Key Lime Cheesecake Trifle by Making Home Base

Hey Friends!  I have a special treat for you today!  My new friend Chelsea has come by and all I can say is YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE HER!  I've just recently discovered her but her warmth and love of family and life come across so clearly in her blog posts.  And she is sharing a low fat version of one of my most favorite desserts EVER!  But I will let her tell you all about it... 

 Meet Chelsea!!!



Hello Pondered Primed Perfected friends! I'm Chelsea from Making Home Base. My blog is where I share fun crafts, DIY projects, and the occasional recipe to satisfy my sweet tooth. Today I'm going to share one of my favorite spring time sweets that's low fat and delicious!

 

 A couple years ago my husband and I visited Key West, Florida for a week. It was such a fun vacation! We snorkeled, ate, swam, ate, and kayaked, and ate some more. My husband got hooked on key lime pie. They have these incredible key lime pie slices on a stick and then dipped in chocolate. Can you imagine? Yeah. They are that good! I know I can't come close to making a replica of that delicious treat but I did come up with a key lime treat that incorporates two of my favorite desserts: cheesecake and trifles!

 

 Let's get to the recipe shall we? This yummy dessert has three layers: "diet soda cake," sugar free cheesecake pudding, and fat free cool whip. Ingredients: Cake layer: Box of white cake mix 10 oz Diet 7 Up 2 egg whites 1 3 oz box of lime jello 1 cup boiling water 1/2 c cold water Pudding: 1 box of cheesecake jello pudding fat free milk Juice of half of one lime Cool Whip Free Lime for garnishment (optional) Directions: Make cake by mixing cake mix, Diet 7 Up, and egg whites. Bake according to directions on the box. After the cake has cooled poke all over with a fork. Mix jello mix and boiling hot water. Stir for two minutes or until jello mix is dissolved. Add cold water. Pour over cake and refrigerate for 3 hours. Prepare cheesecake jello pudding according to directions on the box. While whisking, add in the juice of half of a lime. Let set for 5 minutes in the refrigerator. To prepare the trifles, put a layer of cake on the bottom, then a layer of cheesecake pudding, then a layer of cool whip. Garnish with a slice of lime. Serve right away.

 

You can make these mini trifles (because everything is cute miniature) or you can make one large trifle with several layers. I love this low fat guilt free treat! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! For more yummy treats and craft and DIY projects come by my blog. I'd also love to connect with you on Facebook, Pinterest, or Hometalk! Thanks so much for having me Sherry! It's been so fun!

Chelsea, thanks for coming by and sharing this irresistible looking dessert...and low fat even!  I can't wait to get home from Hawaii and try it!  Okay, I jest!  I don't want to come home from Hawaii but when I do get home I'm totally going to make these for the family.  :)

Thanks for stopping by today.  If you haven't already done so please hop on over to Chelsea's blog, Making Home Base.  You'll be glad you did!

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Redhead Can Decorate Is In The House!

Guess who's visiting Pondered Primed Perfected while I'm off on vacation?
It's Julie of Redhead Can Decorate!  You've got to see some of her projects.  This redhead really can decorate...and remodel...and cook...and so much more!  Her kitchen makeover is unreal.  I have to tell you I am so envious of that kitchen with the big island in the center.  What a wonderful family central!!

So give a big welcome to Julie of....

redheadcandecorate.com

Hi there!  My name is Julie, and I am the redhead over at redheadcandecorate.com.
Sherry and I have a lot in common and have become close friends over the past year.
We both love DIY home projects, and we both love to cook.
Sherry is always inspiring me!
Hopefully right now she's flipping off her flip flops and sipping (gulping)
a tropical drink out of a coconut!
While Sherry is busy doing that (lucky girl),
feel free to check out what I do over at our house.
Maybe I can convince you try some of my innovative and affordable ideas in your own home.  I may even make your tummy growl!

DIY Kitchen Makeover

White Master Bedroom

Dining Room Turned Office

Hutch Turned Tool Bench

Thank you for hanging out with me at Sherry's place...
can't wait to hear how her vacation went.
Time to get back to work little Sherry!
Like I always say to Rick, my hubby,
"What?  Are you on break?"

By the way...you can find redheadcandecorate.com on Facebook , Pinterest, and I am also an Ambassador over at Looksi.  Hope you will follow along!  I would love to hear from you.

Love,
Julie

Thanks so much for holding down the fort for me Julie!!!

Love, Sherry

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Christmas Card Wall Art by Silo Hill Farm

Today I have a special treat for all of my visitors!  Danni is sharing an awesome Christmas project with all of us!  Do you know Danni already?  If you don't, you're going to love her!  

Meet Danni:

Season's greetings to all of you Pondered Primed Perfected readers!  I'm Danni from Silo Hill Farm and it is my privilege  to be posting for my very good friend Sherry here today!  

 I'm delighted to share this cute, easy and inexpensive framed vintage photo project with you.

 The whole project came in at less than $2.00!  Gotta love that, right?
Here's how I did it.  The supplies are.........

Hinged double photo frame (Dollar Tree...guess how much? Yep $1!)  Photo mat (Dollar Tree....4/$1.00....that makes it 25 cents!)  Black and white photo from a Christmas card (free).  You can find a lot of very cool vintage Christmas photos for free at The Graphics Fairy though.
You can ignore the little package of gems, because in the end, I felt like I didn't need to use them.
Let me give you a close up of that Christmas card print because it's absolutely adorable, which is why I saved it for several years!

Seriously, do you not want to just hug that little girl??!!!  

I put the oval mat over the photo and slipped it into the large half of the frame.  

I wanted to put some cute saying or something in the small frame.  I made this on PicMonkey.  (I love PicMonkey!)  

It just seemed appropriate for the picture.  I printed it out, trimmed it to fit and put it in the small side of the frame.  It was at this point I decided not to add the little gems.  It somehow took away from the vintage feel of it.  

   It may be my favorite Christmas project this year.  Easy and inexpensive, yet simple and precious.  Come to think of it....that's just how I like my Christmas to be!  I hope yours is the way you want it to be as well!

Thanks for sharing this darling project Danni!  I love it!  That little girl with the Christmas tree is just a doll.  
Sherry

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Cooking with Wine ~ with Grace Grits & Gardening

Not sure how to cook with wine?  Head over to Inspiration Cafe today 

for a great Guest Post by Talya from Grace Grits and Gardening, to

answer many of your questions!   

Talya's blog shares amazing stories from her life with humor, 

and grace, and she even throws in some delicious looking 

recipes for good measure! 

"Usually when thinking of food and wine, most people are only 

worried about which wine pairs best with a particular meal. But 

if you follow a few simple guidelines, cooking with wine can 

enhance your dish."  

To read more...

             

Sherry

We would love for you to follow along!

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Inspiration Cafe's 1st Guest Post ~ Welcome Mellywood's Mansion!

Evening All,

I'm Mel and you can usually find me at my blog Mellywood's Mansion, where I fumble my around the house trying my hand at DIY.  Sometimes I do well and other times I don't. Almost every project comes with a story, which, between the lines reads, I really shouldn't be legally allowed to call myself a DIY Blogger.

However I am so excited to be serving up some fun for you here at the Inspiration Cafe, and I'm not going to lie, the whole thing has left me a nervous wreck.

On the menu today, is my ruffle scarf specialty.

I'm going to confess, I love scarves, fabric scarves are pretty but I love nothing more, than buying the latest winter yarns and click-clacking up some fun.

My latest obsession - The Ruffle Scarf.

These scarves look amazing and are so simple, even if you are a beginner knitter you can whip one of these up in a jiffy.

Supplies:

1 ball of yarn (there are many different brands, but research suggeststhat Boutique Sashay Yarn can be purchased anywhere. I found it for sale here ) I used a $2 ball I found in store at Riot.

6mm needles or Size 10 for the U.S.

Now the instructions can be very confusing, if your lucky enough to get them, but it's really simple. So beware lots of pictures, but once you get it, you'll be pumping these out by the dozen.

Casting on, now this is where it is different than your normal knitting, first you need to pull apart the wool, like this. Don't try to do the whole ball, just do it a bit at a time

Then, leaving a very short tail (about an inch - 1.5 inch) weave the yarn through every SECOND hole, at the top of the yarn. The top is the side that does not have a nice finished edge. So basically there is no yarn over, it's just putting the needle through the ready made holes.

Do this until you have 6 loops.

Then grab your second needle and just like you would normally knit, put the needle in your right hand through the first loop on the left hand needle. Leave a one hole space and place the next hole onto the right hand needle like so.

The pull it over the top of the loop, as you would do when knittingwith regular yarn.

Repeat this, and every few rows gently tug on the scarf, this pullsout the ruffles.

Don't be too concerned if your yarn rolls, like this

Continue until you have approximately 10 inches of yarn left

Cast off using the same method, knit two loops, then take the 1st loop (the one furthest from the needle point) and lift it over the 2nd loop and drop it off. Continue to the last loop. Then grab what's left of the tail, bring it through the last loop and tightly tie it off in a knot - this will be hidden by the last ruffle.

Trim the tails, hold it in the middle to make sure the ends are even,and there you have it, one ruffled scarf.

Now I'm not going to lie, I have about 6 of these in all different colors, Love them!

Here's the blue one.

Thanks for reading and to all the ladies from Inspiration Cafe for having me. I must go now because apparently I have to wash all the coffee cups, left sitting on the table, here at the cafe.

Mel xo

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Come visit me at DIY by Design

Happy Tuesday!

I'm excited to be doing my very first guest post today over at DIY by Design.  Yep, while Judy is out enjoying a Disney World vacation and Cruise I get to help hold down the fort!  So come on by and say HI over at Judy's!!!

http://diybydesign.blogspot.com/2012/07/guest-post-pondered-primed-perfected.html

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Guest Post ~ Meet My Mom!!!

I thought it would be fun to introduce you to the lady that helped shape me into who I am today.  She is a shining star, a cheerful presence, a faithful servant, a force to be reckoned with.   Really, she is the sweetest, most creative, talented person I know.   She paints, she makes signs, sews show shirts, creates quilts (people are standing in line to receive their own)!  She has an amazing vegetable garden, and flower beds that leave me envious. Not to mention, she raises her own chickens and turkeys. She trail rides her horse, Penny, and sometimes even rides in competitions!  She loves to ride ATV's with my dad, and helps with an equestrian 4-H club. She enjoys life!  I only hope that I can continue to live my life to the fullest, as well as she does, when I am her age. Today she is sharing one of her upcycle projects. This is a favorite of mine too, because she takes something that would be thrown away, and creates something unique and useful. Not to mention pretty darn cute. I have several of these beauties myself and we use them for shopping, travelling and all kinds of things.  I like to keep a couple in my car for whatever need arises. 

Meet My Mom:

Gladys

"My wonderful daughter asked me to write a guest post for her blogspot and it makes me so proud to take part in her creative endeavors. This "girl" can do anything she sets her hand to do and in my mind, she is perfect. Well, what mother doesn't think that of her own daughter?! Her husband isn't so bad, either!

Anyway, I was flattered to be asked to do this. The subject of my blog is the animal feed bags that I make into grocery totes.





Empty Feed Bags

One day I was looking for something to transport some personal items on a trip we were taking, and I couldn't find anything that just fit the vitamin containers that my husband and I take with us wherever we go. They say necessity is the mother of invention, so when my eyes fell onto the polyvinyl dog food bag that my husband had just emptied into the dog food bin, a light came on in my head! I could refashion the bag the right size so the containers would just fit and be easier to carry to the car. It worked so well that I decided I could make grocery totes and stop bringing home the umpteen plastic bags every time I went grocery shopping. I had a ready supply of horse feed bags from my other beautiful daughter who raises horses, and dog and cat feed bags because they also have three dogs and I don't know how many cats! I get sunflower seed bags from friends and pig feed bags from a neighbor.

I have cut, sewn, made mistakes and finally figured out a way to make the bags so that the pictures of dogs, cats, birds, horses, or whatever creature the feed was for would show. At first, in order to be sure the totes were sturdy enough to carry the groceries, I was sewing the carry handles all the way to the bottom. This would usually obscure the picture and I wasn't satisfied. Then one day I was in one of my favorite stores looking for sewing notions and my eyes fell upon plastic curtain grommets. They come in two sizes and several colors. They snap together easily and the handles are sewn into the holes they create. They looked lovely, but they add to the cost of making the totes.

My beautiful daughter recently turned me onto Pinterest and boy, was that a fun thing! I am so proud of all the people, young and old, who are busy little beavers creating, recycling, learning almost lost skills that our mothers and fathers knew. And guess what!? I am learning new things, myself! One day I was reading a young ladies blog about making fabric totes and saw the way she was putting on the handles and low and behold, her method would work for the grocery totes I am making with just a little change! So, now I can make them with the grommets, which some people love, and without, to save money.


I am always on the lookout for feed bags with colorful animals. Making totes keeps all that polyvinyl out of the landfill and lets us come home without all those plastic bags. I am trying to get my hands on some cute bunny feed bags that I know are out there somewhere and the pink show feed bags from my neighbor who raises prize pigs are really nice. I have some chicken feed bags that are not that attractive in orange, but maybe when they are turned into grocery totes, they will be just the ticket for someone who likes orange."

So, without further Adieu, here are just some of my mother's upcycled feed bags:

 If you are interested in ordering a bag, or have any questions regarding their use, please contact Gladys at  her Etsy shop:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/GladiolaSmiles

And you can follow GladiolaSmiles in Blogland at:
http://www.gladiolasmiles.blogspot.com/

Thanks So Much for stopping by!

Sherry

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