{meg's musings}

{my week in food}

2012-02-03T00:00:00.000-05:00

in addition to a decorating kick,
i've also been on a cooking one.
this week, i was all about trying new things.
i made bread from scratch for the first time, as well as dumplings.
the former i will definitely be making lots more of;
the latter, while i enjoyed them, the process was not quite worth it for me.

SUNDAY // buttermilk roast chicken, garlic cheesy bread
& arugula with light ranch dressing

MONDAY // green enchiladas -- i am obsessed with these.
i used leftover chicken from sunday & made my own tomatillo salsa.
the roasted garlic takes it up a notch (the heavy cream doesn't hurt either).

WEDNESDAY // spinach & ricotta dumplings
with shrimp & mushrooms in cream reduction
note :: i used cremini mushrooms & 1 cup more flour in the batter than the recipe calls for.
the measurements in the recipe are in the metric system. let me help you out with that ::

            500 g ricotta = just over 1 lb
            75 g butter = 6 tbl.. but i probably only used around 3 or 4.

this dumpling recipe made 30+ medium-size dumplings!!
i'd probably cut it in half next time; we still have lots left.

do you have any favorite bread recipes? i'd love for you to share them with me :)
the one i made this weekend was a baguette of sorts,
perfect paired with dinner, but i'd love to try a sandwich bread,
preferably of the whole-grain variety.

HAPPY FRIDAY!!

{ wednesday wishlist }

2012-02-01T21:48:00.001-05:00

i have been finding some really lovely things on etsy lately!
they would make great valentine's day gifts, don't you think?
although, hubby said i don't get a valentine's day gift unless i use
my gift from last year - a gift certificate for a swedish massage.
what the heck is wrong with me?! i guess it's just the fear of the unknown
since i've never gotten one before. and also the taking the time out to do it.
in any case, i am calling & making an appointment tomorrow!

{tickled pink knits}

{annalou vintage}

{ashleyg -- this one's en route to our home! :)}

{mijuandyou}

{sunshineandcarousels}

{custom doily blanket :: omgknits}

{serenesoul}

{glitter banner DIY}

2012-01-29T18:49:00.000-05:00

i have been on a crazy decorating kick lately.
you'd thinki had a baby on the way with all of this nesting i've been doing.
(did i mention i reorganized our entire house last month? more on that later.)
a couple of weeks ago, i wanted something new to hang above our bed,
but i had a tiny budget to work with. what i realllly wanted was this,
but since it was not going to work with my aforementioned tiny budget,
i decided to make this instead.

i used this tutorial from lovely indeed that i pinned over a year ago.
it is super easy but also super messy. joel popped in while
i was making it and said, "looks like preschool craft time."
haha. in kindergarten, i actually got a bad marking on my report
card for my aversion to using glue because i hated getting my fingers sticky.
it turns out i still hate it. but it was worth the final results.
it was just to pick-me-up our bedroom needed.

WHAT YOU NEED ::

♥ glue
♥ glitter (i used Recollections tinsel glitter in Paradise from Michael's)
♥ printer paper or cardstock (i'd recommend the latter; mine was somewhere in between)
♥ scissors

that's it! the only think you will likely have to purchase is glitter.
and the process is super simple. i recommend doing the gluing on an old towel/cloth.

WHAT TO DO ::

♥ print out letters onto the paper of your choosing in the font of your choosing
(i used arial bold in 250 pt).
♥ cut out letters
♥ working with one letter at a time, smear the letters with glue and then douse them
with glitter. don't hold back. you want the entire letter glitter-fied.
♥ let dry & then shake off the excess
♥ hot glue top of letters to string

easy as pie! just be prepared for a sticky, glittery mess :) you will be vacuuming up glitter.

{what i wore on a thursday}

2012-01-19T20:39:00.002-05:00

i love to wear dresses. and i don't let the winter stop me from doing so.
(neither does it stop me from wearing color).
i've found one great way to "winterize" your favorite summer dresses is to
layer a sweater over it & belt it. and keep your legs warm with some sweater tights.

i don't do these posts often because i feel really silly posing for the photos
(or in this case photo). joel was in a real hurry to get to class when he took this
& i was in a real hurry to get out of the 19-degrees-but-feels-like-5-degrees cold.
maybe next time we'll find a prettier backdrop (and a less awkward pose).

what are some ways you like to "winterize" your summer wardrobe?

dress :: target | sweater :: anthropologie | belt :: thrifted
sweater tights :: t.j. maxx | Hunter boots :: ebay (kids' size)

my weekend in instagrams.

2012-01-16T23:39:00.001-05:00

i'm a little obsessed with instagram right now.. we're still in the honeymoon phase.

{fresh flowers brighten a brrr-ific winter day}
{sunday morning breakfast while catching up on blogs}
{best omelette everrr. stuffed w/brie, bacon, dried cranberries & walnuts...
thank you toast for the inspiration}.
{blueberry coffee cake muffins a la ina garten}

and most of them seem to have food as the main subject. very telling. i am really on a cooking/baking kick right now. hubby is loving it. i made an omelette for the very first time & it is my new favorite breakfast item, at least when stuffed with lots of yummy things.

another kick i'm on :: crafting. i made a sparkly banner to hang above our bed (DIY coming soon) and got started on another project for our bedroom that i'm really excited about. i also painted my nails (gasp) with my new sparkly essie nail polish. i'm kind of into sparkly things right now.

this weekend also involved many episodes of modern family. we somehow just got turned on to it and it is freaking hilarious. favorite character : cameron. amazing. do any of you watch?

i know this doesn't fit with the rest of the post, but in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. day, i wanted to leave off with a powerful quote from him.
what an incredible legacy he has left.

"So I say to you, seek God and discover Him and make Him a power in your life. Without Him all of our efforts turn to ashes and our sunrises into darkest nights. Without Him, life is a meaningless drama with the decisive scenes missing. But with Him we are able to rise from the fatigue of despair to the buoyancy of hope. With Him we are able to rise from the midnight of desperation to the daybreak of joy. St. Augustine was right - we were made for God and will be restless until we find rest in Him."

2012-01-14T14:30:00.000-05:00

well, that was scary.

when i logged in to write a post yesterday, Google informed me that my

account had been disabled. at first, i was just confused. then i realized my

blog had vanished into thin air, and that's when i began to panic..

i could feel my eyes welling up with tears.

i realized how much this little blog means to me.

and so i just wanted to say thank you to all of you for supporting it

and making it so worthwhile for me.

i appreciate you :)

(as you can tell, my account was restored. i still don't know what

happened, but i'm just glad i'm able to write this right now!)

wednesday wishlist.

2012-01-11T23:39:00.001-05:00

i am in uber decorating mode right now. it's a little ridiculous.
i seem to go through periods of time when i could care less & then
all of a sudden i am obsessed with every detail again & ready for a change.
we don't have a lot of funds to work with right now, so i have to be creative.
i went thrifting for the first time in forever the other night and brought home
a few trinkets (as joel would call them) on the cheap. an owl candle, a pretty little
framed dried flower, a vintage porcelain bowl. i'm always looking for interesting
little pieces to fill our shelves.

if i had a more sizeable budget for decorating, i would love to add these pretties to the mix.

this would look just perfect hanging above our bed.
{nice}

i can't stop swooning over this!!
{The House That Liars Built}

new print from one of my favorite etsy designers, lisa.
did you know she designed my header?
{my little buffalo}

{knotted nest}

{rifle paper co}

i would really, really love to start a collection of vintage alarm clocks.
{ArtmaVintage}

another cutie.
{Babyshka's Attic}

my weekend in food.

2012-01-10T23:40:00.001-05:00

just in case you haven't figured it out yet, i love food. i love to make it; i love to eat it.

over the holiday season, i did very little cooking. this weekend, i went grocery shopping for the first time in weeks and finally got back into the kitchen. it felt so right; i didn't realize how much i'd missed it.

saturday night we spent the evening at my parents' house watching the Lions game (wah wah). my hubby had requested munchy foods cause that's what he likes to eat during big football games. i decided to take the typical football game food up a notch, while still indulging.

i started with baked brie drizzled with honey and topped with walnuts, served with pears (my new favorite fruit) and wheat crackers. i had forgotten how wonderfully creamy and delicious brie is... i'm pretty sure i ate at least half the cheese on my own. i will definitely be making this as an appetizer (or meal) more frequently.

next i made lemon, parsley & parmesan + bread, prosciutto & egg via the january issue of martha stewart magazine. i was a little worried about it being a mess to assemble but it was actually quite simple and quick. and everyone loved it. i was afraid i might have overdone it with the lemon zest, especially since my dad isn't a big fan of lemon in cooking, but they actually commented on how well it worked in it... it really brightened up the flavors.

with my new grocery pal app on my iPhone (did i mention i finally got one of those glorious devices?!), i spotted a sale on mahi mahi at our local meijer & i got really excited cause i'd been wanting to try it for awhile. so sunday night i grilled it up, ceviche-style, courtesy of alton brown. i served it with quinoa mixed with corn & scallions. (if you haven't tried quinoa, i highly suggest you do. it cooks up in no time, has great texture and versatility and it is super healthy for you - it's packed with protein.) i found mahi mahi to be delicious. it's so mild and quite meaty. my hubby went crazy over it. i'll definitely be cooking with it more in the future.

what have you been cooking lately? any good recipes to share?

i'm back for good.

2012-01-04T21:39:00.001-05:00

hello, strangers! happy 2012!! (how surreal does that sound?!)
i've really missed you all & the blogging community in general.
but guess what one of my new year's resolutions is?
to get back into blogging on a regular basis. yay.

since it's been so long & since i finally got an iPhone last month (wooooo!),
i thought i'd share some photos i've taken with it, just to give you a little
peak into my holiday season (which i am so sad has come to an end).

i miss looking at this tree. why do the holidays have to fly by?

new year's eve with college friends at a "cottage" in beautiful northern michigan

spent christmas eve & christmas day at my parents'.
visited joel's family the day after Christmas & got to see our adorable niece Riley.

excited to be blogging again!!

Detroit Urban Craft Fair recap

2011-12-14T15:59:00.000-05:00

wow, i think one of my new years' resolutions needs to blog more often. it's been forevs.

this is partly because i was preparing like crazy for the Detroit Urban Craft Fair
and keeping up with Christmas orders. but that fair was already two weekends ago.
since then, i've been cleaning and ORGANIZING our house (hallelejah!), finally
getting some qt with hubby (though not enough!) and trying to get my
Christmas shopping done (i am pretty much always last minute with this).

the fair went amazingly well. there were over 3,000 people in attendance!!
when i did this fair last year, it was my very first one
and i was rather nervous and timid. this year, i felt so much more comfortable, even
without hubby helping me out. i have decided i quite enjoy doing craft shows..
i think i need to find some more to take part in.

i wanted to share a few photos from the show. sorry if you have already seen
some of these on facebook/twitter! photos are all courtesy of handmade detroit.

{source}

{a delicious fall meal, all in one skillet}

2011-11-15T18:23:00.000-05:00

it is a beautiful thing when a meal requires only one pot/skillet.
i am borrowing my mom's cast iron skillet right now & i love it.
it's so versatile! i'm hoping santa brings me one of my own!

i've recently started cooking with bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
in place of boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
for one thing, they're generally cheaper. for another thing,
they are wayyy more flavorful & juicy!
season them with some smashed garlic, red pepper flakes, lemon juice,
salt & fresh rosemary (luckily i still have some growing - that stuff is hearty)
& they will explode with flavor.

after browning the skin-side of the chicken on the stovetop, throw in some cooked
red potatoes & a couple handfuls of mushrooms, throw it in the oven at 450
for around 25 minutes & you've got yourself a easy, not to mention delicious, meal.
the potatoes & mushrooms become sooo flavorful after soaking up the juices
from the chicken. plus, it makes for a very elegant dinner
without costing you much.

and let me tell you, your house will smell like heaven.

{before it went in the oven. isn't is pretty?}

SKILLET ROSEMARY CHICKEN
(4 servings :: adapted from Food Network recipe)
INGREDIENTS ::

3/4 lb red potatoes
kosher salt
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, plus 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
1 clove garlic, smashed
pinch of red pepper flakes (depends on how spicy you want it)
juice of 2 lemons (squeezed halves reserved)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 small or 2 large skin-on, bone in chicken breasts
1/2 lb cremini mushrooms
1/2 lb button mushrooms (any kind of mushroom will do)

DIRECTIONS ::

Preheat over to 450.
Cover potatoes with cold water in a pot and salt the water.
Bring to boil over medium-high heat & cook until tender; about 8 minutes.
Drain & set aside.

Pile chopped rosemary, garlic, 2 tsp salt, & red pepper flakes on cutting
board, then mince & mash into a paste using a large knife.
Transfer paste to a bowl.
Stir in the juice of 1 lemon & the olive oil. Add chicken & turn to coat.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken,
skin-side down, cover & cook until skin browns, about 5 minutes.
Turn the chicken; add the mushrooms & potatoes to the skillet & drizzle
with the juice of the remaining lemon.

Add rosemary springs & reserved lemon halves to the skillet; transfer to the
oven & roast, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through & skin is crisp,
about 20 to 25 minutes.

nashville.

2011-11-10T01:11:00.001-05:00

a couple of weeks ago, joel and i roadtripped to nashville
for a counseling conference he presented at (he amazes me).
i absolutely love going on trips with joel.
it was so.nice. to get time away to reconnect & just enjoy each other,
as we don't get whole lot of qt during a normal week
(joel is a full-time PhD student AND works full-time. he's cray-cray.)

while in nashville, i unexpectedly fell in love with the South.
i learned that southern hospitality is most definitely a real thing.
i was blown away by how friendly and personable people were there!
i even had an extended conversation with the woman who rang up my scarf
at a little boutique in Franklin (cutest town ever). she insisted that we try to move
down there once joel is looking for a job as a professor :)
i think i could very much picture myself somewhere in the South down the road.
for some reason, i get a sense that Charleston or Savannah would fit me perfectly,
though i have yet to visit (soon, hopefully!)

unfortunately i have little photographic evidence of how fantastic our trip was,
but i did snap a few.

now i'm ready for our next trip! we want to get as many fun little trips in before
we have kids. thank goodness i'm able to get comp hotel rooms via the day job!
we are thinking of possibly driving to asheville, NC for new year's.. anyone been?

{FREE SHIPPING + new pretties}

2011-11-08T16:49:00.001-05:00

just because i feel like it (well that & i'm saving up for an iPhone, finally :D),
i'm offering free shipping on all orders placed through sunday in my 'lil shop.
now is the perfect time to get a jump start on your Christmas shopping!

there are a few new pretties to choose from and more to come late in the week.

{1} | {2} | {3}

jkhkh

{wednesday wishlist}

2011-11-02T20:51:00.000-04:00

wow, it has been forever since i have done one of these!!
now that the Christmas season is approaching (what?!), maybe you'll
find something to give as a gift (or to add to your Christmas list ;))
i know i would very much enjoy getting any one of these from Santa.

{wedding video}

2011-10-28T15:14:00.000-04:00

whoops, i went on another little break! i think it's going to take me awhile
to get back into this whole blogging routine, so please bear with me.

i am actually in nashville right now -- joel is attending & presenting at a conference
for counseling educators (he amazes me). it's at the opryland hotel, so i am
hanging out in the gorgeous lobby (complete with lush greenery, a glass atrium
& giant waterfalls), sipping on a bloody mary and browsing the internets.
i could get used to this.

my sister's wedding photos are up online now but i am not able to
download any just yet, so i thought i'd share this beautiful video
of the wedding day instead. it really does a good job of capturing the day,
and you will see just how happy my sister & her hubby miles are together.
you can see Christ in their smiles & their laughter.

Untitled from Vista Pictures on Vimeo.

{the hiatus is over}

2011-10-21T10:40:00.000-04:00

hello, friends. oh how i've missed you so. the last few months have been some of the most chaotic of my life (in a good way!) but now my day-job schedule
is back to normal and MY SISTER IS WED,
so i have some wiggle room in my schedule again
which means i will be blogging (and reading your blogs) again, yay!

i am anxiously awaiting the professional photos from my sister's wedding,
which was the most beautiful, perfect, joy-filled day (not to mention 82 & sunny!!)
for now, i thought i'd share a few of my favorite photos from the photobooth.

my aunt jenny, momma & one of her best friends. so great.

the original siblings :)

bridesmaids!

the new set of siblings!

i love her.

my dad, aunt, brother, cousin, grandma & grandpa. they are hilarious.

love this one!

they love each other A LOT! so ridiculously happy for them.

{my sister's bridal shower}

2011-09-05T12:22:00.001-04:00

wow, it has been forever. life has been very busy over here and won't be slowing
down any time soon. i can hardly believe my sister's wedding
is just over a month away! :)i have a long to-do list to cross off before it arrives,
including a big craft show i've barely started preparing for,
lots of decorations to make & a speech to write (eeeek!)

i thought i'd pop in and share some photos from my sister's bridal shower last weekend.
it was such a wonderful day. i had so much fun preparing the decor and food
(particularly the cupcakes). i have never planned an event like this before.
it was very overwhelming but also very rewarding.
still can't believe my little sister is getting married!!!

hope you are enjoying your Labor Day weekend!!

{good cheer deal on hello, friend!}

2011-08-08T15:52:00.000-04:00

so, i have a good cheer deal going on over at one of my favorite blogs, hello, friend.
(i'm sure you are all familiar). up for grabs ::
a $25 voucher to my shop for only $15!!
but you gotta get yours quickly, because there are only 25 available.
this would make a really great gift,
since the recipient would get to choose whatever her little heart desires!

find out more details (& purchase) here.

{and the wedding festivities begin!}

2011-08-05T22:50:00.000-04:00

wow, sorry for my prolonged absence! it's been a busy week!

i spend much of my free time getting invites together for my sister's
bridal shower (so sad i forgot to take photos -- they came out really lovely)
and making a thorough list of everything that needs to be done before the shower.
and i have to say, i am a bit overwhelmed, especially when you
mix in a jewelry deal i have coming up on a blog {more on that later}, other
shop-related things and being asked to work more hours at the day job, with production
just around the corner. right now, i am wondering how i am going to get everything
done. especially with a week-long vacation thrown in (yes, i said week-long vacation).
but i am so thankful that joel are going to be able to take an extended trip,
just the two of us, and i am determined to make it work.

i was able to squeeze some time in with friends this week,
and it was so refreshing and energizing.
i need to make sure i make that a priority these next couple of months,
no matter how busy things get. it is so much easier said than done.

anyway, i never got a chance to share photos of my weekend in grand rapids with
my sister and all her bridesmaids. it.was.a.blast. there were ridiculous amounts
of laughter & girl talk. such a perfect way to kick off my sister's wedding season :)
it is coming so fast (october 8)!!!!

we started the weekend off with a picnic in the park :)


that's my beautiful sister in the middle. i think every picture i took of her she's playing with her hair (or, as in this photo, in the process of doing so). we are definitely sisters. (i play with my hair all the time too. just ask my co-workers.)


yay, we got the self-timer on my camera to work! my sister has some really great bridesmaids (and a really awesome MOH ;))

another group shot before dinner.

peeking into the house my sister and her fiance will be living in come fall. it is SO cute!! can't wait to visit :D

{ A WINNER! }

2011-07-29T20:22:00.000-04:00

so i just picked the winner of the $50 shop credit via random.org!
and the winner is... < drumroll, please >

>>>>> beth from dot...in the city!!! <<<<<<

(isn't her wedding photo gorgeous?!)
congrats beth!! email me with your selections once you
decide what you'd like to spend your $50 on! :)

////////////////////////////////////////

hope you all have a fabulous weekend!! i'm off to grand rapids to spend the weekend
with my sister and all the rest of her bridesmaids!
on the itinerary :: picnic by the lake, dinner & brunch at delicious eateries in the city, lounging at the fancy-schmancy JW Marriott and a day at the beach
(on Lake Michigan)!!! yea, it should be pretty pretty awesome.

my dog is spoiled...

2011-07-28T23:00:00.000-04:00

and he makes it very difficult not to take nap breaks when i'm working at home.
especially considering my computer is right next to this scene.
i mean, look at him. he is so freaking adorable.
and not to mention the most cuddly dog i've ever met.
i have mad love for this little dude.

do any of you have dogs that you love to pieces?

/////////////////////////////////////
oh, and a little side note.
i just noticed that i've reached 500 GFC followers {whaaa?!)..
kinda crazy timing considering just last week i reached 500 sales in my shop. wow.
so, i just wanted to take a moment & thank each of you for reading my little blog,
and for leaving me such encouraging, kind & reaffirming comments.
you guys rock. seriously.

{ wednesday wishlist :: threadcase }

2011-07-27T16:56:00.000-04:00

i recently stumbled upon the online boutique, threadcase,
and instantly fell in love. their pieces have such a lovely vintage quality to them,
and they are so unique. i was particularly swooning over the dress below.
i mean, serrrrriously. i think it pretty much epitomizes my style.
i also think it would make the most perfect birthday dress / bridal shower dress.
crossing my fingers that it will go on sale before then (august 27)!

you can find all these lovelies on my "things i want to wear" board on pinterest.

{dance with somebody dress // threadcase }

{ lovely as a peacock dress // threadcase }

{ strawberries and cream bag // threadcase }

{ catch me if you can dress // threadcase }

{ hippie hair band // threadcase }

p.s. don't forget to enter the giveaway for a $50 credit to my shop!

ends tomorrow!!

{velcro}

2011-07-26T00:29:00.002-04:00

i can't get enough of this song right now. it gives me fuzzy feelings.
please do have a listen.. you'll be so glad you did.

{ DIY :: make your own candle }

2011-07-25T21:59:00.002-04:00

a couple of weeks ago, i spotted a lovely amber vintage glass for 50 cents at a garage sale & i instantly thought it would be the perfect vessel for a homemade candle. so that's what it became. and it was much simpler (and quicker) than you may think. it was just the pick-me-up i needed.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED ::

♥ some kind of vessel.
♥ wax (i used microwaveable soy wax from michael's. don't forget your coupon!)
♥ a candle wick (also bought at michael's. they came in a package of 5 or 6)
♥ candle scent or dye (optional; i used a small amount of vanilla scent)
♥ microwaveable container
♥ hot glue gun
♥ thermometer (i bought a candlemaking one, only because we had no kind of thermometer in our house. you can use a regular one.)

DIRECTIONS ::

1. clean your vessel & dry thoroughly.
2. place wick at the center of the vessel & glue the base down with a dab of hot glue.

3. heat wax (along with dye & scent) according to package instructions. for me, the heating time ended up being a couple minutes longer than the directions read. this is when you'll need your thermometer - temperature is important.
* note :: i didn't end up using enough wax the first time around. so i did this process twice, waiting for the wax to set in the glass before adding the second batch. i ended up using just over 1/2 the bag in total.

* warning :: do not be deceived by its while-chocolate-like appearance.

4. pour the wax into vessel and let sit until wax is cool & solid.
*note :: my wick would not set up straight, so i used a piece of tape to hold it.

5. cut wick down to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch.

and voila, you have your very own homemade candle. easy, right? and makes a great gift. let me know if you try it!

{my favourite meals from this week}

2011-07-23T13:48:00.003-04:00

we've been trying to avoid eating out lately to save some money
(we are saving up for a new car since joel's broke down & we are reallly
hoping to get one before we head on our road trip next month!)
although i did just get a coupon in the mail for my favorite restaurant
{kruse & muer}, so we may just have to splurge a little this weekend..
especially considering we never did celebrate me reaching 500 sales
& joel getting his full counseling license.

anyway, here's some yummy food we ate this week :)
we're taking advantage of being able to have weeknight meals together
because once the fall comes, joel will be busy every.single.weeknight. (sad face)
one more year until he finishes classes for his PhD!!!

{1} homemade pizza with mozzarella, feta, chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olive, artichokes & fresh basil {2} caprese salad with arugula {3} salmon with rosemary, lemon & capers
*not pictured :: lemon risotto with seared scallops & arugula salad. so.good.
also, baked lemon chicken on orzo with roasted broccoli.

what have you been cooking lately?