c. jane create

kitchen loot

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:03:00 +0000

{créme brülée goodies}

I got quite a few kitchen items for christmas this year. All the gadgets and gear needed to make a delicious batch of créme brülée - vanilla beans, ramekins and a kitchen torch!

{other kitchen gadgets}

I also got flower molds for eggs or pancakes, a small scoop for portioning out mini muffins or cookies, a crinkle-cutter for veggies and deviled eggs, a new piping bag and tip for deviled egg making, and a mini-measuring cup.

But my favorite, most adorable kitchen item is this awesome milk jug measuring cup set.

{adorbs milk jug measuring set}

It was from santa, he got it at anthro. It's probably my favorite store, even if the closest location is two hours away. :)

What is your favorite kitchen gadget? Is it practical or just something super adorable?

xoxo, christa

wednesday pinsday: recipes for the win

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:18:00 +0000

How many things have you pinned? How many of those things have you actually done / cooked / implemented? I've pinned a total of 640 things. 95 of those are food items. Needless to say, the ratio of recipes I've pinned versus the amount I have attempted is very low. But here are some I have tried. They are christa approved.

{breakfast cake}
I modified the pinned recipe and used peaches and plums in mine. Delicious.

{wedge salad}
At-home version of the Outback Wedge Salad. New favorite!

{cinnamon roll pancakes}
They take a little time, but they are oh, so worth it. Super scrumptious.

{beef & broccoli}

Might be better than take-out. It's certainly less expensive...

{cake batter rice crispies}

You can't go wrong with rice crispy treats. Add in some cake? Yes, please!

So there are a few things I've made and would recommend you try. I've decided to edit my pins once I've made the recipe. That way I know if I've tried it and if it is worth making again.

If you had one pinned recipe you would recommend, what would it be? Is your pinned to tried ratio as low as mine is?

xoxo, christa

my gallery wall

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:06:00 +0000

I showed you all a peek of my living room gallery wall ages ago, I also finished it ages ago and never posted about it! It all started with the window {complete with BB gun hole and crack}.

I made the button art, bought the turquoise mirror on sale at hobby lobby, and wrapped a cardboard box with some colorful fabric.

I made the love canvas using magazine pages and good 'ol mod podge. The oval frame is vintage, I found it on etsy. The backing and glass was missing, so I used a mini clothespin to hang up a photo. The blue and white tile, and it's wooden frame, is from one of my trips to San Diego.

I love the way it turned out! It only took a few months and a few nail holes, but I like it. :)

xoxo, christa

holiday cards 2011

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:35:00 +0000

I made our holiday cards this year to save a little money. I also hand-delivered a majority of them after realizing/remembering that square envelopes require more postage. Better luck next time...

I also took the photos for our card using the timer function on my camera. I told Steven where to sit or stand, set up the camera and then ran over to him and got into place. It was pretty comical, but we were short on time and Steven doesn't have much patience when it comes to getting his picture taken.

My absolute favorite is the picture of the kitties. I got them all to pose with the string of lights.

{this will get much larger if you click on it}

Aren't they just the best boys?! They knew how important the picture was to me.

Okay. Who am I kidding? It took me almost an hour to get them each on the couch individually, then I spent more time photo-shopping them together. There is no frickin' way I'd get them all on the couch together! Here are two of my favorite outtakes...

{whatcha doin' mom?}

{hey, is it my turn yet?}

Surprisingly, Toby was the most difficult to get to sit still. I got Rusty's picture in three shots, Elliott's in five and Toby took about 20.

I should also note that these were almost New Years cards. Luckily I got my act together and got them printed on time. :)

xoxo, christa

a big fat W for the hawks

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:26:00 +0000

After the Schlafly tour, we headed to see the Chicago Blackhawks take on the St. Louis Blues. Steven hadn't been to a hockey game before, and had been looking forward to this for months!

There were an awesome number of Blackhawks fans there. This group was our favorite, wearing their fake mustaches and aviator sunglasses.

We had a great view! Close enough to see the puck, but far enough away that I didn't duck every time a puck came flying into the glass.

It was a really good game. No one really dominated, and there were a few good fights. No blood though.

And the Hawks won 5 - 2, making the night even sweeter! W!

Then we had to get in the car and drive the two hours back home. Luckily there's not much traffic at midnight. :)

xoxo, christa

schlafly tour

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 15:22:00 +0000

Steven and I spent a day in St. Louis at the beginning of December. We rarely venture the two hours to Kansas City or St. Louis, but we should make time to do so more often - we had a blast!

We went to the Schlafly Tap Room to take a tour and have some late lunch / early dinner. We arrive right on time for the 2:00 tour, only to find out that they don't do tours at that location any more.

We procured the address for the other location, which was only about 5 minutes away, and got there in time to reserve a spot for the 3:00 tour. Since we had some time to kill, we took a seat at the bar and enjoyed a drink and some hot pretzels. I tried the Strawberry Cider and really enjoyed it! Then it was time for our tour before we knew it!

Our tour guide {I forgot her name.. oops!} led us into the brewery and told us all about how they made different beers. The process was really interesting to me since I don't usually think much about beer.

She showed us the lab where they test all the beer to make sure it meets their requirements, and then the bottling and storage area. It would have been cool to see the beer being bottled, but I can understand why that wouldn't be safe.

We were led into the tasting room where we learned a little more about their variety of beers and got to sample a few.

We tried the Pale Ale, Hefeweizen, Pilsner and Oatmeal Stout. I learned that I don't like hoppy beer. I guess I kind of knew that already, but this confirmed it. Steven like it all, except the stout. He's not a fan of dark beers. I like stouts, but can only drink a small amount at a time.

It was really fun! We both agreed that we need to get out to St. Louis more to explore a bit. We'd also like to tour a winery once the weather gets nice and there are grapes on the vines!

Have you ever gone on a brewery or winery tour? What was your favorite part?

xoxo, christa

wednesday pinsday: wedding attire

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:34:00 +0000

If you follow me on pinterest I'm sure you've noticed that I've gone a little crazy pinning wedding ideas. I just can't help myself! I haven't pinned any wedding dresses, because, well... no one is supposed to see that before the wedding! But I have been posting fun ideas for the bridesmaids, groom and groomsmen. Here are a few of my favorites:

{the different colored sashes are kinda fun! adds a little personality to the solid dress}

{fun pocket squares! not sure I would have a boutineer on top of a pattern like that...}

{adorable detail for the groom's tie. the bride could even have a matching one sewn to the inside of her dress or on her bouquet}

{groom and groomsmen coordinate, but don't match. interesting idea}

{adding a little personality to the guy's outfits with some fun shoes! the bright yellow is fun!}

If you've been married, did you add any personal details to your wedding attire? Any tips you have to share from personal experience?

xoxo, christa

photo-a-day challenge 2012

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:40:00 +0000

I saw this challenge floating around the internet and decided to jump in! It was thought up by a lovely lady I met at BlogHer, Chantelle {aka, FatMumSlim}, and it has totally taken off. I think practically every one of my instagram friends is participating!

Those are my first 9 photos up there. It's been really fun so far and I'm looking forward to seeing what Chantelle comes up with for the next 11 months. Using my phone and instagram makes it really easy. Lauren introduced us to an app called My365 (I can't find a link, but just search that title in the app store). You add your photo from the day to your calendar, so it helps you keep track of your days. Super cool. {did I just say that?}

I'm going to add a tab to the top of blog to keep track of my photo-a-day. {I'm also working on a little re-design!} I'll keep that tab updated and then maybe post once a month to let you know how it's going. You have to keep me accountable!

It's not too late to join in! You can start with today {day 9}, or play catch up for a couple days.

Have you ever done a photo challenge before? I did a month-long one last year that I never quite finished. I'm determined to do the whole year this time!

xoxo, christa

i'm engaged!

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 01:24:00 +0000

That's right... Steven proposed to me on December 29th! We celebrated our own Christmas that Thursday night since he was off working the Mizzou bowl game in Louisiana over the holiday. We were bummed that he had to be away from home and his family, but were making the best of our mini-celebration.

We both got home a little early from work and cozied up on the couch to watch some TV. Every show we watched made some reference to engagements or weddings and I made my off-handed comments as usual. {Steven later said he couldn't believe every. single. show. kept talking about it. I think it was making him nervous!}

Then we made dinner together - spaghetti carbonara and salad - and sat down to eat. Steven had lit the candles, which should have been a hint - but I had no clue! I just said "Oh, you lit the candles. How nice." We cleaned up from dinner and dove into our stockings. He loaded mine with a three pound bag of gummy bears!

I pointed him in the direction of his packages stacked next to the tree, but he insisted that I "open" my present first. I say "open" because Steven has a history of not wrapping my presents. He just has me close my eyes and then he presents me with the package. Which is exactly what he did...

He had me close my eyes and I sat on the couch waiting for him. I felt his hand on my leg, so I opened my eyes and saw him there on one knee with the open ring box in his hand. He asked me to marry him and I immediately reached to hug him and said "Oh my god. Are you serious?!" I hugged and kissed him and said "YES! Of course." He put the ring on my finger and then we both stood up and hugged again. Then I jumped up and down a little. Then we hugged again. And I jumped up and down a little more. :)

I debated on how to tell my parents and sister, they were in the car on their way to Texas - they had just left my house that afternoon! I decided to take a picture to text them, then call them a minute after. That way they would have the picture when I talked to them.

I called a few other family members and friends and then relaxed with Steven for a while until we went to go meet a couple of our friends at our usual gathering spot. We thought they would notice the ring eventually, but after at least an hour of chatting and trying to put it out there, they hadn't said a word! Steven finally said "Tell 'em." I said "No, you tell 'em." He nudged my hand down onto the table and our friends just stared at me, so I pointed down to clue them in. They we're both surprised and happy for us.

On New Years Eve a larger group of our friends gathered and we received more congratulations. It's been an exciting and happy time for Steven and I. :)

And now the planning begins! I already had a mini-collection of wedding magazines, so I dove into those right away. :) We've set a date in June 2013. Places book up so fast, especially in a smaller area like Columbia. I already have several bridal shows on the calendar!

We're both very excited and are looking forward to getting everything ready for our day.

xoxo, christa {& steven, too!}

happy 2012!

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:27:00 +0000

{rusty kept knocking our second tree of the season over. it never got any ornaments.}

I can't believe it's already 2012! I hope you all had wonderful and happy holidays!

I took a much needed blogging break and gave my brain a rest. Posting every day is hard work! But I think I've settled in to my new work routine and I'm hoping to get back into the swing of my online world. I've really missed you all!

So here is a little glimpse at my last month of 2011:

{the magic tree in front of our favorite gathering spot}

While poor Steven was stuck at home with the flu, I met with some out-of-town friends for a drink. They're only two hours away, but we don't see them as much as we should!

{a few of the presents I gifted}

I got all my Christmas shopping done by December 17th and wrapped all the gifts in kraft paper. I gussied them up by making ribbon out of strips of fabric and tying pretty little bows.

{our stockings hung out of the cats reach, with care}

I did a little decorating, but not as much as last year. The cats managed to break our big, artificial tree. It was not reparable, so we chucked it into a nearby dumpster. I put up our smaller, artificial tree, but it never really felt the same. And Rusty had a blast pulling the tree over, which is why it never got any ornaments. We decided we need a tree with a 50 pound cement base. ;)

{rusty taking a little nap}

I spent extra time snuggling with my kitties before I left town. Steven and I were both gone the same week (December 21st to the 28th). I was with my family in the Chicago area, Steven was, unfortunately, down in Shreveport working the bowl game. He usually heads to the Chicago area to spend time with his family, too.

{my super yummy chicago-style dogs}

We made it to Chicago-land and our first stop was for Portillo's. I always get two hot dogs with pickles, tomatoes and ketchup. I could really go for another couple right now...

{our gingerbread house}

My aunt had picked up a gingerbread house kit for my Grandma, and she waited for me and my sister to get there to help her put it together. I ended up helping her by myself one morning while my sister slept in. I was worried we'd run out of time otherwise!

{bailey's is my new favorite}

I had a few glasses of Bailey's Irish Cream with some whipped cream swirled on top during the week, and even made one up for my Grandma! It's a new favorite for sure.

Now I'm back home, getting into the grove of the new year. {I mean seriously. How is it 2012 already?!} And I have some other exciting news... but that's coming in its own post. :)

Stay tuned!

xoxo, christa

deck the balls with chocolate & sprinkles

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:26:00 +0000

You may have seen my tweets last week, I made about 150 cake & oreo balls to take to various holiday gatherings. It was a crazy time in my kitchen!

I formed the balls one night, put them in the freezer and dipped them the next night. And of course I used different colored sprinkles to designate the different flavors since I was serving them on the same tray.

{red velvet cake balls}

{red, green & white sprinkles}

{birthday cake (vanilla) cake balls}

{multicolored sprinkles}

{oreo balls}

{blue snowflake sprinkles2}

They were all a huge hit, and way easier than I expected. A bit time consuming, but so worth it! I know there are a few ways to make them, but this is what I did...

To make cake balls:
Bake a boxed cake, any flavor, according to the directions. Let it cool, then break it up into a large mixing bowl. Add a can of frosting, any complimentary flavor, and mix well.

Form into bite-sized balls, place on a baking sheet lined with wax or parchment paper. Place them in the freezer for a minimum of 1 hour. Then, dip in chocolate (I used candy melts). Refrigerate to harden the chocolate if needed. Store them in the fridge, but let them come to room temp before eating them. They taste better. :)

To make the oreo balls:
To make 50 balls, you need two packages of double stuff oreos. Dump them in a food processor or blender and blend until all the cookies are broken up well. Put the crushed cookies into a large mixing bowl, add a package (8 oz for two packages of oreos) of cream cheese and mix well.

Form into bite-sized balls, place on a baking sheet lined with wax or parchment paper. Place them in the freezer for a minimum of 1 hour. Then, dip in white chocolate or almond bark. Refrigerate to harden the chocolate if needed. Store them in the fridge, but let them come to room temp before eating them. They just taste better that way.

See, easy peasy! I'd love to try some other flavors in the future. Have you ever made cake balls? What flavors are your favorite?

xoxo, christa

five pounds

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:06:00 +0000

Alternately titled: Why I gain at least five pounds when I spend a week with my parents.

My Dad likes to cook. He likes to try new recipes and perfect old ones. It's awesome. We always eat good food. It's un-awesome in that I always seem to gain weight when I'm around him.

For Thanksgiving we brined our turkey for 3 days and then smoked it. It was gorgeous as well as the best tasting turkey I've ever had. Very moist and had the perfect amount of smoke flavor.

We made a pumpkin pie. My Dad made the crust, my Mom and I made the filling and my Dad and I made the leaves with extra crust to adorn the top. Classic pumpkin pie, great with a bit of whipped cream.

And of course the famous deviled eggs. My Dad and I worked on these together. Always a crowd pleaser. :)

Another day we whipped up a batch of raspberry sorbet. It takes a bit of time to strain out all the seeds, but it is oh so worth it.

It was the perfect balance of sweet and tang. Delicious.

A few days after that we made fresh clementine sorbet. And oh my goodness it tasted just like biting into a clementine! New favorite for sure.

Then, on the night before my sister and I had to journey back to Columbia, we made a batch of crème brûlée. It seems like an intimidating recipe, but it's actually pretty easy.

Baked in a water bath, coated with brown sugar and torched to make a yummy crust.

Smooth, creamy, delicious. Man, I could go some of that right now.

Luckily, I've managed to lose most of the weight I gained Thanksgiving week. But I'd better work on losing a few more - Christmas is right around the corner!

Anyone want to come over for some sorbet?

xoxo, christa

beginning to look a lot like christmas

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:07:00 +0000

To celebrate December 1st, we put up our tree! Rusty was quite interested. :)

I got a few treats for us at the store, including what used to be 'slice & bake' cookies.

Now they come pre-cut in the package. As if pre-made sugar cookies needed to be easier!

And I made hot chocolate on the stove, with milk. Then we topped our mugs with whipped

cream. We listened to classic christmas music and worked together to get the tree up.

It was a nice evening. :)

xoxo, christa

most amazing pumpkin cookies

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:36:00 +0000

These are seriously the best cookies ever. Easy. Light. Fluffy. Perfect for a holiday where the sole purpose is to stuff your face with amazing food. :)

All you need is a regular sized cake mix and a 15 ounce can of pumpkin. You can use vanilla cake, yellow cake, spiced cake - whatever kind you want.

Dump it in a bowl and mix well. Do not add oil or eggs or water or anything. Just the powder and mix and can of pumpkin! I used a fork so that I didn't end up over-mixing and making the batter tough.

You can see how thick, but fluffy, the batter is. And a pretty orange color, too.

I used a 1 1/2 inch diameter scoop to portion out the cookies. Then I used my finger to smooth out the ridges. The cookies only rise / spread a little, so any bumps or ridges will pretty much stay. If you use that size scoop, you'll get about 40 cookies. I personally like the smaller size.

Here are my cookies before and after baking for 15 minutes at 350*. You can see how little they rise, and how the bumps and stuff stay.

Yum. Don't they look delicious?! I'm thinking about making a cinnamon cream cheese icing or glaze to serve with them.

They go fast... so you might consider a double batch. :)

How to:
1 box cake mix
1 15 ounce can of pumpkin

Combine well with fork. Scoop onto baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes (for this size cookie) at 350 degrees.

xoxo, christa

thankful thursday

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:07:00 +0000

{i'm thankful for my loving & caring boyfriend}

{i'm thankful for my wonderful family & friends & those three kitties, too}

{i'm thankful to have a job that allows me to pay my bills and still have some

left to enjoy meals out and buy things i want, not just need}

i'm thankful to have a car. and a place to call home.

i'm thankful for my library books, they take me away from any stresses i had that day.

i'm thankful for wonderful co-workers who help me meet deadlines.

i'm thankful for the como wine girls, cause everyone needs a girl's night out.

what are you thankful for?

xoxo, christa

stormy, cold day

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:54:00 +0000

It is a a wet, chilly day here in mid-mo. I usually don't care for stormy days, unless I can stay at home all day curled up with a blanket. Instead I am at work, but I did manage to fix myself a cup of hot chocolate. :)

I'm actually kind of excited that the holidays are approaching. I haven't seen my extended family since last christmas! The first part of winter is always the easiest part to get through, the holidays keep us happy. And I'm personally in love with twinkle lights. But then January and February just drag on - I'm not looking forward to those months. I'm pretty sure I have a little bit of SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder.

What's your favorite part of late fall and winter? Do you ever feel like you have SAD, or do you love the cold, snowy weather?

xoxo

wednesday pinsday: last five pins

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:11:00 +0000

No real theme this week, just the last five things I've pinned. :)

I love this party in a box! Such a clever idea when your friends don't live close.

How comfy does this chunky cable throw look?! I really want one.

Seven words: Salted. Caramel. Dulce. De. Leche. Cheesecake. Bars.

Such adorable custom art. Favorite animal and color scheme.

I love this ring... if only it came in silver. I'm allergic to yellow gold. :(

I'm gearing up to share some of my holiday gift ideas soon! If you have someone you are stumped on, let me know and I'll see if I can help you out!

xoxo, christa

happy birthday, sister!

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:51:00 +0000

{katie & I in tennessee}

Happy 21st Birthday to the best sister I know!

I hope you have a fantastic day and wonderful year. :)

And to everyone else - Happy Halloween!

Be safe! And stay warm!

xoxo, christa

ps: I want to welcome all my new friends and followers who came over from Along for the Ride.

For those who don't know, Laura is hosting some fab giveaways to celebrate her

blog anniversary, including one from me! Go check it out!

peach-plum buttermilk breakfast cake

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 15:31:00 +0000

I had seen a recipe for blueberry buttermilk cake a while back and knew it would be a great thing to take to our breakfast tailgate. Except that I wanted to use an in-season fruit and opted for peaches and plums.

It was super moist and delicious. The perfect amount of sweetness for a breakfast item. And I really liked the flavor of the peaches and plums. Since we enjoyed it at the tailgate, we just scooped it out of the pan with a spoon. :)

I still have a little buttermilk I need to use up. I'm either going to marinate some chicken or make some pancakes - two very different options! But here is how to make that yummy cake:

peach-plum buttermilk breakfast cake
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp
zest of one lemon
1 cup sugar, plus a tablespoon for the top
1 egg, at room temp
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup diced peaches
1 cup diced plums
1/2 cup buttermilk

Pre-heat the oven to 350*. Cream the butter, lemon zest and sugar until it's light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until it's well combined. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet a little at a time, alternating that with the buttermilk. Then, gently fold in the fruit.

Grease a 9" square baking dish and spread the batter into the pan. Sprinkle the top with a tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 35-45 minutes. Watch for the edges to brown and then test with a toothpick to check for done-ness. Cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

You can use any fruit you think you'll like! Or make it into muffins instead of one large cake, just bake for less time - obviously. You can also double the recipe for a 9x13" pan and bake that for about 55 minutes.

This is a great thing to make during the holidays when you have company. I made ours the night before since we were heading to the tailgate at 7am. You can make a couple and have them ready for your visitors in case they wake up before you roll out of bed. :)

I hope you try and enjoy this recipe!

xoxo, christa

flashback: 1990

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:28:00 +0000

{all dressed up for halloween at age 4)

My parents made all my costumes growing up. I always had the best, most creative and clever halloween costumes on the block. For this year I was dressed up as a cowgirl, with a gun!, and a horse that strapped over my shoulders so it looked like I was riding it. So fun!

I don't really dress up for halloween much any more... I don't go out anywhere and we don't have any kids that trick-or-treat in our neighborhood. I have some good ideas stored away, so I'm sure I'll dress up again one day.

Do you still dress up? What are you going to be this year?

I hope everyone has a wonder and safe pre-halloween weekend!

xoxo, christa

time flies when you're working hard

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:45:00 +0000

How is October almost over?! I'm coming to the close of the fourth week at my new job, but it feels like much longer - in a good way!

I've been keeping quite busy designing all sorts of things for several upcoming events. I've completed a few 'emergency' projects, dealt with the printer concerning deadline issues, helped out at a couple events and printed more signage than I can count!Of course I got my desk all put together on my first day - as to be expected. :) I definitely work better when I have a clean and organized work space.

I've also been attempting to keep up with my freelance projects. I have quite a long list going, but am managing to cross some off.

I'm also hoping to get my etsy shop back in order as soon as I can. I have a bunch of items that I need to get photographed and that takes time that I just don't have. And it will be November before we know it!

I'm sort of ready for the holidays to get here. I'm planning some vacation days and it will be nice to have some down time. Are you ready for or dreading the holidays?

xoxo, christa

updating an outdated frame

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 13:28:00 +0000

I found this lovely oil painting at an antique store for $20. I thought about talking them down a few bucks, but as an artist myself I couldn't bring myself to do it. So for $20 the little lady came home with me. I love everything about the painting.

Well... I love everything except the ugly outdated frame. I considered taking the canvas out of the frame, but I wasn't sure how the edges were finished. So I opted to paint.

Now, before you freak out thinking that I'm ruining some antique frame... It's from Michael's. Michael's first opened in Dallas in 1984, so that's as old as the frame can possibly be. No harm done.

So back to the painting. :) All the other frames in my house are black. So, naturally this one went black as well. I decided to brush it with acrylic paint, for ease and because I had black paint on hand. I painted the whole thing - even the linen/canvas part. For the fabric area, I just use water to thin the paint and help me get an even coat.

And here it is, already hanging up on the wall! I think the black frame really makes the painting pop and stand out. I might add a glossy coat, but I haven't decided yet.

I've been doing a lot of work on the walls - adding more to my gallery wall and to other empty walls in the house. It's always hard for me to decide what to hang where. So even after living in our place for over a year, I still have frames stacked in a closet!

What about you? Is it easy for you to hang all your frames? Or does it take you a while like me? What's your favorite framed item in your house?

xoxo, christa

insta-weekend

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 19:38:00 +0000

{peach-plum buttermilk breakfast cake for our tailgate}

{our portable grill and turkey fryer used to cook our breakfast}

{hot chocolate topped with plenty of whipped cream}

{the mizzou football game on a lovely saturday}

{snuggles from elliott on sunday afternoon}

My parents were in town this weekend, mainly to tailgate and see the game. I baked a couple of buttermilk breakfast cakes {recipe coming soon!}, we had omelets, hash browns, ham steaks and more before the game started. I myself enjoyed a yummy hot chocolate loaded with whipped cream!

The weather was perfect for the game and even though we lost, it was a good time. Then we went back to the tailgate after the game for some post-game dinner. We had burgers, brats, beans, and more before finally packing up and calling it a day.

On Sunday, I took my mom to see the new Student Center on campus and then just relaxed the rest of the day. I got some snuggles from each of the kitties, but Elliott was the only one kind enough to hold still for the camera.

How was your weekend? Did you do anything fun?

xoxo, christa

flashback: 1986

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:18:00 +0000

{baby christa partying it up on new years eve}

Doesn't that picture scream 80s to you?! I'm in my old school walker, hoarding all the toys and rocking those shades! My mom said that I stayed up all night hanging out with my parents and their friends.

I don't remember ~~much~~ anything from when I was 5 months old, but it looks like I had a good time. :)

I love looking through old pictures and remembering the happiness of the day. I have distinct memories all the way back to when I was 3. I try to think about them often so I don't ever forget them! I think my earliest memory was going to the "fire engine park" with my Grandma Jane and cousin Jessica. Grandma Jane pulled us in the wagon and we took turns driving the truck.

What's your earliest memory?

I hope everyone has a great weekend!!

xoxo, christa

100th homecoming parade

noreply@blogger.com (christa) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 21:08:00 +0000

Since it was the 100th Homecoming at the University that started the tradition of coming home, I felt the need to attend as many activities as possible. I had only gone to the parade once before, but this one felt important.

I got up early and made a stop at the Brewer Breakfast before heading to the parade. I took my pancakes and sausage to-go so I could get a good seat. I met up with some friends and co-workers and enjoyed some warm hot chocolate while waiting for the parade to begin.

A photo-overload follows, but there were some pictures I just couldn't leave out!

{truman all jazzed up and dancing with the cheerleaders}

{the golden girls}

{flag crew}

{marching mizzou}

{vintage fire trucks}

{crowd in front of the brewer field house}

{my sister katie, in the middle, with her sorority}

{my sister's group's float}

{brewer field house all decked out in mizzou garb}

{the giant mass of people watching the parade}

Following the parade I ran home to change {the weather went from freezing to pleasant} and returned to the stadium for some tailgating and to watch the game. I left my camera at home for fear of losing it or breaking it.

Does your Alma Mater go all out on homecoming? It's always a big deal at Mizzou, but the 100th Homecoming was really something special. :)

xoxo, christa