A Handmade Story

Lifestyle Blog: from planning my wedding for under $10,000 to baking, cooking and all things handmade.

From The Heart

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On September 9th, 2025, I wrote something from the heart and I posted it on facebook. I did not do much editing because I wanted to share what I had written immediately. I wanted this message to speak for itself! Normally, I use Grammarly to edit all my blog post. Today, I wanted to share my raw unedited version. You might find a lot of mistakes. That is not the point of me making this post. I do not like to push my beliefs onto anyone. I also respect everyone’s beliefs as well. This post was written the day before 9/11. Our world right now, is struggling and could use a lot of healing! Micheal Jackson, said it best…
 

“Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough for the living
Make it a better place
For you and for me”

Here is whatI wrote from the heart as I was in my garage on the day I was cleaning it out:

Wrote something today and I didn’t do much editing to it! As this from my heart! I wanted to share! Please give it a read!

Today, I’m in my garage working on cleaning it out after we had a leak from my neighbors bathroom that caused a few of our things to become semi damaged. It made me realize something while in the garage today ling before I heard the horrific news. My husband called to let me know that Charlie Kirk was hurt or might have died! I stay out of politics because my heart has lost touch with this world! This is not the fight I want anymore!

I am a Christian but people might say but you’re Catholic. I’m a Christian! Catholic’s are tired of being told we’re not Christian!
 
I listen to George Michael, Freddie Mercury, Elton John, and Brandi Carlile to name a few quite often! I have a cousin married to a woman and they just had a baby together. I have a new adorable cousin in our family! They aren’t the first in my family to be with the same sex partner. You may say but you’re Catholic and you don’t agree with their lifestyle? I LOVE ALL MY FAMILY!!! Yes, their beliefs go against my beliefs but at the same time, God has called us to love! “You shall love your neighbor as yourself! “ Matthew 22:39. Regadless of what you believe in, I will always choose LOVE! “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
 
I also love watching scary Halloween movies! There is nothing in the bible that says we can’t watch scary movies! I also enjoy watching programs like True Crime with my mom, as it makes me aware of what’s going in the world! I live in this world and I try to understand it. To understand the world you have to see the truth!
 
Sean and I also have a friend who believes in Statism. His mom raised him Catholic and his dad was Jewish! We also have other friends who listen to doom music a form of heavy rock and rock and roll and wear all black! Yet, Sean and I enjoy going fun places with them. I have family and friends with tatoos. You might also say, God doesn’t want us to be friends with people like this! Well God ate with sinners and tax collectors! As a Christian were called again to LOVE all people! “While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Matthew 9:10-17
 
I also eat meat! But in the Bible, it says belivers can’t eat meat! Not true! Shall, I throw out my great-grandmother’s Italian meat recipe? When I eat it, the smells bring back childhood memories of my grandma making her dish. Yes, the bible says we can eat meat! It would be a disgrace and rude if you walked into a Itlian home in Italy and didn’t eat their food! You eat what is severed to you, not what “you think should be served to you”! “Do you not understand, that whatsoever entereth into the mouth, goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the privy?” Matthew 15:17.
 
I have lost two family members to suicide, another family from another state killed in their own home, and one to drunk driving! I never met any of these family members as I was not born yet! I understand life and death! At a young age I knew about God thanks to my grandma. Family means more than anything to me! I have lost so many family members over the years but have a family history of family members also living to be over 100. Death doesn’t scare me because of my faith! Infact, when my grandmother passed away, I was at peace with her death. It was my grandmother who I thank for all she has taught me!
 
Today, someone’s life was taken from him! A young man, who believed in God and had a wife and two kids. Did you know, that I almost lost my marriage? I almost thought I was never going to dance again… lyrics from a George Michael song! Have you ever felt pain? Have you ever felt hurt? I have felt those things and more! Crying for months on end, praying and living with your parents with out my three cats for a year, while being forty-three at the time and worrying about what my future would look like, is not the life I imagined! Think about Charlie’s wife an and what her life now looks like!
Today, I’m not afraid to speak the truth because it’s the truth! I only live my life by the truth because my faith has taught me this! Now, I am on a new path and it is different! People might think, “oh she hasn’t changed”… well guess what? It might you who hasn’t changed! Ever thought that hurt people hurt people? Why hurt people?
 
Charlie Kirk was a Christian regardless of his political beliefs! Do I believe that we should mix politics and religion? No! Do I think both political parties have the right to believe in something, yes! It doesn’t give anyone the right to kill him or wish hate on him! He stood up for what he belived in! He also stood up for every Christian and he stood up for family! Without family, we do not have structure! Charlie Kirk showed young people, the importance of family whether it was a Christian or not! For being so young, he knew alot! He also knew how to debate properly! I commend him for doing the very thing, I would have struggled with in college, Unfortunately, a good debater is a skill not everyone can master!
 
I went to a very liberal college and graduated with a degree in liberal studies to become a teacher. We were taught to think for ourselves. We had to respect and keep our mouths shut when my classmates spoke in our small seminar groups. I thrived so well in the Hutchins program! We didn’t have test or bunch of homework but were given tools that to this day, I still apply to my life. We wrote about what read in our assigned books and we took the time to hear what our classmates had to say without JUDGING! If it wasn’t for the Hutchins program and my great teachers at Sonoma State, I wouldn’t be here writting this! Did you know that Mario Savio a Berkeley Activist, also Catholic, in our American history taught at Sonoma State? He stood for what he belived in and he didn’t side with any political party during the free speech movement from the 60’s. At the time, he was arrested for speaking out! Today, times are different! We speak the truth and now we get shot?
 
Earlier today, my gut had a huge realization before I heard this shocking news from Sean! When I first met Sean we had no camping gear but a tent and two sleeping bags. I kept thinking about the life him and I have built and how our camping gear has expanded! Had I lost everything, what would that look like? When I got the call from Sean, it stopped me in my tracks. Now, I am seeing how much we have built together and at the same time, I am thinking about Charkie Kirk and how much his family has lost! His children will never be able to have a camping trip with their dad! His wife will never be able to dance again with Kirk!
 
I first voted in 1998 my senior year in high school and voted as democrat! This is not how I pictured voting to look like. Both parties, have become way too extreme! We all speak about our rights but we never speak on the truth! We speak about our opinions but we never do anything about it. We preach God on facebook but we do not attend church weekly. We say we’re about saving our environment, yet we save trees, but know zero about fire prevention. There are families like reality stars like Spencer Pratt fighting right now to want the truth because him and his family have lost their home in Pacific Palisades fire. We preach about being vegan but we eat highly unhealthy processed foods like fake meat and we wear vegan leather which is made with chemicals. l spoke to a leather sho owner whose been in business for fifty-five years! If anything should be labeled vegan, it’s all things that are real like real leather made one way! We say we’re againist, vaccinating yet we were all vacinted and we got all forms of chemicals in our body from years being exposed to all sorts of stuff like plastic. Instead of walking around trying to fight for rights or who is right, think about what you do daily? Realize that we are fighting, becuse we are the problem! I know every day that I am not perfect! We want what is right because we have done wrong! I go to church weekly and I confess when I know I am wrong! It’s okay to be wrong! All I want to see in this world is for the world to see the truth!
 

Knowing what it’s like to loose everything, always plays out in my head. This life is short! Today, Charlie’s family lost everything! I have times where old memories come back that make me cry and Charlie’s family will too experience this. Today, I was shaken up in the afternoon while working on my garage! I chose to keep my faith all throughout the day. Yesterday, I wasn’t feeling it! I felt frustrated! I did not want to be in the garage. Maybe, I was meant to be in that garage today! I am so glad I went that garage today! Today, I pray for the Kirk family! I also say choose love not and not hate! Today, I hope you all do the same! ❤️🙏😢✝️ I took this photo in Trinity…

-Much love,

From A Handmade Story ❤️ 

“Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” -Proverbs 16:23-25

“All healing is first a healing of the heart.” —Carl Townsend

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Streamlined Packing Guide for Cabin Trips

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Are you someone who loves to travel and enjoys the outdoors? Growing up in my family, we always went on a trip to a magical place. A beautiful destination for travel, where you’re surrounded by a flowing river, pine trees, and fresh air. Most cabins are located on the river, and the smell of the outdoors is right at your fingertips. There are kids roaming free at the resort on their bikes, with friends and family, staying up late and enjoying the time they have together for the week. This is a place that brings me remarkable joy! It’s a place where I feel at peace and one with nature. I feel free from all the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It’s a place where I come to relax, to recuperate, and to be one with God. When I am at Trinity, a few songs come to mind…
 
John Denver once sang…
“And the Colorado Rocky Mountain high
I’ve seen it rainin’ fire in the sky
You talk to God and listen to the casual reply
Rocky Mountain high
Rocky Mountain high”
 
John Denver had a love for the outdoors, and when you listen to his music, you can feel it in his soul how much the outdoors meant to him. His love for the outdoors was always felt in the majority of his songs. His love for the Colorado Rocky Mountains to his love for West Virginia…
 
“Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads”
 
John Denver sang it all, but with passion in his heart for the very things that brought him joy and probably his peace. My love for the outdoors may not be in the Colorado mountains or West Virginia, as I haven’t traveled to those areas on a full-blown trip. My simple love for the outdoors starts in the Trinity Alps mountains at a place called Trinity Alps Resort. This is a place that is a step above camping, rustic, and in the middle of nowhere. Trinity Alps resort was built in the 1920s. Some of the cabins at Trinity Alps Resort date back to 1924, while new cabins were built several years ago. This place is more magical than Disneyland, in my opinion. As a child, the eight-hour drive to Trinity always made me happy! Waking up in the morning in your cabin, hearing the river, sleeping out on the deck with the breath of fresh air in your face, is just the most calming feeling ever. Walking across the cabin floors and hearing them creak always holds a memory for me. Knowing that I am sitting at a table I once sat at, as a child, also always holds a special place in my heart. I’ve been going to Trinity Alps since I was a small baby, almost forty years. The memories of being at the resort from childhood bring back vivid memories when I visit as an adult. The smell of fresh air around you as you’re surrounded by trees, old cabins, and a river, makes my heart happy. Today, I wanted to share how I pack for a trip like this. In honor of my upcoming trip with my parents, I will share how I pack for Trinity. I have a simple way of packing for this trip! I have a streamlined way of packing that is applicable to anyone going on an outdoor trip like mine and staying in a cabin. Mind you, this trip isn’t camping, so I am not packing all my camping gear. One of these days, I will make a blog post about how to pack for camping. Today, I wanted to share my packing tips! It may be the end of summer, but that’s okay! Let’s enjoy the outdoors while we still can before the season changes!
 
How I Pack for Cabin Trips
When I travel to the Trinity Alps, I always like to bring a duffel bag. It’s sturdy and can hold a good amount of clothes, shoes, travel toiletries, and other necessities. My parents always bring suitcases. It’s easier on their backs, and they can wheel in their suitcases into the cabin.
Duffle Bag- You can wash it, and it’s durable. I got this bag as a birthday gift from my parents several years back. My brother is a firefighter, and he had recommended this website where he got all his gear.

Packing Cubes- Packing cubes are great for organizing all your socks, the many unmentionables, clothes, and whatever else can fit in each packing cube. I always pack some outdoor clothes, hiking socks, hiking shoes, a swimsuit cover-up, and a swimsuit. Then I like to pack regular clothes, which consist of shorts, jeans, tops, sundresses, pajamas, and my light-weight bathrobe. I always store the packing cubes in this bag for the following year. The packing cubes fit inside the one large packing cube.

Travel Zipper Bags- I found these Isaac Mazari travel zipper bags in store at HomeGoods and love them! They hold things like my hair clips and my scrunchies. The mesh travel zipper bags are great for your sunblock. The mesh bags are breathable, which I love. I got these last year and have been using them on many occasions where my spouse and I have had to travel somewhere.
Towel- I’ve been loving the Sand Cloud towel because it’s lightweight and can easily dry on any clothesline. I also love the towel because it does not take up a lot of space in my bag. Plus, the towel is pretty. Do note that these towels can be washed in a machine but then have to be hung dry. I always keep this towel in the duffel bag. The towel also double as a blanket for the outdoors or can be used on your bed. The second photo is also a beach towel cover up and I use it to go down to the river at Trinity. I also use it at home when I go swimming in our neighborhood pool. That towel is from Sand Cloud as well! I always keep that towel in my duffle bag. I don’t have a big hall closet and room to store this store this towel. 
Bathrobe- I have one that is lightweight and saves space. It’s perfect for packing because it’s so lightweight and will not take up much space.
Shoe Bags- Your shoes will get dirty! You do not want to drag your dirty shoes home. You could use plastic bags, but I use these free fabric bags that came with a set of sheets. They make the perfect travel shoe bags. Plus you are resusing something that might otherwise just go straight to the landfill. 
Laundry Bag- You need a place to store your dirty clothes, and this bag is a great one. My brother, a firefighter, recommended a website a few years ago for gear he needed for his job. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the name of the website. You can Google websites for tactical gear. I found that bag on a tactical gear website, and my mom bought it for me as a birthday gift. I love the laundry bag because it’s very sturdy and it holds up well. I can hang the bag on the cabin door because of its long strap. Well worth it to own a laundry bag! Who wants to mix in clean clothes with dirty clothes?
Travel Kit- My travel kit consists of travel-sized items in each compartment of the bag. The items in the kit consist of my toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, soap, Band-Aids, lotion, hair products, shampoo, conditioner, and other essential items. I got this bag a few years back from Vera Bradley. It holds a lot of stuff and that is why I love it! 
Here are essentials I keep in this duffel bag year-round:
  • Towel
  • Swimsuit coverup
  • Hiking hat
  • Water Shoes
  • Shower Shoes
I keep these items in the bag year-round, so I do not forget to bring them the following year. It makes packing for Trinity easy because these items are already in my duffel bag.
I always carry a travel bag for Trinity. It’s a bag that I can use when I go camping or on a road trip. This bag consists of items that never leave: my sunglasses, a book to read, a knitting project, bags for collecting rocks, and pencils for taking notes when I am inspired for my blog. I will make a blog post about this bag and what you will find inside. I love taking this bag because I never have to pack the items inside. Everything you find in this bag, stays in this bag!
 
I wanted to say that I created this post to give people ideas on how to pack for cabin trips. You do not have to feel like you have to pack this way. I am at a resort, so sometimes, I pack extra clothes and accessories for events. A few times, I was in the talent show or my parents and I drove into town for dinner, and I wanted to dress nicely. I also tend to pack extra clothes simply because it gets dirty up in the mountains at the resort. I will have to do a blog post about Trinity Alps Resort. 
 
I also wanted your feed back on this post! How was my writing? Where could I improve? How can make my blog post stand out? What kind of content should I create? I welcome all inspirational ideas! Don’t forget to subscribe here to A Handmade Story! You should see the popup link when you first go to my blog. Sign up with your email! Then go to your email to confirm the confirmation for A Handmade Story. Follow me on instagram and facebook as well! 

“Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” – John Muir

“Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Where have I been?

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Here I am learning to make gnocchi from scratch. More of this type stuff coming to the blog...

It’s been over a year since I have posted on A Handmade Story. This year, I chose to complete a new goal. I decided to walk down an entirely new path within myself that was God-centered. Three years ago, I went through a situation that changed my life forever! Maybe, one day, I will share my story so others can relate. That situation in my life is what brought me to where I am now. My life today is like a moving train run by God. He’s the only person I go to when I need assistance. This past year, life has changed. I decided 2025 would be the year I take care of Jodi! I was always tied to many life goals and sought every goal regardless of how hard it was. I never gave up on life and did not feel sorry for myself. I knew my struggles and pushed through them all at my own pace. I was also someone who spent years helping others and putting myself last. I lost my grandma back in May of 2023. I knew that she was in a better place in heaven with God. I was at peace when she passed away at 101 just shy of turning 102. After my grandmother’s passing, something inside spearheaded this beautiful journey and creative idea that I wanted my life to be a complete makeover. If I were to go down this new path, I would make the changes necessary that God had in store for me.

Think of it as a DIY project. Somedays are a complete failure, and other days are a complete success. I was at a marriage retreat recently, and the priest said marriage is like a DIY project. Life is like a do-it-yourself project. When you put the work in, you get to see the exceptional results come through. The entire year after my grandma’s passing, I took time off. I continued to work on myself, my home, and my marriage. It was the best thing for me! Recently, I had to put down my cat Garfield. He gave me the strength to keep going! He, himself as a baby fitting in the palms of my hands had the strength to live. In many ways, I dedicate this blog to several special people in my life. To my creative Italiano grandma who loved to sew, cook, bake, and learn to use the computer at age 60 when she decided to return to work at the church.

To all my grandma’s cards; and notes she made on her old desktop computer and to the love she had, for all things stationery. I also dedicate my blog to my grandma’s in-laws who immigrated from Italy. To my great-grandma from Genova, Italy, who made pasta and ravioli from scratch, in her tiny kitchen in her granny flat in North Beach. To my dad’s father who was a chemist. He loved playing the piano, painting, and doing photography. To his father, my great-grandfather who also loved to paint and loved the piano as well. I also dedicate this blog to Grandma’s Italiano friend and neighbor, who; was a firefighter and a carpenter.

For his love, devotion, and words, “It’s not goodbye, it sees you later”. For his love of woodworking and building, all things out of wood, up until the age of 102, before he passed a year later. Lastly, I dedicate this blog to my nineteen-year-old, cat Garfield. He let me know how much I loved him right after he was put down. May he no longer be in any pain! May he live the best life in heaven! From one beautiful home to another Mr. Garfield, I love you! Very last, I dedicate A Handmade Story to God! For he has loved me since birth and I have loved him all my life. May he sow the fruits of my labor…

“2 Corinthians 9:10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.”

In the last few years, I have been putting in all this hard work and have seen all these godly results. It has been the most rewarding DIY project in my life. I also have made many changes and feel inspired to work on my blog. 2025 is now my year, I want to grow A Handmade Story! I need your help! I ask that you spread the word, share my content on social media, follow me on this blog by subscribing to my future blog emails, and follow me on Facebook and Instagram. Also, take the time to look around this blog! I could use some clicks! Feel free to critique my work! Like the little boy in the Carrot Seed book who wanted his little plant to grow, too I want A Handmade Story to grow from this tiny seed. I welcome all the feedback because it will only make me push harder to make this blog come to life.

Right after my wedding in May 2012, I wanted to share my $10,000 under-wedding story to show people that you didn’t need money to make your wedding look like it cost $30,000 or more. I never knew what to do or how to share my story online. I had no idea how to make that dream a reality. I started doing several years’ worth of online research. I would watch YouTube blog videos or read blogs. I also started looking up questions about blogging. I started saving everything on my Pinterest and YouTube, accounts. I started following seasoned bloggers. I learned more about their online career in blogging. I started learning about WordPress, the number one blogging platform bloggers use. In 2025, I want to see this blog start to take off! I always hear people talk about creating a vision board. In this exciting new year, one of my vision board goals will be focusing on growing A Handmade Story. If you are joining in on this blog and are along for the new ride, I welcome you to A Handmade Story! I am back and going to make this dream a reality!

P.S. Be on the lookout for a dedication page with photos coming soon of those whom have a special place in my heart! 💜

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1 Timothy 4:15 – “Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.”

“Don’t let the fear of striking out hold you back.“—Babe Ruth

“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Shopping Local

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Christmas time is approaching again!  In about a month Christmas will be here. A great way to start this Christmas season is by shopping local. Shopping local is something I have loved doing for many years now. It wasn’t until my family moved to a small town back in nineteen-nine when I started to find a love all things found locally. There is so many wonderful and unique things you will find when shopping locally. 

Rust Color Leggings- Jane & Jean
Brown Crochet Poncho: Crochet Fairy
Etsy: CrochetfairyBySandra
Email: crochetdragonflyfairy@gmail.com

Blue Purse: Crochet Fairy
San Francisco Giants Scarf and Hat Set- Laineys Designs Email: lainey@sonic.net

Blue Shoes

Infinity Scarf- Craft Fair



How to Shop for Premium Jeans on a Budget

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Disclaimer: Please note this post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a commission if checked at no extra cost to you. Though the opinions remain mind. Privacy Disclosure- Here

Do you love shopping; and hate purchasing cheap jeans that do not last long or loathe the price tag of expensive jeans in high-end stores? Higher-end department stores like Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Sax Fifth Avenue and carry high-end designer denim alongside online stores like Madewell or Everlane. Designer denim jeans are well-made and are the finest denim. This denim will never stretch when you wear them, are expensive, made with heavy denim material, and last longer than most pairs of jeans you find at stores like Kohl’s or Old Navy. Consider these jeans investment pieces in your wardrobe that will last for more than a year if you take good care of your jeans. Here is an example of what jeans would cost if you typed in women’s designer jeans on google:

Designer jeans; can be found in higher-end department stores, which not everyone can afford. Higher-quality, denim will not stretch or wear out quickly and is more expensive than cheaper denim found in stores like Kohl’s or Old Navy. Department stores with names like Nordstrom’s, are online and reside in upper-scale areas. Usually, department stores are in larger cities and located in indoor or outdoor malls. The internet; sells premium denim through department store websites or brands websites but is also expensive; unless the denim; jeans go on sale. Expensive premium denim jeans cost over $100 and sometimes close to $400, depending on the brand you purchase from that particular store. High-quality; clothing stores like Nordstrom have semi-annual sales and carry lower-end price jeans, but the quality will be less for the lower-priced jeans. I have been to Nordstrom’s semi-annual sale once but never purchased; anything. My sister used to love going shopping there before when she was not married with kids.

There is a secret to buying designer jeans without breaking the bank. Today on the blog, I want to share my secret about buying jeans on a budget. Ever; since I started shopping this way, it has been life-changing.

When I was in junior high; and in high school in the nineties, I was never into fashion. In the early 2000s, I started to get into clothes shopping right after my parents moved away from the large city I grew up in. While the internet was still new, and fashion blogs, youtube channels, Instagram, tick-tock, Pinterest, and Poshmark, Thread-Up, did not exist, I was stuck shopping at chain stores. I was new to style back then. I got a job working with kids while I was attending junior college. The minimum wage back then; was seven dollars an hour. Having a part-time job; while attending junior college did not always bring in payloads of money. Clothing came from stores like Mervyn’s, occasionally Macy’s, JC-Penny’s, The Gap, Old Navy, and later Khol’s. I loved a good deal on clothes. I was not mindful of my shopping or my spending. I was notorious for buying something cheap, not caring how good of quality the item was. I used to love two-for-one deals at stores like JC Penny or when things would go on sale at Mervyn’s or Khol’s. At times, I used to hate some of the cheap clothes I would buy, wishing stores carried high-quality clothing.

Over the years, jeans shopping was always the hardest. I could never find the right fit because I have a small frame. The jeans I purchased were cheap, stretched out after wearing them all day, faded quickly, frayed easily, and never lasted long. When I would work with kids, sometimes I was on the floor playing with the children, and the knees of my pants would wear out. For twenty years, I could never find the jeans I loved. I never wanted to waste money on a cheap pair of jeans, but unfortunately, it was all I could afford. My sister used to buy designer jeans. I used to wish; I could buy those jeans but could not; afford the price tag. Over the last twenty years, I have gotten sick and tired of wasting money on cheap jeans; I never felt happy with them. I honestly hate wasting money on jeans. I have to love a pair of jeans every time I wear them. I also want to get my money’s worth. Every time I would purchase cheap jeans, I was throwing away money, knowing the jeans might eventually get donated to a thrift store or end up in the trash after the first year of wearing them.

Last year, I was on a new mission. I wanted to find myself a pair of high-quality designer jeans. I was tired of throwing my money away on cheap jeans. When it comes to designer denim jeans, investing in a good pair will save money. Ten years ago, I was shopping at a high-end thrift store when I came across one pair; of American-made jeans. The fit was perfect, and I loved how the jeans made me feel. I remember once; shopping at Goodwill and finding a pair of high-end jeans and loving them. I also found a high-end pair of Italian jeans on clearance once in a boutique. My journey for buying online designer denim started several years back when I had; found one pair of brand new white denim jeans from eBay made in the USA. After wearing the jeans, I fell so much in love with the fit. It was what sparked me to find more designer denim online. Therefore, I could forgo searching at all these different thrift stores; for designer denim; jeans. These days, I do not want to spend that amount of work trying to find good jeans. I came up with an idea recently that changed my jeans shopping experience.

Five years ago, I signed up for Poshmark; and I; did not know anything about the app. The app was new, and I did not know how to use it. I bought my first pair of jeans on Poshmark a few years back, and honestly, I did not care for the floral pants I had purchased. I took a break from the app, and then two years ago, I gave the app another try when I decided to find another brand of pants on Poshmark. My requirement for Poshmark is that the jeans; were made in the USA. On Poshmark, I looked up a brand of jeans I had bought on eBay made in the USA. Last year I found three pairs of jeans on Poshmark. After receiving the jeans in the mail, I was ecstatic about my purchases. The jeans fit like a glove! I have learned since last year that you can bargain on Poshmark. You can also find many brands of high-end pairs of jeans on Poshmark.

With Poshmark, you can search for all types of clothes. People sell from the comfort of their own homes on Poshmark. Boutique owners are selling items brand new with tags on Poshmark. Maybe, a person bought jeans, never wore them, and chose to sell them on Poshmark? Poshmark; is an app you can find clothes advertised as “New With Tags”; and marked down from the original price. You can find jeans in “All Conditions.”

First:
Go to websites like Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Sacks 5th Avenue, and Bloomingdales, and look at all the brands of jeans; to get an idea of what you like. If you do not know your size, walk into one of those stores; that carries; premium jeans and try them on. I recommend walking into a small boutique and trying on their jeans if you do not live near; those stores. Small boutiques also sell high-quality denim jeans. If neither is available near you, take your; measurements with a measuring tape. If you do not own one, measuring tapes can be found on Amazon. Measure your waist size. When you go to search for premium jeans on Poshmark, the listing should have all measurements. Once you have figured out your sizing correctly, start searching on; Poshmark for premium, high-end jeans.

Second:
Now, you need to set up a Poshmark account if you already do not have one. I will walk you through the process of how to use Poshmark. It is easy! 

Third:
When you sign up for Poshmark it will ask you for your size. I always stick to my true size. I don’t like to size up at all since, I am very petite. I don’t size down either. Usually all the pants I buy now on Poshmark fit me like a glove. I just fall in love with my pants now because I am wearing the correct size. Buying pants this ways is a game changer. I save so much money which will make my husband happy. Plus, I am buying unique peieces that were once sold in a high end store. Who cares if the pants brand new were from five years ago! Style in pants do not change that often. When they do just look for that newer style on Poshmark. I am sure you will find it. In the photo below, I am searching on Poshmark for the jeans I am interested in:

1. Open up the Poshmark app and type in the search bar button the brand of pants you are looking for. I found a brand I like called Current/ Elliott. In this blog post, I will show you how to search for that brand. Now, the company; was; located in Las Angeles. During the pandemic, the company went bankrupt and, Current/ Elliot sold their brand to Sunrise Brands which, now makes Current/ Elliot jeans in China. How I figured this out was through searching on Poshmark. I was searching the brand when I saw all these new labels for the Current/ Elliot listing. The new label was different from the label; on my Current/ Elliot jeans. I only like to find older jeans from that brand because I prefer that my pants are made and constructed in the United States. When searching for denim jeans on Poshmark, there will be a label. On the label will be; information on where the jeans are from and what material the jeans consist of. Some sellers forget to post a picture of the label. The seller will also disclose all that same information on the jeans as your scroll past photos in the listing. If no information on the jeans; is provided, leave the seller a message.

2. In Poshmark, head over to “Filters.” You will see a drop down-menu. Here is a photo of what the “Filters” drop down menu looks like:

3. In the drop-down menu, click on “Condition” and then click on “New With Tags.” I like to buy my pants brand new. You never know when you buy already worn pants, how long the person wore them. Purchasing; brand new clothes on Poshmark labeled “New With Tags” for me is the better option. I am a minimalist when it comes to buying jeans. I will purchase jeans and wear them for the next ten years. I also like having a wide variety of jeans so that I am not wearing out the jeans so fast. You save so much money if you shop for jeans this way. In this photo below I chosen “New With Tags”:

Here is how Poshmark works. Here is an example of a listing on Poshmark: 

These are a pair of jeans which cost $195 and are new with tags. The seller has decided to list the price at $63. Like the item and wait for the seller to offer a discount. Counteroffer the price. Here is an example of some listings I was looking at:

4. Now, you want to favorite the jeans you are thinking about purchasing. Press the ❤️ button on Poshmark to favorite the jeans you like. Then wait a few minutes, hours, or a few days and check your “News” to see if the seller on Poshmark has offered you a discount. Most sellers will offer a discount if you favorite the clothes you like on their Poshmark shop. Sometimes, they will come back at you with a second offer if you still are not interested in their first price offer. Now, Poshmark will allow counteroffers. But be very reasonable! Over the years, I have learned to barter so the seller might accept my offer. If the pants cost $195 new with tags and the seller decides to list the price to $63 and; you don’t like it, then wait on the item. See if the seller will come down in price even more. Always check your “News” to see what responses you get from the seller. In the posting, you will see that the original price is always crossed out. If you get a second offer from the seller, try to counteroffer their item price. This listing I was telling you about started at $63. Then it dropped to $50 and $5.95 shipping. Then it went down to $42 and $5.95 shipping. Now, I might want to do a quick counteroffer. I hope they will take the pants for around $20-$30. I did get these jeans in the price range I was hoping for. Don’t make your bargain something ridiculous if the item price is high. If the item listed is $10, try offering the seller $7. If they don’t take your offer, move on or purchase the item at $10 since the clothing item is cheap. If the clothing item is $150, don’t try to bargain with them to sell it to you at $10. Here is a photo of the jeans I liked:

How to identify designer or premium jeans:

  1. Fit- Good pair of jeans will fit like a glove.
  2. Do not stretch out in the butt area.
  3. The dye in the jeans does not bleed. Color jeans may bleed a little bit. For most premium jeans the die does not bleed.
  4. Stitching on the side of the pants legs of the jeans is called the inseam and outseam. That seam can help you identify the quality of the jeans. Compare expensive jeans to a cheap pair, and you will see the quality of the outseam and inseam are different. Designer denim jeans are high-quality denim that consists of cotton in the denim. 
  5. The jeans last more than a year; when you wear them. Good quality jeans are expensive because of how they are made and constructed in the factory.

Here are two pairs of jeans in the photo below. The top pair of jeans in the photo is from Ann Taylor. The second pair of jeans is from Poshmark. The stitching on the more expensive jeans will look different than the more cheaper jeans. I find that the Ann Taylor jeans stretch way too much compared to the Current/ Elliot brand, which; is more of a expensive brand of jean. Current/ Elliot brand jeans hold their shape well when you wear them.

What I look for in jeans:
1. Jeans constructed in the USA.
2. The jeans are from a high-end store.
3. The jeans are new with tags.

Here are brands that make jeans made in the USA that I have found on Poshmark:
1. Current/ Elliot (Only the older jeans; are made in the USA). The label will say made in the USA.
2. All American Clothing Co.
3. Gustin (Men’s Jeans)
4. J-Brand
5. Rag & Bone
6. James Jeans
7. Mother

Care Instructions:
Wash jeans inside out in cold water with 1/2 cup of laundry soap. Add some salt to your load to keep the color in your jeans. My mom does this with her jeans when she goes to wash them. I always hang dry all my jeans. Jeans; last longer when you do that!

Here are some websites with examples of how denim is constructed and made:
Danali
Made How
Todd Shelton
Kato Brand

Happy shopping on Poshmark!

#Poshmark #designerdenimjeans #buyingjeansonabudget #jeans #ahandmadestory

Happiness is love and blue jeans- Unknown

Earth Day

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🌎 Happy Earth Day! 🌎

Disclaimer: Please note this post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a commission if checked at no extra cost to you. Though the opinions remain mind. Privacy Disclosure- Here

Do you have a singer you enjoy listening to? One that when you hear their music, it makes you happy? Well, one artist I love listening to is John Denver. He is an artist who loves the outdoors; in a majority; of his songs, John Denver sings about the great outdoors. When you listen to songs like “Take Me Home, Country Roads” or “Rocky Mountain High” you feel his love for nature. If you know me, I love helping our planet and enjoy being in nature. I love the outdoors and have been going to the mountains since I was a baby. Growing up, my family made so many memories of being in the great outdoors. I had many memories at Trinity Alps Resort and Tahoe. When I am with mother nature, it makes me happy. When I am around mother nature, I enjoy taking care of her. I love taking photos of nature with my camera as well. On April 22nd, we will celebrate Earth Day. Earth Day is one of those days that I believe should be celebrated every day. Mother Nature is beautiful, and we should take care of her. She provides us with many beautiful things we can enjoy for years. Growing up, I remember celebrating Earth Day in fourth or fifth grade. It had such an immense impact on my life. When I was a kid, I used to hate seeing people litter. I do not enjoy trash at all. I try at home to reduce garbage and recycle always.

I am the type of person who would not do well as an environmentalist. I would have too much to say that the environmentalist would disagree with. I live in California, and it is known for Earthquakes, fires, and this year’s flooding. When mother nature is mad, she will let you know. I have been; through an earthquake back in 1989. It was the scariest feeling ever. I still get chills thinking about it. Anyone from the Bay Area will tell you what they felt that late afternoon the day the earthquake hit. When it comes to taking care of our planet, I believe; in so many different things. I do not think the environmentalist would be too happy about my thoughts or opinions. California has had way too many fires. I do not believe in saving trees to protect them. Fire is good; for a forest. My brother is a firefighter and knows a lot about the forest. My brother-in-law is a tree expert. He knows about trees because he worked with the parks and recreation. I believe in cleaning up our forest and having controlled burns, which are healthy for the forest. I am not a fan of clear-cutting in a forest. Driving through Oregon once, my husband and I saw a forest in Oregon that had been clear-cut. I feel we have too much growth in the United States which has a huge; impact on our environment. We need a lot of water to provide for the newly built houses. Having clean water is also something I stand firm about. Many towns and cities in the United States have compromised drinking water; with toxic chemicals. Some examples are Flint, Michigan, and Parkersburg, West Virginia. Watch the movie Dark Waters, and you will learn so much about the dangers of toxic water. After seeing the movie, you will despise the plastic industry. Once our water becomes highly toxic with chemicals, there is not much you can do about it. Having your water filter is not always the solution to the problem. I am a proponent of having clean water because we need water to survive. Water is something I do not take for granted. We should do the same about mother nature. Today, in honor of Earth Day, I wanted to share some ideas that we could do to help our environment.

I do want to make it clear, that these all of my own opinions. I do not ever want to make or force anyone  to ever feel as if they have to do any of these ideas in their home. I just wanted to share some of my ideas in honor of Earth Day.

Things we can do to help our environment:

  1. Do not buy disposable items.
    I try not to do this as much as possible. Instead, use reusable items as much as possible.

Items in the home; I do not buy:

KITCHEN:
Paper napkins- I don’t buy paper napkins for everyday use unless I was having a party or barbecue. For a dinner party, I like using cloth napkins. When having dinner at home, cloth napkins get used.

Paper towels- I do not buy paper towels. If I am at someone else’s home, I will use a paper towel if they do not have any napkins. Instead, rags at home are all I like to use. Old towels and shirts make great rags. Old socks make great rags for when you decide to do a do-it-yourself project like staining wood.

Paper Plates- For birthday parties, I will use paper plates. If having a nice dinner party, I will pull out my fancy dishware. Usually, I like to eat off of regular everyday ceramic plates. I will keep the same dish, wash it, and use it for a week.

Paper Cups- I use these parties only. I will usually keep one glass and use it all week.

Plastic Utensils- My husband and I sometimes would get take out and get plastic silverware. I have an entire bag of plastic cutlery for barbecues or parties collected from these restaurants. Once, the bag is used up I plan to not buy any utensils. I am trying to avoid eating out all the time.

Things I do at home:

  1. I like saving water. Taking shorter showers. Set your timer for five minutes and take a quick shower.
  2. Place a bucket in your shower to catch extra water wasted. Use that water for your plants.
  3. I like to reuse a lot of stuff. I have been doing this since I was a kid. As a child, I created pencil holders out of aluminum cans. I love to take old broken jewelry and make earrings, bracelets, and necklaces out of them. My niece will make keychains with old broken jewelry.
  4. I have unsubscribed from most of my junk paper mail. There will be a future blog post about this. I highly recommend doing this! Junk mail is a waste of a tree and paper.
  5. Reuse paper as much as possible. I have been doing this since I was a kid. I used to cut up old art projects; to be thrown away in the trash can, and I would reuse the construction paper for another project.
  6. Write notes on a whiteboard or a chalkboard.
  7. If you got the outdoor space, plant a beautiful garden. I live in a condo and would plant pots on my deck.
  8. Do your laundry one day a week or during off-peak hours. Check with your utility company for off-peak hours.
  9. Plant a garden. If you got a backyard, plant a beautiful garden. Do you have an apartment with a deck, then plant using pots? Are you living in a condo or a town home with an outdoor deck or patio? Plant and a garden using pots. If you live in a building, see if you can plant a rooftop garden; if access; is to your roof.
  10. Buy secondhand. I love doing this and have found some unique finds at a thrift store. It helps our environment when we buy secondhand.

Online sites and stores I recommend:
Poshmark– I use this all the time to buy premium denim jeans. I purchased a dress from that website too. I always look for clothes on Poshmark that are new with tags. There will be a blog post soon on how I shop on Poshmark.

Craigslist– I have used this website to help my dad sell items. He’s had a lot of luck on Craigslist selling stuff.

Facebook Market Place- I have sold stuff on the Facebook marketplace; and have purchased things from them too. My brother, sister-in-law, and brother-in-law buy from the Facebook marketplace regularly. They find some deals on some great items. My mom has had a lot of luck selling items on the Facebook marketplace.

Offer Up– I have used offer up and have searched for items I might need.

Free Cycle– Years ago, I heard about this website. I have not used Free Cycle but have looked for things to see if they have anything I needed that was free.

Buy Nothing– I do belong to this group in my area. People give away free items.

Sacks Thrift Store– I love this thrift store! They support the local community. This store is very organized. I have found some great items in this store that I love.

Alphabet Soup– I love this thrift store! They support the local community. This store is very organized. I found some great items in this store that I love.

I was in a Catholic church once in Canada checking it out. I believe, the book you see in the photo below was from the Catholic church. Catholic churches give out free stuff all the time to read. I love it! I learn so much when I read stuff I get at church. 

In my area, they do give out free trees. They come to your home to inspect the spot where you want to plant the tree. With the Arbor Day Foundation, they give out gifts like address labels and stickers. They also give out coupons, one of which is for ten free trees. Check your local city to see if they offer this.

On all my travels, I collect things from nature. I love the beauty in nature and being able to photograph with  stuff I have collected.

I also love to photograph nature with my old Canon Camera. I need a new camera and lens badly but work with what I got until, I can afford a new camera.

Springtime brings me so much joy! I love flowers!

The famous California poppy! A flower I love because every year they regrow back in the area’s where they are planted.

“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

“And God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that they were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.” -Genesis 1:10

#earthday2023 #mothernature #johndenver #recylcereducereuse #saveplanet #earthdayeveryday #ahandmadestory

How to transition Easter decor into spring.

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How to Transition Easter Decor Into Spring.

Disclaimer: Please note this post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a commission if checked at no extra cost to you. Though the opinions remain mind. Privacy Disclosure- Here

Every year, I like to decorate for the holidays. I love reusing holiday decorations, which I own from years past. Pulling out my holiday decorations feels like Christmas. I enjoy decorating any space I am around. I love the feeling; of knowing that a particular holiday is right around the corner. Every year I get out my container of decorations, and I have fun decorating. This year has been different, for sure. It’s been a rewarding year because I accomplished some new goals, like being able to post regularly now to my blog. Easter now; has come and gone. Easter this year was very rewarding for me. I celebrated Lent in a new way this year, making myself; some serious Lenten goals, which; I accomplished. It felt good to put the last two months under God’s wing. I felt rewarded this year by God. Therefore, it has made me realize many things about life. What is noteworthy about Lent; is that we get to put ourselves in God’s shoes. We get to focus on the true meaning of the Easter holiday. Lent is one of my favorite times of the year. I, every year, try to make promises that I can keep. This year during Lent, I decided to change things up and made obtainable goals. It felt good doing something new. I made a few small Easter purchases that I could use for the spring season and or other holidays. I also realized that life is not about the things we own. Therefore, I want to be more mindful of future purchases and always appreciate what I own.

Now; that Easter has ended, most people probably want to take down their decorations. I love to keep some decorations up for spring. One of my favorite things is to reuse some of the Easter decorations; that I own. I like to buy Easter decorations that can transition into springtime. Recently, I bought a few holiday decor items I could use throughout the year. I thought these were great pieces I could photograph my blog with. I also enjoy being creative with what I buy in a store when I am a mindful shopper. Some of the Easter decor we already own; might make great decor for springtime. Last year, I made a blog post on how to transition; Halloween decor into Fall decor. You can read about it here. This year, I decided to do a how-to transition Easter decor into Spring decor. I am super; picky about what I buy for my home and how I like to decorate it. Year’s worth; of spending money on items that went to waste; taught me a lot about mindful spending. I enjoy purchasing holiday decor that always looks great for years to come. If buying something for my home, I want it to be something nice that I know will spark joy in my life. This year, I wanted to buy a few things for Easter that I thought I could use during the springtime or four other holidays. As I said in last year’s post, I like to buy decor with natural materials or things made from wood or fabric. I love buying vintage pieces found at a thrift store. Lately, the stores have been on point with how I love to decorate. I love to purchase items that look expensive. Knowing how to shop is so important. I don’t believe in buying; something just because it’s cheap. Buy things you love. Buy things that will last a long time. Buy things that can transition from one holiday to the next season. It can be fun getting creative with your decorating. Sometimes, we go shopping and purchase only items which say Happy Easter. Decor that does not always scream Happy Easter can transition into spring. Buying; quality holiday decor; can save you from wasting money. When I think about spring, pastel colors, flowers, bunnies, chickens, eggs, and farm-related things come to mind. Spring is a beautiful time of the year. It’s one of my favorite times of the year. It’s the year when everything is in bloom, and our hills are green in California. It’s also that time of year when we get more sunshine and some rain. If shopping for Easter decor, think of pastel colors and what you see when you go outside for inspiration. This year, I did a lit bit of Easter shopping at two places, Target and two thrift stores. At Target, I found a few things that I loved. At the thrift store, I found some China pieces I thought would be great for Easter but also would make great pieces to use when a guest came over for a party. I also bought these China pieces to use when photographing my blog. When you have a different approach to shopping, I find I save money. I also don’t buy as much because I am pickier about what I purchase. In this blog post, you will see some of the Easter items I have purchased; and how they make great; spring decor. 

I went shopping at Dollar Tree and found this cute wood sign. What I like about it is that you can use it for spring.

I bought this letter board on Amazon. I love it! It’s two-sided; grey on one side and black on the other. You can use either side to display your sign. It comes with all the letters, some emojis, and the months and holidays.

I got the paper flower wreath, mini bunny, and paper flower bunny ears wreath at Target. I bought them because they are cute for Easter but would look great during springtime. I was; also drawn to the colorful paper flowers. Plus, I love the natural materials of the items. Here is the link to the Target paper flower: Easter Flower Wreath Threshold.

I also got this bunny wreath at Target in the Bullseye section of Target. I love that it is from tree branches. The artificial flowers are a cute added touch to the wreath.

At Target, I found these cute chickens. I thought of possibilities on how these two items could serve as spring decor and realized I could even use them during the fall.

On my parent’s dining table, I decorated it for Easter. I used my mom’s old placemats that she had in our last house to serve as a table runner. She did not have one that went with the tablecloth. I loved how the placemats tied in with the table setting and different candles my mom already owned. I also love the natural material of the placemats.

My mom owns two vintage cake stands that were wedding gifts. In the last several years, I have used her cake stands to display cookies and other food items for parties I have hosted at her house. Cake stands are great to use when decorating your home. They are timeless pieces if you own one. In this photo, my nieces and nephew got to make and decorate sugar cookies for Easter. I wanted to display their cookies on a cake stand.

At the two different local thrift stores, I found these beautiful China pieces. They are great for use during Easter, springtime, parties, or when I photograph; pictures for my blog. I own a China hutch, where I love to display certain China pieces throughout the year.

Here are the three China pieces I bought at two different thrift stores. The first piece is Wedgewood Bread & Butter Plate (Green Trim). The second piece of China is Noritake Square Salad Plate Jasmine. The third piece of China is Myott Staffordshire 12″ Oval Serving Platter. I know these pieces will get used and are timeless.

Last December, I bought this felt wreath from Trader Joe’s made in Nepal. I guess it is a holiday wreath. During Easter or springtime, you can use this wreath. It could be used all year round in your home because of how colorful it is. I have left the wreath up since December because I love it so much.

Decorating Tips for transitioning Easter holiday decor into Spring:

1. Buy decor that doesn’t scream Easter.

One or two items that say Happy Easter is great! Just don’t over do not overdo it.

2. Buy good quality Easter decor. 

Good quality Easter decor does not have to cost so much.

3.Look for Easter decor made with natural materials, made from wood or fabric. Check the thrift stores for vintage china pieces.

I always avoid buying cheap decor, especially for decorating. I like; to find; holiday decor that fits my style and is timeless. I also love to find holiday decor that sparks joy in my life. 

4. Letter boards are great. You can use them all year round. 

I love letter boards. I love switching up the sayings and using them during the holidays or even for this blog post. 

5. Shop at thrift stores for Easter decor. 

You will be amazed at how much Easter decor you can find at a local thrift store. People are constantly donating Easter items they no longer use. I love shopping at Local thrift stores because they are well organized and have designated areas for the holiday decor.

6. If buying from big box stores, be mindful about what you purchase.

It’s easy to get caught up in shopping, especially at a big box store that sells everything. Don’t buy something just because it is cheap. It is okay to tell yourself that you do not need that item. I do that all the time.

Lastly, have fun shopping and decorating!

“Don’t wait for someone to bring you flowers. Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul.”- Luther Burbank

#howtotransitioneasterdecortospringdecor #homedecorating #easter #spring #ahandmadestory

Happy Easter

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Wishing everyone a Happy Easter from A Handmade Story! 🐰

1 Peter 1:3 – “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

#happy #Easter #Easter #easter2023 #spring #april8th #ahandmadestory

Easter Basket Ideas For Kids

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Easter Baskets Ideas for Kids

Disclaimer: Please note this post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a commission if checked at no extra cost to you. Though the opinions remain mind. Privacy Disclosure- Here

Happy Week of Lent! Easter is less than a week away. Here on A Handmade Story, I would like to share some Easter basket ideas for kids. 🐰

Every year for Easter, I prepare Easter baskets for the kids and an Easter egg hunt. I remember, as a young child going to church on Easter with my parents and siblings. We would wake up Easter morning with an Easter basket from the Easter bunny, and then later, we would do an Easter Egg hunt. Usually, Easter holidays were with our extended family. I had such fun memories as a child during Easter. Every year, my siblings and I would use the same Easter basket from the previous year. My parents still own our childhood Easter baskets. We used these three matching baskets for the Easter Bunny and our Easter Egg hunt. Now, I decorate my parent’s house for Easter and will use our old Easter baskets as decor in their home.

When I do Easter baskets for the kids, I usually try to reuse the same baskets from the previous year. This year, the holiday is a bit different, so I had to go out and buy baskets. My sister does not want to be saving Easter Baskets in her home, so she always gives them back to me. I also reuse the Easter grass and plastic eggs from the previous year.

Everything seen in the basket is stuff I bought at Target and Dollar Tree and one item found at a thrift store. When buying; items to go inside the Easter baskets, I like to make things easy for myself. I do not spend over a dollar for each item. It gets too expensive when you start buying items for the basket that cost two dollars or more.  I usually try to coordinate all the kid’s baskets with purchasing similar Easter stuff. Each kid will get one chocolate Easter Bunny every year in their basket. Then I buy gifts based on the kid’s ages. Usually, I try to get each kid all the same kind of Easter gifts. You will see similarities in each Easter basket. For each basket, I like to keep the budget low every year. Baskets can be expensive at big box stores, so I avoid buying them there. Then buying goodies to go inside the basket can also get; expensive. I was shocked at the prices at the big boxed store for baskets. As a child, guessing my parents did not spend much on Easter baskets or grass back in the 1980s. I do have to say that Easter grass in the 1980s was way better than the stuff you get today. It looked like grass and not basket-filling. I do not overspend on Easter baskets because they only get used once a year. Inside the basket, I like to get the kids stuff that they will want to use or play with.

These two baskets are for my nine-year-old niece and my seven-year-old nephew. Both the kids now do a lot of writing for fun when they do creative projects at home. I figured the kids could always use some pencils and a notepad. My niece loves cool things like erasers. My nephew loves to do crafts. Both of them got a dream catcher for their bedroom. Their basket was simple. At Dollar Tree, you could get a pack of pencils and a pack of notepads and split them among the kids. That is the one thing; I love that Dollar Tree will do during the holidays. Take advantage of that if you see stuff like at the Dollar Tree. 

Insides the baskets:
Chocolate Bunny- Dollar Tree
Pencils- Dollar Tree 
Note Pads- Dollar Tree 
Dr. Seuss Erasers- Dollar Tree 
Dinosaur Stain Glass- Dollar Tree 
Rainbow Dream Catcher- Dollar Tree 
Blue Dream Catcher- Sack's Thrift Store

These two baskets are for my two-year-old niece and our family friend’s little boy, who is three years old. For each Easter basket, I bought kid stuff appropriate for a two and three-year-old. Inside the kids, baskets; were a chocolate bunny, toys, and a pencil. Who doesn’t love to draw at ages two and three? My niece loves boy toys like dinosaurs. Since the kids are little, they could each use a pair of sunglasses and some toys for their bath time. I believe I bought the rubber duckies at Target in their bullseye section around Valentine’s Day that I knew the two kids would love in their Easter basket. A great way to save money is to think ahead when buying gifts.

Inside the baskets:
Chocolate Bunny- Dollar Tree 
Pencils- Dollar Tree 
Dinosaurs- Dollar Tree 
Bath Crayons- Target Bullseye 
Sunglasses- Target Bullseye
Rubber Duckies- Target Bullseye

For the Easter Egg hunt, I like to fill the eggs with candy and coins. I always make it simple, so I am not spending an exuberant amount of money on candy. The kids all have piggy banks. Why not give them money for their piggy bank? Why not clear out your coins during Easter time? As a kid, I loved getting coins in my plastic Easter Eggs. When I go to fill the eggs, I do not put the candy and money coins together. The money coins go in a separate egg.

How much I spent on Easter:
Baskets- Dollar Tree $1.25 x 4= $5.00
Pencils- Dollar Tree $1.25
Note Pads- Dollar Tree $1.25
Easter Candy- Dollar Tree $1.25 x 4= $5.00
Chocolate Bunny- Dollar Tree $1.25 X 4= $5.00
Dr. Seuss Erasers- Dollar Tree $1.25
Dinosaur Stain Glass- Dollar Tree $1.25
Dinosaur- Dollar Tree $1.25 x 2= $2.5
Rainbow Dream Catcher- Dollar Tree $1.25
Blue Dream Catcher- Sack's Thrift Store 50. 
Easter Eggs- Target $1.00 x 3= $3.00
Easter Grass- Target $1.00 x 2= $2.00 
(I only ended up using two packages of grass for the four baskets.)
Bath Chalk- $1.00 x 2= $2.00
Sunglasses- Target $1.00 x 2= $2.00
Grand Total= $33.25

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” — 2 Corinthians 5:17

“Easter is the only time when it’s perfectly safe to put all of your eggs in one basket.”- Evan Esar

 

#kids #happyeaster #easterbunny #easteregghunt #candy #easter #lent #easterbaskets #dollartree #target #sacksthriftstore #ahandmadestory

Upcycled Oatmeal Container

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Upcycled Oatmeal Container

Disclaimer: Please note this post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a commission if checked at no extra cost to you. Though the opinions remain mind. Privacy Disclosure- Here

In my latest blog post last week, I did a pantry makeover on my parent’s pantry. Here is where you can find this pantry makeover post. When I decided to makeover my parent’s pantry, I decided to upcycle their oatmeal container. I had done this project in the past with an oatmeal container; I had in my kitchen in my own home. The oatmeal container was boring, and it needed a little sprucing up. This project anyone can do, even if they have zero crafty experience. The project costs $1.25. If you own an oatmeal container and want to spruce it up, then; try this project. My parents like to buy oatmeal for various things. Sometimes, my mom has oatmeal for breakfast, and when I am visiting, I sometimes enjoy having oatmeal. My dad likes to have oatmeal for baking. When I was making over my parent’s pantry and de-cluttering it, I wanted everything in the cabinet to look nice. I got this bright idea to cover the oatmeal container in this dollar tree wallpaper sheet. Then I decided to label the container. I wanted my parents to refill the container when it got low on oatmeal. 

Growing up, I loved to upcycle a bunch of different things. I was upcycling stuff long before it was popular and before the internet existed. I used to save aluminum cans. I would wrap wrapping paper around the aluminum can. I would glue scraps of wrapping paper to the can to make pencil holders. I will share a photo of one my brother upcycled years ago in the 1990s. I got him to do the project too.

Below is a picture of the pencil holder my brother made when he was a kid. He drew the picture. This pencil holder and all the pencils inside of the holder is at my parents house.

Here the picture:

Upcycling was something I loved doing growing up. I loved saving scraps of construction paper from old-school projects that would eventually end up in the trash. I always liked using scraps of wrapping paper for different craft projects, especially when it came to upcycling cans to make pencil holders. I always make pencil holders for people in my family as gifts. Upcycling is still something I enjoy doing all the time. Growing up, I continued to do upcycling projects.

How to upcycle your oatmeal container:

These are the wallpaper sheets from The Dollar Tree. They come in different styles and colors. The oatmeal container is not that attractive looking, and it needs an upcycle.

On the backside of the wallpaper is a line. Fold the wallpaper on that line. What is good about this wallpaper is that it is the perfect size for this upcycle project.

Now you are going to cut that strip of wallpaper off.

As you can see in the photo, this sheet of wallpaper will be the perfect size for this project when you turn the sheet of paper horizontally.

Now, it’s time to take the backing off the wallpaper. First, I placed the wallpaper on the front of the oatmeal container. I didn’t empty the oatmeal when I did this project. If you want to make this easier on yourself, empty the oatmeal into a large bowl.

Next, it’s time to trace a circle around the oatmeal lid.

In this photo, I decided to cover the entire oatmeal container lid. Unfortunately, my plan did not go the way I wanted it. I had to make a new circle. Trace a circle around the oatmeal lid, and then cut out that circle. Since the oatmeal container has a lip, I could not cover the entire; container lid with the wallpaper. Only; the center of the oatmeal lid; was covered with wallpaper. I ended up using; a razor blade to carefully cut out the center circle of the wallpaper. I took the backing off the wallpaper and stuck it to the middle of the oatmeal lid. Then, I took my fingernail and pressed the paper down around the center lip of the container so I could make an outline I could use to cut with a razor blade.

Now, this is what the container looks like. Much better than before. Would you agree? Now, we can label this container.

Lastly, it is time to label the oatmeal container. I got these labels from Amazon. They are great and stick perfectly to the container.

Now, you can enjoy refilling the container with oatmeal. I created a similar project; several years ago and used the container to store all my hair scrunchies and bows. I glued a artificial flower on top of the lid. I don’t have a photo of this a since, I am away from home putting this post together.

Supplies Used:
Dollar Tree Wallpaper. 
Here is one that is similar: 
Gold Woven Geometric Removable Wallpaper, 16x11-in.
Chalkboard Labels

Cost for the project:
$1.25 
$5.47

Total: 
$6.74 plus tax
Google Definition:
up·cy·cle
verb
  1. reuse (discarded objects or material) in such a way as to create a product of higher quality or value than the original.
    “the opportunity to upcycle trash, or turn it into new products, was vast”

I only feel angry when I see waste. When I see people throwing away things we could use. – Mother Teresa

Reduce, Reuse & Recycle!

#ahandmadestory #reducereuserecycle #oatmealcontainer #upcycleproject #dollartree #amazon #diy #easyproject #craft

Pantry Makeover

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How to Organize a Pantry

Disclaimer: Please note this post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a commission if checked at no extra cost to you. Though the opinions remain mind. Privacy Disclosure- Here

BEFORE

AFTER

Do you struggle with a pantry that looks like a hot mess? Are you tired of opening your pantry and struggling to find where items are located? Do you struggle with how to organize? Organizing spaces is something that I enjoy doing. Organization can make our lives simpler. It also helps us to feel less stressed out. Have you ever seen shows on television or on YouTube that are strictly for organizing? I like to organize spaces that fit my personal needs. When I organize, it does not have to be perfect. As long as the space functions, the way I want it, that is all that matters to me. I once heard someone on YouTube say something like “do what works for you” when it came to organizing. I can’t remember the exact words or what video I heard that in. When organizing your space, do what is practical and realistic for your own needs. It’s your personal space and it should  reflect and function the way you want it.

Over the weekend, my parents decided to take a weekend trip. This was a project I had planned out for a while. Their original plans got canceled, so they took the opportunity to get away for the weekend. They needed a house sitter to watch over their property and feed their animals. While they were gone, I wanted to surprise them with a pantry makeover. This plan I had for a few months. I was tired of looking at their pantry because it was messy. I also could never find what I was looking for.  

How I planned this pantry makeover:

1. First, measure the inside of your cabinets to determine how much space you have.

2. Next, take a look into your cabinet to see what types of organizational products will be needed; for organizing your cabinet; or pantry. I used baskets and jars. Look at the food items in your pantry to determine which items should go in baskets and inside the jars.

3. When looking for jars, containers, and baskets, check places like your local thrift stores first. Bring a tape measure with you so you can see if these items will fit into your pantry. My parents have adjustable shelves. I still had to measure everything first to make sure they would fit properly in the pantry before I actually bought the items. I see containers and jars all the time at the thrift store for super cheap, so check their first. You don’t have to buy matching containers either. Buy things that will work for your lifestyle needs and your space. For this project, I got super lucky and found all the jars at the thrift store. I did not have good luck finding the correct baskets at the thrift store. If you don’t have any good luck at the thrift store, finding containers or jars, you can check stores like Amazon, Target, Walmart, TJ Maxx, and other big box stores for glass jars and baskets. I loathe plastic containers for organizing food. I will admit that in my home, I have plastic bins for storing holiday items, but when it comes to food storage I believe baskets are the better option. Plastic is very toxic to our health. We all have been exposed to plastic in our lives. We all have particles of plastic in our bodies. We do not even know it, which is a bit scary. For health reasons, I stay away from plastic bins when storing food. Also, I find that plastic bins look cheap. When organizing a cabinet, baskets look nicer and will hold up over time. Plastic, over some time, will bend out of shape. Plastic will also melt and releases toxic chemicals into the planet. Plus, plastic gets dirty and is hard to clean. Baskets are the better option, especially for our health. Baskets go on sale, so look out for those sales in the stores. 

4. Next, start organizing everything by category. I started taking stuff out of the cabinet and gathering “like” items together. I moved all the pasta and placed them in one central zone. Then, I arranged all the soups and placed them in another central zone. I put all the snack items together. Then all the random food items were stuck in one area and handled last. I did that for every item in the pantry. If you have anything old sitting in the cabinet, be sure to toss it.

5. If you already own some containers and jars in your cabinet, take out food items and wash out those containers and jars. If you already have a few baskets in your pantry cabinet, take them out too, and clean them out. If you purchased new containers and jars, make sure to wash them first before you go to put your dried goods in them.

6. Next, I cleaned out my cabinets of all the gunk stuck on the inside of the walls and shelves. With soap and water, make sure to wash and dry the surfaces in the cabinet. 

7. Then, I ended up turning two of the shelves upside down. It was sagging from the amount of weight on it. Turning the shelf upside down will reshape the shelf, and flatten it out. 

8. Now is the time to think about how you want to organize the cabinets. I like to make everything in the cabinet easy to access. I like to zone each area of the cabinet. For instance, I kept all the pasta and sauces near each other. I had the snacks in one spot where my parents could easily reach them. I did not want to crowd the cabinets. Therefore, the snacks and crackers baskets were not on the same shelf. All the canned food I like to keep on the bottom shelf. It is the heaviest of the items on the shelf, therefore makes the most sense in my parent’s pantry to be on the bottom shelf. If you have too much-canned food items or extra food, consider designating another space or a cabinet in your garage for those items. That is what my parents do. 

9. Now, it is time to organize your baskets and jars. My parents had a lot of different types of nuts in bags. The only nuts that they had the most of were peanuts. All the peanuts went into one container. The rest of the other bags of nuts went into the basket. The same went for the raisins. They went in a container. All the other excess nuts, chocolate, and other odd snack foods also went into the basket. For the glass jars, I liked to store pasta inside of them. For the pasta that was used frequently, I decided to put it into glass jars. The new pasta they bought to try out, stayed in its original box. Now, my parents already had a lot of glass jars and containers to store their dried goods. I took everything out of every container and glass jar they had and placed them in bowls. I washed every container and jar they owned. I also rearranged every jar and container. For instance, my parents buy cornmeal to use for making pizza. It is so the crust does not stick to the pizza brick. I put the cornmeal into a smaller container. The container it was in was too big. Now, that empty larger container could store something else like pasta. When I was recently at the thrift store, I got lucky and found great jars for organizing my parent’s dried goods. They needed more glass jars because they did not have enough to work with. Anything that came in a smaller package that I knew my parents would frequently use when cooking went into a smaller container. All the larger items used frequently went into a larger container.

10. Lastly, all the jars and baskets got labeled. I made it so my parents could remember what goes in each container, glass jar, and basket. I highly recommend you label everything. Labeling your items will help you to stay organized.

11. Now, it is time to enjoy your space! Remember to always keep your pantry clean and organized. You will thank yourself later when you love knowing where everything is in the pantry. Plus, you will enjoy feeling less stressed out, knowing you worked hard to make your space look nice. I always say “less is more”. I think it’s such a true statement. When you struggle with having a small space to work with, always remember to condense the items you have. Make sure the items go into containers, jars and baskets. When you organize this way, your more likely to use see the food you have and actually use it.

Here is how the pantry makeover started: WARNING, the first picture is something we can relate too! Funny, that my dad thought this was pantry was organized. My mom, on the other hand knew it bothered her. Help is on the way…

Here is a picture of my parent’s pantry before starting this project. It was fun organizing this pantry but also a lot of work.

Their pantry was a hot mess and I could not find anything in it. Stuff was shoved in random places on each shelf. Who knew what hidden gems were in this cabinet?

Before beginning this project, I accessed what organizational items I would need before starting the project. A few weeks prior to doing the project, I had purchased some of my items online.

Here are the items I ended up buying for the pantry:

I bought all these baskets online. I got the baskets from Target and Walmart. I went searching online for the right size baskets that fit the measurements of the pantry. These baskets all fit in the space perfectly.

These are the jars that I found at a local thrift store. I got lucky because two of the jars already had labels on them. For all the smaller jars, I paid $26. The large spaghetti jar was $15.

Now, it was time for the fun part… taking out all the items in the pantry and organizing them. The first thing I started doing in this pantry was I started taking stuff out and categorizing it. As you can see in this photo above, I put all the cans of tuna together, all the beans together and mixed fruit. When going through your can food, see if anything is old and needs to be tossed. I found a leaking can of green beans. The can was rusted! Who knows how old it was!

Next, I took out all the dry goods from the containers and jars  that my parents had in the pantry so they could get washed. Plus, I wanted to reorganize what was in my parents containers and jars.

I ended up putting all the tea and coffee together. That got organized into a basket. I took out all the coffee in each bag and placed it inside of a coffee jar they already had. The goal is to condense your items so you have more space to work with.

My parents had a lot of baking items. Most of them got condensed into a jar. For flours and sugars, putting them into jars is best because leaving them in the original package is messy.

My parents actually own a few plastic canisters. I may not like plastic for storing food but I wanted to utilized as much of what they already owned in that space. They were a gift my dad got years ago from a family member for Christmas. These snacks went into a container. My mom likes to have bars on hand for when she thinks she will be out all day and needs a snack to hold her over. I was able to get all her snacks into the container.

My parents have a lot of nuts and raisins. The raisins went into their canister. All the smaller bags of nuts were put into a basket. My parents buy a lot of peanuts. The peanuts went into a canister as well.

Most of their beans went into a jar. They always have them on hand. My mom likes to make split pea soup so she always keeps split peas on hand.

I gathered all the pasta together. They are going into jars. I bought a large spaghetti jar from the thrift store, that is perfect for the lasagna noodles.

I also gathered all the coasters. These will go into a basket. I took the Holland America Line coasters out of the cardboard so I could fit them into the small basket. The key is to condense your items so you can make space in your pantry.

This is the pantry all cleaned out. Now, it’s time to wash the inside of the cabinets. All the shelves were pretty yucky looking. Some of the sugars and flour had leaked out of the bags they were in. I also turned a few of the shelves upside down. They were sagging from so much weight on them. By turning the shelf upside down, it gives the shelf a chance to straighten out. I like doing this all the time with shelves. Overtime, shelves tend to sag, even if you have one made of wood.

These jars in the above photo, my parents already had. All the jars I bought for this project were put in the dishwasher. I did not think to put my parents jars and containers in the dishwasher. They all got washed by hand.

All the containers and jars that my parents already owned got hand washed. I made sure to wash and dry them good. The only jar, I did not empty was the brown sugar. It was so packed in that jar and it was just easiest to wipe down the outside of that jar. My mom had a tapioca recipe on one of the glass jar lids. I kept the recipe on the lid and I stuck the tapioca back in that jar after it was clean.

Now, it’s time to start placing the items in the pantry. I am playing around with where I think things should go. I was also waiting for the new amazon order for another can organizer. I originally bought a cute can organizer that was too big for the space. Measure and look at your space before buying a can organizer. Most can organizers shelves are at an angle. Some of the products on Amazon show the angle length for the shelf.  This organizer only showed the width, the length and the height. It did not account for the fact that the shelf itself is at an angle. There is a lip on most of these can organizers. Most of the listings on Amazon showed the length of that angled part of the shelf.  Unfortunately, the item I bought did not list that angle length in the item description. When I tried to place the item in the pantry, the door would not close. The lip from the shelf stood out too far. Make sure to check the item measurements for that angled part of the shelf. Therefore, at the last minute I was buying another can organizer with Amazon Prime. This organizer actually fit inside the pantry. Do make sure to measure your space and to check that the item you buy has all the correct measurements.

Now, I am still trying to figure out a good placement for everything. The key is to place things in such away that it’s all easy to access. Overcrowding a shelf, will simply make things in the pantry look cluttered.

I put all the baking supplies together. Like items always go together when organizing a space. Coming soon is a blog post showing  how I transformed the boring oatmeal container into what you see in the photo above.

I placed all the rice together. Now, my parents can easily find their rice.

Beans and all other items went into this section too. I didn’t want to crowd the shelf. The snack basket was next to the snacks in the containers. It the only placement that made the most sense.

I reorganized my parents can food items. Some of the doubles went into the garage cabinet where they store extra food items. Any old surprises found in cans or jars were tossed out. I did find a few items that had to go.

Items that came in boxes like crackers or jello or individual packages like tea all got placed in baskets. All the tiny bags of nuts and chocolate were also placed in a basket too.

The last thing I did in the pantry makeover was I labeled all the baskets, containers and jars. It makes it so much easier when everything is labeled. My parents can easily find what they are looking for. Plus, it keeps my parents accountable for keeping the space clean and organized. Everything in the pantry should all have a home.

Here is the finished pantry. The last thing I did in this pantry was I labeled all the containers, jars and baskets. One basket was not labeled because the food in that basket is not something my parents eat often. These were foods my mom wanted to try.

Cost for the project

Baskets:
Braided Seagrass Crate- Brightroom Basket- $15.00
Home & Garden Woven Natural Basket- $17.14
Wicker Baskets Storage- $14.99

Can Organizer:
3 Tier Can Organizer Rack,Can Organizer- $13.99

Labels:
Crafter’s Square Chalkboard Tag Clothespins- $1.25
Chalkboard Labels- $5.50

Jars:
Jars all came from Alphabet Soup- $26
Spaghetti Jar was from Sax Thrift Store- $15.00

Total Cost:
$98.87

Do you like to organize? Do you have a kitchen project you want to tackle? Leave a comment below! I would love to know your thoughts.

“A place for everything, everything in its place”.”– Benjamin Franklin

“Three Rules of Work: Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity” – Albert Einstein

#kitchenpantryorganization #kitchencabinetorganization #kitchen #organization #baskets #jars #thriftstoreshopping #budgetshopping #clutter #declutter #Amazon #Target #Walmart #ahandmadestory

Tradional Colcannon

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Traditional Colcannon

One of the greatest things about St. Patrick’s day is the fact that I am half-Irish and married to someone whose father was a direct decadent from Ireland. I am also half Italian and have this funny saying that is on a button of mine. Did you know that St. Patrick was Italian? Son of the Roman Citizens. My grandmother gave me this pin years ago and I still crack up about it to this day. Here is a photo:

Hahahaha!!! We Italians and half-Irish folks love a good joke. I was searching for Irish songs in honor of this recipe. Turns out in 1998 Mary Black came out with a song called Colcannon. Who knew this recipe was very famous and adored by many Irish families? I love that this traditional recipe has a song of its own. Here are the lyrics:

Well did you ever make colcannon,
made with lovely pickled cream
With the greens & scallions mingled
like a pitcher in a dream
Did you ever make a hole on top
to hold the meltin’ flake
Or the creamy flavoured butter
that our mother’s used to make

Oh you did, so you did
so did he and so did I
And the more I think about it
sure the nearer I’m to cry
Oh weren’t them the happy days
when troubles we knew not
And or mother made colcannon
in the little skillet pot

Well, did you ever take potatoe cake
and boxty to the school
Tucked underneath your oxter with
your books, your slate and rule
And when teacher wasn’t looking’
sure a great big bite you’d take
Of the creamy flavoured soft and meltin’
sweet potatoe cake

Oh you did, so you did
so did he and so did I
And the more I think about it
sure the nearer I’m to cry
Oh weren’t them the happy days
when troubles we knew not
And or mother made colcannon
in the little skillet pot

Well did you ever go a courtin’ boys
when the evenin’ sun went down
And the moon began a peepin’
from behind the Hill O’ Down
And you wandered down the boreen
where the clúrachán was seen
And you whispered lovin’ praises to
your own dear sweet cáilín

Oh you did, so you did
so did he and so did I
And the more I think about it
sure the nearer I’m to cry
Oh weren’t them the happy days
when troubles we knew not
And or mother made colcannon
in the little skillet pot

St. Patrick’s Day is today and I wanted to share a recipe that my husband craved on St. Patrick’s Day last year. I never got the opportunity to post the recipe last year. He ended working that night and wasn’t able to enjoy the fruits of my labor until the next day. He asked me if I could make Colcannon. Colcannon is a traditional Irish potato recipe. My husband was adopted and his father was a descendant from Ireland. Funny story, my father-in-law’s birthday was the day after St. Patrick’s Day. Being a true Irishman who loved to play jokes on people, he should have been born on St. Patrick’s Day. Making this recipe was wonderful because it reminded me of my father-in-law who passed away back in 2018. He would have been excited to eat this dinner I had made it for him. I don’t know why my husband never told me about this recipe years ago.  Growing up in Ireland, the Irish were blessed with a lot of different types of potatoes. Here in the United States, we don’t see a huge wide variety of potatoes in the grocery store. I don’t even think I saw a huge variety at the farmer’s market either.

This recipe is very easy to make. It doesn’t require a lot of ingredients. Now, if you were to Google this recipe online, you will most likely find the American version of it. When I was making this recipe, I decided to consult my husband’s cousins back in Ireland on Facebook messenger. Since they are miles and miles away, I had to wait a day before I could get a response back on messenger. I was able to get my response to how this recipe was made the traditional way, which was exciting.

Online will tell you that this recipe calls for Kale, which is not a traditional lettuce to use in this Irish dish. The traditional lettuce used in this dish is cheap cabbage. We Americans love to change up a traditional recipe. When I cook, I love authentic traditional recipes, especially ones that were created a long time ago when times were simpler. If are looking for a traditional Colcannon recipe, then you have come to the right place. I ended up loving this recipe so much that made it again the week after St. Patrick’s Day. I figured it deserved a proper blog post. If you ever want to get a traditional recipe, go seek out your family. They might have exactly what you need! This recipe varies from place to place and family to family according to my husband’s Irish cousin. You can add bits you like in this recipe and leave out bits you don’t like. That is another tip from the husband’s cousin. Here is the recipe that I got straight from Ireland. When I made this recipe, I screwed up on two things. The eggs bacon and eggs are cooked separately and are not added to the potato and cabbage dish. When I made this recipe, I did not find out until after I wrote to my husband’s Irish cousins on messenger that bacon and eggs are cooked on the side. His one cousin did a great job of explaining how to make this. My understanding was the bacon and eggs were added to the potato and the cabbage. That is the only part where I screwed up. You can make this recipe the way I made it. Actually, it did turn out really good or you can cook the bacon and eggs separately. That is what makes the dish traditional.

St. Patrick’s Day is here and I wanted to share a recipe that my husband craved last year on St. Patrick’s Day. He ended working that night and wasn’t able to enjoy the fruits of my labor until the next day. He asked me if I could make Colcannon. Colcannon is a traditional Irish potato recipe. My husband was adopted and his father was a descendant from Ireland. Funny story, my father-in-laws birthday was the day after St. Patrick ’s Day. Being a true Irishman who loved to play jokes on people, he should have been born on St. Patrick ’s Day.

This recipe is very easy to make. It doesn’t require a lot of ingredients. Now, if you were to Google this recipe online, you will most likely find the American version of it. When I was making this recipe, I decided to consult my husband’s cousins back in Ireland on Facebook messenger. Since they are miles and miles away, I had to wait a day before I could get a respond back on messenger. I was able to get my response to how this recipe was made the traditional way, which was exciting.

Online will tell you that this recipe calls for kale, which is not a traditional lettuce to use in this Irish dish. The traditional lettuce used in this dish is cheap cabbage. Us American’s love to change up a traditional recipe. When I cook, I love authentic traditional recipes especially ones that were created a long time ago when times were simpler. If are looking for a traditional Colcannon recipe, then you have come to right place. I ended up loving this recipe so much that made it again the week after St. Patrick’s Day. I figured it deserved a proper blog post. If you ever want to get a traditional recipe, go seek out your family. They might have exactly what you need! This recipe varies from place to place and family to family according to my husband’s Irish cousin. You can add bits you like in this recipe and leave out bits you don’t like. That is another tip from husband’s cousin. Here is the recipe that I got from straight from Ireland.

You will need:

  • 1/2 Head of Cabbage
  • 1/2 of an White Onion (I only had purple.)
  • 6 Slices of Bacon
  • 3 Tablespoons of Irish Butter
  • 2 Eggs
  • 5 Floury Potatoes
  • 1 Cup Butter
  • 1 or 2 cups of Milk
  • 1 or 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil  (Traditionally they use Lard.)
  • Salt & Pepper

How to make Colconnan

Wash and peel your potatoes.

In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Boil the floury potatoes until they are soft. I used six potato’s but you can really use as many as you want.

While the eggs are boiling, whisk up some eggs. I used two eggs but again you can use as many as you want.

Now, it’s time to scramble your eggs.

Once the eggs are done cooking, you can start to cook up your bacon slices.

Now that the potatoes are done boiling and you have drained out the water, it’s time to mash the potatoes.

The next step now is to cook the cabbage. You basically want to brown the chopped cabbage. I used a little olive oil to cook the cabbage with.

Now, that the cabbage is browned, it’s time to add the bacon, the eggs and the cabbage, to the mashed potatoes.

Now, it’s time to enjoy the meal!

“An Irish Blessing- As you slide down the Bannister of Life, May the Splinters never point the wrong way.”

Growing up, that hot plate seen in the above picture was my favorite. I remember as a child always reading it as it sat on the kitchen table.

Traditional Colcannon

Irish Family Recipe
This recipe is straight from Ireland...
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Irish

Equipment

  • Potato peeler
  • Potato masher
  • Large Pot

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 head Cabbage
  • 6 slices Chopped Bacon
  • 1/2 White Onion
  • 5 Floury Potatoes
  • 3 tbsp Irish Butter
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 cup Milk
  • 1 or 2 tbsp Olive Oil (Traditionally, they use Lard.)
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Wash and peel your potatoes. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Boil the floury potatoes until they are soft.
  • In a frying pan, fry (sautéed) the cabbage and the onion in lard. When done cooking, set that aside in a dish. In the same frying pan, cook the chopped bacon. When done cooking the bacon, set that aside in a separate dish as well. In that same frying pan, cook up some scrambled eggs.
    In the large pot, drain your potato water and mash your boiled potatoes. In the same pot add your milk, butter, salt, and pepper to taste. Then add the cabbage, onion, bacon, and eggs. Mix it all together and serve.
  • Note: Traditionally, this recipe in Ireland is made with cheap cabbage and is cooked in lard. I didn't have any, so I decided to use olive oil instead. In Ireland, they use the term fried. I assumed it meant sautéed. It means it's done in a frying pan and not deep-fried. I sauté my cabbage and onion in my cast iron pan.
    When I first made this, I actually cooked the bacon and the onion together. I didn't have a white onion so I substituted it with a purple one. White onions have a stronger taste and are traditionally used in this recipe. Now, you can serve the bacon and the eggs separately if you want with this dish, which is the traditional way to make it. You can also omit the bacon if you don't eat meat. I mixed it all together because the bacon gives everything flavor.
    Another term they use in Ireland is floury potatoes. These potatoes have a fluffy dry texture and are great for boiling. For this recipe, I used whatever potatoes I had on hand. Also, I was told you could fry your eggs and add them with your side dish, which is the traditional way to do it. I just simply scrambled my eggs and added them into the recipe. Instead of cooking my bacon whole the traditional way for this recipe, I chopped it up and added it to the recipe. In this recipe, I used regular butter. I highly recommend you use Irish butter because it tastes so yummy.
  • Since this is a traditional Irish recipe, I wanted to make everything authentic in honor of St. Patrick's day and in honor of my husband's family back in Ireland. There were only two mistakes I made, which was the eggs and the bacon are both cooked separately and served on the side. Online has so many different variations of this recipe. None of which, I found to be traditional but more like American. This recipe calls for cabbage and not kale. Kale is not traditionally used in this recipe. I do plan to make this recipe again using lard. I also plan to fry my egg and bacon as well and serve it on the side. I will share an up-to-date version of that recipe in the future. The way I did make it, turned out amazing! For now, enjoy!
Keyword Cabbage, Easy, Irish, Potatos, Side Dish, Simple

#Colcannon #traditionalirishrecipe #easytomake #St.Patrick’sDay #Irish #simpledish #familyfavorite #mouthwatering #luckoftheirish #Irishfood #March17th 

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh! That means "Happy St. Patrick's Day" in Gaelic. My husbands cousins speaks Gaelic and write it too. ☘️

 

Easy Enchiladas

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Easy Enchiladas!

One of my favorite things to eat besides Italian food is Mexican. I enjoy going to Mexican restaurants and eating their food. Most Mexican restaurants serve a lot of food. I love that because I can get two meals out of one dish. I love socializing at a restaurant with family and friends. I enjoy sitting down at the restaurant and having chips and dips. When I am at home, I love to cook Mexican food. When I cook Mexican food, it is pretty basic and probably not authentically correct. In America, we surround ourselves with many different cultures. We also exposed ourselves to different types of foods in this country. That is what makes America a unique place to live. Over the years, we have Americanized many dishes found in other place’s around-the-world. It is hard to know what is authentically correct when searching for recipes online or in a cookbook. In California, Mexican food is something everyone seems to enjoy. In this state, you will see a lot of Mexican restaurants, street vendors selling Mexican food, or simply grocery stores that only sell Mexican food. When you are native and raised in California, Mexican food seems to be the only food people look forward to in this state. When people leave California to visit other places, Mexican food is not the same as elsewhere. Every person in California will tell you this to be the truth. Growing up, my mom used to make enchiladas. She always made easy enchiladas. Cooking easy recipes was something my mom always did. She took after her mom when it came to cooking. She wanted to make recipes that did not have a lot of ingredients. She also wanted to make simple recipes. Growing up, she would make these simple enchiladas. For this recipe, she always used ground turkey. Instead, I made it with chopped chicken instead to change it up. It was a great dinner! It was fun cooking this simple meal.

How To Make Easy Enchiladas

Ingredients:
7 Diced Garlic Cloves
1 Yellow Onion Chopped
1 Can of Olives Chopped
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
2 Cans Enchiladas Sauce
1 Package of Large Tortillas
1 Bag Frozen Chicken Thighs Chopped

Defrost the frozen chicken and chop it up. Cook the chop chicken pieces in a medium size pan.

Next, add the onion with the chicken. Brown the onion until soft and translucent.

Then, cook the sliced olives with the onion and the chicken.

Now, add the diced garlic with the olives, onion and chicken and cook for another few minutes.

Last, add the enchilada sauce to the pan and let it simmer for a few minutes, until it bubbles.

The, add the shredded cheddar cheese to the meat mixture.

Now, it’s time to line the baking pan with some enchilada sauce.

Dip, the tortillas in the can of enchilada sauce.  The enchilada sauce will help to soften up the tortilla. 

Using, a large spoon, add the chicken mixture to the tortilla.

Roll-up the tortilla.

Make, eight tortillas. Then, pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the tortillas.

Bake, in the oven for 3:50 for about 45 minutes. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of the enchiladas when it has done cooking.

This dish serves eight people.

Now, you are ready to serve! Eat your heart out! Cómete tu corazó!

Feel free to comment on the recipe if you want to try and make it or if you end up making it. Also, like and subscribe to “A Handmade Story”!

“Life without Mexican food is no life at all.” 

Easy Enchiladas

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Cuisine Mexican

Equipment

  • 11 x 15 Baking Pan
  • Large Cooking Pan

Ingredients
  

  • 7 Cloves Diced Garlic
  • 1 Whole Yellow Onion Chopped
  • 1 Can Olives Chopped
  • 2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese 
  • 2 Cans Enchiladas Sauce
  • 1 Package Large Tortillas 
  • 1 Bag Frozen Chicken Thighs Chopped

Instructions
 

  • Directions:
    Defrost the bag of chicken thighs. When, the chicken thighs have become completely thawed, cut the chicken into pieces. Next, dice seven cloves of garlic and chop one onion. Slice the olives in the can. In a large cooking pan, cook the chicken pieces with the onion. Once the chicken gets browned, cook the sliced olives with the onion and the chicken. Cook the garlic with the olives, onion, and chicken. Add, the enchilada sauce to the pan and let it simmer for a few minutes. Then add the shredded cheddar cheese to the meat mixture. Line the baking pan with enchilada sauce. Dip, the tortillas in the can of enchilada sauce. The enchilada sauce will help to soften up the tortilla. Using a large spoon, add the chicken mixture to the tortilla. Roll up the tortilla. Make eight tortillas. Then, pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the tortillas. Bake in the oven for 3:50 for about 45 minutes. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of the enchiladas when it has done cooking. This dish serves eight people.
Keyword Dinner, Easy, Family Favorite, Mexican Inspired, Serves Eight People, Super Yummy

#enchiladas #easyrecipe #familyfavorite #superyummy #serveseightpeople #mexicanrecipe #dinner #plentyofleftovers #ahandmadestory #likeandsubscribe

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day! Today is a special Valentine’s Day! A fun fact about today is that most people might not know that in the Catholic Religion, there is a patron Saint named Saint Valentine. He was officially known as Saint Valentine of Rome. He was a third-century Roman saint widely celebrated on February 14. He was commonly associated with “courtly love.” Want to read more about him? Here is an article written on Catholic.Org.

For today, I wanted to share some ideas on Valentine’s Day.  Have you ever loved someone? Ever been in love with someone? Valentine’s Day for me personally has a different meaning. I talk about love in my previous Valentine’s Day post seen here. February is that time of the month again when we start seeing red in the stores, flowers, chocolates, teddy bears, and all the other things one might find themselves purchasing on Valentine’s Day for their loved ones. Sometimes, we get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that we simply forget to slow down and stop and smell those roses. There is so much beauty in this world and when we look around and see it for what it is, we can learn to appreciate all things that God has put in our lives, especially the people in our lives. When were so hyper-focused on work, social media, and family, sometimes we simply forget days like Valentine’s Day. Throughout the year, we should always think of our loved ones regardless of how busy our schedules can get. If we don’t have someone special in our life, then we should at least acknowledge the love we might have for a family member, friend, pet, or simply the love we might have for ourselves. We see so much on television these days about what love should represent. As you might understand, the bible is the only way to understand love. These days we forget how simple love can be and how it does not have to be complicated. Today, on February the fourteenth, we get the chance to love. Love is beautiful! On Valentine’s day, take the time to be with your loved one. Here are some ideas to spruce up your Valentine’s Day:

1. Pray with your spouse, family member or friend. I thought I would share the St. Valentines Prayer:

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O glorious advocate and protector, Saint Valentine, look with pity upon our wants, hear our requests, attend to our prayers, relieve by your intercession the miseries under which we labor, and obtain for us the Divine blessing, that we may be found worthy to join thee in praising the Almighty for all eternity; through the merits of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Pray, then, O holy Martyr, for the faithful, who are so persevering in celebrating thy memory. The day of Judgment will reveal to us all thy glorious merits. Oh! intercede for us, that we may then be made thy companions at the right hand of the Great Judge, and be united with thee eternally in heaven.

2. Slow dance with a loved one or anyone special in your life.

Here are my five favorite Valentine’s Day love songs:
1. Richard Marx- Right Here Waiting For You
2. Bryan Adams- Heaven
3. Glenn Mederios- Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love For You
4. Foreigner- I Want To Know What Love Is
5. Elvis Presley- Can’t Help Falling In Love

3. Cook a romantic dinner at home or just a special dinner for someone specific in your life.

4. Say I Love You. It is so important to love! Does not matter who the person is! Let them know you love them!

5. Watch a romantic movie or a chick flick with someone special in your life.

Here are my bucket list of older movies I want to see:
1. An Officer and A Gentlemen 
2. Against All Odds
3. Women In Love
4. The Rose
5. Beaches

Here is one of my favorite comic strips! I found this in the newspaper on Sunday and had to share it. It’s a perfect way to describe Valentine’s Day! Happy Valentine’s Day, from A Handmade Story’s heart to yours! ❤️

“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” - Charles Schulz

#happyvalentinesday #valentinesday #lovefamilyandfriends #love #ahandmadestory

Valentines Day Gift Guide

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Disclaimer: Please note this post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a commission if checked at no extra cost to you. Though the opinions remain mind. Privacy Disclosure- Here

Valentines Day Gift Guide

Valentine’s Day is coming up in less than fifteen days away. It’s a day that I have always felt should be celebrated every day. Why not make every day full of love? Why not love someone every day or love your pet for those who do not have special someone in their life? Valentine’s Day represents love, which is something we should embrace. Love is a beautiful thing. According to the Bible,

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails.”

February reminds me of the colors red and pink which reminds me of love. It is not just because it’s Valentine’s Day. When I think of February, I feel it represents love, especially the love that God has given all of us in our hearts. Love smells like beautiful flowers whether they are roses sweet peas or the beautiful flowers you find at Trader Joe’s. By the way, if you want inexpensive flowers, Trader Joe’s is the best way to go. The flower Market in San Fransisco is another place where you can buy flowers for cheap. I got my wedding flowers wholesale. They bought from the flower market.  Anyways, back to love! On a one to ten rictcher scale love should rank as a ten for sure. There are so many different types of love. Without love, I do not know what the world would look like.

In the past, many beautiful love songs were written. According to the Marshall Tucker Band, You  May Have Heard in a Love Song many times. These days everyone is feeling a bit like The Righteous Brothers. I understand if  You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ or if you are like Neil Diamond and you got Love On The Rocks. Why not be Jackie DeShannon and Put a Little Love in Your Heart?

As Stevie B. Sings,

“Because I love you, and I’ll do anything
 I’ll give you my Heart, my everything
 Because I love you, I’ll be right by your side
 To be your light to be your guide”

This is such a beautiful song! I love the lyrics and the way it was written. The music video for this song is great too. It makes you feel the love for sure! Love is something we should all embrace. We should understand how powerful love can be. It makes a difference in my life when I love. It helps me to walk in the light daily. It also brings me closer to God. Love does so many beautiful things and it helps you along the way when you might not be having a good day. Love makes me want to love harder when times get tough. It makes me want to learn to love everyone.

According to the dictionary on google:

noun: love; plural noun: loves

  1. an intense feeling of deep affection.

     “babies fill parents with feelings of love”

Today, on the blog, I want to share some Valentine’s Day gift ideas. I thought to share things that I love.
Over the years, my husband has purchased me cheese for Valentine’s Day. I am someone who has never liked chocolate. Here I decided to give you some Valentine’s Day gifts that you can find on Amazon.

Valentine’s Day Gift Guide:

Cheeses:
Mini Babybel Original Snack Cheese
The  Laughing Cow Cheese
Cowgirl Creamery, Organic Mt Tam Triple Cream Cheese
SPRING KOE Red Wax Creamy Gouda

Crackers:
Sonoma Creamery – Cheese Crisps, Bacon CheddarValley Lahvosh Hearts Crackerbread, OriginalRustic Bakery Sourdough Flatbread Olive Oil & Sel GrisRUSTIC BAKERY Organic Rosemary Olive Oil Flatbread Bites
RUSTIC BAKERY Tart Cherry, Cocoa Nib & Almond Crisps

Olives:
Whole Foods Market, Organic Castelvetrano Olives, 4.6 oz
MUSCO Pearls Manzanilla Green Olives Jar, 5.75 oz

Chocolate:
HERSHEY’S and REESE’S Cupid’s Mix Chocolate Assortment Candy, Valentine’s Day, 23.67 Oz Variety Bag
Perugina Milk Chocolate Truffle Bag, 4.4 Ounce (Pack of 4)

Childrens Books:
Here Comes Valentine Cat
A Charlie Brown Valentine (Peanuts)
A Valentine for Linus! (Peanuts)

Cards:
Hallmark Peanuts Valentines Day Cards Pack, Snoopy and Woodstock (10 Valentine’s Day Cards with Envelopes)
Hallmark Assorted Mini Valentines Day Cards for Kids, 12 Cards with Envelopes— 2.25″ x 3.5″ (Unicorns, Bears, Llamas)
Hallmark Paper Wonder Valentines Day Pop-Up Card for Significant Other (Hot Air Balloon Valentine)

Music:
Josh Groban Harmony Deluxe Edition LP Michael Bublé Love LP
Nothing s Gonna Change My Love For You Glenn Mederios CD

Enjoy this blog post! Have a Happy Valentines Day! Make sure to put love into your heart! ❤️

If you grew up in my large Italian family you always heard my grandma say this quote:

“Love in your heart isn’t put there to stay. Love isn’t love till you give it away.”

She is now 101 years of age and if you ask her about the quote she will recite the entire thing. She got a great long term memory for being 101! She got plenty of love in her heart that she now gives away to all of us in the family. ❤️

#valentinesday #february #love #giftguide #valentinesdaygiftguide #music #bible #ahandmadestory

 

Easy Mexican-Inspired Breakfast

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Easy Mexican- Inspired Breakfast

Growing up, I had the opportunity to watch my grandmother cook a lot in her home when we would go up and visit her. My grandmother was someone who did not know how to cook. My grandfather had to teach her how to boil water when they were starting their marriage so she could make some pasta. Over the years, my grandmother learned how to cook. She was a self-taught cook who could make anything taste yummy. She would collect recipes and cookbooks over the years and be inspired to make something easy and delicious. She was known for writing notes in her cookbooks or on napkins found in her cookbook. She was always playing around with recipes and seeing which ones she liked the best. One of the things my grandmother was known for was cooking simple dishes. She never cooked recipes with lots of ingredients or long directions. She never picked out recipes with things you could not find in a traditional grocery store. She was all about simple cooking! Now, I look back and miss her cooking so much. When I visit her in her home, we always like to talk. Sometimes, we discuss food. My grandmother remembers how much she used to cook and thinks she is still cooking in her kitchen. It is cute to talk to her as if she’s still cooking.

One morning, I could not figure out what to make for breakfast. I wanted something simple but not traditional eggs and toast. I was not in the mood for having a bowl of cereal or cooking up some oatmeal. Instead, I was craving something with a dollop of sour cream on it. That morning I decided to make a Mexican-inspired breakfast. I love Mexican food because it is delicious and so flavorful. I have made this recipe before. I enjoy the simplicity of a dish like this. What I love about this recipe is that these are all ingredients you might already have in your refrigerator. I decided that morning that I wanted to make this simple breakfast. Then I would turn it into a blog post. Well, I ended up making breakfast and forgot to add two ingredients. When I photographed the breakfast, I disapproved of all the photos. Several days later, I made the same breakfast again. This time, I had all the right ingredients, and my pictures came out the way I envisioned. I figured I would share the recipe. This breakfast is so easy to make. It does not require a bunch of ingredients. It is colorful and tasteful, plus it is supper yummy.

Ingredients:
6 Eggs
6 Mini Tomatoes
Pepper
1/2 Bell Pepper
2 Small Tortillas
1 Avocado
1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese
1/2 Cup Cilantro
Sour Cream

Directions:
In a bowl, whisk six eggs. In a large skillet, heat some butter on low. Once the butter is heated, add the egg mixture. Cook some scrambled eggs. I like to sprinkle pepper first before I cook the eggs. A trick I learned once when watching a YouTube video was to let the egg mixture sit for about twenty seconds in the pan. Stir the eggs with the spatula, lifting and folding as you go along. Then for another ten seconds, let the eggs sit and repeat the lifting and folding process. Once the eggs are complete, turn off the burner. The eggs will turn out perfectly when you cook them this way. Next, chop some tomatoes and bell pepper. Shred some tortillas and add them to the egg mixture. Add the chopped tomatoes and bell pepper to the egg mixture in the pan. Top with shredded cheddar cheese, cilantro and avocado. Serve with a little dollop of sour cream. This dish serves about two to three people. Enjoy!

“Cooking well doesn’t mean cooking fancy.” – Julia Child

9. 1 Corinthians 10:31 “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

#mexicaninspiredrecipe  #cooking #easyrecipe #ahandmadetory

Easy Mexican-Inspired Breakfast

Jodi
Easy to make Mexican-inspired breakfast with ingredients found in your kitchen.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 days
Cook Time 5 days
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 3

Equipment

  • 1 Skillet

Ingredients
  

  • 6 Eggs
  • Pepper
  • 7 Mini Tomatoes
  • 1/2 Cup Bell pepper
  • 2 Corn Tortillas
  • 1 Avocado
  • 1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese
  • 1/2 Cup Cilantro
  • Sour Cream

Instructions
 

  • In a bowl, whisk six eggs. In a large skillet, heat some butter on low. Once the butter is heated, add the egg mixture. Cook some scrambled eggs. I like to sprinkle pepper first before I cook the eggs. A trick I learned once when watching a YouTube video was to let the egg mixture sit for about twenty seconds in the pan. Stir the eggs with the spatula, lifting and folding as you go along. Then for another ten seconds, let the eggs sit and repeat the lifting and folding process. Once the eggs are complete, turn off the burner. The eggs will turn out perfectly when you cook them this way. Next, chop some tomatoes and bell pepper. Shred some tortillas and add them to the egg mixture. Add the chopped tomatoes and bell pepper to the egg mixture in the pan. Top with shredded cheddar cheese, cilantro and avocado. Serve with a little dollop of sour cream. This dish serves about two to three people. Enjoy!

Notes

When I made this recipe, the eggs were the only thing I cooked. For the tortillas, I had to warm them up in the microwave. The ones I had were frozen. They last longer when you freeze tortillas. You can warm the tortillas or if you want you can cook them on the stove. For this recipe, you can use any kind of bell pepper. I didn't cook the bell pepper or the tomatoes. I just added them as if you were making a taco salad. Enjoy the recipe!
Keyword Breakfast, Colorful, Easy, Light, Mexican Inspired

DIY San Fransico 49er Earrrings

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DIY San Francisco 49er Earrings

Disclaimer: Please note this post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a commission if checked at no extra cost to you. Though the opinions remain mind. Privacy Disclosure- Here

As a little girl, I started making earrings at a young age. It was my mom who taught me how to make earrings. She had given me this jar of beads that used to belong to her. In her high school days, my mom was always making earrings for every different outfit or date she went on. When I was in the fourth or fifth grade, my mom, taught me how to make earrings. My mom does not currently make earrings anymore but my nine year old niece now does because I have taught her how to make them. Today, on the blog, I wanted to show you how to make your own pair of earrings. I thought I would do something special, in honor of the San Francisco 49ers winning their first playoff game. 

A memory I had growing up, inspired me to put together this entire blog post. When I was a little girl in my family, we used to sit and watch the San Francisco 49ers on our thirty-two-inch picture tube television. The television, we had sat on this medal stand with wheels. The television was a little bit bigger than a size of a banker’s box. We did not have a remote or cable television. Growing up, I got good at understanding the back of the television. Sometimes, wires would come undone from the television, and I would have to fix them. To watch television, I had to turn the switch on manually. To turn the station, you had to turn the dial. Since my family lived out in the country, we only had about five stations on our television. When a new television station came in locally, it was heaven to us. If we wanted to watch a clear television station, we had to play around with the rabbit ears. The highlight of our lives back in the nineties was when we upgraded to new rabbit ears. We even had foil on the rabbit ears to make the reception on the television even stronger. We could not get cable where we lived because we lived in the country side on a hill. I did not grow up with cable television until we moved away when I was nineteen in 1999, to a small town where we were forced to get cable because my parents rabbit ears on their television could barely pick up one station. This would be the first time my parents had to pay to watch television. As a child, sitting in front of the tube television with our rabbit ears brought our family close. It made watching sports so much fun! We would all cheer, when Joe Montana would score a touchdown or the San Fransisco 49ers would win their game. The highlight of the generation I grew up in was that every professional sports game was aired locally on television, regardless if you had no cable. Growing up in the 8eighties and nineties, it was a treat for anyone who didn’t have cable to get the opportunity to see all professional sports games on television. That is something I truly miss about this generation now. Today, sports games are aired on all different types of media platforms and sometimes aired locally or mostly on stations like ESPN. As a kid, I was always excited to see the San Francisco 49ers play on television. I remember watching Joe Montana play on television. He is my all time favorite quarterback and football player. He was amazing to watch because every play he made was perfect on the field. Sitting in front of that little television and seeing Joe Montana make a touchdown was the most exciting highlight during the game. As a family, watching the San Francisco 49ers back in the eighties and nineties was exciting because we all wanted to see Joe Montana make plays and win games. 

A few days ago, I felt inspired to make a new blog post because the San Francisco 49ers had just won their first playoff game for the season. I also wanted a pair of San Francisco 49ers earrings since I don’t have any football earrings in my sports collection of sports fashion. I figured that in honor of the San Francisco 49ers winning their first playoff game, I would make a blog post and show you how to make some simple earnings. 

How to make San Francisco 49er earrings
The tools you will need:
Letter Beads
Number Beads
Red Sea Beads
Earring Hooks
Ball Pins
Jewelry Pliers

All the supplies you need can be found at any art store or on Amazon. I provided links to everything on Amazon.

First, string on the gold and red sea beads onto the head pin.

Next, you will string on the number beads.

Now, you will string on the letter beads.

Lastly, we are going to attach the earring hook to the head pin. You will need your needle nose jewelry pliers.

With your needle nose pliers you will create a loop to hook the earring hook onto. See the first earring in the photo below.

Hook the earring hook onto the loop. With your needle noes pliers you will close the hoop.

Here is another view of me trying to close the earring loop with one hand, while trying to photograph the image with the other hand. I need to buy a mini table top tripod.

Close the loop, so the earring hook is secure.

These are what the earrings look like in the end. Enjoy wearing them!

Go San Fransisco 49er’s!

The sweatshirt you see in a few photos actually belongs to my mom. Back when Joe Montana was playing she would wear this sweatshirt. On the sweatshirt is a date from 1995. In honor of the playoff game, I decided to pull her sweatshirt out from the 90s vault and wear it for good luck. Prayers we win this next game!

“When the game is over, I just want to look at myself in the mirror, win or lose, and know I gave it everything I had.”-Joe Montana

#SanFranciso49ers  #49erfaithful #footballfanforlife #joemontana #jewelrymaking #earrings #DIY #Crafts #ahandmadestory

It’s The New Year Holiday

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It's The New Year!

Disclaimer: Please note this post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a commission if checked at no extra cost to you. Though the opinions remain mind. Privacy Disclosure- Here

It’s time to ring in the New Year!

 It’s That Time of Year Again!

Sorry for the long delay in making a new blog post! Life happens and puts things to a halt sometimes. You have to deal with that first because it’s the most important priority in your life at the moment. It’s important to prioritize your life. When challenges get in your way, don’t let them stop you from doing things in life. Now that the New Year has started, I need the inspiration to start writing more blog posts, on a more regular basis. Send some prayers to help me get inspired to tackle this blog regularly! 

It is the new year and I want to make some new resolutions. Do you ever make new years resolutions? Me, I usually don’t make New Year’s resolutions. Now, come back to me during Lent, and I will tell you that I do make Lenten promises and lately in the last several years have been keeping those promises.

This past year, I did a lot of thinking. Now, it is the new year and I want to make a lot of solid changes. Right after Christmas, I called my mother-in-law to thank her for my lovely new Christmas gifts and she asked me this question “Do you have any new years resolutions?” It’s so cute because she will ask this same question every single year. I could not think of one simple thing when I was on the phone with her. I told her, that I wanted to get back to her on that one. Today, I decided to make a blog post on this topic. Her question got me to do some thinking. I think, sometimes after Christmas, we all get so tired from the holidays that we find ourselves in this lull of dullness. January is a boring month for me. Although this year, California has been hit with many storms in January, so it takes away from the boring weather pattern we have had in years past. After doing some thinking, I came up with some ideas that might help you choose a new years resolution and stick to it. What are your New Years’ resolutions? Here are some questions to ask yourself:

What things this year would you like to change about yourself?

What are you struggling with the most? What bothers you to the core? For the last ten-plus years, I have felt so disorganized in many different areas of my life. This year, I decided to clean up my act. Thinking about my younger years when I was super organized, I am reminded of the simplistic life I had. Back then, I could keep my small bedroom organized. My schoolwork was always organized and done on time. I was very good at saving money as well. This year, I want to change so many things in my life that I feel are keeping me from accomplishing some of my goals. I want to change my spending habits and the way I shop. I want to keep my space neat and make sure my calendar is organized whatever plans I have that day. There are so many little things, I want to get done this year. I want to ring in the new year, with a new plan.

Do you have any goals you would like to accomplish?

When it comes to goals, I believe in starting with one small goal. Make it a realistic goal and one that over time can be accomplished. Setting too many goals at once can be so overwhelming, so I don’t recommend doing that. My goal is to grow this blog and I hope this year I can make that dream a reality. I have to start small! Today, I was just inspired to get at least one blog post finished for the week. If you are struggling in this area, just set yourself up with one small goal. It could be as simple as wanting to relearn how to ride a bike. That is another goal on my list. If you are reading this, feel free to subscribe and find me on all social media sites. Also, share my blogs with others. I want to see this blog grow and morph into something special.

What is something you want to do more of?

I am a Catholic and this year, I want to continue on my path to getting closer to God. I also am doing a lot more writing this year. I highly recommend a gratitude journal. I have been writing in mine daily. I also was given the best advice once on vacation. I was taking an exercise class at Trinity Alps Resort. In the class, the owner of the resort who teaches the class was explaining how to be present. She said when she gets on her horse, all she focuses on is riding her horse. She was in class explaining all the different benefits that being present can help you. It can help you to focus throughout your day. Lately, I have been reminding myself to be present. When I exercise, my focus is on exercising. As I write this blog post, my focus is on this blog post. When I am at a party, my focus is on socializing and enjoying the party I am attending. When I am with family, my focus is on my family. It’s so wonderful to be present in life. You start to notice the things around you. All other things, like our cell phones, become less present in our life when we are focused on what we are doing at that moment. Practice staying present!

What things do you wish you could have done in the past and would like to change now?

Growing up, I was an organized person. I loved to plan for stuff. I still to this day, enjoy planning and organizing my plans. I want to change the way I plan for events because sometimes I find myself planning things at the last minute. I want to be organized in advance when I plan. When I am hosting a party, I want to prepare food in advance or make sure I got all my party decorations done ahead of time. I want to make sure that when I am Christmas shopping, all my shopping is done way in advance. For instance, this year, I wrapped all my Christmas gifts in one day several days before Christmas. That took the stress off me because I was not rushing at the last minute to wrap gifts. Next year, I want to wrap my gifts even earlier than I did this year. My best friend will have gifts bought several months in advance and wrapped way earlier than expected. She inspires me to want to get things done in advance.

Is there anything else you want to add to your New Year’s Resolution?

This year for Christmas, my best friend got me some very useful gifts that I love. One of the gifts she bought me was a gratitude journal. When life gets so stressful and we are not present, we forget to be grateful for all the goodness that is present around us. Have you ever heard the saying “Stop and smell the roses?”  When were not present in life, we forget to stop and smell the roses. This year, I want to stop and smell those roses. Every day, I write in my gratitude journal. It is very healthy for our brains to train ourselves to think positively. Our day goes smoother. We get better sleep at night. We just overall are enjoyable people to be around. When I am present with God, my day just feels amazing. When I am not in tune with God, all things tend to go wrong in my life. This year, I am not going to let my thought process go off track. Receiving this gratitude journal has made a difference in my life so far. It holds me accountable for my writing each day. I am hoping that it will inspire me to write more blog posts each week for A Handmade Story. My goal would be to try and put out two posts per week, so I can grow this blog. I would love it if you supported this blog. Prayers are appreciated and if got any creative ideas, send them my way! I would love to hear your thoughts.

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Here is the book my best friend bought me for Christmas: Gratitude One Line A Day

#itsthenewyear #newyear #resolutions #newyearsresolutions #ahandmadestory #gratitudeonelineaday #write #goals

Christmas Time Is Here!

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Christmas Time Is Here!

It’s that time of year again! Christmas is approaching, and the month of December is a wonderful time to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas. It’s a joyous time of year. Christmas isn’t about just buying gifts or putting up a Christmas tree, while at the same time, you’re sending out perfect Christmas cards. Christmas is more than just that. It’s about celebrating the birth of Christ. If you are religious, then you will appreciate Christmas even more on a spiritual level. Christmas doesn’t technically start until December 24th. In this crazy world, we live in, Christmas tends to start in October. These days, everyone is on the Christmas bandwagon. Many bloggers, DIYers, YouTubers, and people, in general, all seem to be decorating for Christmas way early. For me, the majority of the decorating starts once my husband and I get a Christmas tree. My husband and I both love a real Christmas tree but don’t always love the price that comes with a tree each year. We always manage to get a tree that is within budget when we do a little research. To us, it is the perfect tree, and being able to sit by it when watching television or listening to music on our vinyl record player. I love to exercise right by the tree. It feels cozy when I am working out to have the tree next to me with the lights on. We get a real tree because we also love the smell of it. Plus, we don’t have room to store an artificial tree anyways. Someday, when real trees skyrocket in price, will consider a fake one. That will be a sad day if that does happen.

When I think of Christmas, I always appreciate our creator God. I feel blessed in so many ways to have him in my life. Christmas is a time when we can reflect on so many wonderful things. It’s a great time to reflect on our birth or if you have children, the birth of your child. Christmas is also a time to appreciate life in general. The greatest gift of all is the miracle of birth. There are so many people in this world who might not get to experience such wonderful things this time of year.

During December, I love listening to Christmas music. Some people, hate it. Others will listen to Christmas music in July. For some reason, we now have the idea that we can sell Christmas gifts in July and play Christmas music in July. I will not forget when my family and I were in our truck coming back from vacation looking for music on the radio when we heard Christmas music in July. We were so shocked and were not interested in listening to it when it was super hot outside. I have a big love for music. I have been to a lot of concerts in my life. My husband is a musician himself and he plays different instruments. He was in a former band back in his younger days. He sometimes gets concert tickets through his job. My love for music isn’t about what’s popular on the radio. I can listen to every genre of music. I love listening to artists who write their music, tell a story through song, and sing from their hearts. I love when they also play instruments and have a musically talented band. Music feeds my soul.

In December, I love listening to Christmas music because it gets me in the spirit of the holiday. For instance, I love listening to 50’s Christmas music. I picture a home where the family is listening to the radio or they’re watching television on a box with about three stations. I see falling snowflakes in the background and family getting together during Christmas. I vision a simple Christmas tree. I picture what my grandparent’s and parent’s generation was like. I also am reminded of my simple childhood that I am so lucky to have experienced. I remember as a child one time, getting so excited for Christmas morning. It was the night before Christmas in the first house we ever lived in, and my parents had music on their stereos. All of us kids were in bed. I assume my parents were maybe wrapping presents. I will never forget that memory. Just hearing the music as I went to went bed made me super excited for Santa Claus to come the next day.

In honor of Christmas arriving soon, here is a list of some Christmas songs I love.

#MerryChristmas #Christmas #music Christmasmusic #favoritechristmassongs #holiday #ahandmadestory #www.ahandmadestory.com

How To Transition Halloween Decor To Fall Decor

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How to Transition Halloween Decor to Fall Decor

For every holiday, I love to decorate. Growing up, I would always decorate my parent’s home for each holiday. I enjoyed it when my dad would pull out the Halloween decorations that we had for many years. Now that Halloween has ended, I thought I would show you how to transition your Halloween decor into fall and thanksgiving decor. When I think of Halloween, I think of skulls, the color orange, and black, spiders, bugs, rats, black cats, scarecrows, pumpkins, and more.

This year, I happened to be in my favorite store, Target and I came across some pumpkins in the dollar spot at the store. I fell in love with them because they came in many beautiful fall colors covered in lovely fabric. They weren’t your typical styrofoam pumpkin either. I also bought some pretty pumpkins made from natural material at Target as well. I love pumpkins and when you buy them in the store you sometimes find the traditional orange pumpkin. This year, I chose pumpkins that were more fall-like and ones that were made with natural materials because I wanted something I would put every single year and enjoy. I wanted pumpkins that I knew would last for years to come. I am not someone who buys holiday decor every single year. For some reason, these pumpkins made me happy and I knew that I would love having them in my home. This year, I chose to decorate the top of my hutch after being inspired by doing this last Christmas. I have been having fun decorating the hutch. This was a hutch that my parents bought when they were first married. The hutch was purchased from someone my parents knew in the 1970s. It’s a hutch that has a lot of meaning to me. Its been in our family for as long as my parents have been married. On top of that, you would never know that this hutch was bought second-hand. Last year for Christmas I decided to decorate the hutch for the holidays. Something, I had not done before. I love decorating the hutch now. I wanted to show you how you could do this too if you own a hutch, a tabletop, or even a shelf.

When trying to transition you’re decorating from Halloween to fall and thanksgiving, stick with decor that has fall colors, natural materials, or stuff that doesn’t scream “it’s strictly for one holiday”. Fall colors and natural materials are very popular right now and I am not mad about that at all. Choose fabrics that look lush, and find things that will elevate your decorating. Get creative and add a little bit of love into your space. There are so many different ways to decorate your space. There are different materials I love decorating with. I love burlap, wood, china, silver, linen fabrics, candles made from natural materials instead of artificial chemicals, and so much more. I like decorating with these materials because I know that they will last forever. The key is to make investments in your home so you aren’t constantly buying new stuff every single year.

When I was at another favorite store of mine, I came across some real mini pumpkins and gourds. With the mini pumpkins, you can eat them later as a vegetable. Trader Joe’s has the best prices on mini pumpkins and gourds. They are lovely to decorate with because you get several uses out of them. I use them for food photography when I am not decorating with them or the fall season has ended.

Last year at Trader Joe’s I came across this wool potholder. I love it! The colors are a lovely fall color which is what drew me to this potholder. I love to decorate with this potholder and use it in my food photography as well. I also bought Trader Joe’s Broom cinnamon broomsticks. Trader Jo’s is the only store that carries this particular item every single year and I love it. I love the way my house smells. You have to buy them at the beginning of the October season because they sell out fast. They can be used for the fall for sure. Why not have a broomstick in your Thanksgiving decor. In my case, I might keep it up for Christmas too. It smells so good. Maybe, I will decorate it with a Christmas bow. With these broomsticks, I was told you could get them wet the following year to help them smell again. You can keep these broomsticks year-round. They will smell for a very long time.

Another piece of decor that I purchased one year at a Christmas craft fair was this pumpkin picture I bought. I love it because it again can be used not only for Halloween but for fall decor as well. If you know how to paint, you could easily make this sort of a project.

When it comes to decorating my biggest tip is to shop around your house first. Look for things that you can reuse over and over again. Look for decor that is in fall colors. You might find a bowl that would look pretty displayed on the table with some pumpkins in it. Don’t be afraid to shop around your house or use last year’s decorations. I do this all the time when I am decorating. You will be so surprised how much stuff you might find around your home that would look lovely during the fall season.

On top of my hutch, you will see three cake stands, one cookie stand that I bought from a craft fair, and a two-layered cake stand that I got online from a company in Ireland. I love decorating with these items because of their height. I can get creative with my cake stands which I love. I placed my pumpkins on my cake stand as you will see in the photos.

Another decorating tip is to invest in a cute little fall kitchen towel. One year, I was in a small little boutique store and I found a cute little kitchen towel. Every single year, I pull out this towel and I hang it up in the kitchen. It just makes me so happy.

When I was at the dollar store, I bought this cute little scarecrow. It is the perfect Halloween and Thanksgiving decor piece. Again, it is something that makes me happy. I can’t wait to decorate with it next year.

I also decided to change out my china in my hutch. I don’t have a lot of fancy china or room store anything in this condo. I decided this year, to change out the china I had in my hutch. I originally had china that belonged to my dad’s side of the family. I decided that I wanted to put it away in the hutch and revisit it during the springtime. The floral pattern reminds me so much of spring. In springtime, I will for sure be bringing out the floral china and doing a more spring-themed style for the hutch. This year, I got creative with my hutch and pulled out all my pottery. I have a love for handmade pottery. For many years, the pottery sat in my hutch. The only time I would use it was for a party. I don’t buy much pottery because I just don’t have the storage space in my place to store it. What little I own in my hutch is stuff that I collected over the years of being married. The plates you see in my hutch used to belong to my parents. My mom no longer wanted this set of dinner plates. I gravitated towards them. They were perfect for decorating the inside of the hutch. The dinner plates are very neutral so they go great with all the pottery I have in my hutch. Making, that small change inside my hutch has made me happy. I love the way the hutch turned out. It does make my home feel very fall-like without doing drastic changes or buying all new stuff. I love keeping it simple when I try to decorate sometimes. Christmas is the only holiday I do the most decorating. I enjoy decorating even though I am not a designer. One tip I always have to remember is that when you are decorating, keep things simple. Don’t feel like you have to purchase new stuff because the store you walked into told you to do so. Have fun decorating, using what you have. Make it something you enjoy when walking into your home. For me, it’s the little things in life that make me happy. This year, my fall decorating has made me happy. Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

For fall this year, I took down all the Halloween decor except for the pumpkins. They make great fall decor. They serve as double decor for two seasons. I also removed the Halloween place mats. Now, Unforgettably, I don’t have pictures of what the hutch looked like after I took out some of the Halloween decor. I forgot to photograph the hutch after I was done revamping it for Fall. Now. I did change out my china in the hutch for some handmade pottery I owned. Shop around your home and you will discover that you have so much stuff you can use to decorate with, if you use your creative imagination. I never seem to think to change out my hutch pieces. This was the first year I decided to decorate the inside of the hutch for fall. I love it!!! I will try to share some pictures of the hutch soon. I decorated for the next holiday. This happens to be a late post. I just wanted to share it. I hope to post more often once I have a regular routine going. I am still learning all about blogging. Its taken me awhile to sit down and formulate post like this. Enjoy! I hope you had a great fall season!!!

My favorite things to decorate this year were with the pumpkins I got from Target and the real pumpkins I bought at Trader Joe’s I also love the broom from Trader Joe’s as well. I can’t wait to decorate next year for fall with some new ideas with the stuff I already own. Happy Fall and enjoy the next holidays to come!

#HappyHalloween #Halloween #halloweendecor #Target #TraderJoe’s #simpledecorating #reusingwhatIown #transitioningdecor #transitionghalloweendecortofalldecor #mindfullshopping #thinkoutsidethebox #decorating #updatemyhome

Yogurt Parfait

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Yogurt Parfait

October is here! Fall is a great time to embrace that beautiful October weather. Growing up, I never really thought about the different seasons and what each season brought to the table. Now, that I am older, I enjoy the different seasons that mother nature has given us. People love to say that Californians don’t experience different seasons. When you live in this beautiful state, you get to experience the different seasons with all the greenery or mountains that might surround us. It’s an exciting feeling when you know that fall is here and you can start wearing warmer clothes. It’s also fun to start cooking fall-like dishes for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

This year, I got a head start on my fall-like dishes. I created a lunch idea that will please anyone who loves to eat. This is a lunch I made one day here at my parent’s house. While visiting my parents and helping them out for a short period, I wanted something healthy to eat for lunch. I made this yogurt parfait using the homemade yogurt my dad put together in his instant pot. What I love about this recipe is that it’s so easy to make. You can serve this for breakfast or even as a dessert. I love how colorful the dish is. It doesn’t require a whole lot of ingredients either. It’s a fun simple fall dish to please anyone!

Side Note: I get my Muesli’s at Trader Joe’s. They have the cheapest price, compared to all other stores.

Yogurt Parfait

Jodi, from A Handmade Story
Quick and easy breakfast or lunch dish.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 1 person

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Yogurt
  • 1 half Sliced Bananas
  • 1/3 cup Blueberries
  • 1/3 cup Raspberries
  • 1/4 cup Muesli

Notes

In a small bowl add 1 cup of yogurt. Then sprinkle your mueslis on top. Add your sliced bananas, blueberries, and raspberries. Serve cold! Enjoy!
Keyword Breakfast, Colorful, Easy, Parfait, Yogurt

#breakfast #colorful #easy #parfait #yogurt #yogurtparfait #yummyfood #healthy #cooking #fewingredients #TraderJoe’s

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Exodus 3:1 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts–

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