Key hooks with Mason Jar

I've been seeing these key hooks with mason jars pop up around the internet lately and I decided I wanted to make one too.  

 

I really like the raw wood on this one, but I didn't have anything that looked that worn, so I made my own.  

Here's what I used:

A toolbox... or more-so the tools that were inside :)

Paint in a couple different colors

An old candle (or wax)

A pipe clamp

Key hooks

Sandpaper

Wood

Mason Jar

I also used a picture hanging kit to put brackets on the back of my board

What to do:
1. Rough up your board quite a bit (or to whatever degree you'd like).  I opened my toolbox and used whatever I could.  Pounding down on the side of screws, hammering in nails, applying pressure to the edges with a wrench, hammering areas of the board and even using new puppy teeth were some of my methods to distress the board.

2. Sand down any pieces of wood that are sticking up.
3. Paint the wood your base color.  I chose to use a mustard yellow.  This is the color that will peak through in small areas. 

 It doesn't have to be perfect, just make sure the wood is covered.
4. After the paint is dry, apply the wax to any areas you want to stay yellow.  I put it along the edges of the board, in areas that were distressed, and some random marks along the middle.  Later when you sand your board, the second coat of paint will peel right off the wax.

 

5. Paint the wood your top color next.  I used a spray paint to get more even coverage.

I don't use spray paint that often, but I DO know what "matte" means... and this was not it

SHINY! Not what I wanted.  

6. So I let it dry and scratched my head. Nope, it still wasn't a matte finish.  So I got some new paint and tried again. 

 I was actually glad there was this little screw up, because the new finish was matte, but a little bit of the shine from the previous paint came through giving it a cool look.

7. After the paint dries, take the sandpaper and gently sand the areas that you applied the wax. 

Here's what I got after sanding...

The nice thing about this blog is that I usually tell you what I do wrong and you can learn from my mistakes! I put the hanging hooks on after everything else was attached... and it was difficult!

8. Attach picture hanging hooks to the back of the board


9. Drill some holes in your board where you want your key hooks to go

 10. Unscrew the connector (technical terms, I know) on the pipe clamp.  Then either hammer or drill a hole on the back side that you will use to connect it to your board.  This was the hardest part for me, so good luck!

 

11.  Attach it to your board and then fit your jar into it and tighten (I did not do it this way, but I think it'd be much easier if I had!)

12. Drill your hooks into the board and you should have something that looks like this:

Hawaiian BBQ Chicken

THIS IS GOOD!

Just had to throw that out there :)  I love this recipe (if I can even call it that) because it's so simple and super tasty!

Here's what you need:
A crockpot
1 can of pineapple tidbits (drained)
Frozen chicken breasts (I used 4)
1 bottle of Archer Farm's Hawaiian Style BBQ Sauce (found at target)

I couldn't decide if this pic looked appetizing or just gross... you decide (remember it tastes so good!)

 

Mix it all together and cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3.  Once it's done, shred the chicken right in the crock pot.  

I had quite a bit of this so I tried it a variety of ways: over rice, on a bun, and in corn tortillas.  My favorite was the tortillas.  The sauce has a kick to it (which was nice, but I wasn't expecting!) If you're looking for a quick, good meal- MAKE THIS! 

Upcycled Necklace

I saw this necklace on J.Crew and thought it'd be super easy to make.  I was right!  I went to a thrift store and bought this 3-strand necklace (score! that means I could make 3 necklaces from 1!)

Then I headed to JoAnn and bought 3 different colors of ribbon (3/4-1 yd. works best)

 I got all this for $7.69 :)

Then I got to work separating the strands with a needle nosed pliers. Soon I got this...

 

Then I chose one of the strands and folded it over onto itself a few times 

Connect each end together so the multiple strands form one.  You can connect it with a link from the necklace or your own metal loop. 

Each end should look like this.  Then, I tried to make my own loop out of wire...

 It kind of worked... after I put the ribbon on I realized it didn't look so hot, so I re-did it with a metal loop like this one:

After you cut your ribbon, sear the ends with a flame. 

 Then tie on the ribbon ends to the loops you're using.

I did the same process with the next two strands.  Tada!

Cowgirl Salad

I've been eating this salad for a few weeks now (it's that good!), so I thought I'd make a quick post on it.  It's a lighter version of a taco salad- YUM! 

What you need:
Iceberg Lettuce
Salsa
Tortilla strips salad toppers
Fat free ranch dressing

Optional:
Mexican cheese
Grilled, seasoned chicken breast
Black beans

Throw it all together and Voila!

I made it with chicken for the first time today and I actually didn't like it as well as I do without it.  If you're looking for some extra (or different) protein you could throw some black beans in here!

HOT Salsa

What you need:

2 medium tomatoes
1 jalapeno  pepper
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
2-3 T cilantro
1/4 C diced onion
salt to taste

 

 Chop everything up, add the lime juice and salt and enjoy! 

Mini Quiches

I was very happy with how these no crust mini quiches turned out.  I made them for my cousin's bridal shower today and they were a hit.  Very simple to make too! 

What you need:
2 cups cheddar (or any other kind) of shredded cheese
1 cup milk
4 eggs
garlic salt
pepper
1 cup diced turkey bacon (I cooked mine before putting it in the batter)
1/4 cup diced white onion
1/4 cup diced mushrooms (canned, jarred, or fresh works fine)

What to do:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, spray tins if you're not using the non-stick variety
2. Mix all ingredients together
3. Spoon into mini muffin tins (top 'em off!)
4. Bake for 13-15 minutes, watch to make sure they don't burn
5. Move to wire racks to cool