little gi

the unofficial start of summer...

fresh basil screams summer to me.  i love it!  we grow it in pots on our deck & it thrives. 

i love it thrown in a salad, made into pesto, topping a caprese salad, sliced & tossed w/ pasta...

it is the cherry on top for numerous easy, summer meals.

one of the other things i love about basil and growing it is that the more you snip & pick it, the more voracious it grows.  it grows strong and bushy, rewarding you for loving it so much.

i like a plant that loves me back :)

and another cool thing i read on an organic gardening site is that fresh basil is also a great way to keep away house flies.  gotta love that!  i'm not a fan of the fly.  sorry frogs :) 

so this morning i walked out on the deck & picked our first fresh basil of the season. i knew it was going to be a great day!  i store it in glass jars filled w/ water on my kitchen counter.  a little lovely herb bouquet :)  it keeps your basil really fresh & close at hand so it can be used and enjoyed.  

and it didn't make it until 1pm today....lol!  lunchtime came & it was snipped up & topped fresh french bread pizzas for mike & i.

y.u.m.....

have a happy thursday!!

xoxo

gi

secrets revealed!!!!

remember a bit back when i shared some peeks of the new tarisota?

well...it's all launched!!! i've been squirreled away working on my classes for the first style studio since last month and it has been really fantastic.  & one of my projects is first up! so exciting!! it all begins this saturday, the 29th and will run through june 27th.  you'll get step by step instructions for 25 projects + a few surprises :)

the first theme is "styling with fabric" and, for me, it couldn't have come at a better time since fabric seems to occupy most of my crafting dreams right now.  & i really love how my projects came together.  i even tried some new things & techniques that have been on my "gotta make" list for quite some time & it was really rewarding to just take the plunge & give them a try. 

oh & i've seen what tamar, mel, rachel & deb have in store too, & you will not be disappointed!!!  there are videos, pattern downloads, stitching, scrapbooking, art projects, and exclusive giveaways too!! 

the style studio format is really wonderful.  working with it this past month has been so fun & has been so inspiring!  we all started with the theme "styling with fabric" and a color scheme & went wild creating from there.  it was really cool to all "feed" off each other creatively this way.  for instance, i really loved one of mel's projects (a home decor item) and translated it to a scrapbook layout.  another feature i especially appreciate is that all the projects use items & materials from our "stash".  since we all seem to be striving for less stuff these days, it has been really rewarding to create utilizing what i already have on hand.  a little bit macgruber...lol 

& now that all of my instructions & photos & planning is completed, i'm really looking forward to now taking the course now along with everyone.  can't wait to add lots of stuff to the new tari flick'r group and see everyone's too! :)

hope to see you in class :)

happy wednesday!

xoxo

gi

still in shock...

can't believe i'm actually going to jinx it all by writing it down...

but i have to, because it still seems like a crazy dream...

remember last week i was whining & moaning @ my ridiculously picky eaters???  (thank you for all the lovely commiseration.  it was such solace knowing that i'm not the only one :)

remember i was talking about the smiley face chart?  well...it's actually working.  

i know....who knew??? 

i'm waiting for the other shoe to drop...lol

but since my "they don't eat anything" breakdown & implementation of the "smiley face chart"....ryan & kate have eaten the following (kelly has been a pretty good eater who isn't afraid to try new things.  so her smiley face task is cleaning up after herself when she comes home from school):

*roasted chicken

*roasted potatoes

*corn on the cob

*grape tomatoes

*turkey & cheese sandwiches (ryan)

*pasta (ryan)

*scrambled eggs & bacon

*green beans, peas, carrots & corn

after dinner last night, ryan even came into the kitchen to grab a few more roasted potatoes off of the baking sheet.  when mike walked in from work he couldn't believe it when i told him "yeah...they ALL just ate full plates of roasted chicken, roasted potatoes & corn on the cob."  could have knocked him over with a feather...

never.thought.i'd.see.the.day....

& to suzi who mentioned "try to stay calm...they love it when it bothers mummy".  SO true!!!  i think the chart thing has allowed me to stay calm actually.  because there is some sort of consequence for not trying other than "mom is going to loose her mind".  i just sit back, sip my wine & say "no problem, you don't want to eat it?  i'll just erase the smiley faces.  your choice...."

yeah...they have to get 10 smileys in a row to get their "prize".  if they choose to not try the new item, they have to start back at square one.

i'm evil.  this i know....lol

hope you are having a happy tuesday!!!

xoxo

gi

dinner drama...

i love to cook...i love to eat...i'm very fond of supermarket shopping & strolling farmers' markets...

i enjoy finding new recipes & giving them a try...i'll make something before buying it in a package...i'm of the "homemade is always better" persuasion (because i'm cheap & because it is usually the much healthier option)

mike eats anything & everything...i'm not picky in the least...

so why do i have kids that totally don't eat???

i mean seriously...ryan exists on air and wheat bread...and kate survives on fruit and cheerios...kelly is the only one that won't be taken away by child services, i guess.  she eats & tries new things...thank the Lord or else i seriously would have to be locked up in the crazy house...it is some crazy mother bear instinct in me that rises up..."EAT!!!!!  YOU MUST EAT!!!!!"

i'm going slowly mad...i know it....

this week we thought we'd try a little chart & every time he ate his dinner, w/o fussing & stall techniques (omgosh...you wouldn't believe the craziness that is my dinner table...) AND tried something new he would get a smiley face.  after 10 smiley faces i will purchase him 2 packages of those ridiculous silly bandz that i swore i would never ever in a million years spend my $$ on.  but i thought...dude...if it gets him to eat, then so be it.  bring on the silly bandz....

so we are on DAY 2...seriously DAY 2 & tonight he was to eat 1/2 of a turkey & cheese sandwich for dinner. 

oooooommmmmmgggggggosh...the faces!  the tears!  you would have thought i was trying to make him eat liver & onions!!!! 

aaarrrrrrggggghhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

i know my mom is secretly laughing at me...

wish me luck on Day 3.  i'm going to try rice & maybe some grilled steak....

God help me...

happy wednesday :)

xoxo

gi

p.s.  the photo above is one thing he does eat (well...usually, if it is the exact correct temperature...you think i kid??  lol!) 

Parmesan Chicken

recipe by Ina Garten from her Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook

1-2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 extra large eggs

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Unsalted butter

Good olive oil

Lay the chicken breasts on a cutting board & slice each diagonally into four or five large strips

Combine the flour, salt, pepper on a dinner plate.  beat the eggs w/ 1 Tbsp water on a second plate.  Combine the bread crumbs and Parm cheese on a third plate.  Dredge the chicken on both sides in the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and roll in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly to coat.

Heat 1 Tbsp butter + 1 Tbsp olive oil in large saute pan and cook the chicken strips on medium low heat for @ 3 minutes per side, until just cooked through.  Don't crowd the pan.  Add more butter & oil and cook the rest of the chicken. 

serve & pray they eat :)

what we are reading...

tuesday is usually our barnes & noble day.  kate & i usually head on over & meet friends for a chat.   i've been looking forward to it especially this week so i could check out the new stitch magazine that i've been reading so much about on sewing blogs.   whoa....chock full of fantastic projects.  lots of applique projects in there too...& right now i'm all about the applique

 

(zippy pouch by heidi boyd)

& then i also picked up this one too...there is an adorable tunic top and a floor playmat quilt that i can't wait to try

 

& i thought i'd also share our recent library pick ups.  we've had these 3 weeks (they are due back tomorrow) but the kids adore them so much, i'll be renewing for another 3 and most likely adding 2 of them to our own home library. 

 

Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms by Julia Rawlinson, Illustrations by Tiphanie Beeke

my kids LOVE this book.  kate especially.....L.O.V.E.   this is her favorite page:

there is a fall version of it too:  Fletcher & the falling leaves.  i've got plans to make the little characters (i've got the pattern for this fox & i'm thinking about purchasing this hedgie)  for kate for her birthday along w/ a copy of the book.  

Farmer Joe and the Music Show by Tony Mitton, Illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees

this book is SO fun!  you wind up "singing" it rather than reading it, thanks to the sing-songy rhyme.  we all love the bright & colorful & funny illustrations too. 

Puppies! Puppies! Puppies! by Susan Meyers, illustrated by David Walker

adorable....such an adorable book.  my kids like to pick out their favorite puppy on each page.  so cute...

and now we are all dying to get a puppy....lol

The Pet Dragon, a story about adventure, friendship and Chinese characters by Christoph Niemann

whoa....this book is awesome.  seriously awesome....

i had picked it up because kelly was studying China in school & was really loving it.  this one is definitely going in our family library....

the author illustrates Chinese characters w/in the illustrations....SO clever!!!!! 

& you won't believe it, but by the end of the story, everyone knows how to read those Chinese characters!  see...the last pages have all the Chinese characters displayed up in the sky like fireworks...

and you won't believe it...but you'll know what they mean!  seriously so cool.... 

so what are you reading?  any good recommendations?  i'm especially looking for some crafty/sewing book recommendations.  i'm going to "hint" about one for mother's day & there are so many choices out there, any guidance is appreciated :)

happy tuesday!!

xoxo

gi

something fabulous this way comes...

check out tamar's blog to see the latest on the new tarisota launching in the next few weeks.  i am SO excited about this!!!  you can check out how the new site is progressing here.  isn't it so pretty!!!

we have been working away the last few weeks on projects & lots of surprises...it is the most fun & inspiring time i've had in a long time & i cannot wait for the launch!!!  i've seen what everyone has been working on & i've been a broken record "oooooh!!! that is SO cool!".  i'm so looking forward to this!! 

here are sneak peeks of 2 of my projects.  these are on the site as well as a couple from mel.  you are going to LOVE what mel has shared.  deb too.....whoa....seriously whoa....amazing stuff.  & did you see that fabulous sneak of tamar's hexes & rach's little cupcake pincushion???!!!!  ah!!  see why i'm so excited about this!!  

so happy happy monday to you!  can't wait to show you more :)

xoxo

gi