Thanks for the Free Trial, Photoshop!

I think I'm in love.  Thanks to the free 30-day trial of Photoshop Elements 10, offered by Adobe, I was able to delve into the creative depths of my brain and produce something I don't mind having hang on my wall.

 

Aren't they cute?!  I had Shutterfly make me 11X14 prints of each and they look fabulous.  The prints are crisp and colorful.  How great would it be if every year or so I created a new one with phrases and favorites that remind me of my sweetheart children?  It's a helluva lot more fun than schlepping the baby book out periodically, I can tell you that.  I plan on hinting heavily to my husband that I'd like Santa to bring me the full version of Photoshop Elements 10.  

The Backyard

It didn't used to look like this.

Here's what part of the backyard looked like when we moved in.

broccoli

cabbage

lettuce

We're still not finished with the garden, but I think we're off to a good start.

Before and After : It's Finished!

I planned on using spray paint to improve the look of this nightstand, but it didn't work too well.  

After 1 coat of spray primer and 1 coat of spray paint.

One coat of paint

Roasted Cauliflower

H and I love cauliflower.  My husband claims he doesn't like it.  This recipe didn't change his mind, but another one did (more on that cauliflower recipe soon). 

roast at 450 degrees 20-25 minutes

 The only thing I did differently from the Everyday Food recipe pictured above, besides not measuring, was use smoked Spanish paprika instead of regular paprika.

I bought some cauliflower plants before I researched cauliflower and discovered that it's not one of the easiest vegetables to grow. Wish me luck!  Any cauliflower growing tips?

Paleo Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs

Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs

For the meatballs, I mixed ground pork and ground beef with Italian sausage seasoning, Italian herbs, and garlic powder, along with salt and pepper.

 I browned the meatballs in batches in coconut oil.  I'm using my electric skillet, the same one I used when we were staying in a hotel for a month.  (We were searching for a house at the time, and we were getting sick from eating fast food - our hotel room didn't even have a microwave.  That's when we decided to do the Whole 30.  We bought an electric skillet and I cooked our meals every day in a niche between the bedroom and the bathroom.  And yes, I washed dishes in the bathtub!)

After all the meatballs were browned, I added onions and sauteed them.  Then I added this:

Look at the ingredients!

Before I added the tomato puree, I turned the temperature way down because tomato products spatter like crazy.  If your pan isn't hot, they won't explode everywhere.

I added some garlic and salt to the tomato puree and then I added the meatballs.  I let the mixture simmer, covered, until done.

Now on to the spaghetti squash.

I cut the squash in half and removed the seeds.

I put the one half of the squash in a microwave safe dish (Pyrex!) with a little water and microwaved the squash for about 8 minutes.  Then I cooked the other half of the squash the same way.

My assistant used a fork to make the spaghetti.  She loves this part.

I seasoned the squash with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Before and After: Day 3

I used spray paint for the first coat, but it looked like this:

 

After one coat, I could tell that spray paint wasn't going to work on this nightstand.  It did a great job on the wood used for the drawer, but the wood on the nightstand is different.

See how nice and shiny the edge of the drawer is. 

After a few rain delays, I went to Home Depot and bought a can of paint and paint rollers.  Hopefully I'll be able to get a nice finished nightstand using the right materials.  

 

A Post About Cleaning Kitchen Cabinets That Will Blow Your Mind!

So, I was browsing Apartment Therapy the other day and ended up skimming the comments on a post about cool lampshades or adding a shot of color in unexpected places or somebody's chic post modern bungalow in Toluca Lake when I came upon something that pretty much rocked my world.  Though the idea was beyond simple, it was right up my alley, and something I put into practice that same evening.  Read below for the scoop.  And you're welcome.

KITCHEN TIP: Once you've put the last dish in the dishwasher and wiped the last Cocoa Pebble from your counter, take just a minute more and clean one of your cabinet fronts.  A once daunting task, such as cleaning your kitchen cabinets, is now - PRESTO! - manageable.  

While they may never be all clean at the same time, at least I know that every 25 days each cabinet in my kitchen is getting a little rub down from yours truly.  Call me crazy, but that makes me feel just a little more sane and a lot less gross [since, before tackling this new tactic, I couldn't remember the last time my cabinets had seen the business end of a dish rag]. 

Plus Quilt

I blogged about this quilt a while ago - it's the Plus Quilt, and a tutorial is available from In Color Order.  I finished this quilt before we packed up our things and moved to Alabama, but I forgot to take a picture of it.

The quilt was easy to make, and H loves it.

The backing is a solid from Connecting Threads.  I'm starting to love solids.  I straight line quilted .25 inches from the seams of each block.  You can see I got lazy and only stitched one line vertically!

Baked Kale Chips

I'm no stranger to kale.  I love it!  I first discovered it when I wanted to make Creamy Parmesan Swiss Chard Gratin for Thanksgiving a few years ago.  There was no Swiss chard to be found in Lake Charles, so I substituted kale and it was a hit.  I still make it every Thanksgiving.  

For the baked kale, I pulled the leaves off the stems, washed the leaves and dried them.  I preheated the oven to 375 degrees and spread the dried kale leaves on a parchment lined baking sheet.  After a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper, I put them in the oven.  Here's where I made a mistake.  I started vacuuming the bedroom and forgot about the kale in the oven.  Here's the result:

I'm going to try this recipe again, but this time I'll hang around the kitchen for the 10-15 minutes it takes for the kale to get crispy. 

Before and After: Day 2 - Priming the Nightstand

This morning I assembled everything needed for priming the nightstand.  There's primer, a sanding block, a damp cloth, disposable gloves, and newspaper.  I spread the newspaper on the ground and sanded the parts of the nightstand that I filled with wood filler yesterday.  Next I used the damp cloth to wipe the nightstand.  Then I sprayed with primer, following the directions on the can.  

nightstand with 1 coat of primer

 I'm off to spray the nightstand with 1 more coat of primer.  Tomorrow is painting day, and it's supposed to rain.  Hopefully I'll get the piece painted before the rain comes.  I can't wait to see the finished product. 

Before and After: Day 1 - Sanding and Filling Holes

This nightstand has been following us every time we move.  I know it's not mine, and Mr. Moore, Please doesn't remember where it came from.  We both agree that it needs a little work.

At our New York apartment, H was using this as a sewing table.  Before I let her bring it upstairs at our new house, I wanted to give it a makeover.  

 I gathered sanding blocks, wood filler, a putty knife, spray primer (not pictured), spray paint, and new knobs.  I also used a screwdriver to remove the hinge.

 Always put your hardware and screws in a bowl - a tip from my dad.  Next, I sanded the piece.  It took both sandpaper blocks to remove the finish from the nightstand.

 Then I filled the holes using wood filler and a putty knife.  I will let the putty dry before continuing tomorrow.  See you then.