Tuscaloosa

Chanel No.5

The latest watercolor I want to tackle.

Angels.

So cool.

Dream vaca.

Machu Picchu. Take me there.

Baby animals.

 My little brother and his sweet girlfriend got a pair of ducklings this Easter (SO jealous). It sent me into a downward spiral of childhood memories reflecting on my own Easter chick, Angel. Yes, my parents obviously let me name her(maybe) myself.  I came across this March addition of Italia Vogue. Much love for the baby animals this spring. 

My love of baby animals knows no bounds.

Aruba Blue.

Loving Alexa Chung's nail color.  Get the look with Aruba Blue.

Light living spaces.

 

Wouldn't the above living room be a PERFECT interior for an Alabama gameday loft... This is how we do red and elephants people....

Anthropologie.

The first reminds me of a cupcake and the last reminds me of a afternoon sailboat cruise. I would take either but prefer my cupcake on a cruise.

Perfection!

ummm...no words.

My mood today.

My mood today.

I need a vacation.

I'm loving online magazines these days and Net-A-Porter puts out a FABULOUS one.  They recently did a wedding magazine (for NYC bridal week) and included a honeymoon section. Honeymoon or simply a tropical vaca these are some great tips.

Spring Cleaning.

Conundrum: Cheese Stuck to a Grater

Solution: To make grater cleanup a breeze, spritz with nonstick cooking spray before grating cheese and the residue will wipe right off.

Conundrum: Spotty Porcelain Pieces (Including Kitchen Sinks)

Solution: Fill a stained porcelain serving dish or sink with warm water, then drop in several denture-cleaning tablets and watch the stains dissolve like magic.

Conundrum: Grease Splatters on Walls and Backsplashes

Solution: Try an all-purpose cleaner that has the word degreaser on the label: Spray it directly on the spot and wipe clean with a paper towel. This is effective on walls painted with semigloss or high-gloss paint. Beware, though: Flat paint is not as forgiving―it will absorb every splash.

 

Conundrum: Stains on Plastic Storage Containers

Solution: Tomato sauce and other acidic foods leave stains on plastic that even the dishwasher won't remove. Set those plastic pieces out in the sun to naturally bleach the stains away. (Rub lemon juice on especially stubborn spots first. Baking soda also works well in bleaching color out of plastic, and it helps get rid of strong odors.)

Conundrum: Refrigerator Spills

Solution: For liquids such as pickle juice and milk, simply place a microfiber cloth on the spill and wipe it up. Even better, the microfibers are slightly abrasive, so if the jam jar has left a ring on the refrigerator shelf, wet the cloth with warm water and gently scrub the jam away. To get rid of meat and poultry juices, use paper towels soaked with a diluted solution of bleach and water, since juices from meats can carry bacterial contaminants that can remain trapped in cloth dish towels and microfiber towels.

Conundrum: Freezer Spills

Solution: To clean up a leak, use an ice scraper (the same kind you would use on an ice-covered windshield) to loosen the splattered contents, and gently scrub with a wet, warm microfiber cloth.

Conundrum: Burned-on Sugar

Solution: The best thing about sugar is that it dissolves. Pour in some boiling water, stir to loosen, and pour out. Repeat until all the sugar disappears.

Conundrum: Stovetop Splatters

Solution: 

• As soon as the stove has cooled enough to touch (but isn't so cool that the spill has hardened), wipe away the mess.
• Cover dried-on spills with a wet, soapy dish cloth and let it sit while you tackle another cleaning challenge. Use the cloth to wipe up the softened spill.
• For stubborn, neglected messes, make a paste of three parts baking soda to one part water. Apply to the spill, leave on for 10 minutes, and wipe away with a damp paper towel. You can also use a nonabrasive cleanser. 

Conundrum: Stains Burned onto Casserole Pans

Solution: Fill the pan with warm water, add a fresh dryer sheet to the bottom of the pan, and let soak for 15 minutes. Wash and rinse thoroughly. Alternatively, fill the pan with hot water, add a handful of baking soda, and soak for the same amount of time. Scrub with the abrasive side of a scrubber sponge, rinse, and then wash.

Conundrum: Narrow Champagne Flutes

Solution: Bend a pipe cleaner in half, insert it deep into the crevice, rotate, and remove. Alternatively, use a baby-bottle brush. Wash the flutes in hot, soapy water. Dry with a microfiber cloth, which won't leave lint or tiny fibers behind on the glass.

(Source: Real Simple)

Ready for a holiday...

"The proper behavior all through the holiday season is to be drunk.  This drunkenness culminates on New Year's Eve, when you get so drunk you kiss the person you're married to." -- P.J. O'Rourke

DIY Mason Lights.

Just in time for outside weather ... simple, southern, darling. Enough already -  DIY kit HERE.

Subtle differences.

Been crazy busy at work today but don't you love what they did with their shopping bags and invitations (or so I'm guessing). Since I have yet to be invited to a Celine or Chanel fashion show this might be fun to do with the Certificates of Authentication. I always wonder want to do with those...

Artichokes and dip.

 

Steamed Artichoke and Curry Dip

I'm in love with this recipe. It's a perfect and simple appetizer that replaces mundane chips and dip. 

Ingredients:

2 Fresh artichokes

1 cup Mayonnaise

1 1/2 Tbs. Curry Powder

1 Lemon

Directions:

Cut the ends off both sides of the artichoke. The "heart" is best part and located at the bottom so make sure to not cut too deep but just enough that the artichoke can stand upright on both sides. 

Fill a pot with water and boil at medium-high heat for 20 to 30 minutes or until tender and the artichoke turns a darker more olive shade of green (as pictured above).

While the artichoke is boiling mix about a cup of mayonnaise (light if you prefer) with 1 1/2 Tbs. of curry powder and a splash of fresh squeezed lemon juice. Don't skip on the lemon - it makes it. Mix the ingredients together and the dip is done. 

Once the artichokes have finished place next to dip and serve. Too easy to be so good.

Funky Fringe.

 To make FRINGE or the CARD...That is the question.