The Papa Joe Table: Making Memories on Memories

There's nothing like receiving a gift that once served a purpose in someone else's home, especially after that person has passed away (and can you all believe, it's been nearly a year since he's passed?!). Papa Joe's picnic table served a purpose of family gatherings during holidays and even more so, all our birthdays. Lots of memories, lots of wear and tear, and then it settled into my parent's backyard once Grandma and Grandpa found a new table. After Papa Joe died, my dad left that picnic table in their backyard. Unsure what he'd use it for, he tucked it away for a "one day, some day" type of use. Well, that "one day, some day" came over and spotted that gem hiding in the backyard....that someone? It was me. Duh. And although my parents offered to buy a brand new backyard furniture set, I chose this beauty....because there were many more memories to be had with this old guy!

How To Repurpose Moderate Sized Wood Furniture

Supplies

1 electric sander

5 pieces sandpaper (120; for sanding)

4 pieces sandpaper (220; for finishing after the major sanding)

1 can stain

3 packs cheese cloth

1 oil paint brush

Step 1: 

sand your wood furniture with 120 grit sandpaper

Keep sanding...

That's right...keep sanding til you get everything off that you need or until desires smoothness

Step 2:

Once you feel like you've sanded enough, use your 220 grit sandpaper to smooth out 

everything you've just done.

Step 3:

Use you cheese cloth on your entire piece of furniture to get all the gunk off.

Step 4: 

apply your first coat of stain

*tip: dip your paint brush into the stain, skim off one side against the side of the can,

and when applying the stain to your furniture be sure to use the same motion each time

(that's what the guy at Home Depot told me...he said the dummies go back and forth, back

and forth. I didn't want to be a dummy so I did one motion...most of the time ;-) )

all the different textures and colors bring the table so much more character...

one of my favorite things!

I loved the texture and different color it initially turned out with just one coat that I almost considered leaving it this way. However, my mind was absolutely set on having a stained black table...

which brings me to step 5.

Step 5: 

apply your second coat of stain once the first coat is dry

tip: do not do in the heat of the day!

Thanks to my dad for the gift, Papa Joe for the memories, and cheers to the repurposed Papa Joe

picnic table we look forward to using and making more memories with!

♥Cori Lou

The New Oatmeal: CSP

This isn't actually new and I'm pretty sure I've blogged about it before, but let's get real...this stuff is the new oatmeal. Yet, it's like ten times better for various reasons. The catch is that you actually have to like chia seeds, chia seeds in almond milk, and the texture of it all when it's ready to eat. If you can handle all of the above, you're set. Seriously. If not, your life is not going to be as easy as let's say...everybody else who preps a million of these to make life extremely simple.

So yes, chia seed pudding is the thing. True fact. And instead of buying those mini chia seed pudding cups which are extremely pricey for such a small little guy....why not make a bunch on your own in preparation for all your quick mealtime needs or a snack to fill in between those meals. And who says you can't throw some cocoa powder in the mix of one to bust those cravings?!

AKA chia seed dessert pudding. Duh.

The Quick & Simple Supplies & Instructions

As quick as you can, gather your coconut or almond milk (we like the Silk brand), mason jars with lids, chia seeds, raw honey, your choice of fruit, raw nuts (mainly almonds), and mini tupperware containers.

Dump 1.5 cups of milk into your mason jar, then place 1-2tbsp of chia seeds in the almond milk. Place the lids on jars and shake all of them well. Let them sit for 5-10 minutes, come back and shake it again. Do this one more time, then place them in the fridge. I'm not here to tell you what you like for toppings, so whatever it is your heart desires in the chia seed pudding....place them in a small tupperware for each day you plan to eat a jar of pudding (i.e. blueberries and almonds in one, strawberries and coconut flakes in another). It will make for a quick take-away when you're having a meal on the go or need a quick little snack! When you're ready to eat one, shake your container, open the lid, place the fruits and/or nuts inside the mixture, and then drizzle with some raw honey. Otherwise, if you want it all blended, place all of the above in a processor and do a quick blending and place it in your mason jar. Easy, simple, and quick.

Here are a few ideas...

1. blueberry with raw almonds

2. almond butter & banana

3. strawberry with unsweetened shredded coconut

I like easy. I like simple. I appreciate textured things. And I love putting toppings on food.

Chia seed pudding obviously works for me. Ty on the ohter hand, is not a fan.

So I wish you luck in loving these in hopes it makes life a little easier on you & your food prep.

That's all.

♥Cori

Old Job, New Job, & A Must Have For Many Reasons!

Sometimes in life we need to add just one more thing to our plate. Just what I needed, right? I thought my plate was darn well full, but apparently there was a little space for this special new gig! I promise it's a nice little thing and something I want you all to enjoy as well. What, where, and why....I'll get there, but give me a minute. In the meantime, I've cut my hours back at work to help with the back pain/issues I've been having. We're hoping that a few less hours and more opportunities for physical therapy may give it some time to rest and decrease the pain. Plus, it provides us time for some upcoming things (I promised we'd let ya in on a few things this Fall, didn't I?). That, we will touch on later!

So this job...it isn't real time consuming, it has no stress, it tastes good, and it helps the Stanley fam get their business up and going! I guess you can call me the "spice girl" deliverer! You got it...I deliver product to New Seasons for Cause & Effect Foods (click the name and it will link you to their site).

my "spice girl" delivery tee. makes me look more official ;-)

Ty's Aunt & Uncle started up this business in which they produce wonderful spices of all sorts....the base to all the spices is dried kale. Who would've thought?! I can't even begin to tell you how fun it's been to sample out the varieties on all sorts of foods (in dips, on veggies, cooked on meats, etc). Our quick, easy, and a favorite is sliced, garden fresh Stanley tomatoes with the Tuscany kale garden fusion. On their website you can find links to various ideas for recipes when using any of the garden fusion varieties.

The Dish on the Co.

J&K's son (Ty's cousin) was found to be autistic many, many years ago. J&K decide to make a life on a small farm in which they would provide all natural foods for their family...the intention and idea being, of course, that food has a "cause & effect." By buying their product, you would be supporting more than just a healthy lifestyle for yourself...You'd be supporting autism and Cause & Effect foods!

J&K (owners of Cause & Effect Foods) and the company are based locally in Oregon. The products are gluten free, MSG free, and all natural. You can be them in most New Seasons in the Portland Metro areas as well as Vancouver. They are committed to serving those with Autism and charities associated with Autism. Be sure to check out their website for more information about the company, garden fusion flavors, recipes, and/or place an order online instead of making that drive to New Seasons!

a few of our favorites!

The next time you're in New Seasons, hunt down a few varieties of the kale garden fusions. They come in larger sized containers than most spices, they are super tasty, and make cooking easier for me. And we all know how much I love quick and easy! They have yet to disappoint and I'm not saying that because it's family and because I work for them. No bias whatsoever ;-) You can't go wrong with any of the flavors! Have at 'em and enjoy!

♡T&C

DIY Wall Hanging

I know I asked you this when I posted the "beginnings to the spare bedroom" last week, but remember when I posted this photo below? It was one those projects I started way too late in the night, but I couldn't stop myself because it was so simple, I was making quick progress, and I wanted to get it on our spare bedroom wall. Three good enough reasons to stay up way too late for craft projects. 

Would you not agree?

Anyway, the kiddos and their parents ventured out with me after a Sunday night dinner to help me find "the stick" a long while back. I needed to find the right one, the one that would work best with the project, and the one that would be just the right size for over the bed. Well we found about 7, I brought them home, and the following day my dad came over. When he came over he also brought my brother's dog. You following me here?

Well the dog, Carter, found my pile of sticks and chewed all but one up. Awesome, right? I was thrilled. Ok I wasn't thrilled. Not whatsoever. He did leave me one though...and only one! And the one he left me, thank goodness, managed to work well enough for the wall hanging!

So here it be...

I must give credit where credit is due. I found this lovely idea from Kelli Murray's blog. She was having a DIY event in San Diego according to the blog post, I liked what I saw, and then I guessed on how she did it (there aren't any instructions on the website, so I made my own makeshift version). See below for details on supplies and the how-to explanation.

Supplies

1 skein thick yarn, your choice in color

1 stick (from a park or a neighbors yard)

1 extremely long piece of wire, thin yarn, or a heavy duty string

1 package medium sized wood balls

1 package small sized wood balls

paint/spray paint (if you want to add color to your small wood balls)

1 nail or wall hook

1 hammer

Place your stick on your floor (trust me, it's easier to work with). Pull out your yarn and unravel a long piece from one end of the floor to your stick, then double it over and have it go from the stick back to the end (where you started). Be sure it's AT LEAST the desired length you want on your wall PLUS SOME. That way you have room to work with when you cut your ends in the final stage. Once your piece is cut, make a loop hole right in the middle where you folded the yarn in half. Place your stick through the yarn hole and pull it down tight. You should now have two piece of yarn dangling from the stick. If you don't, then A) I'm bad at directions (which for some reason this was hard for me to explain) and B) find your own way to wrap it around the stick (even if it means you just start to tie it like you're tying a shoe. Repeat this over and over until you have the desired amount of yarn on your stick. Once you've got your yarn completed, take your medium sized wood balls and string them onto pieces of yarn. My suggestions here is if you want it to be equal, please count out how many pieces of yarn are dangling, find the middle piece of yarn, place your first wood ball on that piece of yarn, then work your way out (separate them by 2-4 piece of yarn or to your liking).

Eventually my plan is to use this copper looking spray paint to spray the small wood balls, then string on the yarn as I did with the large wood balls. My intentions are to keep the small wood balls on the same piece of yarn as the large wood balls, but have them set further down the piece of yarn in the same fashion. There's something simple about just having it the way it is currently, so paint them or don't. I don't care either way. It is your project and will be going up in your home, not mine. 

Again, do what you want.

Once you've decided you'r done with your wall hanging, wrap a piece of wire, yarn, etc. around one end. Then leave some slack where it can by, then tie the other end to the opposite side of the stick. Then take your hammer and nail and get it nailed in the wall, hang your wall hanging, and enjoy your homemade piece of artwork.

The. End.

For some reason describing how to attach the yarn to the stick was extremely difficult for me this morning. I most likely would be getting a "D" on my "how-to" paper right now. I always hated how-to papers anyway...obviously I didn't take too much away from that lesson. Anyway, if you decide to make it, have fun. Enjoy a quick and easy craft on this rainy day!

♥Cori

Making A Backyard Come Together On A Dime (+ some)

Nobody can make a fire pit area on a dime. Let's get real. And if you can, please let me know how you did it. I'd be amazed by your abilities. The only way we were able to get away with making our backyard what it is today is via a few freebies, repurposed items, sale items, and gifts. 

Curious how we did it? Check it out below!

(PS-things aren't officially complete back here. However, we figured we'd share our tips on how to
get an inexpensive DIY backyard gathering area)

Welcome to the Stanley backyard!

The Fire Pit Area

"The Lounger"

-made of 6 pallets, given to us free by Ty's Dad

-old wood to cover the pallets from Ty's childhood home's fence (again, free)

-1 ikea twin mattress pad ($79)

-8 various sized ikea pillows (2.99-6.99)

-fabric from Joanns (used 50% coupons, various prices depending size of pillow) made by Ty's Mom

-casters from Home Depot (8.99 each)

The lounger is in full use, but it still needs to be stained...

it will happen sometime. When...who knows?!

Display the wood in a fun basket. You can always change the color with spray paint

or in this case, I left it like this to bring in some more color around the fire pit!

-giant basket: Home Goods ($35)

S'mores Table!

-ikea table ($15)

-mason jar with flowers (free from our wedding)

-Solar powered mason jar light (free, housewarming gift)

-milk bucket (Home Goods, $15)

-fire pit sticks (free, a wedding gift package from my parents)

-s'mores basket, not shown (free, was a gift package)

Fire Pit

-the "pit" and cover (free, part of the wedding gift from my parents)

-stones from Lowe's (free, used 15% coupon and gift card given to us from a housewarming gift)

Fire Pit Seating

-tree stumps (free)

The story behind these is that they are called Trees To Heaven, a tree that originates from

an Asian country. Ty was driving through the neighborhood and saw all these stumps in our

neighbor's driveway. He knew we'd eventually get around to finding some stump seats to place around the fire pit, but God decided to place this lovely gift right in front of us! Ty knocked on our neighbors door and asked what they planned on using them for and their plan consisted of nothing...so guess

who got some free, neat, old tree stumps!

And for the kids...

-adirondack chairs (6.99 from Ace Hardware), then spray painted black

The Deck/Eating Area

This whole area still has some updates to come...things such as eventually getting around to

making or finding neat old stools for the table, staining the deck, getting a new umbrella for the

table, and the list seems to continue on. It has served it's great purpose is providing an outdoor

eating area for us so I suppose we're in good enough shape for the time being.

One day, some day we'll show you how it turns out once it's complete. 

Until then...here's the DIY deck and eating area!

This is the upper level area of the deck. One step below is another part of the deck (where I'm standing)

where we like to utilize the space for our beverage area for gatherings...

-umbrella (gift from a few years ago; someday we'll get a new one to go with the table)

-potted flowers (gift from my mom; she found them, pots and all, on sale at Fred Meyers for only $20!)

-table (see below)

"The Table"

-this table once belonged to Papa Joe. My dad had stored it in their backyard for quite some time,

unsure what he had planned on using it for. Well he found it's purpose and a great new home.

-needless to say, it was a free, wonderful gift to be given as we will cherish it and 

the memories from it!

-it was partly painted and need a little fixing up, but you can see that DIY blog post another day!

-bench (free/repurposed)

-this bench was once the "bar" to the hot tub cover the previous owners had on the side

of the house. We had no intentions in getting a hot tub, so we've repurposed all the wood and

it's frame for other things...one of them being a bench for the deck. More seating = bigger parties!

The Beverage Deck

-ikea beverage cart ($89)...great for a lemonade bar, a mixed drinks bar, or serving cart

-large tin ($20, Home Goods)...great for keeping beverages cold as a giant ice bucket!

And a sneak peek to our "one day, some day" chicken coop...

-wood frame, eventually our chicken coop (free; repurposed from the old hot tub cover)

We've covered two spaces. One large fire pit area and two parts to our deck. The grand total was approximately $375, which I must say isn't too bad. Sure, it's not dimes and nickels but I like to think of it in a bigger picture...some people buy really nice outdoor table furniture anywhere from $200-$500 and that's not including the fire pit, additional seating, and serving/catering pieces. A big thanks to all those who provided a way in making our backyard on a budget!

Hopefully you not only got a little insight on what our backyard gathering area looks like, but maybe a few extra ideas on how to pinch pennies to get your backyard ready on a budget! 

♡T&C

Stanley BLD+S: September, Week 2

I've surprised myself folks. After being a weak blogger the last few months, I pulled my ish together. Two weeks in a row we've got meal planning on the blog. I didn't come up with all the recipes by any means, but majority of them are some of our simple go-to's! Let's just say that this week's theme is "keep it simple, Stanleys" I scrapped together a grocery list for all you readers (the very few of you who read this anymore). So you actually get the whole meal planning and a grocery list!
Please, don't croak with that exciting news  ;-)

3 things before you get started.

1. all meals feed up to 4 individuals at dinner, but we of course only have two to feed so we have 

plenty of leftovers for lunch!
2. under the "menu" section, please note that majority of the recipes will have links you can click on.
Do exactly that. Click and it will take you to the recipe. If there is no link, then
scroll down to find the recipe. Simple stuff.
3. there is a main section for your grocery list, but be sure to scroll just below the list because there are
"additional items" that we have around our kitchen already and does not need to be on our grocery list.
Go through it in case you do not have some of those items lying around.
Ok, that's it....go get started! 

Stanley BLD+S Menu

Breakfast
-freezer-ready breakfast sink hash & fruit on the side

-strawberry applesauce egg omelette
(click the link, then scroll down to find the recipe...one of our favs!)

Lunch

Dinner leftovers. Always leftovers for us Stanleys.
if you don't have leftovers, easiest go to is:
-tuna salad with plantain chips & fruit on the side

Dinner

-simple flank steak with lemon cucumber salad and cauliflower rice
-pulled pork with mashed or crispy plaintains
-PaleOMG crispy chicken tenders with a dipping sauce and sweet potato fries
-meatloaf with mashed cauliflower (you must scroll down in this link, it's in the middle of the page. Also, you can use the leftover for meatloaf cupcakes or just make a second loaf)
-take a night off of cooking & treat yourself...go test out Cultured Caveman or Dick's Kitchen!

Snacks
-hard boiled egg(s), handful of nuts, costco dates
-prosciutto wrapped melon
-roasted sweet potatoes & bacon

Dessert
-skip the baking this week...grab a few desserts at your local Whole Foods, New Seasons,
or Natural Grocers! We love the HailMerry desserts or the local "cheesecake" that Whole Foods sells.

Grocery List
1 large bag of sweet potatoes
2 yellow onions
mushrooms
1 bell pepper, your choice in color
applesauce (we buy the costco 4 pack, unsweetened)
2 containers of strawberries
canned tuna
plantain chips
flank steak (as many as you need to feed your fam)
coconut aminos
lemon cucumbers (from the garden)
2-3 heads of cauliflower rice (depending on family needs)
4 lbs of ground turkey or beef
1 red bell pepper
tomato paste
BBQ sauce or ketchup (your choice in brand for the meatloaf)
pork roast (we buy the three pack at costco)
4 plantains
1 can coconut milk
1 bag chicken tenders
coarse grain brown or dijon mustard
eggs (mass amounts, we go through so many!)
nuts
dates (best ones are from costco)
prosciutto
cantaloupe
nitrate free bacon (you can get a two pack at costco now!)
fruit (your choice...for breakfast, snacks, and with dinner)
dessert of choice (you can get them at Whole Foods, New Seasons, or Natural Grocers)

If you don't already these have on hand, you'll need...
coconut oil
maple syrup or honey
vinegar
dill
lemon juice
garlic or pre-diced garlic
unsweetened shredded coconut
almond flour

Recipes

-Freezer Ready Breakfast Sink Hash-
1 onion, chopped
1 case of mushrooms, chopped
2 sweet potatoes, chopped
1 pepper, chopped
bacon, cooked and chopped (if you so wish)

Place all your veggies and a tablespoon of coconut oil into a pan. Cook well, let cool, then bag and freeze. When you're in need of a quick scramble/breakfast sink hash, pull out a big chunk of your frozen mix and some eggs and scramble them up in a pan. Boom, you're done. Easy peasy.
We like that.

-Flank Steak & Lemon Cuc Salad-
flank steaks
coconut aminos
garlic, diced
5 lemon cucumbers
1/4 C white vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
water
dill

Before you head to work, throw your steaks, some coconut aminos, and diced garlic into gallon bags. When you get home, place your flank steaks on the BBQ and cook until your liking. There's not much to it and of course, not a lot of seasoning, but we love the simplicity of the steak and it's flavor with the simple ingredients.

Slice your lemon cucumber and place into a bowl. Pour your vinegar over the top of the cucumbers. Add a splash of water to tone down the vinegar and your lemon juice. Sprinkle dill over the top of your mix. Serve with your flank steak. Again, so simple and one of Ty's favorites!

-Prosciutto Wrapped Melon-
prosciutto
cantaloupe, cut into cubes or made into melon balls

If you're prosciutto are long piece, you can cut them in half as long as they will wrap around your melon. Wrap them around your melon bites. Then eat. Like all this simplicity? Me too.

-Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Bacon-
sweet potatoes, cut in half
olive oil or any specialty flavored oil (we like the rosemary or tuscan sometimes)
steak seasoning
nitrate free bacon

I'm not going go tell you how to cook you bacon. If you bake it, great. If you put in the microwave, then stick to that. And if it's a pan, have at it. I don't care, just make sure it's cooked.
Preheat your over to 400 degrees. Poke your potatoes with a fork, then smother those potaters in your oil and roll in the steak seasoning. Wrap each in foil and place on a cooking sheet. Bake for 45-60 minutes.


Have at it! Enjoy a week's worth of meal planning and a grocery list on us!

♡T&C

A Food Cart Must: Pi Wood Fired Pizza

You guys, we've got some family business to discuss. One, I've got two cousins. Two, I've got two cousins who own a business. Three, they produce wonderful wood fired pizzas made from local ingredients you all must eat. Four, they sell their "pi" out of a food cart in a sweet little area of Portland. And five, we need your help to share the family business love!

Here's the deal. My cousins own a food cart and it happens to be some amazing wood fired pizza. I will need as many of you to share this blog post via +1 on blogger or on FB and follow them on IG and/or twitter (see info below). Then I will need you all to head to the cart and try it out this weekend 
and all other days you need to tame that pizza craving.

3, 2, 1 GO...like, share, follow, and go test it out!

Check out the info below on how they got started, the local products they use, the types of pizzas they've got, location, hours, and IG/twitter info. 
All the details you could ever ask for about a business before you go!

Pi Wood Fired Pizza

Owners: Aubrey & Dallas, The Berry Bros!

(Written by Aubrey)

Pi Pizza started as a hobby in a back garden in Estacada. Just something fun to do with fire and food. We built our first oven in 2010. It was an Alan Scott inspired oven, based on his book The Bread Builders. Pretty much the bible of hearth baking. The building process is relatively straight forward. Get the plans, get the supplies and commence building. Dallas has been responsible for both ovens we've used. I (Aubrey) mostly facilitated...lots of driving, carrying bricks, bags of concrete, and lots of cleaning.

After a couple fun garden parties, our friends suggest selling our pizza. So we started doing deliveries on Friday nights. It went well. We sold out every Friday night, all summer long. Next step was renting our Aunt's food truck. We baked at the Estacada Farmers Market and did events. All successful! The next spring our Aunt decided to take the truck to Cartlandia. We thought it was a great opportunity to take our pizzas to a bigger market. We had a good run at Cartlandia but our Aunt wanted to sell, and too rich for our blood. So instead, we left Cartlandia last October, not really sure where the move would take us.

We had money in the coffers and had to decide: brick and mortar or find a cart. We went with the cart. After a lot of searching we found the perfect unit for us. Just a prep area on wheels, an area to build pizzas, some sinks, and a refrigerator. We didn't need an oven, flat top or fryers. So we got a great deal on our cart. Dallas did what little work the cart needed and when we saw an add on Craigslist for a new pod opening on Belmont in southeast, we knew exactly where we wanted to be...

East of the river, south of Burnside, & below 52nd.

Our philosophy on pizza is neopolitan inspired. This means thin crusted, cooked quickly at a high heat, & using simple, local ingredients in harmony. We make our dough and sauce in house. We have 4 permanent pizzas: margherita, pepperoni, Hawaiian, and cheese. In addition we will do seasonal specials. Currently we have our Ser Davos, which is an onion pizza in tribute to the onion knight from Game of Thrones. We will be serving a golden chanterelle pie as soon as the mushrooms are up. Like an Italian, grandmother is our constant guide. Would she do this? Would she do that? That's why we feel great using locally grown wheat. Some swear by the 00 from Italy, but would granny do that? Buy flour from half way around the world? Def not. So that's a pretty good example of our thought process. Local!

*You can find them at 2623 SE Belmont 

*Hours of operation are Monday-Saturday 11am-9pm

*Follow them on twitter: @berrybrotherspi

*Follow them on IG: piwoodfiredpizza

________________________________________________

Let me repeat myself...share, like, follow, and go get some Pi pizza. Help the local business and help out part of the fam! And most of all, go enjoy yourself a good wood fired pizza!

♥The Stanleys