Reflecting on a Resolution Free Year

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Many bloggers have published a wrap up of the previous year. I got inspired and thought it would be interesting to reflect on what I accomplished over the past year, especially since I do not make resolutions.

When I think of resolutions, I think " I resolve to do some monotonous thing that is good for me that I really have no burning desire to keep up long term but that I will at least devote the first 3 days of the New Year to."  Add to that the embarrassment of announcing it to everyone on Facebook, at least 5% of whom will ask you how that resolution of yours is going and you have set yourself up for failure for sure. I prefer to think of New Year challenges or learning opportunities. I think of what I want to tackle or learn this year and, most importantly, I keep it to myself. That way I don't have to compare lists of what I aspired to accomplish vs. what I actually accomplished. Any accomplishment is worthy.

With that in mind, here goes:

In 2012 I_________________

-started a viable business, one I can actually make a living from, thus completing a dream I've had for several years. I spent years at various "real jobs" reading Entrepreneur.com on my lunch breaks and dreaming, during stare at the four walls moments, about what I would do one day if I ever got the courage to step out of the rat race. Now I am the owner/operator of Brewster's Buddies Pet Sitting and my business continues to grow monthly.

-learned alot about marketing my business. Marketing is an art and sometimes a mystery. It is also dynamic and you need to keep it fresh and ever changing. You cannot exist without it. Without it, the phone does not ring.

-learned to play the ukulele through a fellow named Chili Monster on YouTube.

-dusted off and fired up my old banjo for some bluegrass masses at my church. I haven't played it this well since before my daughter was born 8 years ago. This has been a wayside resolution of mine for many years.

- wrote less on my blog in the last quarter of the year, definitely not a resolution, but it revealed something surprising. My stats did not drop off and I still received offers for sponsored blogging. This has encouraged me to come back.

-surprised myself at the level of organization I have created and maintained to track the growth of my business.

- worked my way through all seasons of My Name is Earl, Frasier and The Dick van Dyke Show on Netflix. Hey, it's the little victories!

What did you do in 2012?

Fashion Fantasies of the Not So Fashion Forward

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of No nonsense. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

My style is comfort- jeans or yoga pants with a monochromatic tee most days. My 7 year old daughter declares she is more fashionable than me and I don't argue with her. But sometimes I have style fantasies, you know, the "if money were no object and I had a personal shopper to dress me" type of fantasies. So when No nonsense sent me a pair of their new tights and leggings to try out, I had a style fantasy or two. Then I quickly realized that said fantasies could become reality because No nonsense tights and leggings are so affordable and easy to find at mass retailers or even the corner drugstore if you are on your way out and having a fashion emergency.

Jill Martin, noted for her sense of style and practicality that appeals to the average woman trying to stretch a modest wardrobe, is the new brand ambassador for No nonsense. She is all about showing us how to wear the on trend colorful tights and leggings to freshen up the same outfit by giving it a different look.

I can't wait to show you the sets I created on Polyvore for the tights and leggings. I think I did okay for a comfort craving, minivan driving, elementary school mom. But first, the lowdown on the leggings and tights.

The dark denim fabric with it's slight sheen can truly be dressed up or down by pairing it with a dressy top for date night or a comfy tunic for an easy afternoon. The fabric is comfortable and the waistband sits at the natural waist which is a relief for older moms without flat bellies. No constant pulling up a low waistband that slides down all the time. The fit was right on target with a medium, which is what I usually wear.

The tights were comfortable and colorful in the citrine that I received but they come in many other colors to add fun to a basic black outfit, for example. They are also available in a control top which smooths the belly but is not too confining. Both pieces are fashionable and a great value for the price.
Now for my fantasies, I mean sets, created on Polyvore. I'm ready for my fashion assignment!

American Casual

No Nonsense Leggings by joanne-gilman featuring a blue tunic

Free People blue tunic
couturecandy.com

Legging
nononsense.com

BEACH HOUSE SIGN / shabby beach cottage chic / beach house decor /...
etsy.com

Women's Adobe Rose Boot Red Distressed
countryoutfitter.com

Around Town in Paris

Around Town by joanne-gilman featuring black leather handbags

Black dress
chicnova.com

Tight
nononsense.com

Crochet shorts
chicwish.com

Black leather handbag
chicnova.com

Mark. rhinestone earrings
meetmark.com

Mark long necklace
meetmark.com

Apolis Activism Market Bag – Commerce with a Conscience
commercewithaconscience.info

Beauty product
target.com

Vintage sidewalk cafe table chairs boho home grunge kitchen art home...
etsy.com

BrandAlley.co.uk - Clocks
brandalley.co.uk

JOHN DERIAN COMPANY, INC. Decorative Paris Plate
calypsostbarth.com

Vintage Rolleiflex TLR Camera With Tessar F/3.5 Lens
alibaba.com

Parigi
$25 - allposters.it

Paris Postmark , Eiffel Tower 11"x 14"
etsy.com

25 % OFF French Window, Provence Photograph, Spring, Pastel, Travel...
etsy.com

Wilco Imports Metal Wall Plaque, Main Street Paris
amazon.com

 

To get specials and information on new products by No nonsense, like No nonsense on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.
What is your fashion fantasy?

Three Great Places for Christmas Past

Flickr: Colonial Williamsburg at Christmastide

 

Holiday lights displays are awesome and fun for the whole family, but did you ever long to experience Christmas past and share that with your kids? I did, ever since I visited Colonial Williamsburg during the Christmas season several years ago.

Colonial Williamsburg

Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia is a wonderful place to experience an 18th century Christmas. From Christmas caroling on the steps of the Governor's mansion to hot cider and fresh gingerbread to the sounds of the fife and drum band to the firing of the Christmas guns, a joyous and moving salute to the season, you will feel transported back in time. Back when I visited, I attended the Christmas Decorations Walking tour. Every holiday season in the colonial district, there is a home decorating contest. In keeping with the colonial tradition, the residents must make their own wreaths and swags and other decorations with all natural materials. Many of these materials are grown right in the residents' gardens. Learn about the botanicals used and be surprised by the use of unusual natural items in the decorations. They are so strikingly beautiful that you will never miss electric twinkling lights. The decorations tour is going on now through December 5th.

Chesapeake City, Maryland

For one night of the holiday season, Chesapeake City, in Cecil county, Maryland offers a candlelight tour. Visitors are able to tour beautifully decorated homes, B & B's and churches while listening to strolling carolers and partaking of hot cider and cookies. Horse and carriage rides are also available. A friend of mine who has been several times describes the place as a Victorian Christmas village that looks like it belongs in a Christmas train garden. The Candlelight tour takes place on Saturday, December 8th this year.

Harper's Ferry, West Virginia

Words cannot express my love for this tiny mountain town steeped in conflict and history. Nowhere do I feel such a connection to the civil war, the turmoil of John Brown's rebellion, the spirit of the Lewis and Clarke expedition and the visits of such influential forefathers as Thomas Jefferson and George Washington as they passed through and experienced the beauty of this place. We visit at least once a year and this year we are gearing up for a second visit to experience the Olde Tyme Christmas celebration. There are many events for the whole family at this holiday tradition.

The homes and shops are dressed in fragrant greens. Some of the activities are breakfast/brunch with Santa, yule log celebration, children's storytelling hour, horse and wagon rides, caroling, lighting of the luminaries, various concerts all day including at the famous church on the hill, St. Peter's, ornament making, puppet theater, complimentary cookies and cider and a living nativity. The celebration spans two weekends beginning Friday night, November 30th and ending Sunday, December 9th.

Merry Christmas past!

Modern Material for a Rustic Kitchen

via Pinterest

I was looking at kitchen countertop ideas on Pinterest and came across the above pic. I love the warm, rustic beauty of this countertop and how it is reminiscent of an inviting, well used kitchen. The shocker was finding out this was not wood at all. It was concrete!

Versatility in appearance is the greatest perk of concrete countertops. They can be plain and industrial looking, they can be stained to look like granite or other natural stone. They can include designs. They can even look like wood as above. Concrete is highly heat resistant, can be cast into any shape and is stain resistant if sealed properly with an industrial strength sealant. It can be made to look seamless and the surface develops a warm patina with time and use.

Concrete is also generally more affordable than the natural stone materials, starting at $65 per square foot depending on design specifications. A really cool idea is to add regional flair to your look by adding oyster shells or other natural materials in your area to the mix, creating a truly unique and beautiful look.

As someone who is attracted to a natural rustic look, I will be giving concrete a closer look for future kitchen renovations. What a great find!

What do you think about concrete in the kitchen?


This conversation was sponsored by Forrest Concrete of South Carolina.

White Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Pops



 



 

You are in the midst of preparations for tomorrow. The day of giving thanks is upon us. But it's not too late to make special treats for the little ones at the family celebration. That's because these pie pops are quick and easy and take advantage of some convenience items.

First of all, this wonderful idea came from one of my favorite baking blogs, Love From the Oven. Here they are called Pumpkin Spice Pie Pops and the blogger uses different candy fillings as well as a pie pop maker to create them. But what about those of us who don't have the gadget and don't want to shell out $30 for a once a year treat? Is it still do-able? That is what I set out to explore and my gadgetless pie pops turned out quite nice.

Ingredients:

• Ready to use refrigerated pie crust like Pillsbury
• Canned pumpkin pie filling
• milk chocolate Kisses and/or Almond Bark
• pop sticks (or not, you can just make mini pies)
• a cookie cutter or cut and seal sandwich maker
• Autumn sprinkles

Unroll the refrigerated pie dough and use your cookie cutter or cut and seal to cut pie tops and bottoms. Place tops and bottoms on a stone cookie sheet or metal cookie sheet with aluminum foil for ease of cleaning. Place your pop stick on pie bottom. Add a small teaspoonful of pumpkin pie filling and sprinkle bits of chocolate Kisses or Almond Bark into the filling. Place the pie top over the filling and gently press around edges to seal top and bottom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Bake on 425 degrees F for 15 minutes or until crust is starting to turn golden. Remove from oven and let pops cool a few minutes, then remove to a cake rack to cool thoroughly.

 

Melt Almond Bark according to package directions and dip or frost upper half of pop, front and back. Add sprinkles and place on wax paper until white chocolate sets up. If you prefer, they can be packaged in clear pop bags with pretty seasonal ribbon for gift giving.

 

 

These pumpkin pie pops will make for little thankful smiles. Happy Thanksgiving!



Around the Bonfire...

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October arrives like Pooh's very blustery day. It comes with windy gusts and dry leaf whorls,chilly nights and more overcast days than sunny. It puts on a very different show for our senses. It's the time to gather around the bonfire, tell spooky stories, dream about how you will disguise yourself for Halloween fun and enjoy the last remnants of what nature has to offer in sights and smells before the bare branches and the big sleep of winter begins.

A couple weeks ago I was sitting around a bonfire in our local small park with my daughter after a very noisy, rowdy night time nature hike through the woods. Of course between the flashlights and flashing sneakers and the unruliness of some of the kids in our group, nature (all the little animals) was nowhere to be found. We were guaranteed to see and hear nothing other than our own shouts and laughter.

At this time, around the bonfire, one of the kids asked for a scary story to be told. One of the dads proceeded to tell a made up as you go along story about an "actual incident that happened right here in these woods". It ended with more questions on little faces than fear. It occurred to me then how I had a whole treasure trove of stories I could tell that were actual experiences of people I know that would scare the bejesus out of these kids. Right then and there, I realized I couldn't tell them without being kicked out of the next community bonfire/night hike for sending all the kids home too scared to go to sleep.

What would they think of my mother's story of the Coffey family in old Baltimore in the 1930s? They had many children and when little Elsie didn't come for dinner when called, her father went out to search for her. She had been playing on the train tracks and got her shoe stuck in the switches. She had been hit by a train and killed. Her head had been cut off and poor Mr. Coffey, in shock, had picked up his daughter's head and brought it back home with him.  That story both  intrigued and scared the stuffing out of me. "Why couldn't she just wiggle out of her shoe?" I had asked of my mom. "I don't know. I guess she just couldn't." my mom would say. "Why did he pick up her head and bring it back?" I had asked. My mom replied, "Well, he was in shock."

I would try to imagine the scene, a man walking through a city street, carrying his daughter's bloody severed head in his hands. I imagined the neighbors pausing in their yard work, speechless. I imagined the shock and grief of his wife when she saw the scene.

Now that was a horror story made all the more horrifying because it was true, apparently. It taught me never to play on train tracks and it taught me to try to have a plan in every conceivable situation that might go horribly wrong. Basically, it fed my already worried little mind.

What are some truly scary stories from your childhood?

Flavorful Moist Meatloaf

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I am a vegetarian, but my husband is not- by a long shot. One of the dishes he has been missing lately is meatloaf. He has fond memories of good meatloaf from his childhood, but he couldn't tell me how his grandma used to make it and I had never made it before. I figured it was worth giving a shot. So with the help of Chef John from allrecipes.com and a few tweaks to account for the ingredients I had on hand, I made meatloaf that my husband loved and thought was delicious, even though it was a first attempt.

Chef John's original recipe is at the link above. Here is what I did.

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs lean ground chuck
1 bell pepper
1/2 medium onion
2 cloves garlic or 1 tsp minced garlic
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp Vidalia onion sweet pepper vinaigrette dressing ( I used Maryland Kitchen brand)
1/2 c. Italian style bread crumbs
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
fresh oregano to taste
fresh basil to taste

Glaze:
equal portions of brown sugar, ketchup and mustard


Chop the bell pepper and onion small with a knife, then chop them finer in a food processor.

Place the ground chuck in a bowl, add the finely chopped veggies and the minced garlic and gently mix with a wooden spoon. Add the egg, the dressing, salt, pepper, cayenne, Italian herbs and bread crumbs to the mixture and mix in by hand.

Spray a casserole dish and place the meat mixture in the dish and shape it by hand into a loaf. Mix your glaze and apply generously to the top of the loaf, then use the back of a spoon to pull some of the glaze down to just cover the sides. Bake at 325 degrees in a preheated oven for about 45 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temp has reached at least 155 degrees.

Enjoy.