bagster

The bagster! the best invention for home DIYers with limited disposal options.

1. Just pick up a bag at your local home improvement store.
2. Fill it with anything you can't re-use, recycle, or donate.
3. Call the number on the packaging for a pick-up. Waste Management comes to your home and hauls it away for a reasonable fee.

We have purchased them from both Lowes and HomeDepot.

Its the perfect solution for the mid-size renovation projects, without having a dumpter parked in your yard!

We have used a few of these already. Our closet demolition,posted here, occupied most of the first one. Then we throw a whole bunch of remnants, posted here, in as well.

Plus, our kids have fun watching Handyman drag the bag down the driveway with his car.

Anyone else's husband's routinely treat their Audi like a pick-up truck?

old fashion sugar cookies

These yummy little babies call for a smidgen of real lemon juice, a sprinkling of course sugar, and turn out super soft.

Recipe from
martha stewart

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup unsalted butter, (2 sticks), softened
• 2 large eggs
• Sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl; set aside.
2. Put sugars and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed 30 seconds. Add butter; mix until pale and fluffy, about 1 minute. Mix in eggs, 1 at a time, and then the lemon juice. Reduce speed; gradually add flour mixture, and mix until just combined.
3. Scoop dough using a 2-inch ice cream scoop; space cookies 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Flatten cookies slightly with a spatula. Sprinkle tops with sanding sugar, then lightly brush with a wet pastry brush; sprinkle with more sanding sugar.
4. Bake cookies until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks using a spatula; let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

Linked up to 30 Handmade Days, Debbie Doos, Making the World Cuter, Home Sweet Home, Lines Across My Face, Nifty Thrifty, A Rosie Sweet Home, CRAFT, BNOTP, Alderberry Hill, Homemaker on a Dime, Made by You, Mad Skills, How to Nest for Less, Not Just a Housewife, Coastal Charm, Today's Creative Blog, Kurtz Corner, Carolyn's Homework, Sugar Bee Crafts, My Uncommon Slice of Suburia, Tip Junkie, g*rated, Our Delightful Home, A Bowl Full of Lemons, Cozy Home Scenes, Claiming Our Space, Tea Rose Home, Blue Cricket Design, The Mommy Club, Ginger Snaps, Savvy Southern Style, Newlyweds On a Budget, DIY by Design, Uncommon Design, Someday Crafts, The Shabby Creek Cottage, live.laugh.rowe, Fireflies and Jellybeans, The 36th Ave, Loving this Crazy Life, Beyond the Picket Fence, Sugar and Dots, My Girlish Whims, Timeout Tuesday, Catch a Glimpse, Serendipity and Spice, Finding Fabulous, Feathered Nest, Stuff and Nonsense, Common Ground, Redoux, My Romantic Home, It's Overflowing, Our Reflection, I Heart Naptime, Under the Table and Dreaming, TipJunkie

peek-a-boo flower favors

My little girl insisted she wanted to give out flower pens as her birthday favor. She picked out some silk flowers from the local craft store and we attached them to the pens using green floral tape. We put them inside these individually labeled bags. The pens easily slide inside and the bow keeps it in place. Great for transporting them to the birthday site. Simply,

1. fold the bag over to the desired height, crease.
2. unfold, and punch a small hole on the new crease. 
3. fold the bag closed again and punch two small holes to thread the ribbon through.
4. slide the pen inside the top hole, tie a piece of ribbon through the other two holes.

Customize it to your party or shower by using different color bags, ribbon or twine, and a peek-a-boo treat.

faux brick flooring

I've got it! along with two different floor coverings in my family room. I've got gray rectangle tile by my side door, which then gives way to an old blue and gray square design Berber carpet. The real treat was discovering the faux brick vinyl covering after we removed the red brick wall and hearth. Clearly, we need some new flooring in this room.

The adjoining kitchen has a similar blue rectangle tile. The remainder of the house has oak hardwoods. Our family room is the most used room in the house, so the flooring needs to be durable and easily to clean. Right now, I'm leaning toward cork. From what I understand, it is easy to install and can live up to my hard-wearing family.

Anybody have cork? Do you love it? Let me know.

zucchini bread

This is our family's favorite zucchini bread recipe.

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup oil
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 3 cups flour
• 2 cups raw zucchini, grated
• 1 cup nuts, chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Combine eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix together.
2. Add the dry ingredients. Stir in zucchini (unpeeled) and nuts.
3. Bake in two greased/floured loaf pans or a 10 cup bundt pan at 325 degrees for about 1 hour or until done.

paper-covered journal

Looking for a way to give your favorite artist or writer a personalized journal? Try covering a plain composition notebook with their favorite scrapbook paper and adding some simple finishing touches, such as ribbon, flowers, buttons, or anything that would let the receiver know this was made for them.

I made this little journal for my own mom and asked her to fill it with her favorite childhood memories. It makes me happy everytime I'm there to see it sitting on her coffee table in her family room. She just jots down a few thoughts here and there as they come to her. Its a great way to preserve some of those precious family history moments.

Supplies:

• composition journal
• favorite scrapbook paper, cut to size
• embellishments
• mod podge glue
• foam brush
• hot glue gun

Directions:

1. Using the mod podge, glue your scrapbook paper to the outside of your notebook.*
2. Seal the outside with a layer of mod podge, making sure to re-enforce the edges.
3. Let dry completely.
4. Add any embellishments you like -interior ribbon place makers, personalization, etc.

*For an extra fancy finish, wrap the covers around the sides, and then cover with an additional piece of coordinating paper.

Linked to show & tell

new old-fashion oatmeal sandwich cookies

I saw this recipe on another blog and I just had to try it. Handyman was out town, the kids in bed, the kitchen was clean, and I without any book to read. So what else to do? Bake, of course. And good thing, because the next day one of my friends was sick and this was the perfect dessert to go with the chili and cornbread dinner that I took her.

Let's face it, I didn't want these sweet little treasures sitting around my house -my little one ate one after lunch and then I packed up the rest. I love baking for other people!

Recipe from
Krafty Katrina

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups butter, softened
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 cups oats, rolled or quick

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375F.Beat butter and sugars with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add egg and vanilla, beating well.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl and whisk together. Add to the butter mixture. Add oats; stir well.
3. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake at 375F for 9-11 minutes. Cool on pan 2 to 3 minutes. Remove cookies from pan and cool on wire racks.
4. Spread 1 tablespoon cream filling over bottom side of half of the cookies. Top with remaining cookies, right side up.

Cream Filling

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat ingredients together until combined and light and fluffy.

have a seat

I'm loving the industrial look and clean lines of these chairs. And they look like they could stand up to the daily beating of my little ones.

This is the children's chair from their product line. I can just see it in a playroom, or a child's bedroom, paired with cozy cushion in a coordinating fabric. They also have several other bright, fun colors.

I love the pairing of the industrial chairs along side the rustic table and the hardwood floor in combination with the traditional slipper chair.

source: industry west

Linked up to Miss Mustard Seed

tangerine tango

"Whoever said orange is the new pink is seriously disturbed!"

Apparently Elle Woods, didn't know that Pantone is the one that said it.

Yep, tangerine tango is the color of year. And you can catch it all over the fashion runways and home decor already. Its such a fun color. And I love how it pops!

Image source

As for me, right now I'm just sticking to my iPhone cover. But you never know!

What do you think? Are you loving this new color, or you still hung on Honeysuckle Pink from last year?

strawberry mini muffins

These muffins are super easy to make and are perfect for the I-spent-too-much-time-playing-and-not-enough-time-getting-ready little one to eat on the way to the bus stop. Just keep a bag in the freezer and breakfast is ready in no time.

Recipe from
Gifts from a Jar

Welcome to Cookiecrumbs & Sawdust

Welcome to my home. Pardon the dust. We've been renovating. . .

 

Hi, my name is Laura and I'm so glad you're here.

This blog is dedicated to my obsession with interior design and do it yourself projects.

I've loved interior design for as long as I can remember. I was constantly rearranging my bedroom furniture and reorganizing my belongings as a child. I grew up with a dad who pretty much did (and still does) everything himself.

Then I married a guy who loves to do everything himself as well, from building computers and bicycles to auto repair. We've had a DIY attitude our whole marriage life.

In 2005 we bought our first home. It was new construction and we were the first owners. We slowly made it our own by painting it, landscaping the yard, and building a fence. All the while my husband maintained his obsession for "project" cars and computers.

In 2011 we bought our second and current home in New England, after moving around for a few years, related to my husband's work. Our  home renovations started right away.
Enjoy!