When life hands you old lemons, make Lemoncello

When life hands you lemons make lemonade; when life hands you old lemons make Lemoncello.  As our great-grandmothers always said, "waste not, want not."  Just because your fruit is aging doesn't mean it's time to throw it out.  In fact, these recipes work better if your fruit is already on the mature side.

"But I think it's a little different in Europe, because 40 is really the best age for a woman. That's when we hit our peak and become this ripe fruit."

--Juliette Binoche

 Lemoncello

1 750 ml bottle of vodka or everclear

15 old zested lemons

3 cups cain sugar

4 cups tap or distilled water

my baby batch of lemoncello

1. zest or skin the lemons and allow the zest to sit in the vodka or everclear for a week
2. Make a syrup out of the sugar and water by combining and allowing them to boil for 15 minutes.  Do not stir this.  Allow to cool to room temp.
3. Stir vodka mixture into syrup and allow to sit for a day.
4. strain, chill, and serve.
Click here for lemoncello cocktails

(And if you don't want to drink the juice from the lemons you can always make furniture polish)

Watermelon, Tomato, Peach, or Pineapple Salsa

2 cups fleshy fruit of choice

1 cup cilantro

3/4 cups red onion

1/4 cup lime juice

(if you use tomatoes add a dash of sugar.  The sugar in the other fruits will be sufficient)

4 jalepenos, deseeded and chopped.

my watermelon salsa

Mix ingredients and allow to sit overnight.  I put mine on fish tacos--yuuuh!!  You can also change the flavor by adding alternative herbs like mint or basil.

3. Berry, Apple, or Peach Crisp 

(sorry!  No photos for this one.)

3 cups fruit, peeled and cut

1 cup brown sugar

a dash of salt

4 pats of butter

2 T flour

1 T cinnamon

Crust:

1. 1 cup flour
2. 1/2 cup white sugar
3. 1/2 cup brown sugar
4. 1 cup cold butter
5. 1 T cinnamon
6. 1. Mix fruit, sugar, salt, butter, flour, and cinnamon.
7. 2. in a food processor process crust ingredients until it is crumbly
8. 3. top fruit mixture with crumbles and bake on 350 for about 30 minutes.

Banana Bread

3 bananas, mashed

1.5 cups brown sugar

1 T water or milk

1 t vanilla

1/2 cup butter or oil--pick your poison (if you'd like to leave this out entirely, you can still achieve a moist loaf by decreasing a bit of flour)

3 eggs

2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

2 cups flour

walnuts (optional)

Perfect for afternoon tea with a friend.

1. Mash bananas and sugar with a potato masher or fork
2. add wet ingredients and mix
3. Add dry ingredients and mix
4 sprinkle with brown sugar or crisp crumbles and bake on 340 for about 30-40 minutes

Aunt Beth's Fruit Jam

This one is straight from the kitchen of Aunt Beth

7 cups of fruit puree (or fruit of choice)

8 cups sugar

2 T butter

2 packets of Certo fruit pectin

1. To make the puree, heat the fruit, then mash them through a sieve.  If you like the seeds or want your jam to be chunky you may skip this part.

2. Bring the puree to a boil, then slowly add the sugar.

3. Bring the sugar and fruit to a boil.  As it begins to rise, remove it from the heat and drop in a "pat" of butter (we determined that a "pat" is about 2 tablespoons of butter). 

4. Lastly, add your packets of Certo fruit pectin.

5. Can your jam and spread on toast!

Unique Gift Giving on a Budget

“The good guest is almost invisible, enjoying him- or herself, communing with fellow guests, and, most of all, enjoying the generous hospitality of the hosts.”--Emily Post

When in doubt, ask Emily.  It is an honour to see a bride and groom, who are well suited for each other, pledge their lives to one another.  As a guest, I am there to say that I believe in what they are doing, that I am a witness to the goodness of this day, and that I will help in whatever way I am able.  With that said, I can't tell you how many weddings I have decided not to attend simply because I could not afford a gift.

Though it is no longer customary to give a gift that equals the amount the bride's parents will spend on you as a guest at the wedding, it is still customary to bring a gift (Thank you, Peggy Post for amending that rule of your mother's).  If you are able, by all means, stick to the registry.  However, just because you don't have a lot of money or you spent all of your gift money on traveling to the wedding, doesn't mean you can't give the bride and groom something lovely.   

The difference between spending a lot of money and looking like you spent a lot of money is creativity.  Thankfully, for those of us who don't have a lot of money to spend, our favorite stores like Anthropologie and Restoration Hardware have taken things which are beautiful and simple and have made them elegant and luxurious.  

Following are 4 beautiful and simple gifts, which will cost less than $10.  

1. Vintage Tea Linens

Find old hankies at antique stores, flea markets, and ebay.  I bought these for $1 each at The Madison Flea, which is an antique store with flea market prices.  Compare these to Anthropologie's Chit and Chat napkins, which are $8 each.  Add a personal touch with a recipe for English Scones.  If you still have a little left over cash in your budget, a nice additive to this gift would be Emily Post's book on Entertaining, which you can buy used on Amazon for 1 cent--or new for $20.

2. Vintage Apron
If you buy actual vintage aprons they'll run between $3 and $12 (compare that to Anthropologie's aprons, which look like vintage aprons and cost between $30 and $40).  I found this apron at The Madison Flea for $5 and paired it with this sweet yellow spatula.  For a personal touch I included a few of my favorite recipes.  Should you have a little more cash left over in your gift budget you can pair this gift with Bought, Borrowed, Stolen by Allegra McEvedy, Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, or The Fanny Farmer Cookbook by Fanny Farmer

3. A Framed Invitation
 If you're going to the wedding I'm guessing you got the invitation.  Find a lovely old frame.  I bought this vintage metal frame at Music City Thrift for $2.  Choose a complimentary fabric or paper and use it as the background.  I used this lovely old hankie I purchased at Madison Flea for $1.

4. A Jar full of Knobs
Ignore the name and just walk in--Hobby Lobby has an aisle full of cool knobs, all priced from $1.50-$6.00 (compared to Anthropologies knobs, which run $6-$12 each).  This is a collection of 12 porcelain knobs in a Ball Canning jar.  I bought them for $1.50 each (ok, ok, if you buy 12 then it's going to be $20 instead of $10.  So, just buy 6 if you need it to stay under $10).

The Habit of Happy: drink specials around Nashville

Happy hour is a state of mind.  Let's forget the happy and talk about schedules.  Our internal clock usually tells us to drink and be merry between the hours of 7 and 10 pm.  However, if we can learn to appreciate alternate hours of merriment we can easily transform a $50 tab into a $20 tab.  Following is a list of my favorite and frequented happy hours (and remember: tip your server on the value, not the price).

Holland House: Monday-Sat 5-7 pm and Monday through Wednesday10pm-2am, all day Thurs (yeah-ya!). $5 cocktails off of their happy hour menu.  I always get the Weller Manhattan.  

Eastland Cafe: Monday-Thurs 5-6:30; Friday and Saturday 5-6.

$5 appetizers; $5 cocktails; $3 beers.  I always order the pizza and the Downtown Jim.

Whiskey Kitchen: Tuesday: 2 for 1 4-10 pm.  I always get their Old Fashioned.  Also, between now and Christmas if you buy a $50 gift card you get 30% off.  The catch is you have to wait a day before you use the gift card.  

Rumours East Wine Bar:  Wednesday 5-6 $5 select wines and $5 paninis

3 Crow: Wednesday and Sunday: 2 for 1

Crows Nest 1/2 priced drinks Mon-Fri 2-7 pm

Coopers on Porter: Tues-Sat 4-7pm; $5 appetizers, $3 beer, $4 wine (their burger is one of the best burgers I've ever had)

Mafioza's: Tuesday: 2 for 1 beer; 2 for 1 pizza

Urban Flats Wine Down Wednesday: for $20 you get 8 half glasses of wine and appetizers

Sunset Grill: Tues-Fri 11-4:30: 1/2 priced well drinks and wines by the glass; Thurs: Girls' Night Out $5 Stoli Martinis, $5 apps, $5 wines--I've never done this with a boy, so I am not entirely sure if this is applicable to men, but it's worth a try.  Also, I'm somewhat passionate about their late-night nachos.

Anyway, these are just my favorites.  Please share your Happy Hour favorite below if I missed a really good one.

Our $20 Dinner Party, part 1

Harvest Happy.

The Menu:
Roasted Acorn Squash
Curried Sweet Potatoes
Beets
Beet Greens
Bread Pudding for dessert

The Southern Way:
Close your eyes, count to 3, and pretend boxed wine never happened.

The Grocery List (all store brands):
4 acorn squash
5 sweet potatoes
3 beets with the greens
cheap white bread
1  pint of milk
a carton of 6 eggs
raisins
brown sugar
bargain cinnamon and curry
1 lb. butter
1 small onion
1 box of dirt cheap wine




Back in February, alternative event planning guru, Lindsey Huddleston, and I decided we were going to throw a $20 dinner party.  After 2 weeks of scavenging and planning we did it and are here to report back.  Following is what we did for the food and drink.  Stay tuned for another post on decor and mood-setting by Lindsey.

and fun was had by all.

Since we had given ourselves a budget of $20 for 8 people we knew we had to leave out the meat.  Instead of filling our plates with starches, we decided to go harvest happy and fill our plates with colorful vegetables.

We asked the wine store if they had any cheap, closeout wines.  As it turns out, they had a $14 box of wine that was marked down to $6.  The man at the wine store explained that this wine was so cheap because they were no longer carrying that wine with that particular label and were liquidating the boxes merely because they had the old label.  Should you find yourself too fancy for box wine you'll need to take the Southern approach for your $20 dinner party: close your eyes, count to 3, and pretend that boxed wine never happened.  Once it's in your crystal decanter you can pretend it was a bottle from the cellar of the Queen.

Following are instructions for our dinner.  I didn't measure anything, but I didn't think it necessary.

Check back soon.  Lindsey is going to tell us a bit about how to make your dinner area inviting and lovely, using things found around your house or local thrift store.

Roasted Acorn Squash
turn oven up to 400.  Place squash in the oven and allow to bake until finished (about 30 minutes).  Allow to cool, cut in 1/2, and scrape out the seeds.  20 minutes before serving, turn oven on to 250, put 1 teaspoon of butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar into the cavity and allow to bake until it reaches your desired serving temperature.

Curried Sweet Potatoes

Chop the sweet potatoes into 1 x 1 cubes.  Chop up your small onion and place it in casserole dish with the potatoes.  sprinkle with cinnamon, curry, and salt and mix, making sure the seasoning is equally distributed.  Dot the top of the mixture generously with butter.  Allow to bake on 400 until soft.  Add raisins.  Heat with Acorn Squash before serving.

Beets

Cut the beets from the greens and boil until soft.  Once beets are finished, drop in greens and allow to cook.  Slice beets and drizzle with a mixture of butter, salt, and brown sugar.

Bread Pudding

Cut the crust off of the bread, then cut into cubes and place in your casserole dish.  Add raisins to bread cubes.  Make a mixture of your milk, 5 eggs, 1/2 c. brown sugar and any other flavors you'd like to add.  I had some dark rum in the cupboard, so I mixed rum with mine.  Dot the top generously with butter and bake on 350.




Lindsey Huddleston: www.dandylionevents.com
Photography by John Yates www.jxcreative.com

Betseyville Yes: making use of vintage sheets

see Betseyville at Paradise Properties

For the low, low price of $600,000 you can be owner of Betseyville--Betsey Johnson's villa in Mexico.  I'll be honest, I love Betsey Johnson.  And though I'll never be as funky, or have hair as pink, or walk in heels as high as she does, I like to know I have the option.  And though I could never afford her personally designed and staged villa in Mexico, I find comfort in knowing it's there for the taking.

For those of us who can't afford villas, much less a plane ticket just to go down and see Betseyville, much much less a Betsey Johnson dress, we must make due with our own spaces, filling them with things that make us feel beautiful.  I love Betsey Johnson's vintage inspired flowers and colors, which is what made me drool over the photos of Betseyville.

Let's face it, when you're $600,000 short, you've just got to make due, which is why I've been exploring the beauty of vintage sheets.  If you find them at the thrift store they'll cost you about $0.50 to $5, which, if you ask me, beats buying a villa you can't afford to look at.

save money by going vintage for your bedding.
Or cut up your vintage sheets to make curtains

Use your sheets as a tablecloth

Use a vintage sheet for your shower curtain.

Since most vintage sheets come in twins and fulls we may have to make a few revisions .  Following are instructions for how to finish your sheets so they may adorn your windows and tables.  A sewing machine and iron are required.

Step 1: Cut your sheet to the appropriate size, leaving 2-3 inches on each side for your hem.

Step 2: fold the edge of the fabric over by 1 inch and iron.  We'll call this side the western side of your sheet.

Step 3: Fold the fabric over again and iron

 Step 4: Sew the ironed part to make a hem.  Follow steps 1-4 for the Eastern side of your sheet.  Then do steps 1-4 for the Southern part of your sheet.  If you are making curtains, go on to step 5.  If you are making a table cloth, repeat steps 1-4 for the Northern side of your sheet.

Step 5: To make a curtain, do step 1 to the Northern side of you sheet, then fold the sheet over again, this time by 3 inches, and iron.  Sew it.  You will insert the curtain rod through this space.

If you guys decide to try this I would love to see what you come up with.  Please tell me if you can think of any other uses for beautiful vintage sheets.

A Cup 1/2 Full of Bargains (OR) A Cup 1/2 Empty with Bargains: my favorite liquidation stores in Nashville

"Don't hate me because I'm a brooksy biscuit!
This urban set is the cat's pajamas! But I'm no
 kluck because I gander in orchids at UAL!"

Whenever I go shopping, the ensuing conversation with my husband goes something like this,

Me: I found the best deals today!

Brandon: Oh?

Me: I saved us so much money!

Brandon: No, I don't think you saved us any money.

Me: Yes I did.  

Brandon: No you didn't.

Me: Yes I did.

Brandon: No you didn't.  How did you save money when you spent it?

Me: Because I bought things we needed at 30% of the retail price, which means I saved us money.

Brandon: Spent money.

Me: I'm sorry your cup is half full.

Maybe we're spending money, maybe we're saving money.   I'll let you decide that for yourself.  However, whether your bargain bin is 1/2 full or 1/2 empty, you're sure to find something that delights at these great bargain stores.   

To those of you who live far from Nashville, I am sorry.  This is another Nashville-centric post.  However, it might just be another reason to put Nashville down on your list of vacation spots.

1. Essex on Nolensville

This place is amazing.  The other day I bought a Cuisinart coffee machine, a kitchen-aid food processor, a Culligan under-the-sink water filter, a memory foam overlay for my bed, and a cute grey t-shirt (I couldn't help it--I'm addicted to grey t-shirts) all for $90.  When looking for new appliances, bedding, electronics, or things for your baby (3 aisles full of baby things), Essex is where you want to go.  Essex is a liquidation store, which features slightly defective, overstock, and closeout items.  Before purchasing, make sure you open the box and check out your appliance, as some appliances are there because of defects.  

2. UAL (United Apparel Liquidators) on West End

Tired of your Michael Kors knock-off?  Why don't you get a real one?  Not possible you say?  Well, you simply haven't been to UAL.  UAL is a wonderland for those of us who love pretty things, but can't afford them.  You may not need a Rebecca Taylor dress for your birthday bash, but it sure would be nice.  Well friends, UAL has made your birthday dreams come true. UAL is a liquidation store, featuring high-end brands at rarely seen prices.  During one of their sales I got 4 pairs of Paper Denim Jeans for $6 and an Of Two Minds blouse for $20.  UAL features brands from Diesel to Spanx, from Alice and Olivia to Dolce and Gabanna, from Burberry to Versace, and much more--all for low liquidated prices.  As with Essex, you'll want to inspect your piece to make sure there are no defects, as some of the pieces are there because they have been snagged, stretched, or make-up'ed.  However, other pieces are just there to be liquidated, which is about as good as it gets.

3. Marty and Liz Shoes in Coolsprings and Tullahoma

I once read a study which concluded that women who looked at beautiful shoes produced the same chemicals as they did when looking at beautiful  men.  After going to Marty and Liz I believe them.  Marty and Liz features a wide array of shoes such as Nike, Stewart Weitzman, Joan and David, Converse, Clarks, Steve Madden, Coach, Aldo, Kate Spade--you name it.  With the exception of higher end shoes, most shoes are under $30.  Who knows, you might need some cute shoes to go with that new Rebecca Taylor dress from UAL.

4. Southeastern Salvage in Berry Hill

Southeastern Salvage is a great place to buy urns, fancy pots, strange and ornate art for your lawn, and things you'll need for home improvement such as hardwood, tile, countertops, copper hoods and bathtubs (yyyeeessss) and cabinets--and all for a fraction of the retail price.  

5. Old Time Pottery in Murfreesboro and Madison

With glassware and plates starting at $0.30 and few exceeding $5, it's hard to find a better deal anywhere else on your table settings.  Old Time Pottery also features a wide array of holiday items as well as furniture, silk flowers, kitchen items, and home decor.

6. Deals

Deals is another liquidation store, which features an array of household necessities like toilet paper, soap, and trashbags. They also have an interesting collection of products from home shopping channels.  

Monday Give Away!! Write a letter, save a post office.

Our RSVP card.

Brandon and I just celebrated our first anniversary.  Wow.  Has it already been a year?   In one year so much has happened, yet it feels as if I was walking down the aisle to Smog's "Let's Move to the Country" no more than 3 months ago.

In one year we have gotten married, both transitioned out of our old jobs and into new ones, have ended one business,  have started a new business, and as if that wasn't enough--we decided to open a shop, too.  Brandon and I just opened This Oktipus Printing Company, a letterpress stationery store in the heart of East Nashville.  This is why I haven't been blogging.  Every spare moment has been dedicated to this little shop.  We feel so blessed to be doing this.

Old Odd Fox Cards

In light of all the things mentioned, the standard gift for a one year wedding anniversary is paper.  So, I feel it is only appropriate to give away paper for the Monday giveaway.  I will be giving away a set of 5 Old Odd Fox notecards and envelopes.  Say hello in the comments below and I will enter you into the drawing.

Also....if you print this blog out and bring it to This Oktipus Printing Company by December 22, Brandon and I will give you 20% off of your total purchase (this does not apply to special orders).

We are located at 1108 B Woodland Street.  Monday through Saturday 11-6ish. For the holiday we will be open on Sunday from 12-4.

For those you who live out of state you can visit our Etsy. E-mail Brandon before you purchase to tell him to discount your purchases.

For the Love of Candles

                                                                                    

mmm. love these.

I love good candles.  I think they are essential to every house that wants to be a home.  And, yes, I am the girl standing behind you in the check-out line at Anthropologie with 5 candles when they go on sale.  And why shouldn't I?  When I invite friends into my home I want them to be greeted with the smell of Baltic Amber as I serve them a hot cup of coffee with a splash of Bailey's--perfect for secrets among friends.

And I'm not the only one.  While looking through articles on smell I found this from sensingarchitecture.com:

"Perhaps you can be more proactive as you design. Instead of letting the scent within your space just sort of happen as a by-product of all your other design decisions, you can instead think about what effect you want to have with your space....did you know that some hospitals are beginning to design for the olfactory sense? Patients in some facilities are already benefiting from aromas (circulated through the air systems) that are more soothing, anxiety reducing and calming....Think of what you want your occupants to experience within your architectural space, how you want them to navigate though it and where you may want them to stop and engage in activity. As a designer, think about ways to tap into the olfactory sense — use it to spark occupant behavior, thought, emotion and intellect."

Now! The moment you've been waiting for; the moment where I tell you where to find amazing candles at amazing prices!  Nope.  Sorry.  I don't think you can buy amazing candles for amazing prices.   This is why we upcycle what is left of them.  Follow these simple steps for a full, prolonged, and resuscitated life out of your hard-earned candles.

You'll need the following: Candles with no more wick to burn them, a darling glass or metal container in which to contain your new candle (and you can get creative.  Use an old candy tin, tea cup, anything metal or glass), a wick, which can be purchased online or at Michael's, and a pot of water on a stove.

candles in water

1. place the candles in a pot of water and turn on low/med.  If you have pillar candles you can put the remains into an aluminum can. Be careful not to let any water get into the candles (and if it does, pour it out in the trashcan, not the sink--trust me).

2. Place wicks into your container.  If you buy a spool of wick, make sure you dip it into the wax so it can stand upright on it's own.  Also, attach an anchor to it (like a nut or bolt).  Then wrap the top of the wick around a pencil and let the pencil lie on the top of your candle container.  However, you don't need to do this if you buy the wicks to the right. (if you only have a tiny bit left, take a tea candle, remove the wick from the wax, and use it for the little remains of your beloved candle)

3. Dip the anchor into the wax and attach to the bottom of your container.

candle wicks

4. Pour the hot wax into your container with the wick and allow to sit until hardened.

Voila!  More candle!

Entertaining on a Budget: Ethnic Eating, part 1

When it is possible, I like to enjoy as many of my favorite things as I possibly can at one time. Really, why take just a bubble bath when you can take a bubble bath with Cabernet, Voluspa candles, lavender oil, salts, Erik Satie (the music, not the man), and my bath time book of choice, Pride and Prejudice. Furthermore, I've read Pride and Prejudice so many times that I don't even bother with the entire book anymore.  I merely choose my favorite parts and read them to my delight and at my leisure.  Then I soak, detox, and enjoy.

So, in the spirit of enjoying everything at once, I present to you, traveling, entertaining, and spending as little money as possible.  Unfortunately, we are going to travel in our kitchens, but if we spend a small amount of money doing it, then we can put more in our actual travel fund.  Greece, here I come.

Try these ethnic desserts and impress your guests, while spending 3-7 dollars:

1. Turkish Sutlac
2. French Petit Choux (this recipe does have not the filling recipe, but it's a good choux recipe--you can fill them with any kind of cream or custard--whipped cream is the easiest.)
3. Ukrainian Vareniki 
4. Polish Paczki 
5. Thai Mango Sticky Rice (Khao Niaow Ma Muang)
6. Japanese Daifuku 
7. Spanish Churros 
8. Mexican Flan
9. Norwegian Pannekakes 
10. Indonesian Burbur Ketan Hitam 

you can't take the fancy out.

The roof leaked. The window sill was rotting. The floor creaked and caved around the 60 year old heater in the floor. The grass had grown 2 feet tall because I couldn’t afford to put gas into the mower. I sat on my couch, eating my meal du jour, a hot dog and mayonnaise, while I sipped hot water from a Hutschenreuther teacup (Richelieu), signed and numbered “33.” 

Hutschenreuther Richelieu 

Hot dog and Mayonnaise

do these really go together?




















Yes, yes, it is true. Fancy moved out of her parents’ house and into a place of her own, carting only her Hutschenreuther and an old silver spoon she got from her mother. It’s a well known fact that the women in my family can pick out the most expensive thing in the room because it’s the first thing to which we’re drawn. We’re fancy girls. We want it all. And really, let’s be reasonable, what’s the point in having cake if you can’t eat it too? 

And yet, amid all of the frill, there’s the survivor, the warrior, the girl who will stop at nothing for freedom and a love to call her own. Though she may have to trudge through the rain, sell her dresses to buy groceries, hold the soles [souls] of her shoes together with duct tape, and wear mud on her shirts because she can’t afford detergent, she will survive. She will make due. She will rise above and conquer. And she’ll look good doing it. 

This, my friends, is why I present you with the fancy girl’s guide to being poor. Because you can take the girl out of the fancy, but you can’t take the fancy out of the girl.