This Year's Most {Popular} Title: I'm Baaaack!

Well, without a really good excuse for having been off scene, I am finally in the blogger ball field again. Your priorities sure do change when you have all day on your hands again.  Loving my vacation!!

Things I've done since last I posted:

• planted an herb garden
• built a planter box w/ POWER tools!! (under hubby's supervision)
• finished another teaching year
• finished The Count of Monte Cristo (that is a long book)
• sanded and stained a stool/side table
• found curtains for my master bedroom
• started taking sign language classes
• started eating clean (totally new experience for me)
• ordered my first clothing online...gasp. I was always freaked out that the clothes wouldn't fit

This list only includes the extremely earth-shattering events.  All else isn't even worth mentioning, if you can believe it.

Things I'd like to get done this summer:

• finish my summer reading list 
• finish my couch cover (don't laugh, all you doubters. you know who you are!)
• try out some new recipes
• visit my parents in WA
• master Debussy's "Passepied"
• sign up for flute lessons
• make a trip to IKEA and buy something I actually need
• swim
• keep working in my ever-increasing garden

Again, I only included that ground-breaking news.

So what are your plans for the summer? : )

{Green} and Clover

I don't really believe in luck, but it sure is fun to celebrate in green and clover.  I've never done much decorating for St. Patrick's Day before, but who knows...maybe with these awesome ideas, I might just give it a try.

Uncommon Designs

Pocket Full of Pink

Lolly Jane Boutique

Amy Tried It

Crystal and Co

A Pumpkin and A Princess

Pint Sized Baker

Capernaum Home

Snack of the Month: Cottage Cheese and Blueberry Infused Dried Cranberries {and an eating regiment}

Eating three meals and two snacks a day has always been an awesome metabolism booster for me.  I try to eat at exactly the same time every day and balance the types of foods I eat.  Because my metabolism is constantly firing, I am VERY ready to eat by snack or meal time. The worst feeling ever is to walk into the kitchen and find that the only thing there is to eat is carrot sticks and rice cakes.  I enjoy these snacks but come on....boring!

I'm not even sure they still make these, but some company used to make little packs of cottage cheese that came with a side cup of fruit. I loved those! Our grocery store doesn't carry them so I bought a tub of low fat cottage cheese and a package of dried berries and made my own. I'm a teacher and have to pack my own lunches, so to make it easy on myself, I use those tiny tupperware containers that I used to never use, fill each one at the beginning of the week, and take them and the package of dried berries with me every day.  Drop a small handful of berries into the cottage cheese, mix, and enjoy.

My favorite brand. Depending on what's on sale, I don't always buy it, but I love it.

Here is the most INCREDIBLE dried fruit you will every taste.  

There is actually blueberry IN the cranberries. Why did I not notice these before?

I've included the nutritional facts for the berries: guilt free. 

Nutritional Facts

Serving size

28 g

Servings per container

4

% of daily value

Calories

100.00kcal

0%

Calories from fat

0.00kcal

0%

Total fat

0.00g

0%

Saturated fat

0.00g

0%

Cholesterol

0.00mg

0%

Sodium

0.00mg

0%

Total carbohydrates

23.00g

8%

Dietary fiber

1.00g

4%

Sugar

19.00g

0%

Protein

0.00g

0%

Trans fat

0.00g

0%

Vitamin A

0%

Vitamin C

4%

Calcium

0%

Iron

0%

Vitamin D

0%

Vitamin E

0%

Vitamin K

0%

Thiamin

0%

Riboflavin

0%

Niacin

0%

Vitamin B6

0%

Folate

0%

Vitamin B12

0%

Biotin

0%

Panthothenate

0%

Phosphorus

0%

Iodine

0%

Magnesium

0%

Zinc

0%

Selenum

0%

Copper

0%

Manganese

0%

Chromium

0%

Molybdenum

0%

Chloride

0%

Potassium

0%

Ingredients:  CRANBERRY, EVAPORATED CANE JUICE, BLUEBERRY CONCENTRATE, BLUEBERRY EXTRACT AND SAFFLOWER OIL.

Source: DZA BRANDS LLC

Percent Daily Values are based on 2,000 calorie diet.

Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs

A Blog Award: The Liebster Blog Award

I was humbly surprised when I found out my dear friend, Michelle, from Michelle's Crafty Creations (check her out ladies...brilliant crafter) awarded me the Liebster Blog Award.  Thanks, Michelle!!

Michelle explained that exactly how the Liebster Blog Award came into existence is unknown, but the word liebster translates from German as darling or beloved.  Is that not beautiful!? It is given to bloggers who have less than 200 followers in order to generate some traffic for them.  Hey, I'm all about more traffic.

Here are the guidelines for the Liebster Blog Award:

1. Acknowledge the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.

2. Give this award to five other bloggers who must have less than 200 followers and let them know through a comment on their blog.

3. Post the award on you blog.

4. Best of all, bask in the glory, have fun, and share the love!!



So here are my choices for this award:

1. Kirsten at Paint Speckled Pawprints: Kirsten is an animal lover and an amazing DIYer.

2. April at April Love Vintage: April has a great sense of style and some really neat project ideas.

3. Jennifer at Expression by Jennifer. Jennifer is long-time friend of mine and a sister in Christ.  She is a lovely wife and mother who has a wonderful talent for crafting.

4. Amy at Hoop Dee Doo: Check out her amazing Etsy shop!

5. Dawnielle at The Couponing Cook: Dawnielle is my beautiful sister-in-law who is an AAAAAMMMAzing cook. Seriously that girl can make finger-licking good food from nothing.

Seeing {Green} Yet?

What I used to think St. Patrick's Day was all about: drinking beer (which I don't do); kissing random people because they are wearing buttons or t-shirts that say they are "Irish"; wearing glittery green hats; acting like you are interested in Chicago dying their river green.

NOW....I think St. Patrick's Day is a perfect opportunity to incorporate green in every unusual and obnoxious way you possibly can and pinch people who don't : )  Here are a few ways to help celebrate this lucky (or blessed) day of the year.

That's right. The ONLY time of year that you will see green on my nails.

OPI

Yummy!

Far Fetch

Can you see the clover?

Far Fetch

Very Celtic

Oasis

Not just for St. Patty's Day

Coach Kira Bag

Minty Green

French Connection

 Pot o' Gold

ModCloth

Just might be lucky!

CZ Jewelry

Hubby's V-tine Gift: Final Reveal

So here is my husband's Valentine surprise. This post was promised two whole, entire days ago...sorry!  We had a few problems hanging the photos.  But it's all figured out now and here is the grand reveal.  I was so happy with the way it all turned out, and my husband loved it. Yea...score!

Check out this post for the how-to on the canvas quote print. The pictures turned out to be cheaper and simpler than I thought.  Well, simpler after I got the process down. In fact,  I'm already planning my next picture project : )

Here is what I used:

• black foam board (20"x 30")
• engineer prints
• Mod Podge
• spray glue
• Velcro
• 2 small nails

It would have been cheaper to buy white foam board and paint the edges, but I was lazy and bought the black instead. The foam board comes in a perfect 20" x 30" size.  I loaded my pictures onto a thumb drive, brought it over to FedEx Kinkos and asked for engineer prints. They are not photo quality but still come out very clear. One of the best parts is that these two prints cost me less than $5, and I was able to get them in the exact dimensions I needed. 

I spray glued the prints to the foam board.  Then using a rag, I applied the Mod Podge in a circular motion beginning in the center of the photo and working outward.  I Mod Podged small sections at a time and used a blow dryer so that it would dry more quickly.  This also gave me a chance to smooth out any wrinkles along the way.  There WILL be wrinkles.  Resign yourself to the fact.  It's actually not an unattractive effect in the end.  

Hanging the photos became a little bit of a chore. Because the foam board is so lightweight, I didn't want to ruin it with conventional hanging methods.  My husband came up with the brilliant idea to use velcro, that way we could reposition the board however we wanted. Sticking the velcro to the wall would have done some serious damage, so I used a small nail to fasten the loop side of the velcro to the wall.  I then stuck the hook side of the velcro to the back of the photos and there you have it.  If the picture was slightly of-center, I could just pull the picture off and reposition.  Great idea, Babe!

This turned out to be such a fun and satisfying project. If you want to try your hand at these awesome foam board photos, just be prepared to experiment. I had read several tutorials before I started and had a totally different experience than all of them. Whatever you do, have fun doing it!!

Linking to these lovely parties:
Craft O Maniac
Making The World Cuter
House in the Roses
Blue Cricket Designs
Lil' Luna
We Are That Family