Attempting to be a domestic diva

A few things that I don't think I can live without any longer:Jadeite bowls on sale at etsy.com here. No house should be without pretty china of some kind, whether it is super-casual or something as gorgeous as this jadeite which I am considering taking out loans to buy a lifetime supply of for my house.
Mercury glass candlesticks also on sale at etsy, they can be found here. Simplest fabulous centerpiece possible, candlesticks with pretty tapered candles and pretty table linens, particularly if they are mercury glass and fabulous like these!
I can't explain how much I love this....I think I might cry. I wish I could have this Le Creuset cookware!!! It is impossibly beautiful and can you imagine how fun it would be to cook with this stuff?!
must....have....dress... Cinched waist, 'nuf said.
If you haven't ever smelled a cake candle, then you are truly missing out! This is one tip that I just have to share with my friends who maybe don't have a domestic bone in their bodies. I am admittedly not the best in the world at being a "domestic diva", but I am striving to be one! Nothing makes a dinner party, small get together, or just a regular night feel special, warm, and inviting quite like a pleasant smelling candle. I don't know about you but a really flowery smelling candle can be choking and rather than replacing unpleasant scents with lovely ones they can seem to mask the odor by adding to it.
If you get a cake candle suited for the season (such as this lemon delight for summer, or cinnamon orange for fall/winter) light it about fifteen minutes before company arrives, your house will smell inviting and delicious making people feel at ease. People generally appreciate the little things that let them know that you thought a little extra for them, it's not a fussy detail but it is something that adds that little extra attention that really matters.

This was a little scattered and maybe not as domestic as I had originally planned. My mind is all over the place tonight. I'll be posting a picture and follow up post about my tomatoes (I know you're on the edge of your seat for that one!) because I have one tiny baby green tomato and I plan to nurture it to adulthood, can't wait!

Fried Green Tomatoes and Basil

Ok, so this isn't a recipe for fried green tomatoes and basil. I bought a patio tomato and a small basil plant to keep in terracotta pots on my back patio (had to move them to the ground to maximize sunshine time). It's very exciting to have plants growing and I can't wait to get to cook with them and eat the "fruits of my labor" so to speak.
I'm afraid that in this heat (the heat index has reached 120 here!!!) they will fry on the plant before I can even get any ripe tomatoes...but here's hoping they'll make it and I'll be able to update you with some beautiful, plump red tomatoes! However, my thumb is usually not so green, any tips?
I also would like to add that this basil smells sooo good it's all I can do not to gobble it up as it grows!

My Snuggle Buddy

Doesn't she makes the cutest and cuddliest pillow you've ever seen?! "The Tato" doing what she does best.

Green Eggs and Lobster

On the occasion of Father's Day Mama and I made a big fancy meal for Daddy. We got lobster tails for each of us and grilled them on the Big Green Egg grill along with a small steak for each of us and happily for us, the lobster tails and steak were on special at Publix. We also steamed some asparagus, sliced some tomatoes, baked potatoes, and toasted some bread. It was SO yummy! We also had some white wine (is that allowed when you're also having steak?) The whole meal was very delicious and we celebrated in style! Sadly, Daddy grilled his own lobster tails and steak on Father's Day but Mama and I didn't exactly know what to do as far as getting that giant grill going.

I gave Daddy two pieces of my pottery that I got back from my class for his Father's Day gift and he seemed to really like them! It was a good day, one of celebration! We celebrated Father's Day and then Sara Jane came home from Trinidad!!! Check her blog for details of the trip they should be coming soon along with some excellent pictures.

The Blessing of Working

This summer I have been so blessed! I was in need of a job to help pay for things while I'm in school and before I could even look for one very hard...there it was! My RUF pastor, Sammy (his wife's blog) said that somebody from our church, Trinity Presbyterian Church, said that there was a job available for weekends at a local interior design shop.
My weakness: pretty things for the house (clothes too, are my weakness of course), so I had to investigate further! Sammy gave me the number for the owner, Lynn, who is one of the nicest, most accommodating, godly women you will ever have the pleasure to meet, and she asked me to come in. I gladly came in to meet her and the other women who work there (Harriet and Barbara who both go to church with me and are so fun and genuine), and on the spot, she put me on the schedule! I didn't have to interview, she said I came highly recommended and trusted me to live up to the recommendation. I cannot express how thankful I am for that! The hours are excellent and everybody is so friendly and flexible with my school schedule. It's even fun to meet local Statesboro(ites? ians?) who are all very warm and friendly which is to be expected in a smaller southern city. The store is called The Carriage House. There isn't a website, but if you are a local or even passing through, you've got to come look at all of the beautiful things...and buy some too!


I love my job! I love the beautiful surroundings in which I work. I love the people I work with, and I love that this is such a picture of God's grace and His providing for my needs in ways I don't even expect and He provides far above my needs.

Coca Cola Cake

Most sane people love Coca Cola

And I hope I don't know anybody who doesn't love chocolate!
Coke and chocolate are two of the best things in the world. Wonderful, delicious, sweet, and dark. Yummy!
So what better to eat than the two combined?

BEHOLD Coca Cola Cake!!!

You may have heard of Coca Cola Cake before, but mine has a bit of a twist just at the end. If you've never had Coca Cola cake before, you are missing out! The coke adds a very moist, fluffiness to the cake and it is just divine!

If you would like to make this for yourself (and why wouldn't you?!)

Here is what you will need for the cake:

1 c. Coca-cola
1/2 c. oil
1 stick margarine
3 T. cocoa
2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

In a saucepan, bring Coca-Cola, oil, margarine and cocoa to a boil; mix the sugar, flour and salt, Pour in the boiling liquid and beat well. Add the eggs, buttermilk, soda and vanilla and beat well. Pour into a greased and floured sheet cake pan (or two 9inch round cake pans) and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

What you will need for the icing:

1/4 lb. margarine
3 T. cocoa
6 T. cream or milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 to 1 c. pecans chopped (i left these out because I didn't have any)
1 lb. confectioners' sugar

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine butter, cocoa and milk and heat until the butter melts. Beat in the remaining ingredients, and spread on the hot cake. Cool and cut.

SUGGESTION:

Since I made this as a layer cake, I poured the icing on the bottom layer, and then added the top layer and poured the remaining icing over it. It makes a little bit of a mess and soaks in a little into the cake. Since my bottom layer broke (I am not a seasoned baker, cooking is more my speed) I flipped the whole thing over so the top layer would be pretty and make a thicker frosting to round out the cake. Here is the recipe for this delicious chocolate frosting.

Disclaimer: You will want to lick the bowl, spoon, beaters, etc., so have others handy to help unless you want a treat for your hard work ;)

Rich Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

What you will need:
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup Cocoa powder
2 2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk or cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
In mixer bowl cream the butter. Add the cocoa and powdered sugar alternately with milk. Beat to spreading consistency adding more milk if needed. Blend in vanilla.


And Finally....

Share it, eat it, and enjoy!

Sister Girl's in Trinidad!

Sara Jane (above on the right) left for Trinidad on Sunday afternoon! I am so excited for her to be going on this trip. She is going with First Presbyterian Church, Augusta (which is coincidentally where I would LOVE to get married one day) on a medical mission trip for one week. They will be hosting travelling clinics and providing free medical care to the locals who cannot afford adequate care. In addition to giving free medical care, they will be sharing the free gift of Jesus' love as well, the gospel of Christ to set souls free from fear of sin and shame and rest their heart's in the atoning work of Jesus on the cross, and through that being made lovely in the sight of God.

Here are some pictures of where she will be going; both the beautiful and the impoverished areas:





I should mention also that I really admire my sister, Sara Jane! She has great taste, is very giving of her gifts (both literally in beautifully wrapped packages, and figuratively in her talents), and is willing to serve. She is an excellent hostess and is an even more excellent sister. I am forever thankful that Sara Jane was not afraid to step on my toes when I was a churchgoing lost girl. I thought that I was a christian because I grew up in the church and "believed in" Jesus. I had never really understood the real and true gospel and Sara Jane, after becoming a Christian in early college, shared the love of Christ with me and lovingly ticked me off until I truly knew and believed on Jesus. I cannot tell you how thankful I am for that and how much it has changed my life forever.

Perfectly Poised Aprons

I absolutely love aprons! Really, anything vintage or vintage inspired that cinches in at the waist and has feminine detailing. The aprons at JessieSteele.com are exactly what I'm talking about. They are oh so feminine and dreamlike. All of the patterns and prints are so beautiful, and although a little steep for my budget in college, not badly priced for "real people" (meaning people with careers).
I can just imagine wearing one of these aprons over a 1950s inspired dress paired with kitten heels and getting a roast or pie out of the over for my husband and our dinner guests. I do love to cook for people and entertain, so what better way to do that than to wear a cute apron as a conversation starter while the meal finishes cooking?

My Mama Made That

If you haven't already fallen in love with this cookbook, googled it, and made your purchase via Amazon books or some such thing, there may be something seriously wrong with you. It is hands down the cutest cookbook I have seen as far as I can remember.

"My Mama Made That" is the cookbook for the Hampton Roads, VA Junior League and so far I am only mildly obsessed with it but my obsession grows each day. Inside the book is divided into sections for type of meal such as entrees, appetizers, drinks, desserts, etc., and also grouped into meals for special occasions. There's a "first day of school" meal and "new years eve" meal just to name a couple. In addition to the fun names, delicious recipes, and adorable cover, the interior of the book is designed well and is so fun to browse through. The separate sections in the cookbook are divided by of course, pictures of the food and also a section header complete with a photo of an old-timey apron on a clothesline blowing in the wind. They had me at apron...

If you have the chance to get this book, you definitely should and leave it out for people to look at also because as a student of design, to me this is art!

Lazy Summer?

I shouldn't complain, but I miss the days of having summers off and doing nothing but watching TV in the morning, going to a pool and playing all day and maybe eating the occasional steak dinner on the deck. These days I'm missing the sunshine due to my class during the good sunny hours, and I am elbow deep in mud everyday. Honestly, ceramics is fun and I do like getting to make things that I will get to use once they are graded! Sadly, I'm not the best at "throwing" just yet, and in this summer crash course I wont be able to really get the good practice that I need to significantly improve. However, this is my first "batch" of cylinders that I threw when I was first learning the wheel. What do you think (please disregard the junk in the background, in hindsight I should have cleaned that up before taking a picture).

I have to admit, I'm somewhat horrified that I'm not the absolute best in the class but I'm also not the worst, and apparently that doesn't matter anyway. Although the class is fun, its deadlines are really "cramping my style" and my style means getting to hang out with my friends. I do get to have dinner with friends here and there but am usually feeling guilty all the while because I'm not working on my class work. Since when did summers become so busy and no longer lazy? Oh.... I guess when I started to grow up? Yuck. Growing up has its perks, but this is not necessarily one of them. Hopefully I will become a master potter in the next few days and everyone can expect to receive a ceramic gift :) By the way, as I write this, I realize I need to grow up. My class is 3.5 hours a day plus outside work which is a lot but it's no full time job plus family or anything. Will I ever post when I have a family? I can barely manage now...sheesh!

Yes, another food post : Kettle Corn

Recently I've taken to making popcorn the "Old-fashioned" way on the stove top. It makes popcorn in a more delicious and fun way, not to mention much lighter than the bagged popcorn that comes encased in a block of butter(ish) substance that for some reason can sit in the pantry for months without going bad.
Making it into kettle corn is just a little sweeter way to enjoy homemade popcorn (perhaps a dessert for a late night movie?). Here's how to make a pot/bowl of kettle corn for yourself.

What you'll need:

1/4c corn/vegetable oil
1/4 c popping corn kernels
2 tbsp sugar
a sprinkle of salt

A deep saucepan with a lid
potholder (I get scared of the popping so the potholder is really just for moral support)
Pretty serving bowl

1. To make this delicious treat, pour the kernels in the pot and pour the oil over them just so that the kernels are almost covered to the top. Place the lid on top of the pot before you turn on the burner so the oil doesn't burn you.
2. Turn your burner to medium high heat and wait until the oil starts to bubble. Hold the lid down tight and shake the pot back and forth to be sure that the kernels don't burn on the bottom of the pot.
3. Once the kernels start to pop, take the pot off of the burner and carefully pour in the sugar and stir around. Wait until the kernels have stopped popping before you take off the lid, the kernels can be very sneaky and also super hot so you don't want any wayward oil covered kernels burning you. Return the lid.
4. Return the pot to the burner and continue to shake it back and forth so that the sugar will mix in with the oil and the kernels will be evenly coated. The kernels will begin to pop, and you'll need to continue shaking every now and then (more frequently the quicker the popping) to prevent burns especially on the bottom of the pot.
5. Once the kernels have slowed popping to one every couple of seconds, remove from the heat, leave the lid on in case a few more kernels want to pop. Once you're sure it's safe, pour the popcorn into your pretty serving bowl and sprinkle salt on it to taste. Toss but not with your hands unless it has already cooled because the sugar can be very very hot.

Enjoy!!!