Year in Review

I haven’t been on the computer too much this last week.   First there was Christmas, then a niece’s wedding, then a Montana trip to visit my parents (and take down Mom’s Christmas decorations!)…anyway, not a lot of time for blogging!

But while the New Year’s Eve movie-of-choice is on (Unknown with Liam Neeson), I thought I’d follow a blogging tradition and pick a favorite project from each month to share

Hope you enjoy the journey!

January

The cabinet at the top of the stairs got a much-needed facelift!  (However, it got replaced in favor of something with a little more pizzazz in September, but I enjoyed the change until then!)

 

February

A friend and I threw a baby shower for a neighbor!  It was fun to decorate with ‘boy’ things.

March

My love of red came out in this cute numbered chest of drawers.

 

April

I shared how to replace a cane seat on a chair with kitchen utensils.

May

I knocked off an Anthropologie dresser, but in reverse!

June

Without a doubt, my most popular project EVER has been my French Chocolate table!  That’s OK, because it’s one of my favorites too!  It even inspired my to sell my sectional and buy a couch so I could keep it.

July

I was on a bit of a coffee table kick for a while!  This postcard table is another favorite; my little sister claimed this one!

 

August

I experimented with a little “Steampunk” in August.  I used old water valve handles as drawer knobs on this chest of drawers (it was claimed by another sister)!

 

September

I experimented with DIY chalk paint in September.

 

October

I dressed up the entrance to my home with vintage suitcase shelves.

And I’ll cheat a little in October, because there are two more projects that I just loved…

my Ballard Designs theater room knock-offs

and the TV armoire I converted to a sewing armoire.

November

I “discovered” a simple way to do image transfers using a home printer and an overhead transparency sheet.

December

And just two weeks before Christmas, I refinished my kitchen counter tops using a Giani Granite painting kit!

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Thank you for all the support, kind comments, and helpful suggestions you have offered over the past year!  I feel very lucky in my community of Internet friends.  You inspire me and motivate me.

I hope the New Year will be a fun and productive one for all of us!

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Soups On! ….Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Before you read…there are different type styles and sizes on this post…my blogger is not happy today – it’s putting in any style it wants to no matter what I do – sorry!!!!

We’re anxiously waiting for our New Year’s Eve dinner – we never eat this big any other night of the year but Doug has his tradition of Steak and Seafood. It’s the only time we indulge in this much food at one time.
Our menu tonight will be:
T-Bone steak

Crab Legs/Claws

Steamed Mussels

Deep Fried Shrimp

Baked Potato

Steamed Corn

Texas Toast
 
And if there’s room later on there’s Cheesecake – I bought the mini-squares of 2 different kinds but I think they will stay in the refrigerator until tomorrow (which by the way will be Scalloped Potatoes and Ham).  I do have a good supply of antacids in the cupboard!
Okay you say…where do we put it all…well, we split the steak – I take the tenderloin part, he takes the other side. Both our preference for this cut of meat.
I will eat some of the deep fried Shrimp, potato and vegetable and bread.  THE REST IS HIS…I don’t care for other seafood than the Shrimp. So I don’t think I will be groaning and moaning tonight!

What a year this has been…many ups and downs.
We have many joys in this past year but there have been a few sad moments as well – we lost 3 family members and 4 friends. This is not a normal year and I pray 2012 brings happier days to all these families.
We have been blessed beyond words with a wonderful family…they are such loving, thoughtful boys and their families are our joy!
And we are also going to be grandparents again for the 6th time….life is good.
Our travels have been almost zero – mainly due to my discs – they have not been cooperating with me the past two years and even more this past year so there are no memories to reflect back on for travels – although we did get to see Doug’s cousins in Arkansas in July for a cousins reunion. I guess I can call that traveling – but you all know what I’m talking about – Pennsylvania is in my blood and it has been over a year!  But we will get there sooner or later. And no Simple Goods show this year! Oh well….at least we are here and basically in good health – I really don’t classify my discs as poor health because it sure doesn’t stop me from most things.
I’m glad though that this year is coming to an end because I’m anxious to see what 2012 has in store – I have plans and dreams and we’ll see if they will happen – the list is long. I never make resolutions though because we all know they never work…I do try to be a good person, thinking about what I say and do before I do it – and wishing I could be like that ALL YEAR LONG! It’s the best I can do to try my best.
Things I want to accomplish this year:
1. Re-paper or paint the bedroom walls – and trim
2. Paint bathroom cabinets and new floor
3. Crown Molding in dining room
4. Paint family room
Now as I read this I have to laugh…THESE AREN’T THINGS I WANT TO ACCOMPLISH…they’re things I want Doug to do…goodness, hope he doesn’t see this – I need to spring it all on him slowly.
May you all have a safe and wonderful New Year’s Eve celebration and New Year’s Day…and a wonderful New Year.
Blessings
Karen

(Edited…)
OMGosh I just re-read this post and it sounds like those 'Christmas Card Letters'....Nooooooo!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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Happy 2012!

What does New Years mean to you?

Celebrate quietly at home? 

How about any family traditions? Ours goes back many generations; one must have herring on New Years Eve, it brings good luck! 

Or do you go out and celebrate?

 Here is the recipe for a celebratory cocktail "Ice Wine Martini". In case you are not familiar, ice wine is from grapes harvested after a hard frost, picked frozen, they are a heavy concentration of sweetness.

Ice Wine Martini

10 seedless green grapes, plus 2 halved grapes for garnish
2 ounces of Ice Wine (I like Inniskillin)
2 ounces vodka, preferably Ciroc
Ice

In a blender puree the 10 grapes with ice wine and vodka. Pour the puree through a strainer, into an ice filled cocktail shaker and shake well. Strain agin into a large chilled martini glass, garnish with the grape halves. "Heavenly!"

Wearing a classic black dress? How about some adornment? Carla Fox is a blog friend from the Pacific Northwest and a jewelry designer. Her "Art and Adornments"  are one-of-a-kind necklaces and headpieces. The following examples are in the Geneva, Il shop currently. Carla can also be found at her ETSY site. 

And the last order of business is announcing the winner of the "World of Department Stores" book, the immensely talented Pamela Terry of 'The House of Edward' blog. Pamela is a magical wordsmith, her stories, life and inspiration is a favorite. Enjoy Pamela!

May all of yours come true............

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for visiting 5th and State blog. Your support and comments mean the world to me........

Much love
Debra

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Giani Granite Review part 2 & Winner!

In case you  missed it…my review of the Giani Granite counter top refinishing kit is here. 

As I mentioned, I was NOT enjoying the whole wait-14-days-for-the-polyurethane-to-cure aspect! 

Well, guess what…

…I didn’t have to.

I e-mailed the link to my review to the Giani representative I had been working with, and she assured me that I really COULD start using my counter tops!  Sure, it takes 14 days to fully cure, but I could start putting my small items back on.

I was so delighted…and relieved!

So although I ended up waiting about a week before I used  my counters, by last Wednesday night we were pretty much back in business, as follows:

• Wednesday I spread a tablecloth on the peninsula, but then we used it for a pot-luck dinner for eleven friends. 
• Thursday I baked 25 loaves of bread for neighbor gifts, and assembled about 15 bags of almond roca, pecan crunch, and white chocolate macadamia popcorn.
• Saturday I made two pans of Potatoes Benson, Christmas Jell-o (my kids love it), Hawaiian haystacks, two pumpkin pies, one cherry pie, and one raspberry brownie torte.
• Sunday I made bacon, eggs, Bubble bread, hot spinach-artichoke dip, ham, rolls, and spinach salad.

So I would say the counters have gotten quite the work-out in the past week!  And guess what?  No chips, no scratches! 

I’m hoping they will continue to hold up as well after they are fully cured!

So without further ado, the winner of the Giani Granite giveaway is:

Anne from Creative Southern Home, who said:

Congratulations, Anne!  I will be e-mailing you.

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We survived another one!

Yep, all is well here at the Martinsen’s after having the family all yesterday afternoon/evening – pooped but doing good.

Everyone came between 1 – 1:30 ready to PARTY! And that we did. 
Snacks and drinks while chatting about the kids Christmas gifts they got and ‘GOT’ they did!!!! 
For what was going to be a simple Christmas it sure didn’t sound like it from their descriptions…and then the goodies from us – well we thought we kept it pretty ‘simple’ this year as well but when they started opening things, it told another story.

You know…it’s funny when the grandchildren are living at home they take many, many things for granted – well Jesse got his own apt. last month and wanted some things for his place so (among other things) we bought him a Grill/Griddle plus some ‘nice’ spatulas/turners/pizza cutter/knives – one’s that will last.
Well he oohhed and aahhed over these things like it was gold.  He said he had some of the cheaper ones and they were horrible…

And Alex…she looooves grandpa’s Onion Dip and requests it whenever they come over – he uses a food chopper to get the onions chopped real fine so he bought her one for Christmas so when she moves into her apt. she can make her very own dip.
 

Aidan kept us giggling with each gift he opened…and so did one of the grown-ups.
We drew names this year and Two of them got some pretty good stuff.
Heather received a bottle of Jack Daniels (it was on her list!) and the look on her face and Emily’s cracked us all up.

And Doug got a couple bottles too…Aidan was crazy all day and constantly wanted to slide backwards down the Two steps – he did this off and on for most of the day for some reason.

Doug’s sister always gives each of the kids ornaments each year (until they reach age 16)
We took the picture so we can send it to her.

Dinner turned out wonderful…I was a bit scared to do all those crushed peppercorns on the Tenderloin but I must say it made it so delicious.
Out of the 7 lbs of Tenderloin there is probably less than 3/4 lb left.

Darren and Brett forever try something silly in a picture and today was no different – we can always count on those two for some laughs throughout the day…

Our family…
 

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and will continue to have a wonderful New Year.

Karen
 

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This Christmas…

This Christmas:

Mend a quarrel.

Seek out a forgotten friend.

Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust.

Write a letter.

Give a soft answer.

Encourage youth.

Manifest your loyalty in word and deed.

Keep a promise.

Forgo a grudge.

Forgive an enemy.

Apologize.

Try to understand.

Examine your demands on others.

Think first of someone else.

Be kind.

Be gentle.

Laugh a little more.

Express your gratitude.

Welcome a stranger.

Gladden the heart of a child.

Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth.

Speak your love and then speak it again.

 Howard W. Hunter

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May you keep the Spirit of Christmas in your heart all the year!

Love,

Korrie

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