Ho hum, life is moving at a slow pace this week and I’m getting lost in it. 

I’m catching up on some summer reads I’ve been waiting to dive into.

We’re watching our syrah grapes ripen in the sun.

We’re building tents out of canvas tarps in the backyard. 

We’re taking long naps under the ceiling fan during the hottest days.

We’re picking our share of blackberries.

We’re begrudgingly back to school shopping.

And I’m making grown up sorbet ~ a healthier alternative to my ice cream fixation. 

Blackberry Cabernet Sorbet

2 cups water

1.5 cups sugar

24 oz. blackberries

2 tbsp lemon juice

2-3 tbsp cabernet

(or any dry red wine like merlot or syrah)

Bring water to simmer in small saucepan, then stir in sugar until dissolved to make syrup, refrigerate to cool.  Meanwhile, rinse and puree blackberries, then pour through mesh strainer to remove seeds.  Add blackberry puree, lemon juice and wine to syrup, blend together.  Process mixture in ice cream maker per manufacturer’s instructions.  Freeze processed soft sorbet at least an hour before serving. 

Wishing you long leisurely days spent relaxing in the summer sun, enjoying what’s left of the season before the beauty of fall is upon us.  

.

Congratulations to these two winners of the Simplify 101 Workshop  . . .

#206 Barbara Ann who wrote:

“Oh my!!   I would love this opportunity!  My office is a disaster area and is home to such random items- toys, files, dead plants, Christmas gifts! I really need a push to get organized and create a vision for this room!!”

#248  Hanna W. who wrote:

“I have the worst time with junk drawers!   No matter how many little basket you put in them, there are always things that need to be put away, and it seems I can never keep up with them. Little game pieces, parts and screws I may or may not ever need again, batteries, markers, padlocks…..aaaah!    And I think they multiply like bunnies every time I walk away from the drawer.  Please help!”

Winners, email me and I’ll get you started !

I began this transition from baby room to big boy space several months ago, but I hit a few road blocks along the way.  One of the challenges was finding a proper dresser for my little guy ~ one that provided plenty of storage, complemented the style of his room, and was the proper scale for the wall where it sits.

For months, I’ve had my eye on the IKEA Hemnes dresser in white.  I delayed purchasing it because it’s a two hour round trip to the closest IKEA, and it’s $300 buckaroos, plus California state tax, plus assembly.  Grrrr.  Delay. Delay. Delay. 

So when I spied a listing for an Hemnes dresser on Craiglist last week for sale by a couple in my hometown for half the retail price, I scooped it up.  Only problem ~ it was black.  Not that I don’t like black furniture, but it was too dark for the little lad’s room. 

So I painted it.  Then added some blue stripey trim around the drawers just for fun. 

Before:

After:

Perfect !

Read the rest of this entry »

There is a strawberry field on a corner of Arnold Drive that I pass every time I visit  Sonoma.  You’ll see cars pulling in all day long for a batch of the farmer’s strawberries fresh picked that day. 

We eat store bought strawberries all summer long, but there’s something extra special about picking your very own as they ripen in the summer sun. 

Read the rest of this entry »

Congratulations to lucky #1,369 Kristen Madsen who won the Silhouette !

Kristen wrote:

“Oh I have been wanting one of these for so long! The first thing I would do is vinyl I’m sure, but I’m dying to make some cupcake wrappers, etched glass jars, iron on transfers oh just so many things!”

Don’t forget there is still a promotion going on if you buy and enter the code CENTS.

AWESOME PROMO

(running from August 1st through August 9th at midnight)
Buy a machine and receive the following:

- $50 off the Silhouette Craft Cutter; 2 rolls of vinyl (Valued at $15.98); 1 roll of transfer tape (Valued at $7.99); Scraper (Valued at $6.99); Home Décor CD (Valued at $50); – $10 Gift Card to the Silhouette Download Store; Cutting Blade; 2 Cutting Mats

All for $249.99, a savings of $130.96

GOOD PROMO

(running from August 9th through August 14th at midnight)
Buy a machine and receive the following:

$50 off (receive for $249.99); 2 rolls of Heat transfer ($29.89 value); $10 Gift Card to the Silhouette Download Store; Cutting Blade; 2 Cutting Mats.

All for $249.99, a savings of $79.98

.