hey ya'll - it's the weekend

I've got a full schedule myself. Tonight there will be frosting made and some seriously good baked sweet potatoes for dinner.

I'll also be pondering exactly how to do all of the background stuffs for this.... 

My booth space at Junk in the Trunk. The new Antiques/craft mall on Olympic Drive in Athens, GA. I committed to a 4x6 space. I have some rusty tin and plenty of craft paper and book pages and I am thinking that will be used on these walls.

Stay tuned, I'll be updating on that new venture here, regularly.

I'm off to Chateau Elan -- EARLY in the the morning for a fundraiser 5K. See the elevation in this picture - Seems the last 3/4 mile of this run is up this LOOONNNGGG hill. But just look at the view we will have as runners.

Then I'm off to get ready for this concoction to be dinner --- Low Country Boil with a group of friends.

 There will even be a drive on what is know as the "dirt road to heaven."

Saturday night's dinner gonna end with some of this - Fresh apple cake. I simply cannot wait.

Sunday will include church nursery - then a nap - then actual work on the booth display materials.

Yup --- full full weekend.

Hope yours is wonderful too.



Breathe...

Yesterday, out there in blogland - I discovered a recipe for cheesy chicken noodle soup. It's cold and icy here, school has been out all week, there is still a LOT of snow on the ground, and this morning the temperature was 9 defees F. So chicken noodle soup sounded like a wonderful idea. Well, it was okay. Needs work for my crew to love it, starting with the phrase "leave out the cheese." I'll be working on this recipe some more.

Any way --- its cold -- we have been cooped up for days - even the dog is miserable with cabin fever.

So a little redecorating is being planned.

My word for the year is ABUNDANCE. I'll be pondering on it for the year. MaryAnn and I chose BEAUTY for January and that has been a wonderful thing.

Then he said to them "Watch out! Be on guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an ABUNDANCE of possesions." Luke 12:15

So that my friends is where pondering has found me. I have stuff. Lot's and lot's of stuff. Stuff I do not needs. Stuff that is weighing me down. I have stuff that others thought would bring a smile to my face as they gifted me with it. Stuff that clutters my attic, my limited storage through out the house, my studio, my mind.
STUFF.

Just look......
I love my day to day mantle - have for years. Family photo, artwork I made, candles. Really pretty stuff. Sometimes I clutter surfaces with things that could be hung, because I have stuff hanging that needs to be moved.

My Christmas mantle made me very very happy this year. It wasn't over the top. There wasn't a ton of things. No formality at all. Simple and heartfelt.

I packed all that away and have had an empty mantle there for several days.

Last night College Girl came in. She had a dollar store frame, and a pastel drawing she had done. She asked me to help her frame the drawing. I made me happy, reminded me that warmth and sunshine will return. SO my early winter mantel is now done. Some would say this should be a summer mantel, but I'm loving this RIGHT NOW.

Take a look.

Yes, I am very proud to display her artwork in my house.

A few colored glass bottles - a chalk drawing of the beach - a shell.. MMMMMMM.

The tall green bottle was my mom and dads, it has been around as long as I can remember. The shell I gathered myself. The blue bottle is a tequila bottle I kept just because I love it. (think I'll hang a sand dollar on that one) and the red one was a Christmas gift from College Girl.

So I cleared an ABUNDANCE of stuff off there and gave this arrangement an ABUNDANCE of breathing room.

I'm thinking this is BEAUTIFUL to look at.

Happy Happy girl.

What cha think?

I'm planning a room redo (actually several) using the Pittsburg paints 411 series

with colors like silvery moon, veil of dusk, french grey linen, and photo grey. They are all a grey green and I am so very excited about it all coordinating through the house. www.voiceofcolor.com a slightly off white trim (maybe a pure white -TBD)

Have a wonderful day - I am looking forward to a wonderful warmer weekend.

Food - Food - Food

I discovered that I enjoy cooking. Scary.

Now I want to jump on getting my kitchen at least reorganized and redecorated. But anyway - this post is not about the kitchen.

It is about yummies.

These yummies.



sorry - late night picture under the flourescent light of the kitchen.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cupcakes.

I saw a review of a soon to be released Gooseberry Patch cookbook and this recipe was posted with the review. I am linking back to here, because I have no business posting their recipe and the website where I found it is an authorized reviewer. (she also has a gluten free version posted on the same post)

The following information is an unsolicited review of said recipe ---- OH MY GOD THESE BABIES ARE AMAZING. They are wonderful and the recipe was easy. I took these to work and the guys at the counter even say they are great.

Having said that - I have already decided that a few changes will be in order on my next batch. I will make them with crushed pineapple - just because my family prefers it over the chunks. I will also decrease the amount of butter a bit in the topping part - we also like the texture of the brown suger with crushed pineapple. Last adaptation will be a bit of cinnamon in the topping mixture. Again a family preference.

By all means - link over - try them and let me know what you think.

I'll be buying this cookbook - if I don't win one.

Also on last night's accomplishments - I cleaned (we cleaned-the Man helped) up this mess.

This mess was created with this process.

The pulling of one very dead red cedar Christmas tree carcass thru the window of the dining room. Softball Princess has video on her camera. Parts of this process were hysterical. Now to finish packing it all up and putting all the furniture back.

Now this is for Leandra. I have no idea where this recipe orginates. I was handed a handwritten note of how to make it. My first batch had way to much ginger for my taste. So I scaled it back. The mint and ginger help with soothing the digestive track.

The recipe - infused water

2 liters of plain water

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

12 mint leaves

1 lemon sliced thin

1 medium cucumber sliced thin.

Heres my take.

I slice my lemons and cukes and drop them in the bottom of my water jug. I found one at the grocery store that had a 2 liter mark. Fill with water.

The picture below is for reference. I did the entire amoutn of ginger for the first batch - then scaled it back - That ginger knuckle below was peeled and grated for my batch last night. That is about all I need - I have no idea how much the measure is.

I also have this fun little tea ball (Leandra I have another if you want it) I tear my mint leaves and put them and the grated ginger in it then drop it in the water. This means I don't have to strain the water when I pour it to drink it. I'm not real excited about "floaty stuff" in my drinks - Unless its a lime and salt in my margarita.

Refrigerate overnight. In the morning I pour mine in three waterbottles that I use over and over. I try to drink all three throughout the day.

This is day four of drinking this - I have to say the digestive issues I have from the adrenal fatigue are better. I'm going to keep experimenting with flavors too. Maybe cut some dried cranberries in half and use those instead of the cucumbers.

Again if you try this - please let me know what you think.

Have a wonderful day - the scale is moving in the right direction.

MMM MMM Good.

A variation on a Southern Bridal and Baby shower staple. I want to think this is more healthy.


I found the picture on tumblr. But here is the original link -- http://fortheloveofgold.blogspot.com/2010/07/cucumber-feta-toasts.html

Well - I have no pretty picture of mine. They disappeared before I got to the camera. A sign of a sure fire hit in my book. I made the following adaptation to the recipe. I snipped a good size grab of cilantro leaves and a snippet of dill. I also didn't toast my bread.

Try it - see what you think. Please let me know.

Have a great weekend.

Weekend update......

Well - all ball related activities were cancelled. Since the MOJO returned, this was a great thing, because I had those UFO's waiting in the studio. And I finished and framed one of them. The frame is not great, but I had it so there you go.

Meet MAJESTY. A mixed media angel. I love her. She framed up into an 8.5 x 11 size frame and features various sized mother of pearl buttons.



A soldered marble charm makes her precious face.

Wings - vintage lace (thank you Carrie) overlay on a music page. Her wings are dusted with clear glass glitter. Her halo - an orphaned earring (thank you MaryAnn).

In this view you can see that her wings arch - the dimension makes me oh so happy. Her name plate says MAJESTIC, and it is from a player piano roll. I love its faded look.

She is mounted on rough textured linen. This linen has major color varients in it. It is an end from a linen used to make artist canvases. This is normally gessoed over so the variations don't matter. (see lower right corner). I love the irregularities. I have about a 24 x 18 inch peice of this left and then I'll be searching for more. I also used this linen on my tag collage.

This is a pretty accurate color pix of her. What cha think?

NOW -- my facebook status from last night referenced - lemon honey glazed pork chops and resulted in several requests for the recipe. And some questions about my diet.

I eat normal food. I eat out with my family. I cook normal food for my family. I loosely follow the guidelines for the weight watchers points program. I have adapted food choices for myself (and those at my address). The biggest difference is in how I approach food mentally and how I interpret the signals my body sends. I now take the time to enjoy my food and the company I am eating with. This week, I'll be focusing on my new approach to eating.

For right now - here is the recipe for the pork chops.

pork chops (your preference on cut etc.)

spread them out in a single layer in your baking pan.

salt and pepper to taste

add a dollop of butter to the top of each chop

(my nod to paula deen)

squeeze the juice of a large lemon over the chops

drizzle with honey

By all means adjust the seasoning to fit your family's taste.

bake at 375 until the chops test done with a meat thermometer. mine were 1/2 inch think and they cooked about 45 minutes last night. I turn mine once about halfway thru cooking, but the man at my address doesn't and it really doesn't matter in the finished result.

I served these last night with rice and fresh broiled asparagus. I spooned sauce out of the pan over my rice and porkchop. I ate no bread (my Lenten sacrifice) but the rest of the crew had crescent rolls.

the most difficult part of eating right with this kind of food. eating only one porkchop. the glaze (sauce) is so good and it would be easy to eat more than one.

Nothing I prepare routinely for my family is ever difficult. I am learning to enjoy my time in the kitchen, but I still would rather be done with it so I can head to the studio.

Have a wonderful day - Oh and MAJESTY is for sale. email me for details. my email is linked through my profile -----

Tuesday

Rain.

Slow slow slow at work.

Reading this book - interviews with cooks and chefs. Wonderful.

I love cookbooks. For many years, I didn't cook. I can cook, I just didn't. But I bought and continue to buy cookbooks, I drool over the pictures. I want to learn to cook better. So now that I am trying to eat better and exercise, I am cooking more and trying new things. It's all good. I am actually USING my cookbooks. New to me - new to my family - and unbelievably - a welcome break to our food budget. By shopping carefully and planning, I can minimize the impact on the check book. Eating out is expensive.

I am working in the studio A LOT getting ready for the Art Show. Don't get me wrong, I love that focus on being creative, but I am ready to slow down a little and nest a lot. To do some things in and around my house. Ready for painter to be finished and get the outside landscaping and porches done. To take everything out of the cabinets in my kitchen - get a pantry cabinet added and move things to locations that make more sense.

My girls can drive themselves places and I am home more than I have been in years. I can see now that the home we made has been a great place for raising these girls, it is just time for some "gussying up" in order to really enjoy spending time there.

Is this what "pre-empty nest syndrome" looks and feels like? Or is this quest for simplicty and prettifying a product of getting healthy and feeling more balanced. I am not sure what a true mid life crisis looks like, but if this is what its about - count me in.

Don't look for me in a cute sports car featuring a boob job and face lift - I'll be in the kitchen or the studio or sitting at that new (old) table on the front porch.

Just random babble for the day.

I have a beautiful life - I think I always did, but now I can really see it.

STILL NOT MUCH MAGGIEGRACE

At the time it seemed like such a great idea. My boss suffers from kidney stones too. His suggestion - drink beer - lots of it. So today I have a kidney stone AND a hangover.

I did crochet some last night at the basketball game. I'll post pictures soon of what I am working on, this project just stays in the truck and I never think about it. It will be a cover up blanket for a big person someday maybe.

Today I am bringing you a favorite quick meal that my family loves. Cheese Quesadillas and green stuff. How's that for a well thought out meal description.

I have a small (call it dorm sized) George Foreman grill. Love that thing. Use it all the time. Should have bought the big one, but I was really unsure about how much we would use it.

Anyway - I digress. I buy the small flour tortillas, pepper jack cheese, and extra sharp cheddar.

slice cheese - smack between two tortillas - pop in the George Foreman - quick - painless - easy.

GREENSTUFF - my concoction - the College Freshman could almost live on this stuff.
One avacado - smashed with a fork.
lemon juice
herdez slasa verde
fresh (or dried) cilantro chopped
salt to taste (I use NoSalt)
mix up til it looks like guac.

cant really call this guacamole - but it sure is a great dip for those quesadillas.

note - this picture was blantantly stolen from some recipe site.

quesdailla - green stuff - cold beer - quick dinner ------- 10 minutes max (btw - the girls drink tea or coke)

come on over. the food is not fancy here, but the environment is oh so welcoming.

Have a great day.