The Decorating Chica: February 2014

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Breakin' the Rules Muffin Recipe

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When I think back, I have been a rebel from a very young age. Maybe always was but only my mom could answer that. I remember questioning all the time my teachers, my babysitters, my parents. I'm not sure where that came from but I have always had a strong urge to question 'why'.

Cinnamon Oatmeal muffins

As in most cases with my projects, I start with a Pinterest or website that inspires me and I adapt it. This muffin recipe is no different. The fact is that when I adapt recipes it is usually to suite what I have on hand.

This blueberry muffin recipe came from About.com Culinary Arts and I adapted it from there. Adaptations in red.

Ingredients

2 cups blueberries

Can substitute chocolate chips, nuts, etc.

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup flour, 1 cup oats

1/2 cup granulated sugar

I always cut back on the required sugar. In this case I put about a 1/3 cup

1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

I totally omitted the salt

1 cup whole milk

You must substitute liquid for liquid. The first time I used 2% milk; this last time I used fat free Half 'n Half (only because I had some to use up)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 large egg

I used egg whites (2 eggs, separated equals one whole egg)

4 oz. butter (1/2 stick), melted

Always use margarine

Blueberry muffins from Culinary arts.

The recipe actually calls you to mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients separately, then combine. I don't do that, I just throw it all in together and mix.

Linking up to:
Making Monday
Serenity Saturday
Redoux Interiors Link Party #141

Silver Pennies for Silver Pennies Sunday

Twigg Studios for Sunday Showoff Party

The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sunday

Stephanie Lynn for Sunday Showcase

Three Mango Seeds It's Party Time

DIY Showoff for DIY Showoff Party

Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday

Mod Vintage Life for Mod Mix Monday

The Dedicated House for Make It Pretty Monday

Dwellings-Heart of Your Home for Amaze Me Monday

Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Just have a little "Faith"

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It's Secret Pal week at work. This is the second year I've participated and our goal is to not spend more than $20. for the whole week. This is not so easy!

Used a scraper to round out the edges.

Today as I was thinking on what to do for my Secret Pal gift I remembered an extra piece of board that I saved out from a recent project. I saved it because I thought it would make a good wooden sign even though I didn't know what I would do with it!

After the 'aging' process I started stenciling letters.

Still not knowing what I would do exactly I decided to sand and carve the square edges, then aged it with a vinegar/steel wool mix, and antiqued it with a black glaze. As each step was taken, I determined my next step by the success of the last step. Have you ever done that? Crazy process I know.

So I got the aged part looking the way I liked but what to do now? I found some homemade letter stencils and decided to use them to stencil on the letters to the word "faith". Well I didn't like the beige and I goofed up the spacing of the letters! Yikes. How do I rescue this? By playing up the bad spacing and making it look purposeful! I loved how it turned out and it didn't cost a single cent!

Joining up to the following:
Craftberry Bush for Inspiration Gallery Thursday
Posed Perfection for All Things Thursday Hop

Katherines Corner for Favorite Things

A Delightsome Life for Home and Garden

Imparting Grace for Grace at Home
From My Front Porch To Yours for Treasure Hunt ThursdayMy Romantic Home for Show and Tell Fri

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

The Thrifty Groove for Thrifty Things Fri

Common Ground for Be Inspired Fri

The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home

Chic On A Shoestring Decorating for Flaunt It Fri

Finding Fabulous for Frugalicious Fri

Jennifer Rizzo for Fabulously Creative Linky Party

Redoux Interiors Friday Party

Friday, February 7, 2014

Winter project #2 Yardstick Wall Art

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Several months ago, I bravely rescued several yardsticks from my father-in-laws house as we were cleaning up the estate. Why? Because they were cool. Isn't that a good enough reason?

Rulers cut and laid out

MDF cut out purchased for 2.99.

Dry fit.

I find I've been doing that more and more as I get older. Not
sure if age has anything to do with it or that hoarding gene is rubbing off on me! Geesh, I hope not but seriously I couldn't pass these up they were just way too cool!

Painted with leftover grey paint.
Added silver leaf.

To me, the coolest thing is the history they represent. Kresge Co., Augusta Lumber, and Alexander Elevator Co. All
businesses that are no longer. I love historical houses and buildings so it was really a no brainer for me.

Rustic meets glam.

So as they sat in my basement for the past six months as I viewed all the cool yardstick Pinterest projects I wondered what to do with my measly 3 yardsticks. Not really enough to do anything much but I really wanted to use them in some way. So happy with how they turned out! Have you created any yardstick art?

I am linking to the following parties:

Imparting Grace for Grace at Home My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Fri French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

The Thrifty Groove for Thrifty Things Fri
Common Ground for Be Inspired Fri

The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home , Chic On A Shoestring Decorating for Flaunt It Fri

Finding Fabulous for Frugalicious Fri
Rooted In Thyme; Sweet Fri

Jennifer Rizzo for Fabulously Creative Linky Party Redoux Interiors Friday Party The Flying C for DIY Done Party Pieced Pastimes for Saturday Sparks Linky Funky Junk Interiors for Party Junk It's Overflowing for Overflowing with Creativity Sat. Be Different Act Normal for Show and Tell Sat.

Serenity Saturday