Conversation Fruit!

"You're the apple of my eye!"

"Orange you glad you're my valentine?"

"I'm going bananas over you!"

"I love you berry much!"

"I'm plum crazy for you!"

"You're just peachy!"

Happy Valentine's Day!

Love is the art of mind and beauty of heart

Well, I think we all know how she got her beads...!

Esmerelda loves to get waisted, and is such an exhibitionist!
Her clothes seam to fall off at the drop of a pin!

Gratitude

Chocolate + Love + Words

Chocolove!
As in Chocolove Chocolate Bars with a Love poem!

I found out about this Belgian chocolate brand after a yoga class - I tried the Ginger Crystalized in 65% Dark Chocolate. Whole Foods carries them, so while still in a state of chocolate Zen bliss, I got another bar and the Almonds & Sea Salt in 55% Dark Chocolate. And they were on sale, too. There you go. What is also cool is the "Love" poem inside the wrapper. This was the one underneath the Almonds & Sea Salt --

From Astrophil and Stella

Who will in the fairest book of Nature know

How Virtue may best be lodged in beauty be,

Let him but learn of Love to read in thee,

Stella, those fair lines, which true goodness show.

There shall he find all vices' overthrow,

Not by rude force, but sweetest sovereignty

Of reason, from whose light those night-birds fly;

That inward sun in thine eyes shineth so.

And not content to be Perfection's heir

Thyself, dost strive all minds that way to move,

Who mark in thee what is in thee most fair.

So while thy beauty draws the heart to love,

As fast thy Virtue bends that love to good;

"But, ah," Desire still cries, "give me some food."

Sir Phillip Sidney

(I like how this was continued from Chili Cherry and continues on Peppermint.)

Neat concept, great tasting chocolate, even a pretty label.

Wouldn't this make a great Valentine's gift?!

All good!

Namaste!

Friday Flowers - Valentine's Day edition

Sewing Room Reorganization - Part 1

Working my way around the perimeter! At least this is what I see now from the hallway instead of yellow crime scene tape! It makes my eyes and heart happy and my creative soul sing.

I love all my J.P. Coats & Clark memorabilia. You'll see more as I finish securing the perimeter of the room.

The flowers are actually a vintage hat find from St. Vincent De Paul Resale Shop a few years ago. It used to sit atop Esmerelda, who you will see all decked out for Mardi Gras on Monday. She's quite the party girl!

Upcoming Jo-Ann's Pattern Sales

President's Sale - February 17/20
Simplicity - 5/$5

Yarntastic sale - February 12/25
25% knitting needles and crochet hooks
25% off all looms
$2.79 selected yarns (regularly $2.99 - $4.99)
2/$9 Patrons Classic Wool Yarn (regularly $6.99)

New Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Ribbon

This month, the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Austin is helping to support Wonders & Worries

For a minimum of $1 donation from February 3/12, you can get 10% off your beverages February 3/29 when you show your ribbon.

Be sure to try their new Caramel Cream Rooibos tea latte! I did (OMG!) and bought a tin to review for y'all next week! (Can't wait? Sneak review rating -- 5 stars!)

Peaches and Cream

Kolache! What a divine combination!

At Dos Gatos Kolaches Bakery in

San Marcos, TX

700 N. LBJ across from Texas State University

Free wifi, too! : D

Thursday Tea Time

This week - The Republic of Tea Almond Coconut Macaroon
Cost: $9.99 at Whole Foods
Number of teabags: 36
Caffeine: No
Type of tea: Red Herbal
Steeping time: Per label 5-7 minutes, I did 7
Add ins: Silk Fat Free Almond milk and 1/2 package of Stevia
Teabag fragrance: Almond with a hint of coconut
Ingredients: Certified Kosher pareve rooibos, natural almond, coconut and macaroon flavoring
Opinion: While it didn't taste exactly like a macaroon cookie, it was a very delightful blend of toasted almonds and coconut flavors. It helps that I find rooibos tea a little on the sweet side, so I really didn't need to add much more sweetener. And I thought the almond milk kicked it up another nutty notch. If you like almonds, you will really like this tea.
Rating: 3.75

Galveston Gadabouts - Pattycakes Bakery

Mardi Gras King cookie from Patty Cakes Bakery - 704 14th Street (across from the Mosquito Cafe). I also got a smaller version of the Black and White cookies I loved so much from the downtown Sibley's bakery in Rochester... Um, eaten before I even left the store, no opportunity to take a picture. I will just have to go back and get more, dear blog readers. Just for you! This is a full-service bakery from breads, to pastries, to cakes, and cookies -- and even dog treats.

You know, if you are careful what you eat 80% of the time, you can indulge that 20%. What a way and place to do so!

Galveston Gadabouts - MOD Coffeehouse

This was my Raspberry Mocha from MOD Coffeehouse -- 2126 Postoffice in Galveston, Texas

-- pretty and pretty yummy, too! They also have teas, espressos, lattes, smoothies, sodas, wine and beer. And funny barristas. Plus free wifi. A very enjoyable time out to hang out.

Galveston Gadabouts - Mosquito Cafe

The Mosquito Cafe - located in an 1870 building on the East End of Galveston (across from Patty Cakes Bakery) - 628 14th Street.


I ordered the Southwest Green Chile cheeseburger (the cheese covers, holds and protects green chile sauce - genius!), hubby got one of the Mardi Gras specials, a muffaletta. Both yummy, both inhaled, hence no photo.













































Apricot Peach iced tea! Oh. My. Goodness. No sweetener necessary. I could save the carbs for the desserts! I drank two of these huge glasses. They also had Papaya Mint, along with regular iced tea.

And the desserts! How to choose?! They had THREE different triple-layered cakes. Cookies, brownies... And this peach cobbler -- didn't even need ice cream. They warmed it up. So good, I nearly slid under the table. Hubby got the gingersnap cookie - large, sugared, crispy.

Even longer than forever

It seemed they had always been, and always would be, friends.
Time could change much, but not that.
They were two halves of a whole, sharing a single spirit.

It was a spirit of friendship, and it was alive and well.
"We'll be friends forever, won't we Pooh?" asked Piglet.

"Even longer," Pooh answered.

Puppy Bowl VIII

Be sure to catch Puppy Bowl VIII on the Animal Planet channel tomorrow, beginning at 3 PM Eastern/2 PM Central Time! New this year will be a bird (follow along on Twitter -- @meepthebird #PuppyBowl) on the sidelines "Tweeting"!

Friday Flowers

Anniversary edition from Knapp Flower Shop in Galveston. Unlike so many roses nowadays, these roses actually smell as pretty as they look.

Go Red Day - Today!

About Go Red For Women® --

Since 2004, the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women movement has been educating millions of women on the urgent truths of heart disease.
The fact is: More women die of heart disease than all forms of cancer combined. Unfortunately, this killer isn't as easy to see and is often silent, hidden and misunderstood. Go Red For Women works to spread life-saving truths about heart disease and fund lifesaving research - all which can make the difference between life and death. Learn more at www.GoRedForWomen.org

Once again Macy's is having a Wear Red Sale to raise funds and awareness for Go Red For Women. Beginning Wednesday, Feb. 1, through Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012, customers who wear red will receive all-day savings throughout the store.
Customers not wearing red can purchase a Red Dress pin for $2.00 and receive the all-day savings.

And...
If you have a Facebook or Twitter account, from Feb. 1 through Feb. 14, 2012 for every Valentine conversation heart sent through Macy's Facebook page and for every Tweet or reTweet of #heart and @Macy's, Macy's will donate $2 to Go Red For Women, up to $250,000.

27 years ago. . .

"...because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible."

When Tom met Peggy...("When Harry Met Sally. . .")

He proposed six weeks after our first date!

We got married 6 months and a day after we met...

Thursday Tea Time

This week - Allegro Pomegranate Green tea, with cranberry!Cost: $3.49 on sale at Whole Foods (regular price $3.99)

Number of teabags: 20

Caffeine: Yes

Type of tea: Green

Steeping time: 4 minutes

Add ins: I tried Stevia and fat free half and half, then just honey, then only Stevia.

Teabag fragrance: Fruity-cranberry!

Ingredients: Organic Chinese green tea, natural pomegranate and cranberry flavors, with other (?) natural flavors.

Opinion: Strong anticipation (green tea! pomegranate! cranberry!), only weakened in the end. A bit blah. I even let it steep longer, but without any bump-up in flavor. Its fragrance is stronger than the taste. As I was writing this post, I was at Starbucks and gave them two bags to try in a Grande tea latte for me. It was overpowered by the milk! Hmmf!

Rating: 0

King Me!

My Mardi Gras King Cake!

I used the dough from my Betty Crocker bread machine cinnamon rolls recipe, and modified the filling recipe from Country Woman magazine (February/March 2012) "The King of Cakes"

DOUGH:
3/4 cup water, plus 2 tablespoons

2 tablespoons butter, softened

2 1/2 cups bread flour (I use 1/2 cup white whole wheat, 2 cups bread flour)

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon bread machine yeast

FILLING:

1 8 ounce package Neufchatel Reduced Fat cream cheese

2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened

5 teaspoons cinnamon and 1 teaspoon Penzeys Cake Spice, or 6 teaspoons cinnamon

ICING:

1 - 2 cups confectioner's sugar - depending if you want to drizzle or spread

1 to 2 tablespoons skim milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Yellow, Green and Purple sprinkles

Tiny plastic baby or pecan half - the lucky person who finds it in their slice becomes King (or Queen!) for the day and can expect a year of good fortune. And bring the cake for the next gathering! Insert from underneath after baking.

Use your machine's dough setting, then divide dough into four balls. Roll out approximately 14" x 4"

In small bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioner's sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread over rolled out dough.

In another bowl, stir the brown sugar, butter and cinnamon until crumbly. Sprinkle over cream cheese.

Roll long ends together and attach ends to make a ring. Let rise in warm oven* for about 1 to 1 hour fifteen minutes or until doubled. (*my oven's lowest setting is 170, I preheat while I'm preparing the rings and then turn off)

Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes.

Mix icing ingredients together and spread over cakes. Sprinkle colored sugar on top.

Serve and enjoy while still warm (also tastes great at room temperature).

I made four 6" cakes with this recipe. A perfect size to eat one and give the others away to hungry friends! You can also make a single large one or even 2 medium size.

Filling! Ready to pop into the oven to rise --->

Today's Favorite iPod Workout Song

Jack Johnson - "To The Sea" - 3:30

Today's Costco Find!

Cemoi milk chocolate, from France! $11.99. So pretty!
Oh Costco, how you tempt us?! Easter isn't until April 8!
(I have hidden this in the pantry. . .)

Netflix Stars - Crazy, Stupid, Love

1 star - Crazy, Stupid, Indeed. The only star is for Emma Stone.
And again, another "Rental" DVD! Honestly, the outtakes and other special features would have been way better than the movie.

THrILL Seeker

Be a hill seeker

Most of us try to avoid hills, but what's so good about flat?

Think about it: Flat tires, flat hair, flat returns and the ultimate -- flatlining.

Life happens on the hills. They're opportunities to prove to yourself that you're stronger than you ever imagined.

If you never attempt the ascent, you'll never know the thrill of swooshing down the other side.

-Self Magazine, January 2012

Simplicity Patterns - ASG Creativity Contest 2012

Here are the Simplicity patterns for the 2012 American Sewing Guild Creativity contest.

The Annual Conference this year will be in HOUSTON, TEXAS August 16-20!!

The Conference brochure will be posted online on April 2 and online registration will begin on April 6

This year they have a new event open only to ASG members and anyone 18 and under sponsored by an ASG member. Two winners will be chosen electronically at random in the two categories.

Visit the ASG website http://www.asg.org/ for Conferenece and entry information.

1797 - Available March 23 Dress with princess-seamed bodice, waistline seam and flared skirt with a front inverted pleat. Jacket with short kimono sleeves, cropped length and boxy shape with an inverted pleat in the back

1885 - New, no picture available online yet. Short-sleeved dress/blouse, 3/4 length sleeved jacket and slightly wide-legged, flared pants.

1916 - Tops - sleeveless, short and 3/4 length

1920 - Sew Stylish magazine Short sleeved top, above ankle skirt, jacket, tie belt and scarf

1921 - Baby dress, jacket, diaper cover, hat

1927 - Girls dresses and bolero vest

2702 - Dress/blouse with three sleeve length options

2703 - Threads magazine Dress, jacket, sleeveless blouse and pants

2284 - Chanel type jacket (was also in last year's contest)

2286 - Skirt (was also in last year's contest)

2287 - Pants and jacket (was also in last year's contest)

2288 - Threads magazine Jacket and skirt (was also in last year's contest)

2293 - Girls/children's vest (was also in last year's contest)

Thursday Tea Time

This week - Mighty Leaf Orange Dulce

Cost: $6.49 at Whole Foods
Number of teabags: 15
Caffeine: Yes
Type of tea: Black and Green
Steeping time: Per label 4 minutes
Add ins: I am trying to watch the carbs. As much as I like the fat-free condensed milk in my tea (and sneaking in an extra teaspoon in my mouth), I need to change it up. Stevia doesn't count as a carb and doesn't raise the blood sugar. But it is really sweet. (this coming from the girl who just confessed above to "one for tea, one for me" with the condensed milk can!?) I find half a package of "Stevia in the Raw" makes it sweet enough. I also tried the fat free half and half and liked it too. The Shamrock Farms brand not only has a cute cow logo, but it is hormone-free.
Teabag fragrance: Orange
Ingredients: Black tea, green tea, jasmine flowers, natural flavors.
Opinion: Disappointing. And pricey, too. On the positive side, it didn't give me a migraine as most citrus does. On the negative side, to me it was bitter tasting. Straight/plain, with half and half + Stevia, + honey, + sugar. Ka-ching, ka-ching went my carb count servings, damn! I really tried to like it. But nothing could make my perception of bitter better. I couldn't taste the jasmine and the vanilla was faint at best.
Rating: 0

Upcoming Jo-Ann's Pattern Sales

Inspiration Blooms Sale - January 29/February 11
30% off Gingher, including rotary cutters and blades.
(I seriously heart my Gingher cutter!)


Super Weekend Sale - February 3/5
$3.99 Vogue
$1.99 Butterick
50% off all thread - spools, cones and multipacks!

"I need to incorporate more metal in my life to create balance..."

Early 27th wedding anniversary gift!

I've always wanted to learn how to spin and jump. I'm also happy just gliding and flying around the rink, too. And I never had a brand new and fit to me pair of ice skates. Throw in the purple glitter guards and Hello Kitty soakers -- My inner seven year old is thrilled!

When my sister and I were growing up (and our feet were growing, too!), we would get our ice skates at Cook's Hardware in Rochester, NY. They had rows of used skates, and each year we would trade up/size up to hit the ice -- The city would flood and ice over the parking lot near Charlotte Beach...or tennis courts at the park (they took the nets down!). In high school we even had ice skating for gym class at a nearby indoor rink. And yes, I had purple jingle bell pompoms back then, too!

Happy Year of the Water Dragon!

Actually though, while today is the Chinese New Year, the first day of the new Chinese Astrology year is February 4, 2012 - The Black Water Dragon year

Here is a fun website to check out and explains more about Chinese Astrology and the Year of the Dragon. And take a quiz.
(I learned I am a Black Rabbit, born in the year of Brown Pig and equivalent to Water. And I need to incorporate more metal in my life to create balance, but not too much! Hmmm...it's all in good fun!)

Quick Chocolate Cheesecake

This is a modified recipe from one of those church/fundraiser cookbooks I love so much - "Recipes From The Heart" cookbook Sacred Heart Catholic School in Rockport, Texas.

I didn't want nor need to make a full sized version, and I'm also watching my carbohydrates. With that in mind, I will post the original recipe and then my version.

QUICK CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Original --

1 pie crust

2 (3.9 ounce) packages chocolate pudding*

16 ounces cream cheese

1 cup sour cream

2 1/2 cups milk

Mine --

3 packages Oreo Thins 100 calorie plus 2 tablespoons melted butter

1 package sugar free and fat free instant chocolate pudding

8 ounces Neufchatel Reduced Fat cream cheese

1/2 cup light sour cream**

1 tablespoon Hersheys Special Dark Cocoa

1 cup skim milk

Original --

Combine cream cheese and sour cream in blender. Mix well. Add pudding mixes and stir. Add milk and blend for 1 1/2 minutes. Pour mixture in pie crust and let set in refrigerator for 4-6 hours.

Mine --

Crumb three packages of cookies in food processor. Mix in small bowl with two tablespoons melted butter until crumbly and slightly sticking together. Press along bottom and sides of 2 cup sized Chantal 6 3/4" pie plate. Admire the apple green and dark brown color combination. Set aside. (I blogged about this earlier - here's the link.)

Combine cream cheese and sour cream in medium sized bowl. **Realize too late I just dumped in the entire 8 ounce container of sour cream. Mix well anyways. Add pudding mix, hoping and it should be instant right, since this is a no-bake cheesecake? The original recipe didn't specify, hence the first *. Add milk and blend for 1 1/2 minutes. Give myself a pat on the back because I added only 1 cup of milk instead of 1 1/4, half the original amount. And maybe that will take away some of the volume from the extra sour cream. It looks a bit light, perhaps because of the extra sour cream. Decide to chocolate it up by adding a tablespoon of Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa since that is darker than the regular Hershey Cocoa. And extra antioxidants can't hurt, either. Pour into pretty pie plate and sprinkle the extra cookie crumbs on top, feeling very Martha-y, and put in refrigerator.

Look at the remaining mixture in the bowl, which was a little more than a third left. (Wonder how that could that be and how much or many pies the original recipe could have filled, because aren't I only 1/4 cup over volume-wise? And maybe next time I will make and fill TWO pie pans/plates - I also bought the pretty Chantal red one at last year's outlet sale. With visions of making pies like this one.) and pour into six 1/2 cup ramkins. Shortcut and justify not making more crust by sticking a cookie on top. Somehow find enough remaining crumbs to Martha-fy this even more. Put those in refrigerator, too.

Don't they look pretty?!

Fast forward four hours to dinner and everyone's anticipated dessert! I put a squish of whipped cream on top of the flopped-over slice to hide the fact it didn't quite set up as firmly - maybe it needed those extra two hours. (Report from next day's leftovers: No. Time was not the problem. All fingers and indications pointing to empty sour cream container in outside garbage can. Back to our recipe now.) I think it tastes good and announce that to all in the room. Hubby makes a face and says, "it tastes a bit...sour?!" "I bet that must be the bonus sour cream. Let's add some more whipped cream!" I say cheerily.

Personally, I didn't think it tasted that bad. Next time I will be more careful and not be so sour cream slap happy.

My sincere apologies to Sara W., who submitted her recipe. I don't want to put her last name, in case she Googles herself and discovers this!

Go for the magic!

Do one thing every day that scares you ~ Eleanor Roosevelt