May 2021 – Sister Hack

Maddie’s Fav Recent Purchases

And by recent I mean in the past five months…so pretty much my fav purchases of 2021! Maddie here! I haven’t posted in a while but I thought it would be fun to go through my gmail receipts and recap my fav things that I have purchased the past several months. Some people might think this is boring and THATS FINE! I think Emily will like it so here we go:

Category: Home
For my bday in February, my mom got me a West Elm gift card. Thanks, mom! My favorite purchases from that were the dining room table centerpiece (which was actually back ordered for months and arrived in April) (1) and the ceramic/eucalyptus jug combo (2). Also pictured below are the candle holders that Emily got me for my bday from West Elm. Thank you, Emily LOVE them!

I made my first foray into ebay with the folk art quilt (3) in our dining room! I think it was originally listed for $150 but I got it for $80. It brings in warmth and character and I love the quirky Eagle who we have named Roy. Next I am wanting to buy a peacock fire screen from Ebay but they are all so expensive…

I was tired of seeing our coffee tin on the counter so decided to get these pretty canisters (4) from Overstock!

My most recent purchase was reusable paper towels from Marley’s Monsters. I am obsessed with these! As you can see in the pic (5) they don’t exactly wrap around the dowel like a real paper towel roll would, but they are very absorbent when cleaning and wash up amazingly! I have had them for 4 weeks now with various messes and very little stains them. I was tired of spending money on paper towels which was my primary motivation for buying these, but a huge bonus is to reduce waste. I am an equally big fan of the reusable napkins as well.

Category: Clothes
I have been having fun updating my wardrobe for the last month! I don’t have any pics of me in these clothes, but here is what I am absolutely loving so far:

1- Old Navy White Linen Jacket– Perfect for spring/summer weather. 8/10
2- Tank from Talbots– These are amazing! V high quality, amazing neck line, wash well. 11/10
3- Super Cutay tie sleeve top from Talbots– Perf for work but need to wear an undershirt. 9/10
4- Pretty floral popover from Talbots– Love the ruffle detailing on the neck and the unique print, also needs an undershirt. 9/10
5- High Rise Wide-Leg Jeans from Loft- These are stretchy, comfy, and classy. I would wear them to work every day if that wasn’t weird. 10/10
6- Roxy Platform Sneakers– Comfortable and cute, what’s not to love? 9/10

Remember folks, your budget give you permission to spend!

Easy Crockpot Dairy Free Chicken Tikka Masala

Emily here! I wanted to share a favorite recipe in my house. Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala. This is easy and so flavorful. I hope you enjoy!

1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1 small onion, roughly chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic (I purchase precut garlic for a shortcut)
1 tbsp ginger (I purchase this in a tub for a shortcut too)
2 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tsp salt
1 can coconut milk

Combine all ingredients, except coconut milk, in crockpot. Cook on low for 6 hours.
After 6 hours remove chicken. Using an immersion blender (or put sauce into a regular blender) blend sauce until smooth.
Shred chicken and add back into crockpot.
Add coconut milk and stir. Serve with white rice and naan. I like to use this recipe for making homemade naan.

First Time Gardener – 1 Month Check In

Emily here! It’s been almost a month since I planted my garden. Things are going generally well with it. My romaine patch is doing great (second section in from the left on the top row). The cosmos, dahlia, carrots, zucchini, cucumbers, and sage have all started to sprout. I am still waiting for some action from the tomatoes. I think it might have been a little too cold when I put the seeds in.

Some Frost Bite. Last night got really cold and I wasn’t expecting that at all. So the zucchini sprouts and the dahlia sprouts both look really damaged. This could be the end of the line for them. But I am sending positive vibes.

Busy Toddler Hands. Also I left one section open for Pal to dig in figuring he would leave the rest of the areas alone. Which worked great until things started to sprout and then he was instantly attracted to them and has dug up and pulled out quite a few. I wish I had added actual seeds to his area. I think it would have kept him out of the other plants. Notes for next year I suppose!

Victory Over the Cat. It should be noted that the greenhouse cover I bought didn’t work. It was too small for my garden bed and couldn’t stand up to the wind where I live. So it went back. But I am happy to report that once I kept the soil wet the cat didn’t want to be in it (thanks internet for the tip!). Also one night I saw that cat in our yard and ran it off. The internet specifically said NOT to do that but I just let my instincts take over.