Looks like someone has enjoyed some Christmas shopping....
Now if this won't sell more housewares, I don't know what will!!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Turkey Bird
Is anyone else in as much shock as I am that it is Thanksgiving already? I mean really, I feel like it should be the 4th of July. Anyway, last weekend Kellen and I hosted both of our families together at our house for Thanksgiving. Last year was the first year we did it, and I am hoping that we make it a tradition. It is a special day for us- to have both of our families together at the same table (plus its a great excuse for me to get out our formal china!). Even Cameron and Mallory were able to make it home from college! I am bummed I didn't get any family pics :(
Much like last year, I made everything from scratch (except the turkey, of course, and the cranberry sauce. I had my good friend Trader Joe help me out with that), but I decided to take it up another notch by making parts of my table-scape as well. I was super happy with it and the best part- it all cost under $20!!
What are you thankful for this year? I am thankful for the usuals-kellen, my mom and pop, my in-laws, my supportive and loving friends, my vera and cap wap, but this year I am thankful for something new on my list- my house. For some reason I have really been bonding with it lately. Maybe its because I haven't been working OT as much and am actually spending days at home, alone. I love its (cozy) size. I love how it smells. It just gives off happy vibes to me. I love how close it is to Central Park and the Monon, but still in a sleepy neighborhood. Or maybe its because I have felt super crafty lately and have also been cooking/baking a lot. Either way, I find that when I work a couple days I work in a row, I start missing it. I am well aware that, since it is a smaller home, we might be cramped for space sooner than later...but I am hoping to see how long we can stay in it! Okay, enough of my tangent. Enjoy some pics!
I made the napkin rings! This gave me a little more control over the colors I wanted to use. Plus I used some old ribbon and beads/wire that I already had, so it costed ZIP. If you click on the pic, you can see it bigger and get a better view of the detailing.
It was super easy. All I did was cut out the ribbon (it has wired edges) into 6.5" strips. Then I heat bonded them together (but you could totally sew them together, too) to make rings. Next, I beaded some wire and hooked the ends together to make a ring (6" long). Lastly, I hot glued the end of the wire to the seam of the ribbon. I also glued a bead on the front as well so as to not have the beaded wire slide or move. SO EASY so super cute.
I found these little turkey votive holders on clearance at Von Maur (it saddened me that Thanksgiving hasn't even happened yet and everything was already on clearance)
I think the food always tastes better with a pretty table-scape :)
Letting my homemade butterhorns rise and set before baking them.
I started prepping the food the day before, and got up at 8am to cook all day-dinner was served at 5:30, right on time!
Believe it or not, this was the very first Turkey Kellen and I have ever cooked. We have done turkey breasts and things like that, but never a full out turkey. This one was 19lbs, baby.
In honor of the occasion, we wanted to name him. All we could agree on was "Turkey Bird." Original, I know.
After giving Turkey Bird a bath, we lotioned him up with a fresh herb butter.
It went between his skin and meat. As I was rubbing it, Kellen said it looked like an alien was going to pop out! It did look kinda weird, and felt even weirder (and I feel a lot of odd stuff at work).
Getting ready to put Turkey Bird in the oven! Right on time!
For appetizers, I found this Toscano cheese that was laced with cinnamon. I put it on a water cracker and placed a dollop of apple butter. It was a big surprise hit!
5 hours later, Turkey Bird is beautiful! The whole house smelled so good.
Kellen carving our first turkey- I don't know which is more handsome, the boy or the bird ;)
Before we ate I snapped a few shots of some of the foods.
This is a new recipe that is for sure a keeper: green beans with bacon vinaigrette
The menu:
Turkey, Gravy, Cranberry sauce
Dressing
Mashed red potatoes
Green Bean with bacon vinaigrette
Sweet potato casserole
Butterhorns
Pumpkin Cheescake
YUMMM
Much like last year, I made everything from scratch (except the turkey, of course, and the cranberry sauce. I had my good friend Trader Joe help me out with that), but I decided to take it up another notch by making parts of my table-scape as well. I was super happy with it and the best part- it all cost under $20!!
What are you thankful for this year? I am thankful for the usuals-kellen, my mom and pop, my in-laws, my supportive and loving friends, my vera and cap wap, but this year I am thankful for something new on my list- my house. For some reason I have really been bonding with it lately. Maybe its because I haven't been working OT as much and am actually spending days at home, alone. I love its (cozy) size. I love how it smells. It just gives off happy vibes to me. I love how close it is to Central Park and the Monon, but still in a sleepy neighborhood. Or maybe its because I have felt super crafty lately and have also been cooking/baking a lot. Either way, I find that when I work a couple days I work in a row, I start missing it. I am well aware that, since it is a smaller home, we might be cramped for space sooner than later...but I am hoping to see how long we can stay in it! Okay, enough of my tangent. Enjoy some pics!
I made the napkin rings! This gave me a little more control over the colors I wanted to use. Plus I used some old ribbon and beads/wire that I already had, so it costed ZIP. If you click on the pic, you can see it bigger and get a better view of the detailing.
It was super easy. All I did was cut out the ribbon (it has wired edges) into 6.5" strips. Then I heat bonded them together (but you could totally sew them together, too) to make rings. Next, I beaded some wire and hooked the ends together to make a ring (6" long). Lastly, I hot glued the end of the wire to the seam of the ribbon. I also glued a bead on the front as well so as to not have the beaded wire slide or move. SO EASY so super cute.
I found these little turkey votive holders on clearance at Von Maur (it saddened me that Thanksgiving hasn't even happened yet and everything was already on clearance)
I think the food always tastes better with a pretty table-scape :)
Letting my homemade butterhorns rise and set before baking them.
I started prepping the food the day before, and got up at 8am to cook all day-dinner was served at 5:30, right on time!
Believe it or not, this was the very first Turkey Kellen and I have ever cooked. We have done turkey breasts and things like that, but never a full out turkey. This one was 19lbs, baby.
In honor of the occasion, we wanted to name him. All we could agree on was "Turkey Bird." Original, I know.
After giving Turkey Bird a bath, we lotioned him up with a fresh herb butter.
It went between his skin and meat. As I was rubbing it, Kellen said it looked like an alien was going to pop out! It did look kinda weird, and felt even weirder (and I feel a lot of odd stuff at work).
Getting ready to put Turkey Bird in the oven! Right on time!
For appetizers, I found this Toscano cheese that was laced with cinnamon. I put it on a water cracker and placed a dollop of apple butter. It was a big surprise hit!
5 hours later, Turkey Bird is beautiful! The whole house smelled so good.
Kellen carving our first turkey- I don't know which is more handsome, the boy or the bird ;)
Before we ate I snapped a few shots of some of the foods.
This is a new recipe that is for sure a keeper: green beans with bacon vinaigrette
The menu:
Turkey, Gravy, Cranberry sauce
Dressing
Mashed red potatoes
Green Bean with bacon vinaigrette
Sweet potato casserole
Butterhorns
Pumpkin Cheescake
YUMMM
Hope all of your Thanksgiving dinners go as well as ours did! xoxo
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
VIVA Las Vegas!
Okay, so I mean it this time when I say that our mini-vacations have come to close (for the time being). I am ready to nest at home for a while! But just coming back from Las Vegas with our friends Liz and Michael, I can say we ended with a bang. This is always one of those trips that you need a vacation after the vacation to recover and relax..because who wants to sleep when you are in sin city? I always enjoy going to Vegas because you see something new and different each time, and its grandiosity never ceases to amaze me. I mean, each hotel has its own mall that is designed around its theme. Everything is over the top!
WOOT WOOT
We were greeted with PINTS of champagne at our hotel. Only in Vegas.
The view from our room! 33rd floor of Treasure Island!It never, never got old- we kept our curtains open at all times
Ready for our first night out!
I love all of the free night shows outside of each hotel!
Bellagio Gardens- they always have them decorated to a theme of the season. We have been their for spring, one other fall, and Christmas/winter- and it is always amazing. This year it had a very whimsical, earthy feel.
It's hard to see, but the tree was actually a water fountain- water was coming out of each little brass leaf.
The venus fly trap even open and closed, how fun!
They had jumping water fountains all over the place. This is their signature piece no matter what season. Liz was curious and touched one- notice the huge puddles of water on the bridge ;)
Heaven! This started all the way at the ceiling and came down. I can still smell it.
At The Bank, Bellagio
It's hard to see, but the dance floor was two levels down and they had what looked like bank teller cages with dancers inside :)
GOOD morning, Las Vegas!The next day we did some shopping and when Liz and I go to try on our first outfits, we both open up our doors to find......
that we tried on the exact same outfit!we are dorks and took a picture.
Poor Liz.She injured her knee a few weeks before we left, and was scheduled for surgery after our trip, so we had to take major precautions while we were there. We rented this wheelchair and her brace was on her at all times, plus she stopped to elevate and ice it when she needed to. She was such a trooper and good sport about it! She didn't let this slow her down.
And of course I had to add some flair to her wheels ;) They glowed in the dark!
2nd night after dinner, Paris
...and so the addiction begins. I think Liz is peeing her pants.
The faces of FOCUSOn the 2nd night after dinner we went to a show at the Flamingo, then we went to one of my favorite clubs-the VooDoo Lounge on top of the Rio. I love it because it is outdoors with an amazing view!
This doesn't pic doesn't give it justice.That lower pink/purple level is the dance floor and DJ.
It was so much fun to be dancing while rooftop!
3rd day, outside of the Venetian. This is one of my favorite malls because the canal continues inside it with the gaundala rides. It totally makes you feel like you are walking up and down streets of Venice.
This is the new City Center that just opened. It reportedly cost $1 BILLION dollars to construct. It has both condos and hotel rooms, a mall (each store has a security guard and a limited number of people can enter each store, if that gives you an idea of the stores), and a tram within it. It looks like something from outer space in the middle of the strip!
Sleeping lions in the MGM lobbyAnd this brings us to our last night- and what would Halloween be if you didn't dress up, especially in Vegas?
Let's just say that compared to everyone else, our costumes were quite conservative. Halloween in Vegas was pretty much exactly how you'd imagine it- lots and lots (and lots) of skin. Super heroes and sexy nurses/pirates were the most popular and over-done. I think we got an A++ for originality :) Keep it classy people!
Let's just say that compared to everyone else, our costumes were quite conservative. Halloween in Vegas was pretty much exactly how you'd imagine it- lots and lots (and lots) of skin. Super heroes and sexy nurses/pirates were the most popular and over-done. I think we got an A++ for originality :) Keep it classy people!
I think we pulled it off pretty well, don't you?
Yabba-Dabba-DOOO
I hope everyone else had a fun Halloween! Now let the craziness that is November and December begin....we have already completely booked up the weeks around Thanksgiving and Christmas. How is that possible?
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