three quick & easy diys, present-toppers edition

Posted on November 30, 2011 by highplainsthrifter

Is it wrong if I want to skip actually shopping for presents this year and skip ahead to the part when I spend an entire evening listening to Christmas music and wrapping them up all cute? The trio of gift-toppers featured below can all be made mostly with materials you can find easily at, where else…your local thrift store!

♥ These Monopoly tags, c/o Glossary, give new life to a vintage game that was missing some pieces.

♥ Personalize a prezzie with a yarn-wrapped pipe-cleaner letter or go all out and do the lucky recipient’s name. Once the gift’s unwrapped, these would make great ornaments. (Idea c/o giddy giddy.)

♥ File this under why-didn’t-I-think-of-this: Dyed paper doilies, c/o Blue Eyed Freckle. How sweet would a single poof be atop a package? Very, I say.

Ahh, now all I want to do is sit around and wrap gifts! Fortunately, I do have some crafting action of my own going on tonight…working on this Saturday’s limited edition Mighty Swell giveaway. It’s going to be so tight…I can’t wait to share it with y’all!

xo,

Meghan

from grandma ella’s recipe box: sloppy joes

Posted on November 21, 2011 by highplainsthrifter

Something you should know about me: I could read recipes all the live-long day. Another thing you should know about me: I absolutely love projects, especially ones that require sorting or better yet, alphabetizing. So yesterday, when my mom pulled out two huge recipe boxes full of my grandma Ella’s recipes, and asked me to categorize them all, I was pretty much in heaven.

I came across a lot of old favorites from growing up, including this one for Sloppy Joes, aka one of my most beloved comfort foods.

It makes a batch large enough to feed a small army, but it freezes like a dream. I remember eating this at Grandma’s on a homemade whole wheat bun, with raw veggies, ripple chips and dip. And now I’m hungry.

xo,

Meghan

the beauty thrifter is in

Posted on November 16, 2011 by highplainsthrifter

Today over on Beauty Bets, I shared a bunch of beauty-related, gift-y DIYs I want to make this holiday season. The bows pictured above (c/o Oh So Lovely via My Girl Thursday) didn’t make it into the story, but I really love them. So, please go check out that how-to too. (Too. To. Tutu!) I figure if anything’s going to entice me to dust off the ole’ glue gun, it’s making pretty (pink) bows for my girls. For more fun budget-friendly crafty ideas like this, pop on over to Beauty Bets and read my post.

Also…I hope your Wednesdays are wonderful!

xo,

Meghan

how to: bake pumpkin bread like tammy wynette

Posted on October 27, 2011 by highplainsthrifter

I’ve been thinking about Tammy Wynette a lot lately. Maybe it’s because I changed my work computer’s desktop to this last Friday, or maybe it’s because I’m saying her name 100 times a day, scolding my naughty kitty, her green-eyed namesake. So last week, when I came upon a couple handwritten recipes of hers on the Country Music Hall of Fame’s website (check them out here), I decided her pumpkin bread would be the perfect baking project. Like most of my go-to recipes, it’s pretty simple and pretty delicious.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

♥ 3 1/2 cups self-rising flour
♥ 1 teaspoon nutmeg
♥ 1 teaspoon cinnamon
♥ 4 eggs, lightly beaten
♥ 3 1/2 cups sugar
♥ 2 1/2 cups mashed pumpkin
♥ 1 cup vegetable oil
♥ 1 teaspoon vanilla
♥ 1 cup chopped nuts

HOW TO MAKE (ACCORDING TO TAMMY)

Mix dry ingredients, blend other ingredients, except nuts. Mix alternately and add nuts. Grease two Bundt pans and fill. Bake approximately 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Then try to fend off your cat and dog while you enjoy a slice and a glass of milk.

Obviously, I’d recommend baking these babies with Tammy on. I’ve been listening to her “Another Lonely Song” album a lot. Every song is a winner.

xo,

Meghan

Top photo c/o: country dreaming

recently thrifted, dressing room edition

Posted on September 20, 2011 by highplainsthrifter

Hey lovelies!

I’ve been on a sprucing up kick around my house and I started with my dressing room. Here are a few things I’ve thrifted that have been put to work in this space. I got this solid wood shoe rack at the Salvation Army in Blaine for $2.50 on a half-off day. Originally intended to be a plant stand, it works perfectly in this space, storing my heels.

This minty Formica table turned vanity has seen better days, but for $10 (plus four chairs) I couldn’t pass it up. The mirrored perfume tray is from the ’50s and was found at an estate sale in Superior for $3. The GE Make-Up Mirror I’ve had for too many years to recall where it’s from or how much I paid for it.

Any Wisconsin girl in her right mind would never pass this baby up…a moo-cow mounted necklace holder, from a Twin Cities estate sale ($1).

I bought house plants a few weeks ago, including these little succulents, and I’m doing my darndest to keep them alive. This Cracker Barrel jar, now a terrarium, was purchased at Salvation Army for $2.99.

How are you putting your thrifted finds to use around your home?

xo,

Meghan

my favorite find of the weekend

Posted on June 20, 2011 by highplainsthrifter

Hi dears!

I went to an amazing estate sale Friday afternoon out in the country. The contents of an entire old farmhouse were for sale, and I had so much fun wandering around the grounds, barns and massive house, picking out treasures to take home. My favorite find of the day is definitely this rolling dumb waiter I got for $1.

I’ve been looking for a small bar table to for my dining room for ages and this baby fits perfectly. Plus, it has wheels! When I got it home, I gave it quick bleach-water bath outside (and discovered two daddy long legs!) before bringing it inside and polishing it top-to-bottom with Old English. I topped it with my favorite bottles and thrifted bar utensils (including these babies) and voila—this girl is ready to host a party! I still can’t get over that it was just $1. That’s $2 less than the cheapest beer at my favorite bar!

Did you go to any estate or rummage sales this weekend? Find anything fun?

xo,

Meghan

diy: pretty thumbtacks

Posted on April 4, 2011 by highplainsthrifter

Hi dears!

I dabbled in a spot of diy-ing this weekend in between moving, housework and work-work. It felt so good to sit down, watch a movie and do something that didn’t involve heavy lifting or heavy thinking. My decision about what to make was essentially made for me when I saw “you don’t have to be a careful cutter” in the instructions for these fabric-covered thumbtacks. Because a careful cutter is a thing I am not.

I won’t go over the entire how-to because the original tutorial on How About Orange does a fantastic job of doing just that, but here are a few peeks of the final product. Cute right?

I would say they add a cheery touch to my cork board and I’ll definitely be making more soon. Are you having decent Mondays so far? I turned in a project today that had become a giant monkey on my back and I feel so, so, so relieved to be done with it. Here’s hoping it sets the tone for a stress-free week!

xo,

Meghan

cover girl

Posted on March 31, 2011 by highplainsthrifter

Hello, dears!

The April issue of METRO magazine arrived at our office today and a vintage dress from my inventory is featured on the cover!

You could throw any old thing on that cover girl though and she’d look cute-as-a-freakin’-button. This summer-ready frock, along with a zillion* others needing good homes, will be up for grabs at Mighty Swell’s upcoming Spring Has Sprung event. You know. In case you you were wondering.

Well, I’m off to catch up on some housework and then get going on making this divine-looking dessert. (Thanks for the Bon Appetit subscription, Marmee!) Wish me luck!

xo,

Meghan

*Small exaggeration.

how to: clean your thrifted jewelry

Posted on March 23, 2011 by highplainsthrifter

Hey lovelies!

I’ve had some great luck thrifting jewelry lately, so I thought I’d do a little how to post on cleaning it up so it’s sparkly and ready to wear. (Thank you to the lovely Hannah Kuhary, for sharing this DIY recipe with me!!)

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

♥ Liquid dish soap
♥ White vinegar
♥ A toothbrush (softer is better, but any kind will do)
♥ A lint-free rag or cloth
♥ A smallish bowl
♥ ♥ ♥ This method is safe for cleaning gold, silver, platinum, diamonds and hard stones. It is NOT SAFE for pearls, opals or jewelry with adhesives or loose stones. ♥ ♥ ♥

HOW TO

1. Place jewelry in a heat-proof bowl.
2. Heat 2 cups of water almost to the point of boiling.
3. Add a couple drops of dish soap, one tablespoon of white vinegar and mix to combine.
4. Pour the solution over jewelry, swirl it around a bit and let it soak until the water is cool.
5. Brush jewelry with a toothbrush under running water and leave to air dry on lint-free rag or cloth. And…voila! Your thrifted accessories are sparkly and clean!

Hannah wanted me to mention that this method is perfect for people with skin allergies or sensitive skin—many drugstore jewelry cleaners have ammonia in them which can be irritating and harsh.

I hope you all are having wonderful Wednesdays so far! It’s snowing like crazy here and I’ve got a long day of editing and interviews ahead. But tonight, I’m ~~trekking to Dinkytown to see this band play, so I can’t complain too much~~ not going to see Warpaint because they are snowed in. So ~~excited~~ sad!

xo,

Meghan

how to: make salted caramel shortbread

Posted on February 27, 2011 by highplainsthrifter

I’m an awful baker. I’m trying to get better by baking a new recipe every Sunday. After two weeks of epic fails, finally…success in the form of salted caramel shortbread! This recipe alone was reason enough for me to plunk down $6 this week and subscribe to Ready Made magazine. The finished result is insanely yummy, but even more than that, if I can bake this without screwing it up, so can you. A few words of warning: You’ll need a good chunk of time to make this, as there is quite a bit of waiting in between some of the steps.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

For the shortbread:

♥ 1 c. all-purpose flour
♥ 1/2 c. cornstarch
♥ 1/2 c. confectioner’s sugar
♥ 1 stick unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

For the salted caramel:

♥ 1 1/4 c. packed light brown sugar
♥ 3/4 c. heavy cream
♥ 6 T. unsalted butter, softened
♥ 1 t. crushed sea salt

For the chocolate topping:

♥ 7 ounces dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa solids)

HOW TO MAKE

1. If you’re lucky, mix the shortbread ingredients together in a food processor. Or, do it the traditional way by sifting the dry ingredients in a large bowl, adding the butter, and using clean fingertips to rub them together until a dough forms. Form dough into ball (it’ll be super crumb-like), cover with plastic wrap and put in fridge to rest for an hour. Meanwhile, line a 9-inch square brownie pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper and preheat the oven to 325°. Flatten the rested dough into the pan.

2. Prick the top of the dough all over with a fork and bake for about 40-45 minutes, until the top is light brown and starting to come away from the edges of the pan. Allow to cool in the pan for at least one hour before you make the caramel.

3. To make the caramel, put the sugar and cream in a heavy-bottom saucepan set over low heat. Heat gently, sitting with a wooden spoon as it comes to a boil. Bring the caramel back to a boil and let it bubble gently for 5 minutes, sitting occasionally. Take the caramel off the heat, add the salt and stir vigorously to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed in. Then, working quickly, pour the caramel on top of the cooled shortbread. Put the pan in fridge (or, if you live in Minnesota, your porch) and let set for at least 1 hour.

3. Once the caramel has set, melt the chocolate over a double boiler. (If you want to temper it properly, here are the directions for how to do that.) Pour the melted chocolate on top of the caramel and spread it evenly with a rubber spatula. Allow the chocolate to set before lifting the shortbread out of the pan and cutting into squares with a hot knife.