The Creative Chronicles

Christmas Wish List: Cookbooks

2011-12-06T11:40:00.000-08:00

I don't normally cook from cook books. I spend too much time searching the internet instead, get overwhelmed with the amount of recipes I find and stick a frozen pizza in the oven. I've always had an idea to cook through an entire cookbook (think Julie and Julia but less Julia and more Mark Bittman) so here are a few I'd start with if I got them for Christmas...

The Food Matters Cookbook by Mark Bittman

Harvest To Heat

Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics

The Best of America's Test Kitchen

And to keep my husband happy...

The Best of Southern Living Cookbook

Worth It Wednesday: Cooking From Scratch

2011-11-30T10:17:00.000-08:00

Every week I look through countless recipes that are made from fresh, pulled straight from the earth ingredients. I picture myself preparing and cooking a healthy, "from scratch" meal and presenting it (beautifully, of course) to my patiently awaiting family. I sit and compile a weeks worth of recipes. But then I remember that my oldest daughter is currently only eating pasta or waffles, my husband gets home anytime between 7 and 11pm, and my newest pumpkin likes to be start screaming as soon as I take out my pots and pans. The idea of cooking an unknown meal every night seems tiresome and overwhelming to me. The recipe list I made seems just plain silly. There are ingredients I've never heard of, the prep time seems crazy, and its often pretty expensive. Because of this I have several meals that I make on repeat. I know how to make them, I know they're easy, and I know they'll turn out edible. Unfortunately, they aren't always the freshest meals and they're pretty boring. But how great would it be to serve a meal to those you love most where you know exactly what is in every ingredient and where it came from? You know you are serving a meal without any chemicals or unnatural ingredients. A gift you can give thats made from your own hands. I'd love that- not only add to my current rotation but cook the way God intended: from scratch. So hows a way to make it seem less impossible? Just choose one new food or meal to make from scratch each week. ONE food or meal. I can handle one, right? Yikes...lets hope.

Lets start small, shall we? Here is one of my favorite foods of all time...

Hummus

Fingers crossed!

Craft Corner: Christmas Ornaments

2011-11-29T19:11:00.000-08:00

So I've started this post about 1000 times but then the baby woke up or the phone rang or the dryer buzzed or I remembered I hadn't eaten an actual meal since the day before...you get the point. But I think we're finally getting into the swing of things around here and I may actually be able to devote a little time each day (or at least every few days!) to something I love doing...blogging. Hopefully some of you stuck around through this ~~embarrassingly~~ ~~long~~ little hiatus.

I can't believe its nearly December. This summer when I was a million months pregnant and roasting in the heat I thought December would never get here. I imagined sitting by our fireplace with my two sweet pumpkins counting down the days until Christmas. Well now its here and even though we haven't started a fire yet ( California weather is warmer than we ever imagined!) my precious little ones make the holiday season so much more special. Sadly, all of our Christmas decorations are currently in storage at my in laws in TN so we're left to do a lot of decorating on a little budget. Our first order of business is Christmas ornaments since we'll be decorating our tree in the next few days. Here are some adorable DIY (& with kids!) ornaments from around the web...

Twine and Rag Ball Ornaments

Button Balls

Cable Knit Ornament

No Mess Glitter Ornaments

10 Minute Santa

Script Star

So sweet!

Hiatus

2011-10-22T13:48:00.000-07:00

My sweet girl is on a sleep hiatus at the moment...which means this blog is on hiatus too! Hope to be back in the swing of things soon :) Happy Saturday!

Dream Home Design: Office

2011-10-16T10:14:00.000-07:00

I blog from my kitchen table. I write thank you notes from my couch. I finish to do lists at my vanity. What I'm trying to say here is...I NEED AN OFFICE. ASAP. Though, at the moment, that is just a dream. So, come and dream along with me...

If I only had one of these offices I would be SO on top of my crazy life, I swear :)

Family Focus: Halloween Crafts

2011-10-14T15:53:00.000-07:00

Can you believe that Halloween is right around the corner? We've been so busy loving on our new sweet girl that I haven't given it much thought. Thankfully my parents bought my older daughter a University of Arizona (my alma mater) cheer uniform and my in laws bought my younger daughter a University of Tennessee (my husbands a.m.) cheer uniform so we're, thankfully, all set in that department. And since I was forced to mention UT lets just all take a moment to say "Go Cats"! Okay, all is right with the world again. But I digress. Here is an awesome compilation of Halloween crafts to do with your family. Grab the kiddies, head to the pumpkin patch this weekend and top it off with more family time at home crafting.

30 Halloween Crafts and Activities

Boo to you and yours!

Start Christmas Shopping Today!

2011-10-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

Better Homes and Gardens sent me an email today that I wanted to share with everyone...Free Shipping for a limited time in their holiday store AND 20% off of all the Halloween items. They have some really adorable gifts ideas especially for the cooks and crafters in your life!

holiday store

Start shopping today!

Dream Home Design: Kitchens

2011-10-09T11:04:00.000-07:00

So its starting to feel a little small around here...and not because we're now a family of four. Its because its literally so small around here I can barely think straight, especially our closet sized kitchen. Dream Home Design is literally the only thing thats getting me through right now. I mean just look at these beauties...

via

BHG

pintrest

Are you in love yet?

Everything Etsy: Wall Decals

2011-10-08T11:09:00.000-07:00

As I've mentioned before, we are temporarily living on the west coast while my husband completes a fellowship. Since we are only here for two years we are renting our home which means no painting, no holes in the walls, no real personalization. Now there are some definite pros to this (like no real work!)...but some major drawbacks too (everything is bland and blah). Wall decals are a great way to make the space our own without having anything permanent. Here are some of my favorites from Etsy...

trendypeasdecals

oldbarnrescuecompany

singlestonestudios

allonthewall

Hope you're enjoying your weekend! Go Vols!

Family Focus: Halloween Crafts

2011-10-07T10:34:00.000-07:00

With two little girls, I am always looking for crafts and activities that we can do together as a family. (Ok one of my girls is REALLY little, as in she can't even control her own arms and legs yet and sleeps 16 hours a day but I still like to include her!) As we get closer to Halloween I love to find fun crafts for the holiday. My older daughter loves to put things together and take them apart so I thought that this magnetic pumpkin craft was perfect for her...

Happy Jack

She can manipulate it any way she wants and make it look different, and exactly how she wants, every time. So fun!

This is just one of several Halloween crafts listed on the website linked above. Hope you find something fun to do with your little ones this weekend!

Baking Beauties: Dog Edition

2011-10-06T10:46:00.000-07:00

So I have a three week old...and a 21 month old...and a constant house full of visitors...and a husband so we're a little busy BUT when I saw a recipe for homemade dog treats I was pretty sure I could find the time to make them for my first baby. Jack, our sweet Yorkie, has been with us for the past 4 years but has been slowly pushed down the family totem pole since the arrival of our other babies. I still like to try and do something special for him every once in a while. I can't wait to try these...

Homemade Dog Treats from Tip Junkie

And how cute would they be in this personalized Dog Treat container I found on Etsy

luckypups

Adorable!

Mailbox Mondays

2011-10-04T16:38:00.000-07:00

Hello Lovelies! It was wonderful to take a break from blogging and spend all our time loving on the newest addition to our family but I'm so glad to be back to The Creative Chronicles. There may be some sporadic posting over the next few weeks as we continue to get settled but we'll hopefully be right on track :)

I subscribe to about a million RSS feeds with the majority going straight into the trash. Every once in a while though I find something fantastic that makes it worth it to get all the other junk. This week was especially great. I don't think there are two words that go together better than "cozy" and "Fall" so when I saw that the article in my Better Homes and Gardens newsletter was entitled "25 Cozy Fall Dinners" I was pretty ecstatic. I LOVE Fall and I definitely need some new recipes in my rotation and these all seem pretty great. I mean Pumpkin Black Bean Cake, Mile High Caramel Apple Pie, Classic Pot Roast...get out of here! I hope you enjoy!

Better Homes and Gardens

Maternity Leave!

2011-09-21T13:24:00.000-07:00

The Creative Chronicles is on maternity leave as we enjoy the newest addition to our family! We'll be back on October 1st...

Dream Home Design: Bathrooms

2011-09-18T14:49:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned earlier, we are currently living in transition while my husband finishes a two year work assignment. Its been difficult to go from owning a home to renting it but there are been several redeeming qualities such as not having to paint walls, fully decorate rooms...or fix broken appliances! It also gives me time to truly plan our dream home as we are going to start building when we finally settle down. I'll be posting my favorite home finds from around the web every week to get my design ideas started. So excited to start planning! Here is the first edition: Bathrooms...

via the clairebarenecessities

via colour me happy

via pintrest

Everything Etsy: Pretty Pillow Edition

2011-09-17T10:00:00.000-07:00

I have a slight love affair with Etsy. I am just overwhelmed by what beautiful pieces people have the ability to create. I could spends hours looking at everything from baby blankets to vintage brooches. My current obsession is pillows. I know, I know, pillows don't sound all that exotic of a search but there are some truly beautiful finds out there. Also, they are pretty important to our lifestyle right now. We are currently living in transition so fully decorating is not an option. That doesn't mean that I am willing to live in a lifeless space though. I still need it to be beautiful and comfortable for my family. Because of this, pillows have become a huge part of my design focus. They allow me to really bring a space together without spending much money doing it AND they're easy to move when we start packing again next year! Everyone should consider switching up their pillows when they're home needs a facelift on a budget! Here are a few of my favorites...I think you'll notice a theme :)

bedbuggs

urbanfringe

thehomecentric

etsybitsyboutique

livycreation

Love, Love, Love!

Family Focus: Kids Mailboxes

2011-09-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

via google images

Who doesn't love getting mail? Every day I still head out to our mailbox fingers crossed that something lovely will be inside. Most days though its just bills and junk to sift through and throw away! Remember how fun it was to get mail when you were little ?? A birthday invitation, a card from Grandma, a note from a pen pal. Ahhh, so great! Why not let your little ones have this fun all the time? Work together to create a mailbox just for them! They'll love to decorate it exactly how they want to and you'll adore filling it with little love notes and inspirational printables that can be found all over the web!

Instructions:

1.Find what you'd like to use for the mailbox. Some ideas include-

A small metal or wood mailbox (found at your local craft store)

A shoe box

A hanging file folder

A plain colored gift bag

A napkin holder

2. Decorate. Let your little ones decorate it any way they'd like with craft supplies. This would be a great way to use up all of those old scrapbook scraps and art odds and ends.

3. Fill with love!

Here is the one we created. We just used a small shoe box, a felt flower, a paper flag and ribbon we had around the house

Enjoy!

Baking Beauties

2011-09-15T12:03:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to do is explore new baking ideas including recipes, tips and techniques, and fun products. Weekly, Baking Beauties will highlight these so you can get your bake on in a beautiful way. Slowly grow your collection and become the baker you've always wanted to be. I'll be doing this right along with you!

Family Moments: Kids love to help in the kitchen and even if they're too young to be around the stove there is still so much that they can do. Let them pour pre-measured ingredients into the bowl, stir batter, measure out dough using an ice cream scoop, cut out cookies with cookie cutters, or decorate the finished product. They'll love seeing their handi-work at the end...and eating it too!

Recipe:

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups from Picky Palate

Tips and Techniques:

Pre-measure and prepare all of your ingredients before you start baking. This may seem extremely obvious but I NEVER do it and then wind up annoyed at some point during the process. Everything runs more smoothly when you're set up and ready to go. It will save your recipe...and your patience. Remember- Everything worth doing is worth doing well!

Product of the Week:

Everything you create deserves a beautiful display. Why go to all the work just to hide it away in some old tupperware? Create a beautiful centerpiece with your new baked beauty using these Glass Stand and Dome from Pottery Barn!

Glass Pedestal Stand and Dome from Pottery Barn

Enjoy!

Recipe RoundUp: Week 1

2011-09-14T08:35:00.000-07:00

I've always been a big believer in the family dinner. The moments shared and memories created when you can sit down together for a meal are irreplaceable. At our house, we strive to sit down and eat dinner together most nights of the week. I completely understand the challenge that families face of doing this though with our hectic schedules, kids extra curricular activities, and general fast paced world. Let me try to make it at least a step easier for you. Here is a weeks worth of fantastic recipes from around the web to gather your family around the table! These will be posted every Wednesday to give you time to get your grocery shopping done for the week ahead. Each week I will do my best to offer a variety of meals including a chicken, meat, fish, and vegetarian dish. I leave a night for left overs and, of course, take out!

There are always two extra "kid friendly" meals included at the end that are sure to please even the pickiest eaters! Hopefully :)

Texas Black Bean Soup from My Blessed Life

White Chicken Enchiladas from The Pioneer Woman

Soy and Honey Marinated Flank Steak from For The Love of Cooking

Salmon with Lemon Cilantro Vinigrette from Real Simple

Stuffed Bell Peppers from Family Fun

Kid Friendly Extras!

Chicken Tenders with Creamy Honey Mustard from Martha Stewart

Tortellini Casserole from Parents

I truly hope you enjoy and follow along!

PS Remember, the first 25 members of The Creative Chronicles will be automatically entered to win a $25 Target gift card!

Craft Corner: Fall Lovelies

2011-09-13T17:41:00.000-07:00

Fall is by far my favorite season. The beautiful weather, changing leaves, crockpot recipes, SEC football games, and, of course, Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes make it simply perfect. I also LOVE Fall crafts. They just add the perfect touch of warmth to a home. So I thought that the perfect way to kick off my new blog would be to share this fantastic collection of Fall Crafts found on the fabulous website I Heart Naptime. Choose a craft, grab your kids or girlfriends, and start creating! Every moment spent together is a cherished one...why not have something adorable to show for it in the end? Happy Crafting!

Fall Craft Compilation from I Heart Naptime

I hope you enjoy these and find something inspiring to create! What a wonderful way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon with those you love!

Thank you SO much for stopping by! I hope you follow along!

PS Shameless Bribe Alert: My first 25 members will be automatically entered to win a $25 Target Gift Card

Welcome!

2011-09-12T20:44:00.000-07:00

Welcome to The Creative Chronicles! This is a blog born of love, hope, and faith. Earlier this year, my entire life changed in a moment when I received completely unexpected, devastating news about someone I love dearly. News that changed the way I live my life and love those around me. News that made me truly realize how lucky we are to be given each and every second that we’re blessed with and how important it is to embrace these moments. Instead of dwelling in the sadness I chose to walk in the moment and fully embrace this minute, this second, this lovely life we’re given. Here I chronicle the creative beauty I find daily in crafting, cooking, baking, home design, family fun and every thing in between. This blog is meant to inspire each person to live a creative, happy, faith and family filled, beautiful life...all while remembering to chronicle each sweet moment we are given, one blessed moment at a time. I hope you follow along!