Homemade Tortilla Chips, Random Stats and Best of 2011 #5

Wow what a mouthful for a title! With this being the last week of 2011 I wanted to spend the next few days reviewing some of the most popular posts of the year. We'll start at #5 and work our way to #1. I'm also going to include some of my favorite projects along the way.

Before we get to the countdown I wanted to share my super easy homemade tortilla chip "recipe." I don't make them too often due to their addictiveness and generally unhealthiness, but make no mistake...THEY ARE DE-LISH!!! As you know, it was the hubby's bday earlier this month and we had the most wonderful homemade enchiladas. Nothing goes better with Mexican food than homemade chips!

Here's what you need:

• Canola Oil
• Corn Tortillas
• Salt
• Chili Powder

It's also helpful to have metal tongs and paper towels.

Cut your tortillas into fourths (or eighths). (Originally I cut mine into 1/8, but found that it made the chips to small so I finished the batch in fourths.) 

Heat the oil in a heavy pan. You'll know it's ready when you put a tortilla in and it starts to sizzle. (Some people use fancy-smancy thermometers, but I just use my eyes.) When the oil is ready put in your first batch of tortillas. You can put in quite a few, but don't overcrowd them. Every once in a while use your tongs to flip them over so both sides are fried.

You'll know they are done when they stop sizzling. Remove them from the oil (allow some of the oil to drip back into your pan) and put them on a paper towel lined plate. Immediately sprinkle them with salt and chili powder, the amount varies with your liking. After the chips sit for awhile they will not be so greasy and will taste wonderful!!!

They taste great with homemade salsa and guacamole. If you are feeling particularly gluttonous use them to make nachos, you won't be disappointed!

I usually fry up the whole package when I make them. They don't usually last long in our house, but if you happen to have leftovers you can store them in a ziplock bag. 

The End Of The Year Stats

One of the things I like about Blogger is that they give you lots of statistics about your blog. I find it pretty helpful. It lets me know a little bit about my audience and what kinds of posts people prefer and how they access my blog. I thought it would be fun to share a few random stats with you.

• In the past year Hanging On By A Thread has had over 37,000 hits! I find that A-MAZ-ING! I'm so thankful for each and every one of you that checks in with me on a regular basis.
• The top three countries that have checked in over the past year the most are: The United States, Germany and Canada. I've also had several followers from The Ukraine, Indonesia and The Philippines. 
• Most people have accessed my blog through Facebook. 3,952 times to be exact. 
• Big HUGE thanks to the following sites: Thrifty Decor Chick, Humpty Dumpty and Pinterest (imagine my excitement when I found a few of my projects "pinned" on Pinterest!!!). They referred the most people to my blog. A whopping 510 people found me through Thrifty Decor Chick!!!
• The keyword searched and sent the most people to my site was "Bubble Guppies"-weird

The Best Of 2011 #5

I thought it would be fun to revisit some of the most popular posts in the past year. Like all good countdowns we'll start and the bottom and work our way up. 

Number five is one of my favorite projects. Sadly it's too cold in Indy right now to spray paint properly so I'll have to wait until spring to make more vases. My cousin used these as center pieces for her wedding last fall using all different types and shapes of bottles. There was even one with the bride and groom's name and the date. I love it when someone sees a project they love and make it more personal!

#5 - The Love Vase

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Love" Vase Tutorial

Well HELL-O gorgeous!


I am totally and completely smitten with my new "love" vase!


The inspiration came from Pure and Noble and I can't wait to make more!


They are completely & totally addictive!






Supplies

• Empty vase, wine bottle or jar
• Spray paint - I used an off-white paint with a satin finish
• hot glue or puffy paint 

Using a sharpie, draw your design or word. Don't worry if you mess up, you will cover your mistakes with the spray paint. As you can tell, it took me several attempts to get "love" just right.

Pure and Noble used a hot-glue gun to make their designs. I tried it and was EXTREMELY unsuccessful. The letters were all uneven and I was not happy with how it turned out. I decided to try puffy fabric paint. It was much easier to control the amount and if I messed up (which I did several times) all I had to do was wipe off the paint and start over.


I found this bottle at Meijer for $3.

The color doesn't matter (and you don't need the glitter kind), you just want to make sure that it dries puffy and not flat.


I was much happier with the results compared to the hot glue.

After a few coats of spray paint I was more than pleased with the results. It is much better to do several light coats rather than 1 or 2 heavy ones. The lighter coats will help you avoid any drips or "blobs" on the bottle.

I filled the vase with a few branches from our yard and it looks amazing on our entryway table.

...Do you like the Clothespin Photo Frame? Check out the tutorial {HERE}

I can't wait to try different words and designs! I have a feeling one or two will end up in the Etsy shop (If I ever find the time to get it up and running!)