Another take on coasters

So the other day I showed how you could mod podge scrapbook paper to make one of a kind coasters. Well, today I did something a little bit different. My sister and her boyfriend bought their very first house last month and I wanted to give them something that was more personally...make their house into their home. So after I finished my coasters for my home I thought I would make them a set of their own. One problem, they haven't really decided how they are going to decorate. So, to make the coasters a little more interchangeable with whatever decor they choose, I decided on something simple, a monogram. Now this takes a little more time than the paper coasters, but they turn out beautifully.

Basically you will need the same items as with the other coasters

4- 4x4 white tile coasters
clear acrylic spray paint
a paint pen, I used black but there are a plethora of colors to choose from
felt circles

Start by cleaning off your tile with a dry cloth. Follow the directions on your paint pen to get it ready to paint.

Now draw away. You can put whatever you want on them. I just decided to do their initials in a different style on each coaster.

Take them outside and give the a spray with your clear acrylic paint. Do three layers, letting dry between each layer. This will make them waterproof.

Let the dry completely. Add your felt circles to the back and thats it! 

These are a little more time consuming but I think it is well worth it!

Make your own coasters

Let me go ahead and get this out...I am a Pinterest addict! When my children are in bed, I like to sit down with a nice glass of wine and pin away. One day, I will get around to trying all of my 1,000+ pins. It got even worse when they released their app for Android. Now when I go to Hobby Lobby, it is not just for the items on my list, but for every craft I am able to pull up on my Pinterest app before my kids start telling me they are bored.

As the seasons are changing, so is my home decor. I love putting up all of my summery, beachy items and replacing them with down comforters, dark autumn colors and big plushy pillows for the couches. Then I realized something, hello, why are there still sky blue seashell coasters on my table? How did I miss something so small yet something I see everyday. Yes, I am that mom that is always telling her kids to use a coaster. Even my 2 year old puts his sippy cup on one. Never too soon to start, right?

So when I saw this craft on Pinterest, I knew I had to try it. It has to be one of the most simplest things in the world.

Here is the list of things that you will need:

4- 4x4 white tiles (I got mine from Lowes for 16¢ a piece)
scrapbook paper
scissors or a paper cutter
mod podge
sponge or paint brush
clear acrylic spray paint
felt

Clean off your tile with a dry cloth to make sure its free of debris. Then paint on a layer of mod podge. Let it dry for about 1 minute until a little tacky.

Trace the tile onto the back of the scrapbook paper and cut it out. Place the scrapbook paper on the tile right side up. Now paint a layer of mod podge over the paper. Once it dries, paint on 2 more layers and let it dry completely.

For this step, you need to move outside. Place your tiles on some newspaper, take your spray acrylic and spray a light layer over the tiles, let dry. Spray on 2 more layers, letting dry between each layer. The acrylic will make your coasters waterproof!

Once they are dry....you are finished! Since I have a wooden coffee table, I glued small felt squares on the bottom of the coasters so they do not scratch the table. 

Now go enjoy a fabulous cup of coffee...you deserve it!

Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Lattes at home

Whenever I see this sign pop up in the windows of Starbucks my heart starts racing. Who doesn't get excited when anything pumpkin starts popping up everywhere? The one thing I hate about the coffee shop is that I am usually totting around 2 kids, one is usually touching everything in sight while the other is asking "what is this" "can I have that", while the lines are long and I am shelling out $5 for a treat that is usually gulped down in the van while I am chauffeuring the kids somewhere. I rarely get the time to sit and enjoy my latte that I have been waiting months for. 

So I figured there had to be a way to replicate the pumpkin spice latte in my own home, so I can enjoy that sweet, warm, slightly spicy treat whenever I want to. Trust me, this has become one of my favorite things to wake up to....that and the slightly cooler weather on the East coast. Now if it just got cold enough to pull out 
the scarves!

Homemade pumpkin spice latte

Ingredients:

1/2 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon unsweetened canned pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup hot brewed, strong coffee
2 tablespoons half & half cream
1 teaspoon granulated white sugar, or more to taste
whipped cream
ground nutmeg

Directions:

1. In a saucepan whisk together milk, pumpkin and brown sugar on medium heat, stirring constantly, until steaming. Remove from heat and add in vanilla and spice. Whisk vigorously for about 15 seconds until the mixture is frothy.

2. Pour the pumpkin milk into a tall mug or glass. Add hot coffee. Pour in the cream. Add a teaspoon of sugar. Stir, and taste. You can add more sugar, if desired.

3. Add whipped cream on top and a sprinkle of nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice, or both!

Makes about 2 servings

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

The one fruit that my children will eat all the time are bananas. Many times I have walked into the kitchen to see brown mushy bananas hanging from the banana tree stand. I catch my self standing and staring at these bananas contemplating what I am going to do with them. As my mind races a thousand miles an hour staring at the bananas, the solution is inevitable....banana bread. Who doesn't love banana bread? Regular banana bread wont work for me though. Chocolate. Have to add chocolate. I mean, what doesn't taste better with chocolate. 

Dark Chocolate Banana Bread

Yield: 1 loaf

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 50 min

ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated white sugar

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)

1/3 cup plain low fat yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup dark chocolate chunks or chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
3. In a separate large bowl, beat the sugar and butter in a stand mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Stir in the flour mixture; just until moist. Don't over-mix. Stir in the chocolate chunks and then gently stir in the walnuts. If you want, you can sprinkle a few additional chocolate chunks on the top to make it look pretty.
4. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Remove from pan and cool completely on the wire rack.

Welcome Y'all

Hello World! Well, that is what is recommended to say here for my first post. Personally, I disagree. I would rather go with something more friendly like "Hey y'all, thanks for stopping by." Because what else would a southerner say that is more friendly then "Hey y'all."

But really, thanks for stopping by and welcome to The Beautifully Chaotic.

I have always envisioned this place where I could share the ups and downs of being a mom, simple yet good for you food, wannabe Martha Stewart crafting, fashion tips and styling's. Just because you are mom, doesn't mean you are stuck in mom jeans and flip-flops for the rest of your life.....but then again, some days that is all I can muster. To keep yourself from going crazy each day, you have to step back and see that there is beauty all around you, even when you feel like you are stuck in the middle of a chaotic mess. Don't let life pass you by.

In short, this is a place to vent about the good and the bad, share ideas and of course anything food related- its simplicity, beauty, heck basically its delicious taste.