Pecan Pie Mini Muffins

Y'all are gonna love this one, I promise! We had an absolutely wonderful breakfast a few weeks ago at work. One of the guy's mother is a great cook & wanted to bring us all breakfast! How could we refuse that sweet deal? One of the things she brought was these little muffins. I didn't even taste them until the end of breakfast, when one of the girls was raving about them. OMGosh! They are delicious...you will love me for sharing them with you. Go...get the stuff you need & buy yourself a mini-muffin pan like I had to do. These are about the best thing you could put in your mouth! I'm not kidding...and we love our pecans down here in the South. Pecans make anything taste better.
Pecan Pie Mini-Muffins

1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup plain flour
1 cup chopped pecans
2/3 cup butter - melted
2 eggs beaten

Mix all together & spoon in mini-muffin pan. Bake at 350* for approx. 12-15 mins. They should slide right out of a non-stick pan.

EDITED TO ADD: Thanks, Sheryl from MI for pointing out the butter error!! Fractions have never been my strong suit, LOL. I should have just left it at 2/3 cup butter & not tried to figure out the sticks. Mine turned out fine anyway, but yeah...less butter is better, haa-haaa! I made more of these today! So, how do you figure 2/3 cup butter anyway?? Now, I need to find out. I usually look on the butter label & figure it from there. They have it in TBL & I know 1 stick is 1/2 cup...I need a math whiz to figure this one out. I can ask my hubby & he'll know.
It will look pretty soupy when you mix it up, but I promise they will bake up just right. How easy is that recipe?
This recipe makes 2 dozen mini-muffins. They are so scrumptious, you might want to double the recipe, cause you will grab one everytime you walk by them....I'm NOT kidding! These would be perfect for a brunch.
I guarantee you these will not make it 24 hours in our house. And I was right, they were all gone in one day. You tell yourself...they're tiny little things! Ha-haaaa! (there's my hydrangea blooms that I dried). So, you keep grabbing them up & popping them in your mouth, til they are all gone.

You might as well just get in the car & go to the store now and you will thank me later...I'm happy to share it with all my friends. Go! What are you waiting for?

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Debra over at The Bunnies' Bungalow has tagged me for a middle name meme. Now I have to think...and it's really late for that right now. Thanks, Debra!! Yours was short & very clever. I'm not feeling very clever right now, but I'll come up with something.

So this meme works this way (condensed version). *You must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name.*If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.* At the end of your post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag.

M - Married, with no children of my own.

A - Asparagus is one of my favorite veggies.

R - Reading is one of my favorite things to do.

I - Ice Cream is on my short list of yummy things to eat...remember Bruster's?

E - Eating, are we talking about food again...oh yeah! See above recipe...'nuff said.

I think I'm gonna be a rebel again & not tag anyone. If you want to play, feel free! I see several others have been tagged already.

Hope y'all have a great weekend!

Meeting a Fellow Blogger

Blogging sure has been interesting! I've had the pleasure of meeting several people that I've known online...in person. I've belonged to a decorating board & have met many of those girls over the years & it's always been so much fun to finally meet someone in person that you have gotten to know online first.

So, back up....about 3 months ago when I found a blog called BooMama. I read all her hilarious stories about her husband, David, and her cute little son, Alex. I knew she was from the South, but not sure where she was exactly. I posted on her blog a few times & made the reference to Birmingham. Well, she emailed me to ask if I knew she lived in Birmingham too? Well, no...I didn't know that. We chatted a few times by email, talking about some yardsales that I had been to in her neighborhood, etc. She's a very funny lady & really knows how to tell a good story. I have always wished I was that funny...but, I just didn't get the funny gene. Anyway, I asked her where she went to church & well, it turns out that we go to the same church. We switched churches back in June & had just started there at the time we talked. So, that was funny.....I wondered if we would ever run into each other. Of course, I only knew her as BooMama, not her real name. And in case you are wondering, as I did, what is a BooMama, she will tell you that too, on her sidebar.

Then, she posted this post...about getting her hair cut & there was a picture of her...and the back of her hair too. So, I had a clue who she was, but this is a big church we attend & the chances of me running into her were pretty slim.

A couple of weeks ago, we got to church fairly early for the 9:00 service & proceeded to walk over to the general area we usually sit. I saw her sitting there with her hubby & instantly knew...it was BooMama! How funny was that? I sat down & told my hubby...I think that's the girl, BooMama, that I've emailed & chatted with. So, I sidled down the row since church hadn't started yet and sat down beside her and said, "Are you BooMama?". She turned around to face me with a shocked & surprised look on her face, to hear her blog be mentioned in church. She had said on her blog that she doesn't like to talk about it around her friends, so I'm quite sure it was a shock to hear that in church. I told her who I was & she remembered our emails & we chatted & got to visit a few minutes before church started. She said that this was a first, to be recognized out in public, at church.

Isn't that a hoot?? We are totally in different phases of life & different ages, so I doubt that we'll run into each other a whole lot. But, it was really fun to actually meet Sophie in person...yes, I see that now she has let the cat out of the bag & told everyone her real name! She's really sweet & friendly in person & I'm so glad we got to meet! If you haven't been over there, check out her blog. You will be entertained. She's very Southern & very funny.

It's a small blog world after all!

Go Yardsaling With Me!

You can see by the clock that I got a pretty early start yardsaling on Saturday. There was a big neighborhood sale near me, so I was pretty excited. I decided to take my camera with me this time just to show you all the good stuff that is out there. I have to always used retraint, as all of the goodies would not fit in my house.
Here's the neighborhood sale sign. They do one in the spring & fall & I'm always excited to see this sign out! Here we go....
I'm snapping pics as I go from house to house. This rocker had a price sticker of $25. Not bad.
These pretty white (they are not blue, as they appear..I think it's the haze this a.m.) pieces were $50 each.
I didn't catch the price on this cute little desk & chair.

End tables were pretty. I think that dish pattern is Franciscan Rose. Didn't catch the prices on these either.
Here's the buffet to match. Very classic piece.
More dishware.
This house had some great stuff! I loved this wicker set. It was already sold (of course, I have lots of wicker myself, so I don't need more, but I love to look at it!). It sold for $40 for this set. Just needs a new coat of paint.
These tables were $5.00 each. I had fun walking around here looking at everything. Little did I know that around the next turn, I'd find my treasure of the day...you'll see it later. Keep reading.

This cute little vanity was $25.00. Some little girl would love this....or maybe a big girl!
This was a new console table, but really cute (wood & wicker). It was marked $25. A lady had already bought it. That clock on top was really pretty too, a map clock, for I think $5. I didn't need it though.
This piece was really cute. I thought about all my shabby chic friends. It was $25 & was an old sewing machine bottom with a nice piece of marble on top. Would look great in the right spot. Of course, I don't have room for this either. See all the stuff I pass up every week??
I did find a Talbot's dress for $2.00. Pretty blue linen & will be perfect for work.
Now I have 3 pears. Found the one in the middle for $1.00 at the sale. It's cracked at the top, but I think can be glued back & repaired pretty easily. And, I'm pretty good with touching up paint too, so it should be fine. I got the one on the left at TJ Maxx, the one on the right was given to me by an online friend (who I've met in real life too, Sally!). And now, I have a third as of today. I got the brainstorm that all 3 of these would look pretty neat on the mantel & I think they do!

What do you think? I think I like them all here together. The colors really complement my painting & I love the fact that they are all green, but different shades of green. You can see this is where I moved the dried sconce arrangements I used to have in the diningroom.
This cute little vintagey oil painting was $1.00. I'm not sure where to put it, but I sure do like it.
Found another leopard pillow for 50 cents. I'll leave this one in the den. This is my hubby's recliner that he lives in.

Now, for my find of the day.......
I looked down...and there it was! This beautiful chandelier....for $20. Now remember, I just painted the ugly brass one that's in my breakfast area. If I had known, I would have waited to paint it, but that's the beauty of yardsaling...you just never know WHEN you'll run across that big find. So, this little beauty will be going above my breakfast table. I have only found a few very nice chandeliers in the past..usually all I see is the shiny brass crap that I'm trying to get rid of.
It's a little dusty, but once I clean it up, it will be gorgeous. What do you think of the beads?? I may leave them since they will look good with my green kitchen or I could take them off. Not sure about that. I was SO excited to find this. After I got it home, I realized that it has been painted by someone. It totally fooled me when I bought it, as I could not tell at all. I think it used to be brass too, but that's OK, since they did a really excellent job painting it. I love the shape of it & this is just about what I would have picked for that table anyway. It came with some faux leather shades that I will probably use. We'll see. I will definitely do a post after I get this in place, so stay tuned. I know I can't wait too long, I'm excited to get it up.

Hope you had fun yardsaling with me! Did you feel the excitement & anticipation...walking up to each house & looking around. Now, maybe you can get just a little bit of how much fun it is to get out there & treasure hunt! I know many of you know this already. And I hope those of you who don't usually go saling will give it a try. It's totally addicting....trust me!

Friday Night Hot Dogs

We don't eat that many hot dogs on a regular basis. I'm usually more of a juicy hamburger gal, but lately we've had some hot dogs around & I had forgotten how good they can be. Publix does their 1 cent mystery coupon every week (do y'all in the SE do those? it's fun to see what it will be each week!) & a few weeks ago it was Publix hot dogs, so we ate all those up for lunch in a few days. So, my hubby decided if we were going to eat hot dogs, they should be good hot dogs, so he picked up some Hebrew National all beef ones & I got some wheat hot dog buns & we were in business. I like to have quick things around to fix for dinner on the weekends, especially now that I'm working, so hot dogs it is on a Friday night. The George Foreman grill comes in handy too. I love to use this for panini sandwiches also.
Growing up, my mama fixed us hot dogs quite often & made this delicious concoction of mayo, mustard, ketchup, chopped onions & dill pickles. Stir all that together & you've got yourself some good 'ole hot dog sauce. I've always been partial to how my mom made it, so I do the same thing. Makes for some good tasting weenies!
A side of roasted red potatoes with fresh rosemary & it's a meal! Quick & easy. I know hot dogs aren't really healthy, but I guess there are worse things out there & sometimes they just taste good. In fact, we're having this again tonight! Do y'all have a hard time thinking up new things for dinner? We get in a rut & tend to eat the same things every week. Of course, I have to fix things that are pretty quick now that I'm working again & the crock pot is my new best friend. Hard to fit it all in, huh?
Thanks, Mom, for the hot dog memories! What's summer without a few hot dogs?

Debbie's House

My friend, Debbie, lives about 20 miles out further than we do. In the country. With the cows, horses, barns, & beautiful scenery. I love their farmhouse.
It's not old (about 5 yrs.), but it has such a picturesque look out here in the country. Looks like it has been here for a long time. I'm helping her with some of her decorating & we have had a lot of fun with it.
This is the view from their back deck. Could you stand this every morning? A pond in the backyard. Debbie has a riding lawn mower & she & her husband fight over who gets to mow the grass....cause they both like to mow! And, do they have the grass or what? Although lately, with the weather as hot as it is, I think Debbie is rethinking that! And a sweeping field that goes on forever. There's a little river out beyond that tree line. They have a 4 wheeler & have a blast on that thing. Debbie took me way out there next to the river one time & it was so much fun.
Looking to the right of the house. Her husband's siblings all have houses nearby too. It's a family compound. It just seems to be such a wonderful, peaceful place to live. So quiet & away from it all.
Here's the breezeway. Isn't it so pretty? She just got these cushions done & I love how it turned out (I helped her pick out the lime green). Check out the porch swing. She said she spends a lot of time out here & it really does have a breeze, like a breezeway should. I just love this space!

Another view of the pond from the deck.
Across the street is a horse pasture.
More horses.
Down the street. I love this red barn. Red barns just say country, don't they?
An old homestead on the way to Debbie's house. I perked up when I saw this for the first time. When I stopped that day to take a picture, I saw a marker that said 1861. What a cool house....it's empty too. I would love to go in here & look around. Wouldn't it be neat if someone fixed this place up?

Just thought you'd enjoy a little more of country living in Alabama. I love going out to Debbie's house. It's so peaceful & serene.

Blue & White

Blue has never been my favorite color to decorate with, but I found myself buying some of it several years ago & I used it in my old red livingroom, sprinkled around. So, when my hubby & I got married & I found out how much he loves blue, I figured I'd decorate our bedroom in gold, deep blue, & white. The blue & white pottery pieces fit in well with those colors & made great accents against the gold walls, so that's where all my blue & white ended up. I thought you might enjoy seeing them up close. Most of it is in the bedroom, but this first pic is in the livingroom on a little side console table (that I got at a yardsale last year, naturally). These pieces came from Bombay outlet in Atlanta & that was the beginning of my blue/white collection. I used to love going in there to see what they had.
This is in the masterbath, sitting on the tub. Got this cute mosiac blue/white planter at a yardsale years ago. My hubby doesn't like light blue...that's what I would have preferred to use...no, he loves deeeeep blue, so deep blue it is. This color has actually grown on me & I do love the nautical feel in here. This color is called Magellan by Kilz (at Walmart).
On my bathroom vanity is another blue/white planter I found at a yardsale last year. I love having real plants around, as well as silk ones.

3 plates that I found at Homegoods for I think, $3 each. I loved the patterns in these & got 5 of them when they were on the clearance rack. There's another yardsale fixture I recently picked up for 50 cents & painted it with my Sophisticated Finishes in Blonde Bronze. It was originally a white stone finish, so painting over it was a snap. Paint color, in case anyone would like to know, is Sherwin Williams Blonde. It's a nice mellow golden yellow, without screaming yellow & works well with all my fabrics.
On top of my antique French armoire is more blue & white. I got these pieces at all different places, I think Ross, TJ Maxx, & the wine cooler was a yardsale find.

Here's the blue/white platter I picked up a few weeks ago yardsaling for $1.50. It's hanging above the door going out of the room.
More blue & white on top of the entertainment center.
Center plate was a yardsale find & the other 2 came from the Homegoods trip.
Just a new shot of the pillows on the bed. I think a lot of you have seen our bedroom already & if you want to see more of it, you can click on my photo album link on the left sidebar.
Here's the master bath, above the tub area. Got this wall shelf at a yardsale for $5.00 years ago & it was fun accessorizing it with things I already had. That little watercolor on top was a recent yardsale find. It's an original & I love how it looks on this shelf.

We picked up this large print in San Francisco when we were there almost 2 years ago & the one above was a yardsale find for $1.00 of another SF print. I had the frame already & it's a good complement to the first one.
Closeup of San Francisco print. We loved visiting there.
It seemed natural to put some seashells & beachy things in here with the blue walls, so that's what I did. I found these shell prints on clearance at TJ Maxx.
And, a set of shell prints that I found at Kirklands dress up the water closet. There's another one opposite this one. I saw these prints in the Ballards catalog for mega-bucks...same artist. I paid $10 each for these at Kirklands.

Just thought I'd give you all a little blue & white inspiration! It's such a classic & timeless color scheme & will always be popular, I think. I don't have any expensive antique blue & white pieces, but it's nice that there are affordable things out there too to add to collections.

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On another note, Manuela, from The Feathered Nest, nominated me for the Schmooze Award. I already won it (from sweet Suzie Q at Rabbit Run Cottage) , but thought I thank those who passed it my way! Here's the description & I hope I live up to this. I try to anyway.

"The Power of Schmooze Award is for bloggers who effortlessly weave their way in and out of the blogosphere, leaving friendly trails and smiles, happily making new friends along the way. They don’t limit their visits to only the rich and successful, but spend some time to say hello to new blogs as well. They are the ones who engage others in meaningful conversations, refusing to let it end at a mere hello - all the while fostering a sense of closeness and friendship."

I really have enjoyed blogging these last few months & don't take for granted the many friendships I've made along the way. It's really going to be harder since I've gone back to work, for me to stay in touch with all of you & visit your blogs regularly, but I'm going to try to keep up on the weekends at least. My blogroll just keeps growing & there's no way I can keep up with all of them all the time! So, I hope you all understand that. Keeping up with my own blog is going to be a challenge, I think.

So, thank you all again for stopping by & visiting with me. I truly treasure each & every friend I've made! We all have limited time, so I'm honored you choose to spend some of it with me.