FOODIE FRIDAY.....Spinach, Banana and Blackberry Salad

With the holidays here it's hard to eat healthy and not indulge in sweets and salty snacks and comfort food....I'm not blessed with great genes....I have to always be vigilant of what I eat to fit into my JEANS! LOL (imagine if I added working out....that's an idea). Anyway, the other day I picked up a package of blackberries and while making my salad I realized I didn't have any tomatoes SO I decided to make a salad WITH what I had...

Spinach, blackberries, fresh sliced bananas (RIGHT before I ate the salad - a brown banana would be a turn off) croutons and a strawberry vinegarette dressing....this was SO GOOD!! And I'm willing to be would be WAY tastier in the summer!!

TRY It THURSDAY....SEQUIN Ornament

I posted this cutie ornament the other day with the promise of the how to later....

See how the sequins are dispersed throughout the ornament? It wasn't always that way....

See, I gathered my supplies (LADIES don't spend the BIG bucks on sequins- they are at the dollar store in a set of 5 lil packets for $1.00!!! I can't believe they were charging $3.00/pack in the scrapbook section at Target). 

And added my sequins...it's cute right?!?!?

BUT them my daughter said you should put glue so they are all over the ornament....BRILLIANT idea BUT the glue would leave a filmy kinda coating....SO I thought and I thought (and the ornament lived on my counter for 2 months WHILE I thought {because I need that constant reminder! LOL! I Need to SEE it})

And then one day while doing my nails it CAME to me!!! 

Yes friends....CLEAR coat nail polish IS a crafters best friend!! Simply add a few drops (we were a lil heavy handed the first time....you want JUST enough to coat the inside BUT not too much BECAUSE it will remove the color from the sequins)

Once you pour a few drops in, swirl it around....to coat the entire inside...

 As you can see there are 2 sets of hand involved here...my daughter started it and I completed it....

You just drop the sequins down into the ornament and move it around to get nice even layers of sequins...

VIOLA!! There you have it! PERFECT for your tree, a gift OR package toppers!! 

WIWW Catch up...as usual

Hey y'all...it's been awhile since a WIWW post....I have been crazy busy and just don't feel over the moon about striking a pose...BUT I'm gonna link up with Lindsey http://thepleatedpoppy.com/category/what-i-wore/ anyway!! 

 Outfit Deets:
Grey Sweater Vest - Vintage
Scarf - Fam Dollar
Chambray Shirt - Chico's
Leggings - Walmart
Boots - Ugg

 What I'm wearing:
Scarf - Fam Dolla (they have the BEST accessories - for real yo!)
Jacket - Target
Jeans - Thrifted
Boots - Uggs

SATURDAY

(finally we are current)

 Vest - Chaps Ralph Lauren - Kohls
Grey T-Neck Sweater - Chico's
FAB larger than life SINGLE (can be worn in fewer layers as well) Necklace - Chico's
(Y'all I have to tell you - this necklace originally RETAILED for $129.00 - I paid $12.99 during one of their AMAZING clearance events - they have the BEST jewelry)
Pants - Gifted
Booties - Thrifted (NEW from Nordstrom Rack)

SUNDAY

(THIS is what a 4:30am wake up call looks like)

 Scarf - Thrifted
Black T-Neck Sweater - Thrifted
Boots - Target

TUESDAY

 Jacket - Chico's (FREE @ Shop n Swap and it was NEW with tags)
Camel T-Neck Sweater - Chico's
So Slimming Jeans - Chico's
Boots-  Coach

WEDNESDAY

Scarf - Shop n Swap
Gold FAB sweater - JCP
Black T - Target
Jeans - So Slimming Chico's
Booties - Tom's
DO you guys ever get into a color of the week?!?!? I have noticed I do...I'll wear the same family of colors each week (which USUALLY coordinate with my nails). Off to see what YOU wore

CHRISTMAS time in the city....

FINALLY am feeling a lil more like myself (after battling a cold/flu virus) and have had a lil time to get my CHRISTMAS on!!! I feel SO behind!!

BUT am happy with the way things are FINALLY coming together!!

Tree Snapshots....

SWEET HOME CHICAGO

Iconic Marshall Fields Clock

Stockings hung by the chimney (and I use that term LOOSELY) with care...

The bathroom got a lil holiday spirit....

Vintage deer...The 3 Musketeers

VINTAGE Shiney Brite garland in a bowl of "pearls"...SIMPLE fab display

I WISH you and yours a Merry Christmas too!! 

Have you guys stopped by Jen Rizzo's page?!??! She has a buncha bloggers Holiday Home Tours - FAB stuff there!! CHECK it out!!

A day in the life....

...Pics via my iphone the past week...

December Daily - Day 1 Peppermint latte and a WARM chocolate chip cookie

After overstuffing Thanksgiving day, it's back to eating light...

Made a cute lil garland (see Tuesday's post for the deets)

Totally cheated with Ready to bake cookies....

Almost DIED bringing the tree box up...it didn't occur to me to brig up pieces at a time...

Merry & Brite

I ADORE these sequins heels....anyone know where they're from?!?!

My lil guy decorated THIS section of the tree....

FOGGY morning drive....

Bringing out the Christmas decor little by little

Listing some vintage Christmas for sale on ebay...

LASTLY My winter decorating is NOT going as planned....I've been down and out with this cold/flu bug that has kept me from getting ALL I want to get accomplished....

What have YOU been up to?!?!?! Any suggestions for a FAB unique door wreath?!?! Every Christmas I am stumped because I want something unique...so I land up with NOTHING!!! 

FOODIE FRIDAY...HOMEMADE ITALIAN DRESSING

NOW that Thanksgiving is over and we have all STUFFED ourselves I decided it was time to get back to eating healthy....I just FEEL better when I do. In reading the Skinny Italian cookbook I became more aware of how many preservatives are in our everyday food. Why do you think it has such a long shelf life?!??! Avoiding those types of products all together just isn't practical for my lifestyle right now BUT I make small efforts to do what I can. For EXAMPLE....making my own italian dressing. The ingredients are shown below and there is no SPECIFIC measurements - it's like old school cooking as it's done to "taste".  

I re-use my coffee mate creamer containers to store the dressing. Maybe a 1/4 cup of olive oil, and a few splashes of red wine vinegar, a dash of salt and pepper, italian seasoning, dash of granulated garlic and a dash of dried parsley...mix and taste - add a lil of this or that according to YOUR taste buds....

Get you favey mixed greens, red onion, tomatoes, croutons and your homemade dressing...top with some fresh grated parmesan and you have a nice DELISH lil lunch! 

THRIFTY Tuesday Pink and Gold GLITTER Bows

While at Michael's the other day I spotted these FAB bows in the dollar bins....

Don't they look NICER than .33/each?!?!?!

I didn't know WHAT I was going to do with them I just KNEW if I left without them I'd be sad and wanna go back and they'd be gone (you KNOW how that works!!)

Then yesterday while dabbling in decorating for Christmas I got inspired (I was making the tinsel pom pom garland)

 ...when I decided to add the gold glitter bows to my pre-existing tassel garland (I want to add white with black polka dot tassels to this skinny-minny garland)

DON'T hesitate RUN to your local Michael's and pick up a pack...you won't be sorry!! If NOTHING else you can use them on your Christmas tree (predictable) OR as package toppers (CA-UTE).
ps, I was kinda shocked I couldn't find my home-gurl Martha's glitter at my Michaels....are some not carrying it anymore?!?! Anyone know?!?!