M-Baked Potato

Hosted by "Designs by Gollum"

M stands for Microwave! This has been the new way my family's been making baked potatoes. And it is yummy!

All you need to do is wash a medium to large potato, both to clean and wet the skin. Poke with forks all around then wrap in clingwrap. Zap on HIGH for 5 minutes! Add 1 minute at a time up to 3 mins for extra large potato. The key is multiple holes and very wet skin.

You'll have a clean potato to a baked potato in no time! It'll take you longer to gather up the fixin's! LOL

Another big thanks to our host, Gollum for another great week of Foodie Fun! Now let's take our potatoes and munch our way to the others' tables of goodies!

TABLESCAPING IDEA: ("Brain" loved this idea!) Blow up a few easy, clearly handwritten recipes to almost 8x10, creating a whole menu. Make iron transfer copies and create a collage of them on white clean sack flour or canvas cloth. Invite your friends that love easy recipes and create the dishes on the now cute placemats. At the end of the meal, tell them you have a surprise favor but that that you'd have to "clear" the table first and to start passing up their plates towards you. Watch them oooh and aaahhh over the cute placemats and declare that they get to take those home with a packet of notecards just in case they want a hard copy!

A Graduation Celebration...

Hosted by Susan and Leigh
THEME:
"I Did It!"

INSPIRATION:
Commencement Colors and "Snowfall Splendor" Dinnerware"
One of you asked me if I'm going to do a graduation tablescape. And I said YES!

I took the cues from my blue and gold commencement attire and added cream and white to tone down the jewel tones.

The dinnerware I used is my Target's 2008 Holiday line called "Snowfall Splendor" in gold (there's platinum, too). My husband bought it for me (50% off) for my birthday right after we got back from our Christmas vacation with his fam up in Utah.

This is probably the second time I used this pattern due to storage problems. It got stuck in the very back up on the highest shelf upstairs during a redo, but I have them down now so I know I'll be using them more... I opted for a subtle graduation theme so I focused on the colors I wore at my own commencement but I did leave one great clue (other than the name of the post...) Can you spot it?

I found the blue basketweave plastic placemats and fabric napkins at Anna's Linens today. The napkins scanned at $1.99 each which was fine for me, but when the lady saw another sticker inside with the same barcode for 99 cents, she adjusted the price and saved me $8.00! Woohoo! I used my gold plastic chargers from LNT GOOB sale for extra 40%off the last clearance price of 50% off!

Leigh, this is my great thrifty find- this contemporary glass vase was thru Freecycle! I adorned it with plastic bead necklace, $1 and 9-in gold ribbon, cost me a penny.

The tealights were 22 cents each and the smaller wine goblets were from Goodwill, 99 cents (I saw some at Ross in Fountain Hills, AZ) and the bigger ones, Gorham's "Rose Serenade" for $4 each at Tuesday Morning.

The white mums were from May 11th, so it's more than paid for and the candlesticks were from Ross last January, normally $20 each, I paid $7 each.
The tablecloth, a flannel twin flat sheet, turned inside out. The other side have blue and pink flowers. So another FREE tablecloth!



So here you are, another beautiful and thrifty tablescape from yours truly to kick off any graduation party! I had a lot of fun doing this table. I'm glad I was given this challenge. I hope you like it as much as I do!

Let's all go to visit Susan and Leigh and see how many more ladies played with their dishes and found great deals! Thanks for peeking! Have a great Thursday!

Then and Now...

Hosted by Susan and Barb
It's amazing what kinds of changes almost two years can bring... From Feb 2004 to Jun 2007, this gold housing unit was what we called home. That tree leaned on the fence "wall" and had thorns that could stab or gouge. I always had mixed feelings about holding anything outdoors, but we managed to have great outdoor swims (on an inflatable pool), church activities for young girls, and birthday and potluck parties. Though AZ was too hot and dry for this tropical girl, I made the best of our situation and invited many into our home.


Just last weekend, for three nights, and two days, this was our home while we were there. The 4-diamond Radisson Fort McDowell Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona by Fountain Hills... It really is a gorgeous place where the location lends to magnificent night time sky viewing.

Instead of walking to university pool for a quarter of a mile, we merely had to go down the elevator and go out to the patio where a gated pool with waterfalls on four spouts atop a slim "wall" invite you. We went night swimming and the gushing water was cold! Brrr... but the pool water was just right. Mmmm...

Here's the other side of the pool area. The small one is a spa. Our family enjoyed our time there and the quiet and scenic commute was worth the distance from all the places we needed to be at. We will definitely go back!

I'd like to thank our hosts today, Susan and Barb for letting us have fun outdoors, too! Make sure to visit many of the participants today! I, for one, have a lot of catching up to do!

TABLESCAPING IDEA: ("Brain misses night swimming") I've seen a lot of seaside, underwater or beachside tables lately, but don't forget that most stores are selling dinnerware for poolside so choose colors that go well with the main look of your poolside garden and create a great table using the same colors! For example, blue and green, blue and silver, green and orange, white and yellow and orange. The choices are endless!

Some Dish Spotting While in AZ

Hosted by "The Gypsy's Corner"
While we were in Arizona, Hertz surprised us with an extra $200 Pre-Authorization Fee for our rental car, so we had to be creative with our food budget and it meant no spending money! We hit the Fry's grocery store in Fountain Hills and on Saturday evening on the way to a family friends' home, my teen's braces were starting to hurt her gums so we had to stop at the old Basha's we used to go (back when we lived in Mesa) on the way to get some wax for her.

What's a girl to do with a camera in stores? Snap up pictures of dishes of course! I mixed up the pictures while uploading so I can't remember which store had what. I'm sure Marty of "A Stroll Thru Life" can help us. She lives in Scottsdale, AZ! She is one lucky duck!

Can you say Arizona is ready for summer time? Look at all these beautiful shades of summer in the tumblers. A whole rack of them!

Here's more for those outdoor cocktail entertaining ideas... You see the drink dispensers? I think those are built in ice tubes to keep your drinks cold! Great idea!

Look at these dessert stemware and bowls, even ones for margaritas! I am lovin' those cobalt ones!

A close-up of the ice cream bowls... I almost begged dh for some cash to buy the lavender ones,but I stopped myself. ;-) $1.99, that's it and they are ceramic!
More cobalt plastic stemware and look at those yellow margarita stemware. The floral dishes are just adorable! I am getting more furious with Hertz! Aarrrggghhh!!!!

Look at these plastic black dip bowls. They each resemble a mortar! They even came in cheese colored ones!

And here are the ones I've really salivated over. Wide snack sharing ceramic bowls from Mulberry. They are gorgeous! And how can you not want them at $1.50 a piece and they are twice the size of a regular bowl.

Thank you again Tam for hosting another great week of looking for Three or More great items.

TABLESCAPING IDEA: ("Brain" had a blast snapping up pics in the store) Never be afraid to bring your camera inside stores. If you find great ideas or inspiration items, snap up pictures and catalog them for future use.

A Splash of Red, Blue and Gold

Our hosts today are Susan of Between Naps on the Porch, Sally of Smiling Sally and Rhoda of Southern Hospitality.

Today for my Thrifty Treasure, I'm sharing this RED basketweave bowl I got a few months back in Hobby Lobby. It is normally $30 but I snagged it at 80% off and only paid $6.00! Woo-hoo! Given there was a small but noticeable chip but I can easily cover that up, you know? I noticed the great shade of red right away though it was on the top shelf and at the opposite of the end of the aisle.

Here's the middle... I just love that detail.


The roped edging is so adorable, I couldn't believe my luck. It's a rather shallow bowl so it's versatile in its use. I'm so psyched about that! :-D

Now for some Blue and Gold... and a little met along the way...

This little Asian lady went from hoping to become a college graduate soon enough to admiring the cap and gown with Phi Theta Kappa regalia (honors)...

(at the hotel just before we took off to Phoenix for the ceremony)

To actually trying them on... (keep an eye on the tassel now...)

And then becoming a full pledged college graduate with an Associate's degree in Elementary Education! (the tassel's been moved from Right to Left) Yay, me!!!


It's been a long drawn out 2-year program. I started in 2006 and endured much hassle and delays, but if you ask me if I'd do it again, I'd say, you bet! I remember telling my teen in the car on the way there, "There's nothing like a college graduation. High school ones are wonderful, but you just can't describe a college graduation."

Maybe it has something to do with "the real world" is all that's left or other career avenues await you but knowing that I've finished college (though still deciding where and when to start my Bachelor's program since we'll be moving again next year), I just can't describe the ups and downs I felt during all of Friday, the 15th.

I congratulate all those who graduated this year and I offer my endless and sincere gratitude to my wonderful children and husband, my mom, my wonderful SIL Maggie, and great friends (blog, distant and neighbors) who expressed their love, support and shared in my happiness.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all...

Just Wanted to Share...

Hosted by "Happy To Design"

These are what I go by in adding to my obsession, I mean... collection. ;-)

FROM FEBRUARY 8, 2009
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TRADE SECRETS

Alright, since I really can't keep these things to myself (not like I haven't shared it already!), I might as well tell you how I find these great dishes that spark this looove of mine.

1. Just Lookin'. If you're in any multi-purpose stores like Target or Walmart, cruise their clearance aisles or the dishes aisles. Most have things on clearance on the bottom shelves or endcaps. At Ross or Marshall's, put together different dishes for ideas.

2. Baby Steps. I don't get my dishes all at once (doesn't that sound nice though, huh?). Keep in mind also the number of people you normally want to invite over + your fam. 6, 8 or 12 settings is the norm count for small gatherings.

3. Easy to Use. Stick with solid colors or subtle designs. They are easier to mix and match.

4. Lasting Color. I choose colors that can span different holidays. For example, RED can be for V-day, Christmas, Anniv, Independence, Halloween, Thanksgiving and birthdays of red lovers in your fam or even that "once in a blue moon" Girls' Night Out.

5. Fuzzy Clearance. If it's not at least 40% off, don't bother! 'Nuff said.

6. Stretch out Lincoln. Even Dollar Tree can surprise you, so take a look around.

7. Point out Flaws. Inspect your choice and tattle on any flaws to the store "suit". Ask politely if they can give you a discount. Many will say yes (but don't bank on it). It's fun that's for sure!

8. Be Patient. If not the first time, it just means there's a better one next time. Also, join Freecycle and see if anyone is willing to part with pitchers, cake stand, tablecloths, etc.

9. Again and Again. Even if it's your wedding china, use them! You got it for a reason, find one to use them on! If it's a one time wonder, you wasted your money! Even if it's every 1 or 5 years, dishes are for use, not for display or be doomed to stay in a box that's probably as expensive as they are.

10. Sniff and Stalk. Visit Kohl's, Marshall's, TJM, Ross, Tuesday Morning, and even some specialty stores. You never know what you'll find until you walk in and around the store.

11. Make time and make it a date. If the dh knows what you're doing and planning, plus it's a cheap date, he may just race you to the car keys. Mine and I, we talk of possibilities: who we'll invite over, what food I'll make for it and what dessert he can choose. That gets him excited!

12. Check with the checkbook. If you can't afford it, don't buy it! Period.

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Thank you very much to our host, Chari for letting us relive some of our faves every week!

TABLESCAPING IDEA: ("Brain" is tired...) If you can't think up of ideas by just looking at what you have, write down your ideas from inspiration pics. Then look for similar items in your stash and go on from there!

Celebrating Being a Graduate!

Hosted by "Christine's Home and Travel Adventures"
You know you're in Arizona when...

The airport air traffic control tower looks like this;

Various cacti are the main fauna featured;

Hilly and mountainous desert landscape flank each side of the road;

Saguaros older than you greet you each day;

And your grocery shopping trip has a great vista view and it's so bright, you need to wear shades to take pictures!

Happy Sightseeing Everybody!!!

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Hosted by "How Sweet the Sound"


Thank you Beverly and Christine for hosting! And thank you to all who visited. I'll see you all on Monday!