Craft Fair and Birthday

Yesterday was my 2nd Craft Fair at Grace Lutheran Church in Conroe, TX.  It was so much fun!!!  I felt a little calmer entering this fair since we had so much fun last weekend.  

This week I was crazy busy making items for the fair.  It is funny what sales at one fair is completely different to the next sale.  That makes it even more fun to come up with something new!  I am having so much fun.  I love making things.  I am even thinking of opening an etsy.com shop.  Lots of people at the fair yesterday and the one last week wanted me to open one :)  

Once again, I couldn't have done this without my sweet husband helping me.  I have the best husband ever!!

The pictures aren't the best from this craft fair.  The lighting was off.

I love the wooden Joy wreaths - I have sold several and each sell makes me do a happy dance :)

Halloween is such a fun holiday!!  The "Wicked" wreath was inspired from the musical "Wicked."

Mustache Fun :)

September Birthday

I had a big surprise for my birthday earlier this month.  My husband left clues on the day before my birthday around the house to take me on a little trip to celebrate and get away for a few days.  I didn't find out where we were going until we got to the gate at the airport!  I can't believe he kept such a secret without me finding out. 

It turned out to be a trip to Las Vegas, and then to California to visit our youngest daughter and her husband.  I was SO excited!!!

We stayed at the Hotel - Aria, in a fabulous room with a fabulous view.  I wanted to walk that first morning since we were in a "healthy" competition with our DC kids to see who got the most steps with our fitbits :)  We walked down the Las Vegas strip.  It is so much fun to walk when most of the partiers are sleeping!  And, desert air in the mornings is cool and refreshing!!  We walked past the Hotel Paris where they were serving breakfast outside on the patio of this little French restaurant.  We didn't have much money because Al didn't bring his wallet.  He just stuck a little money in his pocket for me a diet Coke on the way back to the hotel after we walked.  Luckily, we had "just enough" for breakfast.  It was so good!!  The quiche was mine and the waffles were Al's - he never turns down something sweet :)

Giada's for Birthday dinner!  So good!  Totally recommend it.  We went to Las Vegas earlier this year, and ate at Giada's then, also.

Lobster Ravioli - so good!!!

I was too full for Birthday dessert - but our waiter insisted 

on bringing me a treat :)

We got tickets to see David Copperfield after dinner at the MGM Grand.

Highly recommend it!

Big Bear, California

The next morning we drove from Las Vegas towards San Clemente, California where my daughter, Lily, and her husband, Michael, have moved.  On the way, I wanted to either go through Palm Springs or Big Bear.  We decided on Big Bear since it was a pretty hot day.  Big Bear is in the mountains and was nice and cool and so pretty there!!!  

Would love to go back.

Fish Tacos in San Clemente - so good!!

We got to Michael's and Lily's in time for dinner.  

I was so excited to see my girl!!!

My Birthday Cake

Lily made me a fabulous birthday cake!!!  

I was so surprised and the cake was delicious!!!  Isn't it pretty?!?!

The next day we drove to Solvang.  It is north of Santa Barbara.  It was quite a drive, but we loved going there one other time on vacation, so decided to visit in the car and enjoy each other's company. We had such a fun day!!!  We were starving after being in terrible California traffic for so long (on Labor Day weekend).  We found a cute pub to have lunch.  I got fish and chips and it was delicious!

Michael and Al in Solvang.  I did just a little shopping 

that we had to bring home :)

Countryside in the Solvang area 

Breakfast on the next day

I feel like we ate our way from Nevada to California...

My first cronut, too. and it was delicious!!!  

And, the blueberry fritters were pretty fabulous...

After our super healthy breakfast... We headed south to San Diego!  We went to the Birch Aquarium. It was lovely!!  My iPhone took all of these pictures, and I am especially impressed with the cool seahorse picture!

Al & me in San Diego with the lovely Pacific Ocean in the background! 

 I'm ready to go back :)

My sweet girl and me

After the aquarium, we went to see the San Diego Padres play the Los Angeles Dodgers!  It was so fun!!!  The stadium is fabulous

 and the weather was fabulous.

Petco Field in San Diego

September has been good to me!  I loved my birthday trip - especially visiting Lily, and I have loved starting a little crafting business - Joeby's Studio. 

I hope you have a great week!

~ Joeby

Back to Blogging!

It has been over a year since I last blogged!  How did the time go by so quickly?!
One of my "problems" was the death of my computer.  Where all of my fabulous pictures were stored.    I got a terrible virus that ate my computer.  After much sorrow for the loss of my beloved HP computer, I made the decision to get an iMac.  However... I have been scared of it... no idea how to move things around.  Well, I have finally learned how to do a few things!  Most importantly, I have learned how to access my pictures (not just look at them)!

Crafting in Joeby's Studio

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to make "something" and sell it.  When I was pretty young, I made yarn dolls and sold them at school.  I also went through the phase of gluing beads on shells and selling them at school.  Then, I made flowers and sold them at school.  I was probably not supposed to do that, but I never got in trouble.
The bug to sell things has been churning a few years now, and I took the plunge.  Yesterday, I entered my first craft sale and sold things to other people!  It was so much fun, and SO much work!  I loved every minute of it!

Halloween candy dome - I love these!  Takes forever to make, but they turn out so cute!

Felt Trees - in my current favorite color of grey :)

Burlap pumpkins with real pumpkin stems and ribbon leaves.

Molded paper clay snowmen with hand knitted little hats.  

Little hats are pretty easy to make :)

Part of the set up yesterday.  I really didn't know what to expect, or really how to display anything.  When I was setting up (or even thinking about it), I could not remember one booth from all of the previous craft shows/sales that I had ever been to.  When looking online for ideas, nothing seemed to be similar to what I wanted to do or what I had to sell.  I hated to spend too much money on "displays" and then end up hating the whole process.  I am thankful that we had a couple of tables, and that I had a few pieces to display at different heights.  It was a perfect first show.  I am very thankful for my sweet husband, who helps me in everything and totally supports me.  I could not do this without him.  We had such fun day together!  At one point, he did offer to buy everything so we could go home - but, I think he was teasing!

So, "Joeby's Studio" has begun :)  I am so excited to make things for other people.  I love to receive hand made items, and I love to make something that hopefully someone else will enjoy.  I think I got the crafting bug from my Grandmother Sutton.  She loved to make things and would love to see these items I am making.

I hope that your week will be a good one!

~ Joeby

Fantastic Friday

Memorial Weekend Begins :)

I love Fridays!  And, a Holiday Weekend, makes this a Fantastic Friday!

 

I have a lot to do today...  I really want to lie around and read a good book.  I read A Lot!  I seldom, if ever, go a single day without reading.  I usually read more than one book a week - with more than one book going at a time - for variety.  I started reading heavily when I was a teenager and have kept it up since.  I admit...I really like the light and fluffy books.  I know that is a shock to my book club buddies and those who know me well.  I have been known to pick up biographies, or inspirational books (and I try to read my scriptures every day, too). 

I recently read a book that was not my usual romance novel.  The book is "Finding Ultra" by Rich Roll.  He went from overweight, to an elite Ultraman athlete.  He did 5 Ironman triathlons on 5 Hawaiian Islands in less than a week!  Very inspiring book.  It was an eye-opening book for transforming your physical activity from sedentary to crazy intense workouts. I am determined to get back to my 5-6 workouts a week at a healthy intense pace.  I loved how I felt when I worked out more.  Clothes fit better, and the energy level is 100% better.  Reading books like this inspire me.  Now, I need a good romance novel to balance things out :)

 

Ambrosia - 5 or 6 Cup Salad

My husband likes sweet salads (a.k.a. dessert).  I admit I love this one.  I didn't have it growing up.  I think the first time I had this was since I moved to Texas - I've lived here since 1997.  I was talking to my sweet niece about this salad.  I had always made it a 5 cup salad, and so did she, but her ingredients were one different than mine.  I loved her addition, pecans, but liked my different one, pineapple.  So, I decided to turn the 5 Cup Salad into 6 Cup Salad!

 

It may be fattening, but it is delicious (for dessert)!!

I love this little bowl!  Another Anthropologie find :)

 

Six Cup Salad

1 cup light sour cream

1 small can mandarin oranges, drained

1 small can crushed pineapple, drained

1 cup mini marshmallows

1 cup flaked, sweetened coconut

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Mix all together and chill several hours before eating.

 

Happy Friday!

 ~ Joeby



Day 22 - Thursday

Busy, Busy Day

 

I am usually busy on Thursdays, and today was no exception :)

I love busy days!

I wanted to make myself a salad for lunch, and decided to make a Refrigerator Taco Salad.

 

Refrigerator Taco Salad

I decided to make a Taco Salad only using things that I already had on hand and in the refrigerator.  Nothing new could be cooked.

I made Zatarain's Dirty Rice the other day to have something in the refrigerator to heat up and eat quickly.  That was the "taco" meat for my salad.  I put a can of black beans in the picture, but I had a half cup in the fridge. Everything else was either already opened or easy to "fix" (such as slicing the cherry tomatoes in half and cutting an avocado into chunks).

This is my yummy lunch Refrigerator Taco Salad.  It was so easy to throw together before I went to volunteer today.  The dressing I used is from the post on May 16 - Yummy Cilantro Dressing.  The recipe is (here).  It was still really good and I made it a week ago :)  It is so good, that you could eat a large spoon of the dressing, by itself... (not that I did that or anything...).

 

Refrigerator Taco Salad

Plate full of lettuce - I used iceberg today

1/2 cup of the meat of your choice - I used left over Zatarain's dirty rice - it was delicious!!  I think the addition of the rice was really good.  I heated it in the microwave so it was put on the salad hot.

1/2 cup black beans

1/2 avocado chopped

1/2 cup chopped cherry tomatoes

1 Tablespoon sour cream

Handful (or amount of your choice) of cheddar cheese

Tortilla crunchies - or tortilla chips crumbled on top for crunch

Dressing drizzled on top

Combine all ingredients on a plate and enjoy!!



Goodness from my Garden!

 

I have been gathering lots of yummy veggies from my garden this past week.  New Potatoes and carrots are great any time, but especially from your own garden!!

I cooked these carrots and potatoes yesterday - delicious!

The potatoes are - Grown-up Tater Tots - I found the recipe on Pinterest and changed it a bit :)

Wash new potatoes and dry them off.

Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet for 20 minutes or until just fork tender at 350 degrees.

Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes.  Turn oven up to 450 degrees.

Take a glass or something flat on bottom and gently smash potatoes until they are squished to about 1/2- 3/4 inch thick.  Drizzle olive oil on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake at 450 for 15 minutes or until slightly browned.  I had some fresh chives from my garden and sprinkled some sliced chives on top for color.  Wicked delicious!!  I ate like 8 of these!! 

The carrots are so sweet when fresh from your own garden.  I washed them, peeled them and cut into pieces.  Dotted small amount of butter, salt and pepper over top and baked them while cooking the potatoes.  They cooked about 30 minutes total in a little pyrex dish covered.  So sweet and good.

The potatoes and carrots were delicious together!

 

Hope your Thursday has been a good one!

Until tomorrow,

~ Joeby



Tuesday - Day 21

Beautiful Red Pears

I found these beautiful pears at the grocery store this week.  I love red pears that are slightly crunchy. I fell in love with these red pears a few years ago and have been munching on them, when I find them, ever since!  A few years back, I broke my arm playing tennis...  I know that isn't usually considered a "dangerous" sport.  Especially if you aren't like a professional or anything.  But, I broke my left arm anyway...  I was taking lessons with some friends and we were playing early one morning.  It was a lovely October day.  I was partnered with another lady (I didn't know her) and we were playing doubles against my two friends.  Well, my partner and I were winning the little match.  We were all pretty bad players :)  I ran to the net to return a ball and slipped on a patch of moldy leaves and down I went.  I broke my left arm up near the shoulder joint.  It was a bad break and I ended up having surgery and now have a titanium rod inserted in my humerus.  It took forever to get over that injury!!  I still can't use my arm quite as well, but it is plenty good enough!!  While I was "laid-up", I lived on fruit.  My favorite was red pears, just like these.  My husband would cut them up for me - he was such a sweetheart and still is!!

 

When I found these lovely pears at the store this week, I started looking for a salad that needed pears.  I found one in an old Southern Living Annual Recipes book.  I completely changed the recipe, but it still turned out really well!!

 

Pear Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

This is a very tasty and very quickly made salad!

And, in my cute new from-the-sale-room - Anthropologie Bowl :)

 

Pear Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

Romaine lettuce

Gruyere Cheese, shaved - I use vegetable peeler (use Swiss cheese if you can't find Gruyere, or if it is too expensive)

Roasted salted cashews

Craisins

Pear, sliced

Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

I did not list amounts, since you can make this as large as you want, or a single serving like I did.  Just pile on the ingredients, and pour on a little dressing, toss, and then enjoy!!

Dressing:

2/3 cup olive oil

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 tablespoon finely chopped onion

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. salt

Place all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake like crazy! 

If you only make one salad like I did, you will not use all of the dressing, but it keeps in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.

 

Wildflowers In Our Yard

I love the wildflowers in our yard.  So thankful we got those free seeds and planted them last fall :)

I hope your week is going well so far!

Until tomorrow,

~ Joeby



Day 20

Salad-a-Day #20

Chinese Chicken Salad

Tuesdays are my "free" days to eat something I am trying not to eat during the week.  I allow myself one special treat (today was ice cream), and something a little more fattening for dinner, without beating myself up over it.  Tomorrow it is back to watching the diet!!

I got some good old Ben & Jerry's ice cream today.  It was sooooo good.  I actually only ate about 1/2 cup.  So I will enjoy it another Tuesday, too :)

Ben & Jerry - Strawberry Cheesecake - delicious!!

 

One of my treats today was meeting my good friend Jamie and her little boy at this cute new Bistro in Old Town Spring (in the North Houston area) for lunch.  I had a delicious grilled chicken sandwich.  Good company and a great lunch!!  Highly recommend this cute place on Main Street in Old Town Spring.

 

Chinese Chicken Salad

 I was in the mood for a chicken salad today - something different... Something not too heavy.  I searched through lots and lots of Southern Living Annual Recipes and looked on Pinterest - this is a combination of several recipes.  I think it turned out great!!  And, it wasn't too heavy.

Eat the rainbow!!

I think this is a pretty salad.

I love that the carrots and onions come from my garden :)

The wonton strips really give the salad a little extra flavor and texture.

I ate it quickly after this last picture!!  My husband really liked it, too :)

 

Chinese Chicken Salad

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked in:

4 cups water

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup fresh ginger (peeled and sliced)

Bring to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes - or until chicken breast is cooked through.  You just don't want to overcook it, or it gets tough and stringy.  Take out chicken breast and discard cooking liquid and ginger.

1 head of Napa cabbage sliced into thin strips

1 carrot, cut into match sticks

1 cup snow peas cut on the diagonal

1/4 cup sliced almonds

2 tablespoons sesame seeds toasted (in a small dry pan on very low burner, on stovetop, for about 5 minutes stirring almost all the time)

Dressing:

1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar (I didn't have this, so I used white wine vinegar)

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons water

2 sliced green onions sliced on the diagonal

Salt and Pepper to taste

Toppings - wonton strips (found in salad section of grocery - near croutons)

Place Napa cabbage, carrot, snow peas, almonds and sesame seeds in a large bowl.  Toss.

Dressing - mix all ingredients except the green onions, and whisk or mix well -  I put in a jar with a tight lid and shake like crazy.  Then add onions and shake again.

Pour over salad and toss to coat.  Add wonton strips and enjoy!

 

Hawaii Lemonade

 My husband and I had the good fortune to go to Maui, Hawaii last January.  We stayed at a fabulous resort in Wailea - the Grand Wailea.  It was such a fun time... I would love to go there again.  But, that was probably the trip of a life time!!  We loved walking and enjoying the lovely weather.  I was having serious leg swelling issues during this time, and we walked to "help" my leg get better even though it was terribly painful to walk.  I actually had Deep Vein Thrombosis, but didn't know it.  So just flying there was very dangerous and walking wasn't so good either.  But, it wasn't my time to go, and we found out my true diagnosis a couple of months later and I got the care and medicine to help dissolve those clots :)

Down the beach, from the Grand Wailea, was the Fairmont Hotel, and the Four Seasons Hotel.  Those hotels were even better than ours!!  So beautiful!  We loved walking down the beach and looking aound the hotel lobbys at the art and shopping in the resort shops - unbelievable!!  Not sure we were supposed to partake, since we didn't stay at the Four Seasons...  But they had FABULOUS complimentary lemonade in their lobby :)  It was Ginger-Mint Lemonade.  Al and I made the trek down the beach daily to give it a taste :)

I have tried to make my own version of this delicious drink.  I think I have finally come close to recreating it!!  Make it; I promise, your taste-buds will thank you.  Close your eyes and pretend you are in Maui, Hawaii at the Four Seasons - and pretend you have every right to be there drinking their complimentary lemonade :)

Ginger-Mint Lemonade

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup water

3 inches fresh ginger root, peeled and cut into chunks

6 - 8 sprigs of fresh mint, leaves removed to make about 1/2 cup

Mix all of these ingredients together in a saucepan and heat over low-heat until sugar melts.  Cool to room remperature.  After it sets a while to get all happy together, strain and discard mint and ginger.

3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Mix, sugar syrup with lemon juice in a pitcher (glass if possible :).

Add ice and water until the desired level of sweetness.  I like mine on the sweet side.

Wicked delicious!!

 

I have managed to work on this post during most of the Dancing With The Stars so far tonight.  They haven't announced the winners yet, but I'm thinking it will be Meryl and Maks.  They are SO good.  But, I love all the stars this season.

I hope you are having a pleasant Tuesday.

Until tomorrow,

~ Joeby





Salad-a-Day #19

A Month of Salads

Day 19

Spinach Salad

 

I have had such a fun time thinking up salads, looking at cookbooks, getting advice and recipes, and then cooking or assembling these salads!  It started out as a way to hold myself accountable to eat a little healthier.  I have been in a terrible rut for the last couple of years - simply eating poorly and not exercising enough.  This is a month long journey, for me, to eat better, exercise more, and cut way back on sweets.

I hope you have had as much fun reading these posts as I have had creating them. 

 

Strawberry Balsamic Spinach Salad

Ingredients ready for salad making! 

My messy kitchen in the background...

I love strawberries and balsamic together - perfect combo.

Isn't it pretty?

Tonight was my husband's favorite salad that I have made so far - he just told me!! I really loved it too.  I can't believe how easy the dressing was to make either.  I am never buying store-bought dressing again :)  I did use white balsamic in this recipe, but I am confident that the regular "brown" one would be fabulous too, since it is so delicious.  I used it because I had bought it for another recipe that I made a few days back, and hate to not use it.  Very delicious!

 

Strawberry Balsamic Spinich Salad

Serves 2

3 tablespoons good olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

5 cups baby spinach leaves, washed and dried

1 green onion sliced into tiny pieces

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

fresh ground pepper - to taste, if desired

In small jar, mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt - shake like crazy.

Place spinach leaves in large bowl.  Add 1 - 2 tablespoons dressing and toss to coat.  Add strawberries, shallot and feta - toss lightly so the strawberries stay pretty.  Drizzle on more dressing and then put on serving plates.  Add a little black pepper if desired - and then enjoy!!

 

I must admit, this was one of my favorite salads, too.  Maybe because it was SO easy to prepare.

I had some of the cornbread salad that I made yesterday for lunch today - and it was even better today!!

I hope that all of you have had a good Monday - sometimes Mondays are hard... But, this salad will make it better :)

Until tomorrow,

~ Joeby