45 Best Body Secrets
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Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Pumpkin-Cherry Upside-Down Cake Recipe
Pumpkin-Cherry Upside-Down Cake Recipe
Oh my goodness! This looks soooooo good!
One of the items on my list for Thanksgiving dinner.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Christmas Cookie Recipes - BHG.com
Christmas Cookie Recipes - BHG.com
I always wanted to have a cookie exchange party. This would be a wonderful idea for Christmas!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Another Thing Added to My List...
Home Office Thoughts
I am sitting here in my home office contemplating just why it is so darned hard for me to keep it straightened up and uncluttered. I am naturally disorganized as I have said before, but there has to be something for us that are organizationally challenged that will sort of point us in the right direction!
I was going through some of the DIY websites and saw this . Now this would be my ideal office. And if you click on the next slide, you will see the storage solutions as well. I have the start of this already, but my office is not all white. I do have a settee that has slide out storage underneath. I also have a counter top that runs part of the length of one wall that I use for my computer desk. It also has shelving above and at the end of the wall there is a bookcase. I have another computer desk that I partially dismantled because I didn't like the tower on it. I will probably completely dismantle it and use the hardware to make another desk that matches my new color scheme.
I really do like the white and especially the red. I will have to incorporate some rose motifs in there as well since that is on just about everything that I collect and use. I have roses on my leather wallet, on my dishes, towels, just about anything. I grow them, I propagate them, I photograph them. I am continually looking for something else with a rose motif to add to my collection.
So, added to my list is yet another decorating project. And no, I still haven't finished my daughter's room yet. Maybe I will before she graduates and leaves home...
L A Here I Come...No, not that LA, Louisiana!
Well, I went on my second trip to Louisiana a couple of weekends ago with one of my best friends. She is originally from Houma, LA and moved here about a year ago. I went with her to see her home there and to go to a rather unusual craft show. I say unusual because it is held at a prison of all things.
We started out on our road trip before 6 AM on Saturday morning. The first real cold snap of the year happened that weekend, but luckily for us it turned out to be about 20 degrees warmer there than at my house. While hubby was shivering and trying to stay warm, we were sleeping with the windows up in her house. It was very nice!!
So was the Jacuzzi tub that she had in the master bath that I availed myself of each night. I truly thought I had died and gone to heaven. As bad as my muscles hurt and the restless leg problems I have are at night, this was absolutely what the doctor ordered. One of those tubs is definitely on my list for the bathroom remodel I have planned - hopefully before I am too old to climb in and out of the tub!
It was so nice to get up in the morning and go out in the backyard, pick a few citrus fruit to nibble on...Oh yes, did I mention she has a lemon tree and a kumquat tree in her back yard? I just had to go out there and get a few of the kumquats. I love those things! Both trees were so full that the branches bowed by the weight. It was such a beautiful sight. She picked a few of the lemons for me, but they had not ripened fully yet. The kumquats weren't either but I loved the sweet/sour treat. Like eating organic Sweet Tarts! Yum! The best of natural candy. She did send me a bag full of lemons the next weekend. I am eternally grateful for those. They are just plain delicious!
On our way down, I told her that I wanted to stop by the new Cabela's store in Ganzales, LA. My husband is supervisor over the fabrication department of a heavy wood beam manufacturing company. The beams in that store came from where he worked and he and the men there did all the fabrication and finishing. It was something to behold. My husband hadn't been able to go out and see it so I told him that I would take some photos so that he could see what they looked like erected.
Gonzales, LA
Pulling in the parking lot at Cabela's.
Can't figure out why the person ahead has the tool box lid open. Maybe they are like me when I get gas and forget to close the tank door. Hmmm...
This place is huge! I was afraid to take photos when we first walked in. I asked a manager if it was okay to do it and he said it was. So we went up the escalator and took this one.
Did I mention that I REALLY HATE escalators?
These beams are huge - I have forgotten the exact depth and length, but looking at them from here was amazing. Especially thinking about how they got them up there in the first place. I hope hubby doesn't have to ever go and fix anything on those!
A view of the smaller beams and the decking. I loved all the stonework as well.
It always amazes me when I see how these things go together.
Another view including the massive beams and skylights.
This was a really cool building. Unfortunately, I think it is the last of the ones using wood framing.
I had to leave out with a keepsake, so I am now the proud owner of a powder pink Cabela's mini multi tool with case. It took me a while, but I finally figured out how to fold the darned thing up. Oh well, leave it to me to make things more difficult than they are.
After this and a quick lunch, we were on the road again!
I never realized there was as much sugar cane as there is in that area. There were miles and miles of cane fields all over the place. I think my friend thought I was a little nuts taking pictures of cane fields though. There were also so many old antebellum homes there as well. Some were even told to be haunted. I told my daughter about one of them called The Myrtles. She promptly told me that it was going on her list of honeymoon spots when she decided to get married. I gave her my 'you've got to be kidding' look and she promptly looked it up on the Internet. It was beautiful. Leave it to my child to want to honeymoon in a haunted house.
Cane fields taken through the window of the truck.
We rode over a good part of Houma before we left that Monday. It amazed me when I looked at the citrus trees in just about every other yard. I joked that every time I saw one I wanted to stop and pick a bunch. The canals were something else too. There was so much water there. I didn't put things together until we left going home and went through New Orleans. It is not that far from the city, so it made sense that the land was pretty much below sea level.
The main event for the trip was the prison craft show and rodeo at Angola Prison . It was a very different experience for me. I have never been in a prison in my life, not even on a field trip to the local jail. I have never seen so much law enforcement in one spot in my entire life. That aside, the wares of the prisoners were something to behold. I bought my rose embossed billfold there. There were all sorts of woodworking, jewelry, leather and other assorted crafts there. And if you wanted something to eat, there was no way that you would go away hungry. It seemed like miles of food stalls lined the property along with all the craft booths.
I couldn't help but wonder what some of these men did to get in this place. Most were polite and seemed to enjoy the company of the many people who showed up for the show. It seemed sad that there were such talented people there. We all wondered if they knew that they had their talent before they got there or if it had taken this for them to figure it out. Unfortunately, there were those there that were not allowed to mingle with the public and probably for good reason.
On the far side there was an area that housed a group that were behind chain link fencing and barbed wire. I assumed that these were the violent offenders. My friends and I walked gingerly down through the area that held their wares. Personally, I just wanted to hurry through. Especially when I got the feeling that one of them was looking at me. I didn't make eye contact, but it made the hair stand on the back of my neck. It was not a good feeling and I was glad when we moved away from that area. These men could pass the receipts for their merchandise to a purchaser through the fence, but that was as much contact as a person got. I was glad!
We left just before the rodeo was supposed to start. My friend said that if we waited until the rodeo ended that we would never get out of there because of the traffic. I have no idea how many people were there, but at one point it got extremely crowded. We were all tired when we got in the truck and headed out. It was about 2 hours back to her house from there. I dozed off a couple of times on the way back. It was a good tired though.
On our way back the next day, we decided to come through Biloxi, MS and see what the casinos looked like. We went to both the Beau Rivage and the Hard Rock. I lost 20 bucks or as we say donated the casinos 20 bucks. I am not a gambler - don't have the nerve or the money to do all that.
The Hard Rock Casino
All in all, this was a great trip. And I needed to get away for a few days, believe me. All I have left to say is - Hey, where are we going next time?
I am sitting here in my home office contemplating just why it is so darned hard for me to keep it straightened up and uncluttered. I am naturally disorganized as I have said before, but there has to be something for us that are organizationally challenged that will sort of point us in the right direction!
I was going through some of the DIY websites and saw this . Now this would be my ideal office. And if you click on the next slide, you will see the storage solutions as well. I have the start of this already, but my office is not all white. I do have a settee that has slide out storage underneath. I also have a counter top that runs part of the length of one wall that I use for my computer desk. It also has shelving above and at the end of the wall there is a bookcase. I have another computer desk that I partially dismantled because I didn't like the tower on it. I will probably completely dismantle it and use the hardware to make another desk that matches my new color scheme.
I really do like the white and especially the red. I will have to incorporate some rose motifs in there as well since that is on just about everything that I collect and use. I have roses on my leather wallet, on my dishes, towels, just about anything. I grow them, I propagate them, I photograph them. I am continually looking for something else with a rose motif to add to my collection.
So, added to my list is yet another decorating project. And no, I still haven't finished my daughter's room yet. Maybe I will before she graduates and leaves home...
L A Here I Come...No, not that LA, Louisiana!
Well, I went on my second trip to Louisiana a couple of weekends ago with one of my best friends. She is originally from Houma, LA and moved here about a year ago. I went with her to see her home there and to go to a rather unusual craft show. I say unusual because it is held at a prison of all things.
We started out on our road trip before 6 AM on Saturday morning. The first real cold snap of the year happened that weekend, but luckily for us it turned out to be about 20 degrees warmer there than at my house. While hubby was shivering and trying to stay warm, we were sleeping with the windows up in her house. It was very nice!!
So was the Jacuzzi tub that she had in the master bath that I availed myself of each night. I truly thought I had died and gone to heaven. As bad as my muscles hurt and the restless leg problems I have are at night, this was absolutely what the doctor ordered. One of those tubs is definitely on my list for the bathroom remodel I have planned - hopefully before I am too old to climb in and out of the tub!
It was so nice to get up in the morning and go out in the backyard, pick a few citrus fruit to nibble on...Oh yes, did I mention she has a lemon tree and a kumquat tree in her back yard? I just had to go out there and get a few of the kumquats. I love those things! Both trees were so full that the branches bowed by the weight. It was such a beautiful sight. She picked a few of the lemons for me, but they had not ripened fully yet. The kumquats weren't either but I loved the sweet/sour treat. Like eating organic Sweet Tarts! Yum! The best of natural candy. She did send me a bag full of lemons the next weekend. I am eternally grateful for those. They are just plain delicious!
On our way down, I told her that I wanted to stop by the new Cabela's store in Ganzales, LA. My husband is supervisor over the fabrication department of a heavy wood beam manufacturing company. The beams in that store came from where he worked and he and the men there did all the fabrication and finishing. It was something to behold. My husband hadn't been able to go out and see it so I told him that I would take some photos so that he could see what they looked like erected.
Gonzales, LA
Can't figure out why the person ahead has the tool box lid open. Maybe they are like me when I get gas and forget to close the tank door. Hmmm...
This place is huge! I was afraid to take photos when we first walked in. I asked a manager if it was okay to do it and he said it was. So we went up the escalator and took this one.
Did I mention that I REALLY HATE escalators?
A view of the smaller beams and the decking. I loved all the stonework as well.
This was a really cool building. Unfortunately, I think it is the last of the ones using wood framing.
I had to leave out with a keepsake, so I am now the proud owner of a powder pink Cabela's mini multi tool with case. It took me a while, but I finally figured out how to fold the darned thing up. Oh well, leave it to me to make things more difficult than they are.
After this and a quick lunch, we were on the road again!
I never realized there was as much sugar cane as there is in that area. There were miles and miles of cane fields all over the place. I think my friend thought I was a little nuts taking pictures of cane fields though. There were also so many old antebellum homes there as well. Some were even told to be haunted. I told my daughter about one of them called The Myrtles. She promptly told me that it was going on her list of honeymoon spots when she decided to get married. I gave her my 'you've got to be kidding' look and she promptly looked it up on the Internet. It was beautiful. Leave it to my child to want to honeymoon in a haunted house.
Cane fields taken through the window of the truck.
We rode over a good part of Houma before we left that Monday. It amazed me when I looked at the citrus trees in just about every other yard. I joked that every time I saw one I wanted to stop and pick a bunch. The canals were something else too. There was so much water there. I didn't put things together until we left going home and went through New Orleans. It is not that far from the city, so it made sense that the land was pretty much below sea level.
The main event for the trip was the prison craft show and rodeo at Angola Prison . It was a very different experience for me. I have never been in a prison in my life, not even on a field trip to the local jail. I have never seen so much law enforcement in one spot in my entire life. That aside, the wares of the prisoners were something to behold. I bought my rose embossed billfold there. There were all sorts of woodworking, jewelry, leather and other assorted crafts there. And if you wanted something to eat, there was no way that you would go away hungry. It seemed like miles of food stalls lined the property along with all the craft booths.
I couldn't help but wonder what some of these men did to get in this place. Most were polite and seemed to enjoy the company of the many people who showed up for the show. It seemed sad that there were such talented people there. We all wondered if they knew that they had their talent before they got there or if it had taken this for them to figure it out. Unfortunately, there were those there that were not allowed to mingle with the public and probably for good reason.
On the far side there was an area that housed a group that were behind chain link fencing and barbed wire. I assumed that these were the violent offenders. My friends and I walked gingerly down through the area that held their wares. Personally, I just wanted to hurry through. Especially when I got the feeling that one of them was looking at me. I didn't make eye contact, but it made the hair stand on the back of my neck. It was not a good feeling and I was glad when we moved away from that area. These men could pass the receipts for their merchandise to a purchaser through the fence, but that was as much contact as a person got. I was glad!
We left just before the rodeo was supposed to start. My friend said that if we waited until the rodeo ended that we would never get out of there because of the traffic. I have no idea how many people were there, but at one point it got extremely crowded. We were all tired when we got in the truck and headed out. It was about 2 hours back to her house from there. I dozed off a couple of times on the way back. It was a good tired though.
On our way back the next day, we decided to come through Biloxi, MS and see what the casinos looked like. We went to both the Beau Rivage and the Hard Rock. I lost 20 bucks or as we say donated the casinos 20 bucks. I am not a gambler - don't have the nerve or the money to do all that.
The Hard Rock Casino
All in all, this was a great trip. And I needed to get away for a few days, believe me. All I have left to say is - Hey, where are we going next time?
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Gluten Free Apple Crisp and Other Goodies
I love apple pie - actually I love fruit pies better than cake, but it is very difficult to find something I like in the gluten-free category.
I found a recipe for Apple Crisp - actually several recipes. Some of them I didn't have all the ingredients for because when you cook with gluten free flours, you have to have certain additives that help make the texture more like wheat flour. I tend to do a bit of experimenting, since I am still learning what works and what doesn't.
Like this morning, I tried making sugar cookies. They turned out a bit crunchier than I wanted, and they tasted a bit like my mom's tea cakes. Not bad, but still not what I wanted. They will go well dunked in coffee next week for breakfast, but I wouldn't win any contests with them.
So, tonight I am trying a new concoction that is my version of Apple Crisp. We are having guests for lunch tomorrow and I want to make sure it is edible before I spring it on everyone.
Here goes:
Sandra's Yummy Apple Crisp
Filling:
6-8 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t ginger
1 t nutmeg
3 T lemon juice
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
3 T corn starch
Topping:
1/4 c softened butter
1/2 c ground pecans
1/2 c Bob's Red Mill GF Pancake mix
3 T sugar
2 T brown sugar
1 t cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Put apple slices in a bowl and sprinkle with the lemon juice, mix well.
Add sugars, cornstarch and spices. Mix well.
Lightly butter large baking dish and pour in apple mixture.
For topping, add butter, nuts, flour and spices together. Mix until crumbly and sprinkle evenly on top of apple mixture.
Bake for 30-40 minutes. Cover with foil in the last 10 minutes if the topping begins to brown too quickly.
Cool slightly, then serve over GF ice cream.
Enjoy!!!
Oh my goodness! It is fabulous!!!!
Served on my favorite china - even better!!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Book Bag Craft
Book Bag Craft
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I love this craft! I think I might try it on some old books I have at the house. If I do, I will try to share it this weekend.
Posted using ShareThis
I love this craft! I think I might try it on some old books I have at the house. If I do, I will try to share it this weekend.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Simple Crafts Under $10
Simple Crafts Under $10
I am in the crafting mood, as it is getting closer to Christmas and also my budget is getting slimmer by the minute. So, this $10 craft idea article really hits the spot.
This year I feel sure that our gift giving is going to be more from the heart than from the pocketbook. And that is really where it should be anyway.
Take a look at these ideas - Happy Crafting!!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Sleepy Sunday...The Rain is Gone!
Well, it looks like everything has been put on hold for a few weeks. The rainy weather sort of put a damper on the decorating. Nope, I haven't worked on Sam's room lately. Although I think I need to- it looks like a yard sale exploded in there. I hope that once the weather has cooled just a tad, I will be able to get in there and start painting. The sun was out for more than just a couple of hours today. My yard might just recover!
We cleaned out the laundry/storage room and found a nice ceiling fan that we forgot we had back there. I think instead of the chandelier we are going to do something with the fan. Maybe paint the blades to match the colors in the room. I think that will probably work out and will probably save some money too. We can turn down the AC sooner. And the heating will be circulated a lot better too.
Speaking of warmth, my niece has given me the needleworking bug again. I saw some really wonderful yarn in a department store the other day and I think I am going to attempt a shawl. I have made dozens of them in the past, but it has been a while since I tried. I don't know if the hands are nimble enough to do it like I used to. I could do a normal shawl in about an evening when I got started. I was pretty fast in my day. I will just have to see if the old ADD kicks in and I can finish it. Here is the yarn I am thinking of using. I love how warm and luxurious it feels.
In the meanwhile, I have been busy as a bee working on making jelly and preserves from scupernongs, pears and apples. Here is a taste of the bounty of the summer.
I think I have gone a little overboard with the jelly this time. I think I am going to try to make wine next year if we get a bumper crop. Everyone says it is easy.
I think I have gone a little overboard with the jelly this time. I think I am going to try to make wine next year if we get a bumper crop. Everyone says it is easy.Last weekend, I went to the Homecoming festivities for my daughter's and niece's high school. It was pretty nice except for the monsoon that threatened to drown everyone. This has been about the wettest late summer/early fall I have seen in years. Even the older folks agree that they haven't seen it this wet this early in the fall. It is usually dry now. I am really not complaining that much since it was so dry earlier on in the year. Besides the rain contributed to all the fruit for my jelly!
Tomorrow I am planning on entering some of my creations in the local fair. I have several photographs to enter as well. I was planning on taking everything this afternoon, but I didn't get finished with mounting all the photos and getting the rest ready to go. I have until tomorrow afternoon to get them in there, so I will drop them all off then. Hopefully I will win a ribbon or two. That would be really nice! Keep your fingers crossed. I hope to have pictures of it next weekend. Hope to see you then!
Monday, August 24, 2009
The Flu or Not the Flu...
That is the question
Well, I spoke too soon. I had intended on working on my daughter’s room this past weekend, but things did not turn out as I planned.
As it turned out, my daughter became sick with what we like to call ‘The Crud’ on Wednesday. She ran a low-grade fever, so we knew it wasn’t the flu, more than likely just a cold with a sinus infection. Those things are common in our area this time of year. With the Swine Flu going around everywhere lately, she was not allowed to work for a week (she has a job as a waitress after school). She was not a happy camper.
Next comes me with a low grade fever from another source. I have Crohn’s disease and it likes to rear it’s ugly head now and again when I over-do it from stress, or work, or both. So, I was down for the count for the weekend. Still not 100 percent, but I’ll live.
Between the two of us, it knocked out all our plans for a complete make-over of her room. I did, however rearrange my office to see if it would make me a little more productive. Eh...maybe...maybe not. I still have a ways to go on it as well. It is next on my list of total ‘decoration annihilation’. I use this term because it usually follows that when I start a project it looks as though something has exploded, then it eventually takes shape. Just wait and see, you’ll love it.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Decorating on the Cheap
Pizazz for Pennies
How to update a bedroom with a teensy budget
My daughter, who happens to be a senior in high school—something she regularly reminds me of lately, especially when it relates to curfew—wants to update her room. But first, let me lay down some background as to the house that we live in.
Some would say that our house is Ranch style, which I guess would probably be correct in some respects. The original structure was build around the late 40’s from another homestead. The older house had what we in the south call a dogrun which is a central open hall off of which there were several large rooms that were used for sitting rooms and bedrooms. The old house was rather large and my grandfather dismantled it to build a newer styled smaller home. The interior walls and ceilings were paneled with varnished knotty pine v-groove paneling which gives off a honey, albeit dark, glow. In the late 80’s my parents added close to the same amount of square footage in another bedroom, kitchen, laundry/utility and back entry with porch. More wood grain ensued with that addition including bead board and wooden faux beams in the vaulted ceiling of the kitchen.
My husband, her dad, loves the look. It goes well with the rustic motif in ‘his’ den. I , on the other hand am getting a bit tired of all the wood and would like to change it up a bit. So, my first experiment will be our daughter’s room.
The wood in this room was never stained nor varnished, so it has shrunk and there are several cracks where the v-groove paneling meet. This is going to be one of the obstacles in redecorating this room on a budget. My first thought, being the DIY person that I am, was to go out and buy some 1/4 to 3/8” sheet rock and put it up over the wood, then prime and paint it. That of course would include all the mudding and seam tape and sanding and more mudding, etc. Not something I was really wanting to tackle at this point. I have done it before, but it was not something I really enjoyed for the most part.
So, what was I going to do? First, I had to think about how much money I could spend on this project. I figured maybe I could get away with less than $200.00 and that included decorative items like bedding and window coverings, etc. and of course, the paint. I bought the paint at the local discount store for about 20.00 at gallon. You can buy cheaper paint, but when you are painting over knots in dark wood you need something with a stain killer in the paint as well as good coverage, and that doesn’t come cheap. I also plan to put a light coat of primer with another spot coat over the knots. I also bought 3 tubes of painter’s caulk. You can never have too much of that stuff. It covers a multitude of ‘sins’, and helps with those gaps in the groves and gives a nice finish to not so perfect corners on molding. It is my friend!
I lucked up when I bought the paint. Always look through the marked down bins when you go shopping for paint. You never know what you will find. As it turned out, I found a gallon of enamel in one of the accent colors we had picked out. It would be perfect to paint the night stand and the armoire she has in her room. I also bought a can of spray enamel to paint a chandelier that I had in storage. Yes, my husband and I never throw out ceiling fixtures, or anything else that can be repurposed in another way. So, for about 3 bucks, we had a cool light fixture painted in her color scheme.
Okay, so let me see, I have bought the paint and supplies and have spent, oh, about 75.00 in all. I think this is going to be the biggest part of our budget. If we had not had the wood paneling in the room and had sheet rock, we could have done with only a gallon of paint., so that would have probably knocked our budget for paint down to about 40—50.00. But, we didn’t have that option, so we had to bite the bullet on that one. Now, to figure out where to start…
I am not the most organized person in the world and that is an understatement. I sort of do things on the spur of the moment, sort of like getting an inspiration and going with it. It drives my husband nuts, but hey, he’ll get over it. So, let’s see...what does she have in her room that we can re-use and what are we getting rid of? She will keep the daybed, the armoire and night stand. She has a desk her dad built, but I am not quite sure what we will do with it. It is has a very dark stain on it, so we will have to see how it looks in the room once it is painted.
The curtains are fine and in the color scheme, so we wont have to buy new ones. She does need a different comforter, but we can make a cover for it from coordinating sheets and that shouldn’t be too expensive. Especially since the one she has is fairly new and I hate to spend money on a new set if I don’t have to. A couple of new sheet sets shouldn’t set us back more than 30 bucks. She also has several throw pillows that can be re-covered. Now is the time to go through my sewing material stash and see if anything there will work with the scheme.
Speaking of the color scheme, it is a rather vibrant one. It is composed of a turquoise, lime green and a sea foam blue. We are also going to incorporate some small amounts of black in with this as well as accents. So, with that said, it is time to try to get organized.
My next post will continue with photos of the before, and if I am lucky, the after as well. I hope to have some really exciting uses for color and re-purposing items that will make this a hip room for a young lady about to finish high school. See you next time!
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