Piggies Pleasures

Saturday Fun!

2012-02-04T20:48:00.003-06:00

What a fun day today! It started out with me getting my hair cut. I have been going to Esoterica for some time now. Ale cuts my hair and has since before the salon opened. I fondly remember him dying my hair red in his dad's living room. It's always nice to go in there and see how well he has doing and how far he has come. He is really amazing! The staff and stylists are also friendly and welcoming. So, if you are ever in the F-Dub, hit up Esoterica! It is one of a kind!

I had Mr. Lucas go with me to get my hair did so we could go over to the Fort Worth Food Park for lunch after. It is just right around the corner. Finally, the ol' F-Dub is finally following in Austin's footsteps with a food park! My favorite part of going to Austin is all the unique food and the Food Trucks they have there.

We had a great time. There were several trucks and it was hard to choose what to eat!

We are carnivores but I love vegetarian /vegan food, however...Mr. Lucas prefers otherwise. So, we hit up the Rollin' Diner and Grill.

Jeff had the Philly Cheese Steak and we shared a Hatch Chile Slider. Those who know me know I can't pass up anything with Chile, especially Hatch!

I confess, I love bacon. I also love goat cheese. So, It was kind of hard to resist the Cheesy from the Bacon Wagon. It was insanely delicious. Oh, man.

It was so much fun and the food was delicious. We will be back!

After we stuffed ourselves we went to Avoca for coffee. They individually brew each cup so it is nice and fresh when you drink it.

I had the Rwanda drip coffee, it was really good! It was nice to sit and enjoy a warm cup of coffee on a chilly day. Finally our weather is getting a little chilly. Hard to believe it is winter around here. I love winter and I feel cheated so far! Happy weekend everyone!

Cheers!

In The Moment

2012-02-03T20:57:00.001-06:00

Happy birds on a wire.

Happy Things

2012-01-26T20:15:00.000-06:00

Letters in the mail from Violet.

Cheers!

Sweet Gifts

2012-01-26T13:51:00.001-06:00

I know I have not been consistent in my blogging lately but, I have been working on a rather large project! Once I am done, I will reveal! I have been missing blogging and actually had a moment to sit down and get caught up. Me blogging during the weekday? What gives? Well, I woke up this morning the sound of running water between my kitchen and bathroom wall and a very large puddle of water taking over my bathroom floor. Fortunately, I got to it before it made its way to the hardwood floor in the hall. So, I called my friendly local plumber who we have become rather close to over the years (hence friend flushing her keys down my toilet a few years back). Now, here I wait for them to rescue me which means a little blogging time!

My sister, BIL, and niece recently visited for the holidays. We had a great time. They are very thoughtful in their gift giving and handmade practically everything this year! I am not certain where they find the time!

During their visit I discovered how great Violet is at embroidery. She is quick and consistent! My sister made this adorable pot holder and Violet did the embroidery. She is just 7 years old!

My sister has some great antique stores where she lives so she picked out a few vintage planters for me.

They also made Lemoncello from scratch...as you can tell it is yummy!

This raspberry chipotle sauce is wonderful! I put some on cream cheese and served it with crackers, it has a nice kick! I may use the rest as a marinade for chicken one night.

Even though things were different this holiday after the passing of my Grandfather and Uncle, it was still a very nice and quiet holiday season. I was able to have a few days off and relax with my family.

On one of my days off us girls went to the Benbrook Antique Mall. It is a great place to find sweet things! I could have stayed in there for hours. But, we were on a time limit so that kept us in line.

I found these cute fairy lamps and also a candy dish to put some of my jewelry in.

I also came across this adorable planter!

When it warms up a bit I am going to put a succulent in it and stick it on my front porch.

Well, the plumber just called and he is on his way. This should be interesting!

Cheers!

New Year Fondue

2012-01-01T20:22:00.000-06:00

Fondue, how I love thee. So, why not have a New Year Fondue Party? My sister and BIL are in town visiting along with my sweet little niece Violet. Violet went to stay with Mimi and Granddaddy so the "adults" had our own little New Year fun.

Cheese fondue is the best!

BIL made venison to dip in the cheese

We also had chocolate fondue of course!

Happy New Year everyone! 2012 will be a good year, I can just feel it!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T19:56:00.002-06:00

Since my family was out of town this holiday and I stayed back home, Mr. L and I just relaxed. It was a really nice Christmas, even without the usual Christmas traditions. But, there was one Christmas tradition we kept and that tradition folks, is Sunday Brunch Casserole! My mom has made it for every Christmas breakfast for as long as I can remember and it is absotutenlutely delicious! Mr. L can't hardly wait for it every year and with his enthusiastic encouragement for this casserole I decided to make it. It never fails, every time it is delicious!

Of course, we had to have holiday mimosas too!

But, first things first. Before breakfast we exchanged gifts. I was terribly impressed by this little gift. Mr. L wrapped it himself. People that know him could probably deduce that he is not the most crafty person. Incredibly smart, yes...crafty, no. But, I guess being with me all these years, a little something rubbed off on him.

Cedella enjoyed laying inside the empty boxes.

Cheers and Happy Holidays!

Sweet Treats

2011-12-18T21:10:00.000-06:00

I really do enjoy baking, however, Mr. Lucas does not eat a bunch of sweet stuff. The problem is, since he does not eat sweets, if I baked them regularly I would eat it all myself and be morbidly obese. I have really been wanting to bake so this weekend, I just did it. I figured I could give most of it away and not feel guilty for eating a few treats. So, I got to baking!

But first things first, egg nog!

I made chocolate chip walnut cookies from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook, best recipe ever!

Some of the cookies I dipped in chocolate.

I also made chocolate dipped pretzel sticks and coated some with chopped walnuts.

Then, to bring things to a close, I made molasses cookies. It was so much fun, I have not baked that much...ever! All while jamming out to some Christmas tunes on Pandora.

My parents and Grandmother leave for Ruidoso, NM, tomorrow morning so packaged up some of the treats for them to have while they are on the road.

I ended the evening with watching Christmas Vacation, the funniest Christmas move ever!

Cheers!

A Little Holiday Sussie For Me!

2011-12-16T20:29:00.000-06:00

With all the holiday shopping I have been doing I figured what would be the harm in me purchasing a little something for myself? So, while I was Amazoning I found a great book I just had to have. The main reason I had to have it was because Heather Bailey was on the cover and I adore her. She is such an inspiration. I figured if she was on the cover this book had to be perfect for me. So, I ordered it along with my other holiday Amazon purchases. I absolutely love Amazon. Everything arrives so quickly and is priced so nicely!! I can't wait to read my new book; Signature Styles: 20 Stitchers Craft Their Look. The book gives you a peek at their craft spaces, lives, and favorite crafting projects!

Cheers!

Happy Little Holiday Party

2011-12-04T20:14:00.000-06:00

Mr. Lucas and I went to the most amazing holiday party ever this weekend!. He is interning at a local hospital to be a Medical Laboratory Scientist and the lab Pathologist has a party every year. He was gracious enough to include us. First of all, his home is spectacular. If we lived there I think we would need walkie talkies in order to communicate with one another, if that gives you any idea of the size of this house. I would be just fine with taking up camp outside. The 2 level Lanai has a fire place, outdoor kitchen/grill, and pool. That would be all that I need to survive.

The party itself was lovely. Chef Jon Bonell was preparing all his wonderful appetizers and desserts in the kitchen. It was quite a treat to actually see him at work! The bottomless margaritas were also a treat too! There was live music and the house was decorated for Christmas from head to toe. It was a great way to start of the holiday season. So, in keeping with the festivities, today...I had my own happy little holiday party. My very best friends, cheese, summer sausage, and Sangiovese helped me celebrate. We watched The Holiday too.

Cheers!

O Christmas Tree O Christmas Tree!

2011-11-27T19:43:00.001-06:00

Typically, the weekend of Thanksgiving like most people, I put up my tree and holiday decorations. My niece is in town visiting and she is quite the little helper. She helped me get the decorations and tree out from the garage. It was fun to see her open up the boxes and go through all the decorations.

Someday I would LOVE to have a real tree but for now my little tree is a pre-lit artificial tree. She did not quite understand this concept. Where she lives, they just go into their backyard, chop down a pine tree, and bring it inside to decorate (yes, I am very envious). So, I had to explain to her where her Auntie Lizzie lives, it doesn't quite work that way unless you go to great lengths (I think I am getting closer to convincing Mr."Ba-humbug" to go to a tree farm with me one year).

So, we got the tree unpacked and put together. When it was time to stand the tree up, we realized that her dear Uncle (Mr. Ba-humbug) , threw out the stand "accidentally" when he cleaned out the garage. Now, he DID clean out the garage, and for that I am grateful and could not get mad. So, I hopped in the Jeep and went on a search for a new tree. I had to make a very strategic move to get this tree because it was the last one and people were circling like vultures! This time I picked a tree with pretty colorful lights! I am actually kinda glad "Mr. Ba-humbug" accidentally threw out the stand. This little artificial tree is much much better!

My fabric garland looks great on my new tree if I do say so myself!

Cheers!

Hello Shopping!

2011-11-25T20:18:00.000-06:00

Historically, I work every Friday after Thanksgiving. Hospitals are 24/7 so it comes with the territory. But this year, since my sister is in town for the Holiday, I took today off and we went shopping! My biggest black Friday deal was online with Best Buy. I needed a new T.V and got a great deal. I am so excited but I think my husband is even more excited because now he can have a Super Bowl Party.

Since we were up so late on Wednesday (I was up that late mainly because of my cheesecake mishap) we did not get up at the crack of dawn like most did. But, we did hit up the Micheal's sale after Thanksgiving dinner and scored. So, after we got back from Michael's we developed our plan of action for today. We got a ton accomplished today and in the process acted like 2 clowns, I am sure people were wondering what was wrong with us.

The most surprising part of the day was happening upon a great little store that reminded me exactly of Oleaceae in Santa Fe. This shop was The Virgin Olive Olier. We sampled various olive oils and vinegars. The store owner, Charles, was very kind and knowledgeable. This is place that I was so surprised to happen across. They have only been opened 3 weeks! I will be back! I picked up Chipotle Olive Oil to add to my collection.

Cheers!

Redemption Cheesecake

2011-11-24T20:16:00.003-06:00

Remember last year? I had never made a cheesecake before and learned so much. Trial and error, right? This year was my redemption year. My mom even gave me the Junior's Cheesecakes Cookbook for Christmas last year to help perfect my cheesecake making.

I had a game plan this time. I had all my ingredients ready to go by Sunday. I got off work early on Wednesday and got to baking. I remember last year I did not have enough time to let the cheesecake cool and refrigerate because I got up Thanksgiving morning to make it. This year the day before would be plenty of time! I was throwing my ingredients together and rocking and rolling jamming to some good tunes having so much fun!

Junior's has a spongecake crust that you make first. I was a bit worried about this because I have never heard of it before. But, it came out perfectly!

After the crust cooled I prepared everything else and had it baking in the oven by 8:30pm. Man, I am good, that is what I was thinking. This was going to be my redemption cheesecake! It looked really good too and the batter tasted very yummy!

Ziggy was even very intrigued with the goings on in the kitchen.

While said redemption cheesecake was baking in the oven my sister, brother-in-law, and niece were on the road traveling to visit us for a few days. My sister called and I told her all about how great things were going with my redemption cheesecake. I read through the ingredients of the cheesecake with her and then I came to...heavy cream. I know I bought heavy cream at the store on Sunday and it was chilling nicely in my refrigerator, but...I forgot to put it in the cheesecake!! OMG!

So, needless to say I had to start all over again! My sweet husband went to the store at 10:30pm to pick up 4 more blocks of cream cheese. I dumped the first delinquent cheesecake and started baking the second one. It went a little quicker since I had just put one together a few hours before. As I tried to remain positive, I rocked and rolled through this one too, but this time I made sure not to forget the heavy cream! Around about 3:00am Thanksgiving morning the cheesecake was cooled and ready stick in the fridge to refrigerate overnight. Thank goodness!

Fortunately the cheesecake was very yummy! Unfortunately, I still have to perfect the huge crater that is the size of the Grand Canyon from appearing in the middle of my cheesecake next time. But, given the odds I was up against, a measly crater the size of the Grand Canyon was not that big of a deal I suppose!

Despite the late evening we woke up early to watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade. My niece Violet loved it! She is such a good helper and helped me cook breakfast. She is quite the little chef! We had eggs, sausage, and english muffins.We were trying to keep things healthy since we knew what we would be in for later.

We finally arrived to my family gathering for Thanksgiving in the late afternoon and had a great spread!

My sister made many a pie.....

The tables were decorated sweetly too, just as they always are!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Cheers!

Holiday With Matthew Mead

2011-11-20T17:22:00.002-06:00

My mom let me borrow this cute little magazine full of great holiday decoration ideas! I decided to make the cone medallion ornament for the top of my Christmas tree. For some reason, I have never had anything on the very top of my Christmas tree so I am a bit overdue. I used some festive holiday scrap booking card-stock that I have had on hand for years. I love the stuff! I think my medallion turned out rather cute.

Cheers and happy holiday crafting!

Fabric Christmas Tree Garland

2011-11-16T17:06:00.000-06:00

In keeping with my "handmade" Christmas Tree theme over the past several years I decided to make a fabric garland for my tree. I have spent the past several years hand making Christmas ornaments in hopes that one day my tree will be completely decorated by ornaments created by hand. So, I thought a fabric garland would be a great touch. I have seen them done several ways but since I don't have a bunch of extra time on my hands I needed a quick and easy garland. So, I adapted and merged a few ideas from other people to make my own quick and easy garland.

Supplies needed:

To make things extra easy I used quilting squares. These Moda squares are adorable and I absolutely love the colors! Using the quilting squares kept me from having to get out my stash of fabric, go through it all, mix and match it, iron, and then cut. Whew, that seems like a lot of trouble!

With my pinking shears I cut the squares into strips. Then I organized the strips in the order that I wanted to sew them.

Using a zig zag stitch on my sewing machine I sewed the strips together.

But, for a little extra flare, I left a space between each piece of fabric as I sewed.

Then, in about only 5 minutes of sewing, my garland was complete!!

Cheers!

You Can Call Me Eldin

2011-10-30T19:33:00.000-05:00

Remember the painter, Eldin, from Murphy Brown? He was great! I feel like I should have on some paint coveralls all the time just like he did. I have been a painting fool for the past 10 months. When I first started back in January my goal was to have all the rooms in my house painted and decorated by 1/2013. Weeeeell, I am thinking I may not make this goal, however, I sure am close!

I have only 2 rooms left in my house to paint because I painted my bathroom this weekend. You know, I was thinking to myself, "Painting the bathroom, piece of cake! It is small, I bet you could do it Friday night after you get of work!" I look back and like that I have such high expectations for myself and actually think that I can meet "said" expectations. But boy was I wrong! That bathroom may be small but it has a door (which for some reason is my painting nemesis), built in vanity with drawers, and a 2 door cabinet. Might I also add...the room is small...very small for an 8 foot ladder. Maneuvering that beast takes talent, and folks, I feel I may have won that award. At one point I had half the ladder in the bathtub and the other half over the toilet. But, that is aside from the point. I am sure you would like for me just to move this verbiage along and show you the before and after. So...here we go!

Before:

After:

This one is a little dark because of the lighting,

This one is much better! The color is very true in this picture.

Note to self: Save some money next time. One does not need a gallon of paint for a tiny bathroom. :)

There is a very interesting story behind me purchasing this house. The lady I purchased it from was a bit difficult. She took a bunch of stuff from the house when she moved out...down to the panels that cover the lights and electrical sockets! I mean who does that? She also took the oven, which was to stay with the house per the contract. But, apparently it had sentimental value to her. Anyhoo, that is aside from the point I would like to make..she painted the dang walls, trim, and cabinets off white so everything looks dirty! Ugh. I cannot believe how much better the house looks with a fresh coat of ceiling paint and white trim. Ah, sterile bliss! :)

Enough with that rant, sorry to subject everyone.

I added a few mason jars to the bathroom. One has my cotton balls and Q-tips the other has a tea light in it.

Mason jars are awesome.

Cheers!

Use Vinyl As Your Canvas!

2011-10-28T17:46:00.003-05:00

Years ago I went to a thrift store and stocked up on old record. They were like a buck each. I walked away with some great records...like Thriller, some Elton John, the soundtrack to Hair, Todd Rundgren, and Pink Floyd. I also walked away with some records that I had no idea who the heck the artist was and did not have huge attachment to those. So, when you don't have a huge attachment to a particular record...turn it into jewelry! I made a bracelet but there is so much more you can do than just a bracelet. But, I love my record bracelet and wear it all the time. Now, I just need to find some of the colorful records. I remember having green and red records as a kid and would love to make a bracelet out of that!

So, the birthday of a good friend was coming up. I was sitting on the couch and asked Jeff, "what can we get her...I should make something. What can I make." We thought about it for a minute and then Jeff insisted that I make a record bracelet. Done!

It is so easy to do. Supplies you need:

* Record

*Cookie Sheet

*Box cutter (and or heavy duty scissors)

*Ruler

*Something round to use as a mold, such as a Pledge can. :)

-Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

-Put your record on a large cookie sheet (I did not have a large cookie sheet so I made my own cookie sheet out of foil...it worked okay).

-Let the record sit in the oven until it starts to warp.

-Pull the record out...be careful it will be hot!

-Lay it on a nice hard surface. Take your ruler to measure a nice straight line. You can make the bracelet as wide or narrow you want. Use the box cutter to make your line. Some vinyl is very hard and difficult to cut with a box cutter. I find the box cutter does make a good scoring line if you press hard enough. You may need to use heavy duty scissors to cut on the line you scored. Or you can bend the record, at the point where you scored, back and forth until it comes apart.

-Pop the piece back in the oven to re-heat it. Leave it in there until it is pliable again, about 5 minutes or so. Don't leave it in there too long or it will ruin the vinyl.

-Then, wrap it around something about the size of your wrist. For me, a pledge can works well.

-Ta DA! You have yourself a nifty little bracelet!

If you want a tight fit, use a small jar. You can also cut off the ends for a more "cuff" look kind of like the one I made years back.

Happy bracelet making!

Cheers!

Chicken Crock Pot Pie

2011-10-26T19:21:00.000-05:00

On days that I know I am going to be busy after work I try to simplify things by using my crock pot! It is nice to come home to a house smelling like someone has been in the kitchen all day. So some strange reason, I have a hard time finding crock pot recipes that I really like. Roast is that "go to" crock pot recipe for me but frankly I am getting a bit tired of that.

So, I pulled out my iPhone, used my allrecipes.com dinner spinner app, and found a great recipe for the inside of a chicken pot pie. All you have to do is add a biscuit on top!

Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Stew

4 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into cubes

10 medium red potatoes, quartered

1 (8 ounce) package baby carrots

1 cup chopped celery

2 (26 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup

6 cubes chicken bouillon

2 teaspoons garlic salt

1 teaspoon celery salt

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 (16 ounce) bag frozen mixed vegetables

1. Combine the chicken, potatoes, carrots, celery, chicken soup, chicken bouillon, garlic salt, celery salt, and black pepper in a slow cooker; cook on High for 5 hours.

2. Stir the frozen mixed vegetables into the slow cooker, and cook 1 more hour.

*I did make a few adjustments to this. I did not cube my chicken. I laid the hole chicken on top of the mixture and after it was done cooking, I took a fork and shredded it. It worked great!

*I diced the baby carrots.

*I did not put in celery or the celery salt.

*I didn't add the chicken bouillon, instead I added about 1 cup of chicken broth.

*I used reduced fat condensed cream of chicken soup.

I made whole wheat biscuits to add on the top. This stuff makes a ton so we had enough for dinner the next night. Instead, I put the mixture in an au gratin dish and added Pillsbury crescent dough to the top and backed according to the package. That was good!

Cheers!

Saturday in Granbury

2011-10-15T22:06:00.101-05:00

This morning we woke up too ducks, lots of little ducks. They were just quacking away. It was great! I tried to feed them some bread but they got spooked and swam away.

After mingling with the ducks I made breakfast. That is what is great about staying in vacation rentals vs. hotels. You have your own fully equipped kitchen and can cook up whatever you want!

So, I made an omelet with the left over veggies from last night and paired that with cinnamon rolls from Central Market.

I relaxed with a bit of knitting while Jeff studied.

Then we took Millie for a swim in her life jacket. She was not to pleased, unfortunately. We are going to give it another shot tomorrow to see how she does. She does, however, rather enjoy barking at the ducks.

Later, we drove to the square to have dinner at The Loft. The square is so cute! This place was very nice and cozy. Quiet too for a Saturday but I liked it that way. I pretended that we were at a restaurant in Victoria!

We started with Beer Cheese Dip for an appetizer

I had a wonderful salad with fried goat cheese on top! I love goat cheese so much but when it is fried I think I might like it even more. Texas State Fair, take note please.

Then I had crab cakes for dinner. Yet another favorite thing of mine. Once I see crab cakes on a menu I have trouble focusing on anything else. These crab cakes were mighty tasty!

Then, when we got back to the lake house we had a little taste of the top layer of our wedding cake. My mom says that this is tradition, to freeze the top layer, thaw it out, and eat it on your first year wedding anniversary.

I was very excited about this because, I remember how yummy that cake was. It was the only thing that I ate at my wedding, my only regret...I did not eat any of the food and we had crab cakes!! Ugh. So, I cut the wedding cake, while reminiscing about the wedding and how much fun I had, with a bit of banter back and forth with Jeff forcing him to have a bite even though he was stuffed.

Unfortunately folks, year old thawed out frozen cake tastes like dirt. It sure looks pretty though.

Much to my disappointment, dirt cake does not taste so hot. So, to perk me back up my dear sweet husband pulled out a gift and it was in an Anthropologie bag!!!!!

My gift came in a lovely little cloth bag.

It was a lovely ring that he thoughtfully picked out for me. I can't believe that he actually went in there by himself!

A very perfect end to a nice day at the lake house.

Cheers!

Granbury,Texas Pop. 5,718

2011-10-14T21:15:00.049-05:00

Fort Worth, Texas Pop. 741,206. Sometimes is it nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of the hometown. I have never considered Fort Worth very big, until now. The nice thing about Fort Worth is that it is close to many things. Texas it big enough that it is always pretty easy to find something to do, especially if you get a little creative.

A year ago this weekend I got married. It is hard to believe it has been a year! We went to Victoria, BC, for our honeymoon. I would have loved to go back for our one year anniversary, but unfortunately that just was not in the cards this time. Hopefully next year! But, I wanted to get a way and do something fun somewhat resembling our stay at that wonderful B&B. It was beautiful and right on the water with the mountains in the background and forest behind. The best of all worlds! So, trying to find something somewhat similar, I decided a lake house rental on Granbury Lake it would be! Plus, we get to take Millie with us! She has never been on vacation with us or swimming so I bought her a life jacket to be on the safe side.

To prepare for the weekend I of course had to stop at Central Market to pick up a few goodies and some wine.

When we arrived we found a bottle of champagne with a nice little happy anniversary note from the owners of the lake house. A very sweet surprise!

We unpacked and then went straight for the goodies, summer sausage, cheese, and crackers. This seems to be a common theme with us. When we arrive to our vacation destination we break out the summer sausage, cheese and crackers. Yum.

After we settled in a bit I started grilling. I am not certain when the last time the grill was cleaned because much to my surprise, there was a huge inferno because of all the burned food bits in the bottom of the grill. Fear set in that it was going to explode and burn the nice little lake house down. But, we got that all under control and fortunately my steaks turned out just fine.

Then, we ended the night with a movie and Millie managed to make herself comfortable.

Cheers!

ACL 2011!

2011-09-19T21:17:00.007-05:00

Ah, Austin, I love thee. What a great place we have here in Texas. I love Austin. The food, the people, the culture, the parks, and the music!

My husband and I drove down on Friday and our friends joined us Saturday and Sunday. We stayed at the cutest little place called Zilker Cottage. It was about a mile walk to ACL and worked out pretty well for us. This place was awesome and I loved the patio! The landlords of the property were so nice, very accommodating, and easily accessible by text!

This festival has great music to listen too all day. The fun part for me is discovering new bands that I come to love. But, the second best part is the fantastic food that Austin has to offer! Fort Worth, take note!

There is the absolute best Taco place in Austin called Torchy's. Every time we visit we it is a must that we stop and eat there. This visit, we ate Torchy's every day! They have a food booth at ACL every year too which makes it all the more easy to eat Torchy's every day. I am drooling right now just thinking about it. So, for Sunday,what better thing to do than have a Torchy's breakfast taco.

But, since there are so many other fantastic places to eat in Ausin...we needed more than just tacos so...Gourdoughs was the next breakfast stop. All thanks goes to our friends who went scouting breakfast for us. OMG. Gourdoughs is not messing around. Let me tell you, talk about heart attack waiting to happen, but oh soooooooooooooooooooooooo freaking fantastic!

Jeff had the "Mother Clucker."

Of course I had to taste it and yes, it was ridiculous, kind of like chicken and waffles.

I had the "Flying Pig." The best doughnut I have ever had and I ate the whole entire thing and did not regret it one bit!

Then, we ate even more at the festival. Another festival favorite is Boomerang's Pies. This is the best dang meat/veggie pie ever! Guinness Steak and Potato Pie our favorite.

Yes, we eat a metric ton during this weekend every year. But, I justify it by all the walking that we do. It is a weekend I look forward to every year! Oh, and the music was fantastic too!!

Oh Men, Why Can't They Remember Anything?

2011-09-10T20:38:00.035-05:00

I say that very lovingly! My dear sweet husband forgot to ask for next weekend off. The weekend we have been planning for oh....about a year. Next weekend is ACL. We have been going for the past few years. Didn't go last year because we got married right around the same time of ACL. So, we both have been looking so forward to this year.

On Friday, I asked my dear husband if he asked off of work. He said, "sure, I am sure I did." Well while I was finishing up mile 2 on the treadmill a the gym today I got a text that said he apparently did not ask of and was scheduled to work all next weekend. My heart sank and my time at the gym abruptly came to a halt.

So, even more disappointed than me, he frantically started searching for people to help cover his shift. When he found a gracious person to cover for him, I was relived and offered to make cookies! But, apparently this guy does not really eat sweets and Jeff asked if I could make enchiladas. Enchiladas?? Um.....sure, no problem at all.

I have never made enchiladas before in my life. Don't get me wrong. I live in Texas with some of the best Mexican food in the US and I have eaten my weight in enchiladas I am sure. But making them...a whole different story. Fortunately, with my yearly visits to Santa Fe, I happened to have a great recipe for some pretty easy peasy enchiladas from the Santa Fe School of Cooking. Oh man, my lifeline for this endeavor. So, I give you the The Santa Fe School of Cooking Green Chile Enchiladas!

Green Chile Sauce

1/4 c. vegetable oil

1 c. chopped onion

2-3 t. minced garlic

1-2 T. flour

2/3 c. mild, roasted, peeled and chopped New Mexican green chile

2/3 c. hot, roasted, peeled and chopped New Mexican green chile

freshly ground coriander seed to taste, optional

1 1/2 c. chicken stock

salt to taste

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and saute the onion until softened, about 3-4 minutes.

2. Add the garlic and saute 2 minutes more. Stir in the flour. Add the green chile and coriander and slowly stir in the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer about 15 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Chicken Enchiladas

3 c. green chile sauce

16 fresh corn tortillas, about 4 inches in diameter

4 c. cooked, shredded chicken

1 1/2 lbs Monterrey Jack cheese, grated

1 1/2 c. diced onion, or sliced scallions with green tops

2 c. shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce

1 1/2 c. diced tomato

1 1/4 c. sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 9x12 baking dish or pan.

2. Spread about 1 cup of the green chile sauce over the bottom of the dish and layer half of the tortillas evenly over the sauce. Top the tortillas with half the chicken and 1/3 of the cheese and sprinkle with half the onion (for a milder onion flavor, use scallions). Repeat for the second layer and top with the last cup of sauce and remaining cheese. Bake 20-30 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned.

3. To serve, spoon portions onto dinner places, garnish with shredded lettuce, diced tomato and top with 2 tablespoons sour cream. Serve with pinto beans and posole.

Cheers!!

Never Put A Sock In A Toaster

2011-09-05T19:39:00.023-05:00

...thank you Eddie Izzard for that bit of advice! Nope, I would never put a sock in a toaster and especially not one that I knitted myself! I love knitting socks. I think socks are my favorite thing to knit but, they are a bit time consuming. So, here are the latest pair:

The color is sapphire. They sparkle!

They are a gift and who they are going to be gifted to has to remain a secret...for now!

Cheers!

In The Moment

2011-09-02T20:33:00.000-05:00

I have been missing the Pacific Northwest lately. So, it is only fitting....

Cheers!

Happy Things

2011-09-01T20:08:00.008-05:00

Well, just in time for another happy things post...this arrived in my mailbox today.

I love Stella and Dot and their packaging makes me happy. I actually won a gift card at the last Stella and Dot party I went to. Lucky me! That does not happen very often. If you need a S&D stylist let me know because I know a good one!

Cheers!

In The Moment

2011-08-26T18:01:00.000-05:00

I am hot and so is she. She looks miserable.

So hot and miserable that she is digging her claws into the bed.

Oh yes, hot and miserable but not toooo hot and miserable to get up and sniff the camera.

Cheers!

Happy Things

2011-08-25T20:08:00.000-05:00

Handmade things are happy things. I love handmade gifts that have thought and meaning behind them. Today, a good friend, "J", stopped by to bring us a gift. He is extremely talented and made us 2 gorgeous shelves out of wooden wine boxes. Our other good friend "H" is a Sommelier and apparently has access to many wooden wine boxes. So, very talented "J" turns trash into treasure. He even hung them for me!

Fancy wine box #1; a nice spice rack for the kitchen:

I love the detail that he added inside the shelf.

He also added this cute little shelf that I put my vintage pigs on.

Fancy wine box #2; a nice shelf for my newly remodeled bedroom:

A side view with the original wine box rope handle.

There is actually a hidden shelf with a sliding door! This is the part that the wine bottle was package in.

I took down what I had there before and put in another place in the room because I though this fancy wine box shelf fit there perfectly!

So, today is a happy day, thank you J! I told him he needs to sell them on Etsy!

Cheers!

"You Should Sell These"

2011-08-21T21:22:00.000-05:00

That is what Jeff told me this morning during breakfast. I guess that means he liked it!

I took the Hatch Chile scones and made "breakfast scone" with a turkey omelet and Munster cheese. I toasted the scones with butter. Yep, it was yummy.

Happy Sunday! Now, I am going to go work on my knitting. I think this may help bring the Fall weather to Texas sooner.

Cheers!

Market Weekend

2011-08-20T19:16:00.001-05:00

Friday, I split work the minute the clock struck 4:30 and headed straight to the Hatch Chile Festival at Central Market. I look forward to this every year. There are tons of Hatch Chile's to choose from among tons of Hatch Chile Foods...breads, cakes, fajitas, quiches, meatloaf, crab cakes, risotto cakes, and the list goes on.

I stuffed my face with several of my food items before I could get a shot of them but there are 2 things I cannot live without when I go to the Fest...

Hatch Chile Scones and....

Hatch Chile Chocolate Brownie! Yum!

Today, I went with my parents to the Cowtown Farmer's Market. I always head straight for La Latte Dairy. They have the best goat cheese ever. I picked up some onions and split squash with my mom.

Here is a shot of my veggies and the Hatch Chile's! I am going to roast the Chile's, chop them up, and freeze some for later use.

Something else I cannot resist from the Market are the tamales from Hot Tamales. They are to die for!

Jeff ate practically all 12 of them by himself!

After the Market we stopped into Amaryllis. It is a great plant shop right next to the Market. The store owner is so nice and come to find out her daughter-in-law is a Social Worker! She is very knowledgeable on her plants, has great deals, and some great succulents.

I picked up a combo pot for my Grandmother that is very cute!

For myself (of course I could not resist) I got a cute Fittonia. All I need to do is plant it.

The Fittonia is going to take the place of the succulent I had in this pot that actually shriveled up and died because it could not take the heat. Now, I thought that was unheard of! It is almost impossible to kill as succulent!

To finish the day off, a bit of knitting and a girlie movie!

Cheers!

How To Make A Headboard For Your Mattress

2011-08-16T22:15:00.000-05:00

As a part of my recent bedroom makeover I made a headboard for my mattress. It was super simple and only required a few materials.

First, you will need a piece of wood of proper size for your project. I purchased plywood from Home Depot. They will cut it the size you need for free! You will need foam, but, you could also use an egg crate. This may be more economical because I found that foam can be super expensive. You will save yourself about 20-30 bucks going with the egg crate if you get the non-fancy kind, at least from what I can gather. In addition, you will need scissors, a staple gun, hardware to mount the headboard to the wall such as a French cleat, and fabric (I used brown faux leather).

Lay down your fabric, then the foam, then the board.

Trim a bit of the fabric off, however, leave enough to pull over and staple to the back of the wood.

Staple the fabric to the wood.

Then mount your hardware to your headboard (and wall) and hang.

There you have it.

Just a few suggestions. If you use an egg crate I would wrap 2 layers of fabric around so the headboard does not look bumpy. You could take cheap fabric for the first layer and then add your nice fabric as the last layer. Also, you can change this up as much as you want. Decide to change your bed linens? No problem. Just go buy some new fabric to change your headboard up too!

Cheers!

Bedroom Makeover

2011-08-15T20:27:00.000-05:00

I know I have been MIA lately from blogging. There has been a lot going on with my family so I kinda lost my creative gusto for a bit. But, I feel the creative bug has bit me again, especially since it is time to start crafting for Christmas!

I have been thinking about about the fall and winter months because it has been so unbearably hot here! It has been so hot that my spoiled animals that normally relax on the bed or couch have been laying on the hardwood floor because it is cooler there. I may need to do that myself come to think of it. It has been so hot that my wonderful cucumber vine was only able to produce 4 cucumbers before the rest of them shriveled up and died. So did my pumpkin vine that was growing so well. I guess that is what happens when you have plants growing in full sun in the 110 degree temps. Next year I will start growing a bit sooner and take extra precautions to keep them sheltered from this scorching heat. It has been so hot and dry my grass is a very interesting dried up shade of orange. Something have never experienced before.

So, what is one to do in the heat? Redecorate! I have been working on this for several weeks but it all came to fruition this weekend after I painted the room. I love it! Here are the before photos of my previously drab bedroom:

Yep, pretty bad, I know!

And for the after:

To start things out, we got a new mattress. Good-bye circa 1980's mattress. You served us very well but some things will always need to be upgraded and a mattress is one of them. I have been sleeping like a baby ever since!

I also made a headboard. I have been wanting to do this for a while. I think it adds a lot to the room. I don't know why I did not do thins sooner. It not in my budget right now to buy a fancy bed frame but I think this headboard will do quite nicely for a while. I will post a tutorial on it tomorrow. It was super easy to make.

New lamp from T.J. Maxx!

My mom painted this picture when she was in either high school or college. I love it and it goes with the colors of the room perfectly! I decided to hang it on the wall above my bedside table. I think it is perfect there.

This picture my Uncle took in Crested Butte, Colorado. I have the other 2 that go with this picture hanging in my bathroom. They are so beautiful and remind me of happy times. I had it hung somewhere else in the room before but I think it is better under this little shelf. I picked up a nice blue tea light holder at Target on clearance so I put it on top of this little shelf. It is a bit hard to see it though.

Ah, my curtains. It it is amazing how much curtains will do to a room. I'm telling you, curtains are the bomb. What is even more bomb is that I got these curtains from the Family Dollar for 10 bucks a panel. Thank you very much.

I put my shadow boxed back in the same place and had to display the cake topper my sister made for my wedding. I love it and it will always be a piece of art in my house. The decorative piece of wood with "love" on it my dad made. He was a wood shop teacher before he became a bit time business man! I love that this room incorporates the artistic side of different members of my family.

I moved these candle holders from over the bed to the dresser. I need to add a picture or decal to complete this, however, for now it will do.

Ziggy enjoys the new bed and bed linens.

All new bed linens for my new mattress and headboard thanks to Bed Bath and Beyond. I want to put something on the wall above the bed but I have not found that perfect thing yet. When I do I will post.

I used Silver Drop paint from Behr. It was actually my mom's idea. She thought it would compliment the hall and living room that I painted French Gray a few months back. She was right. It looks great I think! Sorry the lighting is a little off in these pictures. I have a fancy camera that I still don't know how to use properly! :-)

Cheers!

Chalkboard Quote of the Week

2011-07-24T20:59:00.000-05:00

I am bringing back the Chalkboard Quote of the Week. This quote of the week was sparked by a discussion that I had with my husband one night. So, here it is, courtesy of Jeff.

"Ambition and satisfaction cannot coexist. If you're satisfied, you're not ambitious, and if you're ambitious, you're never satisfied."

Cheers!

I Have Fallen Off the Blogosphere.

2011-07-23T20:22:00.006-05:00

Yes, it is true. I have been M.I.A for quite some time now. I have been in a bit of bloggy funk which tends to happen from time to time and I think that is OK. But, I have missed it. I have been up to many projects. I have been taking pictures of said projects but just not blogging about them. Maybe it is the 100 plus degree heat that is zapping the life out of me, or maybe I am just being a bit lazy! But, nevertheless, I am getting the bug to blog again. So, to start off...this is a small little post, but there is certainly more to come. I have tons of pictures in my camera that are waiting to be posted!

A little elf left lanterns on my porch a while ago.

I figured they needed a bit of color and they needed to be hung on my front porch to go along with the re-do I did a few months back.

There are still few more things that I need to do to finalize this re-do...small things...but they are coming and I will post about them.

I hope everyone has been well and did not give up on me!

Happy blogging and Cheers!

Friday In Santa Fe

2011-06-17T22:21:00.000-05:00

Our last day in Santa Fe, so bittersweet. I know I need to go home and resume my reality but I just don't want to leave. I love the air, mountains, peacefulness, and the sense of spirit here in NM. Santa Fe has the ability to be very healing and my family has been through so much these past few months. While there are still some wounds that are going to take much time to heal, I think being here may have helped just a little.

We ended our trip well by going to the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. Now this is a lady who knew how to live life.

Photo courtesy of Art Marketing Secrets

I think I can learn alot from her. Her story is amazing and I love her artwork. She was very talented in so many different ways. She even loved cooking! So, of course I had to get "A Painter's Kitchen" and I can't wait to start cooking from it. There is something about her that is just like NM; peaceful and spiritual.

After the museum we had lunch at The Cowgirl.

I had a pulled pork BBQ sandwich that was featured on the Food Network.

My sister had the best frito pie ever!

And then there was dessert! Yum! Lots and lots of chocolate.

After that I went back to the Casita and took the best nap ever!

Cheers to Santa Fe!

Thursday In Santa Fe

2011-06-16T23:31:00.062-05:00

Today we were a bit lazy in the morning. We started things off with lunch at Dish n' Spoon Cafe.

I think this has been my most favorite part of the trip. The owners of the cafe were so sweet and welcoming and the food was amazing! This is a lovely little cafe off of the plaza area in a historic adobe building. The lady owner told us the story of the building and how it was a grocery storefront owned by Vivian Griego.

The original deli case is still in the cafe which gives it tons of vintage charm and they have it decorated very sweet! We will defiantly be going back!

I had Chicken Cranberry Salad on a bed of lettuce.

My sister had Curry Chicken Salad on a bed of lettuce

My mom had a delicious salad, the Yum Yum Lunch Salad.

My cousin had the best Chicken Pot Pie ever and I did not take a picture of it. It was devoured! Oh my, this was so delicious. It was so light and fluffy, yum!

You can really tell they use all organic materials. The food speaks for itself. You must go there if you ever find yourself in Santa Fe, you won't be sorry!

After lunch we did a bit more shopping. I found myself mesmerized with Oleaceae. The store is full of stainless steel vats of infused vinegars and olive oils. You can taste every single one before purchasing! I picked up peach infused vinegar to make toss salads. I am even going to put a few drops in my water for a refreshing treat. I also got jalapeno olive oil. The people that were working the store were so very helpful and knowledgeable. I think they could have sold me one of everything in the place!

Then, after shopping, my mom and I stopped by the La Fonda for Sangria!

Cheers!

Wednesday In Santa Fe

2011-06-15T22:31:00.001-05:00

Today we ventured off to Madrid, NM. It is an old coal mining town. I reminded me a lot of our trips to Crested Butte as a child. This was an artsy and funky town. I knew it would be neat when I stepped out of the car, saw an awesome little coffee shop, heard a Kings of Leon song playing in the distance, and saw a man riding on a unicycle down the middle of the street. A picture I wish I could have captured. Our first stop w as the best little thrift store in town, Redbone. They had so many wonderful things.

There were many a vintage boot to choose from.

Then we stumbled upon Java Junction. This store suited all my needs iced coffee and shopping. I purchased a cute little funky people red maxi dress from this fantastic little coffee shop.

After shopping we built up an appetite and stopped at The Hollar for lunch.

Fried pickles after a long morning of shopping is very necessary.

I had a goat cheese salad. OMG, the goat cheese was fantastic. It was crispy, warm, and delicious!

We stopped in a few more shops but I loved this one. The lady working was so sweet. She said they had been open for only 2 weeks and their grand opening is this Saturday. She and a few of her friends opened the place. It is a screen printing shop. They have screen printed tote bags for only 7 bucks!

So, here is my screen printed tote bag which I love and find very clever and also a cute little owl purse I found while out shopping.

After a long day we came back to the casita and I did a bit more spinning. There is nothing like spinning in NM! It was meant to be. :-)

Cheers!

Tuesday In Santa Fe

2011-06-14T20:20:00.001-05:00

This morning we got up early and went to the Santa Fe Farmers Market.

There was a lady that was selling her hand dyed and handspun yarn. It was beautiful and very inspiring. Even this little guy liked her stuff!

There were tons of fresh greens to choose from.

My favorite is the Intergalactic Bread Company. She has the most wonderful breads.

I picked up green Chile cheese, apple elderberry, and pumpkin pinon. When we got back to the casita they were eaten up in minutes!

Here is all our loot from the market.

My parents too my cousin to the museum and my sister, niece and I stayed back home. We jammed out to some Gypsy Kings while my sister made brunch.

She made Quiche with the jalapeno pepper from my garden.

A fantastic salad with a cucumber from my garden, some steamed veggies and whole wheat bread!

Later I spun some yarn that I had been working on at home while the girls watched. I gave them a mini lesson but hope to give them a really good lesson this week! They seem really interested and that excites me!

Of course I had to get a picture of my spinning briefcase.

We also went to the Jackalope for bit of shopping. They have Prairie Dogs there. They are really cute!

Then to Gabriel's for dinner we went! The best ever Guacamole. They make it for you right at your table.

I had black bean enchiladas. Yum!

Cheers!

Monday In Santa Fe

2011-06-13T23:02:00.038-05:00

Another beautiful day in Santa Fe. We took it easy this morning which was really nice. My dad and I went for a little hike and when we came back to the casita my sister made banana/granola and blueberry pancakes along with fruit salad and a bird in a nest! Hiking in this altitude is tough so we were hungry when we got back!

Then for a bit more relaxing and hanging out be fore we took off for the day. My poor little V is sick. We had to pick up meds for her and I hope that she will be good as new soon so she can enjoy SF with us.

Mimi stayed back with V and the rest of us had lunch at Upper Crust Pizza. My sister and I shared the whole wheat sunny chicken pesto pizza. Fantastic! The pizza is great. You can't get a whole wheat pizza back home that I am aware of unless you make it yourself. This was dang good! Thank you Upper Crust! We sat on the patio. The weather was great and there was a nice breeze. The people that worked there were great too.

A shot of the nice little area we ate in. Great views all around.

After pizza we went shopping of course. My younger cousin Phoebe got a cute little purse she had her eye on yesterday and also picked up a few buttons to put on it from Santa Fe Hemp. She is 11 so I am sure she found the store very interesting. But, I love this store and my sister did too so I am glad about that! I could not resist this necklace.

I love owls and this necklace is so very charming.

We also went to Todos Santos! The best chocolates and confections in Santa Fe if you ask me plus it has a Dia de los Muertos theme. I mean, you can't possibly beat that! The people the work there are consistent, the same people that have been working there since I started going several years back, and they are friendly so that is an added bonus. As usual I had to purchase a "box of chocolates" and a few little extras. I also had to get a little something special for V since she has been sick.

We also stopped by Miriam's Well. I love this store and go here mainly for woolies to spin.Miriam is a very eccentric and lovely lady that owns the place.

Unfortunately, she was on vacation. I guess we can let this one slide since everyone deserves a vacation. The very nice lady holding down the fort said that Miriam will be back on Wednesday so my sister and I will go back. I think Thursday will be the day we go to La Boca as well. That will be a good day! I wish we had a place like La Boca where I am from.

Well, geeze, back to what is most important...the woolies!

I picked up 100% Targhee and a Merino pencil roving. Pencil roving is so easy to spin with. For me, there is no predafting required and is it very simple for me to spin a thin and consistent yarn. There is something about Santa Fe that makes me feel even more creative and makes me want to create even more than when I am at home. It must be the calm spirit of Santa Fe. I could just knit and spin all day in Santa Fe. So, that is what I have been doing, the knitting part anyway. But, as usual, I brought the old reliable wheel too so I am going to spin some too while I am here. I have been working on knitting a hat for my uncle. I really have never knit a hat before so we will see how it turns out. I figure if I can knit socks I can knit a hat!

Oh, Santa Fe, if it were not for my hubby staying back home while I am here I may never leave!

Cheers to another great day in Santa Fe!

Sunday In Santa Fe

2011-06-12T23:55:00.082-05:00

Santa Fe is so nice this time of year. In Texas we are already hitting 100 degree temps. Frankly, I am not cut out for that. Santa Fe on the other hand is about 80 degrees for the high and 50 for the low. However, the locals think that is hot! To me, it is perfect! Today I got up and went for a hike around the land where we are staying. I forgot a bit about the altitude. I was huffing and puffing afterwards but it made for a great workout! When I got back I had a "great start breakfast" waiting for me. One of my favorite things to eat for breakfast is granola, yogurt, and berries.

However, I think I may have a new favorite thing to eat for breakfast...a bird in a nest! My sister started making this for me during her visits and as a matter of fact she will be making it for me tomorrow morning and I will be sure to share it with you.

After breakfast we all got ready to go to mass with my dad at Cathedral Basilica. This is pretty much a tradition for us every Sunday we are in Santa Fe. My dad really loves it.

After Mass we headed over to the La Fonda for lunch. Much to my surprise, my favorite jewelry designer, Rocki Gorman, moved her shop to the La Fonda so after lunch we headed over there. Might I say I want one of every frigging thing in the place. I have my eyes on a pair of dragonfly earrings and may just hop back over there at the end of the week to purchase them. My favorite sales lady was not there which was a bit disappointing but, it was all good because I am in Santa Fe!

Well, anyhoo, back to lunch. I had tortilla soup and shared crab cakes with my mom.

I can't resist either one typically and had to have the the tortilla soup so I was happy when my mom wanted to share the crab cakes. The Pink Adobe also has some awesome crab cakes. I hope to swing in there too before the end of this little vacation.

My sister had a yummy little goat cheese, veggie, and fingerling potato tart. I love goat cheese. :-)

For dessert, Flan!

My niece Violet loved it!

After lunch we shopped a bit and I picked up a huge can of Chile powder and blue corn meal from the Santa Fe School of Cooking. I love this place. You just can't visit Santa Fe and not go in here. Also, they have the best cooking classes and demos. A must do!

Then we headed back to the casita to relax. I read my Spin Off magazine, wrote in my Happy Book and started up a bit of knitting. I crawled up in my little corner and it was the best. I have a perfect view from here and love to leave the door open that leads to the deck to get a nice breeze. I would be happy if I sat here forever.

After everyone was rested my dad grilled while my sister and I took pictures of the scenery with our new cameras.

Tomorrow my sister and I are hitting up the town for shopping, food, and a bit of mischief. :-)

Cheers!

Santa Fe Here I Come!

2011-06-11T00:18:00.000-05:00

It is the wee hours of the morn' and I am about to turn in. I will be getting up at about 4:30am to get ready to head to Santa Fe with my family. I can't wait! We have all had a very rough few months with the loss of 2 family members. I don't think any family should have to loose 1 much less 2 family members in a 2 month time period. So, I hope this trip will provide some comfort.

My garden has been growing quite well! I will be taking this lovely cucumber that I grew all by myself to Santa Fe. I think I may make a tossed salad with it!

Yippee for gardens!

Cheers!

How to Make a Garden Trellis

2011-05-23T19:32:00.000-05:00

I planted cucumbers about 4-6 weeks ago and they are taking off! I am so proud. They are taking off so much that they have no place to go. So, I decided to make a trellis.

All you need are a few wooden dowels (I used 6), some gardening twine, a rubber mallet (or something to help hammer the dowel in the ground) and scissors.

Place the dowels where you want them and hammer them in the ground. I did 2 rows of 3 dowels.

Then, take the gardening twine and start from the bottom up and wrap the twine around the dowels

Take the vines and wrap them up through the twine. Now, you probably already know this but, I should have started sooner that way the vines could have wrapped themselves up the trellis!

I already have little cucumbers growing.

So, there you have it. Easy as can be!

I am also growing cantaloupe...

...and pumpkins...for the first time this year. So, we will see how that goes!

Now, let me introduce you to the Troops!

My troops are a must have and are my little warriors against any garden sneak attack! I have a huge aunt problem and this is where Captain Diatomaceous Earth comes in. Kills them every time! My tomato plants became a bit diseased and so Disease B Gon came into action. I don't think this stuff is entirely organic which is a bummer and I am still on the lookout for an organic disease killer. I love insect killing soap. When the bad guys (spider mites and aphids) attack as they do every year, the insect killing soap wipes them out! Fish fertilizer helps give my soil and plants the nutrients it needs. It has a horrible stank to it and I am certain that has some kind of special bug fighting power!

Cheers!

Porch Perk Up

2011-05-21T17:26:00.000-05:00

My front porch has been looking rather drab. So, I decided it was time to do something about it! I like sitting on the front porch and the back patio but it was missing a sparkle to make sitting out there a bit more fun.

Here is my front door before. I love how red it is. The previous owner painted it that bright red color.

The front porch before.

That little bench was my mothers. I remember it being outside on the patio when I was growing up. I am a bit attached to it which is why I have had it on my porch all these years. But, it is time to let go and switch things up! :-)

I added a cute new rug....

A decal for the door...

...and my yarn wreath from this tutorial over here.

I love succulents so I went to home depot to pick up a few to put in the planters I found for half price at Hobby Lobby!

I have the round table and chairs that go with the bench on the patio in the back yard. I took 2 of the chairs and a little stool that I had and moved them up front and this is what I ended up with.

When that still was not good enough...it was time for spray paint!

Good-bye gold mailbox!

Hello orange mailbox!

Good-bye black chairs and old green stool!

Hello lime green and orange!

I used one of my vintage cloth napkins to make a little table cloth, added a citronella candle and some rosemary.

I have this little hanging plant hanging on the porch too.

I am not quite finished but very close. There are a few small touches that I want to add and when I do I will let you know!

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-11T21:10:00.000-05:00

What a nice way to celebrate mothers, taking a day out of the year just for them! Really, mothers should get more than just a day for all they do. My sister and I made grapefruit marmalade and granola for the mothers in our family. My sister is a creative lady and it was her idea so I just went along for the ride and everything turned out delicious! The granola is fantastic. It is so earthy and refreshing.

We wanted to do a little something special for our mother so...

My sister found this little tray at a thrift store for my mom.

Then, we spray painted it...

...and Mod Podged on some fabric to jazz it up. Kind of like what I did here.

In addition to the marmalade and granola we made we added some passion Tazo tea and a loaf of apple cinnamon Irish soda bread from Sprouts to the tray.

A breakfast fit for a Queen!

Cheers!

Dumpster Diving

2011-05-11T18:27:00.000-05:00

One man's trash is another man's treasure, right? Well, in this case it sure is. I did not go "dumpster diving" per se...however, I did happen on a nice little treasure yesterday afternoon while at work. I was walking down the hall and passed a trash can that someone set outside their door. I noticed a few little green things poking out the top but kept on walking. Then I backed up a bit and looked again. Someone had thrown away a perfectly good pot of assorted succulents! But, I did not want to be gross so I passed it up and walked back to my office. I stood in my office for a few seconds and then went back to the trash can. I looked at it, looked around to see if anyone was watching, peeped through the office door window to see if anyone was in there, and then walked down the hall a bit as to not seem too suspicious. I managed to muster up enough nerve, hurried up to the trash can, and snatched the plant out of the trash. I rushed back to my office so no one would see what I just did and then thoroughly examined the plant. It was still very much alive, had a few dried up bits and pieces and the soil was low. The little aloe in the middle was a bit sad looking and was drooping over to one side. It was obviously suffering the trauma of being tossed in a trash receptical! So, I pruned it a bit, meanwhile my office mate walked and and started laughing at me when she found out what I had done. When 1630 rolled around I took my plant and split. I added a bit of soil to it when I got home and placed it on my front porch. It is so very happy now.

So, dumpster diving is not so bad after all!

Cheers!

In The Moment

2011-05-06T21:37:00.000-05:00

Anthropologie. Need I say more? I love everything about this place and could spend hours there. I love how they "bundle" my clothes in tissue with the little Anthropologie sticker. So, since I love Anthropologie so, I figured this picture would serve as my "In The Moment" post, because when I am shopping in there, I am totally in the moment!

After work today I met up with my mom and sister at Blue Mesa. They have he best happy hour! You get free tacos and nachos when you purchase a drink! It was a long Friday so a few Mojitos were in order. After a few hours of chatting we went over to Anthropologie. It was so much fun. We were in there for a long time because we all just kept finding more and more treasures that we could not resist!

After Anthropologie we went over to Williams-Sonoma. We each had a shot of espresso from the Pixie machine. I love this machine. It pours a perfect shot with a perfect amount of crema on top. This espresso machine is not messing around either. That was quite the jolt I needed to keep me away for several more hours! My sister also honed in on the Beekman Boys heirloom seeds package. This is quite a package too. I know she is going to grow some great heirloom plants. Go Beekman!

It was a very nice Friday evening, a great way to start the weekend! Now, we must get working on Mother's Day gifts!

Feliz Cinco De Mayo!

2011-05-05T20:55:00.000-05:00

Today is Cinco De Mayo, which means the fifth of May. It is celebrated because of the Mexican Army's defeat over the French at the Battle of Puebla. In order to celebrate, in Texas, people gorge themselves on Mexican food and have a fiesta! My sister has been visiting so we had our little fiesta at home and made chicken tacos. Can't go wrong with a taco on Cinco De Mayo!

Even sauteing the peppers was like a fiesta in a skillet with all the colors!

I love this skillet too. It is huge and you and put a ton of stuff in there. A wedding gift courtesy of the MIL.

Happy Things

2011-05-05T20:44:00.001-05:00

I love granola. I especially love yogurt, granola, and berries for breakfast. I first ate this fantastic breakfast treat at the Chocolate Maven. They call it the Great Start Breakfast. Yes, I have to agree...it is a great start to any day! I have been taking it to work with me and it gives me the refreshing jolt I need to begin the day! Our Santa Fe trip is right around the corner and I believe I will be heading to the Maven for breakfast one morning, I can't wait!

Liberate Creativity Guest Post Day!

2011-05-02T07:26:00.001-05:00

Hi Everyone! Today is my guest post day over at Liberate Creativity! Be sure to check it out! I did a little guest post on how to make a yarn wreath and had so much fun doing it. I am very pleased that I had this opportunity. I also have been spinning a lot of yarn and I will post that to Etsy later today for my grand re-opening. So, please start looking for that. I will post when I have re-opened. Now, go check out the Liberate Creativity site. It is wonderful!

Back In Business...Almost

2011-04-26T20:11:00.000-05:00

I am working on spinning yarn for my Etsy shop. I decided a few months back that I would make my Etsy shop all thing fiber to narrow my focus a bit. Plus, it gives me a great excuse to spin yarn! So I have been replenishing my roving supply and purchased roving from Corgi Hill Farm.

The one to the left is "waltz" and the one to the right is "gecko"

My package also came with a nice little surprise of candy and a little bit of bonus wool!

So, I got to work and spun up the Gecko in a double ply. I will be posting this in the shop soon.

I have a trip to Santa Fe coming up in June and plan to stock up on even more roving then. I hope to take a little side trip to Taos too! They have the best woolies there!

Food Blog Post Again

2011-04-19T19:53:00.001-05:00

OK, we are going on 3 days in a row of food blogs which is not my forte but...this one is worthy of it! I used the pasta from the Farmers Market and a recipe from their website (winter tomato). Honestly, this recipe was fantastic. I have not had pasta this great in a while. It was healthy, light, and did not leave me feeling heavy like pasta can do to me often.

I just boiled whole wheat pappardelle and added tomatoes in oil, red pepper flakes, and parmesan. That is it and only it takes about 10 minutes tops to prepare! To go along with it, I also made a goat cheese and balsamic vinaigrette tossed salad, and whole wheat sourdough (which I also got from the Artisan Baking Co.) garlic bread toasted in a cast iron skillet. Paired with a glass of red wine you might even think you are in Italy!

I will be returning to the Market this weekend for more pasta!

Cheers!

Mmmmmmm, Tacos!

2011-04-18T20:12:00.000-05:00

Well, 2 days in a row of food titles. Yep, I like food. But, I also like to keep it healthy. Who says healthy food can't be good? That is why I subscribe to Cooking Light magazine. Nope, this is not an add and nope I am not trying to sell you anything, even though that is what things are summing up to sound like!

These Ancho Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Slaw and Avocado Cream were delish!

They were very easy to make and you can find the recipe here so make it! :-)

Cheers!

Have I Mentioned I Love Omelets?

2011-04-17T19:04:00.008-05:00

Well, I am sure I have. I usually don't cook breakfast during the week because it takes all I can muster just to get out of bed and make it to work on time-ish. But, on the weekends I love to make breakfast and typically this consists of eggs mainly in the form of an omelet. You can stuff an omelet with so much, the possibilities are quite endless.

My sister has guinea's and chickens and she left with me a bunch of their little hen eggs. I love the pale green guinea eggs. They are so stinkin' cute! I would love to have a few hens and collect their eggs but I am not certain if Jeff will agree to that!

This egg in particular I think is very smart. It is pointy at both ends! Now that is an egg!

So, I decided I would use that little pointy egg and one other to make my morning omelet (and of course one for Jeff too, I don't starve him too much).

I also used some of the goat cheese from the Farmer's market to stuff the omelet with and also sauteed up some sliced turkey meat to stuff in as well. Oh, it was yummy. I love goat cheese, especially in an omelet.

Sometime this week I am going to try the handmade pasta I picked up at the market too. I really need that kitchen aid pasta maker attachment because I would love to learn how to make pasta myself. My sister has a pasta maker and she loves it! Stay tuned for how the pasta turns out. I am going to toss it with olive oil, red pepper flakes, and sun dried tomatoes. Yum!

I enjoyed my omelet and coffee while furthering my gardening education with my new favorite book, Grow Great Grub.

Now, I am off to spin some yarn. I am getting geared up to have my Etsy re-opening in soon!

Cheers and Happy Weekend!

Marching Around Town

2011-04-16T21:19:00.002-05:00

This morning I woke up bright and early for the March of Dimes March for Babies. Some of the girls from work and I decided we would walk in honor of a friend who's baby died in September. It was also nice to walk for my own family who has experienced the loss of a little one. It is amazing how many premature babies are born everyday. I guess I am more aware of this now since I work in a NICU. What technology, doctors, and nurses are able to do for these little tiny people on a daily basis never ceases to amaze me. There was quite a turn out, tons of people. All the girls I walked with have amazingly long and seemingly quick legs. Me on the other hand, not so much. Short legs here with a very short stride. They smoked me! So, my sweet intern stayed back and walked with me as I moved my short little legs as fast as they could go! She has long legs like the rest of them but I guess she wanted a passing grade from her field instructor so she did not mind staying behind! :-) But, I feel refreshed and am glad that I was able to walk for a great cause. It was such a beautiful morning!

After my walk I was famished. Funny how walking makes me hungry. All I could think about was food. Maybe I could have moved faster if someone was dangling food in front of me on the path. Hm, come to think of it, whale watching makes me hungry too, I needed a steak after that! I guess there is a correlation with outdoor activities making me hungry. But, anyhoo...since it was a bit too early for me to have a steak, I wandered over the the Black Rooster Bakery to pick up a fun little lunch to take home. This is a fantastic bakery. You feel like you are right smack in the middle of a French bakery. Not that I have ever been to France before but when I do go I imagine that this place is what the bakeries will look like there! The people in the bakery are so nice too and it smells wonderful! Ah, fresh baked bread in the morning. This place could be addicting for me. After I picked up the sandwiches (turkey, Gruyere, and marinated tomato) and the pecan pie bar I could not resist (but I burned like 2, 000 calories walking so what the heck right?), I went over to Zoe's, for fresh fruit and pasta salad to go along with the sandwiches. I also got some hibiscus tea for myself. I absolutely love hibiscus tea!

After I had all the necessities for lunch I slipped in to Barnes and Noble to get a copy of Grow Great Grub by Gayla Trail. She has a blog too. My sister had this book with her when she came to visit and I love it! It's an easy and fun read about urban gardening. Just looking at the cover of it makes me happy for some reason. It is very inspirational.

Now, speaking of hibiscus tea, I made a pot of my own. This is the real stuff too. I have Jamaican Hibiscus flowers that I got this past summer in New Mexico. It has a bit of a more earthy flavor too it, if that is at all possible, but it wonderful!

So, all I did was boil some water and dump in the flowers...

...let it simmer for a verrrrry long time...

...and then poured it into a little tea pitcher, added ice, and viola...enjoy! This is really good stuff!

So, other things I did today was set off my house alarm. I set the alarm when I laid down to take a nap after my walk today. Then, I got up, turned on the music for a little house cleaning motivation, and let my dog out. The sounds from the music muted the alarm beeping to my ears. So, meanwhile, I am outside watering my garden and playing with Millie while inside my phone is ringing several times because the alarm company is calling to check on me. I walk inside the house, hear the alarm freaking out, run to my phone to see missed calls and messages from my alarm company, frantically call the alarm company to tell them I am an idiot but, they tell me they already dispatched a police officer (which is johnny on the spot customer service if you ask me!). I asked to cancel the dispatch but, unfortunately, not in enough time because seconds later a rather lovely cop shows up to my house to ask if I am OK. At this moment I am so frigging embarrassed while standing on my front porch in my pajamas (which fortunately were very cute) telling my little story while very apologetic to the lovely little cop for my idiotic lapse in cognitive ability. But it is nice to know, if I need to be rescued for whatever the purpose, the cops will show up in exactly 3 minutes! Now that is service!

Maybe I should go back to bed. Obviously my brain is malfunctioning!

Cheers!

In The Moment

2011-04-15T21:06:00.000-05:00

Flowers for Papa....

You are always in my thoughts. I can hear your voice just as if we are sitting in the same room talking...

Happy Things

2011-04-14T17:53:00.000-05:00

The Fabulous Beekman Boys! They make me so happy! I love their show and is pretty much the reason I live for TV on Tuesday (well aside from Glee anyway). I love their llama, Polka Spot. She has so much personality. Oh, and the goats and Farmer John! Farmer John is so great! You can actually watch their goats on a goat cam. Check out their website where they sell all their wonderful things. The Fabulous Beekman boys, watch it on Planet Green. It WILL make you happy, I guarantee!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

2011-04-12T20:46:00.001-05:00

Every spring I really enjoy perking up my gardens. I have one in the front yard that is mainly a shade garden and then one in the back yard underneath my kitchen window is full sun. It takes a lot of work but lately I have found much joy in it. It allows me to think or not to think. It is just a great time to de-stress. So, over the past few weeks I have been getting the soil prepped. I have a pesky ant problem but a bit of diatomaceous earth fixes that problem in just a few days. So, I laid down a layer of diatomaceous earth in both beds. Then a few days to help my soil out a bit I added fish emollient. Now, this stuff STINKS! It smells like a dirty fish tank. Blah! But, this dirty fish tank smell works wonder for the soil. I planted new plants and moved a few others around to keep things fresh and healthy. Then a few days after that I laid down a layer of Moo-nuer and cypress mulch on top of that.

This weekend my sister and I went to Jo-Ann's because they were having a good sale and they tend to have cute yard ornaments. I was able to get 2 nice wind chimes and a few other cute little decorations for the yard.

Over the past few weeks I have collected an assortment of veggies and herbs from the farmers market and Home Depot. So, now in my Kitchen window garden, which has been my main focus, I have growing daisies, rose geranium, tarragon, mums, and red hot pokers...all from years past. New things I have growing are diva cucumbers (I need to make a trellis when they start growing), parsley, strawberries, bell peppers, jalapenos, and palmer tomatoes.

So, here is my backyard "kitchen window' garden re-vamp:

can you see Cedella peeking out the window at the ornament?

The back yard is still a W.I.P. My plan is to spray paint the patio furniture and I would love to screen it in! But we will see about that!

I can't wait until my veggies start growing. There is something so satisfying about being able to cut something from your garden to cook with!

I don't have pictures of my front yard garden because I am still working on it. The plants in that garden have been their for years. I have rosemary, thyme, sage growing along with an assortment of bulb flowers, dusty miller, and columbine. I had the most wonderful lavender plant growing but it died during the winter storms we had here in February. Ah, my heart breaks over it! So, I am on the search for another lavender plant and some basil!

Cheers everyone and happy gardening!

In the Moment

2011-04-08T18:05:00.001-05:00

Her favorite spot in the house. Her little perch where she can watch the birds and squirrels. I wonder what she is dreaming about?

Happy Cupcakes

2011-04-07T19:08:00.004-05:00

I love cupcakes. Probably more so than cake. Cupcakes are happy little tasty pieces of heaven! They come in all sizes, flavors, and colors. Not to mention the endless possibilities of decorating them! I also love going into cupcake stores. That makes me happy for some reason. The cute little box they come in and packaged all sweetly. We have a few little cupcake storefronts here in Funky Town. One of them is J. Rae's. Lucky for me, it is right next door to my salon! I makes me happy just to walk past it and I don't even have to go in! Even luckier for me is my sister visiting and making cupcakes. Oh man...talk about heaven!

Cowtown Farmers Market

2011-04-02T16:16:00.000-05:00

This morning my sister and I ventured out to the best little farmers market in town! She wanted to find a good farmers market in town and honestly I had no idea this one existed. I have seen a few markets here and there but now one like this! This market reminds me of the market we go to in Santa Fe. There were handmade cheeses, breads, homegrown herbs and veggies, home roasted coffee, and soap products! We were in heaven!

The vendors at this market are so friendly and more than happy to give you pointers and tips on veggies and growing them. They are truly a bunch of happy people!

We stopped at every vendor's booth and everyone had something unique to offer. This market is strictly all home grown Texas farmers. No imports are allowed. So, you know when you are purchasing something from this market you know you are supporting your local farmers.

We picked up some of the best goat cheese I have ever tasted from Latte Da Dairy. Of course we could not resist buying some bread too from Artisan Baking Co. He has some of the most wonderful breads and the aromas were amazing. This bread we picked up for my Grandmother. But next week we are getting some for ourselves!

We also got tomato plants and I got 2 cucumber plants.

We met the nicest man at the Wildflower Soaps booth. His bath bombs were on sale and I am a sucker for bath bombs! My sister also picked up Too Shea, it is a shea butter salve and smells and feels fantastic.

Then, we found the Hot Tamalez booth. Folks, if you live locally you better get over to this market next Saturday. These tamales are AWESOME. And, the best part is, she has samples to try! We got the chipotle beef tamales and black bean and corn tamales for my parents who are avid tamale lovers!

So far, today has been a very happy day. It is a beautiful day outside. I think I may go get my plants in the ground now.

What a great market. I will be back next week!

Cheers!

In The Moment

2011-04-01T18:07:00.002-05:00

So, following once again in my sister's footsteps, I have decided to make Friday my "In The Moment" blog day. Even when I was a kid I wanted to do anything she did. Seems that at the ripe age of 32 I am still doing that! Don't get a big head about it now sissy!

Anyhoo, I recently purchased the same camera that my sister did along with the same accessories. You see, I have been wanting to purchase a Cannon EOS but it was a different version than my sister wanted so I decided to go ahead and continue to be her Twinkie. So, yes, there is much validation that even at my ripe age of 32, I still want to do what she does! I am so silly! Ha! So, I introduce you to my new camera, oh how I love it! The Cannon EOS Rebel XS:

Now, with that said. I have taken my "In The Moment" picture with my new camera. So here it is....in the moment.

This picture was taken at the cemetery where my Papa is buried. We had a picnic there the day after his funeral. It was a beautiful day and very peaceful.

Cheers!

Happy Posts

2011-03-31T22:15:00.000-05:00

So, I am going to follow in my sister's footsteps and have a happy post every week. I think every Thursday will be the day of my happy post. We all need a little happy in our lives!

This week the thing that made me most happy was watching Jeff help my niece, Violet, make a tent on the couch! Tents are happy things. My sister and I made tents all the time out of couch cushions and blankets when we were kids. There was something so cool with being inside the tent after we made it!

For this particular type of tent all you really need is a big stick and some sheets.

We ended up needing something to stabilize the stick so Jeff used his guitar stand, seemed to work pretty well (even though you can't see it in the picture).

There you have it....a tent!

Fishsticks in a tent make Violet happy.....

....so does watching American Idol from inside a tent....

....and peeking out through the side of a tent!

Cheers!

A Mod Pogder After My Own Heart

2011-03-30T18:11:00.001-05:00

Oh how I love Mod Podge. It makes me happy and I am on a happy kick darn it! My sister introduced it to me about 11 years ago. We were Mod Podger fools back in those days. The best part is, my sweet little 7 year old niece loves Mod Podge too! So, I present you with pencil cups. One for her "Auntie Lizzie" and one for her "Uncle Fee."

Since I like piggies she wrote "pig-tastic" on my pencil cup.

Since Jeff likes dogs she wrote "dog-tastic" on Jeff's pencil cup with some bones for a little added appeal.

He also likes birds and she Mod Podged a bird on the other side.

She is so stinkin' cute I can't stand it! I am very lucky she is visiting. She cracks me up every day with a joke or just being silly.

So, I leave you with a Violet joke for today. She told me this one day recently when a laugh was much needed.

Violet: "Why did the spider cross the road?"

Aunt Lizzie: "Um, I don't have any idea. Why?"

Violet: "Because he needed a new Web-Site."

Cheers!

Goodnight Sweet Papa

2011-03-19T13:32:00.015-05:00

Early this morning at 3:23am, my grandfather passed away. He was surrounded by his family until he took his last breath. Here is a link to what my Aunt wrote.

My Papa was at the hospice in patient unit where I work. I was able to stop by to see him before work, during my lunch break, and after work. I was able to sit and hold his hand for as long as I wanted to. I cherish those moments.

Things That Make Me Happy

2011-03-14T19:08:00.002-05:00

My Papa was admitted to In Patient hospice last night. I have cherished every moment that I have been able to spend with him. I have heard the most fantastic stories about him as his friends come to visit him. We have all laughed and cried. It has been very surreal experience.

So, in my sadness, I have tried to find things to make me happy. This was inspired by my sister. It makes me happy that she, my BIL, and niece are here during this time. She has this book:

There is a page where guests write what make them happy.

So, some of the things that make me happy are, my Papa's cover-all's, the Jeep rides he took us on at the farm, the plastic roach he would put in my food when I was not looking, and his cookie jar!

Some other things that make me happy are cupcakes, especially when they are baked by my niece, Violet, and cousin, Phoebe!

The American Red Cross also makes me happy for allowing my cousin, Bryan, to come home on emergency military leave.

My Family makes me happy too. Without them, all of this would be unbearable. I have an amazing family, that makes me the most happy.

My Sweet Papa

2011-03-09T23:37:00.000-06:00

My grandfather is very sick and in the hospital. So, my blogging may be a bit few and far between because I want to spend as much time with him as possible. I am very worried but yet I know what is to come. My family is very special to me and so is my Papa.

The Idiot's Guide On How To Make A Table Skirt

2011-02-27T13:04:00.000-06:00

As a part of my new living room makeover, I made a round table skirt. I must give credit to my mother, she provided me with the instruction.

To start you need some fabric (obviously). The amount of fabric you need depends on the size of the table. I used two 2 yard pieces for my table. Take one of the pieces and cut in half. To help myself, I took the fabric and folded it in half, ironed on the crease, then opened it back up so I had a perfect line down the middle. Then, I just cut on the line I pressed.

Now, you have 3 pieces of fabric. One big piece and the 2 half pieces you just cut. You are going to attach the smaller pieces of fabric on both sides of the big piece to make one humongous piece of fabric. Does that make sense? Make sure to line up the grain of the fabric (or the print if you are using something with a print) that way the fabric is all facing the same direction.

Pin the the pieces together.

And sew.

Open up and iron the seams.

Now, you need to measure your table so you will know exactly how long the skirt will need to be to dust the floor after it is completed. To do this, cut a long piece of string or yarn (or a tape measure if you want to be really precise but no precision needed for this project!).

Place the string in the middle of the table

Cut the string where it touches the floor. Easy peasy!

Then take that big piece of fabric and lay it down on the floor, right side down. Pin your string down in the center of the fabric.

Now here comes the scientific part. Jeff was impressed with this. Take the string and make a dot with a fabric pencil or pen at the end of the string. Move the string a few inches and make another mark. Do it again and again and again until you have come back to the first mark you made.

Then, la la la la connect the dots!!

Cut along the line and then you have a gigantic circle!

Pin up the hem and iron.

Sew the hem up.

And viola! You have table skirt.

Run to your local glass cutter and have them cut a piece of glass to complete the project.

Cheers!

Birthday Dinner

2011-02-21T21:46:00.004-06:00

After my completely lazy Birthday day, we went to my parents house for happy hour and then to the Cowtown Diner for dinner. I wanted to go to this place for dinner because it was featured on the Food Network for their 64 ounce chicken fried steak! This thing is 10,000 calories! Yikes! Needless to say, I did not have a 10 pound chicken fried steak from my birthday, rather, a half pound. My hubby had the same. I have a special place in my heart for chicken fried steak and so does he!

One of the things that fascinated me the most about this place are the bacon wrapped and fried deviled eggs. They featured them on the Food Network too. I LOVE deviled eggs so I had to give these special ones a try for my birthday!

They were delish!

The little one, aka my niece, had sliders.

My chicken fried steak half eaten!

My sister had chicken mac which was fantastic!

After dinner we went back to my parents house for cake and presents! My sister and brother in law made this cake. They are awesome and it was sooo yummy! They made it from scratch too! German Chocolate, one of my favorite cakes.

My mother's cat, Harry, enjoyed helping to open gifts.

Cheers!

Happy Birthday To Me

2011-02-21T10:38:00.002-06:00

First rule of birthday number 32: Take the day off of work. Second rule of birthday number 32: Sleep late. Third rule of birthday number 32: Relax.

A nice little birthday surprise.

I think I will curl up on the couch, relax, and flip through it now!

My BIL ~~is making~~ made crepes, yum! ~~I will post a picture when they are ready!~~

Yum, yum, yum! From scratch too!!!

Later this evening I will be getting together with family for dinner and cake!

Living Room Reveal

2011-02-15T21:57:00.000-06:00

So, finally here it is! I don't have the best before pictures because I started to prep the walls for the paint, moved all the furniture around, and then realized I needed to take before shots.

Front door

As you walk in the front door

Yep, I know the color of the wall changed on this pic, like I said, horrible at before shots. This is an important picture though. You will see why in a bit!

The green just made everything so dark!

Now for the after. The one major thing I am lacking a a rug to go under the coffee table. I am thinking a black shag rug will be nice.

Yep, that's a blue towel under that piece of furniture. I put it there so it would not scratch the floor and forgot to put it away!

I had a Gorman print hanging here before but it did not go with the room anymore. I love Gorman and could not give it up so I put it in the bedroom instead. I picked this print up at Garden Ridge for half price!

The vase for the center of the dining room table I got at Kirklands. The chairs I recovered (take a better look over here) with fabric I picked up from Cutting Corners.

There is my Mod Podge Tray I recycled! I used some wedding moss in a jar for a little accent piece :-)

I hung black curtains that I found at the Family Dollar for next to nothing! I think that black shag rug will look really nice in here.

I recovered some pillows that I already had with the fabric that I picked up from Cutting Corners. I also found the red pillows at T.J Maxx and the green pillows at Anna's Linens. I think I may add a few more.

Can you see me waving in the mirror, ha! I am still not quite done with this area. I'm not crazy about that floor vase and want to find another one. I think I may also find a wall decal for in here too. Maybe a word or phrase.

I made a table skirt to hid that ugly little table! I also had a piece of glass cut at Ajax Glass for the top. I made a rather interesting tutorial for the table skirt and will post that soon for anyone interested.

I put the remote controls in a Southern Living basket that I had hidden away. That lamp I also found at Kirklands for next to nothing! I think I may do something to jazz it up a bit or maybe put it in the bedroom and find a more modern looking lamp to put here instead.

I found the most amazing soft little throw at T.J. Maxx too. The kitty slept on it all day on Sunday!

So, that is it for now. There are still a few things to tweak but all in all I really like the improvement! When I tweak I will post about it. I wish my camera was able to take better pictures. I really does look better in person.

Cheers and thanks for stopping by!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T20:16:00.007-06:00

Since Jeff is in school (again) and it was a workday for me, we kept V-Day low key. I stenciled him a t-shirt, this seems to be the common theme for his V-Day gift the past few years. I found this stencil over here. I thought it was perfect because when we were in Victoria for the honeymoon it was one of the "warning" signs that we saw and had to laugh. Victoria seemed to be a very visual area, there were warning signs for everything! When Jeff opened it he laughed and said, "Like in Victoria!" I guess it is our little joke.

I made Shepherds Pie for dinner and garnished his with a ketchup heart. :-)

Jeff and I have been together for 11.5 years and he is the only person I have ever shared Valentine's Day with. I wouldn't change that at all! He is a lovely husband (and smart too!).

I know I said that I would post the living room makeover this past weekend and I did not. I had a curtain issue. But, stay tuned because tomorrow I will post it!

Cheers!