Pinterest Challenge Wrap-Up

Confession: I just finished the Pinterest Challenge moments ago...but I started a few days after everyone else, so it's totally okay. Honestly, I forgot about my last task, which was adding a "Pin It" button to my blog.

I wrote about the Grilled Malibu Chicken and gave a glimpse of the tab-top curtain and busy box here. I'm still planning to write separately about the busy box and our roadtrip, but realistically, I'm never going to write about the curtains, so here are some pictures of that. ;)

Definitely my most successful sewing project to date, and it was super simple thanks to my friend Audrei and her amazing "sewing computer."

That leaves the scarf headband and the truffle squares. 

I tried the criss-cross headband with scarves/fabric belts that I already had. The material was too slippery and the criss-cross protruded from my head more than I wanted. I think this would've worked better with something with more stretch that would lay flatter.

This story has a happy ending though because while enjoying a cold Spring Break in Arkansas with my family, I happened upon a fabric headband I liked in a little boutique. And it was a handmade, fair trade item benefiting an Indonesian woman. Win-win? I think so.

I made the truffle squares on Good Friday, and they were yummy. I was sad to go into the kitchen this morning and see that Henry ate the last one. If you like chocolate and nuts, I'd recommend this dessert.

I made a few changes (as I'm inclined to do). For one, I only used chopped almonds for my "dough" because I didn't have any pecans. For two, I used agave nectar instead of honey/syrup. For three, I added a layer of melted peanut butter between the nut mixture and the top layer of chocolate. This was a great decision because it held the nutty mixture together better, and it made the bars taste a lot more like Reese's peanut butter cups.

Now that this challenge is over, I'm thinking about what I can work on next. I want to make a wreath for spring...not sure what else yet. What will you work on?

What I Bought

I'm having a pretty low-key weekend over here. For the first time in a month, I'm NOT leaving Austin city limits this weekend. Henry went on a camp out with some of the guys/youth from church, and I'm primarily hanging out at home (aside from trips to Sprouts, the gym, and Hobby Lobby). It feels good to be at home.

After sharing my photos from Antique Week, someone asked what I actually bought. Then I realized none of the things I bought were pictured, so I thought I'd come back and share.

The first thing I knew I wanted to buy was this blue jar. My other blue mason jar was feeling lonely. Both jars were purchased from my niece. 

My second purchase was this wooden tray, which I'm using as a centerpiece on my dining room table. The candles and flowers on top of the tray came from Hobby Lobby today. I also bought another stick of silk flowers and some little plastic green apples so I can switch things out later.

And though I didn't buy any tiny stools, I did come home with two large red ones.

I'm happy with my purchases (although I secretly, or perhaps not so secretly, wish that mini schnauzer puppy were here keeping me company right now). 

P.S. Antique Week is a biannual event! I think the next show will be in late September or October.

The Barbie Tree

Growing up, I was a bit of a girly girl. I tried to like sports, but my coordination was pretty awful until I reached the age of 14ish (and even then it wasn't that great). P.E. in elementary school was okay--except for that whole Punt, Pass, and Kick thing--but P.E. in junior high was a nightmare. It was the only class I made a B in from grades 6-8. But I digress.

Girly. I loved makeup and jumped at the chance to give anyone a makeover who would let me. I also really, really loved Barbies, and I owned a lot of them. I played with them a lot a lot too. Somewhere between the ages of 10 and 25 I lost the desire to actually play with them though, so now my beloved Barbies are boxed, safely under the guardianship of my parents' shed.

But evidently my love of Barbie has not completely waned, because each year when I go home, I find myself drawn to The Barbie Tree.

Behold, The Barbie Tree!

It's white, and it doesn't have a gazillion mismatched ornaments like my parents' other tree...and all of those Barbie ornaments have been given to me as Christmas gifts over the years. I dare you to guess how many Barbie ornaments I received for Christmas this year. 

Did you guess? 

The answer is four. I received a fifth ornament, but it wasn't Barbie; it was Crayola, the other type of Hallmark ornament I collect (all thanks to my mom). Normally I don't get so many in one year, but Mom said it was too hard to choose which one to buy this year. They make too many cute ones.

 I'm not complaining; this is one of the cuties I received. A Barbie shoe tree!

While I was at home, I practiced using the manual setting on my camera and got up-close and personal with some of the Barbies.

I know it'd look ridiculous on me, but I'd kind of like to try on her outfit.

Jackie O., is that you?

50th anniversary Barbie. My mom has an original like this. Very cool.

Polished and professional Barbie.

Trophy Wife Barbie? She seems a little uppity to me with one hand on her hip and the other clutching her gold necklace.

If a Barbie ornament were to be made in my likeness, I think it'd look a lot like this. Blue outfit, pencil skirt, camera in hand. She just needs to be a brunette.

See?

Christmas Cheer

I told myself I'd do something fun and creative today, and here she is!

Pictured: table runner & berry tree {Target}, ghetto fab lime green glitter tree {courtesy of my mama}, our pantry door with wreath and some tin decorations we won at a White Elephant party last year, my little tin stocking and panda stocking hanger {courtesy of my mama}, poinsettia tree topper {I want to say Kohl's}, more berry trees and JOLLY sign {Target}, snowman {from my mama} and pillow {purchased tonight at Kohls for $15!}, santa {from my mama, I'm pretty sure, or Kohl's} and ceramic tree {courtesy of my granny, she made it}.

It took entirely too long to make this page, and I'm going to blame that on the new Photoshop. 
1. I had to figure out how to "pop out" my pictures, so that I could drag the layers onto my template. Seriously, how long had it been since I'd last digiscrapped?
2. I think I killed it towards the end. It was just being SO pokey! So, so sloooow. Very frustrating. And to think I wanted to have this done before Henry came home from work. Yeah, right. What I'm trying to say is, I hope someone besides me will appreciate my little creation.

The Results

Sadly, we've had our new canvas for three weeks now, and I'm just getting around to posting the pictures. Life has been as busy as usual, plus I'm trying to spend less time on the computer and more time reading scriptures and other good books.

But without further ado, I present to you the picture we chose to print on canvas:

The waterfall picture!

We ultimately chose it because the focus of that photograph isn't just on us; it also had the pretty nature scene too. As cute as the other options may be, Henry didn't feel comfortable hanging a photo that would make us look larger than life, and I can understand where he's coming from. It is a 24 x 40 inch canvas...that would make us look like we have big heads...literally and maybe figuratively too.

Anyway, I LOVE it. I'm so happy with the way it turned out. And who knows, maybe I'll be able to convince Henry to make small canvas prints of the other photos someday soon. =)

God Bless Texas

"You might give some serious thought to thanking your lucky stars you're in Texas."

So I entered the Smartypants-Texas contest on Pioneer Woman. To be a contestant you had to answer twelve questions about Texas. I got all excited on Saturday morning because I actually thought I had a shot at being the first or second person to correctly respond. Um, no. I was commenter number 201 even though I commented within twenty minutes of the first respondent.

Oh well. It was fun to do, and it made me remember how much I love the great state of Texas.

It just so happens, we visited the Texas State History Museum this weekend too.



Here are a few things I love about Texas:
-It's bigger than France.
-Diversity: We've got a little something for everyone.
-The weather (most of the time).
-The football
-Whataburger
-Bluebell ice cream
-HEB
-Bluebonnets in spring
-Texas pride
-The slogan "Don't Mess with Texas"
-It's home.

Hello friends. I've been bad at updating this blog. What can I say? In August, grad school business was replaced with starting-my-first-real-job business. Remember how I naively thought I'd have all the time in the world after I finished school? So far it hasn't happened. Maybe it never will. That might be okay with me...haven't quite decided.

And that post about my graduation party? Sorry. I should know by now not to ever promise to post about something, because it's like a curse. Once you say you're going to write about it, you never want to. So, no more promises.

Instead, I'll just post what I feel like.

Today, I feel like telling you I'm excited about today.

I am excited about today.

Possible reasons:
-It's nice and cool outside. It looks like it's going to be a beautiful day.
-This view out my living room window:

     I love seeing sunshine bathe my planties.
-The Red River Rivalry {Texas vs. OU, our biggest rivals}. I've got my burnt orange on, you better believe! Hook 'em horns!!! \m/
-Time to leisurely catch up on work. I don't know why this excites me, but it does. Maybe because Monday is a student holiday. I so need one of those. According to my boss, about 70% of our jobs as SLPs is paperwork. I don't know about that, but it does certainly pile up.
-I get to get all dolled up tonight for a wedding reception. I really want to get all dolled up. Nevermind my bright red, swollen eyelid {Thursday was the last day of my steroid treatment for my eyelids...and apparently the eyelids weren't ready to let it go...}.
-Antibiotics!
-I get to see my adorable niece at the wedding reception!
-I have time today to do whatever the heck I want to do! Clean the apartment, read a book, edit photos, digital scrapbook! Exciting!

I hope you all have a nice, relaxing weekend. =)