Neat to me!!!

Okay, this is one of those things that is probably a bigger deal to me than anyone else but I don't have a lot to post today so here you are. Knotted linen cord necklaces! This is a big deal to me because before I discovered this idea (that most people who make jewelry probably already knew about), I was making my long necklaces like the one on the right. I really liked them but my Joshua was too tempted and too strong and kept destroying them. Imagine, beads everywhere, me no longer with a necklace and a lot of lost time and beads. BUT! With this new method it is stronger and even if he does give it a good yank and it comes apart the beads stay on the string and save me mess, time and beads. I am so excited I can wear at least a little jewelry again! (I know, it is amazing the little things that make me happy isn't it?)

I need your help!

I have been playing around with making these necklace charms out of sculpey clay the past few days. I finally got the colors I wanted from mixing and then I used old buttons that were my grandmothers to make the imprints. Now I can't decide whether I should highlight them with paint or leave them plain. I had used brown because the pink/brown and blue/brown combo seems to be popular but now I kind of think I should just varnish them and leave them alone. What do you think? Oh, I tried painting a few also. It is ballet recital time around here so I thought I'd try a couple of ballerinas, I really need one of those brushes with one hair in them. And I am still liking my daisies. So let me know, with paint or without?

1. 
   Another good book

This one is a Mother/daughter review. Brittany and I both read this in the last couple of weeks. It had more substance to it than I was expecting, I shouldn't have been surprised, it was a Newberry Honor book. I am always a sucker for anything with the word princess in the title but this had a little twist because this time no one starts out wanting to be the princess. The main character is Miri who is very strong and smart, with less emphasis on how she looks, always a good thing in today's world. She is the daughter of a stone cutter in a village of stone cutters. Their village is chosen as the site in which the prince's bride will be chosen from. All the girls in the village must go to an academy to train to be the princess for a year. No one really wants to go, but they must go or break the law. I expected this to be the bulk of the plot but it has some interesting twists and even a few nice lessons about the value of education and broadening one's horizons. I thought the ending was a bit contrived and predictable but I was willing to forgive it that because I found the whole thing quite entertaining. So if you are looking for some light reading, or something to read with your daughter this is a great choice.

Look at my wonderful treasures! This came in the mail the other day and I love them! I finally got to purchase the perfect Vanessa creation. I love my little bowl, I have decided she actually looks like I feel about this move. Almost happy but a little sad too. That sweetie Vanessa sent me those darling cards too and a little stand for my bowl. I am going to frame the cards for the new house and hang them in a grouping, who knows, maybe I will even get a little studio room. A girl can dream!

It is a vintage day in the shop!

I decided to put these in the shop for my mom and see if they can find a home!

I think I will put this cute print over there too, I found it while packing and I decided if it has been hanging aroung all these years and not found a spot yet maybe it needs a new home. It is really quite large. 16x12 plus borders. It is in the shop too.

I put these in the shop today!

If you want to dress up your refrigerator for the summer now you can! There is also a set in blue, green and yellow.

Amazing, how a nice day of painting makes me a nicer person! Baby took a nice long nap and his big brother had friends to play so I got to play too! I have decided that ability has nothing to do with my joy in painting. Even if it just went right into a closet I think I would still do this, it is just so good for my peace of mind! Those are my attempt at atc cards below, I have joined a swap and have never tried them before. I made them on watercolor paper. I hope they are okay. I am really excited to send them and see what I get in return. I worked on some more little canvases and more magnets. I think I will try the magnets in the shop. Hope to get some over there today. Boy it was fun!

I decided to put this little quilt over in the shop!

Crafting again!

I finally hope to get to do something crafty today and boy do I need it! Let me tell you, cleaning house every day does not make me a nicer person! I am sure that probably tells you something about the state my house is usually in but why try and trick you into thinking otherwise. I started these a couple of weeks ago when hubby was out of town. My first attempt at reverse painting, it was really fun and I learned a few things I will do differently next time. I think I will glue magnets on the backs, although they are sort of fun to just hold in your hand. They are only about about 1-1/2 inches across. It feels good to do something fun again!

California here we come!

We sold our house! I can't believe it. We told the agent to list it on Wednesday, it was shown the first time on Thursday and under contract Friday! WoW! I am hoping this means we made the right decision. So now it becomes a reality, we are really moving to California. June 26 is when we close. Hubby starts the new job July 9 so we will probably hang out with my parents in between there. We are going out to look at houses hopefully June 9 so cross your fingers that we are as lucky on that end!

New favorite cleaning product!

Well, with all the cleaning going on around here anything that saves time and effort is pretty popular. This stuff is great. You just attatch it to your hose and squirt down your windows. It has a rinse and soap setting and a streak-free something in there that makes it almost streak free. I remember my mom and dad spending a whole Saturday on ladders cleaning the windows. That is just not going to happen around here. But with this stuff we can at least see out our windows, I can do it with a baby on one hip, and it only took me about 30 minutes. Oh, and my kids LOVE to help. I think I found it at Wal-mart for about 7 or 8 bucks.

More food!!!

I am just realizing that I have had an awful lot of posts lately just about food. Oh well, I guess things have just been too busy and crazy with my mom and sister doing their crazy cleaning act around here to get to work on any fun projects. I sure hope I get to next week because this cleaning and packing thing is no fun at all. BUT, I guess we still have needed to eat and so lots of food posts. Matthew and I made these cookies for the first time in his little memory the other day. English shortbread, at least my family's version of it. Somehow I didn't think my kids would really like it, I mean there is no ooey gooey chocolate or frosting or anything. But Matthew especially like them so much that after eating about half the pan he cried the next day that there wasn't anymore! Guess the kid is more sophisticated than I thought! So here is the recipe, I like it because it is so simple.

1cup softened butter

3/4 cup powdered sugar

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 300. In a large bowl cream butter add almond and salt then stir in powdered sugar and flour. Press into ungreased 9x13 pan. Prick with a fork. Bake for about 35 min until edges are a light brown. While still warm sprinkle with sugar and cut into squares.

Anybody want to buy a house?!!

I cannot believe I am typing this but we are moving! After many months of deliberation and investigation we will be moving our crew of five from lovely Utah to sunny California! Okay, those of you family and friends who have known me since childhood, pick yourselves off the floor from the shock. Yes, it is true we are going on an adventure and for the girl who has never lived out of the state or lived more than 60 mile from my mother and sister this is HUGE! Hubby starts a new job in San Leandro July 9 and we hope to all be there before school starts the end of August. We are looking at houses in Livermore, both of these cities are in the Bay area. We went out to check it out and I tried really hard to hate it, but it was just too lovely. So I have spent the last week cleaning and boxing up extra clutter, really not fun. But my mom and sister must still love me as they were huge helpers. So if I blog a little less often you will know why. And if anyone has any encouraging words about the Bay area they will be greatly appreciated!

Yummy lettuce wraps!

This is one of our favorite gluten-free items, especially because it is hard to find restaurants that will prepare chinese food with a gluten-free soy sauce. PF Changs in Salt Lake does and so does their relative Pei Wei in Bountiful. But the one in Bountiful doesn't serve our favorite lettuce wraps so when my friend Jen told me she had a recipe that was really close we were very excited. Like most Chinese food it does involve some chopping but if you have anything like one of these little choppers then it is a snap.
Special sauce:
1/4 c sugar 1/2 C water 2Tb. Soy sauce (gluten free if it is an issue for you)
2Tb Rice vinegar 2 Tb Ketchup 1 Tb Lemon Juice
1/8ts sesame oil 1/2Tb Chinese hot mustard or garlic chili sauce(youcan find these in the chinese food section) and 2 ts water
Filling:
3Tb Veg oil 2 Chicken breasts skinless boneless
1 C Water Chestnuts 2/3C Staw mushrooms(canned)
3Tb Green onion 1 clove garlic minced
Stir Fry Sauce:
2Tb Soy sauce 2Tb Brown sugar 1/2 ts Rice vinegar
1. Make sauce by dissolving the sugar and 1/2C water in small bowl. Add the soy, rice vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice,and sesame oil. Mix well and refridgerate this sauce while you prepare the remaining food. Combine theh 2ts water and Chinese hot musard and set this aside as well.
2. Prepare the filling by first dicing the mushrooms, green onion, and water chestnuts. Next in 2 tsp oil saute chicken until done. I also use left over chicken for this and it is great. While chicken cools mix the stir fry sauce items. Dice chicken when cool. Add remaining oil to hot pan. Stir in chicken, mushrooms, onion, garlic and water chestnuts. Pour stir fry sauce over the mix and saute for a couple of minutes. Place in a dish or on a bed o f maifun rice noodles.
3. Serve with a side of lettuce cups which are made by slicing the top off the head and cutting through the middle. Lay one half down and lift off cups.
4. Mix special sauce with a small amount of hot mustard and chili paste(according to your taste). Place filling in cups. Pour sauce over filling inside wrap and fold like a taco.

Sheer perseverance!!

Okay, I really need to tell y'all why things have been so crazy around here and why I haven't gotten to visit blog-land(that't how I think of it) much this week, but I think that will have to wait until tomorrow because I have to tell you about my super determined birds. This is the fourth year of the determined bird syndrome at our house. For at least four years now these little sparrows try to adopt us. Now they build nests everywhere, the trees of course, the barbeque grill(you would think they would realize this is a little dangerous), the dryer vent and anywhere else they can think of. But without fail they always try my wreath on the front door. I thought we were maybe going to escape this year because I thought the usually have started by now. But yesterday I noticed the tell-tale signs( a mess everytime you open the front door). And sure enough they are back. Now I really like the wreath on my front door and don't really desire the addition of a nest to it so I usually remove it for a few days and they take the hint and move on. But yesterday I could see this little lady and she looke so cute through the window I just didn't have the heart so I guess persistence does pay off. Although I can't promise she will go unbothered indefinitely. But isn't she cute?

I received the best treats!

Look what I got from Miss Vanessa! I got this wonderful tote from Miss Vanessa which has already made a trip to Grandma's house for the kids. But I love the little card that came with it even more!!! I will definitely be framing this! Thanks so much Vanessa!!

Loved this!!!

This is absolutely a lazy-girl post as I am not only featuring my friend Tiffany's recipe but using her picture too. We made this yesterday and it was so delicious! You gotta understand how exciting it was for us to have chicken enchiladas that were made without tomato sauce, which is still good, but I like them better with a sauce that involves sour cream. We haven't had them this way in literally years because most recipes use cream of soups and they are not gluten free. Thanks Tiff!

Yummy new blog!

Liz and her sister-in-law have started a new gluten-free blog that I really like they have lots of yummy recipes and they are all pretty normal and easy. So if you know anyone with celiac disease go check it out. killthegluten.blogspot.com The name cracks me up!

Okay, I have been tagged to come up with 7 weird things about me. So here goes.
1. I really hate cutting raw meat. This has improved as I have done it more and more, but if I can get hubby to do it I will.
2. I have mutant feet, according to my family particularly my sister. I can spread my big toe and little toe and grab things. I used to torture my sister this way, she would call it the claw and I could have her cowering in a corner just by pointing one at her. Seem to recall a few roommates that felt the same. My husband claims that Joshua is showing this same trait.
3. I have loved dolls from the time I was little and cannot shake they need for more. Luckily I do have a daughter as an excuse for buy them, but we all know they are really in the house because I like them.
4. I was afraid to have boys. I mean really afraid. I have no brothers and so I have just really been terrified that I would not know what to do with boys. I have to admit there have been a few times(potty training) I have had to consult with friends but so far I think we are doing okay.
5. It is virtually impossible for me to eat a piece of chocolate without a glass of milk, I mean I would really rather not even bother. If I absolutely can't get milk then water is the bare minimum.
6.I read while doing lots of my daily chores. I have done this practically since I learned to read. I prop up books while I unload the dishwasher, eat lunch, chop veggies, fold laundry. I'm not sure whether this will foster a love of reading in my kids or whether they will become weird too.
7.I cannot leave the house without at least mascara on. I honestly don't think it is a vanity issue anymore, I have blond eyelashes and I just look too weird. Even my four year old will tell me I need to fix my eyes.
There, I did it! And have probably revealed way too much of my truly weird self!

I feel like posting Mother's Day ideas today. This is my favorite love box from Tiffany that is in her shop right now. If you have never received or purchased one of her boxes they are exquisite. I don't feel I am exagerating to say you have never seen anything like them. And what mom doesn't want a rose for Mother's Day?

These little paintings are in the shop for Mother's Day. They measure 4x5 and will come wrapped in a cute cellophane bag and tied with a ribbon. There are also some totes and aprons still in the shop that might be fun for Mother's Day!

Hubby is on a business trip this week and so I am making messes! I don't love when he is gone, but I do enjoy the little bit of freedom I feel not having to make dinner or keep the house as clean. Do other people live here? Yes, but they are more than happy to live off the pizza I usually buy the first night he is gone and then serve leftovers from. So I have been painting, I hope to maybe list these in the shop later today for mother's day, hope it's not too late, but I guess it's worth a try!