I'm so crafty!

I didn't know I had it in me. But, surprise, I'm crafty!

If I can do it, anybody can.  I'm the left-handed person who can hardly cut with scissors! Now, thanks in large part to Martha Stewart, I have become a transformer of art!

A while back I was motivated to change out my bathroom decor. It started with a candle scenter and then a new floor rug.  The rug sort of made me feel like I was back in Greece, so I decided to pull some of my actual photos of Greece and Paris. 

I went to Michaels and found Martha Stewart stick-on ribbon. This is the best invention ever! 

I took my photos and put ribbon around them and then added some stick-on embellishments.  How easy is that?

Now my picture of Monet's "Parisians enjoying the Parc" has been enhanced by my own photos of the Jardin des Tuileries.

My photo of the windmills in Mykenos has found a new home next to Greek soap. My mule in Santorini picture is on display, as well as my photo of a Greek Church!

Lastly, the Eiffel tower has been embellished too! Although it hardly needs any additional architectural elements!

I think my best result was how my light fixture turned out. No more looking at screws!

All in all, I think I have done a nice job of bringing my actual photos into a small space where I can enjoy them.

So run to your nearest craft store and buy some sticky ribbon. It will change your world!

I promise,
Sylvia

There's an app for that!

It never gets old to receive love letters.  Today I got one from my husband. It wasn't written on nice stationery, or a stick-it-note, it was much more hi-tech than that.  It came to me from his iPad via a pdf file in my email!

It's so great to know that with technology, we can all go back to our inner artist and send doodles!

Here's the one my husband sent me!

This is so great!  The next time I expect some X's and O's and some artwork!  But, for the first attempt, this will do!  As my husband said, this app was like working with an Etch'n Sketch! He used his finger to write and then again to erase!  And, he didn't even have to shake his iPad! 

Such advancement!  Now, there's no reason not to get love notes all the time!

xoxoxoxo

Sylvia



A picture tells it all!

I'm fifty now and watching as time slowly changes things about me.  My belly is getting a bit flabby. My shoulders slouch more. My hips fit tighter in my pants.  But, one thing hasn't seemed to change. My bad hair!  I recently found a picture of myself and my twin when we were little.  Check out the hair!  No wonder I have always said I hate my hair. I have bad hair days all the time!  A picture doesn't lie!



Curly, frizzy, crazy hair of yesteryear!

 I seem to have darker hair now (o.k. some dye has helped that!) but, it is still the same curly, frizzy, crazy hair!  Now, at least, I use "Product" and a hair dryer!  But, that only helps a little. Heaven help me on those days when there's any moisture in the air. So, if it's not raining, humid, or hot, I might have a chance. Of course, this isn't often enough for my liking. so I have adopted the hat! 



So until the next climate perfect day, please excuse my hair. It has a life of its own!

Sylvia

What's for dinner?

My how the years go by. Nothing quite demonstrates that better than what I did yesterday. I cleaned out my cabinet filled with cookbooks and tons of torn out pieces of paper with prized recipes. What was I thinking?
Did I actually think I would cook all those recipes? Who am I kidding. I'm no Betty Crocker and I'm certainly not Giada De Laurentiis! 

I spent a couple of hours clearing out those cabinets. I threw away a lot of recipes, but I figured, If I hadn't tried to look for the recipe in the last five years, it probably wasn't going to ever get made!

I'm so organized now, the only question that remains is "What's for dinner?"


I have put all my scraps of paper into page protectors and sorted by appetizers, entrees, desserts, drinks, meals, holiday items, and sides. 

I feel so accomplished!  Of course, I might feel even better if I actually start making some of these recipes!

For now, I will have to settle for enjoying my lovely "Savoring Tuscany" cookbook proudly displayed on my kitchen counter! 

What's cooking?

Sylvia

A Treasure Hunt for all!

Today my daughter and I went on a food hunt!

We decided to go to downtown San Jose and take part in the SJ Eats festival. If only it was that simple.

We knew we were in for some fun (a.k.a. long food lines) when we were not even in the event location and saw a line forming for the Chowder truck.  We think it was the lure of lobster that gridlocked the area. 

All the lines were long but we managed to work our way to the back of the area and get in a decent line for Chinese food. In about a half hour we were sampling our Pork Bun and Cheesecake egg rolls. Yum!  I like cheesecake and I like egg rolls so I figured it was a safe bet.  I'd eat them again, especially if I didn't have to wait at a truck!

Our next, and last stop, was at the Lumpia truck. Again, the wait was worth it. We had lumpias and tacos. Both were very delicious!

If my stomach hadn't been so full, I might have worked my way over to the ice cream truck. I did try to get a Kara's cupcake at their truck, but they were closed down already. Oh well, better for my figure.

Since we had to wait in lines, we chatted with our fellow food hunters. One lady told me she had come early and things weren't ready so they had left and gone geocaching.  I hadn't heard of this. After she explained it to me, I thought, I missed out. My son had a Game boy and Pokemon cards. But, this activity can be shared with parents and is done outdoors. I think it is a fantastic idea.  This is what the website says:

Welcome to Geocaching

Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online. Geocaching is enjoyed by people from all age groups, with a strong sense of community and support for the environment.

So, whether you are on a food hunt or a treasure hunt, downtown has it all!

Bon Appetit
Sylvia