Your Aura is Blue
Spiritual and calm, you tend to live a quiet but enriching life. You are very giving of yourself. And it's hard for you to let go of relationships. The purpose of your life: showing love to other people Famous blues include: Angelina Jolie, the Dali Lama, Oprah Careers for you to try: Psychic, Peace Corps Volunteer, Counselor

About Me

My photo
This blog started out as a way for me to display and sell my handmade jewelry creations. I have set up shop on Etsy.com, where my shop name is "Dreamin of Beadin". The link to my Etsy store is located on the right hand side of this page. Please check me out!! If jewelry's not your thing, then check out the site anyway ~ there are plenty of talented artists selling lots of cool things there. For your reading pleasure, this blog will serve as a sneak peek into what's going on "behind the scenes" in my world. I love to cook, so there will be plenty of recipes, as well as product reviews and the occasional product giveaway (woo hoo!) I also love to take pictures of anything and everything, and I just bought a new camera, so there will be plenty of photos. And I like wine too, so things could get pretty interesting . . . Thank you for your support of me, Etsy and "all things handmade" :)

1.31.2011

Here's the Dish: Easy Crunchy Baked Chicken

In a recent post, I mentioned how much I love Shallot Pepper seasoning from Penzey's.  If you still don't believe me enough to try it for yourself, then let me entice you with this easy recipe :)  It is something I made up, and it's so easy, you're bound to love it, too!

You need:  2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 T. olive oil, Penzey's Shallot Pepper Seasoning, and some Panko Bread crumbs. 
Trim any fat from the chicken breasts; season all sides with Shallot Pepper (or any seasoning of your choice).  Place in a glass dish and drizzle with olive oil.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Roll chicken breasts in bread crumbs (you can season those, too).  If you need some "glue" to make the breadcrumbs stick, then beat one egg and dunk them in that first.  I then like to sprinkle the chicken breasts with some minced garlic.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until done. 
Yum ~ so tasty and simple!   If you do have any leftovers, slice the chicken up and make a salad with it the following day.

1.30.2011

Giveaway Winner!

Hello everyone!  I hope you are enjoying your weekend :)  I am here to announce the winner of my latest giveaway!  First, I must say "thanks" to all for entering.  This was my favorite giveaway yet.  I really enjoyed reading your tips and recipes.  With that, I would like to say that Basia Marie is the winner!!   I absolutely love the combination of banana and chocolate.  I cannot wait to try your recipe for the muffins, so thanks for sharing it :D  I will be in contact very soon to arrange for delivery of your gift certificate.  Thanks again!

On another note, I would like to say that my awesome sale has been extended!!  Buy 1, Get 1 for 50% off everything in the designated SALE Section.  You just never know when this will come to an end (as all good things do), so start shopping now!

1.28.2011

Remembering the Challenger

Every generation is marked by an event that leaves an indelible impression.  For my parents, I am quite sure that was the assassination of JFK.  When I was young, I can recall them saying "I remember where I was when . . ."  For me, there are a few events that I can recall so vividly, that I find myself saying the very same thing.   One of those is the Challenger Space Shuttle explosion.  Today marks the 25th anniversary of that tragedy.  I was in the fifth grade when it happened.  I remember what a big deal it was that a teacher was going up in space for the first time ever.  All of us had been gathered together to watch it live on TV.  Excitement quickly turned to horror as the vessel burst into smoke and flames.  At the time, my 10 year old mind couldn't comprehend what was happening, but once I saw the look of sheer panic on the teachers' faces, I knew the outcome would not be good.  In fact, I can vividly recall one female teacher, whose face became white as a ghost.  She looked at the other teachers as if to say "What should we do?", and it seemed like she wanted to burst into tears.  At that point, we were ushered back into our classrooms, and the school day went on as usual. 


I took the above photo on our trip to Washington DC in 2009.   This is the memorial to the Challenger that stands at Arlington Cemetery.   I remember feeling such sadness on that day 25 years ago, and those feelings came back to me today as the footage was being shown on TV.  Undoubtedly, this is one of those unforgettable events of a lifetime.  We should never forget these seven astronauts for the sacrifice they made on that fateful day.

1.27.2011

Worst Song Ever


I was driving to work this morning, and this tune came on the radio.  Are you serious?!?  It's Oscar time, and everyone is buzzing about Best Picture, Actor, etc.   This gets my nomination for Worst Song Ever


This is the main chorus:


"If I say that I want your body now
Would you hold it against me?"


Sounds like a bad line from a 70's porno flick to me.  Terrible!!!


Do you agree?   If not, I sure hope you can top it!!

1.25.2011

Gift Certificate Giveaway


In honor of my 4th Etsy Anniversary this month, I am giving away a $15 Gift Certificate to my shop! This time, you're going to have to work a little bit in order to win me over, but I think it will be fun :)  Just leave a comment on this post telling me about your favorite kitchen tip, gadget or recipe.  If you know anything about me, you know that cooking (and eating) is one of my favorite things to do!  That's all that is required.  The winning entry will be chosen based on creativity, thoughtfulness, and sincerity.  Of course, I'd love it if you became a follower of this blog, or a fan on Facebook, but it is not required.    The point here is to engage one another.  I'd really love to get to know you better!

Deadline for this contest is 11:59pm EST on January 29. 2011.  One winner will be selected based on the above criteria.  I will post the name of the winner on January 30.  Be sure to leave me your email address so that I can contact you if you win. 

Thanks, and good luck everyone!

1.24.2011

One of My Favorite Things

Oprah's got her favorite things, and darn it, so do I!  Too bad I don't have her salary to go with it :S  At any rate, I've decided to start a new feature that will showcase little things that I am particularly fond of.  Hopefully someone out there is listening, but if not, that's cool too.


Here is my first thing ~ Shallot Pepper from Penzeys.   I love, LOVE this stuff!!  I eat it like candy, which is OK, since it's not.  I love pepper as it is, but this has tarragon, bay leaves, salt and shallots mixed in.  I love it on eggs, sauteed veggies, fresh avocado slices, and just about anything savory.  Ever since discovering it, I cannot live without it!

1.23.2011

Buy 1, Get 1 for 50% off!!

This is the last week of my 4th Anniversary Sale ~ no worries, I saved the best for last ;)  From now through January 31, all items in my SALE Section are Buy 1, Get 1 for 50% off!   Now is the time to get you some authentic Dreamin' of Beadin' creations, for a steal.

The necklace pictured is not part of the sale (I know, bummer).  It is one of my very latest creations.  I hope you will check that out and mark it as a "favorite" for a future purchase, if you can't get it now.   To view the items that are part of the sale, click here.

Lastly, I'd like to drop one little hint:  I have an overwhelming feeling that you will be seeing a GIVEAWAY in the very near future, so, be sure to check back :)

1.22.2011

The Million Dollar Question

We had guests stay with us just after the holidays.   This meant that in addition to holiday preparations and my busiest time at work, I was mired down in housework in an effort to get our place looking presentable for company.    The husband helps, but let's face it, his standards are a bit less stringent than mine. 

After our relatives were gone, it seemed to take no time at all for the house to look "lived in" once again.   This usually frustrates the snot out of me, but I've learned not to let it ruffle my feathers too much.  But still, I would love to know ~ how is it that two people, who have no children and no pets, and who spend more time away from home than in it, can make such a mess??

1.20.2011

Adventures in Pressure Cooking

The most wanted item on my Christmas list was a pressure cooker.  Yeah, I know I am weird, but we all knew that!  I've heard what time savers they are.  Time is more precious to me than just about anything else.  We do our share of eating out, but I really do try to cook as much as possible.  This can be quite time consuming.  Sometimes, after spending nine hours at the office and 80-90 minutes per day commuting to and from the office, preparing a meal is not at the top of my agenda.  I am sure you can relate!


 Santa heard my wishes, and brought me an 8qt. anodized model, along with a new cookbook to get me started.   $7 a Meal, hmm . . . really??

I was a little apprehensive to give this a whirl, having heard horror stories of exploding pressure cookers.  I read the directions over and over.   It seems these new models are equipped with safety features that will prevent any major explosions.   With that, I decided to first make corned beef, a family favorite!   I placed the meat, along with one bay leaf, a glove of garlic and some pickling spices in the cooker, then covered it all with water.  How simple!




 So far, so good ~ no explosions!

A little over an hour later, that corned beef came out so tender I could cut it with a butter knife.  I was impressed!  We piled it on some onion rolls along with cheese and mustard ~ Mmmmm!! 

1.16.2011

Studio Envy

I won't lie, I have major studio envy. Before I sound like an ungrateful spoiled brat, let me say that I am very thankful for the crafty space that I do have. As you might recall, at this time last year I was in the process of transforming a spare room into a work/storage area in which to create. I'm happy to have that, but whenever I see the studios of the real pro's, a pang of longing fills my soul. Even so, I still love to be a voyeur into the creative spaces of others. There is even a Flickr group I belong to that focuses on this interest. It is fun to see how others choose to decorate and organize their workspace. In most cases, you see how important it is that the space, however large or small, inspires the person who inhabits it. Recently I received an email from Interweave that was devoted to profiling the studios of a few experts. I felt the familiar twang of envy when I opened it, upon seeing photos of some amazing workspaces. That envy quickly turned into a warm feeling of hope that someday I too will have an amazingly wonderful studio that others will admire, and perhaps even envy a bit. I particularly loved the studio of mixed media artist Jenn Mason. Right away I noticed the collection of old milk glass vases she uses to hold various bits and bobs that she uses in her work. I sell similar vases in my other Etsy shop, Back Door Deals! It was great to see this example of reusing old pieces in a way that looks very tasteful. If you want to see more of Jenn's studio, then just click here.

1.14.2011

Here's the Dish: Frosted Lemon Cookies

Over the holidays, I had the opportunity to do some baking. This is good, because I love to bake, especially for other people. As much as I love sweets, it is a dangerous thing for me to bake a cake or a batch of cookies and not share it. You can pretty much guess what happens if that stuff stays in the house! We had a cookie exchange where I work, and it was a lot of fun! For my contribution, I baked these frosted lemon cookies. They are refreshing, light and easy to make. They really stood out among the many chocolate varieties that were brought in by my co-workers, too.
Click here for the recipe!

1.09.2011

10% Off Necklaces!

It's January, a month when normally nothing exciting happens . . . until now! This month I am celebrating my 4th Etsy Anniversary :) Hard to believe that I'm still at this little venture of mine ;) In honor of the occasion, and to thank each of you for your support, I will be offering a different special in my shop each week. I am also planning at least one giveaway this month, so check back right here for that. Week 1: January 9-15, take 10% off all necklaces! Just use the code "10OFF" during checkout, and the discount will automatically be deducted.