...One World, One Heart.

Come on board and grab a ticket to the journey of wonderful bloggers around the world. This is an event I have wanted to be involved with last year and luckily hopped on board this time before it was too late. Yes, this is a give away, but more than that it is a chance to visit other lands through the words, pictures, and creativity of others. It is still incredible to me how small our world is and how connected we are with the touch of a button.
There is amazing power to be had in the connectivity of us all.
Now for what I have chosen to give away... 8 custom made Lulalina thank you cards, each with a matching lined envelope and embellished with a small gemstone, all held in a fabric lined portfolio case.
The rules are simple... leave a comment on this post, making sure I have a way to link back to you, or an e-mail address in case you win. The journey ends Feb. 15th and I will be announcing the winner on that day. You can click on the icon on my side bar or the first photo above for more information on how you can become part of a very special ride. As of this morning there are over 800 participants and a countless number of passengers on board. Come join the journey and become part of One World One Heart.

...lulalina on Etsy!

I did it!! I designed, stamped, glittered, and jeweled my way into Etsy! It's been a long road to get this far, but after months (more that I can admit) of pushing, and nudging, and well sometime downright nagging, by my most wonderful and most supportive friend Ms. Coleen ...here I am. It's a small start but it comes with grand ideas and direction.
Just click on the photo above to stop by and take a look.
Speaking of the female dog whisperer (my tag for Ms. Coleen), stop by and visit her new web-site. It's another project I've been working on. My first out of the gate try at a real dot com site.
Next is Lulalina.com...in the mean time, I'm off to conquering the world
one card at a time.

...an afternoon with Julia and "The Book Club".

I belong to "The No Guilt Book Club". We started 3 years ago. 2 attorneys, 1 attorney/teacher, a computer tech guru, the dog whisperer, and myself. The rules were simple...pick a book and meet once a month to discuss. No guilt if you couldn't finish...or start...or even buy the book...just meet to discuss. And discuss we did, over margaritas, nachos, Thai food, Moroccan, Italian, cheese and wine, just wine, and once a lovely balsamic tasting (luscious over strawberries and vanilla ice cream). We read fiction, non-fiction, historical fiction, and biographies. Sharing our views we often found ourselves wondering if we all had read the same book. Our conversations would drift to movies, current affairs, travel, and always end up on food and personal restaurant reviews. So, as we start 2010, what better books to digest than cookbooks, and what better place to start than at the very top with Madame Julie Child.
"Le c'est magnifique!!"
Armed with our assignment, we each prepared a dish from Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Not bothering to consult each other on our choices was both unintentional and risky. But what a wonderful surprise is was when we all sat down to:

Black bean soup
Butter lettuce with herb vinigrette
Quiche aux Asperges
Stuffed roasted red peppers
Coq au Vin
Puree de Pommes de Terre a l'ail (garlic mashed potatoes)
Haricots Verts a la Maitre d Hotel (Buttered green beans w/lemon and Parsley
and a sumptuous mixed fruit tart.

Something wonderful happens as you sit and linger over a good meal...stories unfold of favorite childhood dishes, mom in the kitchen (or not), who was the best chef, cafeteria classics, and how we first learned to cook. Three bottles of wine later the one subject we could all agree on was our mutual love of anything gastronomic.
So here is a toast to the 2010 No Guilt (pass the butter please) Cookbook Club!!
Bon Appetite!!

...Nightie Nights.

I realize it's the New Year,time for all those healthy resolutions, and the last thing any of us need right now is another sweet holiday treat... but I just couldn't resist sharing my favorite new cookie...Nightie Nights. After all, how bad can a bit of egg white, chocolate and nuts be. There is plenty of time later for carrot sticks and the like! Thinking ahead these could be great Valentines gifts, a wonderful Easter treat, or just something simple with an afternoon cup of Earl Grey. They are also the absolute simplest cookie to make.

2 egg whites
2/3 c. white sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 cup good quality chocolate bits

Set oven to 350 degrees. With wire whip or beater, ship egg whites until foamy. Than adding sugar a little at a time, beat until stiff. Fold in vanilla, chocolate bits and nuts.
Line a large ungreased cookie sheet with aluminum foil. DO NOT GREASE. Place spoonfuls of cookie batter on foil fairly close together (they will not grow).
Place in oven on 2nd rack from top and than shut oven off. DO NOT PEAK
Leave in overnight. In morning remove from oven. Store in air tight container.

Enjoy, and oh... "Nightie Night"!!

...Happy New Year.

"We will open the book. It's pages are blank.
We are going to put words on them ourselves.
The book is called Opportunity and it's first chapter is New Years Day."
- Edith Lovejoy Pierce