yum yum

Happy Leap Day everyone!
I know Valentine's Day is two weeks past and most of us have moved on the thinking of Spring and Easter. I know, I know, I have too. But, this recipe is so delicious and worth sharing. The original recipe is from the Jan./Feb. issue of Cottage Living and you can click here to see the original recipe.
But, me being me, I switched it up a little bit because of the ingredients list and because I do not have a food processor (it's on my list of "things to get") So, without further ado,
Chocolate-Dipped Hazelnut Shortbread Hearts renamed:

~Pecan Shortbread Hearts with Chocolate glaze~

1/2 C. chopped pecans
1/2 C. sugar
1 C. all-purpose flour
1/4 C. corn starch
1/4 t. kosher salt
8 T. butter, softened
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
10 oz. Ghirardelli dark chocolate

1. Chop pecans with knife or chopper (mine came from The Pampered Chef and does an amazing job) until nuts are finely ground. Put nuts, softened butter, vanilla, and egg yolk in bowl of mixer and beat until combined and dough starts to form and leave sides of bowl. Scrape sides of bowl occasionally. (Dough will be slightly crumbly but will come together fully when kneaded.)

2. Remove dough from mixer and knead lightly 2 or 3 times. Flatten into disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours or up to 3 days. Remove from refrigerator 10 minutes prior to rolling.

3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut heart shapes with a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter, and place on a baking stone (also Pampered Chef) or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Gather and reroll dough scraps, and cut again.

4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or just until edges turn light golden brown. Remove from oven, transfer cookies to a wire rack, and cool completely.

5. Melt chocolate in microwave, stirring chocolate every 10-30 seconds. Cool slightly. Using an offset spatula, "frost" top of cookies with melted chocolate and place back on wire rack to solidify.
Store in a single layer in an air tight container for up to 5 days. (Trust me, they will not last near that long.) Makes around 2 1/2 dozen.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend. Spend some time with your family and dear ones. Get out and enjoy the beautiful weather. Make some delicious cookies. Watch a good movie.

I will be taking a short blogging break next week. But, I will be back next Thursday and eager to hear all about your week. I hope to get lots done while I'm gone and maybe have a shop update. Maybe. No promises. :)

Did you know?

My darling friend Chelle has tagged me to share 7 random
not-so-common-knowledge fascinating tidbits about myself.
After much thinking, I've had a hard time coming up with
anything interesting, but I'll try.

One - I've had the same e-mail address since I was 15 years old.
I still can't come up with anything better.

Two - I was sewing quite well by the time I was 12 so for Christmas I made my two best friends skirts for their Christmas gifts. It only took me a day to get both done.

Three - Mike, Olivia, and I all have the same last two initials and Olivia and I have the same middle name, Day.

Four - My name, Fairlight, comes from the book Christy by Catherine Marshall.
Christy is a young school teacher in the Appalachian mountains of TN. She meets and befriends a mountain woman named Fairlight. As the story develops they become close friends. My mom was intrigued by the character and the name and decided to name her first daughter, Fairlight. Funny thing is, my mom's name is Kristi.

Five - I've lived in 4 states (Kansas, West Texas, North Carolina, East Texas, and South Carolina) and 10 houses in my life...so far.

Six - Between the ages of 8 and 14 I raised my own chickens and sold the eggs to family, friends, music teachers, a dairy farmer, and an organic co-op.

Seven - I only have two pictures of myself without either of my kids in them and they are both on CD and I don't have time to look for them.
<-- This one is from last January, downtown Charleston.









Shesh, that was hard. Took me two hours!
Ok, Shanna and Sarah, consider yourselves tagged!

Good morning Monday

I can't believe my last post was Tuesday.
I don't have a lack of things to say
(I never seem to have that problem)
rather an overabundance of things to say
and just not near enough hours in the day.
What a crazy busy week just pasted
and another one just getting started.
But I hope to do better this week.
Because I want to share a recipe,
do an all-Sadie~Rose post,
share some pictures,
a couple of links,
and just generally say "hello."
~
But, we are all doing good.
Nice weekend.
Saturday morning spent at the park,
Saturday afternoon spent in our backyard
Watched "Becoming Jane" in the evening
(so sad. I cried, but James McAvoy is delish)
Went to church and had Child dedication
(more about that later)
then to Babies R Us to get a "big girl" booster seat
for Miss Olivia who had finally decided it was time.
And then a trip to Costco
with lots of walking around and taste testing
Lunch at home and some hummus making.
(I adore Mike and his hummus. I could live on just it.)
"Holiday Inn" in the evening
curled up in bed together
with the baby sleeping
so peacefully beside us.
Heaven.
~
Life goes on,
sheets in the wash,
dishes in the drainer,
bills in the mailbox,
stacks of things to be taken care of.
How about a cup of tea?

crafty goodness

I haven't been too busy sewing lately,
but a few quick to finish projects have been seen
coming out of the sewing room.
Here are a couple of pictures.

butterfly shirts for Abbie of the princess party

My friend, Rachael, had her baby two weeks ago
and they had a surprise boy!
Justin Ellis (Ellis)
I whipped these boyish burp-cloths up for her (and him)
while her requested coconut cream pie was cooling. :)

I really enjoy making these quick appliqué embellished projects.
Hopefully some more will be coming soon!
Maybe even something for my own girls for a change. :)

tag...

...I'm it! Shanna has tagged me with a something or other so here are my answers. I don't happen to think I'm very interesting, but that just goes to show what I know. :)

Two Names You Go By: Fairlight and sweetheart

Two Things You Are Wearing Right Now: jeans and a sweater

Two things you want (or have) in a relationship: honesty and understanding

Two of Your Favorite Things to do: be with my family and being creative

Two things you did last night: cooked dinner and went to the chiropractor

Two people you Last Talked To: Mom and Mike

Two Things You're doing tomorrow: sewing and Cleansing Stream Bible study

Two Longest Car Rides: Gosh, so many. In case you don't know, Mike's family lives in Ok and we make that 22 hr. trip at least once a year. All the trips back and forth between TX and NC while I was a teen (16 hrs.) or my 6 week car trip from TX to NC to and through Canada with a dear friend and her parents when I was 15.

Two Favorite Drinks: water and most kinds of herbal tea

Two Things About Me you may not have known: I got married when I was 17. I'm originally from a small spot in the road in rural KS.

Two jobs I have had in my life: babysitter and office manager

Two Movies I would watch over and over: Pride and Prejudice, White Christmas

Two of my favorite foods: coconut cream pie and chocolate cake

Two places I'd rather be right now: there's no place like home! But Europe or the Pacific Northwest would be nice to visit.

Happy Valentine's Day!

1. Have a nice weekend!, 2. strawberry cupcake 2, 3. Towels!, 4. A dream in pink, 5. Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream, 6. candy in hearts, 7. A Hibiscus colorsplash!, 8. V-Day Banner, 9. Untitled, 10. More Sleeps, 11. Sweet pink and white, 12. Bonbon Doux Paper Wreath, 13. Albert's Marpoles, 14. Think Pink, 15. Hazel Atlas Ripple C/S, 16. ^, 17. walk away., 18. Conversation Hearts 3, 19. Roses in Ball jar, 20. in a field of daisies, 21. crafting 365 day 145, 22. Valentines Day Mantle, 23. whisper baby pink, 24. Pretty Pink Gingham Girls, 25. EAT ME!

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

What are you doing to celebrate today?
<3

Thank you Father

~On Monday I was hunting for V'day inspiration in my magazines
~discovered that my Cottage Living mag subscription had expired in Jan.
~was so totally bummed out.
~all day
~cause it's my favorite, period.
~felt not so hot on Tues. because of some physical manifestations of stress
~had to manically clean house all day because of unexpected circumstances
~and still bummed about my fave mag being gone
~cause I can't afford to renew it right now
~still cleaning at 9pm
~found last (lost) issue under stack of DH's mags
~had to send a quiet "thank you" heavenward
~cause I really needed a smile on my face
~now I'm praying for the extra change to renew. :)

Sunday afternoon at the park

And the winner is...

...all four people that left comments! :)
I just couldn't leave one out.
Besides, what's one more?

I only had four people want to play
(gasp! I'm so embarrassed.)

But, a great big Thank You to
Lisa,
Amanda,
Abbey,
and SecondStreetDesigns
for signing up and wanting to participate.
You girls email me
and let me know what your names and addresses are,
plus a few extra things like:

what color your winter coat is
do you go to the library lots
what color is your living room
what size belt do you wear
do you do lots of cooking
what's your favorite candy
do you like chocolate
how many kiddos and what are there names
what's your favorite thing in the whole wide world
what is your favorite craft (paper, fabric, paint, photography, etc)
and anything else that you would like to include.
I can't wait to start brainstorming and thinking up
something lovely to send your way.

becoming an artist

Olivia is a very creative person.

She loves paint, crayons, pen, papers, stickers, doilies,
fabrics, buttons, glue, ribbon, foam shapes, feathers,
pom poms, ric rac, play dough, rocks, sticks, leaves,
tissue paper, seeds, rice, leaves,
plastic cups, bowls, plates, and utensils.
The kid will use it all to create whatever.
Just don't give her a coloring book or tell her "how" to do it.
She has a hard time "staying in the lines,"
so I've encouraged her to make her own lines.
And she has, quite effectively and beautifully.
New words and new names for things are a constant in our home.
I love it.
Living a creative life, having a creative home,
and cultivating a creative atmosphere is one of my {many} goals.
Kids are so boxed in by this rule and that rule and right and wrong.
They aren't in control of their world very often
(and I absolutely understand why!)
but they crave being the "maker," the "controller," the decision maker.
Making art and being creative can fill that need.
Imagine my delight when I found these two books at the library last week.
As soon as we read them,
I just knew I would have to share them here with you guys.

The Dot tells a story of a young girl who believes that she can't draw anything. And with a little encouragement and an eye opening assignment from her art teacher, a whole new world opens up to her. And then, on the last page or two, she passes the wisdom on.


Ish is my favorite. It's is totally endearing. A big brother laughs at an aspiring young artist's drawing and he decides to never draw again. But, a little sister has other plans. She shows him that things can be -ish and still be just perfect. Which leads into seeing life in a whole new was. You can draw things that are "house-ish" or "vase-ish" but you can also feel "silly-ish" or "peace-ish," even "poem-ish." It's a story of how things don't have to be perfect in order to be right.

Both of these books are written by by Peter H. Reynolds. His official website is here. His goal in these two books is to teach children that even if someone laughs at you, tells you that you can't draw a straight line, or that you aren't creative, to follow your own path and do art that makes you happy. Because, in the end, that's why we make art. To satisfy our soul.

Pay It Forward

After seeing this idea floating around here in blogland the last couple of days
I've decided to join in on the fun.
I'm participating in Forever and Ever house's PIF
and in return I'm offering three of you guys
the chance to participate in mine!
Here's how it goes:
I will send a handmade gift to 3 people
who leave a comment on this post requesting to join this PIF exchange.
Leave a comment by Sunday evening
and I will put all the names in a hat
and draw the names on Monday.
I don’t know what I will make for you yet
and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week,
but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise!
If I draw your name,
the only thing you have to do in return
is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

It's just a little bit of fun
and a small act of kindness
that might not change the world,
but it might bring a smile to your face
on a day when you need a hug from a friend. <3

"I do not pretend to give such a Sum; I only lend it to you. When you [...] meet with another honest Man in similar Distress, you must pay me by lending this Sum to him; enjoining him to discharge the Debt by a like operation, when he shall be able, and shall meet with another opportunity. I hope it may thus go thro' many hands, before it meets with a Knave that will stop its Progress. This is a trick of mine for doing a deal of good with a little money." -- Benjamin Franklin



Who knows what you'll find awaiting in your mail box?


a knitted scarf...

a fun purse...

a pillow for your little girl's room...

an apron...

a pillowslip...

Oh the possibilities! :)

11 weeks

Happiness is...

listening to daughter #2 giggle as she "talked" to me

a cup of Yogi Tea "Green tea with pomegranate"

hearing the laughter of husband and daughter #1 as they played tag and hide and seek in the backyard

steak (cooked on the grill,) roasted potatoes (in olive oil and mural of flavor seasoning from Penzey's,) corn, and broccoli for dinner

doors and windows thrown open to enjoy the balmy 71 degree weather of coastal SC in January

singing along to one of my favorite Praise & Worship CD's while peeling potatoes

the sleeping face of daughter #2 nestled in the "snuggle pod" (aka-sling)

a whole day and night at home, no trips anywhere today

stealing kisses from husband and hoping the girls will go to bed early <3 <3

Our {red} Saturday

What a busy weekend!
We had a lovely {red} Saturday that included
a princess birthday party.
Olivia wore her red and black ballet outfit from her last recital
as her princess outfit.

Princess party!

Olivia and the birthday girl,
her bestest friend, Abbie.

We have so enjoyed this past week of color hunting!
Olivia was looking back through our posts full of color yesterday
and she looked at me and said,
"Mommy, that was a lot of fun.
I want to do it again.
And mommy,
you do good picture making."
:)
I had to give her a hug for that one.

I'm going to think up some other fun games,
like this one,
for in the future since we've all enjoyed it so much.
I've already thought of one,
but I need at least a week break.
Maybe next week...
...we'll see.
I've got other things I want to post this week.

Our {greeen} Thursday and {orange} Friday

So we had a really insanely busy day yesterday,
so I'm doing my green and orange post together.
Orange was very hard to come by in our home.
It's just not my color.
Green was a little easier,
enjoy!
I can't wait to show you our pictures of red.
Lot's of fun for Olivia. :)
You'll see!

{Orange}

{Green}