Friday of Finds

There are two very dangerous places located within the same plaza as my office - Value Village and Kenrick Antique Mall. They may not be dangerous by the average person's definition. But for a treasure hunter like me, they are dangerous indeed. Lately, I've been trying to stay away. But some days I can just hear them calling my name.

Last Friday was one of those days. I had nothing to do for lunch, but I needed to get out of the office for a bit. So I headed to the antique mall. And I hit the jackpot. It was one of those shopping excursions where you find so many great things, and at such great prices, that your heart kind of races the whole time and you get a little panicky. And you really, really wish someone was with you to witness the great stuff you were finding. Or does that just happen to me???

First I spotted this gold eagle convex mirror...

It's definitely my favorite out of the loot I brought home. I've seen these in a lot of beautiful rooms lately, via design mags and blogs, and I've really been wanting one of my own. This one is a little beat up, but nothing some glue and a little gold touch-up paint won't fix. It's a really good size - about 20" in diameter. I thought it was a good deal at $50, considering I've seen high end versions selling for as much at $500 online. It's going to be a great statement piece!

Here are a couple of the photos that sparked my convex eagle mirror love...

Abode Love

Elle Decor

Next up is this mirror....

I'm not exactly sure where I'll use it, but we still have plenty of blank wall space to fill in our house. So I'm sure I'll find the perfect spot for it. It was just too pretty and too much of a steal to pass up. $24...can you believe it?! It's about 3' tall and really solid. I LOVE the shape. And the mirror is slightly antiqued, which is my favorite thing about it. I'm not sure if I'll paint it or leave it as is. The dark wood is actually really pretty and would work well in our house. We'll see.

I also picked up these 4 mirrors in an antique silver finish. I'm going to hang them somewhere in a grid. Not sure where yet. And I might paint them. At $1.50 each, I just couldn't pass them up.


And last, but not least. These 8" x 10" frames are going to get painted and filled with botanical prints from this great book I found at an estate sale last summer. I bought 12. I'm thinking I'll hang them, also in a grid, above the living room sofa. I'd like to add more interest to that wall and brighten things up a bit, and I think these would do the trick. They ranged from $1.50-3.50 each. The ones with a cardboard arm/easel/stand thingie on the back were $2 more than the ones without. Hmm...didn't realize they were such vaule adders. Oh well, they still only cost a total of $30ish, and since the book was $3...it's going to be one cheap project!


There was more I wanted to grab that day, but I decided I'd practice some restraint and leave a few treasures behind. Hopefully they'll be waiting there for me, for the next time I find myself answering the call...the call from the antique mall.

Out with the treats, in with the Jillian.

A sure sign the holidays are over and a new year is upon us...

Instead of cookies and cake, my cake stand is piled with healthy muffins courtesy of Jillian Michaels. Well courtesy of her recipe. She didn't bake and hand deliver them to us or anything. I think it would be an awfully bad sign had she done that.

The Mr. and I have been trying out several of the recipes found in Jillian's Master Your Metabolism cookbook. So far, so good. Below is the recipe for the Blueberry Banana Muffins shown above. I made 24 mini muffins instead of 12 regular (and baked for only 12ish minutes - they baked fast!). I also used low-fat greek yogurt instead of regular. And I had to add a little milk to my batter because it was pretty thick - more yogurt would have worked, too.

Blueberry Banana Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

Make up several batches and freeze what you don’t plan to eat right away. These are great for a before workout snack, breakfast or dessert.

Ingredients:
Olive oil spray for the tin
3/4 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 2)
3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
21/2 cups white whole-wheat flour
2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 generous cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)

Directions:
Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly spray a 12- cup muffin tin with olive oil or line with paper liners.

In a large bowl, place the bananas, yogurt, honey, olive oil, and vanilla. Stir together until well mixed.

In a separate bowl, sift together the fl our, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in the blueberries and the nuts, if using.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin. Place the tin in the oven and reduce the heat to 400°F. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in the tin for 10 to 15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Serve warm.

For longer storage, let cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Nutritional information
Calories: 216.0 kcal
Fat: 6.8 g
Protein: 4.5 g
Carbohydrates: 37.1 g
Sodium: 234.5 mg


We're going to try our best to stick to her nutritional recommendations and work out more than we have been. We were getting pretty pathetic there for a while. I had to take a little break from running, so I'm excited to get back into that. My first run this past weekend felt so good....and hurt so good the next couple of days, too.

Here's to a healthy and happy 2011, hopefully filled with everything we're dreaming of. Like fitting into those jeans that haven't seen the light of day since about September.

{Our Home at the Holidays}

I'm linking up to The Nester's Christmas Tour of Homes, and I'm so excited about it. I've enjoyed looking at the homes of some very creative bloggers the past couple of years, via this link-up party, and this year I have a blog and can join in on the fun!

First, here is a quick look at the front of our house. We always keep it simple. Just some greenery and lights.

Next up...the tree. We got a real beaut this year. It's full, as symmetrical as they come, and a perfect fit for the space. We bought it here, which is always fun because it involves a little frozen treat after the tree is selected and loaded up. In the comfort of our warm car, of course. I used 11 strands of lights. That's a record for me. Hopefully not a record that will result in a blown fuse or an electrical fire.

Close up of some of my "new" vintage ornaments.

Next is the mantle. Every year, I swag a combination of real and "faux" greenery, with white lights and embellishments. What I put on top of the mantle varies from year to year. This year, I brought in two metal topiaries from the front porch. I got these at an estate sale this year - $15 for the pair.

I also hung a fresh boxwood wreath from the mirror.

One more close-up shot. The lighting was pretty terrible,

especially for my sad litle camera.

More garland & white lights hung on the railing.

I stick different things in this garland every year. This time around,

I tied some strips of fabric in and added some gold bells and orange picks.

Here is a little vignette on my old trunk.

I propped up this sweet little book I found...probably at an estate sale???

There is no date to be found inside, but it's really old.

The cover is like velvet - so pretty.

My dining room buffet, all dressed up for the Holidays. The wreath is actually a strand of garland wound up. I bought it a couple of years ago at Crate & Barrel,

and they still have it. It's really pretty in person.

A white poinsettia on the table.

Red never looks quite right in my house, so I always go for the white.

The little china cabinet...in another blurry photo.

Here is my entry table , with a couple of Christmasy touches,

and of course...a wreath (from Wreathfest 2010) hung over the mirror.

I might have a slight obsession with the wreath/mirror combo.

Moving on to the kitchen. I don't put much holiday decor in here.

Just a pretty little display on the table...

And a simply dressed mantle, including a wreath on the mirror.

I tried to leave it bare, but it looked so, well...bare.

Here is my book page wreath, hanging in the kitchen window. It looks awfully cute here. That's the problem with this wreath. It looks cute everywhere. So I need to make like 4 more. But having 5 bookpage wreaths scattered among the house would be kind of weird. So I guess I'll just have to move this one from time to time, to spread the cuteness around.

I do love decorating for the holidays. While the process can be a little tiring and time consuming, there is nothing like having a cozy home all decked out for Christmas. But what I love the most is having my family around to enjoy it with me. Isn't that what it's all about?

See, we're giddy with Christmas joy! ;)

{Merry Christmas, and many blessings to all in the new year! }

Dial Turners

As I've mentioned, I really enjoy some good Christmas music. It puts me in a good mood, evokes warm & fuzzy memories, etc., etc. I pretty much have my radio tuned in to Christmas stations from the day after Thanksgiving (or sooner) through Christmas Day. That being said, I also have a pretty strong aversion to bad Christmas music. I thought I'd share some artists that earn top "dial turner" ranks in my book, via a Top 5 list.

5. Willie Nelson - Willie and Christmas just don't fit, if you ask me.

4. The Carpenters - Is there anything cheesier? The correct answer is no.

3. Alan Jackson - Uggh.

2. Annie Lenox - She scares me.

1. Gloria Estefan - For me, her voice cues reflex-like dial turning...all year round.

No offense if you enjoy any or all of the above. We just can't be friends. ;)

A Vintage Christmas

I decided it's time for some new tree decor this Christmas. I've been using the same ornaments since I bought my first house, seven Christmases ago. High time for some new ones, I'd say. Over the past several months, I've been picking up vintage ornaments, at estate sales and antique malls. I also bought a few new sparkly ones, to complement the oldies. I'm excited to trim the tree with them next weekend. If they look this pretty sitting on the floor, I can't wait to see how they sparkle on the tree!

{Wreathfest 2010}

WARNING: Long post ahead, chock-full of recipes, photos, wreathing, and rambling.

Yesterday I had 7 of my closest friends over for some very important business. Brunching. Wreath-making. Wreathfest 2010. And I think it is safe to say, it was the first annual. We'll be doing it again. Because it was awesome.

Over the last few months, I've been noticing lots of adorable wreaths out in the blog world. And naturally, I've been itching to make one (or twenty). So a few weeks ago, I sent out a little feeler e-mail to my crew, accompanied by photos of the wreath beauties I'd found. Everyone was on board. On board, and pumped. I bought all of the supplies, after polling them to find out which designs they wanted to make, and they all pitched in to cover the cost.

The girls arrived at 10, ready to make some wreaths! But first we fueled up on a little brunch. I meant to take some pics of the spread, but I got busy and before I knew it...everything was just about gone. I guess that's a good sign! Here is what I served...

Impossible Quiche

*Not sure where this name came from because it's about the opposite of impossible to make. Should be called the Very Possible Quiche. We have it every Christmas morning at my parents' house. I like it better than your typical quiche with crust because I'm just not a big fan of pie crust.

12 slices of crispy fried bacon, crumbled

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used a mix of swiss and cheddar)

1 1/2 cups milk

1/3 cup finely chopped onion (I prefer green onion, but yellow onion works too)

3/4 cup Bisquick

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. salt

4 eggs

Optional add-ins: mushrooms, peppers, any veggie you like.

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease 9-10" pie plate. Sprinkle bacon, cheese, and onion (any any other veggies you're adding) in pan. Place remaining ingredients in blender and blend on high for 1 minute. Pour into pan. Bake 50-55 minutes, until golden brown. If you want to be extra sure it's done, insert a knife in the center. If it comes out clean...it's ready.

Cranberry, Brie, & Caramelized Onion Pizza

*I put this together on my own, so I don't really have exact measurements.

Pizza dough (store bought or homemade)

2 cups shredded mozzarella

Brie (1 wedge, about 6 oz.???) - sliced thinly. Make sure it's really cold when you slice it...or it will be tough to do.

Dried Cranberries - about 3/4 cup

Yellow Onion - 1 medium

Garlic - 2 cloves finely chopped or 1 tsp. minced

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

Preaheat oven to 425 (or temp specified for your crust). Start by caramelizing the onions: Slice the onion thinly, add to hot pan with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, cook over low-medium heat until the onions are soft and golden in color - about 10-15 minutes. Add the minced garlic during the last couple minutes of cooking. Set onions and garlic aside.

Roll dough out and place on cookie sheet or pizza stone. Drizzle dough with a few tablespoons of olive oil, just so the whole thing has a light layer of oil. Prick the dough with a fork in several spots, so it doesn't bubble up too much in the oven. Bake the dough without toppings for about 4 minutes. I like to do this because it helps the crust get nice and crispy.

Take crust out and top it. If all of the olive oil has absorbed, you can add a couple more tablespoons. Add the mozzarella, brie, onions and garlic, and cranberries. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the crust is golden and cheese is melted. Let cool slightly and cut into squares.

Pumpkin Butter Dessert Bars
I came across these delectable treats on Kasey's Blog a few weeks ago and really wanted to try them. I thought this ladies' brunch/wreathfest was the perfect opportunity. Mostly because I knew I wouldn't have the whole pan sitting in my kitchen, tempting me day and night until they were all gone. They were a huge hit. I'm pretty sure everyone had at least two. I am refusing to tally my bar consumption over the last couple of days. What good would it do, really?

OK, onto the wreaths! Three of the designs we tried came from Emily @ Jones Design Company - the bookpage, burlap ruffle, and Nonna. On her site, she has tutorials for the bookpage and burlap ruffle wreaths, for everyone to use. She also has an awesome Christmas tutorial that features all kinds of adorable holiday crafts. I purchased it, and let me tell you, it was $7 well spent :) That's where we got the instructions for the Nonna wreath. Check out Emily's "tutorials" tab for links to all of them.

I also snagged a demonstration from The Nester, for the coffee filter wreath. And I found this tutorial for the yarn wreath, via Danielle @ Take Heart.

Here are a few photos of the ladies, hard at work...

And here's a lady who couldn't join us in person, but she was there in spirit. In the form of yarn. Did anyone else know Vanna had a yarn line? I was quite surprised when I saw her face in the aisles of yarn at Michaels'. I wonder if she's ever knitted a scarf or sweater for Mr. Sajak?


Back to the wreathing. To say things got a little messy...would be an understatement.

We talked, we laughed, we worked intently. The excitement alone was enough to wear anybody out.

But all the work and mess resulted in some major cuteness. Here are the girls with their finished beauties.

Val & Jessica with their coffee filter wreaths.

Casey with her burlap ruffle wreath.

Tarah with her fabric ruffle wreath and bookpage wreath.

Close up of her ruffle wreath. She used the tutorial for the burlap ruffle,

but used this cute green and white fabric instead.

Annie with her bookpage wreath.

Four of us made these, and they all turned out looking a little bit different.

All very cute though!

Katie with her festive Christmas yarn wreath and burlap ruffle wreath.

Sarah with her bookpage wreath and burlap ruffle wreath. I crowned her best wreather. Everyone's turned out so great, but that Sarah...she has a real knack for wreathmaking. I'm so happy she discovered it at WF2010.

Me with my bookpage wreath and Nonna wreath.

I also made a couple others later.

Here's my bookpage wreath, hung in the dining room. I hung it inside an old gold frame from Value Village. I know it would really be a perfect fit in the den (you know, because it's like made from a book)...but I kind of love it in here. So it will stay put for a while.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I've worked up quite an appetite compiling this very lengthy and informative post. And there is one last, loney pumpkin butter bar calling my name.

Yes, it's sitting on a wreath plate. I promise I didn't buy them especially for Wreathfest though. Honestly.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, and...happy wreathing, too!

Hiatus Over

So it's been a while since I posted. What can I say? I don't really have a good excuse. I wasn't backpacking across Europe, or working on any super exciting projects. Just staying busy with the usual stuff and also taking time to relax and enjoy my favorite season. But hopefully my little blog hiatus is over, and I can muster up the inspiration (and the time) to get back to semi-regular posting. With the holidays upon us, it shouldn't be too difficult to find some good blogging material :)

Speaking of, I'm getting awfully excited for Christmas. I haven't started shopping or decorating...I don't get my decorations out before Thanksgiving because it just feels wrong to me. I, however, have no problem listening to Christmas music mid-November. One of the STL stations is playing it already, non-stop, and I can't help myself! It just puts me in a better mood, especially the old classics. Bing, Dean, Frank, Johnny - I heart them all.

Back to Thanksgiving...I thought I'd share a great source for Thanksgiving art for any of you searching for some last minute decor for Turkey Day. I downloaded this print, from this generous blogger, after seeing it on Shannon's blog. I just printed it on my color printer, and it looks great in my most favorite white gallery frame from Target. I assume the quality would be even better if you printed it, or had it printed, on photo quality paper. This was good enough for me though. Here it is propped on my mantel.

So even though I only get to enjoy it for another week or so, I'm so grateful I found it (pun intended). I'll definitely be bringing it out year after year!

I hope to be back this weekend with photos and details from what I'm calling "Wreathfest 2010". This Saturday, I'm having a few friends over for a little wreath making brunch. I'm so glad my friends respond with enthusiasm to ideas like this one, as opposed to thinking I'm nuts. I guess they just know what to expect from me by now!