Tag: DIY

Staining Kitchen Cabinets and Fixing Streaks in Stain-VIDEO- Tutorial

It’s been a while since I released a tutorial but this is a great one. This was done last summer, and I’ve finished the video for you. I designed and remodeled my kitchen and powder room myself, which took loads of my time… once a wall was removed by my wonderful contractor.

Today I’m going to show you how you can use rich, bold color stain on unfinished (or previously stripped) cabinetry. The vibrant hue I chose, highlights the natural beauty of the maple wood. I love the bold design element that it adds to the entire floor of the house.

Watch the Video tutorial here.

Make Anything Out of Resin – How to Sculpt, Mold, and Cast Your Creations -WRITTEN DIY

Did you ever want to make something out of resin, but didn’t know where to start? Have you ever wondered how people make custom things out of resin for their art? I’m going to teach you how you can make anything you can imagine, a finished resin piece of your very own creation you can actually hold.

The amount of things you can make are unbelievable. Please share this DIY!

I get a lot of questions about how I make the things that I do, and the crazy things I create, and for the projects that I get myself into. I’ve used this technique to make a lot of things for products, art, props, costuming, and sooo much more.

This year I am very excited to be a designer for the most prestigious and creative of all the wearable arts competitions in the world. I’ve worked my tail off, using these exact same techniques, to produce some of the outfit that I’ll be featuring in the competition. Because of the nature of competition, I can’t show you any of my actual project. Expect photos after September.

In this tutorial we’ll sculpt, mold, and cast little things, so you can try it out for yourself. This is a long DIY, so I will be taking off next week. You can expect another DIY after that.

We’re going to make the dangling feathers on this decorative sun-catcher. This DIY is for beginners, so we’ll be making a fairly easy shape that has one main side with detail, and a back that doesn’t matter, similar to a button or cabochon . This is NOT how you make things with detail on all sides, like a figurine. That’s far too much detail and for this. That’s fun for another time.

We’re going to focus on creating, the whole thing – from start to finish. I chose this DIY, because I want you to know how unbelievable your own ideas are, and how easily you can make them reality!

Let’s get on with those steps already!

Supplies for this tutorial are:

Optional supplies:

Sculpt It

Start by warming a small amount of clay in your hands or with a hairdryer if you’re using oil clay. Each type will be different, but work a bit around in your hands to soften it. Roll it into a ball then slightly flatten in your hand to get closer to the shape you want to make.

Press the clay to the center of your tray to make it stick slightly. You don’t want it to move around much. The feather we’re making is fairly thick, between 1/4 & 1/8 inch so we can drill a hole and hang them. The clay is even thicker than that at this point.

Use sculpting tools to shape the feather, working on the basic shape and thickness first. Remove material to make your shape. Add a central vein down the middle by carving out the sides and leaving the center strip.

Smooth out the shape and then add the fine detail lines to the feather, starting at the main vein and going out and down, just like a real feather. Anything on the clay will show up, so keep it clean and smooth for the best results. I added additional texture to mine, you can do anything you want.

If you’re familiar with sculpting or clay, use its solvent and a very soft paintbrush to smooth it out more. Otherwise use your fingers or tools to smooth it and remove the little pills (balls of clay) that form from sculpting it.

Place this is the fridge, or outside if it’s cold out to harden the clay a little. You don’t want to try to freeze it, that would be bad in the end, but rather chill it to make it firmer.

Note: You can either do the next step on the tray, or carefully lift the clay from it and press it into the mold (that’s what I did.) Use string to cut it off the tray if needed and smooth the edges.

Mold It

Get out equal parts of mold putty part A and part B using a spoon or other thing that can reach it. Do not touch one to the other. Measure them side by side separately, so you have the same amount of each. You want them to cover your shape, so use your judgement.

Quickly mix both parts together in your hands, until there are no swirls in the color and they are fully mixed. You only have 2-3 mins of working time, so quickly make your mold. Make a ball out of it, then slightly smoosh it and stretch it to closer the size of the clay feather.

Place the silicone on a tray and slowly press the clay shape FACE DOWN into it. Submerge the clay’s detail and press the silicone around the edges of the clay with your fingers to enclose the shape, without covering the back -now top. Lightly push the edges snugly around the shape.

Give yourself at least 1/4 inch around the outside edge of the clay shape and be careful not to press it too deep because you don’t want the mold to be thin where your detail is.

Give the mold 15 minutes and check if the silicone is cured by lightly touching the mold. If it indents, it’s not done. If it’s hard to the touch it’s finished.

When it’s finished, it’s time to de-mold, or take it out of the mold. Gently remove the clay feather from the mold, getting all the clay debris out. Be careful not to stretch it too far, which will cause rips.

Note: The mold putty comes in two tubes, part A & part B. When you remove the amount you need from one, used a different utensil to get the other one out. Unused parts can’t touch each other at all. Like not even a little.

Interesting Note: Advanced users will know that if the mold ends up with smeared chunks of clay in it that you just can’t get out no matter how much you try or scream at it, you will need to do a first pull, or cast resin in it, just to get the clay out. A fast curing resin, like what’s used for model cars, is usually used for this. Keep it simple so you can try out the materials, not test their limits.

Cast It

Always spray your mold with mold release suitable for what you’re going to dump into it. You may get one good pull out of it, but resin and other materials will dry out your mold and stick to it, ripping it when you try to de-mold. It’s worth crying over (or at least losing a lot of time and money). This isn’t a mold for chocolate. Just spray it!

Measure out your resin by weight or volume, whichever it needs. I’m using a clear resin with Castin’ Craft’s green translucent pigment. I also poured one of the feathers with fine gold glitter, added to the clear.

Be sure not to over-pour resin into the mold. It dries VERY hard & you will have to sand down the extra.

Let the resin cure for the recommended amount of time, per instructions. Mine is about 24 hours. Every time you pour the mold, it takes that long before you can get it out and do it again. Now you see why I chose three lovely feathers for this tutorial.

Carefully de-mold your resin treasure! I drilled holes in the sides, added gold embroidery floss, and hung them on a small branch. TADA!

You can reuse your new mold around 10+ times before it deteriorates as long as you spray it with release.

I hope you liked this tutorial. I would love to see what this inspires you to make. Email me a photo with a short description of your project @ ibreatheidiy@gmail.com. Your project may be chosen to be featured on my website.

Colorful Resin Painting Coaster Handmade Gifts – Written and Video DIY

Resin painting is a lot of fun, and this project is a great way for you to jump into it, especially if you have little or no experience with resin. It didn’t take much convincing for me to come up with a small resin project perfect for this time of year, that lets you try colors, metallics, and the opportunity to create your own handcrafted gift for loved ones. Sure you could just mix it up, and pour it into a  mold, but this will be so much more exciting and more like a mad scientist experiment.

Colorful Resin Painting-Handmade Coaster Gifts DIY_1_-Ibreatheidiy.jpg

Click here if you would rather watch our DIY video on YouTube.

Making gift coasters is such a simple way to make highly-customized art gifts. You can also play with different colors, since your canvas will be small, then create another one that matches or is completely different. The possibilities of what you can use to color your resin are limitless, but for this tutorial, we are going to focus on using store-bought pigments, glitter, and dyes.

We’re using clear resin so that our coasters are filled with depth and dimension. The brand you choose to use isn’t that important, just carefully read the instructions on mixing and curing times. Resin is either measured by volume or by weight, so read the instructions carefully. We will only be using a small amount of resin, so this is the perfect try-me resin project. If you are purchasing dye for this project, ensure you use translucent dyes.

I was lucky enough to have found some old coasters at a thrift store to reuse for this project today. They are paperboard  with cork on the back.

Not having old coasters doesn’t mean you can’t make these for yourself. In the past, I have used cut pieces of masonite board that I coated in resin and then when they were cured, I glued a piece of felt to the back to protect the surface it will be used on. I’ve also recycled fence wood- just cut out a circle or square a little bigger than needed to fit a mug. Sand any rough edges. It’s my experience that fence wood is too thick, but if that’s what you have, go for it!

Full supply list:

Always use resin in a heated space, it has to have around 74 degrees F to cure at a normal speed. Cooler spaces will slow it way down.

Step 1 Paint/Prime

Paint your chosen coasters white before beginning. Paint the top and sides. This step makes the colors richer, dimensional, and vibrant. Any white paint will do, since it’s going to be covered. Do two coats of this, so the pattern or wood doesn’t show through.

When it’s dry, use masking tape, or blue tape on bottom edges so you can peel off the resin drips.

Step 2 Protect Surfaces

Lay plastic down on your work surface and lay out all your supplies you’ll need. Resin is a very runny liquid and is very hard to clean off surfaces you don’t want it. If you need a scale, put a small paper towel on it. This stuff loves to drip and can end up on floors, cover it up. Pull your hair back, wear crappy clothes, and have a trash nearby.

Get out all your things to mix and stir and set them easily within reach. Throw away used stir sticks, gloves, etc, as you use them to minimize a resin mess.

Remember to wipe up any spills, drips, or oops as they happen.

Step 3 Measure Resin

Using gloves, follow the instructions for your resin.  They’re all different, so carefully measure out the part A and then the part B, into separate containers. Pour the thickest one into a medium cup and the other into a smaller cup. If it’s measured by volume, use two medium cups so you can visually tell that their the same. Don’t mix it quite yet.

Don’t use anything that touches one, on the other. You can even label your lids with which one they go on. Keep the containers clean and wipe up drips with a clean paper towel.

Note: Usually part A or B will be a lot thicker than the other. If you can pour/measure the thick liquid into a large cup, you can add the harder/catalyst (other part) to it and stir in that cup. You don’t want to transfer the very thick one from a cup to another cup because you will struggle to get it out & it will be miss-measured. Especially resin measured by weight.

Step 4 Mix Resin and Dyes

Colorful Resin Painting-Handmade Coaster Gifts DIY_4_-Ibreatheidiy

Mix your 2 parts together in a cup big enough to hold both. Stir well, making sure you scrape the sides and bottom in the process. I prefer using wood craft sticks to stir (for less waste), but I use plastic disposable spoons too.

Pour smaller amounts (1/2 to 1 inch) of the mixed resin into small cups for different colors. Give each their own stir stick. Add colors to individual cups and stir. Make them all a little different. We’ll cover other things you can use to color resin, in another tutorial.

We’re going to be using:

Note: Specialty pigments for resin can be found at artists/sculpting suppliers. If you’re in the Northern Colorado area, check out The Sculpture Depot in Loveland.

Step 5 Paint with Resin

Colorful Resin Painting-Handmade Coaster Gifts DIY_2_-Ibreatheidiy

Set your first coaster on a small upside-down cup to elevate it off the table in a spot it can drip and cure. You don’t want to move these again. Place a few of these so you are ready to go!

Pick a first color and use a spoon to pour or drip the color onto the coaster. You can pour directional lines, circles, spots, or whatever. Just a little though.

Use your next color and add a spoonful or resin on a different place, in whatever design your heart tells you to. Play with changing directions or adding a few big spots.

Continue on like this, adding layers of colors until the whole surface is mostly covered. It will be dripping off the edges and that’s fine. Use a spoon or stick to smooth resin over the edges too. Here’s several examples.

Colorful Resin Painting-Handmade Coaster Gifts DIY_3_-Ibreatheidiy

Step 6 Use a Torch

Colorful Resin Painting-Handmade Coaster Gifts DIY_7_-Ibreatheidiy

Use a torch on the surface and watch your colors dance and blend in unexpected ways. This is an optional step, if you don’t have a torch, but my favorite color combos come to life doing this. You don’t want to ignite anything, but lightly run the flame over the surface of the liquid resin on the coasters. I’ve seen people try butane lighters, but I haven’t. This is especially neat on metallics.

Step 7 Cure

Let everything cure undisturbed for usually 24 hours before attempting to touch it. Some resins cure faster, or slower. Give it time to finish and they will be amazing!

Step 7 Remove Tape

Peel the tape off the back, removing all the extra drips. This can be tricky and you may need to use a butter knife or fingernails to help lift the spots that have resin, it really wants to stick. If you didn’t bother taping yours, you will need to sand them now to remove the drips.

If there are any sharp spots, which there usually are, use fine sand paper right around the bottom edge to eliminate cuts or scratches on tables.

If you’ve used a cut board, you can now cut out and glue felt onto the bottom.

Colorful Resin Painting-Handmade Coaster Gifts DIY_1_-Ibreatheidiy

What great artistic coasters these are! The possibilities are endless. I hope you have fun trying out this project and we would love to see what you did. Email us pictures of your projects at Ibreatheidiy@gmail.com.

Colorful Resin Painting-Handmade Coaster Gifts DIY-ibreatheidiy

 

Click Here to watch our YouTube Video DIYhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sr2sU87uFow&t=19s

Therapeutic Weighted Lap Pad WRITTEN DIY

Weighted blankets provide a deep pressure that is very comforting and soothing to children with sensory processing disorder (SPD) and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The pads provide deep pressure which is highly recognized as a helpful therapy for SPD.

Weighted Therapy Lap Pad DIY- I Breathe I Diy_9.jpg

There is a ton of info out there on the benefits of weighted blankets, animals, and pads for children. What many people don’t know is that nearly everyone can benefit from them. By simply laying the pad across the lap, it gently applies consistent light pressure (deep pressure) that feels like a big hug and soothes overstimulated little ones in a way that nothing else can provide.

I’ve made several weighted items for my own son over the years. They were especially useful when he was younger. I’ve made snakes for over his shoulders, but he played with it too much, so it couldn’t be used in school. I’ve spent years finding ways to help my SPD son feel comfortable & weighed pads and blankets are a tremendous help. These can be very costly to purchase, so we’re making it ourselves. I hope you find these steps easy to follow and make one yourself. The one that worked the best for us, was a lap pad similar to the ones we’re making here.

I’ll go through all of the steps, and show you how you can very easily make a lap pad for a young one. The ones we’re making will be a suitable size and weight for a preschooler. I hope you will be inspired to make one yourself. I’ll also show you important additional steps, in case you’re making a much larger one, so you can distribute the weight properly.

I’ve made these just like you would make a larger one – for demonstration. I’ve over-complicated the steps, so you can make one any size you need. If you are making a preschooler sized pad, you don’t need to do all the additional steps of separating the filling.

Step 1 Find the Correct Weight

The following weights are the recommendations from occupational therapists, physical therapists, and psychologists to help you design your own weighted goodies. The weight you make yours with should have the recipients weight in mind and no two will be the same. The larger person, the larger the pad/blanket will need to be. You start by figuring out 10% of the body weight of the person it’s for. Then you add one or two pounds. For example, ours are for preschoolers, roughly 30-50 lbs. I started with the low end – 30 lbs & 10% would be 3 lbs. Then I added 2 lbs, making them 5 lbs each. This weight will fall nicely into both ranges of the kids 30-50 lbs as you can see below.

Weighted blanket Weight Guidlines- IBreatheIDIY

The one I’m making today is for a preschooler. It’s size fits about 5 lbs of weight. It would need to be larger if it needed more weight.

Step 2 Choose a Weighted Filling

There’s quite a few materials that you can put inside for weighted blankets, but for this tutorial we’re going to be using Victory poly pellets, so that the lap pad can be washed, since it’s going to be used in a classroom setting. These pellets are round and will be soft under the fabric once they’re made. I found these online much cheaper than in a store. These are the only washable filling material.

If this for use in my house, I would use one of the materials below and save some money or use a more natural product.

Other weight/filling materials you can use:

  • Rice (most commonly used)
  • Millet (feed/grain store has in bulk-it’s used as birdseed)
  • Small dried beans
  • Dried corn

Step 3 Choose a Fabric and Size of Finished Product

Cut out your fabric to the size and shape you want. I’m making a 14 x 21 lap pad perfect for little learners. I will give it an extra 1/2 inch all around for seam allowances. I will cut 15×22 out of two fabrics to make the pad. If this were a large project, say adult size, I would give 3 extra inches.

I chose fleece because it’s super soft. I sprung for the no-pill fleece so it can stand up to repeated washings without wearing out.

NOTE: While fleece is very soft, there are a fare number of people that can’t stand fleece, cotton balls, etc. It’s actually painful and/or electrically uncomfortable for them. This fabric will not work for those individuals.

Step 4 Sew Edges

Place your right sides together so the wrong side (back side) of your fabric is up. Pin the two longest edges and sew them together from top to bottom. give this a second stitch as reinforcement to hold the stuffing in. If you are NOT adding fidgets on the end, you can stitch a third side, leaving one open side. Just be sure to reinforce your stitches. This is NOT how ours were made. Cut off all your strings as you go.

Weighted Therapy Lap Pad DIY- I Breathe I Diy_6.jpg

Step 5 Turn Right-side Out & Sew Edge

Turn the fabric right sides out. Pin one edge about an inch from the edge to be sew closed. This is the edge we will add fidgets to later. Sew the edge about an inch from the edge and reinforce by stitching again.

Step 6 Sew Channels

Larger Blankets: Sew channels or lines running the length of the pad, making sure to go the direction you have an open end on. This helps distribute the weight so it doesn’t end up all on one side. This is how ours were all made, so the fabric wasn’t stressed all on one corner.

Weighted Therapy Lap Pad DIY- I Breathe I Diy_5

Be sure to stop your channels an inch from the edge, so you can still fold it under and sew it closed later.

Step 7 Prepare and Attach Fidget Ribbons

If you have a sensory seeker, you will want to add something for little fingers to fidget with. To make the fidgets for the edge, I cut ribbons of various size, color, and texture. Some will become loops and some just ribbons. Be sure to use Frey Check on both ends of all the ribbons so they don’t unravel.

Weighted Therapy Lap Pad DIY- I Breathe I Diy_4

After ribbons have dried, pin the edge (the one sewn an inch from the edge) folding both sides under and pinning ribbon in between them. This was a little time consuming, just make sure your ribbons are pushed as far in as they will go because they WILL be pulled on. Sew it closed, remove all pins then sew as close to the edge as possible to reinforce it.

NOTE: The reason we sewed this same edge closed ahead of time, was to seal off the stuffing inside. If a fidget gets pulled out, you won’t have to worry about the stuff inside coming out. We’re planning ahead and preventing a messy/choke-hazard catastrophe in this whole step.

Weighted Therapy Lap Pad DIY- I Breathe I Diy_10.jpg

Step 8 Weigh Out Filling

Now we’re ready to fill it with weight. Weigh out the desired amount of filling with a scale. This is easy if you’re buying 2lb bags of rice that are pre-weighed, but you have to measure out your filling material before you can put it in. Divide it into however many channels you need to fill. For the tiny lap pad, that’s just one, so you don’t need to do this.

Weighted Therapy Lap Pad DIY- I Breathe I Diy_2

Step 9 Fill Channels

You can see in the photo I have 4 channels, so I’m dividing it into quarters, once it’s all weighted out. Then I further divided my channels into 4 parts each, which is what you need to do for a large blanket. If this was an any larger project, I’d have to use a larger container to store the increments, like a pail, or gallon baggies, dish tubs, anything really.

Weighted Therapy Lap Pad DIY- I Breathe I Diy_3

Use a funnel (or make one from paper) and slowly fill the bag. For a tiny one, just fill it with all the weight and pin it closed. Try to leave yourself room to fold under the edges for a clean edge. For any other size, fill one channel at a time, approx 1/4 of the way and pin closed. Sew the channel closed and fill again, following this until you have filled the whole channel and sewn each section. Reinforce seams.

Weighted Therapy Lap Pad DIY- I Breathe I Diy_1

Step 10 Sew Edge Closed

Take your time and sew the pinned edge closed, and then sew it again, to ensure it’s strong. Fold the edges under and sew closed for a clean edge. Fleece doesn’t have to have sewn edges, but it makes for a cleaner look. If you wanted, you could try to work in another row of fidget ribbons.

Note: Fidget ribbons are easiest to attach before filling the pad. That’s why this project has them on one side. It’s very hard to sew properly with that much weight.

Weighted Therapy Lap Pad DIY- I Breathe I Diy_

There’s our finished pad! Yours won’t have the channels if it’s this size, but I hope you’ve learned how you can make a therapy weighted blanket for someone you love.

Weighted Therapy Lap Pad DIY- I Breathe I Diy_9

Easy Elegant Halloween Decorations DIY – Hand Painted Vase With Spooky Roses – VIDEO DIY

Easy Elegant Halloween Decor DIY - IBreatheIDIY- Hand Painted Vase with Spooky Roses_2

Halloween is an especially creative time of year for us. It’s usually a really busy time of year for us too. This video tutorial is quick and easy to add some spooky to your indoor areas. There are so many variations you could try out, or you could carry the idea onto other holidays too. If you can imagine it, you can create it.

Click HERE to watch our YouTube Video tutorial.

Easy Elegant Halloween Decor DIY - IBreatheIDIY- Hand Painted Vase with Spooky Roses

Household Green Cleaning Solutions – 5 Common Ingredients to Replace Harsh Chemicals Around the House

Green Cleaning Degreaser and Eco Soft Scrub DIY Household Green Cleaning Solutions DIY - 5 Common Ingredients to Replace harsh Chemicals in the home. IBreatheIdiy.com

In today’s world it is, unfortunately, getting harder and harder to stay away from exposure to toxic chemicals. Just the amount of exhaust we inhale on our daily commutes is enough to want to hold your breath. Forever.

Today, I am talking about “Green Cleaning”. I’m pretty sure we’ve all heard this term by now, and some are probably still wondering how to go about it. The point is to take control by reducing your toxic exposure in your home. The one place you actually have control over. Your sanctuary from the crazy outside world.

But why Green Cleaning? Two main reasons:

  1. You are eliminating a large amount of toxic chemicals left floating about in your home. Think about it. You spray the cleaner. Yes, it goes on the counter, but the amount of molecules released into the air is staggering. If you can smell it, you are inhaling it. They say indoor air quality is far worse inside the home than outside.
  2. The second reason, is that it truly is more economical. You can purchase the few ingredients needed for the same price as a single set of cleaning supplies, and the ingredients you buy will provide several rounds of cleaning supplies. Think of it as the best BOGO out there-only it’s more like 4 for the price of one!

There’s a plethora of recipes to be found online. Some work. Some don’t. Finding the right one can be an undertaking. And believe me, I know how easy it is to just go to the store and buy the chemical cocktails on the shelf. It would be ridiculous to ask someone to make the switch to completely green cleaning all at once. Especially since we have been conditioned to use all these harsh chemicals, believing our homes will not be clean otherwise. Let’s start small.

After experimenting and tweaking, I have two recipes which I find work well. The measurements here are for a sample size. A little goes a long way with these. It may not seem like you’ve made much, but trust me, it’ll do the job! Test it out. See what you think, we think you’ll love it.

Green Cleaning Degreaser and Eco Soft Scrub DIY-Household Green Cleaning Solutions DIY - 5 Common Ingredients to Replace harsh Chemicals in the home. IBreatheIdiy.com

One is an Eco Soft Scrub you can use on your sinks, counters, tub and shower, toilet, and even on hard to clean hands. Think gardening, mechanic, or construction work. The second is a Green Degreaser for hard to clean dishes, countertops, microwaves, and for the goo left behind from stickers. You get the idea. Both use simple, non-toxic ingredients you likely already have, and will leave your home genuinely clean. Imagine how many toxic products you can say farewell to with just these two cleaners in your arsenal.

Here is your entire supplies list:

Green Cleaning Degreaser and Eco Soft Scrub DIY- Household Green Cleaning Solutions DIY - 5 Common Ingredients to Replace harsh Chemicals in the home. IBreatheIdiy.com

First up, Eco Soft Scrub!

  • 4 oz jar
  • ⅔ c baking soda
  • 2 tbsp distilled white vinegar
  • 2 tbsp liquid castile soap
  • 30 drops essential oil

Essential oil options (Choose one of the two below to customize your cleaner):  

-or try-

Mix all ingredients in your jar or bottle. To use, apply soft scrub on surface to be cleaned and let sit for up to 1 minute. Scrub with a sponge and wash off with a microfiber cloth.

Green Cleaning Degreaser and Eco Soft Scrub DIY - Household Green Cleaning Solutions DIY - 5 Common Ingredients to Replace harsh Chemicals in the home. IBreatheIdiy.com

Next, Green Degreaser!

  • 2 oz spray bottle
  • ¼ c fractionated coconut oil*
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 10 drops orange
  • 5 drops lemon

Mix all ingredients together. Pour onto the bottle. Shake well before each use.

NOTES: *Fractionated coconut oil is produced through a process of steam distillation and hydrolysis to remove the long chain fatty acids. This allows the oil to stay liquid at room temperature and gives it a longer shelf life.

Green Cleaning Degreaser and Eco Soft Scrub DIY - Household Green Cleaning Solutions DIY - 5 Common Ingredients to Replace harsh Chemicals in the home. IBreatheIdiy.com

Keto GF Pizza with Delicious White Sauce and Veggies

Keto GF Easy Cheesy Veggie Pizza-Fast and Easy Dinner Recipe-IBreatheIDIY_1.jpg

I love pizza, and being on a Ketogenic diet has made it very difficult to indulge in this particular treat. This recipe uses a sneaky trick to get more veggies into the mouths of even the pickiest eaters. The sheer cheesiness of this meal has my family wanting it again and again. Even my friends who aren’t keto love when I make this pizza.

We keep this grain-free and low-carb by using almond flour. This is keto because it is high in fat and low in carbs. The amount of carbs will greatly depend on the sauce. Most creamy sauces can easily be found with around 2g of carbs. You can use any toppings you choose, but these are some of my families’ favorites! This gave me an opportunity to use some of my cool season garden vegetables too.

Start by making a basic fat head dough pizza crust. This is not my original recipe, I’ve been making this for years, and I don’t even know where I first saw it. (The basic recipe can be changed in hundreds of ways.) I generally double this recipe. It’s quick to make more (like under 2 mins) if you need more. Just make sure you keep the mixture warm and cover any you’ll get to, like a second pizza crust. I use a cookie sheet to cover my bowl, so it stays warm until I get to it.

Fat Head Dough

  • 1 oz cream cheese
  • 2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 c almond flour

Melt cheeses in the microwave in 30 seconds increments. Stir them together.

Mix almond flour into the cheese mixture. I use my hands to press the dough into the almond flour.

While the dough is warm, make a ball, place it between two pieces of parchment paper on the counter, flatten with your hand, then roll into a circle pizza shell. Roll it out thinly and quickly about 1/8 is perfect. You don’t want it too thin or too thick. If you’ve never used fat head dough you’ll be pleased how much it actually rises. Transfer dough onto parchment paper on a pizza pan, and poke holes in it with a fork. A lot of holes. This prevents big air bubbles from forming while cooking.

Bake at 400° for 12-15 mins until brown around the edges. Let it cool while you work on the toppings.

TIPS: You can stick it in the oven while preheating. Use a knife to pop large bubbles if they form while it’s in the oven.

Keto GF Easy Cheesy Veggie Pizza-Fast and Easy Dinner Recipe-IBreatheIDIY-2

I use a food processor on pulse a few times and combined:

  • mushrooms
  • spinach
  • cauliflower

TIPS: You could use just about any fresh veggies you have on hand. Using the food processor makes it more difficult to identify the veggies, but you can use a chopper, tiny food processor , blender (with a silicone spatula to get it back out), or you can spend some time chopping them very small. I like using the food processor because it also changes the texture, which is often a big part of why foods are disliked to begin with.

Keto GF Easy Cheesy Veggie Pizza-Fast and Easy Dinner Recipe-IBreatheIDIY_5

Part of what makes this such a fast meal is the use of a store bought jar of sauce. I used Bertolli Alfredo sauce this time, but you can choose any type you like, so long as it’s low in carb’s, preferably with zero added sugar. Spoon the Alfredo sauce on the crust and spread with the back of the spoon. Leave at least 1/4 inch of the edge for the crust and so you have something to hold.

Spread the veggie mixture around onto the sauce. Spread it thinly rather than in clumps if you can, to distribute the yummness.

Keto GF Easy Cheesy Veggie Pizza-Fast and Easy Dinner Recipe-IBreatheIDIY_4

Next add mozzarella cheese on top of that.

Add a Parmesan/Romano cheese blend on that to kick it into taste overdrive. This is optional, but recommended.

Keto GF Easy Cheesy Veggie Pizza-Fast and Easy Dinner Recipe-IBreatheIDIY_3

Be sure to let this pizza cool some before you dig in. It gets firmer and is easier to serve and eat if it has cooled a few minutes. It’s hard to keep people away once it’s out of the oven though.

Keto GF Easy Cheesy Veggie Pizza-Fast and Easy Dinner Recipe-IBreatheIDIY_2

Prep time: 15 mins

Bake time: 15 mins

Bake at 400° F for approx 12-15 minutes. The cheese will be melted in the center and parts of the cheese will be golden brown.

TIP: To reheat pizza bake at 375° F for approx 10-13 minutes.

So good. There are so many ways you can make this pizza unique and delicious. You could use a jar of pesto, instead of the alfredo if you want. I usually just use whatever veggies I have on hand. Red bell peppers are great on this pizza, and I’m not usually a bell pepper fan. That says something.

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Keto GF Easy Cheesy Veggie Pizza-Fast and Easy Dinner Recipe-IBreatheIDIY_1

Installing Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring WRITTEN & VIDEO DIY

Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring DIY- I Breatheidiy.com- Easily install your own flooring in a couple hours.

When choosing flooring materials it’s important to choose a material that will worked well with the space. For this artist’s studio, I chose luxury vinyl plank flooring because it won’t be ruined when it gets wet. It was an obvious choice because it will be able to handle spills, splatters, snow, and anything else I throw at it. The planks are made pretty much of PVC, coated in a top layer that looks like wood. I need a flooring that is going to be easy to maintain as well as something that is going to be very easy to install and to put into place myself.

For those who prefer learning by video click here and watch our YouTube Video.

The first step was to lay an underlament down on the sub-floor. The one I chose was a dense foam that rolled out and covered the floor in two rows. This is considered a floating floor which means that it’s not glued or nailed down in any way it just sets on top of it underlamanent. Molding around the bottom of the wall is what holds it down.

Next I figured out which direction the wood grain on the planks should run. Because this building is 8×10, I wanted to visually maximize the square footage. The proper direction to lay the floor would be the direction the sun comes in the windows or running planks through a doorway. While the direction the sun comes in would look nice, I chose to run the boards following the door entrance creating a long line for the eye to follow, making it look much deeper. I figured out which wall would be the starting edge and where the finished cutting edge would be. I used the full (uncut) strips directly in front of the door where I walk into the building, with the partial pieces along the wall under my work bench where no one’s going to see it.

I took planks out of the box and connected the first row end to end which creates a stronger seam. I laid an entire row on the floor and marked where to cut the end plank with a dry erase marker. I took advantage of the doorway when I did this so that I was able to run my boards past the wall and mark it.

I then used a straight edge and a utility knife to gently score the top layer of the vinyl plank. You don’t need a press very hard. Use the utility knife and go over it a few times. Then you turn it over, on the back, and snap back along the line you created. It really is that simple and it really does work that well. I used my jigsaw for a couple of irregular shapes around my doorway, but overall working with the vinyl planks was extremely easy.

Once the first row was in, I worked on the second row. You want a staggered floor, so that the seams don’t line up with another row. This was very easy because you have to cut a length off one plank, and then it in turn becomes the beginning of your next row which naturally makes it staggered. I put the pieces end to end for the row, marked, and cut the end plank to fit. The rows fit snugly into little grooves on the previous row. Be careful to pay attention to which side has which kind of groves because they all need to run the exact same direction. It was easier to have two people putting the long row into place. I laid it by myself too, but it was easier with a little help, just sayin.

Continue to lay each row, until you come to the last edge. Mark where the plank needs to be cut and cut the pieces for your last row to fit. Carefully fit them into the groves as a whole row. As long as that fits snugly into the previous row, you can lay it down and step on it to get it into place.

Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring DIY- Easily install your own flooring in just a couple hours- IBreatheIDIY.com

I was actually very shocked by how easily I installed this floor. It was very inexpensive as far as flooring is concerned, and my underlayment was about a third of the price because this is just an 8 x 10 area.

I hope that this tutorial has helped you understand just how easily you could lay your own luxury vinyl plank flooring yourself. We would love to see the results of your projects. Email us at Ibreatheidiy@gmail.com.

Pattern Making & Sewing Replacement Basket Liners VIDEO DIY

basketliner

This easy video tutorial shows you how to make your own pattern and replace some old fabric liners with newly sewn jacquard tablecloth liners. This is a sewing project perfectly suited for the beginner/intermediate.

Click here to watch our YouTube video.

 

Painting a Plastic Pot Written DIY

Painting a plastic pot DIY-IBreatheIDIY.com_1

Upcycling is something we do without even thinking about it here at I Breathe I DIY. We had this old hanging plant pot out in the shed that wasn’t being used. It ended up in the shed because there’s nothing special about it and it’s black. Black is usually a go-to color for us, but this pot just heats up and bakes the poor little plants inside it. Painting it is a perfect solution to this problem. We’ll reuse something that was close to going out in the garbage and make a nice planter that goes with the rest of the outdoor décor.

We have some experience painting plastic, and there’s a few ways to go about it. This tutorial will show you one of our techniques to paint plastic without it peeling, cracking, or flaking. You can transform an ordinary boring plastic plant pot and breathe new life into it.

We are going to start by using fine sandpaper on the outside of the pot to dull up the shiny surface so the paint will have something to stick to. You’ll want to hit the top with the sandpaper and about an inch down the inside-anywhere you’re going to paint. Don’t forget the bottom if yours will be hanging above eye level. There’s no need to sand anything that will be under soil.

Wipe it clean with a damp cloth to remove any dust and dirt. Let it dry.

Coat the entire outside in gel medium. This is a paint additive that many artists use to create a variety of effects in their paintings. It will dry to a haze, allowing you to see if you missed some spots. This layer provides a flexible base layer that works like a primer. The gel medium helps adhere the paint and doesn’t crack when the pot expands and contracts from being outside. Spray primers can’t expand from heat, and it results in a cracked surface that flakes off. Let the gel medium dry.

Paint the surface of the pot with your choice of colors. We chose a color of our leftover latex house paint. You can really use any type of paint you have that doesn’t wash off: Acrylic and latex are our favorites to use for this. Use a brush to cover the surface in a smooth layer. Let your pot dry then flip it over and paint the other parts that will show. Paint everywhere that there will not be soil.

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Let it dry and cure overnight before sealing the paint. We used a matte medium that is sometimes used as a varnish or sealer. You can use outdoor mod podge that’s resistant to the elements and will get a similar, permanent coating, but we had this on hand already. We used a 2-inch brush to smooth the matte medium around the base and sides of the pot. It has a milky color until it has fully dried. We had to move it around, coat it, and let it dry a few times. We applied two full coverage coats to make sure the paint was sealed. This is the step that will make or break your project. We don’t have time to waste, so we don’t want it falling apart anytime soon.

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We filled it with potting soil, a fuchsia, and gave it a shady place on the patio rail. What a great addition to the garden. We could reattach the original hanger or macrame a cool hanger, but for this tutorial we left it off and placed it on the porch railing near the front door.

Painting a plastic pot DIY-IBreatheIDIY.com

Here’s another one we painted the same color using this method. Is been outside in the weather all season. There’s not even a hint of wear. It still looks great.