Music Video Tuesday (ooops, it's Wednesday)

     

Summer seems to have slipped through our fingers:( The days of picnicking, watching sunsets, barbecuing, and catching those magical lighting bugs seems to come and gone sooo fast and as I listen to the Paper Kites record, I feel a little sad. I love summer so much, I don't ever want the season to end. If you are from the Midwest, then you will understand having a bond to one of the four seasons we are given:) 

Oh, the many memories I have from these past few weeks............Ahhhhhhhh, I just never want these days to end.

Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Pineapple

You may ask, "is it wrong to deplete all health benefits of fruit by wrapping a greasy, salty slab of meat around it"? Well the answer is HECK NO! These little suckers are so tasty, that you won't think twice popping a few in your mouth in a record amount of time (no judging on my eating habits please)!

It has been no secret of my love affair with summertime and with this love come tasty treats that only compliment my relationship. Pineapple is in season and is a staple for summertime grilling, so it only seemed natural to make a appetizer with this fruit. 

Ingredients:

1/2 pound sliced bacon, cut into halves

1 fresh pineapple, cut into 2" cubes

4 tablespoons of brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wrap each chunk of pineapple in a half slice of bacon, trim off any fatty or excess bacon. 

Place on a wire baking rick or on a lined sheet pan. Bake for about 20 minutes.....remove and sprinkle with brown sugar and preheat broiler to low.

Place the pineapple bites under the broiler for a few minutes. Keep your eye on these so they don't burn.

Let cool, stick with a toothpick, serve, oh, and be sure to hide a few for yourself!

The picture above was taken only seconds before my family stomped in and devoured these tasty bites in only a few seconds......at one point, I thought the plate was a goner too:) Ha Ha 

Blueberry Mojito Recipe

We have been on a Mojito kick latley. Maybee its summer that sets this delicious drink into an afternoon must have or the fact that I have the worlds largest mint plant and need a reason to use it, but either way these babies are delicious.  We have experimented with other types of fruit (mango, cherry, and pineapple), but if you are serving to a crowd, the blueberry version is fast and easy....no chopping required.

Ingredients (makes 1 drink):

8 blueberries

6 to 8 mint leaves

2 tablespoons (1 ounce) of lemon juice

2 teaspoons of sugar

1/4 cup (2 ounces) of white rum

1 cup of ice

2 tablespoons  (1 ounce) of club soda

Lime slice for garnish

Muddle (smash together) the blueberries and mint with the lemon juice and sugar in the shaker.  Add rum to shaker. Fill your glass with ice. Place your shaker over the glass filled with ice and pour. Add the soda to the remaining space (about an inch of soda). Add your decretive straw and lime and sip, sip, sip.

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Salvage One

This past weekend I helped set up a wedding in a really unique venue, Salvage One. By day they are a vintage warehouse of unique finds and retro to reclaimed furniture pieces, but look closely and you will find lounge stations, bars, and even a stage where a hired band can rock out your next event. 

Eye candy for any photographer, this space was a fun find. 

My favorite area of this 60,000 sq. ft. space was the outdoor garden/patio. A little unkempt but trimmed in just enough places to make it not seem over grown, fountains made from bathtubs, and pergolas grand enough to rest under with your sweetie. Basically my dream garden.

If you are in the area, pop in for a look see.....it's worth it:)

DIY: Painted Vases

I come across these beautiful and timeless crystal/glass vases at thrift stores all the time. It's kinda sad really how at one time this beautiful vase was a prized piece in someones china cabinet but because styles drastically changed, they where discarded and forgotten (tear). Well, I have come to the rescue and have given my once forgotten vases a SUPER quick makeover.....and to be honest, I think they are feeling sexy in their new look! 

Music Video Tuesday

I need a little bit of folkie rock today and The Barr Brothers definitely delivers. Rough vocals, raw instrumental sounds, and lyrics that work, these brothers have won me over. This Tuesday is going to be a good one! 

New House + Summer = Great

Summer is my favorite season for soooo many reasons, but let me explain why.......

I love how the warm heat is inhaled, how evenings are lightning bug filled, how grilling is a daily occurrence, how flip flips become my go-to shoe, how gardening is my exercise, bon fires are weekends gathering spots and walking the pups is a time of exploration in our new neighborhood. 

Really, what isn't there to love? Oh, well, maybe the midwest humidity and what it does to my hair (frizz fest), but that is getting a bit nit picky:) Ha ha.

This past Independence holiday, we made sure to relax in our home and do some fun projects, so when the summer light filtered in the most lovely way, I had to grab the camera and shoot away our afternoon views. 

If this post was a dinner party, I would raise my glass with you all and toast to summer and all of the goodness it brings. Cling, cling, cling....cheers!

Our Plans Tonight

The Big Plans: Tonight we are excited for some patriotic fun in 11 Eureka goodies! 

Dinner with friends, new cocktail recipes, some good tunes (who doesn't love some Neil?), a walk over to Lisle Fest for 3rd of July fireworks and this little lady is spent! phewww

 There are lots of new vintage additions being added into the shop all weekend long (so stay tuned) but for tonight, its all about FUN!