A Guide to Living Graciously

Surprise!!!

2011-07-06T12:15:00.000-04:00

Hello Dear Readers!

     I know it's a surprise to hear from me over here in my ex-home, but after a few weeks now living over at Kristin's Veranda, I've realized that the Google Friend Connect feed is not showing up on your dashboards. Even though I thought I was able to "take you all with me" when I moved, apparently the GFC dashboard didn't want to make the move! BUT! You can still have me show up on your board if you choose, you just need to trot on over to Kristin's Veranda, click on Vignettes and voila! you're on my new blog. Then you need to re-follow me on the GFC widget, and Vignettes should begin to show up on your feed right away. Let me know if you have trouble with it and we'll see what we can figure out!
     I've really been enjoying my new home, but I've really missed YOU, all of my dear readers - and after some looking into things, realized that you were all left over here high and dry. How sad. I hope you'll make the move with me today! See you on the Veranda! Oh, and don't forget, you can also follow me on Facebook and Twitter too (if you just can't get enough hahaha!).

Drumroll Please...

2011-06-13T09:21:00.000-04:00

Today is the day!

I'm so excited to introduce you to:

My Brand New Website!!!!

Not just a blog mind you, but a bonafide website!

I hope you'll come join me for my very first official blog post over at "Vignettes".

Please be sure and make the necessary updates on your computer, so that you'll never miss a post!

See you over at the new place...

Testers, Testers, One, Two, Three!

2011-06-10T15:26:00.000-04:00

Hi girls!
     Today (well, all weekend really), I'm looking for a few sweet people who are willing to help me test out my brand new website! That's right...it's almost ready :-). So if you've got a good eye for web design, and/or you don't mind clicking around a bit to see if everything is working, please leave me a comment, and I'll contact you with my new web address. You'll be one of the first to have a little sneak peek!
     I've been trying to transfer my blogger feed to the new site, so if any of you got this (or Friday's Foto Felicity) in your google reader today, would you please let me know?
     Thanks a million my dears!

Living On The Fence

2011-06-09T10:29:00.000-04:00

Ok, I admit it. I've been living in a double-dipping world this week. One foot in Blogger, the other in Wordpress. It's been confusing. It's been challenging. It's been enlightening. It's been a whole lot of time on tech help chat! My bum is about to fall off, my neck is one big huge crick (how do people with computer jobs that have to sit all day do it?). Ugh. BUT, by the end I will be able to shout (hopefully) I DID IT ALL BY MYSELF!!!! That's the goal anyway :-)

SO, all that to say - "Hello! I'm still (sorta) here! Thanks for stopping by!" I am hoping beyond hope to have things up and running by Monday, and can't wait to welcome you all to my new digs! Lots of cleaning, and decorating, and the like to do in the meantime :-). I'm sure you understand. -

By the way...my hydrangeas started blooming this week ::squeal::

Today, let's do something fun. Just 'cause: Leave me a comment with what you are MOST looking forward to doing this summer. Can't wait to hear all about them...I'm sure they will help to brighten my brain-weary day! While you're at it: Anybody interested in reviving the old "Kindred Connection" party we had over at Windy Poplars last summer? Participation was pretty good, and it was wonderful getting to know some of you better! Or do you prefer not to participate in weekly parties during your summer blogging?

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-06-08T07:00:00.001-04:00

Finally! More than one days worth of what I wore! Still not remembering to ask my fabulous photographer very often, so you'll have to put up with a few mirror shots and self-timers, but it's an improvement! And now, for your outfit perusing pleasure:

I don't know about you, but during the summer, I live more in dresses and skirts than anything else.

This is my favorite (and only) new dress this year. I like to call it my "Little House on the Prairie Dress".

It's simple, and sweet, and feminine. It's from JCrew.

My top: Ross Capris: St. Johns Bay - JCPenney

I had to include this little shot because hubs and I got ready to head out on a date one night, and what do we come out with? That's right. Perfectly coordinated outfits. Does it get any cheesier? We didn't realize it until we were in the car and it was too late. Sheesh. And if you were about to say "Oh! Nobody will notice!". Let me inform you that the teeny bopper cashier at the grocery store most certainly did, and wasted no time in pointing it out!


Light. Flowy. Fresh. If only those things described ME! :-) Top: JCrew, Skirt: Steinmart, Belt: NY&Co.

Hello maxi dresses! I have missed you! Dress: Belk

This was a groovy cut-you-own-length dress. So I cut my length off, and made straps out of it!

A Chuckle

2011-06-07T08:48:00.000-04:00

So maybe I'm easily entertained, but this strawberry made me laugh. I don't really know why, but it did. Look at its wee sprig of a cap! Pretty adorable if you ask me...

That's all for today! Busy moving...

Upcycling Your Watermelon

2011-06-06T09:54:00.001-04:00

Sorry for the delayed post this morning! Blogger was giving me some fits last night...which confirmed my recent decision all the more: I'm moving! I've enjoyed blogger for several years, but it seems things are becoming more and more unstable around here - PLUS with my very own brand-spankin-new *WEBSITE* I'll be able to sell my Vintage Garden goods at the same place! Can I get a "woohoo"?! Ok...so I'm not moving just yet-these things take time, but I'll keep you all abreast of the situation - and if things seem a little wonky around here from time to time, you'll know why...

Now...

Onto upcycling your watermelon! ----- You know how when you melon ball out the inside shell to use the meat for a salad, you're left with something like this:

Lots of watermelon juice

Which you then promptly empty down the drain, and throw away the shell? Well, allow me to suggest an alternative!

Pouring it through a sieve (to catch the seeds) and you're left with this gorgeous pink liquid. That's about a cup and a half and from only HALF of a watermelon!

Now you can use it in a punch, a mixer, pour it into your ice cube trays and make flavored ice for your lemonade or iced tea, or my favorite idea:

Watermelon ice pops! Refreshing, delicious, COLD, and all natural! Now, that's what I call upcycling!

Friday's Foto Felicity

2011-06-03T07:00:00.001-04:00

"The only ones among you who will be really happy

are those who will have sought and found how to serve."

Albert Schweitzer

Gardening 101 Part 1

2011-06-02T14:11:00.000-04:00

Hello Friends! Last year, I wrote a few posts on gardening, and since we're back into gardening season (well, most of us are), I thought I'd re-air them for all you new gardening or wanna-be gardening readers! I hope you find some of the information helpful...

Hi everyone! Paperwork probably seems a funny place to start, huh? Well, I just wanted to share some of the things I do to stay organized before I even head out to play in the dirt. - One thing I've done from the very beginning, is keep a "Gardening Journal" of some sort every year.

Here is one where I just had a small notebook and wrote entries maybe weekly on what was blooming, when I had planted things, where I had planted things, what plants were thriving, which might need to be transplanted, when I fertilized, when I sprayed for pests, when my vegetable started picking, etc.. Through these you can see a very visible bloom patten develop, and if you're trying to have something blooming at all times of the season, you'll know what bloom time-frame you'll need to look for when you go to the nursery to fill in the gaps. - Other years I've just done calenders like so:

These are super easy - just print a blank calender out on your computer, and each day there is something to record, do so! Lots less writing, and easier to find what you're looking for. - I also try to keep diagrams of how things were planted. Below is an example of one of our vegetable garden beds. This is helpful for crop rotation purposes, and also to keep track of good planting patterns for future reference (good when you garden in very small spaces like we do).

It's also good to chart your bulb planting so you can keep track of what doesn't come up, and then get replacements which brings me to my last point for today:

Caught! Red-Pawed

2011-06-01T07:00:00.009-04:00

So one day, I wake up, stroll through my living room on the way to the kitchen, and suddenly stop. Something caught my eye. Something was out of place. This looks like the scene of a crime. What was it, you ask?

This:

Mmmmhhhmmmm...and we didn't even have the windows open or the fans on that night, so it wasn't an act of nature.

Lovely. All of my poor beautiful viburnums wilting - gasping for breath! How tragic (said with a French accent)!

Upon further inspection...if you look real close (beyond the dust and pollen -ahem- coating my table), you might just be able to make out our one real clue. A paw print. Now, although all the 4-legged creatures in our home have about the same size paw print, only one is capable of jumping onto the living room coffee table. And that one was in the big doo doo.


Undesirable #1

Pets. Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em.

*This post was brought to you by Chester who would like the world to know that he is not the only pet in this house who performs evil acts of mischief.

How to Cut a Mango (and other fun things)

2011-05-31T07:00:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I lied about the "other fun things". This truly is a vlog about how to cut a mango, and as a super-de-duper bonus just for you, I also show you how to cut an avocado! *and the crowd goes wild* Not that there aren't other ways to accomplish said tasks, mind you. This is just what I have found is the most spectacular way to get 'er done! -

Oh, and P.S. I do own (and would recommend) a better knife to do your dirty work than the one used for this taping- I guess just all the excitement of a vlog made me reach for a steak knife right before we were "on air". Who the heck uses a steak knife to cut fruit I ask you?! My brain sometimes...

Friday's Foto Felicity

2011-05-27T07:00:00.000-04:00

"Your life is like a coin.

You can spend it any way you wish,

But you can spend it only once."

Lillian Dickson

Usually for FFF I like to post raw, unedited pics that I love. But today, I broke my own rule, and thought I'd share a little retro-action photo editing with you. Taken at Berry Hill Plantation in April. Hope you like it!

I've Got Gadgets and Gismos a Plenty...

2011-05-26T07:00:00.000-04:00

Ten points if you name that movie!

Today I thought I'd share with you the newest addition to my kitchen gadget collection. One that I don't know how I have lived without! May I introduce you to my Cuisinart Immersion Blender:

If you love to make smoothies and soups, this is a Godsend! The soup pictured above (my Hearty Tomato Bisque) used to require cooling the soup, transferring to a blender in small batches, then reheating. Now, I just use my little immersion blender to blend it to a smooth creamy consistency right in the pot with no transfer or cooling/reheating time (which was probably about 20 minutes on the conservative side), plus it saves 3 or 4 extra dishes from being dirtied! Can I say this is my new best friend?! You can also make smoothies right in your glass with this little baby. Easy as a wink. - So if you've never considered an immersion blender before - perhaps you should!

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-05-25T07:00:00.000-04:00

I love fashion. And clothes. I also love posting about new outfits I come up with. BUT, I never seem to remember to ask the DH to take my picture until after I've had it on all day and I'm wrinkled, frumpy, and my hair has seen better times. Frustrating. But here is one little outfit I did actually remember to ask for a picture or two of. It was during our transitional time of winter-spring. Now it's full-on summer clothes here! But if you ran into me on the street a few weeks ago, you might have seen me in something like this:

If you enjoy outfit posts, I will try to do better remembering to solicit my cameraman! So tell me, do you enjoy outfit inspiration during your daily blog reading?

My Spring Crush

2011-05-24T07:00:00.000-04:00

This spring, I have discovered (between raindrops) a wonderfully refreshing floral combination:

Peonies and Lemon Balm.

Be still my heart! In addition, to these lovelies looking beautiful together, the smell is simply intoxicating! Oh how I love this time of year - when we can bring the bounty of nature inside to enjoy right under our noses. It's the little things girls. It's the little things.

This is a floating arrangement on my kitchen table...perfect for those super short-stemmed peonies.

Do you have a spring crush?

Inquiring minds want to know: do you say "pee-uh-knee" or "pee-own-ee"?

Strawberry Soup + Weekend Review

2011-05-23T07:00:00.001-04:00

Our weekend was just fabulous: Slow. Simple. Sunny. Divine. A little work. A little play. A lot of good food. I would that all weekends be such. (Do you ever just randomly break out into very bad old English --- or is it just me?)

An ideal Saturday in my book starts out late - well, as late as dogs that wake up every morning at 6:30 allow. They were kind actually, and went back to sleep after their morning walk. So we snoozed in for awhile. Then unhurriedly got up and went about making a delicious brunch. I love brunch food. Ours was fairly simple. It consisted of: Rosemary Eggs, Scones, Fruit Salad, and Coffee. The best part was that we enjoyed it outside listening to the birds sing, the brook laugh, and some Celtic music play.

Hubby mowed the grass, while I planted our vegetable garden. We're off to a late start this year...hopefully we'll have some tomatoes by October! I got a sunburn in the process. ME! Miss "slather up or cover up". Ugh. First one in years. - Then hubby disappeared for awhile, and when I came in for lunch he had surprised me by starting to change our bedroom furniture around. We'd been talking about doing it for awhile, and I was thrilled to have a good start going!

After a quick lunch and shower, we were off to our local town's Food and Wine Festival.The weather was perfect and the live jazz band added so much to the atmosphere. We met some neat people, tried our first savory crepe, and sampled some delicious local wine.

Then it was back home to finish up the bedroom arrangement, and head off to a well-earned sleep.

Sunday, I made some Amish Oatmeal with Currants and Strawberry Soup before church. So fresh and easy - and we again leisurely dined outside. Just delicious. "Weekend" food makes me never want to eat cereal again!

Church was nice. Came home, took a nap, and played some Wii (hubby won), worked on the menu for the week, blogged, and enjoyed some Road to Avonlea to the coziness of a thunderstorm.

We are rich indeed. That's what I call a weekend!

Thought I would share my Strawberry Soup recipe with you all - especially if you're in the midst of strawberry season like we are here in VA!

Strawberry Soup

Perfect for a brunch - everybody will think that you fussed, when really this recipe is a snap to throw together. So refreshing and crisp (and healthy to boot!) - I think you'll enjoy this addition to your springtime repertoire.

1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce
2 cups of hulled strawberries
3 splashes of white wine (sweet, preferably)
20 mint leaves
6 ice cubes
1 T agave nectar (optional)

Mix everything together in a blender and serve chilled in bowls. Top with a mint leaf. The agave is only really necessary if you're not using sweet wine and your berries aren't that sweet on their own. Makes 4 servings.

So what did you do this weekend?

Friday's Foto Felicity

2011-05-20T08:40:00.000-04:00

"They are the true disciples of Christ,

not who know most, but who love most."

Frederick Spanheim

Santa Cruz, CA

An Easier Way to Pack Lunch

2011-05-19T07:00:00.000-04:00

Hello Dear Readers,

     I hope your day has been a good one so far! Thanks so much for stopping over for a visit.- Thought I'd share a simple little tip for anyone who ever packs a lunch during the week - either for yourself or members of your family. My husband takes packed lunches to work with him everyday. For a long while he would pack his own, and eventually I started to notice that he would seem to run out of food, or energy (or both) and have to make snack purchases to keep him going through the day.- I found out he was just grabbing whatever there was in the house that didn't require prep work - which wasn't much - and that supply would run out long before his work day did!
     Now, the whole reason that I didn't pack his lunch in the first place was because I hate mornings. There I said it. Add into that equation foods that are not meant to be smelled in the morning, and I would turn into Mrs. Grumpy Gills (10 points if you can name that movie). - I tried making his lunch at night, but that was so easy to forget because once dinner was over, my body -and consequently my brain- were "off duty" for the day. So I've arrived (finally) at some sort of compromise that seems to be working:
     Each week after I come home from grocery shopping, I make up a bunch of "lunch baggies" to last throughout the week for either one of us to easily grab in the wee smas to throw into his lunch bag along with a freshly made sandwich (made by him) or leftovers from the night before. Here is a small sampling of some things I can easily pre-prep:

The week is more than halfway over, so this is all we have left, but you can see:

Olive Chips
Clemtines
Granola Bars
Applesauce (sprinkled with your favorite spice...my DH loves cardamom)
Baby Carrots
Peanut Butter Filled Celery
Smoked Almonds

some other super easy pre-preps are:

Cheese and Crackers*

Pepper Slices

Hummus and Pita Wedges*

Chips and Salsa*

Grapes (frozen grapes are lovely too)

Bananas covered in peanut butter and wrapped in cling wrap

Homemade cookies/bars

Muffins

Grape Tomatoes (keep these out of the fridge so they don't get mealy)

The list could go on and on! Do you have any great lunch items that are easy to make ahead of time to share with us?

*(but bag them separately - one doesn't like the pantry, and the other doesn't like the fridge!)

Pooch Tales - A Story Pt.2

2011-05-18T08:39:00.001-04:00

The story continues... (if you missed Part 1, you can read it HERE)

Caroline: "Hmmm....Chester, what do you think we could do to de-throne her?" Chester: "Have fun thinking - I just need my nap."

Caroline: "I always think better with my tongue out. Actually, I do everything better with my tongue out - I am a licking machine! - Ok, sorry. Focusing: Let's see...options? We could...bite her tail, bark in her ear real loud, chase her out of the room, ask politely..."

"Hey wait! Chester wake up! I've got it! What we do is wait until she is back to sleep - I'll go sneak over and make sure she is and give you the signal. When I do, you'll come attack me and we'll have a grand old romp - right next to the beds! That ought to annoy her enough to leave...and the napping cushions will be ours!"

Sneaking...sneaking... "Ok, Chester....NOW!"

To be continued...

Grilled Vegetable and Goat Cheese Pizza

2011-05-17T07:00:00.002-04:00

Grilled Vegetable and Goat Cheese Pizza

We really enjoyed this pizza that had the unexpected flavor of goat cheese. Loaded with roasted vegetable flavor, and light in the cheese department it's a delightful change of pace.

1 1/2 cups new potatoes cut into chunks
2 small zucchini sliced
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 sweet onion, cut into thin slices
Olive oil
14 oz can fire roasted tomatoes, drained
1 t dried oregano
1/3 cup mozzarella cheese cubes
1/3 cup goats' cheese, crumbled
Pizza dough of choice

Preheat oven to 425. Move top rack up closer to the broiler. Cover a cookie sheet or broiler pan with aluminum foil. Place cut potatoes on pan and drizzle with olive oil - tossing to coat. Roast in the oven until soft - between 10 and 20 minutes, turning once. Remove potatoes from pan and set aside. Place the rest of the vegetables on the roasting pan, and roast for 4-5 minutes.

Flip the vegetables, and roast 4-5 minutes longer or until done.

Mix together oregano and diced tomatoes.

Spread over pizza dough, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese cubes and bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the remaining vegetables. Sprinkle with goat cheese and bake for 8-10 minutes more or until crust is cooked through.

Enjoy!

Mail Call

2011-05-16T07:00:00.002-04:00

Dear Readers,
     So, there have been a few changes around here. Gettin' all snazzied up for summer and everything. Whacha think? I hope you like it, and that all the lemons don't make you sick. Oh, and you know me, I like change, so there are probably 10 more design editions to come before I'm completely satisfied. - One more thing: thanks for being wonderful!
                                           Love,
                                                  ~Kristin

Dear Makers of Salad Dressing Everywhere:
     Would you be so kind as to consider making a universal pact to only offer squeezy bottles for your product? I am way beyond over the whole: accidentally flooding your salad with a half-gallon of dressing bit. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your consideration,
   Sincerely,
                        Soggy Greens

Dear Toms,
     Well, you've gone and made me a believer! After not buying into the hype for a very long time, and thinking all the raving was "all in their heads", I have now joined the ranks of satisfied, card carrying, don't-want-to-ever-wear-anything else members of your ~~cult~~ club following!
                         You may call me,
                                  ~Tomisina
P.S. Thanks too for your awesome One-for-One campaign. It inspires and challenges me!

Dear Self,
     Did you just use the word AWESOME????
                                   Signed,
                                        I don't think I know you anymore

Dear Spring,

I've really been enjoying basking in your beautiful days, rain showers, and chilly nights. Perfection. Sit and stay awhile, won't you?

Forever,

Lovin' the Fresh Air

Dear Poison Ivy,
     I have never had you in my entire life. My entire life! Why did you decide to come visit me now? Please go away quickly, and don't slam the door behind you. I do appreciate your not itching too terribly much, and whatever you do, don't even think of spreading.
                       Affectionately,
                                    Itchy

Dear Weekend,
     Thanks for being so fun. We needed that. We enjoyed sleeping late, we enjoyed the Dutchess of Bedford, we enjoyed seeing both my sisters (and b-i-l), we enjoyed the J.Crew sample sale, we enjoyed the Popeye sandwich, we enjoyed coming home to dogs that hadn't peed in their crates, we enjoyed a late night Wii tourney, we enjoyed a wonderfully relaxing Sunday afternoon. Pretty much rocked.
                                  Devotedly,
                                         Your biggest fan

Friday's Foto Felicity

2011-05-14T10:33:00.000-04:00

" Everyone thinks of changing humanity

and nobody thinks of changing himself."

Tolstoy

Chicken Chasseur

2011-05-11T14:57:00.000-04:00

A delicious French dish, I think this is best served in a bowl with some crusty bread for sopping. The unusual vegetable combo and fennel aroma are so exotic and tasty! A "chasseur" is a type of sauce, like a Bechamel. Only in this case, it is a brown sauce usually containing onions, mushrooms, and white wine. A chasseur is often used for game meats.- I also have plans to try this one day in the crockpot...I think it just might work.~

Chicken Chasseur

1 - 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken
1 T olive oil
1 T butter (I omit butter)
1 large sweet onion, chopped (or may substitute 12 baby onions, peeled)
2-4 cloves of garlic (I prefer 4!) peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 3/4 cup closed mushrooms (such as button), wiped
2 T plain flour
1 1/4 cups dry white wine (chardonnay is delicious)
2 T tomato puree
1 3/4 cup chicken stock
salt and pepper
fresh terragon
2 2/3 cup sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 cups shelled fresh or frozen fava or lima beans

Preheat oven to 350. Heat oil and butter (if desired) in a large oven proof casserole dish - or large frying pan. Add the chicken and cook until browned all over. Remover and reserve.

Add onions, garlic, and celery to the casserole/pan and cook for 5 minutes or until golden. Cut the mushrooms in half if large, then add to the casserole and cook for 2 minutes.

Sprinkle in flour and cook for 2 minutes, then gradually stir in the wine. Blend the tomato puree with a little of the stock in a small bowl, then stir into the casserole together with the remaining stock. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

If a frying pan has been used, transfer everything to a casserole dish at this time. Return the chicken to the mixture, add the sweet potatoes, stir together and season to taste. Add a couple large sprigs of tarragon, cover, and cook in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove and add the fava/lima beans. Return to the oven for another 15-20 minutes or until the chicken and vegetables are cooked through. Garnish with chopped tarragon if desired.

Pooch Tales - A Story Pt.1

2011-05-10T08:15:00.002-04:00

Hello Ma's Readers! Chester the Bichon here. Ya know, over on my blog I had just started this little story, but never got to finish it before my blog was so unceremoniously shut down (cough,cough) - so for those of you who missed Part 1, here it is. I hope you enjoy it:

Once upon a day, I was just trotting around enjoying my morning routine: wake up, walk, breakfast, bath, play time with Carol, Bichon Blitz, and then it was time for my after-blitz sun soak. So off to Ma's bedroom I head, when what do I behold!? Her Majesty, the Queen, asleep on my favorite napping cushion. Grrr...I've told her about that. She knows I get dibs in the mornings, but there she was - big as life nonetheless.

The nerve of THAT CAT!

Maybe I'll try tattling to get her in trouble:

"Ma! Auti's in my bed again! Make her get out!"

Then here comes snoopy:

Caroline: "Oh look! A cat! Don't worry Chester, I'll get her out for ya!"

Carol: "Um...on second thought...I think we need to work on a de-catting plan together..."

To be continued...

Do you ever... ?

2011-05-09T07:00:00.004-04:00

So, have you ever done (or not done) something, and then thought to yourself, "I bet I'm the only one in the whole wide world who ever does something like that!"? Well, today I'm here to share some of those silly "isms" of mine with you - in hopes that some of you are just as ~~strange~~, um, special...let's go with "special" as I am :-D ! Who knows, maybe this might even become a regular feature...there is strength in numbers, right?! Here goes...

Do you ever:

*Have dreams where you can fly? I don't mean in an airplane, I mean like a bird...

*Not take the first box/bag/item off the shelf? Usually has to be the second one in line for me. My husband finds this tremendously puzzling (or amusing?) when we go shopping.

*Prefer to eat with a small fork (i.e. a salad fork)?

*Judge an entire home or establishment based on the quality of its toilet paper?

*Get up at 5am to watch a Royal Wedding?

*Like your milk on the rocks?

*Cry over animated films?

*Forget your own age?

Do you? I want to know!

Friday's Foto Felicity

2011-05-06T09:01:00.000-04:00

God's green grass beneath my feet

Deep blue sky above,

Creation speaks His care and peace,

And talks about His love.

Craft of Choice

2011-05-05T07:00:00.001-04:00

I don't know what my problem is, but I've always been an incredibly diverse being. You know how you ask some people what their hobbies are, and they say: "reading" or "mountain biking"? Well people are always sorry they ask me questions like that. Reason being, the answer they receive goes something like this:
*Stamping
*Reading
*Writing
*Blogging
*Dancing
*Gardening
*Traveling
*Cooking
*Couponing
*Eating
*Entertaining
*Decorating
*Golfing
*Knitting
*Jewelry making
*Scrapbooking
*Singing
*Playing the piano
*Photography
*Playing with my dogs
*My husband...
You get the picture...there are truly not enough hours in the day/week/month/year for so many wonderful things! For those of you new to LG (and/or just starting to get to know me as a person), I thought I'd share one of my little hobbies with you today: rubber stamping. It's truly an excellent medium to use when you want to be creative, but aren't necessarily artistic (like me) - the stamps have that covered for you! Have you done any rubber stamping before? If you're looking for a new hobby, this is a fun one! Plus, after you have made some lovely cards, you'll be inspired to send them to all your friends and just make their day!

So what are your hobbies? Are you a focused lady of leisure, or a diversified diva?

I Do. Again.

2011-05-04T07:00:00.029-04:00

Every married couple has a love story uniquely their own. Ours began 14 years ago, and those 14 years are filled to the brim with sundry memories. Some seasons: wonderful beyond all imagination. Some seasons: too difficult for words. But they have been the best 14 years of our lives. The last few years though, have been some of the hardest we have ever encountered as a married couple in regards to circumstances outside of our little home (and consequent control). Through all of that though, our marriage was our steady place. Our safe harbor from the storm.

Photos by Chelsa Yoder Photography

But then, a terrible hurricane came into our harbor. Hurricanes take different forms with everyone: job loss/financial hardship, dishonesty, infidelity, a life altering accident, broken promises...each one as devastating as the last. It wreaked havoc in our hearts and lives. It left only destruction in its path. We almost thought it took everything we had - everything we had spent years building together - away with it.

But it didn't.

A seed of hope was left behind! God so kindly tended, and healed, and nurtured that little seed until it sprouted and started to grow. Then he planted it firmly in our hearts, and told us that it was safe under his watchful care.

And now, a whole new love story has begun! On April 20th, under the canopy of a beautiful grove of cedars at Berry Hill Plantation, we renewed our vows to each other with all of our bruised but mending hearts. Our resolve is strong. Our harbor is defended. Our hearts are truly being knit together as one - with no extraneous strings attached this time. Nothing stands in the way of a wild and abandoned love. There is something about writing vows to your husband after 14 years together...you're no longer infatuated and naive (as we all are as blissful newlyweds) you know that life (and love) is hard. Yet, you still choose your husband - out of all the millions of people on the earth - to be the one you walk beside through life. The making of a vow is so much more rich and solemn and meaningful now...

Of course when something so miraculous happens in your life, you want to scream from the mountain tops:

*It's worth it! Give all for love.

*The degree of honesty that you commit to within your relationship, will directly relate to the security and trust you enjoy together.

*You may feel like you're losing yourself sometimes in the process of becoming one, but the you that will emerge as a part of a newly united whole, will be far, far greater than the "you" you have ever been on your own.
*People will think you strange (I'm still coming to terms with that), and not understand you, but prioritizing your marriage above ALL ELSE will bring you a richness and fulfillment you never thought possible!

"I am my beloveds and he is mine. His banner over me is love."
"And the two shall become one."

Sauteed Lettuce and Brown Rice Bowl (and an easy app!)

2011-05-03T06:36:00.001-04:00

Hello Dear Readers! I hope today is a spectacular day for you! Here's a little food for thought: How would you live today differently if you knew it was the last time you would see each person you interacted with? Hug a little tighter, hold your temper a little longer, love a little deeper, complain a little softer, appreciate differing opinions a little more...you get the picture.~ I'm gonna try to keep that thought in my mind all day...join me?

And now, for some food for your belly! As inspired by my friend Chelsa, here is a super quick appetizer you can throw together and impress your family/guests and their taste buds with! Because I make a lot of vegetarian recipes for dinner, sometimes I'll make a little something extra (like these) to keep my hubby fat and happy.

Greek Bites

Olives

Pre-marinated cheese tortellini

Grape Tomatos

Toothpicks

Purchase as many ingredients as you want appetizers. My current favorite olives are the wrinkly black ones with the pits still inside. They have them on the antipasto bar at our grocer. You do have to go through the extra work of pitting them, but they come out much easier than green olives, and they're worth it! I also "cheated" from the original recipe, and got tortellini from the store that were part of a Greek artichoke salad so they already have wonderful flavor marinated into them. I just asked the girl at the counter to pick out only the tortellinis for me, and I'm pretty sure she's my new bff now ;-)! Anyway, you just thread your ingredients onto the toothpicks as shown, and enjoy! Easy peasy, right?

Sauteed Lettuce and Brown Rice Bowl

2 T evoo
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup carrot, chopped
1/4 cup celery, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup cooked brown rice
Several spashes of veg. broth
1-2 cups lettuce or spinach

Garnish: Parmesan cheese, roasted nuts, Herbs de Provence, sea salt, freshly ground pepper

Heat oil on low/medium in a large skillet. Saute' onions, carrots and celery for 5-7 min. or until lightly cooked but still crunchy. Add rice and blend with veggies. If your rice is cold, make sure you cook it long enough to heat it fully. Add a splash of vegetable or chicken broth (just enough to moisten the mix and prevent the rice and veggies from sticking to the pan). Add the lettuce/spinach and another splash of broth. Stir well. Keep stirring and cooking until lettuce is wilted. Place in a bowl, and top with cheese and seasonings.

A Few Mother's Day Gift ideas...

2011-05-02T07:00:00.030-04:00

So here you are: one week before Mother's Day, and you still haven't found THE perfect gift for mom!

Well, by all means, allow me to offer some suggestions! Each of the items below can be purchased at: Kristin's Vintage Garden (for less than $10 to boot)!

A feminine journal and list pad set (with matching pen). Journal will be personalized with your mom's initial (you know mom loves the personal touch)! I have quite a few designs available...even beyond the ones that are listed, so if you go to the shop and they're sold out, feel free to let me know you're interested!

Everybody could use some all-purpose greeting cards! Here are some darling handmade spring-y ones she'll love:

A safe bet may be one of the lovely Blooms - some of which have both a pin and a clip backing. Perfect for wearing as a brooch, clipped onto her handbag, or pinned to her scarf.

OR, perhaps your mom is the type who would love a little punch of whimsy to brighten up her spring/summer wardrobe? The Chrysanthemum Earrings are available in several colors.

Now here's the best part! Order today until midnight using the promo code: MOTHER, and you'll get FREE S&H on your order!

If you've already found your Mother's Day gifts, what did you find? We love hearing good ideas!

Friday's Foto Felicity

2011-04-29T07:00:00.000-04:00

"So shall a friendship fill each heart

With perfume sweet as roses are,

That even though we be apart,

We'll scent the fragrance from afar."

Georgia McCoy

This photo was taken at Berry Hill Plantation OFF of manual mode! (Chelsa will be proud of that)

Pooch Tales - Meet Chester

2011-04-28T07:00:00.001-04:00

Hi Everybody (new furiends especially)! My name is Chester. I'm a 3 1/2 year old Bichon Frise, and I belong to Ma (as you know her: Kristin) who writes here at Living Graciously. What you might not know, is that I'm also a blogger! I used to have my very own blog called "Pooch Tales", but since Ma and Pa just went and got themselves so busy, Ma said that I couldn't have my own anymore, but that she'd let me write every once-in-a-while on hers. So I guess that's the next best thing. I'm still a little miffed at her though. I'm not gonna lie.

Thought I'd start out proper-like in my new digs here, and introduce myself a bit. Let's start at the beginning, shall we? Once upon a time, I was a wee little lonely Bichie-poo. Somebody had thrown my sister and I out on the streets to fend for ourselves, but we were too little to know what to do. It was awful. But then some kind angels found us, rescued us, and put us up for adoption. That's where Ma comes in. She saw my ad online, and drove 5 hours straight away in the snow to come get me! She just knew I belonged to them. And she was right. Here's what I looked like when I was just a sprig in Tennessee:

I was a little sad because Ma and Pa couldn't take my sister, so I was missing her.

But then, one day, I grew up! I love my life here at Windy Poplars with Ma and Pa. Some say I'm spoiled. But not any more than your average adorable pooch. I also now live with my new Bichon sister Caroline (whom I call "Caroline the Crazy" - she's completely nuts). She's just a baby still, so Ma says hopefully she'll grow up to be a good pooch like me one day. Here we are together:

This was at Christmastime. I'm the one on the right.

We also have a sister of the feline variety named Autumn. She is a gray calico, and just turned 12 years old. She makes us call her "Her Majesty The Queen", and she is in charge of the whole entire house. We like to terrorize her sometimes (especially Carol), but mostly we get along swimmingly.

Caroline and I love to play! We romp around, chew bonies, and make a general fracas whenever we can. It's so fun having a sister again!

I also have a cuz-pup named Monte. He's my Aunt Amy's son. Here is our fur-family picture at Thanksgiving last year:

Monte is also my best friend. We have such fun together!

So that's about it for the basics. Thanks for visiting me today. I look forward to making lots of new furiends over here! Wondering: do you have any pooches?

Going Beyond...

2011-04-27T07:00:00.001-04:00

Today I was just sittin' around thinkin' - well, that's probably not entirely true I don't usually just sit around and think (sadly) - I was probably folding laundry or something - and anyway, what popped into my mind was this: although it my job, pleasure, and delight to keep home for my husband, is it also my job, pleasure, and delight to keep myself for my husband? The answer to this is, as much as I hate to admit it, often "no".

The day is full to the brim, I'm too tired when I get home, I have a deadline to meet, everything else is screaming for attention - are all excuses I'll make. - I've realized that I don't put "me" on my to-do list. I'll sometimes put "me time" on my schedule if I'm feeling particularly stressed, but that usually consists of a nap, or reading a magazine or something of the sort. - Of course, a low stress level is helpful in creating a pleasant wife, but I'm talking about a conscious effort to make ourselves attractive to our husbands.

Goodness knows they are bombarded with the world's perception of beauty all day long: on billboards, commercials, in their office environment, wherever they turn, they see well groomed women.

Then they come home.

For those of us who work from home, or are stay at home moms, this presents an couple of options to us:

1. Stay in your pjs, sweats, or "house clothes" (you know the stretched out, holey, stained cast offs from your good wardrobe). Don't bother with make-up or anything, brush your teeth before bed.

That's a pretty picture for your man to arrive home to, eh? -OR-

2. Before he arrives home from work: change into some nicer clothes, fix your hair, put on some makeup and perfume, brush your teeth, and voila! You are fresh and beautiful as a flower to greet him at the door!

Which one would you want waiting for you after a long day? I know just thinking about this, I've been inspired to knock my guys socks off when he walks through the door. - Men are such visual creatures...why does the world cater to that side of them more than their own wives?

One last note on maintaining yourself in an attractive way: As a wife, I've found it much more effective to shower at night rather than in the morning. That way you head to bed fresh, clean, shaven, and hopefully in something other than an old tee shirt. Show your guy you care. Make yourself the best you can be. For him! Aren't they worth the extra effort?

Weekly Menu

2011-04-26T07:00:00.003-04:00

Awhile back, when I was posting menuson Windy Poplars, some of you seemed to enjoy it. I don't know if itwas just the inspiration to go make out your own menus for the week,or if you liked hearing about healthy and vegetarian dishes, butregardless, I thought I'd post them every-now-and-then, and see whatresponse they garner this time around. Girls, if you like something and want to seemore of it, let me know, k?! Can't read your mind now... :-)

So here is what we're eating over hereat Windy Poplars this week:

Monday:

Spaghetti and sauce withsquash, red pepper, and onion – garlic bread – avocado spinachsalad

Tuesday:

Breakfast for dinner! Eggwhite omelet with veggies, lemon muffins, turkey sausage, and asmoothie

Wednesday:

Indian Spiced Eggplant and Cauliflower

Thursday:

Sauteed Lettuce Bowl withrolled meat

Friday:

Date Night!

Saturday:

Soft Greek sandwiches

Sunday:

Leftovers

Do you make a weekly menu? What are you having for dinner tonight?

Deals, Deals, Deals!!!

2011-04-25T16:02:00.001-04:00

Got a few great deals for you today:

15-20 lbs. of fresh organic produce for only $19 (including shipping) - these are extremely limited...don't delay!

Get a scoop of ice cream from Baskin Robbins for only 31 cents this Wednesday from 5-10pm

Great Mother's Day idea alert: Only $35 for $100 worth of photo products (calenders, photo books, and cards)! Don't let this one pass you by!

For the photo deal above, you'll need to join Groupon first if you haven't already, click HERE to do so, and I'll get a little credit :-). It's fast and free!

So whatcha waiting for? Go get your deal on!

If you like deals, and want to see them as soon as I find them, be sure to "like" Living Graciously on Facebook. That's where I'll be posting most of what I find!

And So It Begins...

2011-04-25T07:00:00.001-04:00

Hello Blogland! I'm baaaack! Thanks to all of you dears who stopped by today for a visit...I know it's super easy to lose touch with blogs that take such a long break, so if you've stuck with me through these two weeks of pondering and reconstruction - big fat smooch to ya! I'm glad to be typing again.

For those of you used to the Living Graciously style (i.e. instructional blogging) of reading, I hope it doesn't take you too long to get used to ~~hearing~~ reading me talking. Because this is becoming a more integrated personal/instructional blog, I'll now be chattin' atcha more like we're having coffee together. Not so much pretense or instructor/instruct-ee business. It's more fun to write, and hopefully you'll feel like you are getting to know me better when you read it!

So today, for my inauguration back into the blogging world, I thought I'd share about a lovely first meal we recently enjoyed over at my newly married sister's home. Since they're living a new beginning together and I'm having a new beginning here at LG@WP, I thought it was apropos (in a cheesy kind of way).

Without further ado, our very first visit with the newlyweds:

Her beautiful new dishes - don't they just pop on her dark wood table?

Part of the mantel. Note the wedding picture taken by a friend with film and hand processed. What a wonderful gift, no?!

Love their bedroom...so soft and serene.

Yummm...Rosemary Lemon Chicken was on the menu for the night.

The food spread on her sideboard.

Dessert (brought by me) - a take on pavlovas. Super easy, super yummy, and super spring-y!

Thanks so much for hosting us Emily! We had a great time!

So now I want to know: do you remember what it was like when you set up your first home? Where did you live? Who was your first "company"? Our first home was a one room hunting cabin. Totally rustic and quaint. Totally great view. Totally tiny. So we didn't have much company for the 10 months we lived there. One person at a time about filled up the place! I do, however, remember one visit from the best man at our wedding. It was the dead of winter, and our place was cold. NO insulation, and we were used to it (just wore long johns around the house). But our poor guest was freezing to death...he was sitting on the couch with a blanket over him, and a hat and mittens on while we were trying to play some board games. Fun times. Thank you Lord for houses with insulation and heat pumps- that's all I've got to say about that!

I'd love to hear about your first place...share with us, won't you?

Under Construction

2011-04-19T10:41:00.000-04:00

Please pardon the "dust" while I rearrange furniture this week. Hoping to get everything situated to be up and running in time to be back to normal next week. To see what all the hullabaloo is about, read post below. Thank you for your patience! ~Kristin

A New Beginning

2011-04-18T07:00:00.001-04:00

“Fear less, hope more: eat less, chewmore; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, lovemore; and all good things are yours.” Swedish Proverb

For today, I'm going to add my own coda to the above: "blog less, live more!"

I hope you are ready for more changes around heredear ones. Not much, don't worry! But over my spring break last week,I did some serious stock taking, and have realized that my life hasrun completely outside of the bounds of balance that I desire for it. Sothat is calling me to some drastic change in many areas of my life.Including blogging. Currently I write this blog, a personal blog, adog blog, and a stamping blog for my customers. Not to mention thepages associated with LG like The Kitchen, Personal Shopper, and TheStyle Files. I loved them all, but they were quickly becoming o.v.e.r.l.o.a.d. I was drowning in blogging, and had (unfortunately, perhaps)also had caught the “big blogger” bug. I had tapped into a whole newaudience, and was finding great success submitting some of myarticles to memes and getting featured on high profile blogs, I lovedfinding new readers via hours of blog reading and commenting, thelist could go on... But then reality hit: yes, having a blog that islarge enough to bring home income for your family takes LOTS of workand LOTS of hours of dedication. It quickly becomes impersonal, italso opens you up to much more criticism and expectations as awriter. It may not grow in the way or at the rate that you want it to. I didn't like any of that. Besides, I was already keepingseveral businesses afloat, and didn't have time or sanity to addanother.- So the “big blogger” dream died. Having a very specificallyorganized blog was so appealing to me, but apparently, it wasn't toyou (you know, the ones who mattered!) because the traffic flow to The Kitchen, The Style Files, and ThePersonal Shopper was not at all what I had hoped it would be. Comments allover LG were low to non-existent (which is a big deal for someone whoblogs to connect with people – not to have a once-a-day monologue).Something wasn't right. A lot of somethings weren't right.- Time to re-evaluate.

So after some mulling, praying, and talkingthings over with my husband, here is the verdict: Living Graciouslywill remain "open for business". But remember how I said it was the least-commented blog...we'regonna work on that part, right girls? ;-) Windy Poplars will becomeintegrated into Living Graciously – hence the new name. This willnow become a combo of personal writing and helpful hints and projects– of course with recipes thrown in for good measure...I really dothat part for myself anyway, it keeps all my recipes organized and easilyaccessible.- Cottage Stamping will become dormant, but will remain open asa scroll-through resource for ideas and inspiration at this time.Pooch Tales will be closed, and Chester will become a guest writerhere at LG@WP. The Style Files will be anevery-now-and-then feature here, and I will post any great deals I find to the LG@WPFacebook Fan Page so that you will have more instant access to them.So, if you're not already, become a fan today!

Ok, so that's what's going on here thisweek, and pardon the construction dust as all of it settles! I dostill plan to continue GM Quests at this time. I do notice that lotsof my traffic at LG still comes from Windy Poplars readers (you visitWP first, then click the LG tab), but because Windy Poplars is nowgoing dormant, please transfer your Google “friendship” over toLG, so I will still visit you on your reader! You can also choose tosubscribe to LG which some people like, and each new post will bedelivered right to your e-mail inbox. You can find that option on thesidebar.

Thank you so much for being the wonderfulreaders that you are! YOU are why I write! It is my hope that withtaking these big steps toward change, I will have much more time tobe a faithful blog reader, which is truly a love of mine! Watch forme to come around visiting soon!

Spring Break

2011-04-11T07:00:00.000-04:00

Hello Dear Readers! Thank you for stopping by the 'ole blog today...YOU are the reason I write! Just wanted to let you know that I'm going to be on spring break for the week. Taking some time to re-organize, re-prioritize, re-fresh, and re-structure. Basically "renewing my outlook" as the girls of old used to say when they were headed to the powder room. You'll hear (and see!) the fruit of it all on Monday the 18th! See you then!

Friday Foto Felicities

2011-04-08T07:00:00.000-04:00

So same idea, different approach. I'm just going to have my own party of one here on Fridays, and call it: "Friday Foto Felicities". I love to take pictures, and look forward to sharing some of my favorites with you each week! I hope they bring a smile to your face. Friday is a low traffic day, everybody is busy getting ready for the weekend, so you don't have time to read a bunch of wordiness anyway. Sounds like a perfect solution to me :-).

Have you ever seen such a thing? A flower blooming out of the trunk! I promise I didn't paste this on :-)!!

So, weekend plans anybody? I need some ideas...send 'em my way!

Priorities

2011-04-07T07:00:00.000-04:00

Some days, when your head, heart, and to-do list seem like this:

You just gotta make some priority decisions in order to stay afloat. So today I chose to:

*Go shopping just for a couple necessities in my town instead of heading into the nearby city to "browse" for fun and flowers.
*Not do my exercise video because I've put it off until too late in the day, and now it's more important to get dinner done in time for my husband to get home. This may not seem like a sacrifice, but I'll feel guilty all night.
*Leave the ironing for tomorrow. It's already been sitting for days...what's another 24 hours?
*Spend time reading some inspiring instructional books instead of some super-fun blogs. Because I need them.
*Work on thank you notes and birthday cards instead of preparing early for next week's stamp club. They're just more important.
*Go spend some time training my dogs instead of staying here on the computer blogging - because for the past two weeks they have been completely neglected, and they're starting to act out because of it.
*Be thankful for the minutes I have today, instead of wasting them wishing I had more.

What are you choosing to do today?

The Coast of Maine - A Travel Review

2011-04-05T07:00:00.056-04:00

Allow me to take you to the ocean shores of Maine today: for a quaint stay at the Oceanside Meadows Inn. It is everything charming and seaworthy in the shell of a cozy B&B! The main house was built by a ship's captain, and sits right across a small street from the sea. You can hear the foamy surf beating upon the rocks from the open windows of the Inn, and many rooms offer ocean views.-With 200 acres surrounding the Inn, there is plenty of exploring to do both on shore and off.

View from the sea

A four poster bed and other antique furnishings graced our second floor room


Breakfast was divine! Stand out: pancakes with Maine blueberries

Lovely landscaping all over the grounds surrounding the Inn

The view from our room

One thing I really loved about this place was its location on the Acadia-Schoodic Peninsula. We were just a few minutes down the road from Acadia National Park, which is a stunning must-see...especially at sunset! We also enjoyed a local winery that was recommended by the Innkeeper, Ben. The can't grow wine grapes as far north as Maine, but they make a tasty plethora of fruit wines as diverse in flavor as one could hope for! Ben is a wealth of information and makes a great area tour guide - all you could ask for in a relaxed, exemplary Innkeeper. -

So if you're headed north for vacation, consider making the picturesque area of Acadia Schoodic a stop on your route! You won't regret it!

After the Wedding...

2011-04-05T07:00:00.002-04:00

So we have survived! The bride wasradiant, the groom so handsome, the evening was beautiful, and the newlyweds are off ontheir honeymoon. In the meantime, here we all sit with aching backs and hangovers.Seriously people, I am here to declare that it should be commonknowledge and a mandatory practice that the family of the brideshould plan a “recover moon” right after any family wedding. It's notthat it's all of the emotion of the event (although that does hit you in overwhelming waves), and not even really all the manual labor of a DIY wedding(although there is a lot of that involved), but it's the dangerous combinationof the two that makes it such an exhausting ride. - I have to say though,that I loved the process! It was truly wonderful being involved through all the planning stages, and great to stand up as my sister'sMatron of Honor. The day went swimmingly overall, and the bride and groom were sohappy with the result. I was even (you'd be proud of me) able tomostly let go of the details of the day andjust enjoyed the ride! That is a feat, a FEAT I tell you, for afirstborn organized, fanatical, perfectionistic, wedding director type like myself. I need a vacation.

I know what you really want though, isto see pictures. I didn't take too many, so I'm hoping thephotographer will have a bunch posted on her website soon that I candirect you to. Here are a few to hold you over in the meantime:

At Fresh Market buying flowers the day before. Jonathan pushing the cart. I loved it!

A "before" view of the venue

Centerpieces in progress...

Bow-tie tying lessons after the rehearsal dinner

The bridesmaids at the Tea Tavern the morning of the big day

After brunch, it was off to the day spa!

Some girls got massages, some got their hair done. Here's our room at the spa ^

The worlds most last minute first dance lesson (while we were waiting to be announced!)

*Love*

Just before their getaway

A Sparkling Microwave

2011-04-04T00:26:00.007-04:00

You're melting butter for a recipe, and you hear that telltale pop, your son is reheating pizza from yesterday and from the crackling sounds coming from the general direction of the microwave, you know that there will be tiny little tomato sauce splatters all over the inside when he's done. It's hard to keep a microwave clean!

But never fear! Let me share my favorite way to get that microwave shining again! Just take a counter wiping rag, wet it, and wring it out. Place the rag in the microwave on high for 35 seconds, and then let it sit for a few minutes before you open the door. The steam created by the now-hot wet rag is helping to loosen the baked on food messes from the walls, ceiling, and door of your unit. When you take the rag out, be careful not to burn yourself! Now use the hot rag to wipe the inside out really well...it shouldn't take much elbow grease or any chemicals at all. As an added bonus, this is also an easy way to sanitize the rag!

A Little Happy Blog Hop

2011-04-01T07:00:00.000-04:00

Here's my little happy photo for the week: my two adorable Bichons. I {heart} them!

Be sure to get the code to paste on your blog too! I can't wait to hop on over to your blog for a smile :-)
get the InLinkz code

Lemons

2011-03-31T08:37:00.000-04:00

Just a few quick lemon tips for today:

I've been doing a lot of cooking with lemons lately (mainly due to my current Mediterranean kick), and have a couple of tips to share should you find yourself doing the same:

*To choose a juicy lemon at the grocery store, pick one that is heavy for its size (color doesn't matter as much as the weight does)

*To extract the most juice from your lemon, roll on the counter with the palm of your hand to help burst the juice pods inside before you cut it.

*If your lemon seems to be rather low in the juice department, you can try microwaving it for a few seconds before squeezing.

*When you squeeze your lemon into your dish (provided you're doing it the old fashioned way and not with a reamer), squeeze cut side up so that you'll see and catch any seeds before they fall into (and get lost in) your dish! - see photo ^

*When you're done using your lemon zest and juice, and are left with squeezed out lemon halves, use them (cut side down) to scrub out your kitchen sink. They make it shine, disinfect it, and deodorize it all at the same time! What a wonderful, "green" use for leftovers, don't you think? After you've scrubbed, let it set for a couple of minutes to really go to work neutralizing those odors, then give your sink a quick squirt down with your sprayer. Your whole kitchen will smell fresh! - If you've got a garbage disposal, send the rinds on down to clean and deodorize down there too (as we learned from Meli a couple of weeks ago!), otherwise send them out to your compost pile.

Hope your day is fresh and zesty!

Have any other uses for lemons? Please share them with us in the comments!

Growing to Cut

2011-03-30T07:00:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited that we've finally entered into "cutting season" here in Virginia! It's always been my goal to have a garden that will provide me with constant blooms to bring inside from Spring to Fall, and because we built our home, I had the luxury (or back breaking chore - however you'd like to look at it!) of starting our flower beds from scratch with this goal in mind. -

Over the years, I haven't planted anything unless it has a purpose - and in the case of 95% of the plants in our yard, that purpose is to be cut!

Right now it's bulb and flowering tree season (I think that flowering tree branches are gorgeous in a vase!),

and a silly thing about me as a bulb gardener is: I tend to plant them in a very obvious pattern. SO, when you go to cut a few, the pattern is ruined! I know it's ridiculous (or OCD), but I had to go and plant and entire bulb "cutting garden" just so I could cut bulb flowers without reservation. It's just a long strip at the edge of the yard full of bulbs, and the whole idea is to CUT THEM ALL! I love it! Makes it so much more fun to bring in my daffodils. :-)

Speaking of which, this just came to mind: did you know that when you cut a daffodil it secretes a milky liquid that can harm (kill) other flowers if placed in a vase with them. If you really want to add daffodils to another arrangement, just cut and place them in water for about 6 hours by themselves - this will seal the ends and cut off the milk flow. Then you can use them along with other flowers with no danger threat.

Are any of the rest of you interested in growing flowers for cutting? If so, I'd be happy to post about great flowers for cutting that I've discovered over the years.

Spring Decor

2011-03-29T07:42:00.000-04:00

*You can find me in Beverly Hills today!

Thought I'd share with you what things are looking like these days at (my home) Windy Poplars. I've really cut back on my seasonal decorating over the years - leaning towards more simple and natural I think, but I still like to add little touches of fresh decor appropriate to whatever holiday is right around the corner. Hope you enjoy! Do you decorate for Spring? Leave me a link to your pictures if you've already posted them...I'd love to come and visit!

Little egg welcome wreath on the font door

This was hard to photograph - kitchen island centerpiece

This was before I added some moss to the mix (around the eggs)

Dining room table centerpiece

Under a lamp in the den

Den coffee table

Bookshelves in living room

A few last scenes from around the house

Fragrancing Your Home

2011-03-28T07:00:00.001-04:00

I am convinced that I was born with acutely heightened senses. Things hurt my ears more than anyone else I know, I enjoy tastes like they are a symphony in my mouth (anybody see Ratatouille?), smell affects my judgment and enjoyment of things (or not) almost to a fault, and because of that (my sensitivity to smells), I want to keep my home smelling fresh and inviting. Because this is a constant mission of mine, I have several scent sources that I rely on. Besides the obvious candle, Here are my favorites:

This is a plug-in mini wax burner. It stays close to the wall and out of the way, lets off a little light, and is perfect for a small room like a bathroom or laundry room. Pros: fills the room with fragrance, acts as a night light, is easy to empty/refill because the top saucer is removable, doesn't take up counter space, and the melt lasts a really long time! Cons: It does take awhile to heat up and get going (maybe 45 minutes), so for drop in company, this doesn't do much.

Next up is a wooden block diffuser. If you like fragrance oils, but don't like the wooden sticks look or are afraid that it will get knocked over and spilled, here is your solution: This works exactly the same way, but you use the entire lid as your "wick". Because it's such a large surface area, this can easily become overwhelming in a small room, or even a bedroom. Perfect for living areas or basements though! Pros: no spilling, lasts a long time (maybe 6 weeks) Cons: is strong, so you must use it in a well-ventilated area.

This is the classic plug in oil warmer. I like this for rooms like a mudroom or laundry room where it's nice to have a continual member on your offense battling against unpleasant odors like dirty shoes, clothes, or pets. Pros: easy, and adds a continual light fragrance to the air Cons: doesn't look very pretty when it gets low, uses electricity.

Febreze Set and Refresh: super easy, super effective for very small spaces. It doesn't require any electricity, you don't have to keep adjusting it, it blends in well with a spa like bathroom atmosphere, and lasts about a month. Pro: cheap, does the job in small areas where unit can be close to the nose Cons: not super strong, hard to see when it's getting low.

This may be an old-fashioned method of fragrancing, but I love a good lamp ring and oil. All you do is place a few drops of your oil into the ring, carefully place it on a cool light bulb, and turn on the lamp! It is usually a very quick fix (i.e. drop in company) if you have odors you want to get rid of fast. When you turn off the lamp, the smell fades quickly too. You can change scents easily and often if you wish. Pros: easy, quick, instant fragrance Cons: a little pricey for the oils, but they last FOREVER, bugs can get caught in the ring and die (gross).

Above is one of my very favorite clean, calming scents: Lavender Chamomile from B&BW

So how do you fragrance your home? Do you have some favorite scents for Spring to share with us?

A Little Happy Blog Hop

2011-03-25T07:00:00.005-04:00

This photo lowers my blood pressure every time!

Taken from the porch of the ""White Sands" (Dalvay by the Sea) hotel on Prince Edward Island at sunset.

*Don't forget to "get the InLinkz code" below to add to your blog so people can "hop" from one photo to the next!

get the InLinkz code

Linking to Company Girls Coffee today too :-)

Sunburst Makeover - By: Carmel

2011-03-24T07:00:00.001-04:00

*Tomorrow is our next Little Happy Blog Hop! Don't forget to come back and join in the fun!

Hello, I'm back today to talk about one of my favorite things to do and show you a little something I "created". I love to shop thrift stores, goodwills, and yard sales for old, unwanted and vintage finds. I think the biggest key to shopping these places is being able to see the potential. I love searching for a good "diamond in the rough". I created a sunburst mirror with a recent find, and I use the word "created" rather loosely here because the truth is it was super easy! There really wasn't much creating involved. Honestly, all I really did was think outside the box or outside the clock if you will.

I found this baby at a consignment store. It was hanging on the wall looking a little sad all covered in dust. A thick, disgusting don't-let-your-kids-touch-it layer of dust! In the store it actually looked kind of grey. Well, the mid-century modern look of it really caught my eye. I was drawn to it like a moth to a flame :) I rubbed my finger on it to see what it was made of and removed a layer of dust to see the gold underneath. My heart skipped a beat. Then I looked over at the price tag; it was marked $18! My heart was racing. I could see that this clock was clearly not functional, but I didn't care one bit because I had no intention of using it as a clock anyway. I knew from the moment I laid my eyes on it that it was going to be repurposed into a mirror!

Anyhow, once I de-funked the clock with the power of Windex, I got to work on de-facing her. Things got a little craaaaaazaaay! I used some pliers to take off the face of the clock. I had to tug and pull pretty hard and in the process actually broke a few of the spokes/bursts! Ooops!

A little super glue to the rescue! Then I opened up this little box of mirrors that I purchased from Target a while ago for another project. I think it was $19.99.

I tried out a couple different sizes and decided I liked the smaller one best.

Then I just super glued that reflective beauty right on to the face of what was a clock. Added a heavy box on top to hold it in place until it dried and voila, a mid-century modern sunburst mirror!

I love love love it!

I love that it cost me a fraction of the price compared to many other sunburst mirrors from home decor retailers. In addition, this one is very unique. It was the perfect addition to the hubs office/ man cave.

Come on over to Our Fifth House to see what's going on over here!

Have a wonderful day!

Sun Tea? Yes Please!

2011-03-23T07:00:00.000-04:00

One thing that is always a delight to make when the warm sun of Spring begins to shine her lovely rays through my windows is sun tea. Is that a southern thing? - Everyone has their method of choice, but I love the simplicity of using ice cold water in a quart mason jar (to use a vintage turquoise one adds to the charm I think...humor me-this is a much a ritual as it is a practicality), and three tea bags. Set in a sunny window, or out on your deck/porch until the desired tea strength is achieved. A tablespoon of agave stirred in while it's still warm, then chilled in the icebox for a few hours, makes for the perfect warm weather refresher! I prefer to use herbal or white teas for sun tea. Black and green teas can take on an acidic bite when steeped too long. I guess I like the flexibility of being able to forget about it for the whole afternoon and still have a delicious brew. :-)

Do you make sun tea? If so, what is your favorite flavor?

It's Spring, So Let's Talk Cleaning!

2011-03-22T07:00:00.002-04:00

Cleaning. The word that makes us all leap for joy, no?! I do get anxious right around this time of year to spruce things up a bit around the house though. Getting rid of all the cobwebs, wool, and coziness of winter feels so refreshing, doesn't it?

Today I thought I'd share a bit about the cleaning habits that help me keep my home manageable, neat, and ready for company at a moments notice.

My overarching inspiration comes from The Flylady whom you can find over at Flylady.net. You will see some of her concepts throughout my routine.

Everyday: clean up hotspots (areas where junk accumulates: by doors, kitchen counters, around the phone, etc.) before bed. Don't go to bed with a messy house! These spots can be easily dealt with - with only one days worth of clutter accumulated...a whole week of neglect though, and the situation becomes dire. -

After Dinners: make a quick spot-sweep of the kitchen floors a part of your after dinner clean up routine.

Mondays: I dust the house with my Swiffer or feather duster (fast paced loud music helps this normally mundane chore go by much more quickly!), water house plants, change bed sheets.

Tuesdays: Vacuum the whole house and clean the bathrooms

Just implementing these few habits religiously, and of course training your family to observe the basic “when you use it, put it back” philosophy, your house can generally be kept in a presentable condition.

In order to keep laundry from accumulating, I also wash one load of laundry per day. Usually, I bring it to the mudroom even before breakfast. Then after breakfast, switch from the washer to the dryer. - I TRY (although I don't always succeed) to get a whole load taken care of (washed, dried, and put away) before lunch. You'll be surprised at how easily you can stay on top of the ever growing wash pile by just faithfully doing one load each day.

Also from Flylady: I will sometimes focus on one room or area for an entire week (Flylady's Zones) in addition to my usual routine, and do some deep cleaning little by little. For example, take the kitchen. Here is what zone cleaning the kitchen might look like:

Monday: Empty and clean out the fridge

Tuesday: Scrub down the cabinet fronts and knobs

Wednesday: dust and wipe baseboards and lighting fixtures

Thursday: Empty and re-organize silverware and junk drawers

Friday: Go through pantry and throw out expired food

I set my timer for some of these tasks, and just tackle whatever I can in a 15 or 30 minute window. Then I give myself a little reward break for 5-15 minutes: maybe a coffee break, some quick blog reading, or a brisk walk outside.

Lastly, since we were on the subject of the kitchen, a few things that I have found really help keep my fridge in decent shape is to:

*Wash and prep fruits and veggies right away, display certain items in a nice bowl or baskets inside the fridge so people can find a healthy snack quickly and with minimal effort.

*Store leftovers in small see-through containers. If you can SEE your options, you are more likely to eat them!

*Don't push things to the back of your shelves. Out of sight, out of mind...until they start to smell that is...

*Every time you plan to go grocery shopping, go through your fridge before you leave for the store. You might even find ingredients that you already had that you were going to re-buy! Throw out anything questionable, and give the inside of the fridge a quick swipe with a warm soapy dishcloth.

I hope some of these cleaning tips can help inspire you to come up with (or keep pressing on with) a cleaning routine of your own. A working routine looks different for everybody, but just having one is what will keep your house from going to the dogs!

Sorry, couldn't resist ;-). These are my two furbabies Chester and Caroline!

Do you have a cleaning routine? If so, I hope you'll share it with the class down in the comment section. We can all learn so much from each other!

It's Here! It's Here!

2011-03-21T07:00:00.000-04:00

It's a brand new week friends, and the beginning of a brand new season too! To celebrate, I'm thrilled to introduce the brand new Spring line at Kristin's Vintage Garden! In addition to new and improved Spring Blooms (they are now pin AND clip backed for maximum versatility), you'll find some fabulous gift ideas, like this beautiful spiral bound journal set, which is personalized with the initial of your choice.

I've also added some handmade (by yours truly) stationary to the line up! There is a set of full sized cards available in the shop, and what you see here, is a set of 6 "love notes". They are 3x3" mini cards that are just perfect for you to leave on your hubby's pillow, tuck in his lunch (or suitcase if he travels for work), or wedge in his windshield wiper. A wonderful way to let him know you think about him when you are apart.

Lastly, in our little sneak peek line up, you'll see that I have a whole new army of Lucite chrysanthemum earrings up for grabs! These went very quickly last time, and now they are back in an array of yummy spring colors (I have even more colors to add, so keep checking back for an even greater selection!). A perfect blend of vintage and modern, they are sweet and sassy studs that are all the rage right now, and at Kristin's Vintage Garden, you can get them for almost half the price of what other shops are selling them for! Don't delay...get yours soon before they're gone!

To celebrate, you can get FREE SHIPPING on your entire order through Wednesday the 23rd! Now you just tell me where you can find a better deal than that?! All you have to do is enter the code WELCOMESPRING at checkout.

I hope you enjoy the Spring line!

A Little Happy Blog Hop #1

2011-03-18T07:00:00.053-04:00

Today is the day! The very first in our series of Little Happy Blog Hops. Let's spread some graciousness around blogland today, shall we? There is so much negativity all around us, and even reading blogs can become heavy and depressing sometimes, but not today! All you have to do to join in our little ray of sunshine (which together can become radiant!) is to share a photo of something that brings a smile to your heart! You can read more about the original idea behind this link party HERE. The button for you to grab is below (or you can include a text link back here to LG in your post if you prefer). Leaving comments with the other participants is also a kind and gracious thing to do. I know my readers here are special - let's shine today girls!

Because this is a brand new party, will you help me spread the word and tell your friends? Tweet about it, blog about it, FB status it...whatever! The more the merrier (especially when we're trying to spread some joy around...who doesn't need that?! We need all the help we can get)! I can't wait to share in each others joy!

Now one last thing: because this is a "hop" it would be great for visitors to be able to just jump from one blog to the next (instead of having to come back here in between each) so all you have to do is click that little link that says to "get the code". It will take you to a page where you will choose which code is right for you (Blogger, WP, etc.). Then just post that little bit of HTML at the bottom of your post, and voila! The whole party will be on your blog too!

get the InLinkz code

My Little Happy

2011-03-18T06:59:00.003-04:00

The Spring flowers popping up all over our yard make my heart smile! Change, renewal, and a fresh start are coming back to the earth. Can you feel it?

Travel Review: Elmwood Hertitage Inn

2011-03-17T07:00:00.003-04:00

It's high time for another travel review review around here, don't you think? Today let me take you up to idyllic Prince Edward Island, Canada (truly, one of our favorite places on earth) to share with you a beautiful Victorian gem located in the heart of Charlottetown - the capital city. When we vacationed on the island, we spent half our time lodging on the North Shore, and the other half based in Charlottetown, I would highly recommend any visitor to PEI do the same. This way, we had all of the island within easy driving distance at some point during our stay.-

While we wanted to remain near the heart of the city, we didn't want the hustle and bustle of traffic and such, so finding Elmwood was the perfect solution! Within easy walking distance of Victoria park and the harbor, Elmwood is located right off of a main street down a private, enchanting Elm-lined lane. This one-acre treasure is truly secluded and convenient!

Upon our arrival, we were greeted with tea on the front veranda, and the weather was perfect to enjoy it in the company of the afternoon breezes.

Our room was called Rosa's Room (rates for this room range from $149-$199 CAD), and it is tucked upstairs cozily under the eaves. The bed and draperies make you feel like you're in a fairy cocoon - very creative use of the space, don't you think? This long, narrow room also had a nice little sitting area with a settee covered in peacock velvet (which had me at "hello") positioned in front of the electric fireplace. We enjoyed a few "take out" meals here! For such occasions, there was a convenient guest fridge that was centrally located. - Moving through the sitting area to the en suite bath, you really do forget sometimes that this house was built in 1889. The bath has been completely renovated with beautiful, modern amenities that include a huge whirlpool tub for two (with shower), a creamy white pedestal sink, and a nice rack to store your toiletries.

Elmwood also boasts an extensive movie collection, which you can leisurely browse to take back to your room for a late night flick. The entire Inn is decorated in beautiful antiques, and handmade Island quilts cover each of the beds.

Now onto the breakfast part of this "Bed and Breakfast". The food is truly one of the things that earns repeat guests at a B&B (at least, that's one of our very favorite parts!). Served by candlelight, and on cool mornings by firelight as well, our dining experience here was simply delicious! The juice is fresh-squeezed, the tea is piping hot, the fruit is fresh, and the entrees: varied and delicious. The dining area is set up with multiple tables, so for those of you who don't enjoy the communal dining experience that is often found at B&Bs, this is a nice, more private option.-

Carol and Jay were delightful hosts. Very helpful and knowledgeable about the area, they always had time to answer a question or two. The Inn was also stocked with a good selection of area maps, which made sightseeing by car a breeze.-

While in Charlottetown, we enjoyed the historic downtown area, the harbor, Victoria Park, meandering around the neighborhoods surrounding Elmwood (which were all meticulously groomed...we are convinced that the entirety of PEI belongs to a communal garden club :-)), and the Charlottetown Farmer's Market.

View of the bathroom beyond the sitting area

The bathroom rates: 5 Stars from Kristin

The entrance from the main road

At breakfast in the dining room

I'll leave you with possibly the most intriguing thing about this welcoming Inn- at least for those of you who are fans of the Anne of Green Gables books! There is reason to believe that this very home was the home that, in the AoGG books became "Beechwood", the home of Mrs. Josephine Barry. You can read more about that HERE.

Of course, if you have any further questions about Elmwood, or PEI in general, feel free to ask. It is a destination I would highly recommend for anyone who is a true romantic at heart, and of course it is a must for Anne fans of any age!

***Tomorrow is our first ever Little Happy Party here at Living Graciously. I hope you'll join in spreading smiles around blogland. You can read more about it over at Windy Poplars

Cake Pop Tutorial

2011-03-16T07:00:00.003-04:00

For my sister's bridal shower, I launched myself into the world of cake pop making in a big way! She's really been into cake pops lately, so I wanted to at least attempt them for her. When all was said and done, we had 6 varieties - all equally delicious! I hope you enjoy this little tutorial:

You will need:
A baked cake (or two or three)
Icing
Candy coating (I liked theWilton discs that I found at a craft store best-melt them SLOWLY in the microwave...a few seconds at a time and then stir, stir, stir. If you over-melt them, you won't get a perfectly smooth dipping medium)
Lollipop sticks

First: bake your cake(s) as directed on the box(es)

Next: crumble your cooled cake into a large bowl until crumbs are uniform

Add icing (homemade or store bought) to crumbs little by little. Stir well.

You will eventually achieve the consistency of dough. Don't get it too sticky!

Roll dough into balls and place on waxed cookie sheet. Chill for 10-20 minutes.

Dip sticks into a small amount of melted candy coating, and place into balls.

The candy coating on the stick will harden to become "glue". Back in the fridge
for 10-20 more minutes.

Melt the rest of your candy coating in a small, deep vessel and dip carefully.

Let dry upright stuck in foam, or upside down on wax paper.

These are double dipped, upside-down pops.

Let cool completely, and store either at room temperature or in the fridge. If I were going to do it over again (and it seems I will...my sister already placed an "order" for her wedding in a month!), I'd do the different steps on different days: baking on one day, rolling on another, and dipping on a third. That would keep it from becoming such a tedious task! In case you're wondering about the flavor combos we did, here's a list:

Tuxedo: French Vanilla Cake with Dark Chocolate Coating

Minty Fresh: Devil's Food Cake with Mint Coating (vanilla discs with peppermint extract added)

Double Chocolate 5 Spice: Devil's Food Cake, Dark Chocolate Coating, sprinkled with 5 Spice powder before the coating dried

Berries and Cream: Strawberry Cake, Vanilla Candy Coating

Peanut Butter Delight: French Vanilla Cake, Dark Chocolate and Peanut Butter Coatings

Cocoa Butter Pecan: Butter Pecan Cake, Dark Chocolate Coating

And here they are, the finished product, displayed at the shower:

If you have any questions, let me know! Have you ever made cake pops? If so, what flavor combos would you recommend to us?

Linking this little tutorial to: Inspired by You, Creative Share Wednesdays, Sugar and Spice, Whatever Goes Wednesday, We Did It Wednesday

One For The Blue Days - By: Ashley

2011-03-15T07:00:00.000-04:00

Hello Readers! Kristin here...I know Ashley's got things covered today, but I'm just popping in to let you know that you can find me over at the Making Lemonade Blog today talking about my cleaning schedule. There is also a flashback post about our 6 course Irish Dinner over in The Kitchen today.

Ok, those are all my PSAs now...take it away Ash:

Did you know that it's scientifically proven that

creating something makes you less stressed?

Okay, I totally made that up, but I swear it's true.

This is me grumpy.

Just home from a rougghhh day at work, and on to my endless homework.

I started to throw myself a pity party.

It lasted about 3 seconds, and then I decided I was going to make something.

So I did.

I'll pass along this delicious recipe for you to pull out in times of pity parties :)

You'll need:

1. Hot glue gun

2. Felt square

3. Fabric

4. Necklace chain

1. Cut out two 1.5 inch circles from your felt, and one 2 inch circle.

2. Use those circles as tracers to cut out A LOT of circles from your chosen fabric.

3. Lay out your felt circles, and pinch a piece of your fabric from the bottom of it. It should look like the picture above. (Here's where my tutorial pics start to slack because I literally hot glue-gunned my finger)

4. Put a drop of hot glue on the fabric, and stick it to the felt.

5.Repeat until all of your felt circles are filled...and you should end up with something like this:

6. Flip your flowers over and hot glue your necklace chain to them. Place another layer of felt over the chain so the chain is covered in the back.

AND YOU'RE DONE!

I have a new rule.

Anytime I am really grumpy, I am going to take a break and go make something.

Try it, it seriously makes you happy.

Making a Chalkboard

2011-03-14T07:00:00.041-04:00

I've been thinking about doing this for years now, but just haven't gotten around to it.- The shower last week (and video from Rachel), helped get my rear in gear, and give the amazingly wonderful medium that is chalkboard paint a whirl.- I started off with just a plain old picture from the Goodwill - cost me $3. It didn't have glass, and wasn't really canvas - just an old print of some house. I used a gray primer to cover the entire thing first and let it dry really well. I then "sanded" it down with a rough paper towel. Next, I add two coats of the actual chalkboard spray. Allowing them to dry completely for about 24 hours. To cure the new board before its first use, just rub the entire thing carefully with the side of a piece of chalk, erase, and you're ready to go! I added an antique gold finish to the frame with acrylic paint applied with a foam brush, and some vintage crocheted lace to add a little pizazz. We used it at my sister's shower for her photo booth, and now it is gracing our wall here at home! Linking to: Made by You Mondays, Craftastic, Dittle Dattle, Under the Table and Dreaming, Make Something Monday.

I have some leftover chalkboard paint from the project, and I was hoping you guys might have some lovely ideas for me! What have you chalk-i-fied?

Primer of choice...worked like a dream!

All ready to add the chalkboard paint!

Adding some antique gold to the frame. I love foam brushes!

Doesn't the lace add a neat little touch?

A Planting We Will Go...

2011-03-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

Although there is still some chill in the air (snow is even forecast here for tomorrow!), it's time to start plotting and planning our summer gardens girls! Do you grow? It's so much fun to have fresh produce right outside your door all season long - even if all you have is a postage stamp garden or a window box. Where there's a will there's a way! - So get online, or look through your seed catalogs, and start ordering now! You can click HERE to find out which zone you are in, and knowing that will help you throughout the growing season with choosing plants that are hardy in your area, knowing when you should plant your first outdoor seeds (both in spring and summer), and also when your first and last frost dates should fall. Here in the Mid-Atlantic where I live, I always remember that right around St. Patty's day is when my first crops go in: snow and sugar snap peas, and spinach.

Yum! I can almost taste them now!

Are you planning to grow a garden this year? If so, what will your first crop of the year be?

Creating a Mail Center - by: Carmel

2011-03-10T07:00:00.015-05:00

Hi, it's Carmel from Our Fifth House, and I'm back again this week to show you how I tackled a very unorganized area of my life - dealing with the mail/paper clutter! Sorting through the mail is not my most favorite thing to do. It seemed I just never had a good system for where to put the mail or how to keep it organized. So, I decided to create a little mail center in the heart of my home (the kitchen). I finally found a purpose for the "desky" area of my kitchen.

Since we moved in last March I've been trying to decide what to do with this small area in my kitchen. Here it is photographed poorly back in September.

This seemed like the perfect place for incoming and outgoing mail. The above picture looks pretty clean, however mail, stamps, coupons, etc. were usually stuffed in there. With the help of my french wired tiered stand (Willow House), I turned this little space into this.

I created a little mail/bill-paying/note-writing/coupon-saving/menu-keeping center! WAHOO! I'm kind of in love with this whole making-this-space-work-for-us thing we've got going on now! For months I was so stumped with how to use this area of kitchen. We've never had a "desky" area in a kitchen before (not in one of the previous 4 houses we've called home!). I guess that's why I was kind of at a loss with what to do here. Now, we're using this space as I think it was intended?

I took the top tier off so the stand so it would fit under the cabinets. Then I cleaned out the 2 junk drawers below, and used an array of different glass containers (we already had) to hold office supplies like paper clips, stamps, pencils, etc. I love those Maker's Mark wax covered glasses - a little nod to the Bourbon loving state we call home! I also pulled my note pad and cards out of the junk drawer to make jotting down my lists and sending notes really simple and easy. Not having to dig around for these things in the junk drawer is pretty sweet (in my opinion) and the ol' junk drawers have never looked so good.

I realize I won't be winning any Martha Stewart organizing awards, but hey you didn't see them before (it.was.bad.).

I used chalkboard place cards that I had picked up at Target months ago to label Incoming mail, Outgoing mail, and mail we need to Keep (like invitations). So, bills that need to be paid go into the incoming slot and then once they're paid they go into the outgoing slot (I know - I'm a genius right?!). And, yes I pay almost all of my bills the old fashioned way; only a few things get paid online. Crazy to some I know, but that's how I roll. Anyhow, keeping take-out menus easily accessible is so key :) Also, love to have a place for incoming coupons that need to be filed away in my coupon folders (yeah- I've got coupon folders- don't be a hater).

I used Command strips to attach the labels (I'm so in love with those things).

Add caption

I'm using my Villa Stoneware Appetizer Tray (Willow House) for mail that has yet to be opened, our keys, and phones.

I added this canvas purchased at Marshalls a while ago to add a pop of color and make this area not seem too utilitarian.

This little area truly serves a purpose now, and it really helps to keep things running smoothly. That's always a bonus for a busy mom! It didn't take much time or money either. I used things that I already had on hand. Repurposing items like a tiered stand that you might use for entertaining is always a good idea. This way you get to enjoy the item all year long rather than only when you're having a party. Also, looking at your glassware and ramekins as storage containers can also help to control clutter, and they make mundane things like stamps and paper clips look good :)

So, any Spring cleaning or organizing going on in your home lately?

Decorating on the Cheap!

2011-03-08T07:00:00.007-05:00

Lately, I've been seeing these sweet little stacks of cover-less books everywhere. Some selling for $30 or more! The thrifty me said: "Oh my goodness, I can do that!", and off to the thrift store I trotted...

For the finished product, my grand total came out to $1.50 plus tax. Nice. I found paperback books at a local thrift store for .50each and picked out three that stacked well. Then I tore off the covers and rubbed the edges lightly with a damp teabag to give it an aged look. Tied them all together with some jute that I already had, and voila! Lovely new accessory for a side table at Windy Poplars. For $1.50. Yes please.

Linking to: Blue Cricket Design, This Blessed Nest, Chic and Crafty Party, and Christina's Adventures

Thank you all so much for stopping by today! Like what you see? You can have Living Graciously delivered to your Inbox every morning - just click the "Subscribe" button on the sidebar!

Organizing It All...

2011-03-08T07:00:00.003-05:00

A well organized home and life start with small purposeful decisions. "A place for everything, and everything in its place" is, I'm sure, a saying you've heard often.- Today I thought I'd show you my organization system of choice for a collection that can easily get out of hand and become a tangled mess: jewelry. Besides making my own jewelry, I've also been selling AVON for 18 years and so have built quite the hoard of costume jewelry. I love it, but was having such a hard time keeping things available, and consequently, I had many pieces and sets that I never wore. I wanted a way to keep things tidy, tarnish free, and easily displayed.- When I found the Jewelry Stax system by Neatnix, I knew I found what I had been looking for! Within this collection, are stackable trays with lots of different combinations of compartments. Perfect for whatever you want to store! I chose three trays with lots of small sections in them. They are lined with a velvety flocking that helps repel tarnish, and keeps your things from scratching. They work really well for me, and take up such little space! I love best of all, that I can take the trays out, lay them on my bed, and see all my jewelry choices at one time. Couldn't be more convenient. -

The Big Reveal - Let's Shower!

2011-03-06T23:50:00.010-05:00

*FREE S&H today on everything over at Kristin's Vintage Garden when you use the code SHIPFREE

Last weekend, my sister Amy and I hosted a bridal shower for our other sister Emily. Our theme was "A Vintage Picnic", and we tried to keep as much of it a surprise as we could. I think we succeeded in capturing her favorite era of vintage, and she said she had a wonderful time (and was surprised by most of it despite her wheedling)! Amy and I are all about the details (to a fault maybe), but I really love choosing a theme and running with it. Here are a couple of snapshots from the day, but I'll send you over to

the photographer's blog

to see a sneak peek of some of the fun little details, and of course more artistic photos! Once we get all the pics via CD, I may share more. For now though, here's a start:

Our "guest book" was a typewriter

Emily loves wildflowers

...and records!

The monogram of the soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs - I LOVE monograms!

Gift area set up in the empty fireplace
Linking to Simply Designing, Inspired by You Wednesday, and Tatertots and Jello

One Word... By: Ashley

2011-03-04T07:25:00.000-05:00

*Have you entered the LG Giveaway for a darling Thirty-One tote? Better do so today...time's almost up!

Hello there beauties!

Since it's my first post over here,

and we're just getting aquainted,

I wanted to play a little game.

You know, to break the ice so we're all a little more

comfortable with eachother ;)

Post your answers in the comments (duh, you already know that).

And get creative!

(source)

Husband's description of me in one word: "Extraordinary. But if there's something better than extraordinary, then that's you" (insert awwwww here).

My description of me in one word: Motivated

Let's get to know eachother a little better...

Go ahead, leave your word :)

And come visit me at www.ashlemieux.blogspot.com!

OH and P:S: IT'S ALMOST THE WEEKEND.

HOOY-RAY.

Creative Bedding

2011-03-03T07:00:00.002-05:00

***Lauren's got something wonderful cooking over in The Kitchen today! Be sure and check it out!
***Don't forget to enter our Living Graciously Giveaway!

Do you ever find yourself looking wistfully at those beautiful magazine pictures with beds all plumped and inviting? Then you go around the corner to your own bedroom and look sadly at your flat, boring, always-the-same bed? Well, today I thought I'd share a few ways to make your bed look a little different and exciting using what you already have. I hope it will inspire you to play around with your own pillows and blankets to make your bed fresh and new today - might even make you want to jump in right after you make it!

Ok, let's start with the basics: For a beautifully made bed, I recommend a comforter or duvet, two sets of cased pillows plus a set of shammed feather pillows, and preferably sheets that match (or at least don't clash!). Bonus points for accent pillows! Here is a basic plain-'ol-made-bed pic:

Yup, kinda boring.

But if you have sheets that don't match, this might be what you need to start with. Pull your comforter up over your sleeping pillows like so:

Then stack your support pillows on top (make these cases match your comforter), and prop your shams in front:

But! Just making a few small changes will make your bed a little more interesting. Here, I just turned down the comforter so that the reverse side shows, added a throw at the base (invites naps!), and a rectangle throw pillow. Makes a difference, right?

Here is a more modern idea. Looks kinda funny with my non-modern bedding, but if you have solid or geometric bedding, this look can be really crisp. Just stack all of your pillows on top of each other, add a throw pillow in front, turn down your comforter halfway, turn down your sheets and blanket, and add your throw in a more organic way.

Then there's the "messy bed" look. I would've like my arrangement better with that front left pillow not so angled, but I didn't notice it until I posted the pics here! Oh well, you can still get the idea. I just layered the pillows all propped up in a different order on each side. Turned down the comforter and sheets, and turned back up the hem of the comforter for more layer/pattern interest. Added the throw haphazardly.

There's always the neat, clean, classic layered pillow prop:

And lastly, this is the way closest to how I usually make my bed: comforter turned down with a pleat (but with no reverse side showing), sheets turned down (I think that sheets showing is the most inviting look), sleeping pillows stacked, and shams propped w/ throw pillow in front, and throw on the corner of the bed.

One last sideview

I think it's really fun to switch things up when you make your bed from time to time - helps to keep your current bedding seem fresh and new a lot longer!

Do you change your bed arrangements or generally make it the same everyday?

A Stencil Tutorial - by: Carmel

2011-03-02T07:00:00.005-05:00

*Have you entered the giveaway for the Thirty-One tote yet? It's darling! Head over here and get your name in the hat!

Calling this a tutorial seems laughable considering this was my very first stenciling experience. However, I was able to achieve the desired result with ease. This should more appropriately be named "A Stenciling How-to From A First Timer's Perspective". Believe me when I say," If I can do it then I know without a shadow of a doubt that literally anyone can!" So let my first time experience inspire you to go ahead and get your stencil on!

I bought my stencil on Esty from Olive Leaf Stencils. It came in a tube and was rolled up inside. So, the first thing I did was to lay it out flat with some heavy books on it. You want your stencil to be flat before you start painting. Once it has been flattened out (no longer wants to curl up) you are ready to begin!

1. Gather your supplies. After reading the very helpful, detailed instructions that came with the stencil, I decided that I would use a foam roller, Elmer's spray adhesive, Frog tape, and a pencil. The base color on the wall is Waverly's Cafe Cream in a flat finish. I chose Cooled Lava by Valspar for the stencil (also a flat finish).

2. Start in a top corner (left or right really makes no difference). Lightly spray with Elmer's (very lightly) and give it a minute to dry a little before sticking it to the wall. Then tape it up with Frog tape. You will only need to spray it about 4 to 5 times. You don't need to spray it every time you move it over.

3. Roll your foam roller through the paint and then roll off the paint on some paper towels. You want the roller to be pretty dry when you use it on your stencil.

4. Then with your fairly dry roller go over the stencil. Depending on the color you choose you may have to apply 2 to 3 coats. This is where you'll need a little patience as you wait for it to dry between coats.

5. Then before you take the stencil down to move it over grab your pencil and mark a little dot in the corner marks on your stencil. Most wall stencils have little notches in the corners where you can make a little pencil dot in order to line your stencil up as you move it across the wall.

6. You don't have to wait until the paint is totally dry before you move your stencil over. You just need the paint to not be really wet still. Once it is semi-dry you can move it over and line up the notches where you marked with a pencil.

7. Then repeat all the way across the wall.

8. When you get to the end move your stencil down and over to the next row. And repeat all the way across.

9. With an all over pattern like the one I used, the corners and the top are a teensy bit tricky. Luckily by the time you get to them you'll have a little more experience under your belt. I did the corners first then went up to the top after. For the corners use the pencil dots to line things up and push your stencil into the corners as best as you can then tape. Roll in very lightly as far into the corner as you can get. You may even want to use a stenciling paint brush to get in the corners a little better.

10. For the top I actually cut my stencil to make it easier to work with. You don't have to do this. I like easy, so I did. It can be taped back together and reused with no problem so it seemed like a no brainer to me.

When you're done do a happy dance and pat yourself on the back! You deserve it! I have to say that when it comes to bleed through, I did have a tiny bit of it. It isn't noticeable at all. Mainly because of the nature of the Ikat pattern all-over stencil I chose. Just one more reason why I love this stencil. An Ikat has blurred edges anyway, so any bleed through I did get looks like it's supposed to be that way :) I'd have to say for that reason alone that this particular pattern is a good choice for a beginner!

So that's my stenciling-for-the-first-time experience. I'm in love with the results and really kind of blown away at how easy it was. If you've never stenciled before I hope my experience encourages you to give it a try! Makes such a big difference in a room for little money, little work, and maybe just a little patience :)

For more info on why I changed my mind and stenciled the wall rather than the ceiling as was originally planned check here. To see how I determined what colors and stencil pattern to use, check here.

Happy Stenciling!

The Lady from Our Fifth House

Please Pray

2011-03-01T21:00:00.000-05:00

Hello Dear Readers!

Would you please send up a prayer for my 22 year old sister Emily who is getting married in a month (no stress or pressure or anything)? She is in the hospital tonight with two blood clots in her leg. Pretty serious situation...she is trying hard to keep her spirits up though. Pray for us too if you think of it...you know how hard it is to be helpless in times like these...
If you would like to send her any well wishes, e-cards, or words of encouragement, you can do so to my e-mail address:

windy-poplars@juno.com

and I'll take them to the hospital for her.
Thank you! I love the blogging community so much because it is a community of support!

Meet the Cast

2011-03-01T07:00:00.003-05:00

*Have you entered the GIVEAWAY for a Living Graciously Thirty-One Thermal Tote yet?

Today I have the privilege of introducing you to our wonderful new team of writers! I know you will grow to love them and all that they have to offer. They truly are a great fit with Living Graciously and the ideals on which this site was founded. Welcome aboard Lauren, Carmel, and Ashley!

My name is Lauren and I am a 28 year old living in a sun-filled suburban Boston apartment with my wonderful husband, playful dog, and cuddly cat. I have degrees in both psychology and guidance counseling, and I am currently working in the special education department of a high school. I strive to find a balance between the two basic food philosophies of “eat to live” and “live to eat“. I believe that food should be (and is!) one of the great pleasures of leading a healthy lifestyle.

My enjoyment of preparing and eating healthy food burgeoned during my graduate school years, when I started to prepare homemade meals. I found myself drawn to the eating habits instilled in me by my health-conscious parents; gravitating towards unprocessed foods and cooking with fresh ingredients. I became enthralled with The Food Network, subscribed to a handful of recipe catalogues, and scooped up a wide variety of cookbooks. My goal was to make food that was simultaneously wholesome and delicious.

Over the past few years my culinary ambition has not wavered, but my confidence in the kitchen has grown. Lightening traditionally unhealthy dishes and creating my own recipes have become a true passion of mine. I also enjoy learning - and writing - about new kitchen tips and tools. Although I still consider myself somewhat of a cooking novice, I am thrilled to share my recipes, tips, and techniques with you. Some of my posts on The Kitchen have also been featured on my blog Healthy Food For Living (www.healthyfoodforliving.com) whereas others were written specifically for the Living Graciously blog.

When I'm not in the kitchen, I'm either laughing with my husband, outside hiking with our dog, Shelby, snuggling on the couch reading with our cat Roxie, or planning my next meal ;).

If you ever have any questions or comments, I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at: foodliving AT gmail DOT com.

Hello, I'm Carmel.

I'm a wife to my dream man (a.k.a the hubs) and stay-at-home mom to 2 great kids, and I'm currently living in my fifth house, hence the blog name - Our Fifth House (genius right?!). I've spent the last ten years on board the "moving train" (because of the hubs job) and have finally settled down here in Lexington, Kentucky, which is the hubs hometown. Since I've been married, I've moved 6 times, have had 7 addresses, lived in 5 houses, and have called 3 different states home (Kentucky, Virginia, & Pennsylvania). While I am originally from Orange County, California, I love the Southeast! I love having all four seasons, and I'm a big fan of southern comfort food!

My moving adventures really sparked a design interest within me as I'm passionate about making my house a home. I'm not a "designer" (although I am a Willow House Design Consultant), however I've gained quite a bit of experience in the "making-this-house-a-home" department. I believe that your home is an expression of you and all who live there. The hubs loves modern, 60's inspired designs while I lean toward traditional and french country styles with an updated twist. It's kind of like West Elm meets Ballard Designs. My mission is to create a home that reflects our "merged style" that is comfortable for both of us not to mention our 2 kids and 2 dogs. Making this house a home is a journey not a destination, and I believe that it can be done without breaking the bank or sacrificing style. I take it one diy project at a time. My moving adventures have taught me one very important lesson. Home is not a place; it's a feeling. While I'm no expert, I'm excited to share what I've learned about how to make your house a home. I'll be sharing lots of design ideas, tips, tutorials, along with a few decorating misadventures I'm sure. You live and learn - that's my philosophy anyway!

If you have any questions or comments I'd love to hear them! Please feel free to email me at Carmelraye@yahoo.com or follow me on twitter @Ourfifthhouse!

Well, hello there!
My name is Ashley,
and I recently had an epiphany.

Yes, this actually took me 24 years to discover.

You know those people who come out of the womb,

knowing they want to be a rocket scientist,

or a doctor, world saving, President of the United States?

And then they work the rest of their lives

pursuing that one thing?

Well, that has never been me.

I have ALWAYS wanted to be a published author.

But that's not all.

I want to inspire inner-city highschool kids,

have my own hand-made business,

be a motivational speaker,

and lead an organization that I founded called The Shine Project.

Here's where my epiphany comes in:

I don't have to choose just one thing!

Man that feels good to say!

My husband inspires me,

my beliefs lead me,

and my stubborn motivation keeps my goals high.

I'm a firm believer that we're all here to

SHINE,

and that's just what I intend to do.

Join me for ways to stay motivated,

ideas for small acts of service to lift others,

and lifestyle posts...

All while we share our progress with each other!

Disclaimer: The crazy events that I say happen to me, actually do. Be prepared for ridiculousness

You can find me regularly at The Shine Project.

I know you girls already kinda know me, but for those who might be new, I thought I'd introduce myself a little more formally:

My name is Kristin, and I am the founder of Living Graciously. I actually started blogging several years ago as a craft blogger to provide my customers with a constant string of stamping inspiration between classes, then in 2010, I started my original personal blog: Windy Poplars. I toyed around with what I wanted Windy Poplars to encompass: personal life, public life, instructive tips, a hodgepodge everyday-life blog, inspirational posts, a structured/organized resource blog, etc... and finally (after a year!) I came to the decision that I wanted to have a place that could be purely unstructured and about whatever I felt inspired to write at the time (Windy Poplars), and then create another space to be a purely instructional and inspirational (and more organized- so people could easily go back and find a recipe they wanted to try for example) resource blog for the woman of many interests...like me! Hence, Living Graciously was born. - I've always been passionate about living your best life - we settle for so much less of what life holds, and God intends for us on a daily basis girls, so the idea of living a gracious lifestyle, seizing the day, and blogging about it, seemed a recurring anthem that beat within my heart. Now I'm so very thankful to have these girls beside me along for the ride!

On the personal side: I'm in my early thirties, am married to a wonderful man who is truly my human completion. We live happily on 3 acres in the country (our little corner of the earth is called Windy Poplars) and we share our home with two little incorrigible Bichon Frise pooches (Chester and Caroline), and a rather stuck up grey calico cat (Autumn). I have so many interests and hobbies, I won't bore you by listing them all here! A short list is: writing, crafting, cooking, travel, entertaining, dancing, and home decorating. I work as a wedding director for a local bed and breakfast, a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, a piano teacher, and most recently an Artfire artisan selling my handmade and vintage wares, so my days are generally full --but full of good things! - I am an interactive blogger at heart, and love more than anything, having two-way conversations with my readers. So I hope you'll join in the conversation, don't be afraid to speak out (i.e. leave comments ;-)), and become a friend of Living Graciously!

A Very Exciting Monday!

2011-02-28T07:00:00.002-05:00

Hello dear readers! Exciting things happening around these parts... I'm so glad you've stopped by today for our big announcement. Ready?! Well, I'm gonna make you wait just a leettle bit longer while I give you some background leading up to "these exciting things": As most of you know, I started Living Graciously over a month ago now - mainly with the intention of better organizing the tips, recipes, and projects I had already posted on Windy Poplars (my personal blog). It didn't take long though, until the vision of having a "one stop shop" blog for the woman of many interests (like me), began to take shape in my mind. I ran with it...so fast that I couldn't keep up with myself actually. My vision became larger and larger...The Kitchen was born to catalog healthy, whole food, delicious, simple gourmet recipes; The Style Files were born because, well, I love style and the journey that I'm currently on to discover my own; The Personal Shopper was born to share reviews, giveaways, and great deals with you; and The Gracious Mavens were born to inspire you to daily to become mavens of your home, and to continually nurture the special relationships in your life. Whew, makes me tired just typing about it! So here we are...over a month later, with 100+ readers joining me on this new adventure through Google FC, Feedburner, and Facebook (wow! thanks girls~you make this all worthwhile!). BUT, I have come to the realization that I can't keep this going on my own anymore. I want Living Graciously to be not just a mediocre blog that gets updated every so often, but a place that is always fresh with something new, interesting, and inspirational.
Sooooo.......

Without any further ado.....THE ANNOUNCEMENT.

It is with great excitement that I welcome aboard three new companions who have kindly agreed to come along for the ride! They are fabulous in every sense of the word. They are inspiring, talented, fun, and they are now the sisters of Living Graciously: Ashley from The Shine Project, Carmel from Our Fifth House, and Lauren from Healthy Food for Living. I truly wish I lived in the same neighborhood as these girls! Carmel would help me decorate my house to magazine-worthy status (fully furnished with Willow House of course!), whenever I was feeling a little discouraged, Ashley would be my motivational speaker :-), and I would think of every possible excuse to get invited over to Lauren's for ~~breakfast, lunch, snacks~~ dinner! - Well, a girl can dream....right?! The good news is, they are now a part of the Living Graciously neighborhood, and you will have the privilege hearing from them on a regular basis.

****To celebrate, I'm holding a GiVeAwAy over at The Personal Shopper. Go get your name entered into the hat, and tell your friends!

Be sure and come back tomorrow to get to know each of the girls a little better when they introduce themselves formally.

Dreaming in Gold

2011-02-25T07:00:00.001-05:00

How many times a day (week, month, year), do we get that feeling in our souls that we've accomplished something great? I don't mean great on the Richter Scale, measuring impaction levels on mankind as a whole, but great in the sense that you KNOW that what you just did, was something you were created to do. It resounds in your very deepest heart of hearts. It could be an inner joy and peace...a sense of purpose fulfilled...a delight with your soul at perfect rest...a longing satisfied. We're going to call that a "golden feeling" for the purposes of this post. I find colors can be a great way of expressing emotions - don't you think?

I love having that feeling of gold! It's a natural high. Even if it's only for a moment. It helps you wade through all kinds of daily mundane, and like a drug, keeps you wanting more.~

So with that in mind, now switch over to thinking about some of the dreams and goals you have for your life. Do they meld in any way with those aforementioned feelings of gold? Many of mine do, and that's why, after one day connecting those two thoughts, I had my epiphany:

A Key to Happiness:
1. Spend some time thinking about the dreams and desires that were placed in your hearts secret place before you were born. - Consciously noting that the realization of them in your life causes your heart to overflow with feelings of golden peace and joy!
2. Stop sitting around and waiting for them to occur by chance.- DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

Several blogs have been inspiring me lately to live my dreams. Who knows if we'll ever see tomorrow? But we DO have today! Many of my dreams have always seemed far off in the future.- "We don't have the money", "It's too much work", "I have no idea how to even go about getting started", "I'm too young and inexperienced", are all excuses I've used. No more my friend!

It's time to start being a dream liver! I'm stepping out into the unknown and am in search of gold! Here are some stops along my Golden Road Map, I hope it will inspire you to make one of your own!

*Golden Dream: Nurturing weary souls by providing care and pampering and bliss! Giving them an escape from their everyday life, and helping to restore their calm.-
*Map: Sprucing up our guest room and bath to act as a "bed and breakfast" where all guests needs are met - offered to all on a donations basis -only as people are led and able.

*Golden Dream: Marriage Counseling - helping to build strong, vibrant marriages.
*Map: See the map above - providing thought provoking and interactive material for couples to use while staying with us if they so desire to grow their relationship. - Also planning marriage days/events for couples only that involve growing in trust, vulnerability, communication, and fun companionship.

*Golden Dream: Community - fellowship, and providing "family" for those who have none (or none close by).
*Map: Looking into building and running a boarding house - a long time dream of mine! Praying for direction... Making lots of phone calls!

*Golden Dream: Travel - My heart experiences many golden thrills when I'm exploring a new place for the first time, or visiting an old gem that holds lots of memories. Also tied tightly to this, is the reconnection that happens with my dear husband when we're taken out of our daily routine, and set out on an adventure together. That's pure gold!

*Map: Starting to look for a supplemental job that will exclusively provide travel money - so that it can become a more regular part of our lives.

***This was a post I originally wrote and published on Windy Poplars.

So now that you've read about some of my golden dreams - I want to hear about yours my friends! What could you be doing today to help make them a reality? I'd love to dialog with you about it! Won't you take a moment or two to share?

Linking to Coffee Talk today.

Do You Have a Stinky Sink?

2011-02-24T07:00:00.001-05:00

Today is our very last February Blog Love post. I hope you have enjoyed meeting some new bloggers over the month! Our guest poster is Melissa (MeLi) from Domestiquette. She is a home blogger, and shares all kinds of wonderful updates about the new (old) house she and her fiance are fixing up to start a new life together in. I really love her style. We are kindred spirits in the home taste department for sure! I know you all will enjoy her too! Here she is sharing a very practical post with us about how to keep our garbage disposals in tip top shape. Take it away:

I started to clean my kitchen..lalala, cleaning...then after it was all clean, I still smelled something funny...what was it? The Garbage Disposal!...

I'm sure many of you have stuck your hand in there to pick out any number of little things that have managed to get through..and if you've noticed, it is slimmy and yucky down there...so the ewwww smell is bound to happen....but sometimes it hits you out of nowhere, and soap doesn't get rid of it....what do you do?!?!?

Well...next time you're making lemonade, or orange juice, don't throw those used up halves away!, they are all you need to clean your garbage disposal!...

Tips for Disinfecting/Cleaning a Stinky Garbage Disposal

INSTRUCTIONS

Grab a lemon/lime/Orange half
Remove seeds & brand stickers
Stick in your garbage disposal, turn it on, and run with some hot water for a minute or two
(if you have some handy, also add a spoonful of baking soda, it disinfects! not the citrus still works fab on its own!)
Turn off disposal, and carefully remove the crushed halves

And since we're caring for our garbage disposal, why not sharpen the blades?...it takes a minute and makes a huge difference!...ok, here we go!:

Tips for sharpening the blades of your Garbage Disposal

INSTRUCTIONS

Grab a handful of ice cubes
Stick them in your disposal, turn it on, and run with some cold water for a minute or two
Turn off disposal...and that's it!

Yay!!!, now your kitchen is sparkly glowwy, and smells grrrrrrrrreeat!

FYI

Here are some common food items that shouldn't go down your disposal....

Cooked Rice...(clogs up pipes!)
Potato peels ...(again, pipe clogger!)
Onion skins... (sticks to blades, preventing anything to be crushed properly)
Banana skins ...(causes the blades to slick up and also clogs up the pipes)
Bones.. (can break your garbage disposal)
Stringy veggies aka: asparagus, celery, artichokes etc...(the strings on the veggie don't get ground up, and they stay there, rotting and stinking up your kitchen)
Seafood shells....(don't crush properly and just stay and stink up the kitchen horribly!)
Cooking Oil...(it slowly creates a buildup in your pipes, and they'll get clogged easily!..costly and bad for the water and environment!--Dispose of it in empty sauce jars, or such...keep them under your sink so there's no excuse next time)

I hope this post was helpful!, many of us forget or neglect our disposal and totally abuse it..yeah, it's just a plumbing kitchen gadget, BUT, clogged pipes require costly plumbing repair, and that totally STINKS!

The One Thing That's Certain is Change

2011-02-23T07:00:00.002-05:00

Hello Dears! Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit today. In lieu of an official post, I have an official announcement to make:

There are some BIG changes coming to Living Graciously beginning on March 1st. I'm so excited about the "brand new" Living Graciously, and I'm sure you will be too! You won't want to miss it!

So for today: have you ever told your friends about Living Graciously? If not,will you help me spread the word? They will want to already be following over here for the big reveal on the 1st!

In the meantime:
Why not check out this great guest post on Fajitas and Peach Cobbler over in The Kitchen
Or visit my store to buy a quick and adorable birthday gift for a friend
Have you read about my guide to sweater care yet?
Are you a member of Swagbucks yet? If not, today is a great day to join!
Did you get to take advantage of the wonderful LLBean sale yesterday? ***(Be sure and subscribe to the Personal Shopper page so that you get these great deals delivered to your inbox as soon as they're posted.) Many of them only last one day!

As you can see, Living Graciously is FULL of interesting posts. Make sure you don't just land on the homepage everyday and read what's going on here, but check out the right sidebar under "What's New" and you'll see all the other posts that have been most recently published in The Kitchen, The Personal Shopper, and The Style Files! LG is your one stop shop for all of your interests!

A Night With the Girls

2011-02-22T07:00:00.004-05:00

The other night I went out with a couple of girlfriends for dinner. We have quite a lot in common, and had such a delightful time over soba and sushi (and red bean ice cream-ever had it?), I wondered why I don't make more room in my schedule for things like this.- I know it's partially because of my strange work schedule, and partially because it's been ages since I've had some true Kindred Spirits that lived locally (the sad part of growing up and your friends moving away). I feel so refreshed after those few hours - I can't wait to do it again! It's so good for the soul. Do you have a group of girlfriends that you get together with on a regular basis? What do you do? Is it planned or spontaneous? Do you have any clubs that you are a part of (cooking, book, etc.)?

I want to hear about your girls nights out!

You know what that little badge means, right? Yup! It's another blog love day where you get to meet another special blogger! Today our guest is Misty from A Rainy Day in May, and you can meet her over in The Kitchen where she's cooking up some delicious (healthy and easy too) recipes just for you! Trot on over and visit with her!

Are You A Gracious Guest?

2011-02-21T07:00:00.003-05:00

In these terribly busy days that we live in, it seems it is becoming less and less of an occurrence to be invited over to someone's home for a simple relaxing dinner, or a celebration of some kind. More often it's: "meet us at the restaurant", isn't it? I believe partly because of its infrequency, some of the etiquette of being a gracious guest has been lost. - As someone who is more often a hostess than a guest, I can tell you from first hand experience that those guests that are kind and gracious stand out like shining stars in my memory! Want to be a blessing to your hostess next time you are lucky enough to receive an invitation? Here are a few "gracious guest" pointers:

*When you receive an invitation, respond promptly and using the method they request: i.e. if they put a phone number on the invitation, don't e-mail them. Or if they place an e-mail address on the invitation, don't RSVP when you see them at the store. Hostesses REALLY appreciate this!

*Arrive on time NOT early. There are a million things to do when you are the hostess right at the last minute, and running to answer the door should not be one of them. Your hostess will be ready for your arrival at the time that she asked you to arrive...but not before! Of course, arriving late is inconsiderate (but sometimes unavoidable) as well. If something detains you, call, apologize, and inform your hostess that you will be a few moments late.

*Always arrive with a small hostess/host gift. This can truly be anything: flowers, wine, a candle, a package of note cards, baked goods, etc.. This shows elementary good breeding and gratitude.

*Offer to remove your shoes. A hostess can always decline your offer, but you should always ask.

*Use your hostess as your cue: when to sit down, what to pass at the table, when to begin eating, etc.

*After your event, send a thank you note (yes, in the mail) within a week of being entertained.- A gracious guest, is a grateful guest!

So, that is my advice to you - now I need your advice on an issue I've been on the fence about for some time.- When someone invites you to their home for dinner, but doesn't specify that you need to bring anything on the invitation, are you required to ask if you can bring something? I personally really appreciate when the host provides the full meal and let her guests truly be guests, but at the same time, I don't want them to think I'm rude for not asking to contribute. I love to cook, don't get me wrong, but I also love to have a night off! - When I host large and/or informal parties I'll sometimes specify on the invitation to bring a finger food to share (or something to that effect), and in the past, when people have offered to bring something, I've come up with something for them to bring so they can "feel a part of things"...but now I think I've changed my mind, and I truly want my guests to look forward to coming over with no obligations other than to relax and enjoy themselves.- Your thoughts on the matter?

Feeling Italian?

2011-02-18T07:00:00.001-05:00

It's another Blog Love day! Have you been showing some love to your favorite blogs? Our featured blog for today is The Happy Home Blog written by Emily. They are redoing their cute cottage by the sea and if you enjoy before and afters and lots of DIY projects, you'll really like her blog! Emily also loves to cook though, and today we are lucky to have her posting a really yummy sounding Italian recipe for us over in The Kitchen. I love the simple, divine flavors from Italy, don't you?! So go check her out, and leave her some love!

It's the Little Things Girls!

2011-02-17T07:00:00.002-05:00

Ok, I know this is often my motto here on LG, but this week it struck home through a very small happenstance that I thought I'd share with you. I was making something Italian for dinner, and decided to make some herbed butter to go with the meal. Because I like my herbed butter nice and soft, I had it sitting out on the already set table next to a burning candle when my hubby came home. Not purposefully, just happened to be the stage of making dinner that I was in. You can see the kitchen table from the entrance he uses, and later that night he said out of the blue. "Honey, the house looked so cozy and welcoming and warm when I got home today just because you had the bread and butter sitting on the table next to that candle." Wasn't that sweet?! It's amazing what small (and even unconscious) touches can do to make our loved ones feel welcomed when they come home. - Maybe if it's not dinnertime when they are due to arrive, you can have a nice cold glass of milk or some cookies sitting out on the counter. Or if it's a cold day: some hot cocoa, coffee, or tea - fixed just the way they like it. Background music playing (soothing or classical) also helps foster a calm, welcoming environment. - Yesterday, I knew my hubby was coming home after a particularly difficult day of work, so I had his "house clothes" and a fresh towel all laid out in the bathroom near the shower, and a small snack to hold him over until dinner.- Yes, even men and children can appreciate the feeling of being cared for and pampered! Why not think of one little thing you can do today to pamper and bless those that live with you?

Blog Lovin' Day!

2011-02-16T07:00:00.002-05:00

Hello dear ones! Today for my February Blog Love series, I wanted to introduce you to Ashley from Eisy Morgan. One reason I love her blog so much, is because she covers so many interesting topics - and our interests are very similar (I think maybe we were blog sisters separated at birth or something ;-))! I also very attracted to blogs that aren't just about one "niche". Here theme is the same as ours here at Living Graciously: multi-facted womanhood. So if you like Living Graciously, chances are you'll like Eisy Morgan too! I hope you enjoy meeting her! Take it away Ashley:

Hello everyone! I am so excited to be guest posting for Kristin and her amazing blog here at "A Guide to Living Graciously".

My name is Ashley and I keep a little blog called EisyMorgan here in blogging land all about inspiring women in all aspects of life. From hair, beauty, style, crafting, to health, weightloss, motherhood, a little of everything. Pretty much whatever inspires me I share with you. Kristin has offered me a special opportunity to have you all get to know me and my blog a little better! A big thank you to her!

You can look forward to many more tips about

CRAFTING

like how to upcycle those old clothes you are meaning to get rid of like this Valentine Heart Mobile Tutorial

STYLE

like this video on how to tie a scarf in several different ways

HAIR

I love playing with my hair in different style and I have several videos like this sock bun tutorial, or wedding hair style (pictured above).

You will also find inspiration regarding weight loss (join our Biggest Loser Challenge here), exercise, motherhood, etc here at EisyMorgan.

These are all parts of me and I love that we as women are so multifaceted. I need to be inspired when I get funky about any one of these areas, so my blog is all about passing on what I learn to you. To get your creative juices flowing and to share in each others lives.

I have been so inspired by all your blogs and am looking forward to getting to know more people!!

I thought that instead of writing all about me I would use pictures to describe me...

I'm me!

I'm Ashley! I am 29, almost 30 and I love all things beautiful. I love to be inspired in all of these aspects as well so I started this creative outlet blog, EisyMorgan!

I'm a wife.

I'm married to my wonderful husband, Daniel, for over 2 years now. He is a wonderful gift. Only God would know what kind of man I really needed. I love him with all of my heart and as serious as I take life, he never lets me take myself too seriously.

I'm a mother.

My baby boy was born January 5th, 2010 and I love him with all of my heart. He is pretty laid back like his daddy and I have the privileged of staying home with him and be his full time mommy. Having a baby is God's way of saying "You thought you were in control of your every day life...HA!"

I'm a sister and a daughter.

This is my sister-in-law (and niece in her tummy), my mom, sister and I.

My entire family lives in California and I am newly transplanted to Colorado.
My family is one filled with weirdos and we like it like that!

I'm a friend.

These are a few of my friends (I was the first of several of us who got pregnant around the same time).
I am blessed to say that I have several friends who I would call "heart friends".
Those are the ones that you can be real with and they "get you".
Rare and Beautiful!

I love adventure and traveling.

I've been to a lot of different countries and I love different cultures, people, and foods!

I love trying new things and having fun.

and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to LAUGH!!

Looking forward to getting to know you if I don't know you already!

Grab my BUTTON and share the

Inspiration:

Email me at eisymorgan@gmail.com

Twilight

2011-02-15T07:00:00.002-05:00

Twilight. The most enchanting time of the day. During the day we belong to the earth, and all the busy comings and goings of our lives. At night we belong to sleep and recovery. But at twilight, we belong to peace, love, rest, and connection - to deep breaths and to togetherness. I love twilight. Here are some scenes from our home, Windy Poplars, during this sacred time of the day.

The dishes are done, the counters are clean

The fire is crackling

The bed is turned down and ready to receive us

Even the creatures feel the peace that twilight brings!

Do you take the time to inhale this sacred time of the day and seize it to reconnect with those you love? To wind down and breathe deeply...from your soul? To allow the world to be quiet, and your heart to be loud? To rest.

Kristi - Guest Post

2011-02-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

Today I have a special treat for you: a guest post from my bloggy friend Kristi (you can read more about her at the end of the post)! This will especially speak to you moms of young children, but there are truly some great tips for everybody here on managing your home - especially in regards to keeping your home clean, and getting delicious meals on the table without stress! Enjoy:

Tip 1* Plan your meals the weekend prior to cooking them so that you have all your ingredients readily available.
Have you ever found a great recipe and then started making it and realize there are one or two things you need, but you can't go to the store because of nap time, the weather, or some other inconvenience? I find that planning out what you are going to eat each day of the week really helps with faster food shopping, less grocery trips during the week, saves gas money, etc. (Sometimes I even plan out a month in advance...but not lately)

Tip 2* I have found that placing all the ingredients on the counter the night before helps me. Then if I do need to run to the store for one or two things I can do it first thing in the morning with the kids when they aren't tired or hungry.

Tip 3* Begin chopping or prepping your meal right after breakfast! (I know I'm insane, but this is what works for me) I find that the sooner I start prepping my meal during the day the less stressed I feel come dinner time.

Tip 4* At your children's nap time finish the prep of dinner or even start to cook a few things! (My meal is usually done cooking around 3:30 or 4pm then it has time to cool and I like to taste test) By 5pm we are ready to eat!

While you are prepping your meal what is your child doing?
* Coloring at the table
* Playing with play dough
* swinging in the swing or sitting in their bouncy seat
* playing in their exersaucer
* Reading a book to a younger sibling
* watching a short video (Blue's Clues, Barney, Baby Einstein)

How do you keep your house tidy throughout the day?

Tip 5* Everything has a home! The kids help me clean up when it is time and they know exactly which bins things go in.

Tip 6 * Shoes are lined up near the front door or placed in person's closet

Tip 7* Things that need to go upstairs are lined up on the side, and whenever I take a trip upstairs I grab something and put it back in it's home

Tip 8* I sing with my kids as we clean (singing always helps us to stay positive)

Tip 9* I choose a room or area to focus on each day. For example: Mondays: Bathrooms (3) Tuesdays: Playroom, Wednesdays: Basement, Thursdays: Dining Room, Fridays: Kitchen, Saturdays: The 3 Bedrooms. Each area or room gets vacuumed, cleaned, disinfected, garbage emptied, etc.

Tip 10* I only do one load of laundry a day (if there even needs to be any laundry done, which some days there doesn't) and I make sure the load of darks, lights, or delicates is done first thing in the am and then at nap time or t.v. time at night I fold that load. Laundry shouldn't become overwhelming so I try to only do one load and then I feel caught up.

Tip 11* Before going to bed breakfast is prepped on the counter, coffee maker is set, and sink and garbage are emptied...this way I wake up to a nice clean kitchen and not a pile of dishes.

Tip 12* The key is if you do a little each day then you don't have to clean all day! And many hands make light work, so teach your children young to start "helping" even if it is more work in the beginning because they learn fast, they feel important, and they are more apt to be more independent, helpful, and eager to participate as they get older.

Thanks Kristi, these are such wonderful tips! I hope you've all enjoyed our special guest post today and will leave Kristi lots of grateful love :-). Want to get to know her better, and be able to keep up with more of her tips, ideas, and encouragement? You will find her writing regularly at her blog: Keeping Up With Kristi.

About the Author:
I am a believer in Jesus Christ. I am married to my amazing husband who is my best friend. Family is very important to me. I am blessed with two beautiful children, Julia (3 years old) and Mark (20 months). My God, My husband and children are my main priorities in life. I want the Lord to say, "Well done thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord," when He welcomes me home.

Swim Together In The Deep End

2011-02-11T07:00:00.005-05:00

How many of you spend your vacations going, going, going, or resting, resting, resting, but when you get home, you feel like you haven't really had any good deep connecting time with your favorite guy? It's so easy for that to happen, isn't it?! I'd challenge you though, to plan a mini vacation/overnight between now and the end of this Valentine month - or it could even be a "staycation" if funds don't allow for an overnight at a local hotel - and really make it a special get away with a purpose. That purpose, or theme, can be whatever you want it to be. Just make it about the two of you and the sweet relationship you share. Of course it's always nice to have some good chillaxing time too, but while you're chilling, why not redeem the time that you might ordinarily spend with your nose buried in a magazine, and making a conscious effort to really connect with the deepest depths of your spouse. *An important note: when your man gets vulnerable with you - ACCEPT HIM! Be very aware of the tenderness of his heart, thoughts, and trust of you. Sure, men are the "tough" ones, but he wants to be accepted by you just as much as you want to be accepted by him. Be careful to not judge, have a quick answer, or laugh when he shares his heart. Talking with you, especially deeply, should be a very safe thing to do.

You could bring some good discussion questions with you, or pick one subject you'd like to spend some time pondering together while you're having a break from the demands of everyday life. Here are some ideas to get you going:
*What you can do this year to continue to foster a healthy relationship?
*Is there a way you can allocate some time and/or funds to make regular date nights possible (date nights can be free too you know!)
*Is there a vacation you'd like to set a goal to start planning for (maybe for a milestone anniversary coming up)? - What can you do now to make that a reality?
*Do you know your spouses love language? How is their love tank holding up?
*Maybe spend some time reminiscing on the past year and all the fun memories you've made together.
*Work on a list of fun things you'd like to do together in the coming year, and then you'll have a list to draw from when you're not feeling too creative on date night!
*Bring some MP3s of a marriage conference or romance book on tape and listen to and discuss it together.
*What makes him the most wonderful man in the world for you?
*Take time to thank him for specific ways that he's blessed you lately.

Really, the "purpose" of your time can be anything you choose - the point is just to have one, and then enjoy the connection you find while communicating together in the deep end of your relationship. Bonus: when your hearts take the time to truly commune with each other - it's a total turn on :-)!

Linking up for Company Girls Coffee today!

February Blog Love

2011-02-10T07:00:00.001-05:00

We interrupt our regularly scheduled blogging to bring you this important announcement: February, as you well know, is the month for love - and to that end, I wanted to share a little "blog love" with some fellow bloggers who are in the same general genre as Living Graciously. That way, you might find a few new blogs to check out, and they might enjoy a moment or two in the spotlight! You can expect a guest post to crop up here and there (a special treat for you - it must get wearisome ~~listening to~~ reading me all the time!), and also, look for all of my "Blog Love" blogs to be listed in my sidebar sometime next week for your browsing pleasure.

To kick things off, I'd like to introduce you to Mrs. Allan, who is sharing a fabulous post about homemade guacamole over in The Kitchen with you today. Be sure and go check it out, and leave her some comment love (it is the month of love after all...remember??). Here is a little info that she has on her website about herself and her blog:

I'm a 30 something year old gal from Rhode Island. I went to college, moved back to Lil Rhody, went to law school and met a handsome guy. After 9 years, a house, 3 cats....he asked me to marry him and I said yes. Becoming Mrs. Allan is a blog about the adventures of trying to balance life as a newlywed, a legal career, and keeping up with things in the kitchen. I try to post recipes and tips on keeping it healthy since I lost over 50lbs and have successfully kept the weight off for 5 years. While keeping it healthy, I also need to keep the husband happy as well! The rest of the blog is composed of my trials and tribulations of keeping up with a home, a husband and the three kids or cats as some people call them too!

Isn't she gorgeous?! So, go pop on over to The Kitchen, and see the wonderful post she prepared for you!

*Don't forget to enter the headband giveaway too! It ends tonight at midnight, so don't miss out!

A Homecoming to Remember

2011-02-09T07:00:00.001-05:00

Note: this post is for adults only :-)

Today, your idea is just for you and your Valentine! He deserves a special evening in his honor every now and then, doesn't he? Let's dive into the plan:

The Pre-Plan:

Choose one evening when you don't have any other post-dinner commitments. If you have kids, arrange to send them to a friend's house for dinner and a movie (you could offer to trade with your friends and have their kids over for the same another time: win-win ~ you get "free" babysitting, and your friends will enjoy a kid-free night too).

The Last Minute Prep:

Ok, so the fun starts before your hubby gets home: clean your bedroom, put on nice fresh sheets, light candles, put on some relaxing music, draw the blinds, etc.

The Main Event:

When your hubby arrives home, don't greet him at the door - instead, place a trail of rose petals leading from the entrance he usually uses to your bedroom, OR, they could lead to the kitchen where you have a small snack and a note with further instructions on it. Get creative. Grab his attention and curiosity. Depending on the amount of time you have, you could plan a small snack (or dinner) and a romantic movie in bed, or a game you both like to compete at with special altered "rules". It's up to you! What would your hubby enjoy during some alone time? - Keep in mind: if your hubby likes surprises, and responds well to spontaneity, then go for it! If, however, he is usually bushed or stressed after work, maybe plan to have a bath or shower ready for him (complete with towel warmed in the dryer and maybe a quick massage) to give him a chance to debrief from his day and get ready for some fun. Or if he usually makes plans for his evenings, it's probably a good idea to let him know you have something on the schedule for just the two of you. You can still keep the details a surprise!

So I hope you enjoy planning this special homecoming, I'm sure your husband will be delightfully surprised to be the one being romanced instead of doing the romancing!