Lyrical Spherical

I know, weird title... but it sounds better than "Music Balls".

I'm working at a snail's pace, but I finally finished the alphabet spheres (okay, fine... balls) and then pulled out some vintage music sheets to cover the rest.  I don't know if it's actually vintage, but it's one of my piano books from when I was a kid and the pages are yellowed... so yes, vintage!  And don't worry, no good music was destroyed.  I purposely picked a much-hated finger exercise book that one of my dictator (ahem, really sweet) piano teachers would make me play for hours on end.  {side note} Did I ever mention that I have tendencies to overexaggerate when it comes to things I don't like?  Oh... Well, now you know.  I'm sentimental, but let's just say that I had no problem pulling pages out of that book.

To cover the balls, I used a similar technique used for japanese washi eggs... without the level of detail.  I didn't cut out a "picket fence" and make them perfect... maybe if I were selling these, but a few wrinkles and imperfections are fine for what I have planned.

And here's a peek at the lyrical sphericals...

Hopefully I will be done with this project by Friday... I'm tired of chasing balls.  Happy Vee loves balls and keeps grabbing them off the table and throwing them all over the place.  Such a little boy...

~♥♥♥~

Inspired by - Driftwood

My dream beach cottage has

White-washed walls,

Aged wood floors,

A comfy worn-in slip covered sofa,

Some vintage pieces,

Sea glass,

And driftwood... lots of driftwood. 

If I start collecting driftwood now maybe I'll be able to construct a driftwood mirror if my dream cottage should ever present itself...  I know, dream on!

driftwood hearts via karen miller designs'

driftwood mirror via pottery barn

weathered wood hanging strand via west elm

round driftwood mirror via west elm

weathered wood lamp via west elm

driftwood chandelier via bruges home

~♥♥♥~

linked to:

the inspired room

Refreshing Summer Pasta Salad

 

Two Versions of a Summer Pasta Salad

Summer isn't officially here, but since we've had a few hot (almost muggy actually!) days I've made both versions of this salad in the last week.  It's something that I sorta-kinda made up based on flavors that I love-- garlic, basil, pesto and balsamic vinegar.

It's super easy to put together and The Mister and the kiddos love it.

{Version 1: Light & Refreshing}
2 bundles of Buckwheat Soba (or 7 oz cappelini), cut into bite size pieces
1/2 cup Fresh Mozzarella, cut into bite size pieces
1/3 cup Fresh Basil, chopped
1/2 cup Heirloom tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup Pesto sauce
Olive Oil to drizzle
Garlic Salt to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan-Reggiano Cheese, finely grated

{Version 2: Caprese style}

substitute the Pesto with a drizzle of Balsamic Vinegar.

{side note}

 For a rich flavor, invest in a good Balsamic Vinegar (preferably an Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena) which has a rich flavor and isn't as acidic as other vinegars.  It really makes a difference and a little goes a long way.

~♥♥♥~

Cook soba according to package directions (around 5 minutes).  Cut up mozzarella, basil and tomatoes.  Grate Parmesan-Reggiano cheese. After noodles are cooked, rinse in cool water and drain.  Place noodles in  a large bowl and cut into bite size pieces (I use kitchen shears).  Add the mozzarella, basil, tomatoes and pesto sauce   **or if you're doing caprese-style, omit pesto and drizzle  a little balsamic vinegar instead.  Toss, then lightly drizzle olive oil and add a little garlic salt.  Toss and add more olive oil, garlic salt and pesto/vinegar to taste.  Sprinkle parmesan on top and serve.

To make this a full meal, serve on a bed of chopped lettuce with additional olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sometimes I throw in feta too.  Extra good with a nice, crusty bread.

Yummy!

~♥♥♥~

Lovely Finds - Birthday Garland

via Jackaroo Love

How cute is this?  It's a much prettier alternative to gift cards and it really gives meaning to "it's the thought that counts".

~♥♥♥~

Pretty Little Things - Tar-jay Edition

Aside from a few maternity tops that I purchased several years ago, I haven't shopped Target's clothing section until recently.  I've been missing out on some fun!

This summer, my plan is to wear more dresses-- light, flowy, pretty little dresses that keep me comfy and cool in the scorching heat.  Oh, and they have to be goo-resistant with no special requirements (no dry cleaning, handwashing, etc).  Here are a few of my latest favs--

and some fun shoes too

1. Merona Chambray Sundress in Yum Plum - This fit me well and I love the color. BTW, I didn't have the puckering problem as some of the reviews mentioned.
2. Xhilaration Surplice Print Dress in Purple - Well made and lined. On sale for $18
3. Converse Striped Tina Dress - Nice and loose without being sloppy. On sale for $20
4. Cynthia Vincent Strappy Ring Heeled Sandals - they didn't have these in-store so I ordered them online. Hopefully it works out!
5. Mossimo Presta Wedge in Cognac - very cute on, and pretty comfy considering the height... but alas, my gimpy left foot chickened out.
6. Merona Elliana Wedge - much cuter in person and I love the cushioned sole.

~♥♥♥~

Sexy Woman

I have a ton of photos and foodie ideas to share from our Alaska/ Vancouver/ Portland trip, but right now, all I can think about is the Sacsayhuaman (pronounced "Sexy Woman") cocktail that my friend Sue introduced me to at Andina Restaurant in Portland's Pearl District. It's made with habenero-infused vodka with passion fruit puree and cane sugar in a sweet/sour sugar-rimmed glass. Sound weird or foo-foo?  It's really not... at first sip it's sweet and sour, then the heat kicks in... then you find yourself licking off the sugar-rimmed glass... super addictive stuff!

This Peruvian hot spot in the Pearl District also has wonderful tapas which we shared for appetizers.  To make the most of our couples' date-night, we had appetizers and drinks at Andina, then moved on to Fenouil for dinner.  The four of us shared medium-sized plates of  Pimiento Piquillo Relleno:  piquillo peppers stuffed with cheese, quinoa and Serrano ham; and Empanadas Caseras de Carne:  flaky pastry filled with slow-cooked beef, raisins, and Botija olives.  They both were REALLY GOOD (and when I use ALL CAPS, that means REALLY, REALLY GOOD).  It was uber kid-unfriendly (yay!) and the perfect start to our much anticipated couples date night.  The next time we visit Portland, Andina will be at the top of my "must visit" list.

Good Reads - Summer

I got a jump start on my summer reading when we went on our Alaskan cruise in May.  Before leaving I downloaded a bunch of books onto my Kindle.  I wanted to mix it up, not too serious, but not mind junk either.  Some of the themes-- postapocalyptic heroine, leprosy in Hawaii, modern Greek mythology, mentally challenged lottery winner...  Okay, it doesn't sound very exciting, but they are all VERY good reads and I highly recommend all of them.

In fact, I'm now hooked on two Teen Lit series-- Hunger Games Trilogy and Percy Jackson and the Olympians.  Finally, something to fill the void left by Harry Potter and Twilight.  I can't decide what book in which series to read next!

Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
The book's summary sounds so depressing and violent that I put off reading it for a while.  But then I figured there was probably good reason why it was highly rated.  I picked up the book and quickly got sucked-in after the first few pages.  Intense, brutal storyline but it's also a compelling story about humanity and "what could be" if we're not careful.  The plot is something we've seen before, but Suzanne Collins is an amazing storyteller and knows how to catch the reader hook, line and sinker.  I'm sure this will be made into a movie.

Molokai by Alan Brennert
I read Honolulu by Alan Brennert earlier this year, but this book far surpasses it.  It's another book with a rather sad and depressing storyline-- leprosy in the late 19th Century Hawaii.  The way the afflicted are treated is despicable-- separated from family into forced exile, labeled as "dirty", humiliated by medical staff that treat them like human guinea pigs... to name just a few of the indignities.  As depressing as the subject matter may be, it's an inspiring and uplifting book filled with vividly real and colorful characters that you won't soon forget.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series by Rick Riordan
This series melds Greek mythology with modern teenage times.  It's a fun read filled with action, humor and a little teenage angst thrown in.  I loved Greek mythology when I was a kid, so it's a nice brush-up on all those gods, goddesses and monsters that I remembered reading about (and many, many more that I don't recall at all!).  I may have to break out The Iliad and The Odyssey after I'm done with this series. Remember those?

Lottery by Patricia Wood
This is another uplifting book that makes you realize that although the main character is slow (He's quick to tell you that he's slow, not retarded.  An IQ of 75 is retarded and his is 76) he knows what is important in life.  Sure he just won $12 million dollars and his deceitful, money grubbing relatives will stop at nothing to get their hands on it, but with the help of his true friends, his Gran's voice who steers him in the right direction, and his own gumption, he always does the right thing and comes out gold. A great read.

~♥♥♥~

Having a Ball!

Sorry about the lame title... sometimes you just have to roll with it!  ☺

So here's the ish:  My mantel still has Easter Eggs on it. See, look...

I've been wanting to put them away for a while, but don't have anything to take their place... so Easter lives on in my house.  Not a bad thing but, as Tom Petty sometimes sings "it's time to move on."

I'm liking the glass display vases, so those will stay (or maybe I'll upgrade if I can find some pretty apothecary vases on the cheap). But the mantel is screaming for something new; something fresh; something non-egg.

Then I saw these cute porcelain alphabet balls at Pier One and I couldn't get them out of my mind.

Of course I'd have to get the entire alphabet and all the numbers, but at $2.50 a piece... way too expensive and anything that is round, rolls and is breakable is not a good fit for my home (small boys + glass balls = balls being thrown + screaming mama).

So I went home and googled, then googled again and again until I came upon a tutorial using wood balls, spray paint and lettered stamps.  Eureka, I have found it!  Okay, it wasn't that dramatic, but nonetheless, I was pretty excited.

It took a couple of months for me to collect all the supplies (I tend to get amnesia every time I step into a craft store) and another month to find time to do it.  Here's a little peek:

I'm not quite done (playing ball).  I have a few more sphere-related ideas that I'd like to try out.  I'll be back soon with more!

~♥♥♥~

Dinner @ Geoffrey's Malibu

source

Last night we had a lovely meal at Geoffrey's Malibu to celebrate Papa Vee's birthday.  The food is delicious and the setting is beautiful, serene and so very relaxing (even more relaxing if you're sipping on one of their yummy martinis).  And not kid friendly at all.  Which is good. Sometimes it's necessary to have adult conversation and eat at a place that doesn't have a kid's menu.

source

If you're ever in the area, you must plan a visit.  Some of my favorite dishes:

Appetizers~

Baked Brie in Puff Pastry with Pear Chutney, Beurre Blanc, Roasted Pine Nuts  {The Best!  I crave this stuff... something about the pears and the melted cheese}

Lobster Cakes (if it's available)  {This was a special and was excellent.}

Golden Beet Salad with Herbed Goat Cheese with Micro Greens, Tangerine Walnut Vinaigrette

Wild Mushroom Soup with Porcini, Morel & Chanterelle Mushrooms, Garnished with Spicy Croutons

Roasted Corn Chowder with Fresh Maryland Lump Crab, Roasted Pasilla Chile and Grilled Corn

Dinner~

Sautéed Day Boat Sea Scallops with Hudson Valley Foie Gras Risotto, Drizzle of Star Anise Infused      Pomegranate Reduction {My absolute FAVORITE!  The scallops are buttery and just melt in your mouth}
Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass with Pesto Potatoes, Heirloom Tomato Marmalade, Basil Oil {The Mister's favorite}
Grilled Filet Mignon Certified Prime Angus with Chanterelle Mushroom Potato Risotto, Grilled Asparagus, Cabernet Sauce

Desserts~
Warm Crisp Apple Tart with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce
Warm Brioche Bread Pudding with Rich Bourbon Sauce
{both are good on cool nights with a cup of cappuccino while staying cozy under a heat lamp or near the fire pit}

Their Desserts are wonderful. The problem is that I'm usually so stuffed and in a food coma that I have to force myself to take a couple of bites. Imagine that!

Next time I want to try the Mango Cheesecake with Macaroon Crust.  They had me at macaroon...

Before & After -The Stairwell & Rotunda

This is an updated re-post

Just a little history... After buying our new house last July and doing a few renovations... which stretched into A LOT of renovations, we finally moved in the day after Thanksgiving.  Yup, Black Friday 2009.  Honestly, I was prepared for the worst, but because we only moved 6 miles away, and because we didn't sell the old house right away, the move wasn't too stressful.

Well, we FINALLY cleaned out the old house last month and got an offer within 2 days of listing it on the MLS-- didn't even have to hold an Open House!  Escrow closed yesterday... just a mere 10 months after we bought the new place. {sigh} The Mister cannot be hurried...

Anyhow, I thought I'd post more Before & After photos... 'cause those are always fun to look at, right?

{Before}:

Two of the main support posts had hairline fractures and the staircase was shaky... very shaky.  We had to make the repairs anyway, so we decided to do a little upgrade.

{During}:

With the spindles removed and just 2 shaky posts holding everything up.

We also had contractors installing crown moulding and baseboards during the staircase reno and 6-7 guys were going up and down the staircase... eek!

And you wonder why they strongly prefer that you DO NOT live in the house while they work on the banister! SCARY!

We designed the pattern for the staircase & rotunda... lots of options to choose from!

{After}:

Aside from staining the previously white support posts and retouching a few spots that weren't stained (the new iron spindles have a smaller footprint than the original wood), the wood part of the railing is the original.

Of all the projects, the staircase reno was definitely the most bang for the buck. Replacing the spindles was a lot less costly than having the entire staircase remade.  Our staircase is in the center of the house. Before the upgrade, you'd walk through without noticing it-- Now it's the focal point of the interior.

 ~♥♥♥~

linked to:

the inspired room

between naps on the porch

New Trend - Super Bowl Cuts

Did you know that Bowl Cuts are coming back in style?  You remember... the hairstyle that looks like an upside-down bowl and the bangs blend right into the rest of the hair?

Even some of the "style mavens" have been spotted sporting bowls:

Rihanna

Is it me, or does she change her hairstyle every 5 minutes?

Heidi Klum

I think she's channeling "Sabrina" aka Kate Jackson during her Charlie's Angels years.

Justin Bieber

Good grief, how old is he?  Twelve?  He looks too young to be a teeny bopper idol.  I know, I'm getting old!

Of course, the trend started many years ago... 

Famous Bowl Cuts Throughout History:

Julius Caesar

First recorded bowl cut

Moe Howard

Probably the most famous bowl and my favorite Stooge

The Beatles

Aw, look how young and cute they were!  I kinda get what my mom was talking about.

Ringo's really rockin' his!

Spock aka Leonard Nimoy

The hair's great, but the ears and eyebrows are spectacular!

Jim Carrey

The Dumb & Dumber bowl cut;  A very mischievous hairdo.

And never one to miss out on a trend, here's Happy Vee sporting a rather smart looking bowl cut--

The hairdresser must be up on her trends because one moment he had a regular little boy cut, then I turned around for a moment-- snip, snip--  and when I turned back... TRENDSETTER! 

It actually fits his personality well... he's a mischievous little character!

~♥♥♥~

The Secret to Moist, Rich, Low Fat Chocolate Cupcakes...

DATES!

And no, you don't taste them at all.  It's all just chocolatey, rich goodness with less sugar and oil than traditional recipes.  I made these for Smarty Pants party for that fact alone-- no one wants to bring home a kid loaded up with lots of processed sugar!  Here's the recipe that I used. I tripled it to make a dozen regular-sized cupcakes.  I used Nutella for frosting, but powdered sugar would work too.

~♥♥♥~

Organize this Madness - Part 2

It's time to get back on track.  We've traveled, we've partied (birthday partied, that is), but we have not finished organizing the house!  The office is still in boxes, art work still needs to be hung, the beloved craft room is currently the junk room and half the garage is filled with STUFF-- stuff to put on Craig's List, stuff to send to consignment, and lots of outgrown baby stuff that I still can't figure out what to do with!  We already donated a ton of stuff when we moved, but I'm thinking we may need to make another pass.

So I decided to put this in writing, with great hope that it gives me the much needed push to take care of business!

~♥♥♥~