Sunday, April 6, 2014

FAUX SCONCES USING PAPER TOWEL ROLLS




Greetings, Ladies and Gents!! I pray all is well..
Ok, here is an awesome DIY project that's under $8. My inspiration for these was my longing to have some wall art lighting, but to incorporate true sconces would entail electrical wiring and the Frugal Frieda in me put my mind into action as to how to achieve the look I wanted for little money. So, I finally thought of an awesome way to get what I wanted using basic items I had around the house. Stay tuned below for the details.

WHAT I USED:

 Paper Towel and Toilet Paper rolls. This will give the varying sizes I used to create the art.
I had these spray paint colors on hand and to achieve the metal look I wanted, I layered all three.
  • Blue Lagoon
  • Metallic Gold
  • Gloss Black


  • A hot glue gun will also be handy for securing the pieces.
  • To adhere the sconce to the wall, I used adhesive dots.



THE HOW TO:

  • I layered the colors first beginning with the base color of the Blue Lagoon, then the metallic gold, then the black to give it a rusted metal look.
  • Once the rolls are dry, I placed the rolls in the manner I wanted the design and used my hot glue gun to secure the pieces together. Be sure to layer your rolls at varying heights to create the layered look. I loved the finished look!! They actually turned out better than expected and look O'Mazing on the wall.. So, go, my fellow DIY artists, create beautiful art. 




THE FINISHED LOOK:







Tuesday, April 1, 2014

LET'S MAKE..SHRIMP N PASTA (GLUTEN FREE)


Greetings, EVeryone!! I hope you're hungry. 
Today's good eats are: Shrimp N Pasta and lightly sauteed Kale w/tomato and red onion.
So, let's dive right into it


INGREDIENTS:
  • WILD CAUGHT SHRIMP or the freshest shrimp possible (1 lb)
  • GLUTEN FREE PASTA or pasta of your choice.
  • FRESH KALE (as much as you like)
  • TOMATO (at least 6)
  • RED ONION (1 rough chopped)
  • BELL PEPPER (1, diced)
  • FRESH BASIL (handful, rough chopped)
  • FRESH GARLIC (3 bulbs diced)
  • SEA SALT (to taste)
  • FRESH GROUND PEPPER (to taste)
  • CAPERS (3 table spoons)
  • CAYAN PEPPER (dash)
  • TUMERIC (dash)
  • EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL (5 tbsp)
  • BRAGG'S LIQUID AMINOS
SIDE NOTE..SPICE BRANDS I LOVE

I absolutely LOVE the 'Real Salt' Brand of Sea Salt and Seasoning Salt..They use dried herbs, no preservatives, additives nor MSG..LOVE.. And we purchase our fresh herbs and spices from the Farmer's Market. I simply transferred them to little mason jars and created labels so our cabinets could be organized.




THE NITTY GRITTY...LET'S COOK

Now, before we begin, my husband and I love to cook to some awesome music. Today, my music of choice was Nina Simone 'SinnerMan'..It truly put me into the groove and I wanted to put all my love into this dish. The music was perfect as the wonderful aroma seduced our senses.  

 In a medium sauce pan, heat 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and add your onion, garlic, green pepper and capers and allow to saute for about 3-5 minutes. The blend of items are an o'mazing burst of flavor. The surprise of the capers truly bring out the other flavors of the herbs and spices.
Bring a nice sized pot of water to boil for your pasta. Add a dash of sea salt and 1 tbsp of Olive Oil to the water. Once your water is boiling, add your pasta and allow to fully cook until tender.

Add your shrimp and cook until pink, then add your fresh basil and tomato.  

















The tomatoes will begin to soften and produce a natural sauce making the wonderful topping for the pasta. Use a fork or your hands to mash up the tomatoes, allowing it to have remains of slight chunks combined with the sauce.
For the Kale: In a medium sauce pan, heat 2 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, add your Kale and allow to lightly saute. Add your onion and tomato, a dash of Bragg's Liquid Aminos to taste.










SERVE HOT AND ENJOY!!

Grab a bottle of Cabernet or a glass of Reisling or Pinot Grigio and allow the O'Mazing flavors burst in your mouth. Enjoy