Easy Painted Mason Jar

Our daffodils have been blooming like crazy over the last few weeks. It's a sure sign that spring is finally here, whether the weather wants to admit it or not... 

I often arrange flowers in mason jars; it's simple and easy. And if the jar breaks, it's no biggie. In an attempt to spruce up my mason jar, I bought enamel paint to add some color. This paint has a bit of a frosted look, which was really neat. I didn't realize that it was frosted paint until after I baked the jar, but if I had realized prior, I would have put the paint on the outside of the jar. Either way, it still looks great and it was a really inexpensive solution to pretty-up a plain jar. 

To get this look, clean your jar with rubbing alcohol and let it dry. Apply DecoArt Americana Frost Glass Enamel Paint. I used their turquoise paint; it made for a beautiful contrast!

If you are painting the inside of your jar, squirt 2 ounces (depending on the size of your jar) of paint into the jar and rotate the jar until it is fully covered in paint. Flip the jar upside down and allow the excess paint to drip out for about 15 minutes. Placing your jar on paper plates or newspaper works well. After, turn your jar upright and let it dry.

If you are painting the outside of your jar, grab a brush and start painting!

Once you have painted your jar, (either the inside or outside) allow it to dry for 4 days. Once 3 days has passed, bake your jar at 275* for 30 minutes in a non-preheated oven. Let the mason jar cool with the oven door open.

The photo below is a more realistic representation of what the color looks like.

**For safety reasons, if you plan on drinking out of your jar do not paint the inside of the jar. I wouldn't recommend putting paint anywhere that your lips would touch.

Does it feel like spring where you live??

Daily Food Log Printable

Hello, hello! I hope all of you are having a great weekend. Tomorrow starts a new work week and with that, a fresh start for reaching food and fitness goals. I've been making a conscious effort to increase my fruit and veggie intake, and also my water intake. This is where my food log comes in handy! 

Food logs aren't only for dieting or counting calories. When I write down what I'm consuming, I tend to be a bit more conscious of my food choices. I'm more likely to reach for that apple or those carrot sticks instead of some other snack that might not be as beneficial or nourishing for my body.

If you're interested in logging your daily food intake, feel free to use this free printable!

2-Ingredient Lemon Cake + Condensed Milk Glaze

I don't think that there's anything worse than when you're baking and all of the eggs are gone. So frustrating! Because the cake can't wait the 10 minutes it would take to drive to the grocery store to buy the eggs...

Did you know that you can make a perfectly moist cake with just these two ingredients?

Yes, I know! I caught on to this trick last summer. Don't ask me how, but it works! A boxed cake mix and a 12-ounce can of soda makes perfectly moist cake. Wonders will never cease to amaze me. And it works for other types of cake too: orange cake with Sunkist, Chocolate Cake with Coke, Vanilla cake with Sprite. Oh and brownies, but that's a whole other story. 

My parents were just as amazed when I made this cake for them. The cake itself is very moist and the glaze soaks right into the hot cake, making for a perfectly sweet and delicious lemon cake. 

2-Ingredient Lemon Cake with Condensed Milk Glaze

Ingredients:

For the cake

1 box of lemon cake mix (just the mix, no eggs or oil)

1-12 ounce can of lemon-lime soda

For the glaze

1/2 can sweetened condensed milk (half of the 14 oz. can)

3/4 stick butter

1/2 cup sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350* and spray a 13" x 9" baking pan with cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, combine the dry cake mix and the soda. Mix well. Bake the cake for 20-22 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

In a small sauce pan over medium heat, combine the sweetened condensed milk, butter, and sugar. Increase the heat to high and boil for two minutes, stirring constantly. Pour the icing/glaze over the cake while the cake is still warm.

Perfect Iced Coffee

When it's warm outside, iced coffee is a crucial part of my morning routine. I love stopping by my favorite local coffee shop to get my fix, but the cost of that daily fix starts to add up really fast. I'm thrilled to now have a super quick and easy way to make my own iced coffee. It doesn't involve fancy equipment, tools, or ingredients.

Perfect Iced Coffee

Brew your favorite coffee to your desired strength. Keep in mind that iced coffee will get watered-down by the ice, so be sure to make it just a bit stronger than your normally would drink it. While the coffee is still hot, transfer it to a glass mason jar (or another container that can withstand the heat) add sweetened condensed milk to taste. The sweetened condensed milk adds the perfect sweetness and there's no need for creamer. Let cool and refrigerate. Pour the cold coffee over ice and enjoy!

If you drink coffee, do you like it hot or cold?

Love coffee? Try my Homemade Coconut Milk Coffee Creamer!