Creativity

So, I've been on a creativity streak lately. Not so much with words but with what I love best doing...making beautiful things. 

 Yesterday applications become available for a large holiday boutique in my area. I've had the privilege of participating the past two years with my jewelry and a few hair pretties. Although it's been successful for me, I feel like I get lost in a sea of jewelry. I was wanting something different, something that I personally haven't seen a lot of. I was somewhat stumped, so I did what I should always be doing, I prayed, had a group of my friends pray for me and did what a good friend of mine says "work what you've got". Here are a few of the things I've made I the past week.

 Oh, did I mention, this is a juried boutique, I need to be able to show them what I'm doing 5 months out. 

So what do you think??

Have a great weekend, it's going to be HOT here!

Renée

 

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Mother's Day is in less than 2 weeks!!

Here are a few ideas for the special Mom in your life from my Etsy Shop.

For the Trendy Mom:

THIS ONE SOLD!  Click HERE  to see more!

 Girly Girl Hat

For the Elegant, Understated Mom:

Mother Love Necklace 

The Mother-To-Be:

 Baby Wipes Case

Here are a few of my favorite skin care items from my friend's amazing skin care line 
Lily & Co.

 Luxe Minerals

 Mommy's Little Helper

 

Lily & Co. is committed to keeping harmful ingredients out of their formulas. All products are paraben free, no drugs, no propylene glycol or petrolatum products.

Lily & Co. gives a portion of all sales to help ladies get off the streets.

Now through Mother's Day, a portion of my sales will go to help those same ladies.

Renée

Mother's Day Gifts

I've been busy getting some special pieces ready for Mother's Day.  It's coming soon guys, May 13th to be exact!!

Here are a few of the items I've been working on just for your Mother!

Also available in antiqued gold.

Also available in antiqued gold.

These first three pieces are available at my

Etsy shop and also at Green Table Gifts in Chandler Arizona.

This piece is only available at Green Table Gifts plus lots more!

Happy shopping!!

Renée

Missing In Action - Spring Break

It seems like forever since we chatted.  Bad me!!

So many things have been going on.  With two businesses, three teenagers, one husband and many church activities life gets a little hectic!!

 

Spring Break 2012!

 

My Daughter volunteered my cupcake baking abilities for her friend's birthday.  Pink Champagne with green frosting.  They turned out so pretty, I had to share! 

Hubby and I worked through Thursday morning, then we loaded into the Beemer with Dré and Domi and headed off to...da, da, da, DAAAA...

Santa Fe, New Mexico!!

(Coco is in cosmetology school and couldn't go :(  )

 

First stop...Albuquerque for the night.  As we were driving to our yucky motel, Domi  saw a sign for the zoo.  I'm not a big zoo fan but if you're ever in Albuquerque, you HAVE to go!!  Cheap, lots of great animals, up close and out!!  Not like my local zoo.  

 

Then off to lunch.  We really didn't know where to go (don't care for the usual fast food).  We ended up in downtown, saw a pizza place, parked so we could go there. As we were walking, we walked by a noodle bar and had a change of taste!!

Not exactly Dré's favorite meal (too many veggies!)

Then off to the great outdoors, Tent Rock National Monument
and a "little" hiking.

We were shot after this adventure!! Lots of dust, Juniper Trees blooming, major allergy issues.

Off to Santa Fe and our beautiful resort!!  Needless to say, we didn't do anything that night but order pizza and watch TV.

Saturday we were off to visit the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum.  It was great to learn more about her as a person and see the range of her art.

Then we went exploring.  I love architecture and even though I live in the South West, it is so different than my area of the world.

Well I guess these aren't such good examples of the architecture :)

 

Sunday we headed home...not realizing that we were going to be in the worst snowstorm of the year in Arizona.  It started with blowing sand through New Mexico (Bad enough that Hubby needs a new windshield and the front end of his car repainted).  And turned into rain, sleet and snow, lots of snow.  To let you in on a little secret, I've never been in a snow storm, yes it's true! I've lived in the Phoenix area since first grade!!  Sorry, it does snow on rare occasions and you're lucky if you can see it before it melts on your windshield!

We ended up having to spend the night in Showlow.  We made the best of it, stayed warm and made it home so we could work Monday afternoon.

Whew...I'm tired all over again!

Have a blessed Easter!

Renée

Banana, Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Cookies

Yes in another Pinterest moment, I found the recipe for these fabulous cookies!!

I don't know about you, but I have more and more friends that have gluten issues.  I even find that my body does better when I cut out the gluten.  Fortunately it's not a major health issue with me so my kitchen is not gluten free but I do like to find good gluten free recipes to enjoy.

So here you go....

Original recipe from Babble - The Family Kitchen

Peanut Butter & Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you want these gluten-free, ensure you use gluten-free oats.
3 large, very ripe bananas
1/2 cup peanut butter, preferably all-natural (just peanuts), or almond butter
1/4 cup canola or olive oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups old-fashioned (large flake) or quick oats
1/3 cup shredded coconut (optional)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 – 1 cup chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350˚F.

 In a large bowl mash the bananas with the peanut butter, oil and vanilla. In another bowl stir together the oats, coconut, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients along with the chocolate and stir until combined.
Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet, or one that is sprayed with nonstick spray, and bake for 12-14 minutes, until just set. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

I didn't have coconut so I added extra oats, I also don't care for cinnamon in certain things so I skipped that too.

I then put them in a sealed plastic container and froze them.  I'd pop one or too out to soften up when I wanted a little sweet!

Super yummy, much healthier than regular chocolate chip oatmeal cookies.  My picky 17 year old son even liked them!!

Enjoy!!

Renée

Obsessive Monday

Have you seen all the creative things people are doing with Peeps??  I am truly amazed!!

Travel through "Peepland" with me!!

Source: blogs.browardpalmbeach.com via Shawn on Pinterest

Source: blogs.babble.com via sarah burt on Pinterest

Source: lovefromtheoven.com via Jill on Pinterest

Source: havestampswillcraft.blogspot.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: thesavvymomsguide.blogspot.com via Angie on Pinterest

Source: marshmallowpeeps.com via Abby on Pinterest

 

Source: gerberadesigns.com via Cassandra on Pinterest

 Could it get any cuter??? I think not!! 

Happy week!!

Renée

Photo Shoot

I know I've been talking quite a bit about Green Table Gifts, it's just that I'm so excited to be a part of it!

 

 

Before they officially opened, the artists had an opportunity to have a mini photo session with Carlee from Oh Snap Photograpy.  She took product and head shots of us for the use of both Green Table Gifts and our own business use.  I had briefly meet Carlee at the Believe Boutique in Chandler as she would go from vendor to vendor "snapping" photos of all the lovely things we had for sale!  She was so much fun to work with and has a great eye!!

Here's what she came up with for me :)

 (As you can see, these were taken at the same time I did my Pink Champagne Cupcake post.)

I'm so thrilled with how they turned out...

Here are a couple of shot she took of my things at the Believe Boutique

this past November.

Thank you Carlee!!  You're a doll!

Renée

Obsessive Monday - Macaroons

I've fallen in love with French macaroons.  I had my first real one a couple of years ago when my Husband's cousin, Gil, brought some for me when he came for vacation from France.

Source 

They were SO good!

Later we heard about a local bakery where the owner had extensive training from some of the top pastry chefs in Paris.  My dear Husband gave me some for Christmas that year.  I cut each one in half and froze them so I could make them last longer.  He then bought me some for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, my Birthday and Christmas this past year.  Shhh..don't tell, I was hoping to get some for Valentine's day this past week but....hmmm....no such luck.  I may just have to sneak over and pick up my own this week.

Enjoy these beautiful pictures of macaroons!

 Source

Source

Ladurée are suppose to be the best of the best!

Source

Source

Source

Source

I may have to make a stop on my way home from work, I'll keep you posted!!

Happy week!

Renée

Butter Pecan Cookies

Last Monday night I needed a quick and easy desert to take to a meeting.  I was going to make an amazing pie cookie I had seen on Pinterest but I was too tired and didn't have all the ingredients.  I did have two boxes of Butter Pecan cake mix that I had picked up by mistake whe I was making cupcakes for my daughter's graduation party.  So I did what any internet savvy chick would do and looked for a cookie recipe to use my cake mix in.  I tell ya, it couldn't have been any easier and they were quite tasty too!

So here ya go.

  

1 box butter pecan cake mix
2 eggs
1 stick butter

1/4 cup flour

pecan halves 

Soften or melt butter (not hot). Add eggs and beat slightly.Add cake mix and flour mix well (batter will be stiff).

Drop spoonfuls, I used a small cookie/ice cream scoop, and pressed on a pecan half.

Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 10-12 minutes.

There you have it, what could be easier??

Happy baking!

Linked to:
 

Renée

Spring Has Sprung!!

Spring has sprung in my Etsy Shop!

Where I live, the sun is shining and it's around 70 degrees give or take.  I'm seriously NOT bragging, I know what's around the corner (115 degrees) and I DON'T like it!!  However, this weather makes me start thinking of Spring and Easter and since I've been feeling a little creative, I've pulled together some Spring hair jewels!!  By the way, St. Patrick's Day is less than a month away and Easter is April 8th this year.  This year is already going by quickly!

Here are some of my new goodies!

 

  Spring Twisted Rose Hairclip

 

 Flower Bouquet Bobby Pins

Spring Twisted Rose Hairclip

The "Peeps" Bobby Pins

Spring Twisted Rose Hairclip

From now through St. Patrick's Day, I'm offering free shipping with the code SPRING12.

Have a fabulous week!!

Renée