DIY Patriotic Outdoor Garland

Memorial Day is next weekend and to get my house looking festive, I made a fun Patriotic Outdoor Garland. It's cheap, easy and most importantly, durable which is a must since I plan to reuse it for July 4th. How cheap? Less than 10 bucks cheap. Awesome, right? I love that this project can be used for any event or holiday. Last year, I made an Outdoor Halloween Garland and my neighbors loved it!

Ready to make one? Here's what you need:


Supplies

3--54"x108" plastic table cloths in red, white and blue
1 string of 100 lights (clear)
scissors


Directions

Cut the tablecloths into 12" x 1 1/2" strips (about the length and width of a ruler).

Tie the strips to your string of lights. This part goes a lot faster if you have a partner working on the other side too:)

Oh, and don't forget to check to make sure the lights work.

That's it! They're ready to display.

Wasn't that easy?


I'm linking up at some of these great parties and Savvy Southern Style, Debbiedoos, Between Naps on the Porch

Tip of the Week--How to Remove Stains from Plastic Containers

Instead of tossing that tomato-stained plastic storage container, soak it in hydrogen peroxide for 24 hours. The peroxide will make containers with set-in stains noticeably cleaner and lightly stained containers looking like new again!


For more tips, check out the Household Tips page!






I'm linking up at some of these great parties and Savvy Southern Style, Debbiedoos, Between Naps on the Porch

Homemade Canned Spaghetti Sauce

The tomatoes won't be ready in our garden for a while, but since Roma tomatoes are only $1.25 a pound right now, I had to take advantage! I'm going to warn you, this recipe is time consuming. But it's great if you have a lot of tomatoes in your garden or if you're like me, and just love the taste of homemade. If you don't have a hot water bath canner, don't worry--you can freeze it too.


Ingredients

5-6 dozen Roma tomatoes, peeled and seeded
3 medium Vidalia onions, chopped
2 green peppers, seeded and chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 c. olive oil
1/4 c. canning salt
1 T. dried oregano
1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. black pepper
3/4 c. sugar
4 cans (24 oz) tomato paste
2 Tbsp. of lemon juice per quart jar or 1 Tbsp. per pint jar

Makes 4 quarts


Directions

Place tomatoes, onions, green peppers, and garlic in a stockpot.

Bring to a boil then reduce heat and boil gently for 1 hour.

Add olive oil, salt, oregano, basil, pepper, sugar and tomato paste. Stir well and gently boil for 45 more minutes.

Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender to make a smoother sauce. Leave as is for a chunky sauce.

If you are processing your sauce in a hot water bath, add 2 Tbsp lemon juice to the bottom of each jar. This won't change the flavor but does acidify the sauce to prevent bacteria growth. You can omit this step if you are freezing your spaghetti sauce.

Ladle into quart jars, leaving 1/2 in. head space. Wipe rims and secure lids.

Process in a hot water bath for 40 minutes. Let the jars cool overnight and check to make sure the lids have sealed properly.

Enjoy!





I'm linking up at some of these great parties and Savvy Southern Style, Debbiedoos, Between Naps on the Porch

10 Furniture Makeover Ideas

Is the weather warming up for you yet? It is here and I'm excited to get out in the garage and get busy on some furniture projects I've been waiting months start.  If you want to liven up your furniture but not quite sure how, check out these awesome ideas (links are under the pictures). You're going to love them!

If you were featured, be sure to grab a button!

How To Paint a Chair by The DIY Dreamer

Vintage Metal Cart Makeover by Posed Perfection

Thrift Store Chandelier Makeover by Delightfully Noted

Aqua Painted Side Table by Mom 4 Real

Armoire Makeover by Savvy Southern Style

Texture Table Makeover by The Happy Housie

Chalkboard Desk Makeover by The Bold Abode

Provence Bed Makeover by Blue Star Antiques

Vintage Desk Chair Makeover by Liz Marie Blog

Chevron Dresser Redo by Happy, Healthy, and Domestic

I'm linking up at some of these great parties and Savvy Southern Style, Debbiedoos, Between Naps on the Porch

Tip of the Week--DIY Basket Filler

Don't pay for gift shreds! If you have a paper shredder, you can make basket filler yourself. All you need is colored or patterned copy paper or tissue paper. Just run it through the shredder, and you're done.

For more tips, check out the Household Tips page!


I'm linking up at some of these great parties and Savvy Southern Style, Debbiedoos, Between Naps on the Porch