Oh my Scot!

Scotland

So, I'm a big reader.  I read like a mad woman. My books of choice are usually of the Young Adult variety or have vampires.  However, I have recently fallen in love with the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.  They are addictive!  What's funny is I remember when these books originally came out in the 90s.  My mom read them and I remember her just reading forever and telling me to leave her alone.  Now I understand why.  I am on the 3rd book and I have to get caught up before school starts.  Of course, now I want to go to Scotland. I love hearing book suggestions.  What has been on your summer reading list so far? 

4th of July

What the Hob Lob?!

On my weekly trip to Hobby Lobby, I noticed something strange last week.  The first few aisles were empty and workers were adjusting shelves etc.  Now this was nothing too out of the ordinary, but when I went in this week and discovered what they were preparing for I almost had a coronary. I turned down one of the first aisles and these gentlemen were staring at me.

The two creepy gentlemen and their shoe/ornament collections.

Christmas items!! In June!! Every year it just gets earlier and earlier I think by 2014 they will just leave Christmas items up all year.   If I burn myself every time I get in my car it is too early to think about winter. 

After my Christmas shock I went on to make my purchases.  I got some pretty amazing paper and card stock on sale.

Paper and such.

Close up of paper. 

I also got some foam stamps.  I think they will work out better for my clip board  painting that regular stamps. 

Paisley, of course.

Circular design.

Fleur-de-lis.

So there you have it.  Once I start another clip board I'll make sure and show ya'll the progress.  Hope ya'll are having a great week and remember....

He he he. 

Recruitment Time!!

We are half way through summer and it's time to be gearing up for recruitment again! Last year I had some posts about recruitment and I think everyone liked them.  So, I thought I'd put up the links to the posts from last year and see if there are any recruitment topics that ya'll think it would be beneficial to write about.

Recruitment Posts:

• Sorority Recruitment
• Rush Intro
• What Do I Wear?
• General Rush Tips
• Rush Party!
• Rules for Campus

So, again let me know if there is anything ya'll want to know about and I'll post it!  

Crafty Beginnings

As I am anxiously waiting for law school to start (58 days! Eek!) I decided I wanted to have a non-reading hobby.  Not that I'll have tons of time to do it, but I think I need to have something outside of school to do.  Usually I read in my spare time, but I don't think that is the best escape for school.  So I have started to craft.  Now I'm sure your thinking "You're starting crafting now?! Lame." I've always wanted to be super crafty, but just never took the time.  Now I have started.  These are my first couple of things, so please be kind.

My first card for my cousin's 30th birthday.

Front of a clip board.  You can't see very well but I went a little overboard with the stamps...

Back of clipboard. 

Gift bag.

There you have it.  My first crafty creations.  I am looking for any craft blogs for ideas and tutorials if anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear! 

Purse Peek-a-Boo

I thought it might be fun to take a look into my purse.  Now I will admit I did just clean my purse, so there aren't the usual 15 receipts from Sonic floating around and I have down sized from my giant Vera Bradley tote.  My purse for right now is a red Cynthia Rowley that I've had since high school.  I like it for the summer because it's red and sparkly.  So, here's a peek-a-boo into my purse.

My favorite red purse.

Make-up bag.

Contents of make-up bag: Jergens lotion, Kleenex, hand sanitizer, Neutrogena Naturals lip balm, and Hard Candy Visibly Wet lip pencil in Must Have.

Sunglasses.

Vera Bradley coin purse.  Clearly well loved with pink pen stains from a leak mishap.

Iphone with Lilly cover.

Thank You notes, note cards, stamps, and paper just in case I need to write a quick note.

Everything!

As you can see it's not too much and very organized (at least for the next few days).  I'll have another peek-a-boo when I switch purses again. 

New Nutty Obsession

I have been a nut butter fanatic my whole life.  I think if possible I could live on peanut butter alone and be completely happy.  When I went to Italy my senior year of high school I was introduced to Nutella. Let's just say it was life changing... Nutella now has been a treat that I'll get to have on my toast in the morning.  Well, one day when I was at Target I noticed Justin's Maple Almond Butter. I bought some and it was amazing! Then they created Chocolate Hazelnut Butter and you might need to sit down, but it is thousands times better than Nutella. Plus it has less sugar per serving.  So it's better for you too.  It's a winner all around.

I can find the almond butter and hazelnut butter at Target.   You can also order them online along with all their other varieties at justinsnutbutter.com. Take the chance. Trust me you will not regret it. 

Squirrel Cookie Cutter!

Cookie Cutters from Crate and Barrel

At work one day, I received a text from my dear friend and sorority sister Jordan informing me of a sale at Crate and Barrel on a 3 Piece Fall Cookie Cutter Set it has an acorn, leaf, and squirrel! Now most of you know I'm an Alpha Gam, so of course we freaked out and had to order them. Best of all they are on sale! Make sure to order them soon because quantities are limited.

Easter Recap

The product of my cousin and I's princess Egg dyeing kit.

 This Easter was great even though it rained the whole time!  We had a lovely lunch at my cousin Susie's house.  We all brought over a dish and I was in charge of stuffing. Now I know that stuffing isn't a traditional Easter food, but I have this great Ina Garten recipe that I love.

Sausage and Herb Stuffing

Ingredients

16 cups of 1-inch bread cubes, white or sourdough (1 1/2 pound loaf)

8 tablespoons (1stick) unsalted butter

2 cups medium-diced yellow onions

1 cup medium diced celery (2 stalks)

2 Granny Smith apples, unpeeled, cored and large-diced

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 pound sweet or spicy Italian sausage, casings removed

1 cup chicken stock 

1 cup dried cranberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. 

Place the bread cubes in a single layer on a sheet pan and bake for 7 minutes. Raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.  Remove the bread cubes to a very large bowl. 

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, melt the butter and add the onions, celery, apples, parsley, salt and pepper. Saute over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are softened. Add to the bread cubes. 

In the same saute pan, cook the sausage over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until browned and cooked through, breaking up the sausage with a fork while cooking.  Add to the bread cubes and vegetables. 

Add the chicken stock and cranberries to the mixture, mix will and pour into a 9 by 12 -inch baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes, until browned on top and hoot in the middle. Serve warm.

I made some substitutions because some of my family members are vegan.  So I used margarine instead of butter and made a batch with real and fake sausage.  I also misread the directions the first time I made it and peeled the apples, but I don't think it really matters.  Here are my pictures from the process:

My peeled version of the apples.

The onions, parsley, celery and apples cooking in the stick of butter. 

And now the sausage browning. Yum!

Mixing it all together.

And the finished product!

A family tradition in my family is that every Easter my Mom makes a lamb cake.  A cake in the shape of a lamb not one made of lamb. This year we all decided we wanted something different, so she improvised and made a lamb rice crispy treat. 

A little creepy, but it was very good.

All in all a great Easter with some very delicious food!

Easy Thank You Notes

Thank you notes can some times feel daunting.  When I was younger I always hated having to write them because I never knew what to say except "Thanks!".  With practice I have gotten a little better and I have come up with a crutch for those times I'm not sure what to write.  I just remember my G.I.F.T.S.

G- Greeting
Dear so and so, or just their name is fine. 
I- Include examples
If you received a gift you could say "I love my new scarf! I am always looking to add to my collection."  If you are thanking someone for a favor, "I would have never been able to pack my apartment up with out the boxes you brought by."
F- Future
Mention the future in some way you could mention how you are going to use the gift you received or how favor etc will influence you. . Ex: "I can't wait until this winter to wear it with my new coat."
T- Thanks
End your note expressing thanks.
S- Signature
Then sign.

Clearly, it doesn't need to fit exactly but I always find it helpful to have a few points to make if I am having a hard time.  It's the thought that counts and your thank you note recipient will be delighted whatever it says.

Texas Coffee

A few weeks ago my aunt came to visit.  She is a coffee addict and always has a new coffee that she is in love with.  Most times her new "it" coffee is pretty good, but her new favorite from Duncan Coffee Company is wonderful!  She brought Snickerdoodle and to my delight forgot to take it home!  It really tastes like a cookie. It is so delicious I can overlook the fact that it's from Texas.  The underlying cinnamon flavor is to die for. Their website duncancoffee.com has online ordering available, but no snickerdoodle!  Alas, I'm confident that their other flavors are just wonderful.

Organization help...Finally!

 

As I was doing my weekly browse through Barnes and Noble the other day I did an unusual thing. I bought a book that had nothing to do with vampires, werewolves, and wasn't found in the YA section.  It's Organize Now!: A Week-by-Week Guide to Simplify Your Space and Your Life and it is fabulous.  Jennifer Ford Berry is now my new hero.  She goes through each section of your life and space from your paper work to life goals to organizing the kitchen and lays out a plan to organize each.  It is also divided weekly and gives you a checklist of the steps you need to accomplish in the week.  Each section ends with a checklist of what to do to keep up the organization.  The whole book makes the overwhelming task of organization seem much more manageable and achievable. 

TCM University

As Oscar time approaches, Turner Classic Movies starts their 31 Days of Oscar.  This year's schedule is fabulous and they have cleverly organized the movies like a course book for college.  Schedule can be found here.

Personally, I'm looking forward to Bye Bye Birdie,  Cleopatra, Casablanca, and Easy Rider.  Really I'm just excited about the whole event.  It's almost as exciting as the 25 days of Christmas and the 13 days of Halloween. ( I might watch too much TV.) 

So, everyone get your schedules picked out. Class starts February 1st!

Connecticut and Etiquette

Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art is located in Hartford, CT. As the oldest public art museum in America it boasts a vast collection from American to European to Contemporary art.  They have various exhibitions throughout the year and right now they have one entitled The Upholstered Woman: Women's fashions of the 1870s and 1880s.  It is divided chronologically showing outfits and accessories from the era currently the 1880-1885 are showing.  Definitely a must see for any history or fashion aficionados.  Details can be found at The Wadsworth Atheneum.

Introductions

A very common every day occurance that rarely happens in the correct way or not at all.  How many of us have been in the awkward situation of not being introduced to someone by a friend or co-worker? It happens much to often and needs to be rectified.

Basics 
When making introductions you are supposed to introduce the least important or youngest person to the more important or older person. And you are supposed to introduces men to ladies. Never the other way around.  Now I know you are probably thinking "Well that's a lot to remember and pretty antiquated. So, no thanks." But truly it is in your best interests to learn. It's good practice to just say the name of the important person first then follow with "this is" then name the second person.

Example:  "Heather, this is my friend Colbi."

Of course there are many ways to introduce someone besides saying "this is" but you get the picture.  And don't worry too much about the importance factor or anything like that. If you do it backwards it's fine at least you are getting your guests aquainted with one another.

Remember etiquette is about making people feel comfortable in social situations.  And nothing will make a person more comfortable than knowing everyone's name.

 

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year everyone! With the new year I have decided to have a new design and be rededicated to my blog.  Now that the LSAT and holidays are over I finally have time to breathe and blog.  Of course with New Years there is the resolutions and I thought I'd share mine with you.

1. Blog at least once a week (ya'll can help keep me accountable). 
2. Improve my correspondence. (I still have birthday cards from November all written in waiting to be sent.)
3. Read a book once a week. (YA books don't count for this.)
4. Start waking up early. (My goal is to get to 6am six days a week. But, I'm going to start out slow.)
5. Make my bed every morning.

There it is. Nothing too big, but I think it's a good start.  Hope everyone had a great holiday season! Happy New Year!