Balloon birthday card (DIY).

I've been playing around with my Silhouette Cameo, and I am slowly learning how to do new things with it. I mainly use it to create stencils for the glass etching that I do for my Etsy shop, but I know it can be used for so much more than that. This is the first birthday card that I made with it, and I did this mostly through trial and error (I thought I knew what I was doing, and didn't need directions, so I ended up wasting a few pieces of paper...). I have a few more cards to show you soon, but I want to wait until after they've been received.

The balloons are a design that came free with the Silhouette. I separated them and cut each balloon individually instead of as a bunch. The bow was part of the same design (there were strings too, but I opted to draw strings on instead). The rest of the design is simply text cut out of an oval (I hand trimmed the edges of the oval after gluing it to the card), with pink paper underneath. I'm having fun learning how to create cards with the Silhouette, and I'm hoping to get back into making handmade birthday cards for everyone. The design process is still slow for me, but luckily there are thousands of fantastic pre-made designs in the Silhouette store (and they give everyone a new free design every week).

I added another bunch of balloons on the inside of the card.

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Lemon cream pie (recipe).

Earlier this month, my mom and step-dad came out from NY to visit, enjoy the SoCal weather, and celebrate the coming baby. We had recently been up to LA to see Matt's father, and he sent us home with several dozen lemons from his tree. When my mom saw the giant bowl of lemons, she knew just what to make with them: lemon cream pie. This was so good, we actually made it twice while they were out here! She got this recipe from my aunt, who adapted it from a recipe she saw in a magazine (my mom had no idea what magazine).

This recipe is really easy, and the flavor is amazing. This pie would be heavenly topped with whipped cream, but it doesn't need it. The sweetened condensed milk adds a nice creaminess that balances the tangy lemon. I will definitely be making it again soon.

The End of The Night Song (Nay O).

Sometimes when we're being silly, the hubby and I like to make up new lyrics for songs. I don't remember how we got started with this one, but last weekend we turned The Banana Boat Song (Day O) into a clubbers lament. This is in honor of the distaste for clubbing that Matt and his best friend share (and honestly, so do I).


Nay O, nay O
Nightlife come and me wan' go home
Nay, me say nay, me say nay, me say nay
Me say nay, me say nay O
Nightlife come and me wan' go home

Stand in line 'til quarter of one
Nightlife come and me wan' go home
I pay too much for a drink of rum
Nightlife come and me wan' go home

Hey Mister DJ man, I'll be standing outside
Nightlife come and me wan' go home
Hey tipsy lady don't you see my pretty bride
Nightlife come and me wan' go home

Pay 5 buck, 8 buck, 10 buck cover
Nightlife come and me wan' go home
5 buck, 8 buck, 10 buck cover
Nightlife come and me wan' go home

Nay, me say nay O
Nightlife come and me wan' go home
Nay, me say nay, me say nay
Me say nay, me say nay, me say nay
Nightlife come and me wan' go home

A drunken bunch of underage ladies
Night life come and me wan' go home
Bouncers and doorman acting shady
Night life come and me wan' go home

Pay 5 buck, 8 buck, 10 buck cover
Nightlife come and me wan' go home
5 buck, 8 buck, 10 buck cover
Nightlife come and me wan' go home

Nay, me say nay O
Nightlife come and me wan' go home
Nay, me say nay, me say nay
Me say nay, me say nay, me say nay
Nightlife come and me wan' go home

Come Mister Barman, tally up me tab now
Nightlife come and me wan' go home
Come Mister Barman, tally up me tab now
Nightlife come and me wan' go home

Nay O, nay O
Nightlife come and me wan' go home
Nay, me say nay, me say nay, me say nay
Me say nay, me say nay O
Nightlife come and me wan' go home


Here's the original for you:

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Spring is in the air (treasury Tuesday).

I can't believe how fast this year is going by already! Spring begins in just one month, but it feels like 2013 just began. These two treasuries are helping me get in the mood for spring however. Enjoy!

Éirinn go Brách by Monica Morelli

Feel the Spring by Emily Liu

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Shredded beef from the crock pot (recipe).

This is another simple and easy recipe for meat in the crockpot. I love throwing beef or chicken into the slow cooker in the morning even if I have no idea what I'm going to make with it later on. It's versatile, and it makes putting dinner together so easy. We ate this shredded beef on sandwiches the first night, the second night I used some in a breakfast casserole, and the third night I added a little extra spice & put it in tacos. It was delicious all three ways, and it was so convenient to have this already prepared to use each night.

Happy Valentine's Day (writer's workshop).

Aren't these bags adorable?! I won them from The Mandatory Mooch.

Happy Valentine's Day! Whether you are celebrating with friends, a new fling, a long time love, family, or even treating yourself to a quiet night alone, I hope you are enjoying yourself and treating yourself well. This year I'm sharing with you the highs and lows of my Valentine's experiences over the years.

Peperoncini refrigerator pickles (testing Pinterest).

I apologize for my lack of posts last week. My mom and step-dad came out to visit from NY and we were far too busy to spend much time on our computers. However, I do have a few awesome recipes that I can't wait to share with y'all from when they were here (lemon cream pie, and cheesy coins). First, though, I want to show you this super simple tip that I came across on Pinterest. The original pin called for adding onion and vinegar too, but I wanted to see if I could make it even simpler (although I bet the pickled onions come out delicious too).

I love peperoncinis, but I always hate throwing out the jar of pickling liquid at the end. It's so full of flavor, I just knew there had to be something yummy that I could do with it. I wanted something quick and easy (there are some amazing looking beef crock pot recipes out there that use pepperoncini juice too, and I will have to try them sometime). When I came across the idea of simply slicing cucumbers and putting them into the jar to make refrigerator pickles I was delighted. Three days later, when took my first taste, I was over the moon. I really had to restrain myself from eating the whole jar right then and there. They are crispy and tender, and the flavor has that perfect spicy and vinegary balance of a peperoncini, but a little bit milder. I'll never throw my peperoncini juice away again!

 

Peperoncini Refrigerator Pickles

Ingredients
1 jar of peperoncini juice (mine was about half full after the peppers were gone)
1 cucumber

Instructions
1) Slice the cucumber into thin rounds.

2) Put the rounds into the jar; fill the jar almost completely with cucumber, but leave a little space so they can move.

3) Let marinate in the fridge for several days, shaking occasionally.

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Sweet music (treasury Tuesday).

In honor of Valentine's day coming up next week, I wanted to share these sweet heart themed treasuries that I've been featured in recently. Enjoy!

Play that Funky Music, Valentine by Holly Tamales

So Sweet by Jacquie Summer

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Quick beef & broccoli (recipe).

This is a super simple recipe that can be made in a hurry. I love that it incorporates vegetables, meat, and starch in one dish, so you don't need to worry about side dishes. This also tastes great using chicken or pork instead of beef.

Quick Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients
10 to 12 ounces broccoli (fresh or frozen)
10 to 12 ounces thin cut beef rump round (or chicken, or pork)
1/2 cup ponzu
2 tbs Sri Racha
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
rice

Instructions
1) Combine the ponzu, Sri Racha, and teriyaki. Marinate the meat in this mixture (I like to start marinating the meat in the morning if I remember, but even a 30 minute marinade will do the trick).

2) Lightly steam the broccoli.

3) Remove the meat from the marinade, and saute over medium high heat for one minute. Add the remaining marinade and cook for an additional minute.

4) Stir the broccoli and meat together. Serve over rice.

Serves 2 to 3 people


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