Design Dilemma

If you had to choose, which duvet cover would you go with? I'm looking for something cheap, and in line with my current color palette, so I can reuse most of my current bedding! I have chocolate brown and greyish/bluish/silverish and paleyellow accent tones throughout my room! What's the consensus??

West Elm (59.99 duvet only, not including shipping)

Ikea via Ebay (35.00 includes duvet and two shams AND Shipping included!)

West Elm (59.99 duvet only, shipping not included)

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It's the end of the world as we know it..

Ok, I'm officially freaked the F#$% out. If you know me at all, you're probably well aware of my somewhat irrational fear and slight obsession with the end of the world. Now don't get me wrong, I don't know if I believe all the mumbo jumbo about 2012 or aliens or all that jazz, but the fact is I'm consumed with being afraid of it. I mean, I get legitimately panicky when I think about it, and I, for one, blame the media.

Movies like 2012, The Day After Tomorrow, and Knowing have affected me in a very personal way. I'm a scientific creature by nature. I need facts. I need evidence in order for me to usually be persuaded, and these movies all focus on the end of days as a result of science (in however vague a way). Uncontrollable shifts in weather, climate, cosmic occurences...these movies use those ideas in order to dictate how the end will all play out as a result of freak climactic changes. To me, this is a very plausible hypothesis of things that could very well occur at any time in our future.

As I hear more and more about the devastating natural disasters that occur around the globe (and whose influence reaches far and wide), I become exceedingly anxious about what this means. Flooding and Cyclones in Australia? Massive earthquakes and tsunamis around the world? Predictions of solar flares? Shifts in the earth's pole? New suns affecting climate? The alignment of the cosmos in such a way that the Earth will inevitably be affected? I mean, honestly, to me, its heartbreaking to see a culture or a country be so completely crushed by nature that their infrastructure and way of life may never be the same. To put it in perspective, its like seeing the United States without California attached anymore (which according to scientists is not altogether implausible). To me, it's inconceivable.

Now, don't get me wrong I'm not obsessed in that weird way. The kind where I have a giant clock counting down the days left. I haven't yet cashed in all my assets and built a bomb shelter. But I think the main thing that scares me is the idea that IF scientists, or the Mayans, or whoever, are correct in their assumptions, then what's the point? Why I am I going back to school? Why do I worry about bills, or the future, or anything having to do with adhering to societal expectations? If the world is going to end, shouldn't I just have fun, look after myself, and live life to the fullest? And the answer is, I don't know.

I keep plugging away, planning for a future on this planet, with the people I love, because to be honest you just never know. Nobody does. Not the scientists with their unfathomable equations. Not the Mayans. Not Hollywood. Now this might not sit well with everyone, (and if it doesn't, well then just don't read my blog, I could care less) but I believe in something bigger than us all. Call it God, or whatever you'd like, but I truly believe that nobody can know the end except Him. And He instructs us to live our lives so that in the end, we will all go where we belong. Some people call religion "the opiate of the masses", and they may be right, but I know for a fact I'd rather embrace this idea and take comfort in it all of my life and be wrong in the end, then the opposite.

WHEW! I got off on a little tangent there. I told you guys not all my posts would be lighthearted, and food related, didn't I?? There are deep things up here in this head of mine, and from time to time I may let some of those ideas out, just so you don't become fully convinced that all I care about is clothes, or eating, or running. There's a little bit more to me than that! Just to reiterate, I'm not crazy lol. I'm not convinced that the end of the world is iminent. Not at all. I'm just by nature, a worrier. I worry that I'm not living up to my potential, and that I'm not fulfilling my calling. But doesn't everyone from time to time?

In the meantime, as the Earth keeps on spinning, the sun continues to rise in the east and set in the west, and the stars come out each night, I'll gently remind myself to "Keep Calm and Carry On." It's not the end of the world as we know it....yet.

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Amber is the color of your energy...whooaaa

So I'll start off by saying I have no idea as to why I chose this title for my random blurb, all I can say is this song is in my head, its my vibe for the day. :-) Does that ever happen to anyone? You hear a song on the radio or wake up singing a particular line and that song just kind of guides your mojo for the rest of the day?

Well it dang sure happens to me on a regular basis. But anywho, I digress. I've been trapped inside my little cubicle of studying and anti-fun for the last week and a half and now that I've finished all my tests and labs (with all A's I might add) I'm free!!! FREE AT LAST!! And just dying to be creative and positive and fun and all amber colored energy and whatnot haha.

I must confess that while I was "supposed to be studying" all day every day this week, I did in fact have time to sneak a few peeks at my favorite design websites, and catch up on my must-read DIY blog designistas...I mean all work and NO PLAY makes Jess a dull girl! And I am now officially totally obsessed with becoming a DIYer (or do it yourselfer for you non-acronymical followers out there). Last week I spent literal hours scouring thrift, craft, and discount stores for pieces and ideas for my own little projects a-brewin'.

The biggest project and undertaking that I want to do is to design and make a tufted headboard for my queen sized bed. I've researched a TON of how to videos and sites, and apparently, what would seem to be a big task, is actually relatively "easy". Maybe for normal people, with tools, and handiness, but for me...it'll probably be mechanically impossible, but I'm not discouraged yet! (isn't it easy to be optimistic, sitting at home...on the couch..thinking about how wonderful your new handmade goodies are gonna look? Then you get out and start making them...wamp wamp wamp...) Anywho, I found a look that I wanna go for, and possibly a few fabrics to consider for my new headboard...take a look!

A nice textured fabric, this one has a hint of blue in it (Sale, Joann's Fabrics)

Another textured fabric, this one is a more neutral oatmeal hue (Sale, Joann's Fabrics)

And if I could just have everything in this bedroom

INCLUDING the upholstered headboard, that would be great, thanks.

Ok, so I also have this incurable need to create a space in my bedroom that I have deigned, THE READING NOOK. Basically, what I envision is a cozy, plush, warm space just for me. To read, to blog, to nap, to daydream about my future endeavors...you get the picture. So the pivotal piece for the start of this space is the chair. Which I've got. FOR FREE!!! Some great friends of mine, were trying to get rid of some items after making a big move, and lucky little ol' me got this sweet chair from IKEA complete with white slipcover! Now, I've been trying to get this chair in my hot little hands for over a year, and I just so happened to be in Austin for my race last month, and finally got her and brought her home where she belongs. :-) So right now, this is what I'm working with:

All Chair. No Nook. No Jess-ness.

So this weekend I scoured the stores, and found a great little storage ottoman, with a decent print on it for $20 at Ross that I just have to have!

To add dimension and layers of plushness, I found a soft chocolate brown throw for $7 (also at Ross) A geometrical patterned pillow ($6 at Ross), and a silky ivory and ice blue seat cushion for a chair ($5 at Ross) that I will be using as an added cushion on top of the ottoman.

Throw in this sassy little zebra print lampshade ($10 at World Market) on a table-floor lamp combo that I'm still searching for...and can we say Nook??

What do you guys think??

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Bon Voyage and Bon Apetit!

AAHHHHHHH!!!

That was me pulling my hair out and running around the room for one stress-relievin' cotton pickin' minute.

Whew. I feel so much better. Well folks, I have to apologize for the past few days, it seems I've been MIA from the good ol' blog, AND it seems that I will continue to be creative outlet-less for the next week or so as I'm being quickly reminded that school...is...hard.

This week, its two tests and a midterm that have become a giant time suck for my creative juices...(insert frowny face here). Though I must give myself a pat on the back for totally acing my last test and quiz! Woohoo! There's still information up there in that old noggin, and maybe JUST MAYBE 6 years of school hasn't been entirely useless. But just maybe.

Anywho, I'm saying Bon Voyage for the next few days, but leaving you with some fun food pictures of some fanfreakintabulous meals I've made in the past few weeks! I hope you enjoy them as much as we did! Bon Apetit bloggers!

Baked Lemon Chicken with Mushroom Sauce

And Roasted Garlic and Lemon Broccoli!

Quiche Lorraine

Yes, I know my crust was broken, but it was still so tasty!

Served with a simple side salad! ( Note, I did add mushrooms and bell peppers for a little more oomph!)

Chicken Balsamico

Served over pasta with some good white wine!

Pasta topped with chicken and shrimp (my extra addition) cooked in a creamy sauce with tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, mushrooms, bell peppers, and topped with feta cheese..so good.

Creamy sauce a bubblin.

If you're interested in the recipes, I've linked them up to the titles. Try out allrecipes.com, it's where I get all my inspiration, and it has wonderful gadgets for busy cooks!

Til next time friends, eat and be happy :)

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Mid to Late Week Rant.

So I have to have a mid to late week rant. Today I was driving home, listening to the radio, trying to unwind in preparation for a midterm, and an absolute total disgusting monstrosity of a song came on the radio. Now, before I go any further, I'll just say this..I don't mean to offend anyone's taste in music BUT it boggles my mind how a song with the lyrics "Sex in the air, I don't care, I love the smell of it...sticks and stones may break my bones but whips and chains excite me" is popular. Seriously? And then let's just title it S&M to make it extra dirty. When you start singing about whips and chains and the smell of sex...you MIGHT be running out of inspiration, and maybe..JUST MAYBE its time to rethink the path your career is taking. To me, its next stop, strip club. Perhaps, porno. I don't know, people. Thoughts? I mean I love a good dance beat just as much as the next person, but even I have limits lol.

So in the spirit of bringing back good music, I'll submit some songs from my playlist and open myself up to musical judgement...hey, I never said I was perfect! But here's what I'm jammin' to today. :)

Random Playlist for the Day:

Citizen Cope "Off the Ground"

Death Cab for Cutie "Grapevine Fires"

Imogen Heap "Hide and Seek"

Iration "Falling"

Kid Cudi "Erase Me"

Randy Rogers Band "Steal You Away"

Mumford and Sons "Little Lion Man"

Check 'em out, you might be surprised....though if whips and chains are your musical "thang", then probably not.

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"Life itself is the proper binge."

Well folks, bucket list alert coming right up! I've been slowly preparing myself mentally and physically to take on a new bucket list challenge, and (surprise surprise) I've chosen one that involves food. Lots of it. However, hard to make and pronounce it may be, haha.

One of the many items on my lifelong "To-Do" list is to attempt to master a Julia Child's recipe, and after much deliberation and opinion-seeking from friends, I've settled on Her Majesty's BOEUF BOURGUIGNON. Which, if you aren't as cultured and classy as me, means braised beef cubes simmered in a red wine sauce with mushrooms, onions, and carrots.

Ok, I lied, I'm not classy...soooo, I basically had to take the recipe and dissect from top to bottom, to figure out exactly what the heck the making of this meal would entail. I really just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to have to stew cow brains, or use a pinch of ground lizard tail or something creepily french and obscure.

So let's first take a look at the recipe:

Servings: Serves 6

Ingredients

• 9- to 10-inch, fireproof casserole dish , 3 inches deep
• Slotted spoon

• 6 ounces bacon
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil or cooking oil
• 3 pounds lean stewing beef , cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 sliced carrot
• 1 sliced onion
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 3 cups full-bodied, young red wine , such as a Chianti
• 2 to 3 cups brown beef stock or canned beef bouillon
• 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 cloves mashed garlic
• 1/2 tsp. thyme
• Crumbled bay leaf
• Blanched bacon rind
• 18 to 24 small white onions , brown-braised in stock
• 1 pound quartered fresh mushrooms , sautéed in butter
• Parsley sprigs

Directions

Remove rind from bacon, and cut bacon into lardons (sticks, 1/4 inch thick and 1 1/2 inches long). Simmer rind and bacon for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts of water. Drain and dry.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Sauté the bacon in the oil over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon. Set casserole aside. Reheat until fat is almost smoking before you sauté the beef.

Dry the stewing beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Sauté it, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the bacon.

In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the sautéing fat.

Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with the salt and pepper. Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return to oven for 4 minutes more. (This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust.) Remove casserole, and turn oven down to 325 degrees.

Stir in the wine, and enough stock or bouillon so that the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs, and bacon rind. Bring to simmer on top of the stove. Then cover the casserole and set in lower third of preheated oven. Regulate heat so liquid simmers
very slowly for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.

While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms. Set them aside until needed.

When the melt is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan. Wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms over the meat.

Skim fat off the sauce. Simmer sauce for a minute or two, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons of stock or canned bouillon. Taste carefully for seasoning. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables. Recipe may be completed in advance to this point.

For immediate serving: Cover the casserole and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times. Serve in its casserole, or arrange the stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles, or rice, and decorated with parsley.

For later serving: When cold, cover and refrigerate. About 15 to 20 minutes before serving, bring to the simmer, cover, and simmer very slowly for 10 minutes, occasionally basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.

Issue #1 I don't have a fireproof casserole dish aka dutch oven. I've located one to borrow as I swiftly discovered that a decent dutch oven costs a pretty penny, which this girl doesn't have! So that's solved :)

Issue #2 I have no idea what bacon rind is. I'm picturing bacon wrapped in a hard green shell, somewhat reminiscent of a watermelon?? Come to find out, bacon rind is just a cut of bacon that has a portion of the skin still on as the outer layer. Sounds fancy, huh? My next step is to find out if our local HEB (the greatest place on Earth) has this type of bacon in stock...Im hoping yes, but I will venture out elsewhere to locate this mythical "rind" if I have to!

Issue #3 Well, I don't really have a specific issue other than...I'm scared. This was actually the EASIEST version of JC's recipe that I could find, and it still seems like a gigantic task to take on! I'm picturing my tiny little hole of a kitchen covered with pots and and pans, and beef stock, and little tiny miniature onions that I've never heard of, and me...sitting there...red wine bottle in hand, slumped against the counter..and crying.

I'm optimistic though! I will keep you all updated on how this process goes, and I should be "attempting" this recipe just as soon as I get my hot little hands on that borrowed dutch oven! Any suggestions/words of encouragements/comments from anyone that's ever attempted this colossal feat would be greatly appreciated!

I leave you all with a quote that I adore by the lovely Miss Julia..."Life itself is the proper binge."

It's deep. Think about it.

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Dancing Queens.

I think I'll just continue with this Queen-theme and post a few pics from our "dance-capades" this weekend. Three sisters. One video game. Countless dance moves. Watch out Brittney Spears. Move over Rihanna. You just got served.

But first I HAD to insert this picture of the delish shrimp alfredo my dad made us, soooo good!

Some form of the robot?

Again with the booty poppin!

Duel.

Can't touch this biatch.

Too much booty for one man to handle, ow ow ow

Ra Ra Rasputin

And that's how the Johnson sisters do it.

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