July | 2012 | Like a Saturday - DIY, Crafts, Recipes, Shenanigans

July 21, 2012
by likeasaturday 3 Comments

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffins

Oh, beautiful Saturday! The best day of the week! This is the first weekend in months that we don’t have plans……and I LOVE it! We have had a ton of really great, full weekends back to back…but I’m really happy to have a weekend for rest. So far we’ve done a whole lot of bumming around. I might still be in my pajamas.

I can’t have a bummy Saturday morning (or any morning for that matter) without a cup of coffee….and sometimes you just need a little treat to go along with said coffee. So, I whipped up a yummy batch of muffins.

These are super easy to make, and you probably already have all of the ingredients you need.

You need:

1 1/4 c all-purpose flour

1/3 c sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg, beaten

3/4 c milk (I used almond milk)

1/4 c of oil

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Mix all of your ingredients together until the batter is moist. It should appear somewhat lumpy. Next, the add-ins! I chose chopped strawberries and dark chocolate chips, mostly because that it what I had on hand; but you can choose any number of options. You could add blueberries, chopped cranberries, poppy seeds….anything you can think of! You could even add a little lemon zest to the batter to give them a little more flavor. Fold in whatever items you desire into the batter.

These aren’t very sweet, but if you add a couple of tablespoons of sugar if we need to ramp up the sweet factor a bit.

Spoon the batter into your muffin pans, and bake for 18-20 minutes.

Let cool for 5 minutes, and ENJOY!

What are y’all up to this weekend? Relaxing? Working on any projects? Whatever you’re doing, I hope you have a FANTASTIC weekend…and make sure you at least sneak in a few minutes of quiet.

July 15, 2012
by likeasaturday 97 Comments

Rustic Chalk Board {and a giveaway!}

Happy weekend, y’all! I hope you are all doing well and getting a few days to relax before the craziness of the week starts back up for you. We have had a TON of rain around here, and a lot of flooding in our area. Luckily, the worst we endured was being stuck at home for a day.

I have a fun project to share with you today!

There are about a million and one DIY chalk boards floating around the interwebs, but I still cannot get enough. This is a different take on the chalk board craze. The best part is it’s super easy and super cheap. I like both of these things!

Supplies needed:

A “country round” or wood plank. I found mine at Hobby Lobby. They’re usually used for wood burning crafts.

Liquid chalk board paint. I love, love, love Rustoleum brand chalk board paint!

A good flat head brush

Foam brush

Chalk

The only thing I had to buy was the wood plank. I used my Hobby Lobby 40% off coupon and it ended up costing me about $6.50. Everything else I already had on hand.

The nice thing about these planks, is that you do not have to sand. They are ready to go! I decided first how much of a border I wanted to leave around the actual chalk board portion. I used the rings in the wood as my guide. I decided that two rings in of the lighter part was perfect.

Dip your flat head brush into the paint. You don’t want to get too much paint to start with, otherwise you’ll end up with gobs of paint and a wonky line. Start slowly painting a border by following the natural line in the wood. Don’t let this part intimidate you — It doesn’t have to be perfect! Plant the side of your hand on the plank to keep it steady. Continue painting until you have completed the border around the whole plank. Now, it’s time to fill in the middle with your foam brush. The foam will make the paint go on fairly smooth. You will have some texture, but it adds to the rustic vibe. You just want to make sure it won’t get in your way when writing on the board. Paint until the whole area is filled in. Go back and check for any spots you maybe have missed and touch up. Let the chalk board dry for at least a couple of hours before you decide to write on it.

Once it is dry you are ready to prime the board. Grab a piece of chalk and rub it on its side until the entire chalk board surface is covered.

Erase, and you are ready to roll! These would be great as a “Welcome” sign at your front door, a menu board in the kitchen, or wedding/party signage.

These chalk boards are so easy to make and they don’t take long at all. What would you use it for? If you decide to try it out, show me your finished masterpiece! OR! You could win this one!

To celebrate the launch of Like A Saturday, I’ll be giving away this very Rustic Chalk Board to one lucky reader. You have THREE chances to win:

{UPDATE}: This giveaway has ended! And the winner is…..Michelle! Michelle said, “I would use it in the kitchen or for a learning game for the toddler!”.

Thanks for all who entered! Didn’t get a chance to enter? Keep checking back for future giveaways.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

July 11, 2012
by likeasaturday 2 Comments

How do you do?

Hello, and welcome to my humble [online] abode! I’m pretty pumped that you’re here.

I’m so excited to be starting this blog, and a little terrified at the same time! It can be kind of nerve-racking putting yourself out there. Let me start by telling you a little about myself and what you can look forward to seeing when you’re here.

My name is Rachel. I’m the oldest of 3 girls (and yes…we all shared ONE bathroom!), and I ~~was~~ am definitely the bossy big sis. My dad is an incredible artist, and while I didn’t inherit all of his talent, I was bitten by the creative bug at an early age. I was always eager to dive in and try any kind of creative project, whether it was something simple like a needle craft or a paint by number, or something a little more grandiose like planning a back yard carnival for the kids who lived on my block (Oh…and it was awesome. Who doesn’t want to pretend that the swing set is actually a really sweet carnie ride?). I remember one time seeing a huge pile of branches that my parents had just trimmed off of our live oak in the front yard. I immediately knew that I could make one awesome club house by sticking the branches side by side, vertically into the ground. Yeah…that one didn’t last too long. I resorted to “whittling” the sticks instead.

All 3 of us gals. I’m the shorty one on the left.

I’ve been married to my amazing husband, Tim, for almost three years. We bought our home as we were planning our wedding. When I think back on it now, I realize how crazy we were for trying to cram all of that in into 5 short months, but I’m so glad we did! I have loved having this home together and making it our own. You know how they say you will probably marry someone like your dad? It’s true! Tim is also a very talented artist and currently works as a graphic designer. He is super sweet and helps me with my lack of computer imaging skills and he tries really hard to understand my art direction. Not only that, but he puts up with my late night crafting inspirations and ever-growing list of home updates. And he makes me laugh. And he’s cute. Total package, ladies!

This blog will not only be used to document our home updates, but I will also be sharing fun crafty projects that you can do yourself, and maybe a few tasty recipes here and there. If you don’t consider yourself super creative or crafty, don’t you worry! I somehow wiggle myself into shenanigans..often, so if nothing else, you can at least get a good laugh or two at my expense.

Again, I’m really excited that you’re here! Don’t be shy and please say hello! If you somehow stumbled upon this blog, or found it through a mutual friend, please introduce yourself. I look forward to getting to know you!

Have a really great day and stay tuned for some upcoming projects!