Cinnamon Fruit-licious!

Happy New Year's Eve Everyone!

Before I head out shortly to celebrate the night away, I want to share with you a new, tasty recipe I came across and am trying for the first time, tonight!

Annie's Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Chips

To Serve 10, Here's What You're Gonna Need:

2 Kiwis, peeled and diced

2 Golden Delicious Apples, peeled and diced

8 Oz. Raspberries

1 Lb. Strawberries

2 Tbs. White Sugar

1 Tbs. Brown Sugar

3 Tbs. Fruit Preserves, any flavor

10 (10 inch) Flour Tortillas

Butter Flavored Cooking Spray

2 Cups Cinnamon Sugar

Here's What You Need To Do:

1. In large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar, and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.

P.S. I Love My Pampered Chef Apple Corer!

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

3. Coat one side of the flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray.

4. Bake in preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

So, there you have it! Enjoy!

Hope you have a wonderful and safe New Year's Eve!

Best Wishes for the New Year!

-Vicki

Happy Holidays "Hon!"

If you're from Baltimore, then chances are at some point in your life you have experienced Christmas on 34th Street in Hamden and are very familiar with the "Hons!"

A client of mine took that very concept and transformed their corporate office into their very own "34th Street" for a festive and fun-filled holiday party!

From the Christmas lights to the pink flamingos and the lawn ornaments to the "Hon" glasses, this event was sure to be a hit!

As guests arrived, they were greeted by a flock of pink flamingos and a life-size Natty Bo can.

A must have for all events is a photo-op. So, what's a better photo-op then a row home decorated the way you would see on 34th Street?

Don't forget your glasses, Hon! Everyone's wearing them!

Everyone loves a little pink flamingo action! What festive centerpieces?

(Compliments of my WONDERFUL designer!!)

As for the rest of the decor, enjoy...

A pink and silver Christmas tree with a pink flamingo topper.

A "craddy" tree. This was inspired by the infamous hubcap Christmas tree of Hamden!

A tree of gifts.

The infamous stringing of Christmas lights.

FYI, in Hamden lights are strung across the street from house to house.

Pink flamingos hang out at the North Pole all the time... Don't they?

The gingerbread house, boy and girl!

Well, there you have it. That's how you throw a 34th Street Christmas, Hamden style!

I'm sure the guests will have a great time and I hope you enjoy all the fun and creativity that went into bringing this event to life!

Happy Holidays "Hon!"

-Vicki

Great (Inexpensive) Holiday Decor Ideas!

While surfing the web for some decor ideas for the holidays, I came across a site I would like to share with you.

Kathleen Wilson has come up with some great inexpensive ideas for holiday decor!

Hope you find this helpful and inspiring!

Happy Holidays,

-Vicki

Let's Spread A Little Holiday Cheer!

With the holiday season upon us, we are scrambling to put plans together for the dinners we are preparing and who we are spending the holidays with and where.

Let me lend a hand in some of the preparations!

While flipping through an event magazine a few days ago, I stumbled upon an article about a few seasonal punches from a few of the top mixologists!

"11 Seasonal Punches (and Recipes) From Top Mixologists"

Take a minute and browse these yummy holiday drinks. I hope you find one that tickles your fancy and adds a little cheer to your festivities for the holidays!

Cheers :o)

-Vicki

Alice In Wonderland!!

Chances are, you don't know that "Alice in Wonderland" is one of my favorite movies. So, you can only imagine how excited I am about the new remake of "Alice In Wonderland" with Johnny Depp playing the Madd Hatter! :o)

Anyways... the point of this post is to share with you an event I read about a few days ago in an event magazine. Needless to say, the theme was "Alice In Wonderland!"

"Alice In Wonderland - Inspired Whimsy Accents Meridian Ball"

Take a look through the pictures!

My favorite part of this event was the buffet. When you take a look at that picture, you will see a teapot suspended in the air and pouring red carnations into a stack of tea cups like at the Madd Hatter's half birthday.

The lighting used to light up the trees guests walked through as they entered the tent was phenomenal!

Hope you enjoy reading about and seeing the pictures of this event as much as I did!

Ciao!

-Vicki

Hello December!

So, I woke up this morning and realized it's December. REALLY?

Where does the time go? I swear yesterday I was hanging out on the boat with an ice cold beer enjoying the summer!

Don't get me wrong, I am the definition of a summer baby and would give anything for some warmer weather. But, I really do enjoy the holiday's too! I love all the family time during this time of the year. But, the hustle and bustle of this time of year is crazy. There never seems to be any down time, EVER!

Between work and getting ready for Christmas, my life is going to be quite insane for the next few weeks.

I have events for work every weekend this month. In between those events, I'll be fitting in dinner with my friends, shopping, holiday decorating, visiting family, and so much more. But, I'm going to love every minute of it.

I can't wait to share pictures with you from all the holiday parties this month from work and all the fun and festivities with family and friends. There's so much that will be going on!

In the meantime, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and stay posted to see everything that's going on and what I'm working on!

HAPPY DECEMBER!

-Vicki

FINALLY!

How was your Turkey Day? Mine was super yummy!

Thanksgiving dinner with my friends Saturday night was a smash! I'm working on getting a post together that will show all the food, fun, and festivities that went down. So, stay tuned!

In the meantime, let's talk about my planner I was working on. IT'S FINISHED!!

As you can see, I haven't finished the front of the book yet. I am still trying to decide how I want to design it. Any thoughts?

But, I am really looking forward to putting it to good use. It will really help me keep things organized for all the projects I have going on right now.

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My Boat Trip Scrapbook is also starting to take shape! I'm thinking tonight will consist of a little Monday Night Football and scrapbooking. What more could a girl ask for?

Take a look at what I have done so far!

Stay tuned to see the book continue to take shape!

Ciao,

-Vicki

Let's Play Catch Up!

Yes, I know I have been MIA lately! IM SORRY!

It's that time of the year and things are so hectic!

Work has been picking up which means a lot less down time. It's great for my checking account, but not my social life and sanity... LOL!

Here's a little update on the projects I've been working on.

MY PROJECT PLANNER...

...is just about finished! I have just about everything I need to put the planner together. Only thing I'm missing is printer ink. I went to print everything out last night and wouldn't you know the black ink was out. Go Figure! So, I'm going tonight to get a new black and color cartridge and get this sucker printed out and ready to go. Once it's all put together and finished, pictures will soon follow!

STATIONARY...

...is coming along. This project has taken me longer than I had hoped it would. With being busy with work recently, it seems as though I have been working on all the nice days out and been off on the rainy ones. So, as soon as this rainy weather breaks I will get back outside and do some spraying. Pictures will be coming soon for this project too!

BOAT TRIP SCRAPBOOK...

...is a work in progress. This book is coming along nicely. I am so excited for it to be finished. I will be sure to take some pictures of what I have done so far and share them with you!

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So, that's what I've been working on and here's what's coming up!

TURKEY DAY!

Thanksgiving is only TWO days away! YIKES! I'm so not ready. LOL!

My friends and I always get together to celebrate Christmas and New Years, but never Thanksgiving. We have decided to change that this year. On Saturday, I'm getting together with some of my closest friends to have (what we hope to become and annual thing) our first "Friendly Thanksgiving." My friend Amanda and I are hosting the dinner and we expect it to be nothing short of DELISH! We will have all the traditional Thanksgiving foods - turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green been casserole, cranberries, rolls, and more. We will be sure to take tons of pictures and share the fun & festivities with you!

FOOTBALL BABY!

This Sunday is the much anticipated first meeting of the Ravens & Steelers! Guess who's going to the game? That's right - ME! :o) It is sure to be an exciting game for everyone and I am so looking forward to it! Amanda and I are going to the game along with my sister and a few other people. Again, we will be sure to share the good times!

MOVING DAY!

So, BIG NEWS! Amanda & Jeremy (her boyfriend) just bought their first house! How exciting is that! I don't know who's more excited - them or me! Okay, it's probably them! :o)

Anyways, the next few weeks will be getting ready for the big move! From paint to hardwood floors to moving trucks - it's going to be an adventure. Stay tuned to Amanda's blog for all the painting, decorating, and other fun home things yet to come!

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Well, I think that's about all for now. Stay tuned for all the updates to come!

GOBBLE GOBBLE!

-Vicki

Time to Catch Up!

Yesterday we went over what's coming up. But, I think it's time to let you all know what I've been up to the last few weeks when I've been without my computer!

So, let's get going.

First we are going to start with FOOD! With football season upon us, it seems only fitting to share my Football Snacks with you.

Snack #1: Crab Dip

It's not very often that you find a cold crab dip. Well, I have one that is delish and SOO easy yo make!

Here's what you need:

• 1 Lb. Back Fin Crab Meat
• Miracle Whip
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Old Bay

After breaking up the crab meat and placing it in a mixing bowl, simply add all the other ingredients to your liking. I like to do every thing by taste and not measuring cups

If you prefer to use mayonnaise, go for it. I prefer Miracle Whip for the sweeter taste. On average, I start with 3 tablespoons of Miracle Whip and add until I have the consistency I like. The same goes for the Old Bay. I love Old Bay and I tend to add A LOT! But, once again, add the Old Bay to your liking.

OH! Don't forget the crackers! I'm a fan of Wheat Thins or Club Crackers.

Snack #2: Strawberry Dip

This one is beyond simple and so yummy!

Here's what you need:

• 1 Cool Whip Tub
• Small Jar of Strawberry Preserves
• Strawberries

All you have to do is mix all the Cool Whip with about half of the Strawberry preserves jar. Once mixed, you have a great dip. I really like dipping strawberries in the dip, but I must say I also really like spreading the dip on some pound cake. :o)

Snack #3: Chocolate & Cheese

Chances are, you are going to think I'm crazy for this one! But, don't knock it until you try it. I don't know about you, but when I eat chocolate I crave cheese and vice versa. So, needless to day, I thought chocolate covered cheese would be a phenomenal idea and boy was it! SO YUMMY!

You can use any kind of cheese and any kind of chocolate. I prefer Yellow American and Milk Chocolate. Simply cut the cheese block up into small bite-size pieces. All you have to do is dip and cheese in the chocolate and there you have it: Chocolate Covered Cheese!

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This coming weekend my parents will be hosting a "Tailgate Party" for the Ravens home game. I will be sure to share all the yummy goodies I come across!

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Stay tuned to here what else has been going on!

Cheers,

-Vicki

What's Next to Come?

Guess who's back? :o)

I finally got my computer back! I installed both of my new programs on my computer and I am working on teaching myself how they work! It's exciting and overwhelming all at once! I've got a lot left to learn!

But, in the mean time, here's a sneak peek at the projects I'm working on.

- My main project I'm working on right now is what I'm calling "My Project Planner." I'm still trying to come up with another, catchy name. Any thoughts? :o) The purpose of this project is so I have some where to keep a running tab of all the projects I'm working on. It will allow me to have one go-to place to keep all my notes, pictures, supply lists, and everything else I need to make sure my projects come out just the way I want.

Does anyone remember the "denim" binders we all had back in the days of middle school? They were a textured fabric and we decorated the fronts and back. Well, I was looking for them all over the place. I thought that binder would be a good choice to keep "My Project Planner" in because I would be able to decorate the front. Well, they don't make them anymore, or I have no idea where to find them. I'm not in love with the idea of using the traditional binder that has the plastic sleeve you can slide a cover in to. But, I was able to find something that will allow me to the same thing the "denim" binders would. And the best part, they are made from recycled materials! So, I am using the Wilson Jones Recycled Binder. I'm really excited about it!

- I'm really looking forward to this next project of mine. It's really quite simple. I'm going to make my own stationary! All you have to do is take plain paper and spray paint a stencil to the paper. I recommend using Floral Spray Paint. It's slightly more expensive then traditional spray paint, but not as harsh. I'm also using card stock instead of plain paper.

I'm going to start by making generic stationary. My goal is to have a set for each season. If I'm feeling energetic and have the time I need, I may even work on making a set for each holiday. I'm going to make my stationary on 8.5 x 5.5 inch paper, but you can make it whatever size you want.

- As an event planner, I take special pride in this project. I am going to make personalized "Wedding Workbooks." I'm using The Knot's and Martha Stewart's as my inspiration. But, what will set my books apart are that mine will be personalized to my friends. The book will include different things that say who the couple is and who makes them who they are (i.e. favorite colors, pictures, etc.) I am really looking forward to this one!

- OH! I finally started working on my Boat Trip 2009 Scrapbook. I took a ton of pictures and I bought all kinds of things home with me to include in the book (i.e. post cards, maps, etc.) I will be sure to share the progress of the book!

I think that's about all of BIG projects that I'm working on right now. I will be sure to keep you updated on the status of each project with tutorials and pictures! I hope you are as excited to read about the projects as I am to work on them!

Be sure to share with me any thoughts or ideas you have about what I'm working on and I would love to hear from you about what you are working on. I am always looking for a little inspiration.

Cheers,

-Vicki :o)

Wait For Me!

Okay, so something terrible happened to me a few days ago! I had to send my computer away to be fixed! :o(

I bought this really awesome program for my computer that would allow me to do different page layouts for my scrapbooking fetish and many other things as well! I also bought a program that would install about 500 new fonts on my computer! You can only imagine how exicted I was!

I got home from the store, ripped open the packages and popped the first CD in my drive. Apparently, my CD played decided it no longer likes to read CDs. So, needless to say, I took my computer to the store and it's not something they will fix in house.

So, here I am now. I've been without my computer for almost a week and the store claims it could be up to 14 days before it's back to me.

Without my computer and my hundreds and hundreds of pictures, I am put on hold with my blogging. But, please hold tight while I wait to get it back. Because when I do, I will be blogging up a storm!

-Vicki

Hungry Anyone?

What's it people say? "Call me whatever you want. Just don't call me late for dinner!"

Some would say having a vegetarian to feed can make it difficult to come up with meals for everyone to enjoy. Well, I beg to differ! Although, that's probably because I'm the vegetarian! :o)

In all reality, it's actually very easy. The only difference is that you may have to dirty an extra dish or two. For example, when we have spaghetti for dinner at my house, I take a small pot to heat the sauce. In a larger pan, I brown the meat and add the sauce. The noodles don't get mixed in with the meat and sauce. It's that simple!

Now it is time to share one of my favorite meals with you.

Hickory Honey Smoked Veggies & Chicken

What you will need:

• Green Peppers
• Onions
• Tomatoes
• Potatoes
• Mushrooms
• Chicken Tenderloins
• Kraft Hickory Honey Smoked BBQ Sauce
• Egg Noodles

As for quantities of each ingredient, I will leave that up to you. I base how many of each ingredient on how many people are eating. But, as a general rule of thumb, 1 of each vegetable is usually more then enough for every 2 people.

Now for the "how to" part and, to be honest, it's very easy...

- Cut up vegetables and place in aluminum tin. (Why an aluminum tin you ask? Two words: easy clean-up)

- Trim fat off chicken and place in separate aluminum pan.

- Add one bottle of Kraft Hickory Honey Smoked BBQ sauce to each tin.

- Once sauce has been added to veggies and chicken, cover (aluminum foil or plastic wrap) and place in refrigerator and allow to marinate over night.

Note: You don't have to marinate the veggies and chicken over night. I like to do it because it allows the veggies and chicken to really soak in the sauce!

- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

- Cook veggies for a hour and a half. Stir every 20 minutes or so.

- Cook chicken for a hour and fifteen minutes. Flip chicken half way through cook time.

- For the noodles, follow directions on package.

Time to eat! Enjoy!

I know this meal takes some time. But, it is so worth it. Plus, it really is very easy.

I hope you like it as much as I do!

Bon-Appetit!

-Vicki