Day 31: Hidden Heart Cake (success).

Pinterest pin and website link.

I recently purchased about a dozen cake mixes on sale, and decided I needed to start baking today -- and I love how this heart cake turned out!  I followed the website instructions exactly, and think this would be a perfect Valentine's Day dessert!

Cake Ingredients:

2 boxes Pound Cake mix

1/2 cup Butter softened
4 Eggs
1-1/3 cup Milk
Red food coloring

Glaze Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar2 tbsp Milk

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 and spray loaf pan with cooking spray.
• Prepare your first pound cake following box directions. Add food coloring to get a good pink color in batter.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes, which is about 10 less than box directions (I actually used two smaller pans, so I cooked mine for about 33 minutes.  Part of my cakes were a little undercooked, so the next time I make this, I'm going to cook it for the full amount stated on the box).

• Let cool on rack for an hour.
• Remove cake from pan and refrigerate for several hours.
• Slice cold cake into slices no thicker than your cookie cutter.
• Use cookie cutter to cut heart shapes from each and stack to side.
• Prepare the other box of pound cake mix following box directions.
• Spray loaf pan with cooking spray.
• Pour 1/4″ of batter in the bottom.
• Place your heart cut-outs down the middle, keeping them straight and together.

• Pour remaining batter over the heart cut-outs in the pan. Ensure it gets down the sides and covers the top (There will be a lot of batter left -- unless you make this in two smaller cake pans like I did, and then there won't be much at all leftover).
• Bake according to box directions.
• Let cool on rack for an hour.
• Remove from pan and place on platter.
• In a medium bowl, put powdered sugar and slowly add milk until desired consistency is reached.
• Drizzle icing over cake and serve.

Verdict: This is a little time consuming, but well worth it for the cuteness factor!  Plus, I'm going to try this with the modifications for making a boxed cake taste like a bakery cake the next time I do it, and I know it will taste so much better!

Friday Favorite -- Sweeping Game.

Pinterest pin and website link (I'll  be going back to this site -- there are some good tips here!).

The entire time I had this blue tape on our kitchen floor, my son would beg me to let him sweep after meals.  The second I took the tape up (because it was annoying me to look at it), he was no longer interested -- or even seemed to remember that he'd ever swept before.  I think ugly blue tape on my hardwoods is worth the extra help with housework -- it will be back in place tomorrow!

Day 30: Ice Cream Shapes (fail).

Pinterest pin.  No website link.

I feel like I am typically the mom at my kids' birthday parties who is hot and bothered while trying frantically to scoop ice cream -- and I was hoping to change that pattern with this pin.  No such luck -- using cookie cutter shapes with ice cream worked about as well for me as using cookie cutter shapes with whipped cream.

I left the ice cream out of the freezer for about 5 minutes so that I could spread it easily in the pan.  So far, so good...

I then put it back in the freezer for about an hour before attempting the cookie cutter shapes...

Since this wasn't linked to a website, I'm not sure whether these ice cream shapes were put back into the freezer until the party or served right away.  Either way, this wouldn't be a time-saver for me.  I think it might get a few laughs, but that's not usually what I'm going for at my kids' birthday parties!

Verdict: fail.

Day 29: Using Wax Paper to Align Gallery Wall Frames (success).

Pinterest pin and website link.

I usually have my husband do all the picture hanging in our house, since the multiple times I've done it, the walls behind the pictures are completely covered in nail holes (which I don't really mind since there are then pictures covering the holes...but it bothers my husband!).  I thought I could do this pin, though, with very little help from him.

Laying out my gallery items (prior to finding pictures and spray painting letters).

Locating gallery location.

Flipping frames over and marking places to nail on wax paper taped together.

Taping the wax paper to the wall, but needing my husband's help to show me how to put in a drywall screw -- and then I did the rest!

 Done!

A few other things: I used medium Command Picture Hanging Strips to hang the N and F letters, and Scotch Adhesive Putty to secure a few pictures to the wall.

I only had to slightly move one nail -- which I definitely count as a success in my book!  I'm now loving this wall in our playroom!

Verdict: success!

Day 28: Sore Throat Remedy (fail).

Pinterest pin and website link.

I have woken up the last few days with a sore throat, and I have to admit that my first thought was excitement that I got to try out this pin.  This little project of mine might be getting a tad out of hand...

I had a difficult time gulping this down because the vinegar taste was pretty strong, but I did it!

Unfortunately, the drink didn't do anything for my sore throat, but instead gave me a stomach ache both mornings I tried it.  I should probably stick with Vitamin C and extra rest instead of some miracle drink...

Verdict: fail.

Day 27: Crock-Pot Pork marinade (fail).

Pinterest pin and website link.

I am determined not to waste any of our Costco pork tenderloins (4 in a pack for $20!), so here's yet another Crock-Pot pork tenderloin recipe we tried!

Ingredients.

I substituted Agave nectar for pancake / maple syrup...

...and misread the directions that said to cook it 6 hours on low; I cooked mine 6 hours on high.  Although it was a bit burnt on the outside, my pork and marinade were frozen, so I subconsciously must have wanted to ensure that it was really cooked in those 6 hours!

My husband liked it and even had seconds, and I agreed that the meat was really tender from sitting in a marinade and cooking in a Crock-Pot.  However, I decided it was a fail because the marinade was really strong -- much too salty and tasted primarily of soy sauce.  It looked pretty plated, though!

Verdict: fail.

Day 26: Spray Painting Tips (success).

Pinterest pin, website link and tutorial video.

I have a love-hate relationship with spray paint.  I love how easy it seems like it should be, but I typically rush through it and my final product looks something like this.  Which I hate.

I'm working on a gallery wall for our playroom and wanted to add the first letters of my kids' names, but didn't want to spend a ton of money.  I bought letters to spray paint at Michael's and quickly set to work.  As you can imagine, it didn't go well, particularly for the N (see the long scratch and the paint drips).  I also decided that I didn't like the shiny, silver color in the playroom.

I searched Pinterest for spray painting tips and came upon the above link, and love that she includes a video.  I have always felt like spray painting should be quick and easy, yet I'm fairly disappointed with the end result each time I do it -- the tips on the site and video were really helpful.  I worked in a well-ventilated area; wore a mask; used Rust-oleum's Comfort Grip; shook the can for 30+ seconds; used sandpaper prior to painting, practiced in a non-conspicuous area (on the back of the letters!); did multiple coats; and sprayed in a steady, always-moving manner.

 And I love the end result!  Can't wait to hang these on the playroom wall!

Verdict: success!

Day 25: Crock-Pot Balsamic Pork (success).

Pinterest pin and website link.

Although we already have a go-to Crock-Pot pork recipe, I didn't want to serve it so often that my family started to dislike it!  I found another delicious-looking recipe on Pinterest -- and it didn't disappoint!  I didn't have a roast in my fridge, so I substituted pork tenderloin instead.

Ingredients.

Ready to turn on the Crock-Pot (using Slow Cooker Liners to make clean-up easy).

Done -- and delicious!

Verdict: success!

Friday Favorite -- DIY Foaming Hand Wash.

Pinterest pin and website link.

We love foaming hand soap in this house, particularly with young kids, but I jumped at the chance to try a less expensive option when I found the above recipe for DIY foaming hand soap.  I immediately tried it, but didn't think it was quite "foamy" enough with 1 teaspoon of liquid soap.  For us, the following is the perfect recipe:

Refill an empty foam dispenser with 3 teaspoons of liquid soap (I use the Mrs. Meyer's brand) or dish washing liquid and fill the rest of the dispenser with water.

Day 24: Packing Kids' Clothes for Travel (success).

Pinterest pin and website link.

The kids are staying overnight at their grandparents' house, and I thought I would try this packing tip for their clothes; my daughter is very opinionated about what she's wearing these days, and I didn't want my mom to have to deal with her tantrums on the topic!

Below, I've made my pros / cons list about packing this way for travel with kids:

Pros:
* No travel clothing battles -- I let me daughter help me pick out her outfits to pack while at home and then she had no issues with getting dressed each day.
* Matching / complementing clothes are easily found together.  While traveling, I typically spend quite a bit of time searching through duffel bags to find coordinated clothing and accessories for the kids.
* It was easier for me to see what I'd forgotten to pack, as each bag contained an entire set of clothing or PJs, with complementing items.
* I always seem to need bags while on vacation, and never have enough.  By packing this way, I  would have extra bags that I can throw used diapers in and seal them in the hotel room, pack up dirty laundry, line a trash can, pack snacks, etc.

Cons:
* Bags take up more room in the suitcase / laundry basket / box, etc. than just throwing clothes in does.  I can squish A LOT of clothing items into this one laundry basket without bags!
* Unless your kids are really small (under 4T?), fitting a full set of clothing, underwear and accessories into a gallon-size bag is tough.
* It seems a bit wasteful to use all those gallon bags just for packing.

Verdict: overall a success, particularly while my kids are still small!

Day 23: Felt Wreath (success).

Pinterest pin and website link.

I love having a wreath hang from my entryway mirror most of the year, and decided to try this red felt wreath (in a traditional circle shape versus the heart) so that I could use it for Christmas, Valentine's Day, and the 4th of July.  I followed the tutorial exactly, with the following two changes:

1) I went to Ben Franklin and used the die-cut machine to cut out my circles.  It takes a TON of felt circles to complete this wreath and I didn't have the energy to cut them all by hand!
2) I lined the back of my wreath with red felt, as part of the back can be seen since I display it against a mirror.

I love the end result, and I simply change out the ribbon it's hanging from based on the holiday and loop it over the upside down command hook on the back of the mirror.  Easy!

Verdict: success!

Day 22: Baking Soda and Bubbles Science Experiment (success).

Pinterest pin and website link.

I followed the above tutorial for my daughter and her friend, but made a few modifications to the amount of each ingredient used (while still keeping the amount of each ingredient consistent across our experiments).

Our experiment:
1 tablespoon of baking soda + 1 tablespoon of X (bubbles, dish soap, apple juice, Sprite).  Mix well.

Put in a Pyrex container to contain bubbling.

Pour 1 cup of vinegar into mixture to see results.

1 T baking soda + 1 cup of vinegar (control)
Please disregard that I was lazy and titled the cup BS instead of Baking Soda!

1 T baking soda + 1 T bubbles + 1 cup of vinegar

1 T baking soda + 1 T soap + 1 cup of vinegar

1 T baking soda + 1 T apple juice + 1 cup of vinegar

1 T baking soda + 1 T Sprite + 1 cup of vinegar

Verdict: The kids loved pouring in the vinegar and seeing the mixtures bubble -- and it kept two, 2-year-olds entertained for over half an hour.  Success!

Day 21: Making Heart-Shaped Cupcakes with a Regular Muffin Tin (success).

Pinterest pin and website link.

We're getting in the mood for heart month around here!  I don't have a heart-shaped muffin tin, so I've been wanting to try this method of making heart-shaped cupcakes using a regular muffin tin.  Throw in a marble, fill liners halfway, and bake!

As in past posts, I overfilled most of the cupcake liners -- and that didn't work in my favor.  Just as the blog author said, the least-filled liner (above, far left) will look most like a heart (below, far left).

Verdict: success!  I'll be using this marble trick to make muffins for my kids' breakfast on Valentine's Day!

Day 20: Crock-Pot Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal (fail).

Pinterest pin and website link.

To be fair, I'm not a huge fan of oatmeal.  However, I do like apples, cinnamon, and (as you know) my Crock-Pot -- and the pinned picture looked much more appetizing to me than regular oatmeal, so I decided to give it a try.

Ingredients.

All loaded into the Crock-Pot.  Looking good, right??

Not anymore.  This is after cooking on low for 9 hours.

This recipe smelled so promising while it was cooking today, but the end result was not good -- the taste was pretty bland and the texture was mushy.  Our kids wouldn't try it and my sweet husband, who normally eats anything I make, agreed that I shouldn't make it again.

Verdict: fail.

Day 19: Make a Boxed Cake Taste Like a Bakery Cake (success).

Pinterest pin and website link.

I don't think I'll ever make just a boxed cake again -- these changes made a regular white cake mix taste so much better!  Everyone who tried these cupcakes was impressed!

Ingredients:

A traditional box cake, plus...

...add one more egg.

...use melted butter instead of oil, and double the amount.

...use milk instead of water.

...add 2 teaspoons of vanilla.

Fill cups 3/4 full.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, but reduce to 325 degrees if baking cupcakes.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Pre-frosting.

 Deliciously moist!

A few notes from me --
* this made a ton of cupcakes.  One box (that would normally yield 18-20 cupcakes) made 30+!
* I filled many of mine higher than the 2/3 recommendation, and  I would not recommend that!  These don't "puff up" as much as the traditional boxed mix, so the ones that I overfilled just sort of "draped" onto the cupcake pan and weren't as presentable even when frosted.
* I used an ice cream scoop to fill the cupcakes.  This worked great, but I'll just make sure that the scoop isn't overflowing next time so that the cupcakes are only 2/3 filled prior to baking.

Verdict: success!

Day 18: Getting Latex Paint off Moldings (success).

Pinterest pin and website link.

My first step in my bathroom painting project was to remove dripped / splattered paint from the hardwood floor (post HERE) and next up was trying to remove that same wall paint from painted moldings.  

I wanted to make sure that the latex wall paint was removed, but the oil-based molding paint stayed on!  After finding the above pin, I checked with a professional house painter who agreed that rubbing alcohol was the best way to go since these walls (and moldings and floors...) were painted over eight years ago.  He said that if the latex paint hadn't been on the surface for very long, using just hot water could do the trick.  His next strategy would be rubbing alcohol, and finally, a product called Goof-Off.  He confirmed that none of these steps would take off the oil-based molding paint.

Instead of just the straight rubbing alcohol the painter recommended, I went with the pinned recipe -- 3/4 cups rubbing alcohol and 1/4 cup lemon juice.

It worked!  Because the paint had been left for so long, it took some major elbow grease to get it off there -- typically, I scrubbed with the toothbrush and then the sponge, used the putty knife and then oftentimes, the paint only came off when I used my fingernails at the end.  Regardless, it looks much better and I'm ready to tape and pick out paint colors! 

Verdict: success!

Friday Favorite -- Tension Rod.

Pinterest pin and website link.

Since we moved into our house, my cutting boards have been thrown into the cabinet that houses all of our (mismatched) Tupperware.  Each time I need a cutting board, I end up moving aside multiple items to get at one cutting board, which was annoying...

When I saw this pin, I knew I would try it.  My only problem with implementing this was that all my lower kitchen cupboards, except one, are located directly underneath drawers, which meant there was nowhere to attach a tension rod to the top of the cabinet since it slides out whenever the drawer is opened (this is probably the same issue in everyone's kitchen).  I ended up moving the cutting boards under my stove, and it's been wonderfully organized since the tension rod went up!  I love when organization happens for just $4.99!

It also allowed me to have the space to organize and / or toss all of my Tupperware.  The only downside to this is that I know I'll fill this space with more Tupperware!

Day 17: Oven Baked Tacos (success).

Pinterest pin and website link.

These tacos were so easy to make and were a family favorite, even though I forgot to buy anything to put on them after they came out of the oven.  We had nothing -- no tomatoes, olives, salsa or sour cream, and everyone still loved them!  The recipe made 9 tacos, so I shared them with friends, and they raved about them too!  I wish I could take credit, but I just followed the recipe...

Ingredients.

Ready to bake in the oven -- although I prepped this at about 8 in the morning, so I just stuck foil over the top and placed in the fridge until we were ready for dinner.

Done!

  Verdict: success!