There's also still time to enter the giveaway to win an autographed copy of my book, Fruitful Hands.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Friday, May 4, 2012
Pinterest Pick: In Your Dreams!
Today, another post by Guest Blogger (and daughter extraordinaire), Samantha.
I have many different boards or categories on Pinterest, but there is one real distinction between my "pins" (photos). There are the realistic pins of things I want or want to do...things that I might actually get to some day.... and then there are things like this:
A flower chandelier? Are you joking? OF COURSE I want this. Will I ever ever make it? OF COURSE NOT. But, it's fun to dream all the same. I can't help but smiling when I think of myself climbing to change the water for each little test tube flower everyday... alright, that doesn't make me smile as much as cringe, but I smile when I think of seeing that in my home every day.
Or how about this?
Teacup lights. It's really cute, but I don't know that I would ever actually make it. What I really need is a Fairy CraftMother to make all of these things for me! And besides, I don't think I could part with such beautiful teacups to hang them from the ceiling (then again- it would be a great excuse for a trip to the flea market.) Speaking of ceilings...
Wallpaper on the ceiling! Who comes up with this stuff? Who thinks that ANYONE in their right mind would try to wallpaper a ceiling? I have witnessed people trying to put up wallpaper vertically on walls, and it did not look fun. (These people were my parents. It was a very stressful time in our house). I have no idea how you would even attempt it horizontally and UPSIDE DOWN. Again, a Fairy CraftMother or other professional would come in handy.
But, who doesn't love to dream? I pin these things because maybe when I am a billionaire, I can pay to have someone to change the water in my test tube chandelier and wallpaper my ceiling. But until then, back to Pinterest I go... for more "eye candy" and dreaming.....
What are your dream pins? Include a link to one of your favorite pins in the comments below! And remember to follow The Noble Wife on Pinterest!
Happy pinning, and happy weekend!
Samantha
PS Also don't forget to stop by the Henry Glass Fabrics Blog for your chance to win a copy of my mom's book.
I have many different boards or categories on Pinterest, but there is one real distinction between my "pins" (photos). There are the realistic pins of things I want or want to do...things that I might actually get to some day.... and then there are things like this:
A flower chandelier? Are you joking? OF COURSE I want this. Will I ever ever make it? OF COURSE NOT. But, it's fun to dream all the same. I can't help but smiling when I think of myself climbing to change the water for each little test tube flower everyday... alright, that doesn't make me smile as much as cringe, but I smile when I think of seeing that in my home every day.
Or how about this?
Teacup lights. It's really cute, but I don't know that I would ever actually make it. What I really need is a Fairy CraftMother to make all of these things for me! And besides, I don't think I could part with such beautiful teacups to hang them from the ceiling (then again- it would be a great excuse for a trip to the flea market.) Speaking of ceilings...
Wallpaper on the ceiling! Who comes up with this stuff? Who thinks that ANYONE in their right mind would try to wallpaper a ceiling? I have witnessed people trying to put up wallpaper vertically on walls, and it did not look fun. (These people were my parents. It was a very stressful time in our house). I have no idea how you would even attempt it horizontally and UPSIDE DOWN. Again, a Fairy CraftMother or other professional would come in handy.
But, who doesn't love to dream? I pin these things because maybe when I am a billionaire, I can pay to have someone to change the water in my test tube chandelier and wallpaper my ceiling. But until then, back to Pinterest I go... for more "eye candy" and dreaming.....
What are your dream pins? Include a link to one of your favorite pins in the comments below! And remember to follow The Noble Wife on Pinterest!
Happy pinning, and happy weekend!
Samantha
PS Also don't forget to stop by the Henry Glass Fabrics Blog for your chance to win a copy of my mom's book.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Fruitful Hands Book Giveaway!
Have you checked out the Henry Glass Fabrics blog yet? There you will find the latest new fabric lines, tutorials, designer interviews, and "gossip" from Quilt Market....
Today I am introducing my newest fabric line, called Fruitful Hands. It was inspired by my book of the same name. If you go over to the Henry Glass blog and leave a comment, you will be entered to win an autographed copy of my book- But hurry- you have until next Friday!
P.S. Henry Glass also has a new Facebook page- be sure to check that out and "Like" it as well!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Cinco de Mayo is Coming (Part Dos): Mexican Hot Chocolate & Ice Cream
If you are looking for a delicious dessert, and not just around Cinco de Mayo, you will want to try this. Mexican Hot Chocolate is the perfect combination of classic and caliente and it is soooooooooooo yummy...
Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
dash salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
8 squares (3 1/2 oz) dark chocolate, chopped
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup half & half or whole milk
vanilla ice cream
cayenne pepper
In saucepan, combine milk, sugar, salt, cinnamon and chocolate. Whisk mixture over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture just begins to simmer. Add vanilla and half & half and heat through.
Fill mugs half way with hot chocolate. Add a scoop of ice cream. Sprinkle ice cream with a dash of cayenne and cinnamon.
Makes 4 servings.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Cinco de Mayo is Coming: Mexican Casserole Recipe
Around our house, we are gearing up for Cinco de Mayo. Why? Because we look for any excuse possible to eat Mexican food! This recipe is far from "authentic" Mexican, but it is really quick and easy. Last week we were at the beach house and I had a gang to feed- and this was a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground beef and/or pork (I used 1 lb. of each)
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp. olive oil
16 oz jar of salsa (any kind)
1 cup frozen corn
12 oz. shredded cheese (cheddar or Monterey Jack)
1 cup Bisquick baking mix
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 3/4 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1 T. parsley flakes
1 large tomato
2 avocados
sour cream
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a skillet, brown ground beef and/or pork. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels.
In same skillet, saute onion in olive oil until translucent. Return meat to skillet, and add salsa and corn. Cook until bubbly.
Place meat mixture in a greased 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle with half of cheese. Set aside.
In large bowl, combine Bisquick, eggs, milk, salt, chili powder and parsley flakes. Stir in remaining cheese.
Pour Bisquick mixture over meat mixture. Bake for about 45 minutes, until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
While casserole is baking, chop tomato and slice avocados. Sprinkle with salt.
Serve casserole with chopped tomatoes, avocado slices and sour cream.
Ole!
Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground beef and/or pork (I used 1 lb. of each)
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp. olive oil
16 oz jar of salsa (any kind)
1 cup frozen corn
12 oz. shredded cheese (cheddar or Monterey Jack)
1 cup Bisquick baking mix
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 3/4 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1 T. parsley flakes
1 large tomato
2 avocados
sour cream
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a skillet, brown ground beef and/or pork. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels.
In same skillet, saute onion in olive oil until translucent. Return meat to skillet, and add salsa and corn. Cook until bubbly.
Place meat mixture in a greased 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle with half of cheese. Set aside.
In large bowl, combine Bisquick, eggs, milk, salt, chili powder and parsley flakes. Stir in remaining cheese.
Pour Bisquick mixture over meat mixture. Bake for about 45 minutes, until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
While casserole is baking, chop tomato and slice avocados. Sprinkle with salt.
Serve casserole with chopped tomatoes, avocado slices and sour cream.
Ole!
Friday, April 27, 2012
Pinterest Pick: DIY Headboard
I have a special announcement: Oldest daughter (aka Samantha) is going to be a Guest Blogger here from time to time! I am so excited to have her on board. She, along with my younger daughter and husband, do a lot of behind the scenes stuff around here, and now you will get a chance to know Samantha a little better. She will be posting here a few times a month. She LOVES Pinterest (like so many of us do), and she will be moving into her first "real" apartment very soon, so she will be sharing some of her favorite "Pins" and decorating-on-a-shoestring-budget ideas with you. Welcome, Samantha!
Today, someone who I guess you could call "The Noble Daughter" (Noble? We'll see...) is doing a guest post on one of her absolute favorite things: Pinning!
It's easy for me to say that I like Pinterest... nay, love Pinterest. It's like Twitter, but with only pretty things and no spam trying to convince me that I've won a new TV. (Really, who do they think they're fooling?) Some say that they "waste" hours at a time on Pinterest, but I would rather use the word "invest." I've pinned so many DIY projects, recipes, wedding ideas (for my real, upcoming wedding, no less), and just plain lovely things that I refer back to time and time again. I love the fact that we live in the age of the internet, and I can find wonderful things to do, make, and see from all over the globe at the click of a mouse!
Therefore, my Noble Mother and I have decided to introduce a new segment to the Noble Wife Blog: Pinterest Pick of the Week. On Fridays, I'll be signing on to tell you about the most clever/pretty/original thing on the internet... so be sure to log on! I have a few favorite pins lined up already, so you won't want to miss it, trust me!
This week I want to talk about a DIY headboard that I found the other day. My finance and I just found an apartment to move into after our wedding, and I am already dreaming about all of the decorating possibilities! The apartment is in an old Tudor style building that was built in the 1920's, so the apartment has some of the original fixtures like hardwood floors and glass doorhandles. It's just perfect; but what's not perfect is the second-hand bed that we are moving into the room. The headboard is a very 1990's plastic black and white model that doesn't match its future environment at all. So this lovely headboard is currently screaming my name...
Can you believe it's DIY? Kelly from High Street Market made this headboard for her guest room by salvaging an ugly thrift store headboard, layering upholstery foam and fabric, and nailing in the upholstery nails around the edge. Voila! Cute, fashionable, professional-looking headboard.
Could it really be that easy? Only time will tell. I've tucked this pin away for a few months down the road from now when I am staring at my nightmare of a headboard thinking, What have I gotten myself into? Who knows? Perhaps I'll be pinning my own headboard before long (here's hoping).
I'm also thinking about what kind of fabric I'd like to do the headboard in. It should be some kind of upholstery fabric so that it holds, but beyond that... the possibilities are endless! I could do it in gray, or maybe even in a more fun color, based on what kind of gifts I'll be getting for my wedding...
Any ideas on colors or fabric textures? I'd love to hear them! Drop a line below!
Happy pinning, and happy weekend!
Samantha
PS- Get a sneak peek at what I'll be writing about by following The Noble Wife on Pinterest, and find lots of other goodies too!
Today, someone who I guess you could call "The Noble Daughter" (Noble? We'll see...) is doing a guest post on one of her absolute favorite things: Pinning!
It's easy for me to say that I like Pinterest... nay, love Pinterest. It's like Twitter, but with only pretty things and no spam trying to convince me that I've won a new TV. (Really, who do they think they're fooling?) Some say that they "waste" hours at a time on Pinterest, but I would rather use the word "invest." I've pinned so many DIY projects, recipes, wedding ideas (for my real, upcoming wedding, no less), and just plain lovely things that I refer back to time and time again. I love the fact that we live in the age of the internet, and I can find wonderful things to do, make, and see from all over the globe at the click of a mouse!
Therefore, my Noble Mother and I have decided to introduce a new segment to the Noble Wife Blog: Pinterest Pick of the Week. On Fridays, I'll be signing on to tell you about the most clever/pretty/original thing on the internet... so be sure to log on! I have a few favorite pins lined up already, so you won't want to miss it, trust me!
This week I want to talk about a DIY headboard that I found the other day. My finance and I just found an apartment to move into after our wedding, and I am already dreaming about all of the decorating possibilities! The apartment is in an old Tudor style building that was built in the 1920's, so the apartment has some of the original fixtures like hardwood floors and glass doorhandles. It's just perfect; but what's not perfect is the second-hand bed that we are moving into the room. The headboard is a very 1990's plastic black and white model that doesn't match its future environment at all. So this lovely headboard is currently screaming my name...
Can you believe it's DIY? Kelly from High Street Market made this headboard for her guest room by salvaging an ugly thrift store headboard, layering upholstery foam and fabric, and nailing in the upholstery nails around the edge. Voila! Cute, fashionable, professional-looking headboard.
Could it really be that easy? Only time will tell. I've tucked this pin away for a few months down the road from now when I am staring at my nightmare of a headboard thinking, What have I gotten myself into? Who knows? Perhaps I'll be pinning my own headboard before long (here's hoping).
I'm also thinking about what kind of fabric I'd like to do the headboard in. It should be some kind of upholstery fabric so that it holds, but beyond that... the possibilities are endless! I could do it in gray, or maybe even in a more fun color, based on what kind of gifts I'll be getting for my wedding...
Any ideas on colors or fabric textures? I'd love to hear them! Drop a line below!
Happy pinning, and happy weekend!
Samantha
PS- Get a sneak peek at what I'll be writing about by following The Noble Wife on Pinterest, and find lots of other goodies too!
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
It was really a surprise!
Daughter ended up being very surprised for her Surprise Bridal Shower (thank goodness! we pulled it off!!) All of the stories, lies and stress paid off....
My friend made this beautiful cake. The heart and butterfly are cookies. Youngest daughter and I made additional desserts- petit fours, brownie bites, and miniature cherry cheese cakes.
Also on the menu: Chicken Marsala, Eggplant Parmigiana, Penne alla Vodka, Green Beans Almondine, and salad. (We ate it but didn't photograph it- typical.)
For a Wishing Well, we used a laundry basket- guests could bring small household items and useful "odds-and-ends" to fill the basket. Later, it will be handy for actually doing laundry....
Here is daughter with her bridesmaids:
And here is the happy couple:
And June will be here before we know it.
My friend made this beautiful cake. The heart and butterfly are cookies. Youngest daughter and I made additional desserts- petit fours, brownie bites, and miniature cherry cheese cakes.
Also on the menu: Chicken Marsala, Eggplant Parmigiana, Penne alla Vodka, Green Beans Almondine, and salad. (We ate it but didn't photograph it- typical.)
For a Wishing Well, we used a laundry basket- guests could bring small household items and useful "odds-and-ends" to fill the basket. Later, it will be handy for actually doing laundry....
Here is daughter with her bridesmaids:
And here is the happy couple:
And June will be here before we know it.
Monday, April 23, 2012
More Bridal Shower Photos
The table settings for the shower turned out very pretty. Buying flats of annuals and re-potting them ourselves was really inexpensive. Our color scheme was light pink, fuchsia, spring green, and yellow. We found the paper plates at Michael's the week before spring- the colors were perfect.
For a fun game, youngest daughter came up with a "Mad Libs Bridal Shower Edition." The games were on the table for the guests to work on while they waited for the bride-to-be to get there.
For a fun game, youngest daughter came up with a "Mad Libs Bridal Shower Edition." The games were on the table for the guests to work on while they waited for the bride-to-be to get there.
We held the shower in our church hall. We found this lattice arch, already decorated (with the perfectly colored pink flowers!) in the closet. I bought the pink parasol from an online wedding supplier months ago, not really knowing what I was going to do with it, but once again, the color was perfect. This brown chair was not the most attractive piece of furniture in the building, but we did our best to cover it in crepe paper and balloons.
I'll have a few more photos next time- the bride, the groom, the bridesmaids, and the cake.... Very important stuff.
For more photos, click here.
PS Anyone else having trouble with Blogger? This was supposed to post on Friday and I noticed this morning that it never did.
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