I love napkin rings for dressing up a table as you can get wonderfully colourful impact for very little effort. But I refuse to pay big prices for something that I know that I can make at home. This little project is so easy and so budget friendly that you will be jumping up and down with joy. Ok. Maybe not jumping up and down exactly. But you will love this project’s simplicity. {And you knew it would be another ‘yellow’ project, right?} All that is needed is; Shower Curtain Rings {I got a package of clear rings at Dollarama for $1.25} Read More »
Tortellini Soup
Admittedly, I am not a fun of tortellini by itself, but this is a soup that I love and it has become a great dinner for us on our ‘meatless’ dinner night. Three members of my family also love this soup….my little guy is “OK” with it. This soup is great for cleaning out your vegetable drawer as it can take almost any vegetable in it. When I recently made this soup, I used up some white onion, red onion, spinach, kale and broccoli…I just threw it all in so my vegetable crisper was cleared out of this and that. Read More »
A Spring Vignette…
Happy Monday! I hope your weekend was as enjoyable as mine. I spent some more time frou-frouing the house for Spring. Along with creating this little vignette in the mudroom, I also vacuumed up about 5 pounds of sand that got tracked in. {Sigh.} But at least the dirty, sandy room looks pretty if you don’t look at the floor, right? I happened to stumble across the fabulous burlap “Spring” sign while I was trolling around HomeSense a while ago. And the best part? It was only $7.99…I couldn’t create it for that price! It’s calling for 5 cm of snow here Read More »
A Pretty Picnic To Celebrate Spring…
A friend of mine was telling me how bummed she was feeling and the spring couldn’t come fast enough for her. I decided a ‘picnic’ resuce was in order….the perfect ‘pick-me-up’ for a kindred spirit. I quickly put together a basket and whisked her away to a local art gallery/library building to share lunch together in the building’s atrium. {Remember in yesterday’s post I mentioned some ‘yellow’ themed projects coming up?} I made a few sandwiches and tucked them into glassine bags and tied them with baker’s twine for a little bit of pretty. I also threw in some Pellegrino Lemonata Sodas with yellow striped straws. Read More »
A Spring Mantel
I can smell it….Spring is just around the corner…just 5 days away. I’m completely feeling it as I freshen up tablescapes around the house. I have loved yellow for years and years….it has always been one of my favourite colours for home decor….as the colour of my walls can attest…painted in 2005. It is such a perfect herald to spring….sunny days ahead. I live in Canada’s largest most northern city where winter temps can read -40…. so Spring is really something to celebrate. I want to warn you….I have a few yellow projects coming up in the days ahead. Part of a Read More »
Our Family’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
It’s a right of passage that almost every family, at one time or another, declares a certain recipe their ‘favourite cookie’ recipe…you know….the one that everyone likes and that Mom {or Dad} gets asked for over and over again. The cookie that the children’s friends ask for. The cookie that disappears in nary a blink of an eye. For our family, like many others, it is the chocolate chip. And again, if you are going to take the time to make cookies, I have these 3 tips for you. Real butter. Real sugar. Real vanilla. Quality ingredients make a quality product. Real Read More »
Inspired by Pinterest: A Trash ‘Can’ for the Car…
I know lots of us Pinterest junkies have probably seen this project floating around on various Pinterest boards. A plastic cereal container repurposed as a trash for the car. Loved this idea when I saw it…brilliant! It took me a while to find the right size container….I finally found one at Superstore. It’s so much better than just a bag used as garbage. I drive lots of kids everywhere for different activities….and a garbage bag always gets tossed around from front to back and often turns into a sticky, smelly, drippy mess that sometimes gets accidentally dumped on the floor of the car. Read More »
Happy Birthday Candy Jar
Lately, I have had an obsession with mason jars. I just think that this humble jar can be dressed up in so many fun and giggly ways. I also like the presentation factor…..the jar becomes a vessel for beautiful colours to shine through. I even have a pintersest board called, ‘Things In A Jar”. My kids are not invited to as many birthday parties as they used to now that they are older. Older kids tend to have smaller parties. And we seldom buy toys or clothing for gifts anymore because older children like to pick these things out for themselves. We give gift Read More »
Raising A Teenage Daughter…
One afternoon last week, I got a text from my daughter. Could I come pick her and her best friend up at school? I said I could and I drove to the school within minutes. As soon as the girls came toward the car, I could tell by their postures and facial expressions that something was wrong. I asked right away and after a little coaxing, I got the whole story from them before we left the school parking lot. A tale of an exceptionally bad day involving embarrassment and public humiliation at the hands of some boys. They were Read More »
Layered Salad In a Jar
Just as you are reading this post, I am most likely digging into my lunch….which is this yummy layered salad in a jar which I made on Saturday. Can you believe that I made 10 of these jars on Saturday and there are only 2 left? I was chatting with my friend Ronda last week and she was telling me about a recipe from President’s Choice for a layered salad that she had tried. I was so inspired by our chat that I got busy making this salad in my own kitchen. It is a super easy recipe…. just Read More »
This is where I live…
I adore this video of our home right now…the province of Alberta. If you have never been to the Rocky Mountains of Canada…enjoy!
Featured at ‘Style At Home’ Magazine’s website today…
I am being featured at Style At Home magazine’s website today as part of their series on budget- friendly decorating ideas. This is my third feature on their website…..the two others were Halloween decorating in October, and Christmas cookies in December. With all the time I put into this hobby, it is just a teensy bit thrilling to be asked to contribute to this magazine. You can see today’s feature here.
How To Make A Kitchen Recipe Board
I have wanted to create this project in my baking area for a long time. This is an idea I have seen on other blogs and I just love the practicality of it…using the inside of a cupboard door to create a bulletin board. This project requires: 12in x 12in cork tiles {I used 2 tiles for this project.I got mine at Zellers, but have since found tiles at Dollarama} white school glue masking tape scrapbook papers & embellishments recipe cards push pins ~all of these supplies can be found at a dollar store~ The first step is to decide Read More »
Our Birthday Boy…
A few weeks ago, my youngest celebrated his 11th birthday. Although my husband was going to be away on an 8 day business trip on his birthday, I decided to go ahead with the birthday party plans on my own. Our guy requested just a few friends to help celebrate his birthday….which was totally fine by me. Our days of themes and treat bags and perfectly themed-out everything are over because, to be honest, he doesn’t care about any of that stuff. He just wants fun. Real fun. He doesn’t want “Mommy-the-Party-Planner” birthday. He just wants to have a good time Read More »
Finding Space In Our Kitchen…
I have been playing around in our kitchen…looking at our space and trying to puzzle how we can get more use out of our present counter space. At issue is our old microwave….. which is on it’s last legs. It currently sits in this little nook by the pantry. It was my husband’s suggestion to replace it with an over the oven model. It would free up the counter space here. Brilliant! I don`t know why we didn`t think of this before! Here is our present hot beverege set up….in a teeny, tiny space of counter by the fridge. The only Read More »
6 Week Bran Muffins with Chia Seeds
Have you read about or tried chia seeds? They are the latest super food… an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and fiber. They look like small, greyish seeds…bigger than poppy seeds. I picked up a bag at Costco and I have been adding them to our muffins and oatmeal. I even adapted my 6 week bran muffin to include some chia seeds. I have been making this bran muffin recipe for many years…it’s my favourite bran muffin recipe….moist & tasty. {I am always so disappointed when I buy a bran muffin and it’s dry and tastes like sawdust. Yuck!} Read More »
Can’t Wait For These New Books…
Hello dear friends! Sorry I have not been in blogland lately. My hubby was away on business for 8 days and I was completely focused on the kids…driving them to all their activities and keeping up with everything. So it turned into a little unexpected blog break! I did a boys’ birthday party all by myself…including a round of laser tag at the local place and a sleepover…in which the boys actually slept! Ha! *** There are 3 new books coming out this spring for which I can hardly wait! The first is the new Pioneer Woman cookbook…making it`s way Read More »
Pink Tulips…
Some $4.00 flowers from the grocery store…perfect to brighten a winter’s day. Hope you find a bright spot in your day as well! xo
How To Make A Family Documents Binder
I really want to thank everyone who has been hanging out with me this week! It’s been so much fun sharing some of my home managements tips and ideas with you! On Monday we talked about meal planning. Tuesday involved chatting about the 10 best ways to save money on groceries without using coupons. Revolutionizing your laundry routine was Thursday’s topic. Today I want to share where we keep all of our family’s important documents. *** Do you have a system for keeping your important family documents under wraps? Maybe you have these papers in file folders or a box? Maybe they are Read More »
How To Revolutionize The Laundry Routine So Mom Doesn’t Go Crazy!
In days gone by, Monday was the traditional day for a homemaker to do her family’s laundry. Monday was the chosen day because laundry was hard, back-breaking work and it was best to tackle this after Sunday’s day of rest. I am sure that this homemaker thought this modern machine was a huge improvement over just a plain tub of water and a paddle….which at the time I am sure it was! When I was growing up in a little village in Nova Scotia in the 1970’s, our next door neighbour was still doing her laundry with one of these. {below} She did her Read More »
10 Best Ways To Save Money On Groceries Without Couponing
We are all busy people, right? Not all of us are inclined to spend our free time finding coupons, clipping coupons, organizing coupons and carrying them around with us at all times. It just isn’t praticall to commit to that kind of time & dedication for many people. So how can you save money on groceries if you don’t coupon? There are several things you can do to save money on what you spend on food each week. You probably use a lot of these strategies already, but maybe you might find one new idea to use! 1. Don’t Shop This Week. Read More »
5 Easy Steps to Meal Planning
So, here at Echoes of Laughter, we are going to talk about some super fun home management stuff this week! Hopefully, you will find some ideas that you make your life easier! Today is about “Meal Planning”. Tomorrow, I will be sharing some ideas on “Saving Money On Groceries Without Couponing.” Wednesday’s topic will be “Revolutionize Your Laundry.” On Thursday I will be sharing an organizational project you won’t want to miss as it it something that all families should have. *** Meal planning is so important for families. It is the key to healthy meals, controlling the grocery budget and avoiding Read More »
So Canadian Eh: Please visit me over at hodge:podge today to see my interview….
The lovely and wonderful Barb of the blog hodge:podge is featuring me today as part of her amazing series on Canadian blogs. Thank you so much Barb for including me in your series…I am thrilled! Please click here to visit my interview. Please tell Barb I sent you over and make sure to visit her archives to see more interviews from this delightful series! { A few weeks ago she interviewed Suzanne Dimma~the editor from Canadian House & Home Magazine!}
A Vacation Memory Jar
I have wanted to make a ‘Vacation Memory Jar’ for a long time. I just love the look of them….something touchable and tangible. Inside this jar rests the memories and sand from our family vacation to Florida in March 2011. I really would have loved to use an antique jar, but I had visions of it being knocked or smashed on the floor….those types of things happen in this house….so I found this acrylic jar to use as a safer choice. I like the size and shape…perfect for this project. I used simple twine to tie around the Read More »
Feeding Kids After School…
Like so many other moms, I have super hungry kids that come in the door every day after school. They are hungry and want to eat. No if, ands for buts. I see it as an opportunity to feed them something that will really nourish their bodies. {Below~fruit plate with a yogurt dip} My son takes a packed lunch to school and usually eats all of it. Since he attends a sports academy for school, his school day includes lots of physical activity and he comes home ready for another meal. My daughter is in High School. She used to take Read More »
Organizing Magazine Tear Sheets
Over the weekend, I seriously dug into some organizing projects that really needed attention. I had stacks and stacks of magazines that needed to be dealt with. Let me preface this by saying that for years I have been a huge magazine junkie. I love reading them and they have been such a source of inspiration to me. I hate letting them go, but I cannot have piles of stuff around the house for very long. For years, I have ripped out ‘inspiration’ pages from magazines and organized them into file folders. I debated switching them into binders, but that would require hole-punching and Read More »
Valentine Sweet-spiration Week:Valentine Vignette
If I had to choose between decorating for Valentine’s Day and Christmas Day as a favourite way to spend a few hours…I am not sure I could choose. I mean, who could not help but love adding the theme of romance to their home? It was a perfect day for decorating projects because it was insufferably cold outside again today….in the area of -40. I put on some big band music and dug around my collection of Valentine’s things to create a vignette. Here’s a tip for creating a vignette…books with coloured spines are great things to use…today I gathered up Read More »
Pretty Packaging for Valentine’s Cupcakes
If you have read my blog for any amount of time….you know how I love pretty packaging. And I want to share with some you great ideas for packaging for those little cupcakes we made yesterday. But first, I want to tell you about my day. In my little corner of the world, it was -28 celsius when we woke up this morning at 6:50 am. Check out the thick frost on the inside of the window in our breakfast area. And on the door. Brrrr. I spent my day inside of course. We drove the kids to school this Read More »
Sweetheart Mini Cupcakes…
If I were going to open a cupcake shop….this would be the chocolate cupcake that I would treat my customers to. It is that good. Moist, rich and absolutely divine. And the best part….it is a super easy recipe that takes about 5 minutes to mix up. No special equipment or ingredients needed. The cupcakes are topped with a chocolate glaze that is equally easy to make without complicated ingredients. Before I share this recipe with you, I must put on my recent favourite apron. And here is my kitchen assistant….my soft fluffy. Her name is Rigley. She always keeps Read More »
Valentine Sweet-spiration Week: Table Decor…
I am so happy to be able to share with you some budget-friendly table decor ideas for ‘Happy Hearts Day’. This pretty table was created for just under $10. Yes! It’s true! $10. Fresh flowers would be awesome for decor, but I wanted decor that I could use a few times…. for a little brunch with some friends the week before Valentine’s Day, as well as for a special family meal on the day itself…and fresh flowers wouldn’t last that long. And I wanted the decor to be budget friendly and re-usable. In the aisles of Dollarama, I picked up 2 packages of red heart Read More »
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