Chicken Tikka Masala

Today the kids and where invited to learn how to cook Chicken Tikka Masala form one of my friends. It was a great time and I realized how different the cooking styles are between my small town USA and her Indian background! I learned so much about spices and how masala is made! Kiran was so great! She provided a recipe (that we didn't follow...so who knows if mine will be the same ;) ) and she even gave me some spices to take home! So when I do try it I will have some of the same spices. I am going to change one things...I'm going to try in a slow cooker!
She also made yellow Dal (My Favorite) and yummy rice :) It was a great day and the leftovers... SOOOO yum!

Today, my gypsy side is taking over

It always starts with strong feeling to run! Get in the car and drive never turn back!

I then come to my senses and realize that is not an option... then leads to finding something less impactful Many times I am able to subside the feeling with crafts, trying new recipes, hanging out with friends, reading a good book or a small trip to get out for awhile. Today the feeling is big!!! Maybe a trip is in store...or a new journey 

This makes me think back when my grandmother and I talked about me feeling that way. She would laugh or smile and say it’s just the gypsy in us and we will always have that feeling. I think that was her way of saying that we are free spirits. :)

Monday Pinterest trial

while making dinner on I figured that I would try a Pinterest recipe that I had pinned. It was a Bacon & Jalapeno poppers. I didn't have the bacon so I modified it to Jalapeno poppers. It went together very quickly but I didn't feel like the Jalapeno was spicy enough when I tried one. Think I still need more work on this one and might need to add Bacon next time :)

Metal like letters

Ah! Finally the rain has retuned and the snow is melting... all is going back to everyday life! :) A whole week of working from home with two kids to care was lots of fun! I was nice to have the family together but it will be nice to get back to school and work! Nothing really new to report today :( I had wanted to play with some new craft stuff but got sidetracked with cleaning the house and reading stuff on the web... Tomorrow I am hosting the card club and I want to try some of the things that I have found on Pinterest!!!
I did find a photo of an old project that did out of the big letter that I got at Jo-anns. I wanted mine to look metal so I found a great site that showed step by step (Isabella and Max Room) and then I just used paint that I had around to make mine.

Yummy, Yummy!

Today I made one of the best and easiest treat! I found in on Pinterest and all the ladies at my party LOVED them!!! http://texascottage.blogspot.com/2011/08/smore-cups.htm

No power and snow

Last two days we have had snow and school has been canceled... This is so hard for a working mom of two but I am blessed that I can work from home. So after work the kids I went outside to play and poof the power went out. It has been all new for they kids! Asking if the can watch TV, charge DS, or watch Netflix... We currently snuggled on the couch. They are watching a movie on an iPod and I'm using the iPhone version to blog. Think this is going to be our night until the power comes back on... Here is a photo of the wreath I made for my front door for Christmas.

Today I finished a little Valentine spirit for the front door! I keep moving thing around on it so I actually cut out the hearts on my Cricut /Gypsy and glued them to clothespins so I could move them easily. The are made from a Foam Glitter sheet. The smaller dark heart is made off of the Doodlecharms Cartridge and the light pink is from the Gypsy Wanderings Cartridge. I got the other fun items at Michael's 

Today we had a light snow so the kids enjoyed sledding and snowball fights. To warm up the family I tried my hand at Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry. This being my first try at it and the family to like it I say it is a win!!! With all the fun outside I really didn't get to any crafting or starting on the cabinet. Maybe tomorrow.

The start of craft room beautification project! I have unattractive cabinet that I look at while I'm crafting and I have come up with a makeover plan! I have been working on this idea for awhile and my goal is to get the actual painting started!!!

 Here is the sketch of my vision on paper. I am going to prime the cabinet with magnetic paint then paint it with soft pink. Later I will paint on the tree ( I think with a brown magnetic paint) then place the magnet flowers that I have already made. This way I will be able to display the items that I'm working on or the things that inspire me!!!!

Below is a quick review of the magnets:
Items needed:

• Flowers that you like
• E-6000 Glue
• Magnets ( I used 3/4" magnets)

cut the flower off the bunch

 Place the glue on the magnet and stick the flower in the glue. Note: I thing that I found is that you have to make sure you cut the flower enough that it doesn't stick up too much cause it will fall over! :)

 As you can see I didn't find that out until they dried. I don't think it will be that big of an issue. You can check it out when I get the finished product done. :)

 Here is a  photo of some of the finished flowers...Now to the sanding and painting!!!

Friday the 13th!!! One of my favorite days! Today had a lot of first... in the morning I tried the homemade creamer and well it need to do some work... I must have done something wrong. :(

Later in the morning I went to a hindu temple with some of my dear Indian friend. I love the feeling of being not sure of the new but having the comfort of friends around you!!! Oh my it was great and I loved that they took the time to let me soak it all in and ask questions and learn. :)

I also tried to make fried rice! http://themealplannerprintable.blogspot.com/2009/05/fried-rice.html

The kids say it is a winner!!! 

Tomorrow--- Crafting, skill or adventure 

Homemade coffee creamer

Today this was the first time I made homemade creamer. I found it on Pinterest and just had to try and make it! I picked the French vanilla...guess I will see tomorrow how it taste! Here is the link on how to make the creamer.
http://deliciouslyorganic.net/homemade-coffee-creamer/

More Christmas cards

Something new...Today my kids picked the sides for dinner. Son wanted rice and daughter wanted Corn on the cob. This was great cause it let me try the rice cooker that we got over the weekend.  We have never had a fancy rice cooker but this one was sooooo cool! It has a setting for White rice/ Brow rice. you can do a quick cook. Crazy really but they loved the rice and I was excited that the rice didn't stick together and yummy! :) I made extra rice because later this week I'm going to try to make fried rice (another first)!

Old Dawg!!!

One of our dear friends turned the big 40 and on the apple cup we had a party for him and his wife asked me to make a cake for him. This is what I came up with for the old Dawg ;)

Pinterest craft- Christmas centerpiece

My interpretation of an idea I found on Pinterest!!! it looked great on the Christmas dinner table with the family. :)

UW cake

During football season we I made one hubby's work. It went together quickly and was a big hit at his work! :)

Trying something new...

This year I feel like making a resolution… in the past my resolutions have consisted of fun things like to better accessorize or something lame like going to bed early. This year my resolution is to try something new everyday (or at least once a week!) This could be anything new food, something off Pinterest or just something new that breaks up everyday life.

While revisiting the new bath detox recipe that I got off Pinterest J I had the idea to blog the things that I do new. Mostly so that I will have a log to look back over at the end of the year and how knows it might inspire someone else! J

Today is Jan 9, 2012 …let’s do a little backtracking.

Jan 1- New Year!!

Jan 2- organized pantry ( I will post photos soon)- Ideas from Pinterest :)

Jan 3- I tried a new slow cooker- Italian Beef For Sandwiches that I got from this link: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slow-Cooker-Italian-Beef-for-Sandwiches/Detail.aspx

It was good just think that I need to figure out what to do with the left overs… One idea I had is making shredded beef tacos

Jan 4 - bath detox recipe off Pinterest.

Jan 5-Dinner at the Tandom with Friends (we had never been there). I also made homemade Chicken noodle soup for dinner

Jan 6- I went to see a new movie with family. hehe…I have been to the movies just not this one ;-) !!! also tried to make the shredded beef tacos with the leftover Italian Beef sandwiches. I would have been really good if I wouldn’t have put too much taco seasoning! One packet would have been good J

Jan 7-went downtown to a new bar for a dear friends birthday party and got to meet new friends. ( I love new and old friends!)

Jan 8- yesterday I made Butter Chicken… My daughter and I went to our local Indian grocery store and got a few things that we love and a few things that we needed. I loved the smell of all new spices! To my delight hubby and my son liked it!!! I however think that it needs work… one thing it needs is less salt.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-indian-butter-chicken/detail.aspx

Jan 9- Finally we have made it to today! Maybe one of my new favorite thing! My daughter and I walked together, holding hands and talking. Walking isn’t something new but we did it even though it was pouring down rain! We got raincoats on and umbrella out and just walked, holding hands and talking. I loved how simple and how wonderful it was!!!