Weekend Wardrobe: Colors From Nature 4x5 Basic Wardrobe

Every once in a while I attempt to improve my rather mediocre photography skills by taking photos of nature around our property.  A grand opportunity presented itself when I found the remnants of a beautiful blue robin's egg below one of our Japanese maples this spring.  I placed the shell on the lovely plum-colored leaves of the tree and snapped the above photo.  I love the juxtaposition of colors, and used this image as the inspiration for today's wardrobe.

Just for something a little different, and because I found so many items I wanted to include in this basic collection, I changed the format from the usual 4x4 to 4x5 instead, because of course there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to choosing your wardrobe!  Besides the robin's egg blue and deep plum color of the leaves, I picked out two other colors from the picture:

Let's start with the brilliant blue set of four:

Clockwise from top left: L.L. Bean Women's Three-Quarter Sleeve Jewelneck Foulard Print Oima Cotton Shaped Tee in Azure; L.L. Bean Women's Pima Cotton Shell in Azure; L.L Bean Women's Short-Sleeve Crewneck Pima Cotton Tee in Azure; L.L. Bean Women's Canvas Original Sunwashed Shorts in Azure.

Next up is the purple plum color:

Clockwise from top left: Coldwater Creek Fine Gauge Shell in Midnight Violet; Coldwater Creek Artist Festival Tunic in Multi; Coldwater Creek Hidden Stretch-Waist Chinos in Eggplant; Coldwater Creek Meadow's Edge Blouse in Boysenberry Multi.

The third set of four features a dark forest green:

Clockwise from top left: Coldwater Creek Knit Denim Straight-Leg Jeans in Forest; Land's End Womens Long Sleeve Feminine Fit Essential Tee in Evergreen; Land's End Women's Performance Button Front Cardigan in Evergreen; Land's End Women's Short Sleeve Performance Mesh Polo Shirt in Evergreen.

Taupe is the final color chosen for this basic wardrobe:

Clcokwise from top left: Coldwater Creek Pull-On Day-to-Dinner Pants in Desert Taupe; Coldwater Creek Infinite Connections Cotton Tee in Soft Taupe; Coldwater Creek Sleeveless Ribbed Turtleneck Sweater in Desert Taupe; Coldwater Creek Halcyon Days Blouse in Soft Taupe.

And finally, the fifth set of four, which includes a few more cardigans in anticipation of cooler temperatures plus a lightweight dress in summery coastal colors as a reminder that the dog days are still upon us:

Clockwise from top left: Coldwater Creek Fine Gauge Cardigan Sweater in Midnight Violet; L.L. Bean Women's Long Sleeve Pima Cotton Cardigan in Azure; Peter Hahn Cardigan in Dark Taupe-Mélange/Ecru; Lilly Pulitzer Jessica A-Line Dress in Light Lilac About Time.

Put everything together to get the complete 4x5 wardrobe:

💠🍆🌲🙊💠🍆🌲🙊💠🍆🌲🙊💠🍆🌲🙊💠🍆🌲🙊💠🍆🌲🙊

This is a very bold combination of colors, but I really like them together.  Would you wear the purple with the forest green?  We leave for New Mexico today, so I may not get to do any posts next week, but I should be back on track by the following week.  I hope you are having a great summer so far - see you when we return!
             

Foodie Fridays: One Minute Pizza Sauce

If you suddenly get the urge to make a pizza and realize you have no pizza sauce in the house, it is quite easy to make your own!  The One Minute Homemade Pizza Sauce recipe from The Healthy Home Economist website is quick to make and much less expensive than pre-made sauces in jars.  My version is only slightly modified, using ingredients I had on hand.  I always have tomato paste in the pantry, as well as olive oil, onion powder, and Italian seasoning, plus bottled minced garlic in the fridge.  I often keep pre-made pizza dough or crust in the house as well, so all I have to do is add my favorite toppings (sautéed mushrooms and onions as well as sliced black olives and lots of mozzarella cheese for me), bake according to the pizza crust directions, and start eating!

One Minute Pizza Sauce

12 oz. tomato paste
2 T. olive oil
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. onion powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. salt (or to taste)

Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl.  Refrigerate any leftovers for up to one week.  Makes enough sauce for one large pizza (6-8 servings).
             

This'n That Thursdays: Ice Cream Colors for Summer Interiors

From Nature's Delight Ice Cream

I'm a little late to this ice cream party, but apparently the colors of everyone's favorite frozen summer treat are one of the popular design trends this year!  Colorful but cool, these hues are a great way to beat the heat when it comes to interiors.  Take a look at some rooms decked out in ice cream colors below:

From Loren's World

From House Beautiful

From Bright Bazaar

From RENT Café

From Architecture Ideas

From Livspace

From Magnet

From Contemporist

From Etsy

From The Tiny Tiara

From bright fruity shades to subtle pastels, ice cream colors are perfect for summertime décor.  Would you decorate your spaces in these yummy hues?  Or are they best left inside the ice cream parlors from whence they came?  I scream, you scream, but do we all scream for ice cream colors?

From Sarah Tay

             

Wish List Wednesdays: Baa Baa Lap Desk

I spend many evenings sitting on our sofa with the television on but not paying much attention, as I am usually reading or doing a crossword or acrostic puzzle.  The latter are especially awkward to work on without some sort of backing, so I am considering getting myself a lap desk.  The amusing sheep in sweaters design of the Baa Baa Lap Desk ($49.95) from the Signals website would be my choice.  Made in Scotland, the beanbag pillow is topped with a sturdy 13x16.5-inch heat-resistant tray that is easily wiped clean, and the wooden frame would keep my puzzle or book from sliding off the edge.  Two other design patterns are available, but I think those sheep are just too adorable!

                

Current Events: Gifting the Media

Background image from The Gentleman's Journal;
overlay from YoPriceVille Gallery.

"Okay, so which one do I hand out to the media today?"

                

On the Homefront: Patriotic Pups Red, White, and Blue Independence Day Table

Lady Liberty the Dalmatian is ready for some patriotic fun in the sun!

Since my blog break overlapped with the Fourth of July, I am only just now getting my holiday table posted on the blog, but it is definitely one of my favorites.  The Puppy Love Salad Plates I bought from The Company Store earlier in the year were perfect for my theme (I am trying to feature dogs in all of my tablescapes for this Year of the Dog).  Since the color scheme was patriotic red, white, and blue, I only used the Dalmatian and bulldog plates which had the right colors.  Here is the result:

Red cotton placemat; navy blue dinner plate (from Tuesday morning a few years ago); Puppy Love Salad Plate in red-striped Dalmatian design (from The Company Store); American Flag Star Dinner Napkin (from Pottery Barn); Pfaltzgraff Everyday Americana Flatware (from Tuesday Morning a couple of years ago) plus white-handled salad fork; blue goblet (from Target years ago); red stemless wine glass (from HomeGoods a few years ago).

This is the Puppy Love Salad Plate in the blue-striped bulldog design
(perfect for us, as my husband is on the faculty at the University of Georgia,
home of the Georgia Bulldogs).

A beautiful bouquet of blue hydrangeas in a red glass vase, flanked by
Dalmatians Uncle Sam and Yankee Doodle sporting patriotic top hats.

A large round red plastic tray is filled with a large white pillar candle and
glass beads in shades of blue, white, and clear for a patriotic centerpiece.
Navy blue and red salt and pepper shakers add to the color scheme.

My husband was in Brazil on the Fourth of July, so I did not go out of my way to create a special holiday dinner.  I got myself some grilled chicken from the local KFC, mixed up some prepackaged slaw mix with bottled coleslaw dressing and a little sweet pickle relish, and baked some leftover frozen hush puppies for my Independence Day dinner.  For dessert I had creamy white coconut yogurt with blueberries and red raspberries to add some holiday color to my meal's finale!

Independence Day Menu:

Grilled Chicken

Hush Puppies

Coleslaw

Coconut Yogurt with Blueberries and Raspberries

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

From Pinterest

I hope everyone had a fun Fourth of July, and that you are all enjoying your summer.  We are experiencing a relatively cool spell of weather at the moment, and I could not be happier!
                

Current Events: Composing a Love Letter

Sitting down to compose The Letter(from ABC News).

Dear Putie Tang 😘,

Mere words cannot describe how great it was to finally have some alone time with you!  I am eagerly and impatiently counting the days until we can meet again.  It would have been even better if I had not had to meet with those nasty NATO leaders first - I wish you could have been there with me 😞.

Thanks to the obnoxious FAKE NEWS MEDIA😠, we might want to be a little more careful next time, but please do not forget me.  I know you see other leaders (I cannot understand why you are cozying up to Merkel, and believe me when I say that Kim is not to be trusted), but I am your favorite, right?  I hope that you will give me another opportunity soon to prove that I deserve to be your NUMBER ONE FAN.  Call me!!! 🇺🇸📱🇺🇸

Affectionately 😍,
Your Always and Forever Adoring T(reason for living)rump-Pet

❤️🇷🇺❤️🇷🇺❤️🇷🇺❤️🇷🇺❤️🇷🇺❤️🇷🇺❤️🇷🇺❤️🇷🇺❤️🇷🇺❤️

Ready to mail The Letter(from CNN).

Sorry, I just could not resist another humorous political blog post - when it comes to relevant material, Trump is truly the ultimate gift that keeps on giving.  But hey, at least after the Helsinki summit our president seems to have matured - he has progressed from petulant infant to lovesick teenager practically overnight (although I am sure regression is still an option).  Stay tuned for more updates, if you dare!
           

Weekend Wardrobe: What I Wore to My Family Reunion

I neglected to take any family reunion photos, so here is an image of one
of my brother's brace beagles (what a good-looking dog!).

My trip to Pennsylvania in mid-June for a cousin's landmark birthday bash and family reunion was a whirlwind of activity, mostly casual but still requiring much thought when packing because of the variety of activities that had to be squeezed into four days.  I did not want to check any bags, so I packed carefully to ensure that I only took what I absolutely needed but did not forget any necessities either.

After my arrival I spent the whole next day on my brother's farm.  My sister-in-law, who passed away last year, owned two senior horses who were due for a vet visit, and since my brother is not really familiar with equine health issues I wanted to be there with him when the vet arrived to make sure he understood what needed to be done.  I decided to wear ankle jeans with a comfortable top for the short flight from Atlanta to Pittsburgh, and then wear the jeans again the next day with a suitable barn t-shirt for the vet visit. (Incidentally, not all of the clothes shown are the ones that I actually own, as some of mine are no longer available, so I have substituted similar items where necessary.)

In transit:

Clockwise from top left: Jones New York Non-Iron Sleeveless Easy Care Shirt in Black/White Stripe; Danskin Essentials Mockneck Jacket in Black; Olivia + Joy Zap Zoom Tote in Black (no longer available); American Tourister Aerospin 21" Spinner Carry On Suitcase in Red; Dockers Vargas Boat Shoes in Rust; L.L. Bean Women's Raw Hem Signature Skinny Ankle Jeans in Rinse Wash.

I only brought one pair of shoes for this trip, so for the horse vet visit I stopped at Walmart and purchased an inexpensive pair of rubber boots to wear in the barn, which I left behind for future visits.  I planned to spend the entire day helping my brother do chores, so there was no need to worry about looking my best, but I did need to have appropriate apparel for the work that had to be done.  A boring outfit, I know, but I'm just keeping it real here!

Barn day:

Clockwise from top left: L.L. Bean Women's Short Sleeve V-Neck Signature Essential Knit Tee in Gray Heather; Danskin Essentials Mockneck Jacket; Hanes Ladies Crew Socks in Black; Walmart Unisex Rubber Rain Boots in Black; L.L. Bean Women's Raw Hem Signature Skinny Ankle Jeans.

The following day was the big birthday party/family reunion, which was to be held in an outdoor pavilion at a nearby county park.  Fortunately the weather forecast was perfect, not too hot and no chance of rain.  I brought a pair of bright red ankle jeans and a red and white-striped sleeveless top to wear, but sometimes even the best-laid plans change at the last moment.  My sister, who was driving from New York, stopped at a rest area on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and found some very colorful Turnpike-themed t-shirts she decided we both had to wear to the reunion.  The one she got for me had every color of the rainbow except for red, but I am always up for wearing lots of color, so a tie-dyed rainbow-hued t-shirt with red jeans ended up being my outfit for the day!

Birthday party/Family reunion day:

Clockwise from top left; The Adair Group Adult Tie-Dye T-Shirt in Neon Rainbow (logo added by me); Great American Leatherworks Leather East/West Crossbody Bag in Dark Tan (no longer available); NIKE Women's Golf Victory Stripe Sleeveless Polo Shirt in Red/White (no longer available); Dockers Vargas Boat Shoes; Coldwater Creek The Creek Crop Jeans in Fresh Red.

The last day of my trip was Father's Day, so my siblings and I decided to visit our parents' gravesites to spruce them up and add some flowers.  Since my only nephew came along with his dad, my other brother, we all went out to eat as a Father's Day treat for my brother.  I had to wear an outfit that was suitable for being outdoors, presentable enough for eating at a nice but casual restaurant, and comfortable enough for the plane ride home.  Fortunately, a couple of my recent purchases for summer fit the bill perfectly.

Father's Day/In transit:

Clcokwise from top left: Jones New York Non-Iron Sleeveless Easy Care Shirt in New Blue; Foster Grant Women's Aviator 6 Sunglasses; Great American Leatherworks Leather East/West Crossbody Bag; Dockers Vargas Boat Shoes; Coldwater Creek Hidden Stretch-Waist Chino Crops in Copper.

I did pack just a few more items because the weather in Pennsylvania was supposed to transition from mild to very warm and I wanted to have the option of wearing shorts for the family reunion if needed, plus a couple of extra tops if I felt the need to change later:

Left to right: J. Crew Women's Polka Dot T-Shirt in White/Black (no longer available from J. Crew); L.L. Bean Women's Denim Easy-Stretch Shorts in Dark Indigo; Banana Republic Women's Dot Pleated Drapey Tank Top in White Polka Dot.

✈️🎉✈️🎉✈️🎉✈️🎉✈️🎉✈️🎉✈️🎉✈️🎉✈️🎉✈️🎉✈️

Aside from toiletries, sleepwear, my computer, and a few personal items, this was all I packed for four days!  I even had a little room left over in my suitcase to include a couple of gifts for my husband, who was unable to accompany me on this trip as he had just returned from a trip of his own.  The only clothes I did not wear were the shorts and the two polka dot tops, since the weather was not unbearably hot, and the red and white-striped top, which was replaced by the shirt my sister got for me.  This trip was one of the rare occasions that I did not overpack.  I seem to be getting better at this!  Let's hope I can keep it up, because we are headed to New Mexico for five days at the end of the month, and I am determined not to check a bag!
             

Foodie Fridays: Mushroom-Zucchini Ricotta Frittata

Once again our prolific hen Dixie is laying an egg every day.  As a result, I am scrambling (pun intended!) to come up with more ways to use up eggs.  Should any of you ever decide to keep chickens, take it from me that one hen lays more than enough eggs for two people, especially if you do not usually eat eggs every day!

The quick and easy frittata recipe below is based on one from the Food & Wine website, with a few minor changes.  It does require some time in the oven, but you could cook it early or late in the day, cool and refrigerate the slices, and reheat when needed in the microwave (frittatas reheat wonderfully).  Of course this dish would be excellent for breakfast or brunch as well.  Whether you need to use up excess eggs or are just looking for a fast and tasty meal, this recipe will come in handy.

Mushroom-Zucchini Ricotta Frittata

8 eggs
1 C. ricotta cheese
1/2 C. shredded cheese*
salt and pepper to taste
3 T. olive oil
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 small zucchinis, halved and sliced
1 shallot, minced

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Beat together the eggs, ricotta, and half of the cheese.  Season to taste (I used 1/2 tsp. salt and no pepper).  Set aside.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet.  Add the mushroom and zucchini slices and sauté until they start to soften.  Add the shallot and cook a few more minutes until the shallot is soft.

Stir in the egg mixture and cook until the eggs begin to set, scraping back the sides so that uncooked egg can run underneath and cook as well.  Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes.  Top with the remaining cheese and bake for 4-6 minutes, longer until the cheese is melted and the frittata is set.  Cool slightly before slicing and serving.  Serves 4.

*The original recipe calls for Parmesan cheese, but I used my favorite cheddar-mozzarella blend.

Dixie and my horse Nick are best buddies!

This 'n That Thursdays: Trolling Trump

From ABC News

Any Trump supporters out there may want to leave now, because today's post is all about the many Trump trolling images that have been making the rounds recently.  Much as I try to avoid political commentary here, some of the images popping up lately are just too darn funny to ignore.  I will try to keep things humorous and polite, but be forewarned that if you detest any sort of political posts then this one may not appeal to you.

I am sure most people are aware of the "Trump baby" blimp shown above that floated over London last week, but what are the future plans for this oversized balloon (aside from an upcoming US tour)?  How about the following idea:

"Space baby, space baby, give me your phone, give me something
that I can remember..."
 (with apologies to the original artists and their song Beach Baby!).
Image from Political Hotwire.

My own idea would be to fly the blimp only in appropriate years:

Top image from Wikipedia; bottom image from Metro.

While the Trump baby blimp is one of the most recent Trump trolling images to make the rounds (including various iterations), the first one that caught my eye and made me start really paying attention was the cartoon shown below that appeared for the Fourth of July.  It is pretty self-explanatory:

From Mystery Fanfare

You may have heard that Trump is not happy with the physical appearance of Air Force One, and would like to change the paint job.  Trollers were more than happy to offer suggestions, including this one:

From Twitter

The summit between Trump and Kim Jong Un generated quite a few amusing memes - here is just one:

From Memekingz.net

I have been toying with the idea of learning how to overlay images, and the handshake between Trump and Kim gave me just the motivation I needed.  I call this result "The Double Hitchcock: Doppelgängers Meet Face to Face":

Background image from Bored Potato; overlay from Vampyre Fangs.

Even I was amazed at how well the Hitchcock outline matched up with Kim's profile - he makes Trump look downright svelte by comparison!

From Political Punchline

The latest in Trump trolling involves his recent trip to Europe, culminating in the burgeoning bromance at the summit between Trump and Vladimir Putin.  Trump was roundly criticized for his overly appeasing attitude toward Putin.

"Someone looks like he needs a great big kiss!"
Left image from The Times; right image from Gawker.

However, our president has been known to turn on even his closest confidantes at the slightest provocation, so there is still a chance that Trump's hero worship of Putin may fizzle out.  There are those who worry that Trump does not seem to have a derogatory nickname for Putin:

From The Political Punchline

But rest assured that there is no need to worry, because Vlad's surname is the perfect unflattering nickname already.  In fact, I have a little ditty all ready that Trump is welcome to use should he ever feel the need to go on a Twitter rant against his current comrade:

From Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

"Bread, bread, the musical gluten,

The more Vlad eats, the more he's 'Putin'!"

(I thought about coming up with a witty take on Putin's first name and the nickname "Vlad the Impaler", but this option seemed too rife with vulgar connotations, and I do like to keep things clean here on my blog.)

Okay, my political humor rampage is over for now.  I feel that I can finally move on and return to regularly scheduled blog posts again.  Oh, except for one more meme (play the YouTube song link while watching this GIF image - they coordinate perfectly!):

"Trumpelina, Trumpelina, tiny little thing,
Trumpelina dance, Trumpelina sing.
Trumpelina, what's the difference if you're very small?
When your soul belongs to Vlad you're his rag doll!"
(with apologies to Frank Loesser, who wrote the "Thumbelina" song).
Putin plays with his Trump baby puppet (GIF image from Tenor).

"I think the next best thing to solving a problem is finding some humor in it."

~Frank A Clark