2012 is here !!!

A new year, new dreams and hopes for all of us.
Reflections, goals, resolutions, new diets, exercise, and the elections.


Hope you all had a wonderful beginning, and I wish
you the best of 2012.


Many of us have a home office/craft room/, it is hard
to get organized and decorate our offices, however,
the more organized your office becomes, the more
creative and productive we can become.
One of my wishes for 2012 is "my home office organization".  Mine has many uses, so I have to really start to arrange the furniture.
Inspiration..!

Ikea, very good looking desk, glass top.

My desk right now is a very old table, my printer is in another old slim table, also antique, they don't match but they do the job. My chair is a black office chair, my lamp is PB good lighting lamp, a must, I also have two windows and a ceiling light. I need to bring in two bookcases also antique, and some storage unit for all my craft
and school supplies.  A big task,



Accessories make the home office. Think about your needs and comment on your likes and dislikes, love
to hear from you,




German apple pancakes  yum yum

Ingredients

• 7 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 golden delicious apples, peeled if desired, cored and cut into 1/2 inch wedges
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup creme fraiche
• 1 cup sliced strawberries, for garnish (optional)

Directions

In a blender, combine the eggs, vanilla, and sugar and blend for about 15 seconds, until combined. Add the flour and the baking powder and mix for 60 seconds more, until very smooth. Preheat the broiler to medium-high heat. Heat a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the butter. Saute the apples for 4 to 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the cinnamon and the sugar, sprinkling them evenly over the apples, and stir together for 2 minutes more, until the apples are glazed and slightly translucent at the edges. Distribute the apples evenly in the skillet and pour the batter over them. Cook until the bottom seems quite firm, about 8 minutes. Transfer the pan to the broiler and, watching carefully, cook until the pancake is firm throughout and golden on top. Cut the pancake into 4 wedges and transfer them upside down to breakfast plates. Sprinkle with a little confectioners' sugar, place a dollop of creme fraiche on the top, and fan out some sliced

strawberries, YUM YUM YUM,

courtesy of the Food Network

martha

Houses, Houses, and more Houses 2011

Happy New Year, cannot believe 2011 is gone.
Here are 
great posts of 2011.
First of all "white, and gray" colors of 2011, its all over blog land, Country Living, House beautiful, and more.


Ready for a New Year's eve party, all you need is a beautiful table, iced champagne,
and a delicious dinner.

Great Panini sandwich, fast and easy, add a salad with a homemade vinaigrette and you are done.
A caramelized onions, Swiss and mushrooms, you can also do a hot soup with it.

A homemade vinaigrette

 

Balsamic Vinaigrette
What you’ll need: 
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

What to do:
1. Place balsamic vinegar, salt/pepper into blender. Pulse to combine.

2. WHILE blender is running, slowly stream olive oil in.

Note: store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Shake prior to using.

Buon Appetito!

What you’ll need: {Makes 4 – 4″ mini cheesecakes}
1 sleeve of honey graham crackers – {total of 9 whole graham crackers}
1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1– 4″ mini cheesecakes}

1 sleeve of honey graham crackers – {total of 9 whole graham crackers}

1/3 cup dark brown suga/2 teaspoon ground cinnamonNo bake mini Nutella cheesecakes, yum pinch of salt

7 tablespoons unsalted butter – melted
16 ounces cream cheese – softened
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 pint heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons Nutella
1/2 cup sugar
strawberry sauce to garnish

What to do:
1. Pulse graham crackers into your food processor until they are crumb like. Add brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Pulse to combine. Add melted butter and pulse again until well combined.

2. Spray mini spring form pans with cooking spray. Equally distribute mixture between pans. Press mixture into the bottom of each pan. Chill until firm.

3. Once your cheesecake crust has chilled, Into your stand mixer, add cream cheese and lemon juice. Mix until soft and creamy. Add whipping cream and continue mixing until mixture thickens. Add Nutella, mix to combine. Add sugar and continue to mix until mixture stiffens.

4. Evenly distribute filling between pans. Chill a minimum of 3-4 hours or until firm.

5. Prior to serving, garnish with strawberry sauce {or sauce of choice}

This is a simple dinner and very healthy.  compliments of Paula at "bell'a alimento.

Enjoy it,

martha

.

More 2011 Inspiration

Dear friends:


More inspiration:









 

A favorite of mine, from Atlanta homes

Atlanta homes magazine

dreaming but is this gorgeous or what?

Love the floor, it comes from the same magazine, actually, my brother
moved to Savanna for a while, had a gorgeous house, loved the south,
this house is tops.

the same house, love the chalkboard next to the farm table.

The Music Room at the Callanwolde 2011 House Tour.

Tea time

love this kitchen, love the simplicity but its elegant. Again, from the magazine.
I need to subscribe to this magazine once and for all.















Teddy Bears tea for two.

 Yum Yum table

The entrance, I should say one of them.

The Teddy Bear breakfast.

I hope you enjoyed the Inspiration pictures,

and this wonderful lava cakes from Trader Joe's, yum yum yum , you get them frozen and then heat them on the Microwave, you will impress your friends with this. 

Love,

martha

My favorite posts 2011

Hello friends:


It seems that we are all looking back at our favorite
posts, tutorials, finds, and more.
I took a tour of my favorite blogs, house tours,
designers, tutorials, and favorite posts.
There is an overload of pictures in every blog including mine. Some people decorated late, I did too, there is very little time for us, I enjoyed it. Oh well, its okay with me hope you enjoy the pictures.


  One of my favorite Christmas
living rooms is this one:





Holly Mathis is an amazing designer, with two little toddlers she created a beautiful living room for Christmas.

My favorite house No.2 is the beautiful Jennifer Rizzo, enjoy,

Another house is funky junk interiors, I love her house!!!

Here are some neat shower curtains by Bed and Bath, they come

in different cities, streets, and more, check them out,

more houses tomorrow,

love to you all

martha

2011 ends too soon!!!

Christmas was such a busy endeavor, it went so fast.
How was yours?? Did you eat all the goodies?, and then more???
I had a great time with my family, eating, playing, watching family videos, playing games, telling stories, laughing, my favorites were the appetizers, the fire going, Jay is from Maine, he can really make and keep that fire going, everyone took a long nap,
and then the party started all over again.
I hope yours was as fun as ours, it is a great thing to
enjoy family and friends.


Well, where did 2011 go?? I can't believe that in a few days we will say 2012, write a new date on our books, and have memories only of the past year.


I want to thank you for allowing me and following my first blog. It was such an experience for me,very different and sometimes challenging, however, I enjoyed each day, and each new follower, friend, there is so much talent, I learned from everyone of you, and spent many cold windy nights reading blog after blog, learning new crafts, new ways of decorating on a budget, praying for some of you, crying with some of you, and laughing with joy as so many of you earned beautiful awards, opportunities, photo shoots, featured on magazines, new finds, trash to treasured, and my favorite "PB,Anthr.,B, Wist, knock offs"  I just can't believe how some of you can
make such beautiful things to looks just like our favorite stores, kudos to all of you.
My new thing in 2011 is antique sheet music, I love it, I have a piano, so its all over the house. I started with one wreath, and I got hooked. Another beauty was the famous "chalk paint", ASCP, I felt in love immediately. I love "easy" since I'm not a painter at all.
I will share some of my favorite projects later,


love you all,
martha