A Note on the Screen Door: August 2010

Monday, August 30, 2010

Anniversary Week: Boutique Me! Giveaway

This Thursday will be my one-year blog anniversary!

To celebrate my upcoming one-year blog anniversary this week, I have a surprise for all of my fabulous readers!

Melissa from Boutique Me! is generously giving away:

1 monogram decal (5 inch)

1 monogrammed car tag

& the *lucky* winner can choose the colors of both prizes, & get them monogrammed!

If you're in your vehicle as often as I am, you know it starts to feel like an accessory, or at least like an extension of your home. & if that is the case, you absolutely want to make sure your vehicle gives off just as preppy&pretty an impression as you & your home do!

I just adore Melissa, a fellow Alabama princess, & her company is fantastic! Boutique Me! offers everything from:

cutting boards for your culinary needs,

to drink coasters for your entertaining needs,

to koozies for your tailgating needs.

If you need a gift, they've got it, & they will personalize it *free!*

(& of course if you just order a "gift" for yourself, I won't judge. I want to order one of everything for myself!)

They have all of the patterns we preppy ladies adore - including:

damask,

houndstooth,

polka dot,

& more...

...in pretty much any color!

Something else I just love about Boutique Me! is that you can pretty much take care of all of your travel needs in coordinated, monogrammed style...you could even do different colors&patterns for each member of your family - including your pet!

(& there are definitely some gender-neutral options to choose from, so as not to offend your gentlemen's masculine sensibilities.)

For example, they offer:

umbrellas...

You can just load them all up in the back of your monogrammed vehicle & go! ;)

A few of my other favorite finds:

Polka Dot Circle Initial Decal

(Just something a little different from the decals you see every day!)

Monogrammed Clipboards

(Perfect for a preppy compulsive list-maker like myself. & they are dry erase on both sides!)

Giant Wall Tin Cross

(I think it'd be super cute to get one of these for your back door, if you have a door with a long window or a glass door. You could match one to your back patio decor!)

PSA Essentials Personalized Stamps

(As a lady who loves her stationery, I appreciate the ease with which you can interchange these stamps for all your inviting&thanking needs!)

Monogrammed Key Fobs

(I think it'd be a perfect addition to my "gift closet" to snatch up a random batch of these for go-to gifts for secret sisters, teachers, etc. So cute!)

Boutique Me! will also be celebrating their own anniversary (two years!) in September, so you will definitely want to make sure you are getting their updates about sales&specials!

To enter the Boutique Me! giveaway:

Be a follower of A Note on the Screen Door, & leave a comment on this post about your favorite item from the Boutique Me! website. (These are both *mandatory,* as this giveaway is a special thank you for all my sweet followers! & you simply must go see what all my fuss is about...y'all know I will only share my best, cutest finds with you!)
Follow the Boutique Me! blog for a 2nd entry.
Follow me on Twitter for a 3rd entry.
Blog about this giveaway, with a link to this post, for a 4th entry.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

(So if you do each of these things for an entry, you will need to leave a total of 4 comments here.)

The deadline to enter the giveaway will be Wednesday, September 1st at midnight, & I will announce the winner on Pink&Green Thursday, September 2nd - which is the date of my one-year blog anniversary! =)

Thank you all for following me & reading my blog. I have been so excited to become a part of such an amazing community of bloggers over the last year. & have a great week!

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Pretty Little Bare Feet's Palate: Whipped Broccoli & Baby's Turkey

As I posted before, I have always preferred to make most of Pretty Little Bare Feet's food myself, even her "baby food."

One of the vegetables that she developed a real inclination for as a baby, that she is actually still wild about as a toddler(!), is broccoli. Whipped broccoli was her first source of tasting broccoli as a baby, & now she will eat it in virtually any form I prepare it for her!

(A broccoli or cauliflower puree like this can also be a great alternative side dish at your supper table, if you want to serve up something different from, & healthier than, mashed white potatoes. Just stir in a dash of garlic salt before serving it to the rest of the family!)

I adapted the following recipes from combining bits&pieces of information&recipes, mostly from my aforementioned sources; as well as from my own trials&errors.

whipped broccoli

(yield: makes about 2 1/2 cups)

1 large head broccoli
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

*Trim broccoli & cut into similar-sized florets.

(Broccoli is rich in anticancer phytonutrients, beta-carotene, fiber, folic acid, iron, potassium, & vitamins. But avoid it if your baby is gassy, & instead stick with plain white mashed potatoes. Those will be less likely to aggravate an upset baby belly!)

*If you have a Babycook, follow Babycook directions for adding water to steam broccoli. After steaming, remove steamer basket. Then follow Babycook directions to puree to a consistency your baby can handle.

*If you have a steamer, place about 2 cups small broccoli florets in the steamer & cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain & blend to a puree with a little of the boiled water from the steamer. Alternatively, add just enough boiling water to cover the vegetables, then cover&simmer until tender, about 10 minutes.

*If you do not have a Babycook or steamer, put florets in a pot with cold water to cover. Put lid on pot, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, & boil just until broccoli is tender, 15-18 minutes. Be careful not to overcook, or broccoli will separate & fall apart. Drain.

(It *is* preferable to steam, or even microwave, the broccoli. Boiling it in water will cut its vitamin C content by about half. To microwave, place the florets in a microwaveable dish, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons water, & cover with microwave-safe plastic wrap. Pierce the wrap & microwave on high until tender, about 6 minutes, stirring halfway through. Let stand for 4 minutes, then blend with boiled water, or a little of your baby's usual milk, to make a smooth puree.)

*While still hot, puree broccoli with butter in a food processor until very smooth&creamy. If you do not have a food processor, you can use a handheld electric blender.

(Broccoli has a pretty strong taste, so if your baby doesn't take to it right away, try mixing it with a cheese sauce, potato, pumpkin, rutabaga, or sweet potato.)

*To store, refrigerate cooled broccoli puree in an airtight container for up to 3 days; or fill ice-cube trays or larger containers to freeze for up to 3 months.

(sorry for the iPhone-quality photo)

I don't know about y'all, but the jarred meats they market as baby food creep me out way more than any of the fruits or veggies...& I've already emphasized how much I prefer the fresh stuff to the jarred stuff anyway.

When Pretty Little Bare Feet was just starting out on meats, I did go to the trouble to cook&puree ground turkey for her. But to be honest, I couldn't blame her for not being thrilled about it. It looked&smelled awful.

(In its defense, it smelled no worse than what came out of the jar, although the jar stuff maybe looked better.)

Certainly, though, both Pretty Little Bare Feet & I were quite ready to move on to "real" solid meats when that day came!

In the end, though, I do think it is worth cooking&preparing baby's meats at home.

(sorry for the iPhone-quality photo)

baby's turkey

(yield: makes about 1 cup)

1/2 pound ground turkey

*In a nonstick frying pan over medium heat, combine turkey & 1/4 cup water. Cook, breaking up the turkey & stirring constantly, until meat is cooked through & no longer pink, 3-5 minutes. Let cool. Drain & reserve cooking liquid.

(Turkey is a great first meat for your baby, as it is easy to digest. It is a good source of both iron&protein.)

*Transfer turkey to a blender or food processor & puree until a powdery mix is formed, about 1 minute. With machine running, slowly add reserved cooking liquid by the tablespoon. The texture will be pastelike. Add more liquid to thin puree to a smooth consistency your baby can handle.

(Pretty Little Bare Feet hated turkey the first time she tried it, so we stirred in pureed apples to smooth&sweeten it. You can also use pears. Now that she's older, though, slices of deli turkey are one of her favorite go-to lunch meats! To try serving the turkey puree again later, without the fruit, you could add a dash of basil or garlic powder for flavor.)

*To store, refrigerate turkey puree in an airtight container for 1-2 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.

(sorry for the iPhone-quality photo)

***Please note that I am not a doctor. I am a blogger, a lawyer, & a stay-at-home mama. I gather&read a lot of information before I prepare food for my own child. I would encourage you to do the same, rather than only going by what I've posted (although I do stand behind the observations I've recorded here). Each child is different, with different needs. Foods are also different in different regions. I use guidelines I've received from our pediatrician, for feeding our child. Please use the advice of your own pediatrician regarding the age at which your child should begin eating which foods, & what serving sizes are appropriate for your child. Thank you for reading my blog! Please feel free to email me with any questions you may have.***

P.S. Be on the lookout for a surprise tomorrow!

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Pink&Green Thursday, August 26th, 2010

One of My Prince's favorite films from when he was a child, that he still a fan of today, is the Sound of Music.

(None of your friends read this blog, right, honey?)

Really, I had only ever heard the songs from the movie, until I was an adult & watched it with My Prince.

& now that our house is alive with the sound of music...

(Pretty Little Bare Feet learned all of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" a few weeks ago! She also knows bits&pieces of some other songs, & she dances&sings all the time.)

...I can't wait until a few months from now, when maybe she'll be able to enjoy this classic with us.

(At the very least, she should stop still in front of the television during the musical numbers...the Pepsi commercial featuring "One Tribe" by the Black Eyed Peas draws her from anyplace in the house to come stand mesmerized&swaying in front of the screen.)

(raindrops on roses)

(whiskers on kittens)

(via: Laurie Cinotto)

(bright copper kettles)

("Bright Copper Kettles" Print by My Tiny Star)

(warm woolen mittens)

(brown paper packages tied up with strings)

(a few of my favorite things)

(via: a Girl Playground)

(cream colored ponies)

(via: Rouge My Knees)

(crisp apple streudels)

(doorbells, sleigh bells)

(via: Francis Mariani)

(schnitzel with noodles)

(via: Laura Rebecca's Kitchen)

(wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings)

(a few of my favorite things)

(girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes)

(snowflakes that stay on my nose&eyelashes)

(silver white winters that melt into springs)

(via: Webshots Blog)

(a few of my favorite things)

(when the dog bites)

(when the bee stings)

(when I'm feeling sad)

(via: Babble)

(I simply remember my favorite things...)

(...& then I don't feel so bad!)

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Wordless Wednesday: White Party!

A couple of my favorite blogs have recently posted for the White Party! going on over at Desperately Seeking Seersucker. Being the follower of all things preppy&pretty that I am, I absolutely cannot believe that I have been blogging for...

(How long now? Ooo, almost a year! Let's have an anniversary celebration on September 2nd, shall we?! Oh, my train of thought derailed...)

Oh! I couldn't believe that I hadn't been following Desperately Seeking Seersucker! What a fantastic blog!

(& I do love that header. ;))

So in the interest of fanfaring the impending end of summer with a parade of gorgeous white images, I share this particular Wordless Wednesday in the White Party! tradition.

(via: Anna with Love)

(Megan Mullally's Master Bedroom)

(via: Torie Jayne)

(via: Southern Hospitality)

(via: Fashion Zen)

(via: Architect Your Home)

(Link up to the White Party! here.)

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Visions of Vintage Dance in My Head

I wish I could say that I wear vintage.

But I don't.

It's sort of like how I wish had that knack for decorating with, & shopping for, antiques.

(I so *want* to arrange antique finds in a way that perfectly co-mingles with our mostly classic, sometimes French country, aesthetic.)

& in that same way, sometimes I really, truly have this desire to make vintage work in my wardrobe. Somehow just easing itself into place alongside my colorful Lilly prints & my preppy, tailored staples.

But while I adore the browsing,

& like to think I may even have a good eye for it,

I am never bold enough to actually click "add to cart."

Although, should I ever have a second glass of wine on the same night that I am feeling that intense attraction to the vintage treasures on my beloved Etsy...