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Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Pink Eclectic Spaces....
My shabby chic dining room...I adore this space! Everything in the room has a story and a history. I stenciled a frame for some great old family photos and put the light pink background to match the room.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Sunday, March 4, 2012
My Take On The Bloomin' Onion Bread Appetizer
Wow! I found this recipe over at a wonderful blog called "The Girl Who Ate Everything" and it blew me away from just a photo! Below is her recipe along with some comments and suggestions from my own baking experience.
1 unsliced loaf sourdough bread
12-16 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, thinly sliced (and believe the recipe when it says thin sliced...if you don't you will have burned bread and lots and lots of cheesy globs stuck in it)
1/2 cup butter, melted (it will not look like you have enough butter, but do not add more)
1/2 cup finely diced green onion
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the bread lengthwise and widthwise without cutting through the bottom crust. This isn't as hard as it looks, it is fairly easy. Be sure that when you are cutting the squares that they are large enough to get a good grip on when pulling apart the bread
Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Insert cheese slices between cuts. Combine butter, onion, and poppy seeds. Drizzle over bread. Wrap in foil; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. I found the need to bake for nearly 1/2 hour.
Unwrap the bread and bake 10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted.
This is a wonderful recipe! I've read on many review sites that it is great to take to potlucks and parties, but I wouldn't do that. Imagine everyone else at the gathering picking through the pieces and getting their germs all over everything! Who knows where those hands have been! Gross! (Okay, I'm really not the only one who thinks of things like that, right?) My recommendation is to make it at home with your family, make sure everyone washes their hands well and enjoy!
1 unsliced loaf sourdough bread
12-16 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, thinly sliced (and believe the recipe when it says thin sliced...if you don't you will have burned bread and lots and lots of cheesy globs stuck in it)
1/2 cup butter, melted (it will not look like you have enough butter, but do not add more)
1/2 cup finely diced green onion
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the bread lengthwise and widthwise without cutting through the bottom crust. This isn't as hard as it looks, it is fairly easy. Be sure that when you are cutting the squares that they are large enough to get a good grip on when pulling apart the bread
Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Insert cheese slices between cuts. Combine butter, onion, and poppy seeds. Drizzle over bread. Wrap in foil; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. I found the need to bake for nearly 1/2 hour.
Unwrap the bread and bake 10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted.
This is a wonderful recipe! I've read on many review sites that it is great to take to potlucks and parties, but I wouldn't do that. Imagine everyone else at the gathering picking through the pieces and getting their germs all over everything! Who knows where those hands have been! Gross! (Okay, I'm really not the only one who thinks of things like that, right?) My recommendation is to make it at home with your family, make sure everyone washes their hands well and enjoy!
Friday, January 13, 2012
The Key To Your Creativity
Happy New Year!! Yeah, I'm 13 days late, it's okay.
So I've been collecting antique keys for a few years now wanting to re-do my entry way from floral to a key theme. This is the first of my projects.
I bought a shadow box many years ago that had some artificial hydrangeas inside. I got these really cheap (like $5 each on a clearance sale).
\
First step was to open the front and remove the flowers.
Then I found this really great old book (printed 1910) so the pages were a perfect aged look. I ripped out pages with numbers that are important to our family (birth dates, anniversaries, etc) and glued the pages to the inside of the box.
Next I tied a lovely piece of ribbon around the top of the key and glued them in place.
Reattached the front glass panel and waaa laa...instant decor makeover!
So I've been collecting antique keys for a few years now wanting to re-do my entry way from floral to a key theme. This is the first of my projects.
I bought a shadow box many years ago that had some artificial hydrangeas inside. I got these really cheap (like $5 each on a clearance sale).
\First step was to open the front and remove the flowers.
Then I found this really great old book (printed 1910) so the pages were a perfect aged look. I ripped out pages with numbers that are important to our family (birth dates, anniversaries, etc) and glued the pages to the inside of the box.
Next I tied a lovely piece of ribbon around the top of the key and glued them in place.
Reattached the front glass panel and waaa laa...instant decor makeover!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Pennsylvania: Not Just The Zombie Capital Anymore....
There is a great group on FB called "What Makes Your State Great" who is responding to the DC-40's 50 Days of Prayer:
"In response to the DC-40’s 50 Days of Prayer to change our Secular Nation into a Christian One, we have chosen to ask the residents of each of the 50 states of the SECULAR United States of America to post an answer to the question: “What Makes Your State Great?” Each of these dates precedes the DC-40’s Day of Prayer, and will give those of us who wish to think positive thoughts, say our own form of prayers and good wishes over that state the next day, the opportunity to prepare."
Here is my contribution to the great state of Pennsylvania! They say write about what you know, and what I know is horror!
Firstly, we all know that Pittsburgh is the official zombie capital of the world! Mostly credited to the fact the George Romero used Western Pa as a back-drop for the infamous 1968 classic "Night of the Living Dead"
In 2008, World Zombie Day was created and coordinated by the "It's Alive Show" in Pittsburgh, PA. With calls for Zombie Walks all across the globe, close to 32 cities worldwide reported over 7,500 zombies as participating in World Zombie Day on October 26th. The ittsburgh Zombie Walk brought in more than one ton of food to benefit the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. (See you can be undead and still have feelings of compassion)
Me and my gals look forward to the annual trip to the city in our finest zombie apparel. It's a bloody good time!
Another classic in the horror genre, and possibly my all-time favorite movie "The Silence of the Lambs" was also filmed here in the 'Burgh. Actually a scene in the film was filmed right here in our little hometown. I can remember friends and family going to the open casting call for extras and each and every day I kick myself for being too "busy" to attend.
Next we are off to the setting of "The Mothman Prophecies"
which was filmed here primarily because of the awesome bridge we have in Kittanning, Pa. I remember fondly when they were taping and I buckled my oldest (who was just a wee one then) into her stroller and off we went. Yes, I was, not so kindly, asked to remove myself from where I was standing on the street. I'm not even a big Richard Gere fan, but it was pretty neat to have him in our little town. Everyone was abuzz with sightings and information.
And....if the bridge ever looked familiar again it was probably because they used our town once more in filming "My Bloody Valentine 3-D". For this filming I did see my fair share of filming equipment, crews, and down town action! It was quite exciting to see our little town featured on the big screen once again. (Now you need to go rent those 2 flicks and compare the bridge scenes!)
So that's why I love living here in Western Pennsylvaina! Well, that's one of the reasons why! I would be kicked out of the yinzers club if I didn't mention a few other attractions (that are not horror related) such as the 6X Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers! (hell yeah), the infamous Primanti Bros Sandwich Shops, the amazing health care facilities at UPMC, the breath taking landscapes along the various rolling hills and the opportunity to see all 4 seasons as they come and go. It has been joked about, but honestly, I have had my furnace running in the morning and had to have my central air kicked on by afternoon. (Which brings us to another horror story, UTILITY BILLS!)
Thank you for taking the time to see Pennsylvania from my point of view!
"In response to the DC-40’s 50 Days of Prayer to change our Secular Nation into a Christian One, we have chosen to ask the residents of each of the 50 states of the SECULAR United States of America to post an answer to the question: “What Makes Your State Great?” Each of these dates precedes the DC-40’s Day of Prayer, and will give those of us who wish to think positive thoughts, say our own form of prayers and good wishes over that state the next day, the opportunity to prepare."
Here is my contribution to the great state of Pennsylvania! They say write about what you know, and what I know is horror!
Firstly, we all know that Pittsburgh is the official zombie capital of the world! Mostly credited to the fact the George Romero used Western Pa as a back-drop for the infamous 1968 classic "Night of the Living Dead"
In 2008, World Zombie Day was created and coordinated by the "It's Alive Show" in Pittsburgh, PA. With calls for Zombie Walks all across the globe, close to 32 cities worldwide reported over 7,500 zombies as participating in World Zombie Day on October 26th. The ittsburgh Zombie Walk brought in more than one ton of food to benefit the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. (See you can be undead and still have feelings of compassion)
Me and my gals look forward to the annual trip to the city in our finest zombie apparel. It's a bloody good time!
Another classic in the horror genre, and possibly my all-time favorite movie "The Silence of the Lambs" was also filmed here in the 'Burgh. Actually a scene in the film was filmed right here in our little hometown. I can remember friends and family going to the open casting call for extras and each and every day I kick myself for being too "busy" to attend.
Next we are off to the setting of "The Mothman Prophecies"
which was filmed here primarily because of the awesome bridge we have in Kittanning, Pa. I remember fondly when they were taping and I buckled my oldest (who was just a wee one then) into her stroller and off we went. Yes, I was, not so kindly, asked to remove myself from where I was standing on the street. I'm not even a big Richard Gere fan, but it was pretty neat to have him in our little town. Everyone was abuzz with sightings and information.
And....if the bridge ever looked familiar again it was probably because they used our town once more in filming "My Bloody Valentine 3-D". For this filming I did see my fair share of filming equipment, crews, and down town action! It was quite exciting to see our little town featured on the big screen once again. (Now you need to go rent those 2 flicks and compare the bridge scenes!)
So that's why I love living here in Western Pennsylvaina! Well, that's one of the reasons why! I would be kicked out of the yinzers club if I didn't mention a few other attractions (that are not horror related) such as the 6X Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers! (hell yeah), the infamous Primanti Bros Sandwich Shops, the amazing health care facilities at UPMC, the breath taking landscapes along the various rolling hills and the opportunity to see all 4 seasons as they come and go. It has been joked about, but honestly, I have had my furnace running in the morning and had to have my central air kicked on by afternoon. (Which brings us to another horror story, UTILITY BILLS!)
Thank you for taking the time to see Pennsylvania from my point of view!
Sunday, October 9, 2011
American Gothic Makeover
And on with the Halloween decor...
Sometimes I don't want to take down everything on the walls to give a room a Halloween tingle, so I shift the theme of what I already have up.
One of the new projects this year was some plates that I have in the hallway, which is usually done in a shoe decor.
I made a template the size of the center of the plates and then cut orange scrap booking paper to be a background for each.
Then I Googled "American Gothic" and found some really cool interpretations of the creeped out farm couple.
Using the template, cut each image to size, then laminate the photos with the orange paper behind. I like the laminating because they can be used for more than one year, but that isn't necessary.
Cut out the images and tape to the center of each plate and there ya go...instant decor!!
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Sometimes I don't want to take down everything on the walls to give a room a Halloween tingle, so I shift the theme of what I already have up.
One of the new projects this year was some plates that I have in the hallway, which is usually done in a shoe decor.
I made a template the size of the center of the plates and then cut orange scrap booking paper to be a background for each.
Then I Googled "American Gothic" and found some really cool interpretations of the creeped out farm couple.
Using the template, cut each image to size, then laminate the photos with the orange paper behind. I like the laminating because they can be used for more than one year, but that isn't necessary.
Cut out the images and tape to the center of each plate and there ya go...instant decor!!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Temporary Art
For me, one of the most beautiful things about autumn is the spider webs. On a damp, cool morning the yard is filled with these beautiful pieces of art...so much work for something that wasn't there yesterday and won't be there tomorrow. Although I m not a fan of the creepy 8-legged ones, how can you not appreciate the amazing creations...
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