Spice Girls: Taco Seasoning

As I've grown much more confident in my culinary abilities I've been much more daring and into taking risks in the kitchen. Ask V, they don't always turn out as I envision, but I can't think of anything we couldn't consume, just recipes that need a little lot of tweaking.

After deciding at lunch time that we wanted tacos for dinner and knowing fully that I used our last pre-made seasoning packet when we had tacos on...Monday....I thought to myself that it couldn't really be that difficult to make my own. Besides, I reasoned, I bet I have most of the spices already.

After a quick search of "taco seasoning" on my handy-dandy Pinterest I found many great options like this (which also has a plethora of other recipes I now want to try) and this and ultimately to eventually to Smell's Like Home's recipe which I whipped up in the amount of time that it takes to measure out 9 teaspoon/teaspoon and a half quantities.

The result was delicious taco seasoning with extra for a few more batches when we get the craving again, which knowing us will be soon. But if not, SLH says it will keep in it's air tight container for 6 months. Yay! I recommend trying this out as it is sooo easy (insert ingredients, cover container, shake) and delicious. Plus there's the health benefits of no MSG and reduced salt but tons of flavor.

Who doesn't love homemade goodness?

Frame and Mirror Revamp for Entry Way

My love of Pinterest and home improvement blogs finally resulted in a pretty fabulous project for the apartment. I'm in love with my beauties and luckily V likes them too! I thought I'd share my DIY process with you as well so here goes! 

Here they are before being restored to all their glory! The white framed mirror we bought for $4 at a garage sale and the oval frame we bought for $3 at Salvation Army.

The frame originally contained this beauty and the most jagged-edged glass covering I've ever seen. The glass was later broken in half on accident--good thing I already had other plans in mind!

So the first thing I did was pull out the primer and gave both frames a good covering. The oval frame obviously needed more attention due to it's dark color. Next I pulled out the BRIGHT yellow spray paint and coated them each 3 times to fully cover. 

My thoughts? "CRAP! I've ruined them, this is WAY to bright for my entry way!" But at the same time I absolutely loved the color as it's my fave! So I moved forward and did this:

I wanted the oval frame to be a cork board, so I transformed two square shaped tiles of cork into this lovely round shape. In all actuality V did most of the work of this step of cutting, he's much handier with the XACTO knife! Next I hot glued them in place to the backing aka the original artwork from the frame!

Next I covered it with charcoal gray remnant fabric I got a JoAnn's for a whopping two bucks and hot glued that in place as well. I *should* have ironed it better before doing this process but I was anxious and my counseling background says move forward not dwell in the past so moving on!

Popped the covered cork board into the frame and I was in love with the results can't you tell? (I look a bit crazed...woops!) Well the mirror was done and another trip to Salvation Army resulted in a smaller oval mirror that was another $3 that I didn't take pictures of the painting process but this is the result!

Tada! I love it! These are in my entry way  so it works well to provide a place for event reminders and other odds and ends. The mirrors also add to the depth of the room since it's a rather small space and right off of our living room. 

So what do you think? Either way I love them! 

bbrrr it's cold in here, there must be...FALL is HERE~

Ok, so I do confess to still loving Bring it On. I mean, who didn't love it way back when? 


but really, it's cold, like didn't even get to 60 today. But I do love it. I am welcoming sweaters and warm socks, pumpkin spice lattes and HOT chocolate. Yummm. 


Our next couple of weeks are going to be action packed! V's brother is getting married next weekend and we are excited also because his Aunt and Uncle from Alaska are coming to town and I will finally get to meet them. When they come back from their honeymoon they are moving with said aunt and uncle to Alaska! How exciting is that for them? 


Shortly thereafter my dear friend Keli is getting married in Iowa and I'll be making the trek and be there as her Maid of Honor for her big day! 


So much love and happiness all whirled up in one of my favoritest seasons. 


I've been working on projects and baking my belly's heart's fill. I am just finishing up our entry way message center this afternoon and will post pictures of the frame revamps soon.


Now, to drink my hot chocolate..:)

Too dark, too white, too critical.

I just watched a preview to a documentary titled "Dark Girls" over on MightGirl's blog. Wow. I knew there was some of this going on from working with a young girl from Africa who desperately wanted lighter skin. But I think that this goes deeper. It affects all of us.

Think about it:

Beautiful white women spend hours a month laying in beds beaming harmful rays into their skin.

Beautiful black women are feeling looked down on by their own mothers and friends because of their skin. Beyonce is accused of lightening her skin in magazine ads. And maybe she is because there is so much pressure on skin tone.

Skin tone. Melanin. We have zero control over how our skin naturally looks.

I'm a pale girl, I joke that I glow in the dark. I burn easily and don't get dark skin, my "tan" is red-toned. But why does this come up so frequently in conversation? Why do I worry that I'm going to look so pale next to the other bridesmaids in October?

I'm pretty sure Keli did not think to herself..."Heather might throw off the beauty of my wedding photos with her pale legs and shoulders." But I did. I did. But I also refuse to tan and risky irritated, dry, peeling skin for a little darker look to my skin.

But what happens when people don't make this self-resolution? How do we teach or youth that they are beautiful the way that they were made? How do we heal the hurts of the women who grew up thinking they can't be confident with themselves because others told them not to, and even more, how do we keep them from passing these insecurities on to their own daughters and sons?

Watch the video. Watch the documentary. Pass it along. Spread the message that "you are beautiful, exactly how you are."

Wish List

1. Large-ish skeleton key, preferably a legit one.
2. Long dresser that will be easy to re-fabulize it. I want to do it either gray or white.
3. Cool prints for my gallery wall. Ideas?
4. A maid service ( a girl can dream, right?)
5. Something for the wall about my couch.
6. Ikea lack shelves and organizing basket's for V's costume projects and other craft items.

too much to ask for? and for real a full-time job. I'm ready for it. bring it on world.

Book Review: Hannah's Gift: Lessons From a Life Fully Lived

On a recent trip to the quaint (read: disappointingly small and a bit shabby in appearance yet cozy) Farmington Public Library I picked up three books. I tend to randomly select books, yes sometimes based upon their cover art. While perusing the shelves I came upon a small book with bright red writing on the spine. I was in the psychology section, I typically check it for any reads that can broaden my education, and did not really expect to find a "for the heck of it" read there, alas, Hannah's Gift: Lessons From a Life Fully Lived came into my hands.

The book's cover had a pair of little girl's red mary janes on the cover and the flap which I briefly perused stated that it was a mother's story of her 3-year old's diagnosis and life (and later death) with cancer. Something drew me to it and I checked the book out.

I finally picked the book up yesterday afternoon and I was sucked in. Maria Housden's voice is impeccably clear and her heartfelt stories of a beautiful little girl were so poignant I could not put the book down. Each page drew me deeper into the story and I felt as though I understood the family's innermost workings with each line. There were tears, frustration, disappointment, but at the end the triumph is what was most captivating.

Lately I have found myself drawn to anything and everything grief related. No doubt this is due in part to not working, and also not having many grief-related experiences of my own I am feeling that I need to have a better understanding and the best I can do for now is read about others' experiences. I'm also finding that I am being drawn in to literature that explores spirituality which this book does incorporate but not limit to Christianity.

Overall, Ms. Housden did an excellent job with this book and of course because I Google'd it I found out that she has a second book that, although it's not a sequel, seems to take place where Hannah's Gift left off. I recommend any one who thinks they may encounter someone dealing with grief and loss (that's you, everyone will unfortunately occur to us all) pick up this book. It's a quick read (did I mention I read it all in practically one sitting) and you won't regret it.

Happy Reading!

Connections

I've recently begun commuting 45 minutes (at the minimum) three days a week to my internship. Now, I'm from a small town where there really isn't an interstate available for a commute, and if there was I feel most days it would function better than it does here in the Detroit Metro. I also believed this is probably just a fallacy I created in my mind to make myself believe that Iowans are friendly than Michiganders. That is until Friday when I had an experience that made me smile.

I was driving along having a wonderful conversation with a friend (who was still in her bed making me extremely envious of her and my former life as grad student who had a lazy morning to spare) minding my own business. All of a sudden I hear honking coming from the right of me and instantly thought, "what is the problem?" However since I was having an enjoyable conversation road rage didn't kick in that morning and I got to be pleasantly surprised by another driver on the road. I looked over at the man in his black truck who was smiling and giving me a thumbs up and emphatically mouthing "I-O-W-A" over and over again.

My car still has Hawkeye state plates you see, and this man was very pleased by this. He too had Iowa plates on his car and he wanted me to know it.

He was honking and waving to make a connection with another Iowan. This really made me smile and I shared it with my friend on the phone and later with my boyfriend.

It wasn't until my drive home where I was alone with my thoughts, reflecting on the happenings at my internship, that I thought again about my simple connection with the man from Iowa that morning. This is what life is about. Connecting. Living. Breathing. Making things matter.

In today's world we hear a ton about "NETWORKING." We network online, in person, with phone calls, business cards, and endless emails. But my fear is that this networking is truly creating false connections. Relationships based on personal gain and politics, not human compassion and care.

I'd like to spend more time making connections. Taking the time to reach out, and start with a similarity.

The man in the truck and I will probably never meet, never do business together. But, I'll remember him because he made me remember what it's like to be from a small town and smile when you cross paths with someone on the sidewalk. To acknowledge the other human life in front of you instead of try to ignore them because you don't know them.

Spend some time connecting today, even if it's with those you already have relationships with. I know mine can become deeper. Can't yours too?