Prettying up my makeup storage solution.

My most recent recipe binder project inspired me with other uses for the cute scrapbook paper I had purchased.

I had been thinking for a while that my plastic storage cart I use for my makeup storage seriously needed some sort of face lift. It looked drab and industrial.

So I simply measured and trimmed the scrapbook paper to size and sticky taped it to the inside of the transparent drawers. It took about 30 minutes start to finish and it really brightened it up. 

I am still plotting and scheming what I will attack with scrapbook paper next.

Custom Made Recipe Binder

For a while now I have been needing a solution for my favourite recipes that I have printed online or recieved from others. My current solution just isn't working, shoving them all in a drawer, being unable find it a month later and having to go searching for and reprint.

After browsing Pinterest and various other crafty organisational blogs I settled on a custom recipe binder using scrapbook paper and manila folders to create my dividers.

In a nutshell I cut my manila folders to fit into the binder, then cut out eight 1.5 inch tabs. Not being a very crafty person, this turned out much harder then I anticipated. While I am happy with my result, it could certainly be a lot neater.

I then stuck scrapbook paper on the front of each manila folder to make it a bit cuter.

I love the bright colours, but if I did it again I think I would purchase dividers and stick scrapbook paper on the front. It would have been a lot easier and cut out a lot of the work.

What craft projects have you undertaken lately? 

Risotto you don't have to stir for 30 minutes!

Usually, I am someone who gets a real kick out of cooking from scratch and doing things myself, however I do not enjoy standing over a hot stove constantly stirring. I always assumed that meant risotto would not be something on my regular rotation.. Until I discovered how good oven baked risotto is! This recipe is so simple and the great thing is, most of these ingredients I have on hand at any given time. 

Ingredients

• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 120 g butter
• 700 g diced pumpkin
• 3-5 bacon rashers, diced
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 200 g mushrooms, sliced
• Parmesan cheese, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 190°C.
2. Melt butter and fry onion, bacon and mushroom until onion is transparent and bacon is almost crisp. I usually add some garlic at this point, because garlic improves everything! 
3. Spread pumpkin onto baking sheet ready to bake! (The recipe originally just put this into the casserole, but I like it baked and it isn't anymore work to roast it while it is cooking and stir it through at the end, I find it takes a very similar amount of time to cook) 
4. Put all remaining ingredients in a casserole dish. Mix well.
5. Cook, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until rice is tender

Now I realise this dish doesn't lend itself to presentation perfectly, but it does taste delicious. I have never tried it but I am sure you could substitute the pumpkin, mushrooms and bacon for other things. I am envisioning it with chorizo and sweet potato. 

I hope you enjoy -if you try any other flavour combinations I would love to hear about them!