A deal...and a meal!

Last weekend while I was in Cali, I thought I'd take a trip to my fav TJ Maxx in hopes of finding my bird dishes. Sadly, I came home without the birdies. But... holy score! Look what Rio's bf Chase found on clearance and so graciously let me have it:) Yes. All Clad. Huge. For $69!! If you're an All Clad fan, you are totally feeling my joy right now:)

While sitting watching endless hours of Food Network a few weeks back, I saw this episode of Rachael Ray and she made this most scrumptious of dinners:) The episode was called Tangy and Terrific. She made this Orange-Balsamic Glazed Chicken with Lemon Risotto.

If you have the patience for risotto (something I've just newly acquired) it's a must try. It's easy and deeelish:) And just look how happy those chickens are in the awesomeness of that pan:)

Oooh, and it helps if you have a huge crush on your sous chef:) makes cooking sooo much fun:)

The finished product:)

Ta-a-a-sty I tell ya!!!

And go ahead and follow that tastiness up with the bomb of all cookies. Chocolate chip with Sea salt sprinkles. Sweet and Salt. It doesn't get any better than that!!

Yes. I said Gdubb pillows...:)

Ok. So I totally know what you're all thinking. Ewww! Gross! I know. I know! But hear me out. I love me some down pillows. I love them on my porch. I do not however love to pay big dollars for pillows that are going to be OUTSIDE! I mean, come on- there is nothing like a down pillow, and those "outdoor" pillows that you get are crap! Sooo I Gdubb it. I buy them for the insert. I haven't yet come across a gross one. You can tell right away if it's stained or whatever and then you can just trash it and not feel bad that you paid all of $2 for it:)

I had the hubby bring down my sewing machine to the dining room. I hit JoAnn and picked up some remnant pieces of fabric, and used whatever trim I had around to make me up some Halloween pillows for my porch!! Yay!! What you say? Halloween?? Yes! It creeps (no punn intended) up on us so fast and why not take advantage of my forced down time and sew, sew, sew!! The card? Oh I'll get to that!

And check it! How cute are they!! The melted candle? Not so cute:( It's still hotter than hades here:( but hey, a girl can dream and look forward to fall right?

I free handed that cute witches hat and just sewed it on, then trimmed it with some orange ribbon that I've had forever and made that flower by sewing some ribbon in a circle. Whew! Did that ever max out my sewing abilities!!

My sis in law made a really cute Union Jack pillow, so I took that idea and made this little pillow:)Oh, and just to show you how lonely and miserable my front porch looks- yeah, check out those dead plants. Nice.I loved this spider fabric. Neither remnant or cheap:(

Ok. The card. I've had this card for years! I can't think of anyone worthy to send it to?! Geez that sounds awful! But sadly, it's true. Maybe I should just send it to myself?? Anyway, this became my inspiration and what started the entire Halloween pillow madness:)

I found this silhouette at cafepress.com and enlarged it and printed it. I then free handed bat wings to it and used it as my pattern:)

Oh my! I LOVE it!! Times a thousand!! It's truly my favorite little crazy crafty I've ever done:)

And Little Bully completely agrees!!

Cutie cloche... :)

Okay, so a few months back I was trollin my fav Gdubb, (Goodwill) when I came across this beauty! Un huh! Well, minus that doll whatever in the world that is. What the??

For whatever reason, I bought it. Psh! Do I need a reason? Reasoning is just silly! Anyway, I think it was all of $3? I took her home where she took a back seat behind all the pretty girls for a while before I could figure out what to do with her :( I started by painting the base a crisp white. Then she sat like that for a few weeks.Theeeen, this last Saturday I happened upon my little box of misc hardware in the garage. I said, Ooooh hello little lonely beautifully rusty glass knob, I have someone I want you to meet:)

I gave her base a little "bronzer", you know- so she didn't look so pasty white:) Then I used Gorilla Glue to attach the sweet glass knob to the top. Yes, I totally eye balled it, and yes, it's slightly crooked:(

Ta da!! Oh my goodness, I love it! And I'm thinking she's a little smiley too:)

She's keeping safe some vintage books, and my two sweet little bullies:)

And just you wait till you see what I did with all the Gdubb pillows! I know! A cliffhanger?!

Till next week!! :)

Makin do...:)

So last week the hubby decided we needed a little Cali time:) I couldn't agree more. With temps in AZ hovering around a hundred and hell, cooling off in Dana Point was dreamy:) Well one day while the hubbs took himself to the beach, I found myself in rather a pickle. I was starving, alone, without a car, and could hardly stand up straight :( So what's a gal to do? Git to gittin!! That's what!! I hobbled in to the kitchen where my creativity reeeally needed to kick in. I needed yummy and QUICK!! Enter- Garbanzo beans, parm, salt and pepper:)

Drain and rinse one can of beans:)

Add to a (preferably) non stick skillet:)And get to toastin over med/high heat. I took a pic of the flame because that's how I judge heat:)Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper:) And while they're toasting, grate about a small handful of Parmesan cheese:)When the beans get to where they look kinda dry and toasted, throw in the parm and turn off the heat. Shake the pan while the cheese melts, so it doesn't melt in one big clump:)Enjoy them warm:) You can also add chopped purple onion and serve this on top of a yummy bed of greens. Both of which I didn't have:(And then give yourself a high five and celebrate your victory over Mother Hubbard's Cupboard and dish yourself up 2 scoops YES! Two scoops! of this most amazing new ice cream from Trader Joes. Lemon and Triple Gingersnap ice cream. It's seriously going to be the death of me.... :)

The bright side:)

Surgery bites. All. Things. Bitter!! I thought I kind of knew what to expect. But HOLY SORENESS Batman!!! I mean seriously? The simple things we take for granted. Like laughing. Or sneezing. Or coughing. Or sitting up by yourself!! Ugh!! Anyway, instead of getting all Debbie Downer, I'm choosing to focus on all the things that brought me joy this week:)

**Disclaimer- all the following pics were taken from my phone while under the influence of Percocet. Don't judge!! :)


My recovery room, such a wonderful place to relax:) and the flowers from my sis in law on my mantle? Perf:)
I got to enjoy these fab movies. Jane Eyre- sooo good:)

The Countess- This movie was about Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Bathory and her shocking (not kidding) obsession with staying young. It's intriguing. I'll just say that her night creme she used was no ordinary Oil of Olay!!

And the quickest way for a gal to recover is to have a hot nurse. Who cooks, cleans and dotes on you and thinks you are still beautiful in all your bloated, bruised glory:)

My dinner of grilled romaine, caramelized onions and feta cheese and caesar dressing:) I told you he cooks!!
Oh and the fabulous box of goodies from Williams Sonoma that arrived just after I got home that I forgot I ordered:)

Sunflowers (thanks Allie!), Rainier cherries and Percocet. Yes, Percocet is as lovely as flowers to me right now:)

Check out what my sister Michele gave me. Only the best in comfort food!! And yes, Little Bully gave me the guilty eyes the ENTIRE time I was enjoying this scrumptiousness:)

I can NOT believe I'm showing you a pic of my chubby hands!! But man does a manicure last when you're not doing housework!!

And last but not least- my ever present constant companion:)

So yes, I am on the mend. Slowly but surely. Stay tuned! I promise next week I'll be back in full swing:)

If it aint broke, don't fix it!

And I can agree with that! Most of the time:) I mean, what if it just isn't quite working? Or there's a better way? Like my little library at the top of the stairs. Organized? Yes. Functional? Yes. Inviting? Yes, sorta. Sadly with the way it was, only one person could enjoy it, and that person was usually the hubby:) He would read every night, alone:(

Weeeell, enough of that!! Enter IKEA chaise lounges. They fit perfectly!!

And now we can enjoy reading TOGETHER!! I added an owl lamp that I found at a garage sale for $8, made those little stripey pillows and added some cozy blankets:) Oh, and my sis and her hubby bought us that fab map as a thank you for staying at our Cali house:) SCORE!!

Another thing that wasn't actually broken but needed a fix was our back porch light. Sorry I don't have a before pic, but here is the awesome after!!

Is that not the coolest!! The hubby made it out of scraps from our shop, and then painted and glazed it to give it the perfect rustic brownish finish. Me LOVES!!!

Sadly for now I must enjoy it from behind closed doors:( in air conditioning:( cause it's ridiculously hot:( and all my plants are dead:(

In other sort of broken news, as you read this I will be under the knife-saying goodbye to my uterus. Apparently a fibroid decided to move in and set up house. I DON'T THINK SO!! So forgive me if next weeks blog doesn't happen. Who am I kidding? It'll happen. Same bat time. Same bat channel:)