The Creative Princess

  Yes.  THAT is my pantry.  Yep, totally out of control! Where would you like me to start? The top shelf is pretty much a catch all. The next shelf is for all my baking stuff.  Can you see that floral box in the very back?  Yeah I have two of them side by side.  That was my lame attempt at trying to organize the mess.   The boxes are both empty. The next shelf I use for my taller items. Then I have another catch all and small appliance storage. Finally, the very bottom.  It has more small appliances, my reusable shopping bags, placemats for my girls and a random Christmas box I forgot was down there that I was totally going to use.  Ugh! As you can see it needs to be organized.  I got a nice Target GC for Christmas and I plan of using it for organization things.  Bins, boxes, canisters, maybe a lazy susan or two...or four. I will post a pic when I am all done and of course let you know w...

Ahhh Moonpies.  Do you remember them?  Of course you do!  I remember the chocolate and the yellow (banana?).  I also remember not liking them all that much. My mom, well my mom LOVES moonpies.  Almost as much as those weird red peanut cluster things. Anywhoo.... I saw that you could make your OWN Moonpies a few months ago on Pinterest .  As soon as I saw that I knew exactly what I was going to do. Make them for my mom. So this past week I did just that.   I found a few recipes on Pinterest but, decided to go with this one.  It was very easy to make and I did it over two days.  That was probably the best decision I made.  I made the cookies on one day then the marshmallow the next.  I also covered them with chocolate the same day I made the marshmallow cream. In the recipe I used she does a double-decker.  I decided to go with just a single sandwich cookie and am glad I did.  These are SO rich, I can't imagine them...

As my hubby and I were driving to his doctors appointment this morning I noticed something.  Something I had never noticed before. Houses. Yes, houses! We have driven down that highway hundreds, if not thousands of times.  I have never EVER noticed these houses before!  You may be thinking, 'well, they must be new'....nope.  They are not.  In fact they were rather old.  The only reason I noticed them this time?  The sun was shining right on them. That got me thinking....oh boy..I know.  Anyway...it got me thinking.  We are like that with people also.  How many people do you pass by each day?  A few?  A few hundred?  A few thousand maybe?  Do you even notice half the people you pass by?  Probably not.  Would you notice them if they were in the 'spotlight'?  Probably. Why is it that every day we pass by people and never notice?  Do you think maybe God put them in your path for a reason?  Ma...

As most of you know I hosted a cookie swap this week.  We had a LOT of fun and.....I did not get ONE picture of the swap or decorations set up. Not one! I am so sorry.  I have failed you. I did make sure to take some pics though as I was making my cute festive baby jars. WooHoo! Here is what you need: Baby Food Jars -washed and dried Ribbon Scissors Adhesive Squares I wanted to cover the print on the jars Take your ribbon and measure it around your jar leaving just a bit extra.  You will then take your adhesive squares and place on each end of the ribbon. Remove the paper backing and wrap around jar, pulling tight, then press to secure. I wasn't happy with just the blue so I added a "Merry Christmas" ribbon as well. And....that's it!  I love that this is SO simply but adds just the right touch to my decorations.  I also did the same technique to the top of some bigger jars and placed mints and ribbon candy in those. **My notes: It is much easier...

You guys have heard me sing their praises before ( here and here ).   Well, I am here again today to tell you just how AWESOME I think The Vintage Pearl is! As most of you know by now, I have been following TVP for a loooooong time.  I remember back in the day when they were just a blog, they sold on Etsy and were just starting their website.  Now look at Erin and the crew....they have a brick and mortar store!  WooHoo!! ANYWAY! Today I am here to share with you their AWESOME giveaway !  They are giving away 5 (yes, FIVE) $100 gift certificates!!  OH! MY! GOSH! That's AWESOME! So head over to their blog and sign up!  Let me know if you win!!  Good luck!

As you know, because I have only mentioned 5000 times already this week....  I have been busy. BUSY! I swear I have not had time to hardly breath the past few weeks.  I even promised myself this year I would NOT push myself to the limit.  Yet, here I am.  Running around like a chicken with my head cut off. I was so excited last week when I saw that there was an opportunity to review the new Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches from #CBias.  I hopped right on that!  I knew this week was going to be extremely busy and I was really not in the mood to cook every night. So, Tuesday night we loaded up and headed to Walmart, in the next bigger town, to get our shop on.  I also needed to pick up a few last minute Christmas things. I ended up walking right past the sandwiches 3 times!  Hubby was SO excited because he found them on his very first try.  He is also a foot taller than me and I guess if it isn't at my eye level, or bellow, I don't look up...

Last night my hubby and I decided to go to Walmart and also the grocery store. Less than a week before Christmas. With two CrAzY girls. What were we thinking?!?! By the time we got home I was so stressed out I could hardly think straight.  It was pretty bad.  At our first stop, the grocery store, my hubby was loading the girls in the car and also loading the groceries.  Some how Mads ended up flipping over her seat and landing head down between her seat and the door, with her sweet little face smashed against the door.  I was dragging behind because I did a second transaction.  When I got to the car I noticed Mads was crying and John was hugging her.  It was awful!  She wasn't bleeding and seemed fine, other than scared and sore.  Poor baby looked rough with her scratched up face and already missing teeth.  lol So, on to dinner and Walmart we went. Walmart was NUTS!  NUTS I tell you! Again, WHAT were we thinking?!?! We got what w...

Yesterday I had the privilege to do a guest post for my friend Sarah . I am really into making my own kitchen staples right now and will be sharing my favorites in the weeks ahead over at MoneySavingQueen.com!  WooHoo! This week I am featuring my Homemade Chocolate Syrup ! We seriously can not get enough of this!  I usually double the recipe and depending on what all I am cooking with it, it MAY last up to a month in our house.  If I don't double it MIGHT last 2 weeks.  We of course use it in chocolate milk and over ice cream, but I have also been known to swirl some in my brownies before I pop the pan in the oven.  Oh my!  {DELISH} I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we have. Also, if you haven't already...be sure to post on my entry for Sarah's 25 Days of a Frugal Christmas!  She is featuring lots of great ideas, check them all out!  I would sure love your vote though.  :)

Last week I was given the challenge from #Cbias to purchase some Elmer's and X-ACTO crafting products and make something DIY. Seems simple enough!  But when you are given free range you tend to go blank.  I finally figured out what I wanted and love my cute new frame. Here is what you need: X-ACTO Precision Scissors X-ACTO Templates CraftBond Dual-tip Flexible Pen CraftBond Foam Mounting Tape CraftBond Adhesive Squares CraftBond Sparkle Glue Scrapbook Paper Ribbon Cardstock The very first thing you want to do is remove the back and glass from your frame. Next take your CraftBond Flexible Duel Tip Glue Pen and spread the glue all over your frame. Then top with scrapbook paper of your choice. You may need to reposition the paper a few times or press the air bubbles out. While the glue is drying cut {carefully} around the frame to remove excess paper.  Now is also a great time to remove the paper that...

I don't know about you all but it has been a CRAZY week for me. It seems like every day this week I have had at least three or four things to get done or do.  Shopping, parties, babies, shopping, baking, shopping.......oh my! Today was no different.  I had to get some more last minute shopping done.  It has been such a long week.  I decided I was going to treat myself today.   MG and I on our way to shop till we drop! (notice the bags under my eyes? Told you it has been a long week) We had to run to Walmart so I decided to stop at Murphy USA for a quick pick me up.   Check out the price of gas!  It's finally starting to come down here!!   There were lot's of options, the prices were great as well!  I have never tried a true energy drink and since caffeine has pretty much the opposite affect on me, I decided not go the Red Bull route.  ;)   Ohh!!  Starbucks!  My fav!   ...

Growing up I lived in a very, VERY small town.  There was poverty but being young, I did not really notice.  I then moved to the Dallas area.  People there {seemed} to have all the money in the world and had no problems spending it.  I know there was poverty but I did not see it, I saw the overly materialistic side. Almost 8 years ago I moved to another rather small town in Oklahoma.  I didn't want to be here.  I cried a lot and prayed that God would move me from here.  After a while I began to change my thinking.  I started to think that God doesn't do things for no apparent reason.  There is a reason for everything.  I started to pray that God would open my eyes and show me why he planted me here.  What is it that I am supposed to do while I am here? It took a while, but it is God's time, not mine.  I also prayed that I would find a church here that I could take my kids to and watch and help them grow spiritually.  I f...

Wanna know something? I LOVE crepes!  LOVE them! The very first time I had crepes was at Disneyland back in 1991, or '92.  They were of course strawberry crepes.  Mmmmmmm!! I have some pretty amazing friends and last year when one of my friends found out how much I LOVE Crepes, she taught me how to make them at home!  I about fell over at how easy it was!  Now, this isn't the {REAL} way to make them......it is the easy way!  You only need two ingredients!   Are you ready?? {Crepes} 1 Cup Complete Pancake Mix (the kind you only add milk or water to) Water or Milk (you need enough to make the mixture very thin) Place pancake mix in bowl stir in enough water or milk until mixture is thin. Heat skillet, use just a bit of butter or cooking spray so batter does not stick.  Add just enough mix to make a thin layer covering your entire skillet.  It will not take these long to cook as they are very thin, after they are a light golden brown...

A few days ago I had the privilege to take my sweet friend Mrs. A to the airport to pick up her hubby.  Mr. A came home on leave and got here just in time to be here for the birth of their first baby.  So sweet! If you are ever lucky enough to be at the airport when a soldier comes home, it will be an event you will NEVER forget.  The range of emotions is crazy, you are very proud, very happy and you cry.   At one point I asked Mrs. A if she was going to cry and she said she was too excited to cry.  WHATEVER!  I told her I would be crying enough for the both of us then.  HA!  Mr. A was one of the last ones off the plane so Mrs. A and I were able to watch all of the other homecomings. They were all sweet in their own way but other than Mr. and Mrs. A's it had to be the soldier that was the first off the plane.  Waiting on him was his wife and little boy.  The little boy couldn't have been over two, he was so cute and ALL...

Yes!  The lady that makes cookies that look like this.......   I am SO excited!  I have been busy looking around Pinterest trying to find the perfect recipe and looking at all the AMAZING ideas, to hopefully help me figure out exactly what I want to do. Here we are....less than a week away.....I have NO idea what I am going to make yet!  AAAAAAHHHH!!!! Per my "rules" {I use that term lightly as I have been bending them for the swap} I have to make 6 dozen cookies. 6 DOZEN! As I told one of the girls the other day "Just be glad I changed it to 6, it was 9 dozen." Oh my! What was I thinking? One thing I have decided?  I must host another Cookie Swap because there are just to many ideas and not enough time to make everything. Have you ever been to or hosted a cookie swap?  What is your go to cookie to take or what would you take if you were going to a swap?

This weekend my family and I took a mini vacation to Branson, Mo.  We had SO much fun!  I just adore Branson, there is SO much to do there and they seriously have something for everyone. While we were there we shopped, went to Dixie Stampede {for the first time}, shopped, walked around Old Downtown Branson, shopped, went to my hubbies company Christmas party and....did I mention.....we shopped?  We had a really good time. We were able to visit one of our favorite stores while we were there.....Build-a-Bear Workshop.    A special!  You know this made ME happy!  We also had a coupon...of course!    This is ALWAYS the hardest part!  Picking out what we are going to make.   Time to stuff!   Warm up the heart......   Bath time!!   All done! Thanks for coming along on our journey!  You can see more pics on my google+ album.