Chicken

I bought a free range, hormone free, vegetarian feed, chicken at Wal-mart!  I'm so glad they are offering them now, much more convenient and less expensive (although still more than the other kind).  I followed this recipe for the spice rub and this one to cook it and make broth after.  Very yummy, healthy and economical!

I'll use the chicken for these favorite recipes and in salad.  Click on image to enlarge, then right click and save image as:

*recipe cards from papercrave.com

Etsy store

I just opened an Etsy store for all the vintage things I find thrifting!  So fun.  Please check it out here.  I will be adding more houseware type items in the near future.  I need to have a modeling day to get better pics too...Carly you busy?

Easter decor

 I saw this tutorial at Mama Michie's Musings and sent it over to mom to have her make one for me...super cute!

 I got the tin and doily at the thrift store and the flowers at the dollar store -

 Printable at Eighteen25...saucers and candles at thrift store - did you notice that the wicks are missing?  Thanks to my 21 month old.

Eggs and bowl from dollar store - my kids check everyday to see if there is candy in them yet...

Eight generations scrap page

So while scanning in pictures from my mom this weekend I came across eight generations of photos of women in my family.  I saw this scrapbook on Ali Edwards and thought it would be fun to make a "baseball card" page of the photos for my daughter's book. First I made a 3.5 by 5 page in photoshop and put two photos on it (you can do this in Picnik too) like this:

I then had them printed at Inkley's (ritz pics) on Wed. for $0.06 a piece! I cut them out and placed them in the baseball sleeve:

This is an easy way to scrapbook a lot of pictures. Ali's scrapbook is a lot of fun. Check it out for more ideas - I think I'll be doing this 'week in the life' during our Lake Powell trip this year. I see a bag of red sand in one square :)!

Fun Hairstyles

I've found some fun tutorials for hair that I've been using lately... especially since it's so long  it's nice to pull it up in cute ways.
This one from Casey's Elegent Musings: Romantic Updo.  I've done it just like the tutorial and I've also just done three buns in the back:

These next three are from a Japanese girl I found on You Tube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xRPhy26x2k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LVC07WsZvM&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/user/binosusume#p/u/38/8et8urwW44k

This next one is from Princess Hairstyles - it's meant for mom's to do their daughter's hair, but I can do this one myself: http://www.princesshairstyles.com/2011/01/knotted-braid-hairstyle.html
I want to try this one next:
http://www.princesshairstyles.com/2010/12/how-to-french-braid-4-strand.html

Book Exchange Invite

 Les Bonnes Idees just gave us a wonderful award for our book party - check it out here.  Also Michelle created this invite template because of all of the requests and interest in said Book Exchange Party for anyone to use!  Thanks Chelle.
I hope to get another party together this spring with these two creative geniuses!  I have a laundry list of cute ideas...
Book Check Out-Template

quilt top accomplished...

notice each corner has a star. i know it's different than i've ever had.

i really like the bright colors and vintage appeal in the embroidery.

i almost wish i hadn't added the brown border. i wanted to calm it down

a little. i'll do red for the backing and let the quilter have creatvie

license on the quilting. i always trust her. i will make pillow shams

while the quilt is being quilted. i'm not sure i want to make another

large quilt. and this one was easy.