Feelin Crafty

As I was browsing Pinterest last night, I came across this link for 101 Handmade Christmas Ornaments. There were a lot of cute ideas, but #45 caught my eye right away. Anything involving felt and birdies is  right up my alley! 


After reading the tutorial at A Feathered Nest, I was surprised to find that it didn't seem too difficult. I pinned the link, thinking I may come back at some point totally intending to come back and make some of the ornaments. ;)

I don't know what got into me, considering it was after 11 pm. I think it was a combination of boredom, frustration with the Pinterest app and inspiration from all the pretty Christmas-y pins and tutorials. But anyway, I got the idea in my head that even though I can't sew, I could totally make one of those little birdies!


I gathered up my supplies from random drawers and boxes around my house. I found some soft, pink cotton fabric, red and white felt, and a few random spools of thread in red, pink and green.

Now, I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that this took me about 2 hours to complete... I think most of that time was spent threading needles and trying to tie knots! If you can sew, it definitely wouldn't take you that long!


I deviated quite a bit from the tutorial, based on what supplies I had on hand. I didn't have a fancy vanishing fabric marker, so I just used a pen to draw a wing shape on the white felt and then freehanded the stitching. I did use her stitch guide to get some ideas and help for the wing embellishments, but mostly I just did whatever I thought might look cute. Then I made sure to cut inside the pen line so that you wouldn't see the tracing.
For the body, I found a picture I liked online and then just traced it onto a piece of computer paper. Then I layered the stencil onto two pieces of the pink fabric and cut it all out. So easy, and no pen marks needed! Oh, and I didn't use an embroidery loop, because 1- I didn't have one, and 2- I honestly don't know what she used it for! :) 


After all the parts were cut out, I used felt glue to attach the wing to the top piece, cut out a little beak from the red felt and glued it in between the two pieces and then just started stitching both pieces together. I had no idea what I was doing, really, so the stitches are all randomly spaced and uneven. But we'll just call that, along with all the frayed edges, "shabby chic". :)
I forgot about the eye until I was almost at the end! Oops. I tried to read several stitching tutorials, but I could not figure out the "french knot" for the life of me! Instead of getting frustrated, I just used black thread to make a little X and called it good.


I stuffed it with some tissue and that was it! I was pretty happy with how it turned out, although it isn't as Christmas-y as I hoped. I like it even more this morning. She's so cute! 


Pretty good for someone who can't sew, huh?

Very Pinteresting

I made something that I pinned on Pinterest! It almost makes me feel justified in all the time I spend on there. :)


I had pinned these Pizza Balls a long time ago and have been thinking about them all week. I was thinking they might be like the pizza rolls from Old Chicago, but easier!


I didn't have any canned biscuits, so I decided to try it using this recipe from Baby Loving Mama (which I had made once before and they were delicious!).


Because I don't like to get my hands dirty and gooey, I decided to mix the pepperoni and cheese into the biscuit dough with a spoon. I added the melted butter/milk, stirred it a few times, added the pepperoni & cheese and then finished mixing it all together until it was all combined.

I spooned the dough into a cupcake pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Then I topped them with fresh grated parmesan, because I like to be fancy sometimes.

Now cooking was a little tricky... The biscuit recipe said to bake at 450 for 8-12 minutes, but the pizza balls recipe said to bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes. If you use the made-from-scratch biscuits, I would definitely recommend going with the 450 degree oven. I tried it at 400 and they weren't cooked after 15 minutes. I bumped it up to 450 and they were golden brown in 5 minutes.

They came out more like pizza muffins instead of balls. And I thought I had used a LOT of pepperoni, but when I cut into the biscuits, I could hardly find any! Next time I would use more, or at least make sure they are more evenly dispersed through the dough. And add lots of cheese.


Serve them with marinara sauce.

Overall, they were not as good as I had hoped. If I make them again, I will probably use canned biscuits. 




Anyway, I still ate them while I watched Eclipse. I'm having my own Twilight Saga Tuesdays at my house. Except it's more like "Twilight Saga Wednesday, Thursday, Fridays" because frankly, I don't want to wait a week in between watching each one. :)


Okay, I'm off to go find more things to pin!
Happy Weekend!

I've moved!

My blog has  a new home!

Come visit me at jennmarlow.wordpress.com

(and don't forget to update your Google Reader!)

:-)

The Best Dinner I Ever Made

This week Steve and I started meal planning. Therefore, I've been cooking (and baking!) a lot more. I like it, I feel so domestic. In the past week I've made spaghetti with garlic bread, delicious steak sandwiches, banana nut bread, shepherd's pie, strawberry cupcakes and (the star of this post) the most amazing pasta dish.

I had been craving my favorite dish from the Cheesecake Factory: Farfalle with Chicken and Roasted Garlic
It's the only thing I ever get there and it is so delicious. 
I put it on the meal planning menu and then freaked out a little since I had never made it and had no idea where to begin. After searching the internet a little, I had a game plan.


Pasta with Chicken and Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce

serves: 4


Ingredients:

• 2 cups pasta          
• 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces   
• 4 pieces of bacon, diced        
• onion, diced    
• mushrooms, sliced (optional)
• sundried tomatoes (optional)
• canned tomatoes (optional) 
• roasted garlic       
• 1/2 cup milk         
• 1/2 cup cream         
• butter         
• 1/2 cup peas         
• parmesan cheese, grated

Ahead of time, roast the garlic. Take off as much of the papery skin as possible. Then, cut off the pointy end to expose a little of each clove. Set on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil and wrap in the foil. Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes. Let it cool before using.


Begin by cooking pasta to al dente. Drain, reserving at least 1 cup of the pasta water.

Cook the diced bacon in a pan until crispy, then set aside. Remove half of the bacon grease and add 1 tbsp butter to the pan. 
Add the onions and carmelize. 
Once the onions are cooked, you can add the optional ingredients  (mushrooms, tomatoes) and cook until they're soft.
Then, add as many roasted garlic cloves as you like (I used about 6) to the pan and mash in the pan with a fork. 
*Note, roasted garlic has a sweeter, less intense flavor than fresh garlic. We REALLY like garlic and 6 was plenty for us.

Next, turn up the heat on the pan. Season the chicken with pepper (and any other seasoning you like, just don't add salt at this point.) Add the chicken and stir.
Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and reduce heat to a simmer.
Add 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of cream (or 1 cup half & half).
Simmer until the chicken is cooked and no longer pink inside.


Once the chicken is cooked, add the bacon back to pan. Add 1/2 cup of frozen peas. Stir.


Add 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese and cook until sauce is thick. Check the seasonings and add salt/pepper if needed.


Stir in the pasta. If the sauce is too thin, add more parmesan cheese. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more pasta water.

Serve and enjoy!
I shaved a little more parmesan and cracked black pepper on top.


It was delicious! It was very similar to the dish at the Cheesecake Factory and definitely cured my craving. I was proud...I'm pretty sure this was the best dish I've ever cooked. :)



Hope you enjoy!

Randomness

• I've decided (unbeknownst to Steve) that July is going to be our "Month o' Doing Stuff!" (We'll work on the title later...) Essentially, I just want to do fun activities. Two that I have in my head so far:
  -Elitch Gardens on July 10th, specifically to see Jason Derulo in concert. I get a deal on tickets through work! P.S...Steve won't ride the roller coasters, so I need a buddy!
  -Rockies baseball game. I've never been to one! In fact, I've never been to a professional sporting event at all. Ever. Shocking, I know. But I've heard that the "Rock Pile" seating is pretty fun, and it's only $4!
  
• For the past oh, several months, my face has decided to rebel and act like a 15 year old's. It has not been pretty. I'm here to tell you that months of major breakouts is not good for a girl's self esteem. I'm thankful for a sweet boyfriend who tells me I look pretty even when I don't feel it.
• Today is the first day in a long time that I have liked my hair. I would take a picture, but that would involve showing you my face. (See above.)
  
• I've decided that cute clothes make coming to work approximately 1% less excrutiating.
• I may or may not freak out a little every time a trailer for Eclipse comes on tv. In related news, I am not really 15 years old. It just seems like it. In further related news, how hot is Robert Pattinson??? *sigh*
• I'm getting excited to move into our new apartment...even though it's still like 6 weeks away! (more to come on this...)
• However, the idea of decorating a whole apartment is really daunting and is stressing me out more than I'd like to admit.
• Steve bought me us a "fake" Le Crueset. Ok, it's not really fake. It is a Martha Stewart enameled cast iron dutch oven, and cost almost as much as the other kind, so I don't think it really qualifies as fake. ANYWAY, I'm in love. It's red and beautiful and it makes me so happy to have it in my kitchen. (Nevermind the fact that we've only made chili in it once so far... it will get it's time to shine come winter!)
• I go through phases where I am addicted to one thing on the Internet and spend all of my time reading/watching until I'm completely finished or caught up. Usually it's a blog or website or topic, it varies (and may or may not be Twilight related). For example, a few months ago it was the Pioneer Woman's love story, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels. Right now, it happens to be Twilight related... I'm reading listening to The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella. (In preparation, of course, for June 30th!) Because I feel that's it's absolutely necessary to devote every spare second to this addiction, I'm thankful for internet on my phone!
• In general, but more so in light of recent news headlines, the mere thought of Miley Cyrus makes me irate.
• It has taken me over 5 hours to write this blog at work. Maybe someday I will actually post something that doesn't consist of bullet points and random thoughts. Oh, I know! I promise a real blog about the impending move and my thoughts on living with....dum dum dum, a BOY! :)

vampires in the workplace

A little while ago, I walked to the other side of the building and saw this:

A girl had this huge poster (along with other Twilight paraphernalia) plastered on her cubicle wall that faces the main hallway.

Immature? Probably.

Inappropriate for the workplace? Most likely.

But is he unbelievably drool-worthy and sexy? Definitely!!!

I'm just glad she did it so I don't have to... (kidding! I would NEVER get any work done with those eyes staring at me all day!)

I'm just sad she didn't go with this one:

I think I need to go take another walk to the other side of the building now...

P.S. Only THREE more weeks until Eclipse! Yay!

Grateful

Today I am grateful for sunshine, lunch at Panera with a friend, getting off work early and Robert Pattinson. (hey, I'm just being honest here.)



Happy Friday!




p.s. Remember Me in theaters today!

At the moment

I am...

-wondering why my face has recently decided to act like it's 15 instead of 25 :(

-wishing I could see John Mayer in concert when he comes here March 23rd

-slightly obsessed with all things Robert Pattinson (and really excited about Remember Me next Friday!)

-totally loving The Pioneer Woman! Seriously, check her out. I suggest starting with her not-so-fiction story, From Black Heels to Tractor Wheels. It's what got me hooked :)

-needing to do my taxes. and finish my FAFSA. I should really get on that...

-wanting a puppy in the worst way

-looking forward to my mom (and brother, hopefully!) visiting in a couple weeks.

-happy that it's Friday!


Have a good weekend!

Happy Birthday to Me!

On Tuesday, I turned a quarter of a century old. Yikes! Most days I feel older than my age. But there is the rare occassion when my age surprises me...like days when I realize it's been 7 years since I was in school, or when my baby brother turned 18 and graduated high school. On those days, I can't believe that I'm 25 and an adult. Sometimes, I still feel like the naive 17 year old who thought she already knew it all. I thank God every day that I am not that girl anymore; that I am not the same as I was when I was 17.

25 seemed a little scary at first, but I think it's going to be a good year. The dreamer in me is making a comeback and I am happy with so many parts of my life. I think this is gonna be a good year...

So for my birthday, I had the day off work. (It should be mandatory that you get a day off on your birthday.) Steve also took the day off and we had a great time galavanting around Denver.

We started the day purchasing a birthday present: John Mayer's new cd, Battle Studies. It's good. Mellow. I've had it on repeat for the last 3 days. :)

After that, we headed to Happy Cakes for a birthday cupcake.

I had never been to the little shop, but the website had my expectations high. I was slightly disappointed, but I'll probably give it another chance.

The cupcakes were pretty darn good! I had the C.O.C. (chocolate on chocolate) and Steve got the red velvet with cream cheese frosting. We ended up switching half way through. :)

For dinner, we went to Osteria Marco in Denver. (sorry...no pictures. I was too busy taking it all in. Plus, it was dark and my phone camera has no flash.)

I had seen the owner/chef, Frank Bonanno, on the Food Network and had been dying to go here.

It was everything I had imagined. The building was beautiful. It was classy and elegant, but casual and cozy at the same time.

We tried a variety of small plates including homemade Burrata (homemade mozzerella and ricotta cheese) and Salame, pesto, and broccoli rabe pizza. The wannabe foodie inside me was in heaven.

It was absolutely delicious. The food was simple, fresh and the ultimate definition of "rustic". Simply lovely. AND, might I add, extremely affordable.

If you're in the mood for rustic Italian, I strongly recommend it; I will definitely be going back.

Back at home Steve set off my "birthday fireworks". I have a video, but can't get it off the phone. Maybe I will try to post it later. It was definitely memorable...how many people have had fireworks on their birthday?? :)

We ended the evening seeing the Blindside (finally) and Up In the Air. I loved the first, of course. It was a wonderful, inspiring movie. As for Up In the Air, I would suggest you to wait for the dvd. All I really remember about it is that I kept thinking how good George Clooney looked for being so old. (seriously though. wow.)

All in all, it was a great day. I felt loved and couldn't have asked for more.

Sunshine

I seriously need this. Birthday present, anyone? ;)

In case you're counting.....

1 day til my birthday! woo hoo!!

Being a grown-up and birthdays, Part 2

Thank you, Notes from the Universe:

"Some people just have big hearts, Jennifer. And with this gift they're very often able to feel, offer, and show far more love than they receive from those around them. Which, at times, is a heavy load to bear. So today I'd like to remind them, and especially you, that the sun asks not that the moon and planets help brighten each day, but relishes her role as a keeper of the light and a bringer of the dawn. A role much like your own."

On that note....

Only 4 Days until my Birthday!!

Fact: Birthdays (and most holidays in general) mean a lot to me. I don't know why and I can't help it or change this fact about myself. Trust me, I've tried. I don't know why I care so much or feel the need to make grandiose plans and celebrations out of every one. I think it's something that makes up part of who I am, not just a learned habit or carried-on tradition. It's in me to care and acknowledge people and special events. I think, 100% believe, that birthdays are not 'just another day' and that everyone -no matter their age- deserves to feel special and loved on their day.
I understand that some people do not enjoy the attention and acknowledgement of them turning another year older, and I respect that. I'm not going to force someone to celebrate.
What I don't understand (and probably never will) is why people (even if they hate their own birthday) wouldn't go out of their way to acknowledge someone else's (especially if that someone LOVES birthdays).

As I've gotten older, I've realized that you can't expect to just come home to a birthday party with all your friends, favorite food, movies and games. You can't expect someone to make reservations at your favorite restaurant or whisk you away on a birthday trip. You can't force someone to plan your birthday celebration for you, and if you do manage to guilt them into it...you will only feel bad and worse for it anyway.
I think it's sad that we can't expect those things. I'm sure sometimes, to some people, those things do happen. But I think most of the time, it only happens in the movies.

To me, the loss of receiving an extravagant birthday celebration is one of the hardest parts about growing up. It's just not the same if you have to do it yourself.

It's better than staying at home alone, but it's not the same. :)


This is not an attempt to get anyone to plan a birthday party for me. Just trying to explain and make sense of my thoughts. Promise. Gifts, however, are always welcome. :)

and suddenly my day just got a little bit better....

sigh




p.s. I do apologize that 96% of my posts these days are pictures of this boy. I think I need an intervention...

Definitely, Monday

Today is (already) totally a Monday. The weekend went way too fast, work is crazy, and to top it all off: my shirt broke! Yes, broke.

I have this tank top (in purple) from Old Navy. Notice it has elastic on the bottom so that it hugs your hips but stays flowy on top. So I was just standing at a coworker's desk and *snap!*, the elastic just broke. So now instead of looking cute and trendy, I look sloppy and frumpy. the shirt hangs almost to my knees without the elastic! Haha! I suppose I will just have to tuck it in or something. Guess that's what I get for shopping at Old Navy...



Oh Monday, how I loathe thee.

Living Life to the Fullest (or, Why I'm trying to convince my mom to move to Spain)

I don't know if it's due to the beginning of the new year (and decade, some would say) and everyone making their "goals that are not resolutions because resolutions are too typical but now everyone is making goals instead of resolutions so it's really the goals that are typical now", BUT this week has got me thinking.

I've dealt with wanting to go back to school for a while (okay, 7 years...)

(Wait a second, OMG--7 years?!?!?! It has not been 7 years since I graduated high school!! 2010-2003 = 7. Holy hell.)

um, anyway, I have been thinking about this for 7 years (I guess...) but I've always just pushed it to the back of my mind and ignored it. I might have looked up a school once or twice and perused the online courses, but that had been enough to stifle the annoyance for a while.
Plus, the yearly raises at work were enough to force me to settle. Then, before I knew it, I was telling myself that it was too late now to start over and that I couldn't survive on a lower income at a new job while I worked my way back up.
This past week, though, it just hit me. I can't do this anymore. I can't sit here and waste my life away in this cubicle doing mindless work that I hate. I want to do something meaningful and important and challenging and fulfilling.
I realized that it is incredibly sad to spend your life dragging yourself to work, counting down the minutes until you can leave and considering it a success when you didn't run out of the building screaming that day. What a waste. All my energy is spent dreading coming here and wishing that I didn't have to.
I mean, my job in itself isn't bad. It's easy work, the company is decent and the people I work with are (mostly) fine. It's definitely something that a person can be complacent with doing for the rest of their life. (And trust me--there are some "lifers" here. This place is kind of like a black hole.)
But I can't stand to think that that will be me. I don't want to do this for the rest of my life. Heck, I don't even want to do it for the rest of the week!!

So...it really has come to a boiling point. I can't ignore it anymore, my piss-poor salary isn't enough to placate me and I refuse to settle any longer. I'm tired of wanting to do something about it, I have to do something about it. The alternative is too scary not to try.

I'm starting today. Filling out some forms, doing some research, writing down some goals and ways to obtain them. I've enlisted my sister's help (she's a pro at going to school. hehe) and I'm feeling motivated. I can't let this just be wasted words. I have to follow through on this because my soul will literally die if I don't get out of here.


Maybe I've been reading too many Jason Mraz blogs, but I've been feeling all purposeful and Zen-y (dont worry, it's not too serious yet). I hate to admit it, but I find myself agreeing more and more with what he says and not thinking "he's so weird now" as much as I used to. I like to think that maybe he's toned down the crazy, but I think it's really me who is changing perspectives.
I'm encouraged to live intentionally and purposefully, to realize there is more to life and it's there for the taking.
And I'm not only encouraged in my own life, I want it for everyone around me.
I insisted that Steve set a goal to be a store manager by the end of the year. When he said that was too big, I found myself saying cliche things like, "Nothing is too big to dream!" and "That's why it's called a goal, because it's something that you strive for!". Cheesy, huh? :)
And then, two days ago, I found myself talking my mom into moving to Spain. As she became more and more convinced that this could actually be a possiblitly, there was a tiny part of my brain that was screaming, "WTF are you doing? do you really want your mother to move even farther away from you, to a foreign country? what the hell are you thinking?!" But the bigger part of me, the part that was encouraging her, was the part that I knew I truely believed in. It was saying, "Why not??"
When I asked her what she wanted to do for her--not for her mom and dad or kids or friends or anyone else-- what did she want to do (ala the Notebook. hehe), that was what she wanted. So what reason really could there be for her not to?

Besides, can you honestly look at this photo gallery without wanting to throw up and then become seriously depressed that you aren't there right now??

Because I haven't used enough cliche inspirational lines yet: Life is too short not to live it fully. Do what you desire, love wholeheartedly and for goodness sake, Be Happy. :)



I know this is long and cliche and borderline motivational speaker-ish. But I had to get it out! :)

You know you have a problem when...

you freak out when a customer's name is Robert Patt......erson.




and then proceed to freak out a little every.single.time. you see the name, even though you know it's not the same. (and even if it was the same name, you know it's not THE one. but that's beside the point!)



and you know you REALLY have a problem because THEN your heart skips a beat and your palms get sweaty when you go to call him, because: his name is similar and, what if.......??



*sigh*

(you're welcome)

p.s. yes, this is embarassing to admit. just in case you were wondering.
p.p.s. It's obvious I will admit anything for the opportunity to drool over post another RPattz picture.

If My Life Were a Movie

I saw this game and thought it would be a fun and quick post, given my penchant for pop culture (ooh..big words).

But...it was a lot harder than I thought it would be! Some were easier than others, but I did have to ask a few family members for their opinions.

Hopefully everyone is okay with their casting selection....Here goes!

If My Life Were a Movie
Credits:

My sister, Stacie- America Ferrera

My mama, Debbie- (although she does her NO justice) Kirstie Alley

they do have that sultry eyebrown thing in common...

My brother, Brandon- Channing Tatum

My other brother, Cameron- Jared Padalecki

(He suggested a Jonah Hill to Robert Pattinson transformation, but given my new obsession appreciation for RPattz, we're going with "Dean")
(However, now that I think about it, this is kind of odd given my choice for leading lady...)

Moving on.

Friend/BF's BFF, Jerod- Ben Roethlisberger (okay, he's not an actor, but he could learn)

Friend, Janis- Vanessa Hudgens

Friend, Raelynn- Jessica Szohr

Boyfriend, Steve- Joshua Jackson

And.....Me- Alexis Bledel

Hey, it's my movie, so I can do what I want. :)

Who would play you--if your life was a movie??

Also, because I know you're still thinking about him since I mentioned his name up there (no? just me? ok then...):

:)

vampires

Despite my best efforts, at some point, I became obsessed.
And now I can't put the damn books down.
What did I used to do before I became so enthralled in all this nonsense?! I really can't remember...





I blame Robert Pattinson and that ridiculous jawline.

geez........

1

One day until I get to see:




live and in person (again)!


Happy Friday!!

And the countdown begins....

Weather forecast: mostly sunny, 76* (thank goodness--because it's a 'rain or shine show'. and rain+me doesn't = :) But I would suck it up for Jason.)
Concert-going buddy confirmed: check
Ticket purchased and printed: check. check.
Days left until concert: THREE!

I am getting SO excited! This week can't go by fast enough. I've even thought about my outfit. (hey, you know that's important. don't judge.)
I've also started (mentally) planning what I'm going to take with me. I've never been to Red Rocks, but have wanted to go since I moved here...oh, 3 years ago. (GEEZ..where has the time gone?!) It completely makes sense that Jason Mraz would be the one to get me there.
Anyway, I'm not looking forward to the infamous trek up to the ampitheater. I have the physical fitness of an 80 year woman--what with my feet and back issues. I hope I make it! (And don't require a stop at the medical tent halfway up!) So I'll wear my tennis shoes, and bring my cute shoes to change into once I'm done hiking (because yes, life is a fashion show. you know it's true). Plus, a little jacket in case it gets chilly up in the mountain after the sun goes down.
Also, because we don't want to spend a fortune on concession stand food will be there early, we plan to take some food/drinks with us. (I just checked the website and found out that fruit and veggies must be sliced. How weird is that? I don't want my bananas and apples turning brown..gross! If they don't want you to try to slice them once you get there, how about just say "no knives" ?! Odd, these Coloradoans...)

Anyway...enough about that. Needless to say, I am excited. I've seen him 4 times already, but I have a feeling this is going to be a good one.
I have to admit, I'm a little nervous about the "Gratitude Cafe" influence. I've heard some weird things... Hopefully the hippy-Zen influence isn't too much to handle.
As long as he gets up there and sings some of my favorite songs, I'll be a very happy girl.


I'm ready to see Jason Mraz!
Well, at least, I'm ready to see the tiny speck that I will assume is Jason Mraz from 48+ rows back.
:)