Patriotic Recipe Ideas

A girl at work today was talking about fruit kabobs shaped like an American Flag, so I googled and found this fun blog post on 4tunate, by Chandler + Brianne.
So I just kept on looking for ideas because it's fun, and I love the whimsy of the red, white and blue.
Check out this cute idea from Lisa Storms

Patriotic Sangria, from Recipe Girl.
Recipe girl also makes Patriotic Cheesecake Bars. Yum.

Fireworks cookies from Dainty Chef.

Happy Fourth

This is such a fun vintage photograph from Charles Phoenix.

It's a beautiful sunny weekend in California.
Tomorrow I'll be poolside with a South Carolina-style hot dog, macaroni salad, deviled eggs, and of course watermelon.
Happy Birthday America!

Happy New Year!

New Year's Day is my favorite day of the year.
It's a clean slate, ready to be filled with goals, hopes, ambitions, and dreams.

Writing down our wishes...our intentions...can be magical, and fun, and fruitful.
Some families have wish jars, and some properties have wishing wells.
Times Square has a Wishing Wall.

I love the idea of The Wishing Wall in Times Square

"Initiated in 2007, The Wishing Wall was created with the idea that people all over the world would submit their wish for the New Year to be dropped along with the 2000 pounds of confetti at the stroke of midnight on December 31. It’s a way for the entire world to be a part of the historic Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration."
(source: Zoomerang)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!
The best part of this day, for me, is watching the Macy's Parade.
It's Americana, tradition, joy, optimism, hope...all rolled up into one.
It is the best of family, gratitude, and sharing moments together.
Fun post about previous balloons in past parades.

More vintage photos here.

Gift ideas!

Well, 'tis the season.
Time to start getting ideas for Christmas presents.
Too soon, you say?
No way!
I mean, put some thought into it!
No running around at the last minute getting useless crap--think of the recipient, and what they love, and who they are...and pick out something special.

Need ideas?

Well, first get your surroundings all fa-la-la.
Nothing says festive like twinkly lights.
Decorate inside your home with lighted winter branches from Gardener's Supply (they also have lighted pussy willows.

Absolutely adorable Barbie stiletto shoe necklace from the Etsy shop House of Magenta Tarantula.
There are so many great gift items on Etsy

Note cards featuring vintage photos that include pitbulls, these cards the support the amazing Animal Farm Foundation.
They also have tee shirts, or this cute necklace with a silver pitbull-shaped charm.Or just send them a donation because they're helping to rehabilitate dogs that have been in abused situations (like Michael Vick's fighting ring)--this organization deserves your support.

I'm a big fan of themed gift baskets.
For the baker on your list, a bowl with ingredients for cookies, and accessories to make the recipe is a fun gift.
Pier One Imports has an assortment of unique measuring cups (I like the cherries one), like these elephantsPier One has other fun kitchen gadgets, like these Ladybug measuring spoons

I'm not normally a fan of packaged food, but The Waffle Lady is an exception.You can buy from the website (lots of yummy flavors), or some stores carry this product also.
Honestly, the price is worth it.
Besides, the box makes a lot of pancakes--I freeze in individual portions and take them to work for breakfast.
If you live in San Diego, Keils market carries this brand.
And for gift basket goodies, the Costco Delivery in Kearny Mesa (off Convoy, where the old Home Depot Expo used to be) has a fun selection of baking gadgets.

For the women in your life who wear high-heels and may want to take a load off at the end of the day, how about Flexi-Flats--a "compact go anywhere flat".These easily fold up into a little pouch that you can carry in your purse.
(I have to note that Metro Magazine called this idea out as a fashion accessory that shouldn't exist, but I think they'd make a great stocking stuffer. The writer of Metro Magazine obviously doesn't have any foot problems if she thinks women walking home barefoot after a night on the town are wimpy).
Lots of brands of these out all at once, but I also like Spare Pear.

My new (well, new to me) favorite product is coconut oil from Tropical Traditions.
It's a much more healthy alternative to vegetable oil for cooking, but it also makes an amazing treatment for your hair.
The site also sells wonderful soap, lotion, and other items.

Halloween ideas

hahahahaha I love this Big Bad Wolf costume for dogs (as seen on Craftzine).
You can purchase this costume from Down Under Dog Designs on etsy.

Check out this fun Owl-o-Lantern (also from Craftzine)
I also just posted some trick-or-treat bag tutorials on
my purse blog, so be sure to get ideas there too.

What's a good side?

I'm going to my friend Jen's annual July 4th pool party.
She makes homemade pulled pork, and Carolina-style chili dogs with slaw (da bomb).
She also makes this to-die-for Red Velvet Cake with Berries.

Guests bring sides.
Last year I brought Watermelon Pops.

This year, I think I will bring a salad.

Should I bring
a red-white-and-blue green salad?


or a more grown-up salad?

or a simple fruit salad?
(or is fruit overkill since there is fruit in the cake she's making?)

This is a fun presentation!

or maybe just some simple strawberries?
Dipped
or filled


and/or Patriotic Pretzels?


Hmm...and/or I could bring edible shots
(and virgin ones for the kids)

What do you think?
Or do you have any other fun red-white-and-blue recipe to share?

It's Catalog Time!

I love catalogs.
I like "window" shopping, I like making up wish lists, and I love getting ideas to recreate my own versions of stuff.
Just sayin'.
It's in every crafter's heart to diy.

Here are some things that have caught my eye so far:
Buckets of Joy Advent Calendar from Garnet Hill.
I've seen lots of Advent ideas, but this is my favorite.

Also at Garnet Hill, I love love love this Lambwool Intarsia Cardigan sweater with the dog applique.
Unfortunately it's no longer shown on the website, so I'm not sure if it's still available.
Hmmm...maybe I can recreate the idea using wool felt?

Also from Garnet Hill, Spotty Wool Throw

How freaking cute is this crocheted capelet?!
From Sundance.
I literally JUST got the catalog, and the website already says it's sold out. Aarrgghh!
Also from Sundance, this Parisienne Necklace is so pretty.

and again, from Sundance, Mercury Glass Orb strands.
I love the way this looks--inspiration!
Tape Measure Mat, from Viva Terra

Also from Viva Terra, Tin Can Angels

Whimsical Tree

This is way belated, but I never did show you guys my Christmas tree.

My mom is pretty much over the whole holiday deal, so she never wants a tree or anything.
I, however, love festivities and traditions, and this year I really wanted a tree at her house.
She objected initially, but then ended up liking it afterall.

Last summer, I scored an awesome wire tree at a church rummage sale.
It's nearly four feet tall, and the 'branches' come off the center pole for storage.
I paid $3!
The cashier happened to be the woman who donated the tree, and she told me she paid $65, and that was on sale.
She said she kept it up year round and just changed out the colors of the ornaments per different seasons and holidays.
I guess she just tired of it.
I was soooo excited to find it.

Here you can see it in my mom's livingroom, with one of my kitties, "That Baby" looking on.
I added purple and chartreuse ornaments that I got on sale at Michaels.

I suppose I could put it on a table, and I really do need to sew a tree skirt.
Note the boxes behind it and under the window are my wood floor planks (stored until my room is ready for their installation). Lovely.

I thought the look of minimal ornaments was rather sophisticated, but I couldn't help but add more whimsy with some selected ornaments.
I also strung a neon light that is on a flexible wire (once a part of a school art project) up the center pole.


Ornaments included a goldfish, a seagull, a moon, a windchime, a palm tree, a really cool crystal chandelier that I bought at Rogers Gardens, among others.

Happy New Year!

Wow, 2009!
New Year's Day is my favorite day of the year.
A clean slate, a fresh start, hope of a year filled with promise, adventure, goodness.

I love to start out the year with The Rose Parade.
People across the country watching it, always want to come to Southern California.
Today in Pasadena it's 70 degrees.

I can't get in Channel 5 anymore, the Los Angeles station, and I don't know who they had commentating this year, but I'm sure I would have been disappointed.
To me the parade will always be Bob Ubanks and Stephanie Edwards--no one can ever top that duo.
They always offered the best coverage, the most information, the most interesting comments.
This year I kept switching between HGTV and NBC, and both came up short.
Please don't race past the equestrian entries.
Please give more detailed information of who is riding the float and why, and what organic materials are used.
Grrrr!

I love the Americana of the event.
Bands playing "California Dreamin'", cheerleaders, excitement, animatronics, tinsel, kids in the grandstand waving and laughing.
Red, white, and blue.

Pics of the actual floats aren't up online yet, but here're the artist's rendering of my two favorite floats this year.
The skateboarding bulldogs on the Natural Balance Pet Foods float, featured real dogs Tyson and Tillman on a circular track.

Also Huntington Beach's entry, "Surf's Up".
This one, captured in flowers, was magnificent, with sprays of white flowers representing the spray of water at the tip of the wave.

Collectible pins of each float design, band, etc are available for purchase, and the actual floats are open to viewing for the next three days.

The rest of my day today...
no, it's not bowl games.

The Twilight Zone marathon on the SciFi channel. Woohoo!
I never tire of the ingenious thoughts of Rod Serling.

I didn't end up going out last night.
My bottle of Prosecco is yet unopened.
Hopefully there will good reason to pop the cork soon.

Recycled wrapping paper ideas

My friend Michelle lives in Indiana, so we keep in touch via phone calls, gifts on a whim, and of course emails with photo attachments.
She sent me some pics of some gifts she'd wrapped in paper and packages she had recycled.
I think the ideas are so fun, I thought I'd share them here.

She said, "I read that if everyone wrapped just 3 presents each year in either recycled bags, paper or even newspaper, and don't use the glossy gift wrap that can't be recycled, it will keep over 75,000 pounds of paper waste out of the landfills each year. I did more than 3! I also totally re-use gift bags and boxes. I can't see spending $1 or more on a gift bag then throwing it away!"

(click on the images to enlarge. On the Flickr page, click on the icon 'all sizes' to zoom)
Michelle is a pharmacy tech. The pharmacy receives refrigerated items like insulin in metallic bubble wrap bags.
What a waste to throw them away!
She adhered a card over the mailing label for the perfect package!


This pretty flecked paper was the stuffing in a new pair of shoes!
Michelle tied it with twine for a rustic look


Reused bags and boxes. The bow on the box that's on the right is the plastic from the handle of a Walgreens bag.


"We have a lot of oddball stockings, from the kids going to various Christmas parties, grandparents' houses, etc. I use the old ones for gift wrap."


Under the tree...


"One thing's for sure though--I'm spending a lot more time wrapping gifts, trying to figure out what works with what to make it look perfect. Recycling takes some mental energy! But it's fun, and all my presents are unique, not your average wrapped box with plain ribbon and bows."

One more...

One more Thanksgiving card to share, this one is embellished with sparkle...some sort of sequins.

I gave all but one of the cards to my friend Melinda as a hostess gift--thanks for including me in her Thanksgiving celebration.
Even though we only spent a few hours together, it was worth the 2-1/2 hour drive each way.
That's what's so great about where I live: so many places are just a hop, skip and jump away.
I can go to the desert, the mountains (where there's snow), the big city Los Angeles, or over the border to Mexico.
Awesome.

Happy Thanksgiving

One of my favorite things to do is to get up early on Thanksgiving morning, make myself a killer breakfast, snuggle underneath a blanket, and watch the Macy's Parade.

It's an American tradition at its finest.


History of the parade here and here.