Monthly Archives: January 2008

Introducing… Creative Spaces!

Introducing… Creative Spaces!

I love having a space where I can create… my sewing machine is always at the ready, my ribbons are at hand, and my fabric is readily available. My other craft materials are organized by category: yarn/crochet, adhesives, cutting tools, embroidery threads and needles, notions, art journaling accents, and so forth. However, like every space,…

Skip to Spring Pasta Salad

Skip to Spring Pasta Salad

So it’s winter, and the produce at the grocery store is looking kind of sketchy… But you’re dreaming of spring, and you want something light for dinner. Enter the recipe for “Skip to Spring” Pasta Salad Start with about 3 cups of tri-color rotini. Throw it into a pot of boiling salted water, and let…

The Cutest Stationery Sets, and Shipping’s Nicer

The Cutest Stationery Sets, and Shipping’s Nicer

Please give a warm welcome to the newest members of the Joyful Abode family: Stationery sets! It’s been in the works for a long time, and many, many doodles later… a huge order of paper and envelopes later, and lots of time spent digitally coloring and designing layouts later… I present to you unique stationery…

Chewy Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chewy Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mmm… does it get any better than this? Chewy cookies that are the perfect consistency for milk-dipping… Perfection! I’m not a banana-eating person. I don’t like bananas at all. I can’t even stand the smell of bananas. I used to say that when I became a teacher, I would tell all of my students’ parents…

Crabettes hors d’oeuvres

Crabettes hors d’oeuvres

One night, much to the dismay of the guy, who likes huge slabs of meat next to piles of starch… I was really in the mood for hors d’oeuvres. Call them what you will: appetizers, starters, or-dervs… I think they’re excellent. Little bites of yum, no matter what kind they are. So I dug around…

Winter Warmth Baby Blankets

Winter Warmth Baby Blankets

A couple of months ago, when I was at the fabric store, I got sucked in by the flannel. I mean, I couldn’t get out of that aisle! There’s so much cute stuff in there. I ended up buying a ton of it to make baby blankets with. I wanted my blankets to be really…

Pumpkin Crumble – Dip-esque Dessert

Pumpkin Crumble – Dip-esque Dessert

If you like pumpkin desserts, you’ll love this quick and simple pumpkin pecan crumble. It’s sort of like a crustless pumpkin pie with a soft cake-y topping. You CAN spoon some onto your plate and eat it with a fork or spoon (with vanilla ice cream. Mmm), but It’s also great served as a dessert…

Milton, FL Living Room and Dining Room

Milton, FL Living Room and Dining Room

So, it doesn’t look terribly different from the living room my apartment in Columbia, SC or our row house in Pensacola, FL BUT I have to show off our new green wall. Whoever decided on the paint colors for this house chose them FOR ME. The green in the living room is perfect, as is…

Yummy Simple Meatballs

Yummy Simple Meatballs

So, if you don’t feel like going all out with making delicious meat sauce for your spaghetti, meatballs are a little faster and just as yummy. Here’s how I made mine: 1 lb. of lean ground beef 1 egg, beaten minced garlic (however much you like) 1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs Mix it all together with…

Keep dipping stuff in chocolate, ok?

Keep dipping stuff in chocolate, ok?

So, since the cherries-and-clementines chocolate fest, I’ve experimented with dipping everything in the house in chocolate, then tasting it. Chocolate covered olives? A no go. But chocolate ritz cracker sandwiches? Quite tasty! They would probably be even better if the sandwiches were dunked in chocolate, so there’s chocolate EVERYwhere. The buttery-salty flavor and airy texture…

Light Up Your Abode

The days are getting longer, and your SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) or winter blues should be lifting now. But you can lift your spirits even faster with a few simple jobs around the house. Clean your windows to let the sun shine in unobstructed. When the man and I cleaned all of our windows, we…

Cabbage Soup

Cabbage Soup

Cabbage is really overlooked as a vegetable. I know I hardly think of it when I’m thinking of a side-item. Usually I think of green beans, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, or something like that. But cabbage is delicious and full of cancer-preventing stuff, and really low in calories (while being full of vitamin C, vitamin A,…

Hi! I'm Emily. I'm a Navy wife and brand new stay at home mom. I cook simple, delicious, grain-free recipes, do crafts, decorate on a budget, and keep a happy home. I breastfeed, babywear, cloth diaper, and co-sleep, but I'm not a hippie.Want to know more?