Fall Candles

Here's another easy and inexpensive way to dress up your table, fireplace, piano, etc. for fall.  I wish I could say this idea just came to me like a light bulb one day, but it didn't.  My talented friend {who has amazing style I might add} had this sitting on her island when we were over for community group.  

Anyone who loves twine is a friend of mine.

And you can get everything at WalMart my friends.  {Except maybe the jute twine, not sure if they've jumped on the bandwagon yet.}  That's a big deal to me.  You may have noticed I get most of my stuff from Wal Mart or Hobby Lobby...and it's not because we don't have anything else out here.  Confession time: my kiddos are %90 of the time not good in stores.  Yes.  I am that mother walking hurriedly out of the store with a child throwing a LOUD temper tantrum that has every single person turning their heads to see who it is.  I am the mother with kids fighting over who's going to sit in the seat of the cart.  I am the mother looking harried and stressed while holding a baby in one arm, pushing the cart with the other, reminding a 3-yr-old not to stray too far, and sighing at my smiling, 2-yr-old happily sitting in the seat of the cart after winning her battle.  And I dread shopping because of that.  So we don't go.  And when we do go, it's to Wal Mart to get groceries.  And that other %10?  I cling to it my friends.  It will get better...someday.

So basically, if it ain't at Wal Mart, it's not happening.
This glass vase was $3.47!
I simply placed it on top of a glass base for another Pampered Chef trifle bowl I have and voila!
Gave me some dimension with all three of the vases...

I went a little crazy on the dried bean varieties, but my friend just had three layers.  You can use dried kidney beans, black beans, lentils, corn, or those green ones {which are my favorite, but I can't think of the name right now}.  They come in bags at the grocery store and they're cheapo!

The candles are pumpkin spice from Wal Mart too. 

I have these sitting on my kitchen table.  And sometimes after the kids lay down for their naps I light those babies up and clean or craft and the calmness makes everything seem right in my world.  

I'm very attached to candles can you tell?

Oh, and fyi.  If you have leftover dried beans, they make a great craft for the kids.  Simply draw a leaf outline on a piece of paper, fill the inside with glue {or let them do it themselves} and let them place the beans on the glue till the leaf is completely filled.  Keeps them entertained for at least 20 minutes.  My girls loved it!

Oh, and vacuum cleaners do wonders so don't freak out if things don't look the same as when they first started. :-)

A Little Tour {The Kitchen and Feta Chicken}

I spend the better part of my day in the kitchen. I think it's my favorite spot to be in besides my bed. :-) For an apartment, I have an AWESOME kitchen. Take a look for yourself...

{I didn't clear Keller's vitamins or the baby monitor or my craft stuff - keepin things real here!} It's pretty small, but the blueprint designer must have really known what he was doing. {Rabbit trail...anyone else besides me think that would be a cool job?}

Because I think the kitchen is set up perfectly considering its' size.

Steven's weird work schedules and the previous house reno kept me from exploring cooking until we moved here. So me and this kitchen are pretty well bonded and bonding still.

My countertop to the right usually looks like this...

Some things are just better left out of reach of the ducklings - and scissors, fabric, and glue guns are some of those items. My computer best resides on the counter top as well so I can follow recipes and tutorials. I've also found my computer time is naturally limited while browsing if I'm standing. Works like a charm!

Function definitely takes precedence over visual appeal these days, but I love when the two can be merged...

And since we're talking kitchen, I'll throw in a recipe we tried last night for dinner. It's 100% freezable. It's also 100% delicious if Shiloh's death screams over wanting to eat it as I was photographing it gives you any idea. You think I'm kidding? I assure you I'm not.

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But first she told Keller, "Don't even think about it!"

And then she gave him a book to chew on instead...

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...So about that recipe...

I used basil pesto and feta cheese...

I put the cheese into a separate bowl so as not to contaminate what was left in the container. I note this, because I should have done the same with the pesto, {thinking I would use it all} but didn't and had to throw the rest away.

I laid out my chicken tenderloins, covered them with wax paper and pounded them a little to make them flatter. I then spooned pesto on each one and smathered it all over.

I liberally sprinkled with feta.

Poked a toothpick through and sprinkled with Italian bread crumbs.

Put them all in a greased baking pan and drizzled with olive oil...

Cooked them uncovered for about 35 minutes and voila`! A scream worthy dinner.

I served mine with zucchini sauteed in butter, minced garlic, salt and pepper Super easy, but delicious!

Feta Chicken

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (tenderloins work great)

6 oz. feta cheese

Jarred pesto

1 c. Italian-style bread crumbs

Olive oil or butter

If using chicken breasts, place between waxed paper and gently pound with flat side of

meat mallet or rolling pin until about 1/4 inch thick. (The thinner the better!)

Spread a tablespoon or so (to your liking) of pesto on one side of the chicken. Place 1

oz. feta cheese in center and roll up or fold in half. Roll chicken in bread crumbs, being

careful to keep it rolled up. If bread crumbs don’ t stick, just rub a little olive oil on the

chicken first. Use toothpicks to keep chicken rolled up. Place in greased casserole dish

or foil pan. Sprinkle remaining bread crumbs on top. Drizzle with olive oil or butter.

Freeze. OR bake at 350 for 25-30 mins.

You may have to increase the time if partially frozen in the middle. Or you could keep it

covered with foil for the first few minutes of baking to ensure that the center thaws before

the chicken browns.

Jessica says their family loves this with spinach orzo. {Something I have yet to make, but will soon!}