Perfect Chance Memories

You're in the Right Place

2011-11-09T12:12:00.000-05:00

Hello new fans and thanks for visiting my website! If you saw me at a festival, tournament, or boat show, you are in the right place! I am currently too busy to keep up my blog and will be transforming my little spot on the web into a webpage full of pictures galleries and information on ordering from me. In the meantime, you can see pictures on my facebook page. I'm always available by email at marian@perfectchancememories.com

Thanks for your support!

cuteness

2011-08-30T23:21:00.000-04:00

I bet y'all thought I had abandoned my blog, huh? Sorry about that - been supa busy 'round here. I've got a few pictures of some recent items and many more to come as I've been making lots of custom stuff and new things. Here's a new pillow:

love the bow & stripe combination!

I've been doing more baby stuff this summer! This are my two latest ones:

an owl, because you can never have enough owl stuff :)

because football starts next week - Go Pack! p.s. anybody know any wolfpack twin babies that can model these onesies?!?

pirate's cove tournament

2011-08-16T11:40:00.000-04:00

Hey y'all! I'm here in manteo at the pirate's cove tournament selling cute handmade goodies:) if you meet me this week, please shoot me an email saying so! Also, I am excepting custom orders with a two week tusxrnaround! Happy fishing and tight lines to all!

Spicy Chiptotle Shrimp Skewers {Tasty Thursday}

2011-05-19T08:27:00.000-04:00

Happy Thursday Y'all! I'm here with another edition of Tasty Thursday. I found this recipe on Tasty Kitchen, which is my favorite recipe site because it is so easy to save the ones you like all in one place. Simple, love it.

These skewers are great! I could actually handle them a little spicier, but they were the perfect level for the hubs and I do try to compromise the spice level every once in a while. And how can you beat grilled pineapple? You can't, its just delicious. I forgot to take pictures (again), but there are great shots on Simply Scratch. I suggest using large shrimp so you're not loading the skewers all day long. You can also use two skewers to keep the shrimp stable while grilling. Okay, here's the recipe!

What you need:
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
2 teaspoons Reserved Adobo Sauce
1 Lemon, juiced
2 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Paprika
1 tablepoon Fresh Cilantro, or more to taste
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 1/2 pounds Fresh Uncooked Medium Shrimp, peeled and deveined {I suggest using large}
4 Pineapple Slices
Rice, cooked
Soaked Wooden or Metal Skewers

What you do:
In a food processor combine the garlic, chipotle peppers, lemon juice, olive oil, paprika, cilantro, kosher salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper. In a large bowl or plastic bag place the cleaned shrimp. Pour the marinade over the shrimp, and mix well to thoroughly coat. Marinate for 20 minutes. {longer, if you have time!}

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat.

Remove the shrimp from the marinade, and discard the excess. Thread about 6 shrimp per skewer, and grill on the preheated medium-high grill until the shrimp turn pink and opaque in the center, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Serve on top of grilled fresh pineapple and your favorite rice!

*Remember to soak your skewers in water for up to 60 minutes before grilling!

So delicious, fresh, and summery! Invite some friends over this weekend and try this recipe!

a balanced life

2011-05-16T18:08:00.000-04:00

Hey y'all! It's been a few weeks since my last blog post, but thanks for following me anyway! And it leads to the the topic of balance. How does one balance it all? Fellow bloggers, how do you balance it all?

No matter how I schedule my day, something always seems to fall to the wayside. My days go something like either of these two situations:

wake up, pilates, run/walk the dogs, work (at my ft job), create (on days I get off at 2:30), go the the gym, cook, eat dinner. by then is is usually 9 pm and I am out of energy to blog.

the other scenario is the same as the first except substitute working out and or walking the dogs for blogging. My weekend days are filled with cleaning, creating, and hopefully Sunday Funday time.

I just can't seem to fit both keeping fit and blogging into my schedule on a regular basis without totally running myself down. And while I do love blogging and did enjoy my daily posts covering different subjects, my health and fitness keeps my body feeling better and improves my well-being.

I think 2 or 3 posts a week is manageable for me and will be my new goal from here forward. I do hope you'll still follow me and my adventures! I plan to keep Tasty Thursdays as one of my weekly posts because I cook almost nightly and love it (and trying new recipes!)

Any tips of living a balanced life and what choices you make?

Custom Owls {handmade wares}

2011-04-18T08:00:00.000-04:00

I've been busy with custom orders recently and I love it! Here's some custom owls I finished up this weekend.

I'm going to the big city {Wilmington, ha!} to see my little sis from Chi Omega today and one of these is for her! I haven't seen her in 3 years because she lives on the West Coast and I'm here on the East Coast. So excited about our mini-reunion!

Happy Monday y'all!

Wednesday Wednesday

2011-04-13T08:15:00.000-04:00

Hello to my new followers! So glad to have y'all here! I hope you like hanging around:)

I'm finally bouncing back to life this week after a super fun, crazy weekend. I had some girlfriends in town and we acted like we were 21 all weekend. Sunday the hubs and I spent the day on the boat with our friends - so glad boat weather is here!!

I'm so excited about my first Giveaway over at Suz's Treats going to such a great person! Congrats Julie!

I'm also excited to be featured over at Your Girlish Whims! Check out all the fabulous features!

Keep on crafting y'all!

pillows ...for my house! woot -woot! {handmade wares}

2011-04-04T22:21:00.001-04:00

I actually took the time to make pillows for my own house this weekend! What a concept, right? Y'all know how it is, we just stay so busy that our own houses get neglected.

This are in my dining room. Love the color combo:)

These are in one of the guest rooms. The walls are yellow and the bedding is green, turq, and yellow. The pillows will be for the bed of course, but it is not made today. oops.

These are in the other guest room. We've got two twin beds in here and the colors are grey, white, and yellow. I decided to add a pop of pink - love it!

And lastly my favorites! In my living room:) The whale on the big pillow actually started as an Etsy listing, but I love it so much that it found its home in my Mitchell Gold chair!

Which is your favorite?

*Updated* I've been featured!

Linking up this week! Check out my linky parties page for my favorite parties!

some things I liked last week

2011-04-04T08:05:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday & welcome to my new followers! Happy to have you here. Don't forget to hop on over to Suz's Treats and enter her giveaway this week for one of my whale pillows.

I've been wanting to start a "what I liked" post for a while, so here it is! I will try to keep this up weekly:)

These sweet blooms have been added to my to-do list! Check out out to make your own over at Homemade Ginger:

BeingBrook made these lovely, simple curtains:

This Owl Tote is adorable! Looks a little like my pillows:) From Oopsey Daisy.

And my Etsy favorite this week is Make a Difference Sign from Barn Owl Primitives:

Giveaway! {Suz's Treats}

2011-04-01T08:05:00.000-04:00

The lovely Suz is having a giveaway this week of this pillow.

You know you want it! And don't you love Suz's header? An owl and a cupcake? Yes, please!

Suz gives great recipes {especially for parties!], book tips, and fun stories. I hope you'll follow her too!

Tasty Thursday {chicken with tomatoes and garlic}

2011-03-31T21:17:00.000-04:00

Happy Thursday y'all! Almost through the week. It's been gross and rainy here most of the week, but at least it washed the pollen away!

This week's recipe is one of the Pioneer Woman's from Tasty Kitchen. I actually found it about 4 or 5 months ago and it is a quick, easy throw together meal that my husband approves. Here's the link on Tasty Kitchen.

Sorry, no pictures. Boring, I know. But Ree's will be better than mine anyway!

What you need:
* 8 boneless, skinless breasts
* Salt And Pepper, to taste
* 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
* 1 Tablespoon Butter
* 1 can (28 Ounce) Diced Tomatoes
* 1 can (14 Ounces) Whole Tomatoes
* 2 Tablespoons (Heaping) Tomato Paste
* Fresh Herbs: Basil, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary
* 8 cloves Garlic
* 16 ounces, weight Pasta
* ½ cups White Wine (or Red Wine)

What you do:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Salt and pepper chicken legs.

Heat ovenproof skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and butter. When oil/butter is hot, add chickento the pan. Using tongs, brown on all sides, about 2 minutes. Remove chicken from pan.

Pour in wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any bits. Cook for 1 minute. Pour in tomatoes with their juice and add tomato paste. Add salt and pepper to taste, stirring to combine. Bring sauce to a boil, then turn off heat. Add plenty of fresh herbs, 8 cloves of peeled (but whole) garlic, and the chicken. Put lid on pot and cook in the oven for 1 hour.

Remove pot from oven and allow it to sit on the counter with the lid on while you boil the pasta.

Cook the pasta to al dente, Drain and add to a large serving bowl.

Remove lid and check sauce. If it’s overly thin, remove the chicken from the pot and boil the sauce on the stovetop for 5 to 10 minutes. Check seasonings and adjust as needed.

To serve, pour sauce over cooked pasta, then arrange chicken pieces over the top. Sprinkle generously with fresh Parmesan and serve with crusty French bread.

It was really good y'all! A refreshing, light sauce.

Puff Flower Pillow {handmade wares}

2011-03-28T21:11:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday Y'all! We had a great relaxing weekend here even though the weather was terrible! We got teased with 2 weeks of gorgeous 70+ degree temps only to be knocked by down again with rain and clouds. It kept the hubs & I productive though! I've got lots of great stuff in store, we've got a clean garage, and we had delicious meals Saturday and Sunday {steak burritos & spaghetti!}

Today I'm sharing one of my favorite pillows with you - the Puff Flower Pillow. This one is pink, navy, and yellow {one of my favorite color combos!}

The puff is made by cutting a circle {rather large, I use my biscuit bowl as a guide} and hand stitching around the edge to gather the ends into the center. This one is finished off with a vintage square yellow button.

Love the detail! I use envelope closures on all my pillows because I like that they are easy to switch out with the seasons.

I'll be linking up this week! Check out my linky parties page for all the great parties. Visit 'em and make new friends!

handmade baby gifts {handmade wares}

2011-03-22T22:59:00.001-04:00

One of my hubby's friends recently had a little girl so I whipped up some gifts for her. Everyone loves my name signs so I created one for little Sunny -

Her mom decorated her nursery will owls, so it was an easy choice! I like to do a fabric background with paper cut-outs and mod-podge finish. Of course for the little girls, I have to add a little glitter!

I also covered a shoe box in this gorgeous yellow & pink fabric and filled it with onesies since I've heard you can never have too many! The shoe box needed a little personalization, so I added the baby's initials to the top in buttons. I love the way it turned out!

I have many more baby gifts to make this year! It is so much fun:) What do y'all like to give for baby showers/new baby gifts??!?

*I am linking up this project. check out my new Linky Party page for my weekly link-ups. Check 'em out, link up, and make new friends!*

grab my button

2011-03-21T15:56:00.000-04:00

I've created a button! And you can grab it:)

Grab my Button!

2011-03-21T15:53:00.002-04:00

My new Button!

Owls & Whales {handmade wares}

2011-03-14T21:31:00.011-04:00

Hey y'all! I hope everyone had a fantabulous weekend:) We had great weather here on the Coast of NC & the hub, pups and I spent most of the time outside. Saturday was a day for walking and errands and Sunday I spend the day at my parents beach and antique shopping with my mom. Got a cute bedside table for only $35! I love great finds like that.

Today I ventured into applique and softies. Ummmm....hello? Applique is so fun! And the softies are so cute! Definitely a great benefit of my large machine upgrade. I did sets of one pillow and one softie - I think this would be a lovely grouping for nurseries and playrooms. Here's some (not great) pictures:

And every bit of fabric used in these two projects is repurposed from my grandmother's stash! all vintage:)

I've been featured:

I'll be linking up this week. Here's where:

Cowboy Chili {tasty thursday}

2011-03-10T07:49:00.001-05:00

Seriously delicious Chili here y'all! We were watching Rachel Ray's new show - 5 meals, 1 day - and the hubs looked at this & said it looked great, so we had it for Sunday dinner. The. Best. Rachel. Ray. recipe. ever. period. Here's the recipe on Food Network.

What you need:
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 6 slices smoky bacon, chopped, optional
• 1 1/2 pounds coarse-ground sirloin
• 2 Idaho or russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 Fresno chili peppers, sliced
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 large fresh bay leaf
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle beer {I used Corona Light}
• 4 cups beef stock {I used 3 cups}
• 1/4 cup thick Worcestershire sauce
• 1 (16-ounce) can baked beans
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes or diced tomatoes
• Scallions, thinly sliced on an angle for topping

What to do:
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bacon, cook until browned, and remove with slotted spoon.

Add the beef, brown well, and then add the potatoes, onions, chilis, carrot, garlic, chili powder, and bay leaf. Season the mixture liberally with salt and pepper, and cook 10 minutes more, stirring frequently.

Add the beer and stir about 2 minutes, or until the beer almost cooks out completely.

Stir in the stock, thick Worcestershire sauce, baked beans, bacon, and tomatoes, and thicken to desired consistency, about 20 to 45 minutes over a steady simmer for loose to super-thick chili.

Serve with cornbread and enjoy!

What's cooking at your house?

Cooking Link-ups:

repurposed shoe boxes {project organization}

2011-03-08T08:18:00.005-05:00

Happy Tuesday y'all! Did everyone have a good weekend? We caught up on a lot of stuff around the house and had some fun too. Friday night we went to a favorite local restaurant and had friends over Saturday.

Mid-way into my productive morning on Saturday, my foot pedal on my sewing machine broke. Boo! Second time on my little Singer machine. It was time to upgrade anyway so I ordered the Brother PC-420. So excited to get it! Is should be here tomorrow:)

After the sewing machine blow-out, I had to turn my attention to non-sewing crafts. I made a few gifts (tomorrow on the blog) and started an organization overall. For years and years I have been saving my shoe boxes. Needless to say I have A LOT of shoe boxes. I think I initially saved them because I was moving often in college and early 20s, but that part is over - no more moving (at least for a long time). But I couldn't just throw those boxes away!

I had some left over chalkboard paint from a previous project (or two), so I gave the boxes a coat of paint, a label, and organized a shelf in my pantry.

I am loving the cleanliness factor so far! My pantry is HUGE, so its going to take some time to finish this project, but I hope to have it done this weekend:)

Do you use old shoe boxes for anything?!?!?

Linking up:

Sew Mama Sew Pillow Contest

2011-03-01T20:09:00.000-05:00

Y'all my Ribbon Flower pillow made in it into the finals for the Sew Mama Sew Pillow Contest!

Please go vote!

Thanks!!!!

Button Cone {handmade wares}

2011-03-01T08:00:00.001-05:00

Happy March! Man, this has been a quick year already.

I had an extra cone leftover from some holiday decorations and I have a crazy amount of buttons. Like, thousands of buttons. So I combined 'em!

This would be really cute in a little girls room. Maybe make three or four in different sizes to group together.

I've got it in one of our guest rooms for now - I'm sure y'all know by now that my house is full of color so this fits into my decor perfectly.

See? Lots of color between the flowers in the picture, the old gumball machine, and my favorite clock that my granddaddy made me. What do y'all think?

And here's a bonus picture - the beginning of our gallery wall in the hallway:

Spring Pom-Pom Wreath {handmade wares}

2011-02-28T15:40:00.010-05:00

Welcome to my new followers! So happy to have you here and I hope you enjoy following along on my journey!

I loved my peppermint wreath so much that I decided to make one for the spring and summer using my favorite bright colors.

This one is smaller because I'm pretty sure the peppermint one has over 300 pom-poms on it. I did not want to invest that much time into this one! This one has about 90. Drastically less time:) And more sanity.

The coral, yellow, blue, and green look great together and show up nicely from the road.

To make one for yourself: make about 90 - 100 pom-poms with extra string on each end. Simply tie the pom-poms around a Styrofoam wreath in whatever pattern suites you. Hang with ribbon. You're done!

*Update: I've been featured!

Linking up:

Spicy Black Bean & Chicken Soup {tasty thursday}

2011-02-24T08:28:00.000-05:00

I've got an easy-peasy crock-pot soup for y'all today! It's healthy and delicious as well, so a win-win for everyone.

What you need:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
1 16 oz package frozen mixed veggies
1 16 oz can salsa - i used chiptotle & black bean
16 oz Chicken stock
1 tbsp cumin
3 tbsp diced jalepenos
pinch chili powder
pinch black pepper
pinch of salt
3 cans black beans, drained

What you do:
Place everything but the black beans in the crock-pot, stir, and cook on low for 6-7 hours. I place the chicken on top of everything else and just leave it for the 8 hours.

Shred the chicken, stir, and add the black beans. You can taste as this point to see if you need additional salt, pepper, or cumin. Cook on low for another hour so the beans will soften.

Stir and serve! This is excellent served with Trader Joe's cornbread:) Enjoy!

Messenger Bag {handmade wares}

2011-02-24T08:05:00.003-05:00

My first messenger bag y'all!

A little birdie told me that I should make a messenger bag since they are filtrating the spring fashion lines. I typically make my first sample in fabric I love because I like to test the design out for a week or so.

This turned out great on the first try! It's a great size - about 14" by 12". I did not put a snap closure on the sample (I will update that on the next go-round), but I've found that the flap is long enough to keep the bag closed.

I added pockets to each side for the little things you don't want to get lost in the shuffle.

Overall, I loved the way it turned out! You're sure to see more of these in the future.

Linking up!

BBQ Chicken {Tasty Thursday}

2011-02-17T08:16:00.000-05:00

Welcome to all my new followers! So happy to have you here!

Y'all, this chicken is seriously the best, hands down. It's my grandmother's recipe. Its got the perfect amount of spice, the perfect amount of vinegar, and just the right amount of awesome.

Here's what you need:

1 cup brown vinegar
1/2 cup water
6 tbsp white sugar
6 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp ketchup
1/2 tbsp mustard
2 slices finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 slices lemon
1 tsp red pepper
Chicken ( I use all white meat, sometimes bone in, sometimes not, sometimes skinless - my grandmother uses whole chicken with skin on and bone in - so whatever floats your boat! one is cheaper and one is healthier)

What you do:

Salt and pepper the chicken. Broil of grill until the outside in just golden brown. (It will cook the rest of the way in the sauce.)

Mix all the sauce ingredients in a sauce pan.

Boil for 15 minutes.

Add the chicken and simmer for at least 30 minutes. It will start looking awesome and delicious like this. The longer you simmer, the chicken will start to fall apart and the sauce gets in every little piece - just how I like it!

It's done after the 30 minutes, so just let it simmer until you are ready to eat. It is particularly tasty served over white rice.

Enjoy! Super Yum!

Color Inspirations

2011-02-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

Have you see Pantone's fall fashion color palette? It's quite refreshing, right?

I'm excited to use both the deep teal and the emberglow in my designs for the fall. A deep teal messenger back would be just gorgeous I do believe. I can see my home decor designs focused in the orchid hush with pops of bamboo and phlox. Oh, the beauty!

For those of us who are still just hopefully waiting for spring, here's a link to the Top Fashion Colors for spring 2011 on Pantone. Of course I love the silver cloud! It's a close second between the honeysuckle, peapod, and blue Curacao for me. But I'm a spring/summer girl at heart so I naturally gravitate towards these colors:)

Have a happy CREATIVE Wednesday!

I will be blog hopping today I'm sure:) See you out there!

Recipe List {home decor}

2011-02-15T08:00:00.001-05:00

I've been adding lots of stuff to the kitchen lately, it seems! This was actually my husband's idea. Well, not the cute frame and design, but the list itself was. I'm always asking him what he wants to eat that week and he always says "the usual stuff". Since I typically make a lot of different things that is not really an answer. Last week, he told me that I should make a list of options that he can choose from. So, that's exactly what I did!

I left room on the left side to add new recipes and we try and both like. The idea is that he can circle what he wants each week with a dry erase marker. It will help me make my grocery list and not have to make the decisions each week.

(you can see my cabinets reflected in this pic!)

I used fabric for the background and simply taped a printed recipe list list to the backing so that I can easily change it as we update our list. I hung it in the kitchen - both a great decoration and useful!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2011-02-12T08:00:00.003-05:00

It's my birthday! I'm taking the weekend off to be with the best of friends - all of whom I have missed so much lately. We're going to a winery during the day and who knows what else is to come!

See y'all Tuesday!

Ribbon Flower Pillow {handmade wares}

2011-02-11T08:00:00.007-05:00

I've got a new pillow design to show you! An updated version from the flowers of last summer. This ribbon pillow is a little more time consuming since you have to keep twisting the ribbon.

Overall, I love the way in turned out. Yellow and purple ribbon on gray and white fabric with a matching gray and white puff flower in the center. Finished with a oversized black pearl button.

I used a matching striped fabric on the back side for added interest.

Available for purchase! $40 for these because of the time to do the ribbon. Send your custom color requests to marian@perfectchancememories.com.

I've been featured! So honored:)

I really enjoy these link ups! So fun meeting everyone!

Guest room headboards {home decor}

2011-02-10T08:00:00.003-05:00

Well, they're not technically headboards really. But over the bed decoration. Again, I pulled my inspiration from a song. Vertical Horizon - Sunrays & Saturdays.

I wanted to add a little happiness and a sense of welcome to our guest room. It stays full during the summer & fall since we're at the beach!

The frame adds a bit of sophistication, don't you think? And the frames are hung up high enough that they are not in the way if our guests want to read in bed.

Don't forget to come visit us - The beds are waiting!

Link ups:

Laptop Cover {handmade wares}

2011-02-09T08:00:00.004-05:00

I've been wanting to make a cover for my laptop for a long time and since I had a business trip to Atlanta Saturday, last week was the perfect time! After all, I needed the cover to protect my laptop in my carry-on:) I made a simple, lined fold-over cover with a ric-rac and button closure.

This one is big enough to also fit my charger.

The coral fabrics looks great as it does on nearly everything! Do y'all think this is a good product to add to the PCM catalog? It would be great with a handle - messenger style, I think.

Linking up and Blog Hopping at:

Vinyl Quotes {home decor}

2011-02-08T18:35:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite quotes regarding family is from the Avett Brothers' song Murder in the City. "Always remember there was nothing worth sharing like the love that let us share our name." I've been thinking for a while that I wanted to use it in my house somewhere and decided last week that the kitchen would be the perfect place - after all, it is where the family usually gathers!

I used a 3" font on my Cricut - I didn't want to the quote to totally consume the kitchen, just add a little detail above our pantry. I already had black and yellow vinyl from previous projects, so I "popped" the quote with yellow for love and name, since my kitchen is accented with yellow already.

I am very happy with it! What do y'all think??

Custom Bags {handmade wares}

2011-02-01T08:26:00.002-05:00

I'm still working on the other pages here, but it's coming along. I would ultimately love to get my products into a easy to view gallery style format on my products page, but I can't find a plug-in or widget for it. So I'm experimenting:) Please let me know if you have any tips or suggestions!

Here are some custom bags I have made recently. All girls choose their style, color, fabric, and lining. I love how each one turned out!

Monogrammed Beach Tote - interior pockets, strong lining, reinforced handles, fully serged, machine washable. cost: $50 with monogram

Bow Tote - interior pockets, strong lining, reinforced handles, fully serged, and machine washable because the bow is sewn on. cost: $35

Hobo Bag with chain handles and Flap closure - interior cell phone pocket, strong lining, strong chain handles, flap over with button closure, fully serged. Cost: $40

And I am caught up on my custom orders for the first time in a year! Email me today to order your Perfect Chance Memories one of a kind bag!

I'm linking up with these beauties! Here's where:

Making Changes

2011-01-31T16:43:00.000-05:00

I'm trying to make some subtle changes here on the ol' blog. Mainly to the product page & some of the other pages. So, I may not get anything fun up for a few days! I hope everyone has a good week!

valentine's pillows {handmade wares}

2011-01-24T16:12:00.003-05:00

Here's my first designs for my Valentine's pillows!

I love the red & pink together and the top-stitch in contrasting colors.

All pillow covers are machine washable and the seams are fully serged. The pillow inserts are hypo-allergenic. Finished size is 14 x 14. $35 each.

What do y'all think?

I'll definitely be linking up this week! I'll update you here.

Update* Here's where I'm linking up:

7 facts and stylish blogger award

2011-01-21T08:13:00.000-05:00

Suz over at Suz's Treats sweetly gave me the Stylish Blogger Award. So nice!

Here's the scoop for this one:
1. Link to the blogger{s} who gave you the award.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself.
3. Pass the award on to 15 ladies& let them know you did.

My 7 facts:

1. I finally got my husband a good almond cake. After almost 3 years of marriage! Our wedding cake got rear-ended on the way so it never made it, my attempt to make one failed, the cupcake bakery didn't make almond. But yesterday I got him one! (and it was delicious)

2. I am over the snow. I live at the beach, therefore I do not really care for the fluffy white stuff. Bring on the spring!

3. Like Annie, I hate to hear people chew or make noises with their mouths. I mean hate it. I often have to remove myself from being to close to someone who smacks or use all my self-restraint not to snap & embarrass myself!

4. My constant to-do list overwhelms me. Between my day job, crafting, blogging, online marketing and selling, marketing and selling to stores, cooking, and keeping the house clean, I feel there are never enough hours in the day.

5. I just bought a serger! Super excited about this. It actually came in last week, but I've been traveling, working, and living, so I've only practiced on it so far. More projects to come soon, I promise.

6. I have no fewer than 4 picture sets ready to go for Tasty Thursday, with lots of yummy stuff. But due to #4, the recipes have yet to make it a blog post.

7. I love blogging! My little ole' blog is fun for me:) I'm glad y'all follow along with my ramblings and such. Thank you!

Due #4 (again), my list of 15 will have to wait until I have another free 15 minutes:)

happy birthday!

2011-01-20T08:08:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband!

I love you more every day!

charleston {trip}

2011-01-19T15:52:00.000-05:00

The hubs and I took a short trip to Charleston last weekend to visit a friend. Oh, how I love that city. I actually did my first semester of college at CofC so I'm easily comfortable there. And the food, the food has to be the best of any city in the South. Fried Green Tomatoes every meal - just the way I like it.

Friday night we went to Toast. fgt (of course!), catfish with fried shrimp, red rice, and collards. And a delicious Mai Tai.

Saturday morning we went down to Folly Beach to the Lost Dog Cafe. Best breakfast ever. Really great atmosphere and the weather was beautiful so we were able to sit outside in their little courtyard area.

Saturday afternoon we toured around the town and went to see the Angel Tree. Gorgeous and majestic.

We went to the Market (a must in charleston!) and then headed over the river to an Oyster Roast, complete with a band, lots of beer, sand, and a fire pit to roast marshmallows.

Then we headed back downtown for a comedy show by The Have Nots! Hilarious!

Sunday morning we met up with the hubby's step-brother & wife and went to Fleet Landing for Brunch.

I had a yummy Fried Green Tomato BLT and mimosa's. Perfect start to a Sunday! The boys took off sailing and I headed to King Street for shopping. (of course!) Had a great time:)

That's a terrible picture of my college dorm. Two blocks from King Street, one block from Starbucks.

In the afternoon, we headed to Gene's in West Ashley for appetizers, beers, football, and games. I beat all the boys in Yahtzee!

We topped off a fabulous weekend and a most fabulous restaurant, Poogan's Porch. I had Fried Green Tomatoes (the best I've ever had, ever) and Shrimp and Grits. We all shared though and y'all the fried chicken was seriously the best I've ever had. You. must. go. if you're in Charleston!

Tasty Thursday {Goulash}

2011-01-13T08:04:00.000-05:00

Happy Thursday y'all! Welcome to my new followers! So happy to have you:)

Here's another recipe for this cold cold nights we've been having. We had snow here on the beach of NC again this week. Boo. I am really over winter. Anyway, this Goulash kept us warm and provided us with plenty of leftovers for our snow day. Here's the link to the original recipe - on Tasty Kitchen of course!

I changed just a few things on the ingredients- noted in red below - I followed the instruction below, just like the original recipe. I was skeptical at first because I've never made Goulash, but it seems to be a homemade healthy version of Hamburger Helper. And it was delicious!

Here's what you need:
* 1 Tablespoon Oil
* 1 Large Onion, Chopped
* 4 cloves Garlic, Minced {used five}
* 1 pound Ground Beef {lean beef}
* 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt (or 1/2 Teaspoon Table Salt)
* ½ teaspoons Black Pepper
* 1 Green Bell Pepper, Chopped
* 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder {2 tbsp ancho chili pepper}
* 1 teaspoon Paprika {added Tumeric, about 1 tbsp}
* 1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
* 2 cans Diced Tomatoes (14.5 Oz), Zesty-style Works Great {only one can}
* ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt (or 1/4 Teaspoon Table Salt), Or To Taste
* ¼ teaspoons Black Pepper
* 8 ounces, weight Macaroni Or Your Favorite Pasta Shape
* 2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Parsley

What to do:
Fill a pot with some water for the pasta; cover, and set over high heat. Start heating 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the ground beef, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; cook until fully browned. Drain.

While still over medium heat, add the bell pepper, chili powder, paprika, and tomato paste to the ground beef and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, then stir to combine. Cover and bring to a gentle simmer.

When the meat mixture has come to a full simmer, add a good amount of salt to the boiling water. Add the pasta, then stir to combine. Cook the pasta for two minutes less than the shortest cooking time listed on the box. You want it undercooked. While the pasta is cooking, stir the meat mixture periodically.

Drain the pasta and immediately add it to the meat mixture, then stir to combine. Allow the pasta and meat mixture to simmer together for about 3 to 4 minutes or until the pasta is as done as you like it. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Add the parsley and stir to combine.

That's it! Serve and enjoy!

snowy day craft project

2011-01-11T16:50:00.002-05:00

We had a snow day at the beach yesterday, so naturally everything shut down! My bobbin case broke on Sunday, so I had a full day to craft and no working sewing machine! Boo!

So I created these vases instead. The fabric really pops in my living room:)

*Update* I've had many requests for instructions on this project! It is easy-peasy. Cut the fabric to fit any glass vase you have (one of mine is actually an old beer glass!). Apply Mod Podge to the glass and apply your fabric, being sure to smooth out any bumps and wrinkles. Finish with a top coat of Mod Podge. Add a candle & light! See, easy-peasy!*

Where I'm linking up this week:

How'd you spend your snow day?

Spicy Chicken & Black Bean Soup {Tasty Thursday}

2011-01-06T08:02:00.000-05:00

Yep, you read that right. I'm finally getting another Tasty Kitchen post up. If I can manage my time better in 2011, you should get many more - I try to make one new recipe a week.

I put this soup in the crockpot and it was perfect when I got home from work. The house smelled great! I love using the crockpot - it's so easy and then my evenings are free to get my craft on:). Here's the link to the original recipe on Tasty Kitchen. I made some changes, so I posted my process and ingredients below.

What you need:
* 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
* 16 ounces, weight Salsa
* 32 ounces low sodium Chicken Broth
* 16 ounces, weight Frozen Mixed Vegetables
* 1 Tablespoons Salt
* 2 Tablespoons Pepper
* 2 Tablespoons Red Pepper Flakes
* 1 Tablespoons Ancho Chili Pepper
* 2 Tablespoons Cumin
* 3 cans (15 Oz. Can) Black Beans, Drained

What to do:
Mix everything but the chicken together in the Crockpot. Stir. Place the chicken breasts on top. Cook on low for 8 hours. Shred chicken and stir. Serve with homemade tortilla chips.

Notes: I adjusted the salt levels from the original recipe. Of course, salt to taste, but I prefer thinks less salty!

Perfect soup for these cold winter days:) And made my husband happy because he loves black beans!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-03T16:14:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year my lovely friends and readers! Welcome to any of you new followers, also! I'm glad to have you here and I hope you enjoy my random ramblings, crafts, and recipes:)

I don't have any new projects to post today, although I made quite a few Christmas presents this year. December, Christmas, and the New Year really got away from me this go round and I wasn't able to get up with this blog so much - sorry! My pillows were very successful (!), my social life busy, my craft show good (!), and my goals for a handmade holiday very high. All this culminated in my being knocked off my feet for a few days last week. In December 2011, I will have to plan better and start earlier.

Thank you so much to all of you who have supported me in 2010! I look forward to sharing more projects, recipes, and stories with you in 2011!

Holiday House Tour {house tour}

2010-12-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I've continued the house tour, huh? Sorry about that. We do have almost every room painted now so I can continue after that holidays!

I'm here today to share some Holiday cheer with my Christmas decorations. I love the way everything turned out for our first Christmas in our new home!

Front Door!

Entry Way

Miss Silvie wrapped up in the tree skirt!

Wolfpack snowman and santas displayed in the dining room

with ornaments and a handmade ornament vase!

my pink tree in the kitchen!

love these wire presents I picked up on sale last year!

the tree in the daylight

all lit up!

mantle decorations!

with the stockings!

the whole sh'bang!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Y'all!

Picnic table {husband gushing}

2010-12-14T08:00:00.003-05:00

Look what my wonderful husband made for me on my weekend away!

Isn't he talented?!? And the sweetest?

{deck re-staining is on our to-do list. I can't decide if I want to change the color!}
He also painted the half bath attached to my workshop:) Thanks, babe!

pom-pom candy cane wreath

2010-12-13T08:14:00.007-05:00

Good Morning Lovelies! I've just returned from my first show devoting solely to crafting. It was fun and a small one, so it was a great one to start with. We had great feedback on the pillows and bags especially, and several great sales! Very encouraging:)

I've been seeing these Pom-Pom Wreaths all over the blog world recently and decided to give one a go as my TV watching project. I love, love, love the way it turned out!

It looks particularly great from the street - the red & white really stands out!

Update: Here's some close-ups by request!

Here's where I'm linking up this week:

Studio Updates

2010-12-06T08:38:00.000-05:00

Good morning and Happy Monday! I've been working hard recently in the studio, cooking, decorating, etc. I wanted to show you what I've been up to this morning. How do you think everything?!?

What' your favorite?

a gorgeous wedding

2010-11-23T19:16:00.000-05:00

this wedding over on Style Me Pretty is so stunningly gorgeous!

I could just get lost in the grey dresses, orange flowers, and simple yet sophisticated details. So beautiful! Go check out the whole gallery!

Snowman!

2010-11-22T15:20:00.006-05:00

Happy Monday lovelies! Is everyone gearing up for Thanksgiving? I pulled out my Christmas decorations this weekend. Very exciting because I haven't seen them in two years! Everything was in storage. We got everything up except the tree. Can't get a real one too early, right? I'll do a holiday house tours edition when I get everything up:)

I was a pillow making machine again this weekend and here's my favorite new & fresh one from this week's batch:

The snowman is adorable, right? The best part is that is made out of super-soft fleece, so he feels good too!

I'm linking up to some craft parties this week! Here's where you can find me:

and take a look Tuesday here:

Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts

Chicken Chimichangas {Tasty Thursday}

2010-11-18T07:18:00.000-05:00

These Chimichangas are super delicious. Definitely a good addition to the recipe book. I did not take pictures, but there are good ones on Tasty Kitchen and the chef's blog. I left out the cheese of course, but I must say that they were still really good! Would make great party food if you made a mini version. I served with homemade tortilla chips.

Here's the recipe from Tasty Kitchen:

What you need:
* 1-½ cup Cooked Chicken, Chopped
* 1 teaspoon Cumin
* 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano, Crushed
* ½ teaspoons Chili Powder
* ¼ teaspoons Garlic Powder
* ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt (1/4 Tsp Table Salt)
* ¼ teaspoons Black Pepper
* 5 Scallions, Finely Chopped
* ½ cups Drained And Rinsed Black Beans
* 2 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro Or Chopped Baby Spinach
* ¾ cups Salsa (salsa Verde Also Works Great)
* 8 ounces, weight Monterey Jack Cheese (shredded)
* 7 Taco-size Flour Tortillas (about 8-9")
* Vegetable Oil Or Olive Oil For Brushing

What to do:

Preheat oven to 400F. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, cumin, oregano, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, scallions, black beans, and cilantro. Add the salsa and cheese. Stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

Brush 4 tortillas on one side very lightly with water then place them in a stack on a clean kitchen towel. Wrap the towel around the tortillas. Microwave the tortillas for about 25 seconds. This heats the tortillas enough to make them pliable.

Remove one tortilla from the kitchen towel and rewrap the others to keep them warm.

Add 1/3 cup of the filling to the center of the tortilla. Wrap the chimichanga like you would a burrito. Fold the left and right sides of the tortilla up over the filling then roll it starting from the bottom to completely enclose the filling.

You should not roll the chimi too tightly or the tortilla will tear (or later burst during baking). Place the chimi seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the other tortillas – heating additional tortillas in the microwave when needed.

Brush the tops and sides of each chimi with some oil. Bake for 23 to 26 minutes or until the chimis are golden and crispy. Serve with additional salsa, sour cream, or pico de gallo.

Enjoy!

Holiday Pillows {more variations}

2010-11-17T19:15:00.000-05:00

here's some more holiday pillows! email me to place your order: marian@perfectchancememories.com.

Ornament Pillows!

2010-11-11T08:30:00.000-05:00

As promised, here are some more Holiday pillows! And keep in mind, all of my pillow covers are removable. So after the Holidays you can remove these and replace it with one of my flower covers, heart covers, or some of the other options coming in the New Year! Cover with insert (18x18) is $45 for the ornament. Just the cover is $30.

And as always, I can customize to your color specifications. Just shoot me a email!
Happy Veterans Day!

Lovely Pumpkins

2010-11-08T08:25:00.000-05:00

I so want to do this for my Thanksgiving decorations. I imagine pumpkins in different glittery colors, some with candles, some without. Maybe some glittery gourds as well? Oh the possibilities!

Time to start Thinking Red & Green! {Holiday Decorations}

2010-11-03T21:13:00.000-04:00

Hello Lovelies! October was crazy busy and November is starting out the same way. As I'm sure y'all know by now, if I'm not blogging, it is because I'm busy working on projects, designs, and parties. Sometimes I just can't find the time to blog, even though I love it. So I'm not ignoring y'all - just busy creating fun stuff to show you!

And today I've got two Holiday items for y'all! Both items are available for order and customization. Here's the first:

Christmas Tree Pillow! Very cute, right? I'll be showing you more options over the next week, but you can get the tree in green, red, black, or gray and the background in just about any color you can think of! The tree is topped off with a button and the "ornaments" are pearl beads. Cost -$60 including pillow form. The cover can be taken off after the holiday and replaced with another cover - perhaps my Daisy cover?!?

Ornament bouquets! Fun, cute, perfect Center pieces all through the Holiday season. The vase can be customized with different ribbon and embellishments. Cost $30. This also looks great year-round in colors that match your house. I have one that stays in my dining room.

Order your pillows by November 30 for delivery by December 10. Order by December 5 to ensure delivery for Christmas. Reserve your ornament bouquet today - I have a limited number of them in red, green, and gold!

Pinwheels Round 2 {reunion}

2010-10-28T08:57:00.000-04:00

The pinwheels got to party two weekends in a row! My 10 year high school reunion was last weekend and my plan was to do simple decorations with a focus on photos from our high school days. Our colors were navy and gold, so I reused two of the pinwheels from the Francis wedding and covered the middle with gold cardstock. My mom found these great gold mums which I covered in navy and white fabric. To display the pictures, I used double sided tape to attach a clothespin to a dowel. Stick the dowel down into the potted mums and clip your pictures in clothespins. I also made two banners for the walls!

And the reunion was a blast! It was great to see everyone and act like we are still 18!

Tasty Thursday {Baked Pecan Chicken Nuggets}

2010-10-21T08:20:00.000-04:00

No picture for you today, but these chicken nuggets should definitely go on your menu list for this weekend. They are ummmm....dee-licious! Here's the recipe on Tasty Kitchen (she has a picture there!)

What you need:

* 2 whole Chicken Breasts
* 2 whole Egg Whites
* ½ cups Milk
* ½ cups All-purpose Flour
* ½ cups Finely Chopped Pecans (we used 3/4 cups pecans)
* ½ cups Breadcrumbs
* 1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
* ½ teaspoons Black Pepper
* ½ teaspoons Onion Powder
* ½ teaspoons Hot Paprika
* 2 Tablespoons Cooking Oil
* 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

How to do it:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces, about 7-8 pieces per breast. In a bowl, beat egg whites with milk until well blended. Add chicken to egg mixture and set aside.

In a shallow dish, mix flour, pecans, breadcrumbs, seasoned salt, pepper, onion powder, and paprika. Dredge chicken in flour mixture. In a heavy skillet, heat oil and butter until sizzling. Place chicken pieces in the skillet and allow to brown lightly. Turn each piece over and place the skillet in the oven. Bake for 18 minutes.

*words from original post on Tasty Kitchen.

perfect weekend, perfect wedding, perfect couple

2010-10-19T08:36:00.000-04:00

What a great weekend for a wedding this past weekend was! James and Jessica tied the knot this past Saturday at the gorgeous Rosa Lee Manor in Pilot Mountain, NC. Jessica knew what she wanted her special day to be from the beginning, so it was easy to bring her vision to life. Today I have some pictures from the set-up to share with you. I did double duty as a bridesmaid as well, so we'll have to wait for the professional pictures from the super talented Kim with Fusion Fotografix for the real deal pictures. And to see the full set-up, ha! But I wanted to share a little with you today!

These pinwheels made a path, along with mums, from the parking site to the ceremony site and then to the reception site. This picture does not do them justice.

Handmade programs in the baskets!

This pictures needs no words. So beautiful!

We marked the parents/grandparents seats with handmade bunting.

A table for guests' to leave messages for the couple in their scrapbook and on quilt squares.

A banner on the back on the bride & groom's chair!

Congratulations James & Jessica! Such a beautiful day!

House Tour {kitchen}

2010-10-05T19:18:00.000-04:00

Hello Lovelies! I'm finally back with another house tours post:) The kitchen is up this weekend. We painted the walls Serious Gray (Sherwin Williams) and replaced the floor. They don't make the same floor that is in the rest of the house anymore, but we matched the color with a nicer quality wood laminate. Wood laminate works for us now since the dogs are all over the place. I spray painted the cabinet handles and created the easy-peasy decorations. We'll eventually switch the appliances out to stainless, but the white certainly works for now! I love the glass cabinets where I can show off my Fiestaware!

Thanks for joining me on my house tour!

an easy-peasy decorating project

2010-10-04T20:01:00.000-04:00

Happy Fall Y'all!

I hope everyone is enjoying this nice cool weather that has come our way:) We finally got to see the sun here on the east coast about 5 this evening. It's been nearly a week. Not used to that here, that's for sure!

I tackled several projects through the rain and I'm sharing a super simple one with you today. I took some of my favorite fabric that coordinates with my kitchen and stretched across some embroidery hoops. It looks great! Here's the finished project:

I hope to see y'all back here tomorrow! I'll have the full kitchen house tours post for ya if it's sunny and I can take pictures:)

some of what I've been doing

2010-09-28T08:23:00.000-04:00

Good morning lovelies! I hope everyone had a great start to this rainy week (at least here on the east coast it's raining buckets!) Here's some pictures of just a few of the projects I've been working on recently. I was hoping to continue the house tours this morning, but it is too dark to take pictures. Oh, well maybe tomorrow!

Tasty Thursday...er Friday {Chiptople Turkey Sloppy Joes}

2010-09-24T08:05:00.000-04:00

I did manage to get this week's Tasty Thursday up. A day late, but oh well! This is a healthier, spicier version of the Sloppy Joe. Pair it with some grilled veggies or roasted potatoes and you've got a game day meal!

Here's what you need:

* 1 pound Lean Ground Turkey
* ½ whole Red Bell Pepper, Diced
* 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
* 2 whole Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce, Finely Chopped
* ½ whole Sweet Onion, Diced
* 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
* 6 ounces, weight Tomato Paste
* 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
* 1 package (about 1.3 Oz. Packet) Sloppy Joe Seasoning
* 4 whole Wheat Buns Toasted

Here's how to do it:

First, brown the turkey, pepper, garlic, adobo peppers, and onions in olive oil.

Once brown, add tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, seasonings, and about 1 cup of water to the skillet. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until thick and hearty.

Meanwhile, toast the buns. If using the oven, preheat to about 400 degrees and place on a baking sheet, insides facing up. Keep checking on them until they are toasted to your liking!

Serve Sloppy Joe turkey over toasted wheat buns. Enjoy!

gearing up for fall

2010-09-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

Good morning my lovelies! I apologize for being so MIA in the past few weeks, I've been in studio working on lots of projects and inventory for the fall. And of course, football season started! Yay! Here's some pictures from halftime of the NC State game Thursday night:

Also, some very exciting news! You can now buy PCM stuff at three locations!

Beans N' Screens in Emerald Isle, NC.
Tassels in Morehead City, NC. Check out the website - tasselsshoes.com
and
Made by Hand in Oxford, NC.

So exciting and challenging to be three stores and keep up the inventory along with special orders!

new bag

2010-08-30T12:42:00.000-04:00

a new tote bag this morning with bow detailing.

Love this fabric!

$50! email or post if you want it!

New Pillows

2010-08-27T08:16:00.000-04:00

A quick update this morning with some pillows I made Wednesday! I love the green coral fabric and the yellow with the elephants.

Tasty Thursday { Grilled Chicken Caprese}

2010-08-26T07:16:00.000-04:00

Hello my friends! This chicken caprese recipe is super easy and it passed the husband test:) I'm afraid I did not take any pictures, but this has to be the easiest recipe I have ever posted here on PCM. Here's the link to the original recipe on Tasty Kitchen.

What you Need:

* ¼ cups Olive Oil, Plus 2 Tablespoons, Divided
* 1 teaspoon Salt
* 4 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
* 4 whole Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts
* 4 whole Roma Tomatoes--sliced
* 1 cup Bocconcini Cheese
* 4 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
* ½ cups Fresh Basil, Cut Into Chiffonade

What to do:

1. In a large resealable bag, drizzle ¼ cup olive oil, salt and pepper over 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Seal bag and mix the bag around to coat the chicken evenly.

2. On the barbecue or in a grill pan over medium heat, grill the chicken until cooked through (about 7 minutes per side).

3. To serve, place a cooked chicken breast(s) on a plate or platter, top each with the tomato slices, bocconcini (or slices of fresh mozzarella), drizzle the balsamic vinegar and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and top with the fresh basil.

We did not use any cheese because CAT doesn't like it, and I think the recipe was just as good without it. The chicken was fabulous! Crispy, crusty, and favorful! This would make a great entertaining meal as well - easy to do and you could just put the ingredients out kind of like a taco bar. Enjoy!

(all ingredients and instructions from the original tasty kitchen post)

a little bit fun

2010-08-24T19:08:00.000-04:00

and a little bit bright.

Happy Tuesday my lovely readers! I hope everyone is having a good start to the week and had a fantabulous weekend:) CAT and I had a very productive one, doing a small reno project in the guest bath & painting it. Only 2 bathrooms, the bonus room, & the laundry room left!

Here's my little bit fun and little bit bright project. It will hang in the bathroom soon but I wanted to show it off to y'all:) I covered a canvas in some great fabric that arrived yesterday and added one of my favorite quotes from Alice in Wonderland. Do y'all like it?

It's going to hang on that green wall in the last picture!

Mahi Mahi with Pineapple-Mango Salsa {tasty thursday}

2010-08-19T08:10:00.000-04:00

Here's what you can have for dinner tonight! This salsa is super yummy over fish and I can imagine it would be delicious with chicken and shrimp as well. Also great for a cook-out because you can prepare the salsa beforehand. Here's the link to Pineapple Mango Salmon on Tasty Kitchen. I used Mahi Mahi instead because I can get it fresh here at the coast.

What you need:

* 5 whole Limes, Divided (juice Only)
* 1 pound Salmon Fillet (any fish would work! or shrimp or chicken)
* 5 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro, Minced, Divided
* 2 Tablespoons Parsley, Minced
* 2 whole Mangoes
* ½ whole Pineapple
* 1 whole Sweet Red Bell Pepper
* 2 whole Plum Tomatoes
* 1 whole Jalapeno
* 4 whole Green Onions
* 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil (I did not use in Olive Oil, the juice from the limes was plenty of liquid and our fish did not stick)
* Kosher Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper

How to do it:

Start by squeezing 2 limes over the flesh side of the salmon fillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and 2 tablespoons cilantro and parsley. Allow to sit while you prep the salsa and preheat your grill to 500° F.

Peel and dice the mango and pineapple. Chop red pepper, tomatoes, jalapeño and green onions. Mix together. Squeeze in juice from remaining three limes. Stir in remaining 3 tablespoons cilantro, finely minced. Salt if desired. Allow to sit in the fridge for the flavors to combine while you grill the salmon.

When the grill is hot, spray fish lightly with olive oil to prevent sticking. Place flesh side down on the grill and cook for 3 minutes. Carefully flip the salmon to the skin side and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Remove from grill. Top with pineapple-mango salsa and serve.

Enjoy! I have enough salsa leftover to try it on some different things this weekend!

{words from the original recipe, pictures from me}

Monogrammed Beach Bag {wedding shower gift}

2010-08-18T08:03:00.000-04:00

Here's a beautiful striped beach bag I had monogrammed and gave as a wedding shower gift with a monogrammed beach towel and a matching clutch. This bag style has quickly become my favorite go-to bag because you can use it for anything! I used mine for my carry-on last week and of course I take it to the pool and beach regularly!

{all bags available for custom order, starting at $35. Choose your fabric, trim, etc. Monogramming available for $10 extra.}

House Tour {living room}

2010-08-17T19:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Tuesday y'all! I'm back for another edition of the Tucker House Tour! This week, the living room - one of the most used rooms in the house of course. This living room is MUCH bigger than the one we had in Cary and our stuff fits perfectly. The color is Sherwin Williams "Poolside", which is my favorite color of all time. And I've been told that it looks very beach-y, so it fits in perfectly here at the coast! The beadboard was here when we moved in and it helps to keep the rooms very light and open looking. And how lucky did we get that our tv fits in the cubby hole? We had to remove the side cabinets, but it is a perfect fit!

Details:
Paint - Sherwin Williams Poolside
Antique Window - thrifted & painted by me
Vinyl Lettings - by me
Engagement Collage - Leslie Ann Mills Photography
Couch - Rowe sectional
Ottoman Cover - by me
Lucky Chance Picture - wedding gift from my parents

Pics from around Boston

2010-08-16T08:10:00.000-04:00

Wow, I didn't blog at all last week. Bad, bad. I have a million excuses but I won't bore you with those details. I'm so sorry to leave y'all hanging!

Last weekend I went to Boston for a Bachelorette party and we just had the best time there ever was! A great group of girls, a fun city, a great family, and a great bride. Here's some pictures from around Boston on Friday. We hit some historical sites, but spent most of the day shopping and hitting cool food and drink spots.

"Look, It's Paul Reverie!"
".....ummmm, er George Washington"
"hey, it's an old guy on a horse."

Wedding Inspiration

2010-08-04T08:14:00.000-04:00

Check out this fantabulous wedding shoot on Style Me Pretty. Love love love the turq, white, and black combo and of course the dress is to die for. I got lost in dream land looking at this wedding this morning!

*I'm not able to bring any pictures over this morning so just pop on over through the link above & check it out!

Tasty Thursday {Steak Tacos}

2010-07-29T08:37:00.000-04:00

In my house, it doesn't get any better than Mexican food. I could honestly eat Mexican every single day and be totally happy with that. The hubs would request a change every once in a while, I do believe:) These steak tacos are Fabulous and will feed a army so they make a great entertainment food. I got the basic recipe here on Tasty Kitchen. I 'll note my changes.

What you need:

1 whole Boneless Chuck Roast, 2 1/2 To 3 Pounds
3 Tablespoons Pure Olive Oil, Divided
1 Tablespoon Plus 1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin {I love cumin, I doubled this}
1 pinch Salt And Ground Black Pepper
1 can (4.5 Ounces Each) Chopped Green Chiles {I also added jalepenos!}
2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
4 whole Large Garlic Cloves, Minced
2 cups Chicken Broth {I only used 1 cup}
2 whole Medium-large Onions, Ends Left Intact, Peeled And Each Onion Cut Into 8 Wedges
2 whole Medium Multi-colored Peppers, Each Cut Into 8 Wedges
12 whole Medium Flour Tortillas
1 container (8 Ounces) Light Or Regular Sour Cream {we don't do sour cream}
1 bunch Cilantro
1 whole Lime, Cut Into Wedges

How to do it:

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Heat a 5 to 6-quart heavy Dutch oven {I used a large skillet and a glass casserole dish} over low heat.

Meanwhile, place roast in a large bowl; coat with 1 tablespoon of oil and season with 1 tablespoon of the cumin and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Mix chiles, chili powder, remaining 1 teaspoon of cumin, and oregano in a small bowl.

A few minutes before searing, increase heat to a strong medium-high until wisps of smoke start to rise from the pan. Add roast; sear, turning only once, until both sides form an impressive brown crust, about 8 minutes total. Transfer roast to a plate; set aside.

Add garlic to the now empty pot; sauté until fragrant and golden, about 30 seconds. Add chili mixture; sauté to intensify flavor, another 30 seconds. Add chicken broth, bring to a simmer; return roast to the pot.

{Here I just poured the chicken broth mixture over the roast, which I had placed in the casserole dish} Using 2 potholders to protect hands, place a sheet of heavy-duty foil over the pot, pressing on the foil so that it touches the stew. Seal foil around the edges; repeat with a second sheet of foil to completely seal. Turn burner on medium-high until you hear juices bubble. Set pot on middle oven rack; cook for a total of 1 1/2 hours. {2 hours is better. The meat gets super tender!} Remove roast from oven, cool to room temperature, and shred into bite size pieces. About 30 minutes before roast is done, toss onions and peppers with remaining 2 tablespoon of oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper on a baking sheet large enough for vegetables to fit in a single layer. Place pan on bottom oven rack; cook until tender-crisp, about 30 minutes. {I have done the veggies 2 ways. The way above and I have sauteed them on the stove top & just pop 'em in with the steak when it is about half way done. This way the veggies soak up the delicious juices from the steak and the chiles.}

{Here it is all shredded and juicy!}

Serve with warm tortillas, bowls of sour cream, cilantro sprigs, and lime wedges. {Whatever tacos toppings your crowd prefers! We use avocado, tomatoes, and lettuce. We also always have rice, black beans, or both with ours.}

Enjoy! This is a great crowd pleasing meal & the boys love it too:)

what I did this weekend

2010-07-26T08:26:00.000-04:00

Here's one of the projects I did this weekend. Pillows!

I got the basic tutorial here on V and Co. I modified it slightly to fit the pillows I already had and made my flowers slightly smaller. My petals are tighter as well, which looks better since I used a heavy cotton canvas rather than the felt. I used vintage buttons for the center.

I made these with the intention of putting them in one of the guest rooms, but I love them so much they may go in the living room!

Cilantro Lime Shrimp {tasty thursday}

2010-07-22T08:28:00.000-04:00

cat is applauding with you that Tasty Thursdays in back. Sorry for the hiatus! But I have some really delicious things lined up for the next few weeks.

This recipe is particularly tasty and summery. See the original recipe here on Tasty Kitchen. The only change I made was to use seasoned salt instead of the plain stuff.

What you need:

2 teaspoons Olive Oil
2 pounds Medium Shrimp, Shelled And Deveined
1 dash Salt And Pepper, to taste
6 cloves Garlic, Crushed
1 whole Lime, Juiced
½ cups Fresh Cilantro, Chopped

Here's what to do:

Heat a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Add olive oil to the pan; when hot, add the shrimp. Season with salt and pepper.

When the shrimp is cooked on one side (about 2 minutes), turn over and add garlic.

Sauté another minute or two until shrimp is cooked. Shrimp should have just turned pink; do not overcook, or your shrimp will be chewy and tough!

Remove from the heat. Squeeze lime all over the shrimp and toss with cilantro.

Serve over salad, rice, in tacos, or all by its lonesome.

The instructions and directions are from the Tasty Kitchen post. The pictures are from me:) I served it over rice, obvi. The lime and cilantro flavor infused the rice and it was super yummy. But these shrimp would be divine served cold over a simple salad or with gnocci.

the tastiest way to save $150/month

2010-07-21T18:53:00.000-04:00

Get yourself a coffee grinder, a mason jar, and a french press. We have this one:

It works great! Grind one cup of Espresso beans on the coarse setting. Put in the french press and fill with water. Put the top on (but don't press yet!) and let the whole sh'bang sit on the counter for about 12 hours. Now you can press! Press the grinds down and pour your Espresso into your mason jar for storing in the fridge.

Now you're ready to make your Latte. Pour in a little of your favorite syrup. (You may have to experiment with the amount - start small and add more later I always say!) Add one part espresso and one part milk to make whatever size latte your heart desires.

There ya go! You've just increased your clothing/crafting/shoe budget:)

scrap busting {flowers & headbands}

2010-07-20T08:28:00.000-04:00

Y'all, I have so much scrap fabric. Like, a ton.

See? That's box #1.

And here's box #2. Ridiculous, right?

I am lucky enough to have a smallish walk-in closet to store all my fabric and right now my scrap boxes are taken up half of it! I decided that it is time to take action without adding to the trash can.

So here's scrapbusting project #1:

A Fabric Flower Headband. This flowers are fun and easy to make and could be used on headbands (like here!), hairpins, or as a brooch to attach to most anything. It is also sewn by hand so I can work on this and watch TV at the same time. (p.s. who saw the bachelorette? Frank is such a d-bag!)

Expect to see many of these in the future!

Etsy Revamp

2010-07-18T09:13:00.000-04:00

I am in the process of re-vamping/re-branding my Etsy Store. I feel like it needs a name lift & a face lift. When I started this venture of being my own boss, I did not envision creating and selling stuff. I thought it would be more of an Event Planning business. But now I love the creating/selling and definitely spend most of my time doing that and the Perfect Chance Memories name is a little confusing for what I am doing the most of currently. Here's three Etsy banner choices I whipped up this morning. Which do you lovelies like best?

What projects would you like to see?

2010-07-15T08:14:00.000-04:00

So a little mini poll here on PCM. What projects would you lovely readers like to see in the future?

I have a few things lined up regarding how to use up all those fabric scraps (and I do have a lot of scraps!) and I plan to bring back Tasty Thursdays. But are there other things y'all are interested in seeing here on this blog? Give-aways, paper crafts, tutorials, local hot spots?!?

Thanks in advance for your imput!

Home Tours {hallways}

2010-07-13T14:12:00.000-04:00

I believe I should have started the home tour here in the entry hallway, but I was so darn excited about my dining table that I skipped ahead to the dining room. So skip back a minute and imagine you are starting the tour at the beginning :) This is the entry hallway.

Those of you that know me know that I am not a beige person. Like, at all. I think it looks great in other people's homes, but in my home it makes me feel like I am not living in my own space. Like I'm an impostor. Or like I'm renting someone else's house.

Gray, on the other hand, makes me feel alive, happy, and at home. It also matches swimmingly with the bright colors I tend to gravitate to. And with the large windows, tall ceilings, and bright white beadboard in our house, the gray does not overwhelm the space or make it feel to dark.

Above is the hallway coming in from the garage. It leads to the kitchen (you can see one kitchen wall in this picture), the master bedroom, the laundry room, and the bonus room. We're replacing the floor & some of the trim in the kitchen, which is why those things are missing from this picture. I painted this small section between the doors with chalkboard paint & love it! It goes great with the gray and has become the perfect place to keep track of our wish list:) I keep chalk in a handled mason jar on one of the hooks for easy handling.

My 6 year old nephew studied the wish list and said "I think I'll get them the mulch, its probably the cheapest." HA! Too cute. Although we need nearly a dump truck size load of mulch.

2010-07-09T07:55:00.000-04:00

Happy Weekend! We're off to a couple wedding showers (yay!) and to visit my husband's family. See you Monday!

Studio Updates

2010-07-08T07:53:00.000-04:00

There's been beautiful weather and lots of custom orders around these parts recently, but I did find time to make a new set of bags for my self. A beach bag, a small tote, and a clutch. The beach bag will get monogrammed soon!

What I did today

2010-07-06T08:11:00.000-04:00

Dining Room Update....I finished the project I was telling y'all about for the dining room. I love love love the curtains we had hanging in the dining room at our old house but the windows here are MUCH larger so a) the curtains won't fit and b) I'm not sure I want to cover the gorgeous windows anyway. The canvases were 50% at Micheal's last week and I bought two 24 x 48 wrapped ones. I cut the old curtains to fit, wrapped it around the canvas and used a staple gun to secure to the back. and voila!

What I did today

2010-06-29T20:04:00.000-04:00

home tours

2010-06-28T21:30:00.000-04:00

It's about time for a home tour, I do believe. We've been in our new house about 2.5 months now and we have slowed drastically on the painting, decorating, improvement projects, etc. But it's summer and we live at the beach so there's no time for house work when it's so great to be outside:) Let's start the home tour with the dining room! (mostly because I'm super excited about the farm table CAT got me).

We painted of course. Wolfpack red. The contrast on the beadboard is fantastic and the vaulted ceilings are great.
Here's some shots from around the room:

I want to get an oversized picture for the display shelf or cover some canvas with curtains from our old house that won't work here.
Now for some shots of the table:

The table is exactly what I have been searching for for 2 years and CAT got a wonderful deal:) Couldn't be happier!

Love these

2010-06-10T10:17:00.000-04:00

Chairs. I found them at a cool new vintage store here in MHC. I can't remember the name right now but I'm sure I'll be getting stuff there often & will update ya'll!

my new office chair

for the front porch! now I just need one more...

Wow...

2010-06-09T20:16:00.000-04:00

Wow, it's been a while! Have ya missed me?

Well you know if I'm not blogging it is because I'm busy working on things in my studio :) I've had custom orders & fun new things galore to keep me busy. Oh, and I don't think I've told ya'll that I started a fabulous job at Tassels here in Morehead City. I basically get to play with shoes and clothes and jewelry all day - awesome!

Here's some bags from this past weekend with some wonderful fabric I just ordered. I think the beach tote is my new favorite. A custom order and now I love it. What do ya'll think?

MCAS Air Show {for the boys}

2010-05-24T08:11:00.000-04:00

We went to the air show at Cherry Point Saturday and CAT loved it! All the flying, tumbling, twisting and falling gave me the hiebbies-jiebbies (yes, even though we were stationed on the ground), but it was pretty cool to see everything up close. Here's some pictures from the day. It is nearly impossible to get all 4 Blue Angel planes in one frame on a point and shoot!

what's happening in the PCM Studio

2010-05-20T09:16:00.000-04:00

or why I haven't been blogging:

around the house

2010-05-12T08:29:00.000-04:00

Okay, let me start with telling ya'll that I have a historically black thumb. Like, really, really black. As in I can kill most any flower in a very short time. But yesterday I decided our front yard needs some color. (Actually, what it really needs is either a truckload of mulch or lava rock but we haven't had a weekend yet to tackle that job.) So I thought some pretty flowers in my trusty oversized beach buckets would make good band-aids. I stopped by The Friendly Market on my way home from work and got some encouragement ("it's just mostly luck anyway, sweetie") and flowers.

I've had this hydrangea for a month!And it even has a bloom:)

The star and pavers are there in a effort to stop my dogs from digging for moles right in front of the porch. It is also why these planters are in this particular spot for now. The dirt they kick up onto the railing is really unattractive. Really.

I love these two!

Hopefully I can keep everything alive! Anyone have any gardening tips for me?!?

a day in the life

2010-05-10T15:27:00.001-04:00

of a beach bum. Here's a glimpse of our new neighborhood.

Monogrammed Annabelle Bags

2010-05-05T07:50:00.000-04:00

Wow, I've been a bad blogger this week! I've been here, there, and everywhere: only not on the computer. I apologize dear readers!

I have been wanting to show ya'll my Monogrammed Annabelle bags for a few weeks now, so I'm excited about this post today! This bag style is easily becoming my favorite. It is easy to use, lightweight, and usually big enough for everything I need. On days that I need more stuff, it fits comfortable into my tote bags. Monogram is available for $9 extra!

I hope to update my Etsy store this month & this will definitely be in the shop!

Carolina Handmade {AndelDesigns}

2010-04-27T09:06:00.000-04:00

I have some beautiful jewelry for you today in the Carolina Handmade spotlight! I was introduced to Kim's lovely work through my new job at Tassels in Morehead City. We sell a collection of her jewelry there and it is truly gorgeous! I soon had to have my own necklace (the last one in the blog post!) and I get so many compliments on it! Check out her shop on Etsy and enjoy the interview!

Name:
Store:
Website:

How did you get started in your craft/art?
A friend from work started making jewelry several years ago and I really liked that all of her jewelry was unique so I started making my own as well. I live just around the corner from a wonderful bead shop called The Bead Lady and they have been so helpful in teaching me new tricks of the trade and their inventory is wonderful - they have beads that you don't find anywhere else. They have a knack for it and I've been lucky enough to pick it up! fyi - here's their website - - -
http://www.thebeadladyinconcord.com.

Is this your day job or a hobby?
This is a hobby. My day job is very analytical. I advise banks on mergers and acquisitions and help with the overall integration of the multiple banks so I use the left/analytical side of my brain on a daily basis. Designing jewelry allows me to use my right/random side of my brain. During the week, although I live in NC, I work in CA from Monday through Thursday. I work project plans, step-by-step, looking a parts of activities. On the weekends, back in NC, I work on jewelry and picture something holistically - I see what I want the finished product to be and then build it.

What is your favorite thing about creating/designing?
That I design one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry - you won't find another one like it. One of my favorite things is buying shoes, then I buy an outfit to go with the shoes, then I design jewelry to pull the entire outfit together. Jewelry is seasonal too - just like you buy new colors and sandals for the summer, the beads are summer colors and styles. I love being able to move from one season to the next.

Who is your strongest supporter?
My husband, Cary. He does things around our home that allow me extra time to make jewelry. He also has worked in interior design and is great with design and colors - he'll pull a picture out of a magazine of a beautiful piece of jewelry that costs thousands of dollars and I make something similar that doesn't even cost a hundred - it's a challenge!

What keeps you motivated?
There are beads available from around the world and they all can be mixed and matched to make beautiful jewelry - there is no right or wrong - it's what you like. Every time I purchase new beads, it's because I can see what they can become and that gets me excited. Right now, I have more inventory than I can make and I would love to be able to sit down and get everything made and then start all over buying again!

Any thing else you would like to tell us?
I started Andel Designs because I was making so much jewelry for myself and my family and friends that everyone started telling me I should start a business and sell it. It's tough for me sometimes to sell it because I design things I love and then I want to keep them, but there is no way I could wear it all. The name of my company is a little unique. Andel is the Czeck word for Angel and one of my favorite quotes is by Michelangelo, "I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free." I use a great deal of Czeck crystals in my designs and feel like I see beauty in each piece and work until I get something that is one-of-a-kind.

Thanks for sharing with us Kim! I love my necklace:)

update....

2010-04-21T16:24:00.000-04:00

CAT, myself and the furbabies are all moved into our new house and are quickly getting settled! My workshop is coming along nicely and I will have a few new product photos for you next week - including Monogrammed bags!

Happy creating!

spray paint is my new favorite {DIY}

2010-04-19T08:16:00.000-04:00

I attacked my old wicker set with a few cans of spray paint this weekend. I am really starting to love this stuff! Everything looks instantly better {if not newer!} at a cost of about $3/bottle. Plus, I'm not creating additional waste in the landfill by just throwing the stuff out. Here's the transformation:

Did ya'll do any crafty projects this weekend?

Tasty Thursday {Grilled Veggie Pockets}

2010-04-15T08:35:00.000-04:00

Happy Thursday Lovelies! It's been a gorgeous week here on the Crystal Coast! Our days are filled with painting, unpacking, hanging pictures, and lots and lots of yardwork. We did manage to get back into the swing of cooking last week and these grilled veggie pockets are delicious and super easy. This would make a great side at a cook-out or summer party, with individual pockets for each person. If you have kids, they could fill their own "pockets" with veggies of their choice as a DIY activity. Would this help kids eats their veggies? Worth a try, right?!?

Here's the ingredients:
Bell Peppers
Onion
Zucchini
Spices like Adobo, Season Salt, Cumin, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme
and whatever other veggies you like! mushrooms & carrots would be good additions.

Here's how to do it:

Cut one tinfoil piece for each serving you will be grilling.

Chop veggies into bite size pieces and place one serving size on each piece of tinfoil.

Sprinkle your array of seasons on your veggies. Take it easy on the salt if you are using something like Adobo, which already has salt in it.

Make a pocket with your tinfoil, closing it loosely before putting them on the grill. {p.s. Do you like the countertops at our new house?!? love them!}

Grill for about 25-30 minutes at about 400 degrees. Check halfway through and move to the top shelf or away from direct heat if the bottoms are getting burned.

Enjoy!

Carolina Handmade {Mine All Mine Monogramming}

2010-04-13T15:51:00.000-04:00

I'm back today with another edition of Carolina Handmade! In the spotlight this week is Alice Rup of Mine all Mine Monogramming. I just love monogrammed stuff, don't you? Anything becomes instantly cuter with an initial or a name monogrammed on it. Alice makes simply the cutest stuff for babies, kids, and adults! Burp cloths, bibs, shirts, blankets, bags, and umbrellas are available. Here's her interview:

Name: Alice Bennett Rup
Company: Mine All Mine Monogramming
Store: online only through facebook page Mine All Mine Monogramming

How did you get started in your craft/art? My mother sewed all of our clothes and costumes growing up, so I have been around sewing for a long time. I got my first sewing machine about 10 years ago, but only used it for household items like curtains or aprons. Right out of college, I discovered how much cuter things were with a monogram or name on it. That is really when my obsession with monogrammed gifts began. I purchased my own embroidery machine about 1 year ago as I was spending so much money on gifts for friends wedding and baby showers as well as getting things monogrammed for my own son. I took a couple of lessons from the shop where I purchased the machine and practiced, practice, practiced. Soon, the little shirts and things I made for my own son and friends, other people wanted. That is when I decided that I needed to devote extra time to operating this little part time business.

Is this your day job or a hobby? This is a hobby that has really turned into a part time job. I work full time in a different field, but I spend about 15 hours a week (depending on season) creating items for my customers

What is your favorite thing about creating/designing? My favorite thing about creating is seeing customer’s reactions to the finished product and going out in public and someone asking me where I got the adorable shirt that my son is wearing. Being able to attend a baby or wedding shower with a gift that you helped to create and make extra special with personalization for a friend has is a great feeling.

It is funny to me when I go to shower with a gift I made, where there are people that I don’t know attending. You can see the look on people’s faces that all think I spent too much money! I love their reaction when I tell them that I made the gift!

Who is your strongest supporter? My strongest supporters are my friends and family. They are always enthusiastic about my creations and offer great suggestions.

What keeps you motivated? My customers keep me motivated. They are sooo enthusiastic, constantly praise the things that I make and send referrals my way. At the rate I am going, I am afraid to set up a real website or open a shop on Etsy because I already have a lot of business and I like to keep my turnaround time short.

Thanks for sharing Alice!

Visit Mine All Mine Monogramming here.

from gold to silver......{DIY}

2010-04-12T07:59:00.000-04:00

.....in less than an hour! Here's my DIY project from the weekend. Our new kitchen had gold hardware on the cabinets and it had to go. But not at $2 a pop new knobs. A can of spray paint for $3.50 and about an hour of my time and they look great! And the kitchen is on it's way to being finished. Just the back splash & the floor left:)

the knobs before

a can of spray paint and one painted knob

spray one side, let try, turn over, spray other side. I put two coats on these.

Finished product!

What DIY projects did you do this weekend?

we scout wednesdays {artist, crafter, blogger}

2010-04-07T08:26:00.002-04:00

*Today's We Scout Wednesdays theme over at Scoutie Girl is a favorite artist, crafter, or blogger. I am reposting my Carolina Handmade interview with Natalie from Stitches and Purls to participate!*

Good morning Lovelies! I am very excited to bring you a new weekly series called Carolina Handmade! This series will focus on a variety of artists from North Carolina and will showcase their talent, work, and ideas. I believe that art encompasses anything that requires use of your creative mind so you'll see artists, crafters, designers, photographers, event designers, sewers (sewing crafters, sew masters?) and more in the spotlight. I hope you enjoy the new series and learning about all the talented people in our beautiful state!

First up is the talented Natalie Lodato of Stitches and Purls. I won a headband from Natalie and few weeks ago and I love it! The colors are beautiful and you can really tell it is made with love and care and that Natalie really loves to knit. I'll let her take it from here!

Name: Natalie Lodato

Company: Stitches and Purls

Store: www.stitchesandpurls.etsy.com

How did you get started in your craft? To make a long story short - I taught myself to knit from kit about five years ago! I was at job training in NYC and decided I needed a hobby in my downtime :). Then about a year ago one of my best friends taught me to crochet. Little did I know that my hobby would turn into an obsession, favorite thing to do, and pseudo business.

Is this your day job or a hobby? For now - it is my hobby and side job. However, I would love for my designs & work to turn into something more permanent one day.

What is your favorite thing about creating? Hmmm... well I have a 'thing' about being unique. I love the fact that when I design - I get to make every item one of a kind. It is so much fun to pick out every aspect from the yarn to the construction to the finished product. In short? I'm kind of a control freak :)!!

Who is your strongest supporter? Oh gosh - I can't pick - definitely friends & family & my knitting buddy.

What keeps you motivated? Great feedback from customers! There is nothing more motivating than seeing or hearing how happy a customer is with a product that has so much of 'me' in it.

Any thing else you would like to tell us? Well - since this is for Carolina Handmade, it is relevant that I am a native North Carolinian :) . Born and raised! I have a great dog and a wonderful husband and family... and I hope ya'll will check out my blog & store to learn more about me and my work!

Thanks Natalie! It is so fun and motivating to hear other people's stories about how they got started and how they stay motivated! Check out Natalie here: Etsy, Stitches and Purls Blog, Facebook, and Flickr.

Carolina Handmade {Nicole Faby Photography}

2010-04-06T08:10:00.008-04:00

Another great installment today in the Carolina Handmade series! Nicole Faby is amazing photography located in the Raleigh area and available for travel. She takes beautiful, artistic photos during her sessions and makes you feel comfortable and relaxed. I will let the photos speak for her talent! See the interview below:

Name: Nicole Faby
Company: Nicole Faby Photography LLC
Store/Website: www.nicolefabyphotography.com

How did you get started in your craft/art? I have always loved taking photos but the turning point was after my son was born!

Is this your day job or a hobby? I like to call it a dream job I get to do daily!

What is your favorite thing about creating/design/imagery? Capturing moments in time for people to treasure forever! And being involved in peoples most special moments every week! I am so lucky to be surrounded by new babies, new beginings, and SO much love!

Who is your strongest supporter? My friends and family are amazing!! They are always helping me with new ideas and promoting my business!
What keeps you motivated? My clients kind words and reactions to my photos

Any thing else you would like to tell us? Mention Marian and Perfect Chance Memories and receive $15 off a session! I travel too!!

Thanks for sharing with us Nicole! Don't forget to sign up for a session with Nicole, mention me, and receive $15 off!

we're moving!

2010-04-05T16:41:00.000-04:00

Just a quick post today to let you know that CAT and I are in the process of moving into our new house! Which is why I have been slack on the posts since Wednesday. I promise to be back sometime tomorrow with this week's Carolina Handmade! It's a good one:)

we scout wednesdays {weddings}

2010-03-31T10:30:00.000-04:00

hmmm...any excuse to talk about our wedding is a good excuse to me! It's we scout wednesdays over at Scoutie Girl and I couldn't be more thrilled that the theme this week is weddings! I started this little blog well after the wedding and haven't had an excuse to share pictures of stories here yet.

I'll start with the only snafu of the day and then the details!

A story to remember: the only detail that did not go as planned was the cake. I had ordered a four tier cake, all different flavors, in a light turquoise with fondant gerbera daisies splattered over the cake. The baker got rear-ended while delivering it, and my cake ended up in pieces all over the back of her delivery vehicle. My aunts ran out to the local grocery store and bought this cake so that we would have something to cut on our wedding day!

I loved every minute of planning the wedding. Not once did I feel stressed or overwhelmed and I loved researching all the different possibilities and DIY projects. We knew from the moment we got engaged that we wanted an outdoor beach wedding close to my family's beach cottage in Emerald Isle, North Carolina. We chose the Dolphin Ridge club because of it's simplicity and because it could hold our 125+ guests. We rented 6 large beach cottages within walking distance of the club for the wedding party and families. All events were local and we rented a shuttle for the rehearsal dinner and party the previous night.

I'm a huge fan of color, so I incorporated all my favorites into the day - bight pink, turquoise, lime green, yellow, and orange. One of my bridesmaids told me she thought I was nuts when I told her that the bridesmaids dresses would be pink and turquoise, but when she saw them she absolutely loved them.

The boys wore khakie seersucker suits with turquoise ties {even the ringbearer!}. The flowers were mixed bouquets of the wedding colors with a focus on gerbera daisies.

I either made or customized the favors {flip-flops with our initials on them and koozies}, the programs, and the guestbook {a scrapbook that followed our path to the wedding with spaces for personalized notes from the wedding guests}. We had an awesome selection of comfort/real food including chicken tenders, shrimp and grits, and roasted potatoes. We had a dj and a band so there would not be a lapse in music at any time during the celebration. These images were captured by our fantastic photographer, Leslie Ann Mills. I wouldn't do anything differently and wish we had another excuse to throw a huge party!

Oh happy day!

Carolina Handmade - Elissa Keno {weddings + events}

2010-03-30T07:56:00.005-04:00

Good morning Lovelies! It's Tuesday and time for the 2nd Carolina Handmade post. This week I have a real treat for you - Elissa Keno of elissa keno {wedding + events}! Elissa is an uber-talented wedding and events planner and crafter. It takes a special eye for beauty, a talent for craft, and an extreme amount of organization to be a successful wedding planner and Elissa has to all! Here's the goods from the interview:

Name: elissa keno

Company: elissa keno {weddings + events}

How did you get started in your craft/art? I think I always knew that I would work in the visual arts, I just didn’t know in what capacity. I
always loved design. As a child, I used to create inspiration boards from
old magazine clippings, and I would constantly study art books,
photographs, and magazines for design ideas. When I found out about the
world of wedding design, I realized I had found my calling. I love telling
the story of a couple’s wedding day through design and details.

Is this your day job or a hobby? both! even when I’m not at work, I find the compulsive need to style. I color code my books, repurpose wine
bottles into chandeliers and vases, and visit flea markets to add to my
collection of props.

What is your favorite thing about creating/designing? I love creating
something tangible and unique that is a representation of my client’s
interests and design aesthetic. It is amazing to see months of hard work
come together in the form of a beautifully designed event.

Who is your strongest supporter? My husband. Hands down. He has done
everything from manage my website to hanging chandeliers from trees while on crutches. He is actually an excellent crafter, which has come in handy on many a night when I’m doing something crazy like making corkboard silhouettes for a photo shoot.

What keeps you motivated? My clients. If they are happy, I am happy.

Any thing else you would like to tell us? In addition to event design +
styling, I love blogging. I currently write a wedding advice blog for
Fox50’s Carolina Wedding Connect Website and I have my own style blog
Annabelle Lane.

Thanks for sharing with us Elissa! Happy creating!