Crafty Thursday: Earthy Eggs

So for my birds nest and an up coming craft I wanted eggs to decorate with, but I wanted something a little more earthy looking, I tried to just paint plastic eggs...that didn't work. So I got the idea to use Mod Podge to glue tissue paper to the eggs and then paint over!

Drying after Mod Podging (is that a word...) the tissue paper on. I used a box and toothpicks to hold my eggs so they wouldn't stick to my table.

Then blending different colors, white, yellow, brown, light blue, and light green to make earthy tones and painted! When dry I added a little bit of water to brown and splattered the eggs.

After drying I realized the eggs were a matte finish, and I was wanting more of a glossy one.

So I added more Mod Podge and let dry and they turned out glossy and beautiful! Stay tuned, next week I will show you how I used them!

Click here to see where I link!

The Versatile Blogger Award

I was awarded the Versatile Blogger Award by Laci at Home Grown Happiness!  Thank you for for the great honor! I didn't even know this ward existed!

First here are 7 things that you may not know about me:

1.  I am the 5th child in a family with 6th children.
2.  I met my husband online and we married after dating for 6 months
3.  I threw disc and shot in track for two years in high school
4.  Orange is my favorite color!
5.  I donate my extra milk that my baby doesn't eat to babies that need it.
6.  I don't like to follow recipes, measure ingredients or follow patterns when I cook and sew; I like to just make it up as I go
7.  One of my favorite things is playing card games with my family

Now to the  15 bloggers that I feel are worth of such an award:

Passion Fruit Princess

Hands Full and Loving It

Creative "Try"als

Sweet Little Smoothie
Girl in Air
A Little Bit of Everything
The Chocolate Muffin Tree
Still Parenting
The Wonder Years




http://helpinglittlehands.blogspot.com/

To accept the award, there are several steps:

•Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.

•Tell us seven things about yourself

•Award fifteen recently discovered new bloggers (mine aren't all new...but I tried)

•Contact these bloggers and let them know they’ve received their award.

BigIQkids

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of BigIQkids.com for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have learned about this really neat website for helping children with spelling, math, vocabulary and more! I know this will be a really useful tool for when my boys are older and we are ready to do home schooling. This site works for all children, not just homeschoolers as well.

On BigIQkids you can set up your very own spelling program  or use the one your child gets from school, by simply typing in the words you want them to learn and letting them take the spelling test. They even have sample spelling list you can use by selecting the grade of your child. Another great feature is the child can take the test and play spelling games online, but you can also print off the spelling list if you want them to work on their writing as well.

They even have a little spelling bee you can set up for your child to try!

After a child finishes a test they get the chance to play a free game with the site, so it encourages the children to take their tests. BigIQkids suggest your child takes one test a day to help improve the area you are working on.

The best thing about BigIQkids is you can use the basic program for FREE! There is an upgrade you can buy but they offer amazing things to all members for free, I cant wait to use this program with my boys in the coming years!

Tasty Treats Tuesday: Cilantro Lime and Pulled Pork

I have two very yummy recipes for you, sadly I didn't take pictures as I made this the other night but I had to share it anyways!

First off is a sweet and spicy pulled pork recipe, I have had this with pork before but I made it with chicken the other night and it was just as amazing!

Pulled Pork/Chicken

3-4lbs meat

12oz can tomato sauce

8oz can El Pato Sauce Mild (in yellow can)

1 C brown sugar

1-2 cloves of garlic minced

½ C water

Cook and shred meat, add ingredients and cook in slower cooker high 1-2 hours.

Next is a Cilantro Lime sauce which you eat with the meat, they are a perfect pair.

Here is my yummy sauce, its pretty runny at first but becomes creamier after a night in the refrigerator.

Cilantro Lime Sauce

1 envelope o buttermilk ranch dressing mix

1 C Mayo

1 C Milk

½ bunch cilantro

2 tomatillos quartered

1 clove of garlic minced

Juice and zest of 1 lime

  Put in blender and blend until smooth.

Yes I know it sounds fattening with 1 cup of mayo but I use about a tablespoon of it in my taco so a little goes a long way!

I hope you enjoy!

Sharing Monday #3

We had lots of great submissions last week, I hope more people join in on the fun!

Here are my top two favorites!!

I love these Elegant Hydrangea Eggs by Sweet Little Smoothie (what a cute name!) If you check her blog she has a really cute rosette and hydrangea egg!

A flirty A-line Skirt submitted by Keeping it Simple not only is it super cute and she made it her self, but it is also refashioned from a shirt!

Now on to the party....

<a href="http://www.chocolatedroolandkisses.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Chocolate Drool and Kisses" src="http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb312/walker1229/ShabbyPrincess_Plentiful_JournalingPaper-6.png" /></a>


 party guidelines

1. I would first love for you to follow my blog (but you don't have too, I wont delete you). I love followers. Plus it makes my day!
2. Link up your crafts, recipes, home decor, kid projects, tips pretty much anything you have done that you want to share!! {Multiple links to different posts are great!} Please don't link up your shop I have a linky party on Saturday for that!
3. Link back here by grabbing my button above or on my sidebar and posting it either in your post or somewhere on your blog to let others know you've joined

Etsy Saturday Swap #2

Last week we had a small turn out, so hopefully the word will get out and more will join in this week!

I loved checking out everyone shops, here are my top two favorites!

Two Lilies Boutique shared this beautiful vintage headband! She has many different styles of flower head bands and clips and sells an interchangeable headband!

I love her Blooming Peony Clips!

You can check out her Etsy at Two Lilies Boutique and her blog at WhipperBerry

Craftee Mcgee share these elegant birds nest earring, she has an array of gorgeous jewelry and accessories including a matching ring for the birds nest earrings.

This green meadows crocheted wire bracelet is one of my favorites of hers! 

You can find her Etsy at Craftee Mcgee and her blog at CrafteeMcgee.com

party guidelines

1. To link up, I would first love for you to follow my blog. I love followers. Plus it makes my day!
2. Link up your Etsy shop with a picture of something you have for sale in your shop.
3. Spread the word by grabbing my button on my sidebar and posting it somewhere on your blog to let others know you've joined the party! The more the word gets out the more people who will see your shop! If you post about the party on your blog let me know so I can put a featured by button on my side bar from your blog.
4. Then find at least one other shop and favorite it or add them to your circle!
5. If you have been featured on the linky swap I would love it if you would grab my featured button!

Family Friday: Tip to the Mountain

 The other weekend my husband and I were invited to join my family up to the mountain for a day of shooting. I have never shot a gun before but have always wanted to learn how and Stephen had been wanting to go up with my brothers for a while so we dropped the boys off with a friend and went on an adventure!