DIY Gravel Parking Pad For Our Boat - Need more space in your garage?

Since adding a boat to our list of items that take up to much room in our garage, we decided to attempt our own DIY gravel parking pad. The first thing we did before starting the project was research online for any videos, tips or how to's that could help make the process less painful for us. To our surprise there wasn't a good video that we could find. So we decided to record our project and share our wealth of knowledge (or lack there of) to the world!!! Below is the link that shows our step by step process. We are extremely happy with the results!

                                                            (Look Familiar??)                                                          

Eye Primer TEST: MAC, Bare Minerals, NYX, Sephora and Clinque

I know I'm not the only women out there that gets frustrated with eye makeup looking great in the morning but then by noon it looks like you went to a car wash and forgot to roll up your windows. Your eyelids end up looking like a cake-E mess and you definitely don't look as good come the middle of the day as you did at the beginning. I was fed up with this problem so I went looking for an eye primer. However, I learned the hard way that most primers don't work or they don't last all day and into the night. I originally thought that my eyeshadow was the problem, but after experimenting with several different brands I still had the same ugly evening eye shadow. For days, weeks and even months I tried different combinations of primer with expensive eye shadow and then really cheap shadow. I was surprised to find out that the key was the primer. The primer must be right to make it last all day and into the night. I didn't take pictures, which I wish I had, because I didn't plan on this experiment. It happened by chance. By the time I was testing my 4th primer I knew I had to tell everyone the primer that FINALLY worked.

                                             PRIMERS THAT FAILED ME:

Sephora: This was definitely the worst out of all the primers. I tried expensive and cheap shadows and liners with no luck. Good bye Sephora!













MAC: I was shocked that MAC didn't work out because MAC has a good reputation. I thought I wouldn't have to worry about returning it (I almost threw away the receipt). I was surprised to learn that even if I used all MAC products on my eyes along with MAC primer it still didn't work.

Bare Minerals: I had high hopes with this primer but was disappointed. I needed something that would last all day and into the evening and this maybe lasted until around 1:00. I also bought Bare Minerals eye shadow and it didn't make a difference. All eye shadows had the same results. Back to the store it went.

                               PRIMERS THAT EASILY WON ME OVER!

NYX: This primer worked surprisingly great! It was recommended to me by a girl I was standing next to in the line at the MAC store (funny that I was in line to buy the MAC primer that didn't work). I could tell she was serious about how much she loved it. The added bonus is that it's only $7. I was surprised by how wet it goes on go on. I do let it dry some before applying eye shadow. NYX beat out the other 3 primers easily and my eye makeup looked great into the evening. Definitely kept this one in my cabinet!

Clinique: I didn't want to pay the price for it (around $20), but after seeing the results I had no regrets. Clinique is my number 1 primer. My eye makeup easily looked great into the evening, just like NYX. I like it slightly better than NYX because it doesn't go on so wet. I can apply my eyeshadow quickly after applying the Cinique primer. No need to return this primer! Both Clinique and NYX give me great looking eyes all day and into the evening.







So, there you have it. I am not benefiting in anyway writing this review. I just wanted to share my results to hopefully save you some time when searching for your favorite eye primer.

Best Buttermilk Waffles!! From My Mama's Kitchen

This recipe will truly deliver the Best Buttermilk Waffles your waffle iron can create!! My Mom prides herself with making food in her home using only whole foods that are truly organic. She loves using her wheat grinder and makes her own flour at home. You can also get great flour at health food stores, but my Mom does rave about how making her own flour has improved her recipes and loves the health benefits. A note from my Mom, "Remember fresh ground multi grain flour makes more nutrients available for the body to absorb." I will do a future post just focusing on Wheat Grinders and the health benefits of making your own flour. Back to the Waffles.

1 cup freshly Ground Multi-Grain Flour (approx. amount to grind... 3/4 cup white whole wheat, 1 Tbsp. popcorn, 1/8 cup each spelt, buckwheat, rye)
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
1 tsp. Baking Soda
7/8 cup Buttermilk
2 Tbsp. Butter, Melted

1. Heat waffle iron. Whisk dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk yoke with buttermilk and butter.
2. Beat egg white just until it holds a 2 inch peak
3. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients in a thin steady stream while gently mixing with rubber spatula; be careful not to add liquid faster than you can incorporate it. Toward end use folding motion to mix and add egg whites.

This batter poofs up, so put spoonfuls around your waffle iron, instead of a big spoon full in the middle. Leave room at edges because it will poof outward also. This recipe will fill a 9X9 waffle iron with a little left over for a smaller one. Enjoy!

REMEMBER PROSCIUTTO? TIP FROM MY MAMA'S KITCHEN!

Prosciutto is cured pork so you do not have to cook it, but it is usually cooked with other ingredients. When you look at cost - think of flavor. Prosciutto has a bacon flavor except better, more powerful and much less grease. (Look at nutritional labels below and see how healthy prosciutto is compared to bacon!)

Cost in recipe:

In this recipe one strip of prosciutto equals 1/3 pound of cooked crumbled bacon.

Bacon cost $2.50/lbs = $.72

Prosciutto cost 1 strip = $1.00

(Package can cost $7 or your deli can slice it)

But there is no precooking for prosciutto and much less fat and more flavor. To me it is worth the extra $.28. Prosciutto recipes are plentiful on the internet. You will be surprised how they are used with fruits and vegetables. They are quick, easy and extremely tasty. Prosciutto fills the need for a meaty taste with very little meat.

Nutritional label off of Prosciutto

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 thin slice
Amount Per Serving
Calories from Fat 7 Calories 18
% Daily Values*
Total Fat 0.77g		1%
	Saturated Fat 0.256g	1%
	Polyunsaturated Fat 0.089g
	Monounsaturated Fat 0.352g
Cholesterol 6mg		2%
Sodium 248mg		10%
Potassium 47mg
Total Carbohydrate 0.03g		0%
	Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
	Sugars 0g
Protein 2.56g
Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 0% Iron 1%

Nutritional label off of a bacon package:

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 slice of cooked
Amount Per Serving
Calories from Fat 29 Calories 42
% Daily Values*
Total Fat 3.18g		5%
	Saturated Fat 1.05g	5%
	Polyunsaturated Fat 0.351g
	Monounsaturated Fat 1.42g
Cholesterol 9mg		3%
Sodium 192mg		8%
Potassium 47mg
Total Carbohydrate 0.12g		0%
	Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
	Sugars 0g
Protein 3.03g
Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 0% Iron 1%

How to Remove Ink From Clothes Using Rubbing Alcohol

I hate ink stains in clothes, especially if it ruins them. I wanted to share my successful experience with removing ink using Rubbing Alcohol. My husband completely ruined his Airforce uniform with a pen leaking through a pocket. We didn't want to buy a new uniform because he was retiring from the Airforce in a few months. I had nothing to loose but to try anything to get it out. After researching online, I saw suggestion about using rubbing alcohol. Again, I had nothing to loose but to try it.

Before beginning, just know that rubbing alcohol is strong smelling and a strong product that is flammable. Read the label for warnings and cautions. Use gloves if you are concerned about skin contact. Test on a small unnoticeable area before trying on a large area.

So here are before pictures. When I began the process, I noticed that the ink was coming out, but it would bleed out underneath and get on the other side of the clothes. So, I put an absorbent cloth under the stain and then poured rubbing alcohol over the stain. I began to blot with another absorbent cloth. The key is to have something absorb the ink as it comes out. You may have to repeat the same process a few times, depending on the stain.





Here is the end result and we didn't have to buy a new uniform. Now I'm sure there are other ways to remove ink stains, but this is what I used and I still use. When I took the pictures, the uniform was still wet.

Another note: A lot of products that are sold in stores that claim to remove ink have a main ingredient and it's alcohol. If you buy rubbing alcohol, you have your weapon to do the job. You can buy different strengths, so the higher the strength, the stronger it is. The label will say the % of alcohol.

Video for How To Clean Glass Stove Top With Baking Soda and Peroxide.

I was asked by a few people if I had a video up for how to clean your stove with baking soda and peroxide, so here it is. It is very amateur so don't be critical! :-)   I posted 2 videos on youtube because I wasn't sure which one was best. Here's the link if you want to see the other one.    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haJdPInTpZc

Tell me what you think after you clean your stove!!

How To Remove Sticky Kitchen Grease Without Harsh Chemicals

           WINS           

How often is there a sticky, greasy residue on the vent or cupboards above your stove? Too often!! I use to think that I need a strong cleaner with chemicals to remove built up grease, but then my sister told me what she uses to remove built up grease. BAKING SODA and LEMON JUICE!!!! Once again, baking soda is a key ingredient to tackle tuff messes in the kitchen. 
FIRST: Combine baking soda and lemon juice in a small bowl until its a nice consistency between not to thick and not to thin. 


Here is the greasy cupboard and vent before they are cleaned!! YUCK!

                                            

SECOND: Rub mixture on dirty area with a rag and you can let it sit for 3-5 minutes or so if you want. 
THIRD: Rub and Wipe off clean. Get a clean rag and wipe a few more times to remove cleaner completely.

VENT AFTER BEING CLEANED WITH BAKING SODA AND LEMON JUICE!! 
You can also use mixture to brighten appliances. For example: handles to fridges or microwaves. My sister also uses this for baked on grease on her white enamel stove top. 
**Remember to test baking soda and lemon cleaning mixture on a small area before applying to entire area. I am not responsible for your mess ups!! lol  :-)

Quick Oily Hair Remedy!

OILY HAIR REMEDY!

Did you know that BABY POWDER is a great rescue for hair when it looks oily or darker than normal? We all have those days when washing our hair is not the priority and just not possible before an appointment, meeting or hanging with friends. When this happens to me, I sprinkle baby powder in my hand, rub my hands together and then run my hands through my hair. The baby powder absorbs the oils that come from your scalp and smells good too. :-)  Sometimes I just need a little at the top of my head on my part, or I need a little bit more throughout my hair. If you sprinkle it directly on top of your head, it's a little bit harder to blend it in so it's not noticeable, so I suggest sprinkling powder on your hands first. I even use this on my daughter's blonde hair (age 9) because sometimes her hair looks oily even though she doesn't need a shower. I think it's her darn hormones!! I saw this tip years ago on a TV show and was surprised that so many people don't know about it or do it. It's so cheap and soooo convenient. I have even used loose light face powder in my hair when I couldn't find the baby powder. That happened to me when I was away for the weekend with my husband. I freaked out because I didn't have time to wash my hair before a show and realized I had no baby powder!!! I dug in my bag and saw my face powder and gave it a shot. IT WORKED!! Anyways, hope this helps!

D

How to Clean a Glass Stove Top.. Really!!!

I hate when this happens!!

I recently tried some experimenting with different combinations of household products to see what would REALLY work to clean my glass stove top COMPLETELY!! I researched online and tried some methods that claimed to remove all those annoying cooking rings you get when your water over boils or when you spill something and after you clean it there is still spots on your stove. I was tired of looking at these cooking rings and spots so I took matters into my own hands and found a cure! A cleaning cure that costs less than $1. I have a microwave above my stove that made it hard to get pictures without a reflection, so try to ignore the rectangle reflections.... sorry.

BEFORE

All you need is Baking Soda and Peroxide! (video demonstration link below) I found peroxide for 84 cents! I didn't know you could buy anything for that price anymore....unbelievable price. Anyways, sprinkle as much baking soda to cover the area. Then pour on a small amount of peroxide over the baking soda or dampen a rag or paper towel with peroxide. Then take your rag and begin cleaning using a circular motion. This will begin to look like a paste and this is what you want. If it's too dry, add more peroxide. Don't worry about messing up the process because you really can't.

When you think you have the spot up, clean up and wipe up the left over paste mixture the best you can. Then, I take a dry rag and whip of any streaks and white residue that the baking soda tends to leave behind. When you dry with the rag, it's almost like you are buffing the stove top and it makes it look nice and shinny!!!

Sparkling Clean!!!

AFTER

I always learn more from a video. Check it out.

The results are amazing. One more thing I'm going to add is that one of my burners, the top right one, had that cooked on ring for over a month and this is the only method that worked. I LOVE looking at my stove now!

On a side note....

I also took this cleaning method to some of my stainless steel water faucets that had hard water stains and it got rid of most all the hard water spots. This has been the only thing that removed some of these hard water spots that were on there for who knows how long. I rent a house and it's kind of old, so it's hard to make anything look clean. I like my faucets a lot more now. I didn't take pictures though because I just quickly tried it out not planning on it working.

Also, remember to test out a small spot on your appliances or faucets before doing all of it just in case. I'm not going to be responsible for your mess ups!!! LOL! Just had to say it. For those of you worried or wondering about using peroxide, I say don't worry (but I'm not a doctor or scientist). In the stores, there is only 3% peroxide in the bottle and the rest water. Also, people use peroxide to clean vegetables after they buy them from the grocery store and this is fine too. I was surprised to read how safe and great peroxide is to use. I was worried about using it so I put my nose up to the open bottle of peroxide and really could barely smell anything. I have used tons of cleaning products that give me headaches and make it hard to breath when I'm using them, so I'm all for using peroxide. Peroxide is even a proven safe vegetable wash. I did my own research on peroxide and feel completely comfortable using it as a cleaner. Heck, if I used bleach and other harsh products, what do I have to lose using peroxide. Just so you know, I am not a scientist or doctor, so do your own research.

Thanks for reading,

D!