Keep me WARM baby!
Mosiac Fireplace DIY
The idea I had in this Man Cave/Teenage hang out was a New York loft style. I didn't want it 2 Man Cave-ish with a bunch of dead animals on the wall & peanut shells on the floor. Nor did I want it 2 Teenage-ish with life size cut outs of Justin Beeper (what I call him) & a lemonade stand. 
When it was time to do a fireplace, I wanted real stone, something shiny & elegant in a way. We found this great marble we wanted, the only problem was, it was in the main entrance to Caesars Palace in Vegas.. As you may have guessed, we found us the Marble at non other than our local Lowes. Okay, it may have not been the 20x20 marble squares they had surrounded by gold instead of colored mud, but hey we feel like we SCORED!

 
2 rock the boat like I tend to do when it comes to DIY projects I wanted to do it in a mosaic pattern, which really isn't a pattern at all if you think about it.
So I gave the twins the hammer & bang-bang they went.

Then came the colored mud & broken pieces to adhere to the wall.. 
Oh ya, I better show you all the WALL.

BEFORE

Colored mud next....

the  AFTER

Can you see the face on the right by the fireboX? We just noticed that that the other night while having "Movie Night"..

CARaMEL   APPLE's !!!

easy breezy

1 cup butter (no substitutes)
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
8 -10 wooden sticks
8 -10 medium tart apples

Directions:
*Insert 1 wooden stick into each apple.
*In a heavy saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and milk; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
*Cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 248 degrees (firm ball stage) about 30-40 minutes and for a softer caramel cook just to a few less degrees.
*Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
*Dip each apple into hot caramel mixture; turn to coat.
*Holding by the stick, sprinkle with nuts or whatever you desire while the caramel is still warm (work quickly the caramel sets up fast).
*Set on generously buttered wax paper to cool (make certain to generously butter the paper).
Note: if making a double recipe make two recipes in two separate pots.

Yum Yum!! These Carmel Apples are some of the best I have made. Easy to make, great for the kiddies to help with & even husbands. I had to make a 2nd batches a day later, because they were all gone within 12 hours. I hate to admit, I ate 5 out of the 9 we made the fist day. I was eating them for breakfast & mid afternoon snack.. They are just that good!

Drizzle Chocolate on them, or nuts are also fabulous.. My family just like
them simple & plain jane..
ENJOY !!