2014 Resolutions

 

I always like to start my year with a good set of resolutions.  Whether they actually get accomplished or not...well, that's another story.  As long as a few key items and accomplishments are checked off the list, I feel that I've definitely made progress for the year. 

For 2014 I resolve to do the following...

1. Become more physically and fiscally fit. 
2. Expand my business, Swish Productions, to boutiques in Texas and continue to grow my on-line presence.
3. Get with more bloggers to get my name out there more.
4. Travel WAY more than I have in the past. 
5. Integrate more dating into my schedule...even if I do find it to be one of the worst parts of life! 
6. Try new things, especially if they scare me.  (Which most things do.)
7. Read more (I used to read books ALL the time) and watch less reality television.
8. Participate in at least 4x artisan shows throughout the year and get to know other artisans in the community better.

What are your resolutions for the new year?  I would love to hear what you are working on! 

Quiz Time!

The blog has been under construction for quite some time now so obviously I haven't been blogging. To be honest with you, I don't really consider myself a "blogger" at all.  Mostly, I'm a crafter and am attempting [terribly, in my opinion]  to incorporate blogging into my world.  I love blogs and the idea of sharing your world with friends over the internet, but I have proven to be terrible at it.  That being said, what better way to get back at it than with a quiz?!?!  My friend Roxy over at Grrfeisty posted a quiz activity and encouraged everyone to participate, so I did!  Below is a little information about me and my crazy busy life.  I hope you enjoy!

1. I love animals! Share details and photos of your special furry companions. [No pets? Who/What is your favorite cuddle buddy?]

 

I have two dogs that I love very much!  Guido {the malti-poo} was my first dog and is around ten years old which is SO crazy to me.  I remember the first day I go him.  It's funny because I've heard several people say that your dog often takes on your personality, and with Giudo, that couldn't be more true.   He shares emotions on his own terms.  If he wants to be sweet, he will, but if he's not into you, he's not interested.  Stella {the Shitzu} is so sweet and often times puts Guido in his place, which I secretly love.   

                                                                                                                                                                         

2. What is your favorite Friday afternoon/evening activity?

I'm usually exhausted from work and other various activities that I am involved by Friday, so Friday night is when I do absolutely nothing.  I go eat dinner with my family, but thats usually it. If I want to go out or do something fun, that's usually reserved for Saturday.  I'm so old now!

3. A day in the life: What does you typical day look like?

A day in my life is usually really crazy and jam packed with things to do.  I get to work around 9am, which i know sounds late to most people.  I'm not a morning person, and usually have lots to do at night, so it works for me.  I'm trying to work on it, but it seems like no matter how hard I try, I can never wake up early!  I've been a night owl since I was a kid and I seriously do  between the hours of 10:00pm and 12:00pm.  So long story short...I work from 9:00am to 6:00pm.  After work, I am either volunteering at the Junior League, catching up with friends at dinner, working at bingo [we will discuss at a later date] or working on orders from my Etsy shop.  Honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way.  I'm the type of person that has to remain busy or I go crazy.  

 

4. Do you have any fitness routines? What are they?

 

This is a good question and the answer is currently, no.  I've been doing the Paleo diet for about three months now, and I've kind of hit a plateau.  I wanted to make sure I could wrap my head around the whole Paleo thing before I added in exercise, but now it's time.  "It's time, daddy...It's time!  [Steal Magnolia's anyone?]  Also, they just built a LA Fitness right down the street from my house, so I kind of don't have a choice. So stay tuned!  Hopefully I will love working out there.        

5. If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be?

I've never been out of the country besides to Mexico, so I really can't include the WHOLE world.  In the United States, I would love to live in Chicago.  I love that place...It has the culture and diversity of New York City, without the hustle and bustle.  It's like a slowed down version of New York.  There are so many awesome things to see and do there, and the restaurants are amazing. 

High Tea at the Drake...not to be confused with THE Drake...the singer.

The Bean.

6. You've got a whole day to yourself...what will you do?

Sleep, take care of chores that I never get to do during the week, go to a beach and work on my tan, or a spa day.  All things I love to do, obviously not in the same day.

7. Dream job?

 

My dream job would first and foremost include working for myself.  I would probably be an event planner/designer and continue expanding my floral business.  I love flowers.  Examples of my work are below...

 

8. Least favorite chore?

Cleaning house...the end.

9. When do you most feel like a rock star?

When my Etsy shop gets on the front page of Etsy!!!! Holla!

10. What is something you are currently trying to improve within yourself?

My diet and workout plan.  So far so good.  I've been working on it for a few months now and have lost around 20 pounds.

Favorite quote ever...

 

Lime Shrimp & Avacado Salad



Photo credit- Losing It Together

I've definitely been trying more things in the kitchen thanks to my newfound interest in Paleo. Recently, I got a recipe from a friend that was too easy and awesome not to share. 

Ingredients

1 lb Jumbo shrimp {cooked, peeled, deveined and chopped}

1 medium Tomato {diced}

1 avocado {diced}

1 jalapeno {seeds removed and diced fine}

1/4 cup chopped red onion

2 limes {juice of}

1 tsp olive oil

1 tbsp chopped cilantro

{salt and fresh pepper to taste}

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine red onion, lime juice. olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Let them marinate at least 5 minutes to mellow the flavor of the onion.

2. In a large bowl, combine chopped shrimp, avocado, tomato and jalapeno. 

3. Combine all the ingredients together, add cilantro and gently toss.

4. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

See?  So easy!  I would love to hear any easy Paleo recipe you might have.  Feel free to comment below!

Workin' on my Fitness

So far this year, I've really taken 2013 to focus on making myself {home included} better.  I'm doing things I've always wanted to do, but have been too afraid {hence chopping all my hair off} and I'm in the process of redoing my house inside and out {pics of that coming soon}.  Now it's time to really focus and work on the most dreaded thing of all...my fitness.  Don't get me wrong.  I don't HATE working out and eating right, I just don't LOVE it.  It's hard and takes lots of motivation, dedication and LOTS and LOTS of time and money.   

I've struggled for a while with a slight imbalance in my hormone levels in the past, and recently they've become more apparent.  I'm hoping that with medication and a change in eating habits, I will make this problem history and get that shit under control.  My aunt goes to the Paleo Doctor in Houston, and is a firm believer in the paleo diet.  She's lost about 30 pounds so far following the program  Long story short, she talked to him about me and he things paleo is where it's at.  I'm not a cross fitter, and never will be.  It's really about getting more under control than just your weight, and that's why I'm mostly excited about it.  It's kind of amazing and crazy when you think about how complex your body is, and how it all works together.   

Before I commit to spending a lot of money with a paleo doctor, I figured I would try it on my own for a while and see if I can even stick to it.  I've found a few SIMPLE recipes for the rest of this week.  Did I mention I'm not a huge fan of cooking?
 

I've read up on it {a little}, and I've gotten the core principles down.  Eat lots of lean meats, fresh fruits and vegetables...seems easy enough, but we'll see.  I have a feeling that there will be times this will suck...a lot.

Am I excited?  No.
Am I intrigued?  Kind of.  

Talk to me when I have seen results and I'm comfortable with the recipes, and I promise I will have a better attitude.
 

I need recipes!  Please contact me or leave a comment with your favorite SIMPLE paleo recipe!

 

 

Welcome Baby Alyssa!

My cousin had her baby on Friday, and to celebrate, I thought I would post some pics of the shower we threw for her.  She loves anything shabby chic {I mean, who doesn't?}, so I thought it would be perfect for the shower.  Below are a few pics of what I threw together.  Welcome baby Alyssa!  We can't wait to watch you grow!

Ombre is all the rage right now, and I LOVE it.  I had to incorporate it in the shower in some way, so I did an ombre cake.  One word...love!

My favorite part of the shower were the flowers of course!  I just think flowers add so much style and personality to any event.  They're a great natural decoration and they just make you feel good.

What's your go to baby shower them?

Homemade Dog Treats

Last weekend, I decided to make some holiday treats for Guido, Stella and friends.  The dogs love them, and the ingredients make so many that, in the end, they end up being WAY cheaper than buying treats at the store.  I even tried one this time because I was curious as to what they tasted like, but they really just tasted like a cracker.  I got the recipe off of pinterest, and it came from a blog called www.designcrushblog.com.   

Ingredients

21/2 Cups of Whole Wheat Flour

2 Eggs

3/4 Cup of Pumpkin Puree

3 Tbsp all-natural peanut butter 

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 Degrees F.

2. Place all the ingredients in a stand mixer {using the paddle mixer}.  Mix on low for about one minute, or until all the dough starts to come together.  It won't be one big ball yet, but a bunch of smaller ones.

3. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface.  Work it together into a large ball, then roll it out to about a 1/4 inch thickness.

4. You can use cookie cutters for different shapes, or a knife to cut strips.  {I used a large and small bone shaped cookie cutter, and a few different Halloween cutters for the treats I am giving as gifts.}

5. Place the treats on a baking sheet lightly coated with cooking spray.  {I actually put mine on parchment paper, so I skipped the cooking spray.}  They don't expand, so 1/2 inch between is enough.  

6. Bake 30 minutes and let cool completely.  Make sure you keep an eye on them as they are baking.  Mine cooked in about 20 minutes, so based on your own oven, watch them so they don't burn. 

The recipe makes 75+ treats depending on the size of the cutters that you are using.  Before you give to your pups, make sure you are aware of all allergies or stomach issues they might have.  Making your own dog treats is a personal experience based on your own dog, so make sure you know what they like and what they can have.  I hope your pups like them as much as mine did!

Fredericksburg Day 2

We started Saturday in Fredericksburg bright and early around 9:30am.  There are tons of great wineries in Fredericksburg, so I thought it would be a good idea to take Saturday during the day to visit a few.  Since there were so many of us, and we knew we were going to be drinking all day, we decided to rent a limo to take us to a from all the wineries.  It turned out to be a great idea because it allowed all of us to ride all in one car together.  If you're planning to visit Fredericksburg, I definitely recommend using Dave & John Wine Tours of Texas to take you around to all the wineries!

Vineyard Tours

1. Becker Vineyards- Becker is a MUST if you are visiting Fredericksburg.  They not only have great wines, they have a three acre lavender field behind the winery allowing them to make amazing lavender soaps, lotions, lip balms, linen sprays, eye pillows and so much more! It was awesome!

Wine tasting Details below....

Hours: 
Mon-Thurs: 10am-5pm 
Fri & Sat: 10am-6pm
Sun: 12pm-6pm

Wine Tasting Fee: $10 for six wine samples.

2. Torre De Pietra Vineyards- This vineyard has awesome wines as well as a great view of the hill country from their herb garden, vineyards, and secluded patios.  Their wines include varietals: Sangiovese, Primitivo, Malbec, Petit Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Black Spanish, Zinfandel, Moscato, Blanc du Bois, Gewurtztraminer and several popular blends including: Amore de Tuscano, Midnight Nymph, Red Flirt and Dirty Girl.

Red Flirt and Dirty girl were by far my favs.  If you visit this vineyard, you also have to check out all of their different pestos and cute home goods.  One of my personal favs is the Artichoke Lemon Pesto.  It's so good on grilled chicken and in pasta!

Hours:

11am-6pm Daily

Wine Tasting Fee: $10 for six wine samples.

The day ended with dinner at the Navaho Grill.  So good!  If you have a large group, I

definitely recommend reserving the Granite Room.  It's really spacious and quiet.  Perfect for a group of 6-8.

Reservations are recommended, so if you're going to be in the area, and are interested in going, I've listed the information below.

Navajo Grill

Phone: (830) 990-8289

Address: 803 E. Main Street, Fredericksburg, TX 78624

Website: www.navajogrill.com