Ewww, Ahhhhh

So I thought I would share some things that get me to gasp and say, "ewwww, I LOVE that!!" There are so many things that inspire me to sew, bake, decorate, etc. etc. One of the many things are blogs and web-sites that display beautifully captured photographs. So here are just a few photos that inspire me to do what I do. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!!
May I add that most of the above pics come from some of my favorite Etsy stores! I encourage you to shop & buy Etsy!! Handmade is a great thing to support. I will post links to these shops soon.

Quilt Fest

So Jen & I headed out to our first ever quilt festival last week. I was so excited for so many months waiting for hundreds of other woman that like to sew to be gathered into the same building. It was neat to see and I completely enjoyed myself, but it wasn't what I was expecting. I took a few snap-shots (where I was allowed to) of some of my favorite vendors. I think Jen & I were probably the youngest ladies there, or as we were referred to the whole night, "girls". Hehe!!

Found this awesome painting on Etsy. I LOVE this saying!!

Vintage trinkets! I was wanting more of this, but this was only one booth.:(

Cute Cakes In A Cup

In case you didn't know cupcakes are my favorite. Always have been. I remember as a little girl getting excited when a class-mate would bring them in for birthday parties! So now that I'm all grown they are one of my favorite things to make, and now that I have my own little babes I have a bajillion reasons to make them!! Hehe. Here are a couple photos of some I made for others.

Star Wars cakes for Phil!

80's Style Cakes!

My Take At A Healthy Nugget

My kids, like most, love chicken nuggets. I wanted to test a healthier way to make them, but when you're in a hurry sometimes it's hard to do. Yesterday I took some things that we already had in the pantry and tried these. They turned out pretty good & the best part was that the kids loved them!!! This is my off the top of my head recipe~

1 large can white chicken breast chunks

1 egg

1/4 cup bread crumbs

All purpose seasoning added to your taste

Oat/Bran Flour or any Whole Grain Flour for coating(I added some seasoning to flour also)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil to coat frying pan

Mash/shred chicken in a bowl with fork. Mix in egg, bread crumbs, & seasoning. Shape small amounts of mixture into nugget like shapes and coat them in flour. Cook in olive oil coated pan over medium/high heat until golden brown on both sides.

Todd & I both thought they were pretty yummy too! They would be better if you boiled chicken tenderloins & then shredded the cooked meat in a food processor. To make them even more healthy you could add some cauliflower puree to the mixture. The kids would never know it!!

I Walked In & Fell In Love!!

So my best girlfriend & I took a girl's trip to Arizona. Don't ask how that happened, because I myself can't even comprehend it. Some how things came together out of the blue and it happened. It was one of the best things I have ever done in my life. Yes, I am serious. I cried a few times when I called home and Todd would tell me stories about the kids. I missed my husband so, so bad. The time away made the appreciation for my life & family grow deeper. That it's ok to want some "alone" time every now & then. Because in that "alone" time it gives you a chance to realize all that is so very important and what really matters to you. So, thank you husband, kids, and mother for making my "alone" time possible!

While in Sedona Jen & I visited The Hummingbird House ( a quaint little store) and they had rooms with different themes. Jen rounded the corner and before I could even see what this room beheld she said, "oh, you're gonna LOVE this room!!" And, I did!!! Here it is.

Amazing isn't it!?!?! And here is a peek of what is on the outside. So beautiful!

All The Pretty Faces

I was going through some photos and realized these deserved to be entered into the blog! These two faces are the wonder that I get to see everyday. They are our blessings from God. I truly feel like they came special ordered straight from Heaven. Thank you God!

Here is the Christmas Card pic we went with~~

Lights, Camera, Action!

So here is my attempt at getting that "perfect" Christmas card picture. Let's just say the kids wanted to eat starburst and "undecorate" the tree instead of pose for any sort of picture. When it was all said & done, or shall I say when I decided to give up on the "perfect" picture, I had worked up a sweat. Here are some out takes. Merry Christmas All!!

Much Love~

Michelle