Monthly Archives: November 2015
DIY Perfume Storage Display Options
What’s a person to do when they really, really want an ornate unique perfume/cologne display case? How about a pair?? Dare I dream that I found three options:
1) settle and buy a plain little, mass produced cabinet constructed of inferior materials from a big box store that requires a tad of assembly, followed by years of *sighs* that it wasn’t what was really wanted, but now we already own it so it’ll have to do. *sighs*
2) overindulge and spend hundreds of dollars, maybe even thousands of dollars, by buying that amazing little ornate gilded antique wall cabinet/shelving unit that is likely Italian or French in origin from a cute little antique store or high end dealer on eBay, followed by years of searching for a match and eating only Ramen due to the price of such a thing. *ramen for dinner*
3) an inspired idea and quick sketch by wife plus some solid carpentry skills by husband to build exactly what we want for minimal cost: $25/frame at a hobby/craft store by using a coupon, $5 for paint paint, scrap lumber, & leftover fabric from when we built our upholstered headboard for our bed. DIY. Hallelujah! DIY, followed by years of thorough enjoyment and all bragging rights. *bragging*
See, these new Perfume Boxes in our Master Bathroom coordinate with our Master Bedroom! Yay! See the rest of our Master bedroom at this link: https://whatamberloves.com/2012/09/14/master-bedroom-tour/
Your Friend,
~AmberHH
PS: I LOVE FEEDBACK. What do you think of our little project?
Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwich for Dinner
GOURMET GRILLED CHEESE
Dill havarti cheese, asparagus, spiced avocado, & sharp cheddar on seeded rye
Easy! You already know how to use a griddle to make a grilled cheese sandwich, so just add some fun between the layers of cheese!
I used great a great dill infused cheese, sharp cheddar, asparagus that was quickly prebaked in olive oil and s&p, and avocado mashed with cayenne pepper and s&p. I used olive oil to lightly coat the bread, assembled, then put it on the hot griddle for a few minutes, flipped it, cooked it a few more minutes. Then, I plated it, took a photo, and ate it! It was super yummy!! You’ll try it? ๐
–AmberHH
Balsamic, Cream, Truffle Oil Mushroom Pasta!
Super Yummy!
So decadent and rich!
Prep in under 10 minutes and ready in 25!
Ingredients
8 ounces wheat pasta
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoon black truffle olive oil
1/2 cup shallot, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
16 ounces baby portabello mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup cream
1 tablespoon fresh parsley paste
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus a few tablespoons for garnish
salt & pepper
Instructions
Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. While the pasta is cooking prepare the mushroom sauce.
In a large pan, melt 2 tablespoon of butter with 2 tablespoon of truffle olive oil over medium heat. Once melted, add in the shallots and garlic and cook for a few minutes or so, just until softened. S&P
Add in the sliced mushrooms and toss them around to get them coated in the butter and olive oil. If needed, add an additional tablespoon of truffle olive oil if the mushrooms get too dry. S&P. Let them cook and brown for about 8 minutes.
Pour in the balsamic vinegar and stir everything together making sure to scrape up all of the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add in the other tablespoon of butter. Cook everything together for 5-8 minutes and then turn off the heat and move the pan off the burner.
Pour in the cream and parmesan cheese and stir to combine.
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to combine. Add in the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve with additional parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top
Enjoy!
Yay!! Cooler Temps, Finally!
(In celebration of the cooler temps, how about my Selfie photo blended with art found on Pinterest? ๐ See my Pinterest account for links to more about the art.)
The 3 girls and I went “Vintique” hunting for a few hours. I was looking to buy some sort of gaudy, intricate wall cabinet to store my perfumes and EOs. Instead, we came home with a modern chrome & glass X side table for the living room. (Pretty typical shopping pattern for me. lol. Next time, I’ll shop for garden statuary and find the perfume cabinet I want?) haha! Love the table, though!
Gorgeous View from my front door, huh?
๐๐๐
More Later!
Your Friend,
AmberHH
Soup is On!
As most of you that will see this know, I’ve been actively trying to get myself back into better physical shape. This journey began just a few months ago, but I can tell it’s become a lifestyle change. I’m no longer on a “diet.” I’m just eating better and moving more. A big part of this includes that I’ve shifted to a more plant based diet. Right now, I still eat a bit of dairy products, but I’ve pretty much weaned myself from meat consumption. I feel so much better! My digestive system is thankful, my skin has improved dramatically, and it just feels good knowing that I’m not contributing to the slaughter of animals. Tonight’s, dinner? Soup! Super Yum!