Ugly Floral Dress

I got this ugly floral dress at the thrift store not too long ago. As you can see in the first picture it's pretty shapeless and looks like something my elementary school teacher would have wore. Anyways, I picked it up because I knew I could transform it with some things I already own. So, picture two shows my finished product. What do you think? I used a long colorful cardigan, skinny belt, and a cute necklace that has a feather on it. Not sure what shoes to pair with it, but I'm thinking flats.

Stats

I've had Google Analytics on my blog for a long time, but I noticed the other day that you can now get stats for all blogs. I don't know if you've looked at it (you'll see it on your dashboard), but it's fun to look at. With Google Analytics you can get more in depth information, like what keywords people searched for to find your blog and the number of returning visitors. You can also get more specific on where people are from, down to the city. At work we use this for marketing purposes. I just like to look at it for fun. The stats you'll find on the dashboard aren't as in depth, but still fun to look at. I took a look at this blog before this post. All time we've had 3,245 views of this website. Of course the majority of these people are from the United States, but can you guess the second? Russia. Bet you didn't guess that. Russia was followed by Canada and Germany. Check it out!

Fall Display

Here's a cute fall display I did...

New blog

So I started another new blog:
http://believeinjunk.blogspot.com/

I know I don't post enough on the other blogs I'm a part of, but I also don't want to weigh this one down with all my projects. And I have quite a few projects that I'll post soon on the new site.

Check it out!

Italian sausage and tortellini soup

Around these parts, the weather has been fabulous. Still, I keep planning my menus based on the fact that any day now, the weather could turn nasty and stay that way until May. And although I'm not looking forward to snow, I am looking forward to lots of soup and casserole days. Sorry, for the formatting of the recipe. I can't figure out how to get it spaced right and I'm sick of messing with it.  Fixed it!

1 lb hot or mild Italian sausages, casings removed
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 cups beef or chicken broth
1/2 tsp dried Italian herb seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can (8oz) tomato sauce
1 can (19oz) tomatoes in juice, chopped (reserve juices)
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 pkg (10oz) fresh or frozen cheese-filled tortellini
1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage 8-10 minutes, or until browned, stirring to break up meat. With a slotted spoon, transfer to slow cooker. Add onion, carrots, broth, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, tomato sauce, tomatoes and mushrooms to slow cooker.

Cover and cook on High 3-4 hours or on low 6-10 hours, or until vegetables are tender.

Cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain.

Add zucchini, parsley and tortellini to slow cooker and cook on High 15-20 minutes, or until zucchini is tender. Spoon into individual bowls and top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Recent Movies

I've been watching a lot of movies this week since work has been slow. I have to say, it's been really refreshing. I used to watch movies all the time and I've realized it's something that's been lacking in my life.
I love movies! Also, I've been just watching movies (no multitasking!). I haven't been surfing the Internet, flipping through magazines, talking on the phone, nothing. Just watching. I find myself so distracted sometimes, mainly with the Internet (Facebook, Stumble Upon, news sites, e-mail, work e-mail, local sites... ugh). When is the last time you just relaxed with a bowl of buttery popcorn and took in a movie?

Anyways, here's what I've watched this week:
The Apartment
The Sting
Elf
The Princess Bride

Also, I found out the Sales position fell through because they can't bring anyone new on quite yet. There might be opportunities elsewhere though and numerous people know I'm looking for a permanent position in the company. Next week I'll be tagging along with a videotographer and editor for some training, which is ultimately where I'd want to be in the future (and my boss knows it!). In the meantime, happy movie watching!

P.S. If anyone see J. Edgar please tell me what you think!

Water For Elephants

Ok, so I finally finished reading, Water For Elephants. I say "finally" because it really did take me a long time to get into the book. I took a break, read a couple different things then finally went back to it. I really did have high hopes for it being all hyped up and I absoultly adore the time frame it took place in, and circus history. I guess I thought something more than just a love story would carry it and was disappointed at first glance. What I did imdeitally like however was the side story of the main character as an elderly man in a nursing home. This story is what brought me back to finishing the novel. So I picked it back up knowing the book should (and would) conclude with that story, but how?

Well, after finishing it this afternoon, I can say that I really liked it. In fact, the ending was so good that I totally missed our first snow fall of the season. Yep, I looked out the window after a good half-hour and was completely surprised to find our neighbor's roof covered in snow! I really loved the ending, and was indeed surprised. I can see now why people fell in love with it. It wasn't the love story, or the circus story. It was the greater meaning, which is to never stop living and never doubt the impossible (you can cry now).

Has anyone seen the movie?

News From the Mitten

Well our kittens are turning into cats. So adorable they are; so much trouble they are. Recently, our landlord came over to put plastic over our windows for the winter, so you can imagine Nibbler's and Tiger's reaction to that... So now our windows are covered with a nice mix of plastic and packaging tape. What little shits. *sigh*. Anyways, they are doing well and seem to be healthy little furballs. Nibbler is very petite and Tiger is going to probably eat her one day. Tiger is probably close to seven pounds by now; a pound for every month he's been alive, I guess. He's going to be a fat tomcat. His markings came in beautifully and his fur is getting long. He likes to lie on his back a lot because I think he knows no one can resist petting that snow-white long and soft fur. What a diva. Nibbler's markings are also quite adorable and is still our little "moo-cow".





Now that I've got that cat-talk out of the way, Eric and I are doing well. He's busy with work and the band and I'm waiting to hear back from a sales position I applied to at the station. Sounds promising, but they don't quite know how many people they can hire in. My boss put in several good words for me though and I'm hoping I get it. It'd be full-time and normal hours. I'd be sad to leave production, but I've come to a realization that even though I like the work itself, broadcasting hours just aren't something I want for years to come.

Sunday I went wedding dress shopping with Dana, which was really fun. She found one. Better yet, it was $99.00! Lucky girl! She looked radiant in it, and Mary cried of course. Dana and David have also set a date, which is May 26th in Midland.

Ashley's parents are visiting for Thanksgiving and it sounds like they will be staying for awhile. Her job is treating her good; she just needs to build that clientele, which I don't imagine she'll have too much trouble with since she's so dang charismatic!

Lastly, I just want to say that I've missed posting here. I've been lazy and wanting to post, but thought I really never had anything to share. I don't do crafts as much as I should, I'm not as involved as I used to be (basically since I've graduated), and life has just kind of been... well, steady. Not in a bad way of course, but we've just been living and getting settled. Well, recently I've been getting back to hobbies, reading (academically), and writing. Emphasis on that last one. I've been wanting to write more, so what better place to that than here, and what better people to share my life with than YOU! Of course this has always been a given :) SO with that said, I'm going to try my hardest to touch base at least once a week. Expect other posts in addition to my 'News From the Mitten' posts. Alright now that I've said all that there's no going back on my word... all I have to do now is hit, Publish Post.

Snowball fight!

This guy will find a special place among all my Christmas things this year.

Desk

This one, I can't believe I don't have a before picture. If I do I can't find it. Anyway, this desk was a freebie. I didn't need a desk. My kids didn't need a desk. But it was free. Who am I to say no to that? In it's previous life this desk was blue. I like blue, but it was what I call Country Blue. You know that lighter blue that was popular in the 80's? The previous owners of our home loved Country Blue and pretty much every room in our house is painted in this color. I have gotten it out of our kitchen, but I still need to get it out of the rest of the house.

Back to the desk: I have always seen in magazines where they use wallpaper, old maps, or other paper to cover drawers. I've always wanted to do that. I picked up this wallpaper border on clearance at Wal-mart. It's from their Better Homes and Gardens line and it was $3. This was one of my "I don't know what I'll do with it, but I'm sure a project will come along someday" purchases. The rest of the desk is painted, in you guessed it, Colonial Cream. I think it might be a little too much on the wallpaper. I keep going back and forth on it. But Cordelia likes it and I guess that's all that matters, because it's her desk.

I looked everywhere for handles, but never found any I really, really liked. So I spray painted the original gold metal handles in a cream color. Perfect.

Chalkboard

Sorry, I don't have a before picture. But this was a basic wood shelf I got at a thrift store for $4. The open area must have held a picture or something, but I painted the back board with chalkboard paint. Then I used some more of my Colonial Cream paint for the rest. And of course, I "shabbied" it up a little. This shelf found a home on our wall right as you come in our front door.