Happy Little Home

Wow, has it already been a year?! Yep, it was a year ago that Lawson & I bought our first house. A quaint little bungalow on a quiet street in Western Kentucky. I'm amazed at how quickly the year has flown by for us.

This may look familiar...

When any milestone like this comes along, I like to take the time to reflect on what we've able to accomplish and what still needs work. Let's take a look at what we've gotten done within the first year of buying a home.

First- We got straight to work on our new lawn and garden!

That included moving around some calendulas

Let's not forget the rush to move. We gave ourselves a month to move out of our rental home. It did test our patience and our wallet, but I'm so glad we took the time to get it all done correctly.

It took us an entire month, but we were able to leave it better then when we first walked in

We picked up a new sofa & love seat and did some minor work to make it our home. Before we knew it, it was time for our house warming party!

That turned into a very long party, let me tell you!

We fought off a tough drought last summer and enjoyed the fruit of our labor in the garden. I introduced you to some delicious recipes and why you should think about what you eat.

Yummy backyard bell pepper!

The entire summer flew by and we realized we really needed to get to work on our little abode. We began (and have yet to finish) our first main project: replacing the duct work.

The duct behind me was what we first replaced.

Christmas quickly followed and we turned our home into a Winter Wonderland! It was also the first year we hosted Christmas for our family.

And sure enough we're already at Spring of 2013. There was one last thing we were able to do before this weekend. We replaced the windows in our basement and let me tell you, it needed it! The glass was old and feeble. The sill was practically decaying. We realized new windows would help keep us safe during severe weather along with keeping out any intruder. The old windows were also the main reason we had bugs & spiders getting into our basement. But it now all sealed & fresh. We are so happy with the results!

I bring you the nasty before and the beautiful after

So, we've accomplished a few things, but there is so much more work to be done! Hopefully we can finish of the duct work this year. We also plan to replace the toilet in a couple weeks. There will soon be the day that we tackle the biggest project of all: the roof and attic. 

There will most likely not be a new post next week. We will be busy on the road and celebrating my 26th birthday! I want to thank each and every one of you that's stayed with me at Limelight Musings. It's turned into much more than I could of ever dreamed of. But it's not over yet! There's many more recipes, crafts, home improvement projects, and rants ahead!

One of our first photos at the house. Couldn't be happier!

DIY Gift: Lip Balm & Why My Husband Refuses To Wash Dishes From Now On

It maybe after the Holidays, but I still wanted to provide ways that you can create great gifts for a loved one. Maybe save the idea for next year or use it as a way to get brownie points for Valentine's Day or St. Patrick's Day. You never need an excuse to give a small gift that you made.

One new idea we tried this year was DIY herbal lip balm. I've been enamored with Rose Mountain Herbs for quite some time now. Not only do they sell great, healthy products but they also provide a blog and YouTube Channel that inspires your inner herbalist. Have I said enough good things about this company yet? Are you still reading this? Hope so.

Well, their YouTube channel has a great tutorial on how to make lip balm. It seemed so simple we thought we would try it out.


First off, you will need:
1/2 C Calendula Oil
1 oz Bees Wax
1/2 teaspoon lavender oil
20+ lip balm tubes (we did have left over lip balm)









It was so fun trying out this recipe! But I highly suggest you use specific cookware just for wax products. We'll get to that later. But basically you start off with melting the one ounce of wax. I did this by cutting off an ounce, shaving it, then place in a double boiler. Shavings will melt quicker than just a block. While it's melting, go ahead and take the caps of of the lip balm tubes or tins.

After the wax is completely melted into a liquid, you pour in the cup of calendula oil. Next step: don't freak out when the wax slightly solidifies like this:

The wax slightly solidified because the oil was room temperature. So just keep the heat up so the wax can melt back down to a full liquid. This is also when you add the 1/2 teaspoon of lavender oil. You can actually use a 1/2 teaspoon of any kind of essential oil for flavoring. I might use mint oil next time.

After everything is all smooth & mixed, you then have a very short amount of time to pour the balm into the tubes. To make it easier for us, we poured the balm into a measuring cup with a spout. Then poured it into each tube and let it dry.

The only issue I had was that it appears the wax dried before it could get to the very bottom of the tube. It didn't take too long for the entire tube to dry. We labeled and presto! 20 lip balm tubes to go out as stocking stuffers!

Now for the downside. Due to this little experiment we had a double boiler pan, spoon, and measuring cup that were seriously coated in wax and oil. I did my best with hot water to wash it out before my husband came home, but I wasn't able to get it all. He wasn't impressed. Needless to say you should try to to all this with older kitchen equipment or purchase cheap tools that can be dedicated just to wax projects.

Everyone that received lip balm for Christmas love it. And we were able to make it with local beeswax purchased at the Farmer's Market along with lavender oil I made with lavender branches my in-laws gave to me. Next year I hope to have enough dried calendula to make my own calendula oil too! What other essential oils do you think I should add for flavor?

DIY Festivus: Homemade Wreath

So what would you say if I told you that you could get a fabulous holiday wreath that matches your decorations, is the perfect dimension, and is free. That's right. A wreath that cost nothing.

My mantle isn't so bare anymore!

So the beautiful wreath above didn't cost me a dime. It's mostly thanks to the fact I made it myself. And even that only took about an hour. Here's how you can make a wreath of your own.

What you need:
- About 8 branches that you probably cut off from your live tree to make room for the base. One time an employee from the tree store gave me extra branches from previous trimmings!
- About 5 branches of other winter plants: holly, mistletoe, etc. This one is optional.
- Zip ties of all shapes & sizes
- Extra gift-wrapping ribbon
- Extra holiday ornaments

You will first need to decide how large you want your wreath to be. After you determine that, lay the tree branches in the wreath shape you desire. It maybe easier getting a metal wreath form, but I have never used one.

Once the branches are laid out, you then have the hard work of using zip ties to connect the branches. As I said, you may want to use a wreath form, but I've always just tied the main parts of the branches together. You will need to be discrete, but don't worry too much. You can always cover up some of the zip ties with the optional holiday plants/ ribbon/ ornaments. And don't forget to snip the ends after you get it locked.

Also a warning: you may want to use gloves. I broke out after making my wreath.

After you get the wreath secure enough, you can then embellish it with it anything you want. You can even use some finer zip ties. Basically work the garnish into any of the empty spaces between the branches. Ribbon is normally the last part I add that way I can cover up anything left that needs to be covered up.

And there you have it: a beautiful wreath that's ready to be hung up on a door or wall. You can also take in some pride that you made it yourself. And it's thrifty! What could be better?

A wreath from two years ago. It's a little more messy, but I wanted to show a more ribbon/ornament look

If you're getting tired of DIY holiday ideas, don't worry. It's almost over. But until January 2nd, I'm going to milk Festivus as much as I can. Love this time of year!

DIY Festivus: Gift For Newly Weds

So there was a gift I made for one of our favorite couples last year. It was their first Christmas as a married couple. So I searched for a great gift to commemorate it. Thanks to this thrifty blogger, I found the perfect present: an ornament made from their wedding announcement.

The photo I took last year only to realize I couldn't post it until AFTER I gave it to them.

So here's all you need for this beautiful ornament:
- A plastic ornament bulb (it's like 2 bucks at Hobby Lobby)
- The couple's wedding announcement/invitation/or program
- Scissors
- A pencil or dowel rod
- Glue

Making the ornament literately takes no time. First you slice up the wedding announcement horizontally. Try to keep some of the important details within the lines, especially the names, time, and address.

After that, take each strip and use the pencil/doll rod to roll up strips of paper. That will give you the rolled banner affect. After each strip is rolled, you can finagle the paper so the name or date is straight.

Then you need to get out the halved ornament. Gently place the rolls where you'd like them to be. This will take a bit of patience and work. I was able to build what I wanted in one half. On the other half, lay a little glue here and there on the lip that connects the halves. Then you simply place the top half and hold until the glue is secure... and voilà! You have a beautiful ornament for your friend.

The ornament one year later...

I plan to try more of these through out the years. Maybe even attempt baby announcements! So for about $2, you can provide your loved on a one-of-a-kind gift. Not even Hallmark can do that!

A Little Fall Decore

We are well into autumn so I realized I better get out some decorations out before I have to take it down and get Festivus gear in order. Thankfully, I have some help this year.

Preparing the Jack O' Lanterns & Painting

I don't know why I didn't realize this before, but fall decorations can be expensive! A couple weekends ago, we went out to a local pumpkin patch. Don't get me wrong, we had a great time, but some of the costs for autumn decoration can cost a pretty penny.

It's not fall without a good ole' fashion hay ride!

We found a loverly little pumpkin patch

We still ended up purchasing a few pumpkins (and pie pumpkins for cooking of course), but we got into thinking about decorating without breaking the bank. Here are some key words: Hobby Lobby & Dollar Tree. First, I've mentioned it before, but if you're looking for a cheap way to all a little creativity with class to your home, you got to try painting your own letters!

I've been working on have a new Monogram for each season: here's autumn

At Hobby Lobby, the cardboard letters are about $2-3, depending on which you get. There is an initiative cost of getting enough paints, but after that, that's it! And here's to think the store's actual painted letters (only in one color mind you) cost more than $8.

But I decided to do a little more than just a new seasonal letter. So, I bought the letters to make a banner- "FALL." It didn't cost that much & only took about a week to finish.

During the first few steps

I decided to have each letter incorporate different things. "F" was for fall in general, so of course I had to get in some pumpkins. The other letters were a given: "A" had apples & acorns, "L" had leaves, "L" again for lantern. I was really happy with the end product.

Now here's the tough part. I decided I wanted to hang this out along our porch, but I didn't want to get my husband worried about drilling holes. So, I'm trying out a temporary structure using staples and twine. I simply strung twine across the back of the letters & stapled it to the letters. I did a few staples for each to get some support. Thankfully this project is light, but I'll have to keep an eye on it throughout the season.

So after that was all said & done, Ashley & I got to work on the porch. Most of it is a lot a great finds we got at the Dollar Store- couple window decals, a skeleton Ashley painted, and a lot of fake cobweb. You'd actually be surprised how well that stuff works.

It's all spooky!

But it's time for le piece of resistance! Thankfully, we already have a few hooks for planters & such on the porch. I tied the twine through the hooks and then touched it up with some ribbon. I'm so happy with how it turned out!

Ashley also got some cobweb on it

So all in all, our porch now has a touch of Halloween & autumn- all while spending $50 at the most. I hope this inspired you with a few some thrifty decoration ideas!

Happy Harvest Season!

Week of Turmoil Ends With Monograms

It's been quite a week, let me tell you.

Quite. A. Week.

First, we are still plagued with a serious drought. So far it's nearly three weeks of no rain. Add almost a week of triple digit temperatures and you get true misery. My plants are barely hanging on despite a generous morning watering. My beautiful squash and zucchini are dieing. Every yard is brown and it's unbearable to be outside.

Since my garden is lacking, I unfortunately have not cooked much. But there is another reason for that matter. I battled a horrendous infection that caused an abscess this week. Needless to say, I was out of commission for a few days. Despite any afflictions dealt with in my life, this is truly the worst.

During that time, I've developed a new Netflix addiction to Showtime's "The Tudors." If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm a nerd. To my core. So while others watch reality shows or family dramas, I watch science or history-based features. And what is more suspense-filled than the lifetime of King Henry VIII and his six wives. I can't say if the show is completely accurate, but who cares?

Despite how much I've obsessed over the show, I can only laze about so much. But with that being said, I found quite a few restrictions. Too hot to be outside. The infection kept me away from food. Infection also kept me from yoga. Too lazy to dedicate myself enough to a book worth reading. And there's a lack of inspiration for a knitting project. These are all only excuses, I know. Sue me.

BUT there's a craft that I've missed since the ole' Festivus season. Painting. And I've developed a love for monograms. Combine the two and I think we have a hobby.

First painted monogram- For Festivus

Since I previously painted a monogram for the holiday season, I decided to eventually do one for each season. So I painted a summer "B" designed for summer.

I think I subconsciously added blue in hopes of water/rain

These monograms are so fun to make. They are also cheap... that is after you set aside the cost of paints. I just get a standard cardboard letter from Hobby Lobby & go to town. These letters should only cost a dollar. I typically paint it white first then slowly work the layers from the bottom up.

The other B will be dedicated to Autumn

Through out the next year or so, I hope to incorporate more monograms through out our home... Pinterest opened my mind to so many ideas. Maybe even over the mantle? A gal can dream.

This Year's Garden

It maybe a bit lazy of me, but I figured I should take the time to go ahead and show off our garden for this year. We hope to do more next year, but we at least have some essentials.

Tomatoes to the left, peppers to the right

It wasn't until last year we enjoyed the benefits of growing sweet bell peppers. The interesting thing about our peppers this year is that they are purple bell peppers. I love sweet bell peppers of any color, but I hear purple is even sweeter. As with any bell pepper, it is low in calories and contains no sodium, fat or cholesterol. Peppers are also an excellent source of vitamin C. And with the color, they should hold plenty of antioxidants.

You may remember my trail & tribulation of growing beautiful tomatoes before the squirrels stole them. I can only hope that the squirrels in our new neighborhood are not tomato fans. Otherwise, we will have to build some kind of fence around them with chicken wire. I really hope to have a crack at canning for the first time this year. I at least want to try to make my own sugar-free tomato sauce.

Zucchini, squash, sage & lavender

I also discovered my love for zucchini & squash last summer. Zucchini is low in calories & a great source of fiber, protein, potassium, beta-carotene, and vitamin C.  And its good match, yellow squash, has vitamin C,  magnesium, vitamin A, fiber, folate, copper, riboflavin and phosphorus. We love to grill the pair whenever we cook out. I also found a great veggie rice skillet recipe that includes zucchini & bell pepper.

This summer is the first time we are growing sage. I've only used the herb once with some apple pork chops, but I hope to find more uses for it. It smells so good. First off, sage is a good cooling agent which can help swelling, cramps & hot flashes. Sage essential oil also has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. You can even gargle sage tea to help a sore throat.

And let's not forget the lavender. I'm so happy I was able to make essential lavender oil last year, despite both of my plants dieing. Hopefully this year will be different since our lavender is in the ground verses a pot. I didn't find out until it was too late last year that lavender needs well drained soil (not potting soil) to prevent root rot. While I know lavender essential oil removes nervous tension, relieves pain, disinfects scalp and skin, enhances blood circulation and treats respiratory problems... I hope to try out cooking with lavender this year.

Speaking of herbs, I have a few potted plants too.

Calendula in the front, oregano in the back

My second attempt of growing calendula from seed is going great. I can't wait to see how this beautiful pot marigold blooms. Calendula essential oil can do wonders for the skin and it's in about any natural balm. It can soothe and heal dry and damaged skin, burns, cuts, rashes, diaper irritations, and other skin disorders. I'm just waiting for the flowers to bloom before melting down some beeswax to make some lip balm.

And what's any kitchen without oregano? It makes any pasta dish superb. But it's also healthy. It is a good source of fiber, Vitamin K, iron, and manganese. It has anti-bacterial & antioxidant properties along with Omega 3 oils.

Basil & Chamomile

While I've already mentioned my love for chamomile, what's a garden without basil? Basil is my number one favorite seasoning. It gives meals a nice, savory taste. Even the smell makes my mouth water. Basil is an amazing source of vitamin K, but it also has iron, calcium, vitamin A, fiber, and manganese. It also has certain flavonoids which help to protect cells and chromosomes from damage. And essential basil oil is shown to inhibit the growth of several types of bacteria, many of which have become resistant to antibiotics.

Echinacea

 And last but not least are the few echinacea survivors (I didn't have the heart to show the worse one) from our original cell starter kit. Now that two are getting a bit more shade, they are looking better. Echinacea tea is what you want to drink when you feel a cold or flu coming on. The (one day) beautiful purple cone flower gives your immune system a boost by stimulating the production of T-cells. And according to Three Fat Chicks, it spurs on a quick recovery for: urinary tract infections, sore throats, upper respiratory infections, enlarged prostates, sinusitis, ear infections, gingivitis, and canker sores. Just to name a few. And when topically applied, it can help everything from sunburn to eczema.

So there you have it, my beautiful garden. And these are just the basics. We hope to have a lot more things like onions, flowers, even a few trees next year. What do you have growing in your garden?

Prelude to St. Valentine's Day

So, in case you didn't know, Valentines Day is tomorrow. While this maybe obvious, I feel I some people don't quite remember what day it is. Like the husband.

Note the day.

With that being said, I have to give him a lot of kudos. My husband is pretty awesome. The other day he surprised me by purchasing chamomile tea k-cups for me. That's real love right there. Without getting too sappy, I feel it's only appropriate to mention that I'm married to the perfect man for me. If you want to read more of why my valentine is so awesome, you can read here.

Anyway, Valentine's Day can either be a day you prepare for weeks in advance & give your partner the most romantic, creative, loverly day of their life... Or you can be like me, who already gave their love a gift two weeks ago and can't figure out what to do on February 14th. I mean, it's a Tuesday this year. The husband is going to be in class most of the night while I work most of the day. Plus we are drained emotionally (not to mention a bit  financially) thanks to starting the long process of buying a home (hopefully).

But fear not, that is where the joy of Pinterest comes in & offers ideas you didn't even know were possible. Since I have some secret plans for my hubby tomorrow, I thought I'd share just some of the many Valentine ideas that are out there. Maybe after I do this long enough, I can offer my own ideas. But until then, enjoy.

Raspberry Linzer Heart Cookies 

Valentine Pretzel Buttons (I normally do this with rolos, pecans & pretzels, but this is cute)

Crayon Hearts

52 Reasons Why I Love You

Raspberry Shortbread Snacks

Red Velvet Crepes

Oh and if any of these ideas aren't tickling your fancy, these are just my favorites, there are a lot more out there. I hope you have the sweetest of Valentine's Days life can offer you.

As an update on life: I've been able to keep a good two week record so far of what I'm eating. But there are a few "no lunch" days due work. And that normally results in take out/fast food. I think I'm starting to see the correlation, ha. I guess it takes a food diary to make you see how often that happens. But with that being said, after a weekend of diet-medicine conspiracy reading/documentaries, I'm going to be changing a few things in my kitchen. Stay tuned to find out.