Featuring Quit Eating Out

When it comes to recipes, look no further. Quit Eating Out is the place to fly away to for inspiration. Kim has a variety of recipes, from heavenly desserts to kid-friendly meals to elegant dinner menus. We're featuring two of our favorite recipes at Beautiful Nest.

My Favorite Sandwich

{photo courtesy of Kim at Quit Eating Out}

{Both Belle and Jenni have made this recipe for their families who loved it! } The pesto loving woman that Belle is, she just couldn't resist making it for dinner one summer evening. Not only did this sandwich taste amazing, it was easy to make, a plus for a busy momma of four lil' ones!

Roasted Chicken with Rosemary Potatoes

{photo courtesy of Kim at Quit Eating Out}

If you're like Belle, you've attempted many a time to bake a tender, juicy, flavor-filled chicken only to be disappointed with dismal results. Well be disappointed no more! Not only was this recipe easy to prepare, the results were stunning! Belle was so impressed with this recipe she intends to use it for this year's Thanksgiving turkey. It will be Belle's first attempt preparing and baking the turkey, so wish her luck!

{photo courtesy of Kim at Quit Eating Out}

Not only does Kim have a quantity of recipes to glance over, but she hosts a blog party each Saturday called Saturday Swap, so if you enjoy baking and cooking be sure to stop by and link your recipe to the swap!

simply . living . life

Just for you: A giveaway!

Hello everyone! I sure hope you are having a beautiful week so far! :)

We have some fun news for you! We're so excited to be hosting another giveaway sponsored by CSN stores!

They have generously offered a $35 gift certificate to one lucky winner! And this certificate can be used toward anything at any of their 200+ stores!

They sell almost anything you could imagine...From furniture such as drop leaf tables, dining chairs, and china hutches, to beautiful tableware, like this beautiful set by Mikasa~

or these gorgeous turquoise dishes by Fiesta~

With the holidays coming, I have been thinking about all of the baking I will be doing...it would be helpful to have a couple extra cookie sheets on hand, such as this one made by Calphalon.

And look at this wonderful utensil set by Le Creuset~

How fun would it be to cook or bake using these? :)

And I must show you this tea kettle by Le Creuset, because I love it so! It is on my Christmas list this year, only in white... :)

Be sure to visit CSN stores and check out their amazing selection of goods!

SO...if you would like a chance to win a $35 gift certificate, simply leave a comment!

You don't need to have a blog to enter, but do make sure to leave an email address so we can let you know if you win! And one little sad fact...this giveaway is only available to those living in the U.S. or Canada...

Now, for a second chance to win, just post about this giveaway on your blog!

And if you would like a third entry, become a follower of this blog.

(but only if you genuinely like our blog!) :)

*Edited to add: I forgot to say when this giveaway ends...This giveaway will run until Monday, November 15, 11:59 PST.

Well, I guess that is all for tonight! I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!

Blessings,

(Jenni)

Thanks to Mama Dweeb for hosting a giveaway linky!

Twiggy Wreath

{This wreath was featured here}

How to make a {simple} Twiggy Wreath. I first got the idea of making a twiggy wreath while visiting family. I researched a bit and discovered these wreaths can cost anywhere from $25 and above. Since I wasn't about to pay that much I decided to make my own.

First I purchased an ordinary wreath for about $3.00.

I then began to add small twigs, which I happened to find in our yard. {Yes, that would be my thrifty find.}

All I did was fit small twigs within the purchased wreath. {I wasn't joking when I said this project was simple.} This picture was taken halfway through the project.

Voila, a Twiggy Wreath and although mine doesn't look exactly like the wreath I first saw, its close enough. I might add more twigs and see if it improves the fullness of the wreath in the days to come. I didn't intend to add anything else to the wreath as I liked the earthy-ness of it, but thought about adding a sign to it that says something for each season or holiday.

So, finally, I am catching up on my projects. Hooray!

belle

simply . living . life

linking to the following blog events:

Funky Junk Interiors
Perfectly Imperfect
and Under the Table and Dreaming.

Stars, Sailboats & Sweet Dreams {In Better View}

Remember my post about these toddler bedspreads?

 Well I didn't think the photos shown in that post gave a good reflection of what these bedspreads really looked like, so I decided to take some photos of them in the sunlight.

So, did this give you a better view?  

belle

simply . living . life

Fun Family Feature {Bat Mobile}

Its time for our Fun Family Feature here at Beautiful Nest.  Once a month Sparrow and I will feature a fellow blogger who has a fun family craft, dessert, etc...  This month we're featuring, Life With {The Cuties}.   When I saw the terrific idea, here, seen below, I knew I had to make some of these cute bats.  The Monkey's Mama got this great idea from her daughters school and decided to make some of her own. 

 Now, quiet honestly, I've never thought bats were cute.  Creepy yes, cute no.  However, like the Monkeys Mama said, making the bats provides an opportunity to teach our little ones about bats, read them books, etc.  

Interested in making a last minute craft for the weekend?   Well lets get started.  Be sure to stop by, Life With {The Cuties} to see her tutorial as ours are slightly different--mainly because I didn't have all the supplies she mentioned on hand.  

What you'll need and what I used.

soda cans {clean and dry}

black paint {or in my case chalkboard paint}

black construction paper

brown or black ribbon

large needle

googly eyes

tape {because I couldn't find my hot glue gun}

soda cans.

bend can 1/4 way down.

paint soda cans with black paint.

take construction paper and fold lengthwise.

make a bat wing pattern. 

 cut out as many pairs of wings, you'll need for your project.

I used tape to reinforce the bat wings.

make a small hole in the wing pattern.

take ribbon and place threw needle.

now poke holes in soda can a small distance apart.  pull ribbon threw both openings.

double tie a knot with your ribbon.

now slide the ribbon through the small hole on the bat wings and secure by tying another knot with the ribbon.  I also chose to add two pieces of tape to each side of the wings, close to the ribbon, for added security.  

add googly eyes.

seeing the left over soda can tab on the table I wondered if I could possibly use it in the project.  I could!  I took the tabs and placed them at the end of the ribbon so I could hang the bats up easily.

since I used chalkboard paint I decided to name our cute bats.  Of course, one of the bats was named Boo and since our favorite bedtime story book is, Moo, Bah, La, La, La, we named the other three bats, Moo, Bah and Lah.

So, what do you think, is he cute?

Voila!

belle

simply . living . life

i linked this to the following blog parties,

Stars, Sailboats & Sweet Dreams

Remember the bedspreads I mentioned that I was sewing a couple weeks ago?  Well I am proud to say I have completed this project.  Yay!

I realized while preparing these photos that I didn't take that many photos of the early stages of the project like I thought I had.  Oh' well.  Hopefully the few I have show clearly how I made the bedspreads.

I used quilt batting to go between the two layers of material.

I used pins to hold the material together. 

A lot of pins!

I then sewed around the quilt with a straight stitch.

I added some quilt binding to go around the edges of the bedspreads.

And of course I had to pin the material on...

...three blankets with quilt binding on and ready to sew.

Looking back, I wouldn't have used a straight stitch here, but a zigzag as I ended up following the straight stitch with a zigzag anyways.

The last thing that needed to be finished before the project was complete was the addition of little knots around the bedspreads so that the three layers of material would stay together.

I added pins as markers, making a pattern, so that I could add the knots with ease later.

I used a rather large and curved needle to add the knots.  

I than made a simple knot...

...twice.

After the knot was made I cut the yarn to make all ends even.

At about 11:30pm last night I took this picture...

...and this morning I put these adorable little bedspreads upon these three little toddler beds.  At long last, the bedspreads are finally finished!  Ces't fini!

To see more pictures click here!

belle

simply . living . life

blog parties i linked to...

It's Sew Stinkin' Cute

Freckled Laundry

C.R.A.F.T {creating really awesome free things}

Making The World Cuter