obsessive snackers anonymous

have you ever eaten a meal with me? i am known for being a small eater. i have a confession to make...i may eat small portions, but i make up for it with frequency. i knew my snacking addiction had become a problem during my days in community affairs; i had food stashed in no less than 3 places in my tiny cubicle and i was not ashamed of this fact.

i have not gotten better! with all our work on redoing the office this week (yes, we finished it in 5 days!!! i am getting photos tonight to post.) i have had one crazy appetite! i woke up one morning with the conviction that i had just created the world's greatest snack. since my friends were coming over that afternoon, i knew i had to test out my theory.

here's what i fed them.



and they agreed, this one was a winner! here's what i did:

toasted up some homemade corn tortillas*
slathered on the cream cheese
added some green stuff (i like arugula and lettuce)
threw in some cilantro
and topped the whole thing with some radish slices

we also enjoyed this spicy sweet pretzel mix while we sewed away the afternoon.

delish! i "had" to make this one today to take a photo for ya'll...even though dinner is in the oven and i've already had one snack this afternoon.

later i get to fill up on our roast veggies. yum yum! this week we're having the swiss chard stems, broccoli stems, onions, leeks, garlic scapes, radishes, and swiss chard leaves in rosemary and butter. oh my!

*a note on tortillas: yes, i make them at home! my friend julie mentioned that she did and i got her to show me how. they are so easy and cheap! i am about to run out of my freezer stash, so the next time i make them, i will bring you along for the adventure. just like those hamburger buns, i can't stomach (haha) the thought of using store bought tortillas with my yummy, yummy stuff. they're super easy, you'll see!

flickr, etsy, blog, oh my!

i'm trying to get linked up AND figure out how to work this darn camera. HELP!!!!

"those are some beautiful buns, lisa"

i love it when people say that to me!

i'd really like to leave it out of context, but i feel the need to let you know what inspired our friend to tell me that tonight. (don't worry, i will keep your identity anonymous to protect you!) remember that bread working on its third proofing? it turned out beautiful! perfect texture, just a hint of sweetness, and those little knots bake into the most pleasing shape.

so, invite me over for dinner soon and maybe i'll show up with a haul like this.




ps. our friends' had the cutest glasses ever! they were pretty much the unattainable grail of water goblets that i seek. i literally covet nearly every square inch of their house, but these were just too much for my little heart to take! of course, they are discontinued now, but check out what other goodies stray dog makes here.

memorial day before noon

well, kids, i've already had a full day's worth of adventures, and by my watch, it's not even noon yet. what's a girl to do? how are you spending your memorial day?

as it is a bonus day with the hubby, life around our house will revolve around projects. he's out back right now getting the trailer stored for the summer. some day i'll have to share with you the unfortunate adventure patricia, lisa norris and i had with that beast in louisiana. but, that's for another day.

and of course, we'll be playing in the garden next! yea! it's been a cold, wet spring. i don't know about ya'll, but i'm sick of cleaning red mud off my floors already!






how sweet are those green beans?! i am so excited to have our first tennessee garden this summer!

and last but not least, what's the point in using really great grass fed beef from sequatchie for your hamburgers if you're just gonna put it on a nasty grocery store bun?! it's criminal! i've set my sweet wheat buns in the oven for their third proofing. fingers crossed on this experiment, these little guys spent the last few weeks in the freezer. the recipe is by far the best wheat recipe i've come across yet. want it? go get it here. breadbeckers are a little on the..er, radical side, but it's an amazing resource that makes bread making accessible for everyone.

will someone please

make me a hybrid of these two darling glasses i found while perusing anthropologie?

i absolutely love the color, texture, and stoutness of this juice glass. it looks like it could hold up to the rigorous demands of cutler entertaining. however, it's small stature would require more refills in one meal than anyone really wants to make, so i think i am going to need a little more height.

and while you're at it, how about a lower price tag? that's all i really want...super cute, affordable new goblets. i can see us all on the back porch now, a cool refreshing glass of lemonade in hand.

kudos to molly for finding these gems for me today at the antique mall. if it weren't for the steep price tag, i'd already be drinking from one now!

eat

but by all means, please do it in style. these placemats were practice for me. i am determined to win my grudge match with the embroidery machine...and that industrial machine is just calling my name.

oh, to have endless studio time!

really, i want to blog...

i just never think to! then i go and read a post like this one and i renew my interest.

just when i felt my whole spring had been full of travel and house guests (i love ya'll and wish you could all be here more!) i got 2 whole weeks at home! what a rarity! josh and i went in to full blown project mode. we had gardens to attend to, kitchen projects to create and complete, i had sewing, and the weekly trips to sequatchie cove farm was finally resulting in some yummy veggies to be cooked.

mother's day weekend brought my mom, dad, sister in law and niece down to see us. one of our adventures was a trip to america's thrift store. my favorite!!!! if you are lucky enough to have one in town, check it out. as mom would say, "you'll be pleased with the results." one of my many finds was a somewhat cheesy kelly green shell. i just couldn't resist the color! and for $2.48, i dare any of you to try passing it up! i knew it would need some work, so last night it got a little bit of a makeover.







i simply added 3 rows of straight stitching with elastic bobbin thread at the waist to create this smocked effect. here's a better tutorial of this super simple smocking technique than i'll ever write. a quick nip at the side seams, a finishing overlock stitch to keep everything in place, and a warm iron over the new work was all it took to transform my find.

in about 30 minutes this piece went from oversized and awkward to fitted and fun. just in time to walk over to nightfall!

i can't wait to show ya'll the strawberries, the baby peach tree, the garden, the kitchen, the table linens...so many adventure of every kind to share! i think i'll be pleased with the results! see you soon! (this time i promise.)