Jewelry by Tammy - Captured in Hearts

These heart earrings are sweet.  I love hearts so anytime I find heart shaped beads I want them!  These were a little tricky to make, since I added the small seed beads to the center of the hearts.  I like the look and have plans to do a few more in different colors!  These were made using various glass beads, pearls, gold components and hearts.  My "Captured in Hearts" designs are a few of my favorites.

Patsy's Sauce

One of our favorite home-cooked meals is pasta, topped with sauce.  I usually serve it along with grilled chicken breast and a salad, and that wouldn't be complete without a nice bottle of wine to enjoy with it.  A while back we discovered a delicious sauce for our pasta that has become a staple in our cupboard ever since we tried it for the first time.

~ Patsy's Sauce ~

Patsy's sauce is delicious!  There are several different flavors of their sauce to choose from, our favorite is Patsy's Fra Diavolo sauce, with ingredients of tomatoes, fresh garlic, parsley, onions, crushed red pepper and fresh basil, it has a bit of heat to it, which we really like.  The Tomato Basil is a second favorite and is rich in flavor without the heat of the Fra Diavolo.  

These sauces are from the famous Patsy's of Patsy's Italian Restaurant in New York, a family owned and operated business, founded in 1944 by Pasquale "Patsy" Scognamillo.  True you get what you pay for, and although Patsy's sauce costs a little more than the other popular brands on the self, I find it better than any other sauces out there!  We often get two nights worth of dinners, for the two of us, from one jar, so in the long run it doesn't seem to be over priced.  Plus with all natural ingredients, I don't mind paying a little extra, especially because it is so delicious!  

We found Patsy's for the first time at our local grocery store, and it has been, like I said, "a staple in our cupboard ever since!"  We love Patsy's, and usually have it at least once a week!  It's a quick and easy meal to prepare, can be a simple dinner or special evening for two, or it's even worthy of a 'wow' from your guests! 

My recipe for a perfect meal using Patsy's Sauce

Pasta with Patsy's Sauce

Ingredients: - Serving for Two

1/2 jar of Patsy's Sauce (of choice)

4 to 6 oz. Pasta (of choice), cooked (will be divided for two)

Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese - grated, for garnish

Directions:

Fill a large pan 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil, add pasta and cook until 'al dente' according to package directions.  Heat Patsy's Sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat, until thoroughly heated.  Drain cooked pasta and place in serving dishes, pour heated pasta sauce over pasta.  Garnish with parmigiano reggiano cheese and serve.
*Serve with Grilled Chicken Breast or top with cooked Shrimp. And a Salad.

It's what's for dinner at our place!

More about Patsy's

Patsy's website - Patsys.com has much to see and learn about Patsy's, and also offers products sales of their Sauces, Pasta, Oils and Vinegars, Patsy's Cookbook and there are many Recipes there too.  Many photos of famous people and celebrities who have dined at Patsy's are shared there also, and Patsy's is known as Frank Sinatra's favorite restaurant, and his family members dine there often.  An interesting fact from the 'Our Story' link: "In over 65 years of existence, Patsy's Restaurant has had only three chefs- the late Patsy himself, his son Joe Scognamillo, who has been at the establishment since the tender age of seven, and Joe's son Sal Scognamillo, who has been manning the kitchen for the past twenty five years."  Maybe one day I'll get to dine at Patsy's Restaurant and also meet Joe and Sal Scognamillo, oh and get a photo too!  Until then I shall continue to enjoy some delicious Patsy's right here in my own home!

Guess what's for dinner tonight?...

~Tammy~

~ Tammy's Tip Today ~ Selecting Paint Colors Tools

I have had the thought of re-painting some of the rooms in my home 'on the back burner' for a while.  I prefer a professional take on the task for me, just because, for one: I have had great results from the pro's we've hired before, and two: I don't have to hassle with all of the prep and clean-up, and three: I have other things to do, or shall I say "other things I would rather do."  I have painted before, and I know I can take on the challenge, especially when it is a smaller room like a Bathroom or small Bedroom.  Actually our Guest Bathroom is one of the rooms on my list, and my Kitchen would be at the top of the list!

While searching for paint and painting supplies, etc, I came across some interesting and very helpful info.  

Sherwin Williams offers free tools to aide in your decision making of what color pallet you would like to use when painting your home's interior of exterior.  If you are planning any future painting of your home these tools would be a big help in deciding what colors.  

Unlock a whole world of color with:

Sherwin-Williams Color Selection Tools

image source

Take a little tour of: 
Chip It - Create paint color chip cards (like the one above) from any image anywhere online into a perfect pallet of over 1500 Sherwin Williams paint colors, and then save it for later on your own profile page.
{I tried this one on a couple of different photos of mine, it's easy to use!...and as I said before, it's free!}


Color Snap - Use your iPhone, Blackberry, or Android smart phone to capture a color and match it to one of Sherwin Williams paint colors.


Color Visualizer -  Use the online color visualizer to upload your image and virtually paint your own interior or exterior, and then print out your perfect color pallet information.
{This is very interesting, virtually painting your own room...pretty cool!}

Color-ing my world...

~Tammy~ 

Labels: Tammy's Tip Today

First Day of Kindergarten

Kindergarten here she comes!

It sure doesn't seem as if she should be starting elementary school already!

She's ready though, and very excited to face all of the new adventures awaiting on her first day of Kindergarten.

~It's a little bittersweet as you want them to grow, but you also want to hold them back, and always keep them little forever.  

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Big Sis's Pre-K Graduation Day August 4, 2012!  Little Sis looks so proud of her Big Sister! 

I'm very proud of her too!...

~Tammy~

aka Grandma! :)

Scrambled Egg Breakfast Burrito

Eggs are versatile and easy to prepare.  A popular breakfast food.  It seems one day eggs are declared healthy and good for you, and then on another they are not.  I like eggs myself, and I eat them often.  I buy the Eggland's Best Eggs, because I think they taste and are the best!  One of my morning favorites is the scrambled egg breakfast burrito.  Simple, quick and so easy to prepare.  I change it up with different add-in ingredients, or simply with only cheese and scrambled eggs.  I like adding cooked slices of bacon or I often use the Oscar Meyer Real Bacon Bits, leftover sauteed peppers and onions, mushrooms, spinach and tomatoes.  

My go to simple favorite is, two scrambled eggs, a sprinkle of real bacon bits, a slice of pepper jack cheese, and a few halved grape tomatoes. There are several different ways to "make it your way!"  I like making mine quickly using my microwave.

Scrambled Egg Breakfast Burrito

Ingredients:

1 or 2 eggs

1/4 cup shredded cheese of choice or cheese slice-halved

1 flour tortilla (8-10 inch)

Optional ingredients: cooked bacon slices or packaged bacon bits, vegetables: mushroom, tomatoes, green peppers, onions, spinach etc.

Directions:

Break eggs into a medium sized microwavable bowl.  Beat eggs gently and set aside.  Place cheese in center of a tortilla, and spread it out length wise down the center, or place halved pieces of sliced cheese end to end and down the middle.  Warm tortilla on a paper towel or microwave paper-plate for 15-30 seconds in microwave, this will also melt the cheese, remove and set aside.  Place bowl of beaten eggs in microwave, one egg will usually take 1 minute, 2 eggs will take 1 and 1/2 or 2 minutes.  The eggs will rise up as they cook.  Remove eggs and chop through them and they will be shrinking down, then add to the tortilla length wise down the middle on top of the cheese.  Optional ingredients can be added on top of the scrambled eggs and then roll up like a burrito, or add optional ingredients before you warm the tortilla and melt the cheese.  Of course if you prefer not to cook your scrambled eggs in the microwave, use a pan to cook and scramble them instead.

Enjoy!...

Monday Message...

~ My Monday Message ~

               image source

Chocolate syrup, peanuts, more sprinkles will do.

Sweet goodies all layered atop a sundae.

Having your free cake and eating it too.

Definitely yes!  That's my kind of Monday!

And a cherry on top...

~Tammy~

Photo courtesy of: Jim Hunt at https://www.facebook.com/huntcartoons

Also see his work, and order signed cartoon prints at http://www.acartoonist.com/SHOP.htm

Labels: Monday Message

-The Vinturi Wine Aerator

~ The Vinturi Red Wine Aerator ~

If you drink wine and love wine like I do, you'll want to have one of these!  I purchased one as a gift for my Hubby, and I'll admit it was also for me too!  Love those types of gifts!  We have always liked to open our wine and let it breathe a while before serving.  If you decant your wine to do this it takes a little while for it to be effective.  The Vinturi does it for you instantly, and you only need to do a glass at a time!  It's quick and easy to use.  It noticeably enhances the flavor and aroma of the wine.  

Holding the aerator over a glass you simply pour the wine slowly through the aerator, and it draws in and mixes the proper amount of air, for the right amount of time.  Try a blind taste test of one glass of wine poured using the Vinturi and one poured without, I feel certain you will notice the difference!  

This is surely a must have for any Red wine lover.  There is also a Venturi for use with White wine too.  Red and White wine require different aeration.  The Venturi Red Wine Aerator is not extremely expensive at a cost of about thirty dollars, and comes with a no-drip stand (pictured below).  

I purchased the Vinturi Wine Aerator Tower Gift Set (pictured below), from Williams-Sonoma.  It is designed so you can place a wine glass underneath the aerator, while it sits in the tower.  But in all honesty we have yet to figure a way to pour wine through the aerator, while it's sitting in the tower, and not have wine leak down the back side of it as we pour the wine.  A friend tells me they have no problem with theirs, perhaps it is operator error?  So I can't fully recommend the Venturi Wine Aerator Tower (but it does look pretty), although I do wholeheartedly recommend the Vinturi Red Wine Aerator!

Happy sipping...

Our Granddaughter's visit with Us

A visit to Grandma and Grandpa's house.

We had a few days with our oldest Granddaughter as our little guest!  She will be starting Kindergarten next week so it was the last chance to stay with us this summer before her school year begins.  She is fun and very interesting, never a dull moment in her company for sure!   She is getting so big and very smart too.  I wanted to share and make note of some of the highlights of her time with us.

We enjoyed making jewelry together, she made a necklace for herself and also something special for her mom's next birthday, with a little help from grandma!  She was so proud of her finished projects!  Grandpa took her to the park to feed the ducks, where she also played at the playground, on the slide, and she said she got to swing 'real high' with grandpa's help.  We took her out for dinner that evening for Mexican food and she asked me, after our waiter took our order, who had a bit of an accent, "was he speaking Spanish?"  I told her he had an accent but spoke English, she said "I can speak Spanish!"  I told her I knew that, and that she was very smart for her age.  She just smiled and said "I know."  She is too cute!  She really does know more Spanish than I do!

Later on after we had been reading a bedtime story, I told her that soon, since she was going to start Kindergarten, she would be able to read, spell, and write words.  I gave an example from the book of the word "one" and told her she would soon be able to read, spell and write that.  She said "Grandma, that is easy, all you have to do is a line and a dash at the top, and that is one!"  I had a little chuckle with that one, no pun intended, and then explained that you can also spell "one" as a word and write it, not just as a number, along with all of the other numbers too.  She seemed quite impressed with that.

I think one of her biggest joys during her visit with us, was her and I making homemade vanilla ice cream, using our ice cream machine.  She really liked getting to eat all of the ice cream off of the paddle that had churned through the ice cream too.  I suppose the truly biggest joy was really when she got to eat a bowl of our homemade ice cream for her dessert, with chocolate syrup on top too!  It was very good and she went on and on about never having had ice cream like this before, but I am pretty sure she had, and just didn't remember it.

It was good to have her here with us for a few days, I sure hope she enjoyed it as much as we did!

"Making jewelry is fun!"

Using Grandma's magnifying glass to see those tiny beads. 

She was very impressed and thought this was a great tool!

"We're making homemade ice cream!"

"I think it's ready now, Grandma!"

"Yummy, this ice cream we made sure is good!"  (She's wearing it too!)

"We are funny Grandma!"

~ All Smiles ~

There's no place like home, except Grandma's house!...

~Tammy~

    

Jewelry by Tammy - Gifts for my Sister's Birthday

I made these pieces for my Sister for her Birthday!  Although I feel she is pretty easy to please, I am very happy she was pleased with them.  That makes me smile!

Black faceted crystals accented with black, gold and 

rainbow glass seed beads.

Purple faceted crystals and Silver-clear swarovski crystals 

with silver-lined glass bugles accented with purple and silver-lined glass seed beads.

Black and blue blend of glass and acrylic beads, accented 

with black, clear-silver lined and blue-silver lined glass seed beads.

Light brown and tan acrylic beads accented with gold bugles 

and gold seed beads.

Labels: Jewelry by Tammy

~ Tammy's Tip Today ~ Gone Bananas

I've gone bananas today, with a great tip for you!

I love bananas!...

I usually buy Bananas about every trip to the grocery store. They are my go to snack!  Plus they are a great take along snack, in their own package.  A Banana and some Peanut Butter or Nutella, and I'm all set for snack-city!  I just spread a little on before each bite and enjoy!...mmm so good!

Most people probably already know that ripe, or over ripe bananas are the best kind to use for Banana Breads and other recipes.

Bananas do get over ripe pretty fast though, so I put mine in the freezer when they are starting to get brown spots.  First I peel them and then place them into plastic freezer bags.  I use the frozen Bananas later to make Banana Ice Cream!  Yes...Banana Ice Cream!

Banana Ice Cream

This is soft serve version, right out of the food processor.

Place a couple of the frozen bananas in the blender or food processor, I use my Ninja machine it works well for this, with approx. 1/4 cup of (I use fat-free) Half & Half...then presto!  Banana Ice Cream!  If blended long enough the liquid isn't necessary.  If it is too soft-serve for your liking after you prepare it, place in the freezer for about 30 mins or more.  Then serve.

Add toppings: nuts, sprinkles, chocolate chips, banana or other fruit. (optional)

This is a healthy snack you can feel good about.

I also on occasion add frozen Strawberries, also Walnuts or Pecans.  Coconut would be tasty too. (I need to try that one!)  I don't always have half & half on hand, but usually do have fat-free Milk, and use it instead.  The milk although, makes it less creamy tasting, it's a preference thing.  This can also be made as a smoothie if you like, just add more of the liquids and/or plain yogurt can be used as well.

Being that I'm a big fan of Nutella, I added 1 tbsp. Nutella to the Banana mixture and had Chocolate Banana Ice Cream or correction: Cocoa-Hazelnut-Banana Ice Cream....Yummy!  Hershey syrup would work too!

Give it a try!  I bet you'll like it!

Bananas all gone!...

~Tammy~

Jewelry by Tammy - Pearls of Wisdom

I recently entered one of my jewelry designs in the "Jewelry Design Star Competition".

Although my entry wasn't chosen as the winner, I still feel like a winner because this is a beautiful set that I enjoyed making, and I also enjoy wearing.

I'm grateful for those who voted for my design, and I look forward to doing this again in the future.

Thank You to those who voted for me!

My Entry:

~ Pearls of Wisdom ~

This necklace and earrings set was designed by me to wear for a special occasion.  I really liked the different shapes and tones of pearl.  I just love anything pearl, the look, the feel!  I think pearls are beautiful and have great shine and sparkle and I enjoy wearing them.  Pearls work well with just about any clothing you wear them with.  Pearls can be worn when dressed up for a formal occasion, or a casual look.  They go nicely with most all types of clothing, from evening gowns to jeans!  I'm glad there are so many different types and colors of pearl beads available to use with my jewelry creations!  Working with pearls is always a wise choice for me!

Pearls are always a wise choice!...

~Tammy~

Labels: Jewelry by Tammy , Tammy-time Thoughts

August has arrived!

Well, hello August!

My how the time does fly by!  It's August already and summer is moving on fast.  I'm ready for August to just kick back and mosey along slowly, so I can hold on to every great and wonderful thing associated with summer!

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Hope you're enjoying your summer.

I'm off to enjoy the sunshine on this beautiful August day!

~Tammy~