MERMAID FOOD...

I'm on a kale kick these days, well kale chips.  It's about the easiest recipe ever!!

Simply wash & dry kale,
spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray
break up kale into little pieces removing stems & spread all over cookie sheet

spray again and add salt to taste, I like a more generous amount.
Bake at 350 for about 20 min.


& there you have it... MERMAID FOOD! 
It's like crunchin' on salty, crispy air, way cheaper than chips, better for ya plus hey, summer's coming & we all want to be mermaids right? :) 



I'm hanging here, come join me!

HOT CITRUS DRESSING...YUM!

I have to say, I love love love this salad dressing!  I ate this the whole time I was pregnant.  I craved strawberries, loved sweets and knowing that spinach is super good for you & baby this was a perfect combo!
(sorry, gotta skip this if you have peanut allergies)

After my daughter was born, I totally forgot about strawberries (my main craving) & this dressing until now, well I have to tell you Nyla loves it! So it's also kid approved!

Just store in an airtight jar in the refrig. and when your ready, heat a little up in the microwave and give a good stir before pouring over salad.  Makes about 1 spaghetti jar.  (To dress up your old jar just cut out some pretty paper - easy peasy JAR GLAM!) 

Recipe
1 6 oz can frozen orange juice
1 small onion, diced
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 cup peanut oil

Process - first 3 ingredients in a blender until smooth.  Add brown sugar & next 4 ingredients; process until smooth.  turn blender on high; add oil in a slow, steady stream.

Bring - mixture to a boil in a medium-size non aluminum saucepan.  Cook over medium heat 10 minutes.  

Serve on a Yummy Salad; mine was spinach & mixed greens with strawberries, cucumbers & toasted almonds.


Hey, I'm hanging with these fun people come join us!

DRIFTWOOD MESSAGE BOARD...

How easy is that?  Find a piece of wood on the beach, grab some chalk & write, wait till the rain and then write all over again... I have this by our front door.

Thanks Nyla for coming up with this :)

My Purse...

So, I was waiting for Nyla at this event when a girl said, "Ohhh, I use to have that same purse! My Mom gave that to me when I was like 7 or something."  Then she kept on walking.

The woman sitting next to me who was probably a little older than me heard this.  We looked at each other and I kinda did a little crazy laugh.  She said she liked my purse.

I looove my purse, yes it's a couple of years old (only a couple, I think), but now I'm thinking not only is my purse out of style BUT also not age appropriate!  Hmmm...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

I don't mean to brag but, I have the best Mom in the whole wide world!

 Thank you Mom for giving me sooo much love throughout my whole life!  I just love you so much and I promise I will be the best Mommy to Nyla like you are to me!

Have a fantastic Mother's Day filled with love and chocolates and of course a good nap! :)

love your doll baby

SILHOUETTES X 3 = EASY PEASY...

I started out making refrigerator coasters, got this fancy & practical idea from Restoration Beauty but Target didn't have enough of the same place mats, I bought 3 and was still gonna give it ago.  I saw this easy but very special  Silhouette DIY from Henry Happened, she made it so much easier than I have done in the past, so check out her how-to's!  

...and that's when those two amazing ideas collided, my place mats were hanging around on the table; I cut out my photos, laid them right on the place mats then went looking for any extra frames in the closet, no frames but BAMB! I ran into my wrapping paper obsession, added my own twist and this is what I got.

My 3 babies - my wall of babes :)

 These are the pics as I was spray gluing them; I'm so lucky I get to do all this right on my kitchen floor!  That's one of the perks of having old laminate, I'm gonna be in trouble when we get the floor re-done and I have to go to the garage!

Nyla 8 years

Martine 12 years

Dodger 7 years - the baby of the family :)

I generously cut out the profiles in various wrapping papers, I just can't do perfect cutting no matter how hard I try; but I think they turned out pretty good.

I hope you like it! It was super easy peasy.
(place mats, photos, wrapping paper, spray glue, poster puddy to hang)
Thanks to these amazing ladies from Restoration Beauty & Henry Happened for inspiring me!

So there - you have a threefer DIY all in one post :)

I guess I just have to keep going back to Target for my place mats to finish my refrigerator coasters, darn :)


 

Crafty Astronaut/Space Crater blob DIY

If I was an Astronaut, I know I would be busy and all but, hey I still have to craft and eat!


So, I got some of this gap filler (for pipes and stuff) put on some gloves and created a few Moon crater umm things...



we sprayed, waited and cut off the bottom side 

then painted, Nyla chose the colors

and then had a treat...

I just love these crazy things!  I first saw this funky stuff about a year ago at The Art House Gallery during their Some Urban in my Suburban please exhibit. It took me this long to finally figure out what it was and have fun with it.

My vision was candy dish, my husband envisioned a brain, Nyla a bike helmet for our dog, Dodger.

 


So hey, as your doing this you can talk about space or brain or food or even bike safety and make it a little "learny session".

Just a few tips 
Make sure you wear gloves & any other protective gear you might want, this stuff is so sticky my gloves even stuck to the can!
Only use wrapped candy.  I used a bread knife to cut the bottom off.


Have a super fun day everybody and thanks Samantha from the Art House Gallery for always being so warm and inspiring! 

Speaking of Gap Filler, NJ Shore residents are still feeling the effects and pains of putting their homes back together.  As I'm writing this post it's hitting me; I feel privileged and selfish for using my can for a creative outlet.  So, I'm changing my moon crater candy dish to a donation dish for our local family hero's who keep charging on day after day!  Hurricane Sandy Nov 2012

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Thanks to my awesome husband for bringing home fish from his fishing trip!  We're having fried fluke tacos with radishes, cabbage, tomatoes, cilantro and gotta have the hot sauce, with a side of black beans.

This place really exists...

If you are ever in New Jersey, you have to check out the Grounds For Sculpture museum.  It is a peaceful, spacious outdoor adventure where inspirations soar!  

I've been a handful of times and have mentioned it in these post,  Naked People in the snow & Bird Glow. This is the perfect place to go on a date, with a friend and even with a handful of kids of any age!(no kiddin, it's 42 acres for kids to roam and run with even some sculptures you can touch and lots of nooks to find and hide in). 

I went with my super funny friend, Maureen.  This adventure happened right after we dropped the kids off at school, we headed right for Grounds for Sculpture.  Its taken 4 years for us to get there together and it was sooo worth it, we needed some serious friend without the kids time!   

Have you ever been to a place where you never want to leave?  Well, that is exactly how I felt when I went...a place were laundry never existed,the food is just incredible and the landscaping is just a perfect place to dream in...

Maureen

Thanks to my awesome friend, Maureen for making my day!  She spoke some very important words to me that day, "Michelle do you want to eat lunch surrounded by all the field-trip kids or go eat at the swanky restaurant.  Its taken us 4 years to come here, Both have great menus, you decide"  I chose swanky and am so glad I did, we had an amazing waitress, an incredible lunch and it was so nice to be dining like a lady instead of a mom on the go!

The "Rats" restaurant

Sooo Yummy!

View from our table

We scooted back to school just in the nick of time for pickup.  whew! It was so worth it, now we have a renewed vision, a fresh outlook of being a Mommy and our hearts are swelling with the rewards of friendship! 


Here's to friends who nourish what you need & sun-drenched inspiring places!  I hope you have a day filled with both!

(love ya Maureen, you ROCK! and of course super thanks to Grounds for Sculpture!)





UPDATE:
I'm still in love with this place, just wanted to add a few more pics :)

Come check out some fun at these parties!

I've been goofing off!

My husband has been home from fishing and we've been having fun!  So, when I'm not bloggin, I'm hangin with him.  I'll be back to blogging soon, I miss you guys!