30 Today!

& for my 30th birthday, I gift you with 30 random pieces of information all about me:

1. I sew barefoot and hate to top stitch.

2. I think Hot Mustard & a large fry from McDonalds is one of the greatest things on Earth on a bad day.

3. must always wear chap-stick or lip-gloss when driving

4. I love to eat breakfast for dinner.

5. must sleep with covers even in the hottest days of summer

6. dream of living in the country with wrap around porch & a tire swing

7. think driving with the windows down and eating outside are the greatest pleasures of summer

8. crave those little red cinnamon gummy bears....eats 1 to 2 of the huge boxes of hot tamales a week....is happy when a fresh pack of Big Red is in my purse

9. seriously cannot handle loud cell phone talkers

10. love the smell of fresh cut grass, gas, bacon, & cinnamon

11. think housework sucks

12. am annoyed by non-assertive drivers

13. should not be allowed to check books out from the library

14. love love love vintage drinking glasses & wish to drink from them at every meal

15. prefer a cold dr. pepper over a glass of wine any day of the week

16. read magazines from the back to the front

17. cannot deal with talking on the radio...making commercial free Mondays on Hot 107.1 my favorite day to drive to work

18. have a very specific way to load the dishwasher...& I WILL rearrange the dishes before running it if someone has messed with my system

19. love to have all the windows in the house open

20. love the song This Afternoon by Nickelback...& think every season should have a theme song

21. must read every word on a page, skipping only results in going back and rereading the entire page again for fear I miss some truly essential detail that dramatically changes the story line

22. collect cake stands after seeing a Martha Stewart in college & thinking to myself...I want to be just like this chick that was featured on her show one day

23. thinks inappropriate snarky magnets are simply hilarious

24. complusively check my email and my blogs

25. hate hate hate to fix my hair

26. dread coming up with a weekly dinner menu every Sunday

27. want to learn to fly fish one day

28. think every special occasion and major accomplishment in life should end with a dinner of crab legs and melted butter

29. wants another bambino one day

30. is getting a tattoo for my 30th birthday!

Whoop Whoop!

BBQ Recipes

This weekend we hit the BBQ party circuit hard,
fitting in three BBQ's in three days.

Here are a couple of our favorite go-to recipes.

Cherry Jubilee...
& a celebration it is!
A celebration of the greatest combination of the tastiest flavors ever!

& the best part is that...

It is seriously this easy:

BUT
it is absolutely. amazingly. fabulously. delicious!
I. kid. you. not.
You will be scraping the inside of the crock pot.

Ingredients:
2 cans (21 oz. each) cherry pie filling
1 (18 oz. package) yellow cake mix
1/2 cup melted butter

Directions:
Spread pie filling in the bottom of greased 4 1/2 to 6-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle dry cake mix powder over the top. Pour melted butter over the top. Cover and cook on high heat for 2 hours or on low heat 4 hours.

Makes 10-12 servings, but I could eat the entire thing in one setting.

(just discovered this one this weekend,
but I will be making it for e.v.e.r.y occasion in the future.)

AND

My husband's contribution to our BBQ festivities:

Zesty Garlic Shrimp

Ingredients for Marinade:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

20 jumbo shrimp (about 1 1/4 pounds) peeled & deveined
1 Tablespoon fine dried bread crumbs

Directions:
To make marinade: In a medium bowl whisk together the marinade ingredients.

Place the shrimp in a large, resealable plastic bag & pour in the marinade. Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Turn the bag to distribute the marinade, place in a bowl, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Remove the shrimp fro the bag and discard the marinade. Thread the shrimp onto skewers. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the shrimp.

Grill over Direct Medium heat until just opaque in the center and firm to the touch, 4 to 6 minutes turning skewers once halfway through grilling time.

Serve warm.

Butterfly Mobile Tutorial

Check out Girlfriend's new Butterfly Mobile!

Something about these bright little things makes me smile!

So light and whimsical.
Refreshing.

& a super easy project!
First: Punch out a bunch of butterflies in funky papers...
or check out my shop to buy some. : )

Second: Thread a needle with a knot at the end.

Third: Stitch your butterfly with a single stitch.

Fourth: Make a little knot about 2 inches above your last butterfly.

Fifth: Add another butterfly.

Sixth: Repeat for as many butterflies as makes your heart happy!

Last: Hang up your beautiful mobile, step back, & enjoy your work!

IF you don't have a butterfly punch...
just head on over to MadeByChance & pick some butterflies up! : )

The fun doesn't stop here folks!
Check back later for a fish version!

Making A Difference

One of the coolest kids I know has started a project with his dad and his brothers to help wildlife.

He is the only second grader I have ever met who already knew who John Muir was before I started teaching our Important People In History unit.

This little guy's smile will melt your heart, and his compassion for nature is going to move mountains.

Check out their website below & let's help these boys achieve their goal!

Four Boys, One Goal

My First Quilt Festival!

One year ago I never would have imagined I would be sewing in a league of such talented people!

The extent of my sewing was making some very simple valances for our windows.
I was intimidated by the sheer thought of changing the foot on my sewing machine.

I just admired others' work, wishing to be like them...
longing to share this common thread with my mother.

There was a latent desire deep in my heart & these beautiful people inspired and encouraged me to bring it to life:
An Ordinary Life
Philigry
The Sometimes Crafter

Thank you!
Your inspiration and encouragement have given me the most fabulous gift anyone can share with another....
Passion
Motivation
Joy
Pride
Accomplishment

I have made...
Mimi's Mustard...
Aquamarine...
Abby Chic...

And...

pieced, quilted, and hand bound one quilt for my son.

The last one for my son is the one I chose to share with you today.
It was my first experience free motion quilting something other than a practice table runner.

I stitched, un-stitched, re-stitched, cursed under my breath, bled from needle pokes,
BUT
I conquered it!

A fire has been lit
and
an obession has been fueled.

So here I am...
five years after I lost my mother, sharing her passion.
I hope she is proud of me.
I wish we could have shared it together.

SO without further ado...
I introduce you to:
AJ's cover quilt!

Blast Off is its name.
(I name everything. Go ahead, make fun of me. I am okay with that.)

I learned...

with Determination...

Passion...

& Perseverance...

I can be one of the people I so admire.

Girlfriend

Bugs, Butterflies, & Sea Creatures!

All about exploring nature!

(Girlfriend took a pretty good header with the help of her brother & said hello to the sidewalk over the weekend...thus the lovely nose coloration.)