15 Spring Cleaning Tips & Tricks

It's that time of year again. Time to open the windows and get rid of all the dust and built-up grime that you've accumulated over the winter. I don't know about you, but just the thought of Spring Cleaning is a bit overwhelming. There's so much to do!! So, to make life a little easier, I'm sharing 15 Spring Cleaning tips and tricks I've found to help you get your house cleaned like a professional, along with a bunch of homemade cleaner recipes to save you money on supplies!

1. A Thorough Spring Cleaning Checklist by The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking
2. DIY Reusable Swiffer Wet Jet Pad & DIY Swiffer Solution by Do It Yourself Divas
3. DIY Outdoor Window Cleaner by Creative Homemaking
4. DIY Citrus Vinegar Cleaner by For the Love of Food
5. DIY Toilet Bomb Cleaner by How Does She?
6. DIY Cleaning Wipes by Mighty Crafty
7. 5 Homemade Cleaners & Printable Labels by Little Ms. Robinson
8. How to Clean a Microfiber Couch by 551 East
9. DIY Disposal Cleaner by Fun Home Things
10. DIY Carpet Cleaning by Clover House
11. Free Printable Spring Cleaning Checklists by The Spruce
12. Natural Cleaning Tips for the Bathroom by Wellness Mama
13. DIY Glass & Mirror Cleaner by Frugally Sustainable
14. DIY Shower Cleaner by Wait 'Til Your Father Gets Home
15. DIY Dishwasher Detergent by Simply Designing

Easy Breakfast Casserole

Ever need a meal you can throw together at the end of a long day, or have company over and need something that will please everyone? Of course you do. I love that this recipe can be prepared ahead of time, or can easily be thrown together in less than an hour.

This recipe is one of my favorites for breakfast OR dinner {if you're a "breakfast for dinner" kind of person, that is}. Even more important: it's husband and kid-approved! It's also easy to add or substitute any ingredients to suit your tastes.

Ingredients:
biscuit dough: enough for about 8 biscuits
*I used Bisquick, and followed the recipe for 9 biscuits. You could also use a package of refrigerated biscuit dough.
1 pound ground breakfast sausage
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
5 eggs, beaten
2 egg whites
3/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 package country gravy {or use your own recipe}: prepared according to package directions

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425º
2. Cook sausage in skillet over medium heat until browned. Drain.
3. Press biscuit dough evenly into the bottom of greased 8x8 inch pan.
4. Sprinkle sausage evenly over the biscuit dough.
5. Top sausage layer with cheeses.
6. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, milk, salt, and pepper until blended. Pour evenly over cheese.
7. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until set.
   *You can also bake covered with foil. Just make sure to check that a knife comes out clean when it's done to make sure it is cooked completely.
8. Let stand for 5 minutes, then cut into squares and top with country gravy to serve.

Adapted from At Home with Lady B

DIY Playdough

Growing up, my mom used to make playdough/salt dough for us all the time. I always thought it would be so much work, but it's easier than you'd think and even the kids can help mix everything! My daughter loves playdough, but I don't want to put down the cash for something I could make myself for almost no money at all. So, with a few adjustments, I made my mom's playdough and we've been having so much fun!

Ingredients:

1 cup water

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup flour
1/4 cup salt
2 tbsp cream of tartar
gel food coloring
*I used Wilton brand in Rose, Orange, Lemon Yellow, Leaf Green, Sky Blue, and Violet

Directions:

1. Pour the water and vegetable oil in a saucepan. Add in the flour, salt, cream of tarter and a teaspoon or two of gel food coloring. Lightly stir together to combine.
   *The dough will end up being about the same color that it is now, so add more food coloring now if you want the color to be richer/brighter.
2. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly. It should be done in about 4-5 minutes. Because you might panic and think you've ruined it, here is a breakdown of what it looks like throughout the cooking process:
   • Minute 1: The mixture will combine, and look smooth and beautiful!
   • Minute 2: You'll start to get chunks. Make sure to keep scraping the bottom and edges of the pan to prevent any pieces from burning.
   • Minute 3: This is where you might begin to worry that you've messed it up. Looks like a clumpy mess. Don't panic! Just keep stirring!!
   • Minute 4: The dough will start to form into a ball. You'll know when it's ready when it's not sticky and pulls away from the pan. You can test by pressing the dough with your fingers. It will be hot!
3. Remove the dough from the pan and place on a plate to cool.
4. Once cool, knead the dough. This can be done by you or little helpers!
5. To store, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in a sealed container.
   *I purchased a couple of 5-pack Rubbermaid TakeAlongs® containers (17 oz) at WalMart and the dough fits perfectly!

A few notes:

• Each batch makes about 2 cups of dough. You need to make a new batch for each color. It took me less than an hour to make all 6 batches.
• Surprisingly, the food coloring doesn't come off on your hands at all.
• The dough is safe to eat, but it is disgusting!
• Buy more cream of tartar than you think you'll need. I got 2 1/2 batches from one 1.5 oz container.
• Regular liquid food coloring will also work, but I think the gel makes the color a little more vibrant. Liquid food coloring may also come off on your hands.

It was fun to teach my preschooler shapes, colors, and practice fine-motor skills like cutting, rolling, and pinching the dough. We cut out one shape multiple times, then she counted them out. We also played with alphabet cookie cutters to spell words out and practice the alphabet. She loved it because she was playing and creating, but it made me happy to know she was learning at the same time!

Giraffe Bib

I have a ton of friends who are pregnant right now, so I wanted to get a head start on the baby gifts! While gifts from the store make great presents, homemade just adds a little something special. I found an adorable bib pattern from Pine Needles, one of my favorite shops here in Utah {located inside Gardner Village to be exact}, with almost everything you need for any sewing project.

While the finished bib looks a little complicated, I promise it's not!! The pattern is made by Precious Patterns, and is so easy to follow and had pictures to show you every step of the way. I was so happy that for once, I didn't have to unpick anything! If you are a beginner sewer, I would highly recommend this pattern. With just a few changes in fabrics, every bib will be unique!

Supplies:
Pattern, fabrics, and all accessories for this project can be found at the Pine Needles store!
Giraffe & Gator Bibs pattern by Precious Patterns
3 fabrics - one yellow, and 2 coordinating oranges
White flannel {or fusible fleece}
2 yellow 3/4 - 1" buttons
2 white 3/4" buttons
2 black 7/16 - 1/2" buttons
Velcro {or snaps}

It took me about an hour to make this bib, but I'm kind of slow when I'm working with a new project. Now that I've made it once, I know I could make it again in less than 30 minutes. My daughter has been wearing it herself, and having a lot of fun using this bib for her dolls. So, I can positively say that this pattern is kid-approved! The fleece/flannel inside of the bib makes it absorbent to any spills, and it's constructed in a way that I'm sure will hold up nicely in the wash.

To see more from Pine Needles, make sure to visit their blog, online shop, and on Facebook! If you're local, be sure to check out their new shop location at Gardner Village!

I was given the Giraffe & Gator Bib pattern and fabrics from Pine Needles as part of this review. All opinions and images are my own.

30 Easter Projects

I love Easter time. Celebrating a beautiful holiday with family and friends, seeing all the bright and pastel colors everywhere, and of course an over-abundance of the best candy of the year {in my opinion, anyway}. What's not to love? Easter will be here before we know it, so today I'm sharing 30 Easter projects and simple treats to give you plenty of inspiration and ideas.

1. Personalized Easter Buckets by The Happy Scraps
2. Goldfish Carrots by Wait 'Til Your Father Gets Home
3. DIY Easter Crafts with Tissue Paper by Woman's Day
4. Marshmallow Bunny Plushie Pattern & Tutorial by Dandelions & Lace
5. DIY Easter Gift by The Idea Room
6. DIY Faux Pallet Easter Art by Saved by Love Creations
7. Bunny Blocks by Mine for the Making
8. Easter Glitter Chevron Vase by Becoming Martha
9. DIY Sock Bunnies Tutorial by Lil Blue Boo
10. Bunny Hershey Kiss Board by Infarrantly Creative
11. Peeps Fruit Kabobs by The Frugal Girls
12. Paint Chip Easter Garland by Sweet Designs
13. Pottery Barn Inspired Easter Chair Backer by The Kriegers
14. Easter Egg Specimen Art by Every Creative Endeavor
15. Paper Plate Baby Chick by Simple as That

16. Peep S'mores by Cupcake Diaries

17. Secret Easter Bunny & Free Printable by Free Time Frolics

18. Papier-Mache Easter Eggs by Not Martha

19. Decorated Egg Carton by Pink Cake Plate

20. DIY Chick and Bunny Treat Holders by Hostess with the Mostess

21. Marshmallow Peeps Wreath by Mommy Savers
22. Peep Bunting by V & Co./MADE
23. Bunny Hooded Towel Tutorial by Crazy Little Projects
24. Simple Easter Hair Tie by Happy Hour Projects
25. Felt Easter Egg Kid's Craft by A Bushel 'n' a Peck
26. Jelly Bean Topiary by Crafty Sisters
27. Spring Chick, Lamb & Bunny 2x4s by Giggles Galore
28. Button Egg & Stuffed Bunnies by Auntie Lolo
29. Felt Easter Egg Wreath by Tales of the Scotts
30. Easter Bunny Houses by Gluesticks

Cake Mix Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love recipes that I can throw together at the last minute and not have to worry if about it being too much work. These cookies have been a lifesaver for a last-minute party treat, a thank you gift for a neighbor, and to make my husband's coworkers day a little bit brighter.

What's even better about these cookies is that they are made with only 5 ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your house. You can vary the flavors if you want, but I love this one just the way it is. You {or your guests} can't even tell they were made with a cake mix! I love that in less than 10 minutes, you can have a batch of cookies in the oven!

Ingredients:

1 {18.25 or 18.5 oz} yellow cake mix

*just the mix, not any of the other ingredients on the packaging!

1 cup quick cook oats, uncooked

2/3 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Combine cake mix, oats, butter and eggs in a large bowl or mixer and mix well.
2. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Drop by rounded spoonfuls {or I use an ice cream scoop} onto ungreased cookie sheet
4. Bake 350º for 10-12 minutes.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

DIY Inspiration Board with Dear Lizzy Fifth & Frolic

Let's be honest - life can be hard. Some days, you just need to be surrounded by things that inspire and uplift you to get through the day. Creating a space for yourself with quotes, images, and color can make you feel better, and ignite that creative spark. Using products from the new Dear Lizzy Fifth & Frolic line at JoAnn's, I put together an inspiration board to look at every day. Kind of like a real-life Pinterest board!

Free Printable Alphabet Match Game

My daughter has been singing the Alphabet Song for months now and recognizes most of the letters, but we need more practice with uppercase/lowercase letter recognition. A good way to practice that is with a game! I put together this match game to help make learning fun and easier for her to see the difference between uppercase and lowercase letters. As we find the matches, it has also been helpful to go over each of the letter's sounds.

Smile Brilliant Review & Giveaway

With a few big blog conferences coming up, I'm wanting to look my best! New clothes, a fresh haircut, and some great nail polish are all obvious things on the checklist. Another thing you'll be showing off is your smile. Why not make it look the best you can?

I've tried a bunch of teeth whitening products, and the Smile Brilliant LED Teeth Whitening System worked better than I ever expected. I absolutely love how white my teeth look, and how clean they feel. It's also fantastic how something like this can make you feel so much better about yourself!

I used my kit for a little over a week for 30-40 minutes at a time and saw results after the first treatment. The mouth guard fit comfortably in my mouth, and I was so glad that the gel was tasteless. I did have some sensitivity after using the system for a few days {which is normal with any whitening system}, but it wasn't as bad as I had expected it to be and is now gone.

Another thing about the Smile Brilliant LED Teeth Whitening System I especially like is how easy it is to use. The whitening gel is easy to paint on your teeth, and the trays keep the gel off your lips. The blue LED light intensifies the gel so it works faster and better than other home systems.

I'm so excited that one very lucky reader is also going to win a Smile Brilliant LED Teeth Whitening System of their own! However, if you don't want to wait to see if you win your own Smile Brilliant system, you can use the discount code SMILE20 at checkout for 20% off.

This giveaway ends on Monday March 25th and is open to US and Canada residents

a Rafflecopter giveaway
I was given a Smile Brilliant LED Teeth Whitening System as part of this review. All opinions are my own.

15 Ways to Decorate Easter Eggs

With Easter coming up, I wanted to share 15 ways to decorate your Easter eggs!

There are ideas for real eggs, plastic, and wooden eggs, too.

Some of which can be on display even after the holiday. Enjoy!

Spring Word Set

Hooray for spring!! So excited that it's finally here. The St. Patrick's Day decorations are coming down, and it's time to make the house look colorful, clean, and ready for the new season. I found this cute Spring Word Set at Wood Creations and knew it had to come home with me. I love how the letters turned out! The colors are bright and fun, and of course I added glitter to make them extra special!

Chocolate Mint Brownies

It's no secret that I love mint and chocolate. Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies, Mint Chocolate Fudge, and Andes Mint Cookies are some of my favorite go-to treats. Brownies are always delicious, but add a bit of mint and top with even more chocolate - and you've got a hit on your hands. These brownies are fantastic and were gone fairly fast. They are the perfect mix of mint and chocolate. Just make sure to have a glass of milk nearby!!

For the brownie layer:
{You can use a boxed brownie mix, or use the recipe below}

Ingredients:
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º
2. Grease bottom of an 8x8 inch pan with cooking spray. For easier removal, line pan with foil and lightly grease the bottom.
3. Combine the flour, cocoa and salt in a bowl and set aside.
4. Melt the butter and add the sugar, stirring well to combine. Whisk in the vanilla and eggs. Blend well.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well.
6. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely.

For the filling layer:
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
3 Tablespoons whipping cream
2 oz cream cheese, softened
1/8-1/4 teaspoon mint extract
2 drops green food coloring

Directions:

1. Mix all filling ingredients until smooth and green color is consistent.
2. Spread evenly over cooled brownies. Refrigerate 1 hour or until set.

For the chocolate ganache topping:
Ingredients:
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 1/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup butter {not margarine!}

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, heat ganache ingredients over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until melted and smooth.
2. Let cool for 10 minutes.
3. Pour topping evenly over filling layer and spread to cover. Refrigerate 1-2 hours or until set.
4. To serve, let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes then cut into bars. Store covered in fridge.

Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker

Crepe Paper Rosette Wreath

It has been so wonderful to see the snow melting, and the grass starting to show - spring is finally on it's way! I am working on getting the house ready for spring, and with that came the idea of making a spring wreath. What's even better is that is cost me $2 and some time, and I love how it looks on my mantel!

Green Velvet Donuts & Whoopie Pies

I have a confession: I have never had red velvet cake before. I've always wanted to try it, and today was the day! Since we are close to St. Patrick's Day, I decided to make green velvet instead. Instead of making it into a cake or cupcakes, we went with a little something different: baked donuts and whoopie pies!

I know, I know... these aren't "real" donuts. In fact, they aren't fried at all, and would probably be amazing covered in glaze. Honestly, these are more of a cake in the shape of a donut. Either way, I think they are pretty fun to eat and they sure look cute!!

Add a bit {or a lot} of frosting, some colorful sprinkles and you've got one tasty treat on your hands!! I love how they turned out. My daughter had a fun time helping with the sprinkles and helping to mix the batter and frosting. These would be perfect for any St. Patrick's Day or even a spring party depending on your sprinkles.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 Tablespoon cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 - 1 oz green food coloring

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Grease donut and/or whoopie pie pans.
2. Lightly stir eggs, and add remaining liquid ingredients. Stir together until blended. 
3. Place all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir together well.
4. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix on medium-high for about a minute or until completely combined.
5. Pour by tablespoons into donut or whoopie pie pans and tap pans on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
6. Bake for about 10-13 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
7. Let cool for about ten minutes, remove from pans and cool completely on a wire rack.

Adapted from Bakerella

What are donuts and whoopie pies without frosting?!
Answer: Just cake.

I absolutely love this easy for Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe from Cookies & Cups:

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups butter, room temperature
1/2 cup shortening
2 lbs powdered sugar
1/2 cup milk

Directions:

1. Cream butter and shortening together until smooth.
2. Slowly add sugar. Once all added, turn up mixer speed to medium-high and whip for about a minute.
3. Slowly add milk. You can more or less to get the consistency you like. If you add too much, just add a little more sugar.
4. Put frosting into a Ziploc or icing bag, clip the corner, and frost your donuts and/or whoopie pies. I used a Wilton #32 Open Star Tip.

3 Ingredient Mint Chocolate Fudge

I have hundreds of recipes in my recipe collection. The ones I will make over and over are the ones that are fail-proof, easy, and quick - mostly because I will find some way to mess it up! So, take it from me - this fudge couldn't be easier to make, and I also should mention that you don't even have to use the stove. This fudge is made in the microwave!!

This fudge is perfect as-is, or throw on some decorative sprinkles and make these a cute gift for any holiday! You probably should plan on sharing this fudge anyway... you will most likely end up eating it all by yourself!! Plus, you'll make more friends. Win-win.

Ingredients:

• 14 oz can condensed milk
• 14 oz package of semi sweet chocolate chips
• 10 oz package of Andes mint chips
• Sprinkles {optional}

Directions:

1. Line glass pan {8x8 pan for thick squares or a 9x13 pan for thin squares} with tinfoil and lightly grease.
2. Pour the chocolate chips and Andes mint chips into a large, microwaveable bowl.
3. Add condensed milk and mix well.
4. Microwave for three minutes. Stir until smooth.
5. Pour evenly into pan.
6. Add sprinkles {optional} and refrigerate to set.
7. Pull the sides of tinfoil or turn pan upside down to remove the fudge from the pan. Carefully pull tinfoil off the fudge.
8. With a sharp knife, cut into squares and serve. I was able to get 25 one and a half inch pieces from an 8x8 pan.

Not a mint fan? No problem! You can replace the mint chips with more chocolate chips, peanut butter chips or any other flavor you'd like! I also highly recommend trying my Cookies 'n Cream Fudge!