Stuff and Nonsense

Latest Reads

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Wed, 15 May 2013 15:53:00 +0000

lately
i've been readin' up a storm

don't know why
other than that
my local library
has been carrying some good stuff

and in looking back through
a year's worth of posts
i realized that it's been over a year
since i last shared some books with you

all reviews are out of 5 stars

of course
you can keep up with my reading list
by visiting my Goodreads page

but i'm going to share a few of my recent favorites
right here
right now

i discovered M.C. Beaton
sometime last fall
and have now read all the Agatha Raisin

and Hamish MacBeth murder mysteries

that i can get my grubby little hands on

if you like british humor
and black comedy
you'll love these books
4.5 stars (all of them!)

along a similar vein
is the Spellman series

which has six (i think) books in all

and follows a family of private investigators

the characters are funny and full of foibles

that meant i couldn't wait to get from the end of one

to the beginning of the next in the series

4 stars

have you seen the Gatsby film yet?

i haven't

but i did read this fictional rendering

of the life of mr. and mrs. fitz

and found it interesting

3 stars

moving on from the roaring 20s

to the depressing 30s

brings me to this book

that i thoroughly enjoyed

the author weaves her own engaging tale

behind the famous photograph on the cover

3 stars

this next book

tops my list of anything i've read

in the past year

on reviewer said this

and i wholeheartedly agree

Leave it to Peter Heller to imagine a postapocalyptic world that contains as much loveliness as it does devastation. His hero, Hig, flies a 1956 Cessna (his dog as copilot) around what was once Colorado, chasing all the same things we chase in these pre-annihilation days: love, friendship, the solace of the natural world, and the chance to perform some small kindness.

5 stars

this next book

tells that tale of a not-very-nice woman

who knocks her noggin

and wakes up forgetting who she is

it's humorous

and heartwarming

as she slowing begins to find her memory

and starts seeing herself with new eyes

4 stars

for my fellow WWII history buffs

i bring you

the true story

of the assassination of Heydrich Himmler

not for the faint of heart

but fascinating for those who have not yet read

the little told account of this terrible nazi

and the men who risked everything to rid the world of him

5 stars

this next novel

is the debut book

from Erin Morgenstern

it is a little mystical

a little magical

and the totally enthralling story

of a mysterious circus that appears without notice

and is only open at night

3.5 stars

i've also been reading several Robert Ludlum books

like this one

3.5 stars

as well as re-reading my favorite Jason Bourne novels

which are just plain fun

i've also read a smattering of Agatha Christie

in between the others

i seem to be very mystery-loving lately

i would love to hear

what you've been reading as well

so please share any recommendations you have

{alison}

The Way We See Ourselves

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:20:00 +0000

i wonder
if you've watched this video
make by the folks at dove.com

it's been floating around the webisphere
for a couple weeks
and already has about 22 million views

it speaks to how
we see ourselves

and how others view us

watch it

{alison}

Alison Marie and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day(s)

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

because some days

just take you hostage

i am re-posting

one of my most-read posts

last friday when i was pulling out of the driveway with

all the kids loaded up i

hit the gazebo post next to the driveway which

ripped the whole front bumper off the van which

meant that no errands were run or

groceries were bought and

no present purchased for the birthday party my daughter was

going to and

which she was late for that

evening

it was a terrible horrible no good very bad day

on saturday it

was a warm sunny day so

we got gussied up to

have a friend take our pictures outside but

it all got cancelled when the friend's daughter got

the pukes and then i

realized that i had forgotten my work schedule and got a

telephone call from my boss who

told me that i wasn't at work when

i was supposed to be so

i had to hurry up and

get there late and

had to stay at work later so

we rescheduled the whole photo shoot for

the following afternoon which was supposed to

be sunny and warm but wasn't and when i

got home that night my

back hurt and my

feet were sore and there were

extra children running and yelling in

my house

it was a terrible horrible no good very bad day

the following afternoon which was

today it

rained and rained instead of being sunny and

warm so no fun family photo shoot again and

then later i was

bidding on a vacuum cleaner on

ebay and then forgot and bought

another identical

vacuum on ebay and

now i'm going to have two identical vacuums, actually

three since

i won the same vacuum on ebay last

week and when it arrived it was broken so

i have to send it back to

get my money refunded but i threw away the

box it came in and now i

don't have another box big

enough and

i have to get up really really

early tomorrow morning because

i have to stop at walmart on the way to

homeschool co-op to

get a birthday present for a

slumber party that happened three

days ago and

pick up two extra kids on the way whose

sister is too sick to go to

co-op and

i'm pretty sure that my children have all forgotten to

do their homework which

makes me look like a bad

mother which

i shouldn't care about but

i do

it was a terrible horrible no good very bad day

tomorrow will

get better i

can only hope

{alison}

More Than Skin Deep

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 18:28:00 +0000

today i asked my daughter fiona
to take some new photos of me
for my About Me page

she probably snapped

about 50 photos

most of which
i deleted

why?

vanity
pride

vanity mostly

wanting to look young
pretty
put together

erase the wrinkles
blemishes
imperfections

truth?

i'm so far from perfect
that it's not even a distant dot on the horizon

right now
my living room needs vacuumed and dusted

the kids' school things are strewn around

shoes litter the entry

and my flower beds are overflowing
with spring weeds

i'm sorta glad
that you usually only see
the edited version of me

my posed kids
and staged rooms

my make-uped and hairsprayed self

do i fear you might like me less
if you saw me messy and true?

yup

vanity

i should probably
show you my grimy side
once in a while
because that's who i really am

messy
blemished
cluttered

whilst all my clutter needs clearing
on a regular basis
i realize it's also clear and convincing testament
of the Lord's abundant blessing
in the life of my family

just as the little lines that crinkle the corners of my eyes
are proof of joy expressed

the freckles declare
that i've spent my share of time in the sun

the dust and dirty dishes
attest to meals eaten
and life lived

and the grey hairs?

well
hubs seems to love 'em
and scripture even says that grey hair is crown of splendor

so in the midst
of primping and posing
(and a little photo editing)

i am reminded once more
that beauty's got nothing to do
with mascara and mousse
and everything to do with the heart

that Jesus doesn't love me
for the skin i'm in
but for my dirty, dingy heart that clings to Him

i'm thankful for the messy blessings
in my life

and for those of you
who see through the grime
and love me anyway

{alison}

Something New to Love: Minted

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:27:00 +0000

uh oh

i just found a new paper goods place
to spend oodles of time
and gobs of money

Minted.com

have you seen this stuff?

i've been wanting to order
some new business cards
and they have the

coolest
cutest
tricked out designs

i adore these square ones

but then again

i'm sorta swayed by these

and

oh yeah

wedding invitations

(don't tell fiona

that i'm filing these away

for future reference)

swoon

kinda makes me wish

that back in my wedding planning days

i'd had some of those choices

of course

they have lots more to offer

announcements

greeting cards

party invites

etc.

you can even

submit your own original design

to Minted.com

for the chance to win some sweet moola

all i want

is the magical ability

to stop dithering

and choose already

{alison}

Updating the Living Room (again)

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 12:36:00 +0000

several months ago
i mentioned in this post
that i was updating our living room
with some paint and rearranging

and now
sixish months later

i finally have something to show you

but first
a little reminder of where this room has been

when we bought The Duff House
the living room was oh so purple

we pulled up yucky carpet

painted the walls

and removed dusty shutters

but left the trim unpainted

(which i regretted and hated for about 5 years)

so last summer

i finally summoned the energy

to swath the room in plastic

and paint again

white white white

oh how i love thee

and with the addition of some new slipcovers

an added workspace in the corner

and a few found accessories

we have arrived at this

and now i will proceed

to inundate you with photos

the sofa and love seat are from Ikea

the desk chair

was recovered with a piece of drop cloth

my distressed chesterfield club chair

was a deal found on CL a few years ago

this map lampshade

is so fun in the room

i just covered an old lampshade frame

with local maps

i certainly feel

like the room in finally put together

in way that is as finished

as any room in a blogger's house can ever be

i'm still on the lookout

for a pouf to use

as a footstool for my leather chair

maybe something like these

have you done any rearranging lately?

{alison}

Sally Maxson Photography

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 22:05:00 +0000

i am fortunate enough
to have some really talented friends
who excel at some pretty impressive things

one of those friends is the
owner and proprietor of
Sally Maxson Photography

a few weeks ago
Sally volunteered to come over
and snap some work photos of Chad

for our church website

and while she was here
decided to take a few snaps
of Chad and i together

she did a few mum and daughter poses

and then gathered the whole crew together
for a very impromptu photo
(with hairs uncombed and clothing unmatched)

how great is that?

i love how she sees beauty
in the everyday flaws
that we are always so quick to camouflage and cover

her goal
is document real life and real people

capturing the beauty

that is already there

and marking those life moments

that we all want to freeze in time

i love it when

our boys play on the same team
because her shots are stunning

plus

she is always willing
to answer the bajillion camera questions i have
(now that's a patient friend)

if you are local to the Pittsburgh area
and would like more information about booking
a photo shoot with Sally
email me and i will sent you her contact info

{alison}

Shabby Apple Giveaway Winner

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 12:47:00 +0000

congratulations to April G.
who is the winner of the Shabby Apple Giveaway

thanks to all of you who entered

{alison}

Shabby Apple Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 12:50:00 +0000

*********************Givaway is now closed**********************

generally speaking
i don't use many
exclamation points

but i'm pretty excited
to bring you this latest giveaway
from the folks at Shabby Apple

i'm loving the newt Ferris Wheel collection!
and polka dots!
not to mention accessories! swimwear! pillows!

oh my

lots and lots of exclamation point worthy goodies

GRAND PRIZE: $50 to spend on ShabbyApple.com

and for all my readers
Shabby Apple is offering a 10% discount on
everything in sight

just use the coupon code stuffandnonsense10off
at checkout (good till 3-15-13)

here's what you need to do
for your chance to win

Mandatory:

like Shabby Apple on Facebook and leave a comment

Optional:

like Stuff and Nonsense on Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram and leave a comment for each like (includes those who are already fans)
visit the Shabby Apple website and leave a comment telling me one goodie that caught your eye
share the giveaway link on your blog or favorite social sites and leave a comment each time you do

that's it

lots of chances to win

good luck!

Giveaway is open to all US residents aged 18 and up. Prize is offered by Shabby Apple. Giveaway is open until 2/23/13 at midnight. Winner will be chosen by Random.org.

{alison}

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 16:21:00 +0000

you may know
from my posts about my Sourdough Bread
that i like to tinker with some of my recipes
by using whole wheat flour

sometimes it works well
as a replacement for white unbleached flour

and sometimes
not

but when i found a new recipe
for chocolate chippers
using whole wheat

thanks, back of the flour bag

i thought i'd give it a go

and now
these bad boys

are a new family favorite

they have a slight wheaty taste
and bake up crisp on the outsides
chewy on the insides

and because i learned well
in kindergarten

i'm sharing them with you

ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 package semi-sweet chocolate morsels
(i use mini morsels, or sometimes half big and half mini)

to make:

Preheat oven to 375. Mix sugars, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Mix in egg until combined. Stir in dry ingredients (dough will be stiff.) Mix in chocolate morsels. Drop by rounded teaspoon (or cookie scoop) onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. (I do 'em for 9 and they are perfect.) Cool on cookies sheets for a minute or two and transfer to cooling rack.

enjoy

now please excuse me
whilst i go take care
of this milk mustache

{alison}

The Granny In Me

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 19:22:00 +0000

i just returned from the optometrist
again

i have visited that office
about 4 times in the past 2 months

trying to decide
what to do with my newly lengthened vision
(or perhaps
shorter arms?)

yes
that's right

i am now officially
in bifocal world

and not a bit happy about it

apparently
the decision on how to proceed
is filled with options

straight bifocals?
progressive lenses?
contacts?
readers?
plain old glasses?

and
oh that my vision insurance
would be kind enough
to cover any and all contingencies

but no

i have to choose
it would seem

so i did

and i am now blinking
eye rolling
and furiously adding drops to gritty eyes
as i try to get re-used to these flimsy discs
inserted under my eyelids

and pulling out
my new granny specs
every time i open a book
or fiddle with my phone

and on this first evening
Chad came home to find me
sitting at the kitchen table
wrapped in a shabby old cardigan
with a tissue tucked up my sleeve
and those granny specs
slipped to the end of my nose
whilst i read my library book

maybe 41
is the new

61

sigh.

{alison}

The Bend in Our Road

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 15:42:00 +0000

a few years ago
Chad and i led a small group
of amazing high school students

during our time together
we read and discussed the book
Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God

we talked

and prayed a lot about

what it means

to move out of our comfort zone

and into the path of the Holy Spirit

it was an bur that niggled

at the back of our minds

time and again

but for the most part

our lives trundled along

in much the same patterns

as always

whilst we continued to feel

uncomfortable

with our comfort

unbeknownst to us

the Holy Spirit

was moving and preparing our hearts

for something unexpected

just what is it?

our fellowship, Pathway Church

has been planning to open

an off-site venue

about 30 minutes from our main campus

in a place called Moon Township

(for those of you unfamiliar

with the Pittsburgh area

we have lots of fun names 'round these parts

like Mars

Cranberry

Aliquippa

Slippery Rock, and a few more)

this new venture

has been in the planning stages

for about 3 years

and just a few months ago

we received the call

for Chad to be the host pastor

of the Moon campus of Pathway Church

to say that this call

came out of the great blue yonder

might be an understatement

and we certainly did a double take

who

us?

really?

are you sure?

we've been out of full-time ministry

for 7 years

and were feeling pretty

comfortable

in our current stage of life

but the Lord had something different in mind

and once we got over the surprise factor

and started to pray and ask His will

we began to get excited

about the opportunity before us

to minister to people in a new way

to help spread the gospel

in a new place

to be in at the beginning

of a new fellowship

excited

uncomfortable

expectant

humbled

scared

excited

those words certainly describe us

stepping off the solid ground of familiar

and into the great wide open unknown of faith

if you are a pray-er

i would ask you to be praying for us

in this new endeavor

that we would be smack dab

in the center of the Lord's will for our church

and for our family

that the Holy Spirit would be moving

on the hearts and minds of the folks

who will come be part of the Moon venue

that the Holy Spirit

would multiply our time

Chad will continue working

at his existing full time job

whilst adding the hours at Pathway

that our children would be excited

to do this ministry as a family

if you are local

and searching for a fellowship to call home

i would ask you to pray about becoming a part

of new launch to Moon

(i couldn't resist)

email me

Anything

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 19:36:00 +0000

happiest of new years to you all
from my house to yours

it is hard to believe
that 2012 has come and gone

here i sit typing on January 2
feeling like no time at all
has passed since we last met

the past few weeks

have whizzed by

in slow motion

jam-packed

with the stuff of which memories are made

we celebrated birthdays

watched some snow fall

lots and lots of snow

which we then spent hours

rolling around in

rosifying cheeks

and tracking in clumps of snow

to melt in small puddles

on the kitchen floor

we spent much of our time

just hanging out together

and some with friends also

and of course

we thrilled to the glitter

and excitement and joy of Christmas morning

taking a much-needed respite

from blogging was a huge blessing to me

and my family

for they had my undivided attention and time

with no

i just need ~~twenty~~ sixty minutes

to write a blog post

interruptions

which made me realize

just how much time

i've been dedicating

to all things social media

too much

a few weeks ago

i bid a fond farewell to Facebook

and deleted sundry other

superfluous online accounts

in an effort to trim away the wasted minutes

cluttering up so much of my days

and have felt

relief

which has led to my decision

to suspend

indefinitely

i'll miss unfolding our fridays together

but will still see you at the other weekend parties

and you'll still find me posting here at Stuff and Nonsense

and on places like Twitter and Instagram

but i won't be chasing followers

or page views anymore

instead

i'll be working at

living and writing intentionally

i've realized that the stuff i was spending time on

was getting in the way of allowing me the freedom

to do more meaningful things

for my Lord

and though i didn't know it

when i began this paring down

my heart was being prepped

for some changes coming our way

which i will be sharing with you soon

(and no, i'm not pregnant!)

this book

is on its way to my mailbox

and i have a feeling

that all this stripping away

has been the Holy Spirit's way

of readying my heart to say

anything, Lord

ask what You want of me

and my answer in 2013 will be

it's kinda scary
this anything stuff

but i'm trusting that
there's no safer thing
in the whole wide world
that saying a bold, unreserved

yes

to He who asks

no resolutions today

or tips on organizing your garage

that's not what my new year is all about

instead

i'm saying

a n y t h i n g

what's your word for 2013?

{alison}

Welcome to Fridays Unfolded!

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 20:40:00 +0000

as of today
my husband
my children
and my little ole self
are officially on Christmas break

so i have decided
to take a little vacation
from Fridays Unfolded
until the new year

and in other news
i have also decided to
deactivate my Facebook account

i haven't been too thrilled
with the changes FB has been making
that seem to keep fans
from seeing the posts on the Stuff and Nonsense page

fear not
nor faint

you can still find me on
Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest
Google+
and Flickr

and probably
a few other places as well

so please be sure
to continue to connect with me

and if you're looking to link up
please head over to my friday friends
to join their linky parties

i hope you have a restful break
and a wonderful holiday
with your loved ones

Merry Christmas!

{alison}

Christmas Cookie Exchange Link-Up

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 18:32:00 +0000

welcome to
the second not-so-annual

Christmas Cookie Exchange Link-Up!

a couple of years ago
i hosted a Christmas Cookie Exchange linky
here at Stuff and Nonsense

it was so much fun
and helped me add a few goodies
to my recipe box

but i need some new recipes
so i'm resurrecting the
linky party

are you with me?

here are the party rules

you may link up as many
cookie or candy recipes you'd like

please post my party button
or text link on your blog
in your link post

be sure to link back
to the cookie post itself
rather than just your blog's main page

visit a few of the links posted
and leave a comment for them

that's it!

the linky will run
until Christmas Eve

enjoy!

Welcome to Fridays Unfolded!

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 18:45:00 +0000

hiya chickadees
and welcome once again to

have you all been
fluffing your nests for Christmas?

i certainly have

and you can take a snoop
if you so desire

and, of course
there is much more eye candy
to keep you busy here

like
some awesomely awesome features
from last week's party

got your cuppa?

feet propped?

then let's go!

The Craftiest of Women gave us all
some fantastic tips
on how to make the most of our holiday photos

Crunchy Diva showed off her brand new
porch-turned-beautiful-dining room

The girls from At The Picket Fence
shared a tale of two Christmas trees

Daisy Mae Belle shared her son's
adorable nursery
all decked out in plaids

Shaken Together created some
Glitter Reindeer Art

A Lo and Behold Life created her very own
Magnetic Spice Rack

and speaking food

(we were, weren't we?)

looking for a Better Veggie Burger recipe?

My Sister's Pantry shared her version with us

Shona Skye Creations shared a pumpkin pie recipe
that is suited to those of you who are avoiding
gluten and processed sugar
(plus, it looks yummy)

The Dedicated House shared this
Strawberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

and if you're looking for
perfect party snack

here's Birthday Cake Popcorn
from Dixie Delights

wow
is my mouth watering
something fierce

and now it's your turn

to show us what unfolded for you
this week
or last week
or

well

you get the idea

the rules are simple:

follow Stuff and Nonsense

in some fashion

(fb, twitter, pinterest or GFC)

and leave a comment

so i can return the favor

link up your recipe, sewing project, decor, craft, poem, essay, tutorial, etc.
whatever 'unfolded' for you this week

be sure to link back to your post and not just your main url
(by joining Fridays Unfolded you are giving me permission
to use your photos for features on Stuff and Nonsense, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter)

visit a few of the other links and leave a comment
(it's just good manners)

post my button on your blog
so others can join the fun

if you're feeling pinteresty

please click the link

and pin photos from the owner's blog

rather than pinning features photos here

just a friendly tip: flaunt those photos!

always use your best photos

and make 'em big

like, extra large-big

and totally feature-worthy

happy linking!

after you link up here
i would love for you to
visit my friday friends
and join their linky parties as well

{alison}

Loading InLinkz ...

My Christmas Mantel 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 01:01:00 +0000

why oh why

is the word

mantel

spelled like it is?

it never looks quite right to me

but maybe i'm just weird like that

however

i'm sure

you didn't come here

to discuss spelling with me

so let's talk

m a n t e l s

do you have one?

in our house

there are five

but since three of them

are upstairs

i usually only primp my living room

and dining room fireplaces

today

i'm sharing my living room mantel with you

in all it's dark marble glory

i call it black marble

but actually

i think it's better described as

blackish-brown

and because it's so dark

it virtually absorbs most types of garland

so this year

i decided to try adding some sparkle

to juxtapose against the marble

and since i didn't have a big budget

or any budget, really

i went outside and scavenged

for things like

for an abandoned birds' nest

sticks

evergreen boughs

and pine cones

well

technically

my darling husband

pulled out the extension ladder and chainsaw

to get me some coveted pine cones

that were really high up

he's the bomb diggity

the silver Christmas trees

were a clearance buy at Walmart one year

after the holidays

the champagne bucket

was bought at Goodwill a few months ago

for about $5

i found the burlap garland

at Michael's for $6

and have used it for a couple of things

and i am really pleased

with the way

everything works together

to create a sort of

rustic-natural-vintage-sparkly look

have you primped your mantel yet?

{alison}

The Duff House Decked Out For Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 13:17:00 +0000

it's finished

well
pretty much anyway

as much as any decorating project
is ever truly finished

i tweak
i mess and fuss

i drive my family a little

crazy

but i can say
that the Duff house
is fully decked out
in her Christmas finery

wanna see?

in the living room
my black marble mantel
has always presented a bit of a challenge
because it is so dark
that most baubles sort of disappear

this year
i decided to go for some glitz and shine
to juxtapose against the murk

so i used mercury glass
mixed with some rustic browns
and greens
to get the look i wanted

i think i managed
to lighten things up a bit

once the mantel was finished
i added some Christmas cheer
to the other corners of my living room

this little vintage dress form
got gussied up in her Christmas best

much of what i use
to decorate for Christmas

is vintage stuff
i pick up at flea markets and thrift stores

the NOEL letters
were Chad's grandmother's
and they were originally bought at Woolworths
in the 1940s

in the kitchen
i just added some pops of red
here and there

some are gifts
or hand-me-downs

and of course
we have our Jesse Tree set up
in the dining room

now we are finished
and enjoying a festive home

counting down the days
until Christmas morning dawns

how decked out
is your house?

{alison}

Welcome to Fridays Unfolded!

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 20:07:00 +0000

hello there my friends
and welcome to

how was your Thanksgiving
last week?

i hope you had
as much fun
with your loved ones
as we did with ours

we drove down to VA
to spend the weekend with my brother
and his family

i love the above photo

not for it's unremarkable quality

but for the fact that in the background

my sis-in-law is blurred whilst walking

how cool is that effect?

i've been wanting and trying

to capture motion like that for awhile

and it finally worked

now

if i can just figure out

how the heck i did it

i'll be in high cotton

anyhoo

i was glad

so many of you stopped by last week

to share the fun of an early

ready for some featureness?

i can see

from your posts

that you're feeling as festive

as i

Alderberry Hill crafted some pretty

Paper Tree Ornaments to share

Tales of a Trophy Wife gave us all

some wonderful ideas for handmade gifts

for teachers, neighbors, and hostesses

Must Love Junk gave an open house tour

of her collected bits and pieces

all staged for for the season

i love this wall art

made from an old barn door

by Hymns and Verses

Vicki Designer created

this sweet banner to brighten up her home

during the long winter days

Sew a Fine Seam reminded us

what it is to be thankful

for the many blessings in our lives

you might want to

shimmy into your favorite pair of stretchy pants

for the next few features

because i think

i gained a few pounds

just looking at the photos

Simply Sweet and Savory

cooked up some Curried Chicken Pita Wraps

for supper

Family Home and Life shared some excellent tips

on how to save money when buying herbs and spices

Turtles and Tails shared her recipe

for Smoky Oven Baked Chicken

Designed Decor whipped up some

yummy Pumpkin Fluff dip

and last

but not least

are these gorgeous Chocolate Candy Cane cupcakes

from The Velvet Moon Baker

and now it's your turn

to show us what unfolded for you
this week
or last week
or

well

you get the idea

the rules are simple:

follow Stuff and Nonsense

in some fashion

(fb, twitter, pinterest or GFC)

and leave a comment

so i can return the favor

visit a few of the other links and leave a comment
(it's just good manners)

post my button on your blog
so others can join the fun

if you're feeling pinteresty

please click the link

and pin photos from the owner's blog

rather than pinning features photos here

just a friendly tip: flaunt those photos!

always use your best photos

and make 'em big

like, extra large-big

and totally feature-worthy

happy linking!

{alison}

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Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 17:00:00 +0000

because i love you
(i really do)
and i know how much
you love tasty breakfast treats
as much as i

i'm going to share
a keeper with you

these Lemon Poppy Seed Scones
were a huge hit
with my family last week

they're from Taste of Home magazine
but i altered them just a tad
to make 'em a little more

lemony

to make
you will need

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 ts. baking soda
1 T poppy seeds
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup cold butter
3/4 cup milk (i use evap)
2 T lemon juice
the zest of one lemon
sugar for sprinkling on top

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add milk, lemon juice and lemon zest to crumb mixture and stir just until combined. Dough will be sticky. Turn dough onto floured surface and knead gently about 6 times. Shape into ball. Press flat into an 8 inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges and place an inch apart onto greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 425 degrees for 12-14 minutes until tops are lightly golden. Remove from oven and place scones on wire rack. Serve warm or cold with your favorite butter, clotted cream or lemon curd.

enjoy!

{alison}

Making an Advent Jesse Tree

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 20:07:00 +0000

growing up
our family never celebrated Advent

i 'spose
that's because
it tends to be a more
liturgical practice

and liturgical
our family was not

however
in the past few years
i've read lots of posts
about 'doing' Advent with kids
and decided that
this year
our family would practice Advent

after looking for ways
to make it meaningful
i came across the Jesse Tree idea

a Jesse Tree Advent
is simply spending some time each day
between December 1 and Christmas
doing a short devotional time
tracing the line of Jesus
through the Old Testament

and each day you do a story
you open and hang
a corresponding ornament on a special tree

after researching for ideas
i came across this site
which has tons of helpful information
along with daily December devotionals
and corresponding ornaments to make

fiona and i got right to work

first
we went outside
and cut a section of branch

using florist foam
we secured the branch
into a vase

then added some decorative rocks
to fill in the space

once the tree was done
i found a largish bulletin board

covered it with white wrapping paper
and strung some simple twine across

using the aforementioned guide
fiona and i made our ornaments
using 3x5 index cards
folded and glued

markers
fabric scraps
bits and pieces

and a little creativity
(if i do say so myself)

after the kids went to bed
i pulled out brown lunch bags
and wrote numbers 1 through 25 on them

after putting an ornament
and a few small sweet treats in each bag

i used clothespins
to attach the bags to the bulletin board

and on December 1
the unwrapping of the story of Jesus
will begin

here are a few more resources
for learning about the Jesse Tree

The Jesse Tree

The Jesse Tree: Stories and Symbols of Advent

Jesse Tree Devotions: A Family Activity for Advent

what special Advent tradition
does your family practice?

{alison}

Welcome to Fridays Unfolded! (A Little Early)

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 01:54:00 +0000

don't check your calendars
because it sure isn't Friday

but since

a. last week's party was cancelled
due to internet outage

b. this weekend is Thanksgiving
for those of us stateside

and

c. i have a current giveaway i want you all
to get in on

i figured that
rather than cancelling again this week
i'd just offer you all
the opportunity
to party a little early at

so let's go ahead
and check out
some fabulous features
from a-week-and-a-half-ago

shall we?

first up
is this gorgeous bathroom renovation
from Soul Style

(seriously
you must view the 1970s style
'before' photos)

South Shore Decorating
showed us how to make
a chic chandelier
with fishing line and crystals

Chateau Revivals gave new life
to an old kidney-shaped vanity

Love Grows Wild crafted some cool bookshelves
out of rain gutters

Creating in Glass Slippers sewed up
some beautiful butcher's aprons

Ashbee Design modge podged herself
a lovely little leaf bowl

Lake Girl Paints used natural inspiration
to make this hickory nut wreath

Annie One Can Cook shared a heartfelt post
about ways we can all support our troops
through Operation Christmas

It's Always Autumn shared her recipe for
Chocolate Toffee Cream Pie

On The Home Front whipped up a batch of
Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Scones
to serve your guests on Thanksgiving morning

and last
but not least

This Glorious Day cooked up pot of
Easy Chorizo and Beef Chili to warm your belly

that's a lotta delicious goodness
for one party

i hope you'll click through and visit
some of the features that most caught your eye

feel free to link up all week long
as your time allows

and if you haven't already entered my

be sure to click on the photo
for your chance to win

and now it's your turn

to show us what unfolded for you
this week
or last week
or

well

you get the idea

the rules are simple:

follow Stuff and Nonsense

in some fashion

(fb, twitter, pinterest or GFC)

and leave a comment

so i can return the favor

link up your recipe, sewing project, decor, craft, poem, essay, tutorial, etc.
whatever 'unfolded' for you this week

be sure to link back to your post and not just your url
(by joining Fridays Unfolded you are giving me permission
to use your photos for features on Stuff and Nonsense, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter)

visit a few of the other links and leave a comment
(it's just polite)

post my button on your blog
so others can join the fun

if you're feeling pinteresty

please click the link

and pin photos from the owner's blog

rather than pinning features photos here

just a friendly tip: flaunt those photos!

always use your best photos

and make 'em big-like

extra large big and feature-worthy

happy linking

and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

{alison}

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The Thriftiest Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent Ever

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 03:11:00 +0000

living on one income
has always been
a bit of a challenge for our family

and i am always on the lookout
for ways to trim expenses
here and there and everywhere

trying to stretch every buck
as far as it will go

lately
i've been thinking a lot about

laundry soap

i know

blah blah blah
boring

but when i found this recipe
for liquid laundry soap
that makes 10 gallons at a time
i was intrigued

and after i priced out
what it would cost to make 10 gallons
of said soap
i was sold

to make
i bought one bar of Fels Naptha soap
for $0.97

one box of Arm & Hammer

Super Washing Soda for $3.97

and one box of Borax for $2.97

so the entire recipe

cost about $8

and when i make a new batch

my only expense will be

another bar of Fels Naptha

pretty cheap, eh?

to make:

grate the bar of Fels Naptha into a saucepan

filled with 4 cups of water

stir continually

until soap is completely melted

fill a clean, 5-gallon bucket

halfway with hot tap water

add melted soap

plus 1 cup of washing soda

and 1/2 cup of Borax

stir until powder is dissolved

fill bucket completely

with more hot water

cover and let sit overnight

to cool and thicken

in the morning

stir well (I used a mop handle)

and fill a clean laundry soap container

(or a rinsed out milk jug) half full of laundry soap

then fill the rest of the way with water

shake well before each use

as mixture will gel.

yield:

-top loaders- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)

-front loaders- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

thus far
i've done about 6 loads of laundry
in my top loader
with excellent results

and if my math is correct
this laundry soap
will cost me about $0.04 per load
for the first batch

and $0.0053888888888889
per load for the next few batches

now i don't even know
if that's a real number
but i do know
that it equals

dirt cheap

and i'm good with that

{alison}

Lilla Rose Review and Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 18:34:00 +0000

what a frustrating day yesterday
not to have had internet access

i'm so sorry
that we couldn't share this week at

but i'm going to make it up to you
by starting the party
a little early next week
so we can still share our links together
during Thanksgiving week

and since
we're not partying this week as planned
i decided to bump up
my giveaway for you

i'm excited
to share a new product with you

well
new to me anyway

lilla rose hair clips

lilla rose
was started by a husband and wife
who came up with the idea
whilst sorting through beads in their garage

desperate for some income
they starting making flexi-clips
and the business took off

why?

because lilla rose hair clips and accessories
are a lovely solution
to the problem of fixin' our hair

when i was contacted by Adrienne
from Whole New Mom
to do a review and giveaway for flexi-clips
i thought

eh

i'm not that into fancy hair stuff
but okay

then i went to the lilla rose website
and started checking out
all the lovely offerings for sale

and realized
that maybe i was stuck in a hair rut
using the same boring black hairbands
every single day

the solution?

this lovely clip
which arrived in the mail
a few days ago

way prettier than i expected

it also felt sturdy in my hand
but not too heavy for my hair

i thought it might be challenging
to get the hang of putting it in
but i was happily surprised
when i was able to twist my hair up
and clip it in the first go

i snapped a quick photo
with my trusty phone

isn't it lovely?

after trying my new clip out for the day

and using it on my daughter's hair too

(i'm pretty sure she's itching to steal it from me)

here's what i like best about the lilla rose flexi-clips

1. Design

they are elegant and classic-not cutesy

equally perfect with a pair of jeans and sneaks

as with my little black dress and 4-inch heels

2. Variety

lilla rose flexi-clips come in a huge variety

of colors, styles and sizes to fit every head of hair

and every budget

here are a few mini-clips

3. Hair Healthy

the clips are easy to use and healthy for my hair

with no pulling or tugging the strands on my sensitive scalp

4. Well Made

they are not your typical cheap barrettes here

lilla rose products are sturdy and versatile for just about

any up or down style you want

5. Perfect for Christmas Gifts

any lilla rose flexi-clip

would make a wonderful Christmas gift

for that secret santa gift exchange at work

or your child's favorite teacher

(or yourself!)

there are lots of other

hair accessories too

(like, how adorable are those

o-rings and beaded hair bands?)

today i am offering one lucky winner

a flexi-clip of your choice (up to $16)

to enter

just follow the instructions

in the Rafflecopter widget below

this giveaway will run from today

until midnight on 11/24/12

a Rafflecopter giveaway

can't wait for the giveaway to end?

any of my readers
who shop at lilla rose this week
can get in on a special deal

buy 3, get 1 free
that's right

buy any 3 products at regular price
and get 1 item (of equal or lesser value) free!

just be sure to Click Here To Shop

Oh– and just a little tip…please check the sizing and styling videos before ordering, since it’s very important to have the correct size in order to be completely happy with your flexi. However, you somehow order the wrong size, or you’re just not happy in any way, Lilla Rose offers a no-hassle, one-year guarantee with free return shipping for an exchange or refund.

good luck!

{alison}

Technical Difficulties

noreply@blogger.com (Alison Agnew) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 19:40:00 +0000

due to unforeseen difficulties
and no home Internet service
Fridays Unfolded is postponed
until next week

have a wonderful weekend
and be sure to keep your eye open
for a giveaway in a few days!

{Alison}