Hello Stranger...

hello, stranger!

Oh wait, I guess I’ve been the stranger.  Sorry!  Recently a friend of mine said that she missed “the Nook”.  I took this as challenge to post more than 1x per year.  Is that so hard???  Sometimes, yes.  

The truth is I do really enjoy blogging, but time just gets away from me.  Doesn’t it do that to you too?

Confession: If I borrowed a fraction of the time I spend scrolling and “pinning” I could probably turn out a post or two....or a hundred. 

Anyhow, today I have something to share.  Something good, and I mean something that TASTES good.  And anything that tastes good is worth sharing, right? 

During all the aforementioned scrolling and pinning I found an interesting recipe pin and wouldn’t you know?  I actually made it!  What???  Yes, I actually made something I pinned and I liked it!  No Joke!

SO, The pin that inspired me was for Greek Yogurt Pancakes. 

(You can feel free to go over there for the recipe if you want.  I’m not trying to say that I INVENTED Greek yogurt pancakes, but I am going to give you my play-by-play right here at the nook.)

Now, know this…I am a pancake-traditionalist (butter and maple syrup and occasionally a few blueberries. That is it for me.) and I have a pretty slam-dunk recipe that I got from my grandma, so I’m not saying that this is “my pancake recipe” but this recipe is truly awesome because it’s way healthier than my grandma’s pancakes and I feel pretty good about eating these cakes….ALL DAY LONG.

This recipe is also simple…as in EASY.  The ingredient list is inexpensive too.  There is no reason not to try this.  

I’m calling mine Protein Packed Greek Yogurt Pancakes

PPGYP??? Ok, Maybe not.

Let’s just get started…

Buy this:

1 container (6oz) Greek yogurt (any variety-you really don’t taste the flavor much…at least I didn’t)

1 egg 

1/2 cup flour (whole wheat if you like)

1 tisp baking soda

A splash of milk or Light Vanilla silk milk (could be up to 1/4c.)

Do this….

Start by getting your griddle goin’.  Medium heat and give it a little spray of the cooking spray.

Now, In a bowl, mix up your egg and your yogurt until it’s nice and creamy. 

Next add the flour and baking soda and mix ‘er up.

You’re going to notice that this batter is THICK!  That’s okay because we’re going to use the milk to thin it out.  That’s why I say “up to” 1/4 cup.  Just get it to the consistency that you like.

Hopefully by now your skillet is nice and hot and you can get started cooking these babies.

SO, I don’t know if grandma taught me this or what, but I always make a “test pancake”.  It’s the first one and it’s tiny  and it tells me if my griddle is ready for the real thing.  Plus I like to use it to kind of sop up that cooking spray that is now kind of brown and yucky and doesn’t seem like anything I want to eat on my pancakes.  So if you want to, make a test pancake and if it’s a success move on to the real deal.

Using a largish spoon, spread out some batter on the skillet.  I like to make about 6 pancakes that are about 4 1/2 inches in diameter.  You can make em bigger or smaller.  If you are counting calories just keep track of how many you make and if they are all pretty close in size you can just do a little division to get the right caloric value per cake…make sense??

When the cake starts to bubble, go ahead and give it a flip.  And then cook it on the other side.  Don’t overcook it, but you do want it to have time to cook through.

Note: maybe it’s my cheep-o stove, but I find that any time I’m cooking pancakes, I have to keep turning my heat down a bit because the cakes are cooking too fast!  Do this if you think yours are getting overdone on the outside before the inside has a chance to set up.

When you’re done it’s time to dress these babies up! Like I said, I’m a traditional girl.  I love butter and maple syrup.  But in the spirit of these cakes being a “healthier” option I chose to dress them with a couple of spoonfuls of mixed berries that I had previously macerated with a little honey.  Mmmm….honey.

And, because I simply cannot do pancakes without maple syrupy goodness, I gave em a little drizzle of that too. 

(Love you, Mrs. B.)

IN the end they looked like this…. 

You want to know the kicker??  This whole bowl of pancake batter only has 330 calories…TOTAL! 

(in case you need proof….yogurt 120+flour 120+egg 70+silk milk 20=330!)

Here is my estimation of the caloric value of this scrumptious little meal…

3 pancakes  165 cal.

Berries (1/4 cup) 50 cal.

2 Tbs. Mrs B’s syrup  50 cal.

Total: 265 Calories

Protein: 10 Grams!!

So, now you see why I’d eat these ALL DAY LONG!

Quick Confession: I did. I made a batch for breakfast and then finished them off at lunch.   Guilty….or am I??  Please tell me that you're going to give these a try.

Love,

S

PS: This post was fun.  Maybe I won’t wait a year before posting again!

So Pretty.

Okay, friends.  This is a benchmark moment for me.  My first blog giveaway!  My palms are sweaty, I want this to go well.. . . 

I’ve recently had the opportunity to learn about a great company making beautiful hand-made jewelry and giving back for a great cause. It's called Jewel Kade! (Have you heard of it?  Maybe you saw it on Ellen or The Today Show?)

Well, It’s a wonderful company started by a creative gal in Alpine, Utah.  The jewelry is adorably vintage and it's all hand made right there in the Utah studio! (a.k.a Not China!)

 I mentioned they give back for a good cause…it’s true!  Five percent of sales from the JK Cares Line goes directly to the National Breast Cancer Foundation or the American Heart Association.  No kidding!  I love a company who is about doing good, don’t you? 

So, my friend Holly has so generously offered to provide a Jewel Kade piece for my first ever blog giveaway!!! 

(I know!  it’s very exciting for me too!)

Take a look at this adorable St. Patty’s Day Charm…

(Swarovski crystals, ladies, .bling! bling!)

This beautiful charm comes with a lead-free pewter ball chain and a sweet crepe ribbon necklace.  Two ways to wear! 

So Listen up, this part is really important. . .

what to do to enter to win. . . 

1.  Follow The Nook. There are 3 ways to follow. up at the top of the side bar.   Leave me a comment and let me know that you are following.

2. Visit Holly's Jewel Kade page here. Leave me a comment and tell me what item(s) you just love!

3. "LIke" Jewel Kade's facebook page and leave me a comment so I know you did!  

There you go! Get to it! I'll be randomly picking a winner soon so that "lucky" person will have their charm to wear on St. Patty's!  No pinching!

xx

Shan

ps: if you're an out of town reader...I'll happily ship to you for free.

A Little Before and After and After

The urge to be crafty really comes and goes. . . 

Recently it came, so I took advantage and got some stuff done! 

Have a look at this... I found a pair of vintage Flex Steel club chairs on Craig's last spring.  They are super cute and retro "as-is". . . 

...

. . .but the fabric is pretty dirty and gross.  Plus, I wanted them for projects. So it was out with the old and in with the new. . . Charcoal Gray. . . 

This was my first ever "chair-with-a-cushion" project.  By the way, cushions are the devil when it comes to upholstering.  Cushions and staples....THE DEVIL.   But in the end the chair turned out pretty good and it sold in a flash on Craig's.   

(Maybe I underpriced?  No worries, I have another one.  Won't make that mistake twice.)

Wondering what I should do with chair #2...I'm taking suggestions...and orders.

*   *   *   *

This one is just an After.  

I didn't get a before shot. sorry.  

My friend, Jess is having a baby girl. (awww.) She had one of those gliding rockers. . . you know the ones that are super practical, but kind of a dud for the eyes?  Well, there is something you (or I) can do about it. 

Have a look....

Just a couple of yards of cute fabric and voila!  Just a touch of pink.  So sweet! 

xx

Shan

Ps..  Can't wait to show you what I'm working on right now. . . 2 words: Orange Velvet.

PPS.  My first Blog Giveaway is on deck!  Stay tuned!

Coffee Table Styling

So, for the past several years I've had this big beautiful coffee table that was so graciously given  to us by Ryan's parents.  I've always loved it.  However, for the past couple of years that we've lived in our house I've felt like the table was just too big for our living room...it sort of was the living room.  So, I posted it on Craig's. 

 Today I said my goodbye and sent it to it's happy new home in...wait for it....Dallas.  Weird, I know.

  {I've done a lot of dealings with Craig's List, but never had anyone 1000+ miles away want my stuff.  it's a crazy story...maybe worthy of it's own post some day}

Anyway, also through the magic that is Craig's List I have acquired my dream coffee table which has been sitting in my basement for no less than 2 months waiting for me to sell the monster.  

Well, this exciting transition  has got me thinking about coffee table styling.  It's a tricky thing, no?  Especially when you've got kids.  There are a lot of different ways you can go...

Organized Clutter

Bookworm's Paradise

Less is More...aka Minimalist Paradise.

The truth..the sad reality, is that I really only have 1 choice:

Unorganized Clutter and Tiny Fingerprints...otherwise known as "I Have Kids, Therefore, I Only Get To Enjoy a Styled Coffee Table after 8pm."

But, I will share with you some of my favorite inspirations for coffee table styling...

I love this rustic industrial cart...The aqua tray add great accent color. The vintage typewriter is whimsical.  And I love succulents...living things that require virtually no maintenance from me.  

Again...industrial meets rustic.  I'm always a fan of glass jars filled with pretty things.

This one' from Pottery Barn (PB can do no wrong in my book.)

Everything in this next one is perfect.  The tidy piles of books say, "I read and I'm organized."  

PS.  That chair is killing me. 

Love....

...just kidding. But don't you feel bad for the fish in the end table?  Like they weren't good enough for the coffee table....always dreaming of making to the Big Time...poor things.

I have always admired a deep tufted, upholstered ottoman-style coffee table..but there is no way I can pull this off right now. I would like to make one for someone else though.

Ah. This one actually looks a lot like my new table....again, rustic. industrial.  wonderful.  and I love the forsythia branches!  

Again...a lot like mine, but square.  Perfect for a larger room.  I like the bowl of mossy stuff.

This last one is very pretty.  A group of nesting tables.  Looks like bamboo, but painted in a silver metallic.  Very simply styled.  I love the burst of color from the flowers.

Now, if Ryan would just get home and help me carry her up from the basement, I could get started on my After-8pm coffee table styling...

Love,

S

PS:  Love one of the coffee tables above?  You can find all the links to the original sources here...on my For the Home board over at Pinterest!  

Peek-A-Boo!

Hey friend, there’s a fox in your pocket!

Just made a little something for my nephew…he’s almost one!

Book Review!

 Hey, I just finished another book, that I think you would like...especially if you are a dog lover.

It's called The Art of Racing In the Rain, and it looks like this...

 

I have never read anything else by this author, Garth Stein, but I will tell you that I really enjoyed his style.  The pages turned effortlessly, which is just the way I like it.

So, the book is not about dog racing...in the rain, as the title may suggest.  

It's a wonderful story of a man, a race-car driver {there you go, guys}, his beloved dog, Enzo,  and their life together.  A life full of victories and tragedies.

The narrative voice is the dog, which I originally thought would be, well...dumb, but it wasn't at all.  It captured my heart....and it made me want a dog...more than I already do.

I think you should read it...it's a great casual, recreational read and it won't take long.

I give you 2 pieces of advice...

1.  Kleenex...{I'm a crier and there are a few tender moments.}

2.  Heed the advice that was given to me when I started...."when you get to the part about the zebra, you are going to want to quit, but don't.  Just get through it. "   Good advice.  The Zebra part was....weird.

Happy Reading!

Love,

S

Homemade.

This past Christmas I decided that rather than buying the girls more toys, which I knew that they were going to get loads of anyway, I wanted to make them something to play with. 

Do you cringe at the idea of homemade toys?  

Did you have a bad experience with something your parents slaved and toiled over just to have it wind up in the lame "toys-I-never-play-with" box?

Actually, I do have one memory worth mentioning...

So, my older sister has a September birthday.  One year {I don't even remember how old we were}she got a Cabbage Patch Doll for her birthday.  This doll was beautiful and I was jealous!  

Kelly{my younger sister}, were you as jealous as I was?

I think that the biggest part of the beauty of this doll was that it was BRAND NAME.  AUTHENTIC.  It had a signature on it's behind and it came with a birth certificate!  

Zip forward 3 months to Christmas....I don't remember doing it, but I must have made my desires clear because I was in the middle of opening a present I knew was about to change my life...I was becoming a mommy..sort of.  And there she was...my first Cabbage Pat...wait a minute!  What is this?  A homemade Cabbage Patch Doll???  

Oh no you didn't just give me (and Kel) a knock off!  

...looking back, I am ashamed that I was so ungrateful.  Someone {not my mom or my grandmother, by the way} stitched that doll together carefully and probably lovingly.  And I rejected it.  What a BRAT!!

Anywho...Homemade gifts don't always go over too well.  But, allow me to redeem my childhood self, and tell you that some time later my dad crafted us some awesome couches and chairs for our Barbies and I played with them endlessly.  I wish I had known to save them....they were quality construction.  

So, back to the present day. I decided I wanted to make the girls a front loading washer and dryer and I wanted to do it on a shoestring budget.  

I scoured Craig's List and Goodwill for the pieces to be the basic shell of the miniature appliances...here's what I found...a couple of laminate book cases at Goodwill.  $11/each (which is actually a little more than they are worth...can one haggle at Goodwill? {I was too shy to try.}

I knew that there were plenty of tutorials out there on how to paint laminate furniture, so I purchased them, despite the fact that they were the wrong color.

**Note: I do wish I had spent a little bit more time on the process of painting the laminate.  It is crucial to get this step right or they will chip and scratch...which may very well happen anyway with kids...**

I had a little bit of MDF {medium density fiberboard} from some previous project that I used to make doors and control panels.  I also had some paint left over from previous projects.  Finally, I had 2 sets of casters {wheels} from some Rubber Maid storage cabinets that I never put the casters on.  

Perfect example of how "I think I'll save this seemingly worthless thing..I might be able to use it someday.." is totally valid.

Supplies I bought:  Hardware including hinges, door pulls and these little latchy-catchy things that hold the control panels on and the doors closed...$12 for all, a couple of frosty glass round trivets from the dollar store...$2. I also walked the aisles at Lowe's to try and find some kind of trim pieces for the fronts...I can't even tell you what they are or what they are for.  What I can tell you is that they were originally black and they cost $2.50 each...so $5.

Me, my jigsaw and my friend, Jon's power drill donated our time.  FREE.  

First, measured and cut out the doors and control panels.  Then I traced and cut a circle in the middle of the door for the window.

Then I painted.  I used some oil based paint on the inside since I knew it needed to be super strong {kid proof?}. The lavender for the outside is a mixture of a light silver gray and pink that I mixed together.  

After everything was good and dry, I glued the trivets on for the windows, screwed the trim pieces over those and attached all the hardware and casters.  

{selecting and attaching hinges and latchy-catchy things is a little bit complicated, but it's boring and tedious, so I won't go into it.}

The final step was to put some details on the panels. I used some little wooden crafty pieces for the knobs.  

When it was all done they came out looking pretty good! I was happy with them and the girls loved them...still love 4 weeks later...let's hope it lasts.

Love,

S

PS: I did eventually get a real Cabbage Patch Doll with the signature on the behind and the birth certificate...but I don't remember anything about it, not a single detail.