Happy Thanksgiving!!

Hope you time here is short and productive:

Image from This Old House

S0 you can spend more time here:

Image from Eddie Ross

But hopefully you do not have to spend to much time here at the end of the day:

Image from House Beautiful

Seagrove, NC

Seagrove is a community in the NC Piedmont. Beginning in the 18th century, this small town became one of the first spots creating North Carolina stoneware pottery, mostly for utilitarian reasons. It has since morphed much beyond a few potters creating whiskey and milk jugs. Seagrove is still a small town, but one that hosts tens of thousands of visitors each year looking for the perfectly imperfect vase, pitcher, or bowl from a Seagrove potter.


Many of the potters open their studios and galleries year round to visitors, but each year on the Saturday and Sunday before Thanksgiving the potters join at one location, The Seagrove Pottery Festival. The Festival offers potters a chance to showcase their work and visitors a chance to purchase from the vast and diverse talent that Seagrove has to offer.


I went this past weekend to begin Christmas shopping and provided my fair share of support to the local Seagrove economy.


Here is what I found:

Flower Pots: Pebbles Pottery; Bowl: Enthusiasm Pottery; Brie Baker: Bristow Pottery; Chalice: unknown

I'll Bite

This before and after from Southern Living's November issue are all over the blog world the last few days. But it really is to pretty, chic and comfortable not to share.

Here is the before:

And the After:

The bedding somehow makes the four-posted bed look both modern and vintage and fresh and historical all at the same time.

I would love to get our vintage desk in our bedroom as a side table. And look at that lamp.

As is the wall covering is not enough, the framed wall paper panels add so much to the room. It is also a "do-more-with-less" idea.

The room belongs to Mary and Tony Ankar who were assisted in the room redo by Anne Turner Carroll.

Saturday Style-Sporty Spice

After purchasing these multipurpose yoga pants from Old Navy a few weeks ago, I am hooked. For weeknight evenings in or weekend errands out, I have banished my jeans to the closet and am relying on these to keep me not only comfortable and casual but also stylish enough to not look like I am wearing my PJ's out in public. They are also a great weight for outdoor winter exercise.

And if you have a 30% off Give and Get Coupon, this weekend would be a great time to purchase.

Sunny Spots

We have had nothing but heavy, cold rain for the last several days, but today finally some sun. For those of you still looking out the window to dreary, wet, cold weather here are some sunny spots to start the weekend.

Images from Southern Living

Updated: I came across this one about 5 minutes ago and I had to add it.

Dark Chocolate

It actually looks a little chocolate grey to me. Regardless it makes me want to paint something (like maybe my kitchen).

Images from Country Living

Thanksgiving Tradition-Pink Salad

It's Thanksgiving recipes and traditions today on Kelly's Korner "Show us your Life." I can't really believe that is actually November, but since the calendar doesn't lie and Turkey Day is only 3 weeks away here is my recipe and tradition.

Having this recipe at Thanksgiving Dinner is the tradition. Pink Salad is a congealed fruit salad recipe, that is just as good for breakfast the day after Thanksgiving as it is for the actual meal. Did I mention the final result is Pepto-Bismol pink:)

And though these types of recipes (congealed salads) usually remind me of my southern roots, this one came from my Italian grandmother.

Pink Salad

8 oz of Whipping Cream
2 20 oz cans of Crushed Pineapple
2 8 oz blocks of Cream Cheese at room temperature
2 jars of Maraschino Cherries chopped
1 cup of Sugar
2 packages of Knox Unflavored Gelatin

Heat pineapple and sugar in a sauce pan until sugar is dissolved. Keep warm. Mix cream cheese and cherries together in mixer and set aside. In a small bowl, dissolve gelatin packages with 2 tablespoons of hot water and 2 tablespoons of the hot pineapple/sugar mixture. Mix well then add gelatin to pineapple/sugar mixture. Remove pineapple/sugar/gelatin from heat then add it to the cherries and cream cheese. Mix with mixer then add whipping cream. Pour into serving dish and congeal in refrigerator.

Go Green with your Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights from our house.

Chrismas lights are pretty, but think how much extra energy is used for the lights around the month of December.

From today until November 15 Home Depot is offering $3 off the purchase of any energy efficient LED holiday lights. They use 80% less energy. Just bring in your old incandescent light strings to trade for the $3 off coupon. Another bonus, the old lights will be recycled.

Open Shelving (or Not)?

I really like the idea of open or glass shelving for some of our kitchen cabinets. So I finally took the plunge, removed one set of doors and started arranging. So my question... does it work like this:

Or does it look like our kitchen cabinet doors just fell off, which means I should go back to this:

Discuss...

Twenty Minutes Times Three

I have started the Couch-to-5k running plan. I have just started week 4, and I can't say enough good things about the program. I run for time and use my ipod to keep track of the intervals. The program is challenging, but not impossible (one of the things that makes it a good fit for me). The plan assumes that you will run 3 days a week and each day's run is only about 20 minutes.

I really like the structure of the weekly intervals, it pushes me just enough that I know I'm improving, but not to much that I just get overwhelmed and quit. Because the intervals change each week there is some variety in the program.

If you are looking for something to help you start an exercise routine or you are a frustrated runner, check this out.

Kitchen Essentials

I have what I consider a well-stocked kitchen. I can also say after a few moves and purging, most of what is left in my drawers and cabinets I used on a regular basis. What works for me may sit in your drawer with only one use, but here are the pros (and cons) of what I consider my kitchen essentials.

-Hand Chopper-I have one from Oxo Good Grips. It's a little loud, but I use my chopper at least once a week to dice onions and veggies in about 1/2 the time it would take with a knife.

-Hand/Submersion blender-It may just seem like one extra appliance, but it really is invaluable for quick soups. Remembers Soups On this fall.

Handheld Cheese Grater-Processed Parmesan cheese is OK, but there is nothing like the real stuff freshly grated. Shredded cheese maybe easy, but simply buying blocks of cheese and grating it when you need it is good for the budget.

Stock pot-I cook all of our pasta and soups in this pot. It's also out at least once per week.

Mini food processor-I got two Cuisinart Minis as wedding presents. I find that they are a great size for making quick dips or salad dressings and having two has actually been really helpful.

Steamer-I have really only used the steamer for rice, but with the timer setting on the model that I have its so nice to add water, set the timer and forget about it until dinner is ready.

And one for the wish list: A Kitchenaid Mixer. I have a stand up mixer, but there is just something about a Kitchenaid that makes me drool. I'll take red please:)

I found it on another blog-October

October was all about the kitchen for me. Maybe it was the change of seasons, but I was motivated to cook and try new recipes.

1-Spicy Pretzels from All Things G & D-I can't wait to try these, they sound like perfect football food.

2-Kitchen Eye-Candy from Pure Style Home-With all of the cooking I am wanting to do between now and holidays, its hard not to think about a dream kitchen. I love the eating/work space and natural light in this one.

3-It's kind of like cooking. I was so excited to see this list recipes for natural homemade cleaners featured on Young House Love. Now I just have to wait for my store-bought chemicals to run out.

4-This recipe for Ravioli with Apples and Walnuts on Big City Cooking. It screams fall to me.

5-I'm not one for breaking out the Christmas tunes before Halloween is even over, but this Snickerdoodle Experiment from The Way the Cookie Crumbles has got me thinking about holiday baking.

Bon appetit!