Newlyweds & Nesting

things i'm loving

2012-01-26T09:14:00.000-06:00

Haven't done one of these in a while...here are a few new things that I'm currently loving!

I had heard good things about this L'Oreal Paris EverStrong Overnight Treatment, so I picked some up at Target for about $5. I've been using it every night for about a week now and so far, so good! My hair is VERY dry from daily hair drying/straightening and I've tried a ton of deep conditioning treatments. This is super easy - you just put it in your hair at night, work through, it dries really quickly and your hair feels great the next morning. The instructions say to use 2 pumps, but my hair is so thick that I normally use 4 to 5.

I'm seriously in love with this Kate Spade top...in yellow, my favorite color! Only $275...

I started watching Parenthood on netflix...seriously good! Not sure how I missed it on NBC when it started a couple of years ago, but I'm hooked.You can watch seasons 1 and 2 on netflix instant, and season 3 is currently airing.

And a sad, favorite thing, but Picnik just announced that it's going away. You can still use it until April (including all the premium features you used to pay for). Picnik is by far my favorite photo editing tool, can't believe it's going away!

House/Christmas

2012-01-21T13:36:00.000-06:00

Well, I finally uploaded pics from my camera, so here are a few of our new house (+Christmas decorations since that's when I took the pictures!)

new house!

front door

living room

Fireplace

foyer/dining room...we are renting the house hence all of the fun wallpaper and those navy drapes.

close up of the christmas tree...extra tall ceilings in the dining room AND wallpaper on the ceiling!

Polka dot presents!

Kitchen

So, that's our new house! We started the moving process in June and can't believe I'm finally living here permanently now. It's definitely an adjustment after living in Houston (and I already miss Chels so much!), but I'm excited for what's ahead!

books

2012-01-17T09:40:00.000-06:00

Last year I set a goal to read 30 books and I'm happy to report that I achieved my goal! I read 36 books total, so I challenged myself to read 40 books this year. I love keeping track of all the books I read on Good Reads (and the app is always handy to have when I'm at the bookstore and can't remember the name of that book/author that I wanted!)

The last book that I read in 2011 was The Piano Teacher and it was so good! It's set in Hong Kong and weaves two different stories - one from before and during World War II and one a few years after the war together.

My next book up is Starter For Ten by David Nicholls.

Breakfast

2012-01-17T09:13:00.002-06:00

I've never been a big breakfast eater, but lately I've been feeling like I should be paying more attention to "the most important meal of the day". So when I pinned these Peanut Butter, Banana, Oatmeal Squares on Sunday I knew I had to try them!

Source: gingerbreadbagels.com via Ashley on Pinterest

They were super easy to make and absolutely delicious! We've been spreading a little bit of peanut butter on ours. I always like knowing if a Pinterest recipe is really as good as it sounds, so I highly recommend this one! I will say though, that we've almost devoured the little 8x8 pan, so next time I will most definitely be doubling the recipe to make a bigger batch.

Happy Tuesday!

Last Week

2012-01-10T20:43:00.002-06:00

It's my last week of work at HBU...after 4.5 years working here it's a little bittersweet to say goodbye, but I have to say, I'm so ready to live in Tyler full time and not just every other weekend. This goodbye has been a long time coming (well 7 months long) and hopefully I can handle it well!

For lunch lately we've been hitting all my fave spots that Tyler doesn't have like Firehouse Subs, La Madeleine, Pei Wei, Freebirds, and the rest of the week consists of Bellaire Broiler Burger, Lankford Grocery, and Goode Co bar-b-que! I'm getting hungry just thinking about all of the good food! I think the only one I'm missing is Niko Niko's...I've got to figure out a way to get over there by Friday.

I still have Christmas pics on my camera, but I'm not sure I'm going to get to them this week - too crazy with work!

Hobby Lobby Chaos

2011-12-26T11:13:00.002-06:00

Just got back from Hobby Lobby...I was there about 10 minutes before they opened and was SHOCKED to see about 50 people standing in front of the doors, waiting for HL to open. There was a little bit of pushing and shoving as people tried to get through the doors - this is Hobby Lobby people, there are no limited edition Air Jordan's inside, come on! I really should have taken a picture, it was hilarious.

All of their Christmas decor was 66% off, so I stocked up on wrapping paper, tissue paper, some new winter pillar candles for my mercury glass holders, etc. It was crazy inside, but kind of fun - I'm glad I got out early this morning and went. It was pouring down rain when I came out of the store, I was going to head to Michael's too, but with the rain I just didn't have the energy!

We are just hanging out at home today...just put red beans and rice in the crock pot and I'm planning on doing some reading. I took pictures of our Christmas tree and decor in the new house but haven't uploaded them to the computer yet. Better late than never, right?

Busy

2011-12-13T15:17:00.000-06:00

Well...didn't mean to take such a long break from blogging, but that's just sometimes how it goes.

November was BUSY. We finished up with our holiday craft markets and have finally finished all of the holiday orders. Thanksgiving came quickly after our last market and things still haven't really calmed down.

We've had W's family in town from South Africa which has been really nice, I finally decorated our new house for the first time with Christmas decorations, and of course buying gifts and wrapping! I don't get to spend much time in the new house since I'm still working in Houston so I'll hopefully get to take some pictures next week.

Only 3 more days of work this week and then I'm off for 2 weeks! I can hardly believe W and I have been living apart since the beginning of July. I'm thoroughly looking forward to being at home, in the new house...peppermint mocha's in hand every morning, decorating, wrapping, cleaning house, having lunch and dinner with W every day.

I have one more Amazon order to place and then I'm finished with my Christmas shopping. My swagbucks came in very handy this year...I bought a ton of Christmas gifts off Amazon all for free thanks to my swagbucks (I have over $300 in Amazon Gift Cards)!

We had our work Christmas Party/Lunch today and it was so much fun! A little bittersweet for me since my days left at work are less than 20 now.

Happy Tuesday!

Stock up for Fall

2011-11-15T19:15:00.001-06:00

Fact - I frequent Hobby Lobby. And lately I've been there at least once every day, sometimes twice a day.

I have 2 small light up grapevine pumpkins from HL that I love to put out for halloween and I've been really wanting to get the giant one to match (but not for the $60 price tag or even half off). So last week HL had all of their fall stuff half off, yesterday when I was there it was marked down to 66% off, but today when I went everything was 80% off. So I got my giant grapevine pumpkin with lights for $12! Such a steal. I also stocked up on some pumpkins scented candles for just a couple of dollars.

So if you need some fall decorations now is the time to stock up!!

Finally Friday

2011-11-11T08:32:00.001-06:00

It's finally Friday! Here's a few random thoughts for y'all:

Chelsea is having a sale over on her blog today - she has a ton of cute designer clothes and shoes for sale (for great prices!). Hop on over!

I'm still in the midst of craft fairs right now, one more to go next weekend! Ribbons and Rickrack has definitely taken priority over almost everything this last month! We have a ton of cute new stuff that I really need to take pictures of and add to the website, but it's hard to keep up right now.

I haven't been to our new house since Halloween, so we definitely still have all of our Halloween decorations up. I can't wait to take those down and start decorating for Christmas soon!
I started watching Felicity on netflix instant last week. Umm...how did I not know about this show?!? It's SOOOO good. I'm addicted and have been staying up way too late at night to watch "just one more episode." I started season 2 last night - really she picked going with Ben on the road trip over going to Berlin with Noel? Boo - I'm definitely on Team Noel.
Have y'all started Christmas shopping? I've done a little bit but I'm anxious to finish buying/ordering everything. I feel like the next month is going to fly.

Have a great weekend!!

Another Pinterest DIY

2011-10-17T08:20:00.000-05:00

Another DIY from Pinterest - I've been busy! I loved this chalkboard tray:

Source: flickr.com via Ashley on Pinterest

and couldn't believe it when I found the exact same scalloped tray at my favorite thrift/resale store!

I painted the inside with chalkboard paint and added a burlap bow.

My mom and I hit up a few garage sales recently and found a ton of cute silver trays for 25 cents a piece so you know we will be making a few more of these soon!

Italy!

2011-10-13T09:39:00.000-05:00

Be prepared for picture overload from Italy!

Day 1: We hopped off the plane, ate pizza, and began walking around Rome. We stopped at the Trevi Fountain and ate gelato. This became a daily occurrence for us - we literally sat at the Trevi Fountain for 2 hours every day, ate gelato (from San Crispino - the best gelato ever in their signature flavor also called San Crispino), and people watched. You'll notice from the pictures that there are tourists everywhere in Rome. Seriously, everywhere. So the people watching is fantastic.

We also walked to the Spanish Steps this day. Really beautiful. I couldn't help but think of Roman Holiday every time we passed the Spanish Steps - one of my favorite movies!

Day 2: We headed out bright and early to tour the Colosseum, which was extremely impressive!!

And then we headed to St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.

Outside the Basilica -

Columns that lead to St. Peter's -

The Pope's Residence - when the shutters are open he is in, when they are closed (like they are in the picture) he is out.

Scottish Guards -

Michelangelo's Pieta inside the Basilica -

Inside the Basilica -

Day 3 - We headed to Florence for the day! It was gorgeous and I highly recommend going if you are in Italy. We went to the Academie to see Michelangelo's 'David' - no pictures were allowed, but it was super impressive. Pictures just don't do it justice.

Seeing the city from Michelangleo's Piazza -

Grand Duomo from Michelangelo's Piazza -

Grand Duomo -

Florence -

Day 4 - Amy & I dubbed this day "leisure day" which basically equated to more hours sitting by the Trevi Fountain eating gelato. But, we managed to make it to the catacombs this day (no pictures) which was really neat to see. And we also walked through Villa Borghese which is the Rome equivalent of Central Park. It was Sunday and the weather was gorgeous so there were a ton of families out and about. That night we ate the best food of the trip - pasta from Le Grotte (near the Spanish Steps).

Aims and I at the Trevi Fountain -

Day 5 - We got up early to head over to Vatican City. The Vatican Museum opened at 9 a.m. and we heard the crowds would be bad. We arrived about 8:40 and stood in line for an hour and a half just to get through the security line to enter the Museum. Crazy, but well worth it to see the Sistine Chapel!

Ceiling inside the museum -

Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel - by far the coolest thing I have ever seen. We sat here for a couple of hours just staring. These pictures can't even begin to do it justice.

Overall, it was a fantastic trip! I've always wanted to go to Italy, but actually being in Rome and seeing so many historical things right in front of your eyes is completely amazing. The food was delicious - but I've had enough pizza and pasta to last me for a while. : )

Pinterest DIY

2011-10-12T08:20:00.000-05:00

Ever since I saw these cute jars on pinterest I knew I had to make them!

Source: wonderfullywordy.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

I bought some jars at Target that sealed tightly, got out the Silhouette, created a similar design, and cut them out with vinyl. I love the way they turned out!

I love knowing exactly how much flour/sugar I have in the pantry and when I need to buy some more (which I obviously need to do now with the powdered sugar!)

Can't Believe It's October!

2011-10-10T10:21:00.001-05:00

To say the last three weeks have been busy would definitely be an understatement!

I traveled across the state for work, W and I both had birthdays, we celebrated with the Purifoys (yummy mexican food and margaritas followed by seeing Foster The People at House of Blues), packed up our house, moved to a new city, two days after that I met Amy in Dallas and we headed off to Rome for a week, and finally this past weekend I unpacked and began decorating our new house.

I'm still working on our Rome pictures, but I had fun putting out pumpkins and fall decorations at our new house this weekend!

Mums, light up pumpkins, and new wreath on the front door:

Close up of the new Halloween wreath! (I made this wreath in March and I could not wait to finally hang it!!)

New Halloween sign inside (bought it at Walmart of all places!)

Pumpkins on a new tiered stand I bought (also at Walmart, it was on the clearance aisle for $1!)

Happy Fall!

CVS Coupon

2011-10-07T09:53:00.000-05:00

Amy & I got back from Italy on Wednesday, so now I'm playing catch up at work! I'll be back soon with pictures, but wanted to post this quickly for all you CVS'ers - go online here: http://www.cvs.com/moneytrashers/ and take the pledge and you'll get $2 ECB (extra care bucks) which is like a $2 gift card! That means even cheaper stuff at CVS next week! : )

the pleated poppy

2011-09-15T12:04:00.000-05:00

YAY! I love the pleated poppy shop and I just won a giveaway over at 5 days...5ways for a $25 gift certificate to the pleated poppy! I've wanted a cute sunnies case forever, but those checkbook covers are appealing to me too today!

So excited - thanks so much for the giveaway Abbie!

things i am loving

2011-09-13T09:20:00.001-05:00

I'm currently dying over this Orla Kiely Acorn Cup bag. Oh large purses, they are such a weakness for me. Especially Orla bags.

my summer cd has been torches - foster the people
{Chels and I are seeing them at House of Blues on Saturday! Soooo excited!)

limited edition cinnabon creamer - seriously delicious. I don't really love cinnamon all that much, but this is a really smooth and sweet creamer. It's a great pre-fall creamer that makes me extra excited for peppermint mocha's! Definitely my new favorite creamer flavor :)

All things Rome. Why? Because I'll be there in a few weeks' time! Can hardly wait.

Monday Again

2011-09-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

Can't believe it's already Monday again...the weeks are flying by so quickly! We had a lovely weekend complete with mexican food, catching up on Suits (one of our new fave tv shows), and an impromptu trip to Galveston to hang out with W's sister, husband, and kiddos where they are vacationing for the week.

Not many more relaxing weekends in our future since we are moving to Tyler in 2 weeks' time! Luckily, the movers are also packing for us but that means I need to do some major cleaning out before they begin packing.

Work travel also beings this week which means I will be hitting Fort Worth, Tyler, Austin, and San Antonio all within the span of a week!

Happy Monday!

One Day

2011-09-08T08:23:00.001-05:00

I've had One Day on my to-read list for a while now and when I saw the movie trailer I knew I had to move it to the top of my list. So I ordered it from amazon and waited (im)patiently for it to arrive. And once it arrived, I couldn't put it down. Nicholls writes from both lead character's perspectives (Dex+Emma) in the book and you only get one day each year in their lives. He completely draws you in and makes you want to know about the other 364 days a year that we don't get to read about. I adore Anne Hathaway so I really hope she does Emma justice in the movie.

long weekend

2011-09-06T19:43:00.000-05:00

What a lovely long weekend we had! Temps less than 100 degrees, shopping with my mom, good movie (we saw The Debt - intense but good!), delicious italian food, and working on new products for the shop (pics coming soon!).

I also got to play with my Silhouette a little bit - working on these labels seen on pinterest!

Source: wonderfullywordy.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Finished product pics to come soon! Happy Tuesday!

cvs

2011-09-02T11:32:00.000-05:00

I'm all about CVS. They have fantastic sales and I usually go about every other week and only end up paying a couple of dollars (sometimes cents!) for at least $20-$30 worth of products (yes, my name is Ashley and I'm an extreme couponer).

I had an excellent CVS shopping trip today so I thought I'd start sharing my trips for those of you interested in couponing. Today I bought:
- 1 full size Pantene shampoo
- 1 full size Pantene conditioner
- 1 medium sized Crest toothpaste (not the travel size and not the large size, know what I'm talking about?)
- 1 Dawn dishwashing liquid
- 1 package of Cascade action-pacs

Total before coupons: $20.43
I paid: .97 cents!

My best advice is to save up all of your coupons and wait for items to go on sale or with Extra Care Bucks that you will get back. I'm always stockpiling shampoo, conditioner, dawn, toothpaste, toothbrushes, body wash, etc. that will eventually get used. If you wait until you run out of something then you will usually have to pay full price for the same items that you could have bought on sale 2 weeks ago. Happy shopping!

patience

2011-09-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

God has been teaching me a lot about patience over the last 8 weeks.

We are in this "waiting period" right now...waiting to sell our house, waiting to find a new house, waiting to find a new job, and waiting to finally move. It's a lot of waiting on things to happen and it can be incredibly frustrating. I have to constantly remind myself that we are on the right path - that God put a new opportunity in front of us and we took it because we both felt like it was what He was wanting us to do. But now, God is apparently not quite ready for me to move. I know that when the right timing comes along He will allow the rest of the dominoes to fall into place, but the waiting is so hard. I am incredibly thankful that I have a job now that is very flexible with me and that I have a place to live in. Things could be so much harder (like Lyndsey who is in the exact same situation but with a little girl as well! I can't even imagine how she is making it through this.)

It's a great feeling knowing that we are on the right path, but also incredibly frustrating at the same time. It's a leap of faith...I've closed my eyes and am letting faith guide me now.

library love

2011-08-24T08:20:00.000-05:00

For the past few years I've been meaning to stop by our public library and get a card...years people! Finally, a few weeks ago I popped in and picked up a few books. But the really great thing is you can download ebooks and audiobooks for free. I had never listened to an audiobook before and I still haven't quite decided if I like it or not. It's definitely different and will take some getting used to, but I really like the ability to multitask.

I normally like to keep my books, but I'm way too cheap and will only buy books if they are less than $2.00 at thrift stores or library book sales. So, the library is perfect for catching up on chick lit books that I have no desire to keep (like the confessions of a shopaholic series - I just now started reading those!). Yesterday I picked up a few Beth Harbison books at Chelsea's recommendation.

Happy reading!

what i've been up to

2011-08-19T08:20:00.000-05:00

Lately, I've been up to my eyeballs in tulle!

It can quickly take over the living room before I realize it!

My mom and I are in high gear prepping for craft fair season which kicks off in late October. It's a crazy time but oh so much fun!

Halloween Tutu Bags are making their debut at Ribbons and Rickrack as well...they can be personalized with "Trick or Treat" or a name/initials.

Can't believe it's almost fall! :)

Firefly Lane - Book Review

2011-08-16T08:23:00.000-05:00

I picked up this book on a whim at the library and really liked it! It's a long book (great for vacation/car ride/plane ride) but I couldn't put it down! It follows the story of 2 best friends through several decades and their ups and downs. Not the most original story line but still a good book.

Firefly Lane

weekend

2011-08-15T08:42:00.000-05:00

We had a fantastic, relaxing weekend! I read, spent way too much time on pinterest, we watched Lonesome Dove and lots of golf. I finally had time to do some experimenting with recipes this weekend - 7Up Biscuits and Mug Cake. Both turned out alright...not great.

7Up Biscuits
The biscuits were supposed to taste like Popeye's biscuits (and boy, do I love me some Popeye's biscuits!) and while they didn't quite measure up, they were good and very easy to make.

Ingredients: 2 cups bisquick, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup 7Up

Cut sour cream into bisquick, add in 7Up, and mix together. The dough was very sticky so I used more bisquick on the counter and my hands so it wouldn't stick. Pat the dough out, cut into circles, and place into a baking dish (with melted butter on the bottom). Cook about 15 minutes on 450 degrees.
My biscuits didn't rise very well and I had patted them out pretty thin. Next time I'm going to try keeping the dough thicker and making smaller biscuits. They tasted good though! And just as quick as using the frozen Pillsbury biscuits like we normally make.

Mug Cake
I was really excited about making this mug cake after seeing it on pinterest. I used this recipe and not sure what happened but my cake was very dry. It tasted okay but not moist at all. I might try experimenting with this a little more as it was very easy to make and extremely quick (only 1.5 minutes in the microwave!).

And because I don't think I've ever posted about this before, we also made Don Pedro's this weekend! One of the best, easiest desserts there is. It's always my go to if we have people over because it literally takes less than 5 minutes to whip up and is sooooo delicious.

Don Pedro's
Ingredients: vanilla ice cream, kahlua or whiskey
Let the vanilla ice cream melt, add kahlua or whiskey (the amount is up to you!) and stir until ice cream is liquid and smooth. Serve in wine glasses if you have company over and drink :)

the little things

2011-08-12T08:29:00.000-05:00

With all of the inspiration on pinterest I've been wanting to change things up in our house. Because we are moving soon I didn't want to do anything crazy so I decided to switch the pillows out on our couch (it's the little things in life right?) All of our current pillows are apple greens and browns...but for summer I was wanting some brighter colors, maybe some blues and yellows to mix in. I found this cute fabric and my mom made some new pillows (with a monogram of course!)

I really love the way they turned out (I especially love the gray)...new pillows are always an easy, inexpensive change to make in a room. I think for fall I'm wanting some wide navy and white striped pillows, but we'll see!

[shameless plug] If you're in the market for some new personalized pillows Ribbons and Rickrack will be happy to help you out! :) Just contact us for a custom order!

things i'm loving

2011-08-11T08:27:00.000-05:00

These coasters are too cute!! I want them in every pattern and color!

My iphone case cracked and I've been on the hunt for a new one - these monogrammed cases are too cute!

These Tory Burch boots are straight up gorgeous!!

This french bull bag is so fun - i love the black and white, but the harlequin pattern is so unexpected!

camelcamelcamel

2011-08-04T09:05:00.000-05:00

I discovered this website yesterday and I'm a little addicted to it - it's called camelcamelcamel (weird I know!).

If you are an Amazon shopper this site will become your new best friend! You basically copy and paste the URL of an item you want into camelcamelcamel and it will price track it for you. You can see the price history for the last year and see exactly what Amazon was selling the item for 2 weeks ago or 2 months ago. It will also alert you when the item decreases in price. I was amazed at the price fluctuations!! I tried expensive items and inexpensive items and they were all selling for cheaper price weeks ago. I will never buy anything on Amazon on a whim again - price track it first and buy it when it's at its cheapest!

Not sure why I never knew about this before!!

Mao's Last Dancer

2011-08-03T08:15:00.000-05:00

I read Mao's Last Dancer several years ago, but it was recently made into a movie and so I started thinking about much I loved the book.

The book is an autobiography of Li Cunxin - a Chinese born ballet dancer that ends up dancing for the Houston Ballet. Li talks about his childhood in communist China, how he becomes a dancer, and what brings him to Houston. It is a fantastic book (especially if you like dance) and I highly recommend it! In college I took a ton of classes and wrote a ton of papers on Mao Zedong and Communist China so getting a first-hand perspective is really interesting.

I netflixed the movie last week and wasn't disappointed either! It was fun to see Houston circa 1980 and the dancing is gorgeous!

weekend

2011-08-01T09:37:00.000-05:00

I wish I could be telling you about how much fun we had at the concert and how amazing Band of Horses was...but thanks to the idiots that are Kings of Leon the concert was canceled on Saturday morning.

Chelsea and I still managed to have some fun though in the form of pedicures and scoping out the new Vera Bradley store that just opened (I'm seriously in love with Happy Snails!)

I'm trying to get back into the swing of blogging - this has got to be a record number of posts for me seeing as how I haven't blogged in months. Pinterest has really seemed to replace my need for blogging, but we'll see how it goes. Not sure I even have readers any more...if you're still reading would you please come out of hiding and leave me a comment?

good music

2011-07-30T09:35:00.001-05:00

chelsea and i are seeing my fave Band of Horses tonight with King of Leon. we have pit tickets and i'm soooo excited! we have been looking forward to this concert for months!

{band of horses}

Is It Fall Yet?

2011-07-28T08:23:00.000-05:00

I cannot figure out where July has gone! I keep telling people at work that "oh, we'll do that in August". Yesterday, they kindly informed me that Monday is August. Oops!

Though time is passing quickly, I am oh so excited that it's August - it's "back to school" time and Fall will be right around the corner. Leggings, boots, cozy sweaters, pumpkin spice lattes, and my favorite - fall decor!

Pinterest has been full of fun fall/pumpkin decor...I can't wait to try some new pumpkin decorating ideas this year! I can hardly stand how cute those monogrammed pumpkins are - looks like a great project for my Silhouette!!

The Reader - Book Review

2011-07-27T10:38:00.000-05:00

I read this book about a month ago, but I'm trying to catch up on my book reviews!

I really, really liked this book. But, as a warning, it's definitely not going to be everyone's cup of tea. It's in the genre of those fairly depressing but hauntingly beautiful and sad books that you can't stop thinking about. It's a little bit of history in that it deals with Nazi war crimes and you get a glimpse at post-war Germany, but there's a great (but depressing/sad) storyline that goes along with it.

I read the entire book in about 3 hours, so if you need a quick read this is a great book for you.

I haven't watched the movie so I can't comment on that, but I'm hoping to catch it on netflix soon.

The Reader

things i'm loving

2011-07-11T07:38:00.000-05:00

tnew monogrammed, polka dot totes from ribbons and rickrack!
I throw everything in this tote - it holds a lot!

my new kate spade wallet - the color "white gold" is even more fantastic and metallic-y in person!

The new 2012 vera bradley planners came out last week - love starting a new planner - especially when it's as cute as these!!

I'm very picky about what pens I use, these Pilot 07-G2's are my absolute favorite - they come in a ton of colors - perfect for color coding my planner every year.

what are you loving these days??

still here

2011-06-18T21:37:00.000-05:00

over a month since I blogged...so sorry! we have 8 million things going on right now and blogging is definitely not at the top of my list :)

i'm prepping to move into the dorms with 500 new/almost college freshmen for the next 2 weeks for Orientation - wish me (and my fantastic staff!) luck!

what's for dinner?

2011-05-16T09:00:00.000-05:00

Lately, I've been fed up with the "what's for dinner?" question. I'm tired when I come home from work and the last thing I want to do is think about what to eat! I decided to try weekly menu planning...but of course needed something cute to help me organize : )

Enter the weekly menu planner + grocery list...

They are the perfect size for printing+holepunching and stashing in my vera bradley planner (5.5"x8.5") and help immensely every Sunday when I start to think about the week ahead. Most weekly menu planners have spaces for breakfast, lunch, and dinner but since it's just the 2 of us I rarely make meals for breakfast and lunch. I use the 6 lines under "week of..." to write out the 6 (ish) meals for dinner I plan to make that week. Even if I don't end up making all 6 meals, it's so nice to have a record of what I was going to cook for those weeks when I can't think of anything!

If you'd like to download here are the links (in various colors/patterns for your enjoyment!). There are 2 to a page:

Pink Quatrefoil

Grey Chevron

Turquoise Polka Dots

{If anyone really wants these in a standard letter size instead of planner size I can do that, just leave me a comment. I also have some matching "bills to be paid" and "notes" sheets that I can post - again, leave a comment if you're interested!}

crash potatoes and a birthday

2011-05-13T15:39:00.000-05:00

I ended up making these potatoes with my grilled chicken Monday night. Mmmm...they were delicious!

Mine were not nearly as pretty as Ashlea's, so I'm reposting her picture. I obviously need to work on my smashing technique.

The recipe was just perfect for the bag of red potatoes I had on hand.

Today happens to be Chelsea's birthday...so I'm getting pumped for celebrating tonight!!

{happy birthday chels!!}

Be Still

2011-05-09T19:07:00.000-05:00

So I was looking for an easy dinner to make tonight (it is Monday afterall) and I stumbled upon these Chicken Packets from kevin & amanda. Perfect, easy dinner!

I defrosted my chicken, preheated my oven, seasoned and grilled the chicken...now, time for the crescent rolls...except, wait...it doesn't appear that I have any crescent rolls in the fridge. I always have (numerous) cans of crescent rolls...except tonight.

And finally it hit me in the face.

I need to stop. I need to slow down. I need to remember.

Remember God, that is. I get so caught up in the day to day...in being super busy at work, at needing to do a million things at home...and I don't just sit and listen to Him.

You would have thought that God was giving me a big enough lesson when I was backing out of the garage last Monday and (insert loud noise) I scraped the side of the garage and tore my front bumper halfway off. But no, I needed some more gentle reminding. I challenge all of you to be more diligent and take time each day to slow down and just be still...just to pray for a few minutes when your work day is it at it's busiest moment. I'll definitely be working on that this week...

things i'm loving: kate!

2011-04-19T11:27:00.000-05:00

kate spade has a ton of super cute new bags out right now [and in my favorite color, yellow, too!]. i'll take one of each please!

i wish i was...

2011-04-15T06:27:00.001-05:00

I wish I was going to be here this weekend:

the black keys, the national, mumford and sons...

the list goes on. it's all just too much to handle.

{sigh}
where do you wish you were going to be this weekend?

"homemade" foccacia bread

2011-04-05T08:45:00.000-05:00

I attempted this bread for the first time this past weekend. My mom always made it growing up (the recipe came from my grandmother) but for some reason I was always scared of making bread, something about "dry, active yeast" scared the heck out of me. Well, fear not, this bread was insanely easy and sooo delicious.

{finished bread}

It's not exactly from scratch, but with the help of Pillsbury it's practically fool proof!

Start with your box of Hot Roll Mix (do not follow instructions on box!)

Empty the yeast packet into a mixing bowl and add 1 cup of HOT water. Mix well. (warning - I was not prepared for the yeast to smell so terrible!!!) Add in the other flour mixture from the box and stir really well. If too dry/crumbly add a few teaspoons of hot water at a time until the dough sticks together. Coat your hands in olive oil and knead the bread for a minute. Let dough rest for 5 minutes in mixing bowl. Knead bread again and place on cookie sheet, flatten dough out a bit until it's in more of a disc shape. Place large mixing bowl on top of bread and let rise for 30 minutes (your dough will almost double in size). After 30 minutes, sprinkle rosemary on top of bread and place in oven (375 degrees) for 25-30 minutes. Enjoy!

coupons & freebies

2011-03-29T14:55:00.000-05:00

There are lots of good coupons/freebies out right now, here's a quick run down of my favorites!

"Like" BIC on facebook and you'll be able to print a $3 off coupon for BIC Soleil razors - these are my favorite!
$2 off Folgers Coffee..I'm not picky about my coffee, so this is a great deal!
Free sample of Aveeno shampoo & conditioner...I recently started using the nourish+moisturize kind and I love it!!
Free full-size Suave product coupons
This week at CVS, Arm & Hammer laundry detergent and dryer sheets are B1G1 free plus there are lots of good printable coupons!

happy tuesday!

things i'm loving

2011-03-21T11:31:00.000-05:00

Loving kate spade at the moment...i think i need this bow bracelet! It comes in yellow, black, and red too!!

and these sequin flats are just too much fun...these would go with everything!

I adore this milly colorblock sweater - very Emma Pillsbury!

I've been using this Johnson's baby oil gel with shea and cocoa butter for about a month now and I love it! I have extremely sensitive skin that's allergic to most products but this stuff is wonderful. I even use it on my face at night and my skin has never been this soft and moisturized!

lucky duck

2011-03-17T09:26:00.001-05:00

new obsession: pinterest

2011-03-14T16:06:00.000-05:00

Are any of you using pinterest yet? It's my newest obsession - better than facebook, almost better than google reader! I'm captivated by pinning my favorites from around the web into my own categories: dream house, in the kitchen, make this (crafts+diy), holiday decor, etc. I'm constantly saving pictures and emailing myself links to remember certain projects or ideas - but now I simply "pin" and go! Your pin will take you back to the original link so you'll never have to dig around for the source or the tutorial or whatever it was. genius!

You must sign up either through facebook or twitter, so you can instantly see who among your friends are pinning. It's still a beta version so you can request an invitation from the folks at pinterest or I've got a few to give away (comment if you're interested). Only sign up when you have hours of time to devote to your boards because you will not want to do anything else!!

happy pinning!

Red Beans & Rice

2011-03-07T08:02:00.000-06:00

I l-o-v-e Red Beans and Rice! And I love quick and easy crockpot recipes even more!

I've tried to make this from scratch but it's always just a little blah - the secret ingredient to this recipe is this:

Cajun Style Red Beans (I've only ever found them at Kroger on the usual bean aisle) - they come with a large spice packet that you just mix in and it's delicious!!

You'll Need:

1 package Cajun Style Red Beans

2 cups chopped sausage

water

white rice

Prep: The night before, I get out my crockpot and chop all of my sausage. The next morning, follow directions on red bean package (I can't remember exactly how many cups of water it calls for) - add water, beans, sausage, and spice package. Cook on LOW for 8-ish hours. When you're ready to eat just cook rice according to instructions and spoon red bean mixture on top! It couldn't get any easier :)

ribbons and rickrack feature

2011-03-02T11:18:00.000-06:00

Ribbons and Rickrack is being featured today over on peace, love, and crafts!

Go check it out if you have a spare minute today :)

Speaking of spare minutes I am all out of those this week - I'm just trying to look forward to the weekend!!!

Swagbucks Birthday!

2011-02-28T07:45:00.000-06:00

Just a friendly reminder for those of you who love swagbucks like I do - today is their birthday and they are giving away A TON of free swagbucks today! Don't forget to check their blog throughout the day for new swagbucks codes.

If you haven't signed up yet, today is a fantastic day to start - not only do you get the usual 30 free swagbucks for signing up, but with the code BIRTHDAYFUN you get an extra 25 bucks! Click here to sign up!

Lately I've been averaging 50 to 60 swagbucks a day - currently, i'm thisclose to another $20 target giftcard!

Ribbons and Rickrack!

2011-02-25T11:00:00.000-06:00

The Ribbons & Rickrack website is finally updated - go check out our new products!!

We have some brand new items like:

monogrammed mouse pads

monogrammed key chains

monogrammed tutu bags

and bag tags!

We also still offer a variety of personalized items like full and half aprons, snack cups, cosmetic bags, and decorative pillows!

things i'm loving

2011-02-21T14:59:00.000-06:00

I can't get over how cute this silverware is -makes me want to have a picnic immediately!

love this orange and grey cardi from anthropologie

Downton Abbey - if you missed the newest Masterpiece Classic on tv a few weeks ago, no worries - it's now on netflix instant watch. If you love jane austen or anything british this series is for you...it's absolutely lovely and will hook you in for all 8 hours.

I bought some gorgeous shoes at Ann Taylor this weekend...they're not online but they looked very similar to these, except they are patent not leather and a beautiful taupe/grey color. They were originally $160, on sale for $99 - I got an additional 40% off and they let me use an AT Loft gift card so I hardly paid anything for them!!

Hope everyone had a restful weekend - I worked a ton at my real job and spent the rest of the time working for Ribbons and Rickrack - finalizing corporate event invitations and photographing new products! The website is still being updated but should be finished very soon! Happy Monday!

Free Music at Amazon

2011-02-14T08:09:00.000-06:00

Amazon is giving away $2 in free MP3 credit - go redeem yours now! Especially after watching the Grammy's last night there's got to be some new music you'd like to have! Enter code VDAYMP3s on any MP3 page.

Happy Valentines Day!

Black Bean Dip

2011-02-11T11:11:00.000-06:00

Let me warn you - this dip is amazing. It is my most requested recipe to date and is a staple at every get-together we have. It's also extremely easy and takes little work (my kind of recipe!).

You'll Need:

1 can chicken broth
2 cans black beans, drained
1 bunch cilantro
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 green bell pepper
1 bunch green onion
1 bottle St. Martinique True French Vinaigrette Dressing

Drain black beans from can and boil in chicken broth for 5 minutes, then drain. Add black beans to entire bottle of French Vinaigrette and marinate the beans for as long as you can - at least 4 hours, but more if possible - keep in refrigerator.
Chop up bell peppers, onion, and cilantro - mix together in separate bowl. Before serving, drain beans from vinaigrette and add to vegetable mixture. Serve with tortilla chips.

new blog loves

2011-02-10T15:09:00.000-06:00

For the past few years my google reader has been filled with wedding and design blogs, but lately I've just been having a hard time actually reading through them all. I'm ready for some new, fresh blog content.

Enter craft and organization blogs. I'm obsessed. Thoroughly, absolutely obsessed. I thought maybe some of you might be interested in my new blog loves. so goodbye style me pretty, hello iheartorganizing.

taterjots & jello - lots of crafty goodness!

she's {kinda} crafty - TONS of cute craft ideas, tutorials, and freebie designs!

iheartorganizing - love this blog. i read through several months worth of posts upon finding it last week. inspiration overload - makes me want to clean out every closet i have.

honey we're home - more organization goodness. you must check our her closet immediately (and she lives in houston too which is always fun!)

At some point I'll have to stop reading blogs about crafting and organizing and actually start crafting and organizing! I'll let you know how that goes...

weekend update

2011-01-31T10:30:00.000-06:00

anyone else out there working on 111 things in 1/11? here's my update since it's jan 31 today...

- i did get rid of the giant stack of magazines
- i have an equally large pile of books that need to be taken to half price books (so I can take that money and buy more books - its a vicious cycle!!)
- large stack of clothes to be taken to goodwill
- bags and bags of garage sale items too!

I haven't actually counted everything yet, but I'd say there's definitely close to 100 items (not including lots of papers and junk that went into the trash). I still have a long way to go on becoming completely cleaned out and organized, but it's a good start.

I also read an entire book start-to-finish yesterday and we saw The King's Speech, which I highly recommend. It was refreshing to not watch a violent, action/adventure film or a chick flick...just a really, really good and decent movie.

This is what I read...light and funny, perfect for resting while trying to get over this nasty cold.

And if you still haven't joined GoodReads please do!! It's such a great way to keep up with all of the books you've read and learn what books your friends are reading to get some good recommendations!

Things I'm Loving

2011-01-24T16:09:00.000-06:00

We got a new camera for Christmas and I l-o-v-e it SO much! I had the hardest time deciding if I wanted a dSRL or not...in the end I opted for a Canon superzoom instead and it was the best decision for us. This camera is not as heavy or quite as big as the Rebel, but the pictures are amazing! It also takes HD video which the Rebel does not and I like having the video option built in.

Canon SX30 IS

And check out the 35x optical zoom on this baby! I utilized this feature a lot in South Africa!

I'm currently obsessed with Mumford and Sons...this album is fantastic!

e.l.f. nourishing cuticle pen - this thing is amazing and it only costs $1 (usually only 50 cents because e.l.f. almost always has a 50% off coupon). My nails don't grow - no matter what I do, they won't grow. My nails are currently the longest they have ever been in my life and it's all because of this pen! I normally use it twice a day - just a quick swipe over each nail and you're done. (and don't forget to shop through ebates for cash back - I've got a $25 check coming from them in February!)

111 in 1/11

2011-01-21T08:30:00.001-06:00

Since we got back from South Africa I have been in the mood to clean and organize - I love the feeling of starting off a new year!

I've seen the 111 things in 1/11 on a lot of blogs recently and it seemed like good motivation to clean out my closets/drawers/pantry.

Yes, the pantry. It's where I stash all things that don't have a home...like these magazines that need to be sorted for recycling/giving away. Does each magazine count as 1 thing or do I have to count them all as a set!?

Get rid of 111 things in January of 2011. And while January is almost over...I'm going to do my best to clean out a lot in the next week and a half but maybe I have to push it to 211 things in 2/11!? We'll see how it goes.

Anyone else up for this?

Bowtie Fiesta

2011-01-20T08:20:00.000-06:00

I tried a new recipe last night and it was delicious!! The original recipe is from Blue Eyed Bride (here), but I adapted it (mainly because I didn't have all the correct ingredients) - so this is my simplified version of the recipe that requires no slicing or dicing!

You'll Need:
- Bowtie Pasta
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 can Rotel
- Taco Seasoning/Chili Powder
- Sour Cream
- Mexican shredded cheese
- Tomato Sauce

Preheat oven to 350. Boil water and add pasta, cooking for approximately 10 minutes. While pasta is cooking, brown ground beef and drain. Add 1 can rotel and taco seasoning and chili powder to taste (I use a lot!). Combine ground beef mixture with pasta, add half a jar of tomato sauce, 1 scoop (sorry for these overly technical terms!) of sour cream and a handful of mexican cheese. Mix it all together and pour into a small baking dish, top with more cheese - pop into the oven for 15-20 minutes (or however long you have) to melt the cheese.

{please excuse the bad iphone pic}

wedding!!

2011-01-19T16:45:00.000-06:00

As promised, here are a few pictures from Nikki & Stephaan's wedding in S.A. - so glad we got to go!

The reception:

LOVE this escort card idea - find your picture to figure out what table you're sitting at

The airplanes served as "table numbers" (because Stephaan is a pilot)

Newlyweds! (love all those twinkle lights in the back!!)

Photobooth with lots of fun props! This happens to be W's aunts and uncles :)

Chalkboard Menu

Centerpieces

We are going to another wedding this weekend, so hopefully I'll have even more wedding pictures next week!

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

South Africa - Trip #2

2011-01-18T15:54:00.000-06:00

Wanted to share a few pictures with y'all from South Africa - I won't show you quite as many pictures of animals this time...the recap from our last trip has plenty!

We spent New Years Eve weekend on a nature reserve/game farm with family and friends. It was gorgeous and we had such a nice, relaxing weekend.

The house we stayed in

There were baby zebra's everywhere!

The view from the porch of the house - breathtaking!

Happy New Year! W & I with his brother, Stephaan, and my sister in law, Nikki!

We did some kayaking. (We = everyone except me, I was the official photographer.)

A few obligatory animal shots because I just can't resist...

Overall, we had a great trip! Tomorrow I'll post pics of Stephaan and Nikki's wedding :)

I'm here, I'm here

2011-01-13T14:39:00.000-06:00

Sorry for being MIA - we've just arrived home from South Africa! We had a wonderful trip and I'm so glad we got to celebrate with the family for Stephaan (W's brother) and Nikki's (my new sister in law) wedding! Lots of pictures to come!

I do not ever want to travel internationally during Winter time again. Delays, delays, delays, and more delays. We timed it perfectly on our flight there, but coming home was a different story! But after 33 hours of traveling Tuesday and Wednesday we finally arrived home last night. Traveling, especially internationally, is not glamorous in the least and it feels so good to be in the comfort of home!

While we were delayed in Atlanta yesterday I was looking out the window and saw this little incident occur (pardon the iphone pics). I'm not sure if it was the lack of sleep that made this so funny or if I'm just that easily amused :)

See that white speck in the middle of the tarmac?

Here's a close up for you --

oh that white speck, that's a suitcase. It fell off the suitcase cart. And proceeded to just sit there while multiple airport workers walked or drove past it.

After 20 minutes this guy goes out to pick it up. I'm assuming the owner won't be seeing his luggage for a while...

And now we know how Delta loses luggage!

Happy Thursday!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2010-12-22T11:35:00.000-06:00

[image via kate spade]

I finished up my shopping and wrapping on Sunday, so now I'm ready for the festivities to begin! Wrapping is one of my favorite parts - all the houndstooth and polka dot paper and ribbon just makes me so happy!

I'm off work for several weeks and have thoroughly been enjoying my time off! I've been curling up with peppermint mocha's and friday night lights on netflix in the mornings (too bad I finished watching all the past seasons yesterday!). I also ventured out to Anthropologie yesterday to return a few things -- I have never seen so many people in that store. I literally waited in line for 20 minutes to check out, the line wrapped all the way around the store. It was nuts! I did pick up a few of these monogrammed votives {they were 50% off} - I think they'll make just perfect stocking stuffers. They're darling and smell delicious!

Monogrammed Votives (no longer online at Anthro)

While I was browsing through trying to find the initials that I wanted this woman looked at me and rudely said "What is the big deal with having your initial on these candles? Can you please explain it to me!?" Perhaps that wouldn't have been the best time to tell her that I have a monogramming business and am quite obsessed with anything personalized!? Way to be in the holiday spirit lady - I'm pretty sure I don't need YOU to criticize MY Christmas purchases!

Well, I'm off to clean and do laundry...because there is always laundry to be done :)

Things I'm Loving: Christmas Edition

2010-12-08T14:12:00.000-06:00

Garnet Hill Personalized Ornaments

Eyelet Stockings (also from Garnet Hill)

These glitter presents from Pier 1 are too cute and would make inexpensive table decorations/place cards!

Pier 1 also has this cute painted Christmas tree!

I LOVE these metal stakes from the Round Top Collection - I bought a couple this year at a craft fair!

These plates from Crate & Barrel are lovely - I love the different shades of green!

And last but not least...Glee Christmas has been on constant repeat. "Last Christmas" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" are my current faves.

SwagBucks

2010-12-07T09:47:00.000-06:00

I've had some questions about SwagBucks lately so I thought I'd do another post on it!

SwagBucks is basically a search engine where you accumulate "bucks" for searching, doing surveys, etc. Your bucks are added to your account and you redeem them for prizes. I've been a member for about a year now and I've accumulated about $75 in gift cards (target, amazon, barnes & noble, starbucks, itunes - you get to choose!) I use SwagBucks every day to search for everything (instead of typing in yahoo.com or gmail.com I search for it instead). The site is completely free and I've never paid a dime for my gift cards. It's so nice being able to use those gift cards for Christmas gifts, etc. Just think - if you start using SwagBucks now, maybe you'll earn enough gift cards to pay for some of your Christmas gifts next year! :)

There was actually a great piece on the news recently about a woman who used SwagBucks to fund an entire vacation!

If you have any questions about SwagBucks I'm happy to answer them!

*I'm not paid in anyway for advertising for SwagBucks - this is entirely my opinion about a great (legitimate) site to earn extra money! (and who doesn't love that!?)

new tv obsession

2010-12-06T11:00:00.000-06:00

I started watching Friday Night Lights on netflix instant watch this weekend - wow is all I can say! I LOVE this show. I watched all of season 1 (22 episodes!) and I'm currently on episode 3 of season 2.

Does anyone else watch this show? I might be slightly obsessed.

Book Recommendations

2010-12-03T08:16:00.000-06:00

Since we are gearing up to go to South Africa I'm on the hunt for some good books for the 18 hour plane ride. I'd love to hear some recommendations!

I just finished reading a few good books...

Some light and fun reading with Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts

Much more intense reading, but a really fantastic book - Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee

I picked up The Reader recently and will probably save it for the plane. I never saw the movie, did you?

So if you have some good recommendations (light or otherwise) I'd love to hear them!

Buttermilk Cornbread

2010-12-02T11:37:00.000-06:00

So I had my first attempt with cornbread and it was surprisingly easy. I like sweet, moist cornbread and this recipe fit the bill perfectly! We had this cornbread with oven fried chicken and mashed potatoes - delish!

You'll Need:
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk (or you can substitute regular milk plus some lemon juice)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 8 inch square pan.

Melt butter and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk and baking soda, then add into butter/sugar mixture. Add cornmeal, flour, and salt - mix well. Pour into pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.

This & That

2010-11-29T10:20:00.000-06:00

How was everyone's Thanksgiving? We had a great time with family in Bullard this year and spent yesterday deep cleaning the house and putting up Christmas decorations. I love decorating for Christmas...it's so fun to hang ornaments on the tree and think about who gave them to us or the vacation we were on when it was bought. Our latest ornament addition was a giraffe bought while we were in Africa at Kruger National Park.

[Lion in Kruger on our last trip]

We are actually going to South Africa again very soon for my brother-in-law, Stephaan's, wedding! I definitely didn't think we would be going to Africa twice in one year! I'll be breaking out the shorts and tank tops as it will be summer and extremely hot there (not like it isn't hot in Texas right now!).

I made a pie for the first time ever for Thanksgiving (probably not the best time to try something out), but I made a Pecan Pie and a Chocolate Pie...the pecan pie wasn't cooked all the way through, but the chocolate pie was perfect! For some reason in my head I thought that pie was harder to make than a cake or something, but it was actually really easy! I'll be sharing my Granny's recipe for Chocolate Pie soon!

I'm off to listen to the Glee Christmas Album - hope everyone has a fantastic Monday morning!

Giver's Log

2010-11-24T10:03:00.000-06:00

Giver's Log is having an amazing giveaway right now for a Silhouette SD!

Most of you probably don't know what that is, but I have been lusting over one for months and months!

Hop on over and enter today (and if you win and would like to give it to me for Christmas that would be fine too!)

Giver's Log always has great handmade and store bought gift ideas for everyone, I love reading her blog!

things i'm loving

2010-11-23T09:06:00.000-06:00

Here's a quick installment of things i'm loving right now...I know I promised recipes and they will be coming soon!!

I'm slightly obsessed with this Rebecca Taylor coat

If only it wasn't so darn expensive!

These Jonathan Adler iPhone covers are too cute!

Jonathan Adler Aztec Diamond Mobile Cell Phone iPhone Cover

Just finished reading the fourth book in the Bride Quartet by Nora Roberts - too cute!

Happy Ever After (Bride Quartet)

Amazon is once again offering a free $3 MP3 credit! Just go to this page and enter code GET3MP3S.
I redeemed mine yesterday : )

More Randomness

2010-11-17T14:06:00.000-06:00

Another random post for y'all...

Have you all started Christmas shopping yet? I've bought a few things, but not as many as I'd like. I feel like it gets harder and harder every year to come up with creative gift ideas. At least I've already racked up some cash back by shopping online through ebates.(just received my check in the mail yesterday!) and with all the swagbucks I've won this year, I have some hefty gift cards to Target that I will definitely be using for holiday shopping!

To really get you in the Christmas spirit, Starbucks is offering buy 1 get 1 free on all Holiday drinks beginning Thursday and ending Sunday (only good from 2-5 pm) - a great afternoon pick-me-up!

I'm having a hard time believing that Thanksgiving is next week. Seriously, where does the time go!?

Potato Soup

2010-11-11T13:18:00.000-06:00

This soup is super easy and delicious! There are a variety of ways to make this, but I like mine fairly simple. 3 potatoes made enough for 6 bowls of soup.

You'll Need:

- 3 medium sized baking potatoes
- 2 cans chicken broth
- half and half
- cheddar cheese
- green onions (optional)
- bacon crumbles (optional)

Scrub potatoes, peel them, and cut up into small-ish hunks (this will help them cook faster). Boil potatoes in chicken broth + 1 can water for 20-30 minutes. If you have a lot of chicken broth left, drain a bit out before adding in half and half. I add the half and half until I get the texture that I want - if you like yours think and a bit chunky add a smaller amount than if you like yours very soupy. Add chopped green onions to your soup. Serve with bacon and cheese sprinkled on top.

Enjoy!

Free Music at Amazon

2010-11-01T14:44:00.000-05:00

Today on Amazon you can get a $3.00 credit for MP3's!

Click on any MP3 and on the right hand side click "redeem a gift card or promotion code" and enter the code: STUDENT3

[It expires at midnight tonight, so hurry!]

I already made one song purchase today (If I Die Young by The Band Perry) and am trying to decide what my other 2 songs will be...

I'm considering "Breakeven" by The Script (not that new of a song, but I haven't had new music in a while)

Breakeven

or maybe Katy Perry's Teenage Dream

Teenage Dream

Too many choices to pick from!!

Hodge Podge

2010-10-31T20:45:00.001-05:00

It's been a while since my last post I realize -- I'm not the best blogger right now. LOTS of time spent preparing for craft fairs and completing orders with Ribbons & Rickrack. Our biggest fair of the year is coming up at the end of this week - the Sugar Plum Market - and I'm afraid it's going to be CRAZY if the previous fairs were any indication of how busy we will be. Luckily Chels will be there to help out!

I plan on posting a few recipes this week -- I made homemade cornbread last week for the first time ever, potato soup today, and red beans & rice is on the menu for tomorrow. If not, you'll get them next week.

We are at home tonight, but no trick-or-treaters so far...I'm having a hard time believing November begins tomorrow. Hopefully the cooler weather will stick around long enough for me to break out the boots :)

On another note, my Baylor Bears made a fabulous showing last night and beat the Longhorns! I really loved logging on to facebook and seeing that everyone on my news feed had a Baylor related status post.

That's about all for tonight...I'm off to watch Brothers & Sisters!

Ribbons & Rickrack

2010-10-18T17:01:00.000-05:00

Can't believe it's already Monday! We had a whirlwind of a weekend with a Craft Fair for Ribbons & Rickrack on Saturday and Sunday - our first of the Fall season!

Part of our booth - lots of aprons and pillows!

All Ocassion Gift Tags - Birthdays, Christmas, Thank You's!

Invitations and Announcements portfolio

Halloween Baskets!

Logo :)

Monogrammed cosmetic bags, snack cups, and tea towels

Monogrammed Tea Towel

Do you need anything custom monogrammed? Or a unique hostess/birthday/Christmas gift? Head over to Ribbons & Rickrack Designs! Send me an email if you'd like some invitations/announcements/note cards/Christmas cards done! We are in the midst of adding new products - so check back often!

Things I'm Loving

2010-10-13T11:28:00.000-05:00

Fall Scents!
I recently picked these up at Bath & Body Works - Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin and Creamy Pumpkin.

This Coach wallet...I'm not sure it would be big enough for all of the stuff that's in my wallet currently, but it sure is cute!

The National's latest cd High Violet is my current music of choice right now. They'll be in Houston in October as well as at ACL.

High Violet

This top from Anthropologie is too cute and perfect for Fall!

[Happy?] Wednesday - it's already been a very long week for me and I'm just ready for Friday to be here already!

oxford comma

2010-10-08T09:51:00.001-05:00

vampire weekend = love

Their concert was amazing...most definitely exceeded my expectations!

vampire!

2010-10-06T09:31:00.000-05:00

Listening to:

Vampire Weekend

and

Contra

all day because Chelsea and I will be seeing them live tomorrow night!!!!!!!!!!

Taco Soup

2010-10-04T10:25:00.000-05:00

Now that we're in a brief cool spell I have been itching to make some warm soups for dinner. This Taco Soup is one of my favorites not only because it is delicious, but because it is incredibly easy!

You'll Need:
- 1 lb. hamburger meat, browned [we use ground deer meat and it's delicious!]
- 1 can corn, drained
- 1 can black beans, drained
- 1 can pinto beans, drained [I try to buy the ones with jalapenos]
- 1 packet dry ranch dressing [I use Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch]
- 2 cans stewed tomatoes [or you can substitute 1 can stewed tomatoes with 1 can rotel and skip the green chiles]
- 1 small can diced green chiles
- Taco Seasoning

Directions:
Brown hamburger meat the night before (if you're fancy add in some onions). The next morning add the meat, corn, black beans, pinto beans, green chiles, and dry ranch packet into crock pot. Empty entire contents of stewed tomatoes/rotel into the crock pot (do not drain). Add 2 cups water to crock pot until contents are covered. Toss in the taco seasoning (I never measure, but I would say at least 2 tbsp). Stir well and turn the crock pot on low. I leave it on low for 8 hours while I'm at work and it's perfect. Spoon into bowls and top with crumbled tortilla chips and Mexican cheese.

This recipe made enough for 3 servings of left overs and the soup freezes well. Mmm...my mouth is watering just thinking about how good it is!

Fall Decorating

2010-09-27T14:20:00.000-05:00

I am thoroughly loving the cool front that blew through last night...it's amazing! It's finally beginning to feel like Fall. I'm sure it won't last long though...then it'll be back to 90 degree, sweltering days.

Currently, I am dying to try these glitter pumpkins (via Martha of course)

I might just have to have some DIY craft time this weekend. Martha recommends using real pumpkins...but I'm thinking about getting some faux pumpkins at Hobby Lobby/Michaels and then re-using them every year. I think white pumpkins with white glitter would also look pretty amazing!

Have you ever glittered pumpkins (real or faux)?! How did they turn out?

Random

2010-09-26T15:07:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the lack of posting...work has been busy and in the evenings I'm fulling enjoying Fall TV/Netflix instant watch right now. Fall tv = LOVE. My CW shows (90210, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, and Life Unexpected) have been fantastic so far this season. I feel like Chelsea and I are the only ones who still watch these shows, but whatev. Glee was also pretty good -- I'm seriously in love with the Empire State of Mind version that they did, but I was a bit sad that Emma didn't make an appearance.

We have some fun birthday plans for this weekend which I'm excited about! My coworkers got me a gift certificate to AT Loft, so I'm already busy perusing the website for some fall clothes/accessories.

The Maroon 5 album that came out this week is sooo good - I highly recommend it.

[Not the greatest album cover, but the music is good!]

Hands All Over

things i'm loving

2010-09-07T16:40:00.000-05:00

I've been slacking on my "things i'm loving" posts lately, mainly because I just haven't really been digging a whole lot that's out right now. I've been in all of my regular stores/browsed my usual websites and lot's of good stuff, but nothing great out right now.

However, I've managed to come up with a couple of things that have brightened my day recently...would love to know what everyone else is currently loving!

I love these mini-bowls from etsy seller SayYourPiece. They are too cute and would be perfect on your nightstand or bathroom counter for your favorite pair of earrings/rings. And at only $5 they are a perfect gift (and you can get one for yourself too!) especially with Christmas right around the corner!

My new Orla Kiely scribble stem bag...I have been lusting over this bag for a while and am completely in love with it! It's so fun and a great size.

I'm seriously in love with the new iPod nano's! My first iPod was a pink mini, now I have the 3rd generation (squatty/square nano), but these new ones are sooooo cool! I'm totally digging the green.

Pasta Milano

2010-09-03T13:52:00.000-05:00

Pasta Milano is one of my favorite pasta dishes to make and I usually always have the ingredients on hand, so it's a great pasta to make when you're in one of those "I have no idea what to make for dinner tonight" moods.

You'll Need:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Kraft Sun Dried Tomato Dressing (optional)

8 oz. bow tie pasta

1 tsp. olive oil

4 oz. sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil and drained

1/2 cup half and half

1/2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. parmesan cheese

3 tbsp. chopped basil

1/2 tsp. salt

Marinate chicken breasts in sun dried tomato dressing for 30 minutes or longer. This is optional, but I highly recommend it - it makes the chicken super tasty and juicy. Cook chicken in skillet until no longer pink. Meanwhile cook bowtie pasta until al dente. Cut cooked chicken into bite sized pieces. Heat olive oil in skillet for 1 minute, add chicken and tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add half and half, cook an additional 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Toss sauce, pasta, butter, salt, parmesan, and basil together and serve immediately!

Enjoy! And Happy Labor Day weekend!

Random + A Winner!

2010-09-01T19:48:00.000-05:00

Sorry I've been MIA...work just happened to be absolutely nuts this week! Nuts in a fun way though - lots of training/team building and consultants visiting - it just hasn't allowed for much blogging time or ample time to pick a book recipient.

But...Miss Brittany you are the lucky girl - email/facebook me your address and I'll put in the mail to you! Hope you like the book! : )

On a random note, I'm very happy that it's September! It's almost time to put out my lighted pumpkins on the front porch and my ribbon-wrapped pumpkins will also be making an appearance again this year! Now if it was only cool enough to break out the sweaters and boots...

The Glass Castle

2010-08-25T17:24:00.000-05:00

I'm not even sure where to start with this book because it's so fantastic. It's been a while since I've read a book that was this good. Jeannette captured me from the very first page and I simply could not put it down.

The Glass Castle: A Memoir

I really don't want to give away too much of this book because I sincerely hope all of you read it but the book is written from Jeannette's point of view (it's her memoir) and begins with her at the age of 3. She writes an account of her (shocking and heartbreaking) childhood - of growing up dirt poor with parents who were in and out (mostly out) of jobs, who made her and her siblings sleep in cardboard boxes with no electricity/running water/appliances, a childhood of being laughed at and ridiculed by other children at school because she smelled and lived in what the children called "garbage". I could go on and on. This book broke my heart and reading it was such a humbling experience.

I loved this book and want all of you to read it so much that I will send this book along to one of you - leave a comment if you would like to read The Glass Castle and I'll pick a random recipient on Monday. Please note that you'll not be getting a brand new copy, this book has been a "pass along" book (which makes it so much better than a new copy!) - my mother received it in the mail from a friend who lives far away and she had received it from a friend as well. So, whoever receives this book you must promise to pass it along after you read it - a sibling, a mother, a random friend - doesn't matter; just pass it along.

Design Star!

2010-08-24T21:22:00.000-05:00

I probably should have done this post a few weeks ago but, did anyone watch HGTV Design Star? I'm a big fan of that show and really enjoyed this season.

Casey and Emily were my favorites and I'm so glad that Emily won! I've been following her blog for a while now [did you know she has a blog!?] and it's been so fun to read along with her while watching the show.

[emily's room from the glass house challenge]

She has great style, so even if you didn't watch the show her blog is still a great resource to check out. She now has her own show which will air this coming Sunday night (9:00 central I think) on HGTV.

Strawberry Bread

2010-08-19T11:06:00.001-05:00

This bread is super easy and delicious! A nice change from the usual banana nut bread and I usually have all of the ingredients on hand (except the strawberries - but I am determined to keep the freezer stocked with these for ultimate bread making in the future!)

You'll Need:

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

4 eggs, beaten

1 1/4 cups oil

2 10 oz. containers of frozen strawberries (thawed)

Mix first 5 dry ingredients. Add in remaining wet ingredients. Mix well. Bake at 350 degrees for an hour.

Notes: the recipe called for 2 9x5x3 loaf pans, but my batter was enough to fill 3 loaf pans full! Even better : )

Hope you enjoy this delicious bread -- it's perfect for breakfast in the morning or as a snack anytime during the day!

Free Samples

2010-08-16T10:29:00.000-05:00

I L-O-V-E trying out new shampoos and conditioners! Samples are the best way to try out new hair products to see if they really work. There have been a ton of new products on the scene lately and some great free samples to boot! Here are a few of my favorite free samples lately:

Aveeno Nourish+ Shampoo and Conditioner Sample

Nexxus Therappe Shampoo and Humectress Conditioner Sample

New Dove Daily Treatment Conditioner Sample

Happy sampling! : )

thanks!

2010-08-11T16:46:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to say a quick thanks to Mrs. MMM! I won one of her Birthday Month Giveaways - a gift certificate to Doodle Bugs Paper!

I'm so excited! I have been wanting an address stamp for quite a while and now I have an excuse to get one!

I have been an avid reader of Magnolias, Marriage, and Manhattan for a couple of years now - I highly suggest adding her to your google reader!

kate

2010-08-10T09:52:00.000-05:00

oh kate spade and your new fall collection...

love.

Can You Keep a Secret?

2010-08-08T13:47:00.000-05:00

Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella

I recently finished reading Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella and it was fantastic! I am WAY late on the Sophie Kinsella train - not sure how I missed out on all of her great books! The upside to this is that I have found the vast majority of her books at thrift shops/public lubrary sales for around $1.

This book is sweet and very funny. It has the foundation of a typical boy-meets-girl novel, but it all comes about in a rather hysterical and ridiculous way. The main character in this book, Emma, often finds herself telling small lies to others to keep them happy - her coworkers, parents, boyfriend, etc. and on a turbulence filled plane ride that she thinks might result in the end of her life she tells all of her secrets to the man sitting beside her. As you can imagine this man (whom she thought she would never see again) comes back into her life -- and I won't ruin the rest. : )

I highly recommend this book for a light, easy, summer read!

Egg Salad Sandwiches

2010-08-02T16:49:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite go-to lunch spots is this dive of a bagel place called the New York Bagel Shop. Not only do they make delicious bagels, but breakfast is served all day for less than $5 a plate (and it's a large plate!). I happened to try out their egg salad sandwich one day for lunch and seriously, for weeks that egg salad was all I could think about! For some unknown reason I have never eaten egg salad in my life - it is now one of my weekly staples...who knew it was so easy (and delicious) to make?!

You'll Need:
6 boiled/peeled eggs
mayonnaise
mustard
dijon mustard (optional)
green onions (optional)
paprika
salt
pepper

There's no science to this -- in fact, I don't think you could screw this up. Cut the eggs up in to small chunks, add a couple of spoonfuls of mayo, a tablespoon of regular mustard, and a teaspoon of dijon mustard. Add the sliced green onions. Stir in salt, pepper, and paprika to taste. Serve on sandwich bread, toast, bagel - whatever you like : )

Notes:
- A lot of recipes that I found don't call for mustard, but I LOVE mustard so I was happy to add the 2 different kinds of mustard. I suggest playing around with different amounts to see what you like.
- Green onions are optional as well, I just like the little bit of "crunch" that they add.
- This amount of eggs makes 3 to 4 sandwiches.

I love having lunch already pre-made for me everyday (just keep the egg salad in the fridge, it can last 3 days or so). Not only is this ridiculously easy, but it's extremely inexpensive!

Enjoy!

Things I'm Loving

2010-07-23T11:18:00.000-05:00

Love this patent kate spade bag -- perfect for summer:

The Wicked Soundtrack

Wicked (2003 Original Broadway Cast)

I'm OBSESSED with this blouse from Anthropologie...I'm just not in love with the $98 price tag. Here's to hoping it goes on sale soon because I must have it!

How cute is this wire storage from PB Teen? I especially love the tray.

I'm so happy it's Friday - ready for a relaxing weekend! We're kicking it off with dinner at Bullritos (can't beat the 99 cent margaritas!) and a movie - Inception!

Hope you have a lovely weekend!

Deals!

2010-07-21T12:22:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I've been to World Market [we have some great furniture from there], but I recently noticed that they have some great knock off pieces at great prices!

Take for example these Fleur de Lys glasses...

...don't they look quite similar to these Fleur De Lys Juice Glasses from Anthropologie?

or these Victorian Tumblers from Pottery Barn?

Let's compare their prices:

Anthropologie: 1 glass for $6.00

Pottery Barn: set of 6 glasses for $36

World Market: set of 4 glasses for $11.96

Yes, $11.96 for all 4. Seriously such a deal!

Moving on...

World Market also has these Bee Glasses:

that are practically identical to the Bee Glasses at Ballard:

Price Comparison:

Set of 4 Bee Goblets at Ballard: $50

Set of 4 Bee Goblets at World Market: $32

Once again -- a great deal!

I also noticed that Target is starting "Black Friday" deals this month...early Christmas shopping here we come!

Twenties Girl

2010-07-19T11:50:00.000-05:00

I recently finished reading Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella. It was a fun, light summer read and I highly recommend it!

Twenties Girl: A Novel

The book is centered around a woman who gets "haunted" by a ghost of her great aunt -- I'll admit, I was a bit skeptical at first -- ghosts, seriously?! But after 1/3 of the way in, I was completely hooked!

What I really enjoyed is that this book is not your typical Sophie Kinsella/Madeleine Wickham, Emily Giffin, Jane Green novel. The girl-meets-boy usual scenario takes a backseat to the main storyline in this book which I really appreciated - it was nice to read something just plain fun and heartwarming!

Definitely pick up Twenties Girl if you get a chance this summer!

Wicked!

2010-07-06T19:17:00.000-05:00

I saw Wicked this weekend for the first time and it was amazing!

The girl who played Elphaba was sooo good - words can't even describe how fantastic her voice was! What I really loved was that the enter musical was just so impressive - the costumes, the music, the sets - it was all incredibly entertaining.

I'm sure most of you already knew this, but it was news to me -- they are making Wicked into a movie! It's slated to be released in 2012 and I am dying to know if they will cast Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth into their original roles. It's going to be pretty fabulous I'm sure!

vampire weekend

2010-06-29T20:07:00.000-05:00

Well, Chels beat me to the punch today but we just bought tickets to see Vampire Weekend in Houston!

The concert is not until October, but we are extremely excited already!

These 4 Columbia grads are extremely talented and I highly recommend that you check them out! Their [self-titled] first album is still my favorite, but their second album [horchata] is also great.

Banana Nut Bread

2010-06-28T16:54:00.000-05:00

I tried a new banana nut bread recipe last night and it was delicious!

Recipe from design*sponge - Skinny laMinx Banana Bread

You'll Need:
1 stick + 1 tablespoon butter (125g)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
4-5 ripe bananas
1tsp vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of Salt
(I added a handful of pecans, chopped finely)

Directions:
Beat butter and sugar until creamy
Add eggs
Add dry ingredients (including salt)
Add mushed up bananas and vanilla extract
Bake at 350 for 1 hour

My notes:
I used an 8x3.5x3.5 loaf pan and it took my bread 1 hour and 40 minutes to bake. Next time I will divide my batter up into 2 loaf pans and I think it will work better and take less time!

We had already eaten half of the loaf when I realized that I never took a picture of the finished product; however, here's what the kitchen looked like afterwards --

Making a mess in the kitchen was totally worth it though for this delicious bread : )

South Africa

2010-06-26T11:27:00.001-05:00

Whew...things have been busy since we've been back! I'm still trying to catch up on laundry and work emails, not to mention a hundred other things. But I wanted to share a few photos from our trip to South Africa!

Blesboks

Sunset

Loskop Dam

Baby lambs - I can't even describe their cuteness!

W & his uncle hunting

Hunting kudu

Thousands of banana trees on the way to Kruger

Zebras on the side of the road in Kruger National Park

A blue wildebeast walked across the road to join them

White Rhino

Hippos

Babboons

Lions on our early morning game drive

I got a little carried away with taking pictures of elephants...

Herd of blue wildebeast

Male Lion

Babboons and Kudu

Baobob tree

Waterbuck

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!

Glee Finale

2010-06-10T14:31:00.000-05:00

Did the season finale of Glee make anyone else cry? Seriously, how is this show soooo good?!

I cried during several moments...mainly here:

and here:

and for sure here:

Can't wait for the next season to start!

I'm still working on uploading and posting my pics from South Africa, things have just been busy!

Vacay

2010-06-03T15:27:00.000-05:00

So sorry for the blogging hiatus but I have a good excuse...we've been on vacation for the past 3 weeks in South Africa! I think most of you know that my husband is South African, but he has not been back in 10 years. So, we went to visit lots and lots of family. It was a really neat experience!

I am busy uploading pictures and trying to play catch up at work (I only had 600 emails to come back to...) but will be back with details very soon!