Aspen Forest Bedroom

My oldest Daughter spent a couple of summers working at Aspen Ridge Scout Camp in southern Idaho.  She loved the feel of the aspen groves and wanted to create a similar effect in her bedroom.  I scoured the internet and found a few places that made vinyl aspen/birch wall art, but boy were they Pricey! Once again, Pinterest saves the day when she ran into a tutorial on how to get the look with frog tape and paint.  The lady on the tutorial used an exacto knife to cut out the marks, but my daughter wanted more of a freehand look and just ripped the tape into bits.

freehand Frog Tape artistry

Trees painted in cream and warm gray

Finished corner.  Can you find the "carved heart"?

Girl Magnets

My boys wearing their "girl magnets"

This past summer I bought my teenage son a pair of aviator style sunglasses.  They were probably in some clearance bin in a teen store at the mall and it was just one more thing to buy along with the wardrobe staples like T-shirts.  When we got home my girls made such a fuss about how handsome my older son looked in his new shades and that they would be girl magnets.  It must have gotten my younger son thinking (and perhaps a little jealous of his sisters attentions to his older brother) that he begged me to get him a pair when we were out shopping again.  I thought it was so that he could be like his older brother, but this morning he informed me that his sunglasses didn't work. (it has been six months since I had gotten them, so I wasn't quite sure what he was talking about.... broken???? doesn't block enough sunlight???).  He goes on to explain that one day he and his friend planned ahead and both wore their aviator shades to school and all the girls on the playground did was "the usual".... standing around and talking.  He seemed so disappointed that his scientific experiment had failed.  It was all I could do to keep from bursting out in laughter to think of what conversations and planning had gone into that failed playground adventure, and how our words could have been taken so literally.  I'm not sure how to explain that life doesn't happen like an Axe commercial and that girls on the playground won't get enough courage to talk to boys for a couple more years.

Soap on a Rope

When I was a kid WAAAAAAAAYYYYY back in the "70's I remember seeing advertisements on TV for Soap-on-a-rope.  I'm not sure why, either, that the product was always decidedly masculine, I mean, Isn't it just handy to hang your soap up?

Apparently this makes a good Christmas or Fathers Day present for many men

  Fast forward to the present and take a look in my shower.  No soap on a rope here.... just bottles of Body Wash and those Scrubbing pouf things that look like they are made from wads of what  they used to package grapes in at the grocery store.  There is a couple of different kinds of body wash.  One for the Teenage Son so that he smells so good that girls will instantly be attracted to him (according to the advertisements) One very feminine bottle promising moisture and youth, and another of practical oatmeal infused wash for the younger ones with sensitive itch-prone skin.  Last a soap dish containing a slightly mushy bar of spring scent, because my Husband simply refuses to use a pouf, because he see's them as "girly", but his bar isn't on a rope.
  Why, then you ask,  am I thinking of soap-on-a-rope? It is because I received a couple of bars of Handmade soap from my Mom for Christmas.  They smelled Wonderful ... one like Mint and the others like Lavendar. "Hmmmm....", I thought to myself,  "How am I going to use these without them becoming a gushy mess in the shower?"  Using them next to the sink was out of the question since none of the children will pick up a used piece of soap because they think that it is gross.
  I looked at some recipes on the internet about turning a bar of soap into liquid and it involved Glycerine and distilled water , which meant a trip to the store and then  trying to remember to get them once I was there and purchasing all the "normal" items that I usually get .... yep, too hard.
  I was at Wal-Mart the other day and saw this.....

Bar Soap pouch scrub

I liked it so well I think I will get some more for my kids or Summer Camp.

Featured

In a lists of "Firsts" for me... my last post was featured on Tiny House Blog .  I e-mailed Kent that runs the site and Facebook page to ask if he knew of many people that also used microwave/convection and/or induction to cook in their tiny homes.  I had already posted my blog on cooking in my kitchenette and a few tweaks were added before he posted it on his site. It was fun to see all of the comments and that there were a few out there that were doing it as well as some that were inspired to try.  It was also humbling to hear from many readers in small apartments or homes that have much less space than I have.  It makes me appreciate what I am so lucky to have.

I CAN really cook in my Tiny Kitchenette

We are nearing the four month mark of using our basement kitchenette while we are remodeling the upstairs kitchen/dining/family room areas.  At first down sizing to such a small area seemed like an impossible task for a family of six, with a mom who LOVES to cook.
  It took a couple of years kicking around a few ideas and a trip to IKEA to get inspired.
 Here is a video of the installation of the Kitchenette.  The cabinets and wall system were purchased at IKEA and installed by us. *note that we planned ahead and put 2X4's in the wall wherever we knew the wall system would attach. Our home was a basement home from 1939-1944 and we just put a kitchen back where there once was one.  It is a walk-out basement and with the kitchenette/living area, two bedrooms, and a bathroom it will make a cozy 700sq foot apartment someday.

9X13 foot kitchenette.  Everything is within reach.

Sure, it was cute to look at, but I have been most surprised at how much I can do in this little gem.  We eat family dinner together nearly every night and for six people that is no small task. (Three of these people are ravenous teenagers).  Originally, we had purchased a much smaller fridge, but decided that with all of the milk consumed in this household, a bigger (but still small) one was necessary. The far wall where the "dining area is will revert back to a small living room and the dining table for two you can see part of on the right side of the photo (the flip up kind from IKEA)

cooking two things at once

I love LOVE LOVE my convection Microwave. I was pretty used to cooking in the Microwave Convection and this year I even made Christmas dinner of Roast Beef, Yorkshire Pudding, Mashed Potatoes and got rave reviews from the Children. It is an Amana that I bought several years ago and it fits perfectly under the counter.  It was on clearance for $250.  Most Convection Microwaves will run about $350-$1,000.  Newer ones also have halogen and steam features. There are many over-the-stove models that would also work great that have air filters and lights.  I love my Convection Microwave so much that I bought another one for the upstairs kitchen.  I can't believe that these little babies aren't more popular, because it is pretty unbelievable what you can do in them.  There is an element in the back of the oven and a fan that makes it Convection,  PLUS it's a microwave.  If you use a microwave safe dish you can combo cook things.  In regular convection mode you just use it just like you would it's larger counterpart and bake and roast to your hearts content.  I have even baked a medium and large Papa Murphy's Pizza in here at the same time.  I have had to get a little creative, but there really isn't much that I haven't been able to do in my  kitchenette

My LeCreuset even fits for stovetop to oven cooking

3 quart covered glass dish from Libby is great for combo cooking

this 12" pan was on the Pet aisle at Cal Ranch for $4.  It works great for family sized brownies, casseroles, etc

We were able to make holiday favorites like Chex mix and caramel popcorn in my large bowl

I can even bake bread in here (Oh, and meatloaf too!)

Using the rack from the upstairs convection Microwave  I double the amount of cookies I can bake (I also use the bottom cookie sheet as a lid for the "pet" pan shown above).

• My second Love in the kitchen is the little $99 Frigidaire Portable induction cooktop.

Induction Cooking uses Electromagnetic technology and turns your pan into the heat element for precise heat control.  If a magnet will stick to your pan it will work on this.

60 seconds to boiling, 90 to a full rolling boil

I have pans that stack and can keep one thing warm while another cooks

The one thing that I don't like about my Induction cooktop is that it emits a high pitch when it starts up and the kids go running... although that isn't always so bad to have a peaceful kitchen to cook in :)

Other favorites:

• Crock Pot
• Electric Griddle
• Waffle Iron....there would be a mutiny if we could not have Waffles on Sundays.
• Blender
• Toaster
• Hand Mixer ( *sigh*, however I dearly miss my KitchenAid stand mixer)

I have found that  I will probably be getting rid of allot of unnecessary pots and pans and other clutter when I move back upstairs.  I have found that while everyone misses having a dishwasher, having a few people in the kitchen to do them by hand is good for conversation and family togetherness.

Electric griddle is great for breakfast 

Portable butane stove with grill attachment

collapsible dish pan stores under the sink

Popped out and ready to use

My kids were sure that NO one else in their whole school had to do dishes by hand, but they have also learned that it's not so bad after all.

When I need extra counter space I place my IKEA cutting board over the sink

What do you think? Could you use these two things to do nearly all of your cooking?  Yes!