New Lilly Pulitzer Special Edition Barnum's Animal Crackers

Just found (and bought!) these Special Edition Lilly Pulitzer Barnum Animal Cookies at Target for $1.17. They are in a display next to the Dollar Spot.

Apparently she must be designing a new box and donating to a new charity each year. (Click here to see last year's post and box design). This year Nabisco and Lilly Pulitzer are honoring Operation Smile.

What a cute addition this would make for a little girl's Easter basket!

McCalls Fashion Star Patterns

Left, M6552 Right, M6553



Left, M6554 Right, M6556
Forgive me, but I think these Fashion Star patterns from McCall's are actually cute and sewable!

Earth Hour - 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM

Turn out your lights at 8:30 PM tonight in your Earth time zone! Click here for more information.

Upcoming Jo-Ann's Pattern Sales

Pre-Easter Sale - April 5/7
$1.99 Simplicity

That's it in the April 1/14 flyer?!
If you are lucky, you can still grab 99 cent Simplicity and $1.99 Butterick (sale ending March 31)

Thursday Tea Time

This week - Revolution Sweet Ginger Peach Black Tea

Cost: $5.99 at HEB, $4.99 with their instore coupon-conveniently hanging next to the teas.
Number of teabags: 16 "flow through infuser bags", which are inside a resealable foil pouch
Caffeine: Yes
Type of tea: Black
Steeping time: 3-4 minutes per the box, I did 5 minutes without looking at the box until now.
Add ins: Half packet of Stevia and a splash of Vanilla Silk Pure Coconut Milk helped give it a nice tropical flavor.
Teabag fragrance: Very peachy!
Ingredients: Ceylon and Assam teas, ginger root and peach flavor.
Opinion: Per the Revolution website, Sweet Ginger Peach is their most popular flavor. I can see why. Without any add-ins, you can detect the ginger a bit more. With the add-ins, the flavor it is really peachy. This is probably the peachiest tea I've tried. I wonder if they are affiliated with Zhena Gypsy Teas? When I scanned the barcode with the My Fitness Pal App, it showed up as Peach Ginger Black Tea (Organic) Zhena's Gypsy Tea. Interesting. Also the tea is very strong - sometimes I use two when I'm making a big mug - with this one, one was good.
Rating: 4.5

Wednesday Work In Progress

New posting series! I thought I would try to start and keep the sewing and creating mojo going by posting what I am doing on Wednesdays. Who knows what will be pictured and featured each week?!

I have been busy reorganizing and redoing my sewing room the past several weeks. I have just about finished the perimeter - just the drawers of the sewing desk left to do. The stacks of TupperMaid containers of fabric are still in the corner, but now I found a way to hide their plasticity -- With my Target Liberty of London scarves! I needed something to hold them in place -- looked around and grabbed one of my white button jars. I didn't like the way the brass jar lid stuck out, so I hot-glued some of the buttons around the edge.
Pretty and functional!

15% off iTunes Cards at Target!

Just text "Easter" to 827438 (Target) and you will get a link to a mobile app to use at checkout.

Austin Scarlett's Project Runway All Stars Wedding Gown

I just absolutely fell in love with his wedding gown! I really think he should have won (shaking head), if not on this dress alone. He was the Creative Directior for Kenneth Pool/Amsale wedding gowns a few years ago. Actually all of his gown designs are exquisite.

Monday Morning Blooms

Bluebonnets from our front yard and "Pink Promise" roses. Not quite as pink this time with the warmer weather.

Tyler Ramsey - "Stay Gone" - 4:25
I love this song, I'm using it in my iPod Shuffle for swimming and skating. I heard it at Starbucks - only the Shazam app was able to identify it, not Soundhound.

Run for the Rose

Kudos to The Republic of Tea in supporting this. Not only do your teas taste good, but you do good!

If you would like more information about the Dr. Marnie Rose Foundation, please visit Run for the Rose or click here for the race brochure PDF.

Wildflower-Apolooza!

Indian Paintbrushes

Purple Verbena

Bluebonnets and Drummond Red Phylox

Bluebonnets and Coreopsis

Pretty field with old car in middle

Loved the yellow flowers - I think they are Engelmann Daisies

The recent rains have awakened the wildflowers from their droughted slumber and are absolutely outstanding this year! My top bluebonnet photo is featured on Facebook and Twitter. All were taken with my Samsung Infuse camera.

Thursday Tea Time

This week - Tea Forte' Cherry Marzipan

Cost: $6.99 at Central Market in Austin
Number of teabags: 16 "eco" teabags(So much for "eco" when they are sealed in a paper foil-lined packet?)
Caffeine: Yes, "Moderate" per the website
Type of tea: Green
Steeping time: Per label 3-5 minutes, I did 5
Add ins: By itself or with a little splash of fat free half and half, half a packet of Stevia
Teabag fragrance: Very cherry almond-y. Like Jergens lotion, original scent!
Ingredients: Organic green tea, Fair Trade Certified™ organic green tea, organic rooibos, natural cherry flavor, organic raspberry leaves, natural almond flavor, natural flavoring (berry), organic acerola cherry extract, (organic acerola, organic maltodextrin)
Opinion: Right on the front of the box it says, "green tea for corrective repair - a skin-smart antioxidant amplifier tea" Apparently the acerola cherry helps combat aging cellular damage, is packed with antioxidants and a rich source of Vitamin C. Which Tea Forte' says is vital to the production of collagen for healthier, younger-looking skin. The fountain of youth in a teacup. Or mug in my case, with two eco teabags doing their magic. Usually I am a bit hesitant with cherry teas - antixoxidants or not, with fears founded of them tasting too much like Robitussin cough syrup. No fear here. This is a good-tasting tea with a nice almond kick. I look forward to trying it iced.
Rating: 4

Big Bach Set

Amazon is currently offering this -- 120 songs -- for only 99 cents!

The deal started yesterday, Bach's birthday, and is still going on today. (I'm downloading the songs right now - good thing I have the Trenta sized iced green tea here at Starbucks!)

St. Joseph's Day Bread Recipe

Also known as Pane di San Guiseppe. I modified this for the bread machine. Use the 1 1/2 pound setting.

3 cups bread machine flour
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
2/3 cup hot water, but not too hot
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 teaspoons star anise, ground (powdered
1/4 teaspoon Penzeys Baking Spice (optional)
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon cornmeal*

To help protect the yeast, put the ingredients in this order in your bread machine pan -- water, butter, salt, honey, flour and yeast. Add the raisins at the nut/fruit chime signal. If possible, remove the mixing paddle before the final rise and baking, and sprinkle the top of dough with the cornmeal.

This tastes great warm or cooled the next day.
Don't just bake it on March 19, to celebrate the Feast Day of St. Joseph, but enjoy year-round on any day!*The cornmeal represents the sawdust, since St. Joseph was a carpenter by trade.

Well, this is intersesting!

I didn't know McCalls was in cahoots with the new show, Fashion Star! Wise move!

Happy First Day of Spring!

Tuesday Tip of the Needle

A stitch in time would have confused Einstein

Thank you, Graphics Fairy!