All tied up!

Just had to tell you a quick laugh......

We are getting everything ready for the mayhem cooking session 

that will ensue early tomorrow morning.

The Stig was looking for the twine to tie up the turkey birds.

He said :

"I bet its upstairs with all your decorating crap".

Ooopsie. 

I guess he knows me pretty well - 

Ha!

I better get another roll so I can finish 

wrapping up those Christmas gifts!!

And speaking of twine.....

Check out Meridian Road's post about her cute twine project!

Twine + watered down glue = JOY 

 Too cute!

(and easy-peasy) 

I like easy peasy...... 

 I better go run and buy some extra rolls of twine so the kiddos and I can do this.

Wouldn't want to make these with turkey-greased twine!

XOX

Lolo 

Frog Ball Casserole Recipe

This is not really a Frog Ball Casserole recipe....

Hahahaha.......tricked ya! 

Were you around for my Frog Ball post? 

If not, then let me give you a quick update.

We accidentally grew brussel sprouts.

(Who grows them on purpose anyways?!)

I have 2 things I can make with them.

This is one recipe.

And its a keeper....

Its a repeat-offender.

(that means that I get requests to make it. yep. really....me.)

I now present to you - 

the only other recipe I have for Brussel Sprouts

(I will give you the Frog Ball recipe another day!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brussel Sprout & Cauliflower Au Gratin

Ingredients:

  
1 1/2 lbs brussel sprouts (cleaned, trimmed and quartered lengthwise)

1 1/2 lbs cauliflower florets (cleaned)

2 3/4 cups heavy cream (I use whipping)

1/2 cup shallots (finely diced)

2 cloves garlice (minced) 

1 tbspn fresh sage (chopped)

salt & pepper to taste  

1 1/2 tbspn olive oil

1/2 cup plain dry breadcrumbs

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)

fresh parsley

3 cups grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

COOK brussel sprouts in large pot of boiling salted water for 2 minutes

ADD cauliflower and cook additional 3 minutes more (sprouts and cauliflower)

DRAIN veggies and add to a large bowl of ice water

DRAIN after 30 seconds, and set veggies aside

COMBINE heavy cream, shallots, garlic and sage in saucepan.

BRING to a boil

REDUCE heat and simmer approx 10 minutes

ADD salt & pepper to taste

REMOVE from heat to cool

HEAT oil in a small pan and add breadcrumbs

STIR for 2 minutes until lightly browned

ADD pine nuts and parsley 

REMOVE from heat to cool

BUTTER a 13x9 baking dish

LAYER 1/2 veggies (sprouts and cauliflower) then 1 1/2 cups parmesan

REPEAT layers

POUR cream mixture over the top 

BAKE @ 375 degrees for 40 minutes, covered with foil

After 40 minutes, uncover and ADD breadcrumb mixture

BAKE additional 15 minutes until breadcrumbs brown

Serves approx 12 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Oh, and just a lil heads up.

Make sure everyone is out of your house in 6-ish hours.

(preferably AFTER they have done the dishes)

Trust me.

You don't wanna be around for the aftermath when the "bombs" hit....

Sorry for the bluntness.

I had to put it out there.

We are friends afterall.

Just be "thankful" that I warned you!!

Wishing all of you the warmest and fulfilling Thanksgiving holiday

spent with your families and those dearest to you......

XOX

Lolo

**ps - Are any of you Black Fridayers campin out in front of your favorite stores??!

Its forecasted to be 24 degrees here that night!!

Just shut it all you northerners and east coasters.....

24 degrees is Antarctica to us Cali girls!

(I have a space heater under my desk as I type!) 

"Special Delivery"

via 

(ps - they spray painted the pine boughs white! I might be able to talk the Stig into

doing this when they paint the ceilings in the new house!) 

Hi there!

Is everyone ready for Christmas yet?!

Not me.....

At this point I am just hoping to be able to get a tree up 

in the new house before Christmas!

Im beginning to doubt that is gonna happen.

I might be able to put up a Charlie Brown Tree though! 

Its been a zoo over here, let me tell you.....

backhoes, and sawcutting and drilling, oh my! 

I have been dreaming of this:

 

countryliving.com 

and literally dreaming of sleeping in here:

countryliving.com

But..... 

since I wont be decorating this year

(can I get a "boo-hoo" from the peanut gallery?!)

I will be giving a lil extra lovin' to all of my 

wrapped gifts that I am giving!

(mostly homeade this year - I told ya I am being good!) 

Here are a few ideas that I thought I would pass on to ya 

for "special deliveries" this holiday season....

Silhoutte Packaging

Isnt it the sweetest?! 

I would cherish a gift received wrapped in this!

 

Ruffled Sheet Music Garland 

Love this! Feminine and masculine at the same time :) 

Im pretty sure the men in our lives wouldnt mind

receiving a gift wrapped in music garland.

(and you could re-use it to hang on the tree, or your mantle!) 

Bakers Twine 

 A staple in my household.

I use this twine for all sortsa packages, baking gifts 

(you can also tie one on your finger to  help you remember "something" - haha)

 

Canning Jar Soap Dispenser 

How cool would these be to give as a gift?

You can fill them with holiday candy - its a 2-fer-1 gift!

(I love giving "gift wrapping" that is purposeful and reuseable) 

Burlap Holiday Bags

Um hello.....burlap bags.

Need I say more?! 

 

Linen Ribbon 

Oh how I have coveted this ribbon. 

Everytime I add it to my "cart" they say it is out of stock....

They finally got more in - Yay!

 Joyeux Noel Tags

I adore all of Shannon's tags and decorations!

They are so purdy and well made.  

marthastewart.com 

This is usually what the tree skirt holds at my house - 

I love kraft paper and snippets of greenery.

Clean, simple and rustic. 

Vintage Blue Colander

A cute idea for a vintagey cook, huh?

Throw in some recipe cards, a couple spatulas or a pan, 

something home-ade by you

 (like yummy spaghetti sauce)

Bon Appetit! 

 Document Gift Wrap

Love love love this wrapping paper!

maybe someone can give me a gift this year wrapped in it

so I can reuse it to line my kitchen cabinets!

(hinthint) 

Retro and Eiffel Tower Envelopes

A handwritten special note for that extra special someone....
Letters to santa that you can hang on the tree....  
Christmas cards sent in the mail to loved ones.... 

Also available in air mail too!

Air Mail Envelopes
 

  

 French Tart Tins

 These are so cute! 

I would love to wrap earrings or a small bracelet

in them with some pretty vintage shredded paper and cellophane..... 

jute webbing

Another wrapping staple in my house.

I use this bad boy ribbon for EVERYTHING.

I "make" a garland for our tree

(by "make" meaning I cut about 10 feet off the roll and wrap the tree) 

wrap gift packages,

cut pieces of it and stamp names onto it for "gift tags" 

I have even cut it in half and put it in my daughters hair as "ribbon"

Seriously!

 Metallic Leaves

So soft...

So pretty....

They are captured winter snow-leaves - gorgeous

Glitter some kraft paper and glue a few of these on.

A princess winter wonderland. 

 Coffee Cup Sleeve

Oh coffee.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways....

#1: mug + shredded vintage music paper + a Starbuck Gift Card

#2: mug + See's candies peppermint candies

#3: mug + fill her up with vintage buttons

#4:  mug + coffee beans + twig pencils (Anthro)

#5: mug + package of cocoa + mini marshmallows + candy cane

#6: teacup + tea bags + vintage spoon 

#7: um coffee...duh! 

 

 

Chalkboard Trays 

No need for a gift tag!

Line it with fake grass, 

throw in some gardening tools, seed packets, cool gardening markers 

I would LOVE to get this from someone :)  

 Linen Card Holder

Fresh outta gift ideas?

Get someone that perfect gift card, 

but put it in one of these sweet holders.

They can use it as a credit card holder after the holidays..... 

Suzanne Kasler Gift Tags 

Have you seen her line at Ballard?

Oh em gee....

I want it all. 

Burlap Chalkcloth stocking 

I got these last year. LOVED them.

I used them as place settings for our christmas brunch that we had

for our couples group.

( I got them in natural,green and red burlap, black and red ticking, and a sweet red toile print)

We did an Italian brunch so I wrote everyone's names on the stockings

and stuffed these cutie-patooties with:

nuts

dried fruit

amaretti (cookies)

chocolate truffles

and limoncello

(homeade over 3 months my me and the Stig!) 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hope that you have been inspired!

Remember to put thought into wrapping your gift....

If you put thought into buying the gift 

you might as well make the wrapping

extra special too!

I hope all of your "special deliveries" are merry and bright

this Christmas!!

XOX

Lolo

Drum roll please...........

The winner of the gorgeous French Larkspur bag is.....

Jojeana from The Secret Garden Cottage

Congrats girlfriend!

Just a lil bit of advice tho......
you better keep that bag on your shoulder at all times
so someone doesnt snag it!

Have fun with it, and if you ever go to New Orleans,
please take a pic with it :)
(and if it is during mardi Gras, hopefully with your top on?!)


Oh yeah.......

And as for the extra credit entries...
I didnt forget all of you.

Let me just tell you that I got a kick out of all of your wild, funny and crazy stories :)
Sounds like you have been to a few of my family events!

I liked them all so much and I couldnt pick just one!
So, I had the kiddies pick out their favorite one -

And yep, you guessed it....
it had "farts" in it so it won.
(FYI - the Stig thought it was the funniest too-he IS my other big kid!)

:)

Congrats to Rachel at French Farmhouse 425 for making my kids
laugh NON-stop for 5 minutes!

Thanks to everyone who entered....
A big ol' WOW!

I have been trying to stop in at all your blogs and say "hi"
personally to all my new friends :)

If I havnt made it by your blog yet, Im working on it.....
fire up the coffee pot - I will be on my way soon!

Oh, and Im gonna be back later in the week for some advice.

Ive been sleeping with the paint samples to try to make a decision
and it isnt working.....

Maybe you all can help?

XOX

** ps - can you two gals be sure to contact me via email with your
snail mail address? I wouldnt want to have to keep your prizes!!

Her name is Lolo....

 ....and no I am not a showgirl.

no yellow feathers in my hair, or a dress cut down to there.....

(a lil Barry Manilow for ya) 

I have been enjoying getting to know you all 

and reading all of your comments.

I feel like we are all besties now!

So I figure if I am going to be your leader,

and since you are all fo-"LOLO"-wing me now....

(thanks Lalo for that laugh!) 

I ought to tell you a lil bit more about me.

Here goes.

Born and raised on the Central Coast in California.

Visual:

 Vineyards.....

(think the movie "Sideways")

Gorgeous, clean beaches

 Lots of lakes for camping, fishing and all sortsa fun

Heres the quick rundown: 

(this is where life starts to fly by) 

 - born in '77

 - went to Private School 

 - got married at 19

 - moved to Pasadena (Los Angeles)

 - had my babies 

 - hated LA

(no friends or my family) 

 - hit a bit of a rough patch......

(ahem - insert the big "D" word here - yes I am a statistic)

 - moved back to the familiarity that I loved, my hometown

 - settled into the single mom life

 - met the most amazing friend

 - turned into the most amazing boyfriend/stepdad

 - got married after almost 5 years of dating

(just celebrated 3 years as newlyweds!) 

 - settled into life together as a new family

  - just bought our first house together and remodeling the whole thing right now!

Phhewww.....

does it feel like 33 years just flew right by you?

Well they did.

CRAZY.

So, now that you know my history

here are some snippets of what makes me, ME.....

I come from a family of 5 kids

I have 4 brothers

(yeah, do the math - no sisters!) 

1 older brother, then me, then 3 younger brothers 

We range in age from 36 to 22 

We all had a busy and active childhood

insert - lots of sports, family vacations, fighting in the backseat

a very loud dinner table :) 

I got my gift of thrifting from my mother when it wasnt "cool" to thrift

I have never been ashamed of thrifting - I love it!

My dad is actually my "stepdad", but I have always called him dad.

(my "real" dad passed away, and was never around as a child) 

I have 2 children from my previous marriage:

my son - Cameron aka Cambo just turned 14

my daughter - Rylee aka RyRy is 11

They are perfect.

Well, perfect to me of course :)

  

Cambo is an aspiring cook and pilot.

He has been reading up on Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking"

and he is also our Sunday breakfast Short Order Cook

brings me my coffee in bed on Sunday mornings :) 

He is the best older brother....but wishes for a lil brother!

Rylee is my muscle girl.

She loves the outdoors and swimming year round!

She is my lil tomboy (just like I was) 

She also has functioning autism.

Doesnt bother any of us. 

To us she is completely "normal" and we love her just like that. 

  

 My husband is my best friend

I never understood that your husband can be your best friend until I met him.....

and now I cannot imagine life without him!

You will see me refer to him on here as "the Stig".

Its his nickname. 

We are 8 years apart. 

He comes from a family of 3 children.

An older brother and an older sister.

He is half Italian and half German - a perfect combo I tell ya! 

(he still has his very first truck that he got when he was 15- a '75 Ford) 

  

We lead a very active lifestyle - 

  

we play softball,

  

are members in a couple's group aka "CNO" (Couples Night Out),

(we have been getting together with 5 other couples once a month for over 3 years now) 

love to camp, wakeboard, snowski,

enjoy BBQ'ing,

(with oak wood of course)

have lots and lots of friends and try to juggle spending time with all of them..... 

In the rest of our spare time, we like to:

work in the yard and garden, 

cook together,

plan household projects,

go to concerts,

take the kids and our dog Byron to the beach,

tend to our saltwater reef tank, 

go to flea markets and look for "thingies",

(thats what the kids call them)

Ok. 

enough talking about myself and my awesome family

:)

~~~~~~~~~~~

Im going to leave you with one of my new favorite holiday stories...we have lots in my fam.

(btw - I have totally loved hearing all of your wacky and wild stories!) 

Every since the Stig and I got married, we have been trying to take

the Thanksgiving load off of my grandma, who has done all the holidays.

(my grandpa passed away 3 years ago)

So, we have hosted BOTH of our families at our house for Thanksgiving - 

crazy, stressful..... but good times.

Last year my grandma mentioned that she was sorta missing having everyone over.

So, we had both of our families over to my Grandma's last year for Turkey Day.

A total of 33 people.

My family = a little wild and rambunctious.

A family of five kids can do that to a household. 

A total of 3 turkeys, 1 ham, 1 prime rib

20 lbs of mashed potatoes

you get the picture.

Later in the afternoon, one of my little brothers tells me that he is going to get 

a table for the backyard.

Little did I know that he went to go get a BEER PONG table out of his truck

to go set up in Grandma's back yard......

Imagine the look on my face as I look out the kitchen window

(while I am washing 200 dishes, thank you very much) 

and see my brothers teaching grandma how to play beer pong.....on Thanksgiving!

Needless to say, she got a kick out of it :)

And for the record, she didnt drink beer.....

she drank caffeine free rootbeer! 

Talk to you all soon!

XOX

Lo to the Lo

'Tis the Season of Giving ~ Giveaway!!

I am a giver...

Don't get me wrong - 

I LOOOVE to receive too

:)

I have received so much since joining this blogging community-

and not just material things

but the real gifts in life....

Gifts of friendship.

I would have never thought that I would enjoy 

this thing called "blogging" so much!

(the Stig doesnt quite understand the whole "blog" thingy yet)

So here's the deal.

It is time to give back to you, my new friends!

So I will be sending some French Larkspur yumminess your way...

How bout some canvas yumminess??

 When I saw this gorgeous bag I just knew....

I had to share it with one of my new friends!

And when I mentioned to Tracey that this was going to be my very first Giveaway, 

you know what she did?

She tossed in some "Jeanne" love!

Cuz' thats what blog friends do

:) 

So, whoever enters my Extra credit comment will take home Jeanne d' Arc' Living's Autumn Mag! 

Yes, you heard me....

there will be two (2) winners.

(cuz one person shouldnt get all the glory of winning) 

So here is the Dealio/Rules:

To enter this Giveaway, I ask you do each of the following:

1) Leave a comment here on my blog with a lil' bit of info about you.

Why?
Because if we are going to be friends I need to know who the heck you are! 

2) Become a follower..... if you want. 

But just so you know, I dont really care if you follow me around or not.

Why?
Because you shouldnt have to make someone your friend with gifts! 

3) Mention this giveaway on your blog, with a link back to this post.
(or you can talk about it with your friends over coffee)

Why?
For more chances to win that lovely bag, DUH!

4) Extra Credit - What is the funniest/craziest thing that happened to you
or that you witnessed during a holiday event/dinner, etc....
Why?
Hmmmm ...... maybe cuz I wanna giggle a lil bit! 

Oh, and the Giveaway ends at:
12:01am - Saturday, November 13th. 

Why?
Because its my best friend's Anniversary that day, thats why.

:) 

Winner to be announced on my blog, Monday morning, November 15th.

Why?
Because I have a life on the weekends!

XOX

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why all the "why"''s??
Cuz as your friend I feel I should tell you "why"
 I am making you do something!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*ps ~ with that whole extra week that you are impatiently waiting
to hear from me,

I suggest you head over to Tracey's amazing shoppe.

And while you are there, can you pick up somethin' for lil ol' me?

Why? Because there are a few more things on my Christmas wish list .....

Love ya! 

Oh, and speaking of love~

 Tracey just created her own textures using vintage old maps and french papers...
She is so stinkin' cool, huh?!

Thank you so much Tracey!!!

~all photos courtesy of Tracey @ French Larkspur~

Grandmother's Clock

My Grandmother never had a clock like this.

(she had an annoying ugly brass chiming one though...)

NOONE's Grandmother that I ever knew had a clock like this. 

Imagine my utter delight when I opened the recent 

Pier One catalog in the mail yesterday....

*Mind you, I have been trying to be a REALLY good girl *

Well, let me rephrase that - 

a good girl by not buy anything Christmas related this year

:) 

Sooo....

I just thought that I would browse the catalog

innocently....

....until I turned one of the pages and saw her! 

I swear my heart did a pitter-patter

It is a skinny, slimmed-down version of one of my 

top-wanted items of ALL time.

It has been on my Christmas wish-list for a few years now...

A Mora clock!

I scratched off all my really important things to do today

feed the dog

schedule flu shots

modify homeowners insurance 

eat some truffles 

and put PIER ONE as numero UNO on the priority of things to do today

I walked into the store

(with catalog in hand)

And walked out of the store with my Grandmother's Clock

(at 20% off too!)

I cannot wait to show it to you when the house is ready to move all the *good stuff into!

*good stuff = non-building material stuff 

XOX

~ ps ~ 

thanks for hangin' on to your panties too.....

(hope you dont have a wedgie)

Tomorrow I will unveil the Giveaway!! 

(see tease info below) 

"Beam" me up Scotty....

I was gonna come on here today to tell you about my 

very 1st Giveaway.....

Yes!

Its straight from the lovely Tracey at French Larkspur.

But hold your panties.....

unfortunately I have alot on my mind right this second.

Actually a big load on my mind.

 

Exhibit A 

 Exhibit B

Exhibit C

Exhibit D

I have to make a decision about a couple of exposed beams 

in our new house that I am trying to 

keep.... uh...EXPOSED.

"Somebody" thinks it would be a better idea to put them 

in the roof and drywall around them!

!($#%^(#@^%%@$! 

Did you hear that?

That was me flipping out.

Put the ear muffs on the children.

(and probably your pets too) 

I will be back on Friday.

Trust me - 

you wont be disappointed.

(well I kind of am since I want to keep the giveaway for myself!) 

'Cause anyone that has ever received a lovely from Tracey knows that 

Tracey NEVER disappoints....

(lurve her!) 

 I just know that Pottery Barn is going to carry a pallet table in their spring catalog

because of Tracey....

 XOX

  

**all photos via my inspiration file under "beams"

if any of these beams are yours, I apologize for not remembering

who each photo belongs to.

Please let me know if you have inspired me!!

Candy Hangovers.....

might be worse than the other kind....

(you know which Hangover I am talking about) 

Wow.

(for the record, this is NOT our candy pile) 

I think I might have O-Deed on Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

For real.

I do NOT want to see another one for a long time.

(well, at least until they start stocking the Reese's Christmas Trees)

Did you know that 90% of parents have fessed up to taking their kids Halloween candy?

(did you know that I eat about 90% of it too?)

Time to head out and get all that orange, black and scary candy @ 70% off.....

Get ready for that Christmas music to be blarin' too....

"its beginning to look alot like Christmas...." 

Ok, Im off to go pack.

And "real" packing....

the kind that involves boxes tape and bubble wrap. 

(not packing my face full of candy kind of packing)

Promise.

Oh and demo on the remodel starts today.

The Stig is super pumped....

He is claiming 10 minutes* to demo the whole hall bath.

At that rate the whole house should be gutted in no time!

I am so ready to see our subway tile on the walls....
(instead of being locked up in storage) 

Have a fantastic Monday!!

(is there such a thing??)

XOX

* PS - I bet him the last peanut butter cup that it takes 15 minutes....

:)