Our Week in Pins and Photographs

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This is pure awesome. Frost by numbers by The Food Network! You can now make any color of frosting your heart desires, using a basic box of food coloring using their measurements! This image from here. 

15 DIY Ottoman Ideas

I am in need of an ottoman in the worst way right now, We recently got a hand-me-down (but basically brand new) couch, it's cute and comfy but it doesn't have quite enough room for husband and I to share it while comfortably putting our feet up. I have decided to make an ottoman a priority project, whether it's finding one and making it over, or starting from scratch. My goal is to have one by Thanksgiving! So, while looking for inspiration I found so many cool DIY's that I just had to share them with everyone! I found such creative ideas from making one out of a coffee table, an old tire, an electrical spool, to starting from scratch. Check them all out below.

How to Stick to Your Budget When Things are Tight.

 

Even when living on a budget, we all have months that are tighter than others. For us, September has been one of those months. We had a few extra expenses that we were expecting, and other pressing things just keep coming up! So, I thought that today I would share with you guys some things that help me stick to the budget when times are tough. 

FREE Admission to National Parks this Saturday, 9/29!

 Zion National Park

No matter your budget, everybody needs a break and everyone deserves some fun! Well get ready for some adventure, because this Saturday, September 29th is Public Lands Day, which means we get FREE admission to over 100 national parks!

I want to go with my boys to take a (super easy) hike at Zions National Park. We can't not take advantage of this deal when we live so close!

The last free admission offer for this year is in November for Veterans Day.

DIY Burlap & Lace Fall Wreath

I had a lot of fun making this wreath last weekend. It isn't often that I take the time to just let my creative juices flow. I woke up on Saturday morning, pulled out all my supplies and scraps that seemed like they might make a good fall wreath, and this is what I came up with. I am super happy with it! The black lace is actually nylon, from my favorite pair of tights. I have had them for about four years now and last year they got a few holes in them. I kept trying to mend them but it just wasn't going to work out and I was not ready to get rid of them, so now I have found a way to let them live on!

I used the same wreath base from this fabric scrap wreath I made in the spring. I like to keep things semi-permanent around here so they are easy to re-use. This wreath cost me virtually nothing as I just used stuff from around my house but it would still be super cheap to make even if you were buying supplies! Here's the how-to:

The Best Apple Pie Filling

Making a delicious homemade apple pie is about to become super easy! Apple pie filling has got to be one of the smartest things I've ever canned. I love being able to just grab a jar of pie filling from my pantry, dump it into a crust (fresh or frozen) and having an easy and delicious dessert stat. Bonus, the filling works great for apple crisps as well. 

Here's the recipe:

Our Week in Pins and Photographs

Please exercise Pin Etiquette: If you like an idea, click to the source and pin the original post!

 Isn't this cupcake onsie idea adorable for a baby shower gift? You can never have enough onesies or socks as a new mommy, and the packaging idea is completely sweet and original.Thanks, Chica Circle! 

 

Half price gift card deals!

Saveology has some super good deals on restaurant and shopping gift cards right now, so we had to share. I am stocking up on a handful of these to give away as Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers! Yes, now is the time for holiday planning! You can pay half price or even less. So, first off pay only $7.50 for $15 Chili's Gift Card! That would make for a cheap date night or night out with the girls. Then, perfect to have around when you need to just order pizza and watch some TV for a relaxing night at home- $5 For A $10 Papa John's Gift Card! And who doesn't want some delicious ice cream!? $3 For A $10 Ben & Jerry's Gift Card! Then, you can get a $15 GAP gift card for only $7.50 or a $10 iTunes for only $4!

These deals are for first time Saveology customers only and they will sell out, so if you want to save some dough at these places you'll want to act fast!

Halloween Wreath DIY for Under $10!

 

Hey lovelies! I am so excited to share this wreath with you today. I'm not gonna lie, I feel like I have been working on it f-o-r-e-v-e-r! I started it before I moved, so of course it got shelved for awhile, but now it's finished and I love how it turned out, I can't wait until October 1st when I can hang it up for good. 

Here's what you'll need: 

Fall and Halloween Free Printables at Over The Big Moon!

Our friends over at Over The Big Moon have a bunch of really fun, cute and free fall and halloween printables to share! I totally want to throw a Halloween Bunco party so I can use that set. I'm also a HUGE Harry Potter fan, so of course I think the Harry Potter drink and candy labels are amazing. I just had to share these with you guys because they are so great! Head over here to get printing and see what else they have to offer!

21 Freezer Meals from 1 Slow Cooker Sesh!

The husband and I love Mexican food. It's basically all we want to eat. Our favorite is CAFE RIO. The most delicious restaurant on the planet in my humble opinion. If you don't have one near you, I'm sorry! Try this pork recipe and taste a little bit of the goodness! Now, we don't get so ambitious as to try to re-create a whole meal from Cafe Rio at home since by the time we bought everything we need we might as well have just gone down the street and eaten it there. Plus, getting yelled at in Spanish is fun. If we move somewhere that there is no Cafe Rio though (I don't want to think about it) I'm sure I will try that.

Anyway, on to the point. You guys, I'm not fibbing about how many meals you will get out of this. This is my favorite freezer cooking option, that I find myself making every time we run out. The recipe is a copycat Sweet Pork Barbacoa from this blog (bless them!) and it tastes almost the same as Cafe Rio, and can be made in the slow cooker! It's so easy. The only thing you have to do is switch the marinade out a couple of times and then shred it. The recipe makes 2 lbs of pork but I prefer to make a quadruple batch and freeze it in small snack size and quart size ziploc bags for delicious and convenient weeknight dinners. I know pork alone doesn't seem like a whole meal, but to me it takes away the hard part. All you need now is a tortilla or some lettuce, cheese, salsa and you're good to go. None of that stuff is time consuming. It's so good, and can be used in so many different dishes we NEVER get sick of it. Try a salad, burritos, tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, nachos, it's all good!

The snack sized bags hold what I think is the perfect portion for one person, one quesadilla, two tacos, one salad. The quart sized bags hold about three portions, which is perfect for me and husband because he eats two and I eat one.

In order to quadruple the recipe, I just kind of wing it with the proportions but here is a recipe conversion calculator if you are a perfectionist.

If you like this post, you might also enjoy:

Bacon Breakfast Burritos
The Perfect Freezable Meatball
10 Freezer Meals in 2 Hours!
Healthy Freezer Breakfast Cookies 
Freezing Pancakes 


*this post may be linked up to one of these lovely parties.

How To Freeze Pancakes

I always get nervous when I freeze something for the first time. I guess I am just scared that it won't hold up, or won't taste as good and it will end up being a waste.

Well, freezing breads is one of the smartest things I ever started doing! Especially when it comes to quick and easy breakfasts. A little while ago my friend Pam inspired me to start freezing pancakes as well, and my family thanks her, they love them!

Here's how I freeze pancakes as well as our all time favorite applesauce pancake recipe:

Our Week in Pins and Photographs

Please exercise Pin Etiquette: If you like an idea, click to the source and pin the original post!



This coffee table is a dream. It's a DIY from an old library card catalogue, with legs and mirror top added. I am in love! Via Emily Henderson

This lampshade is covered with a re-purposed cardigan I guess! So cool, the only sad thing is that I can't read the language the post is in... I totally want to try this though, so I'll just have to wing it! Via me and Alice. 

Free $25 Music Credit & How to Earn Extra Spending Money!

Do you do Swagbucks? If you don't, I have yet another testament of why it is great and you should totally be using it  as a resource to earn extra spending money and freebies! If you don't know what Swagbucks is, here is my post on the basics of swagbucks. So for a quick intro- I have been using it for quite a while now and I probably spend between five and ten minutes every morning earning my swagbucks in the midst of my normal e-mail checking routine, and I earn $5 Amazon gift cards for doing it. I average two a month. That's $10/month or more for doing nothing besides clicking a few buttons and using is as my main search engine! Remember when I got these cute shoes for free? That's just one example. This is a screen shot of how I have earned mine today. That took five minutes. I know it might look like gibberish but when you explore you will pick it up quickly!

Loaded Crockpot Mashed Potatoes

I must admit, the first time I tried mashed potatoes in the crock-pot it kinda changed my world. Mashed potatoes are time consuming and it is so nice to be able to prepare a delicious side dish early and have it ready to go at dinner time.

Since that first fateful time, I have experimented with tons of different crock-pot potato combinations. I love loaded mashed potatoes and knew I had to figure out how to make them work in the crock-pot...well, here's my masterpiece!

Ingredients:

Healthy, Freezer-Friendly Breakfast Cookies

Hey guys! Today I am so happy to introduce my mom, Lynnette as our guest poster. She is a whiz in the kitchen, especially in the baking department, and she grows a huge garden full of fresh fruits and veggies every summer. Yes, my mom is the best! She has been making big batches of these delicious breakfast cookies lately and sending them home with me to keep my freezer stocked. I thought we should feature them here so you can all partake in the goodness, and to help you use up those zucchini's you might be swimming in!

I found this basic recipe on WhenHarryMetSalad.com, a recipe blog, then I made a few changes to make it a little more healthy so it would work as a "breakfast cookie," something easy to grab on the way out the door, so you don't miss the most important meal of the day.  (I threw a little chocolate in too, because who doesn't like chocolate?)

Style for a Song: Fall Fashion Under $25

earrings - polka dot top - floral cardigan - flats - plum skinnies

I am feeling the urge to shop these days. I guess it's the weather turning gray and rainy this week that makes me crave a new pattern or color. I decided to share some of the trends I'm loving that you can get for under $25, so if there is anything you are absolutely dying to have, whether it's a new pair of shoes or a floral cardi, you can get the look without breaking the bank! Now to decide on just one... thoughts? What fall trend are you loving?

How to Start Food Storage on a Budget

I mentioned before that one of our personal financial goals is to have a one year emergency food storage. Obviously, this is a big goal, and it can't be achieved overnight. Today I'm going to share a few tips to help you start your own emergency food storage while still sticking to your budget. 

1. Make a list of all the foods you use on a regular basis that you'd like to include in your emergency storage. I have a dry foods list and a freezer list.

Here are what my lists look like (just to give you an idea of where to start): 

$5 in Free Music!

Scott Shared Values and Amazon have teamed up to offer us $5 in free music credit at Amazon mp3! Sweet! All you have to do is sign up for a free Scott Shared Values account, answer one question and then you will get a coupon code for your  free $5 Amazon mp3 credit! Then just enter your code here to get your $5 and have fun downloading and listening to your new music.

I personally recommend Jim Gaffigan- Mr. Universe (okay that's not music it's stand-up but it's so funny! Jim Gaffigan gets me rolling on the floor and he is clean too!) Imagine Dragons - Night Visions (Got to support the Provo locals. It's exactly $5 so completely free!) or shop Albums under $4.99. Three cheers for free music!

*Upon sign up at Scott Shared values I recommend un-checking the box that gives them permission to share your information with 3rd party affiliates. That is code for spam!

Our Week in Pins and Photographs

Please exercise Pin Etiquette: If you like an idea, click to the source and pin the original post!

I completely love the idea of turning an old dresser into a table for a hallway or behind a couch. It totally adds the perfect touch by taking out the top two drawers as well! Also, I love the burlap covering on the shelves...basically, I just love the whole thing. Thanks, Liz Marie Blog! 

How to give your MASCARA a longer life!

Mascara usually lasts about three months for me, and then it gets super clumpy and I throw it away and open a new one. I never really thought about it til I saw this pin (the original pin doesn't link to a site) claiming that you could make your mascara last three times as long, and I realized what a waste it really was. So when it came time to get rid of my last bottle I tried it, and it really does work!

How to: Just add four or five drops of contact solution, saline solution or eye drops to clumpy mascara, stir and pump the mascara a couple of times with your wand and you're done. The first time I used it which was immediately after this it was a little watery/messy but the next day it was exactly the same consistency as the day I bought it! I am so excited because this is a money-saver! My bottle lasted another two or three months before it ran out. I have never ran out of mascara before! So now I get twice as much mascara out of one bottle. Phenomenal I tell you!

Refashion: How to Add Stripes to a Plain T-Shirt

I am so excited about adding floral stripes to one of my plain old t-shirts. But... I have to tell you something. I did this re-fashion a while ago. I have wanted to share it forever but there is something that makes re-fashions really hard for me: taking pictures of myself. Having people take pictures of me. Etc. Generally I am comfortable in front of the camera, like when I am with someone else or I'm in front of something neat that is worth taking a photo of. But taking a picture of just me and my outfit becomes this whole new uncomfortable thing. I have tried doing it on my own, and I have tried having husband take them for me, it just never really turns out. I make nervous faces and I don't know how to "model" them, if you will. Kudos to fashion bloggers! Anyway, I finally got some "after" photos of the shirt but it was when Jess and I celebrated our 6-month blogaversary last weekend and took some pictures together so I just cropped one so you can see the shirt better. Someday I will get more comfortable with it...right?! Anyway, here is the basic how-to:

What's Your Sign Designs Halloweeen Giveaway!

Update: We have our winner!

Congratulations Amy! Contact us to claim your prize!

It's pretty much fall now which means Halloween is on the way! Which reminds me, I need to start working on my costume. I am so
excited for fall- a little chill in the air, wearing my boots and cardigans again and pumpkin everything. Einstein's pumpkin bagels just came back into their inventory. Y'all know I'm gonna get a few of those! So anyway, we have this wonderful giveaway from What's Your Sign Designs today. We are going to get one of you lucky ladies all ready for Halloween with this pretty banner. This is such a cute home decoration and would be the perfect addition to put in the background for costume photos!

Here are the details:
This giveaway is active starting now and ending Monday September 10th at 9:00 AM Mountain Standard Time. You must leave a separate comment for each entry with an e-mail address in it. We will be using Random.org to select our winner so each separate comment will count as an entry. If there is no e-mail address to contact you another winner will be chosen! We will contact you within 24 hours of the giveaway closing to inform you of your win!

Mandatory entries: 
1. Follow Pretty Providence (see right sidebar)
2. Go to What's Your Sign Designs on Etsy and come back here to leave a comment letting us know what your favorite item in the shop is.

Bonus entries: 
3. Like Pretty Providence on Facebook and post a link to this giveaway in your status
4. Follow Pretty Providence on Pinterest
5. Follow Pretty Providence on Twitter and tweet a link to this giveaway
6. Like What's Your Sign Designs on Facebook

Then, comment on this post, letting us know what you have done to enter the giveaway, with an e-mail address included.

What's Your Sign Designs has also included a 15% discount for the rest of September for all you lovely readers if you would like to purchase something from the shop! Just use code WELCOME at checkout.

Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor.

Peach Freezer Jam Tutorial

I love peaches! I hate that peach season only comes around once a year and stays for such a short time. When it is peach season, we buy them by the box at local orchards and literally eat them breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

Of course, we have to supply our peach habit somehow throughout the rest of the year, so we always buy extra peaches for canning, freezing and jam.

Today, I am going to share my favorite peach jam recipe. Even if you don't normally like peach jam, I promise you'll like this one! 

Recipe:

Nutella No Bake Cookies

I love no bake cookies. It is one of the few things that I make strictly for myself because the husband is not a huge fan (which didn't stop him from eating 4 of these last night...but still). I love them because they are simple, I always have the ingredients on hand, they keep in the fridge so well, and they are so quick to whip up! I have been craving them for awhile now, then the other day I was browsing the pantry and saw my nutella (love), and thought what can I put this on??

Enter, inspiration.

Why couldn't I put nutella in no bakes? So I improvised my own little recipe. Of course, i'm sure a million other people before me have made them, but I feel proud that I did this one by myself (meaning before checking the internet) and it turned out so well.

Here's the recipe:

Our Week in Pins and Photographs

Please exercise Pin Etiquette: If you like an idea, click to the source and pin the original post!