Roasted Potato Wedges

So, I've been eating clean for over a week now. I've been trying all sorts of new recipes & this is one I saw on pinterest & had to try it! It was sooo good! Mmmhm. I love potatoes though, so it was kind of a given that I would love them! :)

Roasted Potato Wedges

7-8 small Red Potatoes

1/2 cup extra virgin Olive Oil

2 Tbsp Minced Garlic

2 tsp Parsley

Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Wash & slice potatoes into wedges. (The thinner they are the better they taste, the thick ones didn't get cooked enough)

2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl & mix. 

3. Put the potatoes into a 9x13 casserole glass dish (some people use a cookie sheet, but I was afraid the potatoes would fall off the edge!).

4. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Roast your potatoes for about 25 minutes. Turn them & continue roasting for another 15 minutes. 

Self Portrait [& some facts about me]

Currently:

Obsessing over...

Eating Healthy! Over a week and going strong!

Working on...

My next DIY Project, Turning my green jeans into cute shorts! 

Thinking about...

how I'm going to accomplish my really long to-do list! 

Anticipating...

My fabric labels to come in the mail, so I can start sewing them on to my items for my etsy shop!

Listening to...

an episode of my fair wedding! 

Eating/Drinking...

I'm a little obsessed with Naked Juice! (I have 4 huge bottles in my fridge!)

Wishing...

that I had another snow day!! :) 

Linking up with The Paper Mama for her Self Photo Challenge!

Personalize Your Phone Charger

Do you like making ordinary things pretty? So do I. No one likes a boring phone charger. I thought I would use my time (while watching the bachelor) being productive.

All you need is your phone charger & washi tape. Get some fun washi tape, below is an example of some different kinds.

It also depends on how wide your tape is. Obviously, it would be idea for it to be as wide as your phone charger. Mine wasn't, I just had to match up patterns & place another piece of washi tape on. Cut any excess you might have & you are done. It only took me about 10 minutes to make these. I almost want to go out & buy another charger so I can make other ones!!! 

Dog Days of Winter

I'm linking up with the dog days of winter link party. This week is the clean it challenge! I am linking up my disgusting ceiling fan post, which you use a pillow case to clean!



Feel free to check out the dog days of winter link party, and see what other cleaning tips are out there!


Happy Monday

Banana Soft Serve

In case you haven't heard, we had a major snow storm yesterday here in Kansas City. Everyone was snowed in and businesses were closed. Luckily, we have awesome neighbors who live right below us. We have known them since high school & we even got married on the same day! Crazy. Anyways, so of course we couldn't miss an opportunity to get together with them. Emily {our neighbor} made some awesome vegetable soup & delicious potatoes! We are all doing the daniel fast, so only good food for us!!!

Well, we were sitting around talking after dinner & Emily says, "I want ice cream". Then, this brilliant idea comes to mind, what about the frozen banana ice cream stuff that I saw on pinterest. Score! I send my husband out in the cold to go get our frozen bananas upstairs & Emily pulls out her food processer that she's never used {& had it since they've been married}. We start on this experiment, the end result was amazing! It had the same exact consistency as ice cream but tasted like bananas. You must like bananas to like this though, because the banana flavor is quite powerful.

Then, we came up with an even more brilliant idea. Add peanut butter. Yum!!! So delicious.



It was lick-the-bowl-clean good!!! & not to mention healthy!!!



Take frozen bananas (we used 4 frozen bananas), throw them in a food processor. Let it do it's thing for about 5 minutes, stopping every minutes or so to scrape the sides down. The bananas should get light & fluffy.

If you can't handle all that banana flavor add in some peanut butter. Also, I've had a few friends on facebook say that adding strawberries or blueberries is delicious. Another one said she adds cocoa powder & peanut butter! Yummy!

The Best Crock Pot Recipes

I love using my crock pot, it's probably one of my wedding gifts that I use most often. I love being able to make a meal in the morning & have dinner ready for me when I get home from work (& when I'm not motivated to cook).

Here's an amazing tip that I've picked up from my in-laws. These little guys are life savers. Okay, maybe not life savers, how about time savers. I hate doing dishes & this makes sure I don't have to scrub out my crock pot.

Here are some of my favorite recipes that I've compiled. Let me know if you have any other favorites!

Award-winning Chili

Pizza burgers (These are a favorite in our house. I had no idea you could make it in a crock pot)

Macaroni & Corn Casserole

Crockpot Ravoli (Super easy & looks super delish)

Crockpot French Dip

Crockpot Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

12 Crockpot meals you prepare all at once

Ultimate Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes

Now we can't have a complete list without the sweets!!! 

Apple Butter in the Crock Pot

Caramel in a Can

Pomegranate Spiced Apple Sauce

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Leibstar Blog Awards

I was reading through my comments from my previous Valentine's post & I received this comment that said I  have been tagged in the Leibstar Blog Awards. What?! Is this real life? I love awards! Elle over at My Dearest Friend tagged me in this! How fun!

The Rules for accepting the award are:

• Post 11 random facts about yourself
• Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger asked you
• Ask 11 questions to the bloggers you nominate
• Nominate new bloggers & link their blogs in your post

11 Random Facts: 

1. I am a pinterest tastemaker
2. I was homeschooled 
3. I love doing crazy random stuff
4. Favorite color is pink
5. I've known my husband since I was 5
6. I enjoy camping (the tent kind, with no air mattress)
7. I love doing crossword puzzles (does that make me an old lady?)
8. I have 4 jobs, that I actually get paid for
9. It drives me crazy when the toilet paper goes under instead of over
10. I really want to do the color run or something like that
11. I want 4 kids (is that nuts?)

The questions that Elle posted for me to answer:

1. Name one of your obsessions Shopkick
2. Cats or dogs - Dogs!
3. What was the most life changing moment in your life? The day I married my best friend
4. Most recent epic fail? My salon owner called me and asked me to call a lady that wanted to come in and get her haircut. I had no idea who it was so I called her & put my professional voice on. She was acting really weird. I figured out later that it was one of my clients that I've been doing her hair for like 3 years! Whoops!
5. One thing you still don't understand about anything? How the Vine app works & how people make such cool videos.
6. The last great book you read?  Safe Haven
7. 5 things you couldn't live without? Ice Cream, my iPhone, Cozy Blankets, Sunscreen & my tinted softlips.
8. Most recent random acts of kindness, both given & received? I gave money to a teen challenge booth outside wal-mart. I received a super sweet card & Christmas bonus from work. (not sure if these constitute as random, but they were acts of kindness)
9. Top 5 songs that describe who you were in high school? Sk8er boi by Avril Lavigne, Here in your arms by HelloGoodbye, The Luckiest by Ben Folds, Why Can't I by Liz Phair & Meant to Live by Switchfoot
10. Top 5 1 song that describe who you are right now? Live like that by Sidewalk Prophets
11. What was the craziest thing you've ever done? The Ripcord at World's of Fun

Questions for the bloggers: 

1. What got you started blogging?
2. Sweet or Salty?
3. How did your blog name come about?
4. What is your favorite holiday?
5. What was the most life changing moment in your life?
6. What is your favorite thing to blog about?
7. What is the thing that drives you most crazy?
8. Maxi Skirt or Pencil Skirt?
9. What is your daytime job? (Even if you are a stay at home mom, that is an important job)
10. What is your most played song on your iPod?
11. What is your dream car? (This was a bonus question from my husband who loves cars)

The 11 tagged bloggers:

1. Mary @ The Sauer Patch
2. Jenny @ French Press Mornings
3. Amber, Audrey, Susan & Lauren @ Defrump Me
4. Rachel @ Sincerely Peachy
5. Tennille @ Live.Laugh.Love
6. Cate @ A Touch of Pretty
7. Hilary @ Measure Once Cut Twice
8. Kristyn @ Chits & Giggles
9. Ricki @ The Rogue Baby
10. Nikki @ Chevron & Sweet Tea
11. Carissa @ Lillies & Silk

Don't forget to go check out their blogs & see their answers to my questions. Now, just because I didn't tag you doesn't mean that you can't answer these questions. I would love to hear your responses. 

How Well Does Your Spouse Know You?

I was trying to think of something cute or fun to do for valentine's day & then I found this. I absolutely love things like this! We actually did something similar at our wedding (it involved shoes though). So, I ran across this but my husband was already at work. So, I texted him & asked him if I could text him these questions. 

How long have you been married?
Me: 2 1/2 years
Him: 2 Years 8 months

Where was your first date?
Me: Pizza Hut
Him: Pizza Hut

Where was your first kiss?
Me: In my room, after he asked my dad permission to marry me.
Him: At your parents house. In either your room or the hall by the door. I can't remember.

Who first said, "I love you"?
Me: I know it was in the Sheridan's parking lot. I think he was the one who first said it.
Him: Me

What were your wedding colors?
Me: Red & Black
Him: Red and black.

What is her commonly used phrase?
Me: I say "what" a lot. Does that count as a phrase?
Him: I love you is probably the most commonly used phrase you have.

Who is her celebrity crush?
Me: Don't have one
Him: You have me. You don't need one.

If she was ordering something to drink for both of you what would you each get?
Me: Water for me & Mountain Dew Code Red
Him: some starbucks thing for you!

What is the best meal she has ever cooked you?
Me: No Idea, I don't feel like I ever cook amazing meals!
Him: Shrimp

What is the worst meal she has ever cooked you?
Me: I made some chicken in the oven not too long after we were married. I didn't cover it, so it burned & I over seasoned it. Bleh.
Him: Those over spiced chicken breasts.



What is the most-played song on her iPod?
Me: At the moment, it's one of the tobymac songs off his new cd.
Him: No idea what song you listen to most.

What would she say is your most annoying habit?
Me: Not throwing away the empty toilet paper rolls.
Him: Pile of clothes at the foot of the bed.

What is the last thing she does before going to bed?
Me: We pray together & then always a kiss before we go to sleep
Him: Kiss me.

If you could throw out one item of her clothing what would it be?
Me: I used to have this gold belt that he hated but I don't have that anymore.
Him: Those huge belts

What would you say is your favorite thing about her?
Me: *says while blushing* My butt
Him: Your smile.



What's her go to drink at Starbucks:
Me: White Chocolate Mocha non fat no whip
Him: Caramel Macchiato

What's her blog name:
Me: The Crafty Ginger
Him: The Crafty Ginger

Happy Valentines Day!

My Favorite Apps

I spend a lot of time on my phone as do most of you. These are some of my favorite apps.

Ruzzle - Free App. [They have a paid version] Available for Android & iPhones - Think of it as boggle mixed with words with friends. It's a really fun game that you can play against your friends. It's one of those that makes your brain work.

Feedly - Free App. Available for Android & iPhones - If you are like me, you have subscribed to a lot of blogs. It's hard to keep track of them. I've used the google readers & they work just fine. But, this is such an amazing app. It's design is unbelievable. 

Shop Kick - Free App. Available for Android & iPhones - This is such an awesome app. You get "kicks" [Otherwise known as points] for walking into selected stores, scanning items & looking through their lookbooks. Then, you can redeem your kicks for giftcards. It's basically like getting free money, & it's fun. My sister, 2 of our friends & I went to wal-mart one night & basically went on a scavenger hunt trying to find these items.

Vine - Free App. Available for iPhones [not sure about Android] - I haven't quite figured this one out yet. I think it's a really cool concept, but not sure if I have the time to put together these videos. Maybe it's easier than I think. But, I do like going on and watching other's videos.

Key Ring - Free App. Available for iPhone & Android - I love this app, because I'm one of those crazies who signs up for every loyalty program & saver card. I hate having to carry them all with me all the time. So, I hear of this app & it's amazing. It's a little bit of a pain because sometimes the cashiers have to type in the number instead of scanning it. But, they never seem to mind. 

What's your favorite app?

Dirty Ceiling Fans

I decided to do some cleaning today (isn't that what Monday's are good for). I really hate cleaning & I especially hate dusting. Please do not hold the following pictures against me. We have lived in our apartment for almost 3 years & we keep our ceiling fan in the living room going at all time. So, I never realized how dirty it actually was. I thought it would be a good day to clean it. So, I turned off my fan & to my disgust, it was filthy. Absolutely filthy. Bleh. Then, I remembered, "Oh, the pillowcase trick. Ya' know the one that's been flying around in the pinterest world". How the pillowcase trick works is you get a pillowcase & put it around your fan blade. It gets it clean & keeps the dust from getting all over everywhere. 

This is what my fan blade starting out looking like

 Inside of the pillowcase

 Clean (but ugly) fan blades

Happy Clean Monday

Insta-Friday

I've actually taken quite a few pictures this week, here is my life in pictures!

My new tassel zumba shirt

I love my new teal skinnies

It was a perfect day to go swinging. {I love my sister}

Maxi + Chambray

Curly Girl

 

Happy Friday!