Particularly Blair

Number 278 - Doesn't Everyone Need A Shiny Purple Wreath?

2011-11-06T18:15:00.002-05:00

NUMBER 278 - DOESN'T EVERYONE NEED A SHINY PURPLE WREATH?

Sometimes I get about half way through a project and start pondering....what was I thinking? That happened a few times during this one! It serves me right for being overly sure of myself when a friend asked, "Do you know anyone who can make a wreath for me?" Of course I chirped, "I can!" And thus the purple wreath....

Three bags of every kind of purple accessory, a fir wreath, an array of ribbon, and off I went. I tried to make sure I kept everything balanced but not too matchy matchy. When I got to the bow I had to take pause. Me and bows have never quit got along. So, I turned to my new favorite obsession: Pinterest.com. I have been spending a lot of time over there. Be sure to follow me - http://pinterest.com/ParticularBlair/)! Any way, Pinterest led me to: http://www.bhg.com/christmas/gift-wrapping/how-to-make-a-florist-bow/ where oddly the bow didn't seem so scary!

And, voila! Wreath!

Number 277 - Ruche!

2011-10-01T20:34:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 277 - RUCHE!

Image Credits: All Images.

Number 276 - Autumn Is In Full Bloom!

2011-09-19T21:10:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 276 - AUTUMN IS IN FULL BLOOM!

Number 275 - Milly NYC!

2011-09-18T20:44:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 275 - MILLY NYC!

Image Credits: All Images.

Number 274 - It's Fall, Damn It!

2011-09-15T21:05:00.001-04:00

NUMBER 272 - IT'S FALL, DAMN IT!

Here in Florida it was a balmy 94' today. But, I am determined to enjoy Fall. I love everything about Fall, the leaves, the colors, the pumpkins, the sweaters...I could go on and on. So, today I bought out Bath & Body Works of all their Pumpkin Spice, Creamy Pumpkin, Caramel Covered Pumpkin, etc. candles and got to work on a new project. I am never happy with wreaths I find in stores, but I had seen one the other day online that I loved and it was great inspiration!

I cheated a little by buying the wreath at TJ Maxx. Then I headed to Michaels and picked up the wood letter. I wasn't completely pleased with the wreath, not enough orange. So, I figured I would paint the letter to add more spice! Martha Stewart offers a whole line of paints and I could not decide between the metallic or the glitter paint, so I bought both (they were only $1.99 anyway!).

I got to work painting the letter, nothing too hard about that. Let the metallic paint dry until tacky and then covered it with the glitter paint. I let all that dry, tied the letter onto the wreath with some brown satin ribbon and voila! Whole project, less than $25.00. A steal if I do say so myself!

Number 273 - Cake!

2011-09-10T15:53:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 273 - CAKE!

Number 272 - Obsessed With Cobalt!

2011-09-09T21:00:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 272 - OBSESSED WITH COBALT!

NUMBER 271 - Pendelton!

2011-09-05T23:32:00.001-04:00

NUMBER 271 - PENDLETON!

Image Credits: All Images.

Number 270 - One Big Long Table!

2011-08-30T23:21:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 270 - ONE BIG LONG TABLE!

Number 269 - See Jane Work!

2011-08-28T20:52:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 269 - SEE JANE WORK!

Image Credits: All Images.

Number 268 - C.S. Post & Co.

2011-08-28T20:13:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 268 - C.S. POST & CO!

Image Credits: All Images.

Number 267 - Wisteria!

2011-08-22T21:56:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 267 - WISTERIA!

Image Credits: All Images.

Number 266 - Whisk!

2011-08-20T16:36:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 266 - WHISK!

Image Credits: All Images.

Number 265 - A First Attempt At Bread!

2011-08-13T16:44:00.003-04:00

NUMBER 265 - A FIRST ATTEMPT AT BREAD!

Well, here it is, my first attempt at real bread. Now I've made Pumpkin bread and such, but never real bread. But, my friends Amanda and Matt just had twins. And the way I look at it, anyone who gives birth to twins deserves real bread!

I have to say, it was not nearly as daunting as I imagined! I used the recipe below from Epicurious. Not too many ingredients. Reading over it, it didn't seem to hard. So, in the middle of a torrential down pour I headed to the store. Yes, I realize most people keep these simple ingredients in their pantries. If only I had a pantry! But, I digress.

I decided to double the batch so that I could try some as well and it made for easy math. I don't think I anticipated just how much extra flour is really necessary once you turn out the dough. And I forgot to put flour on my hands in preparation! Oh well.

I was super excited to try out my new baking stone (thanks Jamie!) which inevitably made the bread perfect. There is probably a trick to it though to keep the bread from sticking to it after baking. I used flour and am not sure if that helped or hurt. Either way, I used a spatula to help ease the bread off and not too much was lost in the transfer. I will say that the second set got the chance to rise longer than indicated in the recipe, probably about an hour total, instead of the 30 minutes indicated. Those loaves were definitely larger and had a overall better aesthetic. No word on whether it impacted the taste.

I am on my way to drop these lovelies off with the well deserved recipients. And the taste I stole...well worth the effort!

Honey-Butter French Bread
Bon Appétit | November 1999
by Gina M. Sarti, Malvern, PA

Yield: Makes two 9-inch loaves

2 cups warm water (105°F to 115°F)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 envelope dry yeast
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon honey
5 cups (about) unbleached all purpose flour

Mix 1/4 cup warm water and sugar in large bowl. Sprinkle yeast over; stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, about 8 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 3/4 cups warm water. Mix in butter, salt and honey. Using wooden spoon, stir in 4 cups flour.

Turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if sticky, about 8 minutes. Form dough into ball. Butter large bowl. Add dough, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then with clean towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let rest 10 minutes. Divide dough in half; roll each dough piece between hands and work surface into 9-inch-long loaf. Transfer loaves to baking sheet. Cover with plastic, then with towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled, about 30 minutes.

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 425°F. Make 5 diagonal slashes crosswise in surface of each loaf. Lightly brush water over tops and sides of loaves. Bake loaves 20 minutes, brushing occasionally with water. Continue baking until loaves are golden brown

Number 264 - Board Planning Retreat!

2011-08-13T14:20:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 264 - BOARD PLANNING RETREAT!

This is my last year on the Young Lawyers board, which means oddly I am in charge! So, I decided it would be fun to host the planning retreat at my house. It would give me a great excuse to try some new recipes, and force me to clean the house! Win-Win! The menu:

- Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes

- Flammkuche Aux Cerises

- Shrimp Dip

- Vegetable Crudité

- Mixed nuts

- Lemon Bars

- No Holds Bars (mix from Williams Sonoma...yummmmm...)

- Assorted beer, wine, and lemonade

Of course, nothing is ever as easy as it seems. I started off the morning with a broken kitchen faucet. Now I don't know about you, but I almost threw in the towel right there and then. But, luckily for me my mom and her husband are visiting and after two hours of driving all over town we were saved by the gracious owner of Curry-Thomas Hardware who just happened to have the one 1/16" thick piece of metal necessary to fix my 1942 faucet! WHEW! Crisis averted.

So, back to work. I started with baking the potatoes so they could get baked and cooling while I worked on my other projects. About this time my most perfect nephew was dropped off to help with the fun. His lack of interest in a nap was of course rewarded by getting to lick the beater of the brownies. (Shhh...don't tell! I know, I know, Bad Aunt! Bad Aunt!) The No Holds Bars are a mix from Williams Sonoma which was graciously donated to the fete. It starts out with a layer of brownies, then a layer of cookies, then a crumble topping. And somewhere in there is peanut butter. All I can say is, yum.

After the potatoes had cooled, I went ahead with scooping them out and saved the rest of their prep for the day of the event.

Finally, I made the shrimp dip, which is amazing and I am remiss in not taking any pictures! I also made the lemon bars. I am a big fan of lemon bars and am constantly on the hunt for a better recipe. Last time I made them I was sorely disappointed in Paula Deen's recipe. This version from Ina Garten was definitely better, but still not quite good enough.

The next morning I got up and got started. I needed bacon for both the potatoes and the Flammkuche Aux Cerises so I went ahead and cut all the bacon into thin strips and baked it. I am not a big fan of all the bacon grease that comes with frying it, so this was a big help. I layered a large casserole with paper towel, bacon, paper towel, bacon, etc. and set it aside.

Now that I had the bacon, I completed the mix for the potatoes, got them all stuffed, and back into the refrigerator on the cookie sheets. Nothing further needed with them except baking!

It was time for the real test, Flammkuche Aux Cerises. Any time my friends Sally Anne and Scott invite me over for dinner, I am there. Scott is forever whipping up something amazing and appearing as if it took no time or effort at all. You all remember the poached egg, that was inspired by a dinner at their house. That same night, Scott also made Flammkuche Aux Cerises. Which I fell in love with. He promised me I could make it too. And I have to say, it really was easy! I switched the recipe up just a little bit and used red onions instead of yellow onions but it still turned out well.

So, all in all, nothing too difficult and based on the number of potatoes eaten (and taken home) by the Board members, I would say it was a success!

Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes (Recipe care of JMG):

- 1 bag of small new red potaotes (5 lbs)
- 1 to 2 pounds bacon
- Chives
- Butter
- Sour Cream
- Cheddar Cheese
- Olive Oil
- Salt
- Pepper

Wash and cut red potatoes in half. Place potatoes on cookie sheet and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake at 350, until fork tender, approximately 20 minutes. Let cool. Once cool, use small spoon (melon baller works perfectly) to scoop out the middle of the potatoes. Place potato insides into large bowl. Place potato "cups" back onto cookie sheet, right side up. Use fork or pastry blender to break up potato insides until smooth. Potatoes can be made the night before.

While potatoes are baking, fry up bacon and then chop into bits. Alternatively, you can cut the bacon into very small strips and bake in the oven until crispy. Place bacon on paper towel to cool and remove grease.

Mix potato insides with sour cream, butter, chives, bacon pieces, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper to taste.

Use spoon to fill potato cups with mixture.

Bake stuffed potatoes at 400 until melted and crispy on top!

TADA!

Flammkuche Aux Cerises (Recipe care of Scott "the Professor" Brown):

- 1 sheet puff pastry
- Sour cream
- Cream or milk
- Cherries, pitted and quartered
- Thick cut bacon
- Onion

Slice bacon crosswise into thin strips. Bake at 375 on a pan lined with foil until crisp. Mix several tablespoons of sour cream with a couple tablespoons of cream or milk. Put mixture in a plastic sandwich bag to be piped onto tart.

Defrost puff pastry and roll out on a floured surface to flatten and thin out.
Place pastry on an oiled sheet of parchment paper lining a baking sheet. Prick pastry all over with a fork. Heat over to 400.

Slice onion very thinly and spread over pastry. Top with bacon and cherries.
Cut the smallest part of one corner of the sandwich bag with the cream. Pipe cream mixture onto tart in zigzag patterns. Salt and pepper tart to taste.

Bake for 14 to 20 minutes.

Shrimp Dip (Recipe care of Sally Anne and Macon, GA):

- 8oz Philly Cream Cheese (I used Lite)
- 1/4 to 1/2 Stick of Butter
- Diced Onion
- Lemon Juice
- Worchester Sauce
- Black or White Pepper
- 1 Can of Bumblebee Shrimp

Soften cream cheese and butter and mix. Add shrimp and mix. Add remaining ingredients to taste. If needed, add garlic salt. Serve with Club Crackers.

Lemon Bars (Recipe care of Foodnetwork.com/Ina Garten):

- 1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
- 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 cup flour
- Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Number 263 - For the Sporty Baby!

2011-08-07T16:29:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 263 - FOR THE SPORTY BABY!

My latest iteration of the easy burp cloth!

Number 262 - Terrain!

2011-08-04T08:19:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 262 - TERRAIN!

I want to live here. That is all.

Image Credits: All Images.

Number 261 - My First Poached Egg!

2011-07-18T22:16:00.001-04:00

NUMBER 261 - MY FIRST POACHED EGG!

So, I can cook. I can follow a recipe. Sometimes I can even improvise. But I am not a chef by any means. I don't have that deep seated desire to create. But, I like things to look pretty and taste good.

Last weekend I was lucky enough to dine at the home of some great friends. And, lucky for me, even better chefs! For dinner we had what I was told was common French cuisine, a crepe. However, this was no crepe with whipped cream and strawberries in that goo. This was a crepe filled with sauteed spinach, canadian bacon, AND a poached egg. I don't know what it is about eggs, but these people know how to make an egg!

So, tonight I was inspired to make a poached egg. Except of course I don't know how to make a poached egg. Lucky for me, I have another great friend who always eagerly entertains my ridiculous inquiries, in the middle of the work day, like "How do I poach an egg?" Apparently, this is how:

1. Break an egg into a small bowl or container;

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil;

3. Once the water is boiling, lower the temp;

4. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar (Yes, I know it sounds weird, I didn't believe it either);

5. Spin. I used the end of a spatula which seemed to work. For some reason, it has to be clockwise. Anyway, put the spatula in the water and start spinning. However, word to the wise, be careful or you will soon have boiling water flying at you. I speak from experience;

6. Once the water is good and mobile, gently pour the egg in the middle of the pan;

7. Remove the pan from heat, cover, and let sit for 4 minutes;

8. Gently remove the egg with a slotted spoon and place into a paper towel cupped in your hand. This just helps to get a little of the water off of it; and

9. Voila! Egg.

I used a nice spring mix, topped with a piece of whole wheat toast and tomatoes as a base. A nice crusty bread would have been better. And, it definitely was missing some bacon! But, topped with some balsamic and olive oil and it was pretty dang good!

Number 260 - Horchow!

2011-07-18T22:01:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 260 - HORCHOW!

Oh....I want to live here.

Image Credits: All Images.

Number 259 - Luau!

2011-07-18T20:00:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 259 - LUAU!

Number 258 - Carnival Birthday!

2011-07-17T07:53:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 258 - CARNIVAL BIRTHDAY!

Number 257 - 4th of July Tip!

2011-07-02T20:30:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 257 - 4th of July Tip!

Here is my 4th of July tip! I love love LOVE this bowl. Even better, I found one in the picnic/beach section of Target for $4.99. I will be ultra chic rolling up to the beach tomorrow with my Edamame Salad in it!

Pecorino & Bean Salad (www.foodnetwork.com / Giada De Laurentiis)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 cups (9 ounces) shelled edamame beans
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
5 ounces pecorino, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

Directions:

In a small, nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, but not brown, about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rosemary. Set aside.

Combine the edamame beans, cannellini beans, cheese, parsley, and salt and pepper in a serving bowl. Add the garlic mixture and toss well until all the ingredients are coated.

Number 256 - Tip Junkie!

2011-06-29T14:54:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 256 - TIP JUNKIE!

How fun! A great how-to site for the home decorator.

Image Credits: All Images.

Number 255 - Night Owl Paper Goods!

2011-06-18T08:10:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 255 - NIGHTOWL PAPER GOODS!

Image Credits: All Images.

Number 254 - Cocodot!

2011-06-13T23:02:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 254 - COCODOT!

Image Credits: All Images.

Number 253 - Shop Mamie!

2011-06-12T18:27:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 253 - SHOP MAMIE!

Image Credits: All Images.

Number 252 - Burp Cloths!

2011-06-12T18:01:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 252 - BURP CLOTHS!

I got it in my head that I could make these adorable burp cloths too! I have ordered them before from Etsy but a lot of times I am not in love with the fabrics they offer. So, when I was trying to decide what to get my good friend who is having twins for her shower, I knew it was now or never! So, I picked up the diapers at Target and headed to the craft store to pick out fabrics. I tried to pick sets of fabrics so that each baby (a girl and a boy) could have their own! I even found a mini iron, which after the last sewing project when I had to use my curling iron to iron hems, I decided was important!

I came home, trimmed a piece of fabric to fit the diaper and then used it as a template. I turned under the hems and ironed those down. Then just simply pinned the fabric to the diaper. I used a zig zag stitch for aesthetic purposes and got to sewing. All in all, not so bad! The first one took a little while, but after that they were a breeze.

And, of course while I was at the craft store I found some adorable fabric with beach cruisers on it and had to make a few for another friend too! No babies left behind!

Number 251 - Garland!

2011-06-12T17:45:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 251 - GARLAND!

I've seen these on Etsy and have always loved them. I ordered one a few months back for a shower and when I started getting ready for this latest shower, I thought...I can make that! So, I did. SO EASY! I bought a circle hole punch at the craft store, picked out cute paper to match the theme, punched the holes, and then just lined them up and tried to sew a straight line! All told, it probably took about 30 minutes!

Number 250 - The Perfect Pair!

2011-06-12T17:13:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 250 - THE PERFECT PAIR!

This was such a fun shower to work on! Twins! A boy AND a girl! Amazing Co-Hostesses! The best guest chef ever! What more could you ask for?

THE INSPIRATION!

THE REALITY!

Image Credits: Invitation.

Number 249 - Destination Alaska!

2011-06-08T07:51:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 249 - DESTINATION ALASKA!

Number 248 - Stickley Furniture!

2011-06-04T18:55:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 248 - STICKLEY FURNITURE!

My favorite architect is of course Frank Lloyd Wright. And in a constant effort to pretend my house is one of his Mission or Arts & Crafts style bungalows, I am constantly on the search for pieces to help with this charade. I recently came across a great new magazine, Style 1900. Hard to believe I didn't know about it already! Anyway, this lead me to Stickley Furniture! I have been hunting for an Entertainment Center forever. I need one with lots of storage since my kitchen has one whole cabinet, but I also want it to close so that when there are guests over we don't have to stare at the TV! I think I may have finally found one!

Image Credits: All Images.

Number 247 - Rags Land!

2011-05-07T10:15:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 247 - RAGS LAND!

Image Credits: All Images.

Number 246 - Seabags!

2011-05-02T22:05:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 246 - SEABAGS!

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Number 245 - Tobi!

2011-04-13T21:22:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 245 - TOBI!

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Number 244 - Vintage Rings!

2011-04-07T21:53:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 244 - VINTAGE RINGS!

Someone asked me the other day what kind of rings I liked. I thought that's easy....something vintage or old looking, like it could be your great great grandmother's. Of course that is hard to translate into the real world! So, I went looking and found this great site!

Image Credits: All Images.

Number 243 - For My Preggers!

2011-03-27T11:30:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 243 - FOR MY PREGGERS!

http://www.bellablumaternity.com/shade-rouching-jade.html

http://www.emommie.com/cap-sleeve-maternity-top-by-old-navy.html

http://www.japaneseweekend.com/maternity-dress-p/85-c205-103-maternity-dress.htm

http://theswankystork.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=2753

http://www.isabellaoliver.com/maternity-clothes/us/100/maternity-dresses/DR109.html

http://www.isabellaoliver.com/maternity-clothes/us/100/maternity-tops/TP009.html#

http://www.2chix.com/products/basix/maternity_top_sheer_grey.asp

http://www.bellablumaternity.com/julesjim-j11235.html

http://www.bellablumaternity.com/ma-p8a-w-white.html

http://www.bellablumaternity.com/ma-keyholedress.html

http://www.bellablumaternity.com/ma-sweetheart.html

http://www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/womens/maternity/knittops/PRD~766212/Oh+Baby+by+Motherhood+Chiffon+Trapeze+Top.jsp

http://www.duematernity.com/emsemadrbyma.html

http://www.duematernity.com/umamawrdrbye.html

http://www.duematernity.com/swmatopbynom.html

http://www.duematernity.com/matrcobyjuji.html

http://www.duematernity.com/costmashbyma.html

http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?searchCID=26519&vid=1&pid=811742&scid=811742002

Number 242 - Fit 2 B Mom!

2011-03-23T17:27:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 242 - FIT 2 B MOM!

What a great find for the active mom-to-be!

Credit Images: All Images.

Number 241 - Boden Maternity!

2011-03-21T21:21:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 241 - BODEN MATERNITY!

Image Credits: All Images.

Number 240 - An Olympic Baby Shower!

2011-03-18T18:27:00.000-04:00

NUMBER 240 - AN OLYMPIC BABY SHOWER!

It all started with a set of rings...and an uber competitive expecting couple. From there I bribed two of my oldest friends to use their amazing graphic design skills to create the invitation. Then the Olympic Committee (a/k/a hostesses) got to work! We had an amazing venue to work with so we were extra lucky! In the end, there were flags and sliders and even a bounce house. The games included wiffle ball, corn hole, and an obstacle course! No one could get enough of the amazing food and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, especially Mom and Dad to be! Congratulations!

Number 239 - A Baby Blue Blanket!

2011-03-18T18:04:00.003-04:00

NUMBER 239 - A BABY BLUE BLANKET!

I've been wanting to upload this post but had to wait until the baby shower was over! Now I haven't sewed anything of value since that apron in the 3rd grade thanks to Mrs. Buttice and my 4H Club! But, I got the idea in my mind to make my good friend a baby blanket for her upcoming baby shower. I found inspiration from this "Play Date Blankie" and got to work. Unfortunately there was math involved as the pattern was for a much smaller blanket. After a few recalculations I was on track. After that it was a lot of pinning and trying to sew in a straight line. Some seams were more of a success than others. I even got my little nephew to help, which was the best part of all! There was a little moment of concern when I realized I don't even own an iron and needed to iron down the seams. But, luckily for me, my curling iron worked just fine.

Overall, I am pretty dang happy with the finished product!

Number 238 - Preggers Fashionistas!

2011-03-05T08:43:00.000-05:00

NUMBER 238 - PREGGERS FASHIONISTAS!

Several of my most fashionista friends are preggers and all have expressed the lack of cute (and affordable) maternity clothes. I found these cute items at Nordstroms!

Image Credits: All Images.

Number 237 - Reception Dresses for Dana!

2011-03-05T08:32:00.000-05:00

NUMBER 237 - RECEPTION DRESSES FOR DANA!

Number 236 - Shop Bird!

2011-02-28T20:11:00.000-05:00

NUMBER 236 - SHOP BIRD!

Image Credits: All Images.

Number 235 - Twins!

2011-02-27T23:07:00.000-05:00

NUMBER 235 - TWINS!

I found out some amazing news last week that one of my dearest friends is pregnant...with twins! I am so excited for her and of course instantly starting thinking of baby shower and nursery ideas.

Number 234 - The Craft Room!

2011-02-27T23:02:00.000-05:00

NUMBER 234 - THE CRAFT ROOM!

While the chili was simmering, it seemed like the perfect time to paint the Craft Room! I was luckily enough to inherit a new desk and shelf from some good friends, so I also needed to do some re-organizing. As with all things in this miniature abode, the Craft Room serves multiple duties, office, closet, the accessories wall, etc., etc. Anyway, I love how it turned out, almost enough to get excited about getting ready for work in the morning!

Number 233 - Chili Cook Off For A Cause!

2011-02-27T22:42:00.000-05:00

NUMBER 233 - CHILI COOK OFF FOR A CAUSE!

Seeing as it was in the high 80s today, the weather was not conducive to chili! But, next weekend is the Jacksonville Bar Association Young Lawyers Section Chili Cook Off to benefit the Sanctuary on 8th.!

So, I dusted off a Chicken and White Bean Chili recipe from Epicurious and got to work! It actually turned out pretty dang good.

Number 232 - Back Yard Fun!

2011-02-27T22:24:00.000-05:00

NUMBER 232 - Back Yard Fun!

Inspiration struck again! A friend of mine was kind enough to build the wood frames for me. I used this paint job as inspiration:

I probably could have cut down a few steps with the tape had I planned it out better, but all in all, not too difficult.

GO COLTS!

Number 231 - Fun With Appetizers!

2011-02-27T22:16:00.000-05:00

NUMBER 231 - FUN WITH APPETIZERS!

Last fall I got a glimpse of this great idea on The Party Dress's Facebook page.

I was instantly in love on an OCD basis (guaranteed no double dipping) but also because they were adorable! So, when it was time for our post Kickball season party, I decided to give it a try myself. Here is how I did....

As with every party though, I am always running behind and somehow I forgot to get a pick of the final product! Anyway, they turned out great and everyone enjoyed them! Pretty easy as well!

Number 230 - Design Public!

2011-02-22T23:08:00.000-05:00

NUMBER 230 - DESIGN PUBLIC!

Image Credits: All Images.

Number 229 - Huset!

2011-02-21T23:46:00.000-05:00

NUMBER 229 - HUSET!

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Number 228 - Ubabub!

2011-02-21T23:18:00.000-05:00

NUMBER 228 - UBABUB!

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Number 227 - Europe 2 You!

2011-02-19T14:08:00.000-05:00

NUMBER 227 - EUROPE 2 YOU!

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Number 226

2011-02-16T21:39:00.000-05:00

NUMBER 226 - BHLDN!

Thanks to my personal style inspiration, Amanda, for introducing me to BHLDN! Gorgeous, clean lines, classic. I love everything about BHLDN!

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Number 225 - Giggle!

2011-02-13T08:52:00.000-05:00

NUMBER 225 - GIGGLE!

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Number 224 - 1154 Lill!

2011-02-12T21:54:00.000-05:00

NUMBER 224 - 1154 LILL!

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Number 223 - Emerson Made!

2011-02-12T21:35:00.000-05:00

NUMBER 223 - EMERSON MADE!

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Number 222 - 2 Modern!

2011-02-12T20:52:00.000-05:00

NUMBER 222 - 2 MODERN!

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Number 221 - Flora & Henri!

2011-02-12T18:25:00.000-05:00

NUMBER 221 - FLORA & HENRI!

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Number 220 - In the Mood For Valentine's Day!

2011-02-09T22:32:00.000-05:00

NUMBER 220 - IN THE MOOD FOR VALENTINE'S DAY!

Number 219 - Priscilla of Boston!

2011-02-07T21:15:00.000-05:00

NUMBER 219 - PRISCILLA of BOSTON!

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Number 218 - Reem Acra!

2011-02-04T13:43:00.000-05:00

NUMBER 218 - REEM ACRA!

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Number 217 - Sarah Seven!

2011-01-30T22:22:00.001-05:00

NUMBER 217 - SARAH SEVEN!

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Number 216 - Mothology!

2011-01-30T21:29:00.000-05:00

NUMBER 216 - MOTHOLOGY!

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Number 215 - Manufactum!

2011-01-30T13:41:00.000-05:00

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