Pantry Wall in Craft Room / Home Office

Our kitchen doesnt have a pantry, as it is at the end of the great room that is our loft. We decided to dedicate a wall in our home office (just off the living room) to pantry, extra pans, and chest freezer, as we do not have a garage.

We bought a great can organizer from Shelf Reliance, and so did my In-Laws. My husband put theirs together and it was literally a pain in his neck, so he put off putting ours together. The boxes the can rack were in got shoved in a corner and used as a surface for the last 3 years.

The biggest problem is that the home office has been a chaotic hot mess pretty much since we moved in. I have cleaned up parts of it but never got the room finished, and there was never room to assemble the rack to get it into place.

A few weeks ago, we invested in an Expedit shelf from IKEA for my daughter's toys in the living room, with that, I was able to move some things out of the office, and got inspired to do more and more.

First, I cleaned, without trying to organize, I just put things in the dresser, shelf, or box they belonged in and got the floor clean. As I cleaned I chose items to get rid of, to relocate and to trash. Eventually the room was clean enough to move things around and build the can rack!

So without further ado, Here are some pics.

This was before much cleaning. 

The black book case in the corner was dedicated for food until we finished the pantry wall. The food, as you can see, overflowed onto my husband's book shelf on the left and a misc book case on the right. (and all over the room, this pic shows after moving 2 shelves of books out to the Expedit, and putting food from around the room on those shelves for the time being)

This was after quite a bit of cleaning but no recent organization. 

I had donated a bag of WIC babyfood to the Stamp Out Hunger program when the postal carriers take food donations, but was able to box up another 2 bundles to take to the post office a few days later. 

The corned where the can rack would go had been cleaned up

We recently did some rearranging in our bedroom, which meant my husband's computer no longer fit, but a dresser across the room would, so we moved it out and moved the gift wrap dresser (above) over to where it was. 

We pulled the can rack out and Hubby, Ellie and I assembled it. 

Assembling the can rack required evaluating my cans, adding contact paper to the shelves, and getting a top cut to fit. (the top is an extra accessory you can buy but we just had plywood cut at The Home Depot.)

We moved it into place and filled it up!

Check out other products here. 

Here are some close-ups

On top are larger food items, cereal, chips and popcorn tub, cookies and crackers. Behind are a pan that I do use but rarely and a refillable water jug. 

The rack came with the perfect little magnet labels for the spots.

 Extra magnet labels are on the side of the freezer near by. (I do not expect them to stay so neat, my daughter loves magnets!)

The top shelf houses all my baking supplies. Much of it is in Tupperware I invested in years ago, some are in recycled containers and the polka dot bins are from the dollar tree. The only baking supplies not shown are my sprinkles, cookie cutters, colors etc which are up in my kitchen. 

See them most recently HERE or in an old post about this wall is HERE and another really old post about this wall Here

The bottom drawer holds all my larger appliances (I have an orange juicer, hand beater, and space for a toaster in a cabinet in my kitchen). My KitchenAid stand mixer and Kuerig stay on the counter.

The wire shelf that was on this wall had some purging done, relocating done and shifted over a bit to make room. (before picture above)

 I hung some Command hooks above the rack for my less often used hang-able pots. Here is a tip for you, check to be sure that the hook will fit inside the pan handle hole or you'll have one mis-matched hook for the smaller handle hole. Speaking of hooks, the can rack came with some hooks to hang items from the corners. I have lunch boxes hanging near the bottom. Neither of us work outside the home, but they are great for taking snacks for the day at the park.

Top shelf holds excess spices, sauces, and salad dressing.

The next shelf holds a bin for candy making stuff (melting bags, sticks, and small packages of candy melts) next to that, 2 pickle jars of candy melting disks and a shaker. on the far right is a bin of (mostly homemade) jams jellies and syrups

Below that is a bin of condiments (my daughter stole the label and my label maker died on my last label so that can wait), pasta and a bin of pasta sauces and more pasta. 

on these shelves are bins for drink powders, ziplocks/foil/saran wrap, and a bin of candy (which was purged through to get rid of anything we wont eat). Below that are more ziplocks (they were on sale!), some misc items and some casserole dishes.

The bottom row holds large cans, a pitcher and some baking pans, The white organizer holding them up is actually designed as a vertical shelf spice rack type thing. I had it from my old apartment 4 years ago (I hoard organizing tools). I zip-tied it to the shelf. 

On the floor are over-sized pans and some more cake pans. 

Next to the wire rack is my chest freezer. I wish I had a stand-up freezer, but this was a gift from someone who won it, so I am very grateful for it. I have organized it countless times, its a pain to keep organized if it is full. 

This is a "During" picture. That wire rack above the freezer was just tossed up there one day. I used to hang my clothes drying rack up there on a Command Hook when it wasnt used, but it is being used most of the time now that it has warmed up outside. The rack was a catch-all and didnt really sit right on the single command hook. I emptied it and took it down. 

After. 

The command hook now holds a picnic basket, and it bugs me slightly that the hook is off center since we had to shift the freezer to fit the can rack, but I digress. 

The blue shoe organizer on the back of the door in the picture above was decluttered also. It has always been a place to put things that dont really have a place, or that do not belong to me. I purged some things and found home for other things. 

After. Im not sure if this will stay here, or be relocated, we dont have closets or a bedroom door, so there arent other doors for it to hang on, I have an idea for another wall in this room. We will see. 

So I cant express on this blog how happy to finally have this finished! The bonus is I was able to pull some items from the kitchen that were better suited in here so I have some empty space in the kitchen to work with now! 

I cannot wait to show you the rest of the room as we finish it!

Superbowl CupCake Tree

If you've seen my wedding blog, you've seen a Cupcake Tree transformation before. I gotta say, I love the CupcakeTree! We have used the same one for three weddings now and it's still just as sturdy as when I bought it! Bonus, it folds to a slim box between uses!
Since I knew Tresha of Pink Princess Cakes would be bringing some cupcakes to Superbowl this weekend, I decided to decorate it yet again! 
I started with a naked tree:

photo credit cupcaketree.com

(except I'm not using the bottom level)
I have used wrapping paper in the past but didn't have enough on hand and wanted to do this before shopping again, so I found a leftover rectangle green Dollar Tree tablecloth. (which, fyi is big enough to cover all the layers if cut logically, but if  covering the risers, I think another would have been nessesary, but 2x$1 is better than 2x$3 a roll for wrapping paper!) I cut around each circle and scotch-taped the plastic on.
 

(you can see where other paper was taped on and removed from before).
Next I used some white Duck tape, yes duck tape, not duct tape for the edges.
I worked in small sections, smoothing it on around the perimeters as cleanly as I could.


I opted not to cover the risers between layers this time, it wasn't worth the time, and besides, the guests will be paying more attention to the goodies than the cardboard. I do wish I had some end caps though.

The cheap plastic table cloth does allow some of the tape tears to show through, but once it is covered in cupcakes, no one will notice, nor care!

Next, I moved on to the top layer, I had a fun idea. 
I traced the sides of the circle and free-handed a football shape. I traced the template onto a piece of cardboard and cut it out.
Ellie woke up from her nap and came to help.



The brown cardstock really wasn't flexible or large enough, so we scrapped that idea. I found some brown wrapping paper though! (I taped the top layer circle to the underside of the football shape. (the circle has the holes for the risers to hold it into place securely)

Once the brown paper was down, I freehand cut some ball tip stripe things. I traced the better stripe twice onto a fresh sheet of cardstock as well as some threads.

I cut them out and ran them through my xyron. I stuck them on....

and assembled the tree.
I will be getting some white number stickers for next to the yard-lines.
I can't wait until it's covered in cupcakes!

I will update the post with final pics with and without cupcakes, I just wanted this to get posted before the big game!

Lactation Cookies (unless youre not breastfeeding, in which case theyre Tasty Cookies)

Chocolate Almond Lactation Cookies

Oatmeal, flax seed, brewer’s yeast and almonds have all be found to boost milk supply. It is also important for nursing moms to consume plenty of calories, and with a baby to take care of; these cookies make for a great snack. This recipe yields about 40 cookies.

It is important to note that many moms worry about supply unnecessarily. As long as a baby is breastfed exclusively, having plenty of wet diapers and gaining weight, milk supply is not likely a problem. If you are concerned, it is best to speak with an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. It doesn’t hurt to eat these tasty cookies though!

Kitchen Tools Needed

• Oven and kitchen timer (not pictured)
• A medium bowl (see photos for size examples)
• A large bowl
• A mixer
• A whisk
• A set of measuring cups
• Rubber spatula
• A #40 dishing scoop OR 2 spoons
• Cookie sheets
• Cooling racks
• Fork
• Metal spatula

Ingredients Needed

• 1 1/2 c. flour (whole wheat or all-purpose)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 3/4 c. rolled oats OR 1 c. steel –cut oats
• ¾ c. almond butter or peanut butter (before starting, see TIP, also, if doubling recipe, use entire 16oz jar)
• 1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
• 1 c. flax meal
• 3 T brewer's yeast (often called “nutritional yeast” in stores)
• 1/3 c. water
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 2 c. (12oz) chocolate chips, any variety
• 1 c. chopped almonds (or other nuts, however almonds can help with milk production)

TIP: If using natural nut butter that requires stirring, simply pour the entire jar into the large bowl and use mixer to stir, then measure out what is needed and put excess back into jar prior to step 3. This saves hassle with a butter knife and the bowl and mixer are going to get dirty anyway.

STEPS

1) Preheat the oven to 350* F

2) In the medium bowl, gently whisk together:

• flour

• baking soda
• cinnamon
• salt
set aside 

3) In the large bowl, beat the following:
• nut butter
• butter or margarine
• sugar
• brown sugar
• brewer's yeast
• flax meal
• water
• vanilla
until creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to fully incorporate all ingredients, dough will be wet and creamy.

4) Mix in the 2 eggs until combined.

5) Add bowl of dry ingredients, about a cup at a time, mix until fully combined.

6) Mix in the nuts and chocolate chips completely.

7) Slowly, add oats, about ¼ cup at a time, until all mixed.

8) Using the scoop or 2 spoons, form balls about 2 inches in diameter, place about 2 inches apart onto a cookie sheet and flatten each ball slightly with the tines of a fork. This ensures even baking.

9) Bake for about 12 minutes, they will be soft, but hold up to a metal spatula when done.

10) Allow to cool on pan no longer than 2 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

Note: The taste of warm brewer’s yeast can be bitter, so some moms prefer to let them cool completely before eating.

TIP: Mixing and baking cookies is a lot of work for possibly sleep deprived moms, this dough freezes well: simply place formed and flattened balls in step 7 onto parchment paper and into zip-top bags and freeze. Whenever needed, simply place as many onto a cookie sheet as needed and bake for 12-14 minutes at 350*F

Tip: Some fresh baked cookies and/or some frozen cookie dough balls would make a great gift for a new mom, or a mom who is struggling with breastfeeding.

• Cookies should be stored in an air tight bag or container and will last up to 2 weeks fresh. Frozen dough will last at least 2 months.

• For a boost in milk supply, consume 4-6 per day. Enjoy!

The Freezer ~ Day 11

I went grocery shopping the other day, and like i usually do, I bought a big bulk package of ground turkey, to divide up into meal sizes. I cooked it up and portioned it tonight and decided enough was enough I needed to finally organize my freezers. I will try to blog this but my fingers are awfully cold!

My kitchen freezer wasn't really that bad. Because I am good at Tetris. It was packed to the brim. The chest freezer was maybe 1/4 full. Because I am good at piling stuff on top of it.


I will remain good at Tetris, thanks to my PS2, not my freezer.
I will probably always put stuff on top my chest freezer. I'm human.


Let me tell you a story about the top of a lovely chest freezer.

Once upon a time, it was covered in stuff and pantry foods. Then I needed inside, so I moved the stuff off, and put the pantry foods in a laundry basket while I got inside, the laundry basket went back on top. Then I needed to return the laundry basket to the laundry room. So everything went back on top the lovely freezer. Then I created my temporary pantry and the food was relocated. Then I was organizing the craft room and needed a surface. So it held my "OUT" box (donations and stuff that doesn't belong to me) and my "HOUSE" box (stuff that belongs at my in-law's house). Then one lovely day, I decided to finally do day 11 of the freezer challenge and had to get inside again.
The End.

Chest freezer BEFORE:
No need for organization, because it was so bare. I organized it anyway:
Meats went into baskets, one for chicken, one for pork and turkey. Another basket for veggies. Misc stuff on the edges.
Now I could add to it, since my fridge freezer was so full BEFORE:
I pulled everything out, sorting onto the kitchen counter:

I put a lot of it back, except duplicates of items, rarely used items, and less convenient food items.

The top drawer holds fruit and vegetables, and a few of the 12 cans of juice: In the front of the freezer is a great little tray, used to be full of juice concentrate, now holds items that don't want to be buried: yes those are hot sauce packets, I read somewhere, a blog probably (let me know if that was yours I'll credit you) to freeze ketchup packets as tiny ice packs for kitchen burns or little boo boos. I'm pretty clumsy and will likely need a tiny ice pack at some point in the future.

Also in the tray, a bigger ice pack, margarine, frozen waffles, (both homemade and Eggo), and shredded cheese (we bought a hugemungous bag when we bought our wedding food, and didn't want the leftovers to go bad, so we froze it in smaller packages), we add it to chili, or casseroles. Freezing cheese does kinda mess with the texture, but really not too bad, especially when mixed with other foods.

Next, ice cream and Popsicles were divided off:

Only one of those are my husbands. I must be pregnant.

The left of the bottom drawer now holds dinner food: We eat a lot of convenience-y foods, the bag dinners are actually not too bad for you, have bunches of veggies and lean meats, they are easy to cook, just add a little water in a skillet for like 13 minutes. The TV dinners are eaten much less often, we bought them when I had barely any appetite and was feeling sick often, easy for either of us to eat when the other wasn't hungry, or not home. Or when we were feeling very lazy.

The cheese tub is leftovers from tonight's dinner, Hamburger Helper stroganoff, we ate about 2/3s (and big salads) and froze the rest for another easy dinner. We used to be bad at portions and would have eaten the entire thing in one sitting, even with a side veggie. We are working at paying closer attention to portions, not just for health reasons, but for budget. The Hamburger Helper was on sale and I had a coupon so was $0.80 + 1 can of mushrooms, 1/2 lb of ground turkey (bought in bulk) and 3 cups of milk. About $2 for 3 dinner portions, and it was soooo yummy.

The rest of the food was organized into the black plastic bins I already had, (had bunches of them from my old apartment, they lived on top my cabinets to add storage to that small kitchen) and added to the chest freezer.

I divided the veggies into 2 baskets: Everyday veggies on the left and party veggies on the right. I only use frozen spinach in spinach dip, and like the cheese, that is a bunch of chopped onions leftover from the wedding. We throw a lot of parties with chili, hot dogs and nachos, we just put about half a bag of onions out in a bowl each time. Much cheaper than buying a small thing of chopped onions each time (like we used to). Much more convenient than chopping a fresh onion each time. There is also half a can of diced chilies frozen in a baggie, from when I make a small batch of artichoke dip.

Both baskets were stacked in the chest freezer: The rest of the juice cans, some Italian sausage rolls and leftover hot dogs went in the basket that came with the freezer:
A few misc items were put on the bottom, between the baskets. Including our bride and groom wedding cake topper cupcakes. We cut the top tier of our "wedding cake"... ...so we are saving these for our 1 year anniversary instead:

I really think these baskets will help utilize the freezer. It was so bare before because I knew if I didn't use baskets or something, I would never see whatever items were on the bottom. Now, I don't need to worry. Which is great because before Ellie is born, we are stocking up on food more, so we always have something. Also, our income might be cut drastically in the near future, and we want to get in the habit of eating at home more and shopping smarter.

I am really glad to have gotten this done, and thanks to this blogging, my fingers are finally warmed up!

Im linking to Freezer, Day 11 ~ A Bowl Full of Lemons Organizing Challenge