Pinterest Loves Button Trees (and so do I)

Hey everybody,

my first button tree

Hope you all had a great week. So, one of the very first crafts I pinned when I signed up for Pinterest was this super adorable little painting of a tree with buttons for the leafs. The more I perused Pinterest, the more versions of the button tree I found. I wanted to make one so badly so I called my friend Beka up and asked her if she wanted to have a Pinterest party and make a version of this. Of course she said yes, I mean come on, so cute. I ran out to the store to get our supplies and headed over to B's house. My first button tree turned out pretty fabulous, B's.... not so much haha. But I won't get in to that. She ended up fixing it a few days later and hers too turned out to be fabulous as well.

The thing I like about these trees is that they all turn out a little bit different depending on the artist. I don't know why. It's something with the way each crafter makes the swirls for the leaves, kind of like a signature if that makes sense. They're ridiculously easy to make and look great. I made my original to match my living room, made one for my mother-in-laws new kitchen and a third one for my 2-year-old niece L. I'm going to show you how I made L's because, IMO, it turned out the best.

what i used

Here we go, so first off you will need a canvas of any size. It really is your preference. Next, select a base color that will match the room you will be hanging your button tree in. For my first two trees I used 1 solid color. For L's, I decided to get a little crazy and make the background striped in 4 different colors that match her bedroom. You'll then need to get you a black paint pen with a thick point. A bottle of clear glue and some buttons of different sizes. You can get ALL of this stuff at Wal-mart! The canvas, the glue, the paint and GET THIS!! Wal-mart sells bags of buttons like you see in the picture in a pretty big assortment of colors. They also have smaller packs in an even bigger selection of colors. And the prices are about $2 to $4 dollars cheaper than at Michael's, which only sells the big bags of buttons.

tape off canvas

this is what it looks like once it dries

Ok, so for L's button tree I used pink, red, green and blue paint. I took medical tape and taped off the canvas the way I wanted it. As in the tape you'd use to tape up a broken finger. It's a smaller stripe and that's what I wanted to break up the four colors. Breaking the stripes up with a smaller white stripe also made it so I didn't have to wait for any of the paint to dry before re-taping the canvas off to paint a different color stripe. Ya still with me??



sketch your tree with pencil first

 Next I put the painting aside for about 20-30 minutes to dry completely. Once it was dry I took a pencil and drew my tree. What I like to do it draw the trunk of the tree first and then I add the branches. I draw it out very thin and then trace it with a black paint pen. I then go over it with a thin brush and black paint to make the branches and trunk thicker. (please excuse the sideways pictures!! Blogger is being a jerk right now and is uploading some of them the wrong way. I've been trying to fix it for an hour but it's a glitch. UGH!)



trace the pencil with black paint pen



once it's traced with paint pen I fill it in with black paint and brush



this is what it looks like when dry










glue buttons on

 Once the tree is dry you just take all you're different sized buttons and glue them on wherever you want! That's the fun part! *TIP* Make sure you let the painting dry over night laying flat. Otherwise the buttons will slide down and leave a big glue skid mark and your button will be in some weird place.   






finished product (sorry blogger is sucking and uploaded it sideways)

 So, is this project worth the cash? ummmm, Duh. I've made like 3 so of course that's a yes. And they're fun to make.
Total cost: Canvas from Michaels $2.00 (again I buy these in a 5 pack with a coupon so they're super cheap) paint-this depends, If you do a solid background then it's $0.50 a bottle at Wal-mart. for my painting it was $2.50, paint pen- $2-3 bucks at Wal-mart again. And buttons Wal-mart $3.00 to $5.00 depending on the bag size. Because I paint a lot this project cost me about $4.00.




another tree I've made


You're welcome!
The Posh Pinner

Biotin for hair and nails!! Really works!

Hey everybody,

I just started a new job this week and haven't had time to finish my latest blog post but I wanted to at least come on here and let you all know about a tip I got off of Pinterest.

I constantly scroll through the beauty and health category looking for new products.  When I came across a post saying Biotin was a miracle supplement that helps hair and nails grow I was like "jigga what?!?! Got to try that! My hair never seems to get much further than right past my shoulders and I have very brittle nails. A hormonal imbalance has led to a lot of hair loss for me as well so I was willing to try anything.

I got a small bottle of 1,000 mcg Biotin from Walmart for like $5 bucks and started taking it a couple of times a week back in November after my latest hair appointment. I'm not religious about taking it but I try to remember  to take a pill 2-3 times a week.

I thought my hair was getting ridiculously long but it was reaffirmed yesterday when I went to my hair gal and she told me it had grown at least 3 inches since my last time in. I'm serious. This stuff worked like a boss for me. I don't know if its because I didn't take any supplements what so ever so it shocked my body or if my hair just went through some sort of a phase, but I tend to believe it's the biotin since my hair has never grown like this before. My girl cut about 2 inches off and I can't even tell.

So anyway, yeah ummmm. If you've seen the biotin pin and were thinking about trying it out.... Do it.... Like Now! It's awesome! I will now be taking it daily.

More REC-UH-PEEEES!! (in my best Oprah voice)

Alright, Alright, Alright! You asked... and I listened.  I do believe I have received about 100 emails asking me to write another post about my adventures (or mis-adventures) in the kitchen trying out these Pinterest recipes that you all are repinning. Lucky for you guys in my brief hiatus away from being the Posh Pinner I still had to cook dinner for my husband, so I have lots and lots of recipes to tell you about. Now I'm just going on mine and my husband's opinion on the dishes, so if I say I hate something but you LOVED it than cool. Feel free to leave me a comment (remember your manners) telling me otherwise.

The Good

1)World's Best Mac & Cheese-Beecher's Recipe

I found this one on Pinterest a few days ago and I have to tell you, this is absolutely the most delicious mac & cheese I have ever had in my entire life and I'm pretty darn picky when it comes to my mac & cheese. You may recognize the name Beecher's. It was featured on Top Chef Seattle and Beecher's cheese curds are world famous. I think the week after the episode aired, my husband and I booked it to Pike's Place Market to try the curds. Instead I paid about $8 bucks for this mac & cheese and OH MY YUM. Here's the recipe- I highly recommend splurging and ordering the Beecher's cheese online. This would be a great dish to take to someones house for a dinner party. It's fan-frickin-tastic but kind of a pain in the butt to make. So allow yourself some time when making this one.
Step 1-IngredientsButter or vegetable oil, for baking dish
6 ounces penne
2 cups Beecher's Flagship Cheese Sauce
1 ounce cheddar cheese, grated (1/4 cup)
1 ounce Gruyere cheese, grated (1/4 cup)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
DirectionsPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter or oil and 8-inch baking dish; set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Cook penne, according to package direction, for 2 minutes less than recommended on the package. Rinse pasta in cold water; set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together cooked pasta and sauce gently but thoroughly. Pour pasta into prepared baking dish; sprinkle with cheeses and chili powder. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Let stand  5 minutes before serving
Step 2- Cheese Sauce Ingredients4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
14 ounces cheddar cheese, preferably Flagship, grated (about 3 1/2 cups)
2 ounces Jack cheese, preferably Just Jack, grated (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
DirectionsMelt butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat; whisk in flour. Continue whisking and cooking for 2 minutes. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly. Cook, stirring frequently, until sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cheeses, salt, chili powder, and garlic powder. Stir until cheese has melted and all ingredients are well incorporated, about 3 minutes.
Use immediately or refrigerate up to 3 days. To reheat sauce, place in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, until heated through.
2.)Crockpot Pineapple Chicken

 First off, this is a simple little recipe I found floating around Pinterest from the undressedskeleton.tumblr.com. It's super healthy, this girl has nothing but good for you dishes on her blog.  You can throw it in the crockpot and let it cook all day. I'm not saying this is the best thing I've ever made in my crockpot. It's decent and it's easy. It's fine for a random Wednesday when you're out of ideas and don't feel like cooking, or you're on a diet.
Ingredients
1 cup pineapple juice 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/3 cup light soy sauce 2 pounds
chicken breast tenderloins.
Directions
Cook on low 6-8 hrs and they should just fall apart

3.)Banana Nutella Toast from closetcooking.com
Look at that picture and tell me that doesn't make your mouth water. What's not to love about this. Nutella. Banana. Toast. Enough Said!!
Ingredients1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 banana (peeled and sliced)
1 or 2 slices of bread
2 tablespoons Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)
DirectionsMelt the butter and sugar in a pan. Add the bananas and cook until golden brown and caramelized on both  sides, about 3-5 minutes per side. When the bananas are done, pop your bread in the toaster. When it's nice and toasted, coat with Nutella and then spoon the bananas on top. Boom!


4.)Olive Garden Salad Dressing
Who doesn't LOVE Olive Garden's Salad dressing? No, seriously. Who? Cause I've never met anyone who doesn't. Now, I have not made this dressing and I will explain why at the end of this recipe. But if you decide to try the Pinterest version here ya go.

Ingredients1 packet Good Seasonings Italian Dressing
(Ingredients needed to make dressing from the packet; oil, water, vinegar)
½ tsp. dried Italian Seasoning
½ tsp. table salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. garlic powder
½ tbsp. mayonnaise (no Miracle Whip, please)
¼ cup olive oil
2 tbs. white vinegar
1 ½ tbsp. water
Directions
Make the Good Seasonings Italian Dressing following the steps on the back of the packet. You have to follow this direction to a T or it doesn't come out right. Then add the remaining ingredients and whisk. Pop it in the fridge and you're ready to go. Part of what makes the taste of the Olive Garden salad is the onions, tomatos, olives and Parmesan cheese so make sure you have all that in your salad.

The reason I don't make this version is because it's a LOT of spices and a LOT of measuring. BOO! No fun. Now are you ready for your mind to be blown?? Go to Wal-mart (your Kroger or Safeway may have it as well. Mine doesn't). Hit the salad dressing aisle. Look for the dressing packets. You'll see like 40 Hidden Valley Ranch packs and then the Good Seasonings packets. There is the Italian pack in red and then there is one called Garden Herb in purple. But the Garden Herb and follow the steps on back exactly. It's a pretty darn close match to Olive Garden's in 2 easy steps, and all you'll need is oil and vinegar. *Another tip*  You could make this in a jar, a small bowl, or a clean, empty salad dressing bottle.... But, if you look right around that area near the dressing packets Good Seasonings sells their own salad dressing container in a little box. It includes the Italian dressing packet (which is pretty good) and has a cap. It shows you the lines to pour the vinegar and oil up to. It's nice to have around and is pretty fancy looking. :) You just add the ingredients and shake it up. I make this dressing every other day. It's amazing and I can't tell a difference between the OG and the one I make. Your choice, but choose my version.


The Bad

1).Baked Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken  from cook.com
This one could be better. It's Just way too much of everything. Too much garlic, too much brown sugar. It needs some serious adjusting to the measurements. Adjusting that I just lack the talent and pallet to figure out. If you love sweet garlic go for it.
Ingredients
 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons brown sugar
3 teaspoons olive oil
DirectionsPreheat oven to 500°F and lightly grease a casserole dish. In small sauté pan, sauté garlic with the oil until tender. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar.Place chicken breasts in a prepared baking dish and cover with the garlic and brown sugar mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bake uncovered for 15-30 minutes.

2. Spicy Honey Chicken Just so you guys know, I don't like to post the names of the blogs or websites that originally post the recipes that I deem Yucky. This is definitely one of them. It's waaaaay too time consuming. It's waaaaay too complicated and it's waaaaaaaay messy. That and it's not that tasty.
Ingredients
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 2lbs (you could use breasts as well but thighs stay more moist)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Rub:
2 teaspoons granulated garlic (you can sub 1 teaspoon garlic powder here)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
Glaze:
1/2 cup Honey
1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar
Directions
Combine the rub spices in bowl and mix well. Use kitchen shears to trim off any excess fat from the chicken pieces. Pat dry. Drizzle oil over chicken and rub in with your hands to lightly coat all the pieces. Then toss chicken with the spice rub to coat all sides well. Use your hands and get in there! Grill chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through. While chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave so it's not so thick. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2 Tablespoons of the honey glaze for later after the chicken has cooked to pour on right before serving. Take the rest and brush on chicken (both sides) in the final moments of grilling. Can also be made on an inside broiler.



XOXOXOXO

The Posh Pinner

I'm Baaaaa-aaack!!

Hello all my faithful readers!

I must apologize for my absence and update you on where I've been and when I'll be posting a new project. I've received several emails wondering "Are you still the Posh Pinner?? YES my lovies! and I'll be posting soon!!

I honestly did not realize people actually read this blog, so I was quite surprised to check my email and see that I had messages from readers that aren't just by Facebook and Pinterest buddies who like to see me go off on a tangent about something stupid. So again, I apologize for not getting back to you guys. I must have looked like a real B and that's so not me! Things got pretty crazy for me around the holidays. We had house guests that wouldn't leave, I have some health problems and spent a lot of time at the doctor, and I got the bright idea to apply to grad school. And of course the schools I applied to require recent GRE scores. My applications are due in 1 week and since I graduated from college like 10 years ago I had to study 15 hours a day to cram for that dang test. I mean really.. who actually remembers how to find the missing degree of an isosceles triangle? OKAY! Ain't nobody got time for that! But, I am happy to report that I nailed the GRE and think my scores are good enough to get me in to the schools I applied to. My applications are signed, sealed and depending on UPS, delivered.
With that huge stress in my life OVER, I can now get back to what's really important. Wasting my time and money on Pinterest projects. :)

I do feel that I need to remind everyone about the purpose of my blog.  I am not an artist. I am not a master crafter. I can't sew, I can't whip up a three course meal from scratch. I am just a chick who likes to look at Pinterest and say "hey, that looks easy enough. I'm going to see if I can do that." I've never said I'm Betty freaking Crocker. I've never claimed to be the Martha Stewart of Pinterest. I simply get caught up in the latest Pinterest craze and blog about how MY projects turn out--the good and the bad.  I started this blog as a form of entertainment for my friends and to save people, who like myself suck at crafting, from wasting hours of their life on crap. I have received two or three rather mean emails telling me "I SUCK" for not doing this project a certain way. Or," OH MY GOD, I can't believe you didn't know to do this on that project, what are you stupid? Everyone knows that." Weeeeeellllll, I'm soooooooo sorry my crafting is not up to your standards. Again, NOT AN EXPERIENCED CRAFTER! And neither are 99% of the people who read my blog. If I were super craft-tastic I wouldn't be trying out other people's pins, would I?? No, I'd be creating my own.

This blog is simply entertainment. I'm not going to buy a drill or hand sander or table saw to complete ridiculously complex projects. I'm not going to build a dining room table out of old window panes I picked up at an estate sale. I choose easy projects that can be finished in an hour or two on a random Saturday by someone who doesn't have a clue about what the hell Mod Podge is. I throw ingredients into my crock pot and tell you if it's vomit in a bowl or worth feeding to your family. I cut up my husband's old, crusty sock and roll my hair around it to teach you how to create the perfect bun. Entertainment People. I do this for fun. I don't get paid for running this blog.

To all of you super supportive readers who leave awesome comments with suggestions or words of encouragement or comments telling me about how your projects turned out. I appreciate it more than you know. It's always nice to know someone took the time to read my stuff, because I do spend many, many hours and my own money trying out projects that my readers ask me to.

Now that that's all cleared up, hopefully the few people who feel the need to be douche nuggets in anonymous emails will go troll somewhere else.

And thank you again to everyone who reads on a regular basis, and to the hundreds who have written me sweet emails telling me they love my blog. I will have a new project up later this week and plenty of new recipes.

XOXOXOXO
The Posh Pinner