Lost Bobby Pins

If you’re like me, you lose bobby pins all of the time, and then find them all over the place! …in the car, between your bed sheets, in old purses, in your vacuum cleaner, etc.

Here are a few simple tricks to help keep your bobby pins a bit more organized.

• Did you get a new watch in one of those cute tin jars or a cardboard box? How about that candle that came in the cutest tins? Perfect! The bobby pins will fit in just right and you'll have a tight lid to keep them from spilling.
• Keep them in a tic tac container, spice jar, empty matchbox, or a cute tin that you got your Christmas gift cards in.
• Attach them to a magnet strip, like the ones on the back of refrigerator notepads
• Make a clothesline of sturdy string to hang them on, either hung between two points or tied together into a circle
• Make a magnetic pin cushion into a magnetic bobby pin holder.

Magnetic pin cushion

Fossil watch tin

Garage Treasures

I  found these drawers in my garage that my husband used to have.

 They were holding random things, but I decided to clean them up and add them to my laundry room for additional storage.

They fit perfectly between my washer and dryer! But, I didn't really need to use them for laundry storage because I have plenty of shelving, so I made them bulk storage for my pantry.

The drawers are just shallow enough to hold a standard height can. I labeled the front of the rows so I can see where certain cans are. My top drawer holds the bulky pasta boxes and bags. Removing these items from my pantry freed up space for our daily items, like snacks, and kept the bulk items out of the way until they are needed.

What do you have stored in your garage? Anything useful like this random cabinet of drawers? I also found a  few neat cube shelves, a rustic basket, and some handy fabric buckets!
Garage treasures!

Tie Rack to Jewelry Organizer

When my husband and I got married, I moved into his house, which thankfully has his and her separate closets. Unfortunately for him, he had to switch closets so that I could have the larger one.
He had this tie rack on one of the walls. If we tried to move it to his closet, we'd have some major holes in our wall. So, we decided to leave it in my closet and put a new one in his.

Well, obviously I don't wear ties. But it has turned out to be the perfect thing to hang my jewelry, belts and scarfs on! There are plenty of hooks, which allow my necklaces and bracelets to stay untangled. The larger hooks are perfect for belts. And the ledge on top is great for watches. I save one hook on the end for my pajamas, too.

Not only is it perfect for men and their ties, but it is fabulous for ladies jewelry!

(Ours is a Tie/Belt Accessory Rack from Men's Warehouse for only $19.99.)

Sweat for Just 20 Minutes

A few years ago I discovered a personal trainer who is also a New Balance Ambassador, Holly Perkins.
She has great workouts that are only 20 minutes or less! 20 Minute Sweat, Cardio, Total Body Tone, Yoga, and 20 Minute Tank Top Arms.

It is encouraging to know that I can get a fantastic workout in just 20 minutes. In the midst of my busy days, I can surely fit in 20 minutes each day, right? Right! Plus, I enjoy mixing and matching different exercises in order to work target areas.

Here's a snapshot of her workouts. Let me know which ones you like!

20 Minute Sweat

(This one is my absolute favorite workout!)

• 10 Minute Workout for Tank Top Arms
• 10 Minute Total Body Workout
• Cardio 360
  This workout DVD includes a 20 minute cardio session, 20 minute total body tone, and a yoga segment. It is great! It requires hand weights (5 or 8 pounds) and a workout mat (you could use a blanket or towel as a substitute).
• Summer Shape Up.
  Holly encouraged her followers to participate in her Summer Shape Up program. Here is her suggested schedule:

Stuck on the Fridge in Style

Is your refrigerator littered with magnets like this?

Here is an easy, cheap and quick way to add some style to your fridge magnets. Not only will it look more organized and less cluttered, but it will match your room decor, too!

Step 1. Pick out scrapbook paper that matches your room, yet has a bit of pop too! (You could also use a cute paper bag, old greeting cards, or anything else with a crafty design). You may also want to choose stickers or accent paper. 

Step 2. Trace the magnets on the paper, cut the paper and attach with strong tape to the front of the magnet. 

Step 3. Add some stickers or accent paper to the background paper (optional).

Step 4. Place on your refrigerator, as functional decor!

This one is my favorite! The white trim is the original magnet, the silver design is an old paper gift bag,  "faithful" is a sticker, and the blue frame is an old label marker. Remember, use your resources!

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

One of my favorite meals is chicken pot pie. But, everytime I read the box in the grocery store, I can't bring myself to buy it! Yuck!

So my dear friend, Christina, lent me her recipe for the dough (courtesy of Christina Scheitel, House of Scheitel Pie Crust). I adapted the directions and made up the filling recipe, but I'll be tweaking it in the future.

Pie Crust Ingredients:
-2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, plus a bit extra for rolling the dough later
-2 sticks of unsalted butter (or 8 ounces); very cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
-1 tsp salt
-1 tsp sugar
-6 to 8 Tbsp ice water

Pie Crust Directions:

1. -Combine flour, salt and sugar in a food processor. Pulse until ingredients are mixed.
   -Add the cubes of butter and pulse 6-10 times, until the mixture resembles coarse meal with pea sizes chucks of butter.
   -Add ice water 1 Tbsp at a time, pulsing the mixture until it begins to clump together. (If you pinch some dough together and it holds, then it is ready. If it doesn't stay together, add more water and pulse again).
2. -Remove the dough from the food processor and mound onto a clean surface. Gently shape it into 2 discs. (Knead it just enough to form the discs, but do not over knead. The chucks of butter will allow the crust to be flaky)
   -Sprinkle a little bit of flour around the discs. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but no more than 2 days.
   
3. -Remove the crusts from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes (which allows them to soften enough to roll out easier).
   -Lightly flour a flat surface and roll out with a rolling pin into a 12 inch circle, about 1/8 of an inch thick.
   -As you roll out the dough, check to make sure it is not sticking to the surface below. If it is, add more flour under to prevent the dough from sticking.
   -Carefully place into a pie plate, lining the bottom and sides.
   -Pull it onto the top rim, which will hold the dough in place while it bakes because baking will cause the dough to shrink.
4. Filling Ingredients:
   -14.5oz can of mixed vegetables (or steamed, fresh mixed vegetables: peas, carrots, celery, lima beans, green beans, etc)
   -1 can of cream of chicken soup
   -seasoning of your choice (Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, etc)
   Filling Directions:
   -Combine vegetables, cream of chicken soup and seasoning in a mixing bowl.
   -Gently pour into pie crust, filling in the sides and making sure it is level.
5. Roll out the other disc of dough into a circle, the same as the first disc. Lay it on top of the filling, pinching together the two pieces of dough around all edges. (I used a knife to add a decorative pattern on the top dough. You can also brush on some olive oil and sprinkle the top with seasonings.)
6. Fill and bake on 400F for 30-35 minutes.

Homemade fruit snacks, 100% fruit!

I found this recipe for fruit snacks that is 100% fruit (no sugar and other stuff), plus it is simple!

Ingredients:
-1 can of 100% fruit juice concentrate (frozen)
-8 unflavored gelatin packets (.25oz)
-mold, ice cube tray, or similar tray

Directions:
-Pour 1/3 cup of the fruit juice concentrate into a small saucepan. Sprinkle on 2 packets of gelatin on top. Let sit for 3-5 minutes.

Concentrate and gelatin sitting in a saucepan 3-5 minutes.

-Put saucepan over medium heat and stir continually for at least 5 minutes, until all of the gelatin is dissolved. (Note: If it is not all dissolved, your fruit snacks will not taste good at all! I made this mistake on my first batch. Play it safe and cook it "too" long since you can't overcook it!)

My seashell shaped molds!

-Remove from heat and pour into a measuring cup or gravy boat (something with a pouring lip)
-Pour into molds (ice cube trays, mini shape molds, etc). Work quickly so the gelatin will not harden on you!
-Let sit for 30 minutes. I prefer to place mine in the refrigerator because it hardens more quickly. If you try to remove them and they are too soft, let them sit for more time. Sometimes I let mine sit in the fridge for a few hours and then they are much easier to remove.
-Once removed, mine were very sticky, so I patted them in a pinch of flour and sugar. No more stickiness and now they are powdered!

Dipping in flour and sugar in a sandwich bag

Enjoy!

Powdered fruit snacks!

-One can of concentrates and 8 gelatin packets makes around 100 fruit snacks, depending on the size of your molds. You can make more that 1/3 of a can at a time, but I only had one mold that could hold only 1/3 cup. See pictures below.

Healthy Mexican Sweet Potato Skins

Healthy Mexican Sweet Potato Skins

This is my new favorite recipe!

I made these one night for dinner, we had leftovers as a side with pork chops the next night, and I ate the last bit cold for lunch the following day. Yum!

(I found this recipe on pinterest, from Pinch of Yum blog)

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 60 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Serves: 6
Ingredients:

• 3 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 can corn (rinsed and patted dry)
• 1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 Tbs butter
• 1/2 yellow onion (chopped)
• 1 ounce light cream cheese
• 1/4 cup light sour cream
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup cilantro (roughly chopped)
• 2 cups shredded cheese (any kind will work!)
• optional: 2-4 cans chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced or pureed

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake whole sweet potatoes for 45-60 minutes.
• While sweet potatoes are baking, cook corn in skillet over medium-high heat (no butter or oil). Sprinkle with salt or other Mexican seasoning. Let the corn roast for several minutes before stirring. Continue to roast and occasionally stir for 10 minutes, until the corn is brown and roasted on the outside. 
• Set the corn aside in a bowl with the black beans.
• Saute onion in butter over medium heat until soft and translucent. Add to bowl with corn and black beans.
• Remove sweet potatoes from the oven when they are fork-tender. Let them cool for a few minutes. Cut the sweet potatoes in half and scrape out the inside flesh, leaving the skins intact. Place the insides in the bowl with the corn, black beans and onion. (I suggest leaving a thin layer of potato inside to help the skins hold together better).
• Mix the flesh of the sweet potatoes with the cream cheese, sour cream, half of the cheese and salt. (and optional chipotle peppers). Mix with a mixer or a spoon, depending on how soft the potatoes are. 
• Gently add in the corn, black beans, onion and cilantro.
• Scoop the filling into the skins and sprinklw with shredded cheese. Broil for about 5 minutes until the cheese is melted.

These are great as a main vegetarian meal, an appetizer or a side dish. Enjoy!

The 300 Ab and Core Challenge

We all want that flat tummy and tone abs, right? I found this workout that incorporates 11 different exercises that will strengthen your obliques and abdominal muscles. Major benefit: it only takes 15 minutes! You do 25 repetitions of each exercise, and 50 of the last exercise. That totals 300! How awesome is that?

 I've done this workout every other day for the past few weeks and can already tell a difference. (My husband can tell too!) My goal is to be able to complete each set without pauses while wearing 2 pound ankle weights. Whew.

Will you take this challenge with me? Let's hold each other accountable! It will be great :)
Note: I did not take the photographs or create these exercises! 

Roll-Up V-Ups. Lie flat on your back with legs straight out, and arms extended overhead. (see below.)

Bring your body up as if doing a standard sit-up, touching hands to toes. (see below.)

Slowly, lower your torso towards the floor, simutaneously bringing your legs up off the ground at about 45 degrees. (below)

Now, bring your torso back up and reach for your toes while your legs are in the air! (below) Imagine creating a jackknife position with your body. Your legs and hands should actually get closer then the below photo.

Lower your entire body to the floor and repeat 25 times.

Leg Climbers. Lie on your back with one leg bent, foot flat on the floor. The other leg should be out about 45 degrees.

You want to climb this extended leg, by first grabbing your thigh, then your knee, (see above) then your calf, then your toe. That’s the easy version. I do a two-touch. I just grab onto the inside of my knee, and then continue using my abs to pull me up. (below) You don’t want that extended leg to move around too much, keep it on the same plane the whole time. It will want to move as you crunch up. Fight it!

Repeat 12 times on one side, then switch and repeat 12 on the opposite side.

 

Cross-Leg/Wide Leg Sit-Ups. Lie flat on your back with legs wide, in a V.(See Above)

Place one hand behind your head and bring your torso up to perform a standard sit-up movement (see above.) Try to keep your legs on the floor.With one arm straight, (see above) try to go straight UP, instead of just over your legs. Sit-Up straight, and then cross your straight arm over to touch your opposite leg. (See below.)

And slowly lay back down. That’s one repetition. On the next repetition, switch arms and cross over to the other side. Repeat these 25 times, alternating sides. If you’re unable to keep your legs anchored, use dumbbells to help anchor your lower body.

Scissors. Life flat on your back, extending one leg towards the ceiling, and lifting the opposite leg off the floor just a few inches. Flex your feet.

Alternate legs in a scissor motion, hold each switch for three seconds. Keep your skyward leg as straight as you can! Repeat these 25 times.

Hip Butt Ups. Lie on your back, open your hips and bend your legs so that the bottom of your feet are touching. (see below.)

I have no idea why my eyes are closed. In pure abdominal bliss, apparently.

With your arms at your sides, rock your hips, lift your pelvis and drive your feet directly up towards the ceiling. When lowering back down, do not let your legs touch the ground. Repeat 25 times.

Heels to the Heavens. Lying on your back, extend legs straight up, with arms at your sides. Lift your butt off the floor (see below.) When raising feet, imagine touching the ceiling with the balls of your feet. Keep your feet very flexed. Be sure to lift the legs straight up at 90 degrees, and not towards your head. Focus on maintaining straight legs.

Repeat this motion 25 times.

In-N-Outs. 

Just like it sounds. Sit on the floor with your hands at your sides. Raise feet off the ground and bring knees to your chest. (See above.)

Straighten legs out (see above), hold for a beat, and bring your knees back into your chest. This is one repetition. Repeat 25 times. For a bit more challenge, raise your hands above your head.

Bicycles. Sitting in the same position as the In-N-Out, move legs in a wide, circular motion as if pedaling a bike. 1 revolution counts as one rep. Repeat 25 times.

Reverse Bicycles. Same as above, but instead of pedaling forward, petal backward. 1 revolution counts as one rep. Repeat 25 times. To increase difficulty on the Bicycle, raise arms straight overhead.

Crunchy Frog. Same position and movement as In-N-Out, only your hands are OFF the floor and wrap around your knees (without grabbing or touching your knees) when your knees are at your chest. (See above.) When you extend your legs back out, arms should be stretch out as sides, parallel to ground. (See below.)

This counts as one rep. Repeat 25 times. (Sorry for the blurry photo.)

Kayakers. You’re almost done! Seated, clasp your hands together and raise your feet out, 4-6 inches off the floor. You may need to bend them to make this easier. Twist your upper torso from side to side, touching your knuckles on each side. Do these fast, like your kayaking a fast river. Do 50. If you can’t do 50, do 40. If you can’t do 40, do 30. You will be able to do 50 one day!

Ahhh! You just completed (if you did 50 kayakers) 300 abdominal exercises! You’re on your way to a strong and svelte core!

Now, stretch it out!

Cobra Stretch. Lie flat on your stomach and raise your upper body off the floor, supported by your arms. Your thighs should be resting on the floor.

Childs Pose. Sitting in your knees, fold you body over your legs and relax head and arms on the floor.

How to Clean Your Wedding Ring

I can’t recount the number of times that my husband and I enjoy marveling at my beautiful wedding rings! But lately I’ve been ashamed because they are SO dirty and cloudy and not so sparkly. Anyone else feel my disgust?

I was playing a scavenger hunt around my house trying to find the jar of ring cleaner from my jeweler. Since I moved in with my husband, my ring cleaner and curling iron has gone missing (strange things to lose, huh?)

I was complaining about this to my grandmother, desperately asking if she had anything I could clean my ring with. She taught me a great, simple and cheap tip on how to clean my rings.

Ammonia water.

Ingredients: 

-Ammonia (I bought a 1.8L jug from the Dollar Store for $1.50)

-toothbrush (I got a free on from my dentist, but you can get a cheap one at the Dollar Store too!)

Directions:
1 part ammonia, 1 part water. (I used about 2 tablespoons of each in a coffee mug).
Drop your rings in the solution and let them soak for about 1 minute.
Dip a toothbrush in the ammonia water (not the one you use on our teeth! Buy one from the dollar store) and scrub the ring.
Rinse and dry off.
Now admire your sparkly (nearly new) ring!

My Story As A Nonperfectionist Housewife

Just Jana

I am a 21 year old brunette with a classy style, knack for organizing, love of reading, passion for music, joy for fellowship, and a desire to learn through everything. 

Well, I've only been a nonperfectionist for just a few years, and a housewife for about 2 and 1/2 months. 

"Perfection is my enemy." -Francesca Battistelli

Growing up, I've always been good at what I've done. I easily excelled in academics, became a passionate and naturally talented musician (flute and picciolo), took on numerous leadership positions, became involved in a variety of clubs and organizations, etc. Because of all those things, which are gracious blessings, my personality became one of perfectionism. Everything came easily and was completed well, therefore if something wasn't perfect, it wasn't up to my par or standards. 

A few years ago I realized that nonperfection does not mean failure. Since then, my outlook on life has been refreshed and updated. 

Besides, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the only perfect one. And we can strive for perfection, but after all is said and done we are still human.

Here Comes The Bride

On May 27, 2012 I was the most blessed girl in the world because I married my sweet husband, Brett Aplin. Brett and I met on a blind date in March 2011. We were engaged in August 2011. And now we are happily married, making me a housewife! 

We both enjoy staying active by exercising, walking, running, hiking, etc. We have fun playing games together, especially corn hole, darts, Racko or Carcassone (I recommend this to anyone who likes creative board games!). We both like to cook new tasty meals together, and eat delicious desserts of course. And we Love to travel! We spent 2 weeks traveling around Switzerland for our honeymoon, and plan to go back some day soon to do it all again!

I enjoy painting, organizing, cooking, holiday themed crafts, reading, traveling, exercising, playing flute and piccolo (and hope to one day teach myself oboe), spending time with my few close girlfriends, family time (usually involving food and games), and of course enjoying life with my husband. 

Why I Decided to Start My Blog

My husband has a blog about overcoming mediocrity. He strives daily to be greater than average, and desires to share his knowledge and experiences with other through his blog. As his wife, I'm the guinea pig for his blog ideas, and his accountability for his thoughts, struggles and goals. One day he asked me this: "What talent do you think is unique to you, something that only you have to offer the world?" 

Hmmm. That got me thinking. I was expecting the Lord to tell me about some grand talent and extreme blessing that I could offer everyone. Like going to work in an orphanage in Romania, or helping teen girls in poverty, or... Well, he humbled me and reminded me that He created me with simple ideas and craftiness that can benefit others. Whew! 

That led me to brainstorming about The 5 C's of A Nonperfectionist Housewife. Those are my gifts that I have to share. My day to day, little habits and things that excite me and spark my conversations.

I hope that my nonperfectionist housewife posts can be inspiring, encouraging and make a difference to you and your life!

The 5 C's of a Nonperfectionist Housewife

My husband has a deep passion to overcome mediocrity, because, as he likes to put it, "average sucks." We had so many conversations about how everyone has a special gift that is unique to them, something that they should share with the world. It was those kind of probing, introspective questions that I contemplated.
After much thought, I was led to this: the 5 C's of a Nonperfectionist Housewife. These are the 5 core components that I think each housewife should be able to constantly learn, mature and cultivate. And these are the principals that I will base my blog posts on.

1. Cooking
   I enjoy cooking healthy, natural meals that my husband and I enjoy, but doing it with a meal plan, grocery list (including coupons), and all on a budget. 
2. Cleaning
   I don't want someone to walk into my house and gasp at how awfully dirty it is, but I also don't want them to think that it is a museum that no one lives in. So, I believe in the happy medium that is clean, livable, and always ready to welcome guests! 
3. Crafting
   I enjoy doing holiday themed crafts, but also thrifty ones for home decor, storage, or decoration. You never know what kinds of items you were going to throw away that can be recycled, reused or altered to fit your needs!
4. Conditioning
   Conditioning is just a fancy word for exercise (it had to fit into my C theme, of course!). I believe that taking care of your body is a blessing that you will receive back ten-fold both today and in your later years. I'm not super hard core, but I do intense work outs that fit well into my life schedule. My girlfriends and I enjoy working out together and sharing exercise routine ideas, so be prepared for some new conditioning!
5. Conservation
    Couponing, recycling, reusing, buying goods that are on sale, using energy efficient electronics, cleaning with green cleaners, etc are what I consider as conservation. I think that those little things have a grand effect of conservation over time. The small role that we each play will combine with the efforts of others to produce a huge result of conservation. (Plus, I think it is contagious!)