New Years Resolution

For 2010, my one and only resolution is to find a cure for morning sickness....

Just a few more days...

and the clearance section will go away! Have a peek and treat yourself. You know you deserve it.

Clearance Section


Goody Bags - these are a STEAL! Pieces combined and prices slashed even lower that the sale price!

...

Gems, Shrimp and Dap

Saturday morning we hit the road for the gem show. But first, a breakfast of biscuits and gravy, sausage, eggs and hashbrowns first at IHOP where we were waited on by a very talkative Saints fan.

After putting ourselves into an IHOP coma, we were back on the road. We pulled into the Gem Show about a half hour after it opened. To our surprise, the place was empty - we had it all to ourselves practically. I racked up on tons of new gems and treasures. One of the little treasures I grabbed was this cute zebra print stretch bracelet. I picked up one for Jen and a ton more to sell to my customers as a special treat. (I don't do stretch bracelets but have had many requests.)

After 2 1/2 hours my husband was fit to be tied. So I let him drag me through New Orleans to this great seafood restaurant called Deanie's for lunch. The Quarter was packed. It was 1:30 by the time we got to Deanies and we were starved, and I was of course was turning into a monster.... and then we find out its a one hour wait. Which is pretty much the standard in the Quarter before a football game, so we had to stick it out. We walk a block over to get a $5 beer - YES, I almost threw up at the cost - and with a little something in my system we were back to wait at Deanie's.

There were Saints fans everywhere with the occasional Cowboy fan. It was pretty rowdy, as expected, so we stood in the lobby and people-watched. At one point a couple of Cowboy fans walked in with a Saints fan. (Sounds like the start of a joke, huh?) They ask J how long of a wait it is, to which J responds "Its about an hour wait, but for you, three hours," and they laugh. The Saints guy that they're with walks up to J, without saying a word, and just lifts his hand to give him dap. And J instinctively raises his fist to meet the guy's fist. And I just stare, open mouthed, until J catches my eye. "Did you know him?" I ask. J says no and smiles at me. Random guy, just comes up and bumps fists with my husband out of sheer comraderie because of the funny J threw at his Cowboy fan friends. Cracks me up still today.

Okay so enough gab. A few photos from the meal. I didn't know we were going to New Orleans or I would have brought my camera. So many photos I could have taken. These are from the iPhone, which I have to say aren't that bad at all.

Photos are J's BBQ Shrimp, my Shrimp PoBoy, J's messy fingers and the biggest shrimp of the bunch. Which makes you wonder why people call small folks "shrimps".

Making Way for the New with a CLEARANCE SALE

Y'all know how much I love a sale. The one I'm having now doesn't get any better. Prices won't get any lower than this at Jillry. I have new designs to share but have to make room for them!

Check out the Sale Section by clicking here. I've posted everything I have in stock, so if you see something you like grab it now - it may not be there tomorrow!

A few of the MANY items on sale:

Recipes Around the World

Name: Jill Corkern (yes, that's me!)
State: Louisiana
Hometown: Central (a small town outside of Baton Rouge)
Three words to describe yourself: creative, playful, loving

Recipe: Red Beans & Rice, Jill's Way ;)

Ingredients:

1 1lb bag dried red beans
1 lb Manda's pork sausage, sliced
1 medium onion chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1 bell pepper chopped
1 stalk celery chopped
1 - 1 1/2 tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp of Tony's Chacheres
Rice

Now before I start, let me just say that writing a recipe for this with measured ingredients was difficult. I don't measure. I go by taste and memory. If you are not big on spicy, add a little of the spices, stir and taste. Repeat until it suites your tastebuds.

I don't do any prepping of the dried beans, for example, soaking them like some people do. I like easy meals and I don't find a need for the extra step.

Dump the red beans in crock pot. Cover with water. Add all of the chopped veggies, stir, cover. Put on high. During the first two hours check on pot and add water as needed. Don't let the beans shrivel from lack of water.

After about 2 hours on high, add sliced sausage and all of seasons, including garlic. The red beans should be getting thicker by now and less soupy.

Let cook for another 5 hours on low, stirring every 30 minutes or so. Eventually the red beans will become thick, almost like a chili. If your red beans do not get thick simply leave the cover off and let simmer for another hour.

Cook rice on stovetop separately. We use about 3 heaping tablespoons of cooked rice per bowl, pouring the red beans over the rice.

Review: This is a staple in our home. Both the Baberhusband and I love this high protein, high fiber recipe. Sometimes I sneak in brown rice, but I've yet to find one J cannot detect. We usually eat on this for three nights, but on the rare occasion we finish the pot we just put in the freezer for later. It's even better the second time around!

Feel free to comment with questions. Enjoy!

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To submit your recipe for Recipes Around the World, email Jill at JillryLove@gmail.com.
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Image of red beans and rice from blue-kitchen.com.

One year down, 118 to go.

This weekend was nothing short of amazing.

We lounged. We snuggled. Drank champagne, ate delicious seafood. Played with the puppies. Played kissie face. A lot.

Saturday afternoon I put on my best sweater (it was cold out, yay!) and hopped in the car for dinner and a movie. Or in our case, movie and a dinner. See, we're old folk. We don't do 8 pm dinners and 10 pm movies. We'd be worthless the next day.

It was raining and we rushed from car to theater. I giggled like a school girl trying to catch up with J's long legged strides as I covered my freshly coiffed hair with my jacket. Fast walk, walk, walk, runnn to catch up, giggle, fast walk walk walk.... Baber and his long monkey legs.

The Blind Side was our movie of choice. I cannot express how much I loved this movie. My jaw was clenched through the entire film to keep myself from crying. What finally made me lose it was at the end of the movie. When the credits starting rolling there were photos of the family who's story this movie was created from: not a single person got up out of their seat to leave. The place was packed and still until the last photo disappeared.

We had buttery popcorn and monsterous drinks. Baber is a kid at heart and popcorn is a MUST at the theater. I always look forward to our dates because of this sort of thing. He doesn't leave out the details that make our evenings fun.

Bonefish Grill was our next destination, one of favorite restaurants. Mahi Mahi topped with lobster and crab in a sherry cream sauce on top of whipped garlic mashed potatoes. Did you just get chills? We did too.

Next, J's favorite: Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. The last time we went there we ended up spending $30. What? Thirty dollars on CHOCOLATE? We had a heart attack that time, so we were a bit more careful in our selection this go-round. Seafoam, Tiger Butter, Oreo Bark and a slab of dark chocolate. Mmm.

Some window shopping, lots of hand-holding and opening doors. I hope it never fades.

Finally the Baberhusband started driving us toward downtown. I fought back the questions until I couldn't take it anymore.

"So, are you surprised at how long I held back on questioning where you're taking me?" He grins and says the festival of lights downtown. I'm giddy - we've been trying to start a tradition driving around to look at Christmas lights each year, but its seems we have a bunch of grinches living around us these days. People just don't put up lights like they used to.

So we get downtown and its.... dead. No one in sight. No lights. No cars. No people. Nothing. We laugh, maybe they cancelled it? We still don't know, but it didn't matter. Cozy in the car with the heater at my feet and my husband holding my hand, I didn't care where he took me. The gesture was all it took to remember why I fell in love with him. He knows I love surprises.


















Back at the house we enjoyed some bubbly that we've been hanging onto for this night and took a tiny slice off our cake topper from the wedding a whole year ago. I'm not a big cake person, so after feeding each other a tiny bite with arms looped I was done. He was too. One year old cake? Great tradition but icky concept. Its still sitting in the fridge with one tiny slice taken out of it. Seems like such a waste. Oh well.

Sunday I had my first annual Christmas Extravaganza at the house. Photos of that to come next. Babers helped rearrange the house to fit everyone and made sure I had everything I needed before he left. Have I mentioned how lucky I am that he's so supportive? I feel it every day.

Mid way through the event my sister moves to stand in front of the window while a friend starts incessantly talking to me about something random. I'm suspicious but let it go. I'm a sucker for surprises and I've learned when people act crazy like that to hide something, there's bound to be a great surprise after.

Knock knock, goes the flower delivery guy at our door. I squeal and melt all over my freshly mopped kitchen floor. My favorite, lilies. And roses, and a few other pretties too. Be still my heart. He knows how much I adore lilies. So much so that I've threatened to name our unborn child after them.


















How sneaky is he to have these delivered in the midst of the show? The girls ooo'd and ahhhh'd alright. PDA at its best. He's a glutten for praise and boy did he get a dose when he got home. (I guess technically he's getting another dose here, isn't he?)

All in all, a wonderful weekend. Perfect in every single way. This year just flew by... I hope the next 118 years go a little slower...

I love you Baberhusband!

Anniversary Eve

Today the Baberhusband and I are celebrating our first year anniversary. Tomorrow is the real date, but I'm crazy and decided to hold a home show at our place for last minute shoppers. (Hey, he's supporting me on it.)

Right now my heart is full, thinking about where we were one year ago today. Nervous, excited, busy. All in the middle of the holiday season.

We're bundled up on the couch, the puppy dogs at our feet, snoring away. Our new tree is decorated, lighting up the den with a warm glow. Last year we didn't have time to get a tree, we were preparing for a wedding.

Movie and dinner at our favorite place, Bonefish Grill a little later today. Bang Bang Shrimp, flirting and hand holding over a lit candle between us. I've been so busy with weekend shows, we rarely go out on real dates anymore. I miss them. However, the spaces in between makes our dates more exciting. I actually get giddy dressing up for my husband.

For now, I'm signing off for some snuggles before our date. I love this season. There's a reason we choose this time of year to be married... ;)

Holiday Bites - Appetizers Shared!

The sweet Sydney S., a Jillry supporter-turned-friend, was sweet enough to share this delicious sounding dip recipe that makes me want to run to the store right now and get the fixings for.

Hot Ham and Cheese Dip

1 one pound sourdough bread
8 oz. sour cream
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. shredded cheddar
4 oz. Budig ham, diced
¼ cup parmesan cheese
Dash of Tabasco
¼ teaspoon garlic powder


Pre-heat oven to 350˚

Slice top off bread and set aside. Hollow out bread leaving a shell. Cut the hollowed out bread into squares.

Mix remaining ingredients and fill the shell. Replace the top of bread and completely wrap in foil. Place on a cookie sheet and heat for 1 hour.


Sydney, I cannot wait to try this one with my family. I'm thinking this would be great for our Christmas Eve party. Thanks again for sharing!

If you have a party appetizer to share we'd all love to enjoy it. Please submit your recipe to JillryLove@gmail.com.

Wordless Wednesday: Contrast

I crave, I create, I SHARE.

A few new pieces added to my shop, plus more. Visit Jillry to see the rest of the newbies.

This beauty below is one of a kind.

Swimming up for air

Its been a few days since I've last blogged, so I thought I'd pop in and say hi.

Jillry has really taken off and I am swamped to say the least. Proud and anxious. Busy but beaming. Making lists. Lots of lists...

My Christmas cards are still sitting on the table, unaddressed. Just got stamps today. There are some things that you cannot procrastinate on... I also left a message just today on my nephew's answering machine from Nippy, Santa's favorite elf. I wonder if he'll figure out Nippy is really his Aunt Toot.

Had a great weekend of craft shows and home shows. Now I'm working like a mad woman to get my stock up for this weekend's show at my house. I'm hosting my very first Christmas Extravaganza and I am THRILLED. I love love love supporting my fellow artists and hope this becomes such a big thing that I'll have to rent space for it in the future.

There's another biggie this weekend for me. It will be me and Baber's first anniversary. I can't believe its already been a year! I think we're both a little baffled by the idea... Cancun sunrises and pinacoladas still seem so clear to me. Feels just yesterday I was shoving my face with picnic basket catering standing up in our new kitchen, in my big white dress while J smoked a celebratory cigar with the door wide open. We were so giddy and full of wine and beer, I wouldn't have cared less if he had smoked in bed.

*sigh* My life is full right now. Full of happiness, success, hope. Full of love, support and creativity. Full of inspiration. Full of want, yet full of satisfaction.

Before I sign out, let me announce another giveaway. Mint Green with Envy is hosting a giveaway for my Time Keeper's Necklace. Be sure to pop on over to her place and enter to win.

More later. Photos and stories and new jewelry. Oh my.

Wordless Wednesday: Sparkle

Crave, Create, SHARE.

New items at Jillry!



















Sahara Moon Earrings $12

Smokey Rose Drops $13

Fleur de Leaves $13
Only two pair available!

Recipes Around the World

Name: Jill Casavecchia
State: Northern Ireland at present (but a California native)
Hometown: San Francisco Bay Area
Three words to describe yourself: creative, unconventional, teacher

Recipe: Tutu's Finnish Pancake
(More of an eggy breakfast custard than a pancake, actually)

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1/4 cup honey
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup flour
2 1/2 cups milk
4 Tb. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Place a big baking dish (I use a wok because none of my baking dishes are tall enough) into the oven and heat oven to 425 degrees F. Leave dish in the oven for 10 mins to heat up. Meanwhile, beat eggs, honey, salt, vanilla extract and milk together in the blender to get them really frothy and airy. Add the flour and mix until smooth, with no lumps.

Remove the baking dish from the oven and put the butter in. Making sure to wear oven mitts, swirl the butter around until it melts and covers the bottom and sides of the dish. Give it a few minutes to cool so that the butter hardens slightly. You want the butter to coat the sides of the dish and not just all slide down and pool at the bottom. I usually put the dish/wok into the fridge for a few minutes to cool it down. Next, pour the egg mixture into the dish and bake for 25 minutes at 425 degrees.

While baking, the pancake will climb up the sides of the dish and puff up like a big parachute. A few minutes before it's done, I usually take it out and generously sprinkle brown sugar over the top, before returning it to the oven. The sugar will caramelize.

Be sure to have everyone seated around the table so when you take it out of the oven, they can see it all puffy and lovely. It will fall very quickly. This is nice served with butter & brown sugar, with maple syrup or with fresh fruit. I've heard of savory variations, but I've never tried it anyway but sweet.

If you're feeling adventurous, you might want to experiment with replacing the honey and vanilla with bacon, and sprinkling shredded cheese instead of brown sugar at the end.

Review: This was my grandma's family recipe going back generations to her origins in Finland. I'm sure they didn't use blenders or woks; those are my modern additions. As a kid, I *loved* when she used to make this! She had a glass door on the oven, with a light inside, and I used to get so excited watching it growing big and puffy. As a grown-up, it's still one of my favorites, and although filling, almost everyone who tries it wants seconds. :)

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To submit your recipe for Recipes Around the World, email Jill at JillryLove@gmail.com.

This time of year...

...opens my eyes. See? Look closer. Beauty, in the little things.