Operation Organization Post #2

My last post was about tackling the refrigerator and freezer.  If the condition of those appliances didn't scare you away - I appreciate you giving me another shot!

Today we are going to continue in the kitchen and take a look at the spice cabinet and some of the other storage cabinets.

Operation Organization Post #1

I don't know if it is the Nesting Instinct kicking in already or if I had finally had my fill with my house being a perpetual disaster, but we spent our long Memorial Day Weekend on Operation Organization as I like to call it.

Over the next few posts, I am going to show you some of the projects and messes we tackled.  I am embarrassed by the Before shots but I hope we can continue to be friends. :)

Maybe these posts will encourage you to do the same - or at the very least, allow you to scoff in horror at another household's mess!

My first room to tackle was da-da-daaaaaa - The Kitchen

Monster Cookie Dough Dip

I love Pinterest.  Have I told you that?  I love it in so many ways.  Recently and perhaps most delightfully, I love it because it introduced me to Monster Cookie Dough Dip.

DIY Mother's Day Gifts

Mother's Day is upon us folks.  A great gift for mom doesn't have to cost a fortune.  And you don't have to be artistic or crafty to be able to make something to give to mom or a grandma.

Take a look below and maybe you will find some last minute inspiration!

Best Cream Cheese Frosting Ever

I love cream cheese frosting.  I mean really L-O-V-E it.  It just makes everything better.  And this is my go to recipe for cream cheese.  I think it is the perfect balance of sweet and a little tangy.

Photo Credit: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/

I don't go for the store bought cream cheese in a tub when I can help it.  And once you make this frosting - you will know why.

The recipe originally came from King Arthur Flour.  They have tons of great recipes on their site - you should really check them out.  But I digress.

On to the recipe.  This recipe makes 3 cups of frosting.  I doubled it when I made it so you will notice twice as much butter and cream cheese in my pictures.

• 6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2-4 tablespoons milk, to make frosting spreadable

Cream your butter, cream cheese and vanilla together until fluffy

Slowly add in the confectioners' sugar until it is all combined (and they definitely mean slowly unless you want to clean a cloud of powdered sugar off everything you own)

You can add milk into it if you want it thinner but I prefer it just like it is.

I am only a little ashamed to say that as soon as the mixer came out of the bowl, I was looking around my kitchen for something to spread the frosting on.  I quickly settled on fresh brownies.  And after I spread it on those brownies, I wasn't the least bit ashamed.

Daisy Birthday Party (Real Party)

Birthday parties are a lot of fun.  I love planning the menu, making the decorations and the excitement that comes with the transformation of the party space.

We really enjoyed putting this party on.  It was a daisy themed first birthday party.

The colors were pink and white.  We carried this theme with pink gingham table cloths and pink and white daisies.  We added in some green highlights with patches of crepe paper grass and tiny white picket fences to round out the look.

I painted wooden number 1's and placed them within the centerpieces.  The decorations were simple, the colors were clean and none of it was fussy.

My favorite part of the decorations were the four foot tall daisies that lined the driveway.  I like to get arriving guests an idea of what to expect as they arrive.

Hope you enjoy these pictures.

DIY Foaming Soap Dispenser Refill

Have you ever heard a DIY housekeeping tip and you thought, "how on earth have I missed this one?"  Well that's how I felt when I learned about the DIY Foaming Soap Dispenser refill.

I love the foaming soap.  My 3 year old eagerly washes her hands because she likes the foam and my husband thinks it works better because it foams.  The foaming soap is a little more pricey than regular soap though and aren't we all trying to save where we can?

Enter a pin I found on my beloved Pinterest.  I immediately tried it out and let me tell you it has changed the way our house will use soap from now on.  Seriously.

The Sweet Taste of Pie

I just love pie.  There is something so completely  delightful about a slice of pie.  It satisfies in a way that a cookie or piece of cake just can't seem to.  It speaks to a part of your soul with the flaky crust and delicious filling - even more so if you are having your pie a la mode.

Maybe you have a particular pie that you associate with a holiday - a family tradition of pumpkin at Thanksgiving or your Aunt's award winning (well at least it deserves an award) chocolate pie for cookouts.

I am sharing a family favorite recipe with you today. Every year for my dad's birthday I make him a coconut cream pie - a real coconut cream pie.  There is a little extra effort put forth with the stove top filling, but it is worth every single stir.  I believe this recipe may have originated from a Southern Living cookbook or magazine quite some time ago. 

DIY Bird Print

Have you ever had inspiration for a project get into your brain and you just knew that you would explode if you didn't make that project right away?  That is how I felt about this one.  The inspiration hit me for this idea out of nowhere.  I had the image in my head of what I wanted the finished project to look like and I just had to get it onto the canvas.

Here is what I made and I will try to give you a tutorial of some sorts for how I arrived at this finished project.