February Pink Challenge Week #1

PINK THINGS I LOVE

If you would like to be a part of the "Color My World Challenge" and haven't joined before, feel free! This month its all PINK....Let me know that you are joining though so I can see what you come up with:)


Week #1 Things you love in pink

Week #2 A craft project using pink

Week #3 Use pink in an unusual way

Week #4 Use pink in a recipe

Waiting to walk into the light again

I think it was just that kind of a week,
when the light eluded me
just around the next bend,
picking up one foot and putting down another
trying for the grace to forgive
and wanting to know I was.
No way of going back,
no sure step forward
the light too far ahead to see.
trying for grace to let go
and wanting to know I am.
At times it just seems like
life comes on heavy treads,
and the sound it makes hurts my soul.
trying for peace to rest
and uneasy in its grasp.
New light ahead, evolving grace
letting forgiveness rest
and peace pervade.

"In this world you will have trouble, but I have overcome the world." Jesus

White Challenge #4

Here is my all white dinner for the #4 white challenge. Interesting how white comes in so many shades!

Greek Chicken

4 chicken breasts cut up
1/4 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp oregano
3 minced garlic cloves
1/3 c. white wine or cooking wine
1 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. feta cheese
2 sm. shallots minced
1/4 c. chopped green onions
1 c. mushrooms
chopped tomatoes

Dredge chicken pieces in flour, brown in olive oil over med high heat, add shallots, garlic, salt and pepper (to taste). Set aside. In same oil saute mushrooms, oregano and parsley for 3-4 minutes. Add Feta cheese, chicken broth and wine. Stir until melted. Place chicken in baking pan, pour wine mixture over. Bake at 350 for 45 min - 1 hr. Sprinkle tomatoes and green onions over for the last 10 minutes.

Smashed Potatoes

White potatoes
whipping cream
White pepper
salt
butter
Boil potatoes whole, unpeeled until cooked and tender. Smash with potato masher slightly. Add rest of ingredients to taste and smash again. Potatoes will be lumpy. Sprinkle with paprika if desired.

We serve the chicken over the potatoes, but they are very good separately also.

Shopping My Closet

Sometimes it pays to just shop your closet! I love the clothes and outfits that Ann Taylor Loft puts out, but when I saw this idea I thought , "hey, I think I've got enough similar pieces in my closet to put this outfit together with out spending a dime!" If I would have used some black "bling" it would've been pretty close, but I liked the gray instead.

I like to challenge myself once in awhile to see what I can come up with instead of rushing out to buy a new item. And plus with cropping and picnik.com I can even look as thin as the model :)

Color Blog

To those of you that have joined my color challenge, (and anyone else who love gorgeous color and photos) you may want to check out this blog and be REALLY inspired. http://acreativemint.typepad.com/ Love her vignettes of color!

Scrapbooking in the Round

In the sewing splurge of the last few months, my scrappin' has taken a back seat. Yesterday I finally sat down and finished a round scrapbook of our anniversary, that I started last fall....yikes

It was a round scrapbook I found in the dollar bin at Target last summer. Although it had a pink cover, that was easy to change and it came with 20 round pages! I didn't end up using them all but still for the price.....

I used the Marrakech line from Basic Grey that I got on clearance. I'm really pleased with the final effect, but working with circle paper can be a little more challenging...I ended up punching holes for the ring that holds it all together in the wrong edge on several pages and had to cover up those holes with more ribbon!

But one more project off my to do list, especially as another scrappin convention and retreat are coming up and I want to start on some new things:)

Gift Bag Updo

No matter what I do I never seem to have the right gift bag for what ever I'm wrapping. So this time instead of rushing out the door to get one I just used a plain white bag and embellished it very simply.

Also I figured I could skip a step and just make the embellishment into a card too and keep it fast and easy. One of these days I might have a fully stocked wrapping station like you see in magazines, but in the meantime.....