Home ideas for the stranded decorator

 "Whether you're a one-stop shopper, bargain hunter, or impulse buyer, you know the thrill of shopping the aisles of mass-market stores and finding a great decorating buy."

 How's that for a great beginning line?! It gets better. :-)

"To make sense of all that good merchandise, we created Style By The Aisle, a directory of 15 decorating styles that walks the home furnishings aisles of mass-market stores, pulls items from shelves, and organizes them into distinctive and personal looks you create yourself."

Over time I think just about every home decor book in the local library finds its ways into my hands. This one was so different I wanted to share it with gals who feel "lost" in the process of decorating their dwellings. I've had friends mention that they're not sure what they really like or how to create a look/atmosphere. If you're in that category, this book is a great tool for you!

It has fifteen different styles. Several of them being:
1. Utility Chic
2. China Blue
3. New Country
4. Isle Style
5. Schoolhouse
6. Greenhouse


Each look is accompanied by "Keys to the Style" along with
numerous color photos




Ahhh. . .details.
They even load you with "details."



And not to leave you stranded,
you'll find pages with ideas for
color, pattern, texture,
furniture,
window treatments, soft furnishings,
tabletop furnishings,
 and
lighting.



Grab yourself a copy here and enjoy!

 Happy decorating.

Karate Chop Cake

                                  

We're blessed to live next door to a single gal who frequently brings baked items. Apparently we're great "testers." I try to share lots of them with my family. I really do!

One of her latest creations was a chocolate cake with an ingredient that added an extra "kick" to it. Her's had a slight "kick" as she called it. I took a shot at baking it, and mine ended up with a full blown karate chop!

First, let's discuss the icing.

It was store-bought/in-a-can-frosting which is almost against my religion. I did not know it at the time or I may have been a bit skeptical of the taste. Sorry. I'm all about icing, and it shouldn't come in a can!

Anywho, I noticed the icing was two shades of white, but it was so yummy I was dying to ask her what it was. She had started out with one can and ran out. The grocery store closest to our houses didn't carry the same kind so she was stuck buying another brand. In the end, I liked the double color and the combined taste. Shocking of me! Canned icing. What's this world coming to. . .

It was a breeze to cram the icing into a bag and swirl around the top! I had fun using Wilton's 1M for big roses and another smaller tip for swirls. It's a shame I'm not more fond of canned frosting; my life would be much easier. :-)

 Enough on the outside!

The neighbor's "kicking" ingredient is cayenne pepper! It may not surprise you, but that wasn't exactly what I paired with a chocolate cake! She had always made ours with 1/4 of a teaspoon but told me of adding one entire teaspoon to another friends'.

Silly me thought I'd try the entire teaspoon. Silly me who isn't very fond of kicking food. Silly me who'd prefer to eat tame things like bread or chocolate covered strawberries. Silly me.

Another important part of the baking process is sampling batter. :-) Uh - huh! I think there was a little bit of batter in that cayenne pepper! Wow. Oh, wow! It karate chopped me in the mouth and stomach! I think I had indigestion all afternoon.

Long story short - some of us loved it. Some of us didn't. Some of us went to bed with queasy bellies. Some of us didn't. Some want me to try it again. Some of us don't.

It does add a fun twist,

but I think I'll stick with 1/2 tsp next time.

Chocolate cake is more enjoyable when you're not concentrating on the karate chopping!

I think I'd just prefer a little nudge!





 "Alex hurt. Terribly. His feet were cracked and oozing a white discharge. He literally had the eggs of a parasite living in the cracks. And his belly gurgled as something slithered around.

Alex is a 10-year-old boy in Zambia. He has been victimized by an insect called the chicgoe flea, commonly known in Africa as a 'jigger.'

These creatures enter a child's body, often through a bare foot. They cause extremely painful lesions. The skin blisters, the flesh is destroyed, and the toenails fall off."

 "Alex had often begged his parents for shoes, but they are poor subsistence farmers who could never hope for such a 'luxury.'"
In Alex's own words, "I have never put on shoes since I was born, and I never thought I would. . ."

When World Vision showed up with pairs of shoes, he announced, "My heart kept pumping very fast. I'll be able to attend classes and play football again. I thank the donor who provided these shoes and may God bless him."

His mother remarked, "Alex rarely smiles. But today I see him smile after receiving shoes. . .My son is happy and that makes me happy, too. I am really humbled, and today I will sleep with a free mind and a joyful heart."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've lost count of the number of times I've read this, and I still cry about it. Begging for shoes? Never owning a pair? A lifetime of pain at 10 years old?

This was our family's latest compassion project, and I was so excited to send off the money! It's one of the gifts that is multiplied, and anyone that knows me well knows I am a woman of bargains! Our $53 became $636 in shoes, clothing, and meds.

Made. My. Day!



You can read more about this situation here with World Vision.

I'd love to hear about your favorite place to give!

The Builder

 He's the one that was endowed with the creative and energetic gene. The Builder loves it when he gets to do anything that remotely resembles an art project. Whether it's making his own Play Doh world, coloring eggs or painting with toothpicks - - he's excited about it!





He's also FULL of energy.
Really full.
Like oozing out of every pore full!



The Builder is the one who is prone to make the silly face.
Back then at his K graduation - - -

and now - - - April 2012!



 Books were a constant companion of his long before he met phonics. His world changed once he could read. Now, I often pry him out of pages, and he's fast becoming a walking encyclopedia. 

 This guy loves birthdays and holidays of all kinds. The park, a crazy car ride or the fair involve motion, so he's ready to be there. He's easily amused - too easily. Just like his mother! The Builder is also known to give more hugs, kisses and compliments than any other young man residing here. He loves to do special things for me such as making breakfast on Mother's Day. :-)

I think what fascinates us the most is the way his mind works! He is often found building some contraption with numerous toys and rolling marbles through the maze of items. Legos, train tracks, dominoes. . . there is no limit to what he'll use.

His brain thrives on gears and machines.
By the time he's seen a short demonstration,
 he can usually tell me how the entire piece works.

I can't wait until he can handle some tools!

I think the Builder and I are going to come up with some pretty cool creations.

First egg hunt.
Cuteness!

"Easy as pie"

I have my mother to thank for this easy/pretty/yummy recipe -

three aspects which make a dish appealing to me.

Candy Bar Pie:

~ 1 - 8 pack snack sized candy bar package

(We usually throw in an extra 1 or 2 little bars or 1 regular sized bar.)

~ 1 - 8 oz package of cream cheese

~ 1 - 8 oz container of whipped topping

~ Chocolate pie crust (I usually buy a prepared one.)



Some may have dignified ways of crushing candy pieces,
but at our house which is teeming with energetic boys,
we smash them with hammers. :-)
It's a great way to expend energy and promote good hammer use!

Just remember to wash the end of your hammer in case it has:
1. Brought down innocent trees in the woods behind your house.
2. Driven nails and misc objects into unsuspecting trees.
3. Participated in the demise of numerous forest bugs!

Ewwww!

That probably doesn't happen at your home. . .

Back to the recipe - - -



Beat the softened cream cheese -
later adding the thawed whipped topping.
Empty all but two candy bar wrappers into the mixture
and beat again.



Scoop all contents into pie shell (leaving a few spoonfuls to sample!)
and garnish with leftover candy bar pieces.
I prefer to give it a good 5-6 hours in the fridge before serving.

A Castle Haven favorite -

especially since kids are able to make this recipe!

 It'll snag you favorable compliments anywhere you take the dish;

Just be prepared to bring an empty pie plate home!

Enjoy! :-)

To market, to market. . .



I have a weakness for farmer's markets,

and there's one not too far from my parents' house in PA.

I have frequented this place almost every Friday that I've ever visited.

This market has blessed me with fruits/veggies,

flowers/plants,

hot pretzels, piping hot fries loaded with salt,

flat Coke (only once!),

Amish bread/pecan rolls,

and Amish made donuts that were loaded with calories.

I'm not there to worry about my health or eating habits;

I save that for the other six days of the week.

As I strolled through last Friday, I realized that it could easily be my last visit for a very long time. 

So, I snapped and snapped photos.

Maybe they'll help me recall the sights,

the smells, and the flavors.

At least memories don't have calories!