGH!!! It was really rusted and just plain dirty, and the original paint job I did in 1979 was gone.

Just bare metal and rust.  This called for a good cleaning and a really thorough sanding.  Yep, it took me most of Day One.  But I got it done, and it didn’t tire me out too badly. 

Day Two:  A really good wipe down and two coats of paint.  I used Americana Decor Chalky Paint in a color called Everlasting.  It is actually white, but not a bright white.

When it was thoroughly dry I went over it with very fine sandpaper to give it an aged look.  I wanted it to look like it had been sitting in a barn for a while, but not too much of a while.

I had bought some Lazertran transfer paper to make my own decals for the lettering.  After 6 hours on the computer getting just the right fonts and sizing, printing on the transfer paper, sealing the paper with spray sealant, soaking in warm water and putting on the Milk Can, I was sorely disappointed.  The edges insisted on curling.  Nothing I did would stop it.  When it dried it was worse.  So a warning:  Do Not Buy This Stuff – It’s Not Worth It!!!!!  An entire day wasted.  And I was exhausted.     End of Day 3.                         

Day 4:  Decided to go back to the way we did things in grade school.  Printed off the wording, got a pencil and rubbed it on the back, taped it right side out to the Can, and traced the lettering with another very sharp pencil.

End of Day 4.

Day 5:  Scrounged around in my stash and found a Sharpie exactly the color blue I wanted.  Outlined the letters, then filled them in.

It looks hand lettered, not perfect, but it looks good.  I added the fleur d’lis to the bottom just because Hubs is French ancestry.  After it dried for several hours, I sanded the letters lightly and rubbed chalk over it.  Yes, just plain chalkboard chalk.  Then I sprayed it with a clear, matte Sealant.  Let it sit overnight.

Day 6:  Made the bow, put in the plant and VOILA!!   I think it looks magnificent.  Just like I pictured. 

And because Hubs is of French ancestry the saying is in French – Bienvenue a la chateau duPree.  Loosely translated it means Welcome to the home of the duPrees.             

NO RANTS THIS TIME

BUT A FEW RAVES

AND A COUPLE OF RECIPES

I have been trying really hard to not get upset and rant about anything.  Oh, I could rant about politics, religion, Obama, health insurance, no cost of living raise for retirees, etc. but it just takes too much energy that I could put toward something actually productive.  Like food.  And re-decorating. 

I have been doing some re-decorating as you will know if you’ve been reading me at all, and I just finished another round, pics and explanation following. 

I also have been doing a bit of cooking.  Yes, I know, Hubs usually does the cooking, he says he’s faster and better, but he’s not too creative.  I like to experiment and that’s what I’ve been doing.

And about the Raves.  Well, I have discovered Pinterest.  I love this place.  I’ve gotten a lot of very good, cheap ideas and have implemented several of them.  Also I have to Rave about Amazon.  You can find almost anything you are looking for on Amazon.  I just discovered transfer paper.  It’s actually decal paper so you can make your own decals.  I’ve ordered a package from Amazon and am waiting for it to arrive so I can finish my milk can.  See the pic.  I also ordered some flames to put on my coffee maker.  The pics were taken before the flames arrived, but I’ve added one with the flames.

As for the recipes, I wasn’t feeling too well a couple of weeks ago and needed some chicken soup.  Unfortunately, all commercial soups have ingredients that I just do not want to consume, like MSG, soy protein, wheat, monodiglycerides, etc.  I had to make my own. 

This turned out way better than I had hoped.  Hubs grilled me a chicken breast and I had some left over rice, so just added some red peppers, celery, onions, and yes there is actually a carrot in there, to some chicken stock, heated through and VOILA!!! instant chicken soup.  Of course, there’s also salt and pepper.  Add some orange slices and a few almond crackers (there is no wheat or dairy in them) and was feeling better almost at once.

Hubs didn’t want soup, he wanted chicken fingers, so here’s his version:

He made a batter of egg, milk, salt and pepper.  First he dipped the chicken in the batter, then in the flour, then back in the batter and fried in a Fry Daddy.  I tasted one and it was really good.  And so easy.  If you have a Fry Daddy with a basket, the Fingers turn out almost grease free.  Way better than any you can buy.

MY NEW COFFEE BAR

I can’t believe it has been almost two months since I did a post.  I have been “under the weather” and was in hospital for a few days last month, but am much better now.  As a matter of fact, I am so much better I re-arranged my kitchen.  Well, parts of it anyway. 

I had all my small appliances on the “back counter”, you’ll have to see the pics to understand this.  I have a really weird shaped kitchen.  There’s actually only one wall, and that’s where the “back counter” is.  I hated the way it looked, it was crowded and always messy.

THEN, enter Pinterest.  I found this picture and it inspired me to create a Coffee Bar of my own.  Initially my coffee maker (a big commercial Bunn) was in the pantry because it was just too big to sit on the counter.  And it took up way too much space in the pantry.  (Sorry – no before pics – I just got ahead of myself).

This is my inspiration I found on Pinterest.  

But I did get pics of the space where I wanted to put the Coffee Bar.  This is an angled wall that leads into the “living room”.  Actually the area is just one great big space, with a TV area, a kitchen area, and a dining area.  As you can see, it’s rather dull.  I like the table and the plant, but it just didn’t excite me.  It was okay, but that was all. 

Now here’s the after pic.  I really love the way it turned out.  And all my small appliances are now in the pantry and the “back counter” is a clean space that I can enjoy looking at.  And I can actually use it when I need to. 

Pantry – appliance garage

Back counter – the only real wall in the kitchen

Notice the Bunn coffee maker.  Here’s some pics of it being prepped for painting.  I could not stand that fake wood on the side, so convinced Hubs to paint it for me. He used a high-heat appliance paint.  He did a great job.  And I added the flames just for fun!!!!!  HOT COFFEE – YAY!!!!

Enter Pinterest again.  This time milk cans.  I have two that I’ve had since the 70s.  They were just sitting in the storage shed rusting.  Got one out, sanded it and painted it white.  Here’s my inspiration.

 The transfer paper finally arrived and now I can make my sign for the front.  Because we live in the city and not the country or a farm, I decided to go with a Welcome.  In French, of course, with a name like duPree, what do you expect?  I'll be working on it this weekend and hopefully have some pics for next week.  

Well, that about catches me up with what's been going on over here, and next week, if all goes according to plans, I will have some more pics of past decorating projects I just haven't posted yet.  

You know, with all the conditions a lot of us have, it's best to keep busy, and that's what I try to do.  Even accomplishing just one little thing a day can make a huge difference in our mental outlook.  Instead of sitting in that recliner whining about what you can't do, think of something you can do.  Clean off that coffee table and put something different on it.  Put all that bathroom clutter in a box and put it in the closet or under the sink.  Just little things.  No Biggie.  You will be surprised how good it will make you feel.  If all else fails, call a friend you haven't heard from in a while.  It will make their day, too.

So, until next time, as I always say, Never give in, Never surrender, and God bless.

And if I don't get another post before Thanksgiving Day, have a happy and fulfilling Turkey Day.  gobble gobble........

Victoria a/k/a BizzyLizzy  

  

Addendum to Aug 2015

ADDENDUM TO AUG 2015 POST

       This is just an addendum to the previous post.  I thought it would interest y’all to see what could be done with a $.99 tray from the thrift store.

       I really needed to corral all the stuff on my night stand and thought a tray would be the way to go.  After looking around in various stores, I decided to peruse Pinterest.  This is the result of that search.

      

       Tray as bought.  Christmas design.  And it’s red.  Not in my bedroom!!!!

       Tray after. 

     I sprayed it with two coats of Valspar white primer.  Let it dry 24 hours between coats.  Then painted it with two coats of my special chalk paint.  The recipe is in the previous post.  The white is Plaid FolkArt wicker white and the yellow is Plaid FolkArt lemonade.  I did not put on a sealer. 

       And here’s the finished product, on my nightstand with all the stuff.  It has corralled everything and keeps it together.  It’s just all round neater and easier to keep clean.  Only have to move a couple of things to dust instead of a lot of little things. *****if you look closely you can see I added little bun feet just to be different******

       Hope you enjoyed seeing this as much as I enjoyed making it.  There are tons of things at thrift stores just crying out to be rescued and revamped.  I will be posting some more in the next couple of weeks, so keep visiting, you never know what will pop up.

       Pin me, I need the exposure.

       And remember – Never give in, Never surrender, and God bless.

Victoria a/k/a BizzyLizzy

Aug2015

RANTS, RAVES AND RECIPES

     Hello, again.  BizzyLizzy is back, but this time there will be no Rants, a few Raves, some Recipes and a new addition – a Crafting “corner”. 

     I have decided to let the stuff that bothers me go, so I will not be Ranting, unless it’s something really big and really annoying.  As for the Raves, at this point the only thing I can Rave about is I am still breathing and not pushing daisies!!!!  But I do have a few new Recipes, even a recipe for a new paint, yes, I have developed my own chalk paint recipe and I like it best of all.  However, if I were doing a very large object, like a dresser, I would probably just buy a pre-mixed brand.  But for the small objects I am painting, it is superb.

     I am also in the midst of redecorating my living room, dining room, and possibly at a later date, the kitchen.  Right now I am concentrating on the living and dining rooms. 

     Look over the pictures, each one has an explanation of what you are seeing, before and after.  On a few I have added alternative decorations, I can’t decide which I like best, so I live with each for a few days, hoping I can decide which one to keep and which to pack away, or possibly sell. 

     First up is the living room.  As you can see in the before picture, I have removed all decorations.  It is basic, bare bones.  In the second picture are a few objects I bought and re-did to fit in with what I wanted.  If you read my blog from July, you will see what I mean about brown.  Brown floor, brown wood on couch, brown coffee table.  UGH!!!!  Got to brighten it up.

Here's an intermediate picture.  Am getting there, but not there yet.  

     I also added a beautiful rug.  My living room gets a lot of afternoon sun, but otherwise it is sort of dark, so the yellow brightens it up considerably.  And yellow is a happy color.  With winter fast approaching, I need bright and happy. 

     The lamp on the table, the one with the library books, had been packed away for years.  I had forgotten I had them (I actually have two).  Hubby found them in the shed and I thought one would look really good next to the bookshelf.  I did have to do some reworking on it, I painted the base yellow and the brass top and finial were all groady, so I painted them yellow, too.  Love the look now.

     I am in the process of painting all my picture frames white. The frames are all different colors, not unifying at all, so next time they will all be white.  Should brighten up the paintings a lot, too.

Yes, I like Wheel of Fortune.  

     Each one of the paintings on the wall was done by a family member; my grandmother, my Mom (actually my Mom could not paint, so she did counted cross stitch and that is what they are), an aunt, my daughter, my father-in-law, and the orange one I did.  A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.  I know it’s not great art, but it is family art and that means more to me than expensive stuff.

     The dining room is still a work in progress, so hopefully it will be ready for next month’s post.  It’s a lot more work than I anticipated when I began.  I’ve added a sneak preview of sorts, the original picture frames were a yucky greyish color, now they are French blue.  Looking so much better.

     And a sneak peek at my “new” baker’s rack.  It was originally hunter green with some white splotches on it to make it look old, but it was just a bad job.  I actually bought it that way intending to paint it, but have just gotten round to it.  

     I promised a new recipe for chalk paint and a new recipe to eat.  Here’s the chalk paint, the eatable one follows.

CHALK PAINT:

2 oz bottle Plaid FolkArt paint (your choice of color)

2 tsp baking soda (I like Arm & Hammer brand)

2 tsp water

2 tsp Mod Podge

Put baking soda in a cup, add water and stir until totally dissolved.  And I mean totally.  Add Mod Podge and stir like crazy.  It should foam.  Keep stirring.  When the foam dissipates, add the paint and stir until all one color (whatever color you chose).

It is now ready to use. If you don’t use it all, it can be poured back into the paint bottle and used later.  As long as it is tightly closed, it should last for a least a couple of months.

When applying, I like to use a foam brush.   You can experiment to find which brush you like the best.

The picture frames (the blue ones) and the baker's rack were painted using this formula and a foam brush.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

CHOCOLATE DIPPED WALNUTS WITH SEA SALT

(FOR SOME REASON I CANNOT GET THE PIC TO COME THROUGH)

SAVE PRINT

PREP TIME

10 mins

TOTAL TIME

10 mins

A quick, easy and healthy snack, you are going to love these walnut halves dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with sea salt.

Author: Liz DellaCroce | The Lemon Bowl

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

·      4 ounces Diamond of California Walnut Halves

·      4 ounces dark chocolate chips

·      ½ teaspoon sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high for 45-60 seconds or until smooth and creamy.

2.  Dip each walnut half in the chocolate and place on a plate or tray lined with parchment paper.

3.  Sprinkle with sea salt then refrigerate walnuts until chocolate sets, 30 minutes or longer. 

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Serving size: 1 ounce

Calories: 255

Fat: 24.2 g

Saturated fat: 4.5 g

Unsaturated fat: 19.7 g

Trans fat: 0

Carbohydrates: 7.2 g

Sugar: 3.8 g

Sodium: 287 mg

Fiber: 2.5 g

Protein: 5.8 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

NOW HERE’S MY VERSION:  I CALL THEM "MOCK TURTLES"

I did not have any walnuts; living in the South, pecans are easier to come by, and I did have a bag of pecan pieces, so that’s what I used.

I used chocolate chips and melted them in the top of a double boiler.  Then added ½ tsp. vanilla extract and beat until it was kind of shiny.  Added the pecans and stirred vigorously.  Dipped them out onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, sprinkled them with coarse ground Pink Himalayan Sea Salt, and refrigerated for 1 hr.  They were sooooo gooood.   (******And yes, there were more in the beginning, but by the time I got out the camera, several had disappeared.

(When dipping use a teaspoon.  They should be about the size of a half-dollar).

     Hope you enjoy and Pin me.  So until next time, remember – Never give in, Never surrender and God bless.

Victoria a/k/a BizzyLizzy

July, 2015

        I can't believe it's been a year since my last post.  This past year has not been good to me.  With Pulmonary Rehab, Physical Rehab and having the flu and a torn rotator cuff injury, I haven't done anything.  Haven't been anywhere, but I have been cooking.  I do have quite a few new recipes for you, and a few Rants and Raves that should give you a laugh or two.  I have embarked on a project, redecorating my living/tv room.  I will be posting pictures as it progresses, when I get started.  So, read, enjoy, and comment.  Send me an e-mail or post in the comment section.  I always enjoy hearing from you.  

RANT OF THE WEEK

        Well, people, it has been a while since BizzyLizzie was active, but I’m back now and better than ever. 

What I want to rant about today is Men’s obsession with brown.  What is it that almost all men prefer brown to color?  Brown paneling, brown recliners, brown cabinets, brown pants, brown shoes.  Ask any man about furniture.  Natural wood, naturally brown.

I am redecorating my living/tv room, which is actually a great room that opens up into the kitchen and dining areas.  The cabinets in the kitchen are cherry, but they look sorta brown.  The floors are wood, luckily they are a light color, but still in the brown family.  My recliner is oxblood, sort of a dark wine color, the couch is a non-descript beigey/green, really difficult to describe, but it looks good with the oxblood recliner.  Then there’s hubby’s recliner.

It is brown.  Yes, brown.  We were in the furniture store looking for an occasional chair and he spotted this recliner and refused to leave the store without it.  It is a very nice recliner, but it is BROWN!!!  Any other color would have been great, but they only had the brown one.  

Okay, so this is not too much of a problem because the occasional chair we bought is red/beige/green plaid.  I really like it as it coordinates with the oxblood recliner and the hard-to-describe sofa.  Then there’s the brown recliner.  It just does not GO.

But trying to make the best of a dull thing, I decided I wanted to paint my coffee table to brighten things up a bit.  You guessed it, it is wood, and naturally BROWN.  When I mentioned it to hubby, what do you think he said?   “I like the wood finish.”  “But it’s BROWN,” I whined.  

Needless to say, it is getting painted.  When I get it painted I will post a before and after.  Also a before and after of the area of the living/tv room that I am trying to lighten up.  I HATE LIVING IN A CAVE!!!!

And speaking of caves, most men would not mind living in a cave, that way they would not have to dust, vacuum, paint, wash blinds, or any of the hundred other small jobs that have to be done to keep a home looking like a home and not a cave.

But leaving on a good note, hubby did get the shrubs trimmed and the ivy out of the Poplar tree, so the house does not look totally abandoned.  I guess one of these days we’ll get around to some more badly needed outside maintenance, but until it cools off a bit, not a lot is going to get done outside.

RAVE OF THE WEEK 

     When I first started this blog I promised on Religion or Politics, however, I must post this as my Rave of the Week.

     I hope this doesn’t turn some of you off, but I have just had a miracle.
In September of 2014 I made a stupid movement with my left arm and tore my rotator cuff.  It hurt like the “dickens”.  After several trips to the orthopedic surgeon for steroid shots, pain meds, etc., we decided on surgery.

     Because I have COPD and certain adrenal issues because of the COPD meds, the surgeon was not real excited about operating on me. He as much as told me so.  He did not give me a prognosis I was comfortable with, but I went ahead with all the pre-op preparations, etc.
In the meantime, I contacted my Sunday School class and asked for some heavy-duty prayers.  I asked the Lord to guide me in the right direction, that I would not force anything, if it didn’t feel right I would not do it, and I would leave it all up to Him.

     And guess what?  Within three days the pain had subsided, I could move my arm again, I could even drive.  Something I have not been able to do for months.  I can even pick up not too heavy items.  Before I could not even make the movement, let alone pick up anything.

     Yes, there is still some pain, but not anything I can’t control.  Haven’t had to take a pain med in almost a week, and I am back to crafting and planning on redecorating my living/tv room.  (See Rant)

     I talked with the orthopedic surgeon and he was actually thrilled at the news.  Said he really had not wanted to operate on me, and was glad everything was working out for me.  I will see him again in three months for a check-in, and if everything is okay, then another three months.  If, however, he said it gets to the point I cannot stand it, we would go ahead with the surgery.

     I am fully confident the Lord has other plans for me, and surgery is not one of them.

     Prayer works, Praise the Lord.  I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.  Phil 4:13.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

FUDGE-CAKEY FLOURLESS BROWNIES

     Sorry the picture isn’t better, but these are absolutely delicious.  They really taste better than they look. 

Oven 350 degrees

6 Tablespoons butter

¾ cup dark brown sugar

8 oz chocolate chips (I use the dark chocolate)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon cocoa powder

3 Tablespoons almond flour

1 teaspoon baking powder (or ¼ t. salt, and ½ t. baking soda)

Nuts (depending on your preferences as little as 2/3 cup or as much as 1 cup) walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, whatever you like)

When measuring out everything I like to add the almond flour and cocoa powder and baking powder together.

A double boiler comes in handy, but if you are like me, you don’t have a double boiler.  But I do have lot of metal mixing bowls and I found one that fit perfectly on a boiler I had.  Put water in the boiler, brought it to a boil, placed mixing bowl on boiler and VOILA!! a double boiler.  Just be sure to wear an oven glove as the mixing bowl will get hot.

You can use an 8 X 8 or a 9 X 9 square pan, but I used a 5 X 8 loaf pan.  I found non-stick aluminum foil which I lined my pan with, then buttered it real good.  The brownies just fell out.  Just be sure to put the dull side up, it’s the non-sticky side.

First measure everything out in separate bowls, it just makes it easier when mixing as you don’t have to stop to measure anything.

In the top of the double boiler melt the butter, then add sugar and make sure it is dissolved.  When this is done, add the chocolate chips and stir until they are melted and well incorporated.

Remove from the heat (actually take the mixing bowl off the boiler or it will continue to stay hot because of the hot water), add the eggs one at a time mixing well after each one, then add the vanilla extract.

Now using a sifter (or a metal strainer) sift the flour mixture into the egg mixture making sure it is incorporated well.  Beat for an additional 1 to 2 minutes until the dough is nice and shiny.  This is when you add the nuts, stirring them in until they are consistently within the dough.

Pour into the pan of your choice.  Bake for about 30 minutes at 350.  I had to lower the temp in my oven to 300 and bake for another 10 minutes, but that’s just my oven.  Watch and test after 30 minutes.  Don’t overcook.

Let them cook on a rack in the pan for at least 30 minutes, then turn them out on the rack to cool completely.  Be sure to peel off the aluminum foil when you take them out of the pan.

NOTES:

       As stated before you can add nuts of your choice, but you can also add dried fruit, raisins or craisins come to mind. 

       Peanut butter chips could be used instead of chocolate chips for a different taste.

       And if you are vegan, you could use a flax egg and coconut oil.  If you are concerned about the chocolate chips, use a candy bar such as Lindt’s 90% cocoa.