Just a few more sleeps until Christmas!

Are you all ready for Christmas?? I'm not!! But here are some things that I've done recently to share with you:

Ornament made at All Fired Up

Brandi's new wintertime wreath :)

New wreath for my back door. Brandi says it reminds her of an elf. I like that!

I tested a pattern for Micah Makes - amazing pattern! I love this thing. It's the hugs and kisses headwrap. Go check it out!

Another ornament I painted at All Fired Up.

 Short, but sweet. :) I hope you all had a great weekend and are all ready for Christmas!

Foodie Friday: Fancy Naan

Hi guys. Raj and Meig here. :)

I LOVE food. But then again, who doesn't? I used to be the pickiest eater ever and have since grown out of that habit and will try everything once (unless it's a baby animal, something that is too gamey or slimy - gotta have some standards...I'm really not going to try the family recipe for braised squirrel). Since I started doing that, I've become a lot more diverse in my cooking.

There is a local market that I just love going to for my groceries. It's rather crowded and difficult to manage, but it's full of scents of fresh foods and wonderful things. While I was there on my last trip, I decided I wanted to make pizza for dinner, but since I'm only one, it's silly to get big pizza shells and make a whole pizza when it's just me. Yes, I have leftovers for lunch, but I also got salami for my lunch so I didn't need leftovers. I just wanted a small pizza I could enjoy once. I saw the garlic/cilantro naan and HAD to have it.

I snagged some of my other favorite pizza toppings: basil, mozz/prov mixed shredded cheese, and garlic (yes, more garlic - hey, I wasn't planning on kissing anyone that night!).

Since everything is already cooked, I loaded it up on my pizza stone (favorite kitchen accessory) and stuck it under the broiler until the cheese got bubbly.

And there you have it!! Easiest, yummiest, pretty good for you-est, personal sized pizza ever. Raj even enjoyed some of it and gave it his drool of approval.

I can't wait to get some more naan and try other toppings!! What are your favorite pizza toppings?

Now you can link up your tasty treats. We just ask that you put our button on your page somewhere. Have a great weekend!

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Thankful Thursday

It's been a rough week... One of those weeks when its really hard to look at the good things in your life because you have this pile of bad things weighing you down. That being said, this is the week I really need to take a look at the little things in my life that make it a little better.

So here is my totally random list of things that are good right now.

Coffeeeeee!!!

                                                                            source

                                                                 

My job!

Buttons. really liking buttons lately.

                                                                     source

Paint

Chocolate

                                                                   source

Vanilla Chapstick

                                                                      source


Thats what I am thankful for today. What are you thankful for?

Linking up

Oooh! Pretty shiny.

Today I'm going to share 10 of my favorite ornaments with you. Some of these are from my childhood that I've confiscated for my own tree (we three kids had our own boxes of ornaments as kids and we could put ours up on the tree and then when we moved out, they could go with us) and some are new ones that I've acquired since living on my own.

First, my tree. :) It's decorated in pink and silver. Everyone thinks that because my tree is 'pink and silver' that the tree is actually pink when, in fact, it is not. It's green. And it was free. So there. :)

Now, my favorite ornaments:

1. Fairly self-explanatory: first Christmas ornament from my grandparents (mom's parents);
2. Angel ornament that was, at some point, given to my aunt by us, or from my aunt, or somehow associated with my beloved Aunt Penny;
3. One of the first ornaments I bought for my tree;
4. Angel ornament that I bought at one of the many Christmas markets in Munich in 2005 when I was visiting. So much fun!
5. Cow bell ornament - love the pun;
6. MUC 2006 ornament - the year I walked for my BA (graduated in 12/05);
7. Another cow ornament (I have a thing for cows...always have loved them);
8. G clef bell ornament - I love the rhinestones on it, too;
9. The CUTEST reindeer EVER - made from bells - bought at Old Navy, of all places;
10. Pottery ornament I made this year with friends at the paint your own pottery place. I'm taking JJ there on Saturday to make more. :)

So, there are 10 of my favorite ornaments. Do you have any?

Linking up here:

Made it Monday

Happy Monday! I'm here to show off what I have been up to in the past couple days. I have been working on some things I can't blog yet because they are Christmas presents but here's what I can show you.


Julie and I took a handful of her old broken to pieces crayons, smashed them with a hammer, and made "Tie-Dyed" crayons.

I melted them into little tart tins from Pat Catans I got for 20 cents.

I made a new version of the crayon holder. Cinderella version.

 With a Velcro closure.

We painted ornaments she is going to give as gifts.

I got some washers at work. (Lowes)

I spray painted them turquoise.

I used some hemp twine and made a bracelet.

I love it :)

I can't wait to share the other things I have been working on after Christmas. I am doing mostly handmade gifts to save money and because I think they are more special.



I hope you all have a great week! 

Foodie Friday- Vegan for a day

Last Tuesday I made two yummy vegan meals. For breakfast was my own whole wheat blueberry muffin recipe and for dinner was a spaghetti and mushroom with garlic and oil pasta.

You can find the recipe for the pasta here. I love cooking for my family and especially when its healthy!

Now you can link up your tasty treats. We just ask that you put our button on your page somewhere. Have a great weekend!

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It's ALMOST Christmas!!

It's been a while since we did a real Thankful Thursday post. Lots of things have been happening in our lives and being the holiday season, many more things are happening.

Today I'm thankful for a number of things.

[source]

I'm thankful for companionship. I have realized friends who aren't really friends, and been able to find solace in the love of friends who truly are friends. I am thankful that as I go through life I have people who stick with me and don't let me go because I say one thing sideways or get a little distant. I'm so blessed to have love in my life.

[source]

I'm thankful for my love of reading. Recently, I have come across a number of 'book lists' on Pinterest and have been enveloped in the desire to swallow books whole again. I adore reading so much so that I could contentedly sit and read for days on end and not worry a bit about anything. Sometimes I wish I had a cabin in the woods where I could go to read and crochet in peace, but then I realize that the woods involve creatures that are not so friendly and possibly no indoor plumbing. Then that bubble bursts and I'm totally over it. Here and here are two lists that have captured my attention right now.

[source]

I'm thankful for my ability to create things with my own two hands. I have decided that this Christmas will be a handmade Christmas. Every gift I give will be made by me or someone else. I have done great so far. Yes, it's difficult because I'm running out of time and have so many things to do, but I'm happy because I don't have to go spend hours and hundreds of dollars in the store. I am happier with my gift choices because I know they're made with love and care.

Also, because I have chosen to do a handmade Christmas and not spend hundreds at the store, I have been able to pay off some debt. I have paid off one bill entirely and am slowly working through the rest. I am hoping that in the next few months to have paid off at least 75% of my non-student loan debt. This will free me to buy a house and be able to live within my means again. I'm thankful for a job so that I can try to get my life back in order.

So, there are a few things I'm thankful for this day. What are you thankful for?

Linking up here: