River City Handmade

Happy Earth Day!

2010-04-22T14:02:00.001-04:00

Great Christmas Breakfast!

2009-11-13T11:51:00.002-05:00

Who wants to cook on Christmas morning? Not me...though I sure do like to eat! This recipe is prepped the night before so it's ready for the oven the next morning.

This recipe was passed down from my Nana...it's good I tell ya!

Breakfast Before
~serves 6-8

1 pound spicy pork sausage
6 eggs
2 cups milk
1 T. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard
2-3 slices white bread, cubed
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Saute sausage, drain.

Beat eggs with milk, salt, and mustard.

Layer the bread cubes, sausage, and cheese in a 9" x 13" baking dish.

Pour egg mixture on top, refrigerate overnight.

Bake @ 350 for 45 minutes.

Apple Cider Donuts

2009-11-12T12:15:00.000-05:00

I made these last weekend, and they are DELICIOUS. Don't be intimidated, they really are simple to make.

http://www.homemadesimple.com/en_US/homemavens.do?contentId=oct07

P.S. - If you don't have a donut cutter, just use a small circle cookie cutter and make donut "holes" instead...my kiddo liked them better than the whole donuts anyway :)

Leftover Turkey?

2009-11-11T23:16:00.002-05:00

Probably not yet...but keep in mind that one can only eat so many turkey sandwiches after Thanksgiving, right? Give this easy Tetrazzini a try with your leftovers instead...trust me, you'll like it!

Turkey Tetrazzini
~serves 8-10

1 (8oz) package spaghetti
1 cup minced celery
1/2 cup minced onion
1/4 cup butter
1 (8 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained
3 cups chopped, cooked turkey (or more..up to you!)
2 cups water
2 (10 3/4 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Cook spaghetti as directed; drain well.

Saute celery and onion in melted butter.

Remove from heat; drain juices, and add mushrooms and turkey.

Place half the spaghetti in a greased 4 quart casserole dish.

Spoon half the turkey vegetable mixture over spaghetti.

Add water.

Spread 1 can of soup over turkey.

Repeat for a layer of spaghetti, then a layer of turkey vegetable mixture.

Sprinkle top with cheese.

Bake @ 350 for 50 minutes.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

2009-11-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

Spicy and delicious. A crowd pleaser, goes well with football!

Buffalo Chicken Dip
~serves several large men watching football

3 chicken breasts, baked with olive oil, salt & pepper, then diced
18 ounces cream cheese
1 cup Franks Buffalo Sauce
1 1/4 cups blue cheese dressing
8 ounces shredded cheddar

Mix all ingredients, then bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Cheddar Potato Chowder

2009-11-08T08:00:00.001-05:00

Cheddar Potato Chowder
~serves 6

cooking spray
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 3/4 cups peeled, diced red potatoes (in a hurry? Use a bag of Ore-Ida Southern Style hash brown potatoes)
1/2 cup flour
2 cups milk
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Saute garlic in cooking spray coated pan.

Add broth and potatoes, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Place flour in a bowl. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended; add to soup.

Cook over medium heat 15 minutes or until thick, stirring often.

Stir in cheese, salt and pepper.

To serve, top with some shredded cheddar and bacon bits. Enjoy!

Kicking off the Holiday Season! Hot Crab Dip - yum!

2009-11-07T08:00:00.002-05:00

It's no secret that I LOVE this time of the year. I love the food, visiting with friends and family, decorating, and did I mention the food!?

What better way to get excited for the holidays than sharing favorite recipes? I'll be posting a new recipe (or two) every day or so until Thanksgiving. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do! This one is always a HUGE hit at gatherings...

Hot Crab Dip
~ Charleston Receipts, Repeats

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1 1/2 tablespoons horseradish

2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

dash white pepper

dash salt

12 ounces crabmeat

2 tablespoons white wine or sherry

Combine all ingredients except crabmeat and wine in top of double broiler.

Cook for 30 minutes.

Add crabmeat and wine/sherry and cook for 10 more minutes.

Serve with crackers or in pastry shells.

Nana's Olive Garden Dressing Recipe

2009-11-06T16:03:00.002-05:00

This is by far the best salad dressing ever. With the holidays quickly approaching I figured I better get this out there for any cousins who wanted the recipe. Nana got the recipe from a newspaper years ago, so I'm not sure who to credit for this one...so I'll just credit Nana :)

Nana's Olive Garden Dressing

16oz. Newmans Own Oil & Vinegar dressing
4 T. Wishbone Italian dressing
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
4 T. grated parmesan
4 tsp. sugar

Mix in blender at high speed for a few seconds.

Done. Easy, right?

Apple Butter Muffins

2009-11-06T15:51:00.002-05:00

What to do with all of that freshly made Apple Butter? Apple Butter Muffins, that's what!

Apple Butter Muffins
~ Better Homes and Gardens "Holiday Cooking 1996"

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 beaten egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup cooking oil
1/3 cup apple butter
1/3 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons sugar

Combine flour, the 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, apple pie or pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Make a well in the center.

Combine egg, milk, and oil; add all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened.

Lightly grease muffin cups or line with paper baking cups. Spoon a rounded tablespoon of batter into each muffin cup. Top each with a rounded teaspoon of apple butter; then top with some of the remaining batter.

Combine pecans and the 2 tablespoons sugar; sprinkle over the batter. Bake in oven at 400 for about 20 minutes or until golden. Remove from pans; serve warm.

Makes 12 delicious muffins!

Lovely Fall Day

2009-11-03T19:04:00.003-05:00

Everyone should throw leaves every once and a while. It's just fun.

Marshmallows On a Stick

2009-10-21T20:49:00.004-04:00

These are fat-free.... or NOT!

Marshmallows on a stick...dipped in chocolate and rolled in Crushed Graham Crackers, Crushed Oreo's, or Halloween Jimmies (who named them "Jimmies?" I don't like that name).

They are pretty darn tasty, and will be for sale at T.'s Elementary School Fall Festival on Saturday (keep fingers crossed it doesn't rain).

Jump Start & Cool Art

2009-10-11T23:27:00.003-04:00

I was inspired today. I've been meaning to get back to my very neglected blog, but just didn't have it in me, but today, TODAY I was inspired to write about this totally awesome and creative find (yes - I said "totally awesome").

I was visiting by BFF while in Florida and we decided to check out this adorable little town called Celebration. It's a beautiful place, almost too beautiful..sidewalks everywhere, friendly people, gorgeous architecture and gardens, cute shops and LOTS of yummy places to eat..even kids playing in the town center fountain. Unbelievable (and a bit Stepford, but in a good way).

Lucky for us, they had a little Farmers Market and some craft vendors set up today and we ran into this great lady who creates custom art made from photo's of architectural details found at Disney. BFF & I quickly decided that this was the answer to our months long question about what to get for a recently wedded friend..we spelled out her new last name with the photo's and voila..instant custom gift!

It was surely a lucky moment for us, and you can be lucky too, she has her site online! Check it out here: http://www.wdwalphabets.com/

Have fun creating your own custom art..and don't limit yourself to names - try words like LOVE, HAPPY, DREAM....you get the picture! :)

Mmmmm, macadamia's!!

2009-04-02T10:13:00.002-04:00

Just tried this new recipe for mahi-mahi and I had to share....

....it's wonderful and SUPER easy!

Really, it is...you must try it :)

Macadamia Crusted Mahi-Mahi

2 nice size filet's of mahi-mahi
4 limes
4 T. butter, divided
1/4 c. finely chopped macadamia nuts
1/3 c. panko (japanese breadcrumbs)

Juice 4 limes, and then marinate mahi-mahi in lime juice at room temperature for 1 hour.

Preheat over to 350. Melt butter, then add 2 T. of the melted butter to a shallow baking dish. Place mahi-mahi in dish, brushing each side with the melted butter that is in the dish. Season with salt and pepper.

In a small mixing bowl, add the remaining 2 T. of melted butter. Mix in chopped macadamia nuts and panko. Spoon the mixture on top of the fish, pressing it lightly to form a crust.

Bake until fish is opaque in center, about 10-15 minutes (depending on thickness of your filet's).

Enjoy!!

Snow fun!!

2009-03-05T19:42:00.005-05:00

Well hello there!

We've finally been blessed with some snow here in VA! This is the first big snow that T. remembers...heck it's the first big snow I remember in a LONG time! Unfortunately T. was sick with a nasty fever and some sort of respiratory goop...but was finally able to get out and enjoy a little bit of winter's glory. He enjoyed it, but this warm weather loving kid of mine is looking forward to the 70 degree weather forecast for Saturday & Sunday. Got to love VA!

Here's the back yard...Oakley could not wait to get out there, but once I opened the door he stood there...waiting for me to go with him. Big chicken. When he finally took the plunge and stepped out the door he was hooked. Turns out he loves water of the frozen, fluffy variety just as much as good old water.

T. taking a turn on "the ramp" - built by mommy & daddy....who it turns out are bigger kids when it snows than the actual kid. T. after his plummet into the ditch..I mean "Snow Bowl" across the street.

Oakley...tunneling for heaven knows what reason. Spazz.

And finally...T. taking the last trip down the "Ice Luge Track" in the front yard.

Today most of it melted away...which is ok I guess, since it will be 75 this weekend! YAYYY!!

Quick and Easy Baby Gift

2009-02-07T20:45:00.011-05:00

Well hello there!

It's been a long time since I posted...call it a mid-winter funk. I've been meaning to get to some tutorials, and had the perfect opportunity to do so with a baby shower gift that I whipped up this weekend. So here goes my first try at a tutorial...

Ribbon Tag Blanket Tutorial

What you will need:

15" x 15" fabric (front)
15"x 15" fabric (back)
scraps of ribbon (each piece about 5" long) - as many as you want around the perimeter of blanket

1. Cut out a 15" x 15" piece of fabric for the front (I like flannel) and a 15" x 15" piece of fabric for the back (I like plush fleece or minky).

2. Lay the two squares on top of eachother, right sides facing.

3. Take a piece of ribbon, and fold it in half.

4. Next, line the cut edges of the ribbon up with the outside of the fabric. Sandwich the ribbon between the two layers of fabric, and pin in place.

5. Continue folding ribbons, sandwiching, and pinning all the way around the perimeter of the blanket....spaced however far apart you like. For this blanket I spaced them about every inch and a half - but eyeball it..there is no need for precision here.

6. Once you have pinned the ribbons all the way around, you're ready to sew. Sew almost all of the way around, using ~ 1/4" seam allowance. ...leaving about a 2" gap, so that you can pull the blanket right-side-out.

7. Once you have pulled the blanket right-side-out through the 2" gap, close the gap and pin into place.

8. Using a zig-zag stitch, close the gap..and continue with the zig-zag stitch all the way around the edge of the blanket.

9. Ta-Daa!!! You're done. Baby gift ready to go..all in about 30 minutes. :)

Hopefully this tutorial makes sense - I would certainly appreciate feedback if it's not so I can make adjustments...and improve future tutorials!! Thanks!!

Happy New Year!!

2009-01-01T23:24:00.002-05:00

I almost forgot!! Happy New Year everyone!! :)

Faux Girl Scout Cookies

2009-01-01T22:53:00.003-05:00

Tagalongs anyone? My lovely neighbor Lori introduced me to these delicious treats at our pre-Christmas Cookie making marathon, hosted by our other lovely neighbor Diane. The recipe is so awesome I had to share!!! Trust me, you will like these.

Step 1: Gather up some Ritz crackers, peanut butter & chocolate candy melts.

Step 2: Make peanut butter filled Ritz sandwiches...you know, the kind you've made 100's of times for snacks...

easy, right!

Step 3: Melt your chocolate according to the directions (I used Wilton Candy melts and melted them in the microwave at 50% power).

Step 4: Dunk those sandwiches! I used a fork to flip them over and scoop them out - I also wiggled them (very scientific, I know) back in forth a few times while on the fork to get the excess chocolate off.

Step 5: Lay them on a wax paper covered cookie sheet...then chill until hardened. (~15 minutes)

Step 6: Enjoy your Faux Girl Scout Tagalongs!!!

P.S. - I had some leftover chocolate, so I added about 10 Mint Truffle Hershey Kisses to the chocolate, melted them all together..then dipped single Ritz crackers and made Thin Mints!!

Double Yum!!! Sorry Girl Scouts...I couldn't wait until Spring for the cookie orders.

Merry Christmas!!!!

2008-12-28T20:09:00.006-05:00

Merry Christmas (belated)!! We've been a bit busy with the marathon of family get-togethers...and then the Wii...and then the beautiful day today. I was able to finally get my new kayak out on the river to give it a try - I LOVE it and can't wait for spring!! Here are a few shots from Christmas morning....

On your mark, get set....go!!!!!!!

Oakley waiting patiently for his brother to help him open his gifts...

Pokemon! I can't believe it!!! (Who knew that a $15 pack of trading cards would be such a hit?)

Wii!!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Somebody stop me...

2008-12-22T10:34:00.009-05:00

HELP!! Somebody call an intervention team!!!I can't stop baking/cooking! I need to clean, therefore I bake... I really do need to stop procrastinating on the cleaning or we're all going to gain 20lbs. before New Year...Hello New Year's Resolution!

Here are the recipe's for the yummy things we've been making...

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes (DELICIOUS!!)

~Kraft Food & Family, Holiday 2006

http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/chocolate-peanut-butter-cupcakes-95126.aspx

Chocolate Truffles

1 lb. bittersweet chocolate, coarsley chopped

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, sliced, at room temperature

2 T. Godiva chocolate liqueur (or whatever you like...we're doing Creme de Menthe next)

3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

Melt chocolate with the cream in a glass bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Once smooth, remove from heat and add in the butter and liqueur. Stir untill all butter has melted and the mixture is completely smooth.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very cold and set, butu still soft enough to work with (about 2 hours).

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with wax paper (or parchment). Use a mini melon baller (or mini ice cream scoop) to scoop out balls of chocolate, and set them in the prepared baking sheet. Refrigrate for 20 minutes.

Put cocoa in a large bowl. Dust your hands with cocoa and roll balls (one at a time) between your palms until smooth (this gets a little messy...have a damp rag available for wiping hands every few minutes). Place each ball into the cocoa and toss to coat. Return to the lined baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. The truffles can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Saltine Toffee

http://candy.about.com/od/toffeerecipes/r/saltine_toffee.htm

Peanut Butter Cookie Sandwiches

~Cottage Living, March 2008

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1714617

Christmas Cookies...for the dog

2008-12-09T19:35:00.004-05:00

Ok, so this might be a little crazy..but T. & I made homemade dog treats the other day and the dog loves them.

And when I say he loves them, I mean he really loves them. He has, on several occasions, stood alone in the kitchen "talking" at the treat jar...trying to get us to come in and get him one. If I didn't have first hand knowledge of the ingredients I might think there was some sort of addictive substance in them. ...he is a lab though, so maybe he's just not very picky - he does occasionally like to eat a nice stick or piece of mulch. It was a fun project for T. & I to do together...

Anywhooo...We got the recipe out of a magazine my mom picked up...can't remember the name at the moment...but here's the recipe for all of you dog lovers.

Great Gravy Cookies

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 small jars beef baby food

6 T. beef gravy

1 egg

1/2 cup non fat dry milk

1/2 cup water

1 T. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Lightly pat your hands with flour and shape the mix into a big ball. Flatten the ball using a floured rolling pin to about 1/2 inch thick. Use a cookie cutter to cut into shapes. Place on greased cookie sheet (we used non greased stoneware cookie sheet and they didn't stick). Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Allow to cool, and then watch as your dog becomes addicted.

We're going to vary the flavor by switching out the beef baby food and gravy for chicken next time to see if he likes those...I'm sure he will.

This is what it looks like just before you have to clean the camera lens...I think Oakley was tired of the picture-taking and ready for another treat.

It's beginning...

2008-12-07T20:21:00.001-05:00

...to look a lot like Christmas!

Don't you normally do the chicken dance in front of the tree?

Even the light fixture is dressed for the holiday :)

Watching the Grinch, of course!!

Handmade Garland!!

2008-12-06T19:37:00.007-05:00

Ta Da!! The garland is finished, and up! It was surprisingly easy to make...and it's so much prettier than my old plastic stuff!!

..and so far it's still green, thank goodness for cold weather!

Speaking of cold weather...look what happened tonight!

SNOW!!

Ok, so it's just flurries...but to us it's a blizzard. Do you see T. in the background trying to fashion a snowball? PLEASE Mother Nature...can we get some real snow this winter...pretty please?

Buck, Doe & Skunk

2008-11-25T19:15:00.003-05:00

As promised, our extra special Christmas visitors....

Meet Buck...

...and Doe...

and skunk..he's hiding out there behind Doe.

Today was T.'s Thanksgiving Feast at school...he was dressed as a Pilgrim (in his paper hat and collar). No pictures, I'm a bad mommy and forgot my camera.

I bit the bullet and started decorating for Christmas...what's the harm in getting it done before Thanksgiving anyway...Target has had Christmas decorations up since Halloween! For whatever reason I got the idea in my head this year that I was going to make my own garland out of the Leyland Cyprus trees we have in the back yard. I started this afternoon and completed two sections...tomorrow I will **hopefully** finish the rest and get them all up. So far, so good - I just hope they stay green until Christmas! ...not really sure about the Leyland Cyprus...guess we'll find out!

Get Ready!!

2008-11-17T23:19:00.004-05:00

It's time to decorate for Christmas!

T. & I had mucho fun decorating our Gingerbread House...we decided that if we were Gingerbread People, we would totally want to live here.

...and it's not finished yet! We're working on some extra special Christmas visitor's.....stay tuned!

School Picture!!

2008-11-05T19:28:00.001-05:00

T.'s School Picture - 2008

A Lazy Post

2008-10-27T21:43:00.005-04:00

I have two new favorite things, and because I am lazy and do not feel like getting the camera right now we will be sans photo...even though the apple butter looks really cute all dressed up in the jar. Maybe tomorrow I will not be so lazy. Geez..I can't even think of an interesting title. Anyway - I am rambling (another sign of lazy..and tired)...so here are my two newest favorite things.

1. Homemade apple butter, deeee-licious. It all started whe my delightful neighbor brought us a bag of freshly picked apples from Carter Mountain. There were so many I knew they were destined to be more than just sliced up apples.. thus started the search for apple recipes. I found an apple butter recipe in an old issue of Gourmet Magazine that was really simple, and thought..I can do this!! I've never canned anything before, and I must say - once you have all of the necessary tools (and a great neighbor who lends them to you so you can try it out) it's really no big production. Our bag of apples turned into 3 lovely jars of Apple Butter.

2. Trader Joes. It's new to the Richmond area, and now I see why people love it so much! What's not to love? It's inexpensive, there is a great selection, and the Trader Joes Pancake Mix is the best I've ever had. Serve the pancakes up with homemade apple butter on a chilly fall morning with a nice cup of chai...yummm!!! This is exactly why I have to keep running...I love food WAY too much.

Here's what I got...

2008-10-25T19:40:00.002-04:00

...when I asked him to get his "night-nights" on...

I didn't know tonight was a full moon.

Shower Art

2008-10-14T19:35:00.001-04:00

From Left to Right: T, Daddy, Oakley, Mommy

by T....

Week In Pictures...

2008-10-14T18:21:00.003-04:00

1.6 miles

2008-10-06T11:05:00.004-04:00

I did it, I broke in my new shoes and actually was able to run 1.6 miles this morning without much trouble..I think I will try to make the full 2 miles tomorrow morning. I definitely wouldn't have done so well without my handy new Nike + gadget...I am in love! Have you heard of this? It's a sensor that goes in your shoe (or in a pouch on your shoe for non Nike shoes) and it transmits your distance/time/calories burned to your i-pod. She tells you when you hit the halfway point and will tell you how much you have left at any point if you hit the button on the i-pod. It's like a coach & running partner that keeps the same pace as you..it's wonderful! I am in love.

I also discovered this morning that my neighborhood is filled with morning runners! Who knew!? All this activity happening before 8am!? And now I'm part of it...Go Me!

I'm So Proud...

2008-10-04T20:04:00.003-04:00

This morning while getting ready I heard T. talking to himself. When I poked my head out of the bathroom, I saw this...

How did I get so lucky to have a kid that loves to read this much?

2008-10-03T18:13:00.003-04:00

Hi there. I am still here. T. is doing great in Kindergarten and the craziness of getting used to such an early schedule is starting to become a routine. The great thing about the super early schedule is that I now can make time for myself without impacting anyone else...which feels great!

Here's my new goal (because if I write about it, I will feel accountable to do so, please bare with me as I ramble). I am going to start running..yes, me..running. I know, sounds like a joke. I want to be around for a really long time, so I can see all the cool stuff T. is going to do, and I worry that I'm not doing enough to keep myself healthy..and it's selfish to be lazy. I'm going to get myself a new pair of shoes this weekend and the routine begins Monday...NO EXCUSES! Ok, I'm done motivating myself and boring you for now.

A Rocky Start...

2008-09-03T11:58:00.002-04:00

..but an amazing finish! T. had his first day of Kindergarten yesterday and while the morning was a little rocky with lots and lots of tears and clinging to legs, he came home to report that it was FUN! He loves Ms. F. (his teacher), and even said that he wants to "live at Kindergarten!"

Today was great, no tears, no clinging. Just kisses for R. & I and a simple waive along with "Bye!"

It's going to be a great year!!!!

Final days of summer...

2008-09-01T21:28:00.004-04:00

Well, here we are..the last day of summer (according to the school system & the pool). We spent the last few days enjoying the pool and playing until dark, eeking out every bit we could since school starts tomorrow. T.'s first day of Kindergarten...can't believe it's actually here! He still seems so small, it's hard to believe we are packing him up and sending him off to school on the cheese-wagon! I think T. is more ready for this than I am...actually I know he is. I'm a wreck.

Oh yes...here is a picture of T. & his "best girlfriend" H. at the pool on Monday....

Yes!!!

2008-08-20T00:01:00.002-04:00

Whew!!!! That was a close one!!! :)

Fun at Pawleys Island....

2008-08-18T19:02:00.003-04:00

We're here & we are having a great time (of course)!!!

T. is addicted to the boogie board...he spent ~8 hrs on one today, should sleep really well! The cousins are all getting along really well and having fun playing on the beach. We're anxiously watching TS Faye...hoping she doesn't make her way up this way and rain on our parade...so far every day the forecast gets better for us :) Happy!

Ok, off to help with dinner...here's a picture of the cousins in the pool...I mean, bathtub...

He knows....

2008-08-14T23:26:00.003-04:00

Just look at him...he knows we're about to leave him for a week of fun at the beach. Poor Oakley!!

Cute - couldn't wait...

2008-08-06T15:31:00.004-04:00

Ok, Ok, this is supposed to be T.'s week of posts..but these were cute so I had to share :) All pictures taken last weekend at GiGi's, one of the last times we'll see A. & Z. for a while since they are moving to Colorado Springs in a few weeks...

Nana & Z...check out those legs!

My sweet T.

T. & Z.

"What choo lookin' at?"

New post from T. soon, I promise...we didn't get to it last night because we decided to go to the river again and didn't make it home until late.

T.'s Week In Pictures - Day 1

2008-08-03T21:18:00.003-04:00

T. just got a new kids digital camera and is having fun taking pictures of everything..yes, everything. So, this week, it's T.'s turn to share his thoughts and photo's. Here we go, straight from T.'s mouth -

I took a picture of red, white and blue so everyone who doesn't know can know now that this is our flag.
I took a picture of myself and put it in the computer and then I went upstairs and played on the computer.
I was taking a picture of my dad mowing the lawn and I almost fell out of the seat.

The DHL truck came by and I took a picture of it while it was driving and the door was open. Why is the door open?

Tomatoes - Day 7

2008-07-28T22:00:00.002-04:00

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken (Kraft Food & Family, Summer 2007)

1/4 cup KRAFT Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing, divided
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
1/2 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil leaves

PLACE large sheet of heavy-duty foil over half of grill grate; preheat grill to medium heat. Pour 2 Tbsp. of the dressing over chicken in resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Turn bag over several times to evenly coat chicken with the dressing. Refrigerate 10 min. to marinate. Remove chicken from marinade; discard bag and marinade.

GRILL chicken on uncovered side of grill 6 min. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, cheese, basil and remaining 2 Tbsp. dressing.

TURN chicken over; place, cooked-side up, on foil on grill. Top evenly with tomato mixture. Close lid. Grill an additional 8 min. or until chicken is cooked through (165ºF).

~Serves 4

Tomatoes - Day 6

2008-07-26T20:40:00.001-04:00

Spaghetti with Summer Squash and Tomatoes - Tyler Florence

Kosher salt
1 zucchini, sliced into thin rounds (again...mandolin = best friend)
1 summer squash, sliced into thin rounds
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound spaghetti

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat for the spaghetti.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the squashes, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and oregano in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and give it all a good toss. Dump that out onto a baking sheet and roast for 10 to 12 minutes, until the squash is tender and caramelized. Scrape the vegetables into a large pasta bowl and cover with a plate to keep everything warm.

The pasta water should be boiling by now. Add the spaghetti and stir to separate the strands. Cook for 8 to 9 minutes, until al dente.

To finish, scoop out about 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain the pasta, and toss gently with the roasted vegetables and Grilled Shrimp. Add the pasta water if needed.

Tomatoes - Day 5

2008-07-25T19:35:00.000-04:00

Herbed-Grilled Tomatoes

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 medium tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

In a wide, shallow bowl, combine the olive oil and next 5 ingredients (through pepper). Add tomatoes, and turn to coat them on all sides.

Prepare grill.

Place tomatoes, cut sides down, on the grill rack. Brush once with remaining marinade, and then discard marinade. Grill about 5-7 minutes on each side over medium-high heat or until tomatoes begin to blister, soften, and brown. (They can burn easily, so keep an eye on them.)

Remove the tomatoes from grill, and top with Parmesan cheese and parsley. Serve immediately.

~Serves 4

Tomatoes - Day 4

2008-07-24T21:22:00.000-04:00

Tomato, Basil & Couscous Salad (Bon Appetit - August 1995)

2 1/4 cups canned chicken broth
1 10-ounce box couscous
1 cup chopped green onions
1 cup (generous) diced seeded plum tomatoes
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Cherry tomatoes, halved

Bring broth to boil in medium saucepan. Add couscous. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand 5 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Fluff with fork. Cool.

Mix all ingredients except cherry tomatoes into couscous. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill.) Garnish with cherry tomatoes.

~Serves 6

Tomatoes - Day 3

2008-07-23T13:00:00.003-04:00

Fresh Tomato Salad with Onions, Feta & Olives (Bon Appetit - August 1999)

5 ripe, large tomatoes; cut into 1/3 inch thick rounds
1 small red onion, thinly sliced (a mandolin works GREAT)
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 T. balsamic vinegar
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 c. kalamata olives
1 T. fresh parsley

Arrange tomatoes on a platter. Top with onion slices. Drizzle oil and vinegar over top. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Allow to stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour.

Sprinkle cheese, olives & parsley over salad and serve.

~Serves 6

Tomatoes - Day 2

2008-07-22T22:36:00.002-04:00

Salsa Roja

2 c. diced fresh tomatoes
1 1/2 c. diced red pepper
1 1/3 c. chopped onion
2 large jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced (**the FDA is warning against these now...you decide)
6 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
2 T. finely chiopped fresh oregano
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; toss gently. Combine cilantro and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir well. Add cilantro mixture to tomato mixture. Serve chilled.

~makes 6 cups

To-may-to, To-mah-to...

2008-07-21T14:18:00.002-04:00

The FDA has finally declared that tomatoes are “safe” to eat, because they can’t determine the source of the ”bad” tomatoes. Seriously? I don’t know about you, but I’ve been eating tomatoes all summer, regardless of the FDA warning, and now I’m REALLY glad I did. I feel so bad for all of those local farmers who have lost their season, and for no good reason.

So here is what I’m going to do about it…I’m posting my favorite tomato recipes all week in celebration of the glorious summer staple in hopes that folks will be inspired to spend the second half of their summer buying and eating tomatoes.

Rick's Favorite Salmon with Tomato-Basil Sauce

4 large tomatoes, peeled and seeded*
4 (4-6-ounce) salmon fillets
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Place peeled and seeded* tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Process until a chunky purée is formed; set aside.

Season salmon with salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Melt butter and when foam subsides, place salmon, skin-side up in pan. Brown on both sides, until fish is just cooked through, about 6 minutes, depending on thickness of fillets. Transfer to plate and hold warm.

In same skillet over medium heat, combine puréed tomatoes and heavy cream, scraping any browned bits off the bottom. Simmer until slightly reduced, and sauce is desired consistency. Stir in basil. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

Place salmon on individual serving plates and pour sauce over the top. Serve immediately. (We like ours with a side of angel hair pasta and a little parmesan)

Makes 4 servings.

*To peel and seed a tomato, lightly score an 'x' into the bottom end with a sharp paring knife. Drop into boiling water for 30 seconds, or until skin just begins to tear. Remove with a slotted spoon into ice water. When cool enough to handle, peel off skin, cut in half and gently squeeze to remove seeds. Proceed with recipe.

Look Mom!!

2008-07-17T20:43:00.004-04:00

"I cleaned my room! And I did an awesome job all by myself!"

~T.

Piles?

What piles?

Looks perfectly clean to me...

At least he tried. :)

Too Many Banana's

2008-07-08T23:14:00.005-04:00

Are we the only family that ends up with 2-3 banana's too many every time we buy a bunch? I know, I should rip apart the bunches at the store and just buy less...but for whatever reason I just can't bring myself to do that....leaving lingering, lonely banana's. I know, weird.

Anyway, here are a few of the things we like to do with all of those banana's that end up getting brown spots and shoved in the freezer.

**Super fast and HEALTHY banana smoothie**

In blender or food processor add one frozen banana and 1 cup of milk. Puree until smooth. For extra protein add 1 Tablespoon of peanut butter. YUM!

**Awesome Banana Bread**

3 large very ripe banana's (if frozen, thaw quickly buy running under warm water)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup butter, melted
1-1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325. In large bowl, mash banana's with fork. Blend in sugar, egg & butter. Add flour, baking soda, salt & a pinch or two of cinnamon. Mix well. Pour batter into greased and floured 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Bake at 325 for approximately 1 hour. makes 1 loaf.

**Banana Bread Trifle** (pictured below - it was a total experiment and turned out GREAT!!)

1 loaf Banana Bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
3.4 oz. box Banana Cream instant Jello Pudding
2 cups milk
8 oz. Cool Whip whipped topping
2 large banana's, sliced
cinnamon

In a large bowl, whisk pudding mix and milk together for 2 minutes. Fold entire container of Cool Whip into pudding mixture, taking care not to over-stir. Set aside.

In trifle bowl, add half of the banana bread cubes and then half of the banana slices. Next, spoon half of the pudding/whip topping. Next, add the remaining banana bread cubes, banana slices and pudding/whip topping. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. Keep cold until ready to serve.

I hope someone else tries it and enjoys it as much as we did on July 4th!! :)

Happy Birthday America!...

2008-07-04T11:27:00.006-04:00

I'm finished with the BTRS Swap package...here's what I'll be mailing off to my partner..

I really enjoyed this project, I'm sure there will be plenty more placemat sets in my future. Actually, I'm loving the napkins too...I have sooooo many fabric scraps in my stash that I could make a boatload of napkins. I'm thinking we may be able to make the switch to all fabric napkins (reducing our waste just a little - baby steps!).

And here is the set I received from my BTRS Swap partner, Grace...

Very cute! Wonder what the next swap project will be?

Ok, I'm off to complete the banana bread trifle, then must (must, must, must) start cleaning so that I can enjoy Margarita's at the block party tonight and wake up to a clean house in the morning.

Happy 4th!!

Preppy ribbon - hooray!

2008-07-02T20:12:00.005-04:00

My venture to the craft store to find ribbon today was a success..yay!! I found the cutest black ribbon with a really nice, preppy little pattern on it and fell in love. I think it goes nicely with the placemats for the BTRS Swap...going to work on them a bit tonight and hope to finish them up tomorrow morning so I can get them in the mail.

Speaking of the swap, I received my placemats & napkins today and even got a little extra surprise in there along with scraps of the napkin fabric to make more goodies! I love them, they are super cute..thank you Grace!!!!! I will take a picture of them and post it as soon as my camera and husband get home from their fishing trip on the Chesapeake Bay.

Got to run, need to get the grubby 5 year old in the shower.

WIP - BTRS Swap

2008-07-01T20:53:00.004-04:00

Finally working on the BTRS Swap placemats and napkins....and ran into a little snafu. Not enough fabric for the backs to all be the same - so they will be a little more mixy/matchy than planned..but hopefully that will work out. This afternoon I will venture out to find ribbon that will match..hope I can find something!!

So far the project has been super easy - all cutting is simple rectangles, so is moving very quickly! LOVE a quick project...looks like friends and family will be receiving placemats and napkins as gifts!

Storm Brewing

2008-06-30T22:58:00.003-04:00

Last night we had the most beautiful sunset. To the North was a beautiful orange sky, and to the South was this beautiful multi-colored sky...courtesy of a storm that just squeaked by us. The photo really doesn't do it justice...it was magical.

Speaking of magic..I think that might be what it will take to get everything done this week that needs to be.

1. Work stuff (too boring to list out, but must be done)
2. Laundry - it never ends...how do families greater than 3 do it!?
3. Wash kitchen floor - yuck (can I get a housekeeper?)
4. Clean bathrooms (double yuck...housekeeper, pretty please?)
5. Make 6 placemats and napkins for BTRS Swap partner (time ticking!!)
6. Make 2 blankets and 1 purse for B...long overdue!
7. Make potato salad and banana bread trifle for 4th of July cookout
8. Do all of the above while trying not to lose sanity as Mommy to 5 year old who insists that I am "only the second boss, because Daddy is the first boss"

Tired just looking at this. Good night. I think I will go try to dream of being on a quiet beach somewhere tropical.

A Happy Post

2008-06-24T23:17:00.006-04:00

Happy Fishing!

Happy Pre-K graduation!

Happy Birthday - 5 years old!

Happy Cousins!

Happy Dog!

...and finally, something that makes me happy...my Nana's delicious gazpacho - I suppose I could share the recipe ;)

Nana's Gazpacho

4 large tomatoes (peeled, seeded and diced)
1 medium green pepper (diced)
1 large cucumber (peeled, seeded and diced)
1 red onion (diced)
3 green onions (thinly sliced)
2 cloves garlic (crushed and chopped)
32 oz. clamato juice
32 oz. tomato juice
3 T. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Combine and chill for several hours. Enjoy!!

Guilty

2008-06-22T20:22:00.003-04:00

One mud puddle, that's it...we have ONE mud puddle in our yard and this dog likes to roll it. I'm starting to think he knows he will get a bath if he gets dirty so he's doing it on purpose....doesn't he just look so pleased with himself?!

Cute

2008-06-17T22:27:00.002-04:00

...that's all I have to say about that.

We're baaa-aack

2008-06-10T22:28:00.003-04:00

Home again, home again. Yes, already. It was a quick trip, but so worth it. The weather was perfect - clear blue skies every day, hot and breezy (thank goodness...the breeze kept us from melting).

We spent the mornings/afternoons at the beach, and late afternoon/evening at the pool. We had lovely "raisin fingers" for hours...T loves the lazy river!! He actually played so hard that one night at 8:30pm he even asked if he could go to bed ...AMAZING. Can we move to the beach?

I hear some thunder rolling in....better log off for the night.

Busy...and FUN!

2008-06-03T10:28:00.003-04:00

We've had a lot going on the past few days...T. turned 5 on Saturday, I can't believe my baby is 5!! He had a fun birthday party at the bowling alley on Saturday with his buddies, and then a family cookout later that evening. Somehow we managed to stay between the two nasty storms that blew through - apparently someone was looking out for us!!

On Sunday R. & I went to Countryfest and saw Dierks Bentley & Sugarland...man, Sugarland is AWESOME. They have a great live show - everytime we see them we're blown away by the energy...not a show to miss!

T. has pre-K "graduation" on Thursday night and then Friday we're off to the beach for some much needed R&R! WOOOHOOO!!!

P.S. - Watch out ladies...Dierks is apparently growing the curly mullet back ;)

More flowers??

2008-05-28T15:29:00.004-04:00

[photo from TwistStyle]

I know. I am obsessed with them, I just can't help myself.

I've been wanting a flower ring from TwistStyle for months and couldn't decide on a color...until now. The lovely lady who makes these beautiful rings just added yellow to the mix...and I couldn't be more excited. Even better, she is in the Richmond area so it shouldn't take too long to get to me. I can't wait!

Did I mention I am excited and I love it???

MaryEllen has loads of beautiful things in her Etsy shop - you really should check it out!

Alice Would Approve

2008-05-20T21:56:00.006-04:00

After the caterpillar placed a hex on my not-quite 6 year old GE Profile washing machine we had the serviceman come pay a visit to see what was wrong with it. The prognosis was not good, the estimate to fix it cost more than I think we paid for the machine (or at least darn close)...so we decided to bite the bullet and start looking for a new machine. We settled on a SpeedQueen...I know what your thinking...never heard of it, right? The company has been around for 100 years, making only laundry equipment...and they make them rugged and tough, just like the"old days." I feel like an advertisement right now..

My new machine came today - woohoo! Perhaps I watched a little too much Brady Bunch growing up, but I must say this..all I could think about today while the delivery guys were setting up my beautiful new washing machine was Alice in her little blue shirt-dress and white half apron, happily doing laundry and making lovely meals for the Brady's. Why the Brady Bunch flashback? My lovely new washing machine (which I am naming Alice as a tribute) isn't one of those new-fangled-touch-button-digital display doo-hickies...nope, she's a beauty though. She looks plain and simple, and very "old school" - reminding me of the washing machine we had growing up. I ran several loads of laundry tonight (my attempt to get through the Mt. Everest size pile) and I am so pleased with it. I thought it may be louder than my old machine, but it's actually very quiet...more so than my old machine! Ok, enough with the laundry..boring, I know.

I received my Kraft Food & Family Summer 08 magazine on Saturday and made the most delicious Grilled Cedar-Planked Salmon tonight.

(not my picture...this is from the magazine..but it looked like this!)

It was perfect and easy...Alice would approve of this too! You really must try it if you like Salmon.

We have two cookouts this weekend so I'm planning to try this Pizza Pasta Salad recipe - I'll let you know how it turns out!

Alice and I have more laundry to do...signing off!

Flowers Everywhere!

2008-05-15T23:26:00.006-04:00

I love May. All of my pretty flowers in bloom, best of all the Peonies! It makes me sad that a flower so beautiful only blooms once a year and only lasts a few weeks. I have two peonies in my yard, though I think I'll be planting more since they are my favorite flower and they seem to like the sunny disposition of my yard. I usually don't like to cut my flowers, but for some reason I can't help myself with the peonies...I feel like I have to bring them inside so that I can enjoy them. Needless to say, right now I have them everywhere.

A bunch on the kitchen table..

Some on the windowsill (btw, so glad I can't bring myself to get rid of interesting glass bottles, even though R. teases me)...

And don't forget the bathroom...

I should probably have fresh cut flowers all of the time, for some reason it inspires me to clean...or maybe I just need a housekeeper.

I also got this lovely gift from my sweet baby T. for Mother's Day...he picked it out himself and it's beautiful!

And, last but not least...T.'s strawberries, which are doing really well! Must be all of the rain we've been having..

Fancy Nancy

2008-05-08T00:31:00.004-04:00

I grew up a total and complete tomboy who wouldn't think of wearing a dress or a skirt...ever. I was never interested in makeup, or hair, or clothes...as is VERY evident in every single picture I am in as a child. Even in High School I was still a tomboy, involved in the Outdoors Club at school and mountain biking through the muddy trails alongside our beautiful James River.

So what the heck happened to me, when did I turn into Fancy Nancy? I don't know when it happened, but somewhere along the way (in my 20's I guess?) I started to LOVE dresses & skirts! Don't get me wrong, I'm still terribly tragic when it comes to hair and makeup...but whatever.... I totally want to be the girl in this fabric...

I think she is walking to the cafe where she will have a cup of Chai, and will then stop by the Farmer's Market for some fresh flowers and a loaf of bread..oui oui, sign me up! This bag is actually one of the custom orders from my trunk show..I hate to part with it - I think I have to make one for me!

It's late - I think I'm talking crazy. Good night!

Thank you Tiffany!!!

2008-05-08T00:07:00.008-04:00

Yippee!! !!!!Woohoo!!!

I'm so excited today because I received my BTRS swap bag, and it is THE BAG that I have been admiring on Flikr in the BTRS Swap pool! I can't believe it, it's exactly the right fabric for me - I totally adore it! AND, to top it off, it was filled with fantastic crafty goodies...one of which is a flower press for drying flowers and I can't wait to use it! Also included was a quilt square that is comprised of all of my favorite colors - I think it wants to be the front of a pillowcase one day ;) Oh, Oh..and there were awesome vintage patterns, it's like my partner knew me! One pattern is for a very June Cleaver-esque belted shirt-dress - very me!! Here's a picture of my loot...

AND it turns out my partner lives in Columbus, Ga - where my Great Grandmother lived (where we visited and I ate bugs...but that's another story). Small world (it's a small town!).

I hope that my swap partner likes hers (picture below) as much as I do mine!

Arm Dangle and Caterpillars....

2008-05-06T22:38:00.006-04:00

There is nothing in life that I love more than being a mom to my sweet T. He never fails to keep me entertained, and most of the time has no idea just how funny he is. Two funny stories from this week...

#1 - T. and I were sitting together on the couch the other day, catching up on a little Scooby Doo. Out of nowhere he looks at me, in all seriousness, and asks me this.. "Mommy, when you get old will you have arm dangle?" Of course I answered that I already do, sort of, and I assume that I will one day have "arm dangle." He said "I won't and Daddy won't because only women have arm dangle." Interesting fact from an almost 5 year old, don't you think?

#2 - I was doing the laundry on Sunday afternoon, when I spotted something about an inch long and black in the tub of the washer. I reach down, fully expecting lint or something like that but to my surprise it was a caterpillar! Yes, we drowned a caterpillar....and when I say we, I mean T. Apparently while collecting them the other day he decided that he would stick one in his pocket...and then forget about it. Nice huh? I will never reach into pockets without wondering what kind of critter may be living in there again. The caterpillar got back at us...the washer broke Sunday night.

Stuff for the Show...

2008-05-01T20:45:00.005-04:00

Hello!

I've been busily trying to squeeze in crafting for the Strawberry Street Festival next weekend...thank goodness I have this weekend left to cram! I've finished half of the scrabble pendants, and not nearly enough flower pins. Looks like I'll be making flowers all week long! The scrabble tile pendants turned out super cute, they would make great birthday party favors or even gifts for girls...I wore my "K" pendant to work today and had lot's of people comment, so hopefully that's a good sign. We shall see!! Here is a not so great picture of a few of the pendants...

..and here is a "Fan Flower" - I'll have VT & UVA with me at the show, and of course regular Flower Pins as well....

Ok, got to finish bathing the child...

Come see me!

2008-04-24T13:15:00.002-04:00

It's official..I've decided to be a vendor at the Strawberry Street Festival on May 10th, so if you're in Richmond, VA come see me! I've decided to limit myself to small items only, no purses (ok, well maybe a few). I'm in the process of making a boatload of fabric flower pins...and some cute little necklaces too. I'll get some pictures up eventually - I've been spending more time making and less time photographing lately.

I'm sharing a booth with two other Richmond crafters:

Unicorn Kids Studios - really cute earrings , art prints and other goodness
Jackson Sage - handcrafted skincare

I'm excited to get out there!! Hope for a nice day since it's an outdoor event!!

Pooped.

2008-04-19T22:16:00.003-04:00

What a busy week! I had my "trunk show" last night and it went really well...yay!! It was lot's of fun and I've got some custom orders to get to work on, so that's a good thing!! I'm thinking of doing a small craft show here in Richmond, The Strawberry Street Festival. I'll keep you posted on that one - it's actually rather expensive for a booth (compared to most local shows), but I'm thinking of sharing a table with another crafter to make it less costly. I see boatloads of fabric flower pins in my future!

T. & I spent the day at Maymont, and it couldn't have been a better day for it. Usually when we go the black bears are snoozing away, but today they were playing together and it was the cutest thing ever! It was nice for T. to finally see them active. They were wrestling, standing on their hind legs, swatting & rolling around. After watching the bears we walked therough the trails of the bamboo forest until we were spit out at the entrance to his favorite part of the park (and mine), the Japanese Garden. We climbed the rocks at the waterfall, dangled our feet in the pond at the base of the waterfall, jumped the stepping stones (about a million times) and tried to catch minnows with our bare hands. It was a fantastic day. On our way out of the park he said "Mommy, I had fun today" and that made the day even better. I have lots of pictures...I'm just too lazy to upload them right now...I'll post the link sometime..

When we got home from Maymont we decided to continue our day outdoors...the Richmond Braves had a 7pm home game against the Charlotte Knights, so we headed down to the Diamond for some hot dogs, popcorn, peanuts & Dippin' Dots...oh, and we watched some baseball too. Go Braves!

More stuff for this weekend...

2008-04-14T23:28:00.005-04:00

Hi there!!

I'm still trying to put together a few more things for my "trunk show" this weekend...I'm getting there, but definitely have some more sewing to do this week. I cut some fabric for a handbag tonight with every intention of getting started on it, but for some reason I didn't feel like sewing. So instead I made another fabric pin (my favorite..it may end up being mine)..

Then, as I relaxed on the couch flipping through a Pottery Barn Kids catalog I saw this...

and thought...I can do that! So I picked out some fabric scraps, a canvas, paint & Mod Podge...and 30 minutes later....Voila!

My version was a heck of a lot cheaper! I may have to try one a little more ornate in the future.

Flower Frenzy!!!

2008-04-11T22:10:00.007-04:00

It all started with the yoyo's...then I searched for a fabric flower tutorial and found a bunch! Two are my favorites. This cute one is from Wise Craft...

This time last year...

2008-04-10T21:16:00.006-04:00

Spring is back...at least for now. It was gorgeous today, 80 degrees, sunny & perfect for yard work. It isn't going to last - unfortunately, we're forecasted to be back in the 50's on Monday... I just need to remind myself that this time last year my lilacs were covered in snow..so 50's isn't that bad.

Short post, sorry..I'm unmotivated to write tonight - in fact I'm not really motivated to do anything. I did get some new books at a wonderful price...bargain books at Barnes & Noble online were buy two get one free, so I scooped up 3 James Patterson books. I think I'll start one tonight!

Momma's got a brand new bag!

2008-04-07T11:26:00.005-04:00

Happy cold and rainy Monday!

Spring is a tease...the weather was really nice and then BAM! Cold, dreary, rain for 3 days! Aaagh - can't take it anymore!! How do people live in Seattle? I would go crazy for sure.

At least with the nasty weather I was able to get to some sewing this weekend without feeling guilty about being inside. I learned how to make fabric yo-yo's..which will make cute little pins I think..next project, perhaps tonight.

I also made this cute purse called The Frenchy Bag - by Amy Butler. I have been eyeing the pattern for months and just never got around to it, until now! My friend B. saw the pattern and loved it too, and since she doesn't sew (yet..come on B. you can do it!) I got the little extra motivation to buy the pattern and give it a try. As always, with the first try I learned some things, so I'm ready to make #2...and that one is for B. (as soon as the fabric gets here!).

My First Softie!

2008-04-02T23:18:00.003-04:00

I just couldn't resist making this adorable softie called "Pointy Kitty" from Wee Wonderfuls. I must say, she was a lot of work, and required some hand-sewing...of which I am not a fan. It's a great little project to use up some fabric scraps though, so I'm sure there will be more Pointy Kitties in my future (will make a good gift for the little ones I think). Tackling this did give me the confidence to try more "softies"...and T. has already requested a dinosaur, so we'll have to see what happens!

New Sewing Goodness!

2008-03-29T00:29:00.000-04:00

I mentioned in my earlier post that I had some projects to share, and here they are! This first one is a baby blanket, a gift for my cousin's new baby girl...

Next up is my small tote....this one is a little boring..I think I'll so something to jazz it up...

And last for now, this is the large tote...much more fun than that small tote...wow, I really need to do something about that. Anywho...here it is....

And I am officially exhausted, so I think it's best not to even attempt writing tonight...I'm certain it wouldn't make sense if I tried.

More on Dad..and other stuff

2008-03-27T12:20:00.000-04:00

Hello, hello! Thanks for all of the positive thoughts from everyone, Dad is doing really well and is at home now. I think he's already planning what "needs" to be done in the garden.

C. is down for a visit and is staying with Mom & Dad, keeping them entertained I am sure. While she is here I'm quite certain she will enjoy the lack of "jug-handles" and crazy NJ drivers...unless she has become one of them! ACKKK!

We have a few folks coming into town this weekend to celebrate my Nana's 86th birthday (woo-hoo Nana!!). I'm going to try to convince C. to come over Friday night and teach me to make her famous White Chocolate Pistachio cheesecake...we'll have it for the birthday get-together on Saturday. Mmmm, yum.

I have some pictures from Easter, I'll post and share those later...maybe tomorrow. I also have a few purses to share as I am preparing for my first "trunk show" at my neighbors house in a few weeks where she'll invite friends and neighbors to come see all the goodies..and this way they can make custom orders and I don't have to have a ton of inventory on hand. I'm definitely planning to have a little selection of items though that are for immediate sale, just in case.

Oh another thing...I found the most awesome website for design ideas, tons of ideas for re-do's of thrifted furniture. I added it over there in the "Places I Visit" column, it's so inspiring!! I have so many ideas in my head now and can not wait to find pieces to work with!

Dad update

2008-03-24T20:24:00.001-04:00

Dad had his cardiac cath procedure today by a doctor who had an uncanny resemblance to Doogie Howser, MD. I thought I'd share the update here since it's so hard to call everyone.

The procedure took a little over 2 hours and they found that this is apparently his 2nd heart attack (he doesn't display "normal" symptoms for whatever reason). They inserted 3 stents into the main vessel leading into the heart to open it back up again (this was where the clot was). He was in good spirits after the procedure - obviously looking a little pale and uncomfortable, but the doctor says he might be able to go home tomorrow. Isn't that amazing...were they not just mucking around inside his arteries?

While your reading this, take a minute of your time to learn how to reduce your chances of heart attack by reading the ABC's of Preventing Heart Disease, Stroke and Heart Attack at the American Heart Association's website.

New baby, Sick parent, Easter eggs & Canopy

2008-03-22T20:38:00.001-04:00

Hello! It's been a busy week, and the weekend hasn't slowed a bit.

Friday started off with wonderful news of my cousin's new baby, but quickly changed as my mom let me know that my dad was being taken to the hospital for a possible heart attack...not the best news to end the week. Dad's doing well, they apparently caught the heart attack as it was happening..so needless to say he's in the hospital unitil at least Monday until he can get a cath lab done. For those of you who don't know my dad, he's not happy to settle down and "rest" in the hospital for a few days...so we took him some movies to get him through the weekend.

On a happier note, T. & I dyed Easter eggs last night, which was entertaining to say the least. We have several brown easter eggs and a few that I call "toxic waste green" - those being the eggs that somehow made it into all 9 of the dye cups at some point during their journey.

Another happy note - it seems that Walmart may actually have a relatively nice line of home products out! I was perusing through my newest Better Homes & Gardens magazine, and there was a really nice mini-catalog insert with some nice looking pieces. The line is called Canopy and it reminds me of Pottery Barn, on a major budget. The lighting is especially beautiful...think Restoration Hardware, only at 3/4 of the price. I'm excited to check it out on my next trip to Walmart...I'll let you know if it's as nice in person!

Distracted

2008-03-16T20:33:00.001-04:00

Bare with me, I have a lot of craftiness to share from the weekend.

My next project was supposed to be this cute Anna Tunic made with this cute fabric...

Unfortunately, my craft ADD struck again and I wondered off onto several other things this weekend. I've completed a super cute TuTu, which I don't have a picture of yet because I need to borrow the little girl across the street...without a model it just looks like a blob of tulle. Trust me, it's cute though. If I was a little girl I would want to dance around the house (or yard) in it. In fact, that's what I may do later! ;)

Up next are these cute earrings that I'm calling "Spring Trio" and "Blue-Bells" - I may add a few pairs to the Etsy site later this week.

And finally, since I can not afford a fantabulous embroidery machine, I bought these rubber stamps and a fabric marker...

...and then I stamped this for practice...

Not too bad I suppose. I need a better fabric marker and a little more practice and then I plan to sew onto a bib or a blanket, customizing sans embroidery machine. Ta-da! A. if you are reading, Z. will likely be the recipient of some trial pieces...yay!

Saturday was super-beautiful, so T. & I spent all day outside pulling weeds. You may ask yourself "all day, really?" Yes. The weeds were completely out of control, but they're gone...and my fingers hurt. But at least the Daffodils & Tulips and Hosta sprouts are happy again.

Photos from the farm

2008-03-14T22:13:00.000-04:00

Today we registered T. for Kindergarten and then went to see Horton Hears A Who...which T. enjoyed...we thought it was slow in the beginning, but once it got going it was cute.

This is a quick post, but I'm going to share lots of pictures. These were taken yesterday at the farm in Warsaw where R. hunts. Oakley had a wonderful time...he would love living on a farm. Turns out our crazy black dog LOVES to swim (surprise, surprise...he is a lab afterall). This was his first swim, with many to come I'm sure. We were also lucky enough to see a beautiful eagle and his/her giant nest...it was so cool!!

Anyway, here are the pictures. Enjoy!!!

Thin Mints & Fun Dip

2008-03-13T11:26:00.000-04:00

They're here! The dreaded, can't-eat-just-one Girl Scout cookies are here! T. likes the Thin Mints, R. likes the Tag-alongs & Dosi-Do's, and I like the Samoa's. Needless to say, we have 4 open boxes of cookies that will not stop calling us to the fridge. I do love the Girl Scout cookies, but I must say that our waistlines are glad they only come around once a year.

Remember Fun-Dip? You know, it's that envelope with a candy stick on one side and the flavored sugar on the other side.. R. & I remember eating it at the pool when we were kids. T. got some for Valentines Day from one of his friends and he, as any kid would, loved it. Here's a picture of T. getting a lesson from Daddy on how to eat Fun-Dip.

I did it! YAY!!

2008-03-08T18:41:00.000-05:00

I am a PMP! I got up bright and early Friday morning, drove to the testing center and sat for my 200 question exam. I had 4 hours to take it, and somehow finished in right around 3 hours and I PASSED! So, now it's official...I'm a PMP! My friend G. finished about 30 minutes after me and met me up at the Starbucks where I was anxiously awaiting her results (she passed too! Yay us!).

To celebrate we headed over to Kohls to shop for gym shoes (really it was just a way to pass the time until noon...we didn't think it was a great idea to start drinking before noon). After spending what is probably too much money on a pair of gym shoes, we moved on to a nice lunch with our husbands and then quickly moved on to the drinking since it was now officially after noon.

So now that I've finished that, I'm moving on to my next challenge. See the cute shirt over there in the picture? That's my challenge. I have the pattern, and a really cute cotton print just waiting to turn into this top. We'll see how it goes, I have never made a shirt using a pattern before...hope it turns out like this! I think the warm weather is right around the corner, so I need to get crackin'!

I'm still here...

2008-03-05T22:12:00.000-05:00

Yes, yes...it's been days..I know.

R. ended last week with a lovely case of the flu, and ended up quarantined in the master bedroom Friday through Sunday. T. & I kept our distance from him, and only sent food and drink up in plastic cups and paper plates...which so far (knock wood) seems to have been a good choice for us. I'm sure it didn't hurt that I completely disinfected the first floor of the house Friday night, and actually used up every last bit of Lysol (don't worry, we quickly ran out and bought more on Saturday morning). So, after several days of Tamiflu and boring upstairs television, R. recovered and has joined us downstairs again.

I've been super busy this week in a class, this is actually the first time I've logged in this week! I'll tell you more about my class later this week...I dont want to jinx myself. I will tell you this...the class is intense, I am in class from 8am-6pm every day, and I am ready for it to all be OVER! It will all be over Friday, so I'll write more then.

Ok, back to studying...hmmmph...

Oh my gosh it's Thursday!

2008-02-28T16:28:00.000-05:00

It happened again..the week is almost over and I'm just getting around to blogging. I truly can blame it on work..I've been CRAZY busy, and I'm frantically trying to get everything in order before next week when I will be out of th eoffice in training. Geez...I really need more time in the day. I never thought I would be "one of those people" that said that, but it's true. I need it. Desperately.

I did however find time in my crazy schedule to watch Project Runway last night, and may I just say that Jillian Lewis makes the most beautiful clothes. Definitely my favorite, although Christian & Rami are both very talented as well. Can't wait for the Fashion Week show!

Today is R.'s birthday, the big 35. I made Double Fudge Chocolate Cake balls...and yes, they are balls! Woohooo...I figured it out! Let the mixture chill a little before making the balls so it's not so gooey. A-ha! Who'd-a-thunk-it? Going forward I will no longer have ugly cake blobs.

A quick funny story. T. has been learning about oceans and sea creatures all week in school, and apparently yesterday at one point the teachers started talking about cooking crabs. Ms. L asked Ms. J how she cooks crabs, and Ms. J responded that she cooks them in B-E-E-R (she spelled out beer so the kids wouldn't know). T. shouted out "She cooks them in beer!?" and all of the kids broke out in laughter. I think Ms. L & Ms. J will likely stop spelling code words around T....the super speller!

Saturday already?

2008-02-23T21:29:00.000-05:00

Well, I was definitely not a good blogger this week. I guess things have been pretty busy this week. T. had a cold & I was feeling a little under the weather as well, so that always slows us down a bit...back in action now though. And for those keeping count, T. is still wearing the Romo jersey every day. The routine goes a little something like this:

wake up
put on jersey
wash at night (and explain why it is time to wash it...every time!)
hang dry
repeat

When will it end? His teachers at school say they are going to send a letter to the Dallas Cowboys telling them about T. and his "Cowboy Fever."

My middle sister's birthday is tomorrow...Happy Birthday A.! We celebrated today, pizza and Snickers ice cream cake...delicious...and NOT on the "lose 10 lbs. by summer" plan. But, I had some anyway...guess I'll have to take that Power Pump class after all...sigh..

I do have exciting news to report...I had my first Etsy sale!! Hooray!! Mental note...make more stuff for my shop! I did pick up some fun fabric this week, we'll see if I can make a little time for sewing tomorrow. I did finally clean off my sewing table, so at least I have the space again!

Crime Scene?

2008-02-19T10:09:00.000-05:00

No, Red Velvet Cake blobs! As you can see we attempted the recipe and while they do taste delicious, they are not pretty. The kitchen (and my hands) looked like a crime scene...which gave me lots of great ideas for next Halloween. Anyhooo..the picture is obviously pre-chocolate coating..but it really didn't make them look any better.

R. got home from Daytona last night, T. is happy to be hanging out with Daddy again. I have a TON of laundry to do...somehow even clothes that stayed in his suitcase and were never worn smell like a mix of bonfire & 5 guys in a camper for 6 days. Gross.

I picked up some new fabric on Saturday and have a few baby blankets in mind, now that R. is home I should have more time to sew..yay! I'll get them up on Etsy as soon as I get to them. I also need to clean the craft room - it looks like an explosion and I can't even see my table.

I need more time in the day!

Happy Heart Day! (belated)

2008-02-15T16:11:00.000-05:00

Hello! Happy Valentines...a day late.

I hope everyone had a lovely Valentines day, we had a quiet but fun one. R. is still out of town enjoying the warm Florida weather at the Daytona 500 , so T. & I spent a very romantical evening dining at the local grocery store...we did get some super-yummy chocolate covered strawberries for dessert...mmm.

T. had the usual classroom valentine exchange, followed by a sugar filled party..of course. I'll tell you what, Valentines are apparently serious business to 4 1/2 year olds. It took at least an hour on Wednesday night to go through the pack of Cars valentines and tattoos to determine which card/tattoo combination T. wanted each of his friends to receive.

My little sister C. is coming to town this weekend, YAY! C. just got her first sewing machine, so she is bringing it with her so she can learn how to use it. I'm excited to get her started...I know she'll have some very creative ideas.

Speaking of creative ideas..I found this recipe online and am dying to try it. Doesn't it look delicious? Red Velvet Cake balls, covered in chocolate...what could be better? Perhaps we will give this recipe a whirl sometime this weekend...perhaps!

Mmmm....

2008-02-12T19:37:00.000-05:00

R. left early this morning for his "guy trip" to the Daytona 500, and poor T. misses Daddy already. He had a bit of a rough morning, so we did something fun tonight...we made cherry turnovers. For those of you who don't know, T. LOVES cherries. He had fun pressing the tips together on the folded up turnovers..but I think he enjoyed eating them the most. I snapped some pics (of course) of the process...here are a few.

Another short post, sorry...I am off to play Candyland...again.

New Favorite Baby Gift...

2008-02-11T21:45:00.000-05:00

As promised, here's a photo of the other project I finished last weekend...

I fell in love with this adorable blanket pattern in Amy Karol's book Bend the Rules Sewing, and finally got around to making one this weekend for a baby gift. I LOVE the way it turned out, I don't think the photo does it justice...anyway, It's now what every pregnant woman I know will get from now on (or until I find another pattern that I fall in love with).

Ok, sorry for the short post, but I'm tired. Good night!

Crafty Weekend!

2008-02-10T21:01:00.000-05:00

Weekends always go by way too fast, and usually I get nothing accomplished aside from grocery shopping and visiting my Nana. This weekend was definitely different...I did those things AND went to the fabric shop, started and finished a purse project (for myself...see pic), started and finished a baby gift (pic tomorrow...it's being washed at the moment) AND went to the I "heart" Craft event that was put together by The Richmond Craft Mafia & the Richmond Etsy Street Team. Whew, I'm pooped! The get-together was really nice..I went WAY outside of my comfort zone and went alone, and knew nobody..so that was a bit scary for me...but I am glad I went. There are so many nice crafters in Richmond, it was fun to meet some of the folks that have Etsy shops & really cute crafts that I have been admiring. For those of you with kids, I met a girl who makes monster softies that you design yourself...she does birthday parties too where kids can design their monsters that are "missing" and she takes their drawings and "finds" (makes) them and delivers them to the kids. How cool...anyway, here is her site in case you are interested..Missing Monsters. I also met a really nice girl who makes beautiful jewelry with a vintage feel, TwistStyle - I've been eying a few pieces....so many cute ones to choose from.

Spring?

2008-02-08T13:24:00.000-05:00

Oh I can't wait for Spring! We were lucky enough to have a few days of nice weather (60's & 70's..wow!) but now I'm bummed because the cold weather is back, as I knew it would be..Punxsutawney Phil was right. Anyway, 6 more weeks of winter or not, my Camellia's are starting to bloom and my tulip's are popping up through the mulch. Look how beautiful they are...I just love my Camellia's.

It's a.....Blog!

2008-02-07T12:48:00.001-05:00

Yes, yes..and this time I PROMISE to update it frequently.

I intend to share random thoughts, everyday life, craft projects and maybe even some crafty tutorials..which is the whole reason I even got into this whole blogging thing. I suppose I'm paying back to all of those crafters out there who have shared their ideas with me through their wonderful blogs.

I can't promise that I won't overload you with funny things that T. has done or said...it just happens so frequently that I am sure I will be compelled to share!

So with that said, I simply must share this adorable picture of T. in his new Tony Romo jersey. He is in high-heaven and has worn it every moment that he has been awake since receiving it yesterday. He even directed a "photo shoot" last night, posing in different moves and then looking at the photo to make sure we didn't need to re-do it. This stuff is serious business you know.