impatient. yes. spoiled? as if!

Ever need something perhaps a slightly used and abused yet also melodic and thrifty upright  real  bad but when you search and search and search, etc. for it, it is absolutely nowhere to be found?
Practically does. not. bleeping. exist?!? 

Utterly irritating.

via Houzz.com

this doesn't exist. in real life. 

craiglist schmaiglist. more like craigplist.

just sayin'.

collage and mod podge.

Get comfy. This one's a two-fer.

About a week ago, Justin and I decided to spruce up the foyer with a photo collage. So I turned to Pinterest of course for a little inspiration and stumbled upon a "cityscape-esque" pattern. I guess I also need to explain that Justin and I have a thing for cityscapes. There's just something about a view from the top that just tickles our fancy. Maybe that's why we L-O-V-E New York so much.
Anyhoo. Here's what our collage was supposed  to look like.

via Pinterest

Pretty neat, huh?
Well, this is how it turned out.

If you just tilt your head a bit, squint your eyes, maybe stand one foot ... oh forget it.

It's not the cool, sleek cityscape that made us waggle our brows.

No. Just a simple, ordinary collage. 

See what had happened was...
Little did we know that buying 20 quality frames at one time, sizes 5x7 to poster, would pretty much break the bank. Seriously. I totally understand now why my lady frand has been collecting her frames for ages. So until we're able to gather a fancy collection of our own, the cityscape-esque pattern must be put on stand-by.
But in the meantime, our foyer just seemed ... naked. And we're not one of those families. Naked is a no-no. Well, perhaps once in a ... oh, I digress.
Thank goodness for Marshalls!
After a short trip to the store and a quick purchase of an el cheapo 10 piece frame set for only 10 bucks sa-weet!, we decided to get alittle crafty and create a collage with what we had. We snagged our framed name art I seriously don't know what else to call it that we recieved as a wedding gift to create a centerpiece and used the sample pictures from the frames to tape a template around the centerpiece. After alittle measuring, alittle hammering, and aLOTtle tweaking ... voila! ... our foyer was all gussied up!

said framed name art

So it's not what we originally planned, but I love how it makes the foyer perk up and say 'ello! And I must say, it gels with the sister wall pretty nicely.

note: an attempt to DIY a larger entryway table is in our near future...stay tuned!

So we're happy!

And now, a quick intermission ...

This is Justin squishing a bug.

Okay! How to DIY cute and crafty coasters.

Once again, I can blame thank Pinterest for this one. 

We've had these simple little picture frame coasters for quite a while now.

And as you can guess, they've never housed any cute little pictures. Partly because they are out of sight, out of mind. And partly because I didn't feel like printing out pics small enough to fit. Way to be crafty, Tabitha.

So I pondered ... what can I use instead of pictures? I was thinkin' and thinkin' and thinkin' and then ... an idea. I've got all this extra scrapbooking paper laying around ...

So I cut the paper into 2x3 rectangles ...

And then slipped the paper into the picture slot ...

And dadgum! These coasters are uniquely my own!

  

The project literally took me a mere ten minutes and  zero dollars. woot!

But wait! Project Crafty Coasters didn't stop there!

Since ten minutes only teased my crafty craving, I decided to embark on my first Pinterest Challenge better late than never and make coasters from scratch.

To keep readers fatigue from creeping up if it hasn't already, I'll make this short and sweet.

Supplies:
4x4 tiles
($.16 each at Lowes)

4x4 scrapbook paper
($.50 a sheet at Michaels)

Mod Podge
($5.99 at Michaels)

Clear spray paint
($3.78 at Lowes)

Cork/Felt pads
($1.18 for set of six at Lowes)

                 

                                                                                                                                I was feeling alittle seasonal.

                                                                                          Maybe it was my Pumpkin-Mallow Scentsy wafting in the background. idk :-) 

1. Cut the scrapbook paper into 4x4 squares.

2. Mod Podge the paper to the tile and let dry. (for tips on Mod Podging, look here)

gettin' alittle snarky while the Mod Podge dries...

3. Spray clear acrylic and let dry.

4. Place cork/felt pads on bottom corners of tile. (I chose cork.)

5. Give yourself a pat, find a drink, and enjoy!

I had such a hoot making these autumn treasures, I decided to make more to match the photo frame coasters ...

And now, not only do I have enough coasters for a party of people, I've got a super thrifty gift idea. :-)

Now THAT's the way to be crafty, Tabitha!

a pause.

September. is. over.
Hallelujah, praise the Lord, amen!
I cannot even begin to describe how fantastic it feels to simply take a pause. To exhale. September's schedule was busting at the seams with nonsensical busywork lectures and exams and 12 hour shifts and group projects and term papers *cringe* and presentations. I also went a whopping 26 days without seeing Justin. Yes, we've been there before, bought that t-shirt stoopid t-shirt. But my goodness, it just doesn't get any easier. At all.

Anyhoo, I am happy to report that I have resurfaced from that particularly dense patch of edumacation/separation. And whaddyaknow? It's October, people! Sweater weather ... cinna-pumpkin smells ... crunchy leaves ... candy corn yum! . Oh, how I love me some autumn. The next few weeks shall be stuffed with trips to mi casa where I can catch up on my nesting, baking, crafting, and snuggling. And yes, school and clinicals will be sprinkled betwixt all that pleasure. But the worst is over! Only 63 more days 'til freedom! Now ain't that just fancy?!

 

via Pinterest

a need.

it has been far too long since my phalanges have touched the ivories. gosh, I miss it. 

(this song was played at our wedding. enter warm fuzzies. *sigh*)

finger lickin'. fo' sho'.

For all you sweet & savory lovers out there who don't mind pesky little calories now and then, have I got a gem for you. Praline bacon. Sweet ... salty ... southern. It is so wrong that it's so right. My first taste of this delectable paradox was at Elizabeth's Restaurant in NOLA's bywater district. Had it not been for Andi, my friend who doesn't mind taking in a stray a.k.a. me, suggesting that we do brunch at Elizabeth's, I might never have stumbled upon this scrumptious little treat. So, with my tastebuds still smiling, I hastily googled the recipe so that I might bless others with this goodness.

Behold, praline bacon.

via Elizabeth's

Praline Bacon

"a NOLA original - Elizabeth's Restaurant (1998)"

Ingredients

• 1 pound thick cut bacon
• 2 1/2 ounces light brown sugar, about 6 tablespoons
• 1 1/2 ounces pecan halves

Directions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Line a half sheet pan with aluminum foil. Arrange the bacon in a single layer on a cooling rack, and set it in the prepared sheet pan. Bake until the bacon browns and the fat is rendered and bubbly. About 30 to 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the brown sugar and pecans in a small food processor. Pulse about 15 times or until the pecans are finely chopped.

Remove the bacon from the oven, sprinkle with the brown sugar mixture, and pat down to adhere. Return to the oven and bake until the bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes.

Cool on the rack for 10 minutes before serving.


Eazy peazy! And as soon as I'm back in my kitchen, I will be making some of this tastiness and sharing all the deats!