Never eat more...

"Never eat more than you can lift.."-Miss Piggy

Yes, that quote has nothing to do with what this entry is about, but can't you just picture the beautifully famous puppet, stuffed into a purple satin gown giving advice on how to determine when too much is too much. I laughed out loud sitting at a table by myself, like a big loser.

Anyway, what I really wanted to talk about was the disastrous state of my baking cupboard and drawer. The very important places where delectable spices and cookie cutters live in my apartment. It was borderline embarrassing. Here I was with a fancy new Kitchen Aid mixer named Betty and countless cute aprons yet I had a cupboard that rained cup cake wrappers whenever it was opened. Sticky, cluttered, unorganized and unlabeled (trust me, garlic powder and ginger may look the same, but boy do they taste different), something had to be done.

Here is what I did. I tackled those bad boys with mister clean and then I re-lined the shelf with the sticky washable paper I had lined my drawers with when I moved in. I also used the same stuff to label all of my spices which was important as basil and oregano have been been used interchangeably in my kitchen for months now (they look and smell almost the same!). I boogied over to the dollar store and picked up baskets and more spice jars. 1.5 hours later, everything finally had its own place, was accessible and easy to find. Check it out!
-m

Tips:

#1 -Use mason jars to store dry spices. They keep moisture out and keep scents (like garlic) contained.

#2- Do away with expensive bag clips and "chip-clips". Go to the dollar store and pick up a bag of almost free clothes pins. My sugar, cereal, and flour all have clothes pins on the folded top to keep the freshness in!

Drawer before...embarrassing and a great big, fat, mess!

I unfortunately found dried out raisins and expired baking powder...embarrassing.

After! Neat, tidy and organized!

Labels!

Cake and decorating stuff!

Everything has a place!

Magnetic measuring cups and spoons, genius!

Fin!

Jewelry...

"Jewelry takes people's minds off of your wrinkles..."-Sonja Henie

Wanting to replicate a collar necklace I had seen online, I hit up Michael's looking for some leather trim and jump rings. Jump rings I found, leather trim will have to be saved for another day. I did however, find some awesome chunky pieces reduced for $1.19 each...I am not big into costume jewelry, never have been. I tend to wear silver pieces and never take them off, but these are fun and for the right occasion, they may be worth living on the edge just a little bit!
-m

Jump rings, needle nose pliers, heavy chain, statement pieces and simple clasps made these five minute projects that can add some punch to any outfit!

One Has To Look Out....

"One has to look out for engineers, they start with a sewing machine and end up with an atomic bomb.."- Marcel Pagnol

I always find fabric stores slightly overwhelming and a little bit suffocating. That however, did not stop me from going and hunting for a punchy yellow fabric to craft a fabulous and budget friendly headboard (for the new bigger and better bed I have been pricing). Yellow and grey. My current favorite color combination and not just because there has been an influx of that themed wedding decor in all the magazines. My bedroom walls are a soft, warm grey that almost has a lilac undertone and I went to the fabric store in the hopes of a mustard velvet or a bold yellow/grey floral. I was underwhelmed, so my online hunt begins. Here is my inspiration and soon maybe you will see a finished product. Enjoy!
-m

Inspiration in nature!

Amazing statement sliding door!

Some fabric I did find that I liked....check out that animal print. Dang-a-lang, that would make a dream worthy skirt!

May All Your Troubles...

"May all your troubles last as long as your new years resolutions"-Joey Adams

Ah, another year has come and gone and resolutions are once again a hot topic of discussion. If any one of you were to come to my place this very instant, walk to my fridge and grab a drink, you would note a very lovely decoupage of my new years resolutions for 2011. All done up on beautiful card stock,they have been held there by a magnet as a reminder of all the things I wanted to achieve in the previous year. Although I passed by them and possibly glanced at them almost every single day for 365 days, I don't think I read them, pondered them or even gave them a moment of thought. So this year, I did some research. The top new years resolutions annually include losing weight, saving/making money, being active, quitting a vice like smoking/drinking/awful ex lovers...you get the picture.

As I have yet to ever be successful at new years resolutions (and as the research didn't help me) I am going to do something entirely different. I am not going to vow to lose ten pounds, to pay off my debt, or to be less sassy (like I usually do). This year I am going to try to be a little more spontaneous, have a little more fun, to try new things (even if I am quite certain they are not my cup of tea), and to see more of my friends and the people I care about. Losing ten pounds won't make me a better person and won't ensure I enjoy my year (although I may just look a little better doing it..ha). I think if I stick to my plan, 2012 may just be an awesome and a better year than ever.  Happy resolution making and maybe even resolution keeping everyone!
-m

...and just becuase she is awesome, a little Anne Tainter to make make you smile!

I think I need to own this one...

The Best Way To Execute French Cooking...

"The best way to execute french cooking is to get good and loaded and whack the hell out of a chicken. Bon Appetit!"-Julia Child on French cooking

Le Bistro, is a quaint French bistro located on South Park Street in the south end of Halifax that packs a lot of punch. Closed for over ten years, it had a reputation for serving bang up meals with friendly service, a fun atmosphere and nights that never ended. It was a landmark restaurant that has never been successfully emulated and has never been forgotten by it's countless regular customers. Fast forward ten years, enter a creative and driven entrepreneur that had a passion for the bistro and what it represented (she managed it years before) who begins and finishes a huge renovation and overhaul. Bring in a top notch team of a creative chef, skilled cooks and friendly wait staff and what do you have? You have the new and improved Le Bistro. The menu still provides some long lost favorites of years past and introduces some new items that will be sure to find their way onto your new favorite list. Reasonably priced mains and exceptionally priced wines and desserts, Le Bistro is a venue for all ages that offers a comfortable but modern dining experience.  Check it out but be sure to call in advance and make a reso, it gets full very fast!
-m

Live music on Friday and Saturday nights!

Don't they look firendly? Liz, on the left, is the owner and manager, she did a bang up job!

Romantic right?

A Lovely Thing About Christmas...

"A lovely thing about Christmas is that it is compulsory, like a thunderstorm, and we all go through it together..."-Garrison Keillor

Ah, Christmas. Obligatory church (that we always enjoy), fried ham sandwiches, Nat King Cole and family. Nothing beats it. Traditions, they are funny things, everyones are different and equally as important....  I hope everybody has a wonderful holiday season, whether they celebrate or not, that traditions were repeated with vigor and that the new year brings all kinds of new and wonderful experiences. For now check out some very festive inspiration!
-m

Love all of this...every last bit!

Rectangle wreath!

White on white..with handmade felt rosettes!

Bling!

Very unique

My Favorite!

What my parcels looked like this year. Cute right?

I Believe That If Life Gives You Lemons...

"I believe that if life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade...and try to find someone who's life has given them vodka...and have a party!"- Ron White

I was on Cupcakes and Cashmere and was inspired! Infused liquors! Sure, I have done all that before...raspberries make awesome vodka and even better vessels to put vodka in my belly. But! I had never thought using that as a gift. Brilliant!

Here is what I did... I bought a massive, I am talking big enough to comatose a couple of people, bottle of vodka. I sliced up a lemon, pulled off some fresh mint and opened up a pomegranate. I poured the vodka in mason jars, added a few slices of lemon, a couple sprigs of mint and some pomegranate seeds. I sealed them up and let them sit for four days. The vodka turned pink, and I strained it and poured it into individual bottles...to be served with soda and a slice of lime, or however the recipient likes to dress up their vodka!
-m