Get Your Heart On!

You're Absolutely Fabulous...No Seriously, You Are!

Hello Fabulous!

Quick and easy post for a quick and easy card...

...you can really make it for an occasion.

Or any color combination (you know me and my Hawaiian Shores. LOVE.)

(isn't the inside of the card cute, too!?!)

Create [Something] Fabulous Today!

recipe:

paper: papertrey (pti) in hawaiian shores and rustic cream

ink: papertrey (pti) in hawaiian shores and smokey shadow

stamps: stampin up (su) aviary and absolutely fabulous

die cut: sizzix lots of tags

misc: bling; stampin up (su) 3-dimensionals

I Found It!!

YYYYEEEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHH!!

Katy Perry's Black Shatter nail polish by OPI

SOLD OUT in both Ulta's in my city and everywhere online was selling it for $20+ (ridiculous and worth every penny).

However, after over an hour of searching online, I finally found it for the normal retail price of $8.50 here. HA. Take that Amazon.

...the only crappy thing is having to wait 5-7 business days to receive it

...why haven't we invented a way to mix online shopping and instant gratification??!

I'm mixing mine with this awesome shade: The One That Got Away

(also in the Katy Perry OPI line)

I know it's weird...but I've seriously been thinking about this nail polish for days.

And soon I will have it! Be sure to check out the link below!

Black Shatter how-to here

Hope you love it as much as I do!!

Pearl Earrings

Now that I have your attention..

Go Here: Diary of a Jeweler

To win these:

Aren't they pretty?! Seriously though...this is a good friend of mine's new blog. He's extremely knowledgeable and is a GIA certified gemologist. Big Time. His goal for this blog is to inform and to give confidence to a younger subset of customers who would otherwise be intimidated walking into a jewelry store.

Blog him, facebook him, tweet him - get the word out...and get a chance to win these awesome pearl earrings :)

Here's the website again: www.amirchokr.com

amazing photography by my other good friend, Naomi Chokr (his wife)...a fabulous duo they are

www.naomichokr.com

**by the way blog friends, sorry I've been absent! Happy New Year lol

I'll be back soon :*

Recipe: Corn and Crab Chowder

OMG 2 posts in one day?

I just had to post this recipe immediately

...because it was so freaking good and everyone needs to try it!

Hubby and I were watching Rachael Ray yesterday (it was the only thing on in the afternoon) and she was making this Corn and Crab Chowder which my husband was drooling over.

So today I decided to make it for him, and DAMN it was delicious. I guess Rachael Ray knows what she's doing ;)

For the original recipe, go here. For my slightly altered recipe, see below!

(I noted my additions/alterations with an *asterisk)

Oh, and this isn't a low-fat meal...it calls for whole milk :)

Enjoy!!

1 tablespoon *extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

2 potatoes, peeled and diced

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

*2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced

*2 bay leaves, *dried

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning blend, found near seafood department, or on spice aisle at the grocery store

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups *chicken broth

1 quart whole milk

3 cups corn kernels, scraped fresh from the cob (*you'll need 5-6 cobs. I only had four and had to add some frozen)

8 ounces cooked lump crab meat – fresh is available in plastic tubs at many fish counters (*make sure to feel through it to make sure there aren't any bits of shell)

Heat a deep pot over moderate heat. Add vegetable oil or EVOO, about one turn of the pan, and butter (*what the hell is "about one turn of the pan? I have to clue either...I just let the butter completely melt before moving on to the next step).

As you chop your veggies, add them to the pot: potatoes, celery, onion and red bell pepper (*and garlic). Then add the bay leaf. Season vegetables with salt and pepper and Old Bay seasoning.
Sauté veggies five minutes, then sprinkle in flour. Cook with flour for two minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and combine. Stir in milk and combine. Bring soup up to a bubble. Add corn and crab meat and simmer soup, about five minutes.

Adjust the soup seasonings and remove the bay leaf (*I added a mix of thyme, oregano and a few other spices I had in the kitchen...along with a bit more Old Bay and s&p).

*I served it with some buttered French bread. I also saw Rachael add a puffed pastry to the top of hers which looked really nice, but I couldn't find any in the store)

To finish off the night, my husband made us some Peppermint Hot Chocolate :)

Have a delightful night!!

List of Fours

Hey all!!

I was tagged by Jessi at The Juici Life. I love reading about this crazy girls "misadventures" about fulfilling her bucket list and her "Thirsty Thursdays" for some delish drink ideas!

List of Fours

1. Four shows that you watch:
~ Bravo...Housewives, Top Chef
~ World of Jenks
~ Pawn Stars, American Pickers
~ What Not to Wear, Project Runway, anything Style Network

2. Four things you are passionate about:
~ My hubby
~ My family
~ My wonderful friends
~ Finding time to craft!

3. Four words/phrases you say a lot:
~ The awful "F" word is my favorite...(Jessi, I left this as-is, lol)
~ Woop Woop!!
~ Ummm Yeah
~ Anything from Napolean Dynamite (GOSH!)

4. Four things you've learned from the past:
~ All you need is love

~ Patience is a virtue
~ Don't sweat the small stuff
~ Live life to the fullest!

5. Four places you would like to go:
~ Italy
~ Fiji
~ Sweden
~ Australia

6. Four things you did yesterday:

~ 1 ornament on the Christmas tree
~ Spent way too much time putting in my Bumpit

~ 6 coats of glitter nail polish
~ Partied at my company Christmas Party

7. Four things you are looking forward to:
~ A clean house

~ Finishing the tree and putting up decorations
~ Christmas, New Years and Hubby's birthday!
~ Family and friends visiting!

8. Four things you love about Winter:
~ Peppermint Mocha and candy canes
~ Leaving the Christmas tree lights up all day long
~ Opening the windows and doors
~ CUTE BOOTS!

9. Tag 4 people to play along:
Naomi at Naomi's Space
Liszha at Liszha's Scrappy World
Paulina at Pretty Pink Posh
Ayana at Ayana's Creations

Happy New Baby - Girl!

Hey there! Sorry I've been MIA...just got back from a cruise a few days ago ;) Jealous? Me too! I'd love to be back on that cruise ship!

This design was borrowed from another blogger (sorry I don't know who!!) but I put a little twist on it with the doily (love)

My friend asked for "minimal pink" but I just couldn't do it. I love hot pink. And I'm sure the new baby will, too!

Hope you all have a wonderful night!

the good stuff

paper: papertrey ink (pti) bitty dots; doily from michaels

ink: papertrey ink (pti) raspberry fizz

circle punch, corner chomper, sizzix big butterflies die cut

ribbon: stampin up (su)

kaiser craft pearl

random button

(side note: the paper in the back is dear lizzy for american crafts)