Simply Ash Designs

Added new items to my Etsy store tonight...Go check it out. :)

Happy Friday!!!

Crafting Away...Plus New Recipe

Well, it's been a week since I have said hello in Blogland.  I have been busy crafting away tonight on a couple upcoming swaps.  I am so excited to share what I have been making, but it will have to wait for a couple of weeks until the Link fun begins.

I did try a new recipe this week and both of us really like it.  

Hot Mexican Chicken Salads

Ingredients - 

5 cups chopped cooked chicken

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, divided

1 can kidney beans, drained

3/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup ripe olives

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 can chopped green chiles

1 package taco seasoning

vegetable oil

tortillas

Directions - 

1. Combine chicken, 1 cup of cheese, and the next 7 ingredients.  Stir, cover, and chill.

2. Pour oil to a depth of 1/4 inch into a large deep skillet.  Fry tortillas, one at a time, until crisp and golden. Drain on paper towels.

3. Spoon chicken mixture evenly onto center of the tortillas.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Place on baking sheets.

4. Broil 4 inches from heat with the oven door slightly open until cheese melts.  Garnish if desired and serve immediately.

We ate ours with avocado slices and tomatoes as garnish with corn on the cob.  It was yummy!

How is everyone's week going?  

Hope all is well!

Wordless Wednesday - Gavin

What's in your bag??

My new bloggin' friend Ashley at Delancey Dish tagged me in a new game.

What's in your bag? Here are the rules for the tag:
1. Post a picture of whatever bag you are today - not last weekend when you and your hubby went out to that fabulous restaurant. No cheating!!!

2. Tell us how much it cost. This is a no-judgment zone -- there will be no ridiculing or eye rolling here. And, if there is a story to go along with how you obtained it, I'd love to hear it.

3. Now tag some fellow bloggers and link back to this post so people know why you are posting pictures of your bag.

Ok so here it goes:

This is the purse (suitcase as referred to by Will) I am carrying today -

I needed a new black purse and found this one.  I didn't have much time so I grabbed it and ran home to get ready for what now I can't remember. ha!

Inside - 

• Wallet - My everything!
  
• Business Card Holder - Can't go anywhere without a business card!
  
• Phone - No way I am leaving this at home
  
• Pen
  
• Camera - This is always with me
  
• Perfume - Love my Burberry!
  
• Last week's grocery list - Probably should get started on this week's
  
• Pair of earrings
  
• Hand Lotion
  
• Clinique Lipstick and Gloss - Can't leave home without it
  
• Chapstick
  
• Magazines - Meant to read these on the way home from church yesterday. oops.  Taste of Home (probably could help me with this week's grocery list) and People (gotta keep up with the news! :) )
  

Well there you have it!  I tag my friends below:

Tardevil at Confessions of a 40-something Mama Queen

Jessica at Pelkey Place

Mrs. Newlywed at Misadventures of a Newlywed

Can't wait to see your bags!

 

Valentine's Day Dinner

I hope everyone had a great Valentine's day! Will and I had a nice candlelight dinner. As mentioned earlier I made an attempt on a chocolate cake....well...I am just not much of a baker. Now I love to cook, but baking is a whole other story. I'm pretty sure I let the cakes cool a little long. I made sure the icing was soft enough to put on the cake. Well once I started icing, the cake started crumbling :(. It may not look to good, but it sure was TASTY!

A little St. Valentine decor around the house...

Kissing Balls I made hanging over the kitchen sink.

Super cute wreath I made after seeing it on Little Birdie Secrets!

Cute recipe book and heart shaped measuring spoons from Taina!

LOVE sign from my swap partner, Taina.

Menu for dinner - 

Salad

Baked Ziti Pasta

Sauteed Mushrooms

Prosciutto wrapped Asparagus with Cream Cheese

Garlic Bread

Chocolate Fudge Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Dinner...

We had a wonderful evening!

Valentine's Swap Part 2

Just a snapshot of what I made and sent to my Valentine Swap partner, Taina.

Valentine's Swap Part 1

I am so late in posting this! I participated in a Valentine Swap and my package arrived last week. My friend, Taina, did an amazing job! Thank you for everything! I just love my new table runner!




Thank you Taina!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Quick note to wish everyone a wonderful Valentine's Day.  Now I'm off to attempt to bake a cake...we will see how this goes...

Update later today :)

Wordless Wednesday

What are we looking at?  See below...

Shelley Crew: Christmas 2008

Recipe Swap!!

I came across this site, Swap-Bot tonight.  It is a whole list of swaps going on outside of BlogWorld.  I signed up for one tonight!  You send a recipe card with your favorite recipe to 3 other swappers and you get 3 in return!  I am always looking for new recipes and this seems like a great opportunity.  You don't have to have a blog to participate.  Just go here to sign up! Sign up deadline is February 15th (this Sunday), so hurry...

Anxiously awaiting some new recipes.....

The Letter Game

My new friend Marci at All Things Wonderful had a game on her blog the other day, so I signed up. 

How you play the game is that you are assigned a letter and then have to list out 10 things you love that start with that letter.  

Marci assigned me "D"......

1. Decorating - Anyone who knows me knows that I love to decorate anything!  Whether its my living room or a canvas, it is one of my favorite things to do!

2. Daddy - As mentioned before I am a huge Daddy's girl!

3. Dining - A little stretch but I love to cook!

4. Dogs - I don't know what I would do without my Gavin!

5. Daisies - Gerbera's actually.  They are my absolute favorite flower.

6. Dishes - I love to collect more dish sets!

7. Dancing - I like to dance in the kitchen while I am cooking hahaha :)

8. Drives - When the weather is nice, I like to go for long drives in the country and take pictures.

9. Darkness - ok, another stretch!  I love to be tan!

10. Date Nights - Probably one of my favorite things ever!  Whether it is a movie at home or dinner out.  Good QT!!!

So if you want to play, leave me a comment and I will assign you a letter!  

Memory Monday - My 25th Birthday

I had a wonderful birthday last week. My parents came up for lunch on Friday and we had a great visit and drive around where I live. They also got to meet Will's mom, Genia.  Sunday, we had my birthday lunch at the Shelley's after church.

Me and Will with my SEWING MACHINE!  To be so excited about a sewing machine at 25 ...hmm...to be worried or not! ha!  This will be perfect for making things for my new ETSY shop!

Lerami and Aly were great helpers with that wrapping paper and bows.  They weren't quite as enthused about my sewing machine.  

Again, it was a wonderful birthday and I want to thank everyone for their great gifts and birthday wishes!

Craft It Forward

I am so excited!  My friend Jessica let me know about this exchange called Craft It Forward.  Well while I was doing my daily blog walk, I came across Simply Red and what do you know - She was having a Craft It Forward.  Well I just happen to be her 2nd commenter so that means I will get a hand-crafted item from her!  YAY!  Missy is such a crafter and has a great blog!

Here are the rules:

If you want to win a handmade GIFT from me, be one of the first three bloggers to leave a comment on this post, which entitles you to a handmade item form me.  Winners must post this giveaway on your blog, meaning that you will {Craft it Forward} too, creating a handmade gift for the first three bloggers who leave a comment on YOUR post about this giveaway!  The gift that you send can be any price range and you have 30 days to make and ship your item(s). When you receive your gift remember to blog about it and show linky love!

Doesn't this sound great!  I am too excited!  Even if you are not one of the first 3 people to leave a comment you can still post about this on your blog and encourage your bloggy friends to do the same!

Honest Scrap Award!!

YAY!  My new blogger friend Ashley (great name, right?) at My Life, Our Journey gave me an award for my blog!  Thanks Ash!  Go over and check out her blog and etsy shop.  She is extremely talented!

Here are the rules: Choose a minimum of 5 blogs that you find brilliant in content or design.  Show the 5 winners names and links on your blog, and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with "Honest Scrap".  Well, there's no prize but they can keep the nifty icon.  Then list 10 honest things about yourself.

My Honesty:

1. I am super organized!

2. I hope that my new etsy shop does well.

3. I am the baby of three girls.

4. I am a huge Daddy's girl.

5. I have an amazing boyfriend!

6. I love crafting and would rather do that than anything!

7. I am very family oriented.

8. I am blessed with a great family and wonderful friends.

9. I spend way to much time on blogs! :)

10. I love scrub pants!

Pass it on:

The Pelkey Place

The Osborne Fam

Blue-Eyed Bride

On the Dot Creations

Confessions of a 40-something Mama Queen

Enjoy!

Lemonade Award!

Yay!  Jessica at Pelkey's Place gave me an award for my blog!  Jessica is a close friend of mine outside of Blog World.  Go over and check out her blog, she has some great posts!  Thank you Jessica!

This award is given to bloggers with great attitude and gratitude.  I have picked some great blogs to pass the Lemonade Award to.  I enjoy repeat visits to their blogs and bet you will too.

When you receive your lemonade award, pass it on to others who show great attitude and gratitude.  Share the love!  Here's what you do:

1. Put the lemonade logo on your blog or post.

2. Nominate 10 other bloggers who you think demonstrate good attitude and gratitude.

3. Link to your nominees within your post.

4. Comment on their blog to let them know they have received this award.

5. Link back to this post and the person whom you received this award from.

My nominees for the Lemonade award are:

1. Taina at Fallbeck Family

2. Jen at Tatertots & Jello

3. Ashley at My Life, Our Journey

4. Kasey at All That is Good

5. Erin at Shades of Color

6. Tonya at Currently Crafting

7. Erin at The Freeze Family

8. Jen at Lipstick & Laundry

9. Kimba at A Soft Place to Land

10. Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick