Still flashing….

Well I’m finally here in Phoenix.  After a rough flight……that involved a barf bag….I’ll spare you the details, but let’s just say I’m very quiet when I throw up….so quiet that the guy I was sitting next to, didn’t even notice…

Anyhoo…..I finally met up with Cindy (skip to my lou) we had a great dinner then  jammied up in our beds……we bloggers know how to party it up. 

So no time to blog a new feature……..but you love being flashed by TCB. 

Today’s Flasher is Grace Violet.  Love her!  Her original feature is here.

Looks like she’s been up to decorating her craft room……see all those frames….what is the world is she going to do with all those?

Is that so cute?  She used some fabric scraps to create ART!  And I really really like that she pushed them all together for a single look.

Would you look at how she dressed up this ordinary jar?  She used a cabinet pull for crying out loud.  Then spray painted it.  Why haven’t we thought of that?

And would someone bring Cindy and I a brownie…….she just asked me for a brownie.Oh wait…….look at these cute bags .  She made those using one of those re-usable shopping bags.  Very cute……..No wonder I featured her the first time.

Alright…….you know your job………go surprise her and tell her she’s being flashed on TCB. 

Flash Back

Before I go on and on about how busy I am, you need to check out my little holiday tradition story over at the Matthew Mead Holiday blog.  I feel so important.

I am getting ready for Bloggy Boot Camp.  Packing, putting self tanner on my legs, trying new firming creams for my face…….It’s going to be so much fun meeting so many people I know online!  I really can’t wait!

So……..it’s flash back time

How about Buzzings of a Queen Bee?  Here’s the post I did.

I love her new blog design.  It’s very cool. 

A new little outdoor space…….on the cheap.She painted a cute wood box to use for her table to house all those essentials. And I LOVE this!  The clean crisp paint.  Love!

Head on over and surprise her, letting her know she’s a TCB flash back.

I’ll be flying in to Phoenix in the AM.  Can’t wait for some sun. 

Get Your Craft On Tuesday

Alrighty crafty peeps.  You know what to do.  If YOU made it, YOU post it.  Anything crafty.

Get YOUR Craft on! Grab this image for your post! <a border="0" href="http://todayscreativeblog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/oldrallychick/get-your-craft-on.gif" /></a>

Grab My Button!
(copy/paste into your own
website or blog):

<center><a border="0" href="http://www.todayscreativeblog.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.auntiepea.com/files/TCB/TCBLove.gif" /></a>

All I ask is you link back to me.  It’s a scratch your back, scratch my back sort of thing.  Here’s a couple of cute buttons you can use.

Farm Sink

  You know I usually feel pretty good about my home……until I see something like this. 

Home and Harmony

I always wonder how people can stay focused on a certain vision.  I love her style.  The house is to die for……..

This is the kitchen before……nice…….but doesn’t quite match the house.  I love the little girl peeking around the corner.

After…….so much better. 

How about a closer look at those cabinets?  Cool huh? But what really makes me green with envy is this sink!  I want a farm sink……when I mention that to my husband, he has no idea what I’m talking about.  Apparently my husband is finally reading my blog……THIS IS A FARM SINK!

   If she hasn’t been in a magazine yet….she will be.  Very soon.  This dining room below is amazing.  Love that settee (bench) in the back.  Just a little view from the kitchen to the family room.  And she has 6 children!  6!  I was wondering how she had time to decorate and manage the house, then I came across her post on chores.Each child receives his clip board with morning and evening chores on it.   Boy do I feel like a loser……my son has very few chores.

And with all those kids, how many bedrooms must they have? 

Well……this solves that problem and it’s cute too.  I love the way many of her ideas are really about simplicity and a vision.

Speaking of vision……would you ever think this buffet could be your kitchen island?  Great vision and now she has an original kitchen island.  Functional too.  Simplicity at it’s best…..throwing together a quick center piece using what you have.  A couple of bowls, some greens, a few votives and a dinner bell.  Perfect.

Her blog is lovely!   It’s worth the trip.  Please surprise her and let her know she’s been featured on TCB.  I don’t tell people ahead of time you know.

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Have you joined my Blog Frog Community?  Come chat it up with us.

Make Ahead Meals

This woman is my new hero!  I wasn’t going to post today because I am supposed to be putting the final touches on the talk that Cindy and I are doing at Bloggy Boot Camp next Saturday!  NEXT SATURDAY!  I will be in Sunny Arizona wearing a skirt!  A SKIRT!  Wearing a skirt is much scarier than being in from of 100+ women……..I’m a natural show dog, so being in front of people usually doesn’t raise my blood pressure…….hello?…..why do you think I teach fitness classes?

Hoosier Homemade

While reviewing a cookbook, she organized a full menu with a grocery list for all the recipes.  My new HERO!  Again………why can’t these woman be in my neighborhood?  She has several posts about Make Ahead Meals…….Aren’t those the best words a busy mom could hear?  Well besides…”we’re going out for dinner”.

She also makes some pretty cute cupcakes……she made them for Earth Day.  So creative how she made those bugs.  She has a Cup Cake Tuesday where you’ll find even more ideas.

Like these snickers cupcakes…..Oh my….

For her sons’s birthday she made his favorite meal……….So dang cute!Coffee cake….one of my favorites……all these photos are NOT good for my No sugar way of eating.  I love coffee cake! 

Just a quick feature today to get your drool on……..

Also, Come on over to my blog frog community to tell us your favorite cupcake or your make ahead meal plans.  Just click on the picture below. Come join us.

Gift Wrapping ideas

Today while baking cookies for my new physical therapist, I wanted to make them look good……then maybe they wouldn’t think I was such a flake for missing and forgetting my last 2 appts.  I knew I had some kraft boxes left over from Christmas and I have a ton of ribbon…….done.  They looked good……hopefully they tasted good…….but most importantly…….hopefully I redeemed myself. 

But all that reminded me of this blog that Cindy sent me a while ago…….If you’re looking for ideas for gift giving or ways to wrap a gift………because you know it’s all in the presentation. 

Givers Log…..you’ll love it!These framed beauties look so cute on a wrapped gift……however I think that would have been a bit over the top had I given the PT a box of cookies with a photo of me on it.  :)  Especially since that was the first time I had met them.  But for other gifts………..this is a perfect idea.

 

Now maybe I could have really went for it and made my own tiered plate trays.  Do you think they would have thought I was like Martha, or just really odd?I love these.  They don’t look too terribly difficult to make.  Love the rose knob pull they used.  She shows a full tutorial on her blog.  While you have your tools out………..look at this ribbon holder.  I’ve seen a lot of ribbon holders in my day, but this is a first for this.  She shows you everything you need to know. She also has a few ideas for party favors, or teacher gifts.   I love these little wood sharpeners she added a monogram too.  All you need is a bit of mod podge.     And this idea…..great for all those germ infested elementary schools.  Fighting germs doesn’t have to be ugly.I’m a day late and a dollar short on this idea……..it would have been perfect for Earth Day!  This is also perfect for any gardener, teacher, etc….

Rolls of seed tape.  If you need a bit more information, no worries. She’s got a full tutorial on her site.Looks easy enough, yea?I have never seen a cake that has writing on it…….like this one anyway.  This is really what I should have made the physical therapist…..only going on about how sorry I was and how I just don’t miss appts and waste people’s time…..That would have been cool…..but probably over the top too.Or had I had more time, I could have used a plate that I sprayed chalk board paint on….then written my message…….

    This blog will really come in handy for all times of the year.  Always nice to grab a new idea when you’re trying to impress someone.  :)

Have a great weekend.

 

Please come join me in more conversations on my Blog Frog Community! 

Summer Salads

I am dying for some GOOD FOOD!  I eat a very low carb / high protein diet and let me tell you….it gets BORING!    I was looking at their site and was drooling!  They make everything look SO good. 

The Sisters Cafe

These 5 sisters have a great blog FULL of recipes with photos.  All recipes should have a photo, don’t you think? 

How about some Thai Lettuce wraps?  I have heard so much about these, but have never tried them.  These I could eat.  NOW! Summer Tortellini Salad- Oh how I’d LOVE to eat this one.  You had me at Tortellini.   Just kill me now.  I love anything pasta.  You can find the recipe on their site.

BBQ Chicken Salad -  OK, I want this one instead….this look Yummy with a capital Y!   Can you imagine having them as your neighbor?  I bet they would make you dinner when you’re sick.  I bet they would have made me soup last week when I was so sick……..My poor neighbors here just stayed their distance.  I made my own soup. :)

Fiesta Chicken Pasta Salad-  I’d take this one too….but without the corn.  I don’t do corn unless it’s alone.  But I’d take a bite just for them. 

Chicken Poppy Seed Salad- YUM YUM YUM!I’m cheating….that bread looks way too good.  I mean if you go through the trouble to make your very own baguette, then you should really be able to eat it.  Mmmm, with good butta….like Irish butta…….Can you tell I’m hungry.  Hungry for BREAD!  And while I’m throwing caution to the wind, I’m gonna have some cake too.  Someone pass the ice cream. So if you’re a normal ordinary wife and mother, this site will give you so many great ideas for meals to serve your little darlings.  Or your big darling.  I still think they should live next door and make every dinner for me…..yea….that would be perfect!

If you want to carry our conversation on over to my Blog Frog Community forum, let’s go!  You can join me here.

Earth Day projects

Found this Earth Day cake from my MckLinky Party!  I am loving those thumbnails!  Get Your Craft On is every Tuesday.

Being an Oregonian living in Washington….you know we love Earth Day!  Just a bunch of hippies living in the PNW.  :)

This is a great idea for Earth day, but I can’t help but think about all the dye…….ewww.  I’m sure I’d get past it once I tasted the sweet goodness.

Earth day is the only time you could even get close to getting away with this much color…..otherwise….that ick factor would take over for me. The Batter does look cool….

Stephanie Lynn with Under The Table and Dreaming has some great projects!  She’s got a lovely home that will make you drool……and so many ideas, you can hardly keep up with her. 

Another Earth Day project is this wreath she made from plastic bags.  Looks like feathers doesn’t it?  And yes, I did notice the burlap hanging ribbon. The girl has some skillz…….and she better with a craft space like this below…….DANG….The pressure.  It was probably in that craft space that she made this Alphabet wall hanging.  She bought the hanger and large paper roll from Pottery Barn, then applied her own alphabet.  Very cool.  This is in her play room….well her son’s play room.Here’s the other side….I’m just gonna say it…..I hate all women who have these gorgeous cubby pieces in their home.I was stunned at her birthday parties she throws for her son!  I thought I was over the top, but boy…..she really knows how to throw a shin dig……

Here’s the cake…….well one of them. Here’s another cake……. And here are little cakes for the guests to take home!  I’m pretty sure she made them too…..I think I remember her saying something about ice cream and how easy they were.  Dang!Here’s the food………If she’s not into catering….she should be.      She’s got another party posted too.  It was a circus theme…..What fun!  I wonder if she has people placing their RSVPs before she even sends out the invites?

I hope you have at least 30 min to spare.  You’re going to need it. She has lots of things to look at.  Furniture re-do’s….Before and afters……check out her links. 

Please check the Spring Fling Winners page here.