2 Years

With our new schedule around here it's been a little bit of adjusting, but nothing major. I think you will just find a little more sleepy eyed parents until we get use to it.
My days seem a little more quieter and longer. Tonight is Damien's school recorder concert. He happily came down the stairs this morning. Usually I have to wake him up, but today he advised me he was too excited to start his day. Hubby is going to record it just in case I don't get out of work in time.

On hooky news, I'm almost finished with all my squares for week 2's assignment. Just need to make the ones that got ruined in the accident. It's easier said than done, because during that time I think my crochet hook was moved and after looking and looking the other night, I decided that by the time I did find it, it would be time for bed.
I'm sure it will pop up somewhere unexpected.
It seems really funny to me that I crochet. Just 2 years ago I started this blog (Happy Birthday Blog!) after admiring everyone else's granny square blankets, stool covers, and pillows, hoping that one day I would be able to make those too . While it feels like I have been crocheting for much longer than I have been, this blog doesn't quite feel like it's 2 already.

Today is the day that I start my new job. Hubby and I have worked out our new schedule, which I'm sure we will get into routine mode in no time.
This weekend I finished a book, 'Local Girls' by Alice Hoffman, and kinda finished assignment number 2 in the Strawberry Fields Sampler afghan. The reason for the kinda is because it was finished, kids knocked soda into the bowl that was holding my granny squares, making me scrap three of them. So I was finished but now need to make three more - so is the way around here. Tomorrow I should be able to take pictures and show you how it's coming along. So far I'm enjoying having little crochet assignments.

Strawberry Inspiration

The other night while cleaning up some strawberries for a very yummy snack, I was thinking about strawberry picking. As a girl I remember going into hot summer fields of strawberries, filling our basket full to the brim, and every now and then sneaking one into your mouth. Your hands would be stained a pinkish red from all the strawberries and the tips of your thumbs would be sore. Once home, we most always, would put our heap of strawberries on the counter, like a trophy to our hard days work. Funny how food or smells can bring back memories. This year I think I will take the kids strawberry picking.

There was also a very welcomed phone call yesterday. Tuesday, next week, I will be starting a new part time job working mostly with children as a vision therapist. The hours are perfect, I'll still be able to keep my shop open, and it gives me the much needed time away that I think every mom needs. Hubby and I often joke that when we change things, we really change things! It's kind of that go big or go home attitude. 

So with good news in hand I felt a little crafty last night. I came across this wonderful granny square sampler afghan project that just started. Putting it in my ravelry que, I started. It must have been the strawberry inspiration from earlier because this is how my squares turned out. So I appropriately have named this afghan the Strawberry Fields Sampler. If you want to join the project, it just started, so you have time without having to catch up a lot. 

Hope the good news keeps flowing ♥

Lately I was lucky enough to win some beautiful postcards from this lovely lady. It was very hard to pick a favorite of the bunch, but I finally went with the one above. I can't wait to frame it ... now just to find a house to hang it in.

Hurry Hurry Hurry

Do you own an online shop?

An Etsy store?

Need business cards?

Today is your last chance to enter the giveaway to win 250 FREE business cards!

Don't miss out :)

I kept my promise and added new things to the shop last night and it felt good. Weather is finally starting to feel warm and sunny. Cleaning and deciding what needs to go, you realize just how to much "stuff" you have. At least it's good stuff that someone else may want. Flowers are starting to bloom in the beyond neglected flower garden from last year. The bearded iris was not planted by me but was already there. I must confess I dislike this flower and the color, just not my favorite. More house hunting tomorrow and then an interview. Hope everyone has a sunny fun filled, let's go celebrate, kind of weekend!

Trying to stay awake with the cloudy rainy humid weather.

Promising to add new things to the shop this week.

Went to the drive-ins last weekend with the kids.

Ate lobster with my mom for mother's day.

Working on a falling star garland.

What about you?

Happy Mother's Day

♥ Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there! ♥

Giveaway: Business Cards

Recently I got asked by Printrunner if I would like to host a giveaway of their products. Having an Etsy shop I often get items printed like business cards, postcards, sticker labels for packages, and other promotional items... all part of the branding process. Which made me think maybe you guys might also need these same things!

There are so many option when it comes to finding a company to print online from. One thing great about Printrunner is that their prices are affordable. They print business cards that look like you paid a lot more than you did - always a plus when you are starting on a limited budget. Something Printrunner knows about! Printrunner was established with little more than a small press and a dream.

So here is the nitty gritty of the giveaway ~

As the winner you will receive:

250 - 2 x 3.5" Standard Size Business Cards

4/4 Color Both Sides (great for picture on front info on back)

14 pt. UV Coating on Front, 14 pt. UV Coating on Both Sides 

(gives them that polished look)

No Proof  and No Rounded Corners (these are options but not for this giveaway)

Here is how to enter ~

**Giveaway is open to US residents only and you must be 18 yrs or older**

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends May 19th. Goodluck!!!

Comments for this post are closed please use the form above to enter (just makes counting the entries easier)

Thank you Printrunner for this generous giveaway, I will be receiving a set of business cards for hosting this giveaway. 

Chicken Meuniere

For awhile I've been avoiding the kitchen. Not on purpose, just I got in a cooking rut. Always making the same thing. The kids got so use to it that they could sniff the air and discuss what I was cooking for dinner without even trying to sneak down the stairs.
Yesterday was a different story. I got questioned and sneaky children tried to tip toe over to the stove. Hubby was excited. It was very yummy comfort food kind of night. I think the only thing I wish I had was a nice homemade loaf of bread. So if you would like to try something new here is the recipe ~

Chicken Meuniere

Ingredients ~

3 Chicken breasts 

6 Plum Tomatoes diced

1/4 cup of Kalamata Olives diced

3 or 4 Tbs of Capers

Zest of 1 Lemon

1/4 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tbs Salted Butter

1 Cup Flour

3 Tbs Sea Salt (or table salt)

3 Tbs Chopped Parsley

Cooked Angel Hair Pasta

Cut your chicken breast in 1/2 length wise so you have 6 thinner chicken breasts. Bake the chicken on 350 for approx. 20 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. 
In a mixing bowl mix the flour, salt, and parsley together. Then dredge the chicken on both sides with the mixture.

In a large skillet on medium high heat add the olive oil and butter. When hot, place dredged chicken in the skillet, and cook for approx. 3 to 5 minutes on each side until a golden crispy crust forms on the chicken. Place off to the side and cover to keep warm.

Now in this same skillet add your diced tomatoes, olives, and capers. Then top with lemon zest. Stir the mixture every couple of minutes making sure to get any crispy bit from the chicken that are left in the pan. You shouldn't have a lot of oil or butter left in the pan but the juices from the tomatoes should be enough to coat the pan. Cook until the tomatoes are soft and start to fall apart, about 4 minutes. 

Arrange angel hair pasta on your plate, top with chicken, then sauce. Serve an enjoy!

Some of you may want to add a white wine to the sauce while it's cooking but personally I don't like the strong flavor that adds. The lemon zest and tomatoes just make this recipe feel like your welcoming summer. It's got a very fresh flavor.

My husband isn't a huge lover of olives, like me and the children are, but he said this recipe was extremely yummy. Personally I can't wait to try it again with tomatoes from the garden.

My Weekend in Moments

Filling out thank you notes with orders from the shop.

House hunting for charm & character.

Thrifting at new to me antique shops.

Picking wildflowers with Aries.

Random magical coincidences.

A giveaway winner sharing lovely projects they made with their winnings.

Fun birthday party for my one year old 2nd cousin.

Watching Matilda just to see Ms. Honey's cottage.

Lack of sleep, but not from stress more from dreaming.

 ♥ 

Winners!!

The rain has finally stopped here ...and everything looks greener than normal! Little May flies are buzzing around your face and flying in places they shouldn't. I've been keeping myself busy making garlands for the shop, I'm afraid nothing new at the moment. When your mind gets stuck on one subject it's best to do mind numbing things like watch bad indie flicks and crochet the same pattern over and over.
There are little projects that may be in the works but I can't make any promises that they will be produced anytime soon. New garlands, sequins, and even small projects for some soon to be and already here children. I haven't the energy to go digging through the studio - it is beyond unorganized in there at the moment. Filled with empty boxes and a catch all of things. I've been concentrating on so many other things that somethings get left behind. I'm afraid there has been a bit of "I just want to relax" laziness thrown in there too (like not taking a single picture this week).
One thing I did remember was to pick two winners for my giveaway. Thank you all for entering!!!
The winner of the barn towel is:

Congrats!!

The second winner of the ducky shirt is:

Congrats!!

I'm sure there will be more found treasures to giveaway soon. Wishing everyone a fun filled weekend :)

Aries' First Sewing Project

The pillow. It needed to have a bit of pink in it and hearts. Amazingly I didn't have any fabric with hearts ...ut oh! Aries wanted to glue, paint, or tape everything. It's difficult to explain how thread and a needle work to a 5 year old. She picked out all the pink sequins while I drew a heart on the back of the fabric. My explanation  of how to sew was laughable. Poke here ... pull pull pull....then poke again..not my finger...ouch... pull pull...oops ..it got tangled...and it kind of went on like that all night.

At one point Aries said she had a hand cramp but we persevered. Her favorite part was stuffing the pillow full of cloud fluff (her words). Every night her doll, princess Amanda, sleeps on her new pillow - except for the night it fell down and I was woken up by a teary eyed Aries. The boys are not allowed to play with it or lay on it. Damien has already asked if I would teach him how to crochet....look what I started.