Wine & Dine Wednesday

Hey!

Ok, so I said like 2 weeks ago that I was doing this new thing on Wednesdays called Wine Wednesday...well I am changing it to Wine & Dine Wednesday!

I thought about it and wasn't sure if I should change it and I thought, "Why not? It's my blog!"

So I am changing it!

This day will include any drink (alcoholic or not), food or restaurant review. I like the broad area this will cover so get ready, you never know what you might get!

Today......

 Avocado BLT with Lemon Mayo

Bacon (cooked crisp)
Avocado (sliced in thin wedges)
Tomato (sliced)
Arugula
Mayo (as much as you prefer)
Lemon
Salt & Pepper
Toast (or a favorite crispy bread)

I cook the bacon in the oven till crispy. Then move bacon to a plate covered with a paper towel to rest.
Slice the avocado and tomato (salt and pepper to taste)
Toast your bread
Put the desired amount of mayo in a small bowl and add lemon zest and some lemon juice from the lemon. (this part I just eyeball and mix to my taste. I also add salt and pepper to the mayo to taste as well).
Then build your BLT. Lay out the toast and spread on the lemon mayo, then tomato, arugula, avocado and bacon then top with slice of toast.

Of course this makes more than one sandwich, the good thing about this is you can make as many or as little as you like.
Enjoy!

Pinterest Love

I tell you, I could stay on Pinterest... all. day. So many great ideas, so much inspiration and also way to much yummy food! It makes me hungry just looking on Pinterest sometimes! Anyway, here are a few pins that I have been inspired by!

 
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This is one that I saw and knew immediately that I had to put this into action in our home. Oh yes, the mind is going and I can't wait to get this completed! Don't worry, I will post about this!

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If you have ever looked over my boards on Pinterest, you see that I mostly pin rooms with neutral color pallets. This one struck me! I love the pink and how it is paired with the golden walls, a little unexpected yet so cozy! We have golden walls in our living room and I would have never thought to pair it with a pink or coral. Don't expect to see pink or coral in our home, it is lovely here but it just would not flow with our taste.


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Love these! The color is great and since I am so ready for spring (who isn't?) these would be perfect! Bright and happy!


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It seems like everywhere I looked last year I saw one of these tents. My kids would love one and I am still thinking about maybe trying to make one myself. We will see, it is on my list!


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There is no baby in my future, but I thought this was so cute! I love the color combination and simplicity. It would  be adorable for a little girl, maybe with a little more pink.


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With Easter right around the corner, eggs are everywhere you look and these caught my eye! I love the gold!


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These are so cute! And look yummy! I always try to make something sweet at Easter so I just may have to try this one!


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Chocolate cake with Espresso glaze. 2 of the best combinations! A must try for me!


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Do you guys have a garden? We have 2 raised beds and I would love to add another at some point down the road. I think this year I will involve the boys more. They love playing in the dirt so I know they are going to want to help!

So looking forward to warmer temps, planting our little garden and colorful flowers!

Wine Wednesday

 This Rex Goliath wine is a good buy for the money, we have tasted a few by this company and they all have a good taste.

We purchase this wine at Target and I have also seen it at our local Harris Teeter.

The wine has a good flavor combination; plum, cherry and berry.  You can read the full description if you click the link above. It pairs well with many meals, for us, it was pizza and any red meat and don't forget it is always good alone or with good cheese.

It's funny, just this week, a friend of mine Melissa (Hi Melissa!) and I were talking about how we drink wine and snack on cheese and crackers while making dinner. Does anyone else do this? I was glad to hear that I was not the only one :)

Hope you guys have a great Wednesday!

Sorry the post is crazy and messed up but I cannot figure out to fix it!! :)

 



DIY Lined Curtain Panels

Hello everyone! Hope you guys had a fabulous weekend!

This is one post that has been put off for way to long. The reason being....I needed my new camera to take photos of the project so you could actually see it! You see, my old camera took horrible photos of the curtain panels, you could not even tell what you were looking at in the photos! OK so here we go!

I had help on this one, I mean lets be real, I am trying to teach myself the basics again so I found this great tutorial from Our Lake Life.  Maria did a great job explaining the whole process and honestly the tutorial was so helpful that I actually felt confident that I could this!! And I did!

So I went to Michaels and got the fabric I needed and also picked up 2 twin sheets in white that I used for the liners.

I followed Maria's tutorial. This is photo was taken while ironing the edges before sewing.



The only thing I did differently is added stripes, I was trying to mimic the Pottery Barn panels that I love but refused to pay that price tag when I knew that there had to be a cheaper way to go to still get the look I wanted. I measured to make sure that my stripes would be evenly spaced then sewed the green stripe directly to the blue panel before sewing the liner to the back. Below is a photo of one of the panels with the green striped pined just before I sewed them into place. Let me tell you, this material was a pain when it came to getting all the wrinkles out, I have never ironed one item so many times in my life!! (and yes, I had already ironed multiple times when this photo was taken!)

After I sewed the stripes and followed the tutorial to the end, I ironed AGAIN and AGAIN ok you get the picture. Then I hung them up, proudly I must say!

 After looking at these for several months I wished I had picked a different color combination, because the blue panels blend with the blue walls, but for now I like it. It took me about a week, off and on, to get them complete but happy for my first big sewing project!

 

The wall art above the bed can be found here.

 

Linking up to Liz Marie Blog.

 

 



Spring Wreath

Spring is in the air, the birds are singing and Easter is just around the corner. Not having a wreath on our front door for a while now was getting to me, so this is what I came up with. Cute and simple, just like I like it.

First, I began with items that I had used for a dining room centerpiece last year. It had been hanging out in a closet so pardon the distorted mess.

This leftover mess would be perfect for my spring wreath, the white flowers and green twigs, which meant that I did not have to make a trip to Michaels!

I took all the pieces out of the jug and put aside what I was not going to use for this, the feathers and tree twigs.

I cut the flower stems shorter and removed all the green twigs from the larger branch and set all aside to begin to assemble my wreath.

First, I placed all the items where I wanted them go and adjusted a few to get them just right, then it was hot glue time! Don't you just love a hot glue gun project? I do! (minus the glue burns of course!)

 



After the glue was dry, it was time to hang, it is so cute on the front door and the white flowers really stand out well.

I really like it when I can take items that I already have and reuse them, at least this way I feel like I am getting more bang with a buck!

Linking up to House of Hempworths! and Inspire Me Please @ Liz Marie Blog.

Wine Wednesday

Hello people it is Wednesday! Hump Day, whatever you call it. We are almost to the weekend! I thought about starting a new topic, Wine Wednesday.

Now, first off let me tell you that I am not a wine connoisseur but I know a good wine when I taste one, don't we all. And, let me fill you in, my husband picks out most of the wines I we drink so he knows how to pick 'em!  So this is just my opinion, take it or leave it or try it! You may just find a new favorite wine!

This is Truscano by Gervasi Vineyards , Gervasi Vineyards is located in Ohio. My husband said this vineyard is gorgeous and from the photos on their website, it really is and hope one day to see it for myself! This wine is one of the best wines I have ever tasted, and there is another wine that we have enjoyed from this same vineyard but I will save that one for another Wednesday. Anyway, this wine has a rustic yet smooth flavor with hints of plum and black currant. We have has this wine with pizza, pasta, red meat and it is always fabulous. To be honest, it's good by itself too.

This wine takes my mind to what I envision Tuscany is like and one day hope to visit. Italy, one place I hope to go, one day. If you like wine, try this one, after looking on their website, others agree because it has great reviews. I'm just glad I remembered to take a photo of the wine before I drank the last sip in the bottle. My husband saved this last sip for me because he knows just how much I love this wine, we both really like it. Thinking we need to make a trip to Ohio to get more.....

 

I was not compensated for this post, all opinions are mine.

 

 

 



DIY Framed Monogram

I have seen many versions of these on Pinterest and thought they were just so cute! So here is what I came up with using items that I already had here at home.

I had a 5x7 frame that I had in a drawer because I was not fond of the color of the frame and just had no place for it anyone. I had bought Martha Stewart High Gloss Acrylic Craft Paint in Beetle Black and painted the frame and let it dry overnight, one coat was all it took. So while enjoying my morning coffee I completed this in no time flat!

 

I gathered a piece of burlap and stapled it around the cardboard backing of the frame and then placed it in the frame (without the glass in place). The back of my frame looked like this....

 



I started to trim off the excess burlap but it began to unravel and I was scared that if I cut it too close it would unravel to the other side. I hated the back looks like this but it will be facing the wall or be hidden anyway so I am ok with it.

So then I added the monogram, it is one I picked up at Hobby Lobby a year ago and knew it was time to do something with it! I adhered the monogram with double sided sponge tape, its thin and holds well so I found it to work well with this.

 

The reason I chose to use staples & tape to attached the burlap and monogram is because this way I can take it all apart and reuse the items for something else if I want. Unless, I really love something, it will not hang around very long before I toss it out or make it into something else. I guess I have commitment issues with material things.

 

 

This was a quick little item to make that can be easily changed out, I was thinking for Easter that I may just remove the "P" and add a bunny silhouette or  at the end of the school year a graduation cap (since our little one will be graduating preschool). So many options!

 

 

 

 

 





Sangria Punch

This drink reminds me of summer for some reason. Maybe it is the pretty color or the cool taste, who knows, but I really like it! Anyway, I usually prepare this when we have people over and it only makes one pitcher so it never last very long, I mean you would think I would learn and make more than one batch but I never do. Blame the blond my thick skull.

Anyway, I have had this recipe for many many years and honestly have no idea where I got it.

So here goes:

Sangria Punch
3/4 cup Country Time Lemonade Drink Mix
4 cups cranberry juice cocktail
1 cup cold OJ
1Tbsp. fresh lime juice
3 cups cold club soda
2 medium oranges, sliced
2 medium limes, sliced

Empty the drink mix into a pitcher, add cranberry juice, OJ and stir till drink mix is dissolved. Refrigerate till ready to serve. Just before serving, stir in club soda & fruit. Serve over ice cubes. Makes approx. 1 gallon.
This would be really good with added wine or rum too :)