Mason Jar Herb Garden

I love fresh herbs...who doesn't. What I don't love? Buying them from the grocery store. I decided this year to have my own personal herb garden. I started with some herbs outside, but I also wanted some inside. I was looking around my house for possible planters, when I saw my stock pile of mason jars...yes normal people use them for canning, but I am still a novice at the whole canning thing.

So I bought some of my favorite herb plants (sage, parsley, thyme) and potting soil. Then I took my mason jars and I spray painted them with my new favorite color blue ocean breeze first used in this little craft. It took several coats to get the coverage I wanted. You will want to make sure to only spray paint the outside since you are planting food inside.

After the paint had dried I put some soil in each jar and then transplanted the herbs. Then I stood back and smiled at my cute little Mason Jar Garden.  

These would make lovely gifts. Just pop a label marking which herb is in each jar and tie a bow on it. Anyone would LOVE this present.

Won Ton Chicken Salad

Spring time is almost over, summer is quickly approaching...ew yuck, I hate summer. However, summer means SALADS. I heart salads. All kinds. This is one of our favorites and is a total crowd pleaser.

Chicken Won Ton Salad

1 head of lettuce, iceberg or romaine

2 chicken breast, cooked, and cut into bit-sized pieces

3-4 green onions, sliced

1/2 cups slivered almonds

1/4 cup sesame seeds

20 won ton wrappers, cut into thirds and then fried

Dressing:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Mix all of the salad ingredients, but the wrappers. Add those to the salad right before serving. Also right before serving pour on salad dressing, to your desired amount. Toss.

Serve with a side of this...

Asian Spaghetti

A fresh side of this is never a bad idea either.

I may not like a whole lot about summer, but salads, well I love salads.

Vinyl Tablecloth Bib How-to

Vinyl Tablecloth Bib How-to

Supplies:

vinyl tablecloth
coordinating fabric about 1/2 yard
about 18" of bias tape
coordinating thread
snaps and kit
my pattern...or you could trace a bib of your own
click on image below for download

Print off and cut out the pattern for the bib. Trace the pattern onto the wrong side of tablecloth. Cut out.

Trace and cut out 2 pieces for the pocket from the pattern. If you have a print on your tablecloth, make sure to line up the patterns as close as you can when you trace on the pattern.

Trace and cut out an additional bib piece from the coordinating fabric.

To make your pocket, take the bias tape and pin it into the top of the two pocket piece...right sides facing. Sew along the top about 1/4 inch seam, securing the biased tap in. ONLY run your seam along the top.

Turn out. Your pocket should now look like this.

Before pining the two bib pieces together, align the pocket piece in the right spot and then pin the two pieces, right sides facing, together securing the pocket in place.

Sew around the entire outside of the bib, leaving a small opening to turn out the bib, the opening should not be where the pocket is.

This is what it will look like before it is turned out. 

Be patient and careful when turning it out, the vinyl could tear in this step. Once it is turned out, use a pointy tool to make sure the neck bands are completely turned out. I use a skewer. 

Once it is completely turned out. Fold in the edges where you left your opening. Then, starting there, sew around the complete edge of your bib with a small seam allowance. 

Now it is time for the snaps. Your snap kit should give you instructions on how to do this. 

Using a hole punch, make a hole where you would like your snaps to be.

Make sure to line up the right snap pieces together. Similar to using a grommet, you will use the tools in the kit to hammer the snap in place.

Here is what the neck bands should look like when done.

There ya have it...a bib. These bust out really quick. I made several this in a weekend. Our littlest man has used them a lot. When he is done, I simply use a washcloth and wipe the thing down. Easy as that. These would also make a great baby shower present.

They are even cute without the pocket, if you want to leave that step out.

I would love to see your final products. Good luck, have fun!

Vinyl Tablecloth Bib

Tomorrow I am going to show you how to make this awesome wipe-offable bib...

from these...

It is pretty easy and the possibilities are pretty endless. So go stock up on vinyl tablecloths and come back tomorrow.

Sorry you have to wait a day. I caught up on some much needed sleep last night AND I am getting ready for company this week, YAY! 

A Hilarious Mommy Moment

Does anyone else have days that leave them worn out, defeated, cried out, and thinking that you must be the worst mother ever? I have had a couple of these kind of days recently...I find it ironic that they are happening right before the holiday that is supposed to celebrate the very act of mothering!

I also find that whenever I feel like that, the little characters in my life will provide me with a reminder of how great it is to be a mom. Whether that be through a little act of sweetness or a good old belly laugh moment.

Here is a recent belly laugh moment that I was much in need of...

Enter oldest little man

and his rowdy sidekick, little man #2

These two LOVE to play "car make scavenger hunt"...aka they like to look for and call out all different kinds of cars.

While I am driving I often hear, "Honda", "Toyota", "Ford"

As we go through the parking lot, it is the same story.

The other day we were walking from the car into the grocery store and the car spotting began.

Oldest Little Man- "Honda"

#2 Little Man- "There's a Toyota"

Hubby and I are only kind of paying attention at this point

Oldest Lilttle Man- "Hey a Jay-Sus"

Here Hubby and I stop. Both of us simultaneously saying 

"a what?"

To which Oldest Little Man points to this..

and says "a Jay-Sus"

After quickly stopping the laughter that automatically came out of both of us, we gently corrected him...also reminding him that he knew what that word was...then shamelessly we both continued to laugh. 

Our two little men continued to call out other car names the rest of the way, oblivious to how much it had just made our day.

It is pretty great to be a mom.