Dream a little dream

One day, soon I hope, I will have a sewing machine of my very own. I really want an old-school bernina. The newer berninas have all sorts of extras that I don't really need. The 240 is a lovely model though. The vintage-looking Singer model below from Urban Outfitters is adorable but not as heavy duty. Still so pretty.

Urban Outfitters

yes...whoot whoo!!!

Ana at Knock Off Woods posted plans for my beloved Pottery Barn Bedford project table. She is brilliant. I am sooooo excited. I almost want to convert my guest bedroom into another craft room/office. Almost! Thanks Ana!

Pottery Barn

which white ?

Country Living

I really want to paint my kitchen white. I mean really! I just don't love the shade of khaki in the kitchen. I would love a white kitchen. I wish the hubby would let me paint every room in my house a white tone with an eggshell finish. However, he thinks our house would look like a hospital or institution. So in an attempt to compromise, I have decided to paint the following rooms:
kitchen, office....hopefully soon to be nursery and master bedroom/bathroom

But which white....there are so many. Here are a few favorites:

• Simply White, Benjamin Moore
• Bistro White, Valspar
• White Wisp, Benjamin Moore
• Ultra Pure White, Behr

shaping it up.....

Sooooo.... I have this little problem. After I had the baby, I thought I would quickly loose the baby weight. For the most part, I did, about 4 weeks later. However, my freak of a body has decided to hold onto 5 pounds. 5 measly little pounds! I work out the same amount, but my body is enjoying this extra 5 pounds of flubber. My body has plateaued. No matter how many classes a week I take at the gym, I cannot get back to my pre-baby weight.

New goal: proceed to get my rear in gear and get back into triathlon shape. I will be following this training schedule in addition to my gym classes. I will have to adjust it slightly so I rest on Sunday. Unfortunately this means working out about 1.5-2 hrs a day. (I am trying to convince the hubby to join in this goal, but he currently thinks I am nuts.) I am so excited.

 

Women Health Magazine

Steak Tips....mmmm good!

I am usually not a fan of steak. However, steak tips cannot be beat. The hubby and I love steak tips. I mean LOVE. I once begged a guy at SteakOut to tell me how they made their steak tips. (I literally sat there and begged!!!) The only thing I was able to get out of him was a good olive oil, great soy sauce and garlic. That was it. So I came up with my own marinade and we absolutely love it. Sooooo good!

Steak Tips:

• 1 1/2-2 lbs Sirloin Steak chopped into cubes (this is easier to do if the meat is slightly frozen or you can have your butcher do it)
•  1 1/2 c. soy sauce
• 1/2 c. olive oil
• 1/2  medium onion, minced
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Mix all of the ingredients together. Put everything in a covered bowl or a plastic bag. Marinate for 4-6 hours stirring or mixing occasionally.

Soak bamboo skewers in water for 20 min. Thread meat on skewers. Grill until cooked. Enjoy!

one year down....50 + to go

The hubby and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary. It was a perfect day with my best friend. What a year! I mean really, insane!!!!!! I am the luckiest of girls. He makes me happy everyday. Here's to 50 more babe!

Pantry and Laundry Organization

I have one project I want to do before this month ends: Organize my pantry and laundry room. Most of this project will involve glass jars and products from Ikea. I need to keep it in mind so I actually do it. Pantry Organization as seen on My Sweet Savannah and Country Living  I love the jar labels and how she put her vinegar and oils in the bottles. I can't wait to have it all done.

Ikea

 

Country Living

 

 

My Sweet Savannah
 

Now I just need to find a white vintage scale somewhere to put my onions and potatoes on......

Type

Sarah and Annette recently posted about the What is Your Type? I was curious and so I took the quiz.

I am....Rational, Understated, Traditional, Disciplined. My type is Perpetua Titling Light. It IS me! I love it. Classic and clean.

Get Your Martha On...shout out

I love the blog Get Your Martha On. She is very talented and witty. I find myself giggling while reading her blog posts. I adore her most recent post. She has created a mantel based on a picture she saw in Pottery Barn. I think I may be emulating this one for spring. I love the silver and white candles, vintage books and a bird's nest offering a hint of spring. Perfect!



She even shows you how to make large glass pillar candle holders inexpensively. It makes me happy.

the pottery barn

I always love Pottery Barn, but I like it even more when I see something that I think I can make for significantly cheaper. So many things that make my heart flutter....

(all photos from Pottern Barn)

Spicy Sweet Pork

Yesterday, I made some pork the hubby LOVED. I just added a bit of this, a bit of that. The pork turned out delicious. It was sweet but had a kick to it. This is a keeper.

• 1 1/2 - 2 lb pork loin roast
• 1 c. apple juice
• 1/2 c. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic paste (found in produce section)
• 1 T fresh parsley finely chopped
• 1 medium sweet yellow onion sliced

Place pork loin in crock pot. Cover the pork loin with sliced onions. Mix the remain ingredients together in a separate bowl. Pour over the pork loin roast. Roast in crock pot for 3-4 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low. Shred or slice pork.

a great how to book

Love this book, Weekend Sewing. I am thinking about starting a little project. I want to start a fabric collection. Then I can do one of these little projects when I have a lazy weekend.

Perfect...

I love A Country Farmhouse. I look at it and it makes me happy. I was especially excited to see this...
I love the white, silver and wood on the shelves. I like that it is a little unorganized. I am now wanting the hubby to make me these kitchen shelves because I am running out of cupboard space. So perfect!!!

Coming soon...

I saw these gorgeous pedestal plates and cupcake platters from Rosanna. I am thinking I need a few more white cake platters. Very pretty.

one bad dinner....

So.....a little domestic trial. I found this recipe from Southern Living or Taste of Home I wanted to try. The recipe sounded like a perfect "boy" dinner. It was chicken pieces bread with bbq potato chips. As Joey from Friends would say, Chicken "good", bbq potato chips "good". You would think it would be delicious. However, it wasn't good. I mean it was really really awful. I followed the instructions to the letter, but the combination of the soggy and now flavorless bbq chips mixed with the chicken- infused greasy potato coating made me sick. The hubby tried to be sweet, pretending this wasn't the most heinous thing he had ever put in his mouth.

This is one of the reasons why I love cooking and baking. Sometimes you find something you love, a new classic. And then sometimes....well, you just have to remember to never make it again.

Don't be fooled. While this may look appealing...it in fact is not.

Homemade Pita Bread

I made homemade Pita Bread the other night using a recipe from Anna Can Cook. I have loved all of her recipes. It was really easy and so amazing with homemade hummus. This is a keeper.

A Sur La Table Sale...Yipeee

Sur La Table is having a wonderful sale. I love kitchen gadgets, bakeware, dishes, etc etc etc.... It only happens once a year. You gotta love this stuff. It makes my heart soooo happy. I am a freak!

Check out these little lovelies.....mmmm so so white and so clean.

Home Depot here I come....

I think I have a whole new set of New Year's resolutions. This incredible Knock Off Wood blog was shown on Young House Love. I can't wait to find a project for a entry table, a proper coffee table, bookshelves, side tables, etc etc etc.........Wahoo!!!

Custom Embossers and Stampers

These custom stampers from the paper cafe are great. Would make a perfect wedding gift, birthday gift or anniversary gift. I am just sayin'. Who wouldn't want a custom label to put with home baked or sewn goods?

when will spring come ?

I can't wait for Spring. After the Christmas season ends , I figure winter should be over. One of my first Spring projects will be a new front porch plant. My tree had a little problem surviving the winter.

One to remember...

I LOVE this idea from Ms. Martha's Team....so cute but this seems different from the other homemade cards everywhere. I want to remember this. Great idea!

dreaming...

There used to be the greatest shop, Shepard's Cake and Candy. The shop carried chocolate for melting and dipping, candy molds, baking pans, cake decorating supplies, etc. Shepard's also offered cake decorating classes and candy making classes. They had specialty candies and fudge. It was a wonderful shop. It has been out of business for several years but I was thinking about it the other day. Maybe I can start a similar shop. Wouldn't that be lovely?