- Cinco de Mayo Celebration
  February 18, 2019It’s Cinco De Mayo again and to me that’s the best excuse for a celebration featuring Mexican food and drinks! Not that I need a reason to enjoy Mexican food, I’m just crazy about it! No one ever has to twist my arm into making a pitcher of Margaritas or a tray of tacos and burritos. But Cinco De Mayo is still a great excuse to throw a party! You don’t have to be Mexican in my opinion to celebrate. But if you really must know the reason Cinco De Mayo is celebrated it’s a holiday that celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. Just in case you were thinking it’s the Mexican Independence day, it’s clearly not. I believe the largest Cinco De Mayo celebration is in Puebla. History aside Cinco De Mayo has become somewhat a part of American culture simple because it involves great food and drinks I think. What ever the reason it’s a great time to throw a party or at the very least have a “Mexican” night with the family. It doesn’t have to be an invite the whole neighborhood block party, you can keep it simple and have a pot luck with friends and family or simpler still enjoy some Mexican dishes with just the family. Here’s a few fun ideas you can use to make your celebration fun for all! Set up a Margarita Bar Guests can help themselves to margaritas, you can serve the classic margarita or add a flavored one or two like mango and strawberry. If you’ve got kids or for any one wanting something non-alcoholic (like the designated driver) put bottles of Jarrito in a tub of ice, don’t forget the bottle opener! Or set up a Horchata bar with several flavors of this refreshing Mexican drink. Put up a Pinata Pinatas are always fun. They’re colorful and full of candy, what’s not to like? You can use your pinata as just decoration or you can actually have the kids break it. If you consider breaking the pinata with a stick too violent, I’m a bit iffy on it too, you can cut a flap on the bottom of your pinata and attach ribbons or string to it. The kids just have to tug on it to let the candy and other treats out. This is a safer option specially when there are toddlers involved! Set a colorful table! Use colorful dinnerware at the table and as serving plates. They don’t have to be ceramic, you can mix and match colorful paper or plastic plates. Decorate with bright colors and props Dust off the maracas and sombreros and haul out the serapes. Use colorful balloons, fabrics, banners, paper lanterns and flowers to spruce up the party area. Don’t forget colorful baskets they can hold everything from flatware to favors! Serve lots and lots of Mexican Food! Tacos, burritos, nachos, chimichangas, enchaladas, you name it! Serve up lots of your favorites. If you’re just wanting to keep it simple then focus on an entree like fajitas, and serve up sides of rice and beans. But don’t forget the salsa and guacamole! If you don’t a lot of time to cook then whip up a pot of my Beef Barbacoa, you can use it in tacos, burritos, nachos, salads, or whatever you want. Best of all it’s made in an Instant Pot and can be made in less than 2 hours. Your friends and family will think you slaved over a hot stove all day! Here’s the recipe! This article contains affiliate links Ingredients: 3-4 Lbs. Chuck Roast cut into large chunks 2 Tbs Minced Garlic 3-4 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce (you can buy a can in the Mexican section of the grocery store) – chopped 1 (4oz) can of diced green chiles 1 Onion finely chopped Juice of 1 lime 1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar 3 Bay Leaves 1 Tbs Cumin 1 Tbs Oregano 1 Tbs Sea Salt 1 Tbs Black Pepper 1/4 Tsp Ground cloves 3/4 Cup Beef Broth 2 Tbs Olive Oil Directions: Turn on pot to Saute and heat olive oil Sear meat chunks in the oil Add the remaining ingredients on top of the beef Cover and make sure valve is set to “Sealing” Change pot setting to Manual and adjust time to 60 minutes Once it’s done let it sit in the pot for 15 minutes then carefully turn the valve to “venting” to depressurize the pot Remove cover and shred beef – it shouldn’t take much to shred it by now the meat should be falling apart. Leave in juices until ready to use Use to fill tacos and burritos or to top nachos. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and lime wedges. You can store leftovers in its juices in a sealed container in the fridge for about 5 days or freeze up to 3 months. ... Read more...
- Calming Shower Melts
  February 18, 2019Love soaking in a nicely scented bathtub after a long day at work but can never seem to find the time for it? In today’s busy world it’s sometimes difficult to find time, even just a half hour, to just stop and pamper yourself. That’s where these Calming Shower Melts come in handy! Calming Shower Melts are scented with lavender essential oil which seem to have a calming effect on many people. Lavender essential oil is said to also help with insomnia, depression, and other conditions. I use it primarily because I just love the smell. (As with many essential oils do your research and test it out if you’re not familiar with it because along with their beneficial effects there are not so beneficial ones for some. Also never apply these oils directly on to your skin or ingest them without first consulting your doctor or health care professional.) Lavender essential oil as well as any other oil must never be applied directly to the skin. Oils must be diluted in a carrier such as coconut, avocado, jojoba and other oils; you can even dilute in water. Calming Shower Melts are actually combined with a powder and diluted in water, the same water you use when you shower. The hot water you shower with releases the aroma from the Calming Shower Melts making this a great way to get some calming and relaxing alone time every day. I mean you’re going to take a shower anyway so why not sneak a bit of relaxation in. It’s particularly helpful if you shower just before bedtime as lavender is known to help send one off into slumber land. Not only do these Calming Shower Melts smell heavenly they are so easy and inexpensive to make at home. Your biggest investment would be the essential oils and silicone molds if you don’t already have some. If you don’t have silicone molds no worries, you can use ice cube trays! Other than that it uses supplies you more than likely already have at home. Oh and of course you’ll need airtight containers to store your shower melts, I use Mason Jars. By the way these melts make awesome hostess gifts and party favors! So let’s make some shower melts! This post contains affiliate links. Supplies: 2 Cups Baking Soda 10 drops Lavender Essential Oil 4 drops Peppermint Essential Oil 8-10 Tbs Water Food Color (I use Wilton Gel based colors) Silicone mold or ice cube tray Procedure: Place baking soda in a large metal or glass bowl (don’t use plastic as it absorbs the smells which may never wash out) Add essential oils and mix well Add 4-6 tbs spoons water and continue mixing. If mixture is too thick add water 2 tbs at a time until you get the consistency you want. I ended up using all 10 tbs. Mixture should be like fine sand to the touch but should be pasty and be able to hold its shape if you form a small ball. Add your food color and mix well to distribute color evenly in the mixture. You can add more color until you get the color you want, but if you’re using liquid color you don’t want to add t much as it will make your mixture wet. That’s why I prefer the gel based coloring. When you’ve achieved the color you want you’re ready to mold your melts. Press mixture into your mold or ice tray. The amount you need will depend on the size of your mold or tray. I got 5 large roses out of one batch. You don’t want to double the batch as it becomes harder to mix. If you need lots of melts make one batch at a time. Place in the freezer to dry for at least one hour. Then unmold and store in airtight containers. Like I mentioned I store them in large mason jars which are the perfect containers specially if you’re gifting them! Have a stuffy nose? Try making my Vaporizing Shower Melts, they really will clear your sinuses! ... Read more...
- 6 March Kids’ Birthday Party Ideas
  February 15, 2019Planning a kid’s birthday is lots of fun, the hardest part is usually choosing a party theme. Once you’ve chosen a theme everything else falls into place. March parties are exciting because the weather is getting better opening up the possibility of outdoor venues. Here are 6 party themes that would be great for a March party. March is National Crafts Month, what a great time to host an Artsy Craftsy Party! The colors for the party will be a burst of sunshine to herald in Spring. You can keep kids busy and entertained with various arts and crafts projects that can double as party favors! Sources: Bottle Your Brand The Hostess With TheMostess Kara’s Party Ideas Paige’s Party Ideas March 12 is Plant a Flower Day. In honor of this day a Flower Garden party would be a fun theme for a girl’s birthday party. Sources: Catch My Party The Imagination Tree Paper Glitter Party City Kara’s Party Ideas St. Paddy’s Day is in March, how about a Leprechaun themed party? Rainbows, Pots of Gold, Shamrocks, and Leprechauns equals a fun St. Paddy’s Day themed birthday party. Sources: Platinum Touch Events Sweeten Your Day Events Rook No. 17 Housing A Forest Pinterest.com Big Bird’s birthday is March 20! Your toddler will love a Sesame Street Party! You can center the party around your child’s favorite Sesame Street character or have them all at the party, the more the merrier! Sources: Savvy Nana’s Parties Catch My Party Britt Party Rental The Chickabug Blog In honor of Star Trek’s Captain Kirk’s March 22 birthday host an Outer Space Party! Kid’s will love it! A rocket ship photo booth would be lots of fun! Hey this theme works for Star Trek fans of all ages! Sources: Kara’s Party Ideas Artsy Craftsy Mom Hostess With The Mostess In honor of Wonder Woman’s March 22nd. birthday host a Wonder Woman party for your little Wonder Girl! Have guests come dressed as their favorite super hero, kids and adults love to dress up! Sources: Anders Ruff Kara’s Party Ideas Hostess With The Mostess We Heart Parties For more party ideas follow my boards on Pinterest!... Read more...
- Cold Soothing Bath Salts
  February 11, 2019Yup! Cold and Flu Season is definitely upon us. We’ve been battling winter colds at my house since December! We’ve all had our flu shots but they don’t exactly protect you from cold viruses, so we suffer with stuffy noses, scratchy throats, and in some cases fevers and chills. That’s why I’ve made jars of these Soothing Bath Salts; they’re a great alternative or even addition to the Vaporizing Shower Melts I make. Like the shower melts these Soothing Bath Salts help clear your sinuses. They are great way to relieve stuffy noses caused by colds and allergies. Just toss a hand full or two of these Soothing Bath Salts into your hot bath, sit back, relax, and breathe in the soothing aroma of mints and eucalyptus. Trust me your stuffy nose will clear up pretty quickly. Soothing Bath Salts are so easy and inexpensive to make; the most expensive ingredients would be the essential oils, but a small vial of these oils go a very long way! If you don’t already have essential oils you may want to consider investing in a small bottle of basic oils such as lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, and lemongrass. By the way treat oils as you would medication and keep them out of reach of children and pets; some oils are harmful to them; so do your homework before you use any oil. Also never apply essential oils directly on to your skin; always use a carrier such as coconut, jojoba, or avocado oils, or dilute them in water. I like to color my salts so that they coordinate with the shower melts and bath bombs I make. I use gel based food coloring but you can use soap coloring or any kind of food coloring you have. Or you can just leave them white. Once you make these Soothing Bath Salts store them in airtight containers until ready to use. They last for a pretty long time, but I wouldn’t keep them longer than 6 months to be sure the scents haven’t faded. I like to store my salts in mason jars. These bath salts also make great hostess gifts, holiday gifts, and party favors! Another tip use metal or glass bowls when mixing your bath salts. Plastic bowls and utencils will hold smells which may not wash out. So having said all that here’s how to make these Soothing Bath Salts! Supplies: 2 Lbs. Epsom Salts 8 drops Eucalyptus Essential Oil 8 drops Peppermint Essential Oil 4 drops Spearmint Essential Oil 4 drops Lavender Essential Oil Food or soap coloring Procedure: Place Epsom Salts in a large metal or glass bowl. Add essential oils and mix very well. Add food color Place in airtight containers and enjoy! ... Read more...
- DIY Valentine Gifts for Men
  February 8, 2019Romance is in the air! Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and by now most of us moms and grandmothers are winding down our Valentine crafting. Classroom and teacher gifts are done or nearly done, as are gifts for friends and families. By now many of us have had our fill of cutting out hearts and cupids and are ready to move on. But we may have neglected one of the most important people in our lives, our significant other! Let’s be honest, Valentine’s Day is a female holiday. We expect our husbands and boyfriends to take the initiative and come up with fabulous Valentine gift. We expect flowers, chocolates, jewelry, dinners, etc. I admit I love the pampering, and most of the gifts my husband has given me. Okay, the weed trimmer wasn’t a big hit, but it was certainly memorable. Over all I think he’s gotten this Valentine thing down pat, even though at times he goes overboard with humongous boxes of chocolates or a truck load of blooms. I must confess that most years I tend to neglect doing something special for him. By the time I get around to getting him a gift it’s usually the day before Valentine’s Day and I end up buying a shirt or a bottle of cologne. Occasionally inspiration strikes and I do something special. One year I remembered early enough to reserve an ocean view table at our favorite gourmet restaurant, another year I checked us in to an oceanfront suite for the night. This year I tried booking a table at a restaurant during the last week of January. I tried all our favorites, they were sold out unless I want to have dinner at 10 o’clock. So I searched the web for inspiration. I found many great ideas and will be incorporating a couple in my Valentine’s Day plans. I’ve decided that a moonlight picnic on the beach is just what we need. We live in Hawaii so the weather should be cooperative, if not then on to plan B, a picnic at home. Here’s a round-up of DIY Valentine gift idea for men. Perhaps they will inspire your Valentine planning. Whatever you decide have a wonderfully romantic Valentine’s Day! If you’re still feeling crafty then this cool chocolate guitar may be just what you need. Specially if your Valentine is a music and chocolate lover! Edible Crafts online has a great tutorial to show you how you can make this guitar for your lover boy! Click here for the tutorial![spacer height=”-20px”] Picnics are always romantic. If the weather is bad you can still have a romantic picnic in your livingroom. Set the scene with candles and “picnic” on a blanket on your floor. Serve food you would serve if you were actually going on an outdoor picnic, but keep it simple; pasta salad, cold chicken, cheese, crusty bread, fruit, chocolate dipped strawberries, etc. And wine, Don’t forget the wine! (sparkling cider makes a nice non-alcoholic alternative, specially if you have to drive home) Pack everything in a picnic basket if you have one. After dinner snuggle up in your romantic bedroom. I’d add a candle or two , a couple of wine glasses, a bottle of wine, and a small box of truffles to this design by Everyday Art. [spacer height=”-20px”] I love this heart box by Theresa of Crafting the Web! Fill it with his favorite treat! Click here to learn how to make it![spacer height=”-20px”] Bacon is supposed to be “manly”, treat your man to Chocolate dipped roses by Everyday Dishes![spacer height=”-20px”] Here are more Bacon Valentines from PrettyOrganized you’ll find recipes and free printable tags on their site.[spacer height=”-20px”] Give him a gift that lasts the whole year. This Pre-planned date night book by Thinking Closet let’s you celebrate Valentine’s Day once a month doing something you both enjoy.[spacer height=”-20px”] This Sensual Valentine by What’s On My Porch will stimulate all his senses. Decorate cardboard boxes and fill each one with a corresponding item. His favorite candy, a massage bug, his preferred cologne, a CD, and some sexy lingerie he’ll love seeing you in. Tailor the items to your man.[spacer height=”-20px”] ... Read more...

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About Me

Hi! I’m Carmina, also known as Nana. I love DIY projects, parties, crocheting, and traveling. In this blog I share patterns, recipes, DIY projects, pet tips, party ideas, and travel tips. In short pretty much all the things I love and everything that catches my attention.
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