ummmmmm ungh...

everyone should know what it's like to love an animal this much.

image from Pinterest

burlap and bows...

I want to makes this pretty burlap pillow. I adore the the big cream bow tied around it. This little pretty will adorn a vintage child's rocker I recently lucked up on at a recent estate sale. The seat of it looks just like the one in this picture! Don't you want to make one, too?!!

image is not from Sissie's Shabby Cottage !

I thought it was. Sissie says it's not. I guess she would know.

Day 14...

I am not a dieter. I never have been... (cue the image of me to the right. In my simple I-live-in-Mary Beth-land  mind, the HUGE camera makes me look very thin...). According to a couple of so-called doctors that I've seen over the past few months, I need to lose some pounds (whaaaaaa?) and ...get this.. start exercising! (WHAAAAAAA?) Geeze Louise, I watch "Dancing with the Stars", "Survivor", "The Amazing Race" AND was a cheerleader in high school!.... What else could I possibly do?!!

Well, in an effort to get my blood work numbers looking better, I started checking out all the diet programs out there these days. Being a used-to-be-home-ec teacher (with a minor in nutrition... haha) I knew that my program would have to be  nutritional sound, easy to understand, use real food and hopefully not leave me miserable every day. From "The Doctors" show, I learned about a doctor developed "17 Day Diet" program that offered a plan that changes every 17 days and seemed to meet all of the qualifications that I was looking for. I ordered the book and started to get excited about the changes that might be coming in my direction. After reading the first few chapters, I was ready to begin. I am happy to say that this morning on day 14, I have lost ELEVEN pounds! ...and I have to say that I have felt very content every day. I already feel so much better and more energetic! Next 17-Days, I'm coming atcha....   

you're so vain...

You're so-o vain. I bet you think this post is about you. Don't you? Don't you?

image via pinterest

hindsight equals...

hindsight = coulda + shoulda + woulda

plain and simple math

image from pinterest

mama's gonna snap....

free print download in turquoise, orange or pink at MaryJanes and Goloshes

linking up to Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound

Suess-isms...

Dr. Suess

March 2... Happy Birthday, Dr. Suess! ... you are loved...

national pancake day...

March 1 is National Pancake Day!

Here's several yummies I've recently collected and thought that you might also like to try...

From I am Baker , these pretties are regular pancakes (made smaller to be different) then topped with either strawberries or blueberries. Instead of syrup, she used powdered sugar mixed with milk, a drop of vanilla plus a drop of either red or blue food coloring. 

Also from I am Baker, this delightful stack alternates regulars with red velvet pancakes! WHAAAAAAA? These are served with Blueberry Syrup  and  blueberries. Call me when these are ready! Her Red Velvet Pancake recipe can be found here.

How about these mouth watering Ciinnamon Roll pancakes from Baked Bree! She says "When people tell you that these are the best pancakes they have ever eaten, then you know that they are good.  These pancakes are exactly what you want when you are craving a cinnamon bun but do not have the time to make them.  These are sweet, cinnamon-y and fluffy.  To make something delicious and over the top, instead of maple syrup (which is also delicious), top them with cinnamon bun icing.  Nothing short of amazing!"  Get her recipe here.

A pretty rainbow stack can be made by simply adding food coloring to the batter!

How about this fun idea? Lay your cooked bacon on the griddle and then cover each one with batter to make delicious long pancakes!

I made these for my College Daughter, Libby!... (here for original post). Add some batter to an empty squirt bottle. Writing backwards, pour name into pan. (I wrote it backwards onto paper first so that I had something to look at and to follow.) Give it a few moments to start browning, then pour a pancake on top of the backwards name. I also made faces and hearts.

This last idea from I am Baker will have to wait until fall. She divided her batter among three bowls. One bowl of batter was left as is to make regular brown pancakes. Yellow food coloring was added to one bowl and orange to the last. After the pancakes were cooked, they were cut into leaf shapes and served with maple syrup. How clever!

I hope you have a delicious National Pancake Day! Use these ideas or get inspired to search out others for a scrumptious breakfast or supper.

For more terrific recipes I've been collecting, checkout my boards on Pinterest.

only with a dress...

oh, those clothes from the 60s...I was in the 4th grade before girls were allowed to wear pants to school! They let us start that winter because it was unusually cold. We could only wear them IF we wore a dress or long top (like the one on the left) over them. Mine was just like this one but in brown corduroy. I was sooo excited AND warm..... 

don't forget...

right now... i'm enjoying being cheap, quick and easy.