Saturday, March 21, 2009

Easter Centerpiece



I made an Easter centerpiece out of the eggs that I had blown out the other day. I dyed them pastel colors and then threaded a thin ribbon through the center so that I could hang them. I have them hanging on cherry blossoms.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Blow an Egg


My friend Alexis and I decided to blow eggs tonight to make Easter egg decorations for our home. This was my very first time ever blowing an egg, and it took me a couple tries to get the hang of it. At first I wanted to gag a little, and maybe pass out...but then it got easier! All you have to do is take a needle or a thin nail and poke holes in both sides of the egg, one a little larger, and then blow into the smaller hole until all of the egg whites and yolk are out. After you finish blowing all of your eggs, you can rinse them out with water and let them dry overnight. I haven't dyed mine yet, but will post a picture when they're done.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Sprinkles


I love cupcakes and these are gooood! I've only had them a few times because I do not live close by their location in Scottsdale; which is probably a good thing! However, I was in Scottsdale tonight and was able to get my hands on some. Yum Yum!!!

I LOVE LUSH




A couple years ago my friend Jessica introduced me to a wonderful store called LUSH. If you have never been you have to go! They sell fresh handmade cosmetics. I would always go in for their bath bombs because when I was pregnant I loved taking baths. They have a wall of all different kinds that smell amazing, and make your skin extra soft. All of their products are made from natural products, and they let you sample them before you buy them. Once I sampled a few of their products I was hooked. I love their ocean salt cleanser, it exfoliates your skin and you can feel the difference when you're done! What also makes this store a great place to shop is the wonderful customer service! All the employees are extremely knowledgeable and can help you find products that work for your skin type. There is a Lush located in Fashion Square Mall in Scottsdale.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Penne Caprese


This recipe is a really easy one to mix up last minute and tastes great. It can be served warm or once it has cooled.

Ingredients:
  • 1 lb. penne pasta
  • 1 large can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1/3 cup fresh chopped basil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan
  • 8 oz. fresh mozzarella (cut in 1/2" pieces)

Cook Pasta as directed. Drain tomatoes. Mix next 5 ingredients in a measuring cup. Drain pasta. In a large bowl toss pasta with tomatoes and dressing. Add cheeses and toss again.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Liberty Market


I had been wanting to check out Liberty Market for a while, but today I finally went. It is located in downtown Gilbert; on Gilbert road, north of Elliot road. The atmosphere is great, the service is wonderful, and the food is yummy!!! Katie and I enjoyed the beautiful day on their patio. They also serve breakfast and have a full espresso bar. I will be going back again and again. The owner also owns two other great restaurants in the area; Joe's Farm Grill and Joe's Real BBQ.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Silhouettes
















I have been wanting to do this craft for a while now, and I am still in the process of completing it. However, I couldn't not post about it because I have been finding some really cute pictures online. My finished project will be posted eventually. My goal is to have them finished by Hudson's birthday. I want to make silhouettes of our whole family, the dog included, and create a wall with all of them hanging together! In the mean time if you're interested in finding out how to make one visit design sponge for a tutorial.

Craft Room



I have been trying to organize our den into a craft room/office for quite a while. It's finally getting less cluttered, but it still needs some work. Then there comes the fun part of decorating it! I am obsessed with Heather Bailey's craft room, it is amazing! I love all the furniture and colors she used. All though I don't think my husband will go for pink walls since we are sharing the room. But these pictures give me great inspiration and are fun to look at!

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Homemade Crayons



We made these with my Mom when we were kids. We were always breaking crayons or using them until all there was left was a tiny little piece. Well, instead of throwing away all those pieces; here's a way to recycle them into a new crayon.

Materials:
  • Non-stick muffin pan
  • Muffin liners
  • Old crayons
Procedure:
  • Preheat your oven to 250 degrees
  • Line muffin tin with liners
  • Peel the paper off the crayons
  • Put 5-10 different colors in each muffin space
  • Place the muffin tins in the oven until the crayons melt
  • Remove the crayons once they have cooled
  • Peel away paper liners
Found this image and directions at Craft Sanity.