Cheddar beer fondue

This was so easy to make and took just a few minutes!

1 cup beer
4 cups shredded cheddar (I used half sharp white and half mild cheddar)
1 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves minced

Turn fondue pot on medium low. Add beer and garlic. Wait until bubbles form just around the edges and add pepper, mustard & flour. Stir. Add cheese one cup at a time stirring continuously. Once one cup is melted, add another. Turn pot to warm.
To dip we used:
French bread cubes
Honey pretzel twists
Apple slices
Carrots
Tomatoes
Celery
Broccoli
Snap peas

We made a mini tea light chocolate fondue for dessert with raspberries, pineapple chunks, strawberries & apple slices

$5 yard sale trunk redo

I got this trunk at a yard sale for only $5 because they were trying to get rid of it. It looked like it had been cloth covered and they had just removed it so it was ready to be painted or stained. I used a sherwin williams paint sample I had so it wasn't the highest quality but I really like the way it came out. I think it looks like its always been that color -bungle house gray.

Wood block snowmen

I made these just like the pumpkins. paint blocks of wood (2x4") white.
Add black dots for eyes.
Sand to distress.
Add homespun fabric scarves.
Hotglue rusty metal heart or star.
Voila!

Halloween signs

I love these pumpkins and they were easy to make. I painted scrap wood blocks orange and painted black faces on them. I sanded them down to distress them, added a stick as a stem and tied a scrap of green home spurn around the stem.

Scrappy recycled wood Christmas trees

These came out so adorable. I made them over the last few days.
Day 1 cut lengths of wood to make a tree shape and painted. One tree is white and one is Italian sage.
Day 2 cut out stencils on the cricut onto contact paper. One reads "may your days be merry & bright" and the other, "a very merry Christmas & a happy new year." Paint the words. I used black on the white sign and black cherry on the sage sign.
Day 3 sand all the pieces to distress. I also painted a black block for the base of the tree. Assemble by using drywall screws through the back of the post. Hot glue a rusty metal star to the top. I'm selling them for $40 at some craft fairs and via Facebook.
Adorable! I found several signs on pinterest as my inspiration. Just search "scrappy wood tree."

Re-stickify Cricut Mats!!! Easy and actually works

Super easy!

You need:
Aleene's Tack It Glue
Water
Small bowl
Foam brush

1. Scrape off your cricut mats to remove big pieces of paper and vinyl. Mine still have some small pieces...no big deal.

2. Pour equal parts Aleene's Tack It glue and water into your small bowl and mix together.

3. Dip foam brush in the mixture and "paint" on a thin layer over the entire mat(s.)

4. Let dry - doesn't take too long especially in our 95 degree weather today.

5. The mat will be extremely tacky (odd...) pat the mat with your hands to "condition" with the oils in your hands. It will take some of the stick out of the mat so your paper doesn't tear.

VOILA!! Took me a couple of minutes to do 4 mats and the glue was $5...much better than spending $10 on a new mat that only works several times before it loses it's stick.

Etsy

12 items for sale now on etsy!
Custom Name Sign
Custom Lake Sign
Custom Town/City Sign
herbs
be happy
laundry
bakery
country life
beach -->
sit long talk much
love life <3
open daily

www.etsy.com/shop/nikkirivs