What got done?

I made a big “to-do” list of things I wanted to do on Saturday, and this weekend on my last post.

What got done?

I did make it to the farmers’ market and stocked up on some happy meats (grass-fed, free-range….animals who have had a chance to live a decent life before ending up on my plate).

I made it to the gym and was able to go almost 10 miles on the elliptical trainer…..well, it said I went 9.8 miles in 45 minutes….not sure I believe that….maybe it’s because it was at a higher setting….who knows, but it sure sounds good!

I also made the Harvest pumpkin muffins…..I’d rate them a B+, definitely worth making if you are trying to stay away from processed foods…..when I make them again I’m going to add more of the spices, but they are super moist and have the nice crunch of the toasted walnuts.  I do think the recipe is worth sharing.

Harvest Pumpkin Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Gather ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1 egg
• 1 cup solid pack pumpkin
• 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts

In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg; set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter until light;

beat in honey,

egg and pumpkin.

Gradually add flour mixture, mixing until just blended;

(don’t forget to toast your walnuts)

stir in walnuts.

 

Spoon into 12 greased or paper-lined 2-1/2 inch muffin cups. (I ran out of paper cups, so some were in paper cups and some were in greased tins…..they all slid out perfectly fine once they were baked)

Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (mine were ready at 25 minutes) Remove muffins from pan to wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. ( I had mine at room temperature, but I think they would be awesome warm out of the oven….this was my post-workout snack)

Kenny got home from work and moved the trolley into the living room…..we tried to use it as a coffee table by the sofa, but it just wasn’t working, so it’s now being used as a table/plant stand.  I took a few pictures of how it’s coming together…..coming together, not finished, but getting there.

We still need to hang things on the wall….they are soooo bare, but trying to get a “feel” for the room and get the furniture placed first.

The curtains came in, and I picked those up on Sunday, so hopefully those will go up tonight.  In this next picture you can see one of the panels lying across the drafting table (still on the hunt for the perfect old drafting chair)

By the way, JCPenny’s is having a window covering sale HERE.  I purchased a panel and a valance at sale price….took them home to see if they worked, took a survey that was on my receipt and then ordered the rest with an additional 15% off…..love being able to get more bang for my buck!

I also caved and ordered this light from Pottery Barn…..I’ve loved it for a long time and now it’s on SALE at over half of what it was originally.  I think this will look great by the sofa and will give me great light to sit and read or rug hook.

Since we’ve rearranged the furniture, we are now thinking maybe a chaise lounge instead of a loveseat…..we shopped for that yesterday, but came up empty handed……so far.

Oh yeah, got my drapery rods at Bed Bath and Beyond using my 20% off coupons and $5 off coupons, plus I had a credit from a cake plate that I got for Christmas that arrived broken…..it was a great money spending/saving kind of day!

Then there are the clothes from Marshall’s…..(no the closet didn’t get organized, but it’s going to have to be done this week!) running out of time….maybe I’ll talk about that tomorrow.

Have a great Monday!

A day full of possibilities and to-dos

Love waking up on Saturdays knowing that the day is full of possibilities and a few “to-do” items.

Perhaps head off to the farmers’ market and pick up some local veggies and happy meats.

Stop by the gym for my work-out.

Clean out my closet and pack up my summer clothes…..yes, it’s that transition time of year and my closet is strangling under all the clothes that are in it right now…..I’ve just been closing the door so I don’t have to hear it grumble, but sooner or later it is going to need some attention.

I’m wanting to try a recipe for Harvest Pumpkin muffins and I went by the store last night and picked up all the ingredients that I need.  Click on the name up above and you can make them with me if you want, but I’ll warn you, I haven’t tried them before, so I’m not making any promises other than the fact that the recipe was on Jillian Michael’s website.  I hope they will pair well with the local apple cider that I picked up.

I’ve also found a few contenders for a loveseat or maybe a conversation sofa and that furniture store is having a sale, so I hope to get by there as well….maybe not today, but hopefully by tomorrow. They have GOBS of fabrics to choose from and these are two that I liked.

We also have an old trolley/factory table that sits out by our pool, so I need to spray it with some kind of protective stuff and bring it in the house to use as a coffee table in the on-going, being redecorated living room.  This was Kenny’s idea and I think it’s a great one…..just have to clean the bird doo-doo off of it first!

Have also ordered some curtains from JCPenny’s home store and hopefully they will be in soon. The ones I ordered are a lighter color….can’t wait to get them in and hung, so I can share more progress pics with you.

 

Walls that need touch-ups with paint……

the list goes on and on…….

but right now I’ll sit here and enjoy my Sinless Pastry coffee!  A Springfield, MO product.

I feel good knowing that it has sooooo many fewer calories than THIS coffee/cappuccino sold at our local gas station……I pulled in to get gas the other day after work and saw THIS ……now that’s just plain MEAN….tempting and teasing me like that…..but I resisted!

Have a great weekend!

Trinity has a home

I knew it wouldn’t take long for this little pup to find a home…..with those mis-matched beautiful eyes, he looks like a piece of folk art!

Now I’m off to find another homeless dog to feature.

Please adopt! Don’t shop!

Measuring up

Most of us think of goals at the first of the year.  I guess that’s because the first of the year is seen as a clean slate, but I always tend to have better luck setting and achieving my goals in the fall.  Perhaps it is the changing of the seasons.

I’ve been working diligently at losing some extra weight and I’ve achieved the number that I wanted to see as well as losing several inches.  Now my goal is working towards greater health and fitness. 

I like to think of myself as a creative person, but when it gets down to it, I do  better in some aspects of my life with regimen, rules, measurements and science. 

 

If you can’t measure something,  how do you know if you are headed in the right direction?  That’s why I’ve been weighing and measuring myself, weighing and measuring and reading labels on most everything I eat,  keeping charts on how much weight I can lift and move with my body, how far or long I can run or bike or stay on the elliptical trainer.

These things I can measure and I can see my progress.

But……..how do you do this with art? 

Maybe that’s why I’ve been a bit stuck in my rug hooking. 

As a goal oriented person, how do you measure your progress?  Perhaps creating art shouldn’t have goals, perhaps you should just create to create. Create what brings you joy…..if what you create today brings you more joy than what you created 10 years ago, perhaps that is how you measure progress in art?

What are your thoughts?

Bird dog?

We are now thinking that Lonnie is part bird dog….not because he hunts birds, but because he likes to get all of the blankets and pillows around him and snuggle into his “nest”!

We are expecting “warm” weather today…..supposed to be up to 80.  Personally, I’m looking forward to when it is consistantly “cool” and you can snuggle into your blankets EVERY night!  Maybe then, I’ll feel like hooking more….right now I’m pretty much trying to stay consistent with working out.  Tuesday I surprised myself and ran the first mile of my workout……I’m not a runner…..didn’t used to be a runner. Let me tell you, it is coming in handy to not get winded at all when I’m on the other end of the leash when Lonnie is chasing squirrels at the park!

Have a great day!

Kenny’s Photos

Just a few photos that Kenny has taken on his i-phone.  Cleopatra and myself walking in Phelps Grove neighborhood this past Saturday and the little log cabin is on his mail route………he’s a great photographer!

Cozy

Yes, the dogs are now allowed on the “new” sofa……Cleopatra prefers snuggling up on this cozy throw.

Have a cozy day,

Tammy

Pics from Ozark Craft Show

Blogless Sandy and I headed out to the Ozark Craft show on Saturday morning…..it was a beautiful day….crisp, clear and sunny……long sleeves required, but we were able to get away with NOT wearing jackets, even though we brought them with us, we left them in the car.

Here are some photos from Ebay Renee and blogless Kelly’s  booth….beautiful!

 

 

 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend,

Tammy

Keep on

I feel like I’ve been super boring lately. Not much going on to report….or maybe I’m just not looking close enough.  However, later this morning I’m headed to the Ozarks Craft Show with my friend, blogless Sandy.  ( Ebay Renee and blogless Kelly have a booth and I can’t wait to see how it turned out!) I’m charging up my camera and hope to have something interesting to post on my return. please, please, please

I’m a bit depressed, yes, I put that right out there for you…..DEPRESSED, as the apple green tile that was going to go on the floor in front of my fireplace and around it, ended up being a bust….the mortar and the old burgundy tile showed through it  (clear iridescent glass) and after the poor guy spent about 4 hours on it, I had him pull it all up and now all of that beautiful tile is sitting in a big bucket of water out in my garage at $17/sq foot (guess I’ll be learning how to make a mosaic birdbath or stepping stones or SOMETHING)…..I say, don’t cry over something that won’t cry for you.  Keep smiling!

So, I’m now on the hunt again for something to use INSTEAD of that. Maybe something more earthy and neutral this time….something like this perhaps.

 

Or maybe mirror tile in different sizes….(just mirror around the fireplace and then stone on the floor) I like the concept of putting things that are DIFFERENT next to each other.

But definitely nothing that is “see through”.

Oh well, you live and you learn.  Looks like we’ll be digging the old burgundy tile out….Kenny had to do that on our other fireplace and had to end up renting a jackhammer,

so I know he’s not looking forward to that……yet again.  When they built our home in 1952, they built it to last….that’s for sure!

The good news is…..it’s crisp and cool and I can start wearing my fall clothes and start layering…..more accessories…..swoon!

And, Kenny brought home this truly awesome gourd……love!

Have a great day! Keep your attitude as one of gratitude.