DIY macrame plant hangers

June 9, 2015 by mama lola

with the warmer weather has come the urge to plant and grow things. we have a lovely little covered porch where i hang a big basket of petunia’s each season. there are other hooks that need plants hung from them and i’ve been trying to think of ways to HANG plants without actually spending money.

and, that’s when it hit me… MACRAME! yes, many think it’s tacky or too old school, but i actually really love macrame hanging planters. they can be so simple, neutral, colourful, or complex. the possibilities are endless.

so, for my firts attempt at macrame i wanted to start simple, and i found this fantastic tutorial from brit & co. below is the plant holder from them… BOOM, love that pink!

here’s the one i made from an ancient, stretched out t-shirt.

and, yes of course it’s turquoise! haha!

i wanted to include some macrame inspiration i found.

mini macrame hangers from free people

5 hangers from modern macrame

macrame plant hangers from erin made this

here’s another great tutorial from pigment using cotton rope and beads instead of fabric. aren’t they lovely?

macrame plant hanger from space craft studios

good luck with your own macrame project.

have a lovely week friends!

top 5 thrifting tips!

May 28, 2015 by mama lola

i love finding a deal. i love making a deal.

bartering in different countries or garage sales is one of my favourite things to do! there are a few tips and tricks to getting the most our of your thrifting experience. at thrift stores i don’t think they really appreciate a haggler, but most places already have such low prices that there’s no need to argue for a better price!

the other day i went thrifting at some of the local spots, value village, goodwill, salvation army, bibles for missions…

look at the hilarious things i saw…

first let’s discuss the Kar-Kooker (did you notice the awesome double K action?!?) there is a list on the front of the box of how this fantastic contraption can be used… baby bottles, soups, canned foods… enjoy the convenience of eating in your car, camper, boat or trailer” hahaha! love it!

and, check-out that cutie-a-too-teh on the right with her sweet blue jumper. see where the yellow arrow is? that’s the original price stickers from simpson sears for $1.25!!! gotta love that!

1. everything will look cute, quirky and funny at first glance. and, you may want to buy it all! but, before you get caught up in the moment decide what you like to collect, whether it be tea cups or blue glass. know what colours you prefer in your home, for example, i only purchase white, turquoise or blue items for my kitchen, and only if i think i will really use it.

2. remember there is a constant supply of knick-knacks, baskets, and blue glass at thrift stores. the shelves will always get restocked and refreshed with new items. only buy what you need or truly want. i don’t care if it’s a good deal or a great price, it ain’t worth it unless you actually use it! every dollar adds up quickly, remember that!

3. go often! that will mean different things to all of us, but when i have 30 minutes to kill, i will quickly hit up a few thrift stores. going often doesn’t mean i spend a lot of money, it just means i can keep tabs on things. the good stuff flies out of the stores quickly, so the more frequently you visit the shops the better your chances are of scoring something lovely!

4. know your brands and prices. not everything at a secondhand store is a great deal, so do your homework. this is especially true when it comes to designer glass and clothing. i’m not really into clothes so i don’t know many fancy name brands, but i do have friends who are great at finding awesome clothing deals! i’m much better at kitchen things! also, some thrift stores are much more expensive for things, thank other’s. this is why it pays to do your homework!

5. it’s good for the environment. buying secondhand is a good thing for our planet, as new materials don’t have to be used, trees don’t have to be killed and items don’t have to shipped across oceans. it all comes down to those 3 R’s REDUCE, REUSE & RECYCLE! pinterest is full of ideas on how to reuse old sweaters into mittens, or how to fix up old dressers into vanity’s or whatever.

and, is that an owl made out of shells? i can’t decide if $2 is a steal or way over priced! haha!

thrifting is also about thinking outside the box and using old things for something new. i love pretty vintage sheets, but i use them as table cloths instead, or cut them into napkins.

happy thrifting, friends!

vegetable puff pastry bites.

May 20, 2015 by mama lola

i have only recently discovered the fun of butter puff pastry!

i know, i know i admit i have been under a rock of sorts!

truth be told, i thought they were full of all sorts of yucky ingredients, but it actually isn’t.

i found some easy all-ready-to-go frozen puff pastry at the grocery store and left it out to thaw for a couple of hours. i followed the instructions on the package, and recommend you do the same.

i used a pizza roller to divide the puff pastry sheet into 9 somewhat even squares. they really don’t have to be perfect at all, as the pastry sheets can be pulled to fit your muffin pan if necessary. also, as you’ll see once the pockets are stuffed with the filling and you’ve twisted the tips of the corners together, that having perfect squares is not that important.

i sauteed my veggies in my skillet to bring out the yummy flavours in them before baking them in the oven.

then in a bowl i mixed the sauteed veggies and chunks of feta cheese.

prepare your muffin pan by greasing it up. i like to use real butter that i spread into each muffin slot with paper towel, other’s may prefer to use cooking spray. then place a puff pastry square into each slot, gently pushing down. fill each pocket with about a tablespoon of filling, take all four corners and twist them together. finally, brush of some whisked egg to add a nice golden shine to the baked vegetable puffs.

is your mouth watering right now?

don’t these wee vegetable puff pastry bites look amazing? they really so easy to make and a perfect add on to so many different meals! all of my three guys love to take these to work and school for lunch the next day… that is if we have any left over! haha!

on this day we had tofu steaks and and lovely green salad with them! yum!

vegetable puff pastry bites.

2015-05-06 00:31:17

Yields 18

Write a review

Save Recipe

Prep Time

40 min

Cook Time

20 min

Total Time

1 hr

Prep Time

40 min

Cook Time

20 min

Total Time

1 hr

Ingredients

1 pkg frozen puff pastry (i suggest buying the already rolled out kind, much easier to deal with)
3 tblsp olive oil
1 red pepper
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
3-5 mushrooms
1/4 cup feta cheese
lotsa fresh basil leaves
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
1 egg

Instructions

1. thaw the puff pastry according to directions on the package.
2. preheat the oven to 350F. chop onions, garlic, mushrooms and peppers finely into small pieces.
3. heat a skillet, add olive oil and sautee onion and garlic until tender. add peppers, mushrooms, pepper, salt and finally fresh basil leaves.
4. once basil leaves have lightly wilted, in a separate bowl add feta to sauteed veggies. mix well, ensuring feta chunks are smallish.
5. divide thawed puff pastry sheet into approximately 9 squares. grease your muffin pan. place each square into the muffin pan, add approximately a tablespoon of filling, twist the corners of the squares together to ensure the filling stays inside. brush whisked egg on top of each veggie bite.
6. bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top.
7. serve, enjoy, savour!

bear & lion https://bearandlionmama.com/

butter puff pastry, vegetable bites, recipe

let me know how the recipe works for you!

enjoy!

donut round up!

May 11, 2015 by mama lola

i feel it is my responsibility to add this warning above. you may want to get a cloth or tissue for wiping the drool off of your chin.

just sayin”!

donut are making a kind of come back. they can be as easy or as complicated to make as you wish; there are countless recipes out there for them! i have included recipes that make my mouth water!

donuts are a treat and certainly not anything we eat regularly at our house. but, as a treat they are fun to make, kids love ’em and you can get creative with them! a friend of mine made a birthday donut cake by building a pyramid of donuts and topping it off with candles! it was awesome and easy, and you bethca her son LOVED it!

so let’s let the donut fun begin!

baked chocolate hazelnut crunch donuts by the little epicurean

quick and easy baked came mix mini donuts from it’s always autumn

gluten free pumpkin spiced donuts from flippin’ delicious

oreo over load donuts from the first year

baked funfetti donuts from sally’s baking addiction

how about something just as yummy, but perhaps a little healthier? here’s one of our fave recipes, my boys love these blueberry oatmeal muffin donuts. perfect for school lunches, after school, whatevs!

blueberry oatmeal muffin donuts by bear & lion

how are you holding up?

craving some round, delectable treats yet! haha!

happy monday peeps!

down by the river.

May 5, 2015 by mama lola

it sure was a fantastic weekend! the sun was shining, it was hot and everyone seemed to be in a great mood. it’s amazing how the weather can impact a whole cities mood and feel.

on sunday we decided to jump on our bikes and bike down to the river. i just love that the kids are old enough to do this kind of thing. lion is almost 5yrs, so his stamina isn’t as great, but man, that kid pedaled his heart out. i was so proud of him! bear had a brand new bicycle to try and he was a little apprehensive at first. this new bike has hand breaks and gears! but, he too got into the groove!

when we arrived at the river we heard frogs, which seemed strange as it was the middle of the afternoon and super hot in the sun. as we looked closer we saw frogs all over the place, many of them in pairs… then we clued in. it’s mating season!!! the croaking sound was unbelievably loud, but also exciting, because it started some great conversations with the kids!

the geese were hanging out in pairs. there were some pretty aggressive fights between some of the pairings. they too must be mating and preparing to nest.

the boys made boats out of bark and sticks.

such simple fun. no plastic toys. no batteries.

just a few pieces of natural debris found by the river.

bear did actually end up in the water! the branch he was balancing on suddenly snapped and SPLASH! luckily for him the water wasn’t too cold and the air was warm! we all had a big laugh about it though!

it is so wonderful that spring has arrived and we have a taste of warm, hot weather.

hope you had a lovely weekend too!

yummy roasted chickpeas.

April 29, 2015 by mama lola

i made a carrot ginger soup for my weekly soup exchange and i wanted to include something yummy with the soup, other than my usual parsley or cilantro garnish… and then it hit me.. KAPOW… roasted chickpeas!

it’s the easiest, yummiest add-on ever!

ok, so here we go.

i was pretty generous with my spices, because i wanted my chickpeas to POP with flavour and i used a large can.

roasted chickpeas

2015-04-22 16:48:51

Write a review

Save Recipe

Prep Time

5 min

Cook Time

15 min

Prep Time

5 min

Cook Time

15 min

Ingredients

1 can chickpeas
5 tblsp olive oil
1 tblsp paprika
1 tsp sea salt
1 tblsp cumin
1 tblsp tumeric

Instructions

1. preheat oven to 425F. drain and rinse chickpeas.
2. oil your cookie sheet with olive oil. add chick peas.
3. in a separate bowl mix dry spices and sprinkle onto chickpeas. ensure chickpeas are evenly spiced. place in oven. let bake for 15 minutes.
5.add to soups, tacos, chili, salads or nibble on their own!

bear & lion https://bearandlionmama.com/

what do you think? they look pretty yummy, right?

i will be sharing my ginger carrot recipe soon, as well!

worth a try, i think! enjoy!

mother’s day flower crafts.

April 16, 2015 by mama lola

mother’s day is less than a month away, so it’s time to get crafty!

all mother’s LOVE flowers of any kind, especially something made with love and heart.

my kids love to make gifts for their grandma and mummo, for mother’s day. look at these lovely flower crafts i found. some are harder than other’s, but all a great sourse of inspiration. the hanging wisteria are so gorgeous, right? i’d have those hanging all year if i could!

paper and button flowers from kiwi crate

flower card from hands on as we grow

paper flower bouquet from oh happy day

accordion folded spring flower collage from make and takes

try this tissue wisteria from the land of nod

my tulips and crocuses are quickly coming up now in my garden and i keep buying cut flowers on sale at the grocery store, because i eager for flowers, flowers and more flowers!!!

happy crafting lovelies!

earth day craft round-up!

April 8, 2015 by mama lola

earth day is coming up…. april 22 to be exact. easy to remember, because at our house that also happens to be DH’s birthday!

i gathered some fun, creative, inspiring and beautiful crafts to help everyone get in the spirit of earth day. i think these crafts are a great way to talk to kids about nature, the environment and the cycle of life. getting crafty is also a great way to connect to the natural world around us, the one we so often take for granted, especially in this age of screens!

i don’t think there are any gender restrictions or age limits with these crafts. let your kids experience the process of creating as much as the outcome. as parents and caregivers i think we often forget how much fun just sitting and making something is!

ok, in no particular order, here we go!

stamping with natural treasures from bear & lion

scented nature sculpture from sunhats & wellie boots

nature crowns and cuffs from maya made

nature bugs from modern parents messy kids

eco-friendly beads from planet forward

how to make a shell mobile from nurture store

wind catcher from bear & lion

painted sticks from little wonders’ days

nature weaving from craftiments

i love the weaving idea, and may make something with that inspiration in mind. not many flowers will be blooming in late april here in southern, ontario, but i will try to think outside the box a little.

mobiles are great too. hanging stuff is great for front porches or back decks, or by a big sunny window!

enjoy earth day! and remember, earth day is not just one day of the year, it should be every day!

well, i failed!

April 6, 2015 by mama lola

source

ARGH!

well, i royally failed that minimalism challenge i started in january. remember that? BAH!

(*excuse as i hide my face in shame.) it’s a little frustrating, especially since the challenge was pretty simple… you know, minimal, that i couldn’t get my shit together and just do it.

i just couldn’t remember to check what the next days challenge was, follow through or do anything challenge related for that matter. i completed a handful of days before total and utter failure! i have no excuses, but i can rhyme off a million reasons i failed, ready?

i am: forgetful, scatter brained, clueless, easily distracted, lazy, unmotivated, great at making lists but terrible on the follow through, tired, busy, and so and so on. you get the idea!

source

i’ve been struggling lately with keeping on track. staying motivated. remembering. sometimes it’s an uneasy feeling, you know, feeling like you’re flailing a little. i’m riding this wave with the hope that it is temporary. i am typically the kinda gal who remembers everything, and when i say everything i mean EVERYTHING . i can tell you what i was wearing when i got lenny kravitz’s autograph in 1994, what my grades were in grade 11, what song was playing the first time i slow danced with a guy, what DH was wearing the first time we kissed all those years ago… i remember birthday’s, anniversaries etc etc. but, as of late all those bits of information seem to be filed further in my brain, harder to retrieve and sort.

do you have any great tips or tricks that help you to remember to do things? to keep you on track, so you’re not always running around at half speed, because you’re scrambling to remember… what am i supposed to be doing?

this final quite that i am sharing, is really how i feel most of the time.

source

good luck with all you have to do! all those pesky responsibilities, birthday gifts that need purchasing, cars that need their oil changed and crafts that are waiting completion!

happy monday lovelies!

spring hike.

March 24, 2015 by mama lola

the boys and i went for a hike on a warm march break afternoon with some good friends. it was officially the last day of winter, but it sure felt like spring. the sun was out in full force melting snow creating glorious mud for the kids to roll in. us mum’s didn’t mind though, at least all the boys were out enjoying the woods.

chick-a-dee-dee-dee-dee!

this particular trail is known for it’s friendly chickadee’s so i made sure to pack a small bag of bird see with us.

we put some seed into our hands and waited very quietly. sure enough, a few brave birds flew right onto our hands to nibble on the treats we were holding. it was quite the delight!

i told the kids there was treasure chest in this tree stump! haha!

it’s completely impossible to get a nice picture of our four boys all together. there were too many giggles and sillies trapped inside of them, even after all of the running!

oh well, they’re all cute non-the-less with their goofy faces and tongues sticking out!

for the hike i had stuffed my driver’s license into an unusual pocket for “safe keeping”. well, hours after we got home from our romp in the woods i realized to my horror that it was missing! immediately panic set in! DH and i decided to drive back to the parking lot of the trail just in case it had fallen out around the parked car. well, i didn’t see it, but then last minute i decided to check the map board at the base of the trail and there it was! someone had found my license and attached it to the board!!!

i could not believe my luck! oh, you should have seen my high kicks as i danced my happy dance!!! a huge thanks to this kind stranger!

DIY macrame plant hangers

top 5 thrifting tips!

vegetable puff pastry bites.

donut round up!

down by the river.

yummy roasted chickpeas.

mother’s day flower crafts.

earth day craft round-up!

well, i failed!

spring hike.

recent posts

instagram