little.black.sheep.shop

My week in food...

2011-10-05T23:27:09-04:00

This past week flew by.

At Mach 5.

I spent my days burrowed away in my cubicle and at my evenings burrowed away in my home office.

It was so busy that I had to send Riley to make friends at doggie day camp for 3 out of the 5 'workdays'.

(I've been told he and Simon the Shnauzer really hit it off this week. Too cute!)

So there wasn't that much time to spend doing much of anything else.

But lucky for me, I was able to carve out some time to see three of my favorite women over the last two weekends tho...

Pancakes with the twin last weekend...

A pre-birthday dinner (and a show) for my Mum on Friday night...

And a great shmorgasbord-filled evening of fun yesterday.

As much as I love food, I find good food is best when enjoyed in the company of those you cherish!

:: pancakes ::

{ mini pancakes }

{ buttering the super-short stack }

{ I nibbled away my fair share of that overflowing pancake bounty... when they're so little, it's hard to stop! }

:: my mum's pre-birthday dinner and a show ::

{ my Mum's tres leches dessert at Artista. happy pre-birthday, Mum! }

{ and I couldn't turn down Artista's delirio de chocolate for myself }

:: brownies ::

{ loved my twin's idea of adding a pretty pattern onto her mint-chocolate brownies using premade cookie icing and a toothpick. so pretty! }

:: shmorgasbord and other shenanigans ::

{ my twin and her bump... }

{ her bump... her bump... her lovely baby bump... :) }

{ I couldn't get enough of these little cauliflower bites my older sister made - YUM! And a healthy-er alternative to fried chicken }

{ my sister also made one of my fav snacks - smoked salmon with cream cheese on cucumber slices... garnished with chives }

{ reinventing the personal pizza... these were so small that each donned one pepperoni slice. adorable! and super tasty }

{ warm and oozy ham and cheese sliders, some with the yummy mustard-poppy seed dressing and some without }

{ this chicken was ridiculous - moist and tasty - and then wrapped up in a piece of bibb lettuce with a bit of sauce... mmmmmmmm }

{ these were SO delicious... s'mores on a stick! }

{ acorns made from kisses, mini nilla wafers + chocolate icing... SO CUTE! }

{ there must have been lots of squirrels around... because the acorns kept disappearing! }

So that was a look back at my week through food.

Hopefully this next week will be a bit slower so I can get some more things taken care of... and see more sights than the walls in my office and my house!

xoxo

-h-

Giving the Gift of Good Eating Habits

2011-09-27T21:03:00-04:00

So I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to... well... everything, I guess!

And I was having a hard time deciding what item to first buy for my sister's to-be baby.

There is so much stuff out there. And I didn't want it be generic or predictable.

I wanted to just let it jump out at scream at me.

So when I saw this little cutie at Ikea, I knew it was just meant to be...

{ a cute little broccoli! }

Those who know my twin well know that she used to HATE vegetables (and that's putting it lightly). So I thought I would do the right thing and ensure her baby learns to love the greens at an early age.

Sir Broccoli rode around in my new basket in the cart until we checked out. He looked pretty comfy!

Unfortunately my sister has been completely put off by lettuce since her pregnancy began. So if her food aversions during pregnancy are any indicator of things to come, things aren't looking good for Sir Broccoli here...

Fingers crossed it'll help!

xoxo!

-h-

Penguin llama, penguin llama-llama... A Review of The Movie Tavern

2011-09-26T21:31:27-04:00

My sisters and I snuck out on Sunday morning for and early re-viewing of Disney's The Lion King.

We weren't able to catch it in 3-D, but it was nice to see it on the silver screen nonetheless.

We headed to the Movie Tavern for their

Flapjacks Breakfast and a Flick

special early-bird menu.

(They recently changed the name of this promo, hence the correction above).

This is my review of my first trip to "Tha Tavern":

---------

I have to say - it was nice to see my sistahs so early in the morning...

And it was neat to be able to eat while watching a movie on the big screen...

But I wouldn't be itching to return to "Tha Tavern" very soon.

The chairs were office/computer chairs... a bit odd.

And the food was lukewarm and subpar. A big disappointment for a place that is trying to differentiate themselves using a concept based on FOOD!

Although they offered fresh fruit on their other menus later in the day, and obviously had fruit sitting in the kitchen ready to be served later in the day, they refused to serve it for breakfast. To my sister. My pregnant sister. Come on, now... That's just bad customer service.

They didn't hand out silverware - or even plasticware! In fact - I saw the lady to my right flag someone down so she could ask for something other than her own hands to spread the cream cheese that came with her bagel.

Srsly?

The food was decently priced, but you definitely get what you pay for.

The other thing is that it was so dark, it was hard to see your food - and that irked me for some reason.

"What does it look like?"

"How do I know this is what I ordered?"

"Did I just eat a piece of the thin paper they served my potatoes on???"

The movie itself was fine - the quality was great, the sound was good. I wouldn't really have any issues at all if it was just a regular old movie theatre.

But... it isn't, folks. Far from it.

------

This all may sound a little harsh to some. But I have been to a movie theatre with this kind of concept before - and they REALLY nailed it. They even had an upstairs area that was reserved for adults (over 21), where they had a full-service bar. So I know it can be done properly! (That place was south of Oklahoma City in Norman - SOOOO AWESOME!) Talk about a kick-a$$ place to have a date-night!

Ultimately, The Movie Tavern was built upon a good idea, but they didn't bother taking it all the way to the finish line. Which in my opinion, is really sad.

So I may return one day. But in the meantime, I'll tell the girls to come over to my place in their jammies. I'll whip up a fresh breakfast feast and we can watch an old classic on my big TV, cozied up together on my comfy couch. With Riley piled up somewhere on top of us, I'm sure.

(For those of you who might be confused by the title of this post, listen to the opening song in The Lion King... I don't know what they are chanting in some African language in the background, but to me it always sounds like they're saying "penguin llama, penguin llama-llama"!!!)

-h-

Picturas!

2011-09-25T21:47:06-04:00

It's high time I shared some pics with you of my culinary trip to Spain.

I met up with my good friends in SC in August shortly before my move.

(Remember I had to debone a rabbit?)

:: shudder ::

Well, it was all well worth it...

{ here's the adorable mrs. v getting our chicken and rabbit browned up in her brand spankin' new paella pan }

{ cookin' up in style! }

{ we added our veg, the rice, seasonings, and topped it off with green beans and sliced red peppers for a festive finish }

{ mr. v was given the very important task of moving our hard work from the stovetop to the table... one... step... at... a... time... }

{ our quaint tabletop... we had a fantastic potato sidedish topped with amazing salted ham. and we served up a nice full jug of my favorite sangria - note to self: i must must must share this recipe with you all }

{ close-up! now that's a meal in a pan! }

{ and here's yours truly, trying my best to make hot chocolate.... yummmmmmmm }

{ homemade churros with that hot chocolate, miss? yes, please! mrs. v is ridiculously talented. }

It was a really nice evening with some really nice friends. The only downside was that it was over too soon.

:: cheers to good friends and good food ::

xoxo!

-h-

How Do You Measure a Month?

2011-09-16T00:50:26-04:00

It occurred to me today that I have officially been back in the great state of Texas for a month. A MONTH!!

I kind of can't believe it. The time has gone by SO quickly!

Remember that song from Rent?

"5 hundred, 25 thousand, 600 minutes... how do you measure, measure a year?"

If I were to measure this past month, I'm not sure what metric I would use...

Trips to the vet?

Boxes unpacked?

Rainless days?

Trips to the home improvement store?

No matter which way I measure it, I realized one thing... it would be pretty hard to measure it in photos. For a girl who usually takes a ton of pics, my camera shutter hasn't had much action these last few weeks.

I suppose I have been far too busy taking care of things in my new home. Shame on me.

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

So... here are the few snapshots I do have to get you up to speed on some of my life over the last month...

{ riley had a nasty wound on his noggin a few days after we arrived - it wasn't healing, so we headed back to the vet after an initial trip to the emergency clinic. he had to wear "the donut" for a week or so... }

{ "what. the. hell. you're going to get me outta this thing, right, mom? .... mom????" }

{ i spent one full day with my mum - just the two of us and a million stores to conquer. we haven't had a chance to have one-on-one time in years! we started out our giant day with giant lattes from la madeleine... yummers! }

{ my older sis had a bday last weekend and, at her request, i had my first official shindig at my new place. my twin and i baked this perfectly-pink, three-tier, jam-filled strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting for her... i'm salivating again just remembering it... mmmmmmmm }

{ last week i found this among all my old stuff that hasn't seen the light of day in years - this pretty much sums up how i've felt at the end of every day the last four weeks! *yawn* }

The good news is I am officially settled into my place. And just when it was all coming together, my new fantabulous phone arrived. It is PERFECT! Love it, love it, love it. :)

And that's pretty much it, folks. I am priming the button on my camera so I can share more with you going forward.

!*click*!

xoxo!!

-h-

Making a House Feel Like Home

2011-08-26T14:09:55-04:00

Howdy, flock!

So I made the journey to Texas safely and soundly with my Dad and my older sister (and Riley) as my trusted travel companions. We traversed across more than 1,000 miles of the United States. I got more and more excited the closer I got to the state line... and proclaimed a Texas-sized "Woohoo" once we crossed it! :)

(I'm pretty sure all of Louisiana heard me.)

It was a long trip in miles, but we made excellent time.

We had to overcome a few obstacles - but nothing too major. For example, I didn't realize just how much stuff one simple girl can amass in a few years! But I guess when you work from home and have a crafty business - and also have all the standard stuff that most people own (like a bed and sofa), it adds up!

When they arrived, the moving guys were very frank in informing me that my stuff would simply NOT fit into my 17 foot truck. Yikes! I was so embarrassed! Luckily, we were able to get another truck and get it all figured out.

Crisis. Averted. Phew!!!

So, here I find myself trying to get settled in once more.

I'm mostly unpacked... but I've left my art and decorative stuff until last.

So I haven't yet taken the journey of making my place feel like home yet. Luckily, I've taken the first step...

Buying a new-to-me-but-old-to-everyone-else phone!

Can you say "old school fantasticness"?!

Guess who's going to have a direct line to the White House!

(That's what automatically happens when you buy a red phone, ...right?)

Woohoo!!!

This weekend I am going to do some shopping with my fantabulous Mum for some other items my new place is in need of - curtains, rugs, a laundry basket. Ya know... the essential homegoods. ;)

I promise to take pics once I have my new digs completely set up (and once the neverending laundry pile is cleaned, folded and put in its rightful place!).

Hopefully it won't take me that long. :)

For now, this is me... signing off for the first time from the great state of Texas!

xoxo!

-h-

Kill the Wabbit...

2011-08-03T23:49:44-04:00

So I am teaming up with friends of mine this week to take a trip to Spain... in our kitchens, that is. :)

We call them Passport nights. And I am REALLY looking forward to this one...

But before we cook, we have to gather the ingredients.

The most interesting item on my list?

Rabbit.

Yup... Rabbit.

Boneless and cut into bite-size pieces.

We have a great meat market here in Columbia - and I was crossing my fingers that they would be able to do all the butchering work for me, but...

Alas, all they had available in the "rabbit department" was frozen. So they kindly gave me pointers on how to thaw the thing and how to butcher it afterwards.

When I bought it, it just looked like a long block of meat.

"This is good," I thought, as I paid at the counter. "When the time comes to get out my knife, I won't have to distract my conscience from the fact that at some point this was an adorable wittle bunny."

But after thawing it this evening, I had to do something I never thought I would ever do....

Debone Thumper.

Oh dear!!

I definitely had a Julie & Julia moment in the kitchen once I removed the saran wrap. The unidentifiable block of frozen meat had suddenly sprouted little legs and arms after it thawed... and as I washed my hands, I couldn't take my eyes of the little thing!

"I was afraid of this..." I thought.

Big.... Deep.... Breath....

Think.... Of.... Something....

Anything....

Just.... NOT.... Bambi...

So I pushed all thoughts of fuzzy tails, floppy ears, and twitching noses out of my mind and began to cut.

{ exhale }

I couldn't bring myself to take any pictures of my little project. (You all should thank me for this - even for the non-vegans out there, it wasn't a pretty sight.)

If you're curious, some man in France can debone a rabbit completely in under 5 minutes. You can look it up on Youtube if you really want to see it.

So did I accomplish my task? I think so. It definitely wasn't as good a job as Monsieur Youtube could boast, but I was able to break it down into manageable pieces. And while I wouldn't be rushing to do it again, it wasn't that bad once I got started.

AND I somehow managed NOT to cut myself! That, in and of itself, is pretty amazing!!!

*sigh*

Now I'm heading to bed... and I'm hoping I don't have ANY dreams involving rabbits whatsoever.

Guilty conscience perhaps...?

Sweet dreams to ewe + your flock!

-h-

Land of Limbo

2011-08-02T22:05:20-04:00

So I moved into an apartment a little while ago... and I didn't really unpack because I had signed a short-term lease and wasn't going to be there long enough to have much of an opportunity to make it feel like home.

So I've forced myself to get used to seeing boxes everywhere...

On my bookshelves...

In my closet...

Under my bed.

And this was all fine with me since it was on a temporary basis.

(For those of you who don't know me that well, I'm that girl who always unpacks in record time and hangs art on walls before brewing coffee the morning after moving day. So living with boxes is just not my usual M.O.)

But now that my move-out is officially on the calendar and I am having to pack up EVERYTHING I own, the boxes have been steadfastly multiplying... and...

Am.

SURROUNDED!!!

My inner Suzie Homemaker is definitely starting to lose her patience in the boxed-up land of limbo.

So, the countdown to box removal is ON!!

10 days and counting!!!

Suzie and I can't WAIT!

Woohoo!

xoxo

-h-

There's No Place Like Home

2011-07-26T08:42:04-04:00

Hello blog-o-sphere!!

So you may have noticed my recent absenteeism from my blog...

It was difficult (and a bit unexpected) to have to step away from it for a while.

The truth is - I've been going through some particularly challenging hurdles and changes in my personal life. And I quite simply could not feasibly continue to keep my blog up to date while addressing so many other higher priority things.

( C'est la vie, no? )

So I've had to put my "blogging hat" up on the hat rack for a few months...

But, recently, I've been itching to put it back on! I feel like there is so much to share with you all!!

I'm definitely looking forward to getting back into the full swing of things this fall...

But for now...

There is big news in the world of the little.black.sheep.shop...

I am (once again) busy packing up all my things into boxes because...

We're Moving!!!

Yup!

I'm relocating back to my hometown of Houston, Texas (there's no place like home, there's no place like home) and I'm bringin' the shop and blog with me!

I am going to be SO sad to leave the friends I've made in Columbia... My crafty friends, my running friends, the local business owners who made me feel welcome here from the get go. (You guys rock!)

And it was so hard to part with the garden I built from the ground up - and my studio I spent countless hours in.

*sigh*

I will definitely miss some of the unique places I've discovered in this beautiful, laid-back city.

But... time marches on. Change is inevitable. And we learn how to roll with the punches.

This next month is going to keep me a VERY busy bee. So I may still be somewhat out of the loop as I get all my things organized and everything packed away safely into boxes. But I can't wait to share my crafty endeavors and crazy adventures with you all again soon!

Oooh, oooh... Let's *clink* our glasses and make a toast!!

!!*clink*!!

To the future and all of the opportunities it holds!! :)

xoxo!

-h-

Wrapping Up Europe

2011-05-05T08:04:00-04:00

So on my trip to Europe, I did a fair amount of window shopping and browsing. There was an odd assortment of finds throughout... Here are some of my favorites. :)

{ real leather liederhosen for children at a market in Germany - SO adorable }

{ this little wooden cabinet had so much character with its eclectic painted wooden pieces and distressed look - i wished i had a giant suitcase to bring this back home! }

{ handcrafted Belgian cookie molds - so much detail, the molds themselves look like artwork to be admired, not tools to be used in a kitchen! }

{ decorative wooden welsh love spoons, with symbolic designs that represent different things - beautiful handcrafted work }

{ brush brush brush... germans have a thing for brushes }

{ some William + Kate souvenir junk they were selling at a touristy shop in London }

{ hehe... solar powered waving plastic Queens! }

{ flower shop by Paul McCartney's daughter, Stella }

{ London window shopping under cover - a treat in what is usually a rainy city! }

{ suits galore on Seville street in London - even non traditional fabrics! }

{ these uniforms laid out in a work room below street level make me think of stuffy English royalty and aristocrats }

{ anthropologie! woohoo! }

{ unusual window display in Carnaby Street, London }

{ All Saints, a clothing store, features countless old Singer sewing machines in its windows... I wish I could take one of these home with me! }

{ you can't even see the clothes inside for the stacked Singer machines in the windows! perhaps that's the point... they make you come in to see what they have to offer... hmmmmm.... }

{ everywhere we looked in England, someone was trying to capitalize on the Royal Wedding. Yardley was selling a "Royal English Daisy" line of beauty products "in consideration of the Royal Wedding... whatever that means! }

{ and it wouldn't be a vacation without a "kitchy" souvenir shop - some of the Union Jack pillows were ok... these were a bit over the top. and do you see all the Will + Kate gear for sale? crazy }

{ an art gallery in Windor had a few clever creations in its window... check out this sheepdog... so cute and so much movement in the piece! }

{ the body of this swan looked like it was made using glue and string - papier mache style. And the wings seemed to feature real feathers, but I couldn't tell for sure. very clever! }

{ i also loved this dumpy fellow, perched atop a stack of old traveling cases }

{ i loved this cute piece of art i came across in a garden center in Scotland... the little dog at the bottom reminded me of my little Riley, who always likes to be around people! }

{ and speaking of dogs, check out this cute sign! }

{ seeing some of the items for sale made me miss my studio and sewing machine at home... i started to get inspiration for future items for the shop! }

{ these "money pots" were a really cool idea... they don't have an opening, just a slot to put money in. so if you want the money, you have to break the pot open! these pots were so pretty... you'd have to really want that moolah in order to break such a beautiful creation! }

{ check out the designs of these money pots - so many choices! }

{ i loved this heavy owl door stop - so cute! }

{ the hedgehog was a cute door stop design too. :) }

{ and these cute little sheep were calling me to take them home... but i had no room in my luggage :( }

So this pretty much wraps up the pics of my trip to Europe. I had a fantastic time and really enjoyed spending time with friends and family. The weather cooperated and I got to see so many sights, it was definitely a successful trip!

I can't wait until I begin the countdown to my next trip!

xoxo!

-h-

DIY Fused Glass

2011-05-03T08:35:00-04:00

One of my sisters came into town to spend time with me on my birthday one weekend in March. It was SO nice to spend time doing things together - we usually just chat on the phone in the evenings as we are going about our separate lives.

So while she was in town, we decided to hit up The Mad Platter to paint some pottery. But we found out that they are also now offering DIY glass fusing! We were hooked from the moment we were informed about the process. :)

Believe it or not... it is super easy and very safe. We were provided a simple array of tools. Then we had to pick a base glass size, shape, and color. Both of us picked clear 7-inch squares.

Then... you get busy cutting glass and coming up with a design. When you have something you like, you glue the pieces down with simple Elmer's, believe it or not!

Then, you select any 3D shaping that you want your final piece to have. They can curve up the edges gently or make the final piece have a more structured look.

Then, you leave your piece behind to be put through the kiln a few times. Soon enough your final masterpieces are ready for you to take home!

We LOVED this process... so fun!

{ the tools and basic supplies }

{ my sis working away on coming up with a design }

{ our final pieces, mine to the left, my sister's to the right }

{ my final piece! }

{ my sister's final masterpiece }

We really had a blast... and this was a fun alternative to pottery painting. It was MUCH faster, which was good for us because we showed up with little more than an hour before they were supposed to close that night! I recommend it to craftistas in Columbia. If you have any questions, the gals at The Mad Platter are always patient and willing to answer any questions or address any concerns you might have. :)

xoxo!

-h-

Finished My First Quilt Top!

2011-05-02T08:17:00-04:00

I finished my quilt top a few weeks ago...

...and I am SO excited at how it turned out!!!!

And I was shocked at how little time it took to put everything together...

{ i loved the first border as i saw it coming together }

{ press, press, press those seams! }

{ i laid everything out before running it through my sewing machine }

{ my finished quilt top! the final border keeps it all "square" :) }

I can't tell you how much I love how it turned out. Particularly since the monkey wrench block is just not my favorite at all! The next step will be to select my interfacing, cutting my backing to size, basting the layers together, and then picking a quilt pattern to stitch it all up!

I have a Kenmore sewing machine, which has served me VERY well over the years. But I have not ever tried my hand at "free motion quilting." So I think I will leave that for another project when I have developed my quilting skills a bit more.

And perhaps in the meantime I can get my confidence up by doing more traditional quilt patterns. I think the quilt top will lend itself to geometric quilting shapes and lines... so I shouldn't have to deal with any pesty curves or anything. Woohoo!

I may not have a chance to work on this project any further for the next few weeks b/c of my work and personal schedules. It has definitely had to sit untouched since I finished the top weeks ago. But I PROMISE to keep you up to speed as it progresses.

Fingers crossed that I don't make some awful mistake and ruin the whole thing!

xoxo!

- bitten by the quilting bug -

-h-

Watching The Royal Wedding

2011-05-01T08:15:49-04:00

I did NOT get up super early to watch "The" royal wedding this past Friday. Instead, I DVR'd it and watched it with my cereal and coffee in front of me, fast forwarding through the hymns and boring bits so I could see the "good" parts before starting my work day. It was STUNNING

My Mum happened to be visiting her mum in England in 1981 when Lady Di was betrothed to Prince Charles... so I wish I could have watched this royal wedding with my Mum. But - alas - it's a bit difficult when we are 1,000 miles away from each other! Not to mention the fact that my Mum is a fantastically practical woman who probably would not get up at 4:30 in the morning to begin watching the wedding coverage! :)

That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the coverage of the day. Catherine was stunning and calm, taking the everything in stride. And Prince William SO reminded me of Di throughout the ceremony, particularly when he shyly glanced up in the Abbey (just as Di used to do).

The personal moments made the day - when Harry turned around and told William "just wait until you see her," when Catherine and William shared knowing smiles throughout the ceremony, when Catherine told William "I am so happy" as they departed the Abbey, and finally when they shared a the second kiss on the balcony. It felt personal and global all at once - quite a feat!

And Pippa and Harry were gorgeous and supportive of their respective siblings - watching them made me miss my sisters, actually!

It was truly a fantastic day - and I am so glad everything went smoothly and no groups ruined William and Catherine's day.

One of my favorite shots? The Abbey church official doing cartwheels down the red carpet in Westminster Abbey after everyone left. FANTASTIC!!

Now, apparently the world is waiting to hear of their plans to rear a family. Goodness! Give them a few minutes to just be married, folks!

xoxo!

-h-

Destroy Your Easter Treats

2011-04-25T08:09:49-04:00

I hope everyone had a fantastic Easter weekend!

If you're overloaded on peeps and Cadbury's caramel eggs and can't manage to stuff any more down your gullet, here are some ways you can waste time destroying the rest of your stash.

Peep Research

These guys came up with a an array of creative ways to destroy the Peeps... They are really cute in how they present their "findings."

Believe it or not, CNN covered this in 1998. Srsly.

And...

Gizmodo recently presented:

Let Us Count The Ways We Can Explode A Cadbury Creme Egg

Not being a peep fan, I'm down with the Peep Experiments. But I honestly can't imagine anyone ruining a perfect fantastically-sweet Cadbury creme egg. Those things are delicious. They might give you diabetes... but ohmigod... I LOVE them!!

It's probably a good thing they are only here once a year, tho. :)

Enjoy these links!

Happy Monday!!!

xoxo

-h-

Watch a Movie + Save the Savanna

2011-04-22T07:28:00-04:00

No idea what to do with your hunny, your family, your significant other, or with you, yourself + ewe tonight?

Why not go to the movies?

DisneyNature is showing African Cats (narrated by none other than Samuel L. Jackson).

And if you go opening week, Disney will make a donation in your honor to benefit the Save The Savanna projects.

Who couldn't say no to these faces...??

{ personally I can't wait to see this lion-gator faceoff go down...}

See? Doing your part to help our Earth is easy.

A very green and happy Earth Day to ewe + yours.

xoxo!

-h-