Dear Demure,

My Fall Spin On A Graham Cracker No-Bake-Cake

2012-10-23T20:12:00.001-07:00

Hey guys!
Here's a fun cake you can get the whole family involved in making because it's kind of like putting together a jigsaw puzzle!
*You'll see what I mean as I continue.

Let's just get to it then!

What You Will Need:

2 Boxes of Graham Crackers
1/2 of the Fat Free Whipped Topping - 8oz container
1/2 of the Nestle La Lechera -13 oz can
1/2 Stick of Unsalted Butter (Softened)
2 tbsp Milk of Choice
2 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

*You can make this cake right on a cake stand or a serving tray.

First you will mix your cake filling.
In a large mixing bowl combine 1/2 of the 8oz container of the Fat Free Whipped Topping, 1/2 of the 13oz can of Nestle La Lechera, 1/2 of softened stick of butter, 2 tablespoons of milk and 2 tablespoons of Pumpkin Pie Spice. Use a mixer to mix all of the ingredients together.

Work on the first layer of the cake.
You will lay out your crackers on a tray or cake stand in the best fitting square or rectangle possible.

I had to adjust some of the crackers by cutting them in half or even in 4ths, to be able to tuck them in and form a perfect square.
*This is where you can get your family involved in figuring out how to arrange the first layer of your fun little jigsaw puzzle. :)

Now that your first layer is laid out, you will carefully spread on the cake filling.
*This will be the most difficult part of putting this cake together because the crackers will move around on the tray if they are not held in place while spreading the filling on.

Now you will arrange your second cake layer.

This time you will need to arrange all the crackers differently then you did the first layer.

*You don't want to end up making a bunch of individual little cakes, so come up with a new arrangement for the 2nd layer.

Next, spread on the filling again and then pile on the crackers again.
This layer can be exactly like the first layer and the next layer can be exactly like layer #2.
You are just going to alternate between layer 1 and 2 all the way till you are happy with the height of your cake.
*Keep in mind, this recipe is for a 6 layer cake and it took me 1 box and a half of the Graham Crackers to reach that height.
Also, you will need to put aside at least 5 to 7 crackers for the crushed topping that I will talk about next.

When you reach your desired height you will spread the cake filling on the top layer and on all of the sides as well.

Crushed topping for the cake.
Grab 5 to 7 crackers and crush them on a cutting board with a roller or put the crackers into a ziplock bag and roll a mug over the bag.

You will sprinkle the crushed crackers all over the cake (top and all sides) and then tap the crushed topping into the filling and you are finished!

The bad news: You won't be able to cut your self a piece just yet.
The cake will need to stand for at least 2 hours so that the filling absorbs into the graham cracker layers. Womp womp! :^(

But all good things are worth waiting for!!!

I hope you enjoy making the cake and eating it too!! :)

Fall Wreath DIY :)

2012-10-17T15:59:00.002-07:00

Hi guys!
It's Fall! It's Fall!! Only my favorite season of all! :)
I get into a major creative mood in the Fall for which I am thankful, because lately I started to feel like I have burnet out on my blogging a little.
With that said, here's my recent DIY holiday creation, inspiration!

I made this wreath yesterday, and it cost me a total of $13 in supplies at Joann's fabric, with one 40% Off One Item coupon. :)

Here is my pile of supplies.

You can get creative and arrange these in any way you'd like. I started with the Palm Tree Fiber.
I divided it in two sections. One section for wrapping around, and one thinner section for the finishing bow.

I started by securing the Palm Tree Fiber at one end of the green foam wreath and loosely wrapped them all the way around. *Tape and staples work alright in this case but a glue gun would have been better.

Next, I took apart all my plants off of their branches as I will stick them in piece by piece.

The brown plants would go in first, stem by stem all around the entire wreath.
*I pierced the wreath all the way through with each stem. The piece that stuck out of the back of the wreath, I bent it over the piece that was on the front and then stuck the remaining tip into the foam. This secured the piece in it's place.

Here is an idea of what it would look like when you have gone all the way around the wreath.

Next, I stuck my acorns and acorn leaves in a few spots around the wreath, arranging them in groups of 2, 3 or 4.
Then, followed with the golden pears and orange leaves, nicely arranging them around the wreath.
*I pierced the wreath all the way through with those as well and what tip remained I bent under so it doesn't stick out and scratch the door when hanging.

At this point all my stuff was perfectly arranged and stuck in place and I was almost finished.

Remember that strand of Palm Tree Fiber you left over for a bow? This is the part where we will use it!

Comb through the strand and arrange each Fiber to be approximately the same length with the rest.

Pull one end of the bunch through the hole of your wreath and let the wreath hang down from the Palm Tree Fiber. Even out the length of both of the ends of your Fiber strand and tie a double knot as close to the wreaths edge as possible.

Next, you will knot it twice again but this time about 2 1/2 to 3 inches above the first double knot.

The last thing you will do is tie a pretty bow right on top of your last knot, and trim the edges of the bow to be even.

And now you are all done and ready to display it for all the neighbors to envy!

Oh, if only they knew that you made it all by your self! ;)

Hope you enjoyed this DIY Fall Wreath!

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE-CHUNK COOKIES

2012-10-12T13:30:00.000-07:00

Well, what do you know, I have been suffering from a sweet tooth on an almost daily basis now days!
The wows of pregnancy...
As excited as I am about this new adventure of loving me some sweets first thing in the morning, noon, and evening, it is a bit of a challenge to satisfy my sweet-tooth in a most healthy and nutritional way possible.

If you know me, you know that I love a challenge, especially when it comes to messing around in the kitchen. I have been crafting some yummy, nutritional recipes lately and wanted to share one of my favorites.

These Flourless Chocolate Chocolate-Chunk Cookies have been satisfying us for about 4 weeks in a row now. :)

What You Will Need:

- 1 cup Rolled Oats
- 1/4 cup Cacao Powder
- 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Crushed Sea Salt (or 1/4 tsp normal Salt)
- 1/2 cup Chopped Dates
- 2 tbsp Raw Honey (+ 1 tbsp Brown Sugar if you like it real sweet)
- 1 tbsp Coconut Oil (melted)
- 3 tbsp Dark Chocolate Chunks
- 1-3 tbsp Almond Milk (or milk of choice)

- I threw my cup of Rolled Oats and 1/2 cup Chopped Dates into a Food Processor to get them blended together and also crushed to make flour like texture.
- While it is still in the Food Processor, I added Cacao Powder, Baking Soda and Salt to the mixture and blended it.
- Next I transferred the mixture into a mixing bowl and added Raw Honey and melted Coconut Oil to the mixture and used a fork to fold those in. Continue to mix until the Honey and Oil are evenly mixed in and the mixture is crumbly and somewhat resembles... coarse crumbs?
- Now you will mix in your Dark Chocolate Chunks followed by just 1 TABLESPOON of milk.
If your mixture is still too crumbly versus sticky like a cookie dough, pour in portions of the 2nd and if needed 3rd tablespoon and mix till you have achieved your perfect cookie dough texture.

Get Your Cookie Sheet Ready:
Instead of smothering it with oil or butter, lard or grease, get your cacao powder and sprinkle a thin layer of it on the cookie sheet. This will create a non-sticky barrier between your cookies and the pan.

Roll the dough into 2" balls, flatten them a little on the cookie sheet and bake on 375 for 8 minutes.
Cool for a few minutes (if you have the patience) and devour!

Fiber Rich Banana Bread Recipe (Pregnancy food!)

2012-08-23T17:50:00.001-07:00

Well today marks my 12th week of pregnancy and I can now claim that I am entering phase 2!
They say the first trimester is the hardest and is full of not so exciting side effects. Lucky for me, (so lucky!) I have had it really easy! I've totally dodged all of them but the fatigue and a "digestive issue".
Lucky for me there's nothing a little prune juice won't help with (eeew!) and the fatigue wasn't an event either because I stay home and if it strikes all of a sudden, I just retire to the couch and snuggle my pillow. ZzZzzz... ≠^º

One thing I make sure to get every day in my preggo diet is FIBER!
Today I made a Fiber Rich Banana Bread!
This will help my pregnant digestive system a whole lot! Plus, baking it, filled the house with the fragrance of the long awaited Fall season! I'm in semi-heaven!!

INGREDIENTS:

3 ripe bananas (smashed)
1 cup dried prunes (diced)
1 tablespoon flax seeds (soaked in 1 tablespoon hot water)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup coconut oil, softened
1/2 cup honey
1 egg
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cup all purpose flower

PREPARATION

Preheat your oven to 350º F. Grease the 4x8'' loaf pan.
I prefer to soak the flax seeds in a little bit of water and let stand for 1/2 hour
(1 tbs of flax seed to 1 tbs hot water), this releases fibers and the consistency of the mixture substitutes an egg!
Crush or chop the walnuts so they are about 1/4th of an inch. Dice the prunes to about the same size.

METHOD

In a large mixing bowl smash the bananas real good and add your melted/softened coconut oil.
Mix in the honey, egg, vanilla and flax seed mixture.
Stir in flower, baking soda and salt.
Last, fold in the prunes and walnuts.
Pour mixture into your loaf pan and bake at 350º for 1 hour.

Enjoy!

P.S. yours will probably look way prettier!
I had one extra banana in mine and doubled up on the flax seed mixture just to make sure it was super fiber-ie! :^D

Baby! :)

2012-07-15T18:43:00.001-07:00

How amazing amazing amazing is this!?? My sweetie-heart and I are going to have our selves a baby in 231 days! That's not that long at all!!

Not to worry, I've been mentally and emotionally preparing for almost 2 years now! It's just that the actual decision to MAKE A HUMAN was a bit overwhelming at times, so we kept procrastinating until this early Summer, or a bit earlier, something changed for both of us and we decided on a 2013 baby. The original plan was to make a baby in 2013. Knowing that and living with it for a few months, we asked our selves why we decided on 2013? Why not make a baby NOW!?
Conveniently "now" was my day of ovulation, which I knew of, because I studied my cycle rhythm via the book I SWEAR BY.

I was still popping my daily BC pill meanwhile feeling like a bloated, angry, numb cow... yep, that pretty much says it right. I hated the way BC made me feel and the fact that one of the functions of BC was to flush out an inseminated, started life, was a big conviction to me. I had to find another way that was reliable.
I heard of the Natural Family Planning Method from a few friends, and doubted it. But I've heard of the book - Taking Charge Of Your Fertility from my sisters-in-law, who both have been using the method successfully for several years at that time.
Of course I didn't believe them... but I was desperate not to be a mama yet, so I decided to get the book anyway and try the method on my self and then see if they were exaggerating or not. My fear of getting pregnant made me super stickler and careful to do all that the book required and I filled out my tracker like my life counted on it.
Some of my friends booed my decision of doing it the natural way and that put more pressure on me making sure to keep my self accountable to pay attention to all 3 indicators and study my body. It was even scarier and more nerve-wracking after I visited my "Lady Doctor" and told her I was off BC and decided to do it the Natural Family Planning way. She smirked at my decision and said everyone she knew that did it had a baby that year. Yea, ...but why would she support NFP when it will take my dependability off of her prescription pad? Anyway...
Well it's been a little more than 6 years of the Natural Birth Control, and only ONE try at making a baby! Suck an egg "Lady Doctor"! It works! like a perfectly oiled machine!!
I also knew I was pregnant a week before I got the home pregnancy test and all thanks to Toni Weschler's book. Get it!!
I purchased mine 6 years ago, and it came with a tutorial CD and this website > http://www.tcoyf.com < that was a big help during my paranoia.

Well, i'm off to stuff my never ending pit of hunger and then a nap! Aaaah the sacrifice...

:)

DIY Scalloped Jean Shorts

2012-06-25T12:14:00.000-07:00

Hello dear visitors!

Every time summer comes around, before I ever go out shopping for summer clothes, I always go through my closet first to find what I can convert into summer clothes. Usually the items that would get a makeover would be items that spend a year (or more) in the darkness of the furthest corner of the closet. Sad. Well, I'm thrifty and I don't like to waste clothes that I was once excited about.

Today I wanted to share one of this makeovers with you!
This is a fun and easy DIY that I know you will just love and will do it yourself!

This project can be done with any old pair of shorts or pants.

These used to be pants that I have converted into shorts that i'll be converting to scalloped shorts. :)

Here's what you will need:

Old Pants / Shorts

Scissors

Pen

Ruller

Paper towel

E6000 Glue (or a sewing machine if you have one)

First, The piece of paper towel is going to be your pattern. Fold the paper towel twice. The distance between the folds will be the size of your scallop. (About an inch)

Next, using a ruler trace the two fold lines.

In between the two folds you can either draw your scallops free hand or use a round object and trace it.

Now your pattern is ready and you can cut it out.

You will turn your shorts / pants inside out and place your pattern on to the pant leg and trace the scallops on to the pant.

If you plan to cut through both layers, flatten out the pant and smooth out any wrinkles with your hand before you cut.

But if you would rather be more careful with your cutting I suggest turning the pant over and tracing the back side of the pant leg with the pattern as well and then cutting (one layer) front to the back.

Next, since we all know that if you wash that pair of jeans shorts your beautiful scallops will become a mess of frayed threads. To avoid that, if you have a sewing machine, you can stitch the edge like I have

and you are ready to show of your handy work to your girl friends :)

If you don't have a sewing machine you can use a glue. The glue that I believe is best for this project is E6000. It is flexible when it dries and is waterproof.

I used a Q-tip to spread the goop neatly on to the edges.

And that's it!

DIY Dessert & Cake Stands

2012-05-31T23:09:00.003-07:00

Hello love bugs!
It's Summer! And it's wedding season!!
You've probably already attended at least one wedding so far and like me, got to see some of the most festive and creative wedding decor, tasted some of the yummiest treats and probably got very inspired to be real creative for your own party/get-together that you will surely find a reason to throw this summer!
Well, if that's the case then you will probably enjoy eyeballing this blog! <( o ) > < ( o ) >

The above picture is from Sweet and Saucy Supply, they have such gorgeous party supplies. They also have all kinds of amazing treats in their Sweet and Saucy Shop to fill your guests! Check them out!

If like me, you are on a budget for your party, (and who isn't??) then I have a DIY project for you!
We will make beautiful, romantic Dessert Stands out of some used plates and candle holders!
This DIY project will save you a whole lot of dollars and will bring you bundles of satisfaction and a reason to brag to your friends about your super crafty self! :D

Things you need to assemble these:

Glass or Ceramic Plates
Glass or Ceramic Candle Holders
Sand Paper
Epoxy Adhesive
Masking Tape
(click to see pictures of products)
Note: You will also need some tooth-picks (or we used q-tips) to mix the Epoxy Glue with
and a plastic cup or plate to mix the mixture in. You should use items you are willing to throw away afterwards.

The random plates and candle holders were purchased at a thrift store. The rest of the supplies you can pick up at any craft or hardware store.

Start by cleaning your plates and candle holders and make sure to dry them thoroughly.

1.) You will sand the bottom of the plate, just the bottom center of the plate that you will be attaching your candle holder to. This will create a porous surface that will help the glue attach better.

2.) You will also sand the top rim of the candle holder.
The candle holder in the picture had a color coating on it that needed to be thoroughly sanded off at the rim.
The first time we didn't do a good job of sanding this one and it popped right off. So if the plate or candle holder have some kind of a color coating on them, sand it real good.

3.) Next you will adhere the two pieces together.

The best glue option for this project is the Quick Setting Super Glue Epoxy Adhesive. The great thing about this glue is that it is clear, strong and sets in 5 minutes but the bad thing about it is it comes as a double barrel syringe which could be a little difficult to push at times and you really need the exact equal amounts of both substances to come out and then you need to mix the two substances together thoroughly so they end up adhering and drying properly. So that could require preciseness and concentration.

You will use about a coin dollar size amount of glue per dessert stand. Remember it sets in 5 minutes after mixing, so work fast.

Make sure your plate is laying upside down and is sanded and ready for the candle holder.

After mixing the two epoxy substances together, quickly pile on the mixture all around the candle holder rim and adhere it to the plate while the plate is laying flat against an even surface. Then, use your left over mixture and apply it around the seem between candle holder and plate for extra durability.

4.)Next tape the candle holder to the plate with masking tape and set aside to dry with dessert tray remaining upside down on an even surface.

Just to be extra careful we let the dessert trays dry over night, though the ones I checked 5 minutes later were totally set and ready for use!

My DIY Dessert Stands were pretty basic and simple but you can get way more creative by selecting colorful plates or unique candle holders. You can use vases, cups, or glasses instead of candle holders. You can use bowls instead of plates and make your dessert stands tiered!

Here are some of my favorite DIY Dessert Stand ideas from other blogs.

from Brides Magazine

from Artful Aussie

from Matrimonial Meg

This one can be purchased from Trudy10

And my favorite one is from A Beach Cottage

Leather Peter Pan Collars.

2012-05-23T12:15:00.000-07:00

Hello my dear ladies!

Just wanted to drop a little note to let you know that all of the remaining Leather Peter Pan Collars have been REDUCED and shipping is always FREE if you are in the US.

AND! If you are my follower, and you see something you like, but you don't like the price, let me know what you'd like to pay for it.
Yep! Aha!!

That's all!
Now hurry on over and >>> SHOP <<<

A Tea Party To Remember

2012-05-03T17:59:00.006-07:00

A dear friend of mine is getting married this weekend! What an exciting, magical time this is for her! Almost every girl I know lives for this day. She prepares, toils and plans for years in advance, way before the potential suitor ever makes it into the picture. Girls girls... we are such hopeless romantics!

Tis our destiny, our duty
To make life magical and pretty!

I have been really blessed by getting to know this girl. She's such a ray of sunshine and is such a radiant person. I've been even more blessed this week by helping out with her wedding in any small and possible way I can and enjoying some of the fun festivities of this magical time as well. :)

Last week, on Saturday I got to attend a very fancy, dolled up tea party/brunch at the stunning Savannah Tea House and here are some photos from that beautiful day.

An elegant "Full Tea" menu was served, which included, choice of 3 different teas that you got to see and smell before you made your final choices.

You also got to pick out a tea cup of your choice from their charming tea cup display.

And to make the tea party even more authentic and girly, there were hats (and gloves) galore and all the girls got to pick out a fancy head piece to match their outfits.

First scones and muffins were brought out. They were complimented with Clotted Cream.

Next on the menu was this yummy Tomato Dill Bisque Soup, followed by a muffin size Spinach Quiche.

After that they brought our Gourmet Desserts and Pastries.

On the same three tier platter they had assorted finger sandwiches and chocolate covered fruit as well.

And if by now the waistline of your dress didn't mysteriously get snug on you, then they spoiled you some more, with orange sorbet, as "a cherry on top" of an already lavish brunch!

What a fun, fancy and beautiful way to spend an afternoon with some lovely ladies, chatting, feasting, bonding and celebrating. :)

...by the way these photos, curtesy of Lauren Elizabeth, the lovely girl on the left.

(and a bit of my editing of course)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

~The End~

YUMMY, SUPPER HEALTHY, RAW SUMMER SOUP RECIPE

2012-05-01T14:51:00.000-07:00

Hey guys!
It's been a while!
I've been enjoying the warm weather and doing a whole lot of relaxing and mingling with friends. But I've also been working on new accessories! You can come see the new items -->here<--
This time I have leather collars and necklaces and even a few new rings up there! So stop by! :)

Have you guys noticed that as soon as warm weather hits, your appetite changes?
Mine sure does! In the winter I crave comfort foods: thick hardy stews, mashed potatoes, pastas, but in the summer I have a constant craving for fruits and veggies, more veggies then fruits though.
I crave the freshness and the amazing ripe smell of tomatoes, the crunchiness of carrots and cucumbers, the nuttiness of avocados and the aroma of fresh spices. HEAVEN!

Today I whipped up a little recipe that includes pretty much all of my favorite veggies!

This is a fresh, super healthy, raw, chilled, summery soup that is bursting with flavors and goodness!

This is a real simple recipe that will take you no more than 10 minutes to prepare.
Serves 2

Ingredients:

3 Tomatoes (medium)
1/2 Cucumber (long)
4 Carrots (medium)
1/2 Avocado
1 Small Garlic Clove (pressed or minced)
1 Tsp Onion (minced)
1 Tbsp Dill (4 stems of fresh dill)
1 pinch of pepper

(that's right! NO SALT!)

PREPARE:

Dice your cucumber, carrots and avocado into small bite size pieces and put them aside into a large bowl or in my case a little pot.
(I'm not sure why I used a pot...probably out of habit. Soup = pot...go figure)

Mince your garlic clove and a little bit of onion (just one teaspoon is enough, you don't want onion breath! haha!) and if you have a fresh batch of dill, dice that up as well and throw it all into the same pot and stir the ingredients around.

Next cut up your tomatoes, throw then into the blender and puree them.

Since my dill came in a spice tube I added a tablespoon of it into the tomato puree and blended it in while still in the blender.

That's all! You're done!
Now you're ready to serve!
Told you, this recipe won't take you any more then 10 min to prep!

Pour your tomato puree base into the bowl/pot of veggies and stir it.

Scoop a ladle full of the soup into a soup bowl and enjoy the fresh, tasty, goodness!

:)

~inna~

RED EARTH TRADING CO. in NASHVILLE April 5th-21st!

2012-04-07T03:53:00.015-07:00

The buzz around town is all about Red Earth Trading Co.!

Their "Pop-Up Store" is temporarily set up, in our own, Hillsboro Village, at 1817 21st Ave., Nashville, April 5th though the 21st.

Don't miss your chance to help an amazing cause by stopping by to SHOP! :)

Red Earth Trading Co. - 2011 Promo from Red Earth Trading Co. on Vimeo.

A Memorable Evening

I was so lucky to be able to be there for their Launch Event evening, which happened Wednesday, the 4th, where I met some of the most amazing, passionate, and talented people in charge.

Of course the event was a blast, and I took pictures to prove it ;)

These beautiful people are the great minds behind Red Earth Trading Co.

Founder and CEO, Travis Gravette & the stunning Designer, Evan Barbee.

I couldn't help but admire Evan's beautiful rings and asked if I could snap a photo.

"I am drawn to our product because it is beautiful, and I wear it proudly because of what it means. It is a direct link to the good work happening in far away places" - Evan Barbee

http://blog.redearthtradingco.com/2011/11/allow-us-to-introduce-ourselves/

Red Earth Trading Co. is such a great concept! All of the items are 100% hand made and none are ever mass produced. Each item is purchased 100% Direct Trade, which means that the items are bought straight from the person who made them. "Each purchase you make is 100% Life Changing, because our profits make a difference. We buy more product, cover our operating expenses and then give all of our profit to further the work of Global Support Mission." - Travis Gravette

http://www.redearthtradingco.com/our-story

My darling friend, Kate was there by my side. (Click her name to check out her blog!) :)

It was thanks to her that I got my invitation to the event and am so grateful for that opportunity!

And we were both thankful that our cuties, husbands were able to come out with us as well.

This is my dear, sweet, friend Annie. It so happens she is helping out with the Pop-Up Store and you might see her there if you stop by!

Yummy deserts were served and Beve catered the most excellent coffee!

It was such an honor to be invited to the Event Launch. What a memorable evening of fun, food, friends and a great cause!

Don't miss your chance to check out the Red Earth Trading Co. Pop-Up Store while it's in town!

They are here till April 21st and after that they are GONE!

On April 14th you will even get to be serenaded while shopping, so come and bring friends!

Red Earth Trading Co., 1817 21st Ave. Hillsboro Village

Store Hours April 5th - 21st:

Mon. - Thur. 10 am - 9 pm

Fri. - Sat. 10 am - 10 pm

Sun. 11 am - 6 pm

VIDEO WITH THE GIVEAWAY WINNERS REVEALED!

2012-04-04T01:46:00.001-07:00

Hey guys,

***IT'S TIME TO REVEAL THE WINNERS OF THE GIVEAWAY DRAWING***

Thank you so much to everyone that has participated!

It was a total blast for me and I'm sure you guys don't regret it either. Right? :)

And now

watch this video to find out who the 2 winners are!

(Sorry for video being so bright, i'm still learning my camera...) ;)

I love to give things away and plan on doing that on a regular basis!

So if you didn't get to win this time, there's more to come!! :)

~inna~

CRUSTLESS GUILTLESS QUICHE Recipe

2012-03-29T17:05:00.013-07:00

I love experimenting in the kitchen! :)
Today I experimented with a Quiche recipe.
I wanted to see how many normal ingredients I would be able to substitute with healthier ones, but still keep the yummy taste. My favorite "Diet" is the one where you don't have to give up the flavor. :)
I'm happy to say that this experiment was a success!!

So here it is, A Crustless, Guiltless Quiche!

This Quiche is 780 calories whole and under 100 calories per slice! (8 slices)

The substitutes I used in this recipe

Ingredients:
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
1 1/3 cups coconut milk
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup of fresh baby spinach
1 Medium zucchini, diced
1/2 cup Veggie Shreds
1 tbsp coconut oil
Flax-Seed-Egg-Substitute =(2 tbsp flax seed/meal with 1/2 cup water)

Preheat oven to 400F.

Melt 1/2 tsp of Coconut Oil on frying pan, and toss in your diced zucchini. Cook over medium-high heat until zucchini is tender and slightly caramelized. Scoop zucchini out into a bowl and set aside to cool.
Toss in your diced onions into the pan and cook over medium-high heat until caramelized and tender. While onions are still in your pan, add in fresh spinach and cook until just wilted. Scoop onions and spinach out into the bowl with zucchini and let it all cool.

Prepare your Flax Seed egg substitute.
Blend in a blender/food processor 2 tablespoons of flax seed (or flax seed meal) with 1/2 cup of water until the mixture resembles an egg white consistency (this is to replace 2 eggs.)
*Tip* For each egg to be replaced, blend 1 tablespoon flax seed with 3 tablespoons water.

Now, in a large mixing bowl whisk together 2 eggs, plus your flax seed egg substitute, flour, baking powder and salt. Next, whisk in coconut milk, and stir in spinach-onion-zucchini mixture.
Lightly grease a 10-inch quiche/pie pan with Coconut Oil and pour the quiche into the pan.
Top with "Veggie Shreds" - Lactose and Gluten Free Cheese substitute.
(*Veggie Shreds are my new addiction! They tastes amazing, like real cheese!!!*)
Bake on 400F for 30 minutes, or until center is set and the outside edges are golden brown.
Let set for 5 minutes, then slice away!

Hope you enjoy the recipe!

I'm going to have myself another slice of that Quiche. :)

<3

~inna~

DOUBLE GIVEAWAY! DRAWING STARTS NOW!

2012-03-26T18:32:00.008-07:00

Well, it's Monday! So, let's get this GIVEAWAY started! :)

But first!

Instead of giving away one item, I decided to make it a little more interesting!

I am now giving away 2 items from my shop!

Wow! What?!

Yep! :)

When the votes came in, there was a tie between two items and instead of having to choose which one to give away, I decided to.... celebrate Spring...? and give away both of them! Yeey! :)

HERE'S WHAT'S IN THE GIVEAWAY!

SILVER LACE CUFF ~>

This is a crocheted lace cuff bracelet in metallic silver threading. It measures 7&1/2 inches in length, featured a metallic clasp.
The clasp was sewn on and then glued for extra durability and ware. You can wear it alone or stack it with other bracelets or cuffs. :)

<~LITTLE ACORN AND CHARM NECKLACE

This is a lovely, delicate, vintage style, charm necklace.
The chain is 18 inches long, the acorn is a little less than half an inch in size and the second charm is 1 inch long.

ENTER TO WIN!

To be entered to win all you have to do is leave me a comment here.

**You DO NOT have to have a Blogspot account to leave a comment!**

If you follow me in more ways that one, leave me a separate comment for each "social network" where you are following me.

Doing this will increase you chances of winning!!

"I follow you here, I'm _______" (include your link)

If it's Facebook then say "I follow you via Facebook, I'm _________"

If it's Twitter, say "I follow you via Twitter, I'm _______"

If you are not a follower yet:

You are more than welcome to start following me now and get in on the GIVEAWAY!!:)

**You DO NOT need to have a Blogspot account to FOLLOW ME!**

The good thing about Blogger is, it lets you follow from your own "online home", what ever it might be. All you have to do is click on "Join this site"button, on the right hand sidebar of my page and pick how you would like to follow me.

(leave me a comment if you have any questions)

I will announce the two winners next week, Monday, April 2nd!

~inna~

GIVEAWAY + an accessory DIY.

2012-03-19T17:23:00.005-07:00

Hello my Dear Demures!
The other day I had a GREAT IDEA!

A GIVEAWAY idea!

To show my gratitude and appreciation to my followers I want to give something away from my ~>Etsy Shop<~. But I want you TO WANT the item, so that's why I thought I should let you guys give me your suggestions on what item I should give away!

So, browse my ~>Etsy Store<~, pick an item and leave me a comment with your suggestion here, or on my DearDemure Facebook, or anywhere else you are following me. Then I will see what item was most desired and on Monday of next week I will get the drawing going.

I mean... who doesn't like a GIVEAWAY? Especially if you get to pick the item! :)

In other news....

I had myself a little DIY project earlier today.

I had this shirt for a little over 2 years. Got it at Walmart one night while shopping for groceries. It was pretty, on sale - $5, and I saw potential in it...

But, no matter how I tried to accessorize it, tuck it in, wear it under, or wear it over, it just never looked quite right.

Well, today I had enough of its shenanigans and put scissors to it, and chopped that collar right off.

I cut it right under the seem making sure to include a button on it. That way I would be able to button it right up and not have to mess with any more sewing or fixing.

And here it is!
My cut-off collar!

I tied a lace ribbon around the fold of the collar and folded the collar over it, threw on some pearly beads and BAM! A new accessory!

A shirt that could have been a complete waste ~~of money~~ has redeemed itself!

<3

~inna~

The Fancy, Salon Nails At Home - Tutorial & Review.

2012-03-18T15:03:00.008-07:00

Right about now you are probably wishing for Salon Nails, (I don't know... are you?) and hopefully, done by yourself, at home, in less that 20 minutes, and on a budget, of no more than that rusty-old $10 bill that has been in your wallet for a while. Right?
Well exciting news!
Your wish has come true! :^P

The last time I gave myself Salon Nails (which was probably in 2006) the process took sometimes more that 2 hours, it was messy, it was hard work and even with the windows open, the whole house still ended up smelling like a shoe factory!
Turns out the process has gotten way easier since then!

I was strolling through my neighborhood K-mart the other day (on my way to pick up a few shipping envelopes) and stumbled upon this box of BROADWAY NAILS - Real Life Brush-On Nail Kit. Someone shoved them on the shelf of envelopes, which is why I even noticed them.

I'm happy to say, I do not regret the purchase and i'm impressed, they were not lying when they claimed these guys were "Simple"!
If you've ever attempted to give yourself Salon Nails at home, or if you never even dared to, you should definitely give these a chance! You will be pleasantly surprised!

The thing I loved best about this set of Broadway Nails is that, if you ever got tired of them, or if you screwed up on a nail, you would not have to soak your hands in a mixture of gasoline + acid + fire to peal them off.
(JK about that mixture...i'm pretty sure it will kill you.)
To take these off, all you have to do is soak a cotton ball in Nail-polish Remover with Acetone in it, which is any ol regular Nail-polish Remover, then just rub off the fake nail.

The process is fast and easy, actually easier than trying to remove Glitter Nail-Polish.

Well, now that you are really excited about getting your manicure on, I'll go ahead and start with my tutorial. :)

**The reason I decided to make a tutorial for these Broadway Nails is because the instructions that came with the kit are tiny, not very clear and don't really have pictures. Plus I though this could also serve as, in a way, a review for the BROADWAY NAILS - Real Life Brush-On Nail Kit

Here are the contents of the box, plus a nail-polish I picked out to finish the manicure with. (click on pictures to enlarge)
The box actually comes with 2 sets of nails. One set (of 20) french manicure and another set (of 20) plain manicure and that pink thing on the bottom of the picture is a nail filer.

So let's get started!

1) Wash your hands with soap to get rid of any lotion or oils off of your nails, then if you are hard core like me, you can file the tops of your nails a little for a better, more sturdy attachment. Normally that is not recommended because it's not so good for your nails. But nails grow and the body heals...

2) Select the perfect size tip for each nail.

Got your set of 10 picked out? Great!

NOTE: Start working on your dominant hand.

3) Get the Brush On Gel (this is your glue) and sweep some on the inside of the fake nail tip.

4) Stick that tip on, press and hold still for about 15 seconds.

The hardest part is over!

5) Get the Brush Cleaner and sweep it across the scar where the nail tip meets your natural nail.

The Brush Cleaner will smooth out the scar some, so it is not as noticeable.

If the scar is still pretty rough you can file it a little.

Be careful not to file down the white part (the french manicure).

6) Pop off the tabs, and file to your preferred shape/size.

7) Get the Brush On Activator, Shake it and take off the top.

You will notice that it does not have a brush.

Not to worry! There is a reason for it!

You will partner your Activator with the Brush Cleaner for the rest of the process!

So take the Brush Cleaners brush and put it into the Activator.

8) Arrange your "potions" in this order: :)

9) Now you will coat each nail, one by one, first with Brush On Gel

then (with the brush from the Cleaner) quickly switch to Activator and brush it on top of the wet Gel. After using the Activator put the the brush back into the Cleaner. This will prevent the Activator from hardening on the brush.

Make sure that the Gel doesn't dry before you coat the Activator over it.

NOTE: If the nail remains sticky for more that 5 minutes, this will be

the indicator that you didn't do the switcheroo fast enough.

Not a problem! Go over it again, (with Gel then Activator) but this time faster :)

After the nails dry, go over them again at least one more time.

I did the Gel + Activator 3 times.
That really covers the scar and makes them shiny, smooth and sturdy.

10) Let your dominant hand dry (the nails should dry within 5 minutes)
and then get started on the second hand.

The second hand should be way easier to do now that you had practice. :)

After my nails dried I painted them with this polish...

So there you have it!

Fast, flawless and easy!
Can you tell these are fake? I still can't!

I am very impressed with this kit! And I still have another set of the plain tips left over when these wear out. :)

Thanks for stopping by!
I hope this was helpful!

<3

FEATURED on Totally Tutorials!!

2012-03-14T18:06:00.002-07:00

Well!!!
What an exciting morning it was today!

I woke up to my phone going nuts with notifications. That doesn't usually happen, so I had to open my eyes and see what in the world is going on.
Turns out my DIY Paper Bouquet got featured on an ~> AMAZING BLOG <~

I was so excited to see all the traffic it brought me and some new followers as well. Truly made my day!
I was singing in the shower for the first time in my life! Ok... no i wasn't singing at all... my mind was racing with excitement and there really was no place in there for a song...

I'm also real excited that people started using my "Reactions"! It's a pretty neat and fast way to let me know you visited without bothering to leave a comment. What a great idea Blogger!! :)

Anywayz, I just wanted to give a shout out to Totally Tutorials. <~Visit them, follow them and go into a DIY Heaven!! :)

<3 xo

New In The Shop!

2012-03-02T22:53:00.003-08:00

Hello all lovelies!

I have a few new, gorgeous items in my SHOP this week!
I am doing something a little different this time. I added a few vintage pieces to my handmade items. Vintaging is just one more passion of mine. And though it seems like everyone is doing it these days, I wanted to join in the fun as well!
I am hoping that by bringing some vintage clothes into my shop, I will be able to get a little more traffic there and by pairing some of the items with my handmade accessories, I will help people have an idea of how to wear them. :)

The other day I went to a thrift store and came home with 3 bursting bags of adorable dresses!

Oh how I love going thrifting! Leave me there for an entire day and it will not be enough!
I was in such a great mood the rest of the week and all because of one successful shopping/treasure hunting day! What else does a girl need?? Not much! Not much at all! :)

Though it was hard to part with my new found treasures, I kept only a few pieces for my self. I promised my self that I will just trade in a few of my old pieces and put them in the shop in exchange for the new ones. Haven't found any I want to trade in yet. :^" (whistling smiley)

I already made one more trip to the thrift store this week and a pretty successful one as well!
Except this time I went there for some knitting thread and came home with all this! :)

There was also one particular item that made me let out a loud gasp in the middle of the store, when I saw it there, hanging amongst the dull and raggedy scarves.

This is a vintage Peking Handicrafts Inc - Annie, authentic, detachable collar!

TREASURE!!!

Better believe I took it home! :)

Have been wearing it all day! I have plans for it tomorrow and all through next week as well!!

Happy!! :D

I hope your day is full of found treasures and happiness!
Thanks for stopping by!
Here's a link to my DearDemure on Etsy!

<3 ~inna~

Smokey Cat Eyes Tutorial

2012-02-20T21:27:00.003-08:00

Hello lovelies! :)

Today I have an eye makeup tutorial for you. I've gotten a lot of compliments on this particular eye makeup and had lots of ladies ask me to make a tutorial.

Well, here it is! Finally! :)

Keep in mind, I have skipped the boring part, so you don't have to watch me apply foundation and concealer to my face and eyes. So lets just get to the fun part!

You will need a brush and two shades.
One, a Pearly White (or any kind of Shimmery White) and a dark shade. I have done this with gray, charcoal black, dark blue, purple, brown, and now this Dark Plum shade, so pick your favorite dark shade and go with it.

Before you get started here is what we will be trying to achieve with the dark shade.

We want the shape of the shadow to be exactly like this, with the inner corner of the eye having the biggest arch and the outer corner having the "cat eye" sharp corner.

Here is how that is done.

With your dark shade first, start at the inner corner of your eye, make a high arch and pull the shadow down from there to the outer corned of the eye. Go a little past the outer corner and stop.

Then turn your brush at an angle and at the very outer corner of your eye, sweep up and away to connect your lines and make the sharp corner of your "cat eye" like this.

Now, start filling in the rest of the eye lid but make sure to leave the area right above your lash line bare like the middle picture bellow. Next, sweep some shadow on the bottom lid, right under the lashes. Go light on the bottom lid. You only need a hint of color there.

Now, you will get your contrasting shade (pearly white/shimmery white) and sweep it across your lash line, from corner to corner, and carefully blend it into the darker shade so the transition is subtle.

Next you need a Q-tip, (or a sponge, or you can even use your finger) you will blend the eye shadow on the edges all around the eye (top and bottom lid).

After blending the eye shadow you will get your pearl white/shimmery white shade again and make a few finishing sweeps with it.

Sweep some on the brow bone (neatly, blend it into the dark shade). Then, sweep some right under your "cat eye" corner.

And last, you will curl your lashes and apply mascara.

And you're done!

It's that fast and easy! :)

Let me know what you think and if you have tried this.

Pinterest it ladies!!

I LOVE love love it when I see my tutorials circulating the Pinterest!

So super excited every time! :)

Leave me your thoughts, comments and questions too. I always enjoy hearing from you guys.

Also, click "Follow this site" on the right side and get my updates as soon as they are up.

love and sweets!

A "lill sumfin" FOR MY FOLLOWERS!!

2012-02-08T10:13:00.002-08:00

I don't think I was clear enough to catch peoples attention with this post.

So here is the heart of the post:

I wanted to add a little sparkle to your Valentines day by providing you, my dear followers with a 15% off Coupon Code to my online store!

The Coupon Code is: YOUARELOVELY

Because you are lovely! :)

(Coupon expires February 15th)

There are only 7 days left till Valentines day!
Now, I know first hand that for a lot of people this day is just another reminder of the gnawing loneliness.
I was alone for all Valentines days until I finally met my husband and that was a total of 25 years of lonely, chocolate-less, flower-less, teddybare-less Valentines days!

Don't loose heart loves!
Treat your self to something special! Treat your loved friends to something special, make a party to celebrate love! This days is not about romantic relationships it's about LOVE and love is all around you!

Here is my Shop-mini.
Click on each picture from here or go to the store.
(there are a few more items in the store that didn't fit into this shop-mini.)

<3

P.S. please let me know if the coupon code doesn't work. It's my first time making one, hoping i did it right. :)

An Early Valentines

2012-02-02T21:05:00.000-08:00

A bell is not bell 'till you ring it,
A song is no song 'till you sing it,
And love in your heart
Wasn't put there to stay -
Love isn't love
'Till you give it away.
(Oscar Hammerstein, Sound Of Music)

Painting by: Cory Basil
You can buy his amazing art here -> HERE <-

Valentines day is coming up and my sweetie and i decided we should take this opportunity and plan our selves a mini vacation. I couldn't wait till February 14th so we went ASAP. :)

Every 6 months an internal alarm clock goes off in me and i have an uncontrollable urge and gravitational pull towards a big body of water. Massive water. A river won't do, a lake won't do either.
I want the enormous, blue, flat horizon that stretches from one side of the Earth to the other. I want the sand. I want the sound of the waves. I want the fresh salty air. I want drift wood and shells!
If i wasn't such a realist, i would wonder if i was a mermaid in my "past life". Hah!

The Ocean is my Heaven on Earth, my "Happiest Place".
When i'm there i feel like i've been pampered at a spa all day, the stresses and negative energy leave at once. Honestly, i could just sit there and stare at the waves from sun up till sun down and would not get bored, hungry, or thirsty.
Nevertheless, we didn't sit on the beach all 3 days, but we took most of the photos while on the beach. So?! :)

I have to include pictures of our amazing delicacies. Food is a whole half of the vacation fun!!

I'll leave you with this not so good quality of a picture.
It's just too cute. Haha! He's about to get Cracken'.

New Hair Tutorial!

2012-01-19T19:48:00.003-08:00

Hello all ladies!
If your hair length is past your shoulder then today's posting is for you!

I love feeling "brand new" and how I achieve that feeling is by changing something about my self. I am not daring enough to do something drastic like, get a tattoo or shave my head (shout out to Britt) but little, subtle changes do the trick for me. I crave a change almost on a weekly basis. I know, i'm getting out of hand!

I feel brand new when I change up my hair or change how I do my makeup.
About a month ago or so I was sitting in front of my mirror picking at my hair and came up with this interesting hairstyle which I though needs to be shared because it's so trendy and unique!!

To recreate this hair, first of all keep in mind, I have a buzzed, left sideburn, (that's as far as I will ever go with a buzzer) so when you do this hairstyle, your left side will have a little more hair that will cover more of your cheek and ear.
I always ware my hair wavy, mostly because it makes me feel like I have thicker, fuller hair, which i LOVE. So you might want to curl your hair before you proceed with this style.
However, you do not need to curl your hair for this style.

Here is a video tutorial.

Click HERE to watch it in Youtube.

Loves, if you are not following me yet, you might want to start following!
I might be doing a little sumfin special, in the near future, for those who followers me. ;)
So follow me!
Click "Join this site" on the right sidebar of my page!
P.S. You don't have to have a Blogspot account to follow!

Paper Bouquet

2011-12-29T15:43:00.002-08:00

What are you doing New Years Eve?
We are having a party!!!
I love our parties and our friends!
I've been prepping since before Christmas and baking since yesterday.
Our little Country home is going to be transformed into a night out of a fairy tale. I'm so excited!!
I have a few decorations i've picked up to spice up the atmosphere of the Eve, and one that I have whipped up with my own busy fingers.

<~ This is my Paper Bouquet.

It was SO FUN and easy making it and I wanted to show you how. :)

Keep in mind, as I made a few paper flowers, my creative juices started flowing and I ended up pulling out my fabric swatches and glue-gunning my self into an oblivion.
You can use construction paper or scrap-booking paper instead of spending your evening gluing pieces of fabric on to paper like me.
But I like a challenge and working with what I already have in the house. :)

What you will need:

* News paper or Construction paper or Scrap-booking paper
* Glue Gun + glue sticks!
* Scissors
* Pencil
* Bamboo skewers (I find a lot of use for these!)

Cut out 5" by 5" squares of paper for the flower and draw a crooked swirl on each square and follow the line while cutting.

When you get close to the end of the swirl, stop cutting. You will need to leave a circle at the end. You will be gluing the pedestals on that circle.

Next, you will start at the outer edge of your swirl and roll it toward the center circle.

(Leave the circle un rolled.)

Now let go of the swirls and let the flower open up naturally.

Now apply glue all over the flat circle on the bottom of your swirl and glue the pedestals on top of it.

Make sure all the pedestals got on the glue and gently press and pat the bottom

...so apparently paper really dries my hands... :-I

Leaves:

Cut a leaf shape with one flat side.

You will make a fold on the bottom of the leaf. This will give your leaf some three-dimensionality.

Now, glue the fold together.

And there you have it. Your flower and leaves are ready!

Next is the stem:

Cut a skinny and long strip of paper and get your bamboo skewer.

Put a little glue on to the very tip of the skewer and start wrapping your strip of paper around.

Wrap all the way down to cover the entire skewer.

Assemble all:

You will poke a hole in each leaf and gently pull it down to about half way down the stick. Apply a little dab of glue to freeze the leaf in place.

Next, poke a tiny hole on the bottom of the flower, add a little glue into the hole and stick the top of the stick into the flower. Look into the flower to make sure the stick isn't poking out too far. Hide it in the pedestals and you're done with your first flower.

Keep going and get creative with it!

P.S. My beautiful vase is a recycled pickle jar! ;-)

~inna~

Dear Demure on Etsy!

2011-12-20T00:14:00.002-08:00

Hello loves!
Can you believe Christmas is in less than 5 days!?
Ah! How exciting it's been for me already! Actually it might have been the most exciting and busy Christmas yet!

Other than the holiday "hustle and bustle", I also launched my Etsy shop!
I launched it a little more than a week ago now, and sold a few items already!

Since then I've been working away in my shop on more items.
This time around I have been knitting and crocheting nonstop. In fact, every time the Old Navy "Grandmabot" commercial comes on my hubby laughs and says that's pretty much me right now. hah! Pretty much!

My plan is to periodically load new items on to my store as I make them.
So check DearDemure on Etsy often!

"God is with us!"

Well, have a very Merry Christmas guys!
Enjoy every moment of it from the lights to the traditions!
One of mine and Nathan's favorite Christmas traditions is to let each other open the smallest present under the tree days before, as a little preview of what's to come. :)
But it's not the gifts that make this Christmas very dear to me.
I've never really understood why people said "God is with us" around Christmas, until I got to experience and truly understand that last week. It has been life changing!
God is with us and in a very real and tangible way!

"Wise men still seek him."

Thank Goodness For Thanksgiving!!

2011-11-30T15:29:00.000-08:00

Well, one of my most favorite holidays came and went.
Originally, we planned to stay home and have a family gathering but 2 days before the holiday we all got invited to come visit some relatives that were staying in a cabin in the Smoky Mountains!
A real dream of a Thanksgiving!!
The drive was a little over 3 hours long and Nathan and i got to come a day early and spend an evening, a night and a whole day there! The weather was so amazing! It was so breathtakingly beautiful there that i had a really hard time not photographing every minute of it! As I say that, i realize that i'm going to have to hold back on a whole lot of photos. Well, we'll see how much i can squeeze in here. :)

All of the ladies together.
These are my favorite girls, my sisters and cousins (in-law) and Ivan (brother in-law) is behind my camera.

My sweetie pie and i (shot by Ivan on his amazing camera)

The big brother and his baby sister Jaquelyn.

Check her out! ~> on YouTube

My beauties, Lauren and Kathryn.

My favorite Kiersten ever. :)

The brothers. The cuties.

From the porch of our cabin.

Fun was had and great memories made!! :)
Now to start the count down to Christmas!!!

<3

Dear Demure,

My Fall Spin On A Graham Cracker No-Bake-Cake

Fall Wreath DIY :)

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE-CHUNK COOKIES

Fiber Rich Banana Bread Recipe (Pregnancy food!)

Baby! :)

DIY Scalloped Jean Shorts

DIY Dessert & Cake Stands

Leather Peter Pan Collars.

A Tea Party To Remember

YUMMY, SUPPER HEALTHY, RAW SUMMER SOUP RECIPE

RED EARTH TRADING CO. in NASHVILLE April 5th-21st!

VIDEO WITH THE GIVEAWAY WINNERS REVEALED!

CRUSTLESS GUILTLESS QUICHE Recipe

DOUBLE GIVEAWAY! DRAWING STARTS NOW!

**GIVEAWAY** + an accessory DIY.

The Fancy, Salon Nails At Home - Tutorial & Review.

FEATURED on Totally Tutorials!!

New In The Shop!

Smokey Cat Eyes Tutorial

A "lill sumfin" FOR MY FOLLOWERS!!

An Early Valentines

New Hair Tutorial!

Paper Bouquet

Dear Demure on Etsy!

Thank Goodness For Thanksgiving!!

GIVEAWAY + an accessory DIY.