6 Awesome Gifts for Completing 6 Awesome Years!

My niece completed her 6th year of school this year, marking her move from Elementary School to Junior High. I'm so proud of her accomplishments and her great academic success thus far. I looked all over the Internet for a gift idea for an elementary graduation/promotion, but everything I found was too over the top for a 6th grade promotion and more fitting for high school. 

So as I was walking through my favorite store... Target, :) , it hit me!

6 Awesome Gifts for Completing 6 Awesome Years!

6 items I knew she would love:
Nail polish set, Just Dessert! Notepad,  The Journal of Awesome, Mini Color Pencils, Money, and her favorite candy - Skittles!

Turned the money into graduation scrolls...

Found the cutest "Giant Mason Jar" 
(also from Target)
and decorated it with graduation stickers...

Stuffed all the goodies inside with 
colorful tissue paper...

... and added a construction paper 
graduation cap to finish it off!

At her party last night she told me she wasn't going to open it until the end, so she could "save the best for last!" (Yeah, she melts my heart) :)

Turkey & Eggplant Enchiladas (Dairy Free)

Played around in the kitchen tonight and came up with this yummy dinner! Turkey & Eggplant Enchiladas. 

They are dairy free and low-carb!

Ingredients:

1 Can Old El Paso Enchilada Sauce

1 Med. Eggplant

1 Pack of Jenny-O Ground Turkey

1/2 Pack of Go Veggie! Dairy Free Cheese

Directions:

• Cook turkey meat in skillet (flavor as preferred).

• When turkey meat is brown, add sauce to cover & simmer while you prepare the eggplant.
• Wash & dry your eggplant and cut thin slices.

• Lay half the eggplant in bottom of glass baking dish.

• Cover with the turkey & sauce mixture.

• Cover with the remaining eggplant.

• Generously sprinkle the "cheese" over the top.

• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

(Nutrition facts created from www.myfitnesspal.com. Click to enlarge photo.)

Shrimp and Avocado

As requested, here is the recipe to my latest creation,tonight's dinner!

1/2 package of bay shrimp
1 avocado
Just a tad of mayonnaise
Sriracha to taste
Lime juice
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Red pepper flakes

mmmm!!! It was quite yummy if I do say so myself! ;)

Fran's Dress

"Fran's Dress" is my newest project, it was inspired by all of the wild and crazy - but beautiful, dresses worn by actress Fran Drescher during her time on the 1990's series "The Nanny!" 

It is made with duct tape and marker on recycled canvas.

Political Animal Party

It's a Hoot!

After about 4 months, I can finally show you all my first oil painting. I had to wait for it to dry and deliver it (since it was a present) before I could post it on here. And yes, it took 4 months to dry.

Who Say's Money Doesn't Grow on Trees?

For my nephew's 8th grade graduation, passing from junior high to high school, I wanted a special gift. I created this "money tree" personalized to him. Using a small terracotta pot, some printed graphics, and Mod Podge, I was able to customize the pot. Inside the pot sits a piece of foam, dried moss from my local craft store, and a battery-operated lighted branch. I folded the dollar bills in a fan shape and wrapped the bills around the branches with brown pipe cleaners. Today, three-weeks since his party, I asked him if he's spent the money... his response was the best answer an aunt could ever hear, "No, it's special." <3