Thursday, December 20, 2012

HGTV's Dream Home

Every year I look forward to seeing the new Dream Home that HGTV gives away. I imagine winning it and going with my friends and family for an awesome vacation.

I love Linda Woodrum's style. I have to say she is now one of my favorite decorators. I look forward to watching the show that features the home on New Year's Day. It's fun to dream!

This years's home is on Kiawah Island, SC. It is so beautiful.

I can picture hanging out on this deck.
The Great Room.
The Master Bedroom.


I imagine it is even more beautiful in person!


Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Pretty Young Bride

I haven't been in the mood to post. My husband is in the hospital.
I just finished this watercolor for a young woman that I've watched grow up. She made a beautiful bride!

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Elf

It is so funny, we had an elf as kids and my Mother used to move it around to trick us. Who knew that it would morph in this?! I love looking at some of the creative ideas that people are coming up with for their elves.
from www.livinglocurto.com

from www.livinglocurto.com

from flicker
 
also from flicker
 




Thursday, December 6, 2012

Love It, Or Hate It?


Philadelphia ia an old city with many aging commercial areas which the city is now trying to revitalize:

I was invited to see this project:

Join the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program and our partners as we celebrate the realization of Philly Painting, an experimental transformative public art intervention along one of the oldest commercial corridors in North Philadelphia, where Germantown Avenue intersects with Lehigh Avenue.World famous Dutch artists Jeroen Koolhaas and Dre Urhahn – better known as Haas & Hahn – transformed the facades of more than 50 storefronts between the 2500-2800 blocks of Germantown Avenue, along with muralists and crew hired from the community. This unique year-long collaborative project is a key element of a larger economic initiative in the area led by the City of Philadelphia Department of Commerce.Immediately following the dedication, everyone is invited to participate in a festive parade with live music and entertainment, which ends at The Village of Arts & Humanities, and take a FREE tour, led by the project team.

I love it!

 






Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Good Book!

I'm always looking for a good book and I found this book to be hilarious!
Mindy is a writer, producer and actor on the show, The Office.

I found Mindy to be so funny. She has such a great comedic style.


Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)

by
 
“I’m only marginally qualified to be giving advice at all. My body mass index is certainly not ideal, I frequently use my debit card to buy things that cost less than three dollars because I never have cash on me, and my bedroom is so untidy it looks like vandals ransacked the Anthropologie Sale section. I’m kind of a mess.”
Mindy Kaling, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Macy's Light Show

Do you have a favorite holiday tradition?
If you're from Philadelphia, chances are you've seen the light show at the Macy's Department Store at Broad and Market, which used to be John Wanamakers.
There is a huge pipe organ and they have a choreographed light show which plays along. Kids love it and families sit on the floor to watch the display which is about three stories tall.
Nothing like it to put you in the spirit! (Although I worked here a couple of Christmas seasons and I think I used to dream to music!)
 


 
Love their window dispalys this year.
Scrooge:
 
The Parade figures coming out of the TV:
 
 
A miniature version of the organ and light show!:
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Friday, November 30, 2012

Recycled Art

I have to say that I see something new and beautiful every day as I walk around this beautiful city.

This is the ultimate piece of recycled art. it is in the lobby of a building on Juniper Street in the Philadelphia Building.

The entire lighting fixture is made of recycled light fixture and chandelier pieces.




 
Sorry, my pictures do not do it justice!
 



Thursday, November 29, 2012

Food Network Recipe

I wanted to try a new recipe for stuffing for Thanksgiving. After hearing the protests of my husband and kids, I decided to make two types. They still wanted my regular, sausage-sage stuffing.

This recipe was from Food Network but I made some changes. We all loved it!

Cornbread Stuffing with Ham and Shrimp

stick of butter
1 lb. ham, chopped
1 onion chopped (small dice)
2 stalks of celery, also small dice
1 green pepper, chopped
1 tsp. tarragon
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 14 oz. cans of chicken broth
1 can of Campbell's Cream of celery soup
1/4 cup chopped parsley
4 cups cornbread stuffing
4 cups of white bread stuffing
(I used Pepperidge Farm)
1 pound of cooked Shrimp, chopped

In a large pot, sautee vegetables in butter until softened, andd spices, chicken broth and soup, then parsley and shrimp. gradually add stuffing until moisened.

Bake at 350, covered with foil,until heated through.

Delicious! It had a slight kick because of the Old Bay.

Photo Courtesy of Food Network:





Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Pinterest

Are you as addicted to Pinterst as I am??

I especially love looking at ideas for Christmas.

Are these the cutest? I am so going to use these ideas.

From bakerella.com

From hwtm.com

From amandaparkerandfamily.blogspot.com


Tuesday, November 27, 2012

City Hall's Christmas Village

Every year they set up a Christmas Village around city hall. We are under constuction so it is set-up across the street in Love Park. It really looks so cute, they set up wooden sheds and trim them in white lights. Vendors come from Lancaster come to sell wooden crafts and ornaments. It has become one of the many Christmas traditions in the city.

Looks great at night, glowing with white lights.
Hand-crafted wooden candelabras.
 



Monday, November 26, 2012

Cookie Swap

I am so excited about this year's cookie swap. My friend Shannon is hosting this year and it will be held December 7th. It's a little early this year but it was almost cancelled due to so many conflicting schedules.

I held several cookie swaps at my house in past years but my group of friends are not really bakers so I invited myself to another group of friends' party.

I asked people to come dressed for a prize and my good friends Donna and Debbie always gave us a good laugh. One year they were a tree and an angel!

Another year they were Mary and Joseph (they"borrowed" Baby Jesus from some one's front yard)!



I love getting together with girlfriends around the holidays.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Whew! Shopping at Reading Terminal!


We have this great indoor market in Philadelphia, the Reading Terminal Market. It opened in 1892 and brought indoors the open-air style of markets. Theres are so many awesome businesses. Farmers, fisherman and all type of businessman sell their food and wares. Today I went to pick up a turkey at Godshall's which has been in the market since 1912! I was number 92 and they were on number 60, luckily they had lots of people working the counter. Their poultry is awesome. I heard a man say he has been married 48 years and he just purchased his 48th Thanksgiving turkey.

Many of the Amish from Lancaster County have stands in the Market. They are the hardest working people you've ever seen and the best bakers!

Two days before Thanksgiving and the lines were wrapped around some of the stands. It was a blur of activity!

An old image from Godshall's
Old Time photo of the Market
I love the painted signs in the market.

So much to choose from!
 
I will be blogging often about the awesomeness of the Market. It's one of my favorite places in the city. The woman in front of me bought fresh-ground sage sausage, so I HAD to get some for my stuffing. I will blog about that too!
 


Monday, November 19, 2012

Thanksgiving and Pie!

One of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving is the pie.
Do you have a favorite?
Is it pumpkin, apple, lemon meringue?
I am going to make one or two and buy a couple of pies.
I will post about some of the delicious foods I'll be making!


Friday, November 16, 2012

Philadelphia's City Hall

I am fortunate enough to work for Philadelphia City Council, in City Hall.
Every Friday, I would like to feature a part of this building, which is beyond magnificent. They started building in 1871 and did not complete it until 1901. It cost 24 million. You could not build something like this today. It is the largest municipal building in the country. Everyday I see something new.

The building is such a treasure and anyone who is an architecture buff should really visit. I often think of who may have walked these halls. Anyone who got married in this city would have to come here for their license.

A statue of William Penn adorns the top.

So pretty at night!
Billy Penn!
This gives you an idea of how large the entrances are. There are four and these lead to a center courtyard. This is taken during a New Year's day parade.
Four of these marble pillars inside the entrance facing North Broad Street. They are at least five foot in diameter.
Cherubs appear to hold up the roof!
These are at least 12 foot tall.
Beautiful mosaics at the base.