Waldorf Astoria Cake 🎂 (aka Red Velvet)

This is the BEST red velvet you have ever tasted! And the frosting: so unique!

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Will You Be Mine—-Craft? A 2019 Valentine Card.

SO...I am a girlie girlie GIRLIE girl!!!! Head to toe, in and out, through and through. But then on May 2nd, 2009... this girlie girl birthed herself a BABY BOY!!! And this baby boy 👦🏼 was truly, ALL BOY! Head to toe, in and out, through and through. Ball was his first word. A golf…

Easy Like Sunday Mornin’ : Bread Recipe

Have a desire to make some homemade bread? It's not as difficult as you may think. Let the bread rise while you're doing another task and the time just flies by!

Revamping an old stool

Ever have furniture pieces that just don't fit in your home anymore? Before donating them to Goodwill, think about giving them a FACE LIFT!

Sundown Sipper, another yummy cocktail.

Hey hey hey!!!!  Everyone gearing up for Valentine's day?!  Oh you know you've been shopping for the perfect pink outfit, sampling chocolates to decide which to serve and sipping on some tasty bubbly all month month long! 🙂 I have done NOTHING!  Ok, maybe I bought some cards for my kids and hubby but that…

Tween Room

I am laughing right now.  This room has been a "work in progress" for almost a year?!  Could that be?  And to tell you the truth, it's been done for a while but it is NEVER PHOTO WORTHY!  As a 'tween on the go, with 4 nights of dance, one night of choir and a…

The Kids Bath is COMPLETE!

Remember the "mini reveal" of "how to stencil" a Bathroom back in October?  Well...all the details are complete!  Come take a peek at our kids bathroom remodel! Last spring we decided it was time to "remodel" the kids bathroom.  To save on cost, we kept the footprint of the room, the toilet and even the cabinets.  What…

New Year’s Re….cipes!!!

Do you make New Year's resolutions?  I don't.  I can't handle the disappointment in myself if I don't stick to it.  Do you know how many New Year's resolutions are broken?!  According to the US News, 80% of resolutions are broken by the second week in February.  That's such a bummer!!! Instead of a "New…

The Duvet Struggle is OVER!

This blog is to share all my new discoveries!  'Cuz, when I find a new trick or recipe that I LOVE, I want to share it with the WORLD!  With YOU!!!!  Over winter break, we spent some time at our place in Sunriver.  Besides playing in the snow, skiing a day or two, there was…

Tidying Up

A few years back, I tried to read what was said to be the most amazing book: The Life-Changing Art of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo.  And to tell you the truth, this girl (meaning ME) could NOT get into it!!!!  I love my STUFF!!! But...as this 2019 New Year came, we returned from our…

Homemade Ornament

Did you see my instagram post last week? It was PARTY WEEK at the elementary school and we decided to do a Candyland theme, including an oversized Candyland game I created for the 3rd graders. It was such a hit! Well, this little project is what sparked the idea! To continue with the Candyland theme,…

Flop to POP: A Wreath Miracle

Have you ever had a vision in your head and then when you executed, it just didn't work?  It happens ALL-THE-TIME, RIGHT?!  What's even worse is when it happens with a client. (yeiks!)  Here's what happened... The Job A few weeks ago a client of mine had me decorate her 12' tree.  She had boxes…

2018 Holiday Home Tour

Welcome to my 2018 holiday home! Come on in!

Ginger Fizz Cocktail

Hey y'all! Anyone feeling festive?!!!  Well a signature cocktail is JUST THE THING to put you in a festive mood! 😉 I've been serving up a few new beverages this season and this one one is one of my favorites for a large group or if you are just serving 2. 🙂  Plus, it was…

Salted Caramel Nut Brittle

Now is the time for baking and giving!  I love making homemade gifts to give to our special friends, teachers, bus drivers, etc.  Last year, you may remember, I made my favorite granola recipe (see here!)  This year I wanted to try something NEW! Making the Brittle Years ago I bought a candy thermometer.  Don't…

It’s a Candy kind of Christmas

Do you ever get an idea in your head and you JUST HAVE TO DO IT?!!! It all started when I saw these adorable red lanterns on Krystal of Simply-girly.com's Instagram feed.  She said they were from Walmart, of all places.  I had never been to a Walmart Superstore and had no clue where the…

Sunriver for the Holidays

Meadowhouse 7, our Sunriver rental

Finding “The Feed” Sign

I love going picking!  No!  Not the nose (Ok, maybe I've been around 9 year old boys too much lately) but antique or vintage shopping!!! The year we were remodeling our Sunriver kitchen, we were in California visiting my parents.  And you know how I love to walk in downtown Willow Glen, San Jose, CA . …

It’s Cranberry Jammy Cocktail Time!

It's Saturday night, before Thanksgiving and we are home.  The day was filled with shopping at the Plunky Maidens Christmas Marketplace, lots of odds and ends errand running and de-cluttering of the house.  As the craziness subsides, I decided to shake up a cocktail for my husband and I before dinner. This week, I had…

Gifting

Some easy gift ideas.

Spooky Spider

Hi all!  OK, real quick...I'm gonna share with you the spooky spider my son and I created last week.  Leave it to Better Homes & Gardens to inspire me!  I mean, how many pages need to get 'doggy eared' before I just say, "DAMN!  This is a good addition this month :)" October 2018 issue…

Kids Bathroom

Quick tutorial on how to stencil your walls to look like wallpaper!

Pumpkin Painting

customizing your pumpkins with spray paint

One Bowl Banana Bread

Easy, one bowl muffin recipe

Almond Streusel Blueberry Muffins

It's July 2nd and I am down in California at my parents' house.  Every morning, I climb out of bed, roll into the kitchen and see my dad, sitting in his same oak antique chair in the family room, coffee on his side table, newspaper in hand and watching the news.  I go about my…

Margarita Mama’s 2018

Margarita Party

She’s my cherry pie!!!

Do you have a group of gals that you get together with every month?  Whether it’s book club or wine night or just a mom’s night out?  Well I am fortunate enough to have moved into this beautiful neighborhood 9 years ago, when my youngest was 2 weeks old. (Oh yes. That’s a WHOLE OTHER…

Let’s Celebrate!

Lemon Blueberry Cake with Cream Cheese frosting...YUUMMMM!

Infusion Time!

So, I don't know about you, but there are a LOT of get-togethers in the the spring: Memorial Day,  Cinco De Mayo, dinner parties, end of year parties, ...and on and on and on!  We are all trying to squeeeeeze in time with our friends before everyone is off on their summer vacations with their…

Back on a health kick

We are right in the middle of baseball season and man, our food choices have gone RIGHT OUT THE WINDOW!!!  Frozen corn dogs, microwaved bean and cheese burritos, just ANYTHING quick with a little protein to scarf down in 10 minutes before we head out the door and are gone for 3+ hours! Something had…

It’s how I Cinco De Mayo :)

Any other Irish girl LOOOOVE Cinco De Mayo like me?!!!  Maybe it's the street tacos I dream of!  Or the live music of a fabulous mariachi band playing!  Or even the fresh, "made-at-your-table" guacamole that you dip your freshly salted chips into.  Aaaahhh! How can you go wrong with live music, fresh appetizers and a…

Thank You Gift

Thank you's are important.  You can't say thank you enough and the written thank you is a life skill that I am hoping to pass down with my children and hope they will continue to do so with their children.  Our world is filled with so much technology that takes us away from these intimate…

Wallpaper Accent Wall

Holy hello, my little blog!  I have been neglecting you!!!  It is not that I have been sitting on my buttocks, watching Soaps all day and eating Bon Bons!   With dance competition season and baseball season (hubbie's the coach), school auction and art project deadlines, traveling to LA, etc., our lives have been in a…

An Egg-cellent Easter Activity

YAY! It's spring break!  And what do the Manos' do on spring break?  Chill out and get ready for Easter, of course!! 🙂 After seeing Hamilton (YES!  WE GOT TICKETS!!!), we headed to our Sunriver home Sunday morning.  Whenever we come to Sunriver, we have lots of together time: walking to the village, having hot…

TGIF: Green Cucumber

Well it's almost St. Patties Day!!!!  Time to pull out all the green in your closet!!!!  I love green but I don't tend to purchase things that are green.  In grade school if I (heaven forbid) forgot to wear green on March 17th, I could always use the excuse that I have GREEN EYES (so…

Delightful Veggie-packed Dinner

I love a challenge.  I DON'T love to challenge people!  I am referring to when I hear someone say, "Oh, that can't be done." or "Only she can pull that off" or "I have no idea how that would be created."  It sparks something in me that takes it from "No you can't" to "YES…

TGIF: The Bubbly Grape

Valentine's Day is long gone but the pink bubbly lives on! Today for TGIF, I am bringing to you a lovely light beverage that will tickle your taste buds and enlighten your mind.  Today, I bring you The Bubbly Grape. It is an infused drink (I just love an infusion, don't you?!!!) topped off with…

TGIF: New Orleans Special

Have you been to New Orleans?  I have!  ONCE! It was with my parents and my little sis. I was only 12 years old.  I remember going to dinner at Brennan's, this super fancy restaurant where the men were required to wear a suit jacket to be seated!  Well... my family and I had been traveling…

Frozen Party

Does your little one LOVE Frozen, the movie?!!! With all this snow in Portland, I thought I'd share my daughter's FROZEN birthday party from a few years ago.  If I asked my daughter today, she would say this was "soooo 3 years ago" but looking back, it was such a fun party to pull together.…

The Search for a Dresser

Have you ever sold something on Craigslist?  My husband has been very successful doing so but I have not.   Not that I have tried.  I'm a little scared :).  I leave him to deal with the strangers.  But... I've looked...oh have I looked on Craigslist!  I can think of one piece in our house, the…

Sunday Morning Griddle Cakes

In my freezer, I had one cup left of our fresh frozen blueberry pickings from last year.  The 2017 season was not the best for blueberries in the Northwest.  It just did not get hot enough to produce an abundance of berries and so we have been cherishing every last blueberry we picked.  So...what better…

The BEST Chocolate Granola

OK, kids.  It's baking time!!!!  This gal, McKel Hill over at Nutrition Stripped gave me a challenge.  In her book, there is a recipe titled "The Best Chocolate Granola" and merely because of the title, I HAD TO TRY IT OUT!  Will it truly live up to it's name?  We are setting out to find…

Easy $12 Bouquet

Valentine's Day is next week---WHAT??!!! How did this happen?  *sigh* I have always told my husband, "DO NOT get me flowers for Valentine's Day!"  Seriously.  They hike up the prices just for that one week. Come February 15th, that $50 bouquet is now back to $14.95.  It's so absurd. Once again, I have a trick…

TGIF Cocktail: Crimson Kiss

It's FRIDAY COCKTAIL HOUR!  And today I am bringing to you a sweeeeet sensation for you and your valentine!!!!  It's called the Crimson Kiss. One word that sets this adult beverage apart from the rest: AMARETTO!  Holy cow.  Amaretto elevates this little tasty little number to a whole new level. Note: they sell Disaronno Amaretto…

Last Minute Valentine Idea

Do you make your own Valentine's Day cards?  I think we have always made our own.  It's fun.  My kids, especially now, love to cruise thru Pinterest looking for fun creative ideas.  Of course, my oldest insists on giving away candy.  My youngest still loves something to play with like a ball or origami fish…

Auction Art—oh what fun! ;)

Oh my gosh, you won't even believe what I am doing right now...copying outlines of umbrellas.  And it's not working quite right with my printer.  I am having to print one at a time, and then flip the odd sized paper over and reprint and... ugh! It's such a PAIN!!!  I just keep telling myself,…

Dinner for Two (or more!)

As we all know, Valentine's Day is coming up in a few weeks.  Do you have any traditions?  Other than baking my mom's recipe for red velvet cake in our heart-shaped cake pan, our plans change depending on the year. This year,  I thought I would stylize a table for my kids and their friends. …

Costume time!

Designing a custom costume without starting from scratch.

Baby G’s Shower

It's rain, rain, and more rain over here in Portland, Oregon!!!  The sun is TRYING to poke it's head thru the clouds. In fact, WAIT!  I have to run out and grab that ray of sunshine right now!!!! Ahh...I'm back! 🙂  Crazy Oregonians drop whatever they are doing in order to enjoy their outdoor time! …

A little sip of Paris

I had the best weekend last weekend and I think it's because it all started with this delicious and simple cocktail! 🙂  (Isn't Winston the cutest in the background?!  I had to include him in the photo!  In fact, I think he's eyeing my cocktail!!!!!) As always, I was browsing the "NEW ITEMS" section at…