New Year - Pamper Yourself!

Before Christmas, I was asked to be a guest blogger on Wedding 101's website...as a West Coast Contributor, if you will!  The original post was a holiday gift guide for the special people in your life.  Now, it can be a post about New Years Gifts for YOU (or someone special).  There is no time like the present to pamper yourself!

See the original post here .

1.)  Yummy Coconut Mango Candle from Maison Luxe in Hermosa Beach, CA is perfect for your bedroom or home office - set the mood with a delicious scent. $24

2.)  Agate Slice Trivet from Gumtree in Hermosa Beach, CA will look gorgeous on your new (flea market score!) coffee table. $69

3.)  Anything from Everlane in California  - this company makes the most comfortable t-shirt he (or you!) will ever wear, not to mention affordable! They have great products for all the men in your life.  I purchased some for my husband for Christmas and they are fab!  $15 t-shirts.

4.)  City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte at Pages Bookstore in Manhattan Beach, CA - a whimsical novel about love, magic, danger, and suspense.  The local authors just had a book signing here in California. Call to get a signed copy sent to your sister – she’ll love escaping with this one! $16

5.)  Lavender Laundry Soap from Old Faithful Shop in Vancouver, BC. Not only does it smell delicious, it looks so beautiful sitting on the shelf.  Laundry has never looked so good. $29.95

xo,
K

Gift Idea - Notebooks

What to buy for a hostess gift? A stocking stuffer?  A thank you for a sister or a friend who has been especially thoughtful of you this year?

A Rifle Paper company notebook - $7.95 for 2:

One can never have too many notebooks….leather bound, fabric covered, silvers, golds, bright turquoises, moody purples.  Collect them all.  Write your thoughts.  And don't worry about filling them up in order, keeping them organized, or writing everyday.  Any time you need inspiration, a pick me up, or a reminder of just how far you've come, simply pick one up and open at random.  

It will show you how time is your friend.

Thanksgiving Table: Quotes of Gratitude

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was,

"thank you," 

that would suffice.  

~Meister Eckhart

Thanksgiving.  A day to reflect on all the blessings we have in our lives and be grateful to God who makes it all possible.  It really is such a beautiful holiday - one I wish I lived more consciously every day.

Our Thanksgiving table has always been a fun project that my whole family creates together.  Each year we try to top the year before, or at least come up with something completely different.  But candles and colors aside, it's important to remember why we all come together on Thanksgiving.  Last year we tied quotes of gratitude and thankfulness onto sprigs of rosemary and stems of pears and set one on each plate.  Every quote was different - some funny, some serious, some famous, some unknown.   Each person read their quote out loud during dinner.  It was a lovely way to celebrate the season and be ever mindful of the spirit of Thanksgiving.

Gratitude Quotes

Google "thankfulness quotes", "thanksgiving quotes", 

"Gratitude quotes" or any combination of the above and pick out your favorites. 

Hand write or print out the quotes (in small text) on paper.

Roll up quote in a scroll-like fashion.

Tie scroll onto a sprig of rosemary or a stem of a piece of fruit with colorful ribbon.

"Turkey" Veggie Tray

Are you still looking for something you can make to contribute to all the Thanksgiving events this week? Try this Turkey Veggie Tray.  It is fun and festive - a great project to enlist some little ones to help assemble as well!

Lay out butter leaf lettuce on the bottom of a large plate.  Then add your veggies: A row of carrots, broccoli florets, thinly sliced red and yellow bell peppers, and zucchini.  Save the top of the red bell pepper to make the turkey's face, and slice up some zucchini to make the legs.  Add 2 little eyes (from some cauliflower) and you're done!  Pair with homemade hummus or your favorite dips.

And be sure to let people know it's ok to "ruin" the turkey - it's almost too pretty to eat!

xo,

Kara, Kate, and Kacey

Buoyant, like a magnet

I trudge through 

the water, mud 

sucking up toward 

My knees.  Pulling me 

down unless I keep moving 

forward.  It's slow, treacherous 

work.  the boat is heavy weighing 

on my arms - shoulders, elbows 

ache with effort.

I barely look back.  Eyes always open 

and ahead. One. foot. after. the. other.

But then...

As I let go

the boat washes 

away - sucked

behind me and out 

of sight like

a vacuum sucks 

debris.

Black hole.

I am left standing, hands open

                                                      light and free - my face lifts up to the sun....buoyant, like a magnet.

and the sun

burns

      golden on

                        the horizon.

DIY Shimmery Fall Wreath

What is your go-to front door decor for the Fall season?  Mine is this DIY Shimmery Fall Wreath I made a couple of years ago.  This will be the 3rd year I've decorated with this wreath, and she's still holding up.  It's an easy and fun project - now is just the time to make one for your front door!

DIY Shimmery Fall Wreath
1 grapevine wreath
fake fall foliage - berries, leaves, twigs, pumpkins
hot glue and gun
spray paint in a variety of fall colors - golds, browns, shimmery coppers
Optional: wood letter and twine

1.)  Using scissors, cut off all the leaves and berries from the sticks and garlands they came on.

2.)  Divide up the foliage and spray each group a different fall color.  Flip over when dry and spray the other side.  Spray some leaves with full coverage and others with a light misting to let the original coppers and reds show through.

3.)  Begin tucking berries and leaves randomly into the grapevine wreath. Some leaves will stay without using hot glue, others you might want to secure with a dot of glue.

4.)  Optional final touch:  Spray paint a wooden (or cardboard, or chipboard) letter a deep chocolate brown.  Tie onto wreath with rustic twine for a more personal expression.

Below: wreath without letter

I personally like the wreath with the letter.  It fills up some empty space and makes it feel more personal and homey - just what Fall should feel like!

What do you have adorning your front door this year?

xo,

Kate

Linked to: Top This Top That
 and

Salmon with Tomato and White Bean Ragu

Every magazine, tv show, and healthy living website tells us how great salmon is for you.  I'm a big fan, and thankfully so is Billy.  Nothing like cooking up a big fillet o' fish in a household that doesn't support...well, mostly the smell!  Oh just light a sweet candle and open a window, haters :>)

Normally I make a super easy salmon dish - I sprinkle Molly McButter and Lemon Pepper over a freshly rinsed fillet of wild caught Alaskan salmon and bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.   However, in an effort to branch out and try new things, I decided to make a new salmon recipe - verdict? Success!

Salmon with Tomato and White Bean Ragu
1 lb wild caught Alaskan Salmon
(I get about 1/2 lb salmon per person..we have some leftover then)
Molly McButter
Lemon Pepper
1 large zucchini
1 large carrot
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 shallot

1 15.5 oz can white beans - drained and rinsed

4 cups low sodium chicken broth
Basil sliced in ribbons

Salt and Pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

1.)  Rinse and dry salmon.  Sprinkle generously with Molly McButter and Lemon Pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
2.)  Heat oil at med-hi in a skillet.  Add onion and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
3.)  Add the carrots, zucchini, and garlic and saute for about 7 minutes.
4.) Pour in tomatoes, beans, and chicken broth and stir together.  Reduce heat to med-low and cook covered until sauce thickens a little - about 15 minutes.
5.) Add basil (leaving a little left over for garnish) and salt and pepper to taste.  Cover to keep warm until salmon is done.
6.) Peel skin off salmon.  Serve ragu in a shallow bowl with the salmon on top. Garnish with more basil.

This was so hearty and delicious.  A perfect meal for a cool evening.  Serve with thick, crusty Italian bread...yum!

xo,
Kate

**The next day for lunch I warmed up the left over tomato and white bean ragu which had thickened even more overnight - it made a great soup!