The Many Uses of Odiferous Burlap (Part I)

For our wedding we used chocolate-colored burlap for table runners and center-pieces. The decorations turned out great, but now we're up to our eyeballs in burlap.Literally. It's flooding out of the box it's stored in and cascading onto the floor. It's been glaring at me from the corner of our living room everytime I venture down there to relax. For weeks we've been in a love-hate relationship as I tried to decide what exactly to do with it. Fortunately, my crafty friend Lauren came to the rescue and inspired me to research some projects. Here's project numero uno: burlap placemats! :)

The love-hate relationship continued as I tried to decide how to cut the itchy, frustrating, pull-your-hair-out, difficult-to-cut burlap. But craftaholics anyonymous  tutorials stepped in to save the day! :) I think the chocolate burlap strands may be a little tighter than regular burlap because it certainly put up a good fight, but as my husband would say I learned to "adapt and overcome!" The standard size of a place mat was listed online as either 14X18 or 10X16, but you can really make them any size you'd like. I went ahead and measured 14X18 and that's what's pictured here.

To cut burlap straight:
1. Use a tape measure to get the length you need, then make a cut about 1/4" (or a little more) into the fabric right next to a strand.
2. Grab one of the strands and pull all the way out. This creates a straight line through the burlap. (Since the chocolate burlap was so tight, my strand kept breaking and I had to use the scissors to gently coax, er...I mean cut next to the loosened strand to help it out)
3. Cut along the line with scissors.

Our burlap had been folded into a box after the wedding, so I went ahead and ironed it. Craftaholics annonymous suggested using a spray bottle with water if the burlap decided to be difficult (which of course mine did). I did and it worked great! This particular burlap doesn't really have a strong smell, but I also read that if you don't like the odor, you can spray it every once in awhile with Febreeze.

Here's the final result! :)

See that "ASPIRATIONS" word really helped! :-) Happy Friday y'all!

A Slice of Our Life

Welcome! Here's a little background info on us!

     My name is Allison, and I've been a first grade teacher for the last two years, but feel that the good Lord is now calling me to do something else (not quite sure what just yet, but I'm waiting on His guidance and perfect timing). I'm small-town and country, and I got it honest.  I love to be outside, and I especially love to go deer hunting and fishing. I have an addiction to baking and cooking (and trying out new recipes). My husband informs me I do not need any more cookbooks because I will never be able to cook all of the recipes I have now. I'm currently working on blueprints to knock out a wall to make more room for my cookbook stash. I have great aspirations to be crafty and creative in decorating our first place. You'll notice I said "ASPIRATIONS to be crafty and creative." In between hours pouring over the professional wedding photos to pick out which ones we want to order and giving my hand an ice bath because of the incessant cramping after writing thousands of wedding thank-you's, I haven't had much time to work on being crafty. But since I used the word ASPIRATIONS in my blog, I am one step closer to actually getting there.  I'm a terrible klutz and I keep asking my husband to make me a giant plastic hamster ball so I won't run into anything and hurt myself anymore! He says then he couldn't hug me anymore. I was a journalism major for awhile, and I have a crazy writing obsession. Once I start writing, it's hard for me to stop. I apologize in advance.

    My husband, Lyle, is one of the most humble, God-fearing men I have ever met and I think the Good Lord for the day he allowed such an amazing person to walk into my life!  He works for the city and serves as the guinea pig for my new recipes in his spare time. He doesn't seem to mind. Lyle loves sports (especially football and baseball) and is extremely competitive. Here's an example! :) Right before we got married, Lyle's brother Bradley, his fiance Brittany, Lyle, and I all went bowling. The two fiances bet the two brothers that if we beat them in a game of bowling, they would have to cook us supper and give us back massages. Let's just say Lyle's Taco Macaroni turned out great, and next time he says they're betting us on a game of football! He also loves deer hunting. He's currently counting down the days until November. He hates black-eyed peas, black beans, and french toast. I've initiated the twelve step program to bring him around, and I am currently looking for some recipes where these ingredients would reside very inconspicuously. shhhh!

   A couple more things before I go, I'm an only child and my husband comes from a family of six boys and one girl. Let's just say his sister  is celebrating the prospect of two new sister-in-laws and a slow hostile takeover of the man world. I've had people ask me how that works for us, coming from two very different backgrounds. But I love being around his huge family (it reminds me of Christmas with my mom's family, except it's everyday!), and he loves the peace and quiet at my Dad's house. Dad and I lost my mom after a long battle with cancer when I was seventeen, and a day doesn't go by when I don't miss her terribly. But, she's still here with me and everyday I put one foot in front of the other and continue on the journey to heal my heart.

  So basically that's us. In a nutshell.
The plan for this blog is to update with little bits and pieces from our new life, favorite recipes, and crafting adventures/blunders. So drop on in, find a new recipe or two and laugh along with my husband at my ridiculous mishaps.