When Life Gives You Lemons Make Lemonade

In the mood for some refreshing lemonade? If you are in Hollywood California then I know of the best place. Skooby's Hot Dogs is located right in the heart of Hollywood directly on the Walk of Fame. They claim to have the best hot dogs in Hollywood, the best fries in Los Angeles, and the best lemonade in California. From my personal experience all of the above are true! Nothing beats their fresh squeezed for $3.00 on a hot summer day. Why not make a meal out of it and order a #2 which includes one hot dog, fries and a drink for $6.95.  Side tip - Space is limited so be prepared to eat standing up.

Skooby's Hot Dogs is located at:
6654 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) HOT-DOGS

Open seven days a week on Hollywood Blvd

Monday	11am – 12 midnight
Tuesday	11am – 12 midnight
Wednesday	11am – 12 midnight
Thursday	11am – 12 midnight
Friday	11am – 12 midnight
Saturday	11am – 12 midnight
Sunday	11am – 12 midnight

 Photos courtesy of Skooby's Hot Dogs

Flowers 101

How hard would it be to grow flowers from seeds? Typically I would purchase my flowers from a local nursery or home improvement store like Home Depot and pay a premium price but there has to be a better alternative, right?

Since I am a new homeowner, I especially wanted to enhance our landscaping this spring with some colorful flowers. I've often walked past the rows of seed packets at local stores and didn't think it was actually possible or worth while to grow my own. This year I've decided to challenge myself and grow flowers from teeny tiny seeds. I think Martha Stewart would especially be proud! I mean really all the seeds need is a little dirt, sun, water, and TLC!

Starting today I planted three different types of flowers: Cosmos, Zinnias, and Poppies. The brand I decided to go with is Burpee since it had the overwhelming choice of seeds at Home Depot.

Cosmos - Attract butterflies and will be a bright mix of orange, red, and yellow. According to the package they are "easy to grow" and are great for cutting and borders. Let's hope they are "easy to grow" because they will be beautiful once they bloom. The seedlings should appear in 7-10 days.

Zinnias - Growing vigorously up to 3' tall, these will be a mix of purple and chartreuse. Apparently there is no indication on the package that these will be "easy to grow", so here is hoping. These will be perfect for beds, borders, and arrangements. The seedlings should appear in 7-10 days.

Poppies - Best known from the movie Wizard of Oz these will be a vivid red and black blotches in the center. These will be perfect in beds. The seedlings should appear in 10-20 days.

Photos courtesy of Burpee

Dapper Doggies

Does your pooch need a makeover for summer? The best way to start is with a new collar. Pecan Pie Puppies has created a stylish line of eye catching collars sold exclusively on Etsy. By purchasing a collar, you help their rescue efforts by financing their dog rescue work.

Each collar is hand-crafted using durable, high-quality materials including durable hardware to ensure safety and a comfortable fit. The collars cost $22.50 plus shipping. Below are a few other selected styles but be sure to check out the whole listing on Etsy.

You can also follow Pecan Pie Puppies blog!

Photos courtesy of Pecan Pie Puppies

Welcome Home

Sorry for the delay in new posts but we've been busy purchasing our first home. We moved in just over a week ago and already have a long list of home improvement projects. Stay tuned for more news and new posts!

Victoria's Secret PINK and Major League Baseball Team Up

Victoria's Secret PINK and Major League Baseball have teamed up together to create a new line of clothing for baseball season. The line includes t-shirts, hoodies, and sweatpants. Word has it that the first six teams to offer merchandise are Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and White Sox, New York Mets and Yankees, and Philadelphia Phillies.

The Victoria's Secret store in Woodfield Mall had Chicago Cubs and White Sox items and they are all super cute! So far you can't buy any of the items online but hopefully they will be offering that option soon for out of town fans.

Check out this article:
Victoria's Secret PINK and Major League Baseball Properties Announce New Co-Branded Collection -- COLUMBUS Ohio, March 15 /PRNewswire/ --

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Baseball season is almost here! Can't wait for the home opener for my team, the White Sox, on Monday, April 5th @ 1:05pm. What team will you be cheering for this season?

Herb Garden

Thinking of starting an herb garden? It is easy and fun to grow your own herb garden and with the help of these beautiful pots from Crate & Barrel you will be adding style to your mini garden. The pots are a set of three white clay pots with the corresponding herb painted on the front. The price of the pots is $19.95.

The wire caddy is an additional $29.95 and isn't exactly necessary in the grand scheme of things but makes it handy to transport the pots from outdoors to your kitchen. The caddy is hand-formed with a bronze finish.

To top off your herb garden you will want to purchase the chalkboard herb markers. Once again they won't make your herbs grow faster or taste better but you wouldn't make a sundae and leave of the cherry topping. The cost is $3.95 each.

Finally, you can also pick up your seeds at Crate & Barrel. The set includes Parsley, Heirloom Strawberries, Oregano, and Basil. You can always pick up a pack of seeds from any local store but why not just make it a one stop trip. The cost is $7.95 each.

Photos courtesy of Crate & Barrel

Puka Dog

What I wouldn't give for a Puka Dog right now! Too bad we live on the mainland and not on the island tropical paradise called Kauai. We stumbled upon this hidden gem during our honeymoon to Kauai and I'm so thankful we did. There is nothing quite like a Puka Dog!

In Hawaiian Puka means hole. So basically they take a bun-sized loaf of bread and make a hole (puka) then toast it. Next, they add their super secret recipe relishes and sauces. Finally, they insert the polish sausage or veggie dog. Now you have yourself an authentic Puka Dog.

My personal recommendation would be this, a veggie dog with the original garlic lemon sauce and pineapple relish. So yummy! Check out their menu below.

Here are a list of their locations:
ISLAND OF KAUAI
Poipu Shopping Village
2650 Kiahuna Plantation Dr.
KOLOA /HAWAII 96756


ISLAND OF OAHU Waikiki Town Center
2301 Kuhio Avenue # 2
HONOLULU/ HAWAII 96815

Our Puka Dogs

Island of Kauai - Poipu Shopping Village

 
Photos courtesy of Puka Dog & Personal Photos

Keeping time in style

I recently received this new digital timer by Polder for Christmas and absolutely love it! I had my eye on one ever since I was over at a friends house who had one. The sleek hourglass design sure beats the old fashioned egg timer model I previously owned. Here are a few friendly stats:

• Digital timer
• Flip it over to change between clock and time
• Features a clock, 100-min. timer, stopwatch and even digital sand
• Four colors available: Red, Black, White and Silver
• Available at Target (online only) for $14.99
  

Photos courtesy of Target and Polder

Famous architecture for your home

Whether you're from the East or West Coasts or if you just love architecture then you might not want to miss out on what Restoration Hardware has to offer. The Brooklyn Bridge blueprints, pictured above, measures 60"x45" and can only be found in the catalog or website only. Display this piece of art with pride just like John Augustus Roebling, the architect, had when he finished the beautiful Brooklyn Bridge. The cost of this masterpiece is $995.

Also available, are the blueprints from the Golden Gate Bridge. Just like the Brooklyn Bridge blueprints, it measures 60"x45" and can only be found in the catalog or website only. The cost is $995.

Photos courtesy of Restoration Hardware

Snowflake Pints

Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things,
but just look what they do when they stick together.

~Verna M. Kelly

During these long and cold winter months share a pint with friends in these unique snowflake pint glasses I found on Etsy. Each glass is hand engraved by Daydream Designs and just like snowflakes every glass is one of a kind. No two glasses are alike. A set of these beautiful glasses would make a great housewarming, birthday, or wedding gift. The will cost you $60 plus $14.50 shipping. Hurry before they sell out!

Photos courtesy of Daydream Designs

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

After a long holiday hiatus we are back online! Please check back this week for new posts.

Holiday Hiatus

Sorry for the gap in posts but the busy holiday season has kept me quite busy. Stay tuned for new posts...

A blizzard of snowflake ornaments

My Christmas tree is already decorated and yes its not even Thanksgiving yet! It's hard not to get sucked into the holiday spirit when they are playing Christmas music on the radio, every department store is decorated from the floor to the ceiling in red and green decorations, and the weather outside feels more like winter than fall.

 

The theme of my tree for years has been snowflakes and this year I am attempting to make a few of my own snowflake ornaments. I did some searching for designs and finally found a few on the Better Homes and Gardens website. The first one, pictured above, is the Beaded Snowflake Ornament. The directions are easy to follow and can be found on the previous link. The finished product looks professional and makes a beautiful addition to any tree.

 

The next design I found on Better Homes and Gardens was the Jingle Bell Snowflake (pictured above). Decorating with jingle bells are a great way to incorporate simple and practical items into a unique holiday ornament. If you want to match your Jingle Bell Snowflakes to your color scheme just use colored bells. They might be harder to find at your local craft store so I would suggest doing a search on Etsy in their supplies section.

All of these are inexpensive to make and supplies can be found at your local craft store such as Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Jo-Ann Fabrics, or online at Esty.

Photos courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

Holiday Decorations

I recently discovered Craft Junkie 28's shop on Etsy and fell in love with her ideas for each holiday season. Every season is unique in style with a combination of scrapbook paper, paint, and glitter among other craft items. I love how she incorporates a graphical image like in the picture above. She uses a turkey in place of the letter a in the word thanks. You can find the give thanks design here. The Thanksgiving letters cost $28.00 plus $8.00 shipping. Don't delay these won't last long!

Sweet and simple with a button O full of the Christmas spirit. The HO HO HO set cost $28.00 plus $8.00 shipping.

Finally, the Snowman set can be enjoyed all winter long. The cost is $33.00 plus $9.00 shipping. If you are interested in purchasing more than one item the shipping charges are discounted. Make sure to check out all the other items that Craft Junkie 28 has to offer!

Photos courtesy of Craft Junkie 28

Christmas Card Clothesline

Little Creative Maven can now be found on Etsy! I recently opened my own shop to sell some of my own homemade items. It is still a work in progress so keep checking back for more items. Above and below are pictures and descriptions of my latest handy work.

Hang your treasured Christmas cards in style with this simple and elegant holiday clothesline. This set includes eighteen standard wood clothespins with snowflake details and nine feet of silver ribbon. Display your holiday cards by stringing them along your fireplace mantle or down the banister. Include your own garland for a more festive look.

 

Photos courtesy of little creative maven.

Thanksgiving...the forgotten holiday

Even though after Halloween department stores begin to display Christmas decorations let's not forget about the holiday in between, Thanksgiving. This simple but elegant reminder of what Thanksgiving is about would look great on a shelf or mantel. You can find these cute blocks on Etsy by the seller Sassytalk. They will cost you $25 plus shipping but hurry these won't last long!

Another elegant decoration idea is provided by Bekah Jennings. She designs the cutest banners for every holiday but the simple message of Thankful would be perfect for Thanksgiving. The banner measures 40 inches long and costs $19 plus shipping.

Finally, this whimsical wreath will adorn your front door with the spirit of fall. The colors of autumn and the tiny pumpkins enable you to keep this festive decoration out until Thanksgiving. The wreath was created by Twoinspireyou and can also be found on Etsy. The cost is $60 plus shipping.

Photos courtesy of Sassytalk, Bekah Jennings, Twoinspireyou

Unique Holiday Helpers

Check out these festive wine coasters. The cute pumpkin design fits over your stemware to add a little holiday flair while guests don't have to worry about placing their glass on your hardwood furniture. The coasters shown above can be found on Etsy, created by Dimmalimm. A set of pumpkin coasters consist of eight and are available in eight different colors. The coasters cost $30 plus shipping.

Photo courtesy of Dimmalimm

October = Opal

Celebrate the month of October by wearing opals. The ring above was found on Etsy. The seller, Bogigi, specializes in retro, vintage and antique jewelry. The opal ring is set in 10 kt. gold and will cost you $249 plus $12 shipping.

Photo courtesy of Bogigi

Thanksgiving Place Settings

In need for an idea for Thanksgiving place settings? Better Homes and Gardens has a festive and simple idea for your dinning room table. I've included the instructions below or you can follow the link to the actual page on the Better Homes and Gardens website.

What You Need:

• 3-inch terra-cotta flowerpot
• Crafting foam in black, yellow, green, and purple
• Scissors
• Acrylic paints in black, white, red, green, and blue
• Thick white crafts glue
• Black fabric paint pen

Instructions:

1. Paint the entire pot black and allow it to dry. Choose a color to paint the band around the top of the pot. Let it dry. Make white dots on the rest of the pot by dipping the handle of a paintbrush in white paint and dotting onto the surface.
2. Cut a circle from black foam. Cut it about 1/2 inch wider all around than the pot opening. Use an appropriate size dish, cup, or lid to trace. Place a small amount of glue on the rim of the pot and glue onto the black foam circle.
3. To make the buckle, measure the width of the band of the pot (the portion painted a different color). Cut a rectangle out of foam that measures about 1/8 inch deeper than the band on the pot. Glue it to the band. Let the glue dry.
4. Use a black paint pen to write the guest's name on the colored band. Allow it to dry before using.

Photo courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

October = Think Pink

It is now October so wear pink to show your support for Breast Cancer Awareness. Be sure to be on the lookout at the grocery and retail stores as well as restaurants for ways to donate to breast cancer research.

One of my favorites is the Pink Ribbon Bagel sold at Panera Bread. A portion of the proceeds from sales of the Panera Pink Ribbon Bagels will benefit breast cancer causes nationwide.

Also, make sure to save your pink lids from Yoplait Yogurt's Save Lids to Save Lives campaign. Mail in your pink lids by December 31, 2009 and Yoplait will donate 10 cents to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, up to $1.5 million. The guaranteed donation is at least $500,000.

Off the cuff style

In the need for a pair of cuff links? Show off your favorite city or simply wear your passport on your sleeve with these unique cuff links by DLK Designs found on Etsy. Pictured above is a small sampling of designs available but custom orders are welcomed. The cuff links cost $50 plus shipping. These would definitely make a unique gift for a groom or his groomsmen.

These sterling silver one of a kind keepsake cuff links are hand stamped by Tiny Tokens Designs. The cuff links can be customized with names, a wedding date or whatever else you want imprinted. These cuff links cost $70 plus shipping.

Photos courtesy of DLK & Tiny Tokens Designs

The Last Song

The #1 bestselling author, Nicholas Sparks, has released his next book The Last Song. It debuted #1 on both the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists. As an avid reader of his work, Nicholas definitely did not disappoint. The story takes place in Wilmington, North Carolina and the tale is about about family drama and the power of love, especially young love.

If you are a new reader of Nicholas Sparks you should begin with his first book, The Notebook. Here are a list of all of his books and the order in which they should be read:

The Notebook*
The Wedding (Sequel to The Notebook)
Message in a Bottle*
A Walk to Remember*
The Rescue
A Bend in the Road
Nights in Rodanthe*
The Guardian
Three Weeks with My Brother
True Believer
At First Sight (Sequel to True Believer)
Dear John** - Release date Feb. 2010
The Choice
The Lucky One** - In production
The Last Song** - Release date 2010

*Indicates made into a movie
**Indicates soon to be released


Photo courtesy of Barnes & Noble

Whoooo's ready for Halloween?

Even though Halloween is still over a month away I found some decorating ideas for your Halloween party. If you want to throw a great party you must plan ahead! The decorative banner above can be found on Etsy by Bekah Jennings. It is 50 inches long and would look great hanging from your fireplace mantel. The handmade banner costs $24.00 plus shipping.

 

The skeleton plates pictured above will sure to be a hit at your party. The set of four square plates could be used for appetizers or desserts. The plates measure 6" with skeletons in four different poses and cost $40.00 plus shipping. 

 

In addition to the skeleton plates this spider set will make your place settings complete. The set of four plates can be either round or square. The plates measure 6.5" with spiders perched in the corner and cost $40.00 plus shipping. 

Photos courtesy of Customsepia and Bekah Jennings