Storage Gone Fabulous

So, I love my Thirty-One bags.  Cute, useful, all that jazz.  As I'm working on re-organizing my craft room, I was trying to come up with some other great storage options.  Sure, the Dollar Store has some brightly colored plastic bins for a buck, or I could splurge & order some more utility bins from Thirty-One, or use any of the 20 baskets from my stash, but then I saw some adorable round bins made from fabric.  BAM.

A quick trip to Hobby Lobby found these gorgeous babies

None of which match anything in my house, but that's ok.  

and now I have these!

I even added a pocket to hold crochet hooks & scissors. 

(I didn't even end up with the pocket upside down, which is normally how I roll)

I'm super happy with them, considering the fact it's been a long time since I sewed round things together, and that I burned my thumb with steam from my iron.  yeah.  really.  And I'm really loving this gray/yellow pattern.  Trying to think how I can use it in my house...   hhhmmmmmm.  

My New Favorite (Winter) Salad Dressing

I have a super simple salad dressing I like to make for summer.  It's light, easy, summer-y, tangy, and great on grilled romaine (our favorite summer salad treat).  BUT!  I just found a recipe in Deb Perelman's Smitten Kitchen cookbook that takes the basic buttermilk dressing to the next level.  It's easy and the perfect sidekick for a steak & baked potato & salad supper.  I've already made it twice.  In two weeks.
The secret ingredient:  Worcestershire Sauce!

Her recipe is found here : Blue Cheese Dressing.   Add the blue cheese or not.  That's up to you.

Sweet & Sour Chicken Success!

Ah, Pinterest...  you get me every time  with your pretty pictures  and a billion re-pins...  I figured this one was too good to be true but (ahem) I was wrong.  There are many, many repins on this recipe and they all seem to be almost the exact same, so I'm just going to link you to the one I used.  No, I didn't take pictures. After all, everyone else already did, so why bother?

My thoughts:
I used 3 chicken breasts, and had more than enough for the three of us.
This would be a great recipe to take a la crockpot to a Superbowl party.  Cook your chicken & throw it all in the crockpot.  Good to go.  Yes, I know you can buy pretty decent already cooked up & done chicken at Walmart.  Yes, the price would probably be about the same.  But the "yeah, it's homemade' factor is priceless, especially on something as easy as this.  And you know what's in it...  which does mean something.

I followed directions, against my better judgement (I have an fried egg issue, and hate the idea of eggy parts on my food).  I might have used a little less vinegar...  Do what you will.

Daydream Kitchen Sweet & Sour Chicken

Little Camera Case

So, I was inspired by Pinterest (wait, how many sentences start that way?)  the other day, and made a little case for my camera.  Yes, I have a camera.  And I like to carry it in my purse.  Hence the need for a Little Camera Case.  Turned out cute, right?  and lined with felt, so soft, too.