Thursday, April 29, 2010

Breaded Dijon Pork Chops


I wanted to share this excellent recipe for pork chops. It is really simple and takes ingredients you most likely will have in your fridge. They turned out really great! I served it with sides of veggies and brown rice with butter and Parmesan. Yummy! Here is the recipe. It is from the Taste of Home cookbook, or you can find it online here. A little tip-an easy way to get cracker crumbs is to put them into a gallon-size ziploc bag and smash them. Then you can put the meat right in and shake the bag. Remember to throw to extra crumbs away, you cannot reuse them!
4 ServingsPrep/Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup crushed saltines (about 20 crackers)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 4 pork rib chops (1/2 inch thick and 7 ounces each)
  • 1/4 cup canola oil

Directions

  • In a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, thyme, pepper and sage.
  • Spread mustard on both sides of pork ; coat with crumb mixture.
  • In a large skillet, cook pork in oil over medium-high heat for 4-5
  • minutes on each side or until golden brown and meat juices run
  • clear. Yield: 4 servings.

Rachel Roy


http://www.rachelroy.com/


Rachel Roy has been a fave of mine for a long time ! I love her designs ! There simple and sophisticated ! Shes a very talented designer. I recomend you checking her designs out !


Below you can read a little about Rachel !

Rachel Roy approaches the design of her eponymous collection with a feminine and modern point of view. Her goal is to create clothing for women who embrace fashion and dress with an effortless elegance and confidence. The results encapsulate a fresh version of glamour that evades the standard protocol for dressing today.

Originally from California, Rachel attended college in Washington DC. Upon graduation, Rachel pursued her passion for design, and moved to New York City to work freelance; styling magazine shoots and music videos ultimately landing an internship at Rocawear.

As an intern she worked in every department at Rocawear, from the mailroom to marketing and finally, women's design. As the company was in its infancy, Rachel quickly proved herself as an essential commodity, ultimately to become Creative Director overseeing seven licensees and running all of the design departments and their teams for Rocawear Juniors and Girls.

In Fall 2004, she applied her sophisticated aesthetic to her own collection, RACHEL ROY, which debuted in department and specialty stores for Spring 2005. With striking silhouettes, a sophisticated color palette and inventive pairings which transition from day to evening, Roy has garnered editorial acclaim in publications such as Vogue, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, W and Vanity Fair.

Michelle Obama, Eva Mendes, Kate Hudson, Jennifer Garner, Iman, Lucy Liu, Sharon Stone and Penelope Cruz among others have worn RACHEL ROY at Hollywood's most prestigious events, and in January 2007 Rachel was invited to appear as a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, a milestone in a still young career. Also in 2007, Roy was inducted into the CFDA as a new member where she stands alongside other esteemed fashion industry individuals.

RACHEL ROY NEW YORK has grown to include four full collections each year, and in June 2008, created a joint venture with Jones Apparel Group Inc. in the hopes of expanding the wholesale business globally, introduce new product categories and open stand-alone stores in the United States and abroad. Jones Apparel Group is supporting Rachel Roy in launching a Rachel Rachel Roy diffusion brand that will be offered exclusively through Macy’s, Inc. beginning in August 2008. To date, the RACHEL ROY collections are available at Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and top specialty stores worldwide.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Designers I Love


Just a few of my favorite ! Check them out if your looking for something new !




Hope you are able to find something cute !!

Monday, April 26, 2010

Woe is Me!

I haven't been doing as much crafting...baking..or decorating as I normally do because I am moving in a few weeks. We will be saying goodbye to our precious first home that we have owned. We have loved our 1951 home. It has a ton of character and has been so great for our growing family. Here are a few pics from our cutie which we will be leaving in about 3 weeks.
We put on a new roof recently, which makes it look so fresh and clean! (not pictured here)

Since I have 2 children running around and also do daycare, I don't have a lot of knickknacks lying around. I love to have a few plants, though. Nothing that climbs or hangs down. That's just a personal preference.

My giant rusty star is one of my treasures. I called my husband when I was out of town and found it at a small-town festival and asked if I could bring it home. He said no, and I just had to do it anyway. It has had the place of honor above my fireplace.

My gorgeous piano that I learned to play on when I was 11. I have never stopped. Lucky for me, my mom gave it to me for my birthday a few years ago. Above, a great antique map (not really antique) of the USA from the 1800's. I love old stuff!

My big green dresser. It is currently in my dining room. (It's decorated for fall in this pic.)I love this dresser because it hold a bunch of my kid's toys, but it looks great! This was a steal for $120 on craigslist!

My daughter's cute room. I am not normally a fan of cartoon charcters, but Tinkerbell was a pretty cute addition to her room on the border. I love the IKEA flower lamp for $10!

And last of all, my bedroom. It is pretty plain because the hand-pieced quilt by my mother-in-law was very colorful. I love it!

Thanks for letting me share all my treasures with you! Some other things I will miss- our HUGE yard that is beautifully landscaped, my awesome dishwasher, my sunny upstairs office, and all the storage and parking we have. We are excited about the changes we are making, but will be sad to leave, too!

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Zoe Report


I ran into the Zoe Report the other day and as I have explored it more found that its a super great fashion site ! Rachel Zoe is the author and has a great sense of style.
Read Below !

About The Zoe Report

As the latest endeavor in my lifetime pursuit of glamour, The Zoe Report is a free daily newsletter featuring my favorite obsessions in the ever-evolving worlds of fashion, beauty, and lifestyle.

The highlight of my work as a stylist is that I get to discover new and amazing finds, such as: life-altering platform pumps, apparel from insanely talented up-and-coming designers, and mascara capable of achieving that perfect Bardoesque look. It is my mission to share this knowledge with you, and The Zoe Report allows me to do just that. It is a way of welcoming you into my world every day by sending some glamour directly to your in box. Learn it, live it, love it. xoRZ

Click here to check it out you wont be disappointed!

Mac Eye Shadow


I've used alot of eye shadows over the years, one of my favorites is Mac Eye Shadow. It applies evenly and blends well. Most important it stays on all day ! They have some really great bright colors that I love ! Aquadisiac is one of my favorites right now ! I also love Vibrant Grape. Next time you need some eye shadow check out Mac. At just $14.50 you can't go wrong !

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Fashion Pick Of The Week


If you haven't heard of Alternative Apparel there a great designer ! I have one of there sweat shirts and I love it ! There fabrics are Eco-friendly and super soft. I love there Tiffany T-Shirt Dress, its cute and looks very comfy ! It just may find its way into my closet here soon !

Clinique All About Eyes Serum Review


I wrote a couple weeks ago about Cliniques All About Eyes Serum and wanted to give feed back about the product. I love it and give it a full 5 stars ***** ! It goes on very easy and cools under your eyes. My skin feels tighter and I think I have less bags under my eyes. I use it morning and night, its light enough to wear under makeup. I highly recommend this product you wont be disappointed !

We Know You Are Out There

Hi Everyone! We know people have been checking out our blog, so please comment! We want to know what you like or don't like, what you would like to see, and anything else! Comment, please! Or better yet, become a follower!

Beautiful Teenage Girl Bedroom (This would work for a grown-up, too!)

I found pictures of this gorgeous bedroom here. These are just a few. This is a bedroom for a teenage girl.



I don't know about you, but I would kill for this room now! I love the use of Tiffany-blue and all the white. It is so feminine and delicate. Gorgeous!

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Happy Music


I love this artist! Michael Buble has such great, happy, upbeat music. It is perfect for cleaning the house or cooking because it just makes you want to move!
Here are a few of my favorites:
"Haven't Met You Yet"(love this video!)
'Everything"
"Save the Last Dance for Me"
While I do have a thing for pop music, I love something out of the ordinary on the radio, and Michael Buble is it. I hope you all enjoy him, too! I think his music is kind of romantic, too. Perfect for date night!

Friday, April 16, 2010

Cynthia Vincent

Cynthia Vincent has a new line to be launched at Target on April 18th and she has some super cute stuff ! I recommend you check it out ! I can't wait !
Here's just a taste of whats to come !


Belts

Belts are super hot right now ! You can wear them with so many things ! There are so many kinds out there too ! Here are a few I love !




Thursday, April 15, 2010

Great Kids Rooms

I am loving this kid's decorating website right now. It is called Design Dazzle and it has tons of pictures of professionally decorated rooms. Here are a few of my favorites. Click here to check out the site.

My favorite for baby.


Another great baby room!



Super cute wall decor idea.


My favorite for boys. I love the simple surf motif.


My favorite for girls. Totally different colors than we see typically for girls, but I love it!


For a teen girl. So sophisticated!

I love this site because you can get great ideas for a complete room makeover or just pick up a few tips to brighten up a room. Enjoy!

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Aritzia


If you haven't been and have an Aritzia near you GO ! Its a great store with some great brands ! They have Adidas, Nike, 7 For All Man Kind, Charlotte Ronson, JBrand, Toms and many may more ! Check them out !

www.aritzia.com

Color !

I love Essie nail polish ! They have some super fun colors for spring and summer ! If you want a great hot pink color try Punchy Pink, its great ! They also have some great nude colors too ! Essie polish does not contain any Formaldehyde, DBP or Toluene, which is great !

Check them out !

www.essie.com

Monday, April 12, 2010

Whats your Real Age ?

So if you haven't heard of it there's this site called RealAge. You take this quiz and it tells you what the biological age of your body is based on how well you take care of it. Its pretty interesting ! I take it and see if your older or younger that your real age !


www.realage.com

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Crest Extra White Plus Scope Outlast Toothpaste


I just bought this toothpaste and it is amazing! None of that sticky after-taste. It keeps you minty-fresh for hours after you brush, really! It also made my teeth whiter after just 2 times brushing. Love it!

Saturday, April 10, 2010

J-Crew

J-Crew has always been a favorite of mine. They have alot of great basics. They have some really great colors too, especially this spring ! If your looking for a good cardigan, check them out. They have so many of them ! Of that I really love right now is there Lightweight Trifle Cardigan in Honey. Yellow is hot this season so make sure you have it in your closet ! Its a must !



Friday, April 9, 2010

Fun Find !


I just came across this great site you must check it out !
www.modcloth.com

They have really great cloths, shoes and assesories !
They have alot of cute dress's ! I want this one along with
50 others !

Laundry

So if you are at all like me, you try really, really hard to be a good housekeeper, but there is always areas that you struggle with. For me, it is laundry.
I used to have a ton of clothes (and so did my kids) before I stopped working about 8 months ago. That way, I didn't have to do laundry quite as often.
Since I no longer have a steady income for fun stuff, I don't buy as many clothes as before. While this makes me sad, because I LOVE CLOTHES, it has actually made my life easier. I used to have 6 large laundry baskets that I needed all the time for laundry. Now, I use 3-two large hamper types, and one small one for transporting clean laundry from the utility room to my bedroom to fold. (Don't even get me started about my dream laundry room. My husband makes fun of me because of this!)
Here a few tips for keeping up on laundry that work for me-

*Less clothing=less laundry. I weeded out all the clothes that I wanted my kids to wear, but that they wouldn't. (Like the super cute vintage-inspired Wonder Woman t-shirt of my daughter's that she wouldn't touch.)This keeps them from dragging everything out of their drawers in the morning and throwing it on the floor.

*My #1 rule-If I wash it that day, I put it away. (Yes, it rhymes on purpose.) Anything I wash and dry during the day, I make sure I complete the cycle by folding and puting it away. I don't put pressure on myself to finish all the laundry in one day, but I just do a good job with the amount I do get done.

*It doesn't have to be perfect in the drawers. No one can see it.- This is completely out of charchter for me because I worked in retail for a very long time, and was used to making things look perfect. My super-mom friend shared this tip with me. I would never have expected her drawers weren't perfect, but she said she doesn't care what they clothes look like inside the drawers, as long as the clothes are put away. So....here is my secret-I DON'T MATCH SOCKS! I refuse. I am taking a stand. No WAY! I have 3 shoeboxes inside my kid's drawers-one for socks, one for underwear, and one for other (like tights, gloves, etc.) I also don't fold PJ's. Everything else, I fold, but I don't care if it's not perfect.


So there it is, my secret to keeping up on laundry. I manage to keep up using a 20-year old dryer that takes 2 hours to dry, so I am pretty proud of myself. Hopefully this helps you!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Hard As Nails


Sally Hansen has some really great products ! One that I'm particularly in love with right now is there Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Color. I had my nails done and it stayed on for 5 days without chipping ! That's amazing considering all the things I do during the day ! They have 30 fabulous colors. Try some you'll love it !

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Nutrition Bars

I've tried alot of Health/Nutrition bars over the years. There are a lot of great ones out there, and always seems to be new ones coming out ! Sarah got me hooked on Luna Lemon Zest bars and to this day there still one of my FAVES ! Thanks Sarah :)
Another great one I recently just tried are the Crunchy Go Lean bars by Kashi. I got a box with Chocolate Peanut, Chocolate Carmel and Chocolate Almond. I love every flavor there all great ! They have 8 to 9 grams of protein and 5 to 6 grams of Fiber ! That's great !
http://www.kashi.com/

Another great Nutrition bar is NuGo. They are high in protein and low in fat ! I've tried 3 of there flavors, Chocolate, Vanilla Yogurt and Chocolate Peanut Butter. Again I like all three flavors.
www.nugonutrition.com

Last but not least are the Odwalla Bars. I've tried the Super Food and the Choco-Walla bars. Both are great, Choco-Walla is my fave cause its super chocolaty and I love chocolate ! Both high in nutrition and I think very filling !
Click here to check it out!

Next time your at the store try one of my favs and let us know what you think !

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Beauty Pick Of The Week


Clinique has always been a favorite of mine. I've been using there products
since I was about 15. I think they have great products at great prices.
A new product of theres that I have yet to try is the All About Eyes Serum
De-Puffing Eye Massage. I have read great reviews about it and am going to
get some of my own to try it.
Here is the product description:


NEW All About Eyes Serum De-Puffing Eye Massage

This instantly cooling serum helps massage away bags, refreshes and hydrates puffy eyes on contact. Brightens eye area immediately and over time. Combats dark circles, too. With caffeine, potent antioxidants and soothing botanicals. Oil-free, non-irritating. Ophthalmologist Tested.

After reading the reviews on the Clinique website most everybody had good things
to say about it.

After I try it I will let you know how great it is !

Crafty Calendar

Around the end of the year, I was on the hunt for a great calendar for 2010. I just couldn't find anything I liked, so with a little tweaking from a project posted on the ModPodge Rocks blog,

I ended up wanting something a little fancier than a cookie sheet calendar, so below, you will see what I came up with.


Basically, I found a beautiful large walnut frame for 50% off at Michaels (it came to around $25).
I drew a calendar grid inside along with a section for notes and reminders on the inside of the glass with a Sharpie.
I picked out scrapbook papers that coordinated for each month, then using a 1 1/4 punch, cut out squares and circles, depending on the month.
I got a pack of rub-on calendar numbers from Roberts Craft Store when I was in Utah on vacation.
The last part was to get plain ivory scrapbook paper, then lay out the month and stick on the shapes with that blue tacky stuff (because I want to re-use them). It is great to write on because you can just use a dry-erase marker to write in the squares. I just switch out the papers every month for a new look every time.



This is a fun project, but a little time-consuming. The only bad part is that because it is only one month at a time, you cannot write things in for future months. I either write it in the reminders section, or I have a little planner I keep the in the dresser right below. It works for me!

My pick for sippy cups

If you have kids, you are going to want to get this water bottle from REI. It is called the Nalgene Everyday Grip-N-Gulp Water Bottle. It is amazing. Seriously. I bought them as stocking stuffers for my two kids because I wanted something a little more grown-up than our other standby cup, the Playtex Insulator. I am in love with this water bottle because it seriously DOES NOT leak, I can wash it on hi-temp cycle in my dishwasher and it doesn't melt (on the top rack, of course), and it looks great. I hate kid stuff that looks like, well, kid stuff. They are spendy, around $8.25 each, but SO worth it! Oh, and did I mention they come in great colors?

Monday, April 5, 2010

All Things Thrifty

I found this amazing decorating blog that has some fabulous tutorials on easy, stylish projects for your home. I love their style-it is modern, full of color, and mixes different styles, which I love!
Click here to go to it!

Here are a few examples I love!





Check out this blog-I love it!

Lets Get In Shape


I highly recommend the Nordic Track X7i Incline Trainer. I give it a full 5 stars. I have one and its amazing ! You have the ability to burn up to 750 calories ! Today I burned 760 calories in 45 mins ! Amazing !

Here is a short description of what its capable of !

Product Description

The NordicTrack X7i Incline Trainer comes to life with iFit® Live. Built-in to the console, iFit® Live is the only wireless connection between the Internet and home fitness equipment. iFit® Live allows you to experience trails all over the world. Plus, to simulate the physical features of the terrain, iFit® Live automatically adjusts your incline and decline up to 40% and to a revolutionary -6%. Work out with Jillian Michaels, race against your Facebook® friends and receive automatic workout downloads every day! The X7i Incline Trainer also boasts a powerful 3.0 HP DurX™ Commercial Pro Motor, a large 8in CoolAire Workout Fan, Reflex™ Cushioning and a heavy-duty 350 lb. weight capacity. This Incline Trainer offers everything you'll ever need to lose weight, get fit and stay connected.

A Few Fashion Favs

Here are a couple dress's I fell in love with !

This is a fun party dress, I love it and want it ! Its by Jay Godfrey and retails at $440


This dress is beautiful ! Its by Vera Wang Lavender Label, retails at $650



Both great dress's by great designers !

Friday, April 2, 2010

White on White

If you had asked me 6 months ago how I felt about all-white rooms, I would have pretended to gag myself. But now I have found myself loving all the white rooms on the country decorating blogs. For example:



I love the different textures and shades of white in this room. It looks so rustic and charming. I think that is the key for decorating any room-using different textures. Nothing is worse than a sterile living room. You should always want your guests to be able to kick off their shoes and curl up on the couch for a nice chat with you.

The real question is: Would I be able to eat chocolate in this room?