Yummy Food for a great get together

Mango Grilled Chicken Salad

Grilled Chicken (marinated in balsamic)
Mangoes-cubed
Provolone cheese (shredded or in small slices)
Spring Mix salad

dressing:
1 clove minced garlic
3TB spicy brown mustard
3TB honey
3 TB balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
1 cup olive oil
Whisk all ingredients together except olive oil. Add olive oil and whisk. toss in salad.

My Cute friend Emily gave me this recipe at Outerbanks one year...and now it is a favorite for book clubs, showers, and small dinner parties! YUM!

Did you know that rolls arent scary? Yes you have to think about them the night before, and then again 4 hours before...and you never want them to burn in the oven after all the work...but you know what. If I can make rolls, you can make rolls!
I use the junior league out of this world rolls or lately "feather overnight rolls" out of the mormon cookbook.

Please get your baking apron on and make these IMMEDIATELY! Pumpkin cupcakes with cream chees frosting and shaved milk chocolate. Im kind of in heaven. really, I want 12 more!

There were some other great dishes that I dont have pictured...but get started with these!

I know, I know...IZZE is the new cool drink for showers mostly because of the packaging probably. BUT amazingly, they really are SO good and pretty good for you, so what a WIN WIN!

Book Club favors...book marks

I thought it would be fun to make book marks for the book club meeting.

I used double sided cardstock so that they would be pretty on both sides.

I think they turned out cute...and I have been using mine! So much better than lying the book on it's front with pages open...or worse, folding corners!

appliques...a reminder!

I have been posting a lot of appliques lately, and wanted to post a link to my tutorial. So here it is. The only thing Ive done different and better is I iron the fabric to the pelon FIRST so I dont have to cut out the shape twice! Hope this helps!

Apple Art

Needing a play group idea? Here was one of the things we did on "A" day.

The letters have been really fun this year:
A-apple art, art boxes, etc
B-blue butterflies
C-cookies, cupcakes
D-dancing, doughnuts
E-Elmos b-day
This week is F and I can hardly stand it. F: fancy nancy, funny face, friends in a frame, flowers, fairies, family...the possibilities are ENDLESS!

New details for boys

This year Mini Boden did not disappoint with the applique ideas.
Their Monsters are SO cute...

Extreme sports...I did a snowboarder for Robbie. Maybe he'll see snow this Christmas in Utah!

The numbers on Rugby shirts. I actually LOVE their number 12 the best, but the boy wanted an 8!

Babies & College Football

For a twins baby shower...who's parents LOVE Y football.
I better make some for my own kids with U's soon!

Scroll Saw...must have

If you like wooden wall letters...in ANY font you want, you need a scoll saw. I was going to buy 4 letters for Elle at $18.00 a piece so Rob said he we might as well buy the saw for $80.00. So, when we just cut out jane's letters, I consider them free!

I just had to sand and paint...and pick out ribbon.

I went with the same usual font, "girls are weird"

Rob even found some other uses for it...a new sword for Robbie. Also, a U of U drum & feather for his room.

Sweet 30 package

Have a friend turning 30?
Bright colored candy counted out into "30's" make a pretty cute package. But make sure to include a card and maybe 30 things you love about them.

Pantry Makeover

I hope you all have really talented sisters who will drop everything in your time of need.
I have been stressing about my pantry for months now (because I couldnt figure out how to organize it) and then I became desperate when we had a "wheat beetle" problem. We had to throw everything out, so it kind of forced me to decide how to organize. My sister Mir came to my rescue and emailed me this pantry organization chart. (above) emailed her a picture of our empty pantry and this is what she came up with!
I printed out my new guide and took it to multiple containter stores. I am not completely finished, and my version does vary from the original (because Mir has never actually even seen my pantry in person) but here is what I have so far:

These containers are the "POP" containers by OXO. You can find them at William Sonoma, the container store, and BB &Beyond. They have changed my life. Ok, maybe not, but I feel like they have. This is my favorite little section (though the cous cous is a little out of place right now) I am hoping to add marshmallows and coconut...but Rob told me I have to slow down with the containter buying.

WA LA...happy happy!