{ok... you talked me into it}

here's some of my onesies for sale now in my etsy shop.

i was surprised by all the interest i've gotten in the onesies i've made for my little z man. so here ya go! a fresh batch available now in my shop!

please let me know if you'd like to order one in a certain color etc..
i'll try to get some girl ones made up soon!

{last post}

just realized i left off a key ingredient in the last post. oyster sauce is suppose to be in the sauce. just added.
hope i didn't ruin anyones dinner...

{beef + broccoli}

photo by, well me- caroline!

love this recipe my sister shared with me! it's a great beef and broccoli recipe! i love the slices of ginger.. yum yum.

before i share, just want to make a quick note. wish i didn't have to. ...

just a reminder that if you would like to use my images or recipes or anything on this blog, it is fine to post on your blog. just please make sure to link back to me as the source. thanks!!

oh and if i've used any info or images and forgot to link the source, please let me know as i'd hate to do that.

anyhow, here's the recipe. a keeper!

{beef + broccoli}

ingredients

1 lb lean beef [top sirloin flank]

3 green onions [cut up 1" long]

15 slices of fresh ginger [cut about a quarter size]

marinade for beef

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp soysauce

3 tbsp water

2 tbsp vegetable oil

seasoning sauce

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp water

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp sesame oil

next

4 cups oil

1/2 lb broccoli

for broccoli

1/2 tbsp rice wine

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

directions

slice the beef very thin into 1" squares. mix the beef marinate, all but 2 tbsps oil in a bowl and add beef. marinate for 1/2 hour at least [longer is better]. then add 2 tbsps oil and mix well.

steam the broccoli in a steamer. remove from steamer after broccolli is semi-soft then stir fry brocolli with 2 tbps oil and season with the rice wine, slat, and sugar just for a few minutes. lay broccoli out on a serving plate.

heat 4 cups oil in a fry pan, medium to medium high heat. [i only use a few tablespoons because i didn't want to deep fry it] and fry until it turns a light brown [done].

remove beef and drain off oil from the pan.

add another 2 tbsp oil to fry green onions and ginger for a few minutes. add cooked beef and stir quickly over high heat next add the seasoning sauce. stir until sauce thickens and meat is heated through. pour over broccoli and serve over rice.

**tips: this serves about 4 people just fine, you can double it for guests.

i have a great pie recipe i made up the other day to share soon!

{tape please}

love this "frame" tape by droog design. so cute!
and who can resist a nice "tape dispenser?"

{candy wrapper light switches}

image via martha stewart

thought this was a cute idea from martha stewart. using candy wrappers to decoupage a light switch. get directions here.

{shabby baby}

have you checked out the new shabby apple baby collection? so cute! check it out here.

{brand new couch + love seat for sale}

i'm selling a set of brand new still in plastic ashley microfiber set of a sofa + love seat. wish we could keep them, but we haven't needed them yet and they are still brand new in the plastic sitting in our basement.
email me if you are interested.
$899.00 obo.
carolinedrake [at] gmail.com

{domo origato mr. roboto}

this might be my favorite shirt i've made for z man yet...

too bad the picture didn't get the little antenna sticking out the top of the head. oh well.

thanks for all the nice comments about my baby onesies! i really appreciate it. i'll have to think more seriously about selling them as i never intended to. it's just been a fun thing for me to do for my baby and for friends babies. some of them do take a lot of time, so i'm not sure how worth it would be for a small profit after materials, but we'll see.. sometimes it's not all about the profit, right? i do enjoy making them. so, i'll let you know if i start selling them anytime soon.

here's a few more i've made for z man. i couldn't help but make a little "z" shirt for the guy.
hope your not sick of looking at all my onesies. i have a feeling there are more in the works, especially since i have a few that i still need to get done..

{lace easter eggs}

image via martha stewart

i'm definately going to be making these easter eggs this year. so beautiful. from the latest issue of martha stewart. they used lace to make great prints on dyed easter eggs.
get the directions here.

{jewelry stand}

i saw this cute birdy jewelry stand at urban outfitters, and i loved it, but i didn't buy it.
luckily, i found one just like it, but in an even cuter antique white color at rod works. [picture the one above in a rustic antique white, too lazy to take a picture of mine] i'm loving the little knick knacks at rod works lately. and the best thing is their prices. my birdy jewelry stand was only $8.95 vs. urbans $18.00.

{i love yellow}

spotted this coat at the down east outfitters the other day for a fraction of the regular price, of course. found myself wishing for a split second that i was a size 12...

{baby things}

i just love making things for babies. it's been a lot of fun to make cute shirts for my little z man over the past little while!

i was so excited to get to make some baby gifts for some friends upcoming little ones, especially the girl ones since i never get to make the girly things yet.
here are some fun onesies i've been making lately. the top "pirate" one is for my z man and the rest were gifts.

i also made a diaper wipe case for my friends shower. i know i said like forever ago that i'd post the instructions to make these.. and, i'm finally working on it. it's taking a lot more time than i thought to put them together with step by step pictures and all that i thought i'd post the pattern on my etsy shop for $3.00. is that mean? what do you think? i'd love to do it for free, but it's taking a lot of my time. so, i'll let you know when that is available. should be soon.

{school lunch peanut butter bars}

every once in a while i get a craving for these yummy peanut butter bars. you remember them from your elementary school days right? well, i finally caved and made some this weekend and ate more than my share. but, they do bring back some good memories and are worth every calorie.

{peanut butter bars}

ingredients

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups oatmeal, not quick
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

directions
cream together first three ingredients using a mixer. then, add vanilla, eggs and peanut butter and combine. add the remaining ingredients and mix together.
spread the dough out on a greased cookie sheet cake pan.
bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.
while hot spread 1 1/2 cups of creamy peanut butter on top.

cool completely. spread frosting on top of cooled peanut butter.

chocolate frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 tbsps cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
6 tbsps milk
4-5 cups powdered sugar

cream together butter and cocoa poweder. add vanilla and milk, then add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until well blended.

enjoy!

{happy love day}

some of my valentines decorations i made..

i made the little ornaments on my valentines tree out of valentines paper, wooden hearts, pipe cleaners and a sprinkle of mica flakes. i thought they were kinda sweet.

happy valentines day!

{nice winter weather...}

... brought me outside the past few days. i just couldn't help it. today we went for a three, [yes i said three] hour walk/run/snow drudging/mud walking/snow sitting/photo snapping adventure. and, i loved every minute of it.

hope to share my recent projects soon. just been a little distracted. but, as tomorrow calls for more snow.. i guess i'll have to stay inside. boo.

{inspired by color}

{caravan earrings, $28}

i was very inspired by the spring colors popping out this year while creating my new spring armelle jewelry earrings!

here's just a peek, you can check them all out in my shop!

..i hope to have some fun spring necklaces soon.

{sea me earrings, $28}

{happy chinese new year!}

happy chinese new year!! or i call it vietnamese new year. can't wait to celebrate this weekend at my mom's house with some yummy vietnamese food!
so, go ahead treat yourself to some nice asian food today, even if it's take out. happy year of the rat!

read more about chinese new year here.

{tomatillo chicken soup}

i thought i was high time for a recipe on here, and what is better than a nice warm soup for the freezing cold winter.
i'm obsessed with this soup and i've made it a few times the past few weeks. my friend krissa made it for a girls dinner and it was super yummy. so, i hope she doesn't mind that i post it. i halved her recipe as this still makes a ton. you could easily serve 6-8 people with this and have seconds for each. i ate ours for the last 3 days with no complaint from me.
with this soup you have to add all the fixins like the avacado, rice, and lime juice for a great flavor.

{tomatillo chicken soup}

saute in big stock pot approx 10-15 min:
1/2 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb tomatillos, diced (about 5 medium)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander

add the rest &simmer approximately 15-25 minutes:
3 chicken breasts cooked & shredded  (you can also leave this out if you want a vegetarian soup, i just add an extra can of hominy)
2 32 oz boxes of chicken broth
1 16oz fresh salsa from the deli
1 15.5 oz cans yellow hominy (drained)
1 15.5 oz cans white hominy (drained)

serve with:  ( a must!)
blue or white tortilla chips
avocado chunks
white rice
shredded cheese
sour cream
lime juice

*so if you don't know what hominy is, and i didn't either... this is what it looks like. it comes in a can right near where the canned corn is.

enjoy!

{rodeo onesie}

i've been working on all sorts of projects lately, so hopefully i can share them all soon. one is a gift, so i have to wait a bit to share. but, in the meantime, here's a new onesie i made for z man. it's so sad that he grows out of his other ones so often, i feel like i'm constantly making a new batch.

{lou and lee}

some friends of mine just started an etsy shop called lou and lee selling the cutest things from felt creations to beautiful photography prints. i'm in love with this little hair clip with a vintage button. i sure wish i had a little girl.
check out their little shop here.

{nectar & light}

:: photo via nectar & light ::

i was a fan of the blog athena says for a while, and now she has moved to a new site called nectar & light. her photography is beautiful and her poloroids are to die for.

check it out here.

{pom pom tags}

just added these fun vintage style pom pom mini gift tags to my etsy shop. the tags are hand dyed by me for a nice vintage look.... and, who can resist some cute little pom poms? ...just in time for valentine's day!


check them out here.