Adventurous Friday: Friends Giving

Last night Ron and I went to "Friends Giving" A co-worker of Ron's have a Thanksgiving Feast for their friends every year a week before Thanksgiving. We were fortunate enough to be invited. 

I say fortunate because Ron and I don't have a ton of friends in Southern California. So it was a little out-of-our-box, so to speak to go to something like this. But we are glad we did! Not only did we meet some pretty amazing people but we had a fabulous feast! I am still full from all the delicious turkey, stuffing and mac n' cheese. ( I had to throw this in there because I made the mac n' cheese and though I was a little embarrassed about bringing a non holiday dish, my homemade mac n' cheese was very popular!) 

Anyways, Ron and I met a couple who seemed as creative as we are. They both do flower arrangements as a little side job like we do Windows by the Sea! We spoke about creating chalk boards to go inside their succulent center piece arrangements. 

This got Ron and I's creative juices flowing! I can't wait to come up with something that will work for a table top arrangement! 

Hopefully we can jump on these creative ideas soon. For now, I am forced to paint my hallway. (you know that pocket door I bragged about, ya I still haven't painted it. Talk about procrastination!) 

Well here is this Mac N' Cheese that everyone was so fond of! 

And it's really easy to make! 

Toni Rendon's Mac N' Cheese (thanks for sharing this recipe with me Toni!) 

Noodles 

Cheddar Cheese Soup (1 Can) 

Butter 

A little Milk 

Sharp Cheddar Cheese - ( a lot of it!) 

Salt and Pepper to taste! 

Easy as that and super delicious! Kraft, I may give you a run for your money with this recipe! 

Inspirational Thursdays: A home away from home

These past two weeks have been so incredibly hectic! Trying to keep up at work, juggling my seemingly small social life, keeping all my extra curricular organized. It makes me stressed out just thinking about it! 


Last night could have been the icing on the cake. After coming home from a fundraising meeting, I get a phone call. Butters, my cat from college who had abandoned me over a year ago for a neighbor who served better cat food, was in need of a home. Why this thief decided she all the sudden wanted to return my cat is beyond me. But I have to say, I am a little grateful to have Butters  home. (Just don't tell Ron, he hates cats!) 


Butters had been gone for a little over a year. I saw him from time to time but as far as I was concerned this ungrateful cat had moved on and so had I. I had donated to the Seal Beach Animal Care Center all his toys, cat carrier, litter box, litter and food. Butters didn't want to be my cat anymore, so I didn't want to be his owner. 


Last night changed all of that. 


Taking Butters into my arms and walking the few short blocks to our house, I remembered what fun Butters and I use to have. Butters was my "Chico Kitty". He grew up in the sloppiness of my college days, bounced around from apartment to apartment with me, and put up with all my lazy days. That cat and I sure knew how to cuddle! On a Sunday afternoon, you could find Butters and  I curled up in my bed watching tv, happy as can be. 


Once, Butters and I were living in a "tree top apartment" or a converted attic apartment (but tree top sounds so much cutter). We have a lot of nasty crows in Chico. When I say nasty, these crows seriously had it out for Butters. They would sit at the window and squawk and squawk at him. If Butters went outside, these nasty little devils would follow him and drop things on him! It was amazing to see how one animal could intentionally torture the other. 


Of course at some point, I couldn't just let Butters get tortured while I sat back and watched. So I did what any mother would do, I borrowed a BB gun and sat myself on the porch waiting for those damn birds. Butters had to have known what I was up to because he sat down on the chair beside me and waited too! Needless to say, no crow was every hurt but Butters and I had fun scaring them off! 


I miss Northern California and I have missed that cat. Although Butters will be making Ron angry and Sydney (our dog) jealous, I am glad he is home to remind me that I wasn't always a beach girl. 


In honor of Butters returning to my little family, here is some Northern California Style. I hope to one day make it back there, maybe a little log cabin in the woods? We will see! 

Community Monday: Absolute Mayhem

Hello all! Miss me? Yes, its been a while! 


Well I had quit the weekend! I guess I should start by explaining what I have been up to lately! 


On Friday I took the day off from my "real job" (you know, the one that pays the bills) and went door to door of Long Beach businesses asking for donations for Friends Of El Dorado Dog Park

Boy was that fun! Not only did I meet some nice and some not-so-nice people, I also learned that even thought I live in Southern California, its wise to carry an umbrella in your car. Just in case! I was soaked! But it was a very productive day. Much more productive than I had anticipated! I gave away all my donation requests forms and completely missed my other appointments. 


After coming home soaked from head to toe, I decided to make a little hot coca and Kahlua to warm up with my friend Alicia! We got so caught up in our conversation that we never did head to the garage to work on Window by the Sea! 

Where the fun really began was Saturday morning. Ron and I headed to Vegas for my first real Vegas experience. WOW was that a blast! I felt like a college kid again as we finally crawled into bed at 4am. I learned first hand that Vegas never sleeps! 

so needless to say, my productivity for my blog, etsy and even my pinterest is drastically decreasing! 


I have lots of work to do this week! Hopefully the Holiday Bone-Anza will fall together nicely so I can begin working on my Holiday inventory! 


That is it for Community Monday.... I guess I had better kick my butt into gear! 

Inspirational Thursdays: Black is the New White

Before I get started, let me quickly explain myself. Yes I am looking at wedding dresses, no I am not planning on getting married. 

Okay, now that that is out of the way.... let me tell you what has really inspired my creative juices today! 

Etsy sends out emails on latest trends. Yesterday's wedding trend, Jet Setting Brides

So black is the new white. How interesting! 

For the traditionalist, I suppose this would come as a shock. Or for some, this could even be considered an outrage. For those of us who don't do things by the book, (yes me) than this is truly inspirational! 

My purpose isn't to show you all black wedding dresses, although I found a lot of pretty ones! 

What really caught my eye is what I saw when I continued to look through the Wedding Decor section of Vows Nior 

CHALK PAINT, CHALK BOARDS, CHALK STICKERS GALORE!!! 

well talk about competition! Look at all of these great ideas my fellow Etsians have come up with! 

But here is my real favorite! 

These got me very excited! At first I was a little put back that I have had all these ideas but haven't executed them yet. Then I thought, the more the merrier! How fun! 

No one can be Window by the Sea and I can't be anyone else. Maybe this isn't great business logic, but hey... the idea was always to have fun with this! 

I guess I have a lot of work to do! For now, I won't be one of those shops these trend setting brides go to but hey, if a country bride comes my way.... I have her covered! 

Wednesday Spotlight: The Pinterest Challenge

Today I am feeling slightly better from my very embarrassing struggle with my stairs on Monday. At least my headache is gone and I am feeling a tad bit smarter again! 


My friend Katie sent me this blog today. I usually follow Young House Love because they have the most adorable ideas. Their idea today has just inspired all my creative juices. 


Thanks for kicking me in the butt Katie, it's just what I needed! 


The Challenge: Actually make your own rendition of what you are pinning. 


Like Young House Love, I too am addicted to pinterest. I have to constantly remind myself throughout the day that, A: I am at work and B: I have to actually earn my paycheck. 


If I could make a career out of pinning all day, I would do it! It is just so much fun! Thanks to Pinterest, I now feel I need a new larger house for all my ideas. (Ron and I bought our condo last October but with all my new ideas, I am just ready for something new!) Guess I had better start making some big bucks! 


Anyways, Young House Love is doing another Pinterest Challenge. 

I am so up for this challenge! Its what I need to kick my creative butt in gear! (just not down the stairs) 

So here I go.... hopefully by Friday I will have some fabulous updates for you all. I am thinking Thanksgiving themed table settings..... hmmmm the ideas I could come up with! 


Happy Pinning! 

Crafty Tuesday: and a tumble I go

I have to be honest, I am not feeling too crafty today. This may be due to the fact that I took a tumble down my stairs last night. I am feeling like a semi truck hit me, backed up over me and then hit me one more time just for good measure. 

The positive thing about this is, my left shoulder injury doesn't hurt nearly as bad today as the whole right side of my body does! 

They use to call my Spaz in junior high and high school. I don't think I out grew my name! 

ok, ok, back on topic..... 

Crafty Tuesday.... I haven't done a whole lot of creating this week. This weekend, when I normally do all my work, was primarily taken up by helping a friend of mine move. So, as far as my Etsy shop is concerned, no new items for sale! But don't you worry, I am getting back on that horse just as soon as my head stops spinning! 

In my process of Chabby Chic-ing everything I see or touch, I found this paint. It is called chalk paint. Not chalk board paint but chalk paint. 

I originally discovered this idea (still in the works) on Miss Mustard Seed's blog. She seems to swear by it. I loved all her photos of her DIY furniture she created completely out of chalk paint. 

From the table, to the dresser to the corner cabinets, I LOVE this furniture! 

This paint is called Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint. With more researched I learned that I could easily love this product! Although I have not made my purchase yet, I am told with this non acrylic paint, you do not need a primer or to sand! WHAT!?!? I know, exciting isn't it! 

My last DIY shabby chic project was one of those, I wish I never started this kind of project. This chalk paint, with the help of different waxes looks like just the paint for me! 

Now my only problem is.... what color do I choose!?! Of course I want to do every piece of furniture I own in this style now! But I think I will start with my two bedside tables.... 

Versailles

Château Grey

Old White (Chalk)

Lots to think about!