Retro Lovers, Prepare to Flip Sideways
by Joi
Ever see something and love it to distraction… without fully understanding why you love it to distraction? If I played Bingo regularly (or, well, at all), it’d make perfect sense for me to be bonkers over the Bingo Card Plate – Twos Company
shown here. Yet, here I am, thinking how badly I need one in each color and I can’t remember the last time I even held a Bingo card.
I think I know what it is. I love anything game-related, whether it represents a game I play or not. It all comes down to FUN. Games represent fun times with family and friends, and who doesn’t smile at the thought of that?
These beautiful and fun glass 6″ x 8.5″L plates come in three colors/designs. They’re available online. Click through the picture or link for a closer look. I’m certain you’re going to be as crazy about these as I am. They’d also make PERFECT gifts for Bingo fans. File that away for a special day!
This One's a Must Have
by Joi
A couple of my daughters and I were taking inventory a few days ago, and we have more Easter Decorations
than just about any other holiday (except for Christmas). I’m not surprised, it’s one of my personal holidays. The REASON for Easter is the most important thing, of course, but I also love the fact that this holiday ushers in beautiful weather. Everything’s blooming, gardeners can play in the dirt again, and all seems right with the world.
No matter how you look at it, Easter is a colorful, beautiful, and fun holiday. I guess this explains (along with a love of rabbits!) all our Easter decor.
The adorable Nifty Easter Egg Carousel, White
, shown here, is available on Amazon just in time for Easter (April 8th). Best of all, it’s less than $10!
Product Features
- Holds up to 24 extra large easter eggs
- Lazy susan base rotates 360-degree
- White powder-coat finish
- Used both while drying and decorating eggs and as a decorative center piece
- Dimensions – 12-inch height by 7-1/2-inch diameter
Click through the image or link for a closer look.
A Great Online Source for Collectors
by Joi
If you’ve read much of my food blog, you know I’m crazy wild about pigs. I’ve collected pigs for a long time (big pigs, small pigs, stuffed pigs, glass pigs, salt and pepper shakers, etc). If it has a snout, it has a place in my heart. Just saying.
I’ve recently fallen in love with antique pigs. I scour vintage and antique shops, hoping and praying to find at least one elusive treasure. With a curly tail.
I’m glad to say that we pig collectors now have a great online source to scour – and we’ll never walk away (make that scroll away) disappointed. Click the following link for a wonderful source of collectible, vintage, and antique pigs.
While on the site, browse around for other categories. You’ll find roosters, horses, cows, elephants, butterflies, cats (I collect those as well – including the kind that breath, sleep, and eat), dogs, owls, dolphins, rabbits, etc.
Orange Kitchen Retro Clock is too Cool for School
by Joi
This kitchen clock is pretty much a can’t miss with me. I’m wild about retro and there’s nothing about orange that I don’t love wildly. Who couldn’t love orange.. it’s so happy!
The gorgeous Orange Kitchen Clock
is from a favorite website of mine: Retro Planet. If you love retro, it’ll become a favorite website of your’s too. They, literally, have something for every room of the house. So much nostalgia and fun!
Product Description from the Website:
Retro Orange Kitchen Clock will look in any room in your home. This Orange Kitchen Clock is just one of our many 1950s style clocks to choose from.
See Orange Kitchen Clock for a closer look.
You'll Relate to These Ladies
by Joi
Lov’in Goodies
Buy This at Allposters.com
I was looking online earlier for chocolate art prints and I came across the adorable art print above. These little ladies don’t just
make a statement, they’re
making me hungry… for sweets! I’m about 2 minutes from raiding my kitchen for anything and everything chocolate. Hmmmmm, I seem to recall some chocolates left over from my husband’s Christmas stocking.
Santa meant to put them in mine anyway.
If you’re in the mood for something sweet, check out our cake recipes.
For the Best Game Days Ever!
by Joi
Yes! Now that’s what I call a popcorn maker! The Sunbeam FPSBPP7310-000 Theatre-Style Popcorn Maker, Red
, shown here, is the only way to go… or the only way to pop in this case. Talk about memorable game days. Come over to my house to watch the game… I’ll pop some theater quality popcorn….
Product Features
- Traditional hot-oil popcorn maker pops up to 8 cups of popcorn per batch
- Double-hung stainless-steel pivoting kettle with hinged lid; motorized stirring mechanism
- Simple on/off switch with indicator light; see-through side panels for safe viewing
- Slide-out popcorn drawer for easy access; measuring cup included
- Measures 11-4/5 by 10-1/2 by 19 inches
Click through the link or picture for a closer look. This one’s a beauty!
From Swissotel in Chicago
by Joi
Pouring Hot…
Buy This at Allposters.com
The only thing better than hot chocolate is homemade hot chocolate and the gourmet hot chocolate recipes below sound like pure chocolate ecstasy. Sissotel in Chicago has been generous enough to share these recipes with the readers of our food blog. Swissôtel Chicago Sous Chef Christopher Polo has a couple of different ways to whip up rich hot cocoa from the comfort of your own home.
They sound BEYOND amazing, chef. Thanks for sharing!
White Chocolate Lavender Hot Chocolate
1qt Milk
1qt Heavy Cream
20 grams of Lavender extract
700 grams of Felchlin white chocolate
Heat milk and heavy cream until hot. Add in lavender extract and white chocolate and stir until melted. Blend with a hand blander and pass through a Chinois
.
Mint Hot Chocolate
2qt Heavy Cream
1qt Half and Half
4oz Crème de Menthe
4oz Crème de Cacao
4oz of Sugar
2lbs of Felchlin Chocolate chunks
Heat heavy cream, half and half, Crème de Menthe, Crème de Cacao and sugar until hot. Add in chocolate and stir until melted. Blend with a hand blander and pass through a Chinois.
About Swissôtel Chicago: Swissôtel Chicago is a AAA Four Diamond hotel offering 661 newly renovated guestrooms, suites and a new state-of-the-art, 38,000 square foot Event Centre. The all-glass triangular hotel, designed by Harry Weese, is wedged into the confluence of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan and features wrap-around views from Navy Pier to Millennium Park and The Magnificent Mile. For more information please visit www.SwissotelChicago.com.
How Good Does She Make it Look?!?!
by Joi
Sweet Potato Pie
Buy This Allposters.com
The lady in the art print above is a girl after my own heart. The look of ecstasy on her face reminds me of myself when I’m that close to a great pie. Click through for a closer look at the art print and check out the
pie recipes on the food blog!
The Essence of Random!
by Joi
One of The Bunch Buy This Allposters.comThe only “decorating style” I possess is this: I surround myself with things that make me, and hopefully others, smile. Throughout our home you’ll find whimsical things with only one thing in mind: Make people smile. the art print above seems to march to a similar beat. Every time I look at the little girl’s precious face or hands or the monkey’s pleased-with-life smile, I smile all over.
As far as I’m concerned, that’s what life’s all about – finding more reasons to smile!
So Cute I Can't Stand It
by Joi
I love ladybugs. Can’t imagine the world without them, actually. So, naturally, I’m pretty wild about the Boston Warehouse Ladybug Lane Dip Bowl and Spreader Set
, shown above. Such a cute gift idea!
Product Features
- Dip bowl and spreader set
- Bowl and handle made of durable earthenware; blade made of stainless steel
- Hand painted bowl and spreader handle
- 8-ounce capacity bowl; hand wash recommended
- Comes packaged in an attractive photo giftbox
For more ladybug love, see my latest post on the Crazy Tea Chick.
