Recipes, projects & products that don’t suck.

This week on Facebook, my mom posted a photo of her mother and wrote, “My mom may be a little crazy, but that’s what makes her the BEST MOM!!!” The same is true of my mother. She’s a little crazy (let’s be honest, sometimes she’s a LOT crazy), but she sure can be a lot of fun. Her name is Sherry, but her alias is “Sharia Shriver” (Maria’s Shriver’s long-lost cousin). It doesn’t matter what it is, Sharia can turn just about anything (and I mean ANYTHING) into a full-blown news story. Just give her a microphone (a water bottle, hairbrush, fork, spoon, tiki torch, etc. will do) and a camera man–and prepare for drama and laughs. To say she’s entertaining is an understatement. She’s…

That’s right, it’s time for another Stella & Dot giveaway! This time, from the just released 2013 Summer Collection. Our Chelsea Tech Wallet has been extremely popular and since you all seemed to love the giveaway I did last fall (for the Chelsea in poppy), I decided to give away another one! ***Note:  This wallet is currently available in three patterns. The navy stripe pattern is very low in stock, so if you really love it, I suggest ordering it NOW. It will be back in stock briefly starting on/about May 10. After that, it won’t be back in stock until July.*** I am still loving this tech wallet as much as I did when it first arrived last fall. It’s just SO handy! It…

Last weekend we were invited to our friends’ house for a vegan, gluten-free dinner. Vegan because of us, gluten-free because of them. It was an excellent meal! For starters, there were chips & salsa and veggies & hummus. Then we enjoyed a salad with roasted pears and stir-fry with vegetables and tofu. We should have stopped there, but there was vegan, gluten-free Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, which needed to be taste-tested for the blog. Tough job, I know. I brought this dessert because I know our friends like carrot cake and so do we. I had never tried this recipe before, though, so it was a risk. Fortunately, it passed the test. I was surprised by how much I liked it. The flavor…

I thought I’d take a little break from food posts and introduce you to a few of my favorite pieces from the Stella & Dot Spring 2013 Collection. And while I’m at it, I’m going to give some away! After all, I really do appreciate you guys. Thanks for reading and commenting. You guys rock. Ready to meet my new friends? How’s THAT for a pop of color?! Looks good enough to eat! I love the rich hues of coral, rose and fuchsia in this gorgeous Spring Awakening Necklace. Here’s a tip for ya:  Pair bold statement necklaces with small earrings – let the necklace be the star of the show. I like to wear the Soiree Studs in coral with this piece. Meet Kimberly,…

I’m not really sure which teams are in the Super Bowl. Well, now I am. I just googled it. 49ers and Ravens. While I love to watch college football (Michigan Wolverines, in particular), pro football just doesn’t interest me much. But I do look forward to the clever commercials during the Super Bowl. And sometimes there’s a decent halftime show. Mostly I just like that the Super Bowl is a great excuse to get together with friends and munch on good food while feigning moderate interest in the game. And by good food, I don’t mean Doritos and Cheetos. I mean Creamy Artichoke Spinach Dip, Peanut Butter Crispy Rice Treats, Hummus with Toasted Pine Nuts, Veggie Quesadillas, Fresh Guacamole, Vegan Buffalo Bites and Mushroom &…