Thrifty Thursday Part 2

I mentioned my obsession with vintage cookbooks in this month's Momentarily Obsessed With... I wasn't lying. The book names, the illustrations and the photos is entertaining alone. But if you go through and actually look at the recipes (perhaps be really adventurous and make a few) you're certainly in for a treat.

It's a delight when I find a written note in on the cover of the book. Funny how "Mrs. Ellis's husband" did a great job at work so she gets a cookbook? I suppose to make him hearty meals to keep him strong at work? Haha.

This gem I found at an estate sale a few months back. I haven't been able to cut it up quite yet, but it's going to make some fabulous cards when I do!

The cookbook on the right is actually a compilation of recipes from the local infamous Strawberry Festival that's held at the beginning of every Summer out in Pungo. This particular book is from 1976, the strawberry is glued on the cover :)

Self Portrait: February

Sometimes you need a night of dressing up. You need to break out the dark eye shadows, the red hot lipstick. You need to paint your nails. Taking a 20 minute shower doesn't seem absurd, but necessary, and spending longer than 5 minutes on your hair makes you feel like a Princess.

Why though? Why does piling on a pound of makeup and a gallon of hairspray make you feel good? And wearing a short, strapless dress in the dead of winter make you feel fabulous? I think it's just a matter of seeing yourself in a different light. All week long it's the same get-ready routine for me. Rush to shower. Dab on some makeup. Struggle around for a work appropriate outfit. Ponytail the hair. Done in 30 minutes and on to the next thing. Most evenings I come home and immediately peel away the 9-5 attire and lounge around in a XL sweatshirt and leggings. I think you can see the lack of fabulousness coming into play here.

Last weekend when I was getting ready for our Casino Night I decided to take my sweet ass time. I painted my nails and took a nap. I played with my hair and fixed my makeup to perfection(ish). I did all the girly things I possibly could, then took five minutes to slip into a bright pink dress and heels. Maybe I didn't look like a Princess, but the smile Mike gave me as I walked out of the bedroom made me feel fabulous - and that's all I could ask for.

Thrifty Thursday

I've been on the lookout for some new drinking glasses. The eight-pack of Ikea cups I bought 5 years is down to just two now...so it's about time. After a couple weeks of searching, I finally came across these at the MoJo thrift stop down the street. Four glasses for $2 was a deal I couldn't pass up on. Not to mention they have a sweet iridescent sheen to them, which the photo doesn't show. Sorry, Ikea, you're out!

It's that Time Again

That's right! The 5th round of 30 Days of Lists is here! I signed up this week and am excited to take on my third round, in a much easier fashion this time. I found a little recycled paper book at Michaels for only 50 cents and plan to doodle and write each day. No scissors. No glue. Just good ol' fashion journaling. Plus, I only have 20 pages in my book and 31 days in the month, so I'll have to find a way to get some extra space.

If you want to try the 30 Days of Lists challenge, there is still time to sign up! Check here for more information.

Jalapeno Ranch Dip

You know how sometimes you pin something just because of the name or the photo? That's what I did with this recipe. It sounded delicious, but once I got to reading and looking at the ingredients I wanted to opt out. Instead, I made due with what I had around the house and am extremely please with how it turned out. This might be one of those recipes you insert almost anything in place of the jalapenos and it'll still be super tasty.

What you need:
4 oz low-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
1/2 cup pickled jalapenos - make sure you dry them off pretty well. if too much liquid gets in the dip it'll be really runny
1 handful cilantro
1/2 packet of hidden valley ranch seasoning (the powdered mix)

What you do:
Mix everything in the food processor. Add more cream cheese if it's not thick enough or more sour cream if you want it creamier. Also, you can let sit overnight to really maximize the flavors.

Newest Earrings

You know one thing I never mind? Late birthday presents. 

My bestie out in Portland sent me a package last week containing these lovelies, that she made herself! Aren't they fantastic? The long dangle pair are the perfect length and instantly dress up an outfit. And the little studs have my favorite color thread in them! She knows me all too well. I'm so proud of her and her new-found artistry! I'm also in the market for thin bracelet...

Save the Dates

Working on some Save the Dates, along with invites, rsvp postcards and other wedding stationary for my good friend Doug's wedding this fall. They have been absolutely glorious to work with so far! We just ordered the save the dates on Friday and I'm looking forward to seeing them in person....in three weeks...

Monday Musebles

Sundays used to be sort of a drag. It's like the last hours of the weekend just whiz right by. However, since Mike started his Winter whiffle ball league (Sunday mornings) I find myself not dreading the day so much. We've been getting up earlier and being productive, then spend the afternoons with his family. I offered to make dinner for the five of us and finally decided to try out my new crock pot with a pulled BBQ pork recipe. I didn't have taste, but heard highly of the outcome. I made my mom's cheesy potatoes and a new jalapeno ranch dip (recipe coming later this week).

Before too long the little man will be ruling this playground!

We ventured out to the swings and slide with Thomas (Mom and Dad, too). The boy loved it! I was able to grab a few adorable shots of him - I mean, they're all adorable, I'm only sharing a few with you here. I'm excited for the weather to get nicer (and the days to get longer) so we can take him on walks and other parks...maybe even a picnic or two :)

Uncle Mike thinking about what remote-controlled four-wheeler he is going to buy for Thomas,
since the batteries died in the little race car they were playing with.

Momentarily Obsessed With

1. www.lulus.com  I absolutely need this dress in my wardrobe. Although, I have no idea why I really love it that much. The whole mesh part really isn't me. At all. But the open back and sharp angles of the dress just make me want to buy it a throw a party just to have an excuse to wear it. Oh, and goes for most of the dresses on this web site. That's a lot of parties...

2. whales  As an avid lover of Goldfish, I was a little leary about trying these Whales I found at the Dollar Tree. Now, I'm a total believer. And I have been making my case for Whales for quite some time now. They are cheesier, saltier and crunchier than Goldfish (and cheaper since you can buy them at the $1 store :).

3. vintage cookbooks  Lately I have been hoarding these old books. I eventually plan on making cards out of them, but I can't seem to bring myself to cut them up just yet. The concoctions some of these books contain are just outrageous and I love the old artwork. Last weekend I managed to buy four cookbooks for only $5. I was pretty pleased with myself.

4. cleveland clothing co.  How can you not love this shirt? Especially with St. Patrick's Day right around the corner! The Cleveland Clothing Co. makes the best Ohio garb I have seen yet and it's all printed on American Apparel shirts. If you're an Ohioan like me, be double sure to look through their shop - and blog - for some really unique gift ideas.

5. covered matchboxes  This is definitely a must-do for next month. Super easy and incredibly cute covered matchboxes. I would love to sketch out my Fairview Place food sets (via a photoshop filter) and use that to cover the boxes. It'd be a nice "free gift when you purchase" item.

Kitschy Anniversary!

My how time flies! Can you believe it's already been one year since Kitsch opened? To celebrate the store is throwing an anniversary open house all weekend. There will be tons of giveaways, make and take crafts, food trucks and loads of other goodies. I'm hitting up the festivities on Sunday and am excited to see all my fellow consignors and Kitschettes for the celebration.

Vegetarian White Chili

I'm not going to lie, I totally cheated on this recipe. And I will do it again! It's the McCormick White Chicken Chili seasoning packet, but I just left out the chicken. The only time you'll invest this is dinner is chopping vegetables...unless you use frozen, then you'll be done in no time!

What you need:
one packet McCormick White Chicken Chili seasoning
1 tbsp olive oil
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup squash, sliced
cheese, avocado, sour cream and chips for topping and dipping

What you do:
1. Saute the onions and peppers in oil until tender.
2. Add the beans, corn, squash and seasoning packet plus one 3/4 cup water (I like a really thick chili, you can add as much water as you'd like for your desired consistency).
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 15 minutes. Top with cheese and avocado. Use chips or tortillas to dip.

It's a Sign

Mike surprised me and got his passport last month. Honestly, there is no way for me to express my excitement of this fact, but I'll tell you I've been waiting almost 5 years to take an out-of-country trip with this boy and now it's going to happen! I randomly threw out the idea of Italy, which is on the potentials list. So I went ahead and ordered an Italy guide book as well. The same day the book came, this month's Travel + Leisure showed up and the feature story? ROME! If that's not a sign, then I don't know what is!

We're on Disney Baby!

Another Fairview Place feature! This time on Disney Baby! Lacy Strossner, the author of Living on Love blogs for the site and wanted to feature my felt sushi in her latest article about the best gifts to buy for Foodie Babies. You can imagine my excitement to this news! When you're finished checking out the article, stop by her blog. It's full of cute stories, great photographs (check out her 52 Project) and delicious recipes.

Monday Musebles

This weekend was so bitter cold that all I wanted to do was hide under the covers all 48 hours. But I didn't. I ventured out to do some thrift shopping, went to see A Chorus Line, made lots and lots of felt sushi and even had some quality time with Mike's parents. I still wish I would have had a few (like, 15) more hours to work on some shop projects. Or, perhaps I could have gotten President's Day off today. I know my last employer would have let me had a paid holiday ;)

 

Beer Mug pasta?! Found at Big Lots of all places, while shopping around on Saturday!

42 rolls of sushi, if only it were real.

Took a ride on The Tide...funny how much I go out of my way to ride this thing. But I love doing it!

My friend Alli invited me to be her date for A Chorus Line on Saturday night. It was my first time at the
Ferguson Center and what a great performance for my introduction.

Oh, and did I mention we were in the FIRST ROW!?

Received an order for three boxes of chocolates late last night...heading to Ireland!

Deb cooking up some of her fantastic seafood pasta and homemade focaccia bread.

Lofty Littles

How very exciting! I just got word Fairview Place was featured on the ever-so-cute Lofty Littles children's website. It's a great site that features imaginative and educational toys from independent toymakers. Can't say I ever considered myself a "toymaker" but it's a title I am proud to take. I will enjoy perusing their "toybox" and blog to see what other fun and imaginative designs people are coming up with - you should too!

Cards Galore!

I have been cranking out the handmade cards like a crazy woman. I've had a couple books I was stashing away for a while and finally broke them out. The new flower cards (above) are some of my favorites so far. The images come from a 1960s gardening how-to book and are just so vibrant and pretty to look at. I combined them with some leftover scrapbooking paper and think they'd be great Mother's Day cards.

These are the products of the children's books I bought a few weeks back. I was so tempted to keep some of the Pokey Little Puppy cards for myself! We always read that book when I was a child.

15 packs total, ready to hit the stores! I'm hoping to get into a few new stores this Spring, so keep your fingers crossed.

The Mirror Foundation

 

When I was in Thailand I spent a day working with a group of women at The Mirror Foundation. We spent time working on some prototypes for new clay whistle beads, the heart and a polar bear. I have had this heart bead in my jewelry drawer since I got home and have never once worn it until today... fits the occasion though. My plan was to do something like this, with the unique ribbon and extra beads. So far, that hasn't had time to work itself into my schedule...so maybe next year :)

Happy Heart's Day

 

Got an early Heart's Day card from my most favorite baby of all time...Thomas! I suppose the card was for his Uncle and Aunt, but I know he gets all that creativity from me ;)

Spinach & Garlic Pasta

The other night I was craving some pasta. The non-marinara, oily, super garlicky kind. So I made this simple dish with stuff laying around. It was super pungent and hit the spot perfectly.

What you need:
3 cups cooked pasta (I used a mixture of rigatoni and shells)
3/4 cup frozen spinach
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 green onions, chopped
1-2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
salt, pepper, crushed red pepper
3 tbsp butter

What you do:
1. Prepare your pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter over low heat in a saucepan.
3. Add the onions and garlic and let saute. Keep the heat low to medium-low, it's easy to burn the garlic in butter.
4. After the onions start to soften, add in the spinach and cook until the leaves are tender.
5. Stir in the cooked pasta and season with Parmesan, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper.

Norfolk Arts District

Quality Furniture is going out of business soon and would it be lovely to make this huge space a venue? Or rentable studio space for musicians?

Have you heard of the Norfolk Arts District? It's a proposed idea for the area between the Chrysler Museum and Granby Street from the Harrison Opera House to Brambleton (look here). Basically this little section is begging for some attention and the residents of Norfolk (and other Hampton Roads cities) want to help make it happen.

A group of almost 40 people met on Sunday to walk around the streets and brainstorm about what we'd like to see in these dilapidated buildings and open spaces. The price tags for some of the structures are up to $1 million! But some storefronts could be yours for just $17,000 (like the one above). I told Mike it'd be so fun to buy the building, put retail (i.e. my future craft supplies shop) below and live up top.

This is another area on the corner of Granby Street and Virginia Beach Blvd., which would make a great vertical garden, like this. I proposed we make the gravel lot a space for a Saturday Farmer's or Flea Market. Throw in a couple crafters and a few food trucks and we've got quite a party!

Jesse Scaccia, the man behind the plan (above), explained that a lot of these buildings are owned by the city, so getting access to paint murals should be easy enough. All designs and proposals must be reviewed and passed by the city. And, of course, we must fund these projects ourselves. This giant blue wall is along Granby Street and would make a perfect entrance to the Arts District, specifically inviting people to come, play and enjoy.

This is a spot that should eventually be torn down. This area floods terribly after any ounce of rain, so the buildings are probably filled with mold and who knows what else! Until the city has enough money, the walls could be murals or why not make them a 'Where's Waldo' type of mural and have a list of images to look for on the side? After the buildings are gone we could make a pop-up park (like The Plot) - or a roller skating rink :)

Potential community garden area outside the Union Mission building.

It's like this, do you want to move to a city where the art already exists or help build the art that people come to visit? Since I won't be moving any time soon, I'm going with the latter. I hope I can be apart of this movement to make Norfolk an even better place to live. One block at a time. Be sure to like the Norfolk Arts District Facebook page for updates and news about the area.

Monday Musebles

If you've ever stopped by the blog before, I'm sure you've seen at least one of my cemetery photo stories. I've always loved going in cemeteries (during the day, in full sunshine, no ghosts trailing behind me) and I believe I have Dad to blame for that. He always took us to cemeteries to have a look around, sometimes taking pictures, but mostly just to admire the tombstones.

After my Grandmother died, I had this irrational fear of her body being put in some wooden box and thrown in a hole in the ground. The idea of her "bones in a box" (those words repeated in my head for days) would immediately bring me to tears and fill my heart with sorrow. It was just no way to treat such a wonderful woman who I admired so much. I told everyone in my family over and over again to have me cremated when I died. I guess looking back on it, I was being a little dramatic (but, just a tad...she was my grandmother after all).

 

Saturday was the first day I had been back in a cemetery since my Grandmother's funeral. It didn't bother me one bit though. The air was cold and the breeze was actually a little refreshing. Mike and I have passed the Cedar Grove Cemetery in Williamsburg so many times, and each time I say how badly I wanted to photograph it. Lucky for me, Saturday's morning sun was delightful and the ground had pretty much dried out from Friday's downpour.

I was surprised to see so many recent tombstones. Being Colonial Williamsburg, I thought all the all of the stones would have been from the 1800s, not the case. I finally located the older section and was interested to see dates from the early 1700s. And "Cole" on another - my grandmother's maiden name - reminding me of her, in the white casket embossed with pink carnations. I realized, I didn't feel like crying or my heart swelling. I actually felt a little comfort.

Now hear me out. This isn't some twisted, morbid confession. But, I started to think how if it weren't for all the "bones in a box" we wouldn't have such places to commemorate our loved ones, we wouldn't have a permanent reminder of our history, nor a place to simply take a walk on a brisk day (parks are for sissies ;). Not many people like to stroll around cemeteries and that's pretty normal. However, for people like me, who find the last name 'Peachy' amusing, or are intrigued by seeing a Freemason symbol under a man's name or find a similar family name, it's okay to find serenity in cemeteries. And for the first time, I discovered I'm okay with my Grandma's Bones in a Box - most importantly, her soul has returned home. So if her bones can provide someone one minute of joy or intrigue or just plain thought, then I can't ask for more than that.