Rainbow Krispies for St. Patrick's Day!

I love, love, love this time of year 
because it's packed full of so many fun little celebrations, 

and St. Patrick's Day is one of our favorites! 

Last year I really wanted to make something fun for my boys to bring to school on St. Patrick's Day, but I wanted something different than just something green. Here's what I came up with... Rainbow Krispie treats using Fruity Pebbles! They were such a hit that I think I'll make them again this year. I think it would be super cute to put a few gold coins in the bag with the rainbow too :)

Here's the original blog post from last year 

with a tutorial for you.

I'm a big fan of Rice Krispy treats and guess what's even better? Rainbow krispies for St. Patty's Day made with Fruity Pebbles!

Here's the recipe:

6 cups Fruity Pebbles

4 cups mini marshmallows

3/4 cube butter

Made the same way as Rice Krispie treats... melt butter and marshmallows. Have your cereal measured out and your glass pan sprayed with nonstick spray ahead of time. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in cereal until thoroughly coated. Press down in pan. Let it sit for a while, then use cookie cutter to make the rainbows. I used a big round circle and cut a little circle in the middle. Eat the middle from the little circle! Then cut the big circle with the hole in half and you'll have two little rainbows. Not sure if that made sense, but you get the idea, right?

I made a quick batch of royal icing to "glue" on the marshmallow clouds. I can't wait to bring them to the boys' classrooms for St. Patrick's Day! I'll put them in a cellophane bag tied with a ribbon and one of those adorable free printables out there. There are soooo many cute ones on ishareprintables.com!

Update:  I ended up not finding "the perfect" printable for these cuties so I made my own... here's what they looked like when the boys brought them to school:

My entry into 504 Main’s Tickled Pink party, sponsored by Appliances Online and Bosch Washing Machines

I'm linking up to some of my favorite parties!

Let's "Link" Up... a Blog Hop!

Google Friend Connect is going away soon :(

But there's a fun, even better way to follow your favorite blogs now... Linky Followers!  It has some great features that GFC didn't have, and I'd LOVE to have you follow Gallamore West via Linky Followers.  Please leave me a comment if you follow me via Linky Followers so I can follow you back! 

So, join the fun crowd and let's get going with Linky Followers... it's a Blog Hop!  Here's all the info courtesy of Jen @ Twiddler House {thank you, Jen!}

GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT

will be discontinued on Feb 29 for any one that is not with blogspot, and rumor has it that it is being completely phased out for everyone soon

BUT

There is a NEW awesome tool–Linky Followers

It has so many amazing features (that GFC never had). If you have not signed up you should. (And you can have GFC and Linky together). You will LOVE the new features!!! I'm digging' 'em :

In honor of the new Linky Follower craze, Cheri from It's So Very Cheri is hosting a LINKY FOLLOWER PARTY HOP.

Here are the RULES:

 

1. you MUST have the LINKY FOLLOWERS tool on your site to participate.

If you see that your link has been deleted you need to add the LINKY FOLLOWER tool to your site and then come back over and re-enter your link
{You can have both the LINKY FOLLOWERS & GFC on your site but you must have the LINKY FOLLOWERS toolto participate in this party hop.}

2. You MUST follow the person who has the party on their site as a thank you.

3. Just add your blog button to the LINKY PARTY below.

4.Then grab the BLOG HOP code

5. Then you follow other bloggers–(as many as you want)

You will find the code right under the Linky Party where it says CLICK HERE TO ENTER–just under that it says: WHAT IS A BLOG HOP? GET THE CODE HERE. Click on GET THE CODE HERE and enter it into a post on your site. You can grab info from my post if it helps you with your post.

–leave each one of the blogs that you follow a comment letting them know you are following them and ask them to follow you back.

If you want to add the BLOG HOP to your own site you will get lots of new followers–(see rule #2)

So there you have it!  I hope you'll all take a few minutes to reconnect with me using Linky Followers and then join me in this fun blog hop (there are some great blogs to be found this way!)  I will be leaving up my Google Friend Connect as long as they let me, but when it's gone, it's gone...and I would hate to lose contact with any one of you!)

Now, start hoppin'!

A Beautiful Ride

Whoosh! 

There went these past two weeks in the blink of an eye.  

We welcomed company and saw family members from near and far as we said goodbye to my Grandpa.  Just 44 days after a crushing cancer diagnosis, he went to heaven at home last week, peacefully surrounded by his children and wife of 61 years.  61 years!  And wait until you hear their love story.  It is truly the sweetest love story I've ever heard.

Even though this blog is mostly dedicated to crafts, recipes, and such these days, I originally started this blog to share family pictures and celebrations.  We've been incredibly sad here recently, but so blessed to CELEBRATE the life of an amazing man so when I have a chance, I do plan on sharing more stories and pictures in a separate post.

Today, I'm getting our home back in order {I am convinced that the laundry has multiplied and reproduced during the night}, hoping to find some energy because I promised my boys a little after school visit to the zoo today {what was I thinking?!}... and keeping this quote in mind as we move forward with so many wonderful memories of a life well lived.

{free printable from irocksowhat.comirocksowhat.com}

Organize your pantry in one hour: 5 simple steps!

My pantry went from this unorganized chaos...

to this lovely organized, shelf lined beauty...

in just one hour flat today!  

And that includes the time I spent lining the shelves with Contact paper.

I have to admit that I am pretty impressed with myself here so I thought I'd share how I was able to do this so quickly.  Even my seven year-old said, "Oh Mom, this is beautiful!"  He's the sweetest boy ever.  Later I heard him open it and sing, "Hallelujah!" 

1- Turn off your computer and your phone.  Don't stop for one second to check your email, Facebook, text messages, voice mails {does anyone even leave voice mails anymore?} and you're well on your way to whipping through this.

2. Have a game plan before you start.  Honestly, I've been wanting to re-organize that mess for a while now, but I was a lazy procrastinator waited until I found the right plastic tubs {Costco: 14 tubs for $19.99}.  

I also already knew in my head what was going to work best for each shelf before I started- where the snacks for the boys are accessible for them, and where to put groups of items- pastas, baking products, breakfast foods, etc.

3.  Empty one shelf at a time and wipe down the shelf with antibacterial wipes.  While the shelf is drying, measure and cut your 1st sheet of liner paper.  I saved the backing from the first sheet of liner paper that I cut because all of my shelves are the same size, so when I cut the next 4 sheets I didn't measure them.  I just matched up the same amount of liner paper as the backing from the 1st sheet and cut it that same length.  

4.  Don't feel bad about getting rid of stuff.  I actually feel kind of bad writing that, but seriously- we all buy things that we don't use sometimes, right?  If it's never going to get used, get rid of it.  I found some granola bars that we don't eat {because we pick out the chocolate chip and PB ones, and leave the raisin ones} and some microwaved bagged popcorn that we don't use {because I learned how to make my own kettle corn on the stove top and we'll never go back to microwave popcorn again} so I boxed it up for my husband to bring to his break room at work. 

5.  Line your shelf with shelf paper and group your items the way that you use them.  For me, it works best like this:

-I put canned goods on the top shelf 

{oh and hot chocolate/marshmallows too}.

 -Baking products and breakfast items on the 2nd shelf.  

 

{I was short a couple of plastic tubs- I'm definitely going back to Costco for another set of 14 soon so I can organize our bathroom supplies next!}

 

The 3rd shelf is where the snacks are- perfect for the boys to get their own snacks {with permission}.  This is genius because I'm not a waitress after all, right?  

"Mommm-mmmmy, can you bring me some goldfish?"

My boys inhale Goldfish crackers.

The 4th shelf is for dinner items/oils: Seriously, look how bare it is?  I've told you about my lack of talent in the dinner department, right?  I'm working on it... popcorn for dinner? 

Bottom shelf: A few miscellaneous items, and bulk items from Costco that aren't being used yet.

Hope these easy tips help you conquer your pantry too!  

I'm off to stare into mine again :) xoxo

I'm linking up to my favorite party places!

Burlap Wreath Giveaway Winners!

Wow!!!  

I'm blown away by the response and 

kind words in regards to my burlap wreath giveaway!  

100+ new Facebook likes in 1 week... I'm humbled.  

 

Congratulations to the two winners of 

the Burlap Wreath Giveaway 

{chosen by rafflecopter.com}...

Gena Castiglione-Holden

and

Elizabeth Harrison Campbell

An email has been sent to both the winners 

{with 72 hours to respond or sadly for them, a new winner will be chosen}.  

I seriously wish I could send you all a burlap wreath!  If you really have your heart set on one, look for an exciting Gallamore West SHOP announcement coming soon :)

xoxo

Cutest Cupids Ever! {looking back}

The boys and I made these adorable footprint Cupid Valentine's Day cards last year. This was right before I really starting getting into this whole blogging stuff, but it has pretty detailed instructions on how we made these so I thought I'd share it again this year since almost all of you weren't following me when I originally posted it. 

So get out that paint and start tickling your kiddos feet with a paint brush! :)

With such adorable little toesies on my boys, I just had to do a Valentine's Day craft with painted feet. Seriously, I cannot stop admiring that chubby little 3 month old cupid foot! I asked my crafty friend Alison at The Fickle Pickles {who is the Queen of painted feet crafts} how she would do a cupid. The one she did was adorable with vellum wings. I thought I had vellum but didn't and really need to get these cuties in the mail asap, so here are our wingless cupids. I made the bow and arrow from the Paper Doll Dress Up Cricut cartridge that I borrowed from my friend, Jenn. {Thanks, Jenn!}

I added a top page {font= cutie pie}. The cupids above are for Daddy so I tied them all together with ribbon and hung them on a nail begging for this cuteness!

I wrote their name and the year at the bottom of each cupid. I almost cried when I saw how big Sam's foot looks on the paper. He's only six, but it's practically a man cupid!

For the grandparents, I punched holes and tied them at the top. It's a little booklet of adorable toes... who wouldn't want that? :) We can't wait for the grandparents to open their Valentine's Day gifts!

I'm linking up at some of my favorite parties!