Fix-It Friday Times Deux

I haven’t played in a while with iHeartfaces so I’m taking a creative break today and hope to learn something as well. So off to their Fix-It Friday feature (say that three times fast) I go.

Southern Belle ~ Before

Southern Belle ~ after.

I ran an action called Rob’s Island Bleach on her. I found the action somewhere on the www…I forgot where. I ran it twice actually and masked out her face both times. It’s very light and glowy but I think I like that. I tried a darker version but didn’t like it as much.

Last week I did Mr. Handsome but didn’t post it so here’s my Fix-It Friday times two.

Here is he before.

And here he is after. I didn’t think he needed much. I made him look like what I think a young girl with a crush on him would see in her mind’s eye. Slightly out of focus and dreamy. Not that I ever had a crush on a boy before!

Hope you don’t mind a two for one today. IHeartfaces.com is a ton of fun.

July 31, What’s Your Play no 56

I am not posting one of my own photos today. Rather, I’m posting one of Laura’s at Dolce Pics.

This is the before. It’s really pretty as it is.

I added some texture to make it look like it’s snowing…in July.

The Great Crab Cake Cook-Off

Last weekend, I had the honor of competing in the First Annual Great Crab Cook-Off. Of Smithville.

The competition was pretty tough, Neighbor Ted brought out the big guns, capers. I think he was trying to be Vanna White with the hand waving.

Anyway, Neighbor Yvonne was hosting it at her place, bless her.

There were some challenges getting the judges together. And not all of the crab cakes were ready at judging time, so in my opinion, they should have been disqualified. Neighbor Ted and I were the only ones who were ready, and he was no competition. And I had mine there on time despite having to cook six other dishes that day…more on that later.

But I was at a big disadvantage. And the reason was this…these guys were the panel of judges. And none of them are mine.

My kids refused to take part. The boy doesn’t eat crab cakes and the girl was with a friend and way too cool to be on a panel with a bunch of boys. There’s Neighbor Drew. He’s getting big too…

And this kid, Neighbor Garret…although he’s a star pitcher on his little league team…and he has cute cheeks…he’s my nemesis. For you see, I put green curry in my crab cakes. And he doesn’t like hot food.

This is his score sheet. Do you see where I am? Dead last. A 4 for taste? Come on! And I had a mint flower as garnish, I should have gotten at least a 9 for presentation. That’s the last time I pinch those cheeks again.

But wait, Neighbor Nick was also on the panel. He likes me so I have a fighting chance still.

Then there’s Joe P. I just met him that day and he cooked his crab cakes without a shirt on. Ummm…I think he wins.

But no, it’s Pretty Andrea who’s the winner. She won by a landslide actually. I don’t have her recipe, it’s probably a secret, but here’s what’s in mine. Bad English, sorry.

• 1 lb crab
• 1/4 cup green curry
• 3 tbs soy sauce
• 3 tbs rice vinegar
• salt
• pepper
• 3 tbs flour
• additional flour for cooking

Mix together all ingredients. Roll the crab mixture into a ball and flatten. Then coat each side with flour and saute for approximately two minutes on high heat on either side.

On the other hand, if you don’t like hot food, leave out the green curry. But then it wouldn’t be my extra extra special Asian crab cakes. I made up the recipe that day but it’s now forever immortalized in my blog.

Bon appetite!

It’s Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum. It’s just Thursday night but I have another big day tomorrow so I have to do this early.

July 30, A Piano Without a Player

Last night I tried writing about Neighbor Suzanne’s going away party last weekend. The words didn’t come easily so I gave up. It’s just hard sometimes to write about such things.

So instead I watched Marley and Me with the boy. Which made me less emotional, especially when the dog dies. See? No tears at all.

So today it’s a piano from the boy’s music academy. It’s a Piano Without a Player. Like a story without an author.

July 29, Golden Basil

Posted on Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Daydreamer.

Happy Birthday to Me

Yesterday was my birthday. I spent it in the company of the people who I love the most. Yes, I can even love Pete on my birthday.

The family asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I since I was slightly worn out from the last couple of weeks (okay the summer) and we are low on resources from our vacation (okay we’re broke), I asked that they clean the van.

But I took the van to see the sister so they didn’t have it to clean. Lucky them.

So instead, we got take-out so I didn’t have to cook dinner.

And they did the dishes afterward. Because our dishwasher is broken – still.

The husband amused us by asking state trivia.

“What is the capital of Louisiana?”

Wikipedia says “Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge” in a French accent.

For some reason it was funny.

Then somehow the conversation drifted to bodily functions. And they wanted Wikipedia to translate in French.

And it was really funny.

So happy birthday to me.

I’m not posting this anywhere because I only want the five people who read this blog to see it.

I may not have had the most glamorous, exotic and expensive birthday. But I am truly blessed. Flatulence and all.

July 28, Wild Thing

Horsey Hair-Do

An important part of showing a horse is making sure the horse is properly coiffed.

The girl practiced all week braiding Joker’s hair before her final show on last Friday.

I don’t know, I’m not sure about this look.

Joker is sensitive at the top of her mane so the girl could only braid halfway up her head. Once again, not a good look.

I think in a horsey kind of way, Joker feels ridiculous.

But in the world of fashion, it really could be worse.

I’m Crabby

I’m not sure how I survived last week and weekend. I truly was a frenzied basket case the entire week.

So much so that I took a nap yesterday and slept for not one, not two, but three hours yesterday afternoon.

And I normally get up early on Mondays but I couldn’t drag myself out of bed this morning. I only relented to get up when the girl knocked on the door and asked to be taken to the farm for her jumping clinic…that girl, she’s possessed by horses.

This weekend was full of crabs, literally.

I made crab cakes.

I made crab dip.

And last night, we had steamed crabs for dinner.

So now I’m crabby about the state of affairs in my house, it’s such a mess. I’ll be back tomorrow to resume a normal life.

July 27, Through the Library Doors

This is where I wish my kids were spending more of their time this summer.

Posted on Best Shot Monday at Tracey Clark’s place.

Next Page »