the ruby jewel

New Blog Location

2011-10-24T11:45:00.000-05:00

My new blog is up and running! Yay! After lots of changes, you can check out my new website and blog at www.rubyjewelstudio.com.

I will no longer be using this blog, so I hope you will keep following me over here.

facebook blogging

2011-07-19T10:44:00.000-05:00

Until I resolve my blog issues, I will be blogging from my Ruby Jewel Studio Facebook page. Be sure to hop on over there and "like" the page to receive menu plans and recipes....and other posts from me!

oklahoma extremes...

2011-06-28T12:39:00.000-05:00

I was going through photos from earlier this year and stumbled on to this one....

It's hard to believe that the pic above was a mere 4 months ago and now we are experiencing triple digits! Here in Oklahoma we like to take everything to the extreme.

what's cookin' this week

2011-06-27T09:40:00.000-05:00

Sesame Beef Stir-Fry
Chicken Enchiladas & Salad
Some sort of panini sandwich with garlic rosemary bread and provolone cheese...we'll see what's in the fridge at the time
Grilled Chicken with Vegetables & Tabouli

And we are off to a stinkin' hot week....good news is....next weekend is 3 days! Got to love the 4th of July. What big plans does everyone have? Lake? River? Any good 4th of July themed recipes???? Send them my way, please!

Yummy PH Day...and the new Starbucks review

2011-06-23T11:21:00.000-05:00

I have been such a slacker with my blog lately and it's so frustrating to me! I am on a mission to get much better....and try to figure out what platform to switch to so that my photos will work.

Moving on....today is my day over at Prairie Hive where you can see our raspberry picking from last friday. And you can ge a super yummy fruit pizza recipe!

Today I am working at the newly renovated Starbucks down at Utica Square. I was so excited to see what they changed, and sadly, I'm a little disappointed.

It just doesn't feel like a Starbucks. Don't get me wrong, it's really pretty, just not the same feel as before. Everything is very neutral, cream walls with grey ceiling accents. Lots of wood, but not the espresso wood like some of their stores now. It's a dark, more traditional looking wood.

I do like the floor. It is a wood plank tile {not wood, just looks like wood} and they laid it in a herringbone pattern.

All of the lights have changed from the fun, funky colorful shapes to simple opaque white cylinders. And the backsplash is now a cream 2"x6" {approx.} subway tile. No glass tiles or marble mosaics.

All of the artwork is sepia toned photos of coffee, in the field, being picked, etc. Oh, and finally, the furniture. The tables and chairs are all a cherry wood color. Only two comfy chairs to relax in and a wall with banquettes. There are so many tables and chairs that it feels like more like a restaurant than a fun coffee shop. So not the same "homey" feel as before.

So there you have it. My take on the new and improved Starbucks. They say it's the new "flagship" store...hopefully some changes will be made before all the stores change.

PH Day, Good Cookin', & Newborn Hudson

2011-06-16T10:03:00.000-05:00

You saw on Monday that I was at my grandparent's farm. Well, check out my Prairie Hive post today to see what I found!

In other news....last night I made up a recipe....Bruschetta Chicken. And it was super yummy. Wish I had taken a picture, but I didn't so I'll just tell you about it! Grill chicken breasts seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Once they are done, place them in a casserole dish and top with pesto {you can skip this step if you don't like pesto....sarah}. Then top with fresh bruschetta {tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, balsalmic vinegar, fresh basil, pepper and salt} and finish it off with grated mozzarella cheese. Pop in a 350 degree oven until the cheese is nice and melted.

I served the chicken over farm fresh garlic and rosemary mashed potatoes. Even myMichael liked the mashed potatoes {he hates potatoes, so that means alot}!

Trust me, it was tasty.

My blog is still messing up my pictures, but I just have to share a few from a newborn session. Even if they are small. Meet Hudson....

We worked very hard to get a shot with daddy's guitar!

happy thursday!

Waking up on the farm...

2011-06-13T10:41:00.001-05:00

Today I am at the farm. I love waking up here. Beautiful bright, sunshining morning with fresh veggies coming in from the garden. The first tomatoe of the season!!!! You can't beat that.

I'm down here to interview for a school job, but I'm also doing some Prairie Hive research. Grandma has a plethera of antiques that I am itching to snap photos of and get the great stories behind them. So excited!

As for this week's menu....well.....it's going to be interesting b/c once again, I didn't make it to the grocery store on Sunday. Oh well. I am sure I will come home with bags full of garden veggies.

Oh, and can we talk about Pinterest for a minute? I am in love with all the ideas. I'm thinking I will do a whole week's menu based on finds from there, get excited!

Hope everyone has a great Monday!

Prairie Hive Day & Blogging Issues!

2011-06-09T10:11:00.000-05:00

It's Thursday....my day over at Prairie Hive! Be sure and check out some Color Pop's with PH's Issue One Mag. Lots of lovely colors!

In other news, I am having issues with blog spot. About a month ago I posted photos from a session and noticed that when I made them bigger the color got washed out. I didn't have the time to figure it out that day, so I left them small and went on. Well, I have more pics to post and I am having the same problem again. I have done some googling and have seen where others talk about this problem, but I can't find a solution. I know some of my readers are blog spot bloggers, so, are you guys having this problem? Do you know how to fix it?

So frustrating! If I can't figure it out, I may have to switch blog hosts. Doesn't really work for me to be a photographer and only be able to post small photos. Argh!

It's also annoying that all of these free programs and services have absolutely NO customer service contacts. No number to call and ask a question, they might have an email address but it's followed by a statement that says "we don't answer all emails....", nothing! I mean, how in the world are you suppose to get help???

The good new is....tomorrow is FRIDAY!

Prairie Hive Mag, Issue One

2011-06-06T10:13:00.000-05:00

And, it's done. After a super long week and weekend, we finally got the Prairie Hive Mag, Issue One, up and running at Prairie Hive.

It has been a super fun & learning process along the way. Not gonna lie, last night around 10:00pm {after having worked since noon on sunday and 11am - 3:30am satuday, oh and 4pm - 10pm on thursday, and all the days before} I wasn't sure it was actually going to happen. We kept hitting wall, after wall, after wall when dealing with all the file compression, uploading, linking, etc. BUT, around 11pm last night...it worked! And then we saw a couple of corrections that needed to be made, so another hour later it was finally done.

It is very exciting to see something you have worked on for so long finally come to completion. That's one thing that I love about interior design. You start with something, or sometimes nothing, and in the end you have results that you can see and be apart of.

So, all that to say, take a few minutes and check it out! Our next one will be out in August and will feature a totally different style of house and everything.

Due to all of the above, I haven't made it to the grocery store for this week. Probably needs to happen soon. For my sake, here is what I'm thinking for meals this week....

Sauteed Shrimp w/ Sherry and Chiles {didn't get to it last week}

Indian Food - Tikka Masala w/ Basmati Rice & Naan

Beef Taco Salad

Grilled Chicken & Vegetables w/ Red Potatoes

Have a great Monday!

Sweet Thursday...Recipe & PH Day

2011-06-02T08:15:00.001-05:00

Oh yes, this is definitely a dessert you will need to try. Do you love chocolate chip cookies? Then this will be right up your alley. I give you.....Chocolate Chip Pie. Super tasty and super easy.

Chocolate Chip Pie
1/2 cup margarine, softened
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup chocolate chips {I use 1/2 milk chocolate and 1/2 semi-sweet}
1 cup nuts {I use chopped walnuts}
1 9 inch unbaked pie shell

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In mixer bowl cream butter; add eggs and vanilla. Combine sugar and flour in separate bowl and slowly add to creamed mixture in mixer. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts; pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake 45 to 50 minutes until golden on top. Great served warmed or room temperature with ice cream.

Try it and let me know what you think. This was my sister's favorite dessert growing up!

It's Thursday so it is Ruby Jewel Day over at Prairie Hive! Movie to Reality - Sex and the City 2....must see beautiful blue sofa find.

Also, get excited b/c Monday we will be launching Issue One of Prairie Hive's online magazine! If you have been to the site, you know the "coming soon" on the home page? Well, it will no longer be coming soon, the magazine will be front and center. You will definitely want to check out our feature story about a couple in mid town with a great mid century modern house..and then how to take that style and use it for entertaining. Lots of eye candy and inspiration coming your way!

Hope you have a great Thursday!

Recipe {Cucumber Salad}

2011-05-31T09:36:00.000-05:00

Growing up, I spent a lot of time at my grandparents farm. During the summer both Grandma and Grandpa plant gardens. One of mine and Grandma's favorite veggies are the cucumbers. I remember Grandma picking a cucumber from the garden, slicing it up, and sprinkling it with salt and pepper. So simple and so delicious! We actually had some last week while sitting on the porch of our condo in Destin, Florida.

There is such a difference between a homegrown cucumber and those huge things you buy at the grocery store...no comparison. What we have found is that the smaller the cucumber is, the better it tastes. Many of the big ones can get bitter.If you can't get your hands on homegrown cucumbers, the next best thing that I have found are the mini cucumbers. I just bought some at Sam's. They are much smaller than the typical ones you buy and they taste a whole lot better!

I love them just with salt and pepper, as mentioned above, but I also love them in this Cucumber Salad....

Cucumbers

Onion

Vinegar {can be any kind, this time I used apple cider vinegar}

Ranch Salad Dressing

Salt

Pepper

Slice your cucumbers & onions {as many as you want}, toss with vinegar, ranch dressing, salt, & pepper. I just eye ball it. You don't want them floating but you really can't mess it up. These are great right away, and also after they sit for a little bit and marinate.

This is a great crisp and cool side to any summer dish. Oh....and EASY!

What's Cookin' This Week?

2011-05-30T10:59:00.000-05:00

We are back from beautiful Destin, Florida. Such a great vacation....doing nothing but laying on the beach. It doesn't get much better than that! But alas, it is back to the real world. Last night we painted our whole living room and hallway...took foreva but it is done!

Now I need to get groceries so we can eat around here. This is what's on my menu for this week...

Memorial Day Dinner with the Hays'....Herbert's Chicken stuffed with crawfish & jalapenos, Red Beans & Rice, Asparagus, Beer-Cheese Bread and finish it off with Chocolate Chip Pie

Pita Pizza & Salad

Sauteed Shrimp with Sherry & Chiles - new recipe to try

Mushroom & Swiss Patty Melts with Sweet Potato Fries & Salad

MyMichael's Grilled BBQ Chicken & Fresh Green Beands, with Homemade Macaroni & Cheese

Are you trying any new recipes this week???

Miss S.....Two years old already!

2011-05-18T22:16:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that Miss S is already 2 years old. Her mamma is one of my good friends from college and is getting ready for baby #2...a boy! It was a super windy day when we took these....by windy I mean one side of their 6' tall privacy fence blew over! But we still had fun, she loves her little play house.

Are you kidding me with those eyes and lips? Love them!!!

Check out her nine month photos and one year photos, if didn't get enough!

Also, you can still enter my interior design facebook giveaway! Go to the Ruby Jewel Studio facebook page and leave a comment under the giveaway post.

Facebook Giveaway Details!

2011-05-17T10:54:00.000-05:00

Do you want help with your house? Great! Go to facebook, "like" Ruby Jewel Studio's facebook page and then leave a comment on my Giveaway status.

Tell me what your biggest design challenge is in your home.

Don't live in Tulsa? Not a problem...you can still enter and I can help through my E.Design services. The internet & email are fabulous tools!

-Can't figure out what color to paint?
-Need help with an overall color palette?
-Can't figure out how to arrange your furniture?
-Thinking about renovating your kitchen or a bathroom and need input?
-Have a large wall that needs attention?

The sky is the limit for one whole hour! Here are a few favorite spaces from past projects......

Furniture & accessory selection

Custom built home assistance

Selection of fabric for baby bedding & nursery

Go enter....NOW!

avery lyric

2011-05-16T12:00:00.000-05:00

Miss Avery is getting so big {see her 4 month photos on the farm here}! My aunt asked if I would snap some photos of her last time I was down at the farm....of course I said yes! This first photo of Kathy and Avery is my favorite....that special bond between a Nana and her grandaughter.

She was cracking me up with the cell phone, just blabbering away! Beware Colby and Kassie....I think you have a talker on your hands.

They are headed to Destin with us as well....expect to see some adorable beach pics of this one!

what's cookin' this week?

2011-05-15T19:58:00.000-05:00

This week is going to be fast and furious. With bookclub and a Prairie Hive meeting, Friday is going to come fast...and Friday we head to Destin! So excited. So, here is what I have on my menu...

Sausage & Rice Casserole with Salad
Chicken Tostadas
Turkey Sausage with Black Beans and Rice

Have you tried any new recipes lately?

Prairie Hive Day

2011-05-13T15:55:00.000-05:00

It's Thursday! My day over at Prairie Hive. It's T.V. to Reality featuring one of my favorite fabrics right now...I am desperately looking for someone's home to use it in!

I also want to share some phots from the IIDA {International Interior Design Assiciation} Color & Couture Fashion Show that I photographed. You can read more about the details of the show here, but the basic idea is that there are multiple design teams that are made up of local OKC architects and interior designers. Each team is paired with a sales rep and they have to use the products from that sales rep...carpet, tile, vinyl wallcovering, fabric, or plastic laminate. They are also given a color for the dress from Sherwin Williams. So, needless to say, the architects and designers get to be very creative with their designs! Oh, and the model is one of the architects or designers from the team. Onto the fabulous project runway-esq dresses.....

Glass tile...and her "wings" lit up!

Vinyl Wallcovering...

Rubber base and jute backing of linoleum...

Fabric....

Carpet backing and fibers....

Plastic Laminate....

Fabric.....

Vinyl tile...

Carpet and fibers...

Three of the Prairie Hive girls were there...Sarah helped organize while Dawn and I photographed.

My good college friend, Jenn, was able to come as well!

A super fun night! I've heard rumors that they might try and do this in Tulsa next year. I think that's a GREAT idea. What a fun girls night out, crazy fashion, runway, drinks, and dancing!

What is E.Design?

2011-05-10T13:20:00.000-05:00

Many of you may not be familiar with the term "E.Design". I wasn't either until a year or so ago. E.Design is an Interior Design service that is done through the internet and email. When I started my own company, Ruby Jewel Sudio, I did some research and decided that it would be a great service for me to offer.

Ruby Jewel E.Designs are exceptional interior design services that you can receive no matter where you live. I communicate with you through email, phone conversations, and snail mail.

This is perfect for clients who desire a customized design plan that don't mind doing a little legwork themselves and just need a good "design map" to follow. Depending on the type of package selected, you may have to send me measurements or your room and furniture. But don't worry, I will email you the "Ruby Jewel Guide to Measuring & Taking Photos", so you will know exactly what to do. The E.Design packages also allow you to make product purchases as your personal budget allows.

The pricing for E.Designs is super simple because it is a package price. You know exactly how much you will be spending for my services, before we start. The type of package and size of your room determines your price.

Here is an overview of the different E.Design packages and a couple of previous Inspiration Boards:

Ask A Designer:
-do you need a designer’s opinion? don’t know where to find something or need a quick idea for one specific area in your home? this service focuses on a single design problem or question.

Color Selection
-selecting a new paint color for your home can be an overwhelming task! whether it is a single room that you are wanting to repaint, or your entire house, i can help you pull together, one or twenty, colors that will work with your existing home accessories and furniture.

Space Planning & Reorganization
-do you have a room in your house that just doesn’t flow correctly? you can’t seem to figure out a good arrangement with your furniture? or did you just buy new furniture and have no idea how to place it? if yes, then this is the perfect option for you. it is amazing how a room can change by simply reorganizing it. i can give you a plan showing what works the best for your space. it can be existing furniture you have or if you are wanting new furniture and want to know what would fit best in your space.

Simply Accessories
-simply accessories is for the client that has all the basic furniture in your room, but you need suggestions for accent pillows, window treatments, rugs, accessories for book cases, art, etc. simply accessories will give you the finished, designer look that you want for your space.

All the Above {& More}
-this is your complete room design. a color palette, selection of furniture {all or individual pieces}, space plan, selection of accessories, and a shoppting list with every product listed and where it can be purchased. this will be a complete "design map" for you to assemble your newly designed room.

For additional information and pricing, please visit my website http://www.rubyjewelstudio.com/.

I would love to help you with any of your Interior Design needs....residential or commercial....big or small!

rubyjewelstudio@gmail.com
http://www.rubyjewelstudio.com/

fun weekend & what's cookin' this week

2011-05-09T11:16:00.000-05:00

My, what a busy weekend! Saturday Sarah and I hit up the Jenks Church Arts & Crafts show where we both picked up some pretty cute finds. We also headed to downtown Jenks and did a little bit of antique shopping...love downtown Jenks!

Once I got home myMichael and I headed down to the Harley Davidson store here in Tulsa. MyMichael has wanted a bike for years. He really wanted one when we lived in Dallas and I just wasn't too keen on that idea w/ the crazy traffic and all. Since being back in Tulsa {4 years} we have gone a couple of times and looked. You see, he is the more financial savvy, "is this a good idea", one in our relationship and has talked himself out of getting one multiple times. When it came up again about a month ago I was curious to see if he would actually go through with it! As of Thursday afternoon he had talked himself out of it...as of Friday morning it was back on the table but we were just going to "look" on Saturday. Well, he finally pulled the trigger and got himself a bike! He got a 2011 Harley Davidson Sportster Nightster. Here is an extremely blurry iphone pic of us ringing the bell {when you buy a bike you have to ring the bell}.

To say the least, he is a very happy guy right now! I'm kind of excited as well...I've never been on a bike. He's going to get good and comfortable and then we will look at a different seat for both of us to ride!

Mother's Day is always fun. This year I had a Prairie Hive photo shoot, for our online magazine, in the afternoon, so we did Mother's Day dinner. KJ {my sister} was in town, so we both cooked dinner which was a blast...and a mess. I managed to overflow a pitcher and she dumped my salt bowl over onto the floor. I made Cherry Pepper Chicken {get the recipe here}, rice, and roasted brussel sprouts, and she made the stuffed peppers. Friday night I made some sugar cookies, so for dessert we made ice cream sandwiches with them. Summer Berries ice cream filling, rolled in sprinkles. Yummy!

I am way behind on all things food for this week. Usually Sunday is my grocery/menu planning day, but that didn't happen. So, here goes...I want to try making an Indian dish in the crock pot. I found a recipe that I am tweaking, so we will see how that turns out.

Indian Beef Korma w/ Basmati Rice & Garlic Naan

Chicken Quesadillas

BBQ Chicken & Grilled Vegetables

Grilled Pizza

Hope everyone else had a fabulous weekend! Oh, and how about this muggy weather.....already!?!?!?

Prairie Hive Post & Randomness

2011-05-05T09:44:00.001-05:00

Today is my day at Prairie Hive. I got a tad bit sappy over there talking about Mother's Day, so be sure and read!

In other news....this Saturday is the Arts & Crafts Show at my church, Jenks Church. The perfect place to find a unique Mother's Day gift and a boat load of other great things. More details at their website, http://www.jenkschurch.org/ and below...

My facebook page is up and running {finally}! I have some photos posted of my interior design projects, photography clients, and travel photos. If you, or anyone you know, needs commercial or residential interior design help, please give them my name. There is a lot more information on my website: http://www.rubyjewelstudio.com/

I'm going to do a post soon on my e.design services.

Also, when you go to my website I have a new category under photography, "prints". Certain photos from my travels are for sale. I am still adding to the collection, but it's a start. Does anyone have an etsy shop? I'm thinking about maybe getting one, but would like some feedback on it.

And finally, Happy Cinco de Mayo!!! If you want to throw together a quick fiesta tonight, check out this Prairie Hive Post.

Happy day-before-Friday!

lost and found

2011-05-03T06:00:00.001-05:00

just the other day i found my new york city photos that i had *temporarily* misplaced. to say the least, i was ecstatic! i blogged about the trip in this post, but i didn't have my pics done. so, although extremely late, here are a few photos from my fun girls trip with my sister kelsi and her college roommate abby.

you can write on confetti that is released on new year's eve in times square.

beautiful central park

frozen hot chocolate at serendipity.....get it....it's awesome.

store desplay in soho

dinner in little italy...fab-u-lous!

yummy cannoli

my friend francie from college...totally ran into her walking around the upper west side!

francie's apartment and super cool wallcovering! i love it...and totally gushed about it in this post.

what happens when you have a camera, time to play, and a beautiful fall day....

we are completely out of focus on this pic....but i love it!

i do have to admit that it was quite fun going through the photos so many months later. it totally makes me want to go back.....i really do love nyc.

shelby sneak

2011-05-02T16:50:00.000-05:00

miss shelby is turning 1! hard to believe over a year ago i was taking maternity pics and then newborn, 3 weeks and 6 month photos. shelby's parents are long time friends of mine and mymichael's. so fun getting to watch them with a little one! one year pics and cupcakes.....

love shelby's facial expression!

happy birthday shelby!

what's cookin' this week

2011-05-01T21:44:00.001-05:00

it's a short list this week. one night we are going out to celebrate mymichael finishing up the spring sememster of his masters program. and don't forget cinco de mayo on thursday!!!! we are having a prairie hive meeting that night. i'm doing the cilantro lime shrimp that is so easy and tasty. can't decide on a dessert....baked fudge....or mom's new bread pudding recipe......

swiss steak with rice and salad

spicy stir-fried chicken & spinach

cilantro lime shrimp & rice w/ homemade gruacamole & salsa {cinco de mayo meeting with prairie hive gals}

have a great week!

in honor of...

2011-04-29T11:00:00.000-05:00

The tiny wedding that took place today, I thought I would post some London photos from my trip last year.

Buckingham Palace....

I think I could take up residence there....if I had to...how about you?

Prairie Hive.....a new project

2011-04-28T09:40:00.000-05:00

{some of you readers have already received this....if so, just skip to the bottom!}

I am so excited to share with you a project that I have been working on for a few months - Prairie Hive!

A couple of months ago, we gathered a group of talented individuals from various creative fields - design, photography, writing, entertaining and crafting - and put our heads together to form this collaborative website. The first part of the project is our blog, which will include ideas for inspiration, design trends, local finds, DIY projects, fashion finds, entertaining ideas...and whatever else we decide to share! We have been posting for a couple of weeks now and have some great content up - and much, much more to come as we establish weekly features and get into the groove a little more.

We are also currently working on an online magazine that will spotlight local people with great homes and style each month. The magazine will also include entertaining ideas, a DIY project or two, and design ideas for easy, quick ways to transform a space. We are shooting these now (if only the weather would cooperate!) and plan to launch it May/June.

I would love for you to give us your feedback, make comments on the blog posts (please!) , and let us know what you think!

We would also love suggestions for content...new products you've seen, local shops/venues/events to check out, ideas for DIY projects, etc. We want to include both local and national/online finds and are open to new ideas (there are 6 of us, but we can't get out and see everything!)! In the future we may also bring on additional contributors and/or feature columns as we grow.

Learn more about the group at www.prairiehive.com/about and check out our blog at www.prairiehive.com/blog.

You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter. Friend, follow, comment, like....etc!!

Here are some fun photos we attempted to take downtown on a very windy day! Thank you to C.C. Miller Photography for helping out on our group shots!

Now, head on over to Prairie Hive for my post of the week. It's part of our "Meet the Hive" series.

Thank you so much for your support and feedback!

dining table love

2011-04-27T06:00:00.004-05:00

I was looking online at World Market and came across some dining tables that I love. Let me share...

The Sophia Table

This green color is what does it for me. Fabulous. This would look great in a little kitchen ~~knook~~ nook {thanks sarah}!

The Jackson Table

This is a great industrial look. Crate & Barrel has some metal chairs that I have been swooning over and these fall into that category as well. The simplicity of the wood table top is great.

The Sourav Table

While living in Dallas I drooled over this table everytime I went into a World Market. It's hard to see in this photo, but the wood has a great "distressed" quality about it. Nice to know it's still around!

I love that they have great looking furniture, made out of great materials, at an affordable price. Now THAT is right up my alley!

World Market is one of those stores that has so many wonderful things. These tables are just the tip of the iceberg, but I felt that I needed to share. This weekend I will be in Dallas and will definitely be making a pit stop at World Market. And I know I won't leave without a few packages of these....

Tim Tams. I was introduced to these when i was in australia. When i got home from australia i ordered these from Australia. And then i found them at world market. Oh yes. And occasionally they will actually have them at Target as well. I highly suggest you try them {not sure about the mint slice in the pic....never had those...but the original and chewy caramel are great}!

girls weekend at the lake

2011-04-26T11:30:00.000-05:00

a couple weekends ago my book club had a girls lake weekend. the wulf sisters {courtney, allison, & kristin} put us all up in their families beautiful lake house. we had a great time relaxing, eating fabulous food, taking a boat ride around the lake, getting third degree sunburns, and being compeltely and utterly ridiculous. it was great!

our boat chauffeur....please read his shirt!

the beautiful house...looking up from the dock

most of the girls....minus carissa and sarah l. they had to skip out early.

{lindsay, kristin, allison, lauren, courtney, emily, me, sarah h.}

and what would a girls weekend be w/o a little single ladies action on the porch? thank you lauren & kristin!

this was our second year and we had MUCH better weather this time around. it was super fun and i can't wait for the next one.........fall maybe?

a spring wedding sneak

2011-04-22T07:00:00.001-05:00

here are a few sneak photos for doug & sarah. a beautiful yellow spring wedding!

congratulations!

florida, here we come!

2011-04-21T19:42:00.000-05:00

that's right! we are headed to florida the end of may and boy am i ready. my youngest cousin, clay, joined the army in february. he is graduating from boot camp at fort benning in georgia, so the family is headed down to see him. but, on the way we are all making a *quick* pit stop in destin, florida. i mean, it's on the way, right? i'm super excited. if you haven't been to destin, you must go. it's absolutely beautiful. white sand beaches and blue water. i will just plop myself down and relax for a few days.

kj the mermaid...no she's not black...that is what happens when she gets sun. makes me sick i tell ya!

scott the octopus

any suggestions for this year's sand art????

pleasantly surprised

2011-04-18T23:24:00.000-05:00

today i was furniture shopping for some clients and i ventured into mathis brothers. usually i don't go b/c most of their product is so traditional and you get mobbed by the sales team as soon as you enter. but, with tulsa being limited in the furniture store department, i decided that it was a must.

and i must report that i was pleasantly surprised with what i found. once you get passed the marshmallow couches {you know the ones i'm talking about....roll after roll of upholstery} and make your way towards the back, you will find some really neat pieces. their bernhardt and sam moore lines were my favorites. here are a few that i really love...

love the armless/angled arms on these two bernhardt chairs. it's a modern, clean take on the traditional arm chair.

love the button tufting on these two sam moore chairs. also, the unique shape on the grey one lends itself to so many interesting settings! check out that fabric on the second one....very season appropriate if i do say so myself! beautiful with the pink and green colors.

this is just a teensy sampling of the neat furniture i found today at mathis. i have to say that i am glad they have more options that aren't so fluffy and overstuffed!

the breakfast dilemma + what's cookin' this week

2011-04-18T10:21:00.001-05:00

i am not a breakfast person. i like typical breakfast food okay, but it's not something that i crave and i am certainly in no mood to cook in the morning. so, each day i am faced with the same question....what do i eat for breakfast? i can easily skip it and wait until lunch, but i know that it's really good for you to eat breakfast...it kick starts that metabolism. many times i just have a granola bar or something, which is fine, but i get tired of the same things over and over again. if you have any great breakfast suggestions, please leave me a comment!

onto this weeks menu. i was out of town for a couple of days last week, so i am carrying over a few of the recipes that we didn't get to.

crock pot brisket w/ poppyseed fruit coleslaw & asparagus w/ cherry tomatoes

ancho chicken tacos with cilantro slaw & avocado cream

mini meatloaf w/ homemade mac & cheese & green beans

sauteed shrimp w/ sherry & tomatoes

any new recipes in your kitchen???

what's cookin' this week + recipe

2011-04-12T09:48:00.000-05:00

cilantro lime shrimp with jalapeno rice and guacamole

bunko night at my house: cowboy caviar, avocado hummus, & pretzel salad

mini meatloaf's with macaroni & cheese and green beans

BBQ chicken pizza

beef brisket with poppyseed coleslaw

i am hoping we get some rain around here b/c i am dying to grill out! we only have a charcoal grill and right now it's so dry that they are banned. rain soon.....i hope!

i'm leaving you with a super easy, throw together, appetizer/salad recipe

cowboy caviar

2 {14 oz.} cans black beans, drained

1 {15 oz.} can hominy, drained

2 {14 oz.} cans black eyed peas, drained

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

4 green onions, sliced

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 medium bell pepper {any color works}

1 jalapeno pepper seeded and chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 {8 oz} fat free or light italian dressing

1 handful cilantro, chopped

combine all vegetables and beans, add dressing and cilantro. refrigerate at least 2 hours so everything marinates together. drain before serving, if there is a lot of access liquid. serve with tortilla chips.

enjoy!

millie sneak

2011-04-06T23:21:00.000-05:00

a friend from high school came into town a couple of weeks ago and i was lucky enough to get to photograph miss millie. she is so stinkin' cute! here are a couple while i finish the others....

that hair and those eyes....love them! more to come....

recipe {hobo dinner's}

2011-03-31T22:30:00.001-05:00

hobo dinner's are a fun and easy recipe that we use to do alot growing up. it's one of those recipes that once you have the concept down, you can do anything you want.

here's the concept: each person get's their own foil package. you choose the meat {beef, pork, or chicken}, vegetables, marinade, and seasonings, put it all in a foil package and either grill, bake, or cook it in the crock pot....or cook over a camp fire. growing up we always did them on the grill or in the oven, but last week mom was making them and threw out the idea of cooking them in the crock pot. i tried it, and it worked wonderfully! if you decide to bake or grill, the packages need to cook for about an hour. i cooked them in the crock pot for about 4 1/2 hours on low and they turned out great. this is a fun recipe to get the kids involved b/c they can make their own.

onto the pics.....

ingredients:

meat {we did ground beef...hamburger patties. you can do chicken or pork as well. seafood doesn't work b/c the meat cooks faster than the veggies}

vegetables {zucchini, squash, potatoes, onions, fresh green beans, carrots, peppers, etc.}

marinade {yoshida's works great, i tried a new one that i got from sam's, but you could use anything}

seasonings {garlic salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, etc.}

foil

chop all of your vegetables into similar sized pieces. fresh veggies are so pretty!

if using ground beef, pat into similar sized patties, sprinkle with salt and pepper

take a square piece of foil and place your meat in the center

add fresh veggies on top of meat

add seasonings and marinade

fold foil packet up...kind of like the left overs from those hibachi places

each individual foil package

place all packages into crock pot and cook on low for 4 - 4 1/2 hours

or on the grill, or in the oven for about an hour

once the time has passed, open your foil packet....great to serve over rice!

this is a great do ahead meal. you could put the packages together the night before and keep in the fridge until cooking time. oh, and clean-up is a breeze!

worth family sneak

2011-03-30T17:07:00.001-05:00

this was a fun photo session with the worth family! here are a few photos to hold you over until the rest are done. love the skinny jeans!

enjoy!

special thoughts and prayers

2011-03-29T22:23:00.001-05:00

a close friend and co-worker in dallas has been hit with some life changing news and needs all the thoughts and encouragement she can get. here is her story that she has posted on her caringbridge blog....

I'm Tiffany, 30 years old, wife to a loving husband, Ben, and mommy to two cute little puppies, Chloe and Lucy. I've had a pretty great life so far. Attended Texas A&M and received a bachelor’s in Architecture. Started a career in interior design about three years ago and am a registered interior designer. I love my job, love my friends and family, love my church and everything in between.

I started out my 30's with the attitude that it was going to be the best decade of my life yet. However, I was struck with the biggest news of my life just three weeks ago. On Feb. 25th I was scheduled for a surgery to remove what was thought to be a tubal ovarian abscess. When the doctor opened me up he found more than that. Immediately he sent the mass down to pathology and found out that it was cancer. The next steps he took were very important, and he later told me that he wasn't going to let this thing take me. After a complete hysterectomy, removing the omentum (fatty layer of the belly where cancer cells can sometimes hide), taking several biopsies and doing a wash (filled me up with water, sloshed it around and sucked it out several times), I was on the road to recovery. The biopsies indicated that I have Stage 2 ovarian cancer, and this was only because the mass was in direct contact with my colon and uterus. My doctor is very optimistic about beating this, and because I’m so young, he wants to be very aggressive in treating the cancer.

I start chemo treatments tomorrow, Tuesday, March 22nd. I will be getting two types of chemo: taxol, given intravenously, and cystplatin, given through my IP (intraparataneal) port. I will have treatments every three weeks for a total of six treatments. My last treatment will be given on July 5th, and I can’t wait for that day.

This is not something that I would want anyone to go through, but I know that it’s part of God’s amazing plan. I’m hoping my story will touch many lives and that they may be transformed by it. I know that the fight I have ahead of me is God’s fight, and it’s to Him that I give all of the glory and honor….He knows what He’s doing and I’m encouraged by the strength He gives me every day.

it's hard to think that someone so young can be going through something like this. i know it happens all the time, but it doesn't make it any easier. tiffany is a fabulous and talented girl and will come out on the other side of this only stronger!

here are some fun pics from one of our neocon trips to chicago a couple of years ago....

back in the fall of 2009 i took some photos of Tiffany and Ben, her husband, you can see here....such a sweet and fun loving couple!

you can follow tiffany's journey through her blog,

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/tiffanywittman

please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. if you have any words/thoughts/prayers/encouragement that you would like to pass on to her, you can email me at rubyjewelstudio@gmail.com or post comments on her website.

photo wardrobe

2011-03-28T23:06:00.000-05:00

if you have ever wondered, "how should i dress my kiddo for a photo session" look no further than the gap. i know i have blogged before about their ridicuously cute clothes, but seriously?!?!? i went to gap.com today and saw this photo....

kills me at how stinkin' cute their summer line is! adorable...and why in the world can they not make that in my size???

what's cookin' this week

2011-03-27T23:08:00.000-05:00

crock pot hobo dinners

chicken sausage succatash & fresh green beans

sweet chili salmon w/ rice and salad

corned beef w/ potatoes & carrots, sauerkraut & fresh green beans

just fyi....the turnovers, quesadillas, and pizza from last weeks menu were awesome! i liked doing the quesadillas in the oven...super easy and that roated veggie pizza....must try!

tulsa mom tip

2011-03-25T16:53:00.000-05:00

i'm not a mom, but i'm thinking that this would come in handy if i had a car full of excited kiddos wanting to visit the zoo......last week my friend sarah and i were out driving around and decided to check out mohawk park. unbeknownst {sp?} to both of us, the entrance to the zoo and the park are the same and apparently it was "take your kid to the zoo" day. there was a line that was FOREVER long! we then realized that it was spring break and a beautiful day thus the long line. we were not THAT interested in checking out the park, so i quickly turned around on the center median and headed to opposite direction. as soon as we turned out of the entrance, going west, we saw a very small white sign that said "alternate zoo entrance". we became somewhat interested b/c of the ridiculous line of cars that was lining up down the main street so we decided to check out the alternate entrance and see if it was legit. it is legit and it takes you by some interesting places on the way!

so, here is what we found....

if you are going to the zoo on a busy day, instead of going down sheridan, go down yale until it comes to a 'T'. Turn Left instead of Right. you will go by "rebel run" {an abandoned convenient store w/ confederate flags}. follow the signs that say "lake yahola" {never knew tulsa had a lake yahola...}. you will also pass the mohawk mobile estates on the left side of the road...keep driving. go over "coal creek". the road will curve and go over a railroad track...continue past "diamond vogel" until you get to "N Winston Ave", where you will turn right. there is also a sign that says "mohawk golf course" and another little white sign that says "alternate zoo entrance". when you turn right you will follow the road around the golf course and park...you will see the nature center...keep driving. you wind around a large pond, which i am assuming is "lake yahola"...not much of a lake. this road will dump you into the same zoo parking lot that everyone else gets dumped into, except you didn't have to wait in stop and go traffic & you got to see some beautiful scenery! it is a little further, BUT the guy that was in front of us before i turned around hadn't made it to the parking lot yet.

now that i have typed this, i'm thinking that some of you moms, if not all, have probably already figured this out. but hopefully a few will still find it helpful!

what's cookin' this week

2011-03-20T22:32:00.000-05:00

the crock pot chicken and dumplings that were on my menu last week.....were awesome! and they were super easy. mymichael gave them his approval. thank you cori for the recommendation!

mymichael and i tried out marco's pizza, located at 81st & garnett, and it was tasty! we loved the pizza crust.

i received my new cooking light magazine in the mail, so this week's menu contains all new recipes for me to try. have you ever tried mustard greens? i haven't, but that quesadilla recipe looks pretty yummy, so we shall see.

chicken, mustard greens, & gruyere quesadillas

bucatini with green peas & pancetta with salad

roasted vegetable ricotta pizza

savory sausage, spinach, & onion turnovers

any great recipes you have stumbled on recently?

i'm jealous of your....

2011-03-18T12:34:00.002-05:00

patio or porch, that is if you have one. these past couple of beautiful days have me itching for a covered patio. i love being able to lounge outside! if i ever have one, i will want an outdoor fireplace at one end. i want it to be deep so you can sit outside when it's raining and not get wet. i want comfortable lounge seating and a really long table for fabulous meals cooked in the outdoor kitchen. i want, i want, i want.....a girl can dream, right?

well, to get you dreaming, i have posted some photos that i found on decorpad {super cool interiors website...great for getting inspiration!}.

in this next photo, the kitchen opens up to a patio....LOVE!

do you have a great patio or porch area? if so, please share...you can email photos to rubyjewelstudio@gmail.com. if i get some pics, i'll be sure and share!

and for those of you that do have a fabulous patio/porch area....embrace outdoor living!

happy friday!

{all photos were found at decorpad}

shirley family sneak

2011-03-16T20:59:00.000-05:00

a fun family session with the shirley family. it was a windy and rather cold saturday, but the three girls kept us all laughing! here are a few to tide you guys over until i finish with the rest....enjoy!

recipe {personal calzones}

2011-03-14T17:00:00.000-05:00

for the calzone dough i use this recipe. it is a yummy and easy homemade pizza dough that only has to rise 10 minutes. i made 4 calzones total using 1/4 of the dough for each one. once you make the dough into a ball and let it rise, i then just cut the dough in to 4 equal pieces. then just roll out each piece. it doesn't need to be perfect! if you don't want to make your own dough, then you can just use a store bought pizza dough.

you can fill your calzones with any of your favorite toppings. here is what i used:

pasta sauce

ricotta cheese

ground beef, already cooked

turkey pepperoni {super yummy and much better nutrition wise than regular}

onions

green olives

shredded mozzarella cheese

roll out your dough and spread a spoonful of the pasta sauce in the center, but don't get too close to the edges. after the sauce, spread the ricotta cheese on half of the dough. then top with your meat and veggies. sprinkle with cheese. fold the dough over your toppings and crimp the edges to seal your pocket. cut 3 slits in the top. brush with melted butter and sprinkle with garlic sauce. bake until golden brown in a 400 or 500 degree oven.

**tip** for a crispier crust, place your baking stone in the oven while it heats up. you want your stone to be HOT when you put the calzones on it. once your calzones are ready, plop them on the pizza stone. pre heating the stone and keeping your oven hot will give you a nice crisp crust.

enjoy!

what's cookin' this week

2011-03-13T15:00:00.000-05:00

beef & zucchini enchiladas

crock pot chicken & dumplings {thank you cori}

grilled island bbq tilapia with cilantro lime rice

lemon pepper shrimp scampi with noodles

a few new recipes to try this week. enchiladas are actually suppose to just be zucchini enchiladas, but for those that know my husband, be is all about the meat. plus I have left over ground beef from the calzones i made last week. i am super excited about the chicken and dumplings. my friend cori tried them and said they were pretty tasty. dumplings are in fact mymichael's favorite food and i never make them. i tried a "quick" version one time that used tortillas as the "dumplings" and he politely, or not so, informed me that those were NOT dumplings. so, hopefully this will get a better review from him!

let's talk about sam's club for a moment. i love sam's. every sunday afternoon i go grocery shopping my parents and we always go to sam's. why? b/c it's awesome. yes, they have large quantities, but hello people...i can get a thing of mushrooms for $2.68 and it is twice as big as the thing i get at the regular grocery store for $2.99. or how about the 15 pound bag of basmati rice that i bought for $12? the same rice would be $9 for a quarter of the amount. we eat quite a bit of shrimp and fish and sam's has a great frozen selection. that is where the "island bbq tilapia" is from. it comes already in its marinade in individual packets, so you just cut open and pop in the oven or on the grill. they also have a great blackened salmon.

hope everyone has a great week!

it's random friday!

2011-03-10T22:28:00.001-06:00

many random ramblings...b/c it's friday and by this time of the week that's all that is going through my brain.

yay for the weekend. it's been a busy week around here and i am sure everywhere else as well. it always seems that with the beginning of spring life seems to pick up. no more hunkering down in front of the fire...it's time to get out and get moving! speaking of moving, i have started running outside again. for awhile it was way too cold for this girl who really hates running to begin with. i keep trying....the nice weather definitely makes it better. who knows, maybe i will actually like it one day...maybe.

yesterday i was working at the office, aka the nearest starbucks, and my external hard drive started making a weird noise. this completely freaked me out. i don't store anything on my laptop hard drive, so as not to slow the computer down. everything gets stored on an external hard drive. this did give me peace of mind, that if my computer crashed all my stuff would be safe...that is until today and the weird noise. and then it dawned on me that it's not like the external hard drive is immune to crashing, or dying, or getting lost, or being stolen, etc. and that's what freaked me out. there has to be a way to store all of your digital life online. of course this is even more important now that i have started my own business. all night i have researched different places that claim to back up your computer. i'm giving backblaze a try. it has unlimited storage which is super important b/c of all the huge photo files i have {it says i have over 400,000 MB of photo storage....YIKES!}, it is reasonably priced, and it will back up external hard drives {many of the ones i looked at wouldn't do that}. so, i started the free trial last night. i am a little concerned as it said the initial upload of all my stuff would take 201 days....um the free trial period is only 15 days. yea, i'm hoping that will change by the morning. if not, we have some issues. i mean really, 201 days? that's over half a year! if you have used an online program that is similar....please share!!!

couple of recipe updates. i tried the shrimp creole from skinnytaste.com, and you should too b/c it was super yummy. oh, if you ever need a substitute for tomato sauce, go to a can of red enchilada sauce. works fabulously! apparently the tomato sauce got left off my shopping list which meant i had to get creative or go back to the store. i got creative and it paid off well...this time! let me just say that i really love skinnytaste.com. almost every recipe that i have tried has turned out great, and the best part is that i know it is pretty healthy b/c she tailors all of them to work into the weight watchers diet. love that...less thinking on my part b/c lets face it...if i ate recipes from the pioneer woman every day {which i would totally love to do} i would be 500+ pounds!

i want a spring trench coat. saw a pic of kate...the soon to be princess and she had on an adorable khaki trench coat and i love it. must find. i am also loving navy and white stripes on shoes, shirts, etc.

i can not wait until mymichael gets done with this school semester so that we can repaint our living room and hallway. i am itching for a change! i already re-did the office....pics to come soon....but he made me promise to wait until he is done to tackle the living room.

i MUST finish going through my vacation photos from last july. yep. still not done. i am close...only a day or so left in rome to finish up. at that point hopefully i will be able to choose some to print and display in my newly painted living room and hall!

we have got to get some items posted on craigslist to sell. are you...or your husband...in the market for a road bike or hunting bow? if so, keep your eye's peeled b/c i will be posting the ones that we are selling. they are in great condition, but mymichael decided he's not so much into the road bike and he just bought a new bow, so it's time to let the other one go.

alright, enough randomness for now. seriously. this is how my brain works all the time. earlier this week i left the door to our garage open for 2 hours...i was wondering why the house was so cold. i also left the heater on in the bathroom for those same 2 hours. neither were noticed until mymichael came home. i really wish i had a reason for my absent minded-ness. and no. i am not pregnant.

happy friday!

recipe {boursin chicken & kale with orzo}

2011-03-09T22:12:00.000-06:00

this recipe is a combination of two that i had received from friends. it's an easy dinner that #1 tastes great #2 uses only 1 skillet and #3 looks faaaaancy!

boursin chicken & kale with orzo

4 chicken breasts

1 bunch of kale, chopped

boursin cheese

sliced cherry tomatoes

chopped onion

white wine

pasta sauce

parmesan cheese

orzo

-heat oven to 350 degrees

-pound out the chicken breasts. this works best to place the chicken in between plastic wrap

-place some boursin cheese in the middle of the thin chicken breast

-roll chicken and secure with tooth picks, salt & pepper

-using a hot cast iron skillet with a little bit of oil, brown chicken on all sides {chicken doesn't have to be completely done b/c it will cook more in the oven}and remove from skillet

-add chopped onion, cherry tomatoes, and chopped kale to skillet and sautee for a few minutes adding a splash of white wine

-once kale wilts a bit place chicken breasts on top of kale mixture

-spoon pasta sauce on top of each chicken breast and sprinkle with parmesan cheese

-place cast iron skillet in oven and bake until chicken is completely done

-serve over cooked orzo

enjoy!

what's cookin' this week

2011-03-06T20:20:00.000-06:00

shrimp creole

calzones & roasted brussel sprouts

island bbq tilapia & arroz congri {cuban rice & black beans}

grilled peppercorn crusted steak & corn with red potatoes {didn't get to the steak last week}

bookcases....how the heck to decorate them

2011-03-04T18:11:00.000-06:00

i hear people stress about decorating bookcases alot. it can be daunting.....6 shelves, 10 feet tall....how the heck do i fill the space? bookcases are a great place to showcase family treasures, travel souveniers, and all the many books that you collect over the years. i have scoured the internet to find some great examples of things you can do. i wish i had bookcases in my house b/c of all the unique ways you can decorate them. so, kick back and take a look at how a huge, plain jane bookcase can become one of your favorite areas of your house!

{house beautiful}

books - they don't HAVE to stand straight up and they don't all have to go the same way. lay some on their sides and stack them tall

i love how the picture frame is attached to the front of the bookcase. who says a frame has to hang on a wall?

notice how the back of the bookcase is painted yellow? this is a great place to add pops of color without it being overwhelming. and so easy to change.

{hgtv}

{hooked on houses}

this is one of my favorites...organizing your books and magazines according to their spine colors. i love this. unfortunately i don't have quite enough to do this, but i'm well on my way, thanks to book club! if you check out the "hooked on houses" link, be sure and read about the book store that arranged ALL of their books by color. super cool! not sure how easy it would be to find the book you need, but at least you would have something beautiful to look at while searching!

{better homes & gardens}

turn a bookcase or cabinet into a bar area/wine cabinet. i hope to have some pics of one of my client's projects soon. we did something similar with a large china cabinet in her dining room {no pressure sarah!}. you can purchase racks that you screw into the bottom of a shelf for glasses to hang. pick up wine racks for bottles and use beautiful decanters to turn a simple bookcase or cabinet into a useable bar area.

{apartment therapy}

{country living}

another favorite of mine...use wall paper on the back of a bookcase to add fabulous pattern and color. think about some of the wallcoverings from this past ruby jewel post. what a statement! and let's talk about that second photo....the "bookcase" is made out of cabinet drawers. so very creative.

in almost all of these photos you will see that they have combined books with knick knacks and photos to create a space that is interesting to look at. hopefully this gives you some inspiration for some of those blank bookcases and cabinets in your home.

if you have done something unique to a bookcase, email me a pic! i would love to see it. rubyjewelstudio@gmail.com

happy weekend!!!

recipe {3 layer dessert}

2011-02-28T07:00:00.000-06:00

this recipe is one of my favorites from childhood. many birthdays were celebrated with this dessert. it also has multiple names. at my house it was "3 layer dessert", my aunt calls it "better than sex dessert" and someone else calls it "sunday school delight". who knows....you can call it whatever you want but one thing is for sure...it is tasty!

3 layer dessert

ingredients

melt the butter

flour

flour and melted butter

mix together and add pecans.

the consistency will be crumbly

pat dough into greased 9 x 13 baking dish

bake until slightly golden on the edges

cream cheese and powdered sugar

mix until you get an icing type consistency

using a spatula, fold in 1 cup of cool whip

spread cream cheese mixture on top of cooled crust. you must let the crust cool! i stick it in the freezer so it goes quicker.

vanilla and chocolate pudding

mix with milk for 2 - 3 minutes

pour and spread pudding mixture on top of cream cheese mixture

top with remaining cool whip and any goodies that you choose

reese's peanut butter cups and butterfinger.....yum-o!

voila! 3-layer dessert {i guess 4 if you count the crust}

1 cup flour

1 stick butter melted

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 package 8-ounce cream cheese {i used 1/3 less fat} you will want the cream cheese to be room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup coolwhip

1 small package instant chocolate pudding

1 small package instant vanilla pudding

2 1/2 cups water

1. mix together flour, melted butter, and pecans

2. press dough into greased 9 x 13 pan

3. bake at 350 degrees until slightly golden around the edges

4. let crust cool before topping {i pop it in the freezer so it cools faster}

5. using a mixer, mix together room temp cream cheese and powdered sugar

6. fold in 1 cup coolwhip to the cream cheese mixture...DON'T use a mixer...fold in with a spatula

7. spread cream cheese mixture on top of cooled crust

8. mix together chocolate and vanilla instant pudding with 2 1/2 cups of water. mix for 2 - 3 minutes until the pudding thickens

9. spread pudding mixture on top of cream cheese mixture

10. using the remaining cool whip, cover the pudding mixture

11. top cool whip with your choice of toppings...i used reese's peanut butter cups and butterfinger's, but you can use anything you like!

enjoy!

what's cookin' this week

2011-02-27T22:35:00.000-06:00

i'm loving the warmer weather! tonight we busted out the charcoal grill for burgers. they were yummy! i'm trying a couple new recipes and making up a couple...we shall see how they go!

cabernet braised beef short-ribs w/ egg noodles & roasted broccoli {i'm trying it in the crock pot}

boursin chicken & kale with orzo

cilantro lime shrimp & rice

grilled peppercorn crusted steak w/ grilled corn and salad

recipe review.....fail

2011-02-23T10:08:00.000-06:00

last night i tried a new recipe. it was the beef & broccoli stir-fry that i had on my menu for this week. yea, don't bother trying it. it wasn't terrible. i mean it was definitely edible, and someone might really like it, but we didn't. i take that back...after mymichael "doctored it up" with hot chili sauce and soy sauce he said it wasn't that bad. but i really don't think you should have to "doctor" anything up that you are eating! it won't be back on my list any time soon, or really ever. kind of frustrating!

what's cookin' this week

2011-02-22T10:02:00.000-06:00

mexican lasagna {didn't get to it last week}

grilled hamburgers & corn w/ sweet potato fries

beef & broccoli stir-fry

chicken piccata w/ orzo with roasted broccoli and fresh green beans

have you stumbled on to any fabulous recipes lately? if so....please share in the comments section!

an addition to a library

2011-02-18T07:00:00.005-06:00

on monday, i got the chance to walk through one of my projects that is just finishing up. the scope of the project was to add on to the existing middle school library and re-layout the offices. i was very happy with the end result. here are some before & after pics.....

BEFORE

AFTER

in the after photo below, i was standing in the existing library. we puched through the existing window {that has the red curtains in the before photo and in the after photo the opening is between the yellow and green column} and added on a space that doubled the existing library.

BEFORE

AFTER

this photo is looking into the new library addition. we added huge windows that look out over the country side where you can see the beautiful mountains. this space will soon serve as a computer lab with tables and computers.

AFTER

i was able to design a custom circulation desk that accomodates up to two computers and it also has a book return slot. the circulation desk is located in the center of the library so that the librarian can easily observe the entire library.

for this space i chose to use 5 different carpet tiles that are repeated throughout the space in different width stripes. 4 of the carpet tiles are made up of the same colors, but simply have different patterns. the fifth carpet tile is the red which serves as an accent color and is the school's color. since this space was deeper than it was wide, the horizontal stripes really help break up the space.

AFTER

below is one of their old circulation desks

BEFORE

by making the circulation desk have taller "walls" you can hide a lot of clutter.

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

this is the reception area in the school office. we were able to give them built-in desks instead of random desks that were collected over the past 30 years.

BEFORE

AFTER

this was their *lovely* before flooring....

BEFORE

a little bit of a difference!

AFTER

this is a perfect project that shows how an old, out-of-date space can be revived. ~~unfortunately i don't have before photos to share.....boo on me!~~ i found before photos! yay!

enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend!!!

...and i fell in love....

2011-02-17T07:00:00.007-06:00

ha! i bet you were thinking that this was some sappy belated valentine's day post to my sweetie, sugar pie, hunk of love, mymichael. well, not exactly. i mean, i love you hon, but you hate valentine's day, so why should i waste a blog post? i still love you, despite your hatred of v-day.

anyways...this is not a love post to my love muffin, but to my love of.............

kitchen aid mixers

{the pioneer woman}

i know. a mixer. a kitchen aid mixer. do you see all that color and the beautiful flowers? it sounds silly, but i get so excited when i see colorful kitchen aid mixers. they are awesome. i have grown up with them in my mom and grandma's kitchen. they were always a staple to the kitchen appliances. you know, stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, kitchen aid mixer. the great thing is that they last forever! i was lucky enough to inherit my grandma's old kitchen aid mixer......it is 35+ years old and still kickin'...or i guess mixin' would be more appropriate.

i so wish i had checked her blog earlier b/c i totally would have commented for a chance to win one of those beauties! am i a complete dork? maybe, but i'm okay with that.

a taste of spring

2011-02-15T22:55:00.000-06:00

these past coouple of days have been a burst of spring for us here in oklahoma. areas around here have literally seen a 100 degree temperature swing! this week has been beautiful so far and has got me excited about spring that is hopefully right around the corner. so, in anticipation of spring, i decided to put together an inspiration board with some beautiful home accessories that i have spotted. i might be drooling a little bit.....

i am loving the grey's mixed with the cirton greens and airy blues. oh, and also the combination of patterns. love it! have you seen any spring trends that have caught your eye? if so, please share!

i hope everyone else is enjoying this beautiful weather as well!

what's cookin' this week?

2011-02-14T07:00:00.001-06:00

mexican lasagna

blackened salmon cajun pasta

sausage & rice casserole & salad

hot turkey pastrami, provolone & mushroom sandwiches w/ sweet potato fries

blackened salmon cajun pasta

for this recipe i am using frozen blackened salmon from sam's. if you don't like salmon, you can replace with chicken.

2 tsp. cajun seasoning

2 tablespoons margarine

16 slices of bell pepper {any color}

8 large mushrooms, sliced

2 green onions, sliced

3 to 4 cups cream {i'm going to try it with FF half & half}

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. lemon pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. pepper

8 oz. linguine cooked and drained

grated parmesan cheese

saute peppers, mushrooms, and onions with the margarine and cajun seasoning. cook and stir for 2-3 minutes until tender. add cream and remaining seasonings; heat through. add linguine and toss; heat through. sprinkle with parmesan cheese. place pasta on plate and top with blackened salmon.

enjoy!

oh my...

2011-02-13T23:19:00.001-06:00

this weekend i was at the mall with one of my good friends, ashley, who has an adorable little girl who is 9 months old. every store we went into we found ourselves drooling over all over the children's clothes. at gap, i just about couldn't help myself. the cuteness was beyond overwhelming! one thing is for sure, when mymichael and i have kiddos, local retailers had better watch out. it will be bad...oh so bad.

these clothes were so cute and i just kept thinking how cute some little toddler would look in photos. many times moms ask, "what should we wear for our photos?" well, these days you can pretty much walk into any children's store, throw a dart and land on something cute. but, i thought it would be fun to put together some toddlers outfits that would be adorable for photos.

a few tips:

#1 layers! the more layers the better!

#2 mix and match patterns. don't be afraid to mix it up. the key is to select two patterns that are completely different, but have coordinating colors. you don't want to pair two sets of stripes together, but you could definitely pair stripes and polka dots, or stripes and plaid.

#3 when putting together an outfit for a kiddo, think in terms of, "would i wear this?" nothing is cuter than a munchkin that is dressed like a miniature adult. their outfit should reflect their personality, which many times reflects the parent's personalities as well.

#4 don't be afraid of color! color is so playful and fun on kiddos....use it!

okay, now onto the toddler outfits.

you can begin drooling........................now...........

this is the toddler trench coat that i almost walked out of the store with.

miss sophisticate by rubyjewelstudio on Polyvore.com

blooming by rubyjewelstudio on Polyvore.com

army chic by rubyjewelstudio on Polyvore.com

prissy kicks by rubyjewelstudio on Polyvore.com

cowgirl esq by rubyjewelstudio featuring gap shorts

trains & planes by rubyjewelstudio on Polyvore.com

high toppin' plaid by rubyjewelstudio on Polyvore.com

the ross by rubyjewelstudio on Polyvore.com

mr. oxford by rubyjewelstudio on Polyvore.com

short stripes by rubyjewelstudio on Polyvore.com

you can drool over more outfits like this at gap. amazingly cute stuff....go check it out...and for the love...please buy something and tell me about it!

super cute find

2011-02-11T07:00:00.000-06:00

while surfing the web one day i came across this adorable company, le papier studio. they specialize in working with silhouettes. as soon as i saw this, it made me think my families trip to disney world...

when me and kj were little, my dad won a vacation to disney world. it was awesome, everything was paid for, including the rented convertable. you know how most theme parks have all sorts of "street vendors" that bug you along the way? well, my parents were pretty much immune to anything they had to offer, except for one. there was a man who would cut your silhouette out of black paper. he didn't trace anything, you sat on a stool and he had these tiny little scissors that he would use to cut out your silhouette, simply by looking at your profile! he was quite talented and definitely deserved whatever ungodly price he was asking! to this day, my mother still has our disney world silhouettes on a book case in her house. it's a great, unique, and classy way to capture the essence of someone you love.

when i stumbled upon le papier studio, immediately fell in love with all of their different products. here are a few of my favorites...

adorable calendars! these could be framed and used as art, LOVE them!

fun plates. this would be great on a wall in a collage with other random things...photo frames, art, etc. makes me want to ride on a vespa.

coasters. love how the graphics are so simple and crisp.

jewelry. who knew? you can choose from some of their silhouettes or have them do a custom silhouette.

just a few favorites that i saw. many of their products would be great valentine or mothers day gifts!

how to make a roux

2011-02-10T09:59:00.000-06:00

i hate it when i get out of the habit of daily blogging! i was doing so well, and then i slipped...it's a slippery slope once you miss one day. anyways, hopefully i am back on track!

a couple of weeks ago i posted soup recipes and one of them is my favorite, full moon cafe tortilla soup. for that soup you have to create a roux that helps thicken up the soup. sometimes making a roux can be tricky, so i have decided to post some tips and photos showing what your roux should look like for the tortilla soup.

this roux is made of 1/2 cup butter and 3/4 cup flour.

my #1 tip for this is......USE A WHISK!!!!

cut your butter into chunks and melt in a small sauce pan

once butter is completely melted, add half of the 3/4 cup of flour, and whisk to incorporate. this is something that you do continuously...don't try and multi-task while doing this! once the first half of the flour is incorporated, add the second half and continue whisking....

your roux should look like this when you have just incorporated all 3/4 cup of your flour. continue whisking!

you will see that continuing to whisk gives youa nice smooth, thick consistency. you can even see some bubbles starting to pop up if you look behind the whisk below. you must whisk constatly! you do not want this to burn! once you have the consistency that is shown below {smooth and when you pull your whisk up some of the roux stays on the whisk} then you are done making the roux.

the next step for the soup is to pour the roux into the boiling pot of chicken broth....you can see how it is pretty thick

once you have poured the roux into the chicken broth, then whisk until it is incorporated.

and that is what your roux should look like for your full moon cafe tortilla soup!

what's cookin' this week + recipe {asian salisbury steak}

2011-02-07T07:00:00.002-06:00

full moon cafe tortilla soup

asian salisbury steak w/ rice and brussell sprouts

spicy shrimp fried rice

homemade pizza

blackened salmon w/ orzo

indian food

asian salisbury steak

12 ounces lean ground beef

3/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper

3/4 cup chopped onions

1/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs

4 tablespoons hoisin sauce, divided

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

3 teaspoons canola oil, divided

4 bunches or 2 4-ounce bags watercress, trimmed {16 cups}

1/2 cup shao hsing rice wine or dry sherry

1. place rack in upper third of oven; preheat the broiler. coat a broiler pan and rack with cooking spray.

2. gently mix beef, bell pepper, inions, breadcrumbs, 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce and ginger in a medium bowl until just combined. form the mixture into 4 oblong patties and place on the broiler pan rack. brush the tops of the patties with 1 teaspoon oil. broil, flipping once, until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.

3. meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. add watercress and cook, stirring often, until just wilted, 1 to 3 minutes. divide the watercress among 4 plates. return the skillet to medium-high heat, add rice wine {or sherry} and the remaining 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce and stir until smooth, bubbling and slightly reduce, about 1 minute. top the watercress with the salisbury steaks and drizzle with the pan sauce.

**i have not done the watercress part of the recipe. sounds great, just never remember to buy it. if you try it, let me know if it is good!**

snow time!

2011-02-04T07:00:00.003-06:00

we have snow, and the most snow....ever in tulsa! it is quite amazing at the amount. no, if you live up north you wouldn't think 13"+ is all that much, but here it is a ton! it literally shut the entire city down.

i grew up going skiing, so i love the snow. as soon as i hear we are getting some, i immediately want to go sledding and have fun in it. but, the key to having fun in the snow is bundling up in the correct winter clothes! you can't go out in your regular clothes and expect to have fun and stay warm. not gonna happen. so, here is my gear for playing in the snow...

sweater leggings

long underwear top & bottom

wool sock liners

thick wool socks

waterproof ski pants

long sleeve shirt

fleece hoodie

scarf

down coat

beanie

glove liners

waterproof ski gloves

waterproof boots

yea, it's a lot, but it is sooo worth it! we were outside yesterday for close to 4 hours and my body wasn't cold at all. even if you never go skiing, you would benefit from having these items at least once or twice a year in oklahoma. it might even make you like snow a little more!

the north face boots below are fabulous. they are super warm and waterproof. they also have a funny story. back when we lived in dallas, one christmas mymichael's dad asked him what i would like for christmas. mymichael told him that i would like a pair of hiking boots. really? hiking boots? when he told me this, i was a little bit confused. you see, hiking boots would NOT be the first thing that i would ask for! boots, sure, but hiking? i don't think so. but, since mymichael had already told him that, i decided to go with it. instead of getting plain hiking boots, i decided on some good winter "hiking" boots. and i'm glad i did. even though they aren't worn all the time, they still come in super handy during these times!

my boys...

now, once you get on all those layers, you may look like the michelin man, but that's okay, right?

oscar

mak

mymichael

a huge chunk of ice and snow!

i think oscar likes the snow!

i'm hoping we have no leaks in the roof...

sledding fun. if you are in tulsa and want some serious sledding, head to 111th & yale. there is a huge retention pond. i wouldn't suggest for young kiddos...it's pretty steep! dad, me, & mymichael getting ready to head down

it was freaking cold...18 degrees!

the "slopes"

happy snow days!

recipes {drinks}

2011-02-03T07:00:00.007-06:00

with all this wonderful snow weather that we have had, mymichael and i have had the chance to try out a few new winter recipes! soome of these are tricky....so pay close attention!!!

snow slushies

coke or your favorite soda pop

fresh snow

gather fresh snow from your front or back yard. fill glass with snow & slowly pour soda pop over the top.

voila! snow slushies! absolutely wonderful!

the other drink recipe is for the adults. mymichael has been under the weather for the past 5 days...sore throat...coughy...etc. so, yesterday i made hima hot toddy. i've always heard people using them to soothe throats and such, so i figured we would try it out.

hot toddy

1 ounce whiskey or bourbon {we used ~~whiskey~~ bourbon...corrected by mymichael. sorry but it's rather confusing!}

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 lemon

1 cup boiling water

pour 1 ounce of ~~whiskey~~ bourbon into a glass. add honey and the juice from 1/2 a lemon. boil 1 cup of water and pour into glass with ~~whiskey~~ bourbon, honey mixture. stir to incorporate honey.

since we have SO much snow i started thinking about other things you could make with it. here are some ideas i have come up with...

-snow ice cream

-snow banana split, use snow as the ice cream and top with chocolate syrup

-snow cones

those are just a couple...do you all have any ideas?

capri

2011-02-02T07:00:00.004-06:00

welcome to beautiful capri...

where it is warm and sunshiny{unlike oklahoma right now!}

this was our greek tour guide...he was quite a hoot!

we went to capri to see the "blue grotto". from rome we took a bus to naples and from there a ferry to the island of capri. once we got to capri we took a boat to the area where the blue grotto is.

then we had to climb into little row boats {4 people + 1 local rower} that would take us into the blue grotto cave.

my favorite photo of chris....through the legs of our rower!

waiting to go into the blue grotto....can you see the little hole in the center of the pic? the rower is leaning back to pull the boat into the cave. yea...only a small percentage of the time can you even get into the blue grotto b/c the tide is too high. i was super nervous b/c i had my brand new camera with me! i had a hard time deciding...take it in or leave it on the larger boat? i took it. i was holding onto it like it was gold and saying, out loud, "please let my camera be okay, please let my camera be okay".

here is the view inside the blue grotto.....the way the sunlight hits inside the cave makes it glow bright blue. it is beautiful! and all turned out well...no camera casulties, thankfully!

the marina at capri

headed up to anacapri

the view from anacapri loooking down on capr. beautiful island! from up here we could see mount vesuvius, which is where pompeii is.

and here is what happens when you have been on a bus too long...and you are bored....and have a great 16mm wide angle lens to play with...FUN TIMES!!!

rome

2011-02-01T07:00:00.003-06:00

**this was suppose to post this morning...better late than never!***

so, some of you may remember that mymicahel and i took a european vacation this past july. you probably also remember that it has taken me F O R E V E R to actually post pictures. i took over 3,000 photos! i have posted some photos of both london and paris {here also}, so now for a few of rome.

rome was my favorite out of the three cities. while they were all fabulous, there was just something about rome. i think i could live there for a while.

okay, so by the time we finally arrived in rome we had been on an awful italian overnight train that broke down, had no air conditioning, and ran out of food. we were starving! as soon as we got to the hotel, paid for air conditioning, and showered we were ready for some italian grub. now, for those of you that know me, know i am not a wine drinker. unfortunately i just haven't aquired the taste...yet. BUT you would be proud b/c i actually liked the wine we had at dinner that night. it *might* have been because i was so freaking hungry that anything and everything tasted good, you never know!

ahhh...the trevi fountain....

hundreds of people just casually standing around the fountain while enjoying the evening. love it!

gelatto....worth the trip to italy

the spanish steps

that's all for now...blogger picture uploader is NOT working well.

must be the thunder sleet storm that's going on outside right now.....say warm!

what's cookin' this week?

2011-01-30T21:25:00.001-06:00

chicken & kale with orzo and salad

chicken pot pie

BBQ brisket & ham w/ corn, tabouli & cornbread

mimi's hamburger meal, brussel sprouts, & couscous

shrimp tacos

hope everyone has a fabulous week!

design highlight....take 5

2011-01-28T07:00:00.004-06:00

the miller's home

i was lucky enough to help out one of my good friends, carissa with c.c. miller photography, with her new home. this was a great project...and a fast project! if i remeber correctly, they broke ground in march and the house was in the tulsa parade of homes in june! crazy fast!

for this project i was able to help out from the very beginning. i designed most of the millwork {cabinets}, selected all the finishes {flooring, counters, backsplash, color palette, wallcovering, carpet}, selected lighting fixtures, helped select the hearth room dining table, and was on site quite a bit as the project was under construction. i love being apart of projects like this because you get to start from the ground and work your way up.

as you will see, the color palette for this home is simple, yet very inviting. we chose 3 colors total to use throughout the entire house. the main color is a light grey/blue, the main accent color is a darker blue/grey, and the third accent color is a soft brown {not shown in any photos}. these paint colors are paired with dark pine wood floors, tile floors that resemble slate, and also white & espresso cabinetry. by selecting colors, materials, and finishes that flow throughout the house, you create a home that is cohesive and makes sense from one room to another.

on to the photos...i will explain more as we go through the house.

this is the entry. wonderful, tall ceilings with beautiful white moldings. the entry is in the main accent color, the darker grey/blue. on either side of the entry i designed display areas. the lighted arches accent the vinly wallcovering and high wainscoting. the high wainscoting is the perfect place for the family to display photos.

an upclose of the vinyl wall covering. that's right people, it's wall paper and it's gorgeous! it's actually not wall paper. it is vinyl and super durable. this particular wallcovering is a light silver color with and organic leaf pattern. it has a slight shimmer to it, which is accentuated even more by the recessed lighting in the arches. this photo also shows the photo ledge at the top of the tall wainscoting. you don't need much room at all for simple frames and canvases to rest.

this is a view from the entry into the main living room. this room is the main overall paint color, light grey /blue. here you can see the combination of the rustic wood floors and beams, with the ornate white moldings. i love the combination...not too fancy and not too rustic.

as i mentioned before, for this project i was able to help with the designing of the client's millwork. carissa had done lots of research on different things that she liked for the kitchen. she loves to cook, so having the perfect kitchen was high on her list. i asked her to find inspiration photos so that i could get an idea of her likes. this is the elevation, that i drew, of the back kitchen wall.

as you can see it turned out pretty darn close to the drawings!

another area that was important to carissa was their "hearth room". they didn't want a typical formal dining room. instead she wanted a space where the family could join together and feel relaxed and comfortable. she had always wanted a window seat with a big table. i designed the main focal wall of the hearth room to include storage space with open shelving and closed cabinets and in the center, under the picture window, a built in window seat. this window seat serves as seating for one whole side of their, huge, beautiful table. on the left you will see the elevation and on the right you will see the section drawing, showing how to construct the window seat.

carissa and i got a little bit of resistence from some of the guys on this idea. not necessarilly b/c they didn't think it would look good, but because it wasn't "typical". the millwork guy had noever done anything like this before. i distictly remember her calling me saying that i needed to come down and talk to the millwork guy b/c he didn't think it was going to work. she was like, "i can't give up on this now!" so, after talking with the sub, measuring out the lines and drawing them on the concrete with my finger in the saw dust, he finally agreed to it and set to work. i absolutely love how it turned out. he was an awesome sub.

this photo also shows the great lantern light fixtures, another photo inspiration from carissa. also, this hearth room goes back to the darker accent color.

a closer look at the built in window seat...

for the kitchen backsplash we chose a beautiful glass tile. LOVE it! i'm telling you...glass tile is where it is at! it adds so much dimension and character to a space.

many of the inspiration photos that carissa found showed marble counter tops in the kitchen. yes, they are beautiful, NO they are not practical. they will stain...ketchup...red wine....not good. i would hate for anyone to spend money on beautiful marble, only for it to get stained down the road. i was able to find a granite that was light and had grey...this was a great substitute for the original idea of marble. it turned out beautiful, and it even has a few small specs of red.

love the lights over the kitchen island. so simple, yet they make such a great statement!

this photo shows the combination of the main paint color and the main accent color, beautiful wood stairs, and a darker colored carpet.

on to the bathrooms. you will notice that the millwork in the bathrooms changes to the dark espresso color. the flooring is a porcelain tile that looks like slate. i love this tile b/c it is so natural looking and great warm colors. no two tiles are alike, so you get great variety in each room. we carried the same granite throughout all the bathrooms, which looks great with the bright white vessel sinks. the backsplash in the bathrooms is another glass mosaic tile.

below is the master bath. same dark espresso millwork. you will notice that we did the whole length of the wall with a mirror and mounted tall, linear fixtures ontop of the mirror. this provides great reflection within the bathroom.

color pop!

wow! this was a super long post! thanks for hanging in there. i had a blast working on this home project and love the way it turned out. i joked about mymichael and i living in a small portion of it. i really don't think they would mind! =)

i hope you all enjoyed all the design highlights this week. i am getting oh so close to having all the details worked out on my new firm, ruby jewel studio. i will be offering residential and contract commercial interior design services. they will range from something as simple as paint color selection to a project like the miller's, so there will be something for everyone! keep me in mind for any of your design needs.

happy friday!!!

design highlight...take 4

2011-01-27T07:00:00.003-06:00

the yokum's nursery

this was a great little project that i did for one of my friends. the family had already selected all the furniture for the nursery and simply needed help selecting a paint color, fabric for the bedding, curtains and a rug. the goal was to create a comfortable space for a sweet baby girl that wasn't full of the typical "girl" color...pink. the end result was a combination of many colors, both subtle and bold. the walls are a light blue which provides a great backdrop for the bold bedding fabric that draws in purple, navy, green, yellow and a little bit of pink. the multiple patterns all come together with a unified color palette that is carried throughout the room.

the blanket, below, was made by the mom and her grandma....beautiful!

multiple patterns can be used together with a unified color palette.

color pop! this color palette is not typical of most nursery's. navy, lavender, pink, green, grey, and blue make up this sophisticated color palette. these colors and patterns could easily transition into a toddler's room a few years down the road.

congratulations to allison and michael on their new bundle of joy!

design highlight....take 3

2011-01-26T07:00:00.002-06:00

the watson's family room

BEFORE

AFTER

the family room is the epicenter of this family. located right off the kitchen, the family room becomes the place to gather in the evenings. this space needed to incorporate a small family dining area as well as a comfortable seating area. also needed was new paint, ceiling light fixture & floor lamps, rug, ottomans, curtains, and art. beacuse of the shape of the room, the way to get the most seating was to utilize a large sectional. this was a custom furniture piece with a durable, neutral fabric. instead of a typical coffee table i chose to use four leather ottomans that double as storage cubes. these can be rearranged throughought the room as needed. the family dining is located behind the sectional and is a unique table that can swivel to be typical table height or taller for standing height. the color palette for the family room starts with a fresh light grey/blue color on the walls, which accentuates the wood beams and terra cotta tile floor. the sculpted rug has an organic pattern with chocolate brown, citron green, cream, pink and light orange. the art in this room is focused on the family. family portraits and art pieces from travels are displayed throughout. this is a family room that is functional, flexible and most of all comfortable.

another beautiful rug! a great way to add pattern and color to a room.

color pop! the color palette for this room utilizes light colors with dark accents. the existing tile floor and wood beams are a rich masculine brown. the lighter blue, green, and pink are a great feminine balance for what could become a very dark space. the result is a comfortable and inviting room for the whole family.

the watson's foyer

that is all of the watson residence for now. it was a super fun project to work on and i am so glad i was able to reconnect with some old friends!

design highlight...take 2

2011-01-25T07:00:00.007-06:00

the watson's dining room

BEFORE

i could eat dinner in here, how about you?

AFTER

this is the watson's dining room, it is located directly across from their formal living room, which i highlighted yesterday.

for this project we needed curtains, a light fixture, wall treatment, art, and a buffet piece. since the floor, table, and chairs are all existing and dark wood, i wanted to brighten the room. the white and silver trellis pattern wallcovering added just the right amount of interest to the walls. instead of doing one large light fixture right in the center of the dining room, i opted for two smaller fixtures that would center over the long table. the buffet was an existing piece, of the client's, that i had refinished in a white lacquer. it completely changed its look and made it work perfectly for the space. the blue silk draperies create a focal point while breaking up all of the white. a simple color palette and pattern can create a calm and comfortable atmosphere.

this is a perfect example of how you can take more traditional pieces and pair them with more contemporary colors and patterns to create a unique space.

this piece of furniture was a dark wood and black. paint can make a huge difference on furniture. it can give a second life to a piece that otherwise you might get rid of...and not to mention that it is great on the pocket book! i love this wall covering. it makes such a statement, but yet it is so simple. it can go traditional or more contemporary/modern.

BEFORE

AFTER

the color pop for this space shows the tight color palette. the blue tones pair perfectly with the dark browns in the floor and furniture, while the bright whites and silver lighten the space.

stay tuned for more tomorrow!

design highlight

2011-01-24T07:00:00.002-06:00

getting things in place for my new business has made me take the time to photograph recent residential projects i have completed. this week i am going to show a different space each day.

at my past job i did all commercial interior design. that means that i worked on schools, churches, offices, pharmacies, etc. residential and commercial interior design is very different. the commercial interior design that i did was very much interior architecture. in my free time i was able to work on some great residential projects that included furniture selection, art selection, rugs, and accessories. so, onto the first design highlight....

the watson's formal living room

BEFORE

this family had just moved into a new home and needed help with furniture selection, rugs, art, and accessories. also, the client had a few pieces of family art that they wanted to incorporate into the room. the gorgeous chandelier was existing and was a great focal point to work around. the walls stayed their original neutral color which was a great backdrop for the rich materials, textures, and colors. Turquoise, citron green, burnt orange, and charcoal give the space interest in an otherwise neutral palette. by combining elegant pieces and formal items with rustic touches,the combination of all these elements allows the room to become a very welcoming place where many people can gather.

the mirror credenza reflects the colors and design from the area rug.

this rug is gorgeous. it is hard to tell from the photo, but it is a "sculpted" rug. it's not just flat. there are grooves that separate the design and colors. gorgeous!

the bird art on the wall are family prints. by placing them in a white frame your focus is on the subject matter instead of the actual frame. the daybed creates the perfect reading spot in the formal living room.

the painting above the desk was painted by one of the client's grandparents. bringing sentimental touches into a space allows the space to become home. the desk, with extensions on either end, doubles as additional eating space for large dinner parties.

here is a color pop of the space. you can see how bold colors can work very nicely in a formal space, without being too overbearing and heavy. the color palette, along with all the textures, and materials, helps make this formal living room a comfortable and inviting space.

i hope you enjoyed the photo tour of the watson's formal living room! you will be seeing more of their home later this week...stay tuned!

what's cookin' this week

2011-01-23T14:19:00.000-06:00

i have a couple of confessions to make...

#1 the crock pot meatloaf has been on my list 3 times now b/c things keep coming up. BUT i am making it MONDAY!

#2 you will notice that the pork barbacoa is on my list again {it was there last week}. the reason being...i only did half the recipe! i marinated the pork, cooked the pork, shredded it, and then ate it. it was good, but i completely missed the last half of the recipe where you add a whole sauce with chipotle peppers and and then let it cook another 1 1/2 hours. so, we will try it again this week and hope to do the WHOLE recipe!

#3 i tried the moroccan chickpea chili that was on my menu last week and it was not good, unless you LOVE chickpeas. so, don't waste your time! {i must apologize to dave and sarah for subjecting them to it!}

onto the menu:

crockpot meatloaf w/ fingerling potatoes & green beans

barbacoa pork rice bowls

chicken shitake & wild rice soup

chicken parmesan with orzo and spaghetti sauce from "the hill" in st. louis {thanks sarah!}

spicy stir-fry chicken & spinach

happy monday!

recipes

2011-01-21T09:13:00.000-06:00

the first recipe is one of my favorites growing up. it is oh so yummy!

Sausage & Rice Casserole

1 1/2 pound sausage

1 cup green pepper, diced

1 cup celery, diced

1/2 cup onion, diced

1 1/4 cup dry instant rice

2 cans 99% fat free cream of chicken soup

1 can 99% fat free cream of mushroom soup

1 can water

Brown sausage. Drain fat and brown celery, pepper and onion. In a large bowl combine the sausage and vegetable mixture. Add rice, soup, and water and mix together. Pour mixture into a greased baking dish. Bake covered with foil at 350 degrees for 50 minutes, take cover off and brown top. This freezes great!

this next recipe usually goes over very well with the kiddos....and it's super easy!!!

Dorito Casserole

1 pound ground beef

1 can 99% fat free cream of chicken soup

1 can chili beans

1 can rotel, tomatoes w/ green chilis

Dorito chips

Shredded cheese

Brown ground beef. In a bowl, mix together beef, soup, chili, & rotel. In a deep, greased, casserole dish, start with chips on the bottom, then a layer of the meat mixture, then chips, meat....continue until you run out of meat. Meat should be on top of the casserole. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake on 350 degrees until it is hot through and cheese is melted.

Okay, the next recipe is for all those chocolate lovers out there.....beware!

Chocolate Sheath Cake

2 cups flour

1 cup water

2 eggs

3-4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 stick margarine

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix sugar and flour. Heat butter, cocoa, and water in a saucepan until it reaches boiling. pour hot mixture over dry ingredients, add buttermilk with soda, eggs, and vanilla. Pour onto a greased cookie sheet {that has edges on all 4 sides} and bake for 20 minutes.

Icing:

1 stick margarine

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

6 tablespoons milk

1-2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1/2 cup pecans {optional}

Heat margarine, milk, and cocoa over heat until margarine is melted and it is beginning to boil. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and nuts. Pour over cake in cookie sheet.

***i did not claim that these were all healthy recipes! but they sure are good!***

Happy Friday!!!

recipes {soup's}

2011-01-20T07:33:00.000-06:00

so, i guess i will jump on the "it's going to snow, let's cook soup or chili" bandwagon. it always amazes me when we have winter weather, here in tulsa, how the possibility of a few snow flakes on the ground can send the entire city running to grocery store within a matter of hours! i guess that's what you get when you only have a couple true snows a year. so, onto the recipes.....here are a couple of our favorite soup's...

full moon cafe chicken tortilla soup

combine thesee ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil:

3 cans chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon pepper

to thicken:

in a small sauce pan melt 1/2 stick butter. stir in 3/4 cup flour. cook over low heat stirring constantly until mixture is smooth and thickened. stir roux into chicken broth.

add:

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 pint fat free half & half

2 teaspoons diced jalapenos

1 10 ounce can rotel tomatoes with chilis

1 cup cooked, diced chicken meat {or one can of canned chicken}

cook over low heat stirring frequently. to hold, place soup in top of a double boiler over hot water {or wait to add shredded cheese until a few minutes before serving}. serve with pico de gallo, guacamole and tortilla chips.

shrimp and black bean chili

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon canola oil

15 oz. black beans, rinsed and drained

14 1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes undrained

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1 cup fat free chicken broth

1/3 cup picante sauce

1 teaspoon cumin

1 pound uncooked shrimp peeled & deveined

in a large sauce pan, saute onion and green pepper in oil for 4 to 5 minutes or until crisp tender. stir in the beans, tomatoes, broth, picante sauce, cumin and basil. reduce heat and simmer uncoverend for 15 minutes or until heated through. add shrimp and simmer until shrimp turn pink and are done.

hope everyone enjoys their winter weather here in tulsa!

recipes {poppy seed chicken & poppy seed cake}

2011-01-18T22:21:00.001-06:00

today it's all about the poppy seeds!

poppy seed chicken

1 can chicken {or 1 pound chopped chicken breast}

1 can 99% fat free cream of celery soup

1 can 99% fat free cream of mushroom soup

1 cup fat free sour cream

1 small package slivered almonds

mix all of the above ingredients and place in a well greased 9x13 dish.

topping:

1/4 lb. Ritz crackers, crushed

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

1 stick margarine, melted

mix until crackers are well coated with margarine and poppy seeds. put cracker mixture ontop of chicken mixture. bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until bubbly.

poppy seed cake

3 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/8 cup oil

1 1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 teaspoon each of the following flavors: almond, vanilla & butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

2 1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds

mix oil and sugar together. gradually alternate dry ingredients with milk. add flavors and poppy seeds at the end of mixing. pour into 2, greased, loaf pans. bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until done with the toothpick test {insert toothpick into top of cake and remove. if there is batter on the toothpick the cake is not done yet, if the tooth pick is clean then it is done}

icing:

1/4 cup orange juice

3/4 cup powdered sugar

mix together with a whisk and pour over cake.

***tip: try to avoid any drug tests after eating all these poppy seeds!***

enjoy!

recipe {mexican lasagna}

2011-01-17T23:12:00.001-06:00

as you can see, my blog is a little different. it is "under construction" for the time being, so bear with me please!

onto the recipe of the day...

mexican lasagna

1 1/2lb. ground beef

1 cup diced tomatoes, fresh or canned

1 can diced green chilies

2 eggs beaten

2 cups shredded cheese

1 pkg. taco seasoning mix

1 can {15 oz} tomato sauce

1 cup ricotta cheese

10 corn tortillas

in a large skillet brown ground beef, drain fat. add taco seasoning mix, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and chilies; blend well. bring mixture to a boil. reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes. in small bowl combine ricotta cheese and eggs. in the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan, spread 1/2 of meat mixture. top with 1/2 of the corn tortillas, spread ricotta cheese mixture on top of tortillas. put another layer of tortillas. top with remaining meat mixture. top with cheese. bake uncovered in 350 degree oven 20 to 30 minutes. let stand 10 minutes before cutting into squares.

enjoy!

what's cookin' this week

2011-01-16T22:33:00.002-06:00

this week i have a couple carry-over's from last week and all the other recipes are a first time try for me. wish me luck!

chicken enchiladas

crock pot meat loaf with red potatoes

barbacoa pork rice bowl

black bean burgers w/ mango salsa

moroccan chickpea chili w/ orange & green olive salad

i have had quite a few people ask for some easy week night recipes. so, each day this week i will give out at least one recipe from my family cook book that my mom gave me a few years ago for christmas. they will be easy, quick and tasty! some may have pics, some won't. so, for this week's first recipe.....

chicken spaghetti

1 1/4 cup cooked spaghetti

1 can white meat chicken

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

1 cup shredded cheese {any kind}

1 can 99% fat free cream of chicken soup

2 tablespoons picate sauce {any kind works, could be chipotle flavored, regular, anything}

1/2 cup chopped onion

cook spaghetti, drain and set aside. mix chicken, onion, cream of chicken soup, green peppers, picate sauce and spaghetti together. pour into greased 9x13 baking pan. top with cheese. cook at 325 degrees for 45 minutes. start in cold oven. this is a great dish to make ahead and freeze...skip baking, wrap in foil and pop in freezer until you are ready to bake it.

chocolate mousse

{the easiest mousse you will ever make!!!}

1/2 cup chocolate syrup {i use the sugar free or lite version}

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups fat free cool whip {one small tub}

allow cool whip to thaw {by sitting on counter....do not microwave it!}, it should not be frozen. in a medium bowl, combine cocoa, vanilla and syrup until smooth; fold in cool whip. do not stir in a circular motion...fold it in otherwise it will start to break down. once it is mixed you can either spoon into bowls and eat as is or it is wonderful in the small pre-made phyllo cups that you can buy at the store. i also put it in the individual sized graham cracker crusts that you can buy at the store. if you want, it is great to top with any kind of fruit.

happy monday!

getting there

2011-01-14T10:32:00.000-06:00

just got my federal tax id # and have my application for the state board of architecture, landscape architecture, and interior design, filled out. just have to get notorized and mailed off. then comes the filing with the state.

getting closer and closer!

yay!

the business of being in business....

2011-01-10T16:27:00.000-06:00

my oh my at all the things to get set up! i managed to completely and utterly confuse myself with the whole email/calendar/contacts thing. i have used hotmail in for years and love it. when i started this whole business venture i googled how to sync my hotmail account with my microsoft outlook account, allowing me to easily manage contacts and my calendar. the next fete was to sync that to my iphone, which is impossible b/c hotmail doesn't have some sort of pop something other that would allow the iphone and computer to wirelessly sync. i could plug my phone into my computer and sync it, but i wanted the syncing process to be wireless. i found this out only after hours of googling and trying different things and then finally making an appointment at the apple store for them to try and help. and that is where the nice guy told me it wasn't possible....but that i could purchase another program for $100 that would work. no thanks.

after leaving the mall and heading to my new office {aka the nearest starbucks}, i remembered seeing on my iphone, where you add email accounts, that gmail was an option {hotmail was not}. so, i thought, what the heck, i'll give it a try. so again, i googled how to do it and after following the instructions it worked! the new gmail account would sync with my microsoft outlook which would then syc to my iphone allowing me to update. now the trick was to sync all my contacts and emails from my original hotmail account to my new gmail account. again, thank you google for providing answers to everything! so, after multiple days and hours of trying to figure this dang thing out....it is DONE! i can email, add contacts, and appointments from either the computer or my phone and it will all sync nicely. whew!

so, the moral of this story is: if you want to sync a free email with microsoft outlook and then to your iphone....don't use hotmail! hopefully someone else can benefit from my hours of frustration!

on a happier, unfrustrated note, i am enjoying my new schedule and office. the chairs are so comfy and it's snowing right now, which makes it even better. so far, monday's are much better now than they were!

what's cookin' this week

2011-01-10T06:00:00.000-06:00

pernil {puerto rican pork} with black beans & rice

homemade pizza & salad

sesame beef stirfry

crockpot meatloaf {new recipe from mom} w/ red potatoes & green beans

chicken enchiladas & salad

cuban paninis

shrimp & black bean chili

happy monday!

new beginnings

2011-01-07T23:16:00.000-06:00

A writing that a friend of mine and mymichael sent me...

New Beginnings

By Daisy E. Vest

A new day can simply bring new beginnings

New beginnings that may require changes

Changes that may challenge our thoughts

Thoughts that were once routines

Routines that need breaking...

Breaking away from the old

A new beginning can simply bring new uncertainties

New uncertainties that may lead to failed efforts

Failed efforts that may lead to great discoveries

Discoveries that unveil our hidden abilities...

Abilities that conquer new beginnings!

"Living the uncertainty of a new beginning is more admirable than existing with a reliable old routine."

this is so very true for me right now! the first week of my new gig is over. not so bad. i do have to say that i enjoy my new office {aka the nearest starbucks}. it's amazing how much work i can get done there verses other places! still lots and lots to get set up, but it's moving forward which is exciting.....and nerve racking.

belated abstract christmas lights

2011-01-06T09:57:00.000-06:00

the week of christmas my friend kelly and i went out to rhema and took pictures of christmas lights. each year rhema puts up thousands of beautiful lights with music and everything. it's a great holiday tradition if you live anywhere near tulsa. my favorite pictures that i took are all more abstract. i had lots of fun blurring the lights to get different effects.

to take photos like these, with the lights blurred creating circles, you have to put your lens on manual focus. then play with it until you get the look you like. i think some of these would look really neat blown up really big on canvas!