July 31, 2010
I like to call my style Martha Lite. It’s where I give the appearance of being fabulously creative and energetic and quite frankly, an over-achiever, with the minimum amount of effort. That dream I shared on a previous post (Ms. Suzy Homemaker) was so incredibly spot-on for my life, which is why it was so hysterical. I have been trying, with a capital T, TRYING to eat healthier lately. And hence, the hunt for recipes that are healthy but still taste like real food, not diet food. Because, honey, I am ALWAYS going to love to eat. Can’t take that away from me. This recipe rocks because it is so dang simple. My husband loves it. I lighten it up with ground turkey. I also do another version with barbeque sauce, red onions, and cooked chicken breast (cut into small pieces) that is to die for. But here is the original recipe. With thanks to Cooking Light Superfast Suppers.
DEEP-DISH TACO PIZZA
1 pound ground round
1 chopped onion
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained
1 teaspoon taco seasoning
1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
cooking spray
1 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar or part-skim mozzarella cheese
salsa (optional)
reduced-fat sour cream (optional)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cook beef and onion in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until beef is browned, stirring to crumble. Drain well, and return beef mixture to pan. Stir in tomatoes and seasoning; cook over medium-high heat for 1 minute or until thoroughly heated; set aside. Unroll pizza crust dough. Press into bottom and halfway up sides of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon beef mixture over pizza crust dough. Bake at 425 degrees for 12 minutes. Top with cheese and bake 5 minutes or until cheese melts and edges of crust are browned. let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Top with salsa and sour cream, if desired. Yield: 6 servings. Enjoy!
July 29, 2010
“As I look back on the trip now, as I try to sort out fact from fiction, try to remember how I felt at that particular time, or during that particular incident, try to relive those memories that have been buried so deep, and distorted so ruthlessly, there is one clear fact that emerges from the quagmire. The trip was easy. It was no more dangerous than crossing the street, or driving to the beach, or eating peanuts. The two important things that I did learn were that you are as powerful and strong as you allow yourself to be, and that the most difficult part of any endeavor is taking the first step, making the first decision. And I knew even then that I would forget them time and time again and would have to go back and repeat those words that had become meaningless and try to remember. I knew even then that, instead of remembering the truth of it, I would lapse into a useless nostalgia. Camel trips, as I suspected all along, and as I was about to have confirmed, do not begin or end, they merely change form.”
—Robyn Davidson, Tracks
July 25, 2010
I have this image of myself in my head. I know I am fat. I really do know I am fat. But in my head, it’s a curvy sexy voluptuousness. When I look in the mirror, I look past the extra weight and see my curves. It’s not so bad, I keep telling myself. I don’t want to have to do anything about it. Curves are sexy, right? I have always been curvy, never been skinny, and for the most part been fine with it, and never lacked for attention from men. I strongly believe that 90% of attractiveness is attitude. But in the past ten years I have put on 48 pounds. I am a compulsive eater. I eat for comfort and I eat for stress. I also happen to love food and enjoy it immensely. I love rich food and comfort food and sweet food and let’s not forget…bacon. Last year I took my niece to England for her high school graduation present and it was a delight to see how the british embrace bacon in many surprising presentations. Bacon-flavored caramel corn anyone? We called our trip the Grand Bacon Tour of 2009. I think it is so very easy to keep ignoring all the warning signs. It would have been so easy to keep soft focusing on that mirror every day as my clothes got tighter and my breath got shorter from climbing a flight of stairs. It is so easy to grab that candy bar when my day is crummy. Biggie size my combo please. A small fries isn’t nearly enough. That’s the problem. It’s never enough when food is comfort and a stress reliever.
I went to a family reunion a month ago and when all the pictures were published on Facebook I was appalled. Is that really me? Do I really look like that? Please tell me I don’t look like that. Please. Talk about a wake-up call. It is nothing like I see in the mirror each day. I still don’t see that image. My mind is strange that way. But the world sees me that way. And for that, I am embarrassed. I am better than that. I am better than that woman who let herself get that fat. I am not that woman. Am I?
Here’s the famous fork in the road. I either go on the same way, putting on yet more weight, ignoring my health, feeling worse about myself every day, because, seriously, I know now. I can’t hide from those pictures. Or I use those pictures as a catalyst. I take back my body. My beautiful healthy body that is hiding under 48 extra pounds. I prove to myself that I am that strong sexy woman I have always been. I just lost track of her for awhile. I let life get in the way. That’s okay. I won’t beat myself up over it. I choose to get excited over this challenge. I am grateful for the pictures. They are the mirror I needed.
July 19, 2010
“A novel is not an allegory…..it is the sensual experience of another world. If you don’t enter that world, hold your breath with the characters and become involved in their destiny, you won’t be able to empathize, and empathy is at the heart of the novel. This is how you read a novel: you inhale the experience. So start breathing.”
–Azar Nafisi, Reading Lolita In Tehran
July 18, 2010
Let me tell you about this sweet little shop called Sweet Pea Rose Cottage. It sits in a charming vintage shopping center fashioned out of a former motel so the shop has several small rooms all in a row. Each room is decorated in specific vintage themes and are filled with delightful vintage items as well as handmade repurposed lovelies, such as dressed-up picture frames and bracelets made from old buttons. It’s as charming as the name suggests and the shopkeeper Raylene is just as charming and treats every customer like a new friend. She has put her heart and soul into the shop and it shows.
Sweet Pea Rose Cottage closed its doors two weeks ago. Another victim to the current economy. Raylene didn’t have the money for lots of advertising. She relied on word of mouth, like most small shops do, as well as the high traffic through the shopping center. Raylene did everything a shopkeeper should do: good unique merchandise, reasonably priced, and beautifully displayed. Add great personal customer service and a delightful owner—she truly did a wonderful job.
The closing of her shop has hit me hard. My heart goes out to Raylene. I know how devastated I would be if I lost Penelopes. When you pour your passion into a shop it becomes such a big part of your life. Raylene would wistfully mention to me how women would spend 20 minutes perusing her shop, oooohing and ahhhhing over every item, tell her how much they loved her shop, and leave without buying anything. It brings home hard how much we need to support the small businesses that are special to us.
Thank you Raylene for giving us so much pleasure for the past three years with Sweet Pea Rose Cottage. I know there are some sad hearts in Portland tonight. There is one less lovely thing in the world.
July 16, 2010
1. Lori Mitchell beach figures
2. Vintage Jewelry
3. Primitives by Kathy charms
4. Vintage cookie cutters
5. Market totes made of vintage kitchen tablecloths
6. French soap
7. Vintage books about American History
8. Lori Mitchell Americana figures
9. Vintage hankies
10. Black & white quote blocks
July 13, 2010
Fresh from Penelope’s…our latest display! We decided to capture the summer magic of cherries and strawberries. You can see charming kitchen towels and paperback book covers with a cherry theme…made by my very own mom…our seamstress extraordinaire!
I love faux pastry, don’t you? These tarts look good enough to eat!
The centerpiece of our display is this vintage Strawberry platter! Another charming item is a strawberry market tote made from a vintage kitchen tablecloth. Many more goodies to see…so come take a look!
July 13, 2010
“People identify themselves, in some subliminal way. You know very soon into which category they fall. You know that you would like to see them again; or you definitely would not, or you don’t much care either way. Sexual attraction doesn’t much come into it; that’s another matter with its own agenda. The basic thing is simply this question of empathy, as though the other person wore some coded emblem that you recognize. It can happen with someone who serves you in a shop, or a person you talk to at a party, or a neighbor or colleague or the man who comes to read the meter.”
—-Penelope Lively, Making It Up
July 10, 2010
Welcome to our booth at the Antique Expo Show in Portland! In front are vintage postcards I have framed with copper foil and you can see some of the books with gorgeous covers. Yesterday was quite challenging as the temperature flirted with 100 degrees and we worked hard to load all our goodies into our booth.
Royalty books have been a big hit in our booth. We also have lots of charming vintage children’s books from England.
One of the crown jewels in our collection is this 1867 illustrated bible. Imagine the hands that have turned the pages of this treasure. We have several other vintage bibles too, as well as beautiful silverplate.
Another interesting collection in our booth is these vintage cameras. I think they would make a fun summertime display.
Some of our latest acquisition of books included books that were severely beat-up so we packaged them up to keep them safe from further damage and are selling them as TATTERED BEAUTIES for art projects, collage, and scrapbooking.
Jeanne, my friend and fellow ephemera lover, helped in the booth today. She brought a suitcase of paper goodies and sold all of her vintage movie magazines first thing this morning!
Hopefully the rest of the weekend goes well. It has been fun so far and a fabulous surprise to have my friend Sue in the booth right behind us!
July 7, 2010
Just for our internet fans, our latest internet Promotion! In the month of July, just mention internet promotion with your $10 or more purchase at Penelope’s and receive a free cast-iron garden tea-lite…retail value $4.95. They are charming and sure to fly out the door…stop in soon!
Limited to quantity on hand…if we run out we will substitute another equally fabulous item.
