Chicken Little

My latest knitting project.  A little dotted chicken.  I made it for my niece. 

Garden Fresh (really) Salsa

We (okay, I only contributed by taking the pictures) made homemade salsa this weekend.  I'm spoiled now - typical jar salsa just doesn't do it for me anymore after having this yumminess.

Gather up all the veggies you can get your hands on...tomatoes, mix of peppers (we used green chiles, cayenne, and jalapeno), onion, garlic...

Then put all your veggies on the grill and let them get good and smokey.

Peel all the skins off of the peppers.

Put everything in a blender with lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.

Chill and let the flavors meld and then serve. 

In love...

with my latest needlepoint project.  I adore how the pillow turned out.  I love how none of it is too matchy matchy and I love a peacock.  Now, I just have to determine the best spot for it...

I think for now the guest bedroom wins!

For Trevor

My friend Trevor is not only lucky enough to own a house but he is in the process of renovating his kitchen.  Earlier this week Liz and I met with Trevor to give him our two cents.  I can pretty much guarantee you that that poor boy got more advice than he asked for!  That said, if he's still speaking to us, maybe he'll let us tag along when it comes time to go shopping for everything!  (Hint, hint, Trevor).  

So one suggestion that I had that I think Trevor is on board with was to keep the existing cabinets but paint them white.  They are good quality cabinets and there is ample storage.  They need a good coat of high gloss white paint and new hardware.  That coupled with new stainless appliances, a new counter top and back splash and  new floor (type, TBD), I think it will look fabulous!  Trevor was a little concerned about the white cabinets looking too cottagy or country or even beachy.  I hope the inspiration pictures that I pulled for him will convince him otherwise.   

House Beautiful

(Note to Trevor - the hardware on the drawers is cool).

Living, Etc.
(Note to Trevor: have you considered subway tile backsplash?  I'm sorta obsessed with it.)

Country Living
(Note to Trevor: Here is a good picture of Liz's idea to open some of the cabinets up so they have a glass front). 

This Old House

(Note to Trevor - look how good that wood looks on the floor and on the countertop.  Also, we didn't talk about keeping the countertop a white - this looks really, really beautiful).

Martha Stewart

(Note to Trevor: More cool hardware and more cool wooden countertops).

via DecorPad

Atlanta Homes and LifeStyles

Coastal Living

House Beautiful

(Note to Trevor: Neat backsplash and countertop ideas and love the mirrors - too much for you?).

via La Dolce Vita

(Note to Trevor: this shows how you could take advantage of the high ceilings and raise everything all the way up...and look , they have hardwood floors in there!).

Southern Accents

(Note to Trevor: Extra large subway backsplash but still love it!).

House Beautiful

(Note to Trevor: See how the white makes even this small kitchen not feel cramped?  Imagine how bright your big kitchen is going to look!)

House Beautiful

(Note to Trevor: More subway tile and love the idea of painting the back of the cabinets.  There seems to be a common theme with the type of hardware I am drawn to in all of these pictures.)

Kate Spade

(Note to Trevor: What about dem floors???)

Phoebe Howard

(Note to Trevor: Maybe it is a sign...more hardwood floors!).

Hope this helps to give you some more ideas, Trevor! 

Ahead of My Time and Much More Affordable!

Did you see this print for sale yesterday at One King's Lane? It's now sold out.

Oh I did.  And I noticed the price tag of $199 (and this was the OKL price). 

And do you see what is hanging in my dining room? (Sorry for the shoddy pic.)

Only I bought mine for $15 on a trip to Italy and then had it custom framed for $75 dollars.  Go me!!  I have another beautiful one of butterflies that is also framed in my house that my friend Reeves gave me when we were on that same trip together.

Here is a close up of the gold leaf frame that I love:

If you have no idea what I am talking about when I say One King's Lane then you are missing out.  My brother's sweet girlfriend, Sarah, told me about it and now it is a site that I check with somewhat of an obsession each day.  If you aren't already a member (it's free), you can click here to sign up.  You'll get $10 free credit to apply towards your first purchase (and I got a little perk too!).  And while we're on the subject, you know Overstock has started a members only site too, right?  Also free and also great stuff.  Visit and sign up for Eziba here.

Feeling Buggy

One of my newest readers is someone who I have known of for many years through several mutual friends.  She found my blog from my friend Leslie's blog.  I have to call her Dyer because that is what everyone else calls her - her maiden name.   From now on I will call her my friend, Dyer.

Anyway, she sent me this link to this artist's website.  She hails from the fabulous state of NC and has some serious talent. 

Ya'll know I love a dishtowel. She's got some awesome ones - very anthro-y with a blast of color.

But dishtowels ain't all this talented artist has got...

There's wall art:

And stunning pillows:

And even table runners!

Check out Liz' site here. 

Rue-Ligion

I made shrimp etoufee.

My friend Cecelia told me about this place in Alexandria called RT's.  She loves their crab cakes but the real deal there is their cajun cookin'.  I'm not gonna lie - the ambiance isn't much - but the food is super tasty.  It was at RT's that I had etouffe for the first time.  I have been missing out all these years!!  It's no surprise that I like it given how much I like jumbalaya but man, oh man, is it guuuud. 

We went to RT's a couple of weeks ago and I asked my husband if he thought it would be hard to make.  He didn't think so - it was just getting the rue right and then adding everything else.  I found this easy, online tutorial here and decided to give it a whirl.  You should try it too!  It definitely helped break me out of the Monday blues.  I put on some jazz, sipped some wine, and set a candlelit dinner with fresh flowers for me and the hubs and set to choppin' and cookin'. 

In an effort to use up an abundance of tomatoes, I used a beautiful heirloom one from our garden for this.  Mmmmmhmmmm.

My favorite part of the video instruction was when he talks about how Cajun folks equate making a rue to religion - it's that serious.  Hence, rue-ligion.  It isn't as easy as he makes it look.  Note: I have never been one for exact measurements in recipes (probably why I don't like baking) so you should probably not take my lead and do exactly as he says and does.  I might have gone a little heavy on the flour which caused me to add more butter and so on and so forth...Anyway, I finally got it to look pretty good:

Sautee them veggies in the rue: