Citified Country Girl

Crossroads

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 00:18:00 +0000

Hi there. It’s been awhile! I’m not going to lie things are a little hectic, I have a lot on my plate right now. I don’t see things straitening out until the holidays.

As for ol’ CCG – I’ve hit a crossroad and it’s probably time to start the next chapter. I contemplated ending my blogging career per say, however its one of my favorite pastimes. Plus I’ve met so many inspiring people around here it would be too hard to leave. But I’m starting to question what this blog is about…my life? I guess you could say it’s a digital diary. However, up until Everett was born I had no problem sharing little pieces of my life through the blogosphere. But now, I’m a mother and my protective instincts have set in.

For now I’ll be lingering in the corner until I get my head back on my shoulders. Enjoy the rest of your summer, I wont be gone for long.

Starting to hit our stride…

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0000

Our life has been completely turned upside down, and it’s just beginning to turn right side up again. Many, many things have been neglected…like this blog for instance. But all for good reason!

Spending every waking and sleeping moment with this little guy has been amazing. I couldn’t begin to describe the feeling I get when he looks up at me.

Andrew and I have been homebodies, barely leaving the house despite a few visits to see our pediatrician. Yet, time feels as if it’s flying by me. Baby Everett has gained almost 3 pounds since birth 3 weeks ago! He’s even started to flash his gummy smile.

I’m feeling almost 100%, which is a huge relief. I was prepared for a natural birth, however I was not prepared to handle the aftermath! It felt like a truck hit me, I was practically bed ridden for two solid weeks.

Like I said, things are gradually starting to turn right side up. A daily schedule is forming (which I’m sure will and have already had a few hiccups), and my body is starting to feel like its self again.

Nevertheless, life has been blissful around here!

Everett

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 02:40:00 +0000

Everett’s here! 13 days late, but he’s here. Andrew and I are both smitten about our precious little one. Words could not describe the experience or joy that we share.

Right after the birth of our son, Andrew purposed (after 8 years)! There couldn’t have been a more perfect time.

Overdue!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:13:00 +0000

Just popping in to let everyone know I’m still pregnant, 1 day overdue! Irregular contractions have woken me up the past two mornings but then faded away. Hopefully we’ll have a baby by the end of the week.

Hope you enjoyed your holiday weekend!

Garden Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 04:22:00 +0000

Hi friends!

We’re on baby count down, only 6 days left until my due date. I wonder if he’ll make an appearance this week! In other news Andrew and I went on a garden tour a few days ago. And to think we did all this walking and no baby, some wives tale that is.

Maple Rock Gardens is a beautiful 30 acre ranch located in Northern California. The homeowners have spent many years landscaping and tending to their lovely garden. Once a year they open their home to the public to view their oasis in the foothills.

I’ll let the pictures tell the story.

Handcrafted birdhouses were sold and proceeds were donated to a local breast cancer foundation.

Miniature trains ran through their landscaped property.

We sipped on freshly squeezed lemonade.

Many pathways lead to hidden meadows of grass and sitting areas.

Pictures simply can’t do this garden its justice, it was far more amazing in person.

Produce and Farming

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 21:15:00 +0000

If you’ve been following along you’d know Andrew and I eat organic and clean our home using organic homemade products. Along with anything else to keep unwanted, unnecessary chemicals out. We’ve been going strong for about a year now and its been one of the greatest decisions we’ve made.

Our eating and grocery shopping habits went from night to day in just a short period of time. We stopped eating all fast food, we then started reading labels in the grocery store and purchasing grass-feed beef and free range chicken. Over the past 9 months we both have become more knowledgeable in exactly what we’re feeding our bodies.

This summer we started looking outside the grocery store, by starting our own organic garden. Its been difficult due to our lack of space. Majority of our plants are in containers and get limited sunlight a day.

This tomato plant has been our shining star, we started him from seed and he now tops 5 feet tall! Our lemon tree is also thriving along with a bell pepper or two. Before summer is over I’d like to get an herb garden started.

Soon our tomatoes, lemons and herbs will find their way into my kitchen. But its not enough to keep me out of the produce section at the grocery store.

Andrew and I started asking ourselves, how organic is our produce from the grocery store? I don’t know the farmer, plus and many fruits and vegetables are from other countries. We started talking about other options, such as farmers markets and local farmers that practice growing organic fruits and vegetables.

We stumbled upon a farmer named “Organic Jack”, who has a farm less than 30 minutes from our home. Not only is he local but his team efforts with another farmer have the ability to keep their customers away from the super market. If you’ve been to your local grocery store lately and looked at their organic section I’m sure you wouldn’t find a wide selection of organic produce.

Andrew talked to organic Jack over the phone and a few days later we were scheduled for a tour of his farm. Long story short, we signed up with him to have our produce delivered every two weeks.

Monday we received our first produce box of goodies along with an order form for the next box in two weeks.

Last night I made a spinach salad, the same spinach salad I’ve been eating for the past 3 months but last night it was completely different. A whole new taste. That’s how I knew organic produce from the grocery store and organic produce from my farmer are absolutely different.

Its nice to know you’ve shook the hand of your farmer! Next we’d like to find ourselves a local butcher.

Have you stared a garden this summer?

Nesting

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 01:04:00 +0000

I’m still here, still pregnant and officially on maternity leave as of 3 weeks ago! These past three weeks have gone by so fast, I’ve barely had time to relax. However now that I’m 2 weeks away from my due date I’m ready to enjoy these last few days Andrew and I have together before baby E arrives.

When I saw my midwife last I was already 1 centimeter dilated. I’m looking forward to my water birth if its anything like relaxing in the pool.

In other news, both baby showers are over – Andrew and I were given many many wonderful things from family and friends. Then left to sort through it all, it took us a good week to get things figured out and put away. Now I just have to wash all the little clothes!

It seems like everyday I’m adding more items to our to-do list! I guess you could say I’m already nesting by all the cleaning and organizing I’ve done. However no harsh chemicals here! Being that I’m pregnant Clorox and other cleaning agents have found themselves kicked to the curb. We’ve even had our carpets professionally cleaned with a complete green organic company and its made a world of a difference.

I’ve found that vinegar, lemon juice, baking soda equal the best cleaning solutions for just about anything! Along with a few magic erasers.

Mix 1 part vinegar to 2 parts hot water plus juice of one lemon and your tile floors will look beautiful along with your baseboards.
Equal parts Water and vinegar plus baking soda will clean your sinks, toilets, microwave, and shower. Mix the three ingredients to the same consistency as a thick frosting.
Want a clean cook top? Mix 1 cup baking soda, water, and liquid soap to the consistency of a thick frosting or paste. Scrub with a sponge and rinse with water.

You can find other recipes here.

Yes that’s my hospital/diaper bag that’s semi packed. A few more things need to be added, but its sitting on my dresser ready to roll. That’s also a copy of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, I strongly recommend reading this once or twice if your going that route. Although I haven’t been able to use the information I’ve read, it seems very thorough and helpful.

Now I can’t leave you without a baby room update. The dresser is 95% finished and in baby E’s room, Andrew has worked hard sanding and painting.

Here’s a small peek along with the fabric I’m using for the crib skirt. As you can see the dresser did not end up getting painted blue!

B is for Blue Dresser

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 30 May 2011 11:57:00 +0000

Good morning friends, happy Memorial Day! I’m sad to say these past three days haven’t been our traditional Memorial day weekend. Any other year you’d find Andrew and I camping – surrounded by family and friends. However this year I’m 35 weeks pregnant and I’m pretty sure my midwife would be upset if she learned I went camping this weekend. Instead we’re going to fire up our barbeque and have burgers and corn on the cobb for dinner!

Other than our low key weekend activities, we have been determined garage sellers and craigslist seekers. I’ve been watching craigslist day in and day out for a new dresser to put in the baby’s room, but nothing really caught my eye.

I found this for $60, all drawers included at a garage sale. The dresser is in really good condition and almost matches our coordinating crib dresser perfectly except the price tag.

After we unloaded our inexpensive dresser I went and looked up this one and saw they’re similar in style. Not that it was my intension!

Although my new found dresser is in excellent condition despite a few dings, I’ve decided to give it a coat of color. I’m a new found member of pinterest, and I’ve been pinning all blue dressers insight.

Unlike the china cabinet I’m on an overly packed schedule to get this dresser done in a week. That’s sanded, primed and painted in 7 days. Wish me luck! Happy Memorial Day.

Scramble

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Thu, 19 May 2011 19:09:00 +0000

I love spinach – plain and simple! I’ve had my healthy dose of spinach lately – kind of an odd pregnancy craving you could say. I’ve even started substituting the lettuce on my burger for this leafy green.

However this morning we’re going to talk breakfast!

Happy scrambling!

Shopping Bag.

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Wed, 18 May 2011 09:23:00 +0000

Over the past few months my addiction to Etsy has grown. I’m all for supporting small businesses – in hopes one day, when I can start my own people will support me too.

Here’s a look into my shopping bag…

Yellow topaz earrings from Pretty Petal. Purchased these pretty earrings for a wedding next month!

Antique fishing lures from Vickie's Beach House. These are for the baby’s room, that’s still a work in progress. However maternity leave has been confirmed to start next month, so maybe I’ll get a start on my to-do list.

Vintage cast iron brackets from Assemblage. Yet another project on my to-do list, soon these vintage brackets will be used to support a shelf in my living room.

So what’s in your shopping bag?

Hanging Art–Baby Mobiles

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 06:05:00 +0000

Hi friends. As these last few weeks of my pregnancy come to a close my mind is consumed by everything baby and preparing our nest for this life changing adventure. So please bare with me as this blog takes a turn for everything baby related.

I’m gradually getting the baby room started (I wish I could say I’m gradually getting the baby room finished, but it’s just not the case). When I first started planning the baby’s room I was anti-mobile. Until recently, when I started looking on Etsy and other boutique baby stores. I just fell in love with the unique handmade “hanging art.”

1 : 2 : 3 : 4

So far I’ve gathered fabric in coordinating colors and figured out a general concept, now I just need to find the time to put everything together. Pictures of the mobile soon, enjoy your weekend!

These Last Few Weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 11:49:00 +0000

I’ve made it to my third trimester, 28 weeks today!

Boy oh boy has this little guy been growing fast these last few weeks. I have heartburn to show for it along with restless nights. However I found some dream cream at a local maternity boutique, mambino organic belly butter and it’s heaven. The cream hydrates my growing belly perfectly and it doesn’t leave an oily residue, plus the lavender and orange scent is wonderful. I definitely recommend the mambino skin care line to any momma’s to be.

Andrew and I have been on the fence about a birthing center and a hospital throughout my entire pregnancy, and I’m happy to report we’re staying with the hospital. The hospital we chose has midwives, which is something I strongly wanted along with a natural birth experience. Plus they have birthing tubs, from what I hear water is like a natural epidural.

Well that’s my baby update! I’m working on a few projects for baby and some changes around the house, I can’t wait to share them with you. Enjoy your week!

The Best Pizza I’ve Ever Had

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 17:20:00 +0000

And it came from my kitchen!

You could say I’m a picky pizza eater. Very rarely I’ll make a pizza at home because it seems I can never mask the talents of pizza pro’s. Until I decided to try making a pizza with white sauce and using fresh dough from Nugget Market. I’m happy to say my local pizza joint on the corner just lost their most loyal customer.

White Pizza

Pizza:
Sweet or spicy Italian sausage, uncooked
Baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
Sliced black olives
Mozzarella cheese
Green onion, chopped
Fresh basil, finally sliced
Italian seasoning
Freshly made pizza dough

Garlic White Sauce:
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tablespoon butter
½ – ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
¼ cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
Black pepper
Italian seasoning
Salt
Garlic powder

1. Preheat oven to 500°. Insert pizza stone.
2. Remove casings from sausage, add to a skillet over medium heat. With spatula break into small pieces. Once sausage is thoroughly cooked, discard grease and set sausage aside on a plate. In the same skillet sauté sliced mushrooms, over low heat cook until soft.
3. Meanwhile roll out dough on a floured surface, set aside.
4. In a saucepan over low heat combine butter and flour to make a roux. Add cream starting with ½ cup and pressed garlic. Whisk together. Next add black pepper, salt, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder to taste. (Sorry I don’t have exact measurements, gradually add the seasonings until your taste buds are satisfied.) Continue whisking over low heat until all ingredients are combined. Add remaining cream if the sauce becomes too thick.
3. Remove hot pizza stone from oven. Place dough directly onto the stone then ladle white sauce onto the surface. Add ½ of the mozzarella cheese, then sausage, cooked mushrooms, and olives. Then add remaining cheese. Next top with green onion and fresh basil. Sprinkle lightly with Italian seasoning.
4. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted. Allow pizza to cool for 5-8 minutes before cutting.

PSSST! Here are some of my homemade pizza tips and tricks:
1. Use a pizza stone to cook your pizza. Heat the stone inside your oven as it preheats.
2. Mozzarella! Gourmet 100% whole milk mozzarella is the only way to go.
3. If your toppings include mushrooms, try precooking them in a skillet prior to topping on your fresh pizza. Mushrooms hold a lot of moisture! Unless you want a watery soggy pizza, try precooking them first.

So tell me, what are your homemade pizza cooking tips and tricks?

Simple Baby Quilt

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:13:00 +0000

Hey there. I’ve been knee deep in baby stuff, my pile is sure getting bigger and bigger each week. The other day I was in the middle of making this beach inspired baby quilt when I thought, maybe I should take some pictures and share them with you! So here it is.

I think it turned out great. I used Cloud 9 organic cotton, with a layer of cotton batting then enclosed the back with light gray.

After I hemmed the edges I used a fabric marker to make straight lines for quilting.

For the quilting step I used a double needle with white and teal thread.

After a few hours it as finished, I can’t wait to use this quilt for the baby’s first beach trip this summer! Anyways enjoy your day, its actually starting to feel like spring.

Blueberry Bliss

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 19:11:00 +0000

I love the fact that spring is right around the corner. But I love even more that a majority of our garden is planted and growing like a weed in our little greenhouse, I can’t wait to cook and eat my own veggies and fruit.

Speaking of fruit I have a yummy recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

Blueberry Crumb Bars

1 ½ cups white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 sticks of cold butter, cubed
1 egg
¼ teaspoon salt
Zest and juice of one large lemon
4 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries (I used frozen)
4 teaspoons of cornstarch

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup of white sugar, baking powder and flour. Mix the salt and lemon zest in a small bowl then add to the flour mixture. Using a fork or pastry cutter blend in the butter and egg. Dough should be crumbly. Pat half of the dough into the prepared pan.
3. In another bowl combine; sugar, cornstarch (I was out of cornstarch and used flour), and lemon juice. Gently mix in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberries evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, or until top is slightly golden brown. Cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours before cutting into squares.

Recipe from: Smitten Kitchen

I’ve been eating these for breakfast and dessert with a little vanilla ice cream, they’re so good! Now go make some already.

Spring?

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 20:12:00 +0000

Hi. I’m popping in for a brief moment to share some Spring wishes. Are all my friends in California loving this warm, almost Spring like weather?

a : b : c : d : e : f : g : h : i : j : k

Anyone else have a few wishes? Enjoy the weather :)

The Nursery Chapter

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 00:16:00 +0000

Hey there. Happy New Year!

While I had a moment I wanted to share my nursery idea’s with you. The sex is unknown, but I’ve been working hard designing some nursery boards for both a boy and a girl.

So here’s a sneak peek of the fabric’s.

Here is a girls fabric board. Clockwise from the top left: P. Kaufmann Hip Dove, Fretwork Aqua, Jefferson Sky Blue, and Soiree Leaf.

Girl board number 2. Clockwise from top left: P. Kaufmann Hip Berry, Abyla Olive, Prissy Rose, and Milano Blush.

And for a boy. Clockwise from top left: Chip Cameo, Jefferson Sky Blue, Bocce Bonfire, and Jefferson Antique White.

Still a work in progress but I’m happy with how they’re all turning out. However I’m leaning toward the blue girls room rather than the traditional pink more and more. But we’ll see!

We won’t find out the sex until February. But I am happy to say we found a doctor/midwife we like (finally!) It’s a drive to the hospital and for check ups, but well worth it.

Have a great day!

Hello?

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 19:13:00 +0000

I’m out from under my rock! Are you still reading?

These past three months I’ve gone from shocked, scared, stressed to excited…and I’m finally ready to share what has been going on.

I’m pregnant!

We had a chance to see our baby for the first time yesterday! The ultrasound was amazing, he or she was moving all over the place. Grabbing their legs and playing with their hands.

Oh and get this…my due date is July 4th. Before my visit yesterday I was under the impression I wasn’t be due until the later part of July even early August. It was shocking to see that I’m further along than I thought because I haven’t gained much weight. I was waiting for the doctor to say “oh you’ve gained 10 lbs” by how hungry I’ve been these last couple of weeks. I can even out eat Andrew at the dinner table. But you didn’t hear that from me.

I hope everyone enjoys their Christmas, I can’t believe its already here.

PS. I promise, promise to try and post more.

Organic – Plain and Simple

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 14:01:00 +0000

Good morning! Miss me?

See anything in common here? Let me clue you in…everything is organic. For the past two months I’ve been eating organically. And I do have to say I’m very proud of myself. Have you ever considered eating strictly organic food? Sometimes I slip, but for the most part I stick to my plan.

I was hooked after I watched a documentary called food inc. It completely changed me and how I view food.

Many people ask me if my groceries are outrageously expensive, but I have yet to notice a big difference. Do you know how hard it is to find a restaurant that’s organic? Pretty much our eating out days are obsolete, except for rare occasions. So I save money there. I’m no longer buying processed foods, everything is usually fresh produce, grains, or dairy. The only place I splurge is meat! Grass fed beef and free range chicken are expensive but well worth the price.

Have you ever done something completely drastic in your life and thought, ‘how can I ever go back?’.

Enjoy your Tuesday folks!

Winner, Winner!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 00:17:00 +0000

Congratulations to…

Lex Loci Lori

Lori, you’re the winner of the pillow giveaway. Yippy! Please contact me by email with your address information.

Have a lovely week!

Friday.

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 22:44:00 +0000

Hi. I’m alive! I’ve been busy the past week relaxing. Darn, I’m caught! I have a good reason, I’ve been enjoying this fall weather and I hope you have too!

Also, I have a little reminder. Today is the last day for the pillow giveaway. See you Monday for the results.

Enjoy your weekend!

Halloweekend

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 21:35:00 +0000

Have a great Halloween and a spooktacular weekend! Don’t forget about the giveaway, ends November 5th.

Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 12:03:00 +0000

Mornin’. How was your weekend? The weather was dark and rainy all three days, I didn’t leave the house once. It felt good to lounge around in my PJ’s all weekend, another reason why I love the rain.

Yesterday was a much needed day for a warm bowl of soup. Using ingredients on hand I whipped up a simple but satisfying bowl of goodness.

There are so many possibilities; add zucchini, peas, squash, even substitute the pasta for rice or barley…below is my exact recipe.

Vegetable Soup with Orzo Pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
2 celery stocks, diced
5 baby portabella mushrooms, chopped
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ cup basil leaves, chopped
¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14 ounces) Italian style diced tomatoes
1 cup pinto grigio
10 cups chicken stock
¾ of a pound of orzo
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
Fresh grated parmesan cheese
Croutons

1. In a large stock pot heat olive oil then add; onion, carrot, celery, mushrooms, rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, basil, parsley and garlic. Cook vegetables until tender approximately 8-10 minutes on medium to low heat, covered.
2. Add tomatoes and their juices along with the white wine. Continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes with lid removed.
3. Stir in chicken stock, orzo and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until orzo is completely cooked. Season with salt and pepper. (Keep extra chicken stock on hand just, you may need to add more broth.)
4. Ladle into bowls, top with croutons and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Enjoy your Monday.

This recipe has been linked to Funky Junk Interiors Saturday Nite Special

A Poem for Halloween

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 21:56:00 +0000

Halloween is just around the corner, it crept up on me very fast this year.

We all know the love of chalkboard paint around here is huge (yes I’m speaking for all you ladies). So get your paint cans ready…

I found some scrap sheet metal laying around, trimmed it down to size then spray painted with chalkboard paint. I was worried about my lines not being perfect or some what perfect so I used a ruler and a black sharpie to make lines on the board. The lines turned out well and you hardly notice them.

Haunted House
There’s a house upon the hilltop
We will not go inside
For that is where the witches live,
Where the ghosts and goblins hide
Tonight they have their party
All the lights are burning bright,
But oh we will not go inside
The haunted house tonight
The demons there are whirling
And the spirits swirl about.
They sing their song to Halloween.
“Come join the fun” they shout.
But we do not want to go there
So we run with all our might
And oh we will not go inside
The haunted house tonight.
-Jack Prelutsky

I’m happy with everything that came together even though I wasn’t going for the black and white theme. The night of our Halloween party I’ll use the buffet as a bar…that way our guests can read the poem as their waiting for drinks.

Enjoy your weekend!

This project is linked to: DIY Show Off – Fall Festival, Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk, and debbiedoos

Fall Pillow [Giveaway]

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 04:52:00 +0000

Hi there everyone. Guess what? I have a special giveaway, come and enter to win!

Remember my leaf print pillows I recently made for my living room? Well, I have one pillow cover left…and its perfect for a giveaway.

18x18 100% cotton leaf print fabric by Calico Corners.

How to enter:
1. Comment in the section below – one entry
2. Mention the giveaway on Twitter – for a second entry

Entry deadline: November 5th at Midnight. Winner announced: November 8th.

Giveaway restricted to contestants within the USA and Canada only.
This is not a sponsored giveaway.

Good luck!