by lindsey

Slow cooked chicken teriyaki recipe

It’s recipe time.  Food editor Lindsey is here to share with us her amazing recipe for pulled teriyaki chicken sandwiches.  Your mouth will water, I promise. – Allison

chicken-teriyaki-sandwiches-with-chips

Slow cookers.  Do you have one?  Do you use it?  I use mine several times a week with almost any recipe, and it saves my bacon when it comes to getting dinner on the table.  We can also talk about how using a slow cooker means that there are almost always leftovers.  One of our go-to meals is pulled chicken.  Specifically, my family loves my recipe for Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Teriyaki Sandwiches.  They are easy to throw together, feed us for a long time, and taste great.

chicken-teriyaki-sandwiches-pulled

I like to kick my version of slow cooker pulled chicken teriyaki up a notch by using my own recipe concoction of pineapple juice, rice wine vinegar, reduced sodium soy sauce and loads of fresh ginger and garlic.  And because it’s teriyaki, it’s supposed to be sweet, so I add a good amount of honey and brown sugar too.

chicken-teriyaki-sandwiches

Small Hawaiian sweet rolls are the perfect vehicle for the juicy, flavorful chicken.  I like to load up the sammies up with a plethora of … >> find out more…

lindsey

Lindsey Johnson can usually be found in one of three places--the kitchen (cooking and washing dishes), behind her camera, or at her laptop editing photos and writing. If she's not in any of those places, chances are she's chasing after her three crazy kids or scoring a great find at the thrift store. She writes the food blog, Cafe Johnsonia and lives near the beautiful mountains in Utah with the aforementioned three crazy kids and one great husband.

by Stephanie Hayward

How to recycle a thrifted purse this Summer

How to recycle a thrifted purse this Summer, a new DIY tutorial from Steph, whose last project: how to geometric earrings made my life complete.

recycle thrifted purseI’m a firm believer that Memorial Day definitely marks the beginning of Summer, more so than the “official” season change in June. School is getting out, theme parks and pools are opening up for the season, and shorts and sundresses are essential. It’s summer! Let’s make sure our handbag says its so, too. I have a simple how to DIY project you can do in an afternoon to give a plain straw bag some Summer-time glamour.

recycle thrifted purseHow to recycle a thrifted purse this Summer

  • Straw Bag
  • Bias tape with piping
  • Sequin trim
  • Fabric/craft glue
  • Scissors
  • Pins

During a past visit to the thrift store I found a huge selection of straw bags and it was just my luck that they were 50% off! So instead of splurging on a 2 dollar purse, I got this cute bag for a mere buck! How can you pass that up?!  I may or may not have 3 more in my closet right now.…

recycle a thrifted purseThe how to is pretty simple for this project:

1. Decide how to … >> find out more…

Stephanie Hayward

A designer, maker, crafter, and blogger, Stephanie Hayward spends her days designing buildings in Columbus, Ohio and nights blogging about design, DIY, and (attempts at making) good food at Stuff Steph Does. She lives with her partner in crime, Brandon, and their spunky little dog, Lucy.

by Allison

Our master bathroom remodel take 2

Our master bathroom has, for the last 5 months, been a sea of insulation and drywall dust, host to a sea of random construction guys streaming in and out at all hours, ladders and buckets and 30 gallon garbage cans strewn about with an odd assortment of tools landing on my bedroom floor.  It hasn’t been the most fun ever in MY! WHOLE! LIFE! but at the same time, it’s kind of awesome to finally be able to do a remodel on the master bathroom that has been moldy and nasty for 10 years.

We’re fortunate to be in a place to do something about it finally.  I recognize that.

However.

master bath remodel

It’s kind of terrible.

It’s balanced out by a cool factor, but only just.  I sketched out the plan I wanted from scratch on the back of a bill and gave it to the contractor, and over the months I’ve watched my ideas come to life.  Fun!  As fun as a ride at the carnival!  But with the same amount of puking and sketchy Carnies!

Last time I updated you on our master bathroom part I, things were nasty in the only way early 90′s decor can be, … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

DIY crafts for dad this Fathers Day

Gifts for dad: DIY crafts for dad this Father’s Day.

do it yourself father's day gift

DIY Father’s Day Mugs

It’s Father’s Day this weekend, in case you hadn’t noticed all the BBQ’s and lawnmowers for sale all over town.  I already bought a vacuum at Costco for my husband because I’m fancy and super thoughtful, and I love him, especially when he vacuums.  Although if the dad in my life were to get a vacuum for me, or laundry basket, or I don’t know, a sleeping bag for any holiday I would probably completely lose my crap.

I’m going to pay for this somehow.

Do you have Father’s Day for the dad(s) in your life outside the US?  I know there’s a Kid’s Day in Poland, which is also National Water-Fight Day, for serious, but I don’t know much about other countries celebrating random odd holidays like we do in the U.S.

 

fathers day printables

Father’s Day printables

Anyway I found some ridiculous cute stuff on Pinterest, like you do, some super cute crafts for dad.  I know you have it in you to whip any and all of these up, because you’re the craftiest sort of readers out there.

Resourceful, smart, lovely, extra … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

Make some cool Fathers Day cards

Father’s Day, an entire day devoted to loving, remembering, hanging with, and showering the fathers in our lives with happiness and sparkling unicorns and ponies.

love your dad father's day
For the dads who like those kinds of things, anyway.
fathers day

Father’s Day at our house is a pretty chill affair, much like Mother’s Day; we sometimes have a BBQ and maybe some fancy Jell-O with whipped cream, but not much.  Because really, at our house, every day is Father’s Day.

fathers day bike ride

My husband works random hours which means he’s home for a huge portion of our life together.  Dad (or daddy, depending on the kid) is home as much as I am, sometimes more.  He’s the one who takes the kids to the pediatrician, the dentist, and almost every field trip.  Our dad makes dinner most nights, is in charge of the laundry, and does the dishes more than me.  But in turn, he enjoys most of the privileges historically reserved for women and mothers: at home time with the kids, helping with homework, going on hikes and climbing trips and camping and kayaking, both kids in tow.

The fun stuff, the memory makers of family life.

make a father's day card

My kids won’t understand until they’re older, probably with … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

How to screw up the laundry at home

How to screw up the laundry at home, a comprehensive guide.

how to screw up laundryOK so maybe this isn’t an all-inclusive, super secret handbook on how to screw up the laundry system at your house, but it might be a good substitute until someone decides to write that book.  It won’t be me though, I’m the girl still working on last month’s laundry pile-up.

Ain’t nobody got time for that.

So how does it go down in your house, the laundry?  Does one adult bear the whole burden of the household (and man, sometimes it feels like a burden), or is there a fair amount of shared responsibility?  I think laundry can be one of the stickier points in the early years of marriage, right along with who’s responsible for the dinner dishes (hint: not me).  I’m super curious how it all breaks down in your house.  If you’re in college, I’m a little jealous of your small laundry pile, but not even sort of envious of your quarter-hoarding-for-the-washing-machines-babysitting-laundry-for-6-hours-at-a-time-if-you-leave-the-laundry-room-someone-will-take-your-laundry-out-and-put-it-on-the-dirty-floor stage of laundry life.

That’s just messed up.

how to screw up the laundry

If you’re a parent, let’s have a moment of silence, shall we?  A quiet remembrance of our pre-baby laundry lives, the likes of which we … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Robyn

How to womens dots on dots

Today’s how to comes to us from new Petit Elefant fashion editor Robyn Stewart.  We’re so excited to have her on the Petit Elefant team!  Robyn’s first post is all about how to wear dots on dots, mixing patterns, which is super trendy and fun right now.  Let’s welcome Robyn to the Petit Elefant hood. – Allison

dots copyHello lovely readers! I am Robyn from the blog Cleverly, yours and I am so excited to be joining the Petit Elefant team! I can’t wait to show off some of my favorite fashion trends and tips, starting this week with one of my favorite all time trends, polka-dots!  Today it’s all about how to wear dots on dots for the ladies.

Polka-dots are in no way a new trend, but today I’ve taken a little spin on the classic simple look and doubled up on the fun.  There are a few things to consider if you’re thinking of learning how to attempt the “double dots” look, so keep these tips in mind:

IMG_79581. Make sure your dots are sized appropriately.

A larger polka-dot layered over a small polka-dot chambray work well together. Or as seen above, a basic polka-dot top with a … >> find out more…

Robyn

I'm Robyn from Cleverly, Yours where I blog about life and fashion. I'm a Utah girl from a small town with a big town sense of fashion. I have a passion for fashion and love trying new things and being inspired by others. I love my blog and what I do; stop by and say hello!

by Allison

What to do on the French Riviera

beach resort french riviera

What to do, what to do.

Let’s say your friend calls you randomly one nasty freezing grey day in the Spring and says casually, ‘Hey so I’m headed to Cannes at the end of May, wanna come?’.  How would you react?

What to do in Antibes France

I was on my way to swim practice with the kids on my headset in the car, on a cold and rainy grey day in early April.  It had probably snowed 6 inches the day before.  I was in an endless cycle of work, swim practice, dinner, groceries, dishes, and laundry with a touch of regular migraines thrown in for spice.  What would you have said?

I’m pretty sure some profanity came out of my mouth, let’s get real here, and I sputtered something along the lines of, ‘DUDE.  Dude.  DUUUUUDE.  What the fuh?  For serious?  DUDE.’

My speech gets really articulate under duress, stop judging me.

what to do on the riviera

Initially I said no.  No, I’m sorry, I can’t leave for two weeks at the end of May right when the kids are finishing school for the year and doing all the end of school performances and plays and all the rest of the end-of-year-wrap-up-nonsense.  We don’t have piles … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Michal

How to celebrate Fathers-Day

How to celebrate Fathers-Day.

Because I'm Your Dad, Ahmet Zappa BookI’ve been a fortunate son to have my father in my life growing up and into my adult life.  We all get just one go at being a father and a dad.  My father is a different person today than he was when I was growing up and I am a different father to my children then I was when they were first born. Just as I became a father without any dry runs or formal training in fatherhood, my father did the same.  Being an effective parent requires three skills:

  • analyze
  • adapt
  • execute

 

Analyze:

Being able to analyze is critical to self-criticism about your station as a father, husband, and fellow human.  Having an honest conversation with yourself is a skill that needs to be developed and honed, always.  At the end of each day I try to have a moment of personal introspect where I take an accounting of my soul;  what worked, what didn’t, where can I affect change, and where can I not affect change?

and we'll make mud forts in the backyard page

Adapt:

If something you’ve tried hasn’t worked, doing the same thing over again doesn’t seem like the most logical next step, but sometimes we find … >> find out more…

Michal

This is Michal's profile description. This is were Michal tells you how awesome and wonderful he is. He's just one cool cat.