What I've Been Creating Lately

Isn't that one of the prettiest kidney beans you've ever seen?!?  We saw the heartbeat a few weeks back, the most wonderful little flutter, made our hearts melt all over again! Doc said heartbeat is strong and baby looks healthy.  Yes this is what I've been up to lately, creating a person.  Which is why I have slowed down on the blogging and crafting.  Its about all I can do do work a full day, play with Wyndham and put her to bed.  Thank goodness for my sweet husband for taking over cooking and cleanup duty as I just can't do it.  Man I am so much sicker this time around!!  Didn't get sick one time with Wyndham, clearly not the case this time around!  Maybe that means it's a boy?! Who knows.  Assuming that the nausea and tiredness wear off here soon, I plan to be back up to sewing, crafting, cleaning and cooking like my normal self.  All I have to say is Zofran is magic medicine!  Not sure I'd be surviving right now without it.  We find out the sex in March, OMG that seems forever away, I'm truly not a person of patience. Thought I would share this fun news with ya'll as Ryan and I could not be more excited, they will be 18 months apart!  We know we are a bit crazy but it will be so fun!  We know Wyndham will be an excellent big sister!   Will post pics of Wyn's big sis shirt as soon as I can muster the strength, that and christmas pictures-- on me, oh my is this little one doing a number on me!

xoxo

Pam

Guest Posting At Tatertots and Jello

Please head over to Tatertots and Jello and check out my tutorial!

Irish Christmas Eve Dinner

Since we are planning to spend Christmas Eve Traveling (ugg!) and Christmas day in FL (yay!)I won't get to make my version of a traditional Irish Chrimstmas dinner like I like to do for my hubby on Christmas Eve.  So I plan to make this tomorrow night.  Here are some details and I will post pics when I make them :) I find the Irish menu quite fitting as my last name is Monaghan and my life is populated with several Irish Redheads! :) 

Our Menu consists of:

Salmon

Potato Soup

Beer Bread

Steamed Asparagus

Hollandaise Sauce

Recipes are as Follows--

Asparagus:

Snap the tough ends off the asparagus. The ends may be discarded.

Steam asparagus until tender (not mushy) and drain. Asparagus should be a bright green rather than an olive color. The length of cooking time depends on how young the asparagus shoots are when harvested, and their size.  (I usually do it around 3 minutes; any longer they are mushy yuk!)

Serve with the following Hollandaise sauce.

Hollandaise Sauce:

4 egg yolks
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice or water
2 sticks butter (1/2 lb), in chunks
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
pinch of white pepper (optional)

In a saucepan, beat egg yolks over low heat for about 5 minutes. The eggs should become heated, but if the temperature nears a boil, the eggs will scramble. If the mixture is not hot enough, the sauce may be too thin and is more likely to separate.

The sauce is ready when, with a stroke of the whisk, you will see the clean bottom of the pan.

On the lowest heat setting, add the chunks of butter, one at a time, and beating after each addition. Stir in the salt, pepper, cayenne and lemon juice.

Pour sauce over asparagus and enjoy!

Salmon:

I take a 9x13 baking dish and coat with a thin layer of olive oil.  Align the fish so they are not touching if possible.  I top with the following:

1 Lemon, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
Sprinkle Dried Onion Flakes to taste

1 tablespoon Fresh Basil, chopped
1 tablespoon Fresh Dill, chopped
1/4 teaspoon Morton® All-Purpose Natural Sea Salt

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until thoroughly cooked.

Easiest Potato Soup Recipe EVER:

2 cans of Cream of Potato

2 cups of shredded hash brown potatoes

2 cups milk

Cubes of Velveeta to taste

I put in a crock pot all day so it is super tender and flavorful!  I season with seasoning salt, dried onion flakes and garlic salt to taste. 

When serving I garnish with dried chives, bacon and shredded cheddar cheese.  So easy and everyone LOVES it!

Beer Bread:

Purchase from tastefully simple and add one can of beer.  Doesn't get much easier or taste much better than that!

The Traditional Poncho

Another New Creation, I call it the Traditional Poncho! Tweed Rectangle Poncho with a cowl neck collar and ruffel off-centered to the left. Inspiration for this one came from yet another magizine which was a mock on off the traditional mexican ponchos.  Here is a sample of the Vogue's Perfect Poncho , somewhat similar mine.  Maybe I should design for Vogue, hahhaha! 

What do you think of her?

Monday Makeover

Monday Makeover being posted on Wednesday Thursday, haha!  Like i've said before, my blog, my way!  I have felt a little under the weather so I just have not been able to post--more on that later.

For this weeks makeover I made another Poncho Love!  For this one I opted for a royal blue/black giant houndstooth.  And rather than the cowl neck as the others had, this one has an off centered bow tie collar.  What do you think?

Thanks for modeling yet again Jodi! Beautiful as always :)

Features

This week my coastal wreath was featured here!


 

And my Burberry Poncho Knock Off was featured here!

So Not Me!

Oh goodness life has really thrown me for a loop recently. I am constantly reminded of God's amazing love and grace and of the fact that God has got to have a great sense of humor. Being the type of person I am -that being type A, OCD, planner type- I like to have a plan and try to stick to it, but being a mom really teaches you that you just can't be in control of everything, and I think having Wyndham has prepared me more than anything for our adventures ahead!

So not me for it to be a little more than a week from Christmas and not have all of my shopping done. Well, to be exact I have only bought 4 presents! What in the world?! SO NOT ME! I usually have everything bought, wrapped and under the tree by now!


Thank you Jesus for never being finished with me. For continuing to teach me new lessons, show me new ways to serve and areas I can improve on.

New December Headgear

So this past weekend I crafted up some new headgear.  Three newbies to be exact!

First we have the plumage jamboree headband with pearl accents:

  

 

  Next is the Peacock feather headband with a Guinea Dot feather accent:

 
 
 
 

 Next is the Same Combo ~ Peacock with Guinea Dot feather~ on a clip:

 What are your thoughts of my feathered friends?

xoxo
Pam

Christmas Exchange Gifts

So received my gifts in the mail from Ashley this weekend!  So so so excited!  Here is documentation as promised :)

look at this sweet face on the note!! 

 Can you tell I'm overjoyed by the HUGE smile on my face?! ahah!  So excited!

 This necklace is gorgeous and matches my beanie I made this weekend.  Ashley and I are in sync :)

LOVE LOVE it Ashley, thanks again!!!


xoxox
Pam

Makeover Monday

Sorry I'm a little late, no excuses I just am.  Well there is actually an excuse, the 3rd edition of the Twilight Sage, Eclipse was released to Redbox, which we rented.  Clearly that took precedence.  Why I'm obsessed with pre-teen fictional characters I have not a clue.  Embarrassing but there it is.

For this week's makeover I made a floral sweater beanie, inspired by an anthro floral sweater headpiece. 

The beanie cost $1 and I had some left over fabric from my Cowls and these Sweater Rosettes.  So all together this project cost me $1!

Here is the before:

Here is the after:

  

Please take note how perfectly it matches the necklace that the beautiful Ashley sent me for the Holiday Christmas exchange!  Apparently Ashley and I are on the same wave length!  Grey and Cream are the new thing :)

 Matching my Grey and Cream Peacock Print Scarf I am obsessed with from Old Navy.  Got it for such a steal right after Christmas :)

Hope you enjoyed!

xoxox

Pam

Santa's Little Helper

One more attempt to get the perfect photo for this year Christmas Card. Is she cute or what! Love that little girl so much there aren't even words!  Love these pictures as well but I don't feel that any of these are quite the picture I'm looking for!

She loves the fireplace :)