Tree of Life

Ok, so this poster doesn’t have any words of wisdom or uplifting messages, or even any pretty typography for that matter. But it doesn’t lessen the fact that I NEED IT! The Tree of Life as it’s aptly named, wants to put focus on habitat conservation and restoration. It aims to highlight the responsibility we have in letting animal species thrive in their natural environment. The poster was designed to replicate the effect of a rubber stamp, making each piece uniquely individual. The designers ask you to take note that this is not a defect but rather, completely intentional, making it not only one-of-a-kind, but also a well thought out, spectacularly creative design.

Carbohydrate Friday: Homemade Croutons!

It wouldn’t be Friday without some delicious and hearty bread products to prep you for the weekend! I brought a salad to a party last weekend in which I used these croutons and I felt like I should have been wearing sparkle shoes and a cape for all the accolades I was receiving. And I didn’t even know these people so it’s not like I paid them to give me compliments. And though these may be croutons, their main purpose a topping for salad, these are so good and so big (that’s what she said!) that if you don’t eat them before the salad hits the table, you have no business calling yourself a carb addict. But more power to you, because I’d like to express my deep admiration and gratitude to these croutons for helping me grow this ass.

SOURDOUGH CROUTONS
image and recipe adapted from SP Cookie Queen

1/2 sourdough baguette

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced (can substitute garlic powder or salt)

1 tbsp. dried spices (oregano, parsley, basil, thyme, sage, rosemary – whatever sets your pants on fire)

Salt (omit if you use garlic salt)

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Cut or tear the baguette into 1/2 inch cubes.  I leave the crust on. Cut it off if you are one of those people.
2. In a large bowl mix garlic, olive oil, spices, salt, pepper and stir to combine.
3. Add croutons to bowl and toss until all the cubes are coated with the oil mixture. I use my hands and rub any uncoated pieces against to bowl to get ‘em nice and yellow.
4. Place cubes onto a baking sheet and spread out so they are in a single layer.
5. Bake in 400 degree oven for 5-8 minutes, flip and cook another 5 minutes or until bread is dry and golden. Watch them after the flip so they don’t burn.
6. Eat, enjoy and try to leave some for the salad!

BlogHer’11 recap, all virgin-like.

As I mentioned here, I attended the BlogHer’11 conference in San Diego last week. Not knowing what to expect or really what I wanted out of it, I went in with a pretty open mind and personality ON. I don’t know that what I have to say could really be considered bad as everyone in attendance was coming from a different place and thus will have a different takeaway. Kind of like assholes and opinions if you know what I’m saying. Anyhoo … here are my highlights, in no particular order (except for the first two cuz they totally deserve shout-outs).

I made a new friend.
Yes, indeedy, people, I made a new friend. To some this may be insignificant and irrelevant because in a conference of no less than 3,000 women, how could you not make friends; but this is something different entirely to me. I am not popular. I don’t make friends easily – lasting ones anyway, the kind that will publicly admit to being your friend even at your bitchiest. And this person is no exception. She is Deviled Megs and is hilariously funny, quick-witted, mini (like me) and adorable in every way possible. And I kinda love her. Not in that way perv. Get your mind out of the gutter.

BOB!
As in BOB HARPER!? Yes, that BOB, whom I may or may not have publicly professed my love to for on a number of occasions. Come to find out that as he was making an appearance Saturday morning at the Quaker booth. I about wet myself when I heard. However, I immediately threw attending out the window as I figured there would be all 3,00 women in attendance and I pretty much loathe trying to squirm my way through a crowd. But as it turns out I was up, dressed, and ready in time so I figured, what the hell!

I get to the booth area and nearly wet myself again at the fact that not only is Bob there, but I can see him, clearly. Without 3,000 fatties in front of me (I mean that in the nicest of ways)! So I got in line to have my photo taken with him and it all went downhill from there.

The Quaker rep at the front who offered to take my picture, though lovely as she was, was clearly done with taking photos. She hands me my camera back and I look at the photo only to find the most gawdawfulshittiest picture ever. What I thought in my head, “Um, REALLY??” What I said in real life, … nothing :(

See for yourself. This is what she took.

Right? I look like I’m trying to hold in a fart and Bob is apparently trying to catch flies. Seriously, Quaker girl, it’s a DIGITAL CAMERA! Just sayin.

So, fast forward a few hours and a BIG thanks to the lovely people at Dannon Oikos (the Key Lime is particularly delicious btw), I was given an opportunity to redeem the Quaker girl and get a better photo. Clearly I have to do everything myself. Check it.

See what I mean? Vast improvement.

The Bucket
I love free shit. It’s like my motto or something. So as I did with the food because it was everywhere. ALL. THE. TIME, I took it. And BlogHer’11 had no shortage of free shit. People were practically throwing it at you there was so much of it. But they also had a really great Swag Exchange program sponsored by P & G in which you could trade your less than optimum free shit for some super fantastic, totally usable free shit, which, in my case, was a Lowe’s bucket full of home improvement supplies. Since I just completed a bathroom renovation and am smack dab in the middle of another one (which I have yet to share with you so prepare yourselves – it’s effing awesome), I’m pretty sure I squealed like a schoolgirl when I saw the Lowe’s bin. While I love free shit, I am also very practical. And this stuff I knew I could use. So I took it.

The best part of the bucket, however, was later, as I was carrying around through the expo area. At one point I stopped and was chatting up the Lowe’s people, thanking them profusely for my wonderful goodies. Our conversation ends and I reach down to retrieve my bucket and notice there is TRASH IN IT IT! Can you believe that? Apparently I looked like such a hobo that during the 5 minutes I was standing there, someone dropped their garbage into my bucket! All I could do was laugh. But that didn’t last long because I saw no less than 3 women the very next day carrying the exact. same. bucket. Take that, hobo haters!

Flash Mob
The first day of the conference, the Mama Mary show and Rock on Mommies staged a fabulous flash mob. I have only seen these on TV but they look like so much fun. I wish I had done a little more research ahead of time to figure out how I could have participated in it. I will grant you that they are a bit overdone now, especially with many of them breaking the cardinal rule of releasing the date and time of the mob. But it’s not enough to turn me away – I wanna do one!

Eggs
While, yes, in a conference of over 3,000 there a lot of eggs, those are the eggs to which I am referring. During the conference, everyone was all, “Tweet this for a chance to win,” and, “Tweet that for a chance to win.” And there I am all, “I don’t Tweet.” Hence, my recent submission.

Deviled Megs even won a bunch of stuff. An awesome cookbook, a new doormat, and Lord knows what the hell else. Well, peeps, perhaps my luck is about to change. This morning I received a very nice email informing me I had won 3 month of Eggland’s Best Eggs! Yay me! Quiche, anyone?

Awwww, Fark.
I may have been a trucker in my previous life. My repertoire of curse words certainly speaks to that. Fark is a word Deviled Megs and I heard in one of the BlogHer’11 sessions. I wasn’t sure I heard correctly so I asked DM for confirmation. Yes, indeed, she’d heard it too, and was also unaware of its meaning. So rather than look it up, we decided to use it as an alternative to my more favorable of f-words, I’m pretty sure you know which one. So the rest of the weekend consisted of Fark that! and What the Fark? and Awww, Fark! And I’m not going to lie, it was lots of fun. But for the record, I still don’t know what Fark is, even after I looked it up. Perhaps the folks at the Negro Space Program are on to something.

There is much more to discuss about my time at BlogHer’11 but this here post is getting ridiculously long so we’ll have to save that for another time. Hopefully this one will leave you salivating for more wonderful stories of debauchery. If not, then Fark you.

 

For good measure

How’s this for a miniature stroke of genius? Functioning like a yardstick (only 3 inches rather than 3 feet), Cardstick Ruler Stickers give additional functionality to your already overused credit cards. Okay, maybe mine is just overused, but whatever. For a mere $5 you get a set of three ruler stickers – clear, white and yellow. Each sticker wraps perfectly around the front and back of a card and it doesn’t interfere with the magnetic strip. They also work great on other devices like iPhones or cameras!

via Incredible Things

Ikea Hackers

Have you seen some of the fabulousness that is going on over at Ikea Hackers? Man! Talk about squeezing blood from a turnip! Check it:

Drum Shade Pendant

 Painted Edgeby Rug

I always get so overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff in Ikea that my mind goes blank and I can’t imagine doing anything like this. I’ve got to plan ahead for this kind of stuff.

iPhone Accessory Kit

This is a pretty awesome bargain, if I do say so myself. iPhoneCaseMall is selling the Ultimate iPhone 3G/3GS Accessories Kit for only $19.99 – with free shipping. To make it even better, enter the code bradsdeals10 at checkout and the price is lowered even further to only $17.99! The kit includes 2 hard cases, a sync cable, USB wall charger adapter, car charger adapter, earbuds, and 3 screen protectors. A similar Kit for iPhone 4 sells for only $19.79.

I know for a fact that this is a good deal because I was at the Verizon store yesterday and the woman next to me was purchasing an iPhone for her son. The sales girl offered her their “specially priced” accessories kit, which had less items than this one featured here, and it was a whopping $50! So this kit is less than half the price of what the phone store will sell you. Now if I only had an iPhone…

Birthday reflection

I won’t lie and say my birthday was a treat this year. The day of felt quite the opposite actually. Admittedly, I was having a bit of a pity party in my head most of the day as I waited for the birthday phone calls to pour in. They didn’t and so hence, the pity party. But as I look back I would like to publicly bitch slap myself because gift wise, this year was decidedly good. Maybe great even.

Husband got me not one, but TWO items from this here blog. Only took 2 years for him to catch on that this blog is basically a wish list of shit I want to have, but hey, better late than never right? Lover that he is, got me the shoes AND the bag from here:

And one of my dearest friends scored big with this little number, which I wholeheartedly adore!

So here is a public reminder to myself for next year – PUT AWAY YOUR CHRONIC BITCHFACE!

:)

Fill ‘er up!

Holy hell am I gonna fill this up today! It’s gray and drizzly outside and all I wanna do is go home, put my pajamas back on and snuggle with my pupperoni in front of the TV!

image via

Communication skills

This is very similar to a conversation I would have.

via Savage Chickens

Throne up!

Weddings usually make me cry. But most weddings aren’t plastered all over the media like white on rice and this is one show I will not be watching. I’ll be keeping this little token on hand on Friday just. in. case. Who’s with me?

via Incredible Things