3/31/10

Oats






I used this recipe for delicious oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

1. 1/2c White sugar
2. 1 1/2c AP Flour
3. 2 "Eggs" (I use egg beaters)
4. 1c Packed light brown sugar
5. 3c Quick oats
6. 1c UNSALTED butter
7. 1c Semisweet chocolate chips
8. 2tsp Vanilla extract
9. 1tsp Salt
10. 1/2tsp Baking soda

Tips/changes:
Lay out all the measured ingredients beforehand.
This is super helpful for the skim reader, forgetful and/or ADD.

If your butter has salt in it, this recipe does not need the 1tsp salt.

I did not include the walnuts in this version so I added another 1/2 cup flour.

A few people who reviewed the recipe said that the cookies went flat.
I refrigerated the dough for a few minutes before and between batches.

Also don't over mix the batter this could cause measly, flat blobs of cookies.

I think I'll use dark chocolate chips next time.

3/30/10

green


I couldn't stop eating this cajun "crab" dip from harris teeter.
To make it a little healthier I topped it with a spinach leaf.


I have a cold.
The past few days have been salt water gargles, warm lemonade, and advil cold and sinus galore.

3/25/10

Pop


I have to level with you, ok?

Pepsi or GTFO.

This is how I know I'm southern, y'all.

3/24/10

CARBS









Yum food imagery!

More pasta salad.
This time I added carrots and celery.
For the dressing I added:
2 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. white wine vinegar
3 tbs. vidalia onion dressing
1 tps. lime juice
1/4 cup vegan mayo

Then several nights ago I made these pizza pinwheels for a somewhat intoxicated friend.
They end more like mini cheese bread, but I like them that way.
I made them again this week and documented it.

My pinwheels lacked pepperoni.
I added goat cheese, melted garlic butter and italian spices before baking.
Also I suggest sticking the rolls in the freezer for a minute before slicing.
Mr. F topped his wheels with meatballs.

So you could try that too, I suppose.

3/23/10

hectic peace



Love covers over a multitude of wrongs.

When all else fails, love from the very bottom of your heart of hearts.
It is good for you.
It doesn't hurt anyone else either.

3/22/10

Randomly lengthy post about skin care


Every face is unique, not only in style but in "personality".


If your current skin care routine isn't working for you, I recommend researching products before you purchase.

I like to browse total beauty and youtube for reviews.



My skin type is sensitive, dry, with some redness and occasional breakouts.

My reviews and tips are based on my personal experience.


Tips for changing up your routine:

1- Any skin care changes should be given a 14 day trial period. The first 7 days your skin is going to be like "WTF is this?" and might give you a breakout here and there. The second week your skin should relax and you'll see the results of whatever you're testing on your skin.


2- If you experience burning or itching, stop using the product. The skin is allergic or the product is too harsh for your skin.


3- Only introduce ONE new item to your skin at a time. As in don't change your cleanser, moisturizer or foundation in the same week.


4- Use sunscreen! Tinted moisturizers with a built in SPF are the beauty departments gift to us, take advantage! Less sun damage, less wrinkles!


In the a.m. I literally just splash my face with water, I see no reason to use a cleanser to start the day. Since eliminating a morning cleanser my skin is less flaky and red. This works great for my skin type. If your skin is oily in the morning use a gentle cleanser.


-Water

Drink more water, flush toxins out and hydrate your skin from within. If you drink alcohol regularly, kick back a few extra glasses of water in between drinks. Being dehydrated is so bad for your skin!


-Yes To Carrots Moisturizer spf15

I find that chemical sunscreens irritate my face, make me itch and cause breakouts. (I use chemical sunscreens every where else no problem)

Physical sunscreens, like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide work better for me. This moisturizer is kind of thick and creamy which is great for my dry skin. It absorbs quickly and is great under makeup. If you have oily skin I recommend Burt's Bees Radiance day lotion with SPF 15, it is lighter and absorbs even faster.


-Boot's Tinted Moisturizer

I use this as my makeup on top of the Yes to carrots, because this is super lightweight. The color is great and smoothes out my complexion wonderfully without looking like a heavy foundation. It is the best tinted moisturizer I've across. Perfect for a spring/summer routine. Feather light and long lasting.



-Lush Baby Face

Ok this was a strange concept/texture to get used to at first. (Also it reminds me of princess mononoke, in a bad way.) The cleanser feels like you're putting butter or crisco on your face. I found that using a washcloth was too harsh for my skin, so I rinse several times using my hands to wipe away the cleanser. If I have heavy foundation and/or primer on I will use a cotton square to wipe away the cleanser/makeup. This stuff is amazing. My skin always felt stripped and raw after using a soap based cleanser and traditional eye makeup removers irritate my eyes. Baby face thoroughly and gently removes all makeup and grime, even waterproof makeup washes off with ease!



-Homemade Exfoliator

You can find tons of skin care recipes online. I find store bought exfoliators are a bit harsh on my skin. This recipe for a simple sugar scrub is great for dry and sensitive skin. Exfoliate the skin only once a week, daily scrubs can scrape away new skin and cause irritation.



-Face Towelettes

We all break the golden rule: {Don't fall asleep in your makeup} The next best thing you can do is keep makeup remover wipes at your bedside. Even if you are barely awake, you can take a few minutes to wipe away the makeup before dozing off completely. Keeping these in my side table has prevented many skin rebellions. I currently use the these.



-Jojoba Oil

Jojoba oil, from what I read is great for all skin types. I've used it for 6 months now and I've had great results. Although at first I broke out with it. I use it as apart of my p.m. routine. My skin is less oily and retains moisture better. Just a few drops is enough for my entire face.

Jojoba oil also works as a makeup remover.

I purchased mine at whole foods.


-Burt's Bees Repair Serum

I use a tiny bit of this on top of the jojoba oil at night. I love it! It makes my skin look rejuvenated. I've had no issues using this product.

Kind of pricy for the vile, but a little goes a long way! I have some creases in my forehead from too much eyebrow raising, this helps smooth the lines out a bit.



-Spot Treatment

For the occasional pimple or breakout, I currently use a generic spot treatment with benzoyl peroxide. Instead of going at your face with abrasive chemical cleansers, just use a spot treatment on the problem area. It is much gentler and effective. I do experience dryness and flaking, so I only use it until the blemish gives up. There are natural alternatives out there for spot treatments (like tea tree oil) I haven't tried any yet.


The best thing you can do is find (and stick to!) the unique balance for your skin. Research, research, research. That way you are an empowered consumer.

Buying things blindly leads to more breakouts and waste.

3/19/10

some weird folds I like









Last weekend we stopped by the Designer's Downtown Market.
Liz picked out this pink fabric from Linda's Stash and said "you're going to make me a bag right?"

If you're looking for cute fabric definitely check out Linda's shop,
she offers a unique and affordable selection.

I made the folds with the extra fabric and ended up really liking it.
I liked it so much I made my own afterwards.

Now it's time for me to work on my to do list and feel justified to do nothing but fun this weekend.

I really like stereo mood, it's pretty much pandora for the indecisive.
Mostly because I'm lazy when it comes to listening to music, unless I'm in the car.
That's when I turn into "crazy evil dj woman" aka don't touch the ipod boyfriend.
Even then I like to put it on shuffle and skip songs until I get to where I'm going.
Yeah, I'm that guy.

What are your weekend plans?

3/18/10

dessert first








On Sunday funday I made these smores cupcakes. They are amazing.
I've been eating them for lunch everyday this week.

Monday we had some people over so I made roast veggies.
(plus pasta, sauce and meatballs for everyone but me.)
I used variation of this recipe.

Last night I made potato & cheese enchiladas.
Like this recipe, except I only had a bell pepper to roast, so I used more cheese.


The #1 reason I hesitated eliminating meat from my diet for so long was because I have a raw food allergy. As a kid it was only carrots, now it is basically all raw produce.
It's pretty manageable, I just don't eat what bugs my system.

I can cook with the things I'm allergic to, no problem.
I've just avoided produce all together for a long time, so I often forget this.

Yay for remembering I can cook the crap out of them!
Take that, carrots!

3/17/10

jewelry box part 2









I picked out this watch from the jewelry box which is engraved with the initials of my great, great grandmother, if I am not mistaken.
The face is missing and sometimes people call me flava flav, which I think adds to the charm of wearing it.

The pearl necklace, is missing pearls and those that are in tact are quite weathered. I wear it only on special occasions.

Those are my pieces from the jewelry box.

The other necklaces are:
-Shells from hawaii from my grandpa and grandma
-The snazzy gold chain holds my baby ring from my aunt
-The gold fish is from f21

So there you have it.
My two most cherished pieces of jewelry and then some.

3/16/10

from barcelona








Walking around is so much more fun in unfamiliar places.

3/15/10

jewelry box




On the weekend after November 19, 2008
the daughters, grand daughters & great grand daughters
were presented with her jewelry box.
On the big guest room bed we carefully went through the delicate pieces,
picking out jewelry for one another.

3 months ago I complimented my sister on her cameo necklace.
I asked her where she got it from, it was one of the necklaces from the jewelry box.

She brought over the other pieces so I could take pictures.

3/11/10

etsy update



Two brand spanking new bags have been added to etsy.

The green one looks so wrinkly! The wrinkles have pretty much fallen out since I took the pictures.

If there is a certain style/type of bag you'd like to see offered, let me know!

3/9/10

preview


The photo is a sign of things to come. Like me blabbering about pieces of jewelry that are dear to me.

I will be updating etsy this week (hooray!)

I'm looking forward to making these cupcakes.

Made a variation of this pasta salad today:
- the onions, egg and parsley
+ chickpeas, cayenne pepper and a dash of lime juice

Don't ever burn yourself in the hinge of your arm. It is wicked slow to heal and irritating.

The weather has been delightful and warm, dare I say it is even HOT in the sun?
!!!

3/4/10

cupcakes, bright thread spools, fresh flowers








1} Good hair days, my hair by default is stick straight.
2&3} Lotus plugs and my freckles look like a bad breakout, ew.
4&5} New shoes, Mr. F (from here on out will refer to my boyfriend, plus I love arrested development.) was all, "Why are you wearing a hoodie and heels?"

Breaking them in, duh.

Another favorite of mine is the oldie but goodie: Poladroid

I also LOVE this scalloped swimsuit.
Mmm scallops in fabric and in my dinner.