I've been busy!

A few of the main reasons I haven't been blogging:

• work- I work all kinds of weird hours- one day I can work at 4:30 am and the next at 2 pm until 9:30 pm, and somtimes back the next day at 4:30 am, yeah it's not cool.  So, needless to say when I get home I'm tired, and just feel like chilling not crafting or cooking :(

• Pinterest- this site is so ridiculously addicting that it takes up all my time on the net, and therefore I forget about my blog

• vacationing- a good excuse in my opinion.  I went to Disneyland and LA with my two BFFs from Arizona.  Then my dad came to visit me from Ohio.  It was a fun week with a couple of days of work in there.

Red dot: work, blue dot: home, and yellow dot: my sister and brother-in-law's house.

• the biggest announcement... I'M MOVING!- to Louisville, KY.  So, much of my Pinterest surfing has been decorating my new apartment.  I've been arranging a place to live and a new store.  (there will be another post on this soon)

So, those are my excuses, but all very good reasons, I think.  I plan to get back into blogging when I move.  I will have more space to spread out and work on projects.  But, that's a couple of months, so in the meantime bare with me :)

Sophistimom Tartines

I saw these on Sophistimom's blog a few years ago and made them not too long after that.  They are so delicious!

Granny Smith Tartines with Black Forest Ham and Brie

french bread
1 Granny Smith apple
6 oz Brie cheese
4 or 5 slices of Black Forest Ham

Preheat the oven to 400.  Then start slicing, first the bread.

And give the bread a nice little toast in the oven.

Now, the apple and cheese.

Now, you're ready to build.

Place them in the oven for 8-10 minutes.  And have a snack while you wait...with the dog looking longingly at your food.

When done, the cheese will be all melty and yummy-looking.

Enjoy!

DIY Mint Sugar Scrub

I keep seeing all these scrubs on Pinterest and various blogs, and so I decided to make one of my own.  I work at Starbucks and so I'm on my feet all the time.  My feet get sore often.  And when I'm not wearing tennis shoes for work, I'm wearing sandals, so my feet get dry (ew).  Therefore, time for a foot scrub.

Here's my recipe.

Mint Sugar Scrub

fresh mint- I think I used about 10 leaves
3/4 c raw sugar
1/4 c olive oil
a few drops of body oil, mine was Burt's Bees

I first mulled the mint to get all the oil out of it.

Then just mix all the ingredients together.

 I added a little lime juice to liven it up a little.

Then massage the scrub into your feet or hands , let it sit for a few minutes, and then rinse.  Your skin will feel amazing!

(please ignore my jacked up nailpolish)  My feet were nice and soft.  Can't wait to make more.

Projects



Here are some of the things I've made over the past week or so (all photos taken with my phone):

 



Ohio String (well, yarn) Art for my new apartment

Business card holder from... ME

Earflap hat from Alli Crafts

 

Butterfly hat found here via Pinterest

 

Crocheted coasters from OhMyGoodKnits!

 

This is last is the paper chain I made to count down the days until I move.  I tear off a ring every night before I go to bed.

Ham and Cheese Mac 'n' Cheese

So, I know I'm just about the worst blogger in the world since I never post on my blog, but hey, I'm a busy girl.  And Pinterest is my one Internet weakness that keeps me from just about everything else.

Anyway, I have something delicious to share.  However, I don't have a recipe- I made it up as I went along.  I have ingredients for you, though.  And I'll give you an estimate of how much I used.

Ham and Cheese Mac 'n' Cheese

1/4 c butter
4 tbsp. flour
5 or 6 slices of mild cheddar cheese
5 slices of ham, cubed
1/2 c milk
1- 1 1/2 c elbow macaroni pasta
1/2 c Panko bread crumbs

First start your water to boil for the pasta then once it's bubbling, add your pasta.

While that's cooking, start your sauce by melting your butter in a saucepan.

Then your going to make a roux by adding the flour to your melted butter.

It's going to thicken and darken quickly, so add the milk next and whisk well so it's not lumpy.

Now add the cheese.  I like cheddar and I use the real stuff not the processed cheese like Velveeta.

Salt and pepper to taste.

In this time your pasta has cooked, so drain it **I cook mine a little al dente**  Next, add the pasta to the sauce.

Now, add the cubed ham.  You can use the ham steak as well, I just happened to have the slices in the fridge, so I decided to use them.

Grab a baking dish, mine was a glass 8 x 8 dish, and spray it with a little cooking spray.

Pour in the mac 'n' cheese and spread it out.

Now, sprinkle the top with the Panko bread crumbs.  I love the Panko because they're light and just add a little crunch without any extra flavor.

Warm up the broiler and broil the mac 'n' cheese for about 5 minutes.  Yes, only 5 minutes!

Then enjoy!  And maybe have seconds... and thirds ;)

And I had a little of this with mine:

 

Delish!