Med School Blue with a Little Bling

Stephanie, my sister's youngest daughter is a second year Med School student . Not only are we proud of her, it's also nice having her close during the school year since the Medical School she chose is here in town.......and as an added bonus Jane comes over from Los Angeles more often to see her baby......meaning more sister time for us.....always a plus! Steph spends her summers between her home in L.A. and humanitarian medical trips to Guatamala....busy girl.

Of course, when fall comes it's back to studying. She already has a crazy cute apartment to come to and while everything is pretty much decorated, she wanted to redo her bedroom this year. When she and Jane arrived a few weeks ago that was top priority on the agenda. She wanted a pretty blue with a little bling to come home to every night.

Christopher and I went over to help with the painting

Now we all know it's in the details...........

.............some bling on the tassels........

......new frame for the Van Gogh.......

......Jane recovered the headboard with sheets from Anna's Linens......

notice the big button tufting.........love that part

............a girl's gotta have a few flowers in her room.......

........Amy.....recognize some of the accessories?..........

.............the curtains were made from the same patterned sheets as the headboard........

The lovely finished product........

We thought it turned out great...........and most importantly......Stephanie loved it! While she has a very nice office set up in her place she said she she does a great deal of her studying curled up on her bed with her laptop and books...........and now with her brand new little kitty to keep her company.

Finally, here's Stephanie........isn't she gonna make a great looking doctor?

From a doting aunt........

I'm linked today with Sally for Blue Monday and Susan for Metamorphasis Monday. Just click on the photos to get your Monday off to a great start!

A Well Watered Garden

"If you get rid of unfair practices, quit blaming victims, quit gossiping about other people's sins, If you are generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out, Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness, Your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.

I will always show you where to go. I'll give you a full life in the emptiest of places— firm muscles, strong bones. You'll be like a well-watered garden, a gurgling spring that never runs dry.You'll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew, rebuild the foundations from out of your past.You'll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again." Isaiah 58: 9-12 The Message

Blessings on this beautiful Sunday..........

Today I'm linked with Charlotte and Ginger for Spiritual Sunday.

Shabby Chic?

Is there anything better than a catnap on a warm afternoon? Especially if you can take that nap curled up on your favorite old quilt?

What if that quilt is on the tail-end of shabby? Shall I call it shabby chic?

Yes, I think I will. I've had it for so many years.....didn't pay that much for it even when it was new.....but I've always been in love with it.

White with just a hint of now-faded color. Incredibly soft and tattered.

The years have taken their toll.....but I confess the way I use this little cover has been

the biggest culprit. You see, it's outside a great deal of the time....especially in the cooler months.

Usually you will find it draped across a patio chair or one of my backyard swings.....occasionally spread out on the lawn. I've been known to forget to bring it in (books fall into this category too, but that's another post....more than once I've rushed home in an impending rainstorm to rescue a favorite stack of books. Or been awakened in the wee hours of the morning by the sound of sprinkles on the roof........ only to have to scurry around the backyard in my whatevers gathering valuables in my arms before the downpour!)

 My only excuse is that I use the things I love....and sometimes there are consequences! Sigh.

This summer it has been spread across our bed much of the time. There's a perfectly good white duvet under it that looks ever so stylish on a summer bed.....but it's not quite as old and familiar and cozy. My beloved quilt is shabby chic......that's my story

and I'm sticking with it.

Today I'm linked with Julia at Hooked on Houses

with Kelly at There's No Place Like Home, and with Melissa at The Inspired Room

Key Lime Bars

I couldn't resist our local market's great special on key limes this week. Now, what to do with them all? Actually there are so many ways to use limes in our cooking that it's not really a problem. We're having homemade tacos this evening so I wanted to try some sort of lime dessert to go with it. I ran across a recipe I had clipped from a magazine years ago but had never tried. Oh come on now, I know all of you have lots of those too, don't you? Anyway, it seemed to fit the bill for tonight's menu. Just took them out of the oven and after sneaking a little pinch off of one, I think I know my family well enough to say they're going to be a favorite from now on.

A KITCHEN TIP FOR TODAY.......Look in your old recipe files because you just might find a real gem. You obviously thought you'd like it when you first clipped it out...... so take one out of storage and give it a try!

Key Lime Bars

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

Bottom Layer:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup powdered sugar

3/4 cup butter

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Top layer:

2 eggs

2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice (6 small keylimes or 2 regular limes)

1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest (optional)

1 cup granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 drops green food coloring

Preparation:

For the Bottom:

Mix together flour and powdered sugar. Cut in the butter until crumbly and the mixture clings together slightly. Spread the dough in a 8x8 inch pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes. While the crust is baking prepare the topping layer.

For the Topping:

In a mixing bow, slightly beat the eggs. Add the lime juce, zest, sugar, flour and food coloring. Mix well and pour the mixture over the hot baked crust. Bake for 25 minutes more at 325 deggrees. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cool and cut into 9 squares.

Note: This recipe can be doubled and made in a 9x13 baking dish.

I have a feeling the guys will be saying I should have used the bigger dish! :)

Enjoy!

Today I'm linked up with Mouth Watering Monday, Tempt My Tummy and Tasty Tuesday. Just click your way on over to enjoy more great recipes.

An Arizona Autumn

In mid-September the National Forest Service here in Arizona begins their daily Fall Colors report. In the low desert we will see very little, if any, leaf change..... but in the high country it is an entirely different story. The colors across the peaks are absolutely breathtaking and since the season is very short, it has always paid to keep track of when the trees are at their most colorful. It's a lovely drive just a couple of hours north of Phoenix ......a drive we always look forward to this time of year.

The landscape begins to change as we leave the desert floor and head north on I-17 towards Flagstaff.

Oak Creek just outside of Sedona, the beautiful red rock country.

Arizona maples on Rim Road near the Mogollon Rim........

Gorgeous show of foliage in Oak Creek Canyon

A grove of Aspens near Christopher Creek

Autumn in the White Mountains .....

Country road near Flagstaff.....

"Ditch Camp" in the White Mountains .......

Bassett Peak .......

Slide Rock in Oak Creek Canyon..............

So before very long we'll be stealing away for a day (or maybe two ) to enjoy the lovely sights of the season........what's it like in your part of the country? Do you have colorful leaves falling right outside your window, or do you enjoy driving to the mountains to see the sights? What special little things are you doing to enjoy this incredible Autumn season?

Today I'm linked to these two great sites.

Just click on the photos to see more lovely outdoor shots.

An Autumn Meal

September

The breezes taste

of apple peel.

The air is full

of smells to feel;

Ripe fruit, old footballs,

Burning Brush,

New books, erasers,

Chalk, and such.

The bee, his hive,

Well-honeyed hum,

And Mother cuts

Chrysanthemums.

Like plates washed clean

With suds, the days

Are polished

With a morning haze.

John Updike

Isn't September just such a lovely month? And doesn't John Updike's poem

capture it so well? Or at least as well as a lovely month can be captured with mere words?

In just a couple of weeks it will be "officially" autumn in the northern hemisphere whether or not it exactly feels like autumn yet . In the West it is still very warm, but from what I've been reading across the net that's not stopping anyone from jumping right into the season, whether its in decorating or cooking or in organizing households for the new school year.

So here's my first contribution to the new season..........a meal I've been making on the first day of autumn for quite a few years now. It's from a little cookbook I picked up in the late 80's and the quick and easy main dish is called Skillet Sombrero Pie.

Photo from "Holiday Cooking with Kids" by Janet Wilk

Skillet Sombrero Pie

Makes 6 servings

Prep time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

I pound ground beef

1 10- ounce package frozen corn, thawed

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

1 16-ounce can tomatoes

1 tablespoon instant minced onion

or

if you're like me you add 1/2 diced onion instead

1 1 3/4 -ounce package chili seasoning mix

1 6-ounce package corn chips

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Equipment:

wooden spoon

large deep skillet

1. Stir ground beef and onion in skillet over medium heat until it browns

2. Stir in corn, tomato sauce, tomatoes, and seasoning mix

3. Turn heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes

4. Arrange chips in ring around edge of skillet

5. Sprinkle cheese in center and cook until cheese melts, 3 to 5 minutes

6. Serve pie directly from skillet

I usually serve this simply with a green salad. Like in the photo, we have "Monster M&M Cookies" for dessert and if the weather is cooperating, even a little bit, we have the hot apple cider to drink........otherwise it's great big glasses of ice cold apple juice.

Hope you're making plans to enjoy the great season ahead!

I'm linking up with these sites on this lovely "almost autumn" weekend. Be sure to visit them..... just click on the photos........

I'm also linked to The Inspired Room for Fall Nesting Week!