Big Thanks for the Help

Thank you Mom, Jon, and Lynn for helping me peel eggs! Thanks Dad for helping me make all the eggs! Thank you recipezaar for the recipes! Thank Teresa for the task!

Deviled Eggs!!!

It might be the part of me that has stayed childlike that finds humor in taking food preparation assignments to the extreme. A couple years ago, my cousin Elizabeth and I made the Lamb Cake for Easter. Lamb Cake is a traditional piece on our Easter, a recipe handed down through generations, a cake molded from a cast iron lamb shape. This project was taken to the extreme by making an over abundance of frosting... we had broken my mom's mixer during the process... oops :) We had to use that frosting not only on the lamb, but also the plate... Pretty right?

Here is the lamb's bed of grass...
(and Elizabeth and I)

...and here was a our beautiful lamb!

This year my aunt Teresa assigned me the task of making the Deviled Eggs for Easter at my grandparent's house. Immediately upon hearing this news, I decided I wanted my eggs to be an unforgettable piece to this year's holiday!

Every Easter our family has Deviled Eggs as an appetizer and this is probably my favorite food on the table so, I guess it makes sense for me to prepare them. How can one take the task to an extreme you ask? Well, my idea at first was to make 10 dozen eggs... my thought was, there are never enough to satisfy everyone (or at least me ;) ) and I can't be the only one who loves them so much. I was soon advised to pull back my efforts because of the time and expense that would be required in the preparation of 240 Deviled Eggs. My dad allowed me to use four eggs per the 9 recipes I wanted to try (plus four more for extra normal eggs) totally 80 Deviled Eggs. I wanted this to be a little bit more of a treat this year so I enlisted the help of the fine recipe contributors of recipezaar.com to get some ideas for new flavors. While I LOVE the classic Deviled Egg, it is the only kind we ever really have at our holiday gathering so I thought that we could use a bit of variety in egg appetizers this year. With a grocery list of 30 different ingredients I believe that my goal for variety and memorability can be accomplished... as long as I can get them all made.

*above text was prepared before taking on the challenge

I'm preparing to make the first batch: the traditional eggs.

I decided to make two batches of the classics in the anticipation that my relatives will think I'm crazy and favor these over all of the other, more nontraditional recipes. Our preference has been for a bit more of a chunky egg mix. They are nice... but a little... boring. haha, delicious all the same!

I have chosen six recipes from recipezaar.com to try out in search of a new favorite of my own. Here were the winners of that search:

No Yolk Deviled Eggs

The filling is potatoes instead of yolk. They resembled a potato salad in taste. I liked this recipe.

The Real Deal Deviled Eggs

These are special for your spicy food loving friends. They have a kick, that is for sure.

Mexi Salsa Deviled Eggs

I believe these were the favorite of the day. They were gone first anyway!

Lemon-Curry Deviled Eggs

If you like curry, you would like these.

Ali's Dill Pickle Deviled Eggs

These were probably my favorite. The dill flavor with the eggs was excellent.

Dirty Martini Deviled Eggs

Yes, they contain Vodka and yes, they were pretty good... cute too.

The remaining two batches were reserved for two special concoctions that I had devised on my own!

That is my dad, helping me out with all my eggs... as well as the 30 ingredients!

Invention #1:

Bacon Ranch Deviled Eggs

They contain bacon, red pepper, green pepper, and peppercorn ranch dressing

I loved these! They were sooo delicious!

Invention #2

S.O.S Deviled Eggs

S.O.S comes from a military dish that my family would eat often together. I wanted to make eggs inspired by that meal because it is one of my favorites.

The egg mix contains pork sausage, hash browns, and white sauce (like in biscuits and gravy...).

Another winner I thought!

and here is the spread of 8o Deviled Eggs!

I dare you to assign me a layered cake for your next birthday Teresa! ;)

Vacation full of new things.

Last week Dave and I traveled to Mexico and met up with his parents and an aunt and uncle. While on this vacation in Akumal, Mexico I experienced a lot of firsts. This was my very first time in Mexico for one. Secondly, I visited two ancient ruin sites, Coba and Tulum. In Coba I climbed my first ancient pyramid and stood a few feet away from the first iguana that I've seen outside of a cage! Another first that occurred was snorkeling in an ocean and seeing my first, second, and third sea turtle which had been my favorite animal from afar, but now I have an even greater love for them! Dave's family had been there for a couple days before we arrived and had scoped out the best restaurants and bars that they wanted to share with us. Mexico presented yet another first for me... drinking tequila in an open to the elements bar... with swings! Enough words... Here are some shots from the trip.

Entrance to a burial space within the ruins of Coba.

I like how the tree's roots are clinging around the arch.

This small pyramid was attached to the tomb.

This is the tallest pyramid on the Yucatan Peninsula...

...the one we climbed.

Looking over the edge...Looking out into the world

David, looking out from the top.

This was taken while entering the sea port ruins of Tulum.

These ruins were much more uncovered and manicured for tourists.

Couldn't help but desire to live here.

... and right on the gulf.

I took this while sitting under a palm tree after snorkling.

Here is the bar with swings!

Here are the swings!

This bar also had a crow's nest that you could sit in.

Dave and I visited it the night before to check it out.

This lovely lady...

This lovely model is Lara and she is now a happy owner of one of my dresses! Here is the dress I posted about a while ago, saying that I was jealous of it before I had even finished, well, the feeling remains! I love the fact that this particular dress has two separate styles in it's reversability that play together to create variations that are absolutely fabulous! Dressing it up, making it casual, creating a retro feel, Lara has been able to manipulate her dress beautifully. I love it!

Strike a Pose!

Over the weekend I participated in a photo shoot for my friend's portfolio of work. Crystal Roob has been learning the necessary skills to become a world class hair stylist and I was excited to help her out any way that I could, so naturally, I gave her my hair!

Bonus: I wore another configuration of the convertible/reversible dress!

Crystal wanted to work with my color she put in, so loops were made at the front to highlight the highlights.

The front of my hair was swept over to create the loops. The front, being blonde, plays off of the back, darker curls, a two tone effect inspired by my dress.

This is Lydia, Crystal's classmate and, this day, model. Volume curls were made on the left side and the rest of the hair volumized to the max...

...was swept over to the other side into an edgy pony tail.

Lydia looks pretty rocker with this hair style and the glasses!

*Photography by David Johansson

New Configuration!

I wanted to share a new configuration for my convertible, reversible dress. I discovered it while making Lara's dress. So, imagine the printed side (Cutest Combo Post) where the blue is the the dark maroon/purple color as the brown part. It looked a lot more interesting with her fabrics.

Ready for the Sun!

Spring is here! It is time for sunglasses! I love to protect my eyes from those harmful UV rays, because wearing sunglasses is just fun!

Alright, let's get down to business. I've been without a computer for a couple weeks now which is why there has been a lack in posts. So, I wanted to update everyone on the status of my projects from the last post.

First, the sweater dress is a flop. Tried my idea ... didn't like how it was turning out ... quit the project, for now. Perhaps I will come up with another dress variation for my old sweater. I dreamt about a possible solution the other night which might be a possibility, but more on that later.

OK, swim suit! I have completed two tops, almost a bottom. The real draw for me on this project was the bead work for the top. My first attempt resulted in something a little less flattering than what I had been hoping for. The piece to be beaded was cut over sized, displacing the rest of the suit to the sides of my body. Also, the lines were not running smoothly or parallel the way that I wanted them. I decided to move forward learning from those parts that didn't please me and complete a second top of which I'm much more proud!

I'm much too pasty at the moment to model these and post the pictures online... haha. I will, however, be wearing the suit in a couple weeks during a trip to Mexico, (assuming, of course, that we make a flight... standby) so perhaps a few moments down in the sun will be captured on camera at that time.

Attempts one (bottom) and two (top) for comparison.

This was my first attempt. I went through all the beading even though I didn't like the fit. Turns out I don't like the bead work much either. :)

I will definitely feel comfortable on the beach in this one. I much prefer the fit and the bead arrangement I came up with. Taking the white gems out really helped! The blue metallic piece is much narrower, bringing the white pieces up to the front where they belong.